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Lost Dreamer | Chapter 22 - The Crystal War: Part 3 | When the small group left the base it was in the middle of a blizzard, Chara didn't want anyone to follow them and the blizzard would cover their tracks; they traveled for hours in the snow till finally, the reached the old laboratory. When the lab first came in to view everyone, even Chara, stared in awe. It was a massive facility covered in a shimmering dome of magic that blocked the blizzard from entering, Chara reached out a hand and it passed through with only a ripple. She turned to the group and nodded with a smile as she entered the others following. "SO this is Grandpas' old lab?" Frisk asked as she looked around getting a chuckle form Chara.
"It's impressive, compared to the Lab in Hotland this place is way better." She said as she approached the door and examined a key pad on it. "Looks like it's locked... what was the password?" She muttered as she looked at the keys for a moment before typing in a code and the door unlocked. "Vivete a lungo nel cuore, of course you choose something cheesy Gaster." She muttered with a smile as the door opened and she turned to look at the group. "Stay close to me." She said as they entered the building.
As soon as they entered they were hit with a blast of hot air and Chara smiled as she began to walk down the dusty halls. "Chara, do you know what we're looking for?" Asriel asked as he walked beside her.
Chara shrugged. "I don't know what you're looking for here bro, most of the stuff here is only useful to me." She said with a shrug.
Asriel sighed. "Okay, I'm just here to make sure you leave to be honest." He said with a chuckle. "Not sure why the princesses wanted to come or Frisk for that matter."
"Hey, I wanted to seem my Grandfathers first lab!" Frisk yelled defensively.
Chara smiled as she placed an arm around Asriel and pulled him down for a noogie. "Okay goat boy, that's enough ribbing my wife!" She said playfully.
"NO, do not noogie the goat!" He exclaimed as he tried to pull away.
Charta smiled before turning to the princesses. "So what are you looking to get out of this?" She asked.
Luna frowned. "Answers." She said simply as she eyed Chara. "And what do you seek."
Chara sighed. "I doubt you'll find any here." She said as she continued to lead the group down the halls. "As for what I'm after, well there are three things." She said with a smile. "The first is Dr. Gaster's notes and work on the Monster resurrection stabilizer, if I'm lucky then there's still some kept in deep freeze and I will be able to immediately start reviving monsters. Second is a Determination booster Gaster developed here, I don't need it but it'll be extremely useful to Frisk." She said as she pulled her wife into a sidelong hug.
Frisk sighed. "Do you have to be like this with me every time I'm around?" She asked with fake anger.
Chara hugged her wife even more. "I get to see you for the first time in months and you gripe about me loving you, just wait till we get to the bedroom." She said whispering the last part in Frisks ear making her face turn red. Chara chuckled. "The last thing is... well I don't actually know." She said with a shrug.
Celestia tilted her head confused. "You don't know?" She asked in a deadpanned voice.
Chara shrugged. "Gaster wanted it to be a surprise so I have no idea." She said with a smile as they exited the hall and entered the main lab.
The room they were in was massive and lined with benches covered with old and dusty equipment. Papers were strewn across the floor and many most of the equipment looked knocked over or smashed; the entire scene made it looked like the workers had left in a big hurry. Chara frowned as she slowly walked forward and stepped into the chaos. The group didn't say anything as they passed empty and messy work stations and after several minutes of picking their way through the mess Chara spotted a door with a plaque on it with the name Wingding Gaster engraved on it. Chara smiled and quickly picked her way through the mess and entered the room.
As she entered she saw that while it was messy the mess was much smaller than the outside area. The room was a rather sizeable study with a small station covered in lab equipment in the far corner. The wall beside the door was covered in file cabinets, many open and their contents staked on the floor in hurriedly made piles, Chara ignored all these files and moved straight to the desk that was set in a corner of the room and began to rummage through the documents on the desk. As she did this Frisk and the others entered and looked around in surprise at the tidiness of the area.
"DT notes, Soul Extraction, Blaster designs, Multiverse notes, magic test and experiments, where did he put it?" Chara muttered as she looked through the files on the desk and pulled out drawer finding a few loos papers and a crystal glass containing an amber liquid, which she quickly and discretely put in her inventory, under the bottle she saw a file labeled Project Revival and quickly pulled it out with a triumphant smile. "Found it!" she crowed with a smile drawing the others over as she set down the file.
Research on Monster Revival and Restoration
By Dr. Wingding Gaster
Despite many attempts in the past to revive monsters that have fallen down through magic we have still been unable to do so, the most we are able to do is allow them to be brought back from the dead for a few moment as nothing more than an afterimage or ghost. This has been a staple fact for centuries however thanks to the recent research on my part in an attempt to find a way to fight the Corrupted Soul Traits of Humans I discovered that the red trait of Determination can revive monsters permanently. However the process is flawed as any attempt to revive monsters through this process results in them destabilizing and melting in to what we have named Amalgamations.
Despite this fact the discovery of Determination and its properties is too great of a discovery and the chance to revive monsters is too great a hope to pass up. While the King has agreed with this sentiment I have been given very specific guidelines, I am not allowed to experiment on any monster that is unwilling, I cannot keep them locked up and they must be taken care of. I cannot leave them in inhuman conditions and perform inhuman experiments. I have fully agreed to these as at present I have all the data I require. The problem is not experimentation or even testing it's the equations.
At present the already know the problem from the first time this occurred, Monsters cannot handle raw determination in any level of dosage. The results of injecting a Monster with Determination directly is the liquidation of said monster. The cause of this is due to the makeup of monsters. A Human is formed primarily from organic composition and only a small fraction of Magic. This results in Humans containing a small amount of Magic potential. Now of course there are exceptions such as Mages, they are born with a significant amount of magic, enough to form a Mana Pool that can be drawn from.
Now Monsters are made quite differently, a Monster is composed mostly of magic with only a small about of organic material. As a result when we die the magic leaves us and the small amount of organic composition simply turns to dust. As Monsters are composed mostly of magic we have no need for a Mana Pool or Spells as we are in essence comprised of magical energy. However it is this very advantage that inhibits our use of Determination, the closest any Monster has come to in using Determination would be we Skeleton Monsters as we are often born from the remains of Humans with high Determination.
With this knowledge I and a few assistance have come to theorize that what we needed was a specially designed Magic Amplifier that is used in conjunction with Determination. At present we are theorizing that our bodies can't handle determination due to the fact it eats at our bodies like acid, this means all we need is a counter agent and it is logical that the counter agent for such deterioration is magic. In short with just a few drops of Determination and a powerful burst of magic is enough to revive a monster however while this may seem simple it's not.
Excluding Skeleton Monsters and Boss Monsters as they naturally have a small amount of Determination in them to begin with; any monster revived will have to burn of the excess determination over a period of time. The amount of time that it will take depends on the monster type but I would assume that only a few drops of Determination are required to revive any normal monster; I would hypothesize it would be a mixture of 10-90 of the determination to Magic ratio.
Boss Monsters will require more determination and will not need to burn off the excess Determination as it will actually help them stabilize, perhaps even make them more powerful in the long run by further enhancing their skills; I would hypothesize a 20-80 percent ration or to be safe I would say even 30-70 ratio. Of course there are exceptions and that exception is my race, Skeletons. Because Skeletons are born naturally as Humans and later become Skeletons after their passing they will require a significant amount of Determination and Magic; by my estimations it would require a 45-55% mixture with determination being this high at minimum, I'm hesitant to say 50-50 split as I fear that would be too much.
Update: Experimentation is currently under way but we have had enough successes with the monsters we've revived to say that the formula is a success, at least for normal monsters. As for Boss and Skeleton Monsters, we haven't needed to use them yet. To be honest at this point we're throwing science at the wall here to see what sticks, don't even know what it'll do. Probably nothing but best case scenario well get some new powers or... and amalgamation which we'll have to terminate, not really conventional but at present it's all we got and since this is all new it'll be like that for a while.
Chara smiled as she pulled out a box containing several devices each labeled with the ratios of determination and magic they contained. "Gaster you bloody genius." She whispered as she placed the items in her inventory and stood up. "We have what we came for but I still need to go get the other items." She said. "Do you all want to come?"
Celestia and Luna shook their heads. "We need to return to the troops but we wish you luck." Luna said.
Chara nodded. "I understand, tell the troops to prepare to move on the empire capital." She said and the princesses nodded before lighting their horns and teleporting away.
Asriel smiled as she turned to Chara. "So where to next?"
Chara moved back around the desk and exited the room heading down a hall opposite the one the entered. "Containment and storage she said as he and Frisk followed her down the hall to an elevator.
Calmly she pressed the call button and they stood waiting, as they waited Frisk seemed to look at the lab in confusion. "You know, I was expecting more separate labs and side offices." She said as Chara chuckled.
"This lab wasn't a private facility Frisk; it was for the Royal scientist like Gaster." Chara explained. "They all worked together on the same projects so all those tables you saw were the separate work stations." She said as the elevator dinged and they boarded it. Chara hit the button down and the elevator descended into the depts of the old lab.
As they slowly descended Asriel turned to Chara. "So what's down here?" He asked. "You said it was Containment and storage but what exactly is down here?"
Chara smirked as she turned to him. "Everything." She answered simply as her smile grew. "Down here we'll find everything that was ever worked on by the royal scientists. From projects completed and released to dangerous failed experiments. Incomplete projects, projects too dangerous to be simply released or left around for anyone to pick up; all of it is here in containment or placed under lock and key in storage." She finished as the elevator stopped and the doors dinged open. "Don't touch anything unless I say it's safe." She said as she exited the elevator. "Some of this stuff can kill you by just looking at it the wrong way." She said with a smile as she reached into her pocked and pulled out a paper covered in wingdings. "So I want storage room 2481 and containment room 001." She muttered as she looked at the two paths and turned left to the storage room.
As Chara turned left Asriel and Frisk looked on surprised as they saw a hall full of doors. "What is this?" Asriel asked as she looked down the hall.
"Like I said everything is here, most of these are storage rooms containing boxes of experiments and tests or just simple documents that were saved." Chara explained as she walked down the hall till she stopped at a certain door. "Then there are the rooms like this one that house dangerous experiments that were locked away and quarantined due to their danger." She said as her hand glowed with magic.
Chara placed her hand on the door and after a second Frisk and Asriel heard the sound of gears and locks activating behind the door. Chara turned the handle and pulled, the door slowly opening revealing it to be at least an inch thick with massive bolts and locking mechanisms on the other side. As the door opened the two peered into the storage room to see it was empty aside from a pedestal in the center of the room, sitting upon the pedestal was a single vial of glowing red liquid that cast the room in a dark red light.
Chara slowly entered the room and approached the pedestal before removing the vial and turning to the two who still hovered at the door. "Come here Frisk." She said causing Frisk to hesitantly approach. "This is a gift from Gaster." She said a she held up the vial.
"If this is a gift why is it so locked up?" Frisk asked confused.
Chara smiled. "This is a Determination Booster; it can increase the determination of any human. It was designed for Monster use bit..." Chara looked away as Frisk and Asriel realized what it was capable of. "I used one when I was younger and it increased my power beyond any previous recorded human." Chara said as she held out the booster. "Frisk, you don't have to do it but Gaster wanted his granddaughter to have it in case she needed use it."
Frisk looked at the booster before hesitantly taking the vial. "Does it hurt?" She asked.
Chara nodded. "It's the most painful thing you will ever feel, think of Sans's attack using karmic retribution multiplied by a thousand and even then you'll never be close." She said sadly. "Like I said you don't have to take it but if you do know that you'll become more powerful then you could ever imagen." She said
Frisk looked at Chara. "What will I be able to do?" She asked.
Chara sighed. "If you do this you'll have magic not just soul manipulation." Chara said slowly. "I got my magic because I my determination mingled with the magic of the underground but with no monsters this is the only way for you to gain it." She explained. "Aside from that, you'll have the ability to use any form of soul trait like me and most likely you'll gain other versions of your HoPe form."
Frisk took a deep breath and pulled the stopper to the vial and before Asriel or Chara could say anything tilted it back and drank it. As she did Asriel and Chara's eyes widened and as soon as she finished the vial she doubled over. "Frisk you idiot!" Chara screamed in panic as she rushed over to her wife as the vial fell to the ground and grabbed frisk. "What were you thinking!?"
She asked in fear as she saw Frisk grunt in pain. "I thought that if I could do more then maybe-" Frisk screamed in pain unable to finish what she was saying due to the pain. Chara pulled her close and Frisk buried her head in her wife's chest and she screamed in pain.
As Frisk was screaming Asriel began flipping out in panic looking around for something to do that would help. "Chara, she's screaming; that's bad Chara! What do we do?" He asked in fear.
Chara sighed. "Get over here and hug your sister in law ya big cry baby!" She yelled as Frisk let out another scream of agony and Asriel nodded and began to hug Frisk and telling her it would be okay.
As Asriel did this Frisk's veins began to glow and her soul appeared before them; slowly the soul began to fracture and split. "Cara, what's happening?" He asked in fear.
"I tried to warn here." Chara said as she looked at her soul. "We can't help her any more. She will either die or be reborn with a soul like mine."
Asriel paused and looked at Chara in shock. "This is how you got a half human-half Monster soul." He said in shock as Chara looked away.
"Gaster made two of these and brought one of them when monsters were sealed underground." Chara said as Frisk screamed and her soul shattered however instead of the pieces flying away they stayed as half of them inverted on themselves and turned white before a white substance began to drip form the red part and piece the fragments back together. As it finished fixing her soul Frisk's eyes snapped open one of them glowing silver while the other glowed an amber color. As the glow faded frisk slumped forward onto Chara who grunted under the full weight of her wife for a moment before she was able to lay her down.
Asriel looked fearfully at Chara as she looked over Frisk before sighing and sitting back with a faint smile. "She's just unconscious, she survived." She said in a relived voice before turning to Asriel. "I need you to watch her, I'll pick Up Gasters last gift and we can get out of here. Then I'm chewing that old skeleton out." She said muttering the last part angrily as she got up and headed for the door.
"What if she waked up?" Asriel asked concerned.
"Make sure she stays lying down for a while." She needs to relax as much as possible for the next few hours." Chara said as she left the room and walked back down the hall and continued down the right hall to the containment part of the area. Calmly she walked down the hall and looked at each door number till she turned the corner and saw a door at the far end with a massive magic seal carved into the door and walls around it. "That's the door I need isn't it?" She asked out loud to no one and as he approached it she saw a tag on it say 001. "Damn it Gaster." She groaned as she looked at the door and pushed it open to see a dark cavern that ended at a cliff.
Chara frowned as she slowly approached the cliff edge only to see seven sets of eyes light up in the darkness and turn to her as something rose from the depths of the darkness. Chara's mouth dropped as she saw the massive creature that had been sleeping before she smiled. "Damn it Gaster, best gift ever." She said under her breath as she stared into the eyes of the massive Gaster Hydra before her. Suddenly Chara began to giggle however slowly it devolved into fits of insane laughter; when she finally recomposed herself one of her eyes was black with only a red pupil as she smiled with a deranged look. "This upcoming battle with Sombra will prove very... very... Interesting." She said darkly. |
Lost Dreamer | Chapter 23 Part 1 - The Crystal War: Part 4 | Chara stood looking over a cliff face at the corrupted Crystal Empire; black crystal spires twisted around the blue crystal like plunder vines chocking the life from them. "Disgusting." She whispered under her breath as she looked at it.
"What's wrong Chara?" Frisk asked as she looked at her fuming wife.
"Aside from the fact that this place reeks of corruption I sense that whatever is doing this is fueled by hate." She said in a dark voice. "It's an all you can eat buffet of hatred and corruption." She said as her eyes began to change to their demonic form. "It's... temptation to one such as me." She whispered as she shuddered.
Frisk frowned. "Maybe you should say behind." She offered only for a laugh to come from behind them causing Frisk to turn and glare at Asriel who was sitting on a frozen boulder polishing his swords.
"We tried that when we went to face off against the Griffon Queen, Talon the Soul of Fear." He said with a smile. "Instead she comes barging in and unleashes Gaster on them almost dying in the process." He said as he stood. "We can't stop her if she decided to come so just let her be."
"Honestly I doubt it will be a problem anyway." Chara said calmly. "I wouldn't attack you all, if anything it would probably be best if I do go, all that hate and dark magic would be drawn to me and the more hate I have at my disposal the stronger I am." Chara said with a shrug.
Frisk frowned as she turned to her wife. "That doesn't mean that that's a good thing. What happens of you lose control or something?" She asked concerned.
Chara shrugged. "Honestly the worst thing that could happen is I run into some form of concentrated hate, if that happened and I came in contact with it I'd instantly become my demon form." She said.
Asriel nodded and turned heading back down the cliff. "Come on you two, we have to prepare for the fight." he said. Frisk nodded and followed but Chara stayed turning to look back at the Empire.
"Though given the condition the Empires in... I'd say that may be a very real danger." She whispered as she turned and followed her wife and brother.
Chara stood calmly watching the battle unfold with a grimace; the plan was the same they had used during the Griffon War; divide the enemy and leave the palace unprotected. "I assume we'll be getting no reinforcements from Shroud or Grillby?" Luna asked as she looked at Chara.
Chars shook her head. "Grillby and what forces we have left are protecting the Everfree. Shroud and the phoenix are beings of fire, if this was a mission to face a dragon overlord in the Dragon Lands then maybe they would help." She said with a shrug.
Celestia sighed. "Right, so we're on our own." She said sadly.
Chara smirked. "You got a Demon, an Angel, and God of Hyperdeath on your side, not to mention that you and your sister can literally call upon the power of the sun and moon like some divine being. Not to mention you al brought the Orbital Friendship Cannon of Deus Ex Machina anyway so if everything goes to hell you can just call on that." She said as she waved her hand dismissively.
Celestia frowned. "The Elements of Harmony and while we brought them I would rather not use them." She said.
"The armies are in position; it's time for us to make our move." Asriel said as he turned to the princesses.
Celestia nodded as her horn glowed however nothing happened and she frowned. "The Shield over the city is blocking teleportation."
Chara sighed. "Then teleport us right outside." She said with a groan. Celestia nodded and lit her horn once more and the group disappeared in a flash before reappearing in front of the shield. The group quickly entered the dark shield however as soon as Chara passed through she fell to her knees.
"Chara!" Frisk yelled in panic as Chara grabbed her head and began to grunt as dark energy began to spark off her.
"Stay back!" Chara yelled as horns ripped out of her head and a pair of wings with black feathers ripped from her back as her clothes began to change into a purple coat with a long tail coat and the Delta rune emblazoned on the chest. Her pants became black and her boots became purple with wraps covering them. The group stood in shock at her transformation however slowly Chara rose and as she opened her eyes they saw they were completely black except for the iris which was glowing red and pupils which were slitted like that of a dragon... or demon.
"Chara... are you okay." Frisk asked in concern as she placed her hand on her wife's shoulder.
Chara shuddered for a moment before seeming to finally focus and looked down at herself. "Well... this is... unexpected." She said slowly before looking at Frisk. "I-I'm fine, just need to get use to myself again." She said as she shuddered. "I feel violated." She said quietly so only Frisk could here.
Frisk pulled Chara into a hug. "It'll be alright." She whispered in her ear before pulling away and examining her. "Well, you make acute demon." She said causing Chara to blush and look away.
Celestia looked concerned. "Chara, what- I don't- please explain this." She asked with a confused look.
Chara smiled sheepishly revealing her canines had become sharper and looked like fangs. "Remember when I told you all that when both I and the Trait of Hate merge into one I become a Demon?" She asked.
"We do." Luna said. "I also remember you saying that if this ever happened it would be very bad and to find frisk immediately." Luna said.
Chara nodded. "Because Frisk is my opposite, the only reason I'm not going berserk is because Frisks' presence stabilizes me in this form."
"But why did you become like this?" Celestia asked.
Chara sighed as she looked around the corrupted crystal empire. "Because I miscalculated." She said causing everyone to look at her confused. "I thought that since Sombra was corrupted by the Trait of Cruelty the Empire would be consumed with bloodlust and the hate was a side effect but that's not the case." She explained as she frowned. "The Crystal Empire was built and powered by love; the opposite of love is my trait, Hate."
"Which means that with the Empire corrupted it now is a beacon of hatred." Asriel said as his eyes widened. "That means that you entering the empire is like throwing a sponge into an ocean." He said in shock. "You're absorbing so much hate that your demon form was forced to activate."
Chara nodded. "That about sums it up; of course that also means this whole place is a nexus for my power. I effectively have an infinite power source for this fight." She said with a dark smile.
Celestia shuddered. "Try not to corrupt yourself any more than you already are." She asked.
Chara smiled sadly as she looked at the solar princess. "I'm a literal demon, what could I possibly become that is more corrupt?" She asked as she turned and began to walk down the deserted street. "Come on, I want to pay Sombrero a visit she said with a smile.
The group looked at each other before following Chara to the palace at the center of the empire. When they reached the base of the palace they saw several crystal guards marching around. Chara frowned and looked at the group. "So any ideas?" She asked.
Asriel examined the guards and nodded. "Chara, Frisk you need to get through and kill Sombra. The Princesses and I will hold off the guards."
"Hang on, why us?" Frisk asked.
Arial sighed. "More specifically you, as the bearer of the Trait of HoPe you can stop corrupted traits, Chara is going because she is an Arbiter and given she has unlimited power in this domain she's the best option to face Sombra.
Chara nodded. "But why not the princesses?" She asked.
Asriel frowned. "Honestly you two will are just being sent ahead, I don't imaging that this will take a lot of time but I'd rather have Frisk protected if it does take longer." He said as he rose and looked at the princesses. "How are you two at bait?" He asked getting confused looks from the princesses.
The guard sighed as he was watching the surroundings, since the equestrians had sent their army out there had been nothing got keep his attention, suddenly the two Alicorn princesses and the weird goat appeared in a flash of teleportation and ran forward. The guard panicked and the last thing he saw was Asriels sword coming for his neck.
Asriel smiled as he decapitated one of the guards and turned to face the others, Celestia and Luna engaging some as well. "Impressive kill Asriel, though I'd of thought you'd wish to wet your new blade." Luna said as shed dodged the attack of a guard.
Asriel chuckled as he parried the strike of a guard and followed through in gutting the pony. "I need to train with it first and given that I've been a bit busy lately I haven't had time." He said as he saw Chara fly Frisk into the palace. "They're in so now you can focus more in killing than distraction!" He yelled.
Chara and Frisk ran down the halls of the Crystal palace heading straight for the throne room; as they neared the room the two slowed and peaked around corners looking for guards however their seemed to be none. "This is weird." Frisk said concerned. "There should be at least a few guards." She said.
Chara nodded in agreement. "This guy can't be this arrogant." She replied as they reached the hall to the throne room and standing before the doors was a massive crystal golem.
Chara smiled. "Oh this is too easy." She whispered getting an shocked look from Frisk.
"Chara awe can't fight that!" She whispered only for Chara's smile to widen.
"When did I say we would?" She asked as she stepped forward rounding the corner as her eyes glowed a bright purple as a circle of lines and runes of magic spread out around her forming a massive summoning circle. The Golem slowly began to walk forward as the circle activated and Frisk watched in shock as a massive claw ripped form the circle followed by another as a head broke through the circle, and then another, and another. Frisk watched in shock as seven heads appeared from the summoning circle followed by a massive body. "This is a battle between titans!" Chara yelled with a smile. "Some giant Crystal golem verses the seven headed Gaster Hydra!" She yelled with a smile as the Hydra roared and the Golem began to charge forward and slam into the behemoth of a Gaster Blaster only to bounce off.
Chara turned to Frisk and grabbed her hand pulling her past the two titans who began to fight. "Come on Frisk, we got a King to slay!" She yelled as one of the heads opened its mouth and unleashed a massive beam of green magic. Frisk nodded and the two ran to doors Chara leaping into the air and slamming in to them blasting them off their hinges and into the throne.
As the doors landed on the throne they were ripped apart as Sombra growled angrily and narrowed his eyes as he saw the tow humans enter his throne room. "You dare to face me alone?" He asked with a laugh. "If I recall it took both you, that pathetic goat and the foolish princesses to defeat me last time." He said arrogantly.
Chara smiled as she looked the stallion in the eyes. "I think this time you'll find will be different." She said with a smile as she summoned the True Knife.
Sombra roared and shot forward his body becoming a wave of darkness however as he neared Frisks hands glowed brightly with white magic that she fired at Sombra causing him to roar in pain and reform away from the two and summon an obsidian scythe before charging at them once more only this time Chara leapt forward her Knife shifting in to a trident that she trust forward locking the two weapons together as she caught the shaft of the scythe between two of the tridents prongs.
Frisk leapt into the air as her spear appeared in her hand as she trust it forward piercing the Kings chest causing him to grunt in pain as he turned into shadows and appeared behind them only Chara to spin her trident as it shifted in to a sword that she used to block his blows. Frisk leapt back her right eye glowing silver as her left flowed a bright amber and she raised her hands summoning a wave of bones. Chara flipped backwards over the bones at the last second and Sombras' eyes widened as he summoned a wall of crystal that shattered when the wave hit only he had vanished; once more appearing behind them. Frisk eyes glowed as she flipped away from Sombras' attacks however her form began to glow with a white energy before her body changed.
Chara watched in shock as Frisk began to shift, her cloths becoming a blue form fitting tank top and her pants changed so short black running shorts similar to a certain skeletons. Frisk's hands were covered in black fingerless combat gloves as her socks grew to cover her legs up to her knees and a pair of black leather combat boots covered her feet. Sombra roared as she slammed his hoof down and launched several spikes of dark crystal at her however as soon as they neared Frisks eye glowed blue and she swung she spear shattering them as the spear transformed in to a scythe with the blade forming from a Gaster blaster skull. As Sombra and Chara looked on in shock Frisk smirked and winked at Chara before a bone appeared behind her and she used it as a springboard to shoot herself at Sombra catching the dark king off guard and actually managing to strike him. "Surprise you son of a bitch." She whispered with a smirk as she leapt back and landed beside her wife.
Chara whistled as she eyed Frisk. "Me like." She said causing Frisk to giggle.
"Naturally, but we still have a corrupted soul to deal with." She said with a smile.
Chara nodded. "Then I think I should shift into a more... appropriate attire." She said as her form was enveloped with black liquid and when it retracted Chara stood in her Black Assassin Form however since she was fully a demon she still kept the horns and wings as well as both of her eyes being demonic. "Let's kick his ass." She said as she smirked as Frisk nodded and readied her scythe.
Sombra growled. "How are you this powerful?" He asked as the three circles each other.
Chara laughed. "My soul is bound to a corrupt trait as well, the Trait of Hate." She said calmly. "And guess what, this entire place is saturated in Hate." She said causing Sombras eyes to widen. "That's right; I've got an infinite well of power as long as I'm here." Sombra growled. "Oh what's wrong Sombrero? Chara asked in a mocking tone.
"I'm going to enjoy handing your soul over to PLAYER." Sombra said through grit teeth."
Chara and Frisk smiled as they charged forward, Sombra snarled as he lit his horn and summoned several scythes that shot out at the two determined humans. Charas eyes glowed light blue as she teleported in front of Sombra snapping her fingers and launching a bone straight in to his chest as Frisk dodged the Scythe attack and struck him in the head. "Game over." Frisk said however Sombra smiled.
"Indeed." He said as his eyes turned a sickly green as his horn glowed and the two were engulfed in darkness.
Celestia, Luna and Asriel ran through the castle till they reached the hall leading to the throne room where the stopped in shock at the sight before them. Lying before them was a massive skeletal Hydra what was happily batting the broken body of a massive crystal creature who was roaring and bellowing in anger as it tried to bite the Hydra. Asriel collected himself first and bust out laughing drawing the attention of one of the heads who leaned down and happily licked the goats face. "Come on Princesses, He won't hurt us." He said as they passed by the hydra which had refocused on the crystal golem, or what was left of it. When they were half way to the throne room they heard a scream causing them to break into a run and charge into the throne room to see a horrifying sight.
Inside the throne room lay Frisk unconchous; standing over her with her arms stretched out as if to protect Frisk stood Chara, several crystal spies sticking out of her back. Sombra laughed as he slammed his hoof down and a new spike of dark crystal drove in to Chara who screamed in pain again. Sombra raised his hoof again only to receive a spear made of solar fire stop his chest throwing him back. Asriel ran over to Chara who blearily looked at Asriel with a smile. "Hey Azzy, looks like you survived." She murmured
"Chara Are you okay?" He asked as she ripped herself free of the spikes.
"Peachy." She hissed angrily as she looked at her brother. "Take Frisk and the princesses out if here, and you run." She said calmly.
Asriel shook his head. "No way, you're in no shape to fight him alone, Hate may regenerate you but the regeneration is slow." He said as he knelt next to Frisk and his eyes widened. "What happened to her?" He asked.
Chara frowned. "Why do you think I'm not healing right now?" She asked angrily. "I was stupid, if Hate makes me stronger then what does it do to one who embodies HoPe?" She asked causing Asriels eyes to widen. "I'm barely keeping her going and the princesses need to take command of the army since they're fucked, Sombra was smarter than we gave him credit for." She said.
Asriel picked up Frisk and turned to the princesses who nodded and turned and ran. "What will you do?" He asked.
Chara smiled. "I'm finishing this." She said with a smirk as she pulled three items from her robes. "Take the Gaster Hydra out, it'll be faster." She said as the sound Sombra roaring in anger was heard and the siblings looked to see him pulling himself off the spear he was impaled on and fall to the floor. "Azzy, run." She said as the True Knife flew into her hand.
Asriel hesitated before looking in Charas in the eyes. "If you die I'll never forgive you." He said before turning and running.
Chara watched him run with a faint smile before the laughter of Sombra filled the room. "Even your own family runs in my presence, you stand alone!" He yelled as she looked at the three devices in her hand. Sombra roared as he launched several dark crystal spears at Chara sending her flying back into a wall before she pressed the button on them with a smirk.
"You're wrong Sombra, for those who fight for a worthy cause are never alone. It's time to bring the curtain down on this play!" She yelled as she threw the devices into the air as they exploded releasing dust however rather than the dust falling it began to collect and slowly three figures pulled themselves from the piles of dust and as it fully collected an upside down white heart appeared before each of them and was sucked into them.
The First figure to appear was a tall skeleton who wore a suit of cool armor, and around his neck was a red scarf that flowed behind him. Next stood a short and big boned skeleton in a blue hoodie and pink slippers. The final figure was a Skeleton as well however where the first looked male this one had a suit of lighter gray plated armor designed for a female and flowing behind her was a tattered red cape.
Chara smiled as the big bones skeleton looked around in confusion before spotting Chara and smiling. "Hey there partner." He said with a smile.
"It worked." Chara whispered with a smiled. "Hey Sans, hope you're ready to give this bastard a bad time." She said with a smile before coughing up a bit of blood.
Sans laughed. "Are you kidding? I've been Avioding not interfering for too long." He said as he tilted his head to look at Sombra. "So Sombrero, lets cha-cha." He said as his eye glowed however as soon as it did Papyrus smacked him in the back of the head.
"Brother your puns are as incessant as ever! Chara has just revived us and you have already started!" Papyrus yelled angrily.
The women giggled as she patted Papyrus's head. "Now boys, what have I said about fighting?" She asked causing the two skeletons to stare in shock.
"MOM!" The tow yelled as the hugged the tall skeleton however the moment was short lived as a crystal spear shot at them only blocked by a green shielded.
"Now that was quite rude." the women said calmly as she looked at the stallion who was twitching angrily
"THat'S It, EVERY ONE DIES!!!" Sombra roared as he slammed his hooves in to the ground and launched hundreds of spikes at the group.
Sans teleported away with a smile as his eye glowed, Papyrus dodged the attacks with a smile as he leapt back and female skeleton simply held her hand out her left eye glowing green as a shield appeared. Chara used the True Knife to shatter the spikes that went her way.
"Princess Dreemurr, I ask you allow us to handle this." The female Skeleton said calmly. "I can tell your tired form combat and weakened. Allow my Sons and I to handle this." She said calmly
Chara smiled and bowed. "As you wish Captain Arial Aster, I wish you skill." She said receiving a nod from the Skeleton who turned to her sons.
"Alright boys, let's show this monster what we're made of." Arial said with a smile.
*Royal Guard Papyrus Aster blocks your path
*Royal Guard Captain Arial Aster blocks your path
* Judge of Monsters Comic Sans Aster blocks your path |
Lost Dreamer | Chapter 23 part 2 - The Crystal War: Part 5 | "THat'S It, EVERYONE DIES!!!" Sombra roared as he slammed his hooves in to the ground and launched hundreds of spikes at the group.
Sans teleported away with a smile as his eye glowed, Papyrus dodged the attacks with a smile as he leapt back and female skeleton simply held her hand out her left eye glowing green as a shield appeared. Chara used the True Knife to shatter the spikes that went her way.
"Princess Dreemurr, I ask you allow us to handle this." The female Skeleton said calmly. "I can tell your tired from combat and weakened. Allow my sons and I to handle this." She said calmly.
Chara smiled and bowed. "As you wish Captain Arial Aster." She said receiving a nod from the Skeleton who turned to her sons.
"Alright boys, let's show this monster what we're made of." Arial said with a smile.
*Royal Guard Papyrus Aster blocks your path
*Royal Guard Captain Arial Aster blocks your path
* Judge of Monsters Comic Sans Aster blocks your path
The room went dark and the sound of wind seemed to flow through the throne room as Sombra approached the three skeletons. As he neared Arial spoke. "It was a wonderful day outside."
"The sun was shining..." Sans said.
"the Snow was falling..." Papyrus continued.
"on day..."
"like this..."
"Tyrants like you..."
"Will be burningin Hell!" The three yelled simultaneously. Arial's right eye glowed yellow while her left glowed green as she thrust her hand forward launching several blades of yellow magic at the dark king who was forced to dodge them only for her to leap forward, a rapier of bone appearing in her hand as she shot toward him. Before Sombra could react Arial was on him slicing him apart before just as suddenly leaping back revealing a wave of white and orange bones being launched by Papyrus who smiled as like his mother he ran forward and attacked the dark king with a spear made of bones; this time Sombra managed to dodge and block a few attacks however rather than press the attack Papyrus dropped to the floor and delivered a sweeping low kick before leaping back revealing the final attack. Behind Papyrus stood Sans his hand outstretched and eye glowing as behind him a massive Gaster Blaster floated, it's magic trained on the king.
Sans smile widened as he looked at the King with what could have been contempt. "Get Dunked on." He said as he unleashed a blast that tore a trench into the ground as approached Sombra. Sombras eyes widened as he slammed his hoof into the ground and ripped a wall of black crystals up just in time to strike the makeshift shield making the king grit his teeth as the blast began to crack the crystal.
Sombra growled as he narrowed his eyes and summoned hundreds of small black crystal shards around himself as he leapt out from behind the wall and fired them at Sans however Sans simply smiled as he snapped his fingers and a blaster with no jaw appeared and acted as a shield blocking the shards. As Sans did this Arial and Papyrus leapt forward once more their weapons trained on the stallion who leapt back as the two weapons met the floor where he had stood and threw crystals up as the floor cracked under the impact. Sombra growled as he quickly was forced to doge and weave through Arial's strikes as she simply continued to smile. Sombra roared as he summoned two broadswords made of crystal and swung at the former royal guard commander however when he was mere inches from her a bone shot out of the ground and blocked the attack giving Arial time to pull back and for Papyrus to attack.
Unlike his mother who used agility and speed for her battle Papyrus focused more on precision and defensive attacks. Every strike Papyrus made with his spear staggered the corrupted unicorn as while they weren't exceptionally powerful they struck at the holes in Sombras guard. Each strike weakened the king further and due to both the weapon and Papyruses more defensive fighting style Sombra couldn't land more than a glancing blow on the tall skeleton before the strike was redirected or blocked.
Suddenly Papyrus flipped backward revealing Sans once more who launched several bone attacks at Sombra who was forced to dodge the attacks however as he was leaping over a particularly large bone wave the gravity seemed to freeze him before he was launched backward and slammed in to a wall. Several bones sharpened bones launched out of the wall and Sombra growled as he turned to shadow and let them pierced his chest however as the bones fades he felt as if he was suddenly set on fire as his who body ignited in agony and he screamed. Sans smiled as he looked at the King. "Looks like I just saddled you with a lot of weight, do you feel your sins weighing on your back?" He asked getting a exasperated groan from Papyrus and a laugh from Arial.
The King growled as he once again turned to shadow and shot down the wall before streaking across the floor where he came up directly in front of the punny skeleton and swung his crystal sword... only to miss. Where Sans had stood was now a trench where the sword had cleaved i to the ground however the big bones skeleton now stood behind the stallion. "Heh, you didn't think I was just going to stand there and take it did you?" He asked as a Gaster Blaster appeared in front of the King and fired causing him to scream as he was thrown back.
Papyrus raised his arm and as Sombra landed several bone spikes ripped through the floor. "You tried to kill my brother, Prince Asriel and Princess Chara. I am sorry strange Pony I want to help you but I feel that your life has already gone down a dark path." Papyrus said sadly.
Sobra looked at Papyrus confused before chuckling and then full on laughing. "You think you won?" He asks before laughing harder. You are all fools!" He laughed.
"It's done Sombra." Chara said calmly as she approached. "Your time as king comes to an end now." She said however Sombra simply laughed harder.
"The Crystal Empire is mine and no one will ever take it from me!" He roared as he turned to shadow and reformed however his body still was covered in injuries.
"I already told you Sombra; unless you're immortal you retain the damage dealt to your body." Chara said calmly. "Weather you die here and now or slink off to die in some hole you're done." She said calmly.
Sombra began to laugh once more as his eyes glowed green. "The Empire is mine." he hissed as he glared at the skeletons Chara. "But if I can't have it then no one will!" He roared as he lit his horn and lasted the floor causing the entire Castle to shake.
Chara's eyes widened as the castle shook at looked at the three skeletons. "We need to run now!" She yelled in panic as she turned and ran for the exit. Sans looked surprised for a moment and Papyrus grabbed him and ran after Chara with Arial right behind them. The group rain through the empty castle till they reached the exit where Celestia Luna and Asriel stood with the massive Gaster Hydra. "Get on!" She yelled as she ran past them and leapt onto the Hydra who looked confused as the others joined Chara. "Get us out of here!" She yelled at the Hydra who looked confused before realization seemed to click on the head with purple eyes and it seemed to take control for the body and run down the streets of the Empire as around them the entire city seemed to shake and start to crumble.
The other heads seemed to realize they were in danger and the body picked up speed as it ran faster. Buildings began to crumble however they weren't collapsing but rather turning to dust. "Come on Hurry or well be sucked in!" she yelled in panic pushing the skeletal beast to give a roar as several heads looked back at her with a look that said 'I'm running!' however Chara glared back and the heads turned back to focus on moving as far away from the city as fast as it could. Suddenly the shield around the empire shattered and the group looked back to see the castle collapse in on itself and a wave of black energy was unleashed.
The Hydra roared as it pushed itself and just as the magic was about to reach them the cleared the other ring of the city where the shield had once been. As soon as the energy hit the barrier crystals it shot backwards and as it did everything in its path vanished, disappearing as if it had never existed once the energy was gone a beam of black light shoot into the heavens before fading and leaving only a silent tundra, a confused army of royal guards that saw no enemies or empire and a shocked group sitting on a skeletal Gaster Hydra.
Celestia and Luna sat calmly at a circular table going over reports, beside them sat Asriel, Frisk and Chara who was pouring herself a shot from a bottle of amber liquid. "Chara, you pass the whiskey and quit hogging it." Luna asked receiving a raised eyebrow form the assembled group. "What? After what we all just went through I'd say a drink is in order." She asked.
Chara looked at the lunar princess before sighing and pulling a second shot glass out of her inventory and filling it before sliding it across the table to the mare who took it in her magic. "There are better ways to cope Luna; I do it this way because I'm a fucking alcoholic." She said with a slightly slurred speech.
"I don't give a buck right now." Luna said as she threw the shot back and shuddered as the substance burn her throat.
Chara sighed as she looked over her report and passed it to Celestia who looked it over and nodded. "So how are the guards doing?" She asked causing Asriel to sigh.
"The battle between Equestria and the Crystal Empire may have ended in a victory but the troops were so shaken by the cost that it feels like a defeat to them and honestly none of us are handle in g it much better." He said as he looked at the other person who sat at the table each of them looking away except for Chara who was pouring another shot for her and Luna.
"It's obvious that no matter what way it's going to be looked at this war will go down in the history books as a failure." Frisk said sadly she passed a glass to Chara who sighed and filled it. "From my understanding this had been Equestrias first war in of over six hundred years that has been fought with a rival nation. The last one was the Griffon Empire and from what I've heard from their ambassador they're doing rather well."
Chara passed the filled glasses to their respective drinkers before looking at the bottle and simply downing the last of it in a single gup. "The trip back to the Everfree was depressing to say the least." She said after corking the bottle.
"I had hoped that the announcement of your friend revival would have raised the spirits of our ponies." Celestia said sadly.
Chara laughed. "Pardon my callousness Celestia but when there is a failure this big the people aren't easily inspired to be happy." She said as she sipped the last of the drink from her glass.
Celestia sighed and nodded. "So do they have any ideas on what they are going to be doing?" She asked.
Chara shrugged. "I know Arial will most likely wish to return to active duty so she'll most likely be joining the guard." Chara said as she passed another report to Celestia.
"Dad is thinking about taking up his old position as a royal scientist and Uncle Pappy is going to be joining the guard." Frisk chimed in receiving odd looks from the Alicorns. "What, something wrong?"
"Nothing, we just weren't aware that Sans and Papyrus were truly your parents." Luna said.
"Well, I was adopted." Frisk said sheepishly. "After I broke the barrier to the Underground I was adopted by Sans. Papyrus kinda just fell into the role of Uncle and everything went from there. Sans taught me how to use magic and trained me in soul manipulation. Papyrus became a Royal Guard so he was often busy but he still stopped by a lot."
Luna nodded in understanding as Celestia looked at Chara curious. "So how did you and Chara meet?"
Frisk and Chara looked at each other and seemed to have a silent conversation before Chara crossed her arms and looked away. Frisk smiled sadly and turned back to the princesses. "Chara and I met when I fell into the Underground, my determination woke them up. We went through the underground together and she helped me a lot. From understanding certain monsters to other things, eventually I broke the barrier and we lived together on the surface with Asriel who at the time was Flowey." Frisk smiled as she became lost in old memories. "For a while the others didn't know and Chara stayed in my head but eventually we decided to tell them the truth. Sans and Alphys found that Chara's soul had latched onto mine and after a few years managed to bring her back." As Frisk finished reminiscing her smile faded as she looked down and sighed. "After Chara was brought back and we told everyone who Flowey really was Toriel and Asgore got back together and they were able to put the past behind themselves. I was adopted by Sans and it was pretty good the next few years till..." Frisk drifted off. "The PLAYER came and messed it all up."
Celestia nodded. "Apparently you did well if you manage to get married." She said causing both Frisk and Chara to flinch and look away. "What's wrong? You did get married correct?"
"The PLAYER decided to... have his fun on our wedding day." Chara said quietly causing the two princesses eyes to widen. "But that's neither here nor there." Chara said as she took a deep breath.
Celestia hesitated but nodded in the end. "So Sans plans to return to working as a scientist, I trust he has the proper credentials?" She asked causing Chara laughed. Celestia sighed. "Of course, I assume he'll at least take the test serious?" She asked.
"If it's the same test I took when I got my new credentials then nope." She said with a smile. "He'll probably do the test and then make his own to on the back of the test to see if the one giving it can do it." Chara said before her face turned serious. "There is also one more thing I need to discuss with you about Sans." She said her tone becoming uncharacteristically serious.
Celestia raised and eye brow as Luna looked up from a report. "And that would be?" Celestia asked.
"Sans is a Judge like me, he's actually my partner." Chara said calmly as she clasped her hands together calmly. "This means that his authority on matters will be the same as me."
"There are already two guards Commanders, there can't be a third." Luan said.
"I didn't say he was to be a guard commander." Chara countered. "Sans and I worked with the same authority however Judges don't operate the same job as an Arbiter. In the Underground I acted as a member of the Royal scientists with Sans however when it came to the duties we were tasked with we played different roles." Chara explained. "I am an Arbiter Judge, an Arbiters job is to fight and protect the kingdom from threats. Sans is an Observer Judge, an Observer's job is to watch out for threats and if necessary act on their threat assessment. The two trolls rely on each other to work as the Arbiter need the Observer to tell them if the threat is an active one or not."
Luna nodded in understanding. "So you are the one who fights, Sans is the one who make sure you're fighting the right person." Chara replied with nodded.
Celestia sighed. "Very well, I will speak with Sans and discuss what we will do to see that he may perform his duties as a Judge.
Chara smiled. "That's all I ask." She said before leaning back in his chair.
"And what of Papyrus and Arial?" Luna asked.
"Papyrus will be joining the Royal Guard and Arial will become my subordinate and replace Grillby as Captain of the Guard." Chara replied.
Celestia frowned and looked down sadly. "It is sad to hear that Grillby will no longer be serving."
Chara shrugged. "He plans to open up a new bar so I think it will be fine." She said with a smile. "TO be honest me and Asriel might be stepping down from serving as the Commanders of the Royal Guard soon. Sans is working on a way to revive the whole Underground and if that happens I and Asriel will have to take our place as the Prince and Princess of the Underground. Frisk will also have to pass the duties of ambassador onto another pony as she will be needed as the Ambassador for Monsters."
Celestia sighed and rubbed her forehead with a hoof. "This is going to be so tiring." She said with a groan. |
Lost Dreamer | Chapter 24 – The End of the PLAYER and Revival of Monsters | Sans stood calmly in the throne room of New Homes Castle, beside him stood Chara and Asriel as well as Frisk and all the monsters who had survived or in his brothers case been revived. "Well we're ready as we'll ever be." He said with a sigh.
Chara nodded and she closed her eyes, Frisk and Asriel following and after a moment all three of their souls floated from their bodies and hovered in place as magic began to build up around them. In a flash a pair of glowing red demon wings and horns grew from Chara as a pair of glowing red angelic wings and a halo appeared on Frisk; Asriel began to change into his God of Hyperdeath form however his form glowed pure white. Sans's eye lit up as he watched the determination and magic merge into a single point and form a sphere.
With a smile he raised his hand and a Gaster Blaster appeared before him and fired into the sphere destabilizing it and slowly the unstable orb crackled with energy which shot off in random directions before it seemed to collapse in on itself and vanish only to explode outward in a shockwave that spread throughout the Underground. As the shockwave moved outward it touched the dust of every monster and for a moment the dust seemed to glow before changing into a liquid and spreading out forming the bodies of the monster it once was. From within the Void Gaster watched with a proud smile as thousands of souls seemed to flicker to life and glow before they were pulled back to the bodies the once inhabited.
Frisk groaned as she fell back and landed on the cold tile. "We'll it worked." She said with a smile.
Asriel sighed. "Yeah but how are we going to explain any of this to the other monsters?" He asked tiredly.
Chara laughed. "Despite the PLAYERS power and many resets, when they originally took control of Frisk their RESET was incomplete so they glitched the Timeline." Chara said with a sigh as she hunched over forward slightly in exhaustion.
"Pap's remembered everything that happened and was even aware of what was going on while he was dead." Sans said with a nod. "I imagine that all the monsters will not only remember what happened but also were completely aware of what was going on while they were dead."
Frisk smiled. "Hey Chara, do you think Undyne saw all the awesome bad ass stuff we did?" She asked with a grin.
Chara groaned. "Oh no, both she and Alphys are going to be gushing about how awesome we are and how it's just like in an anime."
Sans and Asriel chuckled. "Well you two are pretty awesome." He said as a groan was heard from the side of the room and everyone turned their eyes widening as they saw a Monster in heavy gold and purple armor.
Chara slowly walked forward as tears began to fall form her eyes. "Dad..." She trialed off as the King turned in shock to see his daughter.
"Chara!" He cried as Chara ran and tackled him tears falling from both their eyes. "I saw everything child, I cannot express how proud I am of you and the woman you've become." He said as he hugged the demonic human.
"I missed you." She cried into his chest.
Asgore looked away sadly as he patted his daughters back. "I know child." He said as he looked up and saw Asriel. "Asriel, my son, look at you!" He said in surprise as he saw the goat monster before him.
Asriel approached his father and looked at him for a moment before pulling him into a hug. "Glad to have you back dad, not sure what I'd do if you didn't come back."
"It's good to actually hold you this time, son." Asgore said with a smile as he pulled Asriel into the hug. "I imagine that your mother will be on her way here as fast as she can be." He said with a smile.
"Yeah and so will be half the Kingdom your majesty." Sans said as he knelt before the King.
Asgore looked down at sans with a smile as he released his children. "Sans, it is good to see you once more." He said with a smile.
"Glad to see you to ya old fluff ball." Sans said with a smile.
The group stood quietly for a moment with smiles on their simply content to stand together however the silence was broken by the sound of slow clapping coming form the judgement hall. "Awe what a touching reunion." Said a voice that caused all present to freeze. Slowly everyone turned to see the white outline of the PLAYER standing at the end of the hall chapping their hands. "Did you really think that such an act as restoring all the Monsters in the Underground would not be noticed by me?" He asked.
Chara, Asriel and Frisk all summoned their weapons while Sans's eye glowed and a Blaster appeared beside him and he glared at the PLAYER. PLAYER smile grew however before either group could make a move Asgore stepped forward his footsteps echoing throughout the room as he entered the Judgment hall and faced the PLAYER. "Oh, the Foolish King steps forward?" PLAYER asked mockingly. "and what can I do for you your majesty?" He said as he gave a mocking bow.
"Despite us never meeting personally I believe I know who you are quite well after having observer your interactions with my children in the Void." Asgore said his voice cold and calm. "You are the PLAYER, the one who stole our happy ending, who ruined by daughter's wedding and killed us all over and over for your own sick enjoyment."
The PLAYER chucked the unsettling white smile on their already white being unnerving everyone present. "Guilty as charged; and your King Asgore Dreemurr, the Foolish King who sits upon his throne morning the past."
"You shut the fuck up about my dad!" Asriel yelled as he moved to attack however Asgore rose his arm and preventing him form moving forward. "Dad?"
"I may be an old sentimental fool and I can not excuse the actions I have committed however As my loyal Judge once said; I can no longer afford not to care anymore." Asgore said as he summoned his trident causing it to glow. "I so badly want to say, "would you like a cup of tea?" Asgore said before sighing. "But... you know how it is." Slowly the King walked forward and looked out the windows of the hall seeing the golden light that shone through. "It's a nice day today, huh? Birds are singing, flowers are blooming... perfect weather for a game of catch." Asgore sighed and turned back to the PLAYER. "... We both know what you will do. Even with all you have done, I wish I could say otherwise but... I am not ready for this." The PLAYER laughed as they stepped forward and Asgore sighed. "I see... this is it then."
Asgore King of Monster
Blocks your path
As the battle began Asgore raised his hand and a wave of fire balls shot at the player who began to dodge as soon as it ended the PLAYER immediately used Check to see the stats and grimaced.
King Asgore Dreemurr
HP: 3500/3500 ATK: 80000 DF: 80000 SP: 23544 MAG: 76293
The wise King of the Underground
The PLAYER summoned his knife and charged swinging wildly at Asgore however Asgore blocked the strikes with his trident and what attacks did land were absorbed by Asgore's armor.
The kings eyes lit up with as he raised his trident; Blue, Orange, blue, blue, Orange. As The sequence ended Asgore swung his trident and waves of magic following the pattern were released with each swing forcing the player to avoid both the strikes from the trident and the magic, something that quickly was proven to be impossible as he was slashed by the trident.
The Player growled as the ran forward the king calmly blocking the attacks of his faster opponent. "Speed in battle was never my strong point. Unlike Sans who could dodge even the truest of arrows or my sons who's battle style requires movement, I could never attain such skills. Instead I learned to compensate my weaknesses!" Asgore said as he thrust his trident out and slammed the PLAYER back before charging them his attacks were slow but the tridents staff like nature and the brutality of each blow made up for the speed overwhelming the PLAYERS defenses and sending them flying back. Asgore leapt into the air and reversed his grip on the trident before thrust it forward sending it flying with enough power to see a shockwave of air from where he threw it.
The PLAYER tried to doge the attack however the prongs of the trident caught them and the threw them to the ground where they were pinned by the neck, the tridents prongs trapping their neck and the arm they had the knife in. "It's time I show you my special attack!" The King roared as his eyes glowed with fire and he began to fall back to the ground. Slowly a massive spear began to form in his hand as he fell the spear grew in intensity and light the flames it was made of shining as bright as a star. The PLAYERS eyes widened as he saw a the spear of fire falling straight at him. "SPECIAL ATTACK: GOD SPEAR!" Asgore roared as he struck, thrusting the spear forward and striking the PLAYER as he used the shock wave form the explosion to push himself back and land on the ground.
"Did that get them?" Sans asked as he stepped forward. Asgore was silent as he narrowed his eyes. Slowly the dust began to settle and as it did a figure began to form slowly waking out of the cloud.
The PLAYER head was bowed. "Good try, but not good enough." They said before their eyes flickered with Magenta light. "I think this is the first time I've ever had to actually use my special little secret." The said as their smile grew larger as a magenta human soul appeared. As it did Sans and Charas eyes widened as the pupal shrank in fear. "Behold your God, and taste from me Despair.' They said with a smile. as the soul pulsed and forced all the monsters to their knees as Celestia and Luna gasped in pain.
Chara grit her teeth as something seemed to well up inside her. "Bastard." She spit causing everyone to stare at her in surprise not just because she was still standing but because she was actually walking toward the PLAYER. "It because of beings like you that I still am bound to this curse." She said as she continued to walk forward however as she approached the PLAYER her form began to change. Slowly her eyes changed from white to black till only a pinprick of red light was left as a black liquid began to leaked from them, her flesh slowly changed form a pale completion to a sickly white becoming corps like as the flesh around her mouth decomposed and with a sickening ripping sound black bones extended from her back forming skeletal wings. "You disgust me." She said coldly, her voice reverberating and echoing as if it were overlaid.
"Ah I see Hate still hold your soul." PLAYER said with a frown. "I don't understand why you continue to resist, what drives you to such lengths to defy me as you've done. I cannot understand why you'd risk and endure so much for these pathetic creatures!"
Chara smiled as she looked at the PLAYER. "It's simple PLAYER, there are things I wish to protect, things I need to protect. It is this conviction, this understanding of my duty that I draw from to fuel both my Determination and Hate, it is what allows me to deify all expectations of what a bearer of Hate is meant to be and do." She said as a tendril of the black substance extended form her hand transforming in to a knife.
As Chara spoke Frisk managed to rise as well her form glowing and changing as she slowly walked to Charas side. From her back grew a set of pure white wings, the whites of her eyes changed to change to glow with an amber light as her iris and pupil changed to silver as white liquid began to drip form them. "You have been a blight on us long enough." She growled as she joined her wife.
"Frisk?" Chara asked in concerns she saw her summon her spear.
"I'm tired of running, of fighting!" She yelled as the player seemed taken aback. "You claim to be our god, our creator but you're not. You're a thief stealing our lives form us and I'm sick of it!" She screamed as he charged at the PLAYER her spear piercing through their chest.
"Impossible!" The PLAYER grunted out in shock however suddenly another blade ripped out from his back and he gasped in shock as he looked back to see Chara her corrupted blade piercing through their chest.
"It's time to end this." Chara said as her form changed once more. Slowly her wings seemed to knit together forming a membranes as horns ripped out of her head and her clothes changed to their demonic form. "Frisk get back, I... I'm finishing this." She said as she granted and threw the PLAYER overhead sending him flying backward. Frisk leapt back as Chara turned to the player and closed her eyes a small smile playing across her face. "Thank you Frisk, these last few centuries have been my happiest. Asriel, try not to cry too much, I'll be back." She said causing Asriels eyes to widen in fear as he tried to run to her only for Asgore to grab him.
"Chara NO!" He yelled in fear however she simply smiled as she turned to PLAYER as her soul appeared before her.
Chara's soul glowed the Monster part glowing white as the human part sucked in a light with the black hate consuming it. "I am She who slays and captures gods," She said her voice reverberating as a magic circle appeared in front of her. "I am the one who knows the End and Founder of Genesis;" She continued as she grabbed her soul and held it in the center of the circle. " now return thy self to the Cycle of Providence, the Five Elements to Elements and sever the link woven between Images and the Truth;" As he continued the PLAYER roared in anger and charged her however Chara's smile simply grew. " I declare that all Creation shall perish here at the distant ends of the Void. Now I'll send you to hell PLAYER, I'll see you there." She whispered as her eyes turned cold and dead. "BLACK MAGIC RITUAL: Extinction!" Chara screamed.
As soon as she yelled this Asriel screamed and he reached out for Chara as all the color in the world was sucked away and it seemed to freeze before Chara's soul began to turn to dust and she smiled happily as she looked at the player and smiled as slowly the magic circle began to rotate and then there was nothing, no explosion or even a flask it simply was nothing.
Everyone stood in shock at what they saw till Frisk slowly walked forward and looked around as tears began to fall from her eyes. "Chara?" She asked as she looked around as Asriel fell to his knees. "Asriel what happened to Chara?" She asked as she turned to the prince.
Asriel looked at the ground his head bowed as tears ran down his face. "Extinction, a black magic ritual that sacrifices not just the user's soul but their own existence. There's no coming back from such a fate, once you die your dead forever. It's not like falling into the void where no one remembers you, this isn't even death. It's obliterating ones soul."
The Princesses looked confused. "What do you mean Asriel?" Celestia asked.
"No rebirth, no afterlife, no anything." Sans said quietly draw the attention of everyone. "You cease to exist as your essence is absorbed into the spell to erase your target in the same way. "Chara just gave her every existence to save us from the PLAYER." Everyone looked at Sans in shock before turning to where Chara had last stood.
To be continued...? |
Lost Dreamer | Chapter 25 - A Devils Redemption | Frisk sat staring at the spot where Chara had stood only mere moment ago. "She can't be gone." She kept whispering as the others seemed too simple remain silent as she and Asriel wept.
Slowly Sans walked forward and knelt down and embraced her. "It'll be fine kiddo." Sans said reassuringly. "Chara would never leave you behind and besides, she's like the smartest human I know so she'll find a way to get out of this. And tibia honest if you think I'm just jawing ya then you gotta know I'm no femur so don't let me rib you the wrong way." He said getting a broken laugh from Frisk as she pulled him into a hug which he slowly returned patting her back. "There, there, baby bones; It'll all be fine." He said as he ran his phalanges through her hair.
"Sans while your puns are good for reliving the tension of the room I do feel that telling them now is perhaps not the best time." Asgore said.
Sans smiled sadly. "Asgore, the kiddo just lost their love and partner, they need some form of familiarity and right now this is all I got." He said before looking down at the ground. "Besides I never had the backbone to handle situations like this." He said before the save Point at the end of the hall began to glow causing ever one in toe room to turn as it grew and spit out a human child.
One would think that nonexistence would mean that there was nothing and you simply ceased to be but apparently that's not what it was... or she wasn't erased but since the spell worked that shouldn't be an option. "Well done child." A Voice said calmly causing Chara to try and turn around only to seem to spin in the nothing and somehow end upside down and come face to face with a being that made her go pail.
Before Chara stood a being in a brown trench coat and fedora, his face was in shadows however she could feel the power he held.
"You're a Void Dweller." She said slowly receiving a nod from the man.
"I believe this is yours?" He asked as he raised his hand showing Shroud being held by his neck like a dog.
"Shroud!" Chara yelled as she floated over and grabbed him before holding him to her chest. "If you so much as hurt a feather on him I swear!" She said her eyes glowing red.
The Man chuckled. "Fear not, I did not come here to harm him or you." He said calmly. "After all you've been through quite enough already. A lot of people have been watching and many have reached hands out to help on more than one occasion." He said with a present tone.
Chara sighed. "I had a good run, but my times up." She said as he looked down at Shroud who was till unconscious, or just asleep, she couldn't really tell.
"For one so set to give everyone else a happy ending you certainly never got one." The Void Dweller said. "Fortunately for you your stories not over just yet." He said as he held up her soul. "This is your soul; I grabbed it at the last minute." He said calmly. "And I'm giving it back to you as well as a few... upgrades." He said calmly.
Chara frowned. "The catch is?" She asked receiving a chuckle.
"Your gifts will leave you completely drained and near death if used too much, they are too taxing on your body. You also won't be a demon anymore; congratulations because of yourself sacrifice your now redeemed to the status of Fallen Angel." He said causing Chara to look at him in shock. The Void Dweller seemed to understand her confusion and chuckled. "Did you honestly think we wouldn't notice what the PLAYER was doing? All you've done and gone through has earned you quite a bit of respect my little god killer." He said as he pat her head. "Determination like yours doesn't go without rewards."
Chara seemed speechless. "I-okay... what?" She asked confused.
The Man laughed. "Be aware Chara this is a onetime thing, I only just managed to save you from obliteration and it's going to affect your body. You will be reduced to a younger state, by how much I don't know, but given your several centuries old I imagine it won't affect you much. Of course you'll have to recover your magic on your own so there is that."
Chara nodded. "Okay, I understand... I think." She said.
The Dweller nodded. "First off here's these." The Dweller said as he snapped his fingers and a Gaster Blaster and True Knife made of a black metal that looked like they had galaxies in them appeared. "These are the Radiant Incarnation and Harkonnen Incarnation versions of your True Knife and Gaster Blaster; they are made of Star Metal so it can be used to kill being such as us. Given you managed to defeat a Void Dweller I'm sure some will want to test you." He said calmly.
Chara smiled as she took the knife and the Blaster vanished into her inventory. "I'm sure it will serve me will when I fight the next corrupted Soul." She said with a smile.
The Dweller nodded. "Second I'm removing your ability to use the Black magic ritual: Extinction, that attack is far too powerful and we don't want you to cease to exist now do we?" Chara frowned and the Dweller chuckled. "Don't worry, I am replacing it with the White Magic Ritual: Annihilation; it has the same effect but rather than using your soul it only uses all your magic. It is less powerful because of this fact but it won't kill you, still only use it as a last resort."
Chara nodded. "I will, don't plan on killing myself again. At least anytime soon." she said with a smirk receiving a chuckle from the dweller who nodded
"Good, next is the Special attack False Deities Destruction, this is your reward for killing a Void Dweller. What it does you have to learn on your own however." He said with a smirk visible under the shadows of his hat. "Can't tell you everything after all."
Chara nodded. "Thanks, since my only Special Attack is effectively a suicide spell I could do with another."
The Dweller nodded. "Be aware this is a onetime thing Chara Dreemurr, and Many Void Beings are now watching you." He said as he began to faid.
Once the Dweller was gone Chara felt the sensation of falling and unceremoniously landed in a white void, as she groaned and sat up as a hand reached out to her. "Been a long time kiddo, how ya been?" A familiar voice asked.
Chara looked up to see the man who she always net when she died. "Oh, so you're here too." She said with a groan as she grabbed the hand and was pulled up. "Gotta say I imagined you would of passed on or something by now."
The Man shrugged. "Yeah well, I'd love to but I really can't. Like I told you a long time ago we're linked." He said as she looked around the empty space. "Every time you die I get brought here, when you're alive I kinda... don't exist?" He said sounding a bit confused at the end.
Chara looked at him curiously. "So what you just appear when I'm dead?"
The Man shrugged. "Well, I died and was meant to be in your place but the PLAYER wasn't fast enough to stop me form using the True Knife to cut the strings that bound me to you. As a result you got full control of what was once my body and I sorta just continued to exist in some sense, I missed one of the strings so I'm still kinda attached to you but I'm still me at the same time."
Chara frowned. "I wonder..." She trailed off and pulled out the True Knife. As she did this several cut red strings appeared each one wrapped around one of his arms and legs, Chara had the same on her however there was a fifth string. The fifth string wrapped tightly around the mans and Charas neck and as Chara saw it she raised her knife and slashed cutting the string and causing all them to glow brightly before fading away. "Huh, that actually worked." She said in shock.
As Chara cut the string the Man's body began to glow and his clothes changed into silver armor, a cape and sword appeared on him as well. As the man looked down at himself in surprise she slow turned to Chara and bowed. "You have my eternal gratitude." He said with a smile.
Chara nodded as the knife disappeared. "So what happens to you now?" She asked.
The man shrugged. "I don't know, oh I never did give you my name did I?" He asked with a smile as he reached out his hand. "Name's Kris Hughes." He said with a smile.
Chara hesitated but shook the hand. "Guess you already know me but I'm Chara Dreemurr, nice to finally get a name."
Kris smiled. "Hey don't worry well meet again, don't know where and I don't know when but I know we'll meet again one sunny day." He said with a smile.
Chara frowned. "I hate that song." She muttered as the world began to break apart.
Kris laughed. "Remember kid, reality is an illusion so you decide what it looks like." He said as the world shattered and Chara fell once more only to land on the floor with a thump and a groan.
"Did someone get the number of that buss before it drove off?" She asked as she tried to stand only to fall to the ground anoint. "Fuck you Void Dweller giving me fucking Magic Exhaustion!" She yelled raising a hand in the air and showed the middle finger before passing out.
Everyone simple stared at the unconscious body of Chara till a tall female goat in purple roves with the delta rune on them burst in from the elevator. "Where are my children!?" She screamed before seeing an unconscious Chara and crying Asriel.
As soon as Asgore saw the monster his shoulder slumped. "Somehow I feel like I'm about to be blamed for this." He said quietly before a massive fire ball blasted him back. "Knew it." He said with a groan. |
Lost Dreamer | Chapter 26 - Moving Forward | Sans calmly walked through the halls of the castle heading for the small lab the princesses had allowed him to set up till Chara could get him clearance for the research facility by the mountain. As Sans turned down a random hall he saw a guard running down it and almost crashed into him till he lit them up in his magic. "Better slow down there buddy, otherwise you're gonna crack some skulls when you finally run into someone." He said with a smile.
"Oh, thanks." The guards said before looking at the Sans and his eyes widening. "Are you Sans?" He asked.
Sans smile grew. "Yup, that's what they call me. Names Sans, Sans the Skeleton." He said as he reached out a hand. "You know how to greet a new pal? You shake their hand or I guess in your case Hoof." He said with smile. The guard hesitated but took the offered hand only for a wet farting sound to happen causing the guard to draw back in shock and Sans to laugh. "Oh, that was priceless!" He said as he laughed and showed his hand. "The ol' whoopee cushion in the hand trick, gets em' every time." He said with a smile.
The guard looked surprised before placing his hoof over his mouth as he tried not to laugh, after a minute he was able to recompose himself and looked at the skeleton. "The Princesses sent me to find you, apparently there's a big problem." He said receiving a nod from the skeleton.
"Alright lead the way, tibia honest I'm still not too femur with this place and I don't wanna get lost when I could go to deep in the guts of this place, and I doubt the princesses would want me skullking around anymore than I have to." He said calmly. The guard nodded and Sans followed him till they reached the throne room where Sans nodded and entered to see Asriel, Papyrus, Arial, Undyne, Toriel and Asgore standing with the princesses. "Sup every one, what's going on?" He asked lazily as he went and joined his brother.
"Ah Sans," Asgore said as he turned to the skeleton. "I'm glad you're here, we have a problem and I doubt I can state how series it is."
Sans shrugged. "I'm guessing it's big given every important Monster is here."
"Sans this is serious and given what I've seen you do while I was in the Void you can be serious when the situation calls for it." Undyne said calmly even though she was rubbing the bridge of her nose.
"Undyne please, Sans just got here so at least let the princesses fill him in on the situation first." Papyrus said calmly. Undyne growled but looked away and nodded.
As Undyne relented Celestia turned to Sans. "How much do you know about what Chara does?" She asked.
Sans frowned and tilted his head back. "Well, she acts as a guard for the Princesses during court, is the director of the Canterhorn Research facility and oversee the research done at all scientific installations." Sans said calmly before looking at Asriel. "If I remember she does a few other things related to the guard like training but other than that I don't really know."
Celestia nodded and Luna looked down sadly. "She does far more than that. She effectively manages the entire guards schedule, aside from overseeing all research done with in the Canterhorn Research facility she also works on privatized research for the crown, reviews all report from the nobles and works with us to determine and which proposals should be accepted, assist in negotiating diplomatic ties with other nations, oversee all guard details for the royal castle and palace, meets with Guard commanders and works on guard schedule..." Luna groaned and rubbed her forehead with a hoof. "On top of that she has been working on two classified projects; the first is the partial reversal of what the Humans did to turn them into us and allow us to once one be bipedal, the second is getting Dr. Gaster out of the Void."
As Luna finished listing all of Chara's known jobs most present seemed to simply stand there shocked aside from Frisk who sighed. "Honestly it's scary how alike you and her are Sans." She said drawing many of the Monsters out of their shock and causing them to turn to Sans.
"Come on Kid, you really gonna do this now?" He asked in a tone that seemed to plead she not.
"OH, you're not getting out of it this time dad!" Frisk said as she glared at Sans. "You work like five jobs! You're a Sentry with your brother in Snowdin and the sentry at Hot Land and Waterfall too, you run a hot dog stand, work as a scientist in the Lab, and at night you do stand up comedy at Mettatons resort before going and working on the machine that Chara's been trying to fix." She said calmly getting surprised looks from every monster. "And that's not even mentioning that you're a Judge of the Underground." She said calmly shocking almost all the monsters except for Asgore who simply looked down sadly.
Sans sighed. "Can we focus on what we're here for?" He asked grumpily.
Celestia nodded. "We needed to figure out what we are going to do till Chara waked from her..." Celestia turned to Sans.
Sans sighed and nodded. "Right bad news first, at the moment Chara's soul is almost completely shattered, the only thing holding it together is her Hate and Determination." He said getting worried glances form everyone present. "The good news is that it's healing itself... slowly but still it's something."
"Can it be accelerated?" Asgore asked receiving a shrug from Sans.
"I don't know as much as my old man or Chara on Souls so I'm not sure." Sans said sadly. "However what I think is keeping her knocked out is the combined strain on her soul, body and magic." Sans continued. "She used a spell that should of killed her and it somehow didn't, I think something happened and... that's not exactly all I found out either. After I got back from the Void I ran a few Tests on Chara to get a base line, her stats were... pretty corrupted but from what I could tell she was a full on demon."
"We already know this Sans," Celestia said somewhat annoyed. "We don't need you reminding us of that."
Sans smiled. "I redid those tests and compared them, aside from low Magic and Determination level there was something very interesting going on." He said with a smile. "The Demonic traits she possessed are starting to reverse."
Frisk frowned. "So is she reverting to a human?" She asked.
Sans shook his head. "I'll need to monitor it but her Monster race has, or at least is, changing; where she was originally classified as a Demon she in now Classified as a Fallen Angel. It seems that someone or something has seen fit to give our princess a path to redemption." He explained shocking every one.
"As shocking as this is we must focus on what to do till she wakes and it sounds like she won't for a while." Toriel finally said receiving a nod from Sans. "I propose we divide the duties she has among those capable of performing them." She proposed receiving nods of agreement from the others.
"Luna and I can review the reports ourselves, Chara did make the work faster but we are capable of handling them." Celestia said calmly.
"I can assist in the diplomatic side of things." Asgore said. "I was king after all and if we Monsters are to return to the surface it would be good to get some ties with nations aside from Equestria set up."
"I'll help as much as I can." Frisk said to Asgore before turning to Sans. "Will you be taking over the Directorate till she is better?"
Sans shrugged. "Sure, I know my way around a lab and I can fill in for a while. However any private research she's doing will be placed on hold, I'm not touching anything she's doing since I don't know what she does."
Undyne smiled. "I call guard training instructor!" She yells before letting out an evil laugh.
Arial sighed. "I guess I'll be oversee all guard details then. Asriel, I thrust you can handle any meetings with the guard commanders the guards schedule?" She asked receiving a nod from Asriel.
"We normally coordinate those together so you'll be working with me." He said receiving a nod from the old Guard Captain
"I think we have it all covered then, thank you for all your help." Celestia said with a smile as she bowed her head.
Sans nodded before looking at Undyne. "If you need any help I'm sure my brother will be happy to assist ya." He said as he turned to leave only for Undyne to laugh.
"If I need any help I'm calling you're lazy butt!" She said causing Sans to sigh and simply walk out with a backwards wave.
Two weeks later
Sans sighed as he leaned back in his chair, his legs on the table and an ever present smile on his face as he sat and listed to the ponies around him talk about the budget and what needed to be done. While Chara had been the Director she mostly worked as the Head Scientist of the Canterhorn Research facility. Sans seems to chuckle to himself as he closed his eyes and seemed to drift off.
The Kiddo had grown into a fine young lady, but she seemed to have taken after him a little too well. It seemed that the Princesses and not even Asriel were fully aware of all Chara's responsibilities till ponies began coming to them with problems and requesting Chara to fix them. "Sir, I know this isn't exactly exciting work but we do still need you to at least listen." One of the Scientist said calmly.
Sans sighed. "Honestly, you all know this is stuff better than me, you can do it on your own just fine." Sans said with a yawn. "I'm just here to sign off on anything official that you all can't."
The Scientist sighed. "I suppose, how is Chara's Condition?"
Sans's smile faded as he looked down." She's recovering but slowly." He said before rising from the chair. "I'm taking my break." He said as he walked out of the room.
Frisk sat looking over the treaties and documents before her as Asgore sighed and signed another document. "The Minotaur's wish to renegotiate the trade with Equestria and are requesting a diplomat to come from the Monster Kingdom do discuss any possible treaty and trade options." He said a she looked at Frisk who nodded.
"They'll probably want to get a peace treaty or a treaty focusing on assistance in the event they need it." Frisk replied a she signed off on another document. "They're easy to deal with since they don't like over complicated deals."
Asgore nodded as he set the documents aside and picked up another one. "Why did you choose to live with the Skeletons?" He asked kindly as he continued to read.
Frisk paused and looked at Asgore for a moment. "I did want to be a princess or anything like that, plus I knew that someday Chara and Asriel would come back and if that ever happened it would be pretty awkward since me and Chara had a thing for each other."
Asgore frowned. "Not exactly, you would be adopted and not related by blood." He said calmly.
Frisk growled. "Fine that was only part of the answer. The other part was that I didn't want to pick you or Toriel and cause problems, Sans was the best choice and given that both he and papyrus knew about and were unaffected by my Determination only gave me more reasons to live with them." Frisk leaned back in her chair as she looked off into the distances. "The Power of Determination, to go back in time and redo anything is not only a big responsibility but it can be very difficult to relate to others. Sans was able to help me a lot especially the nightmares I has after... all the times I went back because I died." Frisk shuddered and leaned back in her chair quickly wiping her eyes causing Asgore frowned.
"Did you ever... give up?" He asked.
Frisk was silent for a while till she looked down. "After I fought you a few times I broke... Sans managed to get me to his house and I stayed there for a few weeks." She said quietly. "After a while I went back and faced you again only to die, all those weeks were erased but Sans and Papyrus remembered them." Frisk laughed as she looked down." It's funny really, I guess even before I freed every one Sans was already pretty much my dad."
Asgore nodded. "I see." He said a she looked down. "Frisk... if it's any consolation, I'm so sorry for what I put you through. I don't remember what happened before the PLAYER took control but after that... It was as if I was trapped in a nightmare, unable to stop myself or act out in any meaningful way. And I know I'm not the only Monster who feels this way, Undyne may not show it but she is very torn up about what she did, Toriel was so heart broken." Asgore sighed. "We comforted each other as best we could but in the end..." Asgore trailed off.
"You think what you endured was even close to what I went through!?" Frisk asked as she slammed her fist into the table. "The only one to ever get it aside form Sans was Chara, she lived through the same shit I did, saw every death, every struggle, everything I went through she was the only one there to help!" She yelled angrily before she leaned back deflated and sighing again. "I never blamed you, any of you." She said causing Asgore to wince. "I knew you all did what you did to protect every monster. Besides it's all in the past now and Chara got rid of the PLAYER so it's finally over. And knowing Chara, she made sure the job was done properly."
Asgore nodded. "To think she was capable of such power." Asgore muttered as he shook his head and returned to the paper work however he still eyed Frisk with some concern. Frisk wasn't prone to outbursts so something was wrong.
Chara lay sleeping in a room of the Everfree castle, beside the bed Toriel sat tiredly looking over the young human. As she watched her child the door opened and the sound of hooves were heard causing Toriel to turn and see the princess beside her. "Hello Princess Celestia." Toriel said kindly.
"Queen Toriel." Celestia responded with a nod as she sat down and looked at Chara. "How is Chara doing?"
"The Doctor said she may wake up soon, her bodies recovered and all that's left is for her magic to stabilize." Toriel responded.
Celestia nodded. "And what of her soul?"
Toriel frowned. "I've had Dr. Alphys checking on it and it's healed well." Toriel said as she brushed her hands through Charas hair. "Sans was right, she's not a demon anymore." She said with a small smile.
"Not all Demons are evil Queen Toriel." Celestia said with a smile that quickly morphed in to a frown. "Just as not all Angels are good." She said sadly.
Toriel looked at Celestia with a dangerous glare. "I assume you are not referring to Frisk." She said coldly.
Celestia shook her head. "No but perhaps we should discuss something I've noticed about her recently." Celestia responded as she looked away with a frown. "She seems to be rather... moody lately. She hides it rather well most of the time but there have been a few incidents recently where she has snapped at diplomats or broken down."
Toriel frowned. "I'd imagen she is under a lot of stress with Chara still unconscious." Toriel said kindly. "They care greatly for one another."
Celestia shook her head. "I've seen Frisk when she is stressed and she isn't like then. When Frisk is stresses she normally goes and trains or perhaps she goes and reads; she always fin ds a way to destress." Celestia turned to the older monster in concern. "You know more about humans than I so will you help her?"
Toriel frowned a she rubbed her chin in thought. "Well I don't thin it's anything magical in nature, I'll have Dr. Alphys look at her and run some tests, maybe that wi-"
"You are not letting that monster near my wife!" Chara yelled cutting Toriel off and shocking both of the rulers as she shot up and glared at the old goat monster.
"Chara!" Toriel yelled as she grabbed Chara and pulled her in to a hug. "OH, my child you're awake!" She cried and joy.
Chara sat there in shock, her eyes wide as she slowly turned to look at the Goat holding her. "Mom...you're alive." She asked before tears began to flow and she pulled the larger monster into a hug. "You're really here and alive!" She cried out happily."
"It's me my child, I'm here and so very proud of you." She said happily. Chara held the old goat monster tightly as she slowly began to cry thought he sobs were muffled by the robes Toriel wore. "It's alright my child; I'm here, all monsters are here." She said as she hugged Chara tighter. "You did it my child, you saved us all."
"I missed you." Chara said happily as she pulled herself away and looked at Toriel with a smile. "So It really did work, we assumed it did when we saw Asgore alive but if you're here then it must have worked." She said still smiling. "It really did work."
Toriel smiled kindly. "Had I known that all it took to wake you was mentioning Frisk I'd f done so much sooner." She said with a devious smirk.
"Mom!" Chara groaned as she buried her fade in her hands causing Toriel and Celestia to chuckle. "How long was I out anyway?" She asked after she calmed down.
"You've been out for two weeks Chara." Celestia said calmly. "And frankly I think that's as much as the guards can handle of... on what's her name?" She muttered. "Undyne, I think?" She asked receiving a nod from Toriel and a groan from Chara.
"If Undyne is training the guard then I shudder to think how they survived." Chara said. "Undyne was trained by Gerson and my father in battle, I may be the more skilled warrior but Undyne has absolutely no restraint." Chara said before something seemed to hit her. "Wait... did you all say something was wrong with frisk?" She asked as she turned to look at the the two rulers her eyes glowing red as he looked at them.
Several hours later
Frisk sat grumpily in the hospital wing of the Everfree castle being looked over by Chara. "I swear I'm fine Chara." She said tiredly.
"Frisk, as much as I want to say that yes you're fine in my medical opinion you are absolutely not fine." Chara said as she glared at her wife. "I go to sleep for two weeks and this shit happens, for once I'd like a quite century of nothing." She grumbled a she continued to run a few test. "Okay so let see; low magic, physical exhaustion, mood swings... oh god..." Chara's eyes widened as she looked at frisk and then back at the results before promptly fainting.
Chara groaned as she came to and rubbed her head. "Ow..." She groaned as she sat up only to see a very worried Frisk and a particular skeleton who was wearing a more obnoxious than usual smile on his face.
"So... You want to tell her or should I?" He asked. "Either way I can guaranty Frisk is going to kill you."
Char gulped as frisk looked at Charas in concern. "What's wrong with me?" She asked Chara in fear.
"Frisk... you're pregnant." Charta said calmly causing Frisk to go wide eyed in fear as Sans began to laugh. |
Lost Dreamer | Interlude 3: Fan Question & Answer Chapter | Frisk and Chara are sitting together on a sofa, in front to of them is a table piled with questions and a Pegasus with bubbles for a cutie-mark. All of the questions are from fans, some of whom did what they were supposed to and posted their questions on the Blog while others sent theirs via PM like filthy sinners. Chara sighed. "Alright let's get started then."
Frisk picked up the first question. "From vortex123: If Frisk and Chara could fuse, what would you call the fusion? Would it be a fusion of the two names, or maybe something entirely different?
Edit: This is for Frisk and Chara themselves."
Frisk smiled. "Oh, Sans and Papyrus have a fused form, He calls himself Aster since that's their last name so I guess if we fused we'd call ourselves Aster Dreemurr?"
"What would be even look like fused?" Chara asked as she picked up the next Question. "From redsopine: chara if you could bring back anyone you have met who would it be"
Chara frowns. "Well... no there's not. I was beaten, rapes and treated worse than a monster for years by humans. Other than Frisk all humans can go die for all I care." Chara said in anger as she grit her teeth till Frisk hugged them and pulled out the next question.
"From Concordius Lord of Kaos: Do you know anything about the other timelines? (Asking both Chara and Frisk.)" Frisk frowned at the question while Chara sighed.
"Depends on what knowledge you're talking about." Chara said as clasped her hands together. "Frisk knows about the Pacifist, Neutral and Genocide timeline but if you mean the AU's and extended Undertale Multiverse then only me, Sans and Gaster know about them."
"I've heard you mention that before, what are Au's?" Frisk asked causing Chara to sigh.
"Moving on!" She said quickly as Frisk whined and crossed her arms pouting. "From Supershadic06: to frisk and chara what was your favorite thing about the underground?" Chara frowned. "The Ruins, before I died that was where Asriel and I lived and I'm a bit attatched to it."
"Oh I liked Waterfall, it was so peaceful there." Frisk said with a smile before smirking. "Well, as long as Undyne was behaving." She said as she picked up the next question. "From Mitril: Do you know about X-Event?
Beware what XGaster is planning and doing
And whatever you do , do not trust Ink!Sans"
Chara frowned. "Yes I know of the X-Event, such a tragic story for such wonderful characters." Chara said sadly. "As for Ink!Sans, depends on which version you meet. There are some really good Ink!Sans's out there and that one Ink!Papyrus who married their Frisk but then there are the ones like the X-Event Ink!Sans who I actually kinda the black sheep of the Ink!Sans. Thankfully this world has really strong borders and Our Creator actually has a Deal with ErrorSans so we're safe from the rest of the Multiverse. Of course this also means I can't send out a Token or contact other Displaced but that's fine." Chara shrugs and picks up the next question. "From vortex123: Chara, why were you so against Dr. Alphys running tests on Frisk? I think I have an idea on why, but I'd like to hear your reason."
Chara winces. "Well I'd like to say it's mostly because of the Amalgamates but the truth is I don't actually trust Alphys. I mean she's a nice monster and all but she has a habit of meddling and experimenting with things she doesn't understand at all and it puts me on edge." Chara shuddered as she looked at Frisk. "Sans has the same reservations as I do about her and I'm not letting Alphys do anything to Frisk, I think I actually would trust X-Tale Gaster more than Alphys."
"She's not that bad." Frisk said with a sigh as she picked up the next question. "Oh this is a good one; from Raven dove: If you could ask gaster one question that he would have to give you a honest answer to what would it be (chara & frisk)"
"What the fuck happened with the eggs and sticky tape after I got my degree? I know you and Sans did something after I passed out drunk and the fact you both swore to never speak of it again is... concerning." Chara yelled before going red. "Also I want to know how the fuck I end up upside down in Muffet's' bakery with spiders trying to sacrifice to her pet!?" She asked angrily.
Frisk sat quite for a moment before smiling. "I'd want to know every drunken moment from Chara because she's such an adorable drunk." Chara blushed as she picked up the next question. "Oh this is for Undyne." She said before getting up and pulling the door open. "Hey Undyne you got a Question!" She yelled.
"What do those punks want?" Undyne yells back.
"The Questions from vortex123: Undyne, have you and Aaron ever had a flex off? If so, who won?" She yelled back however no answer came for moment before a groan was heard.
"Tell them neither of us won because it was that stupid duck!" Undyne yelled causing Frisk the freeze up in fear.
"Did you say the duck?" She asked in fear as a flashback played.
Chara looks at a shaking frisk and frowns as she hugs her wife. "Stupid Elder gods." She mutters as she picks up the next question. "From Shadesplit: Is Chara afraid from spiders?
Did the bad time line went over ...8442 TIMELINES And more ? To Undine ...? and befoure"
Chara frowns as she looked at the question. "I'm not afraid of spiders but I really don't like them... at all. Part of it has to down with hem trying to sacrifice me to Muffet's' pet once." She said grumpily. "Now if you're asking if the Genocide timelines happened more than 8442 times then yes. I don't know how many of them happened but I can say with certainty that a conservative easement is around a few hundred million." She said before picking up the last question and looking it over. "If you're just now finding out about Sans's depression then you're way behind. He's doing much better as of late though seeing as we are free from the whims of the PLAYER forever."
Authors Questions:
The Author sits in a big green recliner not giving a single fuck as he scrolls through the questions he has been asked. "Okay so from jen_lee_hattie we got several questions.
1. Can the baby's names be maki (Japanese for true hope and a female name) and saki (blossom of hope in Japanese and is another female name)?
2. What is well happen after the babies birth?
3. When will doctor W.G gaster be released from the void?
4. Is this world still in canon timeline or has it divested from it?
Edit: those are for the creator of the story."
The Author leans back and thinks for a moment before smiling.
1. Maybe, I don't really have named yet so I might do that unless I find some names from an AU that I like so I can tie in more AU's than I already have. 2.
3. before Nightmare Moon
4. Yes it is still Cannon, because this is before the cannon was fired! (Evil maniacal laughter because I can)
The Author stops laughing and picks up the next question. "From SoulboundAlchemist: OK, so I know from the opening chapters that this is a kind of displaced fic. My question, is whether it will eventually allow for crossovers, like traditional displaced fics. On top of that, if you do decide to include the crossover element, what writers/fics should we expect for crossovers?"
The Author looks out past the fourth wall and smiles. "There will be no Crossovers for the story, this was part of the agreement made with Errorsans. I can't allow crossovers in this world however one of my new stories will allow for crossovers. Not sure when it will be released but know I do plan to open one of my stories for crossover soon.
And with that I'm proud to say that there are no more questions to answer. Thank you everyone who participated in this little event and I hope to see you in the next chapter!" |
Lost Dreamer | Announcement | Hello everyone, today I have some sad news about this story that ultimately needs to be discussed. You see this story is a complete mess, this story was a Test story that I created and honestly never expected for it to take off like it did. I designed this story solely to field test my skills and as such it's riddled with contradicting plot lines and half finished plot hooks that make it completely broke in terms of a cohesive and consistent story. As such I'm going to be doing what I did with my first ever story, Return of the Reaper of Life.
For those unaware Return of the Reaper of Life was my first story ever posted on this site and had severe problems that forced me to put it on hiatus shortly after finishing the first arc of the story however despite the hiatus status I've been editing it in the background as a sort of side project and it has proven to be a rather successful venture. So now I will be doing the same to this story. I plan tp clean the old chapters up and redo the entire story so that is is more cohesive and makes a far better over all narrative.
Now since this story is going into Hiatus I will not be adding any new chapters until the rewrite is completed. This could be a rather long time as there are a lot of chapters and I will be editing ever single one of them. I sincerely apologize for the disappointment this will bring but I hope that you will return once the story receives a updated and more organized story that is befitting the viewership that it has received.
Thank you all for your support of this story and I hope to see you all in a future chapter.
Sincerely,
Walter D. Arceaion |
A Silver Summer | pre | "Really? That's how she sees it?" Apple Bloom laughed disbelievingly. "Did she ever say what it exactly was what that we did?"
Silver Spoon tried to remember. But that question had never been brought up. Her friend had just kept on rambling about how unfair she had been treated and Silver Spoon had just accepted it.
"No, not really. She just said it was your fault Cheerilee replaced her as chief editor with Featherweight."
"Did she also tell ya' that she blackmailed us into writin' horrible things about each and everypony? That she would print really embarrassin' stuff about ma' friends and me when we wanted to quit?"
"She'd never do that!" Silver Spoon exclaimed in shock. She didn't want to believe her friend could do something so terrible. Unquestionably, what they both had done in the past was mean-spirited, but neither of them would have ever done more than make fun of Apple Bloom's little group.
"Ah'm really sorry and I know ya' don't want to believe me, but it's true," Apple Bloom replied with an apologetic look. "Ah' know we started that whole Gabby Gums mess ourselves but it was her who forced us to write more when we wanted to stop it."
"What mess? Who is Gabby Gums?"
"Our pen name we made up to write all those articles. Haven't you read them?"
"No, I don't read newspapers. It's too boring."
"Okay... Well, we wrote about all those embarrassin' things nopony wants anypony to know about. And everypony loved it. Everypony except those who we wrote about, as ya' can imagine. When we noticed how upset those ponies got, we wanted to quit but like Ah' said, Diamond Tiara blackmailed us and we had to go on. Until we told everypony who we were and that we were sorry. That's when Cheerilee made Featherweight the new editor in chief.
"And this whole blackmail thing Diamond Tiara pulled off is the reason why Scootaloo really hates her now. I mean, she never liked her to begin with but before that, Diamond Tiara just annoyed her. Since then..."
Silver Spoon interrupted her: "Okay, let's say this is true, which I still can't believe. What did Diamond Tiara know about you that she could use to blackmail you?"
"She had some photos of us on which we could be seen in some stupid situations. Well, the ones of Sweetie Belle and me weren't that bad to be honest but still very embarrassin'. The one of Scootaloo on the other hoof was terrible."
"What was it?" Silver Spoon wanted to know, but Apple Bloom shook her head.
"Please understand that Ah' can't tell ya'. She would never forgive me if Ah' did. All Ah' can say is that it showed somethin' she's really sensitive about. Somethin' she has a hard time talkin' about even to us, her friends. If it was to be made public in a newspaper, Ah' don't know what she would do."
"And what does all of that have to do with me?"
"Honestly, nothin'. But that's ma' opinion. Scootaloo on the other hand somehow sees ya' and Diamond Tiara as the same filly, Ah' think. To her it doesn't matter who of ya' is responsible for what, she'll just blame both of ya' for it."
Silver Spoon wanted to say 'But that's not fair, blaming me for something I'm not responsible for.' But before she had opened her mouth a little voice inside her soul that sounded strangely like Bon Bon asked 'Isn't that like making fun of somepony because of something they aren't responsible for? Like having no cutie mark?'
So instead she asked: "Do you think I can ever change her mind?"
Apple Bloom smiled: "Ah' know ya' can. We can. Ya'll just need to be patient with her. She's a very loyal and caring friend, that's why she was so furious after what happened between ya' and me. Ah' think she still is angrier about all that than I was at the time it happened. But believe me, once she gets to know ya' she'll be the best friend ya' could ever wish for."
"If I'll ever get the chance to get her to know me..." Silver Spoon mumbled.
"Don't worry, Ah'll help ya' with that. As long as ya' don't give up, she'll come around eventually. Trust me."
On one hand Silver Spoon wanted to trust her. On the other hand she still had her doubts. Scootaloo always seemed so thickheaded and in some way, aggressive. But before she could finish her thoughts Apple Bloom all of a sudden changed the topic:
"Just wanted to warn ya', Fluttershy is comin' over."
"Huh? Why would you need to warn me about that?" asked Silver Spoon and turned around. She was right, Fluttershy was on her way over to them, carrying a tray with drinks.
"Don't want ya' to get startled by her. It would upset her too much," chuckled Apple Bloom.
Even though Silver Spoon had met their host only once she had a good idea what Apple Bloom meant. After what she had witnessed yesterday she could see the pegasus raveling in self-reproach just because someone had to live through half a second of minor shock because of her. Thanks to Apple Bloom's effort Fluttershy was spared such feelings and delivered the self-made lemonade with her usual warm smile. After she had set down the tray in the grass she sat down right next to it.
"I hope I'm not interrupting you?"
They shook their heads. Even if she had, Silver Spoon would have never been able to tell her so. Whatever it was, something in her eyes just made it impossible for the little filly to say anything that might upset or even oppose her. And on top of that Silver Spoon wouldn't want her to lose that mind-soothing smile.
"Good, I really wanted to take this chance and tell you how happy I am you are finally able to get along so well. And that, if you all want to, you can come here for another camping night together with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo when they are back."
"Thanks, we'll do that, Fluttershy," Apple Bloom responded before Silver Spoon had a chance to say anything.
"Okay, then just one more thing and I will leave you alone. Is there anything special you want for breakfast tomorrow?"
This question took Silver Spoon by surprise. She looked back and forth between Fluttershy and Apple Bloom. The former still kept smiling like a grandmother - a very young grandmother - who wanted to give her favorite grand-child an extra special present. The latter looked expectantly at Silver Spoon. She blinked a few times. It was the first time she had been asked what she wanted to eat. Up until now it had always been the duty of her house's chef to decide what would be served. Even when they went out to eat in a restaurant it were her parents who decided what menu was to be ordered.
"Err... I guess whatever you make will be fine..." Silver Spoon managed to say, only to be cut off by Apple Bloom's excited shout:
"Let's have pancakes!"
Fluttershy hesitated for a brief moment. Then she asked Silver Spoon: "Is that okay for you?"
"Yeah, sure," nodded Silver Spoon, not really convinced herself.
"Fine," smiled Fluttershy like somepony had given her a wonderful gift. "I'll then be inside if you need anything. Have fun you two, but please, don't stay up too late."
With that she turned around and went back to her house.
As soon as she was out of sight Silver Spoon asked: "Pancakes for breakfast? Really?"
"Of course, there's nothin' better than hot pancakes with lots and lots of syrup in the mornin'," grinned Apple Bloom. "Ya' never tried that before?"
"No," admitted Silver Spoon, "and I have never thought about it. Our kitchen staff is responsible for preparing any food. Nopony has ever asked me what I wanted."
"Really? Not even for yer birthday?" Apple Bloom asked skeptically.
"No, but our chef always knew what I liked best somehow."
Still, Apple Bloom didn't look convinced. She wasn't shocked like before, but her look told clearly that she couldn't quite process what she had been told.
"What's wrong?" Silver Spoon wanted to know.
The answer came hesitantly: "The whole thought just feels strange to me. Having somepony cook ma' meals for me?"
Now it was Silver Spoon's turn once again to doubt what she had heard: "What, you cook your meals yourself?"
"Yes, of course," Apple Bloom nodded. Then a wave of realization went over her face. "Well, not Ah' maself, Applejack won't let me come near the oven since Ah' tried to get a cutie mark in cookin'. But she or ma' brother do the cooking, sometimes even Granny Smith will do it. But Ah' would never imagine somepony else, somepony not from our family doin' the cookin' for us. That would just feel... wrong."
"Wrong? Do you think what we're doing is wrong?" Silver Spoon did not even have to try to keep her tone free from any accusation. She was too curious to find out how Apple Bloom saw her and her way of life by now.
"No, of course not. Ah'm sorry, wrong might have been the, well, wrong word. It's just that it's so different from what Ah'm used to, Ah' just can't imagine maself living like that. I guess it's the same the other way 'round, ain't it?"
Silver Spoon nodded: "Yeah, I think so. I never quite got how other fillies could stand having to tidy up their own rooms. The only times I have to do that is as a punishment."
Apple Bloom stared at her for a moment. Then she started to laugh.
"Okay, ya' got me. That is something I'd like somepony else to do for me."
"Really? So you don't like cleaning your home yourself?" Silver Spoon asked in sincere surprise. She wasn't trying to mock Apple Bloom or make fun of her in any way.
"Of course not," was the amused answer. "Who does?"
"I don't know, it's just that so many ponies do it. It's just that I always thought..." Silver Spoon's voice trailed off. Too late she realized that once again, she was going to say something she better shouldn't.
Unfortunately she couldn't make Apple Bloom unhear what had already left her mouth so it was to no surprise that the red maned filly asked: "Thought what?"
"That poor ponies were just that..." She paused again, still not knowing how to end this sentence best. Or at least, as inoffensive as possible. All she could come up with was: "...strange."
This earned her the skeptical look she had already expected. She tried to explain herself: "Yes, I know they can't pay somepony to do those things for them. But then again, I don't know how they can stand doing it all on their own. It's so boring and tiring."
"They don't exactly have a choice if they want to have a clean home. Ah' guess it's not that hard to live with when yer used to it."
This wasn't the snappy or sharp retort Silver Spoon had anticipated. Yet again, Apple Bloom had managed to laugh off a topic Silver Spoon had already deemed to be a mood killer. This gave her the confidence to say something she wanted to bring up for some time now:
"Being poor seems to take a lot to get used to..."
"Of course it does. But, could ya' do me a favor? Please stop callin' anypony who can't hire somepony to do their housework for them poor. That sounds like they can barely feed themselves."
Even though Apple Bloom still kept a neutral tone Silver Spoon was surprised by this statement.
"Huh? I thought that's what those ponies were called. At least my sister and mother do so. Is it really such a bad word?"
"I wouldn't say bad, no," Apple Bloom shook her head. "But inappropriate. I guess most ponies would get offended if ya'd call them poor just because they're not as rich as yerself."
"That might explain... a lot."
"Guess so," Apple Bloom responded once again with an air of joy that felt almost unnatural to Silver Spoon. "But don't ya' dare getting' all depressed over it again. Ah' told ya' before and Ah' tell ya' again, Ah'm not mad at ya' for anythin' anymore."
Silver Spoon gave a weak smile. As much as she wanted to adhere this advice there were still many fears tugging at her mind.
"Yes, you aren't. But what about all the others? Not just Scootaloo, I mean all of them. Will they even give me a chance?"
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes but kept her encouraging smile: "Of course they will. Ah' did and if Ah' can do it, they can, too."
"And that's what I'm afraid of. I told you before, you are unbelievably nice and forgiving. And somehow you made me see things a lot differently within just a few days. Even so much that I still don't know how you were able to give me a chance in the first place. Even go so far and inviting me to go camping."
"Ah' guess most of that honor goes to Fluttershy. If it hadn't been fer her convincin' me of givin' ya' another chance or rather, one real chance at all, Ah' now would hate ya' more than ever. But she really has a way of makin' ya' see things from another point of view."
"So maybe we should ask Fluttershy to invite all of our classmates over for some tea?" Silver Spoon grinned.
Apple Bloom responded chuckling: "Maybe, if everything else fails. But seriously, stop worryin' about that now. We'll find a way to let them see yer not who they think ya' were. But there's somethin' else ya' should worry about fer now."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Silver Spoon asked. She twisted her mind but couldn't think of anything Apple Bloom might be referring to. She gave the yellow filly a helpless, questioning look, who in return chuckled and pointed at the branch still sticking in the ground besides Silver Spoon. She took a closer look at it. There was still a long forgotten marshmallow pinned on top of it.
"Guess it's cold by now, but ya' can still eat it." |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 8 | Chapter 8
Apple Bloom was right. The marshmallow was cold. And yet, it tasted better than any other Silver Spoon has had before. She chewed happily on the fluffy lump of sweetness while already placing another one in the fire. Like the first, she watched this taking on a nice brown color, not unlike a freshly roasted slice of toast. And like the first time she watched this process she felt happy. But unlike the first time, this wasn't over the expectation of what was still to come and thankfulness for the opportunity given so unexpectedly to her. This time it was the joy starting to fill in the gaps left behind by the worries and sorrows this evening had lifted from her soul.
The next marshmallow, this time still warm, tasted even better. Her parents had always made sure their family would only get the best food available and had made a big point of letting every guest they ever had for dinner know how 'exquisite' everything was that had been served to them. But as far as it concerned Silver Spoon for now, this little white thing turned brown was the best food she ever tasted in her life.
She couldn't help but smile and say: "Thank you."
Looking up at Apple Bloom she saw her new friend was just as happy as Silver Spoon felt.
"For this chance. For wanting to help me. And for listening to me."
Apple Bloom had already opened her mouth, but Silver Spoon wasn't finished.
"No, don't tell me I don't need to thank you. Maybe you don't need me saying it, but I do. I want to thank you. And I wanted to let you know I'm really looking forward to see what your friends will say about this."
"Actually, me too."
Silver Spoon was surprised at how thoughtful Apple Bloom sounded.
"What, I thought you were so sure they will accept me?"
"Yeah, ma' friends will. Eventually. But what about your friend?"
"You mean Diamond Tiara?"
She knew the answer before she had even spoken the name. She even had said friend. In the singular. Of course she meant her only friend. Her only other friend. And she had a point.
"I don't know. I want to say she will accept you as a friend, too. I'm sure deep inside her heart she feels just as lonely as I did. All I can tell you is what you told me. Give her time and let her get to know you. I can't see why she wouldn't want you as a friend then."
"Ah' sure hope so. Ah'm still so excited that Fluttershy was right and yer really as nice as she said ya'd be. If Diamond Tiara would come around too, it would be awesome."
Silver Spoon smiled.
"I know I'm not exactly in a position to say this. But let's not talk about that for now. You've just convinced me we shouldn't worry about these things at this time. Let's just have a fun evening, okay?"
Now Apple Bloom's smile was back as well. "Yeah, yer right. Maybe we should move on to another camping tradition."
"And that would be?" Silver Spoon asked curiously.
Apple Bloom's mouth widened into a grin. Excitedly, she said: "Storytelling!"
"Nice, I like stories," Silver Spoon joined Apple Bloom's excitement. "But, what kind of stories are we talking about?"
Apple Bloom scratched her chin. "Hm, normally scary ones. Or exciting ones. But maybe we should use this to get to know each other a little better. Why don't we tell stories about ourselves in turn."
It didn't take long for Silver Spoon to consider this suggestion. "Okay, but maybe you should go first. From all I heard about and saw from you, your life is way more exciting than mine. And I'm really curious to hear what you were talking about when you said Fluttershy could take on a real dragon."
For a moment Silver Spoon had the feeling Apple Bloom was going to disagree. There was a hint of disappointed surprise in her amber eyes, like this wasn't exactly what she had had in mind. Something told Silver Spoon that the red maned filly would have rather wanted to hear a story than tell one.
But before Silver Spoon had a chance to offer just that Apple Bloom said: "Ah' guess ya' mean that story with the cockathingy Ah' mentioned?"
"Yes, that one," Silver Spoon nodded. "But if you don't want to go first, I can do it."
"No, it's okay," Apple Bloom said. "It was ma' idea, so Ah'll tell the first story. So, Ah' told ya' already, we had a sleepover here before, right? That was the same night this story happened.
"It began right about when we were about to go to sleep. Just as Fluttershy wanted to turn off the lights, we all heard the chickens out in the coop frantic'ly cluckin'. Somethin' had really drove them to a panic. Of course we all ran down and helped Fluttershy calmin' them down, not even knowing what had happened. And we never found out.
"Believe me, catching them was quite some work. They were all over the place, scared to death. And when we finally thought we had them all, ma' friends and Ah' see some clawprints leadin' from the chicken coop right into the Everfree Forest. So of course, we followed the trail."
"What do you mean, 'of course'?" Silver Spoon interrupted. "Couldn't you have just told Fluttershy?"
"Ah' s'pose we could have," Apple Bloom admitted, "but we thought it couldn't have gone far."
To Silver Spoon, any step into that forest was one step too far. But then again, she had witnessed and heard that Apple Bloom had demonstrated an impressive lack of caution and consideration which had led to all kinds of dangerous or at least problematic situations. And considering this unnecessary venture into a woodland full of potentially dangerous critters had already taken place, there was no point in arguing about sense and nonsense. She nodded to let Apple Bloom know she should go on, while Silver Spoon picked up Mr. Snuffles again.
"So, like Ah' said, we thought the chicken couldn't have gone far into the forest. But we were mistaken, and before we knew it, we had walked deeper into the woods than we had expected or wanted. Still, it was a warm night and the forest had been so quiet and peaceful, none of us had any doubts we should keep on searching. But then, after a while, we still hadn't found anything. Instead we were found by Fluttershy."
Silver Spoon couldn't hold herself back from commenting: "I guess she was pretty mad, huh?"
But Apple Bloom shook her head: "No, not at all. She was just glad she'd found us."
Of course. Why would somepony actually be mad at her for doing something really stupid? Again, she had to tell herself that there was no point bringing that up now.
"That was when she told us about the cockathingy. Even though I should mention now that that isn't its real name, but Ah' just can't remember what it's really called. At first, we weren't scared. The way Fluttershy described it sounded way too silly. 'A creature with the head of a chicken and the body of a snake.' Who'd ever think somethin' like that could be scary?"
Silver Spoon knew for sure that she did. Actually, she couldn't see how somepony wouldn't.
"But before we could have gone anywhere, we saw the missin' chicken runnin' by, right behind Fluttershy. Unfortunately, so did the... monster. It was hidin' in the bushes, right where this unfortunate chicken was runnin' to. Like Ah' said, we weren't afraid in any way to meet this creature, but when it rose from that bush... Ya' can't imagine what it was like. It looked like it was growing right out of the ground, bigger and bigger. Ah' think it was even taller than ma' big brother. There it was, spreadin' its large, scaly wings, starin' at us with its horrifyin' red eyes. The next thing we knew it gazed at the chicken and it turned into stone on the spot."
Silver Spoon was already clutching to her stuffed bunny. Now, she pressed it even harder to her heart. Hadn't Apple Bloom said she was not going to tell a scary story? And how in the world was she able to sit here, only a few yards away from the very place this monster was roaming. And the silver maned filly could have sworn those trees had moved closer to them in the past few minutes.
"Needless to say, we were scared to death. Ah' can tell ya' I had already lost ma' head, runnin' away from that thing. That's when Ah' heard Flutterhsy callin', orderin' us to get behind her. None of us had any mind to disagree with that. And as soon as we had done as she had told us to, she turned around and took on the cockathingy.
"She told it off like Ah' hadn't seen it before while she stared it into the ground. Honestly, Ah've no idea anymore what she said, but that thing crumbled under her words. In the end it was wimperin' around and returned the chicken to normal. Then it ran off into the forest, wailing like a little foal. All in all Ah' think we can feel lucky we made it out of there unharmed. But on the other hoof, as we found out, that thing had turned Twilight into stone earlier."
"Who?" Silver Spoon interrupted whispering. She didn't dare to speak any louder in fear of attracting something unwanted from the forest.
"Twilight Sparkle," Apple Bloom explained. "Ya' know her, the librarian we met with the class a few month ago. She told us later she got ambushed when she was on her way to see Zecora." When Silver Spoon was about to ask again who that was, she continued: "The zebra living in the Everfree Forest everypony was so afraid of not so long ago. Turned out she actually is really nice and knows a lot about potions and herbs and such things."
Silver Spoon wasn't sure if living in the Everfree was a sign of bravery or stupidity, but that wasn't at all what she wanted to talk about now. Another matter pressed on her mind: "And when you found that Twilight, what happened then?"
"Not much. We went back to the cottage and finally got some sleep. Even Twilight stayed over. In the morning, Rarity came over to walk me and ma' friends home."
The silver maned filly sighed. She had already put aside the topic of missing punishments for stupidity, but something else had come up instead.
"Really, that is all?"
Apple Bloom looked confused. "Yeah, nothin' else happened that night. Wasn't that enough for ya'?"
"That's not what I mean. How in the world were you able to just go to sleep like that? How are you able to camp so close to this forest? If it had been me, I would have run home as fast as I can and locked myself in my room for at least a weak. And I would have left the lights on the whole time."
"If Ah'd been on my own Ah' guess Ah'd done that, too. But with ma' friends there, and especially Fluttershy Ah' felt quite safe. If Ah'd been at home, Ah' had Applejack and Big Mac lookin' after me and there's no monster in Equestria that they'd let get me. And about the forest, it's not that bad. I've been there a few times and as long as you don't walk into the darker parts past sunset, there's nothing to fear."
"But don't you ever fear that some of those creatures from those darker parts might enter the town?"
Silver Spoon shivered at her own words.
"No, not really." Apple Bloom shook her head. "Not as long as we keep Snips and Snails in check."
Silver Spoon looked at her for a moment, than she bursted into laughter. The memory in itself wasn't actually that funny. For all the stupid ideas those two have had, bringing that giant bear into town was by far the dumbest. But even if remembering that frightful night when something that looked like a large piece of night-sky that had come to life had been wrecking havoc across town wasn't in any way a reason to laugh, the way Apple Bloom was able to say those words with a straight face and a dead serious tone was too much for Silver Spoon.
Through the tears in her eyes she could see Apple Bloom's smiling face. She wasn't sure if that filly was bemused by her exaggerated reaction or if this was exactly what she had been hoping for. But nonetheless it had helped Silver Spoon to lighten up again.
"Okay, we should keep an eye on them in school," she agreed, still giggling. "I guess it's my turn, then. But I have to warn you, my stories won't be nearly as exciting as yours."
"Don't worry, they don't have to be," Apple Bloom brushed her worries aside.
"Okay then, is there anything in particular you'd like to hear about?"
"Well..." Apple Bloom started. "A lot of things, but there's one that I would like to hear more than anything else..."
"How I got my cutie mark?" Silver Spoon cut right to the point.
Apple Bloom, looking flustered, answered: "Yes, but Ah' don't want ya' to think that's the sole reason Ah' invited ya' here, so..."
The grey filly smiled: "Don't worry, I was kinda expecting this. Just because my grades aren't as good as yours doesn't mean I'm stupid, you know?"
The only reaction she got from this was a shade of crimson spreading across Apple Bloom's face, clearly visible even against the yellow-red flickering of their campfire.
"Don't worry," she giggled, "I've expected you to ask me way sooner. I guess you were to busy listening to my complaints. But before I tell you this story there is something I'd like to ask you, if it's okay?"
Apple Bloom nodded, still looking flustered, while saying: "It's been okay all evening and Ah' think Ah' can answer one more question before hearin' ya' story."
"Okay, it's about your brother and sister. You mentioned them again, like you always do. But whenever you're talking about what they would or wouldn't do, it always sounds to me like you're talking about stuff that should be parent's business anyway. It's almost like you don't-"
Click.
She instantly cursed herself. Hadn't she claimed to not being stupid just a second ago? It had taken her way too long to make this leap of logic. But now that they were talking about her cutie mark, the final piece of thought fell into place and completed this puzzle. She did know that nopony, except for the princesses maybe, lived forever. How in the world could she have ignored that this was true for parents as well for so long?
Shocked at her own insensibility she stared at Apple Bloom, her mouth still half open. She could already feel the emotional rollercoaster she had been riding the whole evening getting ready to take another dive. Close to a panic, struggling for words she silently prayed for a chance to unsay her last words.
But then Apple Bloom spoke what Silver Spoon was trying to avoid: "It's like Ah' don't have parents?"
Her voice was calm, yet still stricken with a hint of sadness. It was enough to twist Silver Spoon's guts.
"Ah' thought everypony knew that..."
They both fell silent. The grey little filly felt helpless, still unsure of what to say. Over the crackles of the fire, the hooting of an owl was carried over from somewhere. It sounded like it was calling her out on her ignorance.
After a moment of eternity, Silver Spoon simply muttered: "I'm sorry, I really didn't know."
"No, ya' don't have to be sorry," said Apple Bloom. "It's not yer fault if ya' didn't know."
"But I should have known. I should have figured that out a long time ago."
Apple Bloom shook her head and saying: "Again, don't worry about that. Ah' don't blame ya'. Just forget about it and start yer story. Maybe that'll distract ya from it."
Still with faint sadness in her eyes, the red maned filly smiled encouragingly. But Silver Spoon still that didn't help Silver Spoon.
"About that story, I don't know if it would be so good to tell right now. You see, my cutie mark is... Well... Now that I know of your parents and all..."
"Huh? What does a spoon have to do with ma' parents not being here anymore?"
Silver Spoon's stomach felt like it turned upside down.
"You see, it is not a spoon..."
"Then what is it?"
"Well, um... You really don't recognize it? Does everypony think this is a spoon?"
She looked at her own flank.
"Yeah. What else should it be? It looks like one. And yer name is Silver Spoon, so it only seemed fitting."
At first she wanted to protest this way of logic. Then again, many parents seemed to have a strange knack for naming their foals astonishingly matching to their future cutie marks. She could see how a lot of ponies would come to this false conclusion about her cutie mark in that regard. But it didn't help her solving this matter any better.
"Okay, so it might look like a spoon, but it is something else. Something completely different. And I don't-"
"Come on, stop beatin' around the bush and just tell me how ya' got it, then Ah'll know what it is, too."
Silver Spoon could clearly hear how Apple Bloom tried to hide some upwelling annoyance. She sighed: "Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you."
In a last attempt to prolong the now inevitable, she took an exaggeratedly long sip of the lemonade.
"Before I begin, do you want one of the candy apples?" she asked.
"Yeah, thanks," nodded Apple Bloom, smiling again.
After she had handed the bag with the promised sweets over to Apple Bloom, she finally began her story:
"You may remember that it happened during the summer vacation after our first year at school. Of course, we - that is my family and me - spent the time at our summer house. Like every year. And ever since I've been able to walk, my sister and I were taking tours to the nearby village. She was supposed to look after me, but in the end, she just met with friends she had there and would leave me to do what I wanted to. My parents would still get mad if they ever found out, but why should we have told them? Otherwise I would have had to stay with my sister. This would have meant I wouldn't have gotten ignored just by her, but by her friends, too, for a change.
"But so I was free to explore the village on my own. It was really small, Ponyville is almost a big city compared to it. Before long, I knew the place in and out.
"I even made some friends there. As far as you can call them friends if you only see them for three weeks a year. At best. But nonetheless, I like spending time with them. They did always admire me for my family's wealth. Our house near the beach was well known to all of them and they always told me how much they would like to live in that house. Now that I think of it, maybe that's why I expected it to be the same in school.
"To be honest, back in Fohlengarten I was extremely shy. Sure, the others let me play with them and I did have fun times, but I had never been able to make any real friends. I mean, like friendships that lasted longer than until their parents came in the afternoon and took them back home.
"Anyways, one of the fillies I used to play with had a grandfather. I mean, most of the others had grandfathers too, but this particular one had a job that I found interesting from the very first moment I saw it. He was a silversmith. He made all kind of things out of silver. Necklets, rings and other jewellery. Goblets, plates, forks, knives, and yes, also spoons. Sometimes, ponies would ask him for some decorations for their front gates. He even showed me some picture frames he had made. That was some kind of tradition he had with his wife, he told me. Every year he would make another special picture frame and on their wedding day, they would have their picture taken and place it in that frame.
"In their living room, there was a whole shelf only for those pictures. It was an amazing sight, seeing them being together on all of them. Of course, they looked a little bit older on each new one, but you know what? Their smiles never changed on any of those. They looked just as happy on the last one as on the first one.
"But there was one other thing he made. I'll never forget how he described it; a sign to the ones dear to you who had to move on to another place. A place from where no letter will reach you and no train ever stops to bring them back. But from where they can see and hear you. They know when you think about them, when you remember them, and when you miss them. But you can't do that all the time, if you want to live your life. Sooner or later, you'll need to let the thought of those who won't come back go from your mind. That's why ponies put up a 'monimentum', to let those who went away know that you still miss them. They let your dear ones know you want to see them again. They ask them to wait for you until it is your time make that last journey towards their new home.
"Back then I didn't fully understand what he meant, but I made the mistake of asking my sister. She was rather blunt about it. All in all I guess that wasn't all for the worst, but I think I would have liked to believe in the story the old stallion had told me. But on the other hoof, that story still is nice and I just prefer to think that that is the way it really is.
"However, I spent a lot of time during those few days at his workshop and just watched him forming silver and gems into all those beautiful works of art. And best of all, he even let me try to make some on my own with simple tools. Even though what I was able to produce wasn't that impressive he said I had 'a knack for crafting' and he would let me try out more complicated stuff. To be honest, all that made me able to was producing bigger things that weren't that impressive. But still, it was fun making them and he'd keep complimenting me how I was even able to use some tools even other grown-ups had trouble with. Apart from meeting my vacation-friends, working in his workshop was the one thing I looked forward to the most each summer.
"But then came our first summer vacation in school. The first thing I did, like the years before, was running up to the shop as soon as I had the chance. But this time it was closed. That had never happened before. I tried to peek inside, there was nopony there. All the tools were at their usual spots and I could see an unfinished piece of work. But the old stallion was nowhere to be seen.
"When I rang the bell, it wasn't him who opened but a mare I had only seen on some other pictures he had shown to me before. I knew she was his daughter, even though I had never met her in real before. At first she wanted to send me away, saying it wasn't a good time, but then I heard him inside, asking who was at the door. As soon as he knew I was there he told her to let me inside.
"I had never seen a pony so downcast, the way he could barely sit upright in his rocking chair. He forced himself to smile at me but couldn't hide that something terrible must have happened to him. And all of his family was there, sitting on the sofa and the chairs, looking the same as him. All of them, except one. His wife wasn't there.
"Of course I was confused by this scenery. My confusion must have been obvious, because the daughter's husband asked if it was really a good idea letting me in. But Raising Hammer, that's the old stallion's name by the way, said I was like a grandchild for him and he wanted his family around him. Honestly, looking back, it's really embarrassing how happy I was in a moment like that at what he said. But it didn't really matter because my happiness only lasted until what he said next.
"He told me that his wife had gone on a long journey, to a place from where she couldn't come back from. Since the first time we met we hadn't talked about this topic again. But I saw in his eyes that he knew immediately that I knew what he meant.
All I could do back then was to walk up to him and hug him. I felt strange at that moment. All I wanted was to cheer him up, comfort him, just help in any way possible. But it made him cry instead. Not just him, I clearly heard everypony else there start sniffing, too. It made me wonder if I had done something wrong, but at the same time, he patted me on the back and thanked me.
"I can't tell how long that moment lasted, but the next thing was that his daughter brought in some tea. They told each other stories about his wife, happy memories they had of her. He seemed to like remembering her like that, smiling all the way. But the sadness in his eyes still wouldn't go away. While the others were talking, I kept thinking about what I could do for him, since of course I didn't really have any bigger memories of his wife than some simple chats or the delicious cookies and juice she had given me from time to time. Then I saw the shelf with their wedding day pictures. And somehow that gave me an idea.
"I sneaked out of the room, nopony noticing me while they were distracted by themselves. I went down and entered the workshop. Luckily, there was a door from his place directly to the workshop which wasn't locked. I gathered everything I needed and started to work on the first monimentum I ever made. I tried to work in as many details from the picture frames he had made as I could remember. Parts from the oldest came at the bottom of the pole, then I worked upwards, going through the frames in the order as he had made them. And into the top I set a heart shaped ruby he must have had prepared for something else.
"It had taken quite a while until I was done. I heard them calling my name when I got back into the house. With the monimentum in my mouth I went back to the living room. At first I was afraid they would get angry at me, because everypony just sat there in silence, looking disbelievingly at me. But what I cared more about was if Raising Hammer would like what I had done.
"When I walked over to him his eyes grew wider and wider. He took my work into his lap and examined it with growing surprise. Finally he really smiled, not just on his face, but in his heart. I could see that. But not just that, what he said next, I'll never forget: 'This is beautiful, I couldn't have done it any better. No wonder your cutie mark would turn out to look like this.' And that's when I realized that I had finally earned the very same." |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 9 | Chapter 9
"So that's what it's supposed to be?" Apple Bloom said looking at Silver Spoon's cutie mark. "But Ah' never saw a monimentum with that bulky thing at the bottom."
"Oh, that's simple," answered Silver Spoon. "The lower end is put into the ground so the whole thing won't fall over. It's not meant to be seen." She covered the lowest part of her cutie mark with a hoof and turned herself a little so it was illuminated by the fire.
"Yeah, it is rather obvious once yer know what it really is," commented Apple Bloom. "But the one set up for ma' parents has an apple inserted instead of a heart."
Silver Spoon nodded. "The heart is what is usually set in as a general sign of your love. Raising Hammer called it 'the traditional way'. But many ponies decide to replace it with something more personal like the cutie mark of the one you want to remember or a symbol representing the family. I guess an apple would be more than fitting for your parents."
When Silver Spoon looked back at Apple Bloom again, she was sure she could see a wet glistening in Apple Bloom's eyes. But in the unsteady light of a camp fire it was hard to tell. Either way, the filly in front of her still kept her smile.
"What happened next?"
Apple Bloom's question took Silver Spoon by surprise.
"Next?"
"After ya' had yer cutie mark. Ah'm sure ya' didn't just leave and went home, did ya?"
"Oh, that's what you mean. Well, in some way, I did. Not immediately, but after I had spent the afternoon with him and his family, I had to go home. But I did see them all a lot over the next days. The monimentum must have really been the right thing to make. After that, they all had accepted me as a part of their family. They let me join the funeral and even let me help decorating the grave."
"Ya' decorated the grave?" asked Apple Bloom surprised. "Ya' mean ya' of all ponies planted flowers? With yer own hooves?"
"Yeah, I did. Why do you ask?"
Apple Bloom chuckled. "Oh, Ah' don't know. Ah' somehow had the feelin' ya'd hire a gardener for somethin' like that."
Silver Spoon didn't fell like laughing at all. She shook her head and said: "I would never do that. Not for something like this. That wasn't some front lawn. Would you let some stranger decorate the grave for somepony important to you?"
"Of course Ah' would. Actually, isn't that what that family did when they let you help them? Ah' mean, most of them only knew ya' for a few days."
Silver Spoon stared baffled at Apple Bloom. "I never saw it that way..."
"And Ah'm sure that ma' parents grave was decorated by somepony not from ma' family. Most of them aren't that good with flowers."
"Oh, it isn't that hard to do. All I did back then I did more on instinct than anything else. And everypony liked it. They even told me a few days after the funeral that somepony had asked them who was in charge of the grave, because it looked so neat."
The red maned filly stared disbelievingly at Silver Spoon for an uncomfortably long moment.
"Yer jokin' now, right?"
Another moment passed as Silver Spoon returned the look she was receiving.
"No, it really was that easy. All you have to do is-"
"Of course it's easy when it's yer special talent."
These words silenced Silver Spoon not just because she got interrupted by them. It took her a few seconds to get her thoughts in order and ask: "My special talent? But wouldn't that mean I have two special talents?"
"Ah' wouldn't say so. If there's anythin' Ah' learned about cutie marks so far, it's that they can stand for many skills. Take Pinkie Pie for example. Ya' know her, right?"
"Yeah, she threw Diamond Tiara's cute-ceanera. And somehow she congratulates me on every birthday, even though I don't think I ever told her when it was."
"Good. As far as she puts it, her special talent is to make others smile, to make them happy. And she can do it in many ways. Organizin' parties, songs or even bakin' cakes for them. She's fantastic with all of that. And maybe even more."
"So, you really think my talent is more than crafting monimentums? I never thought of me planting some flowers as something special, much less being related to my cutie mark."
"Ah'd say so. It sounds to me like yer talent is decoratin' graves in general or somethin' like that. Haven't ya' ever tried it again?"
"No, once the vacation was over I never had the chance to. Or looked for one."
Apple Bloom gave her a look of resignation. "So, ya' wanna tell me that ya' never, not even once wanted to try out yer talent again since then?"
Silver spoon felt her face getting hot. That was pretty much the case. As in, exactly how it was. She looked down to the ground once again and mumbled: "Well, it's not so easy to walk up to somepony and ask if they had somepony recently pass away and if you could decorate the grave."
For a few moments, there was only the crackles of the camp fire. But then Apple Bloom said apologetically: "Well, okay, Ah' see that that would be a problem..."
This gave a silver Spoon a chance she had to try. "But anyway, enough about me learning things about cutie marks. Didn't you want to hear the story to learn something yourself?"
Much to her relief, Apple Bloom went along with this attempt to change the topic. "Well, yes, of course. But Ah' don't really think it helped. That's not yer fault, but it always sounds to me like everypony Ah' ask got her cutie mark by pure chance. But then they all keep tellin' me Ah' should find out what Ah'm really good at."
"I'm not telling you that."
"Yeah, sorry, you didn't," Apple Bloom admitted. "But everypony else does. Do ya' have any idea what ya' did except being at the, well, 'right' place at the 'right' time? Maybe ya' can explain to me what Cheerilee meant whenever she was talkin' about 'findin' one's true talent'."
"Sorry, no, I have no clue. To be honest, since I already had mine, I never really listened to what she said during those lessons." In fact, she didn't listen to what her teacher had to say most of the time for a variety of reasons. "And I never really cared about how it worked." Obviously that answer wasn't what Apple Bloom had hoped for at all. "Again, I'm sorry I'm not of any help here. The only thing I can say that maybe you should try not caring about it."
"Easy for ya' to say..." Apple Bloom mumbled.
"Oh, come on." For a change it was Silver Spoon who tried an encouraging smile. "I know how important this is for you. And if I could, I would help you in any possible. But the only thing I can say from my way of getting a cutie mark and any other I heard about, is that nopony ever expected to get it when it happened. So maybe not caring really is the best way. Just try it. At least for tonight, so we can back to having fun."
Apple Bloom nodded slowly. It took a few moments of contemplating for her but finally she agreed with Silver Spoon. Soon her smile returned and they were back to telling stories while working themselves through the snacks Silver Spoon had stocked in the afternoon.
It was mostly Apple Bloom who did the story telling, since Silver Spoon couldn't think of anything to tell that was even remotely as exciting as what that yellow filly had to offer. More than once she asked herself how her newfound friend had been able to make it through the last year without any major injury.
Even more so, she was impressed how freely everything that had happened was spread out to her. She heard about attempts of earning a cutie mark that ended in disaster after disaster. Most were minor incidents, like ruining somepony's mane as a wannabe manedresser or the failed attempt at selling apples Silver Spoon had already heard about. But there were hair-raising instants like any kind of 'extreme sports', how Apple Bloom called it, that ended surprisingly often in the trio falling down from somewhere. Or the one time the red maned filly had already hinted at, when she had almost set her own home on fire.
The longer she listened the more Silver Spoon found herself enjoying the stories she heard. Her initial doubts and bewilderment were gradually swept away by the joy and excitement they were told with. After another tale of Apple Bloom and her friends wrecking havoc at the post office, Silver Spoon asked chuckling: "Have you ever thought about getting a chaos raising cutie mark?"
Apple Bloom looked surprised for a brief moment, then thoughtfully scratched her chin, mumbling: "Hm, why haven't Ah' thought of that?"
"Uh, that was meant to be a joke, you know?"
"Don't worry, of course Ah' know that." Apple Bloom grinned.
"Either way, I'm getting tired," said Silver Spoon rubbing her eyes. "I think I've never been up this long before. Maybe we should get into the sleeping bags."
The yellow filly yawned in response and nodded. They put out the fire and then crawled into the tent. Now that she had to move again Silver Spoon felt how tired she really was. She had to force each of her limbs to move forward while her mind kept suggesting that she could just lie down in the grass and sleep right where she was. But in the end she had somehow managed to end up in her sleeping bag, ready to doze off.
Next to her, she heard Apple Bloom's muffled voice saying: "Good night".
She turned her head and saw two half-closed amber eyes peeking out of the sleeping bag next to her, glimmering in the dim glow of a small nightlight.
"It was so far, thanks to you," she replied with a smile. "I'm almost afraid I'll wake up tomorrow in my bed to find out that this was all a dream."
Then she huddled herself in the sleeping back and closed her eyes. But as it happened so often, when she was finally ready to fall asleep her mind kicked back into action and decided it was the perfect time to make her think about what had occurred over the day. How she had set out this morning to just walk around town to kill some time. Leading to her really spending a whole evening chatting with the filly she had considered her arch-enemy. Even to sharing sweets with her.
But how had all this really started? That short exchange of words during their first day of summer school. It seemed so far away, despite that it had happened not even a week ago. Especially considering that it had been more of an argument than any kind of casual conversation.
But what had it been that turned everything from the usual bickering to a serious talk? Right, there had been the topic of her taking school seriously. Just because she had so thoughtlessly proclaimed that summer school were some 'important appointment'. Of course, she couldn't have known Apple Bloom would show up at school later when they ran into each other that morning.
That morning... When they ran into each other... She had almost forgotten about it. Apple Bloom had been sad, to put it mildly. And as she knew by now it hadn't been because of a fight between her and her friends. And neither had summer school been the reason. Then, what had it been?
She decided to ask her the next morning as soon as a chance would come up. With that thought Silver Spoon closed her eyes and tried to let herself fall into the comforting arms of sleep.
Unfortunately, her mind wasn't satisfied with this solution. It kept on nagging her, pushing the question back into her conscious and denied her any chance of rest.
Annoyed with herself she opened her eyes again and asked: "Apple Bloom? You're still awake?"
A muffled sound was all she got as a response. It was hard to make out if it was a groan, some words suffocated by the sleeping back or just a long yawn.
"I don't know if you want to talk about this, but there is one last thing I'd like to ask you."
She waited for another reaction but this time, she heard nothing. She thought there had been some kind of movement inside the sleeping back. Most likely Apple Bloom had just shifted her body but Silver Spoon decided to interpret it as a nod.
"That morning, the first day of summer school, when we ran into each other... I can remember that you looked somehow... downcast. Would you mind telling me what had been the reason for that?"
A few moments of silence passed. Silver Spoon already feared she had indeed been talking to a sleeping filly. But then the red mane turned and Apple Bloom's face re-emerged from the sleeping bag. She half-said, half-yawned: "Why ya' wanna know that? And why now?"
"I don't know. It just bugs me. The way you looked. That was so... not you. Usually you're so energetic and happy. Even when you're actually upset, as far as I remember, you'd still remain somewhat composed. But that day you seemed really down. And I keep asking myself why."
A stretched-out yawn later Apple Bloom replied: "Well, Ah' see no reason why Ah' shouldn't tell ya' this. On that mornin' Ah' asked Applejack if we could go on a vacation for once. All of ma' friends are goin' every year and all we ever did was some occasional campin' over the weekend."
She got interrupted by herself when another yawn forced itself into freedom. Silver Spoon used this chance to ask: "But everypony goes on vacation. Isn't that a normal thing to do?"
The red mane shifted around in the sleeping bag. Maybe Apple Bloom had tried to shake her head while lying down or had just tried to get herself into a more comfortable position for talking. "Not everypony does. Not everypony has the money for it."
"Oh, I see..."
"Ma' sister said it's because of all the work that needs to be done on the farm. It's okay to delay it for one or two, maybe three days, but not a week or so."
"Can't you hire someone to do the work for you?"
"That's what Ah' asked ma' sister. And apparently we don't have the money for that. Not if we need to pay for a vacation at the same time."
"You really want to go on a vacation that much?"
Silver Spoon knew this question was stupid. She could still clearly see Apple Bloom's face on that day. How depressed she had looked. Not angry or frustrated, she had been almost heartbroken as far as Silver Spoon had been able to read her expression. She knew what the answer would be, but she had no idea what else she could say at this point.
"Of course Ah' do. Those camping-trips were really fun, but Ah' want to know what a real vacation is like. Ah' don't even care where we would go to. The beach, the mountains or a big city, anythin' would be fine."
The beach? Now that gave Silver Spoon an idea what she could do. She smiled to herself and asked: "Say, why don't you go with the first choice?"
"Huh? What first choice? The beach?"
"Yes, the beach. Why don't you go to the beach?"
"Weren't ya' listenin'? I just told ya'-"
"That you don't have the money, yeah, I know. But what about a trip to the beach you don't have to pay for?"
Now Apple Bloom sat up, a puzzled look on her face. "What do ya' mean?"
"I mean that you now have a friend whose parents own a villa at the beach which is only used for a few weeks a year. I'm sure they would let you and your family stay there for some time if I ask them."
Any sign of tiredness had vanished from Apple Bloom. "Ya' really think they'd allow it?" Her voice was vibrating with hopeful excitement.
"Of course, I always get what I ask them for," Silver Spoon reassured her. It wasn't exactly true, but she decided it was true enough to not be a lie.
Apple Bloom lay back down with a dreamy smile on her face. As Silver Spoon watched the presentation of pure happiness in front of her, she felt a warm feeling spreading inside her chest. It was similar to what she felt when she got hugged by Apple Bloom or Cheerilie. Except that this warmth felt somehow happier. To her astonishment, seeing her new friend this joyful actually made her happy.
She wondered if she had ever experienced anything similar when she had been in the company of Diamond Tiara. She wanted to tell herself that she did. But she had to admit, as much fun they always had together and as joyful as the days they had spent together had been, she had never seen such an expression of deep blissfulness before. She would have never even thought that fulfilling somepony else's wish could make her feel this happy herself. But, how could she have fulfilled Diamond Tiara's wishes in the first place? She had everything she wanted, there was nothing Silver Spoon could give her.
Or maybe, there had been nothing.
The more this realization set in, another thought revealed itself in its wake. Was this the reason why Apple Bloom was doing this for her? Simply because she enjoyed helping her? Now that she thought about it, this might have been more or less what she had tried to tell Silver Spoon.
Asking herself why it had taken her so long to find this insight, she set her mind to put it to good use. As soon as Diamond Tiara would be back, she'd introduce her to Apple Bloom. The Apple Bloom she knew now. When her friend would be back from her vacation, Silver Spoon would make it her personal responsibility to show her that all the problems they had fitting in with the foals around them came from themselves and not the others. And in the end, Diamond Tiara's face would look as happy as Apple Bloom's was right now.
"That was really mean of you." Her new friend's voice jolted her out of her thoughts.
At first she wasn't aware if the filly next to her had really spoken. She had started to drift off into sleep as she was thinking about future plans. Now those surprisingly cheery sounding words had yanked her awake again. She looked over to the yellow filly for confirmation that she had really talked to her and saw her looking back with a wide grin.
"How am Ah' supposed to sleep after ya' tell me somethin' excitin' like this?"
That question was left unanswered as Silver Spoon once again sank back into her sleeping and was asleep within seconds.
And Apple Bloom must have also been able to fall aslepp eventually. At least her "Good mornin'!" that penetrated the veils of slumber surrounding Silver Spoon didn't carry even the slightest bit of sleepiness.
It was outrageous to her that anypony could be this energetic this early in the morning.
But how early was it actually?
Still savoring the last threads of sleep entangling her mind, the grey filly forced her eyes open. And immediately shut them again, as bright sunlight blinded her right through the white tarp. She had to blink a few times until she was able to get a clear vision. When she had finally put her glasses on, she saw Apple Bloom sitting right next to her, rolling up her sleeping bag.
"What time is it?" Silver Spoon yawned at her.
"Almost ten."
"Really? As tired as I still am, I'd have said it isn't past six." She wasn't even exaggerating. Her head was still clouded and told her to go back to sleep.
"Ma' sister always says sleepin' too long makes ya' tired. Maybe ya' should take a shower, that always wakes me up."
Silver Spoon tried to move, but as soon as she tried to lift her body her back started to ache. It was less painful than startling, but she sank back onto the sleeping bag and stared at the brightness above her for a moment.
"Is it normal to feel this beat after a night of camping?" she asked Apple Bloom with another yawn.
Apple Bloom chuckled. "Only if yer not used to it. Believe me, just get up and take a shower. Ah' already have and Ah' can tell ya, it's the best ya' can do right now. Ah'll pack our stuff up while yer inside."
"Okay, that's an acceptable offer."
Silver Spoon forced herself to finally get up. The moment she stepped outside her body finally awoke. The late morning sun was warm, yet still far from burning like it would surely be once noon arrived.
After stretching her limbs she slowly walked over to the house, taking in her surroundings. It was hard to believe this was the same place as yesterday evening. Now it was a playground for all the animals she had seen before. But unlike the last time, she was right in the middle of all. And those critters were far from shy.
They ran around her and between her hooves. One squirrel, looking for a safe place to munch the acorn it was carrying, even attempted to climb up her tail. The filly was so startled she reflexively shook the brushy little rodent off before she even knew what had happened.
To Silver Spoon's relief the animal wasn't hurt, at least not physically. But it made some indignant noises she had never heard before and even shook one of its tiny fists at her. Then it realized some other squirrel had taken its chance and snatched the abandoned acorn. The next second both of them were gone, one chasing the other through the grass.
Amused over this little spectacle she entered Fluttershy's home. The living room was empty, but from the kitchen came the promising sizzling of breakfast in the making, accompanied by the sweet smell of still warm pancakes. Even if she didn't want to go the kitchen, her nose had already decided to do so and naturally, the rest of her body had to comply. Following the tempting trail of sweetness in the air, she found Fluttershy diligently watching over a frying pan while happily humming a little melody.
"Good morning," said the little filly to make her presence known.
"Oh, good morning, dear," answered the yellow pegasus, smiling at her guest. "You look like you slept really well last night."
"Well, yeah, kind of. At least if it wasn't for my back. It still hurts from lying on the ground all night. Apple Bloom suggested I should take a shower. Would that be okay?"
"Of course, why wouldn't it be?"
She showed Silver Spoon to the bathroom, gave her a towel and told her that breakfast would be ready soon.
The bath was rather small compared to what the filly was used to from her home. Oddly enough to her, the walls were made of wood. Which was to be expected from a house completely made of wood, but Silver Spoon had never seen something like this before. There were no marbled tiles, no gilded taps, not even a bathtub. But there was a cabin containing the desired shower, which was all she needed right now.
The hot water was indeed doing wonders for her. As fun as the evening had been for her, she had missed the comforts of civilization. And this shower was pure luxury to her after a night of sleeping on the ground. But nonetheless, the filly reflected, she would like to do all of it again some time. Maybe not sometime soon, but if Apple Bloom would ask her again, she wouldn't refuse.
And she wondered what Diamond Tiara would say if she asked her to go camping. Especially if it would involve Apple Bloom as well. And maybe even Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. How would her best friend even react if she heard what had happened yesterday? Or where Silver Spoon was right now? Would she even accept her new friendship with the very filly they both despised for two years now? Even more, would Diamond Tiara want to be friends with Apple Bloom?
When they had talked about it the last night, Silver Spoon had said she surely would. And she had meant it. But now that she had the time to think about it, doubts were entering her mind. Her friend had always been strong willed. A trait she had always admired about her, even if it turned to stubbornness once in a while. But on the other hand, she had experienced firsthand by now how persistent, no, convincing Apple Bloom could be. How she was able to just overthrow you with kindness and niceness. Even though Silver Spoon wasn't sure if the latter was actually a word, but she decided that in favor of Apple Bloom's personality, it should be.
Her thoughts went back and forth on this matter, until her stomach growlingly reminded her that she should stop wasting Fluttershy's warm water. It was time to get something to eat.
After she toweled herself off and left the bathroom she went straight to the kitchen expecting to be greeted again by the sweet scent of pancakes. But all that waited for her this time was the distinct biting smell of something that had been forgotten in the pan.
The kitchen was empty; there were neither Fluttershy nor Apple Bloom. The table was still set, the pile of done pancakes was still there, as was the frying pan on the still running stove. And in it was a black lump of... something. Most likely it had been supposed to be another pancake a few minutes ago, but now it was nothing but fowl smelling crust.
Silver Spoon stared helplessly at the kitchen utensil in front of her. She had never even tried to handle a stove. Or any other device that was meant to prepare food, for that matter. Where the hay was Fluttershy? Or Apple Bloom?
At least Silver Spoon had an idea where the latter could be. The helpless filly ran outside. She was right. Her new friend was still at the tent, just starting to strike it down. Silver Spoon kept running until she was by her side.
"Apple Bloom," she gasped. "Do you know where Fluttershy is?"
"Yeah, she's right over there," Apple Bloom answered irritated, pointing away from the house.
As Silver Spoon looked into the indicated direction, her stomach twisted. She gulped: "Is that a bear?"
"Yupp."
"Right next to Fluttershy?"
"Yupp."
"Why is Fluttershy standing right next to a huge, sharp-teethed bear that has claws as big as her head?"
"She's feeding it."
"Why?"
"Because it's hungry, Ah' guess."
Silver Spoon's next answer never crossed her lips. She choked as she saw the bear lifting one of its massive paws. But all it did then was waving good-bye as it turned around and trotted away. Fluttershy was waving a hoof too, a kind smile on her face. Then she noticed the two fillies watching her and walked over to them.
Silver Spoon still stared at her in awe. She looked like she had just shared a pleasant talk with an old friend. There was no sign in her behavior that she had stood face to face with a ferocious beast only seconds ago.
"It looks like you're almost done here. Do you want me to help with the last bit?" Fluttershy's voice was as soft and quiet as always. At least as all the times Silver Spoon had talked to her.
"No, thanks Fluttershy," smiled Apple Bloom, her voice as calm and casual as usual.
This was too much for Silver Spoon. "Um, Fluttershy? Why were you feeding that bear?"
"I didn't want him to be jealous."
This answer wasn't helping Silver Spoon at all. That sounded to the filly like that beast were a small foal she gave some ice-cream because everypony else had some too.
"Jealous? Of who?"
"Well, it started with those two squirrels I saw fighting over an acorn. I told them there was enough food for all of them and gave them another one. But then the other squirrels saw that and wanted something to eat too. And when I was done feeding them I noticed all my other friends wanted something to eat as well. Of course I don't want them to think that I would ever treat any one of them differently than the other, so they all had to get something as well. Including Mr. Bear."
Silver Spoon didn't know about what end of Fluttershy's words she should wonder first. She just stood there, her mouth hanging slightly open, staring into those large eyes filled with kindness. Helplessly she looked at Apple Bloom who still continued packing up their stuff as if this was just the usual for her. Finally, Silver Spoon decided to just put all of it aside and get to the reason why she came out there in the first place.
"But shouldn't you have turned the stove off before you did all that?"
At first Fluttershy looked puzzled. Then her eyes widened. With an embarrassed "Oh dear!" she ran back to her house from where thin wades of black smoke streamed out the door. |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 10 | Chapter 10
"Ah' guess that's one pancake less for us."
As Silver Spoon heard Apple Bloom's amused voice she turned towards her. "You don't seem that surprised about this."
"Not really, somethin' similar happened on the first morning of our sleepover here."
"Our? You mean with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle?"
"Of course. It was Sweetie Belle who had taken her shower at that time. But she decided to finish preparin' breakfast by herself."
"Oh, she can cook?"
Apple Bloom squinched up her face. Even her tone made it clear she was embarrassed to answer this question. "Let's just say we lost more than one pancake that day."
"Sounds bad."
"Yeah, kinda. But at least all she burnt was food and not the curtains. Like... somepony else did."
"Still, wasn't Fluttershy angry?"
Apple Bloom tilted her head. "Why are ya' always so obsessed with somepony gettin' angry with us?"
"What? No, it's not that. I just thought, well, it would be a normal reaction if I had somepony staying at my house and then they'd start burning my food out of nowhere. But Fluttershy seems so calm and nice, I can't even imagine her being angry."
"Yeah, Ah' know what ya' mean," Apple Bloom sighed. "And no, she didn't get angry. On the contrary, she thanked Sweetie Belle for 'helping her'. She even ate one of those pancakes and pretended that it was really good."
"And you?"
"We... didn't. Actually, when we were done eatin' and left the house again, we told Sweetie Belle she might not be as good a cook as she thinks."
"Really? Wasn't that a bit mean of you?"
To Silver Spoon's surprise Apple Bloom smiled at her last question. "Strange that ya' of all ponies ask that," she chuckled. "No, Ah' don't think so. And we didn't just tell her that her cookin' was terrible. We told her that she may have to practice some more."
"Did she just accept that?"
"To be honest, she didn't. At first she argued that her sister, her parents and Fluttershy loved every meal she had prepared for them. But we could convince her that maybe they were just being nice and didn't want to hurt her feelings."
"Wow, that makes it sound like you wanted to hurt her feelings, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, okay," Apple Bloom laughed. "Maybe this came out wrong. But Ah' don't know how to say this. Most grown-ups tend to tell ya' yer good at something even if yer not because they want to be nice to ya' but then ya'll have to find out that yer not as good as ya' think ya' were. And in the end that's way more hurtful than if somepony had told ya' ya' weren't that good. Ya' know what Ah' mean?"
Silver Spoon wasn't sure if she really understood what Apple Bloom meant, but she decided to nod anyway.
"And that's why we told Sweetie Belle she wasn't as good as she thought she was. And yes, she definitely wasn't happy about it, but Ah' know that she knows we would never try to hurt her feelings. In the end, we're friends and friends should be honest with each other. Even if it means sayin' somethin' yer friend doesn't wanna hear."
"Is that really that different from what I did?"
"What ya' did? Ya mean back in school?"
"Yes."
"Yes, it is!"
"In what way?"
"Ya' really have to ask? Well, mostly because we didn't accuse her of anythin'. And we didn't just tell her that we thouht the food she had prepared was awful. In fact, we didn't tell her something like that at all. What we said was that she needed more practice."
Silver Spoon scratched her chin. She started to see where this was going.
"Ya' ever heard that it's more important how ya' say somethin' than what yer sayin'?"
"So it's about this 'help to improve' thing Bon Bon was talking about."
"Exactly. Is it really that difficult to understand for ya'?"
"Not in concept, no. But I really have a hard time figuring out what I should say and what I shouldn't."
Before Apple Bloom was able to help her solving this problem, they were interrupted by a grumbling noise coming from Silver Spoon's belly. She blushed a little, but a moment later a similar sound could be heard from Apple Bloom. They both looked at each other and grinned.
"Tell ya' what," the yellow filly said. "We'll work on that later. But this sounds like yer as hungry as me. So why don't ya' help me packin' things up here and then we'll finally have some breakfast?"
Silver Spoon nodded and got to work. A few minutes later they both sat inside Fluttershy's kitchen, in front of a huge pile of warm, sweet smelling pancakes.
Pancakes for breakfast really was an incredible idea. Not that Silver Spoon would have ever had a reason to complain about the meals the kitchen-staff at home produced each and every morning. But this was the best she ever had.
Happily she drowned these delicious gold-brown goods in sweet syrup. The way its taste spread out in her mouth was nearly addictive to her. And considering how enthusiastic Apple Bloom worked herself through their stock it surely wasn't any different for her.
After a while they both leaned back in their chairs. Silver Spoon was spent. She couldn't remember ever eating this much before in her entire life. Right now she felt like going back to sleep. But unfortunately her sleeping bag was already packed up and going home to her own bed was out of the question. Any movement beyond reaching for her glass of orange juice was impossible at this moment.
Fluttershy, who had only eaten a little herself, looked happily at them with a joyful smile. "Seems like you are done with your meal," she remarked as she rose to put the empty plates into the kitchen sink. Then she sat down again. "I guess I'll clean up later," she informed her guests.
Silver Spoon didn't really know what to answer as she didn't care if Fluttershy would do it now or later. She was to busy keeping her mind from drifting off into an enticing state of doziness. But what Fluttershy said next pulled it back into the waking world.
"I thought, maybe you could tell me now how you got your cutie mark, Silver Spoon? If that's okay with you?"
Why did she have to bring this up now? Silver Spoon wasn't exactly in the mood to talk right now, much less about her cutie mark. She still had in mind how Fluttershy almost started crying just because she had realized what it meant.
She looked over to Apple Bloom, hoping for some silent advice or maybe at least a little hint for what to answer. But her red maned head was turned towards the window as she absent-mindedly watched Fluttershy's animals playing.
As she kept looking at Apple Bloom's back of her head she was reminded of last night. When she had told her new friend the same story Fluttershy was asking for now. And she remembered how she had expected to unintentionally hurt Apple Bloom with it. Or at least upset her, make her remember things she didn't want to be reminded of. But in the end she hadn't taken it nearly as badly as Silver Spoon had expected. Then Fluttershy as a grown-up should be able to listen to the story without any breakdown. Especially considering what she had heard about her until now.
She struggled to sit back upright and nodded. "Okay, if you want to hear it," she said and started to tell once more how she had earned her cutie mark. While she spoke she kept glancing over to Apple Bloom who was still looking towards the window. It was hard to tell if she even listened to her.
Fluttershy, however, was completely fixated on the grey filly. She followed the story curiously, with the undivided attention of a foal listening to its favorite bedtime story.
At the end of it she smiled and said: "I see, so that's what your cutie mark stands for."
"Hadn't you figured that out already?" asked Silver Spoon.
"No, I only had an idea. But that was... a bit different from the truth."
"Really? What was it?"
"Oh, um, nothing too specific. But I thought your talent would involve, well, handling deceased ponies in one way or another."
Silver Spoon had no idea how one would 'handle the deceased'. Of course, somepony had to get the dead into the grave, but what more could there be to be done? Was there really a special talent for such work? She pondered asking, but the bright sunshine of an early summer noon and her pancake-stuffed belly convinced her that now wasn't the time to think about dead ponies or those who had to work with them. Or for them? Whatever it was, she would not delve into this topic any more.
Instead she smiled and said: "Then I'm glad my talent turned out less horrific than you made it look two days ago."
"Oh no, I would have never thought that." Fluttershy looked crestfallen. "There are no talents that are horrific or in any way worse or better than any other."
"What? No, that's absolutely not what I meant!" Silver Spoon responded. "But the way you reacted back then was just... just..."
"Exaggerated?" Fluttershy offered apologetically.
"Yes, that's what I meant."
"Oh, yes, I know I overreacted. I am sorry if I startled you by that in any way."
"Oh, now Ah' see!" Apple Bloom threw in.
Both Silver Spoon and Fluttershy looked over to her. She had finally diverged her attention from whatever had been going on outside.
"What do you mean?" they asked in unison.
"Is that why ya' reacted like that when we talked about yer cutie mark last night?" Apple Bloom asked.
Silver Spoon nodded slowly. "Yeah, mostly. But it was also because of the other thing we talked about."
"Ya' mean ma' parents bein' dead?"
"Um, yes..." Silver Spoon said meekly. She couldn't grasp how Apple Bloom was able to talk about such a topic without any hesitation.
"How did you get to speak about such a topic?" Fluttershy wanted to know.
"Because I'm an insensitive blockhead," sighed Silver Spoon.
Fluttershy didn't say anything, but her expression spoke of her confusion.
Apple Bloom simply shook her head. "Stop beatin' yerself up over it. Ah' told ya', it's not yer fault if ya' didn't know."
"But I should have known. In hindsight, it was obvious. And either way, that doesn't change the fact that I brought up a hurtful thing like that out of nowhere. And it made everything I have done even worse. If I had known sooner-"
"What if ya' had? Would ya've acted differently?"
"Of course I would have!"
"Well, Ah' guess it's a good thing ya didn't know then!"
Silver Spoon needed a moment to understand that Apple Bloom had really said what she had heard. But that moment wasn't sufficient to let her sort out all the irritating facts that accompanied those words. She couldn't even decide what irritated her the most. Was it the message in itself? The serious tone it had been delivered in? Or was it the following smile she put on? Helplessly she looked over to Fluttershy, who was smiling too.
"I think she means she wouldn't want to be treated differently because of her parents by you," Fluttershy suggested. "Or anypony else. Right, Apple Bloom?"
The red maned filly nodded. "Exactly."
"But if I had known I wouldn't have been so mean to you. Maybe we could have become friends sooner. Way sooner. Wouldn't you have liked that?"
"Of course Ah' would have liked it better if ya'd been ma' friend rather than a bully. But not because ya' pity me."
"Does it really matter to you what the reason for that would be?"
"You see," Fluttershy answered for Apple Bloom, "don't you want ponies to be nice to you, because they like you rather than because they are sorry for you?"
For a moment, she smiled motherly at Silver Spoon, with an expectant look in her eyes. But as Silver Spoon gave no answer she continued: "Maybe I can put it this way; if you get a present, which would you like more, one that somepony gave to you because she likes you and wants you to be happy, or one somepony gave to you because she believed she had to."
"I don't really see the difference. In the end, I'll have a present. Or not?"
"Ah' think yer missin' the point," said Apple Bloom, struggling to keep a straight face.
Fluttershy patiently tried again: "Then maybe, think of this: When you're sick, others may take care of you and be really nice. But as soon as you get better, they won't anymore."
"Yeah, that's a good example," added Apple Bloom. "Ah' know that's nice at first. But soon ya'll notice they're just so nice because yer sick and they just feel bad for ya'. And ya' know that as soon as ya'll get better, they'll be the same they ever were."
Again, Silver Spoon didn't answer right away. But this time she understood what Apple Bloom was saying all too well. And of course, she knew that in return Apple Bloom knew that. She looked at her hooves, not knowing where else to look at that moment.
"Okay, I think I get that," she said quietly
Apple Bloom nodded.
"And in ma' case it's even worse. Ah' know that they would treat me differently if Ah' 'got better'. But that will never happen. They'd just keep on pityin' me. And quite honestly, havin' everypony say 'Yer poor thing' and 'Ah'm so sorry for ya'' can get really annoyin' really fast."
Silver Spoon noticed that Apple Bloom's last words carried a bitterness that was more than unusual for this filly as far she knew her. The grey filly could only imagine what her new friend had to deal with, but still it was sufficient to finally understand why she didn't want any pity.
Both fillies looked into each other's eyes for a moment. Silver Spoon just nodded, hoping this would be enough to tell Apple Bloom what she wanted to say.
Then next moment she felt an unpleasant yet familiar tingle in her spine. She turned around. Angel was sitting in the doorway, his eyes once again fixed on Silver Spoon.
"What does he have against me?" she asked defeated.
"Oh, nothing," answered Fluttershy. "He's just not good with strangers. That is all."
Then she stood up and started to prepare a bowl of salad, humming cheerily.
"Okay, maybe we should take this chance and get goin'," suggested Apple Bloom.
"Oh, so soon?" asked Fluttershy. "Do you have plans for today?"
"Yeah, Ah' wanted to show Silver Spoon Sweet Apple Acres today."
"Really?" the grey filly asked astonished. "Didn't you say you'd have to ask your sister first?"
"No, Ah' only said I'd ask her if ya' could stay for dinner. Of course ya' can come over and visit me anytime ya' want to."
"In that case, let's go!" Silver Spoon exclaimed excitedly and jumped of the chair back onto her hooves.
All the fatigue she had felt from the ample breakfast was gone from one moment to the other. She picked up her saddlebags and the sleeping bag and turned back to Fluttershy to say good-bye. "Thank you so much for everything. I really enjoyed last night and the pancakes were great. I hope we can do this again sometime."
"Of course, my dear," Fluttershy smiled. "You only have to ask. Have a nice day."
They both waved a last good-bye and then stormed out the front-door. The air was already starting to heat up, but that wasn't keeping the two fillies from running all the way back from Fluttershy's cottage to Ponyville.
Why they were running at all eluded Silver Spoon. She couldn't even tell if she or Apple Bloom had started to run. But they were running and neither of them had any intention of stopping before they had reached the Sweet Apple Acres farm. A few angry shouts of startled ponies later they had made it.
It was the first time she had ever come this close to this place. All she had seen of it before was the vast orchard from afar. Now she finally had the chance to see the farm hidden behind it.
The first thing she noticed was the other fields. Despite being known everywhere solely for their apples Apple Bloom's family apparently grew a larger variety of crops. From the path they were following towards the farm, she could make out a cornfield, a grain field and a carrot patch.
In the middle of the carrot patch stood a strange building. Its base looked like a huge barrel, big enough to house a grown-up pony. On top of that was something that looked like a two storied shed with a balcony. That shed had a roof looking like a half of a barrel. All that was topped of with a huge carrot - presumably not a real one - mounted on that roof.
But Silver Spoon had no time to be surprised. There was even more to see than that. Right next to the gate was a chicken coop, not unlike the one Fluttershy had. A bit further away were some barns of different sizes.
In the middle of everything stood the home of the Apple family, painted in a bright red with a lot of white accents. Compared to Silver Spoons home it was rather small, but still larger than most of the houses in Ponyville. It was in no way the small hut from Silver Spoon's vivid imagination.
Around all of that the apple orchard stretched even further, across the hills surrounding the farm. And from there she heard some strange noises, sounding like somepony was kicking against the trees. Not just kicking, but slamming their hooves against it with all they had.
The source of said sound was obviously where Apple Bloom was heading. Of course Silver Spoon followed and soon saw the noises were exactly what they sounded like. Two ponies were kicking the trees. And every time they did, lots of apples fell down into buckets standing ready. Most impressively, not one missed its target, each apple landed right in them.
Silver Spoon recognized one of the ponies as soon as she saw her. That was Applejack, the orange coated, blond maned, hat wearing bigger sister of Apple Bloom.
The other one was a red stallion she didn't know by name but remembered seeing a few times in town. He also had a blond mane but of a darker shade. And he was huge. Even his cutie mark of a half of a green apple seemed larger than other ponies' cutie marks. He was certainly the big brother Apple Bloom had talked about. Actually, now she asked herself why she hadn't figured that out sooner. His cutie mark should have made it obvious.
"Hey, big sis'! Ah'm home!" Apple Bloom yelled across the farmyard. This, as presumably intended by the filly, brought the orange mare's attention towards her little sister. She waved a hoof, smiling happily. Until she saw the filly accompanying Apple Bloom. At that moment the smile faded away into surprised astonishment.
She waited for the two fillies to get closer before she asked: "Oh, do you still live here?"
The following silence was only interrupted by the thumps whenever the big stallion's hooves hit another tree. Silver Spoon looked surprised from one sister to the other. That was definitely not the kind of greeting she had expected from the ever-friendly, all-knowing sibling Apple Bloom had always bragged about.
To an even bigger surprise for her, both of them started to laugh and hugged each other. Silver Spoon felt an unpleasant sting inside her belly. She couldn't help but to envy her new friend. She didn't want to, but there was no way around for her. Telling herself that she should be happy that sisters could get along so well with each other and that all this should give her hope for her own sister helped a little. But still she had to force herself to smile at this scene.
"Welcome home, sugarcube. How was yer sleepover? Guess it was quite good or you wouldn't have stayed longer than planned, huh?"
"Yeah, it was awesome," Apple Bloom answered excitedly. "Best Ah've ever had!"
These words eased Silver Spoon's upwelling jealousy instantly. She didn't know why, but hearing how Apple Bloom told her big sister how highly she thought of the time they had both spent together filled her with a sense of pride.
"Ah'm glad to hear this. Ah' can tell you Ah' was mighty surprised when Flutterhsy told me you'd stay fer another night. Ah' thought yer friends had both left yesterday?"
"They did. The last night Ah' spent with Silver Spoon here."
The mentioned filly felt herself blushing a little when Apple Bloom pointed a hoof at her. She wasn't prepared to be dragged so suddenly into this conversation. She even felt a slight urge to back away a few steps as Applejack looked at her with a cocked eyebrow.
"Silver Spoon? Didn't you tell me she was..." Applejack fell silent for a second, looking like she wasn't sure how to finish her sentence. She continued hesitantly: "She wasn't exactly on good terms with you?"
"Yeah, Ah' did," answered Apple Bloom as happy as ever. "But now we're friends. Can she stay for dinner?"
Not just Silver Spoon was taken by surprise at how Apple Bloom was able to put everything that had happened into such simple words. And to add that question out of nowhere. Applejack looked just as confused as she felt. Of course, the blond mare had no idea what had transpired over the last few days as far as Silver Spoon knew. But that should only add to her confusion.
"Sometimes Ah' wonder where you have that impulsivity of yers from," she said with a defeated laugh. "Care to explain how all this came to be?"
"Why don't you let them get inside and unpack first?"
Silver Spoon jumped as the deep, booming, yet somehow at the same time calm and quiet voice sounded from behind Applejack. Apple Bloom's big brother had been able to come over without being noticed. Silver Spoon hadn't even realized that the thumps had stopped.
Up close he was even larger than he had seemed from afar. The grey little filly looked in awe at the stallion now towering above and looking down at her. The more she looked back her nervousness and intimidation settled down. There was something familiar about him. Not just the fact that she did have seen him before. It was something about his eyes. They were kind eyes, yet carried something deep inside. Something painful, hidden away far behind them. But the hint of a smile around his lips was anything but a show. It was honest. He wasn't sad and still, at the same time, he was.
Neither could she figure out what or who he reminded her of nor what the reasons could be for his self-contradicting expression. Before she had enough time to process all that Applejack was talking again.
"Ah'm sorry, yer right," she replied towards her brother. Then she turned to Silver Spoon and smiled. "Of course you can stay for dinner, sugarcube."
"Thank you, Miss Applejack," the filly responded in a well-trained reflex including a graceful curtsy. "And of course you too, Mister... Mister..."
Both of them looked at each other and started to laugh. Silver Spoon turned her head towards Apple Bloom, silently asking if she had done anything wrong. But the youngest of the three siblings was too busy stifling her own laughs to help her in any way.
When she looked back at her friend's sister and brother, the latter one said: "Ma' name's Big Macintosh. But just call me Big Mac, everypony does."
Too her own surprise that name sounded familiar to Silver Spoon. She couldn't remember where she had heard it before, but she was sure it wasn't from Apple Bloom. But once again it was Applejack who prevented her from figuring it out.
"And Ah'm Applejack," she added, "not Miss Applejack."
Silver Spoon looked from one to the other and back for a few times. Then she asked resigned: "Does nopony in this town want to be called that anymore? Bon Bon, Fluttershy, now you. I start asking myself why my parents told me to always use those 'oh-no-riffics'. Did I offend you in any way?"
Applejack shook her head. "Don't worry, we're not offended. There's just no need for a friend to be so formal. That's for business-talk. And Ah' guess Bon Bon and Fluttershy see it the same way."
Again, her look wandered between the mare and the stallion. Now they were starting to call her a friend too. Or at least Applejack did. But Big Macintosh didn't protest that declaration in any way. On the contrary, his smile was warmer and friendlier now, like he had forgotten about whatever had troubled him before.
Thanks to the camping night with Apple Bloom she knew what to do; she didn't even try to look for a reason. Instead she just accepted it. Actually, it gave her another burst of pride to hear those words from Apple Bloom's big sister.
"So, why don't you two go and play?" offered Big Macintosh. "We still have work to do. These trees won't buck themselves."
"Sounds good to me," said Apple Bloom.
Silver Spoon thanked the two farm ponies and followed their little sister. Even though the house wasn't far away she was already running again. And Silver Spoon was running along, driven by the excitement to finally see her energetic friend's home. |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 11 | Chapter 11
Apple Bloom flew right threw door, slamming it open without any regard for anything or anypony that might have been behind it. Fortunately, the only thing it slammed into was the wall. The following bang in return woke up the only pony present inside the room.
Granny Smith, green coated and grey maned as Silver Spoon remembered her, had been napping peacefully in a rocking chair standing next to a bookshelf, built-in under a staircase. Now her upper body shot upwards, her eyes wide open. The sudden movement caused her rocking chair to start rocking back and forth. The old pony sitting in it flailed her arms around desperately to get back her balance.
"Apple Bloom!" she protested. "How many times have Ah' told ya', ya' mustn't scare me like that?"
"Sorry," was Apple Bloom's simple answer, said too casually to be meant seriously. "But Ah' just want to drop of ma' stuff and then show ma' friend around."
"Yer friend?"
Granny Smith rubbed her eyes and leaned forward, almost toppling over with the chair. It took her a moment until she recognized who her youngest granddaughter was talking about.
Silver Spoon was still standing behind Apple Bloom in the doorway, fascinated by the room she had just entered. In some way it was like Fluttershy's home. Just like hers, it was made completely built from wood. A bit more spacious maybe, but nonetheless it emanated the same coziness. Even though the interior was rather plain.
There was an old-looking couch to Silver Spoon's left, a few flowers and lots and lots of family photos. And it were these photos that really stood out to Silver Spoon. They showed so many different ponies, but all were - or had been - obviously part of Apple Bloom's family. The resemblance to either her, her sister, or her brother was astonishing. Some of the pictures were even in black and white. Silver Spoon knew that meant they had to be really old.
And of course, there was the rocking chair, now standing upright and calm once again. More importantly, there was still Granny Smith sitting in it. The old lady looked like she had finally recognized who Apple Bloom was talking about. Her eyes focused on Silver Spoon and she gave her a gentle smile. The warm and kindly way of a smile Silver Spoon loved so much. Somehow, only old ponies seemed to be able to smile like that. With the exception of Fluttershy maybe. It gave her such a pleasant feeling of being welcome. And she couldn't help but smile herself.
Shyly, she said: "Hello, nice to see you again."
"Yes, Ah' remember ya'," the old pony replied. "Yer from Apple Bloom's class, right? The nice little filly who sat next to her when I was there to tell ya' 'bout the zap apples. And the first to clap when Ah' was done, if ma' mind doesn't betray me."
Silver Spoon nodded. "Yes, that was me. But I think, we have never been introduced properly. My name is Silver Spoon and I am pleased to meet you."
Before she knew it she had done another curtsey. But unlike Applejack and Big Macintosh, Granny Smith didn't laugh at this gesture. Her smile only grew a little warmer.
"Now yer ain't just a nice little filly but a polite one as well. Nice to meet you too, Ah'm Granny Smith. Ah hope ya'll enjoy yerself here. And maybe ya' could be some good influence on Apple Bloom while yer here, could you?"
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" exclaimed Apple Bloom indignantly.
Now it was Silver Spoon's turn to struggle for a straight face. At least she managed not to laugh at her new friend, but she still had a wide grin on her face when she asked: "What? I'm not good enough as role model for you?"
"Ah' have ma' sister for that," Apple Bloom pouted.
"You do?" Silver Spoon asked with exaggeratedly and fake surprise. "Why haven't you told me before?"
For a moment they both just looked at each other before starting to laugh. They laughed so hard Silver Spoon's eyes even started to tear. She had no idea why she had to laugh so hard, but the more she tried to calm down, the harder she had to laugh. Apple Bloom's laughter by her side didn't make it easier for her in any way.
But eventually they were too exhausted to laugh anymore. Silver Spoon had to sit down right where she stood because her legs would carry her any more.
All the while Granny Smith had been watching the scenery, her face showing irritated amusement.
When the two fillies had finally fallen silent she said: "Well Ah've no idea what's been so funny 'bout that, but didn't ya' say somethin' 'bout showin' yer friend around, Apple Bloom?"
"Yeah, Ah' did," the filly replied while trying to catch her breath. "So let's... get to ma'... room and unpack."
Silver Spoon nodded. She followed Apple Bloom upstairs, watched by the still irritated Granny Smith.
The stairs led up to a corridor with two doors on each side. Except for a few more pictures on the wall and a simple lamp hanging from the ceiling there were no decorations up here. Not even a carpet on the blank wooden floor, which creaked under every step they took.
"This's ma' brother's room," Apple Bloom explained pointing to the first door to the right. "Right next to ma' sister's. The first on the left is Granny Smith's room. Which leaves only one as mine."
With the last words Apple Bloom pushed open the mentioned door. The room behind it was about half the size of Silver Spoon's own. She took a few steps inside and looked around.
The walls were colored in green. A dark shade of lime-green which clashed uncomfortably with Apple Bloom's fiery red mane. Next to the door stood a blue closet. On the wall to the right from the door was a commode, also colored blue, with a wide mirror. Across from the door, beside the only window in this room, stood a desk with a chair in front of it. It was considerably smaller than Silver Spoon's but all the more tidier and well-organized. And there was a canopy bed to the left, by its side a little nightstand with a bedside lamp on it.
"Just drop yer stuff and the sleeping bag on the bed."
Apple Bloom's voice startled Silver Spoon. She was so caught up with taking in what she saw that she had almost forgotten who actually lived in this room. All in all she was rather... disappointed? Disillusioned? Or what should she call it?
"What's up? Somethin' wrong?"
"No... Or yes, maybe there is. Not with your room, I mean. I think it is... just me."
"What are ya' talkin' about?"
"That's it, I don't know. I was so excited to see your room. But somehow this is not as exciting as it had been in my head."
"Well, what did ya' expect?"
"I have no idea. I expected... something. Without even knowing what that something was."
"Compared to yer house this must look rather boring, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess it does," she admitted reluctantly. "Do all, er, normal foals' rooms look like this?"
"Normal?"
"Yeah... What else should I call them? You said I shouldn't say poor."
"Yes, Ah' did. But normal doesn't sound right either. Ah' mean, yer not not normal, ain't ya'?"
"Well, sometimes I think-"
"No, stop right there. Yer normal, that was no question."
Silver Spoon smiled. "Okay, but what should I say then instead of 'normal'?"
"Ah' don't. know. 'Not-rich', maybe?"
"Alright then, do all not-rich foals' rooms look like this?"
"Well, if yer askin' 'bout size, yeah, most of ma' friends have similar rooms."
"I was asking more about the interior. I mean, there are no toys, no stuffed animals, not even a bookshelf. And no decorations."
"Okay, startin' with the last one; yes, no decorations. Ah' don't mind it that way. Scootaloo always say Ah should get some posters and Ah' thought about it, but it's never been that important to spend ma' money for it.
"About the stuffed animals, Ah've never been really into them. When Ah' was in fohlengarten Ah' had a teddy, but that was so worn out we threw it away a long time ago.
"All the books we have are in the shelves in the livin' room. The toys Ah' have are over there, in the commode. And we have some games in the kitchen."
Silver Spoon waited for a moment for Apple Bloom to speak on. But as she remained silent, Silver Spoon asked: "The kitchen? You have your games in the kitchen?"
"Yupp. That's where we play those games anyway, 'cause we have the large table there. So we keep our games in the kitchen."
"That is a little bit... er..."
"Unusual? Yeah, Ah' guess."
"Okay, but you still haven't answered my question."
"Ah' don't even know if it can be answered. Like Ah' said, the other ones Ah've seen were about the same size as mine. Save for yours. Some a little smaller, some a little bigger. But apart from that, the only similarities are that they had a bed, a desk and a closet."
"Hm, maybe I have to compare them for myself then?" Silver Spoon couldn't help blushing a little when she said those words.
Apple Bloom smiled. "As soon as ya've made some new friends?"
Silver Spoon returned the smile. "Yeah, I guess."
"That's an awesome idea." Apple Bloom looked like she had achieved something important to her. "But before we get to that, why don't ya' finally drop those saddlebags and Ah'll show ya' around the farm?"
The silver maned filly nodded and let the saddlebags slide from her back where she stood.
The next moment they were on their way outside. Silver Spoon was barely able to keep Apple Bloom from just barging back down the stairs and prevent Granny Smith from being woken up so rudely again.
As soon as they had passed the creaking wooden floor and closed the front door, Apple Bloom turned to Silver Spoon with sparkling eyes and asked: "So, where should we go first?"
"Wherever you think we should," answered Silver Spoon surprised. "The way you tried to scare your grandma' again I thought you had a plan."
Apple Bloom scratched her chin. Obviously she didn't. She mumbled: "Okay, so our chicken coop isn't so different from Fluttershy's, the cowshed and hog house are empty right now..."
"Why? Where are the cows and pigs?"
"During the summer they're on the paddock all day."
"Oh, okay," said Silver Spoon. Then she added: "But still, I've never seen a hog house. Or a cowshed. Or anything else that's there to see on a farm."
"If ya' put it that way..." pondered Apple Bloom. Then she smiled and declared: "Okay, then let's go, Ah'll give ya' the complete tour!"
As Silver Spoon had to find out, when Apple Bloom said complete, she meant complete.
She even started out with the chicken coop that had already been dismissed before. Then she showed her every stable, shed and barn there was on the farm. Like Silver Spoon had been told, they were empty. But they were still interesting nonetheless. Each one was built differently. Each one in the needs of the animals they were housing, according to Apple Bloom.
As Silver Spoon inspected the hog house she asked: "I was wondering, why do you keep pigs on the farm? I can see why you have cows and sheep. But pigs neither give milk nor wool, so why pigs?"
"That's simple. They eat everything."
"So does this one colt from our class..."
"No, that's not what Ah' meant. They literally eat everything. If our food goes bad or we have some leftovers, they eat it. Or if we have some bad crops we can't sell or use, they'll eat it too."
"So, they are something like your living trash cans?"
"No... well okay, ya' could say so... But that sounds mean. And they're not only here to eat what we don't need. We can use their feces as fertilizer."
"Their fe-" Silver Spoon began stammering. She didn't even want to use this word. "As a... fertilizer? Isn't that something you need to grow plants?" She knew she had seen the word on some bags among the stuff their gardener needed for his work.
Apple Bloom nodded. "Ah' don't really know how it works, but we need it to grow our crops."
"And what do you do with it?"
Silver Spoon didn't like where this was going.
"We spray it across the fields."
She felt her stomach starting to revolt. The image building up inside her head was just dreadful. "So, all your corn and grain and even the carrots grow on fields covered in pig poo?"
Apple Bloom cocked an eyebrow. "Ya' really have a knack of puttin' things in the most unfavorable ways."
"But that's just what it is, right?"
"Well, yeah. But that's just how it's done. Not only here, but everywhere."
"So, every bread I ever ate was made from grain that grew in..." Silver Spoon wasn't able to finish her sentence.
"Look, just don't overthink this. It hasn't hurt ya' till now and it won't ever."
She knew Apple bloom was right. But it didn't help her getting those images out of her head. The more she fought them the more they grew. She needed a distraction. "Okay, let's not talk about this anymore. Can we just go on with the tour?"
"Alright," rejoiced Apple Bloom. "Let me show you the fields next!"
Silver Spoon wasn't exactly able to partake in her friend's joy. On the contrary, her stomach only twisted a little further. She looked at her in stunned disbelief.
"Oh come on," the red maned filly laughed. "We only fertilize the fields before we sow the seeds. All of that is long gone."
Still a little bit reluctant, Silver Spoon followed the amused farm filly outside. The fresh air, even as hot as it was growing in the noon sun, had never been more refreshing to the grey little filly as it was right now.
Not as enthusiastically as before she let Apple Bloom guide her across the fields surrounding the farmhouse. At first she was more focused on the ground beneath her hooves than on what Apple Bloom was saying and the plants growing all around her. But after a short while, when she had finally convinced herself that it was nothing but normal, not-gross soil she was walking on, she started to enjoy all of it more and more again.
They both spent a lot of time in the fields, Apple Bloom carefully making sure her friend knew of every crop the Apple family grew around here. Admittedly, it was a little bit tiresome and she didn't exactly pay attention, but her friend's joy and enthusiasm was all it took for Silver Spoon to enjoy herself.
When they had passed the fields - not without Apple Bloom explaining that the building with the carrot on its roof located next to the carrot patch was used to make carrot juice - they came to what Sweet Apple Acres was most famous for:
The apple orchard.
And it wasn't nearly as interesting as Silver Spoon had assumed. Why she had thought this would in any way be more interesting than vast fields of crops eluded her by now.
Even though the view was nice, the air had a hint of the sweet scent of apples and the happy chirping and singing of the birds hidden somewhere in the trees had something relaxing to it, all in all it was just a lot of trees.
Still Apple Bloom kept talking about what different kind of apples her family grew, how they tasted and when they had to be harvested. And Silver Spoon listened less and less to what she was told.
Her attention completely diverged from her guide when they came along the two older Apple siblings still hard at work with the harvest. She had never really seen two ponies work so hard before. Of course she had seen others work in town. But most of them were standing around behind counters or a market stand, busy cutting other ponies manes or cleaning the windows of the town hall. Even at home there were the gardener, the pool colt and the butlers and maids.
But compared to the hard physical labor Applejack and Big Macintosh had to perform, all of these other ponies seemed so relaxed in what they were doing. She was sure she couldn't keep something like this up for more than a few minutes. Most likely not even a single one. And they had to do it for hours, all day along.
She kept watching them, her feelings a mix of awe and pity. And the more she watched them, she noticed something. What grabbed her attention the most were their faces, the expressions they wore.
Applejack had a determined look, like she was eager to impress somepony by what she was doing. She had seen it so many times before on the foals in her class, especially during arts or sports classes. Even then, with Miss Cheerilee around to praise her classmates and approve of what they had accomplished, she never quite got it. They just did what they were there for. And similarly, Applejack did what she had to do for a living. If she didn't do it, her family would earn no money. And furthermore, who did she want to impress? It certainly couldn't be her younger sister and older brother. So was it her, Silver Spoon, she wanted to show how hard she was working? But then again, the apple bucking mare didn't seem like she had noticed the two fillies strolling through the orchard, just a few yards away from her. And whenever she had filled another bucket with apples, she smiled satisfied. Of course, she had all the reason to be satisfied with successful work, but it was more than that. Her smile reminded Silver Spoon of those foals in her class who had earned the longed for words of approval from their teacher.
Big Macintosh on the other hand was back to his absentminded smile, his gaze lost in a trance-like state. Again, he emanated an aura of familiarity Silver spoon couldn't grasp. He looked like he was remembering something joyful or entertaining. Yet at the same time there was this contradicting trace of sadness hidden beneath. It seemed to the little filly like he was sad about the happy things he was thinking of.
"Hey, are ya' listenin' to me?"
Apple Bloom's voice cut right through her thoughts. She had completely forgotten that there was still a filly standing by her side.
"No," was her startled reply. It took her a second to realize what she had said and understand why Apple Bloom grimaced offended. "I'm sorry," she apologized hastily. "I didn't want to be mean, but I got distracted."
To point out what had distracted her she looked back over to her friend's siblings.
"What, ya've never seen somepony work before?" Apple Bloom still sounded a little bit hurt, but to Silver Spoon's relief the underlying indignation was gone.
"Not this hard, I haven't. But that's not what I meant. It's your brother."
Any last bit of offense that still been on her face vanished instantly. She blinked a few times and looked over to her mentioned sibling. "What about him?" the red maned filly asked hesitatingly. Silver Spoon could clearly hear nervousness in her voice. Not unlike what she had felt when Apple Bloom had visited her home yesterday.
"Why is he so sad?" Silver Spoon asked
"Sad?" Apple Bloom now sounded irritated. "What do you mean, sad? He's smiling like he always is."
"Yes, I see him smiling. But his eyes are... sad."
At those words Apple Bloom shook her head.
"No, don't get fooled by the way he keeps lookin'. He's always like that when he's workin'. But when he's around us he'll live up again, believe me."
"Okay, if you say so..."
Silver Spoon wasn't convinced. But since she had no way of disproving what Apple Bloom had stated, she decided to follow her once again. And this time she was careful to listen to what her friend had to say about apples.
Luckily she didn't have to endure this outstretched biology lecture for much longer. Either because Apple Bloom had finally accepted that her new friend wasn't nearly as thrilled as she was about apples or she had indeed reached the place where she had been heading to all along. Silver Spoon didn't know and didn't care.
What she did care about was the quiet spot they had reached, hidden away on a small clearing not too far away from the last trees in the orchard. And even more, the tree house located there.
Apple Bloom turned around towards Silver Spoon, a proud smile on her face and proclaiming: "And now, Ah' present to you: The Cutie Mark Crusaders' club house!"
Silver Spoon looked at said club house in awed surprise. In fact it was not just a club house, but also a tree house as well. And not one of those simple shacks built in a treetop she had seen in one of her books. This was actually a house in a tree. A small house with probably only one room, but a house nonetheless. It even had a pitched roof and gable window.
Leading up to that tree house was a wooden ramp. Or more accurately, it led to a balcony stretching from the front to the side of the house. And from that side led another ramp up towards the tree's crown where another small hut was located. In its window a telescope could be seen.
"Come on!" said Apple Bloom and started climbing up the ramp, followed by Silver Spoon.
Like her real home, Apple Bloom's club house had a simple interior decoration. There was a small table with some flowers on it, a larger, empty one with a chair by its side, a chest at the other end of the room and above it, to Silver Spoon's further surprise, pictures of a blue coated, rainbow maned pegasus she had seen a few times before.
"Isn't this that weather pony my mother always complains about?" she asked after she had walked over to take a closer look.
"Ah' don't know. If it's Rainbow Dash she complains about, then yes."
"I don't know her name and neither does my mother. But I don't think there are that many blue weather ponies with rainbow colored manes in this town."
"None that Ah' know of. What's yer mom's problem with her?"
"According to her, whenever she sees that Rainbow Dash she's more likely to sleep than to work and when she is working, the weather is terrible. Though I have to say, I don't really know what exactly my mother understands as 'terrible weather'."
"Why does she care how often Rainbow Dash's nappin'? She gets her job done, that's what important. And Ah' like the weather she's doin'."
"Don't tell that to me. I don't have a problem with her. But why do you have pictures of a weather pony hanging inside your club house?"
"Well, Sweetie Belle and me only agreed to that because we wanted Scootaloo to stop botherin' us that we should hang up some pictures of Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo wants them to have here because Rainbow Dash is her idol."
"Her idol? Does she want to become a weather pony?"
"No," answered Apple Bloom immediately, but the next moment she scratched her chin. "Or maybe she does. To be honest, Ah' don't know. But either way, that's not the reason she admires Rainbow Dash."
"Then what is?"
"Because she is an excellent flyer."
"Who? Rainbow Dash or Scootaloo?" joked Silver Spoon.
"Rainbow Dash, of course."
Silver Spoon's amused smile vanished as fast it had appeared. Somehow this reply came a little bit too fast. And not just that, it sounded so stern. Maybe even a little bitter.
Before Silver Spoon was able to address what she had noticed, Apple Bloom was smiling again and asked: "Say, would you like to try our telescope?"
Had she noticed Silver Spoon's bewilderment? It did seem to the grey filly like her new friend was trying to avoid this topic. But why would she? Was Scootaloo actually such a bad flyer? Then again, if she were, why would that be something not to talk about?
"Well?" Apple Bloom inquired.
Trying her best not to sound irritated, Silver Spoon answered: "Yeah, why not."
They climbed up the ramp leading up to the little booth in the treetop. The telescope was even larger than it had looked from outside, being as long as Silver Spoon was from head to tail.
At first she wasn't very excited about looking at stuff really far away. If she had wanted to look at that, she wouldn't have come here, would she? But the more she tried it out, the more she enjoyed it. Just testing out what she could actually see from where she was now held more fascination to it than Silver Spoon would have ever expected.
Her view wandered across the town. She even tried to see her own home. Unfortunately the mansion itself was blocked out by the town hall but she could still see what was right and left of it. After she was done watching their gardener from afar, she thought about looking for Bon Bon's store. But as she was searching the town for it, she found something - or rather somepony - else.
"Hey, isn't this that Rainbow... Rainbow..."
"Dash," finished Apple Bloom for her. "Ah don't know, let me see."
The filly stepped aside and let her friend take a look. Then she stepped back and nodded. "Yupp, ya' found her. Now ya' can tell yer mom that you saw that pegasus actually workin'."
"Um..." started Silver Spoon, now reminded of the short exchange they had only a few minutes go. "I'm not sure if I should bring this up."
"Bring what up?"
"I don't know how to put this. It's about Scootaloo. What you said sounded like she isn't a good flyer. And now that we talked about that, I started to think. I can't remember that I've ever actually seen her flying before."
"Well, just because ya've never seen it..." began Apple Bloom halfheartedly, clearly avoiding Silver Spoon's gaze.
But as her voice trailed off and she didn't say anything further, Silver Spoon continued: "Not only that. I've heard some of our classmates talk a few times before. About Scootaloo, I mean. Apparently, none of them has seen her fly before."
"Ah' see what yer getting' at. But please, let's leave it at that."
"Because Scootaloo wouldn't forgive you for talking about it?"
For a moment Apple Bloom was silent. All she did was looking straight into Silver Spoon's eyes. Then she nodded and she said gratefully: "Yeah, Ah'm glad ya' understand." |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 12 | Chapter 12
The two fillies had spent the remaining afternoon at the club house. They had taken turns in searching their classmates with the telescope until the sun began setting. Then they made their way back to the farm house.
They could already see through the open windows that Applejack and Big Macintosh were still working hard to prepare dinner. The smell of hot potatoes emanating from the house further lured them inside.
"Ah, come in and sit down," Granny Smith invited them. She had already traded her rocking chair for the seat at the head of the table. "It's almost done."
But Silver Spoon wouldn't move a muscle, now standing in the doorway between living room and kitchen. Her eyes still followed the display of kitchen work in front of her.
"Hey," said Apple Bloom. "Ah' know that look by now."
"Huh?"
"Yer thinkin' about something ya did or thought before, right?"
"Well, yeah. It's just that I had no idea how much work it is to prepare food."
"Really? Then what do ya' think why yer dad pays somepony to do the cookin' for yer family"
"Because that's normal."
"Normal?"
"Yes, that's what my sister said. Poor, I'm sorry, not-rich ponies work for rich ponies. I never really thought about why they do that. And what that work was like."
"For everything ya' said about yer sister yer listening an awful lot to her."
"Of course I do. She is my big sister after all. I may not like her, but it's the same for her as you said about yours. She's older than me and therefore knows more than me."
"Yeah, that's true... But somehow Ah' get the feelin' ya' shouldn't take everything she said or says for granted. Maybe ya' should ask yer parents about that stuff."
"I'd like to, but that won't work."
"Why?"
"Because my mother is busy with something else most of the time. And my father is either working or too stressed out from work."
"Is that really true, ma' dear?" Granny Smith interrupted the two fillies.
"Of course, why should I lie?"
"What's yer mother busy with that she can't take care of ya'?" the old mare wanted to know.
"Usually she is busy talking to some of her friends on the phone. At other times she is getting her mane styled. Or has a tailor over because she needs a new dress. Or-"
"How many times does somepony need a new dress?" Apple Bloom threw in.
"I don't know about other ponies, but my mother gets a new one each time we're going out for dinner or my parents are invited to somewhere. Or we're expecting visitors."
"Hope Ah'm not interrupting," said Applejack, placing a bowl of potatoes on the table. "Dinner's ready. Have a seat and dig in."
Apple Bloom followed her sister's order without hesitation, indicating Silver Spoon that she should take the chair right next to her. Silver Spoon climbed cautiously onto the seat offered to her.
Carefully she eyed the sudden explosion of action around the table. Everypony started to fill their plates with what was in front of them and then handed the bowl over to the one next to them. Involuntarily, she started to smile.
"What's so funny?" Applejack asked amused.
"I was just imagining my parents' seeing this. I don't know if I have ever seen them filling their plates on their own. Usually our kitchen staff does that for us."
"Then Ah' hope you do know how to fill yer plate yerself. We don't have any kitchen staff to serve you." Applejack smiled and offered Silver Spoon some salad.
"Oh, of course," Silver Spoon replied and started to follow her hosts' example.
"So, if you don't mind tellin' us," said Applejack after she had taken a few bites. "What exactly does yer father work as?"
Silver Spoon didn't answer right away. At one hand because she was still chewing on some surprisingly delicious potatoes and carrots. And on the other hand because she was caught completely off guard by somepony talking to her. Surprised she looked from one pony to the other, each looking expectantly at her. Except for Big Macintosh who kept smiling absentmindedly at his dinner.
"What's wrong?" asked Apple Bloom.
"Well, um... Do you always talk during your meals?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't we?" asked Apple Bloom.
"My parents always tell me and my sister to be quiet during the meals. We only talk between the courses." Then she thought for a moment. "But I guess it makes sense."
"That's good," Applejack commented. "But how so?"
"You don't have more than this one course, right?"
"No, we don't." Somehow this seemed highly amusing to the blond farmer. "If you don't count dessert as s course, that is. So, yes, we do have to talk during our meals. Which means you can answer my question without a bad conscience."
"Of course. He makes carriages. And sells them."
"He makes them?" Apple Bloom wanted to know. "All by himself?"
"No, of course not. He has a company for that."
"Yer dad has his own company? No wonder yer so rich."
"Yes, and he has built it up from the grounds, as he says. He keeps working hard every day so we will never have to worry about anything."
"And still yer mom doesn't have time for you?" Applejack wondered.
"No, but that's okay. I know she has a lot of 'social obligations to fulfill'. To support father in his business."
"Social obligations? What's that?" Apple Bloom wanted to know.
"I don't know exactly. But that's what my mother calls it whenever she gets ready for a business dinner my father has. Or when she talks to some lady from a charity organization."
"And what was that you said about you not likin' yer sister?" Applejack asked.
"What about it?"
Before Applejack was able to give an answer she got cut off by Granny Smith. "Applejack, that's enough. Do ya' really think all this's somethin' ya'd talk about the first time ya' meet somepony?"
"Well..."
"No, it's okay," said Silver Spoon. "I simply don't know what is so special about me not liking my big sister. It has been like that my whole life. And all of a sudden, everypony seems to be worried about it."
"But don't you think that if yer parents don't have much time for the both of you, that that's all the more reason you should get along with yer sister? Ah' mean, who else is there to take care of you?"
"I don't need my sister for that, my parents have hired enough house personnel to be there for me."
Everypony at the table fell silent. Even Big Macintosh had now stopped eating and stared at Silver Spoon. And she stared back, her look wandering from one of them to the other. But even Apple Bloom replied to her silent plea for an explanation only with disbelief.
"What?" Her cheeks started to burn. "Did I say something strange again?"
"Well, sugarcube," said Applejack hesitantly. "Maybe Ah' wouldn't say strange, but... Yes, that's what it sounds like to me."
"Why?" After a moment of thinking, Silver Spoon added: "Because most ponies can't afford that?"
"No, not because of that." Applejack had problems coming up with the right words for what she was trying to say. Silver Spoon could see that. The farm mare repeatedly tapped her chin. After a few seconds of looking at some spot at the ceiling, she tried: "Well, it's not that most families couldn't afford this. They just wouldn't. It's just, how do Ah' say this... It's just..."
"Not normal?" Silver Spoon offered in a low voice.
Applejack shook her head. "Very unusual, Ah'd rather say."
"Isn't that the same?"
Again, a moment of silence passed. Applejack eyed her apologetically, now having the undivided attention of the rest of her family on her. Finally, she sighed. "Ah'm sorry, Ah don't see another way to put this."
"Applejack," Apple Bloom said hesitantly. "Ya' don't wanna say that she's-"
"What Ah' want to say is that Ah' don't know how anypony would rather pay somepony else to take care of their family than look after them themselves."
"I'd rather have it this way than if my sister were to do that," stated Silver Spoon. "And she wouldn't do that anyway." After a moment of staring at the mix of peas and carrot slices on her plate she added: "I think she hates me."
"But," Apple Bloom asked cautiously, "didn't ya' tell me yesterday ya' wish ya'd get along better?"
"I'd like her to be somepony it's possible to get along with."
"Oh come on, she can't be worse than me."
"What? You're not-" Silver Spoon started but soon realized the wide grin on Apple Bloom's face. A moment later she couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, you're right, I guess. But still, I don't know what I should do. Being nice to her didn't work. I gave up on that long ago."
"You shouldn't." Applejack's words were accompanied by a knowing look. "Ah' know it's hard work, but it pays off."
"Being nice is hard work?"
Applejack laughed and shook her head. "No, of course not. But being nice to somepony who isn't can be. But if you just keep on, eventually she'll start to be nice herself. Because deep down inside, nopony wants to have fights and be angry all the time."
"She doesn't always have fights," Silver Spoon mumbled, lowering her head. "Only with me."
"Really?" Apple Bloom asked surprised.
Applejack on the other hand was still as amused as before. "How can you be so sure, sugarcube? It seems to me that yer not exactly around each other that often."
"No, not really... But still, I never see her fight with our parents, or her friends, or anypony for that matter. But as soon as I try to talk to her she gets angry."
"Have you ever tried talking to one of her friends?"
"No. Why would I?"
"Well, maybe they can help you. Obviously they get along with her."
"I never thought of that," Silver Spoon mumbled while scratching her chin. Not for the first time she wondered why it needed somepony else to come up with such a simple idea for her. Immediately her mind kicked into action. Her surroundings barred from her mind, she started to ponder who of her sister's friends would be best to talk to.
After a few mentally relived conversations she had 'overheard', her search was suddenly interrupted by a shout: "Now I remember!"
Only as the others turned their surprised looks at her again she realized that she had said that. Out loud. And directly at Big Macintosh.
"Remember what?" he asked irritated.
"Well, um your name..." she answered, trying her best not to blush. She failed instantly. "I mean, where I heard it before. That is, before today." Still all of the others kept looking expectantly at her. Getting more and more afraid she had started to talk of something silly again, she added: "My sister. She, um, talked about you. With a friend of hers..."
Her voice trailed of into silence. Why would they want to hear what her sister of all ponies had to say about one of their family? Or rather, would they want to hear what she had said about him - and them?
But to her surprise, Applejack gave her a wide grin. Then she looked at her brother and said: "She did? Say, sugarcube, what exactly were they talkin'?"
"Well..." Silver Spoon tried her hardest to remember this particular time. There were only fragments left in her memory. A few parts that stuck out to her because she never really understood what they meant. "I'm not really sure. I think they said something about him being tasty. Whatever that means. And how it was sad because of that that he had such bad family."
The last sentence she said was accompanied by an apologetic look from her. But neither Applejack nor Big Macintosh reacted to that in any way. Applejack gave him an almost taunting look while she covered her grin with her cup of water. Her brother simply kept on eating, doing his best to demonstrate that he didn't care about his sister.
Confused, Silver Spoon looked at first over to Granny Smith. She too did her best not to care and keep on eating, but the filly could clearly see the old mare's lips curl into a faint smile.
Then she looked at her friend, who was as confused as she was. But obviously, Apple Bloom had another reason for that: "What does that mean, 'tasty'?"
"I don't know. Maybe it his red coat."
"Huh?"
"Well, I think she also said something about her cherries at that time, perhaps-"
Violent coughing interrupted their little conversation. Apple Bloom's older siblings had managed to choke on their food at the same time.
"Are y'alright?" a startled Granny Smith asked.
"Yeah," answered Applejack still coughing. "Don't worry." Then she turned to Silver Spoon. "Maybe you should keep the thinking for later. Otherwise yer food's gonna ´get cold."
Silver Spoon looked back in bewilderment before realizing she still had a plate filled with delicious smelling dinner in front of her. At the same moment a lout growling came from her belly, as if her stomach had finally lost its patience. A second she was once more overwhelmed by her meal's taste. She would have never expected something made of such simple ingredients could turn out to be so delicious.
While she ate her meal, something more than food filled her stomach. It was once again that warm feeling. The same joy she had felt yesterday evening. And it wasn't just the wonderful meal. It was the lively chatter around her, the hearty laughs, and most of all the honest, happy smiles her hosts wore the whole time.
Except for Big Mac. Well, he did smile, but... not like the others. He was happy, but, again, not like the others. The way he eyed them with a hint of dreamy bliss in his eyes reminded her of something.
Or somepony?
Yes, that was it. He reminded her of herself. The joy of just being here, the thankfulness of being able to share this moment of familiar atmosphere. He looked like he felt like her. Grateful to be accepted in their midst.
Or was it really acceptance? It seemed like something close to it, but Silver Spoon wasn't able to put her hoof on it.
The longer she looked at him, trying to figure out how to name that thing, the more something else started to irritate her. Once again she had that feeling of familiarity. Even more than when they had met this noon, like she had seen this scene somewhere before.
"Is that true?"
Applejack's question disrupted her thoughts. She had been so caught up in them that she had completely blocked out the ongoing chatter around her. She jumped a little and looked startled at the blonde farmer.
"What's wrong?" Applejack laughed. "Were you remeberin' something else?"
"Yes, I think," answered Silver Spoon, hoping she wasn't blushing. "But, um, what were you asking about?"
"About Fluttershy's idea what yer cutie mark stands for."
Silver Spoon's eyes widened. Her cutie mark. That was the final piece. The day she got it. Raising Hammer's look that day. Involuntarily she turned towards Big Macintosh. His look was the same as the one she had seen on the old stallion's face back then.
"Did Ah' say something wrong?" Applejack asked cautiously.
"No, no," Silver Spoon replied hastily, definitely knowing she was blushing this time. "So, ehm, what was it you were asking?"
"Never mind that," Applejack said with a confused look. "You seem to be quite interested in ma' brother."
"Yeah," added Apple Bloom. "Don't tell me ya have a-"
"Apple Bloom," her sister cut off the yellow filly. "That's not what Ah' meant and nothing to ask so casually."
"Then, what did you mean?" Silver Spoon asked.
"Well, just what Ah' said. You keep lookin' at him quite a lot. And Ah' wanted to know why."
Silver Spoon felt her face getting even hotter than before. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said, fidgeting with her hooves. "I didn't mean to. My parents told me not to, but sometimes I can't help it..."
"Wait, yer parents told ya' not to look at ma' big brother?" Apple Bloom asked.
"No, I meant, they told me that staring at other ponies is impolite. I am really sorry if I offended you."
To her surprise, Applejack grinned in return. "Don't worry. Yer parents sure are right about that, but it's okay. Ah' honestly was just interested in what's so fascinatin' about him to you."
For a moment, she considered telling her what she really was thinking about. But she didn't know how to say that she thought he reminded her of an old stallion who had just lost his wife without letting it sound weird or maybe even insulting. At least, not right in front of him. So, instead she said: "I was thinking about what it would be like to have a big brother like him instead of a big sister like mine."
"Depends on what you would be like as a little sister."
Big Mac's voice didn't just startle Silver Spoon once again. Applejack and Apple Bloom shared the same look of surprise. But it didn't take her long to recover and say: "A much happier one, I guess. You don't seem like you get into fights with somepony that often."
"Only as long as somepony won't get into a fight with me. But for all I heard from Apple Bloom, you're one to get into fights of your own from time to time."
Silver Spoon was taken aback by these words. They were no accusation. Not even a question. It was more like he stated a fact to confirm its accuracy. Not unlike her mother when she talked to her father's guests about that she had heard they were excellent golfers or that they bought their dresses at certain boutiques.
Not knowing what to make of this, she glanced over to the mentioned filly who wore an expression of astonished surprise. Even Applejack seemed like she hadn't expected her brother to say something like this.
Finally, Silver Spoon sighed and said: "Yes, you're right. I did and said a lot I shouldn't have."
"And you're sorry for that, I know. Otherwise Apple Bloom wouldn't have invited you here. But, have you ever thought about being not that innocent of your fights with your sister?"
"Hey, Big Mac, how can ya' say that?"
Silver could hear Apple Bloom's protest. But her eyes were fixated on the large, red stallion in front of her. She herself had wanted to protest this question. Almost out of instinct. Of course she wasn't to blame. She had never started a fight between them. Not once. She was sure of that. But what stopped her from talking back was a thought crossing her mind: Had she ever done something to avoid a fight between them?
"Well, maybe I haven't..." she reluctantly admitted. Both to Big Macintosh and herself.
"Don't worry," the oldest Apple sibling replied reassuringly. "A lot of ponies have trouble doing that. Not just little fillies like you. So I hope you see what you can do about this?"
She gave him a thankful smile. "Yes, I think I do. I just hope it works."
"It will, if you're patient. Like AJ said, fixing these thing can take a lot of time."
"Well at least I now have an expert at making friends by my side, right?"
"Right!" agreed Apple Bloom. |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 13 | Chapter 13
Never before had Silver Spoon enjoyed a dinner this much. In fact, she hadn't even known that having dinner could be fun.
The Apples had been chatting and laughing all the time. Most of it had been a retelling of the night of camping the two fillies had spent together, as well as of the events that had led to it. And, of course, she had to tell the story of her cutie mark once more.
During that, Big Macintosh had surprised her again. While the rest of his family, even Apple Bloom, had listened curiously to her story, he had fallen awkwardly silent. Somehow even more silent than before. Not like the uninvolved spectator he had been at first. At that moment, Silver Spoon had been certain; what she had seen in his eyes up until then had been sadness. And at that time that sadness had been more prominent than the whole day before.
Still, that hadn't spoiled the evening in any way for her. When she had finished the story he had been back to what she had come to know as normal from him. Which meant that he hadn't talked any more after that. But somehow, none of the others had seemed to be bothered by that.
As fun as the evening had been, naturally it had to end eventually. That came some time after Granny Smith had fallen asleep at the table, when Applejack declared that she would now walk Silver Spoon home. Apple Bloom had begged to come along, but Applejack had told her that it was getting too late and she should be getting ready for bed.
So, after the two foals had parted with the promise of seeing each other the next day, the grey little filly and the blonde farmer walked through the late evening Ponyville. Silver Spoon had never been out this late. Usually her parents would make sure of that. But her parents were at their summer house and she couldn't be happier about that.
By her side was now the - according to Apple Bloom - best big sister in the world. If she really deserved that title was beyond Silver Spoon's knowledge, but she could definitely say Applejack was kind at heart. How? She wasn't sure. But something in that smile the mare kept wearing was so honest and friendly, she couldn't help but like her.
And as it seemed, a lot of ponies felt that way. She got greeted left and right by lots of strangers. Most likely that weren't strangers to Applejack, but Silver Spoon knew none of them. A few she had seen before. And a few of those seemed to be slightly surprised to see those two walking across town together.
"You sure are popular," commented Silver Spoon shyly just after an elderly mare had thanked Applejack thoroughly for some baking tips the farmer had obviously given her before.
"Well, that goes along with workin' at the market for some time."
"Yeah, but that doesn't make them like you just like that, does it?"
"No, Ah' guess not." Applejack chuckled. "But yer welcome to try it out for yerself if you like."
Silver Spoon smiled. "You would really trust me with helping you at the market?"
"Why wouldn't Ah'?"
"Well, I heard of the last time you had help from a filly..."
"So, Apple Bloom told you what she did?"
"Yes," admitted Silver Spoon still amused. But within the second she added hastily: "But she was definitely not proud of it."
"Ah' know, sugarcube, Ah' know. She's not one to be proud of the stupid things she does. And Ah'm glad that there isn't much she could be proud of in the first place."
"I wish I could say the same for myself..."
"What do you mean?"
"I did a lot of things I shouldn't have been proud of. But I guess Apple Bloom has told you about the most of them."
"Yes, she did. But more importantly, today she told me that you are honestly sorry about all that."
"And I'm glad that she was willing to give me this chance. As far as I can see, I have to thank you for that as well, right?"
"Me? Didn't Apple Bloom say that Fluttershy told her to try talking with you?"
"Yes, but that's not what I meant. As much as she talks about you and what you taught her, I guess you are a huge part of her actually being nice enough for all of this."
"Does she really talk that much about me?"
"Even more. Part of the reason why we didn't get along so well. The way she made you out to be I was always jealous of her. And now that I know you, I am even more." Those last words had come out of her mouth before she had chance to rethink them. Hoping she wouldn't be blushing too hard she looked for Applejack's reaction. And what she saw was a flattered smile.
"I'll take that as a compliment. As long as yer not tryin' to adopt me."
"Is that even possible?"
"No, Ah' don't think so," replied Applejack immediately, making Silver Spoon wonder why she had brought it up in the first place. "But you don't have to. If you'd ever need ma' help, just come talkin' to me."
"In that case, there is one question I have already."
"Yeah?"
"How are you so accepting of me?"
"Why shouldn't Ah' be? Apple Bloom trusts you. And if she does after all Ah've heard about you, that's good enough for me."
"That is not exactly what I meant. How should I say this... I'm not asking why you are so nice to me. What I want to know is how you are able to be so nice to me. I mean, after all you had heard of me..."
"You make it sound like that is some kind of special skill."
"Isn't it? I don't know if I would be able to do that."
"But, didn't you already?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"When you agreed to go campin' with ma' little sister, weren't you willing to accept her despite how bad you were thinkin' of her?"
"Well, I guess, but I was at fault for thinking that way."
"And so was Apple Bloom, that has nothing to do with that."
"She... was?"
"Of course. She thought you were a nasty little filly who just loved bullying her and wanted nothing but make her feel bad about herself."
"But, that is exactly what I did."
"Didn't you tell her that you only did everything because you were jealous and lonely?"
"Yes I did. But what does this change?"
"It means that Apple Bloom was wrong about you. Whatever you did, it wasn't for the reasons she thought you had. Had she talked to you sooner about all this, she had known."
"Wait, are you actually saying that she is at fault for what has happened between us?"
"No, Ah'm not. Don't get me wrong, Ah'm not talking about who is to blame for that. But what Ah' am sayin' is that she was at fault for makin' you out to be just a bully and nothing more."
"Well, the way I acted, that was easy to think."
"But it still turned out to be wrong, right?"
"Yes, but what are you getting at?"
"Now tell me, why did you think about Apple Bloom the way you used to do?"
"Because..." was all Silver Spoon said before she saw where this was going. Nodding, she finished her own sentence: "...of how she acted."
"Exactly. Of course, she never tried to be mean to you. But from yer point of view, she still was, after all I heard today. Even though it doesn't justify what you did, Ah' can somehow understand why you did it. And that's why there's no reason for me to not give you a chance."
"But you didn't know of that when we met this morning, did you?"
"No, but that is part of what Ah'm trying to tell you here. If she hadn't invited you to campin' for a chance to really getting' to know you, how would she have ever found out about yer true self? If you hadn't been wilin' to take that chance despite what you thought of her, how would you two've ever become friends? If Ah' hadn't given you a chance for an explanation, how would Ah've ever known what was really goin' on?"
"Talking about an explanation, when did Apple Bloom tell you about all that?"
Applejack cocked an eyebrow. "When we had dinner. You sat right next to her when she did."
"Really? I missed that..."
"Maybe because you were too distracted by ma' big brother?"
Silver Spoon gave Applejack a sidewards glance. Just to make sure her smile hadn't vanished. Certain that this hadn't been an accusation, she said: "Yeah, maybe..."
"You know, he is the one who taught me all this; give ponies a chance and don't judge them before you know them. And even more important, never give them a reason to misjudge you in the first place. Even if it is hard work, always be nice to them.
"That's what he taught me. What he got taught by our dad. And what Ah' taught Apple Bloom."
"Do you think I could learn that all too?"
"Of course, sugarcube. Ah'd even say you already have. At least you're more mature about all this than Ah' was at yer age. And so is Apple Bloom. Not just yer age, even when Ah' had been a few years older."
Now there was no doubt about it. She was blushing. "I think that's the first time anypony called me mature. Do you really mean that?"
"Compared to me at yer age, definitely. You can believe me, Ah' wouldn't have put up with what you had been doin' so far. Ah'd taught you to stop it, one way or another. Well, Ah' guess it's a good thing we all grow up sooner or later."
"Better sooner than later."
Applejack gave her a strange smile. Somehow amused but at the same time pained. "Yeah, usually it is..."
"When isn't it?" Silver Spoon asked cautiously.
At first Applejack just grimaced like she was angry at herself for saying something she shouldn't have. But then she sighed and said: "How should Ah' put this? You see, sometimes ponies are... forced to grow up. Sooner than others. Due to things nopony foresaw."
For some time, neither of them talked. Silver Spoon had an idea what Applejack was hinting at. But she wasn't sure if she should start talking about such a topic unless Applejack did so herself. But then again, she remembered how it had been with Apple Bloom, who just didn't care in the end. Or Fluttershy when it had just been a misunderstanding. So she decided to give it a try: "Are you talking about your parents passing away?"
For a moment, Applejack gave no reaction. Then she briefly closed her eyes. "Has Apple Bloom told you about them?" She sounded not the least bit surprised.
"Yes, it came up when I told her how I got my cutie mark."
"Okay, if you already know about it; yes, that's what Ah' meant."
Again, Silver Spoon waited a moment before she spoke again. "Say, now that this came up, is it also the reason that your brother always looks so sad?"
This time, Applejack's eyes widened. She stared at Silver Spoon, almost walking into another pony passing by. "You really think he looks sad?"
"Yes, I just can't shake that feeling. Apple Bloom already said that he just always looks that way and it doesn't mean he's sad. But somehow I just know he is."
Applejack stopped walking. She didn't answer right away but looked at Silver Spoon as if she was searching for something. Then slowly her gaze turned to amazement. With unexpected joy she said: "Yer an impressive little filly."
Silver Spoon wanted to rejoice in this moment. Usually it were the other foals around her to earn such praise. She would have expected herself to celebrate the moment somepony would actually say something like this about her. But something held her back. "What was so impressive about thinking your brother is sad?"
"It's not you thinkin' it. But you seein' it that is impressive."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Yer actually the first pony to ever ask me this question."
"Maybe the other ponies just don't ask?"
"Could be. Yet there are a lot who ask me about him. But none of them ever asked if he's sad."
"So, does this mean he is?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Applejack sighed. "You hit the nail with yer guess. As a colt he was really lively and chatty. But ever since that day he just turned silent."
Silver Spoon tried to imagine the huge and quiet Big Macintosh she met only hours ago to be running around, playing and laughing. Maybe being more like Apple Bloom. She couldn't even see him as a foal, being something else than a hulking stallion. Maybe it was because she only knew for so little time, but in her mind he had to have existed the way he was since, well, whenever he had been born.
"Ah'm sorry." Applejack's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. "Ah' didn't mean to upset you. Ah' guess Ah' shouldn't have started talkin' about something like this with a little filly."
But Silver Spoon shook her head. "No, it's okay. Isn't there any way to help him? With some medicine maybe?"
Once more Applejack smiled as if to cover some pain. "Not for that, no. Medicine won't work for him. I don't even know if there is a medicine for this case. Maybe a psychiatrist could help him. At least that's what the doctor said, but Big Mac refused to see one."
"A psy-what?"
"A psychiatrist. That's a pony like a doctor. But instead of hurt bodies he treats hurt souls."
"Such ponies exist? How do they do that?" And why hadn't anypony told her before? It sounded like she could have used one of those psychiatrists not too long before.
"How exactly they do what they do, Ah' don't know. Ah' just know it involves a lot of talking and you need to be really smart to be one. And yes, they do exist. It's not some pony tale ma' granny made up. Unfortunately, there's none in Ponyville. And that's why Big Mac refused to see one."
"Just because of that?"
"To him, it isn't 'just that'. He didn't want to leave the farm. Didn't want to leave all the work for us. He simply said that he didn't need no therapy and time for that would be better used for applebuckin'."
Silver Spoon wanted to say something about it, offer advice or help. But she had to admit to herself that there was nothing she could do. Even nothing somepony else could do.
"Hey, don't concern yerself too much about it," Applejack tried to cheer her up. But Silver Spoon heard clearly the forced optimism carrying in her voice. "It's not like he's lost in any way. He's gotten better over time and Ah' still think he might recover one day. Take this evening for example. He talked to you quite some bit. More than Ah' usually hear him talk at once to somepony who isn't related to him."
Silver Spoon eyed Applejack carefully. The answer might have been made up more by hope than by reasonable facts. But the smile the mare had while she was talking was finally once again the same honest smile she had had before. Still, Silver Spoon said: "But I really wish I could help. You have all been so nice to me..."
"Ah'm glad you want to help, sugarcube. But it's been this way ever since Apple Bloom was a few month old. Expectin' you to solve it after one dinner with us would be a bit much, don't you think?"
"Yeah, maybe."
"Not maybe, definitely. Listen here sugarcube; you don't have to repay us for kindness and hospitality. All we expect from you, if you'd liked our company, is to give us the honor of bein' our guest sometime soon."
As Applejack said those words they turned the last corner before heading straight on towards Silver Spoon's home. The sight of her home was a welcome distraction for the filly. With each step they came closer the more Silver Spoon' curiosity grew to see any kind of reaction from Applejack. Soon she became so focused on the mare by her side that she jumped a little when a voice from in front of them started talking to them.
"Now that's a surprise. Never expected to see this sight."
There was her family's gardener standing right before them. But as much as she had been surprised by his sudden appearance, it wasn't that what kept Silver Spoon from replying. It was rather the look of pleasant recognition on his and Applejack's faces.
"Green Thumb. So this is the 'rich guy's place' yer workin' now at?"
"Yepp," he replied, smiling his amused-by-everything smile Silver Spoon had seen so often from him. "Much to do, but also lots to earn."
"Do you always work this late?"
"Nah, usually not. But with this heat I had to wait until the sun started to set to water the lawn and the beds. But say, what are you doing here with the young lady of the house?"
"Walkin' her home. Why, what does it look like?"
"Okay, stupid question," laughed Green Thumb. "But I'm just surprised to see you of all ponies doing that."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I thought, after all I heard around the house, that you are - how should I say this? - not exactly their favorite family in this town."
Silver Spoon winced at these words. Up until now the young filly had already been fighting her unease. Never had she cared for the name of that one pony who mowed their lawn. And here was Applejack treating him like an old friend she had known for years. But this last statement made an unpleasant heat rise on her face. "No, that's not... okay, it was... but now it isn't!" she exclaimed, embarrassment pressing the words out of her mouth.
For the first time since she knew him, Green Thumb lost his smile. As permanent as it had seemed to be, now it finally made way for perplexity.
"It's alright, sugarcube," laughed Applejack. "He can't know what happened today." Then she turned back to the gardener. "It was really nice meetin' you, Green Thumb. But Ah' guess chattin' will have to wait for next time you come by at the market. Silver Spoon should really get back home."
Not changing his expression, he kept looking back and forth between Applejack and Silver Spoon. Even in her still nervous state Silver Spoon saw perfectly that there was something on his mind he pondered whether to say it out loud. She knew that feeling all too well by now. But in the end he just nodded, put his smile back on and said: "Guess you're right. I'll see you the next days. And of course a good night to you, Miss Silver Spoon."
"Good night," said the filly. Then she and Applejack walked the last part of the road leading up to the front gates.
"So this is where you live," commented Applejack. "Apple Bloom didn't exaggerate when she told me about it."
The hint of awe in her voice was enough to calm the lingering shame Silver Spoon still felt. "Yes, I hope you like it."
The mare averted her gaze from the mansion towards her. "If Ah' didn't, would that change anything?"
Silver Spoon only smiled in response.
"Ah' guess yer dad had to sell a lot of carriages for this," said Applejack. "Which reminds me, you never said what carriages yer dad sells."
"Well, I don't really know. But I know they're very popular with rich ponies. And that dad named them 'Marecedes', after my sister."
Her last words had an unexpected effect on Applejack. Her head jolted around. The farmer's expression, as far as Silver Spoon could tell from her angle, shifted between shock and understanding. Following her gaze, the filly saw that she was staring after Green Thumb who was casually strolling down the way towards Ponyville Town Hall.
Then, slowly, her head turned back to Silver Spoon. And all the way the filly could see how whatever Applejack had felt vanished at the same speed. Its place was taken by the dawning of a revelation. A shiver ran down Silver Spoon's spine when she became more and more aware that the farmer wasn't looking at her, but stared right through her into nothingness.
Cautiously, almost whispering, the filly asked: "Is something wrong?"
"No..." answered Applejack absentmindedly as if caught in a dream. "It's just that...never expected...Marecedes..."
"What about my sister?"
"Yer sister?" Applejack shook her head, her eyes finally focusing once again on the filly in front of her. "Oh, yes, yer sister. Ah', um, didn't know Marecedes was yer sister."
"You know her?" asked Silver Spoon skeptically. But it wasn't so much that fact that irritated her. It was that she saw Applejack's cheeks taking on a distinct shade of red.
"Yes, we went to school together. She was a few grades lower than me."
Still, that was no answer to what Silver Spoon wanted to know. "And did something happen between you two?"
"Yes, Ah' guess you could say that," sighed Applejack. "It's nothing Ah'm too proud of."
"I know that feeling."
"Believe me, whatever you did wasn't as stupid as what Ah' did."
"Really?" Now Silver Spoon really had to know. "Come on, what was that?"
Applejack obviously tried to avoid eye contact with her. Nervously, she scratched the back of her head all the while looking up towards the large mansion Silver Spoon lived in. "Well," she finally said, her tone speaking of reluctance. "Let's just say we had a really bad fight once. The kind of one a pony can't just say 'Ah'm sorry' about and everything's forgotten."
Silver Spoon waited a few moments if Applejack would say anything more. But she kept silent, keeping on ruffling her own mane with her hoof. It gave the filly a strange sensation like she wasn't talking to a grown up mare right now. This all seemed to have a slightly familiar feeling. Applejack's demeanor more and more reminded her of the way she had felt more than once during the last evening.
"Ah'm sorry." Applejack broke the silence. "Ah' shouldn't have brought this up. It's nothing to talk about with a little filly. Not even a smart one like yerself."
Silver Spoon considered protesting this decision. But she knew from experience that it would be pointless. When a grown-up had decided that something was 'nothing a little filly needs to know about' then there was no sense in trying to argue about it. In the end, all she had achieved those times were her parents being annoyed or even angry at her. Still, there was something she had to tell Applejack: "Still I'm glad you told me about all this."
The farmer gave her a quizzical look. "Why?"
"Do you remember what I told you about my sister?"
"Which part of it?"
"That she never fights with anypony but me."
"Oh, yes, Ah' see."
"I know I shouldn't be glad about something like this. But knowing it isn't just me is kind of nice."
"Well, Ah' guess there's no shame in that. " Applejack's kind smile had finally returned. "And Ah' think we'll have to say good-bye now. It looks like there's somepony comin' to pick you up."
This last statement confirmed to Silver Spoon she hadn't imagined hearing the grating of gravel under hooves. She turned around and saw a figure closing in on them through the unlit path leading from the gate to the mansion. Or, in that pony's case, from the mansion to the gate.
Even though she couldn't make out the face, she knew immediately who it was. That figure and posture definitely belonged to their head-butler.
"You are correct, Miss Applejack," he said in his dry voice, looking her over, almost like when he inspected the results of the daily housecleaning routine.
"Have we met before?"
Now that was a question Silver Spoon hadn't expected from Applejack.
"No, we haven't. But I do know you quite well, I might say. Good enough anyways to wonder what had brought you to the company of Lady Silver Spoon."
"Ah' walked her home." Applejack did her best to keep her usual friendly way, but Silver Spoon heard how irritated she was.
"And why exactly did you feel the need to do that?"
"Because Ah' wouldn't want a young filly out alone that late, of course."
"That's admirable." He sounded more like he wanted an apology for that. "But what I wanted to know is, under what circumstances did you come to walk her home?"
"She spent the day at my home. Apple Bloom invited her over. She had dinner with-"
"Apple Bloom? You mean the filly with the red mane the young Lady had accompany her yesterday?"
Silver Spoon stared speechless at her family's head-butler. She had never seen him talk so much to any guest of her home. Granted, technically Applejack wasn't a guest, but still, she felt this behavior was terribly inappropriate. She thought of stopping him, but so far, Applejack didn't seem to be actually offended. Her irritation, though, grew audibly with every question she answered.
"Yes, that's her. She was mighty impressed with yer mansion here and was keen on showing Silver Spoon our home."
"I'm sure she was. And this Apple Bloom, she is your..." He didn't finish his question, but simply kept staring at Applejack. Silver Spoon was sure his eyebrows had moved up a few millimeters and his head might have tilted ever so slightly. But it was hard to tell in the dim light of lanterns at the front gate.
"Sister," Applejack finished his sentence. Now Silver Spoon was sure the farmer was starting to get beyond irritation. She dutifully kept her smile, but there was unmistakably a hint of sharpness in her tone.
"Sister, of course. Well, I suppose I am inclined to express my gratitude for bringing Lady Silver Spoon home. Even though I also have to point out that I would have appreciated it if you just had sent her home at an appropriate time. Maybe you don't see the importance of it, but she does have to go to school tomorrow."
"No, quite the contrary," Applejack replied, now letting any facade of politeness slip. Her voice was stern and she went from a smile to an almost challenging stare. "Ah' do see the importance." Then she turned to Silver Spoon. At the same moment, her smile was back. "Well then, good-bye and good night, sugarcube. Ah' hope you'll visit us again soon."
"Good night and thanks for everything. And, um..." She thought for a moment, then hugged Applejack, whispering in her ear: "I'm sorry about all this. Usually, he isn't like that."
As soon as Applejack had started her way back the way they came and they had turned to move up the path towards the mansion, Silver Spoon asked: "Whatever has gotten into you?"
"I am sorry, Lady Silver Spoon, but what do you mean?"
"What do I mean? I mean the way you treated Applejack. What was that all about?"
"I was simply heeding my responsibility towards you in the absence of your parents. This mare and her family are no acceptable acquaintance for a lady of your standing."
"That is not for you to decide."
"I am afraid that, like I said, during your parents' absence, it is. And that is why I do not wish for you to follow her offer to visit them again."
"You can't-"
"Yes, Lady Silver Spoon, I can. Your father has made it clear, preceding his departure, that I am held to be personally responsible for your care until your parents' return. And with that authority, I forbid you to enter that farm again." |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 14 | Chapter 14
Silver Spoon stared aghast at her butler. That was the first time any of the house personnel had ever dared telling her what to do. Or, in this case, what not to do.
She glared back at him, anger building up inside her. "My father would have told me about putting you in charge, Stickler!"
"He did."
"No, he didn't!"
"Lady Silver Spoon, do you remember the day your parents departed for their vacation?"
"Of course I do." In fact, thinking about that day only made her anger flare up even more.
"Then maybe you also remember how you deliberately were not listening to them saying their goodbyes?"
"Well, um..." She did remember, of course.
"That's when your father told you about my additional duties during their absence. If I recall correctly your answer was along the lines of 'Yeah, yeah, whatever'."
She stared at him at a loss for words. Back then she had simply wanted to punish her parents for leaving her behind. They didn't seem to care about her, so she showed that that she didn't care about them either. And now...
"And, not to mind that this is a discussion we will not have," the butler said while opening the door to the mansion, "this wouldn't be the time for it in any way. You are to go to bed immediately. I wish you a good night. Though it will be rather short, I am afraid."
She glared at her traitorous servant, for a moment considering showing him if they would have that discussion or not. But she did feel the wish for sleep taking over her mind and so she decided to let this be for now.
Grumbling a "Good night." at him, she stomped up the stairs and made her way towards her room. There she tossed her baggage besides her bed. Then she slumped onto the blanket.
Staring at the canopy above her she took a deep breath as if to exhale her anger. The past two days had been filled with too much joy to let it all end on a sour note. She really had made a new friend. Not only that, it was the one filly she had hated more than any other. But that seemed like a lifetime ago.
She had even met her family. And they all liked her too. Not because her parents were rich. And not even despite her parents being rich. They just seemed to genuinely like her. For who she was.
For the first time ever since she could remember she was actually excited about the prospect of going to school the next day. Of course, it was still school. Summer school on top of that. But she would see Apple Bloom again. Maybe - and that was a huge maybe, she assured herself - her butler could keep her away from the Apple Farm, but he couldn't prevent Apple Bloom from coming to school. Having a friend by her side for at least the last lesson of the day made it all seem a lot more bearable. Not to say, joyful. Perhaps.
Yet all this didn't change the fact that she would have to deal with him again about it. There was just no way she would take orders from the house personnel. But that had to wait until tomorrow. She was too tired now to even think about thinking what she was going to do.
Unfortunately, she wasn't any less tired when tomorrow came. Which happened way too soon. It seemed even sooner than usual that a maid mercilessly pulled the curtains aside. The joyful "Good morning, Miss Silver Spoon." didn't make the morning sunlight from flooding the room any less annoying.
The brightness uncomfortably intruding on the filly's eyes, she slowly sat up. Still drowsy and rubbing her eyes with one hoof, she reached with the other for her glasses. Still drowsy she placed them on her nuzzle and blinked away the last wades of sleep. Then the filly saw that she had been woken up by the same maid that had been in her room when she and Apple Bloom had picked up her stuff for camping.
Silver Spoon groaned, not even bothering to cover her mouth. Then she crawled out of her bed and said: "I'm going to take a shower. Have breakfast ready when I'm done."
Already turning towards the door she stopped and thought for a moment before adding: "Please."
She saw the maid's eyes widen for a moment. Then she smiled. "Of course, Miss Silver Spoon."
"Oh, and a good morning for you too." With that she finally scuffled out of her room.
The way to the shower seemed even longer than usual. And all the way she felt like she had slept on the ground again. But at least that told her that the last two days hadn't just been a dream.
A few minutes of refreshing hot water and pleasantly smelling shampoo later, Silver Spoon sat at the large dining table. As usual she found herself surrounded by a wide array of bread, cheese and fruits. And, as usual, everything tasted wonderfully. Yet still, despite knowing that a few of these culinary intricacies were worth more than some ponies earned in a day, she was already missing Fluttershy's pancakes.
For a moment she pondered asking for pancakes to be served tomorrow. But in the end she decided against it. As much as she had liked some, they were linked to this exciting weekend she has had. And she wanted them to stay a special part of that for as long as possible. Besides, she still had her favorite hot cocoa topped with sprinkles of white chocolate as a consolation for not having pancakes.
While she savored a long sip of her cocoa, the maid who had woken her up asked her dutifully if she needed something else. And as usually Silver Spoon replied that she didn't. But unlike usually, then the maid had another question: "May I ask how your weekend was?"
At first Silver Spoon didn't know what to say. Of course, the weekend had been great, so she knew what she could say. But she wasn't used to being asked that. Not by the maids or butlers. Yes, they always tell her they hoped she had a good day whenever it was time for supper. Yet none of them had ever asked her about it with genuine interest. Or asked her at all, for that matter.
As she just sat there, staring blankly at the pony showing unprecedented interest in her, the maid interpreted the silence in her own way. She gave Silver Spoon a sympathetic look. "Oh, I am sorry if it hasn't went as you had wished, Miss. It was just that you had been gone the whole weekend, so I thought-"
"No, no," the filly interrupted her. "That's not it. On the contrary, it was the best weekend I had in a long time. Maybe even the best ever."
"Really?" The maid's face lit up. "I am glad to hear that."
"Thanks," said Silver Spoon, still irritated. "But why are you asking?"
Now the maid looked like Silver Spoon felt. "Is it wrong for me to ask?"
"No, I don't think so. And that's not what I meant. Why are you interested in how my weekend was?"
"Because I hoped it was good. And I'm glad to hear that it was."
"Is that really important to you?"
"Of course. I know how much you, well, didn't like having to go to school during summer."
"You do?"
The maid chuckled. "It was quite obvious. And with your friend, I mean, best friend gone, I was afraid you would start to feel lonely on top of that."
"Then why did you try to stop me?"
"Well, you see, at first I honestly thought your parents wouldn't want you to go. But then I thought about what you said, Miss. And I think in some way you're right. I mean, you do not have the right to disobey your parents just because they have put you in our care during their vacation. But if your parents trust us with taking care of you, that means they trust our judgment, right?"
"Er, right. I guess."
She nodded. "So that means, what mattered was what I thought about you going camping in that moment. And I thought it was a wonderful thing that you actually found a new friend and wanted to enjoy your vacation with her."
"Yet I think," sounded a dry voice from behind them, "you have been overstepping your authotity quite a bit." Stickler was standing in the door. "To clarify this matter, the Lady has been put under my personal authority. And had you, like it had been and still is your responsibility, informed me about the matter immediately, I wouldn't have given my permission."
"But why?" the two of them asked in unison.
"Like I explained to Lady Silver Spoon last evening, that Apple family are not the adequate acquaintance for a pony of her standing."
Silver Spoon wanted to reply something but lost her words as she saw the look of outright shock from the maid. Her eyes grew wider and wider, and she covered her mouth with a hoof as she said: "You can't be serious. Please, don't tell me, that just because they are farmers and not-"
"This is not about how they earn for their livelihood," he cut her off. "And to answer your next question, neither about their general income. Let me tell you, I am afraid I know more about that family than you do. At least I do know more than enough about that Applejack character."
"What do you know?"
"I am sorry, but it is not my place to talk about it."
"Then whose is it?"
"Is it my sister's?" Silver Spoon asked, having finally found her words again.
"How do you know?" asked the butler with a rare instance of a bit of surprise in his voice.
"Applejack told me that she and my sister had a fight once."
Silver Spoon was certain she saw a hint of resentment wander over Stickler's face. But he quickly regained his posture. "I guess I should have figured that mare would brag about what has happened between her and Lady Marecedes."
"Brag? She didn't brag," Silver Spoon objected. "Actually, she seemed more ashamed than anything about it."
"Was she now?" Obviously he didn't believe that. "Yet she still told you about it?"
"Not really. When she found out that Marecedes is my sister she did say that the two of them have had a fight sometime in the past. And that she is really ashamed of it and it isn't something she would want to talk about with me."
"Really?" This time the butler actually did seem mildly impressed. "I have to admit that is a surprise. At least she does have a certain degree of unexpected decency as it seems."
Silver Spoons face lit up. "So does this mean you changed your mind?"
"No."
Silver Spoon's small spark of hope died as fast as it had flared up.
"I still stand by my decision. You are not to go near that farm. But you are to go to school. So I suggest, Lady Silver Spoon, you rather hurry up with your meal and be on your way."
Without waiting for as much as a blinking of an eye he turned around and left. Still Silver Spoon had already opened her mouth to shoot off some protest, yet the maid raised a hoof to stop her. "Don't worry, Miss. I'll talk to him. But he has a point, you better start eating or you'll be late for school."
"I guess you're right," Silver Spoon admitted grudgingly. "But thank you for your help, um... er... I am really sorry, but what was your name again?"
"Rosy," answered the maid, not showing even a hint of indignation. "Have I never told you?"
"No, but I think I never asked before."
Silver Spoon spoke more to her plate than to Rosy. Rather to have something to do than actually being hungry she finally ate her breakfast. Afterward she grabbed her schoolbag and left the mansion. Sooner than she had intended to. And her still lingering anger over Stickler made her walk faster than usually.
Her plan for today had been not to spend more time at school than absolutely necessary. After all, Apple Bloom wouldn't be there before the third period. But now she wasn't actually there just early. She was there first.
Except for Cheerilee.
Her teacher regarded the filly with surprise as she entered the classroom. But she still greeted her joyfully. "Why, good morning Silver Spoon. I have to say I would have not expected you to be here already."
The filly didn't know what to answer. How was this mare able to say things so kindly that would have been a mocking taunt from anypony else?
"But I sure am glad you are," she continued. "There is something I have to talk to you about. But of course, please, first come in and take your seat."
She had no idea what Cheerilee would have to talk about with her. Silver Spoon hadn't even had any chance to get into trouble.
Sitting down on her chair she placed her bag besides the desk and waited for her teacher with a mix of curiosity and confusion.
Cheerilee closed the notebook she had been writing in and came over to her student. There she sat down on the chair across the desk.
Silver Spoon tried to read something from her expression, expecting to see disappointment or maybe even anger. That's what was usually written all over Cheerilee's face whenever she had needed to talk to her. There was still that friendly smile. But also something else...
"What am I going to do with you, Silver Spoon?"
The filly blinked. That was definitely not what she had expected.
"Why are you always so distracted in class? Is there anything troubling you?"
This was even less what she had expected.
"I mean, you haven't started out that bad in my class. Your grades were good and you were always paying attention to me. At first I thought you were just having a bad time when your grades started slipping. That is nothing unusual, you know?
"But when they kept getting worse, I tried to see if there was anything I could do to get you back on track. I tried motivating you, I reseated you towards the front of the room, I tried to pair you with other students who I hoped could help you in group work. I even tried scolding you for your grades, but that also obviously didn't work. I was already starting to wonder if you had problems with your classmates.
"When your parents told me you would participate in the summer class I was really glad. But you seem to be as absent-minded as during normal class. So now I am wondering, is there something not related to school that is on your mind? Or do you really have a fight or any other problem with one of your class-mates?"
Silver Spoon began wondering as well. Mostly if she was still asleep and if all this was a dream. But the longer she looked at her teacher who was obviously waiting for an answer, the more she came to the conclusion that this had to be really happening.
"Well, um..." she started, still not knowing what she should say. "No, it is not something aside from school. It is, uh, I don't know how to say that..."
The more she tried stalling the answer, the more wrinkles appeared on Cheerilee's forehead. "Don't tell me it really is your class-mates?"
"No... Um, you see, it's..." Her voice trembled off again.
"Silver Spoon, please listen to me. If it has something to with another foal, tell me. If there is a bully in our class, you have to tell me."
Now Silver Spoon lost any idea how to answer. She wasn't even able to look at her anymore. She lowered her gaze, staring the wooden desk in front of her.
"Please, Silver Spoon," Cheerilee went on. "Trust me. I can help you. I will help you. But you have to talk to me. If you won't tell me who it is, nothing will change."
The last words echoed in Silver Spoon's mind. Nothing will change. Finally, she knew what to say.
"No!" she exclaimed, making her teacher flinch. "That's not true. Things can change. They will change. They already have changed!"
"They have?" Cheerilee asked as if that wasn't even a possibilty.
"Yes, they have. In fact, I would say, Apple Bloom and I are already good friends." Silver Spoon stared for a moment at her perplexed teacher. Now it was the mare who seemed to be at a loss for words. "And I am sure, when Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle come back, we can be friends too."
"Apple Bloom?" Cheerilee's audibly had to force every single word out of her throat. "Scootaloo? And Sweetie Belle too?"
"Yes!" Silver Spoon nodded eagerly, feeling a little surprised how convinced she sounded. "And when she is back, I will help Diamond Tiara to become friends with them as well."
Cheerilee's voice was shaking. Whatever it had been that she had expected, most certainly, this wasn't it. "I can't... I can't believe it. Those three were the last I would have expected to harass their class-mates."
Silver Spoon blinked. "What?"
"And they did it to Diamond Tiara too?"
"No, no, no!" The filly hastily waved her hooves. "They didn't to anything. It was... it was..." She fell silent again, realizing what she was about say.
Cheerilee on the other hand still looked at her student with a raised eyebrow.
Silver Spoon took a deep breath and looked her teacher straight into the eyes. "It was the other way around."
"So, what you're saying is that you and Diamond Tiara..."
"...are - no - were the bullies. But like I said, things changed."
"I am glad to hear that," Cheerilee said mechanically. Then she shook her head. "At least, that things have changed now. But, what has been going on between you fillies?"
"Nothing that big. It was more, like, stupid. All we did was making fun of them because they still don't have their cutie marks. And yes, I know that was wrong. But, I told you-"
"Things changed, yes." Cheerilee nodded. "Okay, I will believe you. For now. But that still doesn't explain what I wanted to know. In fact, now that I know the truth, I am even more confused why you are the one with the lower grades. Why are you never paying attention?"
Once again, Silver Spoon wasn't sure what she should say. Or this time, it was rather if she should say it. But hadn't things gone quite well with saying the truth the last days? Even just a moment ago? Yes, she had to admit, all in all it had proven to be the best solution.
So she said: "Because I am bored."
"Bored?" repeated Cheerilee. "By school or do you mean by me?"
"No, not you. Just by school. I don't think it would be any different with somepony else as a teacher."
"And why exactly are you bored?"
"Because I don't see the point. I don't need school."
"What do you mean, you don't need it? Everypony needs to go to school. How else would you ever learn anything?"
"I wouldn't. But that's it. Why do I have to? I don't need math, we have calculators. I don't need Equestrian, I can already read the books I want to read. I don't need art, I can buy any work of art I want. I don't need music, I can visit a concert or hire musicians anytime I want. And sports, well... I just don't need that."
Cheerilee had listened patiently. Her smile seemed to grow more and more into a suppressed grin. And just when Silver Spoon started to think she had convinced her teacher, the mare asked: "Aren't you talking about your parents?"
"What?" That question caught the filly completely off-guard.
"They can hire the musicians, buy the concert tickets or works of arts, and they also have the calculator, don't they?"
"Of course, but where's the difference?"
Cheerilee dismissed the question by simply shaking her head. "Silver Spoon, what do you think why they can buy you all those things?"
"Because we are rich." Why weren't her usual questions so easy to answer?
"Okay, but why do you think your family is rich?"
Was that a trick question? "Because my father earns a lot of money."
"Yes, he does. And why do you think he is able to earn so much money?"
Was she making fun of her or did Cheerilee really not know this? "Because he has his own company."
"And what does this company do?"
Silver Spoon didn't know why this mattered, but that was no reason not to say it. "They are building and selling carriages."
"And who tells them what carriages to build and how they should build them? Who manages all the sales and keeps an eye on all the money that company makes?"
"My father." Silver Spoon didn't even attempt to keep her voice free from pride.
"And what do you think why your father can do all that?"
"Because he is the best father in the whole world."
Her answer came promptly and with absolute certainty, yet much to Silver Spoon's irritation Cheerilee's response was an amused chuckle. "I guess every foal says that about their daddies. But I am sure you have a fantastic father. Otherwise you wouldn't be here right now."
Silver Spoon felt like somepony had emptied a can of ice-water directly into her stomach. Was Cheerilee serious? The way she sounded she had to be. Or was she actually so good at mocking others that she could do it with so much restraint it looked like honesty? What she had to hear made Silver Spoon rethink her opinion of her teacher. And silently cursing herself for forgetting to be angry at her father for not taking her to their summer house.
Oblivious to her student's mood-shift - or just ignoring it - Cheerilee continued: "But that is not what helped him doing all we talked about. What I meant is: How does he know how to do it?"
Silver Spoon had already opened her mouth for another quick and simple answer. But she had to admit that such an answer eluded her. There she sat, her mouth agape and her eyes fixiated at the still amused teacher in front of her.
Her mind did its best to finally dig up the answer. The one fact that she was obviously overlooking. But instead it delivered a conclusion. She now saw what Cheerilee wanted her to say. What this had been all about since her first question.
She closed her mouth in defiance. She would not say it. Not that. Not to a teacher who so openly made fun of her for having to go to school during summer.
Still Cheerilee, for inexplicable reasons, knew exactly what was happening in the filly's head. "Exactly, Silver Spoon. Because he worked hard to learn how to do it."
"Let me guess," Silver Spoon commented, making sure she put as much sarcasm into her words as possible. Now it didn't matter anymore. She could say it after all: "He learned it here in school? From you?"
"From me?" repeated Cheerilee with a hint of indignation. Yet she still kept her smile. "Your father finished school some time before I even started teaching. And no, he didn't attend this school. But still, he went to school. And he must have worked hard for it, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to go to a university. And there he worked even harder to learn everything he needed to know to start his company."
"So? Now we already have the company. Then I don't have to do all that again."
"You are missing the point, Silver Spoon."
"Why? He always says he is working hard so we don't have to worry about anything."
"Yes, but not so you would never have to do anything."
Still the filly couldn't see the difference.
"Okay, Silver Spoon, maybe I have to try this another way: Your dad wanted to achieve something in his life. He had a goal. And he worked hard to get it."
The filly nodded. So far, this was obvious.
"So, do you have a goal?"
"A goal?"
"Yes. Do you have anything you want to do when you're done with school?"
"Well..." The filly hadn't anything more to offer. She had never given any thought to that. She had never even considered asking herself that question. Naturally, now that she had actually been confronted with it, all she could do was stare helplessly at her teacher.
"Oh, don't worry. If you don't, that is nothing bad. Most ponies at your age don't know what they want to become. And nopony at your age has to. I just hoped that if there was anything, that could be a motivation for you to take school more seriously. So, I would like you to take some time - after school - to think about this. And if you should have an idea, we can work on it."
Despite Cheerilee's scheduling advice, Silver Spoon's head had already started working. Slowly a shadow of an idea was crouching around the edges of her mind. Something she might, maybe, want to do.
Before this spark could ignite into speech, Cheerilee continued: "So, for now, you will have to pay attention in class just for the sake of learning. Okay?"
Silver Spoon nodded before she realized what she had just agreed to. |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 15 | Chapter 15
Silver Spoon had learned a valuable lesson today. And the first period had barely yet begun. She even acknowledged that she should have learned it some time ago. By now she knew that much trouble and agony can be - and could have been - avoided by that simple concept that had become so obvious. Why it had taken so much for her to see it, she didn't know. But now she did:
When ponies are talking to you, listen to them.
She had managed to get herself bound by her word. That was a concept she had learned long before from her father; if you agree to something, you have to stay by that decision. That was a question of honor. Whatever that word exactly meant. But she knew that when it came to agreements, honor meant a lot to her father. And even if she was still angry at him - if he saw it as so important, so would she.
But unfortunately that meant for her to pay attention in class.
One careless nod and now she had to stay focused on the blackboard, her teacher and what everypony around her said.
Would she even have to take notes?
She wasn't so sure about that. But all the other foals did it. Maybe that was part of paying attention. After all, Cheerílee had scolded her before because she hadn't taken proper notes. As in, none at all.
So she decided to put her quill to good use for once. Maybe Cheerilee wouldn't pick her for questions when she was busy scribbling down something? Silver Spoon deemed that worth a shot.
But all too soon she had to find out that wasn't the case. At least, not completely. Silver Spoon didn't get picked as often as the last day she had been here. Still, each time was once too often for her taste.
Yet she also had to admit, reluctantly, to herself that time went by a lot faster with a distraction on hoof than when she had just suffered her fate in boredom.
When the first break came, she let her head sink onto her desk. But this time it was more than just the recess routine she had already perfected within the few days of summer school. The missing hours of sleep from last night were wrestling her down. Somewhere between deciding that nopony would mind if she took a quick nap and an outstretched yawn, she had placed her head on her front hooves. This was far from the comfort her bed had to offer, but it would do for now.
"What are you doing?" Cheerilee's voice cut into her atempt to get some rest.
"Trying to sleep." Silver Spoon opened one eye and saw her teacher right next to her.
"At least you're honest. But that doesn't make it any better. You can't sleep at school."
"Why? We're having a break and I'm tired."
"Because you just don't sleep at school." Silver Spoon hated this kind of answer. "If you're tired go playing outside and catch some air."
Silently grumbling, the filly slipped from her chair and walked towards the door, followed by Cheerilee.
"Honestly, Silver Spoon. All I wanted to do was tell you how proud I am of you for keeping your promise. And now this."
Silver Spoon stopped and looked at her teacher. "You were going to praise me?"
Cheerilee was silent for a moment. Then she said: "Yes, I was."
Silver Spoon lowered her eyes. She knew she would be blushing even before she started to talk. "Could... Could you still do it?"
Again, Cheerilee didn't answer right away. Her cheeks still burning Silver Spoon risked looking up to the teacher. There she saw a wide, amused smile. And Cheerilee's voice sounded even warmer than usual when she said: "I don't see why not. I still am proud of you for keeping your promise. You did really good during the last lesson. If you can keep this up, your grades will go up in no time."
Not even bothering to contain her smile Silver Spoon finally stepped outside. Somehow, this late summery morning seemed more alive and sunny than any other she had seen before. Even being reminded by their presence that Snips and Snails were the only other foals there by now couldn't drag her down.
She walked over to the swings and sat down on one of them. Slowly swaying back and forth, she watched her two class mates as they ran around the school's playground. The way they spent their break reminded the filly of the animals on Fluttershy's cottage. Especially the squirrels and ferrets. Or weasels, whatever they were.
Feeling the tiredness returning again, she started to swing, just to keep her awake. Cheerilee had told her to play, but she had no idea what. There wasn't much to do on her own. Snips and Snails weren't exactly her first choice as playmates. Not that she usually had any choice. But if she was to start making more friends, she wasn't sure if she wanted to start with those two.
So she spent the time until the next lesson on the swing, wondering what exactly it was her classmates were playing. All they did was running across the playground, from one end to the other and back. Sometimes they stopped and talked with each other, just to burst into laughter and then start over again. Sometimes she thought she caught them looking at her. Not blatantly staring, but a quick glimpse out of the corners of their eyes. And every time she asked herself if those looks had something to do with them laughing so often.
The next lesson started and passed without any answer to that question. But Silver Spoon cared less by the minute, knowing that at least for the last lesson she would have Apple Bloom by her side. And the more this thought settled in, the more she had to restrain herself from laughing. If only a week ago anypony had told her she would long for Apple Bloom of all fillies to show up, she'd have had her father declare that one officially crazy.
When the lesson was finally over she immediately left the classroom, heading for the swings. There she awaited impatiently Apple Bloom's arrival. But she had to find out that she wasn't the only one waiting for her.
As soon as the red maned filly closed in on the schoolhouse, Cheerilee called out to her. Silver Spoon saw her friend, already set to run right up to her, almost tumble over her own hooves. She looked at Cheerilee as surprised as Silver Spoon felt.
Their teacher on the other hand looked as happy to see Apple Bloom as Silver Spoon was. Cheerilee walked over to the filly who was still looking back and forth between her teacher and Silver Spoon. For a moment the grey coated filly thought about going over to her too, but usually when Cheerilee called out to one of her students like that she wanted to talk to her without others listening in.
So she watched them exchanging a few words from where she was. Soon, Apple Bloom's skeptical expression shifted to excitement. After a few moments Apple Bloom glanced over at Silver Spoon and nodded, a determined smile on her face. Then she finally came over to her friend, while their teacher returned back into the schoolhouse.
"What was that all about?" Silver Spoon greeted her.
"Nice to see ya' too."
"Yeah, sorry. Of course I'm glad to see you."
"Thanks. Cheerilee wanted to know if what ya' told her was true."
"Oh. Yeah, that kind of makes sense."
"But more importantly, she asked me if Ah' could help you study."
Silver Spoon sighed. "She is really serious about me getting better at school, huh?"
Apple Bloom giggled. "Of course. That is her job, ya' know?"
"Yeah, yeah, I know."
"And by the way, Ah' was thinkin' about offerin' that anyways."
"Really? Why?"
"Why not? If Ah' can help ya gettin' better grades, why shouldn't Ah'?"
"Are my grades that important to you?"
"Well, they should be important to yerself, don't ya' think? After all, that's what all this here is about. And didn't ya' tell me the reason why yer couldn't go to yer summer house this year were yer bad grades? So Ah' thought, if Ah' could make a difference for ya' next year, why not"
"Yes, well, but if that wouldn't be the case, we would still hate each other."
"Okay, that's true. But having low scores on tests isn't exactly the usual way to make friends. Now come on, what do ya' say?"
"That is nice of you, really. But I am not sure if that will lead to anything."
"All it's supposed to lead to is ya' gettin' better at school. And we'll never know if we don't try, right?"
For a moment, Silver Spoon pondered these words. She really didn't like learning. But then again, she did like good grades. And besides that, Cheerilee had already praised her just for paying attention. And she liked being praised even more than good grades. What would Cheerilee say if she was actually able to improve?
She nodded and said: "Yes. You're right. Trying can't hurt. And Stickler surely can't say anything against that."
Apple Bloom tilted her head. "Stickler? Who's that?"
"Our head-butler."
"Oh, okay. And why would he have anything against it?"
"Well, you see, he... he... To be honest, I don't know why. All I know is that he, um, isn't very fond of your sister. And no, I have no idea why about this too. But nonetheless, he told me yesterday that I am not allowed to visit you again."
Apple Bloom's chin slowly drooped.
"Yeah, I feel the same way," said Silver Spoon. "And I won't let this go until he let's me visit you again."
"But... But... Why would he forbid that in the first place? For that matter, why can your butler forbid you anything?"
"My father put him in charge. Before he and mother left. And as I said, he doesn't like your sister. Because of something that happened long ago between her and my sister. I have no idea what, but, at least to him, it was bad enough that he sees her as bad company for me."
Apple Bloom's features kept shifting like she didn't know herself what she felt right now. "Wow. Ah've no idea what to say to that."
"Me neither. But I'll figure something out. And he never said anything about me not seeing you. As long as we don't go to your place, there's nothing he can say."
"No, that's not what Ah'm talkin' about. Ah' only found out that ya' had a sister two days ago. How does ma' sister even know her? And what happened between them that yer not allowed to visit me? And why did she never tell me about it?"
"Well, she didn't know Marecedes is my sister. She only found out yesterday. That's all I can tell you."
Silver Spoon waited for Apple Bloom to say something else. But the red maned filly simply stared past her, focused on something only she could see.
While Silver Spoon eyed her friend, a high pitched voice attacked her eardrums: "Are you two talking to each other?"
Silver Spoon turned her head around. Apple Bloom also finally snapped out of her state. Right there next to them stood Snips, Snails as usual by his side.
"Not the first time we do this," replied Silver Spoon.
"Yeah," Snails commented in his nasal, drooping voice. "But never this friendly. Usually you are yelling insults at each other by now."
Silver Spoon didn't even bother to get annoyed. She settled with just rolling her eyes and saying: "I am sorry to disappoint the two of you. But that show was canceled."
"Why?" they asked in unison.
Were they actually that dense or simply ignoring her tone?
Silver Spoon was about to call them out on this, but Apple Bloom was quicker to answer. "What she was tryin' to say is that we put that behind us. Ya'll never see us fightin' again."
The two colts looked at each for a moment. Then, to Silver Spoon's suprise, they grinned. Looking back at them, Snips said: "That's great! All that really started to get on our nerves."
Now it was the fillies' turn look at each other. It was like staring at a recolored image of herself for Silver Spoon. Obviously neither of them had expected that.
Slowly breaking eye contact with Silver Spoon, Apple Bloom asked: "You were annoyed by that?"
"Yeah, having to listen to other ponies fighting over trivial stuff gets old pretty fast."
Silver Spoon was dumbstruck. And she didn't even know what baffled her more - that Snails found what had been going on between her and Apple Bloom trivial or that he knew that word.
Obviously Apple Bloom felt the same way. "How can ya' say that? She kept makin' fun of me and called me a blank flank!"
"And you always made a big deal out of it," said Snails.
"Yeah," added Snips, "why didn't you just let it go?"
"Easy for ya' to say. Both of ya' have yer cutie marks. Nopony makes fun of yer for that."
"Not for that," agreed Snails. "But the other foals always make jokes about my grades. Or, they try to. But whenever I'm starting to laugh with them, they stop."
Silver Spoon and Apple Bloom looked at each other. Then Apple Bloom asked: "How are ya' able to do that?"
"Why shouldn't he be?" asked Snips.
Snails nodded. "Yeah, I know I'm bad at school. It's not really a secret. Why should I get angry at others simply for pointing out what everypony already knows?"
"But..." Silver Spoon said. "But, aren't you angry at yourself for being bad at school?"
"No, I don't care. Worrying isn't fun. And I like having fun."
"Do ya' see it the same way?" Apple Bloom asked Snips.
"Of course!" he replied.
The two fillies kept looking back and forth between themselves and the two colts. Silver Spoon was at a loss for words and she saw in Apple Bloom's look that it wasn't any different for her.
Before any of them could even force a crack into the silence, Cheerilee's voice shattered it to pieces: "Come back inside, it's time for the next lesson!"
The four foals moved. Snips and Snails hasted back into the school house, yet the two fillies slowly trotted over. Silver Spoon didn't even need to look at Apple Bloom to know that her friend was still trying to stomach what had just been exchanged. She on the other hand knew exactly what she had to make of it.
It had now been the third Equestrian lessons in a row she had spent together with those two foals, trying every which way to convince herself she was not at their level. Being the only other foal in the room with them simply must not mean that there wasn't still a difference between them. And now she had heard it from them personally:
She was wrong.
Up until now it was her firm believe that they were stupid while she simply didn't care about school. This had been her mantra for months. But now that had been shredded to pieces.
They, too, simply didn't bothered with learning.
With newly found determination she made a promise to herself.
No, not a promise - it was decree.
She wouldn't try getting better at school. She was going to get better at school. Anything else was out of the question.
And this time, her determination lasted until the end of the lesson. Her eyes were glued on the front of the class, only diverting from their target whenever she had to write something down or calculate an equation. Her mind completely dismissed any regards about not knowing what Cheerilee was talking about. Even if she just wrote completely random numbers as a solution on the blackboard, she would do something.
Not only Cheerilee looked impressed, even Apple Bloom regarded her with ever growing surprise each time Silver Spoon volunteered to give an answer.
When the lesson was finally over - which happened way sooner than Silver Spoon was used to - and two friends were about to leave school for the day Cheerilee said: "I can't tell you how positvely surprised I am, Silver Spoon. Keep up working like you did today and soon you'll be one of the best students in my class."
"I will," postulated Silver Spoon with a stern nod.
"I'm glad to hear that," replied Cheerilee. "Say, Apple Bloom, have you already asked her?"
Apple Bloom nodded. "Ah' did. We'll at least try it."
"No," said Silver Spoon, "forget what I said."
"What?" both her teacher and her friend exclaimed in startled unison.
"We don't have to try. We'll do it. I would be most grateful if you'd help me learning."
Cheerilee and Apple Bloom exhaled with a laugh.
"Don't scare me like that," said her teacher, patting Silver Spoon on he back. "Now off you go. I'll see you in two days."
Out of earshot from their teacher, Silver Spoon asked: "Scare her? How did I do that?"
The already grinning Apple Bloom bursted into laughter. Trying to catch her breath again, she said: "Oh, Ah' don't know. But never mind that. So we're going to do this, yes?"
"If you mean learning, then yes, we are."
"Great, Ah' can't wait to see the face of that butler of yers."
Apple Bloom broke into a run, leaving behind a Silver Spoon caught off guard. The grey coated filly quickly took up the pursuit of her friend. Whenever she lost sight of her she just had to follow the startled shrieks and cries of anger Apple Bloom left behind. A few unrefined words thrown at them and dodged hooves later, the two friends shot through the open gate of Silver Spoon's home. Only as they reached the gravelled path to the front door they slowed down.
"Why," huffed Silver Spoon, "are we always running through town?"
"Walkin' takes too long."
"I'd say you're just too impatient."
"That too, maybe." Apple Bloom grinned. "But the sooner we get here, the sooner we can start studyin'. And the sooner we start that, the sooner we're done with it."
"Good point," admitted Silver Spoon while she opened the door.
It wasn't until the two had entered the mansion that she noticed something, or rather, somepony was missing. She stopped and looked around but they were definitely alone.
"What is it?" asked Apple Bloom.
"I'm missing my butler."
"The one that didn't want ya' to see me?"
"Not you, your sister. But yes, him."
"Aren't ya' glad he ain't here? Ah' know Ah' am."
"Well, it's just that he always is here."
"Doesn't he have anything better to do than standin' around in the hallway all day?"
"Of course he does. What I mean is that he always greets me when I'm coming home."
"Always?"
"Yes, right at the door."
"So, he does stand around the door all day?"
"Well, um... No, I guess not. But he somehow knows when I'm coming home and greets me. No idea how he does it."
"Well, for one," said an amused voice from up the stairs, "you usually come home at the same time or announce when you don't, Miss Silver Spoon."
Silver spoon turned her head and saw Rosy coming down to them. "But, I'm not late."
"I never said you were," laughed the maid. "But Stickler is currently on the phone, talking with your father."
"My father?" repeated Silver Spoon, a bad feeling spreading in her belly. "Oh, please don't tell me..."
"Don't worry, I won't."
Both fillies looked at each other in confusion. Then they turned back towards Rosy, silently demanding an explanation.
She giggled slightly, covering her mouth with a hoof. "You'll know soon enough, Miss Silver Spoon. There is nothing you have to worry about."
Silver Spoon sighed. "Great, now I want to know even more what is going on."
"I guarantee you, it is nothing bad. But, like I said, you will have to wait a bit. Maybe I can distract you with some lunch?"
"Sounds great, Ah'm starvin'!" exclaimed Apple Bloom.
Silver Spoon was still more than curious, but if her friend was hungry, she wouldn't keep her from a meal. Especially if it was the first time Apple Bloom would see what a meal at her mansion was like.
As soon as they had taken their places at the long table in the dining room Apple Bloom asked: "So, you have one of these new tellerphones?"
"Telephone," corrected Silver Spoon. "Yes, we do. Father says he has to be available for his partners. But they're not that new, we already have it for a few years."
"Yeah, but they are still new around here. I thought nopony in Ponyville had one. If ma' aunt and uncle in Manehatten hadn't told us long and in every detail about them havin' one, I wouldn't even know they exist."
"Father said only we and the Mayor's office have one." Silver Spoon tried to speak as casually as possible. But it was hard to keep the upwelling pride in her chest from interfering with her voice.
"So, what do you think that butler is talkin' with yer dad about?"
"Honestly, the only thing I can think about is last weekend. I can only hope father tells him that I can visit you again."
"Yeah, me too."
Then finally the promised distraction was delivered.
Apple Bloom's anticipation vanished quickly as she regarded the small bowl of salad placed in front of her. "Ya' know..."
"Yes?" asked Silver Spoon as impassive as she could manage to sound.
"Well, Ah' kind of had thought that ya' rich folks could afford bigger servings than this."
"Us rich folks can."
"Then, why don't ya'? And why are ya' grinnin' like that?"
"Because this, dear Apple Bloom, is but a simple appetizer." Silver Spoon tried to give the best possible impression of her mother while trying not to laugh at the face her friend made.
"Oh," commented Apple Bloom while shifting her bowl around as if to see whether there was any more food hidden underneath the salad. "So that's what an appetizer is. Ah' heard from ma' sister that fancy meals do have such a thing. She said they were too less to feed a bunny, but this..."
"Don't worry, you won't go hungry here."
Apple Bloom shook her head almost imperceptibly as she ate her appetizer. But as soon as the main course was set up in front of her the filly's face lit up.
"Now this is more like it!" she commented the fried potatoes embedded in a ring of carrot slices and garnished with a bit of broccoli and a vast variety of herbs. "But why did the cook take the time to arrange it like this?"
"Because it looks better this way."
"It's not like it tastes better this way, is it?"
"Why don't you try that for yourself?"
In fact, Silver Spoon really was curious to have a verdict on that question. Her mother had indeed told her before that if one wanted food to taste good it also had to look good. And the silver maned filly had never doubted it. Until she had been invited to the dinner at Sweet Apple Acres. She had loved every bit of it. Now she wanted to see if Apple Bloom would be impressed with this lunch as well.
Part of her was even disappointed that the kitchen staff had chosen this day to put up something rather simple compared to what they were able to deliver. But it took only a few bites until Silver Spoon's mind was at ease again.
Apple Bloom ate her meal with fast growing delight. "Ah' didn't even know potatoes could taste like this. This is amazing."
"I can not see where a simple choice of a fitting seasoning has the quality of being 'amazing'." The head-butler's voice rasped the joy of their meal away like sandpaper.
Both fillies suppressed an annoyed groan.
Then Silver Spoon took a deep breath and collected all her mental strength. She willed herself to say as happily as she was able to: "Good to see you, Stickler. I heard you have been talking to my father?"
"Yes, indeed Lady Silver Spoon. I have and I will again later. And I am terribly sorry I have not been able to greet you personally today."
"Never mind that. What did father say?"
"That he wants me to deliver his greetings and wishes of well-being to you, of course. For everything else, I would prefer to talk about it not in the presence of, well, guests."
"Well, if you say so," said Silver spoon, not actually discontented about keeping this conversation as short as possible. "But speaking about my guest, I believe you haven't been formally introduced yet?"
"Not formally, no."
"Well, this is Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom, this is Stickler, our head-butler."
"Nice to meet ya'," said Apple Bloom, her furrowed eyebrows betraying her already feeble attempt to sound pleased.
"Charmed," Stickler replied with the warmness of a glacier.
Silver Spoon cleared her throat. "She is a close friend of mine and has agreed to help me with my studies. Which means, since I am not allowed to visit her that she will visit me quite regularly from now on."
"I see, Lady Silver Spoon. I am afraid I have to excuse myself for now, if there is nothing else you need me for. There are preparations I have to take care of."
"No, that is quite alright."
The second the door closed behind him, both fillies sighed their relief.
"I hope this didn't spoil lunch for you?" asked Silver Spoon half-joking, half-sincere.
Apple Bloom shook her head. "No, don't worry. It wasn't that much worse than seeing Granny Smith dropping her denture into her soup."
"Ew, that happened?"
"Only once."
"Thanks for sharing. That image will make dessert extra tasty."
But even with her imagination running wild, the ice-cream with tropical fruits was as refreshing as ever. Even more so since Apple Bloom had obviously never tasted most of those fruits before. She eyed the fruit pieces curiously as if she had found an especially fine work of jewelery.
Silver Spoon enjoyed this view even more than the ice-cream. Seeing how Apple Bloom eagerly taste-tested her dessert with every bite she took was funny enough. But the growing expression of pure joy made this moment the happiest meal she could remember having in her house.
After Apple Bloom had dropped her spoon into the now empty bowl, she looked at its remaining stains smiling thoughtfully. Then, without looking up, she asked: "So, Ah' am a very close friend of yers?"
"Yes, you are. Does that surprise you?"
"It did surprise me hearin' ya' sayin' it, at least."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I felt kind of funny saying it. But I'm glad I'm able to say it. In more than one way."
"Yeah, it's really great we came this far. But..." Apple Bloom paused briefly. "But it made me also wonder if Ah' could make it from very close to best friend?"
Silver Spoon stared at Apple Bloom who still wouldn't look at her. This idea had never crossed her mind. Even after their camping night there had been no room in her mind for it.
Now her eyes wondered towards her own empty bowl in front of her. "I'm sorry. I don't think you can."
A moment of silence passed between them. When Apple Bloom spoke again, the surprised disappointment bit deep into Silver Spoon's soul. "That wasn't exactly the answer I expected."
"Please, don't misunderstand me. I wasn't lying. By now, I do consider you a close and very dear friend to me. But I already have a best friend."
"Yeah, but, don't ya' think, ya' can have more than one best friend? Ah' mean, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are both my best friends. Ah' want ya' to be it too."
"How would that work? If everypony is the best, then there isn't really a best after all, right?"
"Not if it comes to friends. Bein' best friends means doing everything together. Sharing joy and sadness. Helpin' each other if needed. Ya' can do that with more than one pony."
"But, isn't that what friends do anyway?"
"Then, what is yer definition of a best friend?"
"Well, um... Well..." Silver Spoon took a moment to think about this. She had never before been in the need of explaining what a best friend should be like, therefore she had no definite idea what to say. After a few seconds she came up with: "It is all the things you said and something more. It's, how should I put it... Trust. I mean, not just trust. It is knowing you can count on your friend no matter what. Ugh, this is hard to say. It's knowing your friend is by your side even if she is not there."
By now, both fillies had lost interest in the remains of their ice-cream. They looked each other straight in the eyes. And Silver Spoon saw clearly in Apple Bloom's that she did not quite understood what she wanted to say.
"For example," Silver Spoon tried to explain, "take your sister. You and your sister are more than just close, right?"
"Yes, but she's ma' sister. Naturally we're close."
"Not all sisters are like that, remember? Just think how you feel about her. Do you think anypony could ever be closer to you than her?"
"No, Ah' don't think so."
"You see? That's how I feel about Diamond Tiara."
Again the room lay quiet.
"Anyways," Silver Spoon finally broke the silence, "does it really matter how we call our friendship?"
"No, not how we call it."
For a moment it felt like Apple Bloom wanted to say more. But as it became clear that she wouldn't, Silver Spoon asked: "I think we should start learning, don't you think?"
"Yeah, good call," agreed Apple Bloom. |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 16 | Chapter 16
"You know, Apple Bloom," said Silver Spoon, "I finally got used to calling you my friend. You being my friend. And then you not only try to get me into learning - you also succeed at it. But how did we get to the point where I am the one who actually wants to study and you're the one who can't get her head into it?"
The red maned filly exhaled deeply and dropped the pencil she had been poking her cheek with for the last five minutes. It landed between the schoolbooks scattered across the table in Silver Spoon's room. It's clattering roll ended at the folder Apple Bloom kept her notes in which Silver Spoon tried to use as reference.
Unfortunately she still had to ask a lot of questions since she didn't even know the basics about most things written in there. And every time she spoke to Apple Bloom her friend either jumped in her seat as if an alarm had gone off, or she didn't react at all, simply staring at the ceiling or out the window. And by the time the self-proclaimed tutor had brought her attention to Silver Spoon, the grey filly had already forgotten what she wanted to ask about.
"Ah'm sorry." This wasn't by far the first time Apple Bloom had used these words since they started learning. "But, what ya' said... It kinda threw me off."
"What I said?"
"Yes. About yerself. And Diamond Tiara."
"Are you still at this whole best friend thing?"
"Well, in some way, yes."
"Is that really that important to you?"
"Of course it is."
"But since when do you care about labels?"
"Labels? This is not about labels for me."
"But that's all it is, isn't it? Honestly, I don't really care if we call it good, best or even perfect friends. If you feel better, call me your best friend ever if you like."
"No, it's not about that part. Ah' am talkin' about what ya said about ya' feel about Diamond Tiara. Yer comparison to me and Applejack."
"What about it?"
"Ah' never really knew how close ya' were. Ya' basically said ya' two were sisters."
"She is the closest I ever had to a true sister. Including my real sister. Sometimes I wish she really was my big sister."
"And that's what Ah' can't stop thinkin' about. Ah' knew ya' were friends. But that..."
"Well, what did you expect? I spent almost every day since we started school with her. You don't do that with somepony you just get along with."
"Ah' know it shouldn't surprise me. But even more than that, it's that Ah' just can't stop thinkin' what will happen when Diamond Tiara comes back."
"I tell you what will happen. She will see how wrong we were about you, what a good friend you can be and then she'll be glad that she can be your friend too."
"And if she doesn't?"
"Oh come on, didn't we have this the other way around when we were camping?"
"Yeah, Ah' guess we did. But Ah' also remember how much ya' rely on Diamond Tiara's opinion. And now Ah' start to see why. Which is a bit unsettling."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Please, don't get me wrong. But Ah'm kinda worried she could turn ya' around again once she's back. Ah' don't want to think that way, but Ah' can't help it..."
"Then let me help it: It won't happen. I promise. I don't want to be like I was before."
Apple Bloom smiled thankfully. "Ah' know Ah' can believe ya'. Ah' don't even know why Ah'm havin' these doubts."
"I do. After all I did over the last years, I wouldn't believe me if I were you either."
"But ma' sister says, if ya' want to be trusted by others, ya' gotta trust them first."
"As long as you trust me to prove those doubts wrong, that is good enough for me. To be honest, that is even more than I would have ever dared to ask for."
"And if Ah' should be honest, Ah'm lookin' forward to you proving' me wrong. Okay, why don't we take a little break to clear our heads and then get back to work?"
"Sounds great. And I think I have something that's perfect to get your mind off schoolwork."
Silver Spoon stood up and walked over to her desk. There she opened a drawer and pulled out a small paper bag. Inside were a number of light auburn colored bon-bons.
She offered them to Apple Bloom, saying: "These are my favorites. Perfect whenever you need a distraction from whatever is going on your nerves. Too bad Bon Bon has them in her shop only once in a while."
"Oh, thanks," Apple Bloom said and tried one. After a few moments of tasting the candy she said with much less enthusiasm than Silver spoon had expected: "That's strange."
"What?"
"It's apple flavored. Somehow familiar but Ah' can't say what kind of apple."
"Maybe that's because they're not made of apples from around here. I forgot that town's name, but these apples only grow there." Even if her friend wasn't as impressed as Silver spoon had hoped for, that she knew of apples Apple Bloom didn't know, was an entertaining thought.
"What are they called?"
"Braeburns."
Apple Bloom's face lit up like she had finally found the solution for the final problem in a test. "That's why Ah' couldn't put them in the right spot. Ah' only had them once before. Oh, and the town yer lookin' for is Applelooza."
"Yeah, right. How do you know that?"
"That's where cousin Braeburn lives."
"Wait, that Braeburn is a cousin of yours?"
"Yeah."
Now Silver Spoon joined her friend's excitement. "That is awesome."
"It is?"
"Yes, it is. Do you think you could help me buy Braeburns directly from him?"
"Maybe. But ya' know he is growing the apples, not the bon-bons, right?"
"Yes, of course. But that's what I'm talking about. If I can buy them, maybe I can get Bon Bon to make them into candies. She once said she would like to sell more of the Braeburns, but she only gets so few apples per delivery. And those don't even come regularly."
"Well, Ah' could ask him. But if Bon Bon has trouble getting' more Ah'm pretty sure he just doesn't have any more to sell. Ah' guess most of them are needed for the settlers there."
"Hm, asking can't hurt. And if you're right, maybe I can get my father to pay him in food for the apples."
"Ya'd really go that far for just some candy?"
"Some candy? This isn't just some candy. You tasted it. As it sounds, you're still tasting it. That is without a doubt the best candy in the world. Or at least Equestria."
"Yes, it is tasty and all, but still, we're talkin' about candy, right? And even if Celestia herself announced it as the national candy of Equestria, don't ya' think ya' should ask Bon Bon if she'd do this in the first place?"
"Of course I will ask her. But why would she say no?"
"Ah' don't know, maybe she just doesn't have the time for it. Ah'm not sayin' she won't do it, just that maybe she can't."
"Hm, I see. Okay, I'll ask her later. But I do have your word you will ask your cousin?"
Apple Bloom laughed. "Of course."
"Great. Now that that is settled, would you like something to drink?"
"Yeah, especially if it's cold."
Silver Spoon nodded, left the room and returned a few minutes later with a tray carrying two glasses of ice-tea. Then the two fillies picked up their studies again. This time without any distractions.
It was astounding how simple some problems seemed now that Apple Bloom was explaining them step by step to her. She finally understood equations formerly unsolvable to her, finally got a grasp on what all these markings on a map were supposed to mean, and even learned the difference between a verb and an adjective.
After hours of learning even the last bit of dedication Silver Spoon had carried since noon was used up. Apple Bloom and she both decided that they had done enough for one day and that it was time to finally enjoy their summer vacation as it was meant to be enjoyed.
First, Silver Spoon showed Apple Bloom around the house. Not the whole house, the guest room's, as well as her sister's and her parent's bedrooms didn't seem that worthy to show off. But that still left more than enough to see, most importantly the pool. That's where they spent the rest of the afternoon, splashing away the midsummer heat.
Yet the afternoon seemed to be way too short. Despite every clock in the house insisting they should have had more time than they had spent on learning. Silver Spoon even suspected her butler to have manipulated the clocks.
But just as she was about to dismiss that mental accusation, the very same pony showed up to tell them it was time for Apple Bloom to go home. Silver Spoon protested, but her temporary guardian insisted that he "knew when it was the appropriate time to send home a young filly."
So under the already setting sun, their day together ended. Or at least almost ended, since Stickler agreed to Silver Spoon bringing her guest home - not without reminding her that she was still forbidden to enter the Apple's home, of course.
After strolling across town with as many distraction as they could find for themselves they eventually reached the the point where they had to say their good-byes. They agreed to meet right there the next day at noon, then Silver Spoon returned home. This time without prolonging her walk purposely. But as soon as she arrived at home she wished she had.
"Hey there, little sister."
The voice greeting her was the one she had been able to avoid for almost a full week of summer by now. It belonged to a cream coated filly, almost a young mare, with a chestnut-brown mane. Her azure eyes greeted Silver Spoon with the look of a predator that had just picked its dinner.
"What are you doing here?" snapped Silver Spoon.
"I live here."
"Oh, right. I almost forgot, since you're never around. Don't you have any of your parties to go away to?"
"No, not today. For a change. But I thought, maybe you could help me with this."
"What am I supposed to do about it?"
"You could teach me how to deal with it. I mean, you do have a lot of experience in having no friends around you. Or, in your case, no friends at all."
"I do have friends," hissed Silver Spoon through gritted teeth.
"Oh, yeah. That wannabe princess of yours who's willing to train you as her lackey."
"She's not training me!"
"So, you're a natural lackey then?"
"Oh, just forget about it and leave me alone."
"As you wish, dear sister," said Marecedes with an over-exaggerated bow. "I'll leave it and forget about you."
A taunting grin on her lips Marecedes eyed her for a moment. Then she shook her head, turned around and left towards the kitchen.
Silver Spoon stared after her, teeth clenched and her whole body shaking with anger. She didn't know if she wanted to scream or cry. Or both. But she knew she couldn't give her sister the success of either, her being there or not. The filly forced her hooves to stay put until she could be sure to be out of earshot. Then she broke into a run, stomping up the stairs. She slammed the door to her room shut behind her and threw herself onto the bed.
She buried her face in a pillow and took a few deep breaths. When she started to feel a little bit dizzy, she turned onto her back. Then she stared at some point far beyond the ceiling. Her mind was filled with one simple, yet unsolvable question: Why did I let her get to me again so easily?
All her plans to be nicer to her sister, her resolution to abide Big Mac's advice, every piece of hope she had gathered for this... Gone within two lines exchanged between them.
She tried to force herself to see something in her, that gave a hint that Marecedes wasn't the pony Silver Spoon saw on the outside. But she couldn't remember anything. Well anything except that one day of sickness she had lived through.
Absentmindedly, the filly fished for a certain plush bunny on the bed. She got a hold of it and held it straight up in front of her. Sighing, she said: "Mr. Snuffles, why does she make it so hard for me to see her nice side? I know she has one. But why does she always do that to me?"
She hugged the bunny to her chest, turning to the side.
"It's not that I want it to be like this. It's just that whenever she talks to me, she knows exactly what to say to drive me crazy. And I don't know what to do about it. I can't even see why she does. What am I to her?"
She grabbed her blanket, tugging herself and Mr. Snuggles tightly in it.
"I wish it would be as simple as with Apple Bloom. But I couldn't even get as far as asking her about doing anything together without getting into another fight with her. How am I going to make her realize that whatever she sees in me is wrong? Big Mac and Applejack were definitely right about that, being nice to others is hard work."
She took another look at her bunny, now cradled in her arms.
"What do you think, Mr. Snuffles? Is there anything else I can try? Talking will surely don't work. I tried that for years. At least it won't without her changing at least a little bit first. But how can I make her change without talking to her?"
With this last question on her mind the short last night finally caught up to her. She drifted of to sleep mid-thought into a deep, dreamless slumber.
The next morning she awoke with a - to herself - surprisingly clear idea what she was going to do today. She jumped out of bed and took a quick glance at her alarm clock. Knowing her sister would be asleep for at least a few more hours, she worked through her morning routine as fast as possible. A short shower and quick breakfast later she was on her way to Bon Bon's candy store.
The store's door swung open with the familiar tinging of the tiny bell above it. And at the same moment, Silver Spoon woke up a second time that day, as the composition of candy-flavored scents surrounded her. She closed her eyes and savored the sweet smell. After a deep breath Silver Spoon opened her eyes again, just to see that she was alone in the shop. There were no customers and even Bon Bon was not at her usual place behind the counter.
Silver Spoon looked around, as if to find some instruction on how to deal with an absent shop owner. Just as she wondered if she should try simply calling for her, she heard a voice through the door behind the counter.
"Hello, I'm with you in a thecond!"
Obviously Twist was somewhere in the back. A moment later, the door behind the counter opened. The red haired filly with her thick glasses carried a bowl of pink and white striped bon-bons. When she saw Silver Spoon she placed it on the counter and smiled.
"Thilver Thpoon! Nithe to thee you. How wath camping?"
"It was great. Definitely way more fun than I had expected. But, where's Bon Bon? Is she already letting you run her shop by yourself?"
"No, thilly. She found she were short on thome thupplieth she needed and now she'th at the market to get them. And thinthe there are usually only a few cuthtomerth at thith time of day, if at all, she letth me keep an eye on the shop."
"Say, are you always here at this time?"
"No, of couthe not. Only during vacationth."
"You really get up early during your vacation to work here? Why?"
"Becauthe I love working here. And I want to have my own candy thtore when I'm grown up. The more I learn here, the better prepared I'll be for that."
Before Silver Spoon could open her moth again the bell at the door announced the return of the shop owner. Her saddlebags were bulging and her heavy steps spoke of their weight. Still her face lit up when she saw the two fillies.
"So my eyes didn't betray me," she said walking over to the counter. "Now that's a nice surprise. Just let me unpack these and we'll be right back with you. Twist, would you please?"
The addressed filly nodded and went back to the door she came out of before and held it open. A moment later she and Bon Bon disappeared through it.
As soon as they were gone Silver Spoon had an idea. She grabbed one of the bags hanging at the shelves, the biggest one she could find. When she heaved it right next to the register, fully stuffed with a bit of everything the shop had to offer, the ponies she had been waiting for returned.
"Now that's a big order, honey, even for you," commented Bon Bon. "Is there a special occasion?"
"I don't know if it is special, but I want some to share with my guests," answered Silver Spoon.
"Ah, I see. Is Apple Bloom one of them?"
"Yes. Actually, she is the only one yet." Silver Spoon turned to Twist. "But I wanted to ask if you would like to come over too?"
"Me?" Twist said. "You're really inviting me?"
"Yes, I am. So, do you want to?"
"Well, yeth, I'd like to. But why me?"
"Why not you?"
"I don't know. But it'th a bit thurpithing."
"Okay, then let's say it's as a thank you for telling Apple Bloom where to find me. If you hadn't, maybe she and I wouldn't have had that camping night. Not yet, anyway. Other than that I hope we can become friends too."
"Well, that thoundth like a good reathon to me. I'll be there."
"Great! So, until what time are you working here?"
"Until I want to."
"What?" Silver Spoon looked from Twist to Bon Bon and back. Both didn't show any sign that this had been meant as a joke. "So, you can just leave work whenever you want?"
"Of course she can," laughed Bon Bon. "She isn't an employee here. Twist helps me when she can and wants to."
Twist nodded as Silver Spoon silently asked her for confirmation.
"You're really serious about that own candy store, huh?" asked Silver Spoon.
Twist nodded again. "Sure! Well, and the free candy I get for the help ith nithe too. But I told you, I do love working here."
"Wow," sighed Silver Spoon. "You know what? I kind of envy you."
"Really?" asked Twist.
"Do you want to work here too?" asked Bon Bon.
"No, it's not that. I'd rather stay a customer. But just yesterday Cheerilee asked me if I knew what I wanted to be when I grow up. And I didn't know what to answer. I hadn't even thought of that before."
"Don't worry," Bon Bon said. "Most fillies your age don't."
"Yeah, she said that too. But the thing is, now it somehow bugs me. And so far, there was only one thing I could think of, but..."
"But what?" asked Twist.
"I'm not really sure if I ever could do that."
"You'll never know unless you try, honey," said Bon Bon. "Maybe I can somehow help you. What is it you're thinking of?"
"Hm, why not?" pondered Silver Spoon. "So, do you know how I can become a psychiatrist?"
Bon Bon's encouraging smile vanished like cotton candy at a birthday party. "No, I'm afraid I don't. All I know is that you have to go to college. But, how did you get that idea? Most foals your age, if at all, want to become firefighters, veterinarians, engineers or maybe even singers or actors."
"Applejack said they're like doctors who treat hurt souls. And that's something I'd like to do."
"You want to do thomething like that?" Twist looked like Silver Spoon had told them she wanted to become an Alicorn.
Bon Bon, on the other hand, said nothing. She simply looked Silver Spoon straight in the eyes, slightly tilting her head. The filly felt like a piece of an exhibition, giving Bon Bon a hard time to figure out what she was meant to represent. But when the mare finally spoke, her voice was as cheerful as ever.
"I knew the Apples would have an excellent influence on you, honey."
"What do you mean?" asked Silver Spoon, gladly taking this chance to ignore Twist's question.
"Only a few days ago you stood here before me, explaining why it wasn't your fault why you sent a filly off crying and tried to justify every bit of mean-spirit you threw at her. And now you want to become somepony who heals souls."
"Too bad I don't know how."
"Have you tried the library?" suggested Twist. "Maybe you can find a book about it."
Bon Bon nodded. "That would be the only idea have myself."
"Hm, I haven't thought of that," admitted Silver Spoon. "I guess I'll give that a try these days. But, um, weren't we talking about something else before?"
"I think you wanted to know when I can come over."
"Yeah, right. So, I meet Apple Bloom at noon, at the road leading up to Sweet Apple Acres. Then we're going to my place. So, you can either meet with us there and help us learning or join us in the afternoon when we're done with that."
"I'll be there at noon."
Silver Spoon nodded. "Great! I'll see you then. Oh, and Bon Bon, thanks for the tip with the library."
"No need to thank me. I hope you'll find what you're looking for."
The second the store's door had closed behind her, silver spoon froze in her steps. A lightning of realization had struck her. Almost involuntarily her hoof hit her forehead.
She had forgotten to ask. Forgotten to ask the one question she came here for in the first place.
Should she go back in and still do it?
No, better not. She somehow felt stupid just thinking about it. That was just too embarrassing.
Mentally scolding herself all the way, she went back home. Once she had deposited her goods in her room, she instructed the kitchen staff that she expected another guest for the day.
A few hours later she met with both her guests at the edge of Ponyville. Apple Bloom was surprised to see Twist there, but more than that, she was happy to see her.
"Ya see?" she said. "Ah' told ya ya'd make more friends sooner than ya'd thought."
At that moment Silver Spoon looked nervously at Twist. Why she was nervous or what she had expected to see from her she didn't know. But whatever it had been her subconscious had anticipated, all she saw was the same smile of joyful anticipation she had come to be used to.
On their way back to the mansion they told Twist all about the camping night. This also led to Silver Spoon having to retell the story of her cutie mark yet once again. As it seemed, Twist, too, had mistaken her cutie mark.
Unlike the day before, Stickler had positioned himself in front of the front door once again. After greeting Lady Silver Spoon and expressing his hopes that she had a wonderful morning, he turned towards her guests. Or rather just towards one of them, ignoring Apple Bloom.
"I think we haven't met before, Miss...?"
"Twist," replied the filly as if she found an answer to earn some extra credits.
Stickler nodded and somewhere behind his mustache his mouth contorted into the resemblance of a smile. Now he finally also regarded Apple Bloom, his eyes betraying his strain for a welcoming demeanor. Yet his voice notably sounded a lot friendlier, even though Silver Spoon couldn't shake the feeling she heard a hint of ostentation in it.
"Well then, be welcome to this house. I hope your stay with us will be pleasant. Dinner is already served, please follow me to the dining room. If you find anything amiss or have a wish, please do not hesitate to tell me."
Without the wait for any form of reply he turned around and led them inside.
Behind him Apple Bloom leaned towards Silver Spoon and whispred: "What's up with him?"
"I have no idea," said Silver Spoon honestly.
"What should be up with him? He theemth nithe!" Twist threw in.
Silver Spoon and Apple Bloom looked at each other, silently agreeing to let this topic be settled for now.
After he had shown them to the dining room Stickler told he hoped they would enjoy their meals and left them alone. On the table were plates already filled with still steaming peas, carrots and mashed potatoes, as well as some mushrooms Silver Spoon didn't know the name of. Right next to them stood bowls with tomato salad.
"Have you invited thomepony elthe?" asked Twist after they had taken their seats.
"What?" asked Silver Spoon.
"Yeah," said Apple Bloom, "there are four plates here."
Silver Spoon stared at the plate pointed out to her. "Oh please, don't tell me..."
Her fears were confirmed by a stretched-out yawn coming from the door. There stood Marecedes, her chestnut-brown mane looking like she had just crawled out of bed and went straight down here. In fact, to Silver Spoon's experience, that was most likely the case. Her big sister gazed at the table with one half-opened eye while absentmindedly scratching her flank. Then she said with another yawn: "Oh, sweet. Breakfast."
Silver Spoon cleared her throat loudly. "Dear sister, we have guests."
"Really? I didn't invite anypony," said Marecedes, blinking and rubbing her eyes. Then she finally seemed to recognize the other fillies at the table. Pointing at them she asked: "Who're they?"
"My friends Apple Bloom and Twist."
Marecedes slumped onto the chair in front of the fourth plate. Silver Spoon wasn't sure if she had even listened to her answer. Her eyes still obviously heavy with sleep Marecedes looked from one of her sister's guests to the other and back. The two fillies looked at each other, their faces caught somewhere between amusement and bewilderment.
"That's funny," said Marecedes finally turning back to her sister. "Didn't know you had a thing for red-heads."
She grinned like she expected some kind of reaction from Silver Spoon. But the filly only stared back at her, not willing to dignify such a nonsensical comment in any way.
After a few seconds Marecedes sighed. "Never mind. So, what are they doing here?"
"Like I told you, they are my guests. If you're interested in what we have planned, first we will do a bit of studying and then spend the rest of the day together."
"Study? You?" Marecedes gave a hollow laugh. "Now that's a new one. Don't tell me you're actually taking this whole summer school thing seriously?"
"She is," Apple Bloom threw in. "And we're here to help her."
Marecedes turned her attention to the filly that had just spoken to her. She regarded her for a moment, focusing on her for the first time since she entered the room. Then she asked: "What was your name again?"
"Apple Bloom."
"Apple Bloom?" she repeated with growing annoyance in her voice. "So, you're that filly Applejack calls her sister?"
The three filly's fell silent, staring at each other in confusion.
"What do ya' mean, 'calls'?" asked Apple Bloom. "Ah' am her sister."
"Yeah, yeah, never mind." Marecedes waved a hoof dismissively. "Say, were you here during the last days too?"
"Yes, Ah' was."
"So that's what Stickler meant. Figures."
"And she will be here again tomorrow and the days after that as well," said Silver Spoon sternly.
"Oh, will she?" said Marecedes amused. Her lips curled to a malicious smile. "Don't you have school tomorrow?"
"Yes, I do. And after school, we'll be coming here. I hope you don't have a problem with that?"
"Oh no, not at all. On the contrary, I'm looking forward to it. This might get entertaining after all."
"What do you mean?" Silver Spoon felt an unpleasant chill creeping up her spine. Her sister seemed way too happy hearing these news.
"Oh, don't worry. You'll see tomorrow. And for now, I'll be off to my room."
With these words Marecedes rose from the chair. She clenched the plate between her teeth, balancing the food out of the dining room. Silver Spoon couldn't help it, she always felt a little bit of awe when she saw her sister doing this at walking speed without even spilling a single pea.
And as soon as her sister was gone, Silver Spoon felt the questioning stares of Twist and Apple Bloom pressing on her. |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 17 | Chapter 17
"So, that was your sister?" asked Apple Bloom.
"Unfortunately, yes," sighed Silver Spoon. "I wonder how she set this up."
"Thet what up?" Twist wanted to know.
"This whole thing. She obviously just wanted to embarrass me. Again."
"But," said Apple Bloom, "she didn't look like she knew that lunch was ready."
"Then why was there a plate set for her?" asked Silver Spoon.
"Maybe that Butler did it?" suggested Twist. "Just in cathe, you know?"
"Also, she didn't act like she knew we'd be here," added Apple Bloom.
Silver Spoon shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Planned or not, I'm sorry you had to see this."
"Don't worry," said Twist. "It'th not your fault what she did."
Apple Bloom nodded. "And besides, yours isn't the only sister who acts strange or stupid from time to time."
"If it only were from time to time. And I'm sure Applejack doesn't do that, right?"
"Believe me, she does."
"Really?" Twist asked. "You never told me about that."
"Well, Ah' have to admit, it's not the proudest thing to say about ma' sister."
"Whatever she did," said Silver Spoon, "I bet it wasn't as bad as anything Marecedes did."
"Has she ever come back home so drunk she was barely able to walk straight?
"Maybe. But I've never seen it if she did."
"Well then if she did she didn't sing so loud ya'd wake up from it even before she had entered the house. Granny, Big Mac and Ah' had a lot of trouble getting her into her bed. We had to stop every few steps because she'd hug us and tell us how great we were and that she was the happiest pony alive."
"That doethn't thound tho bad to me," said Twist.
"Believe me, those words lose every meaning if ya' get them told like a hundred times between yer front door and the second floor. Especially if the pony telling ya' is reekin' like a dozen sailors at three in the mornin' after payday."
"How do you know what that smells like?" Silver Spoon asked.
"Well, Ah' don't. But Granny said that's what she smelled like."
Twist scratched her chin. "How doeth she know what that thmellth like?"
"How should Ah' know? Ah' don't even know if Ah' want to know."
"Still," said Silver Spoon, "I think I'd endure that if it was the price for having my sister actually being happy to see me."
"Well, Ah' did leave out some parts Ah' think Ah' shouldn't tell ya before we've eaten."
Neither of the other two replied to that statement. Silver Spoon saw in Twist's eyes that she, too, was struggling to keep her mind from imagining what Apple Bloom could have meant.
After a few moments of silently staring at each other Twist suggested: "Tho, maybe we should thtart eating?"
There were no objections.
Soon enough, the taste of their lunch washed away any distracting thoughts of whatever Applejack might have done that one night. After they stuffed themselves with dessert, they went up to Silver Spoon's room.
Just as yesterday, studying proved to be difficult. But this time, it was the their host who couldn't focus on learning. Even though it wasn't for the reasons she would have expected. But that only added even more to her annoyance with herself about getting distracted in the first place. Which, in return, kept her mind even further from participating in her friends' efforts of explaining to her the basic principles geometry.
Finally Apple Bloom said: "Ah' know that after yesterday Ah' shouldn't be complainin' too loudly. But this way we ain't getting' anywhere."
"Yes," added Twist, "you thpathed out about a dothen timeth by now. And we thtarted not even half an hour ago."
Silver Spoon let her quill drop - this time on purpose. "I'm sorry you two. It's just that I can't get what my sister said out of my head."
"Which part of it?" Twist asked.
"About tomorrow. That whatever happens then will be entertaining for her."
"What ith tho bad about that?"
"Usually, when I'm involved, it means that it won't be entertaining for me. I wonder what she has planned."
"I don't know. It didn't thound to me like she had planned anything at all. More like thomething wath goin' to happen anyway she didn't expect to be fun."
"Yeah," agreed Apple Bloom. "Maybe it has something to do with what yer maid said yesterday."
Twist looked at them both in confusion. "What did her maid thay?"
Silver Spoon explained: "She said Stickler, our butler, had been talking with my father about something. And she said I shouldn't worry about it. Okay, so let's say you're right, Apple Bloom. Then my sister knows what will happen tomorrow, thinks it would be boring or uninteresting, but you being here would make it entertaining for her. What could that be?"
"Ah've no idea. But that maid looked like she was sure ya'd like the surprise. Me being there or not."
Silver Spoon nodded. Then she sighed. "Great. So they do have a surprise planned for tomorrow I am supposed to like but my sister now knows how to ruin that for me."
"What maketh you tho sure she'll do that?" Twist asked. "She didn't seem tho mean to me at all."
"You only know her since lunch. I know her since I was born. She always does that. Or at least tries to."
"Why do ya' worry so much?" Apple Bloom asked. "Even if she has something planned. I'll be there too and can help ya' if it should be necessary."
Silver Spoon stared wide-eyed at her. But that moment of silence didn't last long. "That... That is true. I honestly hadn't thought of that."
"Ya' see? This time yer not alone with her."
"Well, not just this time. But usually it's Diamond Tiara by my side. And I just realized how used I actually have gotten to that..."
Another moment of silence passed before Apple Bloom said: "Ah' never thought Ah'd say this; but Ah' hope Ah' can be a good replacement for Diamond Tiara then."
"A replacement?" repeated Silver Spoon. "Why would you want to be a replacement? I don't want a replacement by my side. I want you by my side when I'm facing my sister."
"Wow," laughed Twist. "Now you make it thound like you're having a duel with her."
"I hope it doesn't come to that." Silver Spoon had to laugh too. As much as she disliked Marecedes. imagining herself and her sister in a duel like those good and evil knights in some of the stories her nanny had told her was too silly.
"Now that that's settled," said Apple Bloom, "should we get to schoolwork?"
The other two fillies agreed.
And this time, Silver Spoon was finally able to concentrate on what they were all here for. With Twist around to help her too, she learned even more in those few hours than she had with just Apple Bloom the day before. It made her wonder if she should somehow try to get even more fillies to help her studying? Even though she had no idea who else she could ask. At least, not with so many of their class-mates gone on vacation.
Apple Bloom too was obviously glad Twist was here. The glasses-wearing filly knew a lot about mathematics. And she wasn't bad at Equestrian either - despite her strange way of speaking.
After a few hours they were worn out and had their heads stuffed with as much information as it could gather. Done with learning for the day, Silver Spoon gave the same tour around the house for her newest friend as she had given to Apple Bloom the day before. And Twist turned out to be a perfect guest for the gray little filly. They spent a few entertaining minutes with Twist admiring her family's home in ever growing admiration with just the right hint of jealousy. Eventually, they reached the last part of the tour: The pool.
Today wasn't any cooler than yesterday and so the Silver Spoon had anticipated her friends would like it best to spend the rest of it there. But what she hadn't anticipated was her sister also suffering from the summer heat and already waiting at the pool side for them. Or at least sleeping in a lounge chair, a fashion magazine crumpled in her lap.
"What are we going to do now?" asked Apple Bloom.
"Good quethtion," added Twist. "I don't want to wake her."
Silver Spoon shook her head. "Normally, I'd agree with you. Asleep is the next best thing to her not being around. But if she really wants to take a nap, she can go to her room. Come on, let's have some fun."
Without waiting for an answer, she jumped into the pool. She had always loved those few seconds after diving into the water. Her eyes closed she drifted almost weightlessly. Every sound around her got cut off at once. And then, the moment she broke back through the surface, everything returned to her like the world welcoming her back.
Gasping a little bit, she heard two splashes. One to her right, one to her left. Looking around she saw two blurry messes of wet red hair. Then the one to her right said:
"Do you alwayth leave your glathes on in the pool?"
"No," laughed Silver Spoon, partly to hide her embarrassment. "I guess I got a bit over-exited."
So she climbed up one of the ladders, way sooner than she had expected. On the table closest to her - the one right next to her sister - she saw Twist's glasses. So she put hers right next to them. The she turned around to take another dive into the pool.
But then she heard her sister mumbling: "Do you have to be so noisy?"
"No," said Silver Spoon. "But we want to."
"Can't you be noisy somewhere else?"
"Can't you sleep somewhere else?"
Now her sister sat up and rubbed her eyes. "My room is too hot and I can't sleep with the AC running. Here I at least can catch a breeze and have some shade."
"You can do that beneath a tree on the other side of the house too."
"No, I can't. Our gardener is mowing the lawn. How am I supposed to sleep during that?"
"Why do you want to sleep in the first place? It's only afternoon. And you only woke a few hours ago."
"And why are you out here? Didn't you say something about learning?"
"We're already done with that. And now my friends and I want to relax for the rest of the day."
"Friends, huh?" Marecedes looked over to the pool, where the two red maned fillies had started to splash water at each other. "You have a poor choice in friends."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Marecedes simply ignored her question. "Since when are you friends with them anyway? Whenever I heard you and the little wannabe princess talk about that Apple Bloom, it sounded more like you both hated her with all you have."
Silver Spoon hesitated. 'For about a week' sounded more than pitiful to her. And she perfectly knew that her sister would love to harp on the fact that it didn't take even three days for them to become friends after Diamond Tiara had departed.
Desperate for anything to say, she settled for: "What do you care? Since when are you interested in who I'm friends with?"
Marecedes rolled her eyes. "You're right, I don't care about your friends. As long as their names aren't Diamond Tiara or Apple Bloom."
"And why is that? Why do you have a problem with them? Can't you just be happy I found some friends?"
"Not with them. Mark my words, your precious Diamond Tiara is going to grow up into something mom wouldn't want me to tell you about. And don't get me started with that Apple Bloom."
Silver Spoon was close to just yell and scream at her sister. But she mustered up her last bit of will to resist the urge. She couldn't let herself go, now more than ever. Her new friends shouldn't see her like that.
Fighting the shaking in her voice, she hissed: "Is this about what happened between you and Applejack?"
Her sister blinked at Silver Spoon, a glimpse of surprise rising in her eyes. "You know about that?"
"Yes, she told me you and she had fight some time. But I don't even care what you've been fighting about. All I want is that you stop judging Apple Bloom by what her sister did. Nopony is responsible for what their siblings do or act like. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about."
Marecedes snorted. "Yeah, you're one to talk. Tell that to mom and dad. But fine, why should you start listening to me now? See what happens. I don't need this. I'm out of here."
She threw the fashion magazine onto the table and stood up.
Silver Spoon watched her until she entered the house, then turned back towards the pool. Shaking her head like to throw off the memories of what had just happened, she started running. One short jump later she was back in the water, washing away the lingering anger.
After a long, joyful afternoon of playing and laughing with her friends, eventually Stickler reminded them of the time. But unlike yesterday, he held Silver Spoon back at the front door.
"I am sorry, Lady Silver Spoon, but I am afraid I will have to ask you stay here today. There is something important we have to talk about. And besides that, I can not have you return as late as yesterday. You will have to go school again tomorrow."
"Can't I at least go with them until the market place? I promise I'll come straight back home."
"I am afraid I can not agree to that, Lady Silver Spoon. Your actions over the course of the last days have not been adding to my trust in your word. But that is, at least in part, what we will talk about."
Silver Spoon wanted to try again to argue, but Apple Bloom laid a hoof on her shoulder and said: "It's okay. We'll see each other in school tomorrow."
"Well, I gueth we won't," said Twist smiling. "But you know where elthe to find me."
"Hm, okay," she agreed reluctantly. "I'll see you then. Both of you."
After her friends were gone Stickler led the little filly into the dining room and told her to sit down. Then he sat himself on the other side of the table. Taking a deep breath he said: "Lady Silver Spoon, as you already know, I assume, your father and I had a talk yesterday. I called him to discuss your recent behavior."
Silver Spoon had already opened her mouth, but the butler kept on talking regardless.
"And I am sure we do not need to talk about what I am referring to, do we? As I, your was father was not pleased with you staying away all night without even as much as asking for permission beforehand. However, he explicitly instructed me to let you know that he is not displeased with you staying with a friend over night in general."
"He... is not?"
"No, on the contrary. He was more than happy to hear that you found a new friend. Yet he would have preferred if you had waited with ideas like camping until summer school was over. In that matter, he does agree with my decision not to let you visit the Apples' farm for now."
"For now? As in 'it will be okay later'?"
"Yes, Lady Silver Spoon. As it seems, your father does agree with my decision, yet not with my reasons. He wants you, first and foremost, to improve at school. So he wishes for me to make sure you are working on your studies. Which means, it will be acceptable for you to bring friends here, as long as you still work for school.
"And I want to let you know that we are both most pleased you indeed are getting help for your studies from your new friend and do not use her as a means to avoid it."
"I would never 'use' a friend of mine!"
"Of course not. I am sorry, it was not my intention to implicate anything in that regards."
"Well, never mind. But, how did you know we were studying? We've been in my room all the time."
"By the simple way of checking in on you."
"Really? I didn't notice."
Somewhere behind his thick, well-groomed mustache, for a short moment, Silver Spoon could make out one of Stickler's all too rare smiles.
"And that's how I know you really are finally taking school seriously," her said. "So, provided you keep up your efforts, I will have no choice but to let you visit that family again eventually. Therefore, from now on, I will make it a priority of mine to stay in contact with your teacher. If she can confirm your improvement, then you will have my approval."
Silver Spoon's mind told her to be happy about what her butler had told her. All she had to do to visit her new friend again was keeping up what she had planned to do anyway. Yet something in Stickler's tone held her back.
"Stickler," she said timidly, "you still sound like you don't like me going to the Apples farm. Even after father told you that it is alright?"
His eyes lowered for a moment. Then a silent sigh shook his mustache. "Yes, Lady Silver Spoon. As your father's employee and by my professional honor I am bound to his directions. Yet I still am entitled to my own opinion, which has not changed since we last talked about this matter."
"So I guess father also told you to be nicer to Apple Bloom?"
"Yes, he indeed instructed me to treat her as any other guest of the house. As hard as it is."
Now Silver Spoon sighed, more audibly than her butler did. "How can you say that? What did she ever do to you?"
"It is not about what she has done. It is about her whole family's background and what influence she might bring upon you. I simply am worried about your personal well-being."
"Even though father isn't?"
"Lady Silver Spoon, I guarantee to you that he is."
"You know what I meant. But I don't know what you meant. They're the nicest ponies I ever met. They are hard working and honest. They only knew me for a day and already treated like I was part of their family. What could have ever happened that makes them so scary to you?"
"Scary is the wrong word, Lady Silver Spoon. But I honestly do not think it is an appropriate topic for you to know about."
"What?"
"Lady Silver Spoon, please do accept that I will not delve into this any more. And, for the possibility that I might be wrong, I agree with your father that there is no need to unnecessarily make you think less of your newly found friend."
Silver Spoon opened her mouth, but Stickler kept talking regardless. "Now that this is settled, there is one more thing I need to address. Considering your already mentioned lack of communication regarding your spare time activities, we, that is of course your father and I, have come to the agreement that it would be for the best if you from now on let me or other house personnel, should I not be available, know where you will be when you are not at home and at what time we can expect you to return."
Silver Spoon sat in silence. Not because she was stunned or angry, but because she had to process the last string of words her butler had delivered. After a moment of mentally working through the provided information, she asked: "So, I'll have to tell you where I'm going and when I'm back?"
"That is correct."
"But, I didn't even have to do this during regular school time."
"If you take another look at your most recent report card, you will see where that has led you."
This time, Silver Spoon didn't even attempt to speak up. All she could do was look down at the table and endure the growing heat intruding on her face.
"Well, Lady Silver Spoon, now that we have the unpleasant matters solved, your father wants me to let you know that he is proud of you. He said he is glad that you are working hard and still manage to have a pleasant summer vacation. And, of course, he told me to tell you that he loves you."
The gray little filly never really knew if her butler's ability to deliver such messages in the same way other ponies checked off their shopping lists was impressive or unsettling. Maybe it was even both. But right now, there was another question overshadowing this: "Why didn't he tell me that himself?"
"Well, for one, you weren't home when I called him. But more importantly, he is afraid you might still be mad at him and do not want to talk with him. But if that should not be the case, you are free to call him any time you wish to. I know he would be very glad to hear from you."
Again, Silver Spoon fell silent.
"This would be all, then, Lady Silver Spoon. So, if you don't need me anymore, I will excuse myself and bid you a good evening and a good night."
The filly simply shook her head and so Stickler left her alone with something she had no answer to: Was she still angry with her father?
Yes, he had left her alone at home. Even worse, alone with Marecedes. He had made her go to summer school. Yet, apart from being trapped with her sister, this had proven to be the best that could have happened to her. But would having Stickler in charge be the same in the end? And why wouldn't he trust her to keep up studying if she were visiting Sweet Apple Acres?
The rest of the evening wasn't enough time for her to come to a conclusion. Her mind went back and forth on it. All through supper and her evening bath it was working. It only stopped once she fell asleep. And when she awoke the next day, the questions had vanished from her mind.
The first she saw after her eyes had adjusted to the sudden flood of daylight was Rosy. Still sitting in her bed, Silver Spoon said: "Oh, good morning. I haven't seen you yesterday around here."
The maid chuckled. "That might be because I wasn't here. Even I get a day off once in a while."
"Then why doesn't Stickler get one? I could do a day or two without him."
"Oh, what did he do this time?"
"He put me on watch."
"Really? For what?"
"It's still about that whole camping thing. He called father and now they decided I shouldn't go anywhere without letting Stickler know. And I'm still not allowed to visit Apple Bloom until I'm getting better in school."
"But that doesn't sound so bad, does it? I mean, you usually tell us where you're going anyway, don't you?"
"Yes, but I never had to..."
"And getting your grades up is why you are going to summer school for in the first place. Also, I've heard Apple Bloom is helping you with that. So, keep up the work and I'm sure he'll let the whole reporting in thing go sooner than later."
"I can only hope so. But now that it came up, does Stickler ever have a day off? I can't remember him ever not being around the house."
"He does, technically. I was actually wondering the same thing before and asked him about it. He said becasue he lives here there is no sense in taking a day off since he would still be around anyway."
"I guess that makes sense. Probably."
"But talking about Stickler, I can already hear him complaining about you being late for school. So maybe you should get ready for school?"
Silver Spoon nodded and finally left the soft caress of her bed. Already on the way to the door she said: "Oh, and if I should be so lucky not to see Stickler before I leave, I am planning on visiting the library after school. So I might be back home later than usually."
"Oh, no," she heard the surprised call by her maid.
When she turned around she saw Rosy covering her mouth, with a growing shade of pink on her cheeks. Silver Spoon just stared at her with a raised eyebrow.
"What I mean is, that, um," Rosy said struggling to regain her composure, "maybe you should come back straight home today."
"Why?"
"Well, um, how should I say this..."
"Is this about the surprise planned for me?"
Rosy blinked a few times before she said: "You already know about it?
"I kind of figured it out. Marecedes gave me a good hint. Even though I don't know what it is."
"Okay, then let me tell you, it would be better if you didn't let your surprise wait."
"Let it wait? What's that supposed to mean?"
Rosy smiled. "If I told you it would ruin the surprise. But the sooner you're home the sooner you will see."
"Hm, okay. I guess I can still go the library tomorrow."
Not very long after that the little filly was on her way to school. And there, something happened, that hadn't in a long time. Today she didn't feel completely lost during the lessons.
Naturally, she didn't get everything Cheerilee talked about, but at least she understood enough to know what she could ask about it. And her biggest success came during Geography when she realized that for the very first time her inability to find something on a map was not due to being unable to read it, but simply not knowing where it was.
When Apple Bloom arrived during the break between second and third period Silver Spoon was in high spirits. By now, even what Stickler had told her last evening didn't seem that bad any more. Rosy was right with what she had said. And Apple Bloom agreed, just as Silver Spoon had expected.
The way home they both spent the time with speculating on what the surprise could be.
"Maybe some very special meal?" suggested Apple Bloom.
"No," replied Silver Spoon. "We always have something exotic. Not everyday, but often enough that they wouldn't make such a deal out of it."
"Then maybe they bought ya' a present? Is there some toy ya' wanted for a long time?"
"Hm, no, not a toy. But I always wanted a dog."
"Then maybe they got ya' one to keep you company while yer home alone?"
"Yeah, that would nice. If mother really agreed to that. She always says animals don't belong inside a house. But it would explain how the surprise could be waiting for me and why I should be home as soon as possible."
"Then let's go and find out!"
And before Silver Spoon could stop her Apple Bloom again dashed off towards Silver Spoon's home. A few minutes of running through the summer heated town, they arrived at the gates.
Once more, Stickler greeted them at the front door. This time he even recognized Apple Bloom's presence and offered her a few words of welcome. They gave him a quick response and hurried towards Silver Spoon's room.
And there, standing across the floor, just opposite from the door, waited Marecedes.
"'What do you want?" snapped Silver Spoon as she walked up to the door of her room.
"Just to see your face when you open that door."
"Why? What did you do?"
"Me? I didn't do anything."
Silver Spoon thought for a moment. She knew better than to trust her sister's word. Especially when she was grinning like that. Turning to Apple Bloom, she gave her friend a questioning look. When she nodded, Silver Spoon said: "After you."
Then she looked back to her sister, making sure not to let her out of her sight. Marecedes simply kept on smiling. Cautiously, Silver Spoon opened the door, expecting the worst.
Then, form behind her, she heard a voice.
A voice she had given anything for to just hear it only a few days ago.
Now it made her blood freeze.
What she heard was:
"What is she doing here?" |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 18 | Chapter 18
Silver Spoon stared at Marecedes's wide grin. Her sister's eyes told her all she needed to know. Then she spun around. Apple Bloom still stood in the doorway, paralyzed like a rabbit before a snake. And behind her, inside Silver Spoon's room, waited the surprise.
Diamond Tiara.
Her best friend pointed an accusing hoof at Apple Bloom, still waiting for an answer to her question.
With shaking knees Silver Spoon made a few steps towards the unexpected guest. "Di? How...?"
"What. Is she. Doing. Here?" Diamond Tiara repeated.
"You're not going to believe this," Marecedes threw in, making Diamond Tiara's frown carve itself even deeper into her face. "She is here to help my dear sister with her studies."
Before Marecedes had finished, Diamond Tiara's attention was back at Silver Spoon. "What is she talking about?" she asked with an undertone that demanded it had to be a joke.
"Well... um..." Silver Spoon stammered, still unable to grasp what was going on.
But Apple Bloom finally managed to say: "It's true. Ah'm helpin' Silver Spoon gettin' better at school."
An annoyed look hovered on the red haired filly for a second. Then Diamond Tiara turned once again towards her friend. In her voice lay as much accusation as desperation. "What has been going on here?"
Silver Spoon looked hastily from one of the ponies around her to the other. "I, um, we were going to... you see... like my sister said..."
Her friend silenced the filly with an outstretched hoof. Then she glared at Marecedes. "You!"
"Me?" Marecedes responded, grinning audibly.
Diamond Tiara stomped a few steps closer towards Silver Spoon's sister. "Yes, you. This is your doing, isn't it?"
"How and why should I have done this?"
"To be honest, I have no idea. All I know is that you're doing everything you can to make your sister's life as miserable as possible."
"Well, look who's talking."
"Don't even try to deny it. This here has your hoofwriting all over it."
"Sorry to disappoint you, princess. But I have nothing to with this. She did this all on her own."
"Then why are you even here?"
"Because I thought things could get interesting here. You see, it's quite the chance that my sister really gets it this time. And if that should happen, I can't miss it. And even if not, with you and the redhead, this ought to be a good show."
"Well then, show's over." With these words she slammed the door shut. Then she turned around, fixating on Apple Bloom. "At least for her."
For a moment Silver Spoon kept her eyes on the door. She expected it to swing back open again any second. Her sister wouldn't let herself get cut off this easily. She was sure of that. But to her astonishment nothing happened. So she turned her attention back to Diamond Tiara who was standing now in front of Apple Bloom.
She stared her right in the eyes, their noses only inches apart. Then Diamond Tiara hissed: "What are you up to?"
"Didn't Ah' tell ya' already? We were going to learn for school."
"Don't take me for stupid. I know that's just a cover."
"A cover? For what?"
"That's what I want to know!"
"What even gave ya' this idea?"
"Silver Spoon would have never let anypony like you-"
"What's that supposed to mean, somepony like me?" Apple Bloom snapped.
But Diamond Tiara didn't let that stop her. "-into her home unless you tricked her somehow. And you wouldn't trick her into it if there wouldn't be something for you to gain out of it. So, what is it?"
Seeing the growing shades of scarlet in both her friends' faces, Silver Spoon was finally able to pull her mind back together. Hastily, she stepped forward and said: "No, that's not true, Di. She didn't trick me."
"How do you know?" Diamond Tiara asked, not breaking eye contact with Apple Bloom for even a second. "If she did it well enough, you wouldn't have noticed."
"Because I asked her to help me. I wanted the help."
Now Diamond Tiara slowly turned her head around. For a few seconds, her mouth hanging slightly open, she mustered her friend. Then her eyes widened and she nodded.
"So that's it," Diamond Tiara said and walked over to her friend. Giving her a quick hug with one leg she continued: "I see, this is all my fault."
Apple Bloom and Silver Spoon looked at each other, both silently asking the same question. Then the latter said it out loud: "What are you talking about now?"
"No, no, it's okay. I know when I am wrong. If I hadn't left with my family and stayed here in the first place, you wouldn't have had the need to hire somepony to help you with summer school. But, please, why in Equestria did it have to be her of all fillies? Well, it doesn't matter. Now I am here to help you. So, blank flank, you're not needed any more. Now leave."
She waved a hoof, shooing Apple Bloom towards the door.
Yet Apple Bloom stood where she was and closed her eyes. "No, Ah' won't. Ah' don't think ya-"
"Oh, yes, yes," Diamond Tiara interrupted her. "Of course. Don't worry. How much were you promised? I'll pay you whatever you would have gotten."
"No," said Silver Spoon, "Di, you don't-"
But she, too, got interrupted. "Yes, I do. When it's my fault, it is my fault. And that's why I'll cover for you. Don't worry, it's no problem."
Apple Bloom started rubbing her forehead. "This is gonna be harder than Ah' thought..."
"Please, just stop and listen to me," begged Silver Spoon. "Apple Bloom is not here because I pay her."
"What?" asked Diamond Tiara. "Did you actually get her to do this for free?"
"She didn't have to 'get me'," Apple Bloom groaned. "Ah' asked her if she wanted ma' help."
"You... what? Didn't you just say it was the other way around?"
"Well, yes," said Silver Spoon. "It was kind of a little bit of both. You see, a lot of things happened the last days. To make it short, we became really good friends and that's why she offered to help me."
"Friends? You and her?" Diamond Tiara probably wouldn't have looked any more horrified if she had been told her house had burned down while she was gone. She covered her mouth with a hoof, her eyes starting to glisten with tears. "But I've only been away for about a week. How is this possible? Were you really that lonely you'd stoop this low to have some company?"
"Excuse me?" Apple Bloom cried with more rage in her voice than Silver Spoon would have ever thought possible.
"With pleasure," Diamond Tiara snapped, in no way less furious. "There's the door. You're very much excused!"
Watching Apple Bloom's face grow as red as her brother's, Silver Spoon quickly moved to her side. "I'm sorry, maybe it is for the best if you leave now. I'll be at the library tomorrow around noon. Let's meet there, okay?"
Apple Bloom glared one last time at Diamond Tiara like she wanted to strangle her with her eyes. Then she shook her head and took a deep breath. "Maybe yer right. Ah'll see ya' tomorrow then." Her voice was still shaking with anger.
Diamond Tiara didn't even wait until Apple Bloom had left the room. "Really? That blank flank? Are you serious?"
"Of course I am." Silver Spoon did her best to stay as composed as she could manage. She knew nothing would be gained if she started to get emotional too.
Diamond Tiara, however, did nothing to hide how she felt. "So, are you also already friends with the other two losers?"
"If you mean Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, no. Not yet, anyway. But please, would you stop calling them names?"
"Not yet?" Diamond Tiara demanded, completely ignoring her friend's request. "What do you mean by that?"
"That I plan on apologizing to them for all I did as soon as I get the chance."
"Why would you do that? For that matter, what do you have to apologize for?"
"I was afraid you would say that... Let me ask you, Di: Don't you think, what we said and did to them, always making fun of whatever they did and them having no cutie marks, that it was mean and wrong?"
Her friend didn't even blink before she answered: "No, why would I? Why do you even think I would?"
"Simple," sighed Silver Spoon. "Because it was mean and wrong."
"No, it was fun."
"For us, maybe."
"Not maybe, definitely. And that's all that counts. Why would you bother with them? We're better than those losers, so we have all the rights to let them know."
"That's what I tried to tell myself too. But honestly, you don't really believe that. Do you?"
"I don't have to believe it. I know it."
"You can't be serious."
"Of course I am. And you know I'm right."
"No. No, you're not." Silver Spoon closed her eyes. She had to take a deep breath to keep her voice composed. This was going so much worse than she had feared. "We have both been wrong about a lot of things."
Diamond Tiara slowly shook her head. "What happened to you?"
"I have finally come to my senses, Di. I found friends. New friends. And they have shown me that you and I don't need to be as lonely as we were, Di. The problem is with us, not them."
"What do you mean by lonely? And what problems? What are you talking about?"
"You don't have to play strong." Silver Spoon laid a hoof on her friend's shoulder. "I know it is hard to admit to yourself, but the way we lived wasn't exactly the happiest, right?"
"No, nothing's right!" Diamond Tiara cried and shoved Silver Spoon's hoof away. Now her anger in her voice finally made way for desperation. "I don't get what's going on. Everything was perfect. Why in Equestria would you think I wasn't happy? I am rich, talented and have my life planned out for me. And best of all, I have a best friend to share it with. Or at least, I thought so."
Silver Spoon felt her heart slip away from her. "What do you mean, you thought so?"
"I mean that I literally begged my daddy to let me leave our summer house at the beach so I could come back here and be by your side, because I couldn't stand the thought of my best friend suffering all alone, having to go to school during summer. Then he finally gives in, I travel all across the country on my own, just to find out you've been having the time of your life behind my back."
Silver Spoon's shoulders had drooped a bit lower with each word she heard. Something in her throat made it impossible for her to speak. It took her some time to sort out her thoughts. Then, after an eternity passing by she said with a dry throat: "So, you would have preferred it if I had been miserable this whole week?"
Diamond Tiara was already about to shoot back another tirade. But then she closed her mouth again and swallowed hard. Closing her eyes she whispered: "No, of course not. I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I knew this would come as a surprise for you. Had I known you'd be here today I would have been prepared for all of this a little bit better."
"No, you're right. You shouldn't have to stay bored just to please me. That wouldn't be what I'd have wanted."
Silver Spoon smiled. "I know. So, can we start this all over again?"
"Yes, I guess that would be best. I mean, it's only been a week. This is nothing we can't fix. And we shouldn't be fighting over how you spent that time. We should focus on how to get you out of this."
"Get me out of what?"
"Whatever is going on between you and that blank flank. You said she's helping you with school, right? Well, that's no big deal. I can do that too. So, is there anything else?"
"You mean, besides us being friends and spending a lot of time together?"
"No, I meant anything more between her and you."
"So did I. Have you even been listening to me?"
Diamond Tiara groaned, her face contorting in freshly upwelling rage. "Have you been listening to yourself? You're talking about being friends with those losers. They're not worthy of your friendship. They're not worthy of you. Of ponies like us. Didn't you just say you wanted to start all over? Then how are we going to undo this mess and start all over?"
Silver Spoon felt a growing pain around her temples. Fighting hard to suppress any annoyance in her voice she said: "I meant our talk. Just let me explain what happened during the last week. And then you'll see why I don't want to 'get out of this,' okay?"
"No, it's not okay." Now Diamond Tiara started pacing around the room. This was never a good sign with her. Yelling, screaming and ranting were on thing with her. But Silver Spoon knew Diamond Tiara well enough to know she only started pacing when she was close to exploding. "You are supposed to take my side, not hers. You are my friend. Not theirs. This is not how it's supposed to be. How could you betray me like that?"
"Betray you? How?" Silver Spoon asked cautiously.
"I told you. I thought you were my friend. I get that being alone for a week is boring, but now I'm back. There is no need for you to keep around any other ponies."
"'I am not keeping her around. You talk about her like she was a toy I could throw away when I get bored of it. No matter what you say, she is my friend and that's it. But you are too. You have always been and will always be my best friend. But that doesn't mean I can't have any other friends."
"Yet you always told me you don't need any other friends."
Silver spoon winced. "Well, yes, I did. But as much I said it to you, I was even more trying to tell it to myself. I thought I wouldn't find any other friends anyway."
Her friend stopped walking right in front of her, locking their gazes. She expected to see accusation, fury or even malice in those sapphire eyes. But there was only hurt. And Diamond Tiaras next words felt like a slap to her.
"So you lied to me?"
"No!" cried Silver Spoon.
"Then what else would you call it?"
"I... I..." Silver Spoon tried to answer. But she couldn't even breath under her best friend's challenging stare. Feeling her resolve fizzling away she averted her eyes. "I never lied to you. Not intentionally. I know, maybe you could see it that way. But that's not important now. You have to believe me, you were, are and always will be my best friend, okay?"
"Well then, prove it." This was no proposal or dare. Silver Spoon knew this was even more than a demand. She had heard this underlying declaration of superiority too often before. But never had she used it when talking to her. "If you really are my best friend, don't see Apple Bloom anymore. Or any of her lame friends."
"Di, you can't..." Silver Spoon closed her eyes, shutting in upwelling tears. Showing weakness would only cement her friend's victory. "Please, why are you making this so difficult?"
"You are the one making it difficult. I gave you a simple choice. They or I. What is so difficult about that?"
Silver Spoon had to muster all her will to stop her hooves from shaking. She knew getting Diamond Tiara to accept all this would have been hard. But she would have never expected things to spiral out of control like this. Was this what it has been like for all those other foals they had harassed before?
Timidly she lifted her head. All she could see now as she looked back up into her best friend's eyes was helpless fury.
"Listen, Di," she whispered, "that's not fair. I don't want to have to chose between you and them."
"Fine," hissed Diamond Tiara, turning away from Silver Spoon. "If you can't make the choice, I do."
"Di, plea-"
"No! I'm done. Just get it over with and leave me alone."
Silver Spoon felt her a crack running deep into her heart. This was beyond the worst. Defeated and with a shaking voice she said: "Well, maybe I should give you some time alone. But please, think about what I really said."
She waited for an answer, but Diamond Tiara simply kept looking at the carpet. Without another word, Silver Spoon opened the door to her room. Before leaving she threw another look over her shoulder. Her friend still wouldn't look at her. But she was sure she saw tears dropping from Diamond Tiara's cheeks.
Where exactly she would be going was of no importance at the moment. All that mattered was getting distance between her and Diamond Tiara. Instinctively she headed for the front-door. It was only when she walked into Rosy that she realized she was still in her own home.
Clueless to the filly's current situation, the maid asked joyfully: "Well, did you like your surprise?"
"My surprise? Um, well, yes, it was... it was... really not what I had expected." Silver Spoon fought valiantly to keep a smile on her face.
"Aren't that the best ones?" Rosy giggle pounded on Silver Spoon's eardrums. "So, may I assume you are getting some drinks and snacks for the three of you?"
"What? Oh, I, um, no. Actually, we're not three anymore. Apple Bloom already left. She... she... said she didn't have that much time today anyway. And since, you know, Diamond Tiara and I have so much to tell each other after this week, she was so kind to give us some time for that."
"Ah, I see. Now that's nice of her. Then, should I get some snacks for you?"
"Oh, no. No, that won't be necessary. You see, I was going to, well, take a walk anyway."
"Take a walk? But what about Miss Diamond Tiara?"
"Oh, um, she is resting. Yes, resting. She's still stressed out from her travel. Which reminds me, if you haven't already, you should prepare a guest room for her."
"But, I thought she would stay in your room. Stickler said you always share your bed when she's here for a sleepover."
"Yes, usually we do. But, you see, usually I don't have to go to school when she doesn't. And I just know how much she likes sleeping in whenever she has the chance. So I don't want her to have to wake up early when there is no need for that."
"But I thought she is going to go to school together with you?"
"She... is?"
"Oh, no." Rosy covered her mouth with a hoof. "She didn't tell you yet, did she? I'm so sorry, she must have meant to keep this as another surprise for you."
"It's okay. That's actually... good to know..."
"I knew you would like that. But I am still sorry I spoiled it. But don't worry, I'll play along. The guest room will be ready as soon as possible."
"Good. Okay, then, if I should be so lucky not to see Stickler before I leave, please tell him I'm out in town. I'll be back for supper. At the latest."
"Of course. Any specific place you're going to?"
"If he really wants to know that, tell him the candy store. But honestly, I have no idea right now."
The maid nodded and Silver Spoon made her way towards the front door. While she indeed was lucky enough not to meet her butler, she was so unfortunate to meet somepony else. Just when she had descended the stairs in the entrance hall, Marecedes came from the kitchen, a soda in her right hoof. Silver Spoon tried to ignore her sister and simply leave, but at the same time knew she wouldn't be aloud to escape that easily.
"What, is it over already?" Marecedes rejoiced with so obviously fake surprise it instantly made Silver Spoon's blood boil. "First the redhead leaves even earlier than expected and now you're running away too?"
Running away? That really was what she had wanted to do. Not from her friend, but from her sister. But now she stood as steady as her racing heart would allow it. There was no way Silver Spoon would give Marecedes the satisfaction of being right.
When she was sure she wouldn't cry or yell she grumbled: "I'm just going for a walk, that's all."
"And your little princess?"
"Is resting."
"From the shock she just had?" Marecedes took her time to give a sneering laugh. "Come on, I saw her face. She was furious about you having another friend. Am I right?"
Silver Spoon's ears were already ringing. She had to get out of here. Yet she couldn't possibly just bail. She had already lost one battle today. "She was merely surprised, that's all."
"Oh, I believe she was. But I can't believe she took it that well. In fact I imagine her to have thrown quite the tantrum about it. Say, did the little farm filly go because she didn't want to deal with it or has she been thrown out by your new roommate?"
Mreceds's condescending smile made it harder and harder to for Silver Spoon not to just lash out at her sister. With each word she had to withstand her whole body cramped up. Silver Spoon replied through gritted teeth: "Why do you even care? Are you that upset you didn't get to see it?"
"I wouldn't call it upset. Though I still wish I would have been there. I knew she'd do her best to drive off her new rival. But you also being out of there by this time? That's unexpected. Still, maybe now you'll listen to me for once."
She couldn't be serious. After all the years of taunts and mockery. That was it. Silver Spoon's limit had been reached. All left to her now was explode right there and then. "For once? I've listened to you for way too long. No. Not this time. I won't let you have your fun with me anymore. I wanted to make up with you. I wanted to see a nice side in you. I wanted to just be your sister. But if all I am to you is a punchline, then just leave me alone and never talk to me again."
She stared her sister straight in the eyes, daring her to give another of her verbal jabs. But it never came. Not a single word crossed her sister's lips. Instead, Marecedes's expression went blank and her jaw dropped. Just like the soda from her hoof. And by the look in her eyes, Silver Spoon might as well had just kicked her in the belly.
An eternal second later Silver Spoon turned around and marched out of the front-door. Her hooves were carried by a grim sense of victory. She knew she had finally scored one over her dreaded sibling. She knew she should feel glad and happy about it.
And at the same time she knew it was wrong. As satisfying as it had felt to finally stand up to her sister, this also spelled out to her the end of all hopes of ever getting along with her. There was no turning back now. In more than one way. All this made her want to get out of her home even faster.
But where exactly would she be going? Should she go to the library now? But she had already told Apple Bloom she would be there tomorrow. So she might as well go then. Being there maybe even sooner than noon was now also a more than welcome excuse to leave the house as soon as possible.
Yet Apple Bloom was a good thought. Seeing her right now would be the best. But she had, most likely, gone back to Sweet Apple Acres. And going there only a day after she had promised not to would be a stupid idea. But, didn't the Apples sell their harvest at the market? It was a slim chance, yet maybe Apple Bloom went there to meet up with her siblings. It was worth a try.
With growing pace she left her home and walked down the road towards the market. Close to running she reached the vast assembly of stands and ponies. And that's where Silver Spoon's optimism got cut short. One of those ponies selling their goods she recognized as a friend of her sister. She didn't know her name, but Silver Spoon certainly recognized the mint colored coat and lavender mane. Not to mention her cutie mark made of a quill and an abacus.
This view made her stand still. For a second the world froze as she stared at that mockingly friendly face. Silently, Silver Spoon cursed whoever was holding the strings of her fate. Up until now Applejack's idea of talking to her sister's friends had failed due to the simple fact that Silver Spoon didn't know where any of them lived. And, of course, that none of them had been around to visit Marecedes in the past days. And up until a few minutes ago she had hoped she would run into one of them by chance. But now that everything was lost, one of them just stood there, handing a bag of walnuts to a customer. Just as if to spray some lemon juice onto her wounded soul.
Yet this was far from the worst.
No, the worst was that it reminded Silver Spoon of how readily Applejack had tried to come up with help for her. And not only did this one not work, but she also had blown any other advice the Apple's had come up with out of the window just moments ago. With full force and no holds barred.
How should she face Applejack now?
Regardless if Apple Bloom was there or not, her friend's older sister would ask her how things were going. And she would have to answer. Have to answer that she had failed. That prospect was even worse than any time she had to tell Cheerilee she hadn't done her homework. She had never before asked to be given homework. But to disappoint Applejack this way, after all the kindness she had shown to her, was absolutely nothing Silver Spoon wanted to note on her lists of things which made this the worst day of her life.
But, what should she do now?
After a long time of just staring at that familiar filly she didn't know the name of, Silver Spoon decided that maybe it would be for the best to head for the candy store after all. She hadn't really meant it went she said it to Rosy, but all else that would be there for her was wandering around aimlessly. |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 19 | Chapter 19
Her had dragged down by something heavy she couldn't shake, Silver Spoon moved herself towards Bon Bon's shop. Mechanically, she pushed open the door. And before the bell above it had turned silent once again, she heard the owner's unbearably joyful voice.
"Hello, honey. Apple Bloom here just told us what happened."
These words dragged her head back up instantly. There she stood. The one filly she had been looking for, together with Bon Bon and Twist.
"At least up until Ah' left." Apple Bloom added.
"Did you bring her with you?" Twist wanted to know.
Silver Spoon only shook her head as she walked over to the small group at the counter.
"Ah' guess it's for the best," said Apple Bloom grimly. "Ah' know Ah' went against everything Ah' said to ya' and what Ah' had in mind. But this came just too unexpected."
"Not just for you, I'd say," said Bon Bon. "From what you've been telling us, Diamond Tiara was most likely just not able to cope with what was happening. If you give her some time and talk to her again I'm sure she'll come around."
"Ah' sure hope so," said Apple Bloom. Her voice made it all too clear that she had more than a few doubts.
Silver Spoon said nothing. She was still pondering if she should tell them about what Diamond Tiara had said to her after Apple Bloom had left. Wouldn't that make everything even worse than it already was? Unnecessarily so if Bon Bon was right and Di just needed some time to adjust.
"Oh, don't worry so much, honey." Bon Bon's voice pulled Silver Spoon's attention back to her surroundings. "There's no need to look so down. Talk to her again when she has calmed down. And when you're better prepared. Believe me, all that simply happened because nopony saw it coming."
"No, not nopony," said Silver Spoon bitterly. "My sister knew it."
"Well, of course a few ponies had to know. How else would Diamond Tiara have made it into your room?"
"No, not just knew she was there. My sister knew how all this would turn out. Had to turn out. And naturally, she let me run into this mess while laughing from the sidelines."
"Naturally? What do you mean?"
Silver Spoon sighed. "That she always enjoys me getting embarrassed or being humiliated. Whenever there's a chance for her to laugh at my expense, she'll find and cease it."
"Hm, that sounds bad."
All three fillies stared at her expectantly, but the mare didn't say anything more. She just stared back at them and asked: "What?"
"Well..." said Silver Spoon. "Somehow I expected you would tell me she can't be all that bad or something like that."
Bon Bon averted her gaze and started rubbing the back of her head. "Maybe I should, yes. But to be honest, I know how big sisters can be."
Silver Spoon looked at the her two friends. And it was obvious that they had the same thought as she did.
"What do you mean?" the filly asked.
Bon Bon grimaced like she had realized a bad mistake. She looked from left to right and back. Then she grumbled: "I have no choice but to tell you now, do I?"
None of the fillies objected.
"Fine," sighed Bon Bon. "But for you to really understand this, I'll have to start with my parents. They were both highly celebrated musicians in Canterlot. Or rather, still are. My father, being excessively proud of his success, to say it nicely, expected us to live up to his glory. A famous Earth Pony musician - 'regarded as a true master despite lacking the magic of the unicorns dominating this fine field of arts,' as he called it.
"To make it short, my sister did and I did not. She was a natural and I was struggling to even play the simplest tunes. And worst of all, my sister didn't just get my father's talent - she also got his attitude about it. The better she became, with every musical contest she won and every award she earned, she raised her nose a little higher. Sometimes I wonder how it stayed in the middle of her face and didn't juster wander up to her forehead on its own.
"All in all, I'm just glad my younger sister didn't turn out like her. Maybe that's because she happened to be a unicorn, like my mother. I guess my dad saw it as a given that she'd have musical talent. But all that left me the odd one out. And my prodigy of an older sister let me knew that every single day. My father at least tried to hide his disappointment but I always knew he loved her more. Yet she never missed a chance to tell or show me how much better she was."
"Wow." Silver Spoon' first thought about this revelation went straight on to her tongue. "That sounds even worse than my problem."
Twist nodded eagerly. "Yeah. How did you tholve that?"
Bon Bon started to ruffle her own mane again. "Well, first of all, my younger sister kept me from turning mad. And when we were old enough, she and I moved here and I never spoke to my older sister again."
"Tho, you ran away?"
Bon Bon rolled her eyes. "I guess you can say that."
"Now that's not very helpful," commented Apple Bloom.
"I never said it would be."
But Silver Spoon shook her head. "It's okay. If nothing else, knowing that I'm really not the only one who has this kind of trouble is nice. In some sort of way, at least."
"But do ya' have any better idea how to improve things with yer sister now?" Apple Bloom wanted to know.
This sent a needle deep into Silver Spoon's soul. She had already forgotten that her friend also didn't know about her last confrontation with Marecedes. Trying her best to not let her face give her mood away, Silver Spoon said: "No. But now I know more than ever I should find one. I don't want to move to another town. I like Ponyville."
To Silver Spoon's amazement, the others simply laughed at her remark.
When she kept staring back at them, not showing the least bit of amusement, Bon Bon said: "Oh, don't worry honey. I'm sure you will find a way to fix it. After all I heard you saying about Apple Bloom and seeing how that turned out in the end, I have no doubt you won't have to leave town over this."
Apple Bloom nodded. "Say, why don't we go see Fluttershy? Maybe she can help us with this too?"
"You mentioned her before," said Bon Bon. "Isn't she that one pegasus who lives with all those animals?"
"Yes," confirmed Silver Spoon. "Why do you ask?"
"It's just that I'm a little bit surprised. I don't see her that often, but when I do, it's just that. I see her. I never really talked to her. She's always so quiet and shy that I sometimes ask myself if those animals are the only she ever talks to."
"Of course not," said Apple Bloom. "She's friends with ma' sister and ma' sister's friends."
"And she's really nice and kind," added Silver Spoon. "Kind of like my grandma."
"Your grandma?" repeated Bon Bon. "But, she doesn't look like she's older than me. I'd even say a few years younger."
"I know. But the way she talks to me or that kind smile... It just reminds me of my grandma."
"And if it hadn't been for her," Apple Bloom threw in, "Ah' think Silver Spoon and Ah' would still be fightin' with each other."
"Well, then I don't want to keep you any longer from seeing her. I'm sorry I couldn't be of any help. But please come by again and tell me if you had any luck, okay?"
"Okay!" the two fillies agreed and left the store.
They had only come a few steps away from Bon Bon's store when Silver Spoon stopped suddenly. She closed her eyes and her right hoof hit her fore-head.
"What?" she heard the concerned voice of her friend.
"I forgot to ask," replied Silver Spoon. "Again."
"Ask what? And who?"
"Bon Bon. About the Braeburn's."
"Yer still serious about that?" laughed Apple Bloom.
Silver Spoon opened her eyes again. "Of course."
"Well then, want to go back?"
"No, that would be too embarrassing. I can still ask the next time I see her. If I don't forget it. Again."
Apple Bloom laughed again. "Okay, so if we're not goin' back, let's get to Fluttershy's!"
Silver Spoon held her friend by the shoulder. In her mind, she already saw her dashing off once again. And going by the puzzled look this earned her, she was right. Silver Spoon shook her head and said: "Please, let's not hurry this time. I absolutely have no time I want to save right now."
"Oh, right. I guess ya' wouldn't mind goin' 'round the market then? Ah' still don't think Ah' can face ma' sister after what Ah' did."
"What, you really think she would get mad about that at you?"
"No, but... Well, it would be too embarrassin', ya' know?"
Silver Spoon smiled. "I think I do. Okay then, let's get going."
After an almost leisurely stroll through Ponyville they arrived at Fluttershy's home. Just watching the animals all around her as they walked the last yards towards the house soothed Silver Spoon's mind. It was a welcome distraction from the last few hours. So much that she asked herself why she hadn't come here in the first place.
But the moment Fluttershy had opened the door, she knew the answer. Instantly, she found herself locked in the surveying gaze of the little white watchdog of a bunny. Oblivious to her pet's behavior, Fluttershy greeted them happily. She wasted no time to welcome them inside and provide them with some tea and cookies.
Once they were all settled in her living room the fillies told her all about the last days. They wanted to get right to the point of Diamond Tiara's unexpected return, but their host was so eager to hear everything that happened since their camping night that there was no way around it. Not only that, Fluttershy was so shocked when she heard about Silver Spoon's butler they had a hard time convincing her that they were completely satisfied with the agreement he and Silver Spoon had come to. Even harder due to this being only partly the truth.
After all that her reaction to Diamond Tiara's arrival seemed surprisingly calm to Silver Spoon. Maybe that was also because Silver Spoon still neglected telling everything that had been said between her and her friend. Yet she still heard what she had expected, with Fluttershy basically telling them what Bon Bon had already given as advice: "From what you are telling me this sounds like she was simply a bit overwhelmed. I'm sure it was all just too much for her at once. Give her a day or two. You said she will go to school with you, didn't you Silver Spoon? Maybe that is the best thing to happen for you. Talk to her again then, at a more neutral place. And explain to her exactly what happened. Oh, and most importantly, make sure to let her know you won't abandon her just because you have another friend now."
Silver Spoon tried to nod but something in the back of her head kept her from moving. She simply kept staring at the table between her and Fluttershy. "Do you honestly think that would work?"
"Of course I do." The pegasus's voice was as gentle as always but Silver was certain she heard a grain of indignation burried in it. "Getting into fights and staying angry at each other may be the easier way to settle things. But you will see, over time nopony will be happy with it."
"Okay, I guess I'll have to trust you on that. You and Bon Bon."
"It worked out just fine the last time," said Apple Bloom with her ever lasting force of optimism. "And we won't know if it works unless we try. Ah' promise Ah won't let her get to me the next time. But Ah' have to admit, she's terribly good at that."
Silver Spoon gave a hollow laugh. "Believe me, I know how that feels."
"Well, this time she won't catch me off-guard. Ah' guess this is worth tryin'."
"It always is," said Fluttershy with one of her heart warming smiles. "You'll see. In the end, showing some kindness will always be the better answer."
Silver Spoon nodded silently. He heart told her that Fluttershy was right. She had to be right. It would just be too unsettling if she wasn't. But at the same time, her mind formed a question. The one she had wanted to ask more than anything that had come up until now. And her tongue ceased the chance for her: "Do you think this is also true for older sisters?"
"Definitely," replied Fluttershy. "Why wouldn't it be?"
"I don't know. I just hope it is. It's just that my sister, well, makes it more than hard for me to do that."
"What do you mean?"
"You still remember I said she was waiting in front of my room and waited for Di and us to run into each other?"
"Yes, I do. But what is so bad about that? If I had a younger sister who would get a surprise visit from her friend I would want to see it too."
"Yes, but the difference is, you'd be expecting it to be a happy thing, right?"
"Who wouldn't?"
Fluttershy's honest confusion let Silver Spoon's throat run dry. This had to be what grown-ups felt like when they had to explain all those unkind things about the world to a foal. Maybe this was even what Raising Hammer had felt like when she tried to explain the meaning behind a monimentum. The filly took a long sip from her teacup - only to almost spill most of it over the floor. She had completely forgotten how hot it still was.
Coughing and wiping her mouth with the back of her hoof, she said: "My sister."
This sounded so much less dramatic than she had wanted it to. Yet still, her words had an obvious impact on the mare in front of her. Her disbelief was written all over her face. Silver Spoon might as well have told her that Angel was Cerberus in disguise.
Not waiting for Fluttershy to say anything Silver Spoon said: "All she wanted to see was things breaking down between Di, Apple Bloom and me. She even freely admitted it. She said she wanted to be there when I get it. All she wanted was to see all three of us getting into a fight."
"But...but..." Fluttershy stammered.
"But she's my sister?" Silver Spoon offered.
"Yes!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "I can't believe somepony would do that to their own family. Are you sure this wasn't a misunderstanding?"
Silver Spoon snorted. "If that was a misunderstanding, I must have had a lot of misunderstandings with her. As far back as I can remember, my sister either ignored me or tried to pick a fight with me. And usually, her tries were astonishingly good."
"And why does she do that?"
"That's what I want to know. I didn't do anything to her."
"I never said you did. But there has to be a reason for what she does. Nopony just acts so mean out of nowhere. You should know that, don't you, Silver Spoon?"
"I know what you want to say. But, what if she does?"
"Just because you can't see it doesn't mean there is no reason. Sometimes they are hidden so well you have look real close to find it. But there always is one."
"What makes you so sure about that?"
"Experience. You know, once my friends and I had been attacked by a manticore in the Everfree Forest. We happened to run into it and before we knew what was happening, it roared and raged at us. And all of my friends didn't hesitate to pick up this fight. Yet once I've got them all to stop for just a few seconds, I found out that the poor thing had a thorn stuck in his paw. As soon as I had removed that teeny tiny thing, the manticore became peaceful and friendly."
"Wait, you actually went close enough to an angry manticore to look at its paws?"
"Of course. I had to help him, didn't I?"
"But... aren't those things huge? And dangerous? Weren't you afraid of what it could it have done to you?"
"Not really. Maybe a little bit, but I was even more afraid of what that poor little thing would have to endure if nopony ever helped him."
Silver Spoon stared wide eyed at Fluttershy. If she hadn't seen her with the bear before and heard of the cockatrice from Apple Bloom, she wouldn't have dared to consider this anything but a lie. But this way, she couldn't stop imagining the quiet pegasus as maybe the bravest pony in all of Equestria.
After a moment of admiring silence she finally managed to ask: "And how is this supposed to help me with my sister?"
"Didn't I tell you? All you have to do is look for that thorn in your sister's paw. Or hoof, I guess."
Silver Spoon nodded reluctantly. She didn't know what she had hoped for, yet this was not it. She knew what Fluttershy was saying. And she also knew that it basically was no different from what she had gotten as advice before.
"Say, Silver Spoon," said Apple Bloom, reminding Silver Spoon her friend still sat by her side. "Have ya' already tried what ma' sister and brother had told ya'?"
The filly swallowed hard. She felt like Apple Bloom had stuck her hoof deep inside her belly and twisted her guts around. "Well, no. I tried to but... You know, it's not that easy..."
"What did they tell you?" asked Fluttershy.
"Basically, that I should be nicer to her and watch out not to start fights on my part."
"And that thing about speaking with her friends," added Apple Bloom.
Silver Spoon's inside twisted a bit further. "Yes, that too. But I didn't get a chance... And, to be honest, I don't know if I will ever again."
"Of course ya' will. Or did yer sister say anythin' about never bringin' a friend over again?"
"No, she didn't. But I didn't mean just that. You know, it's that...that..." Silver Spoon had to stop for a moment and take a deep breath. "I blew up right in her face. When I wanted to leave, she had nothing better to do than to rub it all in. Everything that happened and that she wanted it to go that way. You know, I couldn't stand it anymore. I told her to leave me alone and never speak to me again."
Staring at the remains of her tea, Silver Spoon waited for their reactions. She prepared herself to hear the disappointment, maybe even anger about what she did.
But when Apple Bloom talked again, she didn't sound any different than usually. "Then, why don't ya' go back to her and tell her yer sorry?"
Silver Spoon raised her had and looked into those amber eyes, not betraying the undying friendliness in Apple Bloom's voice.
Then she said: "Yeah, right. She teases, taunts and torments me for years. And this one time I am actually fighting back, I'll go and apologize for it?"
Apple Bloom shrugged. "Ya' don't have to. But do ya' think this will make her come to ya' and apologize?"
"No, of course it won't. But then, what will?"
"Maybe," said Fluttershy, tapping her chin with her hoof, "you really shouldn't apologize."
Both fillies fell silent. A short exchange of looks told Silver Spoon that Apple Bloom also couldn't believe she had heard Fluttershy say that.
"Maybe," the pegasus continued, "you should simply explain to your sister why you said what you said. And then ask her why she did, well, whatever it was she has been doing."
"But, won't I run into the same problem I faced before?" asked Silver Spoon. "Every time I try to talk to her or she talks to me, we end up fighting. And I don't know how to avoid that other than not talking to her at all."
"Then," said Apple Bloom, "why don't ya' go back to the idea with talkin' to her friends?"
"But, I don't know..." she started, but then she jumped to her hooves. "Wait, I do know where one of them is. I saw her at the market earlier."
"Okay, Ah'm not gonna ask why ya' haven't talked to her then already. But ya'd better go and look if she's still there."
Silver Spoon's heart sank a few inches. "Aren't you coming with me?"
"Um, no Ah' think that is something ya' should do on yer own. And there's somethin' else Ah' want to ask Fluttershy."
Instinctively Silver Spoon looked at the mare at the mentioning of her name. Fluttershy once more had the same soothing aura as her grandma. "I think Apple Bloom is right. You want her help, not Apple Bloom. And doing this on your own makes it more honest, you know."
Silver Spoon didn't. But so far, Fluttershy had given her no reason to doubt her words. So she nodded and turned back to Apple Bloom. "Okay, I'll try, no, do my best."
"Ah' hope that Ah' get some good news from you tomorrow then. Meeting at the library still stands?"
"Of course," confirmed Silver Spoon.
When she had closed the front door behind her, she stood still for several moments. Doubts if all this had any chance of success at all were still clinging to her legs. But then she shook her head and whispered to herself: "You'll never find out unless you go now."
Then she broke into a run, down the path towards the town and straight to the market place. She didn't slow down there. The past days spent with Apple Bloom had been a good training. She dodged the moving ponies around her with ease. Took every corner as close as possible. And didn't even care anymore about angry shouts trailing after her.
And she didn't stop until she was there. Right in front of the stand offering a vast variety of nuts and vegetables. And behind it stood a pine-green coated mare with a turquoise mane. There was striking resemblance with the one Silver Spoon was looking for - but Marecedes's friend wasn't there. The filly stared her, futilely trying to say something. And the mare stared back at the heavily panting filly.
"You... not...where..." was all that made it out of Silver Spoon's throat.
"Calm down little one," said the mare. "And then tell me if and how I can help you."
Silver Spoon stepped aside to get out of the way of some customers. While she was catching her breath the mare behind the stand kept glancing at her out of the corner of her eye.
When she was finally able to talk normally again, Silver Spoon said: "I am looking for the mare that was here before."
"I'm afraid you have to be a bit more specific than that. A lot of mares were here today."
"No, not a customer. She was working here."
"Oh, you mean my daughter?"
"Maybe?"
"Well, there haven't been many more mares working here than her and me. Why are you looking for her?"
"I, um, need to talk to her."
"About what?"
"My sister. They are friends and I need her help with something."
"I guess you're lucky then, little one."
With these words the mare looked at some point behind Silver Spoon. When the filly turned around she saw Mareces's friend, carrying fully stuffed saddlebags, coming straight towards her. Or maybe her mother's stand, but that didn't matter to Silver Spoon right now.
Yet before she could say anything, the young mare said: "Hello there, um, Silver Spoon was it, right?"
"Yes, it is. And you really are a friend of my sister, right?"
"How else do you think I know your name?"
"Yeah, right." Silver Spoon laughed nervously. "But still, I never heard your name."
"Really? Well, it's Honey Blossom. Nice to finally talk to you. So, what brings you here? Nuts or vegetables?"
"Neither. I wanted to see you."
"Me? Why?"
"Well, how should I say this... I need to know your secret."
The only response Silver Spoon got was a confused stare.
Then she heard the mother's voice from behind her: "Good luck, little one. I've been trying that for years now."
"Mom, please," Marecedes's friend threw an annoyed look at her mother. Then she said to Silver Spoon: "What secret are you talking about?"
"Your secret how you are able to talk with my sister. Without getting into fights, that is."
"How is that a secret?"
"I just don't know how you do it. And I need to find out."
"Okay, I think this might take a while. Just let me get rid of this stuff and come behind the stand."
Silver Spoon followed the invitation. After Honey Blossom had restocked most of the nuts she said: "Now let me see if I got this right. You are asking me about how you can properly talk with your own sister. Does that sum it up?"
"Um, yes," answered Silver Spoon. Hearing it spoken out loud made it seem even more pathetic than she already felt. And the grin she saw didn't do anything to help her.
"Okay, this is great. Let's see what I can do. First of all, why can't you just talk with her?"
"That's what I want to know! It always ends with us getting into fights. And I have no idea why."
"Funny. Marecedes said the same thing."
"She did?"
"Not word by word, but yes. And now that I have the chance to ask, why are you fighting with each other? What is this all about?"
"That's just it, I don't know. It's always been that way and I have no idea why."
"Always? Are you sure?"
"Yes. As long as I remember."
"Can't you remember anything that happened between you two?"
"I wish I could."
"Thought so. Neither can she."
"She? My sister? How do you know that?"
"Do you really have to ask that? She too has no clue why you keep fighting with each other. Marecedes told me once she wished she knew a reason. But from what I could gather, you were quite close when you were younger. But then you grew apart, as far as I can see it."
"She and I? Close? The only time we're close to each other is when she's trying to mock me."
"Oh, yeah, that's also a thing. Why won't you talk with her in any other way?"
"Sorry? I said she is mocking me, not the other way around."
"Yes, I heard that. But I also know you won't listen to her at all if she doesn't do that. That's not to say I think she should do it, but-"
"Wait a moment. How am I supposed to react to anything else she does if that's all she ever does?"
"Like I wanted to say, I don't think it's a good thing. But she once admitted to me that she has no other way of reaching you. That's what she told me. She has given up on talking normally to you because you just kept ignoring her."
"But... but..." Silver Spoon wasn't able to give any reply. Her mind was suddenly filled with a question she had been asked during the dinner at the Apple Farm. Sitting down, she said: "Maybe Big Mac was right."
"Big Mac? As in Big Macintosh from the Apple Farm?"
"Yes. Is there another Big Macintosh in Ponyville?"
"Not that I know of. Does this mean you talked to him? And he answered?"
"Of course he did."
Whatever Honey Blossom wanted to say next was drowned by her mother' voice floating over: "Are you done chatting over there? You're here to help out, not to hang out."
"Give me a moment, this is important!" she shouted back. Then Honey Blossom said to Silver Spoon: "I'm sorry, let's get back to the point. What was he right about?"
"That maybe I'm responsible for my sister and I not getting along. But, that still doesn't help me."
"I wouldn't say it's all your fault. After all, she should know better. And it's not like she has always been the nice mare she is today."
"Is she?"
"Yes, she is. But I know she had some troubles getting there. We know each other since we were about your age. And I can tell you she had big troubles fitting in when she came into out class."
"Like me?"
"I don't know you good enough to say that. But let's just say she left no chance to make the other foals mad at her untouched."
"Then how did you end up becoming friends?"
"She, um, had to stay at the hospital for a few weeks after she did something, let's say, beyond stupid."
"What did she do?"
"I'm sorry, but she'd never forgive me if I told you that. But maybe that is something you should ask her about. Anyway, since I was class rep at that time I had the duty to bring her the homework. And, long story short, that's when I finally got to know her better. And we've been friends ever since. Not only that, she completely turned around into the pony she is today."
"But if you've know her for that long, can't you think of anything that happened that made her hate me?"
Honey Blossom's eyes widened. Silver Spoon saw her lips silently repeating what she had just said. Then the young mare sat down too and said: "Hate you? What makes you think she hates you?"
"Well, there would be everything we just talked about, for starters."
"No." She closed her eyes. "Please, don't ever say that. Don't think that. She does not hate you. You have to believe me"
"I wish I could."
Once again the answer to Silver Spoon's words got cut off. "Sweetie, I really need you at the stand. We have a lot of customers today and-"
"Not now mom!" Honey Blossom shot back. "This is more important right now."
Her mother's face started to take on a deep crimson but before she could say anything new customers distracted her.
Honey blossom took the chance to continue: "Listen, Silver Spoon. Your sister told me more than once that she is afraid of how you will turn out to be in the future. She is honestly concerned about you. Maybe I'm saying more here than I should, but I think she really is suffering from what's going on between you and her."
Silver Spoon's head was swirling. She still didn't know what she had expected coming here. But this was not it. She couldn't decide if this was a thought worth clinging to or just too good to be true.
This question was left unanswered due to the third time Honey Blossom's mother raised her voice. But this time, she did it coming over to them. "I am very sorry, but what ever you have to talk about must wait for now. I need you to help me."
"You don't understand, mom. Look, this is Silver Spoon, Marecedes's little sister. And she needs my help more than you right now. So, please, just give me one more moment and-"
"No, you had more than enough moments here. Unless you helping her puts some food on our table, whatever it is has to wait." Then she turned to Silver Spoon. "Again, I am very sorry my dear. But I do have to ask you to leave now."
"Mom, you can't do that. Don't you see-"
"Yes, I see. I see to you understanding what it means to take care of a family. When we're done here you can help her as much as you want. But for now you'll have to help me. And don't look at me like that, sweetie. When you have a family of your own you'll know I'm right. I just want you to be a good mother one day."
"If you wanted me to be a mother at all you wouldn't sneak up at my door every five minutes whenever my coltfriend's over."
The second she had finished her retort Honey Blossom covered her mouth. Her cheeks took a pink shade for reasons Silver Spoon didn't know. Yet wondering about it was blown away by the rising voice of the mother next to them.
"Young lady, if you think you can talk to me like that-"
"Please!" Silver Spoon threw in, seeing the mare swelling up with anger. "It's okay, I'll just go. You already helped me better than I had hoped."
Torn between Silver Spoon's plea and her mother's deep frown, Honey Blossom gave in. "Alright, alright. Silver Spoon, please promise me you will make up with your sister, okay?"
Silver Spoon nodded and said goodbye. Then she left the market stand and gingerly staggered through the crowd. Her legs moved mechanically, steering the filly on their own. Somewhere behind her she heard a - by now - familiar voice yell: "Your father didn't get sick on purpose!"
But she barely heard it. Her mind was still cluttered with questions. Was Honey Blossom right? How could she be? And if she really was right, didn't that make the last things Silver Spoon had said to her sister even worse? |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 20 | Chapter 20
It was only when she had stepped onto the yellow gravel behind the gates to her home that Silver Spoon realized she still had some time to pass until dinner. Her first idea was to go looking for her sister. But that would also mean risking to run into Diamond Tiara. And avoiding that as long as possible was why she had left in the first place. After all, most likely Marecedes was already off to another one of her parties. Or meeting one of her many friends. Or doing anything else she always did away from home. Whatever that would be.
Yet Silver Spoon saw one other possibility for her to stay out of the house a little longer. She hesitated a moment, but ultimately decided to take it. Gathering up her resolve she marched up to the one pony she saw in the garden.
"Um, Green Thumb?"
The gardener didn't even look up from his work. But his tone was just as friendly as when he had talked to Applejack. "Yes, Miss Silver Spoon?"
"Is there, um, anything I could help you with?"
"Why, what did you do this time?"
"I did nothing. I just wanted to see if there is anything I could do here."
Now he stopped his work and focused on her. "Are you telling me you want to do some gardening without anypony forcing you to?"
"Well... Yes."
He eyed her curiously as if to find any clue she was not who she claimed to be. But then he smiled and said: "Can't say I'm not surprised, but I don't see why not."
Silver Spoon had already feared she would annoy him, that he would blatantly refuse to let her interfere with his work. But the more she asked about what he was doing - besides keeping their lawn in shape - and how all those different things he used worked, the more he seemed to get excited himself. Even though he wouldn't let her try out most of them he still explained patiently which tools were meant for what purpose and what he was currently up to. As it turned out he was setting up new flowerbeds along the path to the house. They were meant as a surprise for her parents when they would come back from their vacation. He already had the flowers, at the moment stored away in the shed. The next step he wanted to start now was working out an arrangement.
Silver Spoon wasn't sure if she should still be amazed or not, but once again, Apple Bloom seemed to have been right. Gardening, or at least, arranging flowers, came easy to her - if she read Green Thumb's expressions correctly. Though it had taken quite some time for her to get the grasp on how to handle the necessary tools, this task was quite the difference. Once he showed her what flowers they had on hoof, her mind sprung into action. She could practically see how they needed to be set up to achieve the best effect. When she told him about his ideas his first reaction was to ask if she had done this before. According to him, her vision was close to his. There were still some nuances he added to improve the overall result, but basically, he said, this was an impressive first try.
After they had planted row after row of flowers, Silver Spoon felt exhaustion claiming her limbs. She wiped her face and took a step back from the bed to examine it. She was more than pleased with what they had achieved. In fact, this afternoon of mundane - 'plebeian', as Diamond Tiara had once called it - had earned her a sense of satisfaction she had never known before. Not quite unlike when she and Apple Bloom had finished setting up their campsite.
As she took in what Green Thumb and she had accomplished, she noticed a shadow falling on the flowers. Instinctively she looked up. And stared straight into the eyes of her sister. And they stared back, seemingly clueless if she was still awake or caught in a dream. Her lips were curled into a disbelieving smile.
Then Green Thumb's voice ripped apart the rising silence surrounding the two sisters. "Oh, good evening Miss Marecedes. Didn't see you there. Going out again?"
"Yes, I need a change of scenery," Marecedes answered, her eyes still wandering between her sister and the new flowerbed. "Speaking of that, did you two make this, Green Thumb?"
"Yepp, Miss Silver Spoon here was a big help. Didn't know she had a thing for this, honestly."
"Yeah, me neither. Helping didn't seem to be one of her strong points."
"Now, now. That wasn't what I'm saying."
"Yes, I know. But, be honest, can you remember her ever helping out anypony without being forced to?"
"What are you getting at?"
"Oh, don't worry, all I want is a yes or no."
"Well... No. But, I'm not working here that long and-"
"I told you, don't worry. It's okay. I know her since she was born and I have trouble remembering when this happened the last time."
"I don't really know what to say."
"Yeah, me neither. To you, at least."
Marecedes hadn't broken eye contact with Silver Spoon once. She was still staring right at her, as if to pierce her mind and find a way to read her thoughts.
Silver Spoon wanted to say something. Anything. But her jaw seemed to be locked in place by an unseen force. It was only when her sister finally turned towards the gates that she was able to shout, almost yell at her:
"Wait!"
And instantly, Marecedes froze. Yet no more reaction came from her.
"Do you..." Silver Spoon forced her mouth to work "Do you like it?"
Still not turning around Mareceds said: "Does this mean I'm allowed to talk to you again?"
"Yes," answered Silver Spoon, feeling her eyes getting wet. "Of course. I didn't really mean that. You see, it's just with Diamond Tiara and all..."
"Yeah," sighed Marecedes. "I think I understand by now. She's even driven me from the house."
"What did she do?"
"Well, I think whatever happened back then broke her. She's been stalking me for the past hour or so. And whenever I looked at her she always acted as if I wasn't there. Kinda creeped me out to be honest."
"Oh, I'm sorry..."
"Don't be. Unless you told her to do this."
"No, I certainly didn't."
"Good to know. But still, I have to get out of here for now."
"But you haven't answered my question yet."
"Oh, right." Marecedes turned around, looking at her sister once again. "I like it. Very much, to be true. In fact, it's one of the best things I've seen in years."
Silver Spoon needed a moment to realize how wide she was smiling.
Until Marecedes added: "Oh, and the flower's are nice, too."
Her heart sank for a moment. Just the split of a second. Until her mind told her that this hadn't been a backhanded insult. Watching her sister walk off, Silver Spoon's mind tried to unravel what she had heard.
"Okay, is it alright if I don't understand what just happened?" Green Thumb reminded her of his presence.
"Yeah, that's okay. I don't really understand it yet myself. But I think this could turn out to be a great day after all."
Those were no empty words. Silver Spoon even found herself amazed by it, but this short exchange was all it had taken to completely turn this day around. Even the dirt on her hooves seemed to tell of achievement rather than mindless hardship. She almost regretted to take a shower, yet she still felt better afterwards. And the hot water always was so comforting. All in all she couldn't think of anything with a hint of a chance to ruin her mood.
Until she sat at the dinner table.
There she found herself opposite from Diamond Tiara, who kept glaring at a certainly most innocent bowl of soup. It felt like several hours had gone by since the house staff had set up the table and left. None of the two had taken a bite ever since. Silver Spoon's mind was rapidly shifting from one idea to the next on how to start any conversation. But she couldn't settle for one she didn't fear would make things escalate on the spot. Whatever she was going to say, Di would be sure to counter it with a swift and harsh rebuttal.
Yet what she hadn't played through in her head was her friend starting to talk on her own. She jumped a little when she heard Diamond Tiara hiss: "You threw me out of your room."
"What?"
That little word escaped her throat without a warning. Immediately Diamond Tiara's glare shifted to her. She had never known how piercing her friend's stare could be.
"That one maid told me. You had her prepare a room for me. At least she had the decency to cover up for your rudeness by making up some story about you not wanting to wake me up in the morning."
"But, that was no lie. I really didn't want you to wake up just because I have to go to school. I didn't know you wanted to come to school too."
Silver Spoon quickly covered her mouth, a breeze of anger brushing through her subconscious. But of course it didn't make her friend forget she said it.
"How do you know that?"
"Rosy told me."
"Who?"
"The maid."
"So you knew I planned to do that and you still let her prepare that room for me?"
"Well, yes, but-"
"So you did throw me out of your room."
Silver Spoon didn't know what to say. Looking back now, she could have told Rosy that the guest room wouldn't have been necessary then. And she didn't really know anymore why she hadn't.
Obviously, Diamond Tiara didn't expect any answer to her last statement. Now she gave the soup her full attention. And Silver Spoon followed her example. They sat in silence, only broken again and again by the clanking of their spoons.
Once their bowls were emptied and taken away by somepony from the kitchen, Silver Spoon said: "Are you still coming to school with me?"
"I don't know."
"Oh please, you have to."
"Oh, do I? Won't Apple Bloom be there to hold your hoof?"
"No, she will be. Well, not before the third period, but that's just it."
"What, am I her place-holder until then? I stay for the first two periods and then she takes over?"
"I never said that. I want you to come with me because she will be there."
"Oh, not because you enjoy my company?"
"Di, please. Why are you fighting so hard against this? All I am asking you to do is give Apple Bloom a chance."
"A chance for what?"
Silver Spoon froze for a split second. Just for that blink of an eye, for some reason, her friend reminded her of Scootaloo. She couldn't put her hoof on what it was, but something had poked her subconscious. Their main course being brought in gave her a moment to marvel at this, yet she couldn't figure it out.
"Well?" Diamond Tiara inquired.
Silver Spoon shook her head. "A chance to be your friend. That is all."
"I already told you what I think about that."
"And I told you that I finally saw how wrong we were to think that way. Don't you even want to know why I changed my mind?"
Diamond Tiara had already her mouth open. Silver spoon could practically read the 'No!' from her eyes. But then a thought seemed to cross Diamond Tiara's mind. She scratched her chin and said: "Maybe you're right. So please, why did you decide Apple Bloom should repla-, I mean, be your friend and how did you do it?"
"To be honest, it was the other way around. It was her giving me the chance to go camping with her."
"Camping?"
"Yes, camping. That, um, is living in a tent and-"
"I know what camping is. But since when do you go camping? I wouldn't have thought you'd even like it."
"Neither would I. Until I tried it."
"I can't believe this. Why would you let yourself get dragged down to that? Camping is only for ponies who are too poor for a real vacation."
"No, it's not. How would you even know, you never tried it before."
"For good reasons."
"Such as?"
"It is beneath me."
"Enjoying time with your friends is beneath you?"
"How can anypony enjoy sleeping on the ground somewhere in the wilderness?"
"Try it and find out for yourself. Or are you really that afraid you might actually like it?"
"I'm not afraid. Not of that, not of anything."
"Good. Then you won't be afraid of spending some time with Apple Bloom either, I suppose?"
"Of course not. I just don't want to."
"Come on, Di. All I am asking of you is to not to get into any kind of fight with her just once. Then you'll understand why she and I are friends now."
Silver Spoon could see the gears turning behind Di's eyes. Then, like somepony had switched a lever, she closed her eyes and sighed: "Fine. Just once."
"Trust me, that will be all it takes."
"Oh, yes. I'm sure of that."
"So, do you want to tag along to the library tomorrow when I'm going or will you join us around noon, when Apple Bloom is coming?"
"Tomorrow?" Diamond Tiara gulped. "Oh, I completely forgot you mentioned that... I think, if we're really going through with this, I'll need one more day. You know, this would be just... too soon for me. If you have to meet with her, fine. But give me at least until your next day of school, okay? Also, I would like have at least one afternoon alone with my best friend. Would that be alright with you?"
"Yes, I kind of understand. But, you see, we were going to study for school. And today we didn't have the chance to because, well, you know why." Silver Spoon could see her friend's eyebrows narrowing at an alarming rate. Hastily she added: "Still, if I tell Apple Bloom, I'm sure she will understand. So I guess the afternoon will be okay."
Diamond Tiara simply nodded and started to silently eat her meal. Silver Spoon followed her example. Neither of them spoke another word until they were done with dessert. It wasn't that Silver Spoon didn't want to speak with her friend anymore. Yet every time she looked up at her any idea of what to say simply vanished. The way Di regarded her plate with defiance made the silence unbearable and unbreakable at the same time. Even when they were done and walked towards Silver Spoon's room, the silence followed them sternly.
Only when Silver Spoon stopped at her door and Diamond Tiara kept on walking she managed to say: "Where are you going?"
"To my room, remember?"
"No, Di, please-"
"No, no, it's okay. I do like to sleep in, you were right about that."
Silver Spoon didn't even try to hold her back. She knew that would be futile.
Moments later, she lay in her bed, wishing the day to be over. Yet her exchange with Diamond Tiara replayed itself through her head time after time after time. It kept her awake for what felt like hours. She must have even dreamed about it, because she could have sworn she had still Di's voice in her ear when she suddenly opened her eyes to a day-lit room.
She jumped out of her bed, feeling more determined to get up early than she would have ever thought possible. After a quick shower and an even quicker break-fast she told Stickler were she was heading and left the mansion for Golden Oaks Library.
She had only been there once before. The building itself had impressed her more than the books one could find here. There was no telling if one could in fact call it a building, since this was - contrary to Fluttershy's home - indeed a tree. Yet through most likely magical means, somepony had actually reshaped the inside into a real library. With bookshelves, lecterns and everything one could need. Given, the books might have been moved in afterwards, making everything else no less impressive. The most imposing part though was that the tree itself was still alive. It was covered with leaves, rustling in the rare summer breezes. There was even a beehive hanging from one of its lower branches.
Bracing herself like she was about to enter another realm of reality, she pushed the door open. Inside was the purple dragon she had already met the last time she was here, dusting off a bookshelf. Yet the librarian was nowhere to be seen.
"Are you back already, Twilight?" he asked before turning around. Then he added: "Oh, you're not Twilight."
"No, I'm not," Silver Spoon answered, letting the door close behind her. "But you're, um, Spot, right? The librarian's servant?"
"Spike. And I'm Twilight's assistant. Not servant."
"Oh, yes, of course. I'm sorry."
"Don't mind." He took a quick glance at the feather duster in his hand. "Sometimes it's hard to tell. But since we got this, you're Silver Spoon, right?"
"Um, yes. You still remember that?"
The dragon didn't answer. He simply looked at her, leaning his head from side to side. Silver Spoon felt like he was sizing her up while he kept tapping the handle of the feather duster against his chin.
Then Spike said: "You know, you don't look that evil to me."
"Um, thanks?"
The dragon chuckled. "The way Sweetie Belle made it sound, I almost expected you to breathe fire or something like that. But I always told her you can't be that bad."
"Um, that's... nice of you. But what made you so sure of that?"
"I've come to not take things too seriously. And I know that you don't have to be bad to do bad things. At least that's my experience."
Now it was Silver Spoon's turn to stare at Spike. She had no idea what to make of his last comment. Nonetheless it sounded like he wanted to say something nice. Deciding to just let it settle with that, she asked: "You are friends with Sweetie Belle?"
"Yeah, I guess you can say that. Somehow we always end up spending some time together whenever I'm helping out Rarity."
It was hard to miss how the little dragon puffed out his chest while casually checking his claws when he said those last words. Silver Spoon just couldn't decide if he was really bad at hiding his pride or at showing it. And if it was really something to be proud of. Of course, helping others wasn't by far as boring and stupid as she had thought. But nothing to brag about. Right?
"But I guess," Spike snapped her out of her thoughts, "you didn't come here to talk about me. Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Er, right." Actually, there were some other questions she still would have liked to ask. Although Spike was right, none of them were about him. "But I'm not sure if you can really help me."
"You'll never know if you don't ask."
"Okay, then, do you know how I can become a psychiatrist?"
Again, Spike started tapping his chin with the feather duster. "Not really, but maybe I can still help you. At least I know where the books on that topic are. I even read some of them. Follow me."
He turned around and led Silver Spoon along the wall-high bookshelves.
"You read them?" she asked while gazing on books upon books. She didn't even know there were so many books about, well, things. No stories, just knowledge about stuff she never even heard about.
"Yeah, why not?"
"I don't know. But why would you read them unless you want to become a psychiatrist yourself? Or do you want to be one too?"
"No, but it can't hurt to be, um, prepared."
"For what?"
"Well, let's say, emergencies. But they're not the only books I read from this place. That kind of comes with the job. Even I can't read comics all the time."
"Comics? You're reading comics?" Silver Spoon asked, ignoring how Spike proudly presented another bookshelf to her.
"You don't?"
"No, of course not. And I'm surprised you do. Working in a library I would have thought you weren't reading something so unrefined. I mean, it doesn't have to be these schoolbook-like ones all the time, but you do have those with nice stories too, right?"
"Yes, we do." Spike still had his arm outstretched, pointing to the shelf. But the his shoulders had noticeably lowered. "And I read them. Most of them. But how many comics have you read so far?"
"None."
"Then how do you know they're unrefined? Whatever that means in this case anyway."
Silver spoon had already her mouth open. The natural response was about to roll from her tongue. But she had learned over the last days that Diamond Tiara was no reason others seemed to accept.
Thinking for a moment she said: "I guess you're right."
"I am?" The dragon blinked, finally letting his arm sink.
"Yes, you are. I never read any and I can't tell what they are and what not."
"I, um..." Spike started scratching his shoulder. "Wow, arguing with you is way easier than with Twilight."
"What, do you want me to disagree with you?"
"No, no. That's alright. So, um, would you like to read some of mine? I'd let you if you want to."
"Thanks, but I came here for something else, remember?"
"Oh, yeah, right. So, what exactly were you looking for again?"
"Something like 'How to become a Psychiatrist' or 'Pychiatrism for Beginners' would be nice."
"Psychiatrism?"
"Or whatever it is called. Which one did you read?"
"Wait a second." Spike fetched a ladder standing at one of the other shelves. Then he pulled a book from the top board.
Climbing back down he said: "This is about the history of psychology. If you skip the biographical stuff in there you can get a lot about the basics out of it."
"Hm, okay, not exactly what I've been looking for. But better than nothing, I guess."
The dragon shrugged. "Well, that's as much as I can help you with. If you need any more help, I'll go back to sweeping."
Silver Spoon nodded and looked around for a place to read. Which she found this place surprisingly devoid of. There was one large table, scattered with books. And two lecterns, one of them also occupied by a book. So she placed her book on the other lectern and started to read.
Soon she found that Spike was right. This work had a lot of passages to skip. At first she had tried to just read it but got bored of the life-story of some probably ancient pony that had obviously played a big part in creating this then new science. After the fifth attempt of reading the same paragraph still on the first page she surrendered and started skimming the pages. Surely what they had done had to be more interesting than how they had lived, right? Yet this expectation crumbled away just as fast. Even more so as Silver Spoon realized this was rather about how they had found out whatever they had found out than about those findings themselves.
Before long she admitted defeat. This was, after all, not what she had been looking for. After a fruitless attempt to make out any book than seemed promising, she followed the steady scraping of bristles on wood.
"Spike?"
"Yepp?"
"Is that offer still up?"
He chuckled. "Of course."
Moments later Silver Spoon found herself provided with a vast collection of different comic books. After some recommendations by Spike she had settled for his favorite series. It was about a bunch of ponies all having some special power going beyond what little she knew of magic. They were fighting against several beings - some ponies, some not - also having their own strange abilities. The story wasn't much to her taste, she wasn't even sure if the frequent change of fight scenes and talk about those fight scenes could be called a story. Yet she had to admit that she was intrigued by the cast of protagonists this comic had to offer. Not just how they worked so well as a team and always knew when each other needed help, she also got hooked on how they were able to throw occasional jabs and even insults at each other and still remain friends.
Somewhere around the middle of the fourth issue, she heard a door opening. She almost ignored it until a voice she barely knew said: "Spike, I'm home!"
Looking up to see who it was Silver Spoon remembered she was still at the library. And the librarian had just returned.
"Coming," Spike shouted back from another room. "What did Fluttershy want to talk about?"
"A surprise party."
"Wait, Fluttershy is throwing a surprise party? For whom?"
"For nopony. Yet apparently 'somepony she knows' wants to surprise somepony else that one knows and asked her for help, but another pony might not like it if she did it. And now she wanted my advice if she should do it or not."
"Uh, you kinda lost me around the second time you said somepony."
"Exactly. I tried to get her to tell me who she was talking about. But she wouldn't tell me. She was afraid we would be overheard and somehow Pinkie Pie would come to know of this."
"What would be so bad about that? Pinkie is an expert on surprise parties."
"That's what I told her too, but she was afraid that she would get the whole town to participate. Not completely unjustified, if I'm honest. And that's what neither of them want. Whoever they are."
"So, will there be a party or not?"
"Most likely not. I told her that surprising somepony does not have to mean a party. And that seemed to have given her an idea."
"Hm, too bad. I like surprise parties. Oh, that reminds me, we have a guest."
Spike casually gestured towards Silver Spoon still sitting at the lectern.
The librarian now looked at her and blinked. Then she looked back at Spike and said: "And you didn't see the need to tell me this when I came to the part about Fluttershy not wanting others to hear about this?"
Spike shrugged. "You only said she didn't want other to know the names that were never mentioned. So, do you want to know why we have a guest?"
Twilight let out an annoyed groan. "Yes, Spike, I do."
Not waiting for the dragon to answer she walked towards Silver Spoon. All the while working up a smile that seemed a bit too set up to the little filly, but was friendly nonetheless.
"Hello there," she said. "You are Silver Spoon, right? From Cheerilee's class?"
The filly nodded. "Yes, nice to meet you. Again, I mean. Um, Miss Twilight, right?"
"It would be Miss Sparkle," the mare laughed, her smile becoming more honest. "But Twilight is alright."
Of course. Why was she even still trying? "Okay, Twilight. I need your help. I want to know how I can become a psychiatrist. Spike tried to help, but all he could offer me was this." She pointed towards the lectern she was sitting at. "Which was nice, but in the end, not very helpful."
"No wonder," commented Twilight. "I never found these comics to be in any way educational."
"What? No!" Silver Spoon hastily stacked up the scattered comics to reveal the book Spike had handed her. "This is what I'm talking about. I'm sure it's all very interesting and important, but not what I have been looking for."
Twilight eyed the cover of the book for a moment, then nodded. "So, what you want to know are the steps necessary to achieve certification as a psychiatrist?"
"I guess. If that means what I think it does."
"Good. No wonder this work didn't help you. In fact, and it is not often I say this, I don't think books are what you need in this case at all. Though there are a few that are worth reading as preparation. What you would really need is a guide on what you should accomplish during your time at school, but that is one of the few things my library unfortunately lacks. But I should be able to get you one if you wish. Yet for now, I can tell you the very basics you need to know."
"That would be nice." Silver Spoon had taken a few steps back, the flow of words swashing over her. And with each wave the librarian looked more and more excited like she had been waiting for this moment to happen.
"Okay, the most important part is, of course, studying. I know the subjects you will need aren't taught at your grade, yet thinking ahead never hurts. But you already know that, which is why you're here, right? I am certain Cheerilee will be more than happy to give you a few recommendations in this regard. After all, she is your teacher, not me. Just ask her for the best preparations for anything related to social studies and pharmacy. That is, unless you would like me to set up a learning schedule for a preparatory course for you. Would you?"
"I am sure that is a very nice offer. But so far, just knowing what I would have to do is fine. And I'm not sure I got all of that. Why do I need to study a pharmacy?"
"Not 'a' pharmacy. Pharmacy is as well the science of as the technique necessary for preparing and dispensing drugs."
"Um, what?"
"How to make medicine and decide how much a pony should take. Anything you can buy in a pharmacy to help you when you're sick has been made by somepony who has studied pharmacy."
"But why do I need to know about that? Applejack said psychiatrists don't use medicines to heal ponies."
"But they do. It is an important part of their profession. Unfortunately some of the serious psychological issues we know of can't be treated in any other way."
"Really? But I liked the way Applejack had put it."
"Which was?"
"That they heal ponies souls just with words and not medicines."
"Ah, I see. Most likely she meant not a psychiatrist, but a psychologist. A lot of ponies confuse them. But becoming a psychologist is in no way simpler than becoming a psychiatrist. Either way, you will have to go to college after school. And that will require a lot of work. My offer still stands."
"Thank you, that is very nice of you. And maybe I will come back to it later. More likely than not, I guess. But for now I would be glad if you could get me that guide you talked about."
As if to underline her words the door slammed open. About a second later a red and yellow whirlwind came to a halt next to Silver Spoon.
"Ah' got a big surprise for you!" Apple Bloom greeted her. |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 21 | Chapter 21
"I'm not sure if I am up for any surprises since yesterday..." said Silver Spoon.
"Oh come on, ya' gonna love this one," said Apple Bloom. "We'll do a surprise party."
This did anything but rise Silver Spoon's enthusiasm. "For who?"
"Sweetie Belle!"
"Come again?"
"Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom repeated. "When she's back from her vacation. She's goin' to stay with Rarity for a few days after that. We'll wait for her there to welcome her home."
Silver Spoon tilted her head. "You mean, because this worked out so well with us and Diamond Tiara?"
"Well, that gave me the idea, yeah. But this is different. At least we know what will happen and believe me, Sweetie Belle is not Diamond Tiara."
Twilight Sparkle cleared her throat, reminding the two of her presence. When she had their attention she said: "Hello, Apple Bloom. Nice to see you."
"Oh, right." Apple Bloom smiled at the librarian. "Nice to see ya' too, Twlight."
The librarian didn't bother with Apple Bloom's lack of embarrassment over her behavior. "Say, could it be that you asked Fluttershy for help with this plan?"
"Yeah, how'd ya' know?" the red maned filly replied.
Twilight closed her eyes. "Well, I had a very, let's say, exhausting discussion with her over breakfast. And I am not sure if there will be a party of any kind."
"Oh, don't worry," Apple Bloom dismissed the admonition. "Of course it won't be a huge party. Just Silver Spoon, me and Sweetie Belle."
"Doesn't sound much like a party to me," commented Silver Spoon.
But her friends also brushed that demur aside. "Then we'll call it a celebration. That's not the point."
"The point is," interrupted Twilight, "that you want Fluttershy to do something she doesn't want to do."
"But, all Ah' want is to give a friend a nice welcome home. Is that so bad?"
"If you have to abuse another friend's trust for it, yes," Twilight declared.
"How is that abusin'?" Apple Bloom objected. "She already has the key for Carousel Boutique."
Twilight shook her head. "To take care of Opalesence. Not to let anypony she wants into Rarity's home."
"But we're not anypony," Apple Bloom insisted. "We're Sweetie Belle's friends."
Now Silver Spoon had to clear her throat. "You are her friend."
"And you will be," said Apple Bloom. "If we can do this."
Twilight looked from one filly to the other and back. Then she asked: "What are you trying to say?"
How many times more would she have to go through explaining this to other ponies? Trying her best to suppress any hint of dullness in her voice Silver Spoon said: "Let's say Apple Bloom and her friends didn't get along so well with Diamond Tiara and me. Now we are trying to fix that and so far I think it worked pretty good with the two of us."
"More than good," commented Apple Bloom.
Silver Spoon nodded. "We had some trouble with Diamond Tiara, to put it nicely. She came back sooner than expected and kind of surprised both of us. And since that worked out so well, I guess Apple Bloom wants to try it again with Sweetie Belle."
"Ah' already told ya', this will be different."
"I don't really think I understand all of it yet," said Twilight. "But anyway, do you have to do whatever you want to do at Rarity's home? Can't you celebrate anywhere else?"
Apple Bloom rubbed her chin. "Then, what if we do give her a surprise welcome at Carousel Boutique and then go someplace else?"
"As long as it is really just the two of you and Fluttershy, I think that would be alright. But I can not guarantee that Rarity will let her sister go without her unpacking."
Apple Bloom waved her hoof. "We'll think about that when it happens. But I'm glad we can do this."
"Don't get settled on that too soon, Apple Bloom," Twilight said. "This is my opinion, but I am not the one making this decision. And I still don't see Fluttershy being comfortable with your plan yet."
"Oh, Ah'll convince her. Maybe we should go right now?"
Apple Bloom was about to dash off again, but Silver Spoon didn't move. "I think we should rather stay here and study. We didn't get to do anything yesterday. And it's still about a week till Sweetie Belle comes back."
"Actually," Apple Bloom said, "it's more like three days."
Sweetie Belle's mouth fell open. It took her a moment to speak up again. "But didn't Scootaloo say something about two weeks?`"
"Yes, because she's gone for two weeks. Sweetie Belle will be back in three days."
Silver Spoon swallowed. "And you couldn't have told me all of this sooner?"
"Well, Ah' kinda just got the idea yesterday. And didn't want to tell ya' unless we'd had a chance to do this."
"No, not just about the surprising thing. I am talking about all of it happening so soon."
Apple Bloom cocked an eyebrow. "Why does that matter?"
"It's... it's... Well, I'm not that fond of surprises right now. A little bit of a forewarning just would have been nice. But anyway, let's stay here and do some learning, okay?"
"Okay," replied Apple Bloom, her eyebrow moving up even further. "Ah' guess we can still do it this afternoon. So, did ya' bring yer notes?"
"I... um... no."
"Then what are we supposed to do here?"
"Well, it's still a library..." said Silver spoon meekly.
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but Ah'm sure it doesn't have a book on what ya' wrote down in class. Ah' say we'd rather get to yer place."
Silver Spoon sighed. "What about Diamond Tiara?"
"Ah' guess she's already there. Don't worry. This time Ah' know what's comin'."
"I am not so sure this is a good idea. But I have nothing better. Okay then, thanks for the help, Twilight."
"You're welcome," Twilight said. "I'll let you know when your book arrives."
Waving a good-bye to Spike who was dusting off yet another bookshelf Silver Spoon followed Apple Bloom back outside. And for once, her energetic friend showed no intention to hurry. Her words might have sounded casual but Silver Spoon could feel a hint of tensed determination in her friend's step all the way to her mansion.
When they reached the front door Stickler greeted them in his usual fashion. When Silver Spoon asked about Diamond Tiara's whereabouts up he informed them that she was still asleep. At first this eased Silver Spoon's chest a little bit. But still, she would have liked to get the inevitable meeting between her friends over with as soon as possible. But neither she nor Apple Bloom had any intent to wake Diamond Tiara.
It didn't take long for the two to get wrapped in their school work. Now that she had an idea of what lay ahead of her, Silver Spoon was more focused than ever. She would get her grades up. That was no goal, that was a decision. This time, there were no distractions. Nothing that cluttered either her or Apple Bloom's mind.
Until a knocking at the door pulled them back to their surroundings.
Silver Spoon turned her head towards the door. "Come in!"
Her call proved to be unnecessary. The door was already open.
"Stickler told me you came back a while ago. And he told me to tell you that dinner is about to be served. But he neglected to tell me you weren't alone. I hope I'm not disturbing you?"
Diamond Tiara's voice defied the summer heat.
Silver Spoon forced a smile. "No, absolutely not. Is it really time for dinner already?"
She took a look at the clock over her desk. It was, in fact, even past their usual time for dinner. Then she looked back at Diamond Tiara. "Did you really sleep this long?"
"What would it matter to you?" her friend grumbled. "It's not like you missed my company."
"We just didn't want to wake you up," Silver Spoon tried to explain. "Stickler said you were still in bed. And then we forgot about the time. But you're more than welcome to join us." She looked at Apple Bloom. "Right?"
"Of course," said Apple Bloom. Her smile looked as natural as always yet Silver Spoon could hear how she had to force her tone to sound casual.
"Oh, so now I need her permission to enter your room?" Despite her defying words Diamond Tiara entered, making a point of not looking at the red haired filly. Then she let herself drop at the side of the table. "So, what are you doing?"
"Learning," responded Silver Spoon. "We're almost done for today, but there is still some stuff about geography we wanted to go through."
Diamond Tiara glanced over the notes and books scattered over the tabletop. Then she stared at Silver Spoon for a moment. "So, you've really been serious about this?"
"Of course," Silver Spoon confirmed.
"But, since when do you even care about school? Did she force you to do this somehow?" Her head jolted in the direction of Apple Bloom.
"Hey!" Apple Bloom snapped. "If yer goin' to talk about me ya' can as well talk with me."
"Fine." Diamond Tiara closed her eyes for a moment and then turned towards Apple Bloom. "How did you make Silver Spoon do this?"
"Do we have to go over this again?" Apple Bloom groaned. "We had this yesterday. She asked me. Because she wanted to. And still does, obviously."
"I still can't believe this," Diamond Tiara declared. "The Silver Spoon I know never was interested in school."
"Well, the Silver Spoon Ah' knew would've never been ma' friend. Fortunately, Ah' didn't know her as good as Ah' thought."
Diamond Tiara gave Apple Bloom a spiteful look. The she turned back towards Silver Spoon. "I don't get this. Why didn't you ever ask me for help? I could have helped you with school."
"Then why didn't ya?" asked Apple Bloom. "Ya've been her friend for years now. And ya' didn't even offer to help her once?"
"Of course I didn't," Diamond Tiara snapped. "Because I am her friend. She never liked school. So the least I wanted to do was make her think about it even more. Friends don't force each other to do things they don't like." Diamond Tiara stood up, eyeing the table's contents like it was rotten food. "Or so I thought. I had enough of this. I'm going downstairs and get some dinner."
Silver Spoon jumped to her hooves. "Wait, we're coming with you."
She glanced back at Apple Bloom. Her eyes spoke of reluctance yet she still followed them.
Knowing this, Silver Spoon said: "You know, Di, Apple Bloom isn't forcing me to anything. What would she even gain from doing that?"
There came no answer. Her friend just marched on silently. And they followed.
The silence held throughout their meal. Clanking, clattering, and occasional slurping was all that filled the dining room. Silver Spoon did her best to come up with something to say. Something she was sure that wouldn't make everything even worse. To calm Diamond Tiara. Something she hadn't said already. There was only a single thought that came drifting back into her head again and again. And she wasn't even sure if that had any chance at all. It wasn't witty, yet it was all she had.
Knowing she had to at least wait for the right moment to propose her idea, Silver Spoon endured the atmosphere until they had reached dessert. Then, just as Diamond Tiara had dunked her spoon into the vanilla pudding, she said: "You know, Di, why don't you help us with learning?"
"Why should I?" was the mumbled and much expected answer. "Looks like you already have all the help you need."
"Maybe. But even if I didn't need your help, I want your help."
Silver Spoon waited for her friend to say something. But when she simply kept glaring at her pudding, Silver Spoon said: "Look at it this way, the more help we get, the sooner we're done. And when we're done, the two of us can spend the rest of the day together."
"You mean, without her?" Every word was dripping with fake disbelief. "She doesn't seem to like that idea."
"Uh, no," said Apple Bloom hastily. "Ah' don't have a problem with you spendin' the rest of the day together. But, um, what about Fluttershy?"
The last question had been directed at Silver Spoon. She grimaced. "Oh, right. I totally forgot..."
"Who is Fluttershy?" Diamond Tiara demanded with growing concern in her voice.
"A friend of Apple Bloom's sister," Silver Spoon explained. "She let us camp in her garden and now we want to ask her if she helps us to plan a surprise welcome for... um..."
Silver Spoon's voice trailed off. She noticed too late - once again - what she was about to say. Cursing herself she stared helplessly at her friend's brows furrowing.
"For whom?" growled Diamond Tiara.
"Sweetie Belle."
Silver Spoon held her breath as she heard Apple Bloom say that name. Her eyes were locked on Diamond Tiara. She seemed to swell with every passing second. A volcano about to burst. Silver Spoon braced for what was to come.
And then she heard the scraping of the wooden chair over parquet.
Before Silver Spoon's mind had caught up with reality Diamond Tiara was already on her way to the door.
"Where are you going?"
"Somewhere else," hissed Diamond Tiara, not looking back.
The door closed behind her. Silver Spoon could do nothing but stare at it, caught between the hope it would open again and the knowledge that it would not.
Then Apple Bloom's voice reached her. "She took it better than Ah' expected."
"You still don't know her," sighed Silver Spoon. "Believe me, this is worse than I had expected. Why did you have to mention her name?"
"It didn't matter at that point. She'd have found out one way or the other."
"I know," Silver Spoon admitted. "But... well... Ugh, this is all my fault."
"No, it isn't. It's hers."
Silver Spoon sighed again. "Anyway, let's get out of here. I need to get away from her."
"But, what about geography?" Apple Bloom asked.
"We'll do that at some other place. Maybe Fluttershy will let us stay at hers. But I don't want to hang around Diamond Tiara right now. What's best now is to give her some space and time to calm down. Anything else would make it even worse."
"That's possible? Didn't ya' say it's already worse than ya' expected?"
"I've seen it only once, but yes. And I guess it's best you don't run into her so soon again. Just wait here, I'll get our stuff."
With that, Silver Spoon left the room. She walked as fast as she could without breaking into a run. And stopped soon after. She hadn't reached the top the stairs yet when she heard Diamond Tiara's voice.
"We need to talk."
"Uh, no, we don't."
Her heart skipped a beat. She peaked through the stair-rail of the second floor. It was really her. Diamond Tiara was talking to Marecedes. Or at least, she had tried to. As far as Silver Spoon could see, her sister had ignored Diamond Tiara and walked on towards the the stairs. But she knew her friend wouldn't admit defeat this easily. As expected, she ran after Marecedes.
"Wait, I'm serious. This is important."
Marecedes groaned. "Whatever it is. If it's coming from you, I don't care."
"Decide that after I've told you."
Silver Spoon couldn't help but admire her friend. Everything about Marecedes screamed that she wanted nothing to do with her, yet Diamond Tiara dared to step even closer. And then she kept talking, this time in a hushed voice.
Silver Spoon ducked. Was her friend whispering because she had seen her?
She tried her best to hear what was going on between them. But it was futile. She believed her name had been mentioned a few times, yet even that was mere speculation. But the answer that came was clear and simple.
"Don't ever talk to me again."
Silver Spoon heard muffled steps coming across the hallway's carpet towards her. At same moment Diamond Tiara spoke up again. This time she didn't bother with secrecy.
"You'll see I'm right. Things can't go on like this. Or everything will get even worse."
But those words obviously didn't stop Marecedes. A second later, she stepped on the stairs. And of course, there she saw Silver Spoon.
The filly tried her best to act natural. To not show she had just heard the few lines her sister and her friend had thrown at each other.
Marecedes's face remained as unreadable to her as ever. Only her voice betrayed her. The simple "Hey" that she offered as a greeting was carried by a hint of unease Silver Spoon had never heard from her sister. For the first time since she could remember it felt like Marecedes didn't know what to say. It wasn't like yesterday. There was no shock. No dumbstruck eyes staring through her. Just the uncertainty of somepony not knowing what was going to happen Silver Spoon was all too familiar with.
Silver Spoon hesitated. She had always asked herself what it was for the other side of this situation. Now the filly had to admit it didn't feel any less awkward. But as Marecedes didn't seem to come to any conclusion on what she had to say, Silver Spoon decided to take it upon her to break the silence.
"I, um, just heard you talking to somepony. Was that really Diamond Tiara?"
Marecedes looked as if a sudden pain had struck her. She closed her eyes and said: "Yes, it was."
"Now that's a surprise. I didn't know you were on speaking terms."
Silver Spoon immediately backed away under her sister's glare.
"I'm not on 'speaking terms' with the likes of her." Her words were the hiss of cobra before its prey. "And neither would you if you knew what was good for you."
"Hey, that... that was meant as a joke. I know you and her aren't friends, okay?"
"Damn right we're not," declared Marecedes with anguished finality.
Silver Spoon still stared at her in shock. First Diamond Tiara, now her sister. She really had to work on her choice of words. But then Marecedes's look started to soften. Silver Spoon could have been wrong, maybe it was just a wish playing tricks on her eyes, still she could have sworn there had been a glimpse of regret sparkling in her sister's eyes. Marecedes looked away from Silver Spoon and mumbled something. Something that sounded like "Never that stupid again."
Then she turned around. But before she descended the stairs she said something Silver Spoon would have never expected from Marecedes.
"Sorry about that."
And then she left her little sister standing alone to wonder what just had happened.
It felt like she had stared after Marecedes for an eternity before Silver Spoon remembered why she had gone up here. She made haste to get to her room. Diamond Tiara was nowhere to be seen. Silver Spoon thanked Celestia for that. She stuffed all the school stuff, some pens and paper, and - just to be safe - some sweets from her stash into the bags still lying where they dropped them. Then she stormed down to the dining room again.
And there she found Apple Bloom and Marecedes sitting across from each other at the table. The latter was silently eating her meal, almost in a dream-like state, blankly staring past the filly in front of her. Apple Bloom on the other hand was eyeing her with uneasy curiosity. When she noticed Silver Spoon she stood up and came over to her. Silently they both threw a last look at Marecedes, then Silver Spoon closed the door and they left.
On the way towards the front gates Silver Spoon asked: "Did she say anything to you?"
Apple Bloom nodded. "Not much, but yes, she did. And Ah' still don't know what to make of it."
"So, um, what did she say?"
"At first, all she said was 'Hey.' Then she sat down and stared at me like Ah' was some kind of riddle. And just when Ah' was ponderin' if Ah' should say somethin' she asks me why Ah'm yer friend."
"And what did you answer?" Still sounding casual came close to impossible for Silver Spoon.
"Ah' told her that Ah' don't need a reason for havin' friends."
"And then?"
"Nothin'. Well, nothin' special. She just nodded. Then came her meal, ya' returned and now we're here. What was that all about? Ah' mean, Ah've only seen yer sister twice before. But as far as Ah' can tell, she seemed different today."
"I wish I knew. I saw her talking to Di when I went upstairs. No idea what they were talking about. When I asked her about it, she just snapped at me. And the weirdest about it, then she apologized for it."
"That's the weirdest?" Apple Bloom wondered.
"Yes, she never does that. But I'd really like to know what Di had told her. To be honest, Marecedes didn't seem too happy about it. But then again, she's never happy about anything Di does."
"Speakin' of her. Do ya' still think she'll show up at school tomorrow?"
"Oh, yes. I'm sure of that. She promised me. And she has never broken a promise before."
"That's good. Ah' hope."
Silver Spoon didn't know what she could add to that. Brushing her own doubts and fears aside became harder and harder. Of course, she trusted her friend. After all, it was true. Di had never broken a promise to her. When she said she would give Apple Bloom a chance Silver Spoon could count on it. Definitely. Still, her head wouldn't stop nagging her with the question what would be if it didn't work out. All her resolve that there simply was no way she would let that happen worked less and less to calm her own thoughts. She wished that Apple Bloom would say something. Anything. Just to get her distracted. Yet silence followed them once more until Fluttershy's doorstep.
They knocked and moments later, the pagasus greeted them. And her presence alone finally gave Silver Spoon something to focus on. She didn't even care about Angel. Just having something to distract her from what had happened was more than enough to make her happy.
As soon as they had set down on the couch, Apple Bloom said:
"So, did ya' think about ma' plan, Fluttershy?"
"Oh, yes," answered Fluttershy, still busy with filling up the tea cups. "And I think is is nice that you want to surprise Sweetie Belle, but I know Rarity. She will want to have some peace and quiet. So I don't think any kind of party, even a small one would be possible."
"Hm, Ah' see," said Apple Bloom, tapping her chin.
Silver Spoon was baffled. The way her friend acted she could have sworn she really had no idea what could be done. She had expected her to simply lay out what they had talked about with Twilight Sparkle. Yet here she was, acting like she had to carefully ponder the situation.
Then, with a more than convincing tone of thoughtfulness, she slowly asked: "So, what if we, well, just greet them there? And then go somewhere else?"
"Oh, that's a wonderful idea, Apple Bloom," Fluttershy answered with a much less convincing facade of admiration. "Why didn't I think of that?"
Silver Spoon was speechless. She couldn't decide what was more impressive - Apple Bloom's ability to sell all this as her own idea or Fluttershy's attempt to let the filly in front of her think it really was her own idea.
Then they kept looking at each other, both obviously expecting the other one to say something. It was Apple Bloom who broke the silence: "So, um, what about Rarity?"
This didn't seem to be what Fluttershy had waited for. "What about her?"
"Um, don't ya' think she might have something against this?"
"Oh, no. Why would she?"
"Well, maybe she wants Sweetie Belle to unpack her things first?"
Fluttershy simply kept smiling. "No, I don't think so. And if she does, I'll talk to her."
For a second, Apple Bloom's show was slipping. But then her face was nothing but a wide, thankful grin. "Yer the best, Fluttershy."
"Yeah, thank you!" Silver Spoon finally broke her silent viewership.
"Oh, no," Fluttershy said with a shade of pink growing on her face. "I'd do anything to help my friends."
"Well, in that case," Silver Spoon said, deciding to cease this opportunity, "could we stay here for some time? We need a place to study."
Fluttershy didn't even hesitate. "Of course. Just make yourself at home."
At first it felt strange to sit at somepony else's home and study. But soon they were both so wrapped up in their notes and books they completely forgot about their whereabouts. If Flutteshy hadn't come in from time to time with tea or snacks Silver Spoon could have sworn she had been at home the whole time. In fact, even that felt more familiar with every time.
After what felt like hours Silver Spoon put down her pen. A quick glance at the clock confirmed that it had indeed been hours, though not as many as it felt like. Her mind told her it had to be evening already, yet it was barely a late afternoon. Nonetheless, she groaned in defeat. "That's it. I'm done."
Apple Bloom nodded. "Yeah. Me too. Ah' think we came pretty far this time. So, what are we goin' to do with the rest of the day?"
Silver Spoon shook her head. "I'm afraid we won't do much with it. I'll have to go home."
"What? Why?" Apple Bloom asked. "Did that butler put up any other rules?"
"No, that's not it. Remember, I promised Di-" Silver Spoon clasped her hooves over her mouth. "Oh no."
Apple Bloom and Fluttershy exchanged irritated looks.
"What is it, dear?" the pegasus asked cautiously.
"Stickler. I forgot." Silver Spoon jumped to all four. "I have to go home. Now."
Now Apple Bloom's eyes widened too. "Don't tell me..."
"What? What are you talking about?" Fluttershy asked, now looking more and more like she had done something wrong.
"I forgot to tell where I was going," Silver Spoon explained while hastily stuffing her books and notes away.
"You didn't..." Fluttershy started, then a moment of understanding went over her face. "Oh, your agreement. Oh my..."
Silver Spoon threw the saddlebags onto her back. "Gotta run!" was all she could spare as a good-bye.
"Wait, maybe I should..."
She heard Fluttershy start talking behind her but never got to know what Fluttershy should do. Her mind was set on getting home. She bolted from the cottage straight onto the market. Dodging legs and carts she maneuvered herself through the crowd. A few times she stumbled into somepony. Had to squeeze through smaller groups, brushing other foals aside. But there was no time for apologies. She pushed on, sometimes scraping corners with her saddlebags. Once she heard somepony yelling after her, telling her to stay. But she couldn't even look back. Had she broken something? She would pay whoever it had belonged to. She just had to do that later.
Once she had passed this mass of obstacles all that was left was a head-on sprint towards her home. Splashing gravel left and right she dashed from the gates towards the front-door. And there he already waited for her, standing in the open doorway like Cerberus before the gates of Tartarus.
"Welcome home, Lady Silver Spoon." Stickler's greeting was as dry as always, yet carried by an unknown chill. "Is there anything the young lady would like to explain?"
Oh yes, there was. But she couldn't. Still trying to catch her breath she decided that she would extend her newfound efforts in school also to PE classes. As she tried to at least give her butler an apologetic look she saw another pony heading towards them.
"What does she have to explain to you, Stickler?"
The butler turned around. "I am sorry, Lady Diamond Tiara, but this is a matter not concerning you."
"Everything that concerns my friend also concerns me. Right, Silver Spoon?"
The filly eyed her friend carefully. Was she up to some scheme of revenge for what had happened at noon? Or was she really here to help a friend? After a moment of panting, she decided that it couldn't get any worse either way. "Right," said Silver Spoon between her gasps. "You can... tell her."
Unmoved, Stickler let his look rest on the filly for a moment. Then he said without even a hint of emotion: "Very well, as you wish, Lady Silver Spoon. The matter is that, after certain difficulties on the young lady's behalf concerning her ability to keep set curfews, we came to an agreement that she would inform the house personnel about her whereabouts and intended time of return whenever she were to leave the mansion. Unfortunately, it only took two days until this agreement was broken, as it seems."
"Oh no," answered Diamond Tiara, her eyes widening. "I'm afraid this is my fault then."
"How so?" Stickler asked.
Silver Spoon simply stared at her, having the same question on her mind. And still marveling how her friend had understood so quickly what Stickler had just said.
"I'm so sorry, Silver Spoon. I just forgot to tell him. You see, Stickler, before she and Apple Bloom left, Silver Spoon asked me to tell you they were going to the library once more. And that she wanted to come home as soon as possible. But then I laid down for a moment because I was so full, I think I even dozed off for some time. I completely forgot about it. If I had only known that it had been so important... Oh, I am so sorry, this really is all my fault."
Stickler looked like he was trying to read Diamond Tiara's mind. Yet she held the most convincing visage of guilt and regret Silver Spoon had ever seen. After a while he simply declared: "Very well then, I shall overlook this instance. But let that be a last warning to you that I was and am serious about this matter, Lady Silver Spoon."
He didn't wait for an answer and left them at the door.
As soon as he was out of sight Silver Spoon sat down right on the doorstep. "Thank you, Di."
"You're welcome," Diamond Tiara answered, still looking after the butler. "This is what friends do, right?"
Silver Spoon eyed her carefully. There was, surprisingly, no sign of malice or spite in Di's voice. Even the smile she wore now was as friendly as ever.
Cautiously, Silver Spoon said: "So, Di, how should I say this... Are you not mad at me anymore for, well, what has happened the last days?"
Her friend waved a dismissing hoof. "Oh no, of course not. I had some time to think now. And I came to the conclusion that you are right. Before I start driving them off I should give your new friends a fair chance. You see, I was simply surprised before. I thought you were coming back from the library alone and I had you all for myself the rest of the day. All I want is some time with my best friend."
Some part of her subconscious started to poke her. It desperately tried to get her attention. But Silver Spoon's joy over what she heard subdued it. There was no space right now for doubt. Those words had to be true. |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 22 | Chapter 22
Silver Spoon put on her best smile. "That's great. I knew you would understand. So, what do you say we-"
She got interrupted by a thud directly behind her. When she turned around she saw one of her books lying on the doorstep. Still wondering how it got there she heard Diamond Tiara saying:
"What did you do with your bags?"
Obviously she had got them ripped open. A quick check inside revealed that all the other books were still there. Yet everything else was gone.
"How did this..." mumbled Silver Spoon, but then realization set in. "The market!"
"The market?"
"Yes, I hit a stand there while I was running home. That's when this happened. I'll have to go look for my stuff!"
She was already about to run off when her friend held her back.
"What about Stickler?"
It took her a moment to grasp what Di meant. Then she turned around once more to go look for her butler. Which proved harder than she had expected. She had never before spent a thought on where Stickler was when he wasn't around her. And for the first time she became aware of how vast her home actually was. In the end, where the butler was remained a mystery, as they ran into Rosy. The maid seemed to understand only half of what Silver Spoon was hastily laying out for her, but she didn't object when she was told the fillies wanted to leave the house and look for the missing stuff.
They started their search right outside the front door, checking the flowerbeds to each side if anything had landed there. In the same fashion they worked their way through the streets, looking into every alley, turning over anything that could even hide a single quill. This way, what would have normally been a walk of minutes turned into over an hour. Yet when they finally reached the market place they hadn't found anything.
"Can't you just re-buy those things?" Diamond Tiara asked, making little effort for hiding her annoyance. "If we hurry we might make it to the store before it closes."
"The quills and writing pads, yes. But I need my notes."
"That is the first time I've ever heard you say this." Diamond Tiara laughed in disbelief. "If this wasn't for you... So, which way did you come from?"
They set out to retrace her steps in reverse. Yet even though most stands were already closed down and the place was far less crowded than before, again, their search remained fruitless.
After a while Diamond Tiara groaned: "I think this is pointless. I lost track of how long we've been searching now. I guess it's time you admit your things are gone."
"I guess you're right," Silver Spoon agreed. "I'm sorry that I dragged you out here for nothing."
"At least we finally got to spend some time together." Diamond Tiara's tone betrayed her optimistic words. "I only wish we could have done something like hanging out in the pool."
"We can still do that. Maybe not today, but there's still a few weeks of summer left."
"But I meant just you and me. Not with your new friends hanging around."
"Then let them be your new friends too. That's what I've been trying to tell you for days now."
"We'll see about that tomorrow."
The way home also took longer than usual. Despite having given up on searching, Silver Spoon still kept an eye out for anything they might have missed.
Nonetheless they returned empty hoofed. Mentally beat, she dragged herself up the stairs. It took her a moment to realize that there was somepony standing in front of her room.
"Oh, there you are," said Honey Blossom, smiling at the two . "No need to knock then, I guess." The young mare smiled at Silver Spoon. "You look kind of down. Did something happen?"
"You could say that," Silver Spoon replied.
"Let me guess. You lost something, right?"
Silver Spoon's ears perked. "Yes. How did you know?"
Honey Blossom laughed. "Because I picked it up after you spread your school stuff all around our market stand."
"Really? That's great. When can I come over and pick it up?"
"Right now, it's in Marecedes's room. That's why I came looking for you."
"So," Diamond Tiara said, "does this mean we could have just waited here instead of spending the whole afternoon practically crawling to the market and back?"
"You did that?" said Honey Blossom, barely containing her grin.
"Hey, how was I supposed to know she had my stuff?" Silver Spoon replied.
Diamond Tiara shook her head. "Never mind. I think it would be best if I just stay here. Or do you want my support?"
"Support?" asked Honey Blossom.
"No, no," Silver Spoon said hastily. "I'll be fine. Let's go."
On the short way towards Marecedes's room Honey Blossom asked: "Is this support thing still about whatever is going on between you and your sister?"
"Yes, she has always supported me against... I mean, in this matter."
"And do you think this Diamond Tiara is really the best pony to help you out with this?" Honey Blossom asked while opening the door to the place they were heading for.
"Until recently she was the only one," Silver Spoon pointed out.
"What, you're still hanging out with that imp?" Marecedes asked when they entered her room, not bothering to look up from the magazine she was reading.
Silver Spoon stared back at her sister sitting on the bed, casually leaning against the wall. But the onsetting anger quickly faded away in the realization how much this room had changed since the last time she had been in there. This could barely be called the same room she remembered. The bed, the desk, even the wardrobe - it all seemed so... grown up. She couldn't put her hoof on what it was that made the difference, yet something about it reminded her instantly how much older her sister was.
"What is it?" Marecedes's voice drew her back to the present. "You look like you've never been in here before."
"It feels like it," Silver Spoon answered. "Where did all the pink go?"
"It left as soon as I took over choosing colors from mom. But back to my question. I don't get why you still waste your time with that little princess."
"Because she is still my best friend. And nothing will change that."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Marecedes said indifferently.
"What do you mean by that?" Silver Spoon asked, suddenly having the image of her sister and Diamond Tiara talking with each other in front of her eyes.
Marecedes already had her mouth open, but then a thought seemed to cross her mind. She tapped her chin a few times and then said: "You know what? Why don't you find that out for yourself."
"Marecedes," Honey Blossom said, "don't you think you ought to tell her?"
"Tell me what?" Silver Spoon wanted to know.
"No," insisted Marecedes. "I thought I should. But I told her so many times before and she never got it. And considering what happened, not telling her worked surprisingly well."
"Well?" snapped Silver Spoon. "That was horrible. I never had a fight with Di before!"
"Oh, I wasn't even talking about that," answered Marecedes, a smile now forming on her face. "But yes, that was a nice bonus."
Silver Spoon glared back at her sister, the familiar burning inside her chest starting to rise. But before she was able to say anything, she felt Honey Blossom's hoof on her back.
"Don't you think Silver Spoon deserves to know?"
Marecedes shook her head. "Listen, she wouldn't believe me. Like I said, she never did. But hey, Silver Spoon, how is this for an idea: Why don't you ask her what we talked about? And then see if her answer is believable or not."
"No problem, she never lies to me," Silver Spoon stated. "But since we talk about, um, what you have been talking about: Apple Bloom has told me that you asked her why she is my friend."
"Actually, why she wants to be your friend," her sister corrected.
"Or that. Why does that matter to you?"
Marecedes took a deep breath and finally put down the magazine. "Because of what you said. About siblings not being responsible for each other's actions. And I can't deny that you've changed ever since she started hanging around with you. So I wanted to know her... her... agenda."
"Her what?" Silver Spoon asked
"Well, her real reasons she is doing all this. I guess I don't need to tell you what has been going on between the two of you. And you already know that her sister and I are also not exactly the best of friends. So I wanted to make sure this isn't all just some ploy for them - or at least one of them - to get some revenge."
"Wait," Honey Blossom threw in, "do you really think she would have told you if that were the case?"
"Yeah, I know what you mean," replied Marecedes. "But I just had to ask. And to be honest, she didn't seem to me like she was lying when she answered."
Honey Blossom didn't look like she had anything more to add, but for Silver Spoon things weren't settled with that. "Do you really think Apple Bloom would do something like that? Or Applejack, for that matter?"
"Maybe." Marecedes shrugged. "But since you brought it up, I'm curious. Has she asked you for anything so far? Any favors, money or whatever?"
"No," Silver Spoon said instantly. Then she started thinking. "Not like that, anyway."
"Like that?" the two mares asked in unison.
"No, it's nothing. You just reminded that... I promised her something. But she didn't ask me for that, honestly. It was my idea."
Marecedes exchanged a cautious look with her friend before asking: "What was your idea?"
"That she and her family can use our summer house when we're not there. Because, you know, they never had a real vacation before."
"Hey, now," said Marecedes, sounding like she was forcing and restraining a laugh at the same time. "You can't just promise something like that. Mom and dad will have something to say about it, I think."
Silver Spoon nodded. "Yes, I know. And that's why I have to ask them."
"Shouldn't you've done that before you promise something like that?" asked Honey Blossom.
"No," replied Silver Spoon. "Father always gives me what I ask him for."
Honey Blossom cocked an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Unfortunately, yes," sighed Marecedes. "But I don't think we'd be done before supper if we got into that. Well then, go ahead and ask dad about this. I just hope he does the sensible thing for once."
Silver Spoon was about to ask what the sensible thing would be, but when she saw her sister picking the magazine back up she knew that saying any more would only lead to unnecessary fighting. So she simply turned around, determined to find Stickler.
Yet Honey Blossom held her back. "Wait. Aren't you forgetting about something?"
"Like what?" she snapped, far more aggressive than she had wanted to.
"Like what you came here for in the first place?"
"In the first..." Silver Spoon started but then got cut off by a very unpleasant heat growing all over her face. "Oh, right. My school stuff."
With an apologetic look she thanked Honey Blossom and took the bag the young mare handed her. Then she returned to her own room. And again, somepony was waiting for her there in front of the door.
"Good evening, Miss Silver Spoon," Rosy greeted her with a smile. "Stickler sent me to tell you that supper is served."
"Thank you," she replied. "I'll inform Di. Um, could you tell Stickler for me that I need to talk with father? This evening, if possible?"
"Of course." Rosy nodded and left.
"What took you so long?" was the first Silver Spoon heard when she opened the door to her room. "Did anything happen between you and your sister?"
"Don't worry, Di. Nothing happened. Nothing you would need to worry about."
"Alright, if you say so."
Silver Spoon didn't miss the air of distrust in her friend's words. She decided to just leave the topic at that. "By the way, Rosy said supper is ready. Maybe we should go."
Diamond Tiara looked like she wanted to say something, but then simply nodded. Moments later they were well supplied with various kinds of bread, cheeses, jams and fruits. Yet there was still one thing Silver Spoon was missing.
Once again she found herself sitting there in silence. Di didn't seem like she was about to say anything. And even though this time she looked in no way to be offended by anything, there was still a gloomy air surrounding her. Silver Spoon couldn't blame her for that, seeing how the day they had went. Yet, she still wished they had anything they could talk about.
After a while she knew she couldn't stand it anymore. She just had to say something. "Say, how was your trip to the beach this year?" was the first thing she came up with.
"Lovely," Diamond Tiara answered without looking up. "As always."
"Um... did anything special happen?"
"No. Not really."
Silver Spoon stared at her friend who didn't even show as much as a twitch on her face. But she wouldn't give up this easily. "And your trip back to Ponyville? "
"Uneventful."
"That's good, of course. But how is it riding the train on your own? I never did that before."
Diamond Tiara shrugged. "Not that different. The conductor checked my cabin more often than usually."
"Oh, that was nice of him."
"Uh-huh."
For a moment, Silver Spoon fell silent again. Her friend still was more interested in the table than in her. Then she said: "Oh, come on Di. I know this wasn't the day either of us had in mind, but-"
"Nothing is like I had it in mind." Now her friend finally lifted her head, giving Silver Spoon a glare that made her inch backwards on her chair. "And speaking of which, since when have you become so chatty during meals?"
"What?"
"Usually you wouldn't say a word more than necessary when there's food on the table. But now it's like you can't stop talking."
Silver Spoon blinked a few times before answering: "Do you want me to stop talking to you, Di?"
"No, of course not. It's just so... not you. Not like the you I know."
"Di, um, how should I say this... I don't want to be like the Silver Spoon you knew ever again."
"Yes, you made that clear before," Diamond Tiara replied dryly, letting her head drop again. "And I still don't get it."
Again, silence followed. A silence that laid heavy on Silver Spoon's mood. And this time it was not broken until Stickler entered the room.
Seemingly unaware of the current atmosphere he announced: "Lady Silver Spoon, your call would be ready now. Are you available at the moment or should I request your father to wait?"
Silver Spoon was on her hooves before her butler had finished his question. "No, let's go," she said with more relief in her voice than she had wanted to show.
She followed Stickler through the mansion. Even though she knew perfectly well where they were heading it only now dawned on her that she would be in her father's study all alone. Well, not that alone, Stickler would still be there, but usually her father wouldn't let her stay there without his personal supervision. It even felt like a completely different place, when she entered the room without him being there. Sure, everything was still as it should be. The shelves with only a few, very thick books and lots and lots of even thicker folders. Those big ones grown-ups use, not the small plastic folders she had for school. The rubber plant in one corner still was in top shape. None of the paintings hanging at the wall - each depicting one member of their family - was missing. Even the one of her father Silver Spoon had drawn a few years ago. Though she had no idea why he kept it. Compared to the professional works it looked rather terrible to her. And, of course, the desk, as always covered in that neatly organized chaos her father managed to maintain despite every attempt of intervention on her mother's part. She still claimed that he would one day misplace one of his factories if he kept things like they were.
But the scattered piles of paper were of no interest to her right now. All she cared about now was the little apparatus standing next to the typewriter. She had seen her father use the telephone before, he had even explained it to her. Yet still she felt a curious uncertainty when she picked up the smaller piece and placed it on her ear.
Nothing.
Cautiously, she stepped a little closer to the bigger part on the other end of the cord and said: "He-, hello?"
"Ah, there you are," she heard the joyful voice of her father. Hearing but not seeing him, knowing he was miles and miles away was a peculiar sensation. Particularly more so as he sounded like he was talking from behind a thin wall. "How are you, my little Silver Spoon?"
"Oh I'm... I'm fine, thank you. And how are you and mother?"
"We're doing fine, too, thank you. It is the same, quiet summer we enjoy every year. But Stickler told me your summer so far has been quite eventful?"
"Oh, yes." Silver Spoon smiled, followed by the immediate realization that her father couldn't see her. Glad that he also couldn't see the blush on her cheeks, she started to tell him about everything that had happened. Maybe she tweaked the truth a little bit here and there, like who might have been at fault for the fight she had with Apple Bloom at the very first day of summer school. And she carefully made sure her father understood how nice and welcoming the whole Apple family had been towards her, especially how much Apple Bloom had helped her so far with school and a lot of other things.
When Silver Spoon had finally reported every last detail of her new friend's good deeds, her father broke his state of silent listening. "Now that sounds like you are not that upset anymore about us leaving you at home."
Silver Spoon smiled again. This time to herself. "No, not anymore. I never thought I would say that, but I am glad I didn't go on vacation this year."
"Well, I am glad to hear that. But it reminds me, your mother and I have met some of your friends here. They asked us to tell you they miss you and hope they'll see you again next year."
"Oh, thank you. Please tell them I miss them too when you see them again. But, talking about going on vacation..."
As her voiuce had trailed of, her father asked:"Yes?"
Silver Spoon hesitated. In her imagination, this had been so much easier to say. Now she had to fight to simply get the right words together. "You know... um... Did you know that there are ponies who don't go on vacation? I mean, not because they don't want to. Just because they're... because they can't afford it."
It took her father a moment to answer. And when he did his voice carried a note Silver Spoon wasn't used to. It was a faint but distinct hint of uncertainty that was the complete opposite of what her father stood for.
"Yes, I do. Why do you ask?"
"Well, it's just that, um..." Why was saying this making her so uncomfortable? "Apple Bloom told me she never had a real vacation. And so I thought, um..."
"You thought?"
"That, well, maybe her family could use our summer house. You know, from time to time. We're only staying there for a few weeks a year."
"So, are you asking me to let ponies we barely know stay at our property?"
"Er... yes?"
"But Silver Spoon, we can't do that. I know, you're friends with Apple Bloom, but they are basically strangers to us. How could I allow that?"
"But... but... I know them," Silver Spoon pleaded. "And all it took them to treat me like one of their family was one dinner!"
"Really?"
"Yes!" Silver Spoon insisted.
"Well, maybe then we should invite them over for dinner as soon as we are back home. What do you say?"
"I... You really mean that?"
Silver Spoon could hear her father smile as he answered: "Of course. And then we'll see about the summer house. Does that seem fair?"
"More than fair. Thank you."
"No, no. There's no need to thank me. I'm proud of you, my little Silver Spoon."
She stopped short. That had made him proud of her?
"But say," he continued, leaving her no chance to pursue that thought. "You haven't lost one word about your surprise so far."
"My surprise?"
"Yes," said her father. "Diamond Tiara. Stickler told me she had arrived yesterday."
Silver Spoon cringed. "Ah, yes, she has. Thank you for letting her stay here."
"Again, you don't have to thank me. I just wish I've had that idea sooner."
Once more, Silver Spoon was taken by surprise. But this time she wasted no time asking about it: "You had the idea?"
"Oh, yes. You know, as soon as we had arrived here, I did start to feel sorry for you. So, after some thinking I called up Filthy Rich and asked him if it would be alright for him if Diamond Tiara were to stay at our home. It needed some convincing, yet in the end everything worked out just fine. As you know by now, I guess."
"Convincing? Was he really against Di coming here?"
"No, he thought that was a nice idea. But Diamond Tiara was a bit afraid of traveling without her parents. Filthy Rich told me that, as much as she loved the chance to stay with you, they had to promise her more than once they would instruct the conductor to watch over her."
Silver Spoon was dumbstruck. All she could say was: "Really?"
"Yes, really. But be honest, would you have not been at least a bit nervous about such a trip?"
"Oh, yes," she responded absentmindedly. "Most likely."
"Is anything the matter, Silver Spoon?"
At these words, she shook her head. Not to deny the question, but to clear her mind. Still, her answer was: "No, it's nothing. I think I'm just getting tired. It has been quite a long day."
"I see. Then I don't want to keep you from your bed. Have a good night and lovely dreams."
"Yes, you too, father."
Silver Spoon slowly put the small earpiece onto the cradle on the top of the telephone. Then she stared at it, caught in her thoughts.
"Is anything the matter, Lady Silver Spoon?"
She jumped at Stickler's voice. She had already forgotten that he had been there the whole time.
Silver Spoon shook her head. "No, I think not."
The butler simply looked at her with his almost-never-changing mien. Then he closed his eyes and said: "If you say so, young Lady. But if anything should come up, don't hesitate talking to me."
Silver Spoon barely heard what he said. Her mind was spinning too fast around one thing. One enormous center of concern that wouldn't let go of her. Mechanically she worked herself through her bedtime routine. Only when she came back into her room her attention snapped back into place.
"Oh, so you did come back after all," Diamond Tiara greeted her.
"What are you doing here?" Silver Spoon already regretted her words before she had finished them.
With an unmistakable sharpness her friend answered: "Well, I thought, seeing that we have to get up at the same time tomorrow we could finally share your bed. That is, unless you don't want to."
"No, no, that's great. It's just that, um, you didn't... and... You see, I was simply surprised."
"I see." And with that Diamond Tiara climbed into the bed.
Hesitatingly, Silver Spoon followed her. After she had found the most comfortable position she took another look at her friend. She lay on the side, facing away from her.
Silver Spoon turned around again, And after a while of fighting with herself she managed to say: "There is something I wanted to ask you."
"Then why don't you?" was the mumbled answer.
"Well... I saw you talking to my sister earlier."
"That's not a question."
"You know what I want to know. What did you two talk about?"
Silver Spoon heard her friend take a deep breath before she said: "About you. And her."
"What?"
"You heard me. I tried to find out why she is always treating you so badly. Because, you know, that's something I wanted to do anyway while I had the chance of staying here for some time. See if I could get her to change. And we happened to stumble into each other, so I thought I'd use my chance. But unfortunately, she was anything but willing to give it a chance."
"Really? What did she say to you?"
Diamond Tiara paused a moment before answering: "Um, I'm not really sure if you really want to hear that."
"Don't worry. She has said so many things to and about me, this one won't make any difference."
After another pause Diamond Tiara said: "Yeah, I guess you're right. She said that she would never accept you as her real sister."
"What?"
"That's not even everything. She also said that you being friends with somepony like Apple Bloom proves that you don't really belong into her family."
This had never happened before. And Silver Spoon still couldn't believe it had happened at all. For the first time ever, Diamond Tiara's words made no sense to her. She did her best to wrestle this information into her memories, make them fit into the gaps about that conversation she had observed. But her mind valiantly denied any compliance. And, maybe just to irritate her a little bit further, it brought up something else she had heard recently:
Why don't you ask her what we talked about? And then see if it's believable or not.
Her sister's voice still resounding in her head, it took her a few moments to realize Diamond Tiara was talking again:
"Hey, Silver Spoon? Are you okay?"
"No," she choked out, her throat suddenly terribly dry. "I don't think so."
"Oh, I knew I shouldn't have told you. I didn't want to upset you."
Was this just her subconscious now making fun of her or did her friend's concern really sound so unbearably fake? "Well, I'm afraid there is nothing we can do about this right now."
"I'm afraid you're right. Maybe we should try to get some sleep and see what we can do tomorrow?"
"Yes," Silver Spoon answered mechanically. "Good night, then."
"Good night to you too," Diamond Tiara answered. And then she added: "And remember; whatever happens, I'll be there for you."
Silently, Silver Spoon wished, no, prayed that at least this had still been the truth.
The next morning, when Rosy woke them up with her best practice of flooding the room with sunlight, the filly felt like she had hardly slept at all, though she couldn't remember waking up during the night. She felt more like her head had just stayed awake on its own, refusing to let the whole conversation with Diamond Tiara go like that.
At least the air of gloom and discomfort she felt following her from the bed to the bath and then to break-fast seemed to pass as simple tiredness. Nopony asked her any question she wouldn't have wanted to answer. Yet the walk to school was one ongoing mockery to her. The sun shining way too brightly, the joyful ponies surrounding her and Diamond Tiara, the birds singing in the trees - it all felt like they were pointing at her, quietly snickering as soon as she had passed by. Even Diamond Tiara, anything but a morning pony, seemed happier than she ought to be.
Cheerilee greeted her as cheerfully as always but was obviously surprised to have another student around for the day. Yet Diamond Tiara didn't miss a beat to explain how she had come back to Ponyville to aid her best friend. It was same story she had told Silver Spoon before, how she had begged her parents for this and even regretted not staying home in the first place. The sincerity she displayed drove a burning needle into Silver Spoon's guts.
And then her teacher started to twist that needle. "Now isn't that great, Silver Spoon? You can call yourself lucky to have such a good friend. And I guess with two friends helping you out, your performance here will improve even faster than before."
Of course, Cheerilee couldn't have known Silver Spoon already had two friends helping her. The filly had never told her teacher about Twist. Still, she couldn't bring herself to correct her about this. She wasn't even sure if Cheerilee hadn't been right after all.
From where she had taken the strength to form an obviously convincing smile and nod at least once remained a mystery. Nonetheless, she found herself inside the classroom moments later without any other questions asked. After unpacking she saw that Diamond Tiara was sitting at the table next to her. Without thinking twice Silver Spoon said: "That is Apple Bloom's desk."
Diamond Tiara shrugged. "She's not here yet, is she?"
To her regret, Silver Spoon couldn't deny that fact. Somepony really ought to invent a method to send letters instantaneously. Or maybe some portable telephone, that would be even better. But since both ideas were nothing but that, there was no way for Silver Spoon to let Apple Bloom know how much she would have given to have her friend by her side right now.
During the lesson she had the perfect excuse not to talk to Diamond Tiara. Paying attention, taking notes and answering questions had never been more welcome to her than today. For once, it was recess she didn't look forward to. That would be when all the excuses were over and any pretense of still being sleepy would have to go.
But as the moment came, it was Cheerilee who came to her rescue. Their teacher stopped them on their way to the door. "Diamond Tiara? Could you please stay here for a moment? I need to talk to you."
"What?" the addressed filly replied. "Why?"
"We'll talk about that in private. Silver Spoon, would you please leave us alone?"
She did, with pleasure. Though she still was curious. What did Cheerilee have to talk about with Diamond Tiara? She hadn't even had a chance to do something wrong. However, Silver Spoon took her now usual place on the swing, doing her best to ignore Snips and Snails and waited for Diamond Tiara to come outside as well. But in the end, to Silver Spoon's surprise, recess passed and she still hadn't shown up.
When Silver Spoon returned into the school house she found Diamond Tiara sitting at her own desk, throwing a short, piercing glare at her. Then she looked back down, a deep frown carved into her face.
Silver Spoon tried to read anything from Cheerilee's expression but all she could make out was that her cheerfulness felt a bit forced when she greeted her and the two colts back inside.
The next lesson felt longer than the one before. As much as Silver Spoon wanted to just focus on her teacher, she caught herself again and again peeking over to the filly now sitting two seats away from her with an unchanging expression. Engulfed in an aura of defiance and silent anger, Diamond Tiara kept her gaze locked onto the desk top in front of her. When this lesson came to its end she followed the other foals outside in the same mood.
Silver Spoon didn't dare coming closer to her than necessary. It wasn't often she saw Diamond Tiara like this but she knew well enough that distance was the only thing that helped in these cases. Which unfortunately meant she couldn't sit on the swing this time, since Diamond Tiara headed there, taking seat upon it like it was a throne and kept glaring at the ground.
Still wondering what might have happened between her and Cheerilee, Silver Spoon heard a voice from behind her:
"Boy, what's up with her?"
She didn't need to turn around to know who it was. "Hello, Apple Bloom. I have no idea."
"So, do ya' think it's safe talkin' to her now?"
"Definitely not."
"Do ya' think she still remembers her promise?"
"I'd like to think so. She has never broken..."
At that moment, Diamond Tiara looked up, all her anger fixed on Apple Bloom. She slid from the swing. With quick steps she moved towards the stunned fillies. When she stood face to face with Apple Bloom, she hissed: "Get. Away. From her."
But the red maned filly stood her ground. "Why should Ah'?"
"Because I want my friend back." Diamond Tiara voice rose with every word she said. "I don't know what you did to her, but she is not herself. Undo whatever it was!"
"But Ah' didn't-" Apple Bloom started.
"Yes, she did," Silver Spoon cut her off. "And I like how I am now. How many times do I have to tell you?"
The brief moment of sternness went from Silver Spoon's face as soon as Diamond Tiara turned towards her. All the boiling anger thrown at Apple Bloom was gone. Silver Spoon could clearly see a thin, wet stream crawl down Diamond Tiara's cheeks.
"Please, Silvy, you can't mean that."
Silver Spoon swallowed hard. She wasn't used to hear Di's voice shaking like that. This wasn't to get that new dress from her daddy. Diamond Tiara was honestly pleading with her. But this was the one wish she couldn't allow herself to grant her friend.
Silver Spoon closed her eyes. "I do mean it."
She could hear Diamond Tiara doing her best to hold her sobs. Then her friend cried: "I hate you! Both of you!"
Even before she had her eyes open again Silver Spoon knew Diamond Tiara was running away. |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 23 | Chapter 23
"Well, that was unexpected," Snips's nerve-piercing voice sounded behind Silver Spoon.
"Yeah," added the drooping voice of Snails. "I never thought I'd ever see you stand up to her like that."
"Hey, um, could ya' please leave us alone for a moment?" Apple Bloom asked.
Still staring after the long gone Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon heard the other two following Apple Bloom's request.
Then the red maned filly spoke again: "Don't y'think ya' ought to go after her?"
"No," was all Silver Spoon answered.
Her friend seemed to wait for her to say more, but Silver Spoon was too caught up in her own mind.
As simple minded as those two were, what Snips and Snails had just said still rang true in her ears. This was the first time she hadn't agreed with Diamond Tiara. Or was it better to say, not followed her blindly?
Another voice interrupted her thoughts.
"What was that commotion I just heard?" Cheerilee asked.
"Nothing," the two fillies said in unison.
"Girls, when I can hear Diamond Tiara from the other side of the building, it is not nothing. So, tell me what happened."
Silver Spoon looked at Apple Bloom and knew they were both waiting for the other one to start. In the end it was Silver Spoon who gave in.
"Yes, we had a bit of a fight with her. And really, it wasn't that big, but she suddenly yelled at us and ran away."
"She ran away?" Cheerilee gasped. "Where to?"
"Somewhere into town," Apple Bloom said
Yet that didn't seem to calm their teacher. "And why didn't you go after her?"
"She's staying at my house," Silver Spoon explained. "So I know where to find her."
"But," Apple Bloom said, "ain't ya' afraid she might not go there? What if she just runs off?"
Silver Spoon shook her head. "No, she won't. She'd never risk having to sleep outside."
"Okay," said Cheerilee, "I will take your word for that. But promise me that if she does not return until evening you will tell your butler what happened, Silver Spoon."
"Of course," Silver Spoon agreed.
The last lesson for the day moved by in an unsteady stream of emotions for Silver Spoon. As confident as she had been about what she had said, her subconscious wouldn't stop asking: What if she had been wrong? What if Diamond Tiara really didn't turn up at her home? She knew that was nonsense, because where else would she go to, right? There was nopony at Diamond Tiara's home and she had no other friends. But, wasn't that all the more reason she should be looking for her right now? Then again, what good would that do? Di would still be mad at her and she, too, had a lot to throw at Di. They both needed some time to blow off some steam. Yet, what would Di do now? Usually, when she was angry, she'd come to her and complain about how unfair the world was. Silver Spoon knew the routine, just sit there and wait until her friend was done and then agree with her. But, what would she do now that Silver Spoon was the one she was angry at?
A few times Cheerilee broke her train of thoughts by summoning her to the blackboard. Each time her heart skipped a beat when she realized she hadn't been paying attention. Yet she was able to solve every last equation she was confronted with - each time with the delighted appreciation from Cheerilee. Truth be told, Silver Spoon wished that her teacher would lose the hint of surprise in her tone, but that still didn't stop her from rejoicing all the way back to her desk. Although she wasn't sure if feeling this happy was appropriate in regards of everything else that had just happened.
Despite her doubts, when the lesson was over, she wasn't nearly as distraught as at the beginning. But now she saw herself confronted with another problem.
And it was Apple Bloom who brought it up: "So, do ya' think we should go to yer place now? Or do ya' want to handle her on yer own?"
About an hour ago Silver Spoon would have objected this term, but now 'handle' seemed to be about right. "No, you should be there. We tried cautiously, but I guess it's safe to say that failed. Maybe it's time we just outright confront her with how it is."
To her surprise, Apple Bloom grinned. "Finally."
"Finally?" Silver Spoon repeated.
"Yeah. Ah'd have tried that from the beginning, but Ah' thought tryin' yer way was more promissin'. Ya' know, since ya' know Diamond Tiara better than me."
Silver Spoon gave a hollow laugh. "Right, I used to think that, too."
Apple Bloom looked at her like she wanted to say something about that but had absolutely no idea what. Yet what she did say was: "Well, then we're goin' to yer place now?"
"Yes, but we'll take a slight detour across the market, if that's okay with you."
"Sure! But... why?"
"You'll see when we get there. Let's go."
This time, Silver Spoon took it upon herself not to wait for an answer and just break into a run. Yet she didn't run as fast as Apple Bloom usually did. She needed her breath for what she wanted to do.
A few moments of dodging legs and carts later she came to a stop before the stand she had aimed for. And immediately her stomach reminded her that it was indeed time for lunch as soon as her nose took in the sweet apple scent around there. As expected, Applejack was present, handing out bags and taking in bits. Yet she was greeted by a pony she hadn't expected.
"If that isn't Miss Silver Spoon," Green Thumb said. "And Applejack's sister. Apple Bloom, if I remember correctly?"
At these words Applejack's ears perked. She turned around and smiled at them. "Hey there. What brings the two of you here?"
"Well, there's something I wanted to tell you," Silver Spoon said. "But now that I meet you here, Green Thumb..."
"Yes?" the gardener inquired.
"You're part of the house staff, right?" Silver Spoon asked
"Sure am," he answered. "Why?"
"And are you working today or this this your day off?"
For some reason, this question earned her suspicious looks not just from him, but from Applejack and Apple Bloom, too.
"What?" the irritated filly asked.
"You're not going to get me in trouble for this, are you?" Green Thumb asked cautiously.
"For what?" Silver Spoon wondered.
"This little chat here. You see, I needed some seeds and thought, when I'm already around here, I could catch up with some friends."
Silver Spoon cocked an eyebrow. "Why would I get you in trouble for that? And how?"
"Um, never mind."
"Okay," said Silver Spoon, still not sure if it really was. "All I wanted was for you to tell Stickler that Apple Bloom and I will go for some ice-cream."
"We are?" asked Apple Bloom.
"Yes. We'll be back about an hour later than usual. Oh, and also tell him, we will also use this time for some school work."
"Guess that's fair," said Green Thumb. "Though I'm not too excited about talking to that grump."
Silver Spoon heard Apple Bloom giggle next to her. Even Applejack couldn't keep a grin off her face. Just like Silver Spoon herself, even though she felt a sting of guilt about it.
"Just tell him that," the filly insisted far less serious than she had intended. "And I won't tell him you called him a grump, okay?"
The gardener nodded. "Better getting back to work then. Nice seeing you again, AJ."
He turned around and soon disappeared between the other ponies crowding the market place.
"So, did Ah' hear you say there's something you wanted to tell me?" Applejack asked.
"You did," confirmed Silver Spoon. She took a deep breath and said: "I would like to invite you and your family to have dinner with my family on Sunday in two weeks."
"Really?" Apple Bloom rejoiced, grinning brighter than the summer sun. "That's awesome!"
Yet her older sister didn't seem nearly as excited. She was smiling, but Silver Spoon could see the force she had to put into it.
Applejack said: "That's very kind of you, sugarcube. But don't you think you should ask yer parents before invitin' us?"
"But I did ask father," replied Silver Spoon.
"Didn't you say they were on vacation?" Applejack asked.
"Oh, oh," Apple Bloom said before Silver Spoon could answer. "Did you use that tellyphone?"
"Telephone, yes," answered Silver Spoon. "I did. And to be honest, it was father's idea that I should invite you."
Now Applejack's smile vanished. Her eyes widened. Then she blinked a few times and said: "Really? Why?"
"Well..." Silver Spoon started but didn't know how to go on. Just telling Applejack it was to determine if they could use Silver Spoon's family's summer house somehow seemed awkward to her. She didn't even know if Apple Bloom had told her sister about that idea. And either way, she had wanted to keep that part as a surprise for when she had the chance to tell the whole Apple family at once.
As she kept staring at the batch of apples around the stand like the answer to her problem was hidden between them, Apple Bloom came to her aid: "What do ya' mean, 'why?' Since when do ya' need a reason to invite somepony for dinner?"
"That's not what Ah' meant," Applejack answered. "It's just that, um, ya' see..."
"Because of what happened between ya' and Marecedes?" Apple Bloom asked.
Applejack went pale. "What do you know about that?"
Apple Bloom shrugged. "Not more than that somethin' happened. And that ya' never told me about it."
"Then how do you-"
"I told her," confessed Silver Spoon. "I kind of had to when I told her why I couldn't visit you anymore. I'm sorry."
Applejack sat down and sighed. "No, it's okay. Ah' guess this was bound to happen sooner or later."
"Then, what did happen?" Apple Bloom asked.
Applejack shook her head. "Ah'm sorry, this is not the right place and time. It will take a bit longer to explain. Ah' will tell you. But... not now, okay?"
Apple Bloom didn't seem very satisfied with that, still she said: "Well, okay. But that's a promise, right?"
Her sister smiled and nodded.
"Good," Apple Bloom continued. "But then, what about the invitation?"
Silver Spoon could see a string of unspoken thoughts pass in Applejack's eyes. It was hard to tell what was going on in her head yet obviously she was at odds with herself. Finally she closed her eyes and asked: "You really want us to go, sugarcube?"
"Of course!" Apple Bloom declared.
Her sister took a deep breath, like she was trying to breathe out the doubts she had. When she opened her eyes again, her smile was as genuine as it had always been. "Alright then, we'll accept."
With a shared mix of joy and relief the two fillies parted with Applejack. They strolled through the alleys of market stands, towards Silver Spoon's favorite ice-cream parlor. And that was not just because it was the only one in Ponyville. She had been to a lot all throughout Equestria. But this one had been unmatched. Her mother had once said it was one of the few left making their ice-cream by hoof. Silver Spoon had no idea how that made any difference, yet obviously it did.
She ordered a large cup for both of them, ignoring Apple Bloom's fainthearted protests that she could pay for herself. But in the end, she didn't seem too unhappy about getting treated to some ice-cream by her friend. Whether or not it was because of that, she had no objections when Silver Spoon asked her if she could copy her notes for the last lesson.
Scribbling all that into her own exercise book took much less than the estimated hour, but they both had no intent of going to Silver Spoon's place any sooner than that. Still, that hour seemed shorter than most other hours Silver Spoon could remember. And when it was over, there was no choice but to get on their way.
Again, neither of the two had any desire to turn this walk into their usual race across town. Nonetheless, they reached the front gates eventually.
And as they crossed them Apple Bloom spoke out aloud what both of them had on their minds: "Do you think Diamond Tiara will be there?"
Silver Spoon only gave an undefined noise as her answer, not sure herself what she wanted to say with that mix between a snort and a grumble.
The question, however, was answered when they were greeted by Stickler at the front door: "Welcome home, Lady Silver Spoon. And welcome, Miss Apple Bloom. I received the message from Mister Green Thumb. Therefore dinner is not yet served, but may be if you wish so. However, Lady Diamond Tiara has not returned thus far. Do you intend to wait for her or shall I let the meal be prepared?"
"I guess we will wait another hour with dinner," replied Silver Spoon, She still felt stuffed from the ice-cream, yet she knew from experience that wouldn't last for long. An asking look at Apple Bloom and an agreeing nod later she continued: "If Diamond Tiara is not back by then, we will have dinner without her. Oh, and when she returns, regardless if it is before or after dinner, please let us know."
Silver Spoon was already about to pass her butler and enter the house, yet the expected acknowledgment of her order didn't come. Instead one of his bushy brows rose about a millimeter or two and he said: "Pardon, Lady Silver Spoon, I hope you don't mind me asking: Where exactly is Lady Diamond Tiara?"
The filly did her best not to flinch. A sudden wave of heat, even worse than the sun burning her coat, engulfed her face. "She... she... I don't know..."
"The two of you went to school together." Stickler didn't need to add any questions or accusations for Silver Spoon to know what he meant.
"Yes, we did," said Silver Spoon as slowly as she deemed not be suspicious. "And after that... we... um... parted."
"And she did not tell you where she was going and when she would return?
"Um... no?" She silently pleaded that this answer would be satisfying for her butler.
And to her relief, Stickler nodded. "Very well. I will then tend to my other duties. Just one last thing, Lady Silver Spoon: Please know that I indeed was sincere about what I told you yesterday after you talked to your father."
"Um, yes, of course," Silver Spoon said, trying desperately to remember what that was. Mechanically, she added: "Thank you, you're dismissed."
As soon as they were alone Apple Bloom asked: "Why didn't you tell him?"
"I... I can't."
"Why not? Didn't yer father want him to take care of ya'? Then tell him ya' had a fight."
"No! That just feels wrong. It's like, you know, making it official. I don't want to have a fight with my best friend."
"Ah' get that. But ya' do have a fight. Don't ya think not telling the ponies around yer house just makes everythin' more difficult?"
"I don't care!" Silver Spoon declared. "When Diamond Tiara comes back I'll talk to her. And this time I won't run away and I won't let her either."
Apple Bloom took a moment before replying: "And Ah' already told ya' that's the best thing ya' can do. But..."
"But?" Silver Spoon insisted.
Again, she hesitated. "Ah' might be wrong, but aren't ya' getting' the feelin' yer butler already at least knows that somethin's goin' on?"
With a quiet click the door to Silver Spoon's room closed behind them.
"Of course I do," sighed Silver Spoon. "And it's not just him. My sister knows, too. She even knew what would be going on before it was going on. But, that's just what I said. If I told them they are right, I'm letting them be right about it. And I don't want all this to be right. It is wrong. Everything happening with Di is wrong."
"Ah' guess Ah' can't argue with that last bit," Apple Bloom admitted.
"It's even worse with my sister. She still acts like Di is the next Nightmare Moon or something. When I admit all this to her or just anypony around here, do you think it would really help anything?"
Apple Bloom thought a moment. Then she nodded. "Yeah, point taken. So, what do we do now?"
"Geography," said Silver Spoon. "And hope Diamond Tiara is back when we're done with lunch."
Her hopes were not fulfilled. The time for lunch came, yet her friend did not. As much as she told herself that this had to be expected, she couldn't keep her mind from recalling what her teacher had said. Still, the two fillies returned to their studies, Silver Spoon determined not to worry about Diamond Tiara. Yet with every passing hour, her subconscious grew a bit louder. And all she could do to ignore it was focusing even harder on studying. Which worked better than she had ever thought possible.
Until Apple Bloom said: "Okay, Ah'm beat. Anythin' more for today and Ah' think ma' head will burst."
Silver Spoon didn't answer. She kept staring at the text book in front of her, marveling at herself for something else she would have never thought possible. She didn't want to stop studying. Not until Diamond Tiara was back.
"Ah' don't even care what we do now," Apple Bloom continued. "Let's just use the time till yer butler throws me out for somethin' that has nothin' to do with school."
Silver Spoon finally dropped her quill and stared at Apple Bloom. Then she asked "What did you just say?"
"That Ah' want to do somethin' else?"
"No, about Stickler."
"That's he'll throw me out. Why?"
"That's it," Silver Spoon said slamming her hoof on the table. "Ugh, how could I have not seen this."
"Well, he did that every time Ah' was here," Apple Bloom said. "What's the surprise there?"
Silver Spoon shook her head. "No, not that. Diamond Tiara. That's why she's not back yet."
"Because yer butler's goin' to..." Apple Bloom's voiced trailed off. Silver Spoon could see the realization go through her friend's eyes as she was talking. "Oh, Ah' see."
Silver Spoon let herself drop back onto the floor. Glaring at the ceiling she said: "I guess there's no sense in keeping on studying then."
"What, that's why you've been workin' so hard?"
"Well, by now," Silver Spoon admitted. "I wanted her to see I'm serious about everything I told you. And you helping me, of course."
"Ah don't think she'd be any more impressed than the last time she saw that."
"I don't want her to be impressed, I want her to accept it."
A moment of silence passed between them. Then Apple Bloom asked: "So, what do ya' wanna do now?"
Silver Spoon sat up again. "Exactly what you said. There is no point in wasting our vacation if Di won't show up before you're going home anyway."
A short evaluation of options later they headed to the tennis court. Of course, the pool was always inviting during this time of year, but Silver Spoon did look forward to something she needed more focus to do. And since Apple Bloom told she was curious about how tennis was played, the choice hadn't been a hard one.
Naturally, Apple Bloom lacked the technique for this game, yet she had all the agility and endurance it demanded. Once she had managed to handle the racket, Silver Spoon had to admit, she became an excellent partner to play with. She even seemed much more invested in the game than any of the house personnel had ever been.
And Silver Spoon was thankful for that. She couldn't remember the last time she she had so much fun playing tennis. And more importantly, it took her mind of what was to come this evening. Unfortunately, that also meant the time for her friend to go came even faster.
So when Stickler eventually called them for supper, Silver Spoon only reluctantly answered to it. Apple Bloom did her best all throughout the meal to encourage her, to not let the looming return of Diamond Tiara drag the mood down. And Silver Spoon did her best to honor these efforts, but every bite she took seemed only to feed the nervousness creeping up her stomach.
For a moment she even considered walking Apple Bloom home. Tomorrow would be school-free day for them, so Stickler shouldn't have anything to say against it. But she knew that would simply be to delay the inevitable. And when she and Di were to finally have that talk Silver Spoon wanted to be the one waiting for her and not let it be the other way around.
After they said their goodbyes Silver Spoon went back to her room and sat on her bed. She knew it wouldn't be long before Stickler told her what she expected. And she wasn't disappointed. A few minutes later she went to Diamond Tiara's room and waited.
It couldn't have been more than a few minutes, but to Silver Spoon it felt like hours until her friend finally appeared in the hallway. Diamond Tiara showed no sign of acknowledging Silver Spoon's presence. Her eyes to the ground she trotted down the floor towards her. She moved right past Silver Spoon, deliberately avoiding eye-contact.
As Diamond Tiara opened the door, Silver Spoon asked: "May I come in?"
"It's your house," was Diamond Tiara's indifferent answer. Then she stepped inside, leaving the door open.
Silver Spoon followed, closing the door behind her. "Where have you been all day?"
Still not looking at Silver Spoon, Diamond Tiara snorted. "Like you care. You didn't even come looking for me."
"Yes, I didn't," admitted Silver Spoon without hesitation. "How should have I known where you ran off to?"
"Yeah, right. You didn't even bother to check the places we usually hang out. Well, except for one, but I guess you can't call that 'looking for me', right?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't act innocent. I saw you. After I sat for hours in front of that candy store, I thought that maybe in this heat, you'd rather expect me at the ice-cream parlor. I had never expected to be the one finding you there. And not just that, she was there with you. At our table."
Ignoring the obvious accusation, Silver Spoon asked: "Then why didn't you talk to us?"
"Oh, no. I would never be so insensitive. You two were obviously caught up in school work and I didn't want to interfere with that."
"Yeah, right," Silver Spoon laughed. "Like you ever had a problem 'interfering' with anypony."
"Oh, and you didn't?" Diamond Tiara scoffed.
"I never said that. On the contrary, I know we did a lot of things I do regret now. But what I never did was lying to my friend."
"Yeah, you skipped that and outright went to stabbing her in the back."
"Don't try to turn this around on me. You're the one who broke her promise to me. You said you'd give Apple Bloom a chance."
Diamond Tiara spun around. She glared at Silver Spoon with bloodshot eyes, her face contorted in anger. She hissed: "I gave her a chance alright: To finally leave us alone."
"That is not what you promised me!"
"I had no choice! What else was I supposed to do?"
Silver Spoon frowned. "What you said you would, give her a chance to be your friend."
"After witnessing what she did to you? What she made you do?"
"Oh come on, are you really that mad at her for helping me studying?"
"I'm not talking about that," Diamond Tiara said in her that's-so-obvious tone. And for the very first time Silver Spoon realized how annoying it was. "I'm talking about what she made you say to Cheerilee."
"What? You don't want her knowing that Apple Bloom is helping me?"
"That is still not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about you telling our teacher that we were bullies and, on top of that, made it sound like those three losers were some kind of victims."
"But, that's the truth. Nopony made me say it, I just told Miss Cheerilee what was going on."
Diamond Tiara looked like Silver Spoon's words had gone straight to her stomach. She closed her eyes and said: "Please, for the sake of our friendship, tell me you do not actually believe that."
"I don't need to believe that, I know it's true."
"Do you also know that I had to sit through a private lecture from our teacher, listen to her telling me that I was wrong and had to think for a way to make up with them?"
"And what's so bad about that? If you would just let me help you, we could get that done in no time."
"You're missing the point! I don't want to make up. There is nothing I have to apologize for!"
Before she knew it, Silver Spoon had stomped her hoof. She felt a sudden burst of heat erupting over her face. Her mouth spat out words she had no time to think through: "Are you really that dense? I knew you were stubborn but this is putting a mule to shame! Now you listen to me: What we did to Apple Bloom and her friends was wrong. Whether you like it or not. We were bullies and they had to suffer from us. You want to know what you have to apologize for? Well, think about everything you ever said or did to them. We were horrible and Apple Bloom is still willing to forgive us. Don't you want to use this chance to finally be friends instead of getting into pointless fights?"
Having inched back with every sentence thrown at her, Diamond Tiara finally found a firm stand. Straightening herself she shot back: "No! And I can't understand why you ever would. They are beneath us. They don't deserve to be our friends."
"Have you ever asked yourself if we deserve to be their friends?"
"Why would I do that?" asked Diamond Tiara with a forced laughter. "I don't need any other friends than you. Not in this town."
"Not in... What's that supposed to mean?"
Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes in such an exaggerated fashion, it made Silver Spoon's blood boil again. "Oh come on, it's not just those other foals around here. We're not made for this backwater village. We belong to the big cities, where the truly important ponies live. This place here has nothing to offer for us."
Fighting hard to keep herself from yelling, Silver Spoon said: "If I remember what your father said correctly, this place is the reason for everything your family owns today. And I wouldn't want to live anywhere else."
For the split of a second, all color was drained from Diamond Tiara's face. But the next moment it was replaced with a furiously crimson shade. The filly cried: "So you're honestly choosing them over me?"
"No!" Her limit had been reached. Silver Spoon yelled back at Diamond Tiara: "For the love of Celestia, I am not choosing anypony over anything! All I want is for you to suck up your overblown ego and just treat other foals like they deserve!"
"I can't believe I am actually hearing that from you," scoffed Diamond Tiara. "Until not even two weeks ago you were perfectly fine with the way we treated them."
"And I'm glad that's over," stated Silver Spoon. "I changed and so should you."
"Well then, enlighten me, oh Saint One. How am I supposed to treat those weirdos?"
"Weirdos? What are you on to now?"
"Oh, you see," said Diamond Tiara, pretending to think really hard, "let's take that trio of losers you're so desperately trying to belong to now. Like, Sweetie Belle. Have you seen her parents? They both look like they never even heard about the word fashion. And yet she runs around looking like some wannabe beauty queen despite lacking any class for that just because her sister sells some dresses. Do I even have to make fun of that?"
"No, you don't," said Silver Spoon while trying to remember when Sweetie Belle had ever pretended to be a beauty queen.
Unflinching, Diamond Tiara continued: "And then there's Scootaloo. Have you ever seen her fly?"
Silver Spoon felt a sudden spur of heat rise to her face. "No, but-"
"Exactly, nopony has."
"How do you know?"
"Because she can't fly," Diamond Tiara said matter-of-factly. "Her parents even moved here because of that."
"Again, how do you know that?" Silver Spoon growled.
"Well, I just guess that's why her dad has to fly to Cloudsdale every day for work. It just makes sense if he worked there before and then they moved here so their little flightless baby wouldn't drop off a cloud."
The gleeful snicker Diamond Tiara added to her words made Silver Spoon's fur stand on end. Trying her best to keep calm she said: "Well, my father is also gone most of the time because of his job."
Diamond Tiara simply waved a dismissing hoof. "Yes, most of the time, not all the time. And he earns enough to make up for it, right? Scootaloo's dad obviously doesn't. Isn't that just hilarious? Now her dad is gone all day because she is just an earth pony with wings that don't work."
Feeling her brows narrowing against her will, Silver Spoon said: "I'm an earth pony with eyes that don't work."
This simple remark made Diamond Tiara's malicious giggle stop. "What?"
"These glasses aren't a fashion statement, Di," Silver Spoon reminded her. "Without them I am almost blind."
"Yes, but you aren't blind," Diamond Tiara said. "Your eyes still do work. They just need a little enhancement."
"So if I were blind, that would be hilarious to you too?"
"You're not seeing the point here!" Diamond Tiara cried.
"Then maybe I am blind after all," Silver Spoon snarled. It was getting harder and harder for her to keep her composure.
"Anyway, let's get back to the losers."
"Stop calling them that," snapped Silver Spoon. This was so typical for Diamond Tiara; just changing the subject and ignore what wouldn't suit her.
And in that fashion Diamond Tiara simply moved on. "The worst of them is Apple Bloom. I mean, her family is the definition of poor right there."
"No, they're not."
Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, why else do you think their granny still lives with them? They obviously can't afford a retirement home for her. And have you seen that house of theirs? You can't even call it a house, it's an overgrown shack!"
"Yes, I have seen it." Silver Spoon could hear her own voice starting to shake. "When I visited them and they invited me to stay for dinner."
"Really, you had dinner with them?" Diamond Tiara laughed. "Did they have to cut their rations so there would be anything left for you?"
"No, there was more than enough for all of us. And it was one of the best meals I ever had. They had no problem accepting me as a friend and guest. Despite knowing what has been going on between Apple Bloom and me. Believe me, from that evening alone I can honestly say they are richer than both of us together."
"Has the definition of rich changed while I was gone?" Diamond Tiara jeered.
Now it was Silver Spoon's turn to ignore her friend's comment. "And I don't think having your grandma staying with you is poor. I'd love to have mine living here. Do you really think she lives with them because they are poor?"
Diamond Tiara, still grinning, shrugged. "Either that, or it's because they wanted somepony to replace their parents around the house."
"Replace? How can you..." Mid-sentence, Silver Spoon's mind caught up to what Diamond Tiara had just revealed. "Wait, you know her parents are gone?"
"Yeah," she confirmed indifferently. "Everypony does."
Silver Spoon's head started to swirl. "And you still did all that to her?"
"Still?" asked Diamond Tiara. "That's just another thing that makes her so weird. They aren't even a real family."
Silver Spoon desperately tried to force out a reply, yet her mind went blank. She felt her mouth falling open but was unable to form any noise at all.
Diamond Tiara on the other hand couldn't keep herself from snickering even harder. "I mean, get this: They are so poor, they don't even have parents."
Now she openly broke into laughter. Just knowing that only a few weeks ago, she might have mindlessly joined her friend made Silver Spoon's stomach revolt. The once so pleasant sound of joy was now a cacophony of malice attacking her conscience. She wished for her friend to stop this assault, silently begging her to unsay these words. But that horrible ringing in her ears only grew louder and louder, while her vision went blurry from tears. She felt an anger rising from deep inside she had never felt before. The next moment, something hit the back of her hoof.
Then the world stopped.
The laughter had died. Everything was silence. There was only darkness.
After a split moment of eternity she realized somepony was breathing. Heavily breathing, almost panting. Then she became aware that it was herself. Slowly, reality crawled back upon her. The birds started to sing again. Her nostrils told her that the lawn outside had been recently mowed.
And then she was finally able to open her eyes again.
In front of her was still Diamond Tiara., eyes were filled with nothing but shock. She held her right cheek where Silver Spoon could see a growing red spot. It took the gray filly another moment to become aware that she still had her hoof outstretched.
The only thing that hadn't come back to her was the ability to speak. She desperately wanted to say that she was sorry. That she shouldn't have done this. That she hadn't meant to do this. But even more than that, on top of everything that had happened - not just today - she didn't want to start lying to her best friend.
The next moment she felt her hooves moving. She was running down the hallway towards her room, feeling tears running from her eyes. Seconds later she threw herself onto her bed. There, her last bit of resistance gave way. Everything was wrong. She was helpless and all that was left to her was crying. |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 24 | Chapter 24
Through the veils of sleep, she felt a gentle hoof caressing her mane and softly tucking her into bed. There was a lullaby from long ago. A soft kiss on her forehead. A dream all too short as all nice dreams ever were.
Silver Spoon felt sick when she awoke. Her throat felt sore and her eyes dry. She needed all her will to get her limbs to move. As her hooves tried to find her glasses she could feel wet stains on her pillow. Once she was able to see clearly again she slowly sat up. It was only now that she realized she held Mr. Snuffles in her other arm. For a long time she looked the plushy bunny into the little black glass stones it had for eyes. Then she clenched it to her chest, the memory of her fight with Diamond Tiara slowly crawling back into her mind.
She had messed up. Not like forgetting homework or breaking a window mess up. She had failed her friends. Despite her promise to Apple Bloom, in the end, she ran away - again. And any chance for peace between them and Diamond Tiara was further away than ever. After what she had to listen to the last evening Silver Spoon doubted that there still was anything left to be called a chance. And even if it were, she wasn't sure if she actually wanted to find it.
She took the carafe from the bedside table and gulped down about half of the water, not bothering with the glass standing right next to it. After setting it back down, she got out of bed, though not having any idea what to do now. A quick glance at the clock told her it was already past her usual time for breakfast. Wondering why nopony had come to wake her - yet thankful about it at the same time - she decided to catch up with that. She wasn't actually hungry, but it would give her something to do while she pondered what she would be doing next.
Yet her plans got cut short as soon as she had put her hoof on the doorknob. From outside she heard her sister's voice: "What are you doing here?"
While Silver Spoon peeked through the keyhole, Diamond Tiara's voice answered: "None of your business."
They were both out of view. Slowly, she pushed the door ajar, careful not to make any noise. Then she was able to see them, facing each other.
"Anything you do inside this house is my business." Marecedes looked at Diamond Tiara like she had found a rotten apple in a fruit bowl. "Especially if you're sneaking around my sister's room."
"If you say so." Silver Spoon could only see the back of Diamond Tiara's head, but her tone made it clear that she was less than impressed with that declaration. "But it's still good we ran into each other. We need to talk."
Marecedes gave short, fake laugh. "Am I having a dejà-vu now?"
"Very funny. But this is serious. I already told you what is going on. And it is getting worse. We have to work together here, as much as I don't like that. We need to do something to stop this."
Marecedes's look grew into a frown, fed by every word Diamond Tiara said. "By what I saw last evening, you already did plenty. But if you really want any help from me, I'll give you an advice: Whatever it was, don't try it again. Ever."
"Ugh, I don't get you," Diamond Tiara groaned, seemingly oblivious to Marecedes's declining mood. "I know you don't like that Apple Family. So why won't you work together with me on this?"
"Yes, you're right about that one," Marecedes sneered. "You don't get me. Because contrary to you, I have reasons not to like them."
"I do too!" protested Diamond Tiara.
"Oh, let me guess: They're poor, unstylish, low-class and don't go to fancy, upper-crust parties?"
Diamond Tiara nodded. "Among other reasons."
Her sister's next answer sent chills down Silver Spoon's spine. She had no idea how frosty her voice could get. "You're just as predictable as you are despicable."
"Hey, you didn't let me finish!"
"Because I already am sick enough of you as it is. If it were up to me I'd make you stay a week with them instead of us. But then again, that might rather end in a punishment for them than a lesson for you."
"A lesson? In what, how to be an uncouth loser? Like your sister now wants to be?"
Marecedes closed the gap between Diamond Tiara and her. Finally the filly seemed to realize how much taller than her the young mare was.
"Now listen here, Princess," Marecedes hissed. "Stay away from Silver Spoon. I don't know what happened yesterday, but the outcome was all I need. I haven't seen her wailing like that since Mom dropped her off at daycare for the first time."
"She was wailing?" Diamond Tiara snapped like a cornered ferret. "I was the one who got slapped by her!"
"Be glad it was just a slap," Marecedes replied straight-faced. "It was the least you deserve."
"Has everypony gone crazy around here?" Diamond Tiara cried. For a moment, she panted heavily, then she looked back at Marecedes and locked gaze with her. "Okay, I see how it is. I'm on my own. But believe me, I will find a way to get Silver Spoon-"
"No, you won't," growled Marecedes. "Now listen good: If you should ever, and I mean ever, do anything to hurt my little sister again, you will be sorry. That's a promise. I will personally pull any string I can reach to make sure you will regret it. Got that, princess?"
For another moment, they glared at each other. Then Diamond Tiara turned heel and stormed off towards the stairs.
When she was gone, Silver Spoon slowly pushed the door open. The slight creak pulled Marecedes's attention away from the filly she had just driven off. Now looking at her little sister, she said: "Were you there the whole time?"
"Yes," answered Silver Spoon. "Did you just stand up for me?"
"That's what big sisters do."
"But you just said you didn't want me to get hurt."
Marecedes flinched as she heard those words. With a hint of desperation in her voice she said: "Of course I don't want you to get hurt. Why would that surprise you?"
"Because..." Silver Spoon hesitated, but then ultimately decided that if there had ever been a time to say this, it was now and then. "Because hurting is what you've been doing to me for years now."
She could see her sister swallow hard. Marecedes averted her gaze for a moment. Silver Spoon was taken aback at how much pain she could glimpse behind her eyes. Then her sister asked: "May I come in?"
"Sure," Silver Spoon answered and stepped aside.
Marecedes walked straight up to the bed and sat down on it. She picked up Mr. Snuffles. Looking at it, she said: "I was surprised you still had this. Isn't this the one Dad gave you when you had that terrible cold?"
"Yes, you still remember?"
Marecedes nodded. "Of course I do. No idea how much of that day you still remember, though. But I'll never forget it. I had never seen anypony being sick like that before. I didn't even know doctors made house visits until that day. And then all I heard was that you had dangerously high fever and such things. Even worse, they all told me to stay away from you so I wouldn't catch it. I can tell you, knowing you were in such a condition and not being able to do anything for you... By now I know it had never been that serious, but back then, I was really afraid I might lose you. It drove me mad. I honestly begged anypony in the house to let me do something, anything, just so I could help you. Finally mom let me bring that bowl of soup to you. That's when I saw you clinging to this bunny here. I had never known how fragile a pony could look. And I can still see that image clear as day."
"I do remember," Silver Spoon said. "At least you bringing me that soup. And naming my new bunny."
"Yeah, Mr. Snuffles was it, right? I just hope he gave you a little comfort last night. You instantly clung to it when I put it into your hooves."
It took some time for Silver Spoon to understand what her sister had just said. Then she asked: "Wait, you were in my room?"
"After I saw you running down the hallway, yes. I had just come home. And when I saw you lying here on this bed, it was just like that time. Only that yesterday, I at least had an idea what to do. Well, to be honest, I was torn between that and just giving Diamond Tiara the beating she deserves. But there was no way I would leave you alone in a moment like that."
"Does that mean you put me to bed yesterday?"
Now her sister looked up from the bunny and straight at Silver Spoon, saying: "Of course I did. That was the very least for me to do. I'm just glad memorizing that song paid off after all."
"That song? You mean the lullaby? That was you, too?"
Marecedes simply smiled.
"But," said Silver Spoon, "that was the one Nanny used to sing for me."
"You still call her 'Nanny'?" Her sister laughed. "Exactly, that was the one."
"How did you learn that? And when? And why?"
"That was when you found out she wouldn't come with us on vacation. Remember how upset you were that time?"
"Oh, please don't remind me. I still feel stupid about it."
Marecedes smiled. "Aw, no, that wasn't stupid. I think it was sweet. And by the way, she did too. And so she was more than willing to teach me that lullaby when I asked her."
"I still don't see why you did that."
"Really? So I could sing it for you. I thought that way you wouldn't miss her as much."
Silver Spoon scratched her chin. "But, I can't remember you ever doing that."
"No wonder, I never had to. You were so beat every evening you were usually almost asleep before you got into bed. One time you actually fell asleep during supper. Dropped your head right into the soup."
Trying her best to ignore the last memory her sister had mentioned, Silver Spoon asked: "You really did that for me? I always thought you were trying to get rid of me during our vacation."
Marecedes gave an awkward smile, like she wanted to cover up a sudden spur of pain. "That might be, well, because I wanted to get rid of you. You see, nopony is really keen on spending their summer time at the beach babysitting their little sister. But I would have never left you out of my sight if I hadn't known you were with your new friends there."
"You knew of them?"
"Of course I did. That village is tiny. A lot of them are the younger siblings of my friends there. I knew you were in good hooves. And I was glad you had them, because otherwise I would have had to keep you with me, no matter how boring that might have been for you. But, speaking of friends: Whatever happened since then?"
"What do you mean?"
Marecedes hesitated for a moment, looking like she was searching her mind for the right words. Finally, she said: "I mean that when you were younger you never seemed to have any problems finding friends. Even in fohlengarten you made friends on the very first day.
Silver Spoon tilted her head. "How would you know that?"
"I saw you. When Mom brought you there for the first time I came along. And like you just heard I saw how scared you were when we left. Mom literally had to force me away so I wouldn't run back to you. That day school ended early, so I decided to see how you were doing. And you were doing great, playing happily with all those other foals there. You were so caught up, I think you never even noticed me there."
"But... They weren't really my friends." Silver Spoon had no idea why, but she had to let her sister know this. "Sure, we played together and I liked them. But I never saw any of them after their parents had taken them home."
Marecedes shook her head. "That's not your fault. It would have been up to Mom and Dad to make sure you'd see some friends once in a while. But they needed to show us off whenever there was a business dinner or any other important guest of Dad's was over. And, well, at least during what little spare time he let himself have, he'd keep you for himself. Besides, you still were invited to each and every birthday, as far as I can remember. And they all came to yours, right?"
Silver Spoon laughed. "Yeah, but that could have been because father rented Sugarcube Corner every time."
"Oh, come on. Don't put yourself down like that. They liked you. All of them, either those on vacation or here at home. It kind of made me jealous, to be honest."
"Jealous?" Silver Spoon blinked a few times. "You were jealous of me because of them?"
"No. And yes. See, not because you had friends, but how easy you made friends. I had such a hard time when we came here. I didn't seem to fit in. Or, more truthfully, I didn't want to fit in."
"Wait, what do you mean, coming here? We always lived here!"
Marecedes cocked an eyebrow. "Do you really not know? You always lived here. When I was a foal, we lived in Manehattan. But we moved here shortly before you were born."
"Really? Why?"
"That's what I asked too at the time. Dad said it would be best for us to get away from the big city. Live somewhere ponies don't put so much emphasis on what others have but who they are. And then went on to build us this palace right here. But somehow it did turn out to be best for us after all, I guess. Or at least better than if we had stayed. By now, I think I kind of get what he meant."
Yet Silver Spoon didn't. "And that was?"
"Let me put it this way: Back in Manehattan, the friends I had were the worst kind of foals the school had to offer. Even worse, I was proud to be one of them. We were big-headed, arrogant and narcissistic little brats who thought they were above everypony else because our parents happened to be rich. I really don't want to recall everything we did, but let me tell you, we acted like we owned that school - and the students going there.
"Then Dad had to go and rip me apart from them. I felt like he had dethroned me, stole my realm from my very hooves. And, since that wasn't enough stupidity already, I expected things to move here at the same pace. I was the exalted one with the important family among the measly commoners this town harbored. Didn't take long for me to find out how wrong I had been..."
"What happened?" Silver Spoon wanted to know.
"At first, nothing. I just kept on trying to do the same as 'back home.' Acted all high and mighty, and then expected all of the others to fall in line. But they didn't, of course. Luckily, in hindsight."
"I always thought you were the popular one. How did you find so many friends after that start?"
"In a way I had neither planned nor expected. Once, I had to stay at the hospital for a week. During that time, our class rep brought me homework and handouts from school. And she decided to befriend me. Treated me like we had known each other for years and wouldn't shut up about everything I never wanted to hear at that point. But nowadays, I'm thankful that I hadn't been able to tell her to stop and leave me alone."
"Who stopped you from that?"
"That frame keeping my jaw in place. Two of my teeth had to be replaced and after that, I wasn't allowed to move it."
"Your teeth got replaced?"Silver Spoon could hear her voice crack.
"Yeah, you never noticed this?" asked Marecedes and pulled her right corner of her mouth back. There, Silver Spoon could see that, indeed, two of her back teeth were made of some kind of metal.
"No, I didn't," Silver Spoon admitted. "What happened to you?"
"Well... Applejack happened."
"What did she have to do with this?"
"She kicked me straight in the face," Marecedes said, looking like just remembering that moment still hurt. "That's the whole reason I had to stay at the hospital."
"She did what? Why?"
"Um..." Marecedes hesitated. "It's kind of... You see, I may have said something I hadn't completely thought through. A stupid joke."
"That must have been very stupid if she sent you to the hospital."
Marecedes sighed. "Like I said, it wasn't the nicest thing to say. And no, I'm not going to tell you what it was. Even if she overreacted, it's not one of my proudest moments."
Silver Spoon had a hard time seeing Applejack overreacting to anything. Yet at the same time she didn't want to ruin the first normal conversation with her sister she had since she did not know when. So instead of pressing the matter, she said: "Well, all in all it turned out as a good thing, right? With you finding friends after that?"
Marecedes gave a pained smile. "I guess you can say that. Though I still wish somepony could have taught me that lesson without kicking my teeth in. And breaking my nose. And giving me a concussion. The doctor even said it was close to miraculous I didn't get my jaw broken."
Her own jaw started aching as Silver Spoon heard that. For a moment she imagined what it would be like getting kicked by Applejack like she had seen her kicking those trees. But she quickly decided not to pursue that thought any further.
"Still, yes, I finally found friends," Marecedes continued. "Or friends found me. Anyways, that's when things started to look up for me."
"But, then why are you still angry at Applejack?"
"What?"
Silver Spoon had trouble keeping eye contact with her sister. "I get that all that happened was horrible for you. But if it turned out so good for you and you do admit it was in part your fault, can't you forgive her?"
"If it had been just that, I guess I could. But there's more. For one, she had made my life there like tartarus from the very first time she talked to me. I had been used to foals sometimes mocking me because my name was the same as the carriages dad sells back in Manehattan. So, one of the few things - maybe the only one - I actually enjoyed here at first was most ponies hadn't heard about them yet. But for some reason, she knew. She asked me about it and I told her that they are actually named after me. But she just laughed like it was a joke to her. And when she told the others, they all started to call me 'Carriage Filly.' Or even more clever, 'Little Miss Carriage.' Oh, and for the record, I never kicked her for creating that stupid joke about me."
A silence fell between them. Silver Spoon had watched uncomfortably how her sister's mood had degraded with every sentence she said. The filly had no idea what she could say or do. Silently, she wished for a way to make the hurt she saw dwelling in her sister's eyes go away. Finally, she decided to sit down on the bed right next her sister, still not really sure what she wanted to do there. But as soon as she had, Marecedes looked at her and smiled slightly.
"Anyways," the young mare continued, "there was one last ordeal for me to endure until I finally left my old self behind me. My old so-called friends from Manehattan. We had kept contact as penfriends, even though I never really told them how things were going at school. Partly because they didn't care. At least, they had never asked in their letters. It had always been about who had bought what and how expensive and exclusive it had been. But after my week at the hospital, I saw more and more how superficial that was.
"I had finally found real friends here. I knew what having friends meant. What Dad had meant. Ponies who cared about me, not my dresses, jewelry and mane style. Still, I tried to convince myself they, too, were still my friends. Until one weekend when I was finally able to visit them. But the whole time we spent together, they wouldn't shut up about how terrible and low-class everypony else was. About every other pony that walked passed us became a new target for them. It didn't take long for me to get sick of it. I asked them to stop, told them that there was more to a pony than what they could afford."
"And what did they do?" Silver Spoon asked.
"Laugh at me and ask if I had already turned into a backwater hobo like those I was now living with. When I told them to stop calling my friends that, they laughed some more, told me I was clearly a lost cause and left me standing where I was. And I never saw any of them again ever since. Until you started school."
Marecedes shook her head. "Everything seemed to finally go well. Until that Diamond Tiara had to enter our lives. The moment I saw her I knew she was bad news. The way she looked at all those other foals on your first day of school told me everything I needed about her. And then you started hanging out with her. Only her. From that day forward, every time I saw you two, I saw the worst I had ever been prancing around and drawing you in. You were gone before I knew it. With all the friends I had seen you with before, I'd never expected you to turn to someone like her. And everything I tried to get you away from her only made it worse."
"But," Silver Spoon interrupted, "why did you treat me so badly, then? All I can remember from you are mean things you said about me or Diamond Tiara."
Marecedes didn't look at her. She sighed deeply and buried her face in her hooves. "Yes, I know. I'm so sorry about everything I said about you. I never really meant them. Well, in some way, maybe I did. I don't know anymore. It's just that I had no idea what to do. Whenever I tried to tell you what kind of 'friend' you had there, you wouldn't listen. Whenever I tried to get out of you why you only hung out with her and no other foals, you got angry. And before long, you wouldn't talk to me at all. It seemed that the only way for me to reach you in any way was through things I didn't want to say to you. I somehow convinced myself that maybe if I teased you enough about what a bad choice of friend Diamond Tiara was, you'd someday start seeing I was right. And then, more and more, this terrible idea turned into a terrible habit. Please, believe me, all of that came from anger and frustration. I was angry at you for not seeing the obvious. And even more at myself for not being able to reach you. I felt helpless. Even Mom and Dad wouldn't listen to me. I tried to warn them, told them you needed other friends than that one. But after all those times they told me I had to look out for you because you're my little sister, all they said was that you just needed time to adjust to your new environment. I guess you being friends with the daughter of the only stallion in this town Dad could have his big time business-talks with did the rest."
With every sentence, Silver Spoon had inched a bit closer to her sister. She could hear her voice tremble more and more. Listening to how the monument of resolve that Marecedes had been started to break apart. Seeing how she had to fight harder and harder to hold back her tears made the filly want to cry herself.
With a shaking voice, Marecedes went on: "And there I was, left alone to watch you slowly getting dragged away. And every time I tried to get you back it only pushed you a bit further. This time, I was certain I had truly lost you. If I hadn't had some good friends to help me keep my hopes and sanity, I think I might have... given up for good by now."
At that moment Silver Spoon put her arms around her sister. Kneeling on the bed, her face buried in Marecedes's shoulder, she said: "Thank you. For not giving up on me."
Not a second later, her sister had embraced Silver Spoon. "No, thank you for coming back to me."
She heard how Marecedes lost the fight. Warm tears dripped from her cheeks into Silver Spoon's mane. The filly closed her eyes and only felt the warmth of her big sister around her. She didn't dare opening her eyes again in fear this would turn out to be a dream. But when she felt her sister's lips against her forehead, she knew for certain neither now nor last evening had been one.
Silver Spoon waited until Marecedes loosened the hug a little, then she finally looked up to her sister again and asked: "But there's one thing I don't understand: Why did you try to get me away from Apple Bloom when I had finally found other friends? Just because she's Applejacks sister?"
Marecedes let go of her and sighed. "That was one reason, yes. The other was, well, things I've heard about that family."
Hearing the hesitation in her sister's voice, Silver Spoon asked: "What kind of things?"
"Rumors. Some silly, some scary, and some truly disgusting. Even if only half of that stuff were partially true, I wouldn't want you close to them."
"What exactly did you hear?" Silver Spoon asked.
Again, her sister hesitated. "Let's... not get into that. Like I told you before, what you said about siblings got me thinking. Even if anything of all that is true, it can't be that filly's fault. And if she really is as good a friend as she seems, then maybe none of those things were ever true. I just don't know anymore what to think of them. However, if Apple Bloom managed to do in days what I couldn't do in years, I ought to give her a chance, don't you think?"
"Of course!" Silver Spoon agreed. "But it wasn't only her. The whole Apple Family helped me."
"All of them?"
Silver Spoon nodded. "Yes, all of them. Even Applejack. They told me I should give you a chance. And try not to blow up in your face the moment you started talking."
Silver Spoon waited for her sister to answer, but she remained silent. So the filly added: "You know, Applejack told me she wasn't proud of what happened between the two of you. She was more ashamed than anything. I guess if you were to give her a chance to apologize, she would gladly take it."
Marecedes closed her eyes. Another moment passed, then a smile of resignation spread on her face. "I guess I'll have to take your word for that, hm?"
"Only if you don't try to find out for yourself if I'm right."
Marecedes shook her head, still smiling. Then she gave her sister another quick hug and said: "How could I say no to you at this moment. Not that I can promise you anything, but I will give her a chance. I honestly don't know how and when, but if the chance comes up..."
Her sister didn't seem to know how to finish that sentence, but Silver Spoon had heard more than she needed. "Great! Then you'll be glad to hear that they will be over for dinner when our parents are back!"
Yet strangely enough, Marecedes didn't look as excited as Silver Spoon was about this. "They are? Do our parents know that?"
"Of course. It was father's idea to invite them. And they accepted. Isn't that a perfect chance?"
"Yes," her sister said mechanically. "Perfect."
"Now that that's settled, there is just one thing..."
Marecedes raised an eyebrow. "And that would be?"
Silver Spoon took a deep breath. Then she said: "How can I help Diamond Tiara?"
"With what? Moving out?"
"No, I'm serious. How can I get her to change?"
Marecedes shook her head. "You can't. Fillies like her don't change."
"You did," Silver Spoon insisted.
Marecedes opened her mouth for a moment, like she was ready to object her sister. But she didn't say anything. Instead, all that came from her was an annoyed sigh.
Silver Spoon continued: "And I don't want to have to break her jaw to finally get her to see that she is wrong."
"Too bad," Marecedes said dryly. "I would have helped you with that."
"Come on, please stop that."
"That's what I'd like to tell you, Silver Spoon. After last evening, how can you still talk about helping her?"
"Because friends help each other. And even if she was wrong about a lot of things, she never abandoned me when I needed her. Even if for the wrong reasons, she always was my best friend. And now that she needs me, I can't let her down. I will help her, even if she doesn't want me to."
Marecedes stared at her blankly. Then she shook her head and laughed. "I really don't know if this is crazy or if I should write to Princess Celestia and ask her to declare you a Saint."
Silver Spoon grinned. "Do you really think the Princess would do that?"
Her sister shrugged. "I guess she wouldn't even read my letter. She has a country to run, after all. I don't think these are the kind of stories she has time for."
"Well then, even if I'm not a Saint, do you have any idea how I can help Diamond Tiara?"
Again, Marecedes shook her head. "No. To be honest, I still don't think you can. But I heard you've recently found friends who know more about these things than I."
"Wait, are you really telling me to ask Apple Bloom for help?"
"As if you wouldn't have done that anyway," her sister laughed. "And I promise if there is any way I can help you, I'll try my best."
Silver Spoon jumped from the bed. "Okay, I better go find her then. Please tell Stickler where I am. And that I may be gone till evening, I don't know yet."
"Don't worry, I will."
With a last look at her sister, smiling happier than she had ever seen her before, Silver Spoon ran out of her room. |
A Silver Summer | Chapter 25 | Chapter 25
Silently cursing that they had forgotten to set a time and place to meet for today, Silver Spoon instinctively ran towards the market. There stood, as expected, Applejack. Yet Apple Bloom was nowhere to be seen.
"She's at Sugarcube corner," Applejack greeted her. "Somethin' about a surprise you two have to plan."
"But," Silver Spoon answered, "I haven't said anything yet."
"So, you weren't lookin' for ma' little sister?" Applejack laughed. "But, before you go, I think I need to thank you again for the invitation."
Silver Spoon smiled and shook her head. "No, you don't. I'm just glad you accepted."
"Yes, I do," Applejack insisted. "Because Big Mac readily agreed to go. I guess somehow you found a way to help him after all. I can't remember the last time he agreed to leave the farm when it wasn't for business or family."
Silver Spoon felt her face getting hot, yet she couldn't keep her smile from growing even wider. "No, I'm the one who needs to thank you - both of you - for your help. I just had the first talk with my sister in years that didn't start or end with us having a fight. And I don't think that would have been possible without all of you giving me advice."
"I'm glad to hear that," said Applejack. "But, if you don't mind tellin' me, who do you want to surprise?"
"Well, unless Apple Bloom already has other plans this can only be about Sweetie Belle. We want to surprise her when... Did you say Apple Bloom is at Sugarcube Corner?"
"Um, yes, I did."
"Oh no... I got to go!"
Not giving Applejack a chance to ask what was going on, Silver Spoon was on her way again. Mere seconds later, she bursted through the entrance of Ponyville's favored pastry shop. Then a bolt of pain tried to split her head in two.
For a moment, the world around her wouldn't stop swirling. As the ground started to calm down, she heard Pinkie Pie's voice.
"Are you all right?"
This question sounded way too cheerful for Silver Spoon's taste.
"Ah'm okay." That was Apple Bloom. And she definitely did not sound okay. "What about you, Silver Spoon?"
Still a bit shaky, she adjusted the glasses dangling from her left ear. At least there were no other customers here to partake in their embarrassment. And going by the sweet aroma filling the room Mr and Mrs Cake were most likely in the back, preparing the afternoon sales. "I've been better. Still not used to this..."
"What, you're doing this regularly?" Pinkie Pie asked, still sounding like this was all just an impromptu sketch.
"Fortunately, no," answered Apple Bloom, rubbing her forehead. "But too often anyway."
Through the subsiding pain, Silver Spoon was already able to smile again. "Yet it's good I, um, ran into you. Applejack told me you were here to plan a surprise. What did you have in mind?"
Pinkie giggled. "If she told you that, it wouldn't be a surprise, silly."
"It's not a surprise for her, Pinkie," Apple Bloom said.
"But you could make it an even bigger surprise that way."
Now Apple Bloom giggled, too. "Great idea, but we want to surprise Sweetie Belle together."
Silver Spoon's ears drooped. "So, you already told her?"
"Of course Ah' did."
"And of course I'll do it!" Pinkie Pie added. "I mean, how could I not? After what Apple Bloom told me what you two have planned, there's no way I'd let you down."
"Oh, um... thank you, Pinkie, but..." Silver Spoon shook her head. "Oh, this is bad."
"Why?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Doesn't Sweetie Belle like cake anymore? No, that's silly, who doesn't like cake? Everypony likes cake, right?"
"Ah' know Ah' do," Apple Bloom stated. "But Ah' don't know what this is about. Would ya' care to explain, Silver Spoon?"
"Er..." was all Silver Spoon managed to produce. Then she took a deep breath and said: "I'm sorry, Pinkie Pie. But when I was at the library I heard the librarian saying she talked with Fluttershy; and they both agreed you shouldn't do this, because Sweetie Belle's sister wouldn't like it. They both know how much you'd like to set up a surprise party for her, and that's why they didn't want you to know about this in the first place."
She hoped her face looked as apologetic as she felt when she finally managed to look back up at the pink pony.
"Don't worry," she said with an unbroken smile. "Fluttershy just worries too much and Twilight probably doesn't know about the last time I tried that. I learned that day that a boutique is not the best place for a party. A reception might work. Or a soiree. Well, I guess a minor celebration would be okay, too, like for an opening or such things. But as it turned out, silk dresses and chocolate cake don't get along as good as they should."
"I know," said Silver Spoon. "Mother taught me that a long time ago."
"I wish my mother would have taught me that. That would have spared me the worst party I've ever done. But I don't think she ever owned a single piece of silk in her life."
"But, aren't you mad about this?"
Pinkie dismissed Silver Spoon's question with a wave of her hoof. "No, she couldn't know I'd need that knowledge later on. I mean, it would have been nice, but frankly, she has no need for silk dresses, so expecting her to get one just because maybe sometime in their lives one of her foals might throw a party in a boutique would have been a bit too much, don't you think?"
"Um...." Silver Spoon started, struggling to find the right words.
"Ah' think she meant Twilight and Fluttershy not wanting ya' to do a party for Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom helped out.
"Oh." Pinkie Pie blinked. Then she laughed. "They just wanted to make sure Rarity gets her rest and that's okay. It's not like they've kept something a secret from me I didn't know already, anyways. I know when they'll be back and would have planned a party if I wanted to. Like I said, they just worry too much. If they'd wanted to have a party or do something else behind my back, now that would have been a different thing. Excluding somepony like that is not nice."
"Yes, it's not..." Silver Spoon mumbled.
"Hm." Pinkie Pie rubbed her chin. "You know, Silver Spoon, you kinda look like what I just said is coincidentally related to something going on with you right now."
"Ya' know what that looks like?" Apple Bloom asked.
Pinkie Pie shrugged. "This happens surprisingly often."
"Anyway, you're right, Pinkie," Silver Spoon admitted. "I guess I was, well, not the best of friends lately. At least, not to Di."
"Diamond Tiara? But, she is your best friend. How can you be not the best of friends to your best friend?"
"Like you just said. Honestly, I never meant to do it. I just thought giving her some space to adjust and let her anger blow off would be the best thing to do. But it looks like I got a bit too used to that space. So in that sense, Apple Bloom, what exactly did you plan for tomorrow?"
"Nothin' big, we pick up Sweetie Belle and come here for some cake. Then we'll see what else we can do."
Silver Spoon nodded. "Good. Sounds like it wouldn't be too much of a problem if we add one more filly."
"So, can Ah' take it yer talk with Diamond Tiara yesterday was a success?"
"Unfortunately, no." Silver Spoon looked at her hooves. "Not exactly."
"And what would be exactly?" Pinkie Pie inquired.
The gray filly sighed. "That we've got into a fight. She said some really horrible things until I've lost it and slapped her. Then I ran to my room."
"Ya' slapped her?" Apple Bloom repeated.
"Why would you do that?" Pinkie gasped.
"Because she said some really horrible things about Apple Bloom. I mean, not just the usual stupid stuff we used to throw around. That was far off any limit."
Apple Bloom shook her head. "Whatever she said. Hitting yer friend is never right, no matter what."
"Apple Bloom's right, Silver Spoon," Pinkie Pie added. "You really should apologize t her. You know that, right?
"Of course I know! And I am sorry, it just... happened." Silver Spoon knew that was a weak excuse.
"We're not who ya' need to apologize to," Apple Bloom stated.
Silver Spoon looked both ponies over. "Do you really not care what exactly she said?"
"Well..." Apple Bloom started, obviously taken by surprise.
Yet Pinkie didn't hesitate. "I don't think I want to but I guess I need to hear it to understand it all."
Silver Spoon nodded, yet before she could say anything, Apple Bloom interrupted her: "No, don't. If it really was that bad, Ah' want to hear it from herself."
"Are you sure?" Silver Spoon asked.
"Yeah, Ah' am. She can tell me when ya' apologize to her."
"Hm, okay," Pinkie Pie said. "I guess that's fair. But make sure to tell me tomorrow."
"I will, Pinkie," Silver Spoon promised.
"Speaking about tomorrow," Apple Bloom threw in. "Apology aside, what about all that makes ya' think she'll be willing to join us?"
"Nothing," Silver Spoon admitted. "But we're going to change this now."
"Ah' remember ya' sayin' somethin' similar before."
Silver Spoon took a quick glance at Pinkie Pie, then looked back at her friend. "Then do you remember us actually inviting her along?"
"We tried to."
"No, we didn't. All we ever did was asking her to join us once when she happened to walk in. But have we ever told her what we were planning and offered her to be part of it in advance?"
After a moment of thinking Apple Bloom admitted: "No, Ah' guess not."
"So that's what I'm going to do today. What we are going to do today. Right after I apologize to her."
Her friend nodded, yet her eyes told Silver Spoon immediately that she was not convinced.
"Aw, why that frowny face, Apple Bloom?" Pinkie Pie laughed. "It's never too late to apologize. And who wouldn't want to spend a day with friends and cake?"
"That's what we're going to find out now," Silver Spoon answered. "Let's go, Apple Bloom."
"Uh, wait a second!" Pinkie Pie stopped the two fillies in their tracks. Then she ran into the back of the shop, returning seconds later with a box.
"What's in there?" Silver Spoon asked.
"Cake," Pinkie Pie answered. "For the two of you, Diamond Tiara, and your sister."
"My sister?" Silver Spoon repeated. "You know my... No, wait. Of course you know my sister."
Pinkie Pie grinned. "You bet I do. She stops by here with her friends every Friday before they go to one of their parties. Sometimes even on Saturdays after that party. But for some reason she couldn't make it yesterday, even her friends didn't know why. Well, I think Honey Blossom knew, but didn't want to tell, so I didn't bother her. I just hope she's not sick. Is she?"
"No," was all Silver Spoon was able to get out before Pinkie Pie moved on.
"That's great to hear. But even if she's not sick, I guess she'll still like her favorite cake, so I packed a slice for her. But I didn't want to be unfair, so I also packed one for each of you and Diamond Tiara."
"Um, that's nice of you Pinkie," Silver Spoon said still eyeing the box cautiously.
Pinkie Pie waved her hoof. "Aw, don't mention it. It's the least I could do for a regular."
"So, how much is that?" Silver Spoon asked.
"This one's on me, but you could do me a favor and tell your sister she should tell me soon if she wants to put up a reservation for her birthday again. We're having a lot of requests this year and I don't know for how long I can keep that day available."
"Sure," Silver Spoon said. "We'll be on our way then."
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."
The two fillies left Sugar Cube Corner, Silver Spoon carefully balancing the box on her back. At least that gave her a perfect excuse not to run this time. Too many things Pinkie had said were clinging to her at the moment.
For a while, they walked Ponyville's streets in silence. Then, just as they turned the last corner before heading straight to Silver Spoon's home, Apple Bloom's voice chimed in her ears: "Ah' know that look by now. Somethin's draggin ya' down. So, let's settle this before we get to Diamond Tiara, okay? Ya' know that I'm not mad at ya' or anythin', right?"
Silver Spoon blinked. "Huh?"
"Ah'm sorry if it seemed that way. Ah don't like what ya' did to her, but Ah' also see ya' regret it. Yer still ma' friend, so please don't take what Ah've said the wrong way, okay?"
Silver Spoon needed a moment to get what her friend was talking about. "Oh, that, yes. I am glad to hear that, really. But honestly, I was thinking about the last things Pinkie told me. You know, about my sister. It's just that so many ponies seem to know her better than me. I didn't know her favorite cake. Or that she was a regular at Sugarcube Corner. And after this morning, I'm not sure what I do know about her at all. Actually, after what my sister told me, I'm not even sure what I know about myself, for that matter."
"What she told ya'? Did ya' get into another fight?"
"Oh, right, I still haven't told you that. No, quite the contrary. We did have our first normal talk in years. To make it short, turns out she wasn't as mean as I thought she was."
"Maybe ya' could make that a little less short for me?"
"I will, but not now. I don't want to push this thing with Di any further away. Just so much, I've really learned a lot about her I didn't know. Too much for the few yards till our front gate. Right now, we need to focus on Di."
"Okay, Ah'll take that as a promise," said Apple Bloom as they passed the gate. "So, where is Diamond Tiara?"
"I assume she's in her room. We'll see."
"Nope, she's not."
They both stopped when they heard Green Thumb's voice. He was standing on a small stepladder, cutting off rogue branches from the hedge surrounding the mansion.
"How do you know?" Silver Spoon asked. "Did she leave?"
Green Thumb shook his head. "She's hiding in the shed. Asked me not to tell anypony, but I figured you're the one who should know."
"Okay, thank you," Silver Spoon said. "But, um, has she told you why she's hiding there?"
"Nope. But the old grump has been looking all over for her. If I could, I'd hide from him, too. Maybe she broke a vase or something."
"Yes, maybe," Silver Spoon answered, knowing perfectly well that a simple broken vase was nothing that would make Diamond Tiara hide. "Well, thank you again. I guess we should talk to her."
A quick glance at Apple Bloom told her she agreed, and moments later they stood before the shed's door. With a creak it gave way to Silver Spoon's hoof.
Diamond Tiara sat on the ground, leaning against a pile of bags of soil. She seemed even smaller between the ceiling-high racks full of gardening tools and supplies. Whether she had noticed them or not, Diamond Tiara kept staring at the sole, almost blind window this room had.
"May I come in?" Silver Spoon asked.
"It's your shed," Diamond Tiara said without turning her head. "I just had hoped you'd come alone."
"I'm sorry, Di, but I needed to bring her along." Silver Spoon stepped inside, followed by Apple Bloom. "We're never going to solve this if we don't solve it together."
"What's there to solve?" Diamond Tiara sighed. "I guess I really should give up on you."
"That's not what you told my sister this morning."
"Oh, I meant what I said to her. But when I saw you run off without even checking where I was, I began to doubt my own words. And now that I see whom you have run to, I'm sure Marecedes was right. Maybe it's best if I do just cut the line here."
"That doesn't sound much like you, giving up just like that."
"Like that?" Diamond Tiara snapped, finally jolting her head around. "I tried to save you for the last few days, but you wouldn't even listen to me!"
"Because there's nothing I need to be saved from. On the contrary, things couldn't be better for me. I've found a new friend, I'm getting better at school and I even made up with my sister."
"Yes, I know," Diamond Tiara said with a sinking head. "And I guess it is better for you this way. At least, you won't miss me."
"Come on, don't talk this way. I do miss you. Haven't I told you? You're still my best friend."
"Yeah, right," Diamond Tiara scoffed, rubbing her right cheek. "You showed that in a very peculiar way yesterday."
"Yes, I know that was wrong and I am sorry for it. I shouldn't have let that happen and hope you can forgive me. But still, I also have to ask, don't you think that maybe what you said could have been at least a little bit of a reason for that to happen?"
"I do. And that's just more proof I have already lost."
Silver Spoon and Apple Bloom exchanged quick looks. After a moment of silence the latter said: "Listen, Diamond Tiara, there's nothin' here for ya' to lose at. And if Ah' weren't willin' to put the past behind us, Ah' wouldn't be here. We can still be friends if yer willin' to try."
"I don't care about what you're willing to or not, blank flank," Diamond Tiara hissed.
"Di, please," Silver Spoon tried to intervene, but to no avail.
"No!" Diamond Tiara cried. "She can't just steal you away from me and then expect me to-"
"Ah' didn't steal anypony!" Apple Bloom cut her off.
"Yes, you did," Diamond Tiara insisted. "Because you're the reason she will stay here in Ponyville now."
Another look passed between the fillies.
"What made ya' think she'd leave Ponyville?" Apple Bloom asked.
"And why does it sound like me staying is a bad thing?" Silver Spoon added.
Diamond Tiara took a deep breath. "Because I have the chance to enroll at the Manehatten Institute for Arts and Acting,"
"Well, that is certainly a great opportunity for you!" Silver Spoon tried her best but she knew her smile just looked as forced as it was.
"Yeah, that sounds mighty nice for ya' and all," Apple Bloom said, not even attempting to smile. "But it doesn't answer nearly as much as ya' might think it does. First of all, what does that have to do with Silver Spoon? And what exactly is that institute yer talkin' about?"
Diamond Tiara glared at her. "Oh, it's only the best and most sophisticated private school any aspiring young actress could attend, you hillfilly."
Silver Spoon eyed Apple Bloom cautiously, prepared to interrupt any backfire she may shoot at Diamond Tiara. Yet all she saw was her red maned friend biting her own lips.
Not wanting to find out if Apple Bloom would be able to hold back whatever was trying to break loose from her tongue, Silver Spoon said: "That still leaves the other question: What does that have to do with me?"
At least this question washed the anger from Diamond Tiara's look. Yet Silver Spoon didn't like what replaced it either.
"Everything," Diamond Tiara said. "Everything was perfect. Or too perfect, I should say now. Finally escaping this place. Me and my best friend living a dream come true. We could have shared a room. We could have lived in Manehatten as we were meant to. But it's never going to happen now."
"But ya' can still go," Apple Bloom replied. "Nopony's keepin' ya' from that."
"That's not the point," Silver Spoon said. "Am I right?"
Diamond Tiara simply nodded.
"Oh, Ah' see..." Apple Bloom said. "Okay, this is a lot we need to talk about. So, um, why don't we-"
"We?" Diamond Tiara interrupted her. "There's no we with you around. If anything, I and Silver Spoon have a lot to talk about."
"No, Di," Silver Spoon objected. "She's right, this isn't just about you and me. This way, we'll just keep turning in circles. So, please, come back into the house and let's settle things."
Diamond Tiara didn't answer. She just kept staring to the ground in defiance.
After a moment of silent waiting, Apple Bloom said: "We've got cake."
This did get Diamond Tiara's attention. "Are you trying to bribe me into coming along?"
Apple Bloom shrugged. "Ya' tried to bribe into goin' away, before, so why not?"
For a moment Diamond Tiara stared at the red maned filly. Then an approving smile formed on her face. "Fair enough, I guess. But this doesn't mean I changed my mind about you."
Apple Bloom grinned. "Don't worry, We'll get to that."
Shortly after, they entered the mansion, but before they could make it to the dining room, they ran into the butler of the house. His unblinking eyes fixated on the trio, he said: "Welcome home, Lady Silver Spoon. As I can see, Lady Diamond Tiara is with you after all. I am sorry to inquire on this, yet Lady Marecedes insisted the two of you had not left this mansion together."
"And she was right," Silver Spoon answered. "We just, um, met here."
"Once more, I need to apologize, but where exactly did you meet? I have been looking for Lady Diamond Tiara for quite some time now, yet was not able to find her."
"That's because I hid in the shed," Diamond Tiara explained.
"That is most curious. I am certain Mr. Green Thumb was among the ponies I have asked whether they knew your whereabouts."
"Well, then I am glad that he did, at least to a certain degree, adhere to my wish that he wouldn't tell."
"That might seem satisfactory to you, Lady Diamond Tiara, but seeing that I am entrusted with your well-being for now, he shouldn't have withheld this information from me. As a matter of fact, I am under the impression the staff does seem to be in need for a reminder of who is answering to whom in this mansion."
"I know that feeling," Silver Spoon said. "But before you do that, be so kind to set up four plates for us. We were about to have some cake."
"Four?" the other fillies asked in unison.
"Are we expecting another visitor?" her butler asked.
"No," Silver Spoon answered. "But do you know where my sister is right now?"
"You can't be serious," Diamond Tiara said.
"Yes, I am," Silver Spoon insisted.
Stickler cleared his throat. "The last time I have seen her, she was residing at the pool. I assume she still is there."
Silver Spoon nodded, then turned to her friends. "I'll go get her. Wait in the dining room for me, and please, try not to get into any fights, okay?"
Not waiting for an answer, she gave the box with the cake to Stickler. After a last look at her friends, still eyeing each other in silence, she ran towards the pool.
As expected, her sister was, indeed, still there, napping in a lounge chair. At first, she just grunted a little as Silver Spoon poked her in her sides. After her second attempt, Marecedes, still not opening her eyes, mumbled: "What is it?"
"We've got cake."
Now her sister blinked and turned her head. "Don't we have cake every day?"
"Yes, but this one is from Sugar Cube Corner. Pinkie Pie said it was your favorite."
Her sister turned around in the chair and rubbed her eyes. "How come? Did you already give up on Diamond Tiara?"
"On the contrary. I think I have a plan. And this is part of it."
"So, part of this plan is me eating cake?"
"Not necessarily, but I guess it makes things easier."
"Can't argue with that." With these words, Marecedes lifted herself from the lounge chair and stretched her limbs. "And plan or not, I'm just glad you're here offering me some cake. I was half afraid this morning would turn out to be just a dream."
"You know what?" Silver Spoon replied as they entered the house. "I still am."
She looked up at her sister who gave her a reassuring smile. Which froze the moment they entered the dining room. Her mouth hanging open, Marecedes stared at Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara sitting across from each other. Both fillies seemed like they didn't dare to let the cake out of their view. Neither of them even moved so much as an eye when the new arrivals entered.
Finally finding her words again, Marecedes said: "I must have slept longer than I thought."
"You always do," Silver Spoon said and took her seat. |
A Guardian's Hope | pre | "Since the goal is to hunt a creature that is not my prey."
Gamine started running again as she hit the three-minute mark in her head. Less than a minute later, the bat ponies were after her. They didn't give any warning, given the criminal's liabilities. They were just waiting for an opportunity to immobilise her. Given the way she defended herself, firing beams of magic to keep them at bay, they exercised patience. She took a sharp turn around a rocky massif. As she noticed the recess in the sand in front of her, it was too late. Forelegs assisted by a green magic dragged her by her hooves into an underground tunnel. The unicorn screamed as the braids of her tail disappeared under the eyes of the dazed bat ponies. Gamine landed on her belly in the tunnels below the badlands. She was enveloped in total darkness, and could only see three pairs of phosphorescent blue eyes fixed on her. Clattering teeth echoed through the darkness. While cautious at first, she raised her voice with her usual nonchalance. "Let's hope that you are not Changelings, but just some unintelligent bugs."
Gamine wanted to illuminate her surroundings, but Pepper stopped her. "Do not. The less you seem a threat to them, the easier it will be for me to fulfil my task."
The one with loud teeth and a glowing pair of eyes in the middle put one hoof on the unicorn's mouth. "It seems to me that this is not your lucky day, pony. We're changelings, and you're our evening meal."
Gamine moved away and got up. "I think there has been a mistake. I am not your evening meal."
"Oh, really? Then tell me: What are you, if not a meal?"
"Oh, very simple." Gamine said stoically. "I am..." Suddenly, she reared around and ran away, following a cold wind blowing in her face. "... Gone!" She knew exactly how it would end. But she had to run away for appearance's sake. The worst thing was that she couldn't see anything, and couldn't use her magic to light her way. She could only hope to not run into a wall. She didn't get five metres away before the two changelings, spat out a sticky ball, immobilising her hind legs. Gamine fell on her stomach, at the mercy of the predators. The three changelings threw themselves on the mare with wide-open mouths, starting to feast.
Immediately, the unicorn found herself paralyzed by a pain that spread like venom and took hold of her entire being. While they didn't physically touch her, it still felt like a thousand bites mutilating her body, digging into the flesh and muscles with pointy teeth, strong enough to crush bones. She felt nothing but agony as their hunger made its way to her heart.
The monster watched the guardian who had deprived her of control of her own body for far too long from the bottom of her cage. Watched her being consumed as these changelings filled their belly with the love she was composed of.
Gamine struggled against the force coming from the darkness, struggled to delay her disappearance, begging the monster with her eyes. She wanted to say something, but was already too weak to be heard. Not even a simple whisper escaped her as she disappeared, sucked away into the darkness with the last ounce of her love.
And Pepper was finally free. She observed the space in her head where the young guardian had been just a moment earlier. "Till fate do us part," she said to the void.
As their stomachs bloated with a fair amount of love after such a long hunger, the changelings licked their lips. The meal had been most delicious. They had a short discussion in their strange language, which sounded like teeth clattering and barely audible chirps. Finally, the leader walked ahead as the other two began to drag their prisoner through the tunnels.
Pepper was breathless as she reopened her eyes to the outside world. The prolonged pain had tensed all her muscles to such an extent that the simple act of breathing was agony. But it was the price she had to pay to finally be the one in control of her own body. With her pupils dilated as large as they could, she looked around, her ruby eyes wide open. Without any light, she was not able to see past the tip of her snout. She was tempted to let herself be dragged to the end, but was afraid to fall asleep halfway. She couldn't afford that, at least not right now. "Why are you dragging me? I can walk."
The changelings stopped at these words, turning to their unexpected guest. They stood up, trying to shield their leader. "Still conscious? Our victims usually can't handle the feeding process."
Pepper took advantage of the delay to turn to the three creatures, get on her forelegs, sit, and look into their eyes. "I feel good. No, I feel even better than before."
The changelings were rattled by these words. The one who had spoken so far stared at the mare with a nervous look, whistling for a brief moment, wings vibrating. "Feeding on creatures doesn't make them feel better at all. It is even worse when three feed on the same prey. Who are you?"
She couldn't tell them who she was. She couldn't predict how they would welcome the mare who had killed Celestia. She, who had come from beyond the stars, was a monster unique in Equestria. "Lone Star," Pepper said, looking back at those three pairs of arctic blue eyes.
"Tell me, Lone Star, why do you smell like a bat pony? It's faint, but I can smell the odour of armour oil on you. You didn't wear it. No, you were exposed to it indirectly," said the leader, who was trying to determine the origin of the unicorn's scent.
"They were blocking the border," Pepper explained coldly. "I tried to get around them, but I was spotted."
"Could you tell me how many of them there are?" the changeling asked with interest.
Pepper realised that, if she wanted to gain the trust of these creatures, it was better to answer their questions. "As crowded as Canterlot's restaurant district during lunchtime," she replied.
"How precise of you," commented the changeling, rolling their eyes. "Anyway, what are you doing in the Badlands, pony?"
Without knowing the consequences, Pepper could not explain the reasons that had brought her to the southern region of Equestria, and she didn't want to try to beat about the bush to avoid raising suspicion. "I am travelling south. Now, I shall ask two questions myself. What are your names, and is it possible to free my legs?" She pretended to try and loosen her hind legs without success. She could have easily used her magic, but it was better to keep up the act of being a normal unicorn in the eyes of these changelings.
"You can call me Chitin. Only the highest ranking changelings have a name," replied the leader. They gave orders to the changeling on the right, clattering teeth in the process. The changeling in question approached Pepper and used magic to melt the organic slimy shackle. Before the mare could get up, the changeling that freed her grabbed her by the neck. "Now you're going to get up and let yourself be escorted to our hive, pony," the leader hissed.
Pepper was docile for the time being. "Shall I light the way with my horn, or do I have to walk in the dark?"
"We changelings see perfectly in total darkness. We will guide you to the hive like this. When we get there, you'll have enough light to see."
Pepper didn't know what the changelings had in mind, but if they were feeding on love, they certainly wouldn't let her leave just because she asked. "So there is nothing I have to worry about," she said, words dripping with irony.
"Oh, please, Lone Star, keep worrying," Chitin said with a grin. "We'd love to have you for the next meal, again."
"Keep worrying?" Pepper repeated.
"In your heart, there was mostly regret, guilt and worry. Love, too, but not true love. More like filial love. A delicious blend of flavours if you ask me," Chitin detailed, rubbing their tongue against their palate - like a gourmet chef who was breaking down the ingredients of a meal they had just been served. "I hope you'll be just as delicious for brunch."
"Wait, you ate my love, and you are able to tell my feelings from that?" Pepper asked in surprise. She was appalled at how easy it had been for the insect to detail the emotions that tormented Gamine's heart.
"You ponies think that we only feed on your love, but the truth is that any feeling is potential food for us changelings. Love is just the predominant one in Equestria. It is also the most nourishing," replied Chitin, looking down their nose at her.
"Emotivore," Pepper spat in a whisper.
"Oh, I love that term! It sounds like music to my ears," Chitin answered with a sinister smile, wings buzzing.
"If you can detail my feelings, can you also tell where I came from, where I am going, and my last meal? Maybe you can even read my future from tea leaves?" Pepper asked sarcastically.
"If you're done with your mockery, we can reach the hive a bit sooner," Chitin said.
"I am in no hurry to worry," Pepper replied.
Meanwhile, in the Lunar Guard's military camp, inside the imposing command tent with its dark purple drapes, Antares sat in front of a desk in a corner of the tent, hurriedly writing her report. She recorded all the information she had memorised while she had tried to lead who she thought was Pepper as slowly as possible to the Badlands. She looked up for a moment, watching the armour of the nightmare alicorn at the other end of the tent. It sat on a rack, waiting in cold silence for almost four months now. Waiting for its owner to return and put it back on again. The major kept her eyes fixed on the armour for a moment, remembering the interview with the regicide. She recalled her glances toward the monster in detail, the words they had exchanged.
Swift stuck his head through the heavy canvases at entrance to the tent. She looked over to him, past a table that had a map of the region laid out with small figurines next to it. "Cute Bite, our queen has arrived. She's on the outskirts of the camp."
Antares snorted as she returned to her report once more. She had nothing to add to the notes, and it gave her the impression that she was failing in her duties. "Swift, go to the infirmary for a full check-up." She stored the report in a compartment on the left side of the desk. "I can't believe what happened to you was without consequences."
"I'm not made of sugar, and even if I were, I'd survive it." A grin crept on his lips as he began to tease her. "Or did I taste like mango? That would explain why you're desperately trying to keep me away from you, Cute Bite."
She reached the entrance of the tent in record time, despite her heavy armour, as well as the weight of her own sword and the claymore of Nightmare Moon - which she had to carry due to her being Aide de Camp - secured in their respective sheaths crossed and harnessed on her back. She grabbed Swift by the neck with her outstretched wings and turned to one of the bat ponies who were guarding the tent. "Shadowbolt Nebula, I want Private Swift in the infirmary for a full check-up, ASAP. He was the target of an unknown spell, and I want a vampony to make sure that there are no long-term consequences. Use force if necessary," she ordered, pushing Swift toward the guard.
The Shadowbolts were an elite military corps of ten bat ponies. Becoming a Shadowbolt was a privilege--it meant that they no longer had to answer to the primogen of their lineage. They were the queen's personal guard, distinguished by a purple uniform. Only their hooves and their heads, from the base of their neck up, were of a deep black, delimited by a fine yellow flash. They responded only to the queen's orders, those of her lieutenant, and, for three months now, her Aide de Camp.
The soldier left her post, saluting Antares with the thumb of her wing on her temple before turning her electric-blue eyes toward Swift. Her stern look was mostly hidden by yellow glasses, but she simply took her sword in her mouth, preferring the use of - for now, implied - force right away.
Swift complied without uttering a word. Her reaction had assured him that Cute Bite was in a good enough state of mind to report what happened to their queen.
The Major then went to meet Nightmare Moon and found herself face-to-face with the tantabus, which had taken the form of the lunar monarch. The Major saluted her in haste with a practised motion before speaking. "My Queen, Pepper Chilly. She was there. I tried to delay her, but she went to the Badlands."
Nightmare Moon didn't react to the news immediately. Having the Tantabus for a body had many advantages, but there were also many disadvantages. In her current form, she could only communicate with Luna telepathically over a short distance. Materialising a physical form required a substantial expenditure of magical power. However, since the Tantabus was fueled by Luna's guilt, Nightmare Moon was confident that the flow of energy would increase now that Celestia's death had been confirmed. She used a third of her current magical strength to take a physical shape: The body of an alicorn with an ebony coat, her ethereal mane and tail a royal blue. It was almost as if she had never crossed paths with Twilight Sparkle. In her physical form, she gave an inquisitive look to her Aide de Camp. "Your report, right now," she ordered, walking towards the command tent.
Antares fell into a trot next to Nightmare Moon. "Thirty minutes ago, I heard galloping in the forest along the hill from Private Swift Chess's post. Swift Chess left his post to assist me as I went after the trespasser and intercepted them. At first, we thought they were just a pegasus who, despite our orders, did not identify themselves. Only when Private Swift Chess approached them did we realise who we were dealing with."
Nightmare Moon entered the tent and looked at the map, remaining attentive to the bat pony's report.
"She took Swift Chess hostage by turning him into a candy ..."
Nightmare Moon was slightly shocked at the mention of this fact.
"... With our orders to not let any creature escape the Badlands, and given the estimated magical power level of the criminal, I decided to make her believe that I was conceding to her demands to be led to the barren lands. I took the longest path, hoping to see you arrive in time to defeat her. During this time, I tried to ask her questions that I thought were the most relevant, and she gave me answers whose truth has yet to be proven. Once through the tunnel, she paralyzed me with a spell, then led me to believe that she would not lift the spell she had used to turn Swift into a candy. Once released from paralysis, I immediately sent guards after her, but they reported that she was caught and pulled underground, probably by changelings. I think that the spell cast on Swift has faded on its own. I am ready to take responsibility for my mistake--for letting Pepper Chilly pass, my Queen."
Nightmare Moon thought about the situation for a minute while she studied the map. . Finally, she looked up at Antares and said calmly, "At ease, Major. I don't blame you for tonight's event. Pepper Chilly lied to everypony for two months. If it is true that she has gained power by absorbing the soul of Celestia as she has told Luna, then it was certainly wiser of you to not encourage her to break through by sheer force."
Despite her superior's words, Antares had the nagging feeling that she could have done better. She looked at the Moon over her shoulder through the gap between the canvases. "What colour is the moon tonight, my Queen?"
"Make it short," replied the living nightmare to the coded message.
"About the Eclipse project?" asked the major.
Nightmare Moon nodded again, eyes closed. "Yes, it is true, the Eclipse project is taking a completely different turn. Until now, Luna had been hanging in there, under the illusion of having control of the situation. Now that Pepper Chilly is back, and Celestia's death has been confirmed, things will undoubtedly accelerate. If I manage to slip the severed head of the one she had considered to be a friend into her bed, and she looks into Pepper's glassy eyes in the early morning, she will understand that she can never get the slow and painful revenge she wanted. That realisation will make her insane. With her mind crushed, I will be able to possess her body. Even if Twilight Sparkle tries to use the elements of harmony on me, Luna will remember that she has nothing left in this world! Even though she has a bond with a few fillies, it will not prevent her from sinking back into darkness, allowing me to take over once more. No matter how hard Twilight tries, she will have to accept the idea that Luna can no longer be saved. Then I shall reign by myself over Equestria and Broncoliande. With Shining Armor now being prince consort of the Crystal Kingdom, I will have to elect a new captain for the Royal Guard for Canterlot Castle. A position that may suit you, Major. However, I fully understand if a military career is more appealing for you."
"It would be an honour to ensure the well-being of you and your palace, my Queen," replied Antares, loudly and clearly.
"Now, I'll be entering the Badlands," announced the ebony alicorn.
"I'm going to gather a squad to escort you-"
"There is no need for that. If Chrysalis is not dead yet, she won't like to see a group of bat ponies come. Not even in small numbers. But if I go alone, she might more easily concede to a meeting with me. In the eventuality of an aggressive welcome, I can return in my ethereal form without having to worry about the fate of an escort."
The bat pony had to admit that this tactic provided an easy retreat if the changelings refused to talk. In the current climate, it was not difficult to believe that they would refuse. "When I asked her, Pepper Chilly said she was going to the Badlands because she felt a call. And she became agitated when she heard about the genocide of the changelings."
Nightmare Moon frowned. "She's not the altruistic type. If Chrysalis has the foresight to end her, that would be fine by me. The problem is that she must not know what her subjects have dragged into her hive. Major, regarding Pepper Chilly, the orders are not to engage in hostilities. If she has returned to gather power, she will show little interest in anypony who is not an alicorn. There is no need to risk lives in a fight without a chance of victory," she said as she walked towards the exit.
"My queen. A thought came to mind. Since she has returned, do you think she is the mare from the prediction that announces the return of the Crystal Empire's tyrant?" asked Antares, uncomfortable to raise the subject, though curious to hear her queen's opinion.
Nightmare Moon spread the heavy canvases with her wings. "All the more reason to make her surrender her last breath before she has a chance to say the forbidden name. We already have a regicide on the loose. No one wants this tyrant to come back and claim an empire that was never his."
"Yes," Antares agreed. "One unnecessary war is one too many. The Crystal Kingdom was lucky to reappear last year. The absence of Princess Celestia affects the morale of the Equestrians a lot. His return wouldn't help the situation."
"One unnecessary war is one too many? I wasn't aware your lineage had such wisdom running through their veins, Major. Or it is the private Swift Chess who rubbed off on you somehow? Teasing aside, keep it up, that's the way I expect a second-in-command to think." Nightmare Moon left the tent to fly to the Badlands, changing back to the simple form of a black cloud to preserve her strength.
In the tunnels below the badlands, Pepper raised her voice. "Chitin?" she asked.
"If you ever ask me again when we arrive, pony, I'll rip your tongue out," grunted Chitin, who already had no patience with Pepper's attitude.
"We have just walked and turned so many times. What else am I to do in such a maze? Oh, I know! What is your Princess' name?" she asked.
"Princess? There is no Princess here. That's a title that's only good for your alicorns. Here, it is the title of Queen that suits the one who runs our hive, and her name is Chrysalis," Chitin said proudly, sounding haughty. "Stop," they suddenly ordered, clattering their teeth to make the other two Changelings move a rock that looked like any other out of their way. "We've arrived," they said, as a passage leading to a large, bright room was revealed. "Walk in, Lone Star."
Pepper walked toward the middle of the cavern. Looking up at the ceiling, she squinted her eyes. Large green cocoons that glowed, allowing her to see as if she was in broad daylight. She stopped and turned around to finally see her hosts.
One of the three Changelings did not wear armour. The chestplate and helmet of the armour were of the same colour as the deep-blue shell on the top of their backs. At close range, these creatures seemed to be cut out of obsidian - not only because of their colour, but also because of their apparent fragility, mostly in their legs.. The mare did not understand how they could stand on these limbs, which were riddled with holes that gave them anatomically improbable shapes. Their ridiculous wings were also perforated with holes that shouldn't allow them to fly. As her gaze lingered on their heads, she saw upper canines sticking out of their mouths as well, their horn like a curved ice pick. Pepper was glad to know that the changelings were only after love. "How can you run with legs like that? They seem as if they would break at any moment with all these holes. You all look like wooden shields after a rain of arrows," Pepper said stoically.
"Are you mocking us, pony?!" Chitin shouted, while the other two Changelings hissed.
Pepper did not understand the reason for their outburst. "I am not laughing. This is my first time meeting Changelings. I am curious to know more about your species."
Chitin gave orders to the Changelings, who went back into the tunnel and closed the passage behind them. "No pony is curious when they see our true appearance. They get scared, and--" she giggled-- "TRY to run away."
She turned away from Chitin, leaving the room to enter a new tunnel, following the sticky substance that connected the light sources together. "The ones from Equestria, no doubt," Pepper answered, "but I am not from there. I am a traveller, and I am looking to go further south. Where is the southernmost exit of this hive?"
The Changeling followed her, making sure she didn't go into sensitive areas of the hive. "Please, Lone Star, accept our hospitality and stay for the rest of the night. We'd be so very happy to have you to eat for brunch."
The offer brought a grin to Pepper's lips as she took in the sights of the rooms she walked past. "There's not much left to eat, but I intend to come back at every opportunity. It is very liberating."
"Tell me, what happened to make you feel such remorse that you thank us for eating your feelings? I am sure that we can find a way to revive them and have a midnight snack," Chitin said, licking their lips in advance.
Pepper was going to give a fake answer before she stopped in front of a room that was even bigger than the very first. In contrast to the previous caverns, the one before her was lit by blue crystals. "This is different. What is this room?" she asked, entering and looking at the large seat placed opposite the entrance.
"This is the throne room, where we'll serve brunch to our queen at eleven o'clock," Chitin answered. "So, this remorse, where did it come from? I want to turn the knife in the wound."
Pepper ignored Chitin's words. She felt like she was being watched, so she approached the throne carefully, convinced that someone was hiding behind it. She walked around it, then came face-to-face with the one keeping their eyes on her.
Hidden behind the royal seat was a young Changeling who looked quite different from the other three. A tiny, female changeling. Barely bigger than Pepper's head. She had eyes akin to that of a pony, her pupils slightly formed like those of cats: Two vertical slits looking back at Pepper, full of curiosity. Her differently coloured eyes reinforced the power of her gaze - her left iris was of a deep malachite green, her right one was of a soft yellow, like the colour of sulphur. Pepper could see her head filling with questions while the changeling looked at her.
She took a few steps back. "Who is hiding back there?" asked the mare in a whisper, sitting down on her rump.
The Changeling child took off, buzzing as she hovered before Pepper, biting her hoof to try and suppress in vain a question that was burning on her lips. "Are you a pony?" she asked in a chirp, putting her hoof on the unicorn's snout.
"Aglowing Shell? What are you doing here?" Chitin slowly approached them, eyes fixed on Pepper, all the muscles of their body tense, ready to jump on her if she ever tried to make a move towards the child.
"Well, I..." Aglowing avoided looking in the direction of warrior Changeling.
"I am a pony," Pepper confirmed with a smile. She continued to observe the small Changeling, ignoring the tensions in the air. The child's mane was a dark, cerulean blue, except for a celestial blue wick that cut her mane by passing to the left of her horn, then descending to the middle of her fluffy chest.
Aglowing Shell had stars in her eyes. She leapt on Pepper's face, belly to her muzzle. The child's hooves clamped down on the mare's muzzle while she rubbed her face against the pony's forehead. "Whoooooa! A real pony. This is the first time I've seen a real one! Thank you, Mother! I wanted a pony for such a long time now!" the little Changeling chirped excitedly.
"Mhmf?" Pepper muttered between her teeth. She looked towards Chitin.
The latter disappeared into a pillar of greenish flames. When the flames faded, the Changeling looked vastly different: Taller and slender, a small black crown sitting atop a long mane made entirely of ceruleum blue strands that fell heavily on her shoulders. Chrysalis, the Queen of the Changelings, smiled with satisfaction at having deceived Pepper all this time. "As you can see, you should worry for two. We will need at least that much for our eleven-hour brunch."
Aglowing remained silent, simply observing.
Pepper used magic. Ethereal hands appeared at the end of her hooves, and, with rare delicacy, she encouraged Aglowing Shell to free her jaw, dislodging her from her face before handing her to her mother. "You may insist as much as you want, but I shall not stay for your brunch. Where is the southernmost exit, so I can continue on my journey?"
"Oh? But! I thought we were going to play," Aglowing said with a sad pout.
"Play? Do you not have friends for that?" Pepper asked, raising an eyebrow.
"What's a friend? Is it edible?" asked Aglowing Shell innocently.
"A friend is somepony you play with. Somepony you like to see every day. Somepony you get along with," Pepper explained.
"Oh! Mother is a friend then," said the little Changeling.
Pepper dared to look at Chrysalis while she held back a laugh.
The Queen was reluctant to have fun. She slammed her teeth together, then licked her lips to display a carnivorous smile.
Pepper examined the sovereign and her daughter. Now that she was paying more attention, the mother looked more like an insect. The skin was made of a very dark-grey shell. She also had a shiny shell on her abdomen, while the girl had fluffy fur there. The child's horn was more like that of a unicorn, although it had a few holes and seemed as pointy and deadly as her mother's. "Not quite. A friend is someone who is not part of the family, but whom you like," Pepper tried to explain patiently.
"That... I... like?" Aglowing Shell thought for a minute. "Oh! Like as in love?! Someone from whom I collect love every day then?" she chirped with a big, childish smile.
Pepper and Chrysalis laughed for different reasons, and Aglowing joined in.
The mare turned to the Queen. "I could use a little help right now," Pepper pointed out, amused.
"It's a pony thing. You're going to have to manage alone, Lone Star," replied Chrysalis, a little smile on the corner of her mouth. She was appreciating the irony that a pony had trouble finding the words to explain the concept of friendship to someone who was foreign to it.
Pepper sighed, smiling, and returned to the young Queen. "All right. We'll keep it simple. A friend can act in several ways. They can be kind, they can make you laugh, they can offer gifts without asking for anything in return, and, most importantly, they never betray you no matter what. Friendship..." she paused. "No, wait, that's five. What am I forgetting? Handsome, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Twilight, Rarity... Oh, yes, Applejack. I always forget her Element. No wonder why," she thought before resuming her explanation. "Friends also never lie to each other." Despite her explanation, she saw the large question marks in the child's eyes.
"Don't listen to her, my daughter. We are the Changelings. We don't need friends, just ponies like her to collect their love. Otherwise, there would be no pleasure in playing with your food."
Pepper focused on Aglowing. "Putting the remark from your mother aside, did you understand what a friend is?" she asked.
"A friend is complicated," the child answered.
The so-called Lone Star giggled. As she thought about it, she realised that if the child didn't have any reference points, she had to be given some. "Yes, it is. Look, if it helps you, here's how to know if someone is a friend." Pepper took a deep breath, and ,without singing, she thought of the six elements of harmony, making them into a nursery rhyme. "Goodness in the eyes, Laughter on the lips, Honesty in words, Generosity in heart, Loyalty in choices. Friendship is ignited by a spark of Magic. If you can say that anyone reacts like that to you, or makes you react like that, then maybe they are a future friend. Of course, it is rare to see them all at the same time."
Aglowing and Chrysalis suddenly turned their heads toward the entrance of the room, ears perked. The drone had come back at a gallop, alone. They only stopped when they had stepped into the room. They immediately began to snap their teeth, their wings vibrating frantically to convey a message. Chrysalis's face hardened, fury in her eyes. She gave new orders to the changeling, then to Aglowing Shell before leaving the room in a hurry.
"What is happening now?" grunted the unicorn before noticing that the subordinate changeling was watching her like a cat in front of a mouse hole. "And what do you want from me?"
"It's Chitin. They sent the drone to transmit a message: <She asks to see the Queen.> Then mother gave them the order to watch you," Aglowing said, her voice trembling.
Considering this new information, Pepper saw an opportunity to leave the hive and continue her journey. But she had to get rid of the drone first. The child was not likely to cause complications. "Oh look! There is another pony," Pepper said, pointing away from the changeling supervisor.
"Where?!" the child asked, a big smile on her lips as she fell into the trap.
Pepper took advantage of Aglowing Shell's inattention to turn the watcher into a candy, quickly picking it up before the little changeling realised that she had been duped. "I shall release them once I have found an exit. I can only hope that I do not have to dig one," she thought.
"There is no other pony!" said Aglowing, frustrated at first, then shocked after turning back to Pepper. "Where are they? Where is the drone? They were here just a moment ago!"
Pepper looked at Aglowing, acting all innocent. "I do not know. They just suddenly vanished." Pepper walked toward the exit. "Well, if your mother is looking for me, tell her I am no longer... there." She stopped. The orange wisps appeared again. She had to turn around as Gamine's magic activated..
Head down, the young Aglowing broke into tears. "I... I don't want to... finish alone."
Pepper came closer. "I can not believe it. It was her. I can not believe I almost missed the source of the call," she thought, rubbing her snout against the top of the child's head to get her attention.
Aglowing lifted her nose towards Pepper, her eyes blurred by tears. When she saw the orange wisps, she got scared, falling on her back.
"Calm down," Pepper said, trying to reassure the child. "This is... like kindness in the eyes. If you calm down, it will fade away."
Aglowing exhaled, trying to drive away the sinister ideas that invaded her mind. She wanted to believe in the mare's words.
Slowly, the wisps began to fade. It was still present, but barely noticeable. "See, I was telling the truth," Pepper said, a soft smile on her lips, although she had trouble believing it herself.
"Is that what happens every time somepony worries?" asked Aglowing. Her little voice sounded curious, broken by emotions as she stood up.
"I think, in your case, it is more than mere worry, FaceHugger," Pepper said.
"FaceHugger? My name is Aglowing Shell," the child protested.
The right corner of Pepper's lips curved into a smile. "Do not mind. This is a bad habit of mine. I sometimes give a nickname to those I like. Look, I am here, just for you, to help you. If you need anything, just ask. Generosity in the heart," Pepper said.
"Honesty in words?" Aglowing asked with a little glimmer of hope in her eyes.
Pepper couldn't help but laugh. "You learn fast. In that case, I have to introduce myself. I am Pepper Chilly," said the Unicorn in turn.
"Pepper Chilly? Mother called you Lone Star earlier," said the little changeling, sounding surprised.
"I could not give my real name to your mother, Aglowing Shell. I can not stay here forever to play with you, but I can help you now, so you will not end up alone. You just have to tell me what is wrong," Pepper explained.
Aglowing thought for a moment, then nodded. "Okay," she said, thinking about the whole story with a little nostalgic smile. Then, she began to tell her worries. "The hive. It was full of life before, full of changelings. They used to go out all the time to collect love. Everyday, they went outside, then came back. We were happy." As suddenly as it had come, the smile disappeared. Sadness took its place. "Then, one night, fewer came back than were sent. Those who came back were wounded, and I didn't understand why. They started to make balls of light with magic, which stayed on the ceiling for a few minutes. It was beautiful, like the stars of the night sky. The next night it was the same: Others didn't come back, and there were the lights again. The next day, mother ordered not to go out. 'We have enough food for the whole hive, so we can take a day off,' she told me. But I could see that she was not well."
Pepper thought it was clever to start the genocide by attacking the Changelings that were isolated from the rest of the hive. She assumed this event made Chrysalis suspicious, and forced her to send out a search for the missing individuals. This gave Nightmare Moon a last opportunity to cull the changelings before to besiege the hive.
Aglowing coughed a sob. "Days passed. We didn't go out anymore. 'More days of rest,' I was told. Every changeling was restless. Mother started to send most of the drones to sleep in cocoons. But it didn't change anything. There was less and less food for the hive. Then, one evening, Chitin ran in saying they were at the entrance of the tunnel. Mother locked me in my room before leaving with every warrior of the hive that was still awake. When they came back hours later, they were wounded, and ..." She began to cry.
Wary, Pepper raised an eyebrow as she witnessed Aglowing's magic crackling around her horn.
"And... there was almost no one left. I understood then. I understood what they were trying to hide from me. All those lights, all those changelings who had disappeared. They're never coming back! And mother hates me. She keeps me locked up all the time. She doesn't want to see me anymore. She doesn't want to play anymore. She tells me to stay in my chamber again and again. She wants others to forget me. Said that it's better for me. Several times changelings tried to open the door, but mother chased them away. She yelled, she shouted through the whole hive not to approach me ever again. But I don't understand what I did wrong. Why she scolded them. Why she punished me. Is it my fault? Should I have protected the hive? Why did she never teach me how to defend my own subjects? If I had known, I could have helped her! I could have saved them! I'm destined to be the Queen. But if I don't protect the hive, if the hive is empty... What good am I?" Distress squeezed her throat, making her voice sound hoarse.
Pepper frowned the eyebrows. Something was clearly off in this story.
Aglowing's tears kept flowing. "I don't know what to do. There is less and less food, and soon there won't be enough left to feed the changelings that are sleeping. They will starve to death in their sleep. There are four changelings left awake to save them. I don't know what to do! I don't know what to do anymore! And..." Her imagination was running wild with the worst possible outcome. "And, I don't want to end up alone! I know that, one day, mother and Chitin will never come back! I don't want to see these balls of light anymore. I'm afraid to see them again. I never want to see them again! I don't want to feel bad when I see them! I don't want to learn like that, that one of our own won't come back. And just thinking about it hurts. It hurts so much! My body hurts so much. It tightens. As if a rock fell on my body. Is that how it feels when you disappear? What did I do wrong to make this happen to us? Why doesn't mother tell me what I did wrong so I can do it right? Why? Why?! WHY!?"
Pepper listened in silence. The wisps grew stronger. Touched by the child's story, Gamine was reviving herself. Pepper understood. The guardian misled her - it wasn't just her magic, but a passive ability that activated itself. If she could feel true despair, she concluded that this child's despair was so strong that it had reached the guardian despite the distance between the Badlands and Canterlot. Aglowing was very young and already thought of the responsibilities that ruling over an entire hive entailed. The mare took the changeling in her forelegs to offer some comfort. "You are not at fault, FaceHugger. You are not. We shall fix this one way or another. We will fix it."
"How?" asked the little Queen, sniffling.
"First, you must be hungry. Collect my love," Pepper said, wiping tears from the child's face. "Can you do that at least, little Queen?"
"Yes, Mother taught me how." With those words, Aglowing Shell set to work.
The monster needed to lean on a hoof to avoid falling on her rump. Even coming from a child, the feeling of being punctured was painful. Fortunately, this time, there was only one changeling, and there was not much to eat. But it served its purpose - Gamine was sent back to the darkness - and, even better, her presence seemed slightly smaller than before.
When she finished, Aglowing looked at Pepper, tilting her head slightly. "I think I'm done. Why are you grinning?"
"Oh, I sat on a rock," Pepper lied. She looked around the room. She needed a plan. With her mind devoid of the guardian's sentimental distractions, she soon had an idea worthy of a monster. "Now we shall play a game," Pepper said with a grin.
"A game? What game?" asked Aglowing Shell.
"Munch the candy," Pepper replied with a smile.
"I don't know this game," said the changeling, sounding intrigued.
"Oh, believe me, you will like it," Pepper whispered with a malicious grin.
Meanwhile, Chrysalis arrived at the entrance to the cave to see Chitin and Nightmare Moon staring each other down. Chitin held a more offensive position, while Nightmare Moon stood in a defensive manner.
"I repeat - my intentions are not hostile, changeling," the alicorn said.
"NOT HOSTILE?!" the warrior barked, unafraid of dying at the alicorn's hooves. "When you came with your army, you killed drones, not even warriors ... but drones! You killed any changeling that came close enough! That isn't hostility? If only you would die, all of you," Chitin shouted. They would defend the hive at the cost of their life.
"Chitin, enough," Chrysalis ordered as she came out of the tunnel, catching her breath.
Chitin spat onto the ground in front of Nightmare Moon's hooves. Then, they backed away without turning around and stood next to Chrysalis. They tensed their hooves, ready to jump at the throat of the living nightmare should she try any sudden move towards her Queen.
"Get to the point," Chrysalis said dryly.
"I have come to warn you that you have a monster in your hive," summed up Nightmare Moon.
"I am facing it right now," Chrysalis commented coldly, the genocide still fresh in the Queen's mind.
"I am serious, Chrysalis. Pepper Chilly is dangerous," explained the mare of the Moon.
Chrysalis looked to the warrior on her left before returning to the intruder. "Pepper Chilly? I haven't met anycreature of that name," she said.
"A female unicorn with a white coat and a braided carmine mane. The cheeky kind," Nightmare Moon said.
"You mean Lone Star," corrected Chrysalis.
"She gave you a fake name."
Nightmare Moon's commentary made Chrysalis apprehensive. "Why?"
"Right now, the most important question would be, where is she?" asked the thousand-year-old mare, sounding concerned.
"In the hive..." Chrysalis replied, her discomfort growing.
"Don't tell me that she's alone with Aglowing Shell," said Nightmare Moon, her tone sounding worried.
"No, she's with... How do you know about my daughter?!" the Queen asked in anger.
"That's not important. Your daughter is in danger! Pepper Chilly is not from our world, and even worse... is a soul eater," said Nightmare Moon.
"Y-you are joking... right?" Chrysalis's hollow laughter sounded incredulous.
"Everything that has happened in the last four months is due solely to her crime."
Chrysalis suddenly realised something. When she ate the content of Lone Star's heart, there had been no fear. "Chitin, make sure she leaves. I'll get to the bottom of this," Chrysalis shouted as she set off alone towards the throne room at a full gallop. As she could see the throne room, she could hear an explosion going off. Entering the room, Chrysalis only found Pepper Chilly.
She was sitting on the throne, alone in the almost total darkness. Her attention was focused on the sole of her hoof. All the crystals in the room that were embedded in the walls and ceiling had magically exploded. An almost perfect circle made up of residues of these crystals delimited a comfortable area around the royal seat. With her horn illuminated by a golden aura, she used the circle to erect a hemispherical barrier to prevent any attacks against her.
"Pepper Chilly, you dirty liar! Where is Aglowing Shell?" Chrysalis asked as she approached. She noticed a candy on the ground under the hooves of the soul eater.
The mare had a satisfied smile on her lips. She looked up at the queen. "Oh. Greetings, Chrysalis. I want to play a game," Pepper said, presenting with her left hoof another candy that she had looked at just moments earlier. |
A Guardian's Hope | Chapter 3 *Updated* | "I asked a question! Where is my child?!"
The two monsters were staring at each other. Pepper, alert despite showing signs of fatigue, was sitting on the throne. Her posture was unorthodox for a pony as she held candy in her left hoof. She kept control by using a magical forcefield. Chrysalis paced around it like a lion in a cage, her murderous gaze throwing daggers at the mare in anticipation of any mistakes that could turn the situation to her advantage.
Pepper deployed a little more magic to answer the question. The candy below her hooves pulsed with magic, then rolled out of the protective dome. Five seconds later, the changeling returned to their former shape, looking haggard. Pepper raised the hoof in which she held the other candy pointing towards Chrysalis. "In order for your daughter to survive, you will make them leave and do not let them return until our conversation is over."
Chrysalis conceded to the demand. She slammed her teeth furiously as the changeling fled the room.
"I can imagine that, as the Queen, you have to worry about your subjects, but what about your daughter? Do you care as much about her well-being?"
"Of course I care about her," Chrysalis replied without hesitation. "I care with all my heart, but I have a duty, a responsibility to my subjects. Should I tell them that the good of one of them should come before the good of the whole hive?"
"And if I tell you that she has been suffering? That her heart is filled with despair at not knowing whether you would return from your meeting with the one outside?"
"We are desperate! Death lurks outside, we have no food, and now there is you!" the queen screamed with rage, staring into the eyes of her interlocutor. "No one can feel what we feel! I'll do anything! Anything for them! We are not like ponies. An apple is not enough to fill our stomachs. We are here in the Badlands because it is the only region where we could live in the open, before the siege." She smiled sarcastically. "In the darkness, you must have confused generosity of the heart with hunger of the stomach."
"I know exactly what I am to you, Chrysalis, but if you want to play predator and prey, then this is a game I have been playing since even before I was able to cast spells." The white-coated mare looked at the candy in her hoof, licking her upper lip before looking back at Chrysalis. "This treat looks really delicious."
"As another predator on the same territory, I can at least respect you. We could find some common ground. What do you want?"
"Oh, almost nothing," Pepper said, looking at the gratifying queen with a sarcastic smile. "I love stories, and the story of this little queen changeling confined to her room by her mother piques my curiosity. Tell it to me, and I will release your daughter."
Chrysalis was stunned by the demand. All this charade to hear that story? It seemed unbelievable. But if an explanation would be enough to give her back her daughter, she would agree without batting an eyelid to trade her status as a manipulative queen to become a simple storyteller. "Once upon a time, there was a race that fed on the feelings of others. From Timbucktu to Trot, it moved for the sole purpose of feeding itself, without taking heed of the consequences of their insatiable hunger. Destiny soon barred its path in the form of the Princess of the Sun and her loyal lackeys. As punishment, the swarm was trapped in a volcano, its salvation only due to the stupidity of a dragon with a brain melted by his own flaming spit. The swarm then decided to leave Equestria for the time being. It was unprepared to face an alicorn and needed time to hone its skills. The predators who had previously hunted without restraint learned stealth and to hold back their hunger for their own good. Centuries passed. At some point, the desire to return to Equestria was too strong due to their growing desire for an icy cold revenge. To avoid another imprisonment, a hive was built in the Badlands. The drones collecting love from Equestria merged into the mass of ponies and kept a low profile. Time passed, and a chance came along. A marriage of love. The Princess of the Sun married the filly she had adopted to the captain of the guard, the brother of the spoilsport, Twilight Sparkle. Through her fault, this day, which was going to be perfect, was ruined, as were my next attempts to get revenge. Despite the failures, my life took an unexpected turn when my daughter was born. She was the first changeling to which I gave birth, a queen, my jewel, my diamond in the rough. Her smiles, her first words. You should have seen her-"
A loud noise interrupted Chrysalis. Pepper had just hit the throne's armrest with the back of her free foreleg. She grimaced under an overwhelming, throbbing pain. Her expression twisted with difficulty into a smile as her ruby eyes stared back at Chrysalis. "Keep going."
"She was gifted, intelligent, her mother's worthy daughter. But still so young, too innocent in her heart--the heart she got from her father. I tried to protect her from the problems of the hive, from the death that loomed on our doorstep. She wasn't ready. Will she ever be ready? I will probably never know. Now almost all my remaining subjects are sleeping for a soon to be eternal sleep. Our reserves of love are at their lowest. And that's where the problem lies. My daughter was the only source of love within reach. What do you think my subjects thought when their stomachs rumbled? Their instincts took over. They almost all gave in to the idea of an easy meal at the expense of her life. And I, the queen, her mother, kept chasing them away. Chased them away, again and again, always further from that door that separated her from us. As much as I wanted to protect her, in the end, I was just another changeling. I gave in too. I gave in to my hunger and became the monster that wanted to eat my daughter's life. I snuck into her room. But when I saw her asleep, when the monster that I am saw her asleep, I--who drained countless hearts--felt filthy, disgusted of myself for the first time in my life. That night, I couldn't feed on my daughter. That night, something stopped me. I don't know what it was."
"Your will is admirable. Believe me, I sincerely respect you for this," Pepper commented, now lost in thought. While she played with the candy, Chrysalis's revelation forced her to confront her own crimes. "I could not hold back," she admitted, yet she was unable to feel any remorse. "Never could," she said, before she swallowed the candy and started to chew, looking directly at the monarch.
"Aglowing Shell!" Chrysalis screamed in horror as she threw herself against Pepper's shield, pounding her hooves with all her might, thundering it with magic beams before collapsing from exhaustion. Tears welled up in her eyes. She was powerless. Pepper had just consumed her daughter in front of her eyes.It was only now that she started to comprehend the feelings that she had towards Aglowing Shell.
Pepper rolled her eyes and swallowed before lifting her gaze to the crystal above Chrysalis. "Seriously, she is in tears. If this is not enough proof of love yet, I can not do any better," she said with a shrug.
That was too much! Ardent rage bubbled up inside her, taking over from the sadness she felt. Pepper was going to pay! She was going to suffer! Chrysalis lifted her body with what was left of her lifeforce, no longer even trying to understand the words of the monster facing her. She was going to get past that shield. She would throw herself at her, then break every one of her ribs before tearing out her heart. The queen was about to take action, when a drop of water fell on her snout, cutting her off her anger. Then, another one fell. She did not understand where this water could come from, so deep beneath the desert of the badlands. She looked to where it had come from.
The water came from a crystal that looked no different from the others. It was a common crystal. Intact and inert. Another drop hit her snout. The queen closed her dark green eyes and saw that the light was twisting around the crystal like a mirage above the desert sands. The illusion suddenly ended, revealing Aglowing Shell in tears, her horn crackling with magic. She was shouting something at her. Though no sound came from the bubble, Chrysalis perfectly recognized what her daughter was saying, again and again. A simple word: "Mother."
Chrysalis looked at Pepper, confused, while her rage clashed with her joy at seeing her daughter safe and sound.
Pepper simply tapped her horn with her left hoof. "Spell of dissimulation. She can see, hear, and come out whenever she wants. But as long as she is within that bubble, she does not exist to the outside world. Except if you know where exactly to focus your attention, that is."
When she heard these explanations, Aglowing immediately jumped off her perch to join her mother, clinging to her neck.
"But what about the candy?" asked Chrysalis.
"The candy?" Pepper extinguished the shield, then used her magic to open a gate slightly bigger than the candy she pulled through with her telekinesis. "Licorice mint. Do you want one? They are made in Ponyville by an extraordinary earth pony..." Seeing no reaction from the queen, she ate the candy herself. "You must know of her. She is crazy, has a strange passion for party cannons, and is a friend of that spoilsport of yours."
Pepper was exhausted. She had partially solved the despair of the little changeling. She could rest for a moment. To see the daughter who loved her mother and was loved in return made her look away. Even though she was stripped of all emotions, she felt a heartache. Gamine was reviving herself again. She closed her eyes for a moment, just for a moment, in the hope to pause the parasite's awakening by ceasing to look at the mother-daughter reunion.
Chrysalis and Aglowing were shocked as Pepper suddenly collapsed and fell from the throne. The little queen jumped from her perch on her mother's neck and ran to her friend's side. She struggled to pull the heavy carmine braid away from her face to look at her. When she realised that the unicorn had fallen asleep, she chuckled. Chrysalis approached, still stressed by what she had just been through. She stopped only once her daughter backed away from the mare to nestle between her forelegs, seeking her protection.
The child was clearly worried. Seeing the mare tormented in her sleep made her uncomfortable. Aglowing jumped on Pepper's shoulder, trying to wake her up without success.
Chrysalis, in a more healthy condition thanks to the hug she received from her daughter, watched the scene silently. Nightmare Moon had told the truth.
The young hybrid exhausted herself trying to wake the mare, without success. Seeing the mare crying in her sleep between two convulsive jolts worried her more and more. Distressed, she turned her heterochromic eyes towards Chrysalis. "Mother! She won't wake up!"
"Don't worry, I'll take care of her, my love. Go back to your room, and lock the door." The queen offered her daughter a loving gesture before pushing her on the nose towards her room. With her daughter safe, the queen was now alone with the now sleeping pony. She took advantage of the relative peace to think about what to do with Pepper Chilly. Her horn glowed as she reached for a sharp pointed fragment of crystal. She calmly approached Pepper and stabbed the pony's fast-beating heart.
She stabbed her in the heart for the monster she was.
She stabbed her in the heart for threatening the life of her daughter.
She stabbed her in the heart for each and every changeling that had died due to her crime.
Blood began to flow, splashing Chrysalis every time she stabbed the mare with the instrument of her rage, over and over again. One last hiccup, followed by a brief sigh, and life left the body of the unicorn.
The queen, out of breath, looked at the corpse with disdain. It was bathed in blood. Even the ornament made of phoenix feathers was coloured a deep crimson. The improvised dagger was stuck in the bloody mess which was, until a minute ago, a throbbing heart. Chrysalis suddenly stepped back when she noticed that Pepper's body was returning to its true shape, the magic she had been using to change her appearance no longer working. Dumbfounded, the queen watched the corpse of the alicorn as she suddenly smelled a scent that was foreign to the hive. A smell that she had smelled months earlier in the swarm's home. Chrysalis turned around, baring her fangs, ready to defend herself.
"Please, Your Highness, calm down. I only came with the intention of paying back my debt," said a stallion from the entrance to the chamber. The cocoons that emitted light from the hallway suggested that his coat was light grey.
"Who are you?" she screamed.
The pony began to sing to Chrysalis' favourite tune as he entered the room, swaying slightly with each step.
♪~This night is going to be perfect
I will explain to you how you can save your hive
By avoiding making a big mistake
You're so lovely coated with blood
What you don't know is that she is a source of love~♫
With her rage rekindled, Chrysalis used her magic to grab the intruder by the throat, dragging him across the room. She took her bloody weapon back into the hollow of her hoof and pressed it to his throat. "Last chance," she snarled in a threatening tone.
He kept smiling towards the mare who was threatening his life. "Bitter Truth. I'm only here to prevent you from making a mistake, Your Highness."
She remained on her guard. Thanks to the light of magic, she could see the face of this pony. He was a unicorn. If he had already managed to enter the hive twice without any trouble, he was a danger to the swarm. Yet, she was also curious about his concern. "What mistake are you talking about? About Pepper? It's too late. The sociopathic alicorn is dead."
His smile didn't wane. "Yes, but you were planning to give her corpse to Queen Nightmare Moon, weren't you?"
She was surprised. Yes, that was the idea she had, convinced that she could get something in return. Still, she remained suspicious of this stallion. "How do you know that?"
Obviously amused, he continued, "It doesn't matter. On another topic, Your Highness, I have a viable solution to save what is left of your hive."
Chrysalis was baffled for a moment. Yes, she did everything to hide it from her daughter and Chitin, but she was struggling to find a way for the changelings to survive, given the situation they were in. This stallion said he knew how to save the hive. She could afford to let him talk, then she would consider what she would do with him. She pushed her makeshift blade against his throat, causing him to bleed lightly, the blood mixing with that of Pepper's coating the crystal shard. She stared with a murderous glare into his lemon-yellow eyes, a sadistic smile on her lips. She breathed a few simple words: "I'm listening." |
A Guardian's Hope | Chapter 4 | The hive of changelings was teeming with life once more. In the throne room, Chrysalis gave orders to the drones for collecting love, while Chitin supervised the rounds of the warriors.
Aglowing Shell walked through the corridors of her little world. She was happy, humming a tune that she was improvising from some song Pepper had taught her - a song on how to find a friend, all while she bickered nicely with any of her subjects she met.
At a bend of the corridor, a little blackback drone appeared out of a narrow side tunnel before walking over to meet the little queen.
"Sweet Dreams!" the young queen exclaimed with a big smile.
"Aglowing Shell, I'm glad to see you smile so much."
"Yes! It's thanks to Pepper Chilly!" chirped the child.
"What do you mean?" the drone asked, unsure what Aglowing meant.
"Thanks to her, the hive will get better," the young queen explained. "Mother said so."
"And what exactly is she doing to make our hive better?" Sweet Dreams asked, as that information had been far too vague for her.
"I don't know." The child shrugged.
"What do you know?" the drone pressed.
"Mother said that Pepper had to leave for treatment, that she's sick, got some kind of bad blood in her head. It caused her to stay asleep, so she removed the blood, which is the new smell in the hive. But thanks to her, the hive will be as good as it was before!"
"Oh! This queen is resourceful."
Aglowing was surprised by Sweet Dreams' choice of words. "This queen? You mean she's not your queen, too? Aren't you from the hive?"
The drone was caught off guard by the sudden flood of questions directed at her, but seeing Aglowing Shell's face, which seemed amazed by the simple idea that the one before her could have come from another hive, she decided that a piece of truth wouldn't hurt.
"Indeed, I'm not from your hive, Aglowing Shell."
"Whoa! Where's your hive? What's your Queen's name?"
Sweet Dreams was annoyed at the idea of giving her Queen's name, but giving the location of her hive was not a problem. She pointed with her hoof at the narrow corridor she had come from.
"You can see my hive from anywhere at night," she said proudly, looking up at the ceiling as if she could see the moon through the rocks.
"The night?!" repeated the little changeling, suddenly panicking and looking around as if surrounded by enemies, while at the same time hoping to find something that could protect her.
"Yes. You've been out of your hive at night, haven't you?"
Around Aglowing, everything slowed down. Scenes that disturbed her young mind flashed in front of her eyes. Her surroundings became blurred. Changelings stopped moving, glitching out of existence.
Sweet Dreams stopped daydreaming as she felt that the dream was turning into a nightmare. She barely had time to realise that she had been the one that unintentionally created it.
Aglowing was crying, looking down, magic crackling over her horn. In front of her eyes, she saw a wounded Chrysalis coming back from outside. The final blow to her heart came as a single star escaped her mother's body and she fell, inanimate, to the ground. "NO!" the child screamed in horror. The magic of the little changeling exploded, utilising power from the depths of her heart. In a wave of magic that spread to the horizon, Aglowing swept the dream like a house of cards, forcing Nightmare Moon to lose her changeling appearance.
In the darkness of the dreamless sleep, only the cyan eyes of the latter was visible. Nightmare Moon tried to understand how this could have happened. The only thing she could think of was a survival instinct. Just as no hypnosis could push anyone to put their own lives in danger, Aglowing Shell had just destroyed a nightmare that seemed to be a threat to her life. Nightmare Moon was shocked. A child had just swept away the dream the mare had created in order to soothe her mind. "Aglowing Shell? What's wrong with you?"
"I hate the stars! Each of them was created at the death of one of my subjects! And the night is filled with it! I'll never get out of the hive again! I don't want to see the night anymore! I hate it!"
Nightmare Moon was mortified. What could she say? She, who had commanded the ambushes and assaults to decimate the changelings? Because of her, this little girl feared what she loved the most. The little girl saw the night as a huge mass graveyard. She looked away before closing her eyes, disappearing with the rest of the dream and betraying her presence with a faint smile that seemed slightly forced. "Very well. I won't bother you anymore."
Aglowing Shell hiccuped at these words. She raised her head before looking for the voice's origin, sounding panicked. "Sweet dreams!" she shouted.
Nightmare Moon stopped just as she reached the door that led out of Aglowing Shell's dreams. She turned around, curious as to why the little queen called after her. "What is it?" asked the alicorn.
"You don't bother me. So please come back! It's good to be able to talk to someone who's not from my hive."
Nightmare Moon once again didn't know how to answer that. However, it was the first time that a soul living on Equestria wanted to see her again, which brought a smile to her face. "If what you say is true, then I'll come back."
"Honesty in words!" replied the little queen.
Nightmare Moon was troubled by these words coming from a changeling--or, at least, a hybrid having been raised as such. "How do you know the concept of honesty?"
"It's Pepper! She told me it's a way to find friends! Mother tried to explain the details to me, but she had trouble with the spark of magic, to the point that she made a lot of faces."
Nightmare Moon frowned. "Everyone has a problem with the spark of magic," she replied, her thoughts no longer lingering on the element itself, but turning toward Twilight Sparkle.
"Will you come back then?"
"When you're asleep, I'm never far away." Then, Nightmare Moon used her magic to end the dream.
Aglowing woke up, realising that all this had been a dream. She was in her alcove, which was hidden from the rest of the room behind a tapestry that faced the door leading to her room. The walls of her alcove were coated with a viscous organic material that provided comfort for changelings. She crawled out of it. When her hooves touched the ground, she found herself in the middle of her toys. After hastily grooming herself, she went to the door and opened it. As she looked through the open door, her ears strained to hear the slightest sound. She did not expect to come face to face with Chitin.
"Hello, little queen. The decree of the Queen that prohibits you to enter the southern part of the hive is now lifted. She is waiting for you there."
Immediately, the child started running through the corridors to join Chrysalis. When she arrived in the southern part of the hive, Aglowing entered a gallery that led downwards at a significant angle, leading into a slope that continuously turned to the right, bringing the child deep underground. She finally arrived in a large room, which was in the centre of that endless seeming spiral she had just run down. The room was so large that Aglowing could hardly see the ceiling. In the centre of the room stood Chrysalis, who observed a large mound of loose soil from which a shrub grew that was no bigger than a filly.
Aglowing Shell sat next to her mother, who caressed her cheek-to-cheek.
"Mother, is there another black changeling hive nearby?"
"Why do you ask that question, my daughter?"
"I dreamed of another drone named Sweet Dreams. She said that her hive is not far away."
Chrysalis had some idea of who this black changeling was. "And what else does she say when she comes to see you?"
The child thought about the question. "She asks me if I'm all right. Whether Pepper didn't do anything wrong to me. Those kind of questions. She had a hard time believing that Pepper was there to... help me."
"I wouldn't really call it help. I was really scared for you, you know?"
"Yes, Mother, but she helped me understand why you were weird with me," she replied, making her cutest sorry face, which made her mother smile.
"I wasn't going to come and tell you: 'Be careful, Mother will come and bite you, my love,'" she said, imitating a big, grotesque monster before tickling her.
Aglowing Shell twisted for several seconds, begging her to stop between laughs. When the torture stopped, she looked at her mother and then at the shrub, catching her breath. "What is it?"
"This is Pepper's gift I told you about yesterday."
"I wish I had seen her again before she left."
"I've already explained it to you. She had to leave as soon as possible. All that bad blood in her head needs to be treated by her friends, the ponies. She may come back one day. If you have no more questions, go back to your room now, I'll come later."
Aglowing Shell set out again, flapping her wings, imagining herself flying through the hive as she jumped joyfully. Chrysalis asked Chitin to approach her by using a sound like chattering and clicking.
This one was never far away. The child had not seen them in the corridors because the warrior was lurking from the ceiling right at the entrance to the cave. They took a few steps down to the wall of the room, then turned their head one hundred and eighty degrees towards Chrysalis. "My queen?"
"It's time to return the favour to Nightmare Moon, as ridiculous as it was in the end. You'll leave at dusk and let her know that I want to meet with her about the Pepper Chilly case."
"If I may, it's a waste of time."
Chrysalis observed her subject, who was as old as they were devoted to serving the hive. They carried out whatever mission the queen might order them to do. If Chitin hadn't been there all this time, she wouldn't have been able to reach this point today. But it seemed that luck had run out, for she was now the queen of a hive that had fallen to pieces. "So what? We are at their mercy, as much as it hurts me to admit it. But if Pepper's death brings us more grace in their eyes, we might as well tell them the good news. I think she is already aware, but who knows. Maybe they'll leave us alone this time and we won't have to worry about their army walking towards the hive anymore."
"It will be done as you command, my queen."
"Chitin, let her know that coming with one soldier will be enough. And in the case you may not be able to come back--thank you for everything."
"We live and die for the hive, my queen."
"We're dying most of all lately," replied Chrysalis in a weary tone.
Chitin didn't know how to answer that. They jumped off the wall and began to run towards the closest exit of the hive, filled with boundless anger. Where was the Chrysalis they had always served? Where was the one who sang to celebrate each of her victories? They would turn sky and earth upside down just to see their queen be herself again. They would even challenge Nightmare Moon and defeat her if necessary, if they were assured that their queen would sing again. For the time being, they were going to do what was expected of them. If the opportunity arose, they would do what it took so that this day would be perfect, so that their queen could sing it again.
Antares, wearing her armour with just the decals marking her as a private, approached the tunnel that led through the mountains from the Badlands.
Swift Chess, in formation with three other bat ponies, noticed her from the starry sky above. He signalled to the others before joining the mare on the ground. "Hey, Cute Bite! I didn't see you leave for the Badlands. Did you find anything?"
"Yes, and I must inform Nightmare Moon as soon as possible."
"What did you find, Cute Bite?"
"I'm sorry, but I can only talk about it with Nightmare Moon."
As they advanced through the tunnel, Swift was intrigued by something. "Come on, Cute Bite, you can tell me!"
"No."
"Please, Cute Bite."
"I said no."
"I said please, Cute Bite," Swift said, suddenly placing the blade under Antares' throat. "All right, listen to me, changeling. We have orders not to kill you, except in self-defence, so you will immediately stop pretending to be my Cute Bite and you will explain to me why you were trying to leave the Badlands. Without moving, otherwise I will kill you and pretend that you tried to kill me. Do I make myself clear?"
"Very clear."
"Okay, let's start at the beginning. What are you doing here?"
"My queen, Chrysalis, sent me to ask Nightmare Moon for an audience."
"As much as I know you're a changeling, it's scary to see Cute Bite say 'My Queen Chrysalis.' And for what reason?"
"You don't have to know that. Now, either you kill me and take the message to your Queen yourself without having all the details, or you lead me to her."
"By the stars, Cute Bite has a secret twin. Very well. I'll guide you to Nightmare Moon's tent. I'll be behind you. If you try anything else, I'll slice you like a mango."
"I have no doubt that all the changelings you killed were good training for that."
"Well, that would mean I wouldn't be able to kill you, then."
"Wait, what?"
"I'm the one asking the questions here. Move on."
Chitin growled and set off through the tunnel. Swift flew a few steps off the ground behind them, just within range to cut them off at the slightest suspicious movement.
"Stop, and don't move," Swift ordered the changeling at the exit of the tunnel, then turned to the bat pony stationed there. "Private Dauntless Halberd, assist me in escorting this changeling to Nightmare Moon's tent."
The soldier in question blew an ultrasonic whistle. Immediately afterwards, all the bat ponies in the area approached like a swarm of bees scaring off an intruder, weapons held in their mouths. They carefully observed Chitin and Swift.
Chitin turned cautiously to Swift, who turned to Dauntless. Swift did not seem to understand the reaction of the other bat ponies.
"You forgot the password, <soldier>, if you really are who you say you are."
Swift sighed, half relieved, but also exasperated. "For a moment, I thought you assumed I was a changeling without even checking--just imagine the face Cute Bite would have made if you had dragged me to the command tent. The eternal eclipse is coming."
Private Dauntless Halberd started to laugh. "No doubt about it, you're Swift." He turned to the bat ponies from the camp. "We have a changeling. You know the orders. Take her under heavy escort to see our Queen. Swift, too. For once, he does something right. It has to be highlighted. He will undoubtedly receive congratulations. Who knows, he may be exempt from chores for once."
"Super funny Dauntless. Really super funny," Swift said, rolling his eyes.
"At your service, Private Swift Chess." Dauntless saluted Swift, who was forcibly escorted along with Chitin.
The real Antares stood in front of the tent, wearing her soldier's armour with the distinctions due to her rank, as well as the two swords arranged in their dorsal sheaths.
Nightmare Moon stood one step before her aide de camp. They watched Swift and the impostor arriving. "I'm listening to you, changeling. Explain the reason you came here."
Chitin was enveloped in a pillar of greenish flame for a short moment, returning to their original form. "Queen Chrysalis is asking for an audience this very evening to discuss the Pepper Chilly case."
"It was about time," Nightmare Moon said as she unsheathed her claymore. She looked at her own reflection in the polished surface of the blade. "Would you dare to repeat your wish, changeling?" asked the queen before threatening Chitin's throat with the tip of her blade.
Almost everypony was surprised by the sudden turn of events. Except Chitin, who hardened their eyes. "You don't scare me, monster. I still wish you were all dead," they said before whistling briefly.
Before anyone had time to react, Nightmare Moon slammed her right forehoof on the ground to maintain order. Despite the show of force, she was amused and didn't hide it. "Considering your situation, you really have guts to spit such words in front of me." She stopped threatening Chitin's life, sliding the blade against her rightwing. "Let your queen know that I will come with a squad in three hours. Major Antares, escort them back to the Badlands. Unscathed. Into infamy shall be plunged the lineage of the bat pony who dares to lift their hoof against this changeling."
Chitin spoke before Antares had time to answer. "Concerning Pepper Chilly's body, my queen wants you to know that coming with only one subordinate will be enough to repatriate her."
Antares lifted her shoulder to present the sheath of the claymore so that the alicorn could put it back, but the latter did not do so. "One bat pony is enough? What happened?"
"My queen has not explained why."
Nightmare Moon blew her discontent through her nostrils. "Major, escort the changeling out of my sight." She stared at the bat pony next to Chitin. "Private Swift Chess, my tent, now," she ordered coldly in an imperative tone, her weapon pointing at the entrance of the command tent.
Antares blinked, surprised by Nightmare Moon's last order. She hesitated for a moment, feeling a hint of fear for her companion, who obeyed the order without blinking or even paying attention to it. Finally, she sighed and resigned herself to escorting Chitin back to the border with a squad of bat ponies at her side.
In the tent, Swift stood in front of the table showing the estimated forces of both sides, deliberately distorted in favour of changelings to deceive anyone who had not taken part in the military manoeuvres.
Nightmare Moon followed him after ordering Shadowbolt Nebula to ensure that no one approached the command tent without her consent. She erected a dome around the tent with her magic, preventing any sound from escaping. Assured of discretion about the upcoming conversation, she went to the rack and stabbed her sword into the ground. She stared at the battle armour in front of her, the royal attire that she hadn't touched since she had the tantabus for a body. After a long moment lost in her thoughts, she turned her attention to the bat pony who had wisely waited for the nightmare to begin. With a regal posture, she stepped closer to the table, opposite of Swift, facing him. "Private Swift Chess, I'll only say it once. Drop the mask."
"My Queen?" Swift replied cautiously.
"Out of respect for your relationship with the late Lieutenant Antares, I initially closed my eyes to your deplorable behaviour in my army. But leaving your post without receiving orders two days ago cannot be left unpunished. Especially when I see that you're able to detect a disguised changeling. It is increasingly difficult for me to accept this mockery of a soldier you claim to be on a daily basis in my army," the queen said.
He looked away from her, his gaze downcast. "Identifying the changeling was just luck. Cute Bite gets angry when anypony uses her birth name too often. As for the rest, it's not a mask, my queen. It's a promise. A promise from a jester to a knight to protect a pawn."
"Why have you made such a promise? Antares' sister shows exemplary behaviour. Why should she need protection?"
Swift looked Nightmare Moon in the eyes. "At first, it was mainly to quiet Antares' mind, because the royal assassin had to be entirely focused on what she did when she covered her hooves with moon blood," he said with a teasing smile.
The queen gave a knowing smile to the bat pony. "Arrant rascal. You go so far as to slip old codes of her missions into the middle of our conversation, but if you think I didn't know that you knew about Antares' dark secret, you're wrong, Private Swift Chess. Antares never hid from me that she saw you after each mission. She called it her reward. At first, I admit that I was afraid you would reveal such a secret. So I had you watched for a while. But all the reports mentioned just a comedian who had only eyes for Antares."
Swift was embarrassed. He looked away, scratching his cheek with his left-wing thumb. "Her first mission was not without consequences. When she came to knock on my window right after the assassination, I did what I could to help her. It is true that it has become a habit from then on." He dared to look at the queen of the night from the corner of his eyes. "Has she always told you everything?"
"Since you have proven your reliability for years now, I will reveal something to you. Every Royal Assassin has always had a fictitious position of Lieutenant. This is because they were the only ones who knew more than anyone else on the Moon how I ruled. Therefore I always forged a precious relationship with each of them, generation after generation. I have always been a confidant to them, allowing myself to reveal a side of me that I could not show to my subjects. So when Antares told me that she had come to your house before she reported to me, I felt jealous. A feeling I hadn't experienced in centuries." At these words, the memory of that exact moment came back to haunt her mind and prick at her heart. Suddenly, she was caught up in the feeling that dominated her life. Her jaw tightened as her body moved on its own, her forehoof slowly carving a furrow in the ground. The memory ended as if the bubble in which she was locked had burst. She suddenly regained awareness of reality. Realising what she had done, she turned her back to the trace in the ground, staring at her armour. She continued the conversation in the same serious tone as before. "You have never failed Antares, nor I, your sovereign, Swift Chess, despite all the knowledge you should not have had."
"Knowledge is power, my Queen, and I made smart use of my knowledge for the good of my friends. And right now, I'm fighting the greatest threat that has the power to break my promise. Even if their lineage has dedicated itself, generation after generation, to assuming the role of your royal assassin, I will not let you make Cute Bite her sister's' successor."
"What are you implying, soldier?" asked the alicorn, her face darkening suddenly.
"I lied to Cute Bite. I regret that I made her take the role of your former aide de camp on the spot during the night of the genocide. I thought you would have offered her a distinction, even a promotion to Corporal. But I was wrong, and I regret my decision. When I see the consequences, I realise that I offered you a valid reason to give her this promotion, directly from soldier to major, followed by these responsibilities. Not to mention her combat prowess improved in record time. You push her to advance until you get the promotion of the pawn. You want to make her a knight, your new royal assassin. Admit it!"
"Who do you think you're talking to, mortal?!" shouted Nightmare Moon, standing up high and wide, wings spread, threatening.
"To my queen! That I respect as much as I fear! However, this promise I made to my friend forbids me to remain inactive! Antares sleeps forever, following a zeal of loyalty, and I will not let anyone disturb her rest. Not even you. I would watch over it until my last breath," Swift replied, standing up in response, aggressive but, at the same time, submissive to the mare facing him.
The tent fell utterly silent. Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Poor foal. Making a gambit of the king. Just because of a supposed pawn promotion," she noted, adopting a neutral position. "Stand at ease, soldier Swift. If there is one lesson I have learned the hard way, it is not to stand up against friendship. I'll assuage your fears. But first, tell me: Why the name change?"
Swift returned to a more neutral position, but remained attentive to his queen's gestures; he couldn't lower his guard now. "For Cute Bite, her older sister was her first idol. She replayed the missions she imagined her older sister would accomplish in your name: conquer strongholds, defeat armies, defeat Celestia for the sole glory of the Eternal Night. Her imagination was far from reality. As she saw her resting serenely in the coffin, she couldn't accept that her sister didn't have the glorious future she imagined. And so, she left to fill the administrative papers to bear her sister's name. As determined as I am to protect her, even against the princesses who rule Equestria, with her mindset, she is ready to challenge them so that her sister's name will become a legend."
Nightmare Moon smiled slightly, reminiscing. She thought back to the day when she summoned the major to talk about the adult name she had chosen to wear. "Now I understand better why the descendant of a line of strategists wants to stagnate at the bottom of the basket, when his instructors have denoted a potential that you refuse to exploit: You seek to remain in her entourage."
Swift's resolve could be seen in his eyes. "I will do whatever it takes to keep my promise. If I were to evolve as a strategist myself, I would lose sight of her. That would increase the risk of facing Antares after my death, and she would break my teeth. And I don't want to be a mockery in the afterlife."
The alicorn looked to her armour still waiting on the rack, thinking of that day when Luna, then immature, gave in to a desire to see the night as revered as the day. The dark words of the illegitimate monarch of the Crystal Empire repeated themselves in her mind, which allowed herself to be consumed by the nightmarish angst that she had been repressing all that time. She remembered her first words as if they were yesterday: A royal duty, a promise to herself which now could no longer be fulfilled. The bitterness that resulted from it, she wished on no pony, let alone one of her subjects. "The reason I promoted her to the rank of Major and gave her the position of Aide-de-Camp is not to make her my royal assassin. Certainly, she would have become Antares' successor, if, among other things, she had been ten years younger, as this kind of work requires a huge amount of training. As to the other thing you've mentioned, you are wrong on one point: She is a born warrior, naturally gifted for close combat. I think we're justified to say that the talent is in her blood, which wouldn't be surprising, given her lineage. To sum all of this up: I unknowingly wanted to grant both your wishes. If she continues along this path, she could become a high-ranking officer in the Lunar Guard. That is my way of rewarding Antares for her loyalty posthumously. Does that reassure you, Swift Chess?"
Upon hearing those words, he hesitated, thinking for a moment. In the end, he shook his head weakly. "No, my Queen. It is very simple to say one thing and then act completely differently. That is, after all, part of employing assassins. I want to believe your words with all my heart, but I can only determine their truth on her deathbed."
She understood his point of view and wanted to put his mind at ease. "I understand. In that case, I see only one option." She made the magic bubble disappear. "Major Antares! Come in!"
Antares entered the tent, observing them quietly.
"Major Antares, from now on Private Swift will be your second-in-command. He'll be taking orders directly from you only. He seems to have provisions for military tactics, which is why you will hone that skill with his help. But one thing at a time. Shadowbolt Nebula!"
Nebula entered a moment later, greeting the assembled ponies by placing the thumb of her wing on her head.
"Major Antares, your second officer left his post without having received the order. The punishment?" asked Nightmare Moon.
Antares considered the situation, the new orders, and her options. "Private Swift Chess, for insubordination, you will spend the rest of the week in solitary confinement. Dry bread and water for all meals. We'll see if you still have the heart to disobey as a result of this isolation."
Nebula once again did not wait to see how he would react to this. Instead, she drew her weapon and escorted Swift out of the tent. Antares turned toward the alicorn, her head held high. Nightmare Moon stored her claymore in the sheath Antares wore. "Get some rest. We'll meet Chrysalis in an hour. Whatever happens, killing must be the last resort. If the situation turns violent, incapacitate them. It's not as if they can affect me, so in the event that the situation gets bad, your retreat is a priority. This is an order."
Chrysalis and Chitin were standing at the entrance to the tunnel where the genocide had taken place months earlier. Although many changelings had lost their lives during the battle, there were no signs that the night had ever happened. The microclimate of the Badlands had dried the blood and swept all traces of the battle away. "Do your best to distract her lackeys. But don't attack them. It won't be good to give them an excuse to finish the job."
Nightmare Moon arrived by air, accompanied by Antares. Wanting to shorten this interview as much as possible, and to finally be in possession of the last piece that would allow her to move forward in the next stage of the Eclipse project, she spoke with a monotonous voice, setting the tone of their discussion. "Get to the point," she said, calling back to when Chrysalis had uttered that exact phrase.
Chrysalis didn't take long to react to this, her attitude changing in a split second. With her head tilted slightly, her eyes began to shine with just anger. She walked at a slow speed towards the one who had done so much. "'Get to the point'? How dare you!? You invade my daughter's dreams, you pretend to be a changeling, you pretend that another hive exists! Do you realise the consequences of such lies? Isn't she suffering enough already? Do you have to offer her false hopes as well? Where will you be when she tries to find your bloody hive? Where will you be when the ponies find her and treat her like they would any changeling: A monster to chase away, if not worse?"
Chitin monitored the conversation, walking six steps away to the left of Chrysalis.
Antares did the same to the left of Nightmare Moon. The tone of the conversation didn't appeal to her. The bat pony already had her head bent to draw her sword, ready to get into the melee if things went wrong.
Nightmare Moon did not expect such aggressiveness from the get-go. She, who came only for Pepper Chilly, was now required to answer for the crimes she had committed. With her whole body bent backwards, she backed away at the same pace as Chrysalis pushed her to do it. However, she did not intend to be treated in this way. She counter-attacked. "I only slipped into your daughter's dreams because she had nightmares! Then I learned who she was! And I've made sure, every night since then, that she hasn't had a single one!"
However, Chrysalis had not finished with her reproaches. Like a lioness protecting her cub she was not swayed by these justifications. "Oh, yes! What a noble soul, killing an entire hive and then protecting my daughter from the resulting nightmares! Do you really think I was born yesterday?!"
"No! I--ah!?" As she backed away, Nightmare Moon stepped on a crack. Her body bent backwards and she lost her balance, causing her to land belly-up.
Chrysalis did not stop. She continued, even abusing her clumsiness to force a hoof on her shoulder. Nightmare Moon had to face the consequences of her actions. Chrysalis dominated the alicorn in height. Her fury was still present, but Chrysalis could not afford to shed blood first. "In that case, why?" she asked.
For their part, Chitin and Antares scraped the ground with their hooves, both ready to defend their respective queens.
"I... I just wanted to make her forget the dream, and push her to think of something else!"
"A noble intention," Chrysalis interjected, "but nothing can make me forget the deathly silence that reigns in my hive! The sheer lack of life in these galleries! No dream can hide this for the rest of us--not once the sun is raised each day."
Nightmare Moon grunted fearfully. "Enough! Let go of me!"
Chrysalis raised an eyebrow. Her rage disappeared in an instant... only for something else to take its place. She bent over to have a one-on-one conversation with Nightmare Moon. Amused by the request, she could not keep away a mocking smile; her voice blew with impertinence. "Beg me."
Everything went in a blur. Antares charged at Chrysalis, drawing her blade in anger to cut off the head of this queen who had made this affront to Nightmare Moon.
Chitin was not to be outdone, their horn lighting up with magic while they had the bat pony in their sights.
Nightmare Moon abandoned her physical form to gain distance from Chrysalis in her Tantabus form, before standing face-to-face with the Queen of the changelings.
The latter, however, was not surprised by this manoeuvre.
Antares jumped to sever Chrysalis's head. At the same time, Chitin flew off to jump over their queen, wrapping the sword in their magic. The changeling turned it above their head as fast as they could.
Antares, who had a firm grip on her weapon, could not stand being treated like the stone of a sling. Her grip on the sword went weak before finding herself propelled back.
"I'll make sure your guest's subordinate has no means of disturbing the rest of the conversation. Continue, my Queen. It's good to finally see you smile again." A battle-ready Chitin, keeping the sword under the grasp of their magic, flew to where Antares had landed.
"So, Sweet Dreams... Are you going to stay in this form like a coward, or are you going to face your own nightmares?"
Nightmare Moon assumed her airborne and physical forms at the same time. "The Night is afraid of nopony!" she bellowed, ready to strike.
"Twilight Sparkle," Chrysalis whispered loud enough with a mocking smile.
Nightmare Moon snarled and began their deadly dance, devastating the Badlands with great gales of magic. Chrysalis dodged every shot, gracefully weaving between the blasts of the Queen of the Moon.
Chitin landed not far from Antares, who was trying to straighten up; she was still dizzy from the forced flight. "You came to finish the job, I see," Antares leered.
"You're making a mistake, Cute Bite. I just came to give you your weapon back."
"Huh?!" Antares watched Chitin drop the weapon between the two of them before extending their hoof, offering to help her onto her feet.
"You're very quick to want to cut my queen's throat," Chitin commented. "That being said, given the situation, I can't blame you for that."
Antares, annoyed, looked at the two options available to her. In the landscape, Nightmare Moon and Chrysalis were redecorating the surroundings with bursts of green and cyan magic. "Are you going to tell me our queens aren't fighting each other as we speak?"
Chitin grinned playfully. "Get up. Or I'll just have to lift you with my magic, Cute Bite."
It was Antares' turn to see red. Driven by rage, she coiled up and launched herself to knock down Chitin with all four irons in the air. She immediately readied her blade again before throwing herself at the changeling, nailing Chrysalis' subordinate to the ground with a hoof on her throat. Her sword was poised to split Chitin's head at the slightest wrong move. In that moment, Antares had the undivided attention of her interlocutor. "My name is Antares, Major and Aide-de-Camp of Nightmare Moon. I don't like being called by my birth name, especially not by a changeling that's having fun stealing my appearance!"
Chitin listened carefully, observant and unmoving. They took care to stay still and silent like a statue to let Antares contain both her breath and her sudden outburst of rage. "The one named Swift kept calling me by your birth name. How was I supposed to know?"
With a hiccup, Antares had to admit that Swift was at fault. She had to swallow her anger. It could be kindled until they got home; then she could proceed to beat up Swift. "Getting back to the original question, are you going to try and make me believe they're not fighting each other right now?"
Chitin looked at the blade, as well as the angry bat pony who held it to her face. "Is this an interrogation or a conversation? Let us avoid getting to the heart of the matter. Me, in this case, because I doubt that your queen could save you if you were to commit this act." Chitin first spoke this softly, but her expression darkened and her tone became more acidic at each passing word. "Unless your hooves aren't blood-soaked enough, Major Antares."
"I will make sure that I end up completely covered with your blood if my queen wishes it, changeling," growled Antares.
"Well, then!" Chitin coldly spoke. "Until the order is given, step aside. This little talk is a bit too one-sided for my tastes."
"While I wait for the order, you're going to tell me where Pepper Chilly's body is."
Chitin had her fill of the futile exchange. Obviously, she had provided much of the basis for the unenviable position she found herself in. But if Antares didn't want to move, the changeling decided she would help her. Using their magic, Chitin snatched away Antares's sword and butted her away with the flat part of the blade. They both got up, Antares in a black anger. Chitin was already morally tired from the one-way conversation.
"Give me back my weapon," Antares ordered.
"You calm down, then we'll see," replied Chitin with a sigh.
"I said: Give me back my weapon, changeling!" Antares commanded, her teeth clamping together with unbridled fury.
Chitin turned into Swift Chess. "Come on, Cute Bite. Changelings are our friends! You have to love them, too," they said with a big smile. Chitin held Antares's weapon against their shoulder, no longer able to use magic because of the mimicry.
Antares did not know how to handle this. The irritating changeling had mimicked Swift, called her "Cute Bite," and disarmed her almost effortlessly. Soon, her blood was no longer cold to her enemy. Antares charged Chitin, murder written all over her face. A kick from the right hoof, immediately followed by a hook from the left, struck the doppelganger. She used the inertia of her assault to frame a swift follow-up attack: a vicious double kick!
If only Chitin had time to dodge the first two shots, but the double kick was more than they could handle. They had just enough time to protect her body, but slid back in the flurry of blows and rapidly lost the upper hoof.
The tension was electrifying. Both had returned to the same state of mind as on the night of the genocide. Facing off once again, no queens could interrupt them this time. Two warriors, short of breath with spiteful frowns, nothing ahead except their mortal enemy. Chitin abandoned Swift's appearance. Antares scratched the earth. Chitin accentuated her grip on the sword handle. Antares prepared to jump.
Meanwhile, in the air, Chrysalis dodged the magical attacks with ease, taking a wicked pleasure in improvising a dance whose rhythm was imposed by her partner. She looked at Nightmare Moon with a sardonic smile. "Missed again, my sweetness!"
The alicorn responded with a coarse gust, not wanting to expend any more magical energy than she needed to.
"Oh! Time-out! I feel like I should ask," chided Chrysalis. "Who could have been killed by Pepper so that we could blame her for all the aches and pains of Equestria?"
"She didn't eat just any soul. She devoured Celestia's," Nightmare Moon shouted, sending another burst at the changeling queen.
"Huh?! What?!" Chrysalis became an immobile target following the revelation. Sadly for her, she froze in the path of a magic blast that would have easily been avoided otherwise. She was hit at full force and started falling head-first.
Nightmare Moon's eyes widened. She started an immediate descent to reach Chrysalis, using magic to slow her fall before not-so-gracefully releasing it above the ground. "Everypony has such an odd habit of falling down when they are informed of Celestia's death," Nightmare Moon said with a mocking smile.
"Don't make me laugh. My ribs hurt enough as it is," Chrysalis ironed in the middle of her coughing fit. As she tried to stand back up, she turned her head slightly to look at Nightmare Moon. "Is it true? Is Celestia really dead?"
"It would have been a perfect murder, if Luna hadn't surprised Pepper on the way out. All that remains is her regalia. Considering what she did to one of my border guards, I understand why."
"If you mean her magic that turns one into candy, she used it on one of my changelings." Chrysalis turned to the other duo in the distance. "Do you think she swallowed it all?"
"I can only see this solution," Nightmare Moon also observed. "We should get closer; they seem... agitated." She set off without delay.
"Yes, the situation has gotten a little out of control," Chrysalis said, following in Nightmare Moon's footsteps. Walking beside one another, the changeling had the faster pace and widened the gap between them. There was no way she would be behind Nightmare Moon, nor staying by her side!
The alicorn of the Night didn't take too kindly to the bug queen's pompous gait. She walked faster, easily overtaking the changeling.
A most improbable race between two mares occurred, their pride so great that they could not accept the idea of being second.
When the monarchs arrived, the two lieutenants were about to kill each other. Chrysalis took a look at Nightmare Moon, who was now using her ethereal form due to the earlier magic drain. She understood that it was her responsibility to stop the confrontation.
Chrysalis coughed. In a thrill of surprise, the duellists turned their attention to the exaggerated coughs. Chrysalis and Nightmare Moon were sitting ten alicorn steps from each other, observing their respective subordinates. Chrysalis was exhausted, but smiled through her sweat. Nightmare Moon, in her Tantabus shape, wore the usual shapeless face that showed no expression.
"Obviously, we are not the only ones entertaining ourselves," Chrysalis amusedly noted.
Nightmare Moon, unable to speak in her condition, opened a window to the world of dreams to invoke one of the four parts of the Tantabus. As soon as it joined the ethereal body, the alicorn regained some of her power. Enough to regain physical form before closing the rift. "Would it seem, Major Antares, that your little altercation got a bit heavy-hooved? Could it be that you became overzealous?" she asked.
Antares was in a cold sweat. She wondered how she could explain that the fight with Chitin started because she hated the use of her filly name. No matter how she turned it all around, there was no way to discuss it without making a foal of herself.
"Altercation?" Chitin derogatorily interrupted. "Ah! That's such a big word for such a trivial matter! But I suppose it doesn't surprise me that a walking nightmare would feel that way about a training session."
Antares's eyes popped wide. She looked at Chitin, speechless. Chrysalis clicked her teeth to put back the sassy changeling back in their place. Chitin stood up straight and proud, ready to wait for their queen's next order. They watched Antares from the corner of the eye as their lips folded into a mischievous smile.
Nightmare Moon gave herself time to think. "Is that true, Major?" she asked.
Antares looked away from Chitin. It would be enough for her to breathe an affirmative and close the subject. However, the loyalist didn't dare lie to her queen. She shook her head vigorously, like chasing a bad idea out of her mind. "She's lying. Without your intervention..."
Nightmare Moon observed the three interlocutors in turn, then let her eyes wander before giving her opinion on the subject. "If the changeling claims that nothing happened, let's make this lie a sincerity to avoid wasting too much time with this minor incident. The real reason for our coming is the only thing that matters to me."
Chrysalis smiled at Nightmare Moon's pragmatism. She signalled Chitin to place Antares' weapon down before leaving for the tunnel.
"Bad blood in her head? And she left for treatment?" asked Nightmare Moon once Chitin was no longer in earshot or sight.
Chrysalis peripherally glanced at Nightmare Moon, her eyes charged with the same anger as before. "If you ever get the morbid urge to tell my daughter the truth, I will find a way to hurt you. None of your ethereal powers will help you hide from me. And you will be next on the list to have 'bad blood in the head'."
A mother's frenzy was something terrifying. Even Nightmare Moon had a slight chill at the base of her neck. "All I know is that the door to her dreams is gone."
Chrysalis looked towards her hive, as if to make sure no one else was listening to her, before turning back towards Nightmare Moon. "While she was asleep--I guess you were visiting her then--I took the closest crystal splinter. When I was done, there was only marmalade left from what he used as her heart. I can only hope that, in her next life, she will keep in mind that nopony threatens the life of my daughter without consequences."
Nightmare Moon was amused by the story. "I won't wait until my next life to learn that lesson."
Shortly afterwards, Chitin reappeared. They were using magic to carry a bloody piece of fabric that preserved an object no larger than a drawing sheet.
Nightmare Moon tilted her head, raising an eyebrow; the scene was puzzling. Of course, even after Chitin's warnings, it was more than she could have imagined. Without ceremony, and with the little respect that the changeling had for the queen of the moon, they threw the flax to her hooves. Nightmare Moon used her magic to unfold the linen, and discovered a mane wick on which phoenix feathers were clipped by the blue bar, all covered with blood.
"Where is the body?" Nightmare Moon asked, turning to Chrysalis.
The queen of the Changelings looked Nightmare Moon straight in the eyes with contempt, albeit smiling and mocking. "What did you expect? You made sure we'd starve. Did you really think that love is our only source of food? We devoured her to the marrow of her bones. Be happy that I even kept this."
Nightmare Moon folded up the linen while she thought it over. The corpse would have been a better option for sure; Luna would have lost her mind as she tried to prove it wasn't Pepper. Apart from the ensuing confrontation with Twilight, the Eclipse project would have been a success by the end of the week. Presenting the evidence--an accessory that Pepper had only been wearing since her return--Nightmare Moon already pictured Luna's scepticism. It didn't prove that Pepper was definitely dead. It made her head hurt. "If you had left the intact corpse, I could have had the surveillance lifted along the Macintosh Hills right now."
Chrysalis closed her eyes for a moment. Her right eyebrow rose as her mocking smile became more pronounced. "Let's not play a game of what-ifs. You could lose."
"With your raging-mother threats, my time was wasted more than yours!" barked Nightmare Moon, not fond of being played.
"Aren't you losing more right now?" Chrysalis snickered.
"I was merely waiting to see if you'd move on to the whining and crying phase," said Nightmare Moon, bearing a taunting smirk.
"You are not the princess of the night," Chrysalis retorted, "but of expectation. Between your banishment and my tears, you spent all your time waiting. Hmph! Time well spent, wouldn't you agree?"
"Right. On another topic, how are the wedding plans going? Any suitors in sight?"
"In case you haven't noticed, I'm a mother and the queen of a tattered hive. The few subjects I have left are starving to death. My options are limited. So if you got what you came for, I'll take the day off. I don't have the luxury of waiting for love to come to my door, in any sense of the word."
"For a queen in decline, you have no shortage of bite. Major Antares, we are leaving."
"Minute butterfly. You can't expect to leave me hungry after you tell me that Pepper swallowed Celestia." Chitin trembled at Chrysalis's words. "Let's be clear. I don't know what's going on with Equestria, but I have my own idea about the dastardly move you're planning. The question is, what is stopping you from doing so without the body of the parasprite?"
Nightmare laughed nervously when she heard Pepper's all-too-perfect nickname. "Oh, nothing much. Just a certain princess who harmonizes everything that falls under her hoof."
Chrysalis had a sadistic smile on her face. "How is she?"
Nightmare rolled her eyes. "Like a charm. She still thinks that her mentor was only kidnapped by a planeswalker they had all welcomed. Long story short, waiting for a princess who will never return."
"Wait. You mean she doesn't know that Celestia is dead yet?! And to think we're going to miss such a feast," Chrysalis said with a falsely disappointed pout. "Well, if Equestria is in disarray... Why not consider rallying Princess Twilight to your cause?"
"Yes, good idea. Let's join the queue for Princess Twilight Sparkle's expeditious 'friendship treatment'!"
"Stop haunting my daughter's dreams and go see Sparkle. Depending on how she reacts when she sees you, you'll know exactly how you stand with her. At worst, she'll think she had a bad dream. At best, you can let us feed on the misfortunes of your new subjects."
"And what should I say when we meet? 'Hello, Twilight! Nice dream you're having here! Luna's crazy, let me possess her body.'"
"If Twilight has even a little bit of common sense and rationality left in her mind, perhaps the little princess will appreciate being treated with the respect befitting her rank. Nevertheless, considering the wedding episode in Canterlot, it's a bad idea to try to do things through the back door. Yesterday, you were certainly an enemy in her eyes. But tomorrow is another day; you have to seize the opportunity when it presents itself. After a Queen-to-Princess chat, she could become your ally."
"This is madness," Nightmare Moon thought aloud.
"It's strategy. It took me almost a year to prepare for my invasion. When I heard about your return, I started thinking about including you in the equation. But when I saw the sun being raised, I didn't bother to reconsider my plans. This seemingly normal mare managed to best monsters like us, albeit with her friends' help. But if her mentor is dead, she may need new 'guidance.' We underestimated her at our expense, but Equestria is now at a turning point in its history. Everything will change; it's time to adapt. Before anypony can get their heads out of the water, we must capitalize on this once-in-a-lifetime chance, Nightmare Moon. If you miss out, it'll look like a simple nightmare. But if you succeed, you'll get everything you want, and Aglowing Shell will finally be able to go one night without your unwanted intrusions."
Nightmare Moon once again laughed nervously. "Fine." |
A Guardian's Hope | Chapter 5 | It was mid-morning in Ponyville. A female unicorn galloped out of the train that had just arrived at the station. A pair of saddlebags rested on her back. A katana was stowed in its black lacquered, wooden sheath, attached to a harness on her right shoulder. She stopped in front of the fountain, looking around before she approached the closest pony.
"Hello there. I'm sorry to bother you, but can you tell me where Princess Twilight Sparkle lives?"
The light pink earth pony stopped abruptly when she saw the unicorn close in.
"Are you all right?"
The earth pony's azure eyes widened. She leapt with a gasp, then galloped away without answering.
The cyan eyes of the unicorn remained fixed on the mare, who disappeared at the street corner, an eyebrow raised. Fortunately for her, the next pony had no problem showing her the way. She retraced her steps when she arrived at the library, as the one she was looking for was just leaving. "Greetings, Princess Twilight. Would you have the time for an audience?"
Twilight watched the unicorn calling out to her, feeling suspicious but trying not to show it, dark circles under her purple eyes. Then, she put up a polite smile and brightened her face before she spoke. "Hello. I would be very happy to have this conversation with you, but at the moment, I have to go to Canterlot Castle. Princess Luna is waiting for me for an interview of the utmost importance. On my return, it'd be my pleasure to speak with you. Goodbye." With those words, she flew towards the capital.
The mare was not going to stop there. Unhooking her harness, she opened the door of the library, threw her saddlebags in a corner, then started to run after her. With the help of a spell, she created a sphere of flame that surrounded her. With one leap, she came out of it adorned with a pair of flaming wings. Soon, she was flapping in the same direction as Twilight. "Could you grant me an audience on the way to Canterlot?" she asked once at her height.
At first surprised to see a variant of a spell she hadn't used for years, then intrigued, Twilight couldn't help but answer with a question. "Who are you?" Most pressing of all, she couldn't tell how old the unicorn was. Her yellow and red mane was pulled into a long ponytail that started at the base of her head and worked its way down between her shoulder blades, which made her look much more mature.
"Who I am is irrelevant. If I have come back to Equestria, it is to understand what has become of Princess Celestia. What does it mean when the Equestria Daily says she's disappeared?"
Twilight was annoyed at how this conversation had begun. "As you just said, she's missing. This is what Princess Luna announced to Equestria. I don't see what else I can add."
The unicorn frowned. She opened her mouth to breathe in, but when she realised what she was about to say, she changed her mind. The upset expression on her face remained as she tried another approach. "Four months since her disappearance. I've had time to come all the way back here from Japony. And you have nothing more than this to say on the subject? Are there any developments in the case? A lead, perhaps?"
Twilight was embarrassed. It had been a long time since she had to deal with somepony who wasn't satisfied with the official version announced by Princess Luna. Journalists had tried to find out more, but she had always been able to have them leave it at that.. Something told her that this mare was not really going to settle for that. "I'm working every day to find her. What do you think?"
The unicorn took offence, her flaming wings suddenly beating a quicker tempo to overtake Twilight. Soon, she was right in front of her, her wings still flapping intensely. She then crossed her forelegs, her accusing gaze locked upon her interlocutor. "I think four months without any information is suspicious. I think that if the former student of Princess Celestia--and current Princess of Friendship--claims that she hasn't achieved anything after four months, there is cause for concern. I think you're lying by omission, Princess."
Twilight remained silent in the face of this. Soon, she looked away, uncomfortable, baffled, and using her mane to hide her face. She did not have the strength to respond to this. "No comment."
The inquisitive unicorn suddenly realised what she had just done. She lowered her head in turn, ashamed. Her forelegs fell down to her sides as she took her place next to Twilight. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't talk to a princess like that. It's just that Princess Celestia can't disappear like that for so long. It's as if the sun itself has stopped being raised forever. I don't understand, and it makes me anxious."
"It's all right," Twilight replied. "To tell the truth, I've been going through this regularly for the past few weeks," she admitted, sighing.
The mare with the golden coat bit her lip. Seeing the Princess's spirits so low, she had to find a new subject to talk about, and there it stood before her eyes. She smiled and resumed in a lighter tone, "Tell me princess, it's been over fifteen years since I set hoof in Canterlot--do you know if Donut Joe's store is still open?"
Twilight finally freed herself from the haze that filled her head with gloomy thoughts at that harmless question. "Yeah, I still go there sometimes." Her mind wandered for a moment. "Fifteen years, you say? I was still a filly back then."
The unicorn kept smiling, remembering those days as she continued. "Let me guess, the kind of filly with a foal-sitter that took you to the park to play ball."
Twilight's face lit up, caught between surprise and nostalgia, as she recalled those days with Cadance, then her foalsitter, now current Princess of Love and head of the Crystal Kingdom. "How did you know?"
"All of Canterlot's foals have a foalsitter! See, the park is a great place to play ball and learn telekinesis without breaking anything in the house," the mare said with a forced smile that was meant to be mischievous. She could never admit that she had already seen her fifteen years ago in the company of Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, playing in the capital's park. This distant memory was from another life.
Twilight chuckled. "You got me. On another note, I assume you went to the School for Gifted Unicorns too, am I right?"
The stranger was silent for a while, her mind returning to thoughts of the school in her final days. It was not pleasant in the least. "Indeed," she finally replied.
Twilight continued on her way. "What course did you take that got living in Japony?"
Memories came flooding back. Words, deeds, and all the consequences that flowed from them. She was looking for a way out of this conversation. Then, she found it. She suddenly looked at Twilight, a fake smile still on her lips, her horn lit up with a clear blue aura. "We're almost to Canterlot. I bet I can teleport over the station faster than you can."
The princess was a bit taken aback. She had never had the opportunity to face a unicorn that seemed more powerful than average until now, so she jumped at the chance with a big smile. "Successive teleportation race? I'm in," she said, concentrating magic in the horn.
Together, they counted backwards from three. Immediately after, the teleportations followed one another at an insane speed, Canterlot getting closer and closer with each teleportation. In the blink of an eye, the two competitors arrived in a tie at the station. They smiled at each other, satisfied with the result of their improvised race.
Without warning, the stranger broke the magic that allowed her to fly, the wings of fire extinguishing. The mare began to free fall.
Twilight plunged after her to come to her rescue. But when she saw the expression on her face, she stopped.
The unicorn's face was serene, as if everything was under control, and her intuition proved accurate. The unicorn slowed her fall with the help of telekinesis, her hooves gently settling on the marble of the train station platform.
"That was dangerous," Twilight commented.
"A calculated danger. It's good to know your limits. Especially to push past them," said the unicorn.
"What are you going to do now?"
"I don't know. Probably some sightseeing until I have to get back to Ponyville to retrieve my saddlebags from the library."
"We could go back together after my audience at the castle. What do you say?"
"Let's meet here at fourteen o'clock then. I doubt I'll be around much longer than that."
"All right, then. By the way, I still don't know your name."
The unicorn stopped. Her cutie mark, a sun whose thick and uneven flames were yellow on one side, red on the other, bobbed as her emotions came to a halt. "Oh, you're right." She curtsied, horn to the ground. "My name is Sunset Shimmer."
After the customary greetings, Twilight made a short flight over Canterlot. Despite Princess Celestia's disappearance, she could see life was still going on. She accelerated her cruising speed as she landed within the castle grounds, galloping through the corridors. When she reached the throne room and opened the door, Twilight saw that she was arriving in the middle of an audience.
"What do you mean by 'no results', royal mage?" Luna, as usual, sat to the right of the large, empty seat that had been Princess Celestia's throne for over a thousand years, looking scornfully at a slate-grey vampony.
A thick piece of linen in front of her hooves, the latter remained imperturbable in spite of the Princess's raised tone. "Just as I said to Your Highness. Despite the sample, we tested various spells all night long, although the clocks remained inert. No doubt the nature of the target made our magic unfit to hold her. Or that she knows how to make herself undetectable so nopony can hunt her down."
The indifference in the vampony's cherry eyes was hidden behind the tinted lenses of the full-length glasses that protected the retinas from the sun at all angles. This was a necessary protection for all vamponies: unicorns, one of whose parents, direct or distant, was a bat pony. They inherited their sensitivity to light and their sharper canines that went along with an omnivorous diet.
Twilight remained silent at the rear of the room. She had a vague idea of the individual in question, but did not dare to intervene.
Luna snorted, exhausted. "Everypony out. I want to speak with Twilight Sparkle alone. Dusty Nova, leave the sample where it is."
They obeyed, waving to the princesses before they left. Luna watched the stained glass windows without paying attention, becoming distant. Meanwhile, Twilight respectfully greeted the guards and the royal mage she had recently met, the latter levitating a wooden pencil to her mouth. Her long, jet-black mane was twisted into an improvised bun, bobbing as she bit into the wood of the pencil to calm her nerves.
Now alone, Twilight walked up to where Dusty was standing a moment before. She didn't take an interest in the piece of flax at the moment. "You summoned me, Princess Luna?"
Luna lowered her head and closed her eyes. "Yes, Twilight Sparkle. I swore you'd be the first to know if I had any news about my sister."
Twilight had a sudden surge of hope, a faint smile on her face. "Do you know where she is?"
Luna raised her head, looking up at the sunlight through the stained glass window. "Two days ago, just before the setting of the Sun, Pepper and I had a little chat on the observation deck."
Twilight held her breath. "Really? What did you learn? Where's Princess Celestia?"
Luna looked at Twilight, crestfallen. "Twilight Sparkle, I regret to inform you that my sister, Princess Celestia... has been murdered. Pepper confessed committing this unforgivable act in order to gain her powers by setting the sun herself."
Twilight's heart was instantly crushed, Her limbs locked. She became a statue, unable to react, Luna's words echoing in her head. <Princess Celestia has been murdered.>
"As you can see, I'm trying to locate her, but she's well hidden. Do you think you can succeed where Dusty Nova failed miserably?"
"Forty hours," Twilight said weakly.
Luna bowed her head, raising an eyebrow. "What did you say?"
"Forty hours," Twilight repeated. "You know she's been dead all this time, and you've made no announcement?! All of Equestria's turned to Canterlot, waiting for any information, and you've done nothing? Why is that?!"
"Twilight Sparkle!" Luna shouted, striking the floor with her right hoof to signal the young unicorn back to her hooves before she continued, "For four months, all of Equestria has been mourning the absence of my sister! The memorial in the new section of the public gardens I had built for her last month is constantly crowded! The offerings are raining from all corners! Equestria awaits her return with hope. Do you want to deprive them of that hope? They're already suffering! Do you want to tell them that she's dead? To feel what you're feeling right now? I'm sure my late sister wouldn't have wanted it that way. But if you believe otherwise, if you believe it is right to make all of Equestria weep over an empty grave, then tell them."
Twilight bowed her head in resignation. "You're right. It's probably what she would have wanted." She used her magic to open the linen. With wide eyes, she gasped, then looked up at Luna. "How--"
Luna interrupted. "It seems that yesterday, Pepper had intended to go to the Badlands. Unfortunately for her, a regiment of my Lunar Guard welcomed her with blades in the clear, and a bat pony hit her in the head before she fled. They would have lost sight of her in the nearby forest."
Twilight looked at the bloody strand of mane and phoenix feathers. "What were the bat ponies doing out there? Pepper is anything but predictable. You couldn't have known she'd go to the Badlands."
"I told you so," Nightmare Moon whispered at Luna's mind, listening from the very beginning.
"Even in these troubled times, you keep a sharp mind. The least I could do is tell you the whole truth."
"What truth?" Twilight asked.
"You're joking. You're joking, right? ... Oh, it seems not. Unexpected of you, but interesting nevertheless," Nightmare Moon softly said to Luna.
"The day Pepper left Equestria, a part of me realised I wouldn't see my sister ever again. That Pepper had been playing us all along. So, in a maelstrom of conflicting feelings, I gave in to her. Nightmare Moon once again took control of my body and my life."
"What?! But how?! I mean, you're not Nightmare Moon now, are you?"
Luna lifted a hoof to impose silence, then resumed. "But Nightmare Moon knew that if you noticed her presence after Pepper and my sister's disappearance, you wouldn't give her time to explain. So, she made me an offer I couldn't refuse. A borrowed body in exchange for her help and my freedom."
"Her help? But that's Nightmare Moon! The one who wants the eternal night you're talking about! We don't need her help, Princess Luna!"
"Silence!" Luna shouted, using the traditional Canterlot Voice in a fit of anger.
Twilight hiccupped, then fell silent.
"I'm not perfect like my late sister. I am the Princess of the Night! I must watch over it and the dreams of ponies from all over Equestria. Without her help, I could not ensure a peaceful sleep for everypony. Celestia simply could not do so, for she was Princess of the Sun. She had no control over dreams. Since my return, I have watched over dreams every night. Yet, I cannot stay awake indefinitely. This is why Nightmare Moon's help is invaluable to me. She's been chasing those nightmares ever since, while I make sure that the kingdom prospers. You must understand, Twilight Sparkle, that I am acting for the greater good."
"It's--"
"Necessity is law," Luna said, cutting Twilight short.
"So Nightmare Moon goes into these ponies' dreams and chases the bad dreams away? But nopony talks about her!"
"She's no foal. She takes my appearance, just as I've taken hers to scare the foals at every Nightmare Night festival since I've been back."
Twilight was trying to think. But after being caught off guard like that, she was getting nowhere. Only one question popped into her head. "Where is she now?"
"Right here with us," Luna replied, before turning her gaze to her regalia. "Show yourself, Nightmare Moon; your presence is required."
Twilight panicked for a moment, searching for which way the alicorn would come, until a bright spark from Luna's regalia caught her attention.
A black cloud came out of it, landing on the ramp that separated the dais from the floor of the hall. There, the cloud shaped into the ethereal form of Nightmare Moon before it took on a physical appearance, looking down on Twilight neutrally.
Twilight, mouth agape, found herself unable to speak as she witnessed something straight out of a bad dream. Nightmare was just standing there non-aggressively, yet her mere presence terrified her. This time, she didn't have her friends with her to fight the mare of the Moon.
With a royal gait, Nightmare Moon descended to the level of the princess of friendship. Facing her, the queen, who was two heads taller than Twilight, put one knee on the ground as she performed a curtsy of circumstance. "I, Nightmare Moon, salute you, Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship. I understand your concern. We share a stormy past, but I hope you and I can put it aside to do what is right for the greater good. The future of Equestria is at stake."
Twilight's jaw was desperate to touch the ground. Luna was also surprised by the gesture, but was careful not to show it.
As Twilight didn't seem able to speak, Nightmare Moon resumed anew. "While this conversation has been enjoyable, Princess Twilight, I am sorry to have to take my leave, but I have no doubt that we will have the opportunity to share another equally enjoyable moment in the days to come." On this mock ending, Nightmare Moon became a mere cloud and returned to where she came from.
Twilight couldn't believe it. The situation was getting worse and worse by the minute. She didn't know what to think anymore. Had she been that blind for that long? She was trying to remember any clue from her visits to the palace over the past four months, but her mind was blank. Staring down at that bloody lock of mane, she was pulled from her torpor by Luna's hoof lifting her chin.
"Twilight Sparkle? Do you hear me? I've called you three times without success. I said that we must find Pepper so we can exact our revenge."
"Revenge? Shouldn't we bring her to justice or use the Elements of Harmony on her?" Twilight asked, looking up at Princess Luna.
"No. If we were to judge her, we would have to make the facts public. What's more, the justice of Equestria--instituted by my late sister--is too lax. As for the Elements of Harmony, what's the point? To make her a threat to future generations? Nay, we will apply the old Broncoliande adage; an eye for an eye, a fang for a fang. And we will make her suffer as much as she made us suffer. Then, when we are tired of her wailing, we will strike the final blow."
"I don't know, Princess. That sounds extreme."
Luna was about to retaliate, but there was a knock on the door. "Come in," she ordered.
A guard opened the door, saluted, and reminded Luna that the time for her audience with Lady Storm, Lady Shawarma, and Sir Adamantium was fast approaching.
Luna rolled her eyes, clearly overwhelmed. "The audience is cancelled. I've got more important things to do. Send them home." The guard saluted and closed the door. She turned her attention to Twilight. "All right, just find out where Pepper's hideout is. Then, we shall discuss a more appropriate punishment. Can I count on you?"
"Count on me, Princess Luna., Twilight replied, wings up, hoof on her chest, and determined to succeed. With these words, she used telekinesis to take the linen and its contents with her at a full gallop.
As Luna watched Twilight leave the room, Nightmare Moon spoke again. "I can't believe you lied to her with such panache."
Luna smiled briefly. "Whatever. When she's faced with a fait accompli, what can she blame me for? Absolutely nothing."
Nightmare Moon remained silent.
In the corridors, Lady Storm, the Pegasus, Lady Shawarma, the Earth pony, and Lord Adamantium, the Unicorn, were protesting against the intolerable treatment. Their families had laid the foundations of Equestria! They were the top echelon of the aristocracy!
Twilight did not care for this, running for the exit. However, when she reached the entrance, a huge silhouette stood in front of her and forced her to stop.
"Is this way for a princess to run in the halls, Miss Twilight?" asked the silhouette in a deep and stern voice that had suffered the ravages of time.
"Reynaud? I--"
"Lady Luna has entrusted you with a task, and you are scurrying home. I understand this perfectly. But remember that you are a Princess. Sometimes, it is good to take the time to behave in the proper manner within the corridors of the palace. With your permission." With those words, the earth pony, who was as tall as Luna, but much more physically imposing, grabbed the linen and slipped it into one of the saddlebags before handing it back to Twilight. "Lady Celestia used to have it for some time. I thought you would enjoy having it too. I took the liberty of putting a meal for you and your friend in the other saddlebag."
Twilight looked at the purple saddle for a moment. Attached to it were two saddlebags of a yellow and white colour, adorned with three amethysts, similar to the ones on Celestia's regalia. The leather was worn out, scratched here and there. No doubt it had been used for a long journey. Her gaze softened. "Thank you, Reynaud, but which friend are you talking about?" She glanced at the earth pony, whose pale coat and mane had become white with the time, though he was still dressed to the nines in his butler's uniform.
"The one you made during the trip from Ponyville to Canterlot, Lady Twilight. What a question."
Twilight realised he was talking about that Sunset Shimmer she'd met earlier. "Oh, right! But, how did you know about--"
"Miss Twilight, with all due respect, it is the duty of a butler to know what he needs to know when he needs to know it," he replied with a fine smile.
She smiled at his words, but it faded quickly.
"As far as I know, by the time you get there, you might find her in the gardens."
Twilight was stunned.
Reynaud ran the back of his hoof over his perfectly trimmed beard. "Leave now. A friend is waiting for you."
"She's not really my friend, as you said. Just a unicorn I flew with all the way to Canterlot," Twilight said with a small, uncertain pout.
He wrinkled his electric blue eyes, giving him that stern expression that many feared. "By the perfect moustache, the Princess of Friendship who doesn't know a friend when she sees one! Perhaps I should take you to the infirmary, you must be ill, Miss Twilight. No doubt a few vitamin injections will set you right."
Twilight was wide-eyed, the painful memory of her last vaccination in the castle infirmary immediately came back to her mind. And she didn't want to spend the rest of the day standing up again. She forced herself to smile tensely, an imaginary pain rekindling in her rump. "I don't have time, I have to go find my friend. Thank you and goodbye, Reynaud." Immediately, she teleported herself behind Reynaud's back, fleeing to the gardens.
Once assured that the young princess was gone, the butler went to join Bitter Truth, who was hiding in the servants' lounge of the castle. "The saddle was given to Princess Twilight, Sir Bitter. And I have given your directions regarding the whereabouts of Miss Sunset. And those that you are fleeing from are about to leave the castle grounds."
"Thank you, Reynaud," replied the unicorn, pensively.
Sunset was in the new section of Canterlot's garden. Unlike the ponies who came to pray at the statue for the return of the missing princess, the unicorn stood with her head down at her side. She looked sadly at the lawn, thinking that she should have stood beside Celestia on the day she disappeared. She realised that she was deluding herself. She could not rewrite the past. So, looking up to the sky, she stood up on her hooves and concentrated a bubble of flame. Her magic cooperated, once again spiriting her away.
"Sunset Shimmer!"
When she turned in the direction of the voice, she saw Twilight approaching at full speed before stopping in front of her.
"Are you hungry? I have a meal for two if you're feeling like it."
Sunset's stomach responded before she had time to form a polite answer. She looked embarrassed as she smiled sheepishly. "I think you know the answer already."
Twilight had a good chuckle at that. "Follow me. I know a secluded spot." She led Sunset to the roof of a library where she sometimes sequestered herself when she was still a simple unicorn living in Canterlot. During those times she often dreamed, gazing at the palace, about being as powerful and wise as Starswirl the Bearded.
Sunset was uncomfortable being so close to the palace, trying to hide it by turning her back on the imposing castle. As she waited patiently for the meal to be served, she noted the amethysts chiselled on each of the saddlebags.
Twilight took the contents out of her saddlebags. There were two bottles of water, along with two towels containing sandwiches cut into triangles. Additionally, there were two envelopes, treated to protect their contents and stamped with a sun-shaped seal. The calligraphy was easy to recognize as Celestia's. "For Sunset Shimmer," on the first one, and the second, "For Twilight Sparkle."
"What is that?" Sunset asked, her throat dry.
"I don't know," Twilight replied hastily, looking puzzled. "Reynaud didn't mention any envelopes."
"Reynaud? He's still Princess Celestia's personal butler?" Sunset asked immediately, before she realised what she had implied.
"Do you know him?" Twilight asked.
"Sort of," Sunset evaded.
Twilight was the first to pick up the envelope intended for her. Then, Sunset did the same. Sunset already had a vague idea of what she would see. Disappointment, regret, failure. There was a time when she daydreamed daily over their next meeting in the distant future, but it always ended the same way: Celestia shouting at her, beginning the nightmare she had dreaded over the years. By now, she had moved on to live her life in serenity, her past behind her. All this time, Sunset had told herself she would return to Canterlot one day and ask for an audience to express her regret. Now, all she had left was this letter. So, she accepted its contents with a heavy heart, reading the last words of the mare who was once her mentor.
<My dear Sunset Shimmer,
By the time you read this letter, Twilight will have learned your true identity from the mail that was delivered to her alongside the one you're holding. I've taken the time to weigh my words to describe who you are so that she has some honest truths to base her opinion upon.
Warmly,
Princess Celestia.>
Looking pale, Sunset read the letter once again to make sure she hadn't omitted anything. When she had finished, she and Twilight lowered their letters at the same time, Sunset surprised by the shocked expression on Twilight's face. Sunset knew where this was going to lead. She rose to leave, the envelope between her lips. She shot past Twilight, past the palace, past anything she shouldn't have approached.
Twilight placed the letter on the ground as watched her leave, more astonished than she was even a moment ago. "Sunset Shimmer, where are you going?"
Sunset stopped, using telekinesis to free her mouth so she could answer, her back still on Twilight. "I don't know. But now that you know who I am, away from you is a good start."
Twilight continued, "I know this is Princess Celestia's writing, but I'd like to hear it from you."
Sunset couldn't say no. While she had lied to her earlier, she owed her at least a bit of honesty now. "Fifteen years ago, I was a pupil of Princess Celestia. But I was a very different mare then. The lessons weren't enough for me--I always needed more, because they seemed so useless to me. So, I began to study on my own, breaking into the forbidden library. There, I found a book about the HeartSpell. A spell that could make anypony a princess's equal." She laughed at herself, considering how pathetic she was at the time. "I, Celestia's pupil, commanded her to make me her equal because I deserved it. But I was wrong, so very wrong. I know that now." She walked to the edge of the roof, watching the activity below. "Seeing me so lost as her pupil, no longer worthy of her apprenticeship, she dismissed me. Banished me from Canterlot Castle forever." She looked up at the sky. "I gave up everything. My family, the few friends I had, my whole life. I left all that here in Canterlot and swore I'd never return. Over time, as I travelled the world, I gradually changed. Within a few years of arriving in Japony, I became the pony I am today." With those words, she removed the rubber band to free her mane and let it float in the wind, looking to the horizon. "I've thought a thousand and one times about coming back... but..." She bit her lip. "...I think the fear of being rejected without a chance to make amends kept me from doing so. I have no more ties here. I'm probably considered missing or dead. There was nothing and no one waiting for me. So, I stayed away, until I learned Princess Celestia was missing. The rest you already know."
She turned to Twilight, raising her eyebrows when she saw her. Twilight was silent, her mouth and eyes wide open.
Sunset came closer, puzzled. "Are you all right, Princess Twilight?"
Twilight looked down to read the letter,then turned her attention back to Sunset. "Princess Celestia told me to give you a message: <Gotcha>."
Sunset tilted her head, circumspect. "What do you mean?"
Twilight regained her composure, moistened her lips, and then explained, "In my letter, it is written that you are somepony important to Princess Celestia. She explains the contents of your letter, asks me not to let you go, and to urge you to introduce yourself. Then, I'm supposed to say she's got you, and, now that we know each other, I have to go get the letter in the other bag."
Sunset had a nostalgic smile on her face. "That's just like her. A third letter?"
"Looks like it." After Twilight put her letter back in the first saddlebag, she opened the other one and took out another envelope. This one looked the same as the others, but, according to the words on the envelope, was meant to be read by Sunset and Twilight together.
<To my dear students,
Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle.
This letter is the last I've left behind. This one precedes the one I sent the day I disappeared.
Twilight, since you were my pupil and are now a Princess, Equestria will turn to you. The kingdom needs your leadership. Do the right thing. Even if it seems unfair. Just as I had to banish Luna when she became a threat to Equestria, the kingdom will expect you to act according to the knowledge I have passed on to you through my lessons. If you seek further wisdom, turn to Sunset. Her counsel may not be the same as mine, but I am sure her perspective will offer you a new way of looking at the issues that torment you.
Sunset, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all the tea you sent me on your travels. I was able to follow your journey around the world. Thank you for sharing with me your peregrinations. You lived the life I dreamed of living. Though you were far away, you knew how to keep me close to your heart. Know that it was the same for me. Twilight finds herself in a situation she didn't expect. She will surely encounter difficulties. I know this because when Luna and I were coronated as princesses of Equestria, it was our task to unite the three tribes that live here today in harmony. You have acquired by yourself the maturity that I had not been able to instil in you. If you will, watch over Twilight as Starswirl watched over me. With that in mind, I've reinstated you as my pupil and lifted your ban from the castle grounds.
Twilight, Sunset, you have credentials equivalent to mine. I trust you to act for harmony to prevail.
I've always wished forgiveness to be an element of harmony. It would have relieved my mind of a question that sometimes haunts me. Is It possible to forgive the most selfish of crimes?
That being written, do not regret your choices. They led to this very moment. Nothing will change the fact that I will not be here by the time you read this letter. It pains me that I will not see you both side-by-side.
I have watched you both grow up. Like a mother over the children I never had.
And even though one of you has grown apart from me, I have always secretly carried an equal mother's love for each of you.
Look after each other--dare I ask, like sisters? I dare. Like sisters. And have a happy life.
Warmly,
Princess Celestia>
The two mares remained silent, tears running down their cheeks. They did not move for a long time, reading and rereading this letter--Celestia's last words. Sunset's belly rumbled loudly, throwing them into a sudden burst of laughter. She didn't have the heart for it, but Sunset forced herself to eat the sandwiches, and so did Twilight. The meal took place in silence, one that made them both slightly uneasy as neither could think of anything to say.
Twilight took a breath after drinking one of the bottles of water in one gulp. "I have to go home. Spike's probably waiting for me."
Sunset sipped at her bottle. "Who's Spike?"
"A baby dragon whose egg I hatched on my Gifted Unicorn entrance exam. He's since become my first friend and my number one assistant."
Sunset packed everything neatly in the satchel. When she was done, she put the saddlebags on her back. "I'm ready to ride back to Ponyville, Princess Twilight."
Twilight was startled by her formality. "Sunset, you don't have to call me Princess Twilight every time you speak to me. We can be friends, if you'd like."
"Yet, you speak to me with the same formality. Proof that there is a distance between us."
"At first I did, yes. But I didn't know you then. Now I do it out of respect, because you're my senior. The truth is, I would like to see you as a friend too."
"There was a time when I thought everything was due to me. I was wrong. Today, I know I can't accept what I don't deserve."
Twilight got a little carried away in her response. "We just read a letter which says that Princess Celestia considered us her own children! We're two sisters reunited after fifteen years apart! And I won't let you build a wall between us because you think you don't deserve to be my friend!"
Sunset took a bow. "In this case, I accept the honour of being your friend."
Twilight was bewildered. "What?"
Sunset's laughter was so radiant that Twilight thought, for a brief moment, that she was standing in front of Celestia. Then, without warning, Sunset lit her horn, then jumped off the top of the building. Twilight ran, barely reaching the ledge when Sunset reappeared, adorned with her flaming wings as she flew towards Ponyville. This time it was Twilight who went after her, their roles reversed.
"What was that about?" Twilight asked when she reached Sunset.
"In Japony, when you receive a gift, you have to refuse twice before accepting it. The giver has to insist three times to prove that he or she really wants to give the gift," Sunset explained.
"We're not in Japony! Besides, what would you have done if I hadn't insisted?" Twilight replied.
"The friendship of a princess is a precious gift. I wouldn't have accepted it without saying so, that's all. You'll have to put up with these customs of mine if you really want to be friends. You'll also have to tell me a little more about yourself in return. I heard about your coronation, but other than that, I know nothing about you."
"Oh? All right, where do I start?"
"Right now, there's something I want to know more than anything else--but you're not the subject. I'm sorry to ruin the mood, but I need to know: is there anything I still don't know about Princess Celestia's disappearance?"
Now that Twilight knew her--and that Princess Celestia herself trusted her--she had no reason to hide the truth. "Six months ago, a human appeared in Equestria. Pepper Chilly, the human in question, is not from our world. She calls herself a planeswalker."
"How did you discover her presence? Has she destroyed Ponyville? Part of Canterlot?"
"Nothing like that. Basically, she was thrown in jail for physically attacking cows."
Sunset was incredulous. "A creature from another world attacks cows--and you just threw her in jail, like a common criminal?"
Twilight laughed uncontrollably. "At first, we all thought she was a unicorn like the others. The assault, to put it bluntly, was over taking milk without the cow's consent because she was hungry."
Sunset had a doubt that she decided to dispel. "So, she's human, but can take the form of a unicorn?"
"Pepper has magic that allows her to change her physical form. One day, she explained to me that the laws of this dimension bid her to look like a pony. So, she used her magic to take the appearance of a simple unicorn with white fur and carmine mane most of the time. Her ability to change her appearance has several flaws, however. For example, the irises of her eyes remain red. In Equestria, since only true unicorns can use magic, she is forced to be one. Apart from these flaws, she has no limits, as long as it is organic and alive."
Sunset thought it over for a moment. "Is that why you stared at me when I saw you outside the library?"
"Yes," Twilight admitted. "I thought she was back for a moment."
"And we're getting off-topic. Most of the time? What about the rest of the time?"
Twilight was amused that she noted the detail. "Pepper has wings as well, like a pegasus. So, in her--dare I call it--Equestrian form, she's uniformly white. While in her human form, her wings become jet black. So when Fluttershy, who was the very first to meet her, explained to her what it meant to have horns and wings, she immediately hid them so as not to draw attention. It was only after she was released by Princess Celestia--who welcomed her to Equestria and assured Pepper that she had nothing to fear if she committed no further crimes--that we learned of her true nature."
"She couldn't explain herself before?"
"No. Once she woke up, Pepper remained mute and ran away the moment the anti-magic ring was removed. Princess Celestia told me that a planeswalker's magic has a unique vibe. It doesn't go unnoticed by anypony who can feel it."
"How did Princess Celestia learn to sense the power of a creature from another world?"
Twilight's jaw, for the third time that day, sought to touch the ground miles beneath her hooves. She hadn't considered that. "I don't know," she admitted. "It's Princess Celestia--she always knows everything about everything, so I didn't think to ask her back then."
Sunset was amused, a mischievous smile on her face. "I think I now understand the reason for Celestia's request in the third letter. And then what happened?"
Twilight's cheeks turned pink. "As time went on, she came into daily contact with Rainbow Dash and Princess Luna. Deep down, she seemed singular, but not malevolent."
"And was this singular human the cause of Princess Celestia's disappearance?"
"One day, I received a letter from Princess Celestia..." Thinking back to the missive, Twilight's eyes widened. "It all makes sense now. She was talking about you."
Sunset raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"The missive! The letter that Princess Celestia sent me that day, with a plural in the header! All this time I thought it was a mistake! But it makes so much more sense now that you're here."
Sunset was wary. "What was in the letter? And what did you do next?"
Twilight gave Sunset a faint smile. "I've read enough books to know it's a cliche, but I think it's best you read it for yourself. I'll give it to you when we get back to Ponyville so you can read it at your leisure." Then, she looked up at Ponyville. "Picking up where I left off ... At the time I thought it was a bad joke, one that the human was fond of. But when I got there, I heard from Princess Luna that Pepper had left Equestria..." She trailed off, remembering the conversation in the throne room. She wondered what would have happened if Nightmare Moon hadn't offered her help to Princess Luna.
Sunset didn't need to hear any more to understand that Pepper was guilty of the abduction. When she saw the look on Twilight's face, she didn't dare bother her, understanding why the younger alicorn was having trouble finding Princess Celestia. The rest of the trip was conducted in silence, giving Sunset ample time to observe the surroundings and think about the situation. |
A Guardian's Hope | Chapter 6 | Twilight and Sunset landed in front of the library. The sight of the library dispelled Twilight's insecurity. She turned to Sunset. "I'm going to introduce you to my friends. I have the feeling that you'll get along well."
Sunset briefly raised one eyebrow, amused. "It can't be any worse than the one I met when I left the station."
Twilight tilted her head, intrigued. "Who are you talking about?"
"An earth pony mare with a pink coat. I ask where you live, she jumps three metres high, then gasps before taking off like she saw an Ursa Major behind me."
It didn't take long for Twilight to understand who she was talking about. She hid a muffled laugh behind a hoof. She used her telekinesis to open the door, "Please go in first and make yourself at home."
Sunset entered the library. It was completely dark, due to the curtains covering the windows. She took off the saddle, keeping it in her telekinesis as an improvised weapon. She then noticed her personal saddlebag was gone.
When she moved forward, the lights flipped on. Five mares and a baby dragon shouted "Surprise!", before a shower of confetti fell on Sunset and Twilight. There was a banner hanging from the ceiling that read, "Welcome back to Equestria, Sunset-senpai." Sunset did not understand how this was possible, although she recognized the earth pony she had crossed paths with a few hours earlier.
Twilight, looking at the banner, couldn't help but ask, "Seen Pay? What is it?"
Sunset laughed "It's pronounced <Sane Pie>. It's one of the suffixes used in Japony. Senpai refers to somepony who is treated with respect because they know more than we do. Based on what little I know, I would say that, in a sense, you are the senpai of your dragon, insofar as he is your assistant. I'm surprised you know such a word," she said with a tear in the corner of her eye.
"I don't think anyone here but you can speak that language. Unless..." Twilight decided to make the introductions. "Sunset, let me introduce you to my friends. First, the one you've already seen-- who is certainly the culprit behind the banner--Pinkie Pie."
Pinkie hopped forward, greeting Sunset Shimmer by joining her hoof with hers, which resulted in a slightly unpleasant--but not too painful--shock. "We don't know each other, but we already have a connection," she commented jokingly, removing the joy buzzer she had been hiding and putting it in her mane.
Sunset shook hooves with her. She was a bit miffed to have been fooled by such an old joke. She smiled anyway, chasing away the tear with a little magic.
"She is a party planner, a prankster, and an amazing baker, but if I may give you a recommendation, it is this one. If Pinkie Pie does or says something that seems weird to you, don't try to understand it. I experienced it myself. In the end, I just gave up on the idea of explaining her faculties. A question that starts with 'How,' is often answered with, 'because it's Pinkie Pie'."
"I think I will remember that," said Sunset.
Twilight nodded to her next friend. "Applejack."
As Pinkie Pie returned back to her original spot, Applejack came forward. Grasping the leg that had just been electrified by Pinkie, she offered Sunset a firm and vigorous hoofshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you for sure, Miss Sunset."
"She and her family run Sweet Apple Acres. She is an honest worker who is always ready to help. She also knows a thousand recipes when it comes to apples. Don't lie to her; she'll know."
"Pleasure shared," Sunset said, wondering what was worse--the previous prank, or Applejack's strength, given the state of her hoof.
Twilight said next, "Rarity."
Applejack took her place alongside the others, replaced with Rarity, who made a distinguished bow. "My dear, you will have to tell me about your travels to Japony. I am sure it will give me some ideas for my next collection."
"She has her own fashion boutique, she makes the rain and sunshine in the fashion world or on social occasions, and she always has a heart of gold whenever the opportunity arises."
"After a good night of sleep, why not?" Sunset said, smiling.
Twilight nodded to another friend. "Rainbow Dash."
As soon as Rarity turned around, Rainbow moved in a flash to Sunset, messing up the unicorn's mane in the process. Sunset coughed while she put her mane back in place. "I'm glad to meet you, Sunset Shimmer," she said, stretching out her hoof to hoofbump with Sunset.
"She takes care of Ponyville's weather. She's the fastest pegasus--the only one who can make a Sonic Rainboom. "
"Oh, yeah? I'd like to see that."
"Any time you want! Even now, no problem!"
"Later, if you don't mind. Introductions are not over," Sunset said.
Rainbow Dash looked at the others. She smiled sheepishly, rubbing her mane with a hoof, before turning to Sunset. "Okay, okay, okay. Later," she said, taking her place so Twilight could introduce the last of her friends.
"Fluttershy."
The pegasus avoided Sunset's gaze. She rubbed one leg with the other. "H-hello," she whispered.
"At first sight, she is fierce, but she takes care of any wounded animal. She's been in charge of Philomena since... the disappearance... of Princess Celestia."
Applejack raised an eyebrow, looking at Twilight.
Sunset gave Fluttershy a short bow. "Thank you for that." She walked towards the little dragon, smiling. "And you must be Spike, Twilight's friend and assistant. She told me about you when we were in Canterlot."
For a moment, he looked at the new mare in the eyes. "Yes, it's me." He proudly puffed up his chest, lifting his head high, claws on his hips. "I put your saddlebag in the bedroom when Pinkie was preparing the party. She said you were going to stay for a while."
Sunset was surprised. "How..." She quickly changed her mind, smiling. "Because it's Pinkie Pie, I guess."
Twilight, with Celestia's old saddlebags on her back, headed towards the stairs. She had to force herself to smile. "I'll be right back, girls. Start the party. I'll take this up to my room," she said before going upstairs.
The celebration soon began. Sunset laughed as they began asking her many questions about her life and travels, unaccustomed to being the centre of attention. However, two of the mares were more focused on the door Twilight had closed behind her.
"She lied," said Applejack quietly.
"It wasn't a real smile," added Pinkie Pie.
"You thinkin' what I'm thinkin', sugarcube?"
"Tickle her until she smiles again?"
"Or we go ask her what's wrong instead?"
"What about... we tickle her, and THEN ask her?" suggested Pinkie Pie, bouncing excitedly.
Applejack rolled her eyes, then began to climb the stairs, closely followed by Pinkie.
In Twilight's bedroom, she was staring at her collection of Celestia's scrolls. Her morale was lower than ever before as she put her letter from Celestia away with the others. She wanted to cry, but couldn't. Sunset's arrival was the only positive end to this succession of stabs. She jumped when the door opened, turning around to see the two earth ponies coming in before Pinkie closed the door behind her.
"Twilight, are you okay, sugarcube?"
"Yes, I'm fine," she replied, forcing a smile.
"Twilight, if there was something wrong, you'd tell us, wouldn't you?"
"Yes, of course, I..." Her smile faded. "...I would have told you."
"Spike told us that you received a message from Princess Luna and went to see her. Do you want to talk about it?"
"I..." Twilight's heart had preserved itself all this time by denying the truth. Thanks to Sunset's presence, she had remained in a bubble of denial, refusing to accept Celestia's death. Unconsciously, she knew she would have to tell others sooner or later. She was trying to postpone this fateful moment. She didn't want to say it; she couldn't accept the truth. "I'll say it after the party in honour of Sunset's arrival," she said, trying to buy time.
"Oh, don't worry, it's already over," said Pinkie Pie, her mane slightly less poofy as she opened the door. Sunset, Spike, and Rarity fell head first to the floor, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash falling on them.
Twilight turned her back on her friends, retreating a little more. "These scrolls are not at all in the right order. You have to put them in chronological order, not alphabetical order. I will do it right away," she said, her voice trembling. She used telekinesis to organise the scrolls differently, putting her heart into the work.
The others looked at each other. Only Pinkie Pie seemed to understand, her mane almost flat, her ears drooping.
"Twilight, tell us what's going on!" Applejack said, coming back to the charge.
The young princess stopped fidgeting with her pile of scrolls. "Pepper has..." No, she couldn't say it so brutally. "... spoken to Princess Luna. A short time ago." She held back a sob. "I'm sorry, Sunset. I didn't want to talk about it until you all got here." She could no longer contain her tears as they rolled down her cheeks. "Princess Celestia is... she is..." She didn't have the strength to say such a simple word. She didn't want to accept it. She refused it! She lashed out with her hoof, breaking a shelf, the books collapsing on the floor. Then, she no longer felt the strong desire to deny it. She might as well tell them. "... Dead. Princess Celestia was killed by Pepper. She was after her magic. She wanted to be able to raise the Sun. That's what she said to Princess Luna."
Every creature baulked at this revelation.
Fluttershy fell unconscious.
Rarity also fell unconscious, but in a much more elegant way.
Applejack took off her hat to observe a minute of silence.
Pinkie Pie cried silently, her body wracked with sobs and spasms, her smooth mane framing the right side of her anguished face.
Sunset shook her head, in tears, before bringing her hoof to her mouth.
Spike fell on his knees, crying hot tears.
Rainbow Dash looked at everyone else, frightened, before turning to Twilight with a desperate smile. "It can't be! This is a joke! Pepper's not a monster! She would never do such a thing!"
Twilight turned to Rainbow with unbridled anger. "I, too, would have liked to keep my head buried in the sand, but you saw her, Rainbow Dash! Her aura turned yellow! Princess Luna said that Pepper set the sun before her eyes! We have to face the truth. She killed Princess Celestia. She was here to do just that from very the beginning! She lied to us all, Rainbow!"
The pegasus turned away, her eyes fogging with tears, her maw twitching upward with anger. Suddenly, she fled. As soon as she left the house, she flew away and disappeared into the horizon as fast as she could, leaving a Sonic Rainboom in her wake. Twilight locked herself in a bubble of anger, staring at a corner, still crying.
Applejack put her hat back on as she met Sunset's gaze. Sunset looked at her with a sympathetic glance, but had no idea what to do first.
Pinkie was still crying by herself. Sunset, barely knowing her, looked at Applejack, gesturing towards their friend. Applejack approached Pinkie.
Sunset gently lifted Spike with her magic, offering him a shoulder to cry on before approaching Twilight. She began quietly. "Twilight, I understand why you didn't tell me before. I don't blame you. But you have to channel your anger; you can't let it control you."
Twilight glared at Sunset. "How can you act so cold when I just said Princess Celestia is dead?!" A wick of her mane started burning.
Sunset slapped Twilight with the back of her hoof, snapping her out of her rage. Her ignited flame became part of her mane again. Sunset's chin trembled for a moment, tears flowing again. "Make no mistake, I'm as devastated as you are. But I can't afford to let my feelings push me to act rashly again. Princess Celestia asked me to look after you, and I intend to do so, Twilight."
Twilight felt pitiful compared to Sunset. She'd let her feelings run rampant, whereas Sunset kept control of herself. She sank to her haunches, her head down, her face tightened by her self-loathing as she let her shame invade.
Sunset watched Twilight for a moment, doubting whether she could find the words to get her out of this spiral. She placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Don't just stand there. Go lie down. I'll be here when you feel better," she whispered.
As Twilight climbed the stairs to the mezzanine with Spike's assistance, Sunset found the extra bed. She set it up for Rarity and Fluttershy. Applejack and Pinkie left the room before Sunset, who looked at the place one last time. Not knowing what was waiting for her, she took her saddlebags and katana, then closed the door gently.
Once downstairs, Pinkie started to put away the party decorations. Applejack and Sunset came to help her, the latter first leaving her bag in a corner. "Usually my surprise parties end better than that," Pinkie commented, her head lowered, ears flattened against her skull.
"It's my fault," Applejack said. "If I hadn't pushed Twilight, we'd still be celebrating for sure."
Sunset wrapped her forelegs around Pinkie's neck in a comforting embrace. "When I left Japony to come home, I thought that nopony would be here to welcome me. And you, Pinkie Pie, without knowing me, offered me the most beautiful welcome. If we hadn't had a good connection, I think I would have started crying. So, from the bottom of my heart--thank you."
"It must be contagious, because I want to cry now," exclaimed Pinkie Pie, her mane reshaping to full lushness. Tears gushed from her eyes like a fountain as she embraced Sunset, her words a balm to her heart.
"Pinkie... the decorations..." Sunset gasped, slapping Pinkie on the back as she unintentionally strangled her.
"Oh, that's right," said Pinkie before separating from Sunset. Pinkie sniffed and wiped her tears before picking up where she had left off.
As they were cleaning up, Sunset thought about the situation. She realised that she knew so little that she risked ruining the morale of Twilight's two friends. "Say, you look like you're holding up, but... Do you think the others will be okay? I think we can exclude Twilight, since it's obvious she's going to need time to recover."
Applejack and Pinkie Pie exchanged a look before continuing to detach the banners.
"Rarity will certainly make black the signature trend for her autumn collection. It's possible she might overwork herself to keep her mind occupied," said Applejack.
"The animal caretaker will have to be taken care of," said Pinkie Pie in a failed joke attempt, not having the morale to find anything better than that.
"Rainbow Dash--"
"Rainbow was good friends with Pepper," Pinkie cut in.
"You're telling the truth, Pinkie. I don't know what's gonna be the hardest thing for her. Accepting the idea that Pepper lied all this time, or that she... did what she did."
Sunset asked, "Before this, did Pepper ever do anything wrong?"
"Except for her first day that ended in prison, no. She hung out mostly with Rainbow and Princess Luna, sometimes Fluttershy. Mostly for a free meal. For the rest of us--Twilight, Rarity, and I--she avoided us like a herd of cows would flee a snake."
"She became interested in my storage pockets. Once or twice she came to see me right before dawn, when I was preparing deliveries for Sugarcube Corner. And even though I'm as up for a prank as Rainbow Dash is, I was always the last to know about hers."
"Your storage pockets?" asked Sunset.
"Yep," said Pinkie Pie, before she pulled her festive cannon out of her mane. "Where I keep the important things."
Sunset's jaw dropped. She turned to Applejack, pointing at the festive cannon.
Applejack shrugged. "And again, she didn't mention her Pinkie Sense."
Sunset, her jaw still on the floor, turned to Pinkie.
"Twilight spent a full day trying to prove that there was an explanation for my Pinkie Sense. After being chased away by a four-headed hydra, she gave up, just accepting that there were things she couldn't explain scientifically."
Sunset suddenly grew a mischievous smile. "Oh, I bet I could explain it easily."
Applejack and Pinkie exchanged a curious glance, then approached Sunset. "Could you, Sugarcube?" Applejack asked.
"Yes," Sunset replied, looking at Applejack, before pointing at Pinkie. "Because it's Pinkie Pie."
The three mares had a laugh together.
Twilight was lying in her bed, Spike dozing between her forelegs. She felt empty. Nothing had any taste. She couldn't even cry anymore. All she had left was her memories. So, she closed her eyes, trying to remember a happy memory, allowing herself a moment to forget reality. And the most beautiful memory was her first meeting with Celestia.
At that time, she was just a filly. She didn't have her Cutie Mark yet, though she already had a gift for magic. A preliminary appointment was arranged by the school for Celestia's Gifted Unicorns to test her talent. Twilight found herself alone with her back to the blackboard, facing six rows of chairs. Four judges sat in the middle of the penultimate row at the very top, haughtily taking notes every time she had the misfortune to make a move. In a cart was a dragon's egg. Twilight had to hatch it to prove that she deserved to do her apprenticeship in this school.
Carried by the encouragement and smile of her parents, Twilight reared up, spreading her wings, concentrating all her magic on hatching the egg. Despite her efforts, the egg remained intact.
At the same time, in Cloudsdale, Rainbow Dash obtained her cutie mark by making her first supersonic rainbow. The wave propagated throughout Equestria. The latent power of Twilight was released by it. She was in a trance, the energy pulsing around her to the point of levitating herself as she used her magic on the egg again, making it hatch.
Laughter was heard from the heights of the benches.
A hoof gently fell on Twilight's shoulder.
Twilight calmed down, the energy gradually dissipating as she looked at the egg. The laughter became louder. Between the broken shells was a plate with an omelette on it.
Twilight recoiled, looking at her flank. To her horror, her cutie mark was an exact copy of the state she'd left the dragon's egg. The laughter became deafening. Twilight turned around, but instead of Celestia, Nightmare Moon stood there, cackling with the crowd. The young princess turned pale. "N-Nightmare Moon?!"
Dressed for the occasion in a white robe attached by a crest on her shoulder with a moon motif, the one that shared the moniker of "Princess of the Night" realised that she was not behaving in a manner worthy of her rank. Quickly, she resumed a royal attitude before looking up at Twilight, a mocking smile on the corner of her lips. She sighed, for the cacophony of laughter filling her eardrums didn't help her focus. "It's launch time. The judges have gone to the canteen."
Twilight tilted her head, uncertain how to react. She turned to the judges, realising that they were no longer there, even though they were still laughing just a second ago. She turned to Nightmare Moon, looking for an answer.
"Post-hypnotic suggestion. Your mind accepted the idea that it was noon and that they were indeed gone. Well, now it would be a good time for you to be a little more lucid about your situation; I don't have all night ahead of me."
Twilight blinked several times. Her cutie mark became what she had always been. She understood then that she had fallen asleep while looking back at a happier past. She turned against Nightmare Moon, not very cheerful. "Is this how you take care of ponies' dreams? By making them have nightmares?" she accused, pointing with her hoof.
Nightmare Moon scoffed. "Excuse you?! How dare you, Twilight Sparkle?! To accuse me of a crime I didn't commit! I came to 'stop' this nightmare, which is only the product of your mind. But when I saw the turn it was taking, I took pleasure in seeing your embarrassment. It's not as if this nightmare was full of Timberwolves. We must act as allies, but that doesn't mean I have to act as if I were your friend."
Twilight shot back, "If you're done laughing at me, I'd like to finish dreaming in peace."
Nightmare Moon took three steps back before making the same bow she did earlier in the day. "Actually, I'd like to ask you for an audience, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Lives are at stake, and I need your help."
The young princess did not know how to react to this. Nightmare Moon asking for her help? She was both surprised and frightened, reluctant to imagine what she wanted from her. But if lives were at stake, she could not refuse without knowing the details. "I'm listening to you."
Nightmare Moon straightened up, about to explain herself, but the scenery caught her attention. "I can't believe I'm in charge of doing everything for you," she said. With these words, she slammed her hoof on the floor. The decor slipped, the classroom disappearing in the distance as the two alicorns found themselves in the throne room of Canterlot Castle.
Twilight observed the new setting, only slightly appreciating the change of scenery. "If you don't mind, I'd rather have this dream happen at my place in Ponyville." The decor changed immediately. Around them were the library's bookshelves. Twilight, surprised by this sudden change, turned to Nightmare Moon. "Am I the cause of this change?"
Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes. "Of course this is your work. Is this the first time you are lucid dreaming? The slightest desire can manifest itself if you so wish. But let us be clear--I refuse to see you make anypony appear, and you better not use this power over me. I need your full attention. This is about lives. I don't want to be subjected to the soulstates of a filly, Princess."
Twilight tried to concentrate, briefly flapping her wings. "I am ready. I'm listening."
"What do you think you're doing?"
"I make sure I'm in the best conditions for this conversation by accelerating my heartbeat so that the blood flows into my brain."
"Twilight Sparkle, you're sleeping. Your mind is in the world of dreams. Flapping your wings is useless. Let me guess: you think you're breathing?"
"Of course I..." Twilight realised that she was playing the Nightmare Moon game. "Well, what do you want from me? I hope you're not here to ask me to help you make the night last forever. It's a no from the get go."
"Nonsense! It was Luna who was afraid that her night would never be revered as much as the sun was, and that she would lose her title because of her sister. This is because of the words of the tyrant whose name must be kept silent because of the prediction. The same tyrant who, a thousand years earlier, distilled a poison in the mind of an immature filly. That same filly eventually succumbed, giving life to the physical manifestation of her jealousy that I am."
Twilight's anger gave way to disbelief. "And you don't want that anymore?"
"Why would I want that? All of Equestria loves the night. The ponies stopped falling asleep as soon as the sun went down. Through Luna's eyes, I was able to witness it. They stay up late, sometimes even until dawn, to observe the night and have fun. There's even a party where they dress up because they're afraid I'll eat them. Even you, Princess Twilight Sparkle, appreciate my night for its true value. If Luna and I had known four years ago that this was the case, the outcome could have been similar without the use of the Elements of Harmony."
Twilight frowned. "What do you mean, 'Luna and me'? Aren't you one and the same mare?"
"We were, but the Elements of Harmony have this curious habit of refusing to destroy in absolutes. As such, their power separated us, freeing Luna from everything I could represent. From that day on, I was silenced, forced to observe, hidden in a corner of her heart. Once again forbidden to put my hooves upon the world where I came to life, forced to live by proxy through Luna. Watching her do what I could have done, if you hadn't found the Element of Magic."
"That doesn't explain why you're no longer there."
"Luna began to study in secret. She created what she called the Tantabus. I shall spare you many unimportant details about this creation. The important thing is that the Tantabus is the borrowed body that I asked for in exchange for my help. And that's where the heart of the matter lies. Four months ago, as Luna said, I proposed an exchange for reasons of good form; conditional freedom in exchange for my services. No one should know--not even you--that I was walking Equestria, which was fine with me. Taking Luna's appearance had its advantages here in the dream world."
"You could have asked to rule by her side."
"Seductive as this idea may be, I am the one who sought to make an eternal night reign. I am the one the children fear. I know myself all too well. I would have ended up harbouring jealousy towards Luna, because nopony would have ever approached the monster that they see me as. Moreover, I am the only queen in the eyes of bat ponies and vamponies; they have been loyal to me since my return."
"So Dusty Nova--"
"Slowly, Princess. We're not there yet. If you want to understand why I need your help, you have to understand how we got here. I'm trying to be as concise as possible, and it's not easy without truncating the facts."
Twilight kept quiet. She still had trouble believing that Nightmare Moon needed her help. Considering how hard she was trying to explain what had happened, the problem must have been serious.
"Also, Luna, who felt cheated by Pepper, needed to unleash her anger on somepony. There was little choice. In the end, she opted for changelings, Chrysalis at the top of the list."
"The changelings? Why? We haven't heard from those monsters since my brother Shining Armor and Princess Cadance married."
"It is true. But tell me, Princess Twilight Sparkle--how many ponies were injured? How many ponies died during this invasion? Could you answer these questions?"
"No." At that time, she had not considered taking an interest in this kind of detail.
"None, and you already know why: because changelings cannot afford to kill ponies. They need them. Without ponies, a changeling is guaranteed to starve. Changelings are predators by nature. They only know deception and manipulation to feed themselves. Now, consider Chrysalis and Pepper for a moment. Who they are, how they operate, their abilities."
Twilight did so, turning her gaze to the right. While she thought, they appeared before her eyes, standing side-by-side. She went back to their first meeting, when Chrysalis changed her appearance and became Cadance. Pepper also changed her appearance: her mane was shortened into a simple bun, the ornament gone. For a time, both played a role until they took action. Manipulators, liars, unscrupulous. And both of them were able to take on any appearance. If she linked these two profiles with Pepper's absence, it led to only one result. The two silhouettes disappeared as Twilight looked towards Nightmare Moon. "Chrysalis was a substitute Pepper, and, given her liabilities, no one would go to mourn her disappearance?"
"Precisely."
"But it's--"
"It doesn't matter. It's too late now. With a bat pony regiment, I blockaded the northern Badlands, preventing any attempt at a changeling incursion. They had orders to kill those who would try their luck."
Twilight was speechless, unable to imagine that Princess Luna would give such an order.
"However, when I was about to eradicate them, something made me realise that I was making a mistake, and I ordered my troops to retreat."
"What was it?"
Nightmare Moon slammed her hoof twice. The scenery changed to the Badlands on the night of the genocide.
Twilight observed the frozen scene now before her.
The Nightmare Moon of this scene was behind her army. At her side was Antares--still just a private--who assisted the command. The body of a high-ranking bat pony was behind her, a spear stabbed through her throat. Swift, armed with a pertuisane, secured the perimeter, preventing any attempts to attack the Princess of the Night. On the other side of this battle was Chrysalis. Chitin was by her side, keeping the enemy at bay, holding two short swords with telekinesis.
Twilight noticed that all the warrior changelings seemed exhausted, their magic weak and obviously famished. Without warning, the scene came alive. A changeling charged Twilight, ready to strike. Twilight reflexively raised a shield. But the changeling passed through, disappearing as a bat pony went for the neck with his blade.
Nightmare Moon lightened the scene, erasing the changelings about to succumb
from the battle in order to spare Twilight's innocence.
The battle was one-sided. The first lines of the changelings disappearing in the blink of an eye, succumbing to the bat ponies' assault.
Chrysalis saw no way out of this confrontation. She lowered her head and clenched her teeth. Her time had come, and she knew it. She concentrated what remained of her magic, creating a luminous sphere that flew off into the sky. The changelings in the rear lines imitated it. Like a domino effect, no more changelings were fighting. The bat ponies took advantage of it.
The Nightmare Moon in this scene had stopped commanding. She watched this spectacle unfold before her eyes, seeing each sphere of light disappear every time a changeling was killed. By the time she screamed to stop the fight, the bat ponies had reached the last lines, hooves covered in what Twilight's mind assumed was mud. They looked at their queen for orders. She ordered a retreat. They obeyed, flying away from this hecatomb.
When only Antares, Swift, and the queen remained, she spoke directly to Chrysalis. "Explain to me, Queen of the Changelings--this wasn't a spell, was it?"
Chrysalis was running out of steam. Her eyes wandered through the mass grave. There were only a few changelings left by her side other than Chitin. "When a changeling dies, the whole hive gathers to create bubbles of light with magic, thus guiding the soul of the deceased through the endless darkness of death to the afterlife. Since we are going to die tonight, I prefer that my last act as queen be a prayer for my subjects."
Nightmare Moon fell silent for a moment. "Private Antares, Private Moonlit, we're leaving."
Twilight had never witnessed war before today. Despite Nightmare Moon's attempt to make it easier to handle, she was crying, shocked by what she had just seen. She turned to face Nightmare Moon. "Why?"
"Why?!" Chrysalis whispered. "Have the courage to finish what you started!" she barked, crying with rage.
The Nightmare Moon of the scene turned away from her, returning to the camp, accompanied by her soldiers. "I have the courage to admit my mistake. And if an ant about to die looks to the stars of my night for the salvation of her soul, she deserves more respect than a weak filly who seeks to rule over the void."
The memory faded, leaving Twilight and Nightmare Moon alone in the dark of a dreamless sleep.
"I realised that, if I killed the changelings, there was no guarantee that Luna wouldn't ask me to eradicate another race. All this time, the euphoria of having my own body had blinded me. It made me forget that I was a queen--and that a queen has duties towards her subjects. And even if the changelings are not residents of Equestria, they are part of it, no matter what they may think. Until now, I've been lying to Luna. The last lie is how I got the piece of mane you have. Chrysalis gave it to me; she claims she killed Pepper."
Twilight remained strangely silent following this revelation, before resuming, "That doesn't explain what Pepper was doing so far away. She had never left the Ponyville area."
"One of my subjects questioned her.She claimed that something made her go there. But who can believe her?" Nightmare Moon preferred to avoid talking about Aglowing Shell; she didn't want to tell Twilight that she was the aunt of an illegitimate child. "Despite what she said to you this morning, Luna wants Pepper dead. She wants her to die a slow death, like a cat playing with its prey. Hearing someone else have stolen this pleasure from her would prove fatal for that creature. As unpleasant as it will be to hear, I wanted to kill Celestia. When Pepper said that she stole this royal duty from me, I wanted to trample her. So, based on my own reactions, I ordered Dusty Nova to lie. Now, I need you to do the same about your attempts at localization. Otherwise, Luna will find out that she was being lied to, and she will seek the bloodbath the changelings stole from her."
"So that's the purpose of this hearing? To ask me to lie to Princess Luna about the results of my attempts to locate Pepper?"
"Luna is bruised. A thousand years ago, it was jealousy. Now, it's something else, and I'm afraid the Elements of Harmony can't help her this time. She'll sink and become a new Nightmare. I only see two possibilities after that. I possess her, and stop it. Or, I do nothing about it, and she ends up next to Discord in Canterlot's gardens."
Twilight was shocked. "Are you implicitly asking for my consent to possess Princess Luna and rule Equestria?"
"It's a possibility I'm considering. But without your agreement, I would not do anything about it-- as long as you have the Elements. Oh, and no, I don't intend to steal them. I'm here because I'm convinced that you'll have the wisdom to see me as an ally. Probably not the one you expected, but a reliable ally for the greater good of Equestria."
"What if I refuse?"
"Luna will become a Nightmare. However, if you base our first confrontation on imagining what the fight against this new Nightmare will be like, you are making a big and terrible mistake. I was the embodiment of Luna's old-fashioned jealousy. I didn't know you. You were just a bunch of fillies in my eyes. She's mature, more powerful, and knows you all; she'll have the advantage of the first strike. You are free to take this warning into account, now that you know everything and understand the purpose of my request. As for now, I'm going back to the dream plane; you're not the only one having nightmares." Her horn lit up as she made the door that led out of this dream appear.
"But I didn't even give you my answer!"
Nightmare Moon looked at her. "I'm not the one waiting for an answer. I warned you that you must not give Luna a clear answer under any circumstances, otherwise she will react badly. Tell her you're not getting any results. With this warning, I have made you an honest offer. You have all the time you need. I will wait until the next audience to act accordingly. If you consider my intentions sincere, I'll come back to you. If you think I'm trying to manipulate you, I won't interfere when Luna goes crazy. You'll have to assume the consequences of that choice alone. Although, you are not really alone. You have your friends. You can tell them about this audience if you think they can keep the secret of my presence."
Twilight tried to think. "What if I need to contact you outside of dreams, without Princess Luna's presence?"
Nightmare tried as best as she could to repress a satisfied smile. "The observation platform at the top of the tree where you live--put a letter there before the sun is lowered, I will check it every night when I fly over Ponyville. It's my turn to ask a question." Nightmare Moon had a doubt about Aglowing Shell and needed to hear the opinion of an expert in the field. "Tell me, Princess of Friendship. One of my bat ponies has a problem with a friend. He lied to him about his identity. If he found out who this bat pony really is, he could hate him for a more than justified reason. What should he do? Keep lying to him to preserve their friendship? Or tell him the truth, at the risk of losing it?"
Twilight never would have thought she would hear such a question from Nightmare Moon. If she didn't know she was already asleep, she would have thought she was dreaming. "Friendship cannot be built upon a lie. Sooner or later, the truth will catch up with the bat pony. If he really respects his friend, he must be honest and say who he really is. It is better to lose a friend by being honest than to lose him because the truth was discovered."
Deep down, Nightmare Moon already knew this. She just needed to hear it to muster the courage to face the consequences of such a choice. "I understand. Goodnight, Princess Twilight Sparkle, and thank you for the advice."
At the very moment Nightmare Moon closed the door behind her, Twilight opened her eyes, waking up in her bed. Spike was no longer there. When she turned to look, the extra bed was empty. She looked out the window. It was dark outside. The night was quiet in the streets of Ponyville.
She opened the door and went down the stairs unenthusiastically. She could see that the cleaning had been done. The table that usually sat in the middle of the room had already been moved against a wall. The welcome cake sat on it, a few slices missing. Twilight heard a few murmurs go silent. The assembly of ponies--and Spike--playing cards turned their attention towards her. "How long did I sleep?"
"It's past twenty-one," Sunset replied.
"Rainbow hasn't come back?" Twilight asked.
"You know her. She needs some time to be on her own and figure things out," Applejack said, pointing east with a hoof.
Twilight rubbed a hoof across her face ."Okay." She walked towards the door. "Girls, don't leave. I'll be back with Rainbow. Spike, make some coffee for everypony." Upon these words she left the library, closing the door behind her.
The others looked at each other. It took only a few minutes for Twilight to come back with Rainbow Dash, who was clinging to a cloud as black as her mood. She had refused to follow Twilight, the alicorn trapping her and the cloud in a telekinetic field.
Spike returned just in time from the cellar of the science lab, a tray with eight cups of coffee, sugar, and milk in his claws. He handed a mug almost full to the brim to Twilight, who accepted it in her magic. She offered a short hug to the dragon to thank him, before he went to give the one that had been prepared for Rainbow Dash.
"Once again, I'm sorry, Rainbow. But what I have to say is too important to wait. Bad news has accumulated without my knowledge, and Equestria's future is at stake."
"When the kingdom learns that the Princess is dead, Discord will come back in a second." Rainbow frowned.
"Princess Luna will not make an announcement about this. She told me that it must remain a secret, so as not to deprive Equestria of any hope of seeing her again one day. They must continue to live as if she would come back tomorrow," Twilight explained, eyes misting up, ears flattened to her head, unable to look her friends in the eye.
There was a cacophony of turmoil, but Rainbow's voice roared louder. "So, what, we're gonna have to lie to everypony?! What's the point of knowing?"
Twilight smiled sadly. "I reacted in much the same way. And Princess Luna found the words to persuade me that this is what Princess Celestia would have wanted. Equestria lives in expectation of her return. I don't like it." She sighed. "But that's not the worst part." She walked towards the display case that kept the Elements of Harmony under glass, which had been hidden under a cloth during the celebration.
Twilight looked at her crown, the Element of Magic, wondering if the gem had always been so dull. "I could tell as accurately as possible what happened in Canterlot, but it's a real jumble of events, and I, myself, do not know the truth from falsehood in the end. I need you guys to understand that this is an even bigger secret. For the moment, nopony else but us in this room must know about it. Not even Princess Luna. If you don't think you can't keep it to yourself, it would probably be best if you went home."
Behind her back, everyone exchanged cautious glances. Rarity stepped forward. "Twilight, my dear, I think I speak for all of us when I say that no one will leave this room, but... even Princess Luna? You talk as if something even more terrible has happened. I'm not saying I don't believe that could be the case, but that's still a tough idea to swallow."
"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," promised Pinkie, drawing a cross on the chest of her hoof before hitting her eye with it. The others imitated the gestures, all taking an oath like Pinkie.
Twilight smiled briefly. "Thank you, girls. And thank you too, Spike. I have no doubt that I can count on all of you, but I want to make sure that you understand the importance of what I am about to reveal. When we defeated Nightmare Moon, she didn't completely disappear like we thought. About four months ago, when Pepper left, Nightmare Moon came back."
At these words, everyone except Twilight and Sunset--who was not there four years ago--felt a great chill run down their spines. The revelation left them speechless.
"The Elements of Harmony purified Princess Luna by separating her from Nightmare Moon. They are two distinct alicorns today. And they have a mutual aid agreement. Princess Luna manages Equestria's business, while Nightmare Moon takes care of the world of dreams. And while I was sleeping this afternoon, Nightmare Moon approached me without Princess Luna's knowledge."
As she recounted this, she opened the window, took her crown, and placed it on a hoof. She could not remember if she had always had this weight--not on her head, but her shoulders. "Nightmare Moon asked for my help. She lied to Princess Luna. She asked me to lie as well--about Pepper's location. In the bag Sunset was carrying when we arrived, there is a piece of mane covered with coagulated blood, decorated with the ornament Pepper had worn since her return. This was apparently the evidence Chrysalis provided that proved that she killed Pepper. The thing is, Nightmare Moon suspects that might have been a lie. Whether or not this is so, if Princess Luna finds out about this, she will try to exterminate every single changeling out there. And finally, Nightmare Moon asks for my consent to take possession of the Princess, to curb her bloodlust. I... "
Twilight dropped her crown on the ground.
"I can't make such a call... According to Nightmare Moon, in both cases, Princess Luna is condemned, and I think... she's not wrong. The Elements of Harmony can't obliterate her pain over her sister's death. If we use them on her, she will end up as a statue. I can't see any other solution. But postponing a problem isn't solving it. What do I do? Do I let Nightmare Moon take over? What if she's playing me? What if she lied to me about everything?! What if she had told the truth?!!! And--" She was pulled out of her rantings by a claw on her side.
Spike was the most empathetic of the group when it came to Twilight's meltdowns. He gave Twilight a soft smile. "You'll know what to do, Twilight. You always do."
The bearers of the Elements approached Twilight to offer her a collective hug.
Applejack took off her hat and put it on Twilight's head before grabbing her by the waist and squeezing against her side. "It's not an easy task, but it's not impossible for somepony like you."
"She's right. And we're here if you need help," Rainbow Dash added.
"Or to make you smile again!" said Pinkie Pie.
"At any time, day or night," Rarity said.
Fluttershy didn't speak; her just being there spoke for her.
Spike looked at Sunset. "Aren't you coming to join the hug?"
"I'm not really the affectionate type in front of others," she replied.
Pinkie Pie gasped. She pulled a red cap out of her mane and screwed it on her head before turning it backward. "Pinkie Pie, Attack Cuddle!" she said with a deadpanned expression. Then, she chirped, "Pie!" She leapt onto Sunset, throwing her forelegs around Sunset's neck and nuzzling her cheek.
Sunset startled, but didn't fight back. She accepted Pinkie's affection with a smile. "Okay, okay. Maybe it's not so bad once in a while."
"Sunset appreciates the hug! The attack was very effective!" cheered Pinkie.
A general laughter echoed in the library. Observing Pinkie and Sunset, Twilight lent herself a moment of serenity. At a time like this, she was more happy than ever to have her friends at her side. She allowed herself a small, genuine smile. After all this time, when she had spent her days locked up in the library, hoping to find some way to find Princess Celestia or go after Pepper. After her life had just turned upside-down. Finally, tonight, she had hit rock bottom.
In the darkness in which she was drowning in revelations, her friends remained her guiding light.
Opening her eyes again, she looked back at her tiara. The star-shaped gem was shining again, or perhaps... the glow had never dulled. Only the doubt in her heart was behind that change. Despite everything she would endure, her friends would still give her the strength to smile. Friendship was still something magic. |
A Guardian's Hope | Chapter 7 | A few hours later, when the shift between the sun and the moon was about to happen, Sunset was north of Ponyville. She had slipped out of the library without making a sound, taking her saddlebags with her and a canteen full of water. All around her, nature was waking up, birdsong adding to the sound of the breeze. Sitting on the dew-covered grass, she formed a circle with some rocks collected along the way. She lit a campfire; As the flames devoured firewood,, she prepared a teapot and hung it above the fire. Waiting for the infusion to brew, she took out two tea cups in chiselled metal, each with a different design. On the first cup was carved the cutie mark of Sunset, while the second one was decorated with the cutie mark of Celestia. A few minutes later, after the sun was risen, she greeted the astral body with a bow and poured tea into both cups. She sniffed the mint tea and finally smiled. "Hello, Princess Celestia. I'm sorry I haven't had time to share a cup of tea lately. I've been a bit busy getting back to Equestria, but it seems you already knew I was on my way." She looked down, still with that peaceful smile on her face. "I'll take care of Twilight, Princess, I promise you." She looked up at the sun for a brief moment before staring at the teacups. "That said, I would rather have received this request in person. It's not like you couldn't have contacted me all this time. I don't understand you." She smiled briefly. "I couldn't understand you when I was your student either; some things don't change over time, it seems." She took her cup of tea, turned it twice clockwise before taking a sip, then twirled it again so that she could look at its decoration. She took a deep breath, exhaled heavily, then fought a tremor. She glanced at the metal parchment case that housed Princess Celestia's last letter. "Your last words. I cannot believe you are no longer with us." She glanced briefly at the sun. "Had I known, I would have come home much sooner. You tell us not to regret anything, yet, this is all I have left: memories and regrets." She performed the same ritual again before and after drinking the rest of her tea cup in one go with a smile on her face. "Yes, well, you've also left me somepony to look after. Somehow I feel more like this is your revenge. My punishment for not being a devoted student. I gladly accept this retribution. I will treat Twilight as my little sister, and I will watch over her according to your last wish." She refilled her cup of tea, then unscrewed the case to take out Celestia's last letter. As she glanced through the parchment, she sipped her tea, following the codes of the tea ceremony she had learned in Japony.
<My dear students,
When you read this letter, I won't be here anymore.
Several years ago, Bitter Truth, the oracle, came to me and explained what was going to happen today. Circumspect, I did not doubt his words. Year after year, they have come true. The return of my sister, the liberation of the spirit of chaos, the danger during my adopted niece's wedding, the resurgence of the tyrant. The rise of the Princess of Friendship. All that was left was the setting of the Princess of the Sun.
You probably think I should have told you about it, or warned you, but Bitter Truth told me what the future would look like if I didn't face that event. A thousand years ago, I could not prevent the banishment of my sister, blinded by my own pride. Today, I would not make the same mistake. I would do the right thing. I have lived more than a thousand years. Watching the kingdom of Equestria from my tower, I have seen it grow and prosper. The dream of Luna and I had become a reality. Generation after generation, I have met ponies who left their hoofprint in history--unicorns that I am proud to have had as students. I've had a complete and full life--maybe too full.
You will no doubt look for a culprit in this. If that is the case, I am the only one to blame. I was weak to prefer to disappear, rather than stand helplessly by and watch the prediction that was revealed to me unfold.
Keep this in mind: I am not dying; I am doing an altruistic act for the greater good. And as I have already said to a thick-headed mare, I, too, am just a mare like any others after all.
Warmest regards, your devoted mentor,
Princess Celestia.>
Sunset carefully put the mail in the case and closed it before using a third cup. With her gaze fixed on the symbol, she meditated on the contents of the letter. "If I had not heard Twilight say that this Pepper had set the sun, this letter would make me think that you are still alive. You give explanations, but that brings with it more questions." She had a nostalgic smile on her face. "That sounds like one of your lessons."
In a gust of wind, Rainbow Dash landed beside the unicorn. She watched the campfire before turning towards Sunset, stepping back and spreading her wings. "Sunset? Are you alright?"
Sunset was surprised by her sudden arrival and instinctively threw herself backwards towards her saddlebags. Out of habit, she never parted from her katana. She turned the blade she had partially drawn on her right, looking at Rainbow Dash, frowning, in an improvised defensive posture. When she realised there was no threat, she sheathed the blade, her expression softening. "Yes,you just surprised me. When you travel, you don't just make friends. Did I wake you up?"
"Oh no. I'm not the only one who gets up at the first minute of daytime. Applejack's off in her orchards, and Pinkie's up baking at Sugar Cube Corner," Rainbow Dash commented. "It's part of my daily training to become a Wonderbolt." She looked around. "When I saw the fire from the sky, I came to see what was going on. Am I disturbing you?"
Sunset bit her lower lip, smiling sheepishly. "No, it's just a morning ritual that started with my regret phase." She glanced at the pegasus. "Several months after being dismissed as Princess Celestia's pupil, one morning as she rose the sun, I greeted her. I started speaking to the sun as if she was there, as well as sending her boxes of tea anonymously. It must sound silly when you say it like that."
Rainbow sat down, crossing her forelegs. "Silly? Nah, no more than anypony talking in front of a relative's grave." She sighed. "Which is actually the case now," she added, looking at Canterlot in the distance.
"You're right.," Sunset admitted. "After the sun is risen, what's the next step in training to become a Wonderbolt?" she asked, changing the subject.
Rainbow Dash leapt into the air and began to glide. "I'm flying to Canterlot and having breakfast at Donut Joe's in--"
"Breakfast at Donut Joe's?!" Sunset's eyes lit up. "I'm in!" In a whirlwind, she pulled out a purse and tied it around her neck, tucked her things into one of the saddlebags, and put out the fire with the rest of the tea. "Just a quick stop at Twilight's house to put my saddlebags away and we're good to go!"
"I'll take care of it," Rainbow said, taking the saddlebags off her back. "Whoa! I feel like I'm carrying two basketfuls of apples"
"Almost the bare minimum for living on the road. Tent, blanket, survival kit. About twenty kilos. Think you can handle it?" Sunset asked.
"Even with this on my back, I can make the round trip in less than ten seconds," boasted the pegasus.
Sunset was amused, wanting to spice things up. "I bet you can't do it in less than five seconds. Loser buys breakfast."
"You're on!" Rainbow Dash was gone in a flash, so fast that she created another gust in her wake.
Smiling, the unicorn bent over to compensate for the sudden gust of wind that upset her balance. She concentrated, her magic granting her wings of flames. She rose high enough in the air to see Rainbow fly back at full speed. "It was a sucker's bet," she said, making sure the harness was properly secured so she wouldn't lose the katana.
"Are you kidding? I can totally do it! I'm going to practice until I get below the five-second mark," Rainbow Dash vowed.
Sunset rolled her eyes. "Well, shall we go? It's going to be a long flight to Canterlot."
Rainbow blinked several times before laughing. "Long?" She grabbed one of Sunset's hooves. "I don't think so."
Sunset suddenly grew apprehensive. "Rainbow? What are you doin'--?!" she shouted as she was forced into a flight that broke the sound barrier halfway through, creating a rainbow-colored ring that grew larger in the morning sky.
Rainbow carried her to the front door of Donut Joe's shop. When she turned around to look at Sunset, she fell to the ground, laughing. She held her ribs while pointing at Sunset's mane. It was ruined by the Sonic Rainboom, blown back straight like a head of flaming straw. "What the hay is with your hairdo?! If Rarity saw you like this, she'd faint." She took a deep breath, then straightened up on her hooves. "Let's head in. I'm starving."
Sunset shook her head, putting her mane back in place. "My stomach is still in Ponyville because of you. By the time we've ordered, it will have made the trip here," she said with a mischievous smile.
They entered the store. As Rainbow walked towards the counter, the smell of the morning doughnuts invigorated Sunset's memory. It was like going back in time. Nothing had changed. The chequerboard floor. The light blue and apple-green contoured counter behind which Joe took the orders. The round tables and their wooden stools. She joined Rainbow at the counter.
Joe watched in amazement and delight as Sunset approached. "If I hadn't been told you were back, Miss Shimmer, I'd think I saw a ghost."
Sunset looked at Rainbow, but the pegasus simply shook her head. "It wasn't me," she said, as astonished as Sunset was. They turned to Donut Joe.
Joe briefly looked at the entrance. "I heard it from a reliable source."
The pegasus that had just entered the shop moved closer to the counter. "But if it isn't Sunpest I see there... So, finally back from the lost maze, girl? It's about time you came home," she said with impertinent malice.
Rainbow reacted immediately, turning to defend her new friend. But as she was about to speak, she immediately took a step back.
Sunset put a hoof on her shoulder, giving her a warm smile. "Don't worry, it's all right," she whispered. She glanced at the interested party. "Yeah, I'm back. Why? Do you mind? Don't make a big fuss about nothing, Shitfire,"
Spitfire was out of her Wonderbolts uniform. She stood with defiance, looking stern. "Do I mind? Yes, it does bother me. Canterlot's daily life has been pretty quiet lately, but with you around, I have the feeling that it won't last long. So, be a good filly for once, and go back to where you came from," she ordered dryly.
Rainbow stood silent, not knowing what to think of the scene before her. She glanced at Donut Joe. The stallion was also watching, a discreet smirk on his face. She turned again to the two antagonists facing each other.
Sunset and Spitfire were facing each other like statues. It wasn't long before their lips twisted into a smile, and they shared a hoofshake that ended in a shoulder-to-shoulder slap.
"Wait--do you two know each other?" Rainbow asked, leaning forward with her wings spread.
"Yes." Sunset said, "Spitfire was a friend of mine when I was a student at the school for gifted unicorns."
Spitfire laughed. "You mean, the only one crazy enough to hang out with you back then. But let's talk about old times in a little bit. Joe, can you bring us our usual orders, please?"
"Right away, miss," Joe said.
The three of them settled down at a table. Sunset and Spitfire sat face-to-face. Rainbow sat on the side, so was fortunate to be sitting beside one of her idols.
Donut Joe brought three meal trays. For Spitfire and Rainbow, the tray contained a fruit salad, coffee, a glass of milk, and several slices of toast with two squares of butter and two individual jars of jam. For Sunset, a green tea, a bowl of oatmeal with blueberries accompanied by a pitcher of milk, and a whole avocado. When he saw Sunset's surprised expression , he smiled. "I memorised your breakfast. I hope you still like it. Ladies, enjoy your breakfast."
Sunset wanted to respond with the term she'd learned in Japan, but settled for a simple, "Thank you." She turned to the two pegasi. "Enjoy your meal too."
After some polite exchanges, Spitfire began, "So, what's the story of your little stroll?"
Sunset cut the avocado with the knife. "I wandered all over the world until I ended up in Japony. It was a nice place, so I settled down. New culture, a way of life so different from here. But being a gaijin isn't easy there, even if there are advantages to being a ronin," she thought aloud, watching her reflection in the knife. She realised Spitfire was looking at her oddly. "Gaijin means 'stranger', and a ronin is..." She was going to say samurai, but that would make it harder to understand. "...A warrior who serves no ruler. A mercenary, sort of. Over there, the country is divided into clans, each with its own chief--the correct term is daimyo--and its warriors, which are called samurai. In the beginning, it was easy for me to get a job in the sake parlours, making sure the customers didn't get drunk." When she finished dicing up the avocado, she saw that the two mares were lost again. "The local alcohol, made from fermented rice. After that, I was offered a job by a magistrate, who is the equivalent of a criminal investigator. That's when I started making enemies and being on the lookout for intruders," she said, looking at Rainbow.
Spitfire was amused by the second part of the story. "Sunset Shimmer, the royal meanie, now a representative of justice. If anypony but you had told me, I'd have laughed in their face."
Rainbow poured some of her milk into the coffee and mixed it with two sugars. "The... what?"
Spitfire turned to Rainbow. "Sunset Shimmer was the worst student at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Oh, of course, as a pupil of Princess Celestia, she behaved impeccably towards any authority figure. But as soon as there weren't any adults around, she became a completely different mare."
Sunset took the blame, but sought to defend herself. "You're exaggerating. I wasn't as much of a bully as you say I was. Okay, I admit that I had a shitty mentality at the time, but not that much. I was still a student of Princess Celestia, after all."
Spitfire had a laugh. "I think you're idealising your past, because, believe me, your name is still being mentioned at the school today. You've become an urban legend."
Rainbow stepped in, eager to know more. "But how did you two meet in the end?"
Sunset happily put aside the ongoing conversation to answer Rainbow. "At the time, this venom-spitting viper was looking for a unicorn to train in live combat. So when she went to see Princess Celestia, she naturally thought of me."
Rainbow turned to Spitfire again. "Real fight with a unicorn? What for?"
"The pony who desires peace prepares for war. And when you see what unicorns can do with their magic, you must be prepared to fight one of them at any moment," Spitfire explained.
"By the way, has that training paid off?" Sunset asked before eating a few spoonfuls of her oats.
"So-so." Spitfire set her cutlery aside and leaned over the table, chin in hoof, looking out the windows to the sky. "Soon after you left, I became Squadron Leader and Chief Instructor of New Recruits." She looked at Sunset and smiled impertinently. "I think it's fair to say it has been useful to my career."
The oats Sunset had gathered slipped from her spoon and fell back into the bowl. She put the spoon on the tray and took a sip of her tea. "Well, I suppose congratulations are in order."
"Don't bother. I'm too used to Sunpest. I might take it as sarcasm."
"Stop it, Spitfire. You were one of the few I was straight with," Sunset grunted.
"I admit as much." Spitfire looked lost in her memories, amused. "Do you remember the first year who kept following you around?" She wouldn't say their name, thinking Sunset forgot it. "You'd make her carry your things, send her shopping, whatever, and she'd ask for more, always ready to oblige. What was it she said when she talked about you? I don't remember," she pondered aloud.
Rainbow remained silent as she finished her meal, letting her friends talk about the good old days--even though it was hard to imagine that Sunset could have been as Spitfire described.
Sunset had to think for a moment to remember. "Yes, I know who you mean. That young unicorn with the light-blue coat and silver and blue mane, she was all over me back then. Trixie, I believe? She said I was the 'Great and Wonderful' Sunset."
You have better to suggest? Following everywhere is not better
Spitfire suddenly looked up at Sunset with an amused, nostalgic smile. "Yes, that's it, exactly!"
Rainbow spat out the coffee she was drinking. "You knew Trixie when she was young?!" she shouted.
"Uh... yes? Why? Do you know her?" Sunset asked warily.
"Are you kidding me? She's had Twilight in a rage since they first met! She even tried to use the Alicorn Amulet to defeat her in a magic duel and banish her from Ponyville!" Rainbow explained.
"After you left, she began to consider herself the most powerful student in the school. But nothing could be further from the truth. The episode with the artefact briefly made her more powerful than Princess Twilight. Back then, she was still a unicorn," Spitfire added.
Sunset had a vague recollection of the artefact bringing power to the wearer, but the wearer's spirit would become corrupted as it was used. "Is she all right now?" Sunset asked, worried about Trixie's fate.
"I don't know. I haven't seen her since we took the amulet from her. She left Ponyville shortly after. That was last year."
Sunset gave a quiet sigh of relief. "I see." She ate a spoonful of oatmeal before resuming, "I'm not proud of it, but it's all behind me. It was fifteen years ago. I'm not the same pony anymore. I'm not going to let the past stop me from moving forward."
The three mares resumed their meal in silence. Donut Joe approached the table to clean up the coffee that Rainbow had spit out moments earlier. After a stern look, he cracked a teasing smile. "Miss Dash, if the coffee isn't to your liking, just say the word. I'll brew a new pitcher to change yours."
Rainbow was embarrassed, rubbing her neck with a hoof. "No, it's not that. I just heard something huge about Sunset's past."
Joe hid a laugh behind a hoof. "Anypony who knew her would have a lot to say about Miss Shimmer. Even I'd have a few anecdotes to tell about her."
Sunset let her astonishment override her annoyance. "Even here? What have I done?"
"Didn't you ever notice that my dad had a new intern almost every week?" Joe asked.
"I don't remember," Sunset admitted after a period of reflection.
"You were a difficult client at the time, abusing your status as Princess Celestia's student. . Your unpleasant comments made the interns give up rather than put up with you for another day. In the end, my father pushed me to personally take care of your orders. I remember the difficulty I had in preparing a breakfast that you liked." He laughed nostalgically. "Those were good times. I don't know if I would've gotten my cutie mark without your fussy demands, but I had to be just as fussy to make my doughnuts."
Spitfire held back a laugh. "I remember the day you threatened to bring in a health inspector and shut the shop down if the intern of the day dared to ever serve you an avocado that wasn't freshly picked again. He looked so freaked out the rest of the day. Good thing it wasn't a pegasus, or it would have rained lightning bolts on your head once you left the shop."
With a story like that, Rainbow smiled up to her ears, which she could hardly hide behind her hooves.
Sunset remained silent, memories of the same sort streaming into her mind. She lost her appetite, putting her spoon down, her eyes screwed on her plate. When she felt Joe's hoof on her shoulder, she turned her gaze to him.
"Don't take this the wrong way, Miss Shimmer. I brought that up just because you don't seem to be the same. You haven't made a doughnut in your life." He smiled reassuringly. "When you eat a doughnut, the last bite ends behind the first. You're right back where you started, so to speak. Which you haven't done. I'm certain that if Princess Celestia hadn't disappeared, she'd be proud to see the mare you've become."
At the thought of Princess Celestia's disappearance, Rainbow and Spitfire lost their smiles and ended the meal. Sunset, who regained a slight smile, thought about the precept with interest. "'Don't live your life like a doughnut.' That's an interesting bistro philosophy you've got there, Joe."
"Sold two bits each, six days a week. Twenty bits by the dozen," joked Joe as he walked back behind the counter.
Breakfast now over, they paid the check and left the store. Spitfire turned back to Sunset and Rainbow. "If you don't have any plans, I'd like you to come with me. Shouldn't take more than an hour." With those few words, she flew off, climbing above the tallest house in the area. The two mares stared at each other, then flew into the skies after Spitfire.
"I'm beginning to think this meeting was planned," Sunset said as she flew to the left of the Wonderbolt, Rainbow on the other side.
"It was, more or less, but seeing you two together at Joe's is more luck than anything else. It's true we used to have breakfast there. And since Soarin made it the Wonderbolts' unofficial coffee shop, I was sure Rainbow Dash would be there. I thought I'd send her to get you."
"Unnecessary, since she literally dragged me to Joe's. Now that we're out of eavesdropping range, you wanna give us a briefing?"
Spitfire smirked. "As eager as ever, I see. Sunpest isn't as dead and buried as you'd like to think. Joking aside, the day after Princess Celestia disappeared, I found an envelope in my office. The letter contained instructions from Princess Celestia. That's how I knew you were coming back one of these days."
"I've got a pretty good idea who the delivery pony was," Sunset said between two flaps of her flaming wings
"Head to the Altostratus Zone," Spitfire said, ignoring the remark.
The three mares flew to the Wonderbolt Academy. While Sunset enchanted her hooves to be able to walk on clouds, Rainbow Dash watched the airstrip, remembering her stay that led her to becoming a Wonderbolt reservist. Behind the academy's administrative district was a restricted area. They arrived in front of a hangar that was guarded by a pegasus officer wearing an indigo blue shirt and cap. His gaze hidden behind tinted sunglasses, he greeted them as Spitfire guided them inside.
Spitfire sighed as she walked down an all-white corridor. "First of all, I want you to know that I was briefed yesterday afternoon by Princess Luna on the status of Princess Celestia. Therefore, in accordance with the letter, I am initiating what she called the project..." She stopped, sighed again, rolling her eyes before casting a reproving glance back. "... 'Like Every Wonderful Day.' No comments, you two," she ordered curtly.
It took two seconds for Sunset to understand and need to hide her laughing lips behind a hoof. Rainbow needed Sunset to share the secret hiding in the acronym to understand why Spitfire reacted the way she did. The ensuing uncontrollable laughter echoed in the hallway.
The leader of the Wonderbolts used a wing to hide her face, the contagious laughter making her smile in spite of herself. After regaining her composure, she made her way to the main hall. "She always had a knack for bringing a ray of sunshine to even the most serious topics of conversation. I will miss her witticisms." She put the hoof on a panel. The door turned to mist. She walked through and stopped at the entrance. "Girls, this is the old Sandmare Project."
Sunset and Rainbow entered the room. The former just sat next to Spitfire. The latter went over to the centre of the room, looking at two pegasus dummies of both genders. On both were prototypes of armour without protective plates.
Rainbow tilted her head towards Spitfire." What's this?"
"More specifically, what was Project Sandmare?" Sunset corrected.
Spitfire looked at them before wandering around the hangar, going from bench to bench, from schematics-covered countertops to those with metallurgical studies. "It started shortly after I became chief of the Wonderbolts. At the time, I was obsessed with an idea: What if somepony like Sunpest goes rogue and threatens the safety of Equestria?"
"Oh, so you were obsessed with me? Interesting," Sunset said with an impertinent smile.
Spitfire continued with a brief, knowing smile. "The worst thing about it is that I wasn't the only one in this case. Several high-ranking Wonderbolts were literally obsessed with the idea, day and night. In our dreams, there was a unicorn--sometimes a male, sometimes a female--sometimes a relative, sometimes a stranger--but always a unicorn who was going to be an unstoppable threat to us pegasi. So we started working on this project. In time, we found a metal that was impervious to magic. Only trouble was, it turned out that the samples of this metal came from meteorites. Soon after, the obsession evaporated. Dreams, ideas-- just poofed away overnight, as if a page had been turned without our knowledge."
Sunset wondered if Nightmare Moon had anything to do with this, but saw no point in pushing the enemy to do research to fight a unicorn or an alicorn. She kept that idea in the back of her mind for the time being.
"How many have you collected? How much armour could you make out of it?" Rainbow asked as she tried on the helmet, which was designed to follow the contours of the face without obstructing vision in any way.
Spitfire came over to adjust the helmet's fasteners. "A few ingots of pure metal there under the tarp," she said, jerking her head to a corner. "Not even enough to make a full suit of armour," she said as she tied the chinstrap, half-strangling Rainbow in the process.
Sunset went to see said metal. The tarpaulin moved to the side, she tried to use telekinesis on one of the ingots, but it proved to truly be impervious to magic manipulation. She took the time to study the metal. It was so black that it seemed to absorb the light itself. She put the ingot down and put the tarp back on. Without too much difficulty, she found a study report on the metal. "Given its density, if one made an armour with such metal, it would drastically reduce the speed of the wearer."
"This is the major concern.Was metallurgy before or after 'Sunpest, the righter of wrongs'?" Spitfire asked as Rainbow put her hooves in the solerets.
"Afterwards. When I first started there, I used a regular sword. But the more I learned about this country, the more I appreciated their customs and habits. I worked to accumulate favours with a clan until I could express the wish to make one for myself. To buy a blade, anypony can do that. But a katana is to brandish my honour, to show what metal I'm made of. At least that's how it's perceived over there in Japony."
Rainbow was both lost and fascinated by what Sunset said, but a physical sensation perturbed her more.She looked at the solerets in more detail, intrigued. "Is it just me, or am I taller?"
Spitfire smiled at Sunset's words, then turned to Rainbow. "Rear up and crush the front hooves as you fall back."
Rainbow obeyed without blinking, and, in doing so, activated an internal mechanism that released manticore-like claws. "Whoa, cool!" She looked at them for a moment. "It'd be, like, twenty percent cooler if we could use them to manipulate objects."
Sunset dropped the study notebook and came closer to see the fitting of the armature. She used magic to put the rest of Rainbow's body and wings through it. "You look like one of those half-pegasus, half-metallic creatures from those science fiction stories," she commented before turning to Spitfire. "So, what's the project all about?"
"I have to finish Project Sandmare. Make this armour capable of facing a unicorn and put it into action. Any ideas?" asked Spitfire.
"It's been a long time, but what have you learned from our training?" Sunset replied.
"Even with the best mobility, whenever you used telekinesis to immobilise me, it was my defeat." She turned to Rainbow. "Any ideas, Dash?"
Rainbow wanted to bring her hoof to her lips, the prototype's claws pricking her nose in the process. "Ouch!"
"To retract those claws, you have to click your heels together," Spitfire said.
One heel-slap later, Rainbow tried to find a memory of a one-on-one fight with a unicorn. But nothing came to her. "Not really. The one time there was a fight with a unicorn, I kicked her in the neck, but Twilight and Applejack were distracting her." She sighed. "It was Pepper."
Spitfire put a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. "I've read the report. Dash, you couldn't have known what she had in mind." When she saw that she failed to cheer Rainbow up, she turned to Sunset.
Sunset looked up at the sky and smiled. "Hey, Rainbow. I forgot--what's the name of the project again?"
Rainbow looked up at Sunset. Though caught off guard, she laughed unwillingly. "All right, all right, I'll keep smiling. Anyway, what about the armour?"
"The armour will always cause you to lose speed. We must reconsider the concept if we try to make a lamellar armour like that of the Royal Guards. Their armour is made of iron, which wouldn't allow a pegasus to lift off. No, it would be better to make something like chain mail, or an equivalent like a kikko. The meteor metal would be underneath the armour and block telekinesis, so the wearer could concentrate on flying around to dodge enemy attacks."
"Kikko?" Spitfire asked.
"Imagine lots of hexagonal metal plates no larger than... a square of four stamps, all sewn together over the entire surface of a thick, cloth suit," Sunset explained.
"To the extent that we're talking about creating a virtual anti-telekinesis bubble, we could remove the cloth outfit and weld these plates together inside a complete cloudichalcum armour," Spitfire proposed.
"Cloudichalcum?" Rainbow asked.
"Light as a cloud, stronger than the best steel. It is the metal used for the princesses' regalia. The only one that can withstand their power without ever being damaged," Spitfire explained. "Sometimes I find it hard to believe that princesses have been wearing the same regalia for a thousand years. Yet, it just goes to show how much metal has survived the centuries without a scratch," she added in a whisper.
"So we're talking about making armour like the princesses'? Cool!"
Sunset had an amused smile. "Technically, even better than princesses'." She gave herself a moment to think aloud. "Tests will have to be conducted. The main concern would be to determine exactly how thick the plates must be to make the Wonderbolt wearing the armour impervious to telekinesis."
"She," Spitfire said. "Dash joined the active team yesterday. It remains to be seen which one will be ready first: the armour or the soldier," Spitfire thoughtfully said.
"Wait, what?! Me?!" Rainbow asked, taken aback.
"Yes, you, Rainbow Dash. Why do you think you're here?" Spitfire said.
Rainbow was frozen in awe. She couldn't believe it; her dream was coming true. She was no longer a reservist; she was now a real Wonderbolt. She had imagined that, when this moment came, she would smile up to her ears, crying in joy, taking off into a Sonic Rainboom. Yet, somehow, she felt crumpled. And as Spitfire went into detail, one question nagged at her mind . "I became a Wonderbolt, yes--but at what cost?"
A few hours after moonrise, Nightmare Moon had just left the tunnel and was now treading the rocky ground of the Badlands. The Princess of the Night was still in her simplest attire. A step behind her was Swift. They walked with an accelerated pace through the greatest of silences.
Swift followed the order and his Queen with the utmost respect. The bat pony's armour was shining. Since he had been placed under the direct orders of Major Antares, the latter left nothing unchecked, reviewing him at every opportunity to make sure that he would not embarrass her in the presence of the Queen. Despite this treatment, he had a discreet smile that tried to reach her ears.
Nightmare Moon looked over her shoulder at the hills behind them, then turned back towards Swift, intrigued by the smile he could not repress. "May I ask what makes you smile like that, Private Swift Chess?"
Swift laughed briefly. "I apologise for the misbehaviour, my Queen, but the look on Cute Bite's face when you ordered me to leave my weapon at the camp... I thought her eyes would pop out of their sockets."
"I see. Did you ever think of telling her the truth about her sister--the late Lieutenant Antares?" Nightmare Moon asked curiously.
His smile became faint, but remained present. "My Queen, if you knew Cute Bite like I do, you'd know that even if you told her this yourself, stubborn as she is, she would refuse to believe it. Cute Bite is a dreamer. She looks at Your Night and sees there the two mares that she esteems more than anything else, to the point of putting them each on a pedestal. Her sister, at your side. Two eternal constellations in her filly heart. You, our majestic Queen, and Antares, your devoted warrior."
Nightmare Moon thought it over for a moment. "Perhaps I should do something about that. Luna didn't care much for that at the time. She preferred to plunge into creating the Tantabus rather than worry about picking up where I left off, taking my reign for granted."
Swift was already imagining the look on Cute Bite's face and the endless stream of tears that would follow. "Whatever you have in mind, I believe Cute Bite would be touched by this gesture." A thought raced through his mind. "My Queen, if I may ask you this question--no doubt indiscreet--where does this sudden urge to tell her the truth come from?"
Nightmare Moon gave a side glance at her subordinate before looking ahead of her again. "I had a conversation with Twilight Sparkle. And..." She stopped, drawn by the sudden sound of hooves fighting to remain steady. When she looked at Swift again, he was pale. "Is it that shocking?"
The bat pony blinked. "No, my Queen. I've just realised something. You can never, never, never talk about Princess Sparkle in the presence of Cute Bite. Worse still, under no circumstances must they meet," he said in a firm tone.
Faced with the seriousness of Swift, Nightmare Moon resumed her walk, pensive. It was easy to ask why, but she preferred to think for herself at first. Her deduction led her to an obvious conclusion. "More than those who held the blades that killed her, does she hold Twilight Sparkle solely responsible for her sister's death?"
He joined her side. "Yes. If you're looking for an excuse to start a war between the Moon and Equestria, order her to assassinate the princess. She will be glad to do it, but she will be far from discreet," he said before continuing, his ears drooping, his face low. "She becomes unrecognisable as soon as that name is uttered. Even I find it hard to get her to come back from those moments."
"I've never known the proper punishment for these opportunists. Since I've been back, they rot in jail, waiting for me to find something appropriate for their treason. An execution would be too sweet as a death."
Swift tried to figure out where this conversation was leading. He could see that his hoofsteps were leading him to the changeling hive, but the discussion revolved around Cute Bite and Antares. "My Queen, is there something you wanted to tell me? I can see this is the kind of thing you can't say to everypony, so if you have something to share, just say it. It's not my first secret."
Nightmare Moon stopped to look at the moon. "Swift, this conversation has no real purpose; think of it as a confidence between a Queen and her royal assassin. You may not be trained to kill, but you're the best substitute I've got at my disposal."
Swift sat with his back to the moon beside the alicorn, watching over her safety-- though he knew it was useless. "So, I'm just a confidant? As long as I don't have to kill anypony, I think I can do the job, my Queen."
"Now that the ban is lifted, there will be no need for a royal assassin. Antares was the last, and she didn't have to fight me. Even without it, I caused her death," said the thousand-year-old mare, sincerely affected by the death. "I want you to know, like all the royal assassins who were also my confidants before you, the real reason for their presence by my side through the centuries. They watched over me like a hawk. On the day my banishment ended, Antares had orders to watch over my return. In case I was banished again, her orders were to control me, and, in the worst case, to kill me. Anything to prevent a second bloodbath. That is why I have had an assassin at my side for a thousand years. To take my life if I ever again become the senseless monster who decimated Luna's bloodline when her father tried to control me. I was unable to control the rage that overwhelmed me then." She sighed, amused. "Time is a wonderful thing. Whoever you were, whatever you did--in the end, there is nothing left. Luna has been forgotten by Equestria, at best the unknown protagonist of a fable. Just like how my becoming Queen of the Moon has been sublimated."
"Didn't you fight to unite the major bloodlines under your ruling?"
"It wasn't a fight, but a slaughter. Back then, my adoptive father--an opportunist who was the current Primogen of his bloodline--used me as a leverage to claim leadership over all the Primogen so he could rule Broncoliande. After my banishment, he ordered me to calm down. At that very moment, we both realised that I was no longer a child afraid of father's wrath. After cleansing what is now my palace, I walked out, and saw that the other Primogen were there. And they knew that none of them could defeat an alicorn. Then, the Major's ancestor approached, removing the symbol of his status as Primogen of his bloodline and surrendered it to me. A sign of submission. And the others followed his gesture."
"I find it hard to believe that it wasn't my ancestor who first submitted to you. Seriously, it was the best move to make to get into the future Moon Queen's good graces, don't you think?" Swift joked.
"He was one of the last to make sure the idea was a good one." She turned her eyes to Swift. "You're taking the revelation rather well."
"Humour is my defence mechanism. If I wasn't wearing this armour, you could see the goosebumps on my back. Besides, that was a thousand years ago; you've changed, otherwise why else would you have turned the Cute Bite bloodline into bat ponies to look after you? If you ask me, over time, the royal assassin was an excuse to be a friend--the only friend the mare behind the queen's mask could afford to have."
"Inasmuch as I was not banished a second time, it will remain just a theory."
One detail didn't fit the story Nightmare Moon had just amended. "My Queen, if all the Primogen did not dare to fight you as one bat pony, and if your own father and the rest of your lineage was not an opposition worthy of your power, how could Antares alone have won against you? Or, if the necessity was there, kill you? Moreover, she did not have the advantage of surprise."
"Perceptive," Nightmare Moon said with a smirk. "That's the question I've always asked myself with increasing anxiety as the centuries have passed. And since I couldn't get any research done on the Moon, I employed Celestia's lackeys to answer the question. As Equestria finally had the necessary scientific level in the last decades, I manipulated a few pegasi in key positions with post-hypnotic suggestions through their dreams. They eventually found that a certain type of meteoric metal was capable of rendering magic ineffective. So I forwarded plans to an armourer, who was killed by Antares once the order was complete. I couldn't allow him to divulge this to anypony."
Two points connected in Swift's mind. "I understand better now why she had to kill that bat pony. It explains a lot. But even knowing all this, I think Cute Bite would refuse to believe that her idol was a royal assassin. But if you think about it, defeating Celestia, or murdering her--it's almost the same thing. Moreover, what would be the point?"
"You're going to let her base all her decisions on a lie?"
"My Queen, I promised Antares I'd watch over Cute Bite. No matter what choices she makes in life, her safety is all I care about. And that's no lie. Antares was your lieutenant--arguably the most loyal of all--willing to lay down her life to defend your legitimacy. Whereas others sought to clear Princess Luna's path to the throne, or even kill you, since that was your order." He gritted his teeth. "I won't have anypony pretend this was all an act. No one!" he shouted, tears in his eyes as he stared into the distance.
Nightmare Moon could not prove him wrong. Like all assassins before her, Antares had been most loyal to her. "This conversation is over. Go back to camp. End the night as you see fit--within reason. I will endorse your choice when I return."
Swift regained his composure, chasing away tears with the thumbs of his wings. Before turning before the alicorn, he curtsied, wings spread. "Sweet night to you, my queen," he said, before turning north.
Nightmare Moon went in the opposite direction, sinking deeper into the Badlands. As she arrived at the entrance to the beehive tunnel, she could see Chrysalis sitting there, stargazing.
She turned her gaze when the sound of the hooves caught her attention. "You finally showed up. You got lost on the way? Oh, joking aside, how's the coup d'etat going?"
Nightmare Moon took her place at a reasonable distance from the Queen of the Changelings. "Believe it or not, Luna revealed my presence to Twilight right after talking about Celestia's death, which made my approach to her much easier afterwards. I don't want to rush anything, so I'm giving her time to think. I'm trying to make sure I'm seen not as the monster, but as a princess, no less than Celestia."
Chrysalis gauged the Moon Mare. "You ooze jealousy from every pore, my sweetness. Was it hard not to kill Twilight on sight?"
Nightmare Moon ignored the taunt. "It pains me to say this, but I need her alive. If I killed her, it would do me a disservice. Even if I admit it, the urge is there. I must turn a blind eye to this urge because my desire to rule Equestria is stronger than any other."
Chrysalis was amused by this. "Even stronger than hanging around my daughter's dreams? I'm reassured; I doubt it's in good taste for an old fossil like you to hang around a child like Aglowing Shell." She thought for a moment. "Even though, considering what Celestia has achieved, perhaps you'd be quite capable to turn my daughter into an alicorn. That would make you her equal, no less," Chrysalis mocked.
Nightmare Moon frowned, but ignored the taunt. She continued in the same tone, "About your daughter, I have been thinking. It would probably be best if she knew the truth about me. As Sparkle said, a friendship cannot be based on a lie."
Chrysalis' surprise soon gave way to a wicked smile. "Hold on, butterfly. You--the one who dreams of being Celestia's equal, who dreams of killing Twilight--went to the Princess of Friendship for advice on your little moral problems with my daughter?" She laughed a thunderous laughter that could be heard all the way to Canterlot.
Nightmare Moon couldn't ignore the taunt this time. As angry as her coat, she used her magic to grab Chrysalis by the throat, and, with all her might, pressed her against the nearest wall. "Yes! So what?!" she shouted in her face.
Chrysalis hiccuped in shock. Despite the pain, she kept smiling as she looked Nightmare Moon straight in the eye--while also waving at Chitin lurking in the shadow of the tunnel to stay back. "All that pent-up anger. That age-old jealousy. Will I ever have the pleasure of tasting it, my darkness?"
Nightmare Moon turned her gaze to Chitin, whose luminescent blue eyes cut into the darkness of the tunnel. She released Chrysalis with an irritated grunt before looking at her again. "Then will you officially introduce me to your daughter?"
Chrysalis considered the idea for a moment, gazing up at the stars, then snapped her tongue and teeth. Chitin started to run, the sound of their gallop getting lost in the tunnel. "Follow me."
Nightmare Moon had a moment's apprehension. She certainly wanted the child to know the truth, but didn't want to lose the only innocent soul in this world who cared about her at all. Yet, Nightmare Moon had to stick with her decision. If she didn't, she would make a fool of herself.
The two mares advanced through the maze of tunnels to reach the hive, with Chrysalis leading Nightmare Moon on a different, more convoluted path than the one Chitin had taken. She was taking several corridors, going through the maze they built to disorient intruders. Soon, they reached the northern section of the hive, which served merely to be a decoy. Nightmare Moon followed Chrysalis in nervous silence. After a long walk and many intersections, they arrived in an empty room lit by some large cocoons from which greenish light emanated.
Aglowing stood there, waiting as Chitin had asked her to. When she saw her mother, she rushed towards her, but stopped when she saw the alicorn following her.
Chrysalis reassured her with a cheek-to-cheek caress. "Aglowing, my love, I'd like to introduce you to someone who would like to talk to you."
Aglowing looked at Nightmare Moon with childish curiosity. "I know her!" she chirped proudly.
The two queens were surprised by the child's sudden assertion, glancing at each other. . "Really?" asked Chrysalis.
"Yes!" she said. "All black, all tall! She's Sweet Dreams' queen!"
It was the moment of truth. Reluctantly, Nightmare Moon took a deep breath. "I am Sweet Dreams, Aglowing Shell."
"Wrong! Sweet Dreams is a drone. You're tall and beautiful like my mother. You can't be her," the child argued.
Chrysalis remained silent. She stood by her child's side, offering a reassuring smile when their eyes met.
This situation could have lasted an eternity. Thinking that a picture was worth a thousand words, Nightmare Moon took on the appearance of a little blackback changeling drone.
"Sweet Dreams! So it was really you? I didn't recognize you!" She moved to greet her, but her mother stopped her. With a few sounds, she asked her to listen to what their guest had to say.
Nightmare Moon didn't dare to look the child in the eyes anymore, for fear of reading a feeling of betrayal, anger, or hatred. "I assure you, it's me. However, Sweet Dreams is a fake name. I didn't want you to know who I really am. For the past three months, I've been watching over you without you knowing it. I've been sneaking into your dreams to chase away the nightmares you're having because of me." She took a breath to find the strength to carry on. "I am Nightmare Moon, Queen of the Bat ponies, Princess of the Night, and I'm the one who attacked your mother's hive. It's my fault that so many changelings died."
There was silence in the room, soon broken by sobs and little hiccups. Aglowing Shell couldn't accept what she had just heard. The one she was beginning to appreciate a little more with each dawn was also the one that had caused the present desolation of the hive? Her little heart was pounding, tears clouding her sulphur and emerald eyes. All her senses were racing; she was losing her grip on reality, her horn crackling with energy. Fortunately, Chrysalis came to the rescue of her child, sharing her pain, offering her a cheek to cry upon.
Nightmare Moon was uncomfortable with this spectacle. She, who wished to be Celestia's equal--who was adored by her subjects and enjoyed her sun-- was far from achieving such results. "No doubt this was the lot of those who shed blood to achieve their ends," she thought. She sighed, accepting this fatality. "I regret my actions. I know there are no words that can erase what I have done. I pray to the stars of the Night that you may hate me as little as possible. I shouldn't have approached you; it was a mistake on my part. I wish you a long and happy life, Aglowing Shell. I'm sorry." She would have liked to leave the room with the royalness that was hers, but she felt so miserable that she preferred to take the primary form of the Tantabus. Without a word, the little cloud of starry dark matter left the room.
Chrysalis pondered the consequences of the predictable outcome of this encounter. Two options were open to her. Time was running out. She had to get straight to the point. So, she started talking to her daughter in their native language. It took a long time before the child looked her mother in the eye and finally answered her. The queen looked at her daughter and resumed a short monologue that calmed the child and made her pensive before answering. Chrysalis looked into the child's eyes and asked her a question before offering her a soft and tender maternal kiss to give her strength. Then, she highlighted a fact that surprised the child, who then looked at the door through which Nightmare Moon had fled before looking at her mother, hesitant. A few clicks were enough to overcome this hesitation. Aglowing ran away in pursuit of Nightmare Moon. Left alone, Chrysalis clicked her tongue. A few seconds later, Chitin appeared.
"My Queen?" the warrior replied.
"If anything should ever happen to me, for the sake of my daughter, I want you to put your hatred aside and take my daughter to Nightmare Moon and ask for her protection," Chrysalis answered with a few clicks.
"I am devoted to you, my Queen. This order I would perform selflessly, but may you help me to understand why Nightmare Moon in particular?"
Chrysalis had an amused smile. "At first glance, everything suggests that Nightmare Moon would be the worst choice to seek protection after what she did to my hive. But if this irretrievable egomaniac as old as Equestria is capable of putting aside her resentment and pride to ask the filly who put her in her place for advice, I'm willing to bet my life that she will protect my daughter as if she were the most beautiful and precious star of Her night. In return, my daughter will feed off this friendship and become a powerful successor I can be proud of as I watch her from above."
Chitin found nothing to add to that. A noise in the distance intrigued the warrior. "Is that the thunder I hear?"
Nightmare Moon had just arrived at the entrance of the tunnel. Without realising it, shehad unleashed a torrential rain on the Badlands. She recomposed herself, the rain stopping as she calmed down. She set off north, devastated.
"Sweet Dreams!" Aglowing Shell cried out in anguish, her voice distant.
Nightmare Moon paused. Part of her wanted to answer this call, but, deep down, she was afraid to hear what Aglowing had to say. She preferred to turn a deaf ear and continue on her way.
"Sweet Dreams, please wait for me," the child begged.
Nightmare Moon was tempted to do so, but denied herself the hope of a happy ending.
Aglowing could see that she was getting nowhere. Although she was running as fast as she could, she could see that she was falling behind. In panic, in tears, she tried to think of anything that could make herself heard. Suddenly, she remembered something Pepper said. With her mind working as fast as her little hooves, she finally found something to please her ear. "Moony!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.
Nightmare Moon froze, her pride stung by the diminutive--and, at the same time, unable to ignore the child's calls any longer. She regained her physical appearance, but sat with her back to the child, wings spread. She turned her head to look at the little changeling with an angry eye. "My name is Nightmare Moon," she said with a growl.
Aglowing Shell stopped dead in her tracks, skating a little on the clay soil. "I know, but you weren't answering my calls. Then I remembered something Pepper said. She said she gives a nickname to those she likes, so since Nightmare Moon's too long, I thought... Moony would be a good way to say I like you."
Nightmare Moon was stung by her words. Yet she remained impassive. "How could you still like me now that you know what I've done, little queen," the alicorn said with an icy tone.
"Mother told me, after you left, that we are the changelings. We are the swarm. We adapt, whatever happens. We do not forget the past, but we do not remain chained to it. Yeah, what you did to my hive is ugly. Yes, you lied to me. But you decided to be honest instead of keep lying to me. Pepper said, 'Honesty in words, Loyalty in decisions. Those are criteria for a true friend.' Mother said you gave me all these dreams to keep me smiling. 'Laughter on the lips' is another criteria."
Nightmare Moon was speechless in the face of this. As she listened to the little changeling, she thought back to the time when Celestia and Luna discovered the elements of harmony. Celestia possessed kindness, generosity, and magic. Luna had honesty, loyalty, and laughter. It gave her a strange feeling to hear a child claim that Nightmare Moon represented these same three elements--she, who was the embodiment of all of Luna's darkness.
Faced with this silence, the young hybrid continued, "Then she said, if I don't catch you, I'll lose you forever." Tears clouded her vision. "And I don't want to lose my friend, Moony. So please don't go. I don't care how weak you are,. I like you just the way you are."
"I'm not weak," Nightmare Moon slammed coldly as she glared at the child.
"Mother says you're just a weakling to apologise, but it's okay. I like you anyway," Aglowing said shyly.
In keeping with Nightmare Moon's mood, lightning struck the highest mounds of the badlands, frightening the little changeling. The alicorn calmed down and forced the clouds to turn white by her will alone. She approached with a majestic step, lowering her wings to the height of her flanks, offered a cheek-to-cheek caress to Aglowing. "I have to go and have a word with your mother. As for the rest,--I told you I'm never far away." With those words, she began to walk towards the hive. That's when she saw Chitin and Chrysalis--the latter waving her hoof, mocking her. "Chry-sa-liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis!" Nightmare Moon shouted, charging towards her.
Aglowing was left behind, but Chitin came to offer her a foreleg to nestle against. She looked up at the sky. The two queens were shooting at each other, offering green and blue tints to the clouds. "What are they doing?" Aglowing asked.
Chitin watched the duel for a moment as they returned to the tunnel. "They're showing feelings for each other that might somehow be considered friendly, in a way that's acceptable to us monsters," the warrior explained. As the changeling carried the child into the lightless tunnels, her horn crackled briefly with yellow and green energy, the sound of the cracklings reverberating in the tunnels. |
A Guardian's Hope | Chapter 8 | The unicorn was approaching Ponyville after months of wandering away from Equestria. They had passed through Everfree Forest to pick their favourite treat, a Zapapple apple. They were not afraid of the dangers of this forest; thanks to their ability, creatures such as Timberwolfs were not a danger to them.
The unicorn was arriving southeast of the city, so they passed in front of Fluttershy's cottage. Finishing their apple with one last bite and throwing the core over the shoulder, they approached to see if the animal caretaker was there. A pegasus was there, surrounded by her animals: Harry the bear, Angel the rabbit, Elizabeak the hen, birds, snakes, beavers and many others. all of them were there to comfort her, to try to make her smile again, in vain. She had lost so much that her heart was broken. That pegasus that was there was no longer Fluttershy.
The unicorn was disconcerted, and called the pegasus. Fluttershy timidly looked up and crossed eyes only to lower them immediately. The unicorn asked a question that was never answered, as the pegasus turned her head away, shoulders lowered. Angel laid his paws on one of her hooves, to help her overcome her growing sadness. The pegasus gently took him to seek comfort, and all the animals joined the embrace to try to help her overcome the flood of tears that were now rolling over Fluttershy's cheeks. The pegasus had no reason to leave her cottage after all.
The unicorn was troubled, so they knew they would not get more information. Their thoughts were racing faster than their hooves as they galloped toward Ponyville. They expected the worst, but nothing could prepare them for what had become of the small country town. Admittedly it seemed the same in the main lines, but the small details were not misleading. The joy of living was practically absent from the general atmosphere. The guards operating in the city wore armour similar to that of the bat ponies, decorated in shades of purple and blue. Even the statue of the fountain was replaced to glorify the reign of Nightmare Moon. No, it wasn't Nightmare Moon who was the model for this statue. It was Luna standing there, transfigured as she was consumed by her anger, a new Nightmare, and it was easy to understand for those who could support the look, that this monster was overshadowing her predecessor.
The unicorn was disturbed. They galloped faster, attracting the attention of the guards, but they didn't care. Soon they arrived at the library. But when they rushed in, only Spike was there, surprised to see this unicorn. Again they asked this simple question. Spike's reaction was almost the same as Fluttershy's, with his index finger he pointed in a vague direction and answered.
The unicorn was incredulous. They could not believe what they had just heard, and short of breath, they resumed their journey. Following the dragon's instructions, they left the city and arrived at the top of a small hill overlooking the Great Plain. It was one of the names given to the cemetery, the one at the foot of the mountain on which Canterlot was built.
The unicorn was scared. They refused to believe what they had heard. Yet there they were, walking down the aisles. They arrived in a special section dedicated to the illustrious personalities of Equestria. They did not want to enter it at first, but their heart was crying out for them to go and see. Step by step, they dragged themself, forced themself, and step by step, they approached the stele. But they could not take their eyes from their hooves, shaking, their whole bodies traversed by a terror that they had never felt before.
The unicorn looked up, with great effort. At the simple sight of the Cutie Mark engraved on the stele, everything broke inside them, tears came to their eyes.
In a jolt, Bitter Truth straightened up on his forelegs, waking up in tears with a short breath, he carried the hoof around his neck to reassure himself that he was awake. He exhaled, driving away his melancholy, and for a moment this sinister vision of his mind. He removed a ceramic mask that covered the upper part of his face, on which was carved loose webbing worked into a pattern around a central hole this enchantment seemed to be there to prevent any oniric intrusion. He was satisfied that the enchantment of the mask was effective enough to first prevent Luna, then Nightmare Moon from perceiving and learning about his recurring nightmares. It was thanks to Princess Celestia that he was able to create such an object. She, who had to protect herself from her sister's pranks before she gave in to her jealousy and became Nightmare Moon. However, the satisfaction was short-lived, the vision of this tomb haunted him more and more every day. Even if the present time was different from the vision in his nightmare, he couldn't get over the vision of his friend's death.
The unicorn cried once again.
Two hours later, at Sweet Apple Acres:
"Are you telling me that Rainbow is finally a Wonderbolt as of yesterday morning, sugarcube?" asked Applejack incredulously after bucking one of the countless apple trees with hind legs to fill fruit baskets all around.
"Yes." Sunset said before trying to kick another tree to fill the harvest baskets as well. "Why? You make it sound like I told a lie."
"Oh, no, no, no, no, no, sugarcube, you're telling the truth, I'm not saying the opposite, just..." the mare briefly rubbed her neck to chase away a discomfort. "... It's weird to find that out the next day. Rainbow is not a slacker when it comes to bragging, I thought the day it happened, she'd go talk to everypony the very next minute after finding out. She'd be making Rainbooms all day long, but now I hear it from you a day after, it just feels too weird."
Sunset thought back to the day before. "Probably she takes the project so seriously, that she'd rather be training."
"A project? What project?" Applejack asked.
"Through a letter, Princess Celestia asked Spitfire to complete an older project so that a Wonderbolt could wear the armour involved on said project, and become a guardian of harmony. And since Rainbow Dash was a reservist, having helped save Equestria several times, and is the only one who can break the sound barrier, Spitfire didn't have to look very far to find the one she needed."
"So Rainbow is going to become a special kind of Wonderbolt?"
"It will be a special unit of the Wonderbolts under Spitfire's orders, but she will have no wing pony, on the event that a menace threatens Equestria's safety, as Rainbow must be able to join Twilight without having to leave the copilot behind."
"About that, how's Twilight?"
Sunset looked away, biting her lip before screwing up her face. She let her anger run free and ran to another tree, hitting it with a flying kick to make apples fall into the basket. "She just needs time. Spike makes sure she eats, and once she passes the stage of depression, she should be fine."
"The stage of depression? What are you talking about, sugarcube?"
"Bereavement following a death is divided into five stages. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The time between it's stages varies from one pony to another. After her meeting with Princess Luna, Twilight came to meet me as if nothing had happened. She was clearly in denial that it had happened, or that she wanted to talk about it when we were all there. In the bedroom, when Rainbow couldn't believe Pepper had killed Celestia, Twilight exploded with anger. Since Pepper is now dead, taking for granted that Chrysalis wasn't lying, that is, and assuming Nightmare Moon was telling the truth, there's no way to negotiate bringing Princess Celestia back. This has led Twilight straight to where she is now, depression. I would probably be in the same state if I hadn't been kicked out fifteen years ago." she added distractedly.
"That's a lot of words to say she's having a hard time."
Sunset smiled briefly. "Yes."
"Applejack! Sunset! Hello," Pinkie shouted from afar as she joyfully leapt towards them.
"Hello Pinkie Pie," chirped the farmpony and unicorn. "What brings you here so early?" Applejack asked.
"Well, Rarity came to the shop to take her daily order of cupcakes for tea time and she told me that Rainbow Dash was officially a Wonderbolt so I was wondering if you still had a jar of Zapapple jam to celebrate the event with a cake."
"Wait a minute sugarcube, since when does Rarity know about that?"
Sunset stepped forward. "I told her yesterday afternoon after I left Rainbow with Spitfire at the Wonderbolt Academy, since I had promised to visit her. Between my kimono and this announcement, she had several ideas and started a couple sketches of a new concept for her next few dresses."
"Oh." Applejack adjusted her hat. "I forgot about your promise, sugarcube." She turned to the earth pony with a light pink coat. "It's true that we keep a few jars for special occasions. I suppose we can open one this time."
"That would be great." Pinkie shouted, rearing up on her hind hooves to flail around her forelegs.
Sunset looked around for a brief moment before returning her gaze to Applejack. "I was wondering, considering you're the element of Honesty and all...about Pepper, didn't you see anything coming? I mean, did she ever say anything that seemed strange to you?"
"As I said two days ago, she was mostly hanging out with Rainbow." she pointed out. She tried to remember how little she had come to know about her. "From the first moment I saw her, she always seemed especially nervous, being all shifty-eyed and such."
"Oh, yes! Like the time when Princess Celestia came to be released from prison, Pepper never turned her back on her, she walked backwards until she was out of the room," Pinkie Pie added.
"And that didn't seem strange to you?"
"Well, Princess Celestia told us that everything would be fine, that Princess Luna would find the words to calm her down, and then asked Rainbow to help Pepper get used to life in Equestria."
"Why Rainbow specifically? Shouldn't this have been entrusted to Twilight instead? She was already the Princess of Friendship, wasn't she?"
Applejack and Pinkie looked at each other before the pink-haired mare turned around to Sunset, lifting a hoof to answer the question with a big smile. "Oh, Oh, I know! You see, after she left the room, Fluttershy said that Pepper reminded her of an injured animal that would refuse to be treated by anypony who tried to approach her, so Princess Celestia gave Rainbow the task of gaining her trust, as the element of Loyalty."
"Twilight told me that Pepper seemed singular, but not malevolent, but now you're not going to tell me that there was nothing to worry about this human?" Sunset asked.
"Listen Sunset, Pepper was already with Rainbow Dash the whole afternoon and Princess Luna during the night. What more could we do? Monitor every single one of her actions?"
"Oh! Oh! Oh!" Pinkie took a deep breath. "You mean like when Twilight received a visit from her future self to warn her of a disaster without having time to say exactly what and as a result present Twilight began to monitor absolutely everything in Equestria to the point of almost not sleeping all week and that we ended up by breaking into Canterlot's archives in Starswirl the Bearded's room to grab a time spell and that in the end there was no disaster the Twilight of the future which was therefore the Twilight of the present left to tell the Twilight of the past that there was nothing to worry about?" she exposited in one breath.
It took Sunset a few seconds to process the endless sentence. "There's a time travel spell in Starswirl the Bearded's room?" She didn't wait for an answer. She turned around, cast the fire wings spell while galloping, and flew towards Canterlot, her wings flapping as fast as they could. Starswirl the Bearded was the precursor in the field of magic, he was the author of many spells still used today. To learn that he had invented a time travel spell was not surprising, although it surprised Sunset that she had never known of the existence of such a spell before.
Abandoned on the spot, Applejack and Pinkie stared at Sunset's ever smaller shape, already far away on the horizon. "When you explained the outcome, Twilight said that the spell you found only worked once per pony and couldn't go back more than a week, right?" Applejack asked.
"Yep!" replied Pinkie with a big smile.
"And you didn't tell Sunset that because...?"
"A hunch." she replied, her smile persisting.
Applejack watched Pinkie for a moment, her predictions, her insights, she had learned like the rest of Ponyville never to question them, and she would not seek to understand them. She'd rather accept it than have a pot of flowers land on her head. She moved towards the wicker saddle, pulled it up on her back and walked towards the farm. "I'll give you a jar of Zapapple jam right now, sugarcube."
"Thank you Applejack," replied Pinkie, following her as she bounced, always smiling.
In Canterlot, Starswirl the Bearded's room was a large round room of about fifty square metres, in it's centre was a huge hourglass mounted on an enchanted device that reversed the bulbs when the sand had completely drained, the mechanism on a massive pedestal. From there stretched corridors of shelves, filled with books and other scrolls containing spells and other treatises on magic.
Dusty Nova was chasing the oracle from aisle to aisle.
"Bitter Truth! Listen to me! I have a question to ask you." The vampony called out.
Bitter, who was looking at the books on the shelf at the time, laid his lemon yellow eyes on the vampony. "You're the one who's not listening to me, Lady Nova, it's probably my fault. I was too subtle, so let me rephrase it." He took care to delay it to make it languish. "Not today." he said simply before fleeing to another aisle.
Dusty Nova tensed up out of irritation, she used her magic to dislodge one of the chewed wooden pencils from her mane, which was pulled into a bun, to chew it again, and ran after the unicorn to find it three aisles away. "Don't laugh at me, that's exactly what you just said," she barked after removing the pencil from her mouth.
"I have my reasons, Lady Nova. No, this is not an attempt to prevent the trick from being blown up, and no, threatening to stab that wooden pencil in my throat won't do you any good," Bitter said with a smile. "What is this mania for mares to threaten the throats of stallions." he commented, scraping the bandage on his throat that covered an itching, healing wound.
She moved backwards. "I didn't mean to threaten your throat with this pencil," said the disconcerted mare, before she began to chew the pencil more rapidly, she glanced around, thinking quickly.
"Yes, it's normal to think I'm just a telepath, but no, I'm not."
Stressed beyond her limits, the vampony with the grey coat gave in to anger, she clenched her teeth and broke the pencil with her magic before throwing herself at Bitter Truth. With her telekinesis, she knocked him down and leaned the improvised weapon against his throat. "Stop...... This." Her anger gave way to disbelief. She realised that as he said, she was threatening his throat. However, she could not help but think that this was the result of a subliminal suggestion. "Don't do that again." she ordered.
"Because it drives you crazy? Imagine what it feels like to see plausible futures and to know what anypony will say before they even think about it. Why do you think I avoid everypony?" He sighed, "I only have peace of mind when I isolate myself."
In her haste, she forgot to formulate her sentence correctly. "If so, what are you doing here?" she asked.
"I'm here to meet Sunset Shimmer, and you're going to open the door when you leave from here. There you go, you've just used your right to ask me a question."
"Hey! That wasn't the question I wanted to ask you."
"You knew I'd only answer one question, you were too curious."
Dusty Nova released her telekinetic grip on Bitter Truth, and began to chew her pencil for a moment, her distracted gaze looking around before a thought came to her mind.
The unicorn that hadn't moved giggled. "I plead guilty. To make it up to you, I agree to answer the one you have in mind at our next meeting. But it will not be unconditional."
She was upset for being manipulated in this way. However, she resisted the urge to kill him. If what he had just said was true, and it was difficult to think that this would not be the case, she would need him, even if she would have to comply with his conditions. "I'm going to leave this place, otherwise I won't answer for your safety. So, until the next time we meet, then." She headed for the exit, biting into the pencil as hard as she could. Behind her, Bitter Truth would get up, and once in front of the gates that acted as a door, she found herself with a unicorn she had never seen before.
Sunset Shimmer observed the one standing in front of her, the glasses that completely protected her eyes from the slightest ray of sunlight gave her a small idea of what she was dealing with. "Hello. We have never met before. I'm Sunset Shimmer. May I enter the room?"
She took the pencil out of her mouth and made an appropriate bow. "I am Dusty Nova, royal magician of Canterlot. Hello to you Sunset Shimmer. I've heard of you, and indeed you have the accreditation to enter this room. What's more, you're expected. Whatever the reason for your coming, good luck with this Bitter Truth, he's going to play with your nerves. That being said, don't hurt him too much."
After some polite exchanges, Sunset entered the room, and from the centre, searched
In which alley was hiding the stallion. She finally found him, guided by a sigh.
"Hello to you too, Lady Shimmer. Yes, it is me, as Lady Nova said earlier. Yes, I was waiting for you. Before you have the idea of asking another question in the near future, be aware that this meeting is not accidental. And that if you have any questions, I will only answer one of them. In clear or cryptic ways, it is up to me alone. You have no idea what it's like to see the future and be exploited for selfish purposes."
Entering the alley, Sunset observed the stallion in detail. In front of her stood a stallion whose age it was difficult for her to determine, his nonchalant attitude left the idea that he was out of touch with reality. The slate-grey coat was summarily maintained, just like the white mane. Sunset could not help but wonder, in view of the hairstyle, if it was not the result he obtained by pulling small strands of his mane but by cutting them short with scissors. The body seemed surprisingly robust for a unicorn, which was nevertheless the most frail of the three races, at the same time the heavy circles under his eyes gave him a tired look, as if he was about to give his last breath. She came closer, and noticed a piercing at the base of each of the ears, a small topaz carved into a star, and when she crossed her eyes, she had the feeling that he had seen the beginning and end of this world. She kept in mind the warning about the question. "Strange, I feel like I've seen you somewhere before."
"I know. We've met before. Well, I should say I saw you, because you were more busy with somepony else to pay attention to me. The unicorn you are thinking of was certainly much more famous than I was. A small clue, the room in which we are is named after him."
She looked at him for a moment, imagining him with a beard and a large cape and a dark blue hat, both covered with star motifs. "No way." And yet, with this clue, it was difficult for the mare not to see Bitter Truth other than a younger version of Starswirl the Bearded.
"Impossible? Would it be so difficult to accept the idea that my ability to see the future is only a consequence of his work on time and space? After all, he abused time travel so much, and his pretty mirror that led to other dimensions...." He observed Sunset. "....You know, the one you were planning to go through fifteen years ago, immediately following your banishment." He watched her carefully for a moment. "Considering the result, I'm glad I had Reynaud change places with him at the last minute."
She was dumbfounded. "So it's your fault that I was reduced to wandering the road to Japony!"
He smirked. "It was only your hooves that led to this. You could have stayed in Canterlot. You could have had a certain notoriety, as you should have started with the bad reputation of being the student who failed to learn from Princess Celestia's teaching. Your trip to Japony is only the result of the sum of your decisions. Let's face it, if you had passed through that mirror, you wouldn't be a quarter of the unicorn you are now." He sighed, "I take some responsibility for forcing your fate to take an unexpected direction. But once you left Canterlot Castle, you were solely responsible, Miss Shimmer."
Sunset bit his lip. "It wasn't my destiny you had to force, it was Princess Celestia's."
Bitter Truth had a reproving look in his eyes. "What do you think? I tried, over and over again, I tried to make her give up the destiny she had decided to embrace. But after she asked me her question, nothing could change her mind."
"You could have told Twilight or Princess Luna, or her adopted niece Princess Cadance."
"I am a master only of my own destiny. I am an oracle, I answer questions that can help to drastically change the course of a lifetime, if I am asked a relevant question. Asking somepony else to hide a mirror is one thing. Preventing a princess from doing what she thinks is right, is another. Do you think you have any chance of persuading her?"
"I have to try!" Sunset cried feverishly. "For a lot of reasons, I have to try."
Bitter Truth looked away, empathetic. "I fully understand how you feel." He looked up at a shelf, using his magic, he took out a scroll. "Follow me." he asked calmly.
Sunset didn't ask any questions, she just followed the stallion through Canterlot Castle. She let herself be led into the immense corridor that preceded the throne room.
This corridor had not changed since Sunset's last passage, still as huge, wide enough that fifteen adult ponies could stand side by side without squeezing, and so long that a queue of a hundred ponies could have held in a single line. The floor was composed of a chequerboard with white and blue tiles, in the middle was a red carpet. The room was very bright thanks to the many windows separated by a dozen stained glass windows, all allowing sunlight to pass through. The endless vault was supported by white columns, which were decorated with a bouquet of flowers.
It was about noon now, Princess Luna had already retired for a snack, and the guard had briefly retired to do the same. There was no one there but them.
The mare's cyan eyes looked at the stained glass windows there. She recognised Twilight and her friends who were hitting an alicorn as dark as the night. The next stained glass window was almost similar but the creature was indescribable, each part of his body came from different creatures. The third represented a couple, she easily recognised the mare, it was Princess Cadance, their love for each other that surrounded them, forming a circle around them, dropping strange creatures that Sunset had never seen before. On the next stained glass window, Spike raised his hands high in the sky, as if he had just thrown a blue heart larger than the dragon into the sky. Said artefact, Sunset assumed, seemed to radiate an immeasurable power. And the last one represented only Twilight taking flight, wearing a crown with a purple star, the element of magic.
"Yes, these are the events I predicted."
Sunset, who had been cut off, was now looking at the oracle with an irritated look. "It must not be easy to have a conversation with you."
He unrolled the scroll on the ground and began to read it. "We are not here to have a conversation," he underlined as he studied the scroll. "Indeed, easy if you know how to remove it," he murmured. He concentrated, his magic struck the scroll and the text of the spell was modified in the great widths.
Sunset was going to ask a question but changed her mind at the last minute. "You know what you're doing, I guess."
Bitter watched the mare for a moment. "This spell is limited, Starswirl has placed constraints on it. Normally, because of a specific one, you couldn't go back any further than last week. But with this modification, this constraint is removed. Ready?"
"Go ahead!"
Bitter Truth magically struck the scroll to activate its spell before moving it under Sunset, a bubble formed around it, multiple cogs formed on it, rolling counterclockwise, in an ever faster rhythm, until the bubble became opaque. The next moment, the bubble burst, and there was only the scroll left, Bitter Truth took it back and turned around to leave.
From the other end of the corridor, Reynaud approached, holding a tray with one leg carrying orange juice on it. When he reached the unicorn's height, he presented her with the drink.
He drank it all in one go, the freshness did him good at first, and biting into the ice cube gave him a slight icy headache that was not to his displeasure. "Thank you Reynaud." The oracle observed over his shoulder for a moment before returning to the butler. "Miss Shimmer will be back in a few seconds, can you give her a message from me?"
"Of course, Sir Bitter."
At another time, in the same place, the bubble containing Sunset Shimmer appeared and spat out the unicorn without warning, yet Sunset managed a perfect landing on her four hooves.
"Did it work?" she asked herself. The mare looked around, and very quickly she had the answer. All the new stained glass windows she had seen a few moments earlier were no longer there, replaced by stained glass windows on the theme of the celestial stars. The spell had brought her back at least four years in the past, before the Summer Sun Festival, celebration that commemorated the thousand year anniversary of the day Nightmare Moon was banished. Sunset didn't know how long she was going to stay in that time, but she wasn't willing to waste any more precious seconds.
She turned to the doors, facing two unicorn royal guards, who were puzzled by the sudden apparition. She opened one of the doors with magic and teleported to the middle into the throne room. "Princess Celestia! I need to talk to you!"
The guards of the throne room, surprised by this sudden entrance, moved backwards before standing on the path of this intruder, taking the weapons out of their sheaths, to prevent her from getting any closer to Princess Celestia.
The white alicorn was no less shocked to see Sunset Shimmer. But from the multiple feelings that collided in her mind, only one voice emerged. "How dare you?" she whispered as she stood up. She stood up in all her splendour, spreading her wings to assert her rank, looking angry to see her former student right here in the heart of the palace. "How dare you Sunset Shimmer, introduce yourself to this castle from which you are banished?!"
Following these words, the four guards began to approach the unicorn, to arrest her.
"Princess Celestia, you don't under-"
"Silence!" ordered the princess, using Canterlot's traditional voice.
The guards were just as shocked as Sunset was, they had never seen the princess in such anger, that she came to shout like that.
The unicorn strangled a sob, she tried to keep her head above the water, but deep down inside, she struggled against her regrets, she tried to find a way to talk to her, but no matter what she could imagine, she was convinced that Princess Celestia would refuse to let her speak. The simple fact of being in her presence, of being able to see her so furious towards her, of hearing her scream after her, her whole body trembled, her regrets turned into a desire to repent. She had no strength left but to cry like a filly who had just been scolded, unable to look up from her hooves.
There were three knockings at the door, all but Sunset turned their attention to the entrance. Bitter Truth was standing there, carrying a travel pilgrim, a travel saddle with two saddlebags, the whole thing was of a sober black. "As soon as I get home, I have to tell Shining Armor not to worry about hearing you scream through the palace. Should I conclude that the surprise is not to your liking, Your Highness? She came with the best of intentions, but if you really want to punish her, I brought here something to teach her a lesson," he said, pushing the door to show what was behind.
The sun princess' gaze went from Bitter Truth to Sunset Shimmer. Seeing the idea he was proposing to her, she could not help but agree. She took a deep breath to refocus herself before speaking. "Guards, leave this room at once, I will personally take care of this proscribed mare's case," she announced in a firm tone, her horn haloed with golden magic as she moved the object of the punishment behind Sunset.
As the guards left the room, Bitter Truth watched the scene with a slight wedge smile. His gaze was only on Princess Celestia, who moved slowly to face Sunset Shimmer, and he could see how cold the alicorn was, so much she crushed the unicorn that had been crying all that time with this icy and distant look. Bitter Truth then closed the door to leave them alone in the room.
The princess used the first of the primary feathers of her right wing to force Sunset to lift her head and plunged her magenta eyes into this foggy look of tears, but she remained frozen in front of this vision. "Sunset Shimmer, despite your banishment, you have on this day entered the castle grounds without prior authorization. As a result, I, Princess Celestia, command you to turn around and face your punishment."
Sunset looked at Celestia's face through all those tears she had been repressing for years, she had trouble not looking at her, she had so much to say to her, but even now she was convinced that the slightest attempt to start a conversation would hit a wall. She was docile, and turned around, and when she saw the object of the punishment, she had a gesture of retreat, shocked to see again the mirror that was the origin of her exile. This mirror mounted on a two-storey pedestal, was as high as Princess Celestia, its frame was shaped like a horseshoe, the nail holes were lined with spinels, a small crown at its top, all coloured with shades of mauve, the outlines decorated with simple arabesques, from the first floor of the pedestal to the top of the crown.
"Look in that mirror, and tell me what you see," ordered the white-coated alicorn in a neutral tone, turning her face to the left, so she could hide it behind her mane. The latter had four light colours, two shades of blue, one green and one pink, which pulsed naturally as the alicorn had magic in it, imitating the eternal flow of the waves, just like her sister Luna's.
The scene made them go back fifteen years, and for Sunset, nothing was more cruel than this question. She laughed nervously, tears running down her golden yellow coat. "What I see? I see a pathetic mare, she had everything, potential, talent, and the best tutor. I see a stupid mare, who ruined everything, because she was impatient, unable to understand the lessons her tutor was trying to teach her. I see a mare eaten away by regret. A failure."
Celestia placed her hoof on the mare's shoulder, then in a gentle gesture and with the help of telekinesis, embraced her in the hollow of her legs, played against her cheek. "Hello, my faithful student."
Sunset instinctively passed her legs around the neck of the alicorn, while clenching her teeth so as not to crack any more. "I'm sorry." she whispered. Only these simple words were like salt on an old wound that had been reopened. "I'm really sorry," she added. In the sweetness of that hug and moment, she let herself go, repeating that she was so sorry, over and over again, shaking more and more as tears flowed more and more quickly.
Celestia had difficulty containing the unicorn's agitation without hurting her with excessive force. So much sadness and regret did not leave her indifferent, she too had her share of regrets, silently she began to cry too, trying to comfort that filly she had seen grow, her tears rolling down her cheeks to vanish into Sunset's red and yellow mane.
"Princess, please, for the love of Equestria, don't disappear. Your sister Luna, Twilight, and even I can't bear to know you're dead. You still have time to change that. We all need you," she begged.
"Let me look at you." Celestia whispered before resting Sunset on the ground. For a brief moment, she looked into hers, then further detailed her appearance. "Such a long mane. How old are you in your time?"
"Thirty-three years old," she replied, sniffing. "Please, you can't leave this Pep-" She could not finish her sentence, Celestia's hoof on her nose imposed silence on her.
The princess took off her hoof. "You have matured so much, a life of wandering on the roads of this world will have taught you the lessons that I have not taught you in this castle. In the end, you didn't need me. And I doubt you need me in your time."
"But you are important for the good of Equestria!"
"One thousand and fifty years ago, my sister Luna and I were important for the good of Equestria. We, who were born alicorns, were the link between pegasus, earth ponies and unicorns. Starswirl the Bearded introduced us to the founders, Princess Platinum, Major Hurricane, and Chancellor Puddinghead, promising them that we would be impartial if we became the princesses of that country they had founded. After all this time, the three tribes are one, and they live in harmony in this country."
"You are the princess of the sun."
"Luna will be able to take over this function. I was in charge of controlling the Moon for a millennium."
"It's not possible, it can't be real, I come to dissuade you and you react as if it doesn't matter, how can you be so indolent?"
Celestia smiled kindly. "You're not here to talk me out of it, Sunset Shimmer. Didn't you hear Bitter Truth? This meeting is a gift, an opportunity to say goodbye, that our last meeting was not the one we had eleven years ago."
Sunset had trouble containing his frustration. "I don't want it to be the last time!" she shouted in a sudden excess of anger that didn't last. "Please, what do I have to say to change your mind?"
The alicorn lowered its head to the height of its pupil, and offered her a caress to play against her cheek. Sunset hung onto her neck again, this time in order not to lose her, which made Celestia smile compassionately. "What a thick headed one you are. Whatever you say, whatever you do, you can't change my future, it would have repercussions that I can't accept."
"I beg you, princess. Nothing could be worse than-" Celestia used magic to muzzle her mouth.
Celestia looked up at the mirror. "Princess? I look in the mirror, I see only one mare like the others, certainly much older. Once proud, I thought I was the best, yet I couldn't see my sister become jealous because of me, to the point of wishing my death, forcing me to banish her. To make amends, I took it upon myself to raise the moon during the banishment. Over time, Equestria forgot Luna, only Nightmare Moon remained, but even the mare on the moon became a legend as generations followed one another. I don't know what my life expectancy is, my faithful student, I could have lived a thousand years knowing that I would see my sister again one day, but I couldn't live a single day knowing that ponies dear to my heart died because I refused this fate that awaits me. I couldn't stand it." She stopped using magic now that she had presented her point of view.
".....please..."
The time allotted by Bitter Truth's spell was coming to an end. A half sphere appeared several metres above their heads, traversed by clockwise rolling gears, within it a powerful vortex tried to send Sunset back to her time, creating a current of air that played on the mares' manes, but Celestia firmly held the unicorn in her hooves just in time to prolong the conversation a little more.
"If I'm so important to you, I'd like you to do a few things for me. Don't live in the past, don't live in regret. I want you to have a happy life. Give the lessons you have learned in your life to those who are lost, offer your help to those in need. Can you try to do that? Can you try to become the sun that Equestria will need in my absence?"
The unicorn did not have the strength to answer, she could not give up so soon the idea of saving her, it was beyond her strength. She just nodded her head.
"Good luck Sunset." said the alicorn, offering a kiss on her student's cheek.
"See you later Princess Celestia," replied the mare, swearing to herself that this was not the last time they saw each other, while Celestia released the embrace and vortex, immediately closing on the unicorn before bursting.
The princess of the sun found herself alone in the throne room, she cried for a while longer, this brief encounter relieved her of a burden on her conscience. She turned her gaze to the entrance, amused by the behaviour of the male standing behind the doors. "Since when have you been waiting to make your entries?"
One of the doors opened, but Bitter Truth remained hidden behind the other. "I'm making an exception for the occasion. It is not every day that you receive a visit from the future. It takes time for a mare your age to recover from such emotions," Bitter teased.
Celestia had a light laugh. "Are you kidding? I was travelling back in time and in alternative dimensions with Starswirl and Luna a few years after getting our cutie marks, long before Discord appeared. I didn't expect to see Sunset, though. Than- " She changed her mind. "...It was beyond my most fanciful dreams."
The stallion entered the room without a word, closing the door behind him and his attention focused on the princess' face.
"Why such a look?" Celestia asked.
"I've thought of ten different ways to change your mind, and yet every time you sweep it away like a straw."
The princess suddenly had a little idea, and a mutinous gleam in her eyes, she took a lighter tone. "Don't be so bitter about it, my friend."
Bitter winced. "Could you be serious at least for a moment?"
A mischievous smile was born and she followed. "Don't you see it? I'm dead serious!"
The oracle sighed, he felt the need to sit down for a moment. He looked at the mirror, embittered. "I should have broken my four legs and this mirror the day I came to warn you of the danger that this human will pose to you." He took a deep breath and then sighed briefly, looking to the corner in the direction of Celestia. "There's no need to ask, the answer is yes. I'll help you round out the angles for the transition. I can't refuse you anything."
Celestia, grateful, came to sit beside him. She simply offered him her simple presence to comfort him, she knew how much he hated receiving thanks from her.
The time bubble appeared and Sunset was back in her time. She had not been able to convince Princess Celestia, but with a time travel spell, she had the opportunity to fix things in a different way. No longer seeing the unicorn, she turned around and had a gesture of retreat when she found herself face to face with the earth pony mastodon in butler's costume. So imposing and that intimidating electric blue look that he was pointing at her distracted her, preventing the mare from seeing Bitter Truth at the end of the corridor, turning into another gallery.
When he saw her face, Reynaud pulled the yellow sunflower silk square from the pocket of his suit and undertook to make the unicorn presentable. "Miss Sunset, it's good to see you again. Look at the state you're in. Shall I summon the beautician who used to take care of you?"
Sunset stepped back to get out of reach of the old butler. "Where is he? Where's Bitter Truth?!"
"I am sorry Lady Sunset, and I quote, not being able to leave you in possession of such a spell, it would be too dangerous between your hooves, what you intend to do, is not worthy of a student of Princess Celestia. The latter offered you a second chance, don't waste it."
Sunset's gaze fell like a leaf from a tree, twirling as her thoughts flowed to her hooves. She was there, walled in silence, thoughtful, considering her options. If Bitter Truth took this scroll with him, it meant that it was unique, or that he had already taken care to confiscate the other copies. The opportunity to warn Princess Celestia was a pathetic failure. This opportunity was a poisoned gift, she had lived fifteen years away from her mentor, and she was convinced that it had detached her from the princess' death. But it only took her less than fifteen minutes with her mentor to suffer from losing her forever. Now the poison was running through the veins, to better undermine her will. The worst thing was probably the still warm feeling of this shared embrace on her coat. She sighed tiredly, then got up and nodded to Reynaud as she walked past him, walking towards the exit. There was nothing holding her back at the castle. There was nothing keeping her in Canterlot. She walked through the streets, like a shadow in the middle of the crowd at the beginning of the afternoon, yet she felt alone in the world. She walked to the edge of the cliff, south of the city. One more step and it was the big void, a fall of several hundred metres. Right there in front of her was Ponyville. She had come here to rid herself of her old regrets, but instead she had won new ones, with some promises. But for the moment, she didn't want anything. For the moment, she didn't feel anything. She needed to feel something.
With a slow exhale, she closed her eyes and stepped forward, bracing herself as gravity took hold. |
A Guardian's Hope | Chapter 9 | A small silhouette entered Chrysalis' private chambers. Unintentionally silent, Aglowing dragged her hooves to a heavy tapestry. Behind it, halfway up the room, was the alcove. The latter was large enough to offer the comfort worthy of a queen, the walls covered with the same greenish and viscous material as the hive's light sources. The young hybrid came to nest against the one who slept there.
The queen, who was lying on her flank, laid a foreleg on top of the child before affectionately tightening the embrace. Then she sighed, her mind still drowsy. "Haven't we had a conversation about this nasty habit of yours, my love?"
The child half-heartedly caressed her mother's cheek, before answering with a small distracted pout. "But mother, it was Chitin who wanted me to come and tell you. The tree has grown again. Besides, she says it's fruiting."
Chrysalis' deep luminescent green eyes opened in shock. Through the darkness, she looked at her daughter, thoughtfully. She wasn't questioning what had just been said, but that fast? Why not, she was far from being an expert in farming, after all. Resigned, she offered a sweet kiss to the child's forehead before getting up.
Chitin silently followed them from the shadows, as the mother and her child went to the south wing of the hive. After the endless spiral descent, the warrior could see that the distance between them was increasing recently. And the attempts to fix the gap didn't change that.
Forgetting her worries, the child left her mother behind, running towards the feet of the tree. She climbed over the branches without difficulty, thanks to the microscopic hooks under her hooves that even let her perch herself upside down on the ceiling, and began to jump joyfully, shaking the leaves and the few fruits that were on the tree. "Look! Look! Look!" she chirped in the heat of the moment.
"I saw it. Calm down now." Chrysalis had stayed at the entrance, green cocoons were circling the entrance along the walls and ceiling, emitting this soft bioluminescent light. She observed the tree, and fully understood why she had been advised to plant it there. The gigantic, gnarled shrub had grown spreading its highest branches to reach the ceiling that separated it from the open air. Several times, it twisted on itself as if tortured from being locked underground. The bark seemed to have petrified in a stage of advanced decay. On its largest branches were heart-shaped red fruits. Chrysalis approached the tree, and used her magic to grab one of its fruits. "Let's see if it lives up to the promises this unicorn made," she whispered to herself, observing the fruit more closely.
Chitin came closer to Chrysalis. "My Queen, let me eat the first fruit. We cannot take the risk that you will end up poisoned," they proposed, sincerely worried for Chrysalis' well-being.
Chrysalis kept the fruit under the influence of her magic, observing Chitin from the corner of her eye. She could not prove them wrong, however, since Chitin was the weakest, depriving themself the most to save what was left of love. And the queen could not afford to lose a changeling of this magnitude. "No, go get one of the drones who patrol-" A noise caught the queen's attention.
On the branch of the tree, attracted by the smell, Aglowing had grabbed another fruit, and made it her morning snack, biting into the fruit with appetite.
The queen and the warrior took fright. "Aglowing!" they shouted in unison.
The child took her nose out of the fruit, wiping the juice that was dripping down her chin off with her hoof. When she saw their eyes, she felt like she had made a mistake, making a little pout while she was watching the two adults below. "What? Mother said it was a gift from Pepper, and Pepper said she would be here to help me! Besides, this fruit tastes like her love."
This last sentence challenged the queen, who tossed the fruit to Chitin who quickly tasted it to make sure that the little queen was safe. "How do you know the taste of her love?"
Aglowing needed to think for a moment, she scratched her cheek with her hoof, her eyes showing intense reflection. "While you were away to see Nightmare Moon, she asked me to collect her love."
Chrysalis was as surprised as she was puzzled. "She asked you to collect her love? Why?"
"I don't remember much, but she seemed happy afterwards."
This new information left Chrysalis thinking. For as long as she could remember, no pony had ever offered a changeling their love voluntarily. She observed the base of the tree while revisiting the memories of that night. Slowly, she remembered the words of Nightmare Moon, the explanations of Bitter Truth. From there, it was easy to imagine theories about why she had asked this.
In the meantime, Chitin had bitten into the fruit. And as they chewed, they felt their hunger calming down. They devoured the rest of the fruit in a few bites. When it was done, they let a sigh of satiety, inhaled deeply before stretching all the muscles of their body. "Strange. I feel better, feeling like I've collected love. But yet I feel like I haven't gained in strength."
Chrysalis looked at her subordinate, curious about what they said, she picked another fruit before eating it whole. She put the core on the ground, wiping off the juice that was dripping on her chin with the back of their hoof. "You're telling the truth." She mentally counted the number of fruits as she looked up at the highest branches of the tree, wondering if there was enough fruit to feed the sleeping changelings.
But suddenly the sound of heavy hoofsteps was heard. Someone was walking down the gallery that led into this room. Chrysalis rattled towards her child's direction as she was turning around into an aggressive position, Chitin at her side also ready to kill the intruder. Aglowing obeyed her mother's order, and went to hide in a higher branch. The sound of footsteps faded, the intruder continued to descend, he soon appeared in the light of the subdued sources. He stopped there, whistling impressed at the sight of the tree.
Chrysalis relaxed when she recognised Bitter Truth, she laid her paw on Chitin's shoulder to silently instruct them to calm down, which the warrior did.
Aglowing asked from her hiding place with a rattle if she could come down, but her mother's rattle as Chrysalis turned her attention towards the tree, was so virulent that the child became afraid. The branch in which she was hidden started shaking, betraying her position.
Suddenly, in a murderous mood, the queen turned towards the stallion. "As far as I know, this is the third time you've entered my hive without permission. What are you doing here?"
The oracle sighed wearily, yet he smiled. "I wanted to see with my own eyes if the tree gave you satisfaction."
Chrysalis took a look at the tree and at Chitin. "Barely," she spat. The pony was not born to whom she would be grateful. "Fruits, and then what? Once we've eaten everything, we'll be back to square one. We are predators, not farmers."
"It's a substitute for your diet, I admit, but it's better than starving, right? I couldn't either give you food that would make you more powerful, I already have enough problems to deal with as it is. Your child, for example."
The atmosphere suddenly became electric. Chitin whistled, all fangs out, trying to intimidate the pony. At these words, the branch stopped moving, the child cautious by the turn of the conversation.
Chrysalis shot Bitter with her gaze. "Be careful of what you say, pony, because chances are, they could be your last words," she said in an icy tone.
Bitter Truth sighed again, then he inhaled: "I am an oracle, in other words, I know the future, that's why I manage to get into your hive without being detected by the few sentinels who patrol the tunnels under the badlands."
Faced with this revelation, the reaction of the changelings ranged from misunderstanding to scepticism.
However, Chrysalis understood better how he had known her intentions regarding Pepper's body. The tone of the conversation could have become lighter, if it had not been mentioned that Aglowing Shell was a problem. With a few clicks of her teeth, she ordered Chitin to escort the child to her room and stay with her until further notice.
The hybrid hovered to the ground, the warrior made sure to stand between her and the intruder. It was the first time the child had met a pony of the opposite gender, the robust figure intrigued her very much. When she passed him, she tried to see him over Chitin, and Bitter looked back at her, smiling at her. Aglowing immediately smiled back at him. Not appreciating this familiarity, Chitin suddenly stood up to cut off eye contact, whistling again with anger, in order to keep him away.
Bitter looked out of the corner of his eye at the duo leaving the room; as soon as they were out of sight, he turned his eyes to Chrysalis and cut her off. "Yes, I am an Oracle. No need to repeat my words, Your Highness."
Chrysalis watched the unicorn with a mixture of uncertainty and fury, not very delighted by the impression that came from his last words, the crazy idea that he was able to read her mind. There were endless questions in her head, but everything she was thinking about, was her daughter's safety. "If you care a little bit about your life, pony, you're going to use this gift you claim to have and you're going to tell me exactly what I want to know, otherwise..." She pointed at the tree with her hoof. "I will use your corpse to grow a second one," she whispered.
The stallion looked down, seemingly thoughtful and serene he was despite the situation. "Your daughter, recently, has developed new fears because of you, Your Highness."
Chrysalis reviewed what she had done to disturb her daughter. But having done everything for her well-being, even going so far as to encourage this friendship with Nightmare Moon, she didn't find out what the problem was. She rose up, to have a better look at Bitter Truth. "Continue."
"Your daughter is worried. She gets jealous; she's afraid of losing her relationship with her friend, because of you stealing this friendship from her. I know- don't get carried away, it's silly- but its no less stupid than the jealousy that gave birth to Queen Nightmare Moon."
Chrysalis blew through her nostrils. "My daughter is jealous? Big deal, all I have to do is explain to her that I'm not trying to steal her friend. Then, the deal will be settled."
"You are the changelings, you are the swarm, you are the predators who lie to get the love you feed on. You are her mother, and I do not doubt that she will always obey your maternal authority. But in this case, on this very specific subject, will she believe her rival? Moreover, friendship is a pony thing; only a pony could explain that to your daughter."
Chrysalis squinted. She was beginning to understand what he was getting at. "And I'd have to leave you alone with my daughter, I suppose? You're too late, there's already Nightmare Moon circling her."
"I've seen what will happen if I don't talk to her. Just as I saw what would happen to you if you gave Pepper's body to Queen Nightmare Moon. I do what I can, it doesn't satisfy everypony, unfortunately." He sighed. "Yes, there's no need to ask me the question, I'll answer it. Informing you would have been pointless. Queen Nightmare Moon would have hunted you down relentlessly. The maze of your hive was your best asset, elsewhere you would have been exposed, rendering your daughter vulnerable. Princess Luna's talent allows her to watch over dreams, but it's like the stars in the sky, there are so many of them. She can detect nightmares easily because they have the particularity of shining brighter. Queen Nightmare Moon would never have discovered your daughter if she had never had a nightmare. And without this discovery, she would never have sought to protect you later. As I always say, I'm just an Oracle. I can help people by answering one and only one question to change their lives. You wanted to know how to save your kin, and I told you so. For the survival of the changeling race, the genocide had to take place."
Chrysalis was thinking while listening. She didn't know which was worse. If she had known, she probably would have tried to escape that threat. In another subject, there were so many conditions to get to this situation that the probabilities of getting there were almost nil, and yet, simply by following their lifestyle without changing anything, she stood in front of a pony that could predict the future, and behind her was a tree capable of feeding her kin. Her gaze meandered, as she wracked her brain. The worst thing undoubtedly, was that feeling of helplessness that was growing in her, the idea of being just a pawn on Bitter Truth's board was slowly but surely becoming unbearable. With a renewed anger at the refusal to do his bidding, she raised her eyes to the unicorn. "So you think you can sneak into my hive, tell whatever you want, and get out harmless?" she asked as she approached.
Bitter Truth laughed nervously. "No, last time I almost bled out. And today seems like I'm going to end up hurt again. But I am convinced that the mother that you are will put the well-being of her daughter before the rest, Your Highness," he said, while moving back slightly to the left.
"Before being a mother, before being a queen, I'm mostly a monster. Give me a reason not to hurt you right now," she said while following him.
"You are a changeling. Your diet... certainly that makes You a monster ever since your first breath, from Equestria ponies point of view. When opportunity arose, you seized power and became a Queen, as such, you took what you desired. Love from a young groom. Now a mother. And it would not take much, thanks to this last step, for the queen you are, to become a princess," he said, cornered against the wall.
The simple idea of being a princess, in Chrysalis' eyes, was most absurd, even coming from an Oracle. "Don't make me laugh."
Bitter Truth made a fake pout, smiling on the corner of his lips. "So I can't tell you the joke I was keeping in reserve?"
The queen suddenly raised her right forehoof and hit the wall next to the stallion's head with all her might. "You're in the changeling hive, facing the queen you are pissing off a little more every time you open your mouth, any pony would tremble with fear in your situation, and yet you stand there, smiling, quiet, as if you were convinced that I would never suddenly want to kill you like the other sociopath who serves as a magic compost, and I can't help but wonder why."
He lost his smile, becoming strangely serious. "Simply because you are a queen back from the Equestria's classical period, ensuring your domination over your subjects by force, never hesitating to kill those who proved unfit to serve you. A sociopath whose intelligence never ceases to devise twisted and perverse plans, despite being able to compete with those of the greatest strategists that this planet has known, a haughty mare who was not afraid to fight against all odds, you whose power depends only on consummate love, to defeat Princess Celestia, when you yourself did not know the outcome of the fight. Now you are taking sadistic pleasure in making fun of Queen Nightmare Moon, belittling her under the guise of her nascent friendship with your own daughter, and at the same time, you are weaving a unique relationship between queens." A strange passion emerged from his voice as he painted a portrait of Chrysalis as he knew her. His gaze was as cold as the one he was diving into. He used his telekinesis, and forced Chrysalis to lower her head, so that their faces would be at the same height. "I'm not afraid of you, Your Highness, simply because this pest that you are, I'm in love with her." At these words, he put his lips on those of the monarch, a brief contact, the best proof that he could offer to a changeling to support his statements.
With the telekinesis dispelled and the shock had faded, Chrysalis licked her lips. He wasn't lying; this flavour on her tongue was undoubtedly love. And this love, this flavour had something exhilarating, a little something the queen couldn't define. In turn, she stole a kiss, this exhilarating feeling came back, more pronounced. It was love that was dedicated to her, love that she didn't have to steal, it had something addictive. Soon she felt it, a faint flavour that she had never tasted before. She kissed him again, to revive this buzz, letting out a little sigh of ecstasy. She lost the thread of her thoughts, only counted the desire to feed herself with this love that was exclusive to her. Her hoof, still on the wall, lowered, now pressing against his shoulder, pinning him against the wall, to make sure that the food did not escape her. But the intoxication was already diminishing, the changeling resolved to hammer the lips so that the euphoria remained. Starting out sweet, those kisses gradually became brutal, more vivid and just as bitter. Chrysalis needed even more. The pressure of her paw forced the pony to bend over until he fell off and finished all four irons in the air. She hissed with anger at this sudden interruption, as she bent over to feed on that addictive love again. Tucking behind her ear a strand of hair with a little telekinesis, she kept the hoof leaning against the base of his neck. It was a silent tell to him not to dare to move, as she dominated and possessed him. This tasty poison running through her veins tunnelled her mind, as the Queen was soon trapped in a cocoon of well-being. She couldn't stop kissing him, her gaze losing that gleam of intelligence, there remained only the monster, who was feasting on this love that was hers.
Bitter endured the starving assaults without failing, He suffered this animal submission, making kisses for kisses, he couldn't help but smile. He concentrated, as best he could, his magic accumulated in a golden aura around his horn, his gaze at the foot of the tree, and without warning, he disappeared.
The shock of the surprise passed, the changeling beginning to whistle with rage while looking around immediately after this meal that had escaped her. She looked over her shoulder and realised that he was sitting near the tree, picking a fruit. Hungry, she began to run towards him, whistling. Her wings vibrating as she used all the body language at her disposal to intimidate him, convinced that he'd no longer dare to move.
The oracle took a look at the predator. Chrysalis' eyes had become entirely green. The Queen's pupils were phosphorescent like those of the lower rank changelings. Even if he had just said that he loved her for the monster she was, the vision of this feral state visibly hurt him. Using telekinesis, he removed the core and crushed the fruit into an improvised jam. When the changeling reached his height, he threw the porridge onto her face.
Cut off in her momentum by this sudden aggression, Chrysalis instinctively gave it a lick The taste of the love contained in this fruit, so insipid compared to the one she had just tasted, made her grimace and regain consciousness of herself. She slowly opened her eyes, her cold gaze on the one facing her. Swiftly, she used magic to clean her face, throwing the mashed jam to the ground on her side.
Bitter Truth looked down. "I'm sorry, it was the only way to cut your frenzy short." He remained silent for a few seconds. "I made a promise to Princess Celestia. I do what it takes, so that harmony reigns in Equestria despite her absence, and this requires a conversation with your daughter. I could have approached her without your consent, but I want to bet on harmony. My honesty against your kindness."
The queen sighed, angry. "How could my daughter ruin your precious promise, so that you'd be reduced to bargaining in such a pathetic way?"
"Her hybrid nature, as if you didn't know it." He said, suddenly getting carried away. "If she's always so healthy, physically, it's because of this duality, isn't it? You and Chitin are perpetually hungry, but she, all this time, has never experienced the insatiable hunger for a real changeling. Her body feeds on its own feelings, weaker than a drone and yet in better physical shape than any other changeling. Now that she has a friend, and she is jealous because of you, it could probably give her magical power proportional to the strength of those feelings, make her even more powerful than an alicorn, but it's not a problem after all," he said sarcastically. "Surely, you would let her drown in her own jealousy, and become the monster of her own making. I just remembered who I'm talking to. Queen Chrysalis, or should I say: Chrysalis the monster. Surely you already have so many ideas of how to torment that 'daughter' of yours. Surely you would be just as ready to trample her innocence, despite the mother you claim to be. Surely, I have no doubt, you'll use the filly as a pawn-- nay, as a tool! All to achieve your own ends!"
This monologue managed to trigger Chrysalis' motherhood to such an extent that for the second time in her ageless life, she felt disgusted by her own self. The oracle's words brought to life thoughts she would never have had before, filling her with such unyielding rage, that in a blink, she landed the most brutal hoof in Bitter's face, making him glide several meters on the floor.
He knew what was coming. He could have avoided the hit with great ease, but her rage would not be satiated before he was hurt as much as he hurt her heart. He stayed silent and still, hooves pressing on the impact zone, trying to smother the burning pain.
Less than an hour later, Chrysalis and Chitin were sitting in front of the entrance to the hive, watching Aglowing Shell walking alone towards the unicorn, who was turning its back against them, facing east. Chitin was worried about leaving the little queen alone with Bitter Truth after the Pepper episode, but it was the queen's will.
She kept going over and over it in her head, that moment in her daughter's room, that expression of jealousy as she turned her face away, unable to answer the question that had just been asked to her. Her daughter never had such a fearful reaction towards her. The monster thought that jealousy was irrelevant, she had made a big mistake. Now that the question was asked, she, who excelled in the art of manipulation, had a better understanding of her daughter's attitude in recent days. Moreso, she knew why Aglowing was distancing herself even more now, locked in a bubble of silence and unable to look her in the eye. What could she say to her child to dispel her fears? Nothing. And the mother hated it.
Aglowing Shell was approaching at a slower pace than her small legs would allow. Even though she was going to be able to meet and talk with this pony, her mother's question was still in her head. Was she afraid her mother would steal her friend? Yes. Yes, she was afraid, and it infused painful anger into her heart. Changelings are predators; they take, they never ask. And it was her mother, the queen of the hive. What could she say to prevent her friend from being stolen away? Nothing. And the child hated it.
Sitting next to a rock, Bitter Truth sighed with relief as the ice bag on his right eye worked. Certainly, because of the badlands' weather in the middle of the morning, it was already hot to the point that the ice cubes were only fresh water. But it was enough to ease the pain. Next to him was his travelling saddle, to which something wrapped in large white cloth was attached. He observed the child who was sitting on his left with his still functional eye. "Why such sadness, Your Highness? Is your mother's question what makes you so upset?"
Aglowing remained silent. She was usually so curious about new things but right now had no heart for anything.
"I was right to come with somepony with the same concerns as you. The three of us can talk about this problem that hurts your heart."
The young hybrid's attention was drawn to them, but she saw no one else. "I only see the two of us here." When she turned her attention back to the stallion, she found herself face to face with her reflection, a mirror in a simple wooden frame, came out of one of the saddlebags in the travelling saddle, almost as big as her. At first she made a gesture of retreat, and realised that the child she was seeing was imitating these gestures, she approached, squinting her eyes, and put a hoof on the mirror. "Is that me? Is that how I look like?" she asked, looking towards Bitter.
"Indeed, Your Highness. Before I start with my duties, I shall introduce myself first" He got up, dropped the ice bag on the rock, made a bow, the horn touching the ground. "My name is Bitter Truth. And I bring you gifts, mine to start with. And before you ask, a gift is something you give for a reason that differs from case to case, but always more to please the one who receives the gift." Following this explanation, he deposited a large notebook and a box of grease pencils. "Consider this like the mirror of your heart. Use the fat pencils on these white sheets to colour whatever you like. For example, your friend would be a good choice for the first page."
The child used her magic, which manifested itself in a green/yellow aura, to open the box to pick out the purple, blue and black pencils. But she was stopped by the magic of the oracle.
"Please, You Highness, not right away. I also bring a gift, one offered to you by somepony who cannot deliver it in the flesh." At these words, he loosened the strings that held the object still wrapped in the saddle and placed it in front of Aglowing Shell, placing the book alongside the hybrid. "It was the princess of the sun who wanted to offer you this."
This term revived memories of the night she learned the truth. "The princess of the sun? But she's Mother's enemy!"
"The princess of the sun, like all the princesses of Equestria, believed more than anything in harmony and friendship. She was a single-minded altruistic pacifist who never considered herself anyone's enemy. She has always sought to discuss before using force. The real concern is that the respective desires between the princess and your mother were not the same, and she only defended her kingdom."
Aglowing observed the gift without touching it, thinking about the words, and she realised a contradiction. She looked up at the unicorn, her eyebrows frowned. "You're lying! Nightmare Moon says she's the Princess of the Night, but what she did to the mother's hive was far from being friendship!"
He sighed. "Her Highness Nightmare Moon." He remained silent for a few seconds. "It's not good to talk about somepony who's not here, but in this case, it could be beneficial. A long time ago, the princess of the sun and the princess of the night were friends. Together, they ruled equally on Equestria. However, as the subjects of their kingdoms only played during the day, and slept at night, Her Highness Nightmare Moon became more and more jealous. She was afraid of having her nobility title stolen by the princess of the sun. She did not understand it at that time. Then fear became anger, blackening the heart of the night princess, to the point of making it darker than her coat. When her heart was corrupted by this anger, she became a queen. Then she shoved aside all the precepts in which she had believed until then. It grew to such an extent that she no longer even believed in friendship, convinced that power was the only solution to her problems. After a fight with the Sun Princess, she was banished from Equestria. Two years before your birth, at the end of her banishment, she returned. The princess of the sun gave back her title of princess of the night, making her cumulate both titles, being Princess of the Night in Equestria's eyes, and Queen of the Moon in Broncoliande's eyes."
This account of her friend's past upset Aglowing, and throughout this story, she was able to put words to the unpleasant feeling that surrounded her heart. But part of that story frightened her more than anything. "She no longer believed in friendship. But she believes it now? Friendship, between her and me, it's for real, isn't it?"
"Yes. And that's why the Princess of the Sun wishes to offer you this gift." He watched the child use magic to cut the string that kept the linen around the object, he continued. "She apologizes to you for what you have experienced, she considers herself the main responsible for your suffering. This gift will allow you to defend everything that is dear to your heart."
After untying the strings that held the fabric in place, the child observed her gift. It was a claymore in a night blue, stained leather sheath, decorated with silver threads sewn in the shape of stars. The weapon was huge compared to the small changeling, just the handle alone was as big as she was, and literally as figuratively, Aglowing didn't know how to take this gift. "I can't use this."
The oracle smiled, "Don't worry about that now. Included with this gift is a request, by the Princess of the Sun, a promise from you."
"What is a promise?"
"A promise is based on honesty. For example, I made a promise to the Princess of the Sun that this gift will be given to you, and I did. Now the Princess of the Sun asks you to promise to use this blade only to defend yourself, or others. Never to hurt someone who hasn't done anything to you. Facing the sun, can you make such a promise?"
She remembered her mother's explanations. Honesty, to never lie. She could not see why she would want to harm anyone for nothing, and defend those she loved, she had not been able to do so in the past. But as a queen in the making, she could not remain inactive. A queen must watch over her hive, and one day it will become her duty. And she had to be at her strongest to protect those who swore to serve her. Resolutely she turned her gaze north, facing the sun. "I promise to do so."
He smiled again. "This blade is yours. The Sun Princess wishes that your friendship with your friend will shine brighter than the friendship she failed to preserve in the past. Do not allow anypony else to use it to fight. Now, are you still afraid your mother will steal your friend from you?"
She lowered her head. "Maybe a little." she admitted with a pout. Suddenly she froze, turning to the unicorn. "How do you know I'm jealous because of my mother?"
He shook his head briefly. "It's not a detail that deserves your curiosity." He pushed the claymore with his hoof, to make it slide towards the child. "Tonight, exceptionally, use this blade, fight your friend, in the name of your friendship. Don't be afraid, you can't hurt your friend with this sword, let alone with your lack of experience in handling it, but the more dangerous you look, the better. However, keep this in mind. If you fight your friend, keep the moon to your left. Always. To avoid hurting somepony else, it is very important that the moon always stays to your left." He moved the rock under which he had previously dug a cavity large enough to hide the claymore. "Let's hide your weapon here. It's an ideal hiding place for when the time comes, you'll see." After placing the weapon and putting the rock on it, he laid his valid eye on the child, who remained both silent and uncertain at this proposed idea. "Any problem, princess?" he asked in a teasing tone.
She was looking at the hive's entrance, at her mother, but the question drove her thoughts away. "I'm not a princess, I'm a queen!" Aglowing corrected.
"Do you even know the difference between a princess and a queen, Your Highness?"
"No." admitted the child.
"Queens use their strength to direct their subjects according to their own will and do as they please, princesses use their kindness to make their subjects live happily and harmoniously. If you still have doubts, ask yourself this question. What Queen Nightmare Moon did to your mother's hive and what you experienced then, would you do that to others?"
Aglowing looked down, thinking about the question. She thought back to those dark days, her forced confinement, the heavy loneliness, her mother's cries, the misunderstanding, her growing fear. Could she do this to anypony? Her heart tightened by the emotions that overwhelmed her, she looked up at the mirror, she saw herself, trembling lips, tears rolling on her cheeks, the crackling energy around her horn. No, she could never dare do that to anyone. "So I am a princess?" she asked uncertainly, her eyes lowered.
Bitter Truth telekinetically took out an embroidered handkerchief from the bag. "Dry your tears with this. You are a queen by birth, but you are a princess at heart. You think you're weak, but your friendship, your feelings, make you powerful." He sighed, smiling. "The Princess of the Sun gave me an answer to that question. She discovered the solution to this riddle a very long time ago, shortly after she and your friend became princesses. During her travels with a particular form of magic, she met another kind of queen. A Cæsar. Few people know this title of nobility today. You, your friend, and me." He deliberately avoided talking about Luna." To the rest of the world, it is meaningless."
"If it is meaningless, I would no longer be respected as a queen!" she said fearfully.
"It is up to you to forge the meaning of the title of Cæsar Nobility. Chitin, your mother, your friend, will always respect you as much as ever, believe me. Your choices, your actions, your words, the sum of all this will give meaning to others as Cæsar. If you act accordingly at every occasion, everycreature shall consider you as a queen with a princess heart."
Dizzy about the extent of such work, lost as how to do it, Aglowing instinctively turned to her mother, but remembered her behaviour towards her, which was aggravated when the question was asked.
"What's the matter?" Bitter asked, putting the notebook and pencils next to the child.
"My jealousy. Did she hurt Mother's heart? If so, how could I tend the wound?"
"Often, when the problem is not too serious, such as a cold between a mother and a child, the best way to solve it is a hug. It's a good way for monsters to show that they're sorry, without saying it openly."
She couldn't believe it was that simple. "Just one hug would be enough?"
"Take the book and the pencils, run and hug her. Make sure to not forget where this rock i-"
Suddenly she couldn't hold it in place. She used telekinesis to grab the unicorn's gift and ran as fast as she could to reconcile with her mother who was waiting there. When she had covered three quarters of the distance between them, she left her notebook and pencil box behind her, and jumped to hold onto Chrysalis' neck. She didn't want to hurt her, but being sorry was a sign of weakness, and she did not want to disappoint her mother by showing herself weak in this way, so she remained silent, and offered her a hug with all her strength.
Bitter Truth didn't pay attention to the scene, the mirror in the bag, the saddle on his back, the ice bag on his eye, he was already a figure galloping north.
The rest of the day was a quiet afternoon at the end of summer. And a few hours after dusk, three silhouettes flew across the Badlands sky towards the hive.
Swift, with a mischievous smile on his lips, observed the surroundings while adjusting the saddle on his back before getting closer to Antares. "Is something wrong Cute Bite?" he whispered.
"Cut it out," replied the major between her teeth.
But he couldn't miss such an opportunity. "Are you upset because we had to leave the camp tonight, Cute Bite?"
"I am our queen's aide-de-camp, I obey her horn and wing, you low grade moron," she replied quietly, angry.
He pretended to consider the weight of the basket she was carrying. "Is the basket the matter? Is it too heavy?"
She inhaled through her nostrils, counted up to four, and exhaled through her mouth, trying to stay calm. "It's just food, I could carry much heavier, and you know it."
"Yes, it is true. It should be added that leaving armour and weapons at the camp helps, doesn't it?" he said with a big innocent smile.
She turned her gaze to him with a murderous look. "You're going to suffer so much when we get back." she whispered.
Nightmare Moon turned her head slightly to her left so that her voice would carry backwards. "Enough, you two, we're here." She tolerated these disputes. First of all because she knew that Swift remained alert - having experienced it herself a few times - and would never allow himself this kind of quarrel if he did not think the surroundings were safe. Then because he needed to maintain this stupid attitude for appearances. Especially because it allowed the major to relieve in record time. She sighed inwardly, wondering if she had such a friend a thousand years ago, would she have given in to the torments of her jealousy?
The alicorn landed not far from the entrance of the hive, the bat ponies following it, and those without waiting for the order, undertook to prepare what was meant to be a night picnic. She waited, looking lost in the stars, for her friend to arrive, wondering what she would appreciate in this little mess of food, having brought everything, even meat, a dish she herself loved.
Chrysalis, with Chitin at her side, soon emerged from the tunnel.
Aglowing galloped, passing between their legs, which she pushed with the book and the pencil box. She went to Nightmare Moon, in front of which she stopped, opening the large notebook on the first page to show her the drawing she had made. "Look! Look! I received this gift! So I drew a nice picture of you!"
But Nightmare Moon was not happy to see the drawing, she made a gesture of retreat, spreading her wings. All this time it had not occurred to her to offer a gift as simple as paper and pencils to this child. She was much more concerned about the situation of changelings, taking advantage of every night and even more so of every session to ensure the health and power of these love eaters. She knew that Chrysalis would never ask her for anything, she herself would not have done it if she were in her place. Trust was relative and it was necessary to preserve appearances in order not to appear weak towards each other. However, it was impossible that the reserves would not be empty. She had to find something to feed them without Luna's knowledge. She could not take away ponies by force so that the changelings could feed on their love. And the bat ponies were a race of predators of another kind, her subjects moreover.
The child saw her friend's reaction and lost her smile. And convinced that she knew what was going on in Nightmare Moon's mind, she threw the notebook and pencils to the ground. "I hate this gift!" She shouts before getting closer with a shy little smile. "Please don't be jealous." she begged.
The sudden outburst surprised the audience but neither Chrysalis nor Chitin showed any reaction, digging into the food without asking permission. On her side Antares grabbed Swift by the neck and dragged him further to talk to him separately.
"I'm not jealous!" said the Princess of the Night.
"You seemed scared, now angry, if not jealous, then honesty in words, what is it?" the incredulous child asked, frowning.
They observed each other like earthenware dogs for a brief moment. Nightmare Moon could not help but think that Aglowing Shell's empathy was frightening. Yes, jealousy had made its way into her mind, the idea of losing her friend, bought with gifts. But she couldn't admit it in public. So she diverted the subject from the conversation. "Tell me, since when are you a jealousy expert?"
Antares had finished dragging Swift away from the turmoil and she grabbed his face between her hooves to stick her gaze into his. "Listen to me, if you dare to make the child cry, the punishment of our queen will be nothing compared to what I would do to you, I hope I've made myself clear, Swift." she made it in her most threatening tone, showing her fangs.
He didn't expect this, but the threats made him smile. "Come on, Cute Bite, I've known you for twenty-three years. Have I ever made you cry?"
The bat pony didn't like the implication. An unprecedented anger seized her, and without warning, she struck her most violent blow on his head.
He hadn't seen this attack coming, but his head was hard.
And she was not to be outdone. Seeing him half knocked out, she let go so he would collapse to the ground. "Maybe it's time you quit seeing me as a child," she breathed as she turned her back on him to join the queen.
The bat pony sighed, he would have liked to do her that pleasure, but his oath forbade him to do so.
Meanwhile, Aglowing Shell thought back to the unicorn's words. She turned her eyes to her mother and asked her a question in a cackling noise.
Chrysalis, who until then pretended not to exist for the sake of her daughter's well-being, considered for a moment what should not be told to Nightmare Moon. "Under no circumstances, don't tell her about the tree or the fruits, much less about the unicorn that entered the hive." She ordered in a few cackles.
She didn't like it, but her mother said it was for the good of the hive. "A unicorn came to talk to mother, then to talk to me alone. His name is Bitter Truth, and thanks to him, I understood what jealousy is."
Nightmare Moon immediately turned her attention to Chrysalis. "Did you leave your daughter alone with him? Wasn't the Pepper episode enough?"
Chrysalis looked at her from the corner of her eye. "Chitin was ready to act if he made a wrong move," she lied. She had to keep withholding information, otherwise Nightmare Moon would have feared, in this case, that Bitter Truth's love would make her powerful and therefore dangerous again. "But tell me, my darkness, can you explain to me how a second unicorn has passed your siege?" she asked, carefully choosing her words, before eating a pear pie, a mocking smile on the corner of her lips.
Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes before coming back to her. "By the moon, are you trying to make me believe you don't know this Bitter Truth?"
Antares was back by her queen side.
Chitin, who had noted the altercation between the bat ponies while standing by Chrysalis, asked permission to approach the stallion, who was still apart, in a clicking noise.
Amused, Chrysalis turned her head and wished them a good appetite in their own language, before turning to Nightmare Moon. "I can't believe you didn't try to get him on your side from the beginning."
Chitin went to approach Swift, which was not to Antares' taste.
"He is elusive, even his dreams are out of reach. Either he is using the artefact I granted Celestia after my banishment, or he managed to craft his own to protect himself from my intrusions in his dreams."
Aglowing Shell, who listened wisely so as not to disturb the adults' conversation, was suddenly curious about a certain detail. She caught her friend's attention by putting her hoof on top of hers.
Nightmare Moon looked down at her. "What is it?"
She stepped back a few steps. "That Celestia you're talking about. Is she the princess of the sun?"
It didn't take long for the mare to understand how the child was aware of that fact. "Yes. But tell me, this Bitter Truth, what exactly did he tell you?"
"He... " She hesitated, but it didn't go against her mother's prohibitions. "He said I have a princess heart, and the difference between princesses and queens, so when I said you weren't like the description of the princesses, he had to tell me about your past. Why you became a queen. And also a little about the princess of the sun."
Nightmare Moon could see that the child was uncomfortable. She didn't like that someone else told her about her past, but that wasn't the most important thing right now. "If you have any questions about me, I have nothing to hide from you."
Aglowing looked away, feeling uncomfortable that she couldn't say the same. "No. Nothing comes to mind."
The alicorn used its magic to bring back the notebook previously thrown in front of its owner on the drawing page before offering her a cheek to cheek caress. "I look pretty in this drawing, but I also look so lonely, why don't you draw yourself next to me? I would like this drawing even more that way. In the meantime, I need to talk to your mother about this Bitter Truth."
The hybrid took advantage of the opportunity to jump on Nightmare Moon's face and hold onto her, partly out of jealousy. She looked for an excuse not to be left out. "I drew you, so you should draw me on the drawing instead," she said with a pout.
Nightmare Moon straightened up, but although she was blinded, she remained calm: "I can't believe it. I Nightmare Moon, am the victim of an eternal night perpetrated by a two-year-old child. Who would have thought?"
Antares no longer knew where to stand, much less what to do in such a situation, convinced that if she had the misfortune to take an initiative, one of the two queens would immediately jump at her throat. Under the influence of doubt, she preferred to wait until her intervention was required.
"I am a queen! And I'm almost three years old." She was not yet ready to use the title of Cæsar, instead, she wanted to do what she wished, like a queen, and at that very moment, she wanted to be with her friend.
Chrysalis was amused. Still on her seat, she used her telekinesis to unhook her daughter and made her levitate until she lodged her in the embrace of her forelegs. "My love, it would be good for you to behave like the queen you claim to be. Why don't you go with Chitin?"
Even if the mother seemed tender on the surface, the child felt that she had no choice. "I'm going, but only because I decided to," she said with a tone and a haughty attitude that made her adorable to the eyes of the two queens. She jumped off her mother's embrace and went to join Chitin.
When the child was close enough, she could hear Chitin, facing Swift, who was making mocking comments. "If you're here, it's because your queen must have great self-confidence, is it my capture the reason, bat pony?"
Swift was not to be outdone. "You have no idea. You are currently looking at the Commander General of the Moon's Undersea Army. But due to a lack of equipment, the bat ponies in my army share masks and snorkels."
Chitin frowned at this casual comeback. For the second time, he made them speechless. They changed their mind, their eyes wrinkled, wondering how to handle him.
"Release Chitin immediately." protested Aglowing Shell.
Only the changeling warrior was surprised by the sudden arrival, Swift having heard her arrive thanks to the echolocation while they were speaking. "But I'm not even holding her," he defended himself after turning to her.
Chitin was about to explain it to the child, but curious to learn more about the bat pony, they let him handle the situation, addressing a mischievous smile at the cornered stallion.
"She just said you captured her, so you release her right away."
Swift observed Aglowing and Chitin in turn, and realising that Chitin would not explain what it was all about, tried to come up with an idea, which did not take long. "All right, all right, all right! I'm releasing her right now." He turned towards Chitin and pretended to untie a knot around his neck before removing an imaginary rope that he presented to the child. "See?" He pretended to throw the rope to the side. "She's free now."
The young queen tried to understand what had just happened. Unsure, she turned to the changeling in armour. "Are you really free now, Chitin?" she asked perplexed.
The changeling hesitated to answer by the affirmative, but they could not let the misunderstanding get any worse. They bowed to the child. "Thanks to you, my queen." They couldn't help but look at Swift, intrigued, wondering what this clown was doing in an army.
Aglowing Shell sighed with relief. Distrustful, she watched Swift for a moment before going to nestle between Chitin's legs to seek comfort.
"Is something wrong, my queen?" asked the nurse.
"Nothing important. Mother wants to be alone with Nightmare Moon to talk," she replied with a sad face.
"And you, what do you want, Your Highness?" Swift asked with a kind smile, who couldn't help but think back whenever Cute Bite was depressed because Antares couldn't play with her.
Chitin was divided by this initiative. They cared about the child's well-being, but the nerve of this bat pony who dared to interfere with what wasn't his affairs, annoyed them.
Aglowing was surprised by such a question. She never had a say, despite her status, obeying Chitin because the latter held her orders from Chrysalis. She stared at the stone underneath which the claymore rested, thinking back to Bitter Truth's words. "Mother taught me to survive even without mimicry, but not to fight. I would like to learn. I need it."
Swift considered the details of the situation. "We have nothing for that, but we could make it a game." He observed the child, letting curiosity take over. "Mimicry is that ability you changelings have to take on the appearance of anypony? In my opinion, it is not very useful. This warrior right here, even they do not use it perfectly."
Chitin, who had remained speechless until now, so surprised by the child's desire, almost choked when they were targeted by the bat pony's mockery. In an outburst of anger they whistled at him. "My mimicry is not flawed at all."
"Oh really, Cute Bite?" said the stallion with a big smile on his face.
Chitin took the fly and draped themself in their dignity, turning the head away rather than having to put up with the sight of that smile anymore.
Aglowing, who had not understood anything about the exchange, remained silent all this time, observing the adults with her big curious eyes. A little frightened by Chitin's sudden anger, but not to the point of diverting her from her desire to learn. "So, about this game..." she asked with a blooming impatience.
Swift looked down at the child, realising that he had strayed from the initial conversation. "Oh, yes." He got up and distanced himself from the changelings before facing them, even further away from the entrance of the hive to the east. "Try to touch me with one of your hooves."
She lifted a foreleg, hesitating for a moment before slipping out of Chitin's embrace, who began to walk behind the child without preventing or hindering her movements. Very quickly, she got close to Swift and jumped to touch him with her hoof, but he moved to the side. She looked at him, not understanding.
"Like in a fight, this game involves a lot of movement. I have to avoid your hoof, and you, no matter what happens, must always try to achieve your goals. The game only stops if you win or give up."
These words echoed in the child's mind, a lesson from her mother. Without thinking too much, she concentrated, using her magic to immobilise one of Swift's foreleg on the spot while running to touch him with the hoof, before giving him the same big smile he had given earlier to Chitin.
Swift had tried for a moment to free himself, but realised soon enough that it was a lost cause. He let her win, without hiding his fun. "Well, it seems that the adage 'the end justifies the means' is a well mastered concept for you. It's a combat basic, but it won't help you learn to fight."
"How is this game supposed to teach me how to fight?" asked Aglowing, who released the magic grip.
"If I may, my queen, I think this bat pony thinks he can teach you attack and evasion, which are the basis of an unarmed fight for those who are not capable of magic like him. But this game is far from real warrior training."
Swift smothered a laugh. "Let me guess, your favourite mimicry is the Smarty Pants toy?"
"We cannot take the appearance of an inanimate object," Chitin said before trying to hit him with a direct hit with their right foreleg.
Swift evaded with a big smile. "You didn't touch me with your hoof. Do you want to try your luck again or do you give up?"
Chitin was angry, and returned to a neutral position behind the child.
Once again, Aglowing remained silent in front of the scene, observing in silence. "So if I play this game, I'll learn the attack and dodge it like you just did?"
"Your warrior is right in that it will take a long training, but yes, I am convinced that some games can make training to fight easier. Along with the right equipment such as wooden swords. That would be a minimum." He smiled teasingly. "But above all, using magic to paralyse is still a very good way to gain an advantage in a fight, though." An ultrasound came to his ears, he turned his gaze to the entrance of the hive. "I think I just heard Cute Bite shout, the queenly conversation must be over."
At these words, Aglowing Shell hurried off to the entrance of the hive, leaving Chitin and Swift in a cloud of dust. They followed in her steps at a slower pace.
The changeling dissected what had just happened. They didn't find much to blame him for. "On my own behalf, I would like to thank you for your attitude towards my queen. You were considerate and pati-" A kiss on the cheek froze them on the spot.
Swift took a few steps and turned around, "What? If I'm not mistaken, it's the equivalent of a mango for your kin. And don't tell me you have food to eat since you've been holed up in this hole for months without trying anything funny. By the way, since you're really Cute Bite's twin sister, I'm going to call you Second Bite from now on. Say Second Bite, I was wondering, a wedding, for you, is it the equivalent of an all-you-can-eat buffet? Would you grow so big that you could mimic a rock if you did? No, because if that's really the case, you should think about converting yourself into a wedding caterer, or something like that. Second Bite, do you listen to me when I talk?"
Chitin saw red, under the effect of their anger they began to regret their attempt to show their gratitude to this moron, as they started to chase Swift who fled away, laughing.
Aglowing arrived before the queens, glad to be able to find her friend again. The improvised picnic was well underway, but there was still a little bit of everything. The clues, in the form of crumbs, all led to Chrysalis.
Swift passed by, still being chased by Chitin, pursuing further into the Badlands. "You're not likely to collect moss, see how you roll me afterwards!"
Antares was jaded, head in hooves, swearing that she would kill him at least twice once back at the camp. Chrysalis and Nightmare Moon watched the scene, but since Swift was shrieking with laughter as he was being chased by Chitin, the two queens acted as if they hadn't seen anything worth focusing on. After all, the pony that mattered was already before them.
The child walked on the tablecloth, amidst the variety of food. Frosting spread over the child's face as she bit into the cake, while a small glimmer of malice appeared in Chrysalis's gaze as she turned to the Queen of the Moon. "But now that I think about it, you have not touched a single item from this buffet," she said accusingly, playing pretend to trigger the evening's tussle.
The Princess of the Night rolled her eyes. "My body does not feed on terrestrial food."
"And what is your lackey's excuse in this case?" replied Chrysalis. "She does not fit into her armour anymore, so she's on diet?" she mocked. "Months staying there watching us, wallowing in your opulent Equestria, and you come throwing us your leftovers," she said as she got up, pretending to be angry.
But before Nightmare Moon had time to answer, a plate flew between them. Antares had the reflex to stand up to defend her queen, but the latter put her hoof upon the guard's shoulder to silently order her to return to her place. Once assured of being obeyed, she turned her gaze towards the child as well.
This one was in an aggressive posture, the look filled with anger. She refused to spend so little time with her friend tonight. She also wanted to play. She wanted to demonstrate her feelings in a way acceptable to the monster she was. The words of Bitter Truth echoed in her mind. "You will not face Nightmare Moon tonight, mother. This evening, I will have that privilege."
The queens exchanged gazes at these words. It was Nightmare Moon who spoke as she turned back to the child. "Aglowing Shell, my dear friend, playing to fight is not the kind of game for someone your age. When you become as tall as us, it'll be another story."
The child exhaled by the nostrils, into her mind, frustration mingled with jealousy, her horn crackled with energy. Looking at the queens, she let her emotions take precedence over the rest. When will she be as tall as them? She did not want to wait that long. To be as tall as they were was the only condition? It was not a problem, she knew exactly how to achieve her goals. She closed her eyes, and concentrating, driven by this hunger for friendship, she recalled the lessons. Her mind visualised what she needed: on the tablecloth, a circle of green flames began to dance around her. "Tall. As tall as they are!" Thanks to her reflection in the mirror, she had a clear image of herself. Mimicry operated. In a sheaf of green flames, she adopted an adult appearance, just as tall as they were. She watched herself for a moment, making sure that she had not missed a detail, then turned her gaze to Nightmare Moon. "Am I tall enough now?" Without waiting for an answer, she got up, and went to the rock.
Speechless, the alicorn watched her walk away before turning to Chrysalis.
She was delighted at the sight of what her child accomplished, when she caught the look of Nightmare Moon out of the corner of her eye, the smile of wonder turned into something more mischievous. She turned her head towards the mare, tilting it slightly towards the right. "What did you expect? First, monsters do not take a no for an acceptable answer, as you and I know well. And secondly, when she will be as tall as we are? Really, could you not choose your words better? "She rolled her eyes, a little sigh of happiness betraying her true state of mind as she picked up a coffee flavoured mini-eclair. Her only daughter, who wasn't fully a Changeling, had finally managed a Mimicry. And a perfect one no less! Too bad it was for a friendship problem, and not in order to harvest some love. But still, Chrysalis felt such pride. "Make sure you do not hurt her, otherwise I'll scream everywhere that Celestia is dead, that you've killed her, and that you're pretending to be Luna."
Nightmare Moon shot a glare at this threat, then got up and went to join Aglowing.
This one was in a state of unprecedented nervousness, a hoof on the rock. She looked at the moon, remembering the advice. She noticed that Nightmare Moon was approaching, and she leaned her head towards the rock. "Bitter Truth asked me to always keep the moon on my left, so it would be nice if you could face me."
The queen obeyed, however curious. "Did he say anything else?" She asked once in front of her.
Aglowing pushed the rock to the side, taking the claymore with her telekinesis. Once the sword came out of its sheath, she observed it in the moonlight, seemingly much smaller now. She didn't know if she could make good use of it, but she had to try. "Yes. Many other things."
Nightmare Moon was shocked at the sight of the weapon. "What is my claymore doing here?"
She had so little control over her emotions, that magic completely covered the blade, giving it an incandescent glow. "It's mine. A gift from the Princess of the Sun, from Princess to Cæsar. To defend those I love! And to fight you!" At these words, she charged at Nightmare Moon, raising the sword high before slamming it down beside the alicorn.
So many unexpected developments occurred so quickly, that the queen lost track of them. As she saw the heavily infused magic attack coming, she preferred to dodge it and assumed the ether form of Tantabus, and her intuition was correct. When the child in a magic adult form struck nearly where she was standing a second before, the impact exploded the ground, projecting rubble and dust cloud around.
Aglowing was frightened by the effect of her attack, a chill running down the spine, she observed the hole she had just created. She turned her gaze to Nightmare Moon.
The queen stood upright, her two straight hoofs floating in the void dug by the attack, she looked back, her eyes as two galaxies turned calmly in their sockets.
"Aren't you supposed to attack me too?" At these words she resumed the assault, frustrated in her heart of this unilateral fight, the advice to act as dangerous as possible in mind, the following blow scarifying the badlands with a larger crater.
Nightmare contented herself with dodging again, for fear of hurting the child, she refused to go to the counterattack.
Knowing how each of her attacks would look like, Aglowing focused on the fight. Her only fear was her inability to make her take a more active role. Frustration gave way to fear. She clenched her teeth, to remain strong, not to be weak. "What am I doing wrong? Why do you refuse to fight with me? Tell me. Tell me!" she shrieked the plea before her third assault. The power behind it gouged a hole in the earth, which swallowed up the previous evidence of her attacks into a deafening crash.
Nightmare Moon took a position on the other side of the crevasse before assuming back a physical form. "It is not that I refuse to fight with you. Simply put, I do not want to take the risk of hurting you that is all. "
Her efforts remained in vain, she turned her head away, her heart caught in a vice. "Taking the risk of hurting mother does not bother you though."
Nightmare Moon watched her, she proudly refused to ask the reason behind this behaviour, wanting to understand the substance of the problem by herself. "I do not specifically try to hurt your mother. She knows how to fight, but you still have a lot to learn, you are only a child after all."
These words echoed in the mind of the hybrid, drunk with rising anger, she glared furiously at the alicorn. "I am a Cæsar!" Following this correction, she dropped her sword, concentrated the sum of all the feelings in her heart to launch a magical attack. A sphere began to grow at the tip of the horn until it reached the size of a mandarin orange. But when the attack was released, slow at first, the sphere grew as it gained speed and its destructive power amplified, leaving a furrow in its path before exploding against the eastern side of the Badlands's mountains.
Nightmare Moon, having resumed the form of the Tantabus for safety, was just as impressed as frightened by the scale of this attack. If Tantabus was not a creation from the world of dreams, and therefore insensitive to material attacks, it was certain that it would not have emerged unscathed. She turned to Aglowing Shell to contemplate a show of a different kind.
The anger completely consummated by this attack left a vacant place in the terror that slowly closed on the child's mind, her jealousy becoming so unbearable that she began to weep with rage. "Why do you not fight me? What do I do wrong for you to prefer to fight with my mother over me?!" she asked with a broken voice.
At the sight of that gaze she knew only too well, having seen it many times in the reflection of a mirror during the banishment, Nightmare Moon realised what was at stake. In a short gallop she threw herself on Aglowing, regaining a physical form to embrace her affectionately in her forelegs, spreading her wings to cover her back. "Quiet and calm. I'm here, look, I'm here. Everything is fine. Please calm down."
The bubble of jealousy burst, she lost all her strength at once, and wept with tears. "I am scared. I'm so afraid of losing you," she stammered between sobs.
Nightmare Moon was beginning to understand, the clues finally fitting into each other. "Jealousy is a terrible poison. Do not be afraid, no one will be able to get in the way of our friendship."
"You promise?" The child asked, frowning out of a painful relief brought by her words, her eyes filled with tears.
One last surprise that snatched a smile from Nightmare Moon, who tightened her embrace tenderly.
"Yes, Little Cæsar, I promise you. Our friendship will last forever. " |
A Guardian's Hope | Chapter 10 | The sun was about to be risen. North of Ponyville, Sunset Shimmer closed her eyes, focused on the training she had long neglected. The travel teapot already on the campfire, the unicorn stood motionless on the plain, visualising in her mind imaginary opponents. Her telekinesis having a firm grip on the katana, which was still inside the sheath she was holding against her left flank, waiting for the moment to unleash the perfect strike. With the fluidity of water, she took a placement step to her right to improve the striking angle. She anchored her hooves in the ground, drawing energy from the plain. The fire of her heart, reborn from the embers of the consumed mourning, tried to ignore all thoughts. Suddenly, a wind blew from the south, carrying some yellowed oak leaves and playing with the mare's hair. She focused her attention on the sound, visualising in her mind the flight of leaves that were carried by the strong breeze. Sunset waited for the perfect moment, unloading the saya blade and striking a single blow. When she opened her eyes again, she realised that of the five leaves, one was still intact. At the time of the strike, her mind did not visualise the leaves, but Pepper's throat. Sunset lowered her head while putting the katana in its sheath in three movements. She had no excuse for such a result, trained to cut much smaller cherry leaves.
With Luna's help, the moon shifted with the sun, the burning star now high in the sky.
Sunset walked towards the campfire, poured the tea into the tea cups, as usual after greeting the sun with a bow. She wasn't smiling, but pondering, trying to put her ideas in order. She sighed, before taking a sip of tea, not daring to look towards the sun. "Hello, Princess Celestia..." She sighed, raised a brief shy look at the sun. "... I thought I was far away from you. In the end I was just in denial, and our conversation, or should I say my last lesson, was the push I needed," she said with a brief embarrassed smile before getting serious again. "I promised to take care of Twilight, and I won't back down from my vow." She sighed again, looking down at her tea cup. "But to be a sun for Equestria? I can't do that. Not right away at least." She drank another sip of tea. "I'm just a ronin. If I had had the courage to return earlier, you could have been my daimyo, and I would have served you as the most loyal of your samurai. But here and now, I serve no pony, and as long as your death is not avenged, my heart will cry out for injustice, I would never cease, from now on, to hunt down your murderer until her death is proven. I may have to disappoint you once again, but I was never the kind of mare to be reasonable."
"Sunset! Hello," Pinkie shouted from afar as she pranced joyfully towards her, carrying a saddle with delivery bags from the Sugar Cube Corner.
The unicorn turned around on herself, leaning on her right front hoof, to look behind it. Seeing the earth pony coming in her direction, Sunset returned to her tea cup to practise an ersatz of the purification ritual. She concentrated on the steps she had to go through, soaking her mouth for a moment with the rest of the tea while driving away from her mind the current mood. Once this was done, she threw the contents of the cup onto the dying embers of the campfire and then turned back to the earth pony. "Hello Pinkie, what are you doing up so early in the morning?"
"Oh, just the daily delivery of pastries for customers who have ordered from the Sugar Cube Corner. Seeing you here makes me think that you're feeling better. Is it the same for Twilight?"
"Twilight was much more affected than I was, but in recent days I've noticed signs that she is about to fully recover from her apathy."
"That's good to hear!" admitted Pinkie Pie before a smell tickled her nostrils. But, being the Element of Laughter that she was, couldn't take it any other way than with a smile. "Oh, I'm willing to bet a breakfast that Fluttershy would love to take care of you right now."
A statement that left Sunset perplexed. "And why is that?"
"Because you smell like a manticore!" She said before laughing at her teasing.
The unicorn tried to smell her own coat of her forelegs. "In my defence, there's no room to wash anywhere at Twilight's."
"She usually uses the Cake's bathroom. Come on, I don't think it's a problem if you do the same."
The idea of taking a bath did not leave Sunset indifferent. "I'm not going to refuse such an offer twice. Just wait until I get my stuff tidied up and I'll follow you, Pinkie." Without delay, using her telekinesis, the unicorn poured the rest of the teapot to put out the fire before putting the tea service in her bag. With the saddle on her back, the harness holding the katana against her right flank, she finally turned towards the earth pony. "Ready."
Pinkie observed Sunset, uncertain. "No need to take all this with you to wash, you know, the Sugar Cube Corner is at the end of the street."
Sunset was cut off in her momentum, she bit her lower lip for a moment. "As unicorns say in Japony, old customs never disappear." she says with a smile.
"You say that, but you left it to chase after Twilight when you got here," Pinkie said.
"Only because, back then, I didn't know how far our conversation would get me close to Canterlot, and I couldn't get too close to the castle, armed to the teeth," Sunset explained as she headed towards the Sugar Cube Corner.
"Ooooooooh.~" said Pinkie as she followed.
"What happened while I was away, has Rainbow Dash finished her training?"
Pinkie had a second stop, she lost her smile when the pegasus was mentioned. "Yes, she's a Wonderbolt now."
"Is something wrong, Pinkie?"
"Since she became a Wonderbolt, I've only seen her from afar, during her patrols. If I dare to call her, she looks at me two seconds before bolting in a sonic rainboom. Applejack doesn't see her anymore either. It's as if her friends no longer exist now that she's a Wonderbolt."
Sunset frowned. "She just has to devote herself entirely for her dream to come true, that's all." she thought aloud. "How are Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy?"
"Applejack is training for the Running of the Leaves, she hopes the competition will attract Rainbow. Fluttershy helps animals prepare for hibernation. Rarity lacks inspiration for the kimono designs, she would probably be happy to have your <expertise>" she says, imitating Rarity with a hoof gesture. "...to fix it."
"It's good to hear they're fine, but about Rarity... She'll have to wait until I have higher priorities."
"Like taking a bath?"
Sunset smiled. "Yes, it will be a good start."
A bath later, following Pinkie's directives, Sunset presses on the pink candy of the ice cream cone which acts as a decoration at the bottom of the staircase, opening a hatch under her hooves, and making her fall on a slide that leads her into a room filled with a few monobloc files, holiday decorations and sweets.
"What is this place?" she asked, noticing her travel saddle next to the slide.
"The place where I organise all the parties for all the ponies in Ponyville."
"it must be a long-term task."
"Oh! You have no idea!"
Approaching the earth pony, Sunset noticed her standing in front of a door at the back of the room. "What are you doing?"
"I was hoping my friend would be here today, but he seems busy."
Sunset raises an eyebrow. "A friend? Behind that door at the end of the cellar? Does he have a name?"
"The time I asked him, he replied that I could call him Lazy Bones, but I think it's just a nickname. He's pretty nice, he always has a joke in reserve. We do competitions for the worst joke sometimes."
"Why don't you open the door and go see him?"
Pinkie rolled her eyes. "Daaah~" She opened the door for a few seconds to show that it was not leading anywhere.
Sunset raised the hoof to the temple to contain a blooming headache. "It's really hard to keep a logical reasoning with you." She took a look at the pink-haired mare with a smile. "How do the others do?"
Pinkie laughs. "They never ask questions. And talking about questions, what are you going to do? You said you had priorities earlier."
"I'm going to hunt down this Pepper and avenge Princess Celestia."
"How do you plan to find her?"
"I brought back from Japony a device that I was using at the time to track down criminals, it captures the subject's magicprint and then indicates the direction in which it is located, no matter how far away."
"Try it on me! Try it on me!" said a Pinkie leaping on the spot.
"All right, all right!" Sunset capitulated smiling. "Give me a minute to get it out of the bag." With these words she went to look for a purple metal compass the size of the hoof. It wasn't marked like a normal compass, on the border of this device, there were twenty-four notches on each side, which was attached to a string. She returned to Pinkie Pie, then activating the magic print capture while aiming at the earth pony, the compass opened in two on the edge, sucking a cloud as pink as the mare's mane into her breast before closing suddenly. But the instrument overheated. Sunset barely had time to throw it away and set up a shield with its magic to protect them before it exploded. "Are you alright, Pinkie?"
Pinkie pouted, puzzled. "It exploded because my magic is beyond eight thousand?"
Sunset didn't understand what Pinkie was getting at, she was going to say no, but remembered that it was better to go her way without questioning it. "Yes, Pinkie, your magic print is off the charts, clearly beyond eight thousands."
The earth pony had a brief laugh that tore a contagious smile from the unicorn. Once the laughter subsided, she looked at what was left of the compass "Are you going to be able to fix it?"
Sunset picked up the biggest debris, thoughtful. "I don't think that's a good idea. You said Pepper was interested in your storage pockets, is she capable of the same kind of magic?"
"Yes. You can find her magic print near Fluttershy's cottage, that's her nearest waypoint."
"What do you mean?"
"Rainbow Dash once told me that for Pepper the teleportation is more complex, while Twilight just needs to visualise the destination place in her head, Pepper has to take into account additional details, otherwise she would find herself on another planet in another dimension. As a result, she has waypoints, a kind of signal that makes her teleports easier but at the same time more limited. One close to Fluttershy's house, one next to the ruins of the two sisters' castle, and one in the armoury of Canterlot Castle."
"This information will make it easier for me to track her. Based on the ornament at home, I can eliminate her ghost prints from the tracker, I just need to make the device with a stronger material, so that it will support a magic print of your calibre. And I know which door I'm going to knock on. I will also take the opportunity to check in with Spitfire about Rainbow Dash," Sunset said, putting her travel saddle on her back.
"That would be great." Pinkie said.
Faint footsteps were heard from the back of the room, Pinkie smiled with a huge smile, ran towards the door, followed by a Sunset walking with a quick step.
"Lazy Bones! What took you so long? Bone tired as always?" Pinkie said cheerfully.
He answered only by slipping a sheet of paper under the door before the footsteps moved away, which amazed Sunset and left Pinkie perplexed.
The latter picked up the leaf and began to read it.
Sunset, with her curiosity aroused, could not help but take a look over the shoulder of the earth pony, but she could not read a word of what was written. "What language is that? Pinkie?" When she took a look at the earth pony, she was shocked to see her for the second time so deprived of joy.
With her mane turned smooth, her hoof on her mouth while crying in silence, Pinkie finished rereading. "It's Common, the writing used by humans. Lazy advises me to destroy the recipe of his decoction, as it has permanent harmful side effects beyond fifteen minutes. He knows it because, a human child has arrived in their world." She sniffed. "Killing everycreature. Unless he can change their mind, he says he's not going to make... old bones." She smiled hollowly as she said these last words.
"Can't we do anything?"
"This magic that allows me to talk to someone from another world is called <breaking the fourth wall> but ironically, I can't go there."
Sunset could not find the words to ease Pinkie's pain, she lured her into her hooves, to comfort her. This event only reinforced her aversion to humans.
Two hours later, Spitfire was behind her desk in her office at the Wonderbolt Academy, signing papers when Sunset entered the room, having left the travel saddle at Twilight's library, but keeping the harness that held the katana in place against her right flank in its sheath and the purse that contained the few coins she had left.
Spitfire took a brief look at the unicorn, at the sight of the serious look Sunset had on her face, she knew she wasn't coming for a courtesy call. "Hello Sunset, what brings you here so early in the morning?"
"I need a favour."
The eyes of the pegasus widened, realising how important it must have been for Sunset to ask for help, she took off her sunglasses and stared straight into her eyes. "I'm listening."
"I'm trying to track down Pepper, but the device..."
"Sunset." Spitfire cut her off. "Get to the point. What do you need?"
"Cloudichalcum, one can be two ingots. And a place where I can make the tracker with it, piece by piece, without Princess Luna catching wind of it."
"Why the secrecy?"
"If she finds out I'm making a device that can track anypony with the accuracy of a metre, she'll ask for it and that would put Princess Twilight in an awkward position."
"Great, I give up, it only raises more questions, and I have the feeling that the less I know, the better. It's not like anypony could deny you anything given your credentials. You want access to the forge? You have them, you'll have them at your disposal. Two bars of Cloudichalcum is still something I can't just make disappear like that in the administrative paperwork. You'll have to forge a blade, you'll use the anti-magic metal for its core, but officially it will be made purely of Cloudichalcum."
"Why would you need such a blade?"
"It's not for me, it's for Dash. You'll never guess who was introduced to me by Princess Luna lately."
Sunset had an idea, but in order not to make a mistake, she replied in half words. "This pony seems terrible. Did you have bad dreams about it?" she asked with a mocking smile.
Spitfire understood the allusion without difficulty. "How long have you known?"
"The night I returned, she approached Princess Twilight in her dreams to ask her a favour."
"No wonder, given her return, that the Sandmare project was dug up by Princess Celestia. But Dash is going to need a blade and you're going to forge it for me, in return for the favour, Sunset."
"Relax Spitfire, I know and understand your eagerness to prepare for the worst, but from what I know, Nightmare Moon wants to be an ally of Princess Twilight, she asked for her help, and even revealed information hidden by Princess Luna."
"She plays her cards, nothing more."
"Fine, you want a sword, sure, I'll forge it for you. And since she's been mentioned, how's Rainbow? Pinkie says she's changed since she became a Wonderbolt."
"Yes, I noticed a change in her attitude. I tried to talk to her, but I always hit a wall. I'm her superior, not her mother, I can't force her to tell me what's wrong or send her to a psych just because she's giving her all."
Sunset was torn. She wanted to build the tracker as quickly as possible, but Princess Celestia's last words during the time travel pushed her to intervene. "I'm going to have to get involved in this case, Equestria won't be able to endure two Spitfires. Where can I find her?"
"Catch her, you mean. The best solution would be to wait for her at home tonight."
Sunset reviewed everything she knew about the situation thanks to Pinkie. "Well, I have the afternoon to prepare my ambush."
"Anything you need for the ambush?"
"No, Mom." Sunset said impertinently. "I will come and start working at the forge as soon as possible." she continued more seriously. "I'm going back to Ponyville, see you later, Spitfire."
The day went by without incident. Sunset went to see Rarity, and gave her an impromptu lesson on kimonos. In the second half of the afternoon, she went to see Applejack at Sweet Apple Acres.
It was almost time for the sun to give way to the moon in the sky. To the east of Ponyville was a glade surrounded by cherry trees, their petals shaded from bright white to the brightest pink. Sunset was sitting there against a barrel of cider lying in the grass, a mug half full between the hooves, another on the barrel. With the harness detached, the katana rested against the barrel to the right of Sunset. She was facing the sun, her eyes closed, she was enjoying the moment, a peaceful smile on her lips.
The unicorn didn't have to wait long, Rainbow Dash was returning at full speed from the Wonderbolt Academy after her daily debriefing. She stopped abruptly a few flaps of wings from the cloud on which her house was standing when she realised that Sunset was in the clearing. She hesitated for a moment, before giving in to curiosity, landing on the dry land beside her. "Hey Sunset, what are you doing here?"
With calculated nonchalance, Sunset opened one eye. "Oh, Rainbow, hello. As you can see, I'm appreciating a keg of Applejack's special cider cuvee. What are you doing here?"
When the special vintage was mentioned, the pegasus drooled a bit, but the question did not please her. "What am I doing here? That cloud above us is my home! There's my mailbox right there behind you," she said, pointing at it with her hoof.
Sunset took a look that was meant to be lazy over the barrel at the blue steel mailbox with Rainbow Dash's cutie mark on the side. She turned back to the mare. "You're the fastest pegasus, I bet you could place that mailbox and cloud anywhere in Ponyville in less than ten seconds."
"Of course I could! Wait..." She realised afterwards that this was not in her favour. "Nevermind, I don't care, do whatever you want," she said frustrated, before taking off, flying toward her home.
"Do you want to help me finish the barrel?" Sunset calmly proposed.
Rainbow came back in a blink by her side. "Okay," she replied without hesitation. Nothing could have stood in her way of drinking a barrel of Applejack's special vintage. She grabbed the second pint, drunk the first fill bottom up, then refilled it before sitting next to Sunset.
Sunset remained deliberately silent, so that the growing silence between them would cause Rainbow Dash to feel uncomfortable, forcing her to speak.
And the expected effect did not take too long to come. "How are the others?" she asked.
"What others?" Sunset said, pretending not to understand.
"Well, the group! Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rarity."
"How should I know? They're your friends, not mine. You should know that. How are your friends doing, Rainbow?"
"Oh come on, you have just seen them!" accused the pegasus.
Sunset was only half surprised by this statement. She looked up and smiled. "How do you know?" she asked before taking a sip of her pint without taking her eyes off it.
Rainbow looked away, embarrassed. "Forget it."
Sunset tried to bounce off these words, looking at the bottom of her mug. "Life would be so simple, if we could just forget the unpleasant things on command, don't you think? There was a time when I wish I had forgotten my past. But in Japony, a master blacksmith helped me to accept it."
"What did he do?"
"I'll tell you the long version. This is the day after my request to forge my katana was accepted, but before that, I had to go through a conversation with the master blacksmith, so that he would know who was making the request. I thought it would have taken five, ten minutes. It took all day. He made me say every thought I had from as far back as I can remember until the very day before. At the end, he told me: <Sunset-san, if you forge your blade with such a state of mind, never before has a blade had as many shadows as yours...> At the time I thought he would refuse me his sup-"
"Wait a minute, <-san>? <shadows>?"
"Ah. Yes. Do you remember the banner, Sunset-senpai the day I arrived? The suffix -san is used in the case of addressing a pony of equal or lower rank than our own, -sama for someone of higher rank, and, especially to address a princess, there is the suffix -hime. You following so far?"
"So... Twilight-hime to say Princess Twilight?"
"That's right. Can you fill up the pint for me, please?" she said, handing her the pint. "Regarding shadows, it's about the forging process. Five elements are determining factors in the quality result of a blade." She took back her full pint. "Thank you. The metal used represents the earth, the fire of the forge and the wind that keeps it burning, the water in which the metal is cooled and finally the blacksmith's ki. According to him, in view of my past, my ki, which is, to explain it simple to you, an internal energy unique to each one of us, was not the best there is insofar as I dragged my regrets and fears like a ball and chain attached to my hind legs, and no meditation could have helped me to drive them out of my mind." She looked at Rainbow from the corner of her eye." Meditation is a spiritual warm-up to empty your mind. Still, according to him, my ki would have impregnated my soul states in the blade."
"And so it was?"
"When the head of the family, who spent his youth learning from his father, who himself learned it from his father, and who will spend the rest of his life forging blades that are still praised today by all the clans of Japony, tells you that the blade will have shadows, you take his word for it, Rainbow."
"All right, all right, all right. Well, then, what did he say?"
"He told me: <No blacksmith worthy of the name would dare to present such a blade in return for an order, he would shame himself. But in your case, Sunset-san, you may be tormented by your past, but you seem to have a healthy personality. Similar blades have been created by master blacksmiths recognised by all, and have been the reward during tournaments... > what you need to know is that the katana has in some way, a spirit of its own, in the image of the one who forged it."
"So your sword is like what, alive?"
"Yes and no. It is not alive in the same way as you and I are alive, but more in the sense that when we sing a song, we put our heart into it. A katana is a bit like the same idea. This weapon is imbued with my being, the one I was back then when I created it. Kind of like a copy of me. Do you understand me, or did I lose you there?"
"It reminds of an old book about your adventures in Japony, and also of my Element of Harmony that recognised my Loyalty to the group, am I right?"
Sunset needed to think, based on what Twilight had told her during their period of common depression. "It's kind of like that for the element except you didn't create it. But you understood a little bit the idea I'm trying to explain, very badly, I admit it."
"And so with the master blacksmith, what happened next?"
Sunset tried to find back the thread of the conversation. "He then said: <Whatever you have done, whatever you have said, the past cannot be changed. And if you flee from it, as far as your steps lead, it will always be there by your side when it is time to go to bed until the day of your last breath. So maybe it's time to turn the page for good, and for that, you'll have to accept it with serenity. I will help you to make your past a basis for resuming the path to your destiny, Sunset-san, a weapon that will allow you to face the future, no matter what form it takes to challenge you. But before I start, I'm going to ask you to take stock of your life, to reflect on everything that has been said today. Take the night, the day of tomorrow, the rest of the week, whatever it will take. You are my honoured guest. When you have accepted the idea of moving on, come back to me, with a definitive name for the blade."
"Wait a second. Your katana has a name?"
"It is a bad omen for the newly forged blade of a katana to be immersed in water before naming it. In Japony, such a blade would be considered as soulless ... as a dead tree with only the bark left, the inside totally gnawed away by termites."
That image gave Rainbow goosebumps.
Sunset followed. "And so today, I have Spitfire ordering me to forge a blade especially for you."
"Shouldn't it be me doing it, you know, so the spirit of the sword can be a copy of me?"
Sunset smiles inwardly. "No, I'm not going to forge you a Rainbow katana, just a regular sword of the Equestrian army."
"Oh come on, you can't tell me all this about how swords are forged in Japony and then tell me you're going to forge a common sword for me."
Sunset's inner smile overflowed on her lips into a corner smile. "I guess you could probably convince Spitfire that as a special unit, you could have an unconventional weapon. But do you understand what this means?"
"Am I going to have to find a name for it?"
"No, before that."
"Uh, I'm going to have to learn how to forge?"
"No, before that."
Rainbow tried to remember. "No, I don't see it."
"We need to talk, Rainbow. The conversation that took me a day. But I'm only interested in one thing. I need to know what's wrong with you so you avoid your friends like you've been doing since you became a Wonderbolt."
"Oh, that."
"Yes, that. I talked to Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie today, and they can't explain it. So, please, help us understand what's wrong."
"Spitfire said it, Princess Celestia wanted me to be a special unit within the Wonderbolts. I'm a Wonderbolt because somepony I thought was my friend ... did something that I can't even say. And I can't disappoint Princess Celestia, I have to dedicate myself, making sure everything is fine everywhere."
Sunset blinked several times, she couldn't believe her ears. She tried not to laugh, but could not hold back for long. "All of this for that?" Her laughter became louder. And Rainbow's offended face didn't help. "If I had known." She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
"How can you laugh?!"
"Rainbow, you've got yourself all riled up so much, it's so absurd that it's better to laugh about it than to cry about it."
"What do you mean?!"
"I was there, Rainbow. Princess Celestia didn't choose you. Princess Celestia asked Spitfire to make a Wonderbolt into this special unit. Spitfire chose you."
The pegasus was troubled by this statement. "No. I'm sure of it. Spitfire said it was the princess' orders."
"Rainbow, don't make me drag you to the academy by the skin of your neck to ask Spitfire to repeat what she said. Please."
Rainbow's certainty ended up melting in front of Sunset's confidence. "So it's just because of Spitfire that I'm a Wonderbolt?"
"Did you really not listen to anything the other day? It's only for your achievements and talent. If your appointment to the active team had not arrived this month, it would only have been a matter of time. Fire Streak is about to leave the active team to become a teacher in the academy. You were at the top of the list to replace him."
Rainbow was lost, staring at the bottom of her pint. Not knowing how to react, she turned to Sunset, her eyes begging for guidance. "What do I do now?"
"Nopony forces you to be the guardian of harmony all the time, not even Spitfire, even if it makes her very happy that you give your all. Your friends miss you, three of them told me so. You're going to join the Running of the Leaves, because Applejack hopes to see you there, she told me it won't be the same without you." Her thoughts made her realise there was only one course of action. "Regarding the sword, I doubt a katana is what you need. Spitfire knows about Nightmare Moon, that's why she's asking me to forge a blade for you. But you are a guardian, Rainbow. When my katana was finished, the blacksmith's first words were: <You gave birth to a beautiful slayer.> So tell me, in the event that Nightmare Moon possesses Princess Luna, would you be ready to kill her?"
The question shocked Rainbow Dash. "W-what?!! No!"
"In that case, explain to me in detail, why do you want a katana?"
"Because it seemed cool, considering the history of yours, the shadows and putting a bit of yourself in the blade and everything."
Rainbow's innocence made Sunset smile and start thinking. "Something cool that can fight somepony like Nightmare Moon." She thought about the conversations with Twilight. "If I could channel the energy of your Elements of Harmony into a blade. A magic sword of Harmony, how cool would that be?"
"Cool? Are you kidding me? That would be awesome," said the pegasus, waving her forelegs in a sudden upright position with her wings spread. "Do you think you can do that?" she asked after sitting down.
"I'll try. The idea is simple, but the execution isn't. I'll think about the concept, but I make absolutely no promises. In the worst case scenario, you'll have a Cloudichalcum sword."
"By the way, what's its name?" asked Rainbow.
"My Sword? Danzan-maru. Maru is also a suffix, literally, it does mean <circle>, but it is often applied to swords and ships, with the implication that the item is something beloved. Danzan means <separator>."
As Sunset cleared up the misunderstanding, they kept talking, and even after they had finished up their barrel of apple cider, Sunset continued regaling tales of her adventures in this far away country.
The next morning, Sunset set out to get Twilight out of her torpor, with the help of the group. A party was organised by them during the afternoon, while Sunset made the plans for the various parts of the tracker to be made, and all celebrated at nightfall the appointment of Rainbow Dash as a Wonderbolt.
When the components were ready, Sunset made the soldering of the printed circuit board itself before assembling the whole thing. Once this was done, she tried the device on Pinkie and this time it held on. Confident, she used the device and collected Pepper's magic print from the hair strand. However, given the time that had elapsed since Twilight received it, it was no longer possible to collect the magic print of the clotted blood. Sunset had to fall back on the three drop points Pinkie had mentioned to get a print. When she arrived in front of Fluttershy's cottage, she realised thanks to the leaves falling from the trees, that they delineated an area large enough to contain Princess Celestia herself no less, the waypoints forming a bubble that prevented organic elements from entering. Sunset then understood that these drop points had some protection, assured that one of them would prevent any creature from being inside if Pepper were to open the passage. At the same time, she set the tracker so that it would ignore them from now on. She realised that the Regicide had a sharp mind if she took these kinds of precautions, and this encouraged her to be more cautious. Moments later, she discovered the ruins of the two sisters' castle and after much investigation, the Tree of Harmony.
With the sword project still in mind, and seeing the symbols on the tree that seemed identical to the cutie mark of Princess Twilight and Princess Celestia, she was convinced that this tree had a connection with the Elements of Harmony. With great respect, she took one of the round, translucent gems hanging from the branches of the tree.
Back in Ponyville, Sunset spoke to Twilight about the sword project before asking for permission to manipulate the Elements of Harmony, and her help. After a few tests, the two students of Princess Celestia managed to find a reliable concept. Spitfire later approved this concept.
The day of the Running of the Leaves arrived very soon. Out Of the seven mares, Rainbow, Applejack, Twilight and Sunset were the only ones to participate: Pinkie and Spike were the commentators in duet from a hot air balloon that flew over the race, Fluttershy and Rarity, with their own reasons, did not participate. The idea behind the race was simple, the gallop of the participants would help the leaves of the trees to fall.
The next day, Sunset went to Fluttershy's cottage. She spent the day there, but towards the end of the day she went to get Twilight to show her the discoveries she made; that she could use magic to open Pepper's waypoints. She had to be aware of the specific place the waypoint was to use them. However, this only worked with the waypoints previously created by Pepper, the waypoints Sunset had recently visited. From the two sisters' castle, Twilight managed to open the gate leading to Fluttershy's cottage.
One night, in the northern district of Canterlot behind the castle where the noblest families lived, whose roots went back to the very foundations of the Kingdom of Equestria, three ponies gathered around a round table made of ebony wood.
"Lady Storm, Lady Shawarma, how are you?"
"As good as you are, Sir Adamantium, as good as you are."
Thing is, they were tired of the constant attempts to approach the pony who was sitting next to the throne.
"If only Princess Lu-"
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in." said the earth pony.
A servant came in, seemingly very embarrassed. "A unicorn at the door wants to talk to you."
"Who is this?"
"He didn't introduce himself, he just sputtered something." Just thinking about it increased her embarrassment, making her blush even more.
"I'm waiting."
She mustered all the courage she could under the stress of what she was ordered. "He said that you would know who he is if I stated: <If only Princess Luna was as malleable as Princess Celestia was.> " She wanted to hide in a mouse hole.
Sir Adamantium closed his eyes in a long, exasperated sigh. "Send him in."
The maid disappeared without further delay.
Bitter Truth stayed at the door frame. "May I join this exciting beginning of conversation you have here?"
"What do you want? When we last spoke, you didn't want to have anything to do with us anymore, as I recall."
"I had no reason at the time to work with puppeteers. But, to the extent that my vision of the future proves to me that it is time to change direction, and to work with the camp that will soon be at the head of the kingdom."
Like three sharks sniffing the drop of blood that had just mingled with the ocean, the pupils of the three nobles shrank so much that all their attention was focused on the stallion that remained at the door of the room.
With a predatory smile, Sir Adamatium spoke again. "By all means come in, my dear friend, come in. And be kind enough to let us see this future you just talked about."
Bitter Truth entered and telekinetically closed the door behind him, with a fine smile on his face. He slipped to the table, facing the three ponies that had stood side by side to face him. "It may be that in the very near future, Princess Luna may have an accident that will make her unable to rule Equestria. And then somepony will have to take over the regency. But I'm sure you, the descendants of the founders of this kingdom, have some idea of who the ideal candidates would be."
Like hyenas, the three nobles began to plan for their future at the head of the kingdom, under the satisfied gaze of the oracle.
And so days passed.
Since Bitter Truth's visit, Nightmare Moon came every night with her claymore carried by Major Antares, and a new way to tease Chrysalis, which forced Aglowing Shell to defend her mother with her sword. This was a pretext for their training session, the time varied according to the child's only desire, who later discovered a passion for Equestrian Astronomy.
One morning, in the badlands, a silhouette entered Chrysalis' private apartments. Without especially trying to be discreet, using his magic to light his way to the hanging, the pony slipped into the alcove.
The queen, who was lying on her stomach and bent over herself, was woken from her dreamless sleep by the presence that crept into her alcove, her mind still disturbed by the sudden awakening, convinced that it was Aglowing Shell that woke her up. She smiled a little. "How many times-" She was cut off by a kiss on the lips, and the sensation of fizz that invaded her mind made her have a gesture of retreat. "What-" She was not allowed to speak, the kiss took hold of her, the fizziness overcame her spirit, she sighed as she succumbed, the kiss lasted for a while, giving power to the queen, until Bitter Truth slipped a slice of the fruit of love between her lips eagerly looking for another kiss.
"Your loyal subordinate arrives, may you have the kindness to reassure her, we have to discuss a matter of life and death concerning your daughter."
It didn't take long, Chitin arrived in a hurry, opening the door with a crash. "My queen! Are you all right?!" They were cut off in the momentum by a snap. An order from Chrysalis to not make another step.
Chrysalis was gathering her thoughts. "Yes, Chitin. He came to bring me breakfast in bed, that's all. Go with my daughter, and make sure she doesn't come to disturb us."
Chrysalis' low tone said nothing worthwhile to the warrior, so they followed her instructions without blinking, closing the door behind them.
The queen looked at the unicorn and glared at him, "Funny are those obsessions you have, pony."
Bitter Truth, who illuminated the alcove with his magic, gave her a softer look. "Isn't that the duty of a jester to entertain the Queen? If you don't mind, I'd dare ask to offer you a hug while I explain to you how to save your daughter once again. Your power will be a necessary asset, believe me."
"It's not like you've been wrong so far." She sighed exasperated. "All right, go ahead. But about your explanations, don't beat about the bush this time. I'm not in the mood," she said as she went back to bed.
The oracle clung to her side, and placed his head on her back, at the height of the heart of the changeling. "Your daughter next year will have the opportunity to meet her father, who will try to kill her. If you want her to be saved, the only way is to dig Pepper Chilly up, during the night between Sunday and Monday next week. She's the only one who can save her. I didn't see a plausible future where anypony else could."
"The parasprite is dead, I don't see her saving anypony once she's dug up," Chrysalis mocked. But the silence that followed left her with a headache as she savoured the love she was receiving, a very surprising sweet and salty mixture. "I reduced her heart to jam, and you want me to believe that she survived that?"
"It was only one step towards her complete destruction. You have seen her true appearance. What she did to Celestia transfigured her. She has not only consumed the power, but Celestia's very essence. And even though the Princess was as old as her kingdom, she wouldn't have died so easily."
"Let's pretend I believe you." she sighed, focusing on what mattered most, her daughter's well-being. "Then what, I pull her out of her hole? I apologise for killing her, and beg her to save Aglowing next year?"
"That would be the worst thing to do. Pepper doesn't know yet she's immortal, and she can't know that, not right now. Imagine, if you were her. You wake up one day, and let's say her Highness Nightmare Moon greets you, tells you that she personally destroyed your heart and yet you are still alive, how would you react?"
She thought about her reaction. She would have found a way to get revenge while conquering Equestria. "Very badly," she summarised. "So I have to lie to her?"
"Tell her a beautiful story, how her magic saved your race from hunger, that you were forced to syphon her magic without stealing her power. This will explain that her magic that hid her true form has dissipated. She won't be able to blame you. Not after your confession. And when the question of her needs comes up, explain to her the virtues of your cocoons, moreover I advise you to produce some of them, you will need them."
"The cocoons? It's not something I can produce in abundance, do you know how much love it takes to produce one? What a question, how could you, you visited my hive in the past to steal a few."
"I had to study the virtues of the fluid you fill these cocoons with. Equestria could make use of such a gift you know. You could save lives with this."
"Too expensive in love to produce, and for what result? A few bits? We are not cows."
"Why do you think I'm here for your breakfast?"
"How generous. Is there anything else you should know about Pepper?"
"Have her thrown into the underground lake as soon as your daughter is asleep, the human will wake up at dawn, not before. Make sure in person to tune her violins to the little story you told your daughter. Don't do the half measure, as long as you don't say that you killed her, everything will be fine."
That story of bad blood in her head had slipped her mind. "Is that all?"
"Hide your daughter's sword in the farthest part of the hive, where she wouldn't go for it immediately. Pepper must not see it when she wakes up." Bitter Truth lied. He could not say that in the very same day she would release Pepper, Chrysalis' life would be in danger of death. |
A Guardian's Hope | Chapter 11 | <Gamine, wake up.>
Gamine reopened her eyes upon reaching the bottom of the lake. Immediately she leaned on her hind legs and swam to the surface. Once her head was out in the open, she looked around, while catching her breath. It was so dark that she resolved to use magic to light beyond the tip of her nose. "Kyndal?" she called, her incomprehension of her situation coming up against the hope that her mother would appear.
"Your mother? Have you already forgotten? She is dead," Pepper whispered in a neutral tone, noting that the body had returned to its true form.
Chrysalis couldn't believe it, yet she saw the mare alive and well. She hesitated for a second. Then, she grabbed the unicorn by the jaw and pulled her closer for a private conversation. Chrysalis bent her head down to whisper in the ear of her guest. She slipped the crystal shard she'd previously used to kill her against her throat, leaving no room for discussions. "Listen to me, Pepper, listen to me carefully. If my daughter ever asks you, you are cured of the bad blood that was in your head that you had sought treatment for. If you deviate from this simple line, I will kill you."
Gamine was looking at the queen, lost. "Who is she?" asked the guardian.
"Let me take control, you will learn by listening," Pepper suggested.
Gamine had no choice, her memory was muddled, she remembered the south trip, the bat ponies, the long tunnel... the rest was blurry. They switched places, the guardian giving control back to the monster. "I'll take control back if you try anything I don't like," she threatened.
Once the switch was made, Pepper resumed the conversation. "Given the situation, I am willing to get a little more wet," Pepper said. She magically covered the shard against her throat to wrap the edge and render it harmless before she grabbed Chrysalis by the paws with her telekinesis and threw her into the lake. "But why should I be the only one?"
Chrysalis didn't expect this, she plunged by force, the splinter broke in two under the pressure of the two opposing magics manipulating it, and the changeling came back to the surface as soon as the telekinesis released her. She found herself a few metres away from a monster who was holding an improvised weapon, her nervousness growing.
Pepper stared into Chrysalis' eyes. "I am not against lying to your daughter if this request comes from you, Chrysalis." Pepper looked at her before she looked at the shard she was holding by telekinesis. "You said that between predators, we could find common ground. These are my conditions: if you try to threaten my life like that ever again, you will regret it. I will play by your rules, just another predator who promises to behave, just requesting from you to answer a few trivial questions." She released the magical grip on the shard which then sank in. "Acceptable?"
"It's not like I really have a choice, do I?" Chrysalis said, before swimming back to shore.
Pepper also pulled herself out of the water. "I am in great shape, and the magic I was hiding behind is gone. How long has it been .... since I left for treatment?" she asked with a knowing smile.
"Forty-five days," replied Chrysalis with a predatory smile.
"What?!" screamed Gamine out of surprise.
"Forty-five days without feeding me, would you have me believe that?" Pepper said amused before her guts growled so loudly she held the belly with one foreleg.
"You were imprisoned in a cocoon on which we have the secret, the fluid it contains keeps you healthy, and can heal any wounds, but does not make amputated limbs grow back. On the other hand, you must be starving. There is only one remedy for this."
"I will have to eat then." Saying this, Pepper's eyes narrowed, devoid of emotion as she tilted her face slightly to the left, the monster in all its splendour, projecting the aura of the predatory she was in the room.
Chrysalis took a step backwards and raised a shield for safety. It was already cold in the room, but suddenly the temperature had dropped another notch. The queen could hardly tell if the shiver she felt was due to fear or to the freezing cold.
"You only amuse yourself. Stop it at once," Gamine grunted in a breath, exasperated.
Pepper cut the comedy short. "I am joking. From what I have seen, your ability to change shape is certainly better than my magic, but at the same time with those green flames, it is far too showy. You are excluded from my hunting list and that is final. I would settle for a little bowl of soup. But I have a feeling that you do not have that here," Pepper commented with a mocking smile, before hearing the sound of a gallop approaching.
Chrysalis lowered the shield, a furious desire to kill her a second time crossed her mind.
The young Aglowing arrived at full speed, but when she saw Pepper, she tried to slow down abruptly, skating for a moment before falling headfirst. But her fall ended up in a hand made of golden magic at the end of the false unicorn's hoof. More fear than harm, the child watched her for a moment. "Is that really you, Pepper? You weren't that tall before!"
"I have eaten a lot of soup," she teased. "Seriously, I used magic to hide my true appearance."
"Why?" chirped the little Caesar.
"I will tell you later, FaceHugger. At the moment I would like to go back to the surface, if that is possible. It is pretty cold down here."
"FaceHugger?" asked Gamine.
The monster didn't need to explain, the hybrid jumped in her face to give her a hug. "I'm so happy to see you again!"
"Oh, I get it now," Gamine said.
Pepper sat down on the floor and used her magic hands to unhook the child before placing her on her mother's back. "I am happy too. But I really need to get out in the sun to dry my coat," she said, turning her eyes to Chrysalis.
"Follow me," the queen commanded before trotting through the tunnel through which Aglowing had just arrived, the little Caesar giving her a hug while hanging on her neck.
As Pepper followed her through the galleries, Gamine whispered, "So it was from these creatures that the call came?"
On the way, Chitin appeared from the darkness of the corridor, and started to follow Pepper.
"They are the changelings, and the call came from this child," Pepper replied.
"What do you mean it came from the child? That's just not possible," replied Gamine.
"Why is that?"
"But think about it! If I could feel this child's distress from so far away, I should have felt the distress of others in this world within the same range, it's just impossible to have felt only her," explained the guardian.
Pepper hadn't seen it that way. "I do not care. As you can see, I have kept my word, so in exchange, you are going to give me control of my body for the day."
Gamine was speechless. She tried to counter-argue, but she only had one word. "Only one condition, and it has already been stated," she replied, resigned.
It didn't take long before they all reached the open air at the bend of a gallery. Pepper unfurled as much as she could, stretching every muscle in her body one after the other, ending with her wings. She took the opportunity to do a quick check-up to make sure everything was OK. She felt a gaze on her and turned to Chrysalis immediately. "What?" she said.
The queen had a smirk on her lips. "You remind me physically of a certain Sun Princess."
"Does she know?" Gamine asked.
"Is there a problem with that?" Pepper replied to both of them as she folded her wings. "No. better question, what happened while I was away," she asked, pressing that last word.
"Your departure present charged with your magic is very beneficial to us. A tree that offers us love in the form of fruits. You truly have spoiled us," Chrysalis explained half-words.
Aglowing Shell jumped from her perch and landed in front of Pepper. "I've made a friend! Nightmare Moon is her name!" she said in a chirp "Oh, and I'm a Cæsar, that means Queen with a princess heart!"
Pepper was frozen both physically and mentally by the first wave of information.
"What?" whispered Gamine.
"For all I know, Luna became Nightmare Moon when she grew jealous because of Celestia. But when you went to see her, she was herself," Pepper explained.
"She was herself? You expect me to believe she used to be like that?! She tried to kill us!" screamed Gamine.
"It was a poor attempt, then," Pepper replied with a smile addressed to the guardian before turning her attention back to Aglowing. "Remember how you know a potential friend when you see one? Have you noticed any of those signs?"
"Honesty, Loyalty, and Laughter!" Aglowing chirped.
Pepper raised an eyebrow, surprised, but still smiling. "That's a lot of them."
"Oh, by the way," said Chrysalis. "Your mane ornament, I gave it to Nightmare Moon. She was so eager to search for you that I asked her to give it back to you if you two were to cross paths. But it seems like she didn't find you."
Pepper hadn't noticed until then, how heavy was her wet mane.
Gamine was horrified. "We have to recover my Mother's gift!"
"Calm down, Gamine, I will take care of that, since it seems to be so important to you," she said to the guardian before her attention focused on Aglowing Shell.
"Say, Pepper, will you stay and play with me?"
"Well..."
"Accept or I'll do it," Gamine threatened.
Pepper sighed. "Okay. What do you want to play to? I do not know many games, and the only ones I know would not please your mother."
"Usually I sword fight with my friend, but you don't have one."
"Indeed, I do not have any." she replied, grinning.
The child could not find an alternative. So she asked the question that had remained unanswered. "Say, why did you hide your appearance?"
"I did something very bad to the Sun Princess, and now I look a lot like her. So I am hiding it, to prevent her subjects from thinking I am their princess," she explained in a simple way to make herself understood.
This confession shocked the young hybrid. "Did you really kill Nightmare Moon's sister?"
"Yes," Pepper replied nonchalantly.
Why?" My friend told me that everypony loved her!"
"What is the big deal?" Pepper said. You changelings also hunt ponies. You drain their hearts. Is that different?"
"We hunt for food, we don't kill!" the child took off. "Otherwise there would be no one left to feed on," she squealed.
Pepper wanted to explain her philosophy ...
... but Gamine interfered, "Move on. I wouldn't like to see her cry," she scolded.
"I am wasting precious time here. Oh, I know." She used her magic to return to her average unicorn form. "Would you like to go for a walk in the forest?"
"We did that yesterday. There were a lot of bat ponies by the tunnel," Aglowing said, a little sullen.
Pepper frowned, and turned to Chrysalis.
"When your friend is a queen, you can do a lot of things, so Aglowing and I spent an afternoon exploring the forest, and as she just said, we don't kill nice ponies like you, we just use them for food, after Chitin throws them away."
Pepper thought she understood what was being said there without the child's knowledge. "Since it took me hours to get here from Ponyville, where can I set up one of my markers to get here in a second if I ever felt the need again?" she asked while taking a quick look at the young hybrid.
"Out of my hive," Chrysalis commanded in an uncompromising tone.
Pepper looked around. The large rock formation nearby was to her liking. She went there and walked around it, followed by the curious child, who herself remained under the watchful eye of Chrysalis and Chitin. The unicorn stopped in front of it, at the opposite of the part facing the entrance to the hive.
"What's this marker you're talking about?"
"Do you know teleportation?"
"No." the child admitted.
"It is a long way from here to the throne room, is not it? I use magic so that I do not have to walk from here to there. It is as if I open a door and arrive the next second in the throne room. But this magic does not allow me to see where I am going, so I put a magic light to show me where my destination is."
"Tell me, how did you get to Equestria then?" Chrysalis asked.
"In the ruins of the two sisters' castle, not far from Ponyville, there was a mirror that was imbued with the same kind of magic. It was through it that I came. I had trouble at first with this imposed appearance, but as I was looking for my next hunting ground, I tried my luck. What came next, it seems you know it." With those words, Pepper turned to the rock, considering for a moment how she would proceed. She turned to the child. "Go to your mother. I will tell you when you can come and see."
Aglowing hesitated for a moment before she went nestling against a leg of Chrysalis, who for a moment was reassured to see her daughter away from Pepper.
The latter concentrated, her horn lighting up with a golden aura, a cavity dug into the stone in a crash of broken stones, deep and high enough to contain Pepper's true form. With the marker in place, Pepper resumed, placing four protective seals one on top of the other, making sure, as always, that no incident would occur during a warp. Pepper waved at the changelings. "The creation is complete and secured."
They approached out of curiosity, Aglowing arrived smiling, but when she saw the result, she was disappointed. "There's nothing there. It's just emptiness!"
"Of course it is. You can not see my markers with the naked eye. But no matter how hard you try, you will not be able to get in there."
Aglowing didn't want to question Pepper's words, but at the same time she found it hard to believe that it would be so difficult to enter this empty space. So she tried, but hit head first against a force field. "Ouch! What's that?" She frowned, and struck both front hooves on this invisible shield. "That's cheating!" she said as she turned to Pepper.
The unicorn smiled, leaning her neck towards the child. "This hole is here because I have placed my marker, now imagine if you were in it while I use the same magic to open the passage, what do you think would happen to you?"
Aglowing widened her eyes, she looked at how deep and high the hole was. She understood how dangerous it was for her and became frightened, taking a few steps back, before fleeing to take refuge on the back of her mother who was coming closer to observe.
"How flashy. You would make a killing in Las Pegasus. It's just an invisible shield tho," said the queen.
"More like a closed door, leaving me with two options. The first, I teleport to it. the second, I open a passageway to it." With those words, she used her magic on the marker to open a passage leading to Fluttershy's cottage, before passing through the portal. "Well, if that is all, I am off. I am starving," she said, waving with her left hoof.
"Pepper, wait!" Aglowing Shell almost shouted. "Are we friends?"
The mare stopped. She remained silent as she considered the question.
"Tell her yes," whispered Gamine.
"No." Pepper replied in a neutral tone. "But that does not make me your enemy. If you need my help, let your despair overwhelm you, like the night we met. I will come, I promise."
"Will we at least meet again?" asked the child, saddened.
"It is not among my habits to visit the same place twice. I am a monster like your mother, I go from one world to another, I kill someone, I leave."
"I'm a monster too. And I like you, I think."
Pepper used her magic, closed the gate without uttering a word.
Aglowing Shell didn't take it well, tears coming to her eyes.
Chrysalis used telekinesis to grab her and console her. "Don't worry, she'll be back soon, she's just very hungry and you know how I am when I'm hungry."
The child squealed, squeezing out tears and closing her eyes tightly before nestling against her mother.
At the same time, Pepper walked towards the door of Fluttershy's cottage. "Why," asked the despondent guardian.
"Very simple. First, if Nightmare Moon is really her friend, she will be so jealous that she will kill us on the spot if I was stupid enough to befriend the child, if not for what I did to her sister. Secondly, I do not know what your plans are once this day is over, but I do not think you are going to stay here for the rest of your life".
Gamine was stunned for a moment after the explanation. "I haven't made any plans yet. But it's true that staying in this world where you killed the local princess is not a wise choice. But then, why did you want to regain control of your body for the day?"
Pepper knocked on the door. "I want to be able to say goodbye to my friend."
"Rainbow Dash? The one who brought Twilight, one of those you said could kill us with their artefacts of power? Do you really think she's still your friend Pepper?" Gamine said, incredulous.
"Handsome is the bearer of the element of Loyalty. She is my friend, no matter what I have done, our friendship remains. That is what loyalty is all about."
Gamine remained speechless before this aberrant naivety. "You killed my mother, and I'll never forgive you."
Fluttershy opened the door, but when she laid her turquoise gaze on Pepper standing in front of her, she was petrified with terror.
"We are not friends, and I am willing to bet you never had any. You can not understand what loyalty is." The unicorn smiled a smile that was meant to be warm towards the Pegasus. "Hello Fluttershy, would you kindly offer me a bowl of soup? I have not eaten in a while."
With all her body trembling, the mare cracked with a tight smile and clung to the exit door. "A bowl of soup, yes, right away Pepper, don't move, I'll bring it right away," she immediately stepped back before making a quick U-turn and retreating into the kitchen. Her idea was simple, open the window at the back of it and run away to warn Twilight. The difficulty lied in doing it quickly, without making too much noise to avoid arousing the suspicions of the murderer.
In front of the door, different animals stood in front of Pepper to prevent her from entering. Angel the rabbit was above the rest of the group, Harry the bear was behind him, several birds on his flanks, and Fuzzy Legs the spider had just finished weaving a web in the door frame. These creatures were trying to make themselves as intimidating as possible by making big eyes at Pepper. The spider would look back at each one of them, most of the time it would stare at Angel, the second in command when Fluttershy wasn't there, when he wasn't forcing her to do his every whims.
"I am only here for a bowl of soup. I did not ask for meatballs. So what do you want?"
In the kitchen, Fluttershy was looking for a way out, but the windows wouldn't open, and getting through, despite the urgency of the situation, was out of the question. The only acceptable solution for the mare was to hide, curled up under the table, close her eyes and wait for the danger to pass. She had only this solution, trying to convince herself that with luck, Pepper would leave sooner or later.
There was a duel of stares between Angel and Pepper, the two opponents camped on their positions with the firm intention of getting their way. The contest ended abruptly as orange wisps appeared from the corner of the mare's eyes, shocking both opponents. And when she turned her gaze to the left, in the direction of the kitchen, she closed her eyes before letting out a worn-out sigh.
"Do something," shouted Gamine.
Pepper cleared her voice. "Fluttershy. Listen to me. Listen to my words. I understand why you are scared of me. If you want to run away, if you want to warn Twilight that I am here, you can walk by me, I will not stop you, I will not hurt you. My word must be of little value to you, but I know how much Handsome cares about you. And you know how much I like her." Her belly growled again. "Please, Fluttershy. I just want some soup."
The element of kindness trembled, curled up on herself, her eyes closed, she didn't dare to look out of fear, but she couldn't turn a deaf ear to Pepper's words. And as she listened to her, she heard and felt it, the lament of this wild beast who just wanted to stop being hungry, even cracking open a word of politeness, something she had never done before. She calmed down, just enough to speak. "I-Is that all?"
"Your animal friends are blocking the front door, I can not get through. If you want to run and tell Twilight, you can go out by the backdoor." She was lying, of course she could've come through if she wanted to, but she wasn't there to hurt anyone, and she wasn't there to imprison Fluttershy. The wisps were gradually fading from her eyes.
Fluttershy looked towards the entrance. "Really? You won't stop me?"
"I would be too busy digging food out of your pantry."
Fluttershy was almost calmed down. "So can I go?"
"All you have to do is ask your animal friends to make room for you, and nothing else will stand between you and Ponyville. Tell them to let me in so I can eat in the meantime."
The Pegasus mustered all her courage, so she closed her eyes and started galloping out. Fuzzy Legs barely had time to clear a passageway, the animals and Pepper moved to make way for her. She ran down the slope to her cottage and stopped there. She was surprised when she turned her head over her shoulder.
Pepper looked at her, her head down to make herself small, a faint smile that was meant to be sad, a look that didn't pay off, behind which hid the monster that she was, so as not to frighten her further. After a moment of silence, she turned her eyes away and entered the cottage without a word.
Fluttershy looked towards Ponyville. she was about to leave but didn't do anything. looking at the cottage, she wondered why Pepper didn't do anything to hold her back.
As Pepper watched over the cauldron heating soup in the kitchen fireplace, she suddenly felt watched and mechanically turned her gaze to the kitchen entrance.
Fluttershy was standing there with only her head sticking out, and when their eyes met she immediately closed her eyes and cowered, but nothing happened. She calmed down, stuck her head back into the doorway and looked at Pepper again. She had fought alongside her friends against the enemies of Equestria. Nightmare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis, and Sombra. Pepper's gaze didn't seem evil to her. Gathering all her courage, she started the conversation. "Pepper, I don't understand, why did you do that to Princess Celestia?"
"Should you not tell Twilight I am here instead?"
"Why do you want me to? She's going to use the elements on you, shouldn't you stop it from happening? Not that I want you to hurt me," she whispered.
"Why did I do this to Celestia?" She looked for a simple analogy. "Imagine two predators fighting over a hunting ground. The one who wins will be the stronger. I did this to be stronger, to defeat those who will sooner or later try to kill me."
"So it wasn't so you could move the sun in your world?"
Pepper opened her eyes, in shock of such absurdity. "No, of course not. Why would you think that?"
"Well, Twilight said Princess Luna told her you said something like that."
For her it was yesterday. "That night I moved the sun to prove I was not lying, when I told her what I did to Celestia."
"I see. I thought you were a good pony, but in reality you were manipulating us."
"This is how I live. I am not Twilight, I do not have artefacts of power that automatically assure me a perfect victory. I am alone, I have always been alone, and if I had stayed here in Equestria, sooner or later I would have been an easy prey to a predator far too powerful for me. And this is something I can not come to terms with."
"What about Rainbow Dash? Do you have any idea how much she has suffered because of what you did?"
Pepper was silent for a moment. "Prince, princess, king, queen, I have seen a lot of those during my travels. And when one dies, another one takes its place. Celestia is replaced by her sister. Maybe Luna will be replaced by Twilight. And so on, that is life."
"But Princess Celestia was our Princess! She was Princess of Equestria for a thousand years! And she surely could have ruled a thousand years longer! You had no right, Pepper! You had no right!"
Pepper shook her head. "Celestia, a princess? Maybe to you." The corner of her lips folded into a mocking smile. "Twilight is a princess in training, yes. Luna is a princess, that is for sure. To me, Celestia was just a weak, old mare."
Fluttershy had tears in her eyes. "Monster! You monster!" With those words she fled in a gallop towards Ponyville.
"Tears and blood, is that all you wish to leave in your wake, Pepper?"
"Come on Gamine, you are the one who said giving them hope is just needlessly prolonging their suffering. I was only telling the truth, just like how you felt you had to tell Luna the truth."
Gamine was silent for a moment. "What do you mean by telling the truth?"
Pepper used a spoon to stir the soup before tasting if it was hot enough. "You did not see Celestia the way I did. And when I said she was just a weak old mare, I meant her soul."
"How could she be weak, Fluttershy just said she could have ruled for a thousand years more! And she was an alicorn, you told me she was the most powerful race of creatures in this kingdom! And you expect me to believe she was weak?!"
Pepper remained calm despite the screams that twisted her nerves. "Stop shouting. I have been feeding on souls since I was able to cast spells. I can look at a disembodied soul and tell what kind of character it belonged to. During absorption I can feel with accuracy the power that is added to mine. Celestia's was weak. I thought she was the most powerful of all the princesses, but it is almost as if her soul was fading. I gained her abilities, but this supposed power was a lie."
"What, are you saying she was somehow dying?"
"I do not know exactly. She was always calm, serene, but her eyes were dull, if not extinguished. The rare times her eyes lit up were when Luna was there. But also when she drank her six o'clock tea. One day at that time I caught her daydreaming, and when she realised I was there, she looked embarrassed, as if I should not have seen that."
"And did it ever occur to you to tell anyone?"
Pepper couldn't take it anymore, her rumbling guts were reaching its limits, not caring if the soup was lukewarm rather than hot, she drank it in one sitting. Once full, she licked her lips. "No predator cares about the mood of their prey, let alone whether orphans will be left behind. So, no, I have never talked about it, and nopony has ever remarked on it," she replied as she put out the fire. She left the cottage. Rainbow Dash's home was straight north from there, but Pepper knew the pegasus wasn't the type to stay in bed, so her best chance of finding her was a confrontation against the six mares. She set off to Ponyville, marching, for she had the day ahead of her and was in no hurry.
South of Ponyville, there was a park behind the Carrousel shop, which was both the shop and Rarity's home. In this park a tent was pitched, daylight had come fifteen minutes ago, and Trixie Lulamoon slept almost peacefully, except for a few shivers that made her move to and fro.
Outside, the campfire was rekindled as the hot embers were blown over the still warm embers and the dry wood became the prey of new flames to heat the travelling coffee pot.
Trixie was awoken by the sudden noise. She slowly straightened up on her forelegs, as irritation and bitterness fuelled her body and lifted the veil upon her eyes as they glared towards the noise's source outside of the tent. She traded her pyjamas for the casual magician's outfit. "Who dares disturb the sleep of the Humble and Sorry Trixie? she asked inquisitively as she took her head out of the tent.
Bitter Truth finished unpacking tea towels containing white rose petal sandwiches. "The Humble and Sorry Trixie? Oh, my apologies Miss, I thought I had come to see the Great and Powerful Trixie, real name Trixie Lulamoon."
That title was like a cold shower for the mare. She looked down in shame. "There's nothing Powerful about Trixie. Trixie was lying to everypony and most of all to herself." The mere thought of what she'd done to the ponies of Ponyville last year made her feel remorseful.
"I don't agree, the greatest lessons are learned in defeat. Despite what you did, even somepony like Princess Twilight has found the strength to forgive you. But your past is not what brings me here. I have a job for you. But please eat, this meal is here for you."
Trixie looked at what was being offered to her. Apples peeled and cut into six, sandwiches, hot coffee, and orange juice. She hadn't had a lunch like this in ages, and didn't hesitate to start eating. "Trixie doesn't remember knowing you, sir...?"
Bitter Truth smiled. "My name doesn't matter." He took out of his black pilgrimage a metal plaque depicting the Cutie Mark of Celestia, the royal seal. "The work I have to offer you comes indirectly from Princess Celestia. You will be highly rewarded, but understand that this is an unofficial mission that you will have to follow the instructions to the letter, without questioning them, without ever doubting them. The work involves no more and no less than putting your life in great danger. But if you do as I say, you will come out unscathed."
Trixie was divided. It was a great honour to work for Princess Celestia. She needed the money to buy a new trailer, and she was struggling to make ends meet, but to hear him say it was more dangerous than facing a minor Ursa, was something she didn't have the strength to do alone. Was it worth it? "When you say that Trixie will be highly rewarded, how much are you talking about?
"The equivalent of a monthly Las Pegasus Super Jackpot at the very least."
Trixie wasn't the venal type... "And what would Trixie have to do if it was so dangerous that her life would be in great danger?" ...but with that kind of money she could afford a new, comfortable trailer.
Bitter Truth waited until she had finished drinking her coffee. "I need you to follow and assist the one who is responsible for Princess Celestia's disappearance."
The unicorn was stunned by what she'd just heard. "Are you asking Trixie to help a criminal on the run?!"
"Speak as loud as you want, in that bubble no one will hear you scream."
Trixie looked around, and didn't notice the proofsound bubble until Bitter Truth fed it a little magic.
"Yes and no," replied the oracle. "Pepper Chilly, the one you are about to help, is not actively sought by the authorities. Only a handful of ponies know the identity of the criminal, and you are now one of them. As I said, you're going to live a very dangerous life in the next few days. Princess Twilight will be your enemy again, but you've been fine with that in the past, so everything will be fine."
The illusionist was becoming reluctant to accept such a mission, even if it was indirectly at the request of Princess Celestia herself. "You keep saying that my life will be in danger. What proof is there that Trixie won't get harmed?"
"The criminal believes in Loyalty. The more you put your life in danger for her, the more she will protect you in return. She gets it from Rainbow Dash, but her version of Loyalty is ridiculously absolute. Think of this work as performing the Moonshot Manticore Mouth Dive. On the surface, an omnipresent danger. In reality, I assure you, you'll be at Manehattan by the end of the week."
She was more suspicious than surprised. "How do you know where Trixie was supposed to go?"
"How could I not? Do you really think Princess Celestia doesn't know what's going on in her kingdom? She's keeping an eye out for promising elements at the school for gifted unicorns."
"She does?" Trixie was hesitant, but almost ready to accept such an offer. One last detail was bothering her. "Trixie can't approach this Pepper out of nowhere."
"That's right," he said. "That's why you're going to start by getting one of her belongings back. And then you're going to add the items in that envelope with it," he said as he took the item out of his travel saddlebag. "This will be a good start to gain her trust, and therefore, her friendship."
"Does Trixie have to be her friend?"
Bitter was amused by the question. "You have no idea what this Pepper could do for a friend," he said, daydreaming as events from countless timelines passed before his eyes. "No one's asking you to be her best friend, tho." He took out two packets, one wrapped in brown paper, one in lilac paper with star-shaped stickers and another envelope from the other bag. "Here are your weapons for this journey" he said, pointing to the lilac package with his hoof. "The other contains food. The letter in this envelope contains everything you need to know to complete the work. But for the moment leave the letter aside."
She followed the instructions, taking a look inside the package. It was filled with the kind of tricks she used during her performances. She looked up at the stallion.
He was amused by this incomprehension. "I hire the Great and Powerful Trixie. What did you expect?"
She began to smile. "What about Trixie's reward?"
"I will personally deliver it to you in Manehattan." He took out of his pocket one of the smoke bombs that Trixie uses at her performances. "Any last questions?"
"Why me?"
"Your background, your talents and your knowledge, you have what it takes to help somepony like this Pepper. All I'm asking you to do is follow her for three days. Then you can leave for Manehattan." With those words, he threw the smoke bomb at his hooves. "As they say in the business, let the show begin."
Trixie closed her eyes, coughing as she tried to scatter the smoke. When she could open her eyes again, she was alone. She took a look at the envelope containing the instructions and decided to open it to read them.
<Agent Lulamoon,
Your mission, if you accept it, will be to approach Pepper Chilly by posing as a burglar who starts her career by targeting important ponies like Princess Twilight Sparkle. To support this alibi, you will take advantage of the absence of the Ponyville library's inhabitants to go and retrieve a blue mane clip belonging to the target. It is in the basement, on the laboratory bench, in an airtight bag. It is covered with dried blood from almost two months ago. Enclosed in the first packet is a cleaning lotion and items that will complete this robbery.
Your target, Pepper Chilly, must never learn that you have been hired by me to provide support. If she were to find out, her nature would cause her to be suspicious and it would put the future of many lives, except yours, at stake. Use your former dispute with Princess Twilight as a motive to help her. Everypony will believe the lie.
Two simple instructions.
1/ Always stay in the hooves of the target.
2/ Always do what the target tells you to do, horn and wing. If this contradicts the first instruction, such an order can only be acceptable after today. Find an excuse not to obey, fear for example.
From now on, you have thirty minutes to get to the Ponyville library.
Once you have retrieved the accessory and exited the building, find a white-coated unicorn that will undoubtedly be hunted by Princess Twilight and her friends.
Of course, should you be captured by any authority figure, the kingdom will deny any knowledge of this unofficial mission.
You have ten seconds to throw this letter into the fire before it self-destructs.
Good luck to you.>
Without waiting, after throwing the letter into the flames with a piece of apple stuck between her lips, Trixie began to pack up her tent at full speed.
Fluttershy arrived at the Sugar Cube Corner in a hurry, distraught and in tears. Pinkie Pie was the closest of the Mane Six from Twilight's house.
And when she saw Pegasus in that state, the earth pony lost her smile on the spot. "Fluttershy, what's wrong?"
"It's Pepper." She tried to catch her breath, unaccustomed to such a gallop. "She's back, she's at my place. Do you know where Twilight is? She's not at home."
Pinkie Pie's mane became totally smooth as the iris of her big azure eyes grew smaller than a grape. The last letter from Lazy Bones was running in her head, and she couldn't help but think that it was all going to end badly for Equestria. "Go and get the others, I have an idea. I don't know where Twilight is, but I know how to get her attention."
As Fluttershy went to Applejack, which was the one to live the furthest away of all mane six, Pinkie went down to the cellar. What her friends didn't know, despite the fact that they'd all visited the room, was the presence of a single-piece folder hidden in a recess in the wall by another single-piece folder.
In each of the drawers were recipes that Pinkie might have borrowed from those who, just like her, had the ability to break through the fourth wall.
There she was, trembling with fear, standing with her head between the front legs that pressed against the one piece file. She glanced at the door, still no sign of life from Lazy, it had been two weeks now. Slowly, the right hoof grabbed the handle to open the locker, she took out a black sports bag so big that it could hold an adult pony. "You said it was too dangerous, that means you used it yourself. To protect your loved ones. You can't ask me not to do the same Lazy, I have to protect their smiles. Even if it costs me an eye." She took out a big soda can with a simple word on it.
<DETERMINATION>
The road to Ponyville was a quick and smooth walk, Trixie reached the building without meeting any of the local guardians on her way. Still, she had a shiver as she entered the bookshop. Breaking and entering was something new to her, but at the same time she was just retrieving something that didn't belong to Twilight. She noticed the display case in which the elements of harmony were resting, and rather than going straight up, she went to take a closer look. Five of the six elements were there: Rainbow Dash's necklace was missing. For a moment, she wondered if she should not act on her own initiative in order to prevent the elements from being used. But on second thought, the instructions were concise, and at no time was she ordered to do such a thing. She immediately turned back and walked down the stairs. Once in the laboratory, she followed the instructions, and found the bag without the slightest trouble. She was prepared for the smell of blood, but the bloody wick of mane made her retch. Keeping the hoof over her mouth so as not to vomit, she concentrated the best she could on retrieving the hair clip.
All of a sudden, the noise of the front door opened with a bang, a pony entered the bookshop, galloping from one end of the ground floor room to the other.
Trixie's heart was pounding, she wasn't expecting it, she was staring at the doorknob of the door she had entered by, trying to find an excuse for her presence here.
But the pony left just as she had come, the sound of the gallop returned to the door, which closed with just as much noise.
An adrenaline rush ran through Trixie, her breath was quick, the muscles in her legs were boiling. Relieved to know that the threat had been averted, she finished what she had started and took the barrette out of the bag. The smell of dried blood came to her nostrils, forcing a grimace on her face. She opened the packet and looked at it. There was a bottle of water, a clean handkerchief, two phoenix feathers, and a unicorn signet ring. Trixie used her telekinesis to clean the barrette with water, rubbing it with the clean cloth before leaving the premises, taking the ornament and the signet ring with her, leaving the rest behind. On the ground floor, in too much of a hurry to leave, she did not notice that there were only four elements left in the display case.
Pepper had tested the reaction of a few royal guards at the town hall by walking in front of them, ready to send them to Chrysalis if she had to get rid of them on the spot, but they didn't pay any attention to her, and thus she concluded that she was not actively sought after. She headed for the library, walking the most direct route. In the last third of the long street, there was a large wooden frame that went from one side of the road to the other, it was impossible not to cross it in order to move forward. A few steps past the frame, she had a strange feeling, as if she had just entered another world. For a moment she looked around her, the surroundings were strangely empty, she could hardly hear the birds singing. Suddenly, she had the kind of shiver she had never felt before during her stay in Equestria, a murderous aura against her, the human immediately took hold of her, and she could hardly believe the vision that had just appeared on her right.
Standing against the wall, Pinkie Pie had headphones in her ears, listening to <Ready To Die by Andrew W.K.> on a loop. She was wearing an outfit, a white t-shirt covered by a blue hoodie, and black pants, white slippers on the hind legs. Over the left sleeve were six odd watches. Her left eye had been staring at Pepper since she had entered peripheral vision. She turned the volume down to minimum, then took the earphones out of her ears while she still walked to stand in the middle of the street facing Pepper. With a peaceful smile on her face and a pensive look on her face, she dropped the open backpack on the ground.
"What's wrong with her right eye," asked Gamine, shocked and no less frightened.
"Shut up, just shut up, this is not the time. Let me focus, she has never looked so violent before," Pepper replied. "Pinkie? What is wrong with your right eye?" she asked anyway.
Half hidden by the smooth mane, the orbit of the right eye was empty. The earth pony laughed again. "Not even a hello? Or how about asking how have I been after all this time?" She sighed. "Why Pepper? Life was peaceful while you were here, everything was going well, the preparations for your birthday were complete. What did we do wrong to deserve this?"
Pepper shook her head, a brief, barely perceptible gesture. "I do not have birthdays, I am not like you."
"Of course you do. Everycreature do." Pinkie understood then. "Wait, you don't know when you were born? I've got to say, it was a shock to me, not that it's uncommon. You were born on June 21st, Summer Sun Celebration Day."
Pepper remained sceptical. "How can you know something like that?"
She sobbed but kept smiling. "I'm Pinkie Pie, the one who plans birthday parties for all the people of Ponyville, it's my special talent to know these things. And for a while, you lived among us. Did you really think I wasn't going to plan anything special for you? Especially considering how important this day is to so many people?" She had an uncontrollable laugh, tears in her eyes. "The day Twilight became our friend, the day Nightmare Moon was banished, the day Princess Celestia celebrated every year. Why Pepper? Why did you have to be born on that day?"
Pepper remained impassive to this detail, which was trivial to her. "I do not care about these stories. I just came to see Handsome, say goodbye, then I am leaving for good." Even though Pinkie was just an earth pony she could keep under control at any moment through telekinesis, Pepper never let her guard down.
Pinkie calmed down, a peaceful smile on her lips. "You want to see Rainbow? I can bring her over here." She took a pink and white whistling rocket out of her pocket, tied a piece of paper to it, aimed it at the sky and lit it. With a long whistle, the rocket flew away from Ponyville and disappeared into the distance. "Let's have a little fun in the meantime. At the end of this path is a frame like the one you have just passed. If you cross it, you'll be able to see Rainbow when she comes."
Pepper concentrated her magic, its crackling power around her horn.
The earth pony pulled the soda can out of a hoodie pocket and drank it all. Her one eye was focused on the unicorn with an intense gaze. "It's a nice day, don't you think? The birds are singing, the leaves are falling from the trees." She activated the timer on the watches in succession, then pressed a button on her walkman, <party party by Andrew W.K.> started playing. "You dirty Princess killer. On a day like this, a human like you, should stay six feet under." At those words, she slammed her right hindleg on the floor.
In response to the seismic tremor this strike caused, a Pinata twice the size of Pinkie Pie sprang out from the gym bag. This one, made of papier-mâche, resembled Celestia's head, white eyes, mouth wide open. Pointing towards Pepper, it spat out a bluish ray of energy that crossed the street and then disappeared back into the bag.
Pepper had just enough time to dodge it. Her attention was totally absorbed by the reflection that was the source of this attack, hiding in the depths of the Pinata. The element of laughter. It was impossible for her to counter, she couldn't afford to be touched by any of the elements of harmony, not now. As constrained as she was, she turned her back on Pinkie and began to gallop.
In the space between the second and third houses on the street, a party cannon on each side exploded and covered the lane and the walls with sharp candy cane sticks.
Pepper barely had time to move back, a second too late and one of the sticks would have gone right through her throat.
"Usually the candy slips down the throat, they don't pierce through it," Gamine whispered to herself.
"Shut up," Pepper shouted as she jumped over the deadly hedge. Just a few steps away, several bundles of flour fell from nowhere around her and exploded into a huge, blinding cloud.
Pinkie Pie arrived at full gallop, a kitchen knife in her mouth, and without hesitation threw herself into the cloud of flour to slice the regicide.
However, against Pepper's instincts, such an attack did not come to an end. Pepper used her telekinesis and threw Pinkie Pie back down to the ground, hooves and neck nailed to the ground by magic, Pinkie's head being targeted by a hoof ready to strike.
"We'd need a strong wind to get rid of that cloud," thought Gamine. And strangely enough, a gust of wind suddenly rose to sweep the flour down the street. "Did I do this?" she wondered.
"Speak again Guardian, just one more word, and I will kill Pinkie Pie before you have time to stop me," Pepper threatened.
Gamine didn't take a word like that lightly and kept her mouth shut.
Pepper and Pinkie glared at each other. The predator could have ended it right there, but a voice came from behind her. "Pepper, did you miss me?"
Pepper, still staring at Pinkie, was disturbed by the voice. Incredulous, she turned her head to see if she had a problem with her ears. Pinkie Pie stood there, a little out of breath but in great shape, next to the gym bag.
"Because the explosion won't miss you~," Pinkie Pie chirped, grinning.
When Pepper looked back at the one she was holding at her mercy, only an adult pony mannequin was there, painted pink with a grotesque lipstick face, all filled with explosives, the wicks about to burn out. She had just enough time to open a portal under the model, leading to a place where she knew the blast would not hurt anyone, before she walked away from it with a roll to the side. A sheaf of flames burst out of the portal before Pepper had time to close it.
"You pretend you want to leave for good. You should leave now, it's not like Rainbow wants to see you, you know. You have no idea how much you've hurt us. I won't let you hurt us any more," Pinkie Pie said before invoking the pinata again with a kick.
Again, Pepper rode sideways to dodge the attack before getting up on his legs facing Pinkie: "I am not here to hurt anypony. I am just here to see my friend." She had a sudden doubt. "Is Fluttershy physically injured? When she left the cottage, she was unharmed."
"You definitely don't understand anything. It's not a physical injury we're talking about. You have trampled on the harmony of Equestria, you have stolen our joy of life, the reason for our smiles! It's like breaking a Pinkie promise!"
Pepper remained insensitive to these accusations. A quick glance at the surroundings and she noticed that despite the ruckus, the street was still empty.
Pinkie took a deep breath before she let out a slight sigh.
"Still there? Hang on, I'll give you a reason to gallop." She put her right hoof into her hoodie pocket and pulled out a pebble, threw it at the trunk of a tree to Pepper's left, knocking over another gym bag and then did the same thing with another tree to the right.
Pepper understood what was about to happen there, so she took a few steps back, then turned instantly and galloped off in a great gallop to reach the frame that the earthly had mentioned earlier as quickly as possible.
"At last," Pinkie said, with a smile of sadistic satisfaction on her lips, before hitting the pavement with a more powerful kick, making the three pinatas jump higher than before.
It was a never-ending race. Pepper fluttered between the countless attacks of all kinds that tried to bring her down every time she passed between two houses.
Pinkie's laughter resounded, candy cane sticks flew, knife attacks rained down when they weren't directly spat out by a dozen party cannons.
The unicorn dropped the magic shield once she had passed through the frame that marked out this Pinkie-only play area. As soon as she felt that same strange yet familiar sensation of having passed into another world, the people of the country town were visible again.
She was back in the town hall square.
Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy were arriving at full speed. |
A Guardian's Hope | Chapter 12 | It had been almost an hour since Princess Luna had raised the sun. At Donut Joe's, business was in full swing. The active team of Wonderbolts besieged the place. Two tables had been moved together so that the six members could sit down, only for a third to be added when Sunset, Rainbow, Twilight, and Spike joined the breakfast. Dirty secrets flowed, causing a cascade of embarrassed blushing as everypony's secrets were revealed. No one was spared, and every creature was laughing--that is, until a customer opened the door of the shop, allowing a pink and white rocket with a message tied to it to blast past them and finish its flight in Rainbow Dash's oatmeal bowl.
There was mockery over who the recipient of the projectile-based communique was. Rainbow Dash untied it and began to read, only for the smile on her face to disappear, and in a sudden gust of wind, she departed the shop and Canterlot with a sonic rainboom, leaving the message behind.
The atmosphere fell flat, and anxiously, Sunset caught the note.
<Pepper is in Ponyville. Come quickly.
Pinkie.>
She was appalled; all the time that she'd kept an eye on the tracker had been for nothing. This entire time, the human had remained undetected. She turned to Twilight. "Pepper came back. We have to get back to Ponyville now."
"Are you kidding? Even with Rainbow Dash, it would take us twenty minutes to get back to Ponyville, and she just left without us!"
Sunset didn't need to look far for the solution. "The portals--there's one in the armoury of the castle. If we open it in front of Fluttershy's cottage, we can be there in less than ten minutes."
With those words, Twilight--with Spike on her back--Sunset, and the Wonderbolts stormed out of Donut Joe's shop, heading towards the castle.
"Do you have a plan?" Sunset asked.
"Not really, usually I come up with a plan once I'm on the spot," Twilight admitted.
"If you don't mind, we should start by dismissing all the non-combatants. They would only get in the way--no offence," she explained while looking at the Wonderbolt leader.
Spitfire reacted within a split second. "You heard the royal meanie, go back to the academy. We'll take care of the target."
With a collective nod, the Wonderbolts obeyed the order and slanted toward the sky. It didn't take long for the remaining group to reach the castle armoury.
Sunset opened the gate, letting Twilight through, and then signalled Spitfire to stop while casting a sound barrier spell to conceal the coming conversation. "I have a job for you. Go into the castle and tell the first royal guard you come across that you've passed Bitter Truth and that the oracle just told you that Pepper is about to attack Ponyville."
Spitfire couldn't figure out why, but there wasn't enough time. "I don't know what's on your mind, but I trust you," she said, turning back.
Sunset burst the bubble of silence, passed through the gate, closed it behind her, and teleported to catch up to Twilight.
"Where's Spitfire?" the unicorn asked.
"She doubts she'll be of any use against somepony like Pepper, so she'd rather not get in our way."
Meanwhile, in Ponyville, Pepper had just used her magic to draw a line between herself and the trio that had just arrived. "Do not cross that line. I am only here to say goodbye to Handsome. After that, I will leave."
Applejack came to the forefront of the group, being the only one who had both the physical strength and the fighting spirit to deal with the threat posed by Pepper. "I can say for once you're being pretty honest, but if you think Rainbow wants to talk to you, you're wrong, Pepper."
"You are not the first to tell me this, but seriously, I do not care what you think. What are your options? You could try your luck like Pinkie Pie did, armed with your Elements of Harmony, which could lead to the devastation of this town. Or we can sit quietly and wait for Handsome to arrive."
"Now that you mention her, where's Pinkie Pie?"
Pepper shrugged. "She must be recovering from her attempt to give me a bad time." A hint of movement behind Applejack caught her attention. "Apparently, she is not finished with me yet."
Applejack turned around. "Blooming Apples!" she cried, her eyes widening in shock.
Pinkie was standing about ten metres away from them, still in her blue hoodie and black trousers. She was holding a two-and-a-half-metre high candy cane between her forelegs, on top of which a pinata which resembled Princess Celestia's head was mounted. Roughly ten firework rockets were attached to the rear of the pinata's head.
Rarity took some uncertain steps towards her. "Pinkie, dear, are you all right?"
Fluttershy hid between Applejack and Rarity, just as scared of Pinkie as Pepper.
Pinkie's face was unbelievably grotesque, wavering between a smile that pushed the limits of the zygomatic muscles and crocodile tears that streamed continuously down her face. Her left eye stared at Pepper as if Equestria depended on it.
Gamine watched in silence as the situation worsened.
Pepper prepared to react. She intended to keep her word--the first blow would not come from her.
Pinkie Pie ignited the rockets, adding their thrust to her strength. The improvised rocket hammer began to shatter the ground in its path, spitting out rays of blue energy every time the mouth of the pinata touched the ground. She had drunk the potion earlier to protect her friends' smiles, but she failed to realise how much of a danger she would become instead as she charged directly at her target without considering the lives of her friends who were in the way.
Rarity ran for her life, letting loose a high-pitched scream.
Applejack was about to do the same, but she realised that Fluttershy was frozen in terror. It was too late to pull her away, so she tried to kick her way through the pinata to protect the pegasus.
Gamine couldn't remain passive in the face of the situation; seizing control of the body, she used her magic to lock the weapon in a bubble before pulling it out of Pinkie's hooves.
"Give me back my body! The day is not over yet," Pepper grunted.
Applejack stared at the giant weapon in disbelief and then turned to Pepper.
Gamine stood there with her eyes closed. "I'm sorry, but I had to. Kyndal wanted me to be a full-fledged guardian. I'm not sure if I will ever manage to empathise with the weak, but at least it's easy for me to protect them. And if you don't protect anyone in danger, I will have to do it myself again, Pepper."
With that cleared up, Pepper was back in control. She reopened her eyes, her attention briefly drawn by a faint presence which wasn't there a moment ago, localised in a nearby bush. Keeping this fact in mind, she looked at Applejack as the rockets burst into a myriad of colours. "What?" she asked the earth pony as she shrunk the bubble to crush the patchwork weapon. She then dumped the debris in front of her hooves, looking for something among the scraps.
Pinkie sat there, laughing crazily at her failure.
Fluttershy was as silent and immobile as a statue, watching the situation with her big, frightened eyes.
Rarity came back, pretending she hadn't run away screaming like a scared filly.
"Did you just help us? Why?" Applejack finally asked.
Pepper ignored the question at first, having quickly located the inert Element of Laughter. "I am only here to say goodbye. That is all I am here for." At these words, she used her telekinesis to toss the Element to Applejack, who caught it with a hoof against her chest.
Trixie took this as her cue. After throwing smoke bombs to obscure her entrance, she jumped from the bush and galloped closer to the four friends, tossing large coloured sheets matching her cape over them.
Pepper watched without moving. There was no aura of bloodlust from this stranger, and she was not the intended target.
Trixie, now standing in front of Pepper, took off her hat to curtsy. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has come to the rescue!" she said, pulling away the sheets to reveal that the four unwilling volunteers of her magic trick were now bound and gagged with countless coloured scarves.
Both Gamine and Pepper were speechless in the face of this magic that could stop four ponies at once. Pepper glanced at Trixie. "Why are you helping me?"
"The Great and Powerful Trixie has dealt with Twilight Sparkle and her friends in the past. Trixie has recently been reduced to stealing to survive. Being able to get back at them by getting in their way is a bonus, especially after the meagre loot Trixie found at Twilight's house." Reaching into her hat, she took out the blue barrette, two phoenix feathers and a horn ring.
"Mother's gift!" shouted Gamine.
"That barrette and the feathers most definitely belong to me," said Pepper, frowning at the light headache caused by the shout.
"Really? Well, Trixie only steals from wealthy ponies. If those belong to you, Trixie will gladly give it all back. You can even take the ring, which is not to Trixie's liking." With these words, she hoofed Pepper the items.
With her telekinesis, Pepper grasped the barrette, first making sure that there were no new enchantments added to it. However, a smell called out to her. In her haste, Trixie hadn't completely cleaned the ornament, and the smell of blood was still perceptible. She kept this in a corner of her mind as she finished checking for any enchantments before putting the complete ornament back at the base of her mane halfway between her horn and her ears.
"Examine the ring," suggested Gamine with a tone that dripped with childish curiosity.
On guard, Pepper first made sure the situation remained under control before inspecting the signet ring. The accessory was beautifully crafted, carved from a brass alloy. The ring's head depicted a phoenix embracing a heart-shaped ruby with its wings. After checking, the ring too had no enchantment.
"Put it on," ordered Gamine covetously, like a thieving magpie unable to stand still in front of such a beautiful object.
Pepper had seen it coming as soon as she noticed the protective phoenix. "First your ornament, now this? Why not make me shapeshift an orange coat while you are at it?"
Gamine squinted her eyes, her whole face wrinkled. She wouldn't give up this new whim of hers.
Pepper sighed as she rolled her eyes, placing the signet ring at the base of her horn. "You are just a parasite. My body is not your property; sooner or later, I will find a way to dislodge you."
"Wait till you sleep to dream," replied Gamine in a whisper.
Pepper was about to reply when she heard a familiar noise. She barely had time to take a few steps back before Rainbow smashed into the ground between Pepper and the four mares laying on the grass.
Standing tall, Rainbow had a sword in her mouth, having taken a quick detour to her house. The weapon had no physical blade; instead, a ruby-colored aura formed an unusually long thirty-centimetre magical edge. The hilt was rudimentary, small, and round, chiselled from a white crystal and holding the Element of Loyalty.
Trixie stood silently next to Pepper, following Bitter's guidelines, and gulped at the sight of the crater
Pepper observed the new weapon. In her eyes, it was a formidable weapon, like one she used to wield a long time ago, and facing somepony wielding such a weapon made her even more wary. "Handsome! I am so happy to see you again," she said with a big euphoric smile on her lips.
But Rainbow didn't care; the whole situation seemed bleak. The way her friends were tied up, she was sure they were about to be kidnapped. She stood up like a shield, wings spread across Pepper's path.
Pepper couldn't miss the fury that emanated from the pegasus, but she decided to overlook it, adopting a meek demeanour. "I am just here to say goodbye. There is nothing to fight about," she said softly, still smiling.
From Rainbow's point of view, it sounded very different. For her, the last time Pepper had left, Princess Celestia had paid the price. And that, along with the sight of her bound friends, gave a different meaning to the goodbye. "Oh yeah? Well, go then," she said, sword still in her mouth.
Pepper was taken aback, her smile fading as she witnessed her friend's curtness. "I did not even make it to Twilight's library when Pinkie blocked my way, drank something and then jumped on me armed to the teeth as if her life depended on it. She even almost hurt Fluttershy. If Trixie here had not intervened she would probably be still going on right now. All I want is to talk with you, nothing else."
Rainbow moved her head slightly to the left. She took a quick look at Trixie. She wanted to look at her friends, but she couldn't take her eyes off Pepper. Her glare hardened as her iris shrunk. "You're lying."
"The Great and Powerful Trixie can confirm what Pepper just said. Pepper really helped Applejack protect Fluttershy, stopping that giant hammer before breaking it into a thousand pieces with her magic alone. Trixie can testify to that."
Rainbow quickly observed Trixie without taking her eyes off Pepper. She didn't know what to think.
"Handsome, if it helps, I drew a line in the ground a few steps behind you. I promise you I will not cross it, no matter what. Go free Applejack, she will tell you herself. I am staying right here."
She hesitated for a moment and then turned her back on Pepper to go and free Applejack. "Are you all right, AJ?" she asked, turning her eyes back to Pepper and Trixie.
"I'm fine, sugarcube," she reassured as she stood up on her hooves. "It's just as she said."
Rainbow then freed Fluttershy and Rarity. When it was time to untie Pinkie Pie, she stopped a few hooves away from the earth pony. "What happened to your eye, Pinkie?" she asked, concerned.
The still-gagged mare watched with a speck of madness in her azure eye, bigger than usual. "Not smiling, not smiling! Must protect their smiles! Must make them smile! They must smile! They must! At any cost I must make them smile!" The first of the six watches began to ring, covering the music coming from her headphones.
The sound of galloping hooves beating the ground drew Pepper's attention behind her as Twilight and Sunset finally arrived on the scene.
Turning her eyes to the newcomers, Trixie was shocked and at the same time moved. She had moved to Pepper's side as the situation was souring and it was best to stay in the target's hooves as she had been instructed. At the same time she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "Sunset Shimmer? Is that really you?"
Pepper was watching the stranger who had just arrived with Twilight, and the unicorn was staring right back. Pepper felt studied from every angle.
Sunset was split. On the one hoof she was happy to see Trixie after so many years. On the other hoof, she couldn't help but glare at the white-coated mare standing beside Trixie who matched the description of Pepper provided by Twilight and her friends. She needed an opportunity to strike but Trixie was in the way. "Yes, Trixie. Listen to me, I want you to step aside, you don't know who you're standing next to."
The second watch on Pinkie's foreleg began to ring alongside the first.
"Trixie knows exactly who she's standing next to and what her crime is," she boasted.
Pepper dropped the meek attitude at these words and locked her now icy glare on Trixie, surprised and suspicious after such words. As a magical aura igniting her horn, she put her left hoof on the illusionist.
Trixie had barely enough time to turn her gaze to Pepper before they both disappeared.
Sunset's eyebrows rose in surprise and she immediately activated her tracker to collect the residue of Pepper's magical imprint from the teleportation. It was with delight that she noted that the artefact finally located the destination south-east of here.
"Are you all right, girls?" Twilight asked.
"Well, yes and no, sugarcube," Applejack said, turning to Pinkie Pie along with the others.
"What's wrong?" Twilight asked, looking at her.
"Why is she the only one still tied up?" Sunset added, starting to walk closer to Pinkie Pie.
Rarity spoke. "Sunset dear, it seems that Pinkie Pie is not in her normal state. According to Pepper, she's been like this ever since they met."
Sunset watched Pinkie warily. The third watch began to ring, which startled the unicorn. She looked at the watches. "You made six watches ring at one minute intervals? Why?" she asked, taking off the gag.
"Smile! Smile! Smile! Smile! Smile! Smile! Smile! Smile!" was all the crazy mare had for an answer.
Sunset put the gag back in her mouth, quickly stopping the music and the alarms. She tried to remember everything about Pinkie Pie that had to do with time. Only one thing came to her mind as the fourth watch rang. "Pinkie, did you drink the potion that your friend Lazy told you not to?" she asked, freeing her mouth again.
"Smile!" Pinkie replied continuously.
"Pepper mentioned a soda," Rainbow said grumpily.
Sunset stood Pinkie up on her hind hooves with her telekinesis and went behind her to keep her that way. "Applejack, she's poisoned herself. Kick her in the stomach to make her vomit. We have two minutes before it becomes permanent!"
It didn't take much more explanation for Applejack to buck so hard that Pinkie and Sunset flew for several metres, the pink-haired mare vomiting a reddish liquid before falling unconscious.
Immediately they all came together to make sure Pinkie and Sunset were all right. The fifth watch started ringing.
"Sunset, are you all right?" Twilight asked.
"Yes, a little bruised, but I'm fine." She turned off the last alarm, then she did a quick diagnostic, making sure Pinkie's vital signs were stable.
Looking closely at Pinkie's empty eye socket, Twilight noticed a strange detail. Using her magic, she removed a meticulously decorated eyepatch that perfectly blended into Pinkie's fur. The work had been so detailed the illusion of the empty socket was virtually unbreakable without this close of an inspection.
Immediately after their disappearance, Pepper and Trixie found themselves in front of the ruins of the two sisters' castle. For Pepper, during her first two months in Equestria, this was the best place to retreat away from everything, no matter what reason or situation caused her to isolate herself.
The illusionist was disconcerted to see the scenery change from one second to the next. "What? How?" She looked around her, trying to figure out what had just happened. Without warning, Pepper's hoof, which had been on her shoulder, slipped under her leg to come to rest on her chest and knocked the unicorn over onto her back.
Trixie felt the pressure pinning her in this uncomfortable position, and cautiously turned her attention to Pepper.
Pepper was looking back at Trixie with narrowed eyes. She seemed calm on the outside but inside she was like a volcano about to erupt. Gamine was on the lookout, ready to steal control of her body if things got out of control. Pepper jumped straight into interrogation mode, casting a spell upon Trixie. "Would you kindly not lie to me for an hour?"
Under the influence of the spell, Trixie blinked in surprise. "Trixie has no reason to lie to you."
"Oh, really? Why did you help me back then?"
"Trixie has been hired to help you for three days," she said without blinking before trying to gag herself with her hoof, realising she had just blundered.
The information left Pepper perplexed. "Who hired you?
The mercenary tried to answer wrongly, but it was a waste of time. "Trixie doesn't know his name."
That line of questioning didn't appear to be leading to an imminent breakthrough, so Pepper picked a new angle of attack. "Why three days?"
"Trixie doesn't know," she readily admitted. "All Trixie knows is that you made Princess Celestia disappear, and that Trixie will be paid a small fortune to follow you wherever you go for those three days."
Pepper raised an eyebrow. "Unlike the others, you are taking the news pretty well, and you are even willing to help me for a bundle of money. Amoral and venal. In the past, I fought alongside comrades-in-arms, so I do not mind you sticking next to me, but as you seem to be willing to do anything for gold, consider this a warning: I killed Celestia. I can kill again."
Trixie's eyes grew round. "What?! She's dea..." The shock of the revelation overcame her, and she fainted on the spot.
"Oh, she didn't actually know," Gamine said, relieved to see that Pepper was no longer nervous about the truth behind Trixie's boast.
Pepper laid Trixie on her stomach, only to start rummaging through her saddlebags to make sure nothing could be used against her. She found nothing dangerous at all, but a familiar smell made her dig deeper. Tucked into a food pocket were braised slices of pork; a tempting snack, if not for their unknown provenance and accompanying poisoning risk.
"Why three days?" Gamine whispered.
After mulling over the question, Pepper sighed. "It does not make sense. Equestria's ponies have a 'carpe diem' style of life so to speak. Even after the return of Luna, Discord, and the invasion of the Changelings, and ... uh, I forgot the name of the tyrant king--they never prepared for the next problem. But one of them, obviously aware of what I did whereas the royal guards are not, ended up helping me in such a way..." she said as she turned to Trixie. "This is not a question for me. You are going to be back in control at the end of today, so what are you going to do in the next two days?"
Gamine thought for a moment. "I don't know. Go home, go to my mother's grave. I..." She paused, the vision of it and the feeling of the dirt that accumulated under her nails invading her mind.
"At least she has a grave. Celestia will probably never have that privilege," Pepper nonchalantly pointed out.
The sadness that had overwhelmed the young guardian as she thought about the last day in the place she could call home was instantly crushed by her rage. Her mind pounced on Pepper's, as if grabbing her by the throat, as her hatred towards Pepper grew.
The body, no longer under their control, collapsed to the ground while the spirits opposed each other.
Pepper smiled in response, not afraid for a moment. "Go for it! Surrender to your primal instincts! I know that underneath your guardian's appearance is a Dis Astro! Do not lie to me; I have noticed the ease with which you used our skills on the bat pony called Swift and the spell of obedience upon the bat pony named Antares! Go ahead, do it, reduce all the efforts of your mother to nothing! Kill me! CONSUME ME!"
The cruel truth that Gamine was trying to obliterate and Pepper's confidence in the face of death gnawed at her strength like an acid. The weight of her duty crushed her little by little, and without the ritual that gave her the higher ground, she was no match for the monster. She fled, retreating away from the creature, folding back in on herself.
Pepper regained control of the body, both satisfied and disappointed by the conclusion. "You have been trained well, but sooner or later, I am going to make you succumb."
"What's wrong with you?!" yelled Gamine defensively.
"Oh, do not get me wrong, I will do my best to survive as long as I can, but I am under no illusions that sooner or later I am going to die, one way or another. But if you, the immaculate young Guardian that you are, corrupt yourself by killing me, you will succumb to the lure of my power. And for me it will be one last victory."
Gamine was terrified. She had no regrets about sacrificing her future to lock up the monster, but she never thought she would be harmed in any way given the level of control the ritual gave her over Pepper's body.
In the end, if all the lessons her mother had tried to teach her were lost in a moment of forgetfulness, was it worth imprisoning one monster at the risk of creating another?
"Azari was wrong, I am not the last one," whispered Pepper to herself.
"Who's Azari?" asked Gamine, trying to change the topic.
Pepper, with her eyes closed, enjoyed the silence and the rays of the sun that warmed her coat. "A planeswalker like me. The first entity I talked to once I became one myself."
"I see," muttered Gamine.
Pepper turned her gaze to the walnut doors sitting on the ground, her eyes focusing on the blackened remains of a magical attack designed to destroy a bowl of soup that had just been offered to her. Next to them were the footprints of Luna's royal sabatons. The marks were the result of the righteous anger of the Princess of the Night following Pepper's mockery.
<Your sister? You claim that the taller white coated mare is your sister?
Hah! You look like day and night! >
<Well, for your information, impudent youth, it's true we only have our father in common, but we're sisters nevertheless, and you, you vulgarian, are dead meat!>
With these words Pepper warped to the marker just outside and hid in the ravine. Luna broke down the doors with a kick of her hoof and set off in pursuit.
Pepper chased the memory from her mind as she opened a portal to the hideout below her hooves. The lair was just below where she arrived, dug into the bottom of the ravine with dimensional magic. The entrance was hidden by rocks, allowing air to circulate, but also blocking light.
Pepper illuminated the small room with her magic, a square room that was just big enough to hold six adult ponies. This secret place was mainly used as a safe shelter for sleeping. In one corner of the room was her pallet: a vaguely rectangular bale of straw with an old sheet and pillow borrowed from one of the rooms in the ruined castle. The hideout was also used to store everything she could not afford to carry with her during her stay in Equestria--more specifically, mint & liquorice sweets. These sweets, which she loved so much, were scattered on a table dug into the rock. "Barely nine left," she thought after a quick count as she chewed the tenth. Pepper didn't pay the slightest attention to the toothbrush and the tube of toothpaste that Pinkie Pie had given her along with the candies, nor to the last item on the table--Gamine's bundle, still wrapped in white silk. Turning away from the table, Pepper summoned her weapon and waited for the dozen seconds it took for it to appear from the dimension she had left it in. She then left it to rest in its sheath against the wall; if an unexpected fight arose, she would be able to summon it in a split second now it was in the same dimension.
Cowering over herself, Gamine remained silent, thinking back to all the moments when her mother brought her happiness.
Pepper paused for a moment, looking at this cold and empty room, with its narrow opening to the outside. It brought a smile to her face, how much it reminded her of her current situation: imprisoned in a small box with a beautiful window to the outside world. In a more nuanced manner, this shelter summed up her life and what she would leave behind the day she would be killed.
As she remembered with a faint smile on her lips one of the duels of insults she had lost, Gamine suddenly raised her head, looking up through the monster's eyes. "Pepper!"
"I know," she said, her gaze filled by the orange wisps. "I can feel it through the marker I created this morning." She was already channelling the magic needed, and moved there the next moment.
In the badlands, the young Cæsar was facing the marker, sitting a few steps away from the rocky cavity. She had her head down, a grimace of pain on her face, tears in the corner of her eyes.
Pepper arrived, quickly coming out of the bubble that protected the marker to come to the child's side. "What is going on, FaceHugger?" she asked, alert.
Aglowing reopened her eyes, and when she saw that Pepper was really there, as she had promised, she stopped concentrating on those sinister feelings, so much so that the orange mist disappeared entirely from the eyes of the white-coated mare. "I'm bored," she chirped, wiping tears from the back of her hoof.
Pepper was dumbfounded for a moment.
In contrast, Gamine understood the situation and had to put her hands over her mouth so she wouldn't start laughing out loud.
Pepper had the unpleasant feeling of being deceived and approached the child with a cold look in her eyes. "Did you deliberately have bad feelings just to get me to come back here because you are bored?"
Scared by Pepper's attitude, the child leaned back and looked away. "Maybe?"
Pepper watched the child for a moment with her stern glare. She lowered her head, inhaling through her nose and exhaling through her mouth. "You are lucky you had no ill intent." She reopened the gate to the ruins of the sisters' castle. "Stay still," she commanded as she went to fetch Trixie, carrying her with a magic hand on the end of her left foreleg before dropping Trixie unceremoniously in front of Aglowing.
The young guardian worried about seeing a pony in the territory of the changelings. "Pepper-"
"Nothing bad will happen to Trixie," the monster cut in.
The landing shook Trixie to the point where she regained consciousness in a jolt. "What?" She straightened up, looking around her. "Where am I?" She asked drowsily. Pepper was there, and that reassured Trixie somehow, even though she didn't remember losing consciousness. And on the other side was this strange child. At first Trixie thought it was a bat pony because of those big eyes with cat-like pupils. But immediately afterwards she noticed the horn on her forehead, similar to hers, but with holes here and there. And what finally shook her sense of security was the insect wings on her back. "W-who are you?"
The child stood up before taking a step backwards to curtsy as Nightmare Moon had taught her. "I am Cæsar Aglowing Shell, daughter of Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings."
Trixie widened her eyes. Now she knew where she had seen monsters like her before. The love-eaters were no strangers to her, as she was performing in the streets of Canterlot on the day they tried to invade the capital. "C-C-Changeling," she stammered feverishly, before fleeing northwards, her mission completely forgotten, screaming at the top of her lungs the terror that fuelled her legs.
Pepper and Aglowing observed unfazed. The child did not understand what she had done wrong, even though she had made and repeated these gestures under the uncompromising gaze of her friend, who taught her the rudiments of the etiquette that would suit the one who presented herself as a Cæsar. She then turned to Pepper. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No, it was not you personally. But ponies like Trixie will always be naturally afraid of the predators we are." She thought about the situation for a while. "I am going to catch up with her and talk to her. Wait here, FaceHugger."
Trixie was galloping away breathlessly. Her eyes filled with a faint hope of reaching those mountains she was staring at over on the horizon.
When Pepper judged that there was enough distance to give Trixie a false sense of security, she used her magic to ensnare her hind legs before dragging Trixie to her hooves.
Without a glance back, terrified of coming face to face with a changeling, Trixie began to scream as her hooves searched for every last pebble to hold on to.
Pepper used her telekinesis in the form of a hand to close Trixie's mouth before forcing her to look at her. "Cease screaming or I shall give you a true reason to," she whispered, her face so close to Trixie's that their horns crossed.
Trixie could only whimper in response.
Pepper released the mare. "I have seen monsters in the Everfree Forest. Next to them, changelings are not a great threat. At most, they are big insects in need of affection."
The adrenaline wore off and Trixie started shaking in spite of herself. "Trixie heard that they ponynap foals by night to devour their hearts."
"The Queen's daughter told me they do not kill, otherwise they would soon be left without a single prey to hunt. That same child you ran away from devoured my love. It was painful, but I did not die from it." Pepper looked around her as she thought. Remembering a particular fact, she turned to Trixie and began to rub her cheeks then her flanks on the illusionist's coat.
"What are you doing?" Trixie asked with a blush of embarrassment.
"I am putting my scent on you," Pepper replied after she had finished. "Changelings have a good sense of smell and if I mark you like this they shall hesitate before they try anything. In that time you give them a cuddle, and they will leave you alone."
"How could Trixie be affectionate? They're monsters!"
"I am a monster too, yet you do not seem to mind. Is it because of how I look? Maybe they became these love-eating monsters because they never had any friends, just like your Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon because no one appreciated the beauty of the night a thousand years ago."
Trixie wanted to argue, but when presented with this, nothing came to mind.
"I am facing a dilemma: a child is bored, but I do not know what to do to entertain her. What is your special talent?"
Trixie dug through her bag of stage magic items. "Trixie's an illusionist." She pulled out a red silk scarf with her magic, then presented her right hoof, proving there was nothing in the sole of it before covering it with the scarf. The unicorn then pretended to concentrate, making some gesture with her left hoof over the scarf. Then, with a sharp jerk, she pulled the scarf from her right hoof, revealing a red apple. "This is prestidigitation. Trixie performed all over Equestria. Then the Great Wonder Trixie met ... " She sighed, her mood soured. "...Twilight Sparkle."
Pepper kept a close eye on Trixie, having faced so many magic traps in the past that she found it hard to believe that the purpose of the magic was to make a simple apple appear. But hearing Gamine's awe, she knew Aglowing would like it. "Ready to do a performance for the pleasure of a child?" she asked, turning her back to the sun.
Trixie didn't answer, her gaze wandering from Pepper to the south, slowly eating the apple in an attempt to buy time. Despite the words of the one she was ordered to follow, and even though she was hoping that the smell of her would be enough to deter the changelings, the mare was reluctant to retrace her footsteps.
Trixie's hesitancy was clearly obvious to Pepper. She could have forced Trixie, but it was more judicious to incite her to do it on her own. And this mare obviously had an ego that was easy to exploit. It was easy for Pepper to figure out how to handle her. "Do you know who Twilight's friend Fluttershy is? Fluttershy is a shy mare who is afraid of her own shadow. I am sure she can be convinced to hug a changeling. And yet the Great and Powerful Trixie could not do the same?" she asked with a mischievous smile.
Pepper's bait was too obvious to bite; instead, Trixie decided to bite her apple to buy some time. Since the magic duel with Twilight, she started to think twice about the situations she was involved in. She was hired to follow the unicorn, and was promised total protection during this journey, but she would have refused the offer if she knew she would have to approach the Changelings. In the end, these three days were really comparable to the moonshot manticore mouth dive she had always dreamed of performing. She had to light the fuse of the cannon and trust Pepper. She got up and walked towards the hive. "With you as her assistant, the Great and Powerful Trixie will give a performance the Changelings won't forget anytime soon."
Pepper was surprised. Surprised that her attempt to manipulate Trixie's ego had worked so easily. Surprised to see such courage now animating this mare who a few minutes before was running away like a coward in the face of non-existent danger. She shrugged it off, setting off again towards the hive.
A dozen steps further on, the magician could not contain her disbelief about what she had just been told any longer. "Trixie can't believe that these monsters will settle for a hug as a meal," she confessed after turning her eyes to Pepper.
The regicide looked back out of the corner of her left eye. "If you keep thinking of them as the monsters they are, they are bound to act like monsters and syphon your heart out."
Gamine, having been silent for a while, shivered as the memory of this scene made her feel again the sensation of those predators devouring her love.
"I admit that they do have an aggressive attitude and that they hiss at the slightest opportunity. But that is just to intimidate. They will never hurt you; they can not afford to, as your life is far too precious for their own survival," continued Pepper. "When you know that Twilight is using her friendship to wipe out all of Equestria's problems, it would not surprise me if a friendship could fill a void where all the love in this kingdom has failed miserably for years."
The mare remained incredulous at what she had just heard. "Even if she did, the Great and Powerful Trixie will have a hard time offering her friendship to an army of changelings."
"Good thing that will not be necessary, following the genocide for which I am indirectly responsible. I have not seen more than five of them in total," she said coldly.
Trixie remained frozen in the moment, wary. "What's genocide?"
Gamine frowned. "Bat ponies know the term but not ponies?"
Pepper stopped walking. She barely turned her face towards Trixie, her attention fixed on where they were going. "An act of mass murder, the victims being of the same race or living in the same kingdom. In this case, incomplete because there are still survivors," she whispered bluntly before resuming her walk.
Trixie was frozen in horror, her face decaying as her mind pondered the horrible meaning of the word. What had started out as a simple escort mission became a winding walk through a much darker part of Equestria than she was accustomed to. As she caught up with Pepper, a question arose as to how far the walk would go over the three days.
When the two unicorns arrived near the rock where Pepper placed the marker, Chrysalis and Chitin were now there, conversing with the little Cæsar. The queen's eyes lit up at the sight of Trixie. "Just in time for the end of brunch," Chrysalis said, licking her lips in advance at the thought of the meal as she walked towards the duo.
Trixie was terrified, her shaking limbs refusing to budge.
Pepper took a step to the left, cutting across Chrysalis's path. She lowered her head in challenge, ready to strike if the Queen got too close. She didn't utter a single word, content to stare at the queen with her icy glare.
Neither moved, unwilling to show weakness to the other and refusing to back down first; like statues, they watched each other, emitting an oppressive tension of which Trixie was the main victim, being the prize of this staring contest.
Aglowing Shell butted in, running between the two predators. "If you don't stop now, I'll... I'll..." She trailed off, her lack of ideas draining her otherwise unfailing confidence.
Chrysalis was the first to react to this ultimatum, turning her eyes to her daughter. "If not, you'll hit one of us with the other ?" she asked, amused.
Pepper was not to be outdone, seeing that the atmosphere was taking on the tone of one of those days at Ponyville. "Otherwise you'll give us Fluttershy's stare?" she said in the same tone.
Looking at them one after the other, the child did not expect this turnaround, convinced that both sides would stand their ground. She regained a certain amount of self-confidence to finish her threat. "Exactly! If you don't stop immediately, I'll hit one of you with the other while giving both of you Fluttershy's stare!"
"All right, all right, I will stop. Here, Chrysalis, you can eat her, I do not want any trouble with a Cæsar," Pepper said, using her magic to push Trixie in front of her.
Trixie stood there with her eyes wide open, clinging to the slim hope that Pepper would protect her at the last moment.
"Too late, brunch time is over, and since she carries your scent, I assume that you have eaten her soul as well. I've never tested it, but I'd imagine that a body without a soul wouldn't contain much love."
Trixie was shocked by these words, and it didn't take her long to put the pieces together. She turned to Pepper. "You had eaten Princess Celestia's soul... ah." She collapsed again, her mind not able to handle the shock of learning the real truth under those conditions.
"Oh? She didn't actually know?" Chrysalis asked, grinning.
Meanwhile in Ponyville, Sunset hid her tracking artefact behind some large books on the shelf to the left of the stairs, then left Twilight's bedroom. Rainbow remained at Pinkie's bedside, the latter lying unconscious on the extra bed, still tied up and gagged as a precaution.
At the bottom of the stairs Applejack and Twilight were waiting for her. Not far behind them, Fluttershy was reporting back to Angel, the rabbit watching her sternly with his front legs crossed as he tapped his hind leg on the floor. Spike was taking care of Rarity, who was still recovering from the scare.
"Still unconscious?" Twilight asked.
"Yes," Sunset sighed thoughtfully as she walked down the last steps. "She's just exhausted. Rainbow wanted to be alone; she'll stay up there and keep an eye on Pinkie."
"I still can't believe Trixie has joined forces with Pepper. I went to look in the lab and she actually broke in to steal the mane clip while we were away. I don't understand how she knew about the ornament and where she found the ring. Luckily, she didn't take anything else," Twilight said, looking at the display case where the six Elements of Harmony were.
"Pepper obviously didn't like hearing Trixie saying she knew the truth. Do you think Trixie is in danger, sugarcube?" Applejack asked.
"I'd be inclined to think Trixie's safe," Sunset said. "She knows who Pepper is, her crime, where the item was, and she appears just in time to help her. I have a feeling she was approached by Bitter Truth. It's the only thing I can think of, but I can't understand why."
Twilight smiled, half worried and half relieved. "Let's hope you're right."
Outside, the sound of a wagon landing could be heard, and the next second, Princess Luna, with her wings spread out imposingly, entered the library. Everyone turned to greet Luna as she made her way towards Twilight.
"Princess Luna, what are you doing here?"
"Twilight Sparkle. One of my guards came to tell me that he heard from the oracle that Pepper had destroyed half of Ponyville. Imagine my surprise halfway through my trip here when I saw that everything was peaceful as usual. Having trouble believing that Bitter Truth could be mistaken, I came to you as a precaution."
Twilight was perplexed by the announcement. If Sunset was right, Bitter Truth helped Pepper through Trixie's assistance, and now Princess Luna said that she had received information from the oracle through a guard? What was his motivation? It seemed as if he was trying to help both sides. But such a theory didn't make sense.
Sunset smiled inwardly. Her plan had worked--the guards, being tied to their posts, had to resort to passing her message by word of mouth from one guard to another until they reached the throne room, and the expected chaos was now here.
Nightmare Moon chose this moment to make her unannounced appearance, her anxiety over her need to protect the changelings having gotten the better of her.
This caused an uproar, but having been warned beforehand by Twilight, almost all of them managed to keep calm, except for Fluttershy who hid behind Applejack.
Luna did not appreciate the initiative. "What do you think you're doing? Get back inside me immediately."
"I'm sick and tired of being there all day long, and as far as all the ponies here know, why deprive me of the opportunity to greet them," she said, before dipping into a meek curtsy. "Hello to you Twilight Sparkle, and I salute each and every one of your companions here."
Luna rolled her eyes, far from suspecting her alter ego's true intentions.
Twilight's group was confused to see Nightmare Moon behave with such humility. It suddenly made her less terrifying, in stark contrast to their first meeting in the castle ruins and the thunderous laughter she had then.
"I think I can locate her," Sunset suddenly said, going into the basement laboratory to get what she needed. Even though the blood had dried, that was all it took for a simple locating spell. She took a map of the continent, of which Equestria was a part, and returned to the main room of the library. Once the spell was cast, the magic reduced the blood to carmine dust, which immediately surrounded a specific area of the Badlands.
"She was in the Badlands from the beginning," said Luna, who then cast a murderous glance at Twilight. "Why didn't you warn me sooner?!"
Sunset stepped in, directing a stare harder than steel at Luna. "As the stars bear witness to my words, we couldn't locate her until today." Her whole body was tense; the slightest wrong move on Luna's part, and she would use her body to defend her sister in heart.
From this duel of glances, only Nightmare Moon dared to step into the staredown, inciting Luna to step back literally and figuratively with a hoof on her shoulder. "As she travels through dimensions, it simply means that she was away all that time, and that she has returned for the third time. Now that we know where she is, let's go and flush that rat out of its lair." She couldn't suggest returning to the castle; the thirst for blood that animated Luna's heart left her no room for any other suggestion. Unbeknownst to all, she hid a clone in the shadow of the central table, then went back to hide in Luna.
"You're right." Without any consideration for the assembly, the Princess of the Night left without any farewells.
After Luna and her retinue flew away, the clone came out of hiding and took physical form, to the surprise of the ponies who were still emotionally recovering.
"How is that possible? I saw you leave with Princess Luna," Twilight said, taken aback.
The clone, that part of the Tantabus that was not connected to Luna, was the concentrate of the Moon Queen's feelings that had been repressed during the earlier conversation. She was furious. Not only had Sunset directed Luna exactly where she should not go, but of all the places at the regicide's disposal, Pepper had to hide there. Finally, it was proof that Chrysalis had manipulated her by making her believe that there was nothing left of Pepper. The clone exhaled, exasperated. "We don't have time for this. The one standing in front of you is only a part of Nightmare Moon, and our physical form is limited by the magic that animates this fragment of the Tantabus. This body will disintegrate if we don't return to the dream plane soon enough. So let's give the reason for our presence: do we have your consent to possess Princess Luna?"
"What? I mean, why?"
"We've already explained why Luna should be kept in the dark. But now, thanks to the help of this mare's initiative", she said, casting a brief glare at Sunset, "the changelings won't survive another day, especially if they have to face Luna. Even the bat ponies would not be a sufficient bulwark against Luna . And I doubt Pepper will raise an eyebrow at the sight of the ensuing bloodbath."
Twilight understood that she had to make a choice. Despite the attempted invasion, the life of the changelings was no less important than that of a pony--or at least she imagined this was something Princess Celestia would say.
But Sunset didn't hear it that way. "So you are asking Princess Twilight to make a choice between you and Princess Luna? But in the end we'll be facing a Nightmare, and you've already tried twice to impose eternal night. Why should we rely on your good words to choose you over Princess Luna?"
"We've changed!" replied Nightmare Moon.
"Another fine word," replied Sunset.
"I believe her," Applejack said. "Her words don't sound hollow."
Sunset turned, looking sternly at her. "Just as you thought Pepper had good intentions?"
Those words spoiled the atmosphere.
"What were your words about her, Twilight? 'Singular, but not malevolent?'"
The air was heavy enough to cut with a knife as Sunset turned towards the clone.
"That seems like a good enough description for you. So no, you won't force Twilight to make a choice, but whenever Nightmare comes back from the badlands, she will end up imprisoned in stone just like Discord. So if you were to take possession of Princess Luna's body, don't come back to Equestria. No ponies will ever consider you a legitimate princess of Equestria."
Nightmare Moon remained still in front of such vehemence. She could not blame her for thinking like that; she had no proof beyond her word, which had no value. "If this is your decision, we accept it, and we'll act accordingly." Emitting magic from her horn, she cut through the fabric of reality to open a precarious portal to the plane of dreams, which she immediately closed behind her.
Silence reigned in the room for a while. Sunset realised that in her outburst, her words had hurt her friends. "I am-"
The door to the room opened, "Girls! Pinkie's awake!" Rainbow said.
Everypony galloped upstairs to gather around the bed, but were taken aback by Pinkie's face.
Twilight soon noticed the instrument of the crime - a red marker half hidden under Rainbow Dash's rump and she was doing her best not to laugh while biting her lips. "Seriously, Rainbow? We leave you alone with Pinkie for five minutes and you put a red marker smile on her face?"
"Oh come on! She was like <smile smile>" replied the pegasus, imitating Pinkie back then.
After taking some precautions, Sunset removed the gag, thinking she'd be the quickest to react if Pinkie was still under the effect of the potion.
Pinkie, who had been watching them all, still and quiet yet at the same time worried to see them like this, asked them with a warm smile like only she knew a secret: "Girls! Why so serious?" |
A Guardian's Hope | Chapter 13 | The afternoon was coming to an end. Autumn had done its work, exposing the branches of the trees of the forest juxtaposing the Macintosh hills. Their previously green foliage now lay on the ground, yellow and withered, giving this place a gloomy appearance.
Swift, in his assuredly impeccable armour thanks to Antares' daily inspection, was wearing his requisite daytime vision goggles, like every other bat pony that stood watch during the day, to protect his sensitive eyes from the sunlight and looking off into the distance.
Another bat pony, Dauntless Halberd, came in to landing near him, his full attention focused on the forest in front of them. "Swift, we have an intruder, get up, we'll make him turn back together before I replace you."
Swift stood up and turned around to see what Dauntless was looking at and talking about. When he did, he noticed that there, at the border of the woods, a stallion wearing the mail pony's outfit, consisting of a uniform and a blue kepi, was walking in their direction. Swift had a sudden nervous laugh. "First the Regicide, then the changeling, and now the mail pony. I'm thankful that the worries in the area are getting lighter."
Without waiting, the duo flared out their wings and took to the air, and with a few flaps of their wings, landed in the middle of the stallion's path. Dauntless was the first to speak up. "Please turn back, there are military manoeuvres being conducted here and as such, the area is restricted to the public."
"Oh, don't worry, I wasn't planning on staying," the stallion said calmly, looking up at Dauntless with his lemon yellow eyes, The stallion's horn suddenly lit up in a yellow aura.
Not even a second later, the large bat pony collapsed, asleep.
At first surprised, Swift did not hesitate in taking his blade out of its sheath and holding it to the unicorn's neck to hold him at bay.
Bitter Truth merely remained quiet as he looked at the latest blade to threaten his throat. He then looked up at Swift. "My hooves are covered with moon blood."
Swift remained silent for a moment as he examined this stranger in front of him who apparently knew one of Antares' secret codes. His mind began to gallop at full speed, from disbelief to misunderstanding, unable to arrive at a logical explanation for the situation he'd just found himself in. He eventually regained his composure, or at the very least the best he could muster, to act as if the words the stranger had just spoken held no meaning to him. "Go back, last warning."
"Sir Swift, I'm Bitter Truth, the oracle. Three years, five months and a few days ago, I met with the late Lieutenant Antares and asked her to write a few letters, one of which was for you. I borrowed this outfit to come and give it to you today, but I'm not convinced that the concept of a mail pony, so slow that he delivers the mail five years after receiving it, is all too funny."
Swift's heart wanted to believe what he was being told, but his mind just could not accept it. "She would have told me about it."
Bitter Truth looked down, sadly. "And yet, just like Princess Celestia, she did not do so. Your friend by loyalty, the princess by generosity."
"I can't believe it. There's no way that Antares, knowing what awaited her, would do nothing to change that!"
"Yet she did so in the end, and no, I'm only an oracle, it's not up to me to decide who should live or die, every creature is the master of their own destiny. If I hadn't approached her, she would have never had the chance to confide in me her last thoughts so that I could deliver them to the right pony. So if you really consider yourself her friend, so as not to disturb the rest of her soul, respect her decision."
Hearing these words reopened a wound Swift had been trying to hide behind an eternal smile. He almost immediately dropped the sword, which fell heavily to the ground, after Bitter Truth finished speaking. "Give me that letter," he ordered in a dry tone.
Bitter had a fine smile. "One moment, I must first give you her last words." Upon saying this, he suddenly put his hoof on his throat, put on a shocked expression, and began making disgusting gurgling noises as if his throat was filling with blood.
The expected reaction did not take long, the bat pony entered into a blood rage, and with all his strength, he bucked and sent the oracle flying into the nearest tree. Without losing a second, Swift galloped to Bitter and pressed his front hooves into the stallion's throat, half strangling him. "Do you think you're funny?!"
Despite the pain of the blow and the difficulty in breathing, Bitter did not lose his smile. "How does it feel to be in the Major's sabatons?" he asked between laboured breaths.
Swift blinked, and when he realised that he had been caught in one of his own traps, one that was certainly much more morbid than he would allow himself to direct towards Cute Bite, he could only nervously laugh, taking a few steps back before sighing and sitting down, smiling, yet ashamed to not have seen it coming.
As he straightened up, Bitter's smile disappeared as he used his telekinesis to take out an oiled envelope that had protected its contents through years and handed it over to Swift. "I asked her to write to you with all her heart."
The bat pony took the letter, cautious about the last statement. He remained still to contemplate the royal seal he was seeing adorning the letter. Antares was the confidant and Lieutenant of Nightmare Moon, so it frightened him that a unicorn could have entered the castle so easily without any sentinel noticing them, made even worse by the knowledge that said unicorn had also been able to approach the royal assassin directly and in private. Using the thumb of his right wing, he broke the seal and gently began to pull the sheet out of the envelope before suddenly freezing. He felt Antares' ghostly presence, her hooves around his neck, hugging him with tenderness. The sensation hit his guts as the weight on his heart formed from her absence fell. Taking a deep, wavering breath to block the tears that came to his eyes, he hurried to read the letter.
<Swift, my unrecoverable tactician,
I am writing this letter knowing that I will never see you again. My future has been revealed to me, and that of our revered Queen too. And I accept it with a smile on my face.
Without Bitter Truth's intervention, I would have died leaving nothing behind. But our forced meeting with him gives me the chance to leave a farewell letter to my loved ones.
Why did I die defending the throne of our Queen despite everything? For fate had decided so, that I would be the last of the royal assassins. And I have so much blood on my hooves. I never fully recovered from all the murders I carried out at the request of our Queen. There is a scar on my heart for each of the lives I have stolen, each one healed from its previous condition as a gaping wound by you to the best of your ability, and even now I thank you for it. My public life, in the end, was only a pretty facade to hide the murderer who was raised for a fight that will never come. So I prefer not to defy fate, that my life should end as it should have ended if he had not approached me, defending the throne of our Queen at the cost of my life.
I would like to die as I lived. Loyal to our Queen, even after the last day of her reign.
However, I am constrained this night during which you read this letter, to beg you to grant a last request. Save our Queen, help Bitter Truth. Knowing that I was going to die, and that I was going to take the secret to the grave, he told me everything, explained to me what he expected from you. Such devotion to our Queen and the Princess of the Sun, deserves my trust.
I release you from your promise to watch over my sister, the answer to my question gave me a glimpse of her future, a future I didn't expect, and yet one that satisfies me on the eve of my death.
I end this letter on this simple note, now live your life as you wish to live, nothing is holding you back, my friend. It is time to look to the future, to move forward and to leave myself behind as a memory of a past that is now over.
Tenderly,
Your Antares >
Halfway through, he realised that by closing his eyes, he could see her writing this letter, serene, with a peaceful smile on her face. He had to pull the thumb of the wing several times on his day vision goggles so that his tears could finally run down his cheeks. When he finished reading, he put the letter back in the envelope and tucked it under his left wing causing the ghostly presence that had manifested to immediately disappear. "I'm listening," he said dryly, the sense that he had lost his friend once again rendering him unable to be his usual comedic self.
Bitter first took a white silk handkerchief out of his bag and motioned to Swift. "Close your eyes." When he was sure that Swift had done so, he removed the bat pony's glasses and used his handkerchief to make sure the bat pony's eyes were properly dried. Once that was done, he put the handkerchief away and put down a parchment case he had attached to a shoulder strap. "The enchantment on the late Lieutenant Antares' letter is psychometry, the spell in this case is a more advanced version. Ask your queen to use it on the helmet in the command tent and wear it until the end of the night. Only the helmet, it will be useless for her to wear the armour. No one can know except for you and her, and at no time talk to Pepper Chilly about me. Prescience is both a power that she covets at all costs and that she fears even more. Revealing my existence to her would be like betting the future of this world on a coin flip."
"If you've finished your monologue, leave." Swift's voice was brittle, his words no longer having their tell tale soul.
"Indeed, it is time for me to take my leave." The tone of the oracle's reply was neutral, an even tone that lacked the previous humour and sympathy he'd been using. As he turned around, he turned his head back towards the bat pony to add one last thing. "When the time comes, you'll be the only one who knows what to do, come up with a good enough story so that everypony will believe it. Goodbye until our next meeting, Sir Swift."
Swift watched the oracle slip noiselessly into the woods before turning to look at his comrade, who was still sleeping peacefully. He then went over the information in the letter and the request in his mind, taking a guess as to what would be happening tonight. He didn't understand how the spell would be useful in saving his Queen, but it seemed obvious that it wouldn't be long before the regicide attacked again. To imagine Nightmare Moon as the next victim of the soul eater, the very thought caused a chill to run down his spine.
After waking Dauntless and claiming that the mail pony and him had been having such a boring conversation that he had fallen asleep on the spot, Swift returned to the camp to see it in turmoil. When he arrived outside the command tent, he understood why.
Princess Luna was there, a sheathed rapier against her left flank, lowering the sun to better raise the moon.
"It is too soon to do that." Nightmare Moon pointed out as she came out of her prison of flesh. With eagerness, she opened a rift into the world of dreams, and allowed the clone she had left at Twilight's library to emerge and join her. She was shocked at first when she felt her clone merging to her and increasing her magic pool, but when she read her clone's memory, she knew why that was. The clone left at the library had called all the clones left in the dream world to her after learning Twilight would not intervene. Now, she was the last bulwark protecting the changelings from Luna.
"Maybe, but if I can grant an edge to my soldiers over the changelings' army, I will act accordingly."
Swift quickly ducked into his tent to store Antares' letter, and after finishing that, he proceeded back outside and moved closer to his friend the Major's side. Discreetly, while the latter followed the Princess and Queen on their way to the command tent, Swift drew Cute Bite's attention and silently asked what was going on, however, to Swift's dissatisfaction based on her reaction, she knew as much as he did about Princess Luna's presence. Swift mentally sighed, asking why Bitter Truth had not mentioned that fact. There were now too many possible scenarios and not enough information for him to know where the threat the late Antares had feared so much would come from.
Major Antares, who wore the dorsal sheaths holding her sword and Nightmare Moon's claymore, was too concerned with the presence of the Princess of the Moon to worry that Swift was still wearing day vision goggles, or to notice the parchment case he had under his right wing.
Once in the tent, when Luna saw the map of the area with pawns placed on it depicting the balance of power between the army of bat ponies and changelings as being in the latter's favour, a deliberate misrepresentation, she flew off the handle, blaming Nightmare Moon's incompetence for her inability to pacify the Badlands due to these insects.
Nightmare Moon turned a deaf ear to her alter ego's irrational rant, instead choosing to stare at her while remaining silent. Behind the Tantabus' blank mind, something she discovered a few weeks ago she could use as a mental shield, she was internally fuming at the fact that Luna was so close to the Badlands. She knew couldn't try anything, not yet, but to protect Aglowing Shell, even without Twilight's permission, she was ready to be frozen for a thousand years alongside Discord, because that was the only possible way out if the elements of harmony were used against Luna. And unfortunately, said alicorn was no longer an immature child. She would not surrender her body to the Queen of the Night, not again. If Nightmare Moon tried to possess Luna, it would turn into a battle of wills, and if she failed, Luna would undoubtedly trap her forever. Luna would then force Nightmare Moon to watch her end the life of the helpless little Cæsar. She had to act in the presence of Chrysalis, so that the Queen of the Changelings could fully understand the situation and act accordingly if Luna emerged victorious. She had for now to wait for the right moment.
Luna announced that she was going to end the changelings tonight. She would be leading an assault consisting of every bat pony force presently deployed in this outpost, and having fully mourned Celestia's death, it was time to avenge her, so she would personally be taking care of Pepper once she had her hooves on her.
The worried eyes of the bat ponies turned to Nightmare Moon, who had to give up her physical appearance so as to not let her emotions show through.
But as the two alicorns left the tent, Swift intervened: "Lady Nightmare Moon, I have a report for you regarding the reconnaissance mission you gave me last night."
Everypony turned to Swift, neither Nightmare Moon nor the major understood what he was talking about, but Luna could not have known that it was a lie. "You have an urgent report and you wait until now to bring it up, soldier? What's more, 'Lady'? Is she not a princess to you?"
Swift bowed, unfolding his wings and lowering them and his head so that they were touching ground. "There is only one Princess of the Night, and that is you, my Queen. I didn't want to bother you with this mission report because it's up to your subordinate to handle this. If you permit me to make a suggestion, I am sure Major Antares will make it a point to assist you in preparing the troops while I give my report."
Luna considered Swift's words for a moment and, her ego sufficiently flattered, appropriated the suggestion as her own idea. She turned briefly to Nightmare Moon, looking down at her. "Don't keep me waiting." she ordered before leaving the tent. "Major, after me."
Overwhelmed by events, Cute Bite left the tent in a hurry, following in the princess' hoof steps.
Verifying that Luna was far enough away that she wouldn't suspect anything, Nightmare Moon regained a physical appearance before creating a magic bubble in order to assure that the conversation that followed would remain private. "I'm listening."
Swift didn't dare move from his curtsy. "My Queen, I'm sorry I had to-"
Using telekinesis, Nightmare Moon clamped his mouth to cut the apology short. She forced him to raise his head and removed his glasses so she could look him in the eyes as she pleased. Upon doing this, she could not fail to notice how red and swollen they were. "I understand, Swift. You were supposed to see me in private and you did the right thing, I won't hold it against you. However, if you waste my time by tying yourself in knots with excuses again, I won't forgive you. Now, speak," she ordered before releasing her grip, and waited for him to explain himself.
"Bitter Truth came to see me just before the end of my shift. He brought me a letter from Antares, our late Antares. She..." he sobbed as he thought back to the letter. On the verge of a nervous breakdown, he unconsciously felt the need to laugh about it. "Can you believe it? A unicorn came to the Moon during your banishment, all the way to your castle, to the royal assassin, to tell her everything that was going to happen tonight. It doesn't make any sense." He released an uncontrollable laugh. "No s-"
Nightmare Moon slapped him with the back of her hoof. "Focus, Swift. The rest." Certainly she was shocked to learn of this, moreso given the revelation that it had been her royal assassin who had hidden such an encounter from her, but this was not the time to lose sight of the situation.
He calmed down, keeping his head down. "I immediately recognised her writing, the nickname she gave me, it was even sealed with your royal seal. In the letter, Antares asks me to help the oracle, because your life is threatened. He told me to use a spell on your helmet. The spell would allow you to sense the feelings of a person who had touched an object, the oracle says it is called psychometry," he explained, removing the shoulder strap to give the case to Nightmare Moon while pointing at the armour in the corner of the tent with his left wing. "He said you'll only have to wear the helmet for the rest of the night. That I would know what to do when the time comes. That the regicide should not learn of the presence of an oracle in Equestria. Then he left."
The summary confirmed Nightmare Moon's suspicions. "It seems that the confrontation with Luna is inevitable. I don't really understand how this spell will be useful to me, but if Antares felt that this plan would work the best, I will put my trust in her judgement."
After seizing and opening the case with her magic to take out the scroll, Nightmare Moon walked over to the front of the armour display, facing her armour, facing her past. She had it transported to this tent to have a constant reminder of the mistake she had made.
She had underestimated Celestia, and because of that, the elements of harmony had been used against her.
She scanned the scroll for a moment, finding it to be rather complex, a spell that Star Swirl would probably have liked to study. However, she didn't currently have the time to ponder such things. From what she could tell, there was nothing wrong with the spell's formula. Concentrating, Nightmare Moon applied the enchantment to the helmet.
She had underestimated Twilight, and the elements of harmony had once again been used against her.
Grasping the newly enchanted helmet in her magic, as she brought it down onto her head, she swore a promise to herself.
Tonight, she would not underestimate Luna.
She slid the spell back into its case and threw it to Swift, who reflexively caught it. "Swift, no matter what happens, I know you'll do the right thing. I intend to do just that in order to protect the changelings." She headed for the exit. "Whatever it takes," she added before dispelling the magic bubble.
As Nightmare Moon made her way out of the tent and through the camp, nearly every set of eyes towards her.
Luna, who was just finishing going through the last of the bat ponies returning from patrols and other surveillance posts, noticed this shift in attention and turned to look at just what was drawing everypony's eye. When she did, she saw her alter ego, and couldn't help but move closer to satisfy her curiosity regarding her current appearance. "What's the point of wearing the helmet?"
Nightmare Moon didn't need very long to come up with the excuse she needed. "You heard the soldier, there is only one princess of the Night, and by wearing this helmet, I admit to being only a soldier at your service, as I proposed five months ago. Is there a problem with that?"
Luna looked at the soldiers, at the Major, to Swift, then returned to Nightmare Moon. "None. It's time to go."
Luna and Nightmare Moon flew away, followed soon after by Antares and her second, and the army after them. A black cloud of roaring thunder began to form above the advancing army, growing bigger and darkening the night sky as Luna drew closer to the Badlands. A cold silence of nervousness was also growing within the army's ranks. Every soldier knew how much their queen cared about the life of the changelings, so the fact that they were following Luna into the Badlands on their current mission caused more than a few to exchange uncomfortable glances.
[br]
Earlier that day, as Luna was travelling from Canterlot to the south of Dodge City, Pepper was taking a nap in the shade of a rock, leaving Trixie with the three changelings.
Fortunately for the mare, after presentations, Aglowing Shell's attention was fully focused on the great and wonderful illusionist. The unicorn had started by performing her entire repertoire in an effort to assure she would keep the child entertained, but gradually, after being won over by the enthusiasm of the young hybrid, she used all the tricks given to her by Bitter Truth for the sole purpose of putting stars in Algowing's eyes.
Gamine forced Pepper to open an eye, squealing an "I want to see!" every time the only spectator exclaimed a little too loudly, disappointed that she couldn't also attend the show, but she had to keep the promise to let Pepper control the body, and the monster had her habits.
Chrysalis and Chitin would have enjoyed making a snack of Trixie, their current diet of these fruits of love filled their bellies, but as it stood, their respective magical powers did not exceed those of the average unicorn. However, seeing the little Cæsar so happy during the day, compared to her usual languid sadness she expressed as she waited out the night, seeing the big smile she was wearing, it discouraged them from listening to their primal instincts.
The gathering was shocked when the sun and the moon shifted places in the sky.
"Trixie didn't see the passing of time."
Pepper stood up. "It is too soon." As Trixie resumed her performance to keep Aglowing entertained, Pepper, now alert, jumped on the rock and started to monitor the surrounding area.
A strong wind carrying a dark cloud rumbling with thunder began to howl as it enveloped the badlands.
"Who is it?" whispered Gamine.
"I do not know yet, but there are quite a few of them, and their intentions are not friendly," Pepper replied.
"You protect them, or I will!" Gamine ordered.
Pepper jumped off the rock, and the sound of her hooves landing on the hard ground attracted every creature's attention. It didn't take them long to notice where Pepper's attention was focused, and they too began to observe the developing situation.
Only Aglowing smiled, jumping on the spot. "It's Nightmare Moon! She's here!"
Trixie's fur began to prickle up when she heard this. Certainly she was aware that the alicorn was once again roaming Equestria, but at the same time, she had been more than happy to chalk said information up to merely being a bad dream.
Chrysalis, however, was sceptical. "She usually arrives two or three hours after the sun and the moon switch places. Something's not right."
Pepper approached Chrysalis while keeping their unexpected guests within her sight. "How much do you trust Nightmare Moon?"
Chrysalis was going to answer her, but Aglowing Shell jumped on Pepper's face to give her a stare. "She's my friend! Mother trusts her completely!"
Gamine had a shy laugh. "This habit of hers adds some weight to her words."
Pepper, dislodging the child via telekinesis for the third time now after being silenced by her, turned her eyes to Chrysalis as she gave her back the one who so aptly deserved the nickname Facehugger.
"She won't hurt my daughter in any way whatsoever," Chrysalis said.
For Pepper, this statement eliminated a few scenarios she'd conceived of given the situation she was facing. It remained to be seen though who she would have to fight. "Trixie, stay with Aglowing Shell. No matter what happens, the changelings will protect you. Me, however, this is really not the time for you to get in my way," she said, walking a few steps forward.
This was counter to the instructions her employer had given, but in view of the general atmosphere, Trixie knew that it was better not to make things more complicated.
Chrysalis clicked her tongue and Aglowing went to hide behind her mother. She knew that her child was safe because of Bitter Truth's prediction, but that didn't prevent her from taking precautions.
Pepper was five hoof steps in front of the changelings, close enough that they could hear what she would say, and far enough that it left a margin of safety.
Luna landed ten steps in front of Pepper, Nightmare Moon by her side, Antares one step back and to the right of the queen, and Swift to the right of the major. The army, meanwhile, was standing as a single unit behind the one they pretended to serve.
Pepper observed Nightmare Moon for a moment before turning her attention to Luna. "What is the Princess of the moon doing so far from Canterlot this early night? Do you not have any bad dreams to chase away, Luna?"
"Insofar as you are responsible for many, especially mine, I have come to end your life, so that I can dream again and again of your last gurgling while you drown in your own blood. At the same time, I would finish pacifying the region of the extant vermin, since the mare to whom I have entrusted this duty is incapable of doing so," Luna said, taking a brief reproving look at Nightmare Moon.
The latter preferred to look away when she felt Luna's eyes resting on her, clearly nervous, not knowing how to turn the situation to her advantage with Pepper standing right there in front of them.
Pepper laughed wryly. "I have already pacified the area, behind me are the only three changelings left. I was planning to eat the soul of one of them, but your hooves on my plate bother me. You want me dead? Let the taller black mare take care of them, you and I have a friendly duel to finish."
At the mention of this duel, lightning struck the ground less than a dozens metres away as Luna's gaze darkened. "I will inflict on you the humiliating defeat you should have received. Nightmare Moon, make sure that the changelings are dead by the time I finish with her," ordered the Princess of the Night, moving eastward with Pepper while keeping an eye on her and remaining at a safe distance.
A two-eyed storm started spitting lightning bolts.
Nightmare Moon now knew that Pepper was on her side, as she knew the human through interactions with Luna. The proposal she had just made was too perfect to just be a fluke. And if the fight weakened Luna enough, it would greatly facilitate her attempt to take possession of her alter ego.
When the two duellists were too far away to hear anything, Chrysalis approached Nightmare Moon. "What is she doing there?" she asked, while Aglowing Shell jumping into her friend's forelegs, happy to nest in her embrace and scared by the thunderbolts.
Nightmare Moon was relieved that the child was fine, but the mother's question caused her to release a quick and heavy exhalation out of her nostrils out of frustration. "Blame Bitter Truth. A guard came to peddle the words of the oracle to her in the middle of the morning, one thing leading to another, now you have the result before your eyes. And you won't have to rely on Twilight Sparkle. She doesn't consider your lives important enough to defy Luna's will."
With wide eyes, these words engraved themselves in Aglowing's mind. With her heart once again shaken by powerful feelings, Aglowing's horn briefly crackled with energy.
Chrysalis rubbed her cheek against her daughter's to calm her down while reflecting on what had just been said. "Pretty sure he would approach her himself, not through a proxy." She turned her gaze to Pepper in the distance. "What's this about the duel?" she asked, watching Nightmare Moon.
Pepper concentrated on her shapeshifting magic, and once she finished visualising what she needed, a golden halo ran through her body from her horn to her hind hooves. The first thing to change was Pepper's torso, shifting to become humanoid while maintaining her wings, immediately followed by her pushing on her hind legs to reposition them to allow her to walk like a biped. After that, her forelegs, transforming into fur covered arms and began warming up the muscles of her fingers as soon as they appeared, stopping once she was content that everything was working properly.
"During her first stay six months ago, Luna wanted to test Pepper's combat skills. At first, it was supposed to be a mock fight to pass the time, nothing very serious," explained Nightmare Moon.
Chrysalis turned her eyes to Nightmare Moon, amused. "How bad did it get?"
Nightmare Moon was split between enjoyment and annoyance just thinking about it. "Celestia had to separate them, and forbid them from fighting each other in the future. Canterlot Castle would have been left in ruins without her intervention."
"Pepper? Why this hybrid form? Why not become totally human?" asked Gamine.
"Because the laws of this universe do not so easily allow such," Pepper replied. "Not impossible," she continued, summoning her katana into the palm of her right hand. "But it would require that I continuously infuse every cell of my body with the magic that allows me to travel from one reality to another to maintain my true form. Certainly I would be able to fight at my full potential, but it would be worse than burning a candle at both ends," she explained before facing Luna. "This body is currently a good compromise to allow me to fight as I usually do while dealing with the laws imposed on me. Now shut up."
The two eyes of the storm merged, the meteorological phenomena was now a cage for the two opponents.
Luna, with her legs bent, kept her wings pressed against her sides to provide the smallest surface area for an attack. Using telekinesis, the princess drew her rapier. It was a work of art, forged with Cloudichalcum, the bell guard finely carved to represent a starry night with the princess' Cutie Mark sitting in the middle of the stars. It would have been customary for her to greet her opponent, but tonight she had no respect for the one facing her.
With the back of her left hand on the handle, as if she was presenting a gift in the palm of her hand, Pepper moved forward slowly, calculating each of her steps as she circled Luna, looking for an opening that didn't come.
But unlike her, Luna did not have the patience to wait for the right moment, and based on the first skirmish, Luna knew that a frontal attack would inevitably be countered. So she opted for a sudden teleportation behind the regicide's back and went for the head.
Pepper did not expect Luna to use such a technique, and it was only out of pure reflex when she saw the alicorn disappear that she rolled to the side. However, she did not come out unscathed, the rapier cut the string that had been holding her mane in a heavy braid until now.
Luna lowered her guard for a moment as she contemplated the result.
Pepper would have preferred it remain a secret, but if it could give her an advantage over Luna, she might as well seize it. She shook her head from left to right to get her mane to start rippling as her magical power began to make it wave, like a river of blood. "A gift from your late sister, do you like it?" she asked with a sly smile.
Utilising her Canterlot voice, Luna unleashed all of the air in her lungs out of rage in a deafening scream, and in return, the storm unleashed an equal frenzy upon the land, discharging a heavy rain of lightning bolts down in a cacophony of explosions. Unconcerned about the consequences, Luna threw herself into a flurry of successive attacks. Her sole desire was to inflict a thousand cuts upon Pepper's body. Her resolve was to induce so much suffering that Pepper would beg for a quick death. To Luna's irritation though, Pepper simply lept out of her reach, just enough to encourage her to try her luck once again.
As Luna was so focused on taking revenge, Pepper noticed an opening, and immediately switched to the counter-offensive. With a movement of her arm and wrist, she caught and parried Luna's last attack, adding another chip to the edge of her rusty, pockmarked blade, before following up by moving to execute an overhead strike. While the katana was completely caked in rust and appeared to be only one or two counters away from breaking in half, it was still sharp enough to claim another life.
Luna, caught off guard, and with her eyes focused on the blade, felt like an attempt to raise her guard would be too slow to make it in time.
However, the blow never came, Pepper was fighting another battle, one to keep control of her body.
Gamine couldn't stay inactive, she was restraining the body's arms to prevent Pepper from delivering a deadly blow. "What are you doing?!" The guardian shouted in shock.
"I am protecting the changelings!" Pepper barked back.
"I never asked you to kill Luna! There have been enough deaths!"
"What?!" Pepper tried to get away, but was unsuccessful. "Let go of me, you stupid fool! Now is not the time to-"
The storm vanished as Luna seized the opportunity to claim victory with a swift thrust.
Monster and Guardian in unison screamed out in pain as they both felt most of Luna's rapier sink into Pepper's chest. Gamine gave up control of the body to Pepper, unable to bear such physical suffering. Pepper, meanwhile, fell on her rump, her breathing unsteady, with each exhalation being a weak cough that brought with it just that little bit of blood.
Luna's rapier was still lodged through the regicide's chest. The princess enjoyed the view for a moment, she knew that with a compromised lung, it was only a matter of minutes before Pepper died, drowned in the same crimson liquid within her that she so eagerly took from others. Like a cat who caught her prey, she used her magic to pull back and twist her blade with the slowest pace she could muster, simply for the sadistic pleasure of inflicting the most suffering, watching Pepper in pain for the longest time possible, engraving it into her memory. When the point of her blade was extricated, a large sheaf of blood spurt onto her face. "If memory serves, 'Vae Victis', Pepper," she said after using Pepper's white coat to wipe the blood from her rapier. "And I'm going to enjoy every second you have left to ensure you suffer before you draw your last breath."
By removing her blade, Luna had deliberately aggravated the internal bleeding, it was no longer a matter of minutes, and Pepper knew it. Bringing her hands to the wound to try to stem the flow of blood, Pepper attempted to warp away, but without success. The fits of bloody coughing prevented her from concentrating, and her eyelids were becoming heavier and heavier. "Gamine, help me reach and break the prism in the pillow of my hideout."
"I can't do it! The pain is too much," whined the guardian.
Pepper felt too weak to fight any longer. She felt the end coming. "What were you saying this morning? Power must be used to protect others? If you do not do something..." She couldn't hold on, her eyes were closing slowly. "... the changelings will also die because of you. In the end, you are not up to your mother's lessons, she died for... nothing," she whispered as she disappeared from Gamine's sight.
Luna raised an eyebrow, somewhat disappointed by the ease with which the mare in front of her had let herself die.
Time dilated as Gamine's humiliation burned her to her core. Humiliated to be pointed out that she was failing at her self given duty. Infuriated that it was pointed out by the one who killed her mentor. Despite the pain, and with great difficulty, she took control of the dying body, refusing to let Pepper have the last word, and fought back. She gasped for fresh air as she regained consciousness, greatly startling Luna, and after only a few seconds, the guardian had warped herself to the hideout.
"Honestly Pepper, I've known less stubborn cockroaches," Luna said as she teleported to the two sisters' castle with a smile on her face. But that same smile quickly disappeared when she found herself alone in front of the ruins. She turned around, once, twice, looking for the slightest drop of blood, but to her shock, her prey had vanished under her nose. "Very well! Die alone in total indifference, no one will regret you!" She said before teleporting to the Badlands, far from suspecting that the fugitive was only twenty metres below her hooves.
Gasping for breath, and spitting blood with each exhalation, Gamine dragged herself to the bed, grabbed the pillow, and searched it for the prism Pepper had hidden there. As soon as she got her hands on it, she broke it, and the spell contained within instantly teleported her out of Equestria, unceremoniously dropping her in front of a bonfire.
She found herself on a large half-spherical surface made of stone slabs, in the centre of which was a recess where the flames of a fire oscillating between opal and jade were dancing.
Exposed to this fire, Gamine felt strangely better, her breath gradually returning as she felt the mortal wound seal up, before disappearing without a trace. It didn't take her long after this to realise that Pepper's body had regained its human appearance, and the only explanation was that she was in another dimension.
Looking around her, Gamine could see to the left of her dozens of rows of tiered seating carved into the side of a stone hill and illuminated by the light of the fire beside her. The rows rose so high into the sky that they looked as though they could accommodate thousands of adults without difficulty. The manner in which these seats enveloped that side of the stage she found herself on gave her the impression of a dragon jealously guarding his hoard.
To her right was a wall that rose as high as the stands, adorned with finely chiselled carvings depicting the culture and beliefs of the people who called this place to which she had been thrown by the spell imbued in the prism home. Just in front of the fire was a doorway, and from where Gamine stood, she could only see darkness on the other side of its frame. She tried to decipher the figures engraved upon the wall, but turned her head away as soon as she realised the morbid nature of the place.
Looking above her head, it initially appeared as though it was night. The sky was clear, yet not a single celestial body broke up the infinite void that was the firmament above her. Additionally, Gamine was unable to pick up a sound nor feel even the barest caress of a breeze.
This place was the definition of a dead land.
The landscape was not the same, but the young guardian was convinced that the fire she was standing in front of was the same one from Pepper's dreams. Why was she fixated on this fire? With Pepper still unconscious, Gamine was left with no answers. She could feel the body building up more and more energy, but the knowledge that the changelings were still in danger of dying still weighed on her.
As Luna abandoned Pepper to her fate, Chrysalis, who was keeping her daughter held against her to reassure her as the lightning stopped striking and parcelling the sky, suddenly became nervous when the scent of blood reached her nostrils.
When Nightmare Moon saw Luna coming back with the face covered with blood as if nothing had happened, she knew that it was ultimately her responsibility to protect the changelings: "I will try to reason with her, but don't get your hopes too high. She's the stubborn type."
"Is she too stubborn to die?" Chrysalis said, smiling despite the situation.
Nightmare Moon, hesitating at first after hearing this wit, could not help but smile back. "Impossible, I need her alive, but if it comes to that..." Determined, Nightmare Moon spread her wings, flew in front of Luna, not too far from where Pepper had been not that long ago, and stood in her way.
Chrysalis knew the situation was out of her control, if Nightmare Moon failed to defeat Luna, Aglowing would be an easy target. She needed an excuse to send her to the safety of the hive. As she was looking for one, she realised that Bitter Truth had provided her with one without her knowledge. He had once again manipulated her, a fact that brought her no small degree of displeasure. Without warning, she turned around and stuck Aglowing in Chitin's forelegs before pushing Trixie to their side.
The illusionist did not dare to react.
Aglowing did not understand at first. "Mother?"
"Do you remember the promise? The sword you received to protect? You must go and get the sword, to help me protect the hive and all the changelings that still sleep," Chrysalis said.
"I don't need the sword, I'm powerful, I can fight without my weapon!" replied the little Cæsar.
But Chrysalis turned a deaf ear to her daughter. She concentrated, and cast a spell, causing a circle of green flame to form around Chitin, creating a bubble that imprisoned the warrior, child and mare together. And slowly, the prison sank into the ground, taking the captives with it through the maze of the hive.
"For the survival of the hive, don't come back. Without a queen, the sleeping changelings will be abandoned to their fate," Chrysalis ordered.
Chitin lowered their head and looked away, accepting what seemed to be their queen's last order.
Aglowing refused to obey though. She tried as best as she could to free herself, but she did not dare hurt Chitin, and her voice could not pass through the bubble, which disappeared completely a few seconds later.
Chrysalis was relieved to know that her child was safe, she could turn around and face the enemy with peace of mind, even if it was her last fight. She could see that Nightmare Moon was trying her best, but Luna wasn't making it easy.
"No, I will not only avenge my sister's death, I will eliminate this teeming threat and thus perpetuate peace in Equestria," said the Princess of the Night.
"We have already killed enough changelings as it is. What little remain are no longer a threat. Celestia would never have endorsed this. And you know that." It cost Nightmare Moon mentioning Celestia, but it was the only way to get Luna to focus on something other than the fight.
"Listening to your whining, I would think you've started to care about the lives of these vermin," said Luna, suspicious.
Nightmare Moon briefly turned her gaze to Chrysalis before impertinently responding to Luna. "Aren't you aware of the latest news? Friendship is really magic."
The princess of the night felt the need to call her alter ego to order. She concentrated for a moment, forming her magic into a small sphere that quickly burst like a soap bubble.
To the common mortal witnessing the scene, there was no impact, but the spell spread through this reality and that of the dream world of which Luna was the guardian, and Nightmare Moon felt the effects, the link between the Tantabus and Luna had been severed, and for the Queen of the Moon, this now meant that her magic pool was all that remained before the Tantabus would disappear like a bad dream.
"Kill the changelings, and I'll restore the bond. If not, prepare to die with them," declared Luna as an ultimatum.
Nightmare Moon had already made her choice. Without delay, she engaged Luna in a duel of magical power, shooting forth a beam from the form she still had left. Taken slightly off guard, it took Luna a fraction of a second to respond, fireing her own beam in order to counter the attack. When these two beams hit each other, a sphere of magic began to form. It required great spiritual concentration for Luna to maintain this riposte, and was the fastest way for Nightmare Moon to weaken her in order to take possession of the body, but it was a deadly gamble to see, which would yield first, her power or Luna's spirit?
Luna held Nightmare Moon in respect, and her gaze turned to the army of bat ponies in the face of the situation. "What are you waiting for?! Protect your Princess!"
But there was no reaction.
"Bat ponies! A step backwards," Nightmare Moon ordered.
And all obeyed, in perfect synchronisation.
"Did you really believe all this time that the bat ponies were committed to your cause? You're so naive, you poor filly."
Luna became enraged, resulting in the duel turning in her favour.
Seeing this development, Chrysalis moved to join the fight. It was now the Queens' fight against the Princess, and the balance was restored, for a time. "I don't know what you have in mind, but I know you have to win."
"If she grows weak enough, I could possess her body again," explained Nightmare Moon. "But my power is limited. Your help is welcome," admitted the alicorn without shame.
"Don't mention it, I haven't had a good meal in forever. I wouldn't last long on my own," Chrysalis conceded before her mischievous mind developed an insidious thought. "By the way, Pepper made Aglowing Shell cry this morning."
The words echoed in Nightmare Moon's skull, and she snapped. It was not just mere anger, but visceral wrath that consumed Nightmare Moon. Her pale blue magic turned green and purple as any form of restraint was incinerated within Nightmare Moon's brain.
Luna was pushed back several metres, but the distance between her and the sphere remained unchanged.
Nightmare Moon, with her eyes clouded by hatred, did not see this fight ending in her favour. She had to fall back on something she could rely on. "Chrysalis, if you still want to taste the darkness of my heart, it's now or never."
The changeling was initially surprised by the sudden proposal, but quickly realised the reason for this offer. She stopped supporting Nightmare Moon, and without missing a beat, collected and devoured the thousand-year-old heart. Unfortunately though, her stomach could not stand such a meal. In no time at all, she collapsed as she was seized by a severe coughing attack as her body tried to vomit up what it was having difficulty assimilating.
Neither Chrysalis nor Nightmare Moon had expected something like this to happen, and being caught so off guard, Nightmare Moon struggled to keep the sphere at a distance. The exertion leaving her feeling more and more hollow with each passing second. She had overestimated her capacity, and was about to receive the full force of the consequences.
Gamine had just used the marker created by Pepper to return to the Badlands, her body instantly becoming that of a bipedal alicorn again upon arrival. When she saw the situation unfolding before her, she began looking for a way to help, and couldn't help but think back to her mother's fighting technique. She had never been able to do it perfectly, but she knew, because of her prisoner, that it was now possible. She began to run, concentrating, her magic covering her right hand like a thick glove. When she reached the sphere of magical energy, she extended her arm and whipped the sphere with the back of her hand, sending the sphere of magic high into the sky where it exploded, made unstable by the intervention.
Nightmare Moon felt divided at seeing the hybrid she thought to be Pepper standing there in perfect health. Above all, it was a surprise to see the hybrid's mane now pulsating with power. In the end, she preferred to see the bright side of this situation. Even if possessing Luna had recently been rendered an impossibility and Chrysalis was still lying on the ground, said changeling was not hurt, save for her coughing attack, which was finally seeming to calm down, and with Pepper back, that meant that Luna was outnumbered three to one.
Luna was the most displeased with this surprise. "How could you survive the injury I inflicted on you?!"
"Silence." Gamine ordered without raising her voice. "Promise to leave the changelings alone, and never come back to the Badlands, you're not welcome here."
"And if I refuse, what are you going to do Pepper, kill me like you killed my sister?" she asked, talking down to her.
Luna had barely begun to laugh at Gamine's words when a potent projectile of green and violet magic struck her head-on, pushing her several dozen metres before finally exploding. "I can not speak for her, but as for me, certainly." Chrysalis said, a purple mist emanating from her now entirely green eyes.
Gamine and Nightmare Moon turned to the Queen of the Changelings, the latter of which incensed by this development. "Are you brainless?! If you killed her, I'm doomed! And no one will be able to protect you if Equestria seeks revenge," Nightmare Moon shouted at Chrysalis.
"Be happy you haven't suffered the same fate already!" the changeling shouted back, her mind clearly tainted and consumed with hatred.
Gamine didn't understand. "How could Equestria find out?"
Nightmare Moon turned her gaze to the guardian. "Twilight knows we're here. And she is far from being stupid. When Luna's absence gets noticed, she will make the connection, and as she is a princess, she will accordingly be elevated to the head of the kingdom. I am convinced that she will not seek revenge, but if she informs the wrong pony of where Luna disappeared... The grumpy insect here -" she pointed at Chrysalis with a hoof before quickly removing after an attempted bite "- is going to have to answer for her crime."
Gamine's mind was analysing the facts. There was a possible alternative. "I have a solution." she said as she flew over to Luna.
Luna was in a bad state. Unable to dodge in time or move to safety while Chrysalis' attack pushed her back, she had tried to protect her face with her front hooves. The cloudichalcum sabatons absorbed most of the impact, but the bones of her forelegs were now broken. Seeing Gamine landing in front of her, out of fear, the alicorn used her telekinesis to begin slashing the air with her rapier in an effort to defend herself. "Back off! Back off! Back off, Pepper, or I'll kill you!"
"I am the only one around here who does not want you dead. Kill me, Chrysalis will be happy to have you for dinner, if she does not kill you within the hour," said Gamine, her eyes colder than usual.
Luna considered her options. She could try to kill her again, but she was not so insane as to think that stabbing her with her rapier a second time would end any different from last time. Neither Nightmare Moon nor the bat ponies would help her, and she had no doubt that Chrysalis would capture her before she managed to drag herself out of the Badlands. She surrendered, releasing the rapier, which thusly fell to the ground.
Gamine became so irritated that she went into a state of rage shift. Her previously crimson mane turned an ethereal blue.
Luna was used to this vision, which had become common enough to have tormented Pepper's dreams every time the human played a bad trick on her.
Gamine put a knee down, to better stare into Luna's eyes. "Listen to me carefully, Luna. The changelings are now under my protection, if I find out you have made a move against them, directly or indirectly. I will come for you, and I will methodically break your horn and every bone in your body. Then I will destroy Equestria. When I am done, all you shall have left is a scorched wasteland, one you will be forced to look at as all you will be able to do is cry. Have I made myself clear?" She remembered that Pepper said that her long threats would easily be perceived as the lies they were, but right now she didn't care.
"What if they're the ones who attack us? Will you help them?" mocked Luna.
"Of course not, but unlike you, they do not kill." Gamine replied as she calmed down, the effect of the Rage Shift dissipating. "Unless they are forced to, I guess," she murmured to herself.
"The changelings have nothing to fear from me if you stay in Equestria, Pepper, because once I recover, I intend to find an effective way to kill you permanently." She blew through her nostrils. "What's next, am I going to have to walk on both hind legs to Canterlot, or are you going to have the kindness and generosity to open a gate directly there?"
"Actually, I am not done with you yet," she said, grabbing Luna's rapier off the ground and putting it in its sheath. She did so with great respect for the weapon, her mother having taught her that some swords could be symbols of hope. "Do not dare to try using it." With these words, Gamine used her telekinesis to pick up Luna. She visualised the place where Pepper and Luna duelled earlier, then used her magic again to grab and return her katana into its saya before grabbing it in her left hand.
When Gamine arrived and placed Luna in a sitting position, Chrysalis was ready to emulate the late Celestia and send the Princess of the Night to the Moon.
But the young guardian stood in the way, spreading her wings to intimidate the monster that was now Aglowing's mother. "Chrysalis, you calm down or I shall give you a hug!" she threatened. "If you wanted her dead, you should have gone pick her up yourself."
Chrysalis found the ultimatum so stupid that somewhere deep down she wanted to laugh about it, but her corrupt mind was content with a growl of frustration.
Gamine then did what had to be done so that the changelings could live in peace. She turned to Luna, drew the misshapen blade, and cut the Princess' cheek with a small cut, making sure that the blood pearled on the edge of Pepper's weapon. Then, she turned to face everypony else, brandishing the murder weapon high. "You are all witness, that I, Pepper Chilly, am the one responsible for the state that the Princess of the Night is in. If one of you dares to say otherwise, I will find you, and nothing will protect you from my wrath!" She turned her eyes to Luna. "This goes especially for you."
Major Antares was confused. "Couldn't we just lie?" she whispered for herself.
"It's semantics." explained Swift. "In inflicting the last wound, the state which Princess Luna is in is her fault. It's not the strictest truth, but it's not a lie."
"It's... twisted as a concept," said the bat pony staring at Gamine, dubious.
"But it's a very convenient way to lie when it's necessary," the bat pony replied with an older brother's look as he watched his friend with a smirk.
Protected, and at the same time manipulated by the one who had killed her sister, forsaken by her subjects for her alter ego, and worst of all, at the mercy of all, Luna could only describe herself as humiliated.
"Moony!" Aglowing Shell carrying her claymore in her telekinetic grip, closely followed by Chitin and Trixie. The little changeling, seeing that the situation had visibly improved, dropped her weapon and jumped into Nightmare Moon's embrace. "I was so afraid something would happen to you," she squealed. Relief enveloping her features as she clutched her friend's chest as tight as she could with her four little legs.
Chitin explained in a few clicks that despite their efforts, preventing Aglowing from returning was impossible.
Following her explanations, Chrysalis, grumbling, brought her face closer to her child, then blew through her nostrils, a criticising look towards her own daughter.
Aglowing turned her gaze to the queen of the Changelings, and took fright when she saw her eyes filled with violet mist. This fright passed quickly though as a look of understanding passed over her features, jumping on her face to offer her a hug as well. "Of course I was also worried about you mother!" chirped the misunderstanding and smiling child.
The love the child offered was a drop in an ocean of hatred, but yet Chrysalis found a semblance of a smile, all fangs outside, too frightening to Trixie's taste.
Nightmare Moon suddenly felt the Tantabus react to an order from Luna, and she barely had time to turn her eyes towards Luna before her body betrayed her, once again becoming a piece of a dream outside the world to which she belonged. With Nightmare Moon no longer being a physical entity, the helmet fell to the ground. The Queen was now incorporeal, a ghost in all but name. The Tantabus seemed to compress in on itself, as if the enormous dreamlike mass of which it was composed was collapsing in on itself to an impossible degree. Nightmare Moon, a prisoner in a sense, struggled against this, her silhouette emerging in an attempt to escape her fate, as if the ice of a frozen lake had just shattered under her hooves.
The sight was horrific, leaving every creature present other than the princess frozen on the spot
"Moony?" Aglowing said in doubt.
Gamine immediately turned to Luna. "What is going on?"
The princess responded with a subtle, satisfied smile. "Nothing serious, I'm just getting rid of a part of myself that's no longer needed."
Upon hearing this, the bat ponies ran, led by Major Antares, to surround the Princess of the Night, weapons in their mouths, to hold her at swordpoint.
Swift, on the other hand, went to secure the helmet, borrowing Trixie's hat without asking for it, to avoid touching it directly, for fear of contaminating it with a part of his memories.
"Moony?!" Aglowing shouted worried.
The young guardian was livid at seeing Luna treat Nightmare Moon's life so dispassionately. Keeping her calm with difficulty, she grabbed Luna by the horn. "Stop it!"
"I promised not to touch the changelings, Nightmare Moon is not a changeling," she calmly reminded whom she thought was Pepper. "Besides, it's only a matter of seconds now."
"Moony!!!" shouted Aglowing in terror.
Gamine, orange wisps trailing from her eyes, realised that she would not be able to save Nightmare Moon. She smashed Luna's head against the floor in rage, and started to run towards Nightmare Moon.
The shock was too violent and Luna lost consciousness.
The bat ponies kept an eye on her.
The Tantabus was barely larger than an apple, and the presence of Nightmare Moon was barely visible, a leg or horn desperately trying to reach freedom.
Gamine, not knowing if the destruction of Nightmare Moon would be complete, wanted to make sure that her soul would survive the Tantabus. She was forced to use her native magic. Her eyes and the golden halo around her horn turned into a deep shade of purple and green as she threw herself on the Tantabus to tear Nightmare Moon's soul away from it.
The ethereal body disappeared like a soap bubble, only a powerful opalescent flame remained, which flickered in silence, weakly illuminating the guardian's face, who held it the palm of her left hand, gloved with a purple halo.
In tears, the child approached first, observing the flame that reminded him of a star that had fallen from the sky. "Pepper! Where's Moony?!"
Sitting on her rump, Gamine replied, fascinated by the soul. "What I hold in my hand... is all that is left of her," her gaze was glued to the soul. The power that emanated from it, she felt it pushing through her arm.
Pepper woke up. As she witnessed the situation, she frowned, yet remained silent.
"What do you mean, all that's left of her?" asked the child.
Never before had any creatures in Equestria seen a soul, but it was enough to know what kind of monster was standing in front of them to quickly come to the conclusion of what this luminous white flame was. Trixie, Chitin, Chrysalis, Swift, Antares and all the bat ponies present understood that the situation had just degenerated into the worst possible scenario. If nothing was done, Nightmare Moon would suffer the same fate as Celestia.
The tension in the air quickly became palpable, and captivated by the soul in front of her, Gamine confused the ambient uneasiness for hostility. Every second she spent like this, simply holding the soul in her hand, using magic that required embracing her true nature, her heart was closing on her mother's lessons while her nature took over.
Pepper could feel the strength of the soul pulsating in the palm of the hand. It was among the top four she ever handled in her entire life. "Would it be this easy to ruin everything she taught you?" she whispered to herself.
With a click of her tongue, Chrysalis ordered her daughter to step back. The changeling could imagine the hunger that the human being must have felt at that moment only too well, and it was better for her child to stay away from her, because the bat ponies would surely not stand by and do nothing.
The little hybrid complied with the order, but asked for an explanation on Gamine's answer, which did not come. Her look of concern remained on the strange white flame throughout this entire exchange, because according to the one holding it, it was a part of her friend.
Antares, on the other hand, could not see how she could force a soul eater to abandon a potential meal. Seeing Swift standing there, she assumed in more than one respect that he did not want to confront the regicide again, given how their first meeting had gone. "Pepper Chilly, the city state of Broncoliande is grateful to you for saving our Queen's soul, but your only option now is to let her become a star to guide our people," she ordered firmly.
But Gamine refused such an option, instead of answering, she growled while spreading her wings to intimidate the soldier and tightened her fingers on the soul, not allowing it to leave her sight for a moment.
The tension went up a notch when several bat ponies, swords still in their mouths, began to move slowly towards Gamine. However, considering that this would only worsen the situation, Antares signalled to them to hold their position until further notice.
Frustrated, Pepper sighed. "Gamine, stop being foolish."
Chrysalis, the corners of her eyes still exuding purple and green wisps because of the hatred that refused to release its hold on her, watched the scene with detachment, until she noticed her daughter's yellow and green eyes pointed at her. And when she read the beginning of sadness in her big eyes, she looked down, and came to offer her a caress on the cheek. "Don't cry, she died to protect us."
However, this was small comfort for the young changeling who was still reeling from the notion that the flickering white flame being held by Pepper was all that was left of her friend. She remained staring at her mother with tears of fear and confusion in her eyes, seeking a more comforting answer. The air suddenly became so heavy that the little Cæsar began to have trouble breathing, her heart beginning to race with a feeling of helplessness, causing tears to roll down her cheeks and wet the arid soil of the Badlands.
The tears of a child, tears shed for a loved one forever lost, reached Gamine's wounded heart. This song of despair distracted Gamine from the soul she was holding. The purple wisps that filled her green, iridescent eyes were driven away by orange wisps as she regained control of herself due to her aching heart echoing Aglowing's. She coughed as she faltered to hold back tears, wincing in disgust of herself as she tore herself away from the monstrous thought that had almost devoured her. As she stood up, a tear rolled down her cheek as flashbacks of her mother's death raced before her eyes. The unscrupulous feral monster that had stood there a moment prior was now walking towards the child, animated now by more noble intentions.
Pepper sighed again, out of relief this time. "At long last."
Except for mother and daughter, all could see Gamine's attitude had changed completely, moving now like a model of rectitude.
Antares was not left in awe, remembering the words exchanged two months ago, she wondered if it had anything to do with the so-called call she had been talking about.
"Despite all the magic I have, there is nothing I can do to bring your friend back to life, and believe me when I say, I regret it, Aglowing Shell."
The child, still in tears, left her mother's cheek, who until then had offered her little comfort to turn to her friend's soul. "Moony? Moony, please come back, I don't want you to leave, we haven't played yet tonight," she begged.
Chrysalis, Gamine, Antares, who was now following her closely, and the other bat ponies who had come closer, all clammed up in a cold silence following the plea. Only Swift, who was standing next to Trixie while they both stood behind Antares, his hooves still holding the hat which contained Nightmare Moon's battle helmet, had any hope that this scene could end with a better outcome than the current situation suggested.
"She can not hear her," Pepper whispered.
Gamine only then realised Pepper's presence. "You're back? Since when?" She noted the whole situation, and turned pale. "It's not what you think, I-"
"You saved her soul. I am aware, now repeat my words," Pepper ordered before explaining why.
Each word Pepper said was repeated by Gamine as she stood up straight, focusing her attention on the child. "She can not hear you. A soul is not conscious, Aglowing Shell. A life is composed of a body, a soul, and a spirit. But without the latter, she will not be Nightmare Moon. Just an amnesiac mare."
Swift was sure that was the whole point of Bitter Truth's spell. "Then there's still a chance. Our Queen Nightmare Moon, anticipating such a possibility since she never had her own body, enchanted this helmet to keep a copy of her memories. Would that be enough?"
"It could work if she had a body," Pepper sighed, with a shrug.
Antares was surprised. "How do you know that? Even I didn't know about it."
"I got it from your sister, she was our Queen's lieutenant where you are only her aide de camp," Swift explained.
Antares was sceptical. "Why would my sister have shared such information with a moron like you?"
"She didn't." The comedian could not help himself from capitalising on such an opportunity. "She talks in her sleep."
"Oh." Antares said before it clicked in her mind. "Wait a minute, when did you sleep with my sister?!"
The glimmer of hope offered by Swift and the playfulness between the childhood friends was all it took to ease the mood, the bat ponies burst out laughing, embarrassing Antares to the highest degree.
After the laughter was over, Aglowing used mimicry to take her adult form. "Use my body! I want my friend back!"
"Impossible..." whispered Pepper.
And again, Gamine repeated the explanations. "Impossible. It is a thousand-year-old soul, yours would be crushed by its weight. You would not survive it." She turned to Luna. "That leaves us with only one solution."
"Me," Chrysalis intervened, no longer wanting to see her daughter in such an eager state despite the wrath fuelling her.
Gamine gave a shy laugh. "About 30 years older than your daughter would not make much difference, Chrysalis."
"I am nearly one thousand and one hundred years old, ignorant. Concerning Nightmare Moon, either we rely on Luna, who is a little less than one thousand one hundred and fifty years old, or on the fact that Nightmare Moon was born on the day of her banishment, which makes her one thousand three years old. What's more, I ate Nightmare Moon's heart during the battle, and the icing on the cake is," she used her changeling magic to shapeshift, "I can use mimicry to make it easier on every creature." Despite being fuelled by Nightmare Moon's heart, Chrysalis wouldn't waste her life force replicating the ethereal mane, but the mane she designed with her mimicry gave Nightmare Moon a look as regal as the original. "Anything to complain about?"
"Too perfect to be real," Pepper commented incredulously before explaining the procedure to Gamine.
"Yes and no. Is it possible to keep the appearance, but the eyes remain unchanged?" said Gamine.
Although frustrated, Chrysalis complied. "Can I at least know why?"
"The eyes are the gates to the soul. In this way, it will be easy to tell which soul is in control of the body."
"Anything else, Lady Soul Expert?" Chrysalis mocked.
"Just to put your mind and soul into a deep sleep with the spell of the Frozen Flame," replied Gamine.
Feeling her life somehow threatened, Chrysalis hissed, spreading her wings to make herself appear most impressive.
The sight of their queen hissing and pulling her tongue in an attempt of intimidation was not something the bat ponies were prepared for.
Gamine remained serene as best she could. "Calm down, it is just to avoid a spiritual conflict between you two. When you wake up, you will remember everything she did as if you dreamed it."
Chrysalis hissed again, not loving the idea, but when she saw all the hope in her daughter's eyes, her maternal instinct prevented it from turning into big tears. "Make it quick," she spat.
"Lay down, you will fall asleep and your body will fall if you stay standing." said Gamine.
Chrysalis turned her eyes to Chitin. "One month, no more." Then looked at her daughter. "During that time, make sure that your friend quickly finds an alternative." She sighed, closing her eyes. "I look forward to receiving some sweet dreams," she punned under her breath
Gamine put her left hand on Chrysalis' forehead, letting Pepper cast the spell. Chrysalis struggled for a moment against the sudden state of fatigue, but quickly sank into a magical sleep.
At the request of Gamine, all of them, without exception, took a few steps back, Swift took the opportunity to get closer and, with the agreement of Gamine, put the helmet on the head of the sleeping mare. Gamine immediately lodged Nightmare Moon's soul in Chrysalis' chest after Swift moved back away.
Bitter Truth's spell took effect, Chrysalis' memories were supplanted by Nightmare Moon's, and Nightmare Moon awoke with the freshest memory. She jolted in a scream of terror, rearing up to escape her imminent death.
Swift and Gamine barely had time to drag themselves out of reach of the alicorn to avoid an errant kick.
The shortness of breath, the alert senses, her light blue eyes surrounded by purple wisp, she observed her surroundings, realising quickly that the situation had suddenly changed.
"Moony?" Aglowing Shell said, holding her breath and restraining her tears.
The alicorn turned her gaze to the child who had not left her adult appearance. She leaned forward, frowning and glaring, her wings spread to assert her status as Queen. "How many times must I tell you, Aglowing Shell, my name is Nightmare Moon! Not Moony!"
This scold made the little Cæsar cry with joy, immediately embracing her friend who had come back from afar.
Nightmare Moon was a little lost, but returned the hug.
"Nightmare Moon, we have a problem to solve as soon as possible," said Gamine.
The queen noted Chrysalis' absence, and saw Swift nodding discreetly. "And what's the problem, Pepper?"
Gamine searched for the right words, but she lacked the empathy to formulate it in a subtle way, so she decided to be blunt. "To sum it up very roughly, you are dying." |
A Guardian's Hope | Chapter 14 | After a few quick explanations from Gamine and Swift, summarising the state Nightmare Moon was in, the Queen went about isolating herself for a moment, leaving command to Major Antares after informing her of some imperative directives.
Aglowing reverted to her true form and began running towards Nightmare Moon, as she wanted to see her friend again. However, before she could get too far, Chitin held out a hoof, preventing her from proceeding. When she looked at the changeling, her heterochromic eyes filled with confusion, Chitin assured her that after today, even Chrysalis would need some time alone, and that it was better to wait for her friend to return on her own.
Gamine, noticing that Pepper's alicorn bipedal body was being examined from hoof to horn by most of the bat ponies, teleported the jagged katana back to the hideout before assuming the form of a regular unicorn again.
While this was happening, Trixie had moved closer to the Equestrian regicide, overwhelmed by events, and seeking some form of security. The duel she'd had with Twilight last year seemed like a child's quarrel compared to the power that had been unleashed over her head but half an hour ago. After she'd been sent into the deepest part of the changelings' hive, it took only a matter of seconds for the walls to begin to shake. It had been so violent that Trixie had been convinced that she was going to end up buried with the remaining changelings, only to then becoming their meal.
Seeing that their presence was no longer required, the bat ponies took off, with Swift leading them as they returned to the camp with Luna's unconscious body so she could be treated without further delay. Antares, however, stayed behind, because her place was near the queen.
Once the regiment of bat ponies was far enough away, Nightmare Moon turned back to the small group. She would have never believed that on the day of her imminent death, such a motley band would be there to witness it.
Less than half an hour later, the very group Nightmare Moon had noticed after the battle entered the command tent of the Moon Guard military camp. Trixie Lulamoon remained at Gamine's side, while Aglowing Shell, her claymore under a hoof, followed soon after, with Chitin to her right. The changeling guard for his part kept his warrior's eyes fixed on Nightmare Moon, watching her like one would a dragon in its lair. Antares didn't appreciate this, even though she understood the reason for it, and was about to intervene when Swift entered the tent.
The bat pony saluted with a thumb to his forehead. "My Queen, the doctors are finishing treating Princess Luna's wounds, and as per your orders, she has been placed in a medically induced coma," he said before standing next to the entrance.
Nightmare Moon fell back into thought, concerned about the future of her subjects now that they had revealed to whom their allegiances lie.
Pepper, who had remained silent until then, began to put some pieces together regarding the present situation. "The more I think about it, the more I think you are not exploiting the full potential of your idea to take the blame for Luna's condition. And since my day of freedom is not over yet, you will make it your duty to give me back control, since no one is in danger anymore. Then I will have the pleasure of explaining it myself."
True, there was still a whole night to go before the dawn of a new day, and Gamine was true to her word, so she conceded to the request.
The monster sighed easily. "Nightmare Moon, I do not know what you are planning in regards to your situation, but concerning the changelings, I have an idea about how to get and keep them out of danger."
Antares snarled, spreading her wings and showing her fangs. "Who do you think you're talking to?! Show some respect when you address our Queen, you impudent commoner!"
Nightmare Moon intervened, putting a hoof on the major's shoulder to order her to regain her composure. She stared at Pepper for a moment before speaking. "She has never shown that level of respect towards Celestia nor Luna, I'd be worried about her intentions if she did otherwise," the queen commented.
The aide-de-camp watched her queen for a moment before giving the unicorn a glare.
Pepper continued. "Blaming me for Luna's condition is one thing, but I realise that there is more to it than that. Equestria needs to know that their precious princess Luna risked her life in order to protect the changelings from an extra Equestrian threat."
It was Aglowing's turn though to flare up in rage, taking on her adult form as she sprinted over to bark in Pepper's face. "That's not true! She's the monster!"
Pepper remained calm, a mischievous smile on her lips. "Precisely. We are going to wrap this monster in a pretty lie. By making her the hero of the story, she will wake up trapped in a paper thin cage. She will never be able to reveal the truth, or she will lose the trust of her ponies. And if your mother had the sadistic desire to go and thank her, Luna will be forced to accept her thanks, no matter how hollow. The more she is revered for this selfless act, the stronger the sour taste of total defeat will remain on her tongue."
A grunt of pain suddenly sprung forth, and everyone turned their attention to its source, Nightmare Moon. She had a hoof pressed against her chest. "Chrysalis' heart just skipped a beat, looks like this twisted plan is to her liking." The pain passed, and the alicorn swept her eyes over the plan that no longer had any reason to exist. "First, the accommodations. Major, have two tents set up for our guests and one for myself, not far from here, and make sure they are lacking in nothing."
Before the bat pony could take a step towards the exit, Pepper spoke up. "I will decline the invitation, I will not sleep among creatures I do not trust. There is a forest east of here, I will camp there, and if an emergency arises," She pointed to Aglowing Shell with her left hoof. "Facehugger knows how to summon me." She looked at Aglowing. "And emergencies only, not because you are bored."
Nightmare Moon was not surprised, as Pepper had never slept in Canterlot Castle despite the many offers of hospitality. "Do you need anything?"
"Yes. I will need a wash, so I will require something to dry off with, a ration of food, and anything I can use to tie up my mane." replied Pepper.
Antares took the lead. "Swift, fulfil the unicorns' requests and then lead them out of the camp, I'll take care of the tents."
A few minutes later, as Pepper and Trixie headed deeper into the forest, Trixie sighed with relief for the first time in hours. To spend an afternoon in the company of changelings without ending up being eaten was an experience she never thought possible. But Nightmare Moon's arrival at Princess Luna's side, and what followed, would haunt her for some time. "The Great and Wonderful Trixie can't believe she survived today's events," she said, fatigue overtaking her now that she was out of danger. "Trixie can't decide whether to be happy about sleeping away from Nightmare Moon and the bat ponies, or complain that she has to set up camp when we were offered a tent to sleep in."
"There would be too much tension if I stayed there. I need to replace a tool I used after the fight with Luna, and for that, I need some place calm so I can concentrate, besides, you are being paid to follow me."
"Trixie definitely needs the money, but now that she knows what you did to Princess Celestia, Trixie regrets agreeing to it. Trixie feels bad for what she put Ponyville through in her quest for revenge against Twilight Sparkle, but you're clearly worse than Trixie!" the illusionist shouted as she extended an accusing hoof towards Pepper. But seeing the utter lack of remorse in the latter's scarlet eyes, the mare sighed in frustration as she put the hoof back down. "Trixie will go no further for tonight, and will pitch her tent here." With that, she used her telekinesis to pull out her personal tent and began to set it up.
"Trixie is right," Pepper thought.
Gamine raised an eyebrow when hearing this from the monster. "Really?"
"Yes. We are far enough away from the military camp," Pepper said, setting the supplies down before walking over to the nearest tree to slam it with her hoof.
Turning her back on Pepper, Trixie busied herself with setting up her tent for the night.
Even though she was far from Ponyville, Pepper preferred to make sure no creatures were living inside it. She didn't want, once again, the potential inhabitants to go and complain to Fluttershy. She was indifferent to her reproachful stare, but the next potential meal offered by the pegasus was a privilege she couldn't afford to lose.
"Ah," Gamine said, disappointed at the turn in the conversation.
Ignoring her, Pepper concentrated, using her magic to slice through the base of the trunk with a clean horizontal slash before reducing it to scrap wood. Then, she opened a portal to the ruins of the two sisters' castle and collected a dozen stones from the ravine, before planting a stone slab in the ground to cover the back of the portal. Once she had done this, she swept away the ground covering of leaves to make sure she had a clean area to work and began arranging the stones in a circle, and arranged the scraps of wood she had created into the shape of a pyramid in the centre of this circle.
The sounds of crackling fire startled Trixie, and bewildered, she looked at the campfire and the slab, twice the height of Pepper, upon which the regicide's shadow was cast. "Well, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that you can pay to the great Trixie," she commented before approaching the campfire and, sitting before it, listening to the crackling fire. Something she was used to given her life as a travelling performer. Something that, here and now, gave her a sense of normalcy.
Pepper focused next on replacing her used prism. She didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but it was better to be prepared if Gamine had the good idea of putting them in a dangerous situation again while staying in Equestria. Concentrating more intensely than usual, the planeswalker placed a temporary marker at the base of the stone behind the portal and pointed at where she wanted to warp back to once she collected the pebble. "Trixie, I will leave you for less than three minutes. Until my return, do not get any closer to this stone behind me, for your own security. I will warp back to this exact point and I do not wish to hit you," she explained.
"You mean teleport?" asked Trixie.
"I can not teleport, I can only warp, so no," corrected Pepper.
"Trixie fails to see the difference."
Pepper shrugged it off and warped away.
Trixie raised an eyebrow. "So you call it warping because you fancy up your teleportation with a popping sound? When I think about how many times my persona has been called out for being too extravagant, those don't even hold a candle next to that!"
Pepper appeared in the very same place Gamine travelled to only an hour ago, human once again.
"Pepper, what is this place?"
"This is my dimensional sanctuary, a pocket dimension Azari created for me, ... how long now?" She paused, calculating how many years it has been since then. "Two decades ago." Pepper walked next to the fire, going for the door carved in the stone, and passed through the doorway.
The young guardian felt the benefits of the fire energising Pepper's body again. "Pepper, about that fire, the pictures on the wall, ..." the teenager didn't know how to phrase the question that was burning her lips.
"Why are you interested in this?" asked Pepper phlegmatically, "Was it the soul of Nightmare Moon in the palm of your hand that' fanned the embers of your nature?" she continued mischievously. "Are you trying to get rid of your mentor's lessons so that you can finally be who you should be?" she finished in a tempting whisper.
Gamine looked away, dropping the topic.
Creating a ball of light in her right hand using magic, Pepper dispelled the darkness filling the room to expose what was sleeping in there.
"A prison?" asked Gamine.
There were six cells, each with metal bars dividing them from the hallway. Three on each side of the aisle that ran from one end of the hall to the other. The cells were as wide as the wall that hid them, built to contain one hundred prisoners each.
"Once upon a time. Now I keep my items here."
She went to the first cell to her right, walked up to a table, and picked up another of those prisms to use as a recipient for the immediate warp spell.
"What's this ... shiny metallic wristband?," muttered Gamine.
Pepper looked at said item. "It is an interdimensional communicator."
"Call someone!" ordered Gamine, in awe.
"It ran out of battery years ago," Pepper pointed out. "Hence why it is in the cell where I keep the items of little value.
"Oh." Gamine was disappointed at first, but a bit puzzled by this last statement. "So, you can use it to talk to people who are in another dimension, but it's worthless in your eyes?"
"It has little value only because I can not use those items anymore, just like this ethereal blade." Pepper said, pointing at a bladeless hilt.
"I see." But considering Pepper's personality, something still felt off to Gamine. "Why do you have that anyway? I don't picture you as a social type."
Pepper sighed at the comment. Memories coming back as she mechanically picked up the communicator with her left hand, rubbing the screen with her thumb. "Sometimes, you are forced to do things. Remember me mentioning the planeswalker named Azari? I had to work under her command, in her recon squad. I was freshly a planeswalker myself back then. I had so much to learn, about what I am, about what I became, and all the dimensions I could now reach. Also, my homeworld's inhabitants were all soldiers like me. So, I ended up signing a contract with Azari's owner, sold them to him. This communicator was my leash for the next few years, until I fulfilled my part of the bargain. And everything in this room are weapons, armours, artefacts and treasures I collected during that period of my life," she exhaled through the nostrils. "A habit I got from spending time with my mentor as a planeswalker and superior in this extra dimensional planet sized slave market, Azari."
If Gamine had had control over the body, she would have gone as pale as a ghost at this revelation of Pepper's past. For now, she settled for going speechless as a few pieces of the puzzle started to fit together.
Pepper put the wristband back on the table. "Now that I have quenched your curiosity, I have to ask myself, why did I waste my time? Answering you shall not make you shut up about everything you see in this place, am I right, Gamine?"
"Get out of my head!"
"But I am not in your head, you are in mine. And it is really easy to read your mind. So, by all means, if you are fed up, feel free to dispel the forbidden spell at any time."
"Never!"
Again, Pepper shrugged it off. "Suit yourself."
Swift, who had made sure Antares' letter was still in his tent, was returning to the command tent when he saw Dauntless Halberd came galloping in from the west of the camp, holding two letters under his right wing. One of them was trailing a red ribbon that was lost behind the maze of tents. "Swift! Swift!" whispered the muscular bat pony in a vain effort to not attract attention from the soldiers around them.
Swift noticed the letters and quietly asked "What's the matter with you, Dauntless?"
"The mail pony from this morning, he came back!" the large warrior said. "He said I should deliver these letters to you, that you should read your letter before you deliver the second one to our Queen," he explained before stretching out a foreleg to present the envelopes to Swift.
Swift, however, was sceptical. "You're taking orders from a civilian now?" he asked as he took the two letters, noting that his name was on the envelope that the ribbon was not attached to.
Dauntless stood mute for a moment at this observation, realising that he had indeed done such. "He said it was of utmost importance," he said in his defence.
For a moment, Swift wondered if the letter was written by his late friend. "Let's see it." he said, opening his letter with the thumb of his wing before reading its contents. But at the mere sight of the small and precise style the letters were written with, he knew it wasn't from her. This skill was a craft only a Canterlot unicorn noble could pull off, and he knew just who this author was.
<Soldier Swift Chess, Having delivered -without the slightest information about the sender- the missive to your Queen, fly to make sure Pepper does not cross my path. Pretend a training session is about to start for the little Caesar.>
Swift grunted. He looked up at Dauntless, spreading a wing to rest his thumb on Dauntless' shoulder. "You've done the right thing. Go back to your post." After the usual military greetings and farewells, they parted, and the soldier entered the command tent.
Within, Nightmare Moon had just put away the tactical plan that had been on the table. After today, it was no longer needed to mislead Luna.
Sitting near her on the table in front of a blank sheet of paper, the little Aglowing manipulated a quill with her magic and was trying to make lines of symbols to learn the Equestrian alphabet.
This had the benefit of distracting her while Nightmare Moon weighed the options about how she was to proceed.
Chitin and Antares stood nearby like two dogs waiting for an order from their respective queens.
Swift gave the letter attached to the ribbon to Antares and left after summarising in a whisper what he was going to do.
Nightmare Moon turned her attention to her aide-de-camp. "What's going on?" she asked, then noticed her young friend was watching her, to whom she smiled to reassure Aglowing.
"Swift just brought this, it's meant for you, but it's not his writing. He said he was going to make sure Pepper didn't bother you under the pretence of a training session."
Suspicious, Nightmare Moon used her telekinesis to grab said letter, disturbed for a few seconds at seeing her magic under the effect of all the negativity in her heart. She opened the envelope and removed the sheet of paper within, reading the few words written upon it.
<I, Bitter Truth, have the honour to inform her highness Nightmare Moon, that I am at the end of this ribbon.>
Nightmare Moon remained speechless. "What does this mean? All this time I've been trying to put the hoof on him, and now he dares to send me this? Does he think he's so important that it's my job to move? Who does he think he is?!" she thought internally.
"What does it say?" inquired Aglowing, still looking at her friend.
"It seems that Bitter Truth is hoping to have me come to him by following this piece of cloth," she replied absent-mindedly. There was no way she was going to be the one to come to him.
But before the alicorn could give her subordinate an order, Aglowing jumped from the table and used her mimicry to land on the floor in her adult form. Her eyes growing with hatred, she grabbed her claymore and began galloping like a tornado out of the tent, under the stunned gaze of Nightmare Moon and Antares.
"By the stars, what's wrong with her?" muttered Nightmare Moon, bewildered.
Convinced that it was the right choice to let Aglowing pass through, Chitin looked away from the exit, turning to the queen to answer the question. "Did you not tell my queen, in the presence of her daughter, that the oracle is the culprit for tonight's events, and therefore, your current condition? If the oracle is waiting outside-"
Just then, an earthquake rattled the tent. There were tremors following a magical detonation so powerful that the sound it created was heard by every inhabitant of the two nearby towns. When Nightmare Moon, Antares and Chitin came out of the tent, they took off like the rest of the bat ponies at seeing such a gigantic cloud of dust which continued to grow in size as if it were trying to reach the sky.
Near the epicentre of where the explosion had occurred, Aglowing Shell stood, out of breath from the attack she had just launched, trying to gather enough strength to launch a second attack, glaring at the oracle. "Why?" she muttered. "Why did you do that?!"
Bitter Truth lowered the wooden longsword he had magically extended into a shield around himself as protection from the devastating attack, causing the blast to instead pass harmlessly around him like a turbulent river splitting upon hitting a stone. This caused the deflected energy to scar the surrounding plain before it exploded a hundred metres away when it became too unstable to continue, resulting in a huge crater. He gave an annoyed pout before shrugging his shoulders and roughing up Aglowing, tapping the pommel of the wooden sword against the changeling's muzzle. "I don't have to answer you. Besides, a Caesar who allows herself to break a promise, what a disappointment. It seems you're still far from deserving of such a title, little queen."
Aglowing found her second wind at such a statement, her anger rekindled, she charged, claymore haloed with energy to deliver a vertical attack.
Bitter merely dodged, the attack completing the gash by digging into the area once spared by the shield. The stallion took advantage of the opening this created to rough her up once more. "One would wonder if you learned anything from your friend's lessons."
"Silence!" the child ordered while initiating another attack that Bitter dodged with a curtsy before landing a third pommel blow. "Shut up!" she shouted after a grunt of pain, literally making the unicorn dance as she waved the sword around in an attempt to land a blow, leaving too many openings to avoid the blows that were thrown back at her. "Enough," she breathed, so weak that her mimicry broke and her claymore fell to the ground.
"You are angry because you have no control over your friend's situation, and you seek to take out your frustration on the culprit. I understand perfectly how you feel. My friend is dead, the criminal is right there, I could use my precognition to kill her." He sighed, "But this death won't get me anything. Avenging your friend will get you nothing. Have you forgotten your own words the day your friend came to you? Yes, what I did was ugly, but you cannot be inconsistent, forgiving what she did, but not what I did. It is not befitting of a princess, let alone a Cæsar." He sighed again, tired, the dark circles under his eyes growing heavy now that the reason for his recurring nightmares had been mentioned. However, a faint smile came to his lips. "Strangely enough, whether it's visible or imperceptible, it's with a smile on her lips that the Princess of the Sun and the Queen of the Moon share this surreal serenity in the face of death," he commented just as faintly, observing Nightmare Moon as she arrived.
"She's not smiling!" objected Aglowing vehemently before turning to her friend. "Tell her Moony! Tell her you're not smiling!"
Nightmare Moon stood silent for a moment, but having sent Major Antares to Dodge City to calm any fears, confident that the oracle was pushing in that direction, she was able to allow herself a moment of honesty with her friend, ignoring the unicorn that was walking away towards a rock north of their position, presumably out of politeness. "Aglowing Shell, do you remember that feeling of jealousy you used to have because of your mother?"
At the mention of that feeling, with a tight heart, the child looked down, the memories aching in her mind. "I remember it, yes."
"There is something you need to know about me. Jealousy has been a common thread in my life. For a thousand years, I was jealous because of the Princess of the Sun, because I was afraid I would no longer be a princess in the eyes of the ponies of Equestria. For four years I was jealous because of Luna, because I was afraid I would no longer be the queen in the eyes of the bat ponies." She smiled faintly. "But this friendship I have shared with you brightens this dark picture, these two months are a perfect epilogue to close the novel of this life that was never mine."
The child didn't quite understand the words, but she grasped the meaning of the metaphors, and it brought tears to her eyes. "I don't want to lose you." she whispered, her voice broken by sadness as she came to clutch at her chest.
"I do not desire death though, but my options are limited. If my soul were to return to Luna, I would be trapped there forever, I fear. And I have enough blood on my hooves already, I can not consider the option of stealing anyone's body for my own survival." Nightmare Moon clutched the child with a foreleg, attempting to offer some comfort to her friend. "I would at least have the opportunity to make amends to the changelings who died because of me, and watch over your dreams with them from the stars."
The embrace left a strange impression on the battle-weary child. The duality between the presence of her mother and the appearance of the friend, her mother's slow heartbeat, and the soft ebony fur around her that offered a most comfortable cocoon, all this drowsed the little Cæsar "All my dreams?" she asked with a sad pout and a fleeting yawn.
"All your dreams," Nightmare Moon assured her, smiling. "Until we meet in another life."
"What do you mean?" asked Aglowing, struggling to keep her eyelids open.
"One day my soul will be reincarnated somewhere. I will live another life, never knowing the one I had today. Maybe our paths will cross and we can be friends again."
"No!" gasped the child in a burst of energy. "Not perhaps. I don't know when, I don't know where, but I will find you. We will continue to be friends, because it's like you said, our friendship will last forever!"
"We're not there yet. Rest my friend. It seems that I am expected by the troublemaker," Nightmare Moon said, glancing at the oracle who had once again donned his mail pony costume which it looked like he intended to wear for the duration of the upcoming conversation.
The oracle approached her as he telekinetically pulled out a package and placed it on the ground in front of her. "Your Highness, I request an audience," he said after curtseying, horn against the ground. Then without waiting, he unwrapped the package, unfurling a thick blanket of black twill wool decorated with white wool star patterns. "Would you be so kind as to swaddle the little Caesar in it, and then give her over to Chitin for the next ten minutes, please?"
Recognising the object presented to her, Nightmare Moon remained silent for a moment, but with the surprise gone, and considering he had approached Lieutenant Antares years before, was it so surprising that he was in possession of one of the bed covers from her palace on the Moon? She conceded to the request.
"What's that smell?" whispered the child who was now enclosed in a cocoon of cloth, only her green and yellow eyes shining in the darkness of the makeshift bed.
"This is one of my personal blankets, so I assume the scent in question is that of the body I possessed for a thousand years," Nightmare Moon explained, impling Luna in this conversation.
"You smell good, Moony," the child said candidly.
The alicorn was taken aback by this remark. Carefully, she came and offered a caress of her muzzle to the child's face, seeking strength and courage to not fail. "I'll be back soon," she said, before turning to look down at the oracle for a moment. "What do you want from me, oracle?"
Before answering, Bitter erected a dome of silence around them. "To answer all your questions except one, which will be under conditions, your highness. It's the least I can do considering your situation."
Nightmare was taken aback by the offer. "How ironic to hear those words now," she thought.
"And I'll start by answering the one that's burning on your lips," the unicorn continued. "How was I able to infiltrate your kingdom three weeks before your banishment ended? Quite simple, I added myself to the monthly delivery of necessities, hidden in the double bottom of a crate of mangoes added for the occasion. The return to Equestria was made more simply, by teleportation."
Her curiosity sated, she looked down, thoughtful. Thinking back to her personal plans months ago, she realised something. "All this time I lost sight of what seemed important to me before, and left aside my duties as queen." She glanced at the main reason, wrapped in the blanket.
Aglowing was falling asleep. She released a big yawn that drew a tender smile from the queen.
"I could use this opportunity for more selfless matters." She turned her gaze to the waiting oracle, looking down on him, cold and distant as could be. "The changelings, what fate does the future hold for them?"
Bitter Truth smiled peacefully. "Everything will be fine from tonight on. When this conversation is over, I will tell Chitin that they can finally bring the sleeping ones out of stasis. After you leave, Aglowing will be melancholic for a while, but that will pass soon enough. And one day, she will keep her promise to you."
This last sentence cracked the mask on Nightmare Moon's face, his emotions turned upside down, the fear of death, the hope of a new life, devoid of this eternal jealousy. Her heart began to race. Hidden by the purple wisps emanating from her eyes, a tear fell from the corner of her right eye. So many questions about her upcoming reincarnation came to mind, but she brushed them from her mind, determined to focus on the present. "Will Luna take revenge in any way on my subjects?"
Bitter Truth pulled out the same handkerchief he had used this morning to dry his own tear with small, gentle squeezes at the corner of his eye. "The Moon was never her kingdom. And Equestria is not an expansionist kingdom. If Broncoliande's citizens don't recognise her as the legitimate sovereign, what can she do? Besides, she'll have enough to do regarding Equestria already, don't you think, your highness?"
The alicorn recoiled when she saw the handkerchief come towards her face, but against all odds, she let it happen. She felt a strange warmth spreading throughout her body, giving her strength, unaware of the feelings the unicorn had for the changeling queen, and a more disturbing feeling of wanting more, which she had to suppress, and not without difficulty. "Who will take my place?"
The stallion put away the handkerchief with an amused laugh. "According to Princess Celestia, the primogens made wise choices when their advice was sought. If I were to tell you which of their descendants would succeed you, it would alter your attitude when you will present the situation to them, and the others would feel wronged. You of all ponies know how far jealousy can go.
She could not find anything to object to. She looked up at the moon, thinking about what question she could ask next. As she thought about the possible threats to her people, she remembered the rumour that had been going around Equestria for the past few months. A little nervous to know the answer, she turned her gaze to the unicorn. "Who will be the culprit in the resurrection of the dark tyrant?"
At the mention of the rumour he was responsible for, Bitter lowered his eyes, affected by the subject. "I will answer it, but please don't tell anypony. It's a hoax. If I spread that prediction ..." He sighed. "... It is to force Princess Cadance to look after her people. Logic would dictate that she be allowed to grieve, but then she wouldn't get out of bed, and her psychological state would only deteriorate."
Nightmare Moon didn't expect such a revelation, but her clones having watched over the Princess of Love's dreams on more than one occasion, she understood the intent perfectly. "Celestia would have been better off dying a thousand years ago than banishing me. It would have avoided the impact her disappearance had on those around her." she said bitterly.
"Maybe." the oracle said. "But in that case, being the sole ruler of Equestria, you would have been Pepper's target. One thousand years later, her victory saved your life." he pointed out with guilty pleasure. "Oh, by the way, she left me a letter for you," he said, telekinetically pulling out an envelope with the seal of the sun embedded in the sealing wax.
Nightmare Moon was so surprised that she spread her wings. "For me? Why me? I hate her, I tried to kill her!" she pointed out as she took the letter.
He shrugged. "I stopped trying to understand her many years ago."
She opened the letter and hastened to read its contents. It contained only a few lines running down the middle.
<My dear sister,
If fate would have us meet in the next life, would you accept my friendship?
Humbly,
Celestia.>
Nightmare Moon frowned. Her glare piercing Bitter Truth, resolved to find out for sure. "It can't be. Her soul is destroyed, she can't be reincarnated! Did she not know that?!"
The oracle watched the stars in the sky. "No, she knew the fate that awaited her. But the element of Magic chose her for this reason." He sighed again, but this time, with a sense of well-being. "I have a theory, though. Fully aware that you were back and that she could not help you, Princess Celestia placed her hopes in her pupil, and the element of magic carried by Princess Twilight is shaped like a star. What if the stars in the night sky were a glimmer of hope in the darkness of an uncertain future?"
She was not gullible enough to think that this monologue was trivial. "How? How can her soul be restored?" she shouted angrily.
Bitter raised an eyebrow at the queen. "How would I know? I'm an oracle, I predict the future. If you want an answer to that question, just ask Pepper."
Her gaze hardened, refusing to be routed so easily, and moved on to an even more important question. "Will she succeed?"
"Ah. The conditional question. Your Highness, you are faced with a choice. You can go and ask Pepper the previous question. Or you can openly admit that you are too afraid of her, and under that condition, I will answer your latest question."
Nightmare Moon felt anger boil through the blood that was not her own. "I am not afraid of her!"
"There is no shame in admitting it. I am afraid of her, and rightly so. But in your case, it's even worse. Two months of preparation and she steals your royal duty, where two attempts and a thousand years of preparation were not enough. And must I remind you that she had your soul in the palm of her hand, there is reason to feel vul-"
Utilising magic, Nightmare Moon shut him up by grabbing him by the mouth and pulling him to her. Breathless, she stared at him with such hatred that her eyes had gone entirely green.
Without blinking, he simply pointed to the east with his hoof.
She turned her head slightly, observing what he was pointing at. The camp, and behind it, the forest. Despite the situation, he dared to question her bravery. She wanted to kill him, but she suddenly felt her heart racing. Nightmare Moon felt Chrysalis struggle, and strangely, her stomach began to cry out. She abandoned the idea and the unicorn on the spot, galloping a short distance before taking flight. She wasn't afraid, and she was going to prove it by forcing Pepper to answer that bloody question.
Antares was only now returning from Dodge City. Seeing the queen in such a state, she stepped back without asking any questions. Seeing those still present, she couldn't help but ask ... "What happened?"
Chitin, who was watching over Aglowing Shell while observing the scene, thought it was good form, once again, to make an exception, and not follow Nightmare Moon right away. At Antares' question, they couldn't help but turn their interest to the oracle as they magically stowed the child's claymore in the sheath they were holding. "Ask the oracle," they replied, before approaching said stallion. "You should get yourself treated, unicorn. At first I thought you were reckless in brushing ice and fire upon my queen, but now I can tell, you are clearly deranged."
Bitter, still in the bubble and holding the back of his head in pain from the rough landing, laughed heartily at this, and when the giggle finally passed, he sat up straight and dispelled the magic. "It's hard to stay sane when you're an oracle," he commented to Chitin. He glanced briefly at Antares before returning to the changeling. "Warrior, you should know that as of tonight, I guarantee that the changelings are no longer under threat, so as soon as you can, you can bring out of stasis those sleeping deep in the hive. On another note, could you take care of your little queen, and go join her friend? By going at a walking pace, you will give her time to settle a matter close to her heart. I have my last appointment of the day, which has just arrived. Oh, and remember, you can't talk about me in front of Pepper. Make sure she does the same," he added, glancing briefly at Aglowing Shell.
No answer came. Instead, silently, the changeling momentarily watched the unicorn, as if trying to find out what he was up to, but they saw, once again, only that same gentle face behind which lay a tortured soul. Without a word, and without hurrying, they took the child away, leaving Antares alone with him.
Antares took a few steps closer, thinking. If Nightmare Moon had abandoned the oracle like that, he was of no use to her, otherwise she would have arrested him using her soldiers. She looked up at him, wondering what urgent business her queen might have with Pepper. She supposed she would know soon enough. "What do you want from me, oracle?" she said coldly.
The latter did not answer, gesturing for her to wait, and watched Chitin as they walked away. When they were too far away to hear the answer, he turned to the bat pony. "Me? Nothing. Your sister thought, she has a few words to say to you," he announced as he looked away.
The major, eyes wide, stepped back, spreading her wings as the answer left her feeling as if the ground was falling away beneath her hooves. Anger overcame her. "Impossible, my sister is dead!" she shouted, vehemently.
"It's true," the stallion said, putting one of the saddlebags on his hind legs and pulling out a letter which he placed in front of Antares' hooves.
She looked down, on the envelope was written a single line. <1. Impossible, my sister is dead!> With disbelief, her gaze went from the oracle to the letter, she didn't dare accept it, and yet, driven by that same disbelief, she grabbed the mail with a galloping fever. The magic of psychometry did its work, and Cute Bite felt the sororal love of her late sister as she wrapped her forelegs around her neck.
<Impossible, and yet beyond death, I speak these words to you. Hello little sister, I have heard that you will have the rank of Major, and that you will have become our Queen's aide-de-camp when you read this letter. Congratulations, it is as you said, you really wanted to follow in my hoofsteps.> A sense of pride accompanied this letter.
There was no more aide-de-camp. There was no more major. Just a filly who cried her eyes out, gutted as her wet eyes scanned the lines. "You have no idea how much we miss you, big sister," she whispered in a broken voice. Almost immediately she felt another letter land on her hooves. <2. You have no idea how much we miss you big sister."> She threw herself at the letter.
<And I miss you all just as much right now. But you don't need me. You never needed me. Only our revered Queen needed me. And I did my task until my last breath .... It feels strange to write an action in the past tense when for me it hasn't happened yet. But it is hard not to believe the unicorn standing before me, predicting your every word four years in advance. That said, he told me how Swift is making your life impossible. I have no trouble believing him on that point.> A playful laugh was heard in the reader's mind.
Despite the tears that kept rolling down her cheeks, Antares had a contagious laugh "Your death didn't help," she thought. "Antares, what did you want to tell me?" she asked, trying to chase the tears from her eyes. The answer was not long in coming, accompanied by a handkerchief that had already dried so many tears today. <4. Antares, what did you want to tell me?> The major twitched, her frown going to the oracle. "Where is the third letter?"
The oracle raised an eyebrow at the remark, as he shredded the letter number in question before her eyes with his magic. "Read," he said in reply.
What he had just done did not leave her indifferent, but her reaction time was so slow that she was faced with a fait accompli. Both saddened and angry at having lost such a precious letter, she dried her eyes to make it easier to read.
<If you're reading this letter, it means you got straight to the point. According to the oracle, a plausible future was for you to make a comment about Swift, or this question I am answering. However, regarding Swift, don't be too hard on him. If he has been behaving like this all this time towards you, it is because of me, because of an old promise he made to me.
To come back to the question, I will start by asking you a very simple request. Give up your desire for revenge against Twilight Sparkle. If in your eyes she is indirectly guilty for my death, in reality, she has saved many lives, both in Equestria and on the Moon. If I could, I would write her a letter to express my sincerest thanks from the bottom of my heart.> These last words were full of gratitude.
Disturbed by the joy she felt thanks to the enchantment, Cute Bite let her heart take over. "What do you mean you're grateful to her? I don't understand. How could you be grateful to... her." she said, her gaze lost. She grabbed the fifth letter on the fly.
<Simply because, by her victory, she has put an end to our Queen's torment, and in doing so, she has put an end to our family's role. You cannot understand, for it falls to the first child of each generation to hold that role. The direct descendants keep the secret, even from siblings, so that the secret does not leave the main branch.> At the end of this letter, there was such apprehension that the major felt herself choke up.
<I cannot let you live a lie any longer, little sister. Following my death, you become the heir to the family, worse, the heir to a dark and heavy secret. Inasmuch as our Queen was no longer the official ruler of our kingdom, I understand why Father and Mother spared you, but I will not allow it.> Apprehension had given way to a keen resolve.
<I was our Queen's royal assassin, like our father before me, and his father before him. But behind this facade of a lieutenant, we do not kill at the behest of our Queen, no, it is far worse than that. Since the first day of her banishment over a thousand years ago, our family has been ordered to watch over her, to make sure she doesn't lose control of herself again. To kill her if I could not reason with her, that was my order, little sister.> From the magical ghost of the late sister emanated a sense of relief at having written these few lines.
<I am responsible for the death of the blacksmith, the father of your friend Molten Core. This was not an attempted robbery gone wrong. It was a step in my training to not fail when the time came. A time that will never come. If only I had known. Those lives I stole, those families I shattered. All for nothing.>
The perfect image of Lieutenant Antares, idealised in her little sister's heart, shattered into a thousand pieces, and with it, all the Major's certainties. Physically prostrated, mentally and morally devastated, she could no longer find anything to hold on to.
Bitter Truth remained silent for a moment, no smile, looking away. Seeing that the conversation was paused, he opened a letter in an envelope marked with the number nine and pressed it to Cute Bite's neck.
Once again, the magic worked, spreading a gentle warmth as the bat pony felt her big sister's love embracing her. A warmth that roused her from her torpor, and encouraged her to continue. She took the letter to read it.
<I'm sorry. I wish I could have spared you all this, but at the time I had to keep up appearances, to be that lieutenant you so idealised. I don't deserve your admiration. I don't deserve to be a legend.
Until the last day of my life, I will pray to the stars for the opportunity to watch over you, and to see my little sister work for the prosperity of our people and Equestria, so that peace and harmony reign day and night. You have the chance to be free, to make your own choices, so please do what is right and live for yourself.
I refuse to believe that your destiny was to make me a hero. I am only but your sister, and I wish for you to finally fly away from this small world you were content with until now.
Become again the pony you should never have ceased to be and live a life that will leave you no regrets when the time comes for you to join me in the afterlife.
Live happily soldier,
that is an order from your superior officer,
It is the wish of your big sister.
Affectionately, Antares.>
"If I had not intervened, your sister would have died the same way. Knowing this, she decided not to defy fate."
"Why didn't she do anything to prevent our Queen's defeat?"
Bitter Truth held out the tenth letter on which this question was written.
<You do not know our Queen, as Father and I have known her. Generation after generation, our family has had the privilege of being the sole confidants of our Queen. I will probably never know if I was a friend to her, but from my perspective, that is the word I would use to describe this relationship between her and me. And knowing her, knowing the future that awaits her, questions nag at me. Is this really a life, to be consumed by anger and jealousy? Knowing that I can make the difference between her victory and her defeat, should I prioritise my queen's victory, or should I sacrifice her to free my friend from a thousand years old pain?
If I warned her, she would take precautions, and win I have no doubt. But at what cost? How many more lives will be wasted? How long before the elements of harmony finally deliver my friend from the suffering that is hers? I prefer to remain silent. My loyalty dictates that I do what is right for my friend.
My loyalty tells me to betray my queen for her own good.
And I would pay for this betrayal with my life, defending her throne against the opportunists. Until my last breath, with courage and pride, I will face death, knowing that my friend has finally found peace of mind, I will die, keeping in sight that I have fulfilled my duty as royal assassin.
{My hooves are covered with the blood of the moon}.
This sentence is one of my first mission codes.
If you tell Swift or our Queen this code, they will believe you when you say you know.
Don't blame Swift, yes he knew I was the royal assassin, but for many reasons, including the promise I mentioned in a previous letter, he had to keep the secret, his life depended on it.>
Such a family secret, the heaviness of this burden now weighed on Cute Bite's shoulders. Being the latest one of her generation, the weight of such a secret that she had to carry pinned her in place. In her heart, the truth had knocked her sister off her pedestal, and with it, all certainties had cracked. The sister she had glorified all this time was in reality a liar guilty of high treason, and a murderer. And worst of all, she was grateful to the one the Major had sworn to kill at the first opportunity. Cute Bite's heart was beating wildly, and she felt feverish, but at the same time, goosebumps formed on the front of her body. The truth had devoured her from the inside, leaving only an empty shell on which the mass of heavy armour weighed.
The oracle collected letters and envelopes in the saddlebag of his travelling saddle except for one, the ninth letter, which he tucked almost entirely into the corresponding envelope, and pressed that protruding piece against Cute Bite's throat, so that her sister's hope would give her the fortitude to endure this trial. "Despite everything, she is still your sister. A sister who tried to live up to your admiration, and mustered all the courage she could to confess the crime she was about to commit, before living her last days exactly as she would have lived them if I had never approached her, to live her last days as if she did not know what fate awaited her. Don't reject her, accept her for who she really was, and become a good pony." Thanks to the armour, he wedged the letter against her coat, and without a goodbye, he walked off in the direction of the moon, humming to a sad tune. "I hurt myself today..." the words that followed and the unicorn singing them very quickly dissipated into the night air .
Meanwhile, with her back exposed to the warmth of the campfire, Pepper faced a portal leading to the hideout and stared at her katana. Focusing on the peddle, she cast the spell to instantly warp her back to her dimensional sanctuary the day she would need for that to happen. She then telekinetically placed the shiny peddle within the pillow, and closed the portal.
"Is this okay to do that in front of them?" pointed out Gamine.
Out of the corner of her right eye, Pepper looked at Swift and Trixie.
Caught marvelling at the magic portal, they both looked away and began whistling. Feeling this was not enough though, Swift played pretend teaching an astrology lesson.
Creeped out by Pepper silently looking in their direction, Trixie played along, stammering.
"They can not pinpoint the location of the hideout. And they can not reach it anyway." she thought, replying to Gamine. "Now the contingency plan is once more set, time to take a bath." She opened the portal again, this time leading to the ruins of the two sisters' castle, and took advantage of the nearby river to clean the blood off her coat.
Left alone in front of the yawning portal, Swift and Trixie, like two kids sneaking into the kitchen in an attempt to snatch a cookie, approached it.
As Pepper was rubbing the blood off her coat, Gamine's questions echoed back into her mind, and brought back Pepper's memories, ones she would have preferred remained buried in a corner. Memories regarding what had to be done on her native planet. Her whole life flashed before her eyes. The weight of her choice pressed down on her a little more each moment, like the hands of the victims demanding justice, giving her a quiver more terrible than that of being chest-deep in a river at the bottom of a ravine on an autumn night. She sank until she disappeared under the water, blowing all the air out of her lungs through her nostrils, and centred herself, letting her past and her doubts be swept away by the current, before she emerged, serene and focused.
Swift and Trixie were interested by this magic which was making Pepper able to open a door to another place, passing through the portal several times. Incredulous, the soldier took flight to check their positions while the illusionist recognising the place where she had collapsed earlier in the day. Teleportation was one thing, but this was magic they had never seen before. The first saw it as a tactical advantage that could change the tide of a war, while the second saw it as an opportunity to make her performances match the fame of the Great and Wonderful Trixie.
Pepper used telekinesis to get out of the river and then the ravine, drying her coat as she closed the gate behind her. Sitting with her back to the stone slab, she couldn't miss Trixie's starry-eyed gaze, the smile going from ear to ear. She soon came to a conclusion that seemed obvious to her. "No, Trixie, I am not sharing my ration, you should have just asked for one for yourself," she said firmly.
Swift struggled to hold back a laugh as Pepper misunderstood the nature of the request.
The illusionist blinked at the misunderstanding. "What? No! The great and wonderful Trixie wanted to know if you could teach her that magic that opens doors to other places. Trixie would be greatly helped by such magic for the Humble and Repentant Trixie's deep apology tour she is planning."
"Impossible," Pepper pointed out. "From what I have learned, the magic that allows one to roam the dimensions is innate, sometimes even hereditary. My case is an exception to this rule." she said, half-emphasising how she acquired such magic. "It is however possible to use it without having the talent, I have been told that some mages have in the past used this magic to save people, but this was possible at the cost of their life. However, I can create two portals if that would assist."
A little chilled by the toll such magic would take on those who did not possess it, Trixie was more circumspect. "Trixie wouldn't risk her life using these portals?"
Pepper stepped back from the slab. "Just as an example, considering that this block of stone represents the distance between here and Ponyville, and forgetting about teleportation for a moment, any unicorn would break its neck trying to get through." She carved a large cylinder with slightly asymmetrical ends with her magic through the stone before then withdrawing the piece to slip a paw through up to her shoulder. "But with a mental image and a minimum of magic, you can easily open a passage to your cache, and pull out anything that will fit through. Once the object is on the other side." She placed the cylinder back into the rock, which held in place. "It will be almost impossible to see where the object came from, the illusion will be almost par-" She suddenly turned her full attention to the west, alert.
Swift quickly began to scan in that same direction, but no sound came from the forest. He kept his ears peeled for the slightest sound as he moved closer to Pepper. "What did you see?"
"Nothing. Just felt..." she gestured before turning her attention back to the forest. "A creature is approaching, and it is not a friendly visit."
Gamine, shaking with all her being, watched the two natives with her peripheral vision. "Protect them, Pepper," she ordered.
"Stand on the other side of the campfire," Pepper firmly ordered.
Trixie obeyed without waiting, Swift in her wake, only because he had the idea that if he didn't, Pepper wouldn't mind doing it herself, imagining her throwing him directly into the fire on a whim.
Without further delay, Pepper set up a shield to protect them, standing by as she wondered how she would deal with the impending threat.
Suddenly, Nightmare Moon landed in front of her, frustrated and enraged by the conversation with the oracle, she didn't mince words, she asked the question as it swirled around her head. "Can you bring her back?!"
Pepper frowned, trying to understand. "What?"
"Celestia! Can you bring her back?!" Nightmare Moon reiterated, trying in vain to calm herself to find the words.
"I already said it. She is gone." replied Pepper.
"But can you restore her?" surmised Nightmare Moon, seconds away from letting his anger get the better of her.
From Swift and Trixie's point of view, the conversation was like two stray dogs having an unfortunate encounter on a street corner, barking at each other to see who would get to devour a piece of stale bread. Gamine, on the other hand, was watching this parody of a conversation with her mouth agape.
For Pepper, the situation was becoming absurd. "Restore her? But there is nothing left."
This answer was not enough for Nightmare Moon, but worse, it was the last straw. With a howl of hysterical anger and uncontrollable rage, she used telekinesis to grab Pepper by the belly and flipping her onto her back. Without giving her time to understand what was happening to her, she began to pound her against the floor, again and again, no matter what state she ended up in, pounding, again, and again, no matter how many bones she would break in the process.
Neither Swift nor Trixie had seen such savagery before, neither of them daring to intervene, terrified as they were of this alicorn who was nothing but anger and hatred, a force of nature unleashing her power on the one who had the misfortune of provoking her.
As mental fatigue began to set in, anger and frustration consumed, Nightmare Moon refocused her magic around Pepper's neck and lifted her so they were now muzzle to muzzle. "Last chance to answer me, Pepper. A closed question, to be answered with only a yes or no. Is there any way to restore an existence you previously destroyed?"
Pepper had endured as best she could. The shock treatment had not left her unharmed, her body was sending distress signals all over the place, yet she was not coughing up blood, which led her to believe that her organs were still intact. "No," she exhaled.
Nightmare Moon smiled with satisfaction. "A clear and concise answer, at last, was that so difficult?" She released a small, good-natured sigh. "This no of yours sounded almost like it was impossible. And as you described it, in your world, night and day, rain and shine, no creature is in charge of that, so it stands to reason that restoring one of your victims is beyond your abilities. How fortunate for you, however, that you are no longer in your world. Welcome to Equestria."
Pepper squinted, it was hard not to see her coming with such big hooves, so she played along. "My chances of restoring Celestia's existence are equal to finding a speck of dust in the void, though let us assume that being in Equestria gives me a very small chance of doing so, there are just two small concerns. Firstly, I am a warrior, not a scholar, I can not see myself finding a magic formula that would allow me to accomplish the impossible. The most magically gifted unicorn around, I killed her mentor, and officially, I just put Luna in a coma. I do not think she would be willing to help me, even if I asked her politely. Secondly, what is in it for me? I doubt you have any offer that would make me agree to your request."
The analysis of the situation, indeed, left Pepper at a dead end. Nightmare Moon released her so that she could land on her feet, to monopolise her concentration on the problems presented. Even if she could convince Twilight to work with Pepper, which wouldn't be difficult with such a goal, the queen was sure that Pepper would run away at the first opportunity.
"Your freedom," Gamine suddenly whispered nervously, no longer holding her ground.
Wide-eyed, Pepper thought she had hallucinated the proposal. "I am going to isolate myself for a moment to think," she lied as she walked about ten steps away. "Repeat what you just said to me?"
"You restore Celestia, and I promise I'll break the ritual, so you can go do whatever you want, but on the condition that you never come back to this world," the young guardian offered, blushing so nervously, her spiritual self avoiding eye contact with Pepper's.
She squinted, trying to get inside that little head to understand her. It didn't take long. "No way," she said as her toothy grin widened. "Am I under an illusion spell? I have the strong impression that you are placing your wildest hopes on the success of this improbable plan. Indeed, if we can restore Celestia, you can restore your mother."
"What's wrong with that?!" retorted Gamine defensively.
"Oh. Nothing at all. This hope is your weakness, and will be your undoing, Gamine. This hope will slowly crush you as time goes on. And when you are finally down, crushed by the weight of your own hope, you will be faced with a choice. Give up, or hope some more. But I can see it in your eyes, you shall not give up. You will not. I am still looking forward to that moment. That moment when I can read in your eyes that you have finally given up, that you have let despair consume you. I will wait, looking for that moment, because when it comes, you will no longer have the strength to impose your orders on me, and you will envy the dead," Pepper foresaw.
Tormented by the monster's words, Gamine searched within herself for the strength to retort. "You are wrong! Hope is my strength! Hope is the weapon of the guardians for the triumph of good over evil! That's why we step in when all seems lost!" Determined to achieve the impossible, she presented the offer again. "If you succeed, I'll release you, do we have a deal, Pepper?"
"If you want to delude yourself, that is your business. If tomorrow you want to chase a spell that restores from absolute destruction, it is not like I can stop you."
"Pepper?"
She turned her attention to Swift, who was standing to her left, but keeping his distance.
"It looks like we have a solution to the first problem," he continued, before nodding in Trixie's direction.
Pepper turned her head, raising an eyebrow.
Chitin had just arrived, and convinced that Nightmare Moon was in a better mood, entrusted her with the improvised cocoon the child was sleeping in.
Trixie stepped forward to stand with her back to the campfire. "The great and wonderful Trixie knows a unicorn. Trixie considers her as gifted and powerful as Twilight Sparkle was before she became a princess. And Trixie is sure that the crime you committed won't be a problem if you ask her for help. Her name is Starlight Glimmer."
The name had never occurred to Pepper, who was still convinced it was a waste of time, but if Trixie was certain that this mare was capable of helping Gamine, this information was at least a mediocre lead, which only had the merit of keeping Twilight out of it. "Well, in that case, we will go see her as soon as we are done here," Pepper commented.
Nightmare Moon squinted, intrigued. "What happened to the second problem?"
Pepper shrugged. "I am not in the mood for hunting right now, attempting the impossible after hearing a dying mare's last wish seems an acceptable alternative to pass the time."
Nightmare Moon remained incredulous at this answer, knowing Pepper all too well. She entrusted the cloth cocoon to Chitin to watch over for a moment, then moved closer to Pepper with slow steps. In silence, she lowered her head and stared at her for a moment. Only then, assured that she was not mistaken, did she crack an amused smile, as she prepared to play a card she had kept secret from every creature for two months now. "I rather think that the second human who inhabits your dreams, solved that problem for me." |
A Guardian's Hope | Chapter 15 | The revelation from Nightmare Moon, who was indulging in a toothy grin while staring at Pepper, took half of those present by surprise.
Trixie, Chitin and Gamine were all shocked, unable to think straight.
Swift, for his part, understood better why the Regicide's gaze switched from one extreme to the other, sometimes reflecting the scarred gaze of his late friend, but had now settled on this predatory, icy gaze.
As for Pepper, she quickly drew the obvious conclusion. "It was not Luna who was torturing me through my dreams, it was you," she said, sitting back down.
"Imagine my surprise the night you returned. Right after I slipped into your dreams, I came face to face with that little human, staring at me in horror, before seeing you a little further back, as usual, sitting by that campfire. Who is she?"
"Her name is Gamine; she plays at being a guardian. Long story short: I killed her mentor just like I killed Celestia. So, to make sure I will not cause any more casualties, she used a forbidden spell to take over my body. However, as a result of a mission she gave me," she said, glancing briefly Aglowing. "I asked in return to have full control of my body for one full day."
<Sweet dreams, my precious night mare.>
The title of Guardian brought a hazy memory back to Nightmare Moon's mind. A memory that sent her back to the time when Equestria was just a bunch of farms and pastures. A mare whose gentle smile was the last memory she had of that dark time. A feeling of dread seized her by the throat. It was a feeling so profound that she temporarily forgot herself, acting very much in opposition to her usual regal demeanour. "You killed a guardian? What was her name?! Answer me now!" she ordered, anxious.
"Kyndal," Pepper replied.
Not the name Nightmare Moon feared to hear. Reassured, she regained her composure as if her lapse in decorum had never happened. "I will have Luna sent back to Canterlot before dawn. I must return to my palace on the Moon to secure the future of Broncoliande."
Pepper, listening only to her intuition, took the lead. "I can open a portal to shorten the journey to Canterlot to repatriate Luna as well as create a portal you can move at your convenience to travel to the Moon, even during the day."
This offer, however, only served to make the alicorn suspicious. "It is not in your nature to offer help."
"This is where I have to rebuke you. I did offer to use a black hole to banish the three clowns to Celestia."
Hearing this, Nightmare Moon was more shocked to hear that Celestia didn't jump on this opportunity to cull Equestria from the founder's actual generation. "Under the circumstances, I wouldn't refuse your offer. That being said, only the portal to travel to the moon during daytime will be needed."
"In that case, I will just need a physical object to create a transportable portal, any material that will act as a door frame, as long as it is sturdy."
Nightmare Moon, with a small, sidelong glance towards the camp, wondered what could fill that role. One possibility quickly came to mind. "The tent frame, would that do?"
Pepper considered the suggestion. "Yes," she replied as she stood up before turning her gaze to Trixie. "This should not take me long, so you better stay here and rest. I shall be back as soon as she dismisses me."
Trixie stood still for a moment before sitting back. Yes, the guidelines required her to follow Pepper everywhere for the three days, but after what she'd been through today, both body and mind needed rest, so she merely gave a brief nod.
"Swift, you watch over her for now, I'll send a soldier to replace you shortly. You will bring Luna back to Canterlot," Nightmare Moon stated before turning to Chitin and the sleeping child. She watched the latter as she thought for a moment before deciding on a course of action. "I'm sure the tent is prepared, let's avoid disturbing her sleep any further," she muttered as she turned her gaze to Chitin.
And so, the three creatures set off back towards the military camp, with the changeling warrior telekinetically carrying the child, Nightmare Moon to her left.
At the Queen's request, Pepper was at the head of the group, out of sheer suspicion. As a result, she stood in front of Chitin, placing herself in a way that allowed her to keep the alicorn in her left eye's peripheral vision, just to make sure she didn't try anything.
Chitin didn't breathe a word, but they could feel how electric the atmosphere was.
Halfway through, Nightmare Moon, thinking back on the events of the evening, couldn't help but notice a detail that didn't seem to fit. "Assuming you're only hunting prey that is more powerful than what you last killed. Seeing as you consumed the power of Celestia and a guardian, how could you lose to Luna?"
Pepper barely had time to stop and answer when Gamine lunged at her to paralyse her mouth. "No! Don't tell her! If she were to know that her sister's soul was flickering, she would not find rest in the afterlife!"
Pepper was decidedly not enjoying this habit and gave her a glare from the corner of her eye. "If that is all you are worried about, I was not going to bring up that detail," she thought.
"Oh, okay." Gamine then released her hold and let the conversation continue as she resumed where she had been a moment earlier.
"Gamine intervened and paralysed my body because she thought I was about to decapitate Luna, who then took advantage of this opportunity," Pepper explained.
"Well, that's thoughtful of her," the queen said in a whisper so as not to wake the child.
"The repercussions for Equestria would have been most terrible."
"She is alive, worrying about what might have been is a waste of time. More importantly, since you are giving us an impossible quest, did Celestia have any special powers or abilities that might help? Aside from her talent for moving the sun, she was never inclined to demonstrate any ability other than raising a cup of tea to her lips when I was around. Even in the duel with Luna, she was content to lock us in a magical bubble and raise her voice. This is not the kind of information I learn during absorption. If I have no awareness of my new abilities, I will not be able to use them, at least not consciously."
"She was an alicorn, just like me. We became the princesses of this realm because we represent the three tribes, and therefore you should possess their respective abilities, the ability to manipulate the weather and clouds just by your will alone, and a magical power capable of moving the sun and moon of this world, and most importantly in Equestria, a precious connection to the land, allowing you to grow fruits and vegetables at your pleasure."
"So, during the confrontation with Pinkie in Ponyville, I commanded the winds?" muttered Gamine to herself.
"But if you didn't know that, why did you choose her? Luna was happy to give a full demonstration of those traits that make us second to none in this world," the queen pointed out.
Pepper shrugged, taking Nightmare Moon's answer at face value. "In retrospect, between two planeswalkers, I chose the oldest one. It seemed the most logical choice, but if I had known Luna had two millennial old souls in her bosom, it would be Celestia who would be mourning her sister."
Chitin raised an eyebrow at this statement.
Nightmare Moon turned livid, and rightly so, shocked to see a page of her life, forgotten after a thousand years, revealed so casually. She turned away abruptly, watching for a long second as Aglowing Shell slept peacefully, just to give herself a good reason not to give in to her murderous impulses, to stifle the urge to slam Pepper once more against the trunk of the nearest tree. She managed to calm herself, with a great effort, and after taking a deep breath, she suddenly turned to Pepper, glaring at her. "How long have you known?"
Pepper, who had channeled her magic in preparation to counterattack upon feeling the growing murderous intent, relaxed and broke her concentration as she saw that Nightmare wished for the conversation to resume. "Since the first day. When she came to free me in Ponyville, the mirror I went through to enter this world had the same energy signature as Celestia's magic. And you are of an even rarer class, for you are also a dreamwalker, but that kind of ability is of no use to me, which is why, despite the demonstration of power, I chose Celestia."
Nightmare Moon remembered Gamine's explanation. Going forward, whenever she woke up, Chrysalis would remember any thought she, her temporary guest, had as her own. This huge stone thrown into the pond only brought back memories of a forgotten time. At this point, it was better to know what Pepper knew, so she could give directions to her successor based on the revelations. "What else do you know?"
Pepper sat back, reviewing her ideas for a moment before coldly replying. "Based on this, and what Luna told me in our first meeting, I have some guesses. Having only one parent in common, it is logical to deduce that they are the planeswalker. You have Cutie Marks, which implies that the other was from this world. Celestia, given her size, was probably an earth pony's child, and you, logically, a bat pony's."
"You're wrong on all counts. Celestia and I only have one parent, the same father. His name is Grogar."
Chitin was shocked by this revelation. "Grogar, the Father of Monsters, is your father?!"
Nightmare Moon barely had time to create a bubble to protect Aglowing's sleep, and a second bubble around them, so that this conversation would not get out any further. "Yes."
The changeling was confused. "I don't understand. If you are Grogar's creations, why did Celestia lead Equestria as a pacifist?"
Nightmare Moon remembered the desolation wrought by their father. A vision so painful that even now it horrified her. "For on the historic day Gusty the Brave came to confront him, and ended up stealing the artefact that was Grogar's source of power, Celestia and I stood before a crossroad in our destiny. Help our father and let what was not even yet Equestria, and probably the rest of this planet, become a ruin, or help Gusty, and put an end to this madness. By choice, changeling! It was by choice that Celestia and I ended up becoming Princesses of Equestria."
Chitin remained silent, contemplating what was being said.
Nightmare Moon turned her attention to Pepper. "We do not have a mother. We are the creations of an evil entity. The future of Equestria was so bleak that a guardian stepped in. She assisted Gusty, at first without revealing her true nature nor the reason for her presence, and assisted as the rear guard while Gusty confronted Grogar. After Gusty's victory, the guardian banished Grogar from this dimension. In seclusion, Gusty and the guardian spent the next ten years raising us. They taught us their respective knowledge. As a parting gift, the guardian awakened Celestia and me as planeswalkers, strengthening by doing so our magic, to be Equestria's guardians, to watch over this battered kingdom after her departure. Gutsy then introduced us to Starswirl the Bearded, who would become our next mentor, teaching us how to control this powerful magic." She briefly looked at Chitin." The rest is history."
"What I cannot figure out, though, is why you are hiding your ability to travel between worlds from every creature," Pepper said.
Nightmare Moon sighed. "This has to do with an event that happened, twenty years after the disappearance of Starswirl the Bearded, who by then, with Celestia's help, created this dimensional mirror. My dear sister, confident as she was in her abilities, took her very first pupil under her wing. Majesty, a unicorn who was as gifted in magic as she was in flattering my sister's ego. Celestia had the foolish idea of giving her a part of her magic, as she had done before with Starswirl, after she saw that Majesty's powers had permanently withered from assisting in raising the sun and the moon, back when eleven unicorns performed this task. Back before our coronation. Imagine how horrified Celestia was when we caught Majesty using this magic on the enemies of Equestria, dispersing them into a flurry of bubbles that scattered across the universe without the spilling of a single drop of blood. My poor sister never really got over it, and was later forced to drain knowledge and magic out of her very first student, who didn't understand what she had done wrong. Turned amnesiac, Majesty was watched from afar, until her dying breath. We then swore to each other that we would be the sole repositories of this magic, and that we would never again seek to share it. We had literally forgotten about it, until you came into this world. And Celestia had the wonderful idea of welcoming you without ever breathing a word that we knew."
Pepper considered this information before dismissing it with a shrug. Just as she was about to resume the walk to the camp, Chitin intervened.
"This is the second time I've heard that term. What is a planeswalker?" the changeling asked, both intrigued and confused by this exchange that expanded their perspective of reality as they knew it.
Pepper glanced at Nightmare Moon, and seeing no objection coming from her, proceeded to explain. "They are entities that possess the magical power capable of tearing the fabric of reality to walk beyond their native dimension."
Chitin remained circumspect, taking the information that came in bits and pieces with a grain of salt. Since Celestia and Luna were also planeswalkers, the changeling understood that not every one of them was like Pepper, and somehow that was reassuring. "So, Twilight and Cadance are also ones?"
"No," replied Nightmare Moon. "The HeartSpell does not have that function. Certainly, it has some similarity to the spark of the planeswalkers though. But in this case, it is only when a pony has proved worthy of becoming a symbol for the kingdom that this magic, latent in each of them, activates itself, transforming the worthy ones in our image. To return to the basic question, they are almost our equals, except that they do not gain a planeswalker's magic in the process." Seeing then that everyone's curiosity was satisfied, she nodded towards the camp. "Let us continue. There is still much to do."
Pepper was surprised by this explanation, but as she had said herself, worrying about what might have been was a waste of time.
Once at the camp, Luna was the first priority. So, Nightmare Moon sent Dauntless Halberd to replace Swift. Swift's abilities and intellect made him the ideal soldier to be placed in charge of the repatriation escort.
Meanwhile, Pepper created two linked portals isolated from her personal warp points. And, after a successful test of the portals, approached Swift, Chitin and Nightmare Moon as the latter summed up what the official version would be.
Swift, his left foreleg clenched around one of the portals, pressed his free hoof against his chest plate, activating the enchantment within the blue, oval shaped gem cut to resemble a dragon's eye. He then took off, flying through a magical tunnel that had suddenly formed out of a mass of magically summoned storm clouds. Swift disappeared in a blinding light, travelling at great speed from Equestria to the Moon.
Pepper immediately recognised what she was seeing.
Nightmare Moon, seeing her raised eyebrow, took the initiative, erecting a dome to have a quick, private conversation with the human. "Yes, that was dimensional magic. It's just used to shorten the travel time between Equestria and the Moon. These gems are from long before Majesty, made by me to facilitate such travel. And since the incident, I have made each of my soldiers personally promise that on their lives, and those of their lineage, they would never let a unicorn or a vampony put their hoofs on one of them, making these artefacts an honour, while keeping them ignorant of their true nature. So be mindful of making any comment that might reveal this secret." Without waiting for a reaction, she ended the conversation by breaking the spell that was isolating them. When she felt enough time had passed for Swift to have completed his assignment, she magically empowered the portal, activating it. This caused the tent frame to float into the air and form a portal frame large enough for two alicorns like Nightmare Moon to easily pass through while walking side by side.
The bat ponies who witnessed the scene were quite surprised to see magic capable of such a feat.
The bat ponies pulling the royal cart marched through the portal, joining Swift on the other side, who then climbed onto the cart to ensure that the still unconscious Princess Luna, who was already on it, did not fall off on the way to Canterlot.
Nightmare Moon was pleased with the result. "You've done what you came for, you can go back to your campfire, Pepper."
The latter thought about the situation for a moment, and considering that her presence was no longer necessary, turned to the Queen. "For this service rendered, I request another ration."
Nightmare Moon frowned before turning to one of her soldiers. "Give her what she's asking for and lead her out of the camp." She then watched the human disappear behind the tents before looking around for the Major. She turned to the Shadowbolt Nebula guarding the command tent. "Where is the major Antares?"
The bat pony shook her head.
"The last time I saw her, she was where you had your training with your friend," Chitin pointed out, using the excuse in case, despite the distance, Pepper had let an ear linger in their direction.
This evening was never ending, and Nightmare Moon had the feeling that no time for rest was going to be given, but that was the daily lot of those who rule after all. "Go rest in the tent that has been prepared for this purpose, I will come and make sure of Aglowing's good dreams when I return."
On the Major's orders, due to the fact that the camp was built at a comfortable distance away from the command tent, to ensure Nightmare Moon would not be disturbed by military activity, the guest tent requested by Nightmare Moon, for Aglowing and Chitin to rest, was installed next to it.
After hearing and seeing Pepper implore her for food, Nightmare Moon's borrowed body growled with hunger, she requested a ration to satiate herself on her westward walk.
A bat pony brought it to her with haste.
Pulling a slice of mango confit from the tin can as she exited the camp, Nightmare Moon was taken by surprise when she took a bite of her treat and felt an explosion of flavour so intense, it made her sigh with pleasure. She then ravenously consumed the ration like an uneducated foal, before regaining an attitude worthy of the princess she was. "I understand now why Chrysalis had taken such pleasure in consuming most of the sweets and other pastries I had brought for Aglowing. Her sense of taste is as enhanced as her sense of smell." She flared her wings and took a brief flight over to the Major's position, leaving the can behind temporarily, as well as her feeling of shame from her inelegant consumption of her treat.
The Major had stood there all this time, prostrating herself, like an empty shell abandoned by her certainties.
Seeing her like this, and noticing the envelope sticking out from her armour, Nightmare Moon had some idea of why she was in such a state, but nothing good would come of rushing her, so she took her place at her side. Cute Bite's lineage had watched over Nightmare Moon for a thousand years, she thought it fitting to return the favour, spreading a benevolent wing to shield her aide-de-camp from the night wind. "Why are you crying like this, away from everything?"
"My sister, she betrayed you. She knew what would happen after your banishment ended. Yet she did nothing to ensure your victory. All this time I held a traitor in high regard."
The queen distanced herself from such accusations, thinking that the bat pony's heart had been bruised by the revelations to such an extent that she could not see the bigger picture. "How much do you know now?"
"My hooves are covered in moon blood, my Queen."
"I see," she said, considering what would be the best approach to help her subordinate see beyond the tip of her nose. "Let's say your sister had the wisdom to warn me, what would have been the alternative outcome?"
"You would have defeated Twilight Sparkle, and my sister would still be alive," the Major said.
"Then?" encouraged Nightmare Moon.
The Major's imagination was beginning to trot away from the point where it had been festering. "You would have ruled Equestria unchallenged."
"Go on."
"And the ponies would have come to revere you as you always deserved."
"A pleasing prospect. But, what then?"
A simple question, but it left Cute Bite puzzled, her mind had wandered far from where it had started, too far perhaps. Since the event happened so far back, she didn't understand, lost as she was in this perfect world, and yet it was right there in front of her eyes. "It would have been a perfect victory...?" she suggested, unsure.
"Yes, until Pepper came along, who without Celestia's presence, would have made Luna and I her prey. The human admitted that to me not ten minutes ago. Because of her sacrifice, your sister died a hero, for she saved my life, nay, my soul!"
These few words helped the major realise that her sister's choice, which had seemed so selfish at first, had changed so much in how things were playing out today. All this time, she had anchored herself to a past spun from lies. Even though the letters her sister had left for her had torn the veil over her eyes to pieces, it was only now that she could see the full extent of her mistake, finally opening her eyes to the present. It was as though the bad dream she had been living through was finally dissipating. She bowed her head under the weight of shame, feeling miserable for having rushed to judgement on her sister's choices, not taking into account the current situation, and worse, for having called her a traitor.
"To the extent that you know what this code entails, I imagine you know enough to hear what I confided to your father and your sister when they were my confidants. I think telling you that will be rather significant in your case."
Cute Bite barely dared to glance at Nightmare Moon.
"A thousand years ago, before my banishment, I was the incarnation of jealousy, jealous because of my older sister. Celestia was taller than me? I used magic to make myself as big as her. Celestia ruled Equestria? I took over Broncoliande and made it my kingdom. Celestia had the Wonderbolts? I created the shadowbolts from the elites of my bat pony warriors. I could go on day and night for a whole week listing all the things I did out of jealousy because of Celestia, but I'll just cut to the conclusion. Whatever the reason, living a life that is not your own for, or because of, a sister, it's not worth it. Because when it's time to reach the stars, only then do you realise that, absorbed as you were, you didn't live the life you dreamed of as a filly. Live a life that will leave you with no regrets on the eve of your last breath. A life that will leave you with a smile on your face when life leaves your body, that is all I wish for you, Major."
She laughed nervously. "My sister almost wrote the same thing word to word." First her sister and now the queen herself, it was hard to turn a deaf ear to the two mares she'd made her muses for as long as she could remember. She lifted her head, flashing a smile at Nightmare Moon. "In that case, I'll have to go back to my real adult's name."
And the confidante smiled back at her. "That sounds like an excellent first step. If the matter is closed, I will inform you of the progress."
The bat pony raised an eyebrow, not suspecting for a moment what she was about to learn.
In Ponyville, the early shifting of the sun and the moon worried Ponyville's citizens. Twilight and her friend spent what was supposed to be the rest of the afternoon rationalising that princess Luna had her reasons for doing so, and that the sun would be raised again tomorrow morning. An hour later, as dinner came to an end, Sunset, seeing that morale was low, despite the laughing jolts from Pinkie's interventions, offered to talk about her life in Japony in the hope of distracting them.
The mares and the young dragon came to form a half circle in front of Sunset, only then did the unicorn begin her tale. "Japony is a kingdom that lies on the other side of the continent that the griffins call home. The country is almost as large as ours. The north and west are lined with mountain ranges that almost entirely delineate the border and protect it from neighbouring nations, while to the south and east lies a sea with a string of islands not too far off the coast that served as the starting point for what would become the nation of today. Now, with the geography covered, I shall begin with its founding, by seven tribes of unicorns."
"Wait a minute, only unicorns? How do they do the weather without pegasi?" Rainbow Dash pointed out, suddenly invested in the story.
"Or harvest any food," added Applejack.
"If you would have given me the time..." said Sunset, "I would have said that in this kingdom, the elements have their own will."
"Like the Everfree Forest?" asked Twilight.
"Exactly," replied Sunset. "And in those ancient times, you had to deal with the whims and impulses of the elemental spirits. It was a rudimentary time, until the arrival of the venerable earth pony." Seeing that she had captivated her audience, with them hanging on her every word, she continued. "The name of this earth pony has been lost to time, but when he asked to speak to the leaders of the seven tribes, no one dared to be absent from that meeting. He offered his knowledge and wisdom to the islanders, and after a long conversation, the chiefs agreed to found a kingdom on the mainland, but to do so, they had to elect a leader, and this was done through a tournament. The winner founded the Chrysanthemum clan, only the samurai from this clan were, are, and will be the princes and princesses ruling the kingdom."
"Why only those from this clan?"
"Because, for the prosperity of the kingdom, that is the clan's role. True, I did not explain it earlier, but to summarise, a clan is a collection of families associated by real or fictitious kinship, based on the idea that they descended from a common ancestor."
"So, my Apple family, Pinkie's family, and Aunt and Uncle Orange, we are a clan?" asked Applejack.
The question gave Sunset a slight headache. "Yes and no, it's not the samurai's job to work the land, that's the heimins' job."
"What's that?"
"To make a long story short, in Japony, there are different castes, the most important is of course, the Chrysanthemum clan, then the six clans, then the ronins, who are samurais without clans, the heimins, who are basically the merchants, or those who work the land or are house stewards as the case may be, and the etas, who deal with the more menial tasks of life in society." She paused for a moment before resuming. "And when I got there, I was a gaijin, a foreigner. Can I start again now?"
Mares and dragon nodded.
"The Pine Clan was the first clan I dealt with, they are the ones who guard the only somewhat passable point by land one can enter or leave the kingdom and handle relations with the outside world. But at the very beginning, they were a clan of warriors that pushed back anything that might have been an external threat to this nascent kingdom, and even today, they are samurais that should not be taken lightly, quick to react to the slightest attempt at invasion. It took me seven months to learn to speak and write the local dialect."
"Was it difficult?" asked Twilight.
"It was not without difficulty, where in Equestria we have an alphabet that could be described as spherical," she took a sheet of paper and wrote the Equestrian alphabet. "In Japony, they use an alphabet, the most complex of which is made up of a dozen small strokes, really an illegible scrawl, sometimes," she said as she wrote down all the ideograms
"Oh! Oh! Can I try?" asked Pinkie Pie.
Sunset was cautious, somehow, she had an idea of how this would end up, though she was willing to end up a laughing stock if it would take every creature's mind off their worries for a while. "Of course," she said, handing the paper and pencil to the earth pony.
It only took Pinkie about ten seconds to write a single line before showing it to the unicorn. "What do you think?" she asked with a chuckle.
Sunset read the sentence. "Kore..." she cut short the reading aloud and her jaw dropped the instant she understood the meaning of the translation. Smiling, both amused and annoyed, she squinted, glaring at Pinkie Pie who was hiding her laughter behind the paper.
"What did she write?" asked Twilight.
"She very distinctly wrote <Kore wo yomeru yatsu ha baka da>. It means <She who reads this is an idiot>."
The explanation triggered a general laughter and a good-natured atmosphere, Pinkie exchanging a wink with Sunset as an aside.
Sunset then resumed her story. "I used to work in ryokans, which are combination hotels, restaurants and bars. By observing how the heimin behaved towards the samurai, I learned how I should behave towards all of them, since, as a foreigner, my position in society was more or less the same. The following spring, as I was finally fluent in the local language, I left the pine clan and went to the Cherry clan. Excellence perfectly sums up the way of life in this clan. Each of the samurai seek to excel in an art, but they are mainly known for having the best duellists. In fact, it was a master blacksmith from this clan who, many years later, trained me to forge my katana. But for my first spring in Japony, I was deepening my knowledge, after all, the Cherry Clan was responsible for establishing the unique culture and the codes of etiquette that still govern the kingdom today."
"That sounds like a perfect place for a pony like me," Rarity quipped.
"Perfection is considered a bad thing there, because there's no progression possible when you get a perfect result. It's like if you have achieved the perfect dress, you won't find the inspiration to do anything else, because perfection has been achieved. In my humble opinion, the venerable earth pony must have come from Equestria, because he taught them to live in harmony with the elemental spirits, and because of his guidance, excellence is what those who live in Japony aspire to."
"Oh well, in that case, it's an excellent place for a pony like me," Rarity said in a most sophisticated way.
A general laughter followed.
"The following spring, I left for the Lotus Clan, which was tasked with learning and mastering the magic of the venerable earth pony. I stayed there for five long years to decently manage to do the same."
"Wait, you mean, the fire wings spell you used when we met, it was their magic?!" asked Twilight, her eyes full of stars and her face unable to contain her excitement.
Sunset had no trouble guessing what was going on in the princess' head. "Indeed, however, it would seem that not all unicorns are able to converse with elemental spirits. Therefore, even if I tried to teach you to do the same, Twilight, you might be one of those who never succeed."
Such information almost instantly turned the smile into a pout, her eyes moist and her lip low as if trying to cross the library floor. Still, Twilight wasn't one to give up so easily. "Will you at least show me?"
"Of course." Following this promise, she resumed her tale. "The next clan I visited was the Plum clan, but I don't have much to say about it, since I spent a whole year waiting in a village on the edge of the border for permission to enter. However, I did have many opportunities to converse with samurai of this clan. When they aren't busy competing with samurai of the Cherry clan for the title of best duelists, they spend their time meditating or having philosophical conversations that end very late at night."
"What is meditation?" Rainbow asked, intrigued.
"Meditation is clearing your mind. With enough practice, it allows you to regain some inner balance. And it's the first step to communing with an elemental spirit." She looked around for an Equestrian equivalent. "It's almost like an afternoon at the spa, you don't think about anything, you let the twins do their treatments."
"Sounds cool... I guess," the pegasus said.
Immediately after Rainbow made this statement, Applejack raised an eyebrow and turned towards Rainbow.
"Oh, so Rarity must be a meditation expert," teased Pinkie.
"A wonderful expert indeed," surmised Rarity in the same sophisticated tone as before, flicking her silky purple mane with the back of her hoof.
Again, a collective laugh filled the room.
"The next year, it was the Bamboo clan I was visiting. They are the prince's army. I learned during my time in Japony that the clan founder's katana is kept by the current prince of Japony, and if an incident requires the army to be involved, the prince summons the lord of the clan and returns the katana, pointing out the enemy whom the blade should be wielded against. These unicorns are bred to be fierce warriors." Sunset turned her gaze to Rainbow. "I'm willing to bet that the Wonderbolts' training is not as bad as that which the bamboo clan samurai endure on a daily basis."
The mere idea that there could be anything more demanding than Wonderbolts training made the mare's wings straighten. It was impossible to tell if it was the challenge or the dread that put her in such a state.
"I didn't stay until the next spring, when they're not busy putting an end to a conflict, they have a nasty tendency to pick on passing ronins."
"Are you saying it's still war there?" asked Twilight.
"Japony has no enemies but itself, the six clans spend their time warring with each other. And the bamboo clan steps in when they're not involved themselves."
"They spend their time warring with each other, and no one complains?"
"Weird, isn't it? There is a local saying that the most beautiful flower is born in adversity. That's their way of life, though I will admit, I too thought it was crazy during my first years there. But with time, these flash wars make you appreciate the little things in life, like enjoying a rice cake." Seeing the doubt on everycreature's faces, she continued. "That's the way they live, no amount of talking would have gotten me to understand that, just as you couldn't make them understand how Equestria has lived a thousand years without a single war."
"Super simple," snapped Spike, starting to count on his fingers. "Twilight beat Nightmare Moon, Discord and Chrysalis, and I'm the hero of the Crystal Kingdom because I helped beat Sombra."
"Spike!!!" shouted Twilight, Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow.
Fluttershy, who had been quiet until then, cowered.
"What? I'm not a girl, I can say his name all I want."
"And what do you think would happen if you said his name in front of the mare who shouldn't say it?" chided Twilight. "Suppose Sunset is said mare, what would happen if I hadn't already explained it to her?" she asked.
Spike fell silent and crossed his arms to better sulk.
"Oh, is that his name? Come on, Twilight, from what you've told me, he literally exploded, how could he just come back in the event I'm the mare of the prediction?" questioned Sunset.
"Maybe like when Discord snapped his fingers to make chocolate milk rain!" quipped Pinkie, suddenly thinking back to the rich flavour of the beverage, her tongue hanging low. "Ummm! Chocolate milk~♥"
Pinkie's intervention was enough of a distraction to salvage what was left of the mood she was trying to set with Sunset, and the latter immediately took advantage of the silence to resume her tale as if nothing had happened. "Laws and justice are the charges of the Ivy clan." She paused. "I'd been living in Japony for eight years by then. Due to my long stay, I had a reputation, and as such, I was sometimes considered a ronin, which allowed me to earn a decent living. So, when I arrived at the border, I was greeted by the magistrate who had employed me many times as a yoriki."
"Like you told Spitfire the other day?" asked Rainbow.
"Right. So, as I was saying, the magistrate, basically a representative of justice, who had employed me many times as an assistant for his missions offered me lodging during my stay, in exchange for taking on several missions on his behalf. This allowed me to master the gears of the legal system. The desire to have my own katana came a few months later. Even though I was somepony who could talk to the spirits, no unicorn can ask for their help indefinitely. It's spiritually exhausting. So often it ended in a sword fight when the culprits had lost their sense of honour. The following year, I returned to the Cherry clan."
Sunset then told the gathering of her adventures there and spoke of the allies she'd had during a mission. First was the escort of the poet ronin around the Cherry clan, who'd had his coat painted by a Master artist and was travelling the road to be presented in every stronghold as a living canvas of art. Then the investigation with the magistrate of the Ivy clan, which led to the exposure of a vast organisation of marauders who were embezzling the royal tax.
Applejack's ears twitched when she heard Sunset say that the criminals had been subjugated. She realised that the story had been watered down, but did not breathe a word of it, understanding perfectly that Sunset had done this to keep the captivating magic of the tales intact.
Sunset was about to tell a third of her adventures when there was a knock at the door.
It startled almost every creature.
Twilight went to open the door, and when she did, she saw a pegasus of the royal guard standing there, and behind him was the official carriage of royal travel.
Upon seeing her, he quickly greeted the princess by raising a hoof to temple level. "Good evening, Princess Twilight, your presence is urgently required at the palace."
"What happened?" the mare asked.
"I'm sorry, the instructions I received made it clear that I was not to speak of this in public, you will be informed by the one summoning you once you arrive at Canterlot castle," explained the royal guard.
Ears lowered and heart racing, Twilight turned her head to her friends and Spike. "I'm going to the castle; something must have happened to Princess Luna."
Sunset finished fastening her harness to keep her katana against her side before coming over to Twilight. "Wait, we're all going. If something happened to Princess Luna, there's no way you're going alone, you could be in danger. So, you're going to wear the elements of harmony, and we're going to use the portal to get there. You go ahead with the girls; I'll take care of teleporting the cart to the castle courtyard."
Twilight was speechless for a moment as she processed Sunset's plan. Relieved, she came over and hugged Sunset. "Thank you."
"No problem, Twilight," she said before returning the hug.
As Sunset passed the tracking artefact around her neck, checking that no signals were coming from the north, Twilight telekinetically pulled the elements of harmony out of the display case and attached them to the corresponding bearers before placing her crown on her head and Spike on her back.
Without waiting, they left for Fluttershy's cottage, followed by the royal guards, once there, as Sunset had planned, the six element bearers and Spike went through the gate into the palace armoury before exiting and proceeding towards the front entrance. Upon arriving there, the princess immediately spotted and approached Celestia's personal butler. "Hello Reynaud, what happened?"
The servant bent his neck in a short bow. "Hello Princess Twilight, it's about Princess Luna, she is currently in the hospital, her days are not in danger, however, she was seriously injured in a fight." Even though Reynaud had tried to soften the facts by starting with the good news, the announcement threw the group into a tizzy. "A bat pony is waiting for you in the throne room to give you a more detailed report of the events."
Twilight glanced over her shoulder at her friends, and without a word, they galloped off towards the throne room. Halfway down the great hallway that led to it, they came across a unicorn walking leisurely through. "Prince Blueblood?"
The stallion lazily turned his arctic blue eyes to the alicorn. "Oh, Princess Twilight, how kind of you to join this unscheduled meeting."
"Prince Blueblood? What are you doing here?" asked Sunset, who by a succession of short-range teleportations, had caught up.
"Reynaud informed me that a diplomat was urgently needed in the throne room, so here I am," he said, moving to the closed doors before turning around. He nodded towards them, waiting.
Rarity and Sunset squinted. "Fifteen years since I last saw him and as far as I can see, he hasn't changed," said the latter.
"Oh, trust me, Sunset dear, not one bit," Rarity added.
Greeted by the guards stationed in front of the throne room doors, Sunset opened the passage for the group to enter, and they could see that Swift was not alone.
Besides him was Dusty Nova, who removed the cloak that signified her status as a royal mage soon after the doors opened, the warrior's words echoing in her mind.
<If your loyalty is to Nightmare Moon, then resign from being Canterlot's Royal Mage at once.>
Swift had deliberately chosen not to divulge the reason right away on the advice of Nightmare Moon, as the vampony was overzealous when it came to the Queen, and it was best to control her by keeping her in the dark to begin with. He walked over to Twilight and curtsied with due respect. "Good evening, Princess Twilight, my name is Swift Chess, soldier of the Moon Guard, ready to report on the events of the evening. But before I do, I have been ordered to ask you the following question, the ponies and the dragon here, do you consider them capable of keeping it a secret?"
Twilight hadn't expected such an entrance, a new secret to keep, as if Princess Celestia's death wasn't already weighing on her heart enough. It had to be even worse for Rarity and Applejack, who lived with their families. She didn't need to ask them. "I trust my friends," she answered with conviction.
Swift glanced at Blueblood.
With an indignant flick of his mane, the prince took the trouble of introducing himself. "I am Prince Blueblood, diplomat of Equestria, whatever is said here will not leave this room."
Swift nodded. "Good. Following the battle in the Badlands, we were forced to travel to Dodge City and Appleloosa to reassure the locals. We let them know that Princess Luna fought to protect the changelings from an Extra Equestrian threat at great personal risk and was injured in the battle. This information is currently being relayed to every town in the kingdom by us."
The announcement provoked a strong reaction from Twilight, her friends, and Spike.
Sunset and Blueblood remained as phlegmatic as ever.
Swift continued. "Yes, it's a lie, it's the Moon's parting gift to Equestria, as of tonight, Broncoliande no longer recognises Princess Luna as its rightful ruler.
"In the name of Equestria, I will take note of this," Blueblood said. "But if Broncoliande wishes to remain on good terms with Equestria, you will need to sign a non-aggression pact. Moreover, the treaty of the two sisters hereby lapses."
"We know that. When the new ruler has been chosen, he will first endeavour to-"
"New ruler?!" Dusty Nova suddenly shouted. "What happened to our Queen, Swift?!" Just as Nightmare Moon had predicted, the vampony snapped.
"After she lost her fight against Pepper, Princess Luna, who, no doubt because our Queen preferred to defend the changelings than to finish the genocide, destroyed the tantabus. She then explained, and I quote, that she was getting rid of a part of herself that was no longer needed." He left his explanation hanging to purposely create tension before resuming. "The spirit of our Queen being in the tantabus at that moment..." He did not finish his sentence, merely shaking his head, purposely, to let their imaginations run wild, and mostly on Pepper's advice, to prevent Applejack from detecting an elaborate lie in his tale.
The answer struck everycreature present like a bolt of lightning. Fluttershy and Rarity fell to their rumps, Rainbow and Applejack, having taken the news a little better, went to make sure their friends were okay. Hoof to her mouth, Pinkie Pie was so shocked that her mane deflated. Spike, who had only known Nightmare Moon through Luna and the Nightmare Night celebration, was not sure how to feel about that.
Inevitably, their eyes turned to Twilight, and as they did, she felt the guilt tightening its grip over her heart.
But Sunset was there to support her, with a hoof on her shoulder. "It's not your fault, Twilight, you couldn't have known that Princess Luna would come to such an end, besides, you only took my advice, if anyone is to blame, it's me." Despite instances where she seemed to sincerely regret refusing to help Nightmare Moon, the unicorn laughed under her breath. She never expected her plan to be partially successful.
"Our Queen was murdered by Princess Luna?" repeated Dusty. "In that case-"
She didn't have time to finish her sentence as Swift, waiting for that very moment, rushed into her side to tackle her to the ground and silence her. As she tried to catch her breath, the bat pony placed the soleret against her throat to impede her speaking. "In that case nothing at all, Dusty. This is no time to escalate the situation. Without our Queen, only the primogenes have the right to decide how we react. Don't you agree?"
Calmed by the shock treatment, she nodded weakly between ragged breaths.
"I will remove my hoof, you will catch your breath, you will then say that this is of no importance. You will do this without making a sideways glance and in a tone so convincing that even I can believe it, have I made myself clear?" he ordered intransigently.
She complied, bowing, still coughing. "May the events of this evening never mar the good relations between Equestria and Broncoliande."
All according to plan. "Well, we're off," Swift continued.
"Wait a minute, what about Pepper?" asked Sunset.
"Given the state she put Princess Luna in, what were we supposed to do against such a monster?" replied the soldier.
Sunset had nothing to say to that. She would have preferred Nightmare Moon take Pepper to the grave. Then Princess Luna would finally have her revenge, and she would no longer be a danger to Equestria. "And she didn't try to do the same to her as she did to Princess Celestia?" she asked suspiciously.
Swift knew from this question that there was nothing ordinary about this unicorn, and that made her a greater threat than Princess Twilight. "I'm sorry for this aside, but I don't seem to have the honour of knowing you."
Sunset ticked; he had a point. She bowed courteously. "My name is Sunset Shimmer. It is an honour to meet you." She did however take note that he only cared about her identity once she began to question him about Pepper's actions.
"So do I, Miss Shimmer. Back to your question, she said it is not her modus operandi."
"She's said that a lot," confirmed Rainbow.
Applejack didn't notice any lies.
The interrogation ended with this question. Once Swift and Dusty had left the room, Blueblood turned to Twilight. "What are your orders, Princess?"
"My... orders?" the alicorn repeated.
"Pending Princess Luna's full recovery, and inasmuch as Princess Cadance is the head of the Crystal Kingdom, you are, per default, at the head of Equestria," the diplomat said, pointing with his hoof to the throne of Celestia.
When she woke up this morning, Twilight could have never guessed that a chain of circumstances would lead her to take her mentor's place, even if it was only for a short time.
After a quick trip to the moon, the group led by Swift returned to the camp. Dusty was on the wagon, grumbling.
The major came to meet them but was royally snubbed by the vampony who preferred to go off on a tangent. "What's the matter with him?" she asked herself as Swift approached.
"Don't mind her, Cutie Bite. She just needs to digest the lie I told to the diplomat from Equestria."
"Our Queen informed me of your mission, did everything go well?"
"The announcement of our Queen's death went down like a charm; I didn't feel that anypony doubted my words. However, a unicorn I hadn't read any files about before seemed more cunning than ..." He realised he was about to say Twilight. "... the rest. She introduced herself as Sunset Shimmer."
"Don't remember any files with that name," the Major confirmed. "Specify your reasoning."
"All she was interested in was where Pepper was, and why she spared Princess Luna. Maybe I'm imagining things, but from the anger in her eyes, I have a feeling it's not best to lock them both in the same room. The walls wouldn't hold for long." He turned his attention to his friend. "You seem more serene than usual, Cute Bite," he noted with a small teasing smile.
Serene she was, as she smiled back, what's more, it didn't really bother her to hear him use her birth name, now that she knew the reason. And since she had the advantage, she wanted to reverse the roles, just this once. "I'll go write the report. Oh, and Swift, from now on, call me Regal Blade," she ordered with a smile, as she left for the command tent, without a backward glance.
Wide-eyed, Swift took this turn of events in stride, so much so that his jaw and his wings fell to the ground. It was only when he had recovered from the shock that he realised that he was not the only one to have been visited by a mischievous mail pony.
Several hours passed, it was time for the sun and the moon to exchange places in the sky, but the last alicorn whose royal duty it was to do so was in a coma in the hospital of Canterlot.
Ten minutes later, Regal Blade entered the tent where Nightmare Moon slept alongside the child, the better to watch over her dreams, even though she had lost the ability to do so along with the tantabus.
Chitin reopened her crinkled eyes with instinctive distrust, her eyes slicing through the darkness of the tent, but when she saw the bat pony standing there, she let her guard down.
Regal Blade moved closer to the sleeping alicorn and unsheathed the soleret before shaking her, making sure not to shake her too hard.
Nightmare Moon, the helmet still on her head, woke up with a jolt, sleeping physically after four years of being a disembodied spirit was something she had missed terribly. She watched her subordinate for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts. "What's going on?" she whispered.
"My Queen," breathed the mare just as low. "The day shift took its turn ten minutes ago, but the sun hasn't been raised yet.
Nightmare Moon felt the urge to spit her venom on Pepper's back, but she held back so as not to wake up Aglowing. She tiptoed out of the tent and made her way to Pepper's camp. Once there, walking slowly, she approached the campfire, but the human was absent. A few steps further, she immediately noticed the open gate hidden by the stone block. Without waiting, she stepped through it, and found herself in front of the ruined castle, but this was not the time to dwell on the past. Concentrating on the present, she spotted her soon enough.
Pepper was sitting by the river below. She was meticulously brushing her teeth with the toothbrush she had left in her secret place.
"Pepper!" hailed Nightmare Moon. "I told you to raise the sun." she growled.
The unicorn stopped her brushing, turning her gaze to the queen for a moment. "Not my problem," she replied before returning to her dental cleaning.
Nightmare Moon couldn't believe her ears. "You're the only one fit in Equestria, though in terms of raw power, Twilight could pull it off, but the backlash..." she shook her head, trying to push the vision of StarSwirl lying on the ground, having exhausted his last bit of magical strength to lower the moon one too many times. "...the sun's presence in the sky is more important than brushing your teeth!" She couldn't believe she was saying these words.
Pepper took the brush out of her mouth again. "I am just finishing making sure I have gotten all the monsters out of my mouth. Equestria can wait that long," she said before continuing.
"The? Are you talking about the cavities?" she asked, coming to sit beside her.
Pepper glanced towards Nightmare Moon. "Pinkie called them that, yes. According to her, every time I eat a piece of candy, these cavities come and try to destroy my teeth, and when I asked what they looked like, she said they were little monsters that you cannot see with the naked eye, however cleaning the teeth like this ensured that they stayed away for the day."
Nightmare Moon couldn't believe that Pepper could take these childish explanations so seriously. Exasperated, she breathed out her exasperation. "Raise the sun, you can finish your brushing afterwards."
She brushed for a few seconds, but finally replied, not hiding her chagrin any further. "You of all people should understand me. The moment I lower the moon, I myself will end my day of freedom, and I do not know when Gamine will let me have control of my body again."
It wasn't difficult for Nightmare Moon to understand Pepper's position. She didn't like it too much, yet she sat there without saying a word, respecting Pepper's desire to savour her last moments of freedom. The sun might be up late today, but it's not as if anycreature would dare go to Canterlot Castle to complain.
Pepper continued to brush her teeth for a while, but the truth was that her teeth had been clean for some time.
Gamine said nothing. She had promised a full day, and she was going to keep her word.
Pepper eventually relented, placing the toothbrush and tube of toothpaste on the stone table in her hideout through a small portal. After cleaning her mouth out with some water, she spat it out into the river and turned her attention to Nightmare Moon. "On second thought, Gamine is going to be in charge of the day and night cycle for a while. The ability to manipulate the sun is mine, but it would be best if you guided her in lowering the moon, as she will be employing raw power without any clue on how to properly do that."
Nightmare Moon was already considering worst-case scenarios. "So be it. Let's do this."
Pepper relinquished her body to Gamine.
Gamine then followed Nightmare Moon's instructions. They crossed horns, and with her guidance, the Moon was lowered smoothly, before the sun was lifted high in the sky.
To the average pony, it was just another day.
But for Gamine, Regal Blade and Twilight, it was the beginning of a new chapter.
For Nightmare Moon, the final pages of her story. |
A Guardian's Hope | Chapter 16 | Twilight's first reaction to Prince Blueblood's question was to go to Canterlot Hospital. There, she was taken to a waiting room, where she remained with Sunset, the girls and Spike until the doctors finished the medical procedure.
It took some time, but eventually the head doctor entered the room.
This was the first time in Equestria's history that a princess had been hospitalised, so it was more than a little understandable why all the doctors on duty that night were behaving like first year medical students. It took them referencing the medical knowledge of all three races to finally come to the conclusion that Luna's prognosis was not life-threatening. That being said, the multiple fractures she had would take at least a week of rest to fully heal.
Once Luna was settled in a room, Sunset set about ensuring every creature's safety and refining the signal from her tracking artefact to locate Pepper, drinking steaming tea all the while to keep herself awake.
As time passed, the long-time friends fell asleep on the room's sofa one after the other.
Every creature except for Twilight. She spent the rest of the night at the princess' bedside, Spike asleep on a second chair beside her, tormenting herself with a thousand and one actions she could and should have taken.
A little over two hours after Gamine raised the sun, Prince Blueblood entered the room as quietly as possible.
Sunset jolted awake despite how little noise the stallion had made, but upon seeing who it was standing there, and assured that it was not an illusion from both the weak reaction from the artefact and the fact it was pointing south, she immediately calmed down.
After looking towards the sleep deprived mare besides their princess, Blueblood decided to instead walk over to the newly awoken Sunset and quietly speak with her. "Good morning to you, Miss Shimmer, please let Princess Twilight know that she is expected at Canterlot Castle at ten o'clock, as the bat ponies have alerted all branches of Equestria Daily. There is a good chance reporters may have some questions for her regarding last night's events."
Sunset replied in an equally low voice. "Can't you handle it? You are a Prince after all"
"What a crazy idea," he said with a raised eyebrow. "Have you forgotten that my title is only due to my adoption?"
"Right, I forgot about that. But, she can't go, the princesses' lives are in danger," Sunset continued.
"That is a flimsy excuse. Bitter Truth has informed me via a letter that firstly; Pepper won't be entering Canterlot any time soon, and secondly; he assures that she will try absolutely nothing, provided that you, and he underlined your name three times, do nothing to alter this prediction."
Sunset was silent for a moment, thoughtful. "You're telling me that the oracle gave you this information of his own accord? <One question per pony> is quite the convenient rule when he wants it to be," Sunset said, a hint of resentment tainting her last sentence.
Blueblood gave a weak shrug. "The rule is only there for those who want to exploit his special talent. We are on very good terms, he and I."
"Makes you wonder what he sees in you," Sunset murmured disparagingly.
"The lack of ambition. Well, now that your fears have been allayed, I'll be heading back to the palace, wagons are waiting for you outside the hospital to escort the Princess' friends wherever they please," he murmured as he headed for the door, which he telekinetically opened before turning a sidelong glance towards Sunset. "Back to the topic, regarding Princess Twilight, some semblance of punctuality would be in order."
The mare remained silent as she watched the prince leave, closing the door behind him as quietly as possible. Far from being fooled by the order disguised as wise counsel, one look was enough for her to know that Twilight, as it stood, was not presentable for an official press conference.
It wasn't difficult to rouse the rest of the group and get them to move into the corridor outside of the room. There, once informed of the prediction of the oracle, they all left to go back to Ponyville. Spike, with the mission to put the elements back in the library, left in the same cart as Rarity, with Twilight's crown in his hands. Rainbow for her part thanked the royal guards but left by her own means for the Wonderbolts academy to receive her orders from Spitfire in light of the current situation.
Once Sunset and Twilight arrived at the castle, Reynaud was standing there, a herd of maids hidden by his height and his broad shoulders. When his electric blue gaze fell on the two mares, he took out the pocket watch from his butler's jacket to consider how long it would take to achieve a proper result. He inhaled deeply to clear his throat. "You have twenty minutes."
Before either of Celestia's two students had time to react, they were telekinetically dragged away through the service corridors to the royal bathroom.
Once there, Sunset managed to extract herself by vehemently stating that she could take care of that herself.
Twilight did not have the luxury of doing the same, as only the combined efforts of the maids with curling-combs and brushes managed to restore her coat to its original shine, while others were busy smoothing out her feathers one by one. For the young princess, it could have been like a session at Lotus and Aloe, if the haste of the servants hadn't turned the treatment abrasive. However, it did have the merit of giving her a little more time to enjoy a breakfast accompanied by Sunset.
As the two ate, the latter's attention turned to the butler as he stood at the side of the dining room doors with a cart holding a large stainless steel bell covered tray atop it to his left. For as long as she could remember, there had been rumours circulating that the stallion was a retired high ranking Equestrian Armed Forces officer, and was simply holding the position of butler to keep himself busy. Some guards pointing to his imposing stature, being almost as tall as Princess Celestia, and the manner in which he carried himself as evidence for this. His posture and intransigence, according to them, was worthy of the best drill sergeants, making him a true father figure who managed the castle's stewardship like a conductor. Woe be to anypony who had the audacity to strike a wrong note.
As she was staring at him, the butler discreetly checked the time and directed his attention towards them. "Princess Twilight, the press conference will begin in ten minutes."
"Thank you, Reynaud," Twilight said before wiping her mouth with a napkin, she didn't have much of an appetite, knotted up with the stress like she was. Yes, she wanted the responsibilities due to her rank, but she still saw herself as an assistant to Princess Celestia, only ruling her own domain. She at no point had even prepared herself for the possibility of being thrust onto the throne to take her place overnight.
But as she headed for the door, the old earth pony blocked her way. Holding the tray with his left hoof, he removed the stainless steel bell to reveal what he had purposefully kept hidden till now.
Twilight was initially surprised at what she saw, but that feeling was quickly overtaken by a sense of puzzlement. Sitting atop a white velvet cushion was her princess crown. "I know it's your duty to be prepared, so I won't ask how, but why did you hide my crown until the last moment?" she asked, placing the crown upon her head.
"Because, Princess Twilight, it is not difficult for the pony who was the Sun Princess' personal butler for so many years to deduce how much you would be fretting over the responsibilities that await you, at least those you will need to deal with until Princess Luna recovers. I wanted to spare you from the weight of your responsibilities as much as possible." He inspected her face for any stain, before continuing. "But you will not be alone. Prince Blueblood will be there to assist you if he feels it necessary."
"That's what Sunset Shimmer is here for," the young princess replied.
"This is not about fulfilling your wishes, but doing what is necessary," retorted Reynaud before turning to Sunset. "With all due respect, Miss Shimmer, fifteen years away from Equestria creates a lack of knowledge that could put Princess Twilight at odds with the citizenry."
The mare remained calm. "Presented that way, it's hard for me to disagree with you."
"Any help is welcome, even from Prince Blueblood, but I don't understand why he doesn't do it himself? He's a Prince after all, adopted by Princess Celestia as her nephew," Twilight said.
Reynaud lowered his electric blue gaze for a moment. "The concern lies elsewhere. By the time I explain, you'll be late for the press conference, and anyway, I have a feeling you'll understand soon enough. You're Princess Celestia's student, after all the hardships you've overcome, how much harder could it be to endure than a vitamin shot?"
The reminder shot had the desired effect, despite a shiver of apprehension at the thought of the needle poking her rump, it chased away her doubts, Twilight gave a small laugh. "Thank you Reynaud."
He smiled thinly. "Always a pleasure, Princess," he said before presenting the tray to Sunset. "Miss Shimmer, your weapon, please. Civilians are not allowed to carry weapons on castle grounds, let alone into the throne room."
She remained silent for a moment, weighing her options, and decided to abide by the castle's internal regulations, so she removed the harness and placed it, with the katana still in its saya, on the cushion. "Glad to see you haven't changed, Reynaud."
"Glad to see you've matured somewhat, Miss Sunset."
Sunset turned to Twilight, coming to whisper in her ear. "Let's run away before he gets the idea to update our vaccination records."
Reynaud lent himself to the charade, seemingly keeping his seriousness. "Funny you should bring that up, Miss Sunset, see you-"
Sunset and Twilight widened their eyes, they didn't give him time to finish the sentence, teleporting down the hallway and running off at full gallop towards the throne room, laughing like two mischievous fillies.
When they reached the edge of the great hallway they slowed down, and Twilight began to use the Canterlot step, an artificial gait meant to convey a sense of nobility, which consisted of a cadenced and majestic step in which she had to raise and extend her forelimbs up and forwards in succession while moving frankly and maintaining a collected attitude.
Out of respect for etiquette, Sunset walked beside but slightly behind her.
As they reached the doorway across the hall, two ponies curtsied as Twilight came up to them. As two royal guards opened the doors for them to enter the throne room, Twilight nodded to the non-guards.
The first was a meek pegasus who looked younger than Twilight, with sparkling apricot eyes and a scruffy mane that matched Celestia's colouring.
The second was a unicorn who looked to be in his fifties with a greying beard and a look in his deep blue eyes which held within them the severity of a school teacher. He wore a black trench coat and a matching hat atop his head.
Once the doors were closed behind them by the guards standing on the other side of the doors, Twilight whispered to Sunset. "I thought there would have been a lot more reporters."
Sunset raised an eyebrow. "Were you thinking this would be like when Celestia held court?"
Twilight tried to think back, but she had very few memories related to that part of the castle, as she had spent most of her free time reading books. "Maybe?"
Prince Blueblood was already there, standing at the bottom of the ramp, passing the guards standing in front of the throne to position himself perpendicular to the carpet, only to bow his head in reverence, mimicked by the guards when Twilight came up to him. "Hello, Princess Twilight," said the stallion. "Take a seat, at your ease," he said, indicating toward the throne.
The alicorn looked up. With hesitant steps, she climbed the ramp, but once up there, she didn't dare step onto the throne, it wasn't hers, she preferred to stand at the edge of the ramp, three steps in front of it.
Blueblood went to sit on the middle landing, to Twilight's left, before turning to her. "Princess Twilight, may I suggest that you offer the position of Royal Councillor to Miss Shimmer? I can take a day off from my duties, but as a diplomat, I cannot avoid it for the duration of your regency."
The moment Blueblood made his suggestion, Sunset made a quick overview of the situation, then smiled.
Twilight was surprised by the offer, but she preferred the idea of having Sunset by her side a hundred times over. She was about to do so when she saw the small smile of defiance hanging on Sunset's lips. Her annoying habit came back to mind, so she took a moment to think two moves ahead. "Sunset Shimmer, by the powers vested in me by my temporary status as Ruler of Equestria, I, Twilight Sparkle, offer you the position of Royal Councillor."
Sunset lost her smile, in appearance. "I refuse, a pony such as myself has no qualifications to hold such a position."
"You have lived for years outside Equestria, and I am the first to testify that you have the qualifications and knowledge that I lack. It would be very useful to me to have a pony like you to advise me."
"Over a decade ago, I left my country without a backward glance, because my ego was bruised by a truth I couldn't accept. I did nothing worth such praise. I don't deserve such an honour."
"If you are consumed by remorse for your deed, then take advantage of the opportunity offered. By accepting this duty, you will be helping me to ensure the prosperity of Equestria..." She hesitated for a second. "... that, I'm sure, will make Princess Celestia proud of you when she returns."
Sunset was shocked by this low blow, but she only appreciated it all the more. She thought, as the guards were hearing this, they would spread those words, the deception that the disappearance of the Princess of the Sun was only temporary. "I humbly accept the position of Royal Councillor."
"Now that had been taken care of, I would be grateful if you could leave the Japony etiquette aside for the rest of the day, Royal Councillor," requested Blueblood.
Sunset's smile broadened into a grin. "Why stop at Royal Councillor? In the longer term it would be interesting to make me lord high steward."
"Oh?" The diplomat grinned mockingly. "I don't know how many positions you covet, but would you consider taking my place as well to handle relations with neighbouring kingdoms?"
"Why would I consider it? You seem to be doing an excellent job so far," she replied, deflecting the jab. "No, I was thinking more about the position of royal mage that has been vacant since yesterday, and that of captain of the royal guard."
"I'm surprised you aren't aiming for royal treasurer and commander-in-chief of the E.U.P. as well, but one question remains. Do you even have the ability?"
"The Princess herself recommended Sunset to me in a letter. She was Princess Celestia's protege before me after all. I'm sure my brother Shining Armor can rest easy knowing that the safety of Canterlot will be resting on your capable shoulders. Sunset Shimmer, I entrust you with these responsibilities, I know I can rely on you."
These last words constricted around Sunset's throat like a thorny ivy. She was the one solely responsible for the situation Twilight was in, all in the name of ridding Equestria of those she considered a threat.
Prince Blueblood rolled his eyes. "Miss Shimmer, please sit there," he said, pointing with his hoof to the middle landing, directly opposite to where he was sitting. "I'll have you know that under the circumstances, I've taken the liberty of sending some fifth circle guards to speak freely with Latest once Detective has left the premises," he announced as she took her seat.
Twilight and Sunset exchanged a look of confusion.
Blueblood's gaze hardened, "You were given access to the Seventh Circle, the highest level of trust by Princess Celestia herself, and you didn't even bother to consider the implications?" He used telekinesis to massage his temple with his silk handkerchief, suppressing a sigh. "This afternoon, I'll give you a lesson to make up for that silliness. Lord high steward, I will take the opportunity to inform you of the laws enacted in your absence. I had been hoping to occupy myself with something more important."
Sunset turned her head away to sigh silently with her eyes closed, then breathed in to command the guards at the doors. "Send in the reporters." She didn't bother to ask Twilight if she was ready, she knew she wasn't. Like a filly who didn't dare get into the bath, the more sudden she made it the better.
The reporters entered. "Detective, you go first," said the unicorn as they approached.
"Oh, I already have an idea," said the young pegasus. "With Princess Luna taking a day off after searching for Princess Celestia in the far reaches of Equestria, Princess Twilight finally gets the throne she so coveted," he said with a smile.
Hearing this, Twilight was so shocked that she stepped back and involuntarily spread her wings.
Sunset saw red, the embers of her past were being rekindled by this headline, she who once saw herself as the successor to Princess Celestia by attempting to force her to cast the Heart Spell on her. Indignant, she turned her gaze to BlueBlood.
Putting a silk square in front of his mouth, he pretended to calm a coughing fit, but that was only an excuse to hide a laugh.
Her cyan gaze scanned the guards in turn, they were hardly holding back their laughter. This was too much, she would not let such impudence go unpunished. "How dare you!" she thundered, shattering the mood, before stepping forward to descend the ramp.
Against all odds, BlueBlood stepped in, blocking her way. "That's actually a pretty good statement, how dare you speak to Princess Celestia's favourite columnist like that?"
Sunset's impulse had just collided against the wall of her own ignorance. And the shock left her looking disoriented, this clash in her heart between the past and the present, she didn't know which leg to stand on. She looked at Detective for a moment, she gave him sixteen years at the most, before turning back to Twilight, then Blueblood, hesitance now plastered across her muzzle.
"Well, it would seem that introductions are necessary." Blueblood walked down the ramp to stand at the young pony's side. "Sunset Shimmer, this is Detective Report, he is currently one of the youngest columnists at the Equestria Daily, he has been in charge of a page at the back of the paper, the Untold Chronicles, for three years now. Detective, would you be so kind as to explain why that is?" he asked, a smug smile on his face as he glared at Sunset, knowing that she was about to go down.
"It was thanks to Princess Celestia. After she read my first column parodying Princess Luna's banishment as a forgotten game of hide and seek, just hearing her laugh about it, honestly, that's when I knew what I wanted to do, that's when I finally got my Cutie Mark. But honestly, after laughing so much during the Chucke-Lot, I wanted to make her laugh just as much. But never, ever, did I expect her to go and pitch the idea of including my columns to the editor of Equestria Daily."
"What kind of pony would I be to refuse a request from the Princess herself?" commented Latest Scoop.
"And as you might expect from that comment, Latest Scoop has been the editor of the paper for over thirty years now."
"Detective Report, Latest Scoop, allow me to introduce Sunset Shimmer, Princess Twilight has temporarily given her the position of lord high steward, please be so kind as to forgive her for her outburst, she has lived in Japony for the last fifteen years and needs to re-acclimate to Equestrian politics."
With no ulterior motive, the journalists bowed respectfully.
Sunset, looking as low as her head was, realised that in her eagerness to protect Twilight, she had forgotten that she was here in Equestria, a simple, liveable kingdom that was nothing like Japony, with its hyper-codified systems of honour and etiquette. She mentally chastised herself for her thoughtlessness, forcing herself to take a step back so she wouldn't react like that again, she couldn't afford to put Twilight on the spot.
"What's the Chucke-Lot?" asked Twilight naively.
Almost immediately, the stunned looks of everypony present, even the guards, turned to the young princess in disbelief. All except Blueblood, who returned to his place on the middle landing, an amused smile on his lips.
"What do you mean, what's the Chucke-Lot?" said Sunset. "You're Princess Celestia's student, how can you not know about the Chuckle-Lot?!" her voice echoed around the room.
Twilight leaned back, the feeling that her ignorance was a crime in itself.
Once again, BlueBlood intervened, "It's easy to guess the reason for Princess Twilight's ignorance, though, you'd have to have been around her when she lived in Canterlot," he said before shrugging, wearing an amused smile all the while. "After all, if Princess Celestia hadn't sent her to Ponyville three years ago, she'd still have her nose buried in a book in the library."
Twilight was somewhat offended by these words, but she couldn't argue with him.
With this clue in mind, Sunset understood what kind of student Twilight was. "Was it that bad? Considering she lives in the Ponyville library, why am I so surprised, really? Fatigue, no doubt." She turned her attention to the alicorn. "Every spring, Princess Celestia holds a banquet, during which she indulges in clowning around on stage, Pinkie Pie style antics, to prove that even though in everyday life she's a Princess in the eyes of everypony else, she ..."
<...you lived the life I dreamed of living...>
The words Celestia had put down on paper suddenly came back to her mind, the same time the sob knotted her throat, which Sunset suppressed with a coughing fit. "...she's still a mare like you or me."
Detective laughed to himself. "Epidemic of acute deafness in Canterlot Castle, following the return of Sunset Shimmer, user of the Traditional Voice of Canterlot."
Latest Scoop gave a short laugh. "If you're done, you'd better leave right now."
"Not just yet." He turned to Twilight. "Princess, I have a question for you, as the pony, not as a reporter. Is there any news regarding the current whereabouts of Princess Celestia?"
Twilight looked down for a moment, unable to meet his hopeful gaze knowing she had no good news to deliver. Directing a side glance towards Sunset, then Blueblood, Twilight found them to be silently looking away. It was up to her to respond, to keep hope burning as best she could. She shook her head. "No, still not." She forced herself to smile. "But I can promise you that the day I find out, you'll be the first pony I share the good news with."
He curtsied, forehead to the ground. "Thank you, Princess."
"Detective?" asked Sunset.
"Yes, Great Steward?" he replied.
"Why would Princess Twilight covet the throne?"
He chuckled. "Because there can't be a more comfortable seat for reading a book."
The logic behind that answer drew a smile from Sunset. "I see."
Detective saluted Twilight. "Princess." Then Blueblood. "Prince." Then Sunset. "Lord high Steward." He then left the room with a short trot.
Latest Scoop returned Blueblood's knowing look, which didn't escape Sunset's notice, he inhaled, exhaled. "Well, if you don't mind, let's start with the most important question, what is the condition of Princess Luna?"
"The Chief Medical Officer has assured us that Princess Luna is stable and her life is not in danger, she has, however, suffered serious injuries and needs at least a week's rest," the alicorn said.
"I see. So from what I understand, Princess Luna was fighting an external threat, do you know anything more about it?"
Twilight allowed herself a moment of thought to formulate a proper response. "The identity of the creature that threatened the safety of Equestria remains unknown, but the guards who accompanied Princess Luna assured me that the creature has returned to whence it came."
Latest remained sceptical at the statement, it brought a small scoff to his lips. "Well, according to the information left by the bat pony who went to Dodge City's branch office, Princess Luna also protected the changelings from this threat. After their attempted invasion during Princess Cadance and your brother Shining Armor's wedding, that's... surprising of her."
Twilight didn't know what to say to that, she turned her gaze to Sunset, but quickly realised that the mare had nothing to offer of her own.
"Surprising? I don't think so," Blueblood said. "Inasmuch as Princess Luna is in charge of Equestria during her sister's absence, she thus serves as a proxy for her sister's legendary kindness and generosity, she had a duty to help. Despite their crime against Equestria, Luna acted purely out of sheer altruism, an act she would do again without hesitation, I have no doubt."
Latest restrained himself from commenting. "Last question, quite interesting I must admit. Princess Twilight, how did it feel to perform the royal duty of Princess Celestia, your former mentor, when raising the sun this morning?"
Twilight and Sunset widened their eyes, before glancing at each other at this, the seized cogs of their minds trying to come to a conclusion, the most likely being that Pepper had done it, but if so, why? And if not her, then who?
Blueblood was amused to see the two mares flapping about like two parakeets whose cage had just been shaken. He turned his attention to Latest. "None of the lessons prepared her for this, but Princess Twilight always knew how to make Princess Celestia proud."
"That concludes the questions for the special edition," Latest gestured as he noted this line. "Permission to speak freely, Prince?" he asked as he tucked the small notebook into his jacket pocket.
"You may, I've seen to that."
"This is without doubt, the biggest tissue of lies I have ever heard, worse, sewn with white thread by you, and with which I will have to stifle the worries of the ponies of Equestria."
"It is not a pure tissue of lies, more a well constructed patchwork to assuage any fears Equestria's ponies may have to help them have sweet dreams as soon as night falls."
"A matter of perspective."
"That's why I'm sitting here. It affords me a better view than you." He took a more serious tone. "Detective seems to be doing better, or am I wrong?"
Latest shrugged. "First time I've seen him laugh heartily in at least a month. Sometimes I wonder if we're doing the right thing by lying to them all."
"Considering the case of Princess Luna's banishment, the long-term consequences are more beneficial."
"In the long run perhaps, but in the meantime, all suffer from her absence."
Blueblood understood his point of view, and not wanting to decide matters in his favour by his authority alone, turned to the guards present. "Affiliates of the Fifth Circle, I summon your honest opinion on the present subject. Are we in the wrong for wishing to preserve the happiness of the ponies of Equestria by concealing the truth from them?"
None of the guards had the conviction to side with Latest. The mere idea of shattering the hopes of those around them, of imagining their reactions if this were to be made official, the inconsolable sadness that would follow, this possible future was unbearable.
Latest, seeing the grimaces, had to face the fact that he was the only one who thought like that. "It would seem that I lack foresight after all."
"No pony here could blame you for that. Like anyone else, you only want what's good for all, like everypony else."
Hearing these words, three figures came to Latest's mind. "Maybe not everypony," he said in a darker tone. "It would be surprising if they didn't turn up given the opportunity that's being offered on a silver platter."
Blueblood smiled thinly. "It would be more surprising if they weren't already behind the door."
"Seeing as I'm done with the questions, I'll take my leave. Personally, the less I see of them, the better I feel. Princess, Lord High Steward, Blueblood." Without further ado, Latest left the room.
As soon as the door closed, Sunset turned to Blueblood. "Who was he talking about?"
"There's no need to worry, you'll soon get the answer."
And it didn't take more than a minute for it to come true. The door opened again, one of the guards entered the room and announced loudly. "Lady Storm, Sire Adamantium, and Lady Shawarma request an audience."
This sentence echoed in Sunset's head. A hundred memories of that door opening to let them into this place preceded by that sentence resounded within her skull. Countless times the herald voiced that sentence all those years ago spewed their way back into the forefront of her mind. That sentence answered any question she may have still had and left her with nothing but apprehension.
"When we learned of the unfortunate incident with Princess Luna, we hurried as fast as we could in order to assist you with the regency of Equestria," said Adamantium.
"After all, who better to help you keep control of the kingdom than us? We are the best in the business," pointed out Storm.
"From Las Pegasus to Manehattan, there is not a place in this land to which we cannot offer some sound advice about," concurred Shawarma.
Sunset did not hear it that way. Learning from experience in Japony to play the game of politics, she could see that beyond the good-natured appearance of the three nobles, they were just three hyenas who had come to take advantage of the opportunity to twist Twilight into a puppet. She, however, stood in their way to the throne. "Good morning to you, ladies and sire, imagine my euphoria at seeing you again, with the same panache as fifteen years ago," she said as she came down the ramp to block them.
The trio stopped their advance and bowed to the mare. "Miss Shimmer, I think I can speak for my companions when I say that this pleasure is shared."
Sunset noted the lack of surprise. "A short-lived pleasure I'm sure when I inform you that Princess Twilight appointed me lord high steward before your arrival."
The announcement shocked the trio, and soon, an unconcealed spiteful look turned to Blueblood. "This is your doing, I suppose," Adamantium said.
Blueblood was secretly amused by the accusation. "I would never advise anypony to give such responsibility to..." He glanced at Sunset with a half-assed attempt at disapproval. "...a mare who was conspicuously absent for the better part of two decades. The one responsible for that decision is Princess Twilight. That being said, despite my misgivings, I stand by her decision." A thin smile then began to form across his muzzle, spreading from ear to ear. "If any of you take issue with this, I'm sure the Princess would be more than happy to hear your input"
They immediately bowed to Twilight. "We shall revere the decisions of Princess Twilight, who no doubt derives her great wisdom from the lessons of her mentor, Princess Celestia. To the extent that we are assured that our presence is not required, we will take our leave. Princess, lord high steward, Prince."
"It would seem that the day you obtain the object of your desire will be the day the sun is raised from the south," said Sunset in a low voice.
Adamantium gave her a murderous look, but after some thought, he smirked. "If that was the only requirement, that day may come sooner than you think," he said before leaving the room with his peers.
Once the door closed, Twilight dared to speak. "What just happened?" she asked uncertainly.
Sunset returned to her seat. "You're not asking the right questions. Why do they seem to know me but are unsurprised by my presence? More importantly, if only a biteful of individuals, all sworn to secrecy, are aware of last night's events, how can they be aware this early?"
Twilight, after a moment's thought, responded. "Someone would have to have been spilling the beans?"
Blueblood smiled thinly. "There's nothing to sell when everything has already been bought."
Twilight and Sunset turned their attention to the prince. "What do you mean?" they asked in unison.
"You see, for almost eight hundred years now, the founding families have set out to buy Equestria back. While Princess Celestia has ruled the kingdom for centuries, generation after generation, the three families have built a financial empire within that kingdom."
"And the princess has done nothing to stop this?" asked Twilight bewildered.
"They're only owners, there's nothing wrong with that," commented the stallion.
Sunset understood Adamantium's point, he could undoubtedly pay all the unicorns in the kingdom just enough for them to agree to sacrifice a small amount of their magic in exchange for such a service. "That explains why you refused the regency, to avoid a civil war," Sunset said, her eyes crinkling.
Blueblood merely nodded in her direction, still smiling.
"I don't understand," Twilight said.
"If Blueblood were to become regent, Adamantium could raise the masses in insurrection due to him having more legitimacy to rule Equestria."
Twilight couldn't keep up, and it was glaringly obvious from how much she was missing from the words.
"What you don't know, Princess Twilight, is that Adamantium is the more direct descendant of Princess Platinum. I am only the child of the late second son of our grandfather."
With the last piece added to the puzzle, Twilight's reaction was immediate. "You're cousins?!"
Detective arrived back at the Equestria Daily headquarters. However, unlike the other times he had entered, he was greeted by a deafening silence, not even the receptionist was at her post. He didn't pay much attention to it, but when he entered the office, he found that no one was there either. The only proof that the building was still in use were the magical missives from all over Equestria, stored in the racks named after the cities they came from. "Where did they all go?" he wondered.
"They went to brunch, at the Princess' expense," Bitter Truth said from Detective's office.
When the pegasus came face to face with the unicorn, he began racking his brain as to what he should do. "Who are you?"
"I am Bitter Truth, an unofficial agent of Princess Celestia. I have come to entrust you with a mission," he said as he took the royal seal out of the inner pocket of his coat to back up his words.
Detective was doubtful. "And sending everypony that works here to brunch was necessary? You couldn't have given me a date?"
Bitter pocketed back the royal seal. "I prefer that those with whom I need to speak are unprepared for my arrival. Now that I have answered your questions, your mission will be to focus your next columns on Damoiselle Sunset Shimmer."
"The lord high steward? For what reasons?"
"The ponies need to know that the one who was under the tutelage of Princess Celestia before Princess Twilight has returned and will now watch over Equestria."
"Wait, what?"
"You were barely born at the time. I've taken the trouble to ease the job for you, writing up the outline of her past. Starting tomorrow, you'll publish a page of her biography every day, using my writings as source material for an interview."
"Why me? I'm just a columnist making a mockery of events to make everyone laugh."
"And in these troubled times with the disappearance of Princess Celestia, the ponies need to laugh more than ever before. So make them laugh, if you don't want to do it at my request, do it for her," he said as he gave him a frame that adorned the desk.
The picture was a simple autographed portrait of Celestia smiling as usual, offered to him by Celestia herself, during his first day of work.
<To my favourite columnist.
Keep making us all laugh.
Your first reader,
Princess Celestia.>
Detective did not breathe a word, repressing sobs and tears as he nodded, clutching the precious gift to his chest for comfort.
In the late afternoon, on the other side of Equestria, the two humans sat around the fire like statues.
Pepper's gaze was lost in the contemplation of the flames, her thoughts turning to the events of the day. First the case of Trixie, employed to follow her for three days. Then the case of Nightmare Moon, coming to ask her a question out of the blue as if someone had whispered the crazy idea of restoring Celestia to her. A pony with precognition? No, the assumption was too preposterous for so many reasons. With such ability, this pony could have, among other things, warned Celestia. But the princess's power, ridiculous as it was, was now her own, proof that this idea was most unsound. It was better to conclude that both events were a quirk of fate, and to think no more about it.
Gamine was equally disturbed by a detail she couldn't accept, so she hesitantly raised her attention to the only person who could give her some semblance of answers. "Pepper, about the call I felt the day I undertook the journey to the Badlands. Do you really think it was only from Aglowing Shell?"
"Yes," the Regicide replied confidently, abandoning her thoughts and contemplation of the flame to give it her full attention.
The young guardian stood up to protest. "But-"
"I am stopping you right there," Pepper said in an uncompromising tone. "You ask for my opinion, I will gladly give it to you, but I will not waste my time arguing that it seems illogical to you."
Gamine resumed her seat on the rock where she had been sitting. "So you're saying I should put this aside, continue my quest without worrying that the despair of a single child reached me, all the way across the kingdom?"
Pepper nodded. "Yes." It was then that she froze, alert. Over Gamine's shoulder, she had spotted a figure.
Puzzled, the teenager remained silent for a moment, sure that she was being stared at by her interlocutor who seemed so nervous, worrying her to no end. "What?!"
"Someone is approaching," she replied simply.
Terrified by the mere sight of Pepper more tense than a bowstring about to break, Gamine jumped when she felt a large presence behind her, which immediately placed a hand on her right shoulder. Trembling, she turned her head to see who was standing there, but was dazzled by a bright light. Blinded, she heard Kyndal's voice speaking to her in a soft voice, as if not to rush her.
<Gamine, wake up.>
The young guardian woke up from this repeated nightmare. The campfire had long since died, Trixie was also nowhere to be seen, and the sun was still high in the sky. Gamine tried to stand up, but the earth gave way under her hooves and she collapsed, gasping for breath. "What is happening?" she thought, distressed.
"The benefits of the flame have worn off, it will take a few days for my body to replace the lost blood." She paused briefly to think. "Let me have the body for a moment, I can infuse a small amount of the primordial life energy into the ring to keep my body healthy until then."
"About that, I was wondering, why didn't you go into the flame right away instead of telling me how to get there?" the latter asked as she let Pepper control the body.
Pepper cringed at the turn of phrase. "I felt myself fainting, so I thought I would give you the means to get there," she explained before opening a portal to her dimensional refuge. She walked through the portal painfully, becoming a mere human again, the ring falling to the ground as she revived, exposed to the flame.
"And you leave a stone there just in case you need it?"
"Without magic, I cannot move or destroy the stones that hide the entrance. The day I dug this hideout, I left myself a way to escape. Now if you are done with the questions, I would like to focus without being disturbed," she said in annoyance. Assured of the required silence, she gazed at the artefact for a moment, Gamine's word on her mind, dark memories came to her mind which she promptly dismissed with a sigh. Using her magic, she collected a tiny bit of flame, a glow in the palm of her hand no bigger than a pinhead, before infusing it into the gem of the ring.
"Will that be enough?" asked Gamine.
"More than enough," said Pepper as she turned back. Hoverver, halfway to the exit she stopped, glancing towards the doorway as she thought, she walked into the prison, to the third cell across the aisle, which was filled with magical accessories of all kinds.
"What are you looking for?"
Pepper turned her attention to Gamine, shooting her a look that didn't hide how much her patience was wearing thin.
"What?! I can't read your mind. I'd rather make sure you're not up to no good!" she said in her defence, returning an accusing look.
Pepper rolled her eyes, "I made a promise to Trixie, since I am here, I am preparing in case she can not open a portal."
Gamine noted a doorway that led even deeper into the darkness. "Is there anything else further down?"
Pepper collected an amulet adorned with a perfectly chiselled sapphire, which almost resembled the ornament used by the illusionist to attach her cloak. She weighed the pros and cons before answering. "Items that are a little too large to fit in these cells." She opened a small portal to the hiding place beneath the two sisters' castle and telekinetically deposited the amulet next to the toothpaste tube. "I am done with the preparations."
Gamine regained control of her body. "Aren't you planning anything in case Equestria wants to avenge Luna?" she asked as she headed for the exit.
"The only threat would be Twilight, do not give her time to use her artefacts on us and we will be fine. If there really is a way in Equestria to restore anyone, you can not afford for that to happen."
Gamine picked up the ring as she left the dimensional refuge, closing the portal behind her as she slipped the ring onto the base of her horn.
Trixie arrived at full speed, carrying various foodstuffs in a wicker basket, all provided by the bat ponies' camp. But when she saw Gamine standing there, she stopped her run, her hooves slipping on the still wet grass of the forest before stopping a few steps away from her, one eyebrow raised. "Pepper, are you up? I was sure you had anaemia."
"I'm not Pepper, but the other human Nightmare Moon revealed last night, my name is Gamine. This is the first time we've been able to talk so it's a pleasure to meet you, Trixie Lulamoon."
Trixie put the basket down, a little dazed by the statement. "Oh, I realise that now that you're talking, your tone of voice is softer. It's a shared pleasure."
"Now that the secret is out, I have no reason to pretend to be Pepper. At least with you, the changelings and the bat ponies. Tell me, what is anaemia?"
Pepper rolled her eyes at the question.
"Anaemia is defined as an abnormally low level of red haemoglobin. When ...you? were sleeping, I'm sure you had symptoms, so I went to the Moon Guard camp to get some food to help fix it. Cheese and hard-boiled eggs."
"How can I help her know?" Gamine wondered.
Pepper's attention was drawn to several concealed presences, from which there was no hostility emanating. "Focus your attention on Trixie, we are being watched, best to feign ignorance for now. I am left-handed and you are right-handed. That should be enough," she pointed out.
Gamine thought Pepper had a point. In the heat of the moment, it would be hard to notice this detail. "From now on it's mainly me who'll be there," she said before using her magic to manifest a hand on the end of her right forehoof to take a piece of gouda. "If Pepper or I ever need to inform you of a change, we'll gesture with our hooves, I'm right-handed. Pepper is left-handed," she said before beginning to consume the cheese.
"Her medical knowledge will probably be more useful than her prestidigitation skill, considering the mission ahead."
Gamine ignored the pragmatic comment. "How did you come to learn medicine, is it in case you get hurt on one of your trips between cities for your performances?"
"Did you hear what I said to Pepper yesterday?"
"Just like Pepper is hearing everything you're telling me right now. She says your knowledge of medicine is a great asset."
That was all it took to boost the illusionist's ego. "The Great and Powerful Trixie will do everything she can to help you." But it was short-lived. "To answer your question, when I was just a filly, I had an idol. Sunset Shimmer, the mare who stood next to Twilight yesterday. At the time she was a pupil of Princess Celestia. She studied a little bit of everything, medicine, law, history, heraldry, the list goes on and on, as if she was trying to learn everything possible. And having had the opportunity to read her notes, I became interested in a few subjects, particularly medicine and law."
"Yesterday was the first time I saw her. Ask where she has been all this time," said Pepper.
"Pepper said she'd never seen Sunset before, did she live somewhere else?" asked Gamine before peeling a hard-boiled egg to eat it in small bites.
"A few years later, in the middle of the school year, she was suddenly conspicuous by her absence. After several days without news, I went to see Princess Celestia. When I asked her about it, she told me that Sunset was no longer her student, nor a student of the school. I didn't ask about it because she could hardly keep a smile on her face. Even her family did not know where she had gone. For my part, I wanted to try to take medical classes, having a head start because of the notes I had read, it helped me stand out." She gave an embarrassed laugh. "That's how the other students started calling me the great and wonderful Trixie, it made me so happy personally. But after several years of study, I realised that medicine was too much responsibility. The idea that a mistake on my part could have serious consequences for others was too much for me, what I love is entertaining ponies, it is my special talent after all."
"Another student of Celestia? Seems like Sunset Shimmer is an extra danger you shall have to watch out for," noted Pepper.
"Thank you for that clarification Trixie. Getting back to the subject of anaemia, Pepper has enchanted this ring," Gamine stated, gesturing up to the ring around her horn. "The magic in the gem should keep the body healthy. However, thank you again for your intention."
"Trixie will have to try to open the portal I created, if she can not, that is where the amulet I put in the hiding place will be useful. It should give her the minimum amount of magical power needed to do so."
"The portal to the moon that Pepper created last night is the same type of portal that you asked her to create, because of this, she would like you to try to open the one in the camp."
"I'm not risking anything by trying, am I?" asked Trixie worriedly.
Gamine finished peeling another egg. "Of course not, it's only to make sure you can do it, if not she's already prepared an amulet that will allow you to do it."
Trixie's eyes widened. "Oh no no no no no," she shook her head. "I'll never use an amulet again, not after what I did with the alicorn amulet."
Gamine swallowed the half egg she had started to chew. "What happened?"
"I could no longer control myself, the power made me evil, so much so that following a duel of magic, I banished Twilight from Ponyville which I locked in a force field, and enslaved its inhabitants."
"For how long?" asked a startled Gamine.
"A whole afternoon," replied Trixie in shame.
"Wait for what? Half a day?" asked a puzzled Gamine.
"Yes," admitted Trixie.
Gamine was wary, she was about to bite into the second half of the egg but she wanted to back up an idea. "Was anypony badly hurt?"
"What? No, of course not. Why would you ask such a question?"
"I just want to fully understand the seriousness of your crime," pouted Gamine before finally gulping down the half egg and chewing it to give herself time to think.
"I do not know about you, but to me it is insignificant, but to the ponies of this realm, I suppose her crime is almost on a par with Chrysalis', in that the changelings who feed without consideration for their prey," commented Pepper.
A word from Kyndal came to Gamine's mind. "And you are sorry?"
"I am, yes."
"If my mother were here, she'd tell you, don't look back at the past and be sorry, face your future and become better," the young guardian smiled weakly.
"You don't understand. What I have done is serious. I should be in jail! A year I've been waiting for the law to come and put the irons on my hooves before throwing me in a cell to rot! But for some reason I can't understand, I'm still free."
"Oh, that I can explain," Nightmare Moon said with wings unfolded to make a point as she moved closer, pretending not to come out of hiding from where she had spied the conversation with Aglowing and Chitin following close behind. "After the delegation from Selludite Arabia had retired for the rest of the evening, Twilight told us her side of the story in its entirety. Whereupon, Celestia, as usual, under the pretext that this had allowed Twilight to learn a little more about the magic of friendship, decreed that this crime would not be prosecuted. Luna was not happy about this, but since it had taken place during the day, the princess of the night had no say in the matter. As a result, Celestia made sure to save some of the budget for her personal expenses, to compensate the ponies of Ponyville."
Trixie's guilt refused to leave her so simply. "I don't think I deserve-." Before she had time to finish her sentence, the unicorn was thrown onto her back by Nightmare Moon's telekinesis. The shock was as brutal for the body as the guilt of her crime was to her mind.
"Hear our word, my little pony, for we speak as the Herald of Celestia! For she is the Princess of Equestria, her goodness and generosity have dictated a sentence and her word is law!" Said the mare, striking the earth with her hoof. "We hereby declare that you are to live happily as any other pony in Equestria!" Again she struck the ground, acting on her word like a judge banging his gavel. "Under the gaze of the sun and moon, you shall devote the rest of your life to living by the talents that are yours." She struck her hoof again, the force making the illusionist flinch as she felt lightning strike not far from her. "Thou shalt not deny thyself the friendship and love of those whom thou shalt consider thy friends and the love of thy life, when in thy heart thou shalt recognize them as such!" She knocked. "And if by the greatest misfortune thou shalt have offspring, then devote the rest of thine life to making other ponies' foals happy!" she struck. "Thou are strictly forbidden to consider thine life worthless!" She knocked. "To live in the past!!" She struck. "Nor in regret!!!" She knocked, breathless, an unquenchable anger overwhelming her as she spoke. It took a few seconds for the alicorn to suppress it, regaining her composure while catching her breath, but eventually she continued, her tone much calmer now. "Have we made ourselves clear?"
"Y-yes." said Trixie tearfully.
"Very well. Now leave our sight until the sun is lowered," Nightmare Moon ordered, pointing with her hoof in the direction of the forest. "Our time is too valuable to waste on dispensing Celestia's words to a pony who is deaf to her generosity," she breathed.
Trixie trotted off without a second thought, holding back tears as she went.
Once she was gone, Nightmare Moon turned visibly concerned to Chitin. "I can not command you, changeling, but I would be grateful if you would agree to go watch over this pony from afar."
"Watch over my caesar in the meantime, we'll be even, monster," the warrior changeling said before leaving to follow Trixie.
"Was it really necessary to go through with this?" snapped Gamine, who had resisted the urge to intervene as best she could, trembling from the adrenaline rush.
"Oh yes, It was," Nightmare Moon replied as she pinned Aglowing against her chest with one hoof to share a hug. "And again, my first thought was to slap her face."
"What's a slap Moony?" the hybrid asked ,curious about the word she was hearing for the first time.
"That's exactly what I just did to her..." began Nightmare Moon while taking a piece of melting brie. "...but instead of hitting the ground, hitting her," she finished as she nestled the piece of cheese in the beak of the talkative magpie. "Quiet now," she growled with squinted eyes before turning her attention to Gamine. "Sometimes kindness is not enough. I knew a pony in the same case," she said, thinking back to Luna creating the Tantabus from scratch. "Based on the latter, I can assume what Trixie went through. After leaving Ponyville, everything was fine, but gradually the guilt ate away at her. According to her, she has been waiting a year for the punishment to come. She forbade herself to live happily. The other pony, not seeing the punishment coming, began to punish herself for the crimes she had committed. It is only a speculation, but Trixie might -or might not- have sought to punish herself afterwards. Yes, it was necessary to come to that."
"And if it was not enough?" asked Gamine.
"As long as she's going to guide you to Starlight Glimmer, you'll be by her side during the trip, you can watch over her, help her if the need arises. Now, if you're done, I want to talk to Pepper, give her back control."
"How do you know it wasn't Pepper, Moony?" the child asked.
"Just look in her eyes, it's not hard to tell the difference." She smirked. "It's like night and day," she said, repeating Pepper's words during her first conversation with Luna.
"Did you tell her?" noted Pepper, who followed the child's gaze as she leaned on her chest to get out of the hug and come to check if Pepper's gaze was so different.
"It was simple to explain in that I was able to use Chrysalis and myself as an example of your situation. Aglowing let me know that you refused to be her friend, would you be so kind as to express the reason for that?"
Aglowing didn't see much difference, but she had only been around Gamine for a few moments, and during that brief pause, she had her attention riveted on her friend.
"Because I did not want to have to deal with your legendary jealousy," said Pepper flatly.
"There is merit in your reasoning, but you forgot my legendary anger in the rush. Also, for making her cry, you will make amends by agreeing to be her friend and promising to watch over her as long as you remain in Equestria."
"Why me? There is a guardian not far away who would be happy to look after her."
"I don't want the protection of a guardian! I want the protection of a monster willing to destroy what little harmony is left in Equestria to protect my friend, Pepper! You will assure me that from now on you will watch over Aglowing in this way!" the thousand-year-old mare raged.
Aglowing tried to be intimidating. "You'd better agree or I'll give you the Fluttershy eye!" she said with a frown that only made her look cuter.
"She wants to leave this world with peace of mind. And apart from the changelings, she sees you as the only viable alternative," deciphered Gamine.
"Obviously I do not have much of a choice," sighed Pepper, feigning duress. "I vow to protect our mutual friend. I will think of a way to make sure she remains safe as I go to see this Starlight Trixie told us about."
Nightmare Moon hid her relief in a sigh of satisfaction. "Well, you do that, in the meantime I'll go rest. I will meet you back at the camp and we'll go to the Moon once Gamine has lifted it into the sky," she said before leaving, Aglowing trotting after her.
> Chapter 17
From the observation tower of Canterlot Castle, Twilight watched, with her horn alight with magic, as the sun and moon switched places in the Equestrian sky. Despite there being no pony there to witness it, she still went to the effort of putting on a convincing performance of carrying out Luna's duties. As per the advice of Blueblood and Sunset, maintaining the deception was paramount.
As she observed the silent dance of the celestial bodies, there was an almost surreal quality to it. Despite how much thought she put into discerning Pepper's motivations regarding maintaining the cycle of day and night, the answer still eluded her. In all fairness, though, she had only had a single genuine conversation with her. Reflecting on that, however, seemed to have a more straightforward answer. Whenever she had gotten the chance before Pepper had become a regicide, she'd bombarded her with countless questions about her dimensional magic. It would be more surprising if Pepper had not taken steps to try to avoid her.
The most likely answer Twilight had come up with that explained Pepper's behaviour was that she understood that without Luna, no pony but her could take on this duty.
For a moment, she considered contacting Pepper via parchment, but quickly dismissed the idea. Despite the smouldering pit of curiosity that resided within her, Bitter Truth's foresight prevented her from doing so. To avoid any more casualties, it was best not to reach Pepper .
With her performance completed, Twilight turned around and proceeded towards her room in the castle, hoping as she walked that her dreams would be a place of respite tonight.
Meanwhile, in the adjacent service corridors, Sunset quietly stalked. Peering into the darkness as her hooves gracefully carried her, Sunset eventually found the one she was looking for.
Standing by a window, Reynaud professionally, but pointedly, pocketed a simple but elegant pocket watch. "Punctual," he muttered.
Sunset scanned the area, confident that her and Reynaud were alone. She approached him, speaking in a low voice. "Good evening, Reynaud."
"Good evening, Miss Shimmer," he greeted, fixing his calm, electric blue gaze on her.
"I need you to bring me every available file on everyone, pony or otherwise, that's even tangentially interacted with Pepper Chilly," she said.
Reynaud considered the request. "That represents a significant number of files. What are you hoping to find?"
"Mainly information. The situation is evolving, and we're getting short on time. I need to know whatever might be useful."
"I understand. So, everything we have on the changelings, the bat ponies, and Trixie Lulamoon." He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Do you also want the files on the princesses and their close entourage?"
The question shook Sunset. The idea of prying into the private lives of her friends--Twilight, Luna, and Celestia--felt like a violation of the highest order. However, if it could give her an advantage, she couldn't afford to eschew any information she might end up needing. "Yes."
"Understood."
Gamine turned to Trixie. "Ready to go?"
Trixie had finished burying the previous night's campfire to prevent any potential fire outbreaks after their departure. "Trixie is ready," she said, securing her travel saddle onto her back.
The two unicorns approached the bat pony camp, and as they were about to leave the forest, an unusual scene unfolded before them. Chitin and Aglowing stood facing the freshly awakened changelings. There were fifty of them, one warrior for every four workers, and, at a signal from Chitin, all of them save for Chitin and Aglowing set off to the north.
"Why are the changelings heading towards Equestria?" Gamine asked.
"Eating, waiting, and wandering aimlessly wouldn't have been good for their morale, so I told them to build burrows in the major cities of Equestria," Chitin explained. "To put it simply, they'll blend into the crowd, pretending to be ponies, and survive until they are retrieved." They then turned their gaze to the guardian. "Nothing reprehensible. At the very least, it will keep them occupied during the queen's absence."
The guardian couldn't help but worry. "Will everything be okay for them?"
Chitin smirked at the question. "The workers and warriors of the hive, much like our queen, are almost as old as Equestria itself. This distraction will be a piece of cake." They then turned around and walked toward the camp. "If your preparations are ready, they're waiting for us."
The two mares, the changeling, and the young hybrid returned to what remained of the military encampment. Almost entirely dismantled, with only the command tent still standing. The flattened squares of grass, the upturned earth surrounded by stones, and the scorched areas where the campfires had been were the only proof of the recent occupation.
"The moon is still in one piece; that deserves congratulations, guardian." Nightmare Moon said as the group of ponies and changelings approached, with Aglowing in the lead. "Jokes aside, I need to talk to Pepper."
Gamine let Pepper take back control of the body. "What business do you have with me?"
"Setting aside the surprise of your sudden generosity, a question occurred to me. This portal you created yesterday. Is there a limit to its use? What about the risk of dimensional travellers appearing by riding the ripple straight to us?"
"I perfected my ability to conceal my anchor points a few years ago thanks to a creature that was hypersensitive to them. I will use the example of throwing a stone into water to help you visualise it. Even if I reduce the stone to the size of a grain of sand, it will still create ripples. My first piece of advice would be to use it only as a last resort. My second would be to use this portal irregularly. Daily and prolonged use could be detrimental. That being said, considering the concentration of magic in this dimension, the chances of that happening are even smaller than using the dimensional mirror."
"Very well. What about Aglowing's protection?"
"I have gone over my possessions, and I have nothing to protect her with while Gamine goes to meet Starlight Glimmer. I can leave her with a means to create a temporary anchor point, but to protect her until I arrive, she will need an artefact that meets your expectations."
Nightmare Moon was somewhat conflicted by this bit of information. "Are you planning to crystallise some of your magic and give it to her?"
"And all that it entails," confirmed Pepper.
Nightmare Moon burst into laughter. "When I said I wanted someone ready to destroy harmony to protect Aglowing, I didn't imagine you would rise to meet that," the queen said. "For the artefact, Dweomer Carver is the vampony to consult. But she won't be available until after the royal summon."
"What do we do in the meantime?" Pepper asked.
"You can visit Broncoliande; one of the shadowbolts will stay with you to make sure none of you have any trouble."
"If that is all, Trixie will attempt to open the portal. I need to know if she is capable of it."
"I have nothing more to add," confirmed Nightmare Moon.
"Trixie?" Pepper said, turning her gaze to the illusionist as she concentrated her magic to take on her hybrid form.
As Trixie stepped forward to attempt opening the portal, Pepper created two portals in the hollow of her hands and raised them to the sides of her horn while projecting raw magic from it, applying constant pressure with one portal and intense heat with the other. It didn't take long for a small crystal, no bigger than a hazelnut, to take shape. Pepper applied four protective seals before handing it to Nightmare Moon. "Break the crystal when you are done on your end, and I will open a portal to come directly to you."
Before the alicorn had the chance to ignite her horn or extend a hoof, Chitin seized the crystal. "I will take care of this. I must make myself useful while I watch over my queen," the warrior changeling said, examining the artefact. "Any precautions to be aware of?" they asked, looking up at Pepper.
Pepper briefly considered the presence of the child as she reverted to her unicorn form. "It would be truly malicious to offer it pretending it was candy. That being said, anyone could break it with the flat of both hooves without any risk. Except for the surprise of the dome that will form to secure the space occupied when I open the portal, there shouldn't pose any risk."
Chitin read between the lines. "I'll keep that in mind."
"Pepper?" Trixie said embarrassed. "I can't do it."
"It requires a certain magical power, few unicorns would be able to manage it," Pepper said before her attention was drawn to her left.
Dusty Nova openly laughed at hearing Trixie admit to her ineptitude.
"What is so funny?" Pepper inquired in a neutral tone.
"The unicorns of Equestria are truly inferior creatures when it comes to magic. They cannot measure up to vamponies," Dusty explained with a slightly haughty smile.
Pepper considered the appropriate response.
Nightmare Moon spotted what Luna and she had nicknamed 'Pepper's 1.2.3.' The mare preferred to prevent rather than cure. "Pepper, I need her for the royal summons."
"It will only take a moment," she said as she got up to approach Dusty. "So you say the unicorns of Equestria are not up to par with vamponies?" She pretended to ponder these words. "Would they be insects in your eyes?"
"A fitting comparison for that bunch of good-for-nothings. The ones I have encountered in Canterlot can barely use telekinesis. And even then, it is to lift a teacup to their noble lips. Laughable."
Pepper let out a polite laugh. "Indeed laughable." She briefly opened a portal to her hideout to pull a candy through it.
Dusty's eyes widened. "What was that?"
"This?" Pepper innocently presented the candy. "A mint and licorice candy." She casually opened the portal again to grab another candy and offer it to Dusty. "Do you want one?"
"I do not care about that, I am talking about the magic that opens a path to another place. What is it?"
"The magic of planeswalkers? Oh, it is a magic that can be used when you have a certain magical power. It allows you to visit other worlds, other dimensions. I am surprised you are not aware; only an insect would not be aware of this magic," Pepper replied. She paused, briefly reopening the portal a third time in front of Dusty's nose to put back the second candy. "It seems that in the end, you looked down on others, but you were just an insect like the rest, sitting on a grain of sand," she said, turning her back on Dusty to join Trixie.
Trying to salvage what remained of her dignity, Dusty armed herself with her finest hypocrisy. "I spent my life training; unlike you, I wasn't endowed with that power from birth!"
As Dusty's words echoed in her mind, Pepper felt the maelstrom of her past clawing its way to the surface once more. "Easy?" she spit between her teeth, her voice quivering as images of chaos and brutality flooded her consciousness. The sight of hands drenched in the lifeblood of her first victim burned into her very soul. A cascade of fragmented scenes assaulted her senses. With each recollection, a part of her humanity slipped away, consumed by the fiery grip of her rising fury.
The air around her crackled with an otherworldly energy, practically resonating with the anger churning within. Swirling clouds began to veil the once-starry expanse above her, mirroring the turmoil within her soul, their roiling mass poised to unleash a devastating symphony of thunder and lightning upon the unsuspecting world.
Her breaths grew shallow as the memories intensified. Her oath towards the everlasting flame. The stench of blood filling her nostrils, echoes of Pepper's foes' final moments reverberating in her mind, the laugh of the dying High Priestess resonating across the scarred landscapes and into the far distance
Mentally rebuilding a wall to seal away her past for the time being, Pepper steadied her resolve, meeting Gamine's gaze with the same determination burning coldly in her eyes. "No more death," she promised. She then glared at Dusty.
Nightmare Moon preferred to stop the problem before it started. "Pepper, I need her for the royal summon."
Pepper's eyes, filled with cold anger, briefly rolled to stare at Nightmare Moon, nodding at her. "Easy," she spat again, her voice strained with the weight of her past as she glared back at Dusty.
The vampony lowered her gaze. She felt a static field pass through her and heard the regicide drawing near. She tried to conjure a magical shield for protection, but nothing came. Attempting to flee, she stepped back, but she bumped into a magic wall.
Pepper walked through the troop of soldiers that had not moved since a signal from Nightmare Moon. "This magic is called dimensional territory, a domain that imposes my rules on those who do not have the magical power to escape it. And I do not permit you to use magic. I do not allow you to leave my domain. You still have a shred of dignity; face me."
Rendered powerless, Dusty remained prostrated, her gaze fixed on a blade of grass, trembling with all her being.
"You speak without knowing," she said without raising her voice when she reached Dusty, her calm tone contrasting the primal fury emanating from her. "You have no idea of what I endured. You can not fathom how many corpses I have left in my wake, how many times I avoided the cold grip of death myself," she explained. "At first, I just wanted to put you in your place; there is always someone more powerful than oneself. I myself know of entities that, even now, surpass me. But this lesson clearly was not enough for you. Now, consider yourself warned. Twice already, you have irritated me, but Nightmare Moon needs you. From now on, you had better be quiet in my presence." She leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I doubt Nightmare Moon will have such a need for you to be alive next time," she assured.
"I won't let you harm her, Pepper," said Gamine.
"I know that. She does not, though," Pepper pointed out.
"Oh." The guardian realised the threat's true purpose and fell into silence.
Pepper turned away from Dusty, cancelling the dimensional territory as easily as it had been created. Her attention was drawn to the clouds rumbling in echo of her emotions. "Out of my sight," she thought, giving them a cold glance, and almost instantaneously, the clouds dispersed to reveal the starry night. Exhaling through her nostrils to refocus, Pepper continued to approach Trixie.
"Are you done?" mocked Nightmare Moon.
"That does not depend on me," Pepper said, glancing at Dusty while opening the portal again to retrieve the amulet and offer it to Trixie. "Here, the amulet."
Trixie concentrated her magic to take the artefact, but stopped abruptly after a moment of hesitation. "Before that, I want to know one thing. Am I an insect in your eyes?"
Pepper took the question with a long exhale, not out of boredom, but due to its depths from her perspective. "I was born without any magical power; my race is closer to pegasi than unicorns. I know the feeling of vulnerability and weakness. Even now, these feelings torment me. I would not dare to label you as such," she said, pressing the artefact against Trixie's torso.
Trixie didn't grab it, and when Pepper removed her hoof, the amulet fell on the ground.
Nightmare Moon twitched. "Pegasi? Humans are more like earth ponies."
That elicited a brief smile from Pepper. "I am not human, but it is better to pretend to be a human than to risk revealing I am a Dis Astro."
"Dis Astro? That sounds like the word 'disaster'," pointed out Chitin.
"You should not know that word," answered Pepper, discreetly pointing with the tip of her nose toward Nightmare Moon.
Chitin remembered the conversation from the previous day. They understood that it was the guardian who had lived with the two sisters long ago, if that word and its meaning was known in this world.
The alicorn had finished recalling the language from another world. "Bad Star?"
"That is a literal interpretation, but the prefix is there to signify deprivation, in relation to my hereditary ability. Those who deprive the sky of stars," she corrected.
"Pepper, about your amulet," Trixie began, plagued by her fears.
Pepper cut her off. "Trixie, first, it is your amulet now. I chose it because it will give you just enough power to open one of my portals once a day. Second, if you do not want it..." She looked around until she found what she was looking for. "There is a rock over there."
Trixie furrowed her brows, looked at the said rock, then at the amulet, then at Pepper. "So, you want me to destroy it?"
"Exactly. I gave it to you; it is a gift, and I will not take it back. You do not want it? Then destroy the amulet; it has no value to me." She turned her attention to the guardian. "Gamine, take control," she said aloud.
Left facing the fait accompli, Trixie was so frustrated that she grumbled under her breath. "Trixie is not the kind of pony to reject a gift," she declared as she swapped the gems on her cape clasp. She placed her right hoof on the gem, drawing the power stored within it. The power surged through her and into her horn, and Trixie finally activated the portal.
Nightmare Moon went through first.
Gamine kept the portal open.
The bat ponies followed suit. Following orders, Regal Blade and the rest of the army returned to the barracks. Swift Chess, Dusty Nova, and Dauntless Halberd, meanwhile, went to see the primogens of their respective lineages. A Shadowbolt was sent to summon the last of them.
Aglowing took her sword and crossed the portal, with Gamine and Trixie following behind her.
On the other side, Nightmare Moon stopped Gamine. "Stay close to the portal, Guardian," she commanded.
"Why?" asked Gamine.
"We can't leave the other side of the portal unattended. You'll open the portal if the vampony cannot manage it."
Gamine stopped fuelling the portal and waited.
A few minutes later, Regal returned with some bat ponies and a vampony. The small group saluted their queen.
"Well, Regal, go and inform your father that his presence is required in the throne room."
The major saluted Nightmare Moon and headed towards the ancestral home of her lineage.
Nightmare Moon then turned her attention to her soldiers. "Your orders are simple. You will guard the other side of the portal. An officer will join you after I have talked with the primogens. Tomorrow, during the day, you will use the tent to hide the framework used for the portal and guard it until the unicorn present here lowers the sun and raises the moon." She gestured towards Gamine as she said this last part, not feeling the need to clarify that it was not Pepper who was currently in control.
The contingent knew who the Regicide was, and they briefly observed Gamine, keeping their expressions neutral, before looking back at Nightmare Moon.
She continued, "In the large tent, there are provisions for you. Be ready for the first hour of the night; your presence is required for my speech. Wagons will come to repatriate you. Equestria is not aware of the portal; it is not a strategic point, so the danger is minimal. If the situation demands it, you shall pass through the portal immediately. Leave no one behind. Am I clear?"
"Yes, my queen!" the soldiers replied.
"Vampony, open the portal; the rest of you, pass as soon as you see the other side."
And it was done, but not without difficulty.
"Well, now, I will be quite busy. Aglowing, stay with Gamine and Trixie. Chitin will shatter the crystal as soon as I am done with my succession. Go for a walk in the city, or stay around the castle, as you please."
Aglowing could only comply with the request.
With a Shadowbolt in tow, the small group left the castle grounds.
Trixie made sure the queen had entered the castle before turning to Gamine, her brows furrowed. "Why did Nightmare Moon say that Pepper's crystallised magic could destroy harmony?"
"My crystallised magic allows me to create a dimensional anchor but also becomes a rudimentary artefact granting the ability to control the sun," Pepper murmured to Gamine.
"Oh." Gamine hadn't considered that. "Pepper says her crystallised magic also allows any magic wielder to control the sun."
Trixie was shocked to hear that. "She plans to entrust such power to a filly?!"
"In the event that Luna and I were to die, it would be fitting to leave such power available to a creature like Aglowing Shell, but I fully intend to instruct her to entrust it to Twilight if she is not ready for such a responsibility," Pepper said.
"I'm a Cæsar!" Aglowing exclaimed.
"What's a Cæsar?" Trixie asked.
"It's a royal title. It means queen with the heart of a princess!" Aglowing said.
"I've never heard of that title before."
"That's because I am the first of my kind!"
Before Trixie could retort, Gamine placed a hoof in front of Aglowing to halt the conversation. "Trixie, if Pepper trusts Aglowing, we must trust her judgement."
Trixie sighed. "Alright." As they left the castle grounds,the sight that greeted Trixie shocked her. The grand spires and intricate architecture was an exact copy of Canterlot's, but every structure shimmered with a metallic sheen. It was as though the entire city had been meticulously crafted from polished metal, casting a surreal and awe-inspiring atmosphere that perplexed the mind.
"Whoa~!" Aglowing exclaimed.
Trixie turned her attention to the child. Upon doing so, she saw that the tiny hybrid was staring off into the sky, and when she followed her gaze, she saw for the first time her homeworld spread out before her in the infinite space. It appeared like an expansive, unrolled map, revealing, on its left, the distinct regions of Equestria. Separated by the Sparkling Sea, with its crystalline waters, she could make out the Kingdom of the Griffons, with its rugged lands with towering cliffs. South of there, she noticed the fiery, mountainous landscapes of active volcanoes and treacherous terrain that made up the Dragon Lands. And farther beyond on the right laid lands and kingdoms Trixie had only learned about in a book, years ago. She found herself captivated by the sheer spectacle of the world before her. "Whoa."
In the throne room, an exact replica of the one in Canterlot, Nightmare Moon sat on her throne, with the shadowbolt Nebula standing between her and Chitin.
The doors opened to let in a small group of bat ponies and vamponies.
Regal Blade was preceded by his father, Lethal Weapon. The weight of his responsibilities as the royal assassin had visibly aged his stern countenance into a perpetual scowl, with an almost washed-out, sleek grey mane framing his brooding expression. As he walked, his penetrating, almost hawkish eyes subtly flicked every so often to random sections of the room.
Behind them, Swift Chess followed his father, Fools Mate. The old bat pony's mane was styled the same way it always was, unruly and only just within acceptable standards for meeting with the queen. That being said, his dishevelled locks did carry an air of controlled chaos to them, and despite the eccentric condition of his mane and the casualness of his gait, his eyes held a focus and clarity almost equal to that of Lethal Weapon. At a glance, it was hard to tell if Fools Mate genuinely skirted the line between genius and insanity or if he was simply using that line as a jump rope.
Next came Lenmeyer, mother of Dweomer Carver, aunt of Dusty Nova, and the primogen of the vamponies. Her magical prowess was second only to Nightmare Moon's in all of Broncoliande. Her blue and black mane and tail exhibited subtle movements, hinting at her magical talents. The faint iridescence complementing her dignified aura.
Behind her was Dauntless Knight and his mother, Steel Citadel, head of the army. Steel Citadel's dark golden mane was styled in its typical fashion; voluminous, swept-back, and meticulously done, with not a single strand out of place. While seemingly relaxed at first glance, Steel moved with a soldier's grace, each step controlled and deceptively solid.
Finally, Tricky Delivery and her son Trusty Supply brought up the rear. Tricky's mane was fashioned into a sleek and efficient pixie cut, a length she found ideal for minimising the maintenance she would need to do as well as keep it out of her way.
After they bowed to greet her, Nightmare Moon spoke. "Regal Blade, Swift Cheese, step forward before the primogens. Regal Blade, recount the important events of last night. Swift, repeat what you announced to the Equestrian diplomat. None of you should turn to me for answers to any questions. Now that everything has been said, I will not speak again until the situation is resolved."
After giving her a shallow nod, Regal Blade turned to the others and spoke. "Last night, our queen was forced to stand as a shield between Princess Luna and the changelings, and to reveal where the allegiance of the Lunar Empire lies. Just as we were about to achieve a perfect victory, Princess Luna destroyed her creation, the Tantabus, a body our queen was temporarily borrowing."
This announcement caused confusion and tumult in the assembly.
Regal Blade continued. "Our queen is still among us though, solely thanks to the actions of an entity known as Gamine, currently controlling the body of the regicide Pepper, combined with the assistance of Queen Chrysalis, who lends her body to our queen for a limited time. That is why the warrior Chitin stands behind me, to ensure that this is respected. And it is our queen's will to honour this commitment."
Swift added, "Since last night, at the request of our queen, I went to Canterlot to have Princess Luna treated. Because of the injuries inflicted by Queen Chrysalis, she is not in a condition to perform any of her duties. Gamine is currently taking care of that. Additionally, at the request of our queen, I officially declared the secession of the Lunar Empire to the Equestrian diplomat, Prince Blueblood to be precise. Henceforth, we are no longer affiliated with Equestria."
Regal Blade resumed speaking. "Our queen wants you to designate, without her assistance, who will succeed her. She will declare your choice to the Empire as her own to legitimise it in the eyes of all."
Of those present, only Dusty Nova saw this as an opportunity.
For the primogens, the idea of leading the kingdom was not the most appealing. Apart from Fools Mate, who was lost in thought, all their gazes turned to Lethal Weapon.
The old bat pony noted the attention he was receiving. "Are you considering appointing me to succeed our queen?" He let out a thoughtful sigh. "A logical choice, I suppose. If that's your decision, I can only resign myself to it."
"It's my choice," said Steel.
"Mine as well," added Tricky.
"There is no better candidate than the former lieutenant of our queen," emphasised Lenmeyer.
Lethal or another, in the end, Fools didn't see much of a difference, as such, he conformed to the majority. "I agree."
Nightmare Moon spoke again. "Very well. After the succession ceremony, you will need to contact Prince Blueblood as soon as possible to sign a non-aggression pact."
Lethal did not see the situation from this perspective. "My Queen, with all due respect, after the assassination attempt on your royal person, it is out of the question to let this crime go unpunished. Am I the only one demanding vengeance?"
The primogens stamped their hooves. "Vengeance! Vengeance!"
"One way or another, Princess Luna will pay for her crime," said Lethal.
Regal Blade turned to Nightmare Moon.
It was not difficult for the alicorn to understand what was going on in the bat pony's mind. "Regal, the purpose of this meeting is to choose my successor; I am here only through extraordinary circumstances. Your father at least has the merit of being straightforward about his intentions. If you think he is mistaken, it's not to me that you should turn."
Regal Blade was almost alone against everyone. A small nod from Swift as they met each other's gaze gave her the encouragement she needed. She turned to her father. "Primogens! Vengeance will bring nothing. Setting Equestria ablaze will bring nothing to Broncoliande. Nor will killing Princess Luna."
Lethal slowly tilted as he stared at his daughter. "You want this crime to go unpunished?"
"I want to break the chain of violence! Our queen risked her life to protect Chrysalis and her child. Changelings feed on the love of ponies. If Broncoliande starts attacking Equestria, the ponies will be stressed, trying to prepare for the next attack, and the changelings will suffer if they do not try to counter you themselves."
Chitin was a bit impressed that Regal had been this thoughtful, accurately evaluating the current state of affairs.
"If you are crowned as the successor, I will go and inform Princess Twilight about your intentions!"
"Are you really considering siding with Princess Twilight over me, your father?"
"I have already seen the horror of a one-sided war. So yes, I have every reason to ally with Princess Twilight!"
Lethal was amused by his daughter's perspective on the situation. "Regal, for four years, you carried your late sister's name. And I find it hard to believe that if her murderers were standing before you now, you would be capable of holding the same stance."
Regal lowered her head. "You are right." She took a deep breath, held it for four seconds, and exhaled. "Since Antares' death, I have wandered in the darkness, like a foolish filly chasing after my dreams..."
<You have the chance to be free in your choices,>
She straightened up, proud and upright, meeting her father's gaze. "...But beyond death, Antares has called upon me to awaken. Beyond death, she wishes to see me live a life that will leave me with no regrets when it's time for me to join her..."
<Do what is right,>
"...In this place where she took her last breath, I even feel as though I can hear her last words." With that, she bit down on the hilt of her sheath to draw her sword and spread her wings in defiance. "You'll have to trample my dead body to reach your goal!"
The echo of her ultimatum rumbled like thunder, while her posture left no room to misconstrue that she was fully prepared to strike her father should he dare take a step forward.
Time stood still. Nightmare Moon watched the scene unfold before her, forbidding herself from intervening. Her attention was drawn to Chitin, noticing the warrior moving in the corner of her eye.
The changeling had left Pepper's crystallised magic on the ground, their focus now on Swift and Regal. Their eyes shifted upon Quiet Nebula's sword, as Chitin considered the option of stealing it, only then did they realise Nightmare Moon was watching them. They froze and returned her gaze.
"Shadowbolt, whatever happens, I forbid you to act," Nightmare Moon ordered, turning her gaze away from Chitin to observe the disagreement between father and daughter.
Chitin dared to believe that Nightmare Moon was implicitly giving her consent to come to the aid of the duo and armed themself, glaring back at the crowd.
Those words echoed, and almost all eyes -except Regal and Lethal- briefly focused on Nightmare Moon, before noticing the changeling ready to give some weight to Regal's words.
Seeing this, Swift realised how shortsighted he was being, and his thoughts started racing. His eyes slipped down to the artefact on the ground.
Noticing that, Chitin hid it with a foreleg, weakly shaking their head to Swift.
Swift looked back at the primogens. Chitin was right. To request Pepper's help would only be a temporary solution, the primogens had to be convinced through words and convictions. Swift realised his convictions were not fitting his long term goal. Even if Antares released him from his promise, he refused to stop protecting Regal. But to protect Regal was not enough. Regal would not be safe if a war broke out between Broncoliande and Equestria. To protect Regal, there was the implied need to protect ... Harmony. He felt a warmth burning in his chest as he embraced this new resolve, ready to support his friend.
Shocked, but no less happy about what he'd just witnessed, Fools Mate intervened with a mischievous grin. "Lethal, may I have a conversation with the other primogens and you? In private, if Lenmeyer would be so kind as to lend us her assistance."
All were taken aback by the old bat pony's request. The primogens excused themselves to Nightmare Moon with a suitable bow before isolating themselves with a magical soundproof bubble created by Lenmeyer. The last exchanged glare between Lethal and Regal haunted the latter, realising only now the consequences of her actions. She was startled when Swift placed a hoof on her shoulder.
"My father is all smiles, congratulations, brace yourself for the worst," Swift teased, before turning his attention to the primogens.
Dauntless approached the duo. "You're crazy, Regal," he whispered. "Opposing your primogen is a sure way to be disowned, but now, your father has been chosen to succeed our queen!"
"I'd rather be crazy than blindly follow my father. If we follow him, Equestria won't be able to put up any resistance, but by doing so, Dauntless, we would be stooping to the same level as the self-proclaimed king who made the Crystal Kingdom the first stone of his empire."
"In that case, you're both crazy and stupid," Dusty remarked. "By defying your father here and now, you're ruining the only chance of leaving this room alive."
"Just like my father, I'm honest about my intentions. I'm a soldier to the core, I confront the enemy head-on."
Swift seemed to have a hypothesis about what was going on in his father's mind. "I guess I'll have to compensate for your stupidity, then," he said, turning to face the primogens.
After careful consideration, Dauntless stepped up to face the primogens, next to Regal.
"Dauntless, you don't have to--"
The stallion let out a discreet, amused laugh. "Oh yes, I've made so much money betting on you, I need you alive to secure my old age." He regained his composure. "Moreover, you are right. I'm a soldier, I have trained to defend my life on a battlefield, not to go after feeble ponies. It is by the order of our Queen that Princess Luna was sent back to Canterlot. Because despite her crime, she remains necessary."
Trusty followed suit. "I made some friends in Equestria, and if our Queen really gave the order, I have no desire to face them."
Dwoemer turned to Dusty. "Are you joining them?"
Dusty grimaced as she stepped back. "Oppose the will of the primogens? Never!" She immediately raised an eyebrow upon seeing Dwoemer take her place among the small group however. "What are you doing?"
Dwoemer shrugged. "You always make the wrong choices," she said, facing her cousin.
A spark of agitation shot through Dusty's frame, but she composed herself before clicking her tongue. "Riiiiiiiight, we'll talk about it after this meeting."
The primogens exchanged their opinions. Lethal seemed worried, and Fools chuckled while the other primogens remained mostly silent, nodding along to something one of the two bat ponies stated, apparently their doubts dispelled. Towards the end, Lethal spoke, and everyone nodded. Only then did Lenmeyer break the bubble, and they returned before the throne.
"What's going on here?" asked Lethal.
"We all oppose your desire for vengeance, father," replied Regal.
"Following Fools' advice, I will be lenient, and I will give you a chance to falter in your decision," threatened Lethal.
"None of your words will change my mind, father! I have just departed from the path my sister was on; so I certainly have no intention of following the path dictated by my primogen!" Regal tore off the insignia that affiliated her with her family, publicly disavowing the ties she had with them. "And I have an even smaller desire to allow you the opportunity to humiliate me for my choices, Sir Lethal! From now on, I will follow my own path!"
As Regal Blade finished her sentence, every creature in the room was taken aback, their expressions ranging from gasps of surprise to looks of awe and admiration, as they again bore witness to another oddity of this night.
Fools chuckled. "I didn't anticipate this, but you have to admit that it perfectly aligns with my proposal," he said, looking at the other primogens. Delighted to have been right, he bowed. "My Queen, I wish to revise my decision."
Regal raised an eyebrow.
Tricky, Lenmeyer, Steel and Lethal expressed the same desire one after another, bowing.
Regal frowned.
Lethal bowed last. "My Queen, it is clear that I am not worthy to succeed you. I speak on behalf of all the Primogens when I say that we have decided that Regal Blade is the one to whom the future of Broncoliande should be entrusted."
Regal, taken aback by this turn of events, stepped back. "W-what?"
"Is this your final choice? I will not let you change your mind a second time," said Nightmare Moon.
The primogens stamped their hooves.
Insecure, Regal Blade turned to Nightmare Moon. "My Queen! You cannot approve such a choice; I wouldn't know how to lead your kingdom!"
Nightmare Moon had a subtle smile etched on her muzzle. "Regal, do you really think I had any knowledge of such matters when Celestia and I were asked to be the princesses of Equestria?"
"How could your subjects respect me as your successor? I... I don't even have a cutie mark!"
Nightmare Moon grinned and deflected that argument again. "Celestia and I got our cutie marks many years after our coronation, on the day we raised the sun and the moon for the first time. It's true that, for a time, Princess Platinum looked down on us, but I made it clear to her that I wasn't a pony to be mocked with impunity. I have no worries about you in that regard. Moreover, you won't start your reign with the same disadvantage."
The bat pony was too focused on defending her stance that she hadn't noticed what had just happened to her. Her cutie mark had appeared: the moon, protected by a claymore in front and a sword behind. It wasn't until this development was pointed out to her and she turned her head to confirm this that she became aware. Emotions swirled within her, and the joy that now filled her eyes overflowed in the form of tears.
"That's a promotion from pawn if I ever saw one," Swift said, nudging Regal.
Overwhelmed by her emotions, Regal shed a tear as she breathed out a nervous laugh. "Moron."
"Boy, that's two promotions in my book," said Fools Mate.
Swift and Regal were confused at first, but upon inspection, Swift had also gained a Cutie Mark, a tower protecting a crown set with six jewels.
"Took you long enough," mocked Regal.
"You're one to talk," pointed out Swift.
"Lady Regal," said Tricky Delivery. "Sorry to disturb but we have less than a month's worth of rations left for Broncoliande. How will we feed our people when the granaries are empty?"
Taking a deep breath, Regal suppressed her tears; it was not the time for celebrations. "How did we manage before?"
"Equestria used to deliver shipments every months," Tricky replied.
"But the treaty between the two sisters relied only on Luna and me. Now nothing can justify such a gesture from Equestria," said Nightmare Moon.
Regal Blade turned to the queen. "My Queen, what is the treaty between the two sisters?"
Nightmare Moon sighed. "After my banishment, Celestia came to Broncoliande. She exercised her victor's justice. She ordered me to secretly watch over the dreams of the ponies, and she assured me that the bat ponies would be well-fed in return."
Upon hearing this, Regal Blade tried to find a suitable solution.
Chitin raised a hoof. "Do you have any resources to offer?"
"The moon attracts the majority of meteorites. Metal is not in short supply," Tricky said.
Chitin turned their attention to Nightmare Moon, deciding to speak to her in a manner only she might understand.『Given that your magic allows you to reach any point on the planet, why not make contact with Japony? Two bloodthirsty nations should definitely come to an understanding despite the language barrier.』.
Nightmare Moon furrowed her brows at hearing japonysh come from the changeling mouth.
All the other presents were puzzled about what they heard.
Nightmare Moon looked at Chitin for a moment before speaking. 『Certainly, nothing coming from you surprises me anymore, changeling. Let me guess, you know that I know because of the statues of the reitsuus of the Sun and the Moon? Nevertheless, it will take months for a diplomat to learn the language, and time is even more pressing for us to reach any agreement with one of the clans.』
『I can introduce your successor to the Ivy Clan. If the Ivy Clan vouches for it, all the clans will want to trade with Broncoliande. If the metal that Broncoliande has to offer is of high quality, the clans will compete to obtain your stocks. 』
『It is.』she said to Chitin before turning to those present. "Very well. It seems that Chitin is offering their services to facilitate contact with Japony. Given that this kingdom's ability to produce food is equal to that of Equestria's, it is a suitable alternative that I approve of. Regal, as the queen of Broncoliande, it is your duty to ensure the well-being of your people."
"My Queen, do I have to be a queen?" Regal asked.
"If you do not want to succeed me, it will be your father's duty."
Regal bowed, embarrassed. "My Queen, I apologise for the lack of clarity in my words. I accept the Primogens' choice, but Broncoliande has only one queen, and that is you. My duty is to guide your kingdom in your absence."
"When I reincarnate, I will have no memory of my previous life. Whatever form of life I take, regardless of what that may be, I cannot become the queen of this kingdom again."
"I understand, my queen. But I have no desire to replace you in any way. I will lead this country only as a result of the joint decision of the Primogens."
"Very well." Nightmare Moon stepped down from her throne. "Regal Blade, you are now the Regent of Broncoliande. And in the event that, in my absence, those who succeed you will be appointed by the Primogens, the Lunar Empire henceforth becomes the New Lunar Republic."
They all stomped their hooves. "Glory to the Regent! Glory to the New Lunar Republic!"
Nightmare Moon saw this as an opportunity to make up for what she had left pending. "Three years ago, Lieutenant Antares defended my throne at the cost of her life. Her loyalty was never awarded. To correct this, I hereby decree the creation of a new lineage. The lineage of Antares. A lineage that will have no Primogens at its head. The Shadowbolts will be the only members of this lineage. The duty of these elite soldiers will remain the same, to ensure the protection of the Regent in my absence." She turned her attention to Swift. "Swift Chess, you said that knowledge is power, and that you use this power to protect those you hold dear. I offer you the opportunity to be the representative of the lineage of Antares, and to continue to ensure the well-being of the Regent and my Kingdom in my absence."
Swift understood Nightmare Moon's gesture, being at the head of this lineage was a fictional position, but he could continue to watch over Regal and advise her in her decisions without being accused of favouring his father's lineage. He tore off the insignia that linked him to his family and bowed. "My Queen, it will be an honour and my pleasure."
Dweomer Carver stepped forward and bowed in turn. "My Queen, thanks to your unparalleled magic in Broncoliande, never before have you needed a vampony to protect you. But Regal Blade will never be capable of such a feat. I gladly offer my skills to the house of Antares, to assist Regal Blade with my knowledge and to protect her as the eleventh Shadowbolt."
Lenmeyer was shocked by the offer. "If you do this, you will not be able to be the Primogen of the bat ponies."
Dweomer faced her mother. "If Dusty Nova is skilled enough to be the royal mage of Canterlot, she is sufficient to succeed you, don't you think?" she replied.
Dusty could only stay silent and bite a pencil to keep from exploding out of anger.
"First, your older sister goes to Equestria, and now you, what have I done to deserve this?"
"That's enough!" ordered Nightmare Moon. "Dweomer, it is up to Quiet Nebula and Regal Blade to consider your offer. For now, I need you to assist the regicide in creating an artefact, and I expect the quality to meet my expectations."
"I will not disappoint you, my queen."
"Good, now that the question of my succession is settled, let us inform those most concerned. Guards, bring in the staff." Once the servants and soldiers of the castle were present, Nightmare Moon spoke. "Following the events of recent months, I have decided to abdicate the throne in favour of Regal Blade. Due to her humility, she has refused the title of Queen, considering herself only the Regent of Broncoliande. Everything will be officially announced tomorrow. You are all bound to secrecy until then. But I expect each of you to treat the one I have chosen to succeed me as you would treat me. Let the lineage of those among you who dares to treat her otherwise be plunged into eternal infamy. That being said, I will take my leave," she said, getting up from the throne and heading towards the exit.
Chitin picked up the crystal and followed her.
"Quiet, henceforth watch over her. Primogens, assist her if the need arises. Swift, let it be known that I will make an important announcement, and that the presence of the citizens of Broncoliande is required tomorrow at the same time on the main street of the city. Also, instruct the master blacksmiths to forge," she began mentally counting the clans of Japony.
『 Seven.』 Chitin whispered.
"Seven blades, using only the best available alloy. These weapons will be diplomatic gifts to be offered to the clans of Japony. The blades must be of the highest quality; you will work with Chitin on the details. Regal, inquire further about the state of the kingdom, and finish instructing the staff. This palace is now yours, but please allow me access to a room. Dweomer, Dauntless, follow me."
While the primogens exchanged their views on how to handle the power transition event, Nightmare Moon went with her entourage into the castle grounds and sent Dauntless to oversee the guard at the portal to Equestria. It was only then, as she faced the main street beyond the castle walls, that Nightmare Moon realised an important detail. She turned to Dweomer. "For tomorrow's address, prepare a regalia for Regal Blade, no crown. Let it reflect her rank, and include an enchanted gem granting her the ability to use the traditional Canterlot voice."
"The enchantment of the gem will be ready within the hour, my queen. I will ensure I have the right measurements for her neck size right after," assured the vampyre.
Having gone over the event for the next day and seeing no other concerns, Nightmare Moon, followed by Dweomer, made their way to the conference room.
As the vampony and alicorn took their seats at the round table, Chitin shattered the crystal in a corner of the room. When Gamine opened the portal, Aglowing was the first to leap through, placing her sword against the wall before flinging herself into her friend's embrace. "Moony!"
Nightmare Moon held the child in her hooves, preparing to introduce Aglowing to Dweomer.
The latter was astonished, her gaze fixed on the portal that had opened in the room. Gamine was the last to pass through the portal and closed it behind her.
"What kind of magic is this?" exclaimed Dweomer.
"Dwoemer," Nightmare Moon called. "It's dimensional magic," she explained so as not to leave the question hanging. "That said, Dusty managed the feat of making the regicide angry."
Gamine sat down next to Trixie.
"The regicide? With all due respect, my queen, Regal said her body was under the control of another entity."
"I suppose the guardian and the regicide have an agreement, which explains why Pepper regains control of her body if Gamine consents. That being said, I would appreciate it if you focused on the artefact that will protect my friend."
Dwoemer finally noticed Aglowing, nestled in a tender embrace. "I had not realised the extent of your expectations, my queen, but I will keep my word," Dwoemer said, bowing her head. "Between us, one of these days, Dusty will cause a catastrophe. It would be wise to prevent her from doing harm." She turned to Gamine. "What kind of artefact are we talking about?"
Gamine relinquished control to Pepper to buy some time and spare herself the headache of having to repeat her words.
"What exactly, I don't know. What is needed is to protect Aglowing from any attack while I warp to her, just as I did just now," Pepper said.
"So an ornament that she would wear with a defensive enchantment? Why not a breastplate? The enchantment would be contained in a decorative gem. Thus, as she grows, it will be easy to transfer the enchantment," Dwoemer explained.
Trixie's eyes lit up at the mention of enchantment.
Sitting across from her, Nightmare Moon couldn't miss it.
"The artefact will need to be infused with my Cæsar's magic. It must not impede an attempt at mimicry," Chitin said.
Dwoemer turned to the warrior. "Cæsar? Mimicry?"
"It's a royal title. It means a queen with a princess's heart!" Aglowing repeated as she leaped from the embrace, front hooves on the table.
"The same magic that allows my queen to take on the traits of Nightmare Moon." Chitin demonstrated, taking on the appearance of Chrysalis. "My queen has a crown on her head, and when she uses mimicry, infused with her magic, the crown is considered an extension of my queen, and the crown disappears under the solid illusion that is mimicry," she explained, reverting to her own appearance.
Dwoemer was fascinated by the demonstration. "Would it be possible to study this magic?"
"I can't make any promises. However, in Japony, the clan of the ivy has a variant of this spell. And they would surely be interested in this talent for creating artefacts," Chitin said.
After a moment of reflection, Pepper got off the chair. "I am going to get an item, I will be back in a few minutes," she said before warping herself with a soundly pop to her hideout below the Castle of the Two Sisters, so she could briefly open a portal to enter her pocket dimension without revealing its existence to the small group. There she quickly fetched the ethereal blade from the cell where she stored useless items before warping back to the room. She placed the handle without a blade on the table. "This weapon will need to be included in the breastplate. At least the crystal that is in the hilt. Give it a new handle that will easily hide among the decorations of the breastplate. If Aglowing has to keep her assailants at bay, it will be easier for her to do so if she is armed and appears dangerous."
"What kind of weapon is it?" asked Dwoemer.
"When the crystal is fuelled with magic, an ethereal blade takes shape. I thought it would be wise for her to always have a weapon. And since I can no longer use it myself-"
"Why?" Aglowing interrupted.
"The crystal is carved to withstand up to a certain magical power. When I became a planeswalker, I made several attempts to continue using this type of weapon. The crystals exploded. This is the last one I have left. Concealable and deadly, with it, you should be able to keep anyone at bay for a few seconds."
"D-deadly?" Aglowing repeated.
"Wielding a weapon is not innocent. I used these kinds of weapons to kill. Even though you are just a child, I am confident that you understand that I am giving you a means of defence, and I doubt that you have the heart to use it otherwise. It remains a weapon that can take many lives. If I have to protect you, I want you to be able to protect yourself first. I may not be able to react immediately after you shatter the crystal. Seeing you armed with this blade out of nowhere, I suppose your assailants will either hesitate, because you are a changeling, or laugh, because you are a child. The important thing is that they do not attack you until I arrive."
"Only to keep them at bay," Aglowing murmured. "But I would prefer that no creature dies."
"Me too," murmured Gamine.
Nightmare Moon spread a wing to comfort her young friend. "Do not worry, the ponies will be more inclined to flee from you than to attack. This request is only to reassure me that everything will be fine when I am no longer here."
Troubled, Aglowing nestled against Nightmare Moon's flank.
"About your crystal," Dwoemer said. "I will need to cut it to integrate it into the breastplate."
"I doubt it will withstand the treatment," Pepper noted. "A more viable alternative would be to intervene directly during the creation to give it the desired shape, or to find a crystal that is of high enough quality to contain such power."
"Like those from the Tree of Harmony?" Nightmare Moon asked.
"There is only one way to find out," Pepper said, descending from her seat, opening a portal before the Castle of the Two Sisters to retrieve one of the crystals from the tree.
"Dwoemer, about the breastplate, use some cloudichalcum. As for the decorations, let it bear the emblem of the new Lunar Republic, to indicate that it is under the protection of Broncoliande," Nightmare Moon said.
"I will see to it, my queen," the vampony agreed.
Pepper passed and closed the portal, holding a gem in her hoof.
"Aren't you going to tell them?" Gamine asked.
"Tell them what? That, when I approached the tree, a flower appeared out of the ground, grew and as it bloomed, it revealed this gem? I spent two months here, it may be extraordinary for you, but for them, it is just another Tuesday," Pepper pointed out as she placed the translucent crystal on the table. "Try with this one."
Dwoemer cleanly sliced the gem with her magic and handed a piece to Pepper. "If you would be so kind."
Pepper went behind the marker to use the dome that secured it as a shield before infusing a dimensional marker into the scrap. "It seems to be holding, I will keep this crystal with me, and if it breaks or shatters, I will let you know."
Dwoemer got off her chair and brought a piece of the gem to Aglowing. "If you would be so kind as to provide me with a sample of your magic, Caesar?"
Aglowing complied.
"Good, I suppose that if the magic does not break the crystal within twenty-four hours, we can infuse the decoration with this dimensional magic."
Gamine briefly took control of the body. "Why were you interested in Chitin's shapeshifting magic?" she asked, the question had been burning on her lips for a while.
Dwoemer was surprised by the sudden question asked with a respectful tone.
"It was the guardian," Pepper sighed.
"Oh, well, guardian, for eleven hundred and twenty-one years now, we vamponies have all been born female. The first of us understood the potential that was hers, so she used spells and enchantments to ensure that her children were in her image. She had not considered the implications of her desire, and when the lineage realised it, it was far too late to remedy it. Even today, we are looking for a solution to give birth to a male."
"I have a spell that might interest you. It optionally allows me to change genders. The only drawback is that it does not allow me to change eye colour. But I doubt that this is an issue in your case."
"Could you teach me this magic?" Dwoemer asked, holding her breath.
"Once the artefact is finished, yes, that should be possible," Pepper replied.
Dwoemer took the crystal and, in a gust of wind, headed for the exit.
Using telekinesis, Nightmare Moon kept the door closed. "Dwoemer, take Trixie Lulamoon with you. She seemed most interested in the arts of enchantment. Take the time to demonstrate your talent to her, as well as that not all vamponies think like your cousin."
The vampony put the pieces of the puzzle together and believed she understood what had happened. "With pleasure, my queen," Dwoemer said in a bow. "Lady Lulamoon, if you would be so kind as to follow me," she asked, smiling.
Trixie was a bit taken aback by Nightmare Moon's request. Embarrassed by the notion of her interest in enchantment, she could not refuse the opportunity that presented itself to her. She got off the chair and headed for the door, which opened. After a moment of hesitation, she stopped, turned to Nightmare Moon, and made a bow. "Thank you, Your Highness," she thanked before leaving the room with Dwoemer.
Nightmare Moon remained pensive for a moment. Would it be so easy to earn the respect if not the recognition of the ponies to be Celestia's equal? She pushed these thoughts out of her mind; it no longer mattered now. She had to turn her thoughts to an uncertain future, a faint star struggling to illuminate any path to her wildest hopes.
"Why are you sad, Moony?" the child asked.
Nightmare Moon forced herself to smile. "Nothing, nothing. I just wonder if it is really possible to restore Celestia."
"I will watch over it for you!" the child exclaimed.
"Oh, and how will you know if she has succeeded?" Nightmare Moon asked amused.
"Simple! I just have to check that she looks like the true form of Pepper!"
The second that followed this statement froze the scene for an eternity.
Aglowing only then realised then that she had revealed the secret that Pepper had tried to keep since her return.
Having thought she had misunderstood, Nightmare Moon instinctively turned to Chitin. The changeling ignored her, looking at a stone in the opposite wall, not wanting to be involved.
Aglowing, with her head down, tried to make herself as small as possible.
Nightmare Moon, like a snake about to strike, looked up at Pepper. "Would you be so kind as to explain your true form?" she asked.
"What do you want to know?"
"Absolutely everything."
"What is the point?"
"You stole my royal duty, the source of my jealousy. Because of you, I cannot satisfy this feeling that is eating away at me. You owe me compensation, I demand two favours. First, I demand to see your true form."
"Very well." Pepper tore off the strings that held her braided mane and tail as she resumed her true form.
"Tell me, how does it feel to resemble my sister?"
Pepper shrugged. "The same feeling as my previous appearance. I do not care. All that matters to me is to perpetuate my freedom."
Nightmare Moon raised an eyebrow. "How so?"
"The more my power grows, the shorter the list of planeswalkers who can defeat me becomes."
"Celestia worked all her life to ensure peace in Equestria and the freedom of her little ponies. This information makes my sister's death all the more ironic. It is even more ironic that, seeking freedom, you find yourself forced to hide your true appearance as long as you stay in Equestria." Nightmare Moon fell into a contemplative silence, feeling the dying embers of her desire to destroy Celestia reignited by the one standing before her.
"I didn't mean to, Pepper, I... I'm sorry," Aglowing said.
"Aglowing, come here," Pepper said in a neutral tone as she got off her chair.
Chitin leaped from hers to intervene, her eyes narrowed.
"I do not care if she revealed that," Pepper said.
"In that case, you won't mind if I stand behind her," Chitin said.
"If it reassures you," Pepper said after shrugging.
Aglowing came forward to Pepper, but dared not lift her eyes from the ground.
After a moment of thought, Pepper spoke. "So, Laugh on the Lips? Since only your friend is aware, I cannot be angry with you, Facehugger."
"You don't really hold it against me?" the child asked, daring to raise her gaze from the ground to look at Pepper with a slight pout.
"Not really," Pepper repeated. "However, if you reveal this to any other creature, you will have no excuse. So never speak of my true appearance again."
"Okay," the child promised.
Pepper manifested a hand, and after Chitin's implicit consent, picked up the child to initiate a reconciliatory hug, keeping her against her chest as she approached Nightmare Moon. "So, the second request?"
"I want to fight you." |
To Wake the Stars at Twilight | pre | The colt must have either heard or sensed the unicorn stallion's sudden tension, because he immediately shifted a little, as if giving way before Peter's superior size and strength. Featherweight said, "I came to bring you a message, Lord Peter--from Mazzarine. She stopped by the print-shop about an hour ago and asked me to deliver it to you."
Every muscle in Peter's body tensed until he thought his muscles might snap from the strain; he could feel the tightness of sudden wariness all the way down to his hocks. Mazzarine had sent one of the former Lost Colts to deliver a message? Why? Had something happened? Had Luna and Celestia discovered he meant to circumvent their plans for Twilight? Citron wouldn't have betrayed Peter to the two alicorn princesses, surely...and Big Macintosh would never have said anything, never let something slip that might...
"What message?" The stallion was amazed by how steady his voice sounded. He didn't want Twilight to think there was anything amiss. He wanted nothing to ruin their evening together if he could help it.
Featherweight slipped a cream-colored wing-tip into the saddlebags strung across his back. Using the dexterous prehensile feathers at the tips of all pegasus wings, he withdrew a scroll tightly rolled and tied with a dark ribbon. Peter knew it was royal blue, Mazzarine's favorite color, even though the night dyed it black. Peter took the missive with a hoof-full of magic and quickly unrolled it, scanning the brief words by moonlight. Then he refolded it and shoved it back into Featherweight's saddlebags.
The words of the missive imprinted across his eyes, even after he'd closed them in order to try and think. In the royal-blue alicorn's elegant scrawl, the scroll had read, They have found you, and her. They are hunting you at this very moment. Be on your guard. Protect Twilight.
"By the Stars and Sun," Peter swore savagely under his breath as he glanced at Twilight. So. It seemed as if no matter how carefully he moved, no matter how he struggled to protect her, the Mares of Fate were set on having the bearer of the Element of Magic for themselves. Well, that would never happen. Peter had sworn to Shining Armor and Cadance, as well as himself, that he would protect Twilight with his life. He would be damned if he allowed anyone, including his oldest enemy, to harm Twilight Sparkle.
"Thank you, Featherweight," Peter said, even as intangible sparks of magic crackled along the length of his horn. He tried to suppress his body's automatic reaction to the knowledge of a nearby threat. If the enemy didn't actually attack, Peter didn't want Twilight to worry. Besides, she couldn't know that someone was after her, or the plan could be set back or even ruined entirely...and then what would he do? Giving nothing away, he added, "I appreciate you coming out to find me. Can you make it back on your own, or do you want to walk with Twilight and I?" Peter tried to ignore another surge of stallion fury pumping hot through him. There was no reason to view the colt as a rival, none...but his baser instincts didn't agree.
"I'm fine," Featherweight replied with a false grin. "I need to come out this way anyway. I want some pictures of the zap-apple trees after the fourth sign has happened. I'm helping my little brother with a report for school."
The colt waved goodbye as he went toward Sweet Apple Acres, while Peter and Twilight kept on toward Ponyville proper. Every so often Peter would scan the surrounding night-shaded countryside, keeping a keen eye out for the ones Mazzarine claimed had found them.
The question was, were these changelings? Or something else? And if they were changelings, were they part of Chrysalis's vicious army, come to seek revenge for what Twilight had accomplished several years ago at the wedding of Shining Armor and Cadance? Or was Metamorphosis tired of his mother's unwillingness to attack Canterlot again? Prince Metamorphosis--who'd been so much more than that when Peter had first fought him--wanted Equestria, and he wanted it with a fiercer hunger than Chrysalis did.
If neither Chrysalis nor Metamorphosis were behind this lurking threat, then it could only be one other creature...but Peter didn't want to think about that. He didn't want to consider that his oldest enemy--the one responsible for so much heartache and destruction--had followed him to this place when he had so many other things to worry about...like the curse that would seal Twilight's fate if Peter's plan didn't work.
Didn't want to consider it...but had to, in order to keep Twilight safe.
"Peter?" Her voice came out of the shadows, hesitant as a touch. He could almost feel her voice whispering over his coat like the brush of a butterfly's wings. It was torturous, to be so near to her, yet have to maintain this careful distance, as if he were just a stallion paying court to her instead of...instead of her..."Peter, are you okay?"
"Hmmm?" He shook himself, forcing his mind back to the present. "Yes, of course. I'm sorry, did you say something? My mind was elsewhere for a moment."
The steady clip-clop of her hooves against the packed earth of the road faltered for a moment. "Did...did I do something wrong?" Twilight asked finally. Peter felt his heart constrict in his chest. She sounded so uncertain...
He stopped walking. Twilight followed suit. Wondering if he were about to make the biggest mistake of his life, the unicorn stallion stretched out his neck and brushed his muzzle against Twilight's soft, warm neck, letting his nose glide along the shallow delineation between the taut muscles of her neck. Hot air from his nostrils gusted against the velveteen hairs of coat. Her mane tickled his forehead, caressed the jutting spear of his ivory horn. Suppressing a shudder at that innocent touch, Peter lifted his head to look into those vivid violet eyes. Twilight gazed back at him, lips slightly parted, breathing a little shallow.
"No, Twilight," he said gently. "You have done nothing wrong. Nothing at all. I have enjoyed myself far more than I had any right to hope. I am simply..." Peter trailed off when a prickle of unease raised the hair along his spine. His gaze darted to a shadow flitting between a pair of bushes on the side of the road. "Expecting some unwelcome company," he concluded, grasping at his magic so that it filled his veins like cobalt electric fire. "Which has just decided to drop in."
Twilight reacted to the sudden shift in his tone by rearing up slightly on her hind legs and pivoting to face where Peter was looking. There was a flash of magenta, and the unicorn mare came down shod in the silvery clawed combat-shoes of Princess Luna's Night Guard--the Twilight Peter had known had told him once that they did more damage in a fight because of the claw implements--with the lilac spike of her horn partially shielded by the golden tiara-like Element of Magic. The amethyst cut into the form of a many-rayed star gleamed in the moonlight. The mare lowered her horn, aiming for the unknown threat.
Summoning his own combat gear--clawed horseshoes like Twilight's, an iron visor for his face, and a leather breastplate--Peter allowed the aura of his magic to surge around him like a hungry miasma of power as he turned to guard Twilight's flank.
"Who's there?" The stallion demanded, voice rumbling like a roll of thunder. Magic sparked and snapped along his scarred coat and over his horn. It made the metal of his armor sing when it spilled across the iron like water. "Show yourself!"
From out of the shadows stepped exactly what Peter had feared--a changeling stallion, moonlight piercing through the jagged holes in his legs and flanks, his twisted and pockmarked horn standing out darkly against the brightness of the shapeless crimson hat perched awkwardly on his head.
Behind him, Peter heard Twilight gasp, and knew more changelings had stepped out of the shadows. The malevolent stallion in front of Peter grinned. "Hello, Peter. Time to die--captain's orders." . . . . . . . TBC |
What a wonderful world | pre | "the princess wants the foal. let's just get it and leave"
His dam looked at Sombra and the new foal back and forth. He could see her choosing whether to defend it or not. But rather quickly her forelegs wrapped around him, she tuned her rump to the premature foal that was just breathing. The cage was unlocked and she didn't budge, she let them take away the foal. However Sombra was still kept tight in her grasp. The guards dragged the foal away, yet both were equally shocked at the ease of removal, the pony slung it over his back.
"I thought that would be harder" the gold one said.
"perhaps she loves the other one more"
"are you stupid? These things don't show love"
"then why does she sacrifice her own sight for them" |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 11: A touch of hope (mild warning i think) | It continued like that for years. Every year his dam was breed by stallions removed of their morals. Then Sombra, with worryingly growing expertise, would help her deliver it. Then it was promptly whisked away. While she could never manage full term, it was at most a year for each one. One hundred eighty seven. Rabia and the other mare were surprised she was still going. While the umbrum did lack in biological knowledge they certainly knew it was too far. They felt that the magic Amore had cast on her multiple times had something to do with it.
Sombra sat numb to the scene of his dam being bred. He still didn't look either way. But this time it seemed different, the stallion seemed to have faint control of himself. His head positioned next to his dams, whispering incredibly silently in her ear.
"Listen. There's some talk going around about a revolution. We're waiting until the plan is between all of us. It may take some time but listen for the wyvern howl. That's when we break free"
"We're underground. We won't hear, it's a castle prison not a basement...whatever those are"
"Someone will want the princess. They find you"
"Fine, I'll tell the others"
"Oh. And some ponies are with us"
"Really?"
"Yes"
-{+}-
It was a couple years after and for the first time a true sense of hope came to them. It was what they assumed night as they could hear no noise through the door. However the metal clicked and it opened very slowly. A small faint purple pegasus guard with silver eyes slinked through the door. He had a large saddlebag on which was teeming with fruits and veg. Another entered behind him, a green mare with blond hair. She two had a saddlebag, but much less full.
"I'll spread the food. The one at the bottom, she's the breeder but her eye worries me more. Watch the foal though"
With a small nod the mare made her way over towards Sombra and his dam, who was already guarding him. When she approached she made an attempt at some botched Umbrull.
"I...huelpae" despite the lack of skill both could make out her offer of help. His dam shifted slightly closer, turning her head to get a good look at the mare. Then slowly she pulled herself over to the bars. The mare reached through and held his dams chin lightly. Turning her head so she could get a good look at the mangled eye.
"ew" the eye had now devolved into a state of puss and coagulated blood. The actual eye had long deflated and collapsed as its fluid leaked out.
"How did you last for...Celestia forbid two hundred years without an infection. In fact you probably have ten by now" she lightly pushed at the bulged inflamed eyelids, pus dribbled and popped. She reached into her bag and pulled out a small cloth and a bottle of liquid.
"wiil hurtee. Ite's gioodi" both Sombra and his dam didn't know how "hurt" and "good" fit together, but it didn't prepare his dam for the stinging pain to shoot through her skull. She hissed at the poor mare who recoiled in fear at the sudden exposure of pointed, rotting teeth.
"sorrrry, sorry I guess that didn't get across." She stroked his dam's cheek softly. The greasy but still dry fur bent and stayed in place. The mare went in again with the cotton, Sombra watched his dam hold a breath. After the light rubbing the mare used another to push out the septic that had made its home, he could throw up if he had a full stomach. However his attention was drawn by the pile of fruit and veg that rolled towards the cell.
The strange food items were colourful. The other umbrum didn't seem to be bothered but Sombra had never seen such things before. At most back in the recesses of his mind, long forgotten, he could remember some of the smaller one being frozen in ice and carried in leather pouches. While he would much prefer the meats of tribal cooking, his growling untouched stomach forced him to reach through the bars. Pulling the berries, leaving the strange long orange thing and the strange leaves, he gobbled them down relentlessly.
His dams head joined him to eat, except less fussy, while the mare moved on to the other umbrum. Wiping down the burns and cuts left by chains and encounters with the southern monsters in the colosseum. The outside of wounds were lightly cleaned and no bandages were applied. Sombra put it together in his head that these were the helping ponies, they were trying to be discrete to not be noticed by the others. He wondered what was happening on the surface. How many of those ponies were sick and twisted, enjoying them being in pain. Or others that may hate those, the ones that were here now that wanted to help them. He noticed that the guards changed out regularly every fifty years. So he assumed maybe the younger ones were different. When the two left, they spoke.
"Those must be the ones with us then" one stallion said.
"certainly nicer than that princess" another replied
"she's just dead hide anyway" his dam scowled.
"let's hope that howl is soon. I can't stand seeing...that any longer" the first stallion said as he looked into the cell in front of him. From what he was told the umbrum in there was dead. He didn't know what it meant, his dam simply told him its when something stopped living. Through the bars of that cell he saw a large flower sticking through. Pink tipped black petals spiralled out of a silvery stem. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 12: Bittersweet (Gore warning) | "I need that foal! If it can't produce ones that live then I will take the one it's got!" they heard the princess yell through the heavy metal door. It slammed open putting a dent in the wall behind it. The figure of an enraged Amore stood in the doorway, staring Sombra down with the power of a thousand suns. He cowered behind his dam who was already on guard. Heavy hoof steps pounded the ground as she made her way towards their cell. The other Umbrum cowered into the corners of theirs.
"Princess please you know it's too risky! It took a guards head- "
"I know she took a head of but quite frankly that corridor of competitors is getting rather empty!" the door to their cell was furiously unlocked and yanked open in a splash of gold.
"Let's get this done with shall we"
His dam let out a long slow growl, every teeth bared in a raging smile. Despite the heavy chains she stood tall, every bone jutting out and muscle receded into the gaps. Even so she towered over her.
"Oh I know what that smile means and you better put it away missy" Amore spat at her. Chains slipped out of the wall cupboards and swiftly slithered through the bars in her golden magic. One wrapped around his dam's neck, the other headed straight to Sombra. However, his dam lowered her body so it bashed into her.
"If you work with me then no one will get hurt" the chains wrapped around his dam's neck to pull her away, but she gripped it in her teeth as she yanked the princess to the floor. Sombra watched in the corner as the guard frantically shoved his spear through the bars at his dam's flanks. Now Amore was pinned down by giant cracked hooves.
She twisted and turned her neck as the jaws of the ferocious dam above her lunged and snapped. Sombra, wanting to help, wrapped his teeth around her left shoulder. Bitter red blood leaked into his mouth and the other whelming urge to eat took over. He tugged at the pink hide and flesh, his jaw wasn't small and he grated the leg down his teeth. His bite despite being young, was an iron grip and his teeth sliced down to bone. Amore screamed as her leg was torn, but it turned to a groan as she blasted a barrier of magic, slamming him and his dam into the wall.
Through his stunned eyes and mind he watched the guard pull the amputated princess out of the cell, he could still hear her weak breathing. It was then that he realised her leg was still in his mouth. He started to nibble at the torn flesh. It was bitter and vile yet food was food. His dam having woken up started to take her own portion. The bones crushed to dust in her jaws.
At a freighting rate the leg was stripped from its bone. Every vein, artery and capillary was turned to mush. But nothing was left behind. Bond was grinded to pulp and the only thing that remained was the decorative ancle bracelet as they licked the blood from the floor. Finally their stomach had something proper to churn.
At night the door clicked open again, the same pair of ponies snuck in again to do their usual routine. They were, however, more weary of him and his dam. Afterall they had eaten part of their princess, even if they detested her it shook their nerves. They spread out the plants and wounds were partially cleaned. Although now Sombra had a bit of a functioning mind, he was standing at the bars, examining the stallion's wings. Sombra wasn't too familiar with feathered wings. The wyverns had them but he never found himself examining them. Umbralis's wings were only half feathered and they were hidden beneath membrane. Yet he was still rather fascinated with the extra limbs. The stallion noticed and, although only half trusting, fanned his wing out through the bars.
"You never seen a wing before? I guess you are all unicorns" he said as Sombra nuzzled the soft feathers, his dam watching closely. He sneezed abruptly after shoving his nose into the feather. The mare came up next to them, examining the rather overcrowded cell.
"Two more days and they'll be out" she said noticing the small spare space left.
"hopefully. Having Amore in that state might help them as well"
"There's still the heart. She can use that from a distance"
"Lets just hope, besides they've proven to be fast runners. They could outrun it"
"Either way...come on. we better go before your caught off your post and I'm found" the pair left.
"I think we might be getting out soon" one stallion said as the door locked shut.
"Do I get to see Siri again Dammi?" Sombra asked.
"Hopefully. you miss him?" he nodded his head.
"I miss Binkie too"
"I'm sure Umbralis is looking after him" she told him as he snuggled into her chest. It wasn't as soft despite her fur, he could feel the bones beneath her skin. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 13: The Revolution | They sat and they waited. Two days is what they understood. The tension of waiting without seeing the sky made it worse. However Sombra noticed his dam looked... nervous. Throughout their time in this cell he realised she seemed upset about him. She would look over his weak emaciated body.
"Dammi, you ok?" he asked, giving her a small lick on the chin.
"I'm fine" he didn't believe her. He stared at her, she winced as she started to cry.
"It's just...you should have started growing...and you haven't" he didn't understand her. He believed he was growing, the cell had gotten smaller.
"You're in your seven hundreds, you should of finished growing in height by now. Your back hooves should have spit by know and they haven't...I fear you've been stunted and I don't know if you can recover from it" she sunk down to the floor. "I'm useless. No matter how much I gave up food for you, you still haven't grown and I couldn't even stop that. I should of let you stay with Umbralis and you wouldn't be here and you would be safe" she crumpled down even more and tears streamed down her cheeks. Laboured breathing shook her ribs as she wept into her forelegs. Sombra had never seen her truly cry before but he certainly didn't like it. He nibbled and licked her withers, ignoring the foul taste of waste and blood on his tongue.
But she didn't get long to cry.
The door was pushed open and the two ponies came rushing in, each wearing a black neck bow. They went across the cells unlocking each cell door. He could hear the commotion outside. Their cell was unlocked and his dam almost turned to normal, jumping to her hooves and claws. The stallion gave them a smile before they all bolted out the door. There was a struggle to get up the stairs as none wanted to go single file, although as they burst through the castle pillar they became part of the chaos.
There were umbrum and ponies left and right. Him and his dam made a run for the mountains but they were intercepted by incredibly angry guards. They weren't slow to poke them with spears and others came to the side spraying them down with acid. His dam fort through and with a newfound vigour picked them up in her jaws and lobbed them into walls.
Another pony sprinted towards them, she too had a black bow. Instead of attacking she pulled them to the side of a house where her and another couple unwrapped the chains. They didn't leave however without pain as they had to slowly pull them out of skin that had attempted to grow over the chains. While they burned they felt so much lighter and faster as they were let go.
Sombra ran by his dam and he watched as umbrum slaughtered the ponies that had kept them prisoners for so long. They ran through red puddles as they aimed for the mountains, weaving between the houses as they attempted to avoid the guards. His hoof caught on a piece of crystal that had fell to the ground, slicing his already abused legs and making him fall.
"Come on get up!" his dam nearly yelled at him as she grabbed him by the scruff and hauled his frail body up. They continued to run when a heavy net of weighted rope pulled his dam down. Guards came from the sides along with angry owners who held her down with spears or rods.
"RUN!" she screamed to him as she fought the rope as her hip was impaled and she was held to the grassy floor. Sombra just ran. Bounding between buildings he got further and further from the castle. Being much smaller many struggled to get a good hit or aim at him. Until he felt a piercing pain shoot through his rump making him collapse again. He saw a long piece of wood with halved feathers on its end stick out of him. It bleed down his leg as he attempted to get up. An aggravated stallion pinned him down, a long blade held in his mouth. Sombra screwed his eyes shut as he tried to shake of the pony, just as the blade came down the stallion was de-spined above him.
He looked up to see two familiar yellow eyed umbrum. His cousins.
"Come on let's go!" Yesqen pulled him up while Yesric bucked a guard in the head. The trio began sprinting towards the snow capped mountains again. They seemed much healthier than him, having a little meat on their bones. He struggled to keep up but his adrenaline kept him up to pace.
A bright blinding glow started to shine from the base of the castle. The wind swirled as magic was drawn from the air.
They kept sprinting down the crystal road as the glow grew. Just as they made it to the grass the twins were shot multiple times, they fell to the ground just as that glow turned into a giant magical blast. As of which Sombra just avoided it as he ran through the grasslands, his tail hairs at most were eviscerated.
He kept running but eventually he grew tired. A large tree nearby drew his eye. Its branches hung down like a waterfall. It seemed safe. His tired legs took him towards it, he could hear the calming rush of water nearby. Memories of the melting North in the day came back to him. He passed the gentle branches and flopped down at the base of the trunk. He nestled himself between its sprawling roots, the canopy of leaves comforted him.
As the adrenaline wore away he felt the pain all over again. Everywhere stung and burned and he was exhausted. But he couldn't fall asleep. The rushing water made him realise just how thirsty he was. Weakly he pulled himself up and poked back through the leaves. A wide river rushed down from the North, crystal clear water made from the glaciers sprinted past him. He greedily lapped up the water eventually turning to biting the water to get a mouth full.
He turned back to the castle with dripping lips. It seemed calm now. He let out a measly whinny. Then another. But he got no response, not even from a completely unrelated umbrum. Defeated he turned back to the tree and rested back down in the roots. It was only then did his mind deem it safe enough to sleep, even if he didn't understand why. But he couldn't deny it. So he drifted away in those roots. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 14: Miss Chestnuts orphanage for lost foals | Rustle, Rustle.
Sombra opened his eyes to see the familiar pegasus guard poking his head through the leaves. His whole body ached as he moved.
"Heyya bud. I bought you something" the guard softly told him while placing a bag on the floor.
"I heard about what your diet is. So I went to one of the local hunters to get you something better to eat" Sombra inched a little closer to the bag only to see the familiar look of meat. At the sight it was like his legs kicked in and he hastily grabbed the large leg and instantly started to gobble it down. He even sucked out the marrow which was the most his rotted teeth could handle. For a moment they stared at each other silently, the rushing river filled it.
"Let's get you somewhere safe...I wouldn't forgive myself if I gave you in" the guard said, looping a wing under Sombra's body and leading him from the willow. The stallion constantly talked to him gently as they crossed the grassy plane.
"Were going to the outside of town, its less likely they'll find you there"...
"I would keep you myself but I can't, but Velvet's a lovely mare, she'll look after you"...
"She was against Amore as well, she helped in the same way we did" Sombra's legs slowly started to grow weak again.
"Nearly their bud, you can collapse on a nice cosy bed"...
The grass turned to hard crystal as they entered the sparse town edge. There were little building scattered all over, although Sombra could still see the remnants of chaos like collapsed lampposts. Apart from that it looked as if nothing happened.
They came up to a large lilac building. On its front there was a large sign which Sombra couldn't read. Knocking on the wooden door they waited for a short time. It then opened and a tawny mare with long dark brown hair stood in front of them. Her fur shimmered brightly in the sunlight.
"Good morning sir- oh my, come in" she said surprised as she moved out the way, the guard led him into the building. Sombra could loads of voices, all relatively high pitched.
"I can't believe you found one, let alone a foal" the mare said as she looked Sombra over, brushing hair out of his face, although her nose wrinkled.
"I'd rather be hanged than send a foal to their death, that's why I bought him to you" there was a brief silence between the pair.
"Thank you for bringing him to me, you better get going. Let's get you a bath sweetie" with a nod the guard left, he heard wing beats through the door. Sombra was led by the mare down a well-lit cosy corridor which split of many ways. He was then led upstairs and round a corner to a colder white tiled room. She started to turn on the taps.
"Just let that run for a little...so do you have a name?" she asked him, but he stared at her blankly.
"Oh right erm...naaimaee?" she asked again, in rather fluent Umbrull.
"Sombra" he barely croaked out air.
"well, I'm Miss Chestnut. Me and my col...collea...my friends will be looking after you from now on ok" she said incredibly well, he understood every word. That alone made him trust her, so when she helped him into the shallow water he didn't doubt her. Despite the harsh sting.
"I might just leave that in there..." she said to herself as she poked the arrow in his rump. Miss Chestnut began to spill water down his back, it was warm but not hot and soon the sting disappeared. Gently with a flannel she wiped down his wounds, removing the dirt and filth that had built up. The water beneath him had turned brown and a layer of oil floated on top after it had finally been removed from his matted fur. The feeling of being clean relaxed him as he felt almost three pounds lighter.
"feeling better?" he nodded his head quickly.
"you smell better too" she said, then she helped him out the tub. She turned to grab a towel, but Sombra had already shook of half the water, flinging it everywhere. Miss Chestnut was stunned when she heard the water fling and was even more so to see the soaked bathroom.
"Please don't do that on a daily basis..." she said quietly to both herself and him. She still rubbed him down with the soft towel, going lighter over his wounds. Once dried she lightly brushed out his mane and tail after prying the knots out. Their noses booped together as they were similar hights. Sombra licked her nose.
"Hey!...Right, let's get you downstairs and get a nurse round, that arrow doesn't look good, I've seen what they use on you poor things as well" she said solemnly as she led him out the bathroom down the stairs again. Entering another room lined with cabinets with a table in the middle, Sombra saw sparkling blue gas swirl around a handle.
"Nicking biscuits again are we Hope?" Miss Chestnut sternly said. A small squeal and the gas disappeared. A dull magenta filly appeared from behind the table, she didn't shimmer like the other ponies. An incredibly guilty look was plastered on her face.
"Sorry Miss Chestnut..." she apologised looking down at her hooves.
"How about this, if you can resist the shops biscuits in the cupboard, then you can help me make fresh ones at the weekend"
"Really!" her face lit up.
"Of course"
"yay!...hey" the filly looked at Sombra with wide eyes. But they widened more and her ears folded. The little horn on her head ignited with the sparkly gas and a cabinets contents flew out in front of Miss Chestnut, who placed a hoof over them.
"I'm getting a medic in for him Hope. Just go back to the playroom ok" Miss Chestnut told her, the filly trotted away with flat ears. He watched her leave and listened to her hoof steps as she travelled through the building. He was startled by the scraping of the seat across the stone floor.
"Just sit here, I'll call the medic" Miss Chestnut told him, Sombra could faintly here her talking to nobody. As he sat there he became a little nervous. He trusted the mare yet at the same time he didn't. It was only now did he realise fully that his dam wasn't with him. He didn't feel safe without her, he didn't want to be without her. He missed her warmth and her fur. He missed the way she gently wrapped her tail around him. A single tear started to well in his eyes.
"Are you ok? You poor thing has everything just hit you?" Miss Chestnut asked as she returned to the kitchen. She held him closely, her curly mane provided a nice cushion for his head. Her gentle touch only calmed him partly, it wasn't his dam.
"Ssh, ssh it's ok" she whispered to him.
"Velvet?" He looked up to see a new mare, she was yellow with a green mane.
"Yes Lemon?"
"It's lunch, er, where did he come from?"
"We got him an hour or two ago now"
"Have we even got a spare room? we did have an influx of new orphans"
"I think thirty two's free. I'll take him up now. send the nurse up when she arrives ok"
"Sure thing" The other mare walked away and Miss Chestnut led Sombra back up the stairs. He couldn't see much through his blurry eyes but he just knew he was led down a long corridor and into a room. She gently wiped his eyes and he was able to see. He was sat on a large soft rectangle. There was a wooden box next to it with a strange hut like thing on top. Then one of the walls had see-through holes in it.
"Right. You've lived in caves your whole life...or cells. Are there even words in Umbrull for this? this" she placed a hoof on what he was sitting on "you sleep on. then this next to it you can put things in. this" she poked the hut "is a light. That you can see through, but you can't go through it. just don't hit it, it will break" she pointed at the opposite wall. He could in fact see more buildings through it along with the lower branches off a tree. He started to poke the soft blanket beneath him, it was made of something he hadn't seen before. It wasn't leather or fur. But it was very soft, like very thin fur woven together.
"Hey Velvet, the nurse is here" the other mare said through the door.
"Oh that was fast. Hello miss" She said to the nurse. The nurse was minty green with a white mane tied up.
"Hello. Is this the...not so little guy?"
"Yes this is Sombra. It's this arrow I'm most worried about" Miss Chestnut pointed at the arrow still lodged inside him. The nurse gritted her teeth at the sight.
"well good news, it seems to have missed anything major. He would have been dead by now. Can I have a look?" she asked after the quick assessment.
"Of course. Can you look at his neck and legs as well, there much worse than I've seen on other Umbrum" Miss Chestnut asked her.
"Oh yeah there bad as well. What happened to you?...ah that's a nasty arrow" The nurse said as she lightly poked around. She pulled some stretchy material over her hooves. Then she delved into her bag and pulled out a bottle and a soft piece of material. Soaking some into the fabric she dabbed it into the puncture. His eyes narrowed as the burn spread into him. He winced and whined and squirmed.
"It's okay, it won't hurt in a moment" the nurse said as she petted the fur on his back. Slowly the burning disappeared and he felt that small area of his body go numb.
"Just hold him while I pull this out ok. It may still hurt" The nurse told Miss Chestnut, she held his forelegs gently.
The nurse began to pull the arrow out of his flesh. It stung and Sombra winced as he felt the awful sensation down his leg. Slowly the arrow was pulled from within him, the tip was nasty, it wasn't the standard sharpened metal point. Instead it was more like the stereotypical triangle, but many more were linked on, creating a brutal grapple that hooked meat.
"Oh yeah that was a nasty one. You're a lucky boy you are. If that had gone any deeper or slightly to the right you would have been gone moments after impact" She told him, putting the arrow in a bag. She then stitched him up.
"Make sure he doesn't strain that leg to much, speaking of which you did say he was a different case than most Umbrums, it seems like some pony really hatted them. These are acid burns, repeated dousing most likely" she said as she lifted his hind leg examining the wounds.
"Ointment and clean bandages can help these, just have them a little looser on his neck so it can bend. I'll put the first ones on, do you know how to tie them?"
"I've wrapped a few legs in my time"
"Alright then, I'll be back in a couple weeks to see how he's doing"
"Thank you" The Nurse left, and Sombra now sitting up played with the fabric around his legs. It was itchy and wet.
"Don't play with them, just leave them be" Miss Chestnut told him. So he shifted his attention to something else. Being the gemstones that stuck out of her skin around her shoulders, hips, cheeks and above her hooves. Poking them with his nose they wouldn't budge as they simply pulled skin around them. Miss Chestnut pushed his head away.
"They won't come off, they grow out of us" She told him while he stared at the gemstones, the light reflecting of her fur bounced around inside them. They were pale yellow and he could see his face in them.
There was a small knock at the door. Sombra saw that little filly again, above her two bowls floated in mid-air.
"Mrs Drops asked me to bring these up" she said, still seeming slightly guilty from earlier. Sombra could see little, tiny rocks forming on her skin.
"Oh thank you Hope, just place them on the bedstand" Miss Chestnut told her, Sombra watched the bowls float over and land (on what he know knew was) the bedstand. She looked up at him with big eyes again.
"Are you feeling better?" she asked him. Sombra looked between her and Miss Chestnut. All he knew was she asked a question simply based of her voice.
"He'll be feeling better soon Hope"
"Ok" She began to walk out the door. However Miss Chestnut called her back.
"Hope, You say the other foals don't like playing with you don't you"
"They say I'm dirty"
"Right, don't listen to them. But how about you be Sombra's buddy?"
"Really!?"
"Why not" the little filly jumped up onto the bed with Sombra.
"Hey. I'm Radiant Hope!" |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 15: Buddys | Sombra liked Hope. That was the easiest way to put it. Miss Chestnut had told her that Sombra may have difficulty understanding her (which he did), so the first thing she did was grab what was called 'books'. He only partly understood what the stories were but as she spoke he followed her eyes and the number of words she said, and slowly he started to relate certain letter combinations with those words.
"Hey, do you have your own language?" Hope asked with heavy curiosity. Sombra nodded and she eagerly sat in front of him.
"What's hello?"
"Hueeleio" Sombra told her rather quietly, he had lapped down the bowl of water yet his voice was still a little weak.
"weelio?"
"Hueeleio"
"Hueeleio...That good?" she asked. Sombra nodded again but with more enthusiasm.
"So if you have a language do you have writing as well? Like this" Hope asked pointing at the letters in the book. Nodding again Hope got a little excited. She sprinted out of the room for a moment before retuning with a 'notebook' and pencil. Opening it onto a blank page she gave him the pencil.
Sombra could remember his parents teaching him the alphabet at one point. They didn't often write but him and his cousins did sometimes scratch and stain rocks. So using what he remembered he wrote down the versions of Umbrull letters. They for one went down the page which fascinated Hope along with their swirling shapes.
"So, how do you say them?" Sombra just stared at her, before it clicked what she must have meant, he took a deep breath.
"aa, bee, cuu, di, ee, fi, gi, hue, ii, jee, kai, lei, mai, nai, oo, pai, quu, ree, sou, tee, uu, vee, wee, xii, you, zee"
"that's like ours!" she then repeated out theirs which did indeed sound similar. The pair of them sat there for the next hour matching together the letters that link. Doing so Sombra started to learn Ponish, while Hope started to learn Umbrull. But they weren't very good at teaching each other. Then there was the ring of a bell.
"Tea's ready kids!" they heard shouted through the floor. Hope leaped of the bed.
"Come on, food" she said to him, just as she bumped into Miss Chestnuts legs.
"mm? srr hp" her muffled voice apologised through the plate in her mouth. It smelt good surprisingly since Sombra had a feeling it consisted entirely of plants. Walking around Hope she placed it down on the bedside table.
"Go have your tea Hope"
"Okay" Hope left leaving Sombra and Miss Chestnut in the room again. Looking at the plate Sombra saw a red chunky liquid with large green veggies in it. then there was a flat weird thing. He had no clue what he was looking at.
"It's green bean curry and nann. I know you eat meat but we don't have that" She picked up a fork while stabbing one of the beans lifting up the red sauce as well. She pointed at his nose which Sombra sniffed curiously before he slightly opened his mouth, only for Miss Chestnut to force the food in. He expected to crunch but instead it was oddly soft. Despite that it was an herbal taste that came to his tongue which he didn't half mind.
"That nice?" she asked him, the fact that he swallowed was enough confirmation for her. So she picked up another fork full to feed to him. Rather quickly did the curry disappear, in fact Sombra cleared his plate, he even liked his lips.
"So, do you like Hope?" she asked him, silently hoping at least someone would like her. She got another nod.
"well that's good" then she noticed the papers strewn across the bed. She noticed what they were teaching each other.
"I guess I might as well teach you how to speak" she said as she ruffled through the papers. Sombra watched the door creak open again and was rather happy to see Hope there. She trotted through hand hopped onto the bed to sit next to him.
"did you eat all your tea Hope?"
"yep"
"I'll leave you two together then until bed" Miss Chestnut started to leave the room, but just as her tail was about to leave Hope called out to her.
"Do you know Umbrull miss?" she asked. Miss Chestnut reappeared in the doorway again.
"Yes I do. Let me guess, you want me to teach you it"
"Please" Hoped begged her.
"Alright, I'll start teaching you tomorrow shall I. Sombra needs to learn ponish anyway" with that promise she left. They sat there for a little while in silence, until Hope yawned. Sombra noticed how tired and lazy she suddenly was, he felt the same. Looking behind him he saw the sky had turned gold and red. It was his turn to yawn and his face split open all the way to the back, half rotten teeth lined it. Hope stared at him in shock.
"Why is your mouth so big?" she asked, he looked at her confused. Neither new how to answer in their tired state. Sombra just thought his mouth was normal and her yawn was small. They sat there again in silence for a long time, each nodding of as the sun set. It was Sombra though who was the first to properly drift off.
The word was dark and damp around him. He didn't know where he was. But there was mud beneath him, and he could hear the trees rustle. Standing up he looked around him. There was only the light of the stars to illuminate his way for the moon was new. It was eerily silent, he couldn't hear his own breathing. He continued forward through the mud, he could see a light in the distance. A faint golden glow like a fire.
He found something lying in the mud. He could smell blood, it was a body. Looking down upon it Sombra noted how it was pin cushioned with arrows. Despite the dark he could recognise the face.
"sirry?" he believed he spoke, he couldn't hear himself. He nuzzled the stallions head desperately, for at least some form of a response. Yet there was none.
"wake up!" he shouted as he tugged at his sire's ear.
"please!" he begged without noticing the golden light drawing nearer. He tugged at his sire again and again only for his face to start crumbling. Tears started to drip from his eyes as he collapsed down next to his sire.
Something tall and gangly approached. But it was fast despite seemingly walking. The glow was atop its head and it was pony like. Then it lunged and Sombra looked up in terror to see a set of gnarly teeth
"AAAAA" he shot upwards from his sleep, sweat trickled down his head. He panted and whimpered. He curled up into his sheets, hiding under the covers by instincts. Shivering he cried. He didn't fall asleep again that night. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 16: Fast learner | Sombra had resided under the bed. He could see all around him, he could see something before it could see him. He could hear the shuffling of hooves outside his room as the other foals got up. He could also hear the two mares waking up others. Then his door opened slowly and he saw a familiar flow of brown hair.
"Sombra? where are you?" Miss Chestnut asked. He watched her hooves walk around the bed. Opening the curtains light flooded into the room, he felt safer yet his legs wouldn't budge.
"Sombra?" she called out to him again. He watched her front hooves place in front of the bed. One lifted up slightly, before setting down again. They folded down along with her hair piling up and he saw her concerned face appear in the gap.
"What are you doing under the bed sweety?" she said to him softly. He tried to get closer to him yet his legs still wouldn't move. She slipped a hoof out towards him, stroking his knee softly.
"I knew I shouldn't have left you alone last night" she told herself. Sombra finally managed to force his legs to pull himself out from under the bed, where he cuddled up into her despite being the same size. She lightly squeezed him while he cowered in her chest.
"let's get you down to breakfast, then we'll start your lessons" she told him as she coaxed him to stand up. He followed her out and she led him to a cosy room with a fireplace in it.
"Stay here, I won't be gone for long" she told him. When she left he looked around. There was large crates labelled "toys" and there was plush seats on the edges of the room. When Miss Chestnut returned with a small bowl and spoon, Hope was trailing her.
"Morning!" Hope practically bounced over to him. Miss Chestnut placed his breakfast down in front of him. He looked at the thick liquid with the fruit scattered in it.
"It's yogurt! It will be softer for your teeth" Hope told him, she was a little too excited to see him.
"Calm down Hope. Let him eat and then we'll get to your lessons" She told Hope as she sat on one of the sofa's and watched them. Sombra sniffed at the food before taking a hesitant lick. It didn't taste like much, yet his night of being up made him hungry and the fruit added some taste. He ate it without the spoon, not quite understanding it.
"Why don't you use the spoon? You're a unicorn so you can use your magic" Hope asked him, taping his horn. He flinched from her tapping which he looked at her confused.
"you know, like this" she demonstrated by igniting her horn and lifting the spoon in sparkles. But Sombra didn't watch the spoon, he instead stared at her horn. He seen their horns glow before. Amore's was gold, yet Hope's was blue. He believed he did have magic. But he rarely saw other umbrum use it. At most he could remember Folwin and Folre using a black fiery version of it.
"You know how to use it right?" she asked him, which he shook his head again.
"You just...erm...I dunno...think about lifting stuff?" she questioned herself. Sombra stared at the spoon, he imagined it floating. Nothing happened. He clenched imaginary muscles in his horn and the ones in his forehead. Nothing happened.
"If your finished we need to get you two to your lessons" Miss Chestnut said, interrupting his third attempts. They both turned to see she had already got up and was about to leave the room. Hope coaxed him to follow, his legs ached but he willed himself through it.
He followed the pair outside briefly before they entered another smaller building. There were many more rooms which where all connected to one corridor. Miss Chestnut took them into a relatively small room with rows of seats. She sat them down opposite her.
"Right, you two just sit here. Hope, I'll go get your books" She said just before she left the room. Hope turned to him looking less excited.
"She'll make me do maths, I hate maths" Hope said bluntly as she rested her head on her hoof with a pout. Miss Chestnut quickly returned with some books balancing on her rump. She placed one in front of Hope and her expression dropped even more.
"Whyyy?"
"Because the others are doing maths, so will you" Miss Chestnut told her while sitting down in front of them. She placed another book in front of Sombra.
"I assume you know how to read and write a little bit based of yesterday, I'll just help you get the hang of our language" she said as she opened his book. Miss Chestnut over the hour taught him how to hold his pencil properly after it being her turn to learn he can't use magic. Slowly he learnt how to write a few odd words.
"I guess you're a fast learner, or maybe you've been so under stimulated for two hundred years your brains became a sponge" Miss Chestnut joked.
"I'm done" Hope said as she dropped her pencil, boredom written all over her face. There was a brief quiet as Miss Chestnut marked hers and Sombra continued to copy out the sentences she'd given him.
"Ok, just go over those two"
"...fine" Hope mumbled as she picked up her pencil again. Miss Chestnut looked over to see Sombra had finished his lines.
"Wow, you are fast aren't you" she commented as she took his book and looked over it.
"Just need to work on your e's"
RING, RING, RIING
"Break! Come on let's go!" Hope cheered as she leapt out her seat. She motioned for him to follow her.
"I want to keep Sombra for a little bit, just go wait outside Hope" Miss Chestnut said to her.
"Oh...ok" Hope replied leaving the room. Miss Chestnut turned to face him again.
"So, what happened last night? Why were you under the bed?" she asked him softly. Her eyes had softened much more than usual and she now held his hoof. Yet he didn't say anything, he didn't really know how to say anything to be fair. At least in ponish.
"You really aren't much of a talker are you? Was it a bad dream?" he nodded in response, he believed it was a bad dream anyway. He had had nightmares before but none were as bad as last night.
"Maybe it's better if you draw it" Miss Chestnut said to neither of them as she rustled through another draw, pulling out a piece of paper and a few crayons. Sombra picked up one of the crayons and started to draw what he saw. Miss Chestnuts face dropped as he drew him, his sire and the strange floating jaw with the golden glow. She was unable to form words as her jaw trembled slightly at the picture.
"I'm...I'm not surprised you were under the bed...Goodness" she rubbed her face, before taking a deep breath.
"I can see if I can stay over for a few nights, that way if you have another you can come get me" she suggested, Sombra lightly nodded in response.
"Alright then, I'll see what I can do. Now go on outside, Hopes waiting" she told him as he retraced his hoof steps back out through the door. And as she said, Hope was sitting right outside the door.
"What took you so long?" she asked quickly hopping up to her hooves.
"Come on, talk, I know you can" she pleaded wanting something more than a nod. He didn't know why he couldn't get words out, he had done it yesterday. All he could let out was a mewl.
RING, RING, RING
"we didn't even get to play" Hope mumbled as she walked back into the building. Sombra followed her back to their room while the other foals filtered in behind them. they sat back down in their seats for another lesson.
-{+}-
They day had gone by relatively quickly. Sombra didn't quite know where it went. At least the school half of the day did, now it was just free time. The other foals were in the main room playing. Miss Chestnut had told him its best to keep him as far away from public view, so he was stuck in the bedrooms. But instead of his, he was in Hopes.
Her room was the same as his but flipped around. Although having lived in it for seven years she had a collection of things. The big one being candles. Different colours and scents lined her bedside table. She was currently picking one, glancing between them. she settled on a yellow one which appeared untouched. Striking a match she lit the wick.
"I haven't tried this one yet" she mentioned as she put out the match after. She trotted back to the door.
"Lemme go get something" she told him as she trotted of down the hall. Sombra sat in the middle of her room, watching the sky change colours through the window. He could just see the peak of a mountain blurred out in the distance. His attention shifted when he smelt the aroma coming from the candle. A fruity one, but it got more pungent.
"I got it" Hope's voice started him as she appeared in the doorway. There was a flat box floating next to her. She sat down with him and emptied out the contents. There was a folded up board, a small cube and four coloured pieces.
"Snakes and Ladders!" he stared at her blankly.
"...you don't know it do you...er pick one" she placed the coloured pieces in front of him. He picked the red one, then she took the blue one.
"Place it here then you roll the dice" she said placing her piece at the begging, he did the same, pushing it with his hoof onto the board. Hope picked up the dice and flipped it in her magic. It landed on a six.
"So I move six spaced forward" she said as she floated her piece from one to six.
"your turn" she told Sombra giving him the dice. He picked it up in his hooves then tossed it forwards, landing on a two. He pushed his piece forwards two, there was a shape on it.
"You landed on a ladder, you go up ladders, so you go to twenty three" it took Sombra a moment to process it, before he just shuffled his piece up the ladder, to what he assumed was twenty three.
"If you land on a snake you go down, that's about it. You just have to get to a hundred and you win" Hope then took her turn moving forward again, then it was his turn. They kept going, often going up then down. eventually Hope was on nighty six, rolling a four she would get to a hundred and win. However she only moved three, landing on a snake that took her down to twenty six. Sombra looked at her confused, tilting his head slightly.
"I want you to win" she said kindly. It wasn't too long before Sombra won. Hope smiled and clapped her hooves. But Sombra didn't feel like he won, she did just give it to him. If he was going to win, he wanted too properly. So he pushed his piece back to the begging, and they played again. By the end of the night they were even after four games.
"Time for bed you two" Mrs Drops said through the door. She surprised Sombra as he still wasn't quite familiar with her. As he stood up Hope grabbed his leg then pulled him into a cuddle.
"Good night!" she said tiredly as she let him go.
"come on you two, to bed" Miss Drops repeated which Sombra followed her out, leaving Hope to go to bed. Sombra headed back to his own room and climbed into his bed, he preferred having the curtains open as they let a bit of light in. just as he laid his head on the pillow his door opened.
"Oh, you're already in bed" Miss Chestnut said.
"I'm able to stay over for a couple nights, so if you need me just follow the nightlights down the corridor. My room has the blue one next to it ok" she informed him as she walked in and gave him a light kiss on the head, before leaving and closing the door.
He woke up in the same place, muddy and wet. He could see the trees around him, and that same glow in the distance. Yet he did not trust it this time. He looked around the darkness. He decided to go in the exact opposite direction of the light. He wandered and hid between the trees. He noticed the glowing light was shifting in the same direction as before. He could see just in the glow it was almost equine shaped, but extremely gangly and thin.
He continued a little faster, he still couldn't hear that well, but he had a feeling it could hear very well. In the distance he could see a small shack, it was slightly hidden by trees. He hurried over to it, yet he attempted to keep his hoof steps quiet. Looking back he could see the figure eating something from the ground.
He finally entered the little shack. It was rattly and withered yet he felt it was more shelter than anywhere else. He cowered inside of it. he pressed his body up against the wall trying to make himself flat. He peeked around, the glow had gotten a little bigger. Every now and again he peaked and he noticed something he hadn't thought about. It was following his trail. He panicked when he realised it as slowly the glow started to leak into the shack. He pressed his dark body into the equally dark corner.
Long strands of hair started to hand over him, he felt a heavy rotten breath wash over him. He braved a look upwards. A face with a ripped open toothy grin and wide veiny eyes stared at him. He screamed as its jaws opened wide as it bit down into his spine. His body was lifted as he was dropped and grabbed again.
Sombra woke up with cold sweats. Tears dripped down his face as he stared at the ceiling. His body trembled and he could swear his back hurt. Rolling onto his front he contemplated the door as more tears slowly dripped down his face, landing in the soft cotton. It took him a minute to think, he didn't like the dark, but he could see the faint shimmer of the nightlights. As he got up on shaky legs he didn't see one teardrop shimmer softly as it landed.
Sombra poked his head out into the corridor. He saw the line of lights which he followed out into the dark. The crystal walls reflected creating unwanted shadows that moved. He came to a t-cross where he looked down one side and saw the little blue light. He pushed open the door next to it, to see a much larger lump in the bed which he assumed was Miss Chestnut. He lightly walked over nuzzling her leg, stirring her from her peaceful sleep.
"wha...oh...Sombra...you okay?" she asked groggily. He nuzzled her again with a whimper. She pulled the blanket aside and shuffled over closer to the wall. Sombra crawled up to her and snuggled into her chest. It was an awkward fit as they were both similar sizes, but Miss Chestnut slowly petted his head as he continued to tremble. She made sure to stay awake until he drifted off again |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 17: In hours to come | Sombra was awoken by Miss Chestnut lightly shaking his shoulder. She had almost fully woken up but was unable to move due to Sombra tightly gripping one of her legs.
"Time to get up Sombra" she whispered to him. It took him a moment to stir from sleep and to let go of her leg. When his eyes adjusted it was the first time he had seen Miss Chestnut not groomed. Her floor length hair, despite being tied up was a matted mess and her thin fur stuck out in every direction. Sombra let out a small mewl as he shifted his stiff legs.
"Where you alright last night? Was it a nightmare or did you just want a cuddle?" she asked while lightly rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"mmn, nigh...mer" he croaked out.
"It's a little early, you sleep a little longer while I get ready, then we'll go down for breakfast and you can tell me it ok" She said while gently climbing over Sombra to leave the bed. Resting his head down on the pillow he drifted between waking and sleeping, for the half hour it took for her to get ready.
"You there Sombra?" she asked him, nudging his shoulder waking him up. Lifting his head, he looked at her, shook his head and licked his nose. Then he yawned and his face spilt open, showing all his little still rotten teeth.
"I really hope those fall out...right, let's get you to breakfast" Miss Chestnut told him, she led him back down to the kitchen. Sombra could hear the room next to it with the sounds of the other foals, he could pick out each individual voice.
"I should get your bandages changed as well...you should probably have the yogurt again...should actually call a dentist maybe...might ask that nurse if she knows any..." Miss Chestnut lifted off to herself. While she poked around in the fridge Sombra heard a familiar voice. He trotted out of the kitchen and peaked around the corner to the dining room. Mrs Drops was in there seating the foals, the most recent one to be Hope. The other foals looked at him, they whispered to each other.
"Is that the new one?"
"I think so"
"He's weird looking"
"Isn't he one of those giant ponies?"
"Maybe" their hushed whispers continued, Hope turned to see him. She tried to get out of her chair but Mrs Drops sat her down. The yellow mare approached him forcing him to take a step back from the doorway, despite such an assertive manner, she spoke softly. Although with a hint of fear.
"I thinks its best you don't eat with them for now. Let them get used to you first" she told him, her voice slightly wobbled. He felt a hoof on his leg and Miss Chestnut stood with a bowl in her mouth. He followed her back to the living room where he sat and ate his breakfast again.
"I hope you've considered the problems of having him here" he heard Mrs Drops whisper to Miss Chestnut.
"I know you don't like them Lemon-"
"This has nothing to do with that. Have you considered if a parent sees him and that information gets to the princess?"
"Yes. I have. If I can keep him in his room during visiting hours everything should be alright. Although I do wish I could take him home with me, I just can't leave him on his own"
"I can tell you've already fallen for him"
Sombra finished his breakfast, licking the remains off his lips. He trotted over to Miss Chestnut with the bowl in his mouth. He had regained some of his energy with the food, and his now slightly glistening green eyes only further melted Miss Chestnuts heart.
"Alright, let's get you to your lessons, you can tell me about that nightmare as well ok" she said as she walked off with him back to the school after putting his bowl in the sink.
After sitting down with her again (this time without Hope, for she was with the others) he did another drawing of his nightmare. But as he now had an image of the monsters face, he drew it. while it was mostly black and grey in his nightmare, something compelled him to the pink, purple and peach crayons. It was only the face he drew, with the twisted smile, widened popping eyes and the shaggy mane. Miss Chestnut stared at it terrified.
"I knew foals can have...concerning imaginations...but...sweet Celestia" she stammered.
"wait..." she stared at the image.
"that's...she owned you...oh no come here" Miss Chestnut practically ran around the table to pull him into an embrace.
"she was known to treat Umbrum the worst as well" Miss Chestnut almost cried into him as she squeezed him.
"I just wish I had some pony at home to help look after you" she lamented as she let go of him.
"Alright, compose yourself Velvet, let's get your lesson done shall we, we'll focus on your speech" she said as she took a deep breath. She sat back down in front of him, giving him his book from yesterday.
"We'll start by reading out those lines"
Hope and Sombra sat in his room, they hadn't gotten a chance to talk most of the day. So now they were sitting doodling on scrap papers. Sombra looked over to see Hope had drawn three little ponies with big butterfly wings. One was green, another yellow and another dark blue.
"There my fairy friends. Only I can see them. I based them of different butterflies" Hope said as she coloured in the fairy's. While Sombra could speak he still wasn't sure how to respond to many things. so he tilted his head and looked at her with curiosity.
"The green one is a...green birdwing! That's it" she remembered pointing to the left fairy. Its pale green body had short black hair. The wings were large and bright green, but the top wing had a black centre, the smaller had three black dots.
"This one is a blue morpho, she's the big one" the fairy was a dull brown. She too had black hair but it was much longer with blue streeks. The wings were almost disproportionality large and they were bright blue.
"Then this one's a monarch, she's the leader" the last was a golden yellow, its wings were normally sized with elegant black stripes and white spots. Her golden hair was held up in a tight bun and she had a little silver crown.
"I...like...them" Sombra told her slowly, still finding the words unnatural. But even so him speaking made Hope incredibly happy.
"Thanks...you're the first to like them...the others call me crazy"
"...No?" Sombra said, confused why too she would be.
"They think its silly to have imaginary friends" she said quietly, and then she changed the subject back to her fairy's.
"when they fly they have a trail of sparkles. Stella, the blue one leaves the most because she has the biggest wings" she told him while adding little blue dots behind the giant wings.
"The green ones Clover and the other is Tulip" Hope continued as she added their sparkles. Sombra's paper was still empty.
"You gonna draw anything?" she asked him, pushing the crayons towards him. He shrugged his shoulders, he didn't know what to draw to be fair.
"You want to play with the dominos?"
"...ok" He replied confused to the new word. Hope bounced of and quickly returned with a box. She dumped out the little rectangles covered in dots.
"There's a proper way to play it, but I like to stand them up and push them over" she said as she lifted each one and stood them on end. Arranging them in waves and lines before pushing the end one over. The satisfying clicks rung in his ears as they tumbled over. She giggled as she lifted them all up again and replacing them in different places. Sombra took one in his mouth and attempted to place it down, however his nose butted into one and the chains toppled over.
"It might be easier if you use your magi- oh wait...you can't use it" she remembered as she went around re-standing the dominos. Unfortunately they didn't get much time as Miss Chestnut arrived to put them to bed.
"Come on Hope, lets get you to your room" she asked sweetly. Hope using her magic put the dominos away swiftly, before hugging Sombra again. She then trotted off to bed.
"alright, lets get those bandages changed shall we" she said as she placed the roll, water and ointment down, then sitting with him. She gently lifted his leg and lightly pulled of the now dirty bandage. She lightly dabbed the already healing wounds with the water, causing little stings.
"Sorry, I should probably get you bathed tomorrow, they're healing nicely though" she said as she continued to wipe down his wounds. After applying the ointment she wrapped his leg with the fresh bandage, then moved onto doing his other legs and his neck.
"Alright, good night Sombra. I hope you sleep better tonight, but I'm still here if you need me" Miss chestnut told him. She kissed his check and left him to sleep.
For once Sombra was getting a peaceful sleep. There was no dreams nor nightmares, just sweet sleep. Unfortunately it was about midnight when he was woken up by a bright light. He had a habit of not closing his curtains (of the few times he'd slept in this room) but it was only now did that suddenly become a hindrance.
Groaning and rubbing his eyes as he woke up, he looked through blurry eyes at the white coming from his windows. The light faltered and wavered as the tree branches shifted in the wind. Something was sitting in the tree and as his eyes adjusted he saw a shape withing the glow. Sombra crawled out of bed and wobbly walked over to the window. The light as if on cue faded, revealing a pure white bird.
It had a long, elegant neck and head with deep black eyes. it was perched upon a branch that was hanging from the weight, attempting to sit as close to the window as possible. Its tail, however, was draping down a good few feet, it was just as white as the rest of the birds body, except for the pale blue and gold marking on its face and feathers. Creating little eyes in its tail. The bird took a step closer, testing the narrow branch.
They stared at each other through the glass, the way the bird gazed into his eyes made it seem far too intelligent for what it was. Something compelled Sombra to open the window, which doing so allowed the bird to flutter and clamber in. Landing in front of him the bird looked up at him, its long tail glided across the carpet.
"hey" Sombra said in his own language, it felt so normal on the tongue. The bird almost smiled at him in response. They stood staring at each other for a few seconds, until Sombra's mind decided it was time for sleep. He didn't know what quite to do with the bird in his room, but he grabbed a spare pillow and plopped it down at the end of his bed, before tucking in himself.
As he drifted of to sleep he felt a twang like pain in his head, which quickly faded into nothing. As he slept he felt a light weight on his shoulder. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 18: A feathery friend and a forest | ("Can you hear me?") a male voice asked him as Sombra woke up. But it wasn't so much said to him, as it came from his mind. He looked around his room yet the only other being in the room was the bird.
("Can you hear me?") the voice said again, the bird stared at him. He thought it was a stretch, but Sombra got the feeling the bird was talking. So he nodded.
("Good. Don't worry, you're not going crazy, but you are talking to a bird via your mind so expect other to think so") said the bird. Sombra was left with his jaw open. This wasn't what he expected to be doing in the morning. Although one thing that did help was the birds fluency in Umbrull.
"H-How?" Sombra said out loud, however his question was interrupted by Miss Chestnut coming to wake him up.
"Good morning Som-...why do you...have...a...peacock?" she questioned, rightfully confused.
("would you please tell her I'm a Lumos, for I am not one of those pathetic trumpet birds")
"He's a Lumos" Sombra said abruptly.
"...I'm sorry what" there was a brief silence between them.
"Did he come around last night?" she asked him. He nodded his head.
"Okay. Right. So, now you have a bird. Um. We don't allow...pets"
("the audacity")
"If you can get him to stay here while you have breakfast then we can have a talk about it after ok" Miss Chestnut told him, she left to go wake up the next foal.
("I can stay here") the bird said as Sombra got up to leave. The bird sat in the place he slept as it was warm. Sombra made his way down to breakfast which he sat and ate alone again in the living room.
"Right Sombra. This bird you have, what happened for you to get him?" Miss Chestnut sat down next to him. She knew she would get a simple half formed answer, as he wasn't good at constructing longer sentences.
"He was bright light in tree. I let in, he can talk to me"
"So he was just in the tree by your window?"
"mhm"
"and he can...talk? What, how?"
"Like...in head" He said while tapping his forehead, Miss Chestnut sat in her own thoughts for a while.
"Right, so once you finish just go get him so we can sort this out, it's the weekend so you haven't got school today" she told him, Sombra nodded as he licked away the last of his breakfast. He put his bowl back and trotted back up the stairs to his room. He found the bird in the same place, his long neck stood above his body.
("So, before all of this happens, you obviously have a name")
"Sombra"
("Well Sombra, I'm Opal. From now on we are linked by our souls and mental chords, so your stuck with me. I know you didn't get a say in the matter, but hey! At least you got one of us with a sense of humour, at least I believe I have one. Anyway, we Lumos, or what little left there are of us, come to Umbrum in need and considering you're the only one alive I think you're in need") Opal said, Miss Chestnut popped her head into the room.
"Sombra, I just remembered. I spoke to an umbrum once when I was dispersing food, they mentioned something about a white bird being special or something. So I guess you can keep him, as long as he doesn't bring any suspicion to the princess about you being here" Miss Chestnut told him, just as she went to speak again there was a clatter and shouts from the foals downstairs, so she hurriedly trotted of.
("Well, I guess that's just pony foals, getting in a kerfuffle, though she's probably used to it owning an orphanage") Opal commented, Sombra looked at him with slight confusion.
("You're an orphan. You're a foal without parents. That's why you're here. Actually how old are you?")
"seven hundred-ish?"
("What? Mate you look no older than five hundred even late bloomers have started puberty by now...but I guess you weren't really fed for two hundred years so you're probably going to be a runt")
"Is that a bad thing?"
("As long as everything grows in correctly you should be fine, you just might be a little short. But by now at the age of seven hundred you should have went through mental maturity and at least have your teeth fall out and regrow, your horn should have started fading, bending and serating and your eyes should have changed colour. Hopefully once you start eating properly they should start. Then you have to prepare yourself for three hundred years of growing pains, raging hormones and your hind hooves splitting in three")
"what"
("Fun times. Also you don't have to physically speak to me, you should be able to sense my mind via a telepathic chord, then just speak to me in your head, it's had a night to stabilise") Sombra reached out his mind, sensing an invisible string between him and Opal. Yet he struggled to get a word through, as a sting of pain shot through his head.
("Don't worry, it will take a while for you to get used to it, the pain won't happen when you do") Opal said before fluttering down to the floor next to Sombra.
("I am supposed to help you out with your problems, given you called to me after a nightmare. But I think its best if I teach you a few things. considering you're not exactly safe anywhere, lets start with-")
"Mornin!" Greeted Hope through the door. Her eyes instantly landed on Opal.
"Hey, I like your bird, he's pretty"
("You flatter me")
"So, we go on a walk in a bit, do you wanna come?" Hope asked Sombra trotting over to sit with him. She reached a hoof out wanting to pet Opal, however he pushed his head away.
("No")
"Ok, I come" Sombra replied to her.
"Yay, we normally go at ten then come back for lunch, so we can...do...something" she said, sitting there not sure what to do.
"Where did your bird come from?" she asked him.
"He just appeared"
"Oh, does he have a name?"
"Opal" the pair made their way downstairs, where the two mares were gathering the other foals. Some were happy and excited, others were fed up and annoyed. Opal had plodded along next to them, drawing the attention of the foals.
"Hey cool bird"
"But...I thought we weren't allowed pets?"
"Yeah you told us we can only have fish but he gets a bird!"
"Alright kids listen, those birds are special to Sombra's ponies, I can't split them up" Miss Chestnut said, trying to calm the jealous foals.
"But I always wanted a budgie, they're smaller than peacocks" One filly asked.
"Maybe if you came out of your room more during visiting hours you would get new parents and you can ask them nicely and they might just get you one" Miss Chestnut told her, trying to sugar coat her sarcasm. She then turned to Sombra and Hope.
"At least we're on the edge of town, no one should see you, were just going around the forest" Miss Chestnut said as she gave Hope her jacket.
"Is it going to rain?" Hope asked as she did up the buttons.
"There's a rather large black cloud coming over, but hopefully we'll be back by the time it gets here" with that the mares took them outside.
There was no sign that there was ever a revolution. At most there was a dented or bent lamppost. There were no signs of the dead anywhere on the street. Despite the fact it had only been a few days (yet it certainly didn't feel like it) it seemed as if nothing had ever happened. They left the crystal path for a dirty one as the group headed towards the forest.
"Do we remember what the trees are called?" Mrs Drops asked the foals in front, being behind them all.
"Ooo the big ones are redwoods!" one blurted out, getting the answer before the others.
"Yes, and the smaller ones?"
"There spruces!" another answered.
"And what do we use spruces for?"
"Hearts warming trees!" a trio nearly shouted.
They entered the forest a couple minutes later, a gateway between two giant redwoods.
("Those are at least a thousand years old, some of the larger will be hitting their two thousands at least") Opal told Sombra, he was now perched upon his withers. The trees surrounded them on all sides with scattered sun beams shimmering through.
"shall we go a different way for once you reckon?" Miss Chestnut asked her colleague.
"As long as we don't get lost again"
"Do you trust me?"
"Sure"
-{+}-
They had been walking for a while, him and Hope had exhausted their conversations. There was no set path, and the mares only seemed to half know where they were going. If he looked up just through the tops of the redwoods he could see the giant mountain in the distance. When he looked around he saw something he could recognise. He had to squint to see the little mini cliff a good way away in the trees, yet he wondered if everything was still there, like their leathers and supplies. He started to trot swiftly over.
"Wait! Sombra you can't just- take the kids out the forest I think the rains getting closer" Miss Chestnut told Mrs Drops as she cantered up to him. Sombra however didn't stop until he reached that ledge, clambering up it to the makeshift campsite. The logs and stick packs were still there, along with the leathers, blankets, now rotten food bags and the little building block set. All of it was still there, now weathered severely.
Miss Chestnut slowly pulled herself up the ledge. She was out of breath and was puffing slightly. She watched him untie the packs. The stored away blankets tumbled out. They were protected by their packs, yet there was still a little wear and tear on them. Yet the blanket he pulled out, despite being over two hundred years unworn, deep within the fibres and leather there was an incredibly familiar scent. He collapsed into the warm embrace of the past, the comfort of his sire almost holding him again. He wrapped himself up in the giant blanket.
"Sombra?" He heard miss Chestnut ask through the thick fabric. He poked his head out to see her. She laid down next to him.
"Did all this belong to you before?" she asked, lightly touching the weak leather. Sombra nodded as he shoved his muzzle into the blanket.
"We can't take all of it, but maybe you can take a few things. You might feel more at home" she suggested as she looked through the rest of the pack. Her nose scrunched up as a bag had been rotted away by long gone berries. She pulled out a small bowl with a tied on lid. Opening it there was a near translucent powder inside.
"What's this?"
"Dammi say it keeps stuff good" what he wanted to say was when she told it was a form of preservative made from magic, but he didn't know how to say that in a way she would understand. But she got the idea.
"If it preserves things we can put some on your blanket when we get in, do you want these blocks?" she asked pulling out the bag filled with the decorative building blocks. He nodded as he took the bag in his hooves, the stone blocks rattling. She found another small bundle, filled with silver rings. Sombra recognised them as the spare rings his sire would weave into his braids.
"These are pretty, you want them to?" she asked and he nodded.
"Alright, that's all we're taking ok, let's get back to the others" Miss Chestnut told him. She took the bags in her mouth and he followed her down and out through the trees again. The group was waiting for them as slight droplets fell from the sky.
"We found his old things. he took a few things, it might make him feel at home" Miss Chestnut said, her voice muffled.
"Oh, ok. Let's get home I think the rains coming "Mrs Drops said as the mares led the foals back to the orphanage, just as they entered the rain started to get heavier. Sombra trotted up to his room with Miss Chestnut who helped him put his new things away. She folded up his blanket and placed it within his draws. His blocks were placed on top along with the powder and rings.
"You'll find once you start to put things in your room you may feel more at home, these should help. Did you enjoy your walk?"
"mhm"
"Alright, lunch will be about half hour" Miss Chestnut told him before leaving back downstairs. He sat down on the bed completely forgetting about Opal being on his shoulders. He fluttered and sat next to him.
("So, this blanket, does it belong to someone in your family?")
"Sirri"
("Is that why you liked it so much?")
"Yeah"
("Well, tell me if you start missing them, that's sort of my job to comfort you")
"Can I have a hug?"
""I'm not a hugger, I'm also a bird""
"you will be" Sombra grabbed the bird into an iron grip of a hug. Opal flapped his wings and wriggled.
("No please my plumage!") He complained as he twisted and turned. He gave up eventually. He was saved by lunch. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 19: From love to soup on face (i dunno) | Sombra had now been at the orphanage for three months. Even so Hope was the only other foal who had warmed up to him. Sombra had also moved into the lessons with the rest of the class and was getting more fluent in Ponish, yet his writing was still rather off. Although he was enjoying his time, he often had horrid nightmares, many of which always had him hunted down by that monster. But there was always Opal there, and often Hope and Miss Chestnut.
Recently however Sombra and the other residents at the orphanage has noticed Miss Chestnut had become very light on her hooves, very smiley and rather cheerful. As all curious foals did, him and the rest of them (albeit a lot less as many were adopted) had hidden themselves around the corner listening to the two mares in the kitchen.
"You know, you've been a lot happier recently, something good happen?" Mrs Drops asked.
"Oh, no, nothing in particular" Miss Chestnut responded flustered.
"Come on, your never like this. Somethings changed"
"No, nothing"
"Nothing?"
"Nothing" there was a brief silence.
"You're in love"
"What. No! why would I be in love?"
"You're beautiful, you're caring, you're affectionate-"
"I literally don't talk to any pony outside of work"
"You're in love, I can tell. No pony goes around almost floating and in some daze and distracted if they're not in love"
"You don't have to be in love to be like that"
"Oh really then what's that blue feather in your hair?"
"What feather?"
"That feather"
"Oh this, it probably just fell off a bird and into my hair"
"A we don't get blue birds around here, B giant wing feathers don't just fall out mid-flight, C I think you would have noticed a feather that big falling on you"
"Well what if I wanted to keep it?"
"Then you would have put it in your bag and not tied it into your hair ribbons" there was another silence,
"Fine. You got me...don't look at me like that, I'm not telling you everything about him"
"Oh come on"
"No"
"Fine, I'll wait, but I'm guessing it's a blue pegasus so I'll be keeping my eye out" the foals heard her hoof steps leave the kitchen so they all silently scrambled back to their rooms. Sombra joined Hope in her room again, in which Opal had stayed behind now cuddled up next to the wax burner.
"Do you really think she's in love?" Hope asked a little excited
"Maybe" Sombra replied.
"I'm pretty sure she is" Hope bounced over to her calendar on the wall. There was a small drawing on one box.
"Whoever it is, she'll probably be going to the faire with him, it's like the time for couples to go on dates" Hope was practically bubbling with excitement for reasons Sombra didn't quite understand, she wasn't exactly the one in love.
"Faire?" Sombra asked.
"Yeah, basically it's a giant party which us being happy powers the crystal heart up and stuff. I mostly like the food"
"Ok, that sounds fun"
"Apparently there were some rumours about Amore putting a spell on the heart or something, I just think she was making sure it wasn't cracked or something" Hope said as she sat down on her bed. Sombra laid down next to her, kicking his legs out to the side to avoid putting any pressure on the still sensitive, but near healed, wounds. His bandages were gone, but there were nasty pitted and patchy scares left behind. Hope was staring at them much more now that they were no longer covered.
"How'd you get those?" she asked, pointing at his new scars.
("She is too young, leave her unknowing until she grows up and understands that some things are better left silent, she will blab it's what foals do. Ignorance is bliss") Opal said to him, his void eyes were stern. A command, not a suggestion. And so Sombra stayed silent, leaving Hope waiting for an answer she wouldn't get. Realising that made her move onto another topic.
"Didn't you use to live in the North?" she asked, Sombra glanced over at Opal and received a small nod.
"Yeah" Hope hopped of the bed and trotted to the window. She pointed out.
"So do you have a name for that mountain there?" she asked, Sombra walked over next to her, it was that giant mountain that towered over the rest.
"I don't think so"
"We call it Mt Everhoof. It's the tallest mountain in Equestria, then to the west apparently there's some creatures called yaks, there like pony goats but really hairy, I haven't met one though" Hope said, she opened her desk with her magic and pulled out a book, its back pages extended out into a map.
"We're up here" she said, pointing to the top of the map where the mountains were. "Crystal Empire" was labelled within a ring of much smaller mountains. Sombra could see Mt Everhoof was also labelled. He also read the words "Frozen North" on the very top, yet he felt it was too small to be the whole of the North, the Eye wasn't on their either.
("we live on uncharted territory, the North is much larger as it spreads to the other side of the planet, they cannot survive the summer of the North, let alone the winter. Even if they fought of the cold. So they never mapped it") Opal said to him. Sombra looked further down the map, there were many more labels and lines sprawled over the land. They all originated from one place.
"Canterlot is where the princesses live, it's also the capital of Equestria. I want to go there one day but the train tickets are really expensive"
("It's also not covered in snow and is above zero on average") Sombra partly ignored Opal however, as his mind was stuck on "princesses".
"There's...multiple princesses?" Sombra asked with fear.
"Yeah there two sisters, Celestia is the princess of the sun and Luna is the princess of the moon"
"Are they both like...her?"
"Who, like Amore? Well, I think Celestia's more like her, apparently Luna's hides away a bit more, they also wield the elements of harmony, that's how they defeated discord anyway" Hope told him, causing so many things to go through Sombra's head, he could sense the confusion on Opals end as well. If they were all like Amore, did they all murder for entertainment? What was harmonious about that? There was a ringing of bells down the corridor. They joined the foals as they made their way down to tea.
Sombra sat down in his usual spot in front of the fire. He didn't like sitting with the other foals, he was unsure why, he just didn't like them. He sat with Miss Chestnut, who indeed had a royal blue feather in her hair, as he ate his bread and soup. It was mostly quiet, until there was a small commotion in the main dining room. There was a small scream and Mrs Drops voice silenced the commotion. Sombra could her the slight sniffles of a filly be taken to the kitchen. Miss Chestnut left Sombra in the living room while she went to do her job. She returned with a whimpering Hope, who was pushing a wet paper towel to her face.
"Go sit down" Miss Chestnut softly said, Hope barely picked up her hooves as she walked over. She flopped down next to Sombra and hid her face in her tail. Swallowing the last of his bread he nuzzled her, he didn't like it when she cried.
"What happened?" Miss Chestnut asked to her colleague.
"One of the colts, I didn't see who, they chucked some of their soup at her, fresh stuff out of the pot. She should be ok, I had a look it just got her cheek"
"Ok, you have a better authoritative voice than me, you go sort them out and I will stay with Hope" Miss Chestnut said, she sat down with Hope and Sombra. Hope still whimpered into her tail.
"Hope, I know this is the third time they've done this this month ok, but please don't let it get to your head-"
"B-but I'm d-dirty"
"No you're not, you don't have to be shiny to be pretty" Miss Chestnut told her, lifting her chin and brushing her hair from her face.
"How's your cheek?"
"It h-hurts"
"It is a little red isn't it, just keep that cold"
"Okay" Hope's sniffling calmed down, Sombra curved his tail around her and started to nibble at her shoulders. He dragged hair through his rotten teeth, grooming that little patch of thin metallic fur.
"Hey, that tickles" Hope giggled, Sombra kept grooming her shoulder until he accidently bit down on the small gemstone starting to grow out of her skin. His head shot back as his front teeth bent over flat, causing his white gums to bleed silver. While it didn't hurt like he expected it to, the sensation of the teeth tugging as they were pushed was equally concerning.
"You ok?" Miss Chestnut asked him. Sombra opened his mouth so she could see his teeth.
"...I should really get that dentist sorted, I er can't just take you in, if you can just leave them be and don't play with them you should be alright" she said as she prodded his bottom lip. There was another clatter, this time from the kitchen.
"Oh now what" Miss Chestnut complained as she went to see what happened. She met Mrs Drops in the corridor.
"I made them do the dishes"
"Who?"
"Caramel, Prince and Rocky, they admitted to throwing the soup at Hope and I just found a bucket of mud propped up on top of her door, just like they did last week. They've also admitted to every other little "prank""
"Have you done anything else? I think this deserves more than doing the dishes"
"Well they have no pudding for a month, they are also banned from the playground for a week"
"Ok good, I need to get Sombra to the dentist so maybe in a day or two you might have to do tea on your own"
"Alright then...have you not got that done already?"
"I'm struggling to find one that's willing to work with him without directly revealing I have an umbrum in my care, but he's just bent his teeth backwards so I definitely need to get him in somewhere. Have the others gone upstairs?"
"Yes there in their rooms now"
"Alright, I'll take this pair up" Miss Chestnut returned and took their bowls away. They followed her and kept in their snickers when they saw the three colts looking miserable as two more bowls and spoons were placed in the water. Hope and Sombra returned to their room for the night, in which Hope wanted to be alone for a little bit, so Sombra let her be. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 20: Open wide | "Oh come on!"
"Your due to go Hope, you might as well go with him"
"But I hate the dentist!" Hope complained as she furiously sat down on the carpet.
"Oh don't be silly it's not that bad" Miss Chestnut told her, pulling her back up onto her hooves.
"Sombra might want a friend with him as well, I doubt his is going to be any more fun" she said while pushing Hope forwards towards the door. Sombra was already standing and waiting. It was relatively late at night, most had retired to their houses for the day and many business were closed. Hope was nearly dragged out the door as Miss Chestnut took them down the empty pathways. It didn't take too long to reach the practice, in which they were expected as the staff were still around. Given that they were the only patients they were taken straight to the dentist's room. The stallions hair was so slicked back that a hair net wasn't necessary.
"So we have Radiant Hope and Sombra, and Hope was in for a general check-up but Sombra's teeth are severely rotted"
"Yes well if you can get Hope done first she doesn't like...er...dentists...so"
"No, no that's fine. If you just sit here Hope we'll get it over and done with okay" He said to her, she simply nodded as she sat down on the chair. He pushed around a shelf of tools and he started to prod around in Hopes mouth. He wrote small things down on a document as he went around her mouth. So far, Sombra couldn't see anything that would scare her. Sombra found it interesting (he somehow hadn't noticed it before) that Hope didn't have any canine teeth, she only had the front teeth visible so he just assumed there was a gap before her back teeth
"So far so good, just make sure you get to these back ones a little more" he told Hope, who quickly shut her mouth and hopped of the chair. She shuffled back over to Sombra looking a little less grumpy.
"Oh, Sombra sort of bent his teeth yesterday, its er not pretty" Miss Chestnut said to the dentist. She motioned to Sombra to go take Hopes place on the chair.
"Bent his teeth?"
"They're very rotten, I'm just hoping his adult teeth are alright, if he does have adult teeth"
"Easiest way to tell is to look, open up bud" Sombra opened his mouth slightly, which the dentist had to pull his jaw down a little more to get a better look. The dentist blinked rapidly in a brief shock.
"...wow...I don't even need the magnifying glass for this" the dentist lightly prodded at his teeth and gums. He couldn't feel his teeth, but his gums stung at each touch, but he let the dentist do whatever he had to do.
"I'm no expert on umbrum teeth but...they're bad"
"So would he have to have some pulled?" Miss Chestnut asked.
"Well the problem with pulling baby teeth is that it can cause problems with how the adult teeth grow in, I also don't want his first dentist appointment being him having all of his teeth removed, however if we do nothing his adult teeth may already be rotting as the infection spreads down, and I have had the unfortunate circumstance of having an Umbrum smile at me and with how giant their adult teeth are I have a feeling the roots are just as long, so an infection getting to there could lead to further infection in his head" the dentist said, he prodded at his teeth where each wobbled to varying amounts. One of his upper incisors fell out on impact.
"Let me just grab that...actually..." the dentist picked up the small magnifying glass "I think your adult incisors are erupting...yep definitely...I might just get these out the way" the dentist said after grabbing the rotten tooth and placing it in a small box.
"So your taking out the front ones?"
"I think its for the best"
"Ok, I will pay some more then, I'm sorry I'm making you work for much longer" she apologised. Hope seemed to panic a little, her eyes had widened.
"Oh sorry, I have to sit outside with her, she's not to keen on the concept of extractions" Miss Chestnut said. The dentist gave her a nod, Miss Chestnut gave Sombra a quick kiss to the forehead before leaving with Hope.
"Alright bud, just lift your hoof if it hurts, I'll be as gentle as I can" the dentist said softly as Sombra's mouth was gently opened again. Sombra sat there, with a mix of patience, concern, fear and trust. The dentist worked away gently pulling out each tooth, making sure they didn't break as they were pulled. He was thankful he couldn't exactly feel his teeth, he was sure this would be much worse if he could.
"All finished! You did well bud, I guess it helps they were pretty much dead" the dentist congratulated him. Sombra licked the soft gums that had been left, the holes felt oddly soft but he could feel sharp pin pricks in the centre of each. The dentist lead him out of the room where he found Hope looking as if she was expecting him to come out dead. She bounded into his for-legs and hugged him tight, not letting him go throughout the entire transaction between the adults. She only let go when they were led out of the practice, it was now near darkness and they were the only ones on the street. As they walked Sombra heard some distant wing beats. The trio looked up, Miss Chestnut stopped and she waved.
The pegasus she waved to glided down to the pathway, landing next to them. From the faint light of the streetlamps they stood between he could see the stallion had two toned hair and dark fur. Unlike the last pegasus he knew Sombra could see the layers of feathers on the stallions body which were puffed up in the cold air.
"Ok I must ask what your doing so late at night with two foals" he asked Miss Chestnut, his voice was rich and smooth. It took Sombra a moment to process as he was used to most male voices being gruff and near raspy, he always wondered how his sire didn't permanently have a sore throat.
"Didn't I tell you? I had to take Sombra to the dentist because his teeth are terrible"
"Oh right yeah, I guess your taking them home now?"
"well, yes, what else would I be doing?"
"I dunno, I was just bored and went out for a night flight and I saw a grown pony with two foals late at night and my brain went places it shouldn't have" he replied, Miss Chestnut got a little closer to him, half closing her eyes.
"How about I take the foals back, then we go to my place and have fun, would that get rid of your boredom?"
"Velvet there are two foals standing next to you"
"Well they won't know about that for another few years...actually Sombra's most likely already seen it but doesn't understand-"
"Lets just get the pair back to the orphanage" the group walked back mostly in silence, Hope was consistently taking glances between the stallion and the feather in Miss Chestnuts hair. They returned to the orphanage where they were taken to bed rather quickly.
("well that was hastier then usual")
"She met a stallion and started being weird" Sombra said, some of his letters didn't quite form.
("Oh you wait...anyway how's your teeth?") Sombra raised his lips showing the gap in the front of his mouth.
("WHAT THE FUuuuddgge...yeah...fudge...that's...er...I guess it could have been worse...heh heh") |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 21: How do math-hey that's a big leaf (warning for the end) | Sombra looked at his teeth in the mirror. Miss Chestnut had started to teach him how to brush his teeth. She was worried before that her brushing would lead to his teeth getting more damaged, but now that he had some erupting adult teeth she felt more comfortable doing so. The tips of his new teeth were much whiter in comparison but they weren't exactly useful, for one he was still living primarily of soft food which was getting increasingly boring.
He made his way down to breakfast where he again sat and ate his yogurt. Hope had now fully given up on sitting with the others, so every day she was practically joined to Sombra's hip. Sombra didn't mind at all though, he had lost count of how many games they had played over time and they had built up a small collection of messy paintings.
Hope was incredibly excited though today, shovelling her cereal into her mouth. Her teeth chewed at speed, until she started to choke on the three mouthfuls that attempted to go down at once. Sombra batted her in the back and she coughed up the chewed up cereal, before swallowing it in smaller chunks.
"Why are you so happy?" Sombra asked, his letters were still half forming.
"Because it's the crystal faire tomorrow! and I love the faire because I get to spend all of my pocket money I've saved up!" Hope said excitedly as she gobbled down the last bit of her breakfast.
"Ok"
"That means you get to have your first faire and you can have your first crystal corn, cherry pies, hard candies-"
"Sombra will not be going to the crystal faire Hope" the unusual stern voice of Miss Chestnut interrupted her.
"Why not?"
"Because we cannot risk having him seen"
"But we go on walks and you took him to the dentist"
"Because I can trust that dentist as he helped in the revolution, and we are not far from the edge of town so there is a lower risk of being seen. But there is far too high a risk in a crowd of ponies and guards"
"But why can't he be seen?"
"Enough, Sombra will not be going"
"...Okay" Hope quietly said as she went back over to Sombra, waiting for him to finish his breakfast.
"You can still go Hope"
"But I want to be with Sombra"
"Then you can stay here, ok"
"okay"
"Take seventy four divided by three, you're going to divide seven by three which gives you two tens. You put the two on top but you have one left over as you will only get six. So you put six beneath the seven, then do seven minus six which equals one..."
("are you getting this?") Opal asked as the teacher demonstrated on the chalk board. Sombra nodded as he copied down what the teacher wrote, quickly converting it into Umbral numbers.
("how?") Opal continued to stare at the numbers on the board, even seeing them translated into Umbrull didn't help his understanding of maths.
("It's easy dimwit")
("Oh lovely your first words to me in telepathy is calling me a dimwit thanks buddy") Opal said, Sombra didn't even realise he had said anything telepathically. It wasn't as hard as he thought it was, he just had to think about talking to Opal and the mental chord would kick in. As the numbers easily arranged themselves in Sombra's brain, Opal and every other foal just stared at the board confused.
As the lesson went on, foals one after the other put their pencils down in defeat, Hope was one of the first. Her ears were folded the entire time and silent mutterings of "what" came out of her mouth every now and again. She had at least tried unlike others, but many of her bus stops were scribbled out. When break came the class near sprinted out the doors, except for Hope who waited for Sombra to neatly put things away in his desk.
"How do you understand that?" Hope whined after having her brain fried.
"It's easy"
"It isn't" the pair made their way out to their little area of the playground. Their place was in the branches of a relatively young oak tree, but it was still able to hold their weight. While they sat on the larger branches Opal perched on the much smaller ones.
"I wish Miss Chestnut would let you go to the faire, I normally get left out" Hope mumbled as she leaned on the branch behind her.
("If you wish, you can tell her that technically you are not a pony and Amore doesn't like that, but for now wait until she's older to get to the nitty gritty")
("Ok)...Um, Amore doesn't like me...because apparently I'm not a pony"
"Is that it? doesn't seem like much"
("Is it morally acceptable to tell a seven year old that her princess is a murderer?")
("So should I tell her")
("...No, just say that dislike is past hate on the scale")
"...the dislike is more like...really strong hate"
"Oh...is that why you're not allowed outside?"
"I think so"
("Don't tell her this, but I'm pretty sure the reason Missy keeps you inside as much as possible is because you would either be killed or put back into slavery")
("...thanks")
After a moment of quiet where they just listened to the strange games the other foals would play, Hope spotted something in the leaves. She stood up and balanced herself on the branches. She grabbed a giant leaf in her mouth, severing it with her teeth. She shuffled back down to their place on top of the trunk.
"Look, it's like twice the size of the other ones"
"Why'd you pick it?"
"I just wanna keep it"
"Wont it die?"
("Didn't you pick up some preservation powder? It works on leather, which is skin, so it should work on leaves. It will keep it alive in a sense")
"Opal said that powder I picked up can be used to keep it alive"
"Do you think it will last till school ends?"
("I can take it inside and put it in some water, that should help")
"Opal says he can put it in some water to help it" Sombra told her, Hope excitedly gave the oversized leaf to Opal, who took it in his claw and flew off. The bell rung and they hopped of the tree and went back to their lesson, which to many foals relief wasn't math.
The pair scrambled back to Sombra's room to find Opal sitting by a cup of water which the leaf was sitting in. He also had a small kitchen flannel. The pair sat down as Opal laid out the stuff on the floor.
"How's it work?" Hope asked. Opal took the leaf out the water and laid it on the floor. He lifted the lid of the wooden pot with his beak. With his talons he dipped the end of the flannel into the water then picked up some of the clear powder on the end. Lightly he rubbed a part of the leaf in circular motions, that area of the leaf glittered purple. After completing a small area he pushed the flannel over to Hope.
("tell her that she cannot use her magic as the light will not mix well with the dark") Sombra relayed the information to Hope, who took the flannel in her hoof and continued to work over the leaf. It didn't take long until the leaf was fully preserved. She held it up with a big smile.
"How long will it last?"
"I think it lasts a while"
"Great!...I'll try not to use all of it" Hope said in glee as she trotted off with her leaf. The rest of the day went over normally, many of the foals went to sleep excited for the fair the next day, however most were so excited they didn't sleep much.
Once again Sombra found himself in the dark. Except there was no forest around him, there wasn't a sky either. There was cold stone beneath him and that stone was all he could see. This time however he could hear and smell. All he could smell was rotten flesh that burnt through his nose. He took a few cautious steps and he could her the tap of his hooves. As he could hear his hooves he felt the need to step even softer, to the point is finely tuned ears could just hear the tap.
Ever so slowly he wandered across the flat spread of stone. There was next to nothing in the place around him. As he wandered the silence caused his ears to flick to sounds of the faintest kind, even if he couldn't tell he was actually hearing them or imagining them.
He could hear something, a series of soft tapping, it was in every direction and almost on top of him yet in the horizon. He stopped in his tracks to try and sense where it was, he could feel something watching him.
He continued slowly making sure to not make any noise when he took a step. However a shape started to appear in front of him. It was something lying down, something purply and pale blue. There was a mess of liquid red, gelatinous chunks within it. cables of guts were splayed out across the stone. A contorted face had its eyes ripped out, leaving tears of blood. And yet still Sombra could recognise that face.
"H-Hope...no" his voice squeaked. He collapsed down next to her body, she was long cold beyond saving. There was a sickening giggle behind him and a stake was forced into his ribs, pinning him to the stone. He feared a look upwards and the twisted toothy smile with wide open eyes stared him down, the stake was a skinny leg. The abomination giggled again before it lowered its head, keeping its eyes locked on Sombra's. Sombra tried to wriggle but he couldn't move his muscles. Its jaw opened revelling layers and layers of razor teeth. Sombra tried to scream as its jaws wrapped around Sombra's hind legs and tail. He sat hopelessly as tears streamed down his face. As his legs slipped into the maw of the thing he felt more teeth dig in all the way down its gullet, slicing his legs and tail continuously. More and more of his body was engulfed and his now skinless legs hit acid which had an all too familiar burn to it. Sombra gave up as the creature clamped down and yanked its head back, tearing away his rear and his silver guts spread across the stone. His blood spilled out of its mouth between his teeth. Sombra's vision slowly started to fade as he was pushed onto his back. He barely saw as the thing reared up and slammed its stick legs into his eyes.
Sombra woke in cold sweats as he sat up on his bed. He panted as he pulled his sire's blanket closer to him.
("Another nightmare?") Opal asked despite knowing, his feathers were glowing turning him into a night light. Sombra grabbed his blanket and climbed out of bed, the fur lined leather dragged across the floor.
("where are you going?") Sombra poked his head out the door and checked the darkness. He stepped quietly through the corridor until he reached Hopes door. He slightly pushed it open. He saw the slow rise and fall of Hopes chest as she snored softly. Her eyes were closed softly as she slept peacefully, probably dreaming about her fairy's. Sombra placed his blanket on the bed before climbing up and curling around her. He pulled the blanket over which to his surprise didn't stir her as she slept like a rock.
At least she was breathing and was in one piece. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 22: What was supposed to be a fun day | "Hey...why are you *yawn* in my...bed?" A groggy Hope asked, she had rolled over hours later and realised that Sombra was next to her. Sombra whimpered and held her tighter nearly stopping her breathing.
"Ow" hearing her made Sombra loosen his grasp and he shifted to lay side by side. Her horn lit up as she shifted the candles around on her bedside table. He watched as she pulled one forward, struck a match and lit the three wicks. They burned softly and warmed the room with a gentle glow.
"What's wrong?" she asked him, Sombra whimpered and pushed his head into her pillow.
"Did you have another nightmare?" Sombra responded by swiftly nodding his head, a tear found its way out of his eye while the smell of lavender entered his nose.
"Please don't cry" Hope said while pulling Sombra into an awkward hug as he was twice her size. She held him while Sombra cried, remembering what he saw. Part of him felt a slight sense of guilt, he had woken up Hope and started of whatever a crystal faire was badly. There was a knock at the door and it opened slightly. As always Miss Chestnut had come to wake them up. It took her a moment too realise that there were two foals in front of her.
"Are you two alright?"
"I think he had another nightmare"
"Right, you go down for breakfast Hope, I'll look after Sombra" Miss Chestnut told Hope who left slowly. Sombra looked up at Miss Chestnut who had placed a hoof on his shoulder.
"Let's get you to your room" she softly said as he pushed himself off Hopes bed. Miss Chestnut wiped away the tears that had rolled down Sombra's face. He followed her back to his room where he curled back up onto his bed. He calmed down a little more before going through the process of telling her what he saw in his nightmare.
"Ssh, ssh it's okay, I think that's your worst one isn't it?" she asked while soothing him with gentle strokes. Sombra whined as he nodded, the tears had caused his eyes to start stinging and he could swear it felt as if his hind legs were being crushed.
"Let's get you some breakfast, then as you can't go to the faire I'll stay with you and we can play some games to take your mind off it okay?" Miss Chestnut said. They went downstairs to find that the foals were all jumbled at the door. Mrs Drops was scrambling to get them to calm down. All of them had little saddle bags stuffed full of pocket money. There was a stallion Sombra hadn't seen before but based of the matching rings in Mrs drops and his left ears Sombra assumed he was her husband. Miss Chestnut shoved Sombra behind the corner of the wall and whispered to him to stay hidden.
"Do we have to have half each Velvet?" Mrs Drops asked.
"Yes, well one of them came down with something that's left them in bed so I will have to stay here"
"Alright then, come on you lot let's go!" there was a noise of cheers as the foals were taken outside. The door was shut and Miss Chestnut called Sombra out from the corner.
"Sorry about that, I don't know her husband well enough to trust him" she said to him while taking him to the kitchen to get his breakfast. Hope was just sitting in her chair waiting, and when she saw Sombra she was instantly out of it. She hugged him then booped his nose.
"You feeling better?" she asked him, Sombra shrugged his shoulders before getting on the seat next to hers. Miss Chestnut placed a bowl in front of him which for once didn't have yogurt in.
"I know you were getting bored of the yogurt, so I'll try you on cereal. Just eat small amounts at a time and you should be alright" she told him. Sombra stared at the small yellow rings floating in the milk. He picked up his spoon (which he was still struggling to use) and scooped up some cereal. He put it in his mouth and crunched on it lightly. The crunch was a nice change to mush and he got a slight sweetness from it. However it slightly hurt to eat with the rotten molars that were still in his mouth.
"Do you like it?" Miss Chestnut asked him. He swallowed his first spoon of cereal.
"Its...better" Sombra said. There was something he had been craving for years now and that was his Grandams cooking. He would do anything for one of those skewers.
("Once all your teeth have grown in I'll take you hunting") Opal said to him sensing his desire. Sombra kept munching his breakfast while Hope sat and just twiddled her hooves. She appeared almost bored, but her unfocused eyes suggested she was in some daydream. The trio was mostly quite while he ate, it didn't take him long to finish, however.
"So you two, what do you want to do?" Miss Chestnut asked them.
"I dunno" Hope mumbled, she was slouched over the table with her for legs stretched out in front of her.
"We have the whole craft box to ourselves" Sombra told her, Hopes ears picked up and so did the rest of her. The pair scampered of to the craft room.
"I guess that's settled" Miss Chestnut quietly laughed.
-{+}-
Hope and Sombra had pulled out most of the craft supplies. From the glitter glue to the powder paint that just needed water, they pulled out everything. They had already covered an A3 sheet with hundreds of scruffy doodles with either pencils, crayons, pens or any other thing they could find. They had even drawn stuff with glue, chucked glitter on it and blew away the excess. There was pipe cleaner animals with glued on pompoms and paper springs. There was a complete disregard for waste, which Miss Chestnut had given up on enforcing an hour ago. Opal had also given up on protecting his feathers and now sat with a pompom stuffed in his crown.
"Look! Do you like it?" Hope asked as she propped up her picture. She had painted a squirrel with a single peacock feather for a tail and her fairy Clover was with it.
"Why does it have a feather tail?"
"He just does, do you like it?"
"It's cute"
"Clover can talk to animals, she's telling him about pecan pie" she said as she added some more green to clovers wings. Hope was rather good with paints, at least in terms of being able to stay in her outlines, or at least make something that could be identified.
From the other side of the Orphanage they heard the front door open, Miss Chestnut was bought to attention and she swiftly trotted off. She returned a minute later with the same pegasus they had met on the way back from the dentist. Now in better lighting Sombra could match his dark blue fur and feathers to the feather in Miss Chestnuts hair. His hair was a half and half split of white and turquoise.
"...I also got you this, I now you have a bunch of pictures in your draw so I thought you might want to keep them somewhere nicer" the stallion said. Hope and Sombra looked over to see him giving Miss Chestnut a thick book. She looked over at the pair.
"I hope you don't mind, but I think I know a pair that might get better use out of it than me" she said softly to him.
"No, not at all if it's this pair" he replied, Miss Chestnut walked over and placed the book on the cleanest spot of the table.
"I think you two might like this" she said, Hope stared at it for a brief moment before getting upper excited.
"It's a scrapbook! We can put pictures of us in it!" she happily told Sombra before flicking through the blank pages. Those pages were pitch black and the side of the book that opened had a ribbon, which Sombra assumed was to tie it shut, at least he believed he assumed, his mind was foggy. He couldn't seem to concentrate and his stomach started to ache. The world seemed to wobble beneath his chair and his vision shifted from crisp to blurry.
("What's happened? Are you alright?") Opal asked him, yet his voice was faint and Sombra struggled to hear him. He saw a magenta thing wave in front of his face. He could faintly hear other voices around him. A sudden chill washed over him and he began to shiver violently. He believed he was groaning but everything started to disappear.
He felt movement, like he was being carried. He was placed on something soft, his bed maybe. Something heavy was placed over him, it smelt familiar, like his...sire. His stomach was churning and his muscles whined with every little movement. But it was the cold that overwhelmed everything, piercing through every cell of his body. He couldn't hear much but he felt whimpers in his throat with stuttered breathing. There was someone petting his forehead gently.
Time didn't seem to end, he shivered for what felt like days. His stomach so desperately wanted to throw up but there was nothing in it to do so, it just ached painfully. There was someone else petting him now, a little more forceful, but more of an accidental force, just heavy hooved. His mind faded in and out, how much longer would this last?
-{+}-
Last time Sombra checked it was light outside, now it was dark. His chill started to go away and so did everything else. He could see properly at least, he rolled over onto his side to find Hope sitting next to his bed. She appeared to have been crying lightly based of her slightly bloodshot eyes, or he had been out of it for days and she hadn't gone to bed. With him moving she perked up and ran off shouting for...someone. Hope returned with Miss Chestnut in tow, whose face of concern turned to relief upon seeing him not shivering or whimpering.
"Are you feeling better?" she asked him while holding his hoof. Sombra weakly nodded which apparently wasn't good enough.
"Are you sure? You still look out of it" she said while using the skin above her hoof to feel his forehead. Sombra reached a hoof out weakly, which Miss Chestnut took hold of and lightly rubbed.
"I think maybe you should rest for a while, if you're hungry I can get you some food?" she asked him, Sombra only groaned as another pang of pain shot through his stomach. He curled up on himself and resided deeper in his blankets. Miss Chestnut sighed as she gave him s kiss on the forehead.
"Hope, stay with him up to lights out ok, I'll bring up some food and water for him in case he does want to eat" she said before leaving him with Hope. Sombra laid there as he felt the bed shift as Hope snuggled up next to him.
"When you feel better we'll decorate that scrapbook" Hope told him, Sombra had forgotten about that scrapbook, she seemed so excited about it. he felt bad, he had ruined her day basically. She couldn't go to the faire, then he became ill. He hoped he was better tomorrow. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 23: Finally | Sombra felt better, at least mostly so. He didn't feel sick, he just ached. But he was functional and he would take that. The others foals were in the craft room so they didn't have everything to themselves. Miss Chestnut told him to stay in bed for another day just to rest, so Hope had bought a few things up. They sat together on his bed with the few supplies she had managed to snag. They had glue, glitter and a little bit of paint.
"We could put a hoof print on the front" Hope suggested. She was still sounded a little upset by his sudden illness, but the scrap book was still making her happy.
"How?" Sombra asked.
"We can paint our hooves then press them onto the front cover" she said, she lifted a paint brush in her magic and painted onto her hoof wall. Her hoof now coated in green, she pressed it onto the front cover of the scrap book. She removed her hoof and there was a green cloven shape printed onto the book.
"See" she said, Sombra took the brush in his teeth, he did the same thing leaving a much larger and wider cloven shape. There was room on the cover for one more. The pair looked over at Opal who was perched on the frame at the bottom of the bed.
("Ah, ah no way in the North are you putting that stuff on me- GET OFF MEEEEE!") He shouted as Hopes magic encompassed him, dragging him over. Opal wasn't in a good mood either, as part of Sombra's symptoms had passed over to him. The peacock wrestled with the magic uselessly.
("She just want your footprint")
("IF THAT GETS ON ANY OF MY FEATHERS")
("If you don't wriggle then it won't")
("...Fine") Opal stopped wriggling and let Hope paint his talons. His foot was pushed into the book which he physically recoiled, once he was released he almost instantly flew off.
("I DID IT, BE HAPPY") he mentally yelled. The pair looked down at the book to find the print of three spindly toes and a small dot where the back toe just pricked the book. There was only one thing missing now.
"We need a picture on the front" Hope said, she put her hoof to her chin thinking for a moment.
"I'll go ask Miss Chestnut" she said as she hopped of the bed and trotted of downstairs. While she was gone Opal returned.
("Where has she gone?") he asked.
("She went to get Miss Chestnut, something about a picture")
("Alright then, I am not needed to paint anything else am I?")
("I don't think so")
("Good")
"She already had some!" Hopes voice bounded off the walls. In her magic there were many pictures, all of them. None of them were coloured, just black and white versions of themselves. She floated them in front of him expecting him to choose which was important enough to be on the front cover. His eyes darted between them all but there was one that just drew his eyes.
He hadn't even realised that a picture of that moment had been taken. It was the day him and Hope realised that the small oak was unclaimed by any of the foals. Sombra was laying on a branch. Left legs on one side the right on the other. Hope stood below him, she was curious on how he so easily climbed a tree. He had told her he just imagined it as a mountain, she didn't understand. Opal was their too, sitting on a lower branch and watching.
"I like this one" He said pushing the floating picture towards her with his nose.
"I didn't realise she took a picture of that"
"Neither"
"This will be nice on the front because it's the only one with a full picture of Opal in it" Hope said as she taped the picture onto the front, which Sombra assumed Miss Chestnut had given her the tape. Hope held it up so he could look at the front of the scrap book. There green hoof prints and singular talon prints had dried, almost creating a flower shape, above it was the picture. For the next half an hour the pair organised the other pictures, with the help of Miss Chestnuts habit to date the pictures, they were able to put them in chronological order. Considering Sombra had only been around for a few months, they had quite a few pictures.
"You two having fun?" Miss Chestnut asked them, appearing at the door.
"Look what we made!" Hope said, excitedly holding up the scrap book for Miss Chestnut to see.
"Oh, very clever, although you may need to pack it away"
"Why?" Hope asked, she paused, then she burst into excitement.
"Am I finally getting adopted!"
"You both are"
"Really? Who by?!"
"Well, I have someone at home now to look after you-"
"YOU ARE DATING HIM!" Hope yelled as she launched herself around Miss Chestnuts neck.
"Calm down, you might have to wait a bit, its quite a long walk I want Sombra to fully recover first" Miss Chestnut told her. Hope stretched her neck back so she was looking at Sombra up-side-down.
"You can walk cant you?" she asked him. Sombra stretched his legs a little to test the muscles, they didn't ache to a point he couldn't bare it, they just felt tired as if he had sprinted a mile. As he could move them without much strain, he nodded.
"See we can go tonight!"
"Oh, ok, if Sombra is still good to then we can leave tonight"
-{+}-
Evening came and Hope and Sombra had packed. Sombra didn't have much. Just his sires blanket, the preserving powder, and the silver rings that used to belong to his sire as well. Hope however had more things, but her bag was so heavy from her candles that she couldn't carry it. They were waiting at the door while the two mares talked to each other.
"You know, for an Umbrum he's not as bad as I thought he'd be" Mrs Drops said quietly.
"To be fair, he has no reason to attack you" Miss Chestnut told her.
"I guess so, I didn't exactly do anything to him like mum and dad did...just be careful ok, I'm not completely convinced"
"I'll be fine, I still work here, your going to see me everyday"
"Yes well, just go take your foals home, you've put so much attention to them they may as well have come from your own loins so-"
"'scuse me?"
"Just go I'll look after the others"
"Okay" Miss Chestnut walked back over where she took the pair out of the orphanage for the last time. Miss Chestnut had Hopes bag while Sombra had a very empty bag. His legs weren't to happy about the walking but he pushed forwards, Opal was strutting alongside him. Hope was in front of both him and Miss Chestnut happily trotting ahead, she had to wait at every corner.
The walk was indeed rather long and Sombra's legs slowly started to complain more and more. They passed many irregular crystal homes, many had large gardens which some were left unkempt and others had neat hedge rows and blooming flowers. They kept going down long roads and the odd turn, until they stopped at a pale blue house with neat rose bushes lining the front garden.
"We're here" Miss Chestnut said as she passed the white roses. Hope happily bounced on her hooves as her new mother opened the front door. The cool blue walls were contrasted by warm woods and fabrics on the inside. Hope continued to bounce around in her new home, while the blue stallion appeared from the kitchen.
"Just in time, just finished cooking" he said, Sombra could smell the food, it was fresh from the oven by the wafting spices and fragrances. Right now though, his legs were complaining and those plush seats were very enticing. He dropped his bag and flopped down on the sofa. He tucked his legs in to allow him to sink into the fabric.
"Are you not hungry Sombra?" Miss Chestnut asked. Sombra looked up at her then tried to move his legs, but they had already given in.
"Oh come on, let them eat on the sofa for their first day"
"Fine, just don't make it a bad habit"
"Your so posh"
"I am not posh Cloud" Miss Chestnut told him annoyed, the couple dished out the fresh food and served it on plates. Hope had taken a seat next to him and their plates were given to them. The food was small fat triangular pastries, Sombra bit into them but was blasted in the face and mouth by heat.
"Careful bud, they'll be a bit hot" the pegasi told him, so Sombra sat and waited for his food to cool down. Once they did he could definitely say it was the best in terms of vegetable food he had eaten, it was less boring if anything having the pastry mixed in.
After their food they were taken to their new rooms. Hopes room was relatively small again but she seemed quite happy with the better bed and proper wardrobe and shelving units. The walls however were rather barren.
"We thought you might want to decorate your own rooms" Cloud said to them, Hope dragged her bag into her room where she started to organise her candles. She put most in colour order on her shelves, her little wax burner was placed on her bedside table.
Sombra was taken up a staircase again, up through a wide square hole into the attic. Unlike Hopes room it seemed half completed. It was a circular room (due to the shape of the house being more tower like), there was a circular window that stretched out from the slanted ceiling, a painters dream view of the North mountains was in clear sight. He didn't have much in the way of storage, but his bed was rather interesting. It was a double bed, but at its end their seemed to be a single bed adding to its length.
"I was told you would become quite a giant so...er...I tried to make some form of a giant bed but still have it fit in here" Cloud laughed to himself. Sombra jumped on his bed which had a much softer duvet then the one at the orphanage. He threw his sires blanket over the bed, everything else had to go on the floor for now.
"It's not quite finished yet"
"That's fine" Sombra said he rolled over onto his back. His eye was drawn to the window, rolling off the bed he found the windowsill could easily be used as a seat. He stared out to the snow capped mountains.
Sombra noticed how grey the rocks were, they were much bluer deeper into the North. The base of the mountains were disguised by the giant trees that encircled the empire. Their was a pang on his heart as he looked out into the Norths horizon, that way was home.
("Home sick?") Opal asked him. Sombra lightly nodded as Opal fluttered up next to him.
"I'll be downstairs with the others if you need us" Cloud said behind him before descending down the rickety staircase. Sombra continued to stare out into mountains, aimlessly, this window was his own little snippet of his home. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 24: A life skill | It had been about a month since Hope and Sombra were adopted. There were many changes in their lives. One being they could no longer be joined at the hip every hour of the day, as Hope was sent to school but Sombra was kept home. Cloud being someone who works at home was able to teach Sombra the simplicity of primary school, although Sombra was aware that he would be sent to high school.
Currently Sombra was sitting in his window, it was three o'clock and he was waiting for Hope to return from school. He was always eager for her to return, even though he often didn't have any news or things to give to her, they just weren't quite used to being separated yet. He watched the path leading up to the house.
("You know, you seem to miss being around her more than your own family") Opal told him. Sombra's eyebrows lowered along with his ears.
("Or do you block that out because you know it would hurt more?") Sombra shrugged his shoulders, he did certainly miss his family. Although Opal did hit the nail on the head, Sombra found that if he ignored the stuff that happened then he didn't cry as much.
("Did your parents ever get a chance to teach you how to hunt the animals down here?") Opal asked him.
("I only know about wyverns")
("In that case, when Hope returns you can play with her and I'll take you hunting close to sunset")
("You know how to hunt?")
("You're not my first") Sombra left it at that, he continued to watch the pathway. In the distance at the end he saw a blue figure and a little magenta one. Sombra sprung of the windowsill and scampered down the rickety staircase then the more stable one. He waited on the sofa for them to come through the door. It clicked and Hope leaped into the house.
"Hello!" she greeted him as she bounced onto the sofa next to him. She squeezed him tightly in a hug which he returned. Hope delved into her bookbag and pulled out three wool bracelets. They were red, white and pink braids, one significantly shorter than the others.
"They're friendship bracelets!" she said as she wrapped one around her ankle with her magic, she wrapped another around Sombra's ankle which had already developed quite a bit of fluff. In order to get it tight she had to squish a bunch of fur. Hope turned to Opal and raised the smaller braid.
"And one for you" she tied the braid into a little necklace, but she left it much looser. Opal ruffled his feathers to get the braid in a comfortable position, it settled with a few feathers laying on top.
"You wanna go in the sand?" Hope asked Sombra.
"Ok" the pair trotted off leaving Opal behind, who wasn't a fan of sand. In the kitchen, Cloud was busy chopping vegetables. The pair assumed by the large pot and fresh baguettes they were having stew. Hope lifted the keys of the hook and flipped through the odd amount of keys.
"You pair going outside?" Cloud asked them, he turned to help her with the keys easily pointing out the correct one. They unlocked the door and scampered out to the sand pit, where they collected their buckets and shovels out of the box.
The back garden was much bigger than the front, this was partly due to the giant amount of grassy space between houses. There were three things in the garden: the sand pit, a patio with a table and chairs and an apple tree. The tree was currently covered in white blooms which would soon turn into...not very nice apples. At least if you're a foal who tries to eat them raw and learn the bitter taste of uncooked cooking apples the hard way. The pair played in their sand, building castles and other makeshift shapes until they were called in for tea.
"Make sure you scrape your hooves off" Cloud told them, blocking their entrance to the kitchen with his wings. The pair dragged their hooves across the coarse brush that was bolted to the stone, scrapping the sand out of their hooves. They sat back down in the kitchen and their bowls of hot soup were placed in front of them. Opal sat on the edge of the table and pecked at breadcrumbs. He was given scraps of vegetables by Cloud and Opal only half minded.
("Don't eat too much, you have to eat your hunts after all") Opal told him.
("What are we hunting?")
("Well, from what I have seen around here there is mostly hares, foxes and weasels for small prey, then there is moose and bears but you aren't big enough yet for them, you can't fly...well you can you just leave a giant trail which isn't exactly stealth, however I will peck you tongue out if I catch you eating a bird")
("ok") Sombra ate the rest of his vegetables but left his bread.
"You finished bud?" Cloud asked him.
"Opal said he's going to take me hunting"
"O-oh...right...yeah sure..."
("Hunting won't sit right with them, just give them some time to...remember what your proper diet is")
-{+}-
They waited a couple hours for it to get past five so there was time for adults to get home from work. After they were convinced the rush our had finished they prepared to leave, which didn't consist of much preparing. Sombra just removed the little bracelet, he didn't want it too get dirty.
"Are you leaving now Sombra?" Cloud asked him. Him and Hope were flopped on the sofa for the afternoon. Sombra nodded as he left for the door with Opal on his back. They made their way down the street, which was now mostly quiet, it was just the odd sound of a few birds and a light breeze.
("I remember seeing a river near by") Opal commented.
("By the willow")
("Do you know how to fish?")
("Not really")
("Let's start their then...we are going the wrong way")
("Are we?")
("It runs down at the West of the empire, we are going East") they turned around and took a different path. Heading the right direction they soon left the crystal path into the grassland, they could see the dent in the land where the river ran. Sombra began to trot merrily through the grass, Opal shifted places on Sombra to avoid as much bouncing as possible.
They arrived at the river which was as clear as it was a few months ago. Sombra could see the silhouettes of fish swimming through the water. It was just Sombra and Opal alone in the entire grassland.
("My sire did a bit of fishing")
("were you a fishing tribe?)
("No, our territory was just by the sea")
("Did he ever teach you?")
("not...really...I was normally kept at home while the others went hunting")
("So it's my job to do something your parents should have done around abouts now? yeah I can do that")
("You don't sound so confident")
("Well my last umbrum was a full grown adult and not a foal with only half a brain- no offence, so I never had to teach basic life skills before")
("okay, so how do I fish?")
("...look at...the water")
("k") sombra looked at the water. He could feel the mental chord still active as Opal racked his mind.
("Right, so this is usually more useful when your fully grown and more proportional, but if you see where your head naturally reaches the floor you put your hoof to that distance, but in the water, and any fish that get near are within range") Sombra stared blankly taking a moment to understand, before stepping away from the water and doing what he said. Attempting to memorise the distance between his hooves, Sombra placed one in the cool water.
("When one gets near...er...bite it. You have teeth, use them") Sombra waited for a fish to get near his hoof. He waited. He spotted one, he dove, he missed. The fish swerved and Sombra glared at the water as if it had insulted him.
("Try again, you won't get it perfect the first time") and so Sombra stood and waited, watching the fish for the one that got close. He lunged and he fought with a fish to get it to stay in the clasp of his jaw. Its tail end stuck in its mouth it flopped around eventually wriggling its way out. The fish flopped on the dirt and Sombra pinned it with his hoof.
("What now?") Sombra asked.
("It will suffocate soon, leave it to one side and catch another") Sombra put the fish to the side and slowly it stopped flopping about. He returned to the water where it took him a few more attempts to get another fish. He put it next to the other fish.
("You mentioned you had a family member who did the cooking, do you remember if they did anything with fish?") Opal asked.
("Well, Grandam used to cut the fish into like slabs, then she put some like veg or fruit on them while she cooked them on some sticks over the fire...but the fishes were giant with big mouths")
("Pike? These definitely aren't them, but you can still grill these, do you remember how to make a campfire?")
"um..." Sombra said aloud as he wandered off to a nearby tree. He scooped up some dead leaves and twigs and placed them in a pile in front of Opal.
("When it comes to a place with plants you need to find a spot that won't catch on fire in all directions") Opal said. Sombra looked around, but there was grass and trees everywhere.
("Everywhere has grass")
("So you must find somewhere suitable") Sombra looked further around and saw a large rock in the distance.
("Would that work?")
("Does it look flammable?") they gave each other a judgmental glare before Sombra trotted off to the rock, Opal following. They walked for a few minutes before they reached the large rock, it was mostly flat on top which should allow a fire to be made. Climbing atop it Sombra dumped his sticks and leaves and arranged them into a pile.
("No like this") Opal said, he used his talons to arranged the sticks into a square and placed the leaves in the middle.
("Get some larger sticks, it terms of width") he told Sombra. Sombra leapt down from the rock and back to the odd trees. There wasn't many thick twigs on the ground, so Sombra reached up to the branches.
("They need to be dry, so not straight from the tree") Sombra landed on his hooves heavily, gave a quick glare from the distance and trotted off to get some thicker sticks. Managing to find a few he returned to the rocks. Although Opal struggled with the larger pieces he arranged them into a large square stack.
("Do you know how to light a fire?")
("No")
("You can use flint, or any smooth rock that sparks, and a knife...or just whack it on with your magic") with that Opal's feathers shimmered and a blaze ignited on the leaves between the sticks. He places the small twigs on top in a smaller grid pattern. Continuing with his magic that Sombra didn't know he had, Opal (rather un elegantly) gutted the fish by ripping their bellies open and dumping it off the edge of the rock. Then splitting them in half he laid them on the fire. The flickers of fire grazed the fish. Sombra noticed a tiredness to Opals eyes and his feather drooped when they stopped glowing.
("We are not we adapted to magic, although we are more competent then umbrum")
("What do you mean?")
("Despite being unicorns you are more built to hunt and kill compared to doing magic, hence why your horns are curved and serrated") Opal said, Sombra glanced up at his horn, which was straight and smooth.
("It grows in, for your dams sake. Some umbrum can use magic, but very simply")
("I think my two uncles did magic")
("Did your parents?")
("No")
("Then you probably won't either, sorry bud") the pair went quiet as the fish was grilled, occasionally turned over. The sky slowly turned gold as the sun set, casting cosy hues over the land. A gentle night breeze made its way across the grass making it wave. The shimmer of the sun reflected off the running water of the river.
("They are ready") Opal said, using a talon to drag a fish of the grill, which was thoroughly charred, and placed it in front of Sombra. Taking a chunk, it had some flavour, but it was mostly just fishy.
("it's not the best") Sombra commented.
("Definitely better when properly cooked with other things, if you are able to make this a comfortable subject, you could get Missy or Peggy to get you a bag so you can carry stuff home...normally we use leather but they won't have that here but-")
("What about the old camp? We had food bags")
("those are long lost to mold and rot, I don't think they are salvageable, meat doesn't last long let alone two hundred years") they went silent again as they ate the rest of the fish, the sun lowered in the distance.
("We should go back, they probably want me back before dark") Sombra said as the sky slowly shifted to black.
("I will have to stay here to watch the fire for a bit, you know the way back?")
("Yep...why do you have to watch the fire?")
("Just to make sure it actually goes out")
("Okay") Sombra left Opal on the rock, seeing him pull apart the twigs and using the last bits of his magic to lift dirt onto the embers. Trotting off through the grass Sombra made his way back to the crystal homes. Within the gras he found a single flower. Like a daisy, but with far more petals making a thick band around the yellow centre. He picked it, he knew who would like it. He held it gently in his mouth. His hooved landed on the crystal path as he trotted past the sparse houses, a couple half built. Finding the roses he made his way to the back door of the house.
"Hello! Did you like your trip?" Hope asked meeting him in the kitchen. He pushed his head forward offering her the flower.
"Oh, thank you" Hope took the flower in her magic, making Sombra's tongue tingle. He noticed a little bit of red flush into her face.
"Where's Opal?"
"He'll be back in a bit-"
("OI") Sombra jumped at the shout from his mind, turning to the door he saw an unimpressed Opal, staring through the glass. Opening the door Opal strided in, he looked over the pair. Hope was examining the flower, turning it around in her magic.
("You got her a flower?")
("mhm")
("She seems to like it") Hope gave a wide yawn which Sombra repeated.
"Come on you two, bedtime" Miss Chestnut said around the door, having returned a few hours ago.
"But he just got home! I wanna play" Hope whined.
"No, No, it's half eight" Miss Chestnut insisted. Giving Sombra a sympathetic look she trundled off up to her room.
"You two Sombra" Miss Chestnut told him, he climbed up to his room where he curled onto his bed.
("You wont sleep for a bit, you've just ate") Opal said as he perched on the bedframe. Sombra pulled blankets over him and rested his head into the pillow, he realised it was fresh. Miss Chestnut must have done it before he came back, he tried to, but he wasn't strong enough to lift the blankets let alone not tie himself in knots. He did fall asleep eventually as his eyelids grew heavy. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 25: Part two of I don't know what to name this chapter | For the past week Sombra had been leaving to hunt every night. He was still mostly on fish, but a couple days ago he was taken back to the dentist to get the rest of his rotten teeth removed. Opal had told him when they are all grown in too a substantial amount he could start hunting things like rabbits.
Right now Sombra was sitting at the kitchen table with Cloud doing his Ponish. As Cloud was a writer, he was able to teach Sombra the basics of the language, him being able to work from home also meant he could teach Sombra the simple primary school math. He finished writing small sentences with adjectives when he moved onto the next task.
"Right so, the next is to write a small description about your home" Cloud told him. Sombra flipped his page and stared briefly at the blank paper.
"With the adjectives?" he asked, the pencil in his mouth bounced with his words.
"Yes, just a paragraph"
"Okay" Sombra pressed his pencil into the paper. However he didn't write about the crystal building with its little windows and the rose garden. Instead he wrote about a cave with two chambers, each with a fire. About the stacks of leathers, meats and fruit that were pushed against the walls.
"You miss home don't you?" Cloud said softly to him. Dropping his pencil Sombra shrugged his shoulders, now that he had gone out hunting he was missing home more and more.
"Well, look, I need to go get Hope from school and then after you can tell me about home ok"
"Okay" Sombra left his seat, leaving his work on the table. Back in his room he sat on his windowsill, gazing out towards the mountains. He just wanted to go home with his family. Yet he felt that he was safer here, at least in this house with three ponies that actually liked him. He had a feeling he wouldn't make it in the North on his own anyway.
However he could only stare out a window towards home for so long, not wanting to just sit their sad Sombra made his way back down the stairs. Halfway down though he found the door to the adults bedroom open, he could see the desk that Clouds different drafts and papers were sprawled over. Knowing he had about twenty minutes, he decided a small look couldn't hurt.
Amongst all the papers and stories Sombra found one titled "What makes something a monster". There were scruffy sketches of creatures he had never seen, like Manticores and Timberwolves (although he could swear he had seen them before). There were different attributes written next to them, such as sharp teeth, claws, not pony and meat eater. Next to them Sombra saw an Umbrum, with the same things such as sharp teeth, claws ad meat eating, but there was equine and intelligence. He didn't understand any of it, or at least why Cloud would be laying out such things. Sombra left for the stairs again.
-{+}-
When Cloud returned with Hope, his wing was around her. The moment the small sniffles hit Sombras ears he found himself automatically hurrying over to nuzzle and groom her. They curled up on the sofa and Cloud sat down in front of them.
"You want to tell me what's wrong now?" Cloud asked her, he wiped away a tear and Sombra nuzzled her withers.
"S-Suzieloo got her c-cuite m-mark and now I'm the only one without" she whined.
"We've told you this before there not that special"
"b-but they are, they tell you what y-your gonna do"
"If that was the case then your mother would have no choice but to farm chestnuts"
"But they're still important" Hope argued, the small nibbles from Sombra had calmed her down.
"Yes, but they don't decide your whole life"
"Well that depends, I could have had writing as a hobby but I turned it to my job"
"But shouldn't I have got mine by now?"
"I wasn't a perfect writer at age seven, I couldn't even spell"
"So I just have to...wait?"
"Yes" Hope went silent for a moment.
"But that's boring!"
"Keep trying new things and you will get yours eventually" Cloud told her, he patted her head then stood up and left to the kitchen. The back door was opened alongside a flutter of wings.
("What's happened? you only groom her when she's upset") Opal asked him, Sombra and Hope were still curled up together.
("It's those cutie mark things again, she's the last one to have one or something")
("I assume she's recovered? She seems quite contempt with you nibbling her ears")
"That still tickles" Hope giggles, she bent into an awkward position to boop his nose.
"Hey Opal" she said as she rolled onto her back, she looped her legs around Sombra and rolled them of the chair, landing on top of Sombra.
"Close your eyes, count too thirty and come find me!" she told him, bouncing away.
"Um...okay, one, two, three..." he counted with his eyes closed. He heard a faint pitter patter of hooves on the stairs, then almost nothing but Cloud in the kitchen. Once he got to thirty he opened his eyes as she was gone.
("Did you see where she went?") he asked Opal
("I'm a hundred percent sure that's breaking the rules")
("Do you know the rules?")
("Well, no. I just get the feeling I'm not supposed to tell you where she went to hide as you have to go find her")
("Ok") Sombra stood up and headed for the stairs, he was positive she went up so he started there. He didn't hear his rickety set so he assumed she was somewhere on the second floor.
Entering her little bedroom he checked under the bed, patted the duvet and searched her dresser. Although he doubted she could fit in those drawers. Not finding her he moved to the bathroom, the door was open which typically meant no one was in there. He checked the bath but she wasn't there. Then he noticed stuff on the windowsill that was typically inside the cabinet. He opened the door to find Hope somehow curled up inside.
"How did you get in their?" Sombra asked her.
"I took the things out...did that give it away?"
"Yeah I think so"
"oops, your turn" hope said, she climbed out of the cabinet and shut her eyes and started to count. Sombra having picked up the games rules quietly but quickly walked off, he saw the tree from the window. He attempted to scamper quietly down the stairs.
"ten, eleven, twelve..."
Making it too the kitchen he found cloud sitting in the open back door with a coffee, letting the breeze pass through his feathers. Sombra could no longer hear hope but he guessed he was past half time. Leaping into the apple tree he applied some of his knowledge on climbing a mountain to the tree. The hardest part was the trunk but he got to the branches and hid withing the leaves.
("Opal go somewhere that isn't here")
("Okie dokey") Opal fluttered off. Sombra waited without movement, waiting for a good few minutes. There wasn't many small places he could hide like Hope but she was probably checking anyway. Yet he sat like a statue, his hair was the only thing that slightly drifted. He waited. Eventually she appeared outside, looking very confused. Opal was with her. She searched the box and the sandpit and looked around every bush and the corners of the house. She turned to Opal looking defeated.
"Is he in the house?" Opal shook his head.
"Is he outside?" Opal nodded.
"...but he isn't"
("I think she's given up you know") Sombra jumped out the tree, Hope glared at him, but he could see how she was telling herself how obvious it was. She blew off her annoyance with a huff and they played again, up to tea.
("I just thought of something that is borderline cheating")
("What")
("You're an umbrum, you can turn to shadow, you can hide in shadows as miniscule as the ones in the carpet, you could become the floor")
("How?")
("Did I not tell you how to shadow?")
("No")
("Oh, well there's a plan, tomorrow?")
("Ok") |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 25: Roses | ("Right look, I'm not too sure how to describe it, you just got to like...imagine spreading out?")
("Imagine?")
("Yeah I guess, has Bean ever told you about like, just imagining things floating and it happens")
("Who's Bean?")
("Hope, has she ever told you that?")
("Maybe?")
("Alright, just like, you know, push like outwards in your chest and think about shifting to shadow")
("Ok") Sombra did as he was told. He squeezed his eyes shut, a soft tingle spread slightly in his chest before it vanished.
("anything?")
("Like, a small tingle, that's it")
("small progress is good progress, it'll come better over time") Opal told him in a slightly more encouraging tone.
("Why can't you do it?") Sombra was wondering why Opal couldn't just demonstrate, like his sire did so many years ago.
("I'm not exactly an umbrum, nor do I run of dark magic")
("Why?")
("I dunno ask biology, or Bean, she's a damn sponge for it, I'm a good thousand years old and she's made me feel like an idiot and she's seven") Sombra remembered back to the day where Hope boggled the minds off everyone as she explained how the horn worked. Nothing stuck.
("I'm gonna try again") Sombra said, he did the same process. Shut his eyes and blew his chest out. This time the tingling spread and for a brief moment his hooves ever so slightly lifted of the wooden floor of his bedroom. He lost his grip on the change and returned back to normal with a soft clink of his hooves.
("did I do it?")
("When you start to float it normally means you've dissolved your organs, so yeah getting closer") the description made Sombra a little wide eyed.
("there really isn't a nice way to say that your pulling yourself apart to a cellular level, or the fact that eventually you can half shift and blood still pumps normally, so there's no nice description and don't question anything alright?")
("...Okay") there was a ringing from downstairs, it was the bell for food. From bellow him Sombra heard Hope scamper out of her bedroom and down the stairs. The pair made their way down to lunch as well to find fresh bread and different spreads, a usual lunch. There were four plates. One had three slices, two had two slices and another had one. They all sat down to eat, while Opal lifted chunks of his bread in his talons.
"You wanna do some painting?" Hope asked him, she took another bite of her jammy bread.
"Ok" the pair ate their bread quickly and left the Cloud to slowly chew away while they went to Hopes room. She had a candle lit, a red one. Like spicy apples and cherries. Hope levitated a bunch of paper out onto the floor with the block water paints. Sombra grabbed the little pot out of her drawer and got some water from the bathroom.
They sat down on her floor together, smushing the cheap brushes into the water and blocks of paint. Creating colourful bubbles on the chunks and dragging the colour across the paper. Hope had more control thanks to her magic, making her lines much smoother in comparison to Sombra's, who was relying mostly on his mouth. He looked over to see Hope had drawn her fairy's again.
"Who's that one again?" Sombra asked.
"This ones Tulip, she's the monarch" Hope told him. Tulip was holding different crowns, as if she was deciding which she wanted to wear. She was decked out in jewellery Sombra noticed, it was a little smudged.
"She likes shiny things, she's a little mean sometimes" Hope continued to paint the golden fairy.
"What are you painting?" she asked him. Sombra looked down at his picture where he wasn't really focusing on what he was painting. But he had drawn stick versions of his tribe.
"Are they your family?" Sombra nodded.
"There's me, then dammi and sirri, there's granddam and grandsire, there's auntie and uncle Amarilla and Folre, my cousins Yesqen and Yesric, then uncle Folwin"
"Wow, you have a big family, how are you an orphan?" Sombra stayed silent, although he mostly didn't know. He just knew they weren't here. He grabbed his paint brush and added in a barely visible white Opal next to his little figure.
"What about your family?" Sombra asked her.
"I dunno, I only remember the orphanage, but I must have a mommy and daddy somewhere right?"
"But you say Miss Chestnut and Cloud are your parents"
"But they're not my actually parents, they just adopted me..." she had said something else, but Sombra noticed a change in his mind. It was Opal, he often forgot he was there, there was a form of sadness in him.
("What's wrong?")
("Nothing")
("Do you know what happened to her parents?")
("You are too young to understand") there was a light thump next to him and the scrap book was on the floor. It had a couple more pictures in it now, mostly of them in the sandpit which Cloud had taken from the patio, Miss Chestnut wasn't home often enough to take them. Hope patted his painting gently, it had dried up quickly.
"I think it should go in here"
"Why? What about yours?"
"I put my old one with all three of my fairies in already" Hope put the paper into the back of the scrap book where Sombra saw her other drawing. They sat there for a few more hours, drawing and painting random things. They went through too many papers by the time they got hungry again. While Hope just got a snack, Sombra was allowed out to hunt.
("I think there used to it now") Sombra told Opal.
("They've probably realised it's this or you starve")
("Can we go East today?")
("...sure") they walked silently, there was a few ponies out on the street. They mostly kept to the ally's between houses, occasionally crossing over. Again they crossed into the middle grass land and headed towards a forest. Halfway through Sombra found a dirty pathway. The grass was slowly claiming it and the soil had spilled over.
("Look, a path, we should follow it") Sombra said.
("Er, well game doesn't usually follow pathways, theirs not exactly grass on it, and you would stick out easier")
("I still want to follow it, but I'll get like, a rabbit first. I think my teeth are big enough now") Sombra turned from the pathway, scanning for holes in the grass and dirt. He knew they were often by trees and undergrowth, but there was no harm in checking. He had learnt where the burrows exactly were on the other side of the empire. It didn't take long though for him to spot a pair of long grey ears sticking up through the grass. The back of the ears, he was behind it. He hunkered down, but he kept his leg mobile beneath him.
("Tilt your head, your horn has grown a little now, it sticks up straight. Tilting it will make it look like it's just something fallen over, and not propped up by a skull") Opal told him. Sombra jutted to a halt as the rabbit shifted, the inner ear flicking at him. It went back to its grass, his hind legs tensed. Muscles coiled like a spring. Wait. Wait. He pounced and clamped down.
("I did it!") the rabbit's last strain of movement wriggled between his teeth and then it stopped.
("You did well for your first rabbit. Many struggle considering how skittish they are")
("How do I cook it?")
("Honestly, I don't know. I think most just eat them as is. They never sold for much so there just eaten") Sombra put the dead rabbit down and ripped its belly open. It had been so long since he had the taste of meat. The last time was a piece of Amore, at least rabbit tasted better. The blood was still arm, the bones crunched between his teeth. What he would do for a good slab of wyvern, spiced with whatever magic his grandam seemed to use. Tormentors were alright, but it depended what part you got. He liked the legs the best, boiled in the shell. The rabbit was gone now, just a slightly damp patch of soil was left.
("Can I follow the path now?")
("You...you do remember what's up their right?") Sombra stared at him blankly.
("You're not taking no for an answer are you")
("No")
("You know what, sometimes it's best to learn things the hard way...but I guess that's the only way to learn this so off we go I guess") Opal hopped onto his rump, sounding oddly enthusiastic, as Sombra stood up. He trotted back over to the path, then followed it into the trees. Patches of snow were resting sparsely over the ground.
("She's reduced the barrier to hide it, how clever") Sombra twisted his head back to look at him.
("Snows very good at burying stuff, especially from the North") Sombra continued up the path, which was getting steeper. He could just about trot up it now, he used the giant roots of the redwoods like stairs. He looked to one side.
Between the trees there was a sea of pitch black. Yet there was colourful patches. Often there was a patch of no colour, amongst the blues, reds, yellows and every other colour but green. If he looked beneath them, there was a tangle of silver. He took some steps towards it. He realised they were flowers. Large petal dense black flowers, like roses. Each petal was tipped with a vibrant colour. The colour shimmered as if it was glitter. The silver was the stems, growing out of- he stumbled backwards. He landed hard on the ground, pushing himself back to the path.
A large skull stared him down. the silver stems of the roses sprouted from it, one from the mouth, another from the eye socket. There was still strands of half rotten black flesh strained across it. The teeth giant, roots stretching up into the nose bone. Fractured and broken. There was an echo, deep in his mind. yet it was not his voice.
(*And the black roses they bloom from our graves...*) across the chord Opal was singing to himself, yet he was not speaking to him. Slow, mellow, respectful. Sombra weekly raised back onto his legs. He trundled back to the path. And yet he found himself going up the path, not back down.
(*Built to last till the end of our days...*) there was more roses, more dense now. Bodies piled on top of each other between the trees. Almost as if they were thrown down the steep slope. He started seeing cut bricks stacked neatly along the path.
(*But when the time comes, the black roses will fall...*) A structure came into view. Looming from the side of a mountain, archways of stone stacked on top of each other. Then there was more bodies, covered in snow now. It was in thick layers, hiding everything. The structure towered high, yet still it was hidden behind all the redwoods.
(*Crumbling away to times embrace*) Sombra stood at an entrance way now. The stone was freezing over, frost in the cracks. There was staircases to his sides, going up to the archways. They were the only way to go from here. He climbed one, it was thin and cramped for just him. Through a smaller door like arch, he found himself looking out into a circle. The structure was a ring of seats, all focused on a central arena.
It was mostly blanketed in snow now, wind was rebounding in a spiral inside. Not strong, but certainly cold. There was a large mound around one side. A large animal of a sort. It was weird though, it didn't look like one thing. There was a severed insectoid like tail. Then a pair of bat like wings, its head was mostly covered by a thick mane of fur. however Sombra's eyes were drawn to a lone body in the middle. It was preserved in frost, and it was an umbrum. Fully grown yet skin and bone, pelted with arrows. There were roses growing out of them, frozen stiff. Even through the frost, Sombra could swear he could recognise the umbrum.
("What are you doing? Why is your curiosity so morbid?) Opal questioned Sombra as he hopped down to the ground. He approached the umbrum. Its roses were blue tipped, so were the cracked hooves and claws. The horn was long sawn off. They were covered in more animal like scars, not so much the chains on the neck and legs. Sombra peered down onto the face. A shaggy overgrown beard and long thin hair. The eyes were half open, a foggy haze from being exposed was over them. The royal blue had faded beneath it, even so he recognised them.
"S-siri...get up" Sombra tugged at an ear, nothing moved. He tugged some more.
"Please, get up" he collapsed down to curl up into his sires cold neck. Opal stood there, a little deflated looking. His wings weren't tightly tucked into his side.
("I'm sorry, he's not getting up")
("Why not?")
("He's dead. I won't sugar coat it, it is something that can only be learnt the hard way") Sombra sat there, sniffling, tears dripped into the snow. He sat their for what seemed like hours to him.
("We should go home, the sun is starting to set") he reached a wing out and patted down Sombra's eyes. It took a little coaxing to get Sombra standing again, he didn't want to leave. But he got up in the end. They walked silently down the hill, occasionally Sombra lost his footing and slipped. Opal wasn't sitting on his back, instead walking along side him, hopping down the root steps which were to big for him.
By the time they got home, Hope and Cloud were having tea, Miss Chestnut wasn't home yet. Sombra walked straight past them, and up the stairs to his bedroom. He curled up into his blankets. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 26: A walk | "Come on, what's wrong?" Hope begged him, patting his shoulder. Sombra hid his face under his for legs, the rest of his body was tangled between his duvet and his sires blanket. They weren't properly pulled over him. Behind him Opal was making a crude drawing explaining what happened, the pencil was held unwieldy in his talon. Cloud watched over him, his wings loose at his sides.
"Hope, just go downstairs for a moment will you"
"But he needs hugs" Hope gripped onto Sombra's shoulders. He didn't want her to leave, but at the same time he wanted to be alone.
"Hope-"
"But-"
"Downstairs" Hope reluctantly let go off him, Sombra heard her very slowly go down the staircase. But she stopped midway, before going down. He could feel the weight of Clouds wing on top of him, but he couldn't feel the soft feathers through the blanket.
"Just let it out ok bud, it's not good to keep it in" Cloud said softly, although Sombra had already let out most of his tears. His cheek fur was damp as well as a small patch of the bed under his head. All that was left was the dry tears and heavy heaves of his ragged breaths. He laid there for some time, whimpering. He wasn't sure how long, he had lost track of how long it had been since he returned home. Slowly though, he settled and calmed down but he felt empty. He heard Hope come back up the stairs.
"I have cookies" Sombra's ears perked up, he twisted to see a few cookies floating above Hope. One drifted over and he grabbed it in his teeth. Between his hooves he took small little bites. She sat in front of him a chewed on her own, often she gave him a sorrowful look. She looked back down at her cookie.
"Hey!"
("Gimme the crumbs Bean") Opal had snuck beneath her, sneaking crumbs off the wooden floor. He hopped around her hooves, tail swinging under the bed, picking up a plume of dust. A small smile flickered on Sombras face.
They were all distracted by the front door opening and the dropping of a bag. Cloud made his way down the staircase, a little confused looking.
"Your home early" they heard him say, they both knew who he was talking to and it prompted both of them to head down. Miss Chestnut being home was really the only thing that got Sombra out of his blankets. Hope was down the stairs well before him, hearing her grip onto her legs with a giggle. Sombra trundled down the stairs, ears still folded.
"Oh, are you okay?" Miss Chestnut asked him, holding his chin lightly. His lip started to quiver.
"He's err...seen some things, I think he'll be more comfortable talking to you" Cloud told her, almost as a whisper.
"Ok, let me put some stuff away sweetie" she told Sombra. She picked up her bag again and went up the stairs.
"Oh, why are you home early?" Cloud asked up to her.
"I got somepony else in so I can work half days" she disappeared upstairs, a couple of minutes later she returned downstairs, to find just Sombra at the door who had patiently waited. Hope had chased Cloud, jumping to bite his tail feathers.
"Alright, do you want to go for a walk? We have a few hours for tea so we can take our time"
"O-okay" he whimpered, following her out the door with Opal perched on her rump. They walked down the street, a couple of ponies were also around. They split of into smaller pathways going South towards the crystal mountains.
"I haven't been this way before" Sombra told her.
"Have you not? Where do you normally go?"
"I go to the river, animals like to be by rivers" they were passing into an area that was in the process of being built. New crystals being spread up over wooden frames. Eventually they hit the grass, they went a little further until they were well away from the busy areas.
"You can tell me when you feel like it, I won't make you" they walked for a minute as Sombra contemplated what to say. He didn't want to relive it, yet he had to tell her. Slowly he got words out, he started with the roses, the skeleton, the colosseum, his sire. Miss Chestnut was silent the whole way through, not saying a word. Her eyes were watering, he could see her working to hold them back. She looked away to catch her breath, yet it faltered when her eyes fell onto an orchard.
"They're weird trees" Sombra commented, he wasn't used to the dome like shape. The apple tree in the back yard was like it, but these were much larger.
"Its my family orchard, they grow chestnuts, hence the name" She told him, Sombra having recovered quickly, attempted to wander over, but she stopped him.
"No, they won't like you"
"Why not?"
"They were for your slavery, most farmers were. Its another reason they don't like me"
"Why don't they like you?"
"I was against Amoree, it split up a lot of families...I also cant have my own foals...but you wont understand till later...lets just stay away" she pushed him back to their original rout continuing to walk a wide birth from the orchard.
"You know, I don't think I ever got to ask you about your own tribe" she asked him. Sombra's ears perked up, his eyes developed a little shimmer.
"Me and the twins used to jump on our sires in the morning, we normally woke our dams up doing so. But their sire was a bit grumpier than mine, but it was the both of them at the same time" he began to trot ahead of her, a couple of hops in his gait.
"Our tribe hunted these giant wyverns, and when we killed one we would chop it up. Then when we got home my granddam would cut it up more and she would keep some for us. But most of it she would but different leafy things on it and we would trade it for metals and leather from other tribes" Miss Chestnut was trotting to keep up with him now.
"So you had a trading system?"
"Yeah! Me and my uncle would go around other tribes with smaller things to trade. Although sometimes we would take a portion of meat and we would trade it for other meat. We would go to this other tribe that hunted tormentors, and granddam would boil it in the shell and it was super good!"
"She sounded like a good cook, did anyone else cook in your tribe?"
"No not really, but dammi helped sometimes"
"Hey, slow down a little" she asked him. Sombra had trotted off, not quite realising how far he had gotten from her. He stopped and waited for her to catch up. The sun was starting to set now, the golden light making her skin stones shine.
"Actually, we should be getting back now" they turned tail and went back down the path they came, passing the orchard again.
"Why didn't Mrs Drops like me?" Sombra asked her.
"Oh its not that she didn't like you, its just that she lost her parents to an incident with some umbrum, it soured her a little. I think she tried to stay unbiased around you though, but you don't have to worry about that okay"
"Okay" they continued walking, back into the half built houses, the work ponies had left now. The small night breeze started to wash over them, Sombra heard some feathers ruffle.
("Why are you so quite?")
("It was nice hearing you talk, that's all") they made it home, the sun mostly set. Hope was already in bed, there bedtime was a little while ago now. They sat in the kitchen together. Eating some warmed up sweet potato soup.
"Don't eat to much, you'll struggle to fall asleep" Miss Chestnut told him.
"I thought it was easier to fall asleep on a full stomach?" Cloud commented, his voice was quiet and tired.
"Well lying down straight after isn't good either"
"I'm done" Sombra told them, his bowl half empty and most of his bread eaten. The adults exchanged some glances, then cloud took his bowl.
"Come on, let's get you to bed"
"I literally just said-"
"I'm not fighting Hope again, come on bud" he followed Cloud up the stairs again and up into his room. He relaxed in his bed, Opal perched on its foot.
"Good night bud" Cloud left him comfortably tucked in, relaxed on his side. But a hesitation to sleep came over him.
("What if I have another nightmare?")
("You've been alright recently, and talking normally gets stuff off your mind, just relax alright")
("Ok") |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 27: Prepare for the time skips (they do be necessary) | It has been a whole year. Sombra had kept his hunting almost strictly to the river, he stayed well away from the East. Every now and again however, it would come for him in his nightmares. He often woke up, yet he fell asleep on his own now, he felt like he was going numb to them. Perhaps maybe they won't disturb him so much now. Unless it learns any new tricks of course.
The small family was all in the living room. The two adults were shifting through different papers and leaflets, saying things the two foals really didn't care about. Hope and Sombra were together on the sofa as always, Hope was lightly pinned on her back, casually being used as a pillow by Sombra.
"What's the date?" Miss Chestnut popped up out of the blue. Cloud looked at her slightly confused by the question.
"err, twenty third offff June- no July"
"July?"
"July"
"Oh, Sombra" she turned to face him, his ears perking up.
"Do you remember when your birthday was or have you lost track?" he stared at her, and he realised he really did lose track of his own birthday. All he knew was it was at some point in the polar day, in which he hadn't learned how the day and night was split up into months.
"I don't know, but it was in the day...("what months are the day?)"
("Ari to Aur, which I believe is April to August for ponies, I assume you don't remember how far into the day you were born do you?")
("No")
"That's...not very helpful" Miss Chestnut told him, confused.
"Day is April to august though"
"Well, today was when you were bought to me, we can make that your birthday if you want"
"Okay"
"Happy birthday" Hope bopped him on the nose. His head recoiled and lightened his grip, which Hope slipped out from under him, then she leapt on top of him.
"Now you're the pillow" she hooked her forelegs around his neck, she laid on his still slightly bony back.
"Don't worry bud, we'll sort out a birthday for you next year" Cloud told him, before returning to the different papers.
"What you lookin' at?" Hope asked, craning her neck to try and see the words.
"Were trying to find a school that both of you can go to...without too much trouble" Miss Chestnut said, Sombra caught a sympathetic glance towards him. He knew why she had said that, it had been quite obvious with her cautious nature in finding places to go with him. He had put two and two together a few months ago.
("Strawberry?") A talon forced a strawberry into his nose.
("No, I'm fine")
("Eat")
("I ate five minutes ago") with a force he didn't quite know the bird to have, Opal wretched his jaw open and shoved the strawberry in his mouth.
("I don't like-")
("How do you not like strawberries?")
("I prefer peppers")
("Do you want me to shove a habanero in your mouth then or what")
("I don't know what they are")
("Oh I will get you some just you wait, don't think I don't know how to use a market")
("Fine")
"Why are you looking at each other weirdly?" Hope asked, they looked at her like they had been caught cheating. Opal took off back to the kitchen, smacking Sombra with air.
"You sure we can't just home-school him? It would be easier for him and us" Miss Chestnut said, the adults still in their own conversation.
"Small problem with that, I failed high school"
"You what?"
"Don't sound disappointed I had tonsillitis which turned into an ear infection during exam week it's not my fault"
"Alright...actually I'll have a look at some at the orphanage, we always send the older ones of too high school"
"Gets 'em of your rump doesn't it"
"well there's also a chance that their friends family will take them in, but it does also do that" they continued there talk. It was like that for a month, it was mostly what the couple talked about. School. While Hope was utterly miserable about the subject, Sombra was almost curious. Mostly on what a school even is. The conversation changed when the crystal fair came around again.
Sombra was in bed, it was easier that way. This time there was a looming dread that rested on him, perhaps he could try and sleep through it. But then it could come get him, or maybe he wouldn't have the ability to dream. He was already in his blankets, just waiting for the next day to roll around.
"I'll be here ok, well, I won't be here in the morning but I'll try and get back as soon as I can alright" Miss Chestnut comforted him.
"Why can't you stay?" his voice was already weaker, mostly from the wait.
"Oh, I wish I could but I have to take the other foals around the fair, but I'll bring some stuff back ok"
"Ok" he pushed his nose into his blankets. He didn't want to go through it again, even if he really couldn't remember much of the pain.
"I want to go home" it took her a few seconds to prosses his words and she deflated when she did.
"I know you do, and we'll get you home eventually ok"
"But...I don't have a sirri anymore" he fully hid his face in the blankets. That scene still haunted him at times. She held his hooves gently with a little squeeze.
"Look, I know he's gone, but I promise we'll get you back with the rest of your tribe eventually okay"
"You say ok a lot" he pointed out with a sniffle, noticing the trend in her speech.
"Oh do I? must be a force of habit...you'll be okay, I'm sure Hope will be with you again o- er alright...right, good night" she kissed his forehead and patted down his blankets. He watched her descend down the stairs, before closing the hatch. He liked it shut. But he had his curtains open, it let some light into the room. He couldn't stand darkness. He didn't have a nightmare, yet he didn't sleep. He couldn't sleep knowing what will happen the next day. He laid and just tried to get through the night with his eyes open.
It was blurry now, but he felt a little like the bouncing feeling this time. His muscles were barely there functionally, he didn't dare move them if he could. He didn't know if he could move his legs, they might be numb. He just didn't have the energy to try. He had a feeling Hope was next to him, the blurry figure was too small. But now that he noticed it, colours seemed weird. Hope isn't green. But it was definitely her, he could tell from her voice. He could feel what he believed was Opal on his shoulder, then his long tail draping down his side. His stomach was churning again, he was shivering as well. He hated this.
He couldn't read his clock for the time it was when he managed to hear Miss Chestnut return. He heard the tones of voices but nothing specific, but he could smell something. It was food, sweat and salty if his nose was right. He heard Miss Chestnuts voice, very faintly.
"You feeling any better?" she asked him, he weakly lifted his head, but it dropped almost instantly.
"You should probably eat healthy, but I bought you some corn anyway, I'll hold it for you" he felt the corn on his nose, it had a sticky coating which stuck to his fur. he took a hesitant bite, just managing to bull the corn of. Fortunately he had retained most of his taste, he could taste the smoke and salt, yet the sweetness wasn't there. His stomach didn't lurch when he swallowed, so he took another bite. He realised he was hungry and he hadn't eaten the whole day, which encouraged him to use his legs to reach out. They screamed yet he denied them for the need of that corn. He felt Opal move, then a tugging on the other end of his corn. He let Opal have some corn, he was probably ill too Sombra thought.
The day finally finished, his symptoms wore off as it went dark. He could see and move again, but he was still incredibly tired. He just went back to sleep.
A year passed again, the same as the last. His birthday wasn't grand, he didn't know how specifically old he was. But there defiantly wasn't a birthday card for seven hundreds. They were all in the living room again, but the adults were packing a bag and grabbing coats. They had found what seemed to be a suitable school for the pair to go to and they had a meeting with the headteacher.
"Come on you two, we have to be there for half four" Miss Chestnut told them, nudging them forward.
"Do I have to go?" Hope complained, her voice was a tiny bit less squeaky now.
"Well we can't leave you here, so you're coming with" Cloud told her, pushing her out the door. Sombra followed quietly with Opal on his back as always. They made their way down to a part of the empire Sombra hadn't seen before. But even so it looked pretty similar to everywhere else, the only main difference was the large building they were approaching. They walked down a pathway that had a grassy area and some trees next to it, a squirrel scampered away. Sombra tried to figure out the shape of the building. There was one part that was three stories tall, there was an extension of the bottom which he believed gave it a t shape. But there were lots of extra side buildings. They went down a small set of stairs and under an overhang, where they entered.
Miss chestnut talked briefly to the receptionist, who lead them to a small room. Inside there were two ponies, a stallion and a mare. The stallion was similar colours to miss chestnut, except he had green eyes and skin stones. Then the mare was green with blond hair, her skin stones were pink and almost seemed transparent. She seemed familiar.
"Good evening Miss Chestnut and Mr Star, it's nice to meet you, please take a seat" the stallion greeted them. They all sat down around the table, Sombra sat next to Cloud and pulled his chair a little closer to him. Hope slumped down next to him, still annoyed about the situation.
"I received your letter about your concern, to make sure I went around my staff a couple days ago and indirectly and I've come to the conclusion that Sombra should be alright with my staff, I just can't guarantee the students"
"We understand" Miss Chestnut said almost blankly.
"What we can do is make sure that Sombra is with Hope at any time possible" it was that which perked Hope's ears up.
"I have also informed my peer students that a new student could be coming who may be a little troubled"
"At the moment, his nightmares have calmed down, there was one time where he went to far East, but so far I haven't noticed anything to severe showing up" Miss Chestnut informed the head teacher.
("What does she mean?") he asked Opal.
("Shell shock triggers and stuff, I've seen some Umbrum not respond to well to the sound of chains, I have noticed you sleep with the curtains open, but that wont affect you at school")
("Ok")
"This is Mrs Morning, she's one of my history teachers, I've known for a while that she had rather strong opinions, she was one of the few willing to brave the castle" Sombra pierced his eyes through the mares face, he recognised her. He swear he could recognise her. Her eyes paced over his neck, mottled with fur and no fur, bumpy white scars and pits laced around. She recognised him before he did her.
"Your that foal that mare was protecting, I...didn't expect you to get out" now he recognised her, she was with that pegasus and bought them food.
"Did your mother get out?"
"No" he told her quietly.
"oh, I'm sorry...is this your friend?" Mrs Morning lifted a hoof to touch Opals head softly. Sombra nodded, the other three adults kept talking school things, so he just kept talking to Mrs Morning. Hope stayed primarily unfocused, until Sombra nudged her face.
"What" she complained, long and drawn out. Sombra tilted his head over to Mrs Morning.
"Are you an orphan to?" she asked.
"Yeah why?"
"I was just wondering, since you look nothing like your parents" Hope flopped her head back down on the desk, she seemed tired, although it appeared more like boredom. It was half four now, and the other adults had mostly finished talking.
"In that case I cant wait to see them in September, I'll send you on your way, I think some pony's getting tired" the head teacher said, the adults stood up and Hope and Sombra followed. As they were leaving Mrs Morning stopped them.
"By the way, I think the factory still has its services open, I'm pretty sure they've caught on to an umbrum being around"
"I'll wait until he's a bit older before I put him in labour" Miss Chestnut replied.
"It just might be easier if he needs medical attention at any point" Miss Chestnut just nodded as she lead them out the building. The adults talked quietly between themselves, but Sombra kept hearing "factory".
("What are they talking about?")
("That over there") Opal flicked his wing, following it Sombra saw a large series of box like buildings, each with giant oversized chimneys puffing smoke.
("It's a safe haven, but missy is right in making sure you're a bit older before you go, you got to pay your rent in work")
("Have you been there?")
(" i used to hang out there for a while at a time, for the umbrum in there, but i never ventured to far into the empire other than there")
("Why?")
("They started to catch on with us being smarter than we seem, they shot us on sight but never quite figured out the mental chords, it is why I never came to you sooner, I was drawn to you for a long time") they made their way home again, in which their were a few more ponies on the street leaving work. They get home and tea is put on straight away.
"I wanna show you something" Hope told Sombra, taking him upstairs. He followed her into his room, in which she used her magic to light a candle with out to much thought. She pulled out a little notebook and she opened it to a page.
"I found that paper you put your letters on, I've been practicing" Sombra held the notebook to find a bunch of umbral scribbles messily written down. He flicked the page seeing the imprints of letters on the back. He could just make out the words, the letters not quite right.
We could use this at school as a secret language
Some of it was spelt wrong though, she had forgotten a few letters.
"You...fluffy" she told him slowly. There was an overwhelming silly happiness in Sombra, to see that she had started to teach herself some umbrum. He flipped to the next page where he wrote down something for her. She sat focused for a while.
"You're...pretty...really?" she asked, Sombra nodded.
"Er...thank you" Sombra nuzzled her, than wrote down for some more things for her to translate. he told her what different animals were, and then the days, months and seasons. They went like that until they were called down for tea. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 28: You have got to be kidding me mate | The adults had taken Hope out, they, or more Miss Chestnut, didn't want him out on a busy Saturday, despite him going to school in only a couple weeks. What Sombra decided to do was just have a nap, as he really didn't have much else to do. However, when he woke up from that nap, he found Opal had left through one of his windows. It was about one o'clock when they all returned. As always, he met them in the living room. Each of the adults had a bag each but Hope also had a saddlebag and Cloud had another.
"I want to see if this fits you" Miss Chestnut said to him, she pulled out a strip of long red and black striped fabric. She wrapped it around his neck before tying it into a tie.
"Hopefully it will fit in a few years, I get the feeling your neck won't be as thin as a ponies" she untied it and put it back in the bag. They told him how they had to guess what he'd like but ended up getting mostly plain stuff just in case. His saddlebag was navy and inside was a navy case which had pencils, crayons and a geometry set in. There were also a couple small pots with lids that were clamped on. Then a small fabric sleeve, inside was a green feather, its spine was carved to a tip.
"I think it matches your eyes" Hope told him, she showed hers to him, it was white with a pink tip. Hopes saddle bag was purple with some flower embroidery over it, he caught a glimpse of her case, which seemed to match.
("I got your god damn peppers") Opal flew up onto his shoulders, a brown bag in his talons, which Sombra grabbed in his teeth. He went into the kitchen and put it down on the table where he pulled out one of the peppers. It was small and round, but it had multiple hills and valleys.
("Go on, eat it") there was a smugness in Opals voice, expecting a certain reaction. Sombra didn't know what these habanero peppers were, so he just took a bite. There was a sweetness followed by a tingling burn. He didn't mind it, what exactly was Opal expecting?
("...mate") Sombra took another bite, it really wasn't that bad.
("You have got to be god damn kidding me") Opal was now in pure disbelief, as Sombra finished off one pepper and casually took another. He strolled over to the cupboard where he grabbed a bowl and proceeded to dump the peppers in before walking away, leaving Opal dumbfounded in the kitchen.
"Here's your stuff bud" Cloud looped his saddle bag onto his back so he could take it upstairs. He dumped his bag at the base of his bed and put the peppers on the bedside table. He sat on his bed, but he realised he didn't have much to do. Then he saw Hopes ears peak above his hatch, along with her horn.
"I can see you" he told her. Her head looked over and she trotted into his room.
"Damn it" she sat on the bed with him, she had a little bag with her. She grabbed his hair in her magic and then started to brush it, which only got more violent.
"Do you not brush your hair or somthin?" she started to almost rip knots out his hair, which were pulling on the sensitive skin of his neck.
"It hurts"
"If you brush it more often then it wouldn't hurt" she told him, still brushing tangles out of his hair. She continued for what felt like hours for Sombra. Eventually she stopped, his hair was detangled and significantly more of it was floating.
"Has your hair always floated?"
"I think so"
"Maybe if you should brushed it more, it would float more" Sombra didn't even attempt to argue back her sarcasm, instead he just munched on his peppers. She pulled some ribbons out her bag and started to tie them into his hair.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm just practising" she braided ribbons in, then unwound them and did it again. She tested different kinds of braids, most turning out as a jumbled mess. Through it Sombra just kept eating his peppers, eating so many caught Hopes attention.
"Are those nice?" she asked.
"Yeah" Hope lifted one in her magic, she inspected it briefly. She took a hesitant small bite. She chewed for a moment. Sombra grew concerned as her face reddened, her eyes watered, and her magic stopped working. She whimpered before sprinting off down the stairs.
"What's wrong?!" he called out to her, not understanding what was wrong.
("I mean, that was the reaction I was expecting...just not on her") Sombra followed her downstairs.
"Are you okay Hope?" Miss Chestnut was in the kitchen, Sombra found Hope with a bottle of milk in her hooves, drinking it desperately.
"What's wrong?" Sombra asked her.
"How do you eat those?!" she half cried and screamed at him. She was red faced and her nose was running. She took another swig of milk.
"You can keep those to yourself" She sulked.
"What's happened" Miss Chestnut demanded from them. Sombra explained to her how Opal had bought some peppers for him, but Hope tried one and doesn't seem to like them.
"H-habaneros...you can just...eat them?" she asked confused.
"There not bad"
"Just...keep them to yourself okay"
"Okay (Can I have more?)"
("Your insane") |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 29: fantastic first impressions | There first day of school had come, the pair had the few things in their bags packed along with their lunch. They were trotting down the last stretch off path towards the school, the adults had just led them down so they knew where they were going. Opal wasn't with them he was out scavenging for food. The pair walked down that same pathway, but instead they passed the reception into a pair of double doors further down. They were greeted by the head teacher and where lead to the hall just down the corridor. In the hall there were several rows of seats in front of the stage, they found a pair of seats to themselves.
"How many year sevens do you think there are?" Hope asked, there wasn't many of them there, only about twenty seats were filled.
"They must of put enough chairs out for all of us, so probably the amount of chairs" slowly more new students came through the doors, a slow buzz of voices began to fill the hall. Hope and Sombra remained to themselves near the back, a lot of the students seemed to know each other.
"Do you know any of them?"
"Not as friends, they often bullied me"
"Why?"
"Because I'm dirty"
"But you have a bath every day"
"Not like that" the conversation ended, Sombra was left confused. He didn't know what exactly bulling was, but Hope didn't sound very happy about it. Their attention was turned to the headteacher standing in front of the stage before he banged his hoof on the hollow floor. The room went silent.
"Good morning year seven, it's nice to see every pony has shown up, I'm sure that most of you have found friends from your primary school considering the grouping, but I hope you start to intermingle. Anyway..." Sombra drowned out most of the headteachers talk, he could just ask later. He was preoccupied with looking at faces or the backs of heads. Colours of all combinations where everywhere, when the sun broke through the clouds it was as if someone set a spotlight off with the sheer reflectiveness of everyone. Except him and Hope, who were still mostly alone, but there were kids closer to them now. One in front of them turned and their eyes caught his, she quickly turned back to her friend.
"Your form tutors will give you your timetables and the daily routine, when you leave go to one of the teachers and tell them your name and they'll direct you where to go" the headteacher finished off. The kids started to move and shift towards the same doors they came in from. Hope and Sombra followed suit, approaching a male teacher.
"What are your names?" he asked, he had a cheerful voice, he wore a waist coat and shirt, in which his waist coat was a bright red plaid.
"Radiant Hope and Sombra" Hope told him, a little quiet. The teacher scanned his eyes down a list.
"Alright, you pair are in HI three, which is on the top floor" Hope and Sombra nodded and walked off down the corridor. They had seen the side of the building which had multiple floors, so they went that way. They went down a couple steps to the centre of that part, to the right they could see the reception at the end and to the left was just a bunch of classrooms. They found a staircase and started to make their way up.
"Shouldn't there be other ponies?" Sombra asked.
"I think it's just us today" they kept climbing up until they made it to the top floor. The classrooms were much larger here, and there were pipes across the walls. Each door had a number on it, but they didn't seem to be in much order. But they were all SC.
"Maybe that way?" Hope walked to their right and Sombra followed her, in which they came across the right room, it seemed much smaller than the others. They poked their heads in to see Mrs Morning at her desk.
"Oh hello, just take a seat" they walked in and Sombra noticed how each wall was covered in papers, it was quite colourful. They sat down in front of her desk, mainly because Sombra felt the need to be close to her.
"I believe I have two more now, how are you two today?" she asked them, they both nodded and sat quietly.
"I may as well give you your timetables" she handed them a piece of paper each. On it there was a table printed on each side. A week A and B, then each day had eight rows each. The first, fourth and sixth were blank while the others had different lessons in. the next two kids came in the room, one was a filly who was red with yellow hair, the other was a colt who was white with purple hair.
"You two must be Rasin and Ginger, just have a seat" the pair sat on the desk closest to the door. Mrs Morning went and gave them their own timetables.
"Our timetables are identical" Hope said to Sombra, having examined their routines.
"They did say they'd put us together" Sombras eyes drifted to the wall next to him. It had a tittle that said, "history of Equestria". There were posters with different events on. Sombra noticed a lot of words and names repeated, such as "Grogar", "Windigos" and "Tirek".
"So now that I have all of you I can start telling you things you need to know, first I'll tell you when each lesson starts and finishes, there are bells to tell you but it's just in case, if you get a pencil out, don't worry about using your quill unless you know how to use them" Sombra pulled his pencil case out his bag and grabbed a pencil. Mrs Morning began telling them when each lesson started and finished, along with the break and lunches where the empty gaps were.
"Now these are planners which you can use to write your homework in, it also has some useful stuff in the back" she gave them a wire bound book which had the school logo on the front. Flicking through it was mostly a calendar, but at the back was some things about Ponish and maths. Along with a strange table with letters and words. Sombra found himself counting the squares, eighty off them. Underneath the letters, there were names. Such as Mg had magnesium under it.
"By the way you're not going to your first two lessons today, as your having a two hour lesson on quill writing. I believe you four are going to PN two, which is the first floor" just as she said that a bell rung.
"Off you go, you're in here every day for form so I'll see you tomorrow" the four of them stood up after putting their stuff in their bags and made their way out. They headed back down the stairs again, but only halfway this time. They walked past rooms, one was a large library, until they found the correct place. There were a lot more students waiting outside the door, a mix of red and blue ribbons around their necks. Just as they arrived the teacher let those students in. They all filed in with Hope and Sombra at the back of the line. The teacher was making the students fill in from the front, which meant they ended up near the back of the classroom.
The teacher spent the next twenty minutes handing out papers and explaining how to write with a quill. Sombra didn't quite understand the purpose of the quill, it seemed a pain to even have in your mouth for a second, let alone trying to wite with it. Eventually the teacher stopped talking and they were left to practice. Sombra fought with his quill, it was unwieldy in comparison to the pencil. He looked over to find Hope just effortlessly using her magic, neat cursive writing being left on the paper.
"You're a unicorn, you know that right?" Hope told him, Sombra stared at his quill. Nothing happened.
"Just think about lifting it" he thought about lifting it, nothing happened. He stared a hole through the feather and still nothing happened.
("Oi") Sombra near jumped out of his skin.
("let me in") Sombra looked outside to see a small figure of Opal on the gym across the playground.
("how?")
("the window")
("but the teacher-")
("just let me in")
("I cant")
("just open the window and say your hot, which is reasonable considering the weather your built for")
("cant you just wait? We have break after this")
("sure") he watched Opal fly over to the giant tree covering the benches just outside the hall. He perched on one of the middle branches, allowing him to look right into the classroom.
("are you eating feathers?")
("we have to wright with them, I wish my magic worked") Opal seemed quiet for a bit.
("can your parents use magic?")
("I don't think so")
("then you can't, most cant, umbrum horns aren't built to control magic")
("what do they do then")
("charge stabbing and cutting, what else would a hunter use a horn for") Sombra picked the quill up in his mouth again, attempting to right his name. What came from it was a barely readable S and the rest was chicken scratch.
"I think you should stick to pencil" Hope said to him, she had now copied out the paragraph on the board neatly. Sombra grabbed his pencil and proceeded to wright his name out. The line was a consistent width, and the letters were the same hight.
"Definitely stick to the pencil"
"yeah"
"How are you two doing?" the teacher had made her way around the classroom without them noticing. She eyed up their writing in which she kept her eyes on Sombra's the most.
"Don't worry, you're not the only one who's struggling, but you'll learn with practice" the teacher walked off to go check on the next students. The pair looked at each other, Hope shrugged and Sombra huffed as he picked his quill up again.
When break finally came, they all rushed down to where they were told to eat, which was the hall, and it was attached to outdoor area. They headed to a bench under the tree, where they could just make out Opal's tail drifting underneath. They sat down and grabbed their break time snack. Which for Sombra, was a mostly whole cooked rabbit, very different to all the salads he could see. Opal made them jump by falling straight down to land between them.
("don't do that") Sombra complained.
("I can do what I want")
("no")
("yes, now give") Opal gripped the edge of his lunch box.
("you just ate!")
("shut") Sombra moved his box away, trying to eat his rabbit in piece.
"What are you two doing?" Hope asked, confused while she peacefully ate her salad. After a short time, Sombra pined Opal down with one leg and used the other to eat.
"What do we have next?" Hope asked to herself and Sombra, grabbing her timetable at the same time.
"Science in...Sc7" she said. Twenty minutes went by fast and soon enough they were back on the top floor in science, which Hope blazed through easily, the lesson being biology, while the rest of the class silently died inside. Sombra thought it was bad until he got to maths, which was a pain enough to get to being in a different building. The teacher stared him down with icy eyes through half-moons before he was even at the door. She cleared her throat.
"I was not informed that students are allowed...creatures in the classroom" her voice was stiff, not a hint of empathy.
"he's my friend" Sombra felt small despite being eye level with her.
"It can stay outside where it belongs, and next time leave it at home, we don't need every student bringing their 'friends' to school with them as well"
("I'll wait outside, again, good luck with her") Opal fluttered of his back and around the corner to the door, which he somehow opened the giant push bar to get out. With his head low Sombra walked into the class which he found all of the others at the back as the board said.
The whole class was sat in specific spots, unlike the science teachers plan, who seemed holy in comparison. He thought he might have a chance to sit next to Hope, that was until the teacher saw them stuck to each other and split them up. He ended up next to a filly called Fleur de Verre. She gave him a small smile and she had the same red and black ribbon as he did.
The class was dead silent, first impressions didn't go down to well, although it was most likely what this teacher wanted. She was trigger happy with putting warnings on the board, within a quarter of the lesson one poor kid got a paddle to the shoulder. The sound of the wood on the skin and cracking on the colts skin stones echoed in his ears, his focus went. The teacher had sat down yet he could still here that cracking, he couldn't get a decent lungful of air in, he felt Fleurs hoof on his for leg, attempting some form of silent comfort.
("Are you ok?") the calm voice of Opal came to him. His mind was chaos, he felt like he was seeing things, old memories and yet they were a swirling blackness of things he couldn't remember. All he could hear from it was sounds of cracking, flesh and sobs.
("you have every right to leave if you need to") in which Sombra left. He burst through the same door which opal got through and cowered in the corner between the building and steps. Opal fluttered down in front of him.
("what happened?")
("she hit someone")
("I assume the sound set you off")
("I don't know")
("follow me, I found a place you can hide if you want-")
"ahem" the pair looked up to see the teacher standing above them.
("lets go") Sombra scampered off with him, around to the side of the school and into some trees and bushes behind an out building. It was filled with mostly nettles and large unkept shrubs, fern arch ways which had grown to extremes under the shade of the trees.
("I doubt she'd go this far from the class, I'll go find Mr Missy")
("don't leave")
("I wont be long") He flew away, Sombra curled into a ball and hid in some shrubs, he is away from her, he will be all right. He didn't understand why he was so scared, she didn't hurt him, in fact she was on the other side of the room. He's never felt like that before, he didn't like it.
("I'm back")
"Are you alright? Come on, get out the bushes" said the head teacher who had followed Opal to him. Sombra dragged himself back up, his legs seemed tired now that the adrenalin had worn off. Weakly he walked towards the head teacher, feeling small despite their equal height.
"There should be an office we can talk in somewhere" he said to him, starting to lead him back to the main school building. They found a small office that was free by the reception.
"Tell me what happened" Sombra explained what happened, from what he could pick out among the blur. As he spoke, he noticed the head teachers' eyes occasionally twitching. A face that was the definition of keeping in control for professionalism, yet the anger was still seeping through in his breathing.
"Alright, you can stay with pastoral for the rest of the lesson, I wont send you back to her. And don't worry about having her again" the silence that followed was only filled by the hoof steps as he took Sombra to the pastoral to wait for the rest of the lesson.
"Damn final straw that is" the head teacher whispered under his breath as he tried not to stomp out the room. Sombra rested his head n the table and Opal sat next to him, his talons clacked on the wood.
("I don't think anyone likes her") Sombra stated.
("It really is a great first impression") Opal remarked sourly while preening a few wing feathers. They sat in the room, not talking to the pastoral mare who seemed busy with paperwork. Sombra was still confused on what had happened, he felt like he should be panicked or distressed for longer.
("I feel like I should still be upset")
("it's a little quirk mental chords give, it's a bit like if you get hurt I'll get weak, emotions sort of leak into the other end. So by me being calm you relaxed quicker...of course its not always a good thing")
("what would make it bad?")
("well death, you die I die, that's the worst. There's something else as well, which I think you'll be told about soon")
("what is it?")
("I'll let you hate the teacher not me")
("ok)" the waited quietly for what seemed like forever, until eventually they were let go for lunch. He trotted his way down through the corridors which were still empty from the lack of students. He found Hope in the hall along with Fleur from maths.
"Are you okay? What happened? Why'd you run out?" Hope flustered over him, nearly leaping from her chair.
"I'm fine"
"Well, your clearly not, you broke the hinge on the door"
"What?"
"You broke the door hinge when you left class" Sombra stood a little dumb founded.
"...oh" Sombra sat down on the floor, slightly surprised. Fleur passed his bag over the table to him. He didn't have a lunch, the whole rabbit was his daytime meal unless he got hungry later, so he just drank. Hope fussed continuously over him for the next ten minutes, until eventually she realised he was fine and she just shut up. Once the other pair had finished their lunch they returned to basic conversations, and Sombra marvelled at the stack of homework they had got of the math teacher.
"She changed everything we learned in primary as well" Fleur whined as she shuffled the papers.
"Why not do it later?" Sombra wondered, wasn't lunch a break?
"I don't want to forget stuff she sets" Hope said.
("I get the feeling she won't be back") opal silently replied.
("whys that?")
("well, I saw Mr Missy head off to the maths place and considering how he looked I doubt there's a polite conversation going on right now")
Lunch went by and they headed of to their old Ponish class, which consisted of them figuring out how one writes with shapes. The pronunciations were something.
"Is this even speaking?" Hope whispered confused as they listened to the teacher, who sounded like he forgot what vowels were.
("I thought umbrum was bad with its hisses and snarls and ponies used to speak like this...how...") Opal faded out into his own thoughts.
("how what?")
("I'm a hundred percent sure umbrum is the first spoken language, so how is it more speech like than this, how did this branch of from umbrum?")
("maybe Mrs morning knows") they continued to sit confused with the rest of the class for the last, long, drawn out hour of school, before hurrying out of the building to go home. When they got home of course Miss Chestnut was waiting for specifically Sombra.
"The head teacher phoned, is everything alright?" so sombra explained again what happened, she was mad, but he managed to calm her down by telling her that head teacher was sorting stuff out.
The next few school days were significantly uneventful in comparison. The maths teacher was gone and with the older students and siblings back the rumours spread around what happened, what he heard was about an explosive argument at lunch and an on the spot firing. He also heard stuff about himself as whispers when he walked past. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 30: why do i insist on naming these chapters | With all the students back, school was significantly louder, yet still despite the daily chaos it still felt uneventful. Hope and Sombra sat in form talking between themselves, there was nothing special to talk about, mostly just what lessons they had that day. The other two-year sevens in the room where much more talkative with the older kids, although two looked alike so Sombra just assumed the talking was due to them being siblings.
Opal was enjoying himself, he was getting plenty of attention from some of the older filly's (who were most likely mares at this point) who were continuously petting him and giving him some of their biscuits. There was nothing for Mrs Morning to tell them so the form just got on with talking. However there was a light nock on the door, which turned out to be the head teacher. There was a quick exchange of words between him and Mrs Morning, she then walked over to Sombra.
"He wants to speak with you"
"Ok" Sombra left the room without fuss and met the head teacher in the corridor. He seemed jolly enough, but his face was a little stern.
"Don't come in tomorrow" he told Sombra plainly.
"Why not?"
"The princess is coming in to meet the new year sevens, just don't come in and it will be easier to pretend you're not here"
"But what about the kids already talking about me?"
"I have a plan to convince her, but dispelling rumours would be easier if you're not here"
"Ok"
"Go to your teachers for tomorrow at break and lunch and grab tomorrows work alright"
"Ok" he was dismissed back to form just as the bell rung.
"So it's dangerous for you to be around the princess?" Fleur asked after Sombra explained to her, having already told Hope in lessons.
"She doesn't like me" Hope returned to the bench they were sitting at having refilled her bottle, the three of them sat at their usual bench for break, talking between mouthfuls.
"You still haven't said why though, have you even met her?" Hope asked.
("Now is definitely not the place") Opal told him from above.
("When do I tell them?")
("At home")
"At least you get a day off" Hope seemed already fed up with school, Sombra was sure she only liked Biology and art, in which she only liked art because they could mess around easily.
"I still have to grab tomorrows work" he muttered as he picked at his rabbit. Even if it was cooked and skinned he still got the odd, terrified look as if he had just caught it, it was putting him off eating if anything.
"Why would you willingly give yourself work to do at home?" Fleur asked him.
"They might check"
"just take the risk, it's what my brother did, it got him expelled but he did it like a thousand times so once shouldn't hurt"
"I'll just get it at lunch" they went quiet before they headed off to maths, preparing for an hour of chaos as they were yet to hire a new teacher, and they were simply going off supplies. These supplies however didn't once look like they understood what they were doing, so everything derailed.
Sombra's tactic was to just try and have a nap. It mostly worked, he just had to zone out his ears so he couldn't hear the nonsensical screaming and the sounds of the supply loosing hope. His nap was coming on well, until he felt something hit him in the neck. Turning just his head he saw the kid behind him quickly pull his hoof away from his hair.
"I just noticed your hair floats" he said, a mix of an apology was in there.
"Isn't that like an alicorn thing?" the filly next to him questioned.
"Dude, are you secretly an alicorn or somethin'?" Sombra just sat confused before trying to return to his nap.
"What do you recon his the...prince of?"
"I thought it was impossible to have a male alicorn?"
"I don't know..." he zoned out for the last time of the lesson. Fleur had to wake him up by the end and they headed to their next lesson, which was far more tame considering they actually had a teacher. After they went to get his work during lunch, what they realised was the lessons they had tomorrow didn't quite work with talking stuff home.
"You can't do P.E or music, and you can't take the oven home for cooking" Hope listed off.
"We have one at home"
"Why are you so determined to do the work?" Fleur asked still shocked by his want to do his classes.
"You might need something from Ponish and History" Hope told him, which he nodded and started making their way to the two classes.
"Oh, well tomorrow were just making notes on act one, so if you just do that, I'll give you a copy" they stood in the door and watched as the teacher grabbed his work. After they went to history, which played out around the same.
"I assume this is what the head was talking to you about" Mrs morning said as she too went and got his work, which consisted of him reading over a textbook page and also making notes on it.
"Sorry it's not too interesting"
"Its fine"
"Have a nice day off then" the rest of the day was as normal as always, they went to their last lesson and then went home.
"How's school?" Cloud asked almost the moment they walked through the door, he looked a little dishevelled.
"Sombra doesn't have to go in tomorrow" Hope mumbled as she trundled up the stairs to her room.
"Why? has something happened already?" Miss Chestnut asked. Sombra quickly explained what he's been told.
"Oh ok, that's fine then, you have work to do don't you?" she asked him.
"Sort off, I can't do P.E, art or cooking so I just have Ponish and History to do"
"How about you do some cooking with him tomorrow, instead of sitting at that desk all day" she told Cloud through gritted teeth and a sarcastic face.
"Alright then" He grumbled and Sombra looked at them confused, he hadn't seen them so tense between each other before and it was odd to look at. Cloud huffed and walked upstairs.
"Don't..." she groaned in defeat. Sombra nudged and nuzzled her cheek.
"I'm fine...when your home tomorrow, make sure he doesn't spend the whole day writing okay, I worry he's going to hurt his neck or eyes"
"Okay" Sombra nuzzled her again and trotted up the stairs and up to his room. He sets up his homework and tomorrow's work on his desk, he sat down and waited for Hope to come up to his room as she always does.
"Hey" extra work was dumped next to his, before plopping down next to him. The pair started to do their homework, but the silence lasted about a minute before they started talking.
"what do you think is wrong with mom and dad?" Hope asked him.
"I think they may have had an argument? She said she's worried he spends to long writing"
"Well isn't that his job? He's probably writing a book or something" they continued to work, Sombra finding the maths significantly easier, whereas Hope blitzed the biology. Then they both hauled themselves through the old Ponish, in which their form of revision for a test that was already coming up, was just writing out the words over and over, not actually knowing what they were writing. They both got bored pretty quickly, and Hope started drifting her eyes around the room, before settling on his bedside table.
"Do you not wear the bracelet anymore?" Sombra sat confused for a moment, before he remembered about the friendship bracelet she had made for him a while ago.
"I didn't want to get it dirty when I go out"
"How would it get dirty"
"Err..."
("Mud")
"Mud"
"Oh, okay, does Opal where his?" Hope asked, Opal dug into his plumage with his beak and pulled out his smaller necklace. She smiled briefly.
"Oh" Hope scampered off and returned moments later, with the scrap book and a box.
"You know that powder...I may have used it all...sorry" she put down the empty pot which Sombra could only see a couple particles of the powder left. Sombra grabbed the box which he found all sorts in. There was that first leaf which was still as green as the day it was picked, along with different flowers.
"Don't tell mom that I took one of the roses from the front" each petal was still silky. He turned to the book which he noticed seemed much fuller.
"I've added quite a bit" Hope said as Sombra flipped through the pages. There were a few pictures on each page, and she had written little notes next to them. Sombra didn't even know most of the pictures where taken.
"Moms good at taken pictures of us without us noticing" Sombra found one picture, one of Opal sitting in a wall cabinet in the kitchen, looking alarmed at the camara. Hopes note was simply an exclamation mark.
("I distinctly do not appreciate this")
("You nick food out the cupboards?")
("Who doesn't")
("Is that why your rounder than normal?")
("Hey") Sombra gabbed Opal between his hooves.
("Definitely a little round")
("One day...I will not restrain my self and you may cry...or become as bad as me and if that happens I am sincerely sorry")
"Why do you look at each other weirdly all the time?" Hope questioned.
"Because we can talk to each other?"
"Wait what"
"Did I never tell you?"
"Don't think so"
"That...explains a lot"
"A lot of what?"
"That you stare into each other's souls on a daily basis...hey did you know your eyes are changing colours" Sombra blinked as couple times in surprise, before heading over to his mirror. His eyes were defiantly still green, except they seemed to be browner in areas.
("What colours were you parents eyes?")
("Red and blue")
("Are yours going brown or grey?")
("Brown")
("Most likely red then, your hooves should shift colour soon, then you claws should start along with your horn")
"Opal said that my eyes are turning red" Sombra told Hope, she had moved to sit in front of the mirror with him. She sat quite close to him, which she shifted awkwardly so she wasn't siting on his legs.
"Is that like...a thing for..."
"Umbrum?"
"Yeah"
"I think so" Hope leaned into him, before again, awkwardly moving off him. She picked up a pot, which held his sires hair rings.
"What are these for?"
"My sire wore them in his hair"
"Sire is your dad isn't it?"
"Mhm" Hope lifted a ring up and threaded his hair through it, experimenting with different loops.
"I always wondered how you did your hair, I noticed a lot of you had really long hair"
"I think...I remember my sire had, like small braids with the rings looped in" the image of his sire was blurry now, he could just remember his hair style, what remained in his memory was the dead frozen version. Hope began to tie his hair into a braid, slipping rings onto the strands.
"Like this?" she showed him the half a braid she had weaved, every few twists, there was a ring.
"That looks about right, he left a lot of it loose...what are you doing"
"The rest of it" Sombra sat and watched as Hope braided a whole bunch into his mane, she did it with a very slight smile. The only thing that stopped her was the call for tea.
The vague image of the cave returned, his sire and dam took up most of the picture. He was lying against his sires chest, watching him say something to his dam, who was braiding his hair. Some braids were neat, other messy and having fly aways.
The memory came from nowhere, it stopped him in the middle of the hallway. He shook his head and continued down to tea. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 31: Choc cek | Sombra was flopped on his desk, having just spent the last couple hours doing his two lessons he realised just how boring they were when there wasn't a class clown and pencil crossbows. His hair floated above his head, except for the braids which he had kept in, as they were heavier they hung slightly lower. He tilted his head and through his mane and the slight shadow it produced he could see Opal sitting on the windowsill basking in the sun. Bored, Sombra headed down to go bother Cloud, deciding to take up Miss Chestnuts idea of doing some cooking. As was expected Cloud was sitting at his desk in the master bedroom, writing away with the occasional pause. His ears flicking back in response to Sombras presence.
"She's told you to bother me hasn't she" Cloud mumbled without turning his head back.
"Maybe"
"I'm busy, go do your lessons"
"I finished"
"Already?"
"Yeah"
"Well just go do...whatever you do" Sombra, not having it, walked over and sat right next to him. Even with Cloud in a chair and him on the floor, they were eyelevel, and Sombra stared through his white and teal hair.
"You're not leavin' are you"
"Nope"
"alright what you want to do then?" he asked while stretching out his legs and wings, which if he was sitting any further back they would touch the wall behind them, although the room wasn't huge.
"One of my other lessons today was cooking" the pair walked out the bedroom and he felt Opal land on his back.
"I'm sure Velvet's got something in the cupboards" it took Sombra a moment to remember who Velvet was.
"You still call her Miss Chestnut don't you?" cloud asked.
"mhm"
"I guess that makes sense, you knew your parents"
"Did Hope?"
"I wouldn't know, you'd have to ask her or Velvet" Cloud began rummaging through the kitchen cabinets, looking for any form of ingredients they could have, meanwhile Sombra found some recipe books by the bread bin. They started flicking through, realising that Miss Chestnut really only had baking books, which in their minds, was significantly better. In the end they settled on chocolate cake. Cloud then searched to fridge to find what little of the ingredients they actually had.
"Sometimes I forget you just eat straight peppers" Cloud commented.
"Have I still got some left?"
"Yeah" Sombra shoved his head past Cloud to grab the remaining peppers that were in a bowl and began munching on them, Cloud giving him a mildly bewildered look.
"Your mad...right we don't have any chocolate, or most of the other stuff"
"Shall we go get it then"
"your stayin' here, if Amore's out there's a higher chance she'll see you, it won't take me long" Cloud grabbed a bag and left through the back door, before shooting up into the air.
("Sweet Umbralis how does one take off so fast") Opal commented in disbelief.
("Is that not normal")
("There's fast take off and then stupid, muscles shouldn't do that") Opal stared at Sombra while he munched on his peppers.
("How do you eat those so casually?")
("There nice")
("Do you have a tongue?")
("Yeah there nice")
("You deluded child") they sat quietly in the kitchen for a little while, reading through the recipe a few more times before Cloud returned with a bag full of ingredients. They got to work on making the batter and decided to make cupcakes instead because they baked faster. They sat and ate some snakes, so they were less likely to eat all the cupcakes straight away. They took them out and iced them, then to avoided temptation, sat in the living room.
"What are you writing?" Sombra asked out of curiosity.
"it's only a draft at the moment, like an exploration into the North, no pony's ever returned from it, I wanted to write something based of it, bit hard to do so when you don't know much about the place"
("In about four months it will turn day again, it should be okay for pony's")
"Hey um, didn't you come from the North? Your one of those unicorns in that revolution" Sombra gave a small nod.
"You know, I'm not actually allowed to leave, I think it's a cover up so I don't speak 'cause I saw it"
"Really?"
"Well yeah, pretty sure it would put you in Tartarus"
"Where?"
"We use it as a really high security prison of sorts, we used to put monsters in the North till we realised they just walked out, we also put like, worse than criminals in there"
"Oh"
"Say um, what happened before the revolution exactly? I only saw a year before it happened, I never really felt like there was a good place to ask" Sombra paused to think for a moment, until he realised...
"I don't remember much"
"Really?"
"I remember more about home"
"I guess that makes sense, from what I saw you were never treated well, if you got a head injury at any point you might have had a bit of amnesia"
"I remember home" he began to list of the things he could remember, in a unorganised ramble. His family and their cave, the Eye, Umbralis, the wyverns and the other creatures he sometimes saw from a distance or had eaten.
"You had a whole culture and everything, the Umbralis guy, he like a king or something?"
"Yeah"
"Damn, so there's really not much difference, you just didn't have solid buildings" Cloud rubbed his brow with the wrist of his wing.
"That princess is on something" he gritted through his teeth, confused.
"Maybe it's the meat thing-"
"And dogs are a stallions best friend, what difference does it make?" there was both confusion and anger in his voice, in which Sombra couldn't tell which was stronger. He sat still for a short time, before taking a deep breath and calming down.
"You want cake?" he asked.
"Shouldn't we wait for Hope and Miss Chestnut?"
"Well we have to make sure there actually good" they rolled of the chairs and trotted into the kitchen, where they each picked up a cupcake, subconsciously picking the most risen one in Clouds case. They sat at the table where they took bites out of the cake, both of them offering the crumb filled wrapper to Opal.
("Is this an insult?")
("I don't think you can eat a whole one")
("Is that a challenge?")
("No")
("Watch me") Opal half leapt half flew over to the tray of cupcakes, where he unwieldly picked one up in his talons. Staring Sombra in the eyes with his uncomfortably void black ones, Opal took beak fulls of cake and icing. Sombra sat and watched him for an hour, Opal slowly making his way down the cake.
("Is it possible for a bird to get a sugar rush?") Sombra curiously asked.
("I mean, we can get drunk, so I imagine yes") Sombra looked at him confused.
("Your tribe never lock you in the cave, go out and come back some hours later barely able to stand?") Opal asked him. Sombra thought hard for a moment, he could vaguely remember him and the twins, with just one of the adults with them. Usually it was either his dam or his auntie Amarilla.
("Sometimes")
("Probably Jolgeirstaoir...I wonder if there's any left...actually, probably way over aged") Opal wondered to himself. They wandered off back upstairs, where instead of a sugar rush, Opal had a sugar crash and puffed up at the end of Sombras bed.
A little while after three Hope got home, when he saw her she seemed a little off. He sat in her room with her, which she quietly lit one of her candles, of which he noticed she had a few more empty jars. There was a pile of books at the end of the bed which had toppled and slid across the carpet. He wondered if her room was messier because it simply had more stuff in it.
"You good?" Sombra asked her.
"Where's Opal, he's normally on your rump"
"He's got a sugar crash"
"What, how- where are you going?" Sombra, with perked up ears, spun out the bedroom and quickly down the stairs, where he grabbed a plate, put two cakes on and bought it back up. One floated off the plate in blue sparkles as Hope almost to eagerly took a bite. Sombra put his down on the bedside table, he was more interested in her off state.
"You good?" he repeated.
"Yeah"
"You look off"
"Cakes good"
"What's wrong" Hope stood completely still for a moment. Mouth opening and closing over words.
"It was the princess...she's really weird...her smile isn't like...smiley, happy"
"Fake?"
"Yeah, I didn't know she only had three legs as well" he'd forgotten about that, the sour taste came back to him.
("Well those are some lovely images there mate") Opal hand lugged himself down, only to see what Sombra's mind had conjured up again.
("Do I tell her I took part in taking that leg off?)
("...No")
("Actually it might have been dam who did it")
("Still no")
"-Was like, weirdly black"
"hmm?" Hope hadn't noticed Opals presence, and so she had kept talking.
"Oh, hi Opal. The um, the stump of her leg isn't like neatly cut, and has weird black scars on it"
("You said you bit it off, with rotten teeth there's a chance that some dark magic seeped in through broken teeth and stained")
("Is that common?")
("Not sure, might just be something that happens to creatures of light magic")
"You know what else was...well not weird but sad? Her guards looked beaten up, one was limping and the other had a bad eye"
"She probably hits them"
"Why do you think that?" he held back from saying experience.
"She kept asking if we'd seen any strange black unicorns around-"
"You didn't tell her right?" he butted in, panic setting in.
"No, she scarred me a bit, also the pegasi guard she had with her was getting us to say no, you really don't like her do you"
"No" his response was instant, he didn't have to think about it too much. Her figure, stick thin and twisted, appeared in front of a wall, lined with tools and stained grey. His legs and neck felt heavy, like they were being weighed down.
"What's wrong-" he heard Opals wings beat, silencing Hope, who looked away. they sat together in silence until tea, and the remainder of the day went by as normal. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 32: Time flies but school is only partly fun | To say school was passing by faster than Sombra expected would be an understatement. Before he knew it, hearts warming came and went and it was the next year. If he was to choose what was his favourite subject so far in the four months he'd been at school he'd have to say chemistry. Unlike the rest of the class, he found it beyond intriguing. That table at the back of his planner was called the periodic table, and those squares where the eighty elements they knew of, and how water was in fact not its own element. He also found it oddly chaotic at times, such as shoving some hydrogen and chlorine together resulted in an acid that starts to fume at roughly forty percent concentration, let alone eat through your table.
Of course they weren't allowed to play with it, but he'd rather that then that sodium thiosulfate reaction that smells of severely rotted eggs.
Hope of course had become the go to for answers in biology, being a sponge for it. It was certainly interesting to listen to her argue with the teacher about something called DNA and how surely the bases in it must be the coding to life, and not proteins. Hope had an idea that maybe the DNA coded for the proteins. It was complete gibberish but definitely entertaining.
What wasn't so entertaining was whatever Fleur was turning into. Opal had described it to Sombra as a "rebel phase". It seemed to be a personal challenge to her to break every possible rule the school could enforce, they had a feeling it was her following in her brothers hoof steps, who also seemed to break a bunch of rules based on what Fleur and the teachers said.
There was already an incredibly long list of what she was breaking. In science she refused to stop playing with the taps, in art she cracked the water colour blocks, or mixing colours directly on the white, according to Hope she had clogged sinks and toilets in the mares bathroom multiple times. That was only some of the things, Fleur always had detentions which only progressed up to the hour as she never attended them. Because of this she was rarely in lesson because she was in isolation, if she was in lesson on the rare occasion, she was directly in front of the teacher.
Him and Hope were still sitting with her, but it was tiring to listen to all of her devious plots and plans, especially the more recent ones of January where she started to target students who they had never even heard the names of. For now though, they were managing to stay out of her trouble.
And once again the terms passed by and it was the summer holiday, and also Sombra's made up birthday. He slumped out of bed as normal and stretched, his tail arched over, the spine of it now long enough to touch his ears, although the plume of hair on the end obscured his face, which was already covered by his mane. From his front down position he stretched into the opposite, cracking his spine the other way.
("Mornin' mate") Opal mentally grumbled, stretching out his neck and ruffling his feathers.
("Morning")
("It's your birthday or something isn't it?")
("Think so")
("You wanna practice shadowing again, you haven't tried in a while")
("Sure") Sombra lifted his hoof up and stared at it, trying to get just it to shift, preferably not wanting to dissolve all his organs away as Opal liked to describe it. Nothing quite happened and he headed down the steps, bashing his withers on the opening was a common pain now. He yawned wide and-
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Hope screamed at him as she bursted through her doorway. His whole body splatted onto the opposing wall in a inky shadow, before quickly reforming, still pressed into the wall in terror. A white feather drifted down in front of his face, from Opals equal reaction, just without the splat.
"Too loud?" she asked, before a more reasonable question came out.
"Did you just explode?"
("Biologically yes") Opal responded still out of breath, which Sombra passed over with a nod. Sombra peeled himself off the wall, also realising he had just completely dissolved to shadow, looked at the wall to see no blood splatter like he had expected. He decided to not question it, like Opal told him too.
The trio went downstairs where they had breakfast, which Miss Chestnut had made some fresh bread, which had only come out the oven a few hours ago. There was small talk as usual, in which Miss Chestnut apologised to Sombra again about not being able to get him much just like in hearts warming. They still hadn't figured out what his main interests were, or any of his hobbies. Although Sombra did admit the fact he didn't have many hobbies. After breakfast, Hope was first to give him his present.
"I figured since you go out to the forest a lot" he ripped open the paper to find a small book, "a guide to plants and animals in the crystal lands".
"I also want to...go with you...maybe" she said softly, almost barely audible while turning her face away from him. Sombra stood for a moment, trying to figure out how in the North he would hunt without traumatising her, and also assuming that the crystal lands was just the area between the North and whatever was further south.
"Sure" he put the book on the table, then Miss Chestnut bought him another present. He opened it to find a fancy grooming kit, specifically for thick fur.
"When was the last time you groomed scruffy?" she raised her eyebrows at him, which would have been more intimidating if he wasn't taller.
"Yesterday" he lied.
"I'll be checking mister"
"Come on, give him a break-" Cloud tried to back him up.
"He goes out to school as a scruff every day!-"
"Did you groom today?" he asked her, which Miss Chestnut walked out the kitchen, clearly defeated but kept her head up. In that short time, Sombra hadn't realised Hope had took the kit and was looking at the different brushes, combs and scissors inside.
"These are really nice" she commented, levitating a comb and pulling it through the end strands of Sombra's mane. She absentmindedly started to comb through the fur on his shoulder.
"So um, if I knew Hope had gotten you something plant based I might not have gotten this, but you should like it...it's also another book, sorry 'bout that" Cloud passed him his gift, which was indeed another plant theme, but more specific.
"Grow my own peppers?"
"Yeah, I figured you might like growing your own, but I think you need to wait for march, I read something about planting about then"
"I guess I can just take the seeds out the market ones?"
"I'd assume so" Sombra looked over to his side when he felt a tug on his leg, to find Hope still brushing out his fur, a distinct line of smooth fur going down. She was only pulled out of her trance when she looked up.
"Oh um...I'll take these up for you" she swiftly gathered up his presents, stumbled and went upstairs. He stood slightly bewildered, before turning back to cloud, who had another book in his hand, except it had no tittle.
"This isn't so much a fun present, it's just Velvet told me about the nightmares you had, I found writing them down useful when I was younger" Cloud told him, the book had a simple leather cover along with an attached string braid which was slotted between pages. While Sombra didn't have much knowledge on the way items were produced, he could tell this seemed home made if he compared it to the other book. Its pages showed signs of scissor slips and its spine was bound with string. The book was very stiff to open and he found the pages to be blank.
"I figured in the middle of the night you might find it easier to scribble instead of write, but you can always make your own lines"
"Thanks" as he turned to go take it up stairs, he was met by Hope who had a envelope in her magic and attempting to hide a rather devious smirk.
"I forgot you card" she said a little stiffly trying to keep her lips neutral. Weary of the smile Sombra took the card. He wished he had magic so he didn't have to open what was most likely a card she made herself with his teeth. Fiddling with it between his ankle and teeth he pulled open the envelope and pulled out the card.
Which opened to a waterfall of fine glitter which buried itself into his fur.
"Why'd you do this to me" he didn't question but said in defeat, while Hopes snicker turned into a gleeful laugh.
"I thought I'd teach you about glitter the fun way" Sombra huffed and put the card in his hoof, in which it read "happy seven hundred something". It was his turn to laugh, but at least he got a card. The rest of his birthday went down rather smoothly. There was a small cake which they shared along with pie and cookies which all replaced actual food.
The smoothness ended when he went to wash, which he did instead of a bath as he could only stand in it now. Most of the glitter had shook of but even still as he scrubbed his hoof fur with a brush more miraculously appeared.
("While you work on that I might go check out the North, see if its tolerable for ponies and maybe Cloudy can get some ideas for that book he's writing")
("K")
("Good luck with that")
("What is this stuff") he kept scrubbing away as Opal flew out the window, only stopping when his skin hurt from scrubbing. After giving up and just finishing his wash, he dried off. However when he parted the fur of his hoof he still, after a straight half hour of scrubbing, saw little glitters. He quietly growled and crossed the hallway into Hopes bedroom door, which he then gave her a raging glare.
"What's wrong?"
"Just you wait until your birthday"
"But I can just open it away from me"
"I will find a way" he left.
About a week passed before Opal returned from the North. The first thing he did was raid the kitchen cupboards and take an extra long time in preening.
("So what's it like?")
("Well, it's a little warmer than a usual day, being what seems to be a single negative, a pony could survive with thick enough coats, but I'm pretty sure they can buy them easily")
("What about all the things that would eat them?")
("This is strange, it seems like they've been...frozen? Not literally but all the predators are statues, I found a wyvern that looks to have crash landed and it didn't respond to me at all")
("So everything is safe?")
("Well in terms of animal hazards yes, but the environment is just as bad since I imagine they aren't skilled in walking on mountains")
("Well surely there's flat areas")
("Yeah, there's a variety of creatures in a valley at the moment, but we need to get behind those mountains for it, they'll be some climbing but I'm sure there's some level bits on the side")
("If not Cloud can always fly")
("You'll have to ask him at breakfast tomorrow") |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 33: dem flowers | "So what your saying is that somethings happened where the predators have been put in a form of stasis" Cloud said after Sombra retold Opals information.
"That's what Opal said"
"Right, so I would just need a really thick coat, a tent and some food"
"Yeah"
"I should be able to get that by the weekend, and going early means we'll still catch those reindeers you mentioned right?"
"Yeah"
"Neat"
"Can I come too?" Hope chimed in.
"Hope, it would be too dangerous for you, Sombra knows how to climb and Cloud can fly, you could slip" Miss chestnut told her.
"But I want to go camping"
"Hope if you hurt your leg-"
"Relax, she'll be fine, if she starts struggling I'm sure Sombra's big enough to carry her for a short time" Cloud butted in. Miss Chestnut glared at him.
"Fine. But if she gets hurt, you're the adult"
"We'll be fine just relax for once, besides you'll get the bed to yourself for a few nights"
The weekend came and Cloud and Hope had went and got the thickest coats they could find. As far as they were aware having multiple linings stuffed with wool sounded rather warm. With bags packed with food and the polaroid they headed off to the forest. On Opals advice they followed the river. As they got further from the empire snow slowly built up on the ground and the branches of the trees. All three of them had an air of excitement, all for different reasons. Hope was happy to be going on a little adventure, Cloud was eager to finally get something accurate to base his book of, and for Sombra this would be the closest he would get to a resemblance of home in a long time. After a good couple hours they came to the mountains. A steep waterfall was nestled between them, cold mist floated in the air as the large river crashed down.
("Was this always here?") Sombra asked, not remembering the waterfall from any angle he may have seen it from.
("It's a waterfall. It doesn't just appear") Opal replied sarcastically.
"You two gonna be good climbing this?" Cloud asked them.
"That bit looks like a stair case" Hope trotted over to the rocks of the waterfall, where she carefully started to climb up. Sombra followed behind her, often pushing her hoof further onto a rock. Cloud waited for them at the top after flying up. Fortunately the waterfall wasn't extremely tall and it only took Hope a few minutes to climb. She pulled herself up to the top, shortly followed by Sombra.
"You can move alright in that jacket right?" Cloud asked Hope.
"Yeah I'm good" they continued walking along the river and snow became thicker as they went on. The mountains walled them in, and slowly the river became thinner and so did the land by its side.
("We'll probably have to start climbing in a moment") Opal said as they came to a point where the stable ground was only thick enough for a single hoof. They stopped in place and looked up the walls of the mountains for any suitable ledges. Cloud took off, although hindered by his coat, and scouted for anywhere higher up.
"There's a line of ledges, there not smooth or in line but we should be able to walk on them" he called down.
"You look very high up" Hope said, looking up the edges with widening eyes.
"Do you not like heights?" Sombra asked her, already turning back to find an easy way up.
"I don't know, I've never had to be high up" as she stood still Sombra found a slope of collapsed rocks that went most of the way up to the hight Cloud was hovering. Based on the hight of the last bit he assumed she would be able to pull herself up.
"You can get up here"
"ok" her voice was quiet and unconfident as she placed her hooves on the rocks, some shifting under hoof although many had ice gluing them together. Even if it was half melted. Sombra stood behind her just in case and followed her slowly up the edge, even though he could tell he could jump it despite the tent on his back. Hope got to the end of the rocks to meet the short wall, which Sombra's legs awakened a long forgotten memory and effortlessly leapt up. He turned at the top and knelt down and offered his head and neck for Hope to hand onto, as he realised she was shorter than the ledge.
"Are you able to lift me?"
"Yeah, should be able to" she reared up and took a gentle hold of his neck, in which her legs anchored around the back of his head. He pushed his front legs up and slowly raised her up onto the ledge, with the help of Cloud lifting her rear end up too. She held onto Sombra even when completely stable, refusing to let go of his neck.
"Can you get off please"
"...sure" Hope slowly let herself drop down onto all fours.
"You can walk next to the wall if it's easier" Cloud told her, in which she edged her way to the wall with tiny steps.
"I don't wanna slip" Sombra nudged her over faster, then stood next to her and continued to walk. She slowly followed as they continued on their new path. They hopped over a small fall of water which came down from the mountain to join up with the river, which was shrinking degree at a time. They managed to stay on this path for two hours, it kept going, they just got tired. At least two of them, like earlier with his leap, an unending ability to walk had returned to Sombra.
"Can we stop for a bit, I'm hungry" Hope asked, slowing down to a halt.
"Sure why not" Cloud replied, turning around and sitting down on the cold stone. He grabbed the pack from his back and pulled out the sandwiches they had made. They had bought some other things as well, such as a small camping pot and gas fire. The tent was bundled up on Sombras back, fortunately quite light so he wasn't to bothered by it.
"Did we bring any drinks?" Hope asked, mouth half full.
"Err, no, now that I think about it"
"You can melt the snow, but there is the river which is already liquid" Sombra suggested. The pair looked at him like he was crazy.
"I'll take the snow" Hope said bluntly, Cloud already getting the pot and gas out of his bag.
("It's just water") Sombra muttered silently.
("If it doesn't come out the tap its most likely got something suspicious in it, at least in their minds")
("Wouldn't you be able to tell by the colour?")
("Yes, but I've lived around ponies for long enough to tell you most are not the brightest")
("Most?")
("I mean, they have wizards, but they make up about one percent of the population")
("okay, you want a drink?")
("sure why not") Sombra leaned down and put his nose to the running water. He began to lap up the cold water, half going in his mouth each time and the rest splashing back down. To his side he saw Opal, struggling to reach the water. Stopping his drink, Sombra put his hoof into the water, bringing it up upside down, using the walls and underside of his hoof as a bowl.
("Thanks mate") Opal jumped up onto his ankle and began to drink from his hoof. After their break they continued walking along the path, as they went the river got thinner and shallower as they got closer to its many sources. The mountains closed in and the path began to flood with water and ice, once again getting thinner.
("I believe there's an archway nearby that leads to a snowfield") Opal said, and indeed Sombra could see a hole in the stone and light coming through it. He told the others and they approached the archway.
Him and the twins bounded through the field, the tribe behind them as they ran off. Beneath there hooves was little snow, most had melted away. Grass had emerged from its long hibernation, a path cut short by the reindeers. They ran between patches of white, pink, yellow and blue.
The field before them was not so much a snow field as it was a flower field. Small bushes of flowers were sprinkled amongst the grass, but their vibrancy made up for their size. The field was surrounded by mountains and plateaus, the melted snow trapped and forming an icy cold marsh. Slashed across the field was a fissure, glowing green with a purple smoke. They were caught in a trance, only bought out by Clouds astonished curse.
"I thought no plants grow here?" Hope asked herself, also gripped by the flowers.
("The dark magic fissure heats the land enough that in the day it is warm enough to grow") Opal told Sombra for him to reply. There was a click as a picture was taken. They all silently agreed on heading down the side of the mountain, some more confident than others. They made it down and stood amongst the flowers. In which it wasn't long before Cloud went and took pictures of each different flower.
There was small white ones like cotton balls, then others that appeared like larger and flatter buttercups. There was one that grew only a couple flowers if you could call it that. Large orbs on stems caged in dark purple, there was a bud on top that was more of a flower, but it was yet to open. There was also spires of bright pink reaching above every other flower.
"Look! Over there" Hope pointed in front of them where a heard of reindeers grazed peacefully. She bounced excitedly on her hooves and she spotted a rock nearby which she darted for to try and get closer to them. Cloud followed her after also noticing the reindeer, with his camera placed on the rock.
Sombra stood there licking his lips.
("I don't think I could finish one on my own")
("No, normally one can feed about two umbrum, three if you get a big one, although that's rare since we try to only hunt the weak ones")
(" I remember something about only hunting old, sick or injured")
("It helps keep them strong, since if the herbivores start dying then so do the ones above them")
("When do you think I could eat one?")
("If you find a way to store meat without terrifying the neighbours, now if you want")
("Hmm") he'd have to think on it. He knew salting preserved and there was an infinite supply of salt in the shops. He wondered if he could make his own special chest of food. In his midst of drooling over food, one of the reindeer noticed a clearly hungry umbrum, and bolted.
"You scared them!" Hope yelled at him from the rock, sprinting over to him in adorable rage.
"mm" he kept his eyes on the herd and licked his lips again. He was hungry, he could walk for ages but not on an empty stomach. But even then...
"No I'm good" he said to himself.
"Good on what?" he didn't want to practically traumatise her, he would just eat a sandwich, full of salad.
"What sandwiches have we got?" he asked her, causing a few confused blinks.
"Oh um...there's daisies, buttercups-"
"Preferably not the flowers"
("I'm pretty sure buttercups killed ponies a few evolutions ago") Opal thought in his variation of aloud.
"Then um...cucumber?"
"Sure" he wasn't thrilled but it would do. Hope pulled out a sandwich from Clouds pack and floated it over to Sombra. He ate it straight out the air, the crunch turning to mush into a nice watery bread flavour.
("If you spot any carcases, tell me")
("On it") Opal flew off in search of something more tolerable, albeit half eaten, but more tolerable. At least he could try and hide that meal, it wouldn't involve him running after something, so most likely less noticeable.
They began walking again, approaching the fissure in the field. As they got closer they felt the warmth it gave of, but despite the heat there wasn't exactly light. It was in a sense, reverse light. "glowing" black with a green to purple flare.
"Is it...dark magic?" Cloud wondered aloud, looking down into the swirling dark.
"I think so" Sombra felt as if he recognised it, although very vaguely. Two names came to him, Folwin and Folre, his uncles he remembered used magic, and in the back of his mind he did remember that their horns fogged up black instead of a bright sparkle.
("I remember flying over here, if they want to set up camp I believe there is a hot spring around here heated by this fissure") Opal returned back and flew overhead.
("Yes over here") Opal started to circle around an area, and Sombra got the other two to follow him over. There was a relatively steep descent, although it was made of collapsed rocks. They clambered down to find some ponds of bubbling water, steaming ever so slightly. Hope trotted over to the water, laid down and warmed the underside of her hooves on the steam. Meanwhile Cloud set up their tent, which wasn't massive, and Sombra certainly wasn't fitting in it now.
"Are you gonna be able to fit in this?" Cloud asked after setting up the tent and seeing its room.
"I slept in a cave for over five hundred years, I should be fine outside the tent"
"I'm...I'm not sure I've ever quite understood just how old you are"
"I'm not even a thousand"
"That's enough to cover more than ten generations of my family"
"Oh" perhaps Sombra hadn't quite realised either. When the tent was set up, the settled down for the "night". Sombra did end up sleeping outside the tent, although him sitting at the tent door did stop any off the foxes getting into the food as they slept.
The next "day" came around, in which the unchanging light had confused the brains of Hope and Cloud. However they did have a plan for the day. Opal could lead them to a wyvern and tormentor stuck in place, and considering that, it was the most desirable way to get a picture of them. They set of once they had some form of breakfast, and since the other two were in the cave Sombra took the chance to go quickly hunt a hare. They set of again through the flower field and past the fissure. The field was rather large and stretched into the far reaches of their view. They had to walk and hour before an odd shape could be seen in the distance.
("That's it")
("Is it like...twisted?") Sombra asked. The wyvern was standing to say the least.
("It has most definitely crash landed, that's a wing sticking up, its half rolled over") as they got closer the silhouette became clearer. The wings were in a V position upwards, the feathers spread out to catch the air. Its tail was half raised and its legs were flat against its body. Sombra wondered if it would wake up, if it nosed dived he wouldn't doubt the idea of its neck snapping.
"I'm not sure if this is what I was expecting or not, but either way I wasn't expecting a fluffy dragon nor something quite so large" Cloud said in awe, an expression that changed when he saw the face.
"Damn you're ugly" they stood at the wyverns face, its crown consisted of two large horns, which extended to double as a face armouring around the eyes and nose. Its black beady eyes were widened with surprise, most likely from experiencing sudden paralysation. A line of feathers travelled down its nose and all the way across its back and tail. Some teeth stuck out its lips and fur, both lower and upper teeth, yellowed and chipped.
"I imagine those teeth aren't any nicer inside its mouth"
"No, especially once it spits straight magic at you" Sombra told him.
"They do what now"
"Like really zappy dark magic, I think the exposed muscle on the chest is because it gets really hot or something, the air cools down the lungs I think sire said" He watched Cloud walk around to the chest, exposed muscles behind a second set of ribs.
"I'll just, take some pictures"
"The hatchlings are much cuter"
"You hung around them enough to see the babies?"
"My tribe hunted the breeding grounds"
"Oh right, so you know these things well then?"
"They taste great" Cloud gave a surprise snort at the answer he wasn't quite expecting.
"It's quite cute"
"Excuse me" Sombra stared at Hope in surprise.
("She's actually deluded")
"It's fluffy nose sticks out of its...face scale thing"
"h...how...it's not" Sombra stuttered over Hopes logic.
"When has there been something fluffy and not cute?"
("Well by that logic at least she won't find the tormentor cute")
("I'll just let her believe what she believes") they ignored Hopes ridiculous thought of such a thing being cute. They let Cloud take some more pictures and then continued onwards. They found themselves climbing back up the side of a mountain and then left the flower field behind. They travelled along a side and slightly up and down. Making their way towards a plateau they could see in the distance. It took most of the "morning", if they were to guess, to get there. There was nothing spectacular on the plateau like the flower field, but it was high enough for some nice views.
"Have you got enough for your book yet?" Sombra asked.
"I've got setting out me rump" he took another photo of the view in front of them, an ever sprawling weave of mountains and tundra's.
"In this book, the uh...the protagonist dies at the end, so apart from that wyvern how else could he go out?"
"I think in the day you're more likely to be eaten and at night if you're not prepared you can freeze within hours...I think I nearly froze at some point"
"Really?"
"I don't remember, I believe it was my first time out the Eye and it was either early day or late night"
"What do you mean by eye?" this one question made sombra realise how much he had forgotten. He knew the Eye was calm, he knew the Eye was home. But its size, shape, actual location? Non off it came back to him. He thought back to one geography lesson about hurricanes, one phrase stood out that he though summed it up quite well, also realising the actual origin of the name "the Eye".
"Eye of the storm, it's always calm there, we lived in it"
"How far away is it?"
"I don't remember"
"That's alright, I imagine this place is significantly bigger than what the maps say"
("Hey the tormentors over here if you want to look at it") Opal popped up with. Sombra and Cloud made their way over, to something Sombra for once hadn't seen before.
He knew it was insectoid by the way his grandam boiled it in its shell. The tormentor stood above all of them on six large, armoured legs, another pair extend from its front end like a spiders, raised above in constant preparation to grab. Its face wasn't so much a face as a just a large mouth. If it had eyes they were small and hidden. Its mouth was cone like and appeared to split into four. About where you might expect ears there was a folded up fan of membrane sticking out backwards.
"Do I want to know what this dude does?" Cloud contemplated, behind its legs Sombra could see Hope, sitting a distance away. She shook her head in an "absolutely not getting closer" manner.
"I've only eaten them, I know they're called tormentors or something"
"I don't want to know, but I really want to know"
("Those membrane fans open up and torment you with your greatest fears, like hypnosis in a sense and it sticks you in place, it then grabs you, opens its mouth, two tendrils come out and stab you, you are now paralysed and your eaten whole")
("Alive?")
("Alive and petrified. Hence the name. They're also really intelligent for glorified non webbing spiders and will hide in caves and against walls, with their fans out so even if you only see the fans in peripheral, your captured") Sombra reciprocated back to Cloud, albeit not delightfully.
"ha ha yeah no" Cloud walked away after just one photo, looking fittingly terrified. They went back over to Hope, who was munching on some biscuits.
"You done looking at it?" she floated biscuits over to them all, which two ate out the air and the other expertly stood on one talon.
"I think I've got enough photos, we can start heading back if you want"
"That's probably best, I've ate most of the biscuits"
"Well I guess we head back, I imagine we can just head straight south right?" Cloud asked.
"I think so, do you want to camp out again before we head back?" Sombra looked around, a little bit away on another mountain he could see a relatively deep cave that they could stay in.
"Sure, might as well" Cloud followed Sombra as he set of towards the cave, making their way back down the plateau. Sombra realised how calm it was, he did remember the winds being quite aggressive.
("Isn't the wind normally stronger than this?")
("Well it works like any weather system, and there is still some form of soothing effect trailing off from the empire, usually though the worst winds are within a few miles of the Eye")
("Soothing affect?")
("It's why there's just a patch of green, I think it comes from the heart Crystal which Amore controls, she reduced the radius to hide the colosseum")
("Is that how the eye works?")
("We're not sure why the Eye is so calm, some believe it's due to Umbralis's existence, but if that was the case every time he wondered of it would lose it effect, so in short we don't know") it didn't take that long to get to the cave, and they set up for rest and left hours later. On Opal's suggestion they retraced their steps, in desire to avoid the East which only Hope didn't understand. They spent a similar amount of time going back as the did coming, although a little faster as more was downhill. Before they knew it they were back in the redwoods and walking back to the empire.
The castle still loomed over him, like it did all those years ago. He was used to the sight now, but at this angle it was outlined by the smoke flowing out the chimneys behind it. Dotted around he could make out the vague shape of T shaped pillars, not massive, but sticking out above the buildings.
"Oh by the way you two, we got a letter in the mail from your school that your DT and History teacher want to take you to the metal factory on a trip. I'm still trying to get Velvet to let you go, she's not to keen on down town, I think if you both want to go that will convince her" Cloud told them.
"When do we go?" Hope asked him, a little more excited, she had been rather quiet and bored on the way back.
"About a week after you go back"
("ask the name of the factory") and so Sombra asked.
"Mustang something, I know it's a metal factory...only because of the letter"
("You're going") Opal practically commanded Sombra
("You sound pretty sure on that")
("It's the safest place you could be in this empire")
("How")
("Trust me on it") |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 34: The decrepit brings saftey | Now in year eight, the class was being loaded onto some carriages. Some of them were being left behind, namely Fleur and another kid who had lost the right to trips. Sombra didn't exactly fit in the closed off carriages and so he had to walk along the side, but at least he wasn't chained to it. There were three in total to carry the class, Mrs Morning and the DT teacher. Hope sat in the one he was next to, with the little window open so they could talk.
As they went on, heading East towards billowing chimneys, the streets got thinner and dirtier, buildings were made out of brick and wood and very little was crystalised. The houses and shops were crooked and slouched onto each other and above the net of black cable fractured the sky. The crystal road was dull and chipped, the wheels of the carriages thumped into the odd pothole. They stopped at a circular crossroad.
"You'll have to get off here, double pulls can't get through from here" one of the stallions told them. The teachers unloaded all the students from the carriages in which Sombra could see would most definitely not fit through the roads. The roads, him and the others were so cramped between buildings, only the very top of the castle could be seen.
"What's the way to the factory from here?" Mrs Morning asked.
"You'll want to follow that road around and take a left when it splits, If you're stuck follow the red cables to where they meet up. Also watch your umbrum lads hair and horn, the wires have been raised since but some still hang low in places"
"Oh alright then" they headed down the tight roads, sometimes pushing into buildings as slim cargo carriages came past. They walked past crumpled houses, none had gardens, and past shops which were slotted in between. Wooden posts held multitudes of cables, some had one red cable that split into fifty. On one cable joined to a house there was a lock of matted black hair which had been long glued on by rain.
They turned a corner and the road expanded and bent into a square in front of a giant brick building. There wasn't so much a door as there was just a square hole with barred gates. By the sides there was the first signs of plants that didn't consist of moss. Two hanging baskets overflowed with dangling leaves, the top was covered in a dome of flowers from the snowfield. "Mustang and co copper foundry" was cut out of oxidised copper. What was catching Sombra's eyes however were rusted iron, vertical swirling letters, blending into the brick.
"the decrepit brings safety"
He was too distracted by them to notice the iron bars being opened by a large draft stallion. He looked down when Opal pecked him in the neck. The stallion was eye level with him at least, he also didn't sparkle like every other pony, and he had no gemstones in his skin. He was largely neutral in colour, being dark brown with white socks and muzzle, along with thin black hair cut short.
"y'all the lot comin' round the factory I'll assume" he had a grit to his voice.
"yes" the DT teacher had a snark to her tone and an eyebrow raised, which wasn't uncommon for her Sombra had learnt. Especially when it came to things she deemed obvious.
"all righ' then you lot, you know what we make 'ere?" he asked them.
"copper" one kid replied, they walked into the factory, passing through a wall of blazing heat.
"and ye'r alloys?"
"you do alloys" another kid asked.
"yes"
"brass"
"and?"
"bronze"
"exactly. The brass we make here is called alpha brass, it's a seventy thir'y copper to zinc, makes it quite malleable even when cold..." he went on about the different properties of the brass and bronze, explaining the process of how they mix, melt and pour the metal into ingots. They pasted many giant ovens, closed with thick graphite hatches. Vents pasted in and out of them in a organised rows and then left through the side of the factory. The stallion continued explaining how the ovens heated the crucibles hidden inside. A normal sized stallion, who Sombra couldn't tell if he was crystal or not based on most of his body being covered in heavy fabric, opened up one of the furnaces. Blazing golden light shone from inside, and the heat of the room quickly increased. The stallion turned to the group.
"This one's ready boss"
"That's the bronze righ'?"
"Yep" the boss motioned them around the furnace from a distance. The other stallion trotted of, returned with another and a rack full of moulds. The front of the oven was closed, the top was opened up to reveal the arm the crucible hung from. The two stallions climbed up short, steep stairs to manoeuvre the crucible up and down to the moulds. With one moving the mould table, the other on the wheel of the crucible, they poured the bronze into their ingot shapes. The class watched in varying degrees of amazement, some silent, others audibly, as the bronze splashed and shimmered. They were relatively small ingots, the boss had said they were six kilograms although from the distance Sombra couldn't quite tell how big they were, but they appeared like they could fit comfortably in two of his hooves.
"these ones 'll go off to the coolin' room, I can show ya'll the ready ones" he lead them off further into the factory, where they were bought into a large room which was filled with stacks of ingots of all sizes, all different hues of coppery gold. The boss weaved between the stacks, and pulled of a much smaller ingot, he handed it to the students to pass around.
"these li'le ones go to the jewellery crafters, since down here we can't afford the good gold, we imitate it instead" the ingot came around to Sombra and Hope, who lifted it in her magic. On its top was an indent saying, "Mustang & co., 70/30 Brass, 1kg". in Hopes magic, it could pull of as gold, and yet if Sombra really looked at it, he could see it was ever so slightly duller. They handed it back.
They were lead around the storage, Sombra could just about see over the stacks, each organised by grade, metal and weight. They didn't spend too long in there until they were taken back out again, then taken to another much larger room. Inside was a row of five giant cylindrical machines.
"These are the electric genera'ors, real new tech that we managed t' get our hooves on from Can'erlot. I can't show you the inside, but I can try to explain" he went through the process of how they boiled water with coal, then pressurising the steam and pumping it through the many turbines within. The mechanical rotation was converted electrical energy, and they supplied the factory.
"We use the electricity more for the ligh's and ki'chen, which in the long run is much cheaper than oil lamps and more coal"
"But what about all that coal, surely that's expensive" one kid pipped up, pointing to the giant crates piled up with lumps of coal.
"Well that pile can last us a good few months, but the cost of it is way overhauled by the amount of money we get from the entire empire paying us for power"
"You power the whole empire?" said another kid in surprise.
"Well yes, these five act'lly produce far t' much power, so we make the ponies pay t' use it, most goes to the cas'le, we get a pretty penny off them...when they pay it" the last comment was said away from them all. Most of them had lost interest with nothing glowing to look at, and they were taken out the back of the factory to a large courtyard to eat.
Compared to the rest of the factory, it was very green. Nestled between all the cramped houses and buildings, the courtyard contained small birch trees and the factory wall was covered in sprawling ivy. They sat at the benches and ate their lunches, and while Sombra didn't initially notice Opal leaving his side, until he returned (somehow) carrying a bowl of nuts, seeds and fruit.
("Where did you get those from?")
("Would you believe me if I told you I lived here for the last two hundred years")
("You didn't tell me this entire time?")
("Look heat makes me drowsy alright and you are incredibly fluffy") There was a brief silence between them
("Why here? Why not the forest?")
("A, free food I don't need to scavenge for, B simply seeing a Lumos if enough to keep some umbrum sane, so chilling around them didn't seem to break the oath much")
("Oath?")
("I'll explain it later, I don't have good history with it")
"Sombra" Mrs Morning called him, he turned to see her standing with the boss again. He left his lunch and walked over.
"He wants to talk with you, since you're an umbrum-in a good way" she told him.
("You can trust him") Sombra nodded with a little caution and turned his attention to the boss.
"I got some stuff for ya" he followed the boss back into the factory and heavy air.
"I wasn' expecting an umbrum in ya group to be fair, but since yer here I figured I'd just tell you yer welcome any time"
"Whys that?"
"'Cus this is the safest place in the whole empire for yer, if you didn' gather by the front, oh and ya can call me Big J, dont question the lack of crea'ivity, big is the only description drafts seem to get"
Sombra was lead back into the storage room, and between all the stacks again. Big J rolled one to the side on its wheels, to reveal an extremely tall door, which was more a sheet of metal on hinges.
"We rescued alotta umbrum from the rich gits, we let em camp up here until they got strong enough to go home, then none of em did because they wanted to wait for the rest of their fam'ly"
"did they work here as well?"
"they got bored eventually so they helped out" they made their way up a makeshift staircase, and at the top Sombra could see a curtain made of copper strands, pulled back like a curtain.
They entered a large open room on a second floor Sombra hadn't noticed. The floor was covered in hundreds of pillows, some appeared bought, others patch worked. There was electric lamps hanging from the ceiling, each with beaded pull cords. The blankets Sombra noticed, were leather, although visibly from different animals. The room was quite warm due to the ovens underneath, although it wasn't intolerable.
"Say er, whats your sire's name?" Big J asked Sombra, although it took him a moment to answer.
"...Vacio" saying his parents name was and felt very foreign on his tongue.
"Blue eyes"
"Yeah"
"that's why yer name sounded familiar, s'actualy quite unfortunate" with the last bit under his breath, Big J trotted over and passed a few piles of pillows, over to one group, that had three blankets. Big J picked up a framed picture and gave it to him.
The picture was of his sire, most definitely. But then there was two others next to him. They appeared like young adults, at youngest late teens. They appeared practically identical to each other, and it was the hints of primary colour amongst the black and white that told him it was his sire, and the twins.
"...He's gone now" Sombra wasn't to sure about why that was the first thought that attributed itself to his sire.
"Yeah...I er...I was told...lis'en ya can come back later to talk 'bout him yeah? Were sor' of on a limit since you on a trip"
"...ok"
"keep the picture lad, so erm, one last place and yer can get back to ya friends"
"ok" they headed back down the stairs and back into the main factory again. They entered what was clearly a med bay, and not a fancy hospital one. It looked like the rest of the building with brick walls and a singular small window. But their was a row of beds and a row of cabinets, covered in quite a lot of bandages, some dirtier than others. Sombra could easily imagine many horrific burns happening. There were two crystal mares at the back.
"Oh hello" one almost jumped out of her seat upon seeing Sombra, the other with her hooves in the sink just waved. Sombra ended up with his cheeks being squished by one of the mares hooves. She then noticed the scares that laced his neck.
"What happened to your neck? I've not seen the chains do this"
"There was um, acid"
"You were Amore's?!" the nurse said in shock.
"How are ya alive?"
"Dam protected me"
"That explains why Vacio never found ya then, yer were in the castle prison"
"Well, its healed...not the best, did you have bandages on?" the nurse asked.
"Yeah"
"Oh, we figured out after a while bandages prevent your white roses forming properly, they're really on good to prevent bleeding on deep wounds" she told him, lightly stroking the fur on his neck, then she walked to his side, reached up and patted Opal on the head, who had already drifted off.
"You found your umbrum you were sensing then" she said to Opal, who nodded slowly and half asleep.
"You can come to us if you get injured okay, you'll just have to sit through Cherry's hugs. We're in pretty much all the time, just come through that door" the other nurse spoke up from the sink, waving to the door at the end of the room.
"I'm not that bad" the two mares fell into a banter, and Sombra and Big J returned to the courtyard. Sombra put the picture of his sire and the twins in his bag.
"Where'd you go?" Hope asked him.
"He er...just wanted to talk with me"
"Oh, ok" the trip was pretty much over, and the class were sitting in the front of the factory waiting. They didn't sit for too long, as they weren't waiting for the carriages. But then Big J came out the gates with a tray. There was multiple stacks of tiny ingots tied together with string.
"I figured they migh' want a li'le souvenir" he started handing out the little ingots. They were small two hundred gram bars of copper, brass and bronze.
"If ya keep the copper dry it should take years for it to start going green"
"They look like little painted chocolate bars" Hope said, having untied them and looking at them individually in her magic. She, and the rest of the class packed the ingots away into their bags as they stood up so the teachers could walk them back to the carriages.
"'ey Sombra" Big J called out to him when locking up the factory gates.
"Keep your head up lad, and remember, ya can come back any time" Sombra nodded and caught up to the group back to the carriages. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 35: C H O N K | With the factory trip gone, school returned back to its repetitive state. They all stood in the drive of the school waiting to be let in, a massive group of students with each year being let in one at a time, the higher up in the school, the later you'd be let in. This is usually fine, unless it was like today, in which it was pouring and windy.
("This is miserable") Sombra complained, having given up pushing the hair out of his face.
("You'd think they'd let you in")
("They'll only complain when we leave water everywhere")
("Well they'll hate me and my water trap tail")
"You look miserable" Hope told Sombra, who looked a little less like a sea monster than Sombra with his hair hanging down his head and neck. They had been standing in the downpour for long enough that any effect of the natural shadow was completely negated by the weight of the water. Giving sombra a chance to truly understand how long his mane was.
"What are you doing?" Sombra asked as Hope who was standing up against his chest.
"Using you as an umbrella"
"Why-"
"Just grow a few more inches up and I can hide under you"
("Congratulations, you've been demoted to shelter") they stood in the rain for a little while longer until the head teacher came storming through one of the doors.
"What in Equestria are you doing?! Its chucking it down let them in Celestia dammit!" He yelled at the teacher watching them.
"But the order!"
"Fudge it! they'll be freezing all day now!" with that he opened the doors for the hoard of drenched students to make their way into the building, motioning to the teacher to let some into the maths block, who did so begrudgingly.
As always school went by about as normal as always, they went to form, they went to first lesson. They watched Fleur and the popular girls bully some poor kid into restrained tears at break. She didn't sit with them anymore, they hadn't known her very long but it was odd to see how suddenly she flipped. Then when break finished they went to the next lessons and got the occasional entertainment of corridor zoo sounds. Lunch was just prolonged break and they had the joy of a returned chemistry test after (in which Sombra wished his enjoyment of the subject was mirrored in his grades) and last lesson dragged as always.
("If it is possible to get back the rest of you, let's make a deal to not make school in whatever way that system is") Opal complained as he half slept on Sombra's back, even more bored as he just had to sit there and endure what went on with no other need to be their than Sombra being there. Finally they were given freedom.
"Hey, Hope, I'm going to head back to the factory again, can you tell Velvet?"
"Who-who's- oh right, yeah sure, why you heading back?" Hope asked.
"The boss said I was allowed back"
"Ok, mom will probably want you back before tea"
"Yeah sure" they parted ways, with Sombra heading back to the Eastern part of the empire.
("I recommend going a longer way round to avoid getting to close to the castle, perhaps on small streets or between houses to keep you somewhat hidden")
("ok") with Opal on his back to guide him, Sombra made his way through the side streets, which twisted in and out of buildings and strayed away from the empires usual straight and organised method. Just like the day before, the streets got dirtier.
Given the time, Sombra didn't expect to see so many young foals and teens. It seemed that down the path he was heading there was more than the total population of his school, which now that he thought about, there was significantly more houses.
"Hey!" it was a young foal who stopped in front of him, with a typical young and livelier expression. Sombra simply stared at them, becoming rather aware of his intense shyness.
"Are you the umbrum that's living in the empire?"
"Um"
"Oh sorry, come here you" the mother, who had been distracted by her other three older children, pulled the youngest away from him.
("We should be concerned")
("Why?")
("Well if there's news an umbrum is around here then it has most definitely reached the castle") Sombra strained to look up over the building and through cables to look at the castle. He certainly didn't like that idea.
("What would be the appropriate reaction to that")
("Am-well definitely...a lot of words Missy wouldn't like you knowing")
("What")
("Continue with cautionary and calm panic")
("That is not reassuring") they turned onto the road with the factory entrance and Sombra tapped on the iron bars. Fortunately there was a worker near the gate to see him and let him in. He was once again bought into the sweltering building as he was lead into a new area. The worker knocked on the door, which lead into what Sombra could only assume was Big J's office, who opened the door just as the worker was lifting his hoof up to nock.
"Heya kid"
"Uh"
"Figured you'd come back, come in kid" the room wasn't massive, although the corridor wall was thinner than the door frame which added a little to the space. There was a simple wooden desk, with what seemed to be a hap-hazardly put together metal pencil pot. There was a shelving unit filled with binders and books, then a something sombra hadn't seen before. A series of wooden platforms stacked atop each other and an elevated box with circle holes in. Said box had a pair of green eyes staring at him, or more specifically...
("Oh come on, what is my luck") Opal complained and Sombra felt him slump down into the dip of his hips.
("What's wrong?")
("Fudgin' cat")
"Don't worry bout yer bird, Flops is er...pretty hopeless in terms of bein a hun'er"
"I've not seen a cat"
"Yer haven'? guess their not too popular in the rich streets, you'll meet 'er eventually" Big J grabbed some pillows stashed under his desk and chucked them on the floor. They sat down and Opal found the highest point of Sombras body to sit on, being his face.
("Do you mind") Sombra complained.
("No")
("Do you not like cats?")
("Yeah I absolutely love them with every inch of my heart-NO, NO I DO NOT")
("Your tail still touches the floor-")
("Shut")
"So, I assume you wan'ed to have a chat righ'?" Sombra simply nodded in response.
"So what ya want to talk 'bout lad?"
"I er, have a question"
"Go on"
"If sire was here, why is he in the Colosseum?" he had thought about it last night, it bugged him through most it.
"Ah righ', yeah so what happened was is that we told the umbrum we picked up that they could leave anytime, excep' they didn'. They wan'ed to reform their tribes first. Some did leave but I'm not sure how far they got with guard patrols. Yer sire was one of the ones who stayed and he also planed the whole revolution, he lead it and the others followed him"
"I remember something about a howl"
"Yer sire went out to the Colosseum after some months of spreadin' word, he knew full well that he could easily die but he genuinely hoped he would see some of his family there"
"Me and dam weren't there that day"
"Ya managed to stay with yer dam with Amore?" Big J asked in subtle shock.
"We ate her leg"
"...oh...reasonable" there was a light fud from the corner of the room and from around the corner of the desk came what Sombra could only imagine was Flops. An absolutely fat white cat, who, like her name suggests, flopped onto Big J's shoulder.
"Heya Flops"
"Mrrow"
("It's so cute")
("You dare")
("Look at it")
("No")
("I doubt it could hunt you considering it seems real fat")
("A fat cat can still play on element of surprise")
("You're not that stupid though")
"Anyway, er yeah yer sire I assume is resting in the Colosseum somewhere then"
"The middle"
"Righ' then, when I get the time I'll go pay mah respects, good stallion yer sire was. He would not shu' up 'bout you"
"He wouldn't?"
"Well, no, you were his only son, but er, I also have a question...did you actually lick an icicle?"
He couldn't see much except for ice, which was elegantly stuck to his nose. He could see the glow of the campfire around the shape and the slow drips of water sliding down the ice. There was a poke in his side and he saw Yesric teasing him.
"Maybe" he imagined he blocked out the memory entirely out of sheer embarrassment.
("Mate...")
"Ok, I genuinely though that only happened in me daugh'ers books"
"Oh" it didn't help the shame. There was a silence when Flops got up from Big J's shoulder and walked over to Sombra.
("Get it away from me")
("Calm down") Flops flopped again, then proceed to bat and swipe at the floating ends of Sombra's mane.
("See, she's more interested in my hair")
"Hey kid, why not tell me about yer tribe, your sire said a lot, but I imagine you have some extra stuff" Sombra had to delve into his mind for a while, trying to remember anything.
"Um..."
He was with his Granddam, weaving between the bustling crown of umbrum. It was night and all of them blended into the dark, the only way he could actually follow his grandam was by the slight illumination of the green and purple waves of light in the sky. They were traveling through the market, using the traded items from their own stall to buy some things for themself. His grandam lowered a fresh skewer down to him she had just bought from a stall, smearing the glaze over his mouth.
It was day, he was out with the twins on the Eyes floor after fresh snowfall. They hid behind makeshift walls they had built, rolling snow up from near buy, avoiding snowballs whizzing buy their heads. Sombra threw one and it hit another foals wall, not exactly having the strongest throwing leg. Out the corner of his eye he saw Yesqen get a ball to the flank. Their fun ended when Folre came to pick them up, in which they complained and started heading back. However, in an attempt to hit either him or the twins, a snowball hit Folre in the side of his stomach. His usual blank expression shifted into a smirk, his horn ignited and a dozen snowballs floated at his side.
"Did you ever meet your other tribe?" Big J cut asked in Sombras brief moment of thought.
"Other tribe?"
"Yer dams tribe"
"No"
"Right, just wondered since yer sire never said anythin' either, hey er, I'll go get a drink and some biscuits that sound good?"
"Sure" Big J stood up and walked out the door, having to force Flops to stay in the room since the ovens were still on. He was gone for ten minutes in which Flops sat and scratched the door, adding more marks to the already battered wood. Big J came back with two cups of tea and a pack of biscuits. Flops wove between his legs as he placed the tray down.
"Did you say you had a daughter?" Sombra asked him.
"Yeah, she's in primary, she got 'er cu'ie mark recently when she was doing up her friends mane"
"Hope keeps complaining she doesn't have hers yet"
"She a friend of yours?"
"Yeah"
"Well some marks just take a while t' come in, a friend of mine didn' get his till he was in his early twen'ies" they sat and drank their tea and ate their biscuits, giving fuss to Flops as she pestered them. She leaned up on Big J trying to eat the biscuit out of his mouth and darting for any crumbs that fell.
"Nearly six huh, you should probably head on back home kid, starts getting' dark at about eight so"
"Okay, Miss chestnut will probably panic over me anyway" they stood and made their way back down to the front door of the factory, locking Flops in the room again.
"You good t' get back yeah"
"Yep"
"Alright lad, I'll see yer soon" Sombra took to a trot down the street, which was significantly quieter now the school rush had ended. The sun was lowering and was half cut off by the clustered buildings.
("Hey Opal, you mentioned an oath yesterday")
("Oh year that thing")
("What is it?")
("We aid our umbrum, whether it be mentally or physically, until death takes us both") he said in a repetitive tone.
("Did you help another umbrum before me?")
("Yes, she was a young mare and she was almost completely deaf from birth, she could here telepathy just fine though. I was with her for a good few hundred years until what I'm sure now is cancer took her-")
("So shouldn't you be dead?")
("Well her dying wish was for me to break the chord and help someone else, you know, break the oath")
("So you did it?")
("Yes and then was found out, attacked and kicked out the Eye by the other Lumos with a broken wing and a ripped open chest")
("You don't sound very sad about it")
("I've had many years to think") they continued home, mostly silent, going through back and side paths once out the congested streets and into the neater ones. He entered through the back door of the house for reasons even he didn't know but he did smell food, or specifically the herby smell of Miss Chestnuts vegetable soup. Immediately when he walked in, with only half his body in the house, did Miss Chestnut rush him down.
"Are you okay?"
"Yep"
"Did you get hurt?"
"No"
"Did anyone see you?"
"Probably"
"What do you mean probably?"
"Hi Sombra"
"Hey hope" He pushed past Miss Chestnut and sat next to Hope who had eaten most of her soup. Fortunately Sombra's bowl was still quite warm, he assumed this was helped by the larger bowl being placed over the top of it.
"How about you let him have some form of autonomy for once" Cloud mumbled to Miss Chestnut as she sat down.
"But there's so many things that could go wrong-"
"He's been walking outside for a year now-"
"But that place-"
"Pretty sure he can handle himself-"
"But the crime-"
"Do you read the paper?" Sombra turned to Hope with confusion as the pair continued arguing, in which Hope mouthed "argument" to him. They sat watching and eating, in which sombra tried to eat as fast as possible to get out the situation. It resulted in him leaving a bit of soup behind and taking the rest of his bread upstairs with Hope to her room.
"They've been arguing on and off since I got back"
"I gathered" Sombra hid his stumble over the mess that was Hopes room with its strewn about paper and many empty candle jars. Hope lit an orange one and then flopped on her unmade bed.
"I don't know why she doesn't want you to go out, she's so weirdly protective of you, every pony seems to be"
"Isn't she just as protective over you?"
"I mean, I guess, she didn't let me go to Fleurs house a while ago"
"Maybe she's just a bit more protective then others"
"I guess...did you do anything at the factory?"
"The boss new my sire" Hope stared at him blankly.
"Dad"
"Oh, did you know your parents?"
"Yeah" he laid on the bed with her, albeit not being able to rest his tail comfortably and one of his hind legs half hanging off the single bed.
"Oh and the boss has a really fat cat"
"I've always wanted a cat"
("Can you two NOT")
"Opal doesn't like cats very much"
"I guess not, since he's a bird, how fat is the cat?"
"Very chunky, round, bit like Opal"
("You little sh-") Hope snorted at the site of the anger plastered all over Opals face, which her snort so conveniently covered a word slipped across the chord. They sat crumpled onto the bed as they did homework for a few hours, and decided to stay slightly thirsty if it meant not stepping hoof into the anger downstairs. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 36: language? paint? ouch (???) | Months went by without realisation which really attested to Sombra's mood about school. He had finally gotten to the point however, where his ears had a school drama filter on constantly. He was so unbelievably thankful that this method of education was not a thing in umbrum culture.
He and Hope were in his neat and organised room, in which he had found the blocks him and his cousins used to play with. Since they had letters on, Hope wanted to practice Umbrull on them, in which Sombra hadn't realised she had been taking his old schoolbooks. He often re wrote class notes in Umbrull, which sometimes proved a problem with words that don't translate.
"I think I'm starting to understand how to write them better" Hope said as she copied the words she had built into a full sentence.
"Is that a D or an M?"
"...what"
"The D's loop is longer than the M's"
"why are they so similar?" Hope complained.
"I dunno" she still stumbled over letters that were similar shapes to each other. The other pairs being I and B, then G and S. Sombra realised that they didn't have blocks for the numbers, so instead he had wrote them down for her.
Hhow good are you at speaking?" Sombra asked her.
"...er...ii...leiikaiee...er...cuuanai'dieelai's"
"Yeah I figured" it wasn't quite there, however he suspected it had something to do with the lack of rasp in a ponies voice.
"Do umbrum have an accent?" Hope asked.
"Not sure if it's an accent or just...dry sounding"
"As in, need a drink dry?"
"I thin-ahk...(Hey Opal guess what brilliant comedic timing you just missed")
("Wot") Opal replied from the back garden, most likely with a beak full of ants.
("Voice cracked right as I was telling Hope about weird umbrum voices")
"Do...do you need a drink?" Hope asked.
"No" it was a very small no if anything.
("How do I get my voice back?")
("It should come") Sombra stared forward just waiting.
("If it helps, which it won't, most umbrum bite the tip of their tongue off because of hissing")
("No, no that doesn't help") Now Sombra sat staring forward, very aware of the position of his tongue in his mouth. He was so focused on his vocal cords and tongue that he hadn't noticed Hope also staring at him.
"Hey were your eyes always almost completely red?"
"...I think...that's suppose- woah" his voice had dropped significantly in pitch and there was most definitely a heavy grating at the back of his throat, along with a hiss.
"I think you're the first colt to have their voice break at school"
Year nine came around and Sombra sounded like the oldest in the school. His voice had stopped cracking in the last couple months of year eight and while he had the six weeks to get used to it, it was hard to when it didn't match the body it was coming out of. Apart from his new blazing red eyes he was still leaning towards colt than stallion.
It was break and he no longer could fit onto the bench and had to sit on the ground. Him and Hope hadn't switched tables since year seven. Sombra wasn't the happiest, for his love for chemistry, was simply not displayed by his grades.
"You're not bad at it, you probably just struggle with test conditions" Hope tried to comfort him.
"Hmph, just wish I was like you with biology. You love it and your good in tests, when was the last time you got a B?" Sombra kept his voice quite, he often felt his larger lungs would make his voice louder, more noticeable.
"I...I just wish I was better at chemistry to help you" Break ended, and art came around. it wasn't the most chaotic of lessons, considering most found art, no matter how bad they were at it, more fun than maths. The desks in the art rooms were, needlessly tall, at least they were a comfortable standing hight for Sombra.
"Alright, you lot, I'm going to trust you to use slightly nicer water colour than the blocks, however, I will not hesitate to demote you back to them" the teacher told them, a mare who seemed to lose her will to go with what her cutie mark said every day.
"I want you all to try and paint a portrait from memory, it doesn't have to be picture perfect, make it abstract if you want, just some form of a portrait of a friend or family member, you got that?"
"Yes miss" The class said in tandem.
"Good" She walked off to her desk.
"Right, looks like I'm in grayscale" Sombra dully joked to Hope. He stood and made his way over to the stash of tubes being raided by the other students, and he took four colours. Black, white, blue and red. It was all he needed, and he decided to ignore the offhand comment by a student about "all the ones in my dad's basement looked the same". Sombra stood back at his desk, to find Hope hadn't moved.
"What...do your parents look like?" she asked, confusion on her face as she attempted to figure it out herself.
"Pretty much like me, we don't vary much"
"Oh, right" she got up to go grab her own paints. Sombra stared at his canvas, he couldn't choose between who to paint. He figured, to make life easier, to go with someone who didn't have their hair loose, which put all the stallions of the board. That also included, from what he remembered, his grandam and aunt. Which left him with his dam and the twins, and they blended into one so he figured he would be going with his dam.
He could easily remember her face, one that had a horn and two eyes. He again, ignored the fact that that face was gone, and focused on the one before which he could remember clearer in day light than in the darkness of the cell. It was almost easy for him to transfer her face onto the canvas, at a slight angle and a smile. She was looking down, it was the only angle he remembered of her, the horn and hair proved a challenge at the angle, however. But there was in fact a recognisable face on his canvas, a nice change from the usual mess of "landscape" he produced. If they started doing portraits more perhaps he would find another subject he liked.
He started to add on the paint, he added blocks of colour with relative neatness. It was then that he added details, but he didn't try to perfectly blend them, he left each bit added as a rough mark, but intentionally left. He went down the route of more stylised colouring and shading then realism, even if the anatomy suggested so. About halfway though the lesson, he had a very recognisable image of his dam.
"How have you done that?" Hope had been watching him for most of the time, and barely made much progress on her own painting of Miss Chestnut.
"Not sure"
"I am useless at this" she stated while poking the canvas with her brush.
"I figured you'd have more control of the brush with your magic"
"You'd think wouldn't you"
"Woah" it was a voice he hadn't heard spoken directly to him in a long time, being Fleur. Sombra wasn't to sure what to say to her, considering he wasn't quite sure how she seemed to switch from popular girl to the old Fleur, falling into a looser, less stuck up stance.
"How has your cutie mark not come through yet" she asked.
"Erm"
"Hey Fleur come look at this!" One of her friends called from the other side of the room. Her face twisted between devious bully and regret before she hesitantly trotted away.
"That was...weird" Hope said.
"It was a bit" they continued normally for the rest of the lesson. With sombra being the only one with a completed painting, which the class but them up on a drying rack. The interaction with Fleur through off Hope and Sombra for the rest of the day, it was just strange to see her be kind to some one for once.
"Still confused about Fleur, she hasn't talked to us in years" Hope said as they walked home from school
"She was just giving a compliment"
"But still, she usually ignores our existence"
("There is a chance its peer pressure and what not causing bad behaviour, I've seen that happen in schools throughout the years")
("Who off?")
("Those other girls most likely")
They got home, in which it was now very obvious that Sombra did not fit in the house anymore. In both hight and width he did not fit through the front door without bashing something (he wasn't exactly overweight, in fact he was very slightly underweight considering the limited source of meat, but umbrum just had much wider shoulders and ribs then ponies). Then the hatch to his bedroom was scratching down his spine, although it gave him a good excuse to practise shadowing, even if still he wasn't that good.
He did have an option, however. He had a few months back went back to the factory again, which Big J told him if he needed to he could take up the giant bedroom in the top of the factory. The only downside is that it would be quite toasty. That wouldn't stop Sombra, most of the time he would be out hunting anyway and by the time he got back the factory would be cooling off. What was stopping him, was simply asking Miss Chestnut. But frankly, his spine had splinters, his shoulder and hips were bruised, and he routinely bashed the horn on his head he forgot about.
("Just ask her mate") Opal told him.
("She already proved she hates the place")
("She relies on the news, the news can slander a newly hatched chick")
("She'll say no, I'd rather not cause another argument")
("Just ask, and maybe show her the mark you've left on the hatch from your back rubbing against it and all the splinters I've pulled out")
("You kept them?") Momentary disbelief passed through him and his stomach threatened to turn.
("No, but there's a big enough dent in the framework to say so")
("I can try") With little to no courage, he headed downstairs. Fortunately she was alone, as Cloud had gone to do some shopping.
"You alright?" Miss Chestnut asked as he met her on the sofa.
"I um"
"Is this about the fact that you don't fit in the house anymore" her voice shifted from sweet to expected annoyance.
"Yes"
"I mean, their isn't anywhere else for you to go, so you're just going to have to be more careful when moving about"
"But I'm getting splinters all in my back"
"From where?" she asked slightly panicked.
"The hatch to my bedroom"
"Oh, well, I guess we could see if Hopes willing to swap rooms" He didn't even want to think of moving her belongings around considering the mess they made.
"My hooves don't fit on the stairs"
"I don't want you sleeping downstairs though"
"It's carpeted it wouldn't be that bad"
"I'm not having you sleep on the floor of all places"
"I did it for seven hundred years on cold stone"
"What? No, no. If you do decide to just leave where would you go" she wasn't exactly asking him, more angry that he would even suggest leaving.
"I um...I've been told if I wanted...I er...could stay at the factory-"
"WHAT NO. Absolutely not do you now how much crime exists in that place"
"I've been multiple times and I'm fine"
"You...what" he'd never been more scared of a pony almost throwing themselves of a sofa into a standing position, mixed with a scowl of a voice.
"You've been there, more than that ONE EXTRA TIME?! And you never told me. Do you even understand how many of them will see you and plan ways to get money to sell you off!? And with the state of that place who knows what you could end up inhaling-"
"Everyone theirs been pretty nice so far"
"So. Far. What do you know if their planning some way to get money out of you" she repeated, there was a deathly silence only filled by Miss Chestnuts breathing.
"How would you even get to school in the morning"
"Get up earlier?"
"Oh and walk around crime central at four in the morning?"
"Not sure if I'm even visible in the dark-"
"No." Sombra didn't feel like arguing, so he just turned and went back up the stairs, not wanting to deal with the fact she was starting to repeat herself and the conversation would go nowhere. He made his way back up the stairs his hooves where too big for, scraped his back on the hatch and collapsed on the bed he was also, too big for.
"What, just happened?" Hope popped her head up into his room.
"I'm not to sure, but at this rate I'm going to be totally stuck in this room if I don't figure out how to shadow properly" He mumbled half into the pillow.
"You are a bit big for the house, where would you move to?"
"The factory boss said I could stay their if I needed to"
"In a...factory?"
"Err (I forgot she doesn't know anything about umbrum, so the whole bedroom floor isn't going to make sense")
("She's what, fifteen now? She'll be maturing mentally but...alright look I never planned how one would go about talking what happened to you but maybe if you...I don't know sugar coat a little bit and drop it in slowly instead of info dumping her?") Sombra figured Opals idea would work, he also figured it would be better on him, he didn't particularly feel like talking about it for a long time.
"There's like, a bedroom in the attic"
"Do some of the workers sleep their?"
"Sort of, or used to, but its still there so I've been told I can have it"
"Would you just have to get up earlier for school?"
"Most likely"
"I mean...when we went on that trip it seemed fine"
"It's more the surrounding area she doesn't like"
"That seemed fine to, Cloud would probably let you go"
"I don't think he could win with her"
"Maybe like, try to purposely hurt yourself more than normal, just to make a point" he didn't know how much he was going to go along with hopes plan, as he really didn't feel like having more bruises.
"Oh she thought maybe we could swap rooms but-"
"Has she seen my room?"
"Don't think so" |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 37: That was not intended | Crack.
Thud.
"...ow" it wasn't the greatest start to the morning. Sombra was used to the stairs creaking, so when they did so but louder, he did hesitate. But he went down anyway.
And now he was on the floor, having smashed his chin into the hatch frame and with a chunk of wood impaled in his shoulder. Within moments the rest of the family was next to him.
"you okay?" Hope asked him.
"oh yeah sure perfectly fine" he lifted himself onto his legs and bent to nuzzle his wound, which the wood in his shoulder was at least and inch thick, and frankly wasn't very pleasant.
"Oh Celestia where did I put that number!?" Miss Chestnut yelled in panic and she rushed straight back down the stairs. They staired at the area she was no longer standing in for a moment, before Sombra turned to see Cloud, utterly unfazed.
"you seem extremely calm about this" Sombra said fairly bluntly, he too being a little to calm for his situation.
"if I can survive hitting the cold hard ground headfirst at fifty miles an hour and have no repercussions, I'm sure your fine"
"how did you do that?"
"failed dive"
"right, well I'm just going to head to the factory, since they have nurses there that most likely now how to deal with an impaled umbrum" still completely calm and only feeling a slight twinge as he moved his shoulder, he began to walk. Then there was a harsher sting, which looking down he saw Hope was holding a wet flannel to him. With her at his side, they managed to walk out the back of the house without tripping over the mess Miss Chestnut had made. There was little talking as they, with some speed, made their way down the back of the houses.
"Sombra"
"Yes"
"How are you not screaming right now?" Hope asked.
"Dunno, probably got nerve damage by this point"
"What, how"
"Or I'm numb to a lot of stuff" he assumed that he'd been injured to the point of not really being able to feel anything, although he couldn't say if he couldn't actually feel anything, or if mentally he couldn't.
"Also, this was not me doing your idea of hurt myself some more"
"So you didn't mean to fall down the stairs?"
"No, they've been creaking for the last couple years, I wasn't expecting them to collapse on me"
"Right...how long until we get to wherever we're going"
"The factory has some nurses in, there the only nurses I know so, that way"
"That's a bit of a walk"
"I'll be fine, just keep that flannel on, I think it's helping" they walked for quite a while, Hope had to awkwardly stay between walk and trot to keep up with Sombras stride. Both of them were just waiting for Miss Chestnut to come charging around the corner, but by the time they got to the beginning of the decrepit houses, she hadn't shown up. However, by that time, the walking had caused the wood in his shoulder to dislodge slightly, and he started to bleed more, he also felt as if his muscle was being pulled around by strings.
"We should hurry up, do you know any shortcuts?" Hope asked, pressing the flannel in harder.
"No, not yet" they kept going, fortunately not being bothered by too many ponies since there wasn't many out. They eventually got back to the factory. Due to Sombra's more frequent visits, a worker had decided to start polishing ingots by the gate, so it took no time for Sombra to be bought in and taken straight to the nurses.
"Oh hello, are you okay?" asked the nurse, but before anyone could answer, Cherry, the other noticed his shoulder.
"What happened to your shoulder?" Cherry was straight to pushing Hopes magic away and examining his shoulder.
"I er, broke the stairs".
"Right, Coco are those tweezers clean?"
"Yes" the two nurses sat around his shoulder, and Sombra winced as they slowly pulled out the chunk off wood, which as they did so he felt the wound get pulled together. As the wood was fully pulled out, he watched as white roots branched and filled the wound.
"What are those things?" Hope asked, having quietly watched trying to hide her curiosity.
"It's a healing method special to umbrum, they grow roots which close wounds and small white flowers form the scabs, from what we know they can regrow limbs, although there are limits" Cherry told her.
"This'll hurt" Sombra near leaped out his skin at the short notice of Coco forcing the roots apart with some tweezers and beginning to poke around inside.
"More warning next time" he complained through gritted teeth.
"Sorry, I have to get the splinters out" he felt his stomach do loops as she fished around, pulling splinters out of him, for what felt like ages. Every time she pulled splinters out the roots would bind back together, so it never got any better.
"All done" she wiped his shoulder of the blood that had dripped down and he gingerly moved his leg around. He could feel how the roots pulled the muscle together, and yet also mimicking the muscle structure in a way it felt mostly normal after a short time.
"Why couldn't I heal like that before, that would've been nice" Sombra mumbled to himself, although he still received an answer from Cherry.
"Wounds not healing can happen with malnutrition, I imagine more so with umbrum considering how intense the healing method is".
"oh right, that makes sense".
"When were you malnourished?" Hope asked, the curiosity she was experiencing from his shoulders healing method quickly vanishing.
"Before I came to the orphanage".
"Were you homeless?"
"Yeah, you could say that" he wasn't calling that cell a home anytime soon. There was a relative silence, apart from the sound of the nurses cleaning their tools and dumping the wood. That was until, for the second time, Sombra nearly leapt out of his skin.
("SWEET UMBRALIS WHERE ARE YOU?")
("The factory")
("Ok, I've just been shook within an inch of my life")
("Chestnut?")
("She's been panicking for the last twenty minutes until she remembered I can talk with you from a distance")
("How did you not hear me fall down the stairs")
("I was very much asleep")
("Right...do you still not get a hint of me being impaled?")
("Well frankly I've had a funky wing for a while so I didn't question it much")
("Is it broken?")
("Remember how I said the other Lumos broke my wing")
("Oh, right")
("I'm also used to feeling slight twinges every time you've walked into something") Sombra turned to his shoulder and by instincts started to lick it, which it felt weird with the roots knotted together underneath. He decided with Hope, that it might be best if he took the day off, just to give his shoulder a rest. While they knew Miss Chestnut would be far from happy about it, but they weren't going to argue about a free day off, even if Hope really didn't have an excuse.
They left the factory after the nurses gave him a check over for any other splinters, taking a more leisurely stroll back. The odd pony around gave friendly nods, and their was something rather charming about shops being fitted into slots between houses, and through the window you could see the shop keep working on products. They kept going, until Hope stopped.
"Sombra, have you got any bits on you?" she was bouncing on her hooves.
"No, their in my school bag"
"We're coming back then"
"Why- oh, candles" there was a candle shop, it window full of all sorts of different colours and shapes. He had to drag her away with a promise that he'd bring her back at the weekend. They kept going, slowly making their way back home, in which just as they left down town Opal landed on his back per usual.
("How's yer shoulder mate?")
("It's been better")
They made it home, which by now Miss Chestnut had left to work. They heard Clouds chair shift upstairs as they headed up. Sombra noticed his staircase had been removed and the splinters cleaned up, preoccupied by it, he nearly fell over the chaos that was Hopes bedroom floor. there were more empty candle jars than he could count, stacked up against the wall.
"How...many" his hoof slid on some old homework.
"Many" she sat on her desk, immediately lighting up an orange candle, didn't take long for the room to smell of fruit. They spent the rest of the day chilling out, taking the chance to do any homework they had before spending hours playing boardgames. They even managed to drag Cloud out of his writing desk to join them, and when Miss Chestnut came home Hope managed to keep her less angry by showing her all the homework she had completed (which did include some old stuff) however she still had to promise to go in tomorrow.
"So, what are we going to do about your bedroom" Miss Chestnut asked Sombra.
"I don't really fit through the hatch anymore, I could just, sleep downstairs".
"Where exactly?"
"Carpets softer than the floor"
"I'm not having you sleep on the floor".
"It's that or the factory" she went silent.
"The floor is fine then" she left. |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 38: well non of this is good | It didn't take long for Sombra's shoulder to heal up to a point he was practically normal again. However Sombra had a good feeling it was going to be a terrible day of school from the moment he walked into form and locked eyes with the new kid. This crystal pony was a unicorn with cream fur and a pink mane, and the second their eyes locked, his face twisted into a malicious smirk. Sombra made his way to the back of the room which is where he sat in every class, since he was too tall and blocked everyone's view. His group consisted of him and Hope, along with Raisin and Ginger who were in the same year as them. Sombra motioned with his head in a way to ask who the new kid was.
"Valentine, every pony already hates him, all of yesterday he wouldn't stop bragging about how he was the princesses nephew" Ginger mumbled.
"He uses it as a fear tactic to get the teachers let him off with doing whatever he wants" Raisin added.
("I get the feeling I might be screwed")
("You don't say mate")
("Maybe its best I don't come here anymore")
("All that would do for you is stop him tormenting you, since you can guarantee the moment he gets home Amore is going to get informed about your existence and general idea of where you are")
("How about we go to the head at lunch")
("Probably for the best")
First lesson came around which was art, and Sombra had found quite the passion for it, very much enjoying it. But for this lesson he sat there ignoring the paper wasps being sling-shoted into his spine. He wasn't to sure if Valentine was aware of his heightened sense of hearing, but he was very aware of Valentine mocking him about how he had to stand because he was to big to sit in the chairs.
"Does that not hurt?" Hope asked him.
"The fur helps" another one bounced of his hip, while he continued to paint the random fruit sitting on the desk.
History comes around next, and it could be summed up as the entire class feeling very uncomfortable. Valentine was sitting there, bragging to the kid sitting next to him, how he used to beat up and break the bones of the umbrum his parents owned. He talked about how he would take enjoyment about seeing them collapse to the ground, or slowly watching their minds break into submission. The closest kids next to him, especially the one that Valentine was talking directly too, had gone rather pale.
Sweet relief was break for that class. Sombra was chilling outside with Opal, in which Sombra was distracted from eating by watching from a distance, Valentine harassing Hope in the hall. He could tell from the disgust on her face she wasn't having anything coming from Valentine's mouth, and she managed to get away from him. Hope rushed her way over to Sombra.
"Sweet Celestia he's insufferable".
"I've gathered"
"It gets worse as well, A he's clearly into me, B he's trying to get me to abandon you and C he's in all of our classes" she complained, just as she was doing so Valentine was walking up behind them, bravado plastered all over his face. There were two miserable looking ponies who appeared to be hired as henchmen, and the rest of the school on break followed behind, expecting some drama.
"So I see you haven't taken my advice" his voice consisted of a sickening amount of pride and Hope turned to him with scowl.
"You know, such a pretty mare like you shouldn't hang around with...whatever that is" he waved his hoof at Sombra, adding a grimace to his point.
"I'd like to know why your so into me considering for you and the other upper class consider me as nothing more than utter dirt" Hope questioned him.
"Oh well you see, you are in fact nothing more than dirt, frankly you really shouldn't be called crystal with the distinct lack of shine on your fur, but you are a unicorn, and you may not know this, but any crystal unicorn gets a free ticket to royalty" he took a few steps towards Hope, and she batted away a hoof that was coming up to touch her cheek.
"If your insinuating that you want me to sit next to you on some fancy throne then I would rather be caught dead then be seen sitting next to a lump of fat like you, and I doubt you could ever shed it considering how much food you must be able to afford" she spat in his face, a collective excitement from the crowd. Valentine recoiled backwards as his ego was attacked, and Sombra and Opal stood somewhat terrified at where that side of Hope had came from. It took a moment for Valentine to recover.
"Well considering you come to this school I'm sure you've got some money yourself as well...but then again, I do remember seeing a rather pitiful little unicorn who looked just like you at an orphanage once. And if were being honest here, the only way you met that freak is at an orphanage, since I doubt his parent are around anymore, you should count yourself lucky that I can't remember the name of that place" Valentine strutted away with a face of triumph just as the bell went, with an attempt to graze his tail under Hopes chin which she forces away with her magic in disgust.
("Opal, at what point can I abandon morals?")
("I think Hopes already done that judging by that face")
They made their way to the worse lesson of the weak, being a double old Ponish lesson. It was already insufferable chaos as the class slowly gave up and lost parts of their sanity to the unending two hours, but it was worse now. Fortunately for Sombra it seemed that Valentine had drawn his attention to some poor other kid. So the two hours slogged by, in which him and Hope filled it with the usual of Sombra teacher her Umbrall instead. And finally it came to lunch.
"I'm going to talk to the head, I don't think I should be here anymore" Sombra told Hope.
"Okay, I'm going to hide in the toilets until I hear you come down the stairs".
"Right, I'll see you in a bit" Sombra made his way up to the teachers corridor, however they ran into the head on the way.
"Oh hello, are you alright?" his voice seemed shaken, disturbed.
"Uh yeah, can we talk for a bit?"
"Valentine?"
"Yes"
"Of course, this way" Sombra followed him into his office, where he would of taken a seat if he wasn't a giant.
"So I can only assume based on what I saw out the window at break that Valentines been getting on your nerves"
"Well yes, but also if he is Amore's nephew there's reason to believe that he's in contact with her so it's probably best I'm not around him"
"Right, yes I should have seen this coming, if it is safer for you to not be in school anymore then I wont stop you, and to be frank after today I suspect I may be a dead stallion, and I worry for every family of each student given the circumstances of what I've had to let happen" there's was the solemn expression of expectant doom on his face and in his voice.
"Did you have to let Valentine come here?" Sombra asked him.
"Either way I am dead, but maybe I could of made myself the only casualty and not a few hundred families" he paused with a heavy sigh, Sombra watched as the crystal shine seeped out of his fur.
"You may leave now if you wish, I wont make you go to your last lesson".
"Oh, okay, I'm not sure I want to be around him in a chemistry practical either".
"That is understandable, you are free to go back to lunch" Sombra turned back to head through the door.
"Oh and Sombra, if I don't see you again, I wish you luck in finding your family and getting to go home" there was a flicker of a smile amongst the defeat, Sombra could only return one that was a bit more hopeful.
("He's excepted his fate")
("I didn't realise Amore had such control over them")
("I mean, she managed to manipulate the ruler of the country into not suspecting a thing for two hundred years")
("How has she managed to live so long, I thought ponies only live for like eighty years")
("I'm not sure if I'm totally right on this, as I overheard it through a window, but something about the crystal holds more magic than the bodies, so they live for longer, I think its about five hundred years for crystal ponies")
("What about Cloud and Chestnut, Clouds not a crystal")
("I'm sure they've talked about that, the same will be said for you and anyone you know now")
("Right") Sombra headed down the stairs and called out for Hope, who excited the toilets with Fleur to his surprise.
"How'd it go?" Hope asked.
"I'm allowed to leave after lunch".
"Your leaving me to deal with that prat in chemistry?" Hope asked in slight anger.
"Sorry about that" he looked over to Fleur confused, since she hadn't talked to them in years.
"oh right yeah, I'll explain outside, how about we go out the back to try and avoid Valentine".
"Yeah okay, sounds good" they made their way out the back of the school. In which Fleur began to speak first.
"Ok so, I'm sorry about the last few years, I got roped into the popular mares because I have money, and from there it was just peer pressure I never actually wanted to-"
"That's fine" Sombra interrupted her, quickly getting the idea that she never wanted to leave them.
"I've been wanting to find a reason to get away from them for a while, and given that Valentine has more money than me, they've gone to him and he really annoys me, especially how he talked to you at break" she continued.
"Seriously its fine" he was taken off guard by a light hug of Fleur. They spent the rest of lunch unbothered and catching up with Fleur. When lunch ended Sombra told them that he's going to hide in a large oak tree down the pathway until they come out of school. Which he did so.
("I wish I was as good as sitting in tress as you were") Sombra mumbled as his hooves slipped as he tried to find his balance.
("Comes by weird tendons and nature for me")
("Is it weird being a bird with an equal level of intelligence to us but then be surrounded by normal birds?")
("Sometimes yes, although I'm not alone, I believe phoenixes are similar to Lumos, although I am unsure if they can form telepathic links")
("Are Lumos like, a magically enhanced peacock of sorts, you look exactly like them")
("We don't remember our origin but that wouldn't be a stretch to assume")
("Didn't you call them trumpet birds or something")
("Mate, you haven't heard them yet")
("So what do you sound like")
("Like this")
("No like, physically, if you made actual sound") there was a dismissive silence from Opals end.
("If I was to throttle you what sound would you make")
("Mate") he sounded broken hearted.
("I wouldn't actually throttle you") just as he said that, they heard the wheels and hooves of a carriage pull up to the school.
("I think I can guess who that's for") Sombra said without being able to look with out falling out the tree.
("Of course it's the most fancy, ornate god damn thing in existence, sweet Umbralis") Opal commented being able to poke his head out the leaves. While Sombra listened, Opal watched as the school slowly filtered out.
("Hi Bean") Opal stuck his head down, which Sombra attempted to lean down as well but he was very aware of his instability.
"Stay up their until that carriage leaves, theirs two guards pulling it" Hope told them, Fleur standing with her and looking back to watch the carriage.
"He's just got on, I'll tell you when they are round the corner" Fleur said. They waited a few minutes until Sombra was finally given the all clear to not so elegantly fall out the tree.
"Hey, you know, I'm not sure if I actually know where you live so I can come visit" Fleur said.
"Oh, Tourmaline street, there's boats loads of roses in the front garden you'll see it".
"Oh neat, I'll come round at some time" Fleur waved them goodbye as she took a different turn to them. they made their way home, in which having moved into the living room, Cloud had cleared out a cabinet for him to put his stuff in so it didn't need to go on the floor. So Sombra took the chance to practice his shadow again to get in and out his inaccessible bedroom. By the time he had moved his stuff around, he had gotten pretty good at dissolving and reforming.
"So this is a thing you can just do?" Hope asked him,
"Yeah, it's an Umbrum thing"..
"Umbrum?".
"What I am?".
"Oh right, so you're not actually a massive draft unicorn who got unlucky on colour genes".
"No" there was something adorable about that spark of innocence.
"Is the floaty hair thing also an Umbrum thing".
"Pretty sure"
"Okay, because only natural born alicorns have floaty hair in ponies".
"Alicorn?" it was his turn to be confused.
"A unicorn with wings, and I think its believed they have earth pony as well as they also show the ability to influence the ground and stuff"
"Right" he began to organise his little cabinet of items, keeping his blankets out for sleep but folding and stacking other little items, such as the building blocks and the long since emptied bowl of preserving powder.
Having retired for the night, and Sombra taking over the living room, Cloud and Miss Chestnut had taken their conversations to the back garden. And while Sombra knew he shouldn't be eavesdropping, it was hard when his ears where developed to here the squeak of a mouse in high winds. Which wasn't exactly a good excuse, but he found himself listening.
"Velvet, I, I've made a mistake" Cloud started.
"Being?"
"I, I've been flying".
You what!?" it was not quite a shout, a restrained effort to keep her voice hushed.
"Over the last few years, I've just flown without thinking, then with that trip to the north that was technically me leaving..." a brief silence fell.
"you've never told me why you were so scared, like I know it's not safe for you to do so, but you never told what that threat was" she asked him, in which he sighed before he started.
"When I came here, I had a feeling I got myself into some trouble the moment I saw what was actually going on, and before I knew it I was grabbed by some guards and taken to the princess. And when I got to her, she was in her bedroom and...there was this wall it was-it was just covered in severed horns and she'd even made a makeshift crown out of them. I-I don't remember anything about the conversation except...except when she told me she'd reckon a pair of wings would look good on that wall..." that was enough, Sombra didn't want to hear any more bad news. He quickly made his way to his corner of pillows and pretended to sleep as they walked past a short while later to go upstairs.
("Opal, I...I feel like I should be doing something")
("like what")
("I mean, I want to find out what happened to the rest of the umbrum, but also I want to help these ponies, it's just...not right")
("I can't say I disagree, but how would you even start with either of those goals")
("I guess get rid of Amore, but like you said, how")
("We will just need to find something to give us an idea") |
What a wonderful world | Chapter 39: Time to question morals :D | Sombra and Hope parted ways as one headed to school and the other headed to work. Sombra figured he might as well go to the factory, at least it would give him something to do while he figured out what exactly his plan was. However, even in downtown, he felt rather unsafe.
There was guards on every road, walking in pairs with spears clipped to their sides. Their eyes roamed around, and Sombra easily assumed that the events of yesterday had led to this. He resulted to slipping into the shadows to get to the factory. He slipped between the bared gates before he reformed and found Big J re-fuelling an oven.
"Heya lad how ya doin?" his face was covered in a streaks coal dust.
"Erm, a bit shaken, given the circumstance"
"The guards yeah?"
"Pretty sure Amore knows I exist now, since her nephew just so happened to be at school yesterday" Big J motioned for him to follow as again he was lead up to the office.
"I thought she knew of ya before hoof?"
"I think it was a rumour before, but she most likely has an idea of my whereabouts now" they settled in the office again, Big J sitting on his chair and Sombra relaxing onto some pillows. And again, Flops leaped down from her cat tree, she sat down in front of Sombra and proceeded to watch Opal with keen eyes.
("No")
("She's not doing anything")
("It's looking at me")
"So, I assume yer come 'ere because you want somethin' to do while you avoid school like the plague".
"Yes"
"Righ', well I have noticed those guards 've been peering through the bars so ya might be better off up 'ere with me"
"What do you do up here?" he couldn't exactly think of why there would be a need to be away from the actual factory.
"The wonderful world of business my friend" Big J began to explain the business side to his trade, which he described as the boring but needs to be done part. He told Sombra that there was two main parts to what he did. There was first organising trade, which consisted of shelves full of files and papers. They were the biggest suppliers to ponies who made decorative metal bits due to the colours of the metals they made, and they were hoping to expand trade once the train tracks connected up to them. Then there was the other part, all of which was mostly stored in one massive book. It contained every houses address, the size of said house and the electricity bill.
"I would prefer a way t' give a more precise reading, but we just estimate on the amount by size".
"So a bigger house pays for more electricity".
"Yeah essentially, say a small house down 'ere might pay us only a hundred bits, bu' a mansion should give us a couple thousand".
"What about the castle, surely they pay the most?".
"well they curren'ly owe us about a hundred 'nd seventy grand".
"Oh, is their not a punishment for not paying?".
"I ain' playin' with the fire of shutting off the castles power" Sombra let him ramble about his business for a bit longer.
"So, when can I help out here? I can shadow now so I can quickly disappear if someone looks in".
"yeah 'course mate, when d'ya want to start?"
He spent the next few months adjusting to the factory work, and while he did spend a lot of time handling the business side with Big J, he often helped with the multitudes of heavy lifting, whether it be a crate full of ingots or carrying bags of coal into the generator rooms. That weightlifting was much more enjoyable than he realised it would be, since before the only real muscle exertion he got was hunting, but it was nice to use different muscles as well.
He didn't need the money he earned, he had no real need for pony food, and he could fit in any of the cloths, so he split up his monthly eighty bits. forty went to Cloud and Miss Chestnut, while Hope and Fleur received twenty each. What typically happened after that is that he would remain in shadow and follow Hope and Fleur around, technically going shopping with them, casting a string of shadow out to nod when they tried on outfits. He did wish he could just walk with them, but the guards continued their rounds.
As he went through these months he hadn't made much progress on the little spark of a plan he had conjured up, and he didn't know really were to start. His only real idea was that any information on if the umbrum were even still alive would be inside the castle.
It was just him and Hope this weekend, and off course she weaved her way without thinking to the candle shop again. She handed over not even a fraction of her empty candle jars to the shop keeper, and as Sombra creeped his way up to the top corner of the shop, he noticed that the pegasus guard that had bought him to the factory was also sitting behind the counter, except he wasn't a pegasus anymore. As Hope went to raid the shelves, Sombra formed his head up in the corner, the two stallions noticed him, and the guard smiled.
"Its nice seeing you strong enough to shadow" his voice was weak and deflated, and there wasn't a bright glimmer in his eyes or shine to his fur. Sombra could only meekly smile in response, there wasn't exactly a point in asking "how are you?" when the two stumps for wings said everything.
"Um...do you still have contact with others still in the castle?"
"I should be able to reach them, your not doing something stupid are you?"
"Yes, potentially"
"Oh, right then" he stood from his chair and motioned for Sombra to follow him into the storage of the shop. Sombra slinked through the air to a small compact room filled to the brim with boxes upon boxes of candles.
"Hey, err, I'm not sure if I ever got your name, since you essentially saved my life-"
"Silver"
"Right so, do you know if their was any conversation that went on that surrounded what actually happened to the umbrum?"
"Well, I'm pretty sure I remember something about a spell that went wrong, but I've had about a hundred counts of amnesia since so I'm not too sure, but I know other guards also got out so I can ask them, anything else your after? And what exactly are you doing?"
"I first want to know what's happened to the rest of the umbrum and if I can get them back, but I've noticed how Amore has got all off you in some sort of controlled state of terror".
"Yeah that's one way you can put it".
"I think there's a few hundred families on a hit list now".
"What how?!" the part that made him a guard, a need to protect his ponies, near threw Silver into the boxes.
"School, with the amount that knew of me but most likely didn't say anything..." there was a silence where Silver shrunk into a state of despair, rubbing his head before he continued.
"I'll get on that, what are you doing now?"
"Not sure, if they're...if they're all gone theirs no point doing anything so..."
"You just stay low for now, come back in a week and I should have something for you" They left the storage room and Sombra found Hope with heavy laden bags.
"How much did you get this time?"
"Enough for a few weeks"
"I'm tellin' you lass don't burn your house down" the shopkeeper told her.
"Its fiiine" she waved a hoof and began to trot out the shop, Sombra and the shopkeeper exchanging a look before he dissolved into Hope's shadow again. Sombra retuned a week later, and again he met Silver in the storage room.
"Right so, my mates remembered overhearing her. Amore isn't talented in magic so the blast at the end of the revolution was her using the crystal heart to try and kill all of you but given that she can feel a large part of power underground there is reason to believe she accidently banished them instead".
"So, they're alive".
"Yes, potentially at least" Sombra heavily sighed in relief, he knew know, that besides his sire, his tribe was still out there.
"If you need anything else from that castle, I'll try to hook you up with it yeah".
"Thanks" Sombra left and weaved his way back to the factory where Opal was waiting for him.
("You get it?")
("Yeah, we reckon they might be banished underground")
("That's going to be a lot of digging")
("You're not wrong, but then we don't even know a precise location")
("We could only assume it is near by if she can sense it from the castle, and that means its most likely directly under the empire. I've seen many mining outposts around, but I reckon their heavily monitored so they don't go to far under the houses and cause sink holes and stuff")
("Is this...going to go morally grey very fast? Given the risk of sink holes and its going to take a lot of forced labour to dig")
("I mean, anything more morally bright then whatever Amore did")
("So, I guess I might be forcing the ponies to dig under their own homes, not really sure I want to do that, seems a bit cruel")
("Sometimes being selfish is the only option")
("If...if I'm going to do this, I should tell Hope shouldn't I?")
("She seems to have caught on anyway, so it would be cruel to leave her in the dark for any longer, she should be old enough to understand now")
("Ok") |
What a wonderful world | So... | So I've come to a conclusion that I don't want to continue this, I will be re writing this story from the beginning and I have a few reasons.
the first is that I've come up with so many ideas in the process of writing this, that I've realised there are things that may not make sense, or I completely forgot things and only realised later on and I felt like I needed to just put them in to not leave something mentioned with no purpose. there is also one major plot hole that I realised recently, and that is there is absolutely no way that all the umbrum got captured, in as much of a realistic scenario this can be, there would be some left, and at this point I could only really make it work by rewriting. I also feel like I haven't really written Sombra that well. In this case I feel he should have a lot more trauma problems, and I have no life experience with that so even still it won't be written perfectly. however I do have first-hand experience with grief so I got those feeling down, I just feel the need to include it more, especially as the new re-write will focus a lot more on Sombra's tribe and the closer bonds and the weaker bonds, I want it to hit him, and the twins (ha ha spoilers) much harder, or try to at least.
there is also the matter of age in this, as Sombra was so young I had like thirty chapters of just him ageing, and I feel sort of guilty for not starting the plot sooner, as it is something I get annoyed about when reading when it takes authors forever to get to the plot, and it's the main reason, me, myself, cannot actually read what I've written. so think of this like a first draft, and certain ideas will be carried over to the next. I will be re-writing, so the story will come back soon.
in terms of that, I'm actually going to plan large chunks at a time, in which I'm going to separate the story into chunks which will hopefully make it easier for me to compute in my chaotic mess of a brain, and hopefully it might be written better. because of this, I wont upload this story for some time, but in the meantime it gives me chance to post smaller stories, some still focusing on the AU and one I have planned is for an OC I've finally made and actually really liked.
So I'm sorry if you liked this story, but I don't want to continue something I'm not enjoying writing anymore, as at this point it's a chore. So just hold tight k. |
Get Him 3 | pre | Luna suddenly shook her head as if trying to shake the memory of what she had seen of herself in Alex' nightmare and shuddered all over. "I--I could never harm a little colt or filly either. Even in my altered state as The Nightmare I...SHE... never could and never would harm a little one!"
"In all the thousands of years of our combined rule, we have always been able to come up with answers to our subjects' questions and problems. I have never, that I can remember, have we ever faced a dilemma like this. We somehow have to regain his trust. We must make this right Luna!"
"Celestia, what do we do?"
"I don't know, Luna, I truly do not know."
"But we must find a way." Luna said in a troubled voice. She was silent for a moment and seem to be deep in thought. She then sniffed and wiped her muzzle with a foreleg, then took a long,deep, shaky breath and let it out.
"I need to do this." Luna suddenly said determination in her voice. "I need to repair the harm I have caused him. I brought him here. I need to face whatever consequences are in store for me because of my selfishness and stupidity."
She then walked over to her sister and both wrapped their wings around each other in a hug, trying to give some sort of mutual comfort and support to each other.
The sisters then broke their embrace.
"If you think this will be the best course of action Luna then do so. I will trust your judgment. Just please keep me informed and let me know how I can help in any way."
"I will sister. I will."
"It is time for us to see to our respective duties with the sun and moon sister." Celestia spoke, her voice still a little shaky too as she tried to collect herself.
Luna left her sisters bed chambers and went to her own to set the night in order and then to prepare for her journey.
The night air was getting rather chilly. Winter was just around the corner and soon the snows would begin to fall. Luna paced back and forth with growing worry. Alex was out there in the Everfree Forest where hers and Celestias old castle still stood albeit in ruins. This is where it all happened so many years ago. This is where the Nightmare Magic had taken hold of her. This is where she, as the nightmare, had fought to destroy her own sister. Here is where she had planned to implement her eternal night. Here it was that she was sent to the moon for a thousand years. Here she had been defeated, albeit thankfully, by the Elements of Harmony and restored to her former self. And now here is where young Alex had been hiding in fear from them all.
She now had to return to that place. She had to find Alex and somehow regain his trust, befriend him, and convince him that She meant no harm and that it was safe to return to Canterlot Castle with her.
She had her work cut out for her. She knew this. How. Just how was she going to regain his trust after she had hurt him so?
She was just about to walk out onto the balcony of her bedroom and take flight when there was a gentle knock on her door, moments later it swung open.
"Yes Celestia? What is it sister?" She said without turning around. She knew it was Celestia.
"Are you sure about this? Are you sure you don't want me to go with you or at the very least please take a guard with you just in case. I know what memories that place holds for you."
"Celestia, my dear sister, you always looked out for me as we were growing up, you were always there for me. Even when the Nightmare took hold of me and you had to banish me to the moon to protect our subjects, you never gave up on me. I'll be alright I promise. My primary concern is our friend young Alex. I won't let the ghosts of my past get to me or interfere with my mission."
"I know Luna. I know." Celestia said with a sigh. "I just worry. Have you come up with any ideas as to how you will approach him?"
"As a matter of fact I have. My idea is to watch him unobserved for a bit and see what he does. Get an idea as to what his routine is and from there determine how best to approach him without scaring him further."
"A sound plan little sister." Celestia replied.
"I best be off now. I will tell you all I find, while there, once I return." And with that Luna spread her wings and sailed off into the night sky towards the Everfree and her old home. |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 7: Under Observation | Under Observation
Soaring through the night sky, Luna sailed on the evening breezes that carried her to Ponyville. It lay just outside of the Everfree Forest. She could see the twinkling lights emanating from the humble homes windows. Beyond that lay a vast plain of darkness. The Everfree. Even in the dark, Luna knew the way to her old home. After all, the night was her element and her domain.
Banking a little left, she readjusted her course and in no time at all she could see a tiny light flickering in the remaining windows of what was once the throne room of the Castle of the Two Sisters.
Circling around the aging structure, she saw the damage she had wrought on the edifice as Nightmare Moon. She shuddered a bit at the memory of her battle with her beloved sister Celestia, or perhaps it was just the chill in the night air.
"This place has held up amazingly well since our abandonment." She thought as she continued to circle.
As she did so, she sighted a dark figure seemingly engaged in some activity, as she flew past the great gash she had left in the roof of the throne room during her battle with her sister so very long ago.
Luna alighted softly on the roof so as not to alert whoever was down below to her presence. Being the princess of the night, this was second nature to her. Where her sister reflected the power of the sun and the brightness of the day, her skill lay in subtly and stealth.
Peering over the edge of the hole in the roof, she took stock of all she could see.
And there he was. Huddled over a small fire he had built on the stone floor. He had taken some of the castles rubble from inside had had built a fire pit to contain the flames. Another larger stone he had dragged over to use as a small bench to sit on. On the opposite side of the fire he had made a rather crude bed of whatever he could find. He had lived in this place for the last two years or so and had obviously explored the ruins to find whatever he could to use for his survival. There were some old pots and pans close by that he had gleaned from the kitchen to use for cooking, as well as utensils kept in a cloth to prevent them from getting dirty.
He had liberated a few pillows and some sheets from the linens to use for his bed. Although they were a bit tattered and worn, he had placed them close to the fire for warmth and for protection from possible predators or other night time dangers. Alex had also amassed a small cache of weaponry from the castles arsenal. Swords, Spears, Daggers, and a single crossbow with a goodly amount of bolts and a single archery set and also what looked to be a staff or walking stick of some sort.
What really dug deep into her heart was Alex. He looked very tired and haggard. His clothing had seen better days. Holes were worn in his pants and shirt here and there with some crudely sewn patches to cover the holes.
Continuing her covert observations, Luna watched as he went before their old thrones. Although the rest of the great hall was pretty much dilapidated, she noticed that their thrones had been very well kept. The tapestries were almost completely clean as were their seats. They even had some rather fresh looking cushions on them. On each cushion was a picture in a frame of the two diarchs apparently drawn by his own hoof (or whatever those things were at the end of his forelegs).
Wide eyed and astonished, Luna felt confused and yet flattered that he had done this. Upon closer observation she realized that he had, indeed, drawn the portraits of both her and her sister!
"But I thought he didn't want anything to do with any of us?" She thought. "That is what he wrote to us in his letter. He hates us. He hates me. Why has he done this?"
Then to her utter shock she witnessed the unthinkable. After Alex had tended to his small fire, he walked before the thrones, stood tall, and gave deep bow to the two portraits. And then walked over to his makeshift bed and knelt down facing towards the East. He knelt there for a minute or two with his head bowed and then crawled into his bed and wrapped his meager covers around himself and shivered with the cold despite the fire. Soon he was fast asleep.
Lunas heart broke. "What manner of pony was this Alex?" A single tear fell from her eye and ran down her cheek as she bowed her head in shame. She had done him terrible wrongs and still he honored her and her sister, but why? He had every reason to hate them yet he still honored them and he wasn't even one of their subjects!
She was determined now, more than ever, to make things right.
Quietly she lit up her horn. At the same time Alex's blanket lit up and carefully she began her transformation spell. Slowly, as not to wake him, she turned his blanket into a heavier quilt and then levitated another small log and put it on the fire.
Satisfied with her work, Luna turned to return home only stopping briefly to look over her shoulder at the sleeping human. She then spread her midnight wings and took flight setting a course for home.
The journey back to the castle and her current home seem to go by in an instant. So lost in thought about Alex and the actions she had witnessed him doing, that she didn't even notice the time pass.
Luna alighted on the balcony of her room. As she walked in she was still lost in thought.
She then realized something. Apparently when she was asleep, Alex was awake and visa versa. He had done this to remain hidden from her site in the dream realm. Tonight he had gone to sleep during the night. Another puzzling question reared its head too. How did he even know of her dream walking capabilities? She had never divulged that little bit of information to him. This Alex was becoming more and more of a bigger puzzle.
She decided to look in on his dreams again but remain hidden as before. She had to find out what made him tick and if possible help him fight the horrible nightmares he had been having about them.
However tonight was getting late and Celestia had already gone to sleep for the evening. Sleeping through her night was something that always bothered Luna when she did it herself, but sometimes it was necessary
A few hours rest might be in good order before the changing of the night to day. This whole Alex dilemma had drained her. Come the dawn, she would have to tell her sister all that she had witnessed the night before. |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 8: Come the Dawn | Come the Dawn
It had been another long night for Alex. The nightmares persisted and his mind was becoming a bit slow due to fatigue. "How much longer? How much more of these damn nightmares do I have to live through before it finally ends once and for all?" Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he stretched and got out of his makeshift bed. His meager fire would need to be attended to. It was getting colder and the first snows had started to lightly fall through the gash in the old throne rooms ceiling leaving a light dusting of powdered white on the chambers floor before melting.
As Alex stood, he noticed that he had a quilt wrapped around himself. "Odd." He mumbled to himself. He didn't remember having that particular blanket but dismissed the thought and just chose to be thankful for its warmth.
Attending to his fire, he soon had it burning brightly. The food in the old fortress' pantry had still been edible. He was very lucky to find the food stores. Apparently some kind of magic preservation spell was used on it and the food was still palatable because of it.
Water was another issue entirely. Probably due to there being a plentiful supply from an underground hot spring. Yes this was a godsend. The spring was good for drinking water as well as bathing. Its heat didn't permeate the whole castle, probably due to the hole in the ceiling letting all the heat out, but it did make for slightly warmer temperatures and did take the edge off the chill in the air.
It had been two years since he had managed to continue to elude this evil race of talking equines. He really didn't like feeling like that towards them even with all the hell they had put him through upon his arrival. Holding a grudge just took way too much energy. They seemed like most of them were nice enough. He had watched them celebrate what looked like Halloween, Christmas, and Valentines Day in secret from the edge of the Everfree Forest. He had even managed to snag some candy that had been left behind at a scary looking pony statue, but always he stayed hidden. He desperately wanted to make a friend. Just having someone to talk to would have ended his loneliness, but he dare not risk it.
"Better they think I'm dead." He thought. "It's just safer for me that way...until it happens for real, whenever that is."
Luna awoke from her slumber. Alex had been on her mind all night. Alex was alive still and it filled her heart with joy yet at the same time it brought great sorrow. Not only for how he was living in the cold all alone, but for all the harm she, her sister, and her subjects had caused him. He had made it very clear, in his letter, just how he felt about each and every one of them, and because of their actions, and what he thought of their entire kingdom.
Shaking herself and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and after setting the moon to sleep, she took a quick shower, straightened her mane and tail, and set her royal regalia on her person. After taking a quick look in her bedroom mirror and satisfied with she saw, she headed to the dining hall to eat breakfast and inform Celestia of what she had witnessed at their old castle.
As she entered the royal dining hall, Celestia was already there sipping on her early morning tea and eating some pastries. "Good morning Luna. How was your night?" Luna returned her sister with a forced smile. "I am fine dear sister." She said in kind as she sat at the table. The chef brought out her meal and set it before her and then promptly bowed and left.
Celestia could see that Luna was troubled and asked her "Its Young Alex on your mind isn't it?"
"Yes." Luna sighed.
"You saw him last night didn't you? Please, sister, tell me what you witnessed. Is he ok?"
Luna took a deep breath and let it out again.
"Yes, Celestia, I did see him."
She then began to reveal to Celestia all that she had witnessed. She told her about the state of his clothing and his living conditions. Of how he had cleaned and taken care of their old thrones and that they looked like new along with the tapestries that hung behind them all this time. Celestia listened with rapt attention as Luna continued to unfold her tale.
"And then he bowed to the drawings he made of us and had placed in frames and had sitting on the thrones!"
"He what!!??" Celestia said in a shocked tone. "It is as I have said sister. He is not one of our subjects and yet he still pays his humblest respects to us! He then knelt and bowed his head at the side of his makeshift bed while facing towards the east. He then got into his bed and curled up in a ball and pulled the blanked he had scavenged over him next to his small fire and went to sleep. I then peeked, unseen, into his dreams once more and still he is plagued by what we had witnessed before."
Luna then added, "My heart just broke seeing the physical and mental torment he was going through still even after these two years past. Just before I left, I transformed his blanket into a heavy quilt and put an extra log on his little fire."
"I will go to him again tonight to see that he is ok. I will continue to watch over him." Luna said.
"It is my duty."
"Let me know if there is anything I can help with please?" said Celestia.
"I shall sister. I shall." Luna said in return. "But for now, I have to help him destroy the nightmares that plague him so. No pony should be continually subjected to that kind of torment. It's like his own version of the Tantubus, similar to the one I created to constantly punish myself for the evil I had done as Nightmare Moon. Except in his case, he has done no wrong."
"I feel that I should summon the Elements." Celestia stated. "I feel that they should be informed that Alex is still alive and see his nightmares about each one of them and what ours and their unkindness has brought about."
"I agree sister. However we should not divulge his whereabouts just yet. Should they know this, they might all run off to him at the same time and frighten him further. If that happens, then he may disappear a second time and we will never find him again."
"A wise precaution Luna. Your reasoning is sound. Should all go as planned, it would be best that they see him here in the safety of the castle instead of out in the wild. Who knows what harm may become them should they meet in less favorable surroundings." |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 9: To Conquer Ones Fears | To Conquer Ones Fears
Luna returned to her old home later that night and resumed her quiet observations from her perch on the roof. The same as before, she witnessed Alex go through his nightly ritual of paying his respects, kneeling at his bedside and then crawling under his covers. Once he was settled in she could hear a soft snore symbolizing he has indeed fallen asleep. This time would be different for him though. She would enter his dreams again and help him fight his nightmares. The air was chilly with a slight breeze blowing but she ignored it as she made herself as comfortable as possible on the roof. Closing her eyes, she began to weave her spell that would allow her to enter Alex's sleeping mind.
Alex "awoke" to a different scene than his usual nightmares. Everywhere he looked seemed to be completely bathed in a soft light. He also observed that his environment was devoid of any features. "Well this is new." He thought to himself. "Wonder whats going to happen next?" Very quietly he heard a soft voice calling his name. It didn't sound creepy or spooky, but rather kind and friendly.
"Alex.Alex. Alex?" It continued. "Whos out there?" he called out into the white void. His voice echoing off into the distant nowhere. "Who are you!? Show yourself!"
"Please do not be alarmed. I am a friend. I am here to help you."
"Help me? Help me how? Every time I asked for help, I was lied to! How can I trust that you will help me when everyone in this God forsaken world has sought to exploit me for their own gain?"
"Tis true. All of it." The ethereal voice continued. "Even the rulers of this land have betrayed and hurt you. Much to their everlasting shame."
"What? So they feel bad or something for how they have treated me?" Alex scoffed. "Yeah right."
"They do. Tis the truth. Yes, they deeply regret what they have done to you." The voice said.
"Then who are you and why should I trust you? How do I know that you aren't like the rest?"
Again the voice responded. "Again you are correct. You cannot trust me, nor should you. Trust is not freely given. It must be earned. I intend to earn your trust." The voice said.
"And how do you intend to do that?" Alex again scoffed.
"By helping you overcome your nightmares."
"Say what now?"
"It is as I have said." The voice replied. I have the power to help rid you of your nightmares. That is if you will let me help you. Will you allow that?"
"Ooooookaaaaaayyyyyy?" Alex responded with some trepidation. "But first show yourself." He then said.
"I am sorry young Alex, but at this point I cannot." The voice replied. "This is where the trust begins. Just know that I will be here with you every step of the way. You have but to call me and I will respond." I will, from this point on, protect you no matter what. I am your friend. And I will always be." It said. "But for now, sleep. Rest. The nightmares will not torment thee this night. I will see to it personally. Come the morrow night they will return and you will have to face them, but this time you will not be facing them alone any longer."
"Whoever you are.............Thank you." Alex said as he felt himself begin to drift off into a deep undreaming sleep. Suddenly he sat up and called out. "It just occurred to me now. Just what do I call you? You never gave me your name."
"What would you like to call me?" the voice responded.
"Sarah." was Alex's response.
"Why such a name?" the voice queried.
"In my world it means "princess." You are like a night princess. At least your voice sounds like it, I think. Soft and gentile as the night, and kind sounding. Like my mothers was." Alex yawned as he lay back on his dream bed. Soon he was asleep.
Lunas heart was touched. Now more than ever she was determined to care and protect him at all costs.
Luna smiled as she continued to watch over Alex's dreaming mind. As she lay on her rooftop perch her horn continuing to emit a soft blue glow as he slept.
She saw how the nightmares would continue as they had before, but they were unable to break through the barrier of her protective spell. "Not this time." She thought to herself. "I am here and you will no longer deny him his nights sleep!"
Her horn pulsed slightly as she pulled the heavy quilt from before up to his cheek and gently tucked it over his sleeping form and then levitated another log onto his small fire.
"Oh Alex." She whispered. "I am so SO very sorry for what we have done to you... For what I have done to you. I truly wish to be your friend. I hope that you might find it in your heart to forgive me one day."
Luna stayed at her self-appointed post for a few more hours, ignoring the chill in the air and continuing watching over him and his dreams as he slept.
Eventually the time for her departure came. It was time for her to return to Canterlot and report to her sister this nights happenings.
Once she was convinced that he would continue to sleep undisturbed, she stood up and stretched then spread her sable wings and took to the air. Once airborne, she proceeded to circle the old ruins to see if there were any dangers that might find a sleeping Alex and once assured all was safe, she cast a protective spell around Alex's living quarters and set a course for her home.
The flight home was uneventful as usual. Once Canterlot castle was in sight, Luna made straight for the tower balcony to her room. With practiced ease she alighted on the marble floor and walked into her private chambers through the curtained double doors. She gave out a big yawn. It had been a long night and she was very tired. Still she had a chance to get a few hours sleep before she attended to her nightly duties of putting the moon to sleep and making way for her sisters dawn.
The morning came just as it always had. The sun rose at Celestias command and set on its eternal course across the sky. Once done, Celestia walked to the royal dining hall She was eager to hear Lunas latest findings on young Alex. Once she entered she found that Luna was already there.
"Good Morning sister." She said.
"Good morning to you as well Celestia." Luna replied in response with a yawn.
"How is our young friend?"
"Sleeping without his nightmares troubling him." was Lunas reply. "I placed a protective spell around him so that his nightmares won't be able to attack him this night. I also introduced myself in his dreams as only a voice promising him that he will no longer be alone with these horrors he suffers from. I told him that he would have to face and defeat them for them to be truly gone, but also that he will not be facing them alone ever again." Luna continued. "I am doing this at a very slow pace sister. I.....We are in a very delicate and precarious position with him. If I reveal myself to him too soon then he will most likely feel danger and once again flee. However, if I continue to just be a voice that helps him with his nightmares and then reveal myself to him, then he may feel deceived and his trust in us will never be gained." Luna took in a deep breath and let out a tired and heavy sigh.
"Is there more Luna?" Celestia had noted the look of deep thought on Lunas face.
"Yes, there is more. He asked what he should call me should he need me and he gave me a name. "Sarah." In his world this name means "princess." He referred to me as a night princess yet he doesn't know just how accurate he is. He - he said that my voice was soft and gentile as the night and it was just like his mothers." Luna sniffed a little. "The more I think about him...what we did to him, what I did to him, the more ashamed I feel and the more I want to make things right."
"Luna. Is there anything I can do to help?" Celestia asked. "I am the caretaker of the very sun and the co-ruler of this land. We are both the most powerful ponies in Equestria and yet..........."
"Go on sister.........."
"And yet, despite all our magic powers we've gained over the past several thousand years, we are powerless before this one being. It is so sad that in the few brief moments we were with Alex, that we ruined his first impression of us, our subjects, AND our land and worse still, his trust. He WAS a stranger in a strange land... as his letter stated... and yet we were so cold hearted and self-absorbed, that we didn't even consider his feelings. He just wanted to go home and we............How, just HOW could we have fallen so low?............" Celestia trailed off as her head fell and tears fell from her eyes.
Celestia had been taking this whole event personally and much harder than most.
Luna, walked over to her sister and embraced her within her wings. "All will be well Celestia. I will not give up on Alex. This story WILL have a happy ending. I promise. It is just going to take some time."
"I know Luna. I know. It's just that I feel so useless."
"Didn't you say that you were going to summon the elements and inform them of our young friend?"
"Yes Luna, I did. They should be here sometime today." Celestia replied.
"Good. Excellent." Luna replied. "I will now retire to my chambers for some much needed rest. Please send a guard to awaken me once they arrive. I too, wish to be present for this meeting."
"Sleep well sister."
And with that Luna 'ported to her bed chambers for some much needed sleep. |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 10: The Lost is Found | The Lost is Found
The Elements arrived mid-morning in Canterlot by way of the Friendship Express and proceeded directly to Canterlot Castle. They had no problems entering. The guards were well informed and well acquainted with the Elements, being national heros and all.
Once inside, they proceeded directly to the throne room whereupon they were greeted by the two princesses.
Celestia then began to inform them as to why they had been summoned again.
"My little ponies." She began. "Thank you all for coming again. I am sure you are wondering why you are here so I will not pussyhoof around and get right to it. It has been revealed that a certain human we all thought was dead is in fact alive and has been living in hiding for these past two, now almost three, years."
All the Elements gasped in unison at the news.
"REALLY!" Twilight said excitedly. "Where is he? Is he all right?" The others also began to ask a flurry of questions rapid fire as well. There excitement and relief barely contained.
Celestia held up a hoof to calm them down before she continued. "Yes, he is indeed alive but we cannot divulge where he is hiding now."
"But whyyyyyyyyyyy? Pinkie Pie whined.
Luna then stepped forward and spoke. "As you know already, he wanted us to think him dead. This was so that we would leave him alone because of how we all had treated him upon his arrival. Remember, he is terrified of us."
Everyponys heads dropped at the memories of how they had treated Alex and his letter stating just how he felt about each and every one of them.
"But if we can't see 'im, then how can we apologize and make things right with 'im?" asked Applejack.
"I am secretly working on regaining his trust and helping him with his nightmares about all of us." Luna stated.
"Nightmares?" Twilight asked cocking her head to one side. "What nightmares? We've never heard anything about this."
"Celestia, do you still think I should show them?" Luna asked of her sister.
"Yes Luna. I do." was Celestias reply. "They need to understand just how bad the situation is."
"Very well, I think once you see why, you will understand."
Luna fired up her horn and began to show them all the horrors of Alex's nightmares.
Fluttershy and her keeping him in a cage and seeing him electrocuted.
Rarity and her cruelity as Alex lay huddled in a fetal position chained to the ground trying to stay warm in a freezing rain.
Applejacks greed at making him pay for the rest of his life for the cost of only two apples.
Pinkie Pie and her laughter at making him into a pony just so she could throw a party.
Rainbow Dash and letting him fall to his death.
Twilight Sparkle and her seeing what her Hoofbell Prize brought him. A crumbling mind and a missing hand.
And last but not least, Luna and Celestia. Luna turning innocent human children to stone decorations for the Royal Gardens and Celestia sacrificing a human child and her mother for her greater glory.
All the Element Bearers were equally sick. All wanted to throw up. None could due to their biology.
Everyones heads were bowed in shame. Tears fell from their eyes as the full weight of their cruelty to Alex came to bear.
All were silent.
"Now I think you all understand why we cannot tell you where he is. Should he discover you know of his whereabouts, he may disappear as he did before and we might not ever find him, again." Celestia added.
"We understand your highnesses." They all said in unison while bowing at the same time.
"We will keep you appraised of his situation as we can." Celestia said.
"Yer Highness's? Beggin' yer pardon, but I have a possible idea on how we might, at least, be able t' help." Applejack said.
The sisters looked at each other and then back at her. "Go on fair Applejack." Luna spoke. "What is it?"
"It was jest occurrin' ta me that Hearths Warmin' is comin' up soon so I was thinkin' that maybe......"
"That maybe we could put together some presents for him." Celestia finished AJs thought.
"Luna, what do you think?"
"I think it is an excellent idea sister!" Luna said excitedly. "I have seen how he lives. I have seen how worn and shabby his clothing and living conditions are. I think that some anonymous gifts just might be what will endear him to us a bit more. Yes, I think it is an excellent idea."
"Then let us begin. Let us begin to show our lost friend what we are really like." Celestia said.
"There is one thing that I must insist though." Luna interrupted. "He cannot know that these gifts come from us."
"Why not?" Pinkie asked.
"Because if he learns that it is from us, then he will figure that we know his location and he will disappear again. Remember, he is terrified of us."
"Oh. Right."
I will be seeing him again tonight and I will be able to give you more details as to his possible needs tomorrow. As it stands right now, I do know that he needs clothing. He does not have a fur coat to keep him warm like we do, so winter clothing and hoofwear is a must."
"I can help with that!" Rarity piped up. "I will make him such an ensemble. I could use the magazine he gave me as reference too!" She clapped her hooves together with glee. "Although I will need to get his measurements in order to make him new clothes and hoof fittings."
"I will get them for you." Luna said.
"Ah could make 'im some of ma' familys best apple treats." Applejack offered.
"Oh I know! I could make him some of my extra special friendship cupcakes!" Pinkie chimed in.
"I talked to Lyra Heartstrings and asked her to tell me all she knew about humans." Twilight said. "And I learned that they are omnivores, meaning, not only do they eat fruits and vegetables but also... She gulped. "Meat... It's a necessary part of their diet. Apparently they will get very sick and weak if they don't consume any."
The others shuddered at the thought of how they had been chasing a carnivore in the Whitetail Woods a few years back. Normally it was supposed to be the other way around. Had they known early on, the First Ever Equestrian Human Hunt might have not even have taken place and none of them would even be stuck barrel deep in this mess.
"Wait, wait, wait. Hold on a minute." Rainbow said. "You're telling us that he's a meat eater?"
"Yes. That is right Rainbow." Twilight responded.
"Yet he let us chase him?"
"Yes."
Luna then picked up on the line of thought. "So each one of us was alone with him at least once at some point in time yet he never tried to attack any of us for food." Luna spoke out loud with a hoof to her chin in thought.
"Luna, what are you getting at?" Celestia asked.
"Well, it's just that he is a predator, we all would be considered prey in his eyes, and we were each alone, at some point in time, with him, even the little ones, yet he didn't attack any of us. Instead he tried to run away.
Why?"
It was yet another unanswered question in the growing list of questions named Alex.
"We have dignitaries from the griffon kingdom come here all the time. They are also carnivors and we have always provided for them. I will have the kitchen staff prepare some food stuffs with meat in it for him." Celestia said bringing the conversation back on track.
"Um... I have a First Aid kit that he might be able to use." Fluttershy said softly.
The conversation and planning went on for a few more hours as each pony decided on what they could contribute to their care package to give to Alex. |
Get Him 3 | Chapter:11 Making Hearthswarming | Making Hearthswarming
The ponies in Ponyville were all very busy getting ready for Hearthwarming. Decorations were going up everywhere to celebrate the event. However eight ponies were busy getting together some special presents for a certain individual. One who had been foremost on their mind since learning that he was still alive. It was still about two weeks before Hearthswarming Eve so there was still plenty of time to get together the necessary gifts they had planned on. It was decided that Luna would carry the gifts to the old ruins and deliver them when Alex was asleep. Since she was able to establish and maintain a link with Alex, although unknown to him, she had been watching over him and seeing to his safety every night since discovering his whereabouts.
One particular night while Alex was bathing in the hot springs in the castle ruins, Luna had been able to magically and secretly create duplicates of his clothing and shoes to give to Rarity to use as patterns so that she might be able to make her gift to him.
"Invisibility Spell." She thought as she smiled to herself as she quietly came up on Alexs clothing set next to the pools edge. "A hundred and one uses, now a hundred and two."
As she turned to leave with her duplicates of Alex's clothes, she looked over her shoulder to make sure all was well with him before she left.
It was just at this time that Alex started to come out of the water using the steps at the near end of the pool.
Luna found herself transfixed! She couldn't look away, her curiosity getting the better of her.
She noted that his torso and arms were rather lean and muscular. Almost as though he had been eating a little better and working out. He still looked tired probably due to his nightmares but other than that he was pretty attractive looking and rather fit, ....for a human that is.
As she continued to stare at Alex's naked body ascending out of the water, she found herself wondering how a human would measure up against a stallion, only to be a disappointed when he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist before coming completely out of the water.
"BLAST! Oh well," She sighed. Shaking her head with disappointment. "Time to focus, mare. That's not what you came here for. Stick to the plan." She told herself.
Aside from getting the necessary information to create the gifts the elements had each planned, Luna was busy helping prepare Alex to fight the nightmares that had plagued him so.
Each night she would teach him in his dreams the defenses he would need to combat the evils and each time Alex would dive into the lessons like a man possessed.
This night would be his first test of his newly developed abilities.
"Alex? Are you ready for this?" the gentile voice of "Sarah" asked.
"No, I am not... But lets do this anyway."
"Just remember what I taught you. These are dreams, nightmares, they are not real. You are the master not them."
Starting with the Fluttershy nightmare and being put in a cage.
It seemed simple enough. Bend the bars outward. They had magically shocked him each time he touched them with his bare skin so he decided to look at the problem as a puzzle to be solved.
The first problem was Harry the bear. Harrys toothy grin and height made him look very intimidating.
"Alex, stand your ground. Do not show fear. Match his moves. You will find his weakness if you continue to observe." Came the calming voice.
As much as he was terrified that the bear was going to maul him, Alex stood his ground. Harry walked on all fours and tried to circle Alex. Alex in turn circled Harry. After about the third or fourth round, Harry decided to attack. He charged Alex head on. Alex quickly side stepped at the last moment and ducked at the same time narrowly ducking under the bears massive paw coming for his head. Harry crashed into the paddock bars and was electrocuted. Stunned by the shock he fell to his belly and that is when Alex pounced. Alex tried to climb up on Harrys back to get his arms around the bears neck in a reverse headlock but as he was climbing the mound of fur, his shoes grazes Harrys side. Harry flinched and snickered a little. Grabbing the area where Alexs foot had just been. As he was climbing / scrambling up on the bears back, Alex noticed this and poked him in the ribs with his fingers, digging as deep through the fur as he could and started rubbing the bears other side. The bear snickered again. That was when Alex figured out Harrys weakness and attacked with full fury. Harry couldn't fight back against the onslaught.
As he rolled this way and that, Alex continued to press his advantage.
Harry was horribly ticklish!
Fluttershy returned to see what all the ruckus was about and quickly opened the cage door only to find her bear friend cowering in the corner and Alex standing over him fingers at the ready.
"Oh my!" she whisper shouted as she rushed over to the fallen bear.
"What did you do to Harry?" she cried.
"Nothing. Just got in a bit of a fight."
"What!?" Fluttershy yelped.
"Yeah, a fight. A tickle fight." Was Alexs reply. "He lost and now... so do you."
Fluttershys eyes went big as she turned around to face Alex. Alex had taken advantage of Fluttershys momentary distraction to quietly walk out the still open cage door. He was smiling as the door shut with an audible "click" and the hum of magical electricity started up through the bars.
As he turned away, Fluttershy tried to convince him to open the door and that it wasn't safe for him out in the "wild."
"Yes it is now safe." Alex said. "Since you are now in there, I no longer feel like I'm in danger." As he turned and began to walk away.
"Um. Please don't go. Could you please open the door? Hello? Helloooooo?"
It was then that the dream world seem to change around Alex. Everything seemed to dissolve into dust particles and then those particles to smoke as the world around him seemed to blow away in a gentle breeze.
Alex once again found himself standing in a soft glow of white nothingness.
"Sarah? Are you there?"
"Yes, I am still here. Well done young Alex. Well done."
"Sleep for now. You have earned it." Came the gentle unseen voice.
Alex found himself at peace as he began to drift off in the dream world. Soft blankets materialized underneath and on top of him as he lay down. Luna magically tucked the blankets around him as he got comfortable.
"Sarah?" He mumbled as he faded off to sleep.
"Yes? I am here."
"Thank you." He mumbled again and was asleep.
Luna let out a deep happy sigh. She couldn't help but smile.
"You are most welcome young Alex."
As per her nightly protocol, Luna made sure that Alex was safe including her spell of safety upon him.
She then took to the night skies to give her duplicates to Rarity and report her nights work to her sister. |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 12: Dealing with Dash | Dealing with Dash
Alexs next dream the following night was the Rainbow colored one. The one that would push him out a window way above the ground and watch with glee as he fell to his death in her game of "catch."
In this particular dream Luna decided to bring in Rainbow Dash to watch what her bully tactics would bring her if she were to continue. She watched in horror as her nightmare self pushed Alex out the window. On instinct Rainbow tried to fly off to save him but was held back by Princess Luna.
"Watch, Rainbow Dash. Watch and learn." Luna ordered.
Making Rainbow Dash watch this was bad enough. Alex just dropped back first his head looking at the sky. He didn't bother screaming in terror or flailing his arms. The look on his face showed that he was resigned to his fate.
Just as Rainbow Dash couldn't watch any longer, a yellow orange figure streaked seemingly out of nowhere and caught the dream Alex and landed him safely to the ground.
"Thanks! " The grateful yet breathless young man said while he was on his hands and knees on the ground.
"No problem." The yellow orange mare said. "Glad I could help! Although I have to know, how in the name of Equestria did you end up so far up in the sky with no wings and, if I may ask, what are you exactly? I have never seen one of your kind before."
"My name is Alex." Alex said as he got to his feet. "I am a human."
Spitfire took a step back and marveled at how tall he was. "My! You are a tall one!" She exclaimed.
"So how did you end up falling from the sky?"
"I was pushed out a window up there." He said pointing to a cloud formation. Spitfire looked at where he was pointing with a frown on her face.
Just at that moment, sadistic Rainbow came zooming down to the ground. Alex immediately took a step or two back and placed himself so that Spitfire was between him and Rainbow Dash. This sudden move was not lost on Spitfire. She could sense the human was afraid of this pony.
"That was AWESOME!" Rainbow exclaimed.
Spitfire was not impressed.
"Rainbow? Isn't that your house up there?" she asked pointing her front hoof at the same cloud formation Alex had pointed to earlier.
"Yeah it is. Why?"
"This human said you pushed him out your window."
The color drained from Rainbows face and her pupils shrank to pinpricks.
"We were just playing a game. Ye- Yeah that's it, right?" as she looked at Alex in hopes he would cover for her.
"Is that true Alex?" She asked of him.
"Yeah it's true. Push me out the window and then swoop down and try to catch me just before I hit the ground and die." He replied very flatly.
The look on Spitfires face could freeze fire. Rainbow knew she was in big, big trouble.
Spitfire leveled her with a very even stare.
"As I remember, you were trying out for the Wonderbolts Academy weren't you Rainbow Dash?"
"Yes." Dash replied with hesitancy.
"Yet you seem to find fun in purposefully endangering another ponys life. I am afraid you are not Wonderbolts material after all. I was on my way here to tell you that you had been selected for Wonderbolts training at the academy..." As she produced the paper application from under her wing. "...when I saw this pony falling from the sky. Then I find out you sought to do him harm." Nodding her head in Alexs direction. "Why is that?"
Rainbow just stood there with her mouth open like a gaping fish, unable to answer.
"Your application is hereby rejected. Don't ever reapply again. The Wonderbolts don't need your kind of pony."
With that she grabbed Rainbows application in her teeth and hoof and tore the paper in half and dropped it on the ground in front of her.
Spitfire then turned to Alex and stuck out her hoof to which Alex took it in his hand and gave it a firm hoof / handshake.
"It was nice to meet you Alex the human." She said.
"Same here. And thanks again."
Spitfire turned to leave but then looked over her shoulder at Alex and said. "Don't worry Alex, not all of us ponys are flankholes."
She then turned and with a leap was airborne and flying off towards Cloudsdale.
Alex found himself waving goodbye as she flew away. Rainbow Dash just stood there in shock, unable to process what just happened.
Dreaming Rainbow Dash just looked at Luna in guilt and shame as the dreamscape faded to nothingness.
"Think well on these events miss Dash. Don't ever let me see anything like this happen either here or in the waking world. Is that understood?"
"Yes your highness." Dash responded in terror.
With that Rainbow faded away leaving Luna to to check on Alexs dreaming mind and see that he was ok.
"Sarah? Are you there? Alex called out as he lay on his dream state bed.
"Always." Was the ethereal reply.
"How did I do?"
"You did very well my friend. It might interest you to know that I brought into your dream, Miss Rainbow Dash so that she could watch what her actions were leading to. Needless to say, she has had her rather big ego humbled substantially. She won't be invading your nightmares any longer. Normally I protect ponys dreams but on this occasion I thought it a good opportunity to educate one of them."
"For now sleep. Be at peace. You have earned it." She said with a smile.
"One last thing Alex."
"Yes?"
"I will be bringing you a surprise soon."
"REALLY!" Alex said excitedly.
"Yes, but you must be patient a little while longer. It is not quite ready yet." The voice said.
"Aww c'mon! You can't be telling me something like that and expect me to go to sleep! What is it??!!" Alex asked.
Luna giggled at his enthusiasm. "I am sorry but I cannot tell you right now. Have patience and you will soon find out."
"Yer no fun." Alex pouted. "Fine" he grumbled and lay down on his side with his blanket pulled up to his ear. Before he could grumble any more, he started to snore softly.
Back in the real world, Luna looked in on him from her perch on the roof of the ruins. She checked on her spell of protection that surrounded his living area and then was once again airborne and headed to her castle home after doing a sweep of the perimeter. |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 13: Now For Rarity | Now For Rarity
Alex was doing better and better with his nightmares. As he conquered each one, He found that they didn't come back to trouble his nights rest. As always, Luna was always there guiding him as the ethereal dream voice of Sarah.
Tonight was going to be Raritys turn.
As Alex drifted off to sleep, he once again found himself in the dream realm, Luna ready to guide him. Once again, he found himself chained to the ground in a freezing rain but this time the rain wasn't falling on him. He looked around and found that the rain was landing on something invisible. The rain was landing on a sort of dome and running down its sides, The individual droplets forming the shape of the dome he was in. He stood up and found that also the chain that had originally held him to the ground was doing so no longer and he was completely warm and dry.
It was very late in the night. It looked like the party was winding down since it was getting quieter in the mansion. Suddenly the door to the back yard opened and out stumbled Rarity. Apparently, by the way she was staggering and stumbling, she had had one too many cocktails. She stumbled over to Alex and with her magic and a little extra effort on her part, picked up his "leash" and proceeded to head for her home. Alex quietly and obediently followed and in some instances has to lean on her to guide her wobbly form in the right direction.
Rarity was so inebriated that she didn't even notice that the invisible dome was following them to her home.
"I hope shyou learnd your lesshen for yer mis-misbehhhhhhaaavior." She slurred.
"Oh yes Miss Rarity Ah be a good stallion, yes mam miss Rarity Ah be good from now on!" Alex spoke in a sarcastic, very bad, mock, Appaloosa type accent.
Once they got home, Alex opened the door to the boutique and guided her in. Once inside and closing the door behind him, Alex suddenly felt the collar around his neck carefully fall away but noticed that there was a faint blue glow around it as it fell to the floor. He also noticed that Rarities horn wasn't glowing either.
"Sarah? Was that you?" he whispered in the dark.
"Yes. I am here my young friend." A voice whispered back.
"Thank you."
"You are most welcome."
Alex helped Rarity stagger up the stairs and to her bed. Once she was in bed and sound asleep, Alex suddenly had an idea. Alex had a terrible, evil, awful idea! The smile on his face told Luna so and she shuddered to think of what sort of mischief he was up to.
"Aaaleeex? What are you thinking? Luna queried.
"Oh you'll see!" Alex giggled (insert evil laugh here, patent pending) he thought.
He went down stairs and rummaged around her sewing station pulling out drawers until he found what he was looking for. Grabbing what he needed he went back upstairs to Raritys room. He crept in very quietly so as not to wake her and walked over to the side of her bed.
"Rarity. Rarity? He whispered and poked her in the side gently. She didn't even move. She was out cold from her over imbibing at the party.
Alex smiled evilly and immediately got to work.
The permanent markers did their work as designed, and in the hands of a skilled master, what a work of art it was!
Once he was done, he then went to work with the scissors he had found!
"Oh Alex! You are so evil!" Luna giggled.
"No. I am not evil. Not yet anyways."
Once he was finished, He quietly called out into the darkness. "Sarah? Are you still there?"
"I have a favor to ask."
"What is it?" Luna asked.
"You said you had the power to go into other peoples dreams right?"
"Yyyyeeeessss?"
"Can you send this dream to that stuck up white snob please?"
"Oh Alex I couldn't! I just couldn't! It would be so cruel! I protect ponies from nightmares, not give them ones. Have you no mercy?"
"She was cruel to me in my dreams. Justice cannot rob mercy. It's too bad I can't do this for real so I guess this will have to do."
"Alex? Are you sure about this?" Luna asked.
"DO IT!"
"Okay, NOW I am evil! HEEHEEHEEHEE! He said gleefully.
"Oh also Sarah? I want you to take me to her dreams. I gotta see this through. Its just too good to pass up!"
"Okay Alex." Luna sighed and asking one last time..."Are you sure I can't talk you out of this?"
The reply came without hesitation. "No. Do it."
"Very well."
Luna closed her eyes and wove her spell. A glowing portal opened and in it was Rarity, in her bed fast asleep. Luna kept them both invisible as Alex gleefully watched the events unfold.
As the sun came up Rarity awoke and with bleary eyes not yet focused, stumbled to her bathroom. Her head was pounding from the hangover she had rightfully earned from the party from the night before.
After she was done doing her business, she staggered to her vanity and began to look herself over.
....... The scream could be heard all across Ponyville, Canterlot, Equestria, and even possibly in orbit! The ground even shook at the sonic blast of her shriek and even a temporary breeze was felt as well!
Alex had to bite down on his dream hand as the happenings continued. "Sarah can you do a silence spell or something so she doesn't hear us?"
"Already done." Was her reply.
Upon hearing this Alex totally lost it! He let out a peal of laughter the likes of which he had never before done since he first arrived in Equestria.
Raritys mane and tail were all but gone. Hacked off almost to their bases. And on her beautiful white coat were large multi-colored poka dots. On her muzzle was a elaborate mustache and on her right eye was drawn a monocle and chain that ran down her cheek and neck. And her horn! Oh her lovely horn was colored to look like an old fashion barber pole with a red candy stripe going around in a spiral all the way to the tip. Funnier still was the dots were only on her left side since she had been sleeping on her right. Her right side had remained untouched.
Alex had even altered her Cutie Mark on the same side as the rest, adding a few extra lines and dots in black permanent ink to make it look like a Ferris Wheel!
As Alex laughed his flank (might as well use the correct term) off at Raritys reaction, the world suddenly shuddered and Alex found himself back at the dream version of his current home. For the briefest of moments he thought he saw the silhouette of a unicorn pony with a long mane and tail but he dismissed it as naught, thinking it might have been Rarity in her before state.
"Sarah? What happened? He asked not understanding why he was suddenly in his current dreaming location.
"Simple Alex. She woke up."
"Dang!" He said. "Wish I could have stayed around a little longer."
Luna shook her head. "Ok prankster, time for you to get some sleep. The dawn approached soon." She said in a soft motherly tone.
"Okay okay." He said in return and tucked himself into his dream plane bed.
Soon he was asleep and Luna came back to the waking world.
"Whew! That was close!" she thought. "He almost spotted me. He is a clever one. I'll give him that!"
Then another rather disturbing thought occurred to her. "There are only two more elements left and then it will be my sister and myself. I am feeling a little worried as to what he might have in store for myself and Celestia."
There would be time enough to consider this thought later. It was time to get home. As per her usual routine, she made sure all was well in the ancient throne room and that Alex was safe and warm. She then spread her wings looking back one last time at Alexs sleeping form and took to the night sky through the gaping hole in the rooms roof. |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 14: The Pink Menace | The Pink Menace
Winter had finally settled in. Hearthswarming would be arriving soon. The residents of Ponyville had put up their seasonal decorations and the entire town was looking rather festive. In another location deep in the Everfree Forest, there sat a decrepit old castle ruin. Inside this castle a lone figure of a human who sat huddled around his small fire trying to keep warm. Nearby was a little "Charlie Brown" Christmas Tree that Alex had harvested from the forest. It might look rather pathetic, all things considered, but it was better than nothing. He had decorated it with little bits of string and cloth and has made a rather crude but acceptable star out of paper as a tree topper.
Luna had been watching over him almost every night, making sure no harm came to him. Normally she would lay on the roof of the throne room peering through the hole in the roof down at her self-imposed charge, but now she had been using an invisibility spell to actually be in the throne room with him instead of on the roof. She had decided it was a good idea to do so, so that the snow falling would not gather on her coat thus revealing her invisible form or that she wouldn't inadvertently knock some snow off the roof and down in to the room possibly revealing her presence.
As her sister lowered the sun and she herself raised the moon, Luna watched silently as Alex ate his meager meal and prepared himself for sleep as he crawled into his makeshift bed and drifted off to sleep.
Alex soon found himself in the now familiar Dream Plains. "Sarah? Are you there?
"As always my friend." Was the ethereal voices response.
"Good! It's time to deal with that pink menace." Alex responded.
"What do you have in mind?" Sarah asked. "Miss Pie can be rather random and unpredictable. How do you plan to deal with that?
"Simple." He answered. "Logic."
"This I must see!" Luna mumbles to herself as she wove her spell and soon they were in Pinkie Pies dreaming world.
"You have got to be kidding me!" Alex said in surprise as he looked around. "This place looks like Candyland from hell!" He said in surprise. Everywhere he looked the entire world was made out of goodies, pastries, and sweets. "Willie Wonka ain't got nothing on this!" he exclaimed.
"Who is this William Wonka you speak of?" Sarah asked.
"He was a fictitious character in a book that was a chocolate candy making genius from my worlds literature. He was a lot like Pinkie Pie in a way. Anyway, can you make me look like a pony to her? Here she comes now!"
"As you wish." Was her reply and it was done.
Alex sat under a candy tree and made himself look sad and forlorn. Soon Pinkie Pie came hopping down the path singing to herself when she spied the grey stallion that was Alex.
Pinkie hopped up to him and asked "HI! I'm Pinkie Pie! Who are you? I've never seen you before. Are you new in town? Whats your name?"
"I don't have a name."
Don't have a name? That's silly! Everypony has to have a name or I can't put it on the invitations for their party! I'm even planning a Good Bye Human/ Hello New Pony! " Party right now for some human named Alex. He is going to be so excited I can hardly wait!"
"How do you know he will be happy? Did you talk to him to see? Did you even ask him?"
"No, but It's true."
"How is that even possible? Personally I think he will be very miserable."
The stallion sighed.
"I guess it is time to tell you a story I know, Pinkie. What humanity thinks about life." Not everyone of course, but she doesn't need to know that." Alex thought to himself.
"I like stories!" She said and sat down next to the grey stallion. Then she yelped. "Where is the popcorn when you need it? Cant have a good story without popcorn?" She moved her hoof into her mane and quickly produced a box of popcorn. "Want some?" She said holding out the box.
"Uhm, no thanks." He said, waving a hoof. "Do you how I got here?
"Of course not silly. I just met you!" She replied, taking a bunch of popcorn and stuffing it into her mouth. "Yu didn't saihd anythphing abot a banana and phstpspspksa and ph...."
Alex couldn't understand what she said on last part, so he just dismissed it and continued. "Right. After the incident that brought me here, I finally realized what really happened to me, and why I am here now." He paused for a moment, to see if she was paying attention or if she was going to ask him something. She didn't and instead, just swallowed what was rest of food into her mouth, and so he continued. "It wasn't a coincidence that brought me here, Pinkie. Instead it seems that destiny always wanted me to be here for some reason. For reasons that I am still not able to understand." He looked up at the Mint Candy moon. "That's why I am here, to fulfill the whim of something more powerful than you or I, to play a game. I'm just a single playing piece on a giant chess board, unable to move by myself."
"So, what you are saying is that we don't choose our destiny, but destiny chose us?" Pinkie asked. He nodded. "That's not true! Everyone knows that you can pick your own destiny! My cutie mark proves you wrong!" She said, throwing down the popcorn box to point at her flank.
"On the contrary, Pinkie." He stated, pointing at her cutie mark. "That proves that I am right. Tell me, have you ever tried something else aside from party stuff?"
"Uhm... Well..." She was cut off by Alex.
"What I mean is, have you done something as good as you do with the parties you make?" She slowly shook her head in denial. "That's what I thought, Pinkie, and you know why that is? BECAUSE of your cutie mark. You are bound to do that for the rest of your life, and you will never change that. No matter what you do, no matter what you think of it. No matter how hard you try, life, destiny, fate, or whatever you want to call it wanted you to be that, and nothing more."
She was speechless. She wanted to reply with something but with no words coming out from her mouth. She knew this unknown stallion was right. She had studied that back when she was a filly. Ponies are bound to do what their cutie marks says to. She never thought of that. So, everything she did was a lie? The parties, friends, the smiles?
"B-but, what about the princesses? They can do every kind of magic... yes! They can do everything they want!" She said, hoping that the answer would be good enough for him.
He shook his head. "Sort of, Pinkie Pie. The princesses are alicorns, immortal beings and they can never die, at least not naturally. Their curse IS their life, at least it is for princess Celestia and Luna, but sooner or later, Twilight and Cadance will also discover the true meaning of immortality. Luna and Celestia? I'll bet they hate being alive for so long. Five thousand years of pain, suffering, sadness and loss. And the worst part is, that after so many centuries, they are not allowed to die. If they do, then this world dies too and every living creature on it. Who will control the moon or the sun? Who will protect the little ponies from the evils of their enemies, and what about future ones? Who will guide the idiot minded politicians and nobles without their princesses? Slowly, this world would die without their continual assistance. They didn't pick their own destiny, Pinkie. They are bound to live forever alongside their subjects, or die with this world. Imagine, if you will, no more parties because there will be no one left to throw one for. I didn't pick the option to be instantly torn from home, I never asked for a different life aside from an artist That is all I ever wanted to be. I never wanted to leave my family, to make them think that I was dead. To know that I don't have the capabilities nor the power to get back to where I belong. And you, a little pony that was purposely invented to only make ponies laugh, to make them happy, ......but nothing more. We both don't have the ability to change our lives, only the most powerful entities, Celestia and Luna and soon Twilight and Cadence, have little choice in their lives, but at what price. So, what do you think Pinkie?" He finally said, looking down at her to see what her reaction would be.
Pinkie Pie sat in stunned silence as the words of the grey pony sunk in deep. She looked around at her dream world as her poofy mane and tail suddenly went flat and her candy world suddenly began to crumble and collapse into nothingness and her along with it.
Soon everything was the empty white of the dream world once again and Alex stood alone.
"Sarah? You there?" He called out into the expanse.
There was silence for longer than it should be.
"Sarah?" Alex called out again.
"......................I am here Alex." Her voice sounded a little sad. "That was rather harsh to do that to Pinkie."
"I didn't like doing that to her but it needed to be done. Two wrongs don't make a right but all of them needed to have this happen to them. They need to understand the hurt they have caused. Doesn't make me feel very good inside though." Alex said guiltily.
"Sarah, I am ready to leave this place. I just want to sleep now." He said as he lay down on his dream bed.
"Sleep young Alex. Sleep with no nightmares. Your journey is almost done." She whispered. Just before she left she asked Alex a final question. "Alex? What do you have in mind for the remaining ponies? What do you have in mind for the princesses?"
"I don't know princess?" he mumbled more asleep than awake.
"What!? What did he say!? Luna thought in surprise! "Did he know more than he has been letting on all this time?" She thought.
She quickly exited the dream realm still wondering what he meant and if he knew what he just said. This was becoming an even more perplexing task.
With a deep sigh, Luna once again tucked the quilt up close to his sleeping form, checked on her protection spell and then silently took flight through the roof setting a course for her home. |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 15: Twilight "All Knowledge"... | Twilight All Knowledge...
Since Alex had been overcoming his nightmares about the ponies, he had been sleeping much better and waking up more refreshed. His energy had returned and he had taken to exploring the castle more. He had discovered the whereabouts of the library and had passed the time reading about the founding of Equestria and the ascension of the two sisters to the throne. He was astonished to learn of their power over the day and night and its orbiting celestial bodies.
"They have that kind of power??!!" He thought in surprise. "I hope I never meet them again! They are gods! They could easily turn me into a pile of ash with a single thought!"
More snows had come and the ruins were covered in a thick blanket of white. Hearthswarming would be present in a day or two.
Despite the chill in the air, once again Princess Luna took flight setting a course for the old Everfree castle ruins.
She was curious as to what new deviltry Alex had in store for the remaining four ponies.
Arriving at the castle at her usual time and slipping through the hole in the throne room roof while at the same time casting her invisibility spell upon herself, so as not to be detected by her young charge. She took notice of the fact that he was looking rather healthier and that the bags under his eyes had all but disappeared. He also was looking healthier and not so thin and gaunt.
She found him just readying himself for bed and crawling in his makeshift sleeping arrangements.
Once she heard him softly snoring she wove her spell and entered his sleeping mind.
"Alex?" she softly called. "I am here." She whispered in her dream voice as she walked through the dream planes still unseen.
"As always Sarah. It is nice to know that my guardian angel is here for me." Came his reply.
Luna smiled at his comment.
"It is time to deal with the one that has caused me the most hurt next to that moon pony." He said tersely.
"Then let us begin." As Luna began to weave her spell. A portal opened and Alex went through only to enter what looked like a library as far as the eye could see in any direction. "MAN!" He exclaimed. "I wasn't far off naming her Twilight "All Knowledge Must Be Mine" Sparkle!"
Looking around he spied "All Knowledge" with her muzzle in a book as usual. As he walked up to her and looked at the book title. "All About Humans" The title read. "SHEESH! Talk about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder! This girl never quits!" He said in disbelief. "Well she is going to get the shock of her dreams" Alex said rubbing his hands together.
"Alex? What are you going to do?" Lunas ethereal voice came to him seemingly from everywhere.
"Just watch." Was his reply. "Time to do a little Fahrenheit 451 on her."
"I don't understand. What does the temperature have to do with.......?" Luna suddenly got her answer.
Bursting through a door that looked like one of the never ending row of bookshelves, came a figure Luna didn't recognize. Before Twilight could do anything it threw a rope around her neck and began to drag her out of her beloved library. At the same time another figure armed with some kind of containers on its back and a tube in its grip entered and to both Twilights and Lunas horror began to spray fire throughout the library setting all the books contained ablaze.
Twilight screamed in shock as her precious tombs went up in flames, then everything went black as a cloth sack was thrown over her head and she was forcibly dragged out.
The scene changed when the bag was lifted from her head as she found herself suddenly in a room with a chain around her neck and the other end chained to a wall. She looked all disheveled and at once tried to fire up her magic only to have nothing happen. She tried several more times only to have the same results. She couldn't understand why this was happening until she reached a hoof up to her forehead and found nothing there.
After more frantic searching all over her head with both hooves, she came to the startling truth. Her horn had been surgically removed. Her magic was gone!
"No! No! No no no no no no!" She cried. "This can't be! Where am I?! What happened to my horn?! What happened to my magic?!"
As if in answer, the door to her cell opened and her eyes went big as in stepped Alex.
"Hello Twilight." He spoke.
Twilight backed up in fear and in a panicked voice cried. "Alex! What happened? Why am I here?"
Alex crouched down to her cowering forms level and looked her straight in the eye. "Why are you here you ask?" he replied. " Why helping with your continued thirst for knowledge of course!" He said with a smile on his face. "I met a friend who decided to help me with my nightmares. You are now in my nightmare that you created for me only the situation is reversed! Fitting yes? Now you can experience it from my end. Isn't that just ...peachy?"
He then stood up and reached behind his back and produced a medal that looked like a Hoofbell Prize only slightly different.
"I want to thank you for your help in my getting this award Twilight." He then turned to the cell door and opened it and walked out closing it behind him. "Good bye Twilight."
"No Alex! Please don't go! Don't leave me here. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please! Please! Please! As her cries for mercy fell on deaf ears and everything faded to black.
Twilight Sparkle suddenly sat up in her bed with a panicked look on her face. She immediately reached for her forehead to breathe a sigh of relief when she found that her horn was still there.
She tried to lay down and go back to sleep but found that she couldn't. The memory of her nightmare came crashing back full force along with the memory of Alexs' nightmare that Princess Luna showed them and the reminder of the letter she had read from him shortly after his disappearance.
As Alex exited the door to Twilight Sparkles nightmare cell, he stepped through the dream portal into the dream plane once again.
"And now for one more." He said out loud. "Sarah, Let us go to the apple pony. What was her name Applejack was it?"
"Yes Alex." Came the reply. "Two nightmares in one night Alex. I must say I am surprised!"
"Yes, I want to be done with this. Open the way to her dreams."
A portal opened and Alex stepped through into the dreams of Applejack.
Alex was about to start but suddenly stopped as he looked at her asleep. She was tossing and turning mumbling in her sleep and muttering that she was sorry over and over.
"Sarah? What gives? It looks like she's having a nightmare already."
Luna, still invisible to Alex, looked inside at Applejacks nightmare and soon realized what the problem was.
"Alex, look on the nightstand next to her bed and you may see why."
Alex did as he was bidden and noticed six golden bits sitting there.
"I see six coins. So what?"
"I believe those are the six coins are the reason. Do they hold any meaning to you?" Luna queried.
"Not really. Wait a minute. Are those the six coins I "willed" to her after I disappeared?"
"I do not understand Alex." Luna asked. "What does six bits have to do with her nightmare?"
Luna knew the answer already but she still wanted to hear it from Alex.
"When I first arrived here, I had no food, no shelter, no money, and only my back pack and the clothes on my back. I didn't know where I was, or how I got here. I stumbled onto her apple farm and because I was hungry I took two apples from one of her farms trees. She found me and charged me four bits for the two apples. I didn't know what a bit was much less have any, she decided she was going to capture me and force me be a trained sideshow freak to draw in ponies and make her rich. In essence she was going to make me pay for those two apples for pretty much the rest of my life. I stated that I had an apple heritage in my family ancestry."
As they continued to watch Applejacks nightmare unfold, Luna spoke. "I think that explains her nightmare."
"How so?"
Luna began to then tell Alex about Applejack and her element. "Miss Applejack is the living embodiment of Honesty. The Element of Honesty if you will. Her conscience is getting to her for how she treated you upon your arrival. Her conscience is being honest with herself as her guilt for your mistreatment eats at her."
Alex turned away from the scene and began to walk away.
"Alex? Where are you going?" Luna asked wondering as to his sudden departure.
"Let's go Sarah. I can't do this anymore." He stated. "I just can't." As he continued to walk away from the portal.
"Alex? What is wrong?" Luna queried. Concern in her voice.
"Sarah, I wanted to punish those ponies for all the harm and torment they were so kind enough to bestow upon me. I didn't do anything wrong! I felt that I was being punished and they were punishing me for just being me! I wanted justice! I wanted to make them pay! But this is not justice. This is revenge borne of hate. I don't like the way it makes me feel inside."
Luna was absolutely stunned at this sudden turn of events! She silently strode beside him marveling at this young human and the wisdom beyond his years he possessed. She admired this human boy and felt a small sense of pride in the fact that out of the millions of humans on his home world, that she had chosen him but at the same time great guilt for how she had gone about bringing him into her world and especially wanting to turn him to stone to protect him. With all the thousands of years she had been around, how could she have been so unfeeling and stupid?
"Alex?"
"Hmm?"
"There are still two more ponies that should be seen to." Luna suggested with some trepidation. Wondering if he had any plans for her and her sister.
"The princesses you mean?"
"Yes. What do you think should be done about them? They contributed to your torment as well did they not?"
"Nothing."
"W-what? W-why?" Luna asked. "They should be punished too don't you think?"
"Probably. Just not by me."
"Why?"
"If you want my honest feelings on the matter, I found some books in the castle ruins library."
"Yes?"
Alex let out a heavy sigh. "Did you know they can actually move the sun and moon?"
"I had heard rumors that it was so." Luna smiled.
"The sun doesn't move. My world orbits around the sun by itself and moon moves on its own around my homeworld. So does the weather. There is no magic of any type in my world. It moves on its own too. To have that kind of power you would have to be a god."
"The princesses?They could easily turn me into a pile of dust with a single thought... or worse. Just make me go away and I'd be powerless to do anything."
"They terrify me."
Lunas head fell upon hearing these words.
"It's been very lonely these past years. Well, with the exception of you. It'd be nice to have a friend and to not fear for my life any more."
"Don't give up hope Alex. Things are bound to change... for the better."
"No. Better that I fade away quietly when my time comes. It's just safer for all parties concerned."
"Sarah, I'm tired. I just want to go home and go to sleep."
In the white planes of the dream realm, Alex walked silently. Luna, still unseen, silently beside him. No words were spoken.
He suddenly stopped and lay down as his dream bed seem to materialize around him.
Soon he was asleep. |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 16: Happy Hearthswarming | Happy Hearthswarming
Since Alex had overcome his nightmares about the ponies, he had been sleeping much better and waking up more refreshed. His energy had returned and he had taken to exploring the castle more. I his wanderings, he had discovered the whereabouts of the library and had continued to pass the time reading about the founding of Equestria and the ascension of the two sisters to the throne. He was astonished to learn of their power over the day and night and its orbiting celestial bodies.
"I still can't believe that they have that kind of power??!!" he thought. "I hope I never meet them again! They are gods! They have to be! Yes, they could absolutely turn me into a pile of ash with a single thought!"
As he continued to read he took in a deep breath through his nose, held it for a bit, and then let it out.
There it was again. A very faint tell-tale scent of lavender.
He smiled to himself nervously and went back to reading.
Since winter had set in, in full force, there was not much more Alex could do but continue his studies and explorations, which soon led him to the knowledge that, at one point in time, the two sisters became enemies and the legend of Nightmare Moon. "That explains the destruction of this place and the statue with all that candy around it. It's their version of Halloween." As he continued to read and study, he also learned more about Nightmare Moon and her banishment to the moon for a thousand years and her subsequent return. Her eventual defeat at the hands? Hooves? Of the heroes known as the Heroes of Equestria, also known as the Mane Six. "Yep, they defiantly look like the ones that tried to capture me." Upon learning all of this he wondered how he was able to constantly escape from them if they possessed that kind of power.
On this particular night he found a book on the creation of Hearthwarming. It was one he had not seen before. The faded picture on the front cover depicted the three races of ponies around what looked like a Christmas tree complete with decorations. In the background he noticed three other figures in the air. He didn't know what they could possibly be so he decided to sit down and read it.
Apparently the three pony races, tribes they were referred to, were enemies at one point in time a long time ago. The arrogance and egos of their leaders wouldn't allow them to work together and so one day winter set in due to the bad blood between them. Upon seeing that they were all going to freeze or starve to death, the three pony races leaders decided to set out with their respective "peoples" to find a new land.
It turned out that all three found a rich and fertile land and all were happy. But soon the snows came again caused my some creatures called Wendigos feeding off of their negative emotions, due to the personal biases among the leaders that went with them too. It looked as if the ponies would freeze to death due to their frozen hearts and the wendigos would win, covering the land in ice and snow. As it turned out, the regular pony folk did not hold the same grudges against each other as their leaders did and joining in friendship, they were able to defeat the wendigoes and the land once again returned back into the rich earth and skies that it once was. Since that day it had come to be known as Hearthswarming Day.
"Hmmm." Alex thought to himself. "So this must be the reason for all the decorations in that pony town. It must be their version of Christmas." Then he followed up by muttering with sarcasm. "The politicians of my world could learn a thing or two from this book." As he got up and put it back on its shelf.
"I wonder if they have a person that is their equivalent of Santa Clause? Probably someone like a "Santacorn?" He snickered at his own joke and at the thought of an old fat unicorn with a red coat and a white mane tail and a white beard. "Hehehe, He probably has a team of six peaguses pulling a sled around too!"
As Alex went about doing his daily routine of washing his clothes, eating, cleaning his dishes, garbage, his nightly rituals, etc. He settled down to go to sleep.
He found himself tossing and turning a bit, his mind worrying about the recent problem of his food stores getting low. There was still plenty of food left, it was just that it was pony food. Things like different types of flowers and what not that, although, were probably good tasting and nutritious to an equine pallet, it did nothing for a humans nutritional needs.
Like clockwork, the dream planes appeared and softly, off in the distance, he could hear someone singing in a beautiful female voice. It was soft and soothing, almost like a mother singing her child a lullaby. Accompanying the beautiful music was again the tell-tale smell of lavender. "Odd." Alex thought. "Can one smell things in a dream? He decided to keep that particular question to himself.
"Sarah? Is that you singing?" He called out into the nothingness.
"Yes, my young friend. It was." The voice answered.
"It was very beautiful. I have never heard anything like it before!"
"Thank you."
"I could listen to that forever and never get tired of it."
"You are too kind my friend."
"Alex, do you remember when I told you I had a gift for you?" Sarah asked.
Yes! I do! Alex responded excitedly.
Do you know of a holiday called Hearthswarming here?
"Yes. As a matter of fact I just read a book in the library here yesterday. It's very much like a holiday in my home called Christmas. We wish everyone peace on earth and good will to all men. We sing songs, decorate trees, share food, and give each other Christmas presents. One time long ago, it even stopped a very bloody war for one whole day. The men on both sides played soccer, exchanged small gifts, and were all united in brotherhood for that one day. The day after Christmas, the commanders of each side tried to get their soldiers to start fighting and killing one another again but the soldiers refused. No amount of treats could get them to resume the war so both sides had to transferred all those men to a different location and brought in fresh troops to resume the fighting."
Alex let out a somewhat long and forlorn sigh.
"What is it Alex? What's wrong? Sarah asked.
"Nothing. I was just remembering." He responded. "I have always been a big fan of history. I read about this story in my great grandfather's journal..... He was there. He saw it all." Alex said solemnly.
Luna gasped in shock.
"Alex, you have a heritage to be very proud of."
'Thanks Lu...Sarah." Alex said humbly.
There was silence for a small space of time.
"Alex? I said I had a special surprise for you some time ago. Do you remember?
"Yes" he said excitedly. Is it today?
"Alex, It is time. Wake up."
The dream planes began to fade away and Alex opened his eyes. It was morning already.
As he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he looked around the room serving as his living quarters. His eyes went wide as he noticed standing in the corner, a Christmas tree complete with lights and decorations! It even had presents, REAL PRESENTS under the tree! And all were for him!
Alex couldn't believe his eyes!
"Happy Hearthwarming Alex." A soft but happy voice whispered and echoed around the hall.
"HOW! WHY!" Alex was so excited he couldn't finish a complete sentence as he knelt before the tree with a big cheese eatin' grin on his face.
"Magic." The ethereal voice echoed.
Alex wasted no time tearing into the gifts before him. With each present he found something he needed. The rustling and tearing of wrapping paper were the only sounds in the chamber permeated with the occasional shout of joy from a very happy Alex as each present revealed its contents.
A cake, cookies, Apple treats, new clothes, a black cloak, SHOES! He needed shoes and clothes really bad. Lots of foodstuffs and MEAT! Real honest to God meat! It was already prepared as a meal too. All he had to do, according to the instructions, is open the package and it would instantly cook itself and be ready to eat.
By his estimation, the food stuffs would be able to sustain him through most if not all of the winter.
"Thank you Sarah!... Just.... Thank you! I wish you were real so I could give you a hug and share all this with you." He said to himself. "Well, except the clothes maybe since I don't know what you look like."
Luna, still in her invisible form, overheard what he had said and watched on with silent pride and great happiness as Alex tore through his gifts excitedly. The smile on her face so big and bright that she just might inadvertently give away her hidden position from the its brightness alone!
As the day wore on, it soon became time for Luna to return home. According to the Pegasus weather report, there was supposed to be another snow storm rolling in soon and she didn't want to be caught out in the midst of it.
Spreading her wings, she gently flapped them and lifted off the ground. The slight breeze they created fanned the flames of the cooking fire only slightly and causing the flames to flicker so. Alex felt the warm breeze it caused and once again smelled a slight scent of lavender.
Unnoticed by Luna as she ascended through the shattered throne room roof, was Alex whose gaze looked up in the same direction as she left.
Luna then did her usual perimeter check on her wards and spells to make sure Alex was still safe and then set course for her home and to report to her sister how the day's events went.
As she flew home deep in thought about the day's events she suddenly missed a beat and her eyes opened wide as she remembered something Alex had said.
"Thanks Lu...Sarah?
What??!! |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 17: Lunas Update | Lunas Update
Luna flew home to give her morning report to her sister on the nights events and how Alex had been doing.
It was still dark outside and there was still a few more hours before she would have to lower the moon and make way for her sisters sun. She decided it might be best to get a little rest before meeting with Celestia. The griffon delegates would be coming to discuss treaties and negotiations tomorrow afternoon. Typical politician stuff. It was always boring as usual and Luna hated politics. It was one of the many things that made her hate being a princess. Sometimes she just wanted to be a regular mare. Still, it was her lot in life and it was her duty as a princess and co leader of her nation and she took her duties very seriously.
"How is our young friend Luna?" Celestia asked. As she landed on the throne room balcony. Celestia had been waiting there for her sisters return. Well, so much for sleep.
"He is doing well Celestia." She answered as she landed, her hooves making nary a sound on the marble flooring."The gifts we gave him were badly needed and he was very grateful for them. He was just like a young foal. So filled with innocent wonder and happiness. It warmed my heart." Luna said with a smile. "Apparently there is a similar holiday in his world like ours. He called it Christmas. They sing carols and exchange gifts. They even decorate trees like we do." Then Lunas head bent down a little as she seemed to be deep in thought.
"What is it Luna?"
"As I was leaving he thanked me but almost said my name instead of the name he normally called me by. I think he suspects more than he is letting on. He is a very perceptive pony." Luna said while staring off into the direction of the Everfree.
"Luna? Is there more?" Celestia asked noting the thousand yard stare in her sisters' eyes.
"Yes there is sister. He knows of our magic and the powers we hold over our respective charges. Just as I thought I was gaining his trust once again, this happens. He sees us as gods Celestia, he told me that the sun, moon and even the weather in his world all move on their own. His world has no magic! None at all! His world has no control over its celestial bodies and that the only one that could is a being he calls God. Therefore he sees us as actual gods that could snuff out his very existence with a single thought and he would rather die by his own hooves than face us."
Celestias face was one of shock and horror. "Luna! That just can't be! We would never use our powers in such a way!"
"I know sister, I know. But do not forget the nightmares he had about us. We are still terrifying in his eyes."
"This is very troubling news." Celestia said very solemnly. "And speaking of our charges, it is time."
The sisters both walked back out onto the throne room balcony. Each one took a deep breath and let it out in a heavy sigh. They both closed their eyes and tapped into their respective magics and began their work.
Once finished, Princess Luna excused herself and retired to her chambers to get some much need sleep before the gryphon delegates arrived.
Although she was tired from her nights work her mind could feel no peace. The revelation that Alex was even more afraid of her and her sister was very troubling. It had never occurred to her that her ability to control the night and its orbiting satellite could be so terrifying when viewed by another. It simply was her and her sisters' duty nothing more. Without the balance her and her sister maintained, all life on Equis would cease to exist! Luna thought as she drifted off into a restless sleep.
2:00 arrived and the griffon delegates had arrived on time. The meetings and negotiations went off without a hitch. By around 5:00 pm the meeting was concluded and the gryphon delegation paid their respects and left the throne room. All parties concerned seemed happy with the outcome.
As they were leaving, Celestia called out. "Frodor Greyfeather. Would you kindly remain a moment longer? There is something my sister and I wish to discuss in private with you." The old griffon stopped and turned around with a raised eyebrow. His large eyes reading what he could of any tell-tale signs on the faces of the two alicorn princesses.
He looked calmly over his shoulder and said some to his cohorts and then approached the thrones of the diarchs.
"How may I serve the crowns of such beauty before me?" he said with a grand bow.
Both Celestia and Luna giggled at his overly exaggerated display of manners.
"Oh please! Really you are too much at times my old friend!" Celestia said between giggles.
The old griffon chuckled merrily with them.
Celestia then cleared her throat and her demeanor took on a more serious look. "In truth, I have need of your advice and perspective. Since you are not a pony, we need your views on a troubling matter that has come to our attention."
Celestia and Luna both told the griffon about the stranger they had met and the events leading up to this moment. How he had constantly eluded capture and faking his death to be left in peace.
"Frodor, Alex is still in hiding today because he fears us. He would rather kill himself than come before us!" Celestias expression wasn't quite as neutral as she perhaps thought it was; he could see how disturbed she was. "And I will freely admit that we don't.... can't understand that. And as we are responsible for the safety and security of both him and our subjects, I need to understand.... I have to know how his mind might work, how he might react to things, to properly judge him as to how we might set his fears to rest."
The old griffon listened quietly and patiently. "I understand," he said quietly, not quite able to keep his voice from hitching a little upon learning of this fantastical tale. "Well...," he began rubbing his chin with his fore claw I... I can't exactly speak for him, of course, but I can conjecture a little. Given how much effort he put into escaping and staying free, I think it's clear that he values his freedom above just about anything else - maybe even above his own life, if forced to choose between the two. When he saw you, your highnesses, he may have believed that you had come to destroy him because you saw him as a threat to your ponies." he saw a brief look of shock cross both alicorns faces, almost too quickly to catch "and so decided that, absent any chance of survival, he could at least give himself a swift death by his own claw rather than potentially suffer a slow one."
Celestia and Luna were both silent for more than a minute, gazing down at the floor, while Frodor watched them with an expression of concern. "I see...." Celestia said quietly. "Frodor, as you aren't a pony so perhaps you can give me an unbiased opinion... could we truly be seen as so terrifying, so merciless, to a creature unfamiliar with us?"
"Knowing what you can do, but not who you are? I'm afraid so, your highness', and quite easily too, I might add. I do not mean any disrespect, but knowing that you have complete control over a giant ball of fire in the sky and the moon and stars, has probably done more to get potential enemies to the negotiating table than anything else. Let us face facts. How hard would it be for you to allow the sun to stay over a particular area where a potential enemy might be amassing for an attack?" He then looked at Luna. "Or to hold the moon in place thus changing the ebb and flow of the tides to prevent said attack?"
It actually hurt Frodor to say that; he liked the alicorn sisters. But the honest truth was the only thing that he felt would help in this situation. "Though, Your Highness', I'll also say that anyone who does get to know you at all understands that, for all your power, you're two of the gentlest and most understanding creatures to walk this world."
"You flatter us, Frodor." Luna said, a ghost of a smile decorating both Princess's lips. "But thank you for your insight and honesty. Your help has been invaluable, and we truly appreciate all you've done."
"It was my pleasure. Now If you no longer have need of my services, I will take my leave." The griffon said with a bow and promptly turned and left the princess'. Just before he walked through the throne room doors, he stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Should you ever resolve your particular situation in a favorable way, I should like to meet this young Alex you spoke of. He sounds like a fascinating creature!"
"Should it happen so, we would be most happy to do so old friend." Luna responded in kind. And with that the griffon ambassador turned and left. |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 18: The Creature Shrouded in Black | The Creature Shrouded in Black
Winter was now over. Spring had come as it always did. This winters Winter Wrap-up was another success and had gone off without a hitch.
And Pipsqueak was in pain. A lot of pain. He didn't know how he got into this situation. One minute he was playing with the Cutie Mark Crusaders at the edge of the Everfree Forest and the next moment he found himself chained to the ground with a collar around his neck and a broken right front leg. Two diamond dogs had captured him and inflicted the injuries he currently had. He moaned in pain and was promptly and painfully kicked in his already bruised ribs in order to sound louder which he did. The dogs had captured him with a dark plan in mind and he was the bait.
"Louder pony!" one dog said. "LOUDER!" and kicked Pipsqueaks leg again. "You make noise and the princesses come. We capture them and then they work for us to dig. Yes. Dig for gems."
Pipsqueak was in so much pain he was about ready to pass out from it. He tried to do his best to be brave and strong but it wasn't easy. Not in the slightest. He screamed in pain once more descending to sobbing. "I just wanna go home." He sobbed.
Suddenly there was hoof steps coming through the bushes as the CMCs and three adult ponies appeared. The diamond dogs stood their ground with their spears at the ready. "Release him!" An orange mare ordered taking a threatening step forward.
"Come take him pony." One dog growled showing his sharp teeth.
"I said release him!" Applejack growled. Taking another step forward. The other mares, Lyra Heartstrings and Berry Punch matching her steps.
Suddenly a net dropped down on the three adult ponies and the CMCs! "Gotcha!" as another diamond dog dropped out of the trees.
"Good job!" Digger commented. "It not princesses but we have seven ponies to make dig!"
"HEY!" Applejack shouted as the net fell about her and her friends as they immediately started to try to fight their way out. The diamond dogs pinning the ends of the net to the ground with their spears.
As the struggling continued, there was a sudden rustling in the bushes opposite from them all. The dogs turned around pulling their spears from the net that had moments before had the ponies pinned underneath it.
"COME OUT!" Digger yelled, weapons at the ready.
As if on cue and answering their summons, a tall figure in a black hood and cloak strode confidently into the forest clearing. To Applejack it seemed to just glide across the ground. No hoof or fur could be seen as it moved towards them. It was as if the very fabric itself was alive. Without slowing a bit, the figure produced a long staff and walked right up to the closest diamond dog. CRACK! The canine didn't even get a chance to react as it brought the staff down on the dogs head knocking it out completely as he fell to the ground. The remaining dogs looked at each other and then attacked weapons drawn. CRACK! THWACK! YIPE! Both dogs met the same fate in a matter of seconds.
The figure then relaxed its stance and seemed to take a deep relaxing breath. It then took what looked like a slow and steady scan of its surroundings. Once seemingly satisfied of its safety, it walked over to Pipsqueak in full view of the netted ponies.
To Applejack, Berry, and Lyra, the tall figure bent down to Pipsqueak and to their horror, it seem to just absorb him. They heard a small yelp from the injured colt and as it rose to its full stature once again, Pipsqueak was gone! All that remained was the chain he had had shackled around his neck and spiked to the ground. The shrouded creature then looked back at the remaining netted ponies, At least its actions seemed to represent that and then it glided back into the dark of the forest.
"PIPSQUEAK!" All the ponies yelled in horror but to no avail.
Lyra lit up her horn and the net magically levitated off of its prisoners and was cast aside.
"C'mon! We have to go after that thing!" Berry said. Lyra chimed in her agreement as well. But cooler heads prevailed. Applejack decided against chasing after them. Looking up at the sky she said it was a bad idea. The sun was beginning to set and it would be dark soon. She'd been in the Everfree Forest before at night and remembered how dangerous it was.
"Its getting' late. We don't wanna be in that now. We need to get help and form a search party. A'll go tell Twilight what happened and we'll get a search party t'gether and leave at first light tomorrow mornin'."
All ponies present then departed off to Twilights with haste.
Twilight was just settling down with a cup of tea and a book in her castles library for the evening when Applejack and the others came bursting in the front door of the castle. Each of them breathless from their sprint.
"TWILIGHT!" Applejack yelled upon entering "TWILIGHT! WHERE ARE YOU!" There was the telltale flash of magic teleportation and she appeared.
"WHAT!" Whats wrong?"
"Pipsqueak got eaten by a creature in the Everfree Forest. It was tall and shrouded and cloaked all in black and it just ate him!" Berry Punch cried. "It just swallowed him!"
"Calm down. Calm down everypony. SPIKE? SPIIIIIKE!" She called out. Her voice echoing off the walls of the great hall.
"Right here!" He cried as he came running into the room. "What is it? Whats wrong? Is it zombie ponies?" He had a habit of thinking every emergency involved zombie ponies lately.
"No spike. How many times do I have to tell you there is no such thing as zombies?" She answered in frustration as she blew a strand of her mane out of her eyes. "Please could you go and get some cold water for our friends here?" She asked.
"I'm on it!" He said cheerfully as he ran off to the kitchen. "Be back in a sec."
"Okay. Deep breath. Now tell me exactly what happened."
The Cuitie Mark Crusaders began the tale first telling Twilight how there were playing with Pipsqueak and the sudden appearance of the two diamond dogs and how they had hurt the little colt, put a collar around his neck and had chained him to the ground, and had broken his leg. They then told of that how they had run off to get help and that's where they found Applejack, Berry Punch, and Lyra.
Applejack picked up the story from there and told of how the diamond dogs had trapped them in a drop net by a third dog and that they were going to be hauled off as slaves to work in their tunnels, "and that's when the creature appeared." Lyra and Berry nodded their heads in confirmation of Applejacks tale.
"...It was about as tall as Princess Luna! Maybe even Princess Celestia and covered in what looked like black material. It just came straight out o' the bushes, walked up to the three dogs and knocked all three o' them out with a long stick that he just made come outta nowheres. It seem to look around to make sure there was no danger, then it walked over to lil Pipsqueak, bent down, and when it stood back Pipsqueak was gone! It was jest like it swallered 'im up! It then looked at us and its surroundings and then walked back into the forest like it wer'nt even there!"
"I have never heard of such a creature before. Do you think you could describe what it looked like?" Twilight asked summoning a quill and parchment.
"Twilight. Thar aint nothin' to tell. It was tall and oddly shaped and covered in black cloth."
"Wasn't there any distinguishing features you recognized? Anything?"
"Not a one. We didn't see any fur, eyes, muzzle, hooves, claws, nor scales. Nothing" Lyra said. "Just a tall, black, cloth,........thing with its long stick! That's it! And it just seemed to absorb that little colt."
"But it left the diamond dogs alone as well as us." Berry said.
"And us too." The CMCs chimed in.
"Tomorrow morning we'll get the Elements together and go search the woods for any sign of little Pipsqueak and this creature. Maybe we might be able to find a clue to his whereabouts and what this creature might be." Twilight said. "I will also send a message to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna telling them about what has happened. Any other ponies that might want to help in the search will be welcome."
"Spike? Take a letter."
Pipsqueak yawned as he stretched out and slowly opened his eyes. He was reminded by the sudden pain he felt in his ribs and foreleg, that he was injured. After the pain subsided a little. Looking around he saw that he was in some sort of cave. He also noticed that he was alone. The big black thing was gone. He was resting on something soft, there was a warm blanket wrapped around himself. It turned out that he wasn't alone for long. There was a rustling sound in the bushes just ahead of him and suddenly there was the tall black thing before him! Pipsqueak closed his eyes in terror as a primal fear took hold. He tried to make himself as small as possible. It was a basic instinct in all ponies. Try to look as small as possible and maybe he wouldn't be seen.
As he braced himself for the monsters teeth and claws, he felt a soft touch on his head. Pip opened his eyes to see the creature reaching a black clothed appendage gently running over his head and back again and again. He couldn't help it. It felt really nice. It then reached over and very carefully and picked him up and began to put some sort of thick liquid on his bruised ribs. It hurt for only a second and then it started feeling better as the pain went away. The creature then carefully wrapped some bandages around his barrel. It then took two small sticks and gently tied them to his broken leg making a splint.
After it was done attending to his injuries, it then gave him some food and a little clay bowel full of water. Laying it on the ground within easy reach. Pip was hungry and made short work of the food and water he was given.
"Thank you." Pip said. The creature only nodded in approval.
The creature sat silently looking at Pipsqueak. It never spoke a word but just sat silently looking at him although Pip never did see its eyes. Its actions seem to indicate so.
It was starting to get late. Princess Celestia would be lowering the sun soon and his favorite princess, Princess Luna would begin to raise the moon.
The creature head suddenly looked up in alarm towards the entrance and got up. Had he heard something? Pip swiveled his ears this way and that trying to hear whatever had alarmed it. Looking around it found a cloth covering of some sort. It looked at pip (at least it seemed to do so by its actions) and put a cloth appendage to where he guessed its mouth would be and made a sign to be quiet and then a sign to stay still. It then put the cloth over him and suddenly and silently left the cave.
Pipsqueak was scared. Really scared! He was now all alone in a dark cave with no one knowing where he was! He lay as quiet as and as still as he could. His heart pounding loudly in his chest and trying to listen for any sound that might tell him what was going on. He prayed to Luna and Celestia that he might be safe.
His hearing met with only silence and the noises of the forest.
Suddenly there was some rustling at the cave entrance and the sounds of hoof falls. It came right up to where Pip was hiding and the cloth hiding him was taken off him. Pip "squeaked" in surprise but was relieved to see it was only the creature above him.
After looking Pip over carefully, it gently picked him up and lay down on the cave floor putting Pip beside him away from the cave entrance.
Soon both were fast asleep. |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 19: The Return of Pipsqueak | The Return of Pipsqueak
Pipsqueak tried to walk, although it hurt to put weight on his injured leg. He got a few feet from the cave entrance then lost his balance and fell. Fortunately the creature heard and rushed over.
It saw Pipsqueak on the ground and helped him up, checking his injuries.
"I'm fine, I just lost my balance." Pip said. As the creature continued to look him over.
"My leg still hurts but I'm feeling a lot better."
It seemed to sigh with relief then it gently picked Pip back up and held him in its arms? Hooves? Pip still couldn't tell.
Pipsqueak didn't protest, he kind of liked being carried by the creature. It reminded him of Appleblooms brother Big Macintosh, kind, caring, strong but gentle. Pipsqueak liked the creature and hoped that the others in Ponyville would too.
It sat him down next to the fire and handed him a plate of food which Pipsqueak ate hungrily and then said
"Thanks for the food. I didn't realize how hungry I was!"
The creature nodded its head in approval.
Once he was done eating, it then put out the fire and carried Pipsqueak outside. After looking around and making sure the fire was out, it folded him in its robes and they headed out of the forest.
As they traveled through the forest, Pipsqueak worried that they might be attacked. Then he saw the creatures' staff and remembered how it had taken out three Diamond Dogs with it and began to feel quite a bit safer. The way it handled those dogs so easily, he thought it could put down anything the forest could throw at them.
After some minutes of walking, the two exited the forest, only to see a group of ponies coming their way. As they got closer, Pipsqueak recognized some of them as Appleblooms big brother and sister as well as their friends and the Elements. The group stopped about thirty feet away from the creature and Pip, and stared at them.
It saw that some of them were carrying pitchforks and rakes and the unicorns in the mix had their horns aglow and at the ready. There were no less than twelve or fifteen ponies present and ready to do battle.
The creature stood in the middle of the path to the Everfree Forest, staring at the ponies in front of him as they stared back. Fear and uneasiness crept up in their collective stomachs as their minds ran through various scenarios. It seemed that Lyra and the others weren't over exaggerating when they said that the creature was almost as tall as Luna or Celestia!
Suddenly everyone was distracted by something in the sky as they all looked up to witness a half dozen Royal Pegasi Guards and a golden chariot descend amongst them. Princess Luna and Princess Celestia dismounted their golden chariot and walked among the crowd. All ponies present bowed before their Diarchs as the crowd parted to make way.
"Princess Celestia! Princess Luna!" Said Twilight Sparkle as she ran up to them. "That's the creature that ate Pipsqueak that I wrote you about!" Pointing towards the cloth covered entity.
The princesses walked to the head of the crowd and looked with emotionless eyes at the creature. Studying its unrecognizable form.
Suddenly a rock flew out from among the crowd right at what might be the creatures head and at the same time somepony yelled "DIE MONSTER!"
At that very moment everything seemed to go in slow motion as the rock flew through the air. The creature saw it coming but stood its ground unflinching as it neared him. At the last second, quick as lightning, the creature brought its staff to bear and knocked the rock away as if it were no more than swatting at a fly. Then it turned back to the crowd.
The crowd gasped at the quickness and precision of its response. After another long silent moment both the crowd and the princess' were astonished when it stiffly and formally bowed to the Diarchs and returned to its upright position. It then crouched down and unfurled its robes to reveal a still alive Pipsqueak all bandaged up but otherwise unharmed, sitting on the ground before them.
"Hi everypony!" He cheerfully said as he raised his unbroken foreleg and waved.
"PIPSQUEAK!" they all shouted in unison.
While everyone was focused on the little colt, the cloaked and hooded figure quietly faded back into the shadows of the forest. When everyone looked back up again it was gone.
"Quick! After it! We need to capture it. It's getting away!" Shouted Twilight as she bolted for the forest entrance. The other five of the six following close behind.
Celestia held out a wing. "No Twilight Sparkle! Let it go!"
"But why? Princess." Twilight countered. "We need to capture it and see what it is? We could learn so much from it!"
Princess Luna then spoke in a commanding tone. "Twilight Sparkle!" Twilight turned to look at Princess Luna.
"Your thirst for knowledge is admirable. But do you not remember another creature you pursued and it eventually faked its own death just so it could live in peace? How is it that you have forgotten this lesson so quickly?" She said in a scolding manner.
Twilights ears drooped as she hung her head in shame at the remembrance of Alex and her actions with him. Even worse was the memory of what he thought of her in his letter and the memory of the nightmare he had of her that Princess Luna had shown them some time before.
"I am sure that if it wants us to know about it, it will make itself available." Celestia added.
Princess Luna then spoke up again addressing the gathered crowd. "It seems that our business here is concluded . We came here to learn of the whereabouts of one of our subjects and of the creature you spoke of in your letter. We have learned about both. Little Pipsqueak is safe and sound has been returned to us and it appears that the creature we all witnessed is rather kind and protective of the little ones. Perhaps even to all ponies that enter its domain. It freed him from the Diamond Dogs, has nursed little Pipsqueak back to health, returned him to us, and left six of you unharmed. I think it tells us much."
Celestia then spoke up, "My little Ponies. It is time we take our leave. It was good to see you all and that this event turned out to have a happy ending instead of a tragic one." As she mounted the royal carriage.
"Sister." Said Luna. "I wish to stay behind for just a bit. I have a minor task to take care of while I am here. I will fly to Canterlot Castle in a bit if that is alright with you?"
"Of course sister. Take all the time you need." And with that Celestia and her guards departed.
"Luna, if I may ask? Why did you stay behind?" Asked Twilight a bit more humbly.
"I wish to see to the proper care of our little injured friend personally." She answered as she walked up to Pipsqueak and smiled at him.
She knelt down to his level and said in a soft voice, "How would you like me to take you to the doctor myself? My sister left with all her guards and I have no one to escort me there. Would you be willing to do so?"
The look on Pipsqueaks face was one of absolute joy. "YES Princess Luna! I will do a good job too!" but then he looked down at the ground.
"What is it little one? What troubles you?"
"I got hurt by those mean Diamond Dogs. I can't walk very well." He said sadly.
Princess Luna put her hoof to her chin as if deep in thought. "You are right! This doesn't bode well! This will never do! Whatever are we going to do?"
Pipsqueak didn't have any ideas when suddenly Princess Luna had a thought and rose to her hooves.
Now towering over the little colt she stated that she had an idea. Suddenly her horn lit up and Pipsqueak found himself lifted in the air and gently set down on Princess Lunas back. She turned her head to look back at him and angled her wings slightly upwards to keep him from falling off.
"There!" She exclaimed. How about if I be your legs and you can be an extra set of eyes to look out for the bad ponies?"
The smile returned tenfold! Everyone else went "Dawwww." And stepped aside as the princess of the night took Pipsqueak to the nearby hospital.
The crowd could hear Pipsqueak exclaim in the distance "YOUR MY MOST FAVORITE PRINCESS EVER!"
The smile on Princess Lunas face was equally as big as the one on little Pipsqueaks face.
"Well, I'm glad that's over." Alex thought as he wound his way through the forest paths that would lead him back to his current home. "Hope the little guy is gonna be alright. I couldn't do much with my first aid kit. I just hope it was enough." Those mangy mongrels really pissed me off! NO ONE messes with a kid! I don't care who or what race they are NO BODY messes with a child! He said angrily to himself as he continued to walk the forest paths.
Yes! Alex was VERY pissed!
As he continued to wind his way through the forest paths, deep in thought, he didn't notice that there were eyes watching his every move and the careful footsteps that were following quietly and closely in the bushes.
Luna, upon getting little Pipsqueak admitted to the Ponyville Hospital, had given him a kind motherly nuzzle and had then departed leaving a still smiling and very happy colt in the care of the hospitals staff.
As she flew to her castle home, she was deep in thought. The Diamond Dogs seldom dared come this close to populated areas. They were known to capture ponies, griffons, and even zebras, to be used as slaves to dig for gems in their mines or to be sold off at the Outsiders Market far to the south. It was worrisome.
As she landed on her bedroom balcony with nary a sound, she went through her room and out the doors. In no time she was in the throne room where her sister was going over some documents.
Upon entering, Celestia gave a warm smile and greeted her younger sibling. "Ah! Luna. How is the little one doing?"
"He is well sister. The hospital staff will take good care of him, I have no doubt."
"He will make a fine Lunar Guard when he is old enough. Don't you think?" Celestia teased.
Luna turned her head blushing a little at her sisters jibe. "Yes he might just at that since I'm his "most favorite princess ever", according to him." She countered as she stuck out her chest and held her head high.
Celestia giggled at her sisters display and smiled. She dearly loved her sister and was so very happy she had returned from her exile. Life was so much happier for her since Luna had come back.
Clearing her throat a little. "Yes well..." she refocused her attention on the parchment Twilight Sparkle had sent to them yesterday about the creature in the Everfree.
"Luna? What do you think about the events that unfolded today in Ponyville, concerning our tall friend and that young colt?
"I think it was our missing Alex if you must know." Luna answered.
"As do I." Celestia answered in return. "It is obvious that he poses no threat to the little ones or to any pony for that matter.
"It also makes sense that he would keep himself completely shrouded so as to not show any part of himself so that no one would be able to recognize him. The sad thing is that he still fears us." She said while her eyes closed and her head drooped at the memory of how she had mistreated him.
"How has he been doing Luna?"
"He seems to be doing better since I helped him with his nightmares about us. He is also very clever and resourceful too. It explains why he has been able to survive in the Everfree this long. I am still determined to see if I might be able to talk to him but...."
"But what sister?"
"If anything, He fears us more now than ever."
"How so?" Celestia said with concern in her voice.
"In my nightly duties of watching over him, I noticed that he has been reading and learning about us and our kingdom and subjects. He knows of our history, our battle when I was the nightmare, even our powers we have over our respective charges. He thinks we are gods and would snuff out his .......... NO! I HAVE TO GO TO HIM NOW! HE IS IN DANGER!!" She suddenly shouted in a panicked voice.
"Luna. Whatever do you mean?" Celestia asked in a worried tone.
"No time! I have to go now! I put a spell of protection around him to let me know if something bad might be happening to him and the barrier surrounding him has been breached!"
Luna said in a panicked voice as she ran for the balcony behind the thrones.
"I will summon a few of the guards to go with you." Celestia offered as she ran after her little sister.
Luna skidded to a stop briefly and looked back at her sister. "No. Remember he still is afraid of us. Too many ponies may only make things worse! I will send word if help is needed but for now I must go! He needs me! And with that she leapt off the balcony, her wings unfurling as she pumped them as hard as she could and increasing her speed with each stroke.
"No no no no.! Faster, I must go faster! Hang on Alex! I'm almost there!
Alex wound his way through the forest constantly checking his surroundings. He had the weird feeling he was being watched but couldn't spot anything in the underbrush as he picked up the pace to his home. Soon he could see the rope bridge that went across the gorge. He let out a sigh. "It's good to be back home." He thought as he carefully went to the bridge, stepping in certain places then started across the bridge.
As he crossed the courtyard, he made sure to step in certain locations too. Over time he had set a few traps for anything that might think to invade his current home.
"I could sure use a bath after spending the night in that cave." He mumbled to himself as he threw back the hood of his cloak and took it off draping it over his arm and pushed through the main doors to the castle ruins, closing the heavy wooden door behind him. "Home at last." He thought.
However as soon as he had closed and the door, he heard a howl outside. He rushed to one of the windows in front of the main castle and looked down across the bridge. The near human sized bipedal dogs armed with bladed weapons had returned.
Oh great. Not more attacking things. SHEESH! First the ponies and now this crap! |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 20: Forged in Battle | Forged in Battle
Digger had been tormented by that thing. After he and his fellow dogs had been knocked out by the black shrouded creature, he was looking for some payback as he rubbed the lump on his head. When he reported to the Alpha what had happened, the Alpha had told him to capture the creature, he had thought it was going to be relatively easy but Digger was still a little wary. The creature looked sickly and scrawny with no fur except for what was on its head. It had the appearance of an ape of some sort, and the thing had been wearing clothes, so Digger had thought it must have been an escaped animal from a zoo or perhaps someone's lost pet, maybe from that yellow pegasus mare that took care of animals.
Alpha had thought it would sell well at the Outsiders Market, especially since it looked so exotic. Given the fact it could also fight, it might also do well in the gaming pits too.
His suspicions were confirmed when one of the pack stepped onto a hidden trap of some kind. The dog howled in pain as it had its feet swept out from under him and he fell with a hard thump. Whatever had hit the dog was moving too fast for him to react. Another trap struck another dog, piercing up through its foot. Another dog down.
Digger was beginning to think this ape wasn't an ape.
They had followed it to the Everfree ruins. All of the other dogs were waiting in the tree line on the far side of the bridge, waiting impatiently for Alpha to signal the beginning of the attack. Digger watched as Alpha calmly walked to the bridge, raise his head and howled. This was the beginning of the attack. The creature had also heard it, as Digger had seen it poke its head out of a broken window. They had all agreed that because it had harmed fellow Diamond Dogs they would eat its flesh, even if it surrendered to them despite what Alpha wanted.
Alpha yelled to the ape, "Ape, come out and give yourself up! If you surrender you will be spared!" The ape did nothing. After a few seconds Alpha ordered Digger and two other dogs to lead the charge against the ape. They had not yet crossed the bridge. However, when they had almost reached the other side, the ape appeared in the castle doorway with a tree branch and a crossbow.
"I don't obey dogs." It shouted back, "Where I come from, dogs obey their masters!" Then he took the stick and waved it and said almost mockingly, "Here boy! Get the stick!" He then whistled a couple of times," Get the stick! That's a good boy!" as he threw the stick towards them. The canines looked at the stick and then back up at the human. "Stupid dogs." Alex said to himself but loud enough on purpose so that they could hear.
Alex then shouldered his crossbow and aimed.
The bolt came away from the bow and flew at them. Landing at their feet. The tip impacted the ground and stuck. A warning shot had been fired.
An entire pack of the huge bipedal dog like creatures stood before Alex. The only thing separating them from him was a rickety old bridge and a chasm, and a few booby traps on the far side of the bridge he had set up. "I have a feeling they aren't your typical friendly door-to-door salesmen."
It didn't matter, Alex had grabbed the crossbow and set up in the archway of the door. The dogs had started to cross the bridge. He waited for the first three dogs to start across the bridge. He pulled the trigger. The bolt hit the front thigh of the first dog. It went down with a "Yipe". The rest of the pack had tried to make it across the bridge trying to clamor over their fallen comrade and two fell off and into the chasm when some foot planks he has booby trapped gave way. Two more shots and two more dogs went down howling in pain as they fell off the bridge. That made five so far. These dogs weren't very smart were they? "The battle of Kasserine Pass" Alex thought. "Keep trying to run the gauntlet, and just keep getting slaughtered."
Alex had just enough time to load another bolt in his crossbow and fire it. Another dog went down. By this time they had made their way across the bridge. "There was no time to reload." Alex thought. "Ranged weapons were no good now. Time to get up close and personal." He mumbled as he closed the door and drew his sword as the dogs came bursting through the front door.
Alex stood his ground and began to fight for his very life.
As Alex slashed at another dog, he heard movement from behind and then yelling.
He couldn't get out the way fast enough. The dog slammed into his back and his sword flew out of his hands a couple of feet away.
He rolled over onto his back just in time to see a giant paw coming down on a collision course with his head. He rolled to the left and onto his feet and ducked as the canine sent another paw his way. It sprung and tackled Alex to the stone floor once again and was about to bring it's fangs down upon his head.
Alex raised his left arm, and its fangs punctured his arm instead. He screamed out in pain and managed to reach his right arm across to his left side and grab his dagger. Swinging around with an underhand grip, his arm still in its mouth, the knife punctured the dog's right side possibly punctured a lung. This caused the dog to let out a yelp thus releasing his left arm.
His arm now free, Alex threw a punch, and jerked the dagger towards himself. There was a loud crack and Alex was pretty sure he broken its nose.
While doing this, he had also managed pull his feet up, and brace them against its chest. With a heavy shove he kicked the dog off of himself. It was a lot lighter than it looked. After he was off, and rolling onto all fours, Alex rolled over onto his chest and pushed himself up quickly grabbing his sword from where it had fallen. At the same time Alex felt a heavy paw slash across his back.
Alex couldn't feel the pain in his left arm or his back, as his survival instincts had kicked in full swing. Another dog was now attacking and he charged at it sword at the ready. It was trying to bring his paw up to block. Alex swung at him, using his one hundred- eighty five pound frame to knock the dog to the ground. A large gash across its chest. It fell back letting another Diamond Dog take its place.
More dogs came as Alex backed up until his back was against interiors wall. There were still nine or ten more of the ugly canines left.
Just as Alex was about to accept this situation as his last stand, He looked up through the gash in the throne rooms ceiling. He had noticed that the once clear skies now had storm clouds beginning to churn and lightning and thunder began to clap. The remaining Diamond Dogs attention was also directed to the sky. Their ears were folded back and sniffing the air as they looked around as if expecting something.
Then suddenly a lightning bolt shot from the sky right through an opening in the chambers ceiling, BOOM! The bolt hit the floor right in front between Alex and the dogs throwing them back a fair distance leaving and a burn spot on the tiled floor. Alex shielded his eyes as the brightness of the flash faded away and in its place there stood a tall jet black pony!
It had a horn on its head and bat shaped wings but still covered in feathers. But that wasn't what caught Alexs' attention though, when it raised its head to its full stature it opened its eyes.
Its eyes! Its piercing blue eyes were CATS EYES!... AND THEY WERE GLOWING! The dogs were all frozen in surprise by the pony that stood before them.
Alex felt his heart rate go up as it looked right at him and gave him a wide Cheshire Cat type smile. Were those fangs? FANGS! Horses weren't supposed to have freakin' FANGS! It then turned back to the remaining Diamond Dogs and spoke. Its voice echoing off the chambers walls.
"I WILL WARN YOU ONLY ONCE MONGROLS! LEAVE THIS PONY BE, OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES!"
Alex, despite his battered and bruised condition still had enough cheekiness in him to sing out in a raspy voice.....
"Someone's gettin' in trouuuuuuuuuble!" He sang in the neener song.
The canines looked at the pony that stood before them and since they outnumbered her about nine or ten to one, figured that they could take her. She was powerful, that was certain, and would be a great asset digging for gems. They decided to not heed her warning and attack.
The battle was very one sided and soon the dogs were lying on the floor whimpering in pain.
All of them.
It then turned its reptilian eyes towards Alex.
Alex felt a cold chill run down his spine and he held his sword in his right hand pointing it at the dark creature while at the same time holding his injured left arm close to his body.
The dark mare took slow measured steps toward Alex.
"Don't you come any closer!" he warned as the mare approached. "I'm warning you! STAY BACK!" as he took some feeble swipes at the mare who stood just out of reach.
"Please, do not fear me." It said in a soft voice. "Every pony fears me. Please, I promise, I will not harm you."
"Why shouldn't I?" Alex yelled still holding his sword pointed at the mystery mare. "I know who you are! Your kind are all the same!" Alex shouted.
"Alex. Do you not recognize my voice? Put the weapon down please." It said in a soft kind voice. "I am the one who promised to help you with your nightmares. I promised I would be there for you whenever you needed me."
As she walked towards Alex slowly, there was the telltale sound and sight of magic as it swirled around the mare revealing Princess Luna in her true form. "You once called me Sarah. Do you not remember?"
He looked the mare up and down and remained silent for some time. Luna started getting a little nervous and just a tad self conscious as he continued to stare at her.
Alex took a deep breath through his nostrils and let it out.
He smelled a familiar smell, the scent of lavender.
"Oh Alex, I am soooooooo very sorry for how I mistreated you. Luna said. "For how all of us have mistreated you." As her head bowed in shame. "Please.......Allow me to make it right."
Alex looked at the princess that stood before him with her head bowed in earnest penance before him and smiled a crooked smile due to his swollen lip from the fight as he said. "You'll have to forgive my rather unkempt appearance your majesty." As he struggled to stand at his full height and saluted with his sword. "It appears that congratulations are in order princess. It looks like you win the hunt." At the same time giving a bow to the princess.
It was at this moment that the adrenaline, racing through his body, gave out. His sword fell from his hand and clattered to the floor as he slid down the wall to the cold marble flooring. Luna noticed the wide smear of red on the wall come into view as he slid down into a somewhat sitting position.
"I'm cold." He mumbled as he fell over and slipped into unconsciousness. A small pool of blood very slowly began to form on the floor underneath him.
Luna was suddenly in a panic!
"NO. NO. Please Alex! Don't do this! Not now! Not after all this time!" She cried! |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 21: Back From the Dead? Well Maybe. | Back From the Dead? Well Maybe.
Luna was in a panic! "NO. NO. Please Alex! Don't do this! Not now! Not after all this time!"
She nudged his body trying to wake him up. Still he didn't move. She put an ear to his chest and found a weak heartbeat. His skin was cold to the touch. She knew he was fading fast. His body began to shiver compounding her worry.
Luna lit up her horn and levitated his still unconscious body up off the ground and slowly rotated his form in the air looking at all his wounds and magically patching them as best as she could.
It was the best she could do with her magical first aid. She would need to get him to a hospital fast.
She laid him back on the ground with a blanket underneath him to keep him off the cold floor and then lay beside him spreading her wing over Alexs' body and using her own body heat to keep him warm.
He kept shivering and she knew she needed to get him medical help fast or he wouldn't make it.
Once she was settled and had covered Alex as best she could, she looked through the great hole in the ceiling and her Canterlot Voice rang out.
"GUARDIANS OF THE NIGHT!" Her voice echoed across the Everfree Forest and throughout Ponyville.
In a matter of moments two shadows came through the ceiling opening, landing in a bow before the Princess of the Night.
"What is thy bidding your highness?" The bat ponies said in unison.
"Night Shade. Shadow Moon. I am in need of your services. Night Shade, fly as fast as you can to the Ponyville Hospital and tell them to send the medical carriage here now! Tell them of the nature of the emergency and have them bring Miss Lyra Heartstrings as well." She ordered as she lifted her wing showing Alexs' still shivering body and the wounds he had suffered in the castle battle. In a single glance they both understood the gravity of the situation. "Shadow Moon, Fly to Canterlot Castle and inform my sister. Tell her of what has happened and bring her to the hospital. Go now!"
"We serve at the pleasure of the Moon and the Sun." They both said again in unison and they were gone.
"Hold on Alex." She said as she nuzzled him carefully. "Don't go yet. Please stay with me. Help is on the way!" She looked at her mane and tail, willing them to cover any part of Alexs body that her wing did not. -*-
Bat ponies were rather intimidating. Their fluffier appearance, longer ears, catlike eyes, and sharp pointed teeth always gave the heebee geebees to the "normal" ponies, so when one burst through the Ponyville Hospitals main doors and strode up to the front desk, it startled the pony receptionist behind the desk, whose pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks upon seeing one enter. Standing tall and imposing Night Shade spoke with authority.
"I have been sent by Princess Luna herself to order you to bring the medical carriage, along with a Miss Lyra Heartstrings to the ruins of the Castle of the Two Sisters. A very rare sentient creature has been gravely wounded in battle with Diamond Dogs and needs blood and medical attention. Miss Heartstrings knows about this creature and may be able to help. This is my mistress' bidding. Go now. I will await you outside and escort you back."
With that Night Shade turned and went back out the main doors. -*-
Princess Celestia was relaxing in the royal gardens. It had been a rather taxing day in court. Having to solve the nobles whiny problems had worn on her last nerve. Still despite their rather childish behavior, she had managed to, yet again, conduct herself with the decorum and dignity her station required. Centuries of practice and experience had prepared her for this kind of work.
She had been very very worried about her sister and how things had been faring with her since she hadn't gotten word back yet on the situation with Alex.
As if on cue, a shadow passed overhead and she looked up just in time to see one of Lunas elite bat pony guard descend and land in a bow before her.
"Princess Celestia. I bring word from your sister Princess Luna." It said.
Suddenly Celestia was standing and alert. "Moon Shadow. Speak. What news?"
"Your Highness, Your sister is well but, I fear the human is not. He has been severely injured in battle with Diamond Dogs." "Oh no!" She gasped putting a hoof to her mouth.
"The hospital carriage from Ponyville has already been dispatched. I am to escort you to the hospital. We must leave now." Moon Shadow said.
"Yes, of course." Celestia responded lighting up her horn and teleporting the two of them directly to the lobby of the Ponyville Hospital.
Meanwhile at the ruins...,
The medical carriage, led by two Pegasus ponies, flew to the castle site in record time. Night Shade flying escort all the way. They all landed in the courtyard and were shocked to see the remnants of the fight that had taken place earlier. The medical team rushed through the open and dilapidated door, led by the bat pony guard, to where Luna still lay covering Alex with her wing, mane, and tail. No one gave a look or thought at the unconscious Diamond Dogs that lay in a far off corner.
"Princess! We are here!" Let us take a look at him." The unicorn paramedic said urgently.
Luna lifted her wing but stayed where she was as the medical crew began to do their work.
As soon as they could, she left her post at his side so they could continue. Lyra Heartstrings giving advice, when asked, because she was the foremost authority on humans available.
Once his wounds were seen to and his vitals seemingly stabilized, Alex was then carefully lifted and carried down the hall and out the front door into the back of the waiting carriage via unicorn levitation magic. Once he was secured inside, the medical team boarded and the pegasi took flight carriage and all. -*-
"I must leave you here, your highness. Night Shade and I must return to your sister as we were ordered to do. We will leave as soon as Night Shade arrives with the medical carriage." Shadow Moon said.
Just then the front doors opened and in rushed the paramedic ponies with Alex's unconscious form hovering beside them in the medical unicorns magic glow with Night Shade following behind. Before Celestia could say anything, they were already through the double doors to the emergency room.
Celestia turned to the bat ponies and replied. "Yes go now. See that she is well. I will stay here."
"Thank you milady. Shadow Moon and I will take our leave of you." Giving a quick bow whereupon they immediately turned and left through the hospitals front doors.
Back at the ruined castle, once all present were out of site, Luna took a deep nervous sigh looking around her old home and its dilapidated state until she spied the dogs still unconscious.
Her countenance suddenly went darker.
Luna was very angry! Alex was in good hooves now. She knew this, but the harm these canines, these despicable mongrels, had caused him was unforgivable! Add to that, many of her subjects, whom she deeply cared for, had been subjected into slavery at the paws of these particular dogs. Not just her beloved ponies, but other innocent creatures as well.
Soon her two servants came through the hole in the roof, landing almost soundlessly and in a bow to their liege.
"Report!" She commanded.
"The human is in critical but a semi-stable condition although it is not yet known if he will make it or not." Night Shade said. "It is too early to tell."
"Your sister is there at the hospital as we speak your highness." Shadow Moon said.
"Good. Very good. I know I can always trust the two of you. Thank you."
"It was our honor princess." They replied.
She paused for a moment and turned back to the unconscious dogs still laying in a heap on the floor, the two guards flanking her.
Her gaze narrowed.
"Call your clan."
Night Shade reared his head back and let out a bat pony shriek that echoed around the hall until it gradually faded away.
Luna cast her spell and woke up the mangy curs.
Once awake, the diamond dogs all sat up dazed and confused. Luna cleared her throat and got their attentions. All dog eyes turned to her. She fixed her gaze on them and spoke.
"Words cannot describe the torment and harm you have caused others over the years, not only to my subjects, but to other innocent creatures of this land. Your actions can not go unpunished." As she flared out her wings.
"We not recognize your authority blue pony! You not our master and soon we will be your masters!" Alpha shouted. You will dig for us!"
"It is sad, then, that I must do something that brings my heart great sorrow. You leave me no choice." She said as she bowed her head and closed her eyes.
"See! Even now blue pony bows to us! She know her masters!" They taunted.
Luna then jerked her head up suddenly and opened her eyes. Her eyes had become feral and cat like once again as she folded her wings! The two bat ponies hidden behind her wings stepped forward one on each side of Princess Luna.
"Leave no trace." She spoke evenly and perhaps with a little sorrow in her voice, to the two vamponies at her side. Others dropped from the open roof to land behind the first two.
"We thank you my princess." Moon Shadow replied as all the vamponies bowed in unison.
Luna then sighed heavily. "I have a sick friend to visit." She said as she spread her indigo wings and exited through the roof and out of sight.
All eyes followed her out as she left then looking down after her departure the vamponies locked eyes with the Diamond Dogs showing them their sharpened smiles.
It was the last time these dogs were ever seen again. |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 22: The Fight for Life | The Fight for Life
"Heart rate?"
"Fourty-four beats per minute."
Dr. Hoofson noted that on the clipboard. "Blood pressure?"
"One-fifteen over eighty-two."
"Noted." He put down the chart.
Four thick lacerations running down his back. The princess did magical first aid but they will need to be attended to with some stitches. And sever bite marks from a Diamond Dog on its left front foreleg. Possible bone fractured from the bite too. He has lost a lot of blood so we need to start an IV pronto!"
"But Doctor, We don't know his blood type or even if it is compatible with pony blood!" A nurse said. For all we know, it could kill him!"
"I am aware of that nurse, we need to at least know what blood type it is. Maybe we can magically synthesize something that will be compatible with his system." Dr. Hoofson said.
"Is he stable enough to operate on?" He then asked.
"Impossible to say doctor," Another nurse said. "We are unfamiliar with his kind so it's impossible to say."
"Best guess then nurse."
The nurse let out a deep nervous sigh. "I think so Dr. Hoofson. I think so."
Blood was drawn from Alex's unconscious form carefully so as not to make his situation any worse than it already was, and sent to the lab.
"Everypony, we have something of a unique situation here." Dr. Hoofson declared. "We are dealing with an injured member of a previously unencountered species. This means that diagnosis and treatment are both going to be somewhat difficult." He glanced around at the various ponies in the room. "Thankfully, we have somepony with us today. Miss Lyra Heartstrings seems to be a mare with extensive knowledge in this particular subject. Miss Heartstrings, what insights can you provide us?"
He watched as the mint green unicorn strode forward to take a close look at the tall creature. "Mares and Gentle Stallions...What we have before us is the revelation of a previously thought of mythical creature known as a human. A male of the species to be more precise." Everyone in the room gasped in shock. "I'm seeing a somewhat severe laceration to his shoulder and back, some damage to nasal cartilage, and numerous impact contusions as well as severe bite marks on his left forelimb possible fracture of the forelimb bone too...." She lowered the sheet to examine more of his torso. "Hmm, this is strange... do you see this bruising here along the sides?"
"Could be from previous injuries or the fight he just suffered through," said another doctor. "But... it looks rather old."
"Hmm, yes." She frowned. "He must have spent a lot of time in the wild...." She trailed off for a moment. "This is strange. There's pale blotching on his skin. It's not uniform, so what could have caused it? Anypony have any ideas?"
"There's a number of potential causes for that," answered Dr. Trotter. "Although we would need more symptoms to work with."
Lyra nodded slowly, gently running a hoof down one side of the creature's torso and up the other at the same time as her horn was lit up. "There's... possibly cracked ribs; he'll need bandaging to bind them so that they can heal properly. The abdomen feels softer than it should, considering he has so little... body fat...." She paused again. "Oh goodness. Does anypony actually know what his nutritional needs might be? Does anypony know what he was eating while he was on his own?"
A bunch of confused and uncertain looks was her reply. "We... really couldn't tell you, Miss," one of the nurses spoke up.
"I was briefed by Princess Twilight," Trotter said, "but only in vague detail. All we can surmise is that he lived with access to a nearby water supply. Possibly a river?"
"There is a creek near the old castle ruins where he was found, but it flows pretty fast...." The unicorn seemed to be in deep thought. "And if he'd been fishing at the lake near Ponyville, one of the residents of Ponyville definitely would've spotted him, even at night...." She looked up at the assembled medical professionals. "I think he may be suffering from malnutrition," she said, leaning over and gently pulled the creature's lower lip down to reveal a line of squared-off but sharp incisors. "He's an omnivore, which means he probably doesn't have a cecum like we ponies do. If he's been getting his food from what ponies throw away or leave out and occasionally fish from the river, there's no way he could have been getting nearly as much protein as he needs to stay healthy."
"Essentially, he has been living off of garbage?!" one of the nurses said with a gasp.
"Protein deficiency? He is a meat eater?" Dr. Hoofson trotted up to the bed and gently ran his hoof through the mane the creature had on its head. "There are signs of color change at the mane roots here," he said. "Miss Heartstrings, you may be on to something. What do you suggest to remedy this?"
"Once he's conscious, and can tolerate solid foods again, he needs to be fed a high-protein diet. Peanuts, rice, eggs, fish, meat etc. The nurses and some of the doctors in the room suddenly became a bit nervous. "Do you think he might try to eat ponies when he is conscious?" one of the nurses said with a little fear. "No, I do not think he will nurse." Lyra said. Yes he is a meat eater but if you recall, he has been out on his own in the Everfree Forest for Celestia knows how long and during that time there were no reports of missing ponies. Also if you recall, He saved and protected the little colt that was foalnapped just recently by Diamond Dogs before returning him back to us unharmed. He could have just as easily had that little colt for dinner but he didn't."
"But Miss Heartstrings, how can you be so sure he won't?"
"Because I was there!" Lyra stated. "I was there when he took out those Diamond Dogs after they had trapped myself and two others. One of them being the Element of Honesty!" Lyra continued. "I was there when he took little Pipsqueak and I was there when he brought him back! No nurse, I don't think we have anything to fear from him. Twilight mentioned that she's been talking to the Griffin ambassador about their diet; I'll see if I can get recommendations from him."
"I think that's an excellent idea, Miss Heartstrings. I for one am glad we have your expertise."
"Thank you doctor," she murmured, before her expression became serious once again. "But right now we need to start treatment. Is he okay with our medications?"
"We're running blood tests now. The results should be forthcoming at any time."
"We'd better let Twilight know about that. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna should also be informed. Okay, in the meantime, we should get fluids into his body and keep his wounds bandaged and clean...."
At this time Luna appeared outside the hospital and hurried through the double doors and up to the pony receptionist.
"Nurse! Where is he?" Luna all but commanded.
"Where is who your highness?" the nurse asked.
The creature, the human, that was just brought in injured!"
"Oh him, He is in emergency operation and after he will be in Room 107, princess..."
Luna was off like a shot before the nurse could finish her sentence to Alex's location.
Princess Luna joined her sister Celestia at the operating facilities who was already staring through the window above the operating room, watching intently as the surgeon and nurses went about their work trying to help a still unconscious Alex.
Her mind was deeply worried as she mentally willed those working on the human to go faster and praying to Faust that he might be ok.
"How is he sister?" Luna asked with much concern in her voice as she walked up to the white alicorn.
"Still unconscious. The doctors are doing all they can but we know practically nothing about his species. They're flying blind." Celestia replied. "He has lost a lot of blood and they won't know if pony blood will work on him or not until the blood test comes back."
"Soon a nurse came running back into the operating room and appeared to be talking very fast. The doctor looked surprised and then turned to the two princesses up in the observation window and then all but galloped out of the operating room and into the adjacent hallway as the others present looked up at the leaving doctor and nurse briefly whereupon they returned to their various tasks concerning Alex.
"...Yes doctor. I believe that pony blood might work as a transfusion."
"You are certain of this nurse? His blood type too?"
"Yes doctor. I know he isn't a pony, but it's the best we have to work with. The last test should be concluded within the next few minutes."
"Very well Nurse Redheart. Notify me the moment the test is done."
"Understood Doctor Hoofson." And with that Nurse Redheart left.
"Doctor? Is Alex going to be ok? What have you discovered?" Celestia asked as she and Luna approached the doctor.
"Princesses. We have been able to stabilize him just barely. By all means, he should have passed on with how bad his wounds are, but he seems to have a stubborn will to live. He is truly an amazing creature! I just don't know how long he will last. We are flying blind here."
"Yes he is doctor, but what do you plan to do to help him?" Luna asked worriedly.
"He needs blood your highness. That's it in the nutshell. He lost a lot of blood in whatever fight he was in. He needs blood. The problem is that his human blood type is hard to come by. The problem is that human blood doesn't exist here anywhere so you can see what we are up against."
"Doctor, what is his blood type?" Luna asked.
"O Negative princess. Given that he is a completely different species altogether and not indigenous to our world, it is the closest pony equivalent."
"I am O Negative doctor." Luna said. "I will donate what you need. What HE needs."
"Your highness! Are you sure about this? I mean no disrespect but there is the added risk of your alicorn blood having some adverse side effects on his physical well-being. We just don't know if it will work or not. It could very well kill him!"
" I am willing to take on that responsibility Doctor Hoofson. He is in my charge and I will do whatever it takes to help and protect him."
"Yes your highness." The doctor replied with a bow.
At this time the nurse came running back up to the three of them, her eyes opened wide in surprise. "Doctor Hoofson! I am glad you are still here! The patients blood work is done. You have to see this!" As she hoofed over a clipboard with paperwork on it.
Dr. Hoofson took the clipboard from the nurse and started to read what was on the paperwork. His eyebrows went up and his eyes went wide in surprise and shock!
" This cant be!" He said shaking his head. "Nurse Redheart. Are you sure about this?"
The nurse replied, "Yes doctor. I triple checked the tests myself!"
"If this is true, this would be the most incredible discovery of our time! Amazing! Simply amazing!" The doctor replied.
Celestia and Luna both looked at each other and then back at the doctor and nurse, Celestia then asked.
Doctor Hoofson. Nurse Redheart. What is it that you have discovered? |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 23: An Incredible Discovery | An Incredible Discovery
"Princess Luna? If you would follow us to our patient's room we will get started. Nurse Readheart?"
"Right behind you Doctor."
"Yes Doctor Hoofson. Lead the way." Luna replied.
Everyone in the room was aghast at the revelation the doctor had revealed but asked that everything be kept quiet for now.
"This initial report is astonishing, to be sure, but I wish to keep it under wraps until I can do more testing to confirm what this is saying." Doctor Hoofson said as they walked down the hospitals corridors. Their hoof falls echoing about them as they continued to trot to Alexs room. "Princess Luna? You do understand why I think everything should be kept quiet for now. I don't want to start a panic only to find out it was all a big mistake. We must go slowly and carefully to make sure we make no errors, especially with our patient. From what your majesties have told me he has been put through enough of Tartarus as it is."
"That he has." Luna said sullenly as they walked down the hallway to the room where Alex was being taken care of.
The nurse wheeled in a gurney for her to lay upon which she jumped upon with a small flap of her wings. Once she was situated, she settled down on her stomach and said "Okay, let us do this."
"Yes your highness."
Princess Luna was carefully wheeled into the room that Alex was being kept in and moved right up next to his bed where his still unconscious form lay.
The medical equipment hummed and beeped out its constant rhythm.
Doctor Hoofson and Nurse Redheart immediately got to work preparing the necessary equipment and sterilizing the needles.
Just as the good doctor was about to put the needle in Lunas right foreleg after he has sterilized the area, he stopped and looked at Luna.
"Your Highness, I am thinking that as an added precaution that you use no magic. He is a non-magical creature and we don't fully yet know if it will have an adverse effect on him or not.
"I understand doctor and I want you to know that no matter what happens, you will not be held accountable."
"Thank you your highness. Please hold as still as possible." And then turning to Nurse Redheart. "Nurse, let us begin."
"Yes Doctor."
The needle was first pressed into Lunas foreleg. She felt the sharp point embed itself into her vein and winced but a little. She watched as her life giving fluid traveled through the narrow flexible tube and into the machine.
"Ok, here it goes." as Doctor Hoofson and Nurse Redheart embedded the other needle into Alexs exposed arm and turned on the machine that would carefully inject Lunas blood into him. Both watched intently and perhaps holding their breaths a little as Lunas blood passed through the clear tubing and into Alexs arm.
Nurse Redheart shifted her gaze between Alexs unconscious form and the instrumentation, staring intently at the readings of the medical equipment for even the slightest sign of any abnormalties.
The minutes seemed like hours as the doctor and nurse continued their work. Luna was praying silently to the stars, moon, sun and Faust as well as any other deities she knew of on Alexs behalf.
Five minutes or so passed by and then the doctor quietly said that that should be enough.
"Nurse? What does the instruments say? Anything?"
"No Doctor Hoofson. Everything seems normal." The nurse replied.
The doctor and nurse both then went to work withdrawing the needles from both patient and donor then moving away the equipment for cleaning and sterilization.
"Your Highness, are you ok? Are you feeling any adverse effects?"
"I am quite fine doctor. You know that we alicorns heal rather quickly as she hopped off the gurney.
Princess Celestia joined her sister in the room where Alex lay still unconscious.
Nurse Redheart continued checking his vitals while the doctor and the princesses conversed.
"Doctor you mentioned that you had discovered something about our human friend that was amazing." Princess Celestia queried. "What was it?"
"Oh. Right. Yes, your Highness. What I discovered was that our human...
Just at this time alarms in the room began to go off as Alex started to convulse! His body shook like he was in in an earthquake! His eyes shot open and he cried out in pain as though his body was being torn asunder!
"Nurse Redheart was doing her best to hold Alex down when the other three present in the room rushed over to assist.
He was strong and sweating profusly! His forelegs twisted and turned in impossible angles as they flailed about. The nurse was doing her best to keep him from hurting himself or any others present in the room.
As they each tried to gently but firmly hold Alex down and just as suddenly as his fit started, it suddenly stopped. Doctor Hoofson and Nurse Redheart quickly put him in padded restraints and began to check his vitals.
His heartbeat was very elevated and sounded as if it would burst out of his chest. His breathing was very erratic and shallow!
"Doctor! Do something!" Celestia cried. "Help him!"
"There is nothing I can do! I can only guess that Princess Lunas Alicorn blood is having a negative reaction with his physiology! It was incompatable! We're losing him""
The heart monitor was going crazy.
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP....BEEP..........BEEP...............BEEP....................
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.
Alexs unconscious form took in a deep breath and let it out.
He didn't take in another.
The heart monitor sang out its long single note and mournful song. |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 24: Back From the Dead for Real This Time | Back From the Dead For Real This Time
The ponies in the room bowed their heads in deep sadness. Alex was gone.
Everyone felt the weight of his passing keenly. Luna couldn't take the loss of her charge and teleported away to her room at the castle. She had lost him during the hunt, found him again at her old home, only to see him collapse from his injuries and once he was in safe hooves again, she had poisoned him with her own blood in an effort to save him once again only once again to kill him.
The shame of seemingly killing him was more than she could bare.
"Princess Celestia? I am so terribly sorry. We did everything we could. We just didn't know enough about his kind to help him." Doctor Hoofson said.
"I know doctor. You did everything you could. You are not at fault. This shame falls on the heads of the crowns." Celestia said solemnly. "I should go now. I need to be with my sister and try to comfort her."
"Yes your highness. If I may ask? What should we do with his body?"
"Learn all you can from him but I expressly forbid any autopsies. He is NOT to be cut open in any way shape or form. Is that understood?"
"Yes your highness I understand perfectly."
"Once you are done, prepare him for an honorable burial. I will see to the services myself."
With that Princess Celestia lit up her horn and vanished in a flash of orange white light.
"Nurse Redheart? Will you see to the preparations please? I will take care of the necessary paperwork." As Doctor Hoofson walked out of the room with his head hung low.
"Yes Doctor. Right away."
Doctor Hoofson was deep in thought and sorrow as he walked down the sterile looking hallways of the hospital corridors. Alex was the discovery of a lifetime and he had died before even regaining consciousness. There was so much he wanted to learn from this creature named Alex. So many unanswered questions with no hope of ever learning anything but what magic scanning would reveal of his anatomy. It was a terrible loss to science but even more so it was the loss of a precious life.
As the good doctor slowly walked to his office, he was met by Doctor Trotter the unicorn that had been in the room with him when Alex had first arrived.
"Doctor Hoofson! Good to see you my friend! How goes the recovery of our unusual guest?" He asked.
"He didn't make it." Hoofson said sullenly. "I am on my way to my office to fill out the paperwork."
"Oh no! Trotter exclaimed. "I am so sorry to hear of his passing. He seemed like an amazing creature. I would have liked to have gotten to know him better when he recovered. This is a terrible loss for all of us. What is to be done with his body if I may ask?"
"Yes my old friend. That reminds me. I will need your particular unicorn skills to do a magical scan of him. Princess Celestia said there was to be absolutely no autopsies. He is not to be cut open at all."
"You have my horn and my magic when you are ready. Just let me know and I will be there." Trotter said.
"Thank you Doctor Trotter. It is very much appreciated."
And with that the two stallions parted ways. -*-
Nurse Redheart carefully and tenderly brushed the hair away from Alexs closed eyes. She had tears in her own eyes. She was taking these turn of events pretty hard herself. She was an exceptional nurse and she took great pride in the work she did and the patients she took care of, but this was the part of the job she absolutely hated. She always felt the pain when somepony passed away while on her watch. It was something she would never get used to.
"I am so very sorry human. We did all we could but it just wasn't enough." She tearfully said. "I would have loved to get to know you better."
She sniffed a little and turned away as she began to disconnect all the medical instruments.
BEEP..............................................................................................
Nurse Redheart turned at the sound of the heart monitor only to see nothing. The monitor was still on and was still flat lined. She turned to back to her work gathering up magical cords and putting them away. She must have been hearing things.
BEEP.............................................................................................
There it was again! She turned to look yet again at the heart monitor.
BEEP................................................. BEEP...............................................
She turned to the motionless body on the operating table and saw it take a deep breath.
And then another!
BEEP................. BEEP.................. BEEP......................
The patient was alive! Alex was alive!
She ran to the magical intercom in the room and pressed the button and all but shouted into it.
"DOCTOR HOOFSON ROOM 710 STAT! THE PATIENT IS BREATHING AGAIN! I REPEAT! THE PATIENT IS ALIVE!!"
Doctor Hoofson must have been hearing things. He could had sworn that he heard Nurse Redheart say that his patient was alive! He charged out of his office and bolted down the corridor! Half way there he ran into Doctor Trotter talking to a nurse and exclaimed asking if he had heard right.
"No time Doctor. I have to get to the patients room stat! Could you come with me please? I may need your help!" Doctor Trotter fell in step as they both galloped down the hallway to room 710.
Bursting through the door, they were met with the sight of Nurse Redheart reconnecting the instruments to Alexs prone form. Doctor Hoofson put his stethoscope in his ears and pressed the other end to Alexs bare chest.
At the same Doctor Trotter looked at the gauges with a practiced eye for any abnormal readings.
As Hoofson continued to examine his patient, he noticed something odd happening. "Trotter, come here please? What do you make of this?"
Trotter walked over to the bedside and looked at what Doctor Hoofson was pointing out on the humans chest.
The cuts and bruises on Alexs body were shrinking and at the same time fading away. They could see it happening right in front of their eyes!
"Stand back please." Doctor Trotter said as he lit up his horn and began to carefully levitate Alexs body and turn it over to examine his back. There too, Alexs wounds were healing rapidly. Trotter then lay him gently back down and they both examined Alexs arm that had been bitten by one of the Diamond Dogs.
The intense wounds that had been inflicted during his battle were almost healed completely.
"I have to notify the princesses immediately!" Doctor Hoofson exclaimed. They have to know!" |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 25: I Bring Good News! | I Bring Good News!
"Luna? May I please come in?" Celestia spoke softly as she knocked on her sisters chamber door.
"No! Go away!" Was the muffled and sobbing reply from the other side of the doubledoors.
Celestia still let herself in and beheld the very sad sight of her sister lying on her bed sobbing as though her heart would break. Celestia walked over to Lunas bed and sat beside her crying sister draping an ivory wing over her.
"I killed him! Celestia! I'm not a princess. I'm a murderer!" she cried in anguish. I don't know how I can bear the thought or pain that I killed another sentient being! An innocent Pony! He never did anything wrong! We put him through Tartarus all for fun and sport only to be responsible for his death! He didn't deserve that!" Luna heart was in agony and no amount of consoling from her sister could help her calm that aching heart.
It was at this time and almost seemingly on queue and when Princess Luna and Celestia couldn't be more down in the depths of despair, that there was a knock at Lunas door. Celestia used her magic to open the door and answered the knocking.
"Yes. What is it!" She said just a bit testily without meaning to, to the servant at the door.
"I am sorry for the disturbance your highnesses, but this message has just arrived." The earth pony stallion said.
"I will look at it later." Celestia said back.
"Begging your majesties pardon, but I think you should read it now.
"Very well. Read it and please be quick about it." Celestia said with a heavy sigh.
"To your majesties Princess' Celestia and Luna, I have the honor to......
"Yes, yes, get on with it please!" Luna said with just a hint of anger.
"Apologies your highnesses." He said and cleared throat. "He lives!" -*-
"WHAT!? DID I HEAR YOU RIGHT!?"Celestia gasped.
The earth pony servant flinched and folded his ears back from her near use of the Royal Canterlot Voice.
Luna all but teleported right in front of the startled pony. "Can it be so? Is this true?"
"Y-Yes Highness! It is as I have said. I-It is what the message says and is signed by a Dr. Hoofson!" The servant said as he leaned back in slight fear from the dark colored princess invading his personal space.
"OH WHAT WONDEROUS NEWS!" She exclaimed as she grabbed the startled servant in a hug. Not knowing what to do, he looked to Celestia with pleading eyes that said "HELP ME!" Princess Celestia just gave him a warm smile and nodded in his direction letting him know that all was alright and that he had nothing to fear so he relaxed a little into her embrace with a goofy smile on his muzzle.
"Thank you so very much for this news!" she said breaking the hug with the messenger. The messenger respectfully bowed and left with his continued goofy smile on his muzzle and maybe staggering a little bit from the attention foisted upon him by his liege.
"Celestia, sister, Can we please go back to him? Pleeeeeeeeeze?" Luna begged. Celestia knew this was the perfect time to tease her younger sibling and mess with her just a bit by telling her things like "I don't know...." And "Well maybe. We'll have to see...." But she knew also that this was not the time. Her sister had suffered enough through all this ugly ordeal.
"Yes dear sister. Let us go to him." She said as Princess Luna had already headed for the balcony of her room.
Both spread their wings and leaped off letting gravity and air take over as they both headed back to the hospital.
Nurse Redheart was busy watching over her young charge with a keen and practiced eye. His life signs were weak but stable. Perhaps even a little bit stronger. There was hope for him yet and this made her fears lessen somewhat. She would do everything ponily possible to see to his full recovery. She walked over to his unconscious form and brushed a little bit of his mane out of his closed eyes and whispered kind words of encouragement in his ear telling him that he was going to be ok and before he knew it, he would be up and about and good as new.
Luna and Celestia arrived at the hospitals entrance and walked through the double doors to the front desk. The nurse at the front desk gave a quick bow to her royal leaders. "Your Highnesess, I am assuming you wish to see our special patient again?" She said with a smile.
"Yes indeed."
"He is still in room 107. I believe Nurse Redheart is in there with him now."
"Thank you." They both said in unison as they went through the double doors and straight to his room.
There was a light knocking at door to room 107 to which Nurse Redheart quietly answered. "Yes?" she softly spoke as she answered the door. Upon seeing the royal sisters again she gave a slight bow. "May we come in?" Celestia whispered.
The nurse opened the door admitting them both. Both Diarchs may have been the most powerful ponies in Equestria and could have gone in if they so chose to do so, but they had enough respect for their subjects and their work, to accept the answer "no" if Nurse Redheart had told them so.
"How is he?" Luna asked quietly.
"He is somewhat stable as far as we can tell." Red Heart answered. "His vital signs haven't fluctuated for some time now but they appear to be a little bit stronger."
"Do we know when he might wake up?" Luna asked.
Just then Doctor Hoofson quietly entered the patients' room. "Ah! Your Highnesses. Good! I am glad you have returned. I see you got my message."
"When we heard that he had returned to us, we has to come." Celestia whispered.
"Princess Luna, I am especially glad you are here." The doctor said.
"Why is that?
"I would like to try a little test to test a theory."
"What theory Doctor."
"If you would. Please approach our young patient here slowly."
Luna, with a confused look on her face, approached Alexs still unconscious form slowly as bidden and as she did the medical machinery started to increase in tempo but his breathing and vitals appeared to stay normal. Lunas eyebrows went up in surprise.
"Now come back away from him."
Luna did as she was told and his vitals calmed back down.
"And now Princess Celestia if you would?" The doctor asked.
She did as she was bidden and the same thing happened only not as much as with Luna.
Celestias eyebrows did the same thing as Lunas.
"Doctor Hoofson? What does it mean?" She asked.
"He may be in a coma at the moment, but he knows you are here. He is aware." The doctor said. "And there is more!" He added.
"More?" both sisters said at the same time in surprise.
The doctor let out a heavy sigh and said, "Your highnesses, if you would follow me to my office where we can talk more in private, I will explain."
He turned to the door and opened it to let the two princesses out first and then followed them out looking back at Nurse Redheart momentarily to which she gave a knowing smile and nod of the head as he left.
The good doctor walked down the sterile hallways and was met by Doctor Trotter the unicorn.
"Ah, Doctor Trotter. Good to see you. Have you a spare moment to join us in my office?"
"Yes. Of course. I surmise that this concerning our young patient?
Upon see the two royals he gave a polite bow and accompanied the three to Doctor Hoofsons office.
Once all parties present entered, he closed the door and locked it.
"Your highnesses, I don't know how I can break the news gently so I will just tell you what we have discovered with our young friend."
"After some more thorough and precise testing we are certain about one thing with our young friend, Alex. I didn't want to believe it myself but I can't ignore our findings your highnesses. This is why I wanted to tell only you two and no pony else. I figure since you are the rulers of our land, once I tell you, then you would have to decide what is best for the kingdom."
Both princesses were shocked to hear these words come from the good doctors muzzle.
"What is it doctor? How is it that our young Alex has suddenly become a potential state secret?" Celestia asked.
"Well Princess", Hoofson said with some trepidation. "Our testing has revealed..........."
"What Doctor?"
"He is us!"
"WHAT???!!!" |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 26: He is Us! | He is Us!
"Doctor Hoofson. What in Equestria do you mean by that?! How can this be?" Celestia asked.
"I must concur with my colleague." Doctor Trotter agreed stepping forward.
"It is as I have said your highness. He is us, but down a different evolutionary path, if you will. Although he is a meat eater, his body shares many of the same traits us ponies do. His dietary needs may differ somewhat from us only slightly, but most of what we can eat, he can eat as well. He has some semblance of fur on his body. His skin is not as tough as pony hide yet his skin is more pliable than ours and seems to heal up much faster. His blood type is very similar to ours otherwise the blood transfusion more than likely would not have worked. His thinking and reasoning skills, communication abilities, bone density, and even the hard surfaces on the end of his snakey like hooves / claws is similar in composition and make up as our hooves are." The doctor said.
"But he doesn't have magic." Celestia said. "He never showed any signs of magical skill when he was around us. Even earth ponies have their magical ties to the land. It is a well-known fact that life cannot exist here without magic."
"Very true your highness, very true, but that scientific fact now seems to be in error given the irrefutable fact of his mere existence! His kind are extremely adaptable and remember, he is not from here, and his kind apparently dont need magic." Doctor Hoofson said. "The appendages at the end of his forelegs are very dexterous and he is able to manipulate tools and materials to build whatever it is his kind need. We need magic to survive. We can't build or manipulate anything, really, without magic as an aid. Without magic we are little more than common dumb animals." Then turning, he asked Princess Luna, "When you talked to him at your old castle did you see him holding anything in his unusual fore hooves?"
"Yes doctor. He fought off several Diamond Dogs holding a sword in them. I witnessed it with my own eyes! He was even using the sword in defense against me." Luna said.
"It is as I suspected." Doctor Hoofson said.
Celestia then spoke aloud in thought. "That would explain the detail he put in those drawings he drew when he first faked his death."
Luna frowned at the thought of what he had drawn about her.
"This human is absolutely amazing! We could make a career out of him for the rest of our lives and beyond! Just think of what he might be able to teach us!" the doctor said excitedly. His world must be absolutely incredible!"
"I now see why you wanted to consult with us before revealing his existence." Celestia spoke. "A discovery such as this could start a panic amongst out subjects. Some would accept him, some would try to exploit him for gain..."
"Mostly the nobles." Luna mumbled under her breath.
"What was that sister?" Celestia asked.
"Nothing sister." Luna did however notice the smirk on Celestias muzzle and knew that she had heard her retort and more than likely agreed with her.
"And there may be more zealous ones that see him as some kind of abomination and as an offence to their gods and thus needs to be done away with before he can corrupt anypony."
"There is one other thing I must bring up your majesties." Doctor Hoofson said.
"What is that doctor?" Luna asked with concern in her voice.
"I do not wish to overstep my bounds, but given what I have just suggested, I fear that once the other races of Equestria find out about his existence, provided word hasn't already gotten out, that he may be a prime target for potential pony nappings from outside forces. Possibly even used as a hostage or bargaining chip against your majesties."
"Your insight serves you well doctor. You do have a very valid point there." Celestia said as she put a hoof to her chin in thought. "Luna, what do you say to posting guards outside his door until he awakens?"
"I agree sister. I will even assign a detatchment from my Lunar Guards to watch over him by night. Also the spells and wards of protection I cast around him from when he was living in our old castle are still in effect. I will know if there is any sort of danger to him should they be breached." Luna answered.
"A wise precaution your highness'." The doctor spoke. If there is nothing more to be discussed, I think we should look in on our patient again."
All present walked out of the office door with Doctor Hoofson leaving last and closing the door behind him. It was just a short trot down the hall back to Alexs room.
Quietly they walked into the room to look one last time at his sleeping form before returning to the castle. Doctor Hoofson stepped back and let the princesses say their farewells. Celestia and Luna whispered once again their heartfelt apologies for his mistreatment by them as each caressed his face and torso with a soft wing. Luna lingered a bit longer and whispered in his ear "Please come back to us Alex, you no longer need to fear us. Sarah is here for you and will always be." She placed a soft kiss on his forehead and stepped away, turning and looking one last time over her shoulder as she did so, and walked out the door where her sister and the good doctor were patiently waiting. As she turned away, she failed to notice that a smile formed on his face as he let out a deep sigh of contentment. "Doctor Hoofson, would you please continue to monitor his recovery and notify us of any changes in his status?" "Yes your highnesses I will." Was the doctors reply.
Nurse Redheart only remained. She would watch over the human as if he was her own foal. If any intruders were able to get past the guards that would shortly be stationed outside his door, they would have to deal with her and Celestia and Luna help any of them if any dared try! -*-
As Luna and Celestia flew home, neither spoke. Both were deep in thought about what had been revealed to them by both Doctors Hoofson and Trotter concerning Alex and the possible outside dangers he might be in should his existence be revealed before they were ready to officially present him to their subjects and consequently the whole of Equestria.
One set of gold and one set of silver shod hooves lightly set down on the balcony leading to Canterlot Castles throne room. Ebon and ivory wings folded as the two ruling sisters crossed the threshold into the throne room proper.
Luna was first to break the silence between them. "Celestia, sister, I feel it is necessary to prepare and provide a room for Alex and bring him here to the castle and as close to one of us if not both to keep him as safe as soon as possible. He is a truly unique pony and I fear the good doctors words of warning may be more accurate that we may realize."
"I too, feel that way as well Luna. He has gone through way too much at our hooves. He didn't deserve what we did to him and what he has gone through with his battle with the diamond dogs nearly cost him his life.
"He won't have to worry about them any more if anything," Luna responded rather darkly. "I fear that he will be more afraid of us and our world than ever before." As the two sisters ascended the stairs to their respective thrones.
Before Celestia could say anything Luna turned towards the doors at the other end of the room and called out, "GUARDS!"
Within a moment, the two solar guards standing outside the big double doors entered and bowed.
Celestia then spoke. "Please send for the captain of the guard."
"Yes your highnesses. Right away."
One of the guards ran off while the other remained and within moments again, there was a flash in the throne room proper and there stood Shining Armor who bowed and then rose to an upright position asking "Your highnesses sent for me?"
"Yes, Shining Armor. We have a special assignment we need your assistance on." Luna said. Celestia continued..."We need two of your best guards to go to Canterlot Hospital, along with two of Lunas Lunar guards, to protect the pony in room 710 day and night. He is a very rare creature and the only one of his kind. There is the possibility there may attempted foalnappings of him.... Or worse. As of this moment he is under the crowns protection!" Celestia summoned a blank parchment and an ink well. She quickly wrote down her decree and signed it passing the parchment to Princes Luna who also signed the royal document.
Luna then spoke. "See that nothing happens to him. Notify us of any change in his condition and do not interfere with the hospital staff in their duties of his care."
"I understand your highnesses. It will be done within the hour." Was his reply with another quick bow he turned and went out the throne room doors. -*-
12:04 am. Nurse Redheart stepped quietly into room 710 to make sure her charge was doing ok. Alexs vitals had remained stable for some time now and it was looking like he was out of any medical danger. Doctor Hoofson quietly walked into the room and in hushed whispers talked to Readheart about Alexs current condition.
"....Good. That is indeed good to hear. I think we can safely move him into recovery now. Shall we see to it nurse?" "Yes Doctor." Redheart replied with a smile.
Carefully and professionally they disconnected Alex from the medical machinery and wheeled him out the door to his room and down to his new room in the recovery ward. Room number 25. Nurse Redheart was happy about this because it was much nearer to her work station. It would be much easier for her to keep an eye on Alex and respond should anything arise. After a quick check of all the medical equipment to make sure it was functioning properly, she drew the partition curtain across separating him from the recovering pegasus stallion in the same room. Once complete, she looked at the slow rising and falling of his chest as he continued his breathing then turned quietly and walked out of the door and to her work station just a few rooms down the hall.
No sooner was she at her desk than two solar guards ponies arrived and presented their orders to Nurse Redheart.
"Ah yes. We were told of your coming. He is no longer in room 710. He is in recovery room 25. It's just down the hall there on your right." She said pointing a hoof in the direction of his new location. I was just penning a message to their highnesses about his new location and current status.
"Thank you nurse. Also two of Princess Lunas Lunar Guard will be here during the night. Their orders are the same." They said with a short bow and went down the hallway to their assigned post. |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 27: Awakenings: | Awakenings
Nurse Redheart went about her duties as she always did. It had been a long shift today and it had only been one near miss after another since Alex had been wounded in battle with diamond dogs at the Castle of the Two Sisters and Princess Luna had given her blood to help save his life. He had been in a coma for about three weeks now and there had been little to no change in his condition. The one good thing in all this was that he hadn't gotten any worse during this time.
Just as she had finished looking over Alex and was on the other side of the partition curtain, checking on her one winged Pegasus amputee patient, she suddenly heard a low moan and some shuffling on the other side of the curtain.
After finishing her checkup of the Pegasus, probably a little faster than normal, she found Alex shuffling around as if trying to awaken from being put under anesthesia for a major operation. He hadn't open his eyes yet, but he looked as if he was trying to awaken.
Nurse Redheart went to the rooms intercom and hit the alert button.
"Doctor Hoofson! Doctor Trotter! Our special patient is waking up! I repeat. The patient is waking up!
Doctors Hoofson and Trotter, upon hearing the announcement over the hospitals intercom, were instantly up and running down the hall for the "special patient" in room 25. Once there, they were met with the Pegasus Royal Guards that had been assigned by Princess Celestia to protect Alex. The guards parted to let the doctors through. Doctors Hoofson and Trotter immediately began to carefully examine Alexs vitals with Doctor Trotter closing his eyes while lighting up his horn and scanning Alexs internals and wounds down to the cellular level to see if there were any potential complications since his blood transfusion.
Alex continued to moan and move but a little as the effects of his coma continued to wear off.
Doctor Trotter turned to his friend and said with a smile, "I think we should send word to the princesses, of the good news."
"I agree." Hoofson replied, as he went to the door and opened it. "Guards. I need one of you to immediately go to their highnesses quickly and inform them that our patient is awaking! I am sure they will be happy to hear the good news!"
Upon hearing this one of the pegasus guards took to the air and flew down the corridor to the main doors at the front of the hospital and made for the castles throne room as fast as he could.
Princess Celestia was trying to look interested in the continual inane babbling of the rather fat and haughty unicorn noblemare before her as she tried to convince and petition her about her right to something that Celestia had quite forgotten during her rather boring presentation. ...."What are we to do your highness?" Celestia shook her head to clear the verbal cobwebs this mare had filled it with...
" Well, you might want to start with a salad." She replied.
The unicorn mares jaw almost hit the floor in shock at what Celestia said but before she could protest anything, the throne room doors opened and a solar guard entered and bowed.
"Your Highness?"
"Yes?"
"I bring word from the Canterlot Hospital."
"What is it!?" She asked both nervously and yet filled with hope.
"He is waking up. Was all I was told to tell you."
"Yes. Thank you guard. This is very good news!"
Turning to the unicorn nobelmare she then said. "I am sorry but you will have to excuse me. I have something very important to see to at the moment." And with that Princess Celestia lit up her horn and teleported with a flash of golden light only to reappear in front of her sisters bedroom chamber doors.
Quietly entering she found her sister sound asleep. "This would be the perfect chance to pull a prank on her." She thought as she approached Lunas sleeping form. "But sometimes one must let the easy ones go." She thought to herself with a sigh shaking her head. Instead she thought the better of it and gently shook Lunas sleeping form with a hoof. "Luna. Luna" She said as she continued to nudge her sister. Luna began to stir and opened her bleary teal eyes.
"Uhn. Celestia. Sister. What is it? Is everything all right?" She said with a yawn.
"Yes everything is all right Luna. Better than even. I bring good news."
"What Tidings dost thou bring at this hour?"
Celestia answered with only four simple words.
"He is waking up!" She excitedly whispered.
Luna was suddenly awake. "He is?! Dost thou truly speak the truth?"
"Yes sister. I was just informed only moments ago. Shall we go see him?
"YES! I mean yes sister. Let us go now to greet him." Luna said trying to seem more regal considering her momentary outburst of excitement.
"Well, before we go you might want to fix your mane and tail. You have a rather bad case of manehead at the moment. We wouldn't want to make a bad impression on young Alex now would we?" Celestia snickered.
Luna yelped when she looked at herself in her vanities mirror.
"This will never do!" she said as she went hurriedly about straightening her flowing mane and tail with her magic and then setting her royal regalia in its proper places upon her person.
"Now that looks much better." She stated "All ready. Let's go." And with a flash of magic from both of their glowing horns they disappeared from the room.
Nurse Redheart was watching over charge, carefully monitoring his vitals as Alex slowly fought to regain consciousness. It was at this time when the two diarchs of equestrian quietly entered the room. There they witnessed Alexs human form struggling to awaken as he tossed and turned a little and mumbled in his sleep as though he was having a nightmare. Out of instinct Luna lit up her horn and began to weave the spell that would allow her to enter Alexs sleeping mind.
"Princess please stop!" Doctor Hoofson said a little below a shout as he came into the room which in turn broke her concentration and thus causing her spell to fizzle and fade out like a dying ember.
"Doctor Hoofson. Why did you stop me from entering his nightmare? I was only trying to help him."
"I know, your highness, Please forgive me, but in my medical opinion, he has to awaken on his own. You cannot help him in this instance. Think of his mind as a newly hatching bird. If the mother and father help the hatchling get out of its shell then it will die because it has to exercise its muscles to make itself strong enough to survive. It will be too weak otherwise. Alex has to do this on his own. However if you want to help him, I would recommend that talking to him and touching him would help the most. If he knows you are there talking to and encouraging him, that will help the most. No magic."
"We understand doctor." Celestia said quietly and walked over to Alexs bedside and unfurled her ivory wing and began to softly caress his face and torso. Luna quickly followed suit following her sisters' example and unfurling her indigo wing and laying it gently against his arm. As she did so she touched Alexs open palm and he reflectively curled his fingers around a couple of her primaries and seemed to not want to let go.
This went on for a few more minutes until he groggly opened his eyes and mumbled "Mom? Dad? In a raspy voice.
Celestia and Luna both smiled as he continued to become more coherent, his eyes looking about as he tried to focus on the blurry forms above him. As he did he recognized the two princesses looking at him with gentile smiles on their faces.
"C-Celestia? L-Luna? What happened? Where am I?"
"You are in the Canterlot Hospital recovery room 25 if you must know." Celestia said softly. "Welcome back to us my young friend." She then stepped back and allowed the doctor to check his eyes and do his doctor things that all good doctors do.
"Alex? My name is Doctor Hoofson. I have been taking care of you along with Nurse Redheart and Doctor Trotter." As the nurse and unicorn stepped into his view next to Doctor Hoofson.
"Wow. Your pretty." He groggily said to the white mare. Redheart blushed a little and turned her head away "You? Not so much so." He said to the doctor who smiled and chuckled a bit, good naturedly. "...And you have a pointy thing on your head." He said. The unicorn smiled at his keen observation and description of his horn.
"Yes. Well, how are you feeling young colt?"
"Like I chased a fart through a keg of nails, if you must know!" he sighed. "Any way I can get a drink of water around here or somethin'? Maybe some pain killers? My head feels like it's about to split in two."
No one understood what that exactly meant by his answer but it sounded so funny that everyone in the room burst out in laughter with Celestia giggle snorting in between guffaws which made all present laugh even more as Alex smiled at their reactions. The stress of this whole long ordeal melting away from all present over his answer to the doctors question.
"It's good to see you still have your sense of humor." Luna said after she had regained some self-control. Levitated a glass of water over to him while at the same time using her magic to raise him up enough to take the pain killers and drink the water she held to his lips.
He felt a little tugging on his hand and looked over only to realize he still had a hold of Lunas wing in his hand. "Oh! Sorry princess Luna! I didn't mean to mess up your feathers!" as he let go. Yes they were a little rumpled from his grasp but she couldn't care less. "It's no problem Alex. I am just happy and relieved to see that you are awake and have come back to us." She said with a smile. "We have all been very worried about you."
"Thanks." He said tiredly as he was gently laid back down. He then looked away from them all and seemed to be deep in thought.
"Alex? What is it?" Celestia asked in a soft motherly tone.
Alex turned his head back to the snow white princess where his gaze met her pink eyes.
"How long? How long was I gone?... not here?" He couldn't think of the right word. Celestia looked at the doctor and he gave her a nod.
"What do you remember?" She asked.
Alex closed his eyes and concentrated on trying to bring back the memories.
"I remember some dogs hurting a little kid. That really pissed me off so I dealt with them and took the little one with me and tried to help him. How is he by the way? Is he ok?" The heart monitor connected to him jumped up a bit faster as he became excited with worry while trying to sit up.
"Yes he is. Thanks to you." Celestia said with a smile. "He is quite well." As she gently pushed him back down with her hoof.
As he lay back down his arm came back off the bed slightly and his hand flexed involuntarily a couple of times until he felt something soft in his palm. His fingers reflexively wrapped around it as he looked down. Luna had placed her wingtip back in his grasp. He looked back up at her and smiled. "Thank you." He whispered.
"What else do you remember?" Celestia gently prodded.
I got back to my home and was attacked by more of those dogs and then Sarah, I mean, Luna showed up. It was her but it wasn't. I don't know any other way to say it. And then I was here. How did I get here anyways?" He asked while looking questioningly into Celestias eyes.
"There is much more to the story Alex but not right now. You still need your rest if you are going to make a full recovery. However, I will tell you that you have been asleep for about three weeks now." Celestia spoke softly and smiled.
"Wow!" He whispered. As his eyes began to droop and close. Celestia looked to her little sister and her horn was gently glowing as she lulled Alex back to sleep.
"Come your highnesses. It's time we let our friend sleep." Doctor Hoofson whispered.
The princess turned to leave but Luna was held back. As she turned she noticed that Alex still had a hold of her wingtip. When she gently tried to pull her wing away his grip tightened slightly.
"Sister, I may tarry here a bit longer." Looking toward Alexs hand and her wing still in his grasp as he slept.
Celestia looked over her withers, smiled, and nodded as she turned and left with the doctor and nurse. |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 28: Catching Up | Catching Up
Alex awoke from his slumber in the hospital. The bed was comfortable and he really didn't want to get out but Mother Nature was leaving him a message telling him that if he didn't use the bathroom soon that things were going to get ugly and messy. With some effort he was able to sit up on his own and with a little more effort, he was able to swing (more like flop) his legs over the side of the bed.
Upon setting his feet on the tiled floor he felt how cold it was but didn't wince from the feeling. It actually felt rather nice. It felt way better that the sudden migraine that hit his head like a freight train.
"Ugh! What a headache! If this is what it's like to have a hangover, I'm never going to drink!" He grumbled as he wiped his hand through his hair and down his scraggly whiskered face and then focused on his goal in front of him.
He tried his footing on the floor and found that his legs were too wobbly and weak to hold his weight.
It was just at this time that Nurse Redheart walked in and saw him sitting at the edge of his bed.
"Oh! You're awake! How are you feeling Alex?"
"Bathroom." Was all Alex said as he tried to stand up again only to have his knees try to buckle, again.
"Woah there young colt!" She exclaimed. "Hang on just a sec." and she quickly rushed over to him. "Here now. Just put your hands on my back to steady yourself and I'll help you get there. Alex looked at her with a bit of nervousness in his eyes. She understood that look. She had heard of what he had been put through and of his fear and mistrust of ponies.
"Come on." She spoke softly and nodded. It's all right. I won't hurt you." She said with a kind smile on her muzzle as she turned and stood at his side so he could put a hand on her back while she looked over her withers back at him and patiently waiting. Alex looked at her then back at the bathroom all the while thinking he could wait a bit longer but his insides won out and so with a deep sigh he steeled himself and put his hand on her back at the same time he stood up.
Nurse Redheart easily took his weight and slowly walked him over to the rooms bathroom all the while quietly speaking words of encouragement. Once she had guided him to the bathroom she exited to give him some privacy. "I'll just be right outside the door when you are done. Just let me know." She said as she closed the door.
Alex finished up his business and flushed the toilet. It was a little different in its construction but he made due with little discomfort. Once finished and cleaned up he called out in a raspy voice to the nurse that he was done whereupon she opened the bathrooms door and once again placed herself in a position to help him steady himself as she guided him back to his bed. Once there, she helped him to sit and then gently used her muzzle to help him lift his legs back into bed, skillfully pulling the beds blankets over him with her teeth, that being the last thing she took care of.
Alex then asked her for a glass of water to wet his parched throat to which the good nurse obliged him with a cup of water with ice cubes in it! A small but pleasant surprise and a comfort to his somewhat sore and parched throat. Just as Alex was about to take the clear liquid from her hoof, there was a loud rumbling. Nurse Redheart eyes went big and her ears went up. "It sounds like somepony is hungry!" she said with a cheerful smile.
"You got that right! I'm so hungry I could eat a hooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrouse." He started to say but caught himself in mid word thinking that it might not be a good idea to use that particular earth expression. "Yes, I am a little hungry." He said, a little embarrassed by his near slip of the tongue as he eagerly drank his cup of water.
"Ok. Just wait here and I'll be back with something for you to eat right after I check on your roommate here." She said as she rolled back the partition curtain revealing the Pegasus that was in the bed next to him. Once she had checked him over, she headed for the door. "I'll be right back." She cheerfully said as she went out the door.
Alex laid in bed looking at the ceiling and thinking of nothing in particular when his eyes drifted over to his Pegasus roommate only to see the white furred equine looking Pegasus staring back at him with green eyes filled with curiosity. The Pegasus spoke first. "What and who are you?" the pony asked with curiosity. "I've never seen somepony like you before."
Alex responded in kind. "I'm what is called a human. My names Alex. In case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm not exactly from around here." He said with a little sarcastic humor.
"I kinda figured that part out already." The pony said with a good natured smirk. "The names Skyfire. I am part of the royal guard. Princess Celestias elite royal guard to be precise. Then he went silent for a bit and looked back at what was left of his left wing and sighed. "Well, I used to be." He said sadly as he waved the stump of his amputated wing. "Looks like I am forever an earth pony now. I will be permanently grounded from now on." He said sadly.
"What happened? If you don't mind me asking." Alex queried.
"Got ambushed by four griffons while out on patrol. They came out of a cloud they were hiding in and were on our patrol before we knew it. One of the feather pluckers wounded one of my squadron and I ordered my wingman to go help him before he hit the ground while I held them off. It was an ugly fight. I managed to wound two of them and knock one out of the sky before the fourth one clawed my wing and I fell through some trees shattering most of my wing bones on my left side. I was told that despite the best magic and healing spells they had, it was no use. My wing would have to come off." He said while waving the bandaged stump some more. "I don't know what I will do once I get outta here. Probably fly a desk job, get a medical discharge or honorable discharge from the service with some kind of severance package. Severance HA! HA! I made a funny!" He said with sarcasm as he wiggled his stump around again. "The problem is that I liked my job. I took great pride and pleasure protecting the princesses and the ponies of Equestria! If I had it all to do all over again, I still would.......But now I just don't know what I'm gonna do. There isn't very much work nor many opportunities for a one wing pegasus that can't fly." Sky said as his head sunk back onto his bed and he looked at the ceiling above his bunk. "How about you? How did you land up here?"
"Long story." Alex said kind of bluntly. "I got sucked into this world somehow, chased by a bunch of ponies who wanted to exploit me for gain, got hunted for fun by the same ponies in a forest, faked my own death so I could escape being chased, lived in a run-down castle of sorts in a forest for about three years, Got in a fight with some kinda dogs for hurting a little kid... uh...colt, got attacked by more of them at my home and held them off for a while before I got over run and wounded in the fight. That's when Princess Luna showed up. I mean it was her but it wasn't. Can't describe it any other way. Passed out in front of her and the next thing I knew I was here. The rest is a blank at the moment." Alex sighed.
"WOW!" Skyfire exclaimed. "What an adventure! It sounds like you have been put through Tartarus and back! And you were hunted for sport too? That is a horrible thing to do! I'd talk to the princesses about that if I were you! That is totally not ok in my book."
"Oh, I plan to, believe me...Since they were two of the eleven that were hunting me."
"WHAT!? Sky exclaimed. But that's impossible! They would never do something like that! You must be joking!" Skyfire said with eyes bulging in astonishment.
Alex looked at him with an expressionless face. "Note serious face." Alex stated flatly as he pointed to his expressionless face. "Contrary to what you and the rest of Ponyland here may think, your princess' aren't infallible."
Sky lay his head back down on his pillow and stared at the ceiling as he thought about Alexs' words. It just wasn't possible! The princesses wouldn't do such a thing! Suddenly he sat up again. A thought in mind. "Hey Alex?
"Yeah?"
"You said that you lived in a ruined castle in a forest didn't you?"
"Yeah, Why?"
"Well, the only castle I know of in a forest was the old ruins in the Everfree Forest. That castle was known as The Castle of the Two Sisters. It used to be the home of both Princesses Luna and Celestia a long time ago. Is that where you say you were living?"
"I didn't know its name but yes it was in a forest."
"And how long were you there did you say?"
"About 3 years I think. Give or take."
"That's incredible!" Sky exclaimed. "Weren't you scared? That place has all kinds of dangers. It's terrifying! I heard stories of ponies going in there and they were never seen again!"
"Naw. I wasn't scared all that much really. Doesn't mean I was careless or stupid. I was cautious but scared? Nope."
"How could you not be?"
"That place isn't all that different to many places back home. I would go camping with my grandparents almost every summer." Alex said very matter of factly. "It looked like any other forest I've been in."
Sky just looked at him with his mouth agape.
"Might want to close your mouth. A bug might fly in it and you are starting to drool out of the corner a bit." Alex smirked.
Still wide eyed and looking at Alex, Skyfire shut his mouth with a very audible "CLOP!"
Nurse Redheart suddenly walked into the duos room standing on her hind legs while pushing in a food cart. It amazed Alex that these ponies could do so many human like tasks even though they weren't bipedal. She pushed the cart up next to Alexs bed and while still on her hind legs she pulled the little table over and placed his food on it. Alexs stomach grumbled again with the knowledge that it would be feeling full and satisfied. She then wheeled the cart around to Skyfires bedside and did the same. Alex didn't waste any time devouring his meal and before she could leave the room he had finished off the entire meal.
"WOW! You really were hungry weren't you?" Nurse Redheart exclaimed as she took the empty dishes from Alexs tray and put them back on the trolly.
"Yes ma'am! I didn't know how hungry I was! That was really good. Please tell the cooks that I loved it.
"I will. They will be happy to hear of your compliment of their work."
"Nurse? Can you tell me when I will be able to leave here? I'd like to go back to my home as soon as possible."
"Well, Doctor Hoofson and Trotter will want to give you a full examination before you go but if everything checks out, then you will be set free probably tomorrow!" she said. "If you behave yourself, you might also get a treat too!"
"That sounds wonderful! Then I can get out of your hair... uh... mane. Sorry, I am still trying to remember and get used to using your language around here."
"It's quite alright young stallion. Your Equish is better than my command of your lands language." she giggled. "Now, off to sleep with you. Get plenty of rest. Tomorrow is a big day for you!"
"Ok mom." he retorted to which she gave him a playful smirk. He liked Miss Redheart. She was the first pony in this place to be nice to him.
Alex lay back on his bed with a satisfied smile on his face. Soon he was asleep again. She walked over to the side of his bed and with her hoof gently brushed a stray strand of his hair out of his face.
"Nurse Redheart, can I speak with you a moment?" Skyfire whispered quietly motioning her to his bed side.
"Yes Sky. What is it?"
"If I am not mistaken, I heard him say that he is eager to go back home right?"
"Yes, he did say that. Why?"
"Do you know where his home is?" Skyfire whispered.
"No I don't." She whispered back.
"It's the old ruins in the Everfree Forest!"
"You don't mean...?"
"YES! His home for the last three years has been the Castle of the Two Sisters ruins!" Skyfire exclaimed in a hushed tone! "He told me so!"
"That is where he was injured when he was first brought in! I didn't know it was where he had been living all this time!" Redheart quietly said as she looked back at Alexs sleeping form. "This will never do! I will let the princesses know and maybe they will arrange better living arrangements for him. But he absolutely cannot go back to that dreadful place. I simply won't allow it!" As she turned to leave Skyfire whispered.
"Wait! There is more! He also told me that he faked his own death because the princesses HUNTED him FOR SPORT!
For a moment Nurse Redheart was speechless as her pony brain tried to process what she had just been told.
"Skyfire, I will handle everything from here. Thank you for this information." She said. "And now I need you get some rest too. You will be checking out of here soon as well."
"Oh ok......mom." Skyfire said with a smirk, imitating what Alex had said earlier.
Nurse Redheart just smiled and rolled her eyes at his good natured ribbing while he settled into his own bed and rolled onto his non injured side.
And with that, Nurse Redheart quietly exited the room past the Pegasus guards.
"Nurse?" One of the guards suddenly said in a stoic voice while still looking forward.
Nurse Redheart turned to the guard that spoke. "How is he doing? Skyfire?"
"He is recovering nicely. But the doctors had to amputate his wing in order to save his life. It was so badly damaged that there was no other choice."
The other guard looked down and shook his head in sadness. "He was one of the best among us. Now he's grounded forever. No Pegasus should have to go through this. Better off dead than be grounded for the rest of your life."
All three ponies were quiet for a moment and before the silence could get more awkward one of them then asked. "What about the creature in there with him? Isn't it dangerous?"
Nurse Redheart internally frowned a little but understood where the guards were coming from being that they had never seen a human before.
"Alex. His name is Alex. He is what is called a human and he isn't dangerous at all.
As a matter of fact, He is more terrified of us ponies than the other way around! He has been horribly mistreated by ponies. He also saved a young colt from torture and enslavement from Diamond Dogs despite his mistreatment. Add to that, he was badly wounded in a battle with more Diamond Dogs later which is why he ended up here. He almost died from his wounds! It's going to take a while for him to trust any of us at all."
Both guards' jaws hung open in shock at her words.
"I am not at liberty to say who the culprits were and the full extent of the harm that was caused, but right now he needs to have friends he can trust." -*-
Day turned to twilight, turned to dusk, turning eventually to night. Princess Lunas charge brightened the night sky along with the glowing stars that always accompanied it. Alex awoke with the setting of the sun and the rising of the moon. He looked over to his side and peering through the dark could see the sleeping form of his one winged pegasus roommate laying on his uninjured side. His ribcage gently rising and falling as he breathed. He felt much better and as though his strength and energy had returned. As he looked about his room, he could see details and he thought it was odd that he could see in the dark so well.
He mentally wrote it off as the light of the moon coming through the rooms outside window. Suddenly he could hear the hoof falls of ponies outside his door and muffled voices stating. "By the Princess of the Night, we relieve you." To which he heard the reply..."By the Princess of the Day, we stand relieved." And more clopping then fading away as they walked down the hallway.
Alex quietly got out of bed and looked around. At the foot (hoof?) of his bed he spied the clip board stating his condition and current status. Picking it up, he looked it over quickly and realized that he would be getting out come the morning. He felt an unwanted cold shudder run down his spine at the realization that the ponies might want to put him in a cage and keep him incarcerated so that they might keep him for further study. "Not gonna happen!" he thought as he replaced the clip board back at the foot of his bed.
Quietly looking around some more, spotted his shoes and his clothes neatly washed, repaired, and folded in a cabinet on his side of the room. He also discovered his backpack as well. He quietly as possible got dressed all the while keeping a wary eye towards the door for any sign that the guards heard him moving about. Once dressed he carefully went over to the window and opened it. He took one last look around and quietly slipped out into the night. |
Get Him 3 | Chapter 29: What Now? | Catching Up
What Now?
Luna sighed in exasperation and shook her head as she sat upon her throne whilst holding Night Court. "Alex? What am I going to do with you? How can I make you understand? What we did to you was unforgivable. You don't have to run or hide anymore." She thought to herself. It was at this time there was a quiet knock at the large double doors at the other end of the throne room.
"Enter." She spoke tiredly but with still an air of authority.
A bat pony stepped in and bowed.
"Speak. What news do you have?"
"Yes my princess. It is as you said. He is on the move. Shadow Moon is watching him discreetly from afar."
"Very well Night Shade. Let us gather him up and take him back to the hospital before he hurts himself again." Luna spoke.
With those orders she rose from her throne and headed out the doors.
The night air was cool and slightly crisp as she spread her wings and took to the skies. Her two vamponies flying escort alongside their princess. She didn't have to search for him due to the fact that the wards and spells of protection were still in full effect and would let her know exactly where Alex was and what dangers he might be in. It only took a few minutes for her to sight him walking through the streets of Canterlot seemingly in no hurry.
"How odd." She said quietly to her two escorts as she continued to watch Alex walk across the city.
"Shall we stop him and escort him to you your highness?" Moon Shadow asked.
"No. Not yet." She said. "Notice he is in no hurry to try to escape. He doesn't run or hide. Tis very out of character for him. Let us continue to watch and see what we may learn."
The trio of night watchers continued to observe Alexs' actions as they quietly continued to hover above him camouflaged against the darkness of the night sky.
They silently watched as he walked over to a park bench and sat down. He remained in this position for several more minutes. Just sitting and doing nothing but looking up at the night sky.
Luna decided to see what it was he was doing just sitting there and began to silently descend to the ground behind him a small distance away. Three sets of hooves touched down without making nary a sound and before she could take even one step forward he spoke. "Good evening princess. And to your two companions as well. It's a beautiful night tonight." He said without even turning around. "I'm assuming this is your handiwork (Hoofdiwork?)
Luna was caught off guard by his question and the fact that he knew they were there when they had been so very silent when they had landed.
"Wh-Why yes. Yes it is! Thank you for the compliment!" She answered with a small blush. "You really like my night skies?"
"Yes, it's very pretty. Different than the night skies back home, but very pretty none the less." He let out a deep sigh and was silent for a moment.
"Very well. I guess I should go back to the hospital." He said getting up from the park bench. "Let's go." As he swung his back pack over his shoulder and started heading back to the hospital, walking past Luna and between the two night guards accompanying her. Luna stood in stunned silence as she turned to look at him, the guards following suit.
"Wait Alex!" she called out to him while breaking into a canter to catch up with him. Once alongside she asked. "Why did you sneak out of the hospital?"
"I was feeling cooped up and just needed to get some fresh air. I doubt if the hospital staff would allow me to just go out the front door. I just wanted to look at the night sky and the moon since it will be my last time anyways." He flatly stated. "What? Did you think I was going to try to escape again? Where would I go? Besides, you caught me. You won the hunt." He said as he marched along.
Luna was shocked and saddened. "Alex. I-I..." She didn't know what to say and just fell silent. He was still thinking about the contest from three years ago.
"I need to get back to the hospital anyways. I'm getting checked out and released in the morning. After that, I will follow you to your garden and you can turn me into a stone statue like you planned. Don't worry. I won't try to run this time. I'm done running." He stated with no emotion in his voice what so ever. He didn't even look her way when he spoke to her. He just kept looking straight ahead as he strode forward.
"Alex, I don't want to turn you to stone!" she blurted out. "At least not anymore."
Alex stopped. "Why the sudden change of heart, princess?" He queried.
"I will admit. When I brought you here it was my original plan. The idea was to have you be a statue but still alive. We could talk and such, but no one would try to chase you like what has happened to you thus far. Nopony chases a statue, you know. It was to protect you... I was very wrong to think that." She said guiltily.
"Hidden in plain sight. Very weird and twisted logic but somehow it makes sense." He replied as they walked along. "And what about now?"
"I-I was wrong to think so. Since I brought you here, you have shown a level of resourcefulness, intelligence, and craftiness that I have never been witness to. How? Just how are you able to, and with no magical abilities too? It was well known in this realm that life could not exist without magic, yet here you are. The very antithesis of what was believed by pony kind for thousands of years!"
"Thanks for the compliment princess." He chuckled. "Once my fate is decided, I might divulge that little bit of info at a later date."
Soon they arrive back at the window when he suddenly realized that the window was locked from the inside. He looked at the window and let out a sigh then turned his back to the princess and began walking around the building. "Alex, where are you going?" Luna asked.
"Going around front. Windows locked. No other way in."
"Alex, stop for a moment please? " Luna said. And before he could ask why, she lit up her horn and teleported the two of them back inside his hospital room. After the initial shock, he said, "Wow! That's a first. Never did that before." He said with little emotion.
"Alex, please get back into bed. You need your rest. Yes, you will be getting out of here tomorrow and...."
"And then what?" He interrupted. "Well, princess? And then what? Where do I go? How do I eat? Where do I sleep? I am almost back where I started when I was first brought to this place. Tomorrow I get to start reliving all the hell, you ponies put me through, for the last three years, all over again. I've come full circle."
"Alex." Luna spoke again taking a step towards him.
"What?"
"I promise you things will be different. But for now..."
She bent down slightly and gently touched her horn to his forehead, "Sleep."
Alex collapsed to the floor but Luna caught him in her magic before he could fall all the way. Gently she lay him in his bed and pulled the covers over him and then magically changed his street clothes into his hospital gown.
She then sat down on the floor at the side of his bed and closed her eyes. Channeling her magic, her horn began to have its familiar blue glow as she wove her spell to enter the dream realm. Soon she was in the all too familiar nexus and it took only a few moments to locate Alex's sleeping mind.
There he was sitting on the ground in the green meadow she had conjured, with his back to her. "Why did you bring me here again? Alex asked.
"I only wanted to talk without other ears listening or unfriendly eyes watching."
"So we are alone here?"
"Quite alone." She responded.
"That's good. Before we get started, there is one thing I have to do even though I don't want to." Alex said as he stood up and faced the princess.
"What is that Ale..." POW! Suddenly Princess Luna found herself laying on her side seeing stars that were not of her own making and sporting a very sore muzzle. Her head was spinning and sight blurred. The dream realm wavered a little before it went back to normal. Well, back to whatever constituted normal in this place. It took a number of seconds for her vision to clear. She noticed that Alex was standing over her, shaking his fist loosely, a couple of his knuckles already starting to turn red from the impact. "That was for kidnapping me and bringing me here without asking and the three years of pain you and your "subjects" have caused me!" he told her... and then he reached down with his other hand to help her up.
After a moment of trepidation, she raised her foreleg and allowed him to pull her to her hooves. "Fair enough," she said. "I probably deserved that." While rubbing her still very sore muzzle with a fore hoof. Then to her shock and surprise he grabbed her in a warm embrace around her neck and said. "This is for saving my life at that old castle place. Thank you." Luna stiffened up briefly from the humans contact but then relaxed into his embrace. It was then that Princess Luna realized that besides her sister, no one in her very long memory had ever done this to her. A simple hug. Everypony was too afraid of her because of her station and her past. It felt good. Really good. Her wings unfurled seemingly on their own accord and returned his hug.
The dream world wavered and shifted a little and Luna, as always, felt it.
"It is time." She said. "Dawn approaches and you must awake. I will see you in the waking world and my sister and I will talk with you further. We have much to discuss and terrible wrongs we have to try to make right. All I ask is that you give us a chance." And with that, the dream world faded to nothingness and Alex was awake. -*-
This was it. The big day. The day that he, Alex, would be getting out of the hospital and learning his fate. He was a little nervous but was resigned to whatever it was that the princesses had in store for him. While deep in his thoughts, he noticed that his roommate was stirring and eventually opened his eyes, yawned, and stretched. Flaring out his one good wing. Alex watched Skyfires display and smiled a little. The flaring of his one good wing got Alex thinking but he filed that idea away when Nurse Redheart came into the room.
"Good morning!" she said in a cheerful voice. "How are you two doing?" As she rolled in a food cart with a wonderful smelling breakfast for both occupants.
Her smile and cheerful demeanor was infectious and the two of them greeted her in return. After giving out their respective meals, she headed for the door and spoke to them reminding them both that today was the big day of their release whereupon she turned and left the room.
Their respective meals completely devoured, Nurse Redheart returned to remove the dirty plates followed by Doctors Trotter and Hoofson.
"...And how are our young patients doing today?" Trotter asked. "Ready for your final checkups?"
"We sure are doctor. Right Alex?" Alex didn't seem as cheerful as was hoped.
"Yeah. Let's get this over with."
"Oh Alex? If everything checks out, you both will be escorted to the royal palace by two Royal Guards ponies. The princesses want to talk to you personally!"
"Oh goodie." He said with a little sarcasm.
His sarcasm wasn't lost on Nurse Redheart. She knew what he was thinking. "Don't worry Alex. I am sure that everything will be alright. Just you see." She said softly while rubbing his shoulder with a fore hoof. Behave yourself and you will get a surprise like I promised. Inside she was secretly thinking that Celestia help anyone that dared to try and hurt or exploit Alex in any way. Including the princesses themselves!
Shortly after finishing their meals Doctors Hoofson and Trotter entered. "How are you feeling, Alex. Big day today for you isn't it?" He said cheerfully. Let's take a look at you shall we?"
"I am doing well doctor, and yes, I am ready to get outta here. I am feeling stronger than ever, if you must know." Alex responded while sitting on the end of his bed.
"Good! Good! Glad to hear it!" Doctor Trotter exclaimed. "Now just hold still for a moment and let's make sure everything is as it should be." As he closed his eyes lit up his horn and began to carefully scan Alex. As he did he would mumble to himself as his magic told him everything he needed to know. "You look good!" he exclaimed. "Doctor Hoofson, I think he's all set to go!" Hoofson noted down some final notations on Alex's medical records.
"Skyfire, it's now your turn." As they turned to the one winged Pegasus.
Alex watched intently as the good doctors checked over Skyfire and his missing wing. His stump was put through a full range of motions before being folded back in the position it would have been had his wing still remained.
"Well, it looks like you are pretty much good to go too." Hoofson said. The doctors wrapped everything up and said their goodbyes as they headed for the door. "Oh. I almost forgot." Hoofson continued. "There will be royal guards here soon to escort you both to see the princesses." And with that they both exited the room. Shortly after, Nurse Redheart entered with a big smile on her face. And Alex sat on the endge of his bed swinging his legs back and forth with an equally big grin on his face. Nurse Redheart walked up to him, Skyfire standing next to him. She then produced two candy suckers and handed (hoofed) one to each one of her charges. Skyfire took his first and then Alex, who said suddenly... "You are my favorite horsey nurse ever!" While at the same time picking her up off the floor and giving her a big hug. Nurse Redhearts legs flailed around briefly while letting out an involuntary squeak at this sudden affection before being able to finally push him away and dropping to all fours. Sky held a hoof over his mouth and giggled at the sight. "Oh get out of here you big baby!" She chuckled with a slightly red blush on her cheeks. A hoof gently pushing him away.
Alex liked Nurse Redheart. She had been nothing but kind to him during his stay. The fact that she didn't judge him for not being an indigenous creature from this world and was always kind to him made him start to think that maybe all the ponies in this world weren't all out to get him. The good doctors too. They only cared for his welfare and getting him back on his feet.
And then there was Skyfire. He was simply curious and was a good roommate despite the brief time they had been in the hospital together. He had never acted in fear nor did he shun Alex in any way. He had been good company and had educated Alex a little as to the inner workings of the Pegasus Defense Corps without giving away anything that might be considered a security risk or state secret.
The guards that were assigned to the security detail of Alex and Skyfire soon arrived, ready to escort the pair to see the princesses. One of the day guards, a unicorn, had a bundle floating alongside him in his magical grasp to which upon entering the room, they both gave a sharp salute to Sky. "Commander Skyfire, sir, we thought you would like to be looking your best when you see their highnesses." He said laying the bundled up armor before the one wing Pegasus.
"Thank you." He replied while giving a slight bow of his head. He then started putting on his armor but had a little trouble with some parts due to his now one winged status. Alex bent down and helped him with the parts he was having a little trouble with fastening the clasps around his furry roommate. The two guards looked on in fascination at how deftly the human was able to move its forelimbs and appendages to help their captain
"Thanks friend." Skyfire said.
Friend. Alex liked the sound of that.
"Well gentilestallions, lead the way.
Both guards saluted their superior, did an about face and began their escort of the two to the princesses. |
Get Him 3 | Chapter: 30: Convince Me Otherwise | Convince Me Otherwise
"Alex, you are awfully quiet." Skyfire said with some concern as they walked through the castle halls while being escorted by the two solar guards. Alex was quiet for a moment longer before he answered. "What? Oh sorry. Was just thinking." He replied.
"About what?" Skyfire queried.
Alex let out a sigh. "About my fate. What are the princesses going to do to me? How are your people going to view me? Fear? Contempt? An abomination? Science experience? Freak? Just...What?"
"Look Alex. I know you are afraid and I still can't believe the princesses along with the elements did that to you." As he shook his head.
"Well it's true." Alex replied. "All of it." Alex was again silent for a bit before he spoke again. "Still, they have all tried to make some kind of amends in various ways and I am too tired to continue to hold a grudge for the rest of my life. It just takes me way too much energy. How this "meeting" goes and their actions from here on out will determine how I respond and what I think of this place."
"Well, for what it's worth, you've got one friend here." The pony at his side said with conviction.
"Thanks Sky. You are the first in all the time I have been in this world to say that."
"Means a lot."
Both fell silent once again as they continued their journey to meet the princesses and before they knew it, they were standing before the throne room doors. Their escorts halted before the guards at the door and informed them of the summons by the royal sisters. Both guards looked at the tall figure, known as Alex, warily before nodding. One of the guards opened the tall white and gold doors and announced that the visitors were present.
"Thank you guard." An authoritative sounding female voice spoke. "Please send them in."
The guards stepped aside and the two walked inside.
And there they were.
The princesses.
They both sat upon their respective thrones on a raise dais, looking regale as ever. Their ethereal manes gently flowing in a non-existent breeze. This was Alexs first time seeing the throne room of the two sister alicorns and he was suitably impressed. Still he kept a neutral expression on his face although his eyes darted about taking in all the sights around him. Already Alexs heart rate increased as soon as he laid eyes on the two rulers. A rising panic began to creep its way up his spine but he forced it down and continued his neutral facial expression as they got closer to the rulers. Skyfire kept a close eye on Alex sensing his rising nervousness over the whole situation. "Don't worry Alex. I'm right here. Just follow my lead and everything will be alright." He whispered.
"Thanks Sky." Alex whispered back from the side of his mouth.
About three quarters of the way there Skyfire stopped and folding one foreleg back, bowed before the two rulers. Alex followed suit and did a human version by taking one knee.
"Please! Do not bow before us Alex. Please both of you rise!" Celestia said with embarrassment. Both Pegasus pony and human arose upon her request. Alex kept his eyes down looking at the floor in front of them and refused to make eye contact with the princesses.
His not looking up at them did not go unnoticed, nevertheless they continued with the one wing Pegasus first.
"Captain Skyfire." Celestia began. Once again you have shown us what it means to be a true protector of this kingdom and its ponies. Our subjects. I am sure you are wondering what your fate is to be now due to your injury." Skyfire looked down briefly at his stump then back to his princesses.
"Yes my princesses. I have been wondering what is to become of me since I can no longer fly." The Pegasus said a little sadly.
Luna smiled and then spoke. "Captain Skyfire, You will not be just 'retired' now that you are earthbound if that is what you are thinking. My sister and I have talked it over and we feel that you still have a place among our guard. Your knowledge and experience are still of great worth to us and this land. We wish you to train the up and coming members of the Pegasus Defense Force. Your insights will prove most valuable." She said. "This is, however, your decision and we have no wish to coerce you into it. Will you accept this appointment?" Skyfire was speechless as his mouth hung slightly ajar unable to answer. "Accept it!" A voice whispered in his direction. He looked up to see Alex who had kept his head down and eyes still looking at the floor in front of him. Alex then whispered out of the side of his mouth again..."accept it! What are you waiting for?"
Sky returned his gaze back to the royal sisters. "Yes! Your Highnesses! I accept. I am honored! I promise you I will do my very best." He said with conviction as he stood tall and stuck out his chest in true military fashion.
"Of that, we have no doubt Captain." Celestia said with a warm smile. "Very well. You are dismissed."
With that, Skyfire saluted his diarchs and did a pony version of an about face but then stopped and looked back over his withers. "If I may, your highnesses..."
"Something else on your mind captain?"
"Yes your highnesses." He said as he turned around to face them again. "What is to happen to Alex here?"
"Sky! What are you doing?" Alex hissed quietly.
Skyfire ignored him and continued to address the princesses.
"Why the concern, if I may ask?" Princess Celestia queried.
"It's just that... well... I've heard things about what has been done to him and I just don't like it. It's not right. I just want to be sure that he'll be ok... He's...He's my friend." Celestia and Luna both bit their lower lips out of silent embarrassment. The good captain had just called both his royal leaders out for their mistreatment of Alex and did so without confronting them directly.
Luna spoke up first. "Captain Skyfire I give you my word that Alex here will be safe. Nothing evil will happen to him. He is in my personal charge."
"Thank you my princesses. I hope I will be able to see him from time to time as my duties permit." And with that Captain Skyfire turned and left through the large doors at the far end of the throne room. -*-
The two sisters watched at the good captain walked out the throne room doors. Once the doors closed, both of their gazes fell upon Alex who still hadn't looked up during the whole exchange with the captain.
"Alex?" Celestia spoke first. "You have been very quiet since you have arrived here. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Was his simple response. Still refusing to look up at them.
Celestia knew he was afraid? Nay, terrified of the two of them and he was just trying to be as small and as unobtrusive as possible.
Luna spoke next. "Alex, please look at us. Please. You have nothing to fear from either one of us. Please, will you look at us and talk to us. I promise you. I swear on the moon and stars that you will be ok. I know our word must mean very little to you but please give us a chance to prove it to you." Luna pleaded.
Alexs head slowly began to rise and he looked the princesses in the eye. They could see the fear in his eyes but also the determination or maybe it was the resignation to his fate. He also noticed that Lunas muzzle was slightly red and swollen. He guessed that it had something to do with their discussion while he was asleep at the hospital.
Alex took a slow deep breath and let it out. "What would you have of me your majesties?" He spoke. He knew he was at their mercy and there was no way he could escape. The sisters both surmised that he was resigned to his fate and whatever it was they had planned.
Celestia closed her eyes and let out what could be only called an aged sigh as her head dropped. "Alex, we have much to discuss and even more to answer for. Please, could you sit down?" While at the same time she summoned a comfortable chair for him.
"I'd rather stand your highness." He said stiffly and formally.
"Still defiant and very mistrustful of us." She thought. Luna picked up on her sisters musings and silently agreed. Nevertheless she continued. "I am sure you have many questions. Questions that require answers. The first probably being how you got here and why?"
Alex nodded his head in response.
"That was my fault really." Luna said with a bowed head. My sister here has a mirror that can see into other worlds. It was simple curiosity that drove her. The eternal question of if there was life beyond our world." Celestia continued. For many decades I looked into the mirror and saw many many worlds. Upon discovering your world, I sought a way to make contact. I found your world to be incredibly fascinating. I watched for many years and all through those years I yearned to make contact somehow but all my attempts failed."
"Then along came my sister Luna and with her magic she was somehow able to pull you through."
"Why, out of all the people in my world, why me?" Alex asked.
Luna continued from there. "I picked you because you looked like someone I could relate to. I was very lonely. Some time ago, I became jealous of my sister and all the attention our ponies seemed to praise her with. I became bitter and dark magics turned me into a creature of darkness with the plan to cover all of Equestria in eternal darkness. I fought my sister as this dark creature and lost. She had to banish me to the moon for a thousand years." Lunas head hung in sorrow as tears formed in her eyes."
"Yes. I know the story. I read it in one of the books in the old castle." Alex said. "But you still haven't answered my question. Why me?"
Luna continued on. "It was how you interacted with others of your own kind. You were never mean and you seemed to have a good heart. You weren't judgmental of others. I just knew I wanted a friend like you. Someone who didn't know of my past and wouldn't hate, judge or fear me for what I've done."
"I used my magic to transport you here through the mirror but you didn't appear here. Instead you got sent to a different location by mistake and I was worried for you. Once you didn't show up here I went out looking for you but you always seemed to be one step ahead. You were very elusive. I can only guess it was your trying to keep away from the elements and hide.
Both princesses watched Alex as he remained standing and silent as his hands opened and close as if he seemed to be wanting to say something.
"Alex? What is it?" Celestia asked.
"It's nothing." He said in return and looked down and away.
"God, it's just that...." He said quietly.
"What?" Celestia pressed gently.
He was silent for a moment, obviously thinking how to say what was on his mind. Suddenly he burst out. "If I'm being honest, you two just scare the hell out of me! No! You don't just scare me, you both TERRIFY ME!"
Both sisters let out a quiet sigh. "A reaction we are both all too familiar with from our own subjects."
Alex continued. "I'm not just talking about the whole 'creepy darkness' thing you do Luna. I actually think that part is kinda cool. "He said. "It's you and your sister both! You're both thousands of years old! You have powers and magic that are worlds beyond every other creature on this planet... and apparently according to what I read and what you just told me, you went crazy or something, however many years ago THAT was, and tried to cause eternal night, and Celestia here, had to banish you to the moon for thousand years! How did you even breathe? And honestly, I can't tell which half of THAT story terrifies me more!" He glanced back up at the Diarchs, and they could easily see the nervousness in his expression. "I don't understand you two! I can't comprehend you two! You both could pretty much do anything you wanted to me, and have, by the way! I don't stand a chance against either of you! Either one of you could snuff out my life with a single thought!
I come from a world where your kind don't exist! Magic doesn't exist! You are a myth! You are a legend! You and all your subjects, even ALL the sentient creatures of this world, are a bedtime story to be told to children at night! You both can actually, ACTUALLY move the friggin sun, moon and control the very stars in the heavens, and you do it as though it was nothing! In my universe, my world revolves around the sun on its own. Our moon revolves around the earth on its own and the stars are always there! The lowliest pegasus pony here can control the weather. On my world no creature can control our weather! Humans are the only sentient beings upon its surface. There are no talking sentient animals of any kind there.
Alex then looked down and saw an ant crawling on the floor so he bent down and picked it up and held out his hand showing it to the two princesses. "See this ant? This is me compared to you! You are GODS to me by comparison! Is it any wonder I would run away and hide from all of you? I am nothing compared to you!"
Celestia took in a slow breath while Luna remained silent. "To see 'gods' such as us, and the power that we hold, truly must be unnerving to you. It never occurred to us that what we take for granted and is very normal for us, would be considered as 'godlike powers' to you. But please understand Alex, underneath our royal regalia, our ethereal manes and tails, the many years we have lived, this power we wield, we are just ponies. Ponies with perhaps a greater perspective and a greater understanding of our history and the forces that move and shape our world, but still just ponies nonetheless. We are not some unknowable and unfathomable entities just toying with the lives of others without care or any comprehension of their value." She let her eyes lock onto his. "We do care, Alex. It is not often we are able to show this, largely due to our royal stations that our positions demands, but we really do."
"Alex, what has been done to you is horrible, inexcusable. We are truly sorry for all the suffering you have known at the hooves of our ponies... including us. We understand better than most the feelings of alienation and isolation you must have felt these past three years. We would be your friends, should you allow us to be, Alex," she continued. "There are few souls here in Equestria who can truly sympathize with feelings such as what we have experienced."
"Then why did you and your 'elements' hunt me? For claiming you have a heart, that was pretty heartless."
That was another gut punch of guilt thrown by Alex at the two princesses and it landed deep.
"That was a mistake Alex. A mistake that we both will have to live with for the rest of our immortal lives." Celestia said in sorrow as she bowed her head in shame. Luna followed suit. "Yes we are immortal but we are not infallible. Still that doesn't excuse what we and the Elements did to you. My sister and I hope that one day you might be able to forgive us and we are willing to do whatever it takes for however long it takes to make things right with you.
Alex was silent for a long time. He looked both princesses in their large eyes, trying to discern any untruths or deceptions in their depths on their parts. It became what seemed to be a staring contest between the three. His gaze was unwavering as he studied them both until the two princesses looked away nervously apparently losing the stare down.
Alex took a deep breath and let it out closing his eyes. After he silently seem to come to a decision. "Ok, let's get one thing straight. I don't trust ANY of you......... But I am willing to give at least you two a chance to change my mind. Princess Luna, You saved my life from those dog creatures that attacked me. I suppose that is a good start. We all got off on the wrong foot... er... hoof, whatever, so show me just how good your kingdom and you two supposedly are.... If there is any good to be had. I already know the bad of it."
"Convince me otherwise." |
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