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Bounty Hunter Anon II | The Enclave | Before the thugs get a chance to triangulate where the source of your jetpack's engines are coming from, you point your rifle at the nearest construction vehicle and fire a few bolts. They hit around the vehicle, giving away your position. The surprise was short lived, because the few thugs around the vehicle look up at you and start shouting at each other. A few of them begin to fire at you.
You weave left and right in the air and easily avoid their blaster fire. Once you're close enough, you aim your rifle at the driver and shoot him. Your blaster fire hits his body a few times, and he goes limp in his seat. You fly directly over the other thugs and rain down more blaster fire, hitting two of them in the process.
You quickly descend and fire at the nearest thug. He goes down just as you land, and you run directly toward the Duros thug to your right. He points his blaster at you and fires, but you zigzag along the ground as you approach. He misses every shot. You reach him and slam the butt of your rifle into his chest. The force of the impact is enough to knock him onto his back and you immediately fire a few rounds into his head.
The last thug is right next to the construction vehicle and in the process of running away and screaming. The captured Kath Hounds are barking and snarling furiously at the commotion.
"Oh no, you don't..." You growl.
A couple shots from your rifle and he goes down.
You turn back to the building and ascend into the air again, moving directly over it. The larger shipments of equipment and Kath Hounds are on the other side, directly ahead of you. The thugs surrounding these hounds are all shouting at you with their blasters raised. There are seven of them.
As they start to run toward you, you reach into a pouch on your belt and pull out a thermal detonator. You fly toward them and exchange blaster fire. Once you're directly above them, you drop the thermal detonator and twist around in the air. You fly backwards and continue firing your rifle, keeping their attention away from the grenade.
You quickly ascend away from them, keeping yourself turned towards them to look out for any stray blaster fire before the thermal detonator explodes a few seconds later at their feet. The sound of the blast echoes through the canyon and the thugs all fly off in different directions away from the explosion.
You fly back to the Enclave, keeping a lookout for any stragglers you may have missed. A couple more thugs are a good distance away from you. They're running toward a pair of parked speeder bikes located in the adjacent canyon. If you had another missile, you'd be able to cut them off right now, but you don't. You increase the power in your jetpack's thrusters and fly after them.
Hopefully, you can reach them before they get away. You need at least one of them alive if you want to find out who's behind this little setup.
As you speed through the air, you prepare a toxic dart into your dartcaster. With a little tweaking, you were able to find a way to connect your robotic arm up to your HUD and greatly increase the accuracy of your helmet's targeting system. It works wonders for your dartcaster.
You point your arm forward and lock on to one of the thugs before firing. The dart zips through the air and hits the thug in the back of the neck. He continues running for a few steps before he slows down and keels over onto his face.
Thank you, Twilight Sparkle.
The last thug slows for just a moment to glance at his fallen comrade before looking back to you. You're only meters away from him now and closing in fast. He's also a Duros, which is unsurprising.
He's almost to the speeder bike. You quickly alter your approach and swing in an arc around his left. Fire sprays from your gauntlet onto the grassy field directly in between the thug and the bike as you cut him off.
The Duros yells and immediately comes to a stop just before running into the flames. You double back in the air and slam directly into him, making him fly through the air a bit and land on his back. As you land, he looks over at you and grabs his blaster pistol. You quickly shoot the gun out of his hand before he has a chance to even point it at you.
He screams in pain and clutches his arm before looking at you in fear and trying to squirm away. You grab him by the throat and hold him down on the ground before pressing your rifle to his knee and pulling the trigger, shattering his kneecap.
He screams as loudly as he can with your hand around his throat and writhes in agony. "J-Just let me be! Please! I-I was only doing a job!"
He's speaking Durosian. Luckily, that's one of the few alien languages you can also speak.
You reply in his tongue. "Who do you work for?"
He gags and grunts a moment before speaking again. "Aahh... A c-couple of crime lords I think... N-no one ever told me anything... I just... overheard..."
He's just a grunt. Bantha fodder. You won't get anything useful from him.
"Who did you overhear?" You tighten your grip on his neck for a moment, making him gag.
"Ack! O-One of the bosses!" He squirms. "Th-They know everything! I swear!"
"Where can I find them?" You demand.
"I... I don't know..." He wheezes.
That's not the correct answer...
You press the barrel of your rifle to his other knee and he panics. "Wait! Wait! I-I really don't know! H-He went somewhere off-world yesterday! That's all I know! I swear!"
He's telling the truth. He doesn't know where his boss went. If he knew, he's so scared that he would have told you already. You need to find out more, but you don't have the time or the means to go off-world right now.
"There must be shipping information somewhere around here. Where is it?!" You growl.
He continues to squirm a bit beneath your grip. "In a s-strongbox... By the s-southern door..."
You don't loosen your grip on him, but you turn to look at the Enclave a good distance behind you. You'd like to believe what he's saying, but you want some insurance in case he's lying.
You're curious...
You face him again and your viewfinder slowly swings down in front of your visor.
He stares at you in fear and confusion. "Wh... What are-"
"Quiet." You cut him off.
You scan his face and your HUD browses through the galaxy's criminal database for any posted bounties until you find a match. His name is Hep Valik. He's wanted dead for 5,000 credits. 'This scum cheated me in a Pazaak game. Waste him.' The bounty was posted by an unidentified Gran on Tatooine.
Your viewfinder slides up again and you lift him up a bit, looking him square in the face. "I'm not the best at Pazaak myself anymore, but I don't appreciate cheaters, Hep. If you're telling me the truth about that strongbox, then maybe I'll forget I saw you here."
He stays silent, but stares back at you in terror. You clutch his neck tighter and stand him up straight. He gags and continues to try breaking free from your grip as you stand him on his good leg and release him. Before he falls back to the ground, you quickly point your right arm at the Duros and activate your whipcord launcher.
The fibercord almost instantly shoots out of your gauntlet and ensnares his entire body. He falls onto his side in a heap, yelling in pain when he lands.
"Now don't you go anywhere. I might still need you." You say.
The Duros doesn't respond, unsurprisingly.
You chuckle and pick up the pace a bit, breaking into a jog toward the Enclave Once you reach the pavement, you can't help but slow to a walk and take good look around. Everything is quiet here. Calm.
It is only now that you get your first real, good, up close look at the ruins of the old Jedi Enclave.
The building is rusted, cracked, and falling apart in a few places. The pavement you're on is also cracked and broken. Everything around you has been overrun with weeds and grass. There are impact craters absolutely everywhere. Just like what you saw in the canyons before. You can see that they are the cause of all the destruction to this building, and this whole area that it's surrounded by.
And yet, despite the building's poor condition, you can't help but stop and look around at everything with a small sense of wonder. This is where Darth Malak tried to wipe away evidence of the Star Forge's existence. This is where he tried to eliminate the Jedi that once populated these grounds.
This is the place where it all happened.
"He was here..." You breathe.
Revan. The Jedi turned Sith who slew Mandalore on Malachor V. The one who slew his former apprentice on the Star Forge in the Unknown Regions and saved the Republic later on. The one who set Mandalore the Preserver on the path to unite your people once again. One of the greatest warriors this galaxy has ever known. You're literally standing in a place where he once stood hundreds of years ago. It makes you shiver as you feel the goosebumps run over your body. You are not worthy of such a privilege.
As amazing as this is, you've got a job to do, Anon. Snap out of it.
You pick up the pace again and jog along the broken concrete. Once you reach the end of the pathway, you turn right. Sure enough, next to the half-open door is a large strongbox, next to a few other crates.
You walk toward the strongbox and inspect it closer. It's locked, but it doesn't look too hard to crack. You imagine that Pinkie Pie would be able to unlock it just by looking at it.
It takes a little effort, but you manage to bypass the electronic lock and open the case. Inside, among some other miscellaneous items, you find a datapad. You quickly skim through it for anything useful. A time and date for a pickup of goods sticks out to you, and you inspect it further. According to this, a cargo shuttle is supposed to arrive here today to pick up the Kath Hounds. There's nothing about a destination though. There's only an alias for a pair of buyers: 'The Twins'.
The name doesn't sound familiar to you. You'll need to ask Rarity if she knows anything.
You read the manifest further. About twenty minutes ago, the pickup was cancelled by whoever was using this datapad at the time. Twenty minutes ago, you were flying through the canyons on a speeder bike. Obviously, those guys on the speeders alerted these guys. They must have cancelled the pickup as a precaution.
You need to get all of this. There might be more info. You begin the download of everything on the datapad into your HUD.
It will take a while, so you close the strongbox and proceed to make your way back to your Duros paycheck. You take the datapad with you. A minute of walking later, you come back to find Hep Valik right where you left him. He sees you approach with the datapad and you swear you see a small glimmer of relief wash over his face.
You hold up the datapad and look at him. "Well, you were right. I found it right where you said." You say in Durosian.
"Oh good..." He breathes. "So... So now what?"
"What do you think?" You stand over him and point the barrel of your rifle at his face. He's outlived his usefulness.
The look of pure terror returns to his face. "Y-You said that you'd-"
"I lied..." You reply coldly.
"W-Wait! I wa-" The sound of your rifle blasting a hole in his head cuts him off. His squirming body suddenly goes limp and lifeless.
You resume speaking in Basic. "I just did you a kindness, Hep. That busted leg of yours would've been such a pain to deal with. You're welcome."
Some people are so ungrateful...
You sigh and holster your rifle. Bringing up your HUD again, you contact Rarity.
She answers almost immediately. "Hello Anonymous! Did you find what you were looking for on Dantooine?"
"More or less." You reply. "I found a whole operation that was making money off of selling captured Kath Hounds. They were set up at the old Jedi Enclave here."
"My goodness!" She exclaims. "Kath Hounds? There aren't many of those around anymore."
You nod. "I know. Whoever was in on this must have been making a fortune."
"They would have to be pretty powerful to keep something like that under wraps." Rarity muses.
"That's what I said to Sunset." You say. "We think it's a politician. I had her and Pinkie head back to Senator Melody, just in case we're right."
"Very wise, darling. That Senator from Naboo has a very good heart. It would be such a shame if something happened to her." She says.
It really would be a shame, you hate to admit. She may be a politician, but she's actually a good one.
"Well, I need help with two things." You continue. "First, I need you to contact the one who posted the bounty for a Duros named Hep Valik. He's wanted dead. Let him know I killed him."
"Can do." She says.
"And the second thing is, do you know anything about 'The Twins'?" You ask.
"Oh, I've heard quite a few things about them, darling." Rarity replies. "They're brothers. Infamous con artists turned crime lords whose real names are Flim and Flam, respectively. They've started an empire by trading, smuggling, and exchanging goods for prices much higher than their worth. I also heard, in case you're still interested, that they've recently started working with Death Sticks."
"Really now?" You hum.
How very interesting...
Your train of thought is interrupted when your HUD indicates that the info on the datapad has been completely downloaded. It looks like there was an unread video message on it.
"What's that?" Rarity asks.
"I found a datapad that had Flim and Flam's name on the shipping information." You reply. "I copied everything on it to see if I could find any information on who was helping to hide this whole operation."
You open the video message and see a face appear on your HUD. You recognize the face immediately.
"...alk to me, what is going on there?! Did you get the shipment?! Is the bomb in place?! Answer me! I want Senator Melody DEAD! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?! DEAD!" The message ends there.
"Well, well, well. Senator Hoity Toity. I never did like him." Rarity says.
That just confirms your fears. He kept the Senate in the dark for as long as he could, but the secret eventually broke. Now that Octavia is here, he's going to use a bomb to assassinate her and keep the rest of the Senate from discovering this operation of his.
Rarity continues. "Anonymous, you have to save her."
"I can't make it in time, Rarity, but Sunset will." You reply, the first pangs of fear coming over you. "I'll head back as fast as I can. I'm going to send you the information on this datapad. I need you to look for anything involving this bomb. A remote detonator, a timer, make, model, color, anything! You find any info, you let me know immediately!"
"I will! Hurry!" She replies.
You turn around and run toward one of the parked speeder bikes behind you. You contact Sunset as you mount it. "Sunset, where are you?!"
"We're almost out of the canyon." She replies.
"Double-time it to the compound!" You say. "We were right! Senator Hoity Toity was covering this up and now he's going to use a bomb to kill Senator Melody! Get there now, and keep her safe! I'll be there as soon as I can!"
"Damn it! Alright, hurry!" She shouts.
You deactivate your comms and rev the speeder bike's engine. You accelerate forward and head toward an opening in the canyons. Hopefully, you can navigate your way through here quickly. You have no time to get lost now. ---
As you shut off your comms, Pinkie makes another left and you finally come into view of the canyon's end.
You pat her shoulder a couple times. "Pinkie, you need to drive as fast as you can! Anon says that someone is going to use a bomb to assassinate the senator!"
She looks back at you with an expression of worry on her face for just a moment before facing forward again. "Okay, I'll hurry!"
You make another hard right and reach the open plains you were in before you entered the canyon maze. To your left is the militia HQ, just like you left it. A few of the armed guards notice you and assume a defensive stance, but you pay them no heed. Pinkie hits the throttle and practically flies toward the main compound, leaving the militia in the dust.
You frantically press a few buttons on your gauntlet and contact Spitfire. She'll be able to get the senator out of there.
After a few seconds, she finally answers. "This is Captain Spitfire. Sunset, where have you three been?" She sounds very angry.
"Spitfire! Where is the senator?!" You demand.
"She's here at the compound, where you should be now." Spitfire replies sternly. "You bounty hunters and mercenaries are all the same: arrogant, unhe-"
"Just shut up and listen to me!" You shout. "You need to get her out of there right now! There's a bomb! Someone is trying to kill her!"
"What?!" Spitfire exclaims.
Pinkie maneuvers over a hilltop and the compound comes into view a little way's away. You're almost there.
"A BOMB!" You repeat. "Get her out of there right now! We're almost there!"
"When is it going off?!" She asks.
"We don't know, but it could be at any time!" Just as you say that, you get another bad feeling in your gut. This one is much stronger than the other times you felt it before. It twists around inside you and you feel it expand out to the rest of your body. "Oooh... Oh my g..."
You take a deep breath and grip your chest. What is happening right now?
Pinkie gasps. "Oh no.."
She swerves and slows down a bit, turning around to look at you. She looks extremely worried, but her eyes widen a little as she notices you grabbing your chest.
"Can you feel that too?" She asks,
"Yeah..?" You reply.
She can feel this too? Whatever it is?
She looks back to the compound and presses a finger to her ear. "Spitfire, it's Pinkie! The bomb is going off now! RIGHT. NOW!"
How does she know that?
You pay attention to the sounds in your ear coming from Spitfire's side. She makes no acknowledgement that she heard Pinkie, but you hear the frantic sounds of footsteps and shouting. "Everyone get out! Senator!"
You barely hear Octavia's voice try to protest, but it's quickly covered by the sounds of other commotion. The compound is dead ahead. Pinkie guns the engine.
Spitfire continues barking commands. "Get to the exit! Soarin', do not let anyt-"
A massive fireball erupts from inside the compound's walls on the horizon and the explosion echoes loudly through the air.
Simultaneously, Spitfire's communications cut in your ear.
"No!" Pinkie hits the brakes and abruptly swerves to the right as you both watch the fireball rise into the air above the compound.
You've failed...
"We were too late..." You breathe.
The fireball dissipates after a moment and all that remains is a large plume of black smoke that continues higher into the air.
"Maybe not... Maybe she's still alive..." Pinkie looks back at you again and revs the engine. "We have to see for ourselves! We have to know if she's okay!"
She drives toward the nearest door on the compound's wall.
She's right. You have to confirm it yourself. Even if you think it's hopeless. You doubt Octavia survived.
You really hope you're wrong though... |
Bounty Hunter Anon II | Fire Drill | Finally, you make it out of the canyons and back into the open field you were in before. Sunset had contacted you about five minutes ago to tell you the bad news. You were too late. She and Pinkie were going to see if Octavia survived. You aren't exactly optimistic, but you're still going to help them when you get back to the compound.
You're pretty confident that you're not getting paid for this job anymore...
This is all senator Hoity Toity's fault. He ordered the set up for the bomb, and he tried to keep this whole thing a secret from the senate. You're curious about these Flim and Flam guys too, whoever they are. He'll know more about them. Once you get back to your ship on Naboo, you're going straight to Coruscant to deal with the senator yourself. You'll ask him about them when you see him.
You hit the gas and move as fast as you can toward the compound. The thick plume of black smoke rises higher into the sky just ahead of you.
Sunset's voice comes on your comms as you move over a hilltop. "Anon, where are you?"
"I just got out of the canyon. I'm almost there." You reply.
"Alright, hurry." She says. "There are fires in a few places and some people are stuck inside the main building. We're working with a few of the soldiers to get them out, but we need all the help we can get."
"Just keep helping as much as you can, Sunset. I'll be there in two minutes." You say.
The compound itself comes into view as you drive over another hilltop. Black smoke rises and moves directly overhead as the wind pushes it along. There are a few people outside that are talking or bickering with one another. They're panicking, unsurprisingly. This planet doesn't usually get action like this. They move out of your way when they see you driving toward them.
Right when you slow to a stop just beside them, you immediately dismount the bike and run toward the large open doorway they're gathered around. This crowd is nothing like the ones on Nar Shaddaa, but you still have to push your way through a few people before you reach the compound's entrance.
When you finally do make it inside, you look toward the largest building on the other side of the compound: the source of the black smoke. From here, you can barely see the tips of a few flames that are present on the roof. Other buildings are in the way, so you don't have a good view from the ground. You don't have time to run through the buildings to the other side of the compound so you activate your jetpack and take to the sky once again.
Things are a lot clearer up here. There's a large hole on the one side of the main building, and you see fires in a few places around it and on the roof. You quickly make your way toward the fires, over the smaller buildings that stand in front of you.
You activate your comms. "Sunset, I'm here. Where are you?"
"We're by the big hole on the side of the building! I'm about to head inside!" She replies.
Among the few people running around the burning side of the building, you spot Sunset and Pinkie ushering them away while moving toward the blaze.
"Wait for me, I'm just above you." Sunset looks around for a moment before spotting you in the air. You quickly descend and land beside her and Pinkie. "Any news on the senator?"
Sunset shakes her head. "Nothing from her, or any of the Wonderbolts yet. The few people who have made it out have said that there are still survivors deeper inside."
"We've been helping as much as we can out here, but we can't get inside the building to help more." Pinkie points to the flames.
A few Republic soldiers are around the burning entrance. They're helping a young human male out of the building, he looks like he's about seventeen years old. He's coughing violently and bleeding from his head.
These soldiers don't have masks or anything to protect them from this smoke. If they go too deep inside, they'll suffocate.
Smoke shouldn't be an issue for you though. Your helmet has a built in filtration system.
"Pinkie, you stay out here and keep helping in any way you can." You command. "Me and Sunset will head inside to look for more survivors."
She nods. "Okay!"
The three of you run toward the burning hole in the wall. Pinkie slows down to help usher the human kid to safety while you and Sunset continue forward.
A few Republic soldiers by the hole see you approach and you call out to one of them. "Anything from the senator yet?!"
"No, nothing!" He shouts. "She was in the main hall when the explosion happened!"
You and Sunset run past him and head into the smoke.
Sunset calls back to him. "You all stay here! We'll find her!"
You both slow down as you proceed through the smoke and into one of the building's hallways.
You turn on your helmet's thermal imaging to help you see through the smoke. It's probably too hot in here to distinguish individual survivors' body heat, but at least you'll be able to see. It takes a couple of seconds, but your viewfinder cuts through the smoke and a better image comes up on your HUD.
Debris is everywhere. The hallway directly ahead of you has been completely sealed by the collapsed ceiling. Survivors weren't getting through here.
The smoke is more concentrated off to your right. You and Sunset proceed that way. A few large sections of rubble and collapsed ceiling block this hallway in a few places as well, but it's created a narrow crawlspace that's just big enough for people to fit through.
Sunset grabs a part of the rubble wall. "Here, help me clear this up a bit."
You take hold of the same chunk of rubble and pull. No surprise that it's heavy. It doesn't budge at first, but you keep on pulling.
"Come on... Come on..." You say with a strained breath.
Grunting, you both manage to break off a decent-sized chunk of rubble after a few moments. It consequently loosens a few other chunks directly around it. You and Sunset keep clearing up more space as best as you can. Rocks and rubble fall down and clatters onto the ground around your feet and you kick them away. The hole is much more open now than it was before.
"Okay, that's good. Let's go." Sunset breathes.
"Right." You nod.
Sunset proceeds through the opening first, and you follow directly behind her. More piles of rubble and debris litter this hallway as well. Nothing too extreme though. You manage to walk around or over them with relative ease.
You hear coughing directly ahead of you, and it makes you move faster. "Hey! Who's out there! Where are you?!"
"H-Here... Behin-" The voice coughs again. It's male. "Beneath the rubble..."
You and Sunset walk around another collapsed section and see a militia soldier sitting on the ground with his legs trapped under a pile of debris. Sunset immediately gets to work freeing him. She gets behind him and grabs his torso while you move a few chunks away from his legs. He lets out a scream in pain as she pulls him out. His legs are bleeding in a few places. You can see it soaking through his pants.
"Can you walk?" She asks.
He coughs and hacks again before answering. "I-I think so..."
"Hang on a second." You grab his sleeve and rip it off of his arm. "Where's the main hall?"
"J-Just down this hallway and take a left... That's-" He coughs again. "...That's wh-where the briefing room and offices are..."
Which means that's around where Octavia is, hopefully.
You take his rent sleeve and hold it in front of him. "Wrap this around your mouth and nose. It will filter the smoke out a little."
He takes it and ties it around his face to make a mask while Sunset helps him to his feet. He nearly falls, but he leans against the rubble to keep himself up.
Sunset is there to support him. "You okay?"
"Y-Yes... I can make it..." He says. "N-Never thought I'd be rescued... By Mandalorians, especially. Thank you both."
"Don't mention it." You reply. "Now go."
He nods and limps toward the exit while you and Sunset continue down the hallway.
You pass a few more piles of rubble and finally reach the end of the hallway. Another large pile of rubble has built up on your right.
Beneath it is another militia soldier. He's not moving. You crouch down and examine him closer, checking for a pulse.
"How is he?" Sunset asks.
You don't feel anything.
You sigh. "He's gone."
Damn it. This isn't good.
"Hopefully, the senator isn't gone yet." Sunset says.
Another sound comes from the next hallway, grabbing your and Sunset's attention. "Ugh... Ith... A-Anyone there?"
The voice is very feminine.
"Yeah! Where are you?!" You stand up from the corpse and proceed down the hallway toward the voice.
"Mmn... O-Over here! Help!" The voice cries out.
Deeper into the hallway, you see someone crawling toward you on the floor.
It's the short Pantoran member of the Wonderbolts you saw earlier. She's covered in black soot. It looks like her arm is broken too, she's hobbling on the ground using only her right arm.
She looks up at you and recognizes you both immediately. "Oh, itsth you two! Thank the Forth!"
She has a lisp. Maybe she bit her tongue.
"Are you alright?" You ask.
You and Sunset crouch down and try to help her up, but she screams when you touch her. "AAH! Careful! I-I think I buthted my arm!"
You both remove your hands from her and move down to her sides. You carefully pick her up and move her into your arms while Sunset helps. She screams in pain again at the movement, but she doesn't fight it. She wraps her right arm around your neck as you hold her.
"Is the senator alright?" Sunset asks.
She grunts and whimpers as tears fall down her cheek, but she looks at Sunset. "I-I think tho... Sthe couldn't move and I thtarted crawling to get help..."
"But she is alive?" You ask.
She looks up at you and nods. "Yeth..."
Wow, Octavia's tough. It's a huge relief to hear that she's alive.
Sunset breathes a sigh of relief and looks at you. "Get her out of here, Anon. I'll go find the senator."
You nod. "Alright."
You turn around and go back the way you came. The Wonderbolt in your arms starts coughing more as you move through the smoke. You grab her neckline and pull it up over her mouth and nose. She can't do it herself. You notice her nametag on her jacket for the first time. Fleetfoot.
"Fleetfoot, what happened just before the explosion?" You inquire. "Did you see the bomb itself at all?"
She coughs again and shakes her head. "N-No, I thaw nothing... The governor wath in the room too when it went off... I followed Thoarin' and Thpitfire when they took the thenator out... a-and a few milithia tholdierth were taking the governor... into an open room in the back, jutht before it happened..."
You move around a few other piles of debris and continue toward the exit. Fleetfoot continues to cough and wheeze. When you reach the narrow crawlspace just before the exit, you slow down and carefully slide through it. The sunlight shines through the smoke onto you when you get clear and you head outside.
Pinkie and a couple other Republic soldiers are there immediately. They start to take Fleetfoot away.
"Be careful." You tell her. "She's got a broken arm."
Pinkie assists the soldiers as they get a good hold on Fleetfoot before turning back to you. "Any luck?"
"Fleetfoot says that the senator is alive." You step back towards the building. "I'm heading back in. Sunset is looking for her now."
Pinkie grabs her chest and breathes a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness. Hurry."
She turns around and follows the soldiers as they carry the Pantoran away and you head back into the smoky building. It takes about a minute to move past the piles of debris back to where you were prior to finding Fleetfoot.
Once you get there, you turn on your comms and contact Sunset. "Did you find her?"
"Yes!" She says. "She and Spitfire are both under a huge pile of debris just down the hallway! I need your help to move it!"
Amazing. She found her.
"I'll be right there! Hang on!" You move down the hallway as quickly as you can.
This hallway looks familiar. It's the one you were in just before you left the building to meet Sunset and Pinkie the courtyard.
Up ahead, you see an orange glow flickering along the walls up ahead on your left. The source is coming from an open doorway on your right. It's the large briefing room you were in before. Fire is covering the floors and debris is absolutely everywhere.
There's a massive hole where the far left wall used to be. A few chunks of rubble are still falling from the crater in the ceiling onto the floor. You can even see a few rooms on the upper level. You take a quick look inside the room for a better look at the hole.
The next room is almost nonexistent. There's just a crater where it used to be. That must be where the bomb was detonated.
Continuing down the hallway, you come to an intersection. Your right is completely blocked by debris. No way you're getting through that.
On your left, you see Sunset pulling on a few large chunks of rocks. She sees you and waves you over. "Come on! She's right here!"
You run to her and see senator Octavia Melody beneath Spitfire. They're both under the pile of rubble.
You quickly begin to pull the rocks off of them. "Is she alive?"
"Yes! She's just unconscious!" Sunset says.
"What about Spitfire?" You grab another chunk and toss it behind you.
"I don't know..." Sunset replies.
You and Sunset grab a large piece of rubble and lift it together, freeing them.
Grunting, you set it down and move your attention back to Spitfire. You grab her shoulders and pull her out while Sunset grabs Octavia. The rubble pile collapses to fill the space where they once were just seconds later.
Octavia groans a bit when she's freed and her eyes open just barely. "S...Sunset? A-Anonymous?"
Sunset keeps pulling her away from the rubble. "We're here, senator. We're going to get you out. Can you stand?"
She groans weakly. "I-I think so..."
Spitfire doesn't move. You turn her around and hold her on her back. Her head hangs limp over your left arm and you bring your fingers to her neck.
Nothing. No pulse at all.
"Dammit..." You curse under your breath.
You and Sunset look at each other silently. She glances at Spitfire, and you shake your head at her.
Best not to let the senator know just yet.
You pick Spitfire up and hold her in your arms while Sunset helps Octavia to her feet.
"Here, senator, lean on me. I'll keep you up." She says.
Octavia winces as she stands up. "Ah!... Where are Fleetfoot and Soarin'?"
"Fleetfoot is safe." You reply. "We don't know about Soarin' yet."
"I'm... r-right here..." A voice says.
You all turn to your left to see Soarin' sitting on the ground. His right leg is trapped under some rubble and he's trying to pull it out.
You move next to Octavia and she leans on you while Sunset rushes over to help him. She pushes the debris off and pulls Soarin' out. He grunts and pants hard in pain as she examines his leg.
"It's broken. He can't walk." She says.
He struggles to move it and stand up. "It's... fine! I-I can... get..."
As soon as he puts pressure on it, he screams and collapses into Sunset's arms.
Sunset leans down and looks at him. "It's BROKEN! You. Can't. Use. It."
Octavia speaks up. "Soarin', you're hurt! Please let her help!"
He looks over at her, grunting once before sighing. "Y-Yes, my lady..."
Sunset crouches down and grabs him in her arms, picking him up with a grunt. "Hang on, princess. Here comes your knight in shining beskar."
You smile under your helmet and barely hold back a laugh at the face he gives Sunset as she picks him up in her arms. If looks could kill.
She walks toward you and you turn to Octavia. "Senator, hold onto me. I'll go slow."
She coughs again and nods at you. "A-Alright. Lead the way."
"Cover your mouth and nose with your sleeve." You advise. "This smoke is not good for the lungs."
She does as you instruct and you all make your way back down the hall toward the exit. Sunset takes the lead and maneuvers past the rubble quicker than you as you carefully lead Octavia through the smoky hallway.
Your comms beep and Pinkie comes on in your ear. "Anon! Sunset! Did you find her?!"
"Yeah we did." You reply. "She's alive and we're making our way back to you."
"Oh good! The Republic is here!" Pinkie says.
"The Republic?" You repeat.
Octavia steps over another pile of rubble and leans up against you more as you pass the burning briefing room.
"Yeah!" Pinkie says. "A Republic capital ship just entered the atmosphere and is making its way here now! The soldiers said that it's gonna put out the fire and help with the rescue!"
Oh good.
"They're aware that the senator is here then?" You ask.
"Yeah!" She replies. "They said she's to get on the cruiser for medical attention right away! I'll let them know you have her!"
"Thanks, Pinkie." You shut off your comms and continue down the hallway. You reach the end and take a right. "Almost there, Senator. This is the final stretch."
She nods and continues with you.
Sunset is ahead of you and is in the process of moving through the crawlspace that leads to the exit. Once she's through, you lead Octavia past the sections of collapsed ceiling and rubble and usher her toward the opening. She's coughing and wheezing loudly. When she reaches the crawlspace, Sunset pokes her head back through and takes Octavia's hand to help her as well.
She pulls the senator through and into the clear. You follow directly behind with Spitfire still in your arms. You squeeze and wiggle your way out and get free of the smoke and rubble.
In the sky directly above you, a few Republic dropships are descending toward the planet. Behind them is a large Republic cruiser. A Venator-class Star Destroyer.
One of the dropships lands in an open spot in front of you. Republic soldiers on your right are in the process of carrying Octavia toward it. A few medical officers disembark from the dropship and run toward her and Soarin'. Two of them run toward you and Spitfire as well.
"How is she?!" One of them calls out.
You shake your head. "Not good. I didn't feel a pulse."
One of them places his fingers on Spitfire's neck for a second before he and his partner remove her from your care. "We'll take it from here."
You release Spitfire and they take her lifeless body away.
The sight of all this makes your blood boil. Not just because you lost your paycheck, but because this was a blatant act of betrayal. You've dealt with stuff like this before during your career, but for some reason, this time really struck a nerve with you. If the Republic asks you any questions about this, which you're sure that they will, you're tempted to not tell them anything about who was involved.
Even though you probably shouldn't, you want to be the one that personally makes Hoity Toity pay for all of this. |
Bounty Hunter Anon II | Seeking Vengeance | "I'm sorry, darling, but other than that video message you found, there was nothing in that datapad that had any specific details about a bomb. I was very thorough." Rarity says.
"It's not your fault, Rarity." You reply. "If nothing is there, then nothing is there. You did everything you could."
The Republic official that had taken Octavia and the Wonderbolts aboard the cruiser for medical care had requested that you, Sunset, and Pinkie come aboard as well. You're currently standing alone in one of the cruiser's hallways speaking to Rarity on your comms. You're on your way back to Naboo to take Octavia home. They wanted to find out if you know who was behind the bomb.
Not only do you know who was behind it, you have a substantial amount of evidence to back up your findings. It was all on the datapad that you downloaded and sent copies of to Rarity.
So why are you currently in the process of deleting it from your suit's systems?
Rarity continues. "I understand your frustration, Anonymous. Hoity Toity is incredibly corrupt and selfish, but he is a senator. A SENATOR! For the Galactic Republic!"
"There is not a single part of that sentence I don't understand, Rarity." You reply.
Your HUD indicates that more data has been erased. You press another button on your gauntlet and proceed to wipe away more.
She lets out a frustrated breath. "Anonymous, darling, this is too risky, even for you. The Republic knows who you are. Once you kill him and get away, if you get away, you'll have a price on your own head the size of Coruscant itself! Every other bounty hunter in the galaxy will be after you."
You shake your head. "You worry too much, Rarity. It's me, remember?"
She lets out another breath, barely chuckling. "How could I forget?"
The last bit of data that is yet to be erased is Hoity Toity's video message.
You continue. "Hoity Toity knows more about Flim and Flam. I'd like to know more as well, and I've got a plan for how I'm going to get to him. Once we get back to Naboo, I'll contact you from my ship. I'm going to need some, uhhh... items of... questionable legality to pull off what I've got in mind."
She hums. "I know someone. I'll put you in contact with him when you get back."
"Thanks, Rarity." You shut off your comms and stare at Hoity Toity's still image on your HUD.
After a few seconds, you play the message again.
"...alk to me, what is going on there?! Did you get the shipment?! Is the bomb in place?! Answer me! I want Senator Melody DEAD! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?! DEAD!"
The message ends and you give a low growl under your breath as his words sink in.
Corrupt. Spineless. Cruel. All of these words, among many other, very bad ones, describe this "man" perfectly. Captain Spitfire is now dead because of him. Sure, you didn't like her, but she had a good job and she did it well. She didn't deserve her fate. Hoity Toity was willing to kill her and a great number of other people to keep his secret hidden. He may have given you payment for Adagio's bounty, but his money is the only thing that's good about him.
Well, maybe not even that. The money he paid you with was probably obtained by selling Kath Hounds, now that you think about it.
This scumbag is going to die by your hand, and no one else's.
"I'm coming for you, you son of a bitch..." You whisper aloud.
You take one last look at his image before you delete the message. That's it. All evidence of his role in this has been erased. The Republic won't be finding out about it any time soon, which means that they won't be in your way when you go to kill him.
You take a deep breath and walk down the hall and into the medical bay, where Sunset and Pinkie are both waiting. They look at you when you walk through the doorway, but they don't say anything right away.
The medical bay is nothing too flashy. The three of you are in the waiting area. Pinkie is sitting on one of the chairs next to the doorway while Sunset is leaning against a wall on her right. Her helmet is off. It's on a chair right beside her.
You walk over to them and remove your helmet as well. "How is she?"
Sunset sighs and looks down the hallway that leads to intensive care. A couple of guards are standing in front of a closed door. "Other than a concussion and a few scrapes, she's fine. The doctors said that her injuries were relatively minor, compared to the other people treated."
You nod. "How are Soarin' and Fleetfoot doing?"
She looks back at you. "They're both pretty roughed up, but Fleetfoot got the brunt of it. A few cracked ribs, one broken arm, and she lost feeling in both of her legs."
You set your helmet down next to hers and look back at her. "Are you serious?"
She nods. "Doc said she got hit in her back somehow and it paralyzed her from the waist down. The good news is that it's fixable. They said she could be walking again in a couple of weeks, at the earliest."
For being as small as she is, the fact that Fleetfoot was able to hobble that far through a burning building with all those injuries is quite impressive. She's a tough little Pantoran.
Sunset continues. "Soarin' just has a broken leg, and a seething hatred for us."
You cross your arms. "Pretty ungrateful of him, considering we saved his ass."
Sunset scoffs. "Yeah, well, he blames us for Spitfire's death, which is stupid. We did everything we could, that's what's important."
You shrug. "You can't save everyone."
"Exactly." Sunset nods.
You take another deep breath and impatiently tap your finger on your arm. The sooner you get back to your ship, the better.
Sunset looks at you again. "What's wrong?"
You shake your head. "I'm eager to get out of here. They're not going to pay us because we couldn't stop that bomb. Even though we pulled Octavia out alive and she's going to recover, we didn't keep her 'safe'." You start pacing back and forth slowly, clenching your fists. "If they're going to hold out on us, then there's no benefit for us being here any more."
"They're going to want to ask us questions about the bomb and how we knew about it though, Anon." She replies. "And seeing as how you're the only one who saw all the details..."
They will ask you most of the questions.
"I know..." You grumble to yourself.
"What are you going to tell them?" She asks.
The guards in front of Octavia's room aren't close enough to hear you. You're positive that no one is listening in, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
You look at Sunset for a moment before casually moving closer to her. "Only what they need to know." You say just above a whisper. "I'm not going to lie to them... Not completely, anyway."
Sunset's expression on her face changes slightly. She knows that you've got other plans. She also knows you're being discreet, so she waits for a moment before replying.
"So what's next after this?" She asks.
Still aiming for discretion among those potentially listening to your conversation, you reply to her in Mando'a...
You clear your throat. "Mhi cuyir slanar at slanar at Coruscanta at kyr'amur Ta'aya'r. Kaysh cuyir solus sulyu ibic. Juha bic tor, juha bic skira, Ni narir va baatir. Kaysh ne'waadas at ramaanar." <<"We're going to go to Coruscant to kill the Senator. He's the one behind all this. Call it justice, call it revenge, I don't care. He needs to die.">>
Sunset studies your words as you speak them. A grin appears on her face for a second before she looks down at both of your helmets on the chair beside her. "Ni juha bic 'nuhur'..." <<"I'd call it 'fun'...">>
She reaches down and grabs her helmet. She rubs the cheek with her thumb and just stares at the visor for a moment as she mulls this over. "Atba'a'yu o'r kaysh naritir malyasa'yr olya atin'la..." She sounds like she's thinking out loud. She looks back to you. "Ta'aya'r dabay ganar omtu ganar e save ta'na'oaragr cabuor kaysh. Mhi suya'gr ne'waadas e gaa'tayl." <<"Getting into his place will be tough... The Senator will likely have some pretty heavy protection. We might need some help.">>
You nod at her. "Rarity ashnar eo vi liser bu'yahyr. Mhi malyasa'yr mra'lira bic sto tion'tuur mhi pabida norac at te likr." <<"Rarity has a contact. We'll go over it more when we get back to the ship.">>
She nods and sets her helmet down again. "Pirusti, gar kar'taylir ibac Ni malyasa'yr cuyir ti gar an te miai bat ibic, Anon." <<"Well, you know that I'm with you all the way on this, Anon.">> She moves to the chair next to your helmets and sits down, cocking her head toward Pinkie. "Te veman bu'gar'a olar olyay, olyay la?" <<"The only question here is, is she?">>
Pinkie.
Even though she was right there this whole time, you forgot she was here in this room with you and Sunset. Despite hearing every word that was said between you two and hopefully not understanding any of it, she has said nothing at all. She hasn't even made a sound.
Pinkamena Diane Pie.
She hasn't made a sound.
You look over at her. She has her arms folded and she's looking down at the floor in front of her. Almost like she's deep in thought. She's not humming or smiling or getting on your nerves at all. No wonder you forgot she was here.
"You're being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal, Pinkie." You tell her. "What's up?"
She glances up at you for a moment before looking back to the ground again. "People died today, you guys... Actual, living people with friends and family. They died." You and Sunset glance at each other for a moment and she continues. "They were attacked by someone and we couldn't help them. They won't be able to be with their family and friends ever again and it's our fault." She sinks her head lower and closes her eyes.
Is she... crying?
"You two are trying to justify this and wave it off like it's just a job. All you care about is getting paid and nothing else. You don't even want to help the Republic find out who did this." She takes another shaky breath and sniffs. "You two are no better than Discord..."
Wow. She's really not happy right now. Granted, Zeltrons are a bit over-the-top when it comes to emotions. It's like there's no setting between "off" and "high". It's why they're usually so giddy. This sadness is clouding her judgement.
She probably knows that you all did do everything you could to help, but she feels guilty because she wanted to do more. It means she isn't in this for the money.
Right now, neither are you. You will kill Hoity Toity.
"Listen, Pinkie. We're probably not going to get paid for this. We know that." You step closer and speak just above a whisper. "We're not done with this though. Not yet." She slowly looks up at you again, her eyes a bit red.
You don't want her to blow your cover to the Republic, but you have to tell her something.
You continue. "For some reason, what happened with Octavia really hit me where I live. I want the one responsible to pay for what he did to her, and to all those other people he killed."
She stares at you hard, studying your face as you tell her the truth. "Really?"
You nod. "Yes. It wasn't fair, and it was extremely cruel. You're right. All those people who died didn't deserve to die. I care about them too. When we get back to our ship, we're going to track down who did this ourselves." You look to Sunset for a second before looking back at Pinkie. "Sunset is on board. We both know that we aren't going to get paid to do this, but we want to do it anyway. Are you on board with us too, Pinkie?"
She looks at Sunset as well before looking back to you. After a second, she smiles a little. "You got it."
That's what you like to hear.
You smile back at her. "Good."
Glad that's taken care of.
You take a deep breath and stand up straight. "All we can do now is just wait though."
So you do just that, thinking about everything that's happened since you arrived on Dantooine. The bikes, the militia, the bomb, the looters, the Kath Hounds, everything. It's been a busy day.
A couple of minutes pass when the door opens and a neatly dressed Republic officer steps into the room with you. He's a light blue Twi'lek and he's holding a datapad. You don't recognize him.
"Hello, everyone." He says with a polite smile. "I assume the Senator is doing well?"
His Ryloth-native accent is thick and obvious. Galactic Basic is clearly not his first language, but he doesn't seem to struggle with it.
Sunset stands up. "That's what we heard."
The Twi'lek nods. "What a relief. It's unbelievable what happened out there." No one replies after that. There's a bit of an awkward silence before he clears his throat and looks at the datapad. "Now, I understand that you discovered something about the bomb a few minutes before its detonation?"
Sunset points to you. "That was Anon. He discovered it and told us about it over the radio."
He looks to you and you nod, confirming her statement. "I found a datapad at the Jedi Enclave that had information about the bomb. They knew Senator Melody was there."
"I see..." He types something onto his datapad. "How did they know she was there?"
Time to stretch the truth.
"I don't know." You say. "They were trying to capture Kath Hounds, and were planning to have a ship take them away. They were a lot more organized than we had expected them to be. I wanted to look through that datapad to see if I could find out who they were shipping them to, but I came across details of a bomb instead."
"Do you have the datapad with you?" He asks.
"No. The first thing I saw was the info on the bomb. I didn't know if it was meant for Senator Melody at the time, but I assumed that it was, so I just dropped it and headed back." You lie.
He continues typing on his datapad for a moment before turning to Sunset and Pinkie. "Now, you two had arrived at the compound much sooner than Anonymous. How?"
Sunset clears her throat. "When we first got to the Enclave, we saw how organized they were and had suspected that they had a plan to get rid of the Senator or something. Me and Pinkie went back while Anon stayed to figure out more."
"How did you know that?" He asks.
She shrugs. "We just... We had a hunch. We're very experienced in this line of work. Something felt off, so we acted on it."
You continue her thought. "I had let them know on the radio about the bomb right when I learned about it myself."
He types more. "Why did you leave your post and go to the Enclave in the first place?"
"We had heard that the locals were having trouble with looters trespassing onto the Enclave's grounds." You say. "We decided not to wait, and took action instead. We thought the locals could've used some help."
He looks at you. "That can be considered a form of vigilantism to some, Anonymous."
You scoff at him. "What, you're going to arrest us for going out of our way to try and fix a problem? That's stupid."
Sunset cuts in. "And it's unjustified. If we hadn't done what we did, then Senator Melody probably wouldn't be alive right now. Our job was to protect her. You'd be arresting us for doing our job too well."
He shifts his gaze between you and Sunset and holds up his hand, showing his submissiveness. "All I'm saying is that is how others may see it. I, for one, am just grateful that the Senator is alive."
He should be thanking you then...
He clears his throat and looks to his datapad again. "Well, alright. I think that's everything I need to know."
Good.
He looks at you all again and smiles a little. "Thank you all for your assistance. I'll be back in a few minutes with your payment and you can head on your way when we land."
Woah, they're actually going to pay you?
Don't show surprise, Anon. They won't appreciate that.
You simply nod. "Happy to help."
He nods back at you all and turns around to head back out the door.
Once the door closes, you grin and look back to the girls. "Payday."
Sunset smiles back and pumps her fist a little as she walks back to her spot by her helmet.
Pinkie smiles and shakes her fists in front of her excitedly. "Woo hoo!"
You chuckle and take a seat on the nearest chair. "Once we land, we'll split it all up and go over what comes next."
Hopefully, it doesn't take much longer. You're getting paid, sure, but you still want to kill Hoity Toity. You're also curious about Flim and Flam. The Senator should know more about them.
It's like Sunset said, the Republic is undermanned and desperate right now. They'd likely be willing to pay you tons of money to help them out. You'll have to ask Rarity if there are any more bounties out there that they've posted.
As you wait in silence, your mind starts to wander some more. You really think hard about everything that has happened lately.
Then, you remember something else that Rarity had mentioned to you about Flim and Flam back at the Enclave. She said that they were just starting to work with Death Sticks.
That's another mystery you've been curious about. These newer, more powerful Death Sticks have been popping up all over the place lately. Where exactly are they coming from?
Hoity Toity was probably working with Flim and Flam when you brought in Adagio. She was using them and her good looks to get money from rich, horny addicts on Nar Shaddaa. Was she working for Hoity Toity at one point?
You think back to when you first captured her. She used that lightsaber crystal around her neck to get away by screaming extremely loud. It almost made you deaf. It's like it enhanced her voice's volume to an unnatural level.
You stand up and walk over to your helmet next to Sunset's and slip it on. You need a refresher.
You pull up Adagio's bio from your helmet's records and go over it again on your HUD. 'Adagio Dazzle. 20,000 credits, wanted alive. She had stolen a variety of goods by using a form of hypnosis.'
You had figured that the Death Sticks were the cause of that hypnosis. They deteriorated the brain so quickly that it made those affected by them more susceptible to suggestions or requests. You assumed that Hoity Toity was just another client that Adagio stole from and decided to put a price on her, but after this little incident, you've discovered that he is working with Flim and Flam. Thanks to Rarity, you've discovered that they're also working with Death Sticks.
If those Death Sticks are the same kind that deteriorated the brain, then Hoity Toity would have known that beforehand. He wouldn't have let Adagio hypnotize him and take his money.
Trixie was doing the same thing on Malastare as well. While working for Diamond Tiara, she was busy spreading out Death Sticks to the locals. Those Death Sticks were the same kinds that you found on Nar Shaddaa with Adagio.
Did they know each other? Did Hoity Toity know Trixie? Did Trixie know Flim and Flam?
Another thing comes to your mind as you think about it more...
How are the Sith involved with this?
On Tatooine, you, Sunset, and Rarity encountered that Sith warrior. Just before you fought and killed him, you distinctly remember him saying that Darth Sombra was angry about your "meddling" with his operations on Nar Shaddaa, or something. The only thing you can think of doing was messing up Adagio's deal there and bringing her in.
You thought that Adagio was working with the Sith to some degree after that, but with everything else you've learned, another question comes to your mind: is Hoity Toity also working with the Sith?
You'll brainstorm more with everyone else when you get back to the ship. There's something else going on here. You know it.
You're just not seeing the whole picture yet... |
Bounty Hunter Anon II | Parting Words | A couple of hours later, you get the announcement that the Republic cruiser has come out of lightspeed over Naboo, and not a moment too soon. You all had remained in the medical center's waiting area through the trip. Pinkie had fallen asleep.
You wanted to catch a little rest yourself, but you couldn't stop thinking about Hoity Toity and how deep his corruption could be. Sunset could tell that you were deep in thought, but she didn't say anything to you. If you are troubled, or thinking hard about something, she doesn't interrupt your train of thought unless it's urgent. She knows you'll ask her for her input if you need it.
It works when she's thinking hard about something too. You'll be there if she needs you, but you're not going to pry unless you have to. You wanted to talk to her right then, and Pinkie may have been asleep, but you were still on a Republic cruiser, and you were thinking about how you were going to kill a Republic senator.
So, unsurprisingly, the rest of the trip was very quiet.
That said, once they announced that you were coming out of lightspeed, you were very relived.
"Finally." You stand up walk over to Pinkie. She's hanging her head over the back of her chair and snoring. "Pinkie, get up. We're here."
You pat her cheek a few times and she snores herself awake suddenly. "Woah-whaa?"
"We're here. Get up." You say again.
"Oh. Okay." She yawns.
You walk back to your seat and grab your helmet, slipping it on.
Sunset walks over to you, her helmet on as well. "You ready?"
You groan. "I've been ready for hours."
She chuckles a little. "Good to hear."
From down the hallway leading to intensive treatment, one of the guards in front of Octavia's door approaches. "Senator Melody wanted to speak with you all once more before you left."
"Alright. We'll be right in." You reply.
He nods and walks back to Octavia's door and the three of you follow him. You step inside the small room and see Octavia laying in a bed and speaking to another one of the guards at her side.
"...We will be ready to move you to the planet as soon as we touch down, Senator. It will be about five minutes." He says.
"Thank you very much, officer." Octavia replies.
He gets up and moves past you as he walks out into the hallway.
Octavia has a few bandages and bruises on her face and arms. She's now wearing a white hospital tunic, and you can see that she has a few more bandages covering a part of her chest.
Despite this, she smiles softly as she sees you enter. "Hello, you three."
"Hello, Senator." You reply.
You and Sunset stand still and Pinkie moves in front of you both. "Hiya, Senator! Are you okay? Does anything hurt?"
She giggles a little. "Yes, Pinkie, I'm alright. Thank you very much for asking."
Pinkie smiles and moves to stand at your left. Octavia taps her thumbs together slowly and her smile fades a bit as she thinks of what to say for a few moments.
"I do... greatly appreciate what you all did. Despite going out of line and against regulation, doing so and learning what you did saved more lives that would have been lost otherwise..." She pauses. "My own included."
"Just sitting still and waiting for bad stuff to happen doesn't really seem wise to me, Senator." You tell her. "We were just doing our job as best as we could."
She smiles softly again for a moment and looks to the ground. "As best as you could..."
Her smile fades again and she rubs her shoulder. You know what she's thinking of. Hopefully, the waterworks aren't too big.
"I am no Jedi, but... I suppose it was just... Captain Spitfire's time... Her time to also become a part of the Force..." She closes her eyes and maintains her composure as she speaks. "I had been very close with her. With all of the Wonderbolts... I will miss her greatly."
You look to Sunset for a moment. You can't help but imagine what it would be like if you lost her this way. It would probably tear you apart.
She is more important to you than anyone else in the whole galaxy. Not just because she's an invaluable asset and a magnificent warrior that you're proud to fight with, but she's also a very good friend. The best one you've ever had, in fact. You love everything about her. Life without her would be a life not worth living. When her time does come, you only hope that she dies with honor and glory.
Spitfire's time was cut short. You didn't like her, but she did her job well and with pride. That's admirable. She had so much more to look forward to. So much more she was ready to accomplish, and it was unfairly taken from her from an evil man that she was supposed to trust and look up to.
Sunset looks to you for a moment and you look back to Octavia. "I'm sorry we couldn't save her as well, Senator."
"We tried. We really did." Sunset adds.
She looks up again and nods. "I know you did. I don't blame you." She pauses and thinks for a moment before sitting up straight. "When the one responsible is caught, he will be tried and sentenced to the punishment he deserves."
Hoity Toity.
He will be caught, definitely, and he will get what he deserves, but he won't have a chance to look for a scapegoat and potentially get out of this. The Republic will wait too long. He needs to be dealt with severely, and as soon as possible.
Pinkie speaks up. "So, what's gonna happen with Dantooine now?"
Octavia sighs, looking a bit relieved to change the somber topic. "Honestly, I do not know. I felt like I could have been successful if I had more time. The governor of the planet was being very stubborn with me during our negotiations. He kept insisting that Dantooine could manage on its own. But then... everything happened."
You can't help but think that this attack could be taken both ways. Dantooine can either see this as a sign that they need the Republic's assistance to combat attacks like this in the future, or as a sign that nothing good can come from being associated with them.
Politics are absolutely terrible in every way.
If Mandalorians were involved, they would have just invaded and conquered the planet overnight. It would have been almost too easy. But alas, the Republic isn't as strong-willed the Mando'ade.
"I'm sure everything will work out in time, Senator. You seem pretty resilient to me." You say.
She smiles again. "Thank you, Anonymous."
You nod at her in response.
A second later, the ship rumbles slightly.
The cruiser itself has landed?
"Wow." You comment.
"Must be refueling or something." Sunset adds.
Other than crashes, you haven't actually seen a Republic cruiser of any kind touch down on a planet's surface before. Octavia is looking around the room as well. She probably wasn't expecting this either.
She looks back at you once more. "Well, I suppose this is our stop."
Looks like it.
You face her completely. "Senator, if you ever need our services again in the future, don't hesitate to ask."
"I won't hesitate, thank you." She replies with a smile.
The three of you turn to exit the room. Pinkie calls back to her. "Get better soon!"
Octavia merely giggles and waves goodbye.
You pass another officer as he makes his way into the room as well and starts speaking to Octavia. You only hear the start of his sentence. Apparently, the Queen of Naboo herself wants to know how she's doing.
The three of you leave the room and head down the hallway toward the exit.
Pinkie taps your shoulder. "So, are we gonna talk about the plan now?"
You shake your head and continue facing forward. "Not yet."
You need to get to your ship first. |
Bounty Hunter Anon II | Stories of Battle | "Mom and dad are back!" You laugh as you step aboard your ship again after Sunset, taking a deep breath through the nose as you remove your helmet.
Oh, it feels so damn good to be here again. Everything is exactly how you left it. Your weapons in the armory, your speeder bike you bought on Tatooine, the main hold, it's such a beautiful sight. Sunset removes her helmet and stands in the doorway of the main hold, looking at everything with a smile.
"Sunset..." She looks back at you as you move to stand beside her and wrap an arm around her. The both of you look at your beautiful ship together, still smiling. "...we're home."
She giggles and squeezes you around the waist in return before heading to the cockpit. "Now let's get the hell out of here."
"Good idea." You chuckle.
You turn around and see Pinkie behind you, also smiling. "Did I ever tell you I really liked your ship Anon?"
You cross your arms and look her straight in the eyes. "Don't get any ideas, Pinkie. It's mine."
Sunset calls back from the cockpit. "It's mine too!"
You glance toward the cockpit for a second before turning to Pinkie again. "Right. It's hers too. I bought it though."
Sunset calls back from the cockpit once again. "I bought most of it!"
You roll your eyes and turn toward the cockpit. "Will you stop?! I'm trying to make a point here!"
She calls back. "Make the point correctly then! I picked it out, I paid for most of it, you just picked out the color!"
"It's my favorite color!" You reply.
Sunset starts to laugh. It makes you laugh too.
Pinkie starts laughing as well. "You guys are so cute!"
You set your helmet down on the table in the center of the room, still chuckling. "Heh. Thanks."
Sunset calls back the cockpit once more. "I'm cuter!"
"I know that!" You say.
You smile wide and Pinkie starts laughing again.
The engines click and hum as Sunset starts up the ship. They hum a bit louder as the ship warms up and you walk into the armory to remove some of your equipment.
"I'm gonna head to the cockpit too, okay Anon?" Pinkie says.
"Alright, Pinkie." You reply. "Tell Sunset to just stay in orbit for now. I'll be there in a minute."
"Okie dokie!" She heads toward the cockpit and the ship rumbles beneath your feet as Sunset takes off.
After removing your jetpack and weapons, you grab your datapad nearby and call Rarity. Time to see who this contact of hers is... ---
You press another button on the ship's controls as you begin your ascent through Naboo's atmosphere. It really is a beautiful planet, especially from up here. You can see the cruiser you all were just aboard, the spaceport, the entire city of Theed, and the Queen's palace. They all shrink as you continue through the clouds.
A voice from behind cuts you off. "Hiya, Sunset!"
Pinkie's here. Great.
"Hey, Pinkie." You reply calmly.
She takes a seat in the co-pilot's chair on your right and swivels back and forth. "Anon says to just get into orbit! He'll be here soon!"
You nod. "Okay."
The ship continues to break through the clouds and the blue sky starts to get darker as you press through the atmosphere. Pinkie spins in circles in the chair a couple of times, giggling to herself. The chair squeaks a little bit as she swivels it.
Why is she in here?
"Do you need anything Pinkie?" You ask.
She looks at you and gasps softly. "Oh yeah! I do, actually!" She stops spinning and faces you completely. Her smile fades, but her attention does not. "I was curious about what happened on Dantooine."
You glance at her, but keep your attention on the viewport window. "What do you mean?"
"Well... Like, you didn't like being there, right? Like, you had yucky, woozy feelings when we were in the canyons?" She clarifies.
How did she know that?
You stare at her completely. "Yeah..?"
She scoots closer, just a bit. "And, just before the bomb went off, you felt that wave of yucky woozy feeling in your gut, didn't you?"
"Yeah... Yeah, I did..." You say softly.
That's strange.
Now that you think about it, she said something at the same time you felt that feeling in your gut. Like, "Oh goodness" or something like that.
Pinkie looks back toward the rest of the ship for a moment and you follow her gaze. It's just you two in here. Anon is doing whatever he's doing right now.
"What do you think about the Jedi and the Force, Sunset?" She asks you quietly.
This is weird.
"Together? I don't know." You shrug. "I'm not too fond of the Jedi, if that's what you're asking. I know the Force exists, but I don't understand everything about how it works. Even though I'm Force Sensitive, I'm not familiar with-"
She cuts you off. "Oh! So-So you do know that you're Force Sensitive?"
You nod. "It was a recent discovery, but yeah. I have barely enough midichlorians in my blood to be Force Sensitive."
She blinks once. "Oh! Okay!"
She breathes a sigh of relief and looks out the viewport into the sky, now being dotted with distant stars as you leave the atmosphere.
"Is that what this is about?" You ask. "All those weird feelings in my gut before, that was the Force?"
She nods. "Yup. I felt it strongly around the Enclave too."
You accelerate the ship more and get yourselves into orbit around Naboo.
"What did it mean?" You ask.
Pinkie takes a deep breath. "The Force is very strong there. Those are old ruins that once housed and trained many powerful Jedi Knights."
Including Revan.
She continues. "All those craters and holes around the Enclave and in the canyons were from Darth Malak's ship when he killed them all. All those people who died, their life force, their energy, it still speaks to those who can hear it. Even after all this time."
All you felt there was uneasiness and nausea. You were able to push past it, but it was still there.
"So..." You begin. "All that queasiness I felt, that was the Force telling me that tons of people had died?"
She nods. "Basically."
Wow. That's not even a little bit fun.
This makes you hate being Force Sensitive.
You shake your head, still confused. "Then, what about what I felt just before the bomb went off? You felt it too, right?"
She nods. "Yeah I did. That was just you sensing immediate danger. Have you ever felt that before?"
"Maybe I have, I don't know." You say. "I don't usually pay attention to how I'm feeling when me and Anon are on the job. We both just push past it until the job is done. Then we can mess around."
She smiles and giggles a little. "Like your little back and forth you had with each other just now?"
"Yeah, stuff like that." You smile as well. "Anon is a great guy, and he knows how to be fun. He actually has a great sense of humor. You should hear some of his jokes when he gets in the mood. But despite that, he's still a no-nonsense Mandalorian. When it's time to work, he works. When our work is finished, or it's just us, then he brings out his fun side."
"And what do you think of that?" She asks.
"It's nice." You smile. "I like to think I'm the same way. It's why we work so well together."
Pinkie hums softly and leans back in the chair a little as you press a few more buttons on the control console.
"So what's the deal with you two?" She asks. "Are you guys, like, a thing?"
You smile a little. "Yes. We're partners, both professionally and personally."
"Cute!" She replies. "How did you guys meet?"
You clear your throat. "We both grew up on Mandalore. Not together though. We were part of different houses. I, from house Shimmer, and he, from house Ymous, obviously. We both trained and fought separately before we met during a skirmish about a year or two after I completed the Verd'goten."
Pinkie cocks her head. "The what?"
"The Verd'goten." You repeat. "It's the Mandalorian's rite of passage into adulthood. Everything before then is just considered training. Then, at the age of thirteen, young Mandalores prove themselves in real combat against real enemies. Those who came back brought tales of his or her achievements and was legally seen as an adult among the Mandalorian Clans."
Pinkie looks a bit surprised. "Wow, an adult at thirteen? That's wild."
You shake your head. "Not really. It's just different from how the Republic does things. It's our culture. Once they come back, they share a drink with everyone and enjoy the victory with their friends and family. The first of many victories."
"Fun!" She smiles. "What did you do for yours?"
You're about to answer when Anon comes walking into the cockpit. "What did she do for her what?"
You smile and look up at him. "I was just about to tell her what I did for my Verd'goten."
"Oh, that's a good story. Please, do tell." He leans against the wall and Pinkie looks at you expectantly with a smile on her face.
You giggle and look at Pinkie. Anon has heard this before.
"We had heard reports of a small battle taking place between two groups over a world just outside Mandalorian Space. I can't remember which one. Whether they were pirates or smugglers, I couldn't tell you either. All we knew was that they were a prick in our side that needed to be removed... We had been developing an experimental type of spacecraft that was armed with powerful ion cannons and industrial-grade armor plating, but didn't have any engines. To launch it, our cruiser was equipped with a massive rail gun that propelled it toward the enemy at extremely high speeds through space. The idea was that it would only be used to board enemy cruisers by firing its ion cannon to disable their shields for just a moment and break through their hull."
Pinkie gasps softly. "Woah."
Anon smiles at that, but stays silent.
You continue. "I had been one of the first to volunteer to sit in the pod. Once our ship engaged the two trespassing ships, they would fire me toward them. I could see battle raging outside the barrel of our ship's rail gun. My heart was pounding out of fear and excitement over what I was about to do. When I was given the green light, I grasped the controls tightly and pressed myself against the back of my seat. Then they shot me like a bullet. The G-force was insane. For the briefest of moments, I weighed a couple tons. Even at that speed however, I had about thirty seconds to decide where I wanted to impact."
"Could you control where you wanted to go?" Pinkie asks.
You shake your head. "Not much. It didn't have any engines, remember. I used what little maneuverability I did have, though, to steer myself toward the bridge of the nearest cruiser. Once I had a lock, I fired everything my ion cannons had until the shield broke in that one section. Then, I finally penetrated the hull. The crew inside had no idea what was happening. I got a little cooked from the explosion and the sheer force of impact, but I shook it off and broke out of my pod."
Pinkie is on the edge of her seat. Anon looks expectant too, even though he already knows what will happen.
"The hallway I was in had already re-pressurized the new breach in their hull by the time I got out of the pod. The alarm was blaring, and flashing everything red. I quickly got free from my pod and headed toward the bridge, killing anyone that got in my way. Once I got there, I killed the guards, the captain, and anyone else I saw until I was the only one alive. My mind was racing, and I headed to the cruiser's controls. The terminal was still logged in as the dead captain, so I used an override command to put everything into the sublight engines, and set the ship on a collision course with the other cruiser. I then blasted the bridge's viewport window and was sucked into the vacuum of space. From there, I watched as the two enemy cruisers collided with each other and exploded into a massive fireball, all thanks to me. It was the moment of my life."
Pinkie's smile widens. "That's amazing! Oh, I bet seeing that was the coolest thing ever!"
You giggle. "I can't describe exactly how it feels, being in the emptiness of space, with nothing between you and the collision of fire and metal mere kilometers away. It's incredible."
Anon chuckles as well. "I wish I had met her before that so I could've seen it myself. Probably would've been the second most amazing thing I saw that day."
"Oh, stop it, you." You blush a little and he chuckles as he walks over to give you a quick kiss.
"Awww cute!" Pinkie says happily.
You smirk and glare at Pinkie with Anon. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"
Pinkie giggles and stands up. "Alriiight, you two lovebirds, I'll leave you alone. Thanks for the story, Sunset!"
You nod at her. "You're welcome, Pinkie."
She skips out of the cockpit, still giggling to herself.
You kiss Anon again and return your attention to the control console as he takes a seat beside you and sighs. "So what else were you two talking about?"
You give a content sigh. "Nothing much. She did have a question for me about something that happened on Dantooine."
"Like what?" He asks.
You shrug and look at him. "Well, apparently, I was sensing the Force a bit down there and she noticed it."
He turns to you. "Really?"
You nod. "Mmhmm."
He hums as well. "That's pretty cool, I guess."
You give him a little half-smile and return your attention to the controls. "So where are we going?"
"Oh, right." He clicks. "Take us to Nal Hutta. Rarity's contact is a Hutt named Filthy Rich."
"Filthy? Really?" You lock in Nal Hutta's coordinates and prepare to make the jump to lightspeed.
He shrugs. "Well, he's a Hutt. Of course he's filthy."
You scoff and smile. "That's racist, Anon."
He grins. "It's not racist if it's true."
You giggle and the ship's computer finishes the necessary calculations. The hyperdrive whirs to life and you grab the throttle.
"Shouldn't we tell Pinkie to brace herself?" Anon asks.
You push the throttle and the ship lurches forward for a split-second before flying off into hyperspace. From behind you in the ship somewhere, you hear Pinkie cry out in surprise and fly into something, knocking it over as you make the jump.
"Oops." You smirk.
"I'm okay!" Pinkie says loudly from behind.
You smile and Anon starts to laugh. "Ha! Come on. Let's go get her."
"Alright." You smile at him and the both of you stand up and make your way back into the ship to help Pinkie. |
Bounty Hunter Anon II | Laying the Groundwork | After getting Pinkie situated again, Sunset went into the armory to remove some of her gear and you sit them both down in the main hold and contact Rarity through the ship's computer a few minutes later. It was time to make a plan.
Her holographic face comes into view above the table in the center of the room. "Hello, Anonymous and Sunset!"
"Hey Rarity." You say.
She smiles and looks at Pinkie. "Oh! You must be Pinkamena Diane Pie."
Pinkie smiles and nods. "The one and only! Call me Pinkie!"
She returns the smile. "It's nice to meet you, Pinkie! I'm Rarity."
"Nice to meet you too!" Pinkie replies.
Good, we're all getting along.
Rarity clears her throat. "Well, now that the pleasantries are out of the way, I suppose you're all curious about my contact."
Sunset speaks up. "Does he really go by 'Filthy'?"
Pinkie straight up busts a gut laughing. "What?!"
You chuckle. Rarity does as well. "Yes, darling. That little nickname was given to him by those he had previously dealt with, and it sort of stuck. He is very successful and he isn't afraid to play dirty to get what he wants."
He's an extremely aggressive businessman. In a... manner of speaking.
She continues. "Anonymous has stated that he needs some items of... How did you put it exactly, darling?"
"Items of questionable legality." You say again.
"Ah, yes." She snaps her fingers. "He needs some of those for this little endeavor he wants to go on... Which I'm very curious to know the details of."
All three of them turn their full attention to you.
You clear your throat. "Okay. Now that we're not under the prying eyes and ears of the Republic, I can get into my 'evil plan' with a bit less worry of anyone listening in." You turn your attention to Pinkie. "Pinkie. You are in the dark the most on this, so I'll explain everything from the beginning... Rarity, bring up the message please."
Rarity's holographic image fades away and is replaced by Hoity Toity's still image, along with many other details you had found and given to her.
You continue. "At the Jedi Enclave, I found a datapad. It contained shipping records, details on the cargo, and a pair of aliases for the recipients of the illegally obtained Kath Hounds: the Twins. AKA, Flim and Flam... Along with those things, I also found this message."
You press a button on the table and play the message to the girls for the first time.
"...alk to me, what is going on there?! Did you get the shipment?! Is the bomb in place?! Answer me! I want Senator Melody DEAD! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?! DEAD!"
Pinkie gasps and covers her mouth.
Sunset just stares at him, shaking her head. "What an idiot... He didn't even try to be subtle or hide his identity or anything."
"His carelessness will cost him dearly." You add.
"Who is that?" Pinkie asks.
You reply. "That, Pinkie, is Hoity Toity. He's a rich, corrupt Senator for the Galactic Republic. We're going to break into his fancy apartment building in Coruscant's upper city, and kill him."
She looks at you. "A high up guy like this? For free?" You nod. "By your own choice?" You nod again.
"You could be a great help to us on this, Pinkie." You tell her. "This is the guy who killed a bunch of innocent people on Dantooine."
She looks at the still image of his face again. "Why not let the Republic deal with him though?"
Sunset stands up before you can answer. "Because the Republic will take too long, Pinkie. This guy is a lying, corrupt piece of Bantha fodder. He has a position of power in the Republic, and he deserves to die as soon as possible. If we wait, he could pull some strings and make himself look innocent. We have to do this now."
You grin and she stands beside you. "Couldn't have said it any better myself."
Sunset looks to you briefly and grins as well.
Pinkie looks at you both for a moment before smiling a little. "Alright, I'm in. He's a rich bad guy too, so maybe we can steal some stuff when we get in there."
You grin. "I was ready to play that card if you were having doubts about doing this with us. This guy is definitely loaded."
She giggles and Rarity's face comes into view again. "So what is your plan then, darling?"
You look at her and rub your chin for a moment. "Well, that is actually why I wanted to brainstorm with you guys for a bit. We need a specific plan of action with this... Pinkie, you're the professional thief here. What would you do?"
She scratches her head and hums to herself as she thinks. "You don't happen to have blueprints, or at least a picture of his place, do you?"
Sunset speaks up. "We have a few cameras aboard this ship. I can pull up an archive image of it from when we brought in Adagio."
She moves over to another computer panel on a far wall and presses a few buttons. Rarity's image fades once again. Taking her place is footage of you, Sunset, and Adagio exiting the ship on Hoity Toity's rooftop a couple of weeks ago.
The footage moves to another camera and you get a grainy, albeit better view of his building from a different angle. Sunset pauses the footage and Pinkie steps forward to get a closer look at the building. She stays silent for a few moments as she studies it.
"What kind of gear will we have?" She asks.
"I'm hoping for some piece of tech that can help us disable some security." You reply.
"What kind of security does he have, specifically?" She asks.
You shake your head. "I'm not sure."
She hums. "You should've scoped this place out, Anon. Gathered some intel, ya know?"
You curse silently. She's right, that's a rookie mistake. You should've gone to Coruscant first.
Maybe she has a method.
"Well, walk me through what you usually do when breaking into places like this." You say.
"Well, for me, there's usually a party involved. I get myself invited, make a few flirty faces, show the guy I can be fun in more ways than one, then I swipe his keys, guns, valuables, or anything else I want. Sometimes it has to get messy though. I have fun no matter what kind of messy happens, but whether the messy is fun for him depends on if he's cute or not..." She grins and winks at you. "If you know what I mean~."
"Good hell..." You groan.
"Oh my word, Pinkie!" Even though her face is not visually present, Rarity can still hear everything in the room. You press your palm against your face and Pinkie starts laughing again.
Sunset sighs loudly and snaps her fingers a few times. "Okay, Pinkie? For real. We don't need to hear about your lovelife. Get to the point."
She continues laughing as she looks at you all. "What? It works great for me!"
You can't help chuckling a little. That was kind of funny.
"She's right." You say. "Let's stay focused."
Pinkie giggles and looks back at the picture again. Her giggles fade after a second, but her smile doesn't. "Anyway, as far as getting intel goes, I say we wait until nighttime and use a few probe droids to get a closer look at the building."
Sunset points to a different building's rooftop on the picture. "One or two of us can stand on that rooftop and scope it out from further away."
Pinkie nods. "Good idea. I can't be much help if I don't know what I'm getting into."
You silently curse yourself again as you think of how much money you could save if you had done that first. Oh well. You're already on your way.
"You know, while we're going to Nal Hutta, can we stop at Nar Shaddaa first?" Pinkie asks. "I have some of my stuff that can help us out."
That's right. You picked Pinkie up on Nar Shaddaa.
"Sure, we can make a stop." You ask. "What kind of stuff are you grabbing?"
She grins. "Lots of high-tech thief stuff! Sticky gloves, glass cutters, one or two distractions I can use, you know. Most of it can only be used by me though."
You nod. "We'll take all the help we can get."
Sunset speaks up. "Do you have any signal jammers?"
"I do, but it's a small one." Pinkie replies. "It only jams radios that are close to me."
You look back at the picture of the apartment building again. On the roof, you notice a small communications dish between a pair of antennas. Jamming a signal would be easy if you could get up there. Pinkie's probably isn't anywhere near powerful enough to do it though, if she's to be believed. Even if it was modified. You'll have to buy a better one.
"Well, unfortunately, I didn't look far enough ahead and now it's too late to go to Coruscant and scope this place out better." You admit. "When we get to Nal Hutta, we'll buy the basics and work with what we have when we get there."
"Mistakes happen sometimes, Anon." Pinkie says with a smile.
True, but you still hate it when they do happen.
You continue. "Right now, we need a bare minimum plan. A simple foundation for something more detailed later on. How are we going to do this?"
Pinkie and Sunset think for a moment. Rarity's face comes into view once again. "Well darling, as I said before, the Republic knows who you are. They have worked with you, and they have undoubtedly done their research. It's safe to assume that they know your style."
You're usually pretty discreet unless you simply cannot be. Pinkie is well versed in stealthy infiltration, ironically. You have no idea how much the Republic knows about her though. They could know everything, or they could know nothing.
"Do you think the Republic would consider us if the assassination was blatantly obvious?" Sunset asks.
You all look at her as she speaks.
"Like, just be reckless? Go in guns blazing?" You ask.
She nods. "The illusion of being reckless, yes. We could plan to be so over-the-top loud, that there's no way the Republic would suspect it was us. It goes against our M.O."
That could work. You like the idea of the Republic not tailing you all over the place. It would mean that you'd have to be fast though. As soon as news got out, Republic security forces and possibly even a few Jedi would race there to stop you.
"Maybe." You say. "We'll hold onto that plan. I'm not opposed to it."
Pinkie speaks up again. "I still say we try to be stealthy. Maybe cut a few security measures before we go in, you know?"
"I agree with Pinkie, darling." Rarity says. "It's safer, and if you cover your tracks well enough, then there's no need for all the excitement."
Sunset argues once again. "You can never be sure of anything though. Covering your tracks can work, but destroying your tracks completely can work even better, if you do it the right way."
All these plans can work or fail. You can see that.
"What if we do a bit of both?" They all look at you. "We can go in quiet and really stealthy, kill the senator, then go out with a loud bang."
You bring up a smaller picture of the apartment building next to Rarity's face and point to a window on its side.
You continue. "See that window there? We can plant remote explosives there from the outside. Whoever is inside can also plant remote explosives all over the place. Hoity Toity lives near the top of the tower, so maybe we plant them in key points around the building and bring the entire top of the building down."
Pinkie looks at you like you're crazy. "You don't wanna destroy the entire tower, do you?!"
"Of course not! I just want to destroy his penthouse." You reply.
She gives a relieved sigh and Sunset leans in to look at the picture. "How would we get out of there?"
You think for a moment.
"I'm thinking we use the explosion as our escape." You say. "Maybe we could set the explosives off at different times. The ones by the window can go, the person inside can jump out, then the rest of the explosives can go a couple seconds later."
Sunset hums to herself. "That's quite a long fall though."
That's true. Using your jetpacks would give you away as Mandalorians, too.
"What if someone else had a speeder and flew it down to catch whoever was falling?" Pinkie asks.
That could work. Whoever was flying it would need to be good though.
You look at Sunset and she looks back at you and nods. "I can do that."
You smile at her. "That only means we're getting the best."
She smiles back and looks at the picture again. "Well, I like it. It's crazy enough that it just might work."
"I do too!" Pinkie says.
"Rarity, what do you think?" You asks.
She looks unsure. "I still don't know, Anonymous. It seems risky."
You chuckle. "I think you worry too much. It's us. We can do it."
"Well, someone has to worry about you!" She smiles back at you. "I'll see if I can't get any more information on the Senator's apartment building for you. Like blueprints and whatnot."
You nod. "Thanks Rarity."
Her holographic face fades away and you turn off the table's projector.
Pinkie exhales. "Now what?"
Sunset folds her arms. "Well, we have a while before we reach Nal Hutta. I say we get a little rest."
"Good idea." You reply. "It's been a long day."
"Okie dokie!" Pinkie walks toward another hallway that leads to some guest bunkbeds, leaving you and Sunset alone.
You look at each other but say nothing. You smile at her and she smiles back.
You exhale. "Alright, I'm going to take your advice head to sleep for a bit."
"Sounds good." Sunset nods. "I'll be in there soon."
You turn around and head toward the hallway that leads to your room. "Nighty night."
You reach your room and step inside, closing the door behind you and removing your armor. Once it's been removed, you lay down in your bed and take a deep breath. It's been a while since you've had a decent rest. You're looking forward to this.
You lift your robotic arm up and look at it. It's scraped in a few places and suffering from minor damage. It will still work for you though.
You lay it down at your side and take another deep breath as you shut your eyes. Tomorrow is going to be interesting. |
Bounty Hunter Anon II | For a Good Reason | Sunset maneuvers the ship out of Nal Hutta's atmosphere and heads toward Nar Shaddaa to pick up Pinkie.
You are currently in the cargo hold looking over a few of your new gadgets. Filthy Rich is not one to haggle. All this had cost quite a bit, but luckily, you could afford it. What's the point of having money if you don't spend a little bit of it here and there?
You're still unsure about what exactly Hoity Toity has in the way of electronic security, so you wanted to get the best that Filthy had to offer. You picked up a couple of universal jammers for any of the building's sensors and communications, a few computer spikes, toxic darts, missiles for your and Sunset's jetpacks, fuel, a lot of explosive charges, and a couple more probe droids to replace the ones you lost to the Rakghouls over Mandalore.
You also have some other gear laying around here somewhere that you'll most likely use for this job. Leftover explosives and whatnot. Pinkie said that she was picking up some stuff that could be useful too, so you're a bit anxious to see what she's got. You figured it was best to drop her off and pick her up after you got done shopping on Nal Hutta. It saved a bit of time.
Once everything is accounted for, you take a few darts and head into your armory to prepare them for use. A little courtesy you like to provide the seller is grinding away the darts' fins just a bit so they're still aerodynamic, but they look different from how you bought them. These darts are usually shaped in a specific way, and you don't want anyone to find out who used them or where they came from. It covers your tracks from the authorities who inspect the body, and it helps keep the manufacturer out of trouble.
Just something you do, because you're such a nice guy.
It takes a few minutes, but you tweak the darts' designs to how you want and put them in your belt.
Sunset's voice comes on the intercom a moment later. "Anon, we're back on Nar Shaddaa."
You walk over to the intercom and press the button. "Alright. Real quick, how are we doing on fuel?"
"We'll make it to Coruscant, but I was going to fill up in case we needed a quick getaway." Sunset says.
"I was just going to suggest that." You reply. "Find a place near the Pazaak Den and I'll contact Pinkie."
"Okay." She says.
You shut off the intercom and head to the computer in the main hold.
Pinkie's comms buzz for a moment before she answers, giggling wildly. "Hee hee! Hi, Anon!"
What is she doing?
"We're here." You reply. "Have you got everything you need?"
"Yup I'm all set!" She continues giggling. She sounds like she's in a public place with a bunch of other people.
"Where are you?" You ask.
"The Pazaak Den!" She replies happily. "I just won 3,000 credits from some off-worlder and then he started crying! It was hilarious!"
Damn it...
You groan. "Pinkie, this is important. I need you t -"
"Yeahyeahyeahyeahyeah, I know!" She cuts you off. "I've got my money and I already picked up my gear and I'm done now!"
"Good." You sigh. "Go to the refueling platform closest to you. We'll be there soon."
"Okie dokie lokie!"
You shut off communications with her and groan again. Hopefully, this hunt for Discord doesn't take much longer. You're getting pretty sick of her antics.
The ship leans and turns slightly and you head to the cockpit to meet up with Sunset. "How are we looking?"
"We're about there." She replies.
The refueling platform is sticking out of the middle part of one of the many massive skyscrapers around you just ahead. Speeders and ships follow each other in lines above and below you, giving movement to the neon-lit planet as Sunset descends the ship onto the platform.
Once the ship lands, you both grab your helmets, head to the exit ramp, and step onto the landing pad. The both of you meet a Toydarian there and begin the refueling process to your ship. You periodically look to the doorway on the building's side for any sign of Pinkie. She isn't here yet.
It isn't until a few minutes later that the door opens and she comes skipping toward you, humming to herself. You pay the Toydarian and stand there with Sunset.
"Hey guys!" She says. "Sorry I'm late! I was busy with-"
"Save it." You cut her off. "Are you ready to go?"
She stops talking and nods at you. "Yep! I'm all set!"
"Good." The three of you enter your ship and close the ramp behind you.
You and Sunset take off your helmets and set them back on the table in the main hold before heading into the cockpit.
"So what kind of stuff did you guys get?" Pinkie asks.
You all sit in your respective seats and Sunset starts up the ship. "A bunch of good stuff. We'll talk about it when we make the jump to lightspeed."
The ship lifts off the landing pad and makes its way up past the traffic and into the sky. Sunset sets the coordinates for Coruscant once you're out of the atmosphere and the ship's hyperdrive blasts you off into hyperspace.
"Alright, we're clear." She says.
"Fantastic." You reply. "Let's contact Rarity and see if she's gathered any details on his apartment."
You get up with Pinkie and head back into the ship while Sunset stays and presses a few more buttons on the control console. Pinkie sits in a seat behind you while you move your helmets off the table in the main hold and contact Rarity.
"What kind of stuff did you grab, Pinkie?" You ask.
She reaches into a few of the pouches on her belt and pulls out a few things. "I got these cool gloves that help me stick to walls and stuff, a pair of thermal goggles, smoke pellets, a glass cutter, a small communications inhibitor, and, uh... Oh! This!" She pulls out a small, blue gem.
It catches your attention immediately. It's about the same size as Adagio's gem. "Is that...?"
"It's my lightsaber crystal that I got when I was training to be a Jedi!" She says.
This must be one of the naturally-formed lightsaber crystals that Maud told you about back on Shining Armor's cruiser.
"Can I see it?" You ask.
"Sure." She hands it to you and you look at it closely.
It has a faint glow to it and you twist it around in your fingers slowly as you look at it from all angles.
"I never got to use it to make my lightsaber, but it's still strong with the Force. I like to think it brings me good luck."
You hum. "Nice."
You hand it back to her and she puts it into one of her pouches with a smile. You're sure it will come in handy for her.
You look back to the table and press another button. Rarity's holographic face appears a few moments later. "Hey, Rarity. Give me some good news."
She smiles at you. "Well darling, I did a little bit of looking around and managed to find quite a bit of information on the senator's building."
Excellent.
Her holographic face fades and is replaced by a three-dimensional image of Hoity Toity's apartment.
"That's what I'm talking about." Pinkie stands up and stares at the image intently. Sunset walks into the room as well and stands beside you.
Rarity clears her throat. "Now, as I'm sure you all know, this is his apartment building. This landing pad here is where you landed when you met with him last." A small red dot appears on one of the landing pads near the bottom of the image. "I've learned that since the incident on Dantooine, the senator has upped his security a bit. He has hired more guards, and has ordered that more security systems be put in place around his apartment."
Sunset speaks up. "What kind of security systems?"
"More cameras, proximity sensors, silent alarms, nothing too complex though." Rarity says. "However, most of these new security systems have only been ordered. They have not been installed yet. What he does have now are more guards, restricted access badges, and security droids. As well as all of his previous security systems that were already in place, of course."
"Which are?" You ask.
The image zooms in on the large window on the building that overlooks the city. "Thermal sensors on all windows..." The image then shifts to a communications antennae on the roof. "...a short-range communications monitor..." The image zooms out and a multitude of flashing red dots appear all over the building. "...automated defense turrets spread around key points in and out of the building..." The blinking red dots fade and a larger number of blue dots appear all over. "...and, of course, security cameras everywhere."
You tap your chin as you study the security precautions in the building.
Pinkie speaks up. "Can you highlight the ventilation shafts, rooms, and hallways, please?"
A network of yellow lines appear through the building. One is thicker than the others, and heads straight down the building, while the multitude of thinner ones go up, down, left, right, and just about every other direction away from it. The yellow lines end on the tops of long, blue squares that you can only assume are the hallways and individual rooms spread through the building.
"This long, thick yellow line is the main ventilation shaft." Rarity says. "It continues for miles downward. Every hundred meters, it is cut off by a large fan that blows air through the building."
Pinkie hums and nods as she studies the image. "How big are the smaller vents?"
"Not big enough to crawl through, if that's what you're thinking, darling." Rarity says.
Pinkie grunts and folds her arms. "Darn it."
She continues to study the image while Sunset speaks up. "Where are the most structurally critical sections on this building's level located?"
A few moments later, two circles of flashing red columns of light appear on the building. The larger circle near the perimeter, while the smaller circle near the center. "These beams here hold the penthouse up. There are nine around the edge, and five toward the middle."
You and Sunset both study the image closely.
"It looks like the entire penthouse would come down if at least five of the outer supports were destroyed, and all of the innermost ones were as well." You say.
"If we could turn off the air circulation for a few seconds, we could use the probe droids to go through the vents and plant the explosives." Sunset adds.
Not a bad idea. The vents would most likely be controlled by a switch or something from inside the building. You'll have to locate it once you're inside.
"I like that idea. We still need to find out how to deactivate the vents though." You look around at the building's holographic projection. All the multicolored lights are still there. "Highlight Hoity Toity's room for me please, Rarity."
The spacious room with all the windows that overlooks the city glows green.
"Okay, I like the idea of using the droids to go through the vents, so let's hold onto that part. Where will we be, I wonder?" You're thinking out loud here. The image of the building slowly spins clockwise as you ponder to yourself. "We need a place to park, first off... What other buildings are around this one, Rarity?"
"Nothing of significance." She replies.
That's exactly what you're looking for.
The image zooms out and a few other surrounding buildings come into view. "There's a pad right here. It's a public building about a kilometer away." She marks a point on a nearby building.
"Is there a place to land somewhere lower down? I don't want to attract any attention." You say.
"There should be." Rarity says.
The image pans over to this building and moves lower down. Finally, it stops at another landing pad.
"Here." Rarity says. "It's about a kilometer and a half down from the rooftop."
Sunset whistles. "Quite the climb."
"I was thinking it was quite the drop." You look over at her for a moment. "I've got an idea. We deploy the probe droids over this rooftop and head down here to land. Then we can move through this building up to the rooftop. It's a public place, so it should take us about ten minutes."
The image moves up to the rooftop once again, and slowly pans toward Hoity Toity's apartment.
You continue. "The three of us will activate the droids and arm them with explosives. Then we can head toward Hoity Toity's building by flying along the rooftops."
"What about Pinkie?" Sunset asks.
You look over to her. "These gaps between buildings are relatively small. We can do what we did on Dantooine and carry her between us while we fly over."
Pinkie looks at you and back to the image for a second. "That's like a zillion miles down, Anon!"
"Don't look down then. We've got you." You look back to the image and it stops over the building closest to Hoity Toity's. "Anyway, once we get here, Sunset can fly one of the droids over to the building and scan for any points of significance, just to clarify that these blueprints are up to date."
The image pans over to Hoity Toity's building and onto the rooftop.
Sunset speaks up. "What about the security cameras?"
Right. You still need to get rid of those.
Rarity's voice comes with a reply. "There is a security access point on the roof that serves as a central hub for the system. If you can hack into there, you could loop all of the cameras."
"That's convenient." You reply. "Only problem is, that place is probably covered by the cameras, right?"
"Correct." Rarity replies.
You hum to yourself and rub your chin. "We can use the communications jammer we bought from Filthy to blind them temporarily."
Sunset continues your thought. "Then we can go in, hack the system, and loop the cameras."
You snap your fingers softly. "Exactly."
Pinkie speaks up. "But we can't hold the block for very long. They'll know something is up after about 30 seconds. We'll need to go fast."
She's right.
"We bought a few computer spikes." You say. "I can get it done in no time." She nods and you all look back at the image. "Once everything is on the up and up around the building, Sunset will stay behind and wait with all the droids, except one. It will carry the jammer and activate it when Pinkie and I head onto the roof. Once there, I'll shut off the cameras and see if I can't also deactivate the turrets." The blue lights indicating the cameras' locations shut off on the image. "Once they're taken care of, if we can't control the ventilation system from that access point, then we'll deactivate it manually. That way, Sunset can bring the rest of the droids over and plant the explosives in their required spots."
She looks over to you again. "And once they're planted, I send them back to the ship before making my way back and picking you up, right?"
You nod at her. "As fast as possible. If you jump, then that's how fast you'll go."
She grins and looks at the image again. "Looks fun."
You look back at the image as well. "Rarity, what are the patrol routes for the guards?"
"Here." A series of red lines move through the hallways, up a few different flights of stairs, and into some rooms. "There are about fifteen guards patrolling on this floor, with four more inside the senator's room. Each one of them can remotely trigger an alarm that alerts the authorities and calls up reinforcements from the lower levels."
Nineteen altogether. Pinkie's personal signal jammer can prove useful here.
"Alright. While Sunset is planting the explosives, Pinkie will make her way inside and silently take out the guards." You turn to her. "Think you can do that? Silently?"
She exaggerates a salute and smiles. "Yes sir, Anon!"
You nod at her and look back at the image. "I'll use the other jammer to override the thermal sensors on the windows and plant a few more explosives around there, before meeting up with Pinkie. We'll move to the senator as quickly as possible. Maybe find a terminal or something we can plant evidence of his involvement on Dantooine onto. We'll have a few minutes to toy with him until Sunset gets to the ship. I want to find out who and where Flim and Flam are."
Pinkie turns to you again. "We can take some of Hoity Toity's stuff while we're in there too, right?"
You nod. "Of course."
"Get some loot for me too then, Anon." Sunset says. "You're going to have all that fun without me."
You look back at Sunset and chuckle. "I'll grab something special, just for you." She smiles and you look back to the image. "Once we take care of Hoity Toity, I'm going to blow the window. Pinkie and I will jump out and the rest of the bombs will go off five seconds later."
Sunset speaks. "I'll fly the ship down and pick you guys up."
"Then we're home free." You take a deep breath and look at the plan. "What do you guys think?"
"I like it." Sunset says.
"Me too!" Pinkie adds.
Good.
Rarity's face fades into view once again. "I've sent you all the information on this, Anonymous. It sounds dangerous, but if anyone can pull it off, it's you all."
"Thanks, Rarity." You reply.
She nods and smiles. "Tell me how it goes when you're done."
Her face fades away and the hologram shuts off.
You take another deep breath and look to the girls. "Alright, you two. We'll be there in a few hours, so get some extra rest. Make sure you're ready."
"Got it!" Pinkie stands up and heads back to her bunk. "We're gonna steal stuff! I'm so excited!"
Sunset checks another computer on the wall next to the cockpit. "It will be dusk by the time we get to Coruscant. We'll have the cover of night on our side."
You chuckle once. "Perfect."
You head into the cargo hold with Sunset and start getting your supplies ready. You need to be extra thorough with this. What you're about to do is extremely risky, so you have to diminish your capacity for error as much as you can. That's why you've spared no expense in getting all the gear you needed for this.
Hoity Toity is a blight, and the galaxy will be better off without him in it. |
Bounty Hunter Anon II | Breaking and Entering | The three of you step off your ship and onto the Upper City landing pad. The sun had set, and twilight was now upon you, but that didn't mean you were under the cover of darkness, by any means. Not on this level, anyway. Coruscant's non-stop city lights made sure of that. The shadows will be yours once you are on the rooftops.
You lead the girls to the building's doorway and step inside. None of you say anything as you make your way to the elevators. You're all about to do something extremely illegal, but it's for the best. Hoity Toity won't be missed anyway.
As you move through the building, you pass by a few security cameras. You had elected to activate the sensor jammer before you landed. Once the senator's penthouse comes crashing down, you can be damn sure that the Republic authorities are going to be checking everywhere for evidence. These security cameras aren't as much of a threat. You can afford jamming them for a while longer.
The three of you find the elevators and call one down. It doesn't take long before it arrives and you all step aboard. The door shuts and you press the button for the roof access.
The elevator begins its long ascent, and you finally break the silence. "Sunset, how are the droids?"
She presses a button on her gauntlet and pauses. "We're still fine. All four of them are active and alone up there."
Just before landing, you deployed the four probe droids onto the roof as you flew over, along with their explosives.
"Good. Let me know if anything changes." She nods and you turn to Pinkie. "Are you ready?"
She smiles and nods. "I was born ready, Anon."
You nod back at her. "That's what I like to hear."
You all resume your unanimous silence as the elevator continues upward. The ascent is long. Very long. It's almost hard to imagine that there are buildings higher than this one on this planet.
Though you've tried to stop yourself, you can't help but think about the repercussions that will occur, if you're not successful. As soon as this assassination is carried out and that penthouse goes up, it will be planet-wide news within an hour and you'll be the most sought-after suspects in the Republic.
The first seeds of doubt are starting to grow, and you don't like that.
You growl softly and shake your head some, shoving those thoughts away. You'll be fine. With Sunset in the ship, Pinkie's expertise in theft, and your cunning, there's no way the Republic will know it's you. Besides, Captain Shining Armor can vouch for you that you've been busy looking for Discord. That's your alibi.
When the elevator finally reaches the top floor, the three of you casually walk into the hallway and find the roof access door. You make sure the coast is clear before heading outside.
The glow of Coruscant's cityscape illuminates the night sky all around you. Countless speeders and starships fly above and below you. It's a constant line of traffic and skyscrapers no matter which direction you look.
"They're over here." Sunset points to the far side of the roof and you spot the four probe droids, all of them obediently awaiting her next command.
You all jog over to them and she checks them out to confirm that they're all still armed and equipped.
"Still good?" You ask.
She nods. "Still good."
You pull up your map on your HUD and locate Hoity Toity's apartment. It's a kilometer away. A bit far, but that's not the issue that's on your mind the most right now.
It's certainly not the one on Pinkie's mind right now.
She's near the edge of the building and barely looking over the side. "Anon, are you really sure you don't want to get a speeder?"
"I'm sure." You reply.
She looks back at you. She's not smiling. "Are you really, really sure?"
You're not going to judge her this time for being nervous. It is a very long way down.
"Don't worry, Pinkie." You tell her. "You're still more useful to us alive."
"Gee, thanks..." She says nervously.
You chuckle and Sunset steps toward her. "You have nothing to fear, Pinkie. The traffic doesn't run through right here, so nothing should hit us. We won't drop you either."
You stand on the other side of her. "We promise."
She looks between you both and takes another deep breath, shaking away her fear as best as she can. "Alright... Alright! Let's do this!"
Sunset presses a button on her gauntlet and all four probe droids fly past you, toward the next building. Once they're about halfway there, she grabs onto Pinkie's left hand and you grab onto her right. Your robotic arm locking in place.
"Remember, don't look down." You tell her.
"Don't look down..." She repeats with a deep breath. "Okay..."
She gulps and you and Sunset activate your jetpacks. You all rise into the air and fly over the edge. Pinkie lifts her legs up close to her body and closes her eyes when the lights from below illuminate her face.
You can't help but look down at the tens of thousands of speeders all crisscrossing each other for miles. It's nerve-wrecking.
Not that you have a reason to be nervous. You can literally defy gravity. You're doing it right now. But there's something about looking down at all that space beneath your feet, all that distance between you and the ground, it's impossible to get used to.
Shake it off, Anon. You're halfway to the next building.
A few seconds later, you descend and eventually land on the neighboring rooftop. Pinkie must have held her breath the entire time, because she releases it when you touch down.
"See? We're fine." You say.
She pants hard and smiles at you both. "We... We're fine!"
"Yep." You nod. "We only have to do that two more times now."
Her smile fades away again and you and Sunset start to walk to the other ledge.
"Awwww...." She reluctantly follows you to the next ledge and the process begins again.
The three of you fly up and over to the next building's rooftop in about two minutes. A few minutes later, you all land on the building closest to Hoity Toity's. The four probe droids are already there.
Pinkie releases your hands and takes a breather while you and Sunset proceed forward to look at the senator's building. As expected, there's no movement. The light in his room is on, but you can't see him from here. The landing pad is vacant and the doorway that leads inside has a faint red glow on it, indicating that it's locked.
"See anything?" You ask.
Sunset shakes her head. "No. You?"
"No." You reply.
"Alright. I'm sending the droid." She presses a button on her gauntlet and one of the probe droids zooms toward the building.
While she controls the droid's movements, you turn around to check on Pinkie. It seems like she has her bearings back, because she's pulling her goggles over her eyes. That's good.
You turn back to the building while Sunset continues to inspect it with the droid. "Okay." She says, "Everything looks like how Rarity's info said it did. Nothing unusual so far. I'm coming around the opposite side of the building now."
It's too dark for you to see the small droid from here. She continues pressing buttons on her gauntlet. With her helmet on, it looks like she's just staring off into space, like she's in a trance. You just stay silent and let her work.
"I can see inside his room now..." She says. "There. I found him."
"What's he doing?" You ask.
"He's coming from a doorway that looks to be more secure than the others in the room." She replies. "It's probably a private vault or something."
"Oh! Valuable stuff is in vaults!" Pinkie says from behind.
Thank you, Mrs. Obvious.
"Can you tag him?" You ask.
"Hang on..." Sunset stays still for a few more seconds before a small red holographic dot appears on your HUD over your view of the apartment building. "Got him."
Perfect.
"Excellent work, Sunset." You say.
"Where would you be without me?"
You smile. "Raxus Prime. On my ass, remember?"
She giggles. "Oh, right."
"Bring the droid back here and watch our backs." You say. "Pinkie, we're up."
Pinkie steps up beside you. "Okie dokie!"
The building you're on is shaped in a triangle. One corner of the roof is much closer to Hoity Toity's building than the others. You and Pinkie run over to that corner. Your jetpack runs the risk of bringing about extra attention, especially from this far away, so you'd like to eliminate that as much as you can. You have your signal jammer, sure, but you'd rather not take that extra chance.
Once you reach this corner, you stop and scan the next rooftop for its communications access point. It takes a second, but you find it, as well as the four turrets and cameras that cover the rooftop.
This is the closest you can be to the building while still on your feet.
You take out the jammer and hand it to Pinkie. "Here, take this. Turn it on when I tell you to."
"Okay!" She smiles and takes it, but pauses, "Wait. How am I getting over there?"
"I'm going to carry you." You say as you wrap your arms around her waist from behind and hold her tight. "Hang on."
"W-Wait!" Before she can protest, you activate your jetpack and take to the sky once again. "ANOOON!"
"Quiet." You command.
She shuts her mouth and squeezes your arms as you both fly toward the senator's rooftop.
Sunset's voice comes on in your ear. "Anon, you're almost in range."
"Copy that. Pinkie, get ready."
You approach the rooftop, keeping your eyes locked onto the access point.
Almost there...
"Now!" You make a steep descend toward the rooftop and Pinkie activates the jammer.
Sunset speaks in your comms again. "Okay, Anon. You're in range and the jammer is active. You've got thirty seconds."
"Got it. Pinkie, as soon as we're over the rooftop, I'm going to drop you."
Pinkie nods quickly. "Okay!"
A couple of seconds later, you're directly over the building. You drop Pinkie onto the roof and zoom over to the access point, taking out your computer spike beforehand. Once you land, you immediately get to work on slicing into the system.
"Twenty seconds." Sunset says.
This system is a challenge, but it isn't as complicated as you were expecting it to be, thankfully.
"Fifteen seconds, Anon."
You hear Pinkie come up behind you, but you stay focused on the task at hand.
"Anon?" She says.
You ignore her. "Almost got it, and... There! I'm in."
You press a few buttons on your gauntlet and loop eight uneventful seconds from the cameras' feeds before playing it back into the system. Everything should be fine now, but just in case it isn't...
You spin around. "Focus on the turrets."
You and Pinkie bring up your weapons and point them at two of the four turrets on the corners of the rooftop, ready for anything.
Ten seconds pass and nothing happens.
"I think we're good." Pinkie says softly.
You nod. "Me too. Anything you can see that we can't, Sunset?"
She comes on again in your ear. "All clear on my end."
You and Pinkie lower your weapons before you turn your attention back to the access panel. "In that case, send the droids over. I'm shutting off the vents. Pinkie, give her an opening."
"Okie dokie!" She walks toward the vents while you bring up the component view on your HUD.
It's a pretty standard ventilation system, you'd think. You aren't a handyman, so it isn't your place to say what is standard and what isn't. Regardless, it isn't hard to shut down the air flow to the topmost section of the building.
Once it's done, you head to the vent with Pinkie. She's unlocked the maintenance access panel and exposed the central fan. You can see down into the building's inner workings if you look inside.
"Easy-peasy!" She says with a smile.
"Good. Now..." You point to one of the building's edges. "...the landing pad entrance is just over there. Get inside and start taking out the guards. Quietly."
She smiles and nods. "They won't see me coming."
You sure hope they won't.
She stands up and silently runs over to the edge before jumping over. The familiar hum of the probe droids behind you make you turn around and watch them as they head into the vents one by one.
"Our evil plan is working." You say softly.
Sunset speaks again. "Don't jinx us, Anon."
"Sorry." You say. "Just making an observation."
"Observe with your eyes then." Sunset replies.
You chuckle and prepare your explosives. Time for the next part of your job.
Quickly and silently, you make your way over to the edge. The thousands of lights, speeders, and buildings extend far and wide below you on this side of the building as well. You can't afford to use your jetpack here. You're right in front of the senator's window. But maybe you can use your fibercord to rappel down. Your jetpack can be a fail-safe.
This rooftop doesn't have many notches sturdy enough that you can anchor on to. The nearest one is an antenna a few meters away.
Work with what you have, Anon.
You pull out a decent length of fibercord from your gauntlet and head to the antenna. You wrap it around the base and tie it into a knot before heading back to the ledge. Once you're there, you turn around and retract the cord so it's nice and tight before stepping back onto the skyscraper wall.
You take a deep breath as you slowly begin to rappel down the building's face. You hate that this is making you nervous. Even though you have no real reason to be. Rappelling is stupid easy.
This is just instinctive. You're only human. Everyone who can't naturally fly has a fear of heights to some degree. You push away the fear and continue down the wall.
A few feet later, you reach the top of the senator's window and stop. You take out a small charge and attach it to the window. You've already tuned them to the correct frequency. Once it's planted, you take a few steps to the left and plant another one. About a minute later, all the charges that will be necessary have been planted.
Thank the Force.
You press a button on your left gauntlet and your fibercord slowly starts to retract while you walk up.
One more advantage of having a robotic arm is that it doesn't get tired. Your real arm would probably feel like it's going to tear from its socket right about now. Not this one. You've grown quite fond of this prosthesis.
Another minute later, you're back on the roof and making your way back to your anchor point.
You activate your comms. "The smaller charges are planted. How are you doing, Sunset?"
"I just planted my third charge." She replies. "The droids move well through these vents, but they crisscross like nothing else. It's easy to get lost."
"Take your time. We've got lots of it. How are things on your end, Pinkie?"
She doesn't answer you.
"Pinkie?" You repeat. "Pinkie Pie. Come in."
She still doesn't answer.
The one time you want her to talk is the one time that she doesn't.
"Damn it." You shut off your comms and quietly make your way over to the other ledge. Hopefully nothing happened to her.
You reach the ledge and look down at the platform just below. You jump down and land with a thud before turning around and pulling out your blaster rifle. The door opens as you approach and you see two Republic security officers laying dead on the ground. The second doorway just beyond is being held open by one of the officer's helmets.
You step over them and open the door. Just down the hallway, two more guards are laying face-down with their heads away from you. They were killed from behind.
The door behind you automatically shuts and you quickly proceed down the hallway. Everything is clean, well-lit, and free of any sign of violence. With the exception of the bodies on the ground.
You try Pinkie again. "Pinkie, come in. Pinkie."
A few seconds later, you hear her whisper in your ear. "What? I'm busy."
That's a relief.
"I'm inside. Where are you?"
"I'm inside too, doing my job by killing the guards." She snaps. "Follow your own plan and shush."
She shuts off communications with you right after. That's the first time that she's ever sassed at you like that. You're a bit surprised.
She's got a point though.
Keeping your blaster rifle armed, you silently continue through the hallway. Once you reach the corner, you carefully peer around it and spot another guard. This one is still alive and breathing. He clearly has no idea that there are four dead guards just down the hall, because he's just standing there at attention.
You bring your dartcaster up and aim it at his neck before firing. It zips through the air and injects the poison into his neck less than a second later.
"Ow! What the-" He grabs his neck and looks around, spotting you.
He's about to raise his blaster at you, but starts to rock back and forth slowly. A couple seconds later, he collapses.
You continue forward, stepping over his now lifeless body when you reach it, and head down the hallway. Your HUD indicates that the senator's room is just on your left. You'd continue there now, but you don't know how many guards Pinkie has killed, and she probably is too busy to answer if you contacted her.
The next hallway you reach forks left, so you take it. It's completely free of life, but you stay alert, just in case.
You're glad you do, because up ahead, three guards come walking out of a joining room and into the hall. You screech to a stop and immediately look around for a place to hide. There's no rooms or anything around you. You're just there in the hallway.
"Damn!" You curse silently.
Maybe you can take them all out quickly.
One of them looks forward and sees you. "Hey!"
You quickly hit him in the neck with a dart.
The other two have noticed you as well. They draw their weapons as their comrade chokes on the poison. You draw your weapon first and aim it at them. Your time for stealth is over.
"Woah, wait a sec!"
Just before you can pull the trigger, something pink drops down from the ceiling behind them and grabs them by their heads. She twists the both of them, making them crack loudly before they drop to the ground.
Pinkie looks at you with a wide smile and waves.
"Impressive." You say as you lower your weapon.
She giggles as you walk toward her. "I told ya I'm good! Even if you did interrupt me."
You're going to ignore that. She's okay and back to her bubbly self.
"Is this floor clear?" You ask.
She nod. "Yep! We just can't be too noisy or else the patrols below will hear us. Hopefully that isn't too much trouble?"
"Hardy har har." You say unenthusiastically as you contact Sunset. "How are those charges coming?"
"They're coming along." She replies. "I've only got three more to plant."
"Alright, keep in touch." You deactivate your comms. Looks like you've got a little time on your hands.
Maybe the senator has a terminal containing a few juicy secrets somewhere. It's not a bad idea to look. He may not fess up when you interrogate him later.
You look down the hallway toward a few of the open rooms before turning to Pinkie. "Think the senator has any good stuff laying around?"
"Oooh, I dunno. Let's go see!" She smiles.
She quickly heads down the hallway and into the room that the three guards came from. You follow her, keeping your guard up just in case either of you missed anyone. It's a simple meeting room with a table surrounded by chairs in the middle. It's very dull, with nothing of value in sight.
Pinkie is walking around the table and checking every nook and cranny she can find beside or below it, but eventually comes back to you. "Nothing in here. Let's check another room."
The two of you quietly move through the hallways, checking each room that you pass for anything of interest.
Rounding a corner at the end of a hallway, you spot another pair of guards standing in front of a closed door.
Pinkie whispers softly behind you. "Oops! I forgot about those two."
You whisper back. "It's fine. Let's just take them out."
You kill the nearest one with a toxic dart and Pinkie restrains the other with the Force, leaving him open for another one of your darts. Neither of them make a single sound.
Once they're down and out, you two check out the door they were guarding. "What do you think is in here?" Pinkie asks.
"Not sure. Only one way to find out though." You grab your blaster rifle and get yourself ready for anything that may be behind the door before you open it.
It slides open and you look around inside for any movement. You're met with a dark, narrow hallway. The darkened red lights on the ceiling barely give off enough to see ahead of you. It's very out of place, compared to the other hallways in this building.
"Spooky." You say.
You take a slow step forward and keep yourself ready. Pinkie follows close behind you.
As you press forward, you hear a weak groan up ahead and it makes you freeze. You and Pinkie aim your weapons ahead and listen for anything else. The groan comes again.
"Are there... ghosts here?" Pinkie asks nervously.
"It kind of sounds like it." You reply.
You continue toward the groaning. It's not a ghostly groan, not that you believe in ghosts, but it does sound weak. Like the kind a prisoner would make.
At the end of the hallway, you enter through a doorway and into...
"A detention center?"
Three small cells are on your left and right. They're all open except for one. In the back right corner, a blue energy gate closes off access, preventing anyone from getting in or out. The groans are coming from there.
You lower your weapon and slowly approach the cell. When you get your first look at its occupant, you gasp softly.
Multiple questions flood your head. One of the most prominent being, 'Why does Hoity Toity have detention cells in his apartment building?'
The other prominent question is, 'What is she, of all people, doing in there?'
"Adagio Dazzle..." |
Bounty Hunter Anon II | Political Scandal | Adagio is a mess. She's clearly been in this cell for a long time. Probably since you dropped her off here.
She's sitting in the far left corner on the floor. She's barefoot, her wrists are bruised and bloody, and she's barely wearing these tattered, revealing rags that are supposed to pass as clothing, you wager.
"Adagio?" You repeat.
She slowly looks up and around the cell. She's disoriented. She can hear you, but it takes a while for her to look at you. "...o-oh... Who... Wh-who're..." She mumbles something for a moment before her eyes begin to widen slowly. "...you... B... B-Bounty...hunter..."
She remembers you. How touching.
"What happened? What are you doing in here?" You ask.
Her eyes squint and fill with some of the hate you remember her having on Nar Shaddaa. "You...did...th-this... t'me..."
Pinkie covers her mouth and gasps in shock when she sees Adagio. "Oh my gosh..."
Adagio looks at Pinkie slowly for a moment before looking back to you. Her look shifts to one of despair. "P-Please...kill me..."
Damn. She must've gone through all kinds of hell in here. Hoity Toity gets worse and worse with every second.
She shouldn't be in there.
You holster your rifle and go to the door controls.
"Anon, what are you doing?" Pinkie sounds suspicious. She probably thinks you're going to grant Adagio her wish.
"I'm getting her out of there. This is all kinds of wrong."
You try to open the cell, but the control console flashes red, denying access. You slam your fist down on it before trying again. Like before, it flashes red. You growl and make another attempt. If you want this to get open, you're going to have to make some noise.
"Pinkie, close the detention center door." You command.
She does as you say and, once again, the console flashes red. After three more tries, you take out your rifle and fire at the console a few times and destroy it. The blue energy gate flickers before powering down.
You and Pinkie step inside and move to Adagio. She makes no attempt to flee or fight. She just hangs her head weakly.
"Adagio, listen to me." You crouch down beside her and snap your fingers in front of her face. "Hey. Look at me." You grab her head and slowly move it back so her eyes focus on you. "I know you hate my guts right now, but I need you to trust me. I'm getting you out of here, alright?"
She just looks at you blankly as you speak. No emotion is shown on her face at all.
You continue. "I'm going to kill Hoity Toity and you'll be free, alright? Can you stand?"
You want to know what happened to her, but she's in no condition to talk right now. She slowly looks to her legs before bringing one up. You and Pinkie help her up and hold her to prevent her from collapsing. Adagio's legs tremble and she whimpers in pain as she weakly attempts to stand.
Pinkie looks her up and down with worry. "Anon, I don't think she's going to make it."
You hate to admit it, but she's probably right.
"She needs to live, Pinkie." you say. "She might be able to tell us something."
How are you going to get her out of here? This is not good. You hate it when you don't know what to do.
You reach over and press a button on your gauntlet to contact Sunset. "Sunset, come in."
"I'm here." She replies. "I just finished with the last charge."
"Good to hear, but we've got a problem."
"What is it?"
"It's Adagio Dazzle. She's alive." You and Pinkie drag Adagio out of her cell and into the hallway.
"You stopped her before, Anon. Do it again." Sunset says.
You shake your head. "No, it's not like that. She's been a captive here, probably since we dropped her off. She's alive, but only barely."
"Barely?" Sunset repeats.
"She's skin and bones, malnourished, disoriented, everything. It's horrible." You reply. "She's hanging on by a thread. We're getting her out of here."
Suddenly, lights in the hallway you're in flash on, catching you and Pinkie off-guard.
The sound of Hoity Toity's voice comes on through some speakers above you. "The only place you're going now is hell, bounty hunters."
You and Pinkie look up at the source of the voice.
Hoity Toity continues. "I wanted to have more fun torturing that little snake, but you two have caused quite a bit of trouble for me tonight."
The light on the door ahead of you turns red as it locks.
"No!" You leave Adagio with Pinkie and immediately go to the door controls.
"No matter." He continues. "You are not the first intruders I've killed, and you certainly won't be the last."
You scramble to open the door, but it won't open. You're locked in. Just then, you hear a faint hissing sound all around you.
"Anon!"
You turn around to face Pinkie. She's pointing to a small vent in the floor that has started to leak a thick, green-white cloud of gas.
"Dioxis! Both of you hold your breath!" You shout.
Pinkie inhales a deep breath and covers Adagio's mouth and nose.
Sunset is still active in your ear. "Anon! Anon, what's going on there?!"
"Hoity Toity is onto us! Get back to the ship!" You take a deep breath as well. Your helmet is useless against toxins.
You turn back to the console and pound more buttons to try and get the door to open. You have mere seconds, at this rate. The door console is not responding. Gas is now engulfing your legs and it's only getting higher.
"You've lost, Mandalorian. Accept your fate."
Hearing Hoity Toity's voice only pisses you off even more. Accept your fate and give up?
Never.
Thinking quickly, you grab a couple thermal charges from your belt and plant them to the door. It's going to make a big explosion, but it might be your only hope in breaking through. You don't know how strong this door is.
Once the charges are planted and active, they start to beep and flash red. You have five seconds.
You turn around and bolt toward the girls, grabbing them and heading into the gas, back toward the cells. The three of you dive into the nearest cell on your left and prepare yourselves.
"How pathet-"
The sudden tremor, the brilliant flash of light and the deafening sound of the explosion cuts the senator off mid-speech. A large wall of fire comes screaming past the cell half a second later, pushing much of the dioxis with it. It doesn't have anywhere to go, however, so it just spreads a thin layer of the gas all around you.
You wait with the girls until the explosion passes, keeping yourself between them and the fire. Pinkie's face has begun to turn purple and Adagio has started to try and pry her hand off her mouth.
A second later, you grab them and run toward the exit. Hopefully, it's open now.
Your hopes are not in vain. Beyond the patches of fire on the walls and floor, the security door and the surrounding area has been replaced by warped metal, flames, smoke, and debris. The three of you push past the gas and out into the open hallway. Upon reaching fresh air, all three of you gasp loudly and collapse onto the ground.
"WHAT?!"
Oh good. The senator is still watching.
You cough hard and remove your helmet to take a direct breath of fresh air. That was too close.
"Security! Get up here now! Bring the big guns! Bring everyone! Kill those bounty hunters!"
The lights above you have dimmed slightly and a fire alarm has begun to sound. You and Pinkie look around for a moment before standing up.
"Come on! We're not done yet!" You help her and Adagio up before taking off down the hallway as fast as you can. Subtlety is no longer an option.
"Anon what do we do?!" Pinkie asks before coughing again.
"We stick to the plan and kill the senator! It's our best way out! Sunset!"
She speaks in your ear. "Anon! You're alright!"
"I'm fine!" You cough again. "Triple time it back to the ship!"
Adagio can hardly stand up by herself, let alone keep up with you. It's slowing you down. You and Pinkie have to practically drag her between you two. When you round another corner, you come to a group of guards coming from downstairs. They are underworld police officers.
One of them points at you. "There they are! Blast them!"
The rest of them point their weapons at you, but you and Pinkie double back behind a wall with Adagio. Right when you get behind cover, the guards begin to fire suppressively around your hiding spot. You're pinned down. Adagio falls to the floor again and winces in pain.
You growl under your breath and blindly fire your rifle around the corner at the guards. "Pinkie, Adagio is in no shape to fight! Protect her!"
Pinkie protectively crouches beside Adagio. "Where are you going?!"
You stand and grab a thermal detonator from your belt. "I'll handle these guys!"
Pressing the button, you hurl the grenade around the corner toward the guards and rush across the hallway to the opposite corner, firing your blaster wildly in the process. The guards keep their focus on you and fire as you move to a different spot.
Once you're behind the other corner, the thermal detonator explodes. Screams accompany the sound of the explosion and the flash of light ceases blaster fire for a moment. You take advantage of this and round the corner again, firing into the light smoke while rushing forward.
Two stragglers barely have a chance to react as you fire a few rounds into their chests. A guard down the hallway has recovered quicker than they did, and he fires at you. A blaster bolt clips your robotic arm on the shoulder. He also hits you on the left shin. It stings, but your armor absorbs most of the impact.
You press toward him and continue firing. He backs away from you as you advance, but his retreat is cut short when you hit his torso. He grunts and falls backwards. You fire a couple more times for good measure.
Before you can do anything else, however, you're blindsided by a guard on your right. He tackles you, making you drop your rifle, and you both fall to the left.
You grunt loudly as you land. The guard begins landing punches and kicks to your body. He attempts to grab your throat, but you grab his arm and stop him. He continues punching your helmet though. You twist around beneath him and catch his fist in your robotic one. The mechanisms whir loudly as you squeeze his fist tighter than humanly possible. The guard screams in agony and desperately tries to remove his fist from your grip as the bones in his hand begin to break.
Giving a low growl, you swing your arm up and throw him into the wall. You quickly stand up and rush toward him on the ground. Just then, you hear a few more pairs of footsteps approach from behind you. You turn and see three more guards, all running toward you with their blasters raised. Your blaster rifle is at your feet, but you don't have any cover right here.
Thinking quickly, you grab your rifle, stand the guard at your feet up, and hold him between you and the three new guards. He becomes a human shield as the guards fire at you. His screams only last for a second or two. You hold your rifle over his right shoulder and fire at the three guards as you advance toward them. They back up slowly, but one by one, they eventually fall.
The immediate area looks clear now so you discard your 'shield' and turn to the girls' hiding spot. "Pinkie, we're clear! Come on!"
She scrambles into the open as quickly as she can with Adagio and meets up with you. The three of you take off down the hallway toward Hoity Toity's room as quickly as possible. The alarm is still blaring around you. More guards are likely on their way. Your HUD indicates that Hoity Toity is just down this hallway. You and Pinkie hold Adagio close and charge forward.
The senator's voice comes on the speakers once again. "GET UP HERE! NOW! STOP THEM! KILL THEM!"
He sounds panicked. Maybe he's tried to call others for reinforcements, but they aren't responding, thanks to you and your communications jammer.
The three of you round a corner and spot two more guards in front of a closed door. You get between them and the girls and blast them. Pinkie and Adagio stay right behind you as they go down.
The door is locked and you're forced to stop. If you had your lightsaber right now, you'd be able to slice through it.
Thanks a lot, Maud Pie...
"Damn it! How do we get through?!" You shout.
"Anon, look!" Pinkie says. "This guard has an access key!"
One of the deceased guards at your feet as a small, plastic card on his hip. You grab it and place it on the door's security terminal. It beeps and slides open and the three of you step inside.
Hoity Toity's penthouse is a spacious, circular room with a large pillar in the center. The decor and architecture look exquisite. Whoever would come over to visit would know that this guy is loaded, just by looking around.
The door behind you closes. You lock it, then blast the terminal with your rifle. That should buy you at least a little time.
"ROOOOM SERVICE!!" You spray a few blaster rounds at the ceiling in an attempt to scare the senator out. Even though his exact location is still highlighted on your HUD. Pinkie laughs loudly.
You laugh as well and fire a few more blaster rounds toward Hoity Toity's hiding spot. Your HUD indicates that he's hiding out in a small room beneath the staircase that circles around the central pillar.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are..." You taunt.
Pinkie sits Adagio down on the ground and the two of you head toward the small room together. He's just behind this door. It's not locked. You'd love to mess with him some more, but unfortunately, your time is short.
The door slides open and you're finally face-to-face with the corrupt politician himself. He was prepared for you though. When he locks eyes with your visor, he makes one last-ditch effort to kill you by pulling out a small blaster pistol and pointing it at you.
You reflexively move out of the way with ease as he fires at you and you kick the blaster from his hand.
Okay, maybe he wasn't prepared for you.
You grab him by the wrist before he can run away and drag him out into the open. "No! Please! Release me! I'll-"
His demands are cut off suddenly when you grab him by the neck and choke him. He squirms and wiggles as he tries in vain to free himself, and you lift him off the ground. Pinkie points her blaster at his face.
"Ack!... What...do you...want?" He croaks.
You hold him above you and stare at him. "Spill your guts, senator, before I spill them for you. What do the Kath Hounds and death sticks have to do with each other?"
He gags and tries to pull himself free from your grip. You barely give him enough air to speak. "Rrrgh!...I don't...know...anything about...Kath Hounds!"
You shake your head. "Don't you lie to me, hu'tuun." Before he can retort, you walk over to the nearest wall and slam him against it. He cries out in pain as much as he can. "Let's try this again; the Kath Hounds and the death sticks."
He whimpers and looks at you with pure terror in his eyes. "Aah!... O-Okay!... The...The Kath Hounds have nothing to do w-with the death sticks! I-I sold them t-to the Twins for an extra profit! That's all!"
That could be true...
"What about the death sticks? What does Adagio have to do with this?!"
He struggles somewhat for a moment. "Why do you care?... She's just scum! Scum that you brought in, need I remind you..."
That's not the right answer.
You lean in close so you're mere inches away from his face. "Tell me, or else I'll shatter the other one."
He looks confused. "The...other one..?"
Before he can continue, you press your rifle to his left knee and blast his kneecap. He yells out loudly in pure agony and you throw him toward the booby-trapped window. He lands on the ground with a thud.
"That's strike two, senator! My patience is gone!"
He looks at you in utter terror as he struggles to back away from you. His now useless leg is bleeding profusely. He doesn't get far when you press the button on your gauntlet and detonate the charges on the window behind him.
The glass shatters loudly and the high-altitude air inside the penthouse de-pressurizes, whipping it all around you. Hoity Toity screams and cowers on the ground from the sudden force and sound of the whistling wind and traffic from outside. No doubt that explosion was seen by others. You really need to hurry now.
You stomp toward him and grab his neck again, lifting him up and moving toward the open window. "Tell me NOW, senator!"
You stop at the window and dangle him over the edge. He squirms in fear as he looks down at the thousands of lights below him.
"O-O-Okay! I'll talk! I'll talk!" You bring him back over solid ground a little. "Th-The death sticks and the girl were both provided b-by a Clawdite named Chrysalis!"
Oh, great. A Clawdite. A shapeshifter is the last thing you need to deal with right now.
He continues. "Sh-She said that the Sith were looking for individuals willing to help for a reward! She said they would pay me thousands to have the girl spread the drugs across the galaxy as much as possible! I-I agreed and took the money!"
"Why death sticks?!" You roar. "What's their plan?!"
He squirms again some. "I have n-no idea!"
You growl again and pull him close to you. "You lying, little sack of Bantha shit..." You point your blaster at his other knee.
"NO! NO, PLEASE! I DON'T KNOW! I SWEAR, PLEASE!"
You don't pull the trigger, but you leave your rifle at his knee as he begs for mercy. At this point, if he did know what their plan was, he would have told you.
"Alright then, answer me this; where do I find Chrysalis?!"
He breathes hard and shakes in fear as he stares at you. "I-I don't know...but Flim and Flam might! Th-They recently informed me that the Sith were good business partners! I-I would guess that if anyone knew where to find Chrysalis, it's them!"
"Where can I find Flim and Flam?!"
He whimpers. "Th-They move around a lot, but right now, they're on Kessel! I swear!"
You can hear the sounds of guards attempting to break down the door behind you. You're out of time.
"Pinkie, go grab Adagio. We have what we came for." She walks away and you bring Hoity Toity back over solid ground completely. "I appreciate your willingness to share, senator Hoity Toity. Our business has now concluded."
He grunts and slowly starts to grin. "Mmff... I should say so...bounty hunter..."
It's only now that you notice the sound of engines gradually getting louder and louder.
Suddenly, a police dropship ascends from below and shines its spotlights on you.
The pilot's voice comes on over the ship's speaker system. "Release the senator immediately! You are surrounded!"
You freeze and stare back at the ship as its blaster cannons point at you.
Pinkie comes up behind you with Adagio. "Uh, Anon? Is it time now?"
Two more ships ascend on either side of the one you're staring at and both point their guns and lights at you as well.
"Yep. It's time..." You activate your comms. "Sunset?"
Sunset's voice comes on in your ear. "I just got the ship started! I'm on my way!"
The ships slowly move closer to the building. You can see that they're each carrying officers and security personnel.
"Release him!" The pilot orders again.
You look at Hoity Toity, whose grin doesn't falter. "Look at you... Pulling a fast one on me, of all people."
"Do what he says, Mandalorian..." He grunts. "Let. Me. Go."
You look ahead to the ledge of the building. It's only about a meter in front of you.
You turn back to him. "Have it your way then, senator."
His grin fades and he also looks to the ledge. His eyes widen in horror once again and he shakes his head. "No... No! No! NO!"
You growl as you take a step toward the edge. "This one's for senator Melody!"
With a grunt, you heave him out the window with all your might. He flails around as he tries and fails to grab the ledge and save himself.
"NOOOOOOOO!!" His screams quickly fade away and you watch as he begins his long descent toward the planet's surface.
That's the end of senator Hoity Toity...
"Blast them!" The dropship's engines whir louder as its cannons charge up.
"Time to go, girls!" You press a button on your gauntlet and turn around to grab Pinkie and Adagio.
Beneath you, the ground starts to shake and tremble as the bombs detonate. Just outside, you hear and see the fireballs on the edge of the building below you. A second later, the lights inside flicker off and the building starts to crack loudly and twist. The main supports are gone. The building breaks and starts to crumble beneath your feet as the explosions create a chain reaction that causes the penthouse to lean forward and slide off the building.
You almost lose your footing, but you hold tight to both of the girls and dive outside. A second later, you're in freefall.
Behind you, the penthouse explodes and rains down debris onto the police dropships. The chunks of metal and concrete crash into the ships as they struggle to move out of the way. Two of them crash into each other in the confusion. They explode or careen into another building nearby, but you don't care. They're behind you. You need to focus on not crashing into anything below you right now.
Both Pinkie and Adagio are screaming at the top of their lungs and holding onto you for dear life. Your jetpack won't hold all three of you in sustained flight. The only thing it can do now is control your fall.
You maneuver out and away from the building a little bit, falling past traffic and ships along the way.
"ANOOOOON!!!" Pinkie is panicking. "ANON, WHERE IS SUNSET?!"
"SHE'LL CATCH US!"
The ground looks like it's coming up pretty quickly, even though you're kilometers away from the surface. It's been about fifteen seconds, but it feels like it's been forever.
You look around and above you for Sunset. Finally, you spot her.
"I'm right behind you guys!" She says in your ear.
"GET RIGHT BELOW US! MATCH OUR DESCENT!" You shout.
Sunset maneuvers the ship beneath your feet. Speeders honk and swerve to move out of the way all around you. The three of you approach the ship's hull. The top airlock opens and you can see inside.
Finally, you touch down. Pinkie grabs a handle and holds on tight.
"SUNSET, WE'RE ON! GET US OUT OF HERE!" You command.
"Copy that!" She replies.
You lay down flat on the ship and Sunset swings the ship down then up before evening out and giving you an opportunity to get inside. Pinkie moves inside the ship first, then she helps Adagio inside, and you follow behind them.
Once you're on the floor, the airlock closes and you feel Sunset gun the engines.
You lean back against the wall and take a deep breath. "That was close..."
You wait there for a moment to gather yourself before stepping into the main hold. Pinkie is already there and caring for an unconscious Adagio. All that excitement must have been too much.
Something else you're just noticing is that she's completely naked now. Those rags she was wearing must have flown off during freefall. She is literally just skin and bones from head to toe. Seeing her like this is horrible.
You head into the cargo hold and grab a large blanket for her. When you get back into the main hold, you wrap the blanket around her back and cover her bare shoulders and chest with it. She's freezing cold. This should keep her warm and looking decent.
"Pinkie, I'm putting you in charge of her." You say as you look at her. "There's food and water in the cargo hold. When she wakes up, give her some, then let me know, okay?"
She nods. "Okay, Anon. I will."
You stand up and head to the cockpit. Sunset is at the controls, maneuvering the ship through the traffic and up toward the atmosphere.
She turns to you. "You get everything we need?"
You sit down beside her. "More or less. Our hunch was right. Hoity Toity was commissioned to have Adagio spread death sticks around the galaxy by a Sith Clawdite named Chrysalis."
"How come?"
You shake your head. "He didn't know. He just took the money and agreed with no questions."
She scoffs. "Glad he's gone."
Damn right about that.
She continues. "So how do we find this Chrysalis?"
"He said that he has a feeling that Flim and Flam had worked with her before. Or they're working with her still. Either way, it's our best lead. They're on Kessel."
"Okay." She says. "I don't think we should just go to Kessel right now, all casual-like. Especially after this fiasco."
"I agree. The Republic will be on high-alert..." You reply. "We'll make a game plan once we're clear and we've rested. Head to Cato Neimoidia. Make random jumps on our way there, in case we're being tailed and we don't know it."
She nods. "Good idea."
Pinkie calls out to you from the main hold. "Anon, she's waking up!"
Oh, good.
Sunset turns back to you. "You really rescued Adagio?"
"You should see her, Sunset. What's been done to her is absolutely inhumane. I had to do something." You stand up. "Besides, she might be willing to talk to us this time."
She hums. "Fair point."
You head to the back of the cockpit and continue into the main hold. Pinkie is holding a bottle of water and helping Adagio take a drink.
Adagio is sitting on a chair, still wrapped in her blanket. You remove your helmet and set it on the table. She looks like she hasn't had a decent sleep in weeks.
Well, she probably hasn't, actually.
She's trembling weakly and hesitantly taking a few gulps of water.
You shake your head. This is so wrong.
Pinkie looks at you. "I don't think she'll be able to talk to us, Anon."
You shake your head. "There's no way she is in any condition to. Not yet, anyway."
She needs medical attention.
You turn to the table behind you and contact Rarity. After a few rings, she answers, her holographic face appearing in front of you.
"Anonymous! You're not dead! Thank goodness!" She says gleefully.
Of course you're not dead. It's you.
"Rarity, we're on our way back to you. We need medical attention."
She suddenly looks worried. "Oh dear! What happened to you, darling?"
"It's not me that needs it." You turn around and look at Adagio.
Rarity follows your gaze and pauses for a moment. "Is...that?"
You nod. "Yes it is. She needs help."
Rarity pauses for a moment before nodding slowly. "Very well then, Anonymous. I'll be ready for you."
"Thanks, Rarity." You shut off the hologram projector and she fades away again.
You set both your hands down on the table in front of you and take another deep breath. So many questions are going through your head right now. Hopefully, Adagio will be willing to answer a few of them. Last time you were together, you didn't exactly get along.
You hear her moan softly behind you.
Pinkie is smiling at you as she sets down the empty water bottle. "I think she's going to be okay now."
You sure hope so.
"Let's get her into a bed." You say. "She needs to rest."
You move beside her and carefully pick her up. She moans softly again and closes her eyes as she rests her head on your shoulder.
Pinkie follows you as you carry her into the crew quarters and set her on one of the extra beds you have. She lays down flat and immediately falls asleep.
You take another breath. "Alright then..."
You turn to leave, but Pinkie remains. "Anon? I have a quick question."
You stop and look back at her. "Yes?"
"Just something I was curious about. Before you threw the senator out the window, you called him...a word, or a name." She says. "It was, like, hoot...or hooton, or something."
Oh, that word.
"Hu'tuun." You reply.
"Right!" She says. "That word. Anyway, I was curious. That does that mean?"
You smirk and turn around to face her completely. "It's a word in Mando'a. It's pretty much the worst insult you can ever give to a Mandalorian. If you did, it's quite possibly the last thing you would ever say to anyone at all."
She nods slowly. "Okay, but what does it mean though?"
"It means 'coward'."
She gets a look of understanding on her face and nods again. "Ooooh, I see."
"Yeah..." You reply. "It's a bad word, but Hoity Toity tried to lie to me. Only cowards make a habit out of lying."
Pinkie nods once. "It's a bad word, and a bad person to be."
You grin at her and chuckle. "Couldn't have said it any better myself."
She smiles back at you and you turn around to head to your quarters. |
Bounty Hunter Anon II | The Lure of the Dark Side | The faint sound of the heart rate monitor beeps at a steady pace beside Adagio Dazzle's hospital bed. She had been asleep for hours. It was probably the first decent night's sleep she's had in a long time.
Now, she had finally begun to stir. The Neimoidian orderlies had brought it to your attention, as requested, and you were in her room now alongside Sunset, Pinkie, and Rarity.
Adagio groans weakly and her eyes flutter open. She groggily looks around the room for a second before her eyes widen. "Wh... Where..?"
Her breathing quickens a bit before Rarity rushes to her side. "Darling, please take it easy. You're in a hospital bed on Cato Neimoidia. You're safe."
She gives Rarity a confused, nervous look. "Cato... Neimoidia?"
Rarity nods. "Yes, darling. My name is Rarity. My friends rescued you and brought you here for medical attention. I believe you're already familiar with them, hmm?"
She turns to you and Adagio follows her gaze. It takes a second, but she eventually recognizes you and Sunset. The same fury you first saw her with weeks ago returns to her face.
She clenches her teeth. "...Mandalorian scum..."
You scoff a bit and cross your arms. "Is that how they say 'thank you' where you're from?"
"It's your fault that this happened to me!" Her eyes are still full of rage, but they begin to fill with tears as well. "I... was almost free! I-I almost got out, but I was put through that hell again because of YOU! You and her both!" She points at you and Sunset. "You sent me back to that...that evil pervert on Coruscant for a few lousy credits!"
She breathes audibly for a moment before slouching and burying her face in her hands, sobbing.
You and Sunset look at each other for a second before looking back to Adagio.
"I...wanted...to die... The things he did to me... The things he made me do... I wanted everything to end forever..." She continues to break down, but she slowly returns her gaze to you. "Do you know what that's like, Mandalorian? To want to escape? To actually want to end it all?"
No, you don't.
You've been through hell more than your fair share of times, but you've never wanted to die to end it. Suicide is a coward's way out.
Rarity looks at you and Sunset with a hint of sorrow on her face. You know she isn't disappointed with you bringing her in. Adagio was just another job at the time, and she knew it.
Still, you can't help but wonder if she's having regrets.
Are you having regrets too?
Ooh... Don't open that door...
"Look, Adagio..." Sunset steps forward slowly. "I know we haven't always gotten along, but we need you to know that we didn't lie when we told you that bringing you to Hoity Toity wasn't personal. You were just another contract." She moves to her side and crouches down a little so she's on her level a bit more. "I'm sorry you went through what you did. We realized a bit too late what a scumbag he really was. He's involved with some really bad people, and so we decided to go do something about it."
She stares at Sunset blankly for a moment.
"Do you remember what happened?" You ask. "You were there."
She looks to you. "No... I-I was... I was out of it."
"I threw him out a window, then we dropped his penthouse on him." You reply bluntly.
She's taken back a little by this. "You mean... He's..."
"He's rotting in hell, where he belongs." You say. "He won't do anything to you or anyone else ever again."
Adagio exhales softly and leans back in her bed again. You want to say that she looks more content, but she doesn't look like she's feeling much better. She probably needs time for his death to hit her.
You walk up beside Sunset. "Adagio, we have some questions for you."
She exchanges glances at you two. "Why should I help you?"
"Well, we saved your life and killed your kidnapper. That should count for something." You reply.
Adagio pauses for a moment before exhaling. "...What do you want to know?"
Alright, now you're in business.
"Well, first off, I want a specific answer to the question I asked you weeks ago on Nar Shaddaa: your gem."
The familiar fury returns to her eyes a bit when you say that. "Where is it?"
"I don't know anymore." You reply. "I met a Jedi and she took it away."
"It was my sister Maud!" Pinkie says.
You roll your eyes and exhale softly as Adagio looks at Pinkie sitting behind you for a moment, but otherwise ignores her. She sighs again and crosses her arms, almost like she's pouting.
You continue. "She said that it was an artificially made lightsaber crystal that was strong with the Dark Side of the Force. Why did you have it?"
She doesn't respond for a few seconds. "I... I don't want to say..."
You stifle a groan and just exhale again instead. "...Why not?"
"Because... Because I'm... I'm afraid. I'm afraid they'll find out..." Adagio replies.
"Who?"
She looks back at you. This time, with a hint of fear in her eyes. "The Sith." She whispers.
Interesting.
"So you were working with the Sith?"
She looks to the ground. "Not willingly..."
"What do you mean?"
She takes another deep breath and looks around the room once before speaking again. "I'm Force sensitive. I've been a slave to the Sith for so long, that I can't remember anything about what it was like to not be. To be free from their control, their influence, their cruelty, everything."
Sunset speaks up. "So you were one of their apprentices or acolytes or something?"
Adagio shakes her head. "No. When I say 'slave', I mean slave. They tortured me and bent me to do what they commanded. They taught me to use the Force as a tool in certain situations. The way I commanded the Force was through my voice."
"Ah, so that's why I almost went deaf when you screeched at me on Nar Shaddaa..." You say. "You were using the Force."
She nods. "The only thing is, I could only use it if I had that gem. It also kept me under their control. Without it, I was powerless... They ensured that I couldn't do anything without it... I... I don't know how the Force works. They didn't teach me anything about it, except for how to use my voice with it and do as they commanded."
It's starting to make sense now.
"Was there more than just you?" You ask.
She nods. "There were hundreds of us. All of us were slaves."
"Why did they take you?" Sunset asks.
Adagio looks to her. "Because we were able to sense the Force. They needed us."
You and Sunset look at each other for a second.
Adagio continues. "They're planning something... Something that puts the entire galaxy at risk... The Sith Masters who watched over us would go on and on about fear... Fear this, fear that... They made us afraid of everything... Even when we knew we had nothing else to lose, they still made us feel afraid..."
"Fear..." You repeat softly.
Fear of what?
"The Jedi taught us that fear was one of the easiest paths to the Dark Side." You all turn to look at Pinkie. "Fear of loss, fear of being kept out of the loop on stuff, fear that something bad would happen, no matter what, fear was the first step on the most common path to the Dark Side."
"Explain." You say.
"Umm..." Pinkie thinks for a few seconds. "Uh... Okay! Pretend you're a Jedi real quick!"
"I don't want to pretend I'm a Jedi."
Rarity giggles slightly and Pinkie rolls her eyes. "Ugh! Come on! Just work with me for a second!"
You sigh. Might as well see where she's going with this.
"Alright, fine." You say. "So, I'm a Jedi. Now what?"
"Okay! Let's say that, um... Let's say that the Jedi Council is planning to accept another Jedi as a Master. You want to be a Master, right? Rise in the ranks, right?"
You shrug. "Yeah, I suppose I'd shoot for that goal."
What the hell goes on inside a Jedi's head? How are you supposed to relate to them?
"Except you really, really want to be a Master. You'd be one of the Jedi in charge."
Hmm.
"I think I'd like the sound of that." You say.
Pinkie nods. "Of course you would! You'd have secret knowledge and info that only the most powerful Jedi Masters on the Order would know! So you work super hard and train more than anyone else, but guess what? The Council is looking at another Jedi and they're thinking about choosing him instead!"
What?
"Why is he so special?" You ask.
"Because he's cheating!" Pinkie says. "He has to be! No one worked as hard as you did!"
If he's cheating, then that only means he's too weak to do it on his own.
Pinkie continues. "So you decide to tell the Council about it. He's cheating and you know it, but they don't believe you, and they end up choose him. He's got them wrapped around his finger."
You'd be pretty angry.
"So even though you deserve being a Master, he got it instead." Pinkie explains. "What would you want to do?"
"If I wanted it that bad and had it taken from me unfairly, I'd probably attack him."
She nods. "Right! You attack him! You deserved being a Master, not him!"
Yeah...
"He has no right to take what is yours! He needs to die!" She says.
"Yeah..." You nod.
Her countenance darkens a bit. "You'd wanna kill him, right?"
"Yeah, I'd want to kill him."
She gets a sinister grin on her face. "You'd hate him, right?"
"Definitely." You nod. "If I wanted it that bad and he got it by cheating, I'd hate his guts."
Pinkie pauses and takes a deep breath through the nose. "...And that's how easy fear can turn someone to the Dark Side." She says with her usual, bubbly smile.
Wait...
"...What?"
"The other Jedi." Pinkie says. "You were afraid that he was going to take your place, so you worked extra hard to beat him. He became your focus."
"Right..?"
She continues. "Then, when the Council started to like him, it made you angry and you made yourself believe that he was cheating."
You're pretty sure you know where she's going with this.
"Then, he was chosen instead of you. Because you believed that he cheated and made it, you decided to try to kill him."
That does make a lot of sense.
"Killing someone in hatred isn't the Jedi way, I assume." You say.
She shakes her head. "Nope! Fear is one of the the Dark Side's roots. Fear, then anger, then hatred. After that, it's suuuper hard to come back to the Light, if you can even come back at all."
That's actually kind of interesting.
There's a lot you don't understand about the Jedi and Sith's respective natures. In a nutshell, you always assumed the Jedi were peace-loving wimps who were afraid to reach their full potential, while the Sith were power-hungry maniacs who betrayed each other and killed for sport.
You hum. "I guess I never thought of it like that before."
Pinkie smiles softly. "You're not Force-sensitive, Anon. Your point of view of the Force is way different than the Jedi's point of view."
A different point of view... Huh...
Seems this outlook on the galaxy you've had is a lot more intricate than you'd like to believe it is. You're a bit mad that she's brought all this to your attention. It was easier to have your opinion before she did. Ignorance is bliss, after all. However, you can't live in ignorance forever.
You give Pinkie a grateful nod before turning back to Adagio. "So the Sith dig fear, huh?"
Adagio looks back at you and nods slowly. "They were obsessed with it. They would talk about the Dark Side and fear and how it would 'sweep across the galaxy like a blade', or something."
"What did the death sticks have to do with it?" You ask.
She pauses as she searches her mind for the right thing to say. "The death sticks... They were tampered with... Something had been added to them to make whoever took them lose their mind."
"We know that." Sunset takes a step forward. "We did an analysis on them. They deteriorate the brain within days, if enough of them are used."
"Right..." Adagio thinks. "I was forced to blend in and deal those death sticks to as many people as I possibly could. It didn't matter who, it just mattered how many. They wanted me to get the entire planet on them."
That doesn't make sense.
"How does that spread fear?" You ask.
She shakes her head. "I-I don't know... I didn't ask questions, I just did as I was told. I didn't have a choice."
You think to yourself for a second.
"So, let me see if I get this." You begin. "You were enslaved by the Sith and sold to Hoity Toity with the instruction to go and sell, or give away as many death sticks to as many people as you could for some big plan they may or may not have, right?"
She nods slowly.
Good. You're paying attention.
"Do you know why Hoity Toity put that bounty on you?" You ask.
"I have an idea..." She says. "While I had my gem, I was convincing people into buying those drugged death sticks. I'd sing and dance for them, and they'd be more...open to suggestions."
"You'd hypnotize them." Sunset says.
Adagio shrugs. "If that's the way you want to put it, I guess... Anyway, I was doing that to get money. I wanted to escape. I wanted to be free."
"Why did you think you could get away with it?" You ask.
"I could use the Force. Not as well as our Sith Masters could, but I could still use it a little. I figured if I could earn enough money, I could buy my freedom somehow... But then..." Her countenance darkens a little, and she glares at you. "...Then, you showed up..."
You don't miss a beat. "We've established that it was just another job. Get over it."
She takes another breath and exhales as she continues to glare at you. She probably doesn't have much else to say at this point.
No, you're not sorry. You made money off of that job. Good money. How were you supposed to know that she was being tortured by a Republic senator who was in bed with the Sith?
You turn around and walk to the other side of the room, thinking to yourself for a moment. What do you do now?
The Sith supposedly have this big, evil plan to control or destroy the galaxy, and the death sticks are somehow involved in it. They're capturing Force-sensitives and using fear to make them spread these death sticks around. There may be hundreds of them.
But, the source of this story is a delusional, malnourished drug dealer. Sure, the two of you have beef, so you're a bit biased, but still. That's not a very reliable source of information.
"You okay?"
You turn around to face Sunset, who has come up behind you.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just pondering a little." You reply.
She nods. "Adagio's story is a bit out there."
"Well, yeah, there's that..." You say. "But even if it does check out, I don't know what to do with that information, you know?"
She nods. "Right."
You continue. "Telling the Republic is out of the question. As of right now, anyway. Maybe we can tell them when things cool down a bit."
She smiles. "That must grind your gears, huh? Thinking about helping the Republic?"
You groan softly. "Oh, you have no idea..."
She chuckles softly. "Well, maybe we should just wait on it." You look at her. "We'll keep doing our own thing. We'll look for Discord-"
"Start looking for Discord..." You correct.
The bastard is elusive as hell. And you've been a bit preoccupied.
She chuckles again. "Right. We'll START looking for Discord, once we get a lead. In the meantime though, I say we follow this trail of crumbs and see where it goes. If it turns out to be a wild Bantha chase, then oh well. We have a good story to tell for the future."
You give her a small smile. She's done it again. She's eased your stress and given you peace of mind.
"Have I ever told you how fantastic you are?" You ask.
She smirks. "Once or twice. I know you can afford to say it more often though."
Before she turns away from you, she gives you a small smack on the ass. You grin and watch her slowly walk out of the room.
Damn, you love this woman. ---
As Sunset flies the ship out of Cato Neimoidia's atmosphere, you sit beside her in the cockpit, speaking with Rarity on a small screen in front of you.
"How is she doing?" You ask.
"Adagio is asleep right now, darling." Rarity replies. "We're going to keep her for a few days and help her recover."
Good.
"Thank you so much for everything, Rarity." You say. "I know you've had your hands full lately, so I really appreciate this."
She nods. "It's quite alright, Anonymous. The payment you left me is more than enough to take her wherever she wants to go once she's recovered."
"Even so. It really helps us out."
She smiles. "I'll contact you when I have an update for you. I expect you to do the same."
"You won't be disappointed, Rarity. Thank you again." You return the smile and shut off communications.
Sunset reaches the beginning of space and starts to orbit around the planet. "So where are we going?"
"I'm going to find out in just a bit." You say.
You access the ship's computer and search the galactic criminal database for any posted bounties. Specifically, ones posted by either of the Twins: Flim or Flam. You're going to try the same method you pulled with Diamond Tiara and bring them a present. Hopefully, you'll also find out a little more about their supposed business associates.
A part of you just wants to ignore all this. You're picking up only a few pieces of an insanely large puzzle that would most likely end up just being a waste of time. The only real reason you've followed this trail for as long as you have is due to sheer curiosity.
However, the thought of this supposed galactic-scale plan by the Sith is also a bit unnerving. The Sith have tried and failed many different times to conquer the galaxy in the past. Sure, the Mandalorians have helped them out before, a few times in history, but you're starting to think about how the Sith differ from the Jedi in their view of the Force.
The Jedi embody the Light Side, while the Sith embody the Dark Side. If Light is selflessness, then that means Dark is selfishness. If the Sith did end up conquering the galaxy, any help they would have had in doing so would be useless and cast aside at that point. Their history of betrayal is enough to back up that theory.
If the entire galaxy is at risk, then that means Mandalore is as well.
Whether or not this is actually the case is uncertain to you, but you don't want to sit on your ass and wait for it to be too late. You need to know for sure.
"Hey. You awake?"
You blink a few times and snap yourself out of your trance. Sunset is looking at you, a little confused.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking." You continue to browse the database for any bounties.
"Thinking about what?" She asks.
You shake your head. "Just about this situation we're in, and the future of everything."
She takes a deep breath and sits back in her chair. "I hate to admit it, but I'm a bit worried that it might all be true."
You nod slowly and look over at her.
She continues. "If the Sith really are planning something, then it sounds like it could change the fate of the entire galaxy."
She's right.
"You know, it has been a few centuries since the Sith blatantly tried to take over the galaxy." You say.
She nods. "Yeah. Just after the Mandalorian Wars was the last time, I think. Stories of Mandalore the Preserver tell of him fighting alongside the Jedi to take down a Sith Lord over the planet Telos."
"I remember that story. That particular Sith Lord supposedly had the ability to consume the life force of entire planets." You reply. "He was responsible for the destruction of the planet Katarr."
A power of that magnitude is one that no Jedi has ever possessed before. Nor should they, or anyone else ever possess it.
The Dark Side of the Force seems to be littered with unnatural abilities, even by Force-sensitive standards, you'd wager.
You continue. "After all those years, they would've had a lot of time to prepare and plan for something big."
"We're long overdue." Sunset says. "Maybe this is it."
You nod. "Maybe so."
The two of you sit in contemplative silence for a few more seconds, pondering to yourselves on the chance that this is the dawn of a new campaign for control by the Sith against the Republic and the galaxy.
You clear your throat after a few moments. "I guess we had better hurry and see if we can't find out who's behind all this then."
You turn your attention back to the ship's computer and continue browsing potential bounties. Most of them are for petty grievances that are worth a few thousand credits. After a while, you find a filter option and specifically search for bounties posted by Flim and/or Flam.
A few names show up. None of them really seem noteworthy though.
Then, someone catches your attention.
"Ooh, here's one." You say.
Sunset leans over to look at your screen. "50,000 credits for a Bothan named Ahuizotl... What the hell kind of a name is Ahuizotl?"
You just chuckle.
She continues reading. "Let's see... 'He's the leader of a gang that was recently taken down by the Republic. Just before that, he hit us hard and stole a large amount of valuables from us. He's awaiting trial at the prison orbiting Ottega, but we don't want him telling the Republic things he shouldn't. Waste him.'" Sunset nods a little. She seems satisfied. "Doesn't sound too hard."
"That's just what I was thinking." You reply. "Set a course for the Ottega system."
It's been a while since you've had a good paying contract for someone wanted dead.
The two of you press a few buttons and lock in the necessary coordinates before Sunset hits the throttle and blasts off into lightspeed.
You stand up and head back toward the armory to prepare. Pinkie is sitting in the main hold, looking at her Pazaak cards. She looks at you and smiles when you walk in.
"Where are we going?" She asks.
"The Ottega system." You reply. "Prison break."
"Oooh! Sounds fun!" She says.
You walk past her and head into the armory. You'll go over a plan later, but right now, you just want to look at your gear and make sure it all checks out. ---
<<Somewhere in a hidden region of deep space>> ---
A Sith Admiral walks down a hallway toward the main observation deck. The large doors slide open and he proceeds through them.
On his left and right are navigation specialists and technicians; all working on terminals that control different parts of the station. Directly ahead of him, looking through the window, out to the vastness of space is the Dark Lord of the Sith himself.
Lord Sombra.
The Admiral nervously clears his throat and approaches him. He stops and stands at ease a few paces behind the Sith Lord, but dares not to speak until given permission. Sombra stays silent for a few tense seconds.
"Report." He calmly commands, his booming voice piercing around the room.
The Admiral gulps before speaking. "My Lord, there is a problem... Our plans to get rid of the Senator from Naboo on Dantooine have been compromised, and our contact on Coruscant is dead."
"The Mandalorians again?" Sombra asks.
"It would appear so, my Lord..." The Admiral says. "Our Dantooine contact reported seeing a Zeltron with a pair of Mandalorians that match the description of those who interfered with our operations on Malastare and Nar Shaddaa a couple of weeks ago."
"The same Mandalorians that defeated my former apprentice on Tatooine..." Sombra says softly.
"Indeed, my Lord."
Sombra wraps his arms behind his back and holds his wrist, but does not turn around to face the Admiral.
"My former apprentice left to kill them on his own accord... I would have killed him myself, for disobeying me when he returned... However, they managed to do it themselves... My apprentice was well-trained. I assumed his defeat was mere luck before, but it would appear I have underestimated these Mandalorians..."
Sombra finally turns around to face the Admiral; those terrifying red-yellow eyes staring directly into his own. "Where are they now?"
The Admiral clears his throat. "Our spies lost their exact whereabouts during the commotion they created on Coruscant. We could not pursue them. However, Hoity Toity was in contact with another one of ours on Kessel." The Admiral pulls out a datapad and hands it to the Dark Lord. "Since these Mandalorians know, or at least suspect something, I took the liberty of planning for a likely step they would take next."
Sombra takes the datapad and looks it over for a long moment. Every moment of silence in the Dark Lord's presence made the Admiral even more uncomfortable than he already was.
"This bounty was posted recently." Sombra comments.
"Yes, my Lord. This particular incident happened days ago. That Bothan is likely their next target."
Sombra stares at the datapad a moment longer.
"These Mandalorian bounty hunters..." He begins. "What do we know about them?"
The Admiral shifts slightly. "Our sources believe that the male's name is Anonymous, my Lord. The female's is Sunset Shimmer. We have also identified the aforementioned Zeltron as the famous Pazaak player and thief, Pinkamena Diane Pie."
Sombra looks back at the Admiral. "Pie... How very interesting..." The Dark Lord contemplates to himself for a moment before handing the datapad back to the Admiral. "The fear on Coruscant that these Mandalorians' actions have created will only help our plans. Rest assured however, they assisted us unknowingly... At this rate, I fear that they will soon discover the location of this battle station, and report it to any Republic comrades they still have..."
He pauses for another moment before speaking again. "The time has come to make ourselves known to our enemies, Admiral. Have our spies drop an undercover tip to the Republic about Anonymous and Sunset Shimmer. This information you have provided will be perfect for advancing my new apprentice's training... I will send her to Kessel to deal with these bounty hunters, and the galaxy will know the Age of the Sith has come once again."
The Admiral nods once. "As you wish, my Lord Sombra."
Sombra turns around to look out the window again and the Admiral turns around and heads back into the station.
Sombra waits for a few long minutes before turning around and proceeding deeper into the station as well. He travels to a small, private room and closes the door behind him.
In front of him is an inactive holographic display. He presses a button on the control panel. Mere seconds later, the hologram activates, and the image of a kneeling young woman appears before him.
Her Sith robes are in the traditional black, and her cloak drapes down her backside. Her face is mostly shrouded in darkness by her hood, but her yellow eyes can still be seen shining through.
"What is thy bidding, my master?" She asks.
Sombra slowly grins as he speaks to her.
"It is time for you to face your first true test, Limestone..." |
Bounty Hunter Anon II | The Prison | The Ottega system was most notable as the system that housed the planet Ithor, the homeworld of the Ithorians. The Republic had built a space station prison around its star a few decades ago. You were waiting on Imrooso, the planet closest to the sun, and had managed to intercept a transmission from an incoming transport ship on its way to the prison.
Sunset takes off and quickly makes her way toward the ship as it approaches the station. Once she closes in a bit more, you head back into the main hold and make your way to the airlock.
Sunset speaks to you through your comms. "Anon, you all set?"
"Yeah, I'm ready." You reply.
You're dressed in your EVA armor. It's pressurized, and isn't made entirely out of beskar, like your regular armor is, but it's about as bulky. It won't slow you down at all once you're inside.
The plan is, once Sunset is close enough to the transport ship, you're going to head out into space and grab onto its hull. You'll hide there until you get aboard the station. Hopefully, you'll manage to find Ahuizotl, take him captive, and fly one of these transports out of here so you can rendezvous with Sunset.
That's the best-case scenario though, so that probably won't be what happens. Either way, you're going to be alone for this one. Hopefully, you won't need it, but you grab and equip your jetpack that's waiting by the airlock, just in case. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
You climb the ladder up to the airlock and head inside. Once there, the door beneath you hisses shut and the section you're in depressurizes. A moment later, the door above you hisses open and everything around you goes completely silent. You're outside.
The sounds of your breathing and steady heartbeat behind your ears are all you can hear. Every direction you look, you see an endless void of nothing but stars. The light from Ottega's proximity is polluting most of your view, but you can still see an unbelievable amount of stars no matter where you look.
You climb onto the ship's hull and carefully step toward the front of the ship, just above the cockpit.
"You outside?" Sunset asks on your comms.
"Sure am." You crouch down and knock on the top of the cockpit's viewport window at Sunset and Pinkie.
They both look at you and smile. Pinkie starts waving at you ecstatically. "Hi Anon!"
You wave back before looking ahead at the transport ship. The intense light from Ottega nearly blinds you, but your helmet automatically adjusts your view. The transport is about 100 meters away, and Sunset is carefully closing in behind it.
"Let me know when you're going to accelerate, Sunset." You say.
You'll use that acceleration, and a quick boost from your jetpack to float onto the transport's hull.
"I'm going to hit the throttle for half a second at around 50 meters, Anon. That's the closest I get and have enough time to slow down without crashing." She says.
"It will be enough." You crouch down and prepare to jump.
"90 meters..." Sunset says. "80... 70... 60... Now!"
The ship lurches forward and you leap off the hull, propelling yourself through the vacuum of space toward the transport.
Sunset's acceleration could not have been more perfect. You float toward the transport and reach out to grab one of the notches in the hull, your robotic hand immediately clamping down to hold you in place. You grunt a little as your momentum tries to keep you moving forward, but your grip does not falter. You bring your legs back in and awkwardly set them on the hull.
"You good, Anon?" She asks.
You grunt a little. "Yep... Yeah, I'm good. I'm secure."
You grab onto the hull with your other hand and look back at your ship as Sunset breaks off and flies away.
"Alright, we'll be on standby, if you need us. Keep me updated on your status." She says.
You nod. "I will. Thanks, Sunset."
You watch her as she flies further and further away for a few more moments before climbing up the transport's hull and making your way onto the roof. Just ahead, you make out the shape of the prison just in front of Ottega as the transport quickly approaches.
On your left is the ship's emergency airlock. Being out in the emptiness of space is unnerving. You'd like to be inside, but the crew would probably get an alert if the airlock was opened now.
You'll wait until you've landed inside the station.
Your comms intercept their radio chatter and you listen in. "We have you on our scope. Please identify."
"This is prisoner transport shuttle Shihor 7. Requesting clearance to land on section 5."
"Copy, Shihor 7. Standby for clearance."
The transport continues its approach toward the prison. You're able to make out a few more details.
The prison is made up of seven spherical sections. Six of them surround the larger one in the center, like a nucleus. Each outer section looks like it's connected to the central section by a large, metal beam. It's probably a corridor. You'd wager that there's a train or something that allows personnel to move between them and the central section.
"Clearance granted, Shihor 7. You're free to land at docking bay 34."
"Copy, control. Beginning final approach."
The transport flies past one of the outer sections and towards the center. You see a large amount of docking bays lining the side of the prison. This place is not quite as big as you were expecting it to be, but it's still pretty spacious. Finding Ahuizotl won't be easy.
You hunker down as close as you can to the transport as it decelerates and heads into the hangar bay. As you pass through the energy barrier, you feel the artificial gravity, the environment pressurize, and sound returns to you once again.
Finally, you're inside. you cut off your suit's oxygen flow and breathe the station's air. It smells like dirty metal.
The transport slowly proceeds through the hangar bay. The sounds of workers, machinery, and commotion is all around. From your position, you can't see much. Especially directly beneath the ship. You aren't sure who or what you might be dealing with.
A low hanging rafter just ahead of you catches your attention. The transport will pass directly beneath it. With the hangar bay's lights surrounding it, it would be dark enough for you to hide in plain sight and come up with a better plan.
As the transport passes beneath it, you stand and leap into the air to grab it. It's barely within your reach. Your right hand slips, but the servos in your left hand grip it tightly. You reach back up with your right hand and pull yourself up into the rafters. Grunting a bit, you get yourself in a better position and watch the transport you rode on continue to its destination.
The activity inside the hangar is nothing out of the ordinary. Mostly cargo vessels and supply craft going in and out of the prison on an errand. What you need to find is the prison's control room. Only problem is, from up here, you can't see any windows or signs directing you to its location.
Flying down there in the middle of everything would likely notify security. You're a sitting duck up here.
"This is why I hate improvising..." You curse under your breath and activate your comms. "Sunset, I'm inside."
"Good." She replies. "Where are you now?"
"I'm in one of the hangars, hiding up in the rafters. I need to get to the control room, but I can't really tell where anything is from up here."
You hear Pinkie's voice come on. "Look around for air vents, Anon! I use those all the time when I break in to stuff!"
"Air vents..." This is a big prison. The size of those vents would have to be huge, especially in the hangar. "That's actually a good idea, Pinkie. Thanks."
You look around the ceiling and along the topmost parts of the walls for anything.
Sunset comes on again. "How are you going to get out after you kill Ahuizotl?"
"Well, off the top of my head, I think I'll steal the clearance codes from the control room's computer. Then I'll hijack a transport shuttle full of prisoners and meet up with you outside."
"What about the prisoners?" She asks.
"They'll be potential targets for future hunts."
Sunset laughs. "Good plan."
You chuckle as well. "No, this plan sucks. I wish we had more time to get a layout of this place, at least." A few meters away, you spot a vent on the ceiling. "Alright, I found one. I'm making my way there now."
"Keep in touch." Sunset says.
"Bye Anon!" Pinkie adds.
You shut off your comms and start planning on how you're going to get over there. The support beam you're standing on is one of many that are all parallel to each other along the ceiling. On either side of you, a few other beams run perpendicular to the main ones, making a regular crisscross pattern that extends far and wide.
You carefully move toward the beam on your right, holding onto the one you're currently on to keep yourself from falling. Your jetpack would be able to save you, but you're worried that it would also generate too much noise. This hangar isn't exactly silent, but this is still a maximum security prison. You don't want to take the risk.
Once you reach the perpendicular beam, you grab onto it and slowly work your way to the crossbeam that's nearest to the air vent. You take a look at it every so often to make sure it's still where you remember it. After a couple minutes, you reach the crossbeam and head toward the vent. It's within arm's reach once you get there. It's a pretty big air vent. About a meter wide.
You hold onto the beam and reach up to the vent with your mechanical arm. It locks in place and you gradually pry the vent off the shaft's opening. A couple seconds of straining later, the vent creaks and pops open on one corner. You move to the other corner and pop it free as well. You swing the vent back and set it down on the beam next to your feet. Hopefully, it doesn't fall until you're long gone.
Once it's as secure as it can be, you grab the edge of the air duct and pull yourself inside. Grunting, you press your legs and back against opposite sides of the duct and hold yourself in place as you shimmy upwards, heading deeper into the prison's ventilation shaft. The air is blowing against you at a consistent rate. Not enough to hinder you too much though.
After a little bit of distance upwards, the air duct becomes larger and horizontal. You pull yourself up and over the edge, resting on the bottom of the ventilation shaft for a moment. That was a strenuous climb. You're lucky you didn't fall.
This section of the ventilation shaft is about two meters wide. About the size of a womp rat, now that you think of it.
It's also extremely noisy in here. These ducts are made of an extremely thin metal, so it creaks and clangs loudly with even the slightest move. You'd be worried about breaking them and falling through if these vents didn't go into the ceiling itself.
On top of the sounds of clanging metal bouncing off every surface, the air in here blowing very hard, constantly whipping it all around you. With all this noise, you'll probably be able to move pretty easily without drawing attention.
You stand up and head down the air duct, moving against the wind. Hopefully, you manage to reach the central air duct so you can find your way to the control room. These ducts are long, but they aren't too narrow, so you have a bit of wiggle room.
You come to other vents in the floor that lead down to the hangar. They're hardly an obstacle. You pass a few turns and passageways that head in different directions, but you proceed against the blowing air.
As you continue on, the air blows much harder. It almost feels like you'd blow away if you weren't in your armor.
You're eventually forced to slow down a bit as you fight the wind. It's getting stronger. There has to be a fan somewhere up ahead.
Sure enough, once you round a corner, you're met with an industrial-sized fan, blowing a significant flow of air against you. In the wall directly next to the fan is a maintenance access tunnel. There's a terminal beside it that most likely deactivates the fan. You move toward the tunnel and head inside. You'll come back here later if you need to.
As you move out of the flow of air, it immediately gets much quieter and easier to walk. "Oh, that's better."
You exhale and proceed down the narrow corridor until you reach a closed door. You're not sure what or who is behind here, so you take out your blaster pistol and get ready for anything.
Twisting the door's locking mechanism, you slowly crack it open and look into the next room. It's dark. There's likely no one inside.
You open the door completely and raise your blaster, scanning for any personnel, but the room is empty, just like you thought. You close the door behind you and sigh. The air vents are muffled and you can actually hear your own thoughts again.
You turn on your helmet's night vision and look around for a terminal or something. This appears to be a maintenance room. There are a few tools stacked neatly on the shelves against the wall to your right, and a couple of datapads on a nearby desk, next to an inactive terminal. You walk over to it and turn it on. It warms up for a few seconds before the screen illuminates the room and asks for a password.
You curse under your breath and look around the desk for a card key or something. Anything that can help. Seems your luck is running out though, because your search turns up nothing.
"Damn..."
Looks like you're going to have to find the control room the old-fashioned way. You shut off the terminal and grab your blaster again once you head toward the door. This could get hairy.
You press a button on the terminal beside the door grip your blaster tight.
The door doesn't open.
You press the button again. It's locked. ...
You're locked in here.
You can't help but laugh. Loudly.
"This is ridiculous."
It feels like this is your first hunt. You are way off your game.
You activate your comms. Damn it all, you need help.
"How's it going in there?" Sunset asks.
You laugh again. "Could be better."
"Have they found you? Need help?"
"No they haven't found me, but with the luck I've had so far, they probably will soon." You reply.
"What do you mean?" She asks.
"We were so underprepared for this job, Sunset." You say. "I have no idea where I am, I'm locked in this maintenance room, and I'm supposed to sneak in and out of this place? I'm running out of optimism."
"Wait, you're locked in a room?" You can hear that she's smiling.
"Well, kind of..." You say. "I came in through the air ducts like Pinkie suggested, and there's a way to shut off the fan so I can head deeper in, but I can't get out the main doorway. It needs authorization."
Finally, she laughs. "Oh Anon, what's wrong? Are you sick?"
You laugh. "I sure hope not. I'm trying to be real sneaky here, but I'm off my game or something. This is embarrassing." You take another look at the door and sigh. "Ah, to hell with it..."
You grab your blaster and slam it down on the terminal, cracking the screen. After a few good smacks, you blast the terminal. It flickers and sparks, but the door slides open into a brightly-lit hallway.
"Alright, I hacked the door. It's open now."
Sunset laughs. "So I heard. I didn't know you needed to use your blaster to hack a door."
You smile. "I'll be in touch."
You shut off your comms and swing your blaster out the door, pointing it down the hallway. There's no one there, so you turn around to see if anyone is down the opposite side of the hallway. There isn't.
The coast looks clear, so you quickly head to the left. You keep your blaster raised at all times in case you see anyone.
Rounding a corner, you meet a pair of guards. They look at you curiously for a moment, but you blast them before they can say anything to you.
You step over their now lifeless bodies and search them for an I.D. card or something. One of the guards has a card on his hip. Finally, you're getting somewhere.
You take it and quickly press onwards. If anyone finds their bodies, hopefully they'll assume you went back into the maintenance room to escape through the vents. Either way, you need to hurry.
You continue down the hallway. You have no idea where you're going, but hopefully, it's the right way. The hallways lead to various mechanical and electrical systems' access rooms. It becomes apparent that you're on one of the maintenance levels.
Those guards you killed must have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time, because there's no one else here right now.
After a few minutes of running around, you stop and sigh. Each door you've come across has led you to a different maintenance room. Almost all of them have been locked. You head down another corridor and stop at its intersection. Going forward probably leads somewhere, but so could going either left or right as well.
You're getting irritated. You don't want to laugh at this anymore, now you're just angry.
"Ya look lost, stranger." A voice from the right says.
You whip around with your blaster at the ready and aim it down the hallway on your right. It's not a very long hallway, but it leads to an open service elevator door.
A small, frail old woman is seated at the controls in the center of the elevator. She's leaning out from her seat and looking at you with a tiny grin on her wrinkled face. She's an inmate here. Her light-green jumpsuit says that much. She didn't even flinch when you pointed your blaster at her. You're a bit surprised.
"Need a ride?" She asks.
You pause for a moment before lowering your blaster a little.
"I'm looking for someone." You reply. "A Bothan named Ahuizotl."
She hums and nods. "Ya plannin' to kill 'im, or break 'im out?"
You hesitate again. She's straight to the point, but acting awfully calm at the same time. What does she want?
"That's...really none of your business." You tell her.
She shrugs and puts her hands up, still grinning. "Hey, y'all bounty hunters gotta do whatcha gotta do. Makes no difference t'me."
She chuckles softly to herself and you step toward the elevator.
"Ahuizotl... Let's see here..." She rubs her chin and closes her eyes as she thinks to herself. "The name sounds familiar, but I can't quite remember which cell block he's on..."
Yeah, she wants a bribe.
You're about to retort when she speaks again. "I know where y'all can find out though. Up'n the visitor's level, there's a room with a central terminal there. It's got th'names of everybody 'n everyone in the prison. There's a few guards there too, but I don't think that'll be much of a problem for a Mandalorian like you."
Wow. That was...very straightforward.
"The visitor center, huh?"
She nods and grins again. "Yessir. Got signs 'n directions that tells ya every which way ya can go. I'm headin' up home to the psych ward, m'self. Visitor center's on the way there. Hop on."
You study her face for any sign of deception, but she just gives you the same, wrinkled grin she's had this whole time.
Eventually, you just shrug. Why not? If she does turn on you, well, she's old. She won't be able to do much.
"Alright..." You slowly holster your blaster and step onto the elevator.
Once you're on, she turns to her control panel and presses a button. The door closes behind you and the elevator begins it's ascent, creaking the whole way.
"Name I'm known by 'round here is Granny. Even got it stitched on my outfit. See?"
She twists around and shows you her back. Sure enough, the name 'Granny' is stitched into her jumpsuit.
"You'll keep all this to yourself, right Granny?" You ask.
She chuckles and faces you again. "Don't ya worry none, sugarcube. I ain't got no room in this heart o' mine for any love for this place, I tell ya what. These bosses 'n head honchos in charge o' this place don't care none for any o' us. Soon as we're in, they don't let us do nothin'. Doctors treat me good enough though, 'cause I'm one o' the lucky ones. I got me a couple grandkids in the Republic."
"They don't treat inmates well?" You ask.
Granny shakes her head. "Oh no. It's 'cause we're in here and not out there payin' 'em taxes. They treat us like bantha fodder 'cause they gotta spend that money on us instead o' on themselves... I hear they wanna just send this place straight into the sun, 'n kill all of us so they can keep their money. They're even gonna try to get a Chancellor in office to take over 'n kill us all. It's a conspiracy that goes up to the top, I tell ya what."
Yeah, this lady is nuts. No wonder she's going up to the psych ward.
Granny continues. "They all think I've gone kooky in the head, but I hear everythin'. Nothin' gets past little ol' me. I've heard all kinds o' stuff over the years that would make yer mama cry."
She's definitely got a few screws loose, but you're curious...
"Heard anything about the Draconequui? Discord? Anything like that?" You ask.
She squints her eyes and slowly nods. "Ooooh, the Draconequui... Bad apples, those'uns. Very bad..."
"I'm aware."
She nods again and looks back at you. "'Bout a year ago, we had one of 'em in here; a big guy, who said he just helped that Discord fella capture a few mean ol' Rancors from, uh, Dathomir. He said that they killed some o' the tribe girls there that tried to stop 'em. Nightsisters, they were called. 'e said they'd used some freaky magic to put a curse on 'im, but he wasn't worried... Well, they found 'im dead in his cell a couple days later, all covered in these, uh, warts or somethin'. They weren't there the day before."
You've heard of the Nightsisters' weird magic and curses before. Back on Mandalore. They kept to themselves though, so you didn't really care about them.
"Did this gang member say where he took these Rancors?"
She nods. "He said they was takin' 'em to this arena on, uh, Geonosis. Said there was this monster fight that they enter in every year, and that Discord wanted to train a few more of 'em, since lots of his creatures had been killed."
Geonosis...
Rarity said she had skimmed that planet, but hadn't found much. You're curious why.
As you're thinking, the elevator stops abruptly.
The door behind you opens and Granny faces you again with a smile. "Here we are, stranger. The room y'all are lookin' for is just up the stairs, down the hall, and the second door on your left. If ya reach the vendin' machines, ya went too far."
"I appreciate the help, Granny."
"Ain't no thing, bounty hunter. Good luck to ya." She waves at you.
You nod at her and step off the elevator.
Once the door closes behind you, you grip your blaster in its holster and head up the stairs. You are making very good progress now.
You reach the top of the stairs and carefully peer around the corner. A few guards are walking on either side of the hallway, but you notice a couple of civilians as well. They're not inmates. You can tell by their outfits.
This is the level where the visitor center is. You just might be able to casually walk past the guards and have them not do anything. Hopefully, they won't ask about your blaster. You've got a feeling that weapons aren't allowed here.
You release your blaster and stroll out into the hallway. You pass by a guard and a visitor who are speaking to each other. The guard merely glances at you, but continues speaking to the visitor.
This is working. You'll get Ahuizotl in no time now.
You continue down the hallway. It curves to the left as you proceed forward. On your left, you take a note of the doorways you pass by. You head toward the second one and look around for any guards or other personnel.
As you reach for the guard's I.D. card on your belt, you also prepare a toxic dart in your dartcaster. You'll probably need it, if you want to stay silent.
Once you reach the doorway, you scan the card on the terminal and the door slides open. You step into a control room. There are four people monitoring computers and terminals on your right. Just in front of you are a pair of armed guards.
You all pause for a moment before one guard speaks. "Sir, are you lost?"
You discreetly close the door behind you. "No."
You aim your dartcaster at him and fire, delivering the poison into his neck. Before the other guard can act, you grab your blaster and shoot him in the face. From the ceiling, a small turret is in the process of descending. You quickly blast that as well. The technicians operating the terminals cry out in fear at the sudden noise.
"Nobody move!" You point your blaster toward them and they all raise their hands up in the air.
You stare them down before quickly blasting the door controls behind you, locking yourselves inside this room.
"Woah, hey! Hey! Take it easy!" One of the technicians shouts.
You point your blaster at them again. Sparks flicker from the destroyed turret above you.
"Up! All of you!" You command.
They all comply and get to their feet, their hands still in the air. You need to act fast.
You point your gauntlet at one of them and fire your whipcord, binding his arms to his sides. You do the same for the other three technicians, keeping your blaster on them as well before they can call for security.
Once they're all bound and on the floor, you head over to the nearest terminal and start searching the prison's database
"Please don't kill us! Wh- What do you want?!" Another one begs.
You ignore him. You just made a lot of noise, so you need to work quickly.
Your work is cut short though. The terminal on your left beeps a few times and a voice comes on. "What was that noise? What's going on there?"
Damn!
You turn around and grab the nearest technician, standing him up. You glare at him and press the barrel of your blaster to his forehead.
"It was a weapons malfunction. Everything is fine." You growl.
He pants hard and stares back at you in terror as you press the microphone button for him.
He clears his throat. "We- We- We had a, uh, a-a slight weapons malfunction. The- The autoturret short-circuited and..."
You whisper to him. "And blasted the door controls."
He quickly glances to the door before returning his frightened stare to you. "...and blasted the door controls. Scared us half to death, but we- we're fine. We're all fine here now, thank you."
You nod at him and release the button. He gets to live.
"Alright, I'm sending a squad to your location." The voice on the terminal replies.
Damn. You won't be able to talk them out of this. You need a distraction. Immediately.
The autoturret behind you sparks and flickers. It gives you an idea. It's a bit wrong, both morally and legally, but it would certainly create the distraction you needed.
You grab the technician again. "The autoturrets. How do I control them?"
He stammers a little. "Wh-What?"
"The autoturrets!" You shout. "If there's one in here, there's more out there! How do I control them?!"
He starts to panic a little. "I- That's... Why?!"
He's not allowed to ask questions.
You pistol whip him across the face before pressing the barrel to his head again. "Because you'll die if you don't tell me!"
He winces in pain from the impact and looks back to you in terror. "You... You can't be serious!"
"I'm dead serious... You'll just be dead..."
He slowly shakes his head at you. "N-Never... I'm not going to!"
Oooh, that's never the right answer...
You're about to blast his brains all over the place, when you get another evil idea. The other three technicians are on their sides, all staring up at you in fear.
You look back at him. "Tell me how to control the turrets, or else he dies."
You remove your blaster from his forehead and point it to one of the technicians laying on the ground. The technician you're holding looks over at his comrade, a new wave of terror overtaking him again.
"N-No... Please..." He breathes.
You look over at the technician on the ground. "You have a family?"
He trembles and begins tearing up. "Y- Yes... Yes I do..."
"Tell me about them." You growl.
He sniffles and pants harder as he speaks. "I- I have a wife... And... And two b- beautiful children... Two girls... They're... They're going to have a new baby brother in three months..."
He's in tears as he tells you about his little family.
You look back to the technician in your grip. "Children, soon to be fatherless... An expectant mother, soon to become a widow... And it will all be your fault..." You charge up your blaster, keeping it pointed at the other technician. "So I'm going to ask you one final time... How do I control the autoturrets?"
The technician is hyperventilating. He doesn't know how to cope with this.
Finally, he shuts his eyes and lowers his head. You broke him. "The... The terminal in the middle... It... It can access the prison's automated security systems... I'll give you my passcode..."
You grin beneath your helmet. "Good boy."
You lower your blaster and bring him over to the middle terminal. The technician on the ground begins sobbing uncontrollably with relief.
You're honestly very relieved too. He doesn't deserve to die, and you really didn't want to kill him. Sure, you would have killed him if his friend hadn't cooperated, but you wouldn't have felt good about it. Not at all. Children need to have both a mother, and a father.
The technician inputs his passcode and turns over control of the security system to you. You drop him on the ground and glance at the screen. It gives you an overview of the entire prison complex, along with its variety of defense systems.
You locate the hallway just outside the room you're in and start up the autoturrets. It's time this little 'weapons malfunction' looked more like a computer virus.
A few seconds later, you hear the sounds of blasterfire coming from outside. Panicked screams follow soon after. You've got your distraction, Anon. Use your time wisely.
You move over to the other terminal and resume looking for Ahuizotl. His name starts with 'A', so it doesn't take too long to locate him. According to this, he's on cell block level 5. You're on level 6. That's fantastic news.
You're about to head there, when you suddenly hear a muffled explosion, followed by some rumbling.
"What the-?"
The lights in the room flicker a little before coming back on to full brightness.
What did you do?
You check the terminal again. There is a red alert flashing on the screen and you hear an alarm blaring just outside. There was an explosion on cell block level 5...
You investigate further. There's an option here that allows you to tap in to a live security camera feed. One of the cameras has been knocked out. You move to another one.
Cell block level 5 is in an uproar. The doors on all the cells are open and the inmates are all crowding into the common area. It's a riot. They're all fighting or charging forward into more open space. There are only a few guards on that level, that you can see. They're hopelessly outnumbered. One guard is practically torn to shreds by the crowd of inmates. The others have run offscreen.
Someone let them all out. You know it wasn't you.
You quickly go back to Ahuizotl's name. You can access a live audio/video feed from his cell. You click it and a live picture comes onscreen.
Ahuizotl is sitting on the edge of his bed and looking toward the door to his cell. He slowly stands up and backs away. On the bottom of the screen, you see someone dressed in very dark armor, carrying a pair of blaster pistols.
"Alright, hands where I can see them!"
It's a female. Her back is to you, so you can't see her face.
Ahuizotl growls, but continues backing up toward the wall. "I don't think so, bounty hunter! You'll have to kill me!"
"Nuh uh! You're worth tons more alive, I bet!"
Without saying another word, the bounty hunter blasts him in the leg.
He goes down to his knee, yelling in pain, before she takes a step toward him and does a backflip. Her leg clips his chin and his head flies back to slam against the wall as a result. She easily lands on her feet and stands up straight. Ahuizotl is out cold.
Who is this bounty hunter?
You activate your comms. You need clarification. "Sunset, neither you nor Pinkie are in the prison, right?"
The bounty hunter reaches down and grabs Ahuizotl.
"Uh, no?" Sunset replies. "We're both in the ship on Imrooso right now."
"Hi, Anon!"
Pinkie is there too. That confirms it.
Sunset continues. "Why? What's wrong?"
Onscreen, the bounty hunter grunts and slings Ahuizotl over her shoulder before turning around and leaving the cell. She's wearing a helmet that covers her entire head. Her eyes are two red circles of light. It's the only other color on her you can see.
"We've got company..." |
Bounty Hunter Anon II | Breaking Stuff to Look Tough | "Company? What do you mean?"
You continue looking at the cell block's status through the terminal. The alarm is blaring.
"Competition." You reply. "Someone else grabbed Ahuizotl. It looks like she started a riot to keep the guards busy."
"Are you serious? Who was it?" Sunset asks.
You shake your head. "No idea. She's new."
The inmates continue spilling out into the more common areas of the cell block. A few seconds later, you hear and feel more muffled explosions through the prison. This one was much stronger than the last one. All the terminals in front of you go crazy.
You head to a different one and investigate. The same thing has happened on cell blocks 4, 6, and 7. All the cells have opened and inmates that were contained in each one have begun to pile out.
"You've got to be kidding me..." You breathe.
"What now?" Sunset asks.
"This bounty hunter just set off bombs on three more cell blocks!"
"At this rate, the warden is going to call the Republic to help contain it!" Sunset says. "Anon, you've got to move!"
She's right. You have minutes, at best.
You frantically search the security cameras for the bounty hunter's location. You can't find her though. There's nothing but commotion and violence between the guards and inmates wherever you look.
"Sunset, you and Pinkie get here as fast as you can! If this bounty hunter, or anyone else tries to leave the prison, blast them!" You command.
"We'll be there in ten minutes! Pinkie, get to the gun turret!" She cuts your transmission.
Ten minutes. You have to find this bounty hunter now.
You look on each terminal for any indication as to where she is. She's nowhere to be found. Each security feed is just guards and inmates all brawling with each other. You wager that she's going to go to the nearest hangar bay and steal a transport.
"What did you do, bounty hunter?!"
Oh right. You forgot that you're not alone in here.
You quickly glance over at the technicians all laying on the ground. The one you got the code from is glaring at you in anger and fear.
There's no more use in sticking around here. You've got to move.
You stand up straight, arming yourself with your blaster rifle and pointing it at them. "You're still alive. That means I wasn't ever here. Because if I was, I would've killed you, right?" The four technicians slowly nod their heads. "Good. I thought so."
You're not confident that they'll keep their word, but you have no time to make sure they remember right now. With any luck, the other bounty hunter will get blamed for leaving them behind like this, along with the dead guards and damage to the vents you left behind.
You lower your weapon and quickly head to the door. Since you blasted the controls, it won't open for you easily. You grab an explosive from your belt and hook it to the door, arming it. It starts beeping and you back away.
Five seconds later, the explosive detonates and blasts small bits of shrapnel against you, but your armor prevents any harm. You step toward the door again. It's still closed, but the locking mechanism is destroyed. You'll have to pry the door open.
Once its open, you step outside into the spacious hallway. It's empty now. A couple of bodies are on the ground to your right, surrounded by blaster impact points from the turrets you activated. The prison's primary security system must have shut them off, because they're not firing anymore. Works great for you, since you're outside now.
You run down the hallway. You've got to make it down to level 5 and find Ahuizotl before this other bounty hunter gets away with him.
The muffled sounds of shouting and occasional blasterfire is everywhere. This riot is not going to be contained easily.
Rounding a corner, you spot three guards running toward you, all armed. You skid to a stop and raise your rifle at them.
They stop as well and ready themselves as you open fire on them. "Blast him!"
Before they fire, you hit one guard in the chest a few times. His armor takes the impact and he dives off to the side. The other guards open fire on you.
You double-back and take cover behind the wall. They keep you pinned down with suppressive fire. You can't move.
Growling under your breath, you come out from behind cover and fire at the guards as they advance toward you. You hit one of them in the head and he goes down. The other two strafe from side to side and try to evade your blasterfire.
Unsurprisingly, their armor is quite durable.
One of them fires and clips your left shoulder, forcing you to take cover again. Luckily, it was only your mechanical arm that was hit. However, it's only delaying you from doing what needs to be done, then getting the hell out of there.
You grip your rifle tight and head out of cover. Keeping your head down, you charge toward the guards as hard as you can. Their blasters graze your arm and the top of your helmet, but you ram into one of them before they can do any more harm to you or your armor. You push against him and he stumbles backwards a little, giving you a window to shoot him in the face.
He goes down and you turn your attention to the remaining guard. This one is in the process of charging toward you.
You reflexively move out of the way and grab his head, using his momentum to throw him behind you. He falls on his face. You quickly shove the barrel of your rifle against the back of his neck and blast him. He cries out in pain for a second before going limp on the ground.
Finally.
You stand up straight and continue down the hallway as quickly as possible once again. Turning a corner, in a common area beyond an open blast door, you see a large group of inmates of all races clamoring around a few guards.
They're all shouting, punching, kicking, and cursing in more alien languages than you can identify. This riot is definitely not going to stay contained without Republic assistance. Whoever this bounty hunter is, she's extremely shortsighted. If the Republic gets involved, things could get a lot more complicated. Not just for you, but for her, too.
Her amateur mistake will be her downfall.
You ignore them and head down the adjacent hallway to your right. It's not very long until you're forced to turn left. Up ahead, you spot five inmates moving quickly toward you. One of them, a Duros in an orange jumpsuit, points at you and shouts "Bounty hunter!" in his language.
They all stop where they are and watch you as you continue to run toward them. They want to attack you, but it seems like they're conflicted about it. Bounty hunters aren't exactly popular among prison inmates, so you don't blame them for wanting to attack you.
You blast the Duros in the arm. He cries out in pain and the rest of the inmates all back away as you run past them. There's no need to kill them, just put them in their place.
You leave them behind and continue down the hallway.
Along the way toward the hangar bays, you pass by a few more groups of inmates and guards all at war with one another. A few of them on either side get in your way and you're forced to blast them, but luckily, the greater majority of them all seem more focused on killing each other right now.
That's both good and bad. You're able to get past them relatively easily as you reach them, but at the same time, with the increasing violence, the Republic will have more of a reason to get here as quickly as possible.
You keep running through the prison, either dodging or shooting anyone that gets in your way. After a few minutes, you reach a locked security door. You take out another explosive and set it on the lock. Once its armed, you take a few steps backwards and the explosive detonates.
The lock is blasted apart and the door slides open a little. You push it all the way open and continue toward the hangar bay. Beyond the door is a large open hallway.
There are windows on your right and you can see into the hangar. You look around for the bounty hunter. This is where she would most likely come with Ahuizotl.
Sure enough, you see her brawling with a couple of guards beside a large shipping crate. Ahuizotl is beside her; he's either cowering or he's unconscious. You can't tell from here.
You turn on your comms. "Sunset, where are you?"
"We're almost there. Where are you?"
"I'm just outside one of the hangar bays. That bounty hunter is trying to escape."
You keep running down the hallway toward the hangar doors.
"Which hangar are you in?" Sunset asks.
You look around for any indication as to where you are in the prison. A number and letter on the wall inside the hangar catches your attention.
"Section 5, hangar 12." You say.
You also notice that the hangar has been locked down. This whole section probably has been. Sunset won't be able to land unless you open the bay door.
"The hangar is locked down. Wait just outside for me to unlock it." You say.
"I'll wait as close as I can, Anon. The prison's autoturrets will blast us if I get too close now." She says.
You growl. "I'll see what I can do, don't worry."
You turn off your comms and press forward toward the hangar doors. Inside the hangar, the bounty hunter is fighting two guards at the same time. None of them are armed.
Ahead of you, three more guards round a corner and proceed toward you. You skid to a stop and shoot at them.
They all stop and blast at you as well. You take cover behind wall that leads down another hallway as the guards continue shooting. It's three against one. You all continue shooting at each other.
You manage to blast one of them in the head, and another one in the chest. The guard you missed blasts you in the right shoulder. You cry out and growl as you take cover once again. The blast hit your armor, but it still hurt.
You shake it off and move out of cover again, shooting at the two remaining guards. The one that shot you gets hit a couple times in the chest and he goes down. The guard you shot in the chest before gets hit in the leg, and he goes down as well. You're clear.
You continue running toward the doors.
Inside the hangar, the bounty hunter has managed to take down one of the guards, and has the remaining guard on the ropes. She charges at him and slides on the ground toward his legs, tripping him. Once he's on the ground, she quickly moves behind him and wraps her arms around his head.
The guard reaches up and tries to pry her off of him, but she doesn't let go. After a few seconds, she jerks his head to the side, snapping his neck.
The guard goes limp and she stands up.
You finally reach the entrance to the hangar and step inside. Her back is to you. She hasn't seen you yet. You walk toward her, your blaster raised.
"Whew! Nothin' to it!" She exclaims.
She picks up her blasters from the floor and moves toward Ahuizotl. He sees you, but he hasn't said anything. He's probably too nervous to.
The bounty hunter grabs him by the arm and pulls him up to his feet. "Come on."
Once he's up, she pushes him toward a parked prison shuttle on the far side of the hangar.
You shoot the ground next to her feet to get her attention. Immediately, she whips around. One of her blasters is pointed at you, the other is against Ahuizotl's head.
"I'm taking Ahuizotl with me..." You growl.
"Over my dead body, you are!" She spits.
You shrug. "If you insist."
She moves behind Ahuizotl more and presses her blaster harder against his head. You move opposite of her, your aim never faltering.
She sighs. "Look... We're both professionals here, so let's just put the guns down and talk about this. I'm sure we can work something out. It would be a shame to kill each other over scum like this."
"Can't argue with that." You reply.
You don't agree with her being a 'professional' though.
"So put the gun down, then." She says.
"You first."
She gives you a frustrated growl. "Oh come on! I don't have time for this!"
"Neither do I."
She's getting frustrated. That's good.
"Then put your gun down!" She shouts.
You're about to retort when a separate blaster shot whips between you and her. The both of you turn and look to its source. A group of fully armed guards are charging toward you from inside the prison.
"There they are! Blast them!" Three of the guards in front open fire at you and the other bounty hunter.
You fire back at them as you begin making your way toward a large supply crate. You move behind it and take cover from the blaster fire. The other bounty hunter and Ahuizotl both join you a few seconds later. With all these guards, you have no choice but to hold off on killing each other until later.
The two of you take turns firing back at the guards from behind your hiding spot.
Sunset, where are you?
The bounty hunter takes cover again while her blasters cool down. "You don't happen to have a plan to get out of here, do you?!"
"You don't?!" You ask.
You poke your head out from behind cover and blast a guard in the chest. He goes down, but he's not out. His armor took most of the impact.
The bounty hunter moves out and blasts a couple of guards as well. "I was planning to improvise! It was working great for me until you messed it all up!"
You growl under your breath. "If anyone messed anything up here, it was you! I actually had a plan!"
Ahuizotl looks back and forth between you both, panicking. "Some bounty hunters you two are!"
"Shut up!" The two of you simultaneously shout at him before turning your attention back to the guards.
You blast one of the guards in the chest, and he goes down.
Above him, you notice the observation deck. There may be a security override switch in there. You're not sure, but that's your best bet.
You take cover again. The bounty hunter is panting and behind cover as well.
"Listen!" You shout. "The hangar is locked down! Just above us is the observation deck! My ship is on the way, but the hangar doors need to open! If you want to live, you will stay right here and wait for me to get back!"
She looks at you and nods.
You turn around and activate your jetpack so you propel yourself into the air high enough to grab onto the ceiling's rafters. You keep a vice grip hold onto the beam with your robotic left hand while you continue to fire down onto the guards with your right. They sidestep and dodge most of your blaster bolts, but you manage to hit one or two of them.
On the ground, the bounty hunter keeps most of their attention on her.
You climb up onto the rafter and move toward the observation windows as quickly as you can. Once you get close to the end of the rafter, you blast the windows open and activate your jetpack again.
It propels you forward and you dive through the open window into the observation deck. You curl into a ball as you hit the ground and slide a couple meters. Your armor takes it all.
Once you stop, you stand up and look around at the control consoles for anything that looks like it can be useful. A lot of it is just docking information and status updates. Many of the screens are flashing red with security warnings.
Finally, you see a screen that offers information on the hangar bay door's status. Surprise, surprise, it's been locked down. You need a security override code to crack it.
You growl and pound your fist down on the console.
Your comms crackle and Sunset starts talking. "Anon, how's it coming?! The turbolasers are shooting at us!"
"I've been locked out! I can't open the doors!" You shout.
You look outside the observation deck toward the doors.
"You have to do something, Anon! I can't get to you and we're taking fire!" Sunset says.
Beside the doors on either side of the hangar, you see a few refueling stations. It gives you an idea. It's incredibly risky, but it just might work.
"I have an idea. Get away from the prison, but get ready to catch us." You say.
You look around at the screens for the refueling station settings.
"Catch you?!" Sunset repeats.
"There are refueling stations inside the hangar." You reply. "I'm going to blow the doors open. Find a good spot to watch the fireworks, but be ready."
You find the console that shows the settings for refueling and you activate them all. A few warnings pop up about the stations with no ships docked on them, but you ignore them and activate them anyway. Outside, a different alarm starts blaring as the fuel begins to pump out all over the hangar floor.
No turning back now.
You leave the terminal and head toward the open window you came in through. You dive through it and activate your jetpack again. It slows your fall significantly, and you land on the hangar floor.
Around you are three armed guards. You waste no time in shooting the furthest one and diving toward the nearest. Your robotic hand punches through his helmet's visor with ease, shattering it.
He cries out in pain and you get behind him, using him as a shield as the second guard fires at you. Each of his blaster bolts hit his comrade in the chest. You return fire. Within seconds, the three guards are all dead.
You drop the guard you used as cover and turn your attention to another pair of guards some distance away. You fire at them as you make your way back behind cover with the bounty hunter and Ahuizotl.
The bounty hunter moves behind cover again and looks at you. "What happened?!"
You were forced to improvise.
"Can you breathe in space with that helmet?!" You ask.
She pauses for a moment before nodding.
Good.
You look around at the refueling stations. The fuel is spreading out onto the floor. This supply crate you're hiding behind looks pretty durable. It will probably survive the explosion.
You open it up and look inside. It's empty.
"Get in!" You command.
The bounty hunter looks taken back. "What?! Why?!"
"Because I'm going to blow this place up! Get in!" You command again.
She hesitates for a second before grabbling Ahuizotl and shoving him inside.
He panics. "N-No! Wait! Wait, I-!"
She shoves him again and he falls onto the ground.
You turn around and take out your last remaining explosives. "Here goes nothing..."
You take a deep breathe and arm them before throwing them to either side of the hangar as hard as you can.
You don't wait another second, and get inside the supply crate, closing it behind you. "Brace yourselves!"
The bounty hunter presses against a wall with Ahuizotl, and you crouch down as close as you can to a corner. After a few seconds, the explosives detonate.
The sound and rumble of the explosion is minor at first, but a few seconds later, the entire crate shakes as more explosions occur outside. The sound is almost deafening.
The bounty hunter screams and falls to the floor, releasing Ahuizotl to cover her own head. You press against the corner even more as the explosions outside intensify. Loud clanging bangs against the outer shell of the crate as debris is thrown around.
Then, the entire crate is lurched forward, forcing you to wrap yourself with your arms to keep yourself as safe as possible. You rise from the corner you're in as you're flung about inside the crate.
Just when the noise outside can't get any louder, it goes completely silent and you're hurled to the back of the crate with the bounty hunter and Ahuizotl. She smacks the front of her helmet against the back wall and it makes a noticeable crack. She covers her face, but doesn't make a sound.
Come to realize it, the only thing you can hear now is your own heavy breathing. The vacuum of space has deafened you. This supply crate is not airtight.
You take a few seconds to gather yourself. In a few hours, you're going to be sore in more than a few places, you can already tell. Your adrenaline is keeping it from being too painful right now though.
A few seconds later, you don't feel yourself being pressed against the back of the crate anymore. Everything is weightless.
Your comms pop with static for a bit before Sunset's voice comes on. "...non! Anon, come in! Come in! Anon!"
You breathe heavily and press a button on your gauntlet. "I'm here... I'm here, Sunset... I'm okay..."
"Oh, thank the Force!" She exclaims. "Where are you?!"
You cough for a second before answering. "I'm in a supply crate... I'll activate my homing beacon... Hurry..."
You shut off your comms and press another button on your gauntlet. She should be here soon.
You reach over and grab the bounty hunter's arm. She looks at you and you pull her with you.
Ahuizotl is beside her. His head has a noticeable dent in the front, and he's bleeding profusely from it. Drops of blood are floating all around him. He hit his head against the wall as well. If that alone didn't kill him, then him suffocating in the vacuum of space did.
He was wanted dead, so it makes no difference to you.
The bounty hunter glances at him for a moment before turning back to you. You press against the supply crate door and open it. You're met with the blinding light of the sun, and you're forced to close your eyes.
After a second or two, you open them up again and look back at the prison. The entirety of the section you were just on is still intact, but the hangar you just came from is engulfed in a massive fireball. Debris and fire is spreading out all over the place.
The explosion must have flung you out of the hangar at an incredible speed. It's been only a few seconds and already, you're floating quite a distance away from it.
The bounty hunter pokes her head out from the crate and looks back at the explosion. While she's busy gawking, you turn around and see your ship fly towards your location.
It slows down as it approaches and you grab the bounty hunter's arm. She turns around to face the ship and you kick off the crate with her, floating toward it.
From where you are, the ship looks upside down, so you land on the hull and make your way to the airlock. The hatch opens as you approach, and you step inside with the bounty hunter behind you. It's a bit of a squeeze with the both of you in here, but you get inside and shut the hatch.
A second later, the airlock pressurizes. You can hear again. The ship's gravity takes hold of you both, so you open the second door of the airlock and climb down the ladder that leads to the rest of the ship.
The bounty hunter takes a deep breath and starts coughing as she follows you down the ladder. You're both panting hard.
"Finally..." You breathe.
Once the bounty hunter is on the ground, she collapses to all fours and continues coughing. "Ooooh man... *cough* My helmet broke..."
That explains why she's out of breath.
"Are you alright?" You ask.
She coughs again and looks up at you. "Are you kidding? I'm more than alright! What you did back there was totally awesome!"
Is she serious?
You exhale and shake your head. "That was not awesome... That was sloppy and unprofessional."
She laughs a little and stands up straight. "Call it what you want, but I say it was awesome! That whole place is just a huge fireball now! I don't even care that we lost Ahuizotl!"
"He was wanted dead anyway." You reply.
"Even more awesome!" She laughs as she reaches up and grabs her damaged helmet.
Alright, enough games.
"Before anything else, answer my question. Who the hell are you?" You demand.
The bounty hunter grunts as she tries to remove her helmet. Finally, she yanks it off and exhales.
She's a Chiss. Her blue skin and bright red-magenta eyes give that away. Her hair, on the other hand, surprised you.
This galaxy is pretty diverse, but you've never seen hair quite like hers before. It's a spectrum of six colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.
"The name's Rainbow..." She discards her helmet and turns around to face you, flashing you a rebellious smirk. "...Rainbow Dash!" |
Bounty Hunter Anon II | Out of the Frying Pan... | "Rainbow Dash, huh?" You look the bounty hunter up and down for a moment. "You must be new to the business."
You turn towards the cockpit and she scoffs. "Why, because you've never heard of me?"
You growl a little. "No, because you're reckless and shortsighted. You could've gotten yourself killed or worse."
You open the door to the cockpit and step inside to be greeted by Sunset. She stands up and hugs you tightly, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Thank the Force you're alright." She exhales.
You smile and hug her back. "Of course I am, Sunset... No thanks to this one." You motion towards Rainbow Dash and Sunset glares at her. "She got in my way, created a huge mess, and didn't even have an escape plan."
Sunset scoffs and curls her lip at Rainbow. "Damn rookies..."
She turns away from you and takes to the ship's controls. "We have to leave in a hurry. The Republic is on their way here, and we're on their hit list now."
You follow her and sit down beside her in the co-pilot's seat. "What are you talking about?"
Sunset presses a few buttons and locks in the coordinates to Kessel before blasting the ship off to hyperspace. "While you were in there, Rarity contacted us with some bad news. Follow me."
The two of you stand up and she leads you into the main hold. Rainbow tails behind you.
"Uh, hello? Aren't you going to introduce me?" She asks.
You growl under your breath. "Sunset, this is Rainbow Dash. Rainbow, this is Sunset. I'm Anon."
"Charmed..." Sunset says unenthusiastically.
Rainbow sulks a little at the hostility that was apparent in your voices, but says nothing else.
"Where's Pinkie?" You ask.
Sunset is about to answer when Pinkie pokes her head in front of yours from out of nowhere. "I'm right here, Anon!"
You're almost taken back, but you're ashamed to admit that you've kind of gotten used to her and her antics.
Sunset begins pressing buttons on the central console in the main hold and Pinkie goes up to Rainbow Dash, her hand extended. "Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie!"
Rainbow pauses for a moment before smiling and taking Pinkie's hand, shaking it. "Nice to meet you."
Pinkie smiles widely and shakes her hand for a moment longer.
Good. Pinkie has a new friend. Maybe she'll give you and Sunset a bit more alone time.
Sunset gets your attention. "Okay, now that introductions are all out of the way, Anon, you have to see this."
You go to Sunset and watch the holographic display on the central computer play a story on HoloNet News. Images from Coruscant appear of recovery efforts around the ruins of Hoity Toity's apartment building.
"...more on the story of the Coruscant bombings that occurred yesterday. The Republic has stated that they received a tip from an unnamed source that they knew who the ones behind this attack were, leaving at least 50 people dead or injured. Among those dead was the Republic Senator Hoity Toity; seemingly the primary target of these attacks."
Hoity Toity's picture comes onscreen before cutting to a Republic official standing on a stage in front of a group of people. "We have received unconfirmed reports that the Mandalorian bounty hunters Anonymous and Sunset Shimmer were behind these attacks. We have also heard that the pazaak player Pinkamena Diane Pie also played a hand in this assassination. Nothing has been confirmed as of yet, but as of now, they are all persons of interest. We are currently searching for them so we can bring them in for questioning."
The screen cuts away and, to your horror, changes to a picture of you, Sunset, and Pinkie.
"No..." You breathe.
The news reporter continues. "HNN sources say that these bounty hunters have some experience in assisting the Republic in the past. Namely, with Captain Shining Armor and Senator Octavia Melody of Naboo. They helped save Captain Shining Armor's little sister's life, and also saved Senator Melody's life as well. The Senator had a comment on these rumors."
The hologram changes to an interview with Octavia. She still has a few scratches and bruises on her face, but she seems to be recovering pretty well.
"...I don't want to believe that Anonymous did this. He saved my life and I'm very grateful that he did. But, as much as it pains me to say it, if he is the one behind these attacks, then he must be brought to justice. This is something I simply cannot condone. Not in my Republic."
You sigh and rub your neck.
She's a good girl.
Her voice goes silent on the interview and the news anchor talks over her footage. "Senator Melody had worked with Anonymous and Sunset Shimmer previously on Dantooine, where an attempt was made on her life. She, along with many other witnesses say that the two Mandalorians not only tried to prevent it from happening, but also helped pull her and a few others out from beneath the burning rubble."
Well, at least you got a little positive coverage...
The screen cuts to a feed of the news anchor, an elegantly-dressed female human, talking to the camera. "The Republic has asked that if you have seen or heard anything that may help bring these bounty hunters in for questioning, to let them know. A reward has been posted for any helpful information on them."
Sunset pauses the feed and looks back at you. Pinkie is dead silent. She must've not seen the news story when Rarity first contacted Sunset.
You take another deep breath and remove your helmet, pinching your eyebrows together and rubbing them softly.
"Is that the typical Fake News you usually see on HNN, or did you guys really do that?" Rainbow asks.
You don't look at Rainbow, but you don't ignore her either. "No... That particular story was true..."
There's an uncomfortable pause for a moment.
"I wonder how much that reward is..." Rainbow says softly.
At that, Sunset draws her blaster and points it directly at the Chiss. You make no attempt to stop her.
Rainbow backs up a little, her hands raised. "W-Woah! Wait!"
"Stand down, Sunset. She's not that stupid." You say calmly.
Pinkie pulls out a pair of unfamiliar blaster pistols. "Especially since I disarmed her!"
Rainbow looks at Pinkie, a bit confused before reaching to her empty holsters. "What the-" She looks around her body for a second before looking back at the Zeltron. "Hey!"
You, Sunset and Pinkie all laugh a little, Sunset never dropping her aim.
"Good work, Pinkie." You say with a smile.
Rainbow looks around at the three of you. "I-I was just thinking out loud! I wasn't going to try anything, I swear!"
Sunset chuckles. "Damn right you weren't."
She puts down her blaster and Rainbow exhales. "Thank you..."
"Don't thank us yet, Dash." You snap. "You're still in the woods. Once we collect Ahuizotl's bounty and split the profit four ways, you're out of here."
She looks at you, surprised and a bit angry. "Four?!"
"Yes." You walk toward her, aggressively. "There was one, two, three, four of us involved in Ahuizotl's breakout and our escape." You point to all four people in the ship as you count.
Rainbow holds out her hands, exasperated. "That's not fair! I did most of the work!"
You point a finger at her. "You're not getting paid for the quantity of your work, you're getting paid for the quality, which was sloppy as hell, at best. If you don't like it, we can just kill you right now and save you the trouble."
Sunset raises her blaster at Rainbow's head once again, making her visibly agitated.
Rainbow growls and kicks a wall before sitting down on a chair and crossing her arms, pouting. "Fine..."
"Good girl." You say.
Sunset lowers her blaster again.
An alarm comes on in the cockpit a second later.
"We must be getting close to Kessel." Sunset says.
Sunset walks into the cockpit, leaving you and Pinkie with Rainbow Dash.
Pinkie's smile fades and she gives you a serious look. "Anon, what are we going to do, now that the Republic is after us?"
You shake your head and look at her. "I don't know, Pinkie. Best we can do is just lie low until this heat passes. In the meantime, we'll try to come up with a plan."
The ship's hyperdrive whirrs down and you feel yourself drop out of hyperspace.
"Anon! Get up here! Now!" Sunset shouts.
You look towards the cockpit. She sounded worried.
You quickly head up to the cockpit and look out the viewport. There's Kessel, all right. It's surrounded by a small Republic fleet. Three Hammerhead-Class Republic cruisers. You recognize the one in the center as Shining Armor's.
"Stealth mode. Now." You command.
Sunset shakes her head. "They already know we're here, Anon. They were waiting for us."
"What?!"
Impossible... |
Bounty Hunter Anon II | Hey, Haven't We Done This Before? | The control console beeps loudly as Shining Armor's cruiser hails you.
You take a deep breath and stay calm as you answer his call. He doesn't have any concrete evidence against you, it's just a hunch, if anything.
Shining Armor's face comes onscreen and he glares at you.
You smile at him. "Captain, what a pleasant surprise! You know, you don't need to roll out a big Republic escort just to say hi to little old me. I do also like getting mail."
"Mind your tongue, Mandalorian." Shining Armor barks. "You know exactly why I'm here."
Sunset looks at a different screen. "Anon, we've got a few ships coming in."
You take a quick glance at her screen. She's not wrong.
You clear your throat. "Look Cap, I'm doing my best to find Discord. He's a lot harder to find than I expected. I was not aware that I had a time limit. I could be persuaded to try harder if you offered me a bit more-"
"Quiet!"
Out of nowhere, the cruiser fires a warning shot directly across the nose of your ship, catching both you and Sunset off-guard. Sunset instinctively takes evasive action, but is cut off by a small fighter, firing warning shots as well.
You growl and hang on to the back of Sunset's chair for support. "Pinkie, get to the gun turrets!" You shout.
"Anonymous!" Shining Armor yells.
You ignore Shining Armor and sit down in the co-pilot's seat. "Sunset, find us a way out of here."
"I'm looking!"
Sunset maneuvers the ship around in space, turning around and away from the cruisers to prepare the jump to hyperspace.
The screen in front of her lights up, showing that one of the fighters behind you had fired. A second later, you feel the impact of the fighter's guns hit your ship's rear, lurching you forward.
Then, you hear your ship's engine's power down.
"What the-?" Sunset presses a few more buttons in front of her, but the engines don't respond.
"Anonymous, stop!" Shining Armor shouts again.
You glare at the blue Twi'lek, growling at him angrily. "You're playing with fire here, Captain."
He growls back at you. "Believe me, Mandalorian. This time, I know exactly who I'm after."
You feel another lurch forward as one of the fighters takes another shot at you. The lights begin to flicker on and off.
"He's hitting us with ion blasters! I'm losing the ship!" Sunset starts to hit buttons in front of her until they all begin to flicker off.
Another few jolts forward and the entire ship dies. Everything goes dark. You feel yourself being pulled backwards toward the cruiser. You're locked in its tractor beam.
The two of you stand up, getting your helmets back on and running back into the main hold.
Rainbow is holding onto the wall for support and looking around. "What's going on?!"
"We've been found!" You reply.
You and Sunset run into the armory. They're not going to get you without a fight. Not this time.
Rainbow comes running into the armory a moment later, followed by Pinkie.
"Anon, we're almost in the cruiser!" Pinkie shouts.
"Gear up then! Both of you!" You command.
Pinkie hands Rainbow her blasters back before running back into the ship. Rainbow pauses for a moment before joining you in grabbing another weapon. You grab a heavy blaster rifle, another tank of fuel for your flamethrower, and a sidearm. Sunset grabs her vibroswords and a rifle of her own.
You feel the ship rumble a little as it starts to slow down. "We're inside. Hurry."
The three of you head outside to the exit ramp and wait for it to drop. It should drop any second now, and when it does, you're going to blast anyone and anything you see out there. In the back of your head, you're thinking that what you're about to do is incredibly foolish, but you can't bring yourself to listen to reason right now. You're running on instinct.
The ship rumbles once again before settling. You've landed.
You and Sunset cover either side of the ramp. Rainbow stays hunkered down behind you. Pinkie is nowhere to be found.
About ten seconds pass before the ramp lowers and light begins spilling into the ship.
"NOW!"
Before you can even see who's out there, all three of you open fire into the open area below your ship. The ramp continues to lower, but once it's fully extended, you notice that no one is outside.
The three of you cease fire and wait a moment.
Everything is deafeningly quiet for a few seconds before you hear the sounds of footsteps approach the ship. The voice that follows is familiar.
"Anonymous. Sunset Shimmer. Lower your weapons and come with us. You are under arrest."
"Jedi..." You hiss.
You growl and stand up straight, holstering your rifle and taking one of Sunset's vibroswords. Being placed under arrest is something you can't have happen right now. You need to collect Ahuizotl's bounty and learn more about the Sith's plans from Flim and Flam. If what Adagio said was accurate, and the Sith really are planning something bad, then every second wasted is another win for them.
You step down the ramp a little bit, your blaster in one hand, Sunset's vibrosword in the other. In front of you stands Jedi Master Maud Pie, all alone.
About 20 feet behind her is a platoon of Republic personnel. You can see Applejack's trademark hat among them.
"Drop your weapons, Anonymous." Maud repeats.
Sunset and Rainbow are right behind you.
"You're not going to arrest me today, Jedi." You point your blaster pistol at her and pause.
Maud simply steps forward, never taking her eyes off you. "Yes I am."
She continues toward you.
You growl under your breath and pull the trigger.
Just before you did, Maud pulled out her lightsaber and activated it, deflecting your blaster bolt back at you. Thankfully, you were expecting her to do that.
You twist to the side and the blaster bolt smacks directly onto your shoulder, hitting your armor. It feels like you got punched, but that's it. You're not stupid enough to rely entirely on a blaster when fighting a Jedi.
You throw the blaster backwards before charging towards Maud with your vibrosword. You take a swing at her, but she blocks your feral attacks. Her eyes pierce your soul with her constant look of focus and determination, while you look at her with anger and fury beneath your helmet.
With seemingly little to no effort on her part, she blocks and parries your attacks while the crowd of Republic soldiers watch behind her, and Sunset and Rainbow watch behind you. Vibrosword on saber strike after strike and neither of you back down.
Then, with one quick move, she grabs the hilt of your sword and shoves her elbow into your face, impacting your helmet. It doesn't hurt, but it does knock you back a few steps. She had to have used the Force to enhance her strength.
While you stumble backwards, she presses her hand against your chest, shoving you backwards into Sunset and Rainbow with the Force. The girls exclaim and fall down behind you.
You're about to get up and fight again when the blue, humming tip of Maud's lightsaber rests mere inches from your face. You stare at the blade and stay perfectly still.
"You are beaten, Mandalorian. Yield." She commands.
You stare daggers into her eyes but do nothing else. She's won.
Behind her, the Republic troopers all run up to you, their weapons raised and pointed at you all.
"Lieutenant, place them under arrest." She commands.
Applejack comes up to you. "Sure thing, Master Jedi." The look on her face says that she's conflicted about arresting you, but despite that, she's still determined to do her job. "C'mon, Anon. Don't be difficult this time."
You don't reply to her, but you're going to do what she says.
You can't promise the same for Rainbow Dash though.
Behind you, a pair of Republic soldiers struggle to restrain her. "Lemme go! I don't even know these guys! Just- Stop it! Hey! Anon, tell them!"
"We're all in this together now, Dash..." You stay.
As you're being stood up and restrained by the Republic, she's still fighting and grunting and kicking as best as she can. It's all in vain though.
Maud keeps staring at you for a moment before looking up at your ship.
At the top of the exit ramp, you see Pinkie standing there. She's unarmed and looking at Maud. "Maud? Is that you?"
That's right, they're sisters.
A small, hopeful smile comes on her face and she runs down the exit ramp toward her. "Maud! It's really you!"
Maud shifts her stance and points the tip of her blade at Pinkie, making her stop in her tracks and freeze, her smile fading immediately.
"Hello, Pinkie." She replies.
Pinkie looks at Maud, confused and absolutely crushed. "M-Maud? I-I..."
"I'm sorry, but you're under arrest too..." Maud replies. "Please cooperate."
Pinkie says nothing, but her entire countenance drops immediately as she's taken into custody by the Republic. The blatant act of betrayal by her sister puts her into a speechless shock like you've never seen before.
You swear you see a hint of sadness on Maud's face as Pinkie looks at her, pleading with her eyes to be released.
Maud finally deactivates her lightsaber and puts it away. Now that your wrists are in binders, you stand up straight next to Sunset. She's silent, just like you are. Rainbow is still struggling with her restraints and trying to release them. Pinkie is silent as well, but she looks like she's on the verge of crying.
Applejack stands in front of the four of you and clears her throat. "Alright, everyone stand down. Y'all follow me now."
Around you, the Republic troopers lower their weapons and you begin to walk with Sunset at your side behind Applejack. Pinkie and Rainbow walk as well, with Maud tailing behind you.
Applejack activates a communicator on her wrist. "Cap'n, it's me. I got 'em." She pauses for a moment longer before shutting off communications and looking back at you. "Alright, ya'll. We've got some questions for you."
You look at her. "We don't have time for this, Applejack. I'm in the middle of an investigation here."
Applejack scoffs slightly. "Yeah, I'm sure you are, Anon."
"Listen to me!" You snap. "The Sith are planning something! The entire galaxy is at stake!"
Applejack doesn't look at you. "And I'm sure killing a senator was the best way to prevent that, right?"
Sunset speaks up at that. "Hoity Toity was corrupt and a traitor to your Republic! He was working for the Sith by selling slaves!"
Maud replies to her. "We have yet to find any proof of that."
You look at Maud. "I have proof, Jedi! Hard evidence, and an eyewitness!"
She looks back at you. "And where might your evidence and eyewitness be, Anonymous?"
You're not about to sell out Rarity.
"They're... They're not here right now." You reply.
Maud huffs softly. "I see."
She doesn't believe you.
Pinkie looks back at the Jedi, a somber look on her face. "He's not lying, Maud... I saw it too."
Maud merely looks ahead, saying nothing.
Pinkie deflates a bit more and looks forward once again.
Applejack leads your group through a hallway and into a corridor with windows looking outside towards Kessel. That's where your reward and your information on the Sith plot is right now.
You notice that Big Macintosh has joined his sister in escorting you and your party toward the interrogation room.
Gathered up ahead are more armed Republic guards, as well as a few technicians, civilians, and scientists. Among them are Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy. They both are staring at you in confusion and worry.
Applejack clears her throat. "Until we see any of that evidence to back up your story, I'm afraid I can't let you off the hook, Anon. You're stuck here."
Rainbow starts yelling. "Well what about me?! I don't even know these jerks!"
Applejack looks back at her. "Who are you?"
"My name's Rainbow Dash!" She shouts. "I was in the middle of capturing a bounty when HE got in my way and messed everything up! I've never seen him or any of these people before in my life! You're all talking about the Sith and this big plan they have to take over the galaxy or whatever! What else is new?! It's the Sith!"
"Wasn't the bounty you were looking to collect on an incarcerated prisoner?" Maud asks.
Rainbow looks back at her. "Yes! It was!"
Maud hums. "So you were the one who set off the explosives in the prison and started the riots?"
"Yeah, I did that! It was all me! These guys are-" Rainbow stops talking as she realizes exactly what she just admitted to the Jedi. "Uh..."
Maud nods and looks forward again. "In that case, you're under arrest for infiltrating and destroying a maximum security prison."
Rainbow grits her teeth. She looks like she's about to explode.
"I told you we were all in this together, Dash..." You repeat.
She growls and pants angrily through her nose. She's absolutely livid right now.
Behind your group a little, you notice Twilight has started following you. Fluttershy and her albino Wookie are behind her.
She catches up to your group and watches you all. "Applejack, what's going on?"
Applejack looks at her. "Twilight, I need you to step back, please. We got questions for 'em."
Sunset interjects. "We're under arrest."
Applejack gives an annoyed sigh while Twilight gasps. "W-Why? What did they do?"
Applejack sighs, she's obviously getting annoyed. "They're the prime suspects in Hoity Toity's assassination. They also destroyed a Republic prison."
Twilight covers her mouth.
Fluttershy gasps behind her. "Oh my."
Twilight looks at you, appalled. "Anon, how could you?!"
You groan. "I was working! I'm trying to tell you people why I did what I did. I'm trying to get to the bottom of this plan that the Sith have for you all."
The Twi'lek stammers a little. "Wh-What Sith plan?"
Applejack groans and stops walking before turning to Twilight and grabbing her shoulder. She's clenching her fist and taking a deep breath. She looks like she's just about to lose it as well.
"Twilight... Please." She breathes. "Just stay out of this. Okay? This ain't your business, I'm sorry. Please."
Twilight looks back at you and exhales after a moment. "Alright, Applejack... I'm sorry, it's just..."
"I know, Twilight. I know." She cuts her off. "Just-Just let me handle this, okay?"
Twilight nods and looks back at you, obviously disappointed. She's judging you. The look on her face says it all. You're willing to bet that she regrets building this arm of yours.
A moment later, Maud grunts softly and rubs her forehead. Her eyes are closed and she looks like she's thinking about something.
"Anonymous..." She says. "When we took you into custody before, how did you say you retrieved that lightsaber?"
You pause for a moment.
Why does she want to know?
"The Sith sent one of their apprentices after me and tracked me to Tatooine." You reply. "I killed him and took his lightsaber from him."
You want that lightsaber back.
"How did they track you?" She asks.
You shake your head. "I don't know."
Applejack looks back at Maud and walks over to her. "Master Jedi? Is everything okay?"
Maud stammers a little bit for a moment. "There's... Something is coming..."
She opens her eyes and looks out the window at Kessel. She approaches the window and stares out into space for a long moment.
"Lieutenant... Who was it that told us to wait for Anonymous to arrive at Kessel?"
Someone tipped the Republic off?
Applejack pauses for a moment. "I-I don't know. I was told that they wanted to stay nameless."
Maud stays silent for another long moment. "The Sith were able to find Anonymous on Tatooine..." She gasps slightly. "They set a trap for us..."
Everyone around you goes silent as you all stare out into space.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, an entire armada of cruisers come out of hyperspace directly in front of you. Their sleek, silver colors, their attack formations, the shape of their Star Destroyers, everything about them is obvious.
It's the Sith. |
Bounty Hunter Anon II | Reunion | The nearest Star Destroyer opens fire and hits the port side of your cruiser. The entire ship rumbles and shakes as the cannons hit their target. Nearly everyone in your group topples over and screams in a panic. An alarm starts blaring loudly somewhere.
Applejack catches herself and stands back up, looking outside in horror.
Maud turns on her comlink. "Captain! The Sith led us here! They're attacking the fleet!"
Outside, you see fighters leading small corvettes toward the Republic cruisers. Everyone around you starts running back and forth in a panic.
More ships come out of hyperspace. The Sith fleet just keeps growing in numbers. They're not only here because of you, they're also officially declaring war on the Republic. They have to be. They don't need this many ships to take out one person.
You need to escape. You know too much about them.
"Applejack! Let us out of these binders! Now!" You shout.
Applejack looks at you, clearly afraid and confused.
You shake your bound wrists. "The Sith led you here because of me! I'm the one they want!"
Sunset speaks up. "With everything we've learned about the Sith so far, the Republic Senate has to know about it!"
Applejack looks at Maud for her say.
Maud looks back at her and nods. "We played right into their hands, Lieutenant. I can sense it. Anonymous and Sunset are our best sources of information on the Sith right now. I suggest you set them free so we can help them escape."
Applejack gulps and takes out a key. "Whatever you say, Master Jedi."
She goes over to you and sets you, Sunset, Pinkie, and Rainbow free.
Outside, you see small fighters attacking the cruiser. A few one-man Republic fighters have engaged them in a dogfight. The cruiser rumbles again and you almost lose your footing as the Sith continue attacking the Republic.
An intercom somewhere above you clicks on, and a panicked technician starts yelling through it. "Sith troopers have boarded the cruiser! Sith troopers have bo-"
The intercom cuts abruptly.
Applejack's comlink clicks on, and you hear Shining Armor start yelling. "Applejack! Where are you?!"
"Portside with Twilight and Master Maud!" She replies.
"Grab her and abandon ship!" He commands. "This cruiser won't survive!"
Twilight looks to Applejack and shoves you out of the way as she runs to her. "No! Shining, you've got to escape too!"
"Forget about me, Twily! I'll get out of here when I can, but you need to get to safety!"
Twilight screams into Applejack's comlink. "No! I won't leave without you!"
You move over to Applejack and press the button on her comlink. "My ship is fast, Shining Armor. I'll get her out of here."
Applejack looks up at you, clearly worried.
You swear you hear Shining Armor growling like a rabid animal. "If you do ANYTHING to hurt her, Mandalorian, I'll kill you myself!"
You nod. "I'll keep her safe, Captain! You have my word!"
You release Applejack's comlink and she grabs your arm, glaring at you. "I'm comin' with you to see that you do, Anon. No way I trust you after what you did on Coruscant!"
You stare back at her and tug your arm from her grip.
"I'm comin' too." Big Mac steps into view and looks down at you, a stern but also worried look on his face as well.
"Fine." You reply. You're in no position to argue.
The cruiser rumbles again, much more violently this time. Behind you, you see an explosion as a boarding pod crashes into the cruiser's hull. Sith troopers begin piling out and firing into the crowd of panicking civilians and soldiers.
Maud removes her cloak and drops it to the ground, grabbing her lightsaber. "Mandalorians, I suggest you both lead us back to your ship."
Good idea.
"Let's go!" You and Sunset turn around and lead the group back the way you came, running as fast as you can.
"No! No! We have to wait for Shining! I'm not leaving without him!" Twilight is still protesting behind you.
You take a quick look and see the Wookie, Angel, grab the Twi'lek and hoist her over his shoulder, growling in the process. Fluttershy is right beside him, and begging Twilight to calm down as she fights and kicks in an attempt to get free.
She's coming with you, whether she likes it or not.
You proceed forward, and head back toward the hangar.
The alarm continues blaring as you all make your way down the corridor. You, Sunset, Pinkie, Rainbow, Applejack, Big Mac, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Maud. The gang's all here.
An explosion behind you stops you all in your tracks and you turn around.
Another group of Sith troopers comes spilling out of a doorway that had been blasted open and raise their weapons at you. "Blast them!"
You, Sunset, and Big Mac take out your weapons and start firing on the troopers. Maud activates her lightsaber and deflects some of the incoming blaster bolts back at the Sith. The four of you slowly back away from the Sith as the firefight rages on.
Risking a quick look behind you, you see that you've reached the door to the hangar. It's closed, and the red light on the face indicates that it's locked.
Twilight exclaims. "Let me get this open!"
You turn back to the Sith and focus on blasting as many as you can. Sunset and Big Mac are both shooting at them beside you. Maud is expertly swinging her blade back and forth in front of her, deflecting blaster bolts back at the Sith with extreme precision.
Once the Sith's numbers thin out a little, they start to retreat down the corridor, still shooting at you all. "Get that assault droid up here!" One of them shouts.
You growl under your breath. That doesn't sound good.
"Twilight, get that door open!" You yell.
Twilight yells back. "I'm working on it!"
The sound of clanking metal starts approaching from behind the Sith, getting louder with each second. The few remaining troopers fall back behind the corridor wall, providing a momentary cease-fire. You turn around. Twilight is hunched over the door's control console and frantically pressing buttons.
Finally, the light on the door turns green and it starts to open.
"We're in!" She exclaims.
From behind, you hear a loud machine-like roar as a massive, shielded assault droid comes hulking from around the corner, followed by more Sith troopers.
Applejack yells. "Fall back! Get into the hangar!"
You, Sunset, and Big Mac all open fire on the incoming Sith. Everyone else runs through the open doorway behind you.
Once they're all through, the three of you quickly follow them as the assault droid opens fire on you all. Twilight closes the door again just as you get through. She starts to fiddle with the controls a bit more, but Rainbow pulls her out of the way and blasts them. The Sith won't be getting through here any time soon.
You take a deep breath and look around at the damaged hangar bay. There are fires, piles of rubble, and rafters have collapsed in a few places.
One such rafter had fallen on your ship, giving the hull some damage.
Sunset is not happy about it.
"Those Sith bastards!" She shouts.
She stares at it for a few seconds before Maud comes up to her. "It's still space worthy, yes?"
Sunset sighs and nods. "Yeah... Don't worry, she's tough."
"Then I suggest we all get aboard." Maud replies.
"Right."
You wave everyone over and follow Sunset as she runs toward the ship. Upon reaching the exit ramp, Maud stops beside it while Sunset runs inside.
You usher Twilight, Fluttershy, Rainbow, Applejack, and Big Mac aboard. Pinkie stops beside you and Maud for a moment.
"Come on! Let's go!" You shout.
They stay still. Both of them have an empty look on their faces, mouths agape slightly.
Slowly, they turn around and look toward the opposite side of the hangar.
You follow their gaze to see a Sith shuttle enter through the hangar's forcefield and land on an empty space on the ground. It isn't like the other Sith ships attacking the cruiser. They are all sleek and silver in design and color. This shuttle, while sleek, is jet black with red-tinted windows. It looks absolutely menacing.
The shuttle hisses as the ramp lowers and a hooded figure descends from the ship. It starts making its way toward you, slowly.
You growl and grab your blaster rifle again, but Maud holds up a hand to stop you. She doesn't face you.
"This is my fight, Anonymous." She says. "You and Pinkie get aboard and tell Sunset to take off."
Pinkie's eyes widen. "Maud, no! We have to leave!"
Maud looks at her for a moment before grabbing her lightsaber. "I have to do this, Pinkie..."
You and Pinkie look back up at the hooded figure as Maud steps toward it. A moment later, the figure removes its...her hood.
It's a young woman. Obviously a Sith. You can see her lightsaber hilt in her hand. Her hair is white, her skin is a dark shade of bluish-grey, and her eyes glow a bright yellow-red with a violent, angry intensity.
Pinkie gasps and slowly covers her mouth, fresh tears beginning to well in her eyes. "L...L-Limestone?"
"Oh no..." You whisper.
You look back at the girl. Pinkie's fears about her sister were not unfounded. She had turned to the Dark Side and had become a weapon for the Dark Lord of the Sith.
Limestone continues walking toward Maud, her eyes burning with rage.
"Limestone, please..." Maud speaks. "You don't have to do this..."
Limestone raises her lips in a snarl and activates her red lightsaber before taking off in a run toward Maud. Maud activates her lightsaber as well and raises it in front of her.
Limestone shrieks and leaps into the air as she clashes her saber with Maud's, and the two sisters engage in an intense battle. Blue and red flash and crack against each other in a spectacular show of lights and acrobatics that only those gifted with Force-sensitivity are able to perform.
Pinkie watches in horror as her two sisters expertly duel with one another.
Maud locks blades with Limestone before shoving her away and pushing her with the Force. Limestone cries out as she flies backwards a few meters.
She looks over at you both. "Go! Now!"
You nod and take Pinkie by the hand. "Come on!"
You pull on her, but she pulls back, staying still and watching the fight. Tears are openly flowing down her cheeks.
Limestone recovers and leaps into the air toward Maud, holding her hand out and shooting a barrage of Force Lightning at her from her fingertips. Maud holds her lightsaber in front of her and absorbs every bolt of electricity that Limestone throws at her. After a few seconds, Limestone stops firing the lightning and leaps toward Maud again, clashing blades once more.
After a few feral assaults, she punches Maud in the face and makes her lose her footing. Maud recovers by doing a backflip just before Limestone swipes at her, barely missing her sister and failing to strike her down.
"Pinkie, come on!" You yank her harder.
She continues to resist. "N-No! I-I have t-to..."
"Listen to Maud!" You yell. "We have to leave! Now!"
Finally, Pinkie relents and follows you into the ship, sobbing uncontrollably the whole way.
You run toward the cockpit, passing everyone else sitting in the main hold. "Sunset, get us out of here!"
"What about Maud?!" She yells back.
You enter the cockpit and stand between Sunset and the co-pilot's seat. "She told us to take off! Go!"
You start pressing all the buttons necessary to activate the ship's gun turrets. You're going to need them.
The ship whirrs to life and you turn on the comms. "Applejack, Big Mac, you two get to the gun turrets and hold off any fighters until we get the hyperdrive up and running!"
"Got it!" Applejack replies.
The ship starts to rise into the air and you run back into the main hold. "Sunset, keep the ramp lowered!"
You head to the exit ramp and step onto the end of it, holding onto the ship for balance as it continues to rise into the air.
Maud and Limestone are still going at it below you. Their lightsabers cracking and flashing with each clash.
"Master Jedi!" You shout.
Maud takes a quick glance at you before returning her focus onto her sister.
Limestone is fighting with all her fury, and Maud is holding back. You can see it. She's purely fighting defensively. At this rate, she won't survive. You need to think of something to help her. Quickly.
Across the hangar, you spot Limestone's ship. It's surrounded by other debris.
That's it.
You get on your comms. "Applejack! Big Mac! Are you on the gun turrets yet?!"
"Eeyup!" Big Mac replies.
"Just got here!" Says Applejack.
You point at the ship. "Destroy that shuttle! We need to help Maud!"
The cannon on the ship's belly pivots around to point toward the shuttle on the opposite side of the hangar. A second later, it fires and the shuttle explodes into a massive fireball.
Limestone is taken back by the explosion and Maud uses this to her advantage by pushing her sister back with the Force once again. She flies across the hangar next to her destroyed shuttle. Her lightsaber deactivates as she hits the wall.
You look down at Maud and hold your arm out to her. "Get up here!"
Maud looks over at her sister for a second before shutting off her lightsaber and leaping into the air toward you. She tightly grabs your arm, and you lift her aboard the ship. She grunts as she limps up the ramp and into the main hold.
You're about to follow her, when suddenly, you're knocked off your feet as your ship jolts violently from side-to-side. You fall onto your side and slide down the ramp toward the ledge. In a panic, you try to grab something, anything, to prevent you from falling off the edge and landing back on the hangar floor.
It's almost all in vain though. You slide off the edge and, thankfully, grab onto the lip of the exit ramp with your mechanical hand. You're now dangling off the edge of the ramp as your ship continues to rock back and forth uncontrollably.
You strain to activate your comms. "Sunset, I'm dangling off the edge of the ramp! What the hell are you doing?!"
She replies. "Something's going on! I can't control the ship!"
To your right, next to the charred remains of the Sith shuttle, you see Limestone stomping her way towards you with her arm in the air. She's bleeding from the corner of her mouth and her eyes are practically screaming with rage.
She's using the Force to prevent you from leaving...
Sunset guns the engines again to try and escape, but Limestone stays focused on keeping you here. She wants to kill you. You struggle to pull yourself back inside, but the movements from the ship are preventing you from climbing back up. The servos in your mechanical hand are keeping you from falling, but you can't get yourself back inside. You're stuck.
From inside the ship, you hear a roar and a furry, white hand reaches down to grab your mechanical wrist. Angel hoists you up with incredible strength and you exclaim in surprise. As soon as your feet touch the ground again, he growls at you angrily and you both hold onto the ship for balance.
"Thanks!" You shout. The Wookie growls in response.
You turn around again to look at Limestone. She's still walking towards you and keeping you still in the air with the Force. She's so focused on keeping you here, that there's no way you'll get out of here all by yourself. You need to break her concentration.
You look to the underbelly turret and get back on your comms. "Whoever is on the lower turret, aim at the Sith! Blast her!"
The turret swivels towards Limestone and fires once. The blast surprises her and knocks her off her feet in a fireball. She releases her grip on your ship and you jolt backwards again. The ship's right side slams into the hangar wall from the sudden acceleration and you go lopsided a little bit.
You quickly step inside the ship with Angel and close the ramp, struggling to stay balanced. The underbelly turret fires a few more blasts at Limestone before the ship pulls away.
"Sunset, we're clear! Go!" You command.
You feel the engines rumble as she flies the ship out of the hangar and into space.
In the main hold, Maud is panting hard. She has a few burn marks on her tunic and a small cut on her thigh. Limestone must have nicked her. She's sitting down next to Pinkie, who is hugging her tight and sobbing uncontrollably.
Angel sits down next to Fluttershy and Twilight. You hit the wall next to Rainbow as Sunset lurches the ship off to the side and makes you lose your balance, but you continue toward the cockpit.
Once you reach the cockpit, you take a seat beside Sunset. Outside, you see the massive Sith fleet attacking the few Republic ships in this sector.
The Republic is going to lose this battle. They're hopelessly outnumbered. |
Bounty Hunter Anon II | Speed Zone Ahead | The ship rumbles violently for a second and the console flashes red in front of you. You've just been hit.
"How are we looking?" You ask.
Sunset shakes her head as she presses a few more buttons. "We could be better. That beam in the hangar that fell on the ship damaged the power regulator. The hyperdrive isn't going to be charged for a while."
You growl under your breath.
"Can I fix it?"
She shakes her head again. "Not unless you're willing to go outside."
Damn. You're going to have to hold out until the hyperdrive is charged.
The ship rumbles again as you take another hit, much more violently this time. The alarm starts blaring and a few more screens flash red.
Sunset looks to another screen. "No!"
"What happened?!" You ask.
"Our hyperdrive is out!" She yells.
Your eyes widen and you look out the window. Countless Sith fighters are flying all around you, either dogfighting Republic ships, firing on their cruisers, or focusing on you. You'd expect the Republic to be firing on you as well, but they're far too busy with the Sith right now.
Sunset flies around a nearby cruiser, just avoiding impact. You stand up and examine the damage to the hyperdrive on another screen. It doesn't look too bad. You could probably fix it from inside the ship, but it would take a little while. Odds are you won't last long enough out here though. The Sith are decimating everyone and everything out there.
"What's going on?!"
You turn around quickly to see Rainbow and Twilight standing at the doorway to the cockpit, grabbing onto the wall and looking panicked.
"The hyperdrive is busted! We can't jump!" You reply.
"Can you fix it?!" Rainbow asks.
"If I had time, yeah!"
They both look out the viewport window. Sunset flies around and weaves through formations of fighters. The ship takes another hit.
"I can't shake these guys, Anon!" Sunset sounds panicked.
Rainbow keeps looking out the viewport for a few seconds before her eyes widen. "Wait! Wait a second!"
She moves between you and Sunset and stares outside at something. You look outside as well, trying to see what she's seeing.
She pants softly. "I can buy us time..."
You and Sunset look at her. "What?"
She nods, grinning a little. "I can buy us time! Enough for you to fix the hyperdrive!"
She pushes past you and sits down in your seat. She leans over and presses a button in front of Sunset, giving her control of the ship.
"Wha- Hey!" Sunset exclaims.
"What the hell are you doing!" You shout.
"I need control of the ship!" Rainbow says. "I'm getting us out of here!"
Rainbow, now piloting, twists the ship in a roll while simultaneously flipping around. She turns around and finds a small opening between a pair of cruisers. The computer flashes red as one of the fighters behind you locks on and fires two homing missiles.
Rainbow merely glances at the screen before pressing another button and grabbing the controls. "Hang on."
She rolls the ship again, much faster this time. You grab onto the back of her seat as you feel yourself being pulled off to the side. Twilight grabs onto Sunset's. It's making you a little nauseous.
You notice on the computer that the two missiles are twisting around each other with the ship. After a few seconds, they crash into each other and explode behind you.
"Ha ha!" Rainbow laughs.
"Woah." You breathe.
Rainbow's good at flying. Very good.
She waves her hand. "Yeah yeah yeah, I know! I'm awesome! Don't you have a hyperdrive to fix?! I'm gonna need it!"
Right. She's proved that she's capable.
You nod. "Okay. Sunset, stay here with Rainbow! Twilight, you're with me! I might need your help!"
She nods and the two of you run back into the ship, leaving Rainbow and Sunset behind. ---
Rainbow licks her lips as she maneuvers around some debris coming off of a damaged section of the Republic cruiser. She's cutting it close. Way too close for comfort.
She doesn't even break a sweat though. It's insane.
"Rainbow, where are you going?!" You shout.
She breathes slowly, yet shakily as her eyes narrow. "I'll show you when I find it..."
Another section of the cruiser explodes in front of you and Rainbow expertly moves around it.
Finally, she points. "There!"
You look to where she's pointing. Just ahead is a gathering of glowing clouds. It's the heart of the Maw Nebulae.
Your eyes widen in horror as you realize where she's going. "Rainbow, are you kidding me..."
She shakes her head as she flies toward the cloud of gas. "We don't have a choice, Sunset! It's our only way out until Anon gets the hyperdrive fixed!"
You pound your fists on the console. "If you want to survive the Kessel Run, a hyperdrive is ESSENTIAL!"
She spits right back. "Well, you better hope your stupid boyfriend gets it fixed then!" You look outside the viewport as Rainbow accelerates toward the heart of the nebula. "Your ship handles decently enough, and it's fast, which is good. I'm planning to get pretty close to the Maw's black hole cluster."
With a damaged hyperdrive?!
You're pretty sure you can count on one hand how many times in your life you've been legitimately scared. This is starting to be one of those times.
"Rainbow, please! You can't be serious! Our hyperdrive is busted!" You desperately remind her.
She just smirks as she continues forward. "Sunset, chill out! I've done the Kessel Run lots of times! In my ship! We'll be fine!"
You turn your attention back to the oncoming nebula.
"Besides, it's not totally busted, it's just damaged. Here." You look at the hyperdrive's status as she points to it. "We won't be able to jump to hyperspace like normal, but we should be able to go fast enough to get closer to the black holes and gravity wells without too much risk."
You keep looking at the damage report, and the ship rumbles again. The scanner indicates that there is one Sith Star Destroyer giving chase, along with a number of small fighters.
"If the Sith follow us into there, they'll be sucked up by the black holes." Rainbow says. "If they're smart, they'll stay away."
You take a shaky breath. If she doesn't know what she's doing, you're dead. If you kill her now and try to find another way, you're probably dead too. If she does know what she's doing, then it will be an amazing story to tell.
This is the only option you have available that doesn't guarantee death.
"You had better know what you're doing, Rainbow Dash..." You say.
"I do!" She shouts, frustrated. "I did the Kessel Run in 14 parsecs with my ship, The Sonic Rainboom! It's the galaxy's top record! No one is ever beating that!"
Rainbow pilots the ship into the heart of the nebula, avoiding an oncoming asteroid. The ship's scanner crackles and pops as you fly deeper into the cloud of gas. You can't see anything but vapor and tiny bits of debris flying past you. Occasionally, lightning flashes outside as the clouds of gas conduct with one another and you see a bit more in front of you, but not for long.
"Shut off the navigation system and scanner. They're useless now. Divert their power to the engines." You do as she says and the scanner shuts off. "See if they've made any progress on the hyperdrive."
You contact Anon on the ship's comms. "How's it coming, Anon?!"
Anon answers a couple seconds later. "It's coming! We stopped the damage from getting worse, but it's not fully operational yet!"
"Keep on it! Hurry!" You hang up and contact Applejack and Big Mac. "Are they still on us?!"
"A few!" Applejack replies. "That Sith cruiser's still followin' us, but we're holdin' 'em off as best we can!"
Rainbow chuckles a little beside you. "Idiots..."
You turn back to the viewport and see a big open spot of complete blackness off to the left. It's surrounded by clouds of gas that glow purple and red, and swirl around spots of darkness in space.
It's the black hole cluster...
You swear you can feel yourself being pulled to the left side of the ship slightly. Rainbow had better not get too close, or it's all over.
"What in tarnation is that?!" Applejack exclaims over the comms. She must have seen them too.
"Black holes." You reply. "Lots of them."
Anon comes on the comms a second later. "Wait, did you just say black holes?!"
You nod. "Yes. Rainbow's doing the Kessel Run."
One of the screens on the control console beeps. The hyperdrive has partially been restored to working order. Rainbow smirks and presses a few buttons before hitting the throttle. The ship lurches forward, moving closer to the black holes.
You grip the seat and feel the first signs of real panic as the gravity takes hold of you a bit stronger. ---
You frantically look around as something pops in the hyperdrive, creating a small shower of sparks. "Damn it! Come on!"
You open it up and look inside. Everything looks fine! It should be working!
"What happened?!" Twilight asks.
"I don't know! I can't see what's wrong!" You shout.
Twilight hasn't been much help, but you really can't blame her. She may be good with technology, but she isn't a mechanic, by any means.
"Hand me the hydrospanner!" You command.
You look to where the sparks are coming from. A panel looks like it's loose. Twilight hands you the hydrospanner and you start taking it off.
Come on, Anon. You can do this.
Once the panel is removed, you look inside at all the wires and switches, connecting to fuses that act as conduits for some of the ship's systems. You focus on the sparking wire. It leads to another part of the hyperdrive that you haven't checked yet. The ship's fusion reactor.
You open up another lower panel and take your first good look at the reactor.
You violently exhale. "There's the problem!" ---
The comms on the wall beep a few seconds later. "Sunset, it's Twilight! Anon figured out what the problem was! The fusion reactor had been partially disabled! He can activate it again!"
Thank the Force.
"Okay, great! Tell him to fix it!" You say.
Rainbow had been making short pulse jumps right next to asteroids and debris as she flew dangerously close to the black hole cluster. She was handling the controls like a pro, and pushing what little power the hyperdrive had to its limit.
News of the hyperdrive being fixable makes you realize something. Once Anon fixes the ship's reactor, it won't be fully functional unless the ship's engines reboot. If you want to survive this, you're going to have to shut down the ship's power.
Right next to black holes...
"Once the reactor is fixed, I'm going to shut off the ship for about ten seconds." You say.
Rainbow turns to you. "What?! Why?!"
You look back at her. "We won't be able to get to hyperspace until we do. It's our only shot at getting through this alive."
"Look, I'm all for thrills, but this is cutting it close! Even for me!" Rainbow says. "We're surrounded by black holes! We can't shut off the power!"
From behind, Maud sets her hands on both of your shoulders.
"It's alright..." She says calmly. "The Force is with us."
That is surprisingly comforting to you, right now.
Rainbow looks back at the Jedi for a moment before looking back to the viewport. Now she's nervous.
You press a few buttons on the console and prepare to shut down the ship. Maud takes a deep breath behind you.
A few seconds later, Anon's voice comes on the comms. "Sunset we're clear! The reactor is fixed!"
Here goes nothing...
You close your eyes and shut down the power.
The creaking ceases and the ship's electrical systems go dark. The lights go off and everything whirrs down. Rainbow takes a shaky breath beside you. Your arms slowly rise a few inches off the ground all on their own. The ship's gravity generator is off.
Ten seconds. That's all you need.
There's a slight vibration in the ship and you feel the black holes' gravity strengthen.
"Sunset..."
You ignore Rainbow and continue counting in your head.
Three... Two... One...
You quickly reactivate the ship. The lights come on, the engines whir up, and the system comes back to life.
Rainbow looks around and grabs the controls again. "The hyperdrive is up and running. Full power!"
Excellent.
"Get us out of here then, Rainbow!"
She smiles and maneuvers the ship away from the black hole cluster. She hits the throttle and blasts away as hard as she's able. A few moments of hard acceleration later, the ship gets free from the cluster's pull. All that's left to deal with are the asteroids.
You divert all nonessential power to the forward shields and take control of the blaster cannons. You shoot any asteroids that could potentially get in your way while Rainbow moves the ship out of the Maw. Applejack and Big Mac continue firing from the gun turrets.
When you're free from the nebula, you turn on the navigation system and chart a course to a random nearby system. It doesn't matter where. Once you're locked on, Rainbow hits the throttle again and the hyperdrive whirs up.
Seconds later, you all blast off to hyperspace. ---
You take a deep breath as the ship evens out and stays still.
You and Twilight both breathe a collective sigh of relief. "That was too close..." She pants.
Damn right it was.
"Thank you for your help, Twilight." You say.
She nods slightly and exhales.
The two of you pant softly for a second before standing up and heading back into the main hold. Everyone is shaking slightly and panting, but they all look relieved. Except for Pinkie.
She is clearly still very distraught. She's leaning on her armrest and crying. Maud slowly comes out of the cockpit, still limping from her battle and takes a seat next to Pinkie again. Pinkie leans over on Maud's shoulder and holds her hand.
Maud rests her head on Pinkie's slightly. For the first time since you've known her, she looks sad. Not quite as sad as Pinkie, obviously, but sad nonetheless.
How can they not be? They have just discovered that their sister had turned to the Dark Side and was now an apprentice to the Dark Lord of the Sith himself.
From around the corner, Applejack and Big Mac step into the main hold a few moments later. "Whew... Glad we're outta that mess."
"Eeyup." Big Mac says.
Applejack takes off her hat and rubs her hair a little, shaking off the ride through the Maw. "Master Maud, are ya okay?"
Maud looks up at Applejack softly for a moment, her tired eyes showing defeat and distress on them. "...No."
Applejack frowns and puts her hat on again. "Who was she?"
Maud pauses for a long time before answering. "She... She's our sister..."
Applejack covers her mouth. Fluttershy and Twilight both gasp softly.
Pinkie sniffs and looks up at Maud. "You... You didn't have to kill her...did you?"
Maud shakes her head and closes her eyes. "She's still alive... She's...so full of anger and hate... I can feel it..."
You can't help but think that she's going to be trouble for you in the future.
"This is bad..." You all look to Twilight. She looks scared. Worried. "...There's no way the Republic can stop the Sith this time. They're... We're outnumbered. Outgunned. Outmatched. Everything."
Around you, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Big Mac all look down slowly as the gravity of the situation sets in.
Twilight continues. "Clearly, Anon and Sunset are onto something. The Sith wouldn't have openly attacked us if they weren't. They trapped us all there, and now they've made their move. They weren't able to kill us this time, but we don't have the numbers or resources necessary to fight them... They're... They're going to kill us all."
There's a long silence among you all.
"We must trust in the Force." You all look over at Maud. "The Force has a destiny for us. For all of us. We must trust in it."
Twilight sighs.
That couldn't have helped. It's just the same old indirect Jedi-speak.
"I can't help but think that we're doomed..." Twilight whispers softly.
There's another pause.
"No..." Everyone looks up at you. "No, we're not... Not yet."
In Twilight's eyes, you think you see a small flicker of hope appear for a split-second.
"We're going to stop the Sith. Without your Republic to keep them in line, they would have taken over the whole galaxy thousands of years ago. Right now, your Republic is crippled. The Sith believe they have a golden opportunity."
Applejack shakes her head. "Anon... I don't think there's a way outta this... We... All we can do is fight our hardest until..."
She doesn't want to finish her thought.
You finish it for her. "If you were to fight them now, then you'd be going up against impossible odds, you're right. You'd be staring death in the face."
Applejack pauses and Twilight speaks up again. "What exactly are you saying, Anon?"
From behind, you hear Sunset approaching with Rainbow. "He's saying that we're going to get help."
Everyone looks at her. She stands beside you and nods. She looks a little shaken from the ride, but she's okay.
You nod back at her and set your hands on your hips, addressing the group once again. "To stop the Sith, you'll need an army. Your Republic's military is practically useless. If they go against the Sith now, they'll lose."
Sunset continues. "Fortunately for you all, we happen to have the best army in the galaxy, composed of the best warriors in the galaxy. You're all looking at two of these warriors now."
Twilight's eyes widen slowly and she sits up in her chair. "You... You don't mean..."
"Sunset and I are going to try and get help, Twilight." You say. "We're going to speak to Mandalore." |
Bounty Hunter Anon II | Homeward Bound | The hyperdrive shuts down and you come out of lightspeed over the planet Mandalore. The last time you saw this place, you had just activated the self-destruct on a doomed Republic ship that was crawling with rakghouls.
You glance at your robotic arm as you remember.
Sunset sighs softly. "Oh, there's no place like home."
You chuckle and lean back in your seat as she makes her approach.
Fluttershy quietly clears her throat behind you. "Uhm, Anon?"
You glance back at her. Unsurprisingly, she's very cautious around you.
"Uhm, when we get down there, the Mandalorians, they, uhm, they won't harass us or be mean to us at all, will they?"
You scoff slightly. "Only if you give them a reason to."
She looks down a little. "Oh..."
That probably wasn't the answer she was looking for.
As Sunset enters the planet's atmosphere, the capital city slowly comes into view. The comms flicker for a second before a gruff sounding voice comes on the other end.
"Ena'yida kak." <<"Identify yourself.">>
Sunset presses another button and looks over at you. "You talk to him. I'm busy keeping this ship in the air."
You nod and clear your throat as you press the comms button. "Ibic cuyir Anon, be ha'yr Ymous. Ti ni cuyir Sunset, be ha'yr Shimmer. Mhi cuyir ta'na gar cuun e'cursr." <<"This is Anon, of clan Ymous. With me is Sunset, of clan Shimmer. We're sending you our information.">>
You release the comms button and press another one next to it to send them your ship's ID code. They should have it on record, they just need to verify it.
"Woah." You look behind you to see Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rainbow all looking at you in awe. "Mando'a sounds awesome." Rainbow says.
You chuckle at her. "Hey. If you want to make fast friends with a Mandalorian, go up to the next one you see and call him a 'Hut'uun'. He'll love you for it."
Sunset reaches over and smacks you hard on the shoulder. "Anon, stop it!"
You lean forward in your seat, laughing hard.
Rainbow chuckles a little. "Wh-why? What does hut'uun mean?"
You giggle a little more and sit up straight, still smiling. "It means 'coward'. Seriously, don't ever say it to a Mandalorian unless you've got a deathwish."
Rainbow's grin fades and she gives you a little scowl before sitting back in her seat and crossing her arms. "Ha ha. Very funny..."
You finish laughing and the comms come back on again a second later. "Gar cuyir utreyar at rusur o'r cupa ehn. Morutar yaim, vod." <<"You're clear to land in bay three. Welcome home, brother.">>
You shut off the comms and Sunset continues her approach towards Keldabe, the Mandalorian capital city.
It sat atop a large granite outcrop. It was almost completely surrounded by a large river, along with a dense jungle. This place was founded well before the Mandalorian Wars. It was not only the capital city of the planet, but it was also the center of government for all other systems in the Mandalorian Sector of the galaxy. The city covered the entire top of the basin. A few bridges had been constructed along the perimeter that led in and out of the jungle.
"It's beautiful." Twilight breathes.
You scoff. "From up here, maybe. That jungle is a nasty place to live."
Both her and Rainbow look at you. "You lived in the jungle?"
"Oh yeah." You nod. "I was born and raised there."
Twilight looks back outside at the ever-growing landscape.
"Where did you live? In trees or something?" Rainbow asks.
You look at her for a moment before looking back outside. "No. I lived in this little domed hut made of wood, vines, tree bark, and mud. My parents made it before I was born."
Rainbow scoffs and waves her hand. "Pfft! Whatever. That's not true."
Sunset speaks up. "It is true. They're called vheh'yaime. Lots of Mandalorians live in them."
"They're cozy, and they provide great camouflage to yourself and your family from dangers that exist in the jungle." You add.
Rainbow looks back and forth between you and Sunset for a moment. "Huh... What kinds of dangers were there?"
"What, you want a list? There are tons of them out there. I don't even know where to start." Her and Twilight both look back at you. "My mother and father raised me there because they knew full-well that the jungle could help transform children into the warriors that our clan needed." You chuckle a little. "And, oh, did that jungle work like a dream... If my parents were still alive today, I'm sure they would be proud."
Twilight looks down a little. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Anon."
"Thanks Twilight, but you don't need to be." You smile. "They both died with honor. I'm proud to call myself their son. I only hope I die the same way, when my time comes."
She pauses for a moment before leaning back in her chair as well.
Sunset continues toward the ground until you're able to make out more details. The city's buildings were no taller than a few stories. It was more of a town than it was a city, but it was spread out quite a bit. It made for easy flying. There was hardly any air traffic at all. She moves the ship toward landing pad three and slows down in the air before descending.
As soon as you touch down, she powers down the ship and walks with you, Twilight, and Rainbow into the main hold. Applejack, Big Mac, Fluttershy, Maud, and Pinkie are all sitting around the table in the center, and they watch you as you approach.
Applejack is glaring at you. She's clearly still angry about you killing Hoity Toity without telling the Republic about his crimes. Convincing her to trust or help you won't be easy, but convincing Shining Armor to trust you will be nearly impossible. Twilight seems like she's still willing to hear you out and talk purely because you saved her life.
You'll worry about all this later. First thing's first.
She sits down next to Applejack, and Rainbow stands beside the doorway to the exit ramp. Sunset stands beside you. You pause as you look at everyone.
You're thinking about just having them all wait in the ship for the time being. Especially Maud. Mandalorians aren't exactly welcoming when it comes to Jedi. Or any outsiders, really. However, Maud is a key source of information on the Sith's plans. She's done more digging than you have, as it turns out. If the clans are in danger, then Mandalore may want to speak with her.
You take a deep breath and grab your helmet off the table. "Alright everyone, listen up. Sunset and I will go inform Mandalore of the seriousness of this situation we're in. I need you all to wait here until we get back."
"We're avoiding a potential conflict here." Sunset adds. "Besides Rainbow and Pinkie, you're all part of the Republic. If that wasn't enough, we also have a Jedi Master on board this ship."
Everyone looks at Maud for a moment.
You continue. "We're here because your Republic needs us. Just like everyone else in the galaxy needs us."
"Sure you ain't just tryin' to get out of answerin' for what you did on Coruscant?" Applejack asks.
You look at Applejack. "Your courts and judges would have taken too long with their little investigation into the Senator. He would have bought his innocence through deception, lies, and bribery during that time. The Sith would have been closer to finishing their plans as well. I did you a favor."
Applejack exhales angrily through her nose and glares at you without saying another word.
Twilight stands up between you two. "Anon, Applejack, please. We don't have time for this now."
You both look at her for a moment before looking back at each other.
"Fine. We'll talk about this later then, I guess." Applejack says.
"Fine." You reply.
Twilight looks back and forth between you two. "Anon, you're right. We... We need help. The Republic is dangerously shorthanded right now, and I can't think of another way for us to get help. We need the Mandalorians to help us defeat the Sith this time. We can't do it on our own."
"Well..." Sunset crosses her arms slowly and looks at Maud. "The Jedi could certainly help the Republic against the Sith... You know, if they would..."
Maud continues her emotionless stare at you and Sunset. "I suggest we don't pull at that thread right now, Sunset. You just said yourself that you're trying to avoid a conflict."
Sunset keeps looking at her. Maud has a point.
You sigh. "She's right. This arguing is pointless. Let's just drop everything until after we talk to Mandalore."
Everyone nods in agreement, except for Applejack.
You look at her for a moment. If she's still bitter about the whole Hoity Toity fiasco you created, then she may try to do something stupid while you're away. Like, say, attempt to contact the Republic and give your location away to them.
You turn to Sunset and speak just above a whisper. "Narir ni a riye bal garsa daab likr b striilir bal buse'ihanr. Ltula etid yio dayn." <<"Do me a favor and shut down the ship's tracking and communications. Lock them all out.">>
Sunset nods and walks back into the cockpit.
"What did you say to her?" Applejack asks.
You take a quick glance at Applejack as you put your helmet back on. "I just told her to check on something real quick."
You head to the exit ramp when Rainbow stops you. "Anon, real quick. Can I come with you and Sunset?"
You look her up and down for a moment. "I really think you should stay here."
She clasps her hands together. "Come on, please? I want to see this place for myself. I'll be cool, I promise!"
You sigh at her. You don't have time to deal with this right now.
"I do the talking." You tell her. "You say nothing unless you're asked a direct question. Understood?"
She smiles and nods. "Got it!"
You give her a huff and Sunset joins you both. The three of you step off the exit ramp and onto the ground.
The planet's familiar humidity hits you as you walk into the open. The tops of the jungle trees can be seen all around you, just above the rooftops; a thick layer of fog blankets them in some areas. They faintly carry the sounds of creatures and beasts of all kinds that are just looking for a fight.
Home, sweet home. |
Bounty Hunter Anon II | Mandalore | You and Sunset take the lead toward the spaceport's exit. Rainbow follows close behind, looking around at everything as you pass.
"So, where are we going?" She asks.
"To the Oyu'baat." You reply. "It's the oldest cantina on the planet."
She cocks her head. "A cantina? I thought we were looking for Mandalore."
Sunset nods. "We are. If he's in the city, that's likely where he'll be."
Rainbow pauses for a moment. "Why in a cantina?"
You detect a hint of confusion in her voice.
"We don't need big, elaborate government buildings to conduct our business." You say. "If it can be discussed, then it can be discussed around the cantina's fire, with some food, or over a round of drinks."
"Plus, all the resources it would take to build buildings solely dedicated to government operations is a waste. Those resources could be used to make weapons or ships." Sunset adds.
Rainbow hums and nods a little.
As you leave the spaceport, you pass a pair of fully-armored Mandalorians talking with each other in Mando'a. Rainbow runs the risk of staring at them as you walk into the streets.
The city was cramped. Nearly all the buildings were in very close proximity to one another, and each one varied from the other in its architectural design in some way. Some buildings were built from stone and wood, while others were built from plastoid and durasteel.
The layout of the city was also very unique, compared to other planets throughout the galaxy. Some of the streets were vastly wide, while others were so narrow that two people standing side-by-side would barely be able to fit. In some ways, it reminded you of some of the cities on Tatooine. It was very disorganized to off-worlders.
"Woah..." Rainbow looks around in awe at everything as you walk into a more densely populated section of the street.
You round a corner and see a large group of Mandalorians on both sides of the street. Some were standing in front of buildings and selling goods, while many others were buying them.
Sunset looks at the crowd. "Oooh, today must be a market day!"
You nod. "It's a shame we don't have time to go shopping."
"What's a market day?" Rainbow asks.
Sunset looks back at her. "Twice a week, Mandalorians from all around, from many clans, houses, or tribes, meet together in the streets and sell goods, produce, weapons, armor, and just about anything else."
Rainbow looks around at the armored men and women bartering around the three of you. She no doubt feels very out of place here. She's one of the only ones here not wearing Mandalorian armor.
As you proceed through the crowd of people, Rainbow keeps looking around at everything in disbelief.
"This is... weird." Rainbow comments.
"What's weird?" You ask.
She hesitates before answering. "Well... No offense, but... I've always heard that Mandalorians were just a bunch of ruthless killing machines who were addicted to violence. But..." She looks back at the group of people behind you. "...I don't see any of that. It's like you're all friends here... You look like you could get along with anyone in the whole galaxy."
Sure enough, there is no sign of violence or fighting anywhere that you can see, apart from some occasional friendly bickering. There's a strong sense of comradery on this street right now.
"Don't let this quiet scene fool you, Rainbow Dash." You say. "Every single one of these men and women are trained in the art of war. Farmers, shopkeepers, janitors, cooks, every one of them is loyal to Mandalore. Should he give the word, he would have an entire seasoned army at his disposal and ready to fight within mere hours."
Sunset adds. "If we want to stop the Sith, then an army of the greatest warriors in the galaxy is exactly what we need. They'll be totally outmatched, even with the Force on their side. Fighting Force-wielders is what Mandalorians excel at."
Rainbow looks back at the armor-clad Mandalorians behind her again in awe.
You're surprised that she's asking so many questions about your people. If you had more time, you'd inquire about her curiosity a little.
It would have to wait though, because you arrive at the Oyu'baat a moment later.
"We're here." You announce.
The Oyu'baat was built mostly out of wood and stone, and was three stories tall. The roof was sloped, sections of the walls jutted out farther than others, and the windows were not perpendicular to one another. The entire building held a complete disregard for being level and even. Despite all of this, it was the most structurally sound building in the city. It has stood for several thousand years, and it will stand for several thousand more.
The three of you step inside, walking past a pair of armed Mandalorians standing at the door. Inside, it felt a little claustrophobic at first, but it opened up as you made your way into the main room.
Despite being thousands of years old, it had many of the amenities of a modern cantina. Holovid screens on the walls showed swoop races, duels, and bolo-ball matches. There were also table games like pazaak, sabaak, cu'bikad, and others available for patrons.
You look around at the armored patrons for Mandalore, but he's nowhere to be seen. He might be upstairs. You ask the bartender if he knows where Mandalore could be and he informs you that he is indeed on the second level of the cantina.
Rainbow follows close behind you and Sunset as you make your way upstairs. Passing a couple Mandalorians along the way, you all greet one another by name, except Rainbow of course, before continuing upstairs. The main room upstairs is a bit smaller than the one downstairs, but it has a few tables and holovid screens here as well.
After a quick scan of the Mandalorians up here...
"There he is." You pat Sunset's arm and point to the corner of the room.
There, standing in front of a holovid screen, was the leader of your people. The individual who provided guidance to all Mandalorians everywhere. His armor was shining silver with a yellow accent, and he wore a red cape over his right shoulder. His armor looked quite similar to that of Mandalore the Ultimate's. The same Mandalore that was slain by the Jedi Revan over Malachor V, albeit with a few customizations of his own.
He was wearing his helmet, as he always does. You remember the face of it well. It also resembled Mandalore the Ultimate's in many ways, but it was not the original. Unfortunately, no one knows what became of the helmet after the death of Mandalore the Preserver, Canderous Ordo.
Traditionally, whoever wore the helmet, the mask of Mandalore the First, was known as Mandalore, leader of the Mandalorians. It was only a tradition, however. Even though the helmet has been lost for many generations, the Mandalorians still needed a leader. Right now, the current leader of the Mandalorians is just across the room.
You and Sunset had both met him together a few times before, years ago. Maybe he'll remember you.
Sunset clears her throat. "Come on."
You nod and follow her with Rainbow Dash.
As you approach him, he doesn't turn around to face you. He simply stands there with his arms folded, looking at the holovid screen.
"Anonymous. Sunset Shimmer..." He says in a gruff voice.
He remembers you.
"...So good to see that the dynamic duo is still together after all this time... Still unstoppable too, from what I've heard."
You and Sunset stop walking and stand before him. "Well, we learned from the best, Mandalore."
He gives a gruff chuckle and turns around to face you, looking at your robotic arm. "So I see."
His helmet is exactly as you remember. It's a bit aged in design, but it suits him very well. The visor is black, and the face sparkles with a silvery-grey color, a bit darker than the rest of his armor. A single red stripe has been painted over the left side of the face, resembling a scar that possibly exists beneath the helmet.
Mandalore turns his attention to Rainbow. "Who's the Chiss?"
You and Sunset part and look at Rainbow as well. She looks at Mandalore, her eyes wide in amazement as she gulps and steps forward. "Uh, my name's Rainbow, sir. Rainbow Dash. I'm... I'm just the third wheel for these two."
"Third wheel, huh?" Mandalore says. "You came with these two willingly?"
She nods. "Y-Yeah."
"Why?" He asks.
Rainbow pauses and thinks for a moment before shrugging. "I...I don't know, exactly. I guess... I was curious about your people and your culture."
Is she... interested in becoming one of you?
Mandalore nods once. "Well, Rainbow Dash, I'd like to speak to you more about this curiosity of yours later, but I assume this isn't a social visit." He turns to face you and Sunset.
Sunset shakes her head. "It's not, Mandalore. We need serious help. There's a war coming."
He stares at Sunset and you for a long moment before nodding toward a nearby table. You look at it before following him over to it with the girls. Once you all sit down, he leans in close and stares intensely at you and Sunset.
"What kind of war?" --- |
Back and There Again | pre | Truthfully, Aiden wasn't so much uncomfortable for his own sake as he was worried about offending Rarity. Deciding in that moment that the suddenly forlorn unicorn next to him would be better off, at worst, smacking the overly forward male next to her than in her current funk, he scooted towards her, nearly poking himself on her horn. He leaned down and put one arm around her. "You didn't."
After a sharp breath, she exhaled slowly and sat up, also scooting closer to snuggle up against him. He adjusted his posture so they could lean against each other and put his arm around her. For his part, Aiden couldn't remember the last time he'd just sat closely, comfortably like this, with anyone. His last ex, maybe? That was... three years ago? He snorted in amusement.
"Something amusing, darling?" she asked quietly.
Just thinking how silly I am for only equating something like this with romantic intimacy when all you want is simple comfort. No big deal. "Nah, just remembering someone from a while back."
"A lover, perhaps? Your heartbeat increased." She giggled. "Or perhaps you have a bit of a thing for alien ladies, hmm? Is that why you're afraid of bathing with me? Worried you'll lose control and attack me right there?"
Aiden couldn't help noticing that the translator had hiccuped slightly on 'attack' as if it couldn't quite pick the right word. Did the program have a sense of humor somehow? "Hmph, what about you? Would this 'Spikey-wikey' be jealous that you're wanting to share a bath with some strange male from another world?"
It was clearly the right thing to say, as she burst out laughing. Her laugh was a delight to hear. "Oh my goodness, you surprised me there! No no, Spikey-wikey is a very dear friend, but... hmm, well actually he might be quite envious of you for that now that I say it. But he and I are not, and will not, be involved in such a manner. At least not any time soon."
"We will get you home, Rarity." Aiden said, squeezing her shoulder.
"Hmm? Oh, yes I believe that, too, darling. I simply mean that he's too young, for the moment. In another few years the number separating us will matter less, perhaps, but right now... no. He needs time to better understand himself and what he wants out of life. I'm just his first crush. He may think that it's love, but it isn't, at least not that kind. I love him as well, but... not in that way, you see." She grins again, looking directly at Aiden, and from rather close to him given their embraced postures. "So I'm quite available, you see."
He fought down the urge to shove her off the couch. Let her have her fun. She's had no control over her situation for a while now, messing with me can help her feel better. Her fake flirting is pretty cute anyway. "You should be careful saying that sort of thing, Rarity. I may decide I don't want to help you get home... other than my home." He grinned at her, attempting to look rakish and knowing he probably couldn't pull it off.
She snerked, but then leaned in and nuzzled his cheek, rubbing gently down to his jaw as she giggled softly. "I may just remember that as a plan B, darling," she whispered in his ear.
Between the nuzzle, which had felt surprisingly nice, that cute giggle, and the warm breathed whisper (musical, otherworldly language translated by the phone-like device on the cushion between them notwithstanding), Aiden felt himself blushing again. And, right on cue...
"Hey guys, I found needles, and thread, and... hey, I'll just come back later, you two have fun!" Almost as quickly as it had opened, the door slammed shut.
Rarity, without missing a beat, yelled out "Knock next time, I don't have a sock for the door! Also, thank you!"
Aiden briefly considering dying, but dismissed the idea. Too much effort.
Rarity was grinning at him. "Well now, won't that be some fun gossip tomorrow? Might as well have that bath with me now..."
Aiden snorted, trying to hold it in, and failing as he burst out laughing. Rarity joined him as they held each other, friends enjoying the kind of ridiculous joke that only friends could fully appreciate. |
Back and There Again | 5. Training, Tales, and Travel Plans | Rarity lasted maybe another hour before nodding off, leaning lightly against Aiden as she did so. It occurred to him that he had been dozing a bit himself; he couldn't remember what they'd been last talking about. It didn't much matter and it had been a long night. He lifted her gently, levitating both translators while he was at it, and carried her to the other room. Telekinesis was quite useful for the task at hand: tucking her into bed without jostling her was a simple task. He pulled the blanket up over her, noting that she had adopted a human posture quite naturally while sleeping. It was one more similarity, the most recent of which being her laugh. He smiled softly; he looked forward to hearing it again. They'd give her every reason to be happy, including getting her home.
He nodded to himself, sighing quietly through his nose. It'd been awhile since he'd had a clear cause to work towards. The war's end had gotten... muddled, in terms of direction and purpose. Things had shifted from 'save humanity from the alien threat' to 'various factions wanting to rebuild their way' fast enough that Aiden had been far from the only one to walk away. And yet, he couldn't help wondering if that was the right choice now. How many like Rarity could he have helped between then and now if he hadn't walked away? Well... not quite like Rarity, obviously. Point was... ehh, some Spiderman thing about power and responsibility that he'd never fully appreciated. He snorted, laughing at himself internally. He suddenly wasn't tired at all.
Rarity awoke several hours later to a quiet room. It was easy enough to figure out how she'd gotten to bed, though less easy to figure out why the other bed, across the room, didn't seem to have been used. One thing at a time though... the bath was calling to her.
After a bit of thought on the matter, she opted for a simple shower. The room had a few more amenities in terms of soaps and lotions than she would have expected from a military compound, but then again that had been true of the other room as well. She supposed they had been planning to free her from the lab for some time. She smiled as she brushed out her mane, getting it into proper condition for the first time in weeks, at least not counting the 'cheating' she'd been doing during that time. Far be it from any unicorn to consider magic cheating, but Rarity would always prefer the mundane approach to a beauty regimen. As such she felt much more like her old self when she finally exited the bathroom. That just left determining what had become of her new roommate. As she trotted quietly out into the main room she noticed a covered tray on the coffee table. Her stomach chose that moment to remind her, in a rather unladylike fashion, that she hadn't eaten anything beyond an apple in the last fifteen hours or so. As such... breakfast, and then she'd figure out where Aiden had gone off to.
Breakfast had been completely worth it. Pancakes, fried eggs, hash browns, and orange juice had rounded out the contents of the tray, which had been insulated to keep the first three items warm and delicious. She suspected, based on the scent in the room, that they'd been dropped off shortly before she'd finished in the bathroom. She'd be asking about that timing later. After considering and dismissing the coffee maker (she didn't quite understand how it worked), she headed out to find some answers. ...And then headed back for her translator. It took a moment to figure out why it was attached to a wire attached to the wall, but she'd seen enough similar devices in the lab to be confident about disconnecting it. Activating it would have been another matter, except that it seemed to come on on its own when unplugged. After testing it with a simple "Hello, humans! I... am Rarity!" she grabbed the other translator so she'd understand responses. She idly hoped there were more of these things sitting around, though she supposed as long as she had both she could converse with anypony... err... anyone, easily enough. That was good, since she had all manner of questions to ask, and it was now time to attend to the first.
She trotted lightly into what she'd dubbed the control room to find a different group of humans there. The three of them turned, wide-eyed, to stare at her before one smiled a bit nervously and muttered 'good morning', faithfully translated by the device Rarity floated alongside her. She responded with a smile and reciprocated, "Good morning. We haven't met, I think, but I am Rarity. Err... I'm looking for Aiden, he wasn't in the room when I..." She trailed off, seeing one of the screens the humans had been watching.
Aiden was on that screen, viewed from perhaps twenty feet away and above... where he seemed to be fighting several metal golems. Rarity was across the room in an instant, and leaning up against the screen. "What is this?!"
"Uhh... practice, ma'am. He's been in there for hours now, but there's no real danger. We monitor so he can stop any time by signalling us."
She stared, less worried but still on edge about what she was seeing. He was moving around the room rapidly, and there was a sort of distortion as he did so. It was similar to watching a unicorn teleport. Despite that, the golems were able to keep up with him as often as not. As such he was blocking their attacks, which Rarity now saw consisted of melee attacks with blunt objects that appeared to be padded, and balls fired from mounted cannons. Although... judging by the one that had just been lodged in the wall, they weren't tennis balls. Aiden was always in motion, even between the teleport hops, and countered with a pair of clubs of his own, one of which floated in his telekinetic grip. That one maintained a defense, knocking away attacks as Aiden closed gaps to knock golems around. It was almost like a dance... or a rave, Rarity thought, stifling a chuckle. Yes, he'd definitely get along with Rainbow. Although... "Why hours? Doesn't he sleep?"
"Yes, ma'am, I'm sure he does, but... well he does work nights, or has, to my understanding, so maybe he sleeps later in the day? Either way, he came down a while ago and said he wanted some combat practice just in case he was rusty and didn't realize it. But, he's done fine. Those drones are set at maximum capacity right now. It's like he's fighting a platoon of Oni-koru. Err.. their mid-level soldiers, anyway. We can't simulate their elite combatants. Just a moment," the tech pressed a button near the display. "Knight Lieutenant Windborne, Miss Rarity is up here with us. Perhaps you'd care to take a break?"
All at once, the golems disappeared, surrounded briefly by the same dark distortion that heralded Aiden's teleport hops. They reappeared across the room, in a heap, and Aiden looked up to the camera, "Alright, shut them down. Thanks for the patience, guys."
The tech tapped a different set of buttons on the keyboard, and the golems stopped moving. At nearly the same time, Aiden disappeared.
And reappeared in the control room. Rarity's eyes widened a bit, but not from him arriving. The surprise had been that she'd felt it happening an eyeblink before he'd appeared. His weapons, such as they'd been, had been left behind in the training room, regrettably he'd brought something else with him. Rarity wrinkled her nose as she looked over, hopping away from the computer displays and trotting to him with a smirk. "Setting aside your need for a bath, for only a moment... if you could teleport them like that, why fight them with bats?"
"It's not quite teleportation, but either way that's cheating," he chuckled, looking sheepish after the 'bath' comment. "Robots like those can't use magic, so they can't disrupt the aetheric field to defend themselves, sooo I can freely win any time. Which... peachy if I was down there to 'win', but pretty useless as a training exercise. So I just use that ability on myself, for mobility, while focusing on physical enhancement magic and telekinesis." He looked over at the technicians, "How'd I score?"
"You're forty-two percent above acceptable baseline for red level missions, and that's by Grumman's high standards. Pretty impressive, more so given how long you were at it. 1st Gens really don't get tired, do they?"
Aiden snorted. "Says you, I'm pretty wiped out. Another hour, tops, all I had in me. And as Rarity has pointed out... I really need a shower, now."
Rarity nodded emphatically, still scrunching her muzzle. "No offense intended, darling, but you are a bit offensive just now."
He nodded, and headed towards their room. "Sorry. I should have slept earlier. I'm going to have to switch my sleep schedule back to a normal person's here. For now though, I'm going to shower and then pass out for a few hours, at least."
She followed him, mostly for lack of anything better to do since she didn't feel comfortable roaming the base alone. It wasn't fear, interestingly enough. Rarity didn't really do fear, at least in that regard. Still, she wasn't ready to roam around unescorted. It would be an abuse of hospitality, completely unacceptable. She wasn't sure what she'd do in the room while Aiden showered and slept, but she doubted Grumman would leave them sitting around for long. She found out how right she was almost as soon as she got through the door. Grumman was inside, sitting at the coffee table, reading on a tablet. On the table itself... Rarity gasped as she saw it.
It was a book, and she knew exactly what book it was. From the magic she could feel surrounding it to the inscription on its ancient cover, she knew it was Equestrian in origin. "Oh, sweet Celestia... Twilight would swoon if she saw that."
Grumman looked up from his tablet, "That reminds me, Aiden, I've looked into it and no one by that name has appeared mysteriously anywhere on record. If she came here, she was under our radar."
"Thanks for checking, sir."
"Not a problem. Frankly it would have been interesting to confirm that we'd had more visitors. As to the book, Miss Rarity, I thought you might be interested in perusing its contents. In addition to the language primers, and magic sigils designed to facilitate translations, it contains a history of your world, and our interactions there. I'd love to get your insight on the contents, if you wouldn't mind. In addition to that, make a list of any supplies you need for your tailoring. I can send people out to get whatever you need. In the meantime, I wanted to let you know that analyzing the data from the escape crystal shouldn't take more than a week, according to current estimates. While that's happening, we are looking into procuring a method of long range travel... namely one of the captured Oni vessels that's somewhere near working order."
Aiden hummed thoughtfully. "I've actually wondered about that. I haven't heard anything about using those ships at all, outside of the one mission to Mars and back. I mean, that's something we were practically capable of before the war, so... can we really get further with an Oni vessel? And if so, why haven't we yet?"
"You haven't heard about it because you'd left the military and using those ships is strictly classified. We aren't NASA, though they do have a few of them and are pursuing reverse engineering for all they're worth. They don't use the Oni ships themselves because they aren't safe. Even the newest are in terrible shape. As to our 'out of the public eye' flights... Proxima Centauri and back. Once."
Aiden's eyes went wide. "You're kidding."
"I am most certainly not. The trip took eight hours, mostly because of repairs that needed to be made upon arrival. It used a form of spacial folding not unlike your own mode of transit, and used very little of the ship's energy reserves. Unfortunately both pilots were permanently disabled by aetheric fluctuations in the shields. As near as we can tell, it's completely unsafe to be used by anyone without natural aether reserves of their own. It's either a design flaw or natural wear and tear the Onis didn't bother to address."
"Well, they wouldn't need to. Hell, they'd consider it a sign of weakness to repair something like that." Aiden said with a grimace.
"I... I'm sorry, I'm not following this. Why wouldn't they fix their own ships?" Rarity asked.
Grumman hummed thoughtfully, swiping through something on his tablet before responding. "What you have to understand is that the Oni-koru did not build their vessels, or design most of the technology their society uses. Much like the Angel race gave humans technology when they took us to Equus to help your people, the Oni-koru received their technology from the Demon race. While the Angels went out of their way to protect both our peoples after the war, the Demons didn't do the same for their agents. So the Onis kept their tech, but that doesn't mean they were intellectually or culturally suited to having it. As we discovered about them over the course of the war here, they're almost best described as a warrior race that thrives on theatricality. After their initial attacks here they dialed back their aggression considerably in favor of drawing us into battles when realistically they should have been able to just bombard us from orbit. Or they could have, if they'd ever kept their ships in working order. But that approach would never have suited them on a psychological level. If not for their king keeping them in line, we've estimated they would have fallen apart to infighting centuries ago. Losing the war here was likely the last straw for them as a unified force."
"That's... almost sad. If they didn't sound simply dreadful I might feel sorry for them."
"You wouldn't be the first. What we defeated was a once proud race on its last legs. Even the Demons' superior technology was long past its prime and the Onis hadn't advanced themselves in fifteen hundred years, be it culturally or technologically. I'm not sorry that we did it; we defended our way of life from those that would take it. But it was a shame that we, and they, couldn't find a better method to resolve things. In a real way, we were both pawns in a war between two forces far greater than ourselves. It's a common ground, but unfortunately not one we could build on. They came here to fight, and did so nearly to the last."
"Nearly?"
"Their king and a handful of their elites and generals escaped on three of their last, larger vessels. At this point we have enough in terms of defenses that they can't even come near Earth safely. We lost track of them for now, though finding them has been one of the goals of some who have their salvaged tech. Colonel Owens has one of their ships with that in mind. I think he plans to hunt every last one of them down once he has his 3rd generation perfected."
Rarity nodded thoughtfully. She suspected she knew the answer to her next question, but she wanted to hear the answer anway. "You disagree with him on that?"
"I do," Grumman confirmed, to her edification. "Defending your home is one thing. Hunting down every last soldier involved in attacking said home is beyond what I would call warfare, and in this case it's genocide."
"So... wouldn't it be a win-win if we stole Owens' ship?" Aiden asked.
Grumman grinned. "Indeed so. I'm planning that operation as we speak. Can I count on you?"
"So when you said 'procuring a ride'..."
"Well, I am pursuing several avenues, but as you've pointed out, that one has multiple advantages. If for whatever reason we don't succeed I will have contingencies." His tablet beeped and he scrolled through a couple things before nodding decisively and standing up. "I have matters to attend to directly, so I'll leave you two for now. Valerie is setting up a tablet for you two which will be able to contact the rest of us so you don't have to go hunting for me or the others. She should be by shortly. Aiden, get yourself cleaned up and consider yourself on mission standby for the foreseeable future. Unless something unexpected happens, you'll be moving on this in less than 24 hours."
"Yes, sir." Aiden responded with a grin.
"Miss Rarity, any insights you can offer about what you find in that book would be much appreciated. I've left writing materials. Remember that, in time, the eventual goal here is peaceful contact between our two worlds. Any data you can provide us to supplement and, for that matter, update what we already know could be invaluable."
"You may rely on me, General," Rarity replied, saluting whimsically. "Though I must say the odds seem to be in our favor. I think our two worlds will get along wonderfully once we can travel between them. For that matter, you said Princesses Celestia and Luna were there for the war? They'll surely remember their allies."
"I imagine so... though I have trouble wrapping my head around the idea of actually talking to anyone who'd been alive that long. It's one thing to hear about it, but..."
"I can assure you that the princesses are a joy to converse with, General. I'm sure they'll both take a liking to you."
Grumman smiled wanly. "Heh. I appreciate you saying so, but it won't be me going. Solving that shielding problem is no small matter, so only an Esper can safely accompany you. Even if that weren't true, I'm no diplomat. In any case I need to go. Enjoy the day, you two. I'll be back around later this evening. We can all have dinner together so that the rest of the personnel here can meet Rarity. Better to get that out of the way sooner than later." With nothing further he headed out, moving briskly despite leaning on his cane.
Rarity turned to Aiden. "Well then, it seems we both have a job to do."
Aiden raised an eyebrow. "You have that book, but I'm sort of at leisure until mission briefing."
"No, darling. Your job is to bathe, thoroughly. Please." She stated as her magic gently opened the book while grabbing the pen and notebook to begin taking notes and adding her thoughts on its contents.
With a laugh, he tossed her a salute. "Ma'am, yes ma'am!" He went into the bedroom to grab clothes, and was headed back through to the bathroom when he jumped at the sound of a squeeing unicorn. "Oh my Celestia! Little filly Celestia! These pictures are the BEST! POSSIBLE! THING!"
Aiden laughed, and then the bathroom door shut. Rarity giddily continued, parsing through an ancient tome that held the key to diplomatic relations between two worlds. But more importantly, it held adorable filly pictures of the diarchy. Rarity had been right; Twilight was going to swoon. |
Back and There Again | 6. Straight to the Horse's Ear | As promised, Valerie dropped off a tablet before Aiden had even finished in the shower. While Rarity had seen humans using them enough to discern what they were, more or less, getting a tutorial on one so as to use it herself was another matter entirely. Still, it was very 'user friendly' to quote Valerie and before long Rarity was looking around at its features using a stylus held in her telekinetic grip.
"This truly is remarkable... it's like a book containing an infinite number of other books. I don't suppose I could manage to get one of these to take back to Equestria with me?"
Valerie chuckled. "We might be able to work something out, especially since we're hoping you'll put in a good word for us with your leaders. I know that's asking a lot after what you've been through, but..."
"Oh, pish posh, darling. My arrival was a bit unlucky, but could have gone much worse if the doctors working for that Owens person were actually bad people. And you were there to arrange my rescue from captivity, and now a whole group of you are helping me. You've done so much... even if Princesses Celestia and Luna were made of stone I would beg at their hooves to hear you out when the time comes. And since they're not, at all, I'm still going to owe you a tremendous debt."
"Hmph, nonsense," Aiden said as he exited the bathroom, a towel slung loosely around his neck and a pair of loose sweatpants his only other covering. "We're talking about a chance to make history here, and change the course of the human race for the better. If it all goes well we can definitely call it even."
Rarity raised an eyebrow at him. "And if it doesn't go well?"
"We'll negotiate over a commiserative pitcher of beer."
Rarity scrunched her muzzle. "First point of negotiation: wine over beer."
"Provisionally accepted. But only a red; I don't care for most whites."
"Done then."
"See? Easy. We got this."
Valerie had simply looked between them as they'd conversed, barely seeming to wait for the translations in their back and forth. "Well then... good to see you two have gotten comfortable with one another." She smirked at Aiden, deliberately gazing at his bare torso. "Shirtless comfort, even."
"Indeed, darling; I was going to comment on that as well. This is the least dressed I've seen a human yet. Muscle definition is all well and good, but are you sure you're eating enough?"
Aiden flushed red. "The shirt I grabbed was too small, so clearly I'm eating fine, thank you!" He said as he retreated to the bedroom to grab a different shirt.
Rarity giggled at his embarrassment before turning conspiratorially to Valerie. "I... actually don't know what's considered attractive for humans. Not that it matters much to me anyway, you could tell me he's hideous and I think moments like that would still make him adorable."
Valerie chuckled in response. "He's certainly not hideous, though I prefer them a bit taller, personally. My husband is half a foot taller, and that's about average." She grimaced and shrugged slightly. "A lot of Espers are on the short side. Extreme physical activity before puberty, alongside tendencies towards severe injuries and the poor health care available during those years... honestly they're fortunate they heal as well as they do. Magic has its advantages."
Rarity nodded, but pursed her lips thoughtfully. "He went through a lot from what I've heard. Should I not be teasing him so much?"
"Oh no, tease away. It's long past him, most of them in fact. And that goes for most soldiers. There are-"
"Hey, should I stay in the bedroom so you ladies can talk about me freely?" Aiden stood in the doorway, fully if casually dressed.
Valerie grinned. "Did you get the impression we would hold back with you here? Come in already. I was just saying that most soldiers came through the war okay, despite the Hell they went through. That includes myself, though unlike Aiden and General Grumman I wasn't involved at the beginning."
"Yeah, you're just a kid."
"Pfft, I've four years older than you!"
Aiden laughed, sitting down on the couch across the coffee table from them. "It's true though, about the war. There are a large number of good men and women that didn't make it, and another large number that may never recover from what they went through. Their sacrifices can never be forgotten. But even added together, they aren't the majority. Most of us managed to keep walking forward through it all. Part of that's willpower... most of it is not having to do it alone." He nodded to Rarity. "And that's why you're going to get home. Because you're not alone in the attempt."
"Goddammit Windborne, that's really corny."
"I thought it was lovely. And that cinches it, darling; you're adorable."
Aiden snorted, though he flushed a bit at the comment. "Says the little white unicorn with blue eyes that are unfairly big and bright..." he blinked and tilted his head slightly as he peered at her, "and did you put on makeup?"
"Of course, darling. One must look presentable," she replied, waving a hoof at him in an 'oh, you' sort of gesture.
"Riiiight. Well, I honestly didn't have much to add other than the joke about staying in the bedroom. Because honestly I'm wiped out. I'm going to get some sack time. Wake me if we're storming the castle."
"Wouldn't go without you," Valerie assured him with a grin. "Sleep well."
"Sweet dreams, darling."
Aiden headed to the bedroom and shut the door quietly behind him.
"Right then, Valerie... let's continue with this... you were mentioning 'videos' from the 'internet' earlier," Rarity continued, more or less correctly pronouncing the words that didn't seem to have direct Equestrian equivalents. "I'd also like to learn how that coffee maker works."
"Our interview today is with a very special guest. They've been called our guardian angels, the saviors of humanity. Without them, the war may have ended before it began. Instead, thanks to their brave efforts, we have a glimmer of hope that grows brighter every day. Our guest is Knight Aiden Alexander Windborne, Esper and hero of the Siege of Seattle. Knight Windborne, thank you for joining us."
"You can just call me Aiden."
Rarity bit her bottom lip. According to the website's information, the video was thirteen years old. She was looking at a twelve year old Aiden, already a soldier. She couldn't imagine Sweetie Belle being forced into such a role, and here was a human, her friend, who had been through such a horror at such an age. His face was clearly younger, though recognizable, but the true difference was his eyes. There was a haunted, lost look in them as he stared at the camera as though he expected it to attack him. Those eyes bore dark circles that had no business on such a young face. She wasn't quite sure she should be watching this, but after two hours of making notes on the tome and another hour of browsing around various websites Valerie had suggested, she'd ended up on listings of Esper related videos. This one in particular had caught her eye, and despite her misgivings she wanted to know more about her allies. She was sure she'd owe him an apology later.
The video continued. "Will do, Aiden, and thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us today. The world is rooting for you and those like you. It's important to know your side of things, for everyone out there."
"Mr. Grumman said the same thing. I can't answer everything though; some of it might be classified."
"I understand. And for our viewers, that's Marine Lieutenant General Albert Grumman, commander in chief of the Esper forces here in the U.S., as well as liaison to commanders of similar forces worldwide. To our first question... Can you tell us what life is like with the Marines for someone your age?"
"It's... okay. I have classes like I did before... and um... training, between missions and attacks. Some for physical conditioning, and some for using magic."
"Are you with other children your own age? Other Espers?"
"A few. Some have parents stationed where I am, so they have classes with us. None of the Espers have parents though, not anymore." The young Aiden looked away from the camera, as though guilty about admitting that for some reason. Rarity decided he was getting a big hug when he woke up.
"I apologize for leading into that, Aiden, I can only imagine-"
"No, it's fine. A lot of people have lost family everywhere. We have to talk about them. We can't ever forget."
"That's very brave of you," and Rarity couldn't help feeling that the woman performing the interview sounded a bit condescending. Then again, she was interviewing an adolescent. "Since you say that... I'm sorry, I have to ask about the Seattle crater. Our sources tell us it wasn't the Oni-koru that caused it. Can you tell us what happened? The real story?"
Aiden grimaced slightly, and swallowed before nodding slowly. "It wasn't their weapon. It wasn't a weapon; it was a space folding device used to deliver weapons or soldiers. They used it to send a bunch of troops to the surface as their ship flew by towards the middle of the city. It set off a shockwave through the aether-"
"For our viewers, that's the official term for an energy field that was heretofore unknown to modern science. Many are calling it magic, but it's in fact an entirely new branch of scientific discovery that is adding new rules and exceptions to our understanding of the universe. I'm sorry to interrupt, please continue."
"Magic is science..." Aiden replied, sounding a bit annoyed, "like physics and chemistry. I like the labs for them. But the shockwave... it killed everyone there before the soldiers could have even done anything. Aether disruptions are like severe radiation bursts... fatal to anyone without proper shielding. For Espers though... it's what first woke us up, disruptions to the aether from Oni-koru doing things with their technology; it's all aether based. The shockwave woke me up, but it didn't cause the crater. It was supposed to use the aether disruption to merge the local space with its pocket dimension, basically teleporting everything inside it into the surrounding area. So it didn't make the crater. I did."
"How so?"
Aiden shook his head; his eyes were shining with unshed tears, but his expression was steady. "I didn't mean to. When it hit our car, mom and dad were in front watching the ship fly overhead. All the first attacks happened at the same time so we didn't know what we were seeing. Then it flashed when it flew by, and... they died. Moira hugged me right before it happened, like she knew something bad was coming. She was my big sister." He took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled through his nose. It reminded Rarity of Twilight's calming exercise. "But when the shockwave hit me, and I woke up to my powers... I reversed the gravity drive's activation. It was instinct; and I can't do something on that scale anymore, because I'd have nowhere to put it."
"I'm... not sure what you mean by that."
"In that instant, I created my own pocket dimension. It's the same size as the gravity drive's capacity, which would be classified but anyone can measure that crater. It's almost 324 meters across, centered on where I was. It's not much of a crater though, as you know. I didn't take in much of the ground so it's not nearly as deep as it is wide, or high. It's like a dome. But I sucked in everything around me, and then the drive activated and deployed the soldiers to the area. From what they told me it all happened in less than a second. I was delirious and don't remember. I killed all the soldiers by distorting space around them, basically pulling parts of them into the pocket dimension I had made. But I don't remember doing that, either."
"I... see." The interviewer looked decidedly nonplussed. "While I and many of our viewers were already aware of some of these details, the specifics are certainly a lot to take in. I thank you again for sharing this with us. If I may... what did you do with this 'pocket dimension' you created that day?"
"Nothing. It's still a part of me. I can't get rid of it any more than you could pull out your own bones." Aiden sounded a bit angry now, not that Rarity could blame him. "I can use the space, but I can't go into specifics because they're classified."
The interviewer took a sharp breath. "I... understand. But, Aiden, if it's still a part of you, what became of your family?"
Aiden's jaw clenched as he pursed his lips firmly together. "I'm not a computer. It's not... that clean. I can't just reach in and grab whatever I want. Even if I think I know where it is, it's not that simple. They're... all still in there. Dead. Every single person who died where the crater formed is inside my head right now. And they always will be."
Rarity gasped, covering her muzzle with both hooves as she stared in horror at the screen.
"I'm... I'm sorry. Information of this sort has been very difficult to obtain and verify. We had no idea. ...I... no, that's more than enough for now. Turn off the camera, please." The video ended there, and Rarity let out a shuddering breath.
And then shrieked when a hand landed gently on her withers. She twisted away from the touch, landing sideways on the couch and looking up...
At a wryly smiling Aiden. "Sorry about that," who was apologizing for some ridiculous reason.
"What? Oh no no no, I'm the one who's-"
"Shh, nah. That's Youtube. Believe me, anything on there's public knowledge, for better or worse." Aiden waved off her sputtering apology attempts. "That interview, and others like it, were highly publicized even before Youtube was a thing. Wouldn't be fair to keep it a secret from you when basically the whole world's seen it. It was a long time ago anyway; people really didn't know much about Espers back then. The stories like that one helped generate sympathy and bridge gaps. I uhh... didn't exactly enjoy it at the time, but looking back it was a good thing that they were made."
"Did... did you find a way to... get rid of... ahh, I'm sorry."
Aiden's smile became distant, but didn't vanish. "That space is still there. 323 meters across, 162 high, roughly. I didn't dig up much of the ground to suck in, but it's a few meters worth, anyway. Going in there is how I do those teleport hops. I can go in and come out anywhere within that 162 meter radius. Actually, 161.8, but yeah. Anyone within that radius in the real world is within my ability's range; I can force them into that world by opening a portal and distorting aetheric forces to suck them through. But that's assuming they can't correct the distortion themselves, as most mid-tier and higher Oni soldiers could. I can pull them back out the same way... but everything I took in on that first day is stationary. I can't find a way to... sort of grab it, I guess. The aetheric forces inside aren't safe to non-Espers, and I'm not asking an Esper to go in there and grab bodies to pull out. It hits too close to home for us. I haven't done it myself for the same reason. Well that and I can't stay inside too long. Setting aside the joys of traumatic flashbacks," he grimaced as though remembering experiencing a few, "it's an odd sort of strain, like a resonance, the longer I stay in there. I guess it makes some kind of sense; I'm literally pulling my physical existence into a plane of space that exists inside my own soul, or something."
"When I get home, I'll ask Twilight about it. If anypony could explain something like that..."
"Wouldn't hurt to compare notes, that's for sure."
"Agreed. Also..." and Rarity hopped up and hugged him tightly.
He chuckled. "I told you it was fine."
"It's not a pity hug, Aiden. It's an 'I'm sorry I peeked into your life without permission even though I learned something that gave me a newfound respect and admiration for you along with a powerful desire to hug you' hug. As Pinkie Pie calls it, a number 47."
Aiden blinked, snerked, and returned the hug. "That's quite specific."
"Yes, she's a surprisingly detail oriented mare. I hope you can meet her as well... assuming I can pull you away from Twilight long enough for additional introductions." She pulled away from the hug with a thoughtful expression, tapping her chin with a hoof. "Although... thinking about it... if you did come to Equestria, Pinkie would probably greet you first somehow. She'd find a way."
"I'll keep an eye out for her, then. In the meantime, anything on the agenda? I assume they'd contact us through the tablet, so..."
"Ahh, yes. I received a message about joining the others in the compound for an early dinner in about an hour. I was going to wake you soon, actually. General Grumman said to expect about twenty people, and asked about my dietary preferences."
"Yeah... probably doesn't want anything that might offend you at the table, especially since it's going to be your turn to give interviews."
"I assumed as much. I told him not to worry; like most ponies I don't care for meat, but I'm not so squeamish as to be taken aback by others eating it. I do associate with the occasional griffin and dragon, after all." She paused briefly. "Well... not that Spike eats meat, but my point remains. Ah, and my father is an avid angler, unusual for a unicorn but not unheard of. As such I long ago acquired a taste for various fish, which Grumman assures me will be made available. Given the quality of breakfast, I'm truly looking forward to it. I don't believe I've had halibut before."
"It's a good choice. Definitely try it if he's offering. Heck, I'll probably get that myself."
"I shall trust your recommendation then. Now then, go get cleaned up, so I can do the same. Don't take too long; I may need a bit of time, just in case."
Aiden raised an eyebrow. "You look fine. You've just been out here sitting this whole time. And I just woke up. Teeth need brushed, but that's about..." he trailed off at Rarity's deadpan expression. "Right! I'll just, go get cleaned up."
Rarity beamed at him, "Thank you, darling! I'll be right behind you." |
Back and There Again | 7. Dinner and a Show and Tell | They went to the dining room together. Much like the rest of the base it was more posh than Rarity would have expected. The long table was of a rich mahogany, solidly constructed and covered with a deep red cloth. The floor and walls matched with the darker theme and gave the room a decidedly un-military feel. Several people were already seated, all wearing casual dress clothing. For her part, Rarity had worn a simple but elegant black dress that she'd found amongst her wide ranging options. The basic supplies Donovan had dropped off the previous night had been more than enough to alter the dress for a proper fit. All in all she was glad she'd let Aiden talk her out of the black gloves (not socks, those were for the hind legs, thank you); she might have been overdressed at that point.
Speaking of Aiden, she'd managed to get him into something decent looking, or so she felt, with a bit of cajoling. She'd had enough internet time to know a casual suit versus the sweats he probably would have worn. Not that it was difficult to home in on since clothing styles were surprisingly similar here to back in Equestria, and so a dark grey suit that favored his eyes came together in short order. He pulled it off rather well if she did say so herself.
Grumman greeted them both with a smile. "Miss Rarity, Aiden. Thank you for joining us. To those assembled, we'll make introductions when everyone's here, but for now you all know our guest of honor, and her honor guard." He grinned at Aiden at the last part.
Who chuckled wryly. "Hey, I'm just here for the food."
"Well, I hope our chef won't disappoint. The two of you can take your seats at that end of the table there," as said as he pointed towards the head of the table and the seat directly right of it. "Miss Rarity, if the seat doesn't work for your stature, we'll find something else."
"Oh, I'm sure it's fine," she gave Grumman a bright smile and nod by way of thanks. "Oh, and thank you very much, such a gentlecolt!" she grinned up at Aiden, who'd pulled the chair out for her. She hopped nimbly onto it and turned to face the table, all eyes on her as he situated her chair. "Yes, this is lovely, thank you."
He sat down as well, raising an eyebrow. "Gentle... colt? I'm not sure about the translators sometimes."
"The software is highly adaptive, and partially based on technology we've stolen from the Onis. We supplemented the language data from my family's heirloom with their linguistic database as well. It's bound to have a few quirks, but frankly it's worked better than we could have hoped." Grumman grinned at Aiden. "It certainly helps that you have chatted up the fair lady so consistently since your first meeting."
"Oh, yes," Rarity chimed in with a similar smile. "Not that I've minded. Even setting aside my previous accommodations, he's a fine roommate. He carried me to bed yesterday after we dozed off together on the couch."
Aiden snerked. "What can I say? Just channeling my inner Kirk."
Rarity blinked. "Kirk?"
Another person at the table laughed. "Tell her to google Kirk and alien babes. She'll get the idea."
Rarity tilted her head at the new speaker. "I... can hear you, you know. So tell me, who is this Kirk?"
Suddenly on the spot, the man's eyes widened as he looked around for support. Despite a few more people making their way into the room, he found none. "Uh... I thought the translator only picked up the General and Aiden, since... umm... okay yeah I don't know why I thought that. Wait, it picks up everything? Isn't that going to be tough when everyone's here?"
"The software detects when she's being addressed based on several factors. As I said, adaptive and partially based on advanced alien software," Grumman replied. "Now then, Private, answer the lady."
"Uh... yes, sir," he replied with a sheepish grin. "I'm Private Aaron Cooper, by the way. Uhh... you really can just google it, but Kirk is a fictional character, a ship captain known for... exploring outer space and... getting along with alien ladies."
Rarity giggled. "'Getting along with' he says. I'm a full grown mare, darling; you don't need foal language. That said..." she looked over at Aiden with a predatory grin, "Getting along with me in that context will require the massage."
"Only if I get another nuzzle out of it."
"More than fair."
Private Cooper looked between them and snorted. "Get a room, damn."
"We have one."
"We have one."
Several people laughed, including Rarity and Aiden, at the simultaneous reply.
"And then in comes Princess Luna, fresh as a daisy, with 'Did I miss anything?'"
Most of the assembled soldiers and technicians laughed, the rest at least had smiles for Rarity's (probably slightly exaggerated) tale of The Canterlot Siege/Royal wedding.
"You really took on giant bugs by punching them in the face?" This from one of the techs she'd seen that morning, monitoring Aiden's training. He was grinning, and his tone seemed only mildly disbelieving, more amused.
She fluffed her mane with one hoof. "Certainly, darling. I didn't have my fabric shears on me." That got a few more chuckles. "Though I'd hardly call them giant, they were about the same size as us."
"Yeah well, I'm sorry but if we're talking bugs that's way too big. A spider the size of a quarter is too big, thank you."
Rarity chuckled. "Honestly they look as much like ponies as bugs. I didn't really mind their appearance... not that it stayed consistent, now that I say that. Anyway my friends were far more impressive. I don't even want to guess at the internal mechanics of a party cannon, but it was effective even just shooting confetti!"
"I vote we solve all conflicts with fist fights and confetti cannons from now on," a soldier Rarity hadn't seen before the dinner added, getting another round of laughs.
It'd been a lovely dinner, Rarity decided. The halibut had indeed been exquisite, as had the salad that preceded it. She'd never had apple cider vinaigrette before, mostly because cider was too highly demanded to make it into anything but a mug back in Ponyville. Still, maybe she could get Applejack to make some for her as a special request.
"Okay so we've been watching you eat with telekinesis this whole time. Why use a fork at all?" Aaron asked.
"Well, it's not quite equivalent of course, but using my magic to lift food directly would be like... eating that cauliflower with your hands."
"Hey, I've done worse."
"I have no response to that, darling."
"Didn't merit one."
"Miss Rarity, if I could ask... what do you plan to do about your treatment at Veritech labs?"
Rarity blinked in surprise. The woman who'd spoken hadn't said a word through dinner since introducing herself as Sergeant Lily Vualez. Rarity had gotten an odd vibe off of her, but hadn't thought much of it at the time. A few of the humans were a little uncomfortable about her at first. It was understandable; she was an alien and their experience there had been less than kind. Most of that seemed to have eroded as the meal progressed, but...
"I'm... sorry. 'Do about it?' What would I?" Rarity asked, peering with confusion at Lily as the table went deathly silent.
She was a dark complected woman with long, black hair, but most notable in that moment were her piercing brown eyes. They seemed to almost glow with a golden light in the intensity of her gaze. "If General Grumman is correct, and we're able to get you home, I'd like to know what retaliation you'll seek against your captors. What retribution you'll want for the humiliations you suffered at the hands of humans."
Rarity inhaled sharply as she realized what she was feeling. That gaze wasn't just intense... Lily had magic. She hadn't mentioned being an Esper... but that didn't matter just then. "Miss Vualez, I have no interest in retribution. No lasting harm was done. And I work in the fashion industry back home. Believe me, I've suffered far worse, far more public, humiliations than anything that happened at Veritech. I can assure you that anything I have to say about humanity when I return home will be positive, and focused on the friends who helped me when I was lost and alone."
Lily's eyes narrowed, as though she were trying to find something wrong with that. "You just seem too good to be true. Sounds to me like you're being too generous about what happened. I think you're covering your real feelings so we'll help you, and then you'll turn on us."
Aiden snorted. "Sounds to me like you're projecting."
"No, you're too trusting! Look at the two of you! You get along like you've known each other for years. Windborne, how do you know you're not being manipulated by her magic?"
Flinching in surprise, Aiden tilted his head to glare at Lily. "That's a serious accusation."
Rarity shook her head. "Also preposterous. Even if I had that sort of magic, and I don't, it's outside my area of expertise-"
"So you say."
"You'd be able to see it!"
Lily stopped whatever she'd been about to continue saying. "...What?"
"If there were magic flowing between us, you'd be able to see it. I couldn't back home, but magic flows very differently here; it's easy to see."
"I... I don't..."
"Uhh, Rarity, Espers can see magic like you're describing, but normal humans can't, so she-"
"But, Aiden, she is an Esper. I can see her magic swirling about. It's like a cloak wrapped tightly around her."
Aiden jerked back towards Lily as though he'd been slapped. The rest of the table had inched away from her. Grumman had his hand on his cane, and was staring her down.
The General spoke first. "Sergeant Vualez?"
"She's lying, sir. Like she's lying to everyone here." Lily snarled, eyes burning into Rarity. Despite that, she'd gone quite pale.
"No." Donovan spoke up.
Grumman raised an eyebrow. "Knight Trellis?"
Donovan was glaring at Lily. "I wouldn't have noticed either, if Rarity hadn't said something. But you know how it is with illusions. Once you know they're there... she's an Esper, sir; I can see it now, too. Windborne wouldn't notice it, he's got too much background noise in his head."
"So many voices, and they all tell me to burn things." Aiden joked, but his face was deadly serious as he stared at Lily.
Rarity swallowed against a suddenly dry throat. "Ahh... why's everyone so serious all of a sudden? She hid that she was an Esper and she's being a bit rude to me, but..."
"She's a spy, Miss Rarity," Grumman said, rising slowly from his seat. "There are no Espers that hold normal military ranks. And Lily Vualez is no Esper; I've known her for eight years. As such, this isn't Sergeant Lily Vualez. And so... I would very much like to know where Lily Vualez is, and who you are, young lady. I don't know what you thought you'd accomplish here, but-"
She started to throw a hand towards him, crackling with energy, before vanishing into a distortion that Rarity had recently become familiar with.
Grumman blinked in surprise. "Excellent reflexes, Knight Lt. Windborne."
"Thank you, sir, but I'm just batting clean up here. If Rarity and Donovan hadn't noticed her..." Aiden looked shaken. Rarity gently touched his arm, getting a weak smile from him. His magic was channeling constantly now for some reason, and his focus seemed distant.
"I do appreciate team efforts. Speaking of... Valerie, I want Lily's room searched. Any clue as to when the impostor took her place. Cooper, Henson, Ferguson, Trellis, search the compound, top to bottom. If Sergeant Vualez is tied up somewhere I want her found and released. If her body is found... either way, notify me at once. The rest of you, dismissed to your stations, high alert. She may have back up out there and I want no one in or out of the compound until further notice!"
A chorus of 'yes, sir!'s signalled the abrupt end of dinner. Rarity sighed in dismay. "What just happened?"
Grumman looked fearsome as she glanced over at him for answers, and she instinctively scooted over in her chair, closer to Aiden. "Mr. Windborne and I are about to get some answers to that. I assume your guest is enjoying herself?"
Aiden snorted. "I think she threw up. I've been tossing her around in there to keep her off balance, a new gate in a new direction every second. I may or may not have bounced her off a few things... just a little."
"That's a bit excessive, darling..."
"Oh, not too hard. And beyond insulting you she may have killed one our people here, and I assume she had plans to do more."
"But why would a spy confront me and draw attention to herself?"
Aiden frowned. It was a good question. "Well... she didn't know you'd be able to sense her magic. She was hiding it well enough that Donovan didn't notice her; she clearly has training in doing that. Hiding from me doesn't mean much. I uhh... don't actually hear voices, mind you. But my pocket dimension sort of... creates an echo of background noise. It's not an exact metaphor, but basically it's like I can't sense others working with magic because I have an entire factory made of the stuff thrumming away in my head. I have to be very close to sense anything. And speaking of close... I've had enough of bouncing her around. Let's get better acquainted. General, where to for this?"
"Frankly, Mr. Windborne, right here is fine. I don't know how much of the compound she's seen already; I have no intention of showing her even one more room. Drop her in the corner there, and hold her. Miss Rarity, you may want to go back to your room. This will likely be unpleasant."
Rarity shook her head, eyes steely. "I'll stay, unless you're insisting. She put herself at risk to verbally attack me. I want to know why."
Grumman stared at her a moment before nodding. "Very well then. Mr. Windborne?"
"Right." Rarity felt the distortion again as 'Lily' fell from a sudden shadow near the ceiling and stopped just short of the floor, held in the burnt orange glow of Aiden's telekinesis. She looked much paler now, with blue eyes rather than brown, and a different facial structure. She also looked rather green. Rarity suspected, and the smell from her clothing confirmed, that that was the result of recent and sudden illness rather than normal skin tone.
She turned her head, with difficulty, to look at her captors. "I see you haven't lost a step, Windborne. I didn't even have time to change my magic from veil to shield. You owe me a new blouse."
Aiden was frowning as he looked at her. "...Vera?"
"I'm surprised you can remember, with that thing controlling your head."
Rarity grimaced. "Perhaps I should leave, after all, if it'll help her speak more freely."
Aiden shook his head. "Hell with that. She's going to talk. Because the Vera Elleway I knew went into a mental institution a year before the war ended, on her own volition. She's a second generation who can generate electricity. During our attack on the Cardinal Spires she was instrumental in destroying several key defensive points but exposed her mind to some really nasty stuff in the process." He looked at Vera, who was looking away guiltily. "Which might explain why you'd worry about mind control from an alien. But other than that... what the hell, Vera? We're not enemies here, talk to us."
"That remains to be seen, Mr. Windborne. I need to know Lily Vualez's status before I make that call." Grumman added in a no-nonsense tone.
"Sergeant Vualez is fine. She's drugged and sleeping in her room." Vera muttered, still not looking at them.
"Thank you, Miss Elleway."
"...You're welcome, General. I'm not here to hurt any humans."
"So keep talking," Aiden said. "Come on, it's me here. We both served under Paladin Williams during the war, we both went through all kinds of Hell. This subterfuge... what were you trying to accomplish?"
Vera sighed heavily through her nose. "I was in that institution until Colonel Owens came for me there. That was almost three years ago. No one else even came to visit." She said, glaring at Aiden.
"Um... actually I did. The doctors wouldn't let me see you. Err... it was just after the war ended though, and just the once... but... umm..." Aiden rubbed the back of his head, looking guilty. "Sorry, it just kind of slipped away from me back then. I wanted to move on from all that, but I shouldn't have left so many comrades out of my life. I'm sorry, Vera."
Vera grimaced. "You're the same sap you always were. Look, I don't really care about that, I just wanted to guilt you about it because... well you made me puke on myself. I went into that place to get help, and to get away from the war and everything about it. I didn't want to see anyone. But Colonel Owens convinced me otherwise. If he can really create Espers, a third generation... the rest of us can really, finally, be accepted and just live normal lives. Anyone who wants magic can get it; we won't have to be ostracized by what we can do. We won't have to be called on... when the next aliens come here." She stared at Rarity as she spoke those words.
"...Forgive me, darling, but do I really look like some scary invasion force?"
Vera continued staring, her jaw clenched as though trying to contain her anger. ".......UGH! This is such bullshit! Owens gets the perfect solution dropped into his lap, but no... she's too cute, so we're not allowed to use her!"
Grumman snorted. "You're not allowed to 'use' her because she's a sapient being and we're better than that. That's exactly why I oppose Owens to begin with. 'Anyone can get magic if they want it'... do you honestly think it'll be that simple? Owens wants a private army; he's not going to hand out power like that; he'll use those he gives it to as pawns for said army."
"That army could protect this world."
"So can the one we have."
Aiden cut in. "What I want to know is just how Rarity is the 'perfect solution' for him." Vera just looked at the floor. She was still floating a few inches above it. "Come on, Vera."
She sighed. "Well, she has natural magic, more a part of her than ours. The Onis were a dead end; they aren't compatible with us in any helpful way. But her... if we could find a way to remove her magic completely, study it, replicate it... If we removed her horn, drained her blood, maybe-"
Rarity gagged.
"Vera!" Aiden barked, sounding coldly, grimly furious. "You're talking about basically dissecting a sapient being! What the Hell!?" He was looking at their captive like he didn't know her.
"I'm talking about an alien, and a deceitful one at that! Our scientists refused to perform the more invasive tests, and their results kept getting botched or disappearing. In three weeks they learned almost nothing we could use! She was affecting their minds! It's the only explanation!"
"Actually, a lot of that was my own spy." Grumman added.
Vera blinked as the casual statement took the wind from her sails. "What?"
"You didn't know? Well, if you weren't directly involved in the labs you may not have noticed her." He sighed. "You weren't, were you? I imagine Owens had better uses for you than lab security. And my aide is well trained. Her public rank is a lie, part of her desire to not draw attention, after all. Her behavior as well, is almost all stagecraft. In fact, she and I are far more manipulative and less honest than Rarity here. As to the rest... I think they realized, with a bit of help from Valerie perhaps, that what they were doing wasn't right. We cannot allow the war with the Oni-koru to make us less than we are. Fate gave us a gift in bringing a potential ally to us, moreso one that we once knew, long ago. After learning that we aren't alone in the universe what more could we ask for?"
Vera squeezed her eyes shut. "I..."
Aiden shook his head. "You wanted an easy answer. Just this one sacrifice. It's not even human, so it's fine. Doesn't work that way. You don't escape demons by becoming one."
"That's how we fought them!" Vera choked, looking balefully at him through reddened eyes.
Aiden sighed. "For a time, yes. War is Hell, but we kept walking, even covered in the bloody mud. You know that. As we walked, we learned what we couldn't be." He smiled slightly. "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions..."
Vera sniffed. "Without them we wouldn't need the road. Aiden, my intentions-"
"Were good." he replied, sadly. "But you let yourself be alone. When Owens came to you, he talked you into merging yours with his. And his aren't... no matter how he sold them to you."
She nodded quickly, biting her lips as her jaw quivered. "General Grumman. I surrender myself to your custody. Please do with me as you will. Aiden... I'm sorry. ...Miss Rarity... I..."
Rarity smiled gently as Aiden released Vera, setting her gently on the floor. "That horn comment is going to give me nightmares. If you meet any other unicorns, please don't threaten them with that."
Vera winced slightly. "That! How... how are you so... I came here to take you back to Veritech. I had planned to grab you after everyone was winding down from dinner. But you were so... so... human! I couldn't stand it, everything Owens said about you... I thought you had to be deceiving us. Controlling Aiden, something! You couldn't be.... This... this..." She let out a long, shuddering breath. "I'm sorry, Rarity."
"I forgive you, Vera," she replied with a small smile. Aiden put a comforting hand on her withers.
Grumman nodded as he looked at his phone, which had quietly buzzed a couple times during the exchange. "Sergeant Vualez has indeed been found, exactly where you said she would be. Pending a medical examination to confirm she's not been harmed, I believe most of this incident can be overlooked. ...Eventually. For now, you will be confined to the punitive quarters in the basement." He snorted. "And here I thought we'd never have to use them."
Vera chuckled weakly. "I understand. You and Owens are both running your own little games. I'm going to disappear, aren't I?"
"I rather doubt it. For now you'll be enjoying the low end of my hospitality simply because I don't want Owens snatching you back up. We'll be accelerating our operations in that regard. When it's over you'll be brought up on proper charges and we'll go from there. I imagine, given your cooperation and circumstances, that things can go fairly painlessly for you. But that's assuming you behave yourself for awhile. Cool your heels, think about what got you here and how you want to defend your actions to a tribunal. ...I suggest you leave out the part about wanting to carve up a sapient being for parts and spare aether."
Rarity grimaced. "We could stop mentioning it all together; that would be just lovely."
Vera nodded, sniffing slightly. "I have a request, General."
"I'm listening."
"May I have a copy of the book about her world? I'm going to have a lot of time on my hands and I want to understand how there's an alien race you feel we can trust. I can see I got lost there... what I was thinking... I just wanted a way to fix it all, but... It was easy to see 'alien' and think it was okay to do whatever we needed to do. I... want to understand."
Grumman smiled. "I think I can arrange that." His phone buzzed again, and he glanced at it. "Valerie and I have some planning to do. Originally I thought we'd have more time. For Owens to move his Oni ship he'll need to procure a very large vehicle to haul it. There's no way he'd be stupid enough or desperate enough to move it under its own power. Or so I'd thought, but after this..."
"No, he won't just move it. He'll move it against you."
Grumman raised an eyebrow. "You can't be serious."
"I'm completely serious. He sent me to get Rarity back and planned to attack you with the refurbished Oni vessel. He was going to blame the attack on the new alien threat that arrived onboard via teleportation and took over the ship. He'd regain command by wresting it from the alien's control, killing her in the process. So the story would go."
"Hmph. Get public opinion on your side, minimize any backlash, and kill off the new alien without anyone asking for too many details, at least not until you'd accomplished all your goals. Not bad, Colonel... I didn't give you enough credit."
"Can we please stop killing me off in this conversation?" Rarity asked plaintively.
The door opened and Aaron Cooper and another whose name escaped Rarity stepped in. Grumman turned to them. "Escort Vera Elleway to the holding cell. Amicably, please. This has been a misunderstanding that we intend to clear up in time. For now, she's to be detained, not mistreated."
"I dunno, sir, thanks to her outburst I had a very good Irish coffee go cold on me."
Grumman snorted. "Follow your orders, private."
Cooper grinned, and saluted. "Sir, yes, sir! Come along, ma'am. And no magical funny business please... if Aiden has to save our asses and catch you for us, it'll look bad on my next review."
Vera actually smiled slightly. "We wouldn't want that. First though... Miss Rarity?"
Rarity shook her head. "You already apologized, darling."
"I know, but... I didn't know what you were. Not really, until dinner tonight. I didn't want to believe. I told myself whatever I could to..." she sighed, lowering her eyes. Tears hit the floor at her feet. "As a kid... I had a little unicorn doll. My mom bought it for me. It was... I took it everywhere. When I saw you tonight... I thought..." she shook her head. "Grumman says you're a gift from fate. I thought it was some cosmic joke. The universe having a laugh at me, reminding me what I'd lost. I was wrong. I'm sorry... I'm... I'm sorry."
Rarity crossed the distance between them, reared up, and put her forelegs around the shocked woman. "It's all right now. We're going to make sure of it. All of us. For both our worlds. I know it. Stop hurting yourself, Vera. It's going to be okay."
Vera wept openly, throwing her arms around the unicorn. |
Back and There Again | 8. Risks Worth Taking | "I don't get how he intended to use her as a scapegoat. I mean, who even knew about Rarity?" Aiden asked the assembled table. It consisted of those two, General Grumman, Corporal Martinovich, Sergeants Ferguson and Henson, and Knight Trellis.
"No one outside of Veritech labs and ourselves, but Owens has more than enough footage to put together whatever he wants to put forth as evidence." Grumman replied. "He gets a scapegoat who, according to his plan, can't gainsay his accusations, in addition to one whose evil intentions the public won't question. Naturally the aliens would want revenge against me personally, so if they found a way back to the surface past our defenses I would be a prime target. No one would question how they found me since most never fully knew their limitations."
"Uhh... no one's going to mistake Rarity for an Oni, sir."
"Naturally not. I assume Owens got the idea from her sudden appearance, but that doesn't mean he has to use it. He has more than enough Oni footage he can make work. He even has Oni bodies he can set up as this new threat, which he's stopped for the moment after a terrible, tragic loss here. He can blame any breakthroughs he gets from her captured body-"
"Still we are talking about my salvaged corpse. It just isn't going away, is it?"
Grumman grimaced sympathetically. "Hopefully quite soon, Miss Rarity. As I was saying, he can blame new breakthroughs on the new alien presence. He can also use it to obtain more funding and volunteers. But that was before Vera Elleway saw the way he was manipulating her and surrendered herself, giving us vital information. Information we will be moving on, tonight. Everyone assembled here will be taking part in the operation-"
"The Hell you say?" Aiden said with a cocked eyebrow. He glanced surreptitiously at Rarity before returning his gaze to the General.
"-if they so choose. ...Knight Lieutenant, while I am lax in discipline compared to probably any other Marine officer you will ever meet, I do not appreciate interruptions."
Aiden sighed through his nose, composing himself. "I apologize, sir; I was out of line. However, am I understanding correctly that you want Rarity to take part in this? Heroic stories of bug fights and dragon hoard robbery attempts aside, she's a civilian."
"Aiden, do I get a say in this?" Rarity asked, tilting her head at him and looking slightly put out.
Aiden stared at her a moment, carefully assuming a neutral expression. "Military humor tends to be a bit dark, so no the corpse joke probably isn't going away for awhile, but that doesn't mean we want to see you in harm's way for any reason."
"Nor I you, darling. But that's where we are at the moment. If the General thinks I can help, he has a good reason and I'm quite willing to hear him out. You heard him, 'if they so choose'. I want to know what I'm choosing."
Aiden grimaced, but nodded. He didn't like this, but he wasn't the tactician. And he had no right to tell her she couldn't hear the briefing no matter how he felt about it. "...Sorry. I'm done making an ass of myself. For now."
Rarity smiled lightly and rubbed his shoulder with a hoof. "I know why you're saying it; don't apologize."
Grumman cleared his throat. "Since that's clearly going to be the focus of curiosity, I'll explain why I believe Rarity's participation in this mission will be crucial. And why, Aiden, I'll be trusting you to keep her safe so she can do her part."
"Yes, sir."
"As you recently discovered, but Valerie and I have known for some time, Rarity's aetheric perception exceeds that of an Esper. And by that I mean any Esper; Paladin Williams himself can't sense magic as distantly as she can. The explanation isn't clear, besides the obvious 'screw the rules, she's a unicorn'. We are also aware that she is physically on par with any of the human soldiers at this table in terms of strength and speed. Her durability and stamina are considerably higher, more on par with average Esper baseline."
Aaron Cooper raised a hand. "How do you know that, sir?"
Valerie fielded the question. "During her three weeks at Veritech I was posing as assistant lead medical researcher. I ran her through a number of tests to determine her physical and magical capabilities. Partially to stall off anything more invasive, but also to learn about her." Valerie grinned sheepishly at Rarity. "You are an alien, after all."
The mare just chuckled. "It's fine, darling. You almost certainly saved my life. Running me on a giant hamster wheel is a small price to pay."
Valerie winced just the same. "I forced a kind, intelligent being to run on a hamster wheel..." she muttered, looking a bit dazed.
Grumman cleared his throat again. "The point is, based on her physical performance, reaction times, and unique perception, I consider her an important part of this mission. That is, if you accept, Miss Rarity?"
"I do, General. I really hated the notion of sitting here while you went out to fight on my behalf. Granted you're protecting yourselves as well, but taking that ship will certainly be harder than just destroying it, and I was the catalyst for his current plans."
Aiden sighed and shook his head. "Permission to speak freely?"
Grumman nodded. "Let's get it out of the way."
Aiden nodded and turned to Rarity. "Are you insane?!"
Her eyes widened, then narrowed. Her head tilted as she waited for him to continue, but the sharp exhale through her muzzle spoke louder than words.
Nonetheless he pressed on. "Look, I'm not knocking your magical abilities or your physical ones. If Grumman says you're up to snuff, then it's true. But that's not the same as being trained for this. Owens might avoid trying to shoot you on sight, but only for so long. This is going to get ugly, and despite your history you're not a soldier." He grimaced. "You're an artist, a designer. You make the world; we protect it, and you." Her eyes softened a bit as he spoke. "That's how this works. Please, I can't order you to stay here. But have you really thought this through?"
Rarity sighed, any traces of anger fading away. But still she shook her head. "I'm sorry. I trust the ones who've saved me this far. If Grumman needs my help for this, if you do, I want to give that help. I trust you to protect me when I'm there. I know it might be more difficult, but if it wasn't worth it he wouldn't suggest it, would he?"
Aiden looked around the table for support, but it seemed no one wanted to jump into this. He asked anyway. "Donovan?"
Donovan Trellis shook his head. "I hear what you're saying, Aiden. Really, I get it. But if she hadn't spotted out Vera, where would we be right now? That wasn't Vera's talent; that was something Owens set up. His tech hid an Esper's magic from us; he's come that far. We need her eyes on this. We're all in this, whether we like it or not. And it's not as bad as you're making it out to be. This isn't a standard op, and even if it was... You could probably protect her from any mundane forces. Owens doesn't have any Espers that can counter you when you're anticipating a fight. And I'll be there to knock down any walls or artillery he might have, and smash our way into that ship of his." He grinned. "Rarity's our rogue. She finds the traps, we blow them up while covering her. We go in without her, we risk stepping on something really nasty."
Aiden sighed. Betrayed by a fellow Esper, for the second time today, at that.
Grumman spoke up. "Aiden," he said, surprisingly gently, "What was my nickname during the war?"
With a wince, Aiden replied, "That's not fair."
"What was it?"
"...Albus."
Rarity tilted her head. "I... don't get it."
"Albus is the name of a headmaster at a fictional school for human wizards. Supposedly very wise and very powerful and so forth, but mostly in the books he seems to sit back and let children in the school take a lot of deadly risks. There's more to it, but... General Albert Grumman was often sarcastically called 'Albus Grumman' for his role in bringing Espers to the frontlines when the war began."
Grumman nodded. "It's a mantle I accept. There'll be a special place in Hell for me to burn when it's all said and done. I regretted that it was necessary, but not that I did it. I knew, seeing what we were up against, what would be required. Our soldiers, across the world, could not fight the Oni without magical assistance. Not at first, not for years until we'd modified our tactics, training, and equipment, all while equally focused on surviving and protecting everyone we could. The Espers held the line in those first years, at a terrible price to themselves, and to every one of us who sent children out to die for the sake of the world. Ten thousand First Generation Espers are believed to have awoken, if not more. Less than one hundred remain. We don't know why no more awoke after those first few months. Were I a man of God, I might believe He stopped sending us guardian angels after seeing how we treated them. But it was enough, and humanity survived. Have you ever questioned that price, Aiden?"
Aiden took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "No, sir. It's where our mantra came from. Your good intentions paved our way to Hell, but they kept the Earth from becoming Hell. We'll walk that road with you again whenever you call. You knew that; that's why you maneuvered me nearby. But Rarity-"
"Is just as needed, just as capable, and far more well protected, than any of those poor children I sent to die. And she won't be up against Oni. This isn't a repeat of the war, far from it. And this time I want to avoid any casualties. As such I'm applying low risk to everyone instead of moderate risk to most of you, because I believe it is the safest route, and the one most likely to succeed. Keep in mind too, failure means an Oni vessel comes here. Odds are the weapons barely work, but if he just remote smashes it into the mountain, we all die."
"Not if she's here. He won't risk killing her in a way that won't leave a corpse."
"Corpse, corpse, corpse..." Rarity muttered ruefully.
"I'm sorry, but he will. He's already failed to acquire her; he almost certainly knows Vera's failed by now. He won't wait around for us to come to him. I have, at the least, two powerful combat Espers to send at him. Even if he took you both down, Veritech would almost certainly be in shambles as would the vessel. He can't take that risk since it leaves him with no resources while I blow the whistle on his activities before he's ready with a scapegoat. And now we have Vera, whom he needs to silence. We have to assume he'll cut his losses. He can't launch that ship and take it elsewhere. There isn't a military on Earth that wouldn't blow it out of the sky at this point. He has to move against us, so we counter-punch before his attack can even land."
Aiden sighed. He was the only one objecting, and he still didn't like it. But he couldn't argue with Grumman's reasoning. "Alright. I'm on board. Rarity. You do what I say, when I say, no questions asked. We don't even have time to run you through basic stuff, so I hope the invasion and adventure stories from dinner weren't exaggerations. Donovan is our heavy hitter, I'm defending us, and getting us there and back. You'll be on the lookout for any magical shenanigans the enemy tries. Call out anything suspicious as soon as you notice it so we'll have time to counter it. Valerie will be assisting you in looking out for tech based traps and giving us intel for infiltration. Cooper, Ferguson, and Henson will be handling our flanks-"
Rarity snickered.
"...What? Anyway, that's the basics of what we're doing. General, sir, the specifics?"
Grumman nodded, looking pleased that Aiden had finally seized the initiative. "You'll all be going in on foot, or rather via Aiden's travel method. Knight Trellis, I assume you can shield the human members well enough for the intermittent exposure to Aiden's pocket 'verse?"
"Should be no problem, it's not even technically needed at the rate we're cycling through it. Exposure doesn't build fast enough."
"Just in case, assuming it doesn't drain your reserves too excessively."
"Yes, sir."
"You're going to infiltrate the vessel itself. Valerie can get you aboard using what we've deciphered from the Command Crystal Rarity accidentally provided. Those codes can't be changed with our level of understanding; Owens can't stop you from using them if you get there. Trellis, that's your primary ingress, no boom. Barring that, I'd prefer Windborne attempt to get you inside via portal jump, assuming he can see a way in. Barring that... boom is Plan C."
"One hull breach, ready and waiting."
"Valerie can get you into the compound and to the hanger without using magic, ideally. I don't deem that likely but aetheric fluctuations will trigger alarms, so once you're outside the compounds do things the old fashioned way for as long as possible. That's where Rarity and Valerie are going to be most useful. We already know that Rarity doesn't trigger alarms via her perceptions. Valerie tested that when they were still there. Sergeant Henson, you'll be Valerie's cover for this. If she's busy disarming anything or bypassing security, you are her overwatch.
Talia Henson nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Sergeant Ferguson, Private Cooper, you will support Donovan and Aiden, respectively. Cooper, I expect you to keep a sharp eye on Rarity, who should be with Aiden at all times.. If she jumps for any reason, I expect you to see why, and fix it before Aiden has to. Get them as close as you can to the ship before anyone uses active magic."
Aaron Cooper nodded, as had Samuel Ferguson seconds prior.
"Um..."
"Yes, Miss Rarity?"
"I... don't understand what we're doing exactly. We get to the ship, and then what?"
Grumman chuckled. "Right, I guess you wouldn't know. You get to the ship, hopefully with minimal casualties on both sides," Rarity grimaced at hearing that, "and Valerie disables the ship's aetheric stabilizers. They're basically shields to prevent outside magical interference. Aiden can punch through those shields if needed, and Donovan certainly can, but we don't want to punch the ship. We want to steal it. For that, Aiden will absorb it into his pocket 'verse."
Rarity's eyes widened. "You can do that?!"
Aiden nodded. "Opening a portal that size takes longer, and a lot of energy. With the shields intact there's no way I can pull it off; it'll just sit there next to the portal I open. Moving it with telekinesis won't work for the same reason. It's a little big for us to physically push in, and firing up the engines would take longer than killing the shields. But without the shields, it's basically a big hunk of metal; I can manage. If it were a capital ship, forget it. This is a command craft, designed for a dozen or so VIPs to travel in style. An Oni private jet, pretty much. Perfect for our needs if we can get it up and running."
"I see. You mentioned casualties, General?"
Grumman nodded. "I'm hoping to avoid them, but that's likely a pipe dream. If that's a problem for you, say so now. No one will think less of you; if anything Windborne will be relieved."
She shook her head, sighing as she did so. "If I go, and can speed this along and keep us getting noticed even a minute longer, it's a minute we don't spend fighting. A minute with no casualties. If we have to fight... it's for the right reasons." She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I've seen enough to know that I can't sit back while others go out to do the right thing. Aiden's right, I'm no soldier and I don't want to kill anyone. But I am not going to wait around while others kill because of me. I can't." Aiden nodded as she spoke. He still had misgivings, but he couldn't argue that. He'd have felt the same way. He'd just have to make damn sure none of the casualties were on their side.
Grumman continued. "I understand, Miss Rarity, and I respect your resolve. I'll have one last thing to keep you safe out there, before you leave." He addressed them all. "Owens will not let this go without a fight, but once you have the ship that fight isn't your problem. Get out, and head back this way. Aiden's travel method is nearly invincible without massive aetheric stabilizers set up in his path. On the off chance Owens has those we'll be taking them out for you."
"Assuming this all goes well, what happens next?" Henson asked.
"With the loss of Vera Elleway and the Oni ship, Owens will have no realistic way of retaliating without digging his own grave. Sending her at us was a major risk; make no mistake that if she'd escaped with Rarity he could have launched immediately and this would be far uglier. Instead, we have a window while he waits as long as he can in the hopes of gaining-"
"Don't say it!" Rarity snapped.
Grumman chuckled. "My apologies, Miss Rarity. It wasn't my intention to beat a dead horse."
She facehoofed with a groan that was shared around the table. Aiden had no idea how that had translated, but clearly it'd gotten the point across.
Grumman was still smiling as he offered his cane to her. "Miss Rarity, if you would, take this with you."
Aaron Cooper grinned. "It's dangerous to go alone..."
Rarity tilted her head as she looked at it. Her horn lit and her magic gently took the cane. Her eyes went wide. "This is..."
"My family's tome is only one of two artifacts from Equus we've managed to keep safe through the centuries. The aetheryte hidden within that cane is the other. With it, an ordinary human like myself can utilize magic through sheer willpower, if only briefly. I've used it to make a shield on several occasions over the years. An Equus native, however..."
Rarity was shaking her head in wonder. "A corrupted piece of aetheryte comprises the power source for a particularly evil amulet back home. But pure aetheryte..."
"Draw it, Miss Rarity."
"Draw...?" Her telekinesis unsheathed the blade hidden in the cane. It was well-polished but dull, and Rarity didn't recognize the metal.
Embedded in the base of the blade above where the crosspiece would be was a long, jagged gem. It was glowing a dim blue, matching her magical aura.
"The blade isn't sharp because I don't attack with it. Nor will you, I expect. But Joyeuse will serve you well, and keep you safe almost as surely as Aiden will."
"I... I don't know what to say, General. This is priceless, back home pure aetheryte of this size would be unheard of. I..." she looked at him, seeing the look of pride and utter contentment at giving away such an incalculable gift. She recognized that look. As the Bearer of Generosity, how could she not? "I accept. Thank you. I promise I'll return it."
"Indeed you will. You'll return it to Princess Celestia one day, with my compliments. For now, dismissed. You all have a ship to catch." |
Back and There Again | 9. Storming the Castle | They'd be gathering just outside Grumman's base (Rarity felt it needed some sort of name... Fort Friendship? Eh, working title) in one hour, after getting kitted up.
For her part, this had meant a few minutes staring cockeyed at barding that had been set out for her. It had lightweight armor plates built into a tough fabric Rarity didn't quite recognize, other than that it was synthetic. Another minute to put it on, surprisingly. It was sized quite well for being so form fitting... suspiciously well... dammit, Valerie. Some of those measurements were not to be taken without permission! On the other hoof, the barding was surprisingly comfortable after just a couple minor adjustments, so Rarity decided not to make issue of it. Instead, a touch of magic pulled the dark grey hood up over her mane (the sacrifices one must make in the service of good...) and attached the earbud that was wired into the suit's communication system. In Rarity's case this of course included two way translation. The order of the day in that regard was 'short and simple'. The extra time waiting for long translations could be deadly, but short messages were very nearly no delay.
The rest of her time was spent communing with Joyeuse. Though she had no direct experience with wearing the Alicorn Amulet, and no plans to ever change that, she could only (safely) assume this was entirely different, and quite soothing. The crystal would do little to strengthen her the way the Amulet would, since it had no dark magic to draw from her very soul, but it also wouldn't corrupt her for the same reason. That said, a little could go a long way, and it wasn't just the enhancement that made the gem worthwhile.
Harmony. She could feel it thrumming in her veins, like a song of battle wiping away her lingering uncertainties. She felt courage and resolve flowing through her. Yet there was a peace about it. Was this the serenity her old self defense instructor had spoken of? If so, she should have stayed with the class longer. Flying Kick had definitely been onto something. Joyeuse was happy to be with her; together they could do this. It wouldn't just be Aiden protecting her; they could all look out for each other. She knew it wasn't overconfidence talking, rather a lack of doubt. But speaking of Aiden...
He'd emerged from his own preparations in similar shape. His outfit was form fitting and armored much like her own. He carried two long, thin clubs on his back, which the translator had called canes. They didn't look like canes... they looked like bats, if somepony wanted a thinner bat they could swing faster. They were definitely larger and heavier than Joyeuse, which was after all a cane sword that resembled a rapier. Frankly, she hoped neither of them would have to use the weapons, but doubted her luck would hold up that well.
He glanced down at her, and gave her a small smile. She'd come to recognize it as his 'that's cute but I'm trying to be cool about it'. He fooled nopony. "The hoodie looks surprisingly good on you."
Rarity snorted in amusement. "Lies. Covering this fabulous mane so completely is a crime against fashion. One more thing Colonel Owens must answer for."
"Heh. Just remember this isn't a punitive mission. We're there to steal your ride home and get out. Leave Owens to our backup. Once we start taking the shields down on the ship, it'll be at least a minute for me to get to finish the job. During that time they will be coming for us, assuming we even avoid detection that long. If not... eyes on the prize. We make our way to the ship, defend Valerie as long as she needs to disable the shields, and then defend me as I open a portal large enough to encompass the ship. Once I drop us off in my pocket 'verse, I can use a normal sized portal back out for us and leave it in there."
"I thought the things you left in there couldn't be moved any more?"
He shook his head. "Nah, that's just the stuff I absorbed on that first time. Anything else, if I can find it, I can grab it. The ship will be easy to find in there; even without the shields up it has a noticeable aether pulse from its reactor."
"I see." She more or less did, but she felt she'd understand better when she saw the thing.
"You're sure you want to go through with this? It's not just about you getting hurt. We're going to try not to kill anyone but I absolutely cannot promise anything. And if I noticed one thing missing from your stories at dinner..."
"I've never killed anypony," he smirked at hearing that, for whatever reason. "I know. If it comes down to them or me, I know my choice is already made. As is theirs, for siding with him. It'd be lovely to give them all the chance to change sides, the way Vera did, but we had no chance to offer that to the changelings in Canterlot. I accept that there's no such chance here. You can count on me, Knight Lieutenant!" She saluted sharply.
He flushed slightly and turned away, muttering something her translator picked up as 'mutter mutter cute mutter mutter felony.'
"Alright, folks, fall in!" Donovan exclaimed in a parade voice. "First things first... hand or hoof in the air if you've traveled with Aiden Airways before?" His own hand went up, as did Aiden's with a sardonic grin that made Rarity a little nervous. "No one, eh? Well...." he began chuckling darkly... as did Aiden.
The four humans of their group, Valerie Martinovich, Talia Henson, Samuel Ferguson, and Aaron Cooper, all exchanged uncomfortable glances. Rarity was tensing up, and not just from looking at their individual arsenals. Teleportation wasn't bad, but Aiden's pocket dimension was a graveyard filled with aetheric instabilities. Did it make you sick? Would you get all stretched in various directions? Did it shatter your mind with hallucinations? Did it give you horrible wind mane? DID IT GIVE YOU HORRIBLE WIND MANE?!
Donovan wound down a bit. "Heh... hah... naaaah. It's actually nothing at all."
Rarity nearly fell over.
"Seriously, despite moving at... Aiden?"
"Eh... effectively about three hundred meters per second."
"Right, almost the speed of sound, you aren't actually moving so much as being picked up and put back down about 160 meters away."
"161.8."
"Yep, that. You'll barely feel it. Now, if you're watching, you're going to get sick. You won't feel the motion since you're basically teleport hopping, but you'll see the real world and Aiden's 'verse swapping as he pulls us through portals at about two per second. It's like a strobe light, only more annoying. So I strongly suggest closing your eyes until we get there, which will be about ten minutes. Feel free to get a power nap in and be ready to go. Questions?"
No one had any. Rarity had already 'asked' Joyeuse to help her with any motion sickness. Despite being sheathed, she could still feel the gem pressed against her shoulder. It was strapped along her side horizontally, allowing her to draw it with her teeth if needed. Obviously magic was better, but for the first part of the mission they wanted to minimize magic use. Even using her perception to search for traps could be risky, despite Valerie's belief otherwise. Every precaution...
"Brute Squad, do you read? This is Command Actual." Grumman's voice came through her headset. Whyever did they pick that name?
"Brute Squad here, Command. Ready to storm the castle."
"Sally forth, Brute Squad. We have eyes in the sky and will inform you of any issues en route. Maintain radio silence unless you hear from us or need evac. Godspeed."
"Acknowledged, Command. Once more on that muddy path..." Aiden chuckled. Rarity felt his aether surge around them, and then...
She gasped and her eyes went wide. Were it not for Joyeuse's soothing touch, she certainly would have been nauseated immediately. Instead... feeling the aether surround her and carry her forward, everything slowed down.
Aiden was in front. He was staring straight forward and his eyes glowed with a gentle orange light, like candles in the darkness that surrounded them. Donovan's pink ('lightish red!') aura encompassed them all, ostensibly shielding them from a dose of aether distortion that would be harmless anyway. Redundancy was better than recklessness, she supposed. The human soldiers had all closed their eyes, though Rarity noticed Valerie peeking out through one open eye from time to time.
I want to see Aiden's world here. ...Heh, glad I didn't say that out loud, what with the phrasing... But it seemed Joyeuse heard her. As she watched, the slower time seemed to exist in only half the jumps, speeding her perception while all but closing out the real world half of the transit. It was like watching a movie reel with old film, clear enough but for a slight skip that was so frequent it faded into the background. She knew she couldn't move too far from the group, but within Donovan's shield, she began walking around to see out from various sides of their party. Aiden turned to look at her, but didn't cease his channeling.
"Rarity, you okay there?"
"I'm fine, darling, don't worry about me. I simply wanted a look around."
Donovan whistled quietly. "Eyes open, eh? You're quite the ironmare, aren't you?" He chuckled as though the word were amusing somehow.
Rarity wasn't sure why, or that it applied to her. "I've gotten a lot of help to reach this point, Donovan. I think the last time I felt like this was days after getting my Cutie Mark. The giddiness had subsided, and I simply felt... purpose. Inspiration. Aiden... this little world of yours... I want to help with it. I think we can do something about how it is in here, and how you feel about it. It doesn't have to be a graveyard."
"It's really not as symbolic as it sounds. And for now we should focus on the mission."
Rarity nodded. "I understand. I am focused. If I think too much about it it isn't going to help, though."
"Fair enough. But don't wander off. You're in no danger in here, but if anything disrupts me right now I want us all in one place."
"Understood."
"Thank you, Knight Rarity."
She giggled. "...Knight?"
"...Dame?"
"Not what I meant."
"Well, you've pretty much volunteered your way into the Esper Corps. Congrats on being the first non-human. Knight is our basic rank."
Rarity cocked an eyebrow at Donovan. "After all your years in service, not one promotion?"
Donovan laughed. "We're not really the same as other military branches. Knight is fine, anything else is a leadership role, and I'm not big on stepping onto that stage. Grumman doesn't really have a normal chain of command anyway. He collects merit, not ranks. Technically Valerie is a Corporal... so far as we know," She stuck her tongue out at him but didn't speak or open her eyes, "but only Grumman wouldn't take an order from her. Actually even he might."
Now she spoke. "It'd depend on the order. I tried to order him to take time off once. His response was... impolite."
They all chuckled, and Aiden spoke up. "Nearly there, let's cut the chatter on that happy note."
And then, just seconds later, it was suddenly over. Aiden's 'verse disappeared, replaced by the real world sight of a place Rarity might have preferred never to see again. It was a short, squat compound that might have passed for a pair of office buildings if not for the barbed wire fencing, the numerous roaming guards, and general aura of foreboding. Donovan's shield had vanished in the same instant Aiden's last jump completed, and they all looked out across the brush to Veritech's well-lit exterior. Well-lit, patrolled, and...
"Aiden, there are aetheric distortions at certain spots in the grass leading to the main entrance. They're moving."
Aiden grimaced. "You can really see that from here?"
Rarity nodded.
"Okay, to be fair I didn't know Grumman would be giving you some kind of pony superweapon. Still, feel free to say 'I told you so' right about now."
"Don't be silly; no one would say such a thing. You were looking out for me and it was gallant."
"Heh," he gave that small smile again. "Alright then. Back entrance it is. Guards and mana bombs are a definite nope. Eyes shut, folks."
Two jumps later they were staring at the compound's back side, which didn't differ much except one of the buildings had what seemed like a loading dock for large vehicles with a guarded door next to it, and the other had no apparent entrance.
Aiden nodded towards the guard. "Better to my eyes. Rarity?"
"There are distortions here, too. Four of them, moving along... ah. It's a basic pattern. Step where I step and we can avoid them." She didn't ask why they didn't portal closer. She could feel the sense of watchfulness around the building. Using magic that close would be a bad idea. It seemed clear the others understood the same thing.
"Valerie, any ideas?"
"That leads into the main hangar where the ship should be. There's an antechamber leading to a tunnel into the hangar, to be exact. The hangar opens from the ceiling, which is below ground. We'll need to open it to disrupt the compound's shielding so Aiden can port us all out. That won't be a problem though. The ship's controls can remote access the hangar, and with the Command Crystal's codes that ship is mine as soon as we step aboard. Even better, most of the research labs and offices are in the other building. If we take out the guard and get in quickly using his keycard, we should be to the ship before they can get a response to us. The hangar is probably guarded, but if we hit them hard and fast I can start on the ship shields right away. Take up overwatch positions around the ship to watch the entrances while I work. When I call for you all, get inside immediately so Aiden can start charging the portal. Donovan, you'll be covering the ship's hatch at that point. Don't close it, we want them to try to get in rather than just blow the vessel. With the shields down that's a risk, so tempt them with the prospect of capturing us instead. Anyone have anything to add?"
Rarity spoke up. "So we just... run across those... mana bombs, you said they were?"
Aiden nodded. "Specifically, you take point and we follow you, two by two. Step where the person in front of you steps. Aaron and I follow Rarity, Val and Talia after us, Don and Sam bring up the rear. Rarity, time your path so that we all have a safe zone to get through by following where you go. A close call for you is an explosion for us. And to be clear: even a small mana bomb means a missing leg for anyone without their own aether field. Even if Don or I step on it, it's still very bad, and us spotted."
Rarity nodded. "Understood. I do enjoy a precise pattern."
"Good. Everyone ready? Aaron, hit the guard the moment we're into the clearing. Stun shot if you can hit him with it."
"Easy."
"Kill shot if not- okay, good. Talia, close cover on Val while she gets the keycard and the door open. We'll reassess inside, but we're doing so on the run."
"Can I hit the head first?"
"...No, Cooper, no you can't."
"Aww, I was 'Aaron' before."
"You've been demoted. Rarity, when you're ready." The rest were already adjusting their formation.
Rarity nodded, not taking her eyes from the roaming mana bombs. They were almost like tumbleweeds in Appleloosa, only more predictable. She exhaled slowly, Joyeuse singing silently in her mind. It was a simple pattern; she was ready. With a burst of speed she surged forward. The guard ahead yelped and then made a gurgling noise as he slumped against the wall, but she scarcely spared him a glance. Hopping to the side in her dead sprint she avoided the first bomb with plenty of room to spare. No boom behind her as the second wasn't even close thanks to simple timing. The third required a stutter step, but only she was at risk as it rolled past while she watched. She heard a curse behind her as Talia stumbled but kept her feet. The fourth and final bomb rolled past as she slid around it to the right, reaching the wall of the facility, puffing lightly through the adrenaline. The team... her team... was safe for now.
She spared a glance at the guard as Valerie took a keycard badge from him, as well as his weapon. He was alive; she could feel the artificial magic in him. She frowned slightly. Why could she only now feel it? She couldn't tunnel vision; they were counting on her to see everything.
The door beeped, and opened. Rarity's eyes went wide as her senses screamed in horror. She screamed as well. "TRAP!!!"
To their credit, they responded instantly. Talia pulled Valerie away from the door and to the dirt along the wall, Aiden and Donovan leapt forward to cover the door with overlapping shields. Donovan's was an explosive aether, vaporizing the hail of bullets coming from the other end of the door. Aiden's was simple force.
The two combined saved all their lives as the wall itself exploded outwards. Even Talia and Valerie, practically leaning against it, were spared by the precision of the shield, though the force transferred through it, even a trickle, had been enough to send them sprawling. No one could return fire or even see inside, but Rarity knew it had only begun. Whatever was in there, whatever the walls had somehow hidden, was making her blood run cold. She drew Joyeuse in her magic, feeling the increase in her strength and calm as its essence suffused her own. They could still...
"Hrk..." Aiden stumbled backwards, a massive, smoking spear impaled through his stomach. It had cut through the shield like it wasn't there.
Rarity screamed, both in fear and rage, and jumped in front of him as another spear came through the smoking rubble, deflected as Joyeuse flew, nearly of its own accord, into the thrown weapon's path. It would have pierced his skull. Donovan snarled, and his shield darkened at a single point. That point returned fire with extreme prejudice. Most of the building exploded away from them, pieces would later be found miles away by confused local residents. If Aiden's shield hadn't somehow still been up, they'd have all been at least deaf, if not flattened by even the weak side of Donovan's counterattack.
"Shit, shit, shit! Man down!"
"Aiden!!"
"Back up, give me some room!"
Rarity gasped a shuddering breath. "Don't touch the spear! It's infused with dark magic!"
"How can that...?"
"Just back away, keep us covered!" Valerie exclaimed weakly from her spot on the ground.
Rarity was at Aiden's side. His eyes were wide but somehow lucid. His magic was unstable, but not weakening. He... wasn't dying? She took a calming breath. It didn't help much. "Can you focus? I have to remove the spear."
"He'll bleed out," Cooper warned.
"Espers... don't bleed out, ...Private," Aiden said, weakly, demoting Cooper again despite the dire circumstances. "Not from a puncture... like this. Hurts like... goddamn anything. But we heal, and we survive... worse than this. It's an Oni weapon... goddammit... stupid... we knew he had them, but... ugh, I can't move it."
"Shh, it's all right. This will hurt. Brace yourself." Rarity's magic wrapped around the hateful spear. Joyeuse bled off the corruption, without even darkening. The pure gem seemed eager to cleanse the wound. No more so than Rarity. "On three," he nodded, taking several quick breaths, "... one, two, THREE!" Her telekinesis pulled the spear from the wound, prompting a brief spurt of blood and a scream from Aiden. The blood splashed her as the spear snapped in half in her grip, and then into fourths. The pieces, drained of their magic and nothing more than simple iron, were flung away.
Aiden curled towards Rarity, snarling in an attempt to cut off sobs. She put a hoof to his shoulder, cradling him gently as he rocked back and forth with the pain echoing through him. She could feel his magic swirling around the wound, beginning to heal, but it would take hours from what she was feeling. And then, the cold feeling returned from within the smoking rubble. Her head shot up, "There's still someone in there!" Aiden's shield flickered, allowing sound again so they could hear an approach.
Donovan snorted. "Not for..."
He was interrupted by clapping.
In a burst of wind, the dust and smoke were cleared from the leveled building. Within, inside a shield of their own, were half a dozen... beings. Rarity couldn't call them human, not all of them. The one making her blood run cold could not be called such.
The four on the outside seemed like standard Veritech soldiers. She'd seen them patrolling the buildings inside and out during her stay and on this mission tonight. They looked and felt no different than the guard they'd dropped outside. The man clapping was none other than Colonel Jeffrey Owens. Rarity remembered well the disdainful but avaricious way he'd regarded her during their few brief meetings. His gray, leonine mane framed a sharp, hawkish face, punctuated by piercing blue eyes yet marred by touches of self indulgence around the jowls and chin. His physique, as well, had gone a bit soft, giving him the appearance of a once hardened athlete aging with middling grace. He reminded Rarity of a Griffon gone to seed. He was perhaps ten years younger than General Grumman, but it was hard to be sure.
His lack of physical intimidation was more than compensated for by the sixth being. Over two meters tall, blue skinned, and naked from the waist up exposing a mish mash of tubes, machinery, and festering wounds, the being positively reeked of corrupted aether. Its eyes, yellow sclera with red pupils, were even more disturbing, reminiscent of... Rarity didn't want to think about it. His head was topped by six horns, swirling upwards like a curved crown, and his hands featured seven fingers each, all capped by massive, black claws. He grinned at Rarity slowly, showing off shiny black fangs even in the now poorly lit battlefield. Her senses sharpened as she knew she was staring down an Oni-koru in the broken flesh.
Aiden spoke up. "Brute Squad actual. Condition black. Owens confirmed for high treason. Requesting immediate evac."
Static.
"Oh come now, Windborne. It should be obvious we were prepared for this." Owens said as he came forward, staying within his own shield. "I am impressed though. I didn't expect you to bring my alien back. And look, you gave her a little sword! That's adorable! Can she hold it in her mouth so I can take a picture for my niece?"
"Valerie, darling, what's English for 'I'll shove this sword so far up your tailhole you'll taste your last meal twice?'"
Valerie, despite the situation, snerked. She was a professional and a veteran of the Oni war; it would take more than this to kill her humor.
The Oni laughed as well. "Shall I translate for you, little one?" As one would suspect, his voice was a deep baritone. It was gravelly, as though he were sick, and he looked it.
No, Rarity corrected herself. He looked dead on his feet. It didn't make him less a threat, to her mind. She snorted at him, "You hurt a very dear friend of mine. I don't suppose you'd like to apologize before this gets ugly?"
There was a click behind her head, her eyes widened.
The Oni grinned. "I'm sorry you're going to die so soon. I've only seen your kind in the old archives. A shame I can't kill you myself."
She didn't turn around, didn't budge. She knew just enough about guns to know what was behind her ears right then. From the corner of her eye, she could see Aiden looking balefully behind her.
"Ferguson... I'm going to hang you from your own guts while you're still breathing." Aiden muttered.
"Hmph," Samuel Ferguson replied, holding his backup pistol at the back of Rarity's head. "You do jack or shit and I'll pull the trigger before you get me. This little monster is too full of surprises, so we're stopping here. You're all surrendering, or you get to see what color her brains are. Colonel, why didn't you warn me about the mana bombs?! You put my life in the... hands of this little freak?! I'm going to want a raise in-"
He cut off his own words as Aaron sprang forward and grabbed his gun, jamming the barrel upward and flicking a switch along its side with an almost casual hand motion. Ferguson fought him, but only briefly.
The knife in his kidney ended that.
Rarity gasped and spun around. Aaron was still holding Ferguson's gun straight up, but only in one hand. The other was around the traitor's throat. The dagger, Talia's, was being twisted in his torso by the infuriated woman.
Aaron pulled the dying man close. "Grumman made me responsible for her, you know? I'm a damn joker, right? The screw up, the team jackass. Hell with that. You betray us and point a gun at the woman I'M GODDAMN GUARDING?! You don't get to give your reasons." He spun, and flung Ferguson into their side of the shield, holding the pistol that could have ended Rarity's life in one clenched fist. The traitor bounced off the shield as Aaron pointed the gun at his head. "Knight Rarity. You may want to look away."
She didn't. He fired. Joyeuse lilted a soothing, silent song as her eyes teared up. Why? How did everything go so wrong? She wanted to scream, she wanted to throw up.
She wanted to hurt something.
And Owens was laughing. "Well, one less paycheck to send out. I didn't really need him anymore, so thank you. But he was right. You'll be surrendering now. Donovan Trellis. You might be a match for an Oni-koru of Pravus' caliber on your own. But while holding up that shield you've already proven you can't channel enough power to be a threat. Windborne's down for the count, though as always I'm impressed by the resiliency of the First Gens. He'll make a wonderful specimen. I've never had a First Gen to cut into. As to the rest... well my little horned friend might be a concern... so Pravus will kill her first. The humans can be done in at leisure... unless you surrender. If you do, I'll let them go. I have no interest in harming true humans. Or, we can stand here and trade insults until Aiden's aether runs out. With the corruption in that wound it won't take long. With his portion of your shield down, yours won't be enough to stop Pravus from beginning the slaughter."
Rarity snorted, but didn't respond. He couldn't understand her and she didn't care for this Pravus serving as intermediary.
She needn't have worried. "Riiiight. You revived an Oni-koru like some bad Frankenstein fanfic because you have humanity's best interests at heart." Valerie snarked, standing up shakily. There was blood in her hair and smeared on her forehead.
Pravus chuckled darkly.
Owens shrugged dramatically. "What can I say, Assistant Research Head Victoria Marren? Or wait, was that right? You have so many false names, so many trusts betrayed... The world I envision won't need backstabbers and spies. It will be pure, built of strength and loyalty!"
Rarity made a loud 'PAGH!' noise at that. This monster even using such a word was repulsive. Joyeuse sang quietly of retribution... of cleansing the stain of... Rarity's eyes went wide. Cleansing...
"Aiden..." she whispered as Valerie continued to distract Owens, "I have a terrible idea and it's going to really hurt." Aaron surreptitiously moved in front of the two of them while glaring daggers at Owens.
Aiden smiled up at her. "I was trying to work up the courage to ask. You cleansed the spear, so..."
She nodded. "Joyeuse did, I just directed the energy. Grumman really saved our asses with this."
Aiden cocked an eyebrow at her choice of words. "Yeah... early records to the contrary, he's good at that. Humanity would never have made it through the war without him."
She nodded. "Sorry about this." She leaned down and nuzzled him, and lightly kissed him on the way back up. "Just in case this is a worse idea than I'm thinking."
Aiden was grinning like an idiot. "I kissed an alien," he sing-songed quietly.
"Yes, yes, somewhere Cadance is giggling. On three..."
"Wait, who?"
"One, two, three!"
And she stabbed Joyeuse into his wound. Light blue and dark orange mixed as magic swirled around them, filling their shield with a twilight blue aura.
Owens swore, jumping back from the bright light as his human guards shielded their eyes but held their positions. Pravus laughed as he looked on. "I see! How marvelous! This is what the archives spoke of!" He continued laughing madly as the light finally faded.
Rarity was panting heavily. She felt drained, as though she'd channeled her Element of Harmony. She was recovering quickly, and Joyeuse was subdued, but jubilant. And Aiden was on his feet.
"Holy Celestia... that was weird! I have the oddest urge for Earl Grey tea and a bubble bath."
Rarity blinked in surprise. "The Hell you say?"
His head tilted before turning back to her. "The Hell you say?" His eyes went wide, showing off a new feature. He pointed at her. "Rarity! One of your eyes is grey!"
She pointed at him. "One of yours is blue!"
Aaron looked back and forth between them. "Magic's weird."
Owens snarled. "Enough. Pravus! Destroy their shields and kill them all. Leave the alien corpse intact. You can eat the rest, I don't care!"
Pravus chuckled and began channelling dark energy.
"Donny boy?"
Donovan grinned. "The pipes are calling..."
Their shields both exploded outward simultaneously. Pravus ducked towards Owens, shielding him from the blast of incinerating aether on the crest of a wave of twilight blue force. He was staggered, and burned, but held his ground. Owens seemed unharmed as he turned and ran into the tunnel leading to the hangar.
Pravus was laughing. Rarity had to give it to him, he seemed a rather jolly monster. "I have waited a decade for my vengeance, little heroes! You, the Thousand Blade Butcher! And you, the Light of Death! I know you both!"
"The younger ones are so dramatic." Donovan muttered.
"Hey, I think Thousand Blade Butcher sounds kind of cool."
"Quiet, Aaron."
"Yes, sir."
"Knight Rarity, Sergeant Henson?"
"Yes, Valerie?"
"Ma'am?"
"Shall we fetch ourselves a Colonel?"
"Oh my, yes, let's do that. The boys can handle this." They ran around Pravus, who tried to turn on them, only to be knocked away in the other direction as a blast of aether flew through a portal that opened in his face.
Aiden chuckled. "Dunno how that Equestrian magic works, but hot damn. You can't hold the field stable enough to stop my portals... you might as well be a foot soldier, Elite Warbrave Pravus."
"Ahh... so you remember me, as well? How wonderful, little hero. Do you remember the screams of the weak as I-" his taunt was cut off, as a bullet bounced off his head, rocking it back and stunning him briefly.
"We gotta finish this guy. I want the Colonel's secret recipe!"
"Wrong Colonel, Aaron." Aiden facepalmed as Donovan's aether blasts herded Pravus further away from the hangar.
"They could know each other." Aaron insisted.
"He's gotta be trolling us." Donovan offered.
"I can't be sure." Aiden said with resignation. "This weird aether boost won't last, and I'm still torn up in the guts. We need to end this."
"Feel free, he's deflecting me. I can wear him down but it's going to take awhile. He's a shadow of what he used to be, though."
"I noticed that. Kinda sad, really, seems like the story of their lives."
"Probably not a great idea to devote yourself to just war."
"Such a touching moral..." Pravus' voice came from behind them, directly behind Donovan, who swore as he tried to get distance from the suddenly twenty feet closer enemy.
Aiden was faster. His pair of carbon fiber bastons had caught the Oni's outreaching arm like scissors. "Thanks for closing in." He tilted his head slightly, and channeled.
Twenty baseball sized portals opened along Pravus' torso, cutting through his weakened magic defenses with ease. Viscous blood the color of oil splattered about from the wounds as he dropped to his knees.
"You know, the closer I am, the better I can sense things, and the better I can affect aether flow. My maximum range is not optimal for fighting. Why do you think I've never carried a gun?"
"You're a shit shot?" Aaron asked.
"Literally the worst." Donovan confirmed.
"...Shaddup."
Pravus was chuckling, though it quickly became wheezing. "I could not win anyway. Not with this broken form. Ten years infusing hatred into those spears, sitting in a pool of my own life fluids, stitched together by..." he sighed deeply, before coughing. "I could have killed you had they both struck true. A pity..."
Aiden smiled wanly. "Yeah... real shame. Any last words? Because you're fading fast enough even I can tell."
"Hmph. Your Colonel Owens is a soulless devil. No true warrior would treat an honored enemy this way." He gestured to himself, and the cruel machines and dark energies that kept up his mockery of life. "Our kind killed yours, yes, and delighted in the war. They died, and went to the hereafter. The universe wastes nothing. They will be reborn. Perhaps they will be stronger. The survivors are stronger. What he's made of me... it is a mockery of strength, a desperate grasp at false power. End me, Butcher, that I may be reborn one day."
Aiden sighed, and nodded. "Farewell, you monster." Another portal opened, and Pravus' decapitated corpse crumpled to the ground.
Talia, Valerie, and Rarity made their way quickly down the tunnel, following the echoing bootsteps of Colonel Owens' escape. As they turned the corner and entered the hangar, Rarity gasped. "Sweet Celestia... that's the ship?"
Valerie fired several shots at Owens as he ducked around the vessel for cover, rewarded with a shout of pain from clipping his shoulder. "Dammit. Yeah... doesn't even rate Millenium Falcon status, huh?"
"...I... don't..."
Valerie snorted, fighting the urge to facepalm in combat. "Remind me to have a movie night with you before we send you on your way home." She was talking loudly, but at the same time gesturing behind her back to Talia. She nodded, and slipped into the shadows in the other direction. At the same time, Rarity jumped to the side as a wall mounted turret opened up on her position. "Traps!"
"Shit, no kidding!" Valerie leapt behind a crate, then snarled a more acrid curse as bullets shredded her cover, nearly ending her before she could roll away behind something sturdier.
The floor was smeared with blood where she'd done so.
The turret refocused on Rarity as it continued firing. "Wait, I'm remembering something," she commented as Joyeuse deflected the incoming fire almost casually. "What's Star Wars?"
"A memory clogged in that grey eye of yours, if I had to guess! Get behind-"
The turret exploded as Talia's rifle spoke up for the first time that night. Valerie gave a shuddering sigh. "Never mind."
Rarity stiffened as she felt aether flowing again. "The ship is powering up! I'm going for him!"
"I've got you covered!" Talia called out.
"S-same," Valerie's weakened voice chimed in.
A second turret in the hangar wall came online as Rarity came into its line of sight, but was destroyed by a single shot from Talia. Rarity made it around the side of the ship and through the open hatch. And Joyeuse deflected another shot, this time from Owens' pistol.
"Damn you... you little freak! How dare you threaten humans!"
"Oh please, you parasprite turd, I just kissed a human." She licked her lips with a little smirk. "Not bad, actually, little salty, but not in a bad way. We have been exerting ourselves, after all. .....Oh right, you can't understand me!" She giggled, and then chortled as Joyeuse deflected the last of his bullets. She was feeling the strain and horror of the night catching up. The part of her that was laughing began to tremble. All this bastard's fault... HIS DAMN FAULT!!! It would be easy... Joyeuse wasn't that dull. With her magic flowing through it, it could have cut silk dropped upon it. She knew she could kill him. Part of her wanted to. Joyeuse sang mournfully, and inside, so did she. She smiled sadly. "Even if we spoke the same language, that would still be true. I'm so sorry."
Joyeuse's pommel cracked into his skull at fastball speed, knocking him unconscious to the deck.
"V14 to V7, do you read? Pravus is down and the Colonel has retreated to the Oni vessel, please advise. I have the First Gen in my sights, but my weapon won't kill him. I need backup! V7!"
"V7 is on break. Or broken, take your pick."
V14 looked up from his scope at the sound of a familiar voice. "...Knight Elleway?! Colonel said you were captured!"
Vera grinned. "I was. Turned, too."
V14's eyes widened behind his helmet. "Oh shit..."
Vera's grin widened. "For pony..." A massive electrical shock put a twitching V14 helplessly into the turf.
After gathering up a seriously wounded Valerie and helping aboard a flagging Aiden, Brute Squad sat aboard their prize while waiting for the ceiling doors to open. They had jammed, and telekinetic efforts from Donovan and Rarity were now forcing them open.
"Got it," Valerie said, panting at the effort and moving slowly to avoid exacerbating bullet wounds and what may have been a minor concussion. "The shields are powering down. They'll be inactive in twenty seconds. "Aiden, can you still handle a portal this size? Even with this debacle turning in our favor... mostly... we can't exactly haul this thing out of here another way. We can launch, but with long range comms still down I don't like that idea."
Aiden nodded. "Me either, but I should be fine. I can start as soon as-"
Beep. Beep. Beep.
"Shields are down." Aaron said.
"That's not-" Valerie cried.
"Trap!" Rarity shouted.
Less than a second later, the Oni ship exploded. |
Back and There Again | 10. Calm Between the Storm | Aiden fell on his face inside his pocket dimension. Rarity winced as he called out "Report," in a muffled tone.
"Private Cooper, no blood no report."
"Not that kind of report, Private."
"Sergeant Henson, no injuries."
"Knight Trellis, tired, hungry, and shields weakening, but no major injuries."
"Corporal Martinovich... I need medical attention soon."
"Knight Rarity, no injuries, but my horn hurts and I want to spend a week in bed. Owens is here, too, unconscious."
"Good," Aiden muttered, not bothering to rise. "I got everyone I wanted. If I hadn't already been working towards a larger portal we might've gotten a bit crispy there."
"Are we okay to stay in here and recover?" Talia asked as she began rooting through her pack for painkillers and first aid supplies for Valerie.
"No," Donovan replied flatly. "Aiden and I are both wiped, and he can't stay in here on a good day. My shield will start fading in another minute or so, normal shields like this don't play into my talent so I can't hold it any longer; we need to go before then."
"Right," Aiden said, still lying on his face. "I just didn't want to port us out too soon. If we jumped back into real space too fast and the blast wave hit us I'd feel pretty stupid. For a moment, anyway." With that they reappeared in the real world, away from the compound amongst the trees. Despite the roaring blaze coming from the destroyed hangar, the blast seemed to have been mostly contained. Aiden sat up; the rest hadn't moved much beyond Talia examining Valerie's injuries. "Oh right," he muttered, "The shielding around the hangar was pretty heavy. Good to know."
"Agreed, since I really wasn't ready for that," a new, familiar voice added.
"Vera?!" Rarity called out in surprise.
Vera Elleway grinned sheepishly. "Hi."
Donovan's eyes narrowed as he stared her down. "How'd you escape, and why are you here?"
"I felt Windborne's portal from where I took cover when fire shot out of the hangar door. It was a pretty big tremor, too." She shook her head. "And I didn't escape. Grumman let me out a couple minutes after you all left. The moment Aiden first portaled you guys, our comms went LOS. He suspects sabotage. I was the only one who could get here fast enough to matter with things going pear shaped. Other reinforcements are at least another five minutes out."
"Pear shaped sums it up," Talia confirmed as she applied a medicated patch to what could only be a bullet wound in Valerie's left arm. "Samuel Ferguson was working for Owens, and nearly got us all killed. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"
Vera grimaced and shook her head, though Talia wasn't looking at her. "Sorry, but I don't. Owens sent me with a single mission, which I'm happy to have failed. I don't know any of his other plans regarding anything beyond the ship attacking Grumman's forces. And now I'm thinking that was a smokescreen."
Valerie shook her head, gritting her teeth against the pain of her wounds. "I'm not so sure. I think he rigged the ship to blow regardless, with a trigger if anyone deactivated the shields. He could still use it as a weapon, but if we tried to take it... boom."
"So what have you been up to that we didn't see you until now?" Aiden asked.
"I can't move as fast as you, 'riding the lightning' isn't literal, ya know. When I got here I took down the other guards who were moving to pincer you. That said... it wasn't all of them. The main building's been all but abandoned."
"We expected that, actually," Valerie confirmed. "No matter how Owen's assault on us went, he would have to move a lot of his assets, especially the legally questionable ones, to a more secretive location. We assume that started after Rarity escaped him, we just hadn't been ready to do anything about it then. It's worse now. There's going to be a lot of eyes on this area. I'm just surprised Owens left himself as the distraction."
"We can ask him about that later. What now?" Aiden asked.
"I can't carry anyone out of here safely. I'd suggest we wait for Grumman's air support, which is inbound and nearly here. They're monitoring my channel. We can figure things out back at base." She smiled wanly. "Well, you all can. I go back to my cell."
"Surely you've earned your forgiveness now?" Rarity asked.
Vera tilted her head in confusion, and Rarity facehoofed. Her translator was set to only transmit to their headsets. Aiden repeated the question in English.
Vera's smiled widened a bit. "One mission to come play clean up crew after what I did isn't going to wipe the slate. Thanks though, I mean that. And anyway I don't really mind. I've got a good book to read. For the first time in a long time I'm feeling a bit peaceful."
"Other than all the explosions." Donovan noted, looking at the smoking hangar and destroyed building in the distance.
"Meh, I grew up in the war, too, remember? This is different. This is walking forward." Her smile became positively beautific as a distant hum of approaching aircraft intruded pleasantly on the conversation.
Rarity sighed deeply, feeling a bit of the tension breathe out of her. She sheathed Joyeuse at last, and the sword seemed content to rest. The world was sideways now, and she tried to wonder about that as she heard voices calling out to her in concern.
How silly. Don't worry about me; I'm fine here and the ground is cool and soft. But Aiden... help Aiden. He looks to be laying on the grass with a blank...
Blackness took her, as it did him.
While getting the injured into the Stormcrow (the Osprey's Oni tech inspired offspring) was easy enough, Donovan Trellis had never considered himself a leader. He preferred working from the background, behind the scenes. Center stage was not his preference, no matter how flashy his special talent was. Unfortunately, with Aiden and Rarity unconscious, Talia her usual taciturn self, Valerie on heavy painkillers, he was all that remained. Vera was obviously right out, and then there was Aaron.
Donovan did not even consider that option, no matter how many more reports it meant he'd have to write himself, as he borrowed Vera's headset. "Knight Trellis, confirming what Knight Elleway reported. We have three needing immediate medical care. The rest of us are relatively unharmed. Corporal Martinovich has a head injury and two bullet wounds, one serious but not life-threatening, the other minor... as bullet wounds go. Knight Lieutenant Windborne and Knight Rarity-" he paused as a confused response came back, and chuckled. "No, because we don't have a Squire rank. Who'd want to be that anyway? She's an Esper Knight now, field commissioned by our commander. Deal with it. Tell Grumman to set her up with a salary."
The response to that was downright snarky.
"Hey, you face down an Oni and help capture a renegade Colonel, you get paid for it. It'll be in my full report. Point is, as Knight Elleway told you, they've collapsed. Windborne was severely wounded but I think the worst is past. Their reserves are just very weakened, we believe mostly from a phenomenon involving the General's sword. I don't think either of them are in danger; Rarity's aether seems to already be recovering," he glanced at Vera, gesturing to Aiden. She nodded; her senses for pulses of internal aether exceeded his own. Aiden was recovering also. "Correction, they both are. Fluids, examinations, and patching up won't go amiss though, so be ready. We'll be home shortly."
An hour later found him sitting in Grumman's office while the General looked up from his hastily typed account of the mission.
"Certainly an interesting report, Knight Trellis."
"Yes, sir, though it's just preliminary," he replied. "...Permission to speak freely?"
Grumman snorted. "You don't need to ask, Donovan."
"According to what I saw, and even more what Talia saw, that sword turned Rarity-"
"Knight Rarity, apparently." Grumman said with a small smile.
"...Even better, sir, because she was acting like a Jedi Knight out there."
"You're sure this isn't a response to Valerie referencing Star Wars?"
Donovan chuckled. "That was actually her observation on the ride home. That being after Rarity deflected several shots from a turret in the hangar without even paying attention to it. If you knew it would help that much why not tell us beforehand? For that matter, why not give it to an Esper... years ago? You've had that cane as long as I've known you."
"I didn't tell you because I didn't know the effects it would have in the possession of an Equestrian. I also note that Miss Rarity, per the notes she's already given me, has a special gift for working with gems. It's how she ended up here. I could not know for certain that that would mean a greater symbiosis with Joyeuse. I did not want to create false hopes and we didn't have time for testing. I could only trust my instincts on the matter." He grimaced. "And it did once belong to an Esper, Knight Captain Franz Schumer."
Donovan sighed through his teeth. "Since I never met him... I'm guessing a very young Knight Captain?"
"The first, and the youngest to die while holding that rank." Grumman shook his head. "At my age, I often see what I consider 'children leading children'... the early days of the war were a time when that was all too real. Franz Schumer died at twelve, after two heroic years of leading his fellow Espers against the Oni-Koru."
"A full year before any Second Gen Espers awoke." Donovan noted. "I take it... after that..."
"His talent came from an Oni-Koru ship's repulsor," Grumman continued, seemingly lost in thought. "It allowed him extreme speed and maneuverability as well as flight. The sword improved his abilities nearly to Paladin Williams' level, and for a time I thought the two of them might win the war by themselves."
"So what happened? I never heard about this early stuff."
"He had the misfortune of leading the first squad that met Oni-Koru Grand Marshal Garken Caedum in combat. We learned a great deal at a horrible price that day."
Donovan winced. That name he'd heard of. "As I recall, only two people survived that encounter, but I didn't know the casualties."
Grumman nodded. "Knight Aiden Windborne, promoted afterwards, and First Lieutenant Mary Rossin, who was honorably discharged for incapacitating wounds received that day." He smiled faintly. "I remember her telling me she'd sign back on as soon as we perfected military grade prosthetics."
"Did she?"
He shook his head. "...What we've developed didn't sufficiently replace what she'd lost. I kept tabs on her over the years, as I did with as many as I could. She can walk again, and see, but not at levels that would be acceptable for military duty." He sighed. "In any case, Aiden recovered the sword from that rout and returned it to me. He didn't know its significance at the time, and it looked a bit different back then. So don't rib him for not remembering it. I don't think he likes recalling those days much and I don't blame him.
"But the moment I took it back I felt something I hadn't since my father handed it down to me, on the day I joined the Marines. It was waiting. That was the sense I got. When my father handed it to me, I passed it off as a feeling of premonition. He'd passed it to me, this ancient family heirloom, and I would pass it on in the future as well. Decades later, Franz felt like the right person to give it to: a knight's sword for a Knight Captain. Since then... it was waiting again. I had the feeling giving it to the wrong person would hurt rather than help."
"Didn't you say you worked with it some, even got magic to work through it?"
"I did. After getting it back, it felt... nearly alive. Unlike the first time I'd been given the blade, I was aware that the feeling of biding its time was more than just my own projections. I worked with it, had it examined and re-examined, even chipped away at, to the point of removing bits of metal and reforging it to its current appearance, after we discovered that the gem was all but impervious to any of our efforts. Oddly, it seemed to... appreciate the gesture. I have no other word for it. Doing so made my connection to the gem clearer. I was able to shield myself and those around me from harm a few times. ...Each preceded a day of bed rest."
"That sounds familiar. They'll both be down at least that long. Better than if we hadn't had it, though."
"Agreed. To be fair if not for Rarity showing up things wouldn't have escalated so quickly. Valerie would still have been in place as a spy, and would have had more time to understand and even sabotage Owens' efforts. In that case, we would have had fewer surprises going in."
"Are you speaking of the Oni, or.... Ferguson?"
Grumman tsked, sounding self-deprecating. "I'd known Samuel Ferguson for four years. He was no plant, like Knight Elleway. Owens bribed him, considerably, starting over a year ago. It was shortly after I'd planted Valerie at Veritech, in fact. I didn't find that out until looking into it while you were being retrieved. I don't normally monitor my people's finances."
Donovan waved that aside. "Good thing he wasn't in on her being there."
"I may seem lax, but telling my entire base about my espionage operations is a bit much even for me. By the same token, Valerie had no way of knowing about him. ...And I have other projects I'm monitoring as we speak that don't require full base disclosure. Just yet."
Donovan grinned. "Anything you want to say to me?"
"Yes. Your penchant for watching stage magician performances is baffling. You're a living, breathing wizard."
That got a laugh. "Sure, but I can't work illusions and such so they're really fun to watch. I wanted to go into special effects when I was a kid."
"Michael Bay's loss is our gain, I suppose."
"Please, he's way too flashy."
Grumman snorted in amusement. "Speaking of flashy, and as to the Oni..."
"Yeah... that was just messed up. Look, back during the war, when we were better equipped that encounter would have been a joke. Stronger armor and weapons, and for that matter a full platoon, and he would have been trivial. As it was... Aiden nearly paid for our surprise."
Grumman shook his head. "Such a thing has never been seen. You can't blame yourselves for being unprepared. Blame me, if anything, for not discovering how far Owens had gone. I'll have his reasons soon."
"You think he'll talk?"
"I believe so. He's been out of the spotlight for too long, gambling on a glorious return at the head of a new era. Now his chance to reach that is gone. He'll throw all the opportunities we've destroyed at me for the chance to play the maligned, misunderstood patriot." Grumman snorted derisively. "After that I'll just need to separate fact from fiction."
"Some days that's easier than others. So... what now? For the rest of us, I mean."
"Steady on with our new primary objective. We still need a unicorn friendly spaceship. Assuming our two newest members make a full and speedy recovery, we start more seriously looking into other options along that line. Owens was an obvious choice, but not the only one. This just makes things a little more complicated."
Donovan nodded. "Is our location secure?"
"It'll have to be. With Veritech literally up in smoke I have to be here to put out the media fires. I doubt any of his people will come forward to gainsay my side of things now, but I still have to present that side. I don't like keeping the public in the dark any more than necessary. If you mean personnel I'm conducting full background sweeps now. Anyone who dislikes it knows how to find the door."
"I can understand that, but-"
Grumman's tablet beeped and he immediately tapped it. "Yes?"
"Sir, this is Doctor Hamada. You'd better come down here. Our patients are showing some odd readings. I don't think it's bad but... you may want to see this."
Grumman and Donovan shared a look before quickly rising. "We're on our way."
Aiden was pacing quietly in his Boutique. ...No, that wasn't right, was it? He tried to shake his head, clear it, but it wasn't his head. He was there, those hooves were his, but they weren't. They were hers. The carpet was odd beneath them; it was surprising how well he could feel it.
It was dark, only a couple of candles lit the workroom. He tried to look around, but he was only a passenger to the eyes he saw through. They walked quietly up to a small, rather cute looking purple and green... lizard person? Spike. This was Spike, the dragonling. Whelp? Baby? By dragon standards maybe. Still, adorably asleep on a large cushion. Aiden/Rarity smiled, and their horn lit. Aiden couldn't express the surprise he felt at the way the aether moved. It was effortless, like a friend that was happy to help. He didn't feel stronger from it... just more... he wasn't sure how to describe it. There was a peace to it. Harmony. That was the best word he could find. His eyes might have welled up at the beauty of it, but his own eyes were elsewhere, and (he assumed) quite closed. A blanket levitated over Spike before the merged pair trotted off to the door, telekinetically grabbing a shovel and saddlebag that leaned against the wall on their way.
They sighed, though Aiden wasn't sure why, as they put the bag on across their back. Deadlines? Gems? Her thoughts weren't quite being shared. They left her home, for it was clearly that as much as a place of business, and trotted lightly out of town towards foothills in the distance. She was tireless, and moved at a quick trot while scarcely breathing heavy. Aether flowed gently through her, so naturally it was almost unnoticeable.
before coming here I'd never really noticed or thought about the differences in how magic felt
He understood those words far better now. If this was how things were here... she'd been saturated by magic from birth. Earth's aether field, in its natural state, was no weaker than this... but it wasn't nearly this cooperative. Aiden would've snorted at the thought of Earth being a stubborn planet, but he wasn't using his own nose at that moment. And then again, maybe her people simply channeled better. It felt easier, but not stronger, so maybe...
That idle thought disappeared as their horn began channeling again. He was back to 'their' because this was much more mutual as he felt the aether flowing through his own consciousness with intent. The design for that intent... was quite another matter. The glow from their horn was deceptive in its simplicity. The way the aether responded was math and poetry at their most beautifully complex. He was trying to find the words...
And then the soil nearby started glowing. With businesslike efficiency, the shovel went to work, and within minutes they'd unearthed a couple small gems. Aiden was no geologist, but that just didn't seem right. Yet he couldn't argue the results as Rarity moved on, repeating the process with varying but always somewhat successful results.
They had perhaps two dozen before a glow in the dirt ahead marked their next digging spot. The novelty had began to wane for Aiden, but somehow this spot seemed... brighter? Rarity felt a sense of excitement that Aiden didn't share as they dug into the soil. This hole went considerably deeper, but the glow led them on until Aiden felt a touch of cold at what he saw.
Grasped in their levitation, a forest green gem the size of a fist floated up into sight. They examined it carefully, or rather Rarity did. Aiden knew what he was seeing. He could even feel the strange aether seething around inside it. As he felt it, his consciousness began fading deeper into the memories. His thoughts quieted.
Rarity spun the gem around, searching it for flaws or odd facets. Then she felt the odd aether for herself. He felt her gasp and the eyes they shared went wide. She knew this gem was dangerous. It had a curse of some sort, she thought. She had to get rid of it. Somewhere far away, or no! Twilight! She could take it to Twilight and they could cleanse the curse so nopony was at risk. If only she knew how to teleport, she wouldn't have to carry this-
In a blinding flash, Rarity vanished from the face of Equestria. |
Back and There Again | Interlude: For Science, and Magic. | When the light faded, everything felt different. Rarity gasped as she looked around, taking in the odd surroundings. Several chairs were arranged around the small room, all facing glass panels and arrangements of what looked to be buttons and symbols. Rarity recognized none of it. The air was different. There was a faint smell of burnt metal, alongside various oils and cleaners she might have associated with the train station, but that wasn't quite right.
Her magic still held the gem, but the magic within it had faded. It no longer felt dangerous, just a gem. ...A gem that had brought her somewhere completely unfamiliar. She floated it into her saddlebag with a grimace; she was not looking forward to figuring this out. And her morning deadline was now very much in jeopardy. She groaned in frustration. Already tired and running down to the wire, she did not have time for... magical shenanigans! Speaking of... even magic felt strange here. There was a... texture to it? She frowned slightly, lighting her horn to draw in more aether. She didn't have anything like Twilight's capacity, but she prided herself on being a competent magic user. The boarding school she'd attended hadn't been up to CSGU standards, but...
She blinked in surprise. The aether she was drawing in was completely different. It wasn't bad... along the lines of expecting tea and getting coffee. There was a feel to it that she couldn't place. ...How long had it been since she'd considered the feel of aether flowing through her? Aether, or mana if you wanted the older term, was just... there. But this... this was...
A shout of confusion and alarm interrupted her. She looked up, wide-eyed, at an alien being.
It spoke again, but Rarity couldn't understand it. She simply stared (as she noted, so did it, while holding something in its hand pointed at her). It was bipedal and half again as tall as her, clothed completely from the neck down. The clothing was serviceable and rather plain, clearly some sort of uniform, complete with a little badge on the side of the chest that had a picture of the alien's face. Humans... that's what Twilight had called them. Rarity could remember the description well enough to know what she was seeing... or so she assumed. So then, the gem was similar to the mirror. Well, it could be worse... and yet she felt uneasy. Something wasn't right. Why couldn't she understand what it said? And she was still a Unicorn, and it looked angry and afraid. She felt a chill of premonition.
"Ah, hello! Please don't panic, though I'm sure this is quite strange. It's strange for me as well, you see," she chuckled nervously. "I am Rarity, and while I can't quite understand you I'm sure-"
She broke off, with a scream of pain, as the object being pointed at her discharged a strange blast of energy. Rarity felt, heard, and worst of all smelled, her fur burning as a pain like electric shock but so much worse coursed through her. W-why... was her last thought before collapsing into unconsciousness.
She awoke in a cell, and her saddlebags and shovel were gone. She whimpered as she tried to rise; everything hurt, but nothing quite so much as the burn on her chest. The flesh was reddened and blistered under blackened fur that had mostly flaked away around the wound. Getting to her hooves slowly, she let her eyes wander the room instead of fretting over the sickening injury. For the moment she could do nothing for it. So she looked around, but saw little of interest. Her cell had a rough cot of an odd material, and there was, she grimaced, a water dish on the floor nearby. She remembered Twilight's words about the human world. They were the only sapient race they knew on their world, everything else was an animal incapable of higher thought. That doesn't mean you shoot them with lightning and put them in jail, does it?! She let out a long, shuddering sigh, and a whine at the pain of a deep breath stretching the marred skin. The room outside her cell contained a desk, and a door, and little else. Were those... cameras hanging from the corners of the ceiling? They resembled such, but... how would one... ah. Clearly they were meant to be magically activated, so as to give a particular angle. And given the thick glass... or no... some other material, she was to be examined or the like? She didn't care for the idea. And given how that first meeting had gone... She shuddered. She really didn't care for the idea.
She reached for one of the cameras, channeling magic through her horn to grab it and get a better look; she needed a distraction. But said distraction came in the form of an annoying feeling around her horn as she attempted to gather aether. It was still channeling well enough, but... She crossed her eyes as she looked up at... a ring on her horn.
"Oh what in Tartarus is this?!" She reached up and pulled it off with no difficulty. "A horn inhibitor ring? Honestly? What sort of fiction have they been reading here? These things don't work!" The horn had to be completely covered, and the material had to be perfectly smithed, or magic could go right through it. She didn't know the specifics, but it was a form of stone that wasn't easy to work with or find. Chrysalis' throne was made of a particular variety of it that allowed Changeling magic, but like any example had only worked when it was in one proper piece. Being surrounded by chunks of the stuff had done nothing to inhibit anypony. ...And neither did this horn ring. They were strictly nonsense from bad fiction, dreamed up as a way to stop magic while leaving the horn exposed... often for perverse reasons. Rarity rolled her eyes and put it on the floor. Even if it stopped magic, she could just remove the stupid thing with her hooves!
"So clearly we're both working on misconceptions here." She muttered, trying to keep her hopes up. Did they think she was dangerous? She had shown up out of nowhere in what was clearly some kind of laboratory, or perhaps a military base? Armed security had shown up quickly. But maybe she could reason with them. ...Except she couldn't understand what the guard had said. Why not? It... no, he had looked like the humans Twilight described. What was going on? Shouldn't she be human here also? Where were their friends? That school Twilight mentioned? Why...?
The door opened, scattering her thoughts. Two humans came in, both in white lab coats and each carrying some manner of tablet, presumably for note taking though they weren't carrying writing utensils Rarity could see. They were both female, based on the visible (though of course cloth covered) mammary glands and softer facial features. The first seemed... angry. She had a dark yellow mane, nearly brown, with white accents around the temples. Rarity thought it looked distinguished. Her eyes had wrinkles at the sides, as did her thin, severe lips. She reminded Rarity of a middle aged Canterlotian unicorn, complete with sour, waspish expression. It was worth noting that her expression was pony-like enough to recognize. Twilight had noted the same thing of them, which gave Rarity some hope. If these were the humans she thought she knew of, there was a chance that this could end up alright. There was further confirmation in that the aether in the air flowed around and through the woman, but it didn't seem to interact with her. Cranky is the same way back home. ...Wait, what made me think that?
The woman was gesturing at her angrily, and speaking that unknown language again. The first woman, that was. The second... Rarity made eye contact with her and they both froze for a moment. This woman was younger. Thin, black rimmed glasses covered light blue eyes, all framed by loose, dark bangs. Her skin was a slightly darker shade of... peach, perhaps, than the older woman's much lighter tone. Rarity couldn't be sure in this lighting what the exact color was.
More importantly, this younger woman looked... astounded. That was reasonable, under the circumstances. But unlike the other two humans Rarity had seen, this one didn't look angry or fearful. She shook her head as though clearing it, and glanced sidelong at the older, who was still ranting as she poked the tablet she was holding. What was the point of that? But then the second woman looked back to Rarity, gave a small smile, and winked. She looked sidelong again, and put her finger to her lips.
In a flash of inspiration, Rarity ran a hooftip across her lips in a zipping motion. The woman gasped quietly, and she hid a grin behind her hand... and then sneezed. Or perhaps she was faking it because the older woman, who was now called Grouchy in Rarity's mind, was staring at her. She then pointed at the horn ring lying on the floor of Rarity's cell.
Blue Eyes shrugged (Rarity didn't want to call her Sneezy, that would be ridiculous). She responded, sounding much more calm while gesturing vaguely at the ring. Grouchy tapped her tablet again, forcefully, and the door opened again. A guard stepped in, and Rarity gasped. It wasn't the same guard who'd shot her, and Rarity didn't just know that from his appearance. Unlike the two women, he had his own aether. It was odd, like nothing she'd felt before. Comparing it to her own... it was like seeing a sculpture of a tree, next to a real tree. And both were beautiful. Rarity's lips curved into a smile, it truly was remarkable. Why had she never noticed such things? What did other ponies feel like? If Twilight were here... well a crystal tree the size of a palace, Rarity had little doubt. She felt better just thinking about it. If they could use magic here, and this guard surely could, they could find a way to understand each other.
Grouchy tapped her tablet again, and the not-glass of her cell rose into the ceiling. They were letting her out! They-
Rarity screamed as the guard drew his weapon in a blur and fired. The first blast hit the base of her horn and flung her backwards, the second hit her barrel not far from the first wound she'd suffered. Blissful unconsciousness did not come this time. Everything was fire, and she sobbed and tried to curl up to protect herself. She could hear shouting, but it didn't matter. She wanted to die. And she would. In that moment she believed it: she would die here. As she writhed, she felt ropes lashing across her, aggravating the burns and drawing a fresh scream from her. She wasn't sure how much time had passed. The guard had strapped her to the floor using something like a heavy net of tethers. They jabbed her with needles, and she felt... less. There was still burning. And she heard crying. She couldn't be sure it was her own. Nothing felt real except that everything hurt. What had she done wrong? Why would this happen? She was sorry! Whatever she'd done... She was a horrible pony. A fraud. Generosity... she was greedy! Avaricious! She deserved this... she was sorry! She was shouting to them, begging. They didn't respond. Blue Eyes was crying, but she did nothing. The hand holding her tablet was white, and shaking. But she did nothing. Rarity sobbed quietly, not noticing herself fall fitfully asleep.
The cell was dark. They'd left her strapped to the floor, but the lights had dimmed and the not-glass had returned to its place, dividing her from the rest of the room. It was excessive; she didn't even want to move. She sniffed. Her head was throbbing, as was her barrel, and simple breathing filled her with agony as the burned, tormented flesh stretched with each gasp of air. She didn't know what to do. Was there anything? She could feel aether swirling around her. If anything, the burn around her horn had made everything feel more raw... the magic was like a slow cyclone, gathering within her. She could feel it combating whatever that horrid weapon had done. She was healing, and her magic was unharmed. It was scant comfort.
"Ar yu awayk?"
Rarity gasped. She'd been unaware of anyone else in the room. She couldn't see the whole room from her position on the floor. She hadn't understood the words, but she recognized the voice. Blue Eyes.
"Ai wil naut hert yu. Can yu undurstand?" Rarity heard the not-glass raise into the ceiling again. She whimpered and tried to shy away, but then cried out in pain as one of the tethers holding her down scraped across the burn on her chest. "Shhh, it is oh-kae," Rarity felt a hand gently press against her shoulder. She trembled, but opened her eyes to look up.
Blue Eyes was crying as well, and her face was twisted with sympathetic pain. She reached down with her other hand... another needle! Rarity whimpered as the pinpoint touched her flesh...
And then the pain lessened. Rarity sighed slowly, shudderingly, as her body felt lighter. Everything was hazy, but different than whatever they'd stuck her with before.
"Ai won't let them hert yu agyen," Blues Eyes said, reaching into her lab coat to stash the syringe. Her hand came back with a cloth. And now that it was exposed Rarity thought it smelled odd. She couldn't place what it smelled like, but it was comforting, somehow. Blue Eyes placed it against her chest, and she felt aether swirl around it, gently cleansing away the destroyed flesh, encouraging healing. After a few moments she moved on to the second wound, and then lastly to Rarity's horn.
"Ai cant beeleev Gruhmen was rite," she muttered as she worked. "All get yu aut of here. Ai praumis."
Rarity, in far less pain, a bit muddled, and less frightened, tried to make sense of the words, to no avail. "I can't understand you, darling. But whatever's on that cloth, I'll take ten."
Blue Eyes blinked, and then smiled at her. "Yu ar veri braev. Doo naut weri. Yu wil heal." She put her hand to her chest. "Va-la-ri."
Rarity blinked, but understand. She nodded towards Blue Eyes. "Va-la-ri?"
Blue Eyes... Valari... nodded. "Yes." She gestured to Rarity. "Yu?"
Rarity smiled slightly. The drugs helped a bit with that. Maybe she wouldn't die here after all. "Ra-ra-ti," she replied slowly.
"Ra-ra-ti."
"Yes."
"Yes."
Valari stayed with her awhile longer, though Rarity had no real sense of time at that point. Between the (clearly magnificent) painkillers and the aether focusing balm, she was pleasantly groggy. She eventually fell asleep, and was unaware of the lab coat laid over her for warmth.
When she awoke the next morning, the tether net was gone, as was much of the damage of her wounds. They still pained her, but they weren't nearly as frightening (or sickening) to look at. They were serious burns, but clearly healing. Thank you, Valari. Her first friend here. Hopefully not her only. When the outer door opened, she felt a sense of trepidation that only increased as a man in a clearly military uniform stepped in. He had a face like a griffon, she thought, almost. His nose was long, and seemed to lead from his face almost like a beak. His hair went out thickly in all directions like a lion's mane, and his eyes...
They weren't a griffon's eyes. She'd known griffons. And she'd known evil. She'd been looked at in vile ways before. Disdain, contempt, even loathing she had experienced. She'd faced her share of enemies and rivals in both business and adventure. But this... she'd never felt before the idea that a look was evaluating how to cut her apart and sell the pieces. She felt dirty even suffering that look. This was a being who sought degradation and possession. Aether flowed through him without touching him; he had none of his own. Rarity didn't blame it one bit.
He spoke a sharp command, and Grouchy came in. Rarity felt a shiver of fear, and didn't bother hiding it. It dissipated somewhat when Valari followed her through the door. She looked worried, and tired, but she met Rarity's eyes for a brief moment. Rarity could all but feel Valari's determination bolstering her own.
Grouchy was speaking to Demon... Rarity could think of no other word for the human who stood before her. The aether practically asked her to strike at him. If her chance arose...
They were arguing now. Valari had shown Demon something on her tablet. Rarity craned her neck subtly to look. The tablet had glass, and pictures and words on its other side! As Valari tapped at it, it changed to show other pictures and words. Rarity could understand none of it, but it was amazing. No aether flowed from within it, only through it. It... didn't use magic? How remarkable. She wished Twilight could see...
She shuddered as a wave of sadness threatened to crush her. She'd never see Twilight... any of them again. Sweetie Belle would grow up never knowing what became of her. She'd never see Spike again, never tell him how much he'd meant to her, no matter what the future held. Maybe that was for the best. He could move on from his crush, at least. Find some mare, or dragoness, and they'd make each other happy. Sweetie would grow up to be wonderful, even more than she already was, Rarity was sure of it. Twilight would look after them. Applejack, too. Honorary big sister would be there. And Rarity would never see it. Tears fell. She had no way home. The gem was gone, and its aether had drained away. She couldn't... No.
...No!
No, she would not give up. Valari was here... and now Demon and Grouchy were arguing. He was accusing her of something, and she was denying it, poorly if their interactions were any indication. This was the beginning. It was scary, and maybe she'd be hurt again. She didn't care. She would find a way out of this. It didn't matter if it was impossible. Impossible was what she and her friends did all the time! Pinkie probably laughed at the word several times an hour. So Rarity would do the impossible at least one more time. She would get home!
And as Demon angrily dismissed Grouchy, and followed her out while barking orders to Valari and shaking his finger, Rarity knew that she'd already been led into the first step. She was not alone.
Over the next few days, Rarity discovered a far less frightening aspect of being locked up. She was bored out of her mind. Occasional moments of terror accompanied the entrance of any guard, but none of them used their weapons. Oddly, they all had that feeling of sculpted aether that Rarity was becoming more familiar with. Repeated exposure to it was increasing how far she felt it from. Feeling the guards moving around the hallway outside her door had occupied her second day. Valari had been in several times, accompanied by a guard. She'd always made soothing noises, and gave crisp orders to said guard each time. His hands never touched the weapon strapped to his flank. At various points, Valari took blood and hair from Rarity, and even a scraping from her horn (as far from the base as possible, completely painless). She always did so gently, and with an apologetic look facing away from the guard. It was clear to Rarity that, for the moment, Valari and only Valari could be trusted. She did her best to act suitably fearful and submissive for the guard's sake, though she managed to give Valari a wink when he wasn't looking. Valari had grinned with clear delight, and returned a very slight nod and wink of her own.
On the fourth day, Valari showed up with a large cage on wheels, and a guilty look. The guard gestured to Rarity to move away from the not-glass, and she did so. He was gesturing with his weapon and she had the slightly sick feeling that he'd fire it with no real provocation. The not-glass rose and he gestured to the cage. Well that was clear enough. She had no choice but felt an odd thrill about it. Not being caged, that was repugnant and humiliating, but seeing more of the place she was being held in. The more she knew, the better she could start looking for ways out. She deeply lamented never learning to teleport. Oh, darling, whatever would a fashionista like myself need with such a spell? I do enjoy a flashy entrance, but not that sort of flashy. It had been a smokescreen, of course. She honestly hadn't believed she could learn it, truth be told. Now... well she wished she'd at least tried. The oddness of the aether field here made her feel stronger somehow, closer to the flow of mana itself. She could feel it flowing through her, spiraling into her and out of her in a balance with the world. If the field at home was a warm ocean welcoming her to swim, this was an all-encompassing river, all but begging her to ride along its current. Both had ebbs and flows, but here she felt them in ways she never had...
The guard banged his weapon against the cage, snapping her to attention. Oh, right. She hopped in quickly and he shut the door behind her.
A brief trip through quiet, enclosed halls led to what appeared to be an odd combination of a lab and a gym. Rarity's eyes went wide as she realized one piece of equipment was what appeared to be a giant hamster wheel. She looked at Valari, who had the decency to look embarrassed. The guard banged again, and Rarity backed her way out of the cage (it was too narrow to turn around in).
Valari led her through several stations, tapping her tablet repeatedly as she did so. After an hour of various physical activities, including running at least three miles on that damn wheel, Rarity was finally allowed to rest. Truth be told, she wasn't as tired as she might have expected. Valari had kept her well-fed and brought plenty of water (in bottles rather than that Celestia damned dog dish).
The testing continued on into the next several days, with various telekinetic trials for Rarity to run through. For these, Valari's tablet would show a short movie of what the object/s was meant to do, and then Rarity would copy that. Some of the examples were quite intricate in movement and demanding in terms of multi-tasking for several objects, often varying greatly in size, weight, and shape. But Rarity was quite confident in her telekinesis. The horn ring had not come back, nor had any variant on it. Still, Rarity didn't actively use her magic outside of the lab. She could feel the guards' aether, though they didn't seem to use it for anything, so she assumed they could feel hers. She really didn't want to get shot again.
As such, her captors had quickly discovered how dextrous, and oddly flexible, pony forelegs and hooves were. Rarity might have explained that hoof grip was a basic magic, similar to telekinesis but very short range, and ubiquitous for all ponies. It was as basic as charging one's coat, mane, or tail with a bit of magic for covering oneself, grabbing objects, and so forth. ...Or in Pinkie's case hiding impossibly large items in her mane, or drilling through the ground impossibly quickly. ...Again, that mare giggled at 'impossible' as surely as at ghosties. Rarity wasn't on that level, but her abilities were more than enough to fascinate Valari. She was routinely handed things just so Valari could marvel at how she could possibly hold them. It was a bit silly at times, but frankly silly was something Rarity needed. For that matter...
She'd noticed it after she'd been there a week. All the time using her hooves, channeling aether to simply lift heavier items Valari brought, was having an effect. She could feel aether in the ground, that wasn't new. But it felt... more welcoming somehow. Sitting calmly, focusing on it... she felt stronger. The earth beneath her hooves would hold her up if she asked. And she did. The air would flow for her if she asked, cooling or warming her. And she did. In that moment she had a whole new understanding of Earth Ponies. She knew, without knowing how she knew, that this was how Applejack felt every day, only at least ten times moreso. It was amazing, and she felt a whole new respect for her hardworking friend. Pinkie could use this to walk on walls, to defy the normal laws that governed even magic as most understood it. Rarity would be doing none of that, but maybe... maybe a little vegetable garden when she got back home... Certainly a few rose bushes would be lovely. The aether of the earth wanted to help her make such beauty. Who was she to say no?
Rarity sat, eyes shut as she calmly contemplated, and felt the hope she held for the future growing stronger. |
Back and There Again | Interlude: Childhood's End | It was odd to walk constantly on two legs. Rarity could certainly appreciate Twilight's description of her initial difficulties. ...Why was she walking on two legs? Further, she was surrounded by humans in some sort of hallway, in a school, based on the lockers, and no one gave her a second glance. She couldn't feel any aether, which should have concerned her, but... ah. She was dreaming. She wanted to smile, but couldn't. She understood. They were exactly her lips, after all.
"Windburn!"
She... no, they, turned, and rolled their eyes. What a silly nickname. "What's up, Chad?"
Chad was a slighter taller boy with sandy hair and a smarmy grin. "Nothin'... you pitched pretty good yesterday. I'm still better, though. You gotta throw a no-hitter next game or I win the bet."
A much younger Aiden grinned at the other young boy. "Heh, you wait. It'll be a perfect game, and I'll hit two home runs, too. You're gonna be-"
"Aiden! Come on, mom and dad are outside, we gotta go!"
"Comin' Moira! ...See ya," Aiden said, sidestepping Chad.
"Later, Windburn! ...You're gonna lose!" he taunted, but was ignored.
Aiden was grinning as he ran over to his big sis, and Rarity grinned with him. She didn't really have a choice in the matter, being along for the ride, but she didn't mind. She did feel like she was forgetting something, but it could wait. She'd wanted to meet this girl, his whole family, really. ...Why hadn't she, again? Everything seemed a bit cloudy in her mind, for whatever reason.
Aiden looked up at Moira Windborne, who stood waiting with her hands on her hips. Rarity was no expert on human age, but she guessed the girl was in her mid teens. She was a head taller than Aiden, and had light blue eyes... between them and her bright smile Rarity couldn't help thinking of Pinkie a bit. Her mane... hair... was a reddish brown mass of curls that might not have been natural, but it looked nice. "Ready to go, brat? Spider-Man and then pizza... and then maybe you can try Morrowind."
Aiden's grin could have definitely matched one of Pinkie's as he hopped slightly in excitement. "Best family day ever! Let's go!"
"Hmph," she replied as they both turned and headed for the door, though the lopsided grin on her face wasn't fooling Rarity. Maybe not Pinkie... but this could be Rainbow and Scootaloo...
Outside the weather was lovely. The sun shone bright in the west and a few puffy clouds accentuated the deep blue of the sky. The air was warm, and the light breeze felt perfect. Rarity made a note to herself to get some fresh air at the next opportunity. The pair, or three of them, made their way to a midsized, dark blue car. Rarity didn't know enough about cars to tell much about it, but it was sleek and spotlessly clean. And in the front two seats...
Aiden's mother flashed a smile to her children as they got into the back of the vehicle. "Found him, eh?" She was a lovely looking woman, Rarity decided with absolutely no bias. Her children both seemed to favor her, at least in facial features, and Aiden had her eyes. Her hair was a more natural looking red, and freckles accentuated an almost autumnal, earthy look.
"Duh, I always know where the brat is," Moira replied, ruffling Aiden's hair. "Big sister sense."
"Pfft," was Aiden's brilliant response to that, and then "Quit it!" as he went about shooing her away and fixing his hair.
"Kat, Spider-Man awaits," said the man in the passenger seat. Aiden's father. He looked tired, but content. Light blue eyes with a hint of circles beneath them were framed by short cropped, dark brown hair, accented by a few touches of barely there silvery strands.
Katherine Windborne snorted, almost exactly the way Rarity had heard Aiden do many times. "You mean your pre-dinner nap awaits."
"...Maybe. Ey, it looks like a good movie, but it was a long day. And a longer night, but no complaints there..." he smirked at Katherine, who blushed as she looked straight ahead, maneuvering their car out of the school parking lot.
"Ew," Moira noted dryly, looking at her phone. Rarity had seen more than a few in just her short time on Earth, and this one looked quite dated compared to her own experience.
"Why was it long, dad?" Aiden asked innocently. Rarity would have giggled, but she was just along for the ride. She was looking forward to ribbing him about this; his family was adorable...
Rarity went cold. His family was... Wait... oh no.... No no no...
The conversation faded into the background as she realized what she was seeing... what she was about to see.
They hopped onto I-5 for just a couple miles on their way to the theater, and while it was technically faster, it surprised no one in that car to see traffic backed up. Complaining about traffic around Seattle made less sense than complaining about rain. Frankly, Aiden thought the rain was nice, and there was a lot less in summer. And see? Today it wasn't raining. He looked up at the sky through the car window...
"What is that...?"
It wasn't an airplane. Aiden could tell that much. It was too big, and it moved strangely, but that wasn't all. It felt odd... he hadn't seen it before and yet... recognition... like remembering something he didn't want to.
Moira leaned over him, looking up at it. "No way..." she gasped. "Aiden, close your eyes!" She threw her arms around him, pulling him away from the window.
He didn't listen. Something was...
There was a flash from the ship, and then a loud clang as a spherical, metal object smashed into the median. Aiden felt a pull from it, like he wanted to fall towards it, and then...
Another flash, this one lacked any color. That didn't matter, because Aiden's brain was attempting to wrap itself around a new sense. His young mind had no way to describe it. There was a feeling of depth, of ebb and flow, that he'd never really known. He remembered little moments. Sometimes when he really needed a die to roll a four, or if stretching just a little farther in a jump would make the catch. The perfect memory of jumping off the roof and landing too slowly to be physically possible came into his mind; he didn't remember when he'd done that. But this was all those little feelings a thousand fold. He looked around, and in the distance he could see a wave of energy receding, the same wave that had passed through their car just a moment ago...
He heard a noise like someone choking, if only briefly. Moira was leaning against him really hard...
"Moira, move..." he trailed off as he looked up at her. Her face was burned, and her eyes looked... wrong. There was no life in them. Aiden felt his blood go cold. "...M...Moira?" He pushed her away, and she moved limply. "Moira?!" His vision blurred as even his young mind fully understood what it was seeing. "Mom!"
Looking to the front of the car offered him no comfort. His mother was leaning forward against her seatbelt, eyes wide and blank. "...Dad?" His father was leaning lifelessly against the window.
He shook his head, trying to expel the images that had just burned themselves into his mind. Dead. He grit his teeth as tears streamed down his face. They were...
Aiden screamed... and the world changed. The pulse of energy seemed to flinch, and the spherical object exploded. The strange beings that had appeared amongst the cars all looked to Aiden's in surprise. Many of them were quickly surrounded by energy shields.
The ones who weren't disappeared as Aiden drew them off of Earth and into a newly forming dimension.
When the light of the second surge had faded, the remaining alien beings stood in a shallow crater, alongside a single human boy. They were varied in appearance. Though consistently humanoid, their features ran the gamut in terms of skin color (including shades of red, purple, green, grey, and blue), and that was only the beginning. Some had visible fangs and claws, others assortments of horns. There were males and females, and plenty where gender wasn't clear. Some had too many eyes, a few had none at all. Most were taller than an average human, but some were shorter than Aiden. As to him... the boy was sitting on the ground, sobbing inconsolably. He held his head in his hands, and wide, terrified eyes stared at the ground in front of him. Yet he could see them all. A noise he'd never knew roared in his mind, yet somehow that same noise showed him everything around him. They were faint lights, sickening and diseased like glowing mushrooms growing in rotting corpses. Aiden hated them.
One of the aliens, a tall, red, winged male, slowly approached him. "The archives were wrong about them. This one has aether in him. He reversed the gravity drive." One of the aliens walked over to Aiden while speaking to the others. "Do you understand me, boy? We speak your language so you can deliver our message. You have already shown your strength..." he chuckled as several of the missing aliens began popping out of nowhere, escaping the pocket dimension. "Though it is young, and clearly flawed. We are the Oni-koru, former servants of the Great Conquerors. Your kind will be our next conquest. You will all die at our hands. Fight well, and be remembered. Cower, and die in obscurity. Fear not death... rebirth awaits you. Do you understand, boy?"
"...Why?"
"...Why? Why must you understand? You must deliver-"
"WHY DID YOU KILL MY FAMILY?!" A pulse of energy shot out from Aiden, shattering shields and pushing soldiers away. "I HATE YOU!!!!!"
The aether shuddered around him, filling the entirety of the territory he'd unknowingly claimed. Aiden wouldn't have known what a magic surge was; he barely knew what he was controlling. He only knew he wanted to hurt the ones that had taken his family away.
In that moment, a thousand portals opened. Each was a response to the pain, and hate, of a child who'd lost everything. There was no mercy, no empathy, no thought of holding back. Only a desire to lash out in every direction.
There were three hundred Oni-koru foot soldiers, weakest of their kind but still three hundred strong.
They didn't stand a chance. These portals weren't opened with the idea of trapping, or transporting. Each opened with the idea of ripping apart where they opened. Each Oni received at least three that tore into them, inflicting fatal wounds. The speaker got twelve.
Aiden was shaking at he stood up. He'd bitten through his lip, and blood ran from his eyes and nose. "I understand your message. We'll fight." He sniffed, and then spat onto the corpse of the Oni that had spoken to him. "I'll kill all of you."
Aiden was walking back towards his school. Now and again he'd jump forward through a portal. It felt natural to do so, easy as jumping over cracks while running down the sidewalk. Moira used to... Aiden grit his teeth. He didn't want to look around inside the portals' other side. What was in there was everything he'd lost... everything everyone there had lost. It wasn't just his family. They'd killed everyone. He'd stop them. The ship had been flying in this direction... He could feel that it was gone now, but it had gone this way.
Another portal hop, and he found another sphere. With a snarl, he absorbed it in pieces, shattering it through several portals. He felt his nose running again. He wiped away blood. It didn't matter.
A blast of energy knocked him off his feet and sent him tumbling. He cried out in pain as his shoulder gave way under the impact with the concrete.
"So... here's the little child that wiped out an entire battalion. You saved a great number of your kind, little hero! Take pride!" It was a female Oni-koru, carrying a massive sword in one hand. Smoke rose lazily from the tip of the blade. Her face was oddly beautiful, in a cruel sort of way. Red and yellow eyes looked down at Aiden while full, dark lips curled into a grin. Her form was tall and lithe, and she moved with a sinuous grace while closing the distance between them. Her ears, long and elfin, flicked forward towards him, as though listening for the slightest peep of a response. "It's a pleasure to see such strength; I was worried this wouldn't be any fun at all!"
Aiden got slowly to his feet. He reached out to open portals around her, to tear her apart. The air seemed to thicken, and he couldn't move it properly. In an instant she'd blurred and was directly in front of him. The flat of her blade struck him across the face, sending him once again sprawling. She was too fast. He stared up balefully at her, trying to gather energy to kill her again.
She blurred once more, ending crouched down next to him, a foot from his face. She was smiling. "Enough, little hero. You won't win today. The Grand Marshal wanted us to preserve any targets of interest. I've decided you qualify. So you'll be coming along with-"
Her head jerked violently to the side, before the sharp report of a high powered rifle could properly be registered. Her eyes were wide, and dark blood streamed down the side of her head, but the wound looked superficial. "Well now," she muttered shakily as the dozen or so Oni with her began firing various weapons at the source of the shot. Aiden couldn't tell if they were accomplishing anything. "That was something. Your kind... yes, I think we will definitely remember your people, boy." She shook her head as though to clear it. "I am Elite Warbrave Keia Luxuria. I am your enemy; and I bear you no grudge. But I will see your world burn. Would you do me the honor of your name?"
"...Aiden Windborne. I hate you. We'll kill you all."
"You will try," she smiled, and patted his head. "Sleep now, little hero. You lose today, but I'd be a coward not to allow you another chance. Mercy... is for the strong."
With that, she grabbed his forehead, and he felt a surge like a splash of water falling over him. It was... surprisingly refreshing. And he really was so very tired...
He didn't know where he was, or how long he'd been asleep. The ceiling was white, as were the walls, and the bed covers. A hospital? He grabbed a cup of water by the bed and drank deeply, coughing a bit at first. He called out, "Hello? I'm not staying here, I have to go."
"A moment first, Aiden Alexander Windborne." The voice was deep, and calm. There was a confidence in it that Aiden could feel. Literally. The feeling in the air seemed to slow, telling him to listen. Looking in the voice's direction, Aiden saw a man with dark, thinning hair, a well-tanned face, and a grim expression standing unobtrusively in the corner of the room. He was wearing a military uniform and holding an old book in one hand. Passing the time by reading? Aiden couldn't see the cover. "There's nowhere for you to go just now, I'm afraid. But we intend to change that."
Aiden swallowed, not sure what to make of that. "...Who are you?"
"Brigadier General Albert Grumman, United States Marine Corps. I'm one of many fighting back the alien invasion that began two days ago."
Images flashed in Aiden's head... things he didn't want to remember. He focused on the words. "Two days?"
"You've been recovering. The doctor here is one of mine, and expected you to wake up soon, so I came to wait. I know what you're capable of. There are others like you as well. I believe, with the help of all of you, we can stop these monsters for good."
"Others like me? ...What am I?" Aiden knew something had changed; it was more than just using the alien's device against them. He could still feel it, all around him. It was like the air was speaking to him, but it wasn't the air. He couldn't tell what he was feeling.
"We haven't settled on a name yet... but you can use what is being called magic."
"I thought magic wasn't real."
Grumman smiled, seeming sad. "So did I, young man, for a long time. Someone important to me spent a lot of that time trying to convince me otherwise. I can't help wondering if it might have mattered if I'd listened. The invaders, called the Oni-koru, use machines that use magic for their power sources. It's dangerous for most of us. Magic through their devices is unstable and hazardous to people." He sighed deeply. "You already know that; I'm sorry to say. But with your help, and the help of those like you... we can beat them."
"...Do you know who shot Keia Luxuria?"
Grumman frowned slightly. "I don't know who that is..."
"The Oni woman who put me to sleep."
"Ah. Yes, we're rather lucky they seem overconfident. Once word of Baltimore spreads... But you had a severely separated shoulder and a broken cheekbone from your encounter with her. Over the course of thirty six hours, you have healed completely. But we haven't seen her since a local SWAT team chased her and her soldiers away from you. ...Or so I'd like to say, but standard firearms don't seem very effective. The important thing is they left you after being engaged there. I'll introduce you to the sniper who first got her attention. And then there are more introductions to make. As I said, I intend to bring together as many like you as I can. Because we're going to save the world from them. I promise you that. Can I count on your help?"
Aiden took a breath, and sighed slowly. It was magic he was feeling, then. It was calming, and not just because of Grumman's confidence.
In his mind, within the gentle roll of power, he imagined he heard waves hitting the shore. And he could hear Moira laughing, cheering him on just like at his baseball games. He could see his mother's kind smile as she waited for him at the door, every day after school. And his father: stoic, dependable, and honest, who never held back encouragement and always steered his young son in the right direction. Tears ran down his cheek as he shut his eyes, focusing on the magic around him. They weren't gone... and he would make sure they were proud of him. He nodded, sniffling. "I want to help...."
Doctor Moriko Hamada was a slight woman in her mid thirties, and everything from her simple ponytail and glasses to her oversized lab coat would have screamed 'doctor', if Moriko didn't strongly disapprove of screaming. She was probably the quietest, most unassuming person in Grumman's compound. To his knowledge, she had never directly contacted him before. But a cursory glance at the examination room and its two occupants made it clear why she had.
"Dr. Hamada," Grumman greeted her with a brief nod, which she returned. "What am I seeing?"
The aether in the room was thick enough to be visible to the naked eye, and resembled a dark blue cloud of glowing fog. It was centralized around Rarity and Aiden, each of whom slept peacefully in a hospital style bed. Vital signs were stable on both of them, but more to the point...
"Setting aside the magic... is it me or do they have pretty much all the same readings?" Donovan asked.
"It isn't you, Knight Trellis, though there are a few differences," Hamada replied. "I believe they are sharing a dream, or each other's dreams. The visible aether in the room belongs to both of them, strengthening this connection and speeding both their recoveries. I believe they're both be awake soon." She held up a tablet for Donovan and Grumman to see. "Most notable is this wave pattern. As you see, the two of them are almost exactly in sync. I've noticed hints of a third pattern as well, but it's intermittent. "
"Thoughts on a cause, doctor? And what this means going forward?" Grumman asked.
"Based on the preliminary report from the field, their aetherpools merged briefly when Rarity used Joyeuse to cleanse the wound Aiden received from the Oni spear. It won't last, but for now they're resonating with each other, connecting them both, particularly so while sleeping. As to why they collapsed... simple aether exhaustion combined with physical overexertion. Both of them pushed themselves too hard. A repeat of something like this is very ill-advised, and could cause permanent impairment. Even if their energies are compatible, they aren't perfectly so. It's not as bad as mixing blood types, but that's the simplest analogy."
"Be sure to pass that along; I'm positive they'll listen to you." Donovan said with a grin.
"As do all my patients, of course. How's your back lately?"
"Aches a bit towards the end of the long days."
"Have you been doing the exercises I recommended?"
"..."
Hamada sniffed dismissively. "Espers are not invincible, you know. Take care of your-" her tablet beeped, interrupting her. "Ah. This is what I called you about; the third signal is back. General, do you recognize this pattern? It's an aetheric fluctuation within their minds, too subtle to be dangerous to them, or us, but I've never seen the like."
Grumman shook his head, looking at the readings with a confused frown. "I have no idea. Neither of them could make that pattern without altering their own, if I remember correctly."
"You do... so far as we know, at least."
"I'm afraid I'm stumped."
It was a unique experience, to be pulled so far to a nightmare. In fact, it seemed clear she hadn't arrived in time. Still, perhaps she could provide some scant comfort before this piece of her consciousness returned to the whole. It was a duty she took most seriously, after all... |
Back and There Again | 11. Back to the Waking World | Aiden stared into the fire. He wasn't sure how long he'd been doing so. Further, he wasn't sure how he'd come to be sitting on a log in front of a campfire. The last thing he remembered... Rarity was in Veritech, and... no. He'd been talking to Grumman... no. He facepalmed. He was still asleep. Confirming that was the fact that it didn't hurt. Though he was rather amused by the 'thock' noise that came from beside him. He peeked sidelong while keeping his hand on his forehead.
Rarity was sitting next to him on the log, face meeting hoof.
"Sounded like it hurt."
"Well it didn't. I'm clearly still asleep."
"Same."
"..."
"..."
"How do I know I'm not dreaming you?"
"How do I know I'm not dreaming you?"
"I can understand your words."
"Well so can I!"
Aiden chewed on the side of his lip. "Tell me something I wouldn't know."
"...My father played professional hoofball, the Equestrian equivalent of American Football. The two sports are remarkably similar."
Aiden blinked in low-key surprise. "Okay... I could not have have guessed that answer. I provisionally accept that you're really you, and we're sharing this dream somehow."
Rarity cocked an eyebrow at him.
He grinned innocently. "Oh right, my turn. Uh... my first kiss was a woman named Keia Luxuria. And I wasn't-"
"WHAT?!"
"...happy about it. Right, so, we're both us, and..."
"WAIT TILL I GET MY HOOVES ON HER!!!"
"...Woah. Uhh... I think she's dead, but... you alright there, Rarity?"
"Ugggghhhhh!" She took a breath and let it out slowly. "I'm fine... I'm fine." She took a few more deep breaths, looking highly agitated.
Aiden was grinning again, though it was less innocent this time. "Why Rarity, my dear friend... are you jealous?"
"Well!... No, not as such." The sudden change in tone got a laugh from him. "Angry that that... woman, would be..." she grimaced. "You deserved better than... wait... wait... what I saw..."
Aiden's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, now that you mention it... what I saw..."
The two stared at each other before pointing accusingly.
"It was way worse than you let on!"
"It was way worse than you let on!"
They stared at each other, eyes narrowed, before both snorted and looked away. Rarity spoke first. "It was... it was really frightening, the first couple of days. I couldn't be sure if things were going to get better, or if they'd just decide to start shooting me again. At first I only trusted Valerie because I had no other choice." She smiled, lightly touching his shoulder with a hoof. He looked back to her, smiling sadly. "But... it did get better. And I learned a great deal about myself, aspects of myself I'd never had to reach to before. For a brief time, I despaired... truly despaired, not just... indulging myself. I know I can come back from that now." She nudged him gently. "And I know what you had to come from, as well. I'm sorry, Aiden. They were a wonderful family. The man you are is the best proof of that. I'm glad I got to meet them, if only in a sense."
Aiden sighed, nodding. "Yeah. Despite all the other help I've gotten since, they gave me a great childhood to look back on, and I know that's been a source of strength. Didn't last as long as it should have, but longer than some folks got. That's why I don't dwell on how it ended. So many died that day. We can't let that be what we remember. How they lived, what they did with their lives... that's what matters." He grasped her hoof, giving it a squeeze in thanks. "They got me this far, all of them."
"We can both say that." Rarity scooted closer to him so they could lean on each other, and watch the fire. "...Now about that kiss..."
He chuckled. "There's not much to tell. She went out of her way to develop this sort of rivalry between us. Once I had training and was on the front lines regularly I had about a 50/50 chance of seeing her on any given op. Keep in mind how much the Oni enjoy drama. When you get a chance, look up Vikings, fictional rather than historical. The Oni are like that, turned up to eleven. They treat war like a performance piece, with themselves as the villains. So she was playing the role of femme fatale to the innocent, young hero."
Rarity grimaced. "Innocent is right, darling. You were a child!"
"Well... she was a mass-murdering invader for fun, so taking shots at her morality is pretty pointless. And I was fourteen by the time it happened."
"Still, though."
"But the kiss was... well a taunt, really. She'd won that particular engagement, though it cost her quite a bit. I wanted to bring her down but I was exhausted. She couldn't have killed me, for the same reason. But she had enough magic left to escape before our reinforcements could surround the area. It was a sort of 'better luck next time' kind of thing. Honestly she might've pulled it off, being alluring enough to bait me into doing something stupid I mean, if not for all the random killing."
"That would be a turn off for me as well."
"...Yeah let's not talk about my war numbers, then."
"That's different."
He sighed. "I tell myself that... but if I had it to do over again..."
"Let's not make wishes like that one, darling."
"...Fair." He cleared his throat. "But speaking of unexplained kisses..."
Rarity giggled lightly. "Yes?" She replied innocently.
"..."
"...Oh fine. Well don't take this the wrong way but it was for luck. It felt like the right thing to do before putting you at such risk... and after doing so. You were there because of me."
"Eyynt," Aiden replied, sounding like a 'Wrong!' buzzer. "I was there because I chose to be, for you, no guilt or debt will be spoken of again."
Rarity raised an eyebrow again, but her cheeks warmed a bit, framing a smile. "Well then, yes sir."
"And I've wished a lot of folks luck over the years," he continued with a smirk, though he was looking to the campfire and didn't see her answering grin. "It didn't involve kissing. Err, except the one time."
"Please tell me it was Donovan..." Rarity prodded with a wide smile.
Aiden burst out laughing. "Oh god, that would've been great. I can think of a few people we could've trolled so hard with something like that. I gotta remember that one. Nah, an old ex, years ago. But... not an ex at the time, which is sorta my point. On the lips and all... maybe I'm old-fashioned, but..."
"Well..." Rarity replied in a sing-song sort of voice, "I didn't say it was only for luck, now did I?"
They both chuckled. "So the daughter of a hoofball player, huh? What's that like? How'd a pro jock raise such a classy lady?"
She sniffed quietly, smiling. "By design, as it were. I love my mother and father dearly, but I never sought to emulate their mannerisms. My father, knowing that I had more elegant aspirations, put me through a boarding school that focused on teaching Canterlot etiquette. Thanks to that, I was able to separate myself, on the surface, from my middle class roots through something other than simply using my father's money. ...Though he did pay for the schooling."
"Well you expect parents to help with that sort of thing." Aiden smiled sadly. "I actually inherited a decent sum when I turned eighteen. It was my parent's college fund savings account for us. Grumman sort of made it public that several Espers had such inheritances. ...People donated to them. I ended up paying it forward to help war orphans."
Rarity smiled. She leaned over and nuzzled his cheek, giggling lightly. "Darling... you are a war orphan."
His face reddened slightly, and a goofy grin went well with the coloring. "Well yeah, but by then I was doing fine. So then what? With you I mean."
"Hmm? Oh, right. Well, along the way I got my Cutie Mark, and-"
"And that's the diamonds on your..."
"Flank, darling. Right there." She leaned away, pointing a hoof down toward said diamonds.
He chuckled. "Yeah, those. I didn't know whether looking was okay."
"It'd be an odd place for a Mark if it wasn't."
"Fair point."
"So, my mark stands for my desire to bring out beauty in everyone. With that, and the education I'd received, I was ready to step into the fashion world by opening my own boutique! I've done quite well, if I do say so myself. In fact, I've tried paying father back for the schooling several times, but he keeps refusing. To be fair, he doesn't need the money. They're practically always traveling to this or that exotic location..."
They weren't alone. And their observer was not pleased to be eavesdropping. It wasn't that she minded seeing private moments in dreams, such was the risk this duty entailed. She would take such secrets to her grave, and never look down upon any of her subjects over such things. Their dreams were theirs; no shame was to be had. In any case this wouldn't even crack the top one thousand most embarrassing.
Not that Luna was keeping track. ...And not that she could even be sure. For all she knew, the amorphous blob sitting with Rarity was spouting lewd anecdotes with every breath. She couldn't understand a word he was saying, or see him clearly. Rarity was more distinct, though only just. Her own words were similarly garbled, frustratingly on the edge of the Night Princess' understanding.
Wherever Rarity was, it was simply too far for Luna to properly reach, even through dreamwalking. Magic knew no distances, but Luna knew better than most that even alicorn princesses had their limits. With Rarity clearly well beyond Sidera's Veil, Luna was happy, almost deliriously so, that she had been able to discover this much. It was only because the two of them, Rarity and the stranger, were sharing a dream somehow, that Luna had been able to find even the smallest of echoes that led her this far. Even the dream state was amplified by some other magic, something familiar that Luna couldn't quite place.
And they could not see or hear her. Her connection to the dream was simply too weak to make herself noticed. Even the Royal Canterlot Voice hadn't evoked so much as an ear flick from the unicorn. Still, it was enough. Rarity's friends and family would hear of this, every word Luna could give to describe what little she was seeing. It was enough. The indistinct one said something else, and Rarity laughed. It did Luna's heart good to hear it, and not for the first time in this dream.
She walked across the campfire, feeling only slight warmth from it, and gave him a nod. "Thank you, friend I've yet to meet. Thank you for being her friend as well. I'll trust you to take care of one another until we can find a way to bridge the distance between us." Luna smiled brightly, though she knew they couldn't see it. Turning to Rarity, she continued, "We will find a way. If not sister and myself, Twilight Sparkle and her student, assuredly. And if they don't... I have a hunch you will."
She chuckled as the two continued talking. "In fact... yes. Tis but a hunch... but I believe you've found help that will see to it you find us before we find you. Until that day... farewell, friend Rarity." With that, she let go of the tenuous hold on Rarity's dreamscape, and felt herself rejoining the waking world back home.
It wasn't long before the dreamscape faded as well, and the two enjoying the fire followed her example.
Aiden sighed deeply as, with a bit of regret, he rejoined the waking world. The lights of the infirmary were dimmed a bit, and a glance at the wall clock told Aiden it was early evening. They'd slept over half a day.
"Good morning, Mr. Windborne."
"...Figuratively speaking? Dr...?"
"Hamada," replied the lab coat clad, coffee carrying woman. "And no, not figurative. You've both been asleep for over a day. It's 7am."
"Huh... well I was looking to reset my sleep schedule, and that would explain my rather desperate need for the facilities..."
Hamada smirked behind her cup, and pointed a dainty finger to a side door. "There's a toothbrush and basic toiletries for the shower as well."
"You're a beautiful human being, doctor," Aiden said with a grin.
She blushed, hiding behind her cup as best she could. "Yes, well... I would say take it easy, but you being... you, you should be fully recovered, but even so let your legs wake up a bit before you just jump out of bed. Also, there's a gown hanging there. Your clothing needed to be removed for sanitary reasons."
"Yeah I was probably pretty ripe."
"I was referring to the various blood stains, including those of a revived and necrotizing Oni."
"...Right. Hey, Rarity, up and at 'em."
"..."
Aiden chuckled, looking across at the other bed. "Nice try, darling," he grin lopsidedly at borrowing her favorite form of address, "but even I can tell you're awake."
"Hmm.... I'm not moving from under this blanket until I can go directly to the little filly's room, and the shower. You can go first though." Her eyes opened slowly, both their normal, deep blue. She smiled over at him. "I'm glad you're okay."
Hamada's eyes had gone wide, but she stayed silent.
"Same... you burned through a lot of aether back there, going all Jedi hero."
"Joyeuse did most of the work. And speaking of burning aether, who saved us from two giant explosions and took down that Oni monster?"
"Heh... yeah well... it was a team effort."
"Indeed so. Now hit the showers so we can be ready for the next game... as it were."
"You're sure you don't want first crack at it?"
"I'm fine, darling. I think I don't want to think about why I'm fine. I'm going to hope that Joyeuse has been slowing my biology rather than something less ladylike."
Aiden laughed softly. "Everyone here has seen worse; I'm sure your reputation is safe either way." He pulled the blanket down to his torso, grabbing for the gown. He slipped it on over his shoulders, getting up slowly and removing the blanket after having the robe on over it.
Rarity giggled. "You really adhere to that nudity taboo, don't you?"
He looked at her over his shoulder, and stuck his tongue out. "I lack your luxurious coat of fur, so I feel inadequate."
"Oh please! Let me see your stomach though, turn around. The wound..."
"Ah." He turned, pulling the robe apart a bit around where the spear and then Joyeuse had pierced him. It wasn't much to look at by that point.
Rarity's eyes went wide. "It's practically gone!"
Aiden nodded. "I heal about a hundred times faster than a normal human. I can't recall if I've mentioned that. But a day's bed rest is like almost fifteen weeks worth of healing. No scars either, aether reinforced genetics, or some such. Dr. Hamada could explain it better. Given the corrupted aether in that spear though... it could have been very bad if you hadn't acted quickly." He made a face. "I'm going to go shower now, among other things."
"Don't be long; I really need one as well."
"Yes, ma'am." He made his way into the small bathroom and shut the door. He sighed deeply in relief as he got the water going, and tended to biology.
In his defense, it should be noted that he was still a bit groggy. The accelerated healing was a fine thing, but it ate through aether like nothing else. While he was well rested in a sense, he was certainly not fully awake. As such, he could be forgiven for not noticing an obvious point...
Rarity stretched, grumbling a bit as the movement reminded her that she really did need to use the filly's room. She could wait a few minutes, but she hoped Aiden would hurry. She looked over at Doctor Hamada. "I don't think we've been introduced. I'm Rarity, and thank you for looking after us. Could I have your full name?
The petite woman tilted her head slightly, raising an eyebrow in confusion... and hiding behind her coffee cup.
"Hmm... human Fluttershy, then? I can accept that. We can talk when you're ready."
...In her defense, Rarity was also rather groggy. Further, from an emotional stress standpoint, she'd been through more than anyone could reasonably be expected to cope with in the last few weeks. As such, she could be forgiven for missing the occasional observation. ...Even one that might be considered obvious from an outside perspective.
Doctor Hamada set her coffee cup down, smiled nervously at Rarity, and grabbed her tablet. She pressed a couple icons on the front, looked back at Rarity with that same sheepish look, and then pressed a few more.
Rarity's eyes narrowed slightly as she watched Hamada's nervous behavior. She felt like she was forgetting something...
"She didn't say what the issue was?" Valerie asked around a yawn.
"She did not, although this is twice in as many days that she's summoned me to the infirmary, and I'll remind you it never happened before that." Grumman replied. He looked to have been awake for hours. Valerie had never known him to sleep more than a few hours at a time.
"To be fair, for the last few weeks she's been busy analyzing all the data on Rarity I'd be sending along from Veritech. Before that, data on dead end Third Gen modifications. We haven't had any major emergencies since she came on, until this one."
"True. And she's handled it with aplomb."
"You choose your people well."
"...Other than Ferguson."
"No. He was well chosen, and made some bad decisions later than made him vulnerable to being turned against us."
"Perhaps." They entered the infirmary to find Aiden sitting on a bed, wearing a hospital gown, freshly shaved and showered. He was sipping coffee with a look of utter contentment. The sound of the shower coming from the restroom told Valerie where Rarity was.
"Good Morning, General, Corporal."
"Status, Mr. Windborne?"
"I think I'm mission ready, or will be after some food and maybe a run to stretch the muscles a bit."
"And Rarity?"
"I think she's fine? You can ask her yourself shortly."
"Yes, I apologize for that."
"Uh, for what?"
"I brought the translators along," he said, removing them from his pocket. "We were checking the software and updating other devices from it, since the language program has adapted considerably. It's even helped with decrypting the Command Crystal. We may have a location for Equus soon. But we're done with them now, so Rarity can talk to us again."
Aiden blinked, then stared at the translators, as if remembering their existence. ...Which was accurate. "...Oh shi-" |
Back and There Again | 12. Coffee and Contingency Plans | Doctor Hamada, General Grumman, Valerie, and Aiden all went quiet as Rarity exited the bathroom. She felt much better after freshening up, even if she hadn't put in the full time necessary for a proper beauty regimen. "Hello everyone." She said with a smile.
"Miss Rarity, can you understand me?" Grumman asked.
It was easy to forget he was fluent in her language. His accent was a bit thick... stilted? Still, that it was comprehensible at all was impressive. "Yes, General Grumman, I understand you. Is something wrong?"
"And, can you understand me now?"
Rarity tilted her head. "I'm sorry, without the translators I don't know what you just said."
Aiden smiled at her. "Oh really?"
"Yes, really."
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Welp, that's something, isn't it?"
"What is? What's... wait..." Rarity's eyes widened. "I can understand what you're saying! But you're speaking English. ...But I can't understand Grumman's English..."
"Yeah, nor I his Equish. Just yours. Whatever Joyeuse did to our magic left behind a gift beyond the shared dreams. If I really pay attention I know the words you're saying aren't familiar at all... but I still know what you're saying."
"Yes... now that I'm listening for it, it's the same. I don't understand the words, and yet I do. I think thinking about it is going to give me a headache. Twilight could explain it, but all I can guess at is a form of Harmony between us through the pure aetheryte in Joyeuse. The crystal has empathic properties, which is why it can be dangerous when corrupted."
"That explanation suits me," Aiden said as Grumman switched on the translators for the rest of the room. Though... now that Rarity thought about it, really just for Doctor Hamada right then. Valerie understood Equish, she just didn't seem comfortable speaking it. She floated the translators over as Grumman held them towards her along with a light, padded holster for them. She put it on, noting the fit was nearly perfect. And yet... she still felt a desire to adjust it... maybe add a few sequins? She'd have to look into that.
"Now then, if you two are amenable, shall we move this to the dining room? Breakfast can be served shortly, and I'm guessing you're both hungry. We can discuss what you've slept through as well as our next move."
Two stomachs growled right on cue. Rarity blushed, Aiden chuckled and said, "I think it's safe to say we're both quite amenable."
"Agreed," Rarity said, grinning sheepishly. "...Could Talia, Vera, Donovan, and Aaron join us?"
Grumman nodded as Valerie began tapping her tablet. "I think that can be arranged."
Resituated with pancakes, OJ, more coffee, and various side dishes, Rarity was already eager to start moving forward again. The question was one of direction. As such, she was quite content to listen as Grumman laid out current events. Everyone she'd requested had gathered, though Aaron Cooper seemed quite groggy. He returned her smile in welcome though, before attacking his plate of food as though expecting it to be taken away at any moment.
Addressing the table, Grumman began with what most of them surely already knew. "Obviously there was no covering up the explosion at Veritech. For now, official story is an industrial accident brought on by illegal experiments and poor safety measures. A warrant has been issued for Dr. Christina Stolhann, head researcher for Veritech, along with several others from her support staff who are still unaccounted for. Most of the so-called Third Generation Espers serving as guards there have been rounded up, with help from my own staff, over the last 24 hours. Thanks to Vera Elleway blowing the whistle on Veritech's dangerous and illegal shortcuts, we were able to intervene and arrest Colonel Jeffrey Owens on several charges. Again, not all of those have been made public. His... tampering... with Oni-koru corpses is classified information."
Aiden spoke up at that. "Yeah, speaking of Owens..."
"He is currently occupying Vera's old room. Under the possibility that he has more information that I am uniquely equipped to deal with, he'll enjoy my hospitality for the foreseeable future. Alas, I had to assign Knight Elleway a standard suite."
"It's okay though, I promised to behave and remain confined to quarters. ...Other than for pancakes. And maybe the occasional op." Vera grinned, taking a rather large bite of the former.
"Well, I did request your presence. I keep forgetting you're a 'criminal'. ...Why haven't we forgiven her yet?" Rarity asked, raising an eyebrow at Grumman.
"I'd say we have. Even Sergeant Vualez has spoken with and forgiven her. However, criminal proceedings are about more than the emotions involved. Even believable contrition isn't necessarily enough." Grumman replied.
"That seems... vindictive."
"Unfortunately it can be. But the idea is to be punitive, to discourage such actions being repeated and in others. There are criminals who are superb actors. If we allowed them to simply be forgiven upon expressing believable contrition..." Grumman shrugged lightly.
Rarity grimaced. "I see your point. I still don't think I like it. Or that that applies in this case."
Grumman smiled at her. "I agree; in a perfect world we'd have a better system. Well, I suppose in a perfect world we wouldn't need one. If it helps... there's a reason I haven't turned her in or even reported her actions yet."
Aiden nodded. "By the time anyone outside of this group hears about Vera's little boo boo, she'll likely have exonerated herself."
"Truthfully, I can't rule out the possibility that reporting it will slip my mind altogether. I'm not a young man anymore." Grumman said with a grin.
Valerie chuckled. "We call that spiting the letter of the law to uphold the spirit. Supposedly, law should be rational and not let emotions sway decisions. The upside is discouraging rulings based on vengeance. The downside is that compassion can also fall by the wayside. So... we fudge a little, when it seems called for."
"Sounds rather complicated," Rarity noted.
"Very. Though I prefer 'intricate'," Grumman chimed back in. "Again, not a perfect system, but perfection leaves nothing to improve on. It's actually one aspect of Oni-koru philosophy I agree with. They believe in rebirth and don't buy into any sort of Afterlife. A perfect plane of existence representing bliss or torment is anathema to them, and I agree. Heaven or Hell, I'd be bored with either. Give me the good but imperfect Earth every time."
"I think boredom would be your Hell." Valerie noted.
"Plus he'd be on fire, because Hell," Aaron added. "I could see you, sir, being on fire and bored by it."
"We'll hope I can stave that off for awhile longer. And speaking of staving off... our involvement in bringing down Veritech couldn't be kept secret. Fortunately, the details," and Grumman nodded to Rarity, "have remained hidden. For the moment we want that to continue, and so I've arranged for Aiden and Rarity to be offsite for a couple days while the press are visiting."
Donovan groaned. "You didn't mention we'd be getting interviewed."
"I didn't want to give you time to plan an escape. Especially you, Knight Trellis. With Knight Lieutenant Windborne staying out of the public eye, you're the hero of the encounter."
"Oh come on! Valerie did more than I did. Hell, so did Henson, for that matter."
Talia raised an eyebrow behind her tea cup, but didn't reply. Valerie put a hand up in a 'keep it coming' sort of gesture, grinning. "Even if we agreed, that's why you get credit with the press. Our reward is getting to mostly avoid them."
"Besides, you know they're going to want to talk to an Esper for something like this. They love twisting everything we say into something they can get more scare mileage out of," Vera said with a grimace.
"Thanks, Vera, so no pressure then."
Her grimace morphed into a weak smile of apology.
"I know that you'll handle the situation well, Knight Trellis. I'll be speaking to them first and will make it abundantly clear that you have my utmost confidence. The world needs to work its way past this fear of Espers nonsense that the media has built up. I don't expect you to spearhead that completely, but I believe this can be a start. I can't think of a better candidate."
"Yeah," Aaron added offhandedly, "plus, the press'll love you. You're so pretty!"
Rarity snorted her coffee rather noticeably and went into a cycle of coughing and laughing, ducking under the side of the table. Aaron grinned. "Got 'er!"
"Goddammit, Private..." Aiden muttered, patting Rarity's back while fistbumping Aaron out of her line of sight. Or so he thought.
Rarity looked up at him with a mock glare, still clearing her throat. "...Traitor."
He grinned nervously.
Donovan was chuckling. "So other than running from the now angry girl with the built in spear, what will you be doing while I represent Esper kind?"
"I don't actually know. ...Sir?"
Grumman smiled. "You and Rarity will be spending a couple days out of sight. Keep an eye on the news broadcasts to see how we're doing if you'd like, but either way I'll contact you when they've cleared out. As to where out of sight... your aunt will be here to get you both around noon."
"Oh how lovely; I look forward to meeting her!" Rarity said.
"Huh..." Aiden muttered. "So... did you tell her the... nature of one of her guests?"
"I used a series of nondescript euphemisms. She has a First Generation Esper in her family, and very few people can say that these days. I'm sure she'll handle the surprise with no problems. And I'm sure you'll explain things flawlessly, being family and all."
"You magnificent bastard."
"Why thank you, young man. Obviously she can also take you around to your work to pick up your car and update your coworkers of the situation."
Aiden nodded. "I was already thinking about that. They deserve an update. I'm honestly surprised Craig hasn't gone to the police or whatnot. I'm pretty sure he has pictures."
"Actually, the security detail I sent to guard them from any Veritech incursions bought the pictures at my authorization. Under the circumstances, it was the best option for all concerned. The world isn't ready for more aliens, even amicable ones. And given Miss Rarity's appearance, he would just as likely be accused of fakery."
"I choose to take that as a compliment, darling."
"As it was intended, Miss Rarity. You are too fabulous to be believed," he replied with a completely straight face.
Rarity beamed at him, giggling as if to say 'I know you're half-joking but I like it anyway'.
"Alright then," Aiden nodded thoughtfully. "So that covers the next couple days. Longer term though, what's next?"
"We're looking for another ship. Or even spaceship parts. Or maybe a giant robot buried in a junkyard for some reason that can fly in space... for some reason." Valerie replied with a smirk. The bandage around her head was so unobtrusive Rarity had scarcely noticed it. It was reassuring; she seemed to be recovering and none the worse for wear.
"Hey, I remember that cartoon!" Aaron added. "A couple kids from Jersey used a robot from the future to beat up Oni-koru invaders. It was awesome!"
Aiden chuckled. "Yeah... 'laughing at the scary' was a pretty popular theme back then. I think folks were really starting to feel some hope. Stuff like that helped, even silly... especially silly."
Smiling, Rarity leaned over and nuzzled him.
He blinked, coloring slightly. "...What?"
She shook her head, still smiling. "I'll tell you later."
Returning the smile, he nodded. "Kay." Turning back to the table, he saw several knowing grins, and his flush intensified. He cleared his throat, and his eyes narrowed a little as he heard what sounded suspiciously like a fist contacting a hoof behind his back. He glanced sidelong at Rarity, who looked so innocent she could only be guilty. Looking the other way revealed an Aaron with no attempt at a poker face.
"Got 'im," he said, looking Aiden in the eyes with a shit-eating grin.
"...Goddammit, Private. ...ANYway... do we have any leads that don't rely on a cartoon full of unlikely, albeit hilarious, plot contrivances?"
"Other than NASA, and I do plan to talk with the director in person next week," Grumman replied. "There are several possibilities. The top three on the list involve a fair bit of travel, so we'll need to deal with the press situation first. Suffice to say things don't look much worse than before we lost Owens' ship, even if it may take a bit longer. Hopefully we can procure something with the blessing of its current owner."
"Why go in person though?" Aiden asked.
"While I could contact leads on this matter through official or unofficial channels, there's always a risk of information leaking, and higher odds of being misled. I prefer a show of force and commitment, so we're likely to do some traveling. Besides, with you there we can claim any ship we obtain immediately and easily get it where we need to go with it, for whatever repairs or modifications it may require."
"Fair point. Though you'd think anyone with an Oni ship lying around would be happy to have it be part of an historic diplomatic effort to the stars."
"That will be my hope, yes. If not, we have other options."
"Blow them up and take it?" Aaron asked, sounding hopeful.
"...Goddammit, Private." Grumman muttered. "We aren't pirates. Purchase will be our first route, likely in trade rather than liquid assets, but we'll see."
"I understand, General, really I do, but... isn't just having one of these things and not being government sanctioned already illegal?" Aaron asked, looking thoughtful. Rarity thought the look suited him. He was clearly comfortable playing the clown, but at least some of that was an act.
Grumman hummed thoughtfully. "The truth is a bit more murky than that. Frankly, it isn't worth going into. The short answer is 'yes', but there are a lot of loopholes. Those help us though; we can use various avenues to procure a vessel without having to outright hand it over to the joint chiefs... or NATO, for that matter."
Breakfast had more or less wrapped up. As they began excusing themselves to get the day started, Rarity trotted in front of Aaron. Aiden stepped back, clearly not sure what she was doing but content to wait unless dismissed. And quite the contrary, Rarity wanted him, and everyone, there.
"Uhh, hi?" Aaron said a bit nervously, looking over to Aiden as if to say 'what's she want?'.
She reared up easily and put her forelegs around his neck, hugging him tightly.
"Guu...?"
She nuzzled him, and then kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I'm sorry you had to kill to protect me, but you saved my life. Thank you!" She kissed his cheek again.
Aaron, by this point, was imitating a radish, and doing a fine job. Not only was he the proper color (both even, having gone from a pale white of 'nervous' to a bright red of 'embarrassed'), but he was also absolutely still. For a moment. He then smiled, laughed quietly, and returned the hug. "You're welcome, Miss Rarity. ...This is kinda embarrassing though, in front of everybody."
"Oh?" She said archly, not letting him go. "You're saying you'd prefer a private hug, and perhaps a kiss or two? I mean, I do owe you, but you should probably buy a lady dinner first, don't you think?"
Aaron coughed, pushing her away gently as his flush returned in full force. Around the room several chuckles made themselves known.
Rarity regained her four hooves, looking up at Aaron with a smug grin. "...Got 'im."
He blinked, and then laughed. "Goddamn right." They fist/hoofbumped.
Everyone filed out, grinning and laughing. Clearly, despite the close calls at Veritech, morale hadn't suffered.
"Oh, Talia?" Rarity called out, almost singing the name.
The taciturn woman turned, grinning and holding her hands in front of her in a warding gesture. Honey blonde hair framed a cutely chubby face, though it didn't match her slim figure, seeming more the result of prominent cheekbones. The grin was genuine, and really suited her, but also apologetic. "Sorry, Rarity, I don't do pdas."
"Hmm... oh fine, I suppose I can't embarrass everyone in one day, though I must say you look lovely when you smile, if you decide to do it more often I think it would suit you well." Rarity replied, smiling up at her. "And thank you. For saving me."
Talia nodded. "It was a team effort; we all worked to keep each other safe, and that's how it should be. We'll see you in a couple days, and do it all again. ...Hopefully, with a lot less violence and a lot more 'talking folks into helping us make history'."
"Agreed, darling." |
Back and There Again | Obvious April 1st Chapter is Obvious | Aiden and Rarity were busy packing for their stay off base. Really, it wasn't much to pack since neither had much in the way of belongings. Rarity had still managed to fill two suitcases somehow.
His own weekend duffel (standard issue) was mostly full, and he began going over what to expect. "Okay, so, my aunt is pretty laid back, and overall I think this will be fine, but we're going to want to ease her into the idea before she sees you, and-"
Beep.
"Phone message, one sec." His eyes went wide as he read the text. "No fracking way..."
They both ran out to the front of the compound to see what Valerie had brought for them. "Valerie, what the everloving..."
"No no, wait, look, shut up! So remember we were talking about that old robot found at the dump show, right?"
Aiden's face went deadpan. "...Yes."
"Well, okay so I went to the dump..."
"That was a cartoon!"
"Cartoons are awesome!"
"...You've got me there, but this is... it's just a trash can, Val!"
"Who are you, Wernher von Braun? Also, we're going to fit bottle rockets to the bottom of it."
"Aren't those illegal in Virginia?"
"...Rarity is literally an illegal alien."
Rarity nodded. "It's true; I am."
Aiden looked down at her. "Whose side are you on?"
She grinned apologetically at him.
"Look," Valerie continued. "We can do this. Donovan can give it a boost from the ground and you two can launch and have Rarity back to Equestria by suppertime!"
"There's so many things wrong with this... I can't even..."
"Darling, how do we find Equestria when we get up there? I'm no expert on space, but it seems rather large."
Valerie nodded, sagely. "Yeah, it's pretty big. Use Joyeuse. It's from there, it can probably find its way back. Like a dog or something, you know?"
"Ooh... that could work. Gems always fix everything. Except the gem that brought me here. Buck that gem in particular."
"Exactly. We can't lose! Also, if you don't launch, the terrorists win."
Aiden blinked out of his stupor. "What terrorists?!"
"All of them. And Owens. He said you'd be too chicken..."
"...WHAT?!"
"Yep. And that you look like a dork."
"HE LOOKS LIKE A DORK!"
"So we doing this?"
"Hell yeah we're doing this! Screw that guy, Rarity's going home! ...Wait, why am I going, too?"
"You expect her to steer a trashcan rocket with hooves while holding her traveling tea?"
"Yes, Aiden, do tell. How would I do that again?"
"Okay, good point. That's laughably impossible. ...Right, let's do this!"
"Five... four... three... two... one... IGNITION!"
Valerie lit the twisted up fuse to the dozen or so bottle rockets tied to the garbage can. Per Rarity's insistence, they'd duct taped a pillow to the top for comfort. Aiden admitted it was the right move. The fuse burned down, and the rockets ignited. At the same time, Donovan detonated a burst of aether underneath the can, sending it and its passengers screaming into the sky. In moments, they were a glimmer in the distance.
Grumman looked up, shading his eyes. "I can't believe that worked. No wonder bottle rockets are illegal."
CRASH LANDING NOISES!!!!
"...I can't believe that worked."
"Yes, darling, it's a good thing you remembered space is a vacuum and put up that shield. That would have been embarrassing."
Aiden looked around. They seemed to have landed in the middle of a rather pleasant looking village. "So this is really...?"
Rarity smiled. "Ponyville. I'm home. We did it!"
"HAH! I KNEW IT! FIFTY BITS, BONNIE, PAY UP!"
"...Luna bucking dammit..."
Rarity spun, waving to the two ponies who were apparently first on the scene. She ambled away from the crash site, R.I.P. the USS Dumpster Fire. "Lyra, Bon Bon, how lovely to see you!"
Lyra grinned. "Welcome back, Rarity. Who's tall, dark, and handsome over there?"
Rarity giggled. "'Tall', she says."
Aiden stuck his tongue out at her. "Bite me, Gem Butt."
Rarity waggled her hips at him, swishing her tail. "Bite that, shorty. Anyway, this is Aiden. It means Little Fire according to the translator, emphasis on 'little'-"
"Not what your mom said!"
"...He's from Earth."
Bon Bon looked up at Aiden. "I know what Lyra thinks you are... but seriously, what are you supposed to be?"
"Apparently humanity's first interstellar Uber driver."
"I don't know what that is."
"It's okay, probably won't come up again."
"Welcome home, Rarity."
Rarity spun, her eyes wide. "Princess Celestia?!"
Aiden took a step back. "Tall horse... such horn. Very magic... wow."
Celestia smiled warmly at him. "Thank you so much for bringing Rarity home to us, young human. It's a true pleasure to see a genuine member of your race again. Starswirl's mirror trolled us into finding an alternate universe when he was trying to find your world. Who would've imagined we simply had to wait for an Element Bearer to do the work for us?"
"As usual," Rarity muttered.
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that."
"Nothing, Princess, nothing at all."
"Ah, very good then. Now, there is one little problem we need to take care of."
Aiden nodded. "Is it the USS Dumpster Fire? 'Cause it should burn itself out here in a few minutes. Honestly I don't know how it even caught fire; the rockets burned their fuel in seconds."
"No... we must maintain the Masquerade."
"...What."
"You see... when your kind helped us during the wars long ago, not all humans left to return to Earth."
"...What."
"But we don't want to disrupt Equestrian Harmony with alien cultural influences, the Angels were very clear on that point..."
"...What?!"
Celestia smiled, bearing down on Aiden as her horn lit. "Why do you think we call them Earth Ponies...?"
"HAH! FIFTY MORE BITS, BONNIE!"
"DAMMIT!"
"Uh... what if I don't want to be a pony?"
"Oh nonsense, dear, you won't remember being otherwise."
Rarity nodded. "I can always use another worker in my textile factory in Detrot. I'll get you a fair wage, as thanks for getting me home."
"What the buck, Rarity?!"
She giggled. "Oh I'm teasing, of course. You can stay with me until you get settled. We'll say you had an accident but we're dear friends who were about to start dating. We can start over, fall in love, have foals together. It'll be lovely."
Aiden tilted his head, considering this, as Celestia zapped him. Suddenly a confused Earth Pony stallion, he looked around blankly. "...That trashcan is burning for some reason."
Rarity grimaced. "He seems a bit... dull now."
Bon Bon scoffed. "You saying Earth Ponies are dull?"
Rarity snorted. "Oh please, darling, I'm friends with Pinkie Pie."
"Oh right... withdrawn."
"I just means he's... well I guess I don't have to keep my word..." She gasped. "What am I saying, that's absolutely horrid! What is wrong with me... with all of this...? Celestia, how could you just... Wait... this doesn't... how can... bwa...?"
From off in the distance, Twilight leaned out of the window of her castle. "SEE, RARITY? THIS IS WHY I HATE AND FEAR QUESADILLAS!"
Rarity blinked. "Oh son of a-"
"Gah!"
"Dammit!"
They both sat up, in their separate beds in their room at the compound (Fort Friendship, working title)...
FACEPALM!
FACEHOOF!
"FU-BUCKING QUESADILLAS!"
Happy April First, and Happy Easter, to Everyone! ...Proper chapter in a couple days. |
Back and There Again | 13. Family | Rarity and Aiden stood just outside the compound... waiting the final minutes for their ride. Rarity had activated her 'limited visibility' spell, which bent light around her form, as well as the simple sundress she wore. She found it much easier to channel the energy needed when she wasn't running on low sleep, low food, and excess adrenaline. Joyeuse had helped too, not so much with a power boost but more as a centering point. It was as if she'd been learning a new dance, and the crystal embedded in that blade had gently led her through the first steps. Not everypony had Starlight Glimmer's emotionally boosted magic: Rarity much preferred calm and balance to be at her best. She could almost feel that calm, radiating from the crystal even as the sword sat back in their rooms. Bringing it along didn't seem appropriate for meeting Aiden's aunt, though Rarity was a bit tempted just the same.
Aiden was watching her sidelong, wearing an appreciative smirk at her magic in progress. "You do know doing that might just give my Aunt Lynn a heart attack when you appear out of nowhere?"
"I assume you're going to warn her before I do so. Grumman suggested that she shouldn't see me while driving up to the building from the gate, so as not to worry her while behind the wheel."
"Fair enough. She should be along any time; she's not the sort to get lost..."
As if on cue, the gate began opening remotely to admit a mid-sized, white sedan. It was a newer model, clean and sleek. Rarity approved. She'd seen various vehicles while perusing the internet, from the ostentatious to the downright shoddy, and she deemed this one tasteful.
Said sedan pulled up next to Aiden and stopped. The driver's side door shot open, and a woman popped out, looking somewhere between 'angry' and 'I keel you!'
Lynneth Marcusson (nee Windborne) was a woman in perhaps her mid forties, though she could easily have been younger. Hints of crow's feet accentuated blue eyes that were clearly better suited to smiles and laughter than the sort of fury they seemed to currently content themselves with. Her face bore a smattering of freckles across a pert nose which was crinkled due to a near snarl that curled her lips. Her dark hair was tied back in a simple... ponytail. Rarity had chuckled at that particular phrase for that hairstyle. If there was a joke in there about a human head resembling a pony rump in any way, Rarity was far too classy to utter it.
She was a bit taller than Aiden (who wasn't?), and it was all the more apparent as she bore down on him. He actually seemed to shrink back. This veteran of a war against violent aliens, this man who'd faced death and took time out to joke with his squadmates while doing so... seemed ready to bolt like a frightened rabbit.
Too late: she caught him in a rough embrace.
"You idiot! No calls, no texts, no emails... just sitting alone in that house of yours doing what?! And now you re-up without even mentioning it to me?!" She swung him back and forth in the fierce hug, his arms dangled at his sides. His eyes were wide, and his face was red as his aunt hugged and berated him.
"S-sorry, Aunt Lynn...."
"Oh you will be. We're the only family we have left. I'm not one of these ex war buddies of yours gone to ground to escape those idiots on the news! You don't get to cut me out! Just wait till I can embarrass you in front of this girl you're protecting! I have baby pictures, you brat!"
Rarity grinned evilly.
Aiden let out a breath explosively, and then started laughing. "Oh bring it on... I was goddamn adorable." He returned the hug. "Really, though. I'm sorry, Aunt Lynn. I got into a rut, you know? I don't think I even realized it until... well we can talk all about it. First though..."
"Mm-hmm," Lynn replied, releasing him. "So, where's this VIP friend of yours?"
"What did Grumman tell you?" he asked cautiously.
Lynn cocked an eyebrow. "I know that tone... he clearly didn't tell me enough. ...Foreign diplomat, here through some transportation accident. She's related to the war so it's a tricky situation and we want the press in the dark about it. ...What am I missing?"
Aiden chuckled. "That's one way to put it. He did leave out the most important detail. ...Now, she's actually right here... and her appearance is going to shock you. I would elaborate on that... but I think at this point I'd rather surprise you."
Lynn looked around. "Magic, I take it? Who's hiding her? If Donovan could do that he'd start a stage act."
"Yeah, he was asking for smoke bombs earlier, to escape the media shitstorm-"
"Language."
"...Sorry. Anyway she's hiding herself. ...Rarity, if you would?"
"You're certain you don't want to give her some sort of warning?" Rarity asked. Her translator spoke quietly, broadcasting her into English whereas it had been translating Lynn's English to Equish only through her earbud.
Lynn stepped back from the source of the voice. "What language was that?"
Aiden grinned. "Equish."
"...I've not heard of that."
"Yeah, it's not a common one around here. And yes, Rarity, I think she has enough warning. Aunt Lynn, meet Rarity."
"Very well, darling, but if she faints or the like you're responsible for it." She dropped the spell, and the light that had artfully bent around her went back to its proper manner.
"Holy shit, that's a goddess damn unicorn!"
"Language, Aunt Lynn. Don't curse in front of the Celestia-darned unicorn."
Rarity snerked.
"I... well I... Albert Grumman you jerk! I'll...!"
Rarity stepped forward, slowly, taking pity on the poor woman. She held out a hoof. "It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Marcusson. I am Rarity, and while Aiden hasn't told me too much about you, I'm sure we'll get along fine. ...And I'm eager to see those baby pictures."
Lynn blinked as her brain reloaded various necessary tasks. "Ah... goddess, you're adorable... I, uh..."
"She has excellent ears, too, Aunt Lynn."
"Oh shut up," she cleared her throat and smiled. She looked much younger doing so. She leaned down and grasped the hoof lightly, and her smile deepened as she felt the reality of that hoof. "It's a wondrous thing to meet you... Rarity. I feel truly blessed... and more than a little blind-sided. So I apologize for my reaction." They shook briefly before Lynn get go. "...So I'm assuming, when Grumman said 'foreign diplomat'..."
Rarity giggled. "Oh quite foreign, darling, though I'm not a diplomat. Actually I'm a fashionista and business owner... and currently stranded here while we figure out a ride home."
"A friendly alien... who'd have thought? And you look like a unicorn right out of legend... if legends went out of their way to be..." she stopped herself, clearing her throat awkwardly. "Right then. Well I can't offer you a ride to your home, but I'd be more than happy to take you to mine, if you'll step in? You can have the front seat, and we'll put Aiden in back..."
"Uh, no, Aunt Lynn, we probably want her in back, low on the seats or some passing car might see her." Rarity nodded in agreement.
"Fair point."
The ride was pleasant enough. Rarity fully understood the importance of not being seen, and frankly stretching out a bit in the back seat seemed more comfortable than the front would have been. Lynn's car was a good deal smaller than Grumman's had been; Rarity felt like her horn would be scraping the ceiling if she tried to sit up straight.
They'd already covered her accidental arrival and, as was her preference, Rarity glossed over her time at Veritech. She knew the value of not bottling up traumatic experiences, but she didn't want any more pity than she had to accept for just being so far from home. There was enough to dwell on without remembering being shot.
Even as she made light of it, a warm hand gently squeezed her shoulder. Aiden smiled back from the front of the car, encouraging her.
Thank you, my friend. As such, forgive me for what I'm about to do...
"After that, I was set up with a rendezvous with Valerie and her superior, General Grumman as you know. But instead... I felt pulled in another direction. As I'd later discover, Espers feel much like my own people back home did. Specifically, Aiden feels like another unicorn, from a magical point of view at least."
He chuckled. "Yep, she broke into the store-"
"Oh please, that 'lock' is so pointless it doesn't qualify as 'breaking in'-"
"And then got herself locked in the produce prep room by Mark Millen. You remember him?"
"He's a cutie; of course I do."
"..."
Rarity and Lynn both snickered, and Aiden seemed to suddenly realize he was outnumbered.
"Indeed I did though. I was rather out of sorts, given the circumstances. Fortunately for me they decided to let their resident Esper handle the 'scary alien'."
"Mm-hmm... and Aiden, dear... just how did they know you were an Esper? I thought you were keeping that quiet?"
"Well... I was... sorta..."
Lynn made a circling, 'keep going' gesture with one hand, steering easily down the quiet country road with the other.
He grimaced. "I developed some bad habits. ...It all started..." he trailed off into a mutter that even Rarity couldn't make out.
"What was that?"
"...It started when I couldn't reach the top shelf, okay?!"
Rarity snerked, and began giggling. She could just see it: Aiden on his tiptoes, stretching to reach the top shelf in the grocery store to place items for purchase. He couldn't do it. He strained, stretching to his utmost... and just wasn't tall enough. He'd then have looked around, delightfully furtive, and finally levitated the items perfectly onto the shelf.
"And after that... it slowly became a habit." He shook his head, looking abashed. "Thinking back, Mark must've known. He started putting me on aisles by myself, giving me more to do, giving me reasons to use my abilities."
"Probably wanted to expose your coworkers in an innocent way so they didn't find out from something that would turn them against you."
"That's occurred to me, yeah. I owe him a thank you, at the least."
"You do. Don't forget about it."
"No, ma'am."
Lynn smiled. "So that's how you two met, then?"
Rarity nodded, though Lynn was watching the road rather than her passengers. "As I recall, Aiden's response was similar to your own. I didn't understand English at the time, or now for that matter, but the words were similar, certainly, and so was the expression. But after that, even though we couldn't understand each other yet, it was clear we were both trying to say the same things. He was rather gallant, I choose to believe. ...Presumably. For all I know he was making silly jokes the whole time."
Aiden shrugged, waving a hand back and forth. "Little of column A, little of column B. Luckily comprehension is no longer an issue."
"Yes, the translator you have is quite remarkable," Lynn said. "I've had pretty iffy luck with google translate."
Rarity and Aiden knew that wasn't quite what he'd been referring to, but it was true, just the same. "It's a good deal more advanced in both hardware and software than that, Aunt Lynn," Aiden supplied.
"...A few good things came from the Oni War, I suppose. Nowhere near worth the cost."
"Yeah..." Aiden said slowly, the mood turning a bit somber. "We walk forward."
"That we do," Lynn replied, grasping his hand and giving it a squeeze.
"And here we are! If you can activate that magic again so my neighbors don't see you..."
Lynn's home was a modest, but well landscaped house in a middle class neighborhood. Much like her car, the property seemed to speak of sensible good taste.
"Yes, of course," Rarity replied, vanishing from sight a moment later.
Lynn opened the door, ostentatiously looking in the back seat while standing far enough from it to allow Rarity to exit. The soft clop of hooves on driveway accompanied a quiet 'Clear.' from Rarity, and Lynn closed the car door before opening the trunk, as if remembering the suitcases were there all along. Aiden grabbed them while Lynn went to open the front door.
Inside, Rarity was treated to pleasant hardwood floors, rustic decorations reminiscent of Sweet Apple Acres, and a scent of pine and lemons. Clearly Lynn had gone deep into cleaning for her expected company.
"I'm happy you're not quite what I was expecting. I'm sure my humble home wouldn't suit a foreign dignitary, despite Grumman's assurances, but welcome."
"Oh nonsense, it's a lovely home, darling. I'm quite taken with it. I'm reminded of a dear friend back home."
"That's actually something I wanted to ask about. From the hints I'm getting, your culture and ours have a lot of similarities..."
Rarity chuckled. "Apparently there's quite the story behind that..."
"Well, the truth is, General Grumman has long been concerned about Colonel Owens' approach to the future of Espers. 'Creating' more Espers through technological means has always been a hotly debated issue..."
"And where you do side on that issue, Knight Trellis?"
He grinned nervously. "...No opinion? Even if Owens was going about it wrong, you won't meet many Espers who think we have some God-given right to hoard magic for ourselves. I hope we can reach a point where anyone who wants to use magic can do it, but we're not there yet. Shortcuts like that man was employing are bad news for everyone."
"So it seems, unfortunately. Thank you very much for your time, Knight Trellis, and your contributions during and after the war. Mankind will always owe you a debt," the interviewer said.
Donovan shook his head, smiling easily. "I like to think I'm part of mankind, so we're square."
The reporter chuckled politely. "Yes, of course. With that let's take it back to the studio, after this short break..."
Lynn switched off the television. Rarity smiled. "I think Donovan did quite well."
"Yeah," Aiden agreed. "For all his claims about stage fright or whatnot, once you get him up there, he can play the crowd no problem. Even that little bit of earnest shyness works for him."
"And he's awfully pretty." Lynn added with a predatory grin.
"...Aunt Lynn, I think you need a guy friend."
"Look who's talking."
"I'm not into guys."
"You know what I mean, Aiden."
"Yeah yeah. I'll keep it in mind." He rolled his eyes, but there was a smile on his face. Rarity was grinning too, but declined to comment.
It had been a good day. They'd ordered pizzas for an early dinner; Rarity's half had been a lovely blend of onions, tomatoes, and red peppers, alongside of course ample cheese and sauce. It wasn't the most sophisticated dish, but quite delicious just the same. Lynn's claim of 'best pizza in town' was easy to believe; Rarity wasn't sure how it could be done better. Aiden's half had contained a few meats Rarity was just as happy not thinking about, but she didn't begrudge him. She idly thought of Opalescence back home, no doubt feasting on tuna or the like even in her absence. Sweetie Belle would see to her. She wished she had a way to let her dear sister know she was okay. Her thoughts turned a bit melancholy from there... or would have, if Lynn hadn't returned from the kitchen with a bottle of wine and a photo album.
On the off chance that wasn't enough to distract Rarity from sad thoughts, Aiden's apprehensive look sealed the deal.
Lynn was smiling innocently. "You did say 'bring it on, dear nephew..."
Rarity laughed loudly, easily holding a half full wine glass in her magic. "Oh my goodness! How can you even have that much mud on you? You look like a golem, darling! A cute little golem made of mud and adorable!"
"...Adorable isn't a noun."
"It is now!" She grinned at him and polished off her glass of wine. Their hostess refilled it. "Thank you, Lynn! This is a lovely bouquet, by the by."
"I'm glad you like. I'd been waiting for the right company to open these with," Lynn smiled, drawing attention to her slightly dimpled, alcohol reddened cheeks.
"Very much. Perfect accompaniment to this sort of reminiscing. I wish I had my own pictures to add to it. Sweetie Belle has had many similar moments."
"Your little sister?"
She nodded to Aiden... and sidled closer to him on the couch as they all examined the photo album. She gestured to Lynn to skootch in on her other side. She'd missed this sort of physical closeness. Apparently alcohol helped humans be more comfortable with it, since they were all practically snuggled together on the couch after less than an hour of wine, stories, and photos. She'd have to remember to use that information carefully. As much fun as it was to embarrass Aiden in small ways, she had no intention of truly humiliating her friend with any action he'd regret later. She felt a surge of affection, and even protective instinct, towards the alien stallion next to her. She blinked. ...Perhaps she should slow down on the wine as well. But only slow down, not stop. Another small sip, and she flipped the page of the book, her magic still quite steady after only three glasses.
"Ahh," Lynn chuckled, leaning pleasantly on Rarity as she examined the pictures. "Now here we have some Little League pictures. Aiden was a pretty good pitcher... though I guess you wouldn't know baseball."
"Quite the contrary, darling. Well... no, not quite the contrary," Rarity giggled for no apparent reason. "But we have baseball in my world as well. I don't follow the sport... but the uniforms are certainly cute. And look! He's as tall as his teammates! Pity he stopped growing after that."
Aiden snorted. "Sure sure, keep it coming. Short jokes never get old. Though you're shorter than me, Rara-tiny."
Rarity blew a raspberry at him. Part of her noted she wouldn't do that sober, but that was okay. "Not on my hind legs, darling."
"Hah! Let's see, then!"
Now, sober, he'd have managed to know how this would go. Three glasses of wine in, he now wanted to test it, even if doomed to lose. And he was. The two stood, and Rarity, despite wavering slightly on her hind hooves, easily stood over him by several inches. She was about even with Lynn, who'd also stood for measuring purposes. It hadn't been close enough to be necessary.
Rarity giggled, and fell forward into a hug around Aiden's neck. "Sorry, darling, you lose!" She nuzzled his cheek, and then kissed his jaw, just below the ear, drawing a sharp breath from him. He returned the hug though, and lightly pushed her away to set her on her forehooves.
"Hmph," he said, trying to control the blush on his face that was half alcohol, half unicorn kiss.
She grinned up at him. "Don't take it too hard, darling. You definitely make it work." She examined him, half-seriously. "Yes, I think I disagree with Valerie. Shorter men suit me just fine."
Lynn chortled, sitting back on the couch a bit roughly. "Oh, this is just too good. Thank you both for the most fun I've had in a good, long while!"
Aiden wanted to be annoyed at all the jokes at his expense, but couldn't quite manage it. Instead he rejoined them both on the couch, after Rarity had climbed back onto it, that was, and they went back to the photo album. Of course, it wouldn't be more than another page or two before they'd need something else to share without ruining the mood. The pictures after that got a bit depressing. But that was okay. For that moment in time, everything was perfect. |
Back and There Again | 14. Friends | It was a couple hours later, still fairly early by most standards, that they all headed to bed. The family photo album hadn't lasted much longer, but stories about families could be shared far past what mere pictures had recorded. Luckily the wine hadn't lasted much longer either; Rarity could be confident none of them would be the worse for wear in the morning. Nopony liked hangovers.
"And... guest room!" Lynn said, opening a door in the home's upstairs hallway, just past the bathroom. The room was simply if tastefully appointed, and at that point Rarity's chief concern was the bed. It was no match for her canopied luxury back home, but it was quite large, and topped with the essentials: several soft looking pillows and a thick comforter. Next to the bed sat a much smaller, utilitarian cot with a single pillow and a folded blanket and sheet.
"Grumman suggested I put you both in the same room, for security reasons, though he wouldn't elaborate. If that doesn't work though, Aiden can take the couch downstairs."
"No no, this is lovely, darling, thank you," Rarity said as Aiden nodded in agreement.
"We're fine like this; we've been sharing a room at Grumman's compound as well," he added.
"Alright then. Bathroom we passed on the way. We'll be up at 5 to head over to the store to meet your coworkers and so you can get your car out of their parking lot before they tow it. I'm heading to bed. If you need anything, Aiden knows where it all is. It hasn't been quite that long since his last visit..."
"And the guilt card, making its final appearance of the night..." Aiden muttered with a sheepish grin.
Lynn chuckled, and hugged him. "Good night, both of you." She clasped Rarity's hoof and gave it a friendly squeeze. "See you in the morning."
She left back down the hall to her own room, and Aiden shut the door behind the two of them before setting his bag on the cot to dig through for bathroom supplies. "It'll be an early morning, but we've got about eight hours until then. I'm going to go get cleaned up for bed."
"I'll be right behind you," she replied, turning off the translators and plugging them into the wall to charge. An entire day's use burned less than a quarter of the batteries, but there was no sense in not charging them overnight. "I'm also going to suggest we share the larger bed, for comfort. And you're going to turn me down." She said it with a hint of amusement, but not quite her usual teasing tone.
"...You're correct. The cot is fine. I've slept on far worse."
"Which is no excuse not to want better. And though I understand why you would say no... we need to talk." She hopped up on the bed, looking at him with nervous determination.
"Ominous..." he said, sitting down in the chair at the room's writing desk, putting the cot between them. "What's up, Rarity? You can talk to me about anything."
She nodded. "I know, and I want to know whether I've been taking advantage of that a bit too much."
"Not sure what you mean," he replied, frowning slightly.
She sighed through her nose. "You're going to make this difficult, aren't you?"
"Not intentionally... so let's see... you brought this up after I turned down an offer to sleep with you..."
"Phrasing! 'Share the bed', darling... it's plenty big enough. But I understand why the offer might seem... provocative, particularly in light of my behavior towards you."
He nodded. "I didn't misunderstand," he grinned. "I'm just trying to avoid some romcom nonsense where we wake up spooned together and everything's awkward."
She nodded, chuckling. "Hugging me is awkward, I see how it is.."
"Pfft, hardly. I'll hug the crap outa you."
She snickered.
"But you wake up with a male who's had a... bit of a dry spell, let's say... pressed against you... and you'll reconsider whether the situation counts as awkward."
"...Ahh," she said, her cheeks coloring slightly. "Yes... that's what I wanted to discuss."
"My dry spell? Okay I take it back we're not talking about that. I'm not saying I'd ever deliberately do anything like that. But sleeping, and you know-"
She shook her head. "No no, though I am curious why you would let yourself even have a 'dry spell'. I can't imagine you having difficulties if you put yourself out there, as it were. No, I mean... does the way I act towards you bother you? I don't mean to lead you on, or take advantage of your attentiveness. Frankly I'm not leading you on; that would imply that I'm not acting honestly. But don't think I haven't noticed that you go out of your way to worry about me."
He shrugged, looking slightly abashed. "You're a good person... in a sort of situation I can't even imagine. I think we can get you home, but until then? Or worse, if we can't? Of course I want to do whatever I can to help, to make you as happy as possible. So no, the way you act doesn't bother me at all. Frankly, it's been rather fun. But now I want to know if there's more there than just you being you?"
"As do I, of you... you can't just be helping because I'm a good person. You were hiding away from the world, working a normal job when you could have been doing anything. Don't get me wrong; I'm not criticizing that. But you chose a quiet, solitary life until..."
"Until I had a reason not to..." he said, looking thoughtful. "You're saying... I was waiting for you, in some sense? That there's something like fate at work here?"
"I've had worse notions when it came to what my destiny might be... at least where it concerns stallions... err... partners," she shook her head, grinning wryly. "Not that I'm suggesting anything about us, necessarily. But..." her expression turned a bit wistful. "You were the first real choice I made since arriving here. Not giving up, trusting Valerie, escaping Veritech... those were all more necessities than choices. Seeking you out... not that I knew what I was seeking, exactly... it was the first decision I made for myself. Not to brag, but I daresay it's gone over well."
"No argument there."
"And maybe it's been my confidence from the results of that decision, as well as what I've gotten from your support, that has... oh I don't know, made me act more... familiar towards you than I might. I think the time when I looked at you and thought 'alien' lasted less than a minute when we first met."
He laughed. "I feel the same way, honestly. Even before I opened that door... it felt like I was greeting a friend I hadn't seen in awhile. So no, nothing you've done has made me genuinely uncomfortable. ...I'm not taking a bath with you, though, or sharing that bed. Those don't feel like levels of intimacy that we've reached."
She nodded. "They were teases, although honestly I'd go through with either of them. I get the feeling from what I've seen that ponies are more open to that sort of thing than humans. It wasn't an invitation to intimacy per se; I'd happily take you to the spa back home. But that's exactly why it occurred to me tonight that you might have been going along just for my sake, and hiding feelings of... distaste, or resentment. I'm an alien... and even beyond any differences in physical openness, humans haven't had the best experiences with aliens."
He snorted. "You're not wrong about that last part, but I'm not hiding anything like that. Actually I've been mostly worried about unwittingly committing some sort of cultural faux pas. Touching somewhere I shouldn't, or whatnot. As to going along with whatever feelings..." he shrugged, smiling easily. "Let's say that, if I were just going along, it'd be damn easy because we're going the same way. Less going along and more pacing each other. There's other things to worry about for now. I wouldn't feel right about going further, given the emotional strains of the situation you're in. I'm not so needy as to want more out of what this is."
She smiled. "...Yet?"
He nodded, getting up and crossing over to her. "Yet," he affirmed. He put his arms around her, and she returned the gesture. He kissed her on the side of her head, near the base of her horn. "Miss Rarity. I promise to do everything I can to get you home to Equestria. Until then, or if I can't, I promise to stand by you no matter what. No... I promise to stand by you, period. Anything else... we'll see where the road takes us."
She sighed happily, and nuzzled his cheek. "We walk forward."
"That we do," he released her, and she sat back on the bed as he grabbed a small black bag from his duffel, containing toothpaste and the like. "Gonna go hit the head, brush, so forth. See you in a few."
"Mmm. Ah, Knight Lieutenant," she said, inspired by him calling her 'Miss Rarity', "...Two things."
"Yes, ma'am?" he turned from the door, facing her with his hand on the knob, grinning rakishly.
"Nothing between the hind legs... and no touching my horn while I'm channeling. Until we reach that place in the road, at least," she grinned flirtatiously, lowering her eyelids.
He blinked, and then laughed. "Understood, my lady," he said, tossing off a mock salute and leaving the room.
"Surprise!!!"
Lynn had called it out, along with Mark, Robert, and Luke. Craig had abstained, though his presence at the breakroom table was impressive enough on its own. Rarity had jumped, and then broke into a delighted laugh at the suddenly illuminated table, complete with a coffee cake, pots of tea and coffee, and warmers of scrambled eggs, pancakes, and biscuits. A banner hanging from the ceiling read 'Welcome to Earth!', which Aiden translated for Rarity after they'd settled in at the table.
"We'd have gone for more traditional party fare, but now that you're back on a sun worshipper's schedule, we figured breakfast was the way to go," Mark said, grinning as he fixed plates for his crew and guests.
"Please. I shall ever prefer the soft light of the moon and stars to God's overbearing flashlight," Aiden said with faux solemnity.
Rarity giggled. "We'll just neglect to tell Princess Celestia you said that, when you meet her."
"Appreciated," he replied with a grin.
Once everyone had a plate with their preferences, Mark continued. "General Grumman's kept us appraised, obviously. A certain history book from a certain other world may have found its way onto my laptop... which has become popular break time reading. Even Craig has looked it over."
"...Fairy tale bullshit," Craig muttered before shovelling a large bite of eggs in his mouth as if to keep himself from saying more.
"He says while I'm sitting right here," Rarity addressed him with a smirk. The translator matched the amusement in her voice almost perfectly.
His eyes narrowed as he stared at her, but he didn't respond. She winked at him, and he snorted and broke eye contact.
Luke laughed nervously. "Yeah, Craig has an easier time believing conspiracies that are completely unprovable. Once there's evidence, he gets bored. Don't let him get to you."
Craig turned as if pretending to ignore the table, while still eating at it. "Was right about Veritech..." he muttered.
Rarity nodded. "It's true, you were. Thank you very much for your help with that, Craig."
His jaw clenched and his cheeks colored, but he didn't look at her.
"Have you had any trouble keeping a lid on things here?" Aiden asked Mark.
"Nah. I have access to our security cameras, not that they get checked unless there's an incident reported anyway. I told Mr. Barlow that you were taking an extended vacation per the request of the U.S. Esper Corps."
"That's basically the truth."
"Exactly. When the mess with Veritech hit the news a couple days ago... well it wasn't hard to figure out what you were doing. No need to mention any unicorns."
"What happened to Owens? Is there any danger of reprisal that might affect the area?" This from Robert, who looked tired as was apparently his norm.
"Owens is accounted for. Grumman is holding him for questioning before handing him over for prosecution. ...The news reports didn't mention that?"
"They said he'd been apprehended, but that didn't mean you could trust it," Robert stated solemnly. "We're safe though?" To Rarity's mind, he didn't sound concerned for himself. Then again, from what Aiden had told her about him on the way here, he would be worried for his family, whom he worked quite hard to support and didn't get to spend enough time with. She wished there was something she could do about that, but nothing came to mind.
Aiden smiled comfortingly. "You have nothing to worry about from Veritech. Most of the authority figures there were caught; the rest are fugitives. They won't be anywhere near Grumman, or this area, anytime soon."
"That's good to know."
"Can I just stop and say... we're having breakfast with an alien? I mean... we're having breakfast with an alien. Who's a unicorn... a friendly unicorn from another world. Also, she's wearing a dress. It's a nice dress, Miss Rarity. ...You're... umm..." Luke stammered a bit, seeming to lose his train of thought. Understandable, given that the situation was rather surreal.
Rarity smiled, trying to encourage him to relax. She recalled he'd been the one to bring them apples, but he'd also averted his eyes from her for the most part. "Thank you, darling. It's rather last minute, but I did what I could to give it a bit of charm," she said, referring to the simple dress she'd worn. It had been more a courtesy towards local taboos than anything she felt the need to do for a casual get together. Indeed she hadn't even expected a party, sedate though this understandably was. "I confess it's all rather novel for me, as well. It's so bizarre that it's easier to just go with it rather than stopping to question 'what?' 'why?' or 'how?'. ....Rather like dealing with Pinkie Pie, some days, a friend of mine back home. But I have to ask, do I make you uncomfortable, Luke?"
Next to her, she felt Aiden lean forward a bit as Luke replied. "It's..." he sighed, grimaced, and shook his head. He looked her in the eyes as though he'd accepted a dare. She held her smile, waiting patiently. "We work with horses, at my family's farm. Now, we don't mistreat 'em, not ever, so don't think anything like that. They're well cared for, and happy. But... well, it's not that you look all that much like one of them but... and last time you were naked and I was like 'that's a person, not a mare back in the stables' and... I don't know. It's all weird for me and it shouldn't be. I tried to play it off before but the more I thought about it..."
Aiden was frowning slightly. "Not sure I understand the problem exactly."
"I don't even know that there is one, Aiden. But I mean... we ride horses, you know? General Grumman talks about our peoples maybe meeting some day... and we ride beings that look like they do, a little bit. And we eat meat, and we have wars, and ... I mean look what happened when you showed up? Right into a lab so they could experiment on you!"
"Ahh, so that's it. ...Rarity, you want to take this one?" Aiden asked.
"I will, yes." She reached a forehoof across the table to Luke. "Take it," she said, holding his gaze with a soft smile. It took a moment, but he did. She nodded in acknowledgment and shook his hand lightly. "I find it helps to feel the reality in front of you as much as see it. Do you feel all the flaws in my hoof?"
He released it as though it were hot. "They weren't any," he said, looking away.
She giggled. "What a sweet young man you are. Lousy liar though. I haven't cared for them properly in days; they're scuffed and even chipped in a couple places. If you focus on being amazed by something, it's far too easy to miss the flaws. It was an important lesson to learn for me when I was first getting started in design. No matter how beautiful, no matter how perfect a dress may seem... there's always something imperfect, some flaw. Even if that flaw is simply that it can't change with the times. Fashion's fickle, after all. And that's good! It means we get to keep working, keep creating. We'll never reach a point where we can't do better.
"At the same time, focusing just the flaws is no better. If you worry endlessly at the ways a design isn't working, you can easily miss the parts that are, and deny yourself the chance to create something truly wonderful. If our two peoples... no... when our two peoples meet, I hope to see both sides embracing the beautiful facets and the flaws. I can assure you, even from my limited experience, that both our kinds have plenty of each. All the more reason we can be even better together. Harmony comes from different notes playing together. None of the notes have to be perfect, and the Harmony they create can still be beautiful."
Aiden placed a hand on her withers, grinning lopsidedly. "Rarity... that was... okay I'm just saying we need to let you sew at some point. You're having withdrawals or something." he said.
"Oh hush," she replied, coloring slightly. "Although yes, I would very much like to make a dress or two, and perhaps a suit for you, before much longer. My talent is languishing." She looked back at Luke. "I may not have said that very well, but-"
"No, no that was really something. I uhh... wasn't expecting it. Mark's been telling me I was worried too much about it. But I kept thinking about all the bad things humans do."
"There's plenty of good, too, Luke," Aiden noted. "You said yourself, you take good care of your horses, yes?"
He nodded.
Rarity returned the nod, smiling. "I have a dear friend back home that would appreciate hearing that. She keeps a great many animals, and takes care of even more that come and go. Plenty of them eat meat... for that matter many ponies, myself included, enjoy fish. ...Most of them are pegasi, but regardless, my point is that we're far more alike than we seem at first glance."
"Yeah... I get what you're saying, Miss Rarity. I'll remember it; I promise."
"I'm glad to hear that, darling."
Luke went red. "...Darling?"
Mark chuckled. "You remind me of an old actress I like, Miss Rarity, if you don't mind my saying."
"Hopefully not too old, darling."
The conversation continued on small topics from there, and Rarity couldn't help but understand a bit of where Luke was coming from. She could close her eyes and almost imagine she was at a table of ponies, just discussing whatever sort of thing popped up at a little get together. But only almost, since everything came through the translator's earbud before she understood it, except Aiden of course. She dearly hoped that was a permanent change. Aside from being convenient, she felt far less isolated for it.
They lingered until nearly seven o'clock just swapping stories and discussing what could happen next, before they had to say their goodbyes. The store would be opening for business and it wouldn't do to be around at that point. No matter how much confidence she'd gained in her light bending spell, it was still a far cry from true invisibility.
"So yeah..." Aiden said to Mark as they headed for the doors. The rest had returned to work to finish their shift after the very extended break. "I don't mind just quitting. Doesn't seem right the store paying me vacation time for this. It wasn't exactly planned and anyway I'm pulling down my old military salary now, or so I assume. Grumman doesn't let his people go hungry."
"You say that but, you earned that vacation time based on time put in, not time you will put in. Even if you quit, the company pays that out, per our contract. So either way we can hold off for now."
Aiden smiled, holding out a hand that Mark grasped firmly. "You say that but... I think we both know I won't be back here. This place was what I needed for awhile, but I have a different place to be now."
"Yeah, I guess you do. Eh, you're too damn young to retire anyway. The rest of these guys like the quiet life, and I'm not too young. You... you need to get back on the-"
"Don't say it!"
Mark laughed. He shook Lynn's hand as well. "Ma'am."
"Sergeant," Lynn replied, smiling.
"And Miss Rarity," he said, leaning down to gently grasp and shake her hoof. "I know Grumman will keep me apprised, but I hope they can find a way to get you home soon."
"Thank you, Sergeant Millen," she replied, bowing slightly. "And thank you for being here for Aiden when he truly needed a place to gather himself. From what I've seen, it's as he says: the peace and simple, honest work he found here gave him a balance after the war ended. If not for you, he and I would never have met."
Mark blinked in surprise, and smiled. "Well now, I'm glad to have helped with that. You keep an eye on him for me from here on out then, got that?"
"Yes, sir," she replied seriously.
Aiden chuckled. "Isn't that supposed to be the other way around?"
"It's like she said earlier, kid; it's both sides helping each other."
"Yeah..." Aiden nodded. "You're right about that. See ya 'round, Sarge!" With that, they left the store, Rarity's spell obscuring her from sight.
Lynn headed to her own car, waving goodbye to them both. "This isn't goodbye though. I want you both to stay in touch; you both have my number. Especially you, nephew! Rarity will know it if you neglect your aunt again!"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry, again, okay?" he shot back while laughing. "We'll keep you updated, promise!"
Aiden's car was a bit smaller than Lynn's, but the backseat was still comfortable enough. Rarity noted with amusement that the car smelled a bit like him. The amusement faded some when she realized it meant he rarely had passengers.
"Right, just a few minutes to my place. We'll drop the car off and head back to-"
Beep. Beep. Both Aiden's phone and Rarity's translator (which doubled as a communicator linked to Grumman's compound's private network) chirped simultaneously.
"Huh, pretty early for... woah."
"Oh my..."
Each device had the same message:
Hurry back to the compound ASAP. We have a lead on an intact ship, and we can move on it today!~Valerie |
Back and There Again | 15. Forward Steps | Aiden's home was a bit more modest than Lynn's, in that he hadn't done much with landscaping, or decorating. Rarity was nonetheless eager to see the place, and didn't mind going there first. It wasn't far from the store, and ostensibly they needed to drop Aiden's car off. In truth, they both had their reasons for making a stop there.
"We won't stay long," Aiden said, looking down the hall. "I need to grab something from my closet, can you wait here a minute? After that, we can head out. I'd give you the tour but there's not much to see. It's just this, the kitchen, my room, computer room, and a bathroom," he grinned sheepishly. "None of which is really ready for guests."
"Mmm, that's fine, darling, you needn't worry on my account." Rarity replied absently, looking about the living room. He nodded and went on his way.
It was certainly a man's home, she thought with a fond smirk. It smelled like him, which wasn't bad, but just noticeable in that it only smelled like him. Rarity wondered idly when she'd started paying attention to such things. Her magical senses had certainly heightened on Earth, acclimating to the differences in the Aetheric Field. If her other senses had done similarly, it'd snuck up on her. Speaking of her other senses...
Once she set aside the clutter, which consisted mostly of unopened mail that she couldn't read, the room wasn't so much dirty as carelessly cluttered. The furniture, a small couch and a chair both positioned facing a large television, was clean and new looking. The television, to Rarity's limited experience, looked like a newer model, though it had a light coat of dust on the screen.
The room was dimly lit, clearly by design as both lamps were on, but gave low illumination. Reaching out with her magic, Rarity opened the curtains to let the sun in. Much better, in her opinion. It would give her more than enough light for what she really wanted to see.
The back wall was lined with shelves, each bulging with pictures.
As she trotted over to get a better look, she already recognized several pictures of a much younger Aiden with his family, particularly his big sister, Moira. His father was rarest in the pictures, she made a note to ask about that. In fact... she'd not learned his name in their shared dream. Aiden hadn't thought of him as closely as his mother or sister. There was no sense of negativity, but...
She shoved the thought aside as her eyes wandered over the other shelves. She smiled, recognizing a few faces in a group photo. Standing to the side was a slightly younger looking Grumman, and centered... many faces she didn't recognize, and a couple she did.
Aiden and Donovan looked to be in their mid to late teens, based on Rarity's admittedly limited research time. The rest of the faces were similarly aged, and just in case that didn't drive it home, the commonality in uniforms made it clear this was some sort of Esper team.
"The 7th Unit, Esper Platoon Outrage, lead squad of the Second Company. ...Knight Captain Aiden Windborne, commanding," Aiden said with a crooked grin and a sense of fond nostalgia.
"Knight Captain? What happened to that rank?"
"I stepped down after I had to order several platoons to their deaths."
Rarity winced. "I'm sorry."
"That's war, to be honest. But after the way it shook me, I didn't feel suited to command. They pinned a medal on me the day after that particular battle. I can understand why; we killed four Oni generals, and I, alongside Paladin Williams and half a dozen of our best, personally fought Grand Marshal Caedum to a standstill, forcing his retreat along with the tattered remains of his forces. It was a major turning point in the war, some would say the pivotal battle that started us on the road to victory." He shook his head. "But I couldn't get their faces out of my head. I kept my rank for awhile, but in the next major mission I froze up, for just a moment. I couldn't help thinking of the next group I'd have to send to die. ...You don't win a chess game without giving up pieces. My hesitation, even a second of it, cost us that mission. I realized I'd rather be a knight than a king, so I asked Grumman for a rank reduction. Turned out I had a better flare for small unit tactics anyway. I had a much better operational record, to my own mind, after that. Far fewer casualties, at least until the Spire Assault. ...Don't ask me about that right now."
She nodded. "Fair enough." She continued looking across the pictures. Finding a particular candidate for a subject change, she grinned. "And who's this then? She's lovely." She pointed up with her muzzle, gazing mischievously at a pair, grinning like fools at the camera with what was clearly a victory celebration in the background. Aiden was familiar enough, but the girl...
He chuckled. "My ex-fiance."
Rarity's eyes went wide. I'm an idiot... "Oh... yes, I'm sorry, I'm not sure why'd I think-"
"No no, if it was a bad memory it wouldn't be up there," he waved her off, smiling easily. "We were together for a couple years, but honestly it was as much 'friends leaning on each other' as anything. When I proposed, the war was still on and we felt we were seizing the moment. It's just as well we never found free time to hunt down a justice of the peace. Within a couple months of the war ending, we realized we wanted different things. I wanted to get away from it all, she wanted to go back home and help rebuild. Honestly I think we both realized we weren't ready to get married. We were only twenty, and that's old enough for some but... it's pretty young. She made the better of the two choices, but even if I'd gone with her I don't think we would have lasted. We're still in touch from time to time. She has a girlfriend who treats her well, so I'm happy about that."
"It's still unfortunate that you ended up alone."
"Yeah... ehh, it didn't last though. And here we are."
She grinned up at him. "Here we are."
He returned the smile, then blinked, remembering. "Right, reason I went to my room there. I have a gift, if you'd like." He held out a small, silver star with a sword atop it, tip facing up. "This is the insignia for a Knight in the Esper Corps. Specifically it's my old one. We sort of field promoted you back on the way to Veritech, but I'd like you to have this, just the same. Err... unless you'd prefer your own, or not want it at all, or-"
It glowed in a delicate blue aura as Rarity took it reverently from him. That same aura suffused his hand for a moment, tightening and warming before fading away. She looked him in the eyes as the pin attached itself to the holster she wore for the translators. Still not breaking eye contact, she saluted. "It's my honor, sir," she said with complete seriousness.
He snorted, reddening. "Mine as well, Knight Rarity," he said, returning the salute. "Of course, if we're making it official you'll need to be sworn in and so forth. Don't worry, the Esper Corps is much less formal than other military branches. It sort of had to be, under the circumstances."
"I think I'd like that, actually. I never sought out this sort of thing back home, though I managed to find conflict often enough. I'm not sure what's changed, but it feels like the right decision here. I'm beginning to wonder if it isn't something in the air."
"Hmm... you might just be joking, but that's been studied, actually. It's believed that the Aetheric Field affects us to an extent, beyond just empowering us to use magic. A little gut feeling here, a touch of courage there... it's like The Force... if The Force was actually cheering on Jedi instead of making them feel bad every time they had fun."
Rarity giggled. "You do know my knowledge of Star Wars is limited to what I got from you during our little magical mind meld-"
"That's Star Trek."
"My point exactly. Highly fuzzy."
"You are, by human standards. I like it though; your coat is lovely."
"Why thank you, darling, although that's not what I meant," she replied with an eye roll, playfully sticking her tongue out at him. They were alone; it was okay to be a little unladylike.
"Yeah... but it was worth saying. Anyway we'll get around to a proper Star Wars marathon before you leave. There's a few movies you need to see, honestly, in order to have a proper appreciation for Earth culture. Diplomatic necessity," he concluded gravely.
"I see," she said with equal gravity, playing along. "Speaking of necessities... I'm still making you a suit, and myself a proper dress, before much longer or I'm simply going to lose my mind." She grinned up at him. "Something appropriately slinky and easy to dance in... for the victory party when we have my way home secured."
He returned the grin. Rarity noted he did an admirable job of hiding the touch of pain in his eyes. "Damn right. We'll give you a helluva sendoff."
She shook her head, smiling up at him. "Hmm, to be honest, I'm hoping I won't be alone on that trip, and that it will be them giving us a sendoff. Grumman did mention wanting to formally open relations between our worlds. Who better than an Esper, since you already bridge the gap a bit between human and pony?"
He started, tilting his head slightly. Had he forgotten about that? "Huh..."
"You did say you'd stand by me no matter what..."
"Yeah... yeah I sure did," he smiled. "Sorry, I'm used to saying goodbye to people. Old habit."
"Hmph. Get over it," she said with a feigned haughty tone, shutting her eyes and lifting her muzzle skyward. "You'll need more than a spaceship to get rid of me at this point."
Chuckling, he nodded. "I'm glad to hear it. But speaking of... you ready to go get that spaceship?"
"Willing and able, darling. Did you do everything you needed to do here?"
"Yep, just wanted to shut a few things off and send a message to my gaming guild. Uh, computer thing. Just letting them know I wasn't dead or whatnot."
"Well, at least you were interacting with somepony out there, even if not in person."
"Heh, yeah. Becoming a complete shut in wouldn't have suited me, tempting though it occasionally was. Let's go."
With that, Rarity felt the aether around her coalesce, and then split as Aiden's portal pulled them in. Without Joyeuse (and she suddenly felt rather humorously naked without it, as if she'd left home without fixing her mane) to steady her, she had to shut her eyes as the flickering between worlds began as Aiden took them towards Fort Friendship... and she'd decided it was no longer a working title. They were her friends, and that was their fortress, their bastion against the Owenses of the world.
"You okay?"
"Mmm, yes, darling, I'm fine. Without Joyeuse to help center me, the rapid aether currents and constant world changes are a bit nauseating."
"Yeah, it's like extreme car-sickness, I'm told. Since I'm driving, so to speak, I'm not affected."
"It's fine if I keep my eyes shut and just focus on the aether. Actually, it's fascinating. How did you learn to do this?"
"It's basically just continuously opening portals at my maximum range and pulling us through them. It's an extension of the way I moved around in combat, since it was usually much easier to portal myself than my opponents, if they were strong at all. Portals for objects were the same. We experimented with using them to drop explosives or whatnot near the enemy, but there's nasty potential for backfire if they have enough aetheric control to stop or reverse the portals in progress. From there, it was just a matter of refining my technique to be as rapid as possible, and building my stamina to go for long periods."
Rarity snickered, surprising herself a bit as she did so.
"...You've got a surprisingly dirty mind, mare."
"Yes well, I've spent too much of my free time buried in romance novels. Some of them get quite saucy."
"I'll bet. ...So hey, the other day you mentioned not getting why I'd had a dry spell in terms of romance. If it's not too personal, it sounds like you're in the same boat... and I really don't get why."
She chuckled, shaking her head. "If I'm being honest... it's a combination of my own standards and priorities. I've always been driven by my dreams, to bring out beauty in everyone. To that end, I've stayed focused towards building my business, pursuing my art, to the exclusion of other aspects of life. The couple times I've deviated from that haven't gone too well, for that matter."
"You hinted at that, yeah."
"Mmm. The first major incident there was a Prince named Blueblood. ...As it turns out, the Canterlot nobility have a penchant for acquiring a number of less than desirable traits. Prince Blueblood, as the highest ranking of them, has done a fine job of representing that."
"I thought the princesses were the highest ranking?"
"Oh they are, but I don't really consider them nobility in the same way. They're above that."
"I could see that. Given their age, if nothing else, they'd be deserving of more respect, I'd think."
"More than just that, but you're not wrong. In any case, I approached Blueblood at the biggest social event in Equestria... and made a complete fool of myself. Don't mistake me, he acted like a absolute shithead-"
Aiden snerked. "We've been a bad influence on you. That was English... darling."
She chuckled at his passable Equish and shrugged. "It was the right word for the situation. And he did! But that doesn't mean I was blameless. I could have recognized what he was far sooner, but I kept trying to win him over. I wanted the fairy tale: the beautiful, hard working mare from nowhere meets her prince and they live happily ever after. It's a stupid dream. I'd rather build my own happiness with an equal than lean on a chance meeting with a prince who'd never had to build anything. ...Which leads me to my second failed foray into love... an artistically inclined stallion named Trenderhoof... where I again made a fool of myself trying to just get his attention. Looking back, I made the same mistakes Spike had been making with me over the years."
"How do you mean?"
"Well, at first at least there was nothing wrong with my approach, per se. I wanted to impress him, show him the best sides of myself and my artistic talent, to attract him to my positive sides, as it were?"
"Sure, that's normal enough."
"Mmm. But when that wasn't getting anything beyond polite recognition, I became more desperate, rather than simply being direct with him. My showing off in order to catch his eye reached... frankly comical levels that I'd prefer not to go into. Applejack can tell you that story more properly, though you'd get a more entertaining, exaggerated version out of Rainbow Dash."
"I'll keep that in mind someday. How's that like Spike, though? I remember you mentioning him, and his crush on you I believe, but..."
"Well, it's along the same lines. Setting aside the age difference, a lot of what he does for me, though especially early on in our friendship, was an attempt to win me over, impress me. The thing is, it worked. I was impressed; I just wasn't romantically interested. Of course, part of that was his age, but another part was the notion that he somehow wanted to sweep me off my hooves, get me to fall for him so completely that he wouldn't actually have to talk to me about it. He would 'win' my affections, like a prize rather than something I decided on."
"It's not an unusual approach, especially the younger you are."
"Certainly true, and I didn't hold it against him at all, even if it didn't work out the way he may have wanted. He's a very sweet, noble, wonderful friend, and I won't hear a word against him. But I was, and am, a mare who prides herself on being forward and not avoiding confrontations. Had he confessed his feelings and asked me directly... at some point other than when he thought we were about to die... I can't say for certain I would have turned him down, because I would have respected that approach enough to give it a chance.
"...Or so I tell myself... because again when it came to Trenderhoof I did the same sort of thing he'd been doing, only I was much worse at it. Spike is endearing, sincere, and earnest in his efforts. I've no doubt his behavior towards me would be little different without any romantic aspirations." She sighed. "I, on the other hoof, made a complete fool of myself, rivaling anypony for disingenuous, humiliating actions."
Aiden chuckled, and she heard him walking over to sit by her. She leaned against him, feeling a bit better as his hand rubbed her shoulders gently. "Love's hard. Give me a good fight and I know what to do, even if I don't always enjoy it. I have three ex-girlfriends that would tell you I'm better with Oni than women."
Rarity giggled lightly, and nuzzled his cheek. "I'm sorry they felt that way. I must say I'd rather design an entirely new fashion trend than try to navigate a first date. The ideal is one thing, but the practice is..." She trailed off, frowning slightly, and opened her eyes to look towards the center of Aiden's pocket world. "Aiden, stop a moment, inside your dimension, please."
He cocked an eyebrow, but did as asked.
She'd felt something... it was as if... she snorted with quiet amusement. It was as if she could feel Pinkie Pie sneaking up on her. Of course, that was ridiculous, though I cannot use the word 'impossible' with her. Nonetheless... there was something there. She noted, as she had before, that they were on the outskirts of this enclosed space. Away from the road and a few buildings here and there across the one third kilometer diameter, they inhabited an empty field of grass with a couple trees nearby. The same light level as the real world permeated here, as she noted that today it was bright, though she could make out no sun in the sky. During the Veritech raid it had been dark, and starless.
She didn't need to ask why Aiden put them off to the side when in here. The cars on that road... though she thankfully couldn't see into them from where she sat, were the graves of everyone who'd died here in that horrible instant. She hated to think it, but a morbid part of her mind wondered why this relatively small, seemingly enclosed space didn't smell like a tomb. For that matter, why did the grass seem to be alive? On a whim, she reached out with her magic and plucked a small flower nearby, drawing a quiet gasp from Aiden. Aether permeated everything like a blanket, reminding Rarity of how it was dangerous for those without magic to be in here. Yet the flower, despite its infusion of magic, seemed normal enough. Absently, she tucked it behind her ear.
None of that, disconcerting and confusing though it was, contributed to what she was feeling. After a few seconds, a hand squeezed her withers. "Rarity?" he asked, sounding quietly shaken.
"I... don't know, darling. I feel... a presence, perhaps? Something... someone... happy. It's as though someone is laughing in the distance."
He snorted softly. "I can't imagine much in here being happy, but I'd love to take your word on that. Can you be more specific though? ...Sorry but, the longer I stay in here..."
"Ah, yes of course, I'm sorry, darling. I can't narrow it down... just a feeling. Goodness knows I can never locate Pinkie before she jumps out at me even when I have a sense that she's about to. Let's continue." She wrapped her tail around him, as well as a forehoof, keeping him there as she shut her eyes before the world began shifting again.
By the time they'd gotten back to the compound, the two had sat quietly, drawing strength from each other's proximity, for longer than they'd talked. Apparently, he could have traveled through portals lying down, half asleep; it wasn't much different from walking for him. Rarity decided it was a pleasant way to travel. Naturally, it had nothing to do with the hand gently massaging her withers again after she'd claimed, only half dishonestly, that the trip was causing her some discomfort. She could only hope traveling by plane would prove similarly enjoyable. Grumman, Valerie, Talia, and Aaron had met them in the motorpool outside Grumman's limo. Talia and Aaron, notably, each carried a spare backpack: one for each of them. Talia also held out Joyeuse to Rarity, who took it in her magic to place near her seat in the vehicle. She smiled and nodded her thanks, getting a small smile in return from Talia.
"Knight Trellis will drive us to a private airstrip nearby," Grumman said as they all piled into the still spacious vehicle. "From there we'll have a rather long flight to Sacramento."
"Isn't that your hometown, Don?" Aiden asked.
Donovan nodded as they pulled past the main gates. "That it is, though I haven't been back in years. Interesting coincidence, but the corporate building you'll be visiting isn't in a part of the city I know well. So me going along wouldn't be much help."
"You're not coming with us?" Rarity piped in.
"Nah, I'll be watching the homefront here, along with Vualez, Vera, and a few others, of course. We're still holding Owens, and we can't rule out the possibility that some of those unaccounted for from the Veritech raid may try to spring him. We have no intention of letting that happen."
"I see. It's a shame we have to worry about such things."
"I don't disagree, but if a little boredom is the price I pay to keep that man locked up, I'm fine with it."
"I have every confidence he's in safe hands, Knight Trellis," Grumman proclaimed. "For our part, we will be visiting the corporate headquarters of Adstrum Technologies. They were, and are, a major R&D resource for the U.S. military as well as many private companies, locally and abroad. They were responsible for a number of key advancements made during the war, in large part from recovered Oni-koru technology. Several of the programming innovations of your translator are theirs to take credit for, Miss Rarity."
"It seems I owe them a thank you, then. Hopefully I'll owe them another soon."
"Agreed. Although it seems this will, at best, be only a partial success, assuming all goes well. They have a mostly intact Oni vessel, albeit a small one. But notably, its Creation Engine is not salvageable. It has four backup batteries, but they're all drained. The search continues for ways to replace that energy; we have no compatible technology to do so."
"I remember," Aiden said. "Don't batteries like that store concentrated Aether as a power source for the engines, the same way Creation Engines actually draw it from the Field?"
"Exactly," Grumman replied, seeming to focus towards Rarity as he spoke. "Despite their name, they don't actually create energy. Any living being with the proper ability can draw aether; we have three in this vehicle that do it instinctively, and can draw more by focusing on the act. A Creation Engine does what you can do, only on a much greater scale. Unfortunately, they are very delicate pieces of equipment and humanity has only captured a handful intact. The storage batteries are much simpler, but can't charge themselves."
"Can't an Esper charge them?" Donovan asked. "I'd swear I've heard of that being done."
"It can, and has been done successfully," Grumman said. "But it's extremely inefficient, time-consuming, and potentially dangerous. Too little channeled into the battery and it will take months to charge. The more slowly the Esper channels, the more aether is lost, absorbed into the Field rather than by the battery. The Esper drains his or her aether for very little gain in battery charge; they are made to interface with the Creation Engines. Too fast is worse... once aether is channeling rapidly into a battery, the balance can shift from energy being pushed to the battery pulling energy in. The Esper doing the channeling can find themselves instead being forcibly drained of aether in seconds. As you know, that can cause cellular degradation similar to aether poisoning in a normal person."
"Ouch," Donovan muttered. Aiden nodded grimly.
"In an emergency, it's an acceptable risk, especially with medical personnel on hand to cover any mishaps. There have been no fatal accidents recorded, which is why this is still very much worth pursuing. For now, even if we are charging the batteries slowly to be safe, it's a start."
Everyone was nodding their agreement, and Rarity couldn't help smiling. My friends, doing so much to help me get home. I have to remember moments like this. She'd hardly noticed, and even less minded, that she'd practically cuddled into Aiden in their seats next to each other. He had no obvious complaints as well. The way she was leaning, they were about the same height, and she fought the urge to simply spread out across his lap. That would be a bit much, tempting though it was. It had been an early morning. Assuming the plane wasn't overly exciting, it might be time for a nap.
"So how are we getting the ship? Also, how'd we find out about it? I thought it'd take longer." Aaron pondered aloud.
"We've actually been pursuing several options even before the Veritech raid," Valerie answered, "But this came as a bit of a surprise. Adstrum is pretty aboveboard, so when they replied to our inquiries, after hearing of them through secondary sources, we weren't expecting more than a show of support, or maybe a battery or two. The Esper Corps has a few people working for them, both in security and in their labs, and it's no secret they have Oni-koru tech they're still working with that they haven't cracked yet. But a whole ship? It's unexpected. As such, how we get it, borrow or otherwise, is a good question. Then again, they did contact us, knowing what we're after."
"So we play it by ear?" Talia muttered from her seat next to Valerie, getting a nod of confirmation.
"Exactly," Valerie said. "It's the reason we're all going. We want to show we're serious about this, and we have an in that will respect that. Adstrum has two CEOs that work together; one is an Esper."
Aiden blinked. "You could have led with that. Who is it? I probably know the name."
"Knight Captain Johnathan Ferreles."
"Oh, I know that name," Donovan said as Aiden smiled and nodded. "2nd Gen, good guy; one of the oldest of us, if I remember right. Didn't know he made captain."
"It was sort of an honorary promotion, basically padding his retirement pension... as well as honoring his service, since it was after the Spire Assault that basically ended the war. He left the Corps shortly after, like a lot of us," Aiden said. "You're right though, I already feel better about this. I didn't know he'd done so well for himself."
"What was his talent?" Rarity asked.
"Like most 2nd Gens, he awoke from contact with Oni-koru personal equipment," Aiden replied. "For most, it was weaponry, like our bomberman up there."
Donovan waved jauntily from the driver's seat.
"But Johnathan awoke from being scanned by an Aetheric Field sensor. He can use telekinesis like any of us, but his real talent is in his perception. His senses are heightened, and adjustable, to computer-like levels of precision. He's also a math genius, though for all I know that was true before his awakening."
Grumman nodded. "We don't know for sure on that, though his grades to that point put it in doubt. Either way, I believe he will be an ally in our cause here. He's still a businessman, and answerable to the rest of the company, but I have considerable assets of my own if it comes to that. I'm hoping they will have the vision to see the advantages of this situation without needing an appeal to monetary gain. Again, that's why we're all going. I intend to present a united front that can make a case for the advantages of providing assistance to Miss Rarity, in the hopes of our first peaceful, interplanetary contact."
"...And, we're bringing weapons in case it's a trap?" Rarity asked.
"Unfortunately, yes," Valerie confirmed. "There's no guarantee that the information we've received is legitimate, though it checks out from what we can tell. No harm in being prepared and we've communicated such. Adstrum has agreed to that provision; we'll show up armed for the meeting. They have security of their own, and General Grumman's name carries plenty of weight, so we both trust each other not to do anything other than show force in case of a double-cross."
Rarity nodded, understanding the necessity if not caring for it. She had to admit, she did feel a bit more comfortable with Joyeuse leaning against the seat next to her. And she had a good feeling about this trip. We're going to succeed here. I'm not jinxing anything, events could go wrong... but we'll bring them back in line, together. |
Back and There Again | 16. On Two Fronts | The private airstrip reminded Rarity a bit of Wonderbolts training camp. There were two relatively short runways, a few squat buildings, and various equipment the uses of which Rarity could only guess at.
Most important was their plane, which resembled nothing so much as a large, white, metal bird... if said bird were more of a snake with wings. She grinned to herself, thinking of how Twilight would feel about that observation.
Meanwhile, Donovan was wishing them all luck. "See you in a few days... though I expect to be kept updated in the meantime."
"Naturally, Knight Trellis, as do I. Sergeant Vualez and Lieutenant Jones can handle operations, but any issues with Knight Elleway, not that I anticipate that, or a media return-"
"Those are both terrible options to contemplate."
"All the more reason I leave them to you, Knight."
"Yes, sir," Donovan replied with a grin and then a straight faced salute. "We'll keep the fire burning, sir."
"Good man."
Donovan turned to Rarity then, kneeling down to her eye level. "Keep an eye on our boy there. Ferreles is a good guy, but I still have a weird feeling about this. It's a little too convenient to have happen so quickly. Hopefully I'm just being pessimistic."
Rarity nodded. "Windfalls are often suspect. We'll make it work out, if we have to."
"Good to hear. ...Nice Knight insignia pin, by the way. His old one?"
She smiled, and nodded again. "I think it looks rather dashing, don't you?"
"It suits you," he agreed. "Just in case it wasn't clear before, welcome to the team. No matter where you go, no matter how far, we're with you in spirit. Never forget that."
"I shan't," she held up a hoof, which he shook. "See you again soon, Donovan."
Aiden had loaded up everyone's bags, telekinesis and portals expediting the matter considerably. He turned to Donovan, clasping arms with him. "Don't blow everything up while we're gone," he said with a grin.
"No promises," Donovan replied with a poker face. "But I'll record it for you."
"Deal."
Rarity chuckled. Stallions...
Donovan watched as their plane took off, smooth as silk, and quickly left sight. An upgraded private jet, it wasn't quite a military transport, but closer than its appearance would suggest. They'd land in Sacramento in less than three hours.
He was in no particular hurry to get back, and the limo's stereo was blasting Fighting Gravity as he relaxed and enjoyed the pleasant weather, leaning against the grill of the still warm vehicle and quietly watching the clouds. If this all worked out... how long before you might look up and see a pegasus flying around up there? Would that be possible in his lifetime. He hoped so. If Rarity was anything to go by, and for that matter the accounts in Grumman's old Equus text, it'd be a positive for the world. For that matter, visiting a friendly world someday didn't sound bad... if they could get him there without a ship, he thought with a chuckle. He'd never cared much for flying, part of the reason he'd been happy to stay behind, even if it was liable to be a few days of nothing.
...A slight twitch in the aether was his only warning before the stereo, and all electronics nearby, gave out completely, accompanying a quiet 'ping' against the side of the limo.
A sharper spike through the Field accompanied Donovan's "Ah, shit..." before the vehicle erupted into a massive fireball, the shockwave of same throwing flaming hunks of metal in all directions.
"Oooh, so listen to this! Did you know that General Celestia, I guess she's a princess now, is the one that discovered that the Windigos were in fact the Demon race that conscripted the Oni to conquer Equus after they'd failed?" Vera Elleway related with only partially feigned enthusiasm.
Colonel Jeffrey Owens, on the other side of the brig's clear, polymer barrier, sighed deeply. "Fascinating," he muttered in a deadpan. He stood in the center of the room, as though too good to sit on the cot, watching her through the evenly spaced holes in the barrier.
"Isn't it?! Apparently, they discovered that the Demon race... their proper name is here but I'm not even trying that pronunciation, were very few in number and couldn't reproduce. Because of their nature they couldn't properly interact with the world of Equus directly. It's the same with the Angel race, it looks like. Anyway, they wanted to kill all life on Equus, so they could use the lifeforces, all strong in aether, alongside their resentment and suffering, to corrupt the natural aetheryte deposits, making the whole planet into one big, nasty magic amp. With that they could create a weapon to-"
"Elleway, is this why you betrayed me?! A goddamn storybook?!"
Vera blinked, and then grinned at Owens. "Why no, Colonel. I 'betrayed' you because you were using me to help you hurt a good person... a lot of good people, actually. Hmph, I called Aiden a sap, but I'm the gullible one. I thought you wanted to help people."
"That thing is not a person."
"Then neither... hey... 'neighther?' Heheh... horse jokes... then neither am I!" She held up a hand, and electrical energy crackled between her fingers like a Jacob's ladder. "Magic, you unmitigated ass. Jeez, I have more in common with the Oni than you! And I sure as Hell have more in common with her. ...Or I wish I-"
The base shook as several blasts of energy, which Vera felt as much through the aether as through the floor. "What the..."
Owens chuckled. "I believe my ride is here."
Vera cocked an eyebrow. "I believe you're jumping the gun." She tapped her earpiece. "Elleway, report."
"Vualez in comms. Lieutenant Jones is activating base defenses and trying to get a signal out. We have incoming, at least twenty of them. There's a breaching pod on the wall of the north quarter, and an Oni Mech that just tore through the gates."
"Shit... I thought those were all destroyed."
"Guess you missed one, Knight. Want to go deal with it?"
"Nothing I'd love more... can you handle the breaching pod?"
"There's a team on the way there now; wish I were with them, but Jones had to organize the robots so I'm stuck up here. I can't get through to Grumman with that Mech jamming us, and I don't think he will, either. Your orders are to take it out, and anything else at our gates. We'll handle the home front."
"Acknowledged."
"...And punch Owens in the head before you go."
Vera blinked, and then grinned. "...Are you seeing anyone, Sergeant?"
A snort, and then laughter. "You do owe me a dinner, now that I think about it," the amused reply came through as the base shook again. "I'll answer based on how you take down that damn thing."
Vera laughed. "Acknowledged, out."
Owens was smiling. "You seem too confident. Let me assure you, this will be-"
A line of electrical energy like a lightning bolt slammed into him, sending him ragdolling into the far wall. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious but breathing.
Vera stared down at him, smoke rising gently from her outstretched hand. She considered finishing him off then and there... and it wasn't a simple decision for her. After a few seconds, she sighed. "More like the Oni... but I'd rather be more like her." She turned, and ran down the hall, becoming a blur as she slammed through the doors in a rush towards the front gates and what she hoped was the enemy's main force.
The breaching pod finally carved its way through the wall, securing a path inward for its inhabitants. They were greeted by gunfire, and returned said greeting in kind. Little did the defenders know, not all of the breaching pod's soldiers were firing. In fact, two had already snuck out under the cover of stealth devices. While such things were far from foolproof, with the smoke, fire, and exploding debris, the two were able to slip down the hall past the pitched firefight that was little more than a distraction.
They made their way to the medical ward; their first destination before going deeper into the compound to free Colonel Owens. To their surprise, the doors into the ward opened freely. These amateurs had been caught completely off guard! Their head researcher was just sitting there, facing away from them.
They were elites, two of Stolhann's most successful 3rd Gen experiments. Their bionic implants allowed limited aetheric control that strengthened their physical forms, improved healing and durability, and heightened their senses. In short, they were, in those regards, nearly equal to the weakest of the 2nd Generation, and the bionic advantages themselves closed the gap to nearly nothing. And, of course, they were well trained and heavily armed.
They both raised their weapons, and fired.
The stun blasts were intentional; this was a priority target for interrogation and potential brainwashing by Stolhann. Doctor Moriko Hamada had had a unique opportunity to examine both the alien and a 1st Gen Esper at the same time. Any conclusions she'd drawn would be invaluable to Owens' cause.
None of that mattered to the forcefield that the stun blasts splattered harmlessly against. The elite soldiers switched to full auto lethal fire, to overwhelm the shield's generator, as Doctor Hamada swivelled around in her chair. She sipped a cup of coffee as though nothing interesting were happening. She winked, with no changing expression, as their shots continued ineffectively. Then the wall next to her opened, folding to the sides to reveal a double barreled plasma turret that could best be described as 'overkill'.
To their credit, they immediately sought cover by ducking behind the door, away from the medical ward. Regrettably, the wall they chose to hide behind was not rated for heavy plasma fire. They were gone from the world before they could consciously register the heat of the blast that reduced them both to mostly cinders. The inner wall of the hallway took the remaining energy stoically, as it was heavily reinforced.
Competing with it in stoicism, and possibly winning, Doctor Hamada turned back to her desk and continued her paper on her findings concerning Equestrian biology.
Elsewhere, the battle was less one-sided. The mech seemed content to sit outside, firing blasts of energy and guided missiles to shoot down drones and batter away at the base's defensive fortifications. It was twelve feet tall, bipedal, and resembled something between an armored knight and a futuristic tank that someone had strapped extra guns to. But that wasn't the biggest problem. The garage was secured, Lieutenant Jones and a security team had it well covered. The mech was too big to enter and the troops that had tried had fallen there. As such, Sergeant Vualez was taken by surprise when the door to the main control room exploded inward.
"What the-" she started before cutting herself off and diving out of her seat, just before a blade went through its back. She drew her sidearm and fired, but the knife wielder vanished. As before, she felt a tiny gust of air. She was a veteran of the war, she remembered this odd feeling, and every little sign. And she was still stinging from the last time a magic user got the drop on her... hopefully said magic user was taking out that damn mech, but for now...
"Teleporter! Enemy Esper in play!" she shouted before rolling again, again narrowly avoiding being run through.
"Excellent reflexes, human!" The Esper standing over her was unfamiliar to her, but the slasher grin on his face was chilling. He looked young even for an Esper, almost boyish, and only slightly taller than Aiden. His eyes were brown, but so bloodshot they verged on maroon. "But I don't know who you're talking to..."
Lily Vualez looked around the control room and sighed. Her subordinates were down, possibly dead, and four of Owens' troopers were pointing rifles at her. Dammit. She raised her hands in surrender.
"She was talking to me, James."
Lightning filled the room, curving around as it smashed into each of the four troopers, overloading weaponry while a crude, telekinetic shield bubble formed over Lily. Each trooper went down, twitching and shuddering as their bionic implants fried. Two screamed as parts of them burned from the inside out, the other two seemed mercifully unconscious.
Vera winced. "That's gotta really hurt. No wonder Owens wanted me as his ally. I'm a natural enemy to these guys. He should probably work on shielding. I mean... if a taser is more effective than usual you probably want to revisit the drawing board. Not that he'll get the-"
The enemy Esper, James apparently, disappeared in a flicker and a gust of wind. He appeared behind Vera, only to be thrown as she spun and grabbed his knife wielding wrist. He hit the wall, and vanished again before hitting the ground.
Vera shook her head. "James Leland, former Knight. 1st Generation... Esper Corps deserter, you left your people to die in-"
"Oh shut up!" A grenade flew through the air from behind a console. Vera surrounded it with a force field shaped like a cup, funneling the blast down, relatively harmlessly, into the floor.
"You always were undisciplined. Relying on nothing but your talent, never developing your magic. Small wonder you fell in with Owens; you're almost as dumb as I am!"
"SHUT UP!" He appeared behind her again.
And took a telekinetically enhanced fist in the face.
"No you. My power speeds up my reaction time. I may not beat Windborne in a distance race, but in close like this, I might be the fastest Esper. Teleporting behind me isn't enough." Vera sighed, kneeling next to her downed former comrade. "What did Owens promise you?"
"Hmph," he replied, looking balefully up at her. She swore she could practically see his nose already mending from where she'd broken it. 1st Gen healing... "If you're so fast, how come you failed? You were caught, and now turned against us."
Vera smiled. "I was beaten the same way you were. On that day, my convictions were too half assed. Small wonder since I was working for the wrong side. What did he promise you?"
He snarled. "With more Espers, we'll be safe! Humans can become like us, and they won't fear us! We'll be able to live without fear, even if the Oni return!"
Vera shook her head. "You really are almost as dumb as me. I let him trick me like that, too, but... There's no such thing as 'living without fear'... you and I know that better than most. Sergeant Vualez there knows it, too. Can you believe she forgave me so easily? I attacked her, took her place here, could have killed her. She has every reason to fear me, and hate me. And we have every reason to fear what's out there. Nothing will change that."
"We can change it! Owens can-"
"No. That's not how it works. I get that now... goddamn I really do. We can't erase fear by building bigger armies, walls, more guns. We can't be rid of those things, maybe not ever, but they aren't what really matter. We keep fear, we respect its warnings, but we don't ever let it take the reins... heh, reins... We keep it where it belongs in our hearts, a quiet voice that keeps us sane. We do that by filling our hearts with much more important things."
Lily snickered. "Holy shit..."
Vera waved a hand. "Yeah yeah, corny I know, too much pony reading lately."
"No no, I kind of liked it."
"Sane... you call putting faith in aliens sane!?" James seemed increasingly agitated, but his aether was quiet. He wasn't looking to teleport; she had his attention.
She smiled, shaking her head. "Who said I was just putting faith in them? My faith is in all of us... all of us who know how to walk forward." She held a hand out to him. "Care to come along?"
For a moment, he looked as though he'd bolt. Then his eyes narrowed slightly, and he sighed. He reached up, taking her hand.
As he pulled her forward, he brought his knife up with the other, aiming for her face. She spun away from the strike, sending a massive spike of electricity through the hand she held. He screamed as his grip on the knife became involuntary while all his muscles convulsed. The hand she held charred, burning partially away as his eyes sizzled in their sockets. Vera winced. She'd gone overboard when he'd surprised her.
"Dammit..." she said sadly, letting go of what was left of his hand. "Fastest Esper, I said... I've got a long way to go..."
His other hand had practically melded itself to the knife. His eyes, if they remained, were blessedly shut, and his body twitched gently. Amazingly, he was still breathing. 1st Gen resilience... but he was definitely out of the fight. No unicorns or magic swords were there to help him.
"Sorry you had to do that, Vera." Lily said from behind her. "Are the others...?"
"I don't know, hopefully just wounded. Doctor Hamada, wounded in the control room, friend and foe."
"Acknowledged. Medical drones are scrambling now. I'll join them when the halls are a bit safer."
"Confirmed," Lily said. "Oh shit, Elleway, you were supposed to be dealing with that mech!" The shaking had become almost constant now as the combat drones had been used up to minimal effect.
"Sorry about that... I felt the Field moving funny up here and changed course. James Leland... I'd only met him once, a year before he went AWOL. He seemed-"
"Reminisce later!"
"...Over dinner?"
Lily's eyes narrowed. "You know I'm not usually into women."
"That 'usually' works for me, love a challenge." Vera replied, grinning beatifically.
"Kill... the... damn... mech!"
"I'm going, I'm going! But... the Field is moving around out there again..."
Doctor Christina Stolhann was not, in times prior, this hands on. She'd ceded examination of the alien to her assistant... that damned spy... over a trivial issue more because she preferred not to handle such grunt work directly. Most of the work rebuilding this magnificent device had been handled by her engineering team, while she'd concerned herself with theoretical applications of Oni technology. A corruption of their ideology alongside creative retooling of their medical science had resulted in Pravus' reborn form.
And now she'd succeeded in redesigning this clearly successful masterpiece. The Oni-koru weren't much for engineering such weapons, for the most part. But they had their exceptions, and many considered piloting every bit as noble a pursuit as direct combat. Their mechs were a combination of the two, and it'd been a simple matter to envision one rebuilt as a siege weapon. Seeing said vision to fruition had been a labor of love, but a labor nonetheless. And now she was seeing the payoff in person, from the pilot's couch. Grumman had insulted her intelligence, spit on her work, stolen her research material... and now he would pay. He would come home to find everything in ruins. And then she would take everything else from him, while he looked on. Nothing would stop her...
The mech listed forward, stumbling on its reinforced legs, as a massive, unstable aether blast exploded against its heavily armored back. Stolhann's eyes went wide as damage readouts appeared before her. Shields were down thirty percent, and rear armor plating was down to eighty percent integrity!
"Impossible..." she said as she turned to face the new threat.
Donovan Trellis was having a bad day. Some might consider driving a limo around a bit degrading for a war hero, but he'd always enjoyed doing so. He'd liked that car. He'd liked the stereo. He'd really liked the collected music on the phone that had been connected to said stereo. That same phone had contained a number of pictures, as well. ...They were backed up in cloud storage... but that wasn't the point!
Also, getting blown up was annoying, so there was that. ...Although, if there was any Esper likely to survive such a thing without a scratch, it was the one whose special talent was explosions.
Donovan Trellis had awoken as a 2nd Generation Esper three years into the war, at the age of fourteen. Like most of the 2nd Gen, he was actually slightly older than the 1st Gen, and several years older at awakening. Like many 2nd Gens, he bore a single scar, inflicted before his improved healing had come along with his awakening magic, that was a reminder of that day. His was a circular burn scar in the middle of his chest. A plasma burst, designed to explode on impact, had struck him. In the milliseconds that it burned his flesh before exploding him to vapor, it had awakened his latent gift for magic. His body had absorbed the rest of the force of the discharge, and he'd redirected it, turning the tide of the battle for his hometown.
He couldn't always hold onto the energy he absorbed; often it just dissipated harmlessly into the Field, particularly with larger blasts he took. It wasn't that he had some kind of dangerous upper limit; magic didn't work that way... usually. It was more like trying to hold onto too much sand. Today though... he had a specific reason to hold onto all the energy he'd absorbed. He needed every little bit.
He wasn't Aiden, or Vera. He didn't really have a convenient way to cover distance quickly, and certainly not discretely. Discrete wasn't his talent. He worked with explosions: sometimes you needed to go big and unignorable.
So it was that a massive, comet like object smashed violently into the largest, most obvious target in front of what Donovan had come to view as home. That object gave off a huge explosion upon impact, rocking the mech forward, damaging it less than he'd have liked, and sending him flying in the other direction to land easily on his feet.
"You broke my ride... my turn." |
Back and There Again | 17. On Two Fronts, Part Two | The mech spun, speeding up surprisingly, and opened fire. Donovan swore as he dodged to the right, a blast of energy from his aether shield speeding him. The mech's explosive weaponry was no problem, but he wasn't sure his shields could handle the heavy plasma fire. For that matter, those were rather large shells it was using for its material cannons...
What part of 'my turn' confused you... He flung a burst of energy into the shoulder mounted heavy plasma cannon, only to watch the thing rock backwards as its shielding absorbed the blast. Despite the apparent lack of damage, he grinned. It was spinning again to target him, but...
He jumped, and a backwards explosion from his shield threw him forward, towards the mech. It hadn't swivelled around fully yet, but in less than a second this was going to look really stupid if he was too slow.
He wasn't.
A massive explosion cratered the ground, costing the mech its footing and throwing him away from it and, more to the point, out of its tumbling line of sight.
He flung several more blasts into the crater as the thing tried, and failed, to regain its feet. At this rate, he could smash its shields at leisure while keeping it down. Guided missiles fired, but their explosions of heat and force meant nothing to his talent. This was too easy... and he nearly facepalmed for thinking that before several pieces of the mech launched into the air.
"Aerods?!" was all he could exclaim before all of the floating weapons, little more than hovering drone cannons utilizing concentrated aether beams, opened fire.
His shield crumpled until he peppered the ground with numerous explosions, throwing up dust and debris to cover an escape, while another blast threw him away from their kill zone. They tracked him, continuing to fire. He returned the favor, blasting one from the sky in an incinerating burst of magic, but the others got through. He snarled as a beam of energy burned into his lower torso, and another his leg, a third his shoulder. He threw a punch at the ground as he fell, channeling a concussive blast that threw him behind a bit of cover in the form of a massive chunk of granite, leftover from the repurposing of the mountain into their current base.
There was no respite coming, as the Aerods circled his cover, charging for their next shots. He refocused his shield, reinforcing to the utmost as the blasts hit. He could stave off this assault, maybe the next... if he could return fire while they charged...
His cover exploded, throwing him forward in a heap, as the mech finally regained its considerably lighter footing.
It had discarded its shoulder cannons, and its arms and torso were lighter with the launch of the Aerods. Both forearm mounted guns aimed at Donovan, and fired alongside the Aerods.
After the salvo ended, Donovan was on his knees. He knew his shields wouldn't hold through another volley. He grinned, spitting blood. "I'll hand it to you... good fight. Too bad it's over."
"Hah!" a cruel, feminine voice came through the mech's speaker system. "Will you beg now? 2nd Gen trash, I have no need of more specimens of your ilk."
Donovan chuckled. "That's a real shame, then. Cause there's another inbound..."
Before the pilot could react, lightning arced between the Aerods, destroying two and sending the third spinning away to bounce off a tree. At almost the same time, Vera seemed to just appear atop the mech. She screamed, slamming both hands down onto its armored frame, channeling electrified aether arcing down through the mech's form. Its shields held for a moment before their generators overloaded, along with other systems.
And then its fist came up, smashing violently into Vera, sending her flying, and then rolling to a stop, unmoving.
Donovan went cold. He felt Vera's aether pulse through the Field... felt her lifeforce gutter like a candle inside her broken body. She was clinging to life, but...
He wasn't conscious of moving, but in less than an eyeblink he stood before the mech, reaching up to touch the leg, above the knee joints. He'd dropped his shield, channeling everything into a final attack.
Its shields were gone as well... he interspersed destructive aether throughout its molecular structure. The resulting detonation, which he sculpted in his talent and aimed away from the compound, was excessive.
The pillar of light in which the mech burned would later be reported visible by satellite.
It made the survival of any part of the damn thing all the more impressive, even if it was just the last Aerod. It opened fire, piercing Donovan's hastily raised defense to burn again into his torso, before a blast of lightning destroyed it. As he fell to his knees, and caught himself from faceplanting, he looked over to Vera. She smiled at him, laying on her side, and raised a smoking hand in a 'thumbs up'.
He chuckled. "Knights take bishop..." he muttered, before lying down on the cement for a much needed break. With all the weapons fire and the like, it was quite warm and inviting. He shut his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.
Lieutenant Zachary Jones would have loved to have helped out with the mech, but his own forces were limited to smaller targets once his drones had been destroyed. Casualties within the compound were over seventy five percent, so reinforcements to help with the pincer that had his remaining two people pinned weren't likely. The incoming soldiers from the breaching pod were half unaccounted for, but the enemy Esper and mech were down. There were six of them in the garage, but Jones couldn't do more than keep them from the doors to the compound proper. He would hold, but what he was holding for he wasn't sure. How long for reinforcements? He had no idea, and it didn't matter. He'd hold this position, protect the base, as long as it took. He didn't too much care about the future Grumman wanted. He didn't not care, it just wasn't his job. He'd follow orders he trusted. And right now, he'd defend his home base until Grumman told him otherwise. He grinned grimly, firing off a shot at an overeager invader. Five to go.
Sergeant Lily Vualez made her way quietly through the hallways. She didn't much care for having no one to watch her back, but desperate times, desperate measures. The two 'helpers' from the medical ward were needed elsewhere. She sighed. They could only save three of her people in the control room. The other two were gone before they'd arrived. And now... they were checking on the priority target. Owens had to be secured. They couldn't let that madman escape. And yet... she couldn't abandon her lieutenant, either. At least she'd had time to pick up her preferred weapon...
The doors opened into the compound's massive garage, and Lily took a brief moment to survey the carnage before opening fire. Most of the vehicles had been damaged or destroyed, and Jones' men had overturned one of the more well armored ones somehow to act as an effective cover. The enemy was in multiple locations around their positions, but three of them were clustered together, clear to the targeting system of Lily's rifle.
The bullets bounced off the garage ceiling, before each of the three activated its tiny propellent to perfect their aim to their individual targets. Each nanomachine projectile struck true, burrowing through armor and flesh to inject a paralyzing neurotoxin before their microscopic power sources gave out. Lily didn't think about how much each such bullet cost... she'd had enough of this. Switching options on her weapon, she opened fire on a fourth enemy, and a drilling blast of projected, destructive aether pinned the soldier to the wall after penetrating his cover like it was wet paper. He slid weakly to the floor, leaving a smear of blood behind him. The weapon read twenty percent remaining charge, but she had more options for the final enemy. ...Then said enemy threw his weapon away, putting his hands up and shaking them desperately. "I surrender!"
She flipped another switch, and launched a small, slow moving projectile over his cover. The projectile sailed over his head and let loose an electrical shock that dropped him twitching to the floor.
"I accept." She muttered darkly, shouldering her weapon.
"Hostiles clear!" Jones shouted over the din of burning vehicles, though his men were within a few feet of him. He stared up at Lily with wide eyes. "...Is that..?"
"Gungnir, Lieutenant," she replied, referring to the weapon. "I call her Gunny."
Jones gulped visibly, and saluted. To rate being given that weapon... "At the academy, ma'am... my instructor made it clear to me: a lieutenant is there to learn from his sergeants. ...Lesson received."
Lily chuckled, but shook her head. "The lesson being... even if you just got your ass kicked, win the fight anyway and look badass doing it?"
"Damn right, Sergeant."
"Damn right, Lieutenant." Lily grinned, but inside she felt a bit sick. They'd won the day, but they'd definitely taken an ass kicking. Three quarters of their people were at least injured, probably a third of those KIA... and the base was in shambles. For that matter... her eyes went wide.
"Tom, Crow, report!"
The two of them could be seen as an exercise in how difficult nailing down the line between artificial intelligence and extremely complex interfaces was. Medical drones at one point, their programming had been expanded on, added to, updated, modified, and ultimately left to grow on its own over the years since Hamada and the original developers had worked on them. In addition to programming upgrades that put them right up against that line of 'are they actually sapient or just too good at faking it?', their chassis had been heavily modified for increased utility... as well as weaponry. Physically, the two resembled Star Wars astromech droids, though considerably slimmer and with a pair of compact arms each. They'd been given the names Tom, and Crow. And speaking of...
"Tom, Crow, report!"
"Report what? It's a beautiful day outside..." Tom said.
"Birds are singing..." Crow continued.
"Flowers are blooming..."
"On days like these, kids like you..."
"Stop that!" Lily cut in. "Status report! Is Owens secure?"
"Securely resting in his own urine, ma'am! He may have... the diabetes..." Tom replied.
"He should call Liberty, ma'am." Crow added.
"He... what? There's no liberty for him..." Lily said, sounding confused.
"I think she missed the reference, Crow."
"Damn shame, Tom."
"Ugh, look, are the last of the enemy troops from the pod accounted for?"
"Oh, yes, ma'am! Transferring my onboard visual scanner recordings to Gungnir's targeting camera's display!" Tom said in his campy, slightly hammy voice.
"You're what? ... Oh... oh dear god. You two are cleaning that up."
"We certainly are, ma'am! And it's Crow's turn!"
"Aww, dammit."
Vera crawled, or more like dragged herself, across the pavement, which hurt like Hell on her broken ribs. Even a 1st Gen would take a few days off for this... she'd need a week or two, easy. For now... she needed to check on Donovan. His aether was steady, but weak. She wouldn't know for sure he was okay until she got closer. Just twenty more feet...
A pink aura surrounded her, lifting her gently from the broken, debris strewn concrete. Donovan's fingers were glowing a similar hue. "Idiot... you have broken... everything, so stop moving around."
"Shut up, you're no better off." she returned, though she was grinning now. She floated over in his telekinetic grip and was placed gently next to him, where he put an arm around her in a comradely hug. "And now you're bleeding on me." Despite saying that, she gingerly returned the embrace.
"Yeah well, thanks to you I'm alive to keep bleeding, so it's your fault. ...Thanks."
She chuckled, wincing slightly as her ribs protested the blatantly stupid notion of laughing in that moment. She'd never felt better. "I asked Lily out."
"Nice. What'd she say?"
"Pretty sure it was yes, depending on my performance against the mech."
"Welp, ya got my blessing."
"Awesome. And Aiden can date Rarity..."
Donovan snickered. "I can't even tell whether that's a joke or not anymore."
"It definitely isn't. I'm going to make sure it happens. But my point is we need to set you up now. Espers don't do well alone..."
"Pfft, I'm not alone, not at all. If anything, you're the one we're welcoming back."
"Yeah..." her smile became distant for a moment. "I'm sorry, Don. I should have been here the whole time."
"Eh, water under the bridge."
"No. James Leland was here, I don't know if you were inside our effective comm range to hear about it. I may have killed him..." she grimaced.
Donovan sighed. "So that's what you meant by lone Espers... He was always trouble. I remember feeling relieved when he deserted. Shame he didn't just find a quiet life somewhere."
"Owens had a way of finding those of us that tried that. If Grumman hadn't been keeping an eye on Aiden all this time..."
"Speaking of Grumman..." Donovan looked up at the smoking remains of the compound. Fort Friendship, as Rarity had dubbed it, had seen better days. It looked worse than it was, and they could certainly rebuild... but... "Not it!"
Vera blinked, and chuckled. "Yeah... I'm not calling him about this, either." Her eyes widened. "No, we have to! They could be in danger, too. This was most of what Veritech had left, but maybe not everything... Lily!"
"I hear you, Vera. I'll contact them immediately."
"Sergeant, you've all performed admirably under the circumstances. See to the fallen, first and foremost. I'll handle the media from here, redirect all inquiries to me and just concern yourself with injuries and rebuilding what you can. ...No, Sergeant, don't worry about that. We're a separate branch but still affiliated; they'll be sending assistance soon. Have Hamada submit me a full report as soon as she can. I'll contact families... it's time more people knew just what we were fighting for here." Grumman said, talking into his headset.
Across the plane, Rarity was wide eyed in astonishment, and Aiden couldn't blame her. Even he'd felt the massive spike of energy that Donovan had apparently used to destroy a rebuilt Oni Mech. Those things had been few and far between in the war, and had often accounted for many fatalities before their defenses could be worn down. He squeezed the unicorn's slightly trembling withers, offering a comforting smile. "You okay?"
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Her shaking lessened as she did. She returned a wan smile. "I will be, darling. I was more startled than anything. It was as if someone blew an airhorn in my ear. And since Pinkie Pie isn't around, I was completely surprised."
Valerie offered her a bottle of water. She took it in her magic, and drank slowly. "Thank you," she said, smiling more strongly as the last of her jitters settled. "How bad was it?"
Valerie had a bleak look, but she shook her head. "Could've been much worse. Ultimately it's a win: we still have Owens in custody, along with every attacker that survived. About half of them didn't. We lost five: Hallen, Rivers, Rodriguez, Singh, and Thomassen.
Rarity bit her lip as her eyes fell, clouding over as she looked down, all trace of recovering from her shock gone. "...Because of me..."
"No," Valerie said, lifting her chin gently. "Look at me, Rarity. This is on Owens, every damn bit of it. Even if you'd never come here, this conflict was building. You think Grumman had our base built there in the last few weeks? You knew I was already a plant at Veritech before you showed up. There was always going to be a reckoning for Owens. It's been a long time coming. And it hurts, losing friends, but every one of them knew what they were fighting for, what they were standing up against. Would be tyrants like him can't be allowed to do as they please."
"She's right, Rarity," Aiden agreed. "None of this is on you. When we get back there, we'll do everything we can to help rebuild, and honor those that have gone on ahead."
At the last words he'd spoken, her lips trembled, and she threw herself at him, sobbing quietly as he held her in a tight embrace. He looked over her shoulder to Valerie, who looked about to cry as well. He wasn't far behind. He gestured vaguely to her, and she reached out to rub Rarity's back, providing what comfort she could. Aiden sighed, shuddering slightly.
"Does... does this get easier? I... don't... I..." Rarity sniffled, "I'm sorry..."
"No, don't be," Aiden replied. "It's nothing to be sorry about. It doesn't get easier. You delay dealing with it, when you have to... but I hope it never gets easier."
"I remember those names!" she cried out. "They... they were all, they were there! At the party we had, at dinner, when we met Vera, and... she was... so angry and confused... but it was good, and we were all happy, and things were... oh..." she shook, burying her muzzle in his neck as her voice failed her.
"I know," he said, tearing up also. "For their sakes, we will be again. For now... no, it's okay to hurt. Let it out... it's okay. We're here for each other. It's all we can do, now." Valerie scooted closer, putting her arms around them both as well. Across the cabin, Aaron and Talia looked on through damp eyes. Their hands had clasped one another, though neither seemed conscious of it.
Rarity nodded against Aiden's shoulder, tightening her embrace around him as she dwelt on faces she'd never see again, smiles that would never come back. She did what she could to etch them in her memory, so they'd stay as long as they could.
The plane continued west. Their destination was close at hand yet all but forgotten, at least for a time. |
Back and There Again | 18. Allies | "Thank you, doctor, your diligence is ever appreciated." Grumman tapped his phone to end the call and addressed the cabin. "Doctor Hamada successfully protected the Command Crystal as well as the data we've thus far extracted from it by transferring it all to her lab during the incursion. Further, she's stabilized all the injured; barring extreme setbacks in recovery, there will be no more fatalities." He nodded to Valerie. "She also successfully field tested Gypsy."
"What's that?" Aaron asked.
Valerie wore an expression that could have been a grin or a grimace. "A heavy plasma turret with highly advanced targeting circuitry, scavenged from an Oni-koru vessel during the war, alongside the computer cores that became Tom and Crow. It was never used by them against us; apparently none of it had worked in centuries. We rebuilt it..." she sighed. "Moriko, Bradley, and I."
"Bradley?"
"...Hallen."
Aaron winced, remembering the names Valerie had listed.
"We walk forward, everyone. The costs were greater than any of us wanted to pay, but this was a win." Grumman said. "Veritech's fugitives could have gone anywhere with their weaponry. They could have fled the country and wreacked havoc, or gone to ground and rebuilt, or even gone their separate ways, each pursuing their own criminal ends. Owens wanted a spotlight to one day step into. His people could have left him, slunk into the shadows, and continued creating horrors. His ego, and his obsession with control, prevented them from doing that. It hadn't been my intention to use him as bait to draw them out, but I'm happy to know that we've dealt with them, without any civilian casualties."
Despite his words, he didn't look happy. Rarity's heart went out to him, and Joyeuse, now cradled against her shoulder, sang sadly. He looked tired.
"If you will excuse me... I have letters to write... to families I can never repay. Corporal Martinovich, let me know when we're landing."
She nodded. "Yes, sir."
Rarity leaned against Aiden, who returned the gesture.
"Sorry, sir, this area is closed to the public. Renovations."
"You can't be serious!" the agitated reporter exclaimed. "That was a nuclear explosion, you can't just-"
"If it was a nuclear explosion we'd all be dead. It was a controlled, aetheric detonation channeled through a column of controlling energy to funnel it skyward and dissipate it back into the Aether Field. Munitions test, and a successful one at that." Lily Vualez grinned innocently behind her sunglasses. Jones would pay for this... typical officer 'delegating' this sort of work.
She was standing, alongside two statue-like privates, guarding what was left of the gate (which wasn't much). Naturally it'd taken less than an hour for anyone to arrive, and while military backup had called off local police, fire, and medical assistance, it was just as natural that a journalist had snuck through. Lily could respect that; when it came to stuff like this the public would sort of want to know what the hell was going on. Though... that didn't mean they had a 'right' to classified military information. So... this fellow would be going home more or less empty handed.
He'd say his piece first though. "...Munitions test?" he replied, deadpan as he looked past her at the smoking wreckage both of and around the compound. "You seriously expect anyone to believe that?"
"Nope. I expect you to respect the fact that that's all I'm authorized to tell you. Have your people contact General Grumman for official disclosure, but don't expect an immediate reply. As you might have guessed, it's a busy day around here."
"...Right. And no comment on the rumor already circulating online that this was a retributive attack by the fugitives from your raid on Veritech?"
"You want me to argue with the internet? How much time do you think I have?"
The reporter cocked an eyebrow. "Well, you are guarding a broken gate..."
"Which is far less futile than your suggestion. Be on your way, civilian. Keep in mind that this is military property. Trespassers may be shot on site. Good day!" She smiled brightly, and assumed her own statue impersonation.
The reporter was sharp, she'd give him that. He immediately realized he'd get no more out of her. "I see... thank you for your time, Sergeant Vualez."
"Thank you for your hard work, citizen. I look forward to reading your piece on the day's events," she replied.
He blinked, having not expected her to say more. He chuckled wryly and shook his head before turning to get back into his car.
By the time the plane landed at another private airfield, Rarity had composed herself. She still felt a deep sadness that anyone had died because of her. She knew what Aiden had told her, and logically she knew he was right that she wasn't at fault, but she couldn't help how she felt about it. It was all the more reason to keep moving. She owed it to them to see this through. She'd known, in a way ever since Grumman had told them all of humanity and ponykind's shared history, that this was about more than just getting her home. For perhaps the first time, she truly felt that to be real with every fiber of her being.
"Deep thoughts?" Aiden asked, looking at her with a small smile.
"Hmm. Shoring up my resolve, darling. I'm not used to this sort of thing," she returned his smile wanly. "I believe I'm due an 'I told you so...'"
He snorted, gently cradling her head to press against his. "Not even. You've weathered all of this with more strength than I ever expected. I'd still rather see you designing than soldiering someday soon..."
She nuzzled against him, sighing softly. "That makes two of us. But I was more referring to your suggestion that this is the part I wouldn't be able to handle. I think you were right."
"No, I wasn't... and we both know it. Right now you feel guilty that you can keep moving, even though you don't want to. I know that feeling well. We can talk more about it later. We have to catch our next ride."
It was true. Everyone else had deplaned. She blinked. "Was no one going to say anything?"
He chuckled lightly. "I just did. Hold on a moment."
For a moment, the world disappeared, replaced by an increasingly familiar stretch of road, distant buildings, and nearby flowers. When it vanished again, they were outside the plane, near the others, along with their bags. Rarity snorted derisively. "Really, darling?"
"Hey, we're in a hurry, the chopper is waiting on us."
"The... oh my..." Rarity's eyes went wide and her ears pinned back as she looked at the vehicle they were transferring to.
Someone had combined a wagon with the big sister of Pinkie's flying machine. And it was getting loud... Aiden was already holding a telekinetic shield in place against the wind being kicked up... and Rarity was already searching her admittedly limited spell repertoire for something that would lower the noise. She sighed and climbed aboard with the others.
The pilot stared at her, apparently (and reasonably) stunned for a moment, before Grumman tapped the side of his helmet. The pilot turned, only to receive the full force of the General's glare. He flinched noticeably, and turned back to his controls.
Overall, Rarity hadn't minded the plane. The pressure change was odd. Since it flew much higher than Cloudsdale that was a new experience for her. It was also loud, and the constant vibration had taken getting used to. But in all it wasn't bad, especially given how fast it'd taken them thousands of miles. Further, the view from the windows, at least before she'd been drawn away by news of the attack on their base, had been amazing. It was all quite impressive.
She was of a very different mind about this 'helicopter' business. Even the noise canceling function of her headset (which apparently Grumman had had Hamada install for this trip without mentioning it to Rarity) did little to ease her discomfort. Aiden sat next to her, massaging the back of one of her ears as it sought shelter against the side of her head. Their eyes met briefly, and the understanding of 'yeah, I'm not a fan either' was easy to read on his face. She smiled to let him know she appreciated the gesture, and then went back to hating the helicopter.
Fortunately, it was a short trip to a landing pad atop the building that was their destination. Grumman spoke up before any of them could exit, though Rarity really wanted to. "Now then. Our exposure to employees here should be minimal, but be on guard nonetheless. Valerie, Talia, keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Even if they don't make a move against us doesn't mean everything here is aboveboard. Anything likely to bite us, now or later, is something I want to know about. Miss Rarity, eyes and ears open. If you notice any unusual eddies or currents within the Field, anything that gives you a bad feeling, let us know immediately. I expect all of you ready to act on any warnings instantly. Any questions?"
There were none, and so finally they moved out onto the roof. Four men were waiting for them.
The two on the outside of the group were clearly security. They reminded Rarity of high class bouncers. They wore dark suits, dark sunglasses, earpieces, and no nonsense expressions. They didn't even react to her presence. Neither had any particular concentration in the Field: non-magic users.
The two in the middle were more distinct, and the one coming forward with a welcoming smile was definitely an Esper. He was taller, and perhaps a few years older than Aiden. Short brown hair went well against a tan complexion and brown eyes alight with curiosity. He felt like an Earth Pony... more so than she'd felt any distinction in Donovan or Vera. In fact, a brief image of Doctor Whooves flashed through her mind. She saw a similarity here in this man's eyes. There was a friendly, civilized intelligence about him, as though he'd have liked nothing more than to regale them with his latest invention. Rarity's lips curved into a smile. Much like when she'd first met Aiden, she felt an urge towards trust. Speaking of Aiden, he was the first to step forward.
Grinning, he clasped arms with the other man. "Johnathan. It's been awhile. You look good."
Johnathan chuckled. "You too, Captain. I have to say, I didn't expect to see you again under such auspicious circumstances. I thought you wanted the quiet life?"
"It's Lieutenant now, remember? And I got a few years of it. That was enough. More importantly... introductions. May I present Private Aaron Cooper, Corporal Valerie Martinovich, and Sergeant Talia Henson. Oh, also General Albert Grumman, but I think you knew him already."
Johnathan grinned, nodding to each in turn. "Yes, we'd met. Good to see you again, sir." he turned back to Aiden, his grin becoming a smirk as his eyes flicked towards Rarity. "That all?"
"Yep." Aiden replied with a straight face.
Rarity snorted, stepping forward and bumping him with her flank. "Just because I'm the only one shorter than you doesn't mean you forgot I'm here... For that matter, I'm not shorter. Don't make me stand on my hind legs again to remind you..."
Aiden blinked, feigning surprise. "Oh right, the unicorn," he chuckled, looking at her fondly. "Jokes aside... Johnathan Ferreles. It's my honor and my pleasure to introduce Earth's first amicable visitor in fifteen hundred years... well, that I know of. This is Rarity."
Their host laughed, dropping to a crouch to be eye level with her as he held out a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."
She placed a hoof in his hand and shook it lightly. "Likewise. Aiden has had good things to say about you. I'm hoping you'll be able to help me. I need a ride home," she smiled at him, fluttering her eyelashes just a little.
Johnathan's eyes went wide, and his face flushed slightly. "Jeez, that's not even fair. I mean, her language is like singing, and then she throws that at you... Windborne you could've warned me."
"Nah... we really want that ship you're offering. Unicorn eyelashes are merely the opening salvo. You will comply."
"They're just... so blue..."
Aiden snapped his fingers in front of Johnathan's face. "Focus..."
"Right," he chuckled sheepishly. "She has a lot of aether, too, Windborne. It's remarkable. She's almost on par with you, other than..." he tilted his head a bit, and one of his pupils contracted. Rarity could feel his aether channeling, but there was no feeling of danger about it. "Actually..." he continued, "that flower in her hair feels like your aether, how's that?"
Aiden looked away, and Rarity frowned up at him slightly. Was something wrong with it?
"Yeah that's... she plucked that from my inner space, actually."
"...Huh. I didn't realize the scenery in there could move."
"..."
Grumman coughed, clearly deliberately. "Perhaps you'd like to move this off your roof, Knight Captain Ferreles? Further, who is your associate here?"
Johnathan nodded. "Of course, General, you'll forgive my distraction there. As to my associate, this is Adstrum's other CEO, Cade Kneargum."
He gestured to his counterpart in their group. The man in question was tall, taller than Grumman, and had long blond hair tied back at his neck. Rarity thought she saw strands of grey in it but couldn't tell in the sunlight. His dark blue eyes were calm, even as he matched her gaze. He smiled and, while not as bubbly as Johnathan seemed, there was warmth in his eyes to go with that smile. "Just Cade is fine. It's a pleasure to meet such auspicious company, as my colleague here has stated. I prefer to let him do the talking... war heroes make good public faces."
Johnathan chuckled, slapping his co-CEO on the back. "He's not lying. Genius, and a better administrator than I am, even if he prefers staying out of the spotlight. But right now we've got something else to spotlight anyway; let's show you what we have to offer."
As they stepped into the building, and then a large elevator headed down, Rarity felt a sense of anticipation. As the elevator doors quickly reopened, that sense increased.
Aiden blinked. "That's a fast elevator. We're underground, aren't we?"
"That we are, Windborne. Wouldn't do to have something like this where it could be easily spotted..."
As he said that, double doors down the hallway opened, revealing a massive chamber beyond. Within that chamber, surrounded by heavy equipment, was the Oni-koru vessel that Rarity hoped would take her home.
"Ooh..." Aaron said, looking up appreciatively.
Rarity fully agreed. Whereas Veritech's ship had looked positively decrepit, this vessel was pristine to the point of being shiny. It wasn't much larger than the helicopter they'd arrived in, but it was definitely sleeker. Rarity's pupils dilated as she took it in. Even the mottled, smoke grey color of the hull was working for her. Further, the understated, forward-swept wings gave it an appearance like it wanted to leap into the air.
Grumman snorted, stifling a chuckle.
Johnathan stifled nothing, laughing openly. "I thought you might notice..."
Rarity raised a delicate eyebrow. "Notice what? Is something wrong with it?"
"Not at all, Miss Rarity. It's just that it strongly resembles an oversized version of an old Earth jet. Specifically, a Grumman X-29." He smiled. "Though I've never been directly involved with them, the founder of the developing company is a distant relation of mine."
Johnathan was nodding, and Cade had a small grin. "We felt it was destiny, once we heard Albert Grumman was looking for a working Oni vessel. Of course, I'd have been happy to help my old CO, but it did help convince Cade... and our other execs."
Aiden's eyes narrowed. "So what you're saying...?"
Johnathan turned to Aiden, and Rarity, with a happy smile. "In exchange for any information you can share about her home world, as well as introductions concerning future commerce with same, should an opportunity arise, we at Adstrum Technologies are pleased to offer this vessel as a gesture of good faith, with hope for a brighter tomorrow."
Rarity was speechless, but Grumman wasn't. "Well, Ferreles... you drive a hard bargain. I'll get you a copy of our text on her world... you'll find a few surprises. I'll even include her notes."
Johnathan frowned. "Wait, there's a text and her notes?"
Aiden chuckled. "Welcome to the rabbit hole, buddy. Watch your first step."
Rarity regained her voice. "You're... you're giving this to us?!"
Johnathan laughed softly. "That we are. Though, if I'm being honest, I wouldn't mind you considering it a loan. You can return it once we have travel between our worlds worked out to a more practical level. No rush on that though. Frankly, without power it's been a useful curiosity but nothing we can't do without at this point, and so-"
"Thank you so much!" Rarity reared, and hugged him tightly.
"Geh... ahh, you're welcome, ma'am." Johnathan replied, going red again.
She dropped back to her hooves, and crossed over to Cade, who held up his hands in a warding gesture while taking a step back. "You're welcome, Miss Rarity, but I'll pass on a hug, no offense."
She gave him a fake pout, "Oh very well," she said, then smiled, and gave a quick bow. "Thank you, just the same. I'll never forget this!"
"Nor will we, Rarity. This is an historic moment, and we're proud to be part of it."
Johnathan nodded his agreement, fixing his suit jacket and regaining his composure. "Exactly. I was surprised I even needed to argue it to a couple of my more stubborn executives. To call this a unique opportunity would be an understatement."
After a bit of discussion about the vessel, they'd adjourned to an adjacent meeting room. It was rather plain, but included comfortable chairs, coffee makers (which Rarity was officially checked out on now), and a sturdy table complete with charging ports and notetaking necessities. At the head of the table, Cade continued where they'd left off in explaining their generosity.
"We were in complete agreement on the matter, John and I. In the long run, the war with the Oni will have a positive effect on humanity. I firmly believe that, as much because believing the alternative belittles those who died. That said, a chance like this is a gift the universe has given us. We can't pass it up. Adstrum has always been about furthering the human race in the best way possible. During the war, that meant weapons and materiel to defend against the alien threat. Now, it means doing our part to build a bridge between our world and that of a future friend." He shrugged lightly. "Of course, this is as far as we go, for now."
Grumman nodded, "You're referring to the vessel's lack of power?"
"Just so, General. The batteries are intact and ready to charge, but we have no way to do so. Johnathan is the only Esper associated with us, and putting out a call for others to experiment with Oni technology doesn't really go over well with any of us." Cade shrugged. "We have no interest in Veritech's dishonest approach. Further, Johnathan can't charge the batteries fast enough to stay ahead of their natural decay rate... and that'd be even assuming he had nothing better to do with his time than charge batteries and lie in bed recovering."
Johnathan shrugged apologetically. "Never was the most robust magic user."
"I wasn't blaming you; it is what it is... a problem to solve. And I may have a solution."
"I'll assume this didn't just come to you?" Johnathan asked him, looking surprised.
Cade shook his head. "It didn't, but I needed to see who we were meeting before I put it forth as a possibility. With Aiden Windborne here, as well as General Grumman, it may be possible. You had almost no contact with Paladin Lero Williams, but the same can't be said of these two men."
Aiden's eyes went wide. Rarity turned, ears twitching towards him at his reaction. She remembered hearing that name a couple of times, and was about to ask when Grumman interjected.
"We have no way to find him. He cut ties more completely than any Esper, and I can't blame him. At the end of the war, he took more flak than anyone for being a potential danger to humanity."
Johnathan nodded, grimacing. "The First Esper, and the strongest... yeah I remember some of the stories on him after the Spires were destroyed. No one was surprised he went to ground. I never did interact with him directly, other than a couple of 'yes, sir!'s over the years, but..." he shook his head. "He's three years younger than me, same as Aiden, but I never felt like anything but a kid next to 1st Gens." He grinned wryly at Aiden. "You'll always be 'Captain' to me, Windborne."
"I don't quite understand though," Rarity chimed in. "What makes him worth contacting in this case? Couldn't Aiden and I work together with Donovan and Vera to charge the batteries?"
Cade shrugged lightly. "It's possible, but problematic. No matter how synchronized your efforts, your aether flows are different. One battery charged by multiple sources becomes unstable. It's a serious risk, not just to you but to the battery and everything it's connected to. Aiden may have the second largest aether pool in the world, but-"
"Wat?" Aiden snapped, looking something between surprised and annoyed. "No, I don't. First off, that's not really easy to measure since there's a lot of factors involved. Second off, even averaging out all those, I'm more like tenth. So unless a lot of Espers died and I wasn't informed..."
Cade blinked. "...My apologies. I must have incorrect information."
Johnathan shook his head. "No, you don't. Windborne's pool is huge; he just can't use a lot of it. It's tied up in his pocket dimension." He looked over to Aiden. "You actually have almost as much aether as Williams at any given point, it's just that it's frozen in there. It's the reason you can't 'hear' as well as the rest of us. All that unusable magic sort of acts like a wind chime for your normal aether flow."
"Ooh, I like that description," Rarity said. She grinned at Aiden. "You have wind chimes in your head!"
Aiden rolled his eyes.
Cade cleared his throat. "As I was saying... even if Aiden has a lot of magic, he doesn't compare to Williams in this case simply because Williams got his power from a Creation Engine. Every cell in his body is imbued with the ability to draw and store aether directly from the Field, extremely rapidly. During the war, that meant he could channel enough to fight even Oni Generals with his bare hands and pure telekinetic force."
"He tended to punch them really hard... sometimes they exploded," Aiden added with a nod.
Rarity shuddered lightly, fighting a touch of nausea at that image.
"Just so. He even fought their Grand Marshal to a draw in single combat. Obviously we've no need of that, but it also means he's uniquely suited to charging aether batteries. We never would have sought him out for our own purposes... but this is much bigger than simple experiments now."
"I can see the merit of the idea, but it still leaves us with the problem of finding him. We can put the word out through various means, but there's absolutely no way of knowing if he'll acknowledge or even notice any of them." Grumman added thoughtfully. "Certainly we'll do it, but from there-"
"I can ask him." Aiden muttered, looking at the table, slightly red-faced.
All eyes turned to him immediately. Rarity wondered if Grumman hurt his neck turning that fast.
"Knight Lieutenant?"
"Heh..." Aiden replied, rubbing the back of his neck and grinning sheepishly. "He's... sort of in my gaming guild." |
Back and There Again | 19. The Last Day of the War | The room was silent for a moment, until Grumman cleared his throat. "...If you would repeat that... Knight Lieutenant?"
"He's in my gaming guild. Online I mean, I don't know where he physically is, but I can contact him."
"It didn't occur to you that he might have been able, and wanted, to help us in our current endeavor?"
Aiden's eyes narrowed, and he looked up at Grumman, all traces of embarrassment gone. "Which one would that be? I feel bad that I didn't think of him for the batteries right away, sure. For the rest, helping Rarity in general, you mean? I haven't noticed you calling in anyone else. You're saying we haven't been enough?"
"No, Aiden, that isn't-"
"Because he wouldn't have made a difference... General."
"Aiden, that's-"
"The Spire Assault crippled him!"
Most of the faces at the table contorted into winces. Grumman simply looked stunned. "...What?"
"Just what I said. You surely noticed he was different after that? He held himself together through excessive use of his talent and sheer force of will." Aiden snorted lightly. "There's a reason he preferred being called that. Not that I blame him... who names their kid 'Lero'? Point is, when he left, he told me that he didn't think he'd live much longer. His body was falling apart and he couldn't keep hiding it. He pulled through, obviously, but he can't fight anymore. I honestly don't know his physical condition but that much he's told me. There's a strong 'let's not discuss it' vibe, and I respect that. He's earned his privacy."
Aiden sighed deeply. Rarity gently put a hoof to his shoulder. He turned to her, smiling wanly. "As to how it happened... You won't find many Espers willing to discuss the Spire Assault, but almost everyone knows the generalities. Rarity, I'm sorry I've avoided talking about it."
She shook her head. "You don't owe me explanations, darling."
"No, I meant what I said the other day. Most of this stuff is common knowledge."
"You say that, but it's not..." Aaron spoke up. "I don't know much about it."
"I've never heard a firsthand account, actually." Valerie added, and Talia nodded encouragingly.
He turned to Johnathan, his already weak smile becoming anemic. "You want to tell the tale?"
He held up his hands in a warding gesture. "We both know you could do it better justice. I got knocked out early on; I'm lucky I survived."
"We all were. In any case, the basics for starters." He took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "The Spires were the last major battle of the war in terms of casualties, and the Oni trump card. Here in the States many called them Cardinal Spires because four were launched at us, at key points in the four cardinal directions. South was near Houston, intended to destroy the Johnson Space Center, among other things." He sighed, looking away. "They succeeded; the South team was wiped out completely, along with thousands of people who hadn't evacuated far enough to escape the eventual blast. North was in North Dakota, at a spot I knew nothing about... but as it turned out we had a major weapons and materiel development lab there, of key importance to the war effort for us."
Grumman coughed delicately. "We thought it was well hidden."
Aiden continued, giving Grumman a sympathetic nod. "West was close to here: their target was Adstrum. Donovan and Johnathan were both here, along with Knight Captain Suen, who had to retire afterwards."
"Again, I wasn't there for most of it. I was nearly killed at the gate, just getting us through their first line of defense."
"To hear Donovan tell it later, without you that's all the further any of them would have gotten."
Johnathan twitched in surprise, staring at Aiden a moment. He then smiled, but didn't reply.
"Lastly was East, between Baltimore and Washington DC. I ended up there, along with the rest of Outrage."
Rarity interrupted. "I thought Donovan was in that squad with you."
Aiden blinked. "Good memory. He was, but he'd taken a trip home to visit family when the attack hit." He smiled wryly. "Guess his replacement."
"...Vera?"
"Got it in one. They're both heavy hitters in terms of energy attacks, and if anything Vera's better in close combat; she's the faster of the two. ...I'm getting sidetracked here. Williams and his squad hit the North Spire. Basically, each Spire was a massive tower designed to gather in magic, resonate with the other towers, and destabilize the Aetheric Field across the connecting area."
Rarity's eyes widened. "So if left unchecked..."
"The 'area' would have been the entire continental United States, and further amplified outward to most of North America, in this case. They had incredible range, but the ones on other continents didn't connect with any of the ones here. Four were also launched at Europe, Africa, and South America. Asia got six, Australia two. Understand, destabilizing Earth's Aether Field would inconvenience Espers a bit, particularly the weaker ones."
"Present." Johnathan said, holding a hand up with a self deprecating grin.
"But it would kill every normal human that didn't awaken to magic from it. It was a genocidal attack... and they held off using it until they were sure they were losing otherwise."
"That's horrible."
"And confusing. They had a win button the whole time, and they didn't use it until we had a chance to counter it. By then, the surviving Espers had the training and experience to win our fights more often than not. Hell even most non-Esper militaries could hold their own, to a point. The tide had long turned."
Cade spoke up. "In truth it confirmed what people had long suspected by that point. The Oni-koru did not come here to wipe out humanity; rather to fight humanity. As soon as they learned that normal humans couldn't survive unstable aether fields, they stopped causing them in heavily populated areas. Over half the civilian casualties of the war happened during two time frames: the first week, and the Spire Assault, when they apparently decided they would try wiping out humanity after all. Even then, it was as much that as 'now that you're ready, here's everything we have'."
Aiden nodded grimly. "It really was..."
"Report!" Paladin Williams' voice came through the communicator.
"Trellis here in the West. Captain Suen is a bit busy! Oni General Laurus engaged. We have five remaining Espers, Marine support had to bug out when the local Field began to destabilize. But we've got this."
The connection to the Southern Spire was silent; and they all already knew why.
"This is Windborne in the East! Our Captain is dead, we've left wounded behind to evacuate. Elleway is... twitchy."
"I'm fine! Shut up! There's voices behind us, keep moving!"
"The last defenders leading up to the control room hit her with some kind of psionic device, but we're the last two left here."
"I am five by five, sir! Let's end this."
"Understood. Both of you, be careful. You'll have at least a General waiting for you."
"How are things on your end?"
"My team is gone; I sent them away after getting this far... I'm staring Caedum down, Aiden."
"...Shit. Will... be careful."
He chuckled. "You do the same. Remember, no matter what happens, we have to deactivate at least two of them to prevent a huge field from forming. Millions of lives, Windborne. Do what you have to, no matter what."
"You talk like you've already lost, man."
"...See you further down the road, my friend." the connection cut out.
"Dammit. Vera! We are taking down whoever's behind that door!"
"Yes, sir!" She fired a blast of aether, frying the supports before Aiden hit it with a telekinetic burst like a giant battering ram. The reinforced, aether shielded door crumpled inward before tumbling across the inner chamber. It was then knocked aside by the room's sole inhabitant.
She wore a wide, fanged grin, light armor that flattered her form more than it would protect it, and carried a large, familiar greatsword in one hand. White hair was tied back into a tight bun over coppery skin. Haughty, cruel red eyes stared down her opponents, belying the long, elfin ears that seemed to twitch in happy anticipation as she chuckled.
"Sorry to disappoint you, little hero. You get the newest General. Please treat me well?"
Aiden snorted, drawing both bastons. "...Keia Luxuria. Congratulations on the promotion."
"Why thank you! You really have grown up well; I still remember that little boy screaming 'I hate you!'. Your manners are much better now." She tilted her head, and her gaze shifted to Vera. "...Not perfect, of course... showing up with another woman."
Vera laughed darkly. "No need for jealousy... frankly you're more my type than he is."
Keia's eyebrow shot up, and her grin got even more smug. "...Truly, now?"
"Mhmm. I just want to nibble on those ears of yours... give me a hug..."
Vera vanished in a blur, appearing behind Keia with both hands crackling with energy. The Oni spun immediately, her blade impacting those hands as the attack became a block. Vera's eyes went wide as she was pushed away by the force of it. A follow up blast from the sword's tip hit the wall where she'd been thrown, but she'd already rolled to the side.
Aiden came through a portal just to Keia's right. Before she could recover her stance, both bastons, wrapped heavily in telekinetic force, stuck her side. She was flung away, and off balance, too much so to stop herself from flying through a portal. Vera blinked. "That was..."
Keia reappeared next to Aiden, smoke streaming off her form from fighting her way out of his pocket verse through raw power. It had taken a bit out of her, and her counterswing was knocked away before a weak blast of energy from her free hand let her get distance.
It wouldn't last as Vera landed an enhanced kick to the side of her head, sending her sprawling. But several blasts from her sword tip forced Aiden and Vera back, while filling the room with smoke. A pair of portals siphoned it off while another pair pulled air back into the room in exchange. Vera swore. "Where did she...?!"
She spun as Keia's blade nearly impaled her from behind, instead cutting deep into her side. Keia screamed as the area around Vera exploded in electrified aether as the smaller woman countered what should have been a killing blow. Aiden flung a baston at the distracted, wounded Oni, and as she lifted her blade to block it, a portal opened.
The baston went through, and as Keia's eyes widened it came out at another angle, smashing into the back of her head with enough force to crack her skull and send her tumbling to the floor. She bounced up and to the side by slamming her hand down and spinning away. Vera tried to follow, but snarled and grit her teeth as she listed to the side and collapsed, blood spurting from beneath the hand that was holding her side. Keia regained her feet, stumbling a little but able to block Aiden's follow up strike. His second baston came at her in a telekinetic grip; she caught it with her free hand and tried to yank it away, only to succeed too easily as he let it go. The moment of surprise allowed him to channel the telekinetic force surrounding it into displacing energy; the baston became a portal blade.
Keia screamed as her hand was torn apart by laser-like energy carving through her palm, pulling inward to Aiden's pocket verse with a force like heavy gravity. She cut her arm off at the elbow and leapt away from the effect.
Right into another attack as Aiden came through a portal on her now crippled side. His fist impacted her ribs, transferring telekinetic force, alongside the mundane sort, through her torso, cracking bones and sending her flying into the wall. The baston he still held followed her, smashing into and through her good shoulder, pinning her before she could rise. She grabbed it awkwardly, but still had more than enough aether to prevent Aiden from repeating the portal blade trick. He needed distractions to divide her attention, and he was out of them. It was fine; the fight was over. She pulled the weapon out while her discarded sword fell into a portal.
"It's over, Keia. You still have plenty of magic left, but you can't move properly like that. We'll just pummel you to death at this rate."
"'We', you say? My date seems to be too busy bleeding out to help you."
"Not likely. Vera's tougher than that. If I can feel it, you damn sure can."
Keia grinned up at him while slowly rising to her feet. Standing, she was a bit over six feet tall. He fought back a little envious surge. "I suppose so," she admitted. "It was a good fight, little hero. Thank you. It's a pity you won't have a complete victory today. General Maegren won his battle in the South. When you deactivate this Spire, there'll be no one to deactivate that one. Without all four shutting down at once, they'll all detonate."
"Better than everyone on this continent dying."
"Not everyone... you would live, as would other Espers. Even some few of the humans out there would be awakened by the effect rather than die from it, we believe. The rest can be reborn one day."
"Gosh, Keia, you should go into sales. I'm practically ready to just walk out and let it all happen." He rolled his eyes and went to check on Vera. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew Keia well enough to know that she wouldn't try anything desperate. He turned Vera over gently, and his eyes went wide at what he saw.
Vera's face was pale, and her eyes were staring at nothing. Her head shook back and forth as though denying whatever she thought she saw. "Windborne... there's... there's so many voices... I hear them. They weren't behind us! They were all around... a perfect circle. Golden..."
"Vera! Focus! We're not out of this yet! I need you to get away from here. This place is going up, and I have to do everything I can to minimize the blast."
"...Golden rat... what?" She blinked, her eyes focusing. "Shit... ugh... Aiden! I've lost too much blood; the room's spinning. I... let me do it."
"No. We've got a few minutes before activation. I'll get you out and come back; the shielded tanks are still at the outer perimeter. You'll be safe in one of them."
"There's too much shielding for your portals, dummy, remember? If there wasn't, we would've gotten in a lot faster! It'll take too long to get out through that labyrinth and come back again. Let me hit the switch. I can't get away, but you can. Get distance, and shield yourself inside your verse. Hell, just hop in right now and you'll be fine, right?"
"Doesn't quite work that way, and if I do, everything within ten miles dies in aetheric fire. Not happening. If I stay, I can minimize the-"
"And die trying!"
"Maybe not!"
"Excuse me, little hero. I have an alternative."
Vera glared balefully at the defeated Oni General. "What... you gonna press it for us?"
Keia laughed. "Don't be silly. I lost but I'm no traitor. No, I'll carry you away to safety. You wouldn't escape without help, and the little hero here won't leave this place to explode when the signal comes through from the Western Spire." She smiled easily. "Your friends won there."
Aiden sighed in relief. "Donovan?"
"He lives, as does his Captain, though barely. Laurus fought poorly, falling back on cowardly tactics in an effort to win. He won't be missed."
Aiden nodded. "I can trust you to get her to safety?"
"Aiden!"
"Quiet, Knight Elleway. This is an officer's decision."
"The Hell with that, you can't-"
She fell through a portal, and could be heard yelling from down the hall they'd earlier entered through. Keia chuckled. "Why not just keep her in there?"
"She still has enough magic to force her way out. It's not a holding cell. ...If she doesn't make it..."
"Oh don't threaten me, little hero. She flattered me, and she fought well. You would not have won alone. Killing her now would be unsightly."
"Hmph. Mercy is for the strong, right?"
"So the Grand Marshal has always said, and so too do I believe." She grinned, holding out her remaining hand. "A pity we met as foes. And yet, what a wonderful honor. You won't survive this, but I will remember your name, Aiden Alexander Windborne."
"Heh," he grasped her hand firmly. "Don't count me out just yet."
"I look forward to seeing your efforts. ...I don't suppose I could get my sword back?"
"Nope. You need to carry Vera."
"But my armor has a clasp on the back for it..."
"Noooope."
She sighed dramatically. "Fine... I'll forge another, for what it's worth. The war is all but over, now. Every continent has stopped the potential for absolute destruction, although your losses will be great. I'm sure our king will flail a bit longer, but Caedum will eventually make him see reason."
"For a given value..."
"Naturally. Sanity, however you pretend you define it, does not entice us. Farewell, little hero."
"See ya around, General Keia Luxuria."
She turned and walked out the door, towards Vera's distant, angry shouting. Aiden sighed, and turned to the enormous spell matrix in the middle of the room.
Inscribed on a spherical crystal the size of a van, innumerable glowing runes spelled out two forms of death in a language Aiden couldn't read. He didn't need to. He tore open the shielding on the control panel, and hit a button to retract the heavily aether resistant, clear polymer case that enclosed the crystal. His eyes widened as, with a second button press, the roof above the crystal opened like a skylight, revealing a beautiful, sunny day. He swore. Could they have escaped that way? It looked to be an ejection system for the crystal, but he couldn't eject it and deactivate it. He shook his head; he had to be here either way. He could feel the menace of the thing now. With a single button press, he could end most of that menace by trading it for another, lesser form.
"This is Knight Lieutenant Aiden Windborne reporting in," he said, tapping his headset with a brush of magic to activate it again. "The Eastern Spire is secure. Knight Elleway is evacuating the area. Report in please; I'll wait as long as I can to deactivate."
"Ready when you are, buddy."
He smiled softly. "Donny boy?"
"Yes, sir. We're good to go, here. I think I can channel the blast up so there's no damage."
"Heh. They're lucky to have you. Give us a good light show. Hey, bonus points if you can aim it at one of the Oni ships in orbit."
"Ooh, I love a challenge."
Aiden grimaced, feeling cold despite the camaraderie. Another voice hadn't-
"This is Williams! Detonate immediately!"
Aiden's eyes went wide. He didn't sound good... "...Lero..."
"Pfft. You must be worried if you're using my first name. I'm fine! I can hold Garken a bit longer, and catch us both in the blast. There's no reason to delay! Do it; that's an order!"
There was a reason. If Will could win, and get even a minute to recover and strengthen himself...
"Aiden! I cannot beat him! He's stronger than he's ever let on; stronger than any of their Generals by far. We have to- Hkk-"
"You have to stay focused, young one..." Bones could be heard popping, followed by a detonation of energy and Williams coughing.
Aiden grit his teeth at hearing that voice. He could practically feel Caedum's hand around his own throat. "Dammit! Donovan, brace! Will... don't die! Garken... to go Hell!" His fist slammed down on the button that shut down the sequence. The glow of the runes changed, pulsing for a moment as feedback built.
It was more than enough time. Aiden opened a portal, dropping the crystal, and himself, in. The Spire's shielding was specifically designed to in no way impede the blast, so this was all Aiden could do to protect everyone who hadn't gotten away. A small part of his mind screamed for those he'd condemned with this choice, but there was no other path open. Less than ten seconds... at least two kilometers... He strained, reaching for portal after portal, pulling himself as far into the air as possible.
2.8 kilometers later, the sky lit as the crystal, encrusted with destructive runes and storing incredible amounts of aether, exploded. A hastily erected bubble shield and even the boundaries of Aiden's pocket verse hadn't fully contained it. But they'd done enough. The shockwave that reached the ground was comparable to a burst of hurricane gale force winds, but it was fleeting and caused no lasting harm. Aiden was falling, barely conscious and unable to gather any power. He'd been thrown upward and out of his verse by the blast, and his own shielding and natural durability had kept him in one piece. But he had nothing left. He'd fall, and he'd probably die in the landing. Even a First Gen wasn't going to survive something like this in his exhausted state. And yet... he was okay. As the wind blew past him and the ground came up to meet him, he felt content. The cost had been terrible, but they'd saved millions. He could accept this. ...It was really taking a long time, though.
"Wake up, little hero." An open palm slapped the side of his face, rather gently given whose palm it was.
His eyes shot open, staring up at Keia Luxuria. Turning, he saw Vera Elleway lying in the grass nearby. She seemed to be asleep.
"She needs time to recover. My strike wasn't as effective as I'd have liked, but I still nearly killed her. She'll sleep for a day or two while her magic recuperates. After that, a week or more. ...You'll recover far faster."
"...You saved me?"
"I thought it wouldn't have been such a bad end. If the blast had killed you I'd have been content. But falling to your death after surviving that? Unacceptable. You defeated me... I won't see your body broken by a lowly fall."
"Pretty sure this does make you a traitor, now."
"...Perhaps, but only to my king, not to the beliefs of our way. I'll make my escape now, and my excuses to his majesty. As to you... your strength earned you this mercy once again. Use it to become stronger, and defend your world. My king... no longer deserves to overcome your kind."
"...Yeah, definitely a traitor."
She laughed lightly. "Be well, little hero." She turned, and walked away.
He tried to tap his earpiece, to hear the results of the other Spires, but it was gone, lost to the blast. He sighed, and shut his eyes. The world could keep walking without him for just a bit. |
Back and There Again | 20. Tea Minus One Week? | "Huh..." Aaron said, seeming to speak for everyone.
"...Yeah, you definitely told it better than I could have," Johnathan noted.
Aiden shrugged slightly, tilting his head as he stared blankly forward, lost in thought.
Rarity cleared her throat quietly. "I... thought you said Keia had... passed on?"
He glanced over at her, sighing through his teeth. "I think so, yeah. We heard later that the Generals who failed to defend their Spires were executed by their King. It was their Grand Marshal who told us, so there wasn't much reason to doubt him."
Rarity's eyes widened, her initial anger towards Keia all but forgotten. "That's horrible. Why would he do such a thing?" She frowned, thinking on it a bit. "Honestly... why would he do such a thing? It doesn't seem to match their... well... carefree mindset. It's horrid that they came to your world and caused so much devastation, and yet... they don't seem the sort to take failure so seriously."
Grumman nodded. "You're not wrong, Miss Rarity. Their King was a different sort than the rest of them. I wish I could say more about him, but he never showed himself planet-side that we know of. Yet every indication we had of him suggested he was more driven, and cruel, than any of his subjects." He grimaced. "It's been speculated, and I agree, that peace could have been achieved if not for him."
Cade chuckled. "Soldiers are often more willing to make peace than politicians... they have a better understanding of costs. But if we could set that aside, fascinating though it is. It's history; the Oni are gone. One of the few Oni ships left needs its batteries charged, and Paladin Williams, crippled or not, may be able to accomplish the task, yes?"
Aiden nodded. "Right... yeah, yeah I can't see any harm in asking," he said as he took out his phone.
Grumman cocked an eyebrow. "You're just going to call him... right now? You've had a phone number this whole time?"
"General, are you jealous?" Aiden grinned at him while hovering one finger dramatically over the touchscreen.
"No, Aiden. I'm envious... the word would be envious." He smiled wryly and shook his head. "In truth I've never believed I had any special connection to any particular Esper. I couldn't allow myself to feel that way and still perform my duties as a leader in wartime. Even so... Bellerophon Williams and I worked together as long as any two in the war. I raised that boy as much as I did you, and several other First Generations who fell under my charge by simple virtue of being from this country."
Aiden nodded, pressing the screen a few times. "And that's one reason I stayed where I could be reached easily. ...Or so I'd say, if you hadn't arranged it with Aunt Lynn's house and all. Will wanted to get away from the world even more completely than I did. Only natural, since he was more famous..." he grinned. "And I can duck away from reporters easier than pretty much anyone, if it comes to it."
"I don't quite understand, darling. Why does Paladin Williams have so many names?"
Aiden chuckled. "Sent him a message. Shouldn't take him long. And he doesn't. Lero is short for Bellerophon, his first name. He kinda hates it because it's odd, as were clearly his parents, so he got teased a lot in school... before the war started, of course. So he prefers Will, which would be short for his last name, in case that wasn't obvious. ...Now that I think about it... there's pegasus ponies on your world, right?"
"Yes...?"
"Heh. Maybe he'd be okay with using it there then."
Rarity tilted her head, wordlessly asking for an explanation, when Aiden's phone beeped.
"Ahh, good. Like I said, he keeps up with Discord."
"With who?!" Rarity exclaimed.
"Who... what?"
"You said... oh nevermind for now. What does he say?"
He stared at her with a raised eyebrow a moment, then shrugged. "Given what's been happening he's not surprised to hear from me. I'm putting it on speaker." He tapped the screen a couple more times. "Can you hear me?"
"Yeah, Aiden, I hear you," a soft baritone answered. "This is more than just getting an Oni ship into space, isn't it? NASA's already accomplished that much."
"It's good to hear your voice, Paladin." Grumman said, smiling. Rarity remembered that smile from when she'd first met the General. He didn't wear it often enough.
"...General? I'll say the same. It's been awhile. My fault, of course, but I'm glad to hear from you, just the same. So what's this really about?"
"We do need a ship into space... and further to another world. We'll have our exact destination worked out soon. We can't just go to NASA though, not given our passenger, who needs the ride home. We're not ready to disclose her presence to the world. It would introduce too many variables. Once we have safe passage secured between our worlds, I'll revisit that matter."
There was a moment of silence. "I'm guessing not an Oni?"
Grumman snorted. "If the Oni still have a home world, they've erased it from any records we've ever recovered. Our guest is a unicorn. Say hello, Rarity."
"Hello, Rarity," she intoned.
Aiden blinked. "Huh... you guys have that joke, too?"
"Some things seem quite universal, darling."
Will chuckled on the other end of the line. "That's a surprise. ...This wouldn't be related to that old book I've seen you carry around, would it?"
"It would indeed, young man. I'd be happy to relate the full story to you, though I'd prefer to do so in person."
"Reasonable. Where are you now?"
"Sacramento, at Adstrum Technologies. As Aiden may have mentioned, they've offered a ship but we need the aether batteries charged fully. Equus, her home world, isn't across the street."
"Unfortunately, neither am I. I moved back to Baltimore... near there anyway."
"Perfectly acceptable, that's not too far from General Grumman's current base of operations," Johnathan said. "Can you meet us there? That way you don't have to give away where you're living now."
"We've taken to calling it Fort Friendship." Aiden interjected. Rarity rolled her eyes, but smiled.
Will chuckled. "...Fort Friendship it is then. I'll go there after meeting all of you elsewhere, for tea."
"I will only accept coffee," Aiden replied.
"Monstrous... but in the spirit of friendship I accept, for now," Will countered.
Grumman had tilted his head slightly, frowning. "Distrust, young man?"
"Prudence, General," Will corrected amiably. "Aiden can take me to anywhere, from anywhere, with no one really able to notice or follow. He can take you to a location of my choosing in the same fashion. At this point, I don't need to tell you that your Fort Friendship is a hotbed of media activity. That mess with Veritech was a ticking time bomb. Now that it's gone off, I don't want to increase the speculation by showing up there in plain sight. They see 'The First Esper' rolling up after everything that's already happened, when I've been MIA for over five years..."
"I understand. Though you should know that the reason we've had open hostility with Veritech after all these years is because Rarity appeared there. She found a Command Crystal, fully charged and waiting, on her world. She activated it by mistake, via her people's natural aetheric abilities, and was returned along with it to its ship of origin."
"That's... remarkable. It stuns me that one of those crystals could store that much energy. I'm guessing her world can't be too close to us, or we'd have noticed in the records we've stolen from the Oni."
"Quite true. We don't believe she's from our galaxy, at this point. We're decrypting the Crystal and will know for certain within days. That said, magic doesn't follow the usual rules, as you know better than most. My point in bringing it up is that... one way or another that media hotbed is only going to get hotter. Either we establish peaceful contact with an alien civilization by helping one of its citizens get home, or we fail spectacularly, possibly expose our goals, and keep going by continuing to get ships from other sources. Again, the primary reason I haven't already brought NASA in on this is because I'm not ready to expose Rarity to any of the possible xenophobes out there... particular any among the Esper population. ...Prudence, as you've said."
"As usual, we're on the same page, General. I do appreciate the occasional nostalgia. I'll let Aiden know where to meet, in five days. Between then and now, I'll focus on shoring up my energy. As I'm sure he told you before this conversation, I'm not what I used to be. Still, I think I can help you."
"Either way, it'll be good to see you again, young man."
"You too, General. Aiden, talk to you soon. ...You get to explain this 'unicorn' to me, since you hinted about meeting an amazing girl the other day, and now I just have to know if-"
"Oh, hey!" Aiden exclaimed suddenly, "Look at that, wouldn't you know, the call just got cut off! How surprising and unfortunate!"
"Darling, your fingers are glowing orange... as is your phone."
"Whaaaat? No... that's silly. You're a silly pony, Rarity." Aiden said loudly as his phone vanished through a portal.
She stared at him with one raised eyebrow, though the grin tugging at her lips killed the deadpan expression she was trying for. "Amazing, eh?"
"...Silly, silly pony."
"Hey, I'm curious, too. When did you have time to meet an amazing girl? You've spent like every waking moment with Rarity. Plus you two sleep together, so-"
Rarity snerked and started giggling while Aiden choked on air and turned to glare at Aaron. "God... dammit... Private..."
"...What?"
Talia patted Aaron's shoulder. "We'll explain when you're older."
Cade cleared his throat. "We'd be more than happy to provide transport back to Virginia for all of you. I'm assuming Mr. Windborne can carry the vessel through his talent indefinitely?"
"Correct," Aiden replied, attempting to force down a blush with no real success.
"Then let us go retrieve it, along with any pertinent equipment, and make ready to travel. Johnathan and I will be accompanying you."
Grumman raised an eyebrow. "Will you, now?"
Cade didn't budge. "Yes sir, we will. Johnathan is the most discerning aether reader in the world, possibly excepting Miss Rarity here based on what you've told us. But she doesn't know the vessel's components and expected readings as he does. And I'll be going because, while I agree with this venture, I don't fully trust Johnathan alone with you. Giving away the ship is one thing, and again I do approve. However... his loyalty to you, and his... enthusiasm for succeeding at even absurd projects requires a cooler head to be present." He smiled faintly. "Besides... I'd like to be there to see this work."
Grumman stayed quiet a moment, and then nodded. "Very well then, Mr. Kneargum. I seldom entertain civilian guests, and given recent happenings the accommodations may be a bit Spartan, but we welcome your continued assistance with this."
"I appreciate that, General. I'm in no position to force the issue, but I really believe that we'll have the best chance at success working together."
Once again Rarity gazed up at the ship that she was, more than ever, convinced would take her home. She could feel Aiden's aether building and in just seconds the ship vanished. Her ear flicked as the air in the room resituated itself. The flower tucked there felt warm for a moment; it seemed to still have some connection to Aiden's pocket verse. She made a mental note to ask him about that when they were alone. It was one thing to worry about disturbing any of the... bodies that may still have been there. Were they preserved by the same aether that kept the rest of the place pristine? But how could flowers grow? It did seem to be light or dark based on day or night, but rain? And why did Aiden seem so odd about the fact that she'd taken it? So many questions.
"So many questions, Mr. Windborne," Cade said, echoing her thoughts.
"Eh?" he asked distantly, as more portals absorbed the other pieces of equipment that might be useful, as Johnathan went about the room pointing them out.
"With a talent like this you could do practically anything... perhaps more so than Mr. Williams, even had he maintained his strength. Yet you chose to fade away, and pursue a simple life of manual labor."
"What, you mean like bankrobbing or something?"
"...Or something."
Aiden chuckled. "One of my first memories is watching my sister Moira play video games. One of her favorites ends with the hero seeming to sacrifice himself to let his friends escape a castle that's collapsing into the sea. They all thought he died. But the epilogue shows him getting out... and going to work in a village, tending the fields. I remember the line 'that sounds like just what I need right now.' ...I didn't get it back then. Why wouldn't the hero go back out adventuring again? He'd won! He could go be a hero and get a parade or whatever. But whoever wrote that line understood. And I did, too, after the war ended. Doing something simple, but honest, and quiet... yeah, that was exactly what I needed after the war ended."
"I see..." he smiled. "I can understand that... better than I can say, in fact. Still, there are exciting times ahead, and you can no longer avoid them. Are you ready?"
Aiden blinked, then chuckled. "I can see why Johnathan needs you around. I think... I'm ready to be ready. If that makes sense. I feel like saying 'I'm ready' will jinx it somehow and I'll get hit with something completely unexpectable. I believe we're walking the right path."
"Then I eagerly await the destination."
Aboard another plane, after a limo ride whose tinted windows had made Rarity's presence a non-issue, the emotional roller coaster of the day had caught up with them. Aiden and Rarity sat together, strapped in and leaning against each other, sound asleep.
Valerie was grinning as she watched them. She discreetly snapped a picture, to be sent to one Lynn Marcusson. Grumman was busy with some correspondence on his tablet, Aaron was listening to a podcast through a headset, and Talia and Johnathan were both looking over something on the latter's laptop. But Cade watched Valerie from a seat away. "Is it so easy to accept this level of... familiarity with an alien being?"
"Should it not be?" she asked in return. "It might be another matter if Grumman didn't have the information he has."
"Knowing her language, and the state of her world 1500 years ago... that isn't nothing... but is it enough?"
"No... having met her, and knowing that... actually just having met her, it's enough. You spoke to Aiden yourself. You know the life he chose?"
Cade nodded.
"He gave that all up, in just minutes, after meeting her. And while we all joke about it, and you see there," she gestured to the sleeping pair, smiling fondly, "they've formed quite the bond... it's not easy to put into words."
"Species aside... love at first sight?"
Valerie covered her mouth to stifle an outburst of laughter. "No, no, and that's exactly what I mean. They way they were pulled towards each other, and the way we've all gravitated around her, pulled together to help... the way it's all felt like the right thing to do... there's a connection between us. Our two peoples. It's something that, now that we have the chance, we're seeking to rekindle. I think... more than anything else we gained from the Oni, in the face of all we lost to them... this we owe them thanks for."
"I see. Perhaps I'll understand better in time."
Valerie frowned slightly. "You've seemed rather cool to the whole situation. I thought you approved?"
He smiled faintly. "I do, Corporal. I simply don't do so as fervently as the rest of you, it would seem. This is a unique opportunity and I'd be a fool not to seize it. But I needn't do so in blind enthusiasm. Whatever magical friendship power is hovering in the air around us, it seems to be avoiding me and I'm quite content with that."
Valerie chuckled. "Fair enough then. But I reserve the right to say 'I told you so' the moment I see you join our little herd here."
He laughed lightly. "So noted." |
Back and There Again | 21. Side by Side | Between Johnathan and Rarity they were able to shield everyone well enough to traverse a short distance via Aiden's portals. Rarity was a bit surprised how easy it was to channel magic for such a shield, despite not having done it before. Between seeing it, more importantly feeling it, and a brief bit of advice on fine-tuning from both Aiden and Johnathan; it wasn't difficult. She probably could've handled it herself, but she got the sense Johnathan wanted to feel useful. It was a bit odd coordinating the shield with him; she wasn't used to being the one having to hold back so others could keep up. If anything though, it was more useful practice than simply outputting at a convenient level and holding it. This took more control, and that would be... what, exactly? She wasn't sure, but she couldn't help feeling that this would be somehow helpful. All too soon, the group found themselves safely within the cluttered remains of the Fort Friendship's garage. Most of the vehicles had been destroyed, and none had escaped the carnage unscathed. At the elevator, two golems made of metal seemed to be guarding the door.
"Well well well... if it isn't the A Team," the gold one said.
"It isn't," the red one answered before any of them could.
"Oh right. So... it's... you! ...How bout that...?"
Grumman sighed. "Tom... Crow... what are you two doing out here?"
"Guarding the elevator, sir!" the gold one replied.
"Awaiting further orders, your lord high Generality, sir!" the red one chimed in.
"Tom... I've asked you not to call me that."
"Yes you did, and it was a request, not an order!"
"Consider it an order."
"Consider me not in the military!"
"..."
"Tom, not now," Valerie said tiredly.
"Understood, ma'am. I'm sorry, ma'am."
"It's fine, Tom. You and Crow are relieved here. Go down to heavy weapons storage and clear out sufficient space to park the ship we've brought. Given our losses during the recent attack, it shouldn't take much, and we can't do anything with it while it's in Aiden's pocket dimension."
"On our way, ma'am!" With that, the two of them summoned and boarded the elevator.
Grumman eyed Valerie sidelong. "I wish you'd programmed them to be a bit less snide."
Valerie grimaced. "It was... mostly Bradley's ideas there."
Grumman winced. "I take it back; they're fine as they are. Speaking of which though... I have two more letters to write, after we visit the infirmary to pay our respects. Rarity, Aiden, I'm afraid I have to insist you both come along. You won't be able to attend any funerals for them." As he said that, the elevator dinged back to their level, and they all boarded for the upper floor.
Aiden nodded grimly. "No one knows we're involved, if we were seen... especially Rarity..."
"Exactly."
Rarity sighed deeply, and while it was mostly sadness for those that had died, there was a hint of frustration in it. "I understand the reasoning, but I've never been fond of avoiding attention. This isn't just my ego talking either... the world should know what they fought and died for. They deserve that much."
"I agree wholeheartedly, Miss Rarity. But for now, honoring what they fought for means keeping you as safe as we can. And that means-"
"Yes, General, I know," Rarity grit her teeth. "I just don't have to like it." Aiden's hand found her withers, squeezing gently in support. She leaned against him, focusing on the contact rather than her anger.
"I understand, Miss Rarity. Believe me, I do. For now, let's say our goodbyes in private, as befits a family. Their own families will each get the chance to do the same. And sometime soon, they'll know the good cause that we've all fought for."
Hamada was waiting for them in the infirmary, alongside five covered, occupied beds. Each covering sheet had a name, but the faces were covered. With a slight grimace, Rarity realized they didn't have the sorts of deaths that went with open caskets.
It was... easier than she had thought it would be. Perhaps it was that she'd already steeled herself, or simply the honest fact that she had really only met any of them once. That their faces were covered might have been intentional as well. She felt a deep sadness at their loss, and still a twinge of guilt, but she didn't break down. This situation, these brave men and women... they deserved her strength, not histrionics. Grumman said a few words, and Rarity somehow knew she'd always remember them.
"We won't ever forget. We walk forward because you gave us the chance to keep doing so. The world is better for your time in it, and poorer for your loss. We'll do everything we can to build a better one, to honor all that you made possible. Rest well, we'll take up your burdens from here."
Valerie smiled softly. "See ya around, Bradley. I'll try to keep Tom and Crow in line."
Aaron saluted. "Save us a seat at the table, guys. We don't plan to join you soon, but we'll get there."
Meditation had once been a curiosity for Rarity, and little more. It was useful for unicorns with stronger magic, or who studied to increase their ability. It was particularly important for those who had a special talent for magic, as their emotions could amplify their power to a dangerous degree. She still remembered Twilight bursting into (thankfully harmless) flames in her frustration at Pinkie. It seemed Starlight had similar power, and Rarity wouldn't be surprised to hear Sunset did as well. That wasn't even going into what the alicorns could do...
But Rarity? She'd never considered herself strong enough to need that sort of concentration. Oh, she'd put a great deal of effort into improving her telekinetic control, and the few spells she knew she knew well enough to cast practically in her sleep. But improving her magic for its own sake, like Twilight had? That had never really occurred to her, until recently.
She slowly exhaled through her nose. Joyeuse, floating in front of her, sung quietly in the recesses of her mind. Aether flowed around and through her; it too sang of life, serenity, and beauty. The earth beneath her was austere, strong and reliable. She could share it with every step, even above the ground as she was in their room. The air around her brought life and warmth, urging her forward with calm patience. Through the open window, nature sang its song to her, vibrant life begetting more magic. Aether flowed gently around the spirals of her horn, lifting another object in the room. That made forty-two, perfectly positioned in the air around her. Their pattern changed, reflecting her thoughts.
She remembered the pain of her time in the lab. Her ear flicked, but her concentration didn't waver. The warmth of the flower tucked by that ear offset the unpleasant memory. Understanding what she could overcome made the memory a source of strength.
She remembered watching Samuel die. Her jaw clenched; still the magic flowed without wavering. Betrayal was another pain she could draw strength from, but it was different. She remembered too that it wasn't watching Samuel die for his betrayal... it was watching Aaron, her friend, protect her. It was seeing Aiden, Donovan, Valerie, and Talia all doing the same. The bonds they had forged... those were her strength as well. Another object lifted... until it coughed.
Rarity opened her eyes, and giggled. "Sorry, darling."
Aiden, floating in the air in a sitting position, pretended not to notice, hiding his face behind a translated copy of Grumman's Equestrian tome. "Just sitting here, reading about ponies and such. Not floating in the air because my roommate keeps levitating me because she's bored or anything..."
She grinned, shutting her eyes again and setting him gently back down. His aether... and the aether in the air that flowed through and around him... they were comforting as well as bolstering. She hoped it was the same for him. "I am not bored, darling. I am waiting for the opportunity to start working again, which will be tomorrow. In the meantime, I am practicing channeling more aether while feeling the various flows in forms I had never noticed back in Equestria."
"It's impressive work. I'm good with a dozen or so objects at once, but past that I start losing track of what I'm doing."
"I honestly think it's the windchimes in your head," she continued grinning at him, but kept her eyes shut as her levitated army of clutter shifted patterns, forming the rough shapes of a pony and human dress form. "Besides, I get the feeling you've focused on force rather than precision and multitude. I once watched Twilight lift over one hundred tons, and on another occasion throw To- a boulder through her own house."
Aiden cocked an eyebrow. "Twilight sounds a bit high strung."
Rarity giggled. "Far be it from me to call anypony such, but... perhaps a bit. She's also a wonderful, amazing friend who has saved Equestria on multiple occasions. She's Princess Celestia's pride and joy, with good reason."
"As I recall, you played a bit of a roll in a few of those 'save the world' missions yourself. ...Despite being a, what was it? 'Simple businessmare'?"
Rarity pawed the air at him. "Oh, I may have helped a bit where I could, but I'd say my friends deserve more credit. Alas, you've been unfortunate enough to meet the least remarkable of us."
Aiden snorted. "I don't think false modesty suits you. ...Speaking of suits though... that's an interesting pattern you've weaving there."
"I did tell you I intended to design something for you. After seeing that you took almost nothing in terms of clothing from your home I can only assume your need for something formal to wear is pressing." She opened one eye to glare playfully at him. "You do intend to wear something nice to our victory party before taking me home, don't you?"
He blinked, then smiled. "I imagine so. Wouldn't do to offer a lady such as yourself a dance while dressed like a hobo."
"It most certainly wouldn't," she agreed, smiling at the 'dance' part. "I'm not sure how well either of us will pull off dancing together-"
"Oh, it'll probably be terrible. I can dance, but not that well. But that's with humans, with you I've no idea how to go about it."
"Similar issues here, I must assume. Although I can manage on two legs if I've you to lean on."
"You already know the answer to that. And hey, at least I can't step on your feet!"
She snorted a laugh. "True enough. In any case, I'll see to it we at least look fabulous while stumbling around each other." With that, the laptop that had been part of her levitated menagerie opened as it floated over to her. The rest of the objects found their original positions. Her magic began typing a search as she went back to considering which fashions and styles she liked best from what Earth had to offer.
"All done with the magic practice?"
"In a sense, though as you'll see dress design isn't dissimilar to what I've been doing, at least for me."
"We're still waiting on-"
A knock at their door interrupted him. "Got the supplies Rarity wanted! Donovan had them in his room," Aaron's voice came through.
Rarity smiled at Aiden, and her magic opened the door for Aaron. "Waiting on him, yes."
Aiden chuckled, and turned to Aaron. "Just set them anywhere, she can grab whatever she needs as she needs it. Speaking of Donovan though, how are they all doing?"
Aaron put three large bags containing fabrics, threads, and various tools on the coffee table. "He and Vera will be up and about in a few days, but full recovery will take more like two weeks. They'll both be conscious tomorrow though, if you want to stop by and see them."
"There's not even a question of that, darling," Rarity said absently, looking over her computer.
Aiden nodded his agreement. "Thanks for bringing these by, Aaron."
"No problem. It was a nice break from clean up and repair duties. I'm not really trained for any of the technical stuff, so I'm mostly carrying heavy things."
"Huh... surprised Grumman didn't ask us to help with that."
"He said you two needed some alone time," Aaron grinned.
Aiden rolled his eyes.
"Jokes aside, he did say you didn't need to be helping rebuild the base. The damage is mostly to the outer structure and the parking garage. The robots are doing the real heavy lifting, and you VIPs are staying out of sight just in case some photographer manages to get inside the perimeter. There's still several snooping around out there, and some have those drone cameras, you know?"
Rarity blinked, and looked over at the open window. Aiden followed her gaze. "Someone... might have mentioned that to us sooner. Third floor or not we aren't invisible up here."
"Huh," Aaron said, looking over at the window. "Eh, I'm sure it's fine. I mean, what are the odds some photographer would get a clear shot through this particular window?"
Aiden facepalmed, Rarity facehoofed.
"You know, it's really impressive that you were able to design a dress and suit in a single day, much less complete the work putting them together from scratch."
"It's what I do, darling." The two sat together on the couch, watching the News after a relatively calm day of Rarity working on her designs and Aiden reading through Equestrian early history.
"What surprises me most is your focus. Given all the distractions and noise around here, what with the rebuild... and that." He gestured to the television.
"More to come on this staggering new development! What exactly are we seeing in this photograph? A new design of robot? A toy line based on the mythical unicorn? Or a new type of alien designed to fool us with its cute appearance? Speculation continues as our reporters on the scene search for answers. Our live coverage will continue after these messages!"
"Yes, that has certainly been a distraction at various points. Aiden dear, would you care to make us another pot of coffee? Ironically I think it would be relaxing right now."
"Most certainly, Rarity. I'll go do that..." |
Back and There Again | 22. Observer Effect | Rarity raised an eyebrow at him. "And if it doesn't go well?"
"We'll negotiate over a commiserative pitcher of beer."
Rarity scrunched her muzzle. "First point of negotiation: wine over beer."
"Provisionally accepted. But only a red; I don't care for most whites."
"Done then."
"See? Easy. We got this."
Grumman's door banged open as Aiden stormed in. The General acknowledged him with a glance. "Come right in, Knight Lieutenant," he waved before looking back to his tablet, and the footage playing on it.
"...'Come right in'?! Are you bucking kidding me?"
"I happen to know the various connotations for that word, Mr. Windborne."
"Good! Then I've already gotten my point across. Explain... that!" Aiden gestured at Grumman's tablet.
On the screen, the 'exclusive, insider information' played on the Morning News program. Specifically, footage taken from a high resolution camera from just a couple days ago... in the room Aiden and Rarity had been sharing. After a long, tense night of worrying over what would come of this new development, they'd awoken to this.
"It would seem your room was bugged," he said with blatantly false innocence. "Fortunately you've been on excellent behavior."
Aiden shut his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "General..."
"You're angry with me and you have every right to be," he replied, cutting Aiden off. "It also seems clear you're not going to simply explode, so I will explain. Yes, I filmed everything in that room, as a precaution against this very eventuality. If Rarity's presence on Earth was discovered before we were ready, it could lead to public outcry. I imagine it still will. But... thanks to this 'exclusive, candid footage' obtained by the brilliant investigative reporter that infiltrated our ranks-"
Aiden snorted.
"The public now has a clear picture of a harmless, friendly alien among us, including hours of the two of you interacting available on the channel's webpage. They also have knowledge that said alien is being looked after by a First Gen war hero. All of this thanks to Channel Six's intrepid journalistic efforts. ...And do note, none of this would be necessary if you'd kept your damned window shut. It's camouflaged when it's closed."
Aiden pinched the bridge of his nose. "So you sold them this footage, which you'd taken without my or Rarity's permission, along with a bullshit line about them rigging the camera themselves, so that all this would seem like we got caught hiding a friendly alien?"
"Which is entirely true... the 'caught hiding her' part at the least. If the public knew I sold this footage they'd be suspicious."
"Gosh, wonder why."
"And of course Channel Six agreed because this makes them look better. It's a white lie, Aiden, one that serves the purpose of diffusing as much suspicion and public panic as possible. People won't believe information if they think it was handed to them too easily."
"And I understand that much... and you know I do. We played that sort of game for years during the war. But..."
Grumman sighed. "But I've betrayed your trust and yes, young man, I'm very much aware of that fact."
"It'd be a different matter if this was some reactive thing, but you were recording from the beginning. You set this all up. Even the jokes about us dating... I bet you encouraged them!"
Grumman cocked an eyebrow. "You can blame yourselves for that... or perhaps Private Cooper. I have no interest in playing matchmaker, even in jest. Nor was it necessary. The two of you have gotten along splendidly, and your behavior, as I said, has been excellent. There is little to nothing in that footage that could turn public opinion against either of you without significant twisting. And of course Channel Six won't do that, or I'll expose the true source of the footage they claim to have obtained on their own. I even sold them copies of Mr. Callahan's photos as further evidence of their journalistic skill, but I've kept the originals.
"...Who?"
"Your coworker? ...Craig?"
"Oh... that jackass."
"Indeed. My point is that this is bigger than your privacy, or even hers. ...For that matter I wouldn't have handed them anything truly compromising. Had the two of you had any... inappropriate moments..."
Aiden rolled his eyes.
"I would not have allowed those images to leave this compound."
"Gee, thanks."
"You're welcome. ...You're free to be angry over this. It'd be odd if you weren't. But I also expect you to understand why I did it. Odds were I'd never need any of the footage recorded and could simply delete it. But if anything happened, to either of you, or if she was exposed before we were ready... having it..."
"Yeah, yeah... I get it. I'll explain it to her, but don't expect me to sugarcoat this."
"I'd be disappointed if you did. If hating me brings the two of you closer, all the better. You two matter... I don't. Going forward, it will be the two of you who protect each other from the worst our two worlds can throw at you. Because as much as I'd like to say the worst is behind us, that isn't what I believe."
Aiden sighed, the anger draining out of him. "...You're too damned good at this, you know that?"
Grumman chuckled, but there was little humor in it. "I've a lifetime of manipulating good people into making the right decisions, which doesn't take that much talent. You're a better person than I ever could have been, Aiden. Your exposure may be embarrassing, but you've nothing to be ashamed of. Either of you, because the same goes for her. If I have to burn your regard for me to make sure everyone sees that before they can jump to foolish conclusions, I'll do so a thousand times over. My road to Hell-"
"Won't be walked alone... Albert," Aiden shook his head, turning around. "But you're not forgiven just yet. ...And I'm not saluting," he turned, flicking a wave with two fingers from his temple as he did so. "...Jerk," he said over his shoulder, a grudging smile clear in his tone.
Grumman swallowed as his lips twitched, keeping his silence until the door shut behind Aiden. He then laughed quietly, trying to ignore the stinging in his eyes. "Far... far better than I ever could have been."
He unpaused the Channel Six program, letting it drone in the background as he brought up the file he'd been examining before Aiden's entirely expected interruption. He had a suspicion, or more like several layered upon one another. "I know you're out there... I won't let you stop us," he muttered into the empty room.
Aiden plodded back in, looking rueful, and plopped down on the couch next to Rarity. Despite her dark mood, the sight of him in such a state brought a small grin to her lips. "Let me guess, darling. He managed to explain why this dreadful invasion of our privacy has been 'for our own good'. I'll go further and guess that he's even suggested we can hate him for it but it was necessary."
Aiden glanced sidelong at her, while still hanging his head. "I thought those diamonds on your ass were about inner beauty, not being psychic."
Rarity rolled her eyes. "So crass. I don't need to be psychic to understand what I'm seeing in you."
He snorted a quiet laugh. "But the whole world sees us seeing things in each other, now. Whatever they care to make of it. I wish he'd told us what he was doing..."
She shook her head. "Even if we'd accepted it, we would have acted differently. I'd say it's rather clear in the video that we're unaware we were being watched."
"Makes sense, since we were unaware. ...You're not wrong though."
"When you left, I was suddenly more worried about you and Grumman fighting than anything the television was saying," she said with a grimace. "I'm not happy with him either, but... I've had similar experiences, one even at the hooves of my own sister."
He cocked an eyebrow. "Sweetie Belle filmed you without you knowing?"
"Well, not quite. She invaded my privacy and wrote a newspaper article about it. It was... well one of their many misguided attempts at a Cutie Mark, she and her closest friends. They learned a lesson from it, and all was forgiven. If I could forgive her for that..."
"Grumman doing it as a way of protecting us... I'm not thrilled with it, but... yeah; I'm with you on that."
She smiled. "I never doubted."
"So what now?"
"Let the News stew with what it has. We have more important things to do."
He smiled. "Visiting Donovan and Vera?"
"Precisely, darling. ...After breakfast."
"Agreed."
The infirmary beds were empty save for the two they'd come to see, and one other. Doctor Hamada had transferred all other patients to a local hospital once they'd been stabilized, but Donovan and Vera were still there, along with James Leland.
Aiden sighed as he looked at his former comrade. His face was covered by bandages as was his right hand. "Will he survive?"
Doctor Hamada, coffee cup ever present, shook her head but not in the negative. "I can't say. If not for his gift he'd be dead already, but he's not recovering beyond just lingering in a coma. His injuries may be too severe."
"I hate to ask, but have you taken any precautions against him teleporting out the moment he starts recovering?"
"This room is equipped with energy shields that can activate faster than his reaction time, sufficient to block his teleportation ability. I doubt it will be necessary, but I hope he'll prove me wrong."
"You do?"
Hamada raised an eyebrow. "He's my patient. I want him to live. After that he can answer for what he's done."
Aiden nodded. "You're right, sorry for implying otherwise."
"It's fine... as to the two you came to see..." With that she led them to the other pair of beds. "Knight Trellis has mostly healed. His injuries were from energy weapons, which are easier for you to recover from, as you're aware."
"Yeah... give me a laser over a slug... or a spear," Aiden muttered, shuddering lightly. Rarity brushed her shoulder against his hand; he smiled down at her.
"Yes... as to Knight Elleway, her injuries are more serious: various skeletal fractures, torn muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Despite what she may think, she will be bedridden for another week, at least."
"Lies... I will rise like a phoenix from my own ashes..." Vera muttered, eyes still shut.
Aiden blinked. "I didn't know they were awake."
Hamada took it in stride. "They shouldn't be. Knight Elleway is burning away her painkillers because she's an idiot."
"I resemble that," Vera grinned lightly, opening one eye. "But I can also alter my nerve impulses enough to not scream every time I move wrong. By the way... right now all moves are wrong."
"Morphine would help with that."
"Nah, need to be clear. I had a weird dream. Aiden and Rarity need to know about it. Plus it's good to see you both."
"You too, Vera. I'm so sorry you got hurt," Rarity said, holding herself on the bed's edge with her forehooves.
"Mm-mm, it's fine. I got to zap Owens and help blow up the giant enemy robot. It was a good day, so this is like the hangover afterwards. But I'm serious about that dream, so listen up."
Aiden tilted his head with a raised eyebrow. "Vera... is this like the voices again?"
"Yes, and by the way those are real. I still haven't sorted it out but-"
"It was a weapon, Vera, it left a psionic scar."
"No... Aiden, listen. The voices I heard... they aren't angry or scary or anything. They're just... there. Waiting for something, in the wind. I hadn't heard them for a long time, but recently they're there again. And anyway this is different. It was a woman... or, no... I'm not sure, but I think I was seeing a pony."
"A pony?" Rarity asked. She gasped. "Was she taller than me, dark with a mane like the night sky, an elegant horn, and gorgeous wings?!"
Aiden blinked, and then grinned. "Sounds like quite the looker... some lover you neglected to mention?"
Rarity snerked, and began laughing. "No no, darling, not at all. That's Princess Luna... although yes she is quite beautiful. More importantly she's the guardian of dreams, the Princess of the Night! If anypony could reach into dreams here..."
Vera shook her head, very slowly. "Sorry, but even with everything and I mean... There was a shadow... and stars behind her, and there was wind blowing all around, but... she looked nothing like that. She was distorted, all shadowy but... I think her mane was white, or silver, and her coat was coppery. And she was small, smaller than you. I think there were wings, but definitely no horn on her head. I couldn't see her eyes at all, just darkness over her face."
"That's... quite odd. A pegasus filly is what you're describing, I think, but that's impossible."
Aiden shrugged. "It's a dream. I'm not saying 'just a dream' but it doesn't have to make perfect sense."
"There's more. She spoke. It was really high pitched, like a child's voice, but also really loud. ...Like a kid with a megaphone. She had me repeat it but it doesn't make sense to me: "Recon adven; star's light cannot pierce sideras veil. Riots blade divides the wind. Draw it to open the path, clearing the way to death."
"...Anyone else hate dream messages?" Aiden muttered.
"I have no idea what any of that means, darling. Twilight has said that Princess Celestia has prophetic dreams that guide her decisions at times, but I have no idea about interpreting them."
"Whatever she was trying to tell me, I get the feeling she knew I wouldn't get it. She... honestly? Kind of sounded like a brat. I felt like she was messing with me," Vera said.
"Hidden alien."
They all turned to Doctor Hamada. Aiden spoke first. "What's that?"
"Recon adven... notice it's different than the rest of the message? It's also close to Latin for hidden alien or outsider. I think this is a warning. 'Clearing the way to death?' A bit ominous."
"Riot's blade wouldn't mean Joyeuse, would it?" Rarity asked.
"I doubt it. You've already drawn it several times, and it's hardly what I'd associate with a riot. If anything it feels calming to me."
Rarity nodded thoughtfully; she couldn't argue that. "What about 'star's light and sideras veil? The term 'sideras veil' seems familiar but I can't recall where I've heard it before..."
Aiden shook his head. "I got nothin'. Star's light doesn't pierce much. Despite what poems and such might say about it, it's pretty dim. ...So! We come across any riotous blades we leave them alone, use something brighter on whatever that veil is... I guess? And beware hidden aliens. Oh hey, you're not hidden anymore, so we're good!"
Rarity raised an eyebrow at him, but couldn't keep a grin from forming. "Bit flippant, darling."
"Sorry... I really hate dream prophecies. It'll all make sense too late."
"Sorry I couldn't be more help," Vera mock pouted.
"On the contrary..." Hamada muttered.
They all looked to her as she looked down at her tablet and continued. "This energy fluctuation... a variance in the wave pattern that is normally seen during an Esper's REM cycle... I've seen it before, when Aiden and Rarity were sharing dreams. But do note that it was not from either of them. It is from an outside source that I cannot trace. ...And you saw an Equestrian."
"I definitely did," Vera nodded. "And it wasn't just ponies on the brain from over-reading that book. It was very clear, almost lucent dreaming."
"Lucid. And how does one 'almost' lucid dream?"
"Yeah, that. Because I knew I was dreaming, but I couldn't act. It was more like 'You know I'm here and you're going to listen. She was quite insistent."
"I'm not sure how or why that could happen," Rarity said, looking baffled. "If this same source was trying to reach us I don't recall it."
"Me, either."
"But... but you realize what this means?" Rarity's eyes went wide as she asked the question.
Aiden blinked, "It could mean... Equestria knows where you are and are trying to reach you? But it could also-"
"No no no, that first option is fine with me, darling!"
"But it-"
"Nope."
"Well I mean-"
"Nooooope!"
"Noooope," Vera mimicked in Equish. "Hah, that sounds adorable. Why is your 'nope' adorable?!"
"Observer bias, darling."
"...Maybe."
"Hmm..." Aiden hummed in distraction.
"What?" Rarity said, turning back to him, her ears tucking back in irritation. "I'll hear none of your negativity about someone playing a trick on us with magical dreams."
"No no, I'm done with that. We don't know what the warning means but we can keep it in mind. And if your people know you're here and maybe even that you're safe that's great news and I'm happy to hear it. But I was thinking about news, and then observer bias... which Grumman is trying to swing in our favor..." he grinned, offering a hand to the unicorn. "Miss Rarity... would you care to accompany me on a little outing?"
Just like that her ears popped back up. "Ooh... I think I like that look. Where are we going?" She placed her hoof in his hand, returning his grin.
"Time to give the observers something worth observing; I'll explain on the way." With that they both vanished.
Vera blinked and then her eyes went wide. "How far from here is Channel Six's News studio? The one they're currently broadcasting from about Rarity?"
Hamada cocked an eyebrow. "You've been awake all day, haven't you?"
"Dammit woman, there's no time! Where is it?"
Hamada sipped her coffee while staring down Vera without changing expression.
Vera twitched. "I'm sorry. Please, Doctor Hamada-"
"Roanoke." She tapped a few things on her tablet. "132 miles."
"Hmph, they'll be there in like 10 minutes..."
"Closer to 12, unless Aiden is really pushing himself, assuming you're right."
Vera grinned, and it greatly resembled Aiden's grin. "Oh, I'm right alright. I worked with him for five years on and off. I know that grin. He didn't get it often enough, but when he did... it was a good day. Besides... I still hear the chuckling in my head, fading away."
"It's astonishing to think that this could be-"
"Everypony FREEZE!" Aiden yelled as he and Rarity appeared in the studio, right in front of the newscasters' desk. For a fraction of a second, everyone did, including the woman that had been speaking.
Then there were several screams and shouts of alarm until orange auras surrounded several who attempted to flee or even move. A blue aura may have grabbed a few as well. Silence fell quickly.
"Okay... now... everyone relax-"
Rarity snerked. "Darling, you said everypony."
"What? No I didn't, I said everyone."
"When we first arrived, you said it in Equish."
"Nonsense. OKAY! We're going to give an interview!"
"..."
"...You can say stuff now."
The head anchor recovered first. "You're really here to-"
"Declare our love to the world!" Rarity said brightly, with the translator only a fraction of a second behind her delivery, and with all the exuberance.
Aiden nodded. "Indeed so! Ever since we met-"
"When he DARINGLY rescued me from the HORRIFIC clutches of Colonel Owens, that MONSTER-"
"It's been love at first sight!"
"For us both!"
"And so!"
"And so!"
"You'll all cordially invited to the first Earth interspecies wedding! ...Invitations pending."
"It's actually not uncommon on my world, you know."
"Until then though..."
"SSTTAAYY TTHHEE BBUUCCKK OOUUTT OOFF OOUURR BBUUSSIINNEEESSSS!" They both said in unison. And with that, they vanished again.
The head anchor blinked, tilted her head, and pouted. "But I didn't get to ask any questions..." |
Back and There Again | 23. The Strongest | "Under the circumstances, let's move this along. I wouldn't want to infringe on your wedding plans. Would a set of horseshoes and a saddle be inappropriate wedding gifts?"
Aiden snerked as he read the words on his phone. "Probably, Will... but I'll ask her."
A different message dinged. "About time you made an honest mare out of her!"
Aiden rolled his eyes, chuckling. "Thanks, Aunt Lynn."
Will's message dinged again. "Jokes aside, Aiden. Meet me at Slocum's Joe, on Baker Street in Baltimore, tomorrow at 10am. I know the owner and he'll close the place for us. From there we can head back to your Fort Friendship."
"Hah!" Aiden said aloud, before typing, "Isn't that a coffee place, Mr. Tea?"
"I mostly come for the donuts... and they serve tea, thank you."
"Heh..." he was considering another text response before a knock at the door distracted him from the phone. "Come!"
General Grumman entered, looking an interesting combination of annoyed and amused. It wasn't an uncommon look for him, though Aiden hadn't seen it in awhile. It was the look he wore when a subordinate had done something stupid enough to be funny, but also stupid enough to be just stupid, and thus required the General to deal with. Aiden grinned innocently. "Oh hi, sir! Fancy seeing you here!"
Grumman rolled his eyes and then pinched the bridge of his nose. "I suppose, young man, I had this coming."
"Maybe just a little."
"Where is Miss Rarity? Dare I say dress fitting?"
"Hah! Bath, actually. I think, despite going along with my prank idea, she's a bit more stressed about this whole thing than she was letting on. I'll check in on her in a bit, unless you needed to talk to her now?"
"Not necessary. Actually I'll let you give her the news: we've found Equus."
Aiden blinked. "Huh. I mean I was assuming we'd successfully decode the crystal... but that's still great to hear. I'm kind of stunned. We're really going to pull this off."
"Indeed so, young man, which is why I'm here. I need to know if you're serious about this. And by this I mean traveling to another world with her. I don't want to send her alone, and I've clearly been grooming you for this, but-"
Aiden chuckled, holding up a hand to stop Grumman from continuing. "You know... before the war, I had a dream for the future..."
Grumman chuckled. "In fact I do. 'I want to explore space, and be like Yuri Gagarin, John Glenn, and Neil Armstrong. I'm going to be an astronaut when I grow up!'" he quoted in a slightly higher pitch than usual.
"Pfft, okay I knew you had my school records, but you memorized it?!"
"No, I re-read it before coming up here to ask you about this."
"Ah... okay that makes more sense. For the record, I had a list of twelve astronauts I wanted to use. Something about multiples of six appealed to me. Moira argued me down to three for the sake of keeping it concise."
Grumman smiled. "From everything you've told me over the years, she sounded like an amazing older sister."
"Yeah, she was that. And she's all the more reason I'm definitely going. Hell, if you found that crystal and a ship and asked for volunteers to see what's out there, I'd be first in line. As it is... yeah there's no question. Rarity is going home. She's going home to Sweetie Belle. And Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy... and a bunch of others she's told me about. If I have to carry her on my back the whole way, we're getting her back to Equestria. It's not just for her. Her family needs her back."
"Heh... and they say you don't hear anything good about yourself while eavesdropping." Rarity said as she sauntered into the room, her mane wrapped in a towel.
"Actually you got here too soon. I hadn't really started extolling your virtues."
"Just as well I cut that short then, darling. I already know I'm fabulous; we can move onto more pressing, recent developments. ...Like why I have so many followers."
"...Wat?"
"Excuse me, Miss Rarity?"
"This... Twitter thing. I made an account using the email I created on Google." She floated her tablet in from the other room and showed it to them. Their eyes went wide. "Many people are 'tweeting' at me. It's a bit overwhelming."
"Well no shit... Rarity why would you do this?" Aiden said, stuck between horror and hilarity.
She grinned at him. "Honestly? After seeing many of the reactions to our little stunt I decided to sign up for it and see what happened, and look around at what others have been saying. People started finding me very quickly, as you see."
"Never underestimate the internet, for better or worse." Aiden noted, while looking over the screen.
"I... can't say this hurts," Grumman said slowly. "The more we reach out, the more people can find acceptance in understanding. Or be stymied by their surprise..."
Aiden nodded. "Confusion to our enemies!"
"The human race is not our enemy, Aiden," Grumman said.
"Eh, some of 'em are. The rest will figure it out. Oh, speaking of figuring things out, Will bumped up our timetable, in light of current events. We're meeting tomorrow, in Baltimore, 10am. That work for you?"
Grumman chuckled. "Would it matter if it didn't? You're bringing him back here anyway. But yes, that should be fine. I'll come along for this, as will Valerie. Knight Captain Ferreles and Mr. Kneargum will also join us, I'm sure. With that in mind, I'll need to finish up a few things today that I had planned for tomorrow. If you'll both excuse me. Also, Rarity, Aiden has news for you."
She blinked, looking over to Aiden. "What is it?"
He smiled softly. "We found Equus," he said. Her eyes, those luminous, amazing blue eyes, went wide as she stared up at him. "We found Equus and we're picking up Will tomorrow. You could be home within the week."
Her rump hit the floor as her lips trembled slightly before curving up. She gasped a breath, which became a happy little laugh as she tackled him in a hug. The tablet dropped to the floor, forgotten.
Minor Twitter explosion aside, the rest of the day was quiet. They'd just come back from dinner with everyone, and Rarity was finishing her notes on Grumman's book, including a considerable update to the listings concerning Celestia and Luna. It seemed more urgent to add finishing touches and personal reflections now. But of even more immediate importance, she'd found something.
"Aiden... Sidera's Veil!"
"Eh? Oh, that thing Vera mentioned?"
"Yes, it's in the book here? It's mistranslated in the English version... hmm, that's rare. But I think it's because it's a name. Sidera. She was one of the angel race that brought humans to Equestria."
"Huh. So she had a veil I take it?"
"Of a sort... she veiled all of Equus, to hide us from another attack by the demon race, after they'd been expelled from our world. Star's light can't pierce Sidera's Veil. ...Hmm, but we certainly do see stars in Equestria. Princess Luna can even move them around..."
Aiden blinked. "She moves... whole stars around?"
"As far as we can see, yes... but now I'm wondering if it's not something to do with this Veil..." she smiled. "Something to ask her about when I'm home!"
He nodded to that. "Damn right. I'm looking forward to meeting her, all of them, really."
"And I'm sure they're going to want to meet you as well. And not just for bringing me home. Is anyone else coming?"
He shook his head. "Not at this point. Vera probably would but she's just not stable enough yet. She needs counseling, and a quiet environment. She's been a great help but she's still too on the brink for something like this."
"But... you have forgiven her, haven't you, darling?"
"Yeah," he said easily, smiling at Rarity for the question. "No question there. She found her way back to us after being lost. But all the more reason she needs to stay here awhile. Even she'd admit that much. Being on a completely alien world is more than she's ready for. Besides... she's going to start dating Lily Vualez."
"Ah, that's right. ...And non-Espers can't use the ship, if I recall correctly."
"You do. The main drive creates a aetheric distortion that's hazardous to anyone without a natural aether reserve, and we aren't getting to Equus with nav thrusters. I know we'll overcome that in time, NASA is already making strides, as is Adstrum, but we aren't there yet."
"And Donovan?"
Aiden chuckled. "He's the least likely. Astrophobic."
Rarity blinked. "A... fear of... space? That's a thing?"
"Yep. To hear him tell it: 'when your special talent is explosions having nothing between you and cold, unforgiving vacuum except a tin can is a big ole nope.'"
She giggled.
"Yeah... they may have to sedate him to get him there one day. But if necessary, Grumman won't hesitate. For now though, Donovan and Vera need to stay here. In addition to their personal reasons Grumman still needs Espers here he can trust, and who can be a public face for us all. That's especially true of Donovan."
"He does play well to the camera, doesn't he?"
"Yeah, he's a performer whether he admits it or not."
"Well, good for him though. Frankly I've felt a bit too exposed in the last twenty four hours."
"Put some clothes on?"
She snickered. "What? A mare cannot be comfortably au naturale with her intended?"
He snorted and rolled his eyes. "I had that coming. Is this the Twitter thing though? Because you brought that on yourself."
"Oh no, I already closed that off. They can discuss me just fine without my input, as I quickly discovered. Still, I think it's good. You know, looking through fictional alien invasions, the aliens always seem to reach out so dramatically. Blow up a city here, attack an airplane there. Why not something more subtle?
"I dunno that Twitter qualifies as more subtle, or you as less dramatic," she stuck her tongue out at him, "but it's a fair question. There were a few times during the war when the fighting felt... really stupid. I mean, war is usually stupid in a lot of ways but... yeah. Like... they would have been just as happy with a giant barroom brawl, and were only killing because it was expected of them. They were playing a role, and not quite one they'd have chosen for themselves."
She nodded. "I get that impression from Keia, when you spoke of the spires. Her people would be different, if not for their king."
"Yeah, definitely punching that guy in the face if I ever meet him."
"I'd just as soon not, darling."
"Fair enough. ...So, it's pretty early. Any ideas for passing the time?"
She grinned. "Weeell... somebody offered to show me one of the pinnacles of human cinematic entertainment. And I think a relaxing night of movies would be just lovely... particularly since Valerie was nice enough to get us a couple bottles of wine today."
He returned the grin. "Hmm... that's the sort of date with my fiancee that I can definitely handle."
"Yes! Yes yes yes! I knew it! He wasn't just a mercenary!" Rarity cried in triumphant vindication. "Oh... but... weren't there a lot of people on the Death Star? ...Ugh, such a horrid name. And isn't it much smaller than a star?"
Aiden chuckled. "I actually asked the same question as a kid. About the star thing anyway. I thought 'Death Moon' would've made more sense, but maybe star sounded better to them?
"Hmm... I think Death Moon would fit better." She glanced askance at him. "All those people dying didn't bother you?"
Aiden grinned sheepishly. "Honestly I didn't think much about it back then. I mean... they were bad guys working on a station designed to blow up planets. If anything, I felt bad for Alderaan."
"Hmm... yes that was rather dreadful. To think, an entire, peaceful planet. That's... what the demon race wanted to do to Equus, isn't it? Or even worse, really."
"Scary to think about it in terms of really happening. Kind of hard to wrap my head around it... and I was front and center for some pretty serious stuff."
"I know the feeling, a bit at least."
"Nightmare Moon, Discord, Tirek... to name a few that I remember. You've seen more than your share of potential apocalypses..." he blinked, tilting his head slightly. "I don't think that word needs a plural form."
She snorted in amusement. "Definitely not. Now glasses of wine... certainly plural is good. Another?" she asked, floating the bottle up and tilting it back and forth.
"Why not? Next movie?"
"Yes, please."
"HE'S HIS WHAT?!" she screamed as her magic mashed the remote's pause button.
"...Father." Aiden replied simply, grinning at her reaction. He couldn't help feeling a bit privileged to witness this; it was a rare thing for anyone to be seeing Empire for the first time, even more so to be unaware of that particular twist.
"No.... no no no no... that's impossible!"
Aiden snickered. "Search your feelings..."
"Stop that, I heard the lines just fine, thank you! But.. but Obi-wan said he'd been murdered... by Darth Vader! So how..."
"Well, we'll have to keep watching to find out... unless you want me to just spoil-"
"NO SPOILERS!"
"What'd you think of that one?"
"I'm not sure... I don't know how I feel about the Rebels getting so thoroughly trounced. And... ugh, Lando doing that to a friend."
"He didn't have a choice."
"There's always a choice to not betray your friends, no matter what," she said, though with a sigh. "But... it's not an easy choice, sometimes. And... well he had a whole city at risk, didn't he, if he didn't do as they asked... Urgh, the Empire are monsters."
"I won't argue that one. ...Our bottle seems to be empty."
"Hmm... it does indeed, darling. Fortunately, I spy another... and a third movie to go with it."
"Clearly Harmony at work."
"Mm hmm, I'll pour, you prep?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Wait, so is that considered attractive for human women?" she asked, pausing at the rather infamous gold bikini.
"Eh... honestly it never did much for me. Then again I was a kid when I watched this the first time. I don't think less is more though, in this case. She's beautiful, but that particular outfit is... gaudy. She doesn't need much help, and that's just... well I guess she is supposed to be his trophy, so in that sense it does what he's after."
"Blech... I need not speculate on the giant slug's motivations, thank you. I try not to judge on appearances and always see beauty in everyone... but he's hideous inside and out."
"To be fair, I think that's what they were going for."
"Oh now this is ridiculous. Even I know you don't put your soldiers in bright white armor in a forest! Where's their camouflage? For that matter, does that armor even do anything? Even rocks are taking them out! This! This is how little bears defeat your 'best troops'! Why not sequins while you're at it, at least they'd look fabulous!"
Aiden laughed until he couldn't breathe properly.
Rarity sniffled. "That was... so beautiful. He found his way out of the darkness in the end. I.. oh..." she hugged Aiden. "They got to reconcile, even after all the horrible things he'd done, he finally..." she sniffled. "I'm going to hug Starlight when we get back. And Sunset... I'll go through the mirror if I have to. Discord, too, and Shadow... hmm. We've helped a lot of misguided sorts reform."
Aiden smiled, rubbing her shoulder as she mused her way through the end of the trilogy. Her fair share of two bottles of wine were likely playing their part. "That's a great thing, though... you were pretty damn good with Vera, too."
"Ah, she wasn't anywhere near those others. She was just... guided down a poor path." She blinked. "Speaking of... what did happen to Colonel Owens?"
"Hmm... we have top men working on it right now."
"...Who?"
"Top... men..."
"Aiden, what are talking about?!"
"Sorry, another movie series... though the same actor who played Han Solo."
"Ooh, I liked him."
"Didn't we all? Anyway as to Owens... he's in a medical coma. He'll recover, but Vera did a number on him, for some reason."
"Can't imagine, darling. But enough about him... tell me more about these other Harrison Ford movies..."
"It's... 3am, Rarity. We have to be up in six hours."
Her eyes widened slightly. "Oh my, so it is, isn't it? Hmm, change of plans." She held her forehooves out to him. "Carry me to bed."
"Uhh..."
"Dar~ling... I'm far too drunk to walk. I could stumble and fall right over! Surely you wouldn't want that..."
Aiden rolled his eyes, though a grin tugged at his lips. "I suppose not. What if I'm too drunk and we both fall over?"
"Nonsense, darling; I trust you completely. And neither of us are drunk. Two bottles over six-ish hours? Even Fluttershy could handle that. ...Probably."
"But you said you were too drunk to walk to bed."
"I said 'what if?' ...can you take that chance when you could just carry me instead?"
"...I cannot."
"You cannot," she grinned as he lifted her easily.
His heart melted, just a little, as she cuddled against his chest, and his arms caught her hind legs, not too differently than carrying a human. She nuzzled his shoulder and hummed contentedly.
"Well someone's being adorable..."
"Hmm... it's been a nice night, and I'm feeling quite nice just now."
He carried her into their bedroom, and her horn lit as she pulled back the covers for her bed. He found himself again taken with the music he could faintly hear whenever she used her magic near him. It was lamentable that he could only hear it when they were this close.
He set her on the bed, and pulled up the covers over her as she giggled at the excessive treatment. He grinned, and kissed her forehead. She nuzzled his cheek. "Night, Rarity."
"Goodnight, Aiden."
Upon hearing a very telltale snap-hiss, Aiden came immediately awake. The room was awash in a blue glow... coming from what was, by all appearances, a floating lightsaber.
Rarity sat near it. Her eyes were shut and her face serene. Her horn glowed gently, overshadowed by the bright blue of the glowing blade. ...Now that he looked at it...
"Rarity."
"Yes, darling?" she replied calmly, not opening her eyes.
"...Did you turn Joyeuse into a lightsaber?"
"Yes... yes I did."
"...I think I'm in love with you."
She grinned, but didn't open her eyes.
"But uh... how?"
"Well, I was wondering how they worked while watching the movies, of course."
"As have we all, sure."
"And I assumed they must use some manner of force field to trap the energy the way they do. It reminded me of the way Joyeuse wraps itself in telekinetic force while being held in my magic. Pure Aetheryte is a simply exquisite crystal."
"Clearly."
"So. From there I realized I could remake that particular force field by combining it with the light bending magic I use for my pseudo invisibility, except I channel in reverse. Mm... sort of. Instead of moving the light around, I gather and condense it, with the crystal as a focal point and the blade as a sort of guiding rod. Though at this point it's as much concentrated concussive aether as it is light... like an attacking beam, but in sword form. And sharp by mimicking the blade's form, so it should cut through most materials quite easily."
"Yep... I love you."
She giggled. "Jedi Knight Rarity, reporting for duty, sir!" Saying this, she struck a vaguely military pose, while performing a saber style salute with the blade held in front of her muzzle.
"Geh... and now I'm dead. Killed by cute. Well played."
"Alas... I shall mourn your death, good sir. You were a true friend and inspiration... and you showed me Star Wars."
They both laughed as she released her hold on the magic, and the light faded from Joyeuse's pristine blade. "Bonus points for the accurate sound effects," Aiden added.
Rarity took a bow.
"Okay so we have a couple hours before we actually need to be up, but I'm not going back to sleep after that," Aiden said. "Showers then a light breakfast?"
"Sounds lovely, darling."
"Alright. Everyone have everything? Because I'm not stopping for forgotten phones. And if you need to use the bathroom, go now."
"I think we're good, Aiden. It's only about thirty minutes, right?" Johnathan asked. They'd even brought lawn chairs to sit on this time, which Rarity for some reason found hilarious, until it occurred to her that she could get Aiden to store a fainting couch in there for her...
"I'm ready when you are, Mr. Windborne," Cade confirmed.
"Let's be off, young man," Grumman added.
Valerie nodded.
"Ready to shield everyone here," Rarity finished the group check.
"Right then," Aiden said. She felt him channel very briefly before the portal cycles began. The flower in her hair felt warm again, as though it were basking in sunshine despite the grey texture of the sky that day.
It was different this time. In the past she'd noticed a sense of laughter, shared happiness that she couldn't explain. This time... was it anger? Preparation? She wasn't sure. She didn't like it, but she was quite glad Aiden had insisted she bring Joyeuse along. Not only did it help her center herself while in this pocket verse, it just in general made her feel safer. Not quite sure how to feel about that... but as long as I don't misuse it it should be fine. I'll have Twilight look at it when I get home. She giggled internally, but kept herself focused on the outside. When she got home...
It wasn't long, less than thirty minutes, before they reached their destination: the back entrance to Slocum's Joe. As they'd arranged, Aiden quickly grabbed the door and Rarity went in first, getting out of any public view. She'd delayed just long enough to let her senses get a feel for the building, and was a bit dismayed at what she felt. Dismayed, but not afraid. The concentration of aether within was no threat. As they all crowded in and made their way into the building, they were met with surprised gasps.
"I don't believe it..."
Rarity didn't either. If Donut Joe were a human, this would be him. He had a small grin on his face, as if to say 'well now I've seen everything' and was looking at her without fear. "Tommy Slocum, it's a pleasure to have you in my establishment... alongside your esteemed fiance, of course!" and he gave Aiden a quick wink.
Rarity giggled. "Why thank you, kind sir," she replied, speaking a bit slowly to let the translator keep up, though anymore that was scarcely necessary. "I am Rarity. It seems you know Aiden already."
"By reputation, including before your little stunt," he laughed quietly before turning and offering a hand to Aiden. "The world thanks you for your service, son. Don't ever forget that. Plenty of us know what you did for us all."
"I'd say you're one of the ones we were most eager to fight for, sir." Aiden replied with a sheepish grin while accepting the handshake.
"Best donuts and coffee in Baltimore!" Mr. Slocum proclaimed proudly. "Our tea isn't bad either, but I won't claim it's the best."
"Wouldn't matter to me anyway, I'd love a coffee. But first... this is General Albert Grumman and his aide, Corporal Valerie Martinovich."
Slocum gave each a nod and a briefer handshake.
"And Knight Captain Johnathan Ferreles, and Mr. Cade Kneargum, of Adstrum Technologies."
"Heh, well, the rich and the famous eh? Will didn't mention who all would be in the entourage. 'Everyone with the unicorn will be important' is all I got from him. Good kid though, like the lot of you Espers, I'd say, even if some went a little off their rockers. Can't say I blame em, really. Speaking of Will, let's get you settled in. I don't usually take orders at the tables, but obviously this isn't usual."
"Speaking of that, the tab is on me, sir." Grumman said.
"Oh, I don't think so," Johnathan rejoindered.
Rarity giggled as that little debate began, but was again focused forward as they crossed the baking area and into the customer portion of the building. Like many such places, they mostly pandered to carry out orders, but there were perhaps half a dozen tables in addition to high seats at a diner style bar.
And at one of those tables... sat a man about Aiden's age. He stood, with clear difficulty, at their arrival. He had long, red hair tied back at the neck, and a well groomed goatee of the same hue. Hazel eyes swept over them all, and a smile transformed his face from a mask of pain into something lovely. A sort of happiness that existed in spite of a true understanding of evil and horror. One light in the darkness. She'd seen that look in Aiden before, but here it came through even more strongly. She tried not to tear up. He was broken. There was no doubt in her mind that his body, and his aether, were in pieces held together by strength of willpower and little else. She wanted to hug him, and was afraid to, that he might crack. Their gazes met, and he walked slowly from the table, and kneeled down to her eye level. She kept herself from wincing as his joints creaked worse than Granny Smith's.
He spoke, in a kindly, slightly rasping baritone. "I'm Paladin Bellerophon 'Will' Williams. As you probably guessed, just call me Will. Though it's a bit late to welcome you to Earth, I'm honored to have the chance to do so."
"The honor is mine, Paladin... Will." She raised her forehoof to his hand, and they shook politely.
He frowned in surprise. "I wasn't expecting a grip..."
She chuckled. "I'm not a horse, sir."
"Short range telekinesis, combined with precision muscle control in the frog... fascinating..."
She blinked. "You're perceptive."
"I'm little else, these days, but I think I can help you, just the same." He got slowly back to a standing position while Rarity resisted the urge to help him.
He stepped past her to clasp forearms with Aiden. "Good to see you, Aiden."
"You too... or so I'd like to say. You look like hammered shit. We didn't have to rush this, if you needed time to center or whatever."
Rarity winced. Earth's first diplomat to Equestria, everypony!
But Will just chuckled. "To be honest, I got impatient. I tried to play it cool but this is just too exciting not to get involved in."
And then he turned, and threw his arms around Grumman, embracing the old officer tightly. "Good to see you, sir. It's been way too damn long."
Grumman had blinked in shock, before awkwardly returning the hug. "Ah... you as well, Paladin."
Will laughed. "Let it go, man. We all did our part. Time to walk forward, remember? Even covered in mud."
"I have a lot of mud... Will."
"Hah, me too. Plus my knees are shot. Let's walk anyway... after donuts." He turned greeting Valerie politely before...
"Ahh! Uhh.. Knight... erm.. Knight Captain.."
Will blinked, and rolled his eyes. "Esper... atten-SHUN! Give your name like you're not embarrassed of it, or I'm buying and you're getting nothing but plain donuts and decaf coffee!"
Aiden winced. "You monster..."
Johnathan snapped immediately to attention, eyes straight forward. "Knight Captain Johnathan Ferreles, sir. It's an honor to properly meet you, sir!"
Will snorted, turning to Rarity. "Adorkable, isn't he?"
She giggled.
"John, we're retired and you're almost a billionaire. Also, we met three times before. Relax man, war's over."
"Indeed it is," Cade said, offering a hand to Will. "Cade Kneargum, Adstrum Co-CEO alongside Ferreles here."
"A pleasure to meet you as well, then. Your company is doing amazing things for the world."
"Yes. The war has left so much to rebuild but given us so much to work with in doing so."
"I couldn't agree more." Will nodded, grinning appreciatively.
Cade returned the nod. "It's regrettable then... that I must do something drastic to protect two worlds..."
It all happened in an instant. His hand shot out, directly towards Rarity. She felt a massive surge of aether, bigger than anything she'd felt before, as a blade seemed to come from nowhere between his pointing fingers. Time seemed to slow as the massive sword arrowed towards her. And then she was moving to the side. She felt the impact of a body against her, and heard herself scream.
The massive blade that had materialized had buried itself in Johnathan's chest as he'd shoved her out of the way. Will's fist smashed into Cade, sending him flying partly through the wall. His aether... monstrous and dark, was still building. Yet the fractured maelstrom of Will's had hardened, drawn together into a semblance of strength in the face of a deadly threat. Despite that, he collapsed to his knees after that one punch.
Rarity didn't give a damn about any of it.
"No no no..." she cradled Johnathan, who was looking up at her with a sad smile.
"Run..." he gasped.
"No..." she said, tears spilling down. This wasn't like with Aiden. His magic was leaking out faster than his blood. He was dying.
Aiden vanished, appearing before Cade and tackling him before being thrown across the room. Valerie had already pulled Mr. Slocum out of sight. Grumman was nowhere to be seen.
And Cade... was changing. It was quick, as he regained his feet. He had been tall before, but now he easily topped two meters and towered over everyone in the room. His eyes were an all too familiar red within yellow sclera. A pair of white horns curved up from his forehead to closely hug his scalp, ending at the back of his head behind pointed ears. His teeth showed large canines as he bared them in a snarl. "Fool," he said in a deep, urbane voice that sounded far too much like Cade's had. "Why would you protect her like that... you were to lead your people into a new age. ...Her life isn't worth yours..."
Johnathan coughed blood... and laughed weakly. "You learned... nothing... fighting us. Garken. Every life... is worth mine."
Garken Caedum, Grand Marshal of the Oni-koru, looked taken aback. "You knew...?"
"Suspected... anagram... arrogant..."
Hmph. And yet you did nothing?"
"Reparations for the war. Espionage isn't you. But ...why her?"
He walked over to them. Rarity cradled Johnathan and put up a shield. Garken smiled down at her. "Peace, little one. I won't try to kill you again... just yet. I'd like to say goodbye to my friend. You cannot save him."
"You killed him!"
"Yes, I did. Because he protected you. And for now, I'll honor that. Because he's right. I've had years to sabotage Adstrum, but I would never do that. I'm no longer the Grand Marshal; my king abandoned me. Adstrum is my reparation to this world. We lost the war, long before it officially ended. I would make amends by helping rebuild, by offering strength to surpass all we took. It is our way. Our kings often forget that. They serve our prosperity.
"Johnathan. It was fun. I enjoyed working with you. You were brilliant, and you challenged me to be stronger. Even hiding from your perception was a magnificent challenge, one that even allowed me close to this child of Equus, unseen. Be reborn, strong and proud. I'll carry on through Adstrum, and fulfill my promise to your people. Humanity will be stronger than ever."
Johnathan snorted, the last of his aether fading away. His eyes looked dim, but there was a grim smile on his face. "You'll be... broken here... my friend..."
Rarity felt his heart stop. She screamed in anguish... and that scream was echoed across the room. A portal opened near her, dropping Joyeuse almost into her lap. Before Garken could react she'd already grabbed it in her magic, and ignited her newest spell. He caught her swipe in one hand, though the enhanced blade cut deeply into his flesh. His eyes widened at that. He laughed.
"I never expected you would able to-"
And then a car smashed into him, taking him and it out through the front window. Joyeuse had slipped from his grasp, taking a finger with it.
Rarity looked over to Aiden, her eyes wide. "What..."
"Grabbed a car from the parking lot..." his voice sounded like broken glass being ground up. He knew what he was ignoring. And she knew he knew. There was no time. "I dropped it a few times inside my verse for momentum while he was talking. It won't finish him, so let's go."
She nodded, and stood up. A blue aura gently, reverently, closed Johnathan Ferreles' eyes as she stepped into the street to face the strongest of the Oni-koru. |
Back and There Again | 24. Defend Your Path | The street outside had gone surprisingly quiet. Rarity could feel why though; the aura of the monster they faced was oppressive. He'd apparently thrown the car Aiden had smashed into him: it was imbedded in a building across from them. Garken stood, none the worse for wear, staring them down with a grim smile.
Aiden held one baston almost negligently in his right hand. His left glowed with energy as the second weapon circled defensively. Rarity felt him as well, stretching out his influence, probing at the diamond hard defenses of the former Oni-koru leader.
Garken sighed, though it didn't touch his smile. "This isn't how this was supposed to go, you know. She should be dead, and I should be fighting three of the most impressive Espers Earth has to offer. Instead, one dead Esper, one cripple, and you. ...And a living unicorn as my consolation prize. ...The two of you won't be enough, even if the Paladin manages to stand up and throw another punch or two."
"How about three?"
Will came out of a portal, and his fist met Garken's open hand, forcing him back but not sending him flying. He disappeared again.
Aiden was through on the other side of the Oni, baston met blade as Garken pulled another from nowhere, though it felt different from Aiden's portals. Rarity sent Joyeuse in, wisely not wanting to get too close. She could feel Aiden's magic almost as though it were her own; there was no chance she'd hit him. The other target was just as distinct.
Garken's strength was monstrous. She hated to think it... but was this what an alicorn felt like? Her instincts were telling her... she was facing Nightmare Moon. And there were no Elements of Harmony here to help them.
Garken was laughing. He switched his own sword to deflecting Joyeuse's attacks while his open hand blocked Aiden's. Said hand was looking quite pummeled, and also missing the finger he'd lost to Joyeuse earlier. But he was holding his ground. "It's not enough!" he shouted, and a pulse of aether shoved Aiden away. A portal opened, and he came out behind Garken, landing a dropkick to his back that shoved him forward, causing him to mistime a parry. Joyeuse slipped past his defense to slice into his arm. He spun, attempting to smash Aiden out of midair, but hit nothing as the Esper disappeared again. He came out above Garken, but this time the Oni reacted in time. He spun, leveling a surprisingly acrobatic kick that met Aiden's own attack, sending him flying to land roughly, rolling in the street. He knocked aside Joyeuse's follow up and Rarity felt the shock of that strike through her telekinetic hold. Garken's eyes met hers, and despite the terror that tried to grip her, she held his gaze and snarled.
And then he was inches from her.
She'd felt a pulse of aether, just before what was apparently movement, and then his sword was descending toward her. She had just enough time to put up a shield... that shattered when the blade hit it. She felt Aiden's aether as she fell into his verse, inches before the blade would've...
She landed in a familiar field of flowers, and screamed. The feedback of her shield being destroyed was painful enough, but... He was too strong. She could feel it. He'd been right; they wouldn't be enough. She looked over at Will, who was sprawled in the grass, breathing heavily. She ran over to him. "Are you alright?"
"Nope. Pissed at Ferreles, too. And now he's dead and I can't even yell at him. I guess I get it, though. Not many would've given Garken Caedum a chance to be anything other than an enemy. ...Ferreles had a good heart. But if I'd known... I would've taken the time to gather more power before this meeting. Aiden's got a ton in here... more than I can hold at once, these days. But I can't get at most of it. I can't absorb it; it's spoken for. And he can't use it..."
"I know. Everything in here... it's all locked in place, all part of a single piece," she stirred the flowers around her with one hoof. They moved, but didn't break, unless... she reached with her magic, surprised to realize she could still hear and feel Joyeuse, and plucked another flower. As she did, she felt a pulse through the entire dimension.
Will's eyes were wide. "How did you do that?"
"I don't know! I didn't know there was anything to it! That didn't happen last time!"
"I wasn't ready for it last time."
Will and Rarity spun to look at the source of the new voice.
Aiden sighed in relief; he'd managed to open the portal in time to save Rarity. Joyeuse still floated in place where it had last been. Aiden blinked. It was still floating? Meanwhile, Garken's blade had stopped mid air when she'd vanished. The former Grand Marshal wouldn't overswing. He chuckled. "You've improved, little hero. It saddens me that you and I didn't know each other as well as we might have. You were always Keia's pet adversary. We missed an opportunity, I think. Your fighting style is interesting. As I understood it, you used your portals mostly like you did when this started, throwing objects at your enemies. Or dropping-"
As he said that, a pickup truck landed on him.
"Yeah, pretty much. You know the most important rule of-"
"Timing!" Garken said, flinging the truck at Aiden. It flew through a portal before getting to him, and smashed into a telekinetically enhanced fist as Garken swatted it away when it re-entered their world just a few feet from him. "Honestly I'm impressed. There was a time you couldn't open a portal within 100 feet of me. Your control has improved immensely."
"This the part where you say 'but it's still not enough'?"
He grinned. "I thought that was implied," he lunged, covering the distance in less than an eye blink. The floating baston parried as Aiden spun to the side, landing a punch that Garken partially blocked with a forearm, and a weapon strike that landed cleanly to his shoulder but did no apparent harm. A sidekick nearly cost him his leg as Garken repositioned too quickly and countered.
A telekinetic shove pushed them away from each other, and Aiden hissed quietly as blood spattered around his wounded leg. It wasn't deep enough to hinder him, but it was a distraction. He threw himself backward and down as the tip of Garken's sword thrust past where his eye had just been. He hit the ground and rolled, but not before a kick to the ribs sent him up and flying into a building. It was too fast, he couldn't open a portal in time. He fell towards the ground, but not before a fist smashed into his chest. It was preferable to the sword that had also been incoming, deflected by the floating baston that stayed in defensive. The blow sent him through the wall of the building, and completed the breaking of his ribs that the kick had begun. He hit the floor inside hard, and slid to a stop near the far wall.
Garken stepped in through the hole he'd made. "You aren't going to call them back out? You can't face me alone. Even your Paladin couldn't. Did you know? I used him as a shield when our Spire exploded? It's the reason he's in his current state. I honestly thought he'd recover, but... well it was a great deal of concentrated aether. Perhaps his talent overloaded and poisoned him, trying to absorb it all. What do you think?" As he said this, he stepped down hard on Aiden's broken ribs, drawing a pained growl. "Shall we call him out and ask him? Or perhaps... well I've always wondered what would happen to your little pocket dimension if you died. A normal gravity drive has parameters for releasing its contents safely when it activates, but I don't see how you could do that. You absorbed far more than they were ever intended for. Shall we find out?" He held his sword over Aiden's heart, looking him in the eyes.
Steely grey eyes looked back, narrowed. "You're right."
"Am I-"
An explosion of aetheric force flung Garken away, and Aiden dropped through a portal to land next to a heavily armed Grumman. "Are you alright, young man?"
"Not particularly. Is Valerie okay?"
"She got Mr. Slocum and a few others out of the area to safety and is signaling reinforcements. Local police have been called off; they'd just be casualties. Marines will be inbound, but I don't know how effective they'll be against him."
"Not at all, General," Garken said, standing up from the blast as though nothing had happened. Despite his nonchalance, His torso and head were burned heavily on one side. They were healing as Aiden watched, but not as quickly as he'd have expected. "Though that weapon is interesting." He nodded towards Grumman's massive gun. "I recall the rifle Gungnir, but that's quite different.
"Gungnir wasn't effective against you during the war. This is our newest design. Repurposed from Veritech's models, actually. Learning from your enemies is a key to war."
"Indeed so. Adstrum hasn't focused on weaponry. Helping you rebuild and advance was one thing, but as Cade I refused to sign off on anything you could use to kill my people. You understand."
"Certainly." Grumman replied, and with no changing expression fired again. Garken deflected the blast with an open palm, heavily reinforced with aether. He charged forward, his blade seeking Grumman's throat. Aiden deflected it as the General backed off. The Esper and Oni attacked one another fiercely, with Aiden clearly getting the worse of it. Splatters of blood hit the walls and floor as again and again Garken made it past his defenses enough to inflict wounds but not finish the fight. Now and again, he took a damaging counter strike as the aether infused bastons danced as best Aiden could make them. Garken was bleeding far less. A savage kick, placed squarely into the broken ribs, sent the smaller fighter flying again, and in that opening another blast from Grumman's weapon hit the Oni.
But this time he only staggered before throwing his sword at Grumman. With no choice, Grumman blocked with his rifle, destroying it in the process. He limped away from the impact, dazed by the weapon's feedback.
A hand grabbed his throat, lifting him into the air effortlessly.
Garken held him there, and stared into his wide eyes. There was no fear in those eyes. "Determination. Yes, General Albert Grumman. It's a shame you didn't inherit the powers of an Esper." He flung him away to the concrete, drawing a snarl of pain as the older man bounced among the debri. "Nonetheless, you too were a fine opponent, across the chessboard. But this isn't a war room. On this battlefield, you're nothing more than a distraction. And that has now ended. I can feel Aiden, trying to focus his aether. His ribs have punctured his lung; he cannot properly fight me any further. As soon as he releases Will and Rarity, I will kill them all and end this. If he doesn't... well then I'll find out what happens to them if he dies while they're still inside his inner space."
Buy time. Grumman thought. "I don't understand."
"Do you not?"
"No. You've been helping Adstrum. You said yourself the war was over. Why her? Why try to stop our two people's uniting? It's pointless. Even if you kill her, and everyone here-"
"And everyone at your base? And destroy all the data concerning her? You've played it all close to the chest, General. A wise decision, but it does place all your eggs in that one basket. Without the location for Equus, which only you have... this will all just be a fading dream."
"You said... to 'protect two worlds...'"
Garken smiled faintly. "I did indeed. What do you know about the Command Crystal in your possession? For example, did you know they are all accounted for in our records?"
Grumman's eyes widened. "But then..."
"Ah no, not their locations. If deactivated, we cannot simply track them down. If we could, Equus would not be hidden to us, and you would have garnered its location from the records you've stolen from us. However... Rarity reactivated the one in your possession. We cannot trace its origin remotely... that I know of. It would not transmit where it was, only that it was returning to its partnered ship. It's not unlike a black box in a sense, but now that it has transmitted its return to its vessel, whose location we did know, we can continue to track its progress."
"That won't matter; it's not leaving Earth. We don't need it to get to Equus, just the location we garnered from its records."
"The ship you're taking... do you think my king won't be watching for it?"
"Not from nearby. Thanks to..." Grumman blinked. "Adstrum's sensors... their satellites... you...?"
Garken smiled, and for the first time it seemed genuine. "I'm no spy, or saboteur. Those satellites are working as well as you think, better even. There is no Oni presence within fifty light years of this world. My people have fled, and if they return it will be the technology Johnathan and I built that shoots them down before they're even in range of this world. I won't build weapons for you, but I will build them for me. The Oni do not fight wars of revenge before at least a century of that world's time passes. My king can go rot; he's lost his way. If he tries to return here, I will remind him of that."
"From that distance, based on what I know, they won't know if we launch anything, unless..."
"Indeed. Rewrite the ship's main computer, from the ground up. Gut it and you'll find the programs allowing it to be monitored, connecting it to our mothership. It shouldn't take your people more than a week."
"But... why tell me this? I thought you were going to kill us all?" Grumman asked, wearing a lopsided grin.
"Oh I intend to. But if I can't... you deserve a true victory. If I can't stop you... my king doesn't deserve to follow you to that world."
"...Why not just tell us this? Why-"
Garken was suddenly crouching next to Grumman, covering the distance instantly. "Because... I may not hold grudges, but I am not your ally. My reparations do not include protecting your diplomatic endeavors from my king. Equus too, does not have my protection, not without a price. You want to pay it? It costs blood: yours or mine. Mercy-"
"-Is for the strong. Yes, I do remember your fondness for that phrase." He snorted. "And of course, if you kill me now, the knowledge you just gave away dies with me. Rather pointless, wasn't it?"
"You wanted to buy time. Aiden has repaired his lung. That boy's growth is astonishing to me. An Oni twenty years his senior could not have come so far. Your race... it's a shame we met as we did."
"You started it."
Garken chuckled. "That he did. As to killing you... I'll do that last. You can watch everyone else die first. You're a tactician, not a soldier, not on this battlefield. It's your job to watch all your troops die before the enemy comes for you. You know this."
Grumman's eyes narrowed. "I will find a way to end you."
"I believe you could, given time. But that time will now be bought by the blood of others." He stood, and turned, just as Aiden came through a portal to his side. Garken's eyes widened slightly at the ruse: two portals had opened nearly at the same time, dividing his attention as a charged baston stabbed into his torso. It sank in less than an inch before Garken had moved away, but blood dripped down as he did so. The first portal then ejected a parking brick at terminal velocity, smashing violently into Garken's face. He staggered back, spitting blood that ran down from a broken nose and crushed teeth. All were regenerating quickly, but Aiden pressed the attack. A shoulder tackle added to Garken's backpedal, and a follow up strike from the side swept his legs. A double slash downward took him to the pavement, hard, followed by telekinetic blasts that cracked his previously struck shoulder, and widened the minor stab wound Aiden had inflicted.
Garken's counter ran along Aiden's side, the thrust parried wide by the floating defensive weapon still circling the Esper with deceptive timing. Another portal opened, dropping a car that had been falling since Garken had refocused his attentions to Grumman. Aiden stepped back as said car smashed into Garken with thunderous force. With a flash of aether, he ignited the gas tank. A bit more aether enhanced and focused the blast, and for the first time he felt a flicker in his opponent's own magical reserves.
Not stopping to pat himself on the back, he parted the blastwave with an energy shield and went back in. Garken was burned, and his eyes were glazed over as Aiden struck again, stabbing both bastons into his torso to pin him to the concrete. He channeled to change the auras surrounding them to portals, to tear his enemy apart once and for all.
A telekinetic blast threw him away from the weapons, sent them flying, and snuffed the fires around them.
He caught himself, rolling to his feet as Garken regained his. The Oni was grinning like a true demon. The holes in his chest had already closed. His aether had definitely dropped, but so had Aiden's. Neither could do this forever. "Marvelous. If you can last another minute, I'll spare the unicorn. Last five, and I'll spare Grumman's compound."
"Well gosh, and here I was thinking I had no reason to keep going." He charged forward again, vanished as he did so to come out on Garken's plasma burned side, but feinted a second time to Garken's good side as the Oni had begun to turn. The attack was blocked off balance, but blocked all the same, as the two continued exchanging blows.
100 meters, give or take, isn't that great a distance even with obstacles in the way. As such it didn't take long to work their way around to the road, and its load of vehicles, unmoving for over fifteen years now. The voice had come from this direction, and Rarity had felt its familiarity in her bones. She wasn't eager to see inside those cars... and Will was even less enthusiastic. But there was little choice in the matter. She could feel a way out; as Aiden had once mentioned, his verse was no prison. The right concentration of aether and will would expel her back into reality at any time. And yet... the second flower she'd plucked floated before her, and not by her magic. It both was and wasn't the source of the voice, and when it began to fly towards the road she felt compelled to follow.
"Rarity... I'd suggest not looking in any cars. Upshot is you're too short to really do so, but... wait... the Hell?"
As they hopped over the short, concrete walls, she stopped atop one of them, and saw what had surprised him. She'd already decided she wouldn't avoid looking. Aiden had to live with what had happened here; she wouldn't shy away.
But there was nothing to see. Every vehicle was empty, as if they always had been. There was no trace of any-
"Over here! Geez, hurry up before I doze off... again."
Looking at each other briefly, Will and Rarity shrugged and moved towards the voice, the flower still leading them. She still couldn't feel anyone else's magic moving it. Indeed, it felt as though it were still bathed in the aether that had held it in place. Rarity looked past it, and gasped.
She had known she'd see that car. She'd seen it once before, riding along in Aiden's old memory. But the rest of what she saw...
The roof of the vehicle was dented downward a bit. The reason for that was the massive greatsword impaled through it, all the way through to the road beneath the vehicle. That alone would be odd enough, but sitting there next to the hilt, on the roof, and glowing just a bit to remind Rarity of the 'ghost' Obi-wan...
Was Moira Windborne.
She hopped down, making no sound as her sandaled feet touched the road. "Hah! Pure maiden meets unicorn, right out of a storybook!"
"You're..."
"Oh please, you know who I am," she said with a wide grin. Rarity bit her lip... Pinkie...
"Oho... I remind you of somepony, eh? Yeah I know a few words. Even when I was asleep I could still check in on Aiden sometimes."
"Sleeping? So then...?"
"Eh? Oh, no, not literally... well maybe literally... err... well I'm also dead. Like... as a doornail, whatever that means. But hey, I sped up your perceptions so we're not too rushed. Still, we don't have a ton of time to go into it. We all died that day, no doubt about it."
"But then... everyone who died... they're all still..." Will looked around, eyes wide in horror. "They're trapped here?!"
"Well yeah... for now but I mean... what's fifteen years next to eternity, right? I don't think they've even noticed. Their bodies sort of poofed into the aether, like Jedi or something, right? Heh, Star Wars, the easiest of references. Good thing you watched it. Anyway, none of them are anywhere near the surface." She grimaced. "Just me. Mom and dad had each other, right? So they slept together," she snickered, "...rimshot. And everyone else that died here I guess did the same. I can't reach the others, but they're there, snoozing away. Maybe it's 'cause I was closest to Aiden, physically and probably emotionally, when it happened. Dunno."
"What's that sword?" Rarity asked.
"Ooh, you don't recognize it? Well, maybe you wouldn't. It dropped in about six years ago. It's what really woke me up. Before that... dozing, keeping an eye on Aiden, trying to talk to the others... but it's all hazy. That thing though... that stirred me up!"
"But-"
"It belonged to Keia Luxuria. Aiden took it from her during the Spire Assault." Will said.
Rarity nodded. "I remember now."
"Yeah... he never did say what he did with it. Huh... I'll be damned. Dropped it right through his family's car? Wouldn't have expected that."
"Nah, wasn't on purpose," Moira added. "It was drawn here... a nexus point. That sword has a lot of the aether of its creator in it. I think her will led it here. And now..."
Rarity gasped. "'Riot's blade divides the wind! Draw it to open the path..." she winced. "Clearing the way to death."
Moira tilted her head. "Wat? I'm just saying it woke me up, there was hardly a riot since it's just me."
"No... Keia Luxuria... it's something I noticed with my translator. Her name, it means 'riot'. Her blade..."
"Huh... where'd you hear that?"
"Well I was thinking you, but now I'm not so sure since you seem lost."
"Hey now, I don't do prophecies. What kind of ghost girl do you take me for?"
"I don't... so you don't know anything about a pegasus filly?"
"Nope. I'll hug one if you've got one though, sounds adorable. All I know about the blade is that it's here... and maybe getting rid of it will do something. Especially so if you've heard some cryptic words about it from a mysterious source. I mean that's just begging us to try it!"
"Leading the way to death doesn't sound encouraging."
"Depends on your point of view. I am dead... so maybe it leads to me? That was the trick with the flowers, after all. If I'd known you'd pluck that first one, I would have concentrated my consciousness in it and gotten out. When you plucked the second, it was jarring enough that I was able to get some stray aether and materialize. ...Doesn't hurt that Aiden's channeling like mad right now." She gestured of in a seemingly random direction. Rarity looked and her eyes went wide. She watched a moving van falling through the air, only to vanish through a portal and fall through the same path again. There were a few such spectacles to see.
"So if we take another flower out of here?"
"I might be able to leave... but so what? I wouldn't mind but I can do that any time now that you know. That's just small potatoes. But this? It created a fault when it stabbed through here. It's not just the car, of course. The whole aetherial construct that is this world got shaken by it. It woke me up and then merged with the place, sort of healing into the flaw like gravel scabbed over after a bike wreck."
Rarity made a face at that imagery.
"Yeah, exactly why we should fix it. This place is already a wound before that sword got here, and now we have a tool to repair it. Draw the blade... and that flaw will widen until we can all get out of here... cleanse the wound. Free every poor soul that doesn't even know they're trapped."
"But... what would that do to Aiden?"
Moira grinned. "I have a theory on that..."
Aiden crashed into another wall. He noted with a touch of satisfaction that he hadn't gone through this one. His aether had managed to cushion and spread the point of impact, lessening the damage to the structure and, more importantly, himself. Garken's follow up did smash the wall, but in part because he missed Aiden as the smaller combatant ducked out of the way. Several pieces of debri were grabbed telekinetically to harry the Oni before a street sign bounced off of his head. A blast of aether from his open hand obliterated a moving van that had appeared in the sky. He flung another such blast at Aiden, but realized his error as that blast, re-directed through portals, smashed into him. It was his own aether, and caused minimal harm.
He chuckled. "You won't win that way, little hero."
"Maybe not, but I'm getting close to the five minutes."
"Not close enough."
Aiden tried to sidestep, as the voice came from nearly in his ear. Garken could just plain move too quickly. He didn't use portals, or teleportation, he just brute strength pulled himself through the aether field as though grabbing the world to move it as he pleased. And worse he did it so quietly. Aiden's admittedly low perception just couldn't keep up. As the blade pierced his side, he tried to open a portal and failed. The feedback felt even worse than usual, but he managed to channel it into a concussive burst that pushed the two of them apart. Garken held his sword as he was shoved away, twisting the blade as it came back out from between Aiden's ribs. He stumbled and fell.
"But... I will spare the unicorn, as agreed. She may incur some difficulties without any of you to support her now, but if she overcomes those, she will be stronger than ever. Perhaps, one day, she'll be able to hunt me down... and avenge you." As he said this, he took the two steps forward to reclaim the distance Aiden's blast had pushed him, and raised his sword.
Aiden grimaced. Decapitation, was it? Yeah... that'd probably do it. No sense finding out. He lunged forward, tackling Garken, or trying to. With little momentum and low magic, he scarcely affected the considerably larger fighter... other than getting him to check his swing. That was enough. The floating baston had long fallen to the ground, but Aiden grabbed it with a touch of power and flung it at Garken, channeling force to increase its piercing point. Garken deflected it with his own blade, finally cutting through the aether hardened carbon fibers of Aiden's weapon. The pieces hit the ground as Garken grabbed Aiden in his free hand and held him aloft.
Until Joyeuse pierced that same arm like a stick through water.
Reflexively he dropped Aiden and backstepped for distance, dropping his own weapon as he grabbed at Joyeuse's hilt. Before he could do so, a massive pulse of aether exploded from it, throwing it clear of his arm. It spun through the air, landing embedded partway in the concrete near Aiden.
And a portal opened beside it. It was glowing white, and the aether field all around them condensed as though they'd suddenly teleported to the bottom of a deep lake. Yet to Aiden... it felt like home. For better and for worse.
Garken had fallen to his knees, crushed down beneath the massive force of the new aether. He never had a chance to dodge as an enormous, familiar greatsword flew through the air at him. He deflected it, poorly, costing himself more harm to the already damaged arm to prevent being impaled. That hand was useless now. The blade vanished through another portal, and clearly not of Aiden's making. He was... occupied.
His eyes were glowing as the condensed aether infused him. He could feel everything. There were so many voices... just like Vera said... but they weren't angry, or sad, or frightening. They were saying 'goodbye'. Each of them leaving, heading on their way... each of them released from the aetheric concentration that had held them like quicksand.
Each released... from my verse... where they'd all been imprisoned...
"Oi... none of that mopey shit now, little brother. Fifteen years is nothing. Luna was imprisoned for a thousand, and she came out fine. This was a catnap!"
"...Moira..."
"Eeeyup! And now that we're not taking up room in the place, you can air it out a bit! You already feel it, right?"
"Aiden..?"
He looked over, the glow already fading from his eyes as the rampant aether came under control. "Rarity?"
"We weren't sure what would happen, but we had to do something! And Keia's sword was there, and..." she lifted her chin. "I'm sorry, I know it's a lot to take in... but all the people who died in that moment can move on, now. We cleared the path for them. But..."
"But ours is still waiting on us. Yeah... yeah I can break down and cry later."
"I'll be there with you the whole way, darling."
"Yeah... gonna need you, no way around that."
Moira chuckled, her glow brightening a bit. "Aiden and Rarity, sittin' in a-"
"Shaddup, Moira..."
She grinned innocently. "Not a chance. I got fifteen years of backup teasing to catch up on, and not a lot of time to cram it in."
"Wait... what do you mean-"
"She means, little hero, that her time is short. As expected of your sister, her will is strong. But she's dead, and she won't stay here as she is for much longer." Garken stood, but didn't move towards them. "Take your time, and say your goodbyes; she has-"
"More time than you!" Moira shouted as Keia's blade flew at him from another portal. He dodged, but Joyeuse caught him, carving deep into his side before he could deflect it. He staggered away, right into a massive, aether enhanced punch as Will kept him from getting distance while crushing what was left of his damaged arm. He was thrown back towards the portals, and moved to catch Keia's blade as it came around again, but his arm was caught. He roared in pain and fury as the greatsword impaled his chest. He turned to look to his caught arm, trying to raise the injured one without success.
Aiden held his forearm in an iron grip. His wounds had mostly healed, and the condensed aether that had filled the air moments ago now in part coursed through his veins. He looked up with a grim smile. "So this is what you meant, by 'second strongest Esper'? I could get used to it."
Garken chuckled. "Intoxicating, isn't it?"
"Heh, nah. Wine is intoxicating. I fully intend to split several bottles while I cry over my family again."
"He'll be splitting them with his new family." Rarity added, stepping forward with Joyeuse at the ready. The aether coursed in her, as well. The portals Keia's sword had gone through had not been opened by Moira.
"All of us." Will added. "Strange to see you cornered... old friend."
"Indeed so," Garken chuckled, seeming to ignore the huge sword sticking through him and the blood running down between his lips. It was red... as human looking as any of them had seen. "A fitting end then. All of you... I wish..." he blinked, his eyes widened. "No... that's not... you can't..." His form flickered. Keia's blade fell to the ground with a clatter, and the briefly insubstantial forearm slipped from Aiden's grasp. "No... no! I will not..." he snarled, focusing inward. The flickers lessened briefly but didn't subside. He sighed. "Ahh well... it seems this is as far as I go here. There was more I'd wished to do..."
"Hmph, little late to lament dying. But hey don't worry, it's not so bad on the other side. ...I think?" Moira muttered.
"Dear girl, I would welcome death and rebirth. I'm sure your own will be wonderful. You have the strength of will to demand that of the universe. The fate awaiting me is... less pleasant. My king... is a far greater bastard than I ever realized." He shook his head. "No matter. Grumman knows what must be done, to protect all of you. You've won. Lady Rarity... my compliments to your people. I had thought you weak... soft. I was a fool... Johnathan paid for that... and now... so will I."
With another flicker, he staggered back, sinking slightly into the ground as though he were merely an image. A light exploded around him, from within his head before completely engulfing him. When it faded, he was gone. |
Back and There Again | 25. First Last Steps | He landed hard on cold stone. His wounds were healing, and he could feel the foreign aether of the unicorn's weapon searing away at some deeper infection. He snorted. "Cleansing me? It will take more than a flesh wound to dig deep enough..."
"Welcome home, Warbrave Caedum."
"Paugh! I've not held that rank in fifty years... your majesty..." Garken practically oozed disrespect as he spat the address in reply.
His king stepped forward, clearly visible despite the dim illumination. Taller than Garken by a handbreadth, his presence made him seem larger yet. Red eyes stared down imperiously, almost mockingly. "You are fortunate I'm willing to reinstate you at all. And that is how you greet your king?"
"You yanked a choke chain I didn't know I was wearing, so forgive me for growling at you. Or don't... I'm long past caring. Why did you bring me back here?"
"Is it not enough I saved you from certain death? It has been your will, your magic, that kept me from recalling you sooner. Here, let me show you..."
Quicker that Garken could react in his weakened state, his king's hand shot out and two claws pierced deep into his skull. Fighting a feeling of paralysis as his body shut down, his consciousness fled into his aether. He could still feel what was happening as his skull was torn at, and then the claws came back out... clutching a long, thin sliver of pulsing, black crystal.
Garken fell to his knees, his mind returning to his physical brain far too quickly. "That... is..."
"Corrupted aetheryte," his king said, examining the blood covered bit of gemstone. "I placed it there some time ago. Did you think it coincidence that you were more than twice as strong as even your most dedicated peers?"
"But it... could summon me here?" he choked out, gasping for breath as all his strength poured into both healing and temporarily bypassing his many injuries.
"Of course... it's not unlike a Command Crystal, when properly enchanted. I did need my Grand Marshal ready to be called at a moment's notice. As you said... a choke chain. And yet, you resisted it so many times over the years. It was extremely annoying."
Garken chuckled.
"You dare laugh at your king?"
"I never knew. I suspected... you'd done something to me. I felt myself fighting something inside, but I never knew what. I was carrying that extra weight... and now it's gone. You say it made me stronger? ...Then why do I feel so much lighter without it?!"
With that he rose quickly, and threw a punch at his king's face. Taken off-guard, he barely managed to catch the fist... and not well enough to escape harm. A blast of aether, strengthening the strike, pulsed through the arm, which seemed to shatter...
Revealing a bird-like talon where a hand had been. Red eyes narrowed in yellow sclera as Garken's own went wide. "No..."
The taloned hand squeezed Garken's fist, carving into his flesh. "...This wasn't for you to see."
"You... you can't be... you aren't...!?"
The king spun, pulling him forward and stabbing down with the crystal shard towards Garken's eyes, but went wide as the warrior moved with the momentum, tackling the monarch. "Impostor!" He shouted, knowing he wouldn't be heard. They were in the bowels of the mothership, where the harshest training was possible because the shielding was thickest. Garken could sense no one else. He threw punch after punch, each blocked by the taloned hand that belonged to no Oni. Even his king's magic felt wrong. "Where is my king?! Is this why we kept fighting? Is this why we killed so many?! What have you done with-"
In an explosion of dark magic, Garken was thrown back. He caught himself after rolling and was ready to counter, but no attack came. Instead, his king simply stood up... and up.
Thick white hair framed a long, almost equine face complete with a narrow, fang filled muzzle. The short, gray fur of that face seemed composed of metal rather than anything organic, and yet it was clearly a living being. At nearly five meters, he now towered over Garken. His taloned hands resembled giant eagle claws, and his feet appeared like those of a massive jungle cat, covered in white fur. His body reminded Garken of a red-scaled dragon, if a dragon could easily stand on two legs and had broad, well muscled shoulders. From each of those shoulders a pair of wings spread, fanning out surprisingly prismatic feathers. The head leaned down on a sinuous neck, a grin showing off obsidian teeth.
"I have always been your king, little puppet."
Garken held his ground. The aether of the thing before him hadn't increased much, and his own was recovering faster than he was letting on. This wasn't over... if anything having that crystal removed had been a major boon. He had to play it carefully though. "Always, you say?"
"For fifteen hundred years, since you were taken from your world... and brought to mine."
"But... that would have been..."
"Yes. I am Kirin... of Equus. Of the Draconequii, perhaps the last of them. I am every king your kind has ever known. Every new face to wear the crown... me. Me. Me. Me... and now... I am so close to finally going home again, and completing what our masters once started."
Garken felt a chill, but kept his face impassive. "I won't help you find it."
Kirin laughed deeply, and held up the pulsing, bloodstained crystal. "You already have."
Before Garken could respond there was a flash of pain, followed by oblivion.
"What the Hell happened?!" Aiden demanded.
"That... that looked like the same sort of teleport that brought me here..." Rarity replied.
"A Command Crystal? He had one of those?"
"I don't think he intended to go," Moira added.
"Agreed," Will said. "He was never one to run... not to mention his reaction at the end. Rarity, can you feel where he went?"
She shook her head. "No idea, darling. He's... just gone."
Aiden grimaced. "Can't say I'm too satisfied with that... but if he's gone, he's gone. So... I'm going to focus on who's not gone..." he turned with zero subtlety to Moira.
Who laughed lightly. "Nice segue, little brother."
"As I understand it, I don't have time for lead ins."
"Yeah, guess not." She stepped over and threw her arms around him. "Good to see you again, so to speak."
His eyes were wide as he slowly returned the hug, as though afraid she'd vanish or break. Rarity swallowed a lump in her throat at realizing those were real possibilities. The frailty of her form, the instability of her aether... they were clear. She had minutes, or less.
He let out a shuddering breath at feeling a solid form in the embrace. "I don't want you to go... not again."
"Aww, come on... I wanted to rib you about still being taller. You're taking the fun out of this."
"Moira..."
"Shhh, it's okay. I'm already gone, and you know it. This is just... our chance to say goodbye. I'm really glad about that. I know you are, too."
"Yeah... I love you, Moira."
"I love you, too, Aiden. I always will... no matter where I end up. There's always a part of us that we shared with each other. That's a form of magic, too. Family... and the friends that become family. We got to share something that this silly little death nonsense doesn't get to take away." She squeezed him extra tight, before letting her arms go slack. Sensing she wanted to move back, he let go. She grinned at him... that same wide, happy smile, and kissed him on the forehead. Then she turned to Rarity, walked over and kneeled down by her.
"No matter where you two go, and how you walk together... you got my blessing. Keep an eye on him for me, will ya? He may be the big damn hero type, but he's also completely hopeless. Needs a 'big sis' type girl to look after him, ya know? Think you can manage that?"
Rarity laughed a small laugh, failing to hold back tears. "I promise."
Moira shook her head. "I've seen things, clotheshorse. That's not going to be enough. You know what I'm looking for here..."
Rarity bit her lip, nodding. "Cross my heart... hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye..."
Aiden choked on something between a sob and a laugh. "What?"
"Nothin' for you to worry about, little brother. Just getting the important stuff out of the way." She reached forward and hugged Rarity tightly. "Thank you," she whispered in the mare's ear. "I really can go without worrying. Don't let him wander off alone again."
"I won't. You didn't need a Pinkie Promise for that... but if you know what it means you know how much I mean it."
"A sacred bond between friends... I do know it. I wanted to hear it, just once before..." she laughed softly. "Yeah... thank you, Rarity."
She pulled back from the hug and stood up, sighing contentedly. "It feels warm. I think... I think that's all for me. I'll see you both again... someday. I know it. Goodbye..."
"Goodbye, Moira." Aiden said, smiling through the tears as she glowed more brightly, before dispersing into a brilliant display of lights. All too quickly, they were gone.
Aiden took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. He twitched, shuddered, and slowly slumped to the ground. He shook once, looking down with his eyes shrouded by his hair. Rarity had already crossed the distance to throw her forelegs around his neck, hugging him tightly. His arms encircled her and held on as he sobbed quietly. It didn't last long; within a minute he took a last, shuddering breath and completed it with a steady sigh. "Thanks."
"Always."
He gently nudged her away, standing up. "We need to go. I don't want to talk to the media, or the military. Let them sort this out; I don't care. Let's get Johnathan and go home. ...First ours, then yours."
Arlington National Cemetery was crowded that day. Despite that, it was devoid of any unwelcome sounds or conflicts as Knight Captain Johnathan Ferreles was laid to rest. At the request of his remaining family, no media was permitted at the funeral. Even had they been there, it would not have stopped Rarity and Aiden from attending. There had been no question: they had already missed the funerals for the others who'd died for this cause, they wouldn't let it happen again.
It had been two days. Aiden had, for the most part, recovered after a single night. Despite saying so in advance, said night had not involved wine. Instead, it had involved a visit from Aunt Lynn, and a great deal of commemoration of family from all present. There had been tears, but also laughter, and the strength that came from sharing both sadness and joy. They had decided, for the sake of those that had passed on, that this would be their last day of dwelling on those lost. They would not forget, not ever, but they would walk forward. They would carry the happiness and the dreams they all wanted for the future. Rarity had already spoken of plans for a memorial on Equus, to remember those who sacrificed in the name of forging new friendships between their peoples. Aiden fully intended to help build it.
With the interment complete, they left via one of Grumman's vehicles rather than Aiden's power. The moment there were off of the cemetery grounds, pictures began flashing. It was pointless unless the photographers wanted pictures of the car, and Valerie commented as much from the driver's seat. Not that it was going to matter much longer, given their destination.
Upon arrival at the predetermined location, Aiden did use his power to get them where they needed to be while avoiding the crowd in between. When they appeared at the podium, exactly on time, the room fell silent.
The two stepped up to the twin microphones, set to their appropriate heights so the assembled throng had a clear view (mostly of the unicorn mare, naturally). Aiden started off.
"We'll be giving a statement... a real one this time rather than our annoyed reaction at the invasion of our privacy. To clarify though... no actual wedding plannings. All those 'weddings are between two humans only' folks... while maybe progressive compared to what my parents might have recalled, can relax. ...For now."
The room tittered a bit nervously.
"As you know, anyone interrupting at the moment will be ejected from the room, by me. You know me. Knight Lieutenant Aiden Alexander Windborne, decorated hero of the war the media has taken to calling the Demon War. But the Oni-koru were not demons... they were a lost people, and still are. I hope they find their way, out there somewhere. ...Far from here."
Another chuckle.
"My talent as an Esper involves the use of portals into and out of my pocket dimension, an area of space trapped inside the aetheric concentration of my soul. I'd explain the physics of that, but I left my dry erase board at home. Suffice it to say, and based on your self control you already know this, I can easily take any of you from where you're standing and place you anywhere else within about a football field and a half. I'd prefer not to, but if we let you just go crazy Rarity won't be able to follow what you're saying. Speaking of..."
"Yes, thank you, Aiden," she said, dropping her usual form of address for the occasion. The translator carried it over to English fine and dandy, but without the context of knowing her it gave the wrong impression here. "I am Rarity... and I'm obviously from out of town."
This got a laugh.
"Yes. It's no coincidence that Earth has mythology concerning unicorns... as well as many other magical beings found on my home world. Further, it's no coincidence that Espers greatly resemble, in their magical abilities and the sense of the aether within them, members of my own race. There is a connection between our two peoples, one which brought me here but more importantly, forges a path ahead of us that we have the chance to walk together. General Grumman will be handling an extended Q and A elaborating on the details of that. ...That will be his penance for sharing private details from interactions between Aiden and myself."
Another laugh, though this one was distinctly nervous and in some cases slightly guilt laden. Not surprising, given many of the media representatives in the room had spent far too much time analyzing those interactions.
"For my part, however, my immediate intention is to return home. I did not intend to come here, and I have family, friends, and a life waiting for me back there. I fully intend to do everything in my power to aid in opening cordial relations between our two worlds... and I can best do that back home. I'm pleased to add that Knight Lieutenant Windborne has graciously accepted my invitation to accompany me there, and enjoy the hospitality of my world, the best I can personally offer."
Aiden nodded. "For the time being, there is no safe form of travel between our worlds for anyone who doesn't have their own aetheric concentration... or pool, if you prefer. The Oni ships' shields are simply not designed to protect against forms of energy that were never a threat to them. Because of the volatility of the forces involved, it isn't even safe for Espers to shield other humans at this point. The shields have to be redesigned from scratch, and we're just not there. No magic, no intergalactic space travel. ...Yet. I'm confident our best and brightest will solve that problem before much longer, with the prospects we now see before us."
"Now then... we'll be turning this over to General Albert Grumman, who will be filling you in on our shared history, and then taking questions. Thank you all for your attention-"
As she said this, several started speaking up, desperately asking questions despite being told it would be fruitless.
...And it was, as the two of them disappeared through a portal.
Rarity looked up at the sky, sunny despite the clouds in the real world, from the field of flowers. Much of Aiden's pocket verse hadn't changed. The aether flowed normally now, and much of that flowed in Aiden directly. ...And in her. She wasn't sure how they'd managed to split that power between them, but Aiden didn't seem to mind. Keia's sword stood, floating just above the ground, on the other side of the field. Its connection to the aether there remained, but after drawing it out and allowing the trapped souls to escape, there was no sense of foreboding, or even strange, distant laughter to confuse one's senses. There was simply tranquility.
She leaned against Aiden, who'd sat down beside her to relax for a moment before they headed back home. Really, they could start doing so any time; he needed only to begin channeling their travel portals. Neither felt rushed.
"Think Grumman can handle that crowd? They were about to boil over."
"Oh please, darling," she giggled, "I think he's up to the challenge of a few hundred reporters."
"I dunno... he's pretty much not allowed to shoot any of them."
"Hmm... that will complicate matters."
"All I'm saying."
She chuckled softly, and nuzzled his cheek. "How are you doing?"
He smiled. "Better, really. I'd made my peace with her dying a long time ago. As to Johnathan... I'm coping. We weren't close, even during the war, but still..."
She nodded. "I understand completely. He died to save me... and I can't let myself fall into despair over it without shaming that sacrifice. But..."
"...Yeah." He wrapped an arm around her, holding tight. "...So. There's at least a few more days until we're ready to launch, assuming we can keep feeding all this extra aether into the batteries the way Will's been so far. ...Coffee? Donuts?"
She blinked. Then giggled. "Dear sir, are you inviting me to several days of binging on coffee and donuts to forget my troubles?"
"Also bad movies. You've seen some of the best... only fair to temper that."
"And what of my delicate figure?"
"Hah. Delicate... not the word I'd use."
She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Oh really? Do tell, dar~ling..."
"Hmm," he said, seemingly oblivious to the current minefield he'd wandered into. But then Rarity's eyes fluttered shut as his hand began kneading her shoulders. "Well... svelte, certainly. Toned... seems fair. Soft in a good way... other than a little point of tension right there..." he worked his thumb around a little knot as Rarity groaned in quiet contentment. "But firm. Delicate... is doing you a disservice."
"Mmm... yes... I do prefer service to disservice, darling... now that you've pointed out the difference. Do go on..."
He laughed quietly, continuing the massage as he channeled portals, taking them back to Fort Friendship. |
Back and There Again | 26. Icarus | "This is Captain Aiden Windborne, of The Starship High Horse-"
"We are not calling it that-"
"Alongside First Officer Rarity. Checking in, we have successfully achieved orbit at approximately 20,000 kilometers... approximate since the two systems currently operating don't seem to quite agree... if my math is right."
The comm system reply confirmed, "It is, High Horse-"
"Nooope."
Aiden chuckled. "That you, Val?"
"It is. Paladin Williams is putting the finishing touches on the last two batteries, should be done by tonight. According to our estimates, you'll use forty two percent of their charge getting to Equus. As such, you can make an emergency trip back without recharging, but you're better off finding a way to recharge them there. Hamada and I are writing up details on how to build charging stations for them using materials you can find on Equus."
"Wait, if you can just build them..."
"We can design them, based on new information... we'll fill you in after the test flight. But either way, we can't build them here. They'll require trace amounts of pure aetheryte, which we're hoping you'll be able to find."
"How 'trace'?" Rarity asked.
"Point one five grams per charger, to be safe."
"Ah. That should be fine. Larger gems, like Joyeuse, are all but unheard of, but flecks that size can be mined beneath Canterlot as well as in the mountains around Tall Tale. They're expensive, but not exorbitant."
"Hopefully that won't be an issue."
"Certainly not, darling. It's not something I brag about, but I'm rather well off, and that's if we don't just go out and mine them ourselves. The aetheryte won't be a problem."
"Good to hear. Now then, if you're both comfortable with the controls, we're reading all green down here. Proceed with the next phase of the test flight."
"Understood. Setting course for Jupiter. Nav shields at full, inertial dampers good. Course is plotted and laid in. Engaging..."
The blue planet below disappeared in an instant, replaced by a strangely alluring blur of lights. Rarity knew she wasn't really seeing anything through the viewport in that instant. Instead, she was sensing the swirling of aether so strongly it was affecting her vision. She looked to the controls and things returned to normal, but it had been an odd feeling. That same swirling of aether would be a maelstrom tearing away at my essence, if I had no magic of my own...
"Weird..." Aiden muttered his own response.
Before she could respond, their ship came to a relative halt. Rarity took in a slow gasp at the sight before them. Aiden had a grin on his face like a foal on Hearth's Warming morning. "Testing FTL comms. Are you receiving us, Friendship?"
"Five by five, Horse."
"Still not calling it that." Rarity said absently, though like Aiden her attention was drawn to the magnificent sight of the planet Jupiter before them. "Amazing..."
"Yeah... never thought I'd see this directly. Friendship, you getting this?"
"That we are, and recording for posterity. The two of you are officially the first living crew to get that far from Earth without something going wrong."
"Well just jynx it, why don't you?"
"Nothing of the sort, it's just very encouraging. Our readings indicate almost no battery charge lost for that trip. Confirm?"
"Confirmed. Point triple oh two percent lost from our single battery. Granted we went light minutes instead of... how far are we going to get to Equus?"
"A mere two point six million light years... give or take a few thousand. They're just across the street in Andromeda. But don't worry about the numbers working out. The energy needed to open the gate the ship uses to bypass physics isn't proportional to the distance you are from your destination."
"I mean... why would it be? That would make sense. What fun is there in that?"
Rarity snerked.
"What?"
"Nothing at all, darling," she replied, smiling as she continued taking in the view. Equus, to her knowledge, had always had space travel as a fictional concept and little more. She'd never imagined visiting other worlds before Twilight's trip through the mirror, and even then it was standing on those worlds that she envisioned. This... was something else entirely. And it was breathtaking. "Can... can we go to Saturn next?"
Aiden grinned, and put a hand on her withers. "Friendship, confirm that request, if you would."
"You are go to have a look around the Solar System," Valerie confirmed. "Just be home by five. We all have plans."
"Copy that, Friendship. This is High Horse-"
"No, it isn't. Recommend we change name to Falcon."
Aiden blinked, then smiled and nodded once. "...Captain Windborne would like to confirm new ship name."
"Friendship confirms."
"Good to hear. Heading out for Saturn."
After another brief blur of colors that weren't really there, they were treated to another breathtaking view. After both looked on in appreciative silence for a moment, Rarity felt Aiden's magic as a bottle floated out of a nearby compartment. "I'd say this is a celebration type moment, wouldn't you?"
Rarity smiled, grabbing a pair of glasses with her own magic. They had, naturally, come prepared. Aiden popped the cork, and filled both glasses, taking one from her telekinesis. He clinked it against hers. "To successful test flights, and homeward journeys."
Rarity smiled, returning the clink and responding, "To new friendships, and bright futures."
They both sipped, enjoying the shared moment of triumph that they, and those back at Friendship, had earned together.
The sight of the Rings of Saturn would be with Rarity for the rest of her days, and she felt she'd be trying to find words to describe the experience of seeing them and the world they encircled for just as long. Fortunately, the words required of her currently were a bit easier; she'd had no trouble memorizing them.
"I, Rarity, Knight of the Esper Corps, do swear to defend my people and my homeland from all threats, foreign and domestic. I swear to uphold the ethical uses of the gift of magic both in myself and my peers. I hold myself to this standard now until the end of my life, a beacon of hope and a bastion against the darkness that would encroach upon our light. We walk forward on our path, no matter how it may bend and try to lead us astray. Even unto the depths of Hell without fear, for I know that I am not alone. My brothers and sisters walk with me, forward, shining brightly even covered in the shadows of the darkest of days. We are the children of magic, the defenders of our worlds. We are Knights."
She saluted smartly, and Paladin Williams returned it, as did Aiden, Donovan, and Vera from their sides. "Welcome to the Corps, Lady Rarity."
"Thank you, sir."
"Here's hoping it stays mostly ceremonial," Will said with a wry grin.
"Agreed, darling," she replied, breaking the serious mood as an impressive applause broke out from the gathered witnesses... those being the soldiers and technicians working at Fort Friendship (apparently now the official name) under General Grumman.
Among the loudest clapping was Private Aaron Cooper, wearing a grin that Pinkie would've been proud of. "And now, folks," he yelled over the pleasant din. "...Time to party!"
A cheer went up as the assembled throng began quickly rearranging the room to clear a dance floor and arrange chairs around tables near where the kitchen staff was already wheeling out buffet carts. Another small kitchen group was clearly setting up a bar, and it occurred to Rarity that it seemed a positively lovely night to get tipsy. But first...
She turned to Aiden, grinning as the music began playing. He returned the look, stepping forward and giving her a half bow. He looked rather sharp in his dress uniform, Rarity decided. She really didn't have a primer for human attractiveness beyond the Internet (marginally helpful if one could recognize the various misleads, she'd decided), but she'd determined that Aiden was... boyishly handsome, for whatever that meant. More importantly, she'd long since determined that she cared far less about how he looked than about how she felt around him.
"My Lady... may I have this dance?" and despite the slight upturn to his lips that indicated he knew the answer, there was an adorable little quaver of nerves in his voice. She had the sense that no one else would have even noticed it. Those grey eyes looked at her with warmth, respect, and trust. But even with everything, he didn't take her acceptance for granted.
He could have, though. "It would be my pleasure... Sir Knight," she replied.
Dancing on her hind hooves wasn't nearly as difficult as she might have anticipated, though practicing a bit in advance had helped. Aiden led her through a waltz that slowly increased in tempo as the first song did the same. They were both cheating a little, using touches of magic to assist with balance. The high point for Rarity was when Aiden dipped her... since she really had almost no way to keep her hooves from sliding out from under her. It was a surprise and a thrill since they distinctly hadn't practiced that. He didn't let her fall though, and when they came back up she was laughing and he was grinning, before they embraced as the song ended.
Of course that was only the beginning. Her next partner was Grumman, who danced much more simply given his slight limp. "I can't say how happy I am to see this day, and tomorrow as well. Miss Rarity, it may be presumptuous to say... but I'm very proud of you. Both of you," he added, nodding towards Aiden, who was dancing with Vera while Lily had dragged a half heartedly protesting Donovan onto the dance floor.
Rarity smiled. "Not at all, General. Without your guidance and support, I can't even imagine where I'd be, if I were even still alive to be anywhere. The same is true of Aiden, if to a lesser extent. Even when he left the military, you never stopped looking after him. I know he thinks of you as a father figure as much as a commanding officer."
Grumman's smile was the rare sort that could transform a face that had known true depths of loss. Rarity was quite happy to be able to put that smile on his face. Their dance ended with a kiss on his cheek. "To be clear, Albert Grumman, when I describe the best of humanity to my people, it will be the story of this house that you built, and the good people I met here."
After that, Rarity managed to find herself dancing with Donovan, Valerie, Aaron (who was almost surprisingly bad, until she realized he was somehow already drunk) and Lily. She even danced a short dance with Valerie's husband, to whom she had to give a good amount of credit. He took his first meeting with a friendly alien quite in stride. She couldn't recall his name later, but he was the very picture of calm composure. He reminded her a bit of Big Macintosh. Finally, she danced with Vera.
Vera, who smiled sheepishly, continuously looking away as she awkwardly held Rarity during their dance. "I've uh... I've apologized for almost... uh... I..."
"Yes, Vera. You did. More than once, and it's alright. You found your way back from a bad path, and believe me I've seen worse. You know you really should come to Equestria when you get the chance. I can think of several people you could speak to on the subject of redemption." Seeing Vera's lukewarm reaction, Rarity raised an eyebrow, grinning a bit mischievously. "You know though... acting bashful around me like this might give Lily the wrong idea."
As expected, Vera stumbled. "What?!" she demanded, going a bit red in the face.
"Oh my, that blush won't help in the slightest. It does suit you, and I'm not exactly exclusive in terms of gender... which doesn't help the jealousy thing either, of course," Rarity continued, tapping her chin with a hoof while looking lost in thought. "And your first date went so well she's probably anxiously watching your every move. And now here you are, acting this way... I just don't know..."
"Rarity!"
Rarity blinked innocently. "Yes, darling?"
"Why!?"
Rarity giggled. "Because, darling," she said, tapping her hoof lightly to Vera's nose. "You. Are. Forgiven. Everyone here knows it except you. I see you, we all do, acting guilty, feeling guilty, about mistakes you made. You're confident for a bit and then something happens and they're biting at you again. Stop letting them. They're part of you, no cutting them out of the design. But they aren't all of you. Learn from them... and walk forward. That's the oath we've both taken now, isn't it?"
Vera smiled softly. "Yeah... been awhile since I took it. I should probably remember it, and not just my latest screw up. That what you're saying?"
Returning the smile, Rarity nodded. "You'll do fine. Now then, jokes aside, Lily is waiting for another dance with you I think, and... oh..."
Vera turned, following Rarity's wide-eyed stare. "Oh holy shit..."
"Sweet Celestia..."
Aiden and Donovan were dancing. It wasn't two men dancing together that threw Rarity off... what drew her shocked silence was the same thing drawing the attention of the room.
She'd noted, while she and Aiden had practiced a bit so she could get accustomed to dancing upright, that he was a good teacher for it. He knew several pieces of advice and techniques for balance and confidence while going through the steps. But this...
The two of them spun, leapt, and improvised as they switched lead and follow roles frequently. Rarity had scarcely realized the song had changed while she was teasing Vera, going to something much more upbeat that the two were keeping pace to. It was astounding to watch.
"How can Donovan move like that?" Vera asked, rhetorically. "I'm still sore from the fighting... Hamada didn't even want us dancing."
"I don't know," Rarity said absently, mesmerized by the two of them. Most of her experience with dance was Canterlotian... regrettably Gala related and thus, rather tame. Oh there were some of Pinkie's crazier parties where things got a bit faster paced, especially when Vinyl was involved, but this... "What is this called?"
"Uh... swing? West Coast, I think? I'm not really a dancer, but Aiden and Donovan clearly are..."
"I should say so, darling. This is..." she smiled warmly. "This is simply lovely."
"That's a good word for it."
The song concluded, as did their dance, to an applause that matched Rarity's official swearing in. Perhaps exceeded, given the addition of a pair of hooves stomping loudly in approval.
The two took grinning bows to the crowd before fist bumping. Donovan headed for the bar while Aiden walked back over to Rarity, who was still grinning enticingly. "My my... you certainly didn't teach me any of that."
He chuckled sheepishly. "Don't think we had that kind of time."
"Yet, darling. I do believe I'm interested though."
"I think we could work something out."
"So when did you learn that?"
"Ah, well... it actually came from group... err, group therapy, maybe ten or twelve years back when we started. Our therapist wanted to get us involved in physical activities that didn't include violence. Dance was something a lot of us got into. It was a good bonding exercise for smaller platoons, but also a way to utilize our physical talents to create something positive, you know?"
Rarity reared up to hug him, and nuzzled his cheek. "I certainly do. It was wonderful to witness. Though now I have to insist on another dance, and perhaps a bit faster this time. I'm sure you won't let me fall."
"Not in a million years, my friend."
It was some time later. Dinner had been had, desserts had followed, and now an assortment of coffees, wines, and cocktails were slowly disappearing. Most of what Rarity had come to think of as their core group had gathered at the table to share this, her last night on Earth. For now, at least.
"But seriously... don't let him try n shoot nothin'. Or sing. Can't carry a tune in all o' that pocket dimension he's got. Just horrible. Karaoke in Mexico City, 2011... I'd thought the Mayans were right."
"Cooper... how the Hell do you even know about that? And how drunk are you?!" Aiden asked as Rarity and a few others laughed at Aiden's expense.
"Not very! Also, cause I was there. Still with the Marines at the time, but attached to Grumman's group that worked with the Espers there."
Aiden blinked. "Huh, I didn't realize you'd been in the service that long. Okay, so how the Hell are you still a Private?"
"Reasons!"
Aiden snerked. "Yeah, I bet. ...You're probably an expert on potatoes, aren't you?"
"...I could grow em on Mars, if you want."
"I can't see needing that for the moment."
Lily chuckled, adding, "He's lying. He turned down promotions to stay on here. Not how it'd usually work, but-"
"Hey, I like doin' the little odd jobs, okay? I get to goof around more, don't have to put up with idiot Privates like me."
"Heh... an 'idiot' Private who saved my life. Don't think any of us are actually falling for your act, Aaron," Rarity said, smiling winsomely over her glass of wine.
"I dunno," Aiden argued, sipping an Irish coffee. "I think he's just multi-talented. Capable of mind boggling feats of heroism and facehoofing moments of-"
"You did it again, darling."
"I did what?"
"Good pronunciation, though," Valerie added with a grin. "I didn't know you could conjugate facehoof that way."
"I... what?"
Rarity giggled. "He really doesn't notice himself doing that. And yes, you can, though it's rather informal. I can't imagine where he learned to speak thus. It certainly wasn't from me."
"Riiight," Aiden said, rolling his eyes. "It was this other pony... Rainbow Dash? Yeah, probably her."
"I'll be sure to let her know, when I see her." Rarity said dryly.
"You do that... tomorrow's going to be a big day, so try not to forget."
She smiled. "Yes, sir."
Several hours later they made it to bed, and after a goodnight kiss that was perhaps a touch more than friendly and probably to be blamed on alcohol, they both slept surprisingly well. At least Rarity believed such, since they'd become rather attuned to one another and she certainly slept like a foal. She dreamed at one point that she was helping fix the Millenium Falcon alongside Han Solo, Chewbacca, Aiden, and Johnathan. The surprising thing was, seeing Johnathan hadn't hurt. He'd been all smiles and enthusiasm about the journey they'd soon take when they got the hyperdrive fixed (finally!). And, as it had been in their short time together in the waking world, his was an infectious personality. Shortly before waking, she'd given him an extra big hug (Pinkie would've been proud, a fine number three 'I really love you and thank you for everything ever!' hug), knowing full well that this was a dream and that he was gone but not forgotten.
She'd awoken to Aiden already getting up, giving her an excited grin before hitting the shower. Rarity lingered in bed, waiting her turn. She didn't begrudge him going first; they both knew he'd be in and out faster than she, further once done he'd start coffee and a light breakfast for the two of them. All in all, a fine arrangement... and one she idly wondered if they'd be able to continue in Equestria. The thought brought a happy grin. Not so much at whatever their future might hold. That was certainly interesting, of course, but... SHE WAS GOING HOME! She'd see Sweetie again, and all of her friends, and her parents, and the princesses, and....
Her lips trembled as her eyes welled up with happy tears. "...Home..."
"Damn right..."
"Gah! Aiden! When did you...?"
He chuckled, pinching her ear lightly and drawing a pleased gasp from her. "About thirty seconds ago... you were really lost in thought there. I felt like I was watching a monologue with no dialogue. Shower's free, obviously. Coffee?"
"Definitely... and the next time you do that to my ear... buy me dinner first."
He snerked. "Sorry, I was given a short list of 'no touch' zones and that wasn't on it. Bad touch?"
"Oh not even vaguely, darling. Quite familiar... so don't do that to a random pony. It was delightfully similar to being nibbled on..."
"Geh..." he flushed, taking a step back.
She giggled. "It's fine, really. I enjoyed it. Now then, unless you'd like to continue such affectionate gestures in the shower-"
His flush went from pink to a rather lovely red.
Her grin went from understated to devilish, "-I'll see you again in a bit. ...And yes, I'd love a cup of coffee waiting. Also toast sounds nice."
"Yes, ma'am," he said in a slightly strangled sounding voice, backing away. She couldn't quite tell, and was happy for it, how much of his act was just an act versus how embarrassed he truly was. Nothing wrong with a little mystery. She gave him another, admittedly flirty, little laugh while stretching and swishing her tail a bit. She then hopped down from the bed and trotted jauntily towards the bathroom to prep for the trip home.
The sentiment was clear: 'this isn't goodbye, it's just see you later.' And Rarity was quite grateful for that. After staring down a round robin of well wishes and farewells she'd worried about tearing up, and hadn't disappointed herself. Still, it wasn't nearly so bad as she might have expected. No one there believed this would be their last time seeing each other. They had the ship, and more being built. The shielding problem, she knew, wouldn't hold back these people for long. A future for both their worlds as friends was something Rarity felt entirely confident about. And it all started right here.
Shortly before boarding the Falcon, Valerie was the last to address them both. "Aiden, Rarity. I wanted you both to know something. The designs I've left with you for the new batteries... they were a gift from Cade."
Rarity's eyes widened slightly. "'Cade' didn't exist, he was-"
"I know, and with respect, I disagree. I've taken on a number of false personas over the years, and those roles would never have been convincing if they had no life of their own. In a lot of ways, you become the character you're playing. And I never played a single role for as long as Garken played Cade. We've checked his work from top to bottom, and it's flawless for as far as it goes. Flawless, and brilliant. Moriko was able to make a few improvements to reduce the aetheryte requirements to what I told you during the test flight... but the actual designs we owe to him. We already have Tom and Crow working on computing substitutes we can use from Earth native materials. We've derived concepts that should help with the shielding problem, assuming tests go well."
"I... I could leave Joyeuse here," she offered, though it was surprisingly difficult to say. "The aetheryte within it could-"
"No," Valerie cut her off with a smile. "No, Joyeuse is definitely yours. I absolutely refuse to carve it up for batteries, even if I could. It has a life of its own, or at least an animus of sorts. It belongs with you... and it should get to go home as well."
Rarity smiled, nodding her agreement. "I wanted to make the offer... but I'm honestly glad you turned me down. I've grown a bit attached to it." She blinked. "I may have to have Twilight make sure that isn't a bad thing. Corrupted aetheryte has to come from somewhere..."
"Heh... not from you, though," Aiden said. "I'm pretty damn sure the nobility and selflessness you've poured into that crystal are the opposite of any sort of corruption."
"Hear hear," General Grumman interjected, stepping forward with a familiar book in hand. "One last thing to take along. Your tablets and other supplies are already loaded, of course, but thank you for loaning this back to me one last time."
"Of course, General, though your wording confuses me. It's your book."
"Not anymore. Please, as we discussed when we met..." he smiled. "Seems so long ago, has it really only been weeks...?"
"I can't even tell," Aiden chuckled.
"In any case... please give this to Princess Celestia, with my compliments. A similar volume, containing human history, has been included with your tablets, alongside a paper copy... though that version is, by necessity, less extensive."
"I'm sure she'll be deeply surprised and delighted to have them both... as will Twilight Sparkle," Rarity said with a knowing, and anticipatory, grin.
"Your Princess of Friendship, if I recall correctly?"
"You do."
"Fitting then, that she get a copy. I look forward to meeting them both, and Luna and... Cadenza?"
Rarity nodded.
"All of them."
"A day to look forward to." She reared up, hugging him tightly. "I said it yesterday, but it bears repeating. Thank you, for everything."
He returned the hug, smiling softly. "Take care of yourself, Rarity, until we meet again. I expect it sooner rather than later."
"I as well, so you do the same... Albert."
They released one another, and Rarity turned and hugged Valerie, who staggered a bit as though somehow not expecting it. Rarity laughed. "The first friendly face I met here, and I'll never forget that. You were the first ray of hope I felt. Keep shining that hope for everyone here as well. We all need you, Valerie. Don't think I don't notice you trying to slip out of the spotlight every chance you get."
"It's a spy habit..." she fake whined, but returned Rarity's hug fiercely. "But I'll remember. Be safe... and look after Aiden for us."
"Hey..."
"I will, darling," she replied, lightly ignoring Aiden's half-hearted protest as she released the embrace. She glanced cheekily at Aiden, as if to say '...well?'
"Hmph," he grumped theatrically, before offering a hand to Grumman. "A salute somehow doesn't seem right just now."
"It certainly doesn't, young man," Grumman replied, grasping his hand firmly and pulling him into a hug that clearly caught him off guard. "Take care out there. I'd tell you to mind yourself, since you're representing humanity-"
"Yeah, no pressure."
"But I've every confidence in you... And in their forgiving nature."
"Gee, thanks."
Grumman chuckled, and patted him on the back. "It's presumptuous, but you're the son I wish I'd had. I do have every confidence in you, both of you. You're a credit to humanity, and to your fellow Espers, just as I fully believe Rarity to be a credit to Equus' people. I know the two of you will forge a path for us all."
"Agreed, and I'll say the same to you: take care of Rarity," Valerie added, catching Aiden in a hug after Grumman let go. "You two look after each other, and I know the rest will fall into place."
"Yeah," Aiden said, smiling brightly. "Count on it."
"Nine... eight... seven..."
"Why do we even need a countdown? This thing launches more smoothly than a car."
"Three... two... one... ignition!"
Aiden rolled his eyes, clear even from the internal camera's position, but couldn't fight a grin as he kicked in the thrusters that took them effortlessly into the upper atmosphere. Valerie watched the reading from her station; everything was in the green. Continuing the climb, he keyed in the final calculations for the Creation Engines' main drive to open a gate to Equus. "This is Falcon, requesting final permission to head out. Co-Captains Aiden and Rarity, checking in one final time before jump."
"Falcon, this is General Grumman of Fort Friendship, speaking for all of humanity in wishing you godspeed, and the best of luck. You are clear to depart, and we hope to hear from you soon."
"Feel free to come visit when you can."
"We fully intend to."
"Damn right. Captain, if you'd be so kind?"
Rarity grinned, and her magic tapped in the final confirmation sequence. "Jumping to theoretical space..."
They were the last words the Falcon transmitted before disappearing from Earth's orbit. The cabin camera feed went to static, as expected. Valerie smiled, and Hamada nodded in affirmation at the readings. "Looks flawless from here, but they're too far for any form of communication... now we wait and see."
Rarity had no idea how long she'd been out of it. Had she napped? Was this real? Was the ship moving sideways in time, or had she moved forward while everything else moved backward more slowly. As her mind swirled around these concepts without really considering them, it occurred to her that there was nothing. In the distance, there were somethings. Stars? Galaxies? Quasars... wait, what were those again? Where was her tablet...? Distractions... please, Celestia... anything... But there, where they were, what they were moving through? NOTHING. She was vaguely aware of sitting in Aiden's lap, clinging to him. There was nothing romantic about the gesture. She was shivering in vague, existential terror... and so was he. Both of them, their magic clinging desperately to one another, felt the infinite seeming void of absolute nothingness all around them. Impossible to comprehend numbers of impossible to cross distances separated them from absolutely everything. Rarity whimpered. Aiden's arms tightened around her. Make it stop... she had no idea which of them had thought that. She knew it was his teeth she could hear grinding...
And then it ended... with a bang.
Alarms went off, the ship bucked violently and everything was light... and smoke. The light came from without, as the ship spun out of control and both of them came to their senses, gripping their chair in a telekinetic death hold.
"SHIT!!" Aiden shouted, getting ahold of himself (relatively) slightly faster than Rarity. She hopped over to her own chair, holding it with her magic to get there safely, and strapped in.
"What the buck was that?!"
"WE HIT A GODDAMN STAR! WHY IS YOUR SUN RIGHT THE BUCK THERE?!"
"WHAT?!"
"WE. HIT. YOUR. SUN!"
"WHY?!"
"BUCK IF I KNOW! WHY'S IT SO SMALL?! AND RIGHT CLOSE TO THE PLANET?!"
"I DON'T KNOW! ...Is yelling helping?!" she asked as she tapped several controls to cut the alarm klaxons.
"It's helping me! Seriously, we bounced off of a sun! It's a small star, sure, but... it's orbiting your world! These readings... this is..."
"But you knew that! Celestia controls the sun; it's in Grumman's book!"
"I thought it was metaphorical!"
"Well, it's not!"
"Shit! Okay so we're pretty bucked... shields are down, all batteries overloaded when the shields bounced us away from getting cooked... we also took a major power drain coming through... whatever that cloud was."
"Sidera's Veil, I assume?"
"I think you're right. Anyway we're... tumbling toward the planet on a ballistic course."
"I just can't fly in Equestria without crashing, it would seem."
"You mighta mentioned that."
Rarity grinned sheepishly at him.
"No, being cute doesn't absolve you..."
"It can't hurt."
"...Fair. Okay so we don't have much choice in the matter, but we're coming in pretty deep into what I'm guessing is the Crystal Empire? Certainly a ways north of Canterlot."
She nodded, examining the readings as though they weren't plummeting to their deaths. ...After all, they weren't. "Agreed. According to this, we'll be perhaps two hundred miles west of the Crystal Capital, and about one hundred south of Yakyakistan."
"If I recall, you don't much care for the Yaks."
"They're... a difficult people to get along with. Not to say bad... per se... but challenging. We should definitely make for the Crystal Capital."
"Right. Hull armor is holding against the atmospheric friction, should be no problems there. No lifeforms in our impact radius..." Several items, including their supply crate, disappeared into portals. "Ready to go?" He smiled, holding out his hand.
"Let's," she replied, taking the hand in a hoof.
The two vanished, soon to have excellent seats for the Falcon's unfortunate arrival. The road ahead was just opening up, beckoning them onward. Together, they would take the first step.
The End |
Fallout Equestria: To Question Fate | pre | "That's the whole point, I'm not perfect." He huffed and completely turned his head away from where I couldnt watch him.
I didn't reply right away. I let him have his moment, whatever it was. But eventually I raised my head and leaned further over him, our chests touching and my mane falling near his face. He blinked, noticing the movement and looked back up at me curiously.
"You don't need to be perfect. You just need to try to be better."
I softly nuzzled my muzzle next to his, and laid back down where I had been before. He never did reply.
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
I stood near what was apparently a very angry purple pony. After being dragged to my hooves and equally dragged over to the two wagons, I now found myself in the 'thick of it'. When the unicorn that Karma had called 'Light' quite literally tossed me to the wolves in front of the rest of the other ponies to introduce me, the angry unicorn who seemed very disappointed I wasn't a mare had spoken up, loudly.
"Last I checked, you weren't the leader of this group, Psych." Karma said behind him, I hadn't even noticed her sneaking around him with my face full of angry pony, that and I still had my heavy luggage attached to me. I was sore, my back hurt, I suddenly and sadly had everyone's attention, and now I had been yelled at. I wasn't noticing much else right now.
I think I might have seen the angry pony called 'Psych''s left eye twitch slightly. He very slowly turned around towards Karma, who stood a few paces away from him. He threw on a grin that made me feel that much more uncomfortable.
"Oh, and you are? Its perfectly fine to bring in another when we are already over-burdened as it is, but bringing along a 'PEGASUS' THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY CLUE, THAT WE HAVE TO FOALSIT OUT HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE?!" By the time he got to the end of his rant he was yelling again and had crossed the distance between him and Karma, their heads nearly touching. Even though she stood her ground, her ears did fold back with a twitch. After a few minutes of silence where the rest of the ponies around us had all nearly stopped breathing, Karma gave him one of her own grins.
"We all know your just angry because you cant join the mile high club," She let out a huff of breath at him, losing the grin and thrusting her head and chest forwards knocking him back slightly, but their heads butting together. "Light says he can stay, then he's staying, get over yourself." Said in a much threatening matter than before.
I saw all the ponies slowly turn their heads to Psych. It was another one of those quiet moments where we all waited for the inevitable reaction. Instead, Psych nearly lunged forwards, causing him and Karma to stumble back a few feet while locking their lips together in a forceful kiss. Everypony's eyes grew wide at once, along with Karma's nearly bugging out of her own head.
Quickly afterwards Psych let out a small muffled screech and yanked his head back away from her, falling onto his rump as Karma sputtered and back peddled away from him while spitting in the dirt. Psych held one hoof over his lips while the other pointed at her dramatically.
"THE BITCH BIT ME!" His head darted back and forth between the ponies around us.
"Yeah and I don't know where your mouth has been!" Karma hissed at him in reply.
"FILLY FOOLING HUSSY!"
"STALLION STUFFING WHORE!"
"ENOUGH!" Came from Light as he hopped between the two of them, glaring back and forth. Instantly both Karma and Psych glared hatefully in his direction in one single motion, making him tense and lift a hoof nervously. "Behave..." he said more calmly after those few tense moments. Psych grumbled quietly under his breath, something about 'sausage-fest' while bringing up a hoof to push back his green mane. Afterwards he raised up and headed behind one of the wagons, though after a second he darted his head back around and stuck his tongue out at Karma.
Karma was rubbing a hoof over her mouth and had been attempting to ignore Psych's leave, but she did notice him darting back around the wagon, and she just as quickly stuck her own tongue out at him before stepping back over towards me. Muttering under her own breath in quiet retaliation, while attempting to pretend to be oblivious to the other ponies as she undid the straps holding my bag to my back.
"...What the hell just happened?" I turned my head towards Karma as she worked the bag off for me, and then moved to unclasp my weapons. She rolled her eyes and didn't answer me, but I am fairly sure I distinctly heard the snickering of other ponies within our vicinity. The other tall female unicorn named Rainy Day stepped to my side and swept out a hoof in the others general direction.
"Well, you've met Psych Ward." She said while attempting to hold back a smirk, behind the wagon I could clearly hear a "Its Psychadous!", which Rainy clearly ignored. This made Karma giggle, quickly coming out of her funk as she stepped around me once I was free of my luggage. Using the straps of the bag she was able to carry both the armor and the guns over to the opposite wagon, unclasping the guns to lean them up and then tossing the bag with her head into the wagon with a loud clank as it hit.
Instantly, out jumped a small metal looking creature. It landed with a roll into the dirt and came up with a robotic yipping noise, which it then began to run circles between Karma's legs happily. While me and Rainy watched, she smiled down at the thing, patting it on its head with a hoof which caused its eyes to flash green. She then pointed a hoof behind us which caused the little robot to circle around in a jump, wagging its tail with a clanking sound as it looked behind us where she had pointed.
Both me and Rainy turned our heads to see Stan sulking under his hat, giving an almost pitiful look to the robot creature. Hearing a serious of yipping caused him to shuffle to his hooves and take off in the opposite direction, the little robot darting around us as it took after him. A series of "No!, No!, Bad dog!" followed their chase, while Karma, Rainy, and a few other ponies that Stan had caught attention of laughed.
Things kept getting stranger and stranger, but as I sat around a bunch of laughing ponies I couldn't help finding it contagious. Letting off a quiet snicker as I turned my attention back around to Karma, who was suddenly attacked by a white unicorn foal jumping out of the wagon, a foal that was almost as tall as Karma was, landing on her back which caused Karma to nearly stumble, then hopping down. Shaking her bright red mane back and forth before looking at the older mare with a grin before noticing Rainy sitting next to me.
"MOMMA!" was let out at a high pitched squeal that caused Karma's body to twitch in pain with her closer proximity to what was obviously a filly, that took off at a run towards Rainy, who seemed immune to the squeal's pitch. The other ponies around us winced a bit even though they were no where near her, and I even had to rub a hoof over an ear.
Rainy stepped around me to scoop up the filly with a single hoof and hugged her tight with a smile, causing the filly to continue to grin ear-to-ear as she was placed back down. It was after this did she notice me, blinking bright pink eyes and darting around what was obviously her mother. Rainy chuckled quietly.
"'Appy, say hello to the nice colt," She spoke while looking behind her, the little filly looking at me from behind her mother. Rainy turned her attention back to me afterwards. "Cloud, this is Happy Day, my daughter."
At the mention of her name, the little filly seemed to brighten a bit at being introduced. I leaned to the side and peeked behind Rainy and gave the foal a smile in hopes that would bring her out further. Lucky enough she stepped out and picked up a hoof to wave it in my direction. I had to admit, even though her color combination resemble nothing of her mother, except maybe the height of her frame, the white, pink, and red was very cute. I noticed her eyes drift over my back, and they got even wider at seeing my wings.
I noticed Karma stepping to my side where she huffed and sat down, lifting her upper body so she could rub at her back, though she showed no ill will to the blank-flanked filly. She looked at me, rolling her eyes playfully, before drawing her attention to Happy.
"I think Stan might need some help, Appy..." Karma mentioned, drawing her sentence out as she lifted her muzzle to indicate behind her. All three of us looked in the direction to see Stan having given up the good fight, leaning against one of the wagons as the robot dog from before apparently had decided that one of Stan's back hooves was mating material.
This was the point I out-right laughed, seeing the robot dog hump Stan's hoof like there was no tomorrow was just too much to fight back being nervous any longer. Specially with the disgusted look Stan was throwing in the dog's direction. The adding flashing green of the robot's eyes as it went to town only added to the hilarity of the situation.
Karma's shoulder bumped into mine as her snickers followed up my laughter, even Rainy had raised a hoof to try to cover her giggles. Happy on the other had gave an over-dramatic roll of her eyes with an added sigh to add to the effect while turning around and heading over to Stan.
"Bad puppy, come'er Dominic!" She yelled over to them, not quite as harsh as her squeal from before. The robot 'puppy' stopped its fake love making at the sound of her voice, jumping off of Stan's leg and twisting around to make a be-line towards Happy. She lifted to her back hooves and caught her little friend as it jumped onto her, causing her to giggle and roll around with him. The little robot dog's eyes flashing and emitting ecstatic sounding yips all the while.
"Great, now Ive got to get her clean all over again," grumbled Rainy to my side.
"You know she's just going to find another way to get dirty later," Karma smirked over to Rainy.
At this point we noticed Stan shaking his back leg as if he had something else to dislodge from it, turning his head to glare at Karma as if the situation had been all her fault, which it had. Karma on the other hand gave him the most innocent expression she could, pointing at herself with a hoof and mouthing the words 'Who me?' at him. Stan lifted his own hoof in reply, pointing at his eyes, and then pointing at her with a glower. This only made Karma laugh harder then before.
"You know damn well that its all Tech's fault!" she yelled over at him with the same grin from before. Stan was rolling his eyes about the same time a pale green unicorn stepped nearer to Rainy's side and sat down, quirking up an eyebrow.
"What's my fault?" he questioned, looking at each of us in turn, with a tilt to his head. Rainy also re-sat down and gave a innocent shrug of her shoulders before looking past me at Karma, who also shrugged in the same innocent manner and nudged her head over at Stan. The green pony blinked, giving a offended expression once he had noticed. "I have told you guys time and time again if that stupid canine's wires had been properly color coded instead of all being green then that wouldn't have happened I mean really who puts all grounding wires into a robot in the first place not including the year and model of that thing is already two hundred years old I might add and its not like you guys let me keep any good parts I find because Celestia-be-damned if I'm ever allowed any new toys and..." Rainy nudged the green pony with her shoulder, cutting off his speech right as I was losing interest. He huffed, raising his upper body up and crossing his hooves over his chest with as much of a dignified hurt expression that he could muster.
"Just say hello, Tech Support." Karma said next to me. Causing the green pony to sling his head in her direction and narrow his eyes at her. She quickly brought her hooves up to her chest and dramatically allowed herself to flop over with a choked sound, as if Tech had actually thrown daggers in her direction. This caused both her and Rainy to snicker afterwards as she got back up, while I tried my best to bite back my own amusement to save the stallion from any more antics. Tech held out a hoof at me, and I gently bumped my own against his. He then stood up and gave me a small bow.
"Tech Support, at your service! Unlike some mares and stallions around here I can actually prove sane and informative." He turned, giving me a view of his flank where a computer screen sat, with a cracked screen.
"A broken computer is informative?" I couldn't help but ask. A broken computer actually seemed like the least informative thing a cutie mark could represent. Tech's face fell into a pout, much to the mares amusement as they snickered, again.
"Tech can hack any computer you sit him in front of," Rainy replied to my question, which quickly caused Tech's mood to brighten. "Without him, we'd be struggling to get into anywhere." And the last part made him openly beam while throwing his chest out and his head up at the praise.
"Yeah, and he also broke poor little Dominic." Karma leaned out from next to me and threw a Tech a playful smirk. He on the other hand just narrowed his eyes at her and stomped off in a huff towards what looked to be a fire pit that the other ponies were working on making. A large navy blue earth stallion was just throwing a random piece of salvaged lumber into the pile as he caught my glance into that direction. He stopped with a smile and waved a hoof at me.
"His name is Mist Blade," Karma said next to me while I waved a hoof back politely, with her and Rainy following suit. "Don't let his looks fool you, Ive seen him cut through a whole slew of raiders just by himself!" Raising her voice and slicing a hoof across her throat while sticking her tongue out afterwards in a dead expression.
The big blue pony was watching Karma, rolling his eyes with the same smile, though as he turned around he accidentally tripped over a section of brush that had been thrown into the pile from before, causing him to fall straight onto his face with a groan. Picking himself up he rubbed a hoof over his now dirt covered muzzle, blinking and looking back over at the three of us having watched his stunt. I didn't know a blush could be seen through dark fur, but he quickly made a exit to go get more wood, I saw a dagger hilt on his flank as he hurried off.
I noticed a even darker pony that was chopping up larger pieces of wood into smaller pieces as Mist stumbled off. I watched as two meat cleavers hung in mid-air by red-colored magic, the black coated male unicorn twisting his head back and forth in time with the cleavers smacking into the salvaged wood. As he caught me staring, he swung his head up which caused his white and dark red striped mane to sling back, blinking at me with bright red eyes.
I couldn't help but tilt back slightly, that was the scariest looking pony yet out of this colorful group. Apparently this amused him as he lowered his head and gave me a maniacal grin with wide eyes. Letting his magic twirl the cleavers in mid air as if he was going to throw them in my direction. As I visibly twitched, he only laughed to himself and went back to cutting.
"Don't let Cleave scare you, he likes to get a rise out of ponies," Rainy mentioned, raising to her hooves and motioning for me and Karma to follow to find a spot next to the wood pile. "Meat Cleaver is our cook, and a very good one at that."
"Oh please tell me we have some radigator left, please!" Karma bounced to her hooves next to me, following while licking her lips and grinning at me. "Its tasty, you've just got to try it."
"Um...sure." I replied, with an attempt at a smile to hide the fact I didn't have a clue what she was talking about.
On the other side of the pile from us, as the three of us settled to sitting down, was another pony. He peeked his head up and looked at us over the wood, teal eyes throwing us an innocent expression.
"Ugh..." Karma quietly groaned next to me and threw a hoof up to her face as the light blue pony with the teal eyes and mane jumped to his hooves and stepped around the pile, giving the three of us a small nervous grin. Rainy simply blinked and didn't say anything, looking to Karma who was narrowing her eyes at the other pony. As her expression refused to crack under his gaze he nervously pawed at the dirt with a hoof.
"Um...hey guys!" He tried with the friendly approach, looking between the three of us in turn. I was just about to open my mouth when...
"What do you want Static." Karma flatly said, refusing to take her eyes off the other pony as if she was waiting for him to give her a reason to strike at him.
"Well, its just um...you know," He stepped around us, tilting his head over to the wagon that Karma had slung my armor bag into, my two nova-rifles leaning against its side. "I sorta saw you come in with those and I was wondering if maybe I could..." As he moved I noticed the white jagged mark slung across both his flanks, it looked like a actual lightning bolt.
"You can play with them if you leave us alone." was Karma's continued flat reply.
The light blue earth pony perked up instantly, throwing a hoof up and giving Karma and over exaggerated salute and running off to the wagon with a gleeful bounce to his hooves. He laid down next to them and grabbed one to start tinkering with it, sticking his tongue out and closing one eye as his hooves moved over the weapon.
"His name is Static Shock, and I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw a manticore." was muttered by Karma as she looked away from the scene with distaste. I tilted my head at her reaction, and I felt Rainy lean closer to me.
"Static is very good with energy weapons." Rainy said quietly before glancing over to Karma as the other mare gave a huff of annoyance.
"Yeah, and he's probably been eyeing those weapons as soon as he noticed you carrying them, not that he actually cared about anything else for a actual introduction." Karma nearly spit out the remark as if it left a bad taste in her mouth.
"I guess your right..." I said quietly, while looking back over my shoulder at Static who was now holding what looked like a flash light between his teeth, and already one of my rifles looked like it was in a hundred pieces, scattered around him. I did my best not to let out a whimper in sympathy to the weapon's plight.
The sky was slowly getting darker now behind its veil of clouds, giving the earth beneath our hooves that orange color from before. Sitting between Rainy and Karma made me feel a bit less uncomfortable with being the stranger in the situation, though I had little idea of what the other ponies around us were planning. The pile of wood in front of us had been made far large than needed for a normal fire. Cleave appeared to have stopped chopping wood to digging through a box he had pulled from a wagon, tossing random things into a kettle that he had placed behind him. Light and Tech looked like they were talking over the remains of an old radio that looked like it had been surgically evolved into a computer. Psych had even came out of his hiding place and was rolling a medium sized barrel towards the fire while carrying another box filled with beakers filled with random liquids with his magic beside him.
I ruffled my feathers slightly, getting more comfortable when Rainy's filly came up behind the three of us. She was tugging on Rainy's tail when we three noticed her, with Dominic behind her wagging his curved pipe-made tail. She was covered in dirt from her rumble with her pet from before.
"Momma, can I stay up for Friday?" Happy blinked innocently at her mother with huge pink eyes as she just barely hinted at a whine in the request, making me and Karma cringe slightly. Rainy rolled her eyes and pushed herself to her hooves while shaking her head. "But Mommmmmm......!!", that last part was well than more enough for both me and Karma to thrust our hooves against our ears. That foal had quite the whine on her, and Rainy seemed all but immune to it, lucky for her.
"You know your not old enough for Fridays yet, 'Appy. Back into the wagon, its almost bed time." The mare said matter-of-factually to her daughter, who at this point still refused to move as she bit her bottom lip and looked up at her mother pitifully. Rainy simply lowered her head and scooted the filly along, while Happy let herself be pushed towards the wagon, leaving a foal-size drag through the dirt as she and her mother made their way over to the wagons. Dominic let out a single bark before turning and walking off to stay with its foal master, eyes blinking every couple of steps.
"So why is Friday so special?" I finally got the chance to ask Karma, while turning my head towards her once we had been left alone. She had been watching Light and Tech continue their talk over the radio looking machine, which had apparently turned into a mini argument with Light having smacked the thing, and Tech looking like he had been the one struck instead.
"Well, I'm sure you can tell, things down here aren't so great with a lot of ponies. So, our group has made it a tradition that whenever we can, we try to have fun one night. Sing, dance, tell stories, drink, that sorta thing." She brought up a hoof and curved it around to indicate the others around us.
"So its a party in other words." I tilted my head at her, it seemed kind of odd for a group of ponies to just be having a party out in the middle of the wasteland.
"Pretty much. Normally, we are just a tiny caravan of scavengers. We go around, fill the wagons with stuff we intend to sell at the next settlement. Keep whatever we can for ourselves. Whenever we are doing decent enough we have one of these little get-together things. Its how I knew Stan was going to meet us, we don't like for anyone to miss it. Since we don't really know when we will be able to do this again."
"Well, it sounds efficient enough." I nodded to her explanation.
"It does a pony good not to worry about things once in awhile. Times are bad, but we weren't made to be like this. Having fun just reminds us to be ponies." Karma turned her head towards me, and I noticed then that it had got even darker in the span of the short conversation. It made it difficult to see her full expression, but she seemed rather serious about the last statement. "That, and there are strengths in numbers."
"Yeah, I understand that." Seemed simple when she put things like that, these ponies stayed together because not only was it smart, but they could do better for themselves as a whole rather than apart, despite their many conflicting differences.
With that being said to myself, We noticed Light heading over to stand near the pile of scrap wood with Mist and Psych at his sides. At the same time, Stan and another new pony came up from the opposite side. The unicorn standing next to Stan had a grin on his face as he looked to Light, even in this nearly faded light he stuck out like a sore thumb with his color combination. Neon blue coat with a equally neon red, maybe even orange, mane that stuck out in random spots.
"Alright everypony! I'm tired of waiting, so lets get the fire started shall we?!" Every pony turned their attention to Light as he raised his voice, most of them heading over to stand nearer. Rainy had finally got her daughter back to bed and I noticed her coming up behind us in my peripheral vision, though it looked like Static could care less as he was still using the flash light to tear apart one of my guns. "Let'er rip, Pyro!"
The unicorn next to Stan bounced forwards, Karma and the others raised their voices in supporting 'hollar as he dramatically bowed before turning away from us towards the wood, the turning motion gave me a good view of his cutie mark, a multicolored fireball was attached to his flank. Now I knew where both the name, and the source of our fuel was coming from.
The pony called Pyro lifted his head, orange magic covering his horn as above it burst into small flame. He slowly tilted and curved his head around in a circle, cracking his neck, as the flame slowly brightened into a bigger ball. Finally he lifted a hoof and casually dusted himself off as if the effort was nothing for him when the fireball took off from his horn. Suddenly the fire ball was much larger, and landed squarely into the middle of the wood. The fire acted almost like a liquid as it swirled over its food source and crackled into its life supporting being.
"Thank you, thank you everypony!" Pyro instantly turned to the small crowd of ponies with a grin, only to have a section of his tail swish through the fire, lighting the tip of it aflame. At our wide-eyed expressions, Pyro gave a confused blink before slowly turning his head around, where his tail decided to suddenly alight even further with a 'Fwoosh!' at the added attention it got.
"NOT AGAIN." Pyro squealed and zipped over to Stan who was already standing to assist in the stomping of the flame-tail. Pyro was sulking, but the laughter of the ponies around us, including my own, ended up with him being unable to keep the troubled look for long. Eventually he looked over towards me, Karma, and Rainy, shrugging his shoulders with the same grin on his face from before. "It'll grow back, it always does!"
"That would be the last of our crew, his name is Pyro Blast." mentioned Karma next to me as I had raised a hoof to wave to him. I noticed Mist leaving Light's side to head over to us and lay down on the other side of Rainy. Psych on the other hoof stepped near his barrel he had rolled over from before, his magic grabbing the top of it and started to attempt to yank it open. Cleave was dragging his kettle over to the fire with his red-coated magic and Light made his way back to the radio looking contraption where Tech waited, giving the green unicorn a nod that allowed Tech to use his bright yellow magic to turn a few knobs on the front of the machine. At first nothing but static came out, but with another thump of a hoof from Light (and Tech's exaggerated painful look), the machine burst into a electronic sounding music, with a rhythm that made you want to tap a hoof.
Light noticed my attention, I must have looked a little startled to see that these ponies had found a way to even make their own music out here. He just gave me a smirk, his horn glowing in soft blonde magic as a pair of well-worn head-phones pulled onto his neck. A magical turn of one of the knobs located on the headphones made the music alter into a lower pitch, and I could swear I could physically feel it through my coat.
"My name is Light Shield, and today is Friday!" He said while lifting to his hind hooves and throwing his upper ones out to his sides, causing his poofy mane to fall back. The other ponies including Rainy and Karma gave a 'Woop!' of approval at his introduction.
Maybe I should have been concerned I was out here at nighttime, no idea where I was, and with a bunch of random crazy surface dwellers I had just met. But, Karma had been right, it was just about having fun. Who cares about the consequences, right?
Or maybe it was just the madness of the situation rubbing off on me, I still couldn't tell you. |
Fallout Equestria: To Question Fate | Lately, I've been losing sleep. | I was supposed to have been gone. But I never claimed to be an honest pony.
No one was going to actually see a dirt colored "dirt" pony like myself though. I had laid on the ground near the side of the building in shadow and quietly watched as he met up with his "friends". I doubt he would have forgiven me if I got myself caught, but I also remember that I didn't care. My logical brain was telling me I needed to see this, less I forget.
His armor was back on, hiding everything but his head since his helmet was off. His fellow soldiers in similar garb flew down shortly after from the tower, one of them patting their comrade on the back between his wings and seeming to praise him for some reason or another. I couldn't hear from that distance, It shouldn't have been any of my business anyways.
He had to go back, I told myself while I watched the three of them take flight, heading to the clouds. I lifted my head, thinking to myself, wondering when was going to be the next time we would have a chance to see one another. He was smart enough to have found a way to send messages to my PipBuck, but it just wasn't the same.
I was supposed to have been gone, I reminded myself. He did not want to be seen with me. Something about it not being good for either of us, it was for the best I left before anypony showed up. He promised me that it would be alright.
I couldn't help but make a mental note, that he never looked back. Not even once, just to check.
"A long, long time ago, before the bombs fell, and even longer before that..."
Most of us were laid out near the fire, which the group had let smolder down just enough to let us see Cleave. The black-coated pony stood in front of the fire, letting what light it was able to produce to give him a eerie orange outline to his frame. We all had found our particular sitting or laying spots, each with coffee mugs that we were currently drinking some sort of tasty fruit mixture that Psych had produced from his chemicals and barrel. While it was crazy to think I had no idea exactly what had been used in the semi-clear green fluid, it tasted absolutely wonderful. Much better than anything we'd had above the clouds, I was already on my third cup.
Cleave stood above us, dramatically flaring out his mane with a shake of his head as he stood watching the group. Those red eyes just added to the effect he was trying to produce with the current atmosphere. Apparently, he liked ghost stories. Not too much of a surprise there. With a grin causing his teeth to look extra bright against his black coat, he continued.
"There used to be a pony family called the 'Bales'. Hay Bale had just moved his family from Appleloosa up to Baltimare where the soil was more fertile at the time. From there with what savings he had, he was able to buy some land, and over time increase that to more than just an acre or two."
At this point, Pyro raised a hoof into the air and began swinging it around.
"Ugh...What?" Cleave muttered with a sigh and turned his attention to Pyro.
"So what were they going to do with all that land?" Pyro asked after lowering his hoof, looking innocent.
Cleave glared at Pyro for a few quiet seconds before clearing his throat, to the amusement of Pyro who giggled shortly after while settling back down.
"Hay...they made Hay. Of course they made hay what else would they have made...rocks? ANYWAYS." That last part was said while Cleave again glared in Pyro's direction. "Mr. Bale, with his wife, had three children. One being a mare he named Little Bale. One day, Bale was expecting his grass fields when he saw a strange creature."
At this point Cleave rose to his hind hooves and reared menacingly, casting shadows over our group.
"In the middle of his field was a creature with the body of a dog, and the head of a rabbit. Bale had his gun on him, and he shot at the creature many times, but it just vanished. He didn't think much else of the incident and made his way back home to his family, but as they were finishing dinner they started to hear a beating noise outside the walls of their log home."
Cleave let his upper body fall to the ground with a much harder 'stomp' than normal. Lowering his head and smirking up at us from under his fallen mane while he used his tail to fan the smoldering wood behind him. Embers scattered upwards into the sky and died just as quickly as they raised. He was fairly good at putting on a show.
"Every night, the sounds would get worse. Bale and his sons tried each night to run out and catch the pony responsible, but each night they came up empty hoofed. Weeks followed, and the Bale colts and filly began hearing even stranger noises, rats gnawing at their bedposts..."
His back hoof lifted and pushed against a piece of timber that had fallen from the fire, causing it to scrape against both wood and ash in an awful crunching noise.
"...and then, the children would wake up with their blankets snatched from them in the middle of the night..."
Another wave of his tail, the embers brightened harshly against the gust before dieing down once more.
"...as time went on, as if it couldn't get any worse for the Bale family, they started hearing whispering noises."
A glance was given over to Tech's music machine, where he stood by waiting his turn. A quick few knobs were twisted into place with yellow magic and a soft static was emitted through the speakers. Cleave then continued.
"It was just whispers at first, sound like a poor, feeble, old mare's singing. Not long after, poor Little Bale woke up with welts, bites, scratches, and a number of other small wounds. Bale had swore to keep his family's 'problem' between themselves, but soon he decided he needed help, and called on his neighbor Jay Bird, a pegasus, to help."
He then sat down before us, getting into the more lengthy part of the story I guessed.
"Even with Jay Bird sleeping over, the noises continued, getting louder and louder until Jay couldn't stand it anymore. 'IN CELESTIA'S NAME, WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU WANT?!"
He had raised his voice, throwing his hooves out to us in a desperate maneuver. It caused a few of us to lean back away from him, which he couldn't hide back a tiny grin at our reaction.
"Things did quiet down that night, but it was far from the end. As the nights followed the voice got stronger, and stronger...singing at the top of her old lungs, screeching, conversation with even more ponies that were not there...the poor family was tortured every night. And even we don't know what happened to that poor family, but the story is far from over there, but I'll have to tell you ponies that another time..."
By now we were all leaning forwards and listening intently to Cleave's ghost story. I never even noticed my flank seemed itchy, reaching around a hoof and brushing against my cutie mark's location. I turned my head around to see if I had anything on me to cause the irritation when suddenly raised above me was a massive figure in the darkness, clawed horns reaching down from the creature's head and claws thrusting out from its appendages, which just as suddenly caught fire at their tips.
Squealing I darted to my hooves and took a quick flap of my wings to shoot across the dieing fire to the other side, with the sound of laughing ponies following me. Blinking I realized the fire I had just flew over was being restored by magic, and there Pyro was, front hooves tied with sickly branches and a few tied into the top of his mane, the tips of the branches still barely alight as he looked at me with a smirk.
"Ooga-booga!" he half-snarled falsely at me before rolling into the dirt with a laugh as his magic pulled off the extra appendages and put our their ends. Stan having made his way over to his friend, where Pyro reached up for a high-hoof with the larger earth pony.
Cleave was also grinning at me, giving me a little mocking bow to the end of the 'performance'.
As Pyro was getting to his hooves, horn aglow with his magic to sweep over the fire to brighten it back to its former glory, Karma stepped out of no where behind me, head tilted with my coffee cup between her teeth, and holding it out for me to take. Lifting a wing and looping a feather forwards allowed me to take the chipped ceramic and bring the now-full again cup to my lips, to gloomily sip the heavenly tasting liquid down to cool my nerves.
The others around us had all moved off in their individual groups afterwards, chatting away with their own drinks in hoof or magic. Karma simply stood next to me watching her friends while I drank, and then hiccuped, with her snickering quietly after.
"Psych calls it Kungaloosh, whatever that means. I'm guessing its delayed 'kick' is sneaking up on you."
"Kick? Wait, this has alcohol in it?" Only ever having a rare taste of Wild Pegasus, I hadn't noticed.
"Well duh," She rolled her eyes at me, afterwards piercing me with a You-must-be-an-idiot look. "Of course it has alcohol in it, what's the point otherwise?" With that said she lifted a hoof and shrugged a shoulder at the same time.
"But it tastes so good and doesn't burn going down or anything..." Peeking into my cup, which I now found empty. Odd, it had just been full a few seconds ago. I lifted it upside down with a feather twist and shook it a little. Definitely empty. That's a shame.
"Don't let Psych hear you," She nudged her shoulder into mine, leaning closer to lower the tone of her voice. "His head is big enough as it is."
"THAT'S THE WAY YOU LIKE IT." Was heard to our right, where Psych, Mist, and Light were hovered over what looked to be like playing cards spread across the ground. Psych smirked in our direction as the other two laughed.
Karma groaned and slid a hoof slowly down her face before turning to the three of them.
"BITE ME." She yelled over.
"WITH PLEASURE." Came Psych's reply.
Karma's head lowered and gave Psych her best 'death stare' while he simply smirked at her, eventually she rolled her eyes and turned away from the group, heading back around to the other side of the fire by herself. I was left standing there, looking between her and the card-playing group before eventually turning to follow her, not knowing what else to really do with myself since I hardly knew these other ponies.
I found Karma having laid down next to the fire, slightly turned to where it could warm her side. It seemed like a good idea so I lay down opposite of her so we could face one another. I lifted the wing that was closer to the fire so I could enjoy the warmth hitting the feathers underneath, the other wing sat my cup down before folding to my back afterwards. During this movement she had turned her head towards me with a slight tilt and a raised brow, but she seemed to have shrugged it off once I laid down, and she was back to looking at the fire again.
Around us I could hear the rest of her gang simply talking and enjoying themselves, Tech was behind their music machine, bobbing his head along with the music he had turned on down to a reasonable level while his magic played with random cords and wires he seemed to be trying to put together into some sort of pattern. Cleave had turned back to messing with the kettle he had originally dragged over, and was on the other side of the fire attempting to push it near the flames with his magic. The card-playing group had went back to their game, with Mist giving a hoof-pump in triumph when I glanced over, Light and Psych groaning as they pushed little silvery looking objects in the blue earth pony's direction as he grinned.
Nearer to the wagons where the firelight was darker stood Rainy, Stan, and Pyro. All three had drinks, Pyro holding his own with his orange hued magic, and the other two cups hovered in a soft white glow. With Rainy's horn shimmering in the same color it was obvious to tell she was holding the other two, one for herself, and the other for Stan, making it easier for the earth pony to lean over and take a sip out of his cup without having to use both front hooves to hold it.
"You are a very curious type." Karma said over my shoulder, which caused me to turn my head back around to re-notice her watching me once again. She was regarding me with a half-smile.
"Well, can you blame me? Ive really only learned about the surface through classes. I am finding most of this a lot to take in," I motioned around us with a hoof. "Specially in the short time period."
"I suppose your right, is it everything you expected it to be?" She tilted her head at me.
"Well..." I wasn't quite sure how to answer that. "In some ways yes, obviously the atmosphere for one. You got to admit, it is a bit dusty down here." I tried giving her a smile at that mild joke.
"Quite." A smirk from her, either my humor or dimness caused.
"But, we were always told that surface dwellers were savage. Your group seems far from it." Taking on a more serious note.
She didn't reply straight away at that, simply looking at me for a few moments before she turned her head to look back into the fire to watch the flames continue their flickering, it made her normally dark eyes seem to glow in the shifting orange light.
"There are plenty of ponies that are savage down here. But I could ask you the same question you asked me before, can you really blame them? We have very few real societies, resources, or safety. Some ponies can continue to remain sane and make do with what we have, but others in either desperation or choice decide to survive in other ways."
I remained quiet to her small speech, though I continued to watch her intently, as she seemed to be suddenly talking to herself, and not just me. Then again, I was used to that.
"We have gangs, raiders, cannibals, ghouls, and Celestia-only-knows what else as far as savage ponies go. That isn't even including everything else in the wasteland that wants to kill us. Going savage seems like an eventual occurrence, sad as that is to think. But it doesn't mean we deserve it."
"I did not mean to imply..." I leaned a little closer trying to apologize, and she only shook a hoof at my attempt.
"No, no, I know what you meant. You do not have to apologize. You can't help but think the only way you've been told to think your entire life. I know how that can feel."
I gave her a sideways glance as I turned my head towards the fire, folding my lifted wing to my back to match the other as I ruffled both in a uncomfortable reaction to the situation. Again, I was left not knowing what to say given the current conversation. Not including the fact the somber discussion was really doing a number on the buzz I had acquired from Psych's drink before, maybe it was time to turn the tables around.
"So..." I leaned closer to her and playfully nudged my shoulder against hers. "Why, 'Karma'?"
"What?" The sudden twist of her head in my direction with the wide blinking eyes instantly giving her away.
"You call me feather-head, but I am not entirely stupid. Ive kept from telling people my full name for awhile now, I can easily tell when someone is covering up theirs as well," I lowered my head and grinned at her from under fallen bangs in a mischievous manner. "So, again, why 'Karma'?"
At first she narrowed her eyes at my playful attempt to lighten the mood, even though I'll admit I was curious. She looked me up and down with that hard distrustful expression, that slowly softened as I refused to relent to her protective reaction. Her ears slowly folded back against her skull and she let out a quiet sigh.
"It seemed appropriate, all things given. An old life into a new one, sort of thing." She seemed even sadder at this and I realized how miserably I failed at a decent change to our moody talk, but her ears perked back up again in thought. "What about you?"
I looked to my left and right at her question, all the others seemed to be continuing their own conversations or games. Peeking over the fire I noticed Cleave had thrown a cover over his kettle that was now on the fire and he had made his way over to the card game to watch, and Tech was still at his machine happily playing and changing the beat of the music as he saw fit. I could turn the conversation around now, even if it was embarrassing.
So I leaned over, and whispered my full name to her, even though she hadn't given me hers.
At first she blinked, giving her head that tilt she seemed to usually produce whenever she was curious or confused. She then turned even further to give my flank a glance, looking at my cutie mark.
"I don't get it."
"Yeah well, neither do I. Apparently it has nothing to do with my mark." I shrugged, she hadn't laughed yet.
"Ah, I see....well I don't, but whatever." She turned away from me once again to look back at the fire, and we stayed quiet for a few minutes, but then I suddenly heard her snicker...
"So does that mean your parents were just having a really good time when they conceived you?"
And here comes the sex jokes.
"Or maybe your talent is good sex, you do have a sword on your butt!" She laughed fully now and pointed at my flank.
"Yeah yeah, get it out of your system." I sighed and propped my head up with a hoof, looking at her unamused.
"Are you a virgin? Wait, of course your not, that's how you got your mark isn't it? HEY PSYCH!." She suddenly yelled as she waved her hoof in the air drastically to get his attention. The dark purple pony perked up from his card game where he was holding his cards with his neon green magic.
"Maybe you'll get to join the mile high club after all!" She squealed in laughter and hugged herself, rolling onto her side in a fit of continued giggles. Whatever the heck that was, it was insanely funny to her.
Psych simply looked at her confused-like, Light, Mist, and Cleave looking between the two of them before Psych lifted a hoof and slowly circled it around mid-air near the side of his head to indicate his opinion of her. His friends shrugged, and they went back to their game.
I openly groaned at this, even though I was pleased to have gotten her out of her funk, now I had to put up with the immature jokes per usual. Thankfully though I noticed Rainy's group heading over to us, the three other colts behind her following as they made their way over. Karma noticed my misplaced attention during her laughter spell and sat back up mid-snicker to also notice the others heading our way with their cups gone.
She quickly stood up and opened her mouth to say something, and she just as quickly found my hoof thrust into her mouth to muffle whatever she decided to say. I had used my wings to draw myself up just as quickly and was hovering just barely off the ground while I used my other hoof to poke her hard.
"No. Don't you dare." And I removed my hoof from her mouth. She made a 'blegh' sound and stuck her tongue out at me.
"I don't even want to know where that hoof has been with a name like-"
"NO."
"Fiiinnneeee...You are no fun," She whined as the others stepped up to us, curious as to what was going on with a noticeable confused expression shared between the four of them. Karma gave them the best fake grin she possibly could and waved a hoof. "Hello!"
They continued to give us their confused looks before Rainy let out a small laugh and shook her head at the situation. She turned her head to look at the three colts behind her, and smiled towards them.
"Pyro, could you brighten the fire while Tech turns the music up. Stan, you promised us a dance last time."
Both blue and green stallion simultaneously lifted hooves and gave Rainy a salute before heading to their mentioned positions. Pyro stood next to the fire and lifted his magic covered horn to raise the fire up higher and brighter. Tech on the other hand pounced back behind his machine and quickly switched through a few 'settings' before reaching out and pulling out a hidden drawer.
"That DJ only wishes he had this!" He grinned while his magic yanked out a silvery looking circle.
"HEY. Careful with my music!" Light suddenly yelled over his floating cards as he hoof-pointed at Tech.
"Yeah, one of a kind, blah blah, I KNOW. Its my computer anyways!" Tech yelled back at him while his magic pulled the silvery circle behind the machine and out of my sight, though I heard him continuing to open and push random buttons. What I had originally figured was just a radio, was apparently a lot more than just that. Though I thought most computers had screens.
Meanwhile, Stan stood behind us, sitting down and using his left hoof to hold up his hat while the right was used to pull back through his mane. He peeked over at me for only a second, before turning and looking at Rainy and Karma. Both mares had shifted next to one another and were looking at Stan with a expectant expressions. This only served to make Stan blush under his already dark coat and glance away from the two of them.
"Pretty pleeaassee?" The mares whined together. Karma was able to look up at Stan with a wide-eyed pleading look due to her height, though Rainy being even taller than Stan was himself had to resort to a pout, letting her short cut bangs fall over her eyes pitifully, perfectly matched with just barely biting her lower lip.
Stan rolled his eyes even though the blush took on a more red-hue. Thrusting down his hat atop his head, giving us only a view of his muzzle as he grumbled to himself under the wide-brimmed hood.
"Alright."
Letting off happy squeals the two mares trotted in place on the tips of their hooves happily. Afterwards Karma suddenly lunged forwards and snatched a part of my mane in her teeth, catching me off-guard. All the while I had simply been watching the ordeal and the yank that sprawled me back to land on my rump next to Karma had come completely unexpected.
"Hey!" I narrowed my eyes at her as she let go, only to find her and Rainy had already brought their attention back to Stan who was standing nearer to the fire, off to the right at Tech's position behind his 'computer' as he called it, the earlier quiet music had switched off, and there was the distinct sound of him clicking something into place. Only then did he lift his head up from behind, and raise a hoof to push a red button on top of the machine.
I couldn't hear anything at first, well, except the soft static sound. But then, a stallion's voice emitted over the machine's speakers in a low soothing tone. It was strange to me, just the voice echoed softly as he spoke of dreaming and stars, and Stan was softly rocking his head to nothing but the tone of the long-dead voice.
I looked between Rainy and Karma, the two had leaned closer to one another and were smiling as they watched Stan, which brought my attention back to the stallion as he reached up with to the hat that had covered his face once again, having paused as the other unknown stallion's voice softly died through the air.
Suddenly, music blared out in a rising crescendo. I had heard music before, though sadly not as much as I would have liked and the instruments having been used were unknown to me, but there was the unmistakeable sound of hoof beats in the background, and the singer's voice raised above the sound with a boastful effort, quite different from the intro he'd produced before.
The words sang and about the time before, about love and flashing signs, and before I realized it Stan had brought himself closer to the two mares near me, causing me to back up slightly in the usual startled reaction I had been throwing around as of late. He had thrown himself onto his back hooves and stood, giving his larger body a twist around the two of them that curved his hips along with the music. His face still hidden behind his hat, and his tail flicking to draw under both Rainy and Karma's chins, the two mares produced equal squeals once more, and giggling.
Stan apparently had far better balance then I'd given the earth pony credit for, because he was still on his back hooves and had drawn away from the mares and back to the fire. Letting the light trace his form in gold as it followed along with his dance, he had raised his hat with a flick of his head in a upwards motion as he let his back hooves slide and stomp through the dirt, drawing up small dust clouds that hovered and faded around him.
I realized I was watching this pony's particular talent because when he suddenly touched a front hoof to a hip and swiveled around in a curve that drew his tail in front of him to swish and drag over a particular area I found my eyes drawn to, I felt my face going hot and knew I must be showing red through my off-white coat while my eyes darted back up. Swallowing even as the girls whistled appreciatively at the suggestive motion.
Grinning from ear to ear, he fell back forwards with a slight turn that caused all four hooves to slide across the dirt as he turned his body this way and that with both the music and the words the stallion still drew out across the speakers. The hoof beats continued stomping and clapping in the background, and I noticed both Rainy and Karma following along with beating their front hooves against the ground. Behind the fire, I could see Pyro having a grand time letting his magic manipulate the flames into dancing along with Stan.
I noticed the card-playing group having paused their game, watching both Stan and the girls while bobbing their heads along with the tune. I noticed Mist Blade was missing from the group, but upon turning my head I noticed the blue pony having snuck up behind Rainy and had innocently poked her in her flank. She startled, which caused Karma to jump as well. Mist only gave the two of them a grin and politely bowed in Rainy's direction, tilting his head and nudging it towards Stan in an invite to dance.
Rainy smiled, and turned her head towards Karma, who nodding her head and jumped up to step in front of Stan while he continued to dance. He slowed down just enough for Karma to join him and she laughed as she did her best to follow along. Next thing I knew Rainy twirled into view with Mist right behind her. All four of them moved together as the song continued, and all I could do was sit and watch, though it was hard to keep a small smile from forming.
I had been to my fair share of get-together and parties before, but none of them seemed nearly as laid back as these random ponies shifting and moving to the music in no real pattern what-so-ever. When suddenly Tech swirled into view dragging a rather scared looking Cleave along with him in some mock-up of a couple's dance I couldn't help but laugh.
Light had moved over to his machine while using his magic to turn up the volume once more, while Psych could be seen trying to sneak into the dancing fray towards the two mares. This only found him suddenly muzzle-to-muzzle with Mist, each stallion looking just as startled as the other. The girls laughed, drawing both of their attention, as Stan had pulled them to their back hooves and had a hoof around each of their waists, giving both Mist and Psych a rather smug smirk.
With both purple and blue stallion grumbling to one another at the side now, Stan suddenly 'tossed' Karma in my direction. She skittered to a stop with a heavy gasp of air and simply grinned at me after. With a lunge and a hoof thrown around my neck I was just as equally tossed into the dancing group with a laugh, where she then followed and pulled me to my back hooves with her.
I very nearly stumbled, not being used to standing in this manner, but her front hooves connected with mine and helped me to stay upright. She then motioned towards my wings with a nudge of her head before suddenly twisting the two of us to the side to dance along with Rainy and Stan.
Opening my wings I found with a few feather-flaps I could easily keep myself aloft with her as we moved. And as the one song switched to the next I found myself lost in the movement, sound, and light. Sometime along the way I remember both mares lifting their heads and singing along with the music, as we all moved in pattern with Stan's dancing. The night continued, there was much more drinking, singing, story telling, and dancing to be had once we all had drank far more than I thought was healthy. We even ate at some point, some soup-mixture that Cleave eventually got nice and hot from the fire. And the hours slowly slipped by without any of us noticing.
A disgruntled purple pony was making his way back to the wagon to grab his sleeping blanket. He was perfectly fine with letting the others continue their party, and it didn't look like he was getting lucky any time soon with either of the only two mares in the group, so he might as well call it early. At least someone could be awake in the morning with more than two percent of their brain cells left.
On his way he noticed Static working on something in the dark. It was on his way, so he stepped a little slower just enough where he could get a better look as he passed. In what little light Static's flash light produced between rapidly switching back and forth, he could tell they were energy weapons of course. But the make and model on the other hand...
With a 'hmm..' under his breath, he continued to their personal supply wagon. A curious thought starting to form.
The next thing I remember is a very loud clanking sound of metal upon metal banging into my already pounding head. I never remembered falling asleep from last night, but apparently I had at some point, and now found myself shuffling backwards away from the offending sound with a groan.
Blinking my blurry eyes open in an attempt to focus, I noticed my armor bag having been thrown in front of me. Blinking further caused the purple blur in front of me to focus into Psych's frame, glaring down at me.
To the side I noticed Stan and Karma laying near to one another, and Rainy poking her head out from one of the wagons, watching me with confused expressions. Well, except Karma. She had her ears flattened to the side of her head and was looking very worried. Pyro stepped out from behind the wagon and moved to stand behind Karma and Stan. With the rest of the pony gang all standing about near us and watching intently I had a feeling that whatever was going on, it couldn't be good.
"Apparently, a little tiny bit of information was left out about our feathered 'friend' here that maybe we should have been informed about, don't you think Karma?" Psych's voice came out nice and calm besides the scowl and the slight snear at the word 'friend'. At the end of his question he looked over at her.
"Just wait a minute, I was going..." Karma started.
But she was interrupted by Psych's magic gripping the entire bag and violently whipping it open to scatter pieces of my armor all around me. I'd thrown a hoof up to keep anything from hitting my head, but it only made me notice my helmet skidding to a stop directly in front of me.
"Enclave." Psych's voice had lowered into a hateful tone.
If it was quiet before, it was dead now. They all looked to me, and their expressions all changed to either distaste, worry, or further confusion. Light looked troubled, while Cleave and Mist both narrowed their eyes at me hatefully. Stan and Rainy had instead looked to Karma with worry-filled glances, while Tech and Static looked more confused than anything else. Pyro stared, distrustfully before turning his head away.
Karma started to stand up, opening her mouth as if to explain...
But I tossed out a wing in her direction, in a motion for her to stay quiet as I looked to her. She could only look back for a few quiet moments before slowly laying back down, trying to avoid any of the other ponies gazes in her direction.
As I pulled myself to my hooves, I realized why she had told me before that to be seen with the armor on would be a bad thing. Even though I didn't completely understand why these ponies seemed to completely change their attitudes at simply one word, I at least felt that I owed it to them to try and explain myself. Even if it was short, I had shared time, food, and drink with these ponies. None of them had wings, but did that even really make a difference?
I gave my body a shake to remove some of the dirt I had acquired through the night and cleared my throat...
"My name is Cloud Nine, and yes. I am from the Enclave." |
Fallout Equestria: To Question Fate | To each, their own. | I have had awhile to think.
And after that awhile, I came to the conclusion that in and of itself, is the worst part.
It is not like I can hardly function. I can still shoot when need be, and laugh when its required. I still can hit my target, and I still find things amusing. But it is because I function, that I am alright. With one hoof in front of the other I can continue with my regrets and sorrow, because that is the only time I am not left alone to my thoughts, and I forget.
Its those moments I have nothing to do, or when I am on watch, or even when I am attempting to go to sleep, that are the worst. When the colored pictures of my mind begin to fade out and decay amongst my morale judgement. When I begin to naturally question just about anything, those pictures instead turn into you.
Oh, its not like you actually talk back, then I think I actually would be crazy. Then again though, its not like you spoke a lot most of the time anyways, it wasn't like you really needed to. As much as I miss the sound of your voice, I miss the times you simply sat there and listened to my every word. It was then that I really learned to appreciate the attention. In my thoughts, I'll speak to you. I even find myself pausing as if you would respond somehow.
And with all of our silence, I can honestly only wish for three words, just one more time.
They aren't even the three words I think most ponies would ask for.
'Everything is alright.'
A tumble of weeds drifted by, and somehow that seemed cliche to me.
Even as Psych stood in front of me with the confused expression, the others simply looked back and forth between one another as if figuratively drawing straws as to whom would end the awkward silence. I noticed Psych had backed his ears against his skull and had lifted a hoof to scratch at his chin, looking at the ground and letting his eyes wander back and forth as if he was attempting to read an invisible book. This whole situation was just becoming more uncomfortable for me.
"Wait a sec," Maybe it took a little longer than a few minutes before his ears darted up and his head twisted over to where Karma laid near Stan. Her eyes grew bigger as he pointed a hoof in her direction with a newly narrow-eyed view. "Is this what you were referring to yesterday?"
"Eh..." She had attempted to look serious, but quickly that was drowned out by a small shrug and a nervous snicker.
"Oh to hell with this," Psych threw his hoof up in a curve with an over-exaggerated sigh. "I am not that desperate!"
It was easily noticeable the sudden muffled giggle behind him, though I wasn't sure whom it came from.
"ALRIGHT WHO WAS THAT?!" He snarled as he twisted his body away from me to confront the group of ponies behind him. As a group they all individually pointed to somepony that wasn't them, they all randomly getting pointed out by some other. Soon after they all again, as a group, switched their hoof-pointing to point at Static.
"Hey, I did no such thing..." He whined with his ears drawn back pitifully.
Psych simply glared at the group as a whole, ignoring Static's defense. Letting his gaze wash over the lot before he turned back to me with a quick twist and gave me the same highly annoyed expression. Though I was partially saved by Light stepping around from behind Psych and moving to stand next to him, giving me a long look before turning his attention over towards Karma and Stan.
"And you knew about this, and didn't say anything?" He accused Stan with a troubled look. Stan simply looked back at his leader for a moment before lifting a hoof up to his hat and lowering it down over his eyes without bothering to answer, causing Light to sigh.
"Oh like you really expect him to tell us anything..." Muttered Psych as he sat down next to Light, continuing to grumble under his breath. But his half-rant was interrupted by Karma clearing her throat.
"Since you all have your tails in a twist, why not just ask him what happened if your so concerned." She drew her gaze back at the others who had stayed quiet at this point as if she was asking them rather then the two stallions in front of me.
One by one the other ponies looked between one another. Rainy, who still was peeking out from inside the wagon simply nodded her head to agree with her friend. Mist noticed her agreement and gave a short nod of his own, though his expression seemed more worried than anything else as if his actual opinion was far different. Tech and Cleave looked between one another, Cleave shrugging a shoulder in silent reply before Tech looked back over to Light and gave his own nod. Pyro on the other hoof, lowered his head and glared in my direction, though with suddenly noticing Stan watching him from where he lay next to Karma he finally gave a sigh and used a hoof to motion 'go ahead'. Static simply sat to the side, watching, and hadn't expressed any real opinion on his side in the matter.
"Alright then..." Muttered Light as he turned back to me, Psych having gone silent as he kept his eyes on me. "Exactly what are you doing here and why?"
And now I had all of their attention again, with all of the added stress that came with. Slowly I sat down and fluttered my wings against my back to get more comfortable, this may take a bit.
"My unit was just supposed to be taking samples..."
"So, what your saying is, this is your first time to the surface, you get attacked by one of your own members, and have absolutely no real idea whats going on?"
Light had since moved back to give Psych room to move back and forth. After I got to the point in my story of ending up here with them, Karma's idea on how for me to get back home, and explaining that as far as I knew the Enclave wanted nothing to do with them, Psych had started to pace while he questioned me.
"And, of all things, fat-ass over there (causing a "HEY!" from Karma in the background.) wants us to completely detour our own trip around the idea of escorting your feathered hide to the pegasi tower just so you can go home, which might not even work if that particular tower is broken. That's it?"
After watching him I gave a slow nod of my head, even though I didn't really enjoy the tone or words he used to describe my situation. But at the same time I figured that causing an argument with the irked stallion wasn't in my best interests.
"It really shouldn't be that much of a big deal," Karma piped up into our conversation as she stood up and stepped over towards the three of us. "We have to stop in town anyways for extra supplies before we hit the mountains. The tower isn't very far off from there, the rest of you can easily stay in town an extra night and I can take him to the tower, get rid of him, and then be on our way."
Psych glared at her, but she easily seemed to ignore the expression before she turned to the others behind them to regard their opinions. "Besides, I don't think anyone would really mind staying an extra night in a town would they?"
Smart mare, offer the ponies something they want. After having heard my story they all nodded at this offer, even Pyro and Static. She grinned, and looked back at Psych with a victorious smirk before turning her attention to Light, while Psych continued to glare at her as if he was mentally oblivious to the others.
Light had his ears backed down in thought, making them disappear in his fluffy yellow mane. Looking between Psych and Karma he let out a quiet sigh before shrugging his shoulders.
"One more night in town wouldn't hurt anypony I suppose." Light finally agreed, Psych tried to open his mouth, but Karma somehow beat him to it.
"Well, that's settled then. Why don't we clear up and clear out then, 'yah?" She twisted around to head back to the wagons, flicking her long tail and somehow making sure it slapped across Psych's face. Giving him a mouthful of tail-hair for a few seconds before she moved away, leaving him sputtering and rubbing a hoof across his mouth while Light did his best not to laugh by biting his lower lip.
I got a side-ways glance of Psych rolled his eyes at his pink friend with a muttered curse, before I paid more attention to making my way to where Karma had headed. Stan and her were attempting to lift Tech's music machine-thing with their front hooves while the green unicorn stood nearby with a hoof at his mouth, nibbling nervously. Horn aglow with that bright yellow he was attempting to hold the machine steady for the two earth ponies as they lifted. Slowly stepping around them I saw Rainy inside the wagon, her own white glow joining Tech's yellow as she helped move the thing inside, gently scooting it onto the floor and as far as I could tell, out of the way.
I turned my attention back to Tech as he let out a small huff of breath he had been holding. Tilting my head towards the tarped vehicle I pointed a hoof as well at it.
"So, you guys keep all your stuff in this to haul around? So whats the other for?" Turning my head to look at Tech as he equally turned to reply.
"Ponies got to eat. The other is the one we throw everything into when we are going in town to sell. That way we can just rip the cloth off and sell everything on it." He gave me a shrug to end his answer before turning to watch Karma and Stan tossing rolled sleeping cloths into the wagon, which Rainy would catch with her magic and toss behind her.
A muffled giggle with a soft electric bark later and Rainy's filly with her pet peeked from between her legs, directly under her chest. Giving me a wave as she noticed me still around. I lifted a wing and flared my feathers to mimic the waving action, which instantly brought a smile to her face before she darted back into the depths of the wagon with a hoof wrapped around Dominic's neck. Rainy gave me a smile after.
"Is everything in there? What about Cleave's kettle?" Karma mentioned up to the dove-hued unicorn. Just as Rainy was about to turn and look, another giggle, and the clanging of metal on metal, followed by a pair of small hooves, was heard. She lowered her ears before turning around and looking back down to the other mare.
"By the sound of 'Appy playing in it, I think we are fine." Rainy replied, only to be interrupted by her daughter shortly after.
"Momma! The inside of this thing smells funny." Echoed behind her from the filly. Dominic barked to end the sentence.
Rainy gave another one of those parenthood-sighs and turned to deal with her offspring. Leaving Stan and Karma standing there side by side before they turned so Karma could address Tech beside me.
"Mind attaching us since Momma-Rainy is busy?"
Inside the wagon a squeal of giggles was heard while Tech nodded his head and sunlight yellow wrapped around the front harnesses to pull them over the two earth ponies. Lifting padded collars out of the dirt and positioning them in front so both ponies could slip their heads through. A few more belt pulls and straps positioned and they seemed good. Karma nodded her head to Tech while Stan simply pawed at the dirt with a front hoof and shifted his shoulder muscles to adjust the collar around his neck.
"I'll go tell Light we're good back here, Mist and Static should already be hitched up, hopefully." With that said, Tech turned about and walked towards the front, stepping to the side of the first wagon and moving out of my sight behind it. Turning my attention back around I noticed both earth ponies regarding me.
"So...um...the ponies without horns get to pull? That doesn't seem very fair." I was pretty bad at trying to make small talk.
"If the horn-heads were pulling, we'd never get anywhere." Karma replied while Stan rolled his eyes at me, and turned his attention back forwards to simply stare at the back of the first wagon. The sound of ruffled cloth and a thump against the ground later allowed Rainy to walk up from behind, playfully narrowing her eyes at Karma.
"I heard that, hornless." Both mares giggled at the pretend insults towards one another, even Stan cracked a small smile.
"So...I guess I'll just stick back here with you three then." Tilting my head in thought as I caught their attention again. Karma and Rainy nodded as one.
"Your welcome to flutter around if you want, I just wouldn't fly very high. Having an extra pair of eyes higher up couldn't be a bad thing though." Karma answered my own silent question and my wings couldn't help but shift across my back. I was getting real tired of having to walk everywhere.
Just as I was looking to the sky above me after Karma's statement, Light's voice echoed from the front of the equally covered wagon in front of our group.
"Everyone ready to head out?!"
What followed next was a single stomp of a front hoof from all the other ponies present in acknowledgement.
"Alright, off we go!"
Both Karma and Stan leaned forwards to get their wagon rolling behind them, just the same with Mist and Static I supposed as it also inched forwards. With the momentum they were able to begin stepping forwards while lengthening their stride to allow the wagons to move slightly faster till they were at a comfortable movement pace.
With a burst of my wings I bought myself airborne and hovered above the last wagon that Karma and Stan carried. Looking ahead I could see the other Unicorns simply walking along as they followed. Light was leading the way in front with Psych slightly behind, Cleave was currently being harassed by Tech as he held a one-sided conversation with the other stallion out of my ear-reach. Pyro slowed till he was walking along beside Stan below, and Rainy took a place beside Karma.
A small white and red blur jumped from the wagon and used both Stan and Karma's backsides as stepping stones till she had hopped onto her mother's back. Tossing her hooves around Rainy's neck in a hug that made the mother-mare smile back at her daughter before looking forwards again. A soft electric whine from inside the wagon must have meant that Dominic was watching from inside as his friend hopped over.
We were still headed north from what I could tell, even if the pace seemed slow. Raising myself just slightly higher to allow my wings to fan out and glide back down before beating them again to raise back up. I wondered to myself how they seemed content at such a pace without wings, a team of pegasi could go twice as fast as these ponies could.
Before long I found myself drifting down to the top of the wagon, using the canvas as a make-shift hammock while laying down and looking at the sky. Listening to the group of ponies below me chatting softly between themselves, I gave a small yawn. I was still tired from the night before, and the rocking motion from the moving wagon was quickly making me drowsy. It wasn't quite as nice as a cloud, but I could live with it.
I must have drifted off at some point.
"You could be better than that." I told the older colt.
He looked back at me with a troubled gaze, and it was much like looking in a mirror.
"Better? Why for?"
"Because, don't you want to be a better pony?"
"Yeah...I suppose I do."
Something was tapping me again. I was getting real tired of waking up in this fashion.
Grumbling I pushed my hooves to my eyes and rubbed away the sleep, only to blink the blurry away to notice a plastic water-filled bottle hovering next to me while wrapped in white magic. Confusion kept me occupied enough till finally the bottle tilted back and forth in a 'come-on' motion before lowering onto my front hooves with the white glow going out with a silent poof.
Holding the bottle to my chest I leaned over the edge of the wagon to see Rainy looking up at me as she continued to walk beside Karma. Her horn remained alight and I noticed she was holding another one of the bottles for Karma to drink from while she continued to pull with Stan. Happy Day was gone from her mother's back at this point.
Needless to say I figured with the others drinking it, it would be fine, but I couldn't help but hear the voice of one of my teachers in my head preaching to never drink anything from the surface. Scooting the bottle up to my chest so I could hold it with one hoof, I used the other to unscrew the cap by pushing the side till it turned and fell off. Leaning over it I took a small sniff at the clear liquid inside and found that it actually smelled rather pleasant, like rainwater.
Grabbing the top of the bottle in my teeth and lifted the bottle, letting the liquid fall into my mouth where I began to guzzle it down. After having lived mostly off of purified rainwater, the water in this little surface bottle tasted divine, only thing I could have asked for was for it to be chilled. But warm or not, it was great, and I felt my mind begin to clear from my half-asleep state.
Sadly the bottle was empty long before I actually felt sated. Letting it drop to my hooves I tried my best to get the cap back on, twisting it just enough where it clung on. Afterwards I leaned back over the side once more and nudged the bottle to tip over, and just as I had thought, before it could hit the ground it was enveloped in that white glow again before being magically tossed back into the wagon's front entrance. I gave Rainy a small smile of gratitude as she looked back up at me again after.
"Thank you. It tasted wonderful. I didn't know surface-water could taste so good."
At my comment she laughed, shaking her head to cause her bangs to whip in front of her face.
"You don't want to go drinking any water you find around here randomly....the water I gave you was purified."
"But, Ive had purified water. That wasn't purified water." I raised a brow at her statement, curious.
"It wasn't purified by a machine, or even taken from a water talisman, I cleaned that water myself." A soft bump to her back hooves caused her back-half to bounce slightly, drawing my attention to that area to notice the three water drops on her flank, and then it became clear.
"Your talent. You can purify water." I barely replied in a whisper of awe. Having a talent like that in the wasteland must have been priceless for any pony to have.
I noticed Karma having turned her head to regard her friend with a slightly wary eye before she attempted to look back at me from its corner, but Rainy decided to continue the conversation anyways.
"It is not so amazing really, I can only do it in small doses here and there. A couple of bottles a day. The more contaminated, the harder it is for me to clean it."
Sadly, it made sense in my head and I gave her a nod. Still, it was an impressive talent to have in my opinion.
"By the way..." To change the subject, since it seemed Karma was looking a little uncomfortable. "...You have a very Pegasus-related name."
"My mother told me that my family line is originally from Los Pegasus, and has been a family tradition for weather-related names. My mother's name is Sunny Day. Something they've just given daughter to daughter, I suppose."
"Yeah, if the world hadn't went to hell, I bet Momma-Rainy here would have made quite the movie star." Snickered Karma, interrupting.
Rainy simply rolled her eyes in an over-exaggerated movement that allowed her head to roll along with the movement. Causing Karma to grin, and even getting a small muffled chuckle from Stan from under his hat, Pyro turned his head at the noise to look at the other three. Laying my head down on the edge I unfolded my wings to stretch them from side to side as I got comfortable again while staying where I could see them.
"How much further?" I decided to inquire.
"Don't make me turn this wagon around and go home." Karma instantly replied.
"Why would you do that?"
"Great, feather-head with no sense of humor either..."
"What is supposed to be so funny about that?"
Karma simply grumbled under her breath as she continued walking in time with Stan, though I could see both Rainy and Pyro grinning. After a few quiet moments I heard a faint movement under me from inside the wagon, and next thing I knew another water bottle was being thrown out the front over Stan and Karma's backs, only to be caught in Rainy's magic.
"Thank you, dear." Rainy responded to the filly that was out of my sight.
"Your welcome, momma!" Came her higher pitched and happy sounding reply.
Another bottle was then thrown out suddenly, only to hit Pyro in the back of the head. He yelped and scrambled his hooves up under him for a few seconds before catching his balance, and pulling the bottle from the ground with a fiery glow.
"Thank you 'Appy..." He mimicked Karma's earlier grumbling.
"Your welcome!" Came the same reply, just as pleased with herself as before.
Watching the bottle mid-air in Pyro's magic I noticed the plastic material begin to deform and melt. It only took a stream of the water suddenly falling on Pyro's head from the warped bottle for him to notice his mistake and quickly try to open his mouth and catch what he could while walking. He only got a small bit before flattening his ears back against his skull and tossing the now useless bottle to the side.
"Pony-feathers." He stated.
"Are we there yet?" I tried asking again, after.
"No." Both Karma and Stan replied in unison.
With a groan I rolled over onto my back to stare at the cloud filled sky. So bored...
After many hours, two breaks for the earth ponies, and another bottle filled with water later, Karma needed my assistance.
"Cloud, could you hover up and see how close we are?" She inquired while tilting her head up to attempt to look at me perched behind her atop the wagon. I gave her a small nod and opened my wings in a stretch before doing as she asked and swooping upwards into the air. Heeding her warning from before I only brought myself up enough to see what lay before us.
The mountains had got a lot closer than before, and it was obvious we were heading straight for them. Before that though, was obviously a town, or had been a town, of some sort before the war. A number of squished together buildings with frames overlapping was the only reason I guessed the buildings had remained stable enough for ponies to continue to dwell in. Beyond that, I couldn't see.
We were just coming up to another street sign that hadn't been tore down, but looked like it had been re-placed back up, despite having parts of the sign deteriorated. Squinting, I could just barely make out the readable portions.
Welcome to: Palisade Pr cip ce
"Almost there, to Palisade, according to the sign." I mentioned down to Karma while I held my position. Looking to my right I could barely make out a road heading to where I guess the 'Farm' had been located. To my left, where I was hoping to see a tower, was nothing, not even a road. But to think about it, I suppose my earlier pegasi brethren would have just flown back and forth from the location. The town ahead of us that was slowly inching itself closer seemed rather desolate.
"I don't see anypony." I told her before floating back down to my original perch, with her nodding her head at me after. Sitting on the edge of the top portion of the wagon I let my hooves grip me into place while I rocked back and forth with the motion of moving forwards. For some reason, those last few moments of actually reaching the town took far longer than the rest of the trip combined.
As we got closer, an odd feeling crept up my spine, causing both my ears to twitch and feathers to fluff up for the brief moment. I shook my head to chase it off before looking back forwards again, we were coming up to a small building right on the outskirts, and it appeared to be where we decided to stop. The front wagon slowly pulled from the road with Karma and Stan's following, we came to a creaky halt, and both earth ponies below me lifted hooves to stretch their legs.
While Rainy moved forwards and began using her magic to unhitch them, Light popped out from in front of the front wagon, curls bouncing slightly from the jerky movement as he looked us over, then waved a hoof.
"We better go make ourselves known so nopony gets the wrong idea of us." He mentioned, and we all nodded in agreement.
Light slipped out of my sight again to check on the rest of the group, and Rainy finally got Stan and Karma released from their wagon. Karma was reaching around to rub at her neck, and Stan simply rolled his head slowly in a circle to follow up with soft crackling pops. Karma then decided to turn and look up at me.
"Might be a good idea if you walk in with us. Some ponies tend to get a little uneasy otherwise..." She let the last comment slowly die out, and even though I wanted to reply back with something more along the lines of a smart-ass, I simply allowed my body to fall forwards, unfurling my wings just enough to lift into a curve before fluttering to the ground next to her. Karma raised a brow at me. "Show off."
Couldn't help the grin at her opinion, and she rolled her eyes while letting out a quiet laugh under her breath. Looking to Stan, with Rainy and Pyro standing together, she then stepped forwards and out from behind the back of the front wagon. Lifting her head into the air and taking a deep breath, though quickly afterwards giving herself a full-over shake.
Stan followed suit to stand next to her, looking towards the town intently, just as silent as always. While I stepped to Karma's other side I noticed her watching him, before nudging her shoulder against his.
"Something up?" She asked, trying to peek under his hat from her shorter height.
"Hm?" The questioning drawing him out of his thoughts as he looked to her, and then myself, followed up with Rainy and Pyro who were currently moving to meet up with the rest of the group nearer to the front. He watched them go, before he turned back to address the situation. "I was thinking, that we would see somepony by now..."
"I was a little curious as well." I slipped into the conversation, causing both other ponies to look at me carefully. Finally Karma nodded her head and looked towards the main group.
"Something don't feel right. Come on, their about to leave."
With that said, the three of us walked to the rest of the group. Light was currently in a conversation with Rainy, the mare nodding her head. Pyro sat near by and was simply waiting with Tech, Static, and Mist. Cleave on the other hand had taken a few paces towards the town and was staring into it. Psych was not far off, tapping a hoof, impatiently.
"We ready to go?" Karma raised her voice slightly to get Light's attention as she stopped near the group. Light darted his head in her direction and gave a nod before looking back to Rainy, who gave him a small smile and moved to her hooves to step nearer to our three-pony group.
"I'll be staying back as usual, got to make sure 'Appy and the cargo stay safe." She mentioned while looking to Karma.
"Yeah, take care okay? We shouldn't be long. Just gotta rouse the locals." Karma replied to her, giving the other mare a small hoof-bump. Rainy once again nodded and walked past us to go back to the last wagon, moving out of my sight.
Finally we were on the move, with Karma and Stan taking up the rear along with myself, Light and Psych took the front. The others simply wandered with us while we stepped onto the main road and made our way into the town itself.
Stepping around some of the larger cracks in the road we passed, the first building looking to be a hotel of sorts, which Tech and Cleave moved closer to and checked inside by peeking through the one door that had fallen off its hinges and made its escape years ago. Psych's attention was brought to a glassy-windowed joint near-by with a long-dead "Open" electric sign hanging askew inside, a bar more than likely, Pyro followed behind him. Mist was...well, not with us, no clue where he'd gone to. We each kept going forwards till something caught our eye, Light and Static stopping before a larger stone building with pillars holding up its roof, a town hall perhaps.
"Where the hell is everypony?" Light turned to look at us after, the three of us stopping and glancing around the empty area. Static lowered his head and was looking around nervously.
"I know there are ponies here. Ive been here before..." Karma quietly added, though Stan remained silent, except for a small hoof-stomp given to the road in possible silent frustration. The action caused Light to raise an eyebrow at the other stallion before looking back the way we had came. Turning my head I saw our other members heading back towards us.
"Find anypony? Anything?" Light questioned them, and Tech and Cleave as one shook their heads negatively.
"Its obvious they didn't leave in a hurry. There are still personal belongings in all the rooms, with food and water." Tech told his leader.
"And the bar is empty of everything except alcohol. Just left it there." Psych chimed in, with a disgusted tone. Pyro nodded in agreement.
"Something is wrong here." Stan suddenly said. Causing the entire group including myself to look at him. Which caused the earth pony to back up slightly at the sudden attention. But, after a moment he lifted his head and took another one of those deep breaths. "It smells..."
"Bad." Static ended his sentence, and we all re-turned our attention to the light blue pony, his head even lower to the ground with a pitiful expression. "It smells bad here."
"Smells bad? Wha--?" Karma was about to ask, before we all suddenly startled at the gasping sound of breath to the right of us. Turning to look, there was Mist, leaning against the side of the mostly stone building and had a hoof brought to his muzzle, gasping for breath and looking like he was trying not to be sick. We all quickly moved towards him, causing the stallion to shift back and away from us into the alley, looking at us with wide eyes.
"Its, bad...really bad." He said, swallowing after.
"What? Did you find somepony?" Psych narrowed in on him, leaning past the group as he crowded Mist.
Mist raised a hoof and pressed it against Psych's chest, lengthening the distance between himself and us at the same time. Catching his breath he raised himself up and looked down the alleyway behind him. Slowly he turned and stepped down it, motioning us to follow with a tail-flick.
I felt my ears back against my skull as we all looked between one another, even more worried than before. But we all made a single file line and followed the quiet pony in front of us. Mist had refused to say anything else, and he paused where the buildings ended, just a few seconds, before slipping fully behind the stone building to our left.
Now I could smell whatever it was, a sickly sweet smell that made you want to brush your teeth. It was disgusting, and now I had a bad idea of exactly what we were going to find.
I had purposely positioned myself behind Stan and Karma, taking up the rear, and just as I was about to turn with the group...
"Celestia be damned..." Karma cursed, while the others remained silent.
I wasn't entirely prepared for what happened to the ponies of Palisade, and with what we were suddenly shown, it took every part of my inner willpower not to be sick at the sight behind what I guessed was their town hall.
Stacked nearly three ponies high, was the residents of the town. One by one, they had been thrown into a group pile behind the building like somepony simply throwing out the trash. They had only been dead for about a day, and the smell behind here was just starting to get bad in the heat of the day. Here and there beyond most of what had started to rot was a hint of blue, pink, yellow, a cutie mark of a wagon wheel, a stone pony statue, a half-torn blue heart where some wasteland scavenger had removed its fellow-half. I couldn't bear to think about how many lie under the outside surface of the grizzly heap.
Most of us had took to breathing with a hoof pressed to our muzzles, all except Cleave, who was looking at the pile in anger. In his specific gaze I noticed exactly what he was angry about.
Dear Celestia, there were children in that pile as well. A filly's now white sunbleached eyes gazed up at the sky, bow still attached in her hair, her mouth fallen slack in a silent cry, I couldn't even tell if she ever had received her cutie mark. That was something that I couldn't take, and I found myself twisting around and looking away from the horrible scene.
Most of the group backed away towards the alley and simply looked in silent stunned expressions, though Psych's was mixed with anger along with Cleave's. Tech was trying hard not to be sick, and Static looked scared out of his mind with wide blown eyes darting back and forth across the pile. Pyro and Light simply stared, not knowing what to say. I couldn't blame them. I drew my wings forwards and rubbed the feathers across my face, trying hard not to breathe too deeply.
"This is..." Karma broke the silence, though her sentence died off as if she was too scared to finish, and Stan stepped closer to her.
"...raiders?" I tried, turning to look at her and her friend, but it was Cleave who snorted at my questioning finish.
"No. This is too...clean. If it had been raiders we've have known about it long before we came into town. With this many bodies this entire place would have been strung up like some sick colt's cute-ceanera. They weren't even tortured, just...outright killed." He stated in his monotone voice.
"Then what?" I brought my attention to him, but he remained silent after that. Looking around at the rest of the group I got similar non-responsiveness, except from Karma, who was staring at the pile still, with a even more troubled expression. She didn't seem to hear me, as she took a few steps forwards near the pile and began walking around it, looking to each long-dead soul mournfully.
We all watched silently as she moved to circle around it, though once she moved to the other side out of sight we heard her stop.
"Please no..." Came a quiet whisper.
Nopony made a move to go see, not even Stan. Light was looking at all of us in turn, till finally my curiosity drug itself through my disgust enough for me to move my hooves, and I attempted to follow Karma around the pile, doing my best not to let any part of my body touch anything.
On the other side, there she sat, staring up towards the top of the pile with a sorrow-filled expression. She wasn't crying, but seemed far more in pain now for whatever she'd found. Slowly I stepped to her side and sat down next to her, before I turned to try to see what it was she was looking at.
My eyes were once again drawn to the individual colors that could be made out, different rot-pocked marks, but it was what was near to the top of the pile that made all of my braincells decide to shut down, simultaneously.
There, near the top, was the body of a colt. It wasn't just any colt though, this particular colt who may have been colored a sun-yellow, now a dirty beige, had himself a pair of wings attached to his back. A pegasus colt.
His lifeless body had been tossed in such a manner that both his wings were strung out and upwards in some sick mimic of flight, giving me a clear view where his cutie mark should have been.
Instead of a cutie mark, or even a blank flank, there was a cloud, with a very distinctive bolt coming from it.
The poor colt had been branded a dashite. |
Fallout Equestria: To Question Fate | Do not go gentle into that good night. | I am far from blessed, when it comes to an accurate memory.
Even with all the thoughts I am sure have slipped my mind, I often find myself tuning out the rest of the world to wander in them. As much as I would prefer not doing so, it has taken up far more time than I would like to admit.
When the door closed, I realized that the sound would more than likely remain with me the rest of my life. Even if I lose the finer details, its very hard to forget that. Why is it some of the worst things that can happen in your life are the ones that you refrain from losing? I can still hear that damn thing now, just thinking about it.
The sound of that whirring, flashing, yellow light that had not turned in centuries in it's chipped and nearly broken plastic hull came first, then that hissing sound as heat swept out of crooks and cranny's when the machine roared to life a second time. Metal screeched into metal while a half-dead alarm tried to announce 'last chance for your survival!' in its over-sized alarm-clock mimic.
The wheel turned.
I didn't need to look behind me. I didn't want, or need, to see her face again.
She can wallow alone in her guilt, I wont give her pity. Buck her, and buck that noise. ( Literally! )
I think it was the last sound that really drove it home for me. ( Very funny, brain. ) I have yet to figure out how one accurately describes the sound made with the closing of a life chapter and the opening of another, specifically those exact terms in my position. I'm sure that sound is different for everyone, and everyone must remember it slightly differently.
Mine just happened to be the sound of large lump of metal falling into place.
The alarm goes silent, and I am alone.
We had left the gruesome pile behind the building a few moments ago. Our random troupe had meagerly made our way back out to the center of the main road in the town, with most of the other ponies keeping a disturbing distance away from me. I should have been more worried about that, but I was far more concerned with what I had seen only moments before.
I knew that brand, I knew why it was given to certain pegasi that had decided to leave the clouds, what I didn't know was why it had been branded onto a colt of all things. A colt! How in Celestia's sunny polished plot did it even occur to someone to brand a colt?! What was he even doing down here in the first place?!
Shaking my head to clear away the exasperated thoughts I decided, first things first. Take stock of the situation at hoof. Currently I was standing by myself, Light was off to the side nearer the buildings speaking softly between Tech, Cleave, Mist, and Pyro. Psych stood near by them, though was not putting any input into the conversation, and Static was standing near Light, listening. It was then I noticed Karma slowly heading her way back towards the front part of town, hooves dragging slightly in the dirt. Right as I was about to take a step towards joining her to get some many questions answered, Stan came out of no where and blocked my path.
He didnt say anything, as usual, and didn't look too threatening overall, but the casual glance under the rim of his hat was more then enough for me to slowly back mentally down and give up on reaching out to Karma, for now. Guessing my decision, he simply nodded his head, and moved to walk in the same direction she was headed, though was making no effort to really catch up to her.
Well, so much for a brilliant plan of action.
The soft crunching of hooves in the dirt covered road brought my attention back around to the earlier group. Tech, and Cleave, had turned to make their way back as well, but Light and Psych had decided they did actually want to have words with me, with Static fumbling behind them as he darted his eyes around at the other buildings, while Pyro was making his way back around the main town hall structure. Mist was...somehow gone again. I fought down the urge to back my ears in a slight feeling of dread, and raised my head while squaring my stance when they approached.
"We are going to try to assume that you still have absolutely no idea what is going on." Light stated once he was able to stand fully in front of me. Psych on the other hoof stayed back and gave me that same narrow-eyed expression of distrust that I had been getting used to, not that it wasn't unwarranted I suppose, Static had decided to remain quiet, per-usual.
"You would assume correct, then. I am just as shocked as the rest of you. I really have no idea what is going on...but I can tell you I do intend to find out, soon as I can get to the tower." I tried to make my voice sound as confident as possible.
Light quirked a brow in thought, Psych rolled his eyes, and Static...remained pretty much 'static' to the response. I had a feeling I wasn't going to get much of an argument out of him anyways. After a moment, Light let out a small sigh and raised a hoof to brush back his fluffy mane.
"Alright then. We are just going to stay on schedule. We are staying here the night, you and Karma leave in the morning. Tech says there is more than enough room in that hotel they were having ponies living in."
"Um...what about...you know?" I nudged my head in the direction Pyro had headed.
"He is going to take care of their situation. We cant stick around for a proper burial for them all, but...Pyro can at least take care of their bodies. I doubt they did anything to deserve just to rot there." Light replied, with a slight grimace.
As if on que, a burning smell slowly folded into our standing area. Its sickening now to think about how the smell wasn't that bad when one may not have known exactly where it was coming from, and why. Turning my head, I could already see plumes of dark black smoke rising into the air.
"Aren't you worried someones going to see that?" I couldn't help myself from asking.
"Let them see it. I hope they come back so we can kick their flanks so hard, they'll wish their parents never bucked uglies." Psych decided to answer, with a soft growl under his breath. That pony was particularly good at making that noise.
"...fair enough." I quietly said to myself, while the three of them turned and headed in the same direction with the others. I found my attention pulled back to smoke filling sky, feeling a bit bad for Pyro having to deal with it, even if he was the best pony to get the job done in a timely manner.
Continuing to gaze, my mind wandered along with the tendrils of soot snaking and puffing into the air with gasps of undercurrent heat, a black mockery to the clouds I was used to. I could only hope those poor souls would find some sort of peace as their last testament to life was transformed to ash, merging with the sky they never had a chance to truly see or enjoy.
That poor colt, I wonder if he ever got to enjoy flight.
Soon after we found ourselves at the hotel looking building that we had passed by before. Our earth pony companions, hopefully Mist included, had all left to go get Rainy and Happy, so that they could also hitch themselves up to the wagons to bring them inside the town. In the mean time I had placed myself by a front bay window of what would have been a area where morning ponies would have enjoyed the scenery of the town outside. Instead, I simply got a view of the cracked and dirt filled street with rows of empty businesses and houses.
Behind me, Light was carrying on a conversation with Psych, while our other unicorns, minus Pyro, were slowly going through the different rooms up the stairs. Already they had brought down a number of different belongings, mostly canned food and bottled water, along with a few glass bottles of brightly colored liquid and a pile of those little metal disks I had seen them play cards with.
"Going to check to see if they have a medical place tomorrow." I heard Psych say to Light. Turning my head I saw the pink pony nod his head in agreement. Around the same time I saw Tech trot halfway down the stairs and peek around the wall at the two of them.
"Is Stan back yet?" He questioned them. Once he had a duo shake of heads he darted back upstairs in a bit of a rush. Tilting my head I was able to hear him shuffle something plastic-sounding before he came back down stairs with a small magically held pile of little cakes, all wrapped up and still looking in decent condition. "Lets eat these up before he gets back, then" He said with a small smirk.
His yellow magic easily tossed individual cakes in Psych's and Light's direction. Both Unicorns switching their magic over to catch the treats once Tech had released them from his own. He then tossed one over in my direction, which I swung out a wing to catch it against the back of my feathers before it fell onto the floor. Tech then, with the rest of his prizes walked back up the stairs, more than likely to make sure that Cleave got a share as well.
Watching Psych and Light open theirs with their magic and take bites out of the two hundred year old pastry made me look down at mine curiously. The top of the little cake had been smooshed in the plastic clear wrapper over the many years, but strangly didnt look very bad other than that. Tilting my wing about I let it slip to the floor, and with using a hoof and my teeth I ripped the plastic back. Giving it one last concerned look, I tilted it so the cake slipped forwards partially outside the wrapper and took myself a small bite.
Oh...sweet glorious goddesses.
After years and years of the most blandest food the cloud fields could provide, I found myself unable to resist the urge of instantly chomping my jaw down onto the rest of the cake. Finishing it off in the single bite as I chewed ecstatically. Despite the once silky covering of the pastry having turned slightly flaky, and the outside of the cake itself only being slightly stale, it was absolutely delicious. New flavors exploding into my muzzle when the inside of the cake burst in a gooey center. I had no idea what it was that I was tasting, but how in the world Stan could be terrified of something so wonderful was just something I couldn't mentally grasp.
After I licked the inside of my mouth once I had swallowed to chase the flavor, I brought my head back down and eagerly attempted to lick the inside of the wrapper, trying to get every last bit that I could of the snack. It was only a few moments before I realized the strangely quiet atmosphere around me that I looked up at my other two companions in the room.
Both ponies still held their own snacks mid-air, bites taken out of each, but they had stopped to look at me curiously. Light simply stared, but Psych quirked an eyebrow in scrutiny.
"Sweet tooth, much?" He asked me, pointing to my cake's wrapper with a hoof.
"Um...heh, yeah. I guess." I shrugged at him in equal reply as I did my best to salvage whatever dignity I had left in the current situation. Slowly pulling my head back up and pushing the wrapper away from me. It was a war not to lick my lips again with both ponies watching me. But I did make a mental note to snatch up as many of those delicious treats as my hooves could hold in the future.
With that thought in mind, I realized I had been thinking of a future based around even being near the surface enough to be able to obtain such treats again. The feeling of wanting to sigh was just as much sudden on coming to that conclusion. Turning to ignore the other stallions I went to looking back outside the window, just in time to see the two wagons being pulled in our direction from down the road.
"They're back." I mentioned to Light and Psych before heading to the one open doorway, stepping out onto the porch and waiting patiently while the wagons pulled directly up to the building. There was Mist Blade, despite not having seen him leave, hitched up with Static. Behind them were Karma and Stan, once again hitched to their own wagon. Rainy, with her daughter on her back again, had just finished releasing those two before moving to help the blue-toned ponies, when I walked along the side of the front wagon towards the back.
Stan stood quietly next to Karma, who raised her head to peer at me for a moment before breaking into a tired looking smile towards me in welcome.
"Sorry we're a little late." She mentioned, rubbing a hoof back through the fallen strands of her mane that has escaped her pony tail. Stan nodded in agreement to her statement, the three of us turning again to head to the front of the inn, where Rainy, Mist, Static, Light, and Psych all stood on the front porch. I saw Pyro making his way up from down the road, guessing that he had finished the work he had been left to.
"So, they explained?" Light was asking Rainy, whom nodded her head with a sorrowful look across her face. Her daughter was clinging to her neck and trying to look over her shoulder at Light, eyes wide as she listened. Though I hoped they had left her out of the explanation as to what we had found. "Well, were going to go ahead and stick to the plan...while Karma takes Cloud to the pegasus tower, we'll stay here and salvage whatever we can." Pyro had finally made it to the rest of the group.
All the ponies around, minus myself, nodded in agreement. I couldn't help but feel a little badly for the former ponies of the town, but I supposed that either the ponies currently here take it, or the next group to come through this way would. Either way, the townsfolk sure couldn't use anything here anymore.
Cleave, suddenly peeked out from behind the one closed door to look at our group, motioning for us to come inside.
"I am about to start dinner." He said, simply, before disappearing back inside while the others moved to follow their dark-toned companion at the mention of food.
I stood in place, letting the others move ahead of me, as I had meant to speak to Karma, but Stan stopped right as he walked past me. Blinking, he turned his head in a mimic movement of my own and I suddenly found his muzzle near inches from mine. He glared from under his hat for a few seconds, and I felt the skin under my fur turn hot in a uncomfortable blush. He only had to sniff once, before darting his head back like he had been stung and was startled enough to quickly trot inside to leave me behind. I could only stand there wondering what the issue was before Karma stepped to my side, and again I found myself with another nose pushed way too far into my personal space bubble.
"Looks like they found cake." She said, after having sniffed a few times and leaning her head back into normal its normal position.
"Yeah...I don't understand though, it was wonderful..." I replied back, wincing inwardly at the accidental emphasis on wonderful.
"He'll get over it. Just don't bring it up to him. He hasn't even told me why." She turned her head and looked into the building. I was about to open my mouth to start with my further questions about earlier, but she seemed to realize this and quickly interrupted my chain of thought. "Lets go inside and grab dinner before Static eats it all."
With that said she walked past me and inside, I stood for a few extra seconds as I quietly scolded myself, before following. Inside, the entire group was lounging around the common area. Rainy and Psych were going through the supplies that Cleave and Tech had brought down, while everyone else but Cleave was either sitting down watching, or quietly speaking to one another. Cleave himself was hovered over what looked to be a cooking pot he had just pulled out from the fireplace to taste the contents before placing it back inside with his magic. A metal spoon was lifted next from beside him, and it began stirring while following the metal rim.
Karma was sitting on the floor watching Cleave, with Stan laying down nearby, and Pyro was sitting by his other side. I made my way over and sat down on her other side and looked about the room once more, trying in vain again to bring up the subject of the pegasus colt, but I was doomed hence forth when Cleave took the pot from the fire again with another taste test, turning around after to address us.
"Sorry all, its beans, but I did add a can of green beans in the mix. Couldn't hurt." Everyone turned to watch as he emptied the contents of the pot with the spoon into a number of small bowls he had also found earlier. As each bowl was filled, it was magically lifted to separate ponies about the room.
"I am sure it tastes great, dear." Rainy told him as her magic enveloped the steaming bowl to replace Cleave's own magic, and then grabbing a second for her daughter. With that in tow she moved to sit near me and Karma, sipping from the rim. Happy slid down her back once she sat, to sit with her own bowl that Rainy had given her, only lifting her bowl just slightly off the floor with her wavering pink glow to eat.
Oddly enough, I wasn't the last pony to get their food. Four bowls had lifted in our direction to give Karma, Stan, Pyro and me our share, before Static got his. Which was grabbed with both front hooves as he balanced himself into leaning up from his own sitting position, happily licking the sticky food from inside.
Karma rolled her eyes as she moved to sit in a similar manner, quietly eating her own food as she held it in both hooves as well. Stan on the other hand leaned down to eat directly out of the bowl that had been placed on the floor in front of him, having not bothered his laying position in the slightest. Using my right wing I scooped up the bowl with my tougher primary feathers and began taking small licks of the brown substance.
It was equally sweet as the cake I had tasted earlier, with a earthy aftertaste under the syrup covering the beans. The added green beans gave a crisper taste among the other softer materials, and I quickly found myself ignoring my companions again to enjoy Cleave's cooking. Even the stuff from the two hundred year old cans these surface dwellers salvaged tasted better than the cloud food I was used to eating on a normal basis.
After we had all finished, and the bowls were haphazardly tossed into a far corner, the coals in the fireplace had burned down some. Pyro couldn't help a grin as his horn lit up orange and the flames burst through the black, startled back to life. Sadly, Cleave had been sitting a little too close and very nearly caught his own tail on fire. The heat was the only thing that saved him as he jumped back, and instantly glared in Pyro's direction. The fire-loving pony only grinned wider and shrugged in silent reply.
Looking out the window, I saw that it was already growing dark. That, and Mist giving a yawn followed by most of the other ponies catching the dangerously infectious disease I guessed we would be getting ready to go to sleep. Light stood up, giving himself an all-over shake that only caused his already poofy mane to stick out even further.
"Alright, I believe its...Pyro's turn for first watch, but..." He was remembering what Pyro had to do today I guessed, and he looked across the rest of the group.
"I'll take his place." Stan decided for him, lifting a hoof.
Light only gave a nod, this seemed to give the rest of the crew a silent que to start heading outside to their wagon. I stood in the doorway as they all were tossed their sleeping partials from the second wagon. Mostly rolls of blankets they had acquired from somewhere. Stepping back some as they headed back inside, Karma tossed me her own roll, which I just barely caught with my teeth.
"I don't normally get cold, so feel free." She mentioned before picking a spot out near the window, where Stan had moved after placing his own blanket roll beside him, to then begin watching outside the window. The rest of the ponies made their way upstairs, to try to pick sleeping spots inside the different hotel rooms. Pyro stopped to give Stan a quick hoof-wave.
"Thanks, bro. Just come get me in awhile to switch up." He said while Stan nodded and gave a small smile in reply. Pyro simply grinned once again in return and followed the rest up the stairs.
With the blanket roll still lodged between my teeth, I now looked around the empty room. I didn't feel quite comfortable sleeping off by myself, so I decided to make a spot to lay closer to where Karma and Stan had placed themselves. Sitting the cloth down and pulling at the string to undo the knot. After a few minutes I had made myself a nice nest, where I was able to both lay down on the rough cloth of the blanket, and using a wing, pull the rest of the blanket over my back.
Once comfortable, I looked back over to the window to see Karma having laid down in a similar position, except without a blanket. Hooves crossed in front, she lay her head down atop them, peering out the window. Stan had sat down, but made no other move to lay down, and continued to look out the window as quiet as ever.
I opened my mouth for the third time now, but after a moment decided against bothering Karma now. It was late, I had food in my stomach, and Stan was watching out for anything outside the building. Laying my head on my hooves I thought to myself, buck it, I'll just ask her later...I think I yawned...
"What is this? 'You the runt's flank-friend now?"
"Dont pick on him!"
"Yeah? And what are you going to do about it?"
"You...you just shouldn't be picking on him. It isn't right. He was just talking to me."
"I can take care of myself..."
"Your mommy tell you that, runt?"
"No, I told myself that."
"Whoa! Look at the runt's flank...!"
"Hah, maybe the runt is looking for something to romp."
"The romping runt, hahaha..."
"..."
I must have shaken my head in my sleep, because I suddenly was aware of the dark room feeling like it was swirling inside of my skull. It took a few moments, but eventually my surroundings came back into structures that weren't hovering beyond my blurriness of sleep. The room had gone dark, except for a light green glow that was coming from the direction of the window.
Karma had moved slightly, she now lay closer to the wall, where she could lift her head and place her chin on the window sill to keep her head propped up. She was currently looking at me from the corner of her left eye, lazily. The glow was apparently coming from her pipbuck, so she was easily noticeable compared to Stan, whom had laid down to sleep at some point. He was under his blanket, just barely snoring.
"Bad dream?" Karma asked me, bringing my attention back to her. She had barely turned her head so she could speak, though kept her head on the windowsill.
"Yeah, something like that...isn't Pyro supposed to be on watch?" I replied with a question of my own to side-track the subject.
"I wasn't sleeping very much anyways." She answered with a lift of her shoulders in a shrug. "Besides, I like the quiet, and Stan here could sleep through an earthquake."
"I cant blame you there, I guess." I let the thought drift on my own thoughts for a second while taking a chance to try to look out the window. But the green glow along with the darkness outside made that pretty much impossible. Reaching a hoof out of the blankets I ran it through my ruffled mane, before looking back to her. "About today..."
"Hm?" She interrupted, lifting her head and looking directly at me.
"Well...the colt. What was that about...? What was he even doing here?" I couldn't help but lean forwards, in my interest to figure out what she knew. I'm unsure why I thought she knew more than I about pegasus affairs, but it had been bothering me since the day before.
She didn't answer me at first. Instead, she looked down at her pipbuck thoughtfully. Lifting her other hoof and rubbing it across the top screen which made our green light source flicker slightly. I stayed quiet though, patiently, and eventually she did look back up to me.
"From what I was told, back before the war, all three ponies lived together perfectly fine. I'm sure you know that. Earth Ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasus ponies lived however they wanted. Coupled, however they wanted. My guess is, that colt was born here, to whichever parents he had. Even though its been hundreds of years, I'm sure nearly all of us if it were possible, could be traced back to a ancestor that wasn't originally our primary species."
"Okay, I can understand that. But..." I couldn't bring myself to ask, but she seemed to understand regardless. Those eyes of her's, almost black in the dark, narrowed.
"Think about it. Your kind do not like surface dwellers. We are inferior because we cant go above the clouds. They come here, looking for you, and instead not only do they not find you, they find a pegasus colt. A pegasus colt who's parents are not only not pegasi, but of the 'dirt pony' breed."
I winced at the term I had not only used myself once or twice, but had heard plenty throughout my life above the clouds. I had never heard it said with such contempt though, and only now with being around the others did I realize just how...wrong the word was. I didn't like it, at all. Karma must have noticed my internal conflict, for her expression softened slightly before continuing.
"So, they came here, and were going to end up empty hoove'd. It would have been frowned on, as I am sure you already know. They had to save face somehow..." She let the sentence drop off, to an even quieter tone.
"That...but, the entire town? And branding the colt? They couldn't have..." At this point, I think I was more talking to myself, then speaking to her.
"Couldn't have? Maybe they could have got away with never mentioning the colt, but they still didn't have you. Their superiors wouldn't have been pleased regardless. Not including what would have happened if they didn't tell anypony else about the colt and he was then found out. They might have even been branded themselves."
"No." I hoof stomped on the floor suddenly. Startling myself and quickly looking over to Stan, still fast asleep. I guess she had been right about that.
"No? How would you know? I mean heck, look at what has happened on your first mission down here." She stated, looking at me with a dead-pan expression.
"Just...No. We are not like that. Someday, we are going to save everypony." I said the line like I had heard it a million times, but...even I felt a little off, repeating it. Something wasn't right.
I was expecting a follow-up argument, but Karma simply smiled at me. Though, it was far from a warm one, it only made me feel colder as she regarded me, sadly.
"When we deserve to be saved, I'm sure." She turned her head back towards the window. "Don't let us trouble you, till then."
Well, what could I say to that? I didn't like hearing, let alone thinking, that my entire livelihood was nothing but a big ruse. We were a proud breed of pony, we had survived for over two hundred years above the clouds while the world died. We were told we would be the ones to save ponydom, when the world was able to be saved. When...that word, was what made this entire situation seem almost...commonplace. It was a dark thought.
With what little I had experienced in two days, could I really distrust what had kept my kind alive?
Regardless, if it all added up or not. Regardless, if all of this was coming from a Earth pony.
...an Earth pony that really shouldn't have known any better.
Just as I was about to confront her knowledge on the subject, she looked back over at me from the side as she had done earlier. Catching me slightly off guard.
"Go back to sleep, feather head. We got to walk to the tower tomorrow." And with that, she was back to looking out the window. Though I doubted she could see any better out there than I could.
I didn't reply, again. She had pretty much let me know that the conversation was over. Backing my ears against my skull, I crossed my front hooves and laid my head down. This entire situation was leaving a sour taste in my mouth, and with that, I thought back to the cakes from earlier. One of those really sounded good about now....
I was woke up, to a little ball of dry grasses being plopped onto my nose. Causing me to sneeze myself fully awake with a startle. I found Karma standing above me, her own small group of grasses held in her muzzle before she sat down and started to chew on it, watching me. She was wearing her outfit from before, the ragged pieces of cloth covering almost her entire body. The hood of the piece was pulled back so she could eat though, the goggle-portion laying across the back of her shoulders. It was light out, just barely.
I raised a brow at both her, and the grass I'd been given, after. Sniffing it and getting a closer look showed that it was different types of some sort of grass material bundled together, and then tied with more of the longer strands to keep it in place. An odd breakfast, but...I was hungry.
"Hurry up and eat, we're leaving. Your bags are outside." Karma said to catch my attention, she had finished her own breakfast and was looking down at me. After I gave her a nod, she shifted up to her hooves and walked out the door.
I took a chance to look around, and noticed only that Rainy Day, and Psych seemed awake. Rainy was currently drinking from a cup as she stood near the stairs, while Psych was going through the supplies from yesterday that they had found and brought downstairs. He refused to acknowledge me, but Rainy gave me a small smile.
Reaching my muzzle down I grabbed the grass bundle and began to chew on it thoughtfully, sadly this didn't have much taste to it, but with the three swallows to put it down I realized it was just filling enough to get me moving. Giving myself a shake under my blanket dislodged it quickly enough, and I stood to take a moment to attempt to fold it up.
Placing it next to the still sleeping Stan, I looked back over to Rainy and gave her a hoof-wave, which she replied to with one of her own. Psych, was still ignoring me though as he pulled bottles of purple and red liquid from the pile to push them into their own pile.
"Better go before 'Appy wakes up with hugs...good luck, Cloud." Rainy told me, quietly, and I gave her a nod of my head and a smile in thanks, before stepping to the main doorway and out into what was considered the morning light in the wasteland.
It wasn't much, if anything it just seemed to make things even more gray. But it didn't seem to bother Karma while she stood next to my bags, one of them I knew held my armor, the other was obviously holding both of my rifles just barely, with their ends sticking out the partially tied top.
Karma hoof-pointed at the one containing my armor, before leaning down to grab the bag with my rifles in her teeth, and tossing it haphazardly onto her back, while also looping the main strap around her head and down onto her neck. Looking back at it, she wiggled her flank to make sure it would stay in place without any other help, and the rifles rattled slightly.
"Good enough...your turn." She said, watching me. Not to disappoint I did my best to mimic her action, though with wings in the way it made the process of getting the full bag onto my back without squishing any important feathers in the process. But, after I did get it in place, along with the strap over my head, I was able to angle my wings slightly out for better 'grip' on the bag, to keep it from falling off.
With that finished, she turned to move into the street, and I followed. We made our way out of town, with her staying in front, from the way we had originally came into the settlement. Once we reached the last building though, she made a right turn to head what I think was west, towards the tower.
We didn't really talk much. Besides the "hole" comment from her every once in awhile so I wouldn't trip. Otherwise, we quietly walked to our destination while the light around us grew brighter. Looking upwards, I could see the mental image of the sun rising above the clouds. It was a shame no pony else here could see it.
I frowned at that thought...it really was a shame. |
Fallout Equestria: To Question Fate | No light. | The messages had been coming far more seldom than they used to, and to my annoyance I was still checking my pipbuck every chance I could get. Did it even still work? Was there no signal anymore? The stupid hunk of metal had been the latest model of its time, it better damn well still work. It wasn't like I was going to get a repair pony out here that would know how to fix it. Five years it had worked, why wasn't it working now?!
What messages I did receive were short, and unfeeling. Try as I might I was oblivious to what most ponies would figure to be common sense at this point. None of the messages I received really told me anything of merit. Regardless every night I would lay down, and hoof-pick at buttons to write out my own message that I had been sending for the last two years in his absence.
How and what I was doing, the ponies I had met, where I was, my opinions and theories...
How much I missed him, so very very much.
For an entire month I had been sending these messages without reply now. I could feel the desperation like an open wound, constant and painful, and still I refused to believe otherwise. All I wanted to do was have a little faith, was that really too much for a pony to ask for? It wasn't until one night, after sending another message that was far more pathetic sounding that I would have liked (everypony has their bad days) did I finally get my reply. It summed the ending up for me fairly quickly.
To simplify, I had asked over and over, in one way or another:
What did I do wrong? What do you want me to say? - BE.
...why? - BE.
The last message I received read as followed:
You're just not good enough for me, and I just don't care anymore. - RS.
We had been walking for little more than an hour I guessed, it wasn't like I was actually able to tell a definite amount of time out here. With the sun out of sight per the usual on the surface, all I could really tell was day, night, and twilight. Eventually the gray of the morning had turned brighter, so I was guessing it was nearing the afternoon.
Karma and I hadn't really been speaking that much, while I let her take the lead ahead of me. Most I had got were warnings of holes to step around or over, other than that she had stayed fairly silent. She still had the hood of her ragged outfit down, making it look like some poor excuse of a cloak that dragged slightly behind her. Shuffling her shoulders every once in awhile, my rifle bag would be adjusted to a more comfortable position on her back, the ends of the machines poking out next to her head.
Lifting my right wing I attempted the same shuffle, wondering if I should have just worn the armor instead. But I had the conclusion that judging Karma's decision before would not have been in my own best self interest. We would be parting ways soon, and the last thing I wanted to do was irritate the mare.
Our quiet journey was starting to leave me feeling unnerved though. I had known for so far that Karma was quiet from time to time, but with leaving soon, I felt the urge to try to have a last conversation with her.
"So, where will you and the group be headed to next?" I finally inquired while quickening my hooves just enough to come around to her side. My question seemed to slightly startle her out of her own thoughts as her head turned slightly in my direction to regard me with a wide eye before quickly catching herself.
"To the next salvage spot I suppose, and then to a place we can trade, the usual." She huffed out between steps. Afterwards she decided to look back forwards where we were headed. "Its just how we do things."
"Well, I am almost jealous...even if you do have to loot old world stuff, I bet you find lots of interesting things." I attempted to further the subject.
"Mmhmm..." Was all I got in response from her. Well, that was a failed attempt.
I was at a loss of words for awhile after that. She seemed more preoccupied with her own thoughts rather than speaking to me. Oddly enough, this bothered me a bit more than it should have I think. I was going home soon, why should anything else bother me? But the mare was very obviously keeping something from me. I was a very observant pony if nothing else in my personal opinion.
"Look there." Surprisingly she was the one to speak next, dragging me back to the moment as I looked in front of us in the distance. Far ahead, I saw what looked to be the remains of a tower, well, half of it. What was left of the tower didn't even touch the clouds.
"Are you sure this is going to work?" I muttered to myself more than to her, before realizing I had vocalized my question. Just as before, I didn't want to annoy her, but...damn if the place didn't look ragged even from this distance.
"I'm sure. Just because the top half of the tower is gone doesn't mean the lower half's controls aren't in place anymore. All you will be doing is putting out any sort of signal and they'll catch onto it quick. Its not like they aren't looking for you, remember." She answered my question with another while turning her head about to look at me fully.
"Yes I remember, they just don't know all the truth yet. I'll get this sorted out." Attempting to give her a confident tone, which she ended up rolling her eyes at before looking forwards again.
"Sometimes, the truth doesn't help no pony."
...well then.
The tower had grown closer the further we went, and just as I knew that eventually we would be parting ways, Karma stopped, which almost ended up with me bumping into her backside as I had re-taken my place behind her while we walked at some point. Furthering conversation after our last talk had seemed rather mi-nute.
She stood looking at the broken down tower for a bit longer before finally slowly turning around to face me. Looking between one another for a few silent seconds, the knife that could be used to cut it would have had to been very sharp.
"Well, I guess...Thanks, for everything, I mean." Stumbling across my words I rubbed a hoof over the back of my mane. I was so pro at goodbyes, sarcasm intended.
"No need for thanks. It is what ponies should do, helping one another. Despite their differences." Her reply strangely held a mild tone, as if she were doubting her own words. Something told me that wasn't quite the case though.
"Yeah, well...Maybe we'll see each other again sometime." I held out my hoof to her, trying to again give her that confident attitude with a smile.
She didn't reply at first, simply looking down at my hoof for a few seconds before looking back up at me. Her stoic expression slowly shifted with a small smile, lifting her own hoof and softly bumping it against my own. Afterwards she shifted her head and shoulders around to remove my rifle pack, helping me to place it on my free side so that I now had both my armor and weapons in tow.
"Good luck, Cloud Nine." She said quietly, before stepping fully behind me to make her way back to town.
I opened my mouth to say something, but...nothing else really came to me. So instead I gave her a sturdy nod and slowly stepped around her, looking up at the tower as I made my way forwards, trying to go over in my head exactly what in Equestria I was going to do to get a message up to my comrades. It wasn't like I had ever been in one of these things before, even though we had been taught plenty about them before...
Wait a sec.
"Hey! You never told me..." I had turned quick enough to catch her as she left, but instead I just found myself staring out at the wasteland behind me. She was no where I could see. Twisting my head left and right only left me with my current surroundings, and as far as I could tell, I was now alone.
"...your real name." Pony-feathers.
Eventually I came to the base of the tower. It had some point been surrounded by a fence, but half of that was long gone by now. Only thing left standing were partial metal rods sticking here and there out of the dirt, along with the poles that had been used to hold the obstruction up. Luckily, what had been left of the gate simply wasn't there anymore at all, and I was able to easily trot right into the main compound. I use the word compound now only because it was just then that I noticed the tower had been connected to a small warehouse looking building with most of its windows either missing, or completely blocked by dirt blown through the wind over a few centuries.
I felt the main warehouse doors should be ignored, so instead I went up to a small doorway that looked like it had at some point been sliding doors, with one of the doors only being slightly intact as it stuck out halfway from the wall while the other I guessed had made a forever home in the other side wall. It left the doorway easily passable with the open space, and so I stepped inside carefully, pausing just over the threshold.
Inside seemed simple enough. A desk in the middle of the floor circled around as the main welcome area, atop it held two computers, both with their screens broken out. Stepping forwards as if I was some long-ago visitor I leaned over in curiosity to see what else the desk held. Pencils, pen, paper and magazines I couldn't read any longer, and to my surprise a tiny snow globe, still amazingly intact.
Rearing up on my front hooves to lean over the counter I stretched a wing over to scoop up the little trinket, bringing it to the top of the welcome desk so I could use that same wing as a feather duster over the shaded by time plastic. Inside was a replica of the tower as it had been in its hay-day, complete with little magical-induced clouds inside it rather than snow. That's prime pegasus design right there.
Oddly, I looked to my left and right, as if there might be any pony actually watching me, before re-scooping up the globe with a grin and pulling my feathers about to shuffle it into a side pocket of my armor bag. What could it hurt?
Giving a small cough to bring myself back to the current situation at hoof, I slowly stepped around the desk to look at the double doorway behind it. With a hoof press it creakily opened up to a longer hallway surrounding by doors leading this way and that. I almost sighed before realizing that the doors were labeled, and thankfully enough the ravages of time had left them mostly intact enough to read. I really wasn't looking forwards to poking a hoof into every room here till I found something useful.
Soon enough, after having passed a lunch area, maintenance room, and restroom I found myself now what I guessed to be the middle portion of the tower. If the machines and the insanely high ceiling had anything to show for it. A circled row of machinery filled the center, while countless panels and screens lined the walls with added keyboards next to each, still waiting for their pegasus team to monitor the weather and give out orders to the different teams controlling the clouds that day long ago.
I frowned on seeing most of the screens dark, or broken, along the walls. But, it was just my luck one screen was just barely flickering with a green glow past the layers of dust that covered it, right in the center of the middle control unit in the room. Upon further inspection as I stepped closer I saw the solid plastic panel cover below where the keyboard should have been. With a hoof-click of the button I found next to it, the panel slid back to show a series of cloud shaped buttons and levers. With a smile I reached forwards and poked a random cloud-button, more because I was happy to see an element I was used to.
The screen in front of me flickered even faster, with a whirring sound that had me wondering if that last little push was enough to bring whatever was left of the system to a crashing halt, but instead soft lights lit up under the clouds to give more indication of what button was what. A colorful little light show that had to have been beautiful at some point, but with half of the lights refusing to cooperate, only left me with a few options. Unhooking my bags I let them sit on the floor next to me while I got to work.
Taking a deep breath, I went about to fooling with the cloud's buttons as I squinted at the flickery screen to attempt to see exactly what I was attempting to pull off. For awhile, I was getting pretty sick of seeing ComManD xX2x :: ERrOr flash across the screen before it would revert back to what I think was a home screen. But eventually, after what seemed like forever I got a different response of, x31XC.R. :: ExeCUte?
Sure? Why not.
With a satisfied smirk, I lowered a hoof to a side lever, and slid it down. That had to do something.
And sure enough, the screen blinked completely out. Bucking pony-feathers...
Neon purple invaded my eyes suddenly as set of what I thought were dead lights flashed, before slowly clicking on upwards in a rainbow line. Purple, blue, what might have been green but was now brown, yellow, orange, and finally red. I was startled by the colors at first, thinking I had broken it, but with red coming online the screen finally shifted to a new screen indicating TeAm x2ClouDERusH :: SigNal acTIVe!. With a complimentary little dish looking thing twirling around in a circle beyond the random flickers the screen refused to quit the entire time.
Above me, I heard a part of the machine groan as if it was attempting to shift something into place. Though all I could really see was a cloud of rust and dirt shift downwards in response. Quickly I backed up to avoid getting myself any more dirty than I already was and simply watched the machine for a few moments. Nothing else changed, but the little disk was still contently whirring around on the screen. Thinking to myself, I could only hope one of our cloud ships may pick up on a pegasus related signal.
Now what to do...Looking around the still mostly dead room I didn't really feel up to just sitting around and waiting. Right as I was deciding to head back outside the way I had come in, the sound of something metal and small being knocked over caught my attention, coming from a door to my right. Forgetting about my bags, I walked up to the door and very slowly pushed it open, to peek my head in just to see exactly what it was that had made the noise.
The door, is what had originally been access to the warehouse looking building from the main tower. Inside was mostly empty besides a few old-school cloud carriages that had been left behind, along with some random boxed up clutter between the layers of dust covering mostly everything, what really caught my attention though, was the armored figure standing next to one of the carriages, where a small piece of metal paneling had fallen off of it. I let out a sigh of relief on recognizing the mostly black enclave armor, they were already here the whole time!
Fluttering my wings to boost me into the room, I barely had enough time to raise a hoof and give a 'Hey!' before something smacked me across the back of my skull, causing me to fall face-first into the floor as the blow shifted my balance completely forwards and had me kissing the floor with my entire muzzle.
Everything had gone fuzzy and mostly black as I tried to scrape myself off the floor, only to get another smack. Groaning, the last thing I saw was the armor wearing pony having turned their helm in my direction to look, but had otherwise not made any effort to save me from whatever plight I had stupidly walked into.
Pony-feathers didn't even cover it...my last thought was bringing out the big curses.
I am so fucked.
"Because, don't you want to be a better pony?"
"Yeah...I suppose I do."
I awoke, Celestia only knows when, to feel myself laying across a smooth surface. It seemed like way too much of an effort to open my eyes just yet, and I was more interested in the fact I had fallen asleep laying on my stomach, with all four hooves splayed out and...I apparently couldn't move my wings, or my legs for that matter.
It was the last realization that had me quickly trying to blink my eyes open and into proper focus. That only lead to the headache that I now was only realizing was very similar to the one I had woken up with only a day or so ago. I tried not to make any noise, but I kept attempting to move, only finding myself stuck in the exact same position against my will.
Finally, things came into focus enough for me to notice that I was in the same warehouse as before. Same carriages, same boxes...though not the same table, the table I was currently laying on. My front hooves appeared to be tied down to the table with rubber boxing straps, metal hooks attached to the table kept them from coming loose, and I could only just barely lift either hoof before my strength would give out and they would snap back against the table, rather painfully I might add.
And was it hotter in here or was it just me?
Turning my head to check on my wings and back hooves, similarly attached, caught my attention to one of the carriages that had been in the warehouse. It was now on fire, which is why I guessed the room was far warmer than it should have been. Luckily, the smoke was being pulled out of the broken top windows of the large room, but unlucky for me, the armored pony was still here. Whomever it was stood next to the fire and was quietly watching the flames, and beside them was another pony looking directly at me. Oh great, friends.
"I can explain...really. If you don't mind letting me up, I'm not going to fly off, I need to talk to you." I tried explaining, "I didn't kill anypony, but I know who did." I had given up pulling at my bonds for the time being. My wings were also bound down with the same, but longer, straps pulled over the center of the table, but I refused to fight against them for the time being. I needed to show them I was sincere.
"You won't be flying anywhere, anytime soon, or ever, when we get back upstairs."
The sound came opposite of my current line of sight, so I had to pull my head back around to my right to look, to find myself being hovered over by a third armored pony, male, from what I could tell from the muffled sounding voice.
"You really do have it all wrong!" My patience and calm were slowly dimming. "Whirl killed those ponies, he's the one who needs to be dealt with. Why do you think I would be coming here to try to find someone to talk to in the first place?"
Armored wings lifted, white feathers poking out from behind, to lift while one of his shoulders rolled into a shrug.
"We have our orders."
"And just what are those orders detailing?!" Okay, now I was irritated, they weren't listening!
"To obtain and capture the rogue soldier, Cloud Nine, in any means or way possible." Was plainly stated by him in reply to my half-yelling. His wings had lowered back down, but other than that, he simply kept looking at me. I found myself wanting to growl under my breath.
"Well you have me, even though I did nothing to deserve this if you would just let me up and let us talk like fellow soldiers, the real pony you're after is Whirl, he killed my group. Not me."
"Irrelevant. We have our orders, like I said." He replied again as if he was mildly irritated at having to repeat himself. He stepped around the table, forcing me to twist my head again to my discomfort to try to follow him with only my gaze. Casually, he lifted a hoof up to work at undoing the clasps on the underside of his helmet.
"Ugh...and what now?" I noticed his two fellows that were now behind him had stepped away from the fire, and had walked over to the door I had used to come inside, both of them stepped through it and out of sight through the door, leaving me alone with my prosecutor.
"We are to brand you, and then bring you back to our superiors. That was the end of our orders."
"Wait, what now?! Brand me and then take me back?! What are you going to do, clip me in front of everyone?!" It wasn't as if the branding was already a horrible thought...but I had heard horror stories about criminals being clipped, and then thrown back off the clouds...
At this point he had got the clasps undone from his armor, and with lowering his head he was able to pull the helmet off with the same hoof to hold it from having it drop to the floor. Once he raised back up, I was able to get a first-hoof look at my captor.
And, it was almost like looking in a backwards mirror. We had very similar coloring, though where as my coat was an off-white color at best, his was a brighter pure white compared to my own. We both had blonde manes, and again we only slightly differed there as well. Mine was the lighter of the two, while his was only a shade or two darker, cropped shorter than mine into a more worthy military cut. My eyes were a plain blue, while his stared back at me with contempt in the color of sea-green.
Maybe it was the fact we looked similar in coloring, but I swore I had seen him somewhere before.
I guess he had by now got tired of answering my accusations, and after placing his helmet on the same table I was still strapped to, he headed over to the still-burning carriage, poking a hoof near the flames for a moment before kicking something out of the fire. Something metal, long, and thin.
Here I was, having no idea what my cutie mark represented to me personally, and I was about to lose it forever.
That last thought, was finally brought home when I saw him carefully reach down with his muzzle to the cooler end of the metal rod. The opposite end was still caked in the flame that it had been removed from, but I easily saw the cloud and lightning bolt outlined in bright orange underneath. With a shake of his head, the flames were put out, but the end still glowed and smoked slightly when he stepped back over to me, holding the piece between his teeth and positioning himself near my left flank.
"Oh dear Celestia..." I heard myself mutter as I turned my head away and closed my eyes tight, I could feel the heat coming off the rod even as he stood next to me. This was it, I should have listened to her...
With the sound of the door swinging back open just as I started to feel my fur being singed back by the heat that I had guessed was just inches away from scarring me forever, I heard the voice of the very pony I had just been thinking about.
"Rocket, please don't do this..."
I'll admit, I was stunned for a few moments. Laying there tied down with my eyes scrunched up awaiting my horrible fate. I almost thought I had made the sound up in a last desperate attempt at hope that I would be saved. When the burning pain didnt come, I found myself just barely sneaking my left eye open to look over at the doorway, and sure enough there stood Karma. Wearing her signature outfit still, though her hood had been pulled up and the gas-mask goggles covered most of her face besides her muzzle.
Somehow, she had sneaked past the other two enclave soldiers. I'll try to remember not to make fun of that silly outfit ever again.
"Oh thank Celestia..." I muttered under my breath as I felt my muscles relax slightly at the thought that I was actually going to be able to get out of this situation. I'll admit I am not the fastest pony when it came to nearly having my cutie mark burned off, but it did take me a moment to realize exactly what the mare had said.
"Wait a bucking moment...Rocket? You two know one another?" I tried to inquire to them both. But, I was being ignored. Mare and Stallion hadn't moved from their positions and were looking at one another intently. Maybe, this wasn't exactly what I had planned as far as a rescue...
Finally, the armored pony whom I could only now guess was named 'Rocket', slowly backed a step away from my table and lowered the still hot iron rod from his muzzle on the floor in front of him. Giving a small shake to his mane before raising back up and turning completely to stare at my companion, squaring his shoulders and narrowing his eyes slightly.
"What are you doing here?" He didn't seem phased at all by having been called by his name, though his tone had lowered to a softer octave, as if he wasn't wishing for anyone else to hear the current conversation.
"I was making sure he got home, I know how your squads work after all..." Her head lowered slightly, just barely looking up at him from under her shaded face.
"Um..Y-yeah. She also can vouch for me. I didn't kill no pony. You can um...let me go now," I interrupted. Still strapped to the table here. Would love to be removed from current hostage situation. "...Please."
Rocket didn't even give me a second glance as he kept his eyes on Karma. She on the other hoof just barely turned her head to look at me, even through her half-mask I could see the sad expression clearly. What exactly was going on here?
"Cloud, that's just it," She muttered again before her voice slowly drifted off, her eyes closed while she took a hoof to raise up to her hood and slowly slide it back. Only when her head was free did she look back at my captor, and even though that sad look still reigned supreme, there was something else in that shiny-eyed gaze. Anger. "...he doesn't care."
It must have finally struck a chord with Rocket, because he ended up lifting a hoof and lowering it back down in a slight stomp before he caught his temper again, giving his muzzle a shake and drawing it back up into that concentrated control.
"You should leave." Was all that he told her, and Karma just laughed dishearteningly.
"I guess I really should, but I never really was much for following orders was I, Rocket?" She caught herself smiling at some sort of old memory with a shake of her head, before that just as quickly fell when she looked back to him again with the somber gaze. "But please. Don't do this. Let him go, You were better than this."
"I am better now, Bright." He quickly stated with a snort of hot breath in her direction.
Karma stood silent for a few moments, before that small spark of anger seemed to ignite again, and her form shook as the strength of the feeling swept through her body.
"You're better now? Really?! Is that what you think of yourself now?! Is it that what you were thinking when you decided that it was a good idea to burn off a colt's cutie mark!? Do you even remember if he had a cutie mark yet?!"
Rocket stood silent to her accusation, and I realized I'd completely forgotten about that...why in Celestia's blazes did I come here...
"Was it because they didn't tell you where your fugitive was?! Were you trying to make an example of a dirt-born pegasus?! You think you are so righteous in your actions that it didn't even occur to you he'd only been down here a day and they may have no idea what was going on?! But maybe it was just you not caring again. Anything to finish your stupid mission." The last words were spat out in a further show of contempt from the mare.
"You are going to leave." He stated a second time, though now a threat with him lowering his head to glare at Karma while his wings just barely lifted off of his back.
"I am not leaving without Cloud," She mimic-ed his stance with one of her own, head lowered while her hooves scooted slightly further apart, her shoulders lifting to make herself look stronger. "You want me to leave? Then try and make me."
Oh dear.
"Watch out!" I tried to warn her when I saw his wings sweep backwards with a gust that was used to propel himself forwards, using his speed in an attempt to catch her off guard, but it seemed I hadn't much faith in the flightless mare. Quickly she side-jumped the burst, twisting her body about in an attempt to throw out her back hooves at her attacker while using the added momentum to get away from his own hooves.
Sadly all she caught was a lifted front hoof that her own back hooves rattled across the armor in casing it, leaving him to only skid back slightly at the force she had put behind it. Only now did he give a full burst flap of his wings to throw himself into the air and into a loop to try again to attack in a similar manner, throwing out his back hooves to try to slam them down atop her.
Karma only barely managed to miss this attack again, sweeping her body about where he would only just barely miss her back, and she was able to throw her body against his to attempt to use his own speed against him and toss him into the brick wall. Instead, when his body was thrown off course he simply swiveled his wings about to pull his hooves against the oncoming wall, landing roughly sideways, and he was able to push off even faster than before as his wings buzzed with the strength of another attack.
This was getting way out of hoof, and I was desperately trying to struggle against the straps holding me down, my hooves and legs snapping back against the metal loudly each time I attempted to pull at them. Meanwhile Karma was dodging his attacks, and it was very clear she was outmatched. She was barely attacking, merely attempting to dodge anything he threw at her as he swooped back and forth mid-air at her.
It was also very obvious, she wasn't going to be able to keep this up forever. But it didn't stop her from taunting the stallion further.
"How many ponies could you have helped, Rocket Science?! How many lives have you had to ruin since?!" She'd yelp when a hoof came barreling down, just barely missing her as she jumped out of the way. "Are you truly a better pony?!"
Rocket Science. Now that was a name I did recognize. It caused me to stop my struggling as the name alone struck a clear memory.
Mares and gentlecolts, we have finally smuggled out the last of the traitors among us! All from the help of this great stallion! We can all breathe a little easier today, praise the Enclave!
She was fighting Rocket Science. Not only had he single-hoofedly infiltrated the supposed traitor group that was among the clouds, but there was also the rumor that he was next in line to join our very own Wonderbolts. They had sent a Wonderbolt trainee to get me.
There was absolutely no way Karma was winning this fight.
Right at that thought, he indeed landed a blow to her side. Doing another loop after she had dodged him to come right back around to catch her other side. Front hooves plummeted into her side and threw her in a very similar manner as she had attempted before against the metal-side wall of the warehouse. Her body landed with a loud clang that not only dented the old metal, but caused shards of it to burst as portions of the sheet tore from their rust covered scars. She couldn't help a gasp when she was cut, landing on the floor and shaking herself that caused crimson droplets to scatter around her.
Panting harshly she pulled her head up in a verbal growl to look at Rocket, who oddly enough hovered calmly midair, looking down at her with a slight frown, not even out of breath.
"All the good you could have done..." She was just barely able to pant out, her hooves trembling slightly. "Even if it accounted for nothing you could have done more than any other pony did, you could have tried..." Slowly she took a deeper breath.
"You could have been better than this!"
"I don't have time for this." He stated calmly, and he shifted his wings forwards to align the front half of his body at her, and the tell-all soft sizzling sound indicated he had decided to finally use the two rifles attached to the sides of his armor. "It didn't have to be like this, Bright."
"Well that's at least a last thing we can still both agree on..." She quietly muttered in response, closed her eyes, and grimaced...
"NO."
I felt one of the straps finally give as I apparently struggled again. With a strength I had no idea I had the rubber cracked and burned across my hoof as it split in half and went ricocheting to either side. This was wrong. This wasn't right. She had saved me, she didn't deserve this! Everything about this was completely and utterly wrong!
But I was still too late, both side rifles of Rocket's armor brightened in a flash of neon green light and flew straight at my friend, just as I was able to get another strap to snap off one of my back hooves. I was still too late! Too damn late!
"KARMA!" I could do nothing but scream. |
Fallout Equestria: To Question Fate | That I get what I deserve. | Climbing out of the hole was quite the numbing experience. At first, I could do little else but slowly sit down as the world went into a form of silence I didn't quite understand. Here, there were no sounds of machinery, or air vents, the swishing of automatic doors opening and closing, or the near-constant chatter of ponies that I had grown accustom to over the years. After having lived in a larger community for so long, the silence outside the door was almost frightening as much as it was soothing.
The air here was stale, and the thought crossed my mind that maybe I was the only pony in the last two or three hundred years to breathe in this air. Was that a privilege or a curse?
I remember eventually shifting my bag on my back, and letting the glow of my pipbuck guide me upwards through the tunnel. The green glow casting shadows over the rough dirt and stone walls as the tunnel made a slow incline up. I was expecting a door at the end, but instead I was greeted with overhanging trap door in the ceiling, just as dark as anything else in that hole.
I was worried maybe I wasn't getting out, for all I knew I would open up that wooden escape hatch only to find I was blocked by a cave in. Thankfully though, when I reared up and pushed at the half-rotted wood, it stayed intact and lifted along with the rustling sound of thick dusty fabric being pulled along with it.
A small jump and clasp of my front legs over the edge, scuffled curse while I lifted my body out of the hole with more back-leg kicking than I would like to admit, I found that I luckily was not caved in, and I was in a still intact building.
Oh...now this was rich.
The building even in its century old rotted state was unmistakable, even though all the information I had been told was subject to textbooks. Pews lined the side-walls, open windows were long gone letting in rays of frail light, and here I was standing in the middle aisle among shards of faded rainbow glass.
The broken stone statue of an Alicorn had lost part of its horn, and one of the unfolded wings had been ripped clean off.
All I could do was laugh. Those faithless ponies below me had no idea what we lived under.
"KARMA!" I screamed, my friend...she was, she was...
I wanted to close my eyes, I didn't want to see her body enveloped by the green magical energy to be reduced to a pile of glowing soot and sludge. The beams had been at near point-blank range, she was too tired to move, too worn out to escape her fate.
The flash of green suddenly took on a brighter gold hue in a retaliation of shimmering light, and next thing I knew those death rays were smacked out of their original flight path to leave two smoldering holes in the metal coating that made up the far wall. They had landed no where near Karma, and I found myself shocked into starring at the two glittering holes where the outside light drew straight lined patterns in the dust-filled air.
I think my muzzle had dropped open at one point, and I'd completely forgotten about my half-victory over the straps holding my body down. Blinking away the flash that had momentarily blurred my vision I slowly brought my head around to try to figure out what had happened, was she still alive?
What I was left with, confused me that much more and my brain had trouble catching up. I didn't understand it at the time, so there is little I can do other than explain what I was left looking at, dumbfound.
Around the beige and brown mare glimmered gold, tendrils of light criss-crossing to shield her body where she had partially fallen onto her right front knee, head bowed and eyes closed.
Unicorn magic, where there was no unicorn.
Just then, her eyes slowly opened to look up at the still-hovering Rocket through the strands of her mane that had fallen forwards. Where there should have been pupils and iris, instead was that same gold glow that took up the entirety of both of her eyes, it was a wonder she could even still see. It was obvious though, all of her attention was brought back to her attacker.
Rocket stayed in the air, wings softly keeping him aloft as he looked down to her, with ears backed and eyes narrowed.
"Treat ponies as if they were what they ought to be, and you will help them become what they are capable of becoming." Karma suddenly proclaimed, as if she were reciting something she had read at some point. Raising to stand fully once more before the armored pegasus, those orbs of light narrowed at him.
"What gives you the right." Was clearly stated at him. It wasn't a question. It was an accusation.
Rocket stayed silent, but as I glanced up at him and just barely noticed his ears twitch. Doubt.
And then, of course, a new sort of hell broke loose.
The side door to the main building banged open as a armored body was thrown though it, the black armor coating the pony body screeched across the floor as the metal screamed in pain at the skid, though the body stayed still.
"Yeah, take that you metal bastard!" Came the sound of a known loud-mouthed pony through the door.
My full attention was brought back to the door where it banged open, and a suddenly very large, very obviously annoyed brown stallion huffed after having thrown the enclave soldier through. His hat was slightly askew, and Stan did not look very happy at all.
Peeking over the larger stallion's shoulder, the goggle-wearing Psych was pushing back his mane with a hoof and trying to look inside the warehouse with a squint under the scratched glass.
Out of the corner of my eye I could see Karma stutter on her hooves, holding her right hoof to her ear and wincing as the light from before was blinking out in a very static-y way before it blinked out entirely and she fell onto her side.
"Hey!" I called over to the two of them, still on the table. The three of us caught each others gaze, and I carefully lifted my front free hoof in greeting. Which only caused Psych to roll his eyes as he lifted the goggles up and on top of his head.
"Not looking for you, winged asshole!" He'd respond before both stallions turned their attention to Karma's direction. She lay on her side with her head groggily drifting from side to side as if she was dizzy. Rocket had turned in mid-air to regard the two new ponies with another silent frown.
"Stupid mare..." Psych growled under his breath before bumping himself against Stan's side and pointing a hoof at the floating pegasus. "Pony up!"
Stan's ears twitched at that last statement as his head lowered, and I could have sworn I saw him grin slightly before he charged into the room in a single smooth movement for a pony his size. A slight twist of his head was the only warning given before that sword he carried across his back came swiveling forwards in an arch of silver and green, hilt clasped between his teeth he angled the over-sized weapon within its unfurled curve to swing back over his left shoulder and up, letting the hilt turn within his muzzle while he tried a forwards jump at Rocket.
Rocket was not about to let something as simply as a sword carrying earth pony get any chance at an actual blow, and with a gust of his wings he propelled himself backwards in mid-air and far out of Stan's range, raising an eyebrow at the other stallion's attempt of attack with the same casual air of disdain he had been keeping the entire time.
It was at this moment that my brain decided to kick in its common sense program and I realized I was still partially attached to the table. It was simple enough to use my free front hoof to unclasp its partner before reaching around me to fiddle with the larger strap that held my wings down. That particular strap warranted a bit more struggling before it finally snapped off to the side, and I slipped my back hoof out of the last one keeping me attached.
Using my wings I followed Rocket's example and allowed a firm flap to fling myself off the table and in Karma's direction. The mare was still laying on her side with only her head partially propped up as it swayed. Having no clue how to help I simply stood near her side protectively, giving her a single worried glance before I looked back to the fight at hoof.
Stan and Rocket were slowly circling one another after Stan's failed attack. Stan was keeping his front to the pegasus, while Rocket was simply observing the situation without wasting much effort on a followup attack.
"You want to play like that, fine..." I heard Psych mutter to my left, looking to the purple pony I saw him using his magic to dig through his saddle bag while grumbling. After a few seconds he ended up pulling two potion bottles out of his bag, one filled with a yellow mixture, and the other with a green, finding what he was looking for he grinned. The grin was scary enough on its own.
The green glow of his magic drew the two bottles apart in mid air and brought them around in front. Using a front hoof to dust his chest off smugly, he glanced back over to where Stan and Rocket stood their grounds.
"Lets make this more interesting." He told himself, before suddenly smashing the two bottles together within safe distance in front of him. With their common shatter, also came a woosh of heat as the two chemicals combined, and with his magic still firmly attached, the two chemicals ended up creating a glare of green fire. The insane pony had lit his own magic on fire, balefire even.
"Try and dodge this!" Psych yelled before pulling a piece of his magic apart from the sweltering ball of green death and launching it straight at Rocket.
The bright green color was hard to ignore, and Rocket let his body fall to the side as the death-magic just barely missed him. But instead of the fire simply going its normal straight course, once it had missed it did a loop and headed right back to Rocket like a homing missile.
Now that nearly caught him off guard, as he had fell to the side to avoid the first blast, Stan had taken the chance at another curved jump attack with his sword, forcing the in-flight soldier to flap backwards again and out of reach, but it left him open to Psych's fire.
He was just nearly not fast enough to avoid that second attack from the balefire as it blasted back at its intended target. With his wings already positioned to force him backwards, he only barely had enough time to react with another backwards flap that held a lot more strength than the first, a fair sign he hadn't been expecting to have to dodge it a second time.
And sure enough, the warehouse as large as it was, just wasn't big enough for this kind of aerial combat, and with avoiding the fire a second time he accidentally ended up hitting the metal wall of the warehouse in a similar manner that Karma had earlier.
The semi-solid surface startled him just barely, and he fell onto all four hooves to the floor. Giving Stan ample enough time to rush forwards while Psych was beginning to pull a second ball of flame out of his larger personal one to throw while his first hovered just behind Stan.
"Wait!...wait..." Karma suddenly erupted beside me as she had apparently been following the fight as best she could in her position, and she was attempting to struggle to her hooves. Stan stopped mid-inches from trying to lop the head of his opponent, and Psych was surprised enough that both smaller orbs of fire faltered and nearly fell to the floor before he re-caught them. Apparently spreading his magic about took a greater deal of concentration than I originally thought.
"Wait exactly for what?!" He snarled over to her, taking his eyes off of Rocket and onto Karma who was just barely able to get her front hooves to push herself up.
"D-don't...kill him. Don't kill him!" She struggled to reply.
"Karma, I don't think this is a good time to..." I attempted to mutter softly to the strange acting mare.
"I said do. not. kill. him." She spat out, looking first to me, then to Psych with both eyes narrowed hatefully.
"For the love of...you stupid, stupid mare!" Argued Psych before he turned back to look at Stan, pointing another hoof at Rocket, who was getting his bearings back quickly. "Finish this shit already!"
"NO!" Karma yelled as she tried scrambling forwards to stop her other stallion friend.
Stan stayed where he was, positioned with sword in muzzle to slash forwards at Rocket, but he was clearly conflicted and hadn't made a move to follow Psych's order...
Rocket took his chance, flaring his wings and forcing himself back into the air and nearer to the ceiling, glaring down at the two stallions. With a clasp of his teeth on the main firing section of his rifles, he prepared for a full-on fight.
"WHY DO I LIVE WITH IDIOTS?!" Psych bellowed before letting his anger get the better of him and drawing all three orbs of fire together with his magic, and launching the entire thing at Rocket.
"ROCKET!" Screeched Karma as she finally was able to stand and she tumbled forwards, and I threw a wing across her chest to keep her from falling, wincing at her yelling, feeling conflicted myself...
Suddenly, and without much warning, came the second shape of an armored pony that burst out from a half-broken window. What glass that had been left shattered as the blunt of the blow was forced along the armor section of its encased front hooves. With the propelled speed of its wings, and another small twist in mid-air that brought their back hooves around, Rocket suddenly found the left side of his face in full contact with the black metal.
Both pegasi tumbled from the air right as the balefire barreled past where they had been merely seconds ago, and hit across the length of the ceiling. Leaving a scorching line of black and green in a long scar till it fizzled out before reaching the far wall. Psych let forth a number of colorful curses at this point in such a speed I was in no way able to keep up with exactly what was said.
Stan sat there blinking through the entire second half of the ordeal, sword still clasped in his muzzle as he looked between Karma and I, Psych, and then finally to the two pegasi that had fallen back into that same wall from before, though it was easy to tell that Rocket was the one that hadn't fared nearly as well and was laying across the floor not moving, while the other armored one was getting to their hooves.
"You didn't take care of the other one?!" I accused Psych personally, turning to him as I felt my feathers ruffle in both irritation and further stress.
"There was only the one, no one gave us the guest list to this fucking reunion!" He yelled in a retort back to me. The fully armored pegasus had gotten to their feet and was waving around a front hoof as Stan threateningly pointed himself at them.
"Wait, wait. I'm not your enemy." Came the very female sounding voice under the helmet, afterwards she attempted to quickly undo the clasps under it, pushing her hoof against her neck.
"Oh, like that worked so well for me earlier..." I couldn't help but mutter darkly. But at least the female sounding voice had shut Psych up, and he was intently looking at the other enclave soldier with ears perked forwards. Karma had stayed silent for the time period, but I noticed she wasn't watching the new comer, but had her eyes locked onto the still form of Rocket, watching him to make sure he was still breathing.
Meanwhile, the female pegasus had finally undone the clasps to her helmet, and with a lean forward she removed the metal in casing her head. A bright flash of neon yellow shook itself from its entrapment while a ink streak of black blared out of the shocking color combination of her mane. Silvery fur made up her coat while she regarded us with a matching pair of the same vivid yellow eyes that matched her mane. After looking between the four of us, she finally turned her head and looked down at the still form of Rocket, and gave a breathy laugh.
"You have no idea how long I have wanted to do that."
"So, exactly how are you not our enemy when you are working with our enemy?" Psych asked the new pegasus mare holding her helmet as she looked at us. His tone was quieter than before, but still held some of his normal sarcastic sting. The mare shook her head at his question, closing her eyes for a quick moment with an exasperated expression, before lifting her head up and looking to the three of us with a more stern gleam to those neon eyes. Karma on the other hoof seemed to be ignoring us entirely for the time being.
"My name is Storm Cloud. I would not be working with the Enclave if I actually had another choice in the manner. I would love to be able to leave with my husband but...things are not entirely that simple."
"I can understand not leaving, with the risk of being caught and branded..." I quietly responded, giving the mare a sympathetic ear while the other two stallions in my company didn't seem quite as convinced.
"It isn't just that," She quickly stated while turning her head to look at me directly. "I would take the chance of getting caught if we even could actually take that chance. What the Enclave has been doing is...its just wrong. No pony should be more special because of their faults or their strengths." That last sentence of hers held far more passion that I think she wanted to imply.
"What is it your avoiding saying?" Psych asked in an even lower tone, slightly more dangerous. Stan remained silent, per the usual.
"Its just that..." Her sentence fell off, while she scuffed a front hoof against the floor, studying the motion so she could avoid our questioning gazes. "...I can't leave. Because he can't either."
"If you didn't notice the two feather-stuffed appendages on your backs, might be a good time to put them to use." Psych rolled his eyes, disbelieving.
"Fine, fine." She sighed, before suddenly looking back up at look at me. "My husband, Heat Sink, is Flightless."
I tried to hold back the startled cough that crawled up my throat. But the pained expression on Storm's face was clear.
"Explain." Psych demanded, turning to look at me, and with all of their attention minus the still silent and brooding Karma, I was reminded of the similar attention of all those new ponies from the day before, and I instantly became uncomfortable.
"Flightless...are pegasi that can not fly. They are perfectly intact, they even still retain their ability to manipulate clouds and walk on them but, for some genetic flaw, they are unable to fly, period. Its a rare condition, only one we have seen every few generations."
"So, that is why you can not leave." Stan stated, causing us to look at the normally quiet pony.
"Correct. But we want to, we desperately want to. Flightless pegasi are normally treated none too kindly," She stated with a soft sigh. "If it wasn't for his unusual talent with electronics, mostly old world computers, I'm sure he would have had some sort of accident by now." That last part was spitted out, with contempt.
"The Enclave would have him killed because he can not fly?" Psych piped up again, looking to the mare.
"Of course they would," The quiet tone had all of us turning to look at Karma who was now simply sitting by the unconscious Rocket's side, looking down at him. "The Enclave already has to do its best to keep their population in check. Why would they want a member that is severely handicapped? It isn't a fragile society by any means, but weakness isn't supported."
"That's uh...that's, correct." Storm stuttered slightly as she looked at the earth pony mare in a inquisitive manner.
"There are also strict laws when it comes to the Flightless," I brought up to them. "Flightless, are not allowed to reproduce."
And here, was when the storm colored enclave member lowered her ears against her head with a forlorn look.
"It isn't fair, he is the smartest and most caring stallion I've ever met...and all we want to do is have a family. But they won't let us, and so...we fight back however we can. With Spitfire's Schematics eradicated by that...that..." And the forlorn look was replaced with resentment when she looked behind her at Rocket. "We just do what we can to get by...and try and fix things when we can."
"The Schematics are still alive?" Karma suddenly asked, looking to Storm, and having finally brought her full attention away from Rocket, looking mildly surprised.
"Some of us minor followers...but the main members, were clipped, because of him." She pointed a hoof at Rocket's prone body.
"I am so very sorry," Karma quietly responded. "But why did you save him?"
"Because I heard how you yelled out his name. Anypony who would understand exactly how you yelled it, would have done the same," A slight toss of that yellow mane forced it back over her shoulder, before giving the beige mare a hard look. "I certainly know how you felt hearing it, I wouldn't wish that outcome on anypony, regardless how worthless he is."
Karma didn't reply to that, looking to the mare a few seconds longer before she returned her attention to Rocket.
"Anyways, I can give you a chance to get out of here. I'll take the chance that Rocket wont realize it was me who knocked him out, and you already knocked out my other team member. Just knock me out as well, and when the Enclave does finally bring somepony down here to figure out what happened, we can say we were taken by surprise and you got away." Storm looked back to our three stallion group.
"You mean I get to knock up a mare and not end up with a screaming brat in a few months? Well I am totally in." Psych smirked while sitting back on his back legs so he could rub his front hooves together.
Both Stan and I rolled our eyes in a single collective movement.
"Uh...I t-think you might have the wrong idea there. Married, like I sai-ARGH!" Storm stuttered again at first before she suddenly finding herself with a muzzle full of purple hoof as Psych had leaned towards her while throwing his weight behind a right-hoof punch. Storm fell in a metal clanking clump and was instantly dead to the world, out cold.
"Nope, I understood." Psych stated matter-of-factually while using his left hoof to rub his right after.
All three of us, Karma, Stan, and I instantly glared daggers in his direction.
"...What? Her idea, not mine." He gave us his best innocent look.
Stan continued to glare even as he stepped around both him and I and made his way to Karma's side, lifting a hoof and putting it to her shoulder softly with a nudge.
"We need to leave, your hurt."
"I-I...know. Just give me a minute. You guys head outside, I'm right behind you." Karma shook a hoof in our direction, pulling her face away from her friend as he tried to comfort her even in his quiet way.
Psych didn't need to be told twice, as he lifted to his hooves and goggles back to his eyes he made for the door. Stan stood quietly next to his friend before slightly shaking his head and simply moving to follow Psych out of the door we had come through originally, leaving behind Karma and I, along with the three other unconscious Enclave.
I stood, having turned my attention to Karma who quietly sat by Rocket's side. The stallion was still slowly breathing even in his inanimate state, and she seemed fully concentrated on that sole fact. Taking advice from the day before to thought, I slowly stepped up to the door and pushed it back open to follow the others outside.
As I was turning to head back down the hallway from before, the door swishing open and close behind me I did catch a last glimpse of Karma just barely.
The door swung back open as it attempted to go back to its normally closed state, I caught the picture of the beige toned mare having lowered her head, muzzle pushed into the side of Rocket's neck, eyes closed and nuzzling softly with a heart-piercingly pained expression.
I nearly tripped over my own hooves, and found myself attempting to quicken my pace to get outside. Only to go cantering back into the main computer room to grab up my saddle bags I had conveniently forgotten about. Such was the way of things.
I had been standing outside with the other males for a few minutes. Stan stood watching the horizon of the direction we would be heading back to town, Psych sitting on his back hooves and muttering miniscule curses about not wanting to travel at night and how it was all a certain mare's fault and why does he continue to do idiot things for obviously idiot ponies and....I sort of lost track.
The sound of hooves behind us brought out attention to the broken sliding door from where I had originally entered the building, and Karma was opening the hallway door to step through it and make her way outside. As she was about to step around the center desk she gave a slight shake of her head as if to rid herself of some pest, but ended up putting herself off balance and collided her right shoulder into the wooden frame. The old wood let out a groan of protest followed with a few cracks as she fell against it, and Stan was instantly cantering back into the building to stand next to her, lifting a hoof and sliding it under her chest to help pull her back into a standing position.
Karma hadn't even let out a curse or two at falling, though she did narrow her eyes at the desk itself as if it had been all its fault after she got done wincing. When Stan used his hoof to help haul her up, she also remained silent, though gave the larger stallion a nod of thanks before leaning her side against his so the two of them could step in time out the door.
Psych had stopped his grumbling and was looking at the pair of them with an eyebrow raised over one goggle. As they paused right outside the door Stan threw him a heated glance under his hat, causing Psych to lean back slightly as if the other stallion was intending on hitting him for some reason. Stan stomped a hoof, and Psych let out an exasperated sigh.
I stood by and watched the silent conversation, while Psych positioned his own single saddle bag over the opposite shoulder so he could take up position to Karma's right side in a similar manner to Stan. Karma would have jumped in shock when the purple pony pressed his side against hers in the silent help to keep her balance, and the stern straightforward expression he gave off was more than enough to keep Karma from questioning.
The three of them didn't even take another glance at me before they started walking off in the direction of the town. I found myself still stupidly standing there with my two bags and watching them before I took a last glance at the tower behind and above me. It was gloomier than when I had first went in, and I expected the sun was getting ready to set.
But, I was far more concerned with the thought that I wasn't going to be going home any time soon. Or ever, if I stopped fooling myself with the hopeful thoughts. What exactly was I going to do now?
A scuffle of dirt over the concrete under my hooves caused me to look back to the three other ponies. Karma had apparently stopped, and was looking over her shoulder at me. The two stallions had first looked to her for the pause, but then pulled their gazes also in my direction, and the three quietly waited. If it wasn't for his goggles I am sure Psych would be glaring, but it was Karma who tossed her head forwards and looked back at me again to see if I understood the hint.
I felt my feathers lift in slight surprise, even after today's experience, that mare and her companions were waiting for me to go with them. I suddenly realized, this entire time I had thought about going home, to where I obviously was no longer apart of. And yet, these surface dwellers still were going to share their company with me. It wasn't like I had anywhere else to go, right?
My chest felt slightly lighter when I stepped forwards to join them, circling around to trot at Stan's opposite side when they continued forwards. I couldn't go home, but just maybe I could stay here. One hoof in front of the other, when I was normally used to floating on wings. I remembered complaining about this walking thing before, but strangely enough it felt more right now than it did anytime before this.
We did have to stop eventually, before reaching the town. We apparently only had a few hours of daylight left, and as twilight came on, it came on quick. I knew that above the clouds it would still be bright enough, but below through the filtered light we were forced to stop.
Karma and Psych had sat down while Stan took the incentive to help get a fire started, which was simple enough with a few drops of another odd liquid from Psych's saddle bag. A dash of whatever it was on the fire, a few clicks of two green magic held rocks later, and the flame had swept over the mostly brush pile that Stan had put together. He had been able to find a little wood, but we had to deal with mostly torn bushes and the remains of long dead plant life.
I lay down near the fire, letting my left side point towards the warmth when the other stallions of my company laid down and got ready to deal with the dark. Karma had decided to sit down a few paces away from the group, and when I gave both a troubled and questioning glance in her direction, Stan was quick to throw me a threatening and protective look of his own. Damn that stallion could be scary when he wanted to be, and he had his own ideals on letting a pony keep their silence if they so wished it. Guess I couldn't blame him.
Pulling my bags from my sides I sat them near to me before stretching out my front hooves and placing my head down on top of them. With Psych pretty much curled up and looking as if he were asleep, though I am sure he wasn't, Stan kept his head up, looking over to Karma. He had silently decided to keep watch, even if the mare wasn't going to sleep any time soon, but nor was he going to tell her that she should. A part of me knew he wanted to.
Shifting a little to try to get comfortable on the ground had me looking over to Karma's figure, just barely outlined from the glow of our fire. The streak of gold in her mane and tail were easy enough to see, but the rest of her camouflaged near perfect to what I knew was a similarly colored backdrop of wasteland in the day. The green glow of her pipbuck illuminated the ground a few inches in front of her, and she was quietly looking down at the machine attached to her right hoof.
If I was going to stay here, I found myself thinking, I would need to know more about the ponies I was going to continue to be sharing company with. But, the others were a bit less noticeable to the knowledge that I did now have of the brown mare, who had let out knowledge of pegasi lifestyle I did not figure most surface dwellers were privy to. She knew that Wonderbolt trainee, and from what I had seen it had been far more than just an acquaintance of hers. If that last scene still burned into my mind had anything to to tell from it.
I couldn't dare ask her right now though, nor any time soon I feared.
But just maybe I could find a chance tomorrow...Maybe. Hopefully.
In the deeper dark, the earth pony mare looked down at her pipbuck thoughtfully. From their experience before she was still sporting a massive headache. Magical burnout the unicorns called it. But she wasn't a unicorn. She had no horn and thus, she was just another earth pony. Nothing special, nothing worthwhile really.
Nothing worth anypony staying for.
A quick glance was given to her friends, and she could see Stan still awake and looking at the fire. Psych and Cloud were asleep, and the only pegasus of their group was fitfully fluffing his feathered wings in his sleep, dreaming. The scene was almost too much for her, they were so much alike, but so very different at the same time. Good thing for him at least.
Looking above to where she knew the cloud layer still hovered miles on top of her, she wondered what it looked like up there right now. Of course she had seen the simulations, but that wasn't exactly the same thing was it?
A final glance down at her pipbuck, and she gave another sigh. Two years, nearly. Was she ever going to be given the grace to forget? Her life was fine here, friends and ponies she saw as family. It was a lot more than what most ponies had. Rainy had told her things would get easier, but they hadn't. Not really.
Her left hoof caressed the green glow while she looked down, thinking.
And she remembered how badly she wished she could stop thinking.
Finally she lay down by herself, even when Stan would look over to her to make sure she was still there, she'd pull her head around and curl up with her back to the group. |
Fallout Equestria: To Question Fate | When one door closes. | I hadn't had much luck the last few days with scrounging up any old world material to trade, and so I now found myself standing in front of the town's notice board. Mostly filled with warnings or sales pitches done in scraggly hoof-writ writing or more easily read horn-writ. Please contact if found, Radroaches - the other-other-other white(?) meat, sale!, L.F. Good shot ranged pony, Contact Casting Couch for a good time <3 (P.S. 'Funny Stuff' is encouraged! She likes a good time too!)....
Pausing, I took a look back at the 'Good Shot' notice, signed under it was simply a blank shield which I figured symbolized the pony who had wrote the notice's cutie mark. Taking a look down at my pipbuck I figured it was a role I could fill, and I certainly didn't see my broke self contacting that Casting Couch to see if she had any openings for an 'extra'.
"But Light, we don't really need another pony to shoot stuff...I can shoot stuff just fine!" I heard a whine to my left that lead further into the little market place these ponies had set up. Off to the side two stallions, one pink and one light blue, were arguing among themselves. Well, guess I didn't have to go far...
As I trotted closer, I noticed the two standing near some wagons along with a few other ponies. Another stallion in a hat gave me a look over as I approached with a small nod in greeting, which I returned politely before clearing my throat with a hoof lifted to my muzzle. It easily caught the other two stallion's attention, the pink one raising a brow at me while the blue looked sulkily in my direction.
"Were you the one needing a pony that's a good shot?" Turning my right hoof towards them, I gave it a small shake to indicate the pipbuck attached to the appendage. Taking a glance at their flanks I saw the semi-transparent shield butt-tattoo attached to the pink stallion.
They stayed quiet for a few moments, before the bright pink one gave me a wide grin and stuck out his hoof, poofy yellow mane bouncing.
"Name's Light! And you are?"
I bumped my hoof to his, giving a small grin of my own.
"Karma."
I guess I had been too tired to sleep after all that had happened that day. All the same, it was some random scuffling that brought me out of my dreamless haze. Letting my eyes drift open just slightly I noticed that Stan was laying with his head down across his front hooves, hat pulled over his eyes, snoring softly. Psych on the other hoof, was digging around in his bag he had brought, and it was fairly easy to tell from that point where the sound had been coming from. I guess they had switched shifts on who was keeping watch during the night.
It was still fairly early, as the cloud cover above us was just barely brightening into a purple hue, but even with the fire out I could still watch Psych as he held his bag partially open with a hoof, and his horn was alight when he did finally find what he was looking for. Out of the bag he drew a rumpled piece of cloth, which unfolded to what I noticed as Karma's outfit. I never even realized she had lost it at some point, but I guess Psych had snatched it on our way out without any of us noticing.
A few quiet hoof-steps brought him over to Karma, the cloth still wrapped in his green glow, and without much expression he carefully laid it over her curled up form before turning away from her, only to end up with the two of us locking gaze. As my eyes went wide at being caught, his quickly narrowed, and he slowly brought himself back around to his sleeping spot from before.
"You saw nothing." He muttered under his breath before laying back down with his back turned to me, looking out at the wasteland.
Darting my eyes between him and the sleeping Karma, I lowered my ears slightly in thought. The longer I stayed around this particular group of ponies, the more confusing everything seemed to be. Looking above me at the clouds I wondered if maybe it was just because of how I had been raised in pegasus society. Everything up there was clean cut, you did this, you did that, there were things you did not do, couldn't do, and so on.
These ponies barely had known me for what...two days? three for Karma? I wasn't even quite sure anymore. On the thought of Karma I found myself drawing my attention from the clouds back to the sleeping mare, now covered up via her outfit. The things I had seen just simply did not add up. There was the fact she knew about pegasus society to at least some degree that really any surface dweller shouldn't have known about. She knew that Wonderbolt trainee by name, a bucking Wonderbolt in the making, and if that last scene I had witnessed had any merit to it, she knew him quite better than simply a name-basis.
With a shudder, I also remembered that in all rationality, she shouldn't even be alive right now. She had been fired on, nearly point blank, by a nova rifle. What in Tartarus kind of earth pony was able to deflect that? With magic none the less? Did it have something to do with that pipbuck she wore?
Questions. That's all I had at this point, and the only answers to anything I had were answers I really could have lived without. I wasn't welcome in my race's society at this point forward. I had been labeled as an enemy, and all I had for proof was simply my word, which didn't mean squat to any pony above me. I had no where to return to, and all I really had was this random group of strange ponies, and the one mare who had saved my life. And really, why had she?
With a soft sigh, I strayed my eyes down to my own hooves, which I still had my head laying upon, and the short coating of eggshell white fur coating them. Well, more dirt covered than anything else as of this moment, but I knew the color of my coat better than any pony. My coloration was very similar to that other pegasus. Maybe...she had only saved me because I looked like him. I caught myself feeling slightly depressed at that thought.
I closed my eyes, and willed myself to try to quit thinking. I had absolutely no clue that same particular thought had crossed another pony's mind not even a few hours before.
It seemed like I had only a small chance to close my eyes for a mere few minutes before Psych was hoof-prodding us all awake. Though the clouds above seemed more orange than purple now in the later morning hours. Stan was currently scratching at the back-half of his mane with a hoof while Psych sat near by tapping impatiently at the ground. Karma, was giving her head a shake as she woke up with an audible yawn. Glancing behind her she noticed her ragged outfit laying over her and she gave it a curious sleepy expression before shrugging one shoulder and stiffly trying to get to her hooves.
Flaring my wings to either side in a stretch that caused my feathers to ruffle, I followed up with a short flap to help me to get to my hooves. After a similar yawn that I had contracted from Karma, I took a moment to strap on my bags via looping them over my head, and each wing, so that they covered my sides, but allowed my wings free movement. Karma had already made her way over to stand near Stan in her usual spot, while Psych had thrown his own bag about his head and shoulder and started to take the lead, Stan had followed suit and grabbed his sword to place strapped over his back.
Since Psych had given up his position to Karma's free side I decided to slip into the spot near them as we all headed our way quietly back to town. The pace was even slower than before, as Karma was stiffly trying to keep up. My guess whatever cuts she had under that cloak-like thing were not very happy about the movement. But the rest of the ponies seemed to allow her the slower pace, regardless of the time we were making. I uncomfortably looked behind us at the tower, just barely noticeable in the distance.
After going over some details from yesterday in my head, I did realize something I'd meant to ask out of curiosity.
"Um...Psych?" I called to our make-shift leader trotting ahead of us. He simply turned his head just barely to the right to regard me with a questioning raised brow. "I was curious, about the magic you did yesterday." Any topic of conversation was better than no topic of conversation at this point.
"What about it?" His normal aggravated tone softening at my interest.
"Well, shouldn't you, or us, be dieing of radiation right now? Or, at least showing symptoms or something? I didn't know any ponies could actually make balefire." Psych gave a huff of breath at my question before looking forwards as we walked again.
"The thing is, back in the day zebras and ponies created balefire to be deadly as possible against one another. You had the fire, and if you didn't die from that, you died from the radiation it emitted. Insanely effective at long range, but not so at short without getting yourself killed."
"When I was a colt, I had access to a laboratory and came to the conclusion that the two aspects that made balefire deadly could be possibly limited to either one or the other. It isn't like we don't already deal with radiation from the water, because even without the fire, that effect still lasted. So why couldn't I try creating the same thing, but minus the radiation poisoning?"
At this point, he looked back at his own cutie mark and motioned to it with a head tilt.
"So, with the right combination of chemicals, I was able to create with my own magic as a source, balefire, but without the radiation. Just as effective in its deadly properties of fire, but I was able to actually manipulate it without causing radiation poisoning to either myself or anypony around me."
"And that is how you earned your cutie mark." I ended the story for him with a nod of my own.
"Correct. But, as much as I saw the experiment as an achievement, the ponies I was currently residing with did not like it one bit. I was cast out shortly after as a harbinger of past destruction." At this he gave an eye-roll that I didn't have to actually be seeing his face to notice. "They simply could not appreciate genius." A flick of his head upwards to end his statement.
"That is a heck a lot more fascinating than how I got mine, How about you Stan?" I turned my head in his direction. Lets keep this conversation train a-rolling.
Stan glanced over at me from his position on the other-side of Karma, he would then look down at her in an almost careful expression and she simply nodded for him to continue. He then cleared his throat and softly rumbled a reply.
"My family found business with metal. There are not a lot of ways to make caps with the competition of others, but they found they could use old-world metal to make weapons, armor, even bullets, to sell at a decent price to keep us afloat. My father tried his best to make me follow suit, but I was bare-flanked for the longest time, and could not keep up with his level of work."
I nodded to this, I understood what it felt like to be useless for a time. That, and I wasn't about to interrupt the most I'd heard this stallion talk in days.
"One day, I was helping my father scavenge for metal in an old shop that I think used to be for...supplies and junk from out of our country. We didn't know what we would find, but figured it wouldn't hurt to look."
"Anyways, while my father was in a different part of the shop, I found this old hat in the back." He perked his head up slightly to look up at the faded black material that made up the wide brimmed article. "I also found, amazingly enough some of these old large black disks along with a machine of some sort that looked like was used with the black disks."
"Not finding anything else useful, I grabbed both objects and hoofed them into my bags, and threw the hat on my head. My father was very irritated that I hadn't found anything he thought 'useful', but I thought the least I could do is sell it to some junk-collector if I could get them to work." He paused and shrugged a shoulder mid-trot.
"We went home, I found I could get the machine to work when I plugged it into a generator. When I added a black disk, I found it made music. It was the first time as a colt I'd ever got to hear music before, and I found it amazing. I felt the urge to dance, something else I had never done before, and before long I lost track of time. My father found me hours later, with this mark attached to my flank. He also wasn't very pleased with this."
"Did they kick you out too?" I questioned finally, resulting in a slightly narrowed glare from Psych in front of us.
"No. I left of my own accord. He wasn't happy, I wasn't happy, it was for the best. I met up with a friend and we decided to go adventuring. Pyro was not very well liked either, so we decided to head off on our own."
Ah, that made some sense, and I nodded again in thanks.
"And you?" I finally asked Karma, whom refused to look at me.
"I accidentally killed somepony." Was my answer in a rather unusual monotone voice for her.
And....back to everypony being quiet again. What was I supposed to say to an answer like that?!
After what felt like ages, though more than likely just an hour or two we had finally made it back to town. Though I did notice the closer we got, the slower we seemed to go. Psych was still looking forwards, though seemed a bit more subdued than before. Stan himself, was nervously looking around. Karma, well...she was still being the silent conversation killer.
We turned into town...only to find ourselves face to face, or in Psych's case muzzle to near muzzle, with a very angry looking mare. Rainy, to be more exact.
The mare stood with her hooves slightly splayed out, as it only took a bit of her height to make himself look more aggressive than before. She stood with her head leaned down and forwards, inches from Psych's muzzle, narrowed eyes and all. Were they red? Heck, I don't even remember.
"Just where have you all been?" We were questioned in what was obviously a very controlled, yet still angry, tone.
Nopony moved. Well, nopony except me anyways. I turned and looked between my traveling companions and saw that Stan had hunkered down to Karma's height and was trying to avoid the taller mare's gaze. Karma had her head turned slightly towards Stan and was continuing with her quietness even in this new sense of danger. Psych, the braver of the lot, was doing his best to hold his ground, ears perked and giving Rainy a violet glare of his own.
"I went to pick up the stragglers, now if you don't mind..." Psych attempted to step around the gray mare.
And instead met with a leg and hoof thrust out to stomp the ground in front of him. He paused.
"Let me understand this better..." She now seemed to mockingly state in a more normal tone. "...Stan, and you decided to leave, without telling anypony what you were up to. Leaving the rest of us here to wonder what in Tartarus was going on."
"Where the hell else would we be?!" Psych attempted to defend himself.
"AND might I add, you return with one of you hurt. I CAN SMELL THE BLOOD ON HER FROM HERE."
Oh dear, Celestia.
"Its really not that bad Rainy, just a few cuts and..." But, Karma was cut off in her quiet intrusion by Rainy's glare switching from Psych to her. Karma could do little else but pause, and then swallow nervously. "Um...ahem. Carry on."
Switching back to Psych, Rainy slowly raised her head up in all of her sudden anger-filled glory.
"I do not want to see anymore of you hurt for stupid reasons. Have I made myself clear?"
Psych was not one to back down, and he challenged the mare in front of him with that same glared expression he had mostly been keeping up with for as long as I had been with the group. Just as I was about to really get worried about a true confrontation between these two ponies, very slowly Psych's ears lowered back against his skull in a more submissive tone.
"Yeah, I get it." Was his simple statement, in reply.
Rainy then turned her head to look at Stan, who was instantly nodding his affirmation with his hat bobbing on his head. Rather quickly I might add.
With that cleared up, both me and Karma were the only ones left unaddressed. I twitched just barely when she regarded us next, though I could see just a mere hint of her angered mood softening when she looked to Karma, whom was giving the other mare the most pitiful expression she could muster.
Hoping that maybe that act would work well for me, I also quickly decided to lower my head, and give my wings a slight twitter. What I had originally thought to be the more friendly of the lot, I was in the realization that this other mare could easily be ten times more scary. I was not going to get on the wrong side of her hoof.
"Ugh...I'll get you cleaned up." Rainy finally muttered to herself before looking to the two other males of our group. "You two on the other hoof, should go tell Light whatever happened. Now."
Psych couldn't help a rolling of the eyes at her last word with a huff, but he also wasn't going to argue either oddly enough. He made his way around her, slowly, as if he had all the time in the world to get to his next location. Stan very carefully skirted himself around Rainy to walk behind Psych, keeping his head down and his gaze turned away the entire time.
"It really is alright, Rainy. I'm pretty much okay, nothing a half a potion won't fix." Karma mentioned while Rainy turned from the two of us and headed down the street to where they had moved the wagons inside the town. I took up my role behind her, deciding I might as well keep myself quiet in case I say anything to irritate either the two of them.
"And of course that stupid stallion was sure to bring his bag of tricks, but nothing for a wounded..." Rainy only grumbled further with a small shake of her head, followed up with a sigh. "Apologies, I dislike any of you getting hurt."
"Its okay, if I wasn't scared for my eternal soul there, I'd have actually been laughing." Karma replied and gave the mare a grin once we had come up behind the wagons, Rainy had stopped and turned her head to give a small smile of her own.
"Happy, dear. Could you please get Momma her medicine bag?" Rainy would question then as she looked up into the confines of the wagon itself.
Inside the wagon, I could easily hear the rustling of many objects being tossed about, including the cloth frame being whipped around with a sudden pink glow. Next thing I knew, Happy was producing wearisome grunts and a bag was being both pushed and partially levitated towards the back where we were currently situated. As it neared toppling over the side, Rainy's horn enveloped in her own white glow and it was wrapped about the bag, easily lifting it out and onto the ground. Happy then laid over the edge, huffing to attempt to catch her breath while her front hooves dangled cutely while her horn poofed out.
"Its too heavy, Momma!" She whined, making me wince slightly.
"We all know you live such a troublesome life...we are ever so sorry." Her mother simply grinned at the antics of her foal.
Happy pouted at her mother's mocking, giving more than enough reason for Rainy to reach over with a hoof and ruffle the top of her mane to cause the filly to squeak and retreat back into the wagon itself.
When Rainy began pulling the bag open with a hoof I took more notice of the bag itself. It might have started out as a pale yellow at the beginning of its life, but in these recent times it had both faded and took on a more light brown hue in random splotches. On the side facing us though, still in clear detail three pink hued butterflies had been lovingly stitched. For as old as the bag must have been, it had been taken well cared for. Well, as much as something centuries old could have been.
Eventually, Rainy's horn glowed again in that white hue and out of the bag she levitated a bottle filled with the same purple liquid that I'd seen and drank myself before. She then passed this over to Karma while uncorking it for her so that the hornless mare simply had to reach forwards and carefully grab the bottle with her teeth.
"Might as well drink it all, we found enough replacements in town to last us awhile." Rainy mentioned, which Karma nodded to before tilting her head back and attempting to slowly swallow the potion down. Once the bottle was empty, she sat it down near the bag and gave herself and over-all shake, causing her patchwork outfit to shift dust around us.
"Thank you Rainy, that is much better. I was starting to itch." She mentioned to the taller mare.
Rainy simply rolled her eyes playfully before looking to me for a few seconds, causing me to startle just slightly. I'd been used to being ignored up to this point, and finding myself being gazed over suddenly was a bit unnerving, but thankfully she simply looked back to Karma without addressing me personally.
"So its safe to say, the little meetup didn't work out?" She asked.
"That's...one way to put it. I guess." Karma replied in a more somber tone than she had been using with her before. "Looks like we might be keeping this feather-head around for awhile. Well, if you want to anyways, Cloud." She then mentioned before looking back to me.
"Um...I don't really have anywhere else to be..." I scrapped a hoof against the dirt. "I mean, you look pretty crowded as is. I can understand if you do not need another mouth to feed." Karma then rolled her eyes at me.
"Really? That's all? We are all sort of rejects here. Except Rainy, she's chosen to be a reject." She smirked lightly to the dove mare.
"Excuse me if I thought you all needed my help more than staying with my family." Rainy huffed in a retort back. Karma leaned towards the mare and playfully nudged her side.
"We are glad you are here, Rainy. Even if you do scare the shit out of us from time to time." Another smirk. I was finding myself feeling better that the brooding mare that had followed us back to town was starting to liven back up once she was back with her friend.
"Damn well better be." Rainy smiled back to her before looking back to me again with a more serious expression. "But, as she says, I am sure we could let you tag along with us. Will just have to bring it up with the boys, but regardless, with the two of us on your side, would they really say no?"
I took a moment to think about that. After having seen Karma in action over the last few days, and the sudden anger her only other female friend could produce besides the sweet nature, it didn't take much else for me to believe them. I found a part of myself wanting to believe them, more than anything else.
And then I realized, both these mares were on my side, as Rainy had put it. That was...a nice, if surprising, feeling.
Later that night after a rather heated discussion among the entire group once we had head back to the inn, I found myself surrounded by the lot of them in the main room. Again, we were eating a soup mixture that Cleave had thrown together for us all to chow down on. After living mostly on cloud-raised food, I was quickly starting to get used to the warmth feeling these ponies produced in their food.
"We better get ready to leave tomorrow morning." Light was mentioning to us all. "From what Karma tells us, I for one do not want to stick around any longer then we need to in case anyone decides to come looking for Cloud."
At the mention of my name, the ponies of the group all turned to look at me, even Happy. I cleared my throat at the sudden attention and gave a small nod.
"Might be a good idea...and, thank you again for letting me stay."
Light shook his fluffy mane at my continued thanks. I had been present for the conversation that had eventually brought up that I really did not have anywhere else to go once it had been made clear that I was now listed under Pegasi most wanted. At first, the group seemed a little unnerved at the thought of taking on a rogue soldier of the very group of ponies that were well known for not enjoying dirt-dweller company. Karma and Rainy, though had quickly stood up for me just as they said, and shortly after it was agreed upon that I was welcome.
"I do have a small question though..." I decided to finally ask.
"Hm?" Light questioned.
"Well, exactly where are you ponies headed?" And...silence. Well then.
The group of ponies continued to look at me with merely a few blinks among the lot of them. Eventually Light shrugged both his shoulders, looking to Psych and Mist Blade as his side. Mist Blade nodded, but Psych answered with another shrug. Light quickly sighed at the undecided tension between the two of them.
"Tech, do you mind?" He peered over to the green stallion laying near Cleave who was currently sipping his soup with a yellow glow.
"It's in my bags." Karma raised a hoof and waved to the pointed out stallion, with a slight smirk.
"Why do I always get....ugh." He muttered as he put down his soup on the floor and drew himself on four hooves to walk out the main doorway. I looked over to Karma when I heard the mare snickering.
"Unicorns, got to be useful for something." She leaned against Stan with another one of those playful nudges she kept giving out, and Rainy could do little else but shake her head with a heavy sigh. Happy simply giggled.
About that time, Tech was re-entering our establishment. Held in the same yellow glow of his horn's light was a rectangular object, heavy by the looks, and by the large thumping sound it made once he had dropped in the middle of the room.
"Hey! That's mine I'll have you know." Karma glared at the offending pony.
"And you can go get it yourself next time." Tech stuck his tongue out at her and buzzed his lips in a raspberry.
"Why I never." Karma feigned hurt, holding a hoof to her chest and letting out a dignified sniffle that left most of us chuckling, me included. It at least seemed like the mare was feeling better, among others it appeared she was able brighten up.
Light smirked over at his companions while getting to his hooves and stepping closer to the object, letting his hoof lightly scoot it so that I could view it better. I was surprised to find out that the object was actually a book. A real book! Not just those burned out things that my school had shown us to show what happened to things on the surface. This thing actually looked to be in fairly good condition, given its age. Frankly, I was mesmerized for a second.
The book itself was large, and obviously heavy with the material it held. From the outside the slightly worn cover held a brown hue, and that was the last thing about the object that was dull in nature. Gold metal infused partially to the binder and corners to give it extra strength, along with the plates that were fixated to the bottom and tops of the cover. Unreadable runes of some sort were carefully carved into these plates in an more decorative manner than actual readable text. In the middle was the masterpiece of the cover, three slender crystals in pale blue and vibrant purple hovered among the gold that fused them to the book itself. Over-all, the crystals only looked partially scratched, and the gold had just the barest hint of tarnish.
Light gave me a minute to enjoy the outer layer of the object before lifting a hoof again to slowly fold back the front cover.
Inside, on the first page appeared to be a letter of some sort. Written in a fancy purple ink in what was very obviously unicorn-writ writing. I leaned in close, and squinted slightly as it had seemed like ages since I read anything as regal looking.
Dear B.B.B.F.F,
I really hope this book reaches you in a timely manner. With everything going on with the war and my ministry, I've rarely been able to take the time out to truly enjoy past ventures. I have to admit, working on this side project in what free time I am allowed has been able to keep me more attached to happier memories. I really hope when this is all over, and I intend to end it soon, I can take a holiday to visit you and Cadence. I miss you, big brother.
So, I present you with a copy of The History and Chronicles of the Crystal Empire. Finished! I mended the torn out page, and I also added our encounter with its very own chapter towards the end of the book. I am sending you this copy, before I send another to Rarity's ministry so we can start giving out copies to the public libraries. I doubt we can get that done as the war continues, but I will at least be ready to allow ponies to truly learn the greatness of that wonderful city and its equally wonderful ponies as soon as everything with this horrible war is over.
I hope you can read this, and be reminded your little sister loves you.
Hope to see you soon.
Your L.S.B.F.F,
Twilight Sparkle
"This is..."
Karma had at some point, raised to her hooves and had stepped over to Light's side. Gently she placed a hoof near the edge of the first page and caressed it softly. I watched as she leaned down slightly to look at the pretty writing and towards the name of the pony that had signed it.
"It never reached its destination...but my ponies found it centuries ago, and kept it safe for history's sake. When I left, I took it with me. I don't think they are very happy with me right now with this missing from the protected section of our library. But it was always my favorite book, and I was going to take a least a little happy memory with me."
Looking up to the beige mare I could only blink, I'd only heard stories about the so-called empire. Mostly colt and filly stories told by parents to give their foals good thoughts to dream by. I barely believed it myself. Karma simply gave me one of those smirks, that seemed to hold both a little sadness, and adventure within it.
"This is..." She quietly murmured, finishing my earlier sentence for me.
"...The Crystal Empire. That, is where we are going." |
Fallout Equestria: To Question Fate | Come clean and start over. | He said that you were not good enough.
Fat, lazy, dirt dweller, earth pony. No wonder he doesn't want to be seen with you.
"Shut up."
Yeah, you tried. But honestly, what is the point of trying when it doesn't actually get you anywhere?
"....please, shut up."
It's best to not even bother. I don't need to be reminding you of that.
"Shut up! Shutupshutupshutupshutupshut...UP!"
At the last thought I found myself lifting my upper body to slam my front hooves against the ground at every futile command that I was verbally trying to give to my subconscious. I knew it wouldn't work, I wasn't even actually arguing with myself. Sometimes though, I couldn't help my thoughts taking a dark turn and I knew that if I allowed myself further contemplation into that direction that nothing 'good' could come from that road.
Instead, I could drown out the inner noise with stamping hooves and the sound of my own voice. Let the shock of the ground hitting my hooves make my thoughts switch to the mild pain caused by letting my body's full weight slam my hooves down each time, cracking the earth under me and ricocheting the feeling through my legs and shoulder muscles.
Stopping allowed me to take a deeper breath, quieting my rant as I simply let my head hang down with closed eyes. Quiet, that's what I wanted. Didn't want to think about it, or anything else really.
"I don't need anypony." I quietly muttered to myself.
Not quite a lie, technically you don't 'need' anypony, But, that isn't what you technically 'want' either.
If I thought the following days leading up to this moment weren't too much to handle by now, the realization I was currently rising with a group of ponies bent on some sort of magical quest to reach a land that either could or could not be real was a little enlightening in the 'what the buck have I got myself into' factor.
Old foal's tales told of a city made of crystal with actual crystal ponies running around. A place that evolved around love and acceptance with their own Alicorn goddess to foresee them through the years before the war. At least that is as a much as I could remember. I'm sure there were many other stories that came from such a place, but that was the basic gist of what the tales surrounded the idea of such a place. As far actual proof of its existence, I hadn't known any until now.
I guess I should have had a million questions to ask, anypony would have had. But with the presence of the book I had been given to browse through there really wasn't a lot I could bring myself to ask other than why, and that was a question that we didn't really have time for at the present.
We were leaving in the morning soon as it was daylight enough for us all to get settled into traveling mode, which meant shortly after being shown the book Light let everyone know that we should all be getting some sleep to prepare for the next day to get out of this town and onto the road. Most of the ponies went upstairs to whatever sleeping spots they had chosen for themselves, leaving me almost alone with Karma and Stan staying downstairs to sleep.
No watches had been placed, I figured that with already having stayed here a night that the rest of the group decided that sleep as far more important if we were going to make any headway the next day. I had been given another raggedy blanket to sleep on the floor with, and I was currently laying down with my head on my front hooves trying to will myself to sleep. Stan and Karma were resting nearby in a similar fashion that I had seen them that first night. Stan was asleep laying down with his hat pressed down over his muzzle and snoring softly, Karma was laid down near his side with her eyes closed and was breathing slowly in sleep as well.
Peeking an eye open to look over at the two of them I had a funny feeling that Stan was actually the only pony asleep in the room. Karma looked asleep, but I also remembered that she normally snored as well. The only pony currently doing so was Stan, so I found myself quietly waiting to see if she'd move.
Sure enough, after an un-given amount of time had gone by she shifted. Closing my eye quickly I heard her lift her head and I could only guess at this point she was attempting to see if either of us were asleep. I gave a soft snuffling noise and ruffled my feathers under my blanket in an attempt to make myself look like I was actually asleep, and briefly thought about a fake snore. Did I actually snore too? Had no real way of knowing since no pony had actually told me if I did or not.
Eventually, after my act I heard her move her blanket to the side along with lifting herself to her hooves. She was still wearing that odd outfit of hers and it was easy enough to hear the pieces of extra cloth ruffle as she shifted herself to the front door of the inn and out to the street. After a few minutes I slowly lifted my own head and opened my eyes to look around the room, I was correct in seeing it now minus one pony, leaving me and Stan to be the only ones occupying the place.
Using a wing I lifted and pushed my blanket off so I could stand, and fought back the urge to give a full body shake. Instead, I tip-hoofed my way to the door and peeked around its frame into the night to see if I could see where she had moved off to.
I didn't have far to look, as the green glow of her pipbuck even under the rags she wore was easily seen in jagged frames of light from her right hoof. She was sitting on the edge of the inn's porch and simply appeared to be looking out at the dark. As I watched, she lifted her left hoof and pushed away some of the cloth so that the full glow could envelop the street in front of her and partially onto the buildings on the other side, making it easier for both of us to see.
I bit my lower lip, thinking. She had obviously come out to be alone, that was clear enough to see. At the same time though, when was I going to get another chance to talk to her that didn't involve the rest of the group being present in some way shape or form? Making my decision, I softly bumped a hoof against the frame of the door in a knocking fashion to catch her attention.
Instantly she twisted her head around and glared at the noise, the green glow giving her features a sadistic look that made me startle slightly, but on realizing who it was she very quickly calmed and simply looked at me peeking out from the door frame. The two of us watched one another for a minute before I cleared my throat quietly and stepped out onto the porch and made my way to sit down next to her, and thankfully enough she didn't seem too disturbed by my presence, other than looking away and back out towards the street.
"Um..." I tried to say something, I really did.
Instead, at my mumble she looked back over to me with a slight tilt of her head and a small smirk while regarding me with a raised brow. I could almost hear the mocking 'Really? That all you got?' inside my head at her expression.
"Pfft. Let's see you try better." I retorted to her silent accusation.
She lowered her head and closed her eyes, trying to muffle a giggle while her shoulders slightly shook from the attempt. I found myself grinning slightly from her sudden playful antic while she took a deep breath to quiet the snickering and gave me a returning smile before looking down at her right hoof and twisting the appendage around slightly to make the glow from the machine attached dance between the two of us.
"Yeah, yeah. I was just teasing. So go ahead, ask your questions. I ain't 'gonna promise you answers though."
Fair enough.
"Well, you are obviously not like the rest of..."
"...these dirt dwellers?" She finished for me.
"Hey, I wasn't going to say that." I narrowed my eyes at her.
"Eh, close enough. I get'cha." She nodded her head at me, not seeming too bothered. "I am not like them, because I am a stable pony. If the pipbuck wasn't a clear sign of that. No, I wont tell you which stable."
"Don't need specifics I guess, but yeah. I was coming to that conclusion, but I'll be honest that I don't know a lot about stable ponies."
"Not a lot to tell I figure." She mentioned, looking back out at the street and giving a slight shrug to her shoulder. "Stables are pretty much similar to one another. Bunch of ponies stuck in the ground in a big metal box so they don't have to put up with any of..." She stuck out a hoof and waved it in front of her, "This."
"Not sure I see the appeal." I replied, flatly.
"You wouldn't, being a Pegasus. Though I heard stories of a stable being built for strictly pegasi."
I gave myself that all-over body shake I had been wanting before. Stuck in a box for the rest of my life? I'll pass.
"It really isn't as bad as it sounds. When it is the only thing you have known for your entire life, you really don't know anything better. Its just different, I guess."
"I guess." I copied her answer. Though I was far more interested in something else. "But if that is the case, why is a stable pony out here? Aren't you supposed to be, you know, actually in your stable?"
And that is when she got quiet. She looked back down to her hooves at my question without replying. I tilted myself forwards slightly and angled my head around to try to look at her hidden expression in the dark, and the glow from her pipbuck curved shadows up over her eyes once more at the lowered angle, giving her expression a far darker tone then I think it should have.
Right as I was about to try and change the subject without getting my answer, she hadn't promised me anything after all like she had stated, instead she raised her head back up with a more determined look, staring straight ahead into the dark.
"When I got my cutie mark, I had to leave. It was a special case, and I should explain the function of my stable or it won't make any sense." She turned her head to look at me again, with the same serious features. "If you did not know, stables were created to save ponies first and foremost. Their second function though, was to provide the future with exceptional ponies. The past did not want to be repeated, and so each stable was created differently."
"Yeah, I got that." We'd been told about stables above the clouds, though only the basic facts.
"If you haven't been briefed on the stable that Red Eye came from, I should go ahead and tell you my stable was similar in function to his."
"Um...we were told about Red Eye, a bit." In truth, we had been told plenty about Red Eye. Though if from anything I had learned about surface dwellers, I was getting the idea that the stories we had been told had mostly been in place to make us continue to dislike the surface as it was. Ponies using other ponies as slaves? No thank you.
"Red Eye came from a stable that was under a strict earth pony leadership. Mine, was similar in that case, except that was not the experiment originally in place for my stable."
"So both of your stables were strictly for earth ponies only?" So that is why she kept referring to other ponies as horn-heads and feather-heads...
"Yes, and no..." She stumbled here in her speech. Her eyes crossed slightly in a struggled attempt at an explanation. "Red Eye's stable was strictly earth pony, yes. Mine, when it was filled, had both earth ponies and unicorns. When I was shown the earlier records it even stated we were given a pegasi or two."
"I'm...I'm not following." I stuttered.
"My stable's experiment..." She paused to give a small sigh. "The experiment's function was based around acceptance of the other pony races as a whole through all three races. What would happen if you stuck a mostly earth pony society together with a select few unicorns and pegasi, and then threw in the idea that all forms of magic was something taboo..."
I blinked at that, I was starting to get a better idea of what she was trying to say.
"My stable's residents, including myself for a time, was raised under the belief that magic was the entire cause behind the apocalypse. We do not believe that the princesses were or are goddesses, and are frowned upon. Unicorns and pegasi were also frowned upon for similar reasons. Unicorn's because of their magic, and pegasi because of their ability to fly."
I had to look away from her for the moment as I let her words sink in. The whole idea just seemed...very, very wrong. Finally, I looked back at her.
"Why would they put a bunch of different races of pony in the same stable, and then put in that belief? It doesn't make sense. What was it supposed to achieve?" I tried my best to not sound accusing, but I really couldn't help it, I was feeling very unnerved.
"My guess is, we were supposed to look past our differences in the magical case and function as a proper society with all three races combined so that we could work for a future without fear of the past repeating itself by blowing each other up. Or in a more simple explanation, acceptance of each other." She replied, in a sad tone.
"And?"
"We failed, horribly."
For awhile, we were quiet. Karma had turned back to looking back down at her hooves in thought while I was left alone with mine. I was still trying to wrap my idea around what her stable's experiment was meant to achieve. I could understand the acceptance of different races part, though I was fairly sure that ponies before had been living together just fine before the fact, but to believe that anything at all magical was horrid? How was that even supposed to work?
"So, your stable failed..." I tried to bring the conversation back, quietly.
"Yes. We failed. Instead of learning to accept one another as we were....are, instead the unicorns and pegasi were seen as threats to our stable's existence as a whole if we were going to survive in the future without throwing magic at one another whenever we didn't all agree on something."
"So, what happened?"
"The records I was given access to before I left showed that along with our Overmare we had a council that was solely earth ponies. It was decreed that all magic was henceforth forbidden in our stable. In doing so, this included the few unicorns and pegasi. The unicorns we were given were forced not to use their magic, and pegasi were forced not to fly under this law. It seemed fine at first, but then came the complications..."
I decided to stay quiet at this point, asking questions would only interrupt them actually being answered.
"The complications first started with the pegasi. I am sure you could understand this better, think about never flying again. Having the ability to, but being told you couldn't. The few my stable actually had, cracked under the pressure, and then they force-ably had their wings clipped."
Dear Celestia...
"It was then a similar case with unicorns, except that while pegasi could simply live without being able to fly as far as a healthy body went, unicorns are different entirely. Not being able to use their magic at all, deteriorated their minds and body. Each case was slightly different in the levels of deterioration but...each led to the expiration of both the unicorn and even a few other ponies that just happened to be around during a 'break down' as the files put it."
During her lengthy explanation, Karma had eventually switched back to looking out at the street. I could tell though, that her vision kept attempting to move down towards her hooves, while catching herself doing so and she'd quickly look back up. Some sort of attempt to keep herself talking, all the while it mostly seemed to pain her for doing so.
I wasn't sure what to say honestly, but while watching her I eventually raised my right wing and laid it on her back in a normal pegasi comfort gesture, except she instantly startled at the touch, even if it was through her patchwork cloak. I winced at her reaction and quickly tried to remove my wing but...
"No! No. Its okay." She quickly replied at my own reaction to hers. She looked at me for a moment, and then at my wing that I had paused in removing from her back. She seemed to be studying the feathers closely while lowering her tone. "I...I really don't know why I am telling you all this. Its been a long time since I told any pony."
"Maybe you just answered your own question?" I gave her a tiny playful smile.
"Heh. Maybe." For a moment, I thought I could feel her leaning back against my feathers. "I'm sorry, the story is far more lengthy than I would like."
"Its okay, I'm listening." Giving her a nod to continue. She cleared her throat, and moved her head so she could look back out at the dark street once more.
"The files I was shown stated that eventually unicorns were unable to physically help from using their magic after a certain time, differing from each individual. If it didn't drive them completely mad first, it eventually caused a magical buildup that would surge out violently. This surge, seemed either fatal in its act, or would leave the unicorn in a state that the ponies of my stable found it to be more ponmane* to simply end their existence rather than keep them in pain."
I gave her another nod, just to make sure she knew I was at least trying to stay on track.
"Throughout what history I was given, All of the pegasi died out without actually putting any of their genes into our pool, and that is why I guess we never saw another pegasus actually born into the stable. There were a select few unicorns though, that did have children before they expired, despite the laws put in place that made my stable slowly fear them entirely. And so, we ended up eventually having unicorns still born to earth ponies, even if both parents were not unicorns themselves. With racism slowly building up over time with the fear of anything magical, this turned out to be a problem for my stable, and they took measures they believed to be...acceptable."
"They didn't kill the foals did they?!" I couldn't help my outburst, the idea was just horrid to even think about!
"No! No, they didn't kill anypony. That would be wrong, and the ponies in my stable weren't in-morale." She gave a hard shake of her head. "No. At least...they didn't mean to."
"Are you sure that is any better...?" I quietly asked this time.
"I...I guess not. But, I know they were only trying to do what they felt was right for any pony involved, and for our community as a whole. There were only a very select few unicorns born to the stable after the first group died out. My stable believed they could fix the problem though, give the new pony a better life, and a better life for everypony in the stable. They came up with a procedure, to...fix, the new foal."
"Fix?" I wasn't liking where this was going.
"Yes, fix...our scientists believed that if they removed the main magical aspect of a unicorn foal early, than they could be raised just like any other earth pony, and nopony else would be the wiser..." Karma was slowly letting her voice die out again.
I decided to stay quiet again, giving her the silent moment to finish her thoughts. Sure enough, she continued shortly after by taking a deep breath to try and keep her voice steady.
"It seemed to work for awhile, and it wasn't like they had to do it often. Their first attempts did leave some casualties, but I think the last pony that was born before...eh, um...the last unicorn that was born was well over sixty something years, before..." She coughed, giving a small shake of her head, trying again. "The last unicorn born, was born sixty years or more and that particular unicorn lived a perfectly normal stable life as a earth pony, once his horn had been removed at foalhood. They didn't even know they were any different from anypony else, and there were no complications that were recorded after."
"What are you trying to say, Karma?" I quietly implied that she was leaving out a major detail.
"I..." She paused, and didn't seem able to continue.
"Hey." Carefully, I ruffled my feathers of the wing that was still held over her back. "Don't worry. Everything is alright."
With that said, she suddenly turned to look directly at me as if she were surprised by something. Her eyes wider than before as she looked over the features of my face. I figured she was just trying to see if I was being honest or not, so I gave her a smile to show I was being sincere. Eventually, she calmed once more, even if it did cause her to sigh.
"Remember when you asked me how I got my cutie mark?"
I simply nodded.
"Well...I was being honest, I did accidentally kill somepony when I received my mark. The bastard deserved it though." She narrowed her eyes in thought as she was apparently letting the memory replay itself inside her head, I on the other hoof simply tilted my own, giving her a curious look.
"What does that have to do with what you were telling me?"
"I'm saying...that the last unicorn born to the stable wasn't technically the very last."
Shifting suddenly, she turned her body towards me. I couldn't help but lean back slightly as she did so, since I wasn't quite expecting it. We had been sitting here for so long it had seemed, and we hadn't moved an inch, so when she did I was not prepared for her movement.
Raising both her hooves, she used her left to slide up under the bangs that normally covered her face to reveal her brow. Her right hoof, she maneuvered so that her pipbuck's light shined more strongly over her face, and she leaned forwards towards me.
I watched her odd movements before very slowly leaning towards her in return to try to see whatever it was that she was trying to show me. Looking over her brow that was normally hidden, I couldn't really tell what it was that she was making me look for. At least, not at first.
It was hard to notice in the green glow, but eventually I saw it. Karma's coat color was a tanned beige, that I already knew. But, in the very middle of her forehead was the tiniest difference in color to the rest of the beige she was covered with. The short fur seemed to lighten just slightly, barely noticeable, dead center in the middle. It was almost as if the color of her coat had been just barely bleached into a lighter hue than the rest of her normal color. The difference in color, was a near-perfect circle.
I might have swallowed, gulped, I'm not sure. It didn't keep her from continuing though.
"I had a magical surge when I received my cutie mark, killing the only other pony that was in the room with me at the time. Shortly after, my Overmare told me everything I just told you. I was the only unicorn foal that had been born in the stable in over sixty years. My procedure was kept secret from both me, and my parents, and the rest of the stable, except for her and our council."
That....that explained a lot.
I went back into my own memories of the day before, Karma had had a nova rifle pointed directly at her. I had already known there was absolutely no way that the shot could have missed. Even a foal could have made that shot without blinking an eye. Instead she had somehow deflected it with that gold glow, which now I understood wasn't just some random piece of luck that fate had decided it wasn't her time to die, she had saved herself. She had saved herself with her own magic.
"So...so, you're not an earth pony."
"I am so an earth pony!" She raised her voice suddenly, narrowing her eyes at me. Quickly after she realized she had been maybe a little too loud and brought her right hoof back up to her muzzle and covered her mouth, darting a quick look through the broken window of the inn behind us to make sure nopony had heard her. After, she looked back at me and whisper-hissed. "Am so, an earth pony."
"But everything you just said..." I whispered back, lowering my ears against my skull in confusion, and worry that I had upset her.
"I know what I told you. But I was a unicorn for, what? Maybe the first hour of my life? The rest, Ive never been able to use magic, levitate things, or any of that mumbo-jumbo like any normal unicorn. This crap just, happens on its own." Her tone had kept the angry side to it for the first part, though as she continued it was slowly creeping back to the troubled softness. "It doesn't matter what I was born as, this is me now. Just a dumb old earth pony."
"Who said anything about dumb? I'm the dumb one here."
"Why is that?" She tilted her head at me now, the curious expression returning.
"Uh, hello." I fluffed both wings out dramatically, and raised a hoof to her in a mock-bump. "My name is Cloud, I'm a enclave pegasus."
"Smart ass." She gave me her second grin of the night, causing me to grin back while I lowered my left wing and returned the right one to wrap around her backside.
We sat like that for awhile after, the both of us seeming to take the quiet time to mentally go over what had been said. I wasn't quite sure about her, but I knew it was going to take awhile for me to fully accept everything I'd been told. Sure, she was still the mare that had saved my life a few days ago, but at the same time this was an entirely new situation to think that anypony had to have gone through.
Oh what the hell, I'm kidding myself...this entire bucking trip was new to me.
She hadn't even really finished her story, either now that I had taken the last few minutes to think about it. There was still questions I had. Like, how did she know Rocket? Did they kick her from the stable for killing somepony? Did she leave of her own accord? Could I actually agree with her that she was an earth pony after that information? She hadn't promised me all of the answers, I tried telling myself. But if I am anything, I'm a very curious pony. I have never liked not knowing the full truth.
"It's starting to get light out." She suddenly mentioned while I was lost in thought. Blinking, I looked up and sure enough, I was starting to be able to actually see the clouds turning a deep purple, instead of the black nothingness above us.
"Yeah, I guess so..." I quietly mentioned. I wasn't really sleepy...
"Come on, you're going to feel like shit tomorrow if you don't try to sleep a little. We got quite a trot tomorrow." Lifting herself to her hooves, I pulled my wing back to my side. She gave herself a body-shake that ruffled her cloak around her body before she stepped around behind me so that she could head back to the door.
"Um...Hey!" I called after her, right as she was about to head inside.
"Hm?" She paused, looking at me from over her left shoulder.
"Can I ask one more question?" Might as well dare ask, she had given me plenty to think over for the night, but I did at least have one more simple question that I had been wondering for quite awhile.
For a moment she watched me, her eyes just barely narrowing in thought before she lowered her head down in a single nod. She turned herself slowly back around to face me.
I also took the moment to stand up, settle my wings, and step closer to her. I lifted my right hoof in a similar manner I had before, wanting to bump hooves. This time though, it wasn't in a manner to mock her.
"My name is Cloud Nine, what's yours?"
She blinked at that, not understanding at first. Quickly after though she raised her muzzle in a laugh, closing her eyes in the mirth I provided her before giving a tiny shake of her head to clear the giggles. Eventually, she raised her own pipbucked hoof and placed it against mine, giving me a small smile.
"When I left my stable, I changed my name shortly after. My father gave me my real name though, my name is Bright Eyes."
Suddenly, the hoof that had bumped mine switched to bump against my chest. It was enough to knock me back a step, startling me into a half-flap that sent me to land on my rump.
"But lets keep it to Karma, 'kay?" I was given a smirk, and she was already heading inside and out of my sight.
Sitting there, I could only blink a few times before eventually getting onto my hooves and using my wings to dust myself off as best as possible. I found myself looking to my sides just to check to see if anyone had seen me, only to end up snickering. Of course nopony had seen me.
"Yeah, sure." I said to myself, and moved to follow the stable mare inside. |
Fallout Equestria: To Question Fate | Does not compute. | One of the things I was actually looking forwards to, was seeing the sky.
Sure, I'd seen the simulations. Our holo-room had plenty different versions of the sky, and as foals we all made sure we were there for that presentation. We all sat around in our lined groups as our teacher switched between the different phases, dawn, day, twilight, and nighttime. The sky seemed to hold multiple different shades of my favorite color.
Blue was, and still is, my favorite.
Back then, the idea of "outside" was treated as if it were a fantasy land. Our teachers made sure to tell us that more than likely the outside world no longer looked like anything they were picturing here, but that it was important that we, as the next generation, remembered. How can we ever forget something so...essential? When they added the whole concept of weather, that was both exhilarating and frightening.
I have to admit, regardless of the warnings, I had way too much expectation. When I did finally leave the building after my giggle-fit, the very first thing I did was look up.
Nothing but rolling clouds as far as the eye could see. Everything was so huge.
I remembered thinking, all well. None of us could have everything we wanted, could we?
I would be a rich pony if I had a cap for every time I'd be telling myself that phrase in the future.
Poke. Poke poke poke.
This crap was really getting old.
With a drawn out yawn I rolled myself over, trapping my wings under my body as I blinked up wearily at a pair of brown eyes peering down to me, in a very similar sleepy manner. At least Karma was looking equally as tired as I was. Maybe our little conversation shouldn't have stayed up as late as it had, if her own random blinking had anything to tell about it.
"Come on, feather-head. We're already saddled up and ready to move out. I let you sleep as long as I could." She mentioned, whilst turning away from me to step towards the front of the inn. Standing in the doorway, she twisted her head about to look at me. "All of our stuff is packed up, just grab your blanket and we'll be good to go." With that said, she stepped outside.
Blinking away the sleep I awkwardly made it onto my hooves with a tiny shake to try and force myself awake further, lifting my wings and letting each stretch out to their full span before letting them lay across my back once more with a small feather ruffle. While rolling up my blanket with a hoof I glanced outside one of the broken windows and noticed that it was rather orange looking in the surface's strange form of daylight. My guess was, it had just officially hit morning hours.
Hoof-steps towards the stairs made me stop to notice that Tech was making his way down. On noticing me, he gave a sudden smirk. Folding his pale green ears down he snickered under his breath with a devilish expression crossing over his muzzle.
"Want to see something hilarious?"
"Um....sure?" I muttered back at him, in my rather confused state.
"Okay, okay...wait here." Lifting a hoof he motioned for me to stand there with a few gentle taps against the air before turning back to the stairs to make his way back up.
Tilting my head up, I attempted to draw my ears forwards in an attempt to hear what was going on. Other than Tech's quiet hoofsteps, there really wasn't anything else to notice, except for when they suddenly stopped.
All was quiet, for a matter of maybe a five seconds.
"CUDDLES!"
I nearly tripped over my own hooves at the yell, startling backwards.
"ARGGGGHHHHH!"
Barreling down the stairs, was a rather distraught black Unicorn. Cleave was bucking and jerking around even as he ran out the front door with Tech in tow, the pale green unicorn had both hooves wrapped about the other stallion's neck in a death-grip hug, cackling all the way through his trip out the door.
"The HELL?! Celestia-damn, Tech. Leave Cleave alone!" Came a muffled shout from outside that I believe came from Psych.
Light was currently laughing wildly in the background.
Tossing my blanket to my back with a shake of my head and soft snicker at the others antics, I allowed my wings to hold it in place as I followed the others outside. Both wagons had already been moved to point out of town, and the earth ponies of our group were saddled and hooked together. Karma was just getting the last line attached via Rainy when she looked over and gave a nod of her head in approval. Stan was standing with his eyes closed, getting a last snooze before we left.
Rainy turned to give me one of her usual smiles, her magic winking out as she gave a toss of her head upwards.
"Same place as before? Its nice having a better look-out."
At the same time, her magic switched back on to grab onto my blanket so that she could move it inside the wagon, causing me to startle slightly as the light weight was lifted from the top of my wings. I was still not very used to having magic used so close to my body. I did give her a nod though, and with just two quick flaps, I was finding my earlier spot atop the canvas with my front hooves dangling down.
Looking over the other wagon in front of us I could see the others already ready. Mist and Static were saddled, with Light and Psych standing near the front. Tech and Cleave made up the first wagon's side guards with Cleave obviously glaring down Tech whom was still smirking, and on looking down I saw that we had Rainy and Pyro as ours. It was not a bad formation to have, really.
Eventually, Light turned his head to look back at us, and I gave him a wave with a hoof as his teal eyes switched over to me atop the wagon. He gave me quick grin, and raised his head up further to yell back at us.
"Alright, my little ponies, time to move out!"
"Who in the hell is he calling 'little'?" Karma muttered below me, as she gave a small shove against Stan's shoulder to wake him up, just as the wagons started moving forwards with the audible sound of creaking and protesting wood.
"I think its just a phrase, dear." Rainy mentioned as she stepped further up to Karma's side.
"Well its a stupid one. Stan is far from little." This reply from Karma warranted a half-chuckle from Stan himself.
"If anything, you're the short one here." Came Pyro's voice from the other side of the wagon where he walked besides Stan.
"My ass begs to differ." Karma replied, with a slight laugh as she tossed her head with a tail flick, looking at the bright blue pony.
"Touche'" Pyro simply grinned at her before ducking back to the side of the wagon.
"You're not supposed to agree with me horn-head!" Karma snorted at his retreating.
Rainy gave out a soft sigh at their bickering, before looking up at me with weary looking smile, the bangs of her bi-colored mane sweeping across her forehead.
"Kids, can't live with them, can't live without them."
I gave her a return smile back as Karma muttered darkly to herself while Stan was doing his best not to laugh further by hiding his muzzle down against his chest. At that point Happy had decided to come to Karma's defense about childish antics with a high pitched whine inside the wagon itself.
Resting my head atop my hooves, I let them continue with their conversation and bickering. I was still rather tired from lack of sleep, and the sound of their voices slowly tuned into the background as I looked forwards, watching as we turned outside of the town at our leisurely pace. This really wasn't so bad, I thought. Things could always get----
Nope. Lets not go there.
I'll admit, I dozed for a decent sized portion of the morning atop the wagon. There was only so much wasteland a pony could look at before getting very bored. A dead shrub here, a tiny whirlwind of dust there. Fascinating stuff, really. At least you could look at clouds and pretend they made up different shapes when you were bored.
Eventually, the ponies below me had slowly quietened into simple pattering of hooves against the ground. Yawning I took a glance downwards to see my current quartet in similar positions as they had been a few hours ago. Rainy hadn't moved from Karma's side, and Pyro still trotted alongside Stan.
Raising my head, and looking up I grazed my vision alongside the mountains in front of us. Squinting, all I could really tell was that they looked like really large rocks. Which, is what I remembered having been told in cloud-school, at some point. Nothing very special, kinda pointy looking.
It was looking at these formations that completely missed the fact we were slowing down. Blinking, I looked to the front of our troop and noticed that we had been traveling alongside a broken down fence. At least, parts of it looked like it had been a fence at some point. In the distance, across a rather large span of broken down boulders sat a cabin looking fixture, with what may be a barn alongside it.
A hoof-wave from Light caught my attention, and he pointed at the structure as the first wagon came to a slow halt in front of what looked to be a sign.
"What does it say?" Karma mentioned below me. Looking down, I noticed her trying to look around the wagon in front of her now that they had been forced to stop along with it.
"Don't know, I'll go check it out." I answered, happy to have a reason to actually do something on this trip. A flick of the wings and a gentle curved flap had my body slipping off the wagon and into a swerve around the front wagon. Hooves to ground, and I was trotting off the flight-fall as my wings slipped back into their space across my back. Slipping around to the front, I noticed Light looking at the nearly broken down sign, while Psych was narrowly glaring at the cabin-like structure towards the middle of the field.
The sign itself, as I stepped to Light's side to get a better look, was in slightly better condition than the earlier sign had been. I found that it's preservation was due to the fact this sign was made out of rock itself. It had been square cut at some point, but weather has broken down its edges and it looked more like an oddly shaped boulder at this point. But at least the front was still rather solid, and held a flat surface that was only mildly pocked with chips, small holes, and cracks.
You didn't even need to squint to read the sign itself. The words still held a rather shockingly bright pink, in a rubbery looking thick paint that only seemed cracked in a few places. It was still very clearly readable.
Welcome to:
PEBBLE PIE FARM
Corporate group of the Pie Industry for quality Stone and Gems.
Pie Industry: Always a rocking good time!
Okay then...
Tilting my head towards Light, I watched him lift a hoof and light tap against the word "Gems" on the stone.
"That right there," Hoof-tap. "is a good enough reason to check this place out. Gems are valuable, and I think we can afford the quick stop. We should get the others unhooked."
"Already done." Came Karma's voice behind us. Light and I turned our heads about, which almost left me face-first in fluffy yellow mane, but it turned out that while we had studied the sign the rest of the group had already unhooked and was looking over to us. All except Psych, who stood near the fallen over gate that lead onto the property, and was still currently squinting over at the only two structures on the land itself.
"I am not so sure that is a great idea..." He muttered over at us, before pointing a hoof forwards.
The rest of us followed his hoof pointing towards a corner of the larger barn looking building, just about the time a small dust cloud darted out from the side. I squinted at first, but it was hardly necessary for what came next as the sound of grating metal filled our ears.
From the corner of the building, shambled around a vaguely pony-shaped construct. Even years of withering the elements still had the metal covering the machine in large blotches where it hadn't completely rusted away. In the spots that had, inside brick-red rings of rust were multicolored wires. They might have been neon at some point, if they hadn't been dust and dirt filled by being exposed.
The machine lifted it's head and looked directly over to us. A single red gem-filled eye socket all that was left beside the empty black hole of it's counter part. But, by the look of that gem still flickering, it could more or less still see. It could still see, us.
...and it was already headed in our direction down the little dirt path that led out to the road. At least it was dragging one of its back legs, making it even slower as it creeped forwards. It wasn't going to reach us any time soon.
"I really don't like the look of that..." Static mumbled somewhere behind me.
Well, neither did I, I silently thought to myself.
"If it was violent, it'd have already been trying to shoot us by now. I don't think it is an active duty robot." Tech mentioned, tilting his head as he regarded the machine. "Maybe some sort of farm hoof to help out? I figure a farm would need to have extra hoofs around during the war when everypony was so busy. At least, I know if I owned a farm I would totally have these things helping me out, I bet they looked totally badass back in the day and---"
"Karma," Psych suddenly spoke up, interrupting Tech thankfully. "Scan the area like you're supposed to, is there anything alive out there besides that?"
"I wouldn't technically call that thing alive..." Karma muttered in reply, before stepping out from behind the rest of our group to lightly trot to stand next to him. Lifting her left hoof, she lightly tapped against her pipbuck before squinting out at the land itself.
Nothing really happened. No little green light show or anything, and I was kinda disappointed. I'd never seen her actually use her pipbuck any.
"Nothing red. Nothing green. The junk-bot there is showing up as yellow."
"Somepony want to go say hello before it decides to go all red on us? Or just put it out of its misery?" Pyro mentioned, from where he stood next to Stan. "I can put it out of its misery."
"Hey! You live through two hundred years worth of crap in your front yard and see how well your looking after." Tech snorted in Pyro's direction, leaning over Cleave who flattened his ears against his skull with a half snorted sigh. "And what if we kill it only to find out it was linked to some sort of security system that may still be in place? If that thing is still kicking, I bet you anything else might be too."
During the mild squabble over whether just to shoot the thing and be done with it or not, the machine itself had already almost made it up to the gate where Karma and Psych now stood, and then it decided to stop. Lowering its head, it almost seemed to be peeking at Karma's right hoof.
"Um..." The mare mumbled as she looked at Psych, who only gave her a shrug. She glared at him for a moment, before turning to look in Light and mine's direction with an exasperated expression.
"It ain't shootin' us. Let it have a look see. Maybe you can get us a discount." Light smirked at her with a wink while the rest of us just looked on quietly, though I gently flicked a wing towards her and gave her my best 'I'm sorry' expression.
"For the love of...FINE." She grumbled at us before trotting to stand in front of the machine with a hoof-stomp of annoyance, making me cringe. Lets not tick off the half-dead machine pony, please.
The robot-pony though, gave off a series of clicking sounds before lowering it'd head even further and giving a nudge at her pipbuck. Karma snorted, as she technically was being prodded at. Eventually, a soft whirring noise replaced the clicks, and a beam of green light erupted from the black socket of its ruined eye with lazer quality. Darting over the machine attached to her hoof, it eventually clicked off, raised its head, and it's one red gem eye blinked wildly.
"'El-come back, 'ister Orange. 'ow-an I 'elp oo?" Suddenly sizzled from a hidden speaker inside the thing.
Oh dear Celestia, it can speak. Sorta. That was creepy as hell.
Slowly Karma slid her head back around over her shoulder and softly mouthed the word 'Mister Orange?' at us, with a confused look.
The rest of us slowly looked back and forth between us. Tech raised a hoof and waggled it in Karma's direction with a grin on his face, motioning for her to go on with a mouthed reply of 'Be Nice' from what I could read of the over exaggeration to the silent words. He then used both front hooves while leaning against Cleave still, whom still did not look very pleased, to motion across his face where he was grinning.
'Really?' was mouthed at us, before Karma gritted her teeth into a silent snarl, and turned her head back to the robot.
"Um...Stock. I would like to see your current stock. Yes, that. Please." Karma nodded with a sudden deeper sound to her voice, and gave the robot a forced grin.
Tech slapped a hoof onto his face and slowly ran it down with a soft groan.
"Eloquent." He hissed over at her after.
"I don't see any of you actually helping." Karma re-hissed in reply through her clenched teeth grin.
Old one-eye robot stood in place, blinking at the mare in front of it. Eventually, with a twisted grind to its front hooves it attempted to 'politely' motion for Karma to head on down the path. Losing a particles of rust in a movement it probably hadn't copied in a few hundred years.
"'is way 'ister Orange. 'orage is in 'ee barn 'era." It crackled, after.
"Um. Yes. Thank you." Karma replied, and slowly stepped around the robot, only to pause and look back at us. "Well? Who's coming with me?"
Stan had already moved to make his way around the robot as well, though that left the rest of us, with a slightly worried looking Rainy having been standing behind him. Suddenly a leg was being thrown over the back of my neck and I was being pushed forwards by Light, stumbling across my own hooves as I came bare inches from colliding with the robot.
"You next, Tech." Light said, after I sulkily made my way to stand with Karma and Stan behind the robot.
"Sure thing, boss." Tech replied as he made his way to the front. Static, whom had been apparently been hiding behind Tech and Cleave quickly trotted to be nearer to Rainy, who gave the light blue stallion an accusing huff. Static only gave her a grin as he fluffed out his chest, attempting to hide the fact he'd been...well hiding.
"Boss? Don't have to be an ass kisser." Psych mentioned as Tech moved past the purple stallion.
"Says the horse shoe calling the bit, black." Tech huffed back at him.
"That was one time." Psych stomped a hoof against the dirt. "One time!"
"That was one time too many." Karma snickered as Tech flung his tail back in a condescending flick and ignored the response.
"Come on you four, we rather not stick around here for too long." Mist suddenly mentioned. Walking out from behind Light, where he had...not actually been before, I don't think.
"We are trying to make sure nothing catches up with us any time soon you know." Light agreed, nodding his head to his companion as if he hadn't just appeared out of no where.
"Yeah, yeah, says the colt who wanted to stop in the first place..." Karma muttered quietly before stepping out in front and making her way up the path, with Stan following along right behind her quietly.
"Guess that leaves you and me, Cloudy." Tech nudged his nose against the side of my flank to get me moving, which worked rather well as I half-jumped away from the odd touch. Causing him to snicker at my response.
Weird touchy-feely stallion, I thought to myself as I quickly trotted to catch up with Stan and Karma, leaving Tech behind me. At least I knew I wasn't going to get randomly attack-cuddled by either of them any time soon.
"So, Mr. Orange..." I mentioned over to the mare leading us up the path.
Karma folded her ears back against her head with a sigh, and gave me a side-ways glare at the mention of the odd name.
"More than likely," Tech suddenly piped up, trotting up from behind Stan to walk along Karma's other side. "it is the registration of her pipbuck. They are hoof-me-downs right? Or did they have ponies that knew how to build them?" He lowered his head as he walked and gave the computer attached to her hoof an expression that one might almost call loving. "I would totally kill to have a working one of those, to have an accessible computer around at all times must totally---"
"I'm still not letting you play with it, Tech, but yes." Karma interrupted before giving a small outward kick of her front left leg at the stallion, causing him to shuffle sideways as we walked. He bit his lower lip and pouted at her, after.
"From what we were told, there were different areas of the country that the original founders of my vault were from, though a good portion of them came from Manehatten. Since there was so many ponies living there at the time. But, who knows." Karma continued.
During this time, we had made it up to the barn, to stop at its entrance. The color of the wood had long been stripped down to the usual blacks and browns that I was getting very used to seeing. One of the doors appeared to still be barely attached on rusty hinges, while the other was just completely gone. Blown away years ago, maybe.
Karma looked back over her shoulder towards where we had walked from, and when I looked back as well, I noticed that the robot has stayed where it was. I was sort of glad it had not followed us.
To our right, was the cabin looking house. It had not fared nearly as well as the barn itself over the years, and major portions of the roof had collapsed inside of the half-upright structure. The front porch was only half intact, and the doorway to lead inside was completely blocked by rotted wood and rubble. No one was getting inside there anytime soon.
A small beeping sound had me turning to look back to Karma, whom had lifted her right hoof to position her pipbuck's screen towards the inside of the open doorway that no longer obtained a door, leaving the other to continue to hang. The green screen brightened, allowing the rest of us to circle around her and try to get a better look inside the dark.
If I had thought the other robot wasn't creepy enough, the inside of the barn was far worse.
Only small pinpoints of orange-faded light made it through the pinprick holes of whatever metal made up the roof portion of the room, leaving the rest to be outlined in Karma's neon green. Rotted stables lined the outer walls, each either filled or empty with a series of different sizes rocks, pebbles, and even boulders in one. Though it was the middle of the room that was semi-uncomfortable to look at.
Two large machines, connected by a conveyer belt of sorts took up most of the middle of the room. To either sides of both the machines and the belt were similar looking robots to the one we had met outside. These pony machines were in differentiating stages of wear and tear, while some looked like they could barely stand on their rusted metal hooves, if they even had hooves left. One of the machines that seemed posed into a lifting position near a machine had both front legs missing, while it stood on the only two back legs it still had. Most, were standing near the belt itself, where only a few pebbles lay scattered across the decaying rubbery looking substance that covered it.
At least all of these machines looked dead. For the ones that still had their ruby socketed eyes, they were dull, lifeless, and covered in a layer of dirt and dust.
Karma made a sound mixed between the words 'Yuck' and 'Ick'. Stan was silent as ever, and Tech was practically beaming as he looked over the larger stallion's shoulder into the room.
"So many! I wonder what model numbers they have..." He gushed.
All three of us turned to look at him as a group.
"Really?" Karma asked.
"What?" Tech looked oblivious to our scrutiny.
"This isn't for sight seeing, we're after gems, not old machinery...."
"But..." Tech's eyes watered up. "They are so neat though..."
During their conversation, I had turned to look about the room once more, and ended up noticing a rather morbid aspect that I wish I hadnt.
"Um...Hey?" I lightly poked Karma's side with a wing-tip.
"What now?" She barked back at me, in frustration.
Without giving her a verbal answer, I twisted the poking wing about to point in front of us, towards the floor, closer towards the two machines and their silent rusted company. Karma pushed her hoof forwards attempting to give the spot better light.
Even through the green light, it was easy enough to tell that a section of the dirt floor held a lighter hue than the rest. One of the machines had partially leaned down over the section, and had a hoof stomped directly into the center of it. Surrounding that hoof, were particles of white stick-like material poking up from the dirt.
The hornless pony skull that was located nearby the discoloration was a clear sign as to what those white stick looking objects were. Inside of the skull's still clenched teeth was a stone that glittered when Karma moved her light.
"Well. There's a gem." I mentioned, halfheartedly.
Then it was my turn to get the 'really?' looks from the other three. Even Stan narrowed his eyes slightly from under his hat.
"Where there is one gem, there might be more..." Karma attempted to lift her hoof a little higher to see behind the machine towards the back, but it was too dark for the light to show any visible surfaces.
"Maybe they have some kind of different storage for them." Stan muttered softly in reply.
"Alright. Straight line in, straight line out." Karma said, before turning her head and giving Tech a quick glare. "And no touching anything!"
"Fine! Party poopers." Tech threw up his front hooves, before stomping them back into the dirt with a huff.
The sound of a rock shifting had all four of us startling at the sound from inside the barn. Maybe it was just a pebble falling from Tech's stomp, but it had caused all of my feathers to stick on end before I quickly forced them to lay flat once more. Karma let out a soft sigh after.
"I really, really don't like the feeling of this..." She muttered before slowly stepping inside, with Stan following. I darted forwards into the third spot behind him, which had Tech making up our rear.
Inside was no better than looking in from outside. Except inside felt cooler, from out of the dredges of daylight the surface even acquired. Slowly we made our way around the two inner machines so that we could stay away from the robots as well, leaving us walking near the rock-filled stables. From what I could from the closer look, not only did each cell-like area hold a different size of rock, but different shapes. Some being more round, while others were actually square looking, oddly enough. At least, that's what I thought, since we were still moving by the light of Karma's pipbuck.
I almost paused as we made our way around the area that held the bones to our left. But the two ponies in front of me seemed perfectly fine with ignoring the spot. I had seen some fairly gruesome things since coming to the surface, but I was still rather uncomfortable with the sight of death. No longer how long it had been ago, or how bad.
A fleeting image of a pile of rotting corpses fluttered into my mind, and I had to shake my head to get it back out. Stan turned his head about and looked down to me, as I finished the motion.
"I'm alright." I quietly replied to his silent questioning. It was getting easier to read the stallion. He gave me a nod, and went back to looking forwards as he followed Karma.
Eventually, we made it to the back, after I did my best to avoid looking at anything else other than Stan's hat in front of me. Even Tech had kept his word and his hooves to himself. Karma paused, and pointed forwards with her light-emitting hoof.
The three of us tilted to the side to look, and found that behind the machine was a long hose like contraption, or what was left of it. Most of the material had rotted away, but it did leave a clear path to another machine in the back. This one held a large cylinder drum looking thing, and under that, another smaller conveyor belt that led off to a wheeled bin at the end.
"I am going to be very annoyed if that's all we came in here for..." Karma muttered darkly.
"Like you weren't already annoyed in the first place, bitchy-bridle." Tech answered back, matter-of-factually.
Stan on the other hoof, had moved around Karma to stand in front of the cylinder, lifting a hoof and gently tapping the sheet of metal covering it. A half-hollow thunk was heard from inside.
"I think this is a polisher...which means there might be something left inside." He said quietly, while looking over the machine for a way to open it up. Lifting to his back hooves, he attempted to peer up over the top, but sadly was no where near reaching the rim of the drum. Eventually, he looked back at us, or more-so at me.
Getting the hint, I lifted both wings and and flapped into a hover. Stirring up dust around us, I was able to raise above the machine's drum and swished my front hooves through the dirt covering the top of it to see if I could find anything. After a moment, the tip of my hoof caught onto a small latch that had been covered, and with a few twists to that latch, I was able to pry open the top of the drum with a rather large creaking and groaning of metal.
Too bad it was way too dark to see anything inside it.
"Now what?" I mentioned back to the trio group still on the ground.
"Reach in and see what you find." Karma nodded at me.
I instantly backed my ears against my skull and glared at the mare. You have got to be kidding me.
"You got a better idea that gets us outta' here quicker, feather-head?" She innocently replied to my look.
Mentally I had to reminded myself that in other circumstances, I normally liked this mare. Just, not at the moment. At all.
Groaning, I lowered my right hoof in and reached as far as I could go. Which wasn't a lot, pray tell. But I did feel smooth stone rubbing against the bottom of my hoof as I swiveled it back and forth. After a few grunts and further reaching, I finally felt something colder and glass-like under my hoof, and I snatched onto it.
"Ah-ha!" I triumphantly yanked my hoof back out of the drum to look at my prize. Just a bit smaller than my actual hoof, a bright blue stone rested in my grasp, shiny and partially see-through.
"Look!" I moved to thrust my hoof down and show it to the others.
The others were not paying attention to me though, they had turned around at some point and were looking towards where we had been at the larger machines in the middle of the room. Blinking, I looked up to see what had caught their attention.
The robots had not moved, or so I thought at first. They still seemed to be in the same positions, except...
All of their heads, had turned in our direction. Even the one that had been partially kneeling over the old bones.
The one closer to our group, had both ruby filled sockets slowly starting to flicker, and a soft whirring noise filled the air before it was replaced with a similar static fizz we all had heard earlier.
"Un...thorized...Unau...ized...Unauthor..." |
Sweet Beginnings Part (2) : A Pegasus-Centric Prelude | pre | Hurricane couldn't help but scowl. Pathetic, him? It was time to make his presence known.
"You know sister, if you want to insult me, then do it to my face", he snapped.
Clematis' ears pricked and she turned around, her eyes narrowing, but she didn't greet him, simply watching their every move in an animalistic, hawk-like manner.
"Well, why not? How about I tell you exactly how I feel about you", Lightning wasn't yelling at all, but she didn't seem to need to, to convey her fury.
Clematis made a move, most likely to get between them, but Lightning held her hoof up and commanded, "Stop. He asked for this himself"
Clematis nodded and flew further away from them, though her were trained on them like a hawk.
"You are lazy and spoiled, never having worked for anything in your life. Of course not, mother and father would never let their precious heir suffer by making him do any work.
You are one of the most arrogant, selfish, inconsiderate and self-centre's ponies I have ever met, always flaunting everything you have, never once realising how it makes others feel, always taking and taking and never once trying to understand those around you.
And most of all, you are a colt, not a filly. The colt mother and father always wanted. If only you hadn't been born, I would've been the heir. And even they'd had a child again, who might've been a colt, they would've had enough time to grow to love me too.
I would've been father's pride, not his punching bag. I would've been my mother's darling, instead of the embarrassment she can't even bear to look at, at times."
Hurricane finished listening to his sister's rant. Well, if you could call words said coldly and so matter-of-factly a rant. Was that really why his parents favoured him over his sister, not because he was better, he was special, but because he was a boy?
No wonder Lightning always seemed to be so annoyed with him. Her gender wasn't something she could control yet she had to endure criticism about it from the very ponies who were supposed to love her.
Bile rose up in his throat as he recalled how much he used to tease her about being the favourite when they were younger, before she started spending the holidays at the academy.
Wait, he recalled a part of her tirade. Father's punchbag? What did she mean by that?
"Hold on a second, what exactly do you mean by father's punching bag?", Hurricane asked, dread pooling up in his stomach. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to know the answer or not.
To his surprise, Lightning started laughing, throwing her head back. There was a mad gleam in her eyes and a dark edge to laughter that, to be honest, freaked him out.
"Sister", he hesitantly said.
"You never did know, did you? Never noticed the bruises, the cuts? How I used to cower in fear whenever that stallion was around. You never noticed", she gasped through her laughter. He could vaguely make out Clematis approaching them.
"You never noticed this", she shoved her mane away, revealing a deep scar on the junction between her neck and shoulders, before bursting into another fit of laughter. By now, Hurricane was quite worried about his twin's sanity and from the way Clematis seemed to frown and tense up, she could tell that she was too.
But, the fact that his father had raised his hand against his twin sister and had probably done so regularly, was even more disturbing than Lightning's apparent insanity. His father wasn't that kind of pony, was he?
His father had always been gentle and loving towards him, he was somepony Hurricane had always looked up to and idolised. To think that he was one of those ponies who were cruel and unloving...
"You have always been oblivious, haven't you. But I can't blame you, with how large your head is I doubt you can see anything beyond it", Lightning panted, her cackling fading, as she gasped for breath.
Ok, this was taking things a little too far. Besides, while it may have been wrong for his parents to do what they, how was it his fault? He didn't ask to be a boy. Lightning was simply taking out her frustration on him, which, in his opinion, was completely unfair.
"Ok, this is just not fair! Yes mother and father are wrong, yes they should love you too, but it isn't my fault! You do realise that you're blaming me for something that isn't my fault, the same way mother and father blamed you.!", he cried out.
He vaguely registered Clematis nodding her head in agreement and quietly stating that he was right, before sighing as she seemed to realise that nopony was paying attention to her and shrunk into the corner.
"I used to wonder what I did to deserve that kind of hatred from my own sister, my own twin sister. Now I know that I didn't. Admit it, I didn't deserve your loathing and cutting remarks.
But I was the easy target for your anger, wasn't I? You couldn't take your frustrations out on mother and father, so you went for the next best thing, me. For all you talk about being more composed and rational than me, about not losing yourself to your fury, deep down you are even more prone to anger than I am.
You've always let your grudges and anger rule your life. You are just good at hiding it with a façade, when you want to that is. I may be arrogant", and oh that was hard to admit, but he continued on anyway, "but you are much more prideful than me. And there's something you are that I'm not. A HYPOCRITE!", he ended.
Both he and Lightning were breathless and puffing by now, exhausted from all the emotional outbursts and tirades, from all the revelations.
Clematis seemed to have picked up on the fact that they needed to be alone with each right now, for she had slipped off to who-knows-where.
"A hypocrite", Lightning breathed out.
The silence that followed the whispered statement was discomforting. The tension in the air was thick enough to be cut with a knife.
Finally, Lightning broke the silence. "That's what Clematis told me, but she didn't call me a hypocrite outright.", she tilted her head, her dark eyes seemed to be observing his every move.
"I've always blamed you for all my problems, haven't I? I always felt that it was justified for me to do so. But I suppose you're right. In the end, I picked the easy target for my frustrations. I never thought of how you couldn't help being a colt the same way I couldn't help being a filly.
I think I knew that on a subconscious level, which is why I was always so focused on finding faults within you and when I did, I latched onto them and used them as a way to defend my misplaced resentment", she stated softly, her face expressionless and unreadable.
"You did, didn't you? But I suppose I'm also to blame in a way. I've always vaunted how I was mother and father's favourite child, never once thinking how hurt you might have felt because of it", Hurricane admitted, sighing.
"It did. It did hurt, so very much", Lightning looked into his eyes. Their eyes were so different, his a light cerulean while hers were purely black. But at the end of the day, despite all their differences, despite all the bitterness, they were twins. They had shared the same uterus for nine months.
"I'm sorry", Hurricane stated. "For everything's our parents did, our father did. For how I was indirectly responsible for your pain. For putting you down over something I had no real idea about."
"I'm sorry too. For blaming you for something that wasn't your fault, taking my anger out on you, I just... I'm sorry too", she trailed off, letting out a breath.
"Truce", Hurricane grinned his signature lopsided grin, which many fillies swooned at, and extended his wing.
"Truce", Lightning agreed, shaking his wing firmly. Hurricane had a feeling that things were going to change and he didn't mind it at all. |
Sweet Beginnings Part (2) : A Pegasus-Centric Prelude | Confrontation (Lightning III) | Lightning was definitely not in the mood for an argument at the moment. Well, she never was really, so when Clematis, glaring at her in a way that she hadn't know the kind pegasus to be capable of, pulled her aside and stated, "We need to talk, Lightning", she knew her day was ruined.
"What is it?", she demanded, knowing from the sigh the other pegasus let out that she wasn't going to like this one bit.
"It's about Hurricane", Clematis stated and that spark of irritation that always rose in her chest at the mention of her brother's name flared.
"I have no time, nor interest, to hear about my brother's exploits, Clematis. Leave me alone", Lightning coolly commanded, an order which Clematis, of course, refused to follow.
"Lightning, hear me out, please", Clematis pleaded and Lightning cursed her own weakness when she heavy-heartedly replied, "What is it?"
"It's just, well, the thing is.... You're being unfair!", she finally blurted out. Unfair? Unfair how? And to whom? When she vocalised these questions, Clematis cried out,
"To Hurricane, that's whom. You've been judging him, resenting him, all for something he had no control over", Clematis took a deep breath in, before continuing more calmly,
"Lightning... I'm tired of seeing my dearest friends fighting all the time, of you always putting him down. I understand your resentment, believe me I do. What your parents did and are doing to you is wrong, but you must realise that you're doing the same thing to Hurricane", Clematis finished.
Wait.... Did she just compare her to them, to her parents. To the father who laid a hoof on his own daughter and a mother who not only did nothing to stop it, but also encouraged it.
She knew that Clematis and Hurricane were close, too close for her liking as a matter of fact, but didn't she realise how horrible he was? The part he played in this? How he would always show off how he was loved and point out that she wasn't... True, he couldn't control what he was born as, but he could control his actions.
"Yes, he couldn't have controlled it, but he doesn't have to keep flaunting it in my face. How well beloved he is, how our parents love him more than me. He's utterly pathetic", she scoffed.
She could tell that Clematis was getting irritated and while that wouldn't have bothered her all that much had it been any other pony, Clematis was the first pony who'd ever understood her. Lightning decided to try to be less insulting when talking about Hurricane around her. The key word being try. But then...
"You know sister, if you want to insult me, then do it to my face", she heard an unfortunately familiar voice call out.
Had he eavesdropped on their conversation? How dare he, doing something so utterly invasive and uncultured! Well, if he wanted to be insulted to his face, then Lightning would be more than willing to do so.
"Well, why not? How about I tell you exactly how I feel about you", Lightning stated harshly and from the corner of her eye, noticed Clematis moving to get between them. That absolutely wouldn't do. Nopony was going to get between her and Hurricane today, not her mother, not her father and certainly not Clematis.
She held a hoof up, gesturing her to stop, a silent command which, to her satisfaction was obeyed. "Stop. He asked for this himself", she added, just in case.
"You are lazy and spoiled, never having worked for anything in your life. Of course not, mother and father would never let their precious heir suffer by making him do any work.
You are one of the most arrogant, selfish, inconsiderate and self-centre's ponies I have ever met, always flaunting everything you have, never once realising how it makes others feel, always taking and taking and never once trying to understand those around you", she stated, her rage, the formidable rage that came after the coldness was starting to surface, especially when she saw the look of offence on his face.
Hurricane had no right to be offended, not after he had stolen everything that should have been Lightning's. There parents' love, pride, the heirship to the family, birthday gifts and now, even Clematis, if the way she had been defending Hurricane earlier was anything to go by. It wasn't fair! It just wasn't fair!
She continued on, her breath stuttering, but her voice steady as ever, "And most of all, you are a colt, not a filly. The colt mother and father always wanted. If only you hadn't been born, I would've been the heir. And even they'd had a child again, who might've been a colt, they would've had enough time to grow to love me too.
I would've been father's pride, not his punching bag. I would've been my mother's darling, instead of the embarrassment she can't even bear to look at, at times."
Lightning sucked in a breath, all too aware of all the sensations in her body, of every sound around her, of the tension between them and the moments of silence that followed the rant.
Then, Hurricane broke the silence, asking, "Hold on a second, what exactly do you mean by father's punching bag?", but from the wide-eyed look on his face, she could tell that he had an idea, an idea he didn't want to accept.
After everything that had happened to Lightning, all because of Hurricane, he stood before her and had the audacity to ask what she meant? To ask what had happened. But he did, he didn't know, curious, naive, egoistical little thing.
Lightning didn't remembered what she had thought of in those few precious little moments, but she hadn't been able to control the laughter that erupted from her mouth, harsh even to her own ears. Her heart wanted to cry out, wanted her to cry out, but she couldn't, her tears on the matter had long since dried out. So she laughed instead, she laughed and laughed and couldn't stop it, even if she tried.
She could tell that her two companions were terrified and internally questioning her sanity, but why should she care?
"Sister", Hurricane hestitantly called out. Sister, SISTER! Had they ever really been siblings?
"You never did know, did you? Never noticed the bruises, the cuts? How I used to cower in fear whenever that stallion was around. You never noticed", she gasped through her laughter.
"You never noticed this", she shoved her mane away, revealing a deep scar on the junction between her neck and shoulders, before bursting into another fit of laughter. She remembered how she'd gotten it. Hurricane had been crying at an event, because, well, she didn't remember why, but she had shouted at him for it in public.
It had gotten father dearest upset. After all, how could she have the audacity to humiliate his precious heir in public. He had pushed her against a table, where a knife had somehow dug into her skin Oh how hilarious, how wonderful! ANother shriek of laughter left her mouth at the thought,
"You have always been oblivious, haven't you. But I can't blame you, with how large your head is I doubt you can see anything beyond it", Lightning panted, her mad laughter finally dying down and she had to gasp for breath in order to speak coherently.
Then, Hurricane replied, "Ok, this is just not fair! Yes mother and father are wrong, yes they should love you too, but it isn't my fault! You do realise that you're blaming me for something that isn't my fault, the same way mother and father blamed you.!", he cried out.
Not fair? Hadn't it been not fair when Lightning had to hide in her own house, cowering in the cupboards with fear? Hadn't it been not fair when she had begged her mother for help and had only received a cold shoulder in reply. Hadn't it been not fair when Lightning had had to fear her own father?
Yet, she had endured it all, never whining and complaining to others. Hurricane had no right to victimise himself in this situation, to feign innocence as he was doing.
"I used to wonder what I did to deserve that kind of hatred from my own sister, my own twin sister. Now I know that I didn't. Admit it, I didn't deserve your loathing and cutting remarks.
But I was the easy target for your anger, wasn't I? You couldn't take your frustrations out on mother and father, so you went for the next best thing, me. For all you talk about being more composed and rational than me, about not losing yourself to your fury, deep down you are even more prone to anger than I am."
You've always let your grudges and anger rule your life. You are just good at hiding it with a façade, when you want to that is. I may be arrogant", and oh that was hard to admit, but he continued on anyway, "but you are much more prideful than me. And there's something you are that I'm not. A HYPOCRITE!", he ended.
No she wasn't. She was better in that regard than him. She was the one who was always in control of her temper, she was the one who didn't rub every small achievement into everypony else's faces. And she didn't take out her frustrations out on him because he was the easy target. He deserved it. He deserved everything she dished out on him.... didn't he?
Yet, a small, rather annoying part of her whispered in her head, 'Don't we? How has he ever directly wronged us. He teased us, yes, and some of his comment hit all the sore spots and insecurities in our heart, in our being, but we were always worse. Admit it, we are worse. We are a hypocrite, you are a hypocrite.
Hypocrite, hypocrite, hypocrite', suddenly there was a choir of voices chanting. She wanted it to stop, how could she make it stop. Her head hurt, with all the emotions brought to the surface, all these truths she had to accept.
With each passing moment the chanting in her head grew stronger, until it stopped. In its place, a voice echoed, "Face your flaws, little one. Tis your own guilty conscience that had been screaming in your head before I came." Okay, that voice definitely did not belong to her. What was it doing in her head? Was this some sort of mind magic?
She tried to banish it, only for it to giggle softly. "Do not worry, I mean no harm. I will not say I am your friend, for I am not. I am something more, beyond what you'll be able to comprehend right now. Follow me and I shalt make sure to steer you right.
Face your flaws", her voice echoed, before Lightning felt her presence thankfully dissipate from her mind.
The voice had told her to face her flaws, but at the end of the day, Lightning had never been able to do say. She wondered if it had been because of pride or cowardice. Perhaps a mixture of both.
But she had to, hadn't she? She had to face them, her flaws and fears both. But she where to start? How to start?
"A hypocrite", she finally breathed out.
The silence that followed the whispered statement was discomforting. The tension in the air was thick enough to be cut with a knife.
She finally understood what Clematis had been trying to tell her. She had always blamed Hurricane for something he had no power over, just as her parents had blamed her for something she couldn't control either. But she had never seen it that way, always presenting what had happened to her as terrible, which it was, but she had always ignonre that she herself did the same to Hurricane, albeit on a much smaller scale.
And for the very first time, she acknowledged that there had been another force that had led to her acting towards him the way she did.
Jealousy.
Hurricane had everything she had ever needed and desired, and in such large amounts that he could afford to take it all for granted. She had admitted to resentment and even anger before, but it was the first time she had ever acknowleged or even known about the jealousy.
Lightning had never been the best at figuring out emotions and jealousy was so wrapped up under all the hatred, bitterness and rage, that it had been hard to separate from the others.
She looked at Hurricane. Their appearances were different, obviously, after all, they weren't identical twins. But, the amount of similarities she could see now that her eyes had been freed from that blindfold of bitterness were astonishing, to the point where she wondered if she had ever even properly looked at him before.
They had the same sleek, flyer's build, the same gravity defying, black manes. They had the same long, graceful necks and they carried themselves in a nearly identical manner, brimming with enough confidence to make everypony oround them back off and their eyes glinted in the same, dark, wild manner.
She wondered if they could've actually been siblings in another life, if they could've loved each other. What would it have been like, to have somepony she could confidently declare as family.
Time kept ticking on, but neither was willing to speak, to interrupt the powerful silence between them. At least until Lightning decided to speak up.
"That's what Clematis told me, but she didn't call me a hypocrite outright.", she tilted her head, scrutinising his face, trying to get a read on his emotions. She could make out impatience, anger and sorrow. Was he mourning the relationship they could've had, just as she was
"I've always blamed you for all my problems, haven't I? I always felt that it was justified for me to do so. But I suppose you're right. In the end, I picked the easy target for my frustrations. I never thought of how you couldn't help being a colt the same way I couldn't help being a filly.
I think I knew that on a subconscious level, which is why I was always so focused on finding faults within you and when I did, I latched onto them and used them as a way to defend my misplaced resentment", she stated softly, because that had been exactly what she had done.
"You did, didn't you? But I suppose I'm also to blame in a way. I've always vaunted how I was mother and father's favourite child, never once thinking how hurt you might have felt because of it", Hurricane admitted, sighing.
"It did. It did hurt, so very much", Lightning looked into his eyes, finally letting her guard down after so long. What did she have to hide, now though? She had revealed almost everything today, spilled the entirety of her heart out.
"I'm sorry", Hurricane stated. "For everything's our parents did, our father did. For how I was indirectly responsible for your pain. For putting you down over something I had no real idea about."
"I'm sorry too. For blaming you for something that wasn't your fault, taking my anger out on you, I just... I'm sorry too", she trailed off, letting out a breath.
"Truce", Hurricane grinned lopsidedly,
"Truce", Lightning agreed, shaking his wing firmly.
Admitting to all of this, expressing her emotions and resentment, accepting her faults, apologising and being apologised to, revealing her pain, finally making up with her twin... It felt as though a burden had been lifted of her shoulders, a burden that had been there far longer than it should have been.
Something in the air had changed and Lightning simply knew that it was only a start. Things were going to change soon and she had a feeling that it would all be for the better. |
F-Zero: MLPX | pre | "It's the first time a Royal has ever made a request to the Guild. Nopony knows about it yet." Spitfire leaned forward and lowered her voice. "You take this job, and I'll just tell anyone who asks I sent you on a lengthy wild goose chase to straighten you out a little--which isn't too far from the truth anyway." She held out a hoof. "Deal?"
Rainbow Dash looked to the lavender-booted hoof hovering over the desk. She smiled and shook it.
"Deal."
The moment she saw Cadenza Manor, Rainbow Dash let out a low whistle.
Gorgeous. It contrasted the plastic stuffiness of Mute City so perfectly, Rainbow Dash had half a mind to ask if she could rent apartment space here. It was a beautifully-ornate old-fashioned mansion with elegant woodwork and tapestry. Stories and rows of windows looked out at almost an acre of front yard, green grass manicured and teased into a perfect shape. Statues of valiant heroes and beautiful maidens dotted this yard, placed without crowding each other.
"This is the place, Scoots," Rainbow Dash said as she looked into the Blue Falcon's backseat. She paused when she saw Scootaloo slumped over, then smiled warmly when she heard her snoring. She sighed through her nose, removed her jacket, and set it on Scootaloo as a makeshift blanket. The red t-shirt she wore underneath didn't do as good a job at hiding her knobs as the jacket did, but it'd have to do.
The pearl-white front gate was protected by a pair of Royal Guards, their faces expressionless and grim. Their modern, black armor--red rimmed black helmets and dark visors and gold badges--contradicted the look of Cadenza's mansion so completely, it was surreal. As Rainbow Dash exited the Blue Falcon, she waved to them. One stepped forward.
"Please state your business," he said in a rock-hard tone.
Rainbow Dash hoofed him the data disk containing Cadenza's request. "I'm here for the job your employer posted at the Bounty Hunters Guild," she said in a hushed tone.
The Royal Guard put the data disk into his fetlock-mounted reader device. Up popped a holo-screen that displayed the request. He nodded, first to her then to his guard buddy. The second Royal Guard opened the gate and motioned Rainbow Dash through. "Do you require a valet to park your vehicle?" asked the first Royal Guard as he returned the data disk.
Rainbow Dash shook her head. "Nah," she said. "Nopony touches the Blue Falcon but me and Scoots. Just tell me where the garage is."
She was shot a look of disapproval, but he gave her directions anyway. Once parked, she was led through the interior of the manor by an aging donkey with a refined voice. Her eyes occasionally wandered. Rainbow Dash couldn't believe anything this breath-taking even existed this deep in Mute City. If the rest of Mute City were made of something synthetic, then Cadenza Manor was made of something real.
Cadenza's throne room was long and trimmed with colors that accented her own color scheme well. The pink, gold, and sapphire came together like a three-piece band, playing a smooth jazz tune that the rest of the room could feel. There, on a dais speaking to her servants, was Princess Cadenza herself.
Rainbow Dash had never felt jealous of another mare's good looks until she met Cadenza. She'd always prided herself on her fit figure, but Cadenza worked the whole slim angle to a new dimension. The shape of her eyes and face were exotic, suggesting a mixed ancestry. Her pearl-pink pelt was hugged by a long mane and tail the colors of a radiant sunset. Her horn and wings combined declared to the world her alicorn status, making her seem even more beautiful.
Rainbow Dash knelt before the Princess, who smiled in amusement. "There's no need for that," said Cadenza calmly, waving a hoof adorned with gold. "Please stand, Miss Dash." She obeyed.
"I am pleased you could make it to my mansion," Cadenza said as she gracefully descended the dais. She stopped before Rainbow Dash. "And you arrived not a moment too soon. The mission I am going to give you is of utmost importance. It cannot be mentioned to anypony outside this room."
She looked at her servants, who took that as their cue to depart. After they left, Cadenza continued. "I'll get right to the point, Miss Dash. I want you to enter the F-Zero Grand Prix."
"And then I was all, WHAAAT."
Scootaloo sipped at her coffee as the Blue Falcon struggled against Mute City traffic. "So, you took the job?" she asked.
Rainbow Dash looked from the road, to Scootaloo, then back to the road. "Heck, yeah! You bet your blessed teeeaaa..."
Scootaloo raised an eyebrow.
"...leaves."
"Nice save," Scootaloo said sarcastically as she took another draw of her coffee. She put her coffee in a cup holder and sat back up from her slouching position. "So, she wants you to race? Why can't she just do that herself?"
"I'm guessing politics. If everypony saw the Princess taking part in the F-Zero races, imagine the scandals." Rainbow Dash deepened her voice, as if imitating a news anchor. "This just in! Princesses shirking their royal duties and the madponies who love them! Film at eleven!"
Scootaloo nodded. "OK, I get that. Why does she want you to race, then?"
"She wants me to place first."
Scootaloo raised an eyebrow for the second time. "Oh, really?"
"Yeah, really!"
"No way," Scootaloo said, shaking her head. "Really? How are you supposed to place first in a race you have absolutely no experience in?"
Silence. Rainbow Dash stopped at what must have been the umpteenth stoplight. She glared intensely up at the red eye that had dared her to stop. "I'll learn."
Scootaloo put her face in her hooves. "Good, sweet Celestia on rye!" she exclaimed. "You're just going to leave all this up to luck?!"
The light turned green, and the Blue Falcon turned into the next lane with the rest of the traffic. "Maybe you didn't notice how the Blue Falcon and I have become, like, one being," she said over her shoulder. "We got the raw talent. We'll ace this race, easy."
Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "Acing a race. On your first try. Yeah. Sure."
Rainbow Dash sneered as they weaved through traffic. "Well, in case certain parties in the back seat forgot, the Captain happens to be taking care of some snot-nosed kid. We fail the mission, I lose my job, and we'll have no place to go."
Scootaloo returned the sneer. "Would this snot-nosed kid you're condescending to happen to be the same snot-nosed kid who built the machine you're going to use in the F-Zero races?"
Silence. Rainbow Dash frowned and sighed. "I'm sorry Scoots, I-I didn't mean to sound angry."
Scootaloo rolled her eyes as she took another draw of coffee.
Rainbow Dash continued. "It's just... this job is big. Not only is the Princess paying us a huge amount of money--" she turned her head to look at Scoots--"and I mean, like, a criminal amount of money--" she returned her gaze to traffic--"but if I can make first, we get a good two mil on top of that."
She felt the scalding hot coffee on the back of her neck before she heard Scootaloo spit it out in shock. "TWO MILLION BITS?!" she cried.
"YES! TWO MILLION BITS!" Rainbow Dash cried as she felt the coffee eat its way through her neck. "TWO MILLION BITS AND YOUR COFFEE BURRRRRRRRNNNNS!"
First thing to do was get information. And there was only one informant Rainbow Dash trusted, above all the others.
Prince Blueblood.
The two of them had gone back years. After Rainbow Dash had saved Prince Blueblood's life, he funded the Falcon Flyer's creation and even helped Scootaloo design its navigation system, as well as teach her the basics of impromptu surgery. So yeah--all told, he was a pretty big deal.
It was rare for Rainbow Dash to ask Prince Blueblood for favors. (She learned to stop doing asking him for money when he started calling them "loans".) But when it came to gathering information for an important assignment, Prince Blueblood would always be there to help.
"F-Zero?!" he said in disgust. His blue eyes narrowed as his handsome, angel-white face somehow blanched even more. "You want me to help you get in?! Are you mad?!"
"Well, I figure you must know how," Rainbow Dash said as they stood in his study. Her eyes wandered about as she spoke, comparing Blueblood's house to Cadenza's. Despite the rows of shelves filled with Blueblood's extensive book collection, the Prince favored the modern more than his cousin did. If it weren't for the old books, this place would look just as cookie-cutter as the rest of Mute City.
Scootaloo poked her tiny hoof across the spines of several books as Rainbow Dash haggled with a reluctant Blueblood. Ever since literature went paperless some decades back, everypony'd had to read on holoscreens. So to Scootaloo, these books were truly something to behold. Every time Rainbow Dash would pay a visit to Blueblood, Scootaloo would take it as an opportunity to lose herself in one of his books. She pulled one out and opened it up, greeted by intricately-written words and beautifully-drawn pictures. A smile found its way to Scootaloo's lips as she sat in a nearby chair and began to read a story, this one about a beautiful princess who fell under a terrible curse that caused her to fall asleep until a handsome prince could wake her.
"I absolutely refuse," Prince Blueblood said, running a comb through his blonde mane using his telekinesis. "Those savage races are the worst thing to hit the entertainment world since Maregret Cho! At least she wasn't responsible for life-threatening accidents!"
Rainbow Dash smirked. "Blues, you and I both know that if I can't get into the races, that means I can't get paid. Your cousin's paying me to race."
Blueblood lifted an eyebrow in surprise. "My... My cousin?" His blue eyes flicked about with hurried thought. "Wh-Which one?"
"Cadenza. Lives on the other side of town?"
A look of half-realization, half-dread came over him. "...She really bought the services of a bounty hunter?"
Rainbow Dash produced the same data disk from before and showed him. "She wants me to race, and even more, she needs me to place first. Now obviously, she knows about my awesome driving skills, but I'm gonna need more than just talent for this."
Blueblood read over the message again and again, in more disbelief than he was before. Finally, he groaned. "I don't know what my cousin is thinking, honestly." He looked up at Rainbow Dash. "To begin with, Dashie, royalty's not allowed to sponsor an F-Zero pilot."
"Which is why she hired me as a bounty hunter," Rainbow Dash nodded, adding a wink.
Blueblood cocked an eyebrow. "Hm. A politician taking advantage of a loophole in the law," he quipped. "How unusual."
Rainbow Dash draped a foreleg over Blueblood. "Come on, Blues!" she chirped. "We're friends here. Friends help each other out!"
"Friends also prevent each other from making dangerous mistakes," Blueblood retorted.
Rainbow Dash's voice dropped to a whisper as her smile evaporated. "Blues. I'm serious. My career's on thin ice right now. If I can't succeed in this mission, then..." She flicked her eyes to Scootaloo, implying what she didn't dare to say.
Some heavy silence tiptoed by before Blueblood sighed in defeat. "Give me a data disk, please," he said. Rainbow Dash hoofed him a spare.
He popped open a holo-screen in the nearby wall. "Holo-screen, on," he commanded. It blinked to life with a series of beeps. He opened up some sort of program and with his telekinesis, traced along the screen, writing a message. Rainbow Dash tried to read it over his shoulder, only for Blueblood to shoot her a glare. She looked away, to Scootaloo, who seemed totally engrossed in that book.
Blueblood ejected the disk. He hoofed it back to Rainbow Dash without turning to face her. Still looking at his computer screen, Blueblood opened up a database of profile pictures. Rainbow Dash didn't recognize any of them.
He stopped at a picture of a lavender unicorn mare with a rather "pleasant evening" color scheme. Rainbow Dash noticed Blueblood's focus seemed to waver when he looked at that unicorn. It was only a second, but it was there.
"The unicorn in the picture is named Twilight Sparkle," he explained. "You can find her at the Blackout Club nearly every Friday or Saturday evening. Mention my name to her, and show her my message. She's the only F-Zero pilot I know who can help you. Outside that? You're on your own, Dashie." He patted her shoulder and nodded. "I don't know why you would want to risk your life on those beastly racetracks, or why cousin Cadenza would ever want this... but good luck anyway."
Rainbow Dash smiled as she pocketed the data disk. "Anypony ever tell you you're a peach, Blues?"
"Only when they want something out of me." Blueblood smirked as he opened the door for her, implying he wanted her to leave. Rainbow Dash shrugged, and called for Scootaloo, telling her that it was time to go. She let the little filly leave the room first before turning to Blueblood and giving him a peck on the cheek.
"I meant it," she smiled. Blueblood blushed and looked away shyly. Rainbow Dash had to fight a giggle--imagine the Prince actually blushing like he was a virgin or something! Either way, it was adorable. She rolled her eyes and left the study, her presence traded for the whoosh of the closing door, followed by silence.
Blueblood looked to the still-open holo-screen. Twilight Sparkle's deep and intelligent purple eyes seemed to analyze the entire room. The Prince let out a lonely sigh he didn't realize he was even holding. "Holo-screen, off," he commanded. With that command, Twilight Sparkle blinked out of existence.
Clubs were never hard to find in Mute City. There must have been one in every block. Want for escapism and debauchery were an itch that could only ever be scratched by the thumping music, gyrating bodies, designer drugs, and alcoholic bliss clubs offered. Maybe one was a strip club, maybe the next was tailored for filly-foolers or colt-cuddlers, but in the end, they all aimed squarely at that exact primal want with every swing, batting for the fences.
Rainbow Dash frequented clubs rather often--most of the time on business, since clubs attracted their fair share of wanted scum--and came to the conclusion that nearly all of them offered the same junk. Clubs were the fast food Mute City natives stuffed into their hungry pastimes, made bland and unexciting because of their absurdly widespread availability.
The Blackout Club was unapologetically generic for a club. Dark lighting save for neon lights that colored everything blue and pink? Check. Beer you could find at a convenience store for one-third the price? Check. Drunken conversations drowned in grating rap music? Check, check, check.
But like the dingy bar in that Red Canyon shantytown, Rainbow Dash wasn't here for any of the main attractions. She sauntered over to the bar and took a stool, leaning her back against the bar itself. The bartender asked her what she wanted. She ordered the cheapest whiskey they had.
Her eyes floated across the club. Several ponies, Zebras, and Donkeys were tearing it up on the dance floor, most merely moving in ways that vaguely passed for dancing in this dim lighting. Like puppets being jerked around on invisible strings. She heard somepony fill a stool next to her. An aside glance revealed a stallion who was too old to be her type.
And as expected, he started hitting on her--and as expected his whiskey-stained breath would splash her face--and as expected she'd tell him to scat. As the creepy old guy got up and left in a childish huff, Rainbow Dash noticed a mare at the other end of the bar.
She was a lavender unicorn with a rather "pleasant evening" color scheme. Her gold jacket was bright enough to reflect the pink light that shone down on it, her dark blue boots subtly adding to her eye-catching color theory. What stood out most was the red scarf she wore about her neck: it seemed the most iconic thing about her wardrobe. It didn't take a detective to tell Rainbow Dash this was the F-Zero pilot she was looking for.
Twilight Sparkle sipped from her shot glass as a stallion wearing a leather hat took a stool next to her. "Hey, sweet thing," he said. "What's a cutie like you doing alone?"
She set down the glass. "Drowning my worries," she said. "Same as anypony else. Buy a girl a drink?"
The stallion waved the bartender. "Hey! A drink for the lady."
The bartender shook his head, putting his toupee slightly out of place. "Jay Jay, you ain't paid your tab as is, and my boss is gonna yell at me because she thinks I'm hoofin' out free drinks. No way."
Twilight looked aside at Jay Jay as he shrunk in his seat. "Beat it, punk," she said. "Not rich, not interested."
With that, Jay Jay made his exit, hoping nopony saw him get shot down. As Rainbow Dash prepared to go talk to Twilight, a caramel-colored earth pony in an ocean blue jacket made his move. The one thing he had going for him, Rainbow Dash noticed, was his smile. "Hey there," he said in a boyish voice, "Lookin' for some company?"
She looked at him with a disinterested glare. She held it for what seemed like a minute and a half, slowly drinking from her shot glass, never breaking eye contact with him. He clicked his tongue awkwardly as he struggled for something to say, only for Twilight to suddenly jump at him. He squealed as he fell backwards, bumping into another guy behind him.
Twilight laughed. "Sorry, kid. I don't go for cowards," she said as she finished her drink.
As Rainbow Dash prepared herself to go talk to Twilight, a third batter came up to plate: this one a Zebra with impressive dreadlocks. He flashed her a charming smile and set down some bits. He flagged the bartender. "Yo, a drink for the lady!"
As the bartender filled one up, Twilight used her unicorn telekinesis to pick up a bit from the counter. With a snap, it was spun into the air. She caught it in the cup of her hoof and slammed it down on the bar. She looked the newcomer in the eye and asked, "Heads or tails?"
The Zebra looked at her strangely. "Heads or tails for what?"
She scoffed, as if he were too stupid to figure out what she was doing. Then she smiled mischievously. "Call it, heads or tails. You win, I'll take you home tonight."
He brightened. "Tails," he said with a grin.
Twilight lifted her hoof. Heads. She shook her head as the bartender gave her the drink. "If you're not lucky, I don't even wanna know you," she said brusquely.
Rainbow Dash lifted an eyebrow as the Zebra, confused and dejected, left the bar to walk through the dance floor, likely back to a pack of friends or something. She shook her head in morbid amusement. Blueblood certainly knew quite a few eccentric ponies--that time he introduced her to that one kooky photographer, now this mare...
She walked over to Twilight. "This seat saved?" she asked, pointing to an empty stool.
Twilight shook her head, eyeing Rainbow Dash with suspicion. Rainbow Dash smirked as she took the seat, ready to ace this test. She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out some bits. "Barkeep!" she said. "Fanciest booze you got!"
The price was heavy--and Rainbow Dash learned that night that just because something is expensive, that doesn't mean it tastes good. Thankfully, Cadenza was nice enough to pay the initial fee upfront, so it wasn't as if Rainbow Dash would have to resort to ramen noodles for those drinks.
After a reluctant chug, Rainbow Dash gave one of the bits in her hoof a flip. "Heads," she said offhoof. Twilight raised an eyebrow as the coin landed heads up. She looked to Rainbow Dash, intensely scanning her with those intelligent, deep purple eyes.
Rainbow Dash never dropped her smirk. "By the way, I'm a bounty hunter," she said sternly through gritted teeth. "So no funny business. I'd hate to have to ruin your pretty face."
A pause. Twilight sniffed a laugh as she took a sip from her third drink that night. "You're adorable," she said. "But I don't swing that way."
The smirk on Rainbow Dash's face grew into a full-fledged smile. She chuckled as she rubbed her mane. "It's the hair, right?" she said. "Everypony takes one look at the hair and thinks I'm a lesbian."
"Get that often?"
Rainbow Dash took a swig of her acidic drink. "All the time, sister." She put her glass down and swallowed reluctantly, the drink going down like exotically-flavored urine. She pulled out Blueblood's data disk and hoofed it to Twilight.
"Prince Blueblood told me you're a pretty good F-Zero p--"
"You know Prince Blueblood?"
Rainbow Dash's voice trailed off in surprise at Twilight's rudeness. She recomposed herself. "Yeah, he and I go way back."
Twilight set the data disk into her pocket reader and read Blueblood's message. Her intelligent, piercing purple eyes blazed through the words on the holo-screen. As they did so, Rainbow Dash observed her face: Twilight went from mild irritation, to disarmed frown, to... saddened.
She killed the holo-screen and put away her disk-reader, sighed through her nose and looked at Rainbow Dash for a good, long time. Studying her. At first, Rainbow Dash was certain Twilight would try jumping her the way she jumped the third guy earlier. Instead, Twilight clicked her tongue. "All right," she said quietly with a nod. "I'll do it. I'll train you. Follow me."
The two mares got up and walked out of the club. Jay Jay looked to them from his seat and sneered. "Figgers they'd be lesbians," he mumbled as he took another swig of his beer.
Rainbow Dash never made it secret her dislike for Mute City's design. The five-star Spark of Life Resort--owned and operated by Twilight's prodigiously wealthy family--was the epitome of every last robotic, fake, false, phony, synthetic, cookie-cutter, bland, lackluster, fresh-off-the-assembly-line aspect of Mute City. To say that Rainbow Dash hated everything about it was putting it mildly, but she kept her opinions to herself. On the bright side, at least a few of the bellboys were fun to look at.
While the interior did nothing to impress Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo--who'd before this never set hoof in a "ritzy" hotel since the Falcon Flyer already had beds--was wholeheartedly amazed. Her purple eyes seemed to attach themselves to as many sights as she could: the fake plants, the fake paintings, the fake ponies with fake smiles. Rainbow Dash occasionally looked to Scootaloo as they walked down the hotel's marble-white halls, grinning inwardly as she watched her staring at everything in childish wonder.
Twilight led both of them towards the elevators, nodding to staff members as she passed them by. Rainbow Dash noticed several of them seemed intimidated by Twilight's presence. Might be that Twilight was their boss' daughter, but if Twilight's cold behavior at the club earlier was any indication...
The elevator doors shut behind the trio, ending their view of the high-class hotel. Rainbow Dash was half-expecting some kind of corny elevator music, but they instead descended with silence. Scootaloo looked at the elevator's wall and, noticing it was a reflective surface, started making silly faces at it.
"So," Twilight said finally--and so suddenly it made Rainbow Dash jump--"Your mission was to not only enter the F-Zero races, but to come in first place..."
Rainbow Dash nodded. "That's the plan."
A smile slowly pulled at Twilight's lips. It wasn't a reassuring smile. It was closer to the kind of smile you'd see on a bully before he beat you up. She nodded, again sighing through her nose. "You're treating this rather leisurely. You honestly think you're going to make first place your first time?"
"The Princess wouldn't have hired me if she didn't think so."
Twilight rolled her eyes. Couldn't exactly argue there. The logic of an alicorn was a tricky thing to navigate. "Well, if you're gonna become one of us, you're gonna need to know the basic rules of F-Zero."
Rainbow Dash smiled. "No cutting in line, no pushing, no shoving..."
Twilight groaned. This was who the Princess put her trust in? This was who Prince Blueblood decided to help? This was what she'd have to put up with? She shook her head, deciding it was time to beat the stupid out of Rainbow Dash--and the only weapon to use on stupid was a lecture.
"Shut your piehole," Twilight hissed. Scootaloo flinched at the sudden change in Twilight's tone. "F-Zero is serious business. It's one of the most lucrative sports of ponykind, employs thousands of ponies, and keeps several businesses in the black." She poked Rainbow Dash's chest with a blue-gloved hoof. "It's also extremely brutal--and failure to understand or respect F-Zero and its rules will end up with you in a hospital bed...if you're lucky."
The two ponies locked eyes as Twilight continued, her tone unrelenting and grim. "We'll go over most of the other rules later, but the most important thing to understand about F-Zero is that it is a warrior culture. The moment we go onto those racetracks, we are not friends. We are competitors. Gladiators fighting one another for the right to achieve our dreams.
"Every pilot has their own goals that the prize money can help them achieve. Many of them have goals far more noble than yours or mine. You must be ready to crush their goals in order to achieve your own. When we're on those racetracks, I am going to crush both you and everything you believe in." Twilight paused, letting the last sentence linger like a threat. She took a deep breath as their floor approached, not breaking eye contact, teeth clenched.
"If you are not willing to do the same thing not just to me, but to everypony else on those tracks, then you have no business in F-Zero. None whatsoever." The elevator came to a stop with a bump that nearly caused Scootaloo to fall over.
Rainbow Dash nodded. "I'll do it," she said. The gravity in her voice almost startled Twilight. It was odd to hear such seriousness out of a pony this laid-back and carefree, especially so suddenly. She glanced at the elevator doors when she heard the chime.
The elevator opened, revealing a large and splendorous garage before them. It was large enough to be Twilight's own underground mansion--and likely was--with its own test track and racks upon racks of tools and spare parts. There were even smaller buildings that likely acted as additional rooms, perhaps for kitchens or bedrooms.
But what got the most attention was what was parked on a dais, under a spotlight: a beautiful, golden F-Zero machine with an attractive vulpine shape. A name was etched onto the dais' side: The Golden Fox.
Silently, Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo took their first steps into the world of F-Zero.
Twilight Sparkle waved a hoof out to her garage. "Then welcome to your new addiction." |
F-Zero: MLPX | Act I, Chapter 4: "Connecting the Wires." | Chapter 4
~Connecting the Wires~
Question 1. Who founded the F-Zero races? When? And to what end?
Right off the bat, the test cheated Rainbow Dash. It claimed to be only one question, but it demanded three answers. Three! Rainbow Dash held her groan in an attempt to not annoy the other test applicants.
She thought as hard as she could, wracking her brain to recall what she knew regarding F-Zero's history. There was only so much space under the question to write, so she'd have to write it really small. And if the graders couldn't read it, then it was their own fault for asking for three answers to one question.
Rainbow Dash looked at the touch screen, stylus in her mouth. She wrote down whatever she could think of: founded by Stinkin' Rich, 225X, entertainment. As she continued, Rainbow Dash could barely recollect a few of the answers to the questions, while forgetting others outright. She inhaled and read the next question on the test, already bored. Wasn't F-Zero supposed to be exciting?
Well, the events that put her here certainly were. The last two weeks had ripped on by. Rainbow Dash could only recall her training in frozen moments, or scenes like from a movie.
Scene: Rainbow Dash parking the Blue Falcon in Twilight's secret lair. Scootaloo bitched her out because they'd gotten lost in the secret passage here. Rainbow Dash still doesn't quite recall what got her to be quiet--she only remembers talking about a cheese wheel.
Scene: Twilight going through list after list after list of things relevant to Rainbow Dash's training--and the list seemed to just spiral on forever. There was a little baby dragon with her. Rainbow Dash pitied him.
Scene: Rainbow Dash driving the Blue Falcon on Twilight's awesome racetrack. This one happened the most.
Scene: Twilight trying to get Rainbow Dash to read the histories and intricacies of F-Zero. Not happening.
Current scene: Rainbow Dash seated at a desk in a seemingly endless room full of them, each one occupied by a fellow applicant. Dull droning could be heard outside this testing room, with security guards standing resolute by the two doorways and others walking up and down the rows--most likely to make sure nopony'd try to cheat.
She sighed quietly and returned to the test. More F-Zero history. Rainbow Dash wished she'd studied like Twilight told her to. But then again, Rainbow Dash hated having to sit in one place for hours, doing something static like reading.
It took close to forty minutes before she reached the end of the test. She sighed with a contented smile. The pain was over. Her smile faded the moment she saw the words on the bottom of the holo-screen:
Please wait until it is time to start the second half of the written test. If you reached this part before the other applicants, please use this time to review your answers.
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and sighed. She looked up at the clock. Twenty minutes left. Might as well make that twenty hours, or twenty days. Rainbow Dash hated waiting. It was one thing to wait for a bounty to enter a bar so she could take him out, but it was a totally different thing to wait at a desk for a test. At least with the former situation, she could have a beer.
She took the test's advice and reviewed her answers, but she wasn't totally sure what the answers were in the first place so it turned out to be a waste of time. Rainbow Dash leaned back in her seat and looked about her fellow applicants. She cut that out the moment one of the guards raised an eyebrow at her, as if he thought she might be trying to cheat by looking at somepony else's answers.
Rainbow Dash sat quietly. Fidgeted. Yawned. Lazily slid her hoof on the desk in front of her. She glanced up at the clock.
Nineteen minutes left.
She bit down another groan.
The music chewed through the radio in the Blue Falcon as Scootaloo operated on it in Twilight's garage. That's what the Captain always called it--"operating" on the Blue Falcon. Never "fixing up", never "upgrading", never "modifying": "operating." Yet another hint that Rainbow Dash saw the Blue Falcon as if it were a living thing. In many ways, Scootaloo envied the Blue Falcon. It probably saw the most of Rainbow Dash's softer side.
Scootaloo lifted her head out of the Blue Falcon's innards. Next to the Falcon rested the Golden Fox, Twilight's machine.
She caught sight of the little dragon at work fixing up the Fox, humming along to the music as he connected wires and greased parts. His purple scales were accented well by his green eyes and mohawk-spikes, with blue coveralls clothing an adorably chubby body and a fat little tail swishing left and right to the beat of the music.
"So," Scootaloo said, after watching him work for a few seconds.
The dragon stopped humming to the music, but continued to work. "...So."
Scootaloo resumed her operation. "So, uh... my name's Scootaloo. What's yours?"
"...Spike."
The song on the radio ended, and the DJ began talking. "Spike?" said Scootaloo. "Sounds like something you'd name a dog."
Spike didn't respond. The DJ reached a news story about crime rates before Scootaloo realized her mistake. "Hey, I didn't mean to make fun of your name," she said quickly.
"Don't worry about it," he said glumly.
Scootaloo thought for a few seconds. "I don't mean to sound rude or anything, but... why is your name Spike? Like, who gave it to you?"
Spike tinkered a bit more on the Golden Fox as he gave an answer. "Twilight hatched me from an egg to pass some test or something. She named me Spike. Said it was a good name for a dragon to have." The last sentence came out almost spitefully.
A few seconds of silence. "Hey," said Scootaloo. After some painful silence, Spike looked at her reluctantly. "I'm sorry, all right? I didn't mean it like that."
Spike looked at her for a few seconds more before returning to his work.
Scootaloo snorted. Just like her to say something that struck a sore spot. Sighing, she reached into her jacket pocket, pulling out the cigarettes from before. She nipped a cig between her teeth and set the pack on top of the Blue Falcon, then looked over to Spike. "Can I get a light?" she asked.
Spike looked apprehensively at the cigs, then at Scootaloo. "Aren't you a little young to be smoking?" he asked.
"I'm also a little young to be working on modding a combat vehicle into an F-Zero machine," Scootaloo countered. "I like to think that alone earns me a few privileges."
Spike thought about this a second. He'd always been curious about cigarettes--not to mention that alcohol stuff Twilight chugged when she felt especially alienated by the world. And all the hard work he'd put into maintaining the Golden Fox, assisting Twilight when- and wherever she needed, must mean he'd grown up some...
He reached out a claw. "Gimme one, too." Cigarette in claw, he snorted fire softly into the air, where the two lit their smokes.
Scootaloo didn't exactly smoke like somepony who knew how to do it: lots of coughing, hacking, inhaling too much at once instead of drawing slowly. Spike snickered at her attempts at smoking--right up until he took his first puff and erupted into a coughing fit. Scootaloo pointed and laughed. "Not so easy, is it?" she asked.
"Guess not," Spike sputtered. "You'd think someone who breathes fire would be better at this kind of thi--"
"What are you doing?!" screeched a voice from behind them. A quick glance told them both that Twilight had woke up from her nap earlier than they'd expected.
Like children caught doing something naughty, the two children caught doing something naughty hid their sins behind their backs. "N-Nothing," Spike lied. His cigarette suddenly felt like something invisible was tugging it--then it was ripped from his claw and floated over to Twilight in a magenta glow. The same was done to Scootaloo's cigarette, then to the pack lying on the Falcon's dash. Twilight looked over the cigs like they were dead rats, then scowled at the two assistants.
"Do you know what these will do to you?" she asked quietly.
Spike kicked at the ground shyly, casting his eyes elsewhere. "I-I'm sorry, Twilight. I--"
"Where did you get these?" she pressed, getting into Spike's face.
Spike's eyes darted about before he gave an answer. "S-Scootaloo gave me one."
Scootaloo rolled her eyes. It was a well-known, scientifically-proven, well-documented fact that kids hate tattle-tales. It's also a well-known, scientifically-proven, well-documented fact that kids who hate tattle-tales tend to counter-tattle. "I gave him one because I asked him to light mine, then he suddenly wanted one, too."
Twilight scoffed in surprise. "What's a kid like you doing with cigarettes?"
Scootaloo's eyes glazed over. "Well, what's a kid like me doing modifying a military-level combat vehicle into an F-Zero machine?" Her facial features became something Twilight only ever saw in other adults, and the sight of it on the face of a child... scared her.
A few seconds passed. The singular cigarettes were crumpled mid-air, then tossed into a nearby trashcan. "That's different," Twilight said, "You're doing something constructive by fixing up a machine. This?" She shook the pack. "This is destructive. Smoking these cigarettes are going to kill you."
Before she could go into a lecture on why smoking is bad, Scootaloo interrupted. "Oh, so it's okay for you to go out to sleazy nightclubs and leave Spike home alone while you drink yourself stupid, but it's not okay for me to just enjoy a smoke every now and then? Because you're an adult and I'm just a kid?"
The next few seconds of silence were heavy and intense. Scootaloo realized only then that she might have overstepped a boundary: she and Rainbow Dash were staying in Twilight's underground lair, after all. Host's house, host's rules. Scootaloo had learned that back when they were still staying with Blueblood and he'd threatened to throw them out when she started giving him lip.
Twilight walked over to Scootaloo quietly as the radio DJ droned on about Griffin sightings. Her steps were slow, her face grim. There was an element of consternation in Twilight's face--one that made it difficult for Scootaloo to maintain eye contact with her. She stopped just in front of Scootaloo. Another few of those heavy, intense seconds.
Twilight nodded.
Scootaloo found the cigarette pack deposited back in her denim jacket pocket. Twilight sighed and walked away, exiting the garage. Scootaloo looked after her for a while, then turned to Spike, who after witnessing this scene looked rather uncomfortable.
"Hey," he said, "Um, I-I'm gonna go take a break and, uh... get a snack or something. You want anything?"
Scootaloo shook her head. "No, thanks. Not hungry."
Spike left for the kitchen. The DJ on the radio had run through the top news stories by now, and started playing some Whitesnake. Scootaloo sighed sadly as she returned to work--excuse me, operation--under the garage lights.
Question 1. Who can sponsor an F-Zero pilot, and who cannot? Why?
Again with this three-answers-for-one-question bull. Ah, well. Rainbow Dash was confident she knew the answers anyway. Legitimate businesses can, political parties can't. She scratched her chin in thought, then threw in the third answer: Businesses offer merchandising deals, while showing political interest looks bad on the part of the F-Ze...
Shoot, the answer box was too small. Rainbow Dash deleted what was in the box and started over again, remembering to once again write everything really small.
Question 2. How many sponsors can one F-Zero pilot represent? How many sponsors does an F-Zero pilot need in order to qualify for the races?
As many as needed. One.
Question 3. What qualities or devices must an F-Zero machine possess in order to be allowed to race?
Rainbow Dash scratched her chin. That sounded like something Scootaloo would know; she's the one operating on the Blue Falcon. But if she recalled correctly, Scootaloo did mention...
Up-to-date shock absorbers and G-Diffuser systems...
Rainbow Dash pursed her lips around the stylus between her teeth. Then, she added, Industrial-level combat armor...
She thought a little more deeply, this time recollecting a conversation between herself and Twilight Sparkle. Twilight was the kind of mentor one needed--foregoing being nice in favor of being helpful. She reminded Rainbow Dash quite a bit of those no-nonsense mentors who'd take Fuji Apple's character as their pupil.
One of the things Twilight had gotten onto Rainbow Dash about--besides, y'know, everything--was about how accidents happen very easily on the F-Zero tracks. Rainbow Dash had even seen on TV how common it was for F-Zero pilots to attack each other. "You need to check your ETD, before every race, after every race," she had said with a stern frown.
Rainbow Dash asked more about it. Sounded important.
At that, Twilight had rolled her eyes. (Okay, so she was helpful, but she was also rather condescending.) "When an F-Zero machine gets wiped out, the ETD--that's Emergency Teleportation Device, by the way--will warp the pilot to safety." She began to pace around Rainbow Dash as she continued her lecture, going into maximum detail about what it is and what may happen if it malfunctions.
Twilight Sparkle was serious regarding almost everything, but the level of seriousness during that particular lecture was near-terrifying.
But anyway, ETD. Emergency Teleportation Dev...
Dammit! Not enough space!
The waiting room. Rainbow Dash even hated the name--waiting room. There's one in every building: the dentist's, the doctor's, the garage, the Guild, and now? Now Rainbow Dash found herself in the F-Zero Registration Office Waiting Room.
She took a number from the receptionist and sat on an empty chair in an ocean of filled seats. Looking around, there must have been a billion or so entrants. Of course, a billion was a random number her bored mind plucked from nowhere--although to be realistic, there were probably close to one... maybe two hundred people.
There were quite a few ponies there: unicorns, pegasi, earth ponies. A few Zebras dotted the room. Some Diamond Dogs spoke to a mare wearing a cowboy hat over by the corner, a Minotaur chatting it up with a pretty-faced jenny. One butter-yellow pegasus stood up on her hind legs, waving her forelegs around before fluttering her wings and flying over. Even with the purple flower stuck in it right now, Rainbow Dash could recognize that long pink mane anywhere.
"Fluttershy?" she asked.
"Hey," Fluttershy greeted softly. "How's your daughter doing?"
Rainbow Dash couldn't tell if she was joking. "Well, she isn't my daughter, but Scootaloo's doin' all right for herself. What're you doing here, anyway?"
Fluttershy took the seat next to her. There was timidity in her voice, as if she were greatly relieved to see a face she recognized in this desert of strangers. "Well, um, the internship I have over at the Guild doesn't really pay my bills."
Rainbow Dash nodded as she reclined in her chair, folding her forelegs around the back of her head. "So you're gonna become an F-Zero pilot? That's some pretty high aspirations."
Fluttershy shrugged and blushed. "Well, maybe--if I pass the test, that is. And even then, it's still really hard to get into the races. I'm actually here for a job interview. Heard they needed somepony to scrub the toilets, and I could use the money."
Rainbow Dash smiled and suppressed a laugh at the mental image of soft, demure, girly little Fluttershy cringing at the sight of a neglected stallions' room. "Well, it's a living, I guess." She looked more closely at the flower in Fluttershy's mane. "Nice flower, by the way. Never took you for the hippie type."
Fluttershy giggled softly and looked away. "Well, my parents are hippies. They're the reason I came to the city."
"They send you to a nice college here?"
Fluttershy sighed and shook her head. "I wish they did, but no. I just got tired of them trying to run my life. Controlling what I ate. Controlling what I did." She sighed as she felt the small flower, how beautiful it was. "But there are a lot of things they gave me that I'll always keep."
Rainbow Dash smiled. "Their love for nature?"
Fluttershy nodded. "You learn to appreciate nature in a place as plastic like Mute City."
Rainbow Dash sighed. "Finally!" she said. "Here I was, thinking I was the only one who noticed. We should start a club!"
The loudspeaker squealed, breaking their conversation. "Attention, all F-Zero applicants," said a bored, nasally voice over the loudspeaker. "The tests have all been graded. Please report to the License Office on the second floor if your number is called."
As the bored voice began rattling off numbers, Rainbow Dash looked down at hers. Twenty-seven. The perfect number. Only two digits long. Easy to remember, hard to forget. Twenty-seven.
Come ooonnnn, Twenty-seven, Rainbow Dash thought. Momma's got herself a race to win.
"171... 94... 96...71..."
As the numbers rolled, people began to leave the waiting room to go pick up their license. Rainbow Dash's eyes flicked to Fluttershy, who held onto her ticket hopefully, looking at it like it was glowing.
"44... 135... 27... "
Rainbow Dash smiled and gave Fluttershy a friendly pat on the back. "See ya 'round, Fluttershy," she said as she got up. "Good luck with everything."
Above them, the bored voice claimed that all the passing applicants had been called, have a nice day. Fluttershy frowned sadly at her "losing" ticket, remembering the long nights she'd spent studying the history of F-Zero, all those hours sunk into learning driving. She looked back to Rainbow Dash as she went on her merry way.
"Good luck to you... too," she called. But by then, Rainbow Dash had rounded the corner and was out of earshot over the murmuring of applicants who were disappointed their numbers weren't called.
Fluttershy sighed and looked back down at the number on her ticket. Twenty-one.
Oh, well. There was still the job interview, and after that, toilets to scrub.
The line in front of the reception desk was not as long as it could have been, thankfully. Rainbow Dash became rather suspicious: how could that many people take a written test, but only this many passed? Still, it was better to be thankful she'd passed the first time anyway.
The mare behind her was an earth pony, orange pelt, blonde mane, cowboy hat. She wore a snow-white jacket, the sleeves rolled up to above her elbow. Boots as white as the jacket she wore clenched about her hind legs, her dark-green shirt bringing the whole ensemble together. Dogtags hung from around her neck, a set of shades separating her eyes from the rest of the world.
"Military?" asked Rainbow Dash.
She lifted her shades to reveal a pair of emerald eyes on a freckled face as she gave a warm smile. "Ex-military," she said. "Quit to be with my family." Her voice had a deep, maternal pitch to it, as well as a country accent.
"Name's Rainbow Dash. What's yours?"
"Name's Applejack," she said. "Friends call me AJ." She held out a hoof and shook Rainbow Dash's so hard, she thought her foreleg would winch off. "So, you passed the written test, huh?"
Rainbow Dash nodded as the line moved forward, one by one. "Yeah."
"Well, that's about the only easy part of becomin' an F-Zero pilot," AJ said. "The next steps include things like acquiring new sponsors. It's a hassle 'n a half."
Rainbow Dash smirked. "You talk like you've done this before."
"I have," AJ said with a grin. "Just had to renew my license. Gotta do it like every four years--and that includes havin' to get picked up by new sponsors." She went on a bit about what to expect next, about sponsors and passing a driving exam, and so on. At some point, Rainbow Dash began to only half-listen.
Finally, it was Rainbow Dash's turn at the reception desk. Behind it was a withered little tree-branch of a jenny, her eyes half-lidded with a kind of lethargy that, frankly, worried Rainbow Dash. Her makeup made her look like some kind of mental patient grandma, and reminded Rainbow Dash of the creepy old lady who lived next to her house when she was little.
"...Who're you?" asked the Jenny vacantly. Now that she heard her, Rainbow Dash concluded she must have been the bored voice from the waiting room speakers. Unsurprising.
"Number 27, in the flesh," Rainbow Dash smiled.
The jenny blinked slowly. "...How nice," she droned. Rainbow Dash didn't quite understand the context of her statement: was it nice to be Number 27, or nice to be in the flesh, or...?
Either way, the aging donkey took a small data card, putting it into what looked almost like a pager. After doing that, the pager-thingy came alive with a beep. "This is your registration. Please take this over to Building B for the remainder of the licensing process."
Rainbow Dash kept her smile on her face, but screamed on the inside. Was this thing going to take all day? She took the registration pager-thingy and began walking to the nearest building map.
The receptionist yawned. Stretched. Farted. Finally done with all those stupid tests. She and her team of graders were glad their role was finally over. She supposed they should be thankful for their boring jobs--if the F-Zero committee had passed that ruling in which grading was done via computer (like nearly everything else these days), they'd be on the street.
But still, sitting at a desk all damn day was surprisingly tiring, and unsurprisingly stifling. It didn't help that some jerk today decided they'd write all their answers really small.
She took a drink from her coffee mug, only to find it empty. She shook her head and got up to go get some more, like she'd been doing the past couple of days she'd been working without sleep. From the corner of her eye, she saw the small list of passing grades on her desk. "Oh, right," she mumbled. How silly of her to forget. She sent the small list to the filing bin for later.
If she'd been more awake and alert, she'd have noticed that "Number 27" was supposed to have been Number 21.
The rest of the process was ludicrously long. Rainbow Dash was pretty sure the passion of most would-be pilots was killed by the miles of bureaucratic red tape. Go to Building B--register with the people there--please wait--take a photo--sign this--sign that--please wait--let's see your pilot license kid--please wait--got any info on your machine? It was worse and even more invasive than when she got her Bounty Hunting License.
She was done by dinner time, but by that point, the process had left her stomach in a knot. The bus ride back to the Lair was largely uneventful--except for that one creepy pony who kept making goo-goo eyes at her. The moment she arrived at Twilight's hotelthere was this sudden, refreshing sense of relief, almost like she had taken an especially painful crap.
But the moment she saw the blazing glare on Twilight's face in the break room, that feeling of relief ran away screaming. The beer Rainbow Dash fished from the fridge was set on the countertop. "...There a problem?" she asked, hoping she hadn't forgotten to do something before leaving.
Twilight closed her eyes, and sighed through her nose. "We need to talk." She sat at the table, waiting for Rainbow Dash to do the same. Rainbow Dash took a seat.
"So, uh... what about?" Rainbow Dash asked, hoping she didn't sound as intimidated as she felt. Her knobs twitched.
"Scootaloo," Twilight said.
Rainbow Dash sighed and ran a hoof through her mane. "What'd she say?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I know she has the tendency to shoot her mouth off, but..."
Twilight shook her head. "No, not about that. She's actually really smart. But she's..." Twilight looked as if she didn't know how to put her next words together. She licked her lips and tried again, this time really scrutinizing Rainbow Dash's face. "Does Scootaloo's behavior... trouble you?"
Rainbow Dash shrugged. "She's growing up. It's only natural she'd--"
Twilight interrupted her with a wave of her hoof. "No, I mean," she began before falling into a groan. "Look, I don't like sounding like I'm trying to tell you how to parent, but kids her age shouldn't be acting like that."
"I'll ask again, then," Rainbow Dash said, "What. Did. She. Do?"
"...I caught her smoking."
Rainbow Dash shrugged nonchalantly before taking a chug from her beer. "So? I smoked when I was her age. I quit a few years back; she'll quit when she's ready."
Twilight's mouth fell open with a grunt. "That's your attitude? She's like... how old?!"
"Fourteen."
Twilight's eyes widened. "She's fourteen?" Her eyes twitched as though she were reading a book only she could see. "But... if that's true, then Scootaloo's... puny for a pegasus her age. And she can't fly, either."
Rainbow Dash's knobs twitched again. "Neither can I," she said thinly with a cold look in her eyes.
"Well, your case is obviously different," Twilight said softly. "But Scootaloo's still growing up. She's still a child, and... and she smokes, and acts like an adult, but looks underdeveloped?"
Rainbow Dash was able to draw quite a few parallels to Blueblood, who'd asked the same questions years before. She analyzed Twilight more closely--really inspecting her this time--before asking her own question. "How were you raised, Twilight?"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"It has everything to do with this, actually," said Rainbow Dash as she set the soda back down. "First, I notice you were born into a wealthy family. You got everything you could ever want at your hooves." Silence. Rainbow Dash leaned forward. "You deny this?"
Twilight pursed her lips. "Well, no."
"I'm also guessing you grew up in an area where there wasn't much crime or 'bad' influences, right?"
"No."
Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Well, there you go. It's as simple as that: you were just raised differently. You grew up in a completely different world than the one Scootaloo lived in."
Some more silence as Rainbow Dash sipped from her beer. Her eyes became strangely wistful. Nostalgic. "When I found her, Scootaloo was only seven years old, but she acted way more mature than most adults. She was already earning money by fixing up vehicles for ponies three times her age. When I asked her how she could do that, you know what she told me?"
"What?" Twilight asked.
"She told me, 'You learn a lot when you got nopony you can depend on.'"
Rainbow Dash released a sigh she didn't know she was holding. "And she knew a lot. She knew her way around machines and guns. Scootaloo was growing up in a Port Town slum, all by herself. Her own survival was the reason she kept giving it her all, every day she woke up. She grew up too fast... but it was only because she had to if she wanted to survive."
Once again, Rainbow Dash had surprised Twilight. She felt her heart begin to break, little by little at every word that came from Rainbow Dash's mouth. "Is... that why you adopted her?" she asked, her voice a quiet whisper.
Rainbow Dash returned Twilight a wry smile and chuckled. "No. I didn't adopt her out of pity or some desire to protect her. I adopted her so that I could give myself a reason to keep going." She finished her beer, crushed the can, and tossed it into a nearby recycle bin. "My reason for adopting Scootaloo was completely, totally selfish. But I don't regret it."
Twilight released a sigh. "You're both so complicated," she said wearily.
"Been called worse," Rainbow Dash laughed. "Don't worry about it, Twi. I promise Scoots and I are gonna be outta your mane by the time the sponsor's race rolls around." She blinked. "By the way, when is the sponsor's race?"
"Next Friday."
Rainbow Dash nodded. "Better get some more practice in, then." She got up from her chair and patted Twilight on the shoulder as she walked by. "Thanks for the talk."
"Yeah," Twilight said weakly. "No problem."
Rainbow Dash left the room, leaving Twilight to herself. She leaned over the table, resting her chin on her folded forelegs, digesting what she'd been told as a sad frown slowly spread across her lips.
Scootaloo sat up sharply in her bed, surrounded by the dark of her room. She quickly stuffed both her hooves into her mouth, silencing herself before she could break into hysterics over her night terror. She bent in half, curled into a ball, hooves still in her mouth, biting down on them now. Counting backwards from a hundred. Keep calm. Ninety-nine, ninety-eight, breathe, ninety-seven, ninety-six, breathe, doing good. Doing good. Just wait for the bad dream to go away.
What was the bad dream about? She could only vaguely recall certain details. Rain in the Red Canyon. That was certain. Rare, maybe illogical, but she remembered. Rain and... blood?
Blood. Yes. She remembered the blood.
After a few seconds of letting reality welcome her back to where she was safe and sound, Scootaloo slowly drew her hooves out of her mouth. That had been something she'd done since she could remember--stuffing her front hooves into her mouth and counting backwards when she felt scared. Long before she'd met Rainbow Dash, in fact.
The times Rainbow Dash had heard her wake up from a nightmare were ironically some of Scootaloo's favorite memories. Not even pausing, just rising from her hammock in the Flyer, shooting to Scootaloo and scooping her into a hug.
She rested her hooves on the bedsheets, only to find them wet. The dampness was warm, the smell it emitted salty and acidic. Scootaloo groaned as she realized she'd pissed the bed. Again.
She got out of bed, walking across the red carpet into her private bathroom. (A private bathroom! Scootaloo was still getting over that.) Her nightshirt was just as soaked as the bedsheets, so off it went as she stepped into the shower.
With a squeak, the shower became alive. It replaced the thick stink of urine with the scent of lilac and coconut, courtesy of Scootaloo's new best friends, soap and shampoo. Scootaloo began scrubbing herself down as the rain...
The rain.
That was the only time she'd ever seen rain in the Red Canyon. Rain. Rain and...
She turned off the shower, and stood there. Shivering. It took her a moment to realize she was crying, too.
The low hum of electricity pulsing through the walls was joined by the sound of Scootaloo's little hooves pitter-pattering across the hard floor. A cleaning bot rolled by her, shining the floor while its owners slept. Without really knowing why, Scootaloo gave it a pat on the head. Keep up the good work.
As the cleaning bot slid down the hall, Scootaloo looked around. She'd forgotten which direction the laundry room was. In her half-asleep state, she'd been dragging her smelly sheets in the wrong direction. She breathed a tired groan. Suddenly, there came a soft noise. Sniffling.
Scootaloo's ears perked. Sniffling? Setting down the dirty laundry for now, she tip-hoofed nearer to the source of the sound: Twilight's room. The door--one of those old-fashioned doors that still worked on hinges instead of automatic opening--was slightly ajar. Curiously, Scootaloo peeked in.
Twilight was sitting up in her bed, holding her red scarf against her naked chest. Her eyes focused on the scarf as if it was something sacred, her face streaked with tears. She shook as she sobbed, burying her face into the scarf.
Scootaloo backed away from the scene slowly and, rather worriedly, resumed her quest for the laundry room. After this turn, that turn, and another turn, she found the laundry room and stuffed her sheets into the washer. It was a bit different from the model on the Flyer, so it took her a little time to figure out how it worked.
A smile threatened to break into a laugh. The more she thought about it, the more Scootaloo realized the Falcon Flyer was essentially a flying house. She'd never actually lived in real houses--or in apartments--or in motel rooms. She could only ever sleep in the Flyer, live in the Flyer, eat in the Flyer.
As she watched her bedsheets go round and round, Scootaloo's mind returned to Twilight. The red scarf. Something about it, something so sacred and untouchable. The tears streaming down her face.
Scootaloo thought harder. There had to be some connection between Twilight's breakdown just now and why she's so mean to everypony.
Rainbow Dash had explained to Scootaloo that Twilight's just a tough teacher. She's tough on us because she wants us to become the best we can be--and you can't make somepony tough by being nice to them. But maybe there was something deeper than that, and Scootaloo had the sneaking suspicion that the scarf was a huge part of the twisted puzzle that was Twilight Sparkle.
...Was the scarf to Twilight how the rain was to Scootaloo?
After the laundry was done getting washed and dried, Scootaloo brought her sheets back to her room, flipped her mattress over, got back on and curled up.
But try as she might, Scootaloo couldn't go back to sleep that night.
The test track was no Red Canyon, no Devil's Forest. But it simulated that feeling of freedom Rainbow Dash loved about driving. Nothing but her, the Blue Falcon, and the world ripping by the both of them.
Scootaloo had outdone herself in bringing the Blue Falcon to his current majestic state. While his combat trappings had been removed, he was no less beautiful for it. He was this magnificent bullet screaming from a gun's barrel. Rainbow Dash could smell the hot smoke and taste the gunpowder.
Beautiful.
A voice crackled over the squawk-box, knocking Rainbow Dash down from her high. "All right, Supergirl," Twilight said. "You've had your warmup. Let's see what you're really made of today."
Obstacles began shooting up from the race-track--white spires that must have stood thrice as tall as any pony, with magenta rings around them. Rainbow Dash felt a sudden lurch and realized the magenta rings must be some kind of magnet. First the smooth floors that messed with the G-Diffuser's traction, then the bomb droids that ambled about the track, now magnets...?
Still, no complaints here. Rainbow Dash licked her lips as she blazed by the magnet-spires, heavily tilting her weight on the left or right control boot to pull the Blue Falcon away from the magnets. As she closed in on the finish line a second time, Twilight came back over the squawk-box. "Good... good. Now here's the real test."
Orange lights appeared on the track. "I'm giving you another two laps. Collect all the orange lights and make for the finish line. Then we'll call your training complete."
"Is that all?" Rainbow Dash laughed.
Suddenly, the magnetic spires were accompanied by the bomb droids and the smooth floors. Rainbow Dash gulped.
"Any further comments?" Twilight challenged. But before Rainbow Dash could reply, she barked, "Get to it!"
Twilight observed her pupil through the monitor wall of the observation deck, each screen offering different angles of Rainbow Dash's progress. She was doing surprisingly well for the number of challenges on the test track. The magnets weren't much of a problem for her. She seemed only just so careful on the smooth floors--only daring enough to grab every orange light she could on her first lap. The bomb droids she was able to avoid completely. The Blue Falcon flew like its namesake, a graceful and menacing raptor tearing effortlessly across the racetrack.
She'd watched Rainbow Dash's driving multiple times these past few days, and was always impressed. Anything Twilight threw at her would be overcome in a matter of minutes. Twilight often doubted that Rainbow Dash really needed the training, honestly. She was simply naturally talented.
Then there was that sense of satisfaction. In many ways, Twilight was responsible for the birth of who might actually become one of the greatest F-Zero pilots in the entire history of the sport. Just the thought of having the integral role of mentoring a champion was substance enough to be considered its own level of fulfillment.
Of course, none of these thoughts would be brought to Rainbow Dash's attention. Her ego would eat it up and balloon to an even more monstrous size.
As Twilight continued to silently marvel at Rainbow Dash's performance, she heard a hiss of an auto-door opening behind her. She turned her head to see Scootaloo carrying a plate of hot food, and cocked an eyebrow as the little filly brought it over and put it on a nearby desk that was already housing several computers. The two shared an awkward silence for a few seconds.
"Thought you might be hungry," Scootaloo said quickly. "Spike's working on your machine again and he told me you might have missed lunch, so..."
The plate was enveloped by a magenta glow and brought over to Twilight. Scootaloo watched as she ate--her disciplined table manners reminding Scootaloo of Blueblood. Do all rich ponies eat like that? she wondered.
Twilight looked at Scootaloo, swallowed a bite, then asked, "You cooked this?"
Scootaloo hesitated, then nodded. "...Yeah. I'm usually the cook when Rainbow Dash and I have enough money for something other than ramen noodles."
There was more silence as Twilight finished off her lunch. Finally, Twilight wiped her mouth (though it was more daubing her mouth with the napkin), and set all the dishes aside. She looked to Scootaloo again.
"...Thanks. You're actually a--pardon my French--a damn fine chef."
Scootaloo smiled and shook her head as if she were fighting the urge to laugh. "You swear like a kindergartener." She began gathering the dishes. "It just doesn't sound natural."
Twilight threw her head back and laughed. "I guess not," she said. "That was actually the first time I've sworn in... goodness, has it already been almost ten years?"
"Really?"
Twilight shrugged. "Yeah. Got in a fight with my old boyfriend. And maybe I said things I regret now."
Scootaloo forgot the dishes for now, simply listening to Twilight ramble with a smile lighting up her face. It was the first time Twilight had actually seen the way Scootaloo smiles, every intricate detail of the way her little lips curve. Her heart melted.
Twilght fell silent. Then she reached over and mussed Scootaloo's mane. "But never mind any of that! You'd better get yourself situated. Your mom's gonna be finishing up her last training session here in a bit."
Scootaloo gathered the dishes and walked back to the observation deck's exit with a noticeable spring in her step. As the door closed behind her, Twilight smiled, shaking her head as she returned her attention to Rainbow Dash.
Just as the Blue Falcon collected the last orange light, Twilight whispered, "You're both so complicated. But... thanks." |
Fallen From Grace | pre | That joy, that bliss, I wanted it again. I was an addict already, that high from only a day ago having been in no way close enough.
The magic coursing through me, stemming from the statue, it demanded to be used.
My hunger needed to be sated. Destruction had to be wrought.
The hunt was on.
______________________________________________________________________________
I had did it, the chicken laid at my feet, charred and finally dead. It hadn't taken much, it was pretty easy actually. Well, there was the whole fact that I had basically just spent the past ten minutes putting out a large inferno I unintentionally started throughout the forest while chasing the chicken down after it fled from my first shot of fire at it, spreading flames as I went along for the sake of the entertainment it gave me.
But in the end I had got the chicken, and that's all that mattered. Never mind the trail of ashes that led to where I was now standing.
Ravenous with hunger, I quickly tore the chicken apart, the meat still steaming with heat, and began eating it. Somehow through the excitement and realization of the fire I spread, my thirst for destruction had died, yet my actual hunger was still there.
Well still there for a little longer until I finished this.
But that thirst for destruction, it had been euphoric feeding it, watching the forest surrounding me burning in my wake. Somehow, simply doing that satisfied it.
It was the weirdest thing, I thought.
But that's when I heard it, the rustling of bushes, pawsteps crunching towards me.
I froze, half-eaten chicken leg still in my mouth.
Slowly beginning to stand up, I began to hear the low accompanying growls to their step, though it was completely unlike the ones of a wolf, it was deeper, with the decidedly almost woody undertone.
Now standing straight up, I turned my head around to looked for signs of them. One, two, three sets of eyes, nearly completely surrounding me.
Predators, furthermore one's that must've thought the territory I had hunted on was theirs.
They would need to be taught that that was no longer the case now.
The three of them walked out from their cover of foliage, knowing they were spotted, yet they still must have believed the had an advantage in numbers and perhaps were capable of taking me down. Once they fully emerged, I finally realized why their growls had sounded off, they were constructed of wood of all things.
Well, that was just another reason why this would be fun for me, I learned fire spells this day. Now, I had another chance to use them on something that wasn't a chicken, and would likely be prone to be easily damage by it.
Quickly going into a fighting stance, I began once again pull magic from the statue, but it for some reason not giving the power I wanted as easily as it usually did. It was a curious thing but I paid it no mind, being in my current state.
With the power I managed to gather, I ignited the air around my hand, encoating it in flames ready to incinerate the first wolf that pounced. Then, using the free hand that held the statue to point around at the wolves, I issued a taunt:
"So, who wants to become my campfire the most?" Oh dear lord that was shitty.
Thank god the wolves can't understand me, in fact they're too busy staring at my statue reverently to even pay attention to my shity one-liner, thank god for that.
Wait a minute.
I moved the statue around in the air, their heads moved to follow it. At the same time, as if connecting the fact that me and the statue were one thing, they completely dropped the threatening attack act and sat down, looking at me, their tails wagging and growl instead turning into the normal breathing of a dog.
Okay, what the hell? Since when did this freaking statue make all the wolves my friends.
I looked at the statue again: Two blue dogs encasing a blue crystal.
Well, I guess it makes sense, I've seen weirder.
Approaching the largest on the three, I extinguished my free hand and offered it to the wooden wolf, he just 'smelled' it before going ahead and 'licking it.'
I'm pretty certain a gap between sticks didn't count as a nose, and a wet leaf didn't count as a tongue, but what the hell, they were wolves made of wood and I had just befriended them.
I don't even know what to say.
______________________________________________________________________________
The wolves followed me home.
They followed me home.
I guess that meant they had accepted me as the new alpha-male or something, I don't know how wolf family things work, and call it weird though, but I just had this gut feeling that I should trust them. Somehow I was convinced they wouldn't just maul me in my sleep.
It was nearly pitch black by the time I got back to my home, guided only by the light of the moon.
Arriving at my "house", I once again crossed the tree log bridge and went down the stone stair, and those wooden wolves, they just followed me unphased. I even tried to shoo them away before crossing the bridge, yet they just instead kept following me.
Well, I figured if they're so determined to follow me, why the hell not? If nothing, I'm certain wolves made of wood might just make some great company.
Then again, now that I think on it, there's bound to be another fight between me and those damned ponies. They imprisoned me and planned to kill me, they needed to learn a lesson, especially those damned princesses, taking me for a fool.
With these thoughts, I sat down on the floor of my house, with my back against the wall. The wolves then took it as a sign, and laid down next to me.
This day had been fruitful. Made a base, discovered some magic and made some friends somehow.
Sitting here next to my new wolves, I began to drift off to sleep off to sleep, somehow ignoring that I had these living piles of sticks sleeping next to me too.
Eventually sleep overtook me.
_____________________________________________________________________________
I stood there, the darkness around me. It covered everything thickly, looking almost tangible. As if I were to put my hand out and grasp it, I could pull it, move it.
I could hear the sounds of clopping hooves on hard ground, encircling me, each precise step following the same slow repeating pattern perfectly, like the constant ticking of a clock. Not once did a step fall out of sync.
I could only stare forward, observing the inexplicable darkness and hearing the sounds. I knew I was not restrained, instead I was just enraptured by the void spread in front of me. It felt discomforting, as if it knew every secret I could ever contain, as if I were on trial for existing and the punishment was eternal torment.
That's when the darkness and sound faded, and through the veil pierced a bright and nearly blinding light. I blinked. When I opened my eyes once again I was now in a garden, one that looked familiar.
Then I realized it, I was now in the Canterlot gardens.
Blink.
I could then see them, every soldier who had died, in that same garden. All lined up in front of me. Burned, disfigured, decaying.
Blink.
It was a street now, a funeral procession. Hundreds of ponies lined up, all in black. The sky overhead was thick with rain clouds, the first raindrops only just dropping. Everything was silent save for the the rain hitting on the ground and the sounds of crying. I could see the hearse, drawn by a multitude of guard ponies.
Blink.
I now saw myself, killing each and every soldier, again. Reliving the actions I had committed from their own eyes.
Each death displayed individually.
Every second of it.
Every funeral.
Every death.
They displayed continuously, speeding up, the area around me changing every second, each death, each funeral, all of them cycled through.
Then I heard her whisper.
"Reconcile, give yourself up"
I wanted to answer her, but my body would not obey me, my eyes glued to each and every death that flashed before my eyes.
Then she herself appeared in front of me, walking through the scenes that were flashing by as if they were a fog.
She looked at me, regarding me with nothing but the utmost disgust.
Walking up to within arms reach of me she continued her disapproving glare for a few moments, before continuing to state:
"Until you give yourself up, these same scenes will be all you see when you sleep, In Fact maybe We'll also have you relive the final moments of the ones you slaughtered personally, see every single life that you destroyed from their view. See their families, their friends."
She began circling me at this moment, continuing on her talking.
It was then I began to hear a low growl in the background, coming from all sides, but from the way Luna was acting, it was as if she couldn't hear it as she continued.
"And if that is not a encouragement, perhaps I can think of something better" She continued, the growling in the background now growing continuously louder.
"It is commonly believed that you cannot feel pain in a dream. That's false, I have the power to make it reality." Luna stopped her trotting in front of me once again, facing me, smiling almost, as if sure her sentence would be the one to end me.
In an instant, she was screaming bloody hell, as a giant wolf black as night with glowing blue eyes had jumping and latched on her neck, generously drawing what should of been blood but instead a liquid that glowed a light blue and was now getting all over the giant wolf and the surrounding area, including myself.
I myself had barely registered the attack, it happened so fast, but now that it was in full swing, I jumped back, in shock and now able to control my body.
Luna continued her screaming, sounding like death itself, and flailed her body around in an attempt to throw the wolf off.
After a few moments, the wolf finally let go of her, before quickly and near silently moving into a position between me and Luna.
Breathing heavily, with the light blue liquid generously spread everywhere and still gushing from her opened neck, Luna recomposed herself and casted a spell. After a flash, her neck was healed and she was whole once again.
Simply looking at the wolf with an air of what couldn't been less than complete hatred, Luna then turned her gaze between the two of us a few times before stating:
"This is not the last time we shall see each other, beast"
Then she simply vanished from sight in an instant.
I'm certain she wasn't addressing the wolf.
______________________________________________________________________________
I woke, sweat covering my body and my breathing heavy. Looking around and trying to calm down, I realised that I was inadvertently clutching the statue with both hands now, holding it close to my chest.
The three wolves that were around me stayed exactly where they were, yet each of them had their eyes wide open, glowing yellow and staring at me, contrasting with the near pitch black of the early hours of the morning.
Then I realized something else, the jewel in the statue was glowing, giving off a faint deep blue tinged glow.
'What the hell is with this statue.' |
Fallen From Grace | Chapter 2 | I barely slept for the remainder of last night, I had trouble falling asleep, instead opting to mostly just watching the gem glowing eerily in the cold darkness of the early morning hours.
It unsettled me, I could remember the dream.
Oh how I remembered the dream, Luna, the wolf, the blood, all of it.
And the screams.
If somehow I fell asleep again before the breaking of dawn, it must of been a dreamless sleep, because time had passed me by in a blur, and soon the night had ended and the sun had began its rise, slowly lighting up the vast sky and canyon outside. But I still laid here in the near complete darkness from the shade my cave provided me. Here I was still sitting next to those three wooden wolves, their yellow glowing eyes staying open, watching me.
I didn't want to trust them, yet maybe they were the ones that ended in my dream somehow.
They were wolves and Luna had been driven off by a wolf.
But there was the inconsistencies, the black fur coat and glowing blue eyes the wolf in my dream had been not at all like the
wooden structure and unsettling yellow eyes these beasts had.
Even so, if it had been them, that was all reason I could have to now trust them fully.
I reached out to pet one of them with my free hand, the flesh of my hand rubbing against hard and splintered wood. It was a weird feeling for me, yet the wolf acted as if he liked up, moving his head against my hand in a very dog-like fashion before closing his eyes, making it as if he was going to sleep back to sleep. After this happened, I stopped my petting.
As if a switch had been hit, the two other wolves then followed the example of the first shortly afterward, closing their eyes and settling down.
The sun had continued its rise, slowly encroaching into the darkness of my home and dispelling it.
Still tired as hell from my interrupted sleep, I could already tell that this day was going to be tiring as hell.
______________________________________________________________________________
Twilight Sparkle looked around at the area of ashed wreckage that had torn through the everfree.
Ash, burned foliage, and at the end of it all was the remains of what had been a chicken.
She recorded all of it down in her notebook. Every single last detail of it all.
Any patterns the ashes made, the residual magic still hanging in the air, even the bite marks on the chicken. She recorded it all with her trademark zealously she had towards anything newly discovered.
Well, save for the chicken, she decided that it didn't need as much studying as everything else, mainly due to personal reasons. Although the bones did prove that "Keith" was a predator.
The more information she had on him the better, because this could become it: the moment that would define the rest of her life as a princess.
She had responsibility now, and one of them was defending Equestria, defending her friends.
She would make Celestia proud. She would track the villain, confront him with her friends, and subdue him. ....
But what if Celestia would have wanted her to tell her first? What if something went bad without the elements of harmony? What if she succeeded just for Celestia to be disappointed in her because-
Twilight breathed in, then she breathed out.
She could figure this out later, she had a job to do now in getting as much info as she could.
______________________________________________________________________________
After finally getting completely up, I ended up spending a good amount of the rest of the morning out in the area above my home, playing fetch with one of the wolves with a stick.
Another one of the wolves just continued to sleep in the sun, while the third went in the woods and did.. something.
I'm not sure what that thing he was doing just was, although it was later revealed nearly hour later as he proudly strutted back to where I was carrying a rabbit in his maw.
Weirdly enough, he just gave the rabbit to me, looking at me expectantly, with neither him nor any of the other wolves making motions to eat it, let alone looking interested in it.
Seeing no harm in eating it, as I was getting hungry again, I quickly cooked the rabbit with my fire magic before picking it apart and eating it.
Strangely enough, when I offered pieces to the wolves, they all just look disinterested in it.
Maybe they don't eat meat? I mean, they are sorta made of plants, it makes sense I guess.
______________________________________________________________________________
"Signed: Your faithful Student, Twilight Sparkle" Spike finished, speaking each word he wrote aloud back to Twilight.
Thankfully, he had somehow convinced her to send the letter to Celestia, and that not pursuing Keith immediately would not result in the world as they knew it crumbling down around them.
She didn't have her "moments" as much as she used to, but the stress still got to her, and he always would be there to help her.
"Alright Spike, now its time to gather the girls up!" Twilight said, opening the door, waiting for Spike to follow her out.
And follow her Spike did, although he did think it was not a good idea to go chasing after him. Nevermind that he surprised him that one day in the library.
No way did he scare him, Keith just caught him off guard, thats all.
But still, he had did quite a number on Twilight, and even gave Rainbow Dash a minor Concussion.
And with a frying pan of all things.
Maybe he should invest in one for himself...
______________________________________________________________________________
I was slowly getting more and more bored.
I'm just sitting here, on the edge of the canyon, legs dangling down over it. Not the most safe position I guess, but then again was inviting three wolves made of wood into my house safe? How about setting out to steal an apocalyptic artifact from the home of the literal goddesses of this realm?
Yea, thought so.
By this time the sun had risen to the apex of the sky, and was baking the forest below; it was too hot to do much besides lay around and practice a bit of magic. Maybe if I still had those books I had stolen I could instead be reading them again.
Granted I still had the one on artifacts, but you can only read over a book so many times before it just stops interesting you.
Maybe if I hadn't decided to hide my books before leaving I could be reading the magic lesson book but now with the ability to do everything in it this time. But no, I ended up hiding my books and campsite so well when I left that even I couldn't find them now.
Ridiculous.
Those books exist for a reason, you know, so you don't have to rediscover an entire field of magic in order to use it, because someone else already did. Like the fact that I eventually decided to try and learn lightening earlier today, but it did not work out, for I had not in the slightest clue how to do it, evidenced by the fact that all my previous attempts have just either resulted in fire or a whole lot of nothing.
Besides more of the basics, it was starting to look like my magic career began to reach its apex.
Upon hearing growling and yelping from behind me, I turned my head to looked at the wolves.
One of them was still sleeping in the sunlight, the other two were play fighting, one of them currently holding the disconnected leg from the other one in its mouth, while the first one was trying to get it back.
The wolf literally stole it's friend's leg.
These things got weirder every second.
Turning my attention back to my brooding, I decided to try to once again try to figure out how to use lightning, again.
Holding my free hand out in front of me, the attempts at casting electricity began anew.
______________________________________________________________________________
Celestia finished reading Twilight's letter.
She quickly wrote a response using the paper and quill on her nearby desk, urging Twilight to avoid direct confrontation, and to perhaps wait for Celestia herself to come with them.
It's not that Celestia didn't believe in them, quite the contrary. The friends had saved Equestria together on multiple occasions before, even facing against opponents that were infinitely more powerful than Keith.
Then again, they mainly faced off against enemies that were instead trying to take over control of the nation, rather than Keith's goal which only seemed to be obtaining magical power.
Plus, before the friends had the Elements of Harmony in their possession as well.
Even so, Twilight was now a Princess as well, proof enough of her competence in overcoming any threat to Equestria, with or without the Elements.
Celestia reminded herself that she had to give Twilight faith, she wasn't the vulnerable student she once was.
Besides, it was certain that they would do fine, even if they confronted Keith, she knew it.
With that thought she ignited her response with the green flames of the delivery spell.
Now it was just a game of seeing what the friends did.
______________________________________________________________________________
Twilight finished reading Celestia's response to the rest of the gathered Elements of Harmony.
"Well girls, what do you say?" Twilight said to the assembled group of her closest friends "Do we go after him?"
After a good moments pause, Rainbow Dash replied: "Well duh, first he comes here, steals from Applejack and you, before attacking us with a frying pan, THEN he goes and steals a stone from Canterlot. We can't just let him like not go punished."
"I agree with Rainbow, this 'Keith' feller is just a no good varmint." Applejack added in.
"I too, agree with Applejack and Rainbow Dash, this brutal ruffian deserves no less." Rarity chimed in.
Twilight turned to the remaining two ponies:
"Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, do you two have anything to say?"
"Weeee-el, since you asked, I was at first disappointed by the fact that I wasn't able to throw him a welcoming party, but I thought maybe he just needed some time to think over why he was such a big meanie to you and Rainbow, but then I learned he got caught in Canterlot try to steal but he broke out, so I thought maybe I could try and help him stop being a meanie by throwing him a 'happy breaking out of jail day' party, but then he went and did all those mean things, and so I've decided that I shall not throw him a party until he makes up for what he's done." Pinkie Pie finished, her face looked stern and assertive.
Rarity nearly fainted from the severe cruelty Pinkie Pie's words held.
"Well, I don't think we should go after her." Fluttershy said in her quiet voice.
"Fluttershy, c'mon, I mean seriously he eats chickens, what if he ended up eating one of your friends?" Rainbow Dash responded, getting excitable at Fluttershy.
"Well thats not a problem, many of the animals I care for are also predators-" Fluttershy started before she was interrupted again
"Not to mention all those guards ponies he harmed"
"But he must of been-"
"Not to mention those vegetables and books he stole"
"But I just think that maybe-"
"Plus the fact that he went and stole the Sapphire stone, the same one Daring Do worked her awesome butt on trying to secure."
The friends stopped and looked at Rainbow Dash with various look, mostly being ones of 'Are you serious?'.
"What?" Replied Rainbow Dash, looking around.
"Nothin' Sugarcube" Applejack said before turning to face Fluttershy
"Now Fluttershy, we all agree that this Keith needs to be caught, except for you. Do you really want a murderer out on the loose?"
"Well no, but"
"Exactly, suger cube, you don't." Applejack said before turning to Twilight
"Twilight, I think this means we all agree we should go after him." Applejack said, turning to her friend.
______________________________________________________________________________
A SPARK! I GOT IT! FINNALLY!
After untold hours of working on it I finally managed to create a measly spark of electricity that had arced instantly between his hands.
Now I just had to repeat the same procedure as before, only this time with more power.
Untold hours of trying would now pay off.
My hand cackled with energy, sparks coating it, arcing between my fingers and palm, giving off a distinct hum all the while.
It was glorious, the epitome of power, pure electricity, it was perfect. Now, I just had to cast it.
Shifting my body and standing up to look more epic, I moved my hand out, palm facing the opposing side of the canyon, imagining using my magical power to shoot the electricity out.
With the great boom of thunder, my lightning shot out of my hand, and with power that would make Zeus envious, my bolt struck.
Well, it struck the ground right next me, in fact the bolt was pretty small when I think of it, and it was completely vertical. I think it made one of the wolves stop sleeping and put their head up, probably worried I'd gone crazy.
That was pretty anticlimactic.
But, it was a start, I'd just have to keep trying casting it different ways until I got one that worked.
I'd get there, eventually.
Proud of my progress so far, I turned to face my three wolf companions, eager to perhaps convince one of them to go catch another rabbit for me to cook.
Getting up, I walked over to the three of them before beginning to poke one of them.
"C'mon, Tobi, wanna go catch Master another nice plump rabbit?" I asked as I prodded the wolf that had gotten me my rabbit earlier in the day.
Oh, guess I should mention I named them: Tobi, Mizzy, and Chrissi.
Don't ask why I made them all half-rhyme.
Seeing as Tobi was just being lazy and sleeping, I then decided to proud Mizzy, being the lazy wolf she was who had spent the entire day sleeping basically. I began shaking her a bit, trying to get her to stand up, but she basically ignored me.
Deciding maybe I'd get lucky with my third wolf, I went to shake them awake.
But, as I turned my attention towards him, I realized Chrissi had already gotten up, and was staring across to the other side of the canyon. That's when he started growling, prompting the other two to get up from their sleeping and look over to the other side of the canyon, before beginning to growl too.
Following their gaze over to the other side of the canyon, I didn't see anything.
About to stop them from growling at nothing, it was then I noticed movement on the other side of the canyon. A shimmer of purple translucent light removing branches in front of a band of six ponies who walked obliviously into the clearing before the canyon.
"C'mon girls! The spell is getting strong now! He must be nearby!" Said Twilight.
Thats when Rainbow Dash noticed me, and with an instant look of hatred on her face, she alerted the rest to where I was.
They just all stared at me, some with faces of determination and hate, others with the look of a deer caught in the headlights.
I just stared back, the wolves next to me doing the same while maintaining their growl.
My anger rose to a whole new level.
They had the tenacity to come to my home?
I couldn't control myself nearly, my blood boiling, I wanted their blood, they needed to suffer.
And so, I fired the first shot, slicing my hand through the air and casting my 'air blade' spell that barreled quickly through the space
between us, set to hit the group dead center, and hopefully provide a quick end.
Twilight saw it coming, quickly conjuring a spell, she teleported the six of them to the other side of the canyon, barely twenty yards away from Keith.
As soon as they landed, the Timberwolves at his side began running at them, barking their intent to do them harm.
Very quickly, Twilight issued orders to her five friends
"You guys handle the TimberWolves, I can deal with Keith"
Then, not wanting to have her friends protest, she teleported to the other side of Keith
'All I have to do is get that statue out of his hand' She thought, as she began to prep her first spell.
My wolves went after the five other ponies as Twilight Sparkle teleported away.
Fine, I was confident that my wolves would be able to hold those five off, now I only had to deal with the princess.
Turning around slowly, I faced Twilight Sparkle, my face involuntarily turning into a large grin from the upcoming prospect of fighting. I could feel the shudders, the waves of energy pulsing through my body originating from the Sapphire Statue. It loved to be used, I knew it, and the pleasure the fighting gave me ensured there was no backing down.
Still smiling at the princess, I spoke to her:
"What an honor, having you visit me all the way out here. Hate to end it so fast though-"
I quickly moved my hand out of the way of the beam originating from her horn. Enraged, I began yelling at her:
"You fired a freakin laser at me, and in the middle of a freaking dialogue? The hell girl, you just don't do-"
I moved the Statue out of the way of her second shot.
"Okay, screw this"
With that I began running at Twilight, my hand coating itself with magical flame. Expecting her next shot, I dodged her volley and followed it by jumping at her, hand full of fire and heading straight to punch her square in her jaw.
Only to have her teleport another ten feet back, and fire another shot.
Dodging it, and enraged, I extinguished the flame around me hand and instead casted a wind blade at her. She dodged the rip in air by flying above it and then followed by changing her direction and flyed at me, her horn letting out several rapid fire lasers at me.
Infuriated, I jumped back out of the spot I had been, and casted a wave of power at her, hoping to push her out of flight and mess her up. Instead she casted a shield spell over herself, deflecting the push.
Then I broke.
With a scream of rage I began casting spell after spell at her: Fireball, push, blade, fire, more fire. The whole effect started creating a fog of ash and dust between us, as I began running at her, continuously casting spells at her the whole time, her shield deflecting each in every one.
Then I got close enough to her to do it; using my magic push as a way to propel me up, I jumped up before casting the spell underneath me, sending me flying at Twilight.
In an instant I collided with her shield, and phased right through it.
Catching Twilight off guard, I collided with her mid-air, before managing to force her underneath me as we began obeying the laws of gravity.
We both fell like a rock, me landing on Twilight, causing her to cry out in pain as we collided with the ground. Pulling my arm back, I coated my fist with flames once more before punching Twilight on the snout, breaking it and creating a continuous stream of blood from it, pulling back my hand, I was then stunned by Twilight teleporting away from underneath me.
Damned pony, just give up already!
Standing up, I looked around before spotting her above at least twenty feet, charging a spell.
I went to once again jump at her, when her horn let out a small white flash.
And she spoke a single word:
"Boom"
Everything around me ignited in magical flames, every spot on the ground she had shot her lazer at now exploding in a fiery display a purple force. My body was hurled between the waves of energy, like a ragdoll, each one sending an arc of energy coursing into my body, making it seize up and stop moving. As the waves ended, my body stopped its forced flailing and fell to the ground, completely limp.
I could only stare defenselessly as Twilight landed upon the ground and began walking up to me, a smile on her face.
I screamed internally, trying everything to get my body to move, yet it would not obey me, my entire body beginning to feel as if it were solid stone.
"I'm surprised that it worked actually, a remote detonation spell combined with a laser spell and a paralysis spell, quite the combination if I do say so myself" Twilight said, walking up next to my limp body, looking nothing but prideful.
"Now then, first to deal with that Statue and then with you." Twilight began, using her telekinesis, she force pulled the Statue out of my limp hand, before setting it down a distance away from me.
"Now, all we should have to do is release the magic that has been stored in here, and the Statue should be rendered useless" Twilight said, half to herself and half to me, the glowing of her horn indicating the beginnings of a spell being casted.
I could move my fingers a little bit now, every part of my mind willing me to get moving, to get the damned statue back!
Twilight's horn descended towards the statue.
I internally said every curse I could think of.
The horn connected to the Sapphire of the Statue, the spell flashing into the statue.
Twilight stood back, expecting something to happen.
A moments pause, still nothing.
Looking frustrated Twilight began casting the spell once more.
Then the howling started.
It began with my wolves that had been fighting the other five ponies, they stopped where they standed and began howling, the ponies whom they had been fighting before hand just standing around in confusion, still in the positions they had been in order to fight the wolves. Then, like a wave, more howls came, from all over the forest, a crescendo of noise echoing through the canyon to a deafening volume as hundreds of voices raised to the sky, as if every wolf in the forest heard the cry and joined their voices to it.
Running at Twilight, the five other ponies quickly caught up, Applejack yelling at Twilight over the howling in order to be heard:
"TWILIGHT, WHAT THE HECK DID YOU DO!"
"I DON'T KNOW APPLEJACK, THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING!"
Then the pulsing of the statue began, as if reacting to the howls, the jem began glowing dark blue, making the space around it begin to seem almost darker, slowly extending across the area as if a cloud had begun to cover up the sun.
The statue pulsed faster, beginning to look as if it were now violently vibrating in the air. It was then that cracks began appearing across it, quickly spreading to cover the entire object.
Then it exploded, projecting its thousands of pieces in every direction, leaving behind only a floating orb of complete blackness. Then the darkness began pouring out, coming from the orb and endlessly flowing like a thick oil, sludging as it hit the ground and began taking shape.
First the paws, then the legs, then the body, all the shape of a wolf with a coat black as the void of the night.
Then its eyes opened, and they glowed a deep blue filled with an ingrained hatred of all that lay before it.
Staring at the ponies, the wolf then let out what was a mix between a bark and a roar, the ferocious sound of a predator that had been the death of countless prey before hand and would be the death of countless more. The effect was instantaneous, sending the ponies running for their lives, screaming their fright and nearly tripping over themselves as Twilight eventually managed to use a mass teleport, sending the six away.
I could only watch, unmoving as the wolf stood there, unmoving, the roar having the instantaneous effect of silencing the howling emanating from the forest.
The the wolf then turned its head, and looked directly at me, its deep blue eyes boring into my soul, seething the very feeling of fear, that of a predator on the hunt.
If I could of ran away I would of. If I could of screamed I would of. Yet, my body still lay motionless, paralysed upon the ground and unresponsive to me.
The wolf turned its body to me, slowly walking to where my body laid.
I could feel its unnatural gaze, across my body, as the wolf came to stand directly next to me.
All I could do was stare at it, fearing what it would do and completely at its mercy. |
Fallen From Grace | Chapter 3 | Sometimes something happens that's so ridiculous that there's is no way you are able to react to it.
That's what I was feeling right now.
The sun was beginning to set in the distance, slowly covering the land in shadows, yet I stayed laying here, half due to the remaining effects of the paralysis spell, half due to the fact that a gigantic wolf made out of shadows was literally sleeping half-way on me.
That's all it did after it scared the ponies away, it walked around me a bit before settling down and laying next to me with one of its legs and a part of its body draped over me.
Just ridiculous.
Even if I had full movement of my body, there's no way I'd make it out safely.
I could move most of my upper body at this point, but the fear was I'd stand up and be forced to awkwardly wobble away from the wolf with legs like stone if I decided to take my chances at getting away.
I strained my neck to bend up and look at the wolf once again, it was still asleep.
I didn't want to risk waking it by moving, but that was the only way I was getting out of here.
Then again, it was do something or wait around for the wolf to wake up...
That's when I realized my wooden wolves were watching the scene from the treeline.
My wooden wolves! They could somehow help me, that or distract this wolf long enough for me to get away somewhere. There was no way I could take this thing on without my gem anymore, but they could last a bit, hopefully speaking.
With this thought I began calling out to the wolves.
"Tobi! Mizzy! Chrissy! pssst, come on help me out here!" I yell whispered to the wolves, lightly tapping the ground with my hand for emphasis.
For the most part they seemed to ignore me, instead choosing to stare at the giant wolf that sat halfway on me.
Well I guess they're scared or something. Leave it the goddamn wolves to be too scared to help me.
Freaking useless puppies.
I slowly pushed myself along on the ground, ignoring those wooden wolves, they weren't any help to me. Doing this I was slowly able to inch myself away towards freedom.
Progress was slow, but it was progress none the less. My body slowly moving away from underneath the wolf's paws and body.
And then, somehow, I gradually was able to work it to the point where my body was mostly free. The wolf for the most part didn't seem to notice as I forced the transfer of its weight from atop me to the ground, the only part now remaining atop me being it's paws.
Moving my hands, I gently grabbed the limbs and slowly lifted them up off of me, then awkwardly shifting the remainder of my body from underneath them, I laid the paws back onto the ground gently. With that, I was now in the clear.
Another victory for Keith, as always.
With that, I stood myself up on shaking feet, and decidedly flipped off the three wolves who were still watching me. I didn't need those assholes' help.
With that, I was clear, now I just had to leave before the wolf waked up and go on to find another artifact to steal, I did it once, I could do it again.
With that optimistic outlook, I took my first step forward towards my next objective.
Within seconds I was laying on the dirt, my face making itself acquainted with the ground.
Goddamn Twilight Sparkle and her paralysis spell, and those damn wolves, I could swear they were laughing at me at this point.
I pushed myself up with my arms, spitting some leaves out of my mouth along the way.
I stood back up, my legs shaking more now, feeling still like stone.
Okay, breathe, I can do this. Just one leg, in front of the other. Following this mantra, I took my first step forward again, lifting my right foot and extending it.
I made it, my legs still feeling frozen and shaking, but I made it.
Okay, now the next step. With this I began taking the next step, lifting my left foot and placing it in front of the right.
I fell over again, my face once again meeting with the dirt of the ground.
And damn those wolves, I could hear them laughing now. Freaking assholes, why the hell don't they help me with this.
I lifted myself up off the ground with my arms once more, looking furiously over at my wolves, I prepared to tell them to stop laughing and help me.
Looking at the wolves, I saw that they weren't laughing, they were still intently staring at the wolf who I had just escaped.
The same wolf that was now laughing.
It was a feminine laugh, yet gave off the distinct flavor of only coming from the pain of others.
Well shit.
I blame the wooden wolves.
"Please keep going, I'm enjoying this" The wolf said in a raspy yet feminine voice.
Okay, don't freak out. I'm just being laughed at by a giant wolf made of shadows while my legs are practically paralyzed.
With all the courage I could muster, I spoke out, still lying on the ground save for my upper body which was being held up by my arms.
"N-no, I'm uh fine just staying here" I said, my voice nearly shaking, while I still laid there, facing away from her.
"Oh, well that's a shame, the fun is in the chase" She said, obviously knowing what I was feeling.
Okay, breathe, there's no way I can run, I just have to keep to distracting her by talk for... however long it takes me to get out of this situation.
Easy.
"Oh yea, the uh chase, yea, so uhm, fun" I said, trying to scramble how the hell to distract her.
Of Course leave it to me to agree that being chased by a predator is fun.
"Glad to see you agree with me, mortal." She said.
Damnit it all to hell. I slowly turned my head in order to look at my wolves, giving them a pleading look to try and save me, but no, their stare was still focused on the beast behind me.
I tried making some discrete motions at them, trying to get their attention, yet their gaze remained on the wolf behind me, the same wolf that then spoke up.
"Don't even think that it's a possibility, mortal, what do you think prompted them to follow you?" She asked, taking an almost serious tone, yet one that still felt like she was about to pounce and maul my face off any second.
"Uhm well... My amazing skill at using magic?" I asked, almost hopefully.
She let out a small chuckle before continuing "You mean my amazing magic? And above that maybe the fact that I made them?"
"Huh?" I intelligently retorted, showing nothing but the utmost skill at figuring things out.
"Ugh, didn't think you were this dense." She said, almost in mock drama "All the magic you've been using didn't come from the statue, it came from me, infact the statue is technically just a prison for me." She continued, before turning her tone into an accusing one "You're just a small little human who decided they can try and use my magic, I just went along cause I thought it would be fun."
"So, this whole time I've just been using your magic" I said, almost unbelievingly, still facing away from her and partially lying on the ground.
"Indeed, master detective, now then, have anything to say relating to what you have done?" She said, accusingly.
My mind, instead of answering just went blank. I got myself into this crap. Standing up from where I was and still looking away from her, I almost went to speak when she instead started.
"Not a single thing?" she said, her voice continuing on now taking a turn into becoming friendlier "Because, I may perhaps allow you to use it once more, if you beg."
"Wait, seriously?" I asked, at this I turned around to face her expectantly, instead I was faced with... well she was gone.
Thats when her voice started up once again, this time right behind me, almost speaking right into my ear.
"You want power, I want something similar, but I also want to remain on the low-key." She said as I turned my head to face her, but instead she began talking into the other ear, staying hidden.
"The ponies had no clue I was trapped in that statue, I want to kill and maim, but they have ways to beat me, but you on the other hand, they don't know you, if you just use my powers to do my goal, then its the same to me."
I thought over the proposition, for a moment before asking one question.
"You said your only goal was to kill and maim?"
"Yes, what do you think was driving you on your little blood fest? And that was very satisfying to me, if I do say so. Just supply me with that level of constant bloodshed and my powers are all yours to use."
I pondered this for a moment. On one hand, I could have all the magic I could ever want once again, and possibly even a teacher for the small price of a steady stream of corpses. That or I deny her and risk having her kill and maim me instead.
I looked at where her voice was, and once again she disappeared.
Okay this was getting a bit annoying.
"First things first, before I agree to anything, can you stop avoid my eyesight, and second, shouldn't we first exchange names before signing a pact?" I said, looking around for where-ever she disappeared to.
"Well, for the name, you can either refer to me as 'your greatness' or 'Vera', whichever you prefer, as for seeing me, fine, I guess since you're implying that you agree to the contract, I will allow you to gaze upon my greatness." With that the shadows transferred in from of me, coalescing into a vague form that slowly took on the general shape of a human female, complete with the glowing blue eyes she had as a wolf.
I just stared at her for a moment.
"Don't you like? I thought you would, seeing as you're all alone away from your species, plus these ponies never heard of your kind before, so now I think taking the form of your kind would now be even scarier than that of a wolf, seeing as you agreed to my plan." She said, ending it with a bright white sociopathic smile that completely clashed with the rolling shadows that made up her human form.
I just kept staring at her.
I'll admit it, she was creepy as hell, and so I let her know.
"You look creepy as hell."
"Why thanks deary, now then, about those powers, mind keep your body completely flaccid for a second here?" She said as she quickly extended her hand towards my face.
Reacting involuntarily, I tried to move my head back away from her, but was too slow to stop it from connecting. In that instant of contact, her whole body dissipated and flowed into me, making my vision go blue and swirl for a second before returning to normal.
I just looked at where she had been beforehand, dumbfounded.
"Did you just.... go inside me?" I asked, almost not expecting an answer.
'Figuratively, yes'
I just didn't know what to think at this point, then again, if she controlled the statue, maybe she technically was like this the whole time?
Okay, just calm down, get used to it, this is how my life will now go, with a passenger along for the ride. Even with this attempt to calm down, I couldn't help but feel completely freaked out.
One step at a time.
______________________________________________________________________________
I sat, back against the wall, wolves sitting across at the opposite side of the wall, after being told by Vera that I needed to act as the Alpha now and sleep alone.
Plus those wolves were ass-holes and didn't even think of helping me out.
Outside the sun was beginning to set, I had spent most of the remainder of the day getting used to the fact that there was the freaking equivalent of a goddess of the hunt in my head right now and planning with said goddess what I should do next.
Tomorrow would be a big day: get revenge on some ponies who had both seen Vera's true from, for how little time it was, then conquer the world.
It was a simple yet ingenious plan.
Plus it paid the blood debt I would owe Vera for a little bit.
At first I was hesitant, but at this point that feeling was dying faster and faster. It was like I was slowly getting more okay with slaughtering some things for the heck of it, strange as that sounds.
Adjusting myself in order to try and fall asleep, I finally decided to ask Vera the one thing that was still bugging me.
"Hey Vera?" I asked out loud, feeling a bit silly about it.
'Yes?'
"...Why did you fall asleep on me?"
'.......Have you ever tried sleeping while being trapped in a gemstone?' She replied
"Well no, but-"
'Exactly, its literally impossible.'
Well, that settled that...
Adjusting to become more comfortable, I went to sleep for the night. |
Fallen From Grace | Chapter 4 | It was nearing midday, and the sun graciously beamed upon the emerald fields that lay directly outside the fair town known as 'Ponyville'. It was an innocent place, with small children playing and running around while their parents stood off to the side, deep in discussion on some odd piece of gossip from the day prior.
Yet I didn't hear a word of it, nor did I frankly give any interest towards it. Not the gossip, and not the fillies. They posed no interest to me. I was after something different.
Revenge.
Six ponies had attacked me at my home, and now they were back at their own. I had decided that I should return the favor to them.
Backing out of the bush I had watched the ponies from, I went a safe distance into the forest before beginning to walk through it, keeping the town to my right side as I continued.
Walking through the dense foliage, I paid very little mind to the amount of noise I made as I got further and further away from where the fillies were playing.
Moving a branch out of my way and stepping past it, I inadvertently ended up on a trail that led straight into the town.
Realizing I was no longer hidden, I quickly jumped back into the foliage like a scared rabbit. After a second, I poked my head out and looked around to make sure I hadn't crossed into the sight of some pony.
The coast was completely clear as far as I could tell. I felt a bit silly for the whole scene I had made, but I preferred that to giving my prey the knowledge that I was coming.
Letting out the breathe I had unintentionally holding, I looked down the path to the point where it entered the town proper. As it went in, it looked as if it transitioned into what could of passed as the main road of the town until it reached a large circular building in what seemed to be the center of the town, far off in the distance. From my guess it was probably the town hall.
Feeling safe, I decided to sit down and think over my plan.
'Simple, right, just go in there as night falls, find the ponies that came after me and end them, simple as that. I get revenge, and I fulfill the blood demanded by Vera.''
A predatory smile crept onto my face as the voice of Vera suddenly invaded my mind.
'Of Course there's no harm in a little collateral damage, all these damn ponies are the same, it'd be fun.'
'Yea fun, guess so, as long as we get those six dealt with it doesn't matter what we do on the side.'
'In fact when we deal with those six, what's to stop us from just continuing on to the rest of the town?'
What could stop me though, honestly? A goddess of predation in my head and her unrivaled power at my command. I simply needed to get into the town to fuel her and we'd be set.
This town would just be a stepping stone for me. The sacrifice Vera demanded for her power, that was all this was.
I dropped down to a sitting position, my back against a tree not far from the path. Stretching out, I got comfortable, waiting for the night to come, and reluctantly closed my eyes.
I would need to rest now in order to prepare for this fun filled night.
___________________________________________________________________
Twilight turned around to face spike, the five other elements of harmony behind her as she spoke out to him
"Alright spike, read out the letter back to us"
"Okay, here goes" Spike said, quickly clearing his throat before continuing on.
"Dear princess Celestia,
Sorry, but yesterday we might of went into the Everfree forest after Keith and we might of attacked him and when we attacked him we might of broke his statue which caused a giant blue scary wolf monster to appear. We ran-"
"-We didn't run from that thing, we uh... retreated from it, it wasn't scary." Rainbow dash suddenly interjected.
Spike simply looked at the girls, unconvinced "Right......" He then scribbled the word out before replacing it with the new one and continuing on with the letter.
"We retreated in a completely not scared fashion away from the wolf and now find ourselves back in Ponyville. Again sorry, could you please tell us what you want to do now,
Again sorry,
-Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie pie." Spike finished, looking back at Twilight expectantly.
"Alright girls, I think that sounds good, Spike..... go ahead and send it" Twilight said, sounding as if she dreaded sending the letter.
Spike promptly rolled the parchment up before breathing out his green flames to consume it and transport it away.
In seconds the letter was gone, and in its wake left the friends in the room uncharacteristically quiet.
"So.... now we just wait?" Rainbow asked, her voice full of uncertainty.
"Ah don' see why we don' just go back there an' fight that Keith feller again, we beat him once we can do it again, doesn't matter if'n there's a wolf there or not, we just got scared willy by it, but now that we know it there, it won't be suprisin' us no more." Applejack stated, looking to the rest of the group for confirmation.
"I'm sorry dear, but I can't say I'd agree to going after that ruffian again, we still have no clue what that dreadful looking... thing that came out of the statue can actually do. I say we just wait for Celestia's word back" Finished Rarity.
"Yea, Keith may be a meanie and all and that black wolf might be an even bigger one, but I think Rarity is right" Pinkie pie said.
"And with Fluttershy that makes it to over half of us wanting to wait." Twilight said conclusively.
"uhm, I didn't actually say any-"
"And that means we should just wait now for Celestia's word back" Twilight finished, not even noticing that Fluttershy had spoken up.
"Well it just don' feel right, waitin' around while this Keith feller is still out there." Applejack replied defiantly.
"Well dear, do we actually know if the beast that came out of the statue didn't just up and turn on Keith?" Rarity pointed out.
"Well no but that doesn't make up for the fact that our plan is to just sit around" Rainbow Dash interjected.
Spike then gave off a loud belch, the resulting cloud of pure indescribable horror that was his burp given physical form descended from his mouth before condensing into paper.
He went to grab the paper out of the air, but Twilight rudely intercepted in with her magic before he could.
He sent an annoyed huff in her direction.
"Alright girls, listen up." Twilight said, getting the rest of the group's attention.
"Dear Twilight and friends,
Luna and I shall come and help you apprehend Keith. As for what came out of the statue, well we shall answer that question when we arrive. Expect us within the hour.
-Celestia"
"Well ah guess we could wait a little bit if the princess themselves are coming to help take out this feller" Applejack said, firmly convinced.
And so they began waiting.
___________________________________________________________________
I couldn't fall asleep.
As much as I tried, I simply could not. It had been nothing but muggy and hot as hell for the entire hour I had decided to spend upon beginning to rest in preparation for tonight. Of course that led to me being unable to get comfortable, let alone fall asleep.
I wanted to fight these damn ponies in the dark of night. Not because I thought I couldn't take the entire town at once, its just that it'd be a lot easier picking them off one by one under the cover of darkness, I'd have to kill some of them discreetly to feed Vera in order to get more power from her in order to move on to higher level targets. Then, I'd simply fight those six damned ponies to the death.
Yet at this rate, I'd be killed off by boredom before the night even fell.
"Well what did you expect, leaving the house while it was still morning? For it to suddenly to become night when you arrived?" The annoyed voice of Vera spoke up.
Amazingly she was able to get bored as well.
"Well you're not helping even in the slightest to make it go any faster" I furiously whispered back, still not used to speaking to a voice in my head.
"Well then alright, let's do something to pass the time then" Vera replied.
"Okay then, what do you suggest?" I said, unintentionally raising my voice up to a normal speaking level.
"....We could hunt something" Vera said, saying it like it was the best damn idea in the world.
"Well aren't we trying to rest up for a giant 'destroy all in our path' attack tonight?" I said, shooting down the idea.
"Well its mainly you that needs to rest, I most certainly would be completely fine." Vera said, almost proudly.
"This coming from the she-wolf that just fell asleep atop me..." I deadpanned back at her.
"Oh shut it. How 'bout we hear your ingenious plan to waste a couple hours away with" Vera replied viciously.
"Alright..." I said, going into thought for a moment. "How about that one word game?"
"What." Vera replied, uninterested.
"You know, the one where I say a word and you say the first thing that comes to mind."
She didn't reply.
"Oh come on it'll be fun, I'll even start. Hmm... How about water, okay, and now you say the first thing that comes to mind." I blabbered on.
She again didn't reply.
"Oh come on, now you're being a sorry puss and not responding, it's easy why-"
"Would you please shut the hell up" Vera curtly interjected.
"Wow, the hell just got stuck up your-"
"No, shut up and listen, don't you hear the clopping of hooves." Vera said, shushing me quite rudely.
But sure enough, I did hear the distant clopping of hooves once I stopped talking. Clopping that was slowly getting louder and quite furious, as if several ponies were clopping together and making their way towards me, clopping the whole time.
"Well shit, we're right next to the path, this was dumb." I whispered, slowly getting up and ready to dart further into the forest.
"Wait!" Vera yelled to me. "Hold your hand out, I'm gonna cast a spell."
I did just that, and sure enough my hand started to glow a dark purple.
"Alright, now touch your chest" Vera instructed.
I did as I was told, and like a candle being snuffed out, the second my hand connected to my chest, my entire body instantly blended in with the surroundings plants.
"Nice, a camo spell" I whispered to her appreciatively.
"Be quiet or our prey will hear us" Vera berated.
"Sorry" I whispered solemnly, as the clopping of hooves came closer.
Soon enough a group of six mares walked right past me with two alicorn princesses leading the way.
'Well, looks like my house is about to be host to some uninvited guests.' I thought to myself.
"We could still probably beat them back to it" Vera offered.
'Wait, you can hear my thoughts?' I asked.
"No I'm just randomly saying stuff." Vera sarcastically replied, before then adding on "Always could and always will be able to."
I mentally slapped myself for talking to her out loud the entire time, before then asking: 'Then why'd you keep letting me essentially talk to myself?'
"I really don't see any issue.." Vera replied.
'Ugh, fine okay, let's focus on the ponies then.' I thought to her.
"We could go back home and deal with our 'guests', or" Vera stated matter-of-factly.
'Or' I replied.
"Or we could just go into the now undefended town and slaughter everything." Vera spoke, excitedly.
'I think I like option two better, requires less work and more fun' I replied, a grin adorning my face due to our combined excitement. 'Plus it'd be easy feeding to you there.'
"Eh" She stated matter of factly. "Either way I'm guaranteed at least some blood"
'Well then let's, no time like the present for fueling my blood magic' I stated matter-of-factly as I stood up.
"It's not blood magic, its just magic that I demand to be paid for in blood and murder because that simply how I feed." Vera replied, almost defensively.
'I don't see any difference nor why it would really matter, they're both just a way to get magic to me.' I replied as I walked towards the edge of the forest.
'Either way we got a town that is missing its defenders' I said, poking my head out. 'And that means easy pickings' I finished as I stared out towards the town I would now be able to lay waste to. Open, barren, and left completely undefended.
Save for the forty-some pegasus guards I saw circling over top the town plus countless unicorn and earth pony guards that were patrolling the streets.
'Damn it, they left soldiers' I stated, disappointed.
"We can take them" Vera added, almost absent-mindedly.
"That or we could go after the house guests." She then added.
Making my mind up, I stepped out of the forest and on to the dirt path, ready to go and ruin the day for some ponies. |
Level Up | pre | Sleepily seeing her blowing him had been an amazing way to wake up, but it couldn't beat the spectacle of her worshiping him. Keeping her eyes on his face, she swayed her hips from side to side and brought her wings forward. He adored such shows from Celestia, feeling spoiled beyond belief, but this was different - now he felt more like a plaything.
"Such a wondrous taste," she mused, stroking her cheek on the side of his shaft. "It's a shame my sister got to you first - then again, I suppose there's nothing stopping an exquisite stud like yourself from having a royal harem."
He cocked his head, unfamiliar with the word. "Harem?"
"A harem is when a stallion takes several mares for himself," she explained, giving his length another lick. "Most stallions would be satisfied with a single mate, but some, especially those who are particularly virile, prefer to have a number of partners."
His thoughts ran rampant, besieged by imaginings of sharing a bed with both Celestia and Luna. He could have happily lived the rest of his life with one Princess, yet the idea of having both to himself, siring heirs with the two of them, was immensely appealing. A quiet giggle shook him from the fantasy and brought his attention back to the alicorn praising him.
"Would you like that?" she pressed.
"Yeah," he breathed. "Yeah, I would."
Caressing him with the tips of her wings, she slipped a feather under his chin. "Of course you would ~ why wouldn't you? Of course we'd need to get you a crown and -"
"And a throne?" he interjected.
She nodded and smirked. "And a throne."
Reinvigorated, bolstered by the notion of sitting alongside the Princesses in the throne room, he brushed her wing aside. "Lay down for me."
"I think not," she chuckled as she stepped forward, moved over his hips, and lowered her rear. "Since you were gracious enough to let me spend the night with you, allow me to do most of the work..."
Seeing and feeling the head of his shaft kiss her marehood, he understood what she meant. It wasn't uncommon for Celestia to take the lead in the bedroom, but she'd only ever ridden him once - even then, she'd only stayed on him for a minute or so before she begged him to plow her missionary. He may have been wrong - he hoped he was wrong, but something told him that Luna wasn't going to be nearly as submissive as her sister.
"For such a splendid little Prince, I thought you'd enjoy the view," she added, gliding her winking pussy over his crown.
"I - uh..." he numbly replied, staring down at his groin.
Holy heck - this was way, way hotter than it should have been. The almost black flesh of her succulent lower lips parting to reveal her pink interior was a sight he wouldn't soon forget. As if the view of her goods wasn't enough to inspire him, being able to see her modest bust, abs, and fluffy chest added fuel to the fires of his desire. Sitting up and pressing his forehooves to her inner thighs, he gave himself a closer look of what she had to offer.
"Well?" she purred. "Would this not - Mmmmmmn!"
He planted his hind hooves, flexed his legs, and drove his length into her, giving her just what she wanted. Quick to reciprocate, she gradually descended and impaled herself upon him. She took her time and savored him like a fine wine, relishing the sensation of each vein along his massive endowment, until she'd reached his medial ring. There was no way she wasn't going to hilt him, but that could wait for just a bit longer.
She leaned in, placed her forehooves to either side of his head, and smiled down at him. "Comfortable, my Prince?"
Giving a curt nod, he peered up at her. "Y...yeah..."
Her smile broadened and her legs tensed. "Good..."
Having reached the head of his cock, she slammed her hips downward. By all the stars in the night sky - he felt amazing. Large enough to fill her entirely, to the point where it was slightly uncomfortable, his stallionhood was just as legendary as she hoped it would be. Teasing her entrance with the thick band of flesh near the base of his dick, she closed her eyes.
She could only imagine that this was what her sister had experienced on her first intimate time with him. Some would argue that having a tryst with somepony as young as him was wrong, that he was innocent, but she couldn't have cared less about such opinions. Her earlier comment about him being a stud was true, more than simply flattery, and she was going to do everything in her power to convince her sister to regularly share him with her.
"So good," she whispered.
While she hadn't anticipated him taking a more active role, she was overjoyed when he braced his legs and bucked into her. His first thrust was amateurish, out of sync with her movements, but he got her timing down quickly enough. Driving his hips up to meet her downward plunges, he railed her from below and made the experience all the more enjoyable.
As seconds passed dragged by, her pace quickened. Her hooves, magic, and sex-toys seemed almost laughably inadequate compared to the real thing, making her regret not approaching him sooner. It wasn't long until she was chasing a climax, flinging herself headlong at the relief she so desperately craved, but things took an unexpected turn. Feeling him shift and press a forehoof to her cheek, she looked down at him.
He turned her head to fully face her, closed his eyes, and locked lips with her. The affectionate gesture wrought devastation upon her and sent her sailing into a maelstrom of ecstasy. Her body shuddered and rebelled against her, her depths spasmed, and a torrent of nectar erupted around his pistoning stallionhood, but he wasn't done with her - no, he'd only just started.
Button drove his tongue into her muzzle and continued rutting her, unbothered that his lower half had been drenched by her orgasmic juices. Though his position didn't make it easy to screw her, he was going to do everything he could to give her what she wanted. He wouldn't pretend to understand how hard it must have been for her, to suffer through solitude while her own sister had found love, but he genuinely did feel bad for her.
It was only when she started to come down, her quivering trailing off, that he pulled back and gazed into her eyes. "Lean back."
With a faltering nod, she did as he asked. Unsteadily sitting up and reclining, she threw her forelegs and wings back to support herself. It was exceptionally rare for her to take orders from anypony, even her sister, yet there had been something about his tone that demanded she obey. As she repositioned her hind legs, leaving her kneeling on him, she looked down her chest at him.
"Like this?" she softly inquired.
He pushed himself back up and ran his forehooves up her thighs and to her groin. "That's perfect - now get ready."
"G...get ready for - Gah!" she brayed as he started pounding into her.
In the blink of an eye, any advantage she'd held over him was erased. Not only was he deeper than he had been minutes prior, but the angle of his thrusts hit every sensitive area in her depths - if that wasn't bad enough, he tenderly twisted and pulled on her sensitive nipples while he jackhammered into her. It should have been impossible for anypony, let alone a mere colt, to dominate her in such a fashion, yet his technique, immense stallionhood, and raw passion could not be denied.
Undone by her hubris, she was helpless to stop his onslaught. She'd merely wanted to show him a good time, to prove her worth as a lover, yet he'd bested her with perilously little effort. As much as she would have liked to reciprocate his affection, it was all she could do to hold herself steady - even then, it was no easy task.
The slight change of their positioning was, in a word, perfection. His medial ring crushed her g-spot, his stallionhood laid siege to her womb, and his hooves tweaked her teats, leaving her teetering on the edge of rapturous oblivion. Though she wasn't consciously aware of it, still grappling with the concept of being bested by a colt, her body responded to the amorous assault in the only way it knew how.
Deep within her abdomen, her reproductive system went into overdrive. Not one but two fertile eggs drifted down and waited to fulfill their purpose, while her inner gate threatened to yield. Her mind went alight with visions of herself heavy with foal, her belly distended and breasts engorged with milk, while she needily catered to her little stud's every amorous need. She had no control of it, but the fantasies sent her into an absolute frenzy and imbued her with a strength she didn't know she had.
She flexed her wings, lifted her waist, and began hammering herself upon him. Regardless of whether or not this was the only intimate encounter she got to have with him, she wasn't going to be satisfied until he'd pumped every drop of his rich, potent seed straight into her foal-factory. He glanced up at her, the knowing smirk on his muzzle telling her he was pleased with her efforts, and continued reshaping her insides to suit his needs.
"T...thank you!" she blared, her royal Canterlot voice shaking the very foundation of the spire. "Thank you, thank you, thankyou, thankyou..."
Her babbling went on without end, heaping praise and adulation upon him for his generosity and simply for being as incredible as he was. Adding weight to her words, her body became a blur of motion. She clamped around his pulsing shaft with every ascent, while relaxing and slamming down upon him with every downward stroke. If he minded her savage, almost frantic ministrations, he gave no sign - on the contrary, he thrust up to meet her with a force that stood in defiance of his diminutive frame.
Darned if Button knew what had gotten into Luna, but he found himself absolutely smitten. The younger alicorn had a number of things Celestia didn't; energetic, enthusiastic, and not afraid to take what she wanted, the Princess of the Night was a foil to her sibling. He'd been hesitant at first, not wanting to anger his regal lover, but that concern was eclipsed by a new desire - finding a way to have both royals as mates.
Humping away at her with reckless abandon, pushing his body to its limit. While Luna was slightly smaller and lighter than her large, curvaceous sister, rutting her was far from easy. He was only barely able to make her move with his thrusts before she drove him down and into the mattress with her every plunge. The bad news was that he was going to wear himself out before long, but the good news was that it was gratifying as all get-out to see her in the throes of ecstasy.
She quaked and came to a halt every time she climaxed, which happened nearly a half-dozen times before he started to reach his limit. He may have been small, but his time with Celestia had tempered him and enhanced his endurance beyond that of any ordinary colt - that and he was genuinely starting to believe his stallionhood was a gift from heaven. As he flared within Luna, his length pulsing in tune with his thundering heart, he hauled her down and gave one final, unstoppable thrust.
The moment his cock sank into her womb, erupting like a geyser, Luna wailed out in bliss. Her world, everything she'd come to hold dear, faded away and was replaced with a new purpose. There was no way she wouldn't end up pregnant after this night, feeling and relishing every shot of seed painting her deepest depths, and she took comfort in having a new purpose to be.
Launching herself forward, she draped herself on him and mewled. Her wishes had been fulfilled in more ways than one, and there was nothing she could do to properly repay him for the gift he'd given her. With his softening length still sheathed within her, she ground her body against him and coated him in her sweat.
Pinned to the bed beneath her, Button hugged her torso and kissed her chest. He wasn't sure what was better - the fact that he'd managed to bed a second Princess or that she seemed genuinely appreciative of his time and erotic efforts. Wiggling his head to the side, he only attempted to escape when he discovered it was actually kind of hard to breathe.
"S...sorry," she rasped, pushing herself up and off of him. "If...if you don't mind, I have a request."
He quirked a brow up at her. "A request."
"Can I - um - can I clean you off?" she bashfully asked, her face reddening.
It took everything he had not to laugh, but he managed to simply smile and wave at his groin. "Knock yourself out."
Shakily standing, allowing his semi-rigid stallionhood to slip from her tender marehood, she backed up, flopped to the mattress, and pressed her face to his endowment. Licking the cocktail of cum and her juices from his length felt like the perfect way to finish things, though she would bet every bit in the royal coffers that they wouldn't be getting sleep anytime soon. Gazing up at him, past his shaft, she snickered to herself.
"Would you like to go another round in the shower?" she hummed.
Bringing his forehooves behind his head, enjoying the show, he gave a small nod. "Yeah, that'd be nice..."
There was still a lot to do, including having Luna send a scroll to her sister to proclaim what she'd done, but that wasn't a pressing issue. If he knew Celestia as well as he thought he did, his lover wouldn't be angry with him. Leaning heavily on his intuition, he wondered what the future would be like now that he had a pair of Princesses who pine for his attention. |
Level Up | Epilogue | Yawning and wriggling beneath the sheets, awoken by the light of dawn playing over his face, Button opened his eyes. "Morning..."
"And a fine good morning to you too, my sweet Prince," Celestia lovingly whispered, pulling him to her bosom.
He kissed her neck and shifted his gaze downward as she embraced him. The past four months had been a very wild ride, yet he was pleased with how things were shaping up. Celestia was growing bigger by the day, putting on weight as their foal grew within her, and she had blossomed into a paragon of maternal beauty. Pushing himself back ever so slightly, he hungrily gazed at her engorged bosoms.
"Go ahead," she tittered, shifting fully to her back while splaying her legs. "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."
Shuffling in reverse, he crawled atop her and buried his face in her mountainous cleavage. Her impending motherhood made her sexier than ever, something he hadn't thought possible, though it came with a catch; driven by her raging hormones, her libido had grown stronger and stronger since he'd moved in. He shifted and latched onto her right teat, earning a pleased hum from his big, alabaster lover.
"Be sure to pace yourself, my little stud," a familiar voice purred as a pair of dark wings crept around his shoulders.
As he glanced over his shoulder and spotted Luna behind him, he swallowed a mouthful of creamy milk. "Don't worry, I wouldn't forget about you."
"I'd certainly hope not," Luna playfully huffed, backing away and turning to the side. "Considering this is your fault, I'm going to hold you accountable for my marish needs."
His eyes wandered over the young Princess and drank in her every feature. Even if he hadn't put a bun in her oven after the first time they'd fooled around, the almost non-stop night of passion they'd shared had ensured she was just as knocked up at her sister. Though she wasn't as overly gravid as Celestia, it wouldn't be long until her pregnancy was as obvious as her sibling's.
"Showoff," Celestia softly snorted, levitating him and carrying him to her bosom.
Calling upon her magic, Luna frowned and surrounded the colt with her cobalt aura. "Sister, it's only fair that you allow him to see me off to sleep. It's been a long night and I'm in desperate need of some relief."
The elder alicorn's expression softened and her sorcerous grip of Button waned. "As you wish, Sister."
Ponderously rolling to her side and off the bed, Celestia grunted as she got to her hooves. Only somepony who was blind or ignorant wouldn't be able to tell she was expecting by looking at her. Her distended stomach hung beneath her, her bosoms had grown so large that they pressed her thighs apart, and her ordinarily generous backside had filled out considerably. As she trudged to the bathroom to make herself ready for the day, she peeked back at her sibling.
"Do be gentle with him," she sighed.
Carrying Button over to herself, Luna snickered like an excited schoolfilly. "No promises..."
Button reached up, caressed her cheek, and deeply kissed her as soon as was within reach. Though he'd grown up reading fantasy stories, he would never have guessed he'd be lucky enough to get to live what he could only describe as a fairytale life. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, the most powerful ponies in all of Equestria, had struck an accord and agreed to share him as a lover.
He was sure his disbelief from having a pair of alicorns as mates would fade in time, likely after their foals were born, yet the thought always managed to make him smile. His days were as carefree as he could have ever hoped, being able to do virtually anything he pleased within the castle or Canterlot, and he was happier than he'd ever been. Shaken from his thoughts by the sensation of Luna's tongue in his mouth, he gently pulled back and pecked the young Princess' nose.
"You said you needed some relief?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows at her.
She tittered excitedly and eased him down to the floor next to her. "You have no idea. My hooves are sore, I had an odd craving for pickles and ice cream earlier, and I simply can't get you off my mind," she lamented, casting herself onto the bed.
Eyeing her juicy flanks, he flexed his groin and smacked his stallionhood to his underbelly. "Well don't worry, Daddy will make you feel all better..."
As strange as it was to consider, the biggest and only concern in his life was tending to his lovers, but that hadn't always been the case. Months prior, when speculation about Celestia being pregnant had started to spread, he'd had a long, thorough discussion with the Princesses - all of the Princesses. Seeing as how it wouldn't be long until the cat was out of the bag, the four alicorns had convened to discuss how to address the situation.
To his relief, Cadance and Twilight had been extremely supportive of Luna and Celestia, unbothered in the slightest that they'd taken him as their live-in stud - still, all the moral support in the world wouldn't deal with the public. After several hours of discussion, bouncing ideas around, the royals had settled on a plan that was as simple as it was elegant. Celestia and Luna would publicly announce that they would soon be mothers, yet they were to keep the identity of the father a secret.
He'd thought the idea was crazy at first, assuming the masses would demand to know who the mysterious stud who'd sired foals with the Princesses was, yet the scheme had worked without a hitch. Everypony was simply happy that the alicorns had found love and were carrying on their lineage after millennia of being single - that said, there were a small number of ponies who eyed him with suspicion. In the end, with the quartet of alicorns working in concert to assure the public that he was nothing more than a confidant in training, the exact nature of his relationship with his lovers was covered up quite handily.
It was a well known fact that the Princesses occasionally took in young ponies of exceptional talent to train for important roles. Seeing as how it had been several generations since a stallion held a prominent position, what with mares outnumbering stallions almost five-to-one, it only made sense that the public was joyful about what would be a stellar career for him - little did he know, he'd be filling more than just a job. Musing on how things may change when he got older, he was snapped by his thoughts when he heard a tender coo.
"I'm waiting," she cooed, extending her wings down her body to spread her marehood open.
The bed creaked and nearly sent him flying, as Celestia flung herself onto the mattress beside her sister. "I'm sure the guards won't mind if I'm a little late this morning," she hummed, mirroring her sibling and presenting herself.
Button turned his head from side to side and stared at the pair. He may not have many traditional concerns in life, but taking care of his lovers and making sure they were satisfied was a job only he could fulfill. Trotting up to them with his stallionhood getting harder by the second, he glanced to their faces and beamed.
"Alright," he snickered, "who wants first..." |
Tales of Another Ponyville | pre | "So who's gonna run Ponyville until she's found?" I ask, quickly jotting things down in my notebook with my flexible hooves. "We need a leader in these troubled times, don't we?"
"Until our dear Princess Wysteria can be found, her daughter Princess Pinksparkle will be taking over the reigns of government." A little pink filly with a yellow and pink mane stepped out across the drawbridge nervously, staring at the crowd with sad eyes. "Pinkie and I will be her to help guide the little filly, as she runs things in her mother's stead."
"Pinksparkle? That poor little filly is so shy, I don't think I've ever seen her away from her Wysteria's hooves when they're outside the castle." Merriweather chimed in sympathetically. "How could she possibly run the whole town on her own, especially while missing and worrying about her mother?"
"Not our place to worry about it or question it, Merri." I sigh, secretly holding the same concerns for the poor child, but not vocalizing them. "Our job is to get back and publish this special edition, to reassure the ponies of Ponyville that everything is well in hoof!"
Merriweather nodded, and the two of us galloped back towards the paper. But as we passed by Sweetie Bell's gumball house, I could've sworn I saw the strangest sight. I thought I saw a yellow Pegasus with a pink mane fly overhead. She looked very sickly, and had this faraway look in her eyes that was really creepy. I turned my head to say something to Merriweather, but when I looked back, the pony was gone.
Oh well, I must be seeing things. Back to the newspaper to get our next edition out! |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Classroom Craziness | "Ow! Miss A! Miss A! He's shooting spitwads at me!" Hokey Pokey cried out. "Please make him stop!"
"Okay class! Let's all try to get settled in here now!" I exclaim enthusiastically, trotting into the room with a big smile plastered on my face. "Romperooni, please stop trying to shoot that spitwad into Hokey Pokey's mane!"
"Aww, but she was annoying me, Miss A!" The colt with the purple coat and orange and white mane pouted, crossing his hooves. "Shucks, girls can get away with anything around here!"
"Serves you right, ya big dookie head!" The pink filly with the purple mane exclaimed, sticking her tongue out at the offending colt. "Thanks for telling him off, Miss A!"
Hello there, my name's Alphabittle! I'm the yellow mare with a rainbow mane, with a bowl of alphabet soup for a cutie mark! I'm the teacher here at the teapot palace school! Oh yes, that wonderful little pink building that looks like a teapot, right behind Storybelle's library. I teach a great many things here during the week; cooking classes on Monday evening, singing lessons on Tuesday evening. But every day during the week, I teach the little colts and fillies here in town their three R's. I just love educating these wonderful little angels, there's nothing in the world that's quite like the joy of teaching.
Yeah... nothing in the world....
"Now class, if you would please open your books math books, and turn to page-" The crinkling of folded paper made me stop mid-sentence, and look up. "Sparkleberry Swirl, please stop making paper airplanes out of the pages of your textbook!"
"But Miss A, I'm getting some really good airtime with these paper airplanes!" The pink filly with the yellow mane pleaded. "It's teaching me about aerodynamics, and the law of gravity!"
"Swirl, I'm going to assume the only reason you know what those words mean is you're Storybelle's daughter." I groaned, rolling my eyes. "I wonder how your mother would react if she knew you were destroying a book."
The other two also have an interesting parentage; Hokey Pokey is the daughter of Fluttershy and Piccolo, and Romperooni is the offspring of Rainbow Dash and Denim Blue. But these two are not very much like their mothers, and are much better at getting on my nerves.
The class continues on, and there are more problems as we went. Snack time turned out to be a total disaster, as well. I passed out the little snacks to all of the ponies present, but many of the foals had ideas of their own.
"Penny Candy, would you please stop stealing other students cookies and juice?" I groaned, trotting over and swiping back the treats the hadn't shoved into her mouth yet. "Honestly, I can't believe you 're Pinkie Pie's daughter, as greedy and childish as you are!"
"Mmmph mmmph mmph!" The filly protested, crumbs falling out of her mouth. "Mmmmmph mmph!"
"You are wasting your time trying to reason with the greedy one, Alphabittle-sensei." A colt with a heart-shaped charm cutie mark advised me. "Any effort to reach through her greed is like a wave lapping against the sand."
"Stop making such mean remarks about your fellow student, Charm Bracelet." I groaned, rubbing my temples with my hooves. "Or would you prefer if I discussed your behavior with Kimono?"
At the mention of his mother's name, the colt fell silent.
Taking a deep breath, I tried to bring my temper back under control. I-I'm the Ponyville teacher, educating ponies is my special talent! I teach adults different skills in the evening, I can teach these children here in the daytime. I have been teaching my fellow ponies since I was a little girl, helping my friends with their homework, and tutoring other students. I have the patience to deal with these foals, I'm not going to have a nervous breakdown! Doctor Spring fever said this job was stressing me out to the point of a stroke, but I CAN DO THIS!
*sigh* Oh well, at least Minty's daughter is home-schooled, otherwise I'd probably have a stroke from all this stress.
"Hey, Romperooni-san? Could I have that marker back you borrowed from me last week?" Charm Bracelet asked the other colt. "I kinda need it back to work on my art project!"
"What, no way!" Romperooni snapped back, glaring at his friend. "You gave me that marker, and I ain't giving it back!"
The two colts immediately jumped at each other, bucking and kicking and biting and snorting and yelling. Like all males, they fell into their gender's typical method of settling problems... by beating each other senseless!
"Miss A! Miss A.!" Penny called out, pointing a hoof at the two frenzied foals. "The boys are fighting again!"
"Ohh, look! A right hoof, and a left!" Hokey Pokey exclaimed, cheering the two combatants on. "Knock him good on the head, Romp! Give him a bite on the hind leg, Charm!"
"Hey, just whose side are you on, Hokey?" Sparkleberry asked, looking over at her friend. "I thought you had a crush on Romperooni!"
"I'll have a crush on whichever one wins this, Swirl!" She told her friend. "I only want the strongest for my special someone!"
As for me, I couldn't take it any more. With a twitch of the eye, I just curl up in a ball, and put my hooves over my head. Happy place, happy place, no little hellions there... hee hee..
These brats had finally gotten to me, and I really, really need a day off!
Storybelle's note; Oh dear, we've been waaay too lenient with those kids! Alphabittle's right about destroying that book, though... Sparkleberry, you're grounded! |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Just One Of The Guys | "Hey hey HEY, listeners out there in radioland! This is Bee Bop, the happening, jive-talkin', most far-out hep cat ever to ever hit the Equestrain airwaves! I'm here ta entertain y'all from dawn ta dusk, so just sit back in yer chair right there, and enjoy listenin' ta a one-pony band! Yeah, you heard right! I can play ten o' these instruments at once, just you watch me, and see!"
This is the usual spiel I give before my performances, when Cotton Candy isn't there to announce me. That's me, the blue stallion with the white mane that everybody loves to watch on stage. My special talent in playing any instrument that is put before me- in fact, I'm so talented I can play ten instruments at once! But my favorite is the harp- it's the instrument on my cutie mark. I'd love to sit and play my harp all day, but they all wanna see and hear the wonder pony perform.
"Wow, Bee Bop, that was amazing!" Minty hollers after me, as I trot past her out of the radio station. "You sounded like a whole orchestra by yourself!"
"I sure wish I could do that, Bee Bop!" Pinkie Pie calls out admiringly. "How can you play that many instruments at once?!"
I wish you were the one who could play ten instruments at once Pinkie, and I was just left with my humble little harp. But I'm not so lucky to have a small and humble special talent, but rather quite a large one.
As a foal, my mother was a band leader here in Ponyville, and my father repaired instruments. My family comes from a long line of musicians, going all the way back to the famous Equestrian singer, Rah Rah Coloratura. I turned out to be very musically inclined since I was a child, and was able to take any instrument my dad was working on and play it. My parents were astounded by my talent, and I was soon filling in on an instrument whenever someone in my mom's band got sick. And my talent only seemed to grow from there.
"You were wonderful out there tonight, old chum!" Spike congratulated me, giving a slap on the back as I trotted by. "Really good show!"
"Hey Spike! Really awesome to see you!" I trot after the small blue dragon, eager to just spend some time with one of the guys. "Hey, wanna go grab a root beer and hang out?"
"Oh, I'm so sorry Bee Bop, but I've got to get back to the castle, and help Princess Pinksparkle with some royal documents." The little dragon slithers away. "Well, see you at your next concerto, ta ta!"
"Yeah... ta ta..." I tell him, my ears drooping as he left.
Of course he doesn't have the time... no one does. Don't get me wrong, I love my special talent. I love the gift that destiny has given me, and there is nothing I love more than sharing that talent with all of the ponies of Ponyville. But I really wish the other stallions would see that I'm still a dude that just would love to hang out, and grab a pizza and talk for awhile. I see all of the other stallions having a good time, and I long to be there right beside them. I just want to be friends, guys... would it really hurt you to just have dinner with me at the end of the day?
But that's not what the ponies want. They want to watch a stallion with a pair of drums, and a guitar and a xylophone and a accordion and a triangle and a harmonica all piled on my back, all the while blowing into a trumpet, a clarinet, and a tuba sitting on a stand in front of me. Banging a hoof here on a percussion instrument here, blowing on an instrument there... it's really difficult moving that fast, but it just seems to come so naturally to me. The rhythm and beat, the mood and tempo... the music seems to run through my soul. And that's all that ponies expect from me, nothing more.
"Beep Bop! There you are!" A voice exclaims behind me, as a familiar mare comes rioting up. "I was looking for you... well, I mean I was was searching for you... oh, you know what I mean!"
"Yes, I do." I smile, nuzzling the mare. "Hello, Skywishes. How was your day of wishing?"
"Oh Bee, it was super-extra-spectacular!" She exclaimed excitedly, prancing around a circle. "I wished for Rainbow Dash do get an extra big rainbow across the sky, and it happened!"
Skywishes... sweet little, naive Skywishes. I met her one day in Ponyville Park, when she was wishing to meet somebody special. I saw her standing there, talking to the rainbow waterfall with her eyes closed, when them swarm of butterflies came out of nowhere, and pushed me up beside her! We started talking, and it wasn't long before we agreed to me for sodas at the Cotton Candy cafe. She's the one pony in my life who accepts me for who I am, and the one pony who enjoys spending time with Bee Bop, and not the pony who can play ten instruments at once.
(Though to be honest, she really can't stay in one place when she sleeps... I cannot tell you how many mornings I've woken up with a face full of flank with a flying kite cutie mark on it!)
"Oooh, look over there, Bee Bop! Someone's kite got loose!" She exclaims excitedly, galloping happily after the kite in her childlike innocence. "C'mon, bee! Catch a kite, and you catch a wish!"
As she runs on ahead of me, I can only smile. Thank you, destiny... thank you for giving me such a wonderful, innocent little mare. If I cannot have friends who will see me as I am, than at least I have her.
Hey... is that the hot air balloon from the castle... going under the rainbow waterfall? |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Uh Oh, Kimono! | Guest chapter by the Syrenth Clan, many thanks! ^^
The afternoon air was crisp, but not exactly cold. Gentle breezes welcomed me as I left my home to take a walk in this garden of mine. I had the urge to un-pin my dark purple bun I just set up, but I resisted. I could still feel the wind against my mane, tail, and my orange-red dotted attire that covered my body. A dress of pure elegance it was, my favorite-
"Kimono!" a voice interrupted me. "I'm not bothering you or anything, right?"
Minty, our little towns resident, ehm, mint maker approached me. But alas, she was more well-known for making something else. Her steps were notably... casual this time. Usually she'd run, but now, she was just walking. That was not the problem. Problem was where she was walking.
"Minty, you're ruining my Zen garden. Use the path I made, will you?" I pointed it out, retaining a patient tone.
"Eh? Uh, whoops!" she replied, gazing at the fine gravel below, then behind her, followed by a huge jump to the cobblestone pavement by the side. The damage was done though, in the form of visible hoofprints.
"Minty..." I sighed, shutting my eyes for the moment. I guess I needed a new setup for the garden anyway.
"I'm sorry. I just didn't know that was your garden because it was all just sand and rocks, I mean I thought gardens are about flowers and bushes and such, how could I've guessed you can make one with rocks." she blabbered, followed by her signature awkward laughter.
"It's fine. Now tell me, can I help you with anything?" I asked, brushing off the incident as if it was nothing. By now I've learned that stressing myself over Mintys mess-ups doesn't worth the trouble, if anything because of the sheer frequency of them.
"Well, uh, yeah. This is kinda what I actually wanted to talk to you about, heh." she answered. The way she avoided eye contact and scratched her legs already told me roughly what will happen. Yet, my sole answer remained a curious hum and a raised eyebrow.
"I just don't want to be ruining everything all the time anymore!" she whined "I want to be more than a walking disaster, Kimono. Please, you have to help me not being such a klutz."
My head recoiled in shock, but it was a pleasant surprise. A gentle smile grew across my face. Oh, Minty, Minty, Minty. Her heart has always been in the right place, despite her perceptions leaving much to be desired.
"And why do I get this honor?" I ask, slightly displeased by the fact that my quiet days are to be filled with her chaos. Curse me and my good will, I should have meditated on the topic beforehand. It was Minty who I was talking about, after all.
"Because you're always doing something and never make mistakes." Minty replied. Of course that was not true, I do make mistakes aplenty, they are just never witnessed by anyone. Still, I just took her praise without a word, just a pair shut eyes.
"Very well then." I replied afterwards. I'll help you how to gain balance over your body, but first, you need to learn how to slow down and focus. I explained.
Clumsiness is generally acquired by a lack of balance and focus, often made worse by rushed lifestyle. I thought it would be best for both her and I if we start resolving the smaller issue first, and I already had the solution right in front of me.
I went to the storage room of my little cavern, and brought out my rakes I had for this purpose. One of each sizes: large, medium and small, they were nothing out of ordinary, just a wooden handle with steel ends.
"Uh, what's that for?" Minty asked, confusion reflecting on her face.
"You're going to help me rebuild my Zen garden." I replied, giving her the smallest of my tools. Of course, I needed to break her in first and give her the basics.
"The purpose of a garden as such is to capture a moment's beauty of a waterscape." I explained, keeping it short and simple so even somepony like her would understand.
"Then why aren't you using water then? Just make a pool and fill it with rocks." Minty responded. It took her a second or two, as well as a stern look from me to get it.
"Oh, wait, nevermind, sorry." she mumbled right afterwards.
"Imagine the Ponyville lake on a rainy day. The droplets dancing on the water's uneven surface by the gentle winds." I laid out the plan, closing my eyes and visualizing the picture in front of myself as well.
"Mmhm." Minty hummed in a rather long, doubtful way. I should have used a bit more of a beige prose when communicating with her, to be honest. Im not used to visitors and I always speak in this sorts of manner towards everyone and everything.
"Let me show you." I said, heading over to the nearest stone and picking it up "You know what happens when you drop something into water?"
"It makes those circle-thingies!" Minty shouted back right afterwards. I nodded, laying the stone down on the gravel, then using my medium-sized rake to draw said circles around it.
"Ooh, I get it, heh." Minty replied with awe "The stone is the raindrop and the ground is the lake."
"Exactly." I nodded with joy "We're going to make several of such circles."
Minty's face lit up with excitement. So much so it was alarming. I needed to remind her about why we were doing this for the sake of the rest of my garden.
"But Minty!" I shouted before she could begin "Focus!"
"Sure, don't worry Kimono, I can do this." she replied, her weird laughter following that somehow didn't make me any more relieved. I was pleased by her enthusiasm and passion, however. Moved even. Our little Minty trying her hardest to better herself so she can be a help for others. Her goodwill was a beacon for us all.
I should have seen it coming.
Minty took the first pebble her eyes landed on, and laid it down on a clear surface, focusing on making the most perfect circles with her tiny tool. At first, there weren't too many problems, until more and more motives were made. It started with a simple bump.
"Whoops." she said, her back bumping against mine by accident.
"It is alright." I replied, getting back to work. Not a moment later I realized where Minty was circling. She was stomping on my ripples, lost in trying to make hers look good and not realizing that shes destroying mines.
"Minty, watch it!" I raised my volume, losing hold on my temper bit by bit.
"I'm sorry." she cried, noticing her mistake and trying to fix it herself. Her pace was increasing under the sheer anxiety, the desperate attempts chaining together into something even worse. Her hind right kicked into a stone behind her, sending it jumping and landing a couple inches away. It all happened so quickly, one could have blinked and missed the entire incident. Okay, not exactly, but you get my point.
"I- I'll get it!" she said, trying grab some control over the situation. Her sudden move to pick it up, however, made her bump her back into something again. Not just something, but my precious purple-gold vase by the side.
I gasped, no, shrieked at the sight. My mind gave up on all attempts at logical thinking. I just ran fast as I could, trampling over our handiwork like it was nothing, but it seemed too late. I had to jump for it, and my body acted before my mind could even think. I flew across the field, landing on the hard gravel and sending it scattering all over the place. I was glad I wore my kimono, otherwise I may have got some injuries with that act.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so really sorry." Minty apologized, on the verge of tears at that point. Poor girl must have felt so miserable for all this. I suppose the slowing down part kind of slipped by her as things started to spin out of her control.
"Minty..." I sighed, standing up and dusting my favorite dress off. My hooves ran over many small rips and other anomalies, things that could not be restored. My poor kimono, it was my favorite kimono.
"I... I..." she stuttered, not knowing what else she could possibly say by that point.
"Mastery doesn't come in a day. We will try something else tomorrow." I replied, calm on the outside but angry within. I did not want to hurt her, but I felt I could without any sort of difficulty.
"A-are you sure? What if I actually break something? Or hurt you? Or something else?" she blabbered, worried sick by my choice.
"I'm willing to put up with your mistakes if its for the better. Those who brave the thorn may eat the fruit." I replied confidently. I was not to give this chance away so easily. If I could help Minty with her problem, I could help everyone with it as well on the long run, myself included.
"Yeah, sure, if you say so." she responded, baffled by my previous metaphor but that was not a surprise, "Tomorrow then." she added as turned back to leave, still upset about her failure but understanding that its part of the learning process. She stepped off the pavement into the gravel once more, only to withdraw her leg with a tiny oopsie and choose to follow the cobblestone path this time.
It was not like it would have made a difference at that point, though. I gazed over my Zen garden, its strange mess of rake-made lines all around it, with hoofprints breaking the mold and an enormous crater by its side. What was to be a peaceful piece of an afternoon rain turned out to be a view into a battlefield. I grabbed my biggest of rakes, and started clearing up the mess with long, powerful pulls. Might as well the whole thing blank if Minty comes back tomorrow. |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Winter Wishes-A day in the life of Flitter Flutter | And now, we turn back the clock a decade or two, to the time we were all little fillies, and Wysteria's mother, Flitter Flutter, was mayor of Ponyville at that time.She had an... interesting... way of running the Winter Wishes festival, to say the least..
Oh dear oh dear oh dear oh dear! It's already nine A.M., and I'm not out there in front of the Christmas tree! This is a disaster... catastrophe... crisis... emergency! Today is the Winter Wishes festival, and I am not present... accounted for... ready... at the tree to begin the lighting ceremony to start the Christmas season! It'll be a terrible tragedy if I'm not there to direct the ponies what to do!
"Wysteria, get up! Rise and shine! Awaken from thy slumber!" I call into her bedroom excitedly. "We need to get going! Get into gear! Initiate motion! WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE!"
"Ugh, do we have to, mom?" I hear her groan, rubbing her eyes with her hooves. "I wanna sleep in, it's a holiday!"
"No time! No dilly dallying! No hesitation! No delay!" I respond, rushing in and throwing her covers off. "I need you to help me put a few ornaments on the Christmas tree, and smile and talk to all our friends while I'm busy!"
Oh dear, oh dear....turkey and dressing in the oven, it'll have to cook while I'm gone... pink key and white ribbon cutie mark polished, yellow coat shiny and clean, pink and purple mane coiffed and hair beret in place.... spectacles? Were are my blasted spectacles? I could've sworn I left them on the counter top! Where is that scatterbrained husband of mine?! Probably still loafing in bed, no doubt!
"Bumbleberry! Get your useless flank out of that bed!" I yell in at him, throwing a pillow at that lazy purple stallion with pink and gold mane. "I need you to keep an eye on that turkey while I'm away judging the ornaments at the festival!"
"Huh? Whuh?" He replied groggily, looking up at me in confusion with sleepy eyes. "S'okay, don't worry about it, honey. I'll take care of it."
I gallop out of the room, and immediately hear the sound of snoring again. Ohhhh, that man is so lazy... lethargic... idle... unwilling to move! I mean, I know stallions are useless except for breeding and fighting, but I got the most pathetic one of all! All he ever does is garden in that strawberry patch of his, and lay around in the sun and sleep all day! He practically slept through our first date, and I had to order him to marry me on our second date, because he was too lazy to propose! If I weren't around to order him around, he'd probably just play cards with those worthless friends of his!
Ohhhh, I don't have time for all this reminiscing! Wysteria will just have to join me later, I gotta hop on my scooter and fly! Ohhh, I just love this little blue gizmo... gadget... doohickey... thingamabob I ride around on! It gets me places faster than I ever would galloping, and I get to wear this cute blue helmet when I ride it. Already I'm zipping by the homes of ponies cooking their turkeys and setting their tables, all sitting down to meals with their families. I wish I had the time to waste time like they do, but I have so very very very much to do around Ponyville!
I've had so much energy to do so many things! I was my school's most enthusiastic cheerleader, and I organized every school play and party, and I knew from my cutie mark that I had a knack for organizing things! Other ponies just seem so... lazy and lethargic compared to me, and I have to keep myself from yelling at them because of how LAZY they seem... appear... look to me! I can't stand how my parents only worked eight hours a day, what a waste of a perfectly good day! Oh well, that's enough time for self-contemplation, I've arrived at the festival!
Only the little fillies are here right now; Cheerilee and her little sister Scootaloo, Pinkie Pie and Toola Roola, and those two poor little ponies with the odd birth defects, Starsong and Sweetie Bell. They've all made ornaments for the Winter wishes festival today, and it's up to me to judge which one is the best. The winner will get to place the star on top of the tree this year, and all the little fillies will get to hang their ornaments on the branches! Let's see let's see... I don't have much time to decide which ornament is the best.
Ohhhh, I'll just pick Cheerilee's, because I like that really cute button she put on her ornament! Now, all I'll have to do is leave the star from the top of the tree with her, and she can put it on at the ceremony tonight! I don't have to worry about the filly and her friends opening the box, because we always tale the little fillies here in town an old mare's tale about the star actually being alive, and granting wishes to all the ponies in town. And it's not like something crazy could happen- like the girls opening the box, and some crazy weather dragon comes down from willy-nilly mountain at the edge of town, and stealing the star.
But that would be crazy... ridiculous... ludicrous...absurd! Now, I'll just leave the star in it's box right here for Cheerilee to keep an eye on, and I'll head back home to have some of that yummy turkey that my waste of a husband was supposed to have been preparing for our Winter Wishes feast! Ohhhh, I can't wait to try that cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and vegetable plate! Then, it's off to start getting ready for Christmas next month! Whoa, I'm so terribly busy busy busy busy busy..... |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Storybreak | Huh, what's wrong, you seem so upset? Oh, I'm so sorry! I've been reading to you for hours and hours, and I didn't even stop to think of your comfort. I... tend to get carried away like that, when I'm reading... heh, sorry about that. Well, I guess I'd better get the two of us something to eat. Would you care for a club sandwich? Perhaps a soda? If you need to use the little pony's room, it's down the hall and to your left. Oh, and try not to make too much noise when trotting past the closet, Gossamer should be having his evening nap by now.
Ah, you're back! Here, I made each of us a sandwich. No no, don't worry about it... it's my pleasure to make you some supper, I did keep you here at the library after all. Huh? You're wondering how we have electricity in the Story Loft? Yeah, you didn't see any wires connected to the building. Yes, the pinwheel's spinning in the wind provides us with the library's power... that's pretty handy if the electricity get's knocked out, am I right?
I'm so glad you like the sandwich, did you want a salad with that? Oh good, most ponies don't like my cooking, heh... yeah, I'm a good reader, librarian and writer, buuuut... cooking isn't actually my best talent. I've been good at sorting and filing books since I was a foal, but whenever I try to use an oven, I've never able to cook a dish that is not lethal to those ponies who consume it. You don't want to know what happened when I tried to cook a souffle for the Ponyville potluck dinner last year.... I gave half the town a case of the trots. Oh dear, no wonder my boyfriend won't ever let me make him dinner.
Oh, well that's an interesting point of view. Yes, I am well aware of many of the... opinions of my Ponyville and the ponies that live there. *Sigh* I know that much of the rest of Equestria sees us as a bunch of simple-minded and childlike ponies, always happy with hearts in our eyes. There have even been those mean-spirited jer-er, stallions who scream 'kill it with fire!' or 'burn them before they breed!' right in front of my friends and I; basically, telling us Ponyvillers that they hate us, and we deserve to die. Gee, thanks ponies of Equestria!
In truth, we Ponyville ponies have our unhappy and sad moments, too... we just put on a happy face for our visitors and guests a lot. And besides, what so wrong with being happy and laughing all the time? Would Equestria prefer we were a bunch of whiny and sad ponies? Crying and screaming and getting angry all the time? How dare we live in a sugary pink world of happiness instead of being mopey and weepy all the time!
Actually, I would rather live in this little town of smiling ponies, rather than the rest of Equestria. I've read in my books that the kingdom beyond our town was once the nicest, most friendly places to live in all of the world... but no more. Since the passing of the Princess of Friendship, I've heard the rest of Equestria has become selfish, cruel and unkind. Ponies argue and fight over the most trivial of things, and hatred of anything different runs strong.
How do I know this, you ask? Well actually, some of the girls went out into the big, wide world to find our missing Princess. The reception they received was...well... not so nice. They said the ponies out there all seemed like... monsters to them. Big eyed, skinny bodied, freakish monsters with bad tempers that wouldn't accept any ponies that did not look or act just like them. They attacked my friends for being 'two-dimensional impostors of real ponies', and-
Oh dear, I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I? So sorry. Would you like some chips with that sandwich? I have some tortillas, Fiesta Flair baked them. Oh, she always makes the best food for her parties... oh, except for that time she had that party war with Razaroo over Scootlaoo's birthday party. Speaking of which, that also happened about the time all those weird phantoms started popping up all over town, and Kimono and her friends had to-
Whoa boy, I'm doing it again, huh? Here I am, getting ahead of myself, and leaving you confused as to what the heck I'm talking about. Well, needless to say, all of these things are covered in the rest of the book I was reading to you. We can get back to that book, just as soon as I get these dishes cleaned up. Hey, what's wrong? Oh, my flexible hooves that can pick stuff up bothering you again, huh? Well, the truth is that we Ponyville Ponies have an inherited enchantment that magnetizes our hooves.
Ha ha! No silly, I don't mean we have actual magnets in our hooves! The spell allows objects to stick to our hooves, as if we were holding them! That's how I can hold the book and turn the pages with my hoof. Huh, someone just came in the door. Oh hi, Minty! What are you doing here? Did you want a book? I know you only get ones from the children's department. Wait, are you walking up the wall?! Minty, stop that! We're not supposed to use the magnets in our hooves to defy the laws of gravity! Minty, please stop walking across the ceiling!
*sigh* Okay, let me take care of little miss 'I've had too many sugar donuts and pixie sticks for supper', and then we'll get back to reading the book again. I'm sure you want to find out more about our sweet little town, and find out more about the happy Ponyville where nothing bad ever happens, and everyone is always happy, and nobody ever gets mad, and-
MINTY, STOP CHEWING ON THAT CEILING FAN THIS INSTANT! GRRRRRRRR! |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Rev it Up! | "Woah, Sprite! Listen to that mean baby roar!" Scootaloo says with a great big grin, sticking her head down into the grease pit where I'm working. "You really got my machine purring like a kitten, babe! You're as awesome as always!"
The scream of a mean machine... the roar of a powerful engine, coupled with the smell oil and lubricant, grease and engine grime. Brake fluid and sweat cover my purple coat and blue mane, and the sounds of the roaring engine of the iron beast I am working on fill my ears. She'll be so happy I upgraded the engine block on this baby, and now it'll run twice as fast as it used to, on half the juice it used to!
Oh, sorry man, I'm talking to myself again. Yo, the name's Scooter Sprite, and I'm the Stallion in charge of Scootaloo's pit crew that work on her scooter before each and every one of her shows. Yeah, you've probably seen me around town. I'm that guy who rides around town on his roller skates, performing tricks and knocking into other ponies and getting our manes all tangled up together, in a knotty mess. Yeah, I know I really look and sound like a mare. But what stallion here in Ponyville doesn't?
Anyway, it's really weird that a pony with a motor scooter cutie mark is always riding around on skates? Well, the answer is I don't ride on scooters, I'm actually really good at repairing them. Been really handy with my hooves ever since I was a colt, and managed to fix my old man's lawn mower in three minutes flat! I don't think there is an engine I can't fix in this town!
"You'll love what I've done with the acceleration, and she should give you a much smoother ride around the track." I tell her, wiping the grease off my hooves with a rag. "You should give her a test run, to see how she flies!"
"I think I will, babe!" She tells me, giving me a peck on the cheek. Putting her helmet on, she mounts the scooter, and revs up the engine with her hoof. "Let's see what this little purring beauty can do!"
Scootaloo and the scooter explode out of the grease pit and go racing around the muddy dirt track. Have you seen a goddess on wheels tearing past each of the flags on the raceway, her beautifully curved flank straddling the raging beast of a machine crafted by your own hooves? Her long pink and purple locks blowing wildly in the wind, as the mud thrown up by the treads of the scooter's tires splatter all over silky orange coat and butterfly cutie mark. The grime and filth only serves to enhance her raw and savage beauty.
Scoots and I have been together for a few years now. I first met this princess of the racetrack shortly after her nineteenth birthday, when her sister Cheerilee sent her over to my garage after she totaled her scooter in a race. I saw here standing there as I came out of my garage- hotter than hi-test gasoline, the perfect picture of a queen of the raceway. I was so enamored, that I had her bike fixed in five minutes, and she was so impressed with my work, that she invited me to come and be a part of her pit crew.
We've been winning races and scoring together ever since.
"Woohoo! This is awesome!" Scoots called out, leaping from a muddy dune, and waving at me as she raced by. "Ya did it again, babe! I'm so totally gonna kill em' in the show today!"
Of course you will, Scoots, you always knock em' dead, as Ponyville's extreme scooter sports mare. You excite crowds by jumping through burning rigs of fire on the back of those pink scooters I build for you, all of Ponyville cheers every time you do a new death defying stunt. Every little filly and mare dreams of being you, and every adolescent colt and stallion dreams of being with you. But only one male has had that dream come true. You're so popular, that Fiesta Flair and Razaroo are actually fighting over hosting your twenty-first birthday party next month!
I don't mind forever being in her shadow, being totally unnoticed slaving away in the grease pit while Scootaloo shows off in the limelight. But whenever I see her out there, risking her life... whenever she's jumping over a shark tank, or hopping her scooter over a bottomless pit, or riding that machine to the edge of certain doom... I can't help but feel a certain thrill go through me. Not the thrill of the audience at her death-defying stunts, but rather the same thrill she goes through performing.
Because even though she's the one going through the act out there, it is my machine, my handwork, my Special talent she's riding on. Which means that in a way, I'm right out there preforming beside her. And boy let me tell you, that is a really awesome feeling for a pony like me to have!
"Good job as always, babe!" She congratulates me, bringing the scooter to a complete stop back in the pit. "I love the improvements you made on this beauty!"
"Anything for you,doll!" I tell her, picking up my wrench and trotting back over towards the scooter. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make some final adjustments to the bike, and-"
"Forget making some adjustments to the bike, babe." Scootaloo giggled, popping her helmet off, and lying down on the scooter with her back legs astride the rider's seat. "There's another test engine I want to take for a spin! You wanna come over here, and give me a hoof?"
I've been a mechanic on these things for a really long time, and wow... I learned there were a lot of tricks two ponies could do together on a motor scooter, that I didn't know about before... |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Wishing a Wish to be Well | "I wish for more Socks!"
"I wish for a dashing new outfit, dahling!"
"I wish for, like, a totally new surfboard, dude!"
The wishes of the ponies of Ponyville... they reach my ears, from all the ponies who come to my well and toss a coin in. These ponies ask for everything their little hearts desire... a new pair of shoes, a new dress, a teddy bear for their friend. Mares, stallions, fillies and colts alike will come trotting up, and ask for anything and everything you can possibly think of. I am in no position to grant those wishes, though, all I can do is sit on the edge of my well, and listen. Not that the ponies who come to wish can see or hear me, anyway.
"I wish for a new notebook for school!"
"I wish I could win the next motor scooter race!"
My name is Princess Crystal Crown, and I was the youngest daughter of the Princess of Friendship- and her only earth pony child- back in the age of harmony centuries ago. Back then, I loved spending all of my time staring deep into this well, gazing down into the water, and making wishes of my own. But one of the things I wished for was the same stallion one of my older sisters also wished for, and a few well-paid pony thugs clubbed me over the head one day, and threw me into my beloved wishing well with a stone tied around my neck, and I sank deep into the waters. Nopony ever knew what became of me.
"I wish for a dolly for Christmas!"
"I wish I could learn a new dance step!"
Now, my spirit is bound to the well. Wishes made to it are wishes made to me. If a unicorn with magic sensitivity were to come by, she'd see me as I actually am; a blue earth mare with a white mane and tail, and a pink heart cutie mark with a crown in front of it. Nopony has seen or noticed me in centuries, they just come and talk into the well. I have no choice but to listen to my visitors, but at least it gives me something to do. I do find it amusing about some of the odd and downright bizarre things ponies wish for, no matter how odd or trivial.
"I wish they'd start publishing daring do books again, so I'd have something new to read!"
"I wish my friends Star Light and Heart bright could fly!"
"I wish I could visit unicornia!"
These requests feel the oddest to grant, even if I actually could. They seem like things that these ponies could achieve in regular life if they chose to really work to get what they wanted. I mean, why just sit around and wish for something, when you could just go out and get it? Other wishes come off as well meaning, but still seem like things that could be achieved with a little bit more effort. I mean sure, some of these things might be a bit more difficult, but certainly easier than getting your old life back when you're already dead, right?
"I wish I could win the spelling bee in Miss Teacher's class!"
"I wish I could have a cute little breezie for a pet, so I didn't feel so lonely!"
But there are some that are just heartbreaking, some I wish with all of my heart that I had the power to grant. Ones that hurt me to the very core as a pony, and I wish I had actually been there as a princess to stop these terrible things from happening. I just can't stand to see these poor ponies suffer, and I wish I could become solid again, just for a moment, so I could give them a hug and tell them everything will be all right!
"I wish mommy would stop hitting me so hard..."
"I wish I weren't such a sick filly all the time..."
"I wish daddy hadn't fallen off the house roof, he hasn't woken up since..."
Of course, it's been a really long time since anypony- or anyone, as modern ponies say these days- has come to my well to make a wish. A pony named Skywishes handles almost all the wishing in Ponyville now, and the only thing my well is used for these days is drawing water out with the bucket when they are thirsty. Still, I can hear conversations around the well when ponies are getting a drink, and I'm happy to hear things have improved here in Ponyville in more recent generations. My mother and her friends would be proud with how well these ponies have lived up to the ideals of friendship.
But recently, a few wishers have started coming by again.
"I wish I could show up Fiesta and get all the birthday parties back..."
"I wish the ghosts would stop scaring me..."
"I wish they would find my mommy, so I wouldn't have to be princess of Ponyville anymore..."
The last one finally caught my attention. You poor little child... I would be happy to take that burden off of your shoulders. But there is nothing left of me but this spirit of the wishing well, and all I can do is watch in sadness. But I sense something is terribly wrong in Ponyville, the shades of my time have begun to rise, and I have seen them floating around the town. I have tried to talk to these wraiths that resemble my mother and her friends, but they simply fly by and do not acknowledge me. These shades are not true spirits like myself, but are something far, far worse.
For the first time, I truly fear for Ponyville, and all of the ponies who call this town home. |
Tales of Another Ponyville | The Secret of Butterfly Island | And now, another tale of the past... this time, from Butterfly Island!
"Your majesty, is something bothering you?" One of my younger filly subjects asks me, flapping around nervously at the entrance to my tent. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"What? No Cloud Climber." I tell her reassuringly, a pained smile crossing my face. "Everything is all right, now go on, and play with the other fillies."
But everything is not alright. I'm afraid for my tribe. My name is Morning Monarch, and I am the ruler of the Pegasus ponies of Butterfly island. For as long as I can remember, this tropical paradise has been home to we flying ponies, and been our entire world. Beyond our borders is the great ocean, stretching out in every direction for miles and miles and miles around. We have always been safe here, away from all danger. But now, a new discovery has put fear into the heart of this purple stallion with a blue and white mane. A discovery that changes the very nature of everything we know... and could be the greatest danger my tribe has ever faced.
"Father, I've finished my chores for the day." A little white Pegasus tells me, trotting up behind me as I was lost in my own thoughts. "May I go and play with the other fillies?"
"Of course you can, my dear." I tell her, as she flies out of the royal hut at the top of the butterfly falls. "Just be careful down there on the beach!"
This island will be my daughter's to rule one day... just as it was my mother's to rule before me, and her father's before her. We have always watched over our tribe, all the way back to the time the princess of friendship's Pegasus daughter first led all winged ponies to this paradise. For generations we had lived here and played under tropical sun, content in our land of surf and sand, with that being the extent of our world. There was nothing out there beyond the endless blue, or at least nothing that concerned us Pegasus ponies.
But we did not count on a very curious, very adventurous mare who sought the world beyond the confines of our own island; Queen Royal Rose, my own beloved wife. She was always trying to find the hidden and secret things of this world, even back when we were foals. She convinced me to fly farther and farther out into the sea, until our muscles could carry us no further. It was that wandering spirit that first drew me to her, but I didn't see how far her adventures would take my sweet purple angel with the pink mane.
"There's something under that waterfall, Morning!" She told me excitedly, informing she was going to fly through. "I know it looks like solid rock, but I just feel there's more to it than meets the eye!"
And so, only a few months after our daughter was born, she decided to fly under the waterfall herself, and was gone for several minutes. I thought she had discovered some kind of secret cave under there, until she came back all excited and hyper.
"Morning, there's a whole other world over there!" She exclaimed, flying around over my head. "We need to put a scouting party together, and go over and explore that new place!"
But I was too afraid, worried about the concept of a new and unexplored world beyond our own. I tired to organize a luau, in order to distract Rose from this strange new place. But she would have none of it, and flew under the falls and disappeared while I was distracted.
"Royal rose?" I called out, exploring the area around the waterfall. "Royal, where are you?"
Fearing for her safety, I flew through the waterfall myself. Sure enough, I found her whole other world... a very strange place, with buildings of stone, and wingless ponies who couldn't fly. Staying out of the sight of these strange ponies, I searched high and low for my queen. But I could find no trace of Royal Rose, and had no choice but to return through the portal to Butterfly island before night fell.
I never gave up my search, however, and constantly sent the royal family's loyal swarm of trained butterflies, a gift from the Princess of Friendship's animal-loving Pegasus friend to our tribe long ago, though the portal to explore and find her. But despite all of their efforts, the swarm never managed to find any trace of my lost Queen. I had lost her forever, due to my own weak fear and hesitancy. I should have taken her desire to explore more seriously.
In the years since then, I've kept this hidden place a secret from the rest of the tribe. I need to protect my tribe from new and unexpected dangers, and who knows what evil it was out there in this new world that claimed the life of my lost and missing beloved? These ponies live in a peaceful and idyllic existence on this island, and anything out beyond it's borders could be a danger to them. Just look at the poor orphan filly, Thistle Whistle. Her family flew out into a stormy sky filled with clouds one night, and only she returned, a horrific fear of the clouds instilled in her timid little heart.
No, I cannot expose my tribe to whatever horrors may lie out beyond Butterfly Island. Looking down at the foals at play on the sandy beach below, and the adults swimming in the lagoon and guzzling ice cream floats while resting beneath the palm trees, I know I must be extra cautious in keeping the other world a secret from them, for their own good. Already one little filly, Starsong Melody, has discovered the portal. I had no choice but to exile the tearful five-year-old foal to the wingless pony village beyond the portal, to prevent the secret from getting out among the other Pegasus ponies. After extracting a Pegasus promise from her not to reveal us to the wingless ones, of course.
But telling Starsong's teary-eyed parents that she was lost to them, caused a pain that was too much for me to bear. Should the portal again be accident, I cannot go through that again. This secret cannot be kept forever, and the day will come when the Butterfly Island ponies must be made to face the world beyond, for better or for worse. I shall pass the secret on to my own daughter, so that when the day she becomes queen, she may decide if the time is right to reveal the secret. Seeing her playing with the other little fillies, I decided it was time to let her know of a responsibility that shall be hers one day.
"Starcatcher, come here." I called out to my daughter, motioning her to come over to where I stood atop the waterfall, "There is something we need to discuss..." |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Ring your bell | It's a beautiful day in morning, isn't it now?
Ponyville is always wonderful this time of day, the sun coming up over the horizon, ponies out playing games in the morning light. Perfect for a mare with a pink mane and white tail to enjoy from this high up. I can see everything on the ground below from my window on the town hall's second floor, observing everything going on on the ground below. Yeah, that's right... I live in Ponyville town hall, because my special talent has to do with being up here.
"Good morning, Ponyville!" I call out from my room. "I hope you're all ready to get up this morning!"
Anyway,my name's Lulabelle, I'm Storybelle's sister, and the pony who takes care of town hall here when it's not in use. As you can tell from my two-bell cutie mark, my primary special talent is ringing and taking care of the town's large bronze bell. Whenever there is a town meeting, or every hour on the hour from sunrise to sunset, I pull on that rope, and send out a mighty ring from that massive bell, it's ringing spreading throughout the land.
That ringing has always been a melodious sound to my ears, ever since I was a filly I loved gazing up into that bell tower when those loud pearls of thunder came rolling out of that dark and mysterious tower high above. There was a power in that crashing and cacophonous noise, and I became obsessed with the idea of an instrument that could produce such a mighty noise. I wanted to experience that power for myself, and that obsession with bells and their noise led me down the path to my current place in life.
"Look out, everybody!" I cried out, climbing the ladder with my hooves, and leaping towards the thickly woven bell rope. "Here comes the thunder!"
BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! The sound of the bell tore out of the tower, ringing in my ears like a sweet song from a lover. The music of this four-ton monstrosity sends me into a sense of estacy. I never feel as alive as when I hear the sound of the great bell ringing in my ears, feel the vibrations of the great bronze beast shaking my little pony body to it's core. I've even had complaints from my boyfriend that he's tired of having to lie up here under the big bell as it rings whenever he, well... rings my bell.
"Whoo hoo! Here that baby ring out!" I scream, mind mind in a euphoric state as I rode the rope up and down. "Ohhh, there is no greater sound in the world to my ears! Ring out! Ring out, baby!"
There are some down sides to all of the bell's noise, though... even if I don't believe a word of it. Some ponies claim that all the loud ringing has damaged my ears. They claim I can't hear them when they call out to me, and other times I don't make out what they're saying. They also say isolating myself in this tower has affected my sanity quite a bit, and that I've gone totally loopy. But that's absolutely ridiculous, isn't it? I'm so totally not crazy, right?
Ohhhh bells... ding dong ding dong ding dong ding dong ding dong! BONG....BONG....BONG....BONG!
Sorry, where was I?
It was then, that I noticed a large twinkling hot air balloon go floating by. Purple coat and mane, flower cutie mark. As I looked over the balloon and it's mysterious occupant, I suddenly realized, with a growing horror, that it was none other than our town's beloved princess!
"Princess Wysteria, is that you?!" I called out, as the balloon floated by. "What on earth are you doing out there in that balloon?"
"Oh, Lulabelle, I'm so happy to see you!" She called out from the hanging basket, extending her hooves in my direction. "Oh, I just wanted to go for a ride in this balloon to get away for awhile, and I lost control! Could you give me a hoof here, and get me out of this thing?!"
"Get you a pair of wings?! But you're an earth pony!" I called out, mishearing what she was saying due to my ears still ringing. "I don't know if the unicorns even have a spell for that!"
"Oh no, Lula! That's not what I said at all!" She called out in a panic, trying to steer the balloon towards the bell tower. "Here, when I get close to the tower, I'll jump for it, and you help me up with your hooves!"
"I'm sorry your highness, bit I still can't hear you!" I called out, backing up to get a running start. "Here, let me come over there, and then I can hear you!"
"Lula, don't!" She called out, as I took off into a running gallop. "You'll only make things worse!"
I jumped across the gap, flying through the air and landing in the balloon's basket. The whole balloon rocked backed and forth as I landed.
"Yes, your highness?" I asked her, doing a small bow to my princess. "What were you saying to me?"
"Oh no, Lulabelle! I wanted you to help me get out of here, not join me in the balloon!" She told me, burying her face in her hooves, as we floated on towards the Ponyville lake. "How are we going to get out of this mess now?"
"Oh, you didn't want me in here? I'm so sorry, Wysteria!" I told her, thinking for a moment. "Here, I can fix that real quick!"
As we flew over Ponyville lake, I leapt out of the basket, and dove downward towards the water below. I landed in the water with a loud splash!
"Goodbye, your highness!" I called back up to her, waving my hoof as I floated in the water. "Have a good time on butterfly island!"
"I don't believe it, I have a Ponyville subject even dumber than Minty...." I could've sworn I heard her mutter, as she flew under the rainbow waterfall. But why would my own princess say something like that? But anyway, I'm so happy to have helped my princess like that! Now, it's back to my tower to ring that bell, see you all later! |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Building Bridges | "That little over fried fajita! I'm gonna show her who de best party planner in Ponyville is!" I hear her yelling angrily, as she glues parts of her pinata together. "Ain't nobody gonna steal Fiesta Flair's thunder!"
I watch her putting all of the finishing touches and final flourishes on the party favors; all very festive, bright and colorful. Fiesta always put her heart and soul into her party planning, and usually makes her friends very happy. But this recent mess with Razaroo has left her a bit angry, to say the least.
"Dearest, you've been at work on the stuff for Scootaloo's party for over five hours now." I tell her, putting a worried hoof on her shoulder. "Don't you think you should take a break for a little while?"
"No! I can't let that that little cucracha show me up." She snorted, not even looking away from her work. "Sorry Frisco, but dis gotta be de biggest fiesta Ponyville has ever seen!"
With a sigh, I shake my head and trot away. I wish she weren't so competitive, but then again that's the spark I saw in her that I fell in love with. I'm a more passive pony myself, and I always admired Fiesta's ability to go after what she wants with gusto. Me, I'm always a more passive pony, I suppose. Good old Frisco, he never loses his temper or gets mad.
Trotting my way across town, I head towards the new bridge we are putting together that spans the river in green green meadows. The old one collapsed in that nasty snow storm we had last year, and it was decided a new one should be constructed in it's place.
"Sparkleworks... Sparklesnap... how's the construction coming?" I call out to the two mares, craning my neck to looks down to where they both stood on the bridge's support beams. "You two get those bolts on the support braces tightened yet?"
"We're workin' on it, Frisco!" Sparkleworks calls back, winking at me as she tightens another bolt with her hoof wrench. "I'd say another hour or so, and this baby will be all ready for ponies to trot across!"
"It would go faster, if you'd get your flank down here and help us." Sparklesnap grumbled, looking up at me in annoyance. "Why do you get to design these bridges, but you don't have to help work on them?"
"Ohh, lay off of Frisco, sister! This is our job, not his." Sparkleworks retorted, adjusting her yellow construction hat with a pink flower design on it. "He's just a boy, you can't expect him to be able to do careful jobs that call for precision work."
With another sigh, I shake my head as the two siblings start bickering again. Sparkleworks is right though, it's not working buildings and bridges that is my special talent as Ponyville's architect. No, my job is to design the structures of this town, to design and plan the construction and repairs needed with diagrams and charts. Ever since I was a colt, I could look at any structure, and identify the weak spots in them. I could pinpoint where repairs were needed, where support beams needed replaced, and where walls needed strengthened.
I could also design a strong and sturdy structure on my own, but did not have the construction skills to build such places on my own. So, I have to leave the actual building of my work to ponies who are skilled at such things, such as the two mares below me. But right now, they are too busy arguing to actually get any work done on the new bridge I've designed for the town. So maybe it's time I speak up, and say something to get these ponies back to the task at hoof.
"Girls, please! Several ponies what to go for a picnic at Applejack's cottage across the river tomorrow, so this bridge needs to be finished by this evening!" I exclaim, looking between the two of them. "Sparklesnap, the reason I don't help the two of you is, I could never keep up with two such amazing construction mares. I'd only slow the two of you down!"
"He is right, sister, we are pretty awesome." Sparkleworks giggled. "Why don't we just hold off on the bickering, and get this job done first?"
"Okay... fine." The other sister grumbles reluctantly, as the two return to work.
Pony friendships, I find, are a lot like the bridges I build. They need to be carefully spanned and constructed between two ponies, meticulously maintained, and kept in good working condition lest they fall apart. I'm sometimes able to plan out a good repair job between two friends, as I am with repairing structures, but with Fiesta and Razaroo that doesn't seem to be the case.
And that's such a sad thing, too. They used to be such great friends, back when I was dating Razz.They would plan birthday parties together, and each bring their own special little touch to the festivities. But them this silly party rivalry started between them, and they've been at each others throats ever since. The two haven't really talked to each other as friends ever since I started dating Fiesta, and it turned even more sour when we got married.
I just can't help but wonder... did something I don't know about come between the two?
"Yay, we're done!" Spakleworks called up in excitement. "The last of the bolts are tightened!"
"Yes! All of our hard work has payed off!" Sparklesnap agreed, flashing me a rare smile, an unusual thing for that normally glum mare. "All of our hard work has finally payed off!"
But it was just at that moment, that a familiar green menace with a candy-swirled cutie mark came trotting up to the bridge.
"Oh wow, you guys finished the bridge!" The green mare giggled, looking over my finished pride and joy. "That's really super cool! Here, let me test it out for you!"
No, no, no, NO! Not the green terror! Not the walking disaster in pony form, who demolishes and destroys my construction simply by walking on them or over them! I have night-mares where she is a giant pony monster, stepping on and smashing my beautiful works of construction art! Please, fate! Get her off my bridge, before the whole thing comes crashing down around us!
"Minty, get off the Bridge!" Sparkleworks screams, waving her hooves frantically. "I found a screw I missed, and the bridge's gonna-"
But it's too late. She's already halfway across, when the bridge starts top creak and groan under her four hundred pound pony weight. Rivets pop and metal buckles under, and the whole bridge starts to crumble under us like cardboard. The four of us are able to jump clear, but my beautiful masterpiece goes tumbling into the river.
CLANG! BOOM! CRASH!
"All of our hard work!"
"Damn it Minty!"
"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! I can't do anything right! WHAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
And as I stare at the two angry mares, and the blubbering green monster crying tears all over her mane and coat, I wonder why I sometimes even bother to try...
> A Christmas Thistle
-TWEEEEEEEEEEEET!-
Oh, hello there! -TWEET!- What brings a pony like you to -TWEET!- to Butterfly island? We don't -TWEET!- get many visitors here, so it's sure nice to meet you, yes indeedy! Oh, my name's -TWEET!- Thistle Whistle, and I'm -TWEET!- Starcatcher's loyal second in command. I provide a -TWEET!- more cautious voice to our -TWEET!- overly optimistic. Now, I'm not a -TWEET!- over the top negative Nancy, like some mares -TWEET!- are, but I do have a -TWEET!- little more grounded sense than most Pegasus, yes sirree!
I guess you see all the -TWEET!- Decorations all over the island, huh? Yeah, we're -TWEET!- getting ready to celebrate Christmas, and we're inviting all of our Ponyville friends to -TWEET!- join us for the holiday festivities. Several years ago, we went over to Ponyville to celebrate, and -TWEET!- wow whee, did that turn into a disaster! Minty crashed the one-of-a kind-here-comes-Christmas-candy-cane, and tried to go to the North Pole, and I followed her, and -TWEET!- let's just say it didn't end well! So we're just going to try to have a tropical Christmas here on Butterfly Island, even thought that means no snow for a -TWEET!- winter-y holiday.
"Thistle Whistle, do your Pegasus teams have the strands of garland up yet?" Starcatcher -TWEET!- came up to me, flying gracefully around in a -TWEET!- loop. "Our guests will be arriving here soon."
"We're working on it, -TWEET!- my queen!" I reply, bowing to the -TWEET!- ruler of Butterfly Island. "Aurora Mist! -TWEET!- Coconut Grove! Get that tree up so we can get those decorations on it!"
"We're on it!" The two reply in -TWEET!- unison. They both push the evergreen tree our stallion cut down in Ponyville up into it's stand, and the others start putting the decorations. Ornaments, tinsel, garlands -TWEET!- yes sirree, they did a good job on putting up a beautiful tree! "What do you think, Thistle?"
"It looks sweet, girls! -TWEET!- Really sweet!" I reply, grinning at the two of them.
Yes, I really really love this -TWEET!- lovely holiday the earth ponies brought us! Lights and trees, candy canes and Santa... it's a time of year that makes you think of all the family and friends who are important to you -TWEET!- including the ones you lost....
My mom and dad were always a little too adventurous. -TWEET!- They pushed me out of the hut really early, and tried to get me to fly before I was ready. Pulling me out to swim when I was only three, -TWEET!- trying to get me to soar above the ocean when I was four. They decided to take me out during a storm, flying on either side of me as I wobbled along, telling me everything -TWEET!- was going to be alright.
And then that storm, that terrible, terrible storm. -TWEET!- Mama's reassuring smile, daddy's telling me everything was going to be okay. Clouds -TWEET!- I remember there were clouds everywhere, and there was lightning, and winds, and darkness that all came from those terrible, terrible clouds. Those clouds blew me away from mommy and daddy that day -TWEET!- I saw the one last time between the lightning flashes, as the wind carried me back to the island, and heard their screams on the wind as they -TWEET!- swirled away into the darkness.
The winds slammed me against the -TWEET!- Island's rocky shore, shattering my jaw and skull, and leaving me scared of those clouds that took mommy and daddy away from me, forever. My head did eventually get better, but the damage left me with my -TWEET!- unique speech problem. Whenever I think of this holiday, and see the other Pegasus with their own families, I can't help but remember how I lost the ponies I cared about the most.
"Hey mom, check this out!" I -TWEET!- hear from above me. Looking up, I see a teenage certain teenage Pegasus doing loop de loops, and -TWEET!- messing around recklessly with her friends. My wings reflexively shoot out in a panic, and -TWEET!- I angrily yell at her in a panic.
"Mochanaut, you get down from there this instant, young lady! -TWEET!-" I cry out, flapping around in a panicked frenzy. "There are clouds up there, and you could hurt yourself!"
"Awww, you worry to much!" She called back defiantly, rankling the feathers on my -TWEET!- wings. "Look, I'm gonna fly out over the ocean!"
But then a strong wind came up, and I saw it start to pull her away from the island -TWEET!- she started to spin out of control, as she was blown father and farther out over the sea.
"Aieee, the winds are too strong!" She called out to me. "I can't stop! Somebody help me!"
Oh no oh no oh no! -TWEET!- Not my baby girl, not my little girl, too! Every muscle in my body tenses to jump after her, but Starcatcher is one hoof ahead of me. -TWEET!- Flying against the mighty winds with those powerful wings of hers, our Queen catches the rebellious teen in her hooves, and brings her back to ground.
"Oh, Mocha! -TWEET!- I'm so glad you're safe!" I cry out, embracing her in my hooves. But my relief -TWEET!- quickly turned to anger, and I exploded. "What were you thinking?! -TWEET!- You could've gotten yourself killed up there!"
"I-I'm sorry..." She sobbed. "I didn't mean to..."
"Thistle, don't be too hard on the child." Starcatcher advised me -TWEET!- in her ususal gentle. "It was simply a youthful mistake."
"No! She could have gotten herself killed! -TWEET!- " I yell in a panic, not thinking with my head on straight. "Just wait until your father gets back, young lady, -TWEET!- Then you'll really be sorry!"
"THISTLE WHISTLE!" Starcatcher yelled angrily, -TWEET!- coming in between the two of us. "THAT IS ENOUGH!"
Now, I've seen a lot of scary things in my time -TWEET!- especially clouds, but I have never seen anything as terrifying as an angry Starcatcher. Like a wrathful goddess, burning with the rage of a hundred thousand bonfires. She's so scary, she literally frightened the Tweets out of me. I totally melted under her fiery gaze. As my little girl galloped away, tears flowing from her eyes.
Now, -TWEET!- I realize I may had acted a bit harsh, but I would have to calm down before I realized how stupid -TWEET!- I had been. But the worse had yet to come this holiday season -TWEET!- before it got better. |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Mochanaut is Missing | "Hmph! Mom wants to be that way?" I howl in defiance to the wind "Fine! I don't need to stay on butterfly island! I don't need anyone!"
Stupid, selfish, overprotective mom! How dare she tell me what to do! I am so sick of her always telling me what I can and can't do! Ohhh, clouds! There's clouds up there! We're all gonna die! Gee, Thistle Whistle! Maybe I shouldn't eat, because I might choke! Or maybe I shouldn't blink, cause I might hurt my eyelids! How could I possibly-
Oh, right... this is supposed to be where I explain who I am, and hat I'm about... right. Name's Mouchnaut, pink Pegasus with an blue and purple mane, and two coffee cups tattooed on her butt. I love making coffee and want to open up a coffee shop someday with my pal Tiara-mi-Su, and currently has no boyfriend because a certain overprotective mother won't even let me look at colts! There, that enough 'fleshing out of my character for your little journal entries you want each of us to write, Storybelle? I think your readers all probably sick of hearing a mini-biography from each and every one of us by now.
Anyway, I was flying around near the Butterfly beach, muttering to myself and plotting how I was going to get away from this stupid island, when I saw a hot air balloon come through the portal from Ponyville. Upon rubbing my eyes with my hooves and looking closer, I noticed the floating ball of hot air (the one thing the balloon had in common with my dear sweet mother) had a familiar occupant I recognized immediately.
"Wysteria, is that you?" I called out, flying up to the obviously out-of-control craft. "What the heck are you doing up here?"
"Oh dear, Mochanaut? Is that you?" Wysteria called out, looking with relief as I grabbed hold of the basket. "Please, you've got to get me out of here! I can't control this crazy thing!"
I immediately pull her out of the basket, and set her to the ground as the balloon slowly drifts it's way out to sea. I had heard the high and mighty princess of Ponyville had disappeared a few days ago, but I never thought she'd wash up here on our tropical shore. After she had shaken the dirt and sweat from her mane, I decided to see and could ask her and find out what was going on.
"Princess Wysteria, I am very pleased to have helped you." I tell her, bowing my head low before the pony I had just rescued. "But I was wondering why you have decided to grace our humble island with your presence?"
"Oh, you don't have to be so formal, silly." The princess replied with a giggle. "I just needed some time away from my royal duties, so I decided to take a break. But that balloon seemed to have a mind of it's own., and it brought me here, like it was magic or something."
"Well then, the balloon must have had some purpose in bringing you here." I tell Wysteria, motioning for her to follow me. "Perhaps there is something here on Butterfly Island that could assist with what's bothering you?"
"Yeah, that sounds like a great idea." The Princess of Ponyville smiled, trotting her way up towards the Pegasai's village huts. "I can go and talk to Starcatcher, and maybe she could-"
"NO! No, our queen is way to busy to waste time on something puny like this!" I cry in a panic, looking around nervously at the thought of her going back to the very ponies I was trying to run away from. "Here, let me help you on your journey of self-discovery. I'm sure we can figure out how to make you feel like a better princess, if we put our heads together!"
"Hmmm, I guess we could do that." The princess replied thoughtfully. "Sure! I think that'd be a lot of fun. Why don't you lead the way, and we'll start looking for the answers together!"
And so the two of us trotted towards the island's small jungle, vanishing from sight into the thick rows of palm trees. I really didn't have any idea where this little trip was going to take me, nor did I care. The farther I am away from my fussy overbearing mother and the Pegasus tribe I really need a break from at the moment. And who knows? Maybe I'll actually learn something from this overly kind, down to earth earth pony that Ponyvillians seem to hold in such high regard.
"So, Wysteria..." I think for a moment, trying to remember the Princess's hobbies so I can start up a conversation. "...what can you tell me about the flowers that are in bloom this season?"
"Oh, do you like flowers?!" I saw her eyes light up, and I suddenly realized the monstrous can of worms I had just unknowingly opened. "Oh, there are so many wonderful kinds in bloom this time of year! But that's only the beginning..."
And so, the great princess proceeded to lecture me about spring and summer flowers, of daffodils and zinnias and petunias and morning glorys. I think I learned more about botany and growing plants in that one conversation, than I ever did from horticulturalists. I was able to get a few sentences about types of tea I liked to make and how I wanted to open a shop someday, but it was obvious that the princess was going to dominate the conversation during this journey.
And as we headed deeper into the woods, I wonder if I hadn't been a little to harsh on mom for wanting to protect me. Even if her nutty paranoia was the thing that started the whole mess to begin with. |
Tales of Another Ponyville | A Ponyville Christmas | The snow is falling everywhere, decorations are on the trees, and the sights and sounds of the holiday are in the air. All I have to do is look out the window, and see the mares and stallions happily playing in this winter wonderland, and I know that my favorite time of year has once again arrived.
Christmas time has once again come to Ponyville.
It's a more recent holiday that came to ponydom, brought here by mysterious creatures who came here from the other world, and taught ponies the joy of the holiday. Generations ago we used to celebrate a similar holiday called hearth's warming day, back when ponies used to believe in alicorn princesses and other such nonsense. But now, we all follow this tradition in a new form, honoring the holiday and the warmth of each others friendship.
Christmas is a special time for me... for I am Candy Cane, the Ponyville Christmas pony. You may have seen me around the town- the white mare with the red mane and candy cane cutie mark. Most of the year I'm just another pony trotting about town, and going about my business. But this time of year... oh, this time of year is what I live for! The preparation work for this holiday takes nearly the whole previous year, you know. and that means I spend almost the entire year thinking, eating, sleeping and breathing Yuletide joy.
"Winter Wishes, are you done painting those ornaments yet?" I call down the steps to the stallion with the pink coat and sleigh cutie mark. "I just finished my next batch of Christmas cookies, and I want to deliver them to Sweetberry's Shop and the Cotton candy cafe!"
"Just go ahead without me, my dear!" My husband yells back up to me, looking up[ from his workshop in the basement. "I need to do some more work on the garland before I finish up down here!"
Dear, darling Winter Wishes; the only pony who is as obsessed with Christmas s I am. He and I make a good match, as we spend the whole year preparing for this glorious, glorious holiday! As I trot out the door of our Christmas tree-shaped house, I look about the streets, and admire all the Christmas work we've done so far. Every tree is wrapped in lights and covered with ornaments. Holly and ivy hangs from every lamp post, and there is a wreath on every door. Ponies wrapped in warm hats and scarves greet me as I pass them by, smiles on their cold faces, and steam coming off their breath.
"Hey Candy! Love the decorations in the square this year!" Pinkie Pie yells from across the street. "How do you do such pretty work every year?"
"Just doing my job, Pinkie!" I yell back with a smile, waving a hoof at her. "Have a merry Christmas!"
"Candy Darling! So glad to see you out and about!" Rainbow Dash greeted me, looking away from where she and Denim Blue were standing under the mistletoe. "Please, stop by the shop on your way home, Sew and Sew and I have a new dress for you for the holiday!"
"Thank you so much, Rainbow!" I call back to her, smiling gratefully. "And a happy holiday to you!"
It's so nice to see everybody so happy, and to know all my hard work means so much to so many ponies. Every generation there is one or two Christmas ponies born in Ponyville, and it is our special talent to put this holiday together for the whole community, including the magical here-comes-Christmas candy cane that sits on the great tree in the very center of town. There was one year my husband and I couldn't do our Christmas preparation. Every mare pitched in to get the decorations up and the cookies baked that year... but it still didn't turn out well. Minty broke the here-comes-Christmas candy cane, and- well, I'd rather not talk about it.
After I make the Christmas cookie deliveries, I suddenly feel a packed ball of snow hit me in the back of the neck. Spinning around, I saw a giggling pair of mares, Sparkleworks and Sunny Daze, staring me down while they packed more snowballs together in their hooves.
"Hey, old lady! Think you're up for another snowball fight?" Sunny challenged me, a mischievous gleam in her eye. "You may have gotten the better of us last year, but we're gonna get you this time!"
"Ohm you think so?" I challenged her, squeezing a snowball together in my front hooves. "Young lady, I'll have you know I was the snowball throwing champion of my generation!"
The girls and I quickly had snow forts built, and we were soon pelting snowballs back and forth at each other from behind white snow-constructed walls. Other ponies soon began gathering to watch our snowball combat, and started to cheer for one side or the other.
Unfortunately, I had happened to leave my bag over by the frozen river, filled with the left over candy fragments from when I baked the here-comes-Christmas candy cane. Now, the one thing a pony should NEVER do is eat any of the candy from that candy cane; it's filled with a powerful magical dust, that if it mixed with the natural earth pony magic in our bodies... well, let's just say it wouldn't be very pretty!
And wouldn't you know it, but who else but Minty came over the hill on a sled, and came to a stop right in front of the bag.
"Oh, it looks like there's a snowball fight going on over there!" Minty exclaimed, jumping around excitedly at the sight of our snowy combat. "Go Sunny! Give that old granny what for!" Just then, she noticed the bag down by her hooves. "Hey, what's in here? Ohhh, candy cane bits! I love these things!"
"No Minty!" I exclaim, dropping my snowball, and galloping towards the goofy mare. "Don't eat that, it's-"
"Mmmmm, these things are good!" She exclaimed, happily munching on the last of the fragments. It only took a few moments, before a rumbling noise came from deep inside the green pony's belly. "Hey, what was that? What's going on?"
Suddenly, Minty's hooves lifted off the ground, and she was floating in midair. "Hey, look everybody, I'm flying!" She began to turn upside down in the air, before she shot straight upward into the sky, vanishing into the clouds. "This is fun! Wheeeeeeeeee!"
"Oh no, Minty!" Sunny Daze exclaimed, running up to where I stood. "What happened to her? Will she be all right?"
"Yes, she just ate a bunch of the leftover here-comes-Christmas candy cane fragments." I sigh, putting a hoof on my face. "She'll float around up there for a day or two, before the candy wears off, then she'll float back down to the surface. The magic in the candy will keep her nourished and hydrated, she'll be fine."
"Whew, that's a relief! I wouldn't want our Mints getting hurt." Sparkleworks sighed with relief. "Though It'll be a shame she's gonna miss Christmas."
"Wait, did you just say we're getting a holiday without Minty?!" Sunny Daze exclaimed in realization. "Do you know what this means?!"
"It's a Christmas miracle!" Sparkleworks exclaimed, dancing around the open town square. Soon, the two ponies in the square were dancing and singing, and all the rest of us Ponyville ponies were left standing there, staring at those two in horrified shock. "Hooray for a kluz-free Christmas!"
*Sigh* Those two have a poor taste in humor. Oh well, at least Pinkie Pie sent Starsong up to find Minty and bring her back down to earth. Anyway, I've got a lot of Christmas cards to get addressed and put in their envelopes. Merry Christmas, Everybody! |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Northern Lights | The little lavender filly shivered, her tiny striped scarf whipping in the wind. It would have been odd, seeing such a young foal by herself in the cold. Surely somepony could have noticed, right?
But this was no normal filly. This filly had suddenly appeared one night, last night to be exact. The little earth pony seemed to have a light blue glow around her, despite not being a unicorn. She hoofed at the ground, trying to make a small bed for herself. As she looked up into the sky, she saw the snow gently falling, and- a bright flash of light?
"Wheeeeee!" The mint-colored blur screamed cheerfully, dashing around until it saw the filly, coming to a stop. "Hey there, kid!" The pony said, slowly descending towards the half frightened filly.
The pony was a mint green mare, with a pink mane and purple eyes that seemed to glitter with happiness. "What are you doing out here, little filly?" the mare chirped. "It's Christmas Eve!"
"I don't really know..." the filly stuttered, looking at the magical flying earth mare nervously. "I just kinda appeared out here... I don't have a mummy or dad."
"Oh." the mint colored pony sighed, nodding grimly. "I'm Minty, by the way. I ate some magical candy cane stuff and now I can fly!"
"I'm..." the filly trailed off, realizing that she didn't have a name. She looked up at the sky, remembering how Minty's bright blur looked, and finally said, "I'm Northern Lights."
"Cool!" Minty smiled. "Wanna come to Ponyville? Looks awfully cold out here..."
"Sure!" North smiled as Minty held out her hoof. Taking it, the two of them flew through the night sky, and towards Ponyville.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I can't believe she really left!" Sunny Daze said to her friends. The ponies were sitting in the Cotton Candy Cafe, drinking hot cocoa, and the ponies were beginning to get worried. "I mean, she can be a total ditz sometimes, but she just up and left! Again!"
"Totally." Sparkleworks nodded, but a loud crash made them look up.
"Hey there! I'm baa-aack!" Minty smiled, causing Cotton Candy to groan at the fact that her door was now in shambles. But as Minty entered, they saw a small lavender filly nervously trot out from behind the minty mare.
"Hey there." the filly said nervously. "I'm Northern Lights."
Pinkie Pie was the first to react. "Minty, what is this? You fly away after eating a bunch of magic candy cane pieces, and you come back with a filly!" The mare glared at her friend.
"No, that's not-" Minty started, trying to explain, but realizing that nopony was going to believe that a foal just magically appeared in the middle of nowhere. Despite her ditzyiness, Minty realized the futility in arguing, and trotted out with North in tow.
The town was bustling with activity as usual, and what with it being Christmas Eve, ponies placed wrapped presents under the giant tree in the center of town, or placing them in the branches.
"Ohhhh, this town is so pretty! I can't believe you all put up so many amazing decorations!" Northern Lights squealed in delight, looking around at all of the lights and colors in amazement. "It must be so awesome to live here, especially during the holidays!"
"Yeah, most of the time. Unless you're the town klutz." Minty said sadly, looking down at the ground. "Sometimes I think most ponies would be glad if I just up and, *poof* disappeared."
"But why?" Northern Lights asked, shocked to hear such a seemingly cheerful mare sound so down. "Aren't your friends happy to spend time with you during the holidays?"
"Oh, I'm sure they are! My friends would do anything for me, even fly all the way to the North Pole to find me." Minty inwardly grinned, remembering a particular time with her friends. "But I really don't think they like having me around when they're trying to do something like putting up decorations, I always manage to mess stuff up."
"Well that's just silly, all ponies mess things up, and are klutzy sometimes." Northern Lights told her with a giggle. "Sometimes ponies say or do when they're mad, that they don't really mean. You should give them some time,and I'm sure they will be nice to you again!"
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Looking around, Minty noticed the great Christmas tree in the center of town. "Hey, I know! Lets put a few extra decorations on the great Christmas tree, and trot over to cotton Candy's for some hot coca."
"Ohh, I've never put decorations on a tree before!" The little filly exclaimed, hopping around with delight. "That sounds like a whole lot of fun!"
Minty retrieved a box of ornaments from her house, and the two earth ponies scurried about the tree, hanging them. Tinsel and ribbons, bulbs and garland. Both girls added their own special touches to the tree, making the already pretty decorations even more beautiful. Hey
"Ohhh, that candy cane at the top looks sooo tasty!" Northern Lights drooled, licking her lips as she stared at the giant sweet. "Why don't we go up and have a lick?"
"Uhhh, no. That's not really a good idea." Minty replied nervously, shaking her head. "I've learned from too many experiences NOT to mess with the here-comes-Christmas-candy-cane."
"Sounds like somebody has learned their lesson." Sunny Daze came trotting up, a regretful look on her face. "Minty, Sparkleworks and I are sorry about the things we said when you floated away. You can really get on our nerves sometimes, but we really think you're an awesome friend."
"Thanks Sunny, you're the best!" Minty replied, trotting over towards where the beach mare stood. "Hey, Northern Lights and I were gonna trot over to Cotton Candy's place, and get some warm Coca, you wanna come with us?"
"Sounds great Mints." Sunny replied with a smile. "But who's Northern Lights?"
But when Minty turned around to introduce her new friend... but there was no trace of the little filly anywhere.
"But... she was just...." Minty stuttered, dumbfounded.
And it was then, that Minty realized that strange and amazing miracles can happen at Christmas time. And wither it was an actual foal, or the spirit of a little filly who loves Christmas from the time of the Princess of friendship, or wither it was the spirit of the Aurora Borealis itself trying to cheer her up, really didn't matter. Because Minty learned that Christmas was indeed a magical night, and it was a night whose kindness and warmth should be shared all throughout the year.
"Merry Christmas, everyone!" Minty exclaimed, as she trotted into the Cotton Candy Cafe, where all of her friends raised their hot coca mugs to her in greeting. "And a happy new year!" |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Minty and her Shenanigans | "Ahhhhhh! Shenanigans, help me!" Her voice cried out, legs kicking frantically as she tried to get herself down. "This tree's trying to eat me again!"
Oh wow, Minty's gotten herself into another fine mess! You know, it's really cool being married to the klutziest mare in all of Ponyville. You never know what she's going to smash, break up, or destroy next! See, I live for that kind of chaos and insanity, it makes life so much more interesting. Certainly more interesting than anyone else in this boring old town is!
"Good grief Mints! How the heck did you get yourself stuck up here?" I ask her, putting a ladder up the tree with my hooves to get her down. "What were you doing, hang gliding or something?"
"No, Shenanigans... I accidentally ate some magic candy cane bits that made me float away." My poor beleaguered spouse laments. "I didn't mean to cause so much trouble."
She's right, of course. Minty never does mean to cause the havoc she wreaks, unlike this blue stallion with this hot air balloon cutie mark. I've been playing wacky pranks and goofy antics ever since I was a little colt. Would you believe the looks you can get when putting a whoopee cushion under princess Wysteria's chair at a royal dinner? Or the wackiness of slipping something into Fiesta Flair's cooking that gives her the trots?
It's so much fun to play pranks on ponies... even if those same ponies don't appreciate that humor. I can't tell you how many times I've wound up in hot water, and been yelled at by Pinkie Pie and the other mares from court. But Minty never comes down on me for my pranks, even when she ends up being their target. My wife is one of the sweetest ponies in this town; quick to laugh and chuckle, and even quicker to forgive any wrongdoing. That's why she and I get along so well, as I have never met any pony quite like her.
"Oh. Shenanigans... I can't ever do anything right." Minty whines, as I pull her out of the tree. "I should go out to someplace in the woods, and let a troll eat me! Ponyville would probably be better off!"
"Now you just hold on a minute!" I protest angrily, stamping my hoof on the ground. "You know there isn't a single pony in town who wants that. All of your friends love you too much to see something like that happen to you!"
And neither could I. My sweet Minty is the love of my life, the only mare willing to put up with my childish antics. We first met when I was trying to play a prank on some mares in the park. She was the only one who thought the spider I was dangling from the thread was real, and when the other girls ran away, she trotted right up and tried to start a conversation with it. It was incredible... every time I tired to pull a fast one or a joke on her, she would naively and innocently stumble through it, her bad luck backfiring and causing the gag to blow up in my face. Do know how many times I've been bitten by wind up chattering teeth, or how many times I've slipped on a banana peel after a prank pulled on her turned around and got me instead?
But that's when I actually got to know Minty, and discovered she had a wonderful sense of humor, and a kind and gentle heart. I always love how her terrible luck causes such chaos and hilarity in Ponyville, and the excitement she always bring to my life. Yeah, with this little filly around, things are never ever boring around here.
"I-I guess you're right, Shen. I should stop whining now." She replied, drying her tears with her hooves. "Boy, I can really be a big crybaby sometimes, huh?" And then, she smiled that wonderful smile at me. "Thanks for cheering me up, hun. You're always a really big help, wherever I'm feeling blue!"
And just like that, she's back to her old, cheery self again; the mare whom I always see a smile on the face of, and the mare I truly love. She always manages to bounce back from her little pratfalls and clumsy mistakes with a smile, and rarely, if ever, gets angry about all the terrible things that seem to happen to her. How can any stallion not love such an adorable mare? You have to have a pretty hard heart to not at least find her endearing.
"Hey, Shenanigans? Wanna go get something to eat?" She yelled excitedly, galloping on ahead of me, as fast as she could go. "I could really go for some cookies... all mint green, of course."
"Of course.But I think I'll leave the green sweets to you. I'll just grab a chocolate sundae." I reply with a smile, trotting along after her. I'm just glad I can be here for Minty, when no other stallion will risk her 'bad luck' rubbing off on them. But I believe that this little green jinx is the most precious and valuable emerald in all of Ponyville. "But hey, I had a really neat idea! Why don't we mix up all the flavors in the soda fountains together, when Sweet beery isn't looking? I can't wait to see the other pony's faces when they go and try to take a sip of their root beer floats!"
Okay, yeah, I'm an incurable stallion prankster that'll never change. By the way, watch out for the whoopee cushion on that chair you just sat on! |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Overreacting hormonal teen princess | Does anyone even care?
Ever since mom disappeared, everybody has expected everything of me. Spike tells me when to stand, and what to say. Pinkie Pie tells me what policies to enact, and what laws to approve. Two powers, one dragon and one pony, try to use me as a tool in their struggle to hold things together. Time for playing tea party with my friends? Nope, have a ribbon-cutting ceremony to perform. Maybe some time for petting my kitty or coloring in my coloring books? Have a town council meeting to attend, no time to waste on frivolity. I have a whole Ponyville to run, who's got time for something as useless as a life?
"Princess Pinksparkle! We love you!"
"Princess Pinksparkle! Wysteria's gone! What are we gonna do?!"
"Tell us what we should do, princess!"
Nobody really cares about me, they care about my position as princess. My mom? She ran off in the first place, cause she couldn't handle the pressure. Dad's not around anymore, he accidentally grabbed an exposed electrical wire and went bye bye. All my mom's friends are more concerned with trying to get her back, rather than making sure I'm okay. Everything is about looking right and acting right and making sure that I keep everyone really calm.
"Now Pinksparkle, be sure to tell everyone that all these super-scary visions of ghost ponies all around town aren't going to hurt anybody. We don't want these things causing a panic here in Ponyville!"
"Now Princess Pinksparkle, you need to hold yourself upright at all times, and try not to blush and make a fuss when those noble colts from Butterfly Island kiss your hoof again."
Orders, always orders. Spike and Pinkie always have something new to tell me to do, or say, or think. A perfect pink princess sitting on the throne, her orange mane glistening in the sunlight coming in through the celebration castle window as she spouts off exactly what Ponyville reassuringly needs to hear. Hey ponies, do you know I actually have opinions of my own? Do you know I like to collect bottle caps, and I'm learning how to knit from Sew-and- Sew? How much do you know Pinksparkle the pony, rather than Pinksparkle the princess?
The only pony who even cares about me- or at least, the only one who shows she cares- is my best friend, Princess Rarity. She's got a similar problem to mine, being the rainbow princess of Unicornia, and is the only one who seems to know what I'm going through.
"Well gee, if you hate it so much, why don't you just leave?" Rarity asked me, during one of her many visits to the castle. "That's just what your mom did, when she couldn't handle the pressure anymore."
"Because I'm not my mom, Rarity. I could never even begin to fill her horseshoes." I tell her with a sigh. "These ponies need me, and I just can't abandon my duties just to run away and have a good time."
It's true, this is the duty I was raised into, I can't just abandon the ponies who rely on me. What kind of princess would I be if I thought of myself before my subjects? For royalty, duty must always come before personal pleasure. That's how Spike and my mom raised me, to place responsibility before my personal wants and needs. I am just an accessory that comes packaged with Celebration Castle, the representation of it's royal authority and power. Unlike my mother, who grew up as a commoner, I will never abandon the post that is as much a part of who I am as my own two hooves.
If I sound mature for a fourteen-year-old filly, it's because you don't get much of a childhood during Spike's royalty training. I almost feel sorry for those little colts and fillies who have so much time to fritter around and play. How can you get anything valuable accomplished when you're wasting all of your times on games and nonsense? I don't have hours to while away staring and clouds or playing one game after another; there are too many papers to sign, and too many important decisions to make to act like any of the other kids in this town.
"Princess, the representative from Canterlot is here to see you!"
"Princess, Queen Starcatcher's ambassador would like a word with you!"
But what these handlers of mine don't realize, is that this little princess has a mind of her own. I don't cry or whine or need to be held anymore. But I am very angry that there was no one to hold and comfort me when I was little, and they are soon going to see just how angry I can be. I am the princess around here, not Spike, and not Pinkie Pie. Pretty soon I'll be the one giving the orders around here, and those two will be doing what I say, whether they like it or not!
"Princess, where are you? We need to discuss what you're going to tell your subjects next!"
My handlers raised me to be a perfect little obedient princess, but they also raised Princess Pinksparkle to rule. The next time I get up in front of those ponies, those two will discover they are not dealing with a sweet little mare who touched a flower , but a ruler of their own making. I think for my first decree, I'll have a certain positively pink pony painted plaid, and for my second I'll have the princess rulebook shoved down a certain stuffy old dragon's throat. Oh! And then for my third, I'll have all the cute teenage colts in town salute me with their flanks....
...damn, wielding absolute power ROCKS! |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Daisyjo knows | Little Miss Daisyjo
your ribbons all aglow
I really want to know
your garden grows?
"Hey Daisyjo, where are those flowers I ordered?" Razaroo asks me, tapping her hoof impatiently. "I'm gonna need them for Scootaloo's birthday party, yes yes yes!"
"Okay. let me clip off the stems on these zinnias, and I'll get right to work on the tulips for her floral arrangement." I yell back, snipping then ends of the flowers off, and putting down my shears. "Only the best for our dear little racing star on her b-day."
Ahhhh, growing sweet smelling flowers, cultivating them from the time they are seedlings, until they bloom into beautiful blossoms with petals galore... this is the great joy of my life. I have always adored the sweet fragrance of flowers, ever since I was a little filly in my mother's little flower shop. I grew up, helping her to take care of all the local gardens and flower beds in town. And I enjoyed it so much, that I decided to follow in her hoofsteps.
My name's Daisyjo, and I run the Ponyville greenhouse on the west side of town. Whenever anyone in town wants a boquet for a wedding, or a corsage for their school dance, I'm the purple mare with the yellow mane that they come to. Wysteria used to the pony pony who organized anything in this town that had to do with flowers, but I was always the pony who actually did all the watering, weeding, gardening, and hard work. And now that she's moved on to being princess (well, runaway princess now), I've fulling taken over everying in these town that has to do with flowers.
"Do you really think that all of these flowers will outshine Fiesta's presentation?" I ask her, outting the last few blossoms into place on the large floral arrangement that reads 'happy birthday Scootaloo. "I mean, when that party mare decides to go big, she really goes BIG."
"She's not going to show me up this time, Daisyjo, oh no no!" Razz guaranteed me, a smile on her face. "Especially since you promised not to give her any flowers for her party presentation."
"I couldn't let a friend down... even if it meant letting another friend down, I guess." I tell her with a sigh, shaking my head. " Besides, I'm sure she can pull together a pretty decent show of her own, even with out my flowers"
Even so, I still feel guilty about withholding my flowers from Fiesta, all of the ponies in this town rely on me to grow and provide their flowers for them. Planting the seeds and putting down mulch, watering the plants and singing to them (hey, plants really do improve when they are sung to, trust me). Mother makes sure all of her little babies out there in the garden are well cared for. And above all, it makes me so very happy to see my little flowers making all of those other ponies here in Ponyville.
"Daisyjo.... Razaroo...so good to see you, girlfriends!" A laid back pony called out, literally drifting in to my greenhouse. "How are your cosmic auras shinning this fine day?"
"Oh hey, Port 'O Bella." I replied with a sigh, rolling my eyes at the arrival of Ponyville's resident hippy. "What brings you around my greenhouse?"
"Oh! I was like, hoping I could convince you to carry this one wicked type of 'shroom I just discovered in the forest!" She announced to me, holding up a weird looking green mushroom with spots all over it. "I think it's be awesome if this mushroom could be shared with all the mares and stallions of Ponyville!"
"Oh no no no, I don't think think that's such a good idea." Razaroo told her. "We all know what happened the LAST time you gave your mushrooms to the ponies of Ponyville..."
During the winter, I often allow the farmers of Ponyville to grow certain amounts of their crops in my vast greenhouse, so that there is a small supply of various fruits and vegetables available for cooking and eating during the cold months, besides the ones they canned during the fall harvest. But there is NO way I am going to let this burned out mare hold a stash in my greenhouse... my flowers would probably get sick on her fumes from her fungal drek.
"I.. really don't think that's a good idea." I warn her, raising a hoof as we talked. "Why don't you just store them in your van with all your other mind altering substances?"
"Aw, come on! There's not enough room in there, babe!" She told us, shoving a mushroom into each of our mouths before we could move, and pushing it down our throats. "Here, just try this stuff, you'll really love it!"
Suddenly, the room lit up. There were flowers everywhere, filling up the room and glowing brightly. We all began to dace around the greenhouse, roses and daises and daffodils falling all around us, as colors flashed before our eyes, and all the colors of the rainbow seemed to sing wonderful songs all around us. In all of my long years of life, I've never seen such a wonderfully arranged floral display! The light! The sound the COLORS!
It was the next morning that I woke up on the floor of my greenhouse, my head groggy and the room spinning all around me. I was wearing a pair of tight daisy dukes on my sore flank, along with a tied-together top. A note was lying on the floor next to me, clearly written by a stallion from here in Ponyville that I had a thing for;
Thanks for the wonderful dinner of flowers we had last night, and the wonderful time we had. Hope we can get together again sometime.
- Spring Parade
My eyes go wide in horror at the letter's mention of a 'flower meal' and I stand up and look around the greenhouse in horror. Every daffodil and daisy, every rose and petunia, every single flower in this greenhouse had had it's top bitten off and devoured, all except the daisy on my own cutie mark. All of my beloved babies, decapitated, thanks to a goofy mare on a perpetual high.
"PORT 'O BELLAAAAAAA!" |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Catch a Falling Star | "Consider it done!"
That so simple yet meaningful phrase, one she speaks so often when she agrees to grant the humble requests of her subjects. She strides among us like a goddess, trotting out of the great butterfly tent on top of waterfall. Mane of white and pink, graceful and angelic wings far longer than any of the rest of us Pegusai. She was the one who brought us together with our earth pony sisters in Ponyville, our ruler... our queen. Starcatcher, the chieftain of our beloved Butterfly Island. All of the rest of us bow, and extend our wings in reverence at the great leader's approach.
"My fellow ponies, we have recently been blessed by the visit of the princess Wysteria, the ruler of Ponyville. She has come here looking for answers, and I decree that no one is to harass her during her soul-searching time here."
There were several murmurs of surprise from the crowd, staring in disbelief at the news Starcatcher had given them.
"Wysteria is here? But how?!" Coconut Grove exclaimed. "She disappeared from Ponyville over a week ago!"
"The twinkle balloon from celebration castle brought her here, for what reason I know not." Starcatcher replied.
"But how did you know, my queen?" Cloud Climber asked, still bewildered by this turn of events. "And what's she doing now?"
"The island's butterflies told me so, the very moment that she arrived on this very island." Our queen responded. "And as to what she is currently doing, Thistle Whistle's daughter is currently guiding her deep into the jungle, to seek wisdom from the island's oldest Pegasus."
Cloud Climber should have known that, the butterfly swarm brings Starcatcher news from all over the island. That's how she always won at hide-and-seek when we were foals. There is little that escapes the queen's notice on this island, it was why we Pegasus often say our queen and the island are one.
"But Starcatcher, -tweet!- if my little girl is with Wysteria, -tweet!- then we gotta go and find them!" Thistle Whistle protested, clearly greatly concerned about her child. "They could both get hurt, or-"
"Thistle, I forbid you from following them." The queen told her sternly. "They are safe here from any danger while on this island, and this a journey that both Wysteria and your little girl must make for themselves."
We could obviously tell that didn't sit well with the overprotective Pegasus mother, but we all accepted our queen's word as law, her decisions as final. Starcatcher has always seemed like an ancient and wise pony, even when we were all little fillies and colts. She never cried or whimpered when she was little like the rest of us; rather, she was a calm and collected princess even then. Our queen has never lost her composure in front of us, we have never seen her cry or get excited. So we can never truly know what is going on in our beloved queen's heart and mind.
Often, it leads me to wonder... who are you really, Starcatcher? Beneath all that regal elegance and sophistication, what is our magnanimous monarch really like? The only face of hers we have ever known is the smiling and friendly queen who treats us all as her friends, rather than her subjects. Is that all there is to our queen? Does she not laugh... or cry... in her own personal moments, when none of us are around to see?
And this isn't just a question I am pondering, it's a very real concern. We Pegasus of the butterfly island tribe care about our Starcatcher- not only as our queen, but as our friend, as well. Many of us often worry that underneath that smiling exterior, our reserved ruler is often sad or depressed, and hides those feelings from the ponies that care about her the most. She doesn't want us to be upset that she's upset. And frankly, that upsets us a great deal.
It's ironic, that we have a royal ruler who distances herself from us, despite the fact that we want to emotionally connect with her; while the Ponyville ponies want their princess to be a distant and aloof icon. I often wonder if they would be happier with our ruler sitting in their Celebration castle, whilst we would be far happier with the more approachable and far less iconic Wysteria.
Not that we'd ever trade our beloved Starcatcher for anything in the world, of course.
But we do have an idea why our queen may be so distant to all of us, why she always keeps her serene and peaceful facade. When she was a little filly, Starcatcher's mother was lost to us. The king told Starcatcher that she couldn't let their subjects see them cry or weep for the loss, that she had to remain strong for the entire Pegasus tribe. But result is she never lets herself feel anything, ever. She always talks to us as Starcatcher the queen, not Starcatcher the friend. Only her family, and her earth pony friend Skywishes, have gotten to know the mare behind the monarch.
Her conversation with us concluded, our queen unfolds her wings and takes flight. Taking to the sky after her, I soar up beside the queen and call out to her;
"My queen, is everything all right?'' I ask, trying yet again to get her to open up. "Is there anything I can do to assist you?"
"Thank you, my loyal servant." She replies with her usual warm smile. "But everything is all right, just go about your usual business."
And wants again, I am left to ponder our mysterious queen with the strange body tattoos and mysterious eyes. |
Tales of Another Ponyville | It's all fun and games | Hello, hello, hello! Greetings and salutations, my good ponies, and welcome to the Ponyville Arcade! Name's Bunches O Fun, and I'm the grade-a-number-one pony of games here in this humdinger of a town. My special talent is playing, repairing, and working with game and arcade machines of every shape, size, and variety, and I just of working with those wonderful clockwork gizmos. I just love the smiles on the faces of ponies as they rack up high scores and try to best each other on the machines!
It's always been this pink mare with the green mane's greatest joy to work with arcade machines, ever since I was a wee little filly. I've always been very good at things like pinball games and skeeball, racking up the highest scores on these machines here at the arcade. That is, whenever I could sneak away to the arcade when my overbearing and stubborn mother wasn't watching. She felt I was wasting my time on these machines, playing away the hours that I could be doing something important, like gardening (my cutie mark was a bouquet of roses with a bee... gee, mom did a lousy job of interpreting that one!) But here I am, running the town arcade and providing smiles to every pony who wants to come in here and pop a jangle into a machine.
And ohhhh boy, do we get some interesting ponies in here to play games! Cotton candy loves to come in during her off hours, and tell other ponies how to play the games. Pinkie Pie likes to come here and play the hoofball machines to de-stress from this whole 'Wysteria disappearing' thing, while Kimono comes in for a round of Panchinko to get her mind off of all the 'ghosts' she's seeing around town in her visions. But you wouldn't believe what crazy event Fiesta Flair reserved my arcade for this week...
"Wow, it's so cool that Fiesta's going to hold her birthday bash for Scootaloo here." Starbeam declared, sipping on a soda as he helped me wipe down a pinball machine. "I think this a great opportunity for your arcade to shine!"
"Yeah, I just wish she weren't hanging her pinatas up in here." I tell him with a sigh, checking the flipper pedals on the machine with my hooves. "I mean, aren't the games and her taco dishes enough? Why does she have to mess up my carpet with broken pinata pieces, and falling candy everywhere?"
Starbeam, the awesome stallion with the blue coat and white mane. The ultimate slacker, he's Ponyville's astronomer who's always looking to the stars through his telescope, always dreaming of worlds far beyond our own. He also spends all of his time around here, playing the space-themed games and keeping me company, while he rambles on and on about the glittering stars in the skies above. Maybe that's why I became his girlfriend.
"I wouldn't try to worry too much about it, babe!" He tells me, putting a hoof over my shoulder. "You're games are always going to be a major hit with the ponies of Ponyville!"
I just shrugged and laughed at his response, and we go to enjoy many of the different games in my arcade. He whips my tail at skee ball, having the bigger and stronger muscles behind those stallion hooves to send those balls a-flying up that ramp an into the hole. At the whack a diamond dog game my superior reflexes got the better of him, as I bonk more of those fuzzy fiends in ten seconds, than my much slower boyfriend can snag in a whole minute. And we found some very interesting things to do in the arcade's photo booth... though let me tell you, there is no way any one outside of Starbeam and I are going to see these snapshots.
It was then we turned our attention to the pinball machines, and Starbeam noticed a strange-looking one standing off in the corner all by itself. The lights and music coming out of the thing seemed almost... from another time, telling me this was a very early vintage machine.
"Wow, Bunches! I've never seen this machine in here before." He told me, looking the odd contraption over. "This thing looks so old, where on earth did you get it?"
"I dunno where it came from, I found it in the back of the storeroom along with the other games brought here from Ponyville's old arcade." I shrugged, tapping on the side of the game cabinet with my hoof. "It looked like the thing hadn't been touched in ages, so I took it out, cleaned it off, plugged it in... and what do you know, it did still work!"
"Here, let's give this thing a whirl!" He exclaimed excitedly, popping a token into the slot. "Hey, this thing doesn't except your arcade's tokens, it spit it right back out!"
"Here, let me put it on free play." I reply, messing with the wires underneath the cabinet until credits; 1 popped up on the screen. "There you go, no go ahead and have fun!"
And so Starbeam blasted into the game Nightmare moons revenge.
"Oh No! Little ponies I need your help again!" A motherly voice came out of the machine, clearly belonging to the while alicorn who was currently lit up on the machine's backboard. "My sister has been transformed into Nightmare Moon again, and I need your help to save her!"
Starbeam shot the ball into the play field, then hit hit three bumpers labeled cutie mark crusaders, and immediately the image of three little fillies with capes on lit up and exclaimed "Yay, we've earned our cutie marks!" Then, Starbeam hit the ball up towards a farm with a red barn up in the right-hand corner, and an orange cowpony in a cowgirl hat lit up; "Yee haw, you hit that ball clean into the apple orchard, pardner!" He then sent the ball flying up into a small cottage on the right, where a timid looking little mechanical Pegasus popped out, and said softly; "You scored fifty points, yay!"
"Wow, these are some very interesting characters in this game." I noted, amazed at the detail and quality on the game's artwork. "I wonder why this machine was shoved into the back and forgotten about?"
Starbeam then hit the other small buildings on the table, whacking into a dress boutique, and having a white unicorn yell out. "I'll destroy you for ruining my dresses!" And earned a 'Sugarcube corners free ball', for hitting the ball into a little bakery on the play field.
"Oooo, congratulations, you get a free ball!" An eerily familiar pink mare exclaimed, popping up out of the gingerbread bakery.
"Bunches, did you see that?! That was Pinkie Pie!" Starbeam exclaimed, so shocked that he almost let his ball go down the hole. "Pinkie Pie was in an ancient game that was made before she was even born!"
"Yeah, you're right! And isn't that rainbow Dash?!" I reply in utter shock, seeing the familiar blue pony pop out of a large mass of clouds when Starbeam's ball hit it. "But she's a Pegasus here, that's not right!"
"You hit it my house with that one! You're pinball skills are 200% cooler." The not-Rainbow-Dash exclaimed.
"And that voice, that isn't Rainbow at all!" Starbeam agreed, looking over the board as he lost his ball from a missed flipper shot. "Is this pinball machine possessed or something?"
And it was at his mention of possession, that I notice that a lot of the figures on the play field look a lot like the specters many ponies have seen around town. And as I look at the different figures on this pinball machine, the Pink winged unicorn by the crystal-looking city, and the little purple dragon, I'm left to wonder where exactly this machine did come from.... |
Tales of Another Ponyville | I believe in Yesterdaisy | When there is no future, the past is all a pony has....
I've seen this little drama play out countless times before. Two or three weeping ponies, all standing around a beloved older family member whose breath is growing and more shallow. They are all silently saying their goodbyes, their beloved grandma or uncle or cousin closes his or her eyes for the last time. One of the children collapses in tears on the bed as the dying pony stops breathing, and all the ponies present turn to comfort one another.
Crystal Lake, this era's guide of pony souls to the afterlife, appears before the dead pony. Drawing the recently deceased's spirit out of the nonliving husk, the purple mare guides the dead pony onto the world beyond. Neither the dead nor their guide utters a word to me, departing through the wall as silently as they had come. I am left to observe all the events that follow, cataloging all of the thoughts, feelings, emotions and memories evoked by all of the ponies present.
That is my job here, recording events of pony's lives as they happen. My name is Yesterdaisy, and I live between the ticks of seconds. I see all of you going about your lives, unable to see or hear me. I watch all of you on a daily basis, going about your daily lives. I see Rainbow Dash and Sew and Sew looting over designs and patterns, planning the next year's line of dresses and outfits. Cotton Candy is already yakking poor Skywishes's ears off, while Minty is preparing to accidentally drop a whole stack of teapots she's carrying onto Apple Spice's head.
Just another day here in Ponyville, just like all the days of it's past, and many many days into it's future. I can see back into all of the events of it's past simply willing it, and I am here to watch all things that are to come in it's tomorrows. When I look at a filly and wonder why she shivered at the sight of a spider, I can gaze back into her past, and see she was bitten by a spider as a foal. When I gaze upon a stallion who frowns at a slice of cake and eats pie instead, I can look back and see that his wife had made him cake for six days in a row. I can see all that had gone past, my vision is only dark when it comes to the future.
My future is over, it has been ever since this little purple mare with the Pink and white mane went skating on an icy pond, fell through into the cold and chilly waters. I remember my hooves pushing up against the ice, trying to escape from a watery prison. My friends in Ponyville tried to find me, of course... but I was already gone by then. But instead of passing on to the friendship gardens, my maker had a different plan for me. I have become the creator's chronicler, taking note of all that befalls everybody, while completely unable to affect anyone or anything I am seeing. It is my job to watch each and every one of these little dramas play out, such as the one going on inside celebration castle right now.
"It is settled then, we must send out a search party to the lands beyond the valley, in order to locate Wysteria." Spike the Dragon told the two ponies standing before him. "I think we should send out Kimono and her students to bring our princess back."
"No, that's a really bad idea!" Pinkie Pie replied. "We should take volunteers to go and get her back. Kimono and her fighters would be to scary to any ponies that are out there!"
"I agree more with Pinkie Pie's plan, Spike." Princess Pinksparkle agreed, nodding her head at her chancellor's advice. "We will send out a rescue party led by Rainbow Dash. But if anything goes wrong, we will send out Kimono and her companions."
These poor ponies, looking for their princess in all the wrong places. I would love to tell the princess and her subjects where their missing ruler is, but I am forbidden to interact with these ponies, they cannot see or hear anything I would wish to say to them. It is so frustrating to be unable to say or do anything to help all of these ponies with their current plight. It is so frustrating to see everything that these ponies see and do, and yet be unable to warn them about the terrible mistakes they are about to make. it is a tragedy that I cannot prevent these tragedies from occurring.
Going outside of the castle, I see that Rainbow Dash is speaking to her friends, and I can see she is already ready to leap out of the Ponyville region, and go rescue her long lost friend.
"I'm telling you, Sew and Sew dahling, we need to go out and find our Wysteria!" Rainbow stamped her hoof angrily, pacing back and forth as she spoke to her friend. "We can't just leave her out there to face who knows what dangers!"
"Calm down, Dashie! You really need to be more patient!" Her much calmer friend told her, putting a hoof on her friend's shoulder. "We need to wait until Pinkie and Spike come to a decision!"
Oh, Rainbow Dash... if only I had had a loyal friend like you. I might not have met an unfortunate fate that I did, leaving behind a husband and daughter after I went to a watery grave. How I wish my own past had gone much better than it did, and I had ended up living a normal life in the Ponyville of my age, instead of being the guardian of Ponyville's time. In that way, the little pony named Yesterdaisy would have ended up with a much better tomorrow. |
Tales of Another Ponyville | A daughter I can be proud of | You know, I can really say it's never easy being the pony who goes against the grain.
There was a time here in Ponyville, long before any of our generation was here, that gender stereotypes were something to challenge. Ponies had almost achieved a culture free of super-girliness, when the defenders of gender norms came rushing to the defense of tradition. A serious social conflict occurred between the two sides, with the fate of pony society hanging in the balance. And as to who won this controversial debate?
Well, just take a look at the society around us!
Red bows and flowers and pink splotched everywhere! Even suggesting acting like a boy is enough to get you a nasty stare from the mares around here. But the Rainbow family has never backed down from any kind of challenge. Like my mom before me, I've bucked the trend here in Ponyville, racing and swimming and taking part in every sport imaginable. But my own daughter has finally broken the tradition, embracing all things girly, and breaking my heart.
Well, that is... until now.
"I'm so very proud of you, Dashie! Going out and leading a rescue mission like this!" I tell my little girl proudly, as she makes her preparations to leave Ponyville with her search party. "Standing up and taking charge, leading other ponies on a dangerous quest... now, this is always the kind of pony I wanted you to be!"
"Knock it off, mother! I'm doing this for Wysteria, not for you!" Rainbow Dash yelled at me, stamping her hoof to emphasize her point. "The other girls and I are going out to look for her, not so I can fulfill your deep dark desires to have a tomboy for a daughter!"
My little girl's words are a harsh sting, but nothing have ever been easy between Dashie and I. My name is Rainbow Flash, and I am the mother of Ponyville's resident fashionista. I would rather be the mother of Ponyville's resident runner or jumper, but Rainbow Dash has always had a mind of her own.
"So, which ponies are you taking with you?" I ask her, trying to get on a lighter subject again. "You'll need a strong team to survive out in the mysterious regions beyond the borders of the valley."
"I'm taking Spring Fever, Blue Mist, and Daisy Paisley, mother dahling." She replied, her tone towards me softening a bit. "We think the four of us might have the best chance bringing her back."
"What, those three softies?" I scoff, trying to hide my disbelief. "What are all of you going to do? Hold a fashion show, and try to draw Princess Wysteria out by a desire to be pretty?"
"See now, there you go again, mother! Always criticizing my life and how I choose to do things!" She snapped again, turning to pack her saddlebags full of gear. "I don't need this kind of garbage when I'm getting ready to go on a rescue mission!"
Oh, Dashie... I never wanted to hurt your feelings. When she was a filly, I thought she'd turn out just like I did; strong, brave, and independent. I'm the mare who when a stallion held a door open for me, I'd slam it in their faces. When a guy bought me a piece of jewelry or an accessory as a gift, I'd slug him with my hoof for getting me something so stereotypical. I was a rebel, fighting against all the pre-conceived notions about what I would like. I made sure the stallion I married treated me like any of his other friends, let me tell you!
So imagine how I felt, when my own daughter embraced the establishment with her useless feminine behavior! I was horrified seeing my foal show no interest in toy trucks, and instead start playing with brushable pony dolls. I worked overtime to try to get rid of these traits from her. Every time her father snuck her a dolly, I was sure to get it away from her and break it. I had the beautician keep her mane cut too short to style, and I never let her go near the town's dress shops and fashion boutiques.
And what was my reward? My daughter turned against me as soon as she hit adulthood, and has gone out of her way to do everything with her life that drives me crazy. I wanted her to carry on my legacy, to be the next generation in the fight against gender norms. But instead I got the quintessential frilly fashionista for a daughter. What a waste of all the care and effort I put into raising that girl... how dare she not live up to the legacy our family left to her!?
"Mother, if you're not going to be any help, would you please leave?" Rainbow Dash grumbled at me. "Why don't you go and race motor scooters with Scootaloo or something?"
Scootaloo... now's there's a proper heir to my legacy! A filly who started off idolizing Dashie's life mistakes, she soon came around to seeing how stupid following society's expectations actually is. Seeing a kindred spirit in the girl, I took her under my hoof, and train her in the dirt bike and motor scooter racing that I've loved to do since I was a little filly. In scoots I see a kindred spirit, who is more of what I wanted in a protege than my own daughter.
"I think I will go join her her Dashie, at least she'll have something nice to say to me." I snort angrily, trotting out of her house. "At least she's a daughter I can truly be proud!" |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Matchmaking Mare | Ahhh, Valentine's day! The most romantic day for all of Ponyville, it is a special occasion single mares and stallions to get together, and for those with a very special somepony to remind each other how much they care about one another. Pink hearts, heart-shaped candies, and valentines covered in bows and lace. It is a time when love is in the air, and I can spread happiness and joy to all of the Ponies of this town. It's the greatest joy in my life to not only watch love happen, but also to make love happen.
Yes, I am Always and Forever.... the legendary white mare with fluttery fairy wings, who fires her arrows to bring love to two unsuspecting ponies of the opposite gender. No, contrary to popular belief, my arrows do not make ponies fall in love with each other. Rather, they get two ponies who don't know they have feelings for each other to realize they are in love. So if you see this red-maned mare in a rose covered tiara ( I don't know how you possibly could, given how I'm invisible just like Yesterdaisy and the other Ponyville guardian spirits are), please don't think I'm there to make you get a crush on you own worst enemy.
But I'm not the only one who loves the feelings of love on this holiday.
"Ahhh, love is in the air!" I hear a pink mare with a red mane thinks to herself, looking at all of the passing pony couples with a smile. "I just love watching all of the happy couples I helped set up together!"
Valenshy, the sweet little mare who plays matchmakers with all sorts of ponies in this town. Whenever she sees a lonely mare and a lonely stallion who she thinks would go well together, Valenshy sends both of them valentines, each addressed from the other pony. She would use these sneaky tactics to end up bringing unhappy and lonely ponies together, and then sitting back and silently watching with a warm smile on her face.
She reminds me of.... me, when I was in her position, a few hundred years back. A shy and lonely mare, looking to give others the love she was so desperately yearning for herself, but was totally unable to achieve. Last year, she hooked Minty and Shenanigans up together, slipping valentines into one of Minty's socks, and another into Shenanigan's whoopee cushions. This year she is watching the two cuddle on a bench from the sidelines, a blissful smile on her face because she was the one who brought them together. Such a mare, alive with the spirit of love I so desperately want to spread, deserves to have a stallion of her own.
"I wish I could find a wonderful guy like that." She sighs in her mind. "But I'm not special enough to have a very special somebody."
And as I scan the crowd, I see the answer; a VERY handsome stallion with a blue coat and red mane. Those muscles, that flank... yes, Love Wishes is the perfect mate for her! I've had my eye on this stallion for quite some time now (for... ahem... very different reasons), and he is just as good of a matchmaker as Valenshy is! Several years ago, he rigged Scootaloo and Scooter Sprite's engine's so that they would wreck into each other, and though it led to a few scraped knees, it also led to the hottest romance burning up the raceways. It's very rare that you find a stallion who is a hopeless romantic, but here is one of those rare occasions for you!
"Oh, hey Valenshy." The stallion mumbles timidly, as he went trotting by the bench the mare was sitting on. "H-how are you today?"
"O-oh! Love Wishes! Hi...." She looked up at him in surprise, suddenly blushing as she looked back down. "I-I'm fine. Are you enjoying your Valentine's day?"
"Yeah, I guess so..." He tells her with a sigh, scratching the back of his neck with his hoof. "... it's so great to see how happy everyone is today."
"Yeah, all the couples look so happy together." Valenshy sighed. Getting an idea, she suddenly looked up. "Say, Love Wishes? How would you like to go and get some coca from Cotton Candy's?"
"Oh, ummmm...." Love Wishes replied nervously, looking around as if trying to find a way to escape. "I'd love to, Valenshy, but I... have to go get my tail groomed."
"Oh, ok..." Valenshy replied sadly. "I just thought I'd ask."
Okay, that does it. I'm tired of these namby-pamby ponies, who can't even admit the obvious feelings they obviously have for each other. Two lonely ponies, who are totally obsessed with love, unable to see the love that is right in front of their faces. I can't just sit back on my flank, and let these two be miserable for the rest of their lives! It's time for Always and Forever, the pony angel of love, to save the day!
Pulling out my bow and and arrows, I load up six heart-tipped arrows on my bowstring. I can't take the chance this won't work, so I'm giving them each a triple whammy! Letting go of the bowstring with a loud twang, I send the barrage straight into the unsuspecting couple.
"Oh!"
"Unh!"
The two stupefied ponies stared at each other for several minutes, then suddenly smiled at each other with big, goofy grins. Love Wishes extended a hoof to Valenshy, who took it as the stallion pulled her close. I began to envision a rush of chocolate candies, long poems and songs sung by Love Wishes to the mare of his dreams, and long walks though Ponyville Park in the evening. Such a wonderful romance I have just created! How exciting this great relationship... will... be...
...wait, what're they doing?
Why are they trotting over into the bushes? Why are his hooves going there? Why is she moving like that? HOLY BUCK WHAT ARE THEY DOING IN PUBLIC?!
Uh oh, it looks like I hit them with TOO high of a dose, and made them realize their feelings for one another a little TOO much.
Oh wow, that so incredible! How did he fit that into-
Ohhh-kaaay, I think we've read enough of this particular entry, how on earth did something this explicit end up out in the main library? I- er- better put this away in the mature section of the library for- my own personal further analysis... that's it, yes. And who keeps making these 'Ponyville Spirits' entries anyway? Oh well, let's move on to the next entry in the book....
Storybelle |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Apple Spice up the World! | "All right girls, get those hooves high!" Twinkle Twirl called out. "Lift those back legs... and kick, and kick and kick!"
Twinkle Twirl has us running through our usual dance routines double duty this week, with the spring fancy paradise coming up next week and all. We're all putting that extra practice in, because the Twinkle Twirl dance studio troupe is going to get to do something we have never done before; dance in between the rolling flower floats as they go by during the parade itself. We've always been limited to dancing on stage when the parade was over- Wysteria didn't want attention pulled away from the flower floats during the event. But it turns out Princess Pinksparkle has an entirely different idea of what she wants for the holiday, and has decided to give viewers a little more variety this year.
"Apple Spice, get a little more spin in that jump!" Twinkle Twirl demanded, trotting between each of us five dancers as she barked out instructions. "Desert Rose, that Dance step looks terrible, you need to stay on your back for twenty seconds longer to make it work!"
Twinkle is a harsh taskmistress, but she is the best Dance teacher and troupe leader in Ponyvile- heck in all of Equestria! She has taught a whole generation of fillies and mares how to put a little spice up their dance steps. And she certainly helped me from being a klutz with two left hooves into a near-perfect dancer!
Oh, sorry... Name's Apple Spice, the twirling wonder of Ponyville's dance troupe. If you've ever seen one of our performances, I'm the whirling yellow mare with the orange and purple mane. And like every other member of the Apple family, I've got this big old apple cutie mark right on my flank. By no know means does that mean that I'm an apple farmer- oh no! My special talent is dancing, and there is nothing I love doing more than performing on stage with the rest of the Ponyville troupe.
"All right girls, that's enough for today!" Twinkle calls out, as we all collapse to the floor. "I want all of you to go hone, and get plenty of rest tonight! Because I want all of you back here bright and early tomorrow morning for early bird practice!"
"Later, Twinkle!" All six of us reply in unison, trotting out the door. As all of the other mares dispersed, I walked back towards my home just at the far western edge of town. It's a little more out of the way than where my other fellow dancers live, but it's a special place that only our particular family chooses to call home.
Greener than Green Meadows, four hundred acres of open fields, dotted with hundred of apple trees across the landscape. A pristine and natural setting, the beauty of this rolling orchard is broken up only by the occasional picnic bench and trashcan. Mares love to come here, and have sundae picnics with their families after church. There is no more pleasant place in all of Ponyville, not even Ponyville Park or Kimono's waterfall is this serene.
"Applejack, Applejack are you home?" I call out, as I come trotting up to the red house shaped like a giant apple. "I wanted to talk to you about the Spring Fancy Parade!"
"Well, howdy there, Spice! Good ta see y'all home early!" A red mare stuck her head out of the window, smiling at me. "Ah jest made some fresh peanut butter and apple butter sandwiches fer lunch, if y'all wanna come in fer a bite!"
A long time ago, these lands were the apple family's farm. But we couldn't afford to keep it, and greedy developers from the big cities of Equestria couldn't wait to get their slimy hooves on our farm, and turn it into a strip mall and housing development. So the town of Ponyville, not wanting those sleazeballs to destroy a place so near and dear to the community, bought it out from under us. The Apple Farm was turned into a park, and the Apple family was allowed to remain here and live, as caretakers of the park.
"So, how was things at yer dance practice today?" She asked me, putting down a plate of food as I trotted in through the door. "I bet y'all were the best dancer there!"
"Oh, I wasn't that good, A.J." I replied bashfully, sitting down at the table and took a bite of her sandwich. "I'm no better as dancer than anyone else there."
"Why, that's absolute hogwash, Spice!" A.J. snorted, stamping her hoof on the table. "Why, ah bet yer the greatest dancer in the troupe, nopony can jump and twirl with a ribbon streamer like y'all cain, Spice!"
Good old A.J., my cousin who is always sticking up for me, no matter the situation. She came here to Ponyville from somewhere else in Equestria a few years back, and moved into the Apple house with me to help take care of the park. She's always my biggest supporter in everything I do, wither it's fulfilling my dream of becoming a great dancer, or going after a stallion in town I have a crush on. She's always right there, cheering me on.
I guess the Apple family is always like that.
At least, they all should be. My own parents thought my dancing was a waste of time, and wanted me to take over running the orchard after they were gone. My brother Golden Delicious got to move into town and live out his dreams, but I was supposed to take over the family's job as caretakers, and keep the Apple tradition going here. Oh, I was allowed to do my ribbon dancing with Twinkle Twirl's troupe, but only as a side hobby. Planting apple trees and apple bucking was top priority, and anything else was a distraction.
As so after mom and dad died, I did take over the orchard, and tried to balance apple picking with my dancing (yes, I mean Picking. I refuse to apple buck and risk hurting my dancing legs.) Thank goodness A.J. came along and took over running the park, so I am now free to dance most of the time- while helping her out running the park on the side, that is.
"Soooo, I hear your troupe is performing at the spring fancy parade this year, huh?" A.J. said, pouring me a glass of cider. "I bet everypony will have their eyes glued on y'all... especially those stallions y'all have been eyeing, the ones who've been hanging around with yer brother Golden."
"Yeah, about that... A.J., you know that stallion I was interested in, Cinnamon Breeze?" I begin rubbing my hooves together nervously. "He agreed to go out with me on a date..."
"Well, ain't that just the sweetest thang!" Applejack declared, giving me a hug excitedly. "Ain't he thait one tap dancin' stallion with the pink coat an' mane? Course, we won't hold thait against him- everyone and evrythang in this town is pink!"
"Yeah, bu he only agreed to go out with me one one condition..." I tell her with a sigh. "He has a brother, Blue Mist... who has an eye on you. He'll only go out with me if we double date with both him and Knick-Knack."
"Knick-Knack? Ponyville's garbage stallion?" She asked in disgust, a nauseated sound creeping into her voice. "Y'all really want me ta go on a date with him?"
"Oh please, Applejack!" I pleaded, getting down on my back hooves. "It's the only way I can even get a date with him!"
"Oh, all raight... If it'll help y'all, ah'll do it." She sighed, shaking her head. "Besides, ah'm not one ta look down on a pony because of the profession he's in. Besides, the blue collar working stallion is just my type... but still, the manners a garbage pony must have, yeeech!"
Yeeeaaah... Applejack complained about a stallion's manners and cleanliness, as she belched and scratched her own flank with her hoof. Huh, maybe these two will get along better than I think they will.
Or maybe this will turn out be be the worst dating disaster in the history of Ponydom! |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Applejacked | Ohhhhh, Horseapples! Why do I have to put up with all this bunk?!
You know, I have a decent life here in Ponyville; nice little apple orchard, making picnic lunches for the ponies here in town, and spend time hanging out with my friends. I have very little to complain about, as far as problems go, but it's times like what happened today that make me wish I'd learn NOT to do favors for family!
"Applejack, how's my makeup? Is my tail bow on straight?" Spice asked me in a panic, running around the house and giggling like a school filly. "Ohmygosh, I can't believe he's gonna be here soon!"
It was only a few hours before our double date with the pair of brothers, and the two of us were making preparations as quickly as possible. Apple Spice seemed like she was on cloud nine as she tried on dress after dress, but I was left as nervous as a bull trapped in a ten-foot-wide corral. This was the first time in years I was goin' out with a feller, and it wasn't something I twernt' lookin' forward to. Because the stallion I was going out with just happened to be a total dirty slob.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm a cowgirl at heart. I grew up on an apple farm, where we wrestled with the pigs in the mud and mashed apples into applesauce with our hooves. So fellers who get themselves dirty and crawl through the mud are right up my alley. But there's a line that I won't cross... a level of dirt and grime that even makes me sick, and ponies who like to play in the trash with their bare hooves DEFINITELY qualifies! And sadly, the stallion Spice's hooked me up with literally needs to be taken out with the trash!
"Hey, A.J.! Cinnamon Breeze and Knick-Knack are here for our date!" She calls up the stairs to me, a smile on her face as the two stallions trot in the door. "C'mon down and greet your date!"
Hey, maybe I'm being too hard on him. I think to myself, taking the last curlers out of my hair, and trot of my room and down the stairs. But all of my worst fears are quickly realized as I looked at the two stallions before me. Oh, sureeee Cinnamon Swirl is a handsome pink pony with a niiiiice pair of, ummmmm.... cinnamon buns.
But Knick-Knack.... ugh! Girls, you know the kind of stallions, right? Mist had missing gaps in his teeth, chunks of the hair from his coat missing, and bugs crawling through his mane. As he walked to me, I could smell the foul stench that reminded me of rotten eggs and old moldy cheese.
"You sure got a purty mouth!" He told me, flashing me a bug-filled smile as he handed me a bouquet of dead roses he obviously pulled out of the rubbish heap. Meanwhile, my dear sweet cousin was getting a much better treatment from Cinnamon Swirl.
"Ah, here we go! Sweets for my dear sweet!" He handed her a box of chocolates, flashing her a pearly white smile. ""I hope you enjoy!"
"Ohhh, thank you, Cinnamon!" Spice giggled,giving the smiling stallion a great big hug. "You are such a sweetheart!"
Gee, sure sure got lucky on this whole thing, now didn't she?! When we both go outside with our dates, Cinnamon buns had a lovely pink motor carriage waiting for her, Blue Mist had his garbage truck waiting for me.
"Muh lady, yer carriage awaits." he told me, as I climbed into the front seat, with flies buzzing around me. The two took us to Sweetie Belle's gourmet restaurant. (See, Cotton Candy lets Sweetie Belle use her cafe as a gourmet dining restaurant through the night until sunrise.) Cinnamon swirly pulled her chair out, talked nicely and politely to her, and let her order her own meal. He was really good conversation, as the two talked and laughed together while I sat with my misery- er, mystery date.
"Your eyes remind me of the deep swirling tides of the sea." Cinnamon declared, sounding like sweet honey-flavored cider as he spoke. "and your hooves shine brightly as the purest pearl!"
"Oh, Swirl!" She giggled like a silly filly. "You say the sweetest things!"
Meanwhile, Knick-Knack was doing his best to get on my nerves, and make me wish I hadn't gone on this date in the first place.
"Hey, baby! Ya know ya got the cutest muzzle?" He grinned, the bugs slithering through his teeth. "Yer eyes are like two fetid pools of sewage, with rotten banana peels and dirty disposable diapers thrown in!"
"Thanks... I think?" I tell him, trying not to throw up at the appalling stallion before me. "Y'all say the nastiest things ta me!"
I hope Apple Spice appreciates what I'm doing for her, putting up with this slob. I don't get it, how could this disgusting ball of slime be kin to such a sweetheart like Cinnamon Swirl? But I try to smile and put up with this pile of garbage that picks up garbage, so Cinnamon won't ditch my cousin.
What followed was glass after glass of hard cider, and you know what? Knick-Knack starts to look much much better. The disgusting sleaze before melts away, and a stallion even more handsome than Cinnamon Swirl sits before me! Ohhh, this date's the best thing that's EVER happened to me!
.....
What followed was a blurry mess that I'm glad I can't remember, and the filthiest night of my life... literally. The next morning I woke up in the back end of a garbage truck covered in rubbish, and a case of the clops he gave me that STILL itches a week later!
Apple Spice, the next time you need a double date... call Pinkie Pie! |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Dark and Dangerous | "Okay, be careful, everyone!" Daisy Paisley tells us, as we pass out into the outside world. "It could be really dangerous out here, so we have to be careful!"
She is right, of course... the lands beyond Ponyville is a dark and foreboding place. As soon as we leave the valley, the sky changes from a bright blue, to a dark and smokey black. The air grows heavy and thick with a smog that fills our lungs, and chokes the breath out of our very throats. And the trees go from looking alive and full of color, to sickly plants barely clinging to life. The stench of death hangs in the air all around us, and the four little ponies in this rescue party wish they had never left home.
"Cough, cough! Ugh, this air is terrible dahling!" Rainbow Dash complained, raising a hoof to her dainty mouth. "It feels like it's burning my throat!"
"Try to take smaller breaths, Dashie, and we need to get to a place with clean air very quickly." Spring Fever declared, looking over our team's leader as she would a patient. "I'm worried about the damage this toxic atmosphere is doing to our lungs."
I've always thought Equestria was a nice and beautiful place.... where and sun princess and moon princess watched over a happy kingdom of ponies who are all friends with each other. But this... this place looks like an apocalyptic wasteland, with cold and death and fear all around us. The little animals and birds flee in terror from us, as if a pony was the most horrifying predator in the world one could encounter. And if that's the case, then I hope we can complete our mission and get home before we encounter one of those ponies they are so terrified of.
"Ugh, my head hurts." Daisy stops for a second, raising a hood and rubbing her head. "I don't know what's wrong, but my something is really, really wrong."
"Just stop, and try to catch your breath, Daisy." I tell her, putting a hoof on her shoulder. "We don't need you getting sick, too."
My name is Blue Mist, the azure stallion with a pink mane. I'm the stallion in Ponyville who works at the library as Storybelle's assistant. (I'm also her boyfriend, eh heh...) I'm the pony who reads all the little fillies and colts fairy tales and stories when they come for junior story club every week. I just love fantasy stories, fantastic tales where the warrior maiden saves the helpless stallion. When I was a little colt, I would often pretend I was a handsome prince, just waiting in a castle guarded by a dragon for a beautiful princess to save me!
I wish I was in one of those fairy stories right now, instead of slogging along this unknown road in a very scary Equestria. Our little rescue party is on a mission to bring back Princess Wysteria, who ran away in a hot air balloon when she felt under-appreciated in Ponyville. Rainbow Jumped in and offered to lead our search team, and Doctor Spring Fever is here in case she needs medical attention. Daisy is Ponyville's best tracker, and is following the wind's currents to where they would have taken the twinkle balloon.
And me? I'm just here as the token stallion, so the party is balanced. I jumped in and volunteered right away, wanting to go along on a rescue mission that was sooo much like the fairy tales I love to read! But this adventure is turning out to be less of a fairy tale... and more of a nightmare.
"It's so cold here... Blue dahling, why is it so cold?" Rainbow asked, shivering as a gust of wind chilled her. "Didn't you say the Pegasus of Equestria controlled the weather beyond Ponyville?"
"Well, that's what the storybooks say, but I really don't know why they'd let it get this cold." I reply, shivering as another cold gust hit me. "Maybe the Pegasus like the cold air?"
"They'd have to be cold blooded, to survive in this horrible environment." Spring Fever replied, stifling a cough of her own. "I'm worried what damage the toxins have done to Princess Wysteria, if she's been out here this long."
"The wind still seems to be blowing in this direction, so we'd better keep following this path." Daisy told us, pointing a hoof farther down the path. "We'd better pick up our pace if we want to catch up with her balloon."
We continued trotting on for several miles, feeling sicker and sicker as we went. Soon, we saw a half rotted signpost that said 'Baltimatre' in faded letters. But since none of us had ever head of that place, we simply ignored it and pressed on. Soon, and eerie mist began to roll in over the path, and the air around us became deathly still.
"Wow, I've never heard it this quiet before." Daisy whispered, her breath visible in the cold. "I think I could hear a hat pin drop."
"Look up there on the road, dahling!" Rainbow Dash called out pointing a hoof further down the path. "It looks like a local pony. Maybe we could ask for directions?"
We all looked forward, and saw what appeared to be a stallion step out onto the road ahead. His grey coat and black mane seemed to blend in with the mist and fog, making him barely visible. He seemed to not notice us, just standing there staring off in the other direction.
"Hello, excuse me?" Spring Fever called out taking a few steps forward and addressing the stranger loud enough for him to hear. "Sorry to bother you, my good sir, but could you be so kind as to give us some directions?"
"Uhhh, Spring?" Daisy asked, a frightened tone creeping into her voice. "I-I really don't think you should do that..."
The stallion slowly turned his head towards us, and we all suddenly gasped in horror. The pony's eyes seemed to glow like the headlights on Sooctaloo's scooter. We were all frozen, like deer caught in bright lights, before the stallion suddenly gave out a high-pitched screech.
"PONYVILLE PONIES!" The horrific looking pony shrieked, pointing a hoof at us. "PONYVILLE PONIES IN EQUESTRIA!!"
Suddenly, as if summoned by the stallion's hideous cry, hundreds of Equestrian ponies came crawling out of the trees. Mares and stallion glared at us, their eyes blazing light torches, fangs bared and saliva oozing from their mouths like the venom of a snake. Their bodies were small and sickly looking, as if they were malnourished. And their heads were and eyes were ridiculously swollen and enlarged, as if by disease. They swarmed down upon us in a mad frenzy, as if driven by an unreasonable hatred and rage.
"AHHHH! THEY MAKE MY EYES BURN!"
"KILL THEM WITH FRIENDSHIP!"
"LOVE...TOLERATE....BURN THEM WITH FIRE!"
"AIEEEEEEEEE! Everybody, RUN!" We all screamed in unison, turning tails and running away.
They frenzied Equestrians were hot on our hooves, a burning look of hunger as if they were ready to devour us. We galloped as fast as our hooves would carry us through the mists, but the ravenous equines crawled down every tree, and slithered out of every hole. There seemed to be no escape from our pursuers.
"Faster, girls, faster!" I cried out in a panic, running behind them and trying to urge the other tree on. "They're gaining on us!"
This... this can't be Equestria! Equestria is a beautiful land of sunshine and rainbows, not slobbering trolls ponies boiling over with rage! I turn to look back, hoping to see some glimmer of the gentle ponies from my fairy stories about Equestria. But in their eyes I see only hatred.... raw, unreasoning, burning hatred. Is this why the Princess of Friendship had Ponyville sealed away from the rest of Equestria? To protect us from this?
"Oh No! They're in front of us!" Spring Fever cried out, stopping dead as more of the Equestrian equines appeared. "This is the end, I know it!"
"Form a circle, pony darlings! Back to back!" Rainbow Dash declared, glaring at our pursuers menacingly. "If we're going to go down, we're going down fighting!"
As they close in on us, I hear their mad murmurings and insane ramblings coming from the mob.
"Destroy the false fillies!"
"Best Pony!"
"Death to the inferior generation!"
And as we prepare to fight for our lives, I am left only to wonder where all of the friendship went... |
Tales of Another Ponyville | It can't end like this! | The four of us put up one heck of a fight. Rainbow Dash and Spring Fever were kicking the equestrian ponies away, knocking the left and right. Blue Mist and I headbutt several of them away, knocking about dozen of our attackers. We fight well, but they outnumber us twenty to one. The four of us are quickly overwhelmed, and we soon find ourselves in chains, and at the mercy of captors.
"Take those defective freaks back to the circle in the clearing!" One of the mad stallions declared, his eerie glowing eyes staring at us in contempt. "We'll decide what to do with these Ponyville mutants there!"
My name's Daisy Paisley, and I'm Ponyville's resident tracker. My purple coat and mane can often be seen in the bushes and wooded areas around Ponyville, looking for things people have lost and pets that have run away. My keen sense of smell and heightened senses can find nearly anything; a skill that serves the ponies of our town well.
Yep, bringing home misplaced things and friends, that has been the pride of my family for generations. My mother was a tracker, as was her mother before her. My family refined and perfected these tracking techniques for generations, each generation refining and improving them better than the last. Someday, I'll pass these skills onto my own daughter, along with the special touches I've added from my own experiences.
At least... if I can get myself and my friends out of this mess.
"Wow, there are sure a lot of angry ponies out there with torches and pitchforks." Blue Mist commented, looking out at the crowd that had tied us to this big oak tree. "You think they really mean to do us in?"
"Don't be silly, darling! No pony would actually KILL another pony!" Rainbow Dash relied with a laugh, trying to keep some levity in our dire situation. "Even these thuggish bullies and brutes!"
We were all taken back to the Equestrian's encampment in the woods, where they all gathered to scorn and jeer at us. It's kind of hard to tell these demonic horrors from one another, they all look like vicious cannibals eager to devour us. But one stallion- Mysterious Entry-something or another, I believe his name is- kind of seems to be acting as their leader. He appears to be up in front of the others at the moment, ranting and raving about what should be done with us.
"HERESY! BLASPHEMY!
We ponies of Equestria are the most loving, tolerant, and friendly equines in the world. We try to make friends with the most rude and abrasive of creatures, and can forgive even the crudest of insults and most evil of actions. Every pony is entitled to make mistakes, and every pony is entitled to bad judgement now and then. We can live in harmony with almost anyone or anything.
But these... these...aberrations! These... freaks of nature! With the little hearts in their eyes and magnetic hooves and sickeningly sweet demeanor! They are a race of degenerate deformities, born of centuries of isolation in the toxic cesspool that is Ponyville! How dare one of them call themself Rainbow Dash! How dare one steal the name Pinkie Pie! We know what the real ponies are like, and we're not going to tolerate these false ponies!
But now, these mutations have found their way out into our world, seeking to spread their vapid and two dimensional personalities to the rest of Equestria! Their girly imperfection is an insult to our sophisticated and three dimensional personalities. And so we must rid ourselves of these imperfect ponies, before they can pull down our generation of pony's obvious superiority.
And so, gather the firewood, my fellow Equestrians! We shall let the fires purify these imperfections from our presence, freeing us from their shallow taint! Then, we shall follow the vermin's trail back to their nest, and exterminate that generation of Ponyville ponies from existence! Raise a brohoof to our success, my equine brothers and sisters! Praise be to great Celestia and Luna, and let the perfection of our generation's shine forever!"
"That does it, our goose is cooked!" Spring Fever panicked, about ready to burst into tears. "I'll never see my patients or my hospital again!"
"Now calm down, Spring!" I reassure her, trying to blow a few stray mane hairs out of my face. "I'm sure we'll find a way out of this mess. We've been in worse situations than this before, we'll get out of this somehow!"
"Oh now, what's this? The little freak thinks she could get away?" Their leader overheard me, and trotted up to where we were tied to gloat. "I'm very sorry, my dear, but even if you got out of those ropes, you'd never find your way back tough those woods to your precious Ponyville alive!"
"Oh yeah? Well, it just so happens that Daisy here is a tracker!" Blue Mist boasted defiantly, struggling against the ropes. "She could find her way back through the woods with her eyes blindfolded!"
"Nice going, Mist dahling." Rainbow Dash snorted at him in annoyance. Turning her head back towards the fanatical stallion, Rainbow tried to downplay the fact our party's lone stallion had so carelessly revealed. "Look dahling, Daisy doesn't really have that good of a sense of direction at all! I mean, she was supposed to be leading us to our lost princess, and we ended up out here in the wild you you ... er, gentleman." Dash rolled her eyes. "It's plainly obvious to everybody that-"
CRACK!
"It's everyPONY, you filthy Ponyville piece of sewage, everyPONY!" The stallion raged, smacking Rainbow Dash in the mouth so hard with his hoof, that he sent several teeth, spittle, and blood flying from her mouth. "I shall not have a pony from a defective generation mutilating our glorious Equestrian language! If you cannot pronounce the words properly, then keep your freakishly large muzzle SHUT!"
Rainbow glared back at him in anger, her eyes ablaze with fire as blood dripped down her broken jaw. I have never seen the kind and gentle Rainbow Dash this angry before, and it sends a shiver down all of our spines. Even our cruel captor takes a step back, looking away from Rainbow's burning gaze as fear grew in his dark heart.
"Well then, we'll just have to take care of your precious Daisy first, so that you cannot escape our righteous wrath!" He motioned to a few of his unicorn lackeys. "Guards, prepare the toxic bath of anger! We'll make this one feel our hatred towards her!"
I am quickly untied, and dragged away from the others. They lash a large logging chain around my midsection, and pull on it to raise me high into the air over a large bubbling cauldron, which the unicorns keep pouring the magic from their horns into. The stallion leader glares at me with fiendish delight as I am lowered into the cauldron.
"This toxic acid water, taken from one of the nearby streams, boils with our eternal hated towards you Ponyville ponies!" An insane grin forms on his face as he glares up at me murderously. "My unicorn followers keep the acid magically burning with our rage. As you are slowly- and painfully- dissolved away into nothing, think of the favor we are doing to the world by ridding it of your blasphemous presence!"
They slowly lower me into the cauldron, and a terrible shock of pain shoots though my hooves the moment they touch the foul smelling liquid. Every nerve ending in my body suddenly explodes with a burning agony, as it feels like every hair on my coat and mane is on fire. looking down into the cauldron, I see the acid permanently burning the lower half of my body blue, and scorching the ends of my lovely hooves a sickly green. Raising my head to the sky, I let out a pained and terrified scream to the heavens.
"AIIEEEEEEE!"
"Yes! Yes!" The stallion leader whinnied in triumph, almost sounding like he was in a euphoric ecstasy. "Burn, Ponyville heretic! Burn!"
Oh great B'zekre, this can't be happening! I have a whole life ahead of me! I want a successful career as a tracker! I want to have many more happy times with my friends! I want to have foals some day, and a husband who loves me! I have a duty to pass on my tracking skills to the next generation, and live the full and happy life my mother intended for me!
It can't end like this!
It can't end like this!
"Daisy! NOOOOO!" I hear Spring Fever's voice behind me, and the sound of the rope holding my friends snapping. I don't know what happened next, but I heard the sounds of fighting and struggling all around me, and the cauldron I was being dipped into was suddenly knocked aside. The chain holding me in the air was lowered to the ground, and I found myself lying helplessly on the grass.
"Daisy, can you hear me? Are you all right?" Spring's voice called out to me, as I saw her standing over me and checking my vital signs. "Daisy, stay with me now! DAISY!"
I tried to stay awake, tried to respond to her pleas, but I felt too blasted weak to move. The pain and ache finally overcame me, and darkness and silence engulfed the world around me.... |
Tales of Another Ponyville | A Cure For thier Disease | "Stay with me, Daisy! Don't go unconscious!" I yell at her in a panic, propping her head up with my hoof. "Stay with me, dammit!"
"Devils! The Ponyvillians fight like devils!" One of the Equestrians cried out in terror, as he and his comrades fled for the hills. "Gallop for your lives, my brothers and sisters! Before the heretics send us all to Tartarus!"
Everything happened at once; Rainbow Dash flew into a rage at the sight of one of her dear friend's suffering, and the adrenaline from the rage giving her and the rest of us the strength to break those ropes. Dash and Blue Mist dive at the zealots with a blinding fury, stomping and kicking as the rampaged through the surrounding ponies. The cultists were too shocked at the 'inferior' pony's escape to fight back, and did little to fight back as the were pounded and slammed upon by the hooves of our angry friends.
I, meanwhile, galloped over and knocked the bubbling cauldron out from under our screaming companion. Unfastening the chain that held her aloof, I used my hooves to gently lower her to the ground. Rushing over to check her vitals, I am relieved to find Daisy still alive.
"Hey, Spring...." She smiled weakly, still obviously in a groggy and weakened state. "How it going, girl?"
Examining the mare's heavily damaged body, I discovered that the situation was not good at all. The lower half of her body was scorched a myriad of colors, her coat burned clean off and the raw skin showing. I've only ever seen this kind of damage om a pony's tissue with burn victims, after a house in Ponyville had accidentally caught ablaze. I've never seen this kind of burn damage having been done from an act of violence of one pony against another before. And quite frankly, the thought sickens me...
My name is Spring Fever, and I'm the resident doctor and the Ponyville clinic and hospital. Since, I was a foal I had been fascinated by pony anatomy (my fascination with stallion anatomy did not come until my teen years... heh heh...) and the workings of a miraculous biological machine like the equine body. While other foals were reading picture books and coloring, I was taking medical textbooks out of the town library, and reading them for fun. I could recite the name of every organ in the pony digestive system by age ten.
My mother also instilled in me a desire to compassionately help other ponies, as she had done with foals as the head of the town's day care. I apprenticed under our town's previous doctor to learn my trade, then hung my own shingle out when she retired. I've been serving as the town's doctor ever since, handling everything from a case of the sniffles, to emergency surgeries to save a pony's life.
"Wow, you sure look a little different today, Daisy." I tell her with a nervous laugh, trying to add a little levity to the situation. "Are you trying a new coat dye?"
"Naw, just a new perfume." She giggled back, trying to hide her glaringly obvious pain. "You know how it is, trying to get the stallions attention, and all..."
The scorched smell coming from her lower half reminds me of charred chicken flesh, the kind I've smelled Spike cooking on an outdoor barbecue to eat. Now, in my years in the medical profession I've seen far worse than this; a pony who had an iron bar driven clean through her leg, a unicorn who didn't duck when he was passing under a low bridge on a motor scooter and had his horn sheared clean off, and even a Pegasus who had a bone sticking clean out of her wing.
But those were all accidents. I had watched those monsters torture and try to kill my friends, and even enjoy doing it! Now, Daisy Paisley will have that mis-colored lower half of her body for the rest of her natural life, a hairless burn scar that will forever remind her of this horrible night. As I bandage up her wounds, I fight back a bloodthirsty rage I can feel building up inside of me; I have a sudden urge to track down each and every one of those monsters who did this, and boil them in acidic Equestrian pollution while slowly torturing them to death. But the thought of behaving exactly like them only sickens me further, and I force myself to put the thought of what had just happened out of my head altogether.
"Spring, we've driven the last of those cowards off into the woods." Blue Mist snarled, snorting in anger at what the Equestrians had done. "Hurry, and get Daisy onto my back! I'll carry her, while you have a look at Rainbow Dash's jaw."
I nodded quickly, loading the still groggy mare onto the stallion's back, before trotting over to my rainbow-maned friend. Her jaw is so painfully dislocated that it must really hurt for her to talk. The only thing I can do here with my limited pouch of medical tools is simply bandage her jaw up. I'll have to wait until we get back to my clinic in Ponyville before I can do any serious work on her. But that look of blind rage burning from her eyes as I bandaged her up.... I'll never forget it as long as I live.
"Hurry up, Spring!" Blue called out, galloping his way back in the direction we had come. "We gotta get out of here, before those crazies come back!"
And so we ran, farther and faster than we ever had before, racing out way back towards the safety of Ponyville. The four of us rarely talked about our adventure in the outside world after that, and even then we couldn't mention it without a shiver going down our spines. We also learned Wysteria's hot air balloon had in fact not flown outside of Ponyville, but rather under the rainbow waterfall to butterfly island. In other words, all of our pain and suffering had been for nothing.
It wasn't until years and years later that we discovered who our attackers were; a crazy cult of Equestrian purists, who had had their minds poisoned by the toxic waste in their environment to the point of insanity. A traveling equestrian pony later told us that the lunar princess had eventually had her soldiers hunt down and exterminate the cult, but it was small comfort to the innocent little ponies of Ponyville who had fallen victim to their terrible wrath. |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Soul Searching | "Are you sure this is the right way, Mocha? I think we passed those ferns three times."
"I dunno, Wysteria, I-I've never been in this part of the jungle before..."
Two mares have entered my jungle.
I know both of these ponies, two mares who are trying to run away from their problems. One is a Princess, the ruler of a town that feels she had been unappreciated at her job. Another is one of my own Pegasus subjects, the daughter of an overprotective mother who feels she has no room to spread her wings and fly. Both entered this sacred place to find answers to what is troubling to them... precious answers that are like treasurers hidden among the foliage.
...and that, is where I come in.
My name is Hidden Treasures... king of Butterfly Island, lover of hidden treasures, husband of Star Catcher, and master of scavenger hunts. Whereas my beloved wife prefers to rule our subjects as a visible monarch, I tend to remain here in the shadows. I love to find great and fantastic treasures of all kinds and types, and then bury and hide them for other ponies to find. But I am not just talking about physical treasures, like gold and silver, but also the nuggets and pearls of wisdom I have acquired over the course of my long life.
It is this wisdom that I wish to share with them.
"This doesn't seem like a friendly place, Mocha. I think I wanna go back!"
"Hey, there isn't an inch of this island that isn't friendly! Honestly, you earth ponies are scared of your own-"
"You are indeed correct, young Mochanaut." I tell the Pegasus mare, emerging from the foliage as if from nowhere. "This island holds no threat or danger to the ponies or live or visit here."
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!" Wysteria screamed loudly, at the top of her lungs. "Mocha, who in the heck is THAT!?"
"Ow, those are a serious set of pipes you've got on you, Princess." I groan, clutching my head with my hooves in pain. "I do believe my ears will be ringing from here until the next Spring Promenade!"
I admit, surprising two already-frightened mares maybe wasn't exactly the best idea. A tall Pegasus with a pink coat and mane, coming out of the darkness all of a sudden.... yeah, I really didn't think that one through.
"Oh, King Treasure!" The Pegasus apologized, recognizing me from my jeweled star cutie mark and pink crown. "I'm so sorry, we didn't realize that it was you!"
"King Hidden Treasure?! The ruler of Butterfly island?!" The startled Wysteria suddenly bowed. "Oh my gosh, I am so sorry I hurt your ears like that!"
"Oh. that's quite all right, I should have approached you two more openly." I told the two of them, apologizing for my own actions. "But I do notice there are things troubling the two of you, and I thought that I might be able to give you some advice that may help."
"Wait, you know about our problems, how could you-" Wysteria shook her head. "Of course you know what's bothering us, you're a royal magical Pegasus pony, you know everything."
"Actually, you'd be amazed at what we Pegasus royals don't know." I tell her, walking over to stand beside Wysteria and Mocha. "We have to do a lot of our ruling by trying to interpret and figure out what our subjects want, rather than simply knowing it. It's rather like flying blind."
"Wow, I can really sympathize with that." Wysteria sighed, shaking her head sadly. "I can't even begin to figure out what my earth pony subjects want. To tell the truth, I always wished I'd never picked up that stupid flower and become a princess."
"Yeah, and I wish I wasn't the daughter of an extremely paranoid control freak. Thistle Whistle has never been anything bu a pain in the flank to me." Mochanaut sighed, flexing her wings. "I wish I was the daughter of a normal mare; y'know, one who would let me go out and have a little fun sometimes."
"So basically, you each wish you were somebody else, and you would choose to be someone else if you had a choice." I trot between the two of them, putting a wing over the shoulder of each of the mares. "One wants to be a normal old pony, while another wishes she had another pony for a mother."
"Well, yes, actually."
"Yeah, I really would."
"There was a time that I wished the same thing, not wanting to be the ruler of Butterfly Island." I told them, as all three of us trotted towards my large treasure chest at the end of the jungle maze. "I was a colt who loved searching out and digging up the treasurers pony pirates had buried along our beaches for centuries." I rolled my eyes. "I was an an adventurous pony, and just because I was marrying Starcatcher, didn't mean I wanted to give up that freedom to be a king!"
"But you did give up that freedom, and chose to do something you didn't want to do." Wysteria commented with a frown. "You willing gave up being the pony you wanted to be, and became something you weren't to make other ponies happy."
"How could you sacrifice what made you happy, to fill a role you never wanted in the first place?" A confused Mochanaut asked me. "Doesn't that fly in the face of everything we've been taught about ponies freedom to choose their own path?"
Smiling at them both, I trot open to the treasure chesty and open it. Reaching inside the chest, I pull out a large gemstone.
"See this emerald, how brightly it glows, and how beautifully it shines?" I gaze deep into the jewel. "Nature made this gem to be an emerald, to grace the world with all it's beauty as an emerald. But if this emerald tried to be a ruby or sapphire- if it wanted to be something other than an emerald- it would forever be striving for something it cannot achieve, forever unhappy." I had the jewel over to the two mares. "But if it accepts it is an emerald, if it embraces it's destiny and becomes the best that it can be- then it will shine brighter than any other gem in this treasure. It's not what we want to be that defines us, but who B'zekre made us to be, who we are."
And when the two look up, I am gone... I leave the two mares to think about what I have told them, with a silent hope that the small gem of an idea I gave them, will guide the two to a treasure trove of wisdom all their own. |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Something is Missing... | You ever get the feeling that something's not right?
I don't know, it's just a feeling I happen to get a lot these days, like something is really off, and things aren't the way they're supposed to be. Oh, everything seems to be all right around Ponyville- no sign of trouble in sight, or anything- but you just can't shake the feeling that things aren't quite right, like something's missing that should be there.
"Hey Sweetie Bell? It's me, Scootaloo. Yeah, things have been kinda crazy, and I was wondering if I could pop on over and have a bite to eat tomorrow. You know, so we could just sit back, chill out, and enjoy some of your awesome apple pie! Anyway, I'll be over tomorrow after noon, talk to ya later!"
I received that message yesterday, and so I spent all of last night gathering the ingredients I'd need for making a pie today. Apples, pie crust, nutmeg, and all of the other ingredients. It takes me awhile to get everything ready- mixing the crust, peeling and cutting the apples, preheating the oven, and putting the pie together. Soon, the whole mess is ready, and into the oven it goes. I've just got to make sure to set the timer right, and get back to the oven before the apple pie burns. It's all part of the baking process- a process I'm the very bestest at.
There's plenty to do before Scoots gets here, of course. Setting the table, pouring the drinks, and making sure everything is in it's proper place. Baking and cooking is my special talent, which is what I'm Sweetberry's business partner at her bakery. But I much prefer baking things for family and friends, which makes the times like these all the more special. Preparing and eating a nice meal isn't just about chowing down. Eating should be an event, a time with good food and good friends that make s you appreciate the good meal all the more. It's why I always put my best effort into the things that I cook; so that ponies will always enjoy the things that I made for them.
"Hey Sweetie, I'm here!" Comes from outside of my house, along with a knock at the door. "Can I come in?"
"Oh, hi! Scootaloo!" I exclaim as she comes trotting through the door. "What's new with you?"
"Aw, not much... wrecking motor scooters with stunts, singing autographs, same old, same old." Scoots replied, giving me a big hug. "I'm just glad to spend some time with my best friend before my big and crazy birthday party!"
Scootaloo is right, she is my bestest friend in the whole wide world. I first met her when I came to Ponyville as a little filly, and she was the first other pony to be nice to me here. See, I was originally from a place called unicornia, where where everybody was a unicorn, like me. I lived there with my parents, and my little sister Rarity, in a really big castle. But a big storm came up with I was out picking flowers, and I got lost in the forest. I ended up in Ponyville, and was scared by being in a new place with strange hornless ponies. So I hid from everyone, and nibbled on bits of their food to survive.
It was Scoots who found me, and introduced me to the other ponies. They let me move into the Ponyville gumball house, and each of the pony parents took turns watching and checking up on me, and the whole village brought me up. I made a lot of friends here in town, but it was Scootaloo who always kept up with me, making sure I was doing okay when I was all alone in this big scary house, and was scared by a storm. I don't know what I would've done without her to keep me company on scary and lonely nights growing up.
"Yeah, you seem really bothered by this super-big birthday competition between Razzaroo and Fiesta Flair, huh?" I ask her, cutting her a slice of the apple pie. "Then why do you want to go to this dumb birthday bash at all?"
"Awww, they're all going through so much trouble to put a party together for me, I couldn't just not show up!" Scoots replied, taking a sip of my lemonade. "But I'd really love it if you could be there. I know you don't like giant parties Sweetie,but could you please to this one?"
"Of course I'll be there, girl!" I exclaimed, levitating my fork up to take a bite of my pie. "I'm not going to miss my best friend's b-day party." I looked away nervously. "E-even if there are going to be a lot of p-ponies there..."
"Awww, you'l be find, I'll be right there with you!" Scoots reassured me. "And say, why don't you invite that airheaded boyfriend of yours along, Wind Drifter." She shook her head in disgust. "Honestly, I don't see why you keep that dopey stallion around, he must be really good in bed for you to put up with his lazy daydreaming!"
"D-do you ALWAYS have to be so blunt, Scootaloo?! Do you have to have such a potty mouth?!" I snorted in disgust, turning away from her to hide my embarrassed blush. "There are some things a lady doesn't discuss, even with her closest friends!"
"I wouldn't know, Sweetie Belle, I ain't no lady." Scoots bragged, leaning back in her chair, putting her dirty back hooves up on my nice clean table, and letting out a very loud and gross belch. "Scooter Sprite gets a kick outta me the way I am. And I'm not ashamed to admit he's a great %#&$ in the sack!"
It must seem very odd, how two polar opposite ponies such as Scootaloo and I could be friends; a rude and vulgar tomboy, and a very frilly girly pony who likes baking and crocheting. But the two of us play so well ,off of each other, and each gets the other to try things we otherwise wouldn't do. Scoots never would have tried ballet- the one girly thing she actually likes- if I hadn't suggested it. And I never would've gotten these body tattoos under my heart and ribbon cutie mark going down my leg if she hadn't encouraged me. We make an odd pair of friends, but that's what makes our friendship so special.
But there's always seemed to be something missing... as if the universe always meant for there to be a third mare to be a part of our little friendship group. Like the names Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo should be accompanied by a third pony, who balances our two extremes out, making us a perfect trio of ponies, out there doing crazy stuff to discover who we are. Maybe in another time, another place, there was a third mare to round out our crazy trio. But in the here and now, there is only an empty third chair sitting beside Scooltaoo and I in the gumball house... |
Tales of Another Ponyville | Party Tonight! | Wow, this is incredible! This si really and truly incredible! I just can't believe ponies put all of this together... just for ME!
Banners, bows, and balloons, streamers and party hats... all this done for me. Even here, from my place of hiding behind the fence, I can see the huge mountain of presents and brithday cards all of these ponies brought with them to my awesomest of awesome Bday party! There are ponies playing games of pin the tail on the pony and hopscotch, and there are ponies eating cake and ice cream! They're all gathered here to party, to celebrate the awesomeness that is me!
"Hey Fiesta, loving the cake!" I hear Sparkleworks call out. "But I think you mighta added too much sugar!"
"Razaroo, your decorations are amazing!" Cotton Candy calls out, trying to be heard over the music. "You really outdid yourself this time!"
"Well, birthday girl, looks like you have a humongous party going on there!" Sweetie Bell says from behind me, nearly causing me to jump out of my coat. "You ready to stop hiding back here, and go out and face your public?"
I nod, and the two of us trot into the party, going on in the back garden behind my house. Every pony greets me with a warm smile, and slaps me with a hoof on my back.
"Hey, Scoots! Good to see ya!"
"How ya doing, Scoots? Awesome party!"
"Happy birthday, Scootaloo! We love you!"
"Scoo-Ta-loo! Scoo-Ta-loo! Scoo-Ta-loo!"
They cheer my name, lifting me over their heads with their front hooves as they do. This is it, my birthday, my time to shine! Everyone is celebrating my awesomeness. It's me, the daredevil Scootaloo, the most extreme and dangerous pony who lives in Ponyville. It's what I've been trying to accomplish all my life, carrying out stunts that would get other pony's attention. And it worked! Can you believe how these mares and stallions adore me! This is all I've ever wanted, and more!
It's not like I want or need Rainbow Dash's love or support.
It's not like I had her as a mentor when I was younger, who I idolized and wanted to be just like. No, I didn't spend my fillyhood wearing pretty dresses, and trying to be just like her. She didn't ignore and abandon me, leaving her more tomboyish mom to be my role model. Rainbow Flash is here in the crowd, watching me with pride. My best friend Sweetie Bell is here too, and every other pony I really care about. I don't care Rainbow Dash isn't here, and is instead off leading some crazy rescue mission that probably won't succeed.
Well, all of my friends are here to watch me succeed... all except the mare whose opinion mattered the most.
Getting on my motor scooter, I go zooming up the ramp, and take a flying leap over the gathered crowd. Leaning back on my lean machine, I go soaring through the burning ring of fire, the flames licking the edge of my mane. As the crowds roar with applause, I feel more alive than I have for a really really long time, as their attention showers over me like a sweet, sweet rain.
It's attention I never had as a filly, and I adore it.
But what's this? Everybody's over talking to Razaroo and Fiesta Flair, congratulating them on their work putting this birthday party together! Even my friends and family are over there, complementing the two party planners on their work!
"Wow, this party is so many flavors of awesome!" Sweetie Bell tells the two. "I've never seen ANY birthday party in Ponyville done this well!"
I-I can't believe it! Everybody is paying more attention to those two mares that me- the star of the show! This is MY moment to shine! A celebration of MY life! But all the drama is about those two ponies and their insignificant little feud, instead of about the birthday girl! How DARE the party planners upstage the party's focus! Ohhh, I'm just so upset, that I could just die!
"That does it, I'm outta here!" I scream out in anger, trying to hold back my tears as I galloped towards my motor scooter. "You ponies are the lamest group of party goers I've ever seen!"
"Scootaloo wait... where are you going?" Sweetie Bell pleaded, trotting over to me, trying to keep me from leaving. "This is your birthday party!"
"Well, you sure wouldn't know it how you girls are more concerned about the party than about me!" I snort in anger, revving me my bike. "So long Sweetie! I'll catch ya later!"
I take off, exploding out of my backyard fence, and heading off thundering down the road. I put all the pain and unhappiness behind me, taking off down the road at top speed. They just don't get it, they think I can just sit there at the party, hit pinatas and play pin the tail on the pony. But if I'm not content at being payed attention to, unless I am the utter and total center of attention.
And so I speed off, running away from the party, running away into my own little world again. That means another night tonight doing dangerous stunts and flips out at the canyon outside of town, then off to some dingy little motel in some neighboring town, where I'll wake up next to some stallion who's name I don't even know. At least, that's what I wish I could do in a situation like this one...
...at least, that's what would make the pain go away...
> Sometimes, you just don't get to finish a book....
Oh dear, would you look at the time! It's well past nine thirty, and we were supposed to have closed an hour ago! I'm sorry, but I really have to be going, can't really close the library on his own, and I don't want him getting squashed trying to re-shelve a whole stack of books again! So, if you could just find your own way out...
Wait, you want to find out what happened to all the ponies in the story? Well, there's really not much to tell. Princess Wysteria thought on king Hidden Treasure's advice, and returned home to apologize to her daughter, and returned to rule over Ponyville. Fiesta and Razaroo saw how utterly childish Scootaloo had acted at her own birthday party, and it made them realize how childish they had been acting. The two have made up, and decided to work on planning the parties here in town equally as partners.
Mochanaut and her mother came to an understanding (Thanks to Starcatcher and Hidden Treasure strong-arming Thistle Whistle), and she now has the freedom she craved. Spike and Pinkie Pie have learned that they, are the servants, and Wysteria and her daughter are the rulers. Despite not finding the princess, Dashie came back a hero for bringing her team home safely. Sparklework's sister is still driving her crazy, and well... Minty is still Minty.
Oh, and as for those annoying ghosts, well... that's a story for another time. We actually have another book here in the library on that whole mess, and THAT one you can actually check out.
Huh? Yes, that's it... there's not anything else to tell you. You were expecting some great ending? Some grand narrative with a beginning, middle, and end? I'm really sorry, but these aren't part of a storybook, these are my friends and I's lives. They don't just end when the book ends, they keep going, and so do their problems. Rainbow Dash is still having problems with her mother, and Scootaloo is still acting like a brat. Old problems are solved, and new problems appear. It's not some story, it's called LIFE.
Oh dear, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to sound so rude! But don't worry, I certain you haven't heard the last of my friends or I adventures; after all, this story was only to get you interested in Ponyville and it's inhabitants. I'm sure there will be more tales for you to read, more of adventures for you to enjoy. Now, if you could please head down the stairs and out the back door, you should be able to find your way back to the Ponyville inn. May you have the best of journeys, good visitor, and I hope you'll stop back at Storybelle's the story loft if you're in Ponyville again. And may fortune smile upon you.
Hang on, Gossamer, I'm coming to help! No, don't file the book 'catching some z's' under the letter z! |
Shadows of the Sun | pre | "I like you Goldenroot, but you seriously need to loosen up sometimes. You put too much value in being correct. It's not the end of the world to accept that you're wrong and move on."
"And do you think I'm wrong about all of this, about what were doing right now?"
The smile on Vortex's face faded. She was rarely ever serious about something, but when she was it was obvious.
"No. I believe in what you're fighting for. I may come across as apathetic sometimes, but I want to believe in a better tomorrow. Every once in a while I tend to forget, but you always seem to find a way to remind me of the reason I got caught up in all of this in the first place."
Goldenroot just smiled, Vortex returning the expression as they approached Crescendo's manor.
"It's just up ahead here." Goldenroot said, changing the subject. "I don't know what you plan on doing, but I would appreciate it if you let me do the talking."
"I don't mind. Personally, I just want to stick around and watch."
The two ponies moved quietly up the walkway towards the manor. A set of large dark brown doors were accented by two lanterns on each side, the flames inside burning brightly in anticipation of their arrival. On the base of each door was a large bronze plate that stretched the entire width. Traditionally, this plate was used for knocking. When a pony kicked the door with their hoof, it would prevent the door from being damaged by an overzealous knocker. Goldenroot kicked the plate twice in quick succession and moved back away from the door. They waited for about a minute before the door swung open and revealed a grey pony wearing a black suit and a tie. The pony had a tired look on his face, a result of his obvious ageing. He blinked twice and moved aside.
"Sir Goldenroot. Lord Crescendo is expecting you in his study." The butler said. "Shall I take you there?"
"That's quite alright. I know the way." Goldenroot replied as he and Vortex stepped through the doorway into the manor.
The manor was filled with extraordinary paintings, carvings, and statues. They were expensive works of art that dated well beyond the manor itself. Sitting on top of the brilliant marble floor was a single rug depicting a forest. The gnarled trees and winding path similar to that of the Everfree forest that Goldenroot had spent so many years occupying in his youth.
"I've never been in here before. Crescendo's got a pretty lavish lifestyle." Vortex remarked, stepping around the rug as she made her way across the main entrance and towards the study nearby.
The study was a spacious room. On the wall directly across from them was a large fireplace. It was not in use; however, and contained three logs, neatly stacked on top of each other. Instead, the study was illuminated by a series of lamps that were placed sporadically around the room. Lord Crescendo was lying in a large cherry red sofa, sipping tea from a cup that floated in the air in front of him.
"Please, come in Sir Goldenroot. I was wondering when you were going to arrive." Crescendo said, glancing in their direction and setting the cup on its corresponding saucer. "I wasn't expecting you; however, Lady Vortex. Although, I suppose you have as much of a part in all this as we do."
Vortex simply winked as Crescendo looked in her direction.
"Have a seat." Crescendo continued, pointing to the two empty sofas placed around the table. "Would you care for some tea?"
"I think we'll be fine, thank you. Tea's usually more trouble than it's worth when you're not a unicorn." Goldenroot said, raising his hoof in objection before lying down on the sofa. "I'll be honest with you, I don't want to beat around the bush. Let's get straight to the point. I want the law to go through tomorrow and I want to know what your opinion is."
"My opinion?" Crescendo asked. "You know me as well as everyone else. I have to be absolutely sure that this is going to benefit our nation. If we give the commoners a place in the council, do you really believe that they're going to help and not just work against us? Not everyone is as virtuous as you are."
"I can only hope that they will. The future is never certain, but it is not entirely unpredictable. We all live in this country together and, although our goals may vary slightly, we all want the same thing."
"And what, may I ask, is that?"
"A life of happiness, of dreams and experiences that we want to remember. Not every memory is a happy one, but the ones you spend doing what you enjoy with your friends and family are the ones that you want to keep. I think everyone can relate to that."
"And what if you're wrong? What happens then?"
"If I'm wrong, then we won't really be able to make a difference anyway. The drought will come again and the commoners won't just stand around and starve while we continue to live a life of luxury. In our sheltered life, we don't wake up in the morning and wonder if we'll be able to eat today. Even if the price tag may fluctuate slightly, the food's always there and we can always afford it.
"They will rise up and overthrow both us and the princess. They will take our homes, our happiness, and perhaps even our lives. Why should I, or anyone else, sacrifice even a single happy memory when it is not required. I believe in this, perhaps more strongly than I have with anything else."
The three ponies lay in silence for quite some time after Goldenroot finished speaking. Crescendo gazed into his teacup, staring at the leaves resting in the bottom of the cup while Goldenroot waited quietly for his response. Vortex, who had been sitting silently for the entire meeting, slowly unfolded her wings and stretched them out before returning them to their original position. As she repositioned them back on her sides, Crescendo looked up from his teacup and at Goldenroot.
"I'm glad you came to see me tonight, but I still require some time to think about all of this. I believe the gravity of the situation is something that I have underestimated." Crescendo said, breaking the silence.
"I understand." Goldenroot said, getting up from the sofa. "Have a good night."
Vortex followed suit and the two walked out of the study and towards the main hall. As they did, Vortex looked back at Crescendo as he stared into his cup before taking a sip. The butler, appearing from nowhere, hastily moved towards the front door and opened it.
"Have a pleasant evening." said the butler as the two stepped out through the doorway.
"Do you really think he's going to help us?" Vortex asked as the door closed behind them.
Goldenroot stopped. He looked up at the moon and the stars as they pierced through the darkness of night and shone brilliantly in the sky.
"I don't know. I want to think so, but I don't want to take any chances."
As they walked out into the street, Goldenroot looked at Vortex and stopped.
"I'm going to see Wind Dancer tomorrow. Would you like to come with me?" he asked.
Vortex shook her head and tail violently, restoring her naturally wild look before turning to Goldenroot and smiling. The moonlight sparkled in her amber eyes and across her light blue hair.
"I never thought you'd ask. Of course, you know I'd come anyway."
"Yeah, but lately I've been enjoying your company."
________________________________________________________________________
Author's notes:
Hello readers. Thank you for your continuing interest in the story!
You probably noticed that I switched narration styles during Twilight's flashbacks. I wanted to find a way to separate the flashbacks from the actual story and I thought that switching to first-person would be an interesting way to pull it off. Hopefully it's not too weird.
Unfortunately, I'm still looking for an editor so please excuse any sloppy errors. If you're interested in helping me out, please contact me at my email or with the comments. I'd really appreciate it.
As another note, I've realized that I only ever seem to reply to the comments that are critical of my story, so if you were expecting a response and you didn't receive one that's completely my fault. I'm going to try harder to respond to everyone now.
As always, if you have any questions or comments about the story, you can reach me at my email: admin@theamberfox.ca I'll also be keeping a close eye on the comments below the story.
________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer:
"My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" and its derivatives are the sole intellectual property of Hasbro©. I do not have, nor claim to have, the rights to the intellectual property that this story is based on. |
Shadows of the Sun | Chapter 4 | Shadows of the Sun
By theamberfox
Chapter 4
Goldenroot glared at the clock in his living room. It was almost nine forty-five in the morning. It had taken some persuasion, but he had organized a meeting with Wind Dancer at ten o'clock. Wind Dancer had very little interest in the law that Goldenroot was proposing and she made it very clear that she was going to be voting against it. It was only after Goldenroot convinced her that she might be overlooking an important side-effect of the law that she had agreed to meet with him. But Goldenroot had rather foolishly asked Vortex to tag along and now he was paying for the consequences.
"We were supposed to be leaving now." Goldenrood said to himself quietly, making his annoyance with Vortex's tardiness obvious. "Why did I ask her to come?"
He paced back and forth in the room, impatiently looking at the clock on the wall beside him. Goldenroot placed a high value on the concept of time. Everything always had to go according to schedule and, as a result, he tended to be early for everything.
"Forget it. I need to go." he said as the clock's large hand moved to indicate that a minute had passed.
He walked quickly to the door and swung it open. In front of him, sitting on the step, was Vortex. Her head was resting on her hoof and her face displayed a look of utter boredom.
"Hey! Good morning, sunshine!" Vortex said, lifting her head up as a bright smile formed on her lips.
"What are you doing here!?" Goldenroot yelled, more surprised than angry that she was on his doorstep.
"You said to be here by nine forty-five. I was here..." she paused, looking towards the sky as she tried to calculate the time. "...roughly ten minutes ago."
Goldenroot was flabbergasted. She had arrived ten minutes ago and she hadn't bothered to knock or do anything to notify him of her arrival. He had spent probably an equal amount of time worrying about her for no reason and now he was just standing speechless, looking at her as she smiled radiantly. It wasn't the kind of smile that led him to believe that she was playing a trick on him, but a kind of genuinely happy smile. She was happy to see him and just plain happy to be there.
"Why didn't you knock?" Goldenroot said, bringing a hoof to his face and rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Because I knew you would come out here at nine..." she paused and looked at the sky again. "...forty-seven is it now?"
Goldenroot placed his hoof back on the floor and turned his head to look at the clock down the hallway. It was almost exactly nine forty-seven.
"How do you do that?" he asked in surprise.
Vortex's smile disappeared and was replaced by a look of complete sincerity.
"Oh come now, Goldenroot. I don't have time to explain that right now, we've got a meeting to attend. We have to leave right now if we're going to be there at ten." Vortex said, a smile quickly returning to her face.
Goldenroot simply started walking down the path and out onto the street with Vortex following close behind. As they entered the busy street, filled with ponies moving in every direction, Vortex moved up close beside him. Her mane and tail were perfectly groomed, just as they had been last night. Goldenroot wasn't exactly sure who she was trying to impress, him or Wind Dancer, but he was still flattered that she had made the effort.
"Are you nervous?" she asked.
"The decisions we make today could change everything. The butterflies in my stomach are practically a requirement." Goldenroot joked, turning his head to glance at Vortex as she moved along the cobbled road.
"I am too." Vortex said hesitantly.
"You're nervous?" Goldenroot asked, giving her a strange look. "I don't believe you."
"It's true. It's the first time since I was in the Wonderbolts."
"What about the election. You weren't nervous about that?"
"I didn't have to be. At the time, I was a famous celebrity. The celebrities always get elected. Just look at Wind Dancer. She didn't know anything about politics and, to be totally honest with you, neither did I. The only real difference is that I actually tried to learn. I don't know how you plan on convincing her to vote for this thing, but you're going to have to come up with something good."
"I have a plan." Goldenroot grinned. "I always do."
The two continued to follow the path to Wind Dancer's mansion. She lived in an outrageously large house that, despite resembling a castle, was really quite unspectacular. It was a simple stone box with a tower on one corner and only a few small windows. Instead, the focus was put on the surrounding garden. Several fountains, flowerbeds and hedge sculptures were meticulously arranged around the courtyard. The left and right sides of the pathway leading to the single wooden door at the entrance were almost perfect mirrors of each other. It was a reminder of how much importance Wind Dancer placed on such a fickle thing. She was an artist and appearance meant everything to her.
"These ponies are making me look bad." Vortex said, admiring the garden. "Everything's flawless. It's like the rainstorm never even happened."
"It's a result of having too much time and money." Goldenroot said as they approached the door. "She probably had everything replaced after the storm. Something like that would cost thousands of bits and a hundred workers toiling for hours on end."
Like Crescendo, Wind Dancer had a large bronze plate at the base of her door. It was much more extravagant; however, and several expensive jewels were attached to the corners in an attractive pattern.
"Kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?" Vortex mocked, pointing to the plate.
Goldenroot ignored her remark and kicked the plate twice. The door opened immediately and they were greeted by a tall, aggressive looking brown pony. His black mane was combed to the side and he wore a scarlet suit jacket and tie.
"Can I help you?" he exclaimed rather boorishly.
"We're here to see Lady Wind Dancer." Goldenroot replied, taking a step back from the intimidating butler.
"Right." the butler continued. "Wipe your hooves and follow me."
Vortex and Goldenroot did as they were told and stepped through the doorway. With the butler leading the way, the three ponies traversed the narrow corridors of the mansion. Its stone walls were decorated with potted plants and paintings at regular intervals, more indicators of Wind Dancer's wealth and the value she placed on aesthetics.
At the end of the hallway were a set of doors, which the butler opened to reveal a large room with several deep violet sofas and an enormous window overlooking part of the garden. The sound of classical music filled the air as it played softly from a traditional record player in the corner. The room was very similar to the one in Crescendo's manor, but it lacked many of the intellectual components. Where Crescendo had shelves stacked with books of all subjects, Wind Dancer had instead large plants with wide leaves and delicate flowers. Where he had lanterns, she had expensive, magically infused jewels that glowed with a faint blue. Where he had a large desk filled with notes and documents, she had a wide table with an assortment of cutlery, dishes, and food. The room was used purely for relaxation and it all perfectly described the kind of interesting pony that Wind Dancer had become.
The pegasus was lying on the largest of the violet sofas. Like everything else in the house, her appearance cost a fortune. Her long, light blue mane and tail were crafted in exquisite detail, flowing down from the white coat on her body and resting peacefully against the violet fabric.
"Hello dears. Wonderful day we're having, isn't it?" Wind Dancer sang, shifting herself gradually from her relaxed position.
Her voice was soft and soothing. The words seemed to slide off her tongue and float through the air like a gentle breeze. It was no wonder that she became a singer following her career as a dancer.
"Indeed, but we have serious matters to discuss right now." Goldenroot replied, staring at the beautiful mare on the sofa.
"Ah yes, you said you had something important to talk about, didn't you? For the life of me, I can't seem to remember what that was..."
"It's about the council." Vortex snapped, slightly annoyed that she hadn't even remembered what they had come to talk about.
"But of course! No need to get snippy now, Lady Vortex." Wind Dancer said as she glared at her. "A proper mare mustn't act that way in good company."
Vortex rolled her eyes, "Right."
"We want you to vote in favour of the law today. I know you don't really like the idea, but I thought I might be able to interest you in a certain side-effect that will take place if it goes through." Goldenroot said, trying to change the subject.
Wind Dancer's deep blue eyes sparkled in the dim light offered by the jewels. She leaned back and relaxed in the sofa, her luscious hair falling to the side and dangling onto the floor. The music on the record player changed and started to play a lighter, supple melody.
"And what might that be, dear?" Wind Dancer asked, intrigued by Goldenroot's words. "You know I'm not going to vote for this unless it's really very good... for me, that is."
"You selfish pig." Vortex whispered.
"What was that dear? I didn't quite hear you." Wind Dancer asked innocently.
"Uh, I was wondering if I could have some of the delicious looking appetizers that you have in the corner." Vortex said, turning her attention to the table on the side of the room.
"Help yourself dear, but don't eat too much. It's nearly time for lunch."
Vortex nodded politely and walked over to the table. She picked up an apple and took a large bite, staring curiously at Goldenroot as he gawked at Wind Dancer.
"Bringing us back to the point, I'm talking about a previous law that we have written in regard to council reform. It states that any time the number of council members changes, a general election must take place." Goldenroot said, blinking as Wind Dancer batted at her hair.
"And..?" Wind Dancer questioned, unable to grasp Goldenroot's hint.
"And that means the four year term is going to end at one."
Vortex swallowed hard. "What!?"
Goldenroot had spent most of the night searching for a way to convince Wind Dancer. After a few hours of flipping through dusty books and documents, he found an interesting law that stated the following: 'If the number of council members is permanently increased or decreased for any reason, an election must be held.' To Goldenroot, the justification was obvious. It prevented the council from making any potentially unethical decisions, like decreasing the number of council members in order to kick out anyone they didn't agree with.
"So I won't have to be a part of this dreaded council business anymore?" Wind Dancer continued, ignoring Vortex's comment.
"Exactly." Goldenroot said in conclusion.
"Interesting."
"Does that mean you'll vote for the law?" Vortex asked in surprise.
"I will consider it." Wind Dancer replied while looking out the window. "I still don't like the idea of those filthy commoners being a part of our government."
Vortex frowned, clearly displeased by her response.
"That's all I can ask for, Wind Dancer." Goldenroot said, finally taking his eyes away from her position on the sofa. "Have a nice day."
He turned and started to leave the room with Vortex close behind. As they approached the door, Wind Dancer got up from her sofa and flew gracefully over to the record player, turning a knob slightly to increase the volume.
"Ta ta." Wind Dancer sang, turning to smile happily at them as they left the room.
They had expected the aggressive butler to be outside, but he was nowhere to be seen, so the two ponies navigated the hallways back to the main entrance alone and in silence. Vortex was eager to talk to Goldenroot about the meeting, but a combination of the apple that she held in her mouth and her unwillingness to speak about Wind Dancer while they were still in her home restrained her thoughts.
As they reached the front door, the butler rounded a corner and swung the door open, watching them carefully as they exited. The moment the door closed behind them Vortex twisted her neck and sent the apple flying into the pristine flowerbed nearby, crushing some of the flowers and leaving chunks of apple strewn about the dirt.
"I hate that pony." Vortex said, spinning her head back to face Goldenroot.
"Wind Dancer?" Goldenroot asked as he looked at Vortex, his eyes wide with surprise.
"She's obnoxious, arrogant, uptight... I can't believe she's actually considering voting for this thing just so she can get out of the council."
"She just got caught up in something that she regrets. She wasn't like that before she joined the council."
Vortex stopped when they reached the cobbled road and turned to face Goldenroot.
"I've got some things that I need to take care of." she said abruptly. "I'll see you at one, Goldenroot."
Before he could respond, Vortex shot into the air and disappeared. She may have quit the Wonderbolts to become a politician, but she hadn't lost her skill as a flier.
She just wanted to get away from him. She was jealous of Wind Dancer, the pony that seemed to have everything that she didn't, but more than anything, she was angry at Goldenroot for supporting her. She was furious that he was so impressed with her appearance and overlooked all of her negative features, waving them off with feeble excuses. Was he really that shallow? ~
After treating Twilight's injuries, for what she hoped would be the last time, Celestia decided to spend the remainder of the day dealing with the politics that she had been burdening Luna with over the past few days. The first item on the agenda was to go out and survey the damage caused by the storm. She would walk around the city to determine where help was needed most. Canterlot was split into quarters, with each quarter serving a different, vital purpose.
"Princess Celestia, are you leaving the castle?" one of the guards asked as Celestia approached the gate.
"Yes, but I'm only going to wander around the different parts of the city. I don't need an escort." she said, smiling at the stone-faced guard standing to the right of the gate.
"With all due respect, your Highness, the sergeant has ordered us to accompany you." the other, female guard, replied. "Some of the city's inhabitants are unhappy with how you handled the drought situation and it could be dangerous."
"I've realized that some of my actions were..." Celestia paused, turning to look past the guards and out into the streets. "...inappropriate, but I can't believe that anyone would want to hurt me."
The female pony nodded, "The very thought is resentful indeed, but it's our duty to keep you safe and even the smallest threat must be taken seriously."
"Very well. I'm inspecting the damages from the storm. I expect you to follow quickly and take notes for me." Celestia said, sighing as she floated a quill and paper in front of the female guard.
She walked out through the gate and into the first quarter of the city, the two guards following close behind and occasionally glancing from side to side as they moved. The government quarter, which they now occupied, mostly consisted of the castle and the royal army's headquarters. It was here that all the important political decisions were made and the royal army was trained. Apart from the castle, the structures in the government quarter were very ordinary. Solid brick, they were built to be functional and stand the test of time. Any embellishments to their design would be impractical and unnecessary. The results of their sturdy construction were impressive and the buildings had taken very minor damage from the storm. A few shingles were missing, windows were cracked or broken, and plants were uprooted and drying in the hot sun, but it was nothing a couple hours of work couldn't fix.
"Please take a note." Celestia said, glancing back at the guards. "The government quarter is mostly undamaged. It would be unwise to allocate our resources to its minor reconstruction at this time."
The guard quickly jotted down the note and rushed forward to keep up with Celestia as she continued down the path towards the nobility quarter. The nobility quarter was where all the most prestigious citizens had built their homes. The houses were architectural marvels, huge, magnificent buildings that were worth incomprehensible amounts of money. Even the smaller structures, which stood like rocks among mountains, were impressive. Made of only the most expensive materials, they stood on large plots of land with extravagant gardens. It was usually a serene, peaceful place, but amongst the buildings was a flurry of activity. Ponies hammered on rooftops, dug in gardens, and pulled carts filled with wreckage. The residents of the nobility quarter had their own incentives for working. They lived in a society that placed a high value on appearance and anyone who failed to meet the expectations quickly became an outcast. Most of the nobility was more than willing to dig out of their own pockets to maintain their worth in the eyes of their neighbours.
"Please take another note." Celestia said, calmly looking around at the extensive construction. "The nobility quarter is damaged, but most of the citizens have already started on the repairs. They should be offered compensation for the damages, but government organized reconstruction will not be necessary."
The male guard intervened. "Princess Celestia, if I may."
Celestia turned and nodded at the pony.
"The nobility would never accept handouts. I think we may even be insulting them by offering." he continued.
"If even one pony accepts our offer, then it is worth offending thousands of others." Celestia replied, smiling kindly at the guard.
Celestia turned back and walked towards the next quarter of the city. With her head turned, the two guards beamed at each other, both proud to serve under such a noble and dignified ruler. It was a cruel fate that such a caring pony had to endure such a difficult life, but perhaps that was the only reason she had the courage to do so.
The three ponies carried on into Canterlot's center of trade and business. Ponies from all over Equestria would arrive in the market quarter to sell their goods and, as a result, the market quarter had the largest variety of commodities in the entire country. Everything from simple apples and bread to ancient artefacts and luxurious dresses could be found in the hundreds of shops and stalls. But the market was not quite as Celestia had remembered. It was now barren and empty with many of the shops closed and the stalls missing. What little that remained was poorly supplied and maintained, selling inferior produce or substandard clothing and wares. Shocked by the unsettling condition, Celestia approached one of the stands selling small, weathered vegetables.
"Princess Celestia, your highness! It's a pleasure to see you in the market again." The shopkeeper said, bowing his head slightly as she approached.
"What's going on? Is this from the storm?" Celestia asked, looking around at the pathetic vegetables on the counter.
"The storm was a blessing, your highness. No, what caused this was the drought." he replied, lifting his head back up to look at the princess. "At first, the drought only hampered our sales and production. But after time passed and the weather worsened, we just lost everything. Nothing would grow in the arid soil and what little we had left was drying up and dying.
"Many ponies have refused to sell their crops, relying on what they have left to survive, but my family won't sit and watch our friends starve to death. We've continued to sell our produce, despite its less than satisfactory condition. Most ponies aren't picky these days, they're just happy to have something to eat."
"And what of the other vendors?" Celestia asked, turning her head to glance around at the empty shops. "The ones that sell clothes and furniture, what happened to them?"
"At the moment, only the nobility is willing to spend their money on non-essential goods and most of what they buy is special order." the shopkeeper shrugged. "Basically, if you aren't selling something that can feed your family, no one is going to buy it."
"I see. Thank you for your time." Celestia said calmly as she turned and walked away from the stand.
"It is always a pleasure to assist your royal highness." the shopkeeper said, bowing again as she left.
"Please take a note." Celestia said, staring off into the distance as the female guard reached for the quill and paper. "The market quarter..."
She drifted off, unable to finish her sentence as she stared into the distance. Tears were welling up in her eyes as memories of the market quarter drifted back into view. Even when she was very young, the market had always been the same. It was a beautiful place that stole away your troubles and sadness, leaving you with only a senseless joy. Young fillies and colts played amongst the bustling crowds, their parents watching them carefully as they wandered around the stores. Colourful banners hung proudly over shops filled with all kinds of interesting knick-knacks and the delicious smells of cooking food. Laughter and excitement filling the air as entertainers from all over the country put on wondrous demonstrations of their talent and theatrics. Firework displays and dancers, clowns and magicians, they were always the focus of attention in a bizarre, almost surreal world and Celestia loved it all.
All of that had changed now. Everything was gone. The empty streets, boarded up shops and foul stench of rotting food sweeping away the memories and bringing her back to the harsh reality. The country wasn't getting better as she had once believed. Even with the weather returning to normal, the footprint of the drought would never truly vanish until someone did something about it. It would linger in her thoughts like the foul stench of rotting food. It was the disaster that she had failed to prevent and it was the bleak future that lay waiting for them if she refused to change.
"Are you alright, Princess Celestia?" the female guard asked, still waiting behind her with the quill.
Celestia lifted a hoof to her face and wiped away the tears discretely. "I think I want to go back to the castle now. I'll finish surveying the damage later."
"Of course, your highness." she responded empathetically, placing the quill and paper in her bag. ~
"Scribe, you may now start recording the events of today's assembly." Prairie Star announced, glancing at the young pony in the corner. "It is now one o'clock in the afternoon. The council assembly has now established."
Her words and actions were identical to what she had done and said yesterday. The whole process had become routine for Prairie Star and now she failed to show any emotion whatsoever.
"Today, we will decide on the law that Goldenroot proposed nearly a week ago." she continued, looking around the table at the five other members of the council. "The standard voting procedure applies. Every member gets one ballot. When you're ready, make a mark on the ballot to select your choice, fold it in half and place it in the box."
Prairie Star lifted a large wooden box out from underneath the table and placed it in front of her. The box closely resembled a chest with a golden frame and several elaborate patterns covering the surface. In the very centre of the lid was a small horizontal opening, just barely large enough for a slip of paper.
"As always, there will be no formal debate immediately before the poll."
Leaning forward, she opened the chest and removed the contents, placing five identical slips of paper in the middle of the table. Each slip of paper had two words, 'support' and 'oppose', spaced equally apart from each other and next to a small box. The ponies around the table each took a ballot, sliding it across the table into their immediate vicinity.
Goldenroot, who had made his decision long before anyone else, was the first to vote. After marking a small 'x' next to the word 'support', he folded the ballot and placed it in the box. Leaning back in his seat, he quietly observed the other ponies as they followed a similar procedure. Thunderhorn was the next pony to insert his ballot, lifting the paper with his magic and navigating it through the opening. As the light shining from his horn disappeared, he turned his head and confidently smirked at Goldenroot.
Goldenroot frowned slightly and thought to himself as he predicted the outcome. One to support, one to oppose.
Vortex followed closely after. She slid the ballot through the opening and leaned back, winking at Goldenroot from her position across the table. Her light blue hair had resumed its untamed appearance. It was fascinating and beautiful at the same time. It flowed like the trees in a forest, each individual strand bending and twisting as she moved.
Noticing, Goldenroot smiled back. Two to support, one to oppose.
Wind Dancer was next. She carefully folded the ballot, leaned forward and pushed it through the opening. As the ballot fell to the bottom of the box, she relaxed in her chair and flashed a smile at Goldenroot. His mind raced as he tried to figure out what she was thinking. The smile was cryptic and it masked her true intentions. Is she smiling at me because she knows it's going to fail, or because she knows it's going to pass?
Lost in thought and unaware of his surroundings, Goldenroot completely missed Crescendo quickly mark his ballot, fold it and place it in the box. As the paper quietly hit the bottom of the chest, Goldenroot snapped back to reality. Everyone had voted and it was now merely an issue of counting the ballots.
"I will now open the box and reveal the contents." Prairie Star said, describing her actions as she leaned forward and threw open the lid.
"One ballot, support." She announced, placing the piece of paper on the table so the rest of the council members could see. "One ballot, oppose."
Goldenroot's face turned pale. If the count was so close, so early on, then it would still be close. It was entirely possible that he hadn't convinced either Crescendo or Wind Dancer.
"Two ballots, support."
Goldenroot's expression changed immediately to a bright smile. Only one more vote.
"Three ballots, support." Prairie Star continued.
Goldenroot's smile spread across his entire face now. Raising a hoof to conceal his grin, he desperately tried to restrain himself from jumping out of his seat and shouting in triumph. Looking across at Vortex, he noticed that she also had a bright smile on her face. In fact, everyone in the room, including the director, was smiling to some degree except Thunderhorn, who was displaying a rather furious frown on his wrinkled face.
"And just for the record," Prairie Star said, taking note of the expressions around the table. "Four ballots support."
Thunderhorn had been the only pony in the room to vote against the law. Whether Goldenroot had managed to persuade them, or if they had made the decision on their own terms was a mystery, but one that he didn't care to solve. It didn't matter now. The law would be passed on to Celestia for review and was out of their control.
"The law has been approved and a formal declaration will be written tomorrow to be passed on to Celestia. I think some of you want to celebrate, so we're done for today. Scribe, you may stop recording now. We will resume tomorrow at one o'clock."
Goldenroot jumped from his seat and bolted out of the room. Vortex quickly gathered her things and flew out after him, barely making it through the door before it closed. When she got outside, Goldenroot was just staring up into the sky. A light wind was blowing through the air and the sun was shining. There were some dark clouds in the distance, but they wouldn't disturb the weather until tomorrow.
"Are you alright, hotshot?" she asked, tilting her head to the side slightly as she approached him from behind.
"This is monumental! Everything is going to change now. Everyone will have a voice in the government, not just the rich and famous." Goldenroot turned towards her with a huge grin on his face. "Come on, I'll buy you a drink."
"Okay, but only if you promise to not spend the whole time eyeballing Wind Dancer." She joked.
Goldenroot blushed, "Well it worked, didn't it?"
Vortex shook her head slowly, grinning at Goldenroot. "Yeah, nice try." ~
"Sister, I have the council summary report. Would you like to see it now?" Luna asked as she walked towards Celestia.
Celestia was sitting in the throne room, her multi-coloured mane flowing around her like a river. It was early in the afternoon and the sun shone through the windows at a steep angle, illuminating small patches of the marble floor. The guards at the entrance were like statues, with only their eyes moving to follow Luna as she approached her sister's throne.
"Yes, I would." Celestia said. "Thank you Luna. I really appreciate your help with all of this."
"That's what I'm here for." Luna smiled as she passed the documents to her sister.
The two quietly smiled at each other in silence. Celestia took the documents and set them down next to her throne, refusing to take her eyes of her sister. As the documents settled on the floor and the light from her horn vanished, Celestia's smile disappeared.
"Do you remember when we used to go to the market with mom and dad?" she asked, her eyes sparkling as tears formed in the corner of her eyes.
Luna's smile fell and she nodded slowly.
"We used to go together and eat at that one restaurant." Celestia continued softly. "The Purple Turnip."
Luna stared at the marble floor below, the small grey discolorations snaking through the brilliant, reflective white.
"And we would always have their famous turnip soup." Celestia said, tears rolling down her cheeks as she remembered her parents.
Luna smiled weakly. Their parents had passed away only a few years before she turned into the vicious Nightmare Moon.
"I hated turnips." Celestia chuckled, shaking the tears from her cheeks onto the red carpet resting on the marble floor beneath her. "But it wasn't about the soup or the restaurant. It was about spending time with the ponies we loved."
Luna sobbed quietly, "I miss them, Celestia. I miss them so much."
"I went to the market quarter today." Celestia said, looking away from her sister and outside the window. "There's nothing there. The ponies, the shops, the food, they're all gone. Everything's gone."
"I know. I was there too..." Luna said. "I just didn't want to tell you... It's hard, sister."
"It's my fault, Luna. I'm sorry." Celestia replied. "I didn't want any of this to happen."
Luna leaped forward and held onto her big sister tightly, closing her eyes and nuzzling against her neck. Her warm tears soaked the side of Celestia's neck and she wrapped her great wings around Luna, pulling her closer. After some time, Celestia slowly unfolded her wings and pushed away. She smiled and wiped the tears away from her face.
"I'm going to fix my mistakes, Luna." Celestia said. "And when I do, I want you to come with me to the market again."
Luna looked up and smiled hopefully. "I'd like that."
Luna turned around slowly and walked out of the room. As the doors closed, Celestia lifted the documents by her throne into full view. Trying to pry her thoughts away from her sister, Celestia flipped through the documents. They detailed the events of the assembly, describing every word and action of each member for the past two days. Beside each line was a note by the Scribe. It was intended to be purely factual, but occasionally hinted at his personal opinion.
Director Prairie Star: "It is now one o'clock in the afternoon. The council assembly has now convened." Current date and time is as follows: Third day of the ninth month, thirteenth hour and first minute. Assembly started one minute later than planned.
Director Prairie Star: "As of yesterday, there are three articles up for discussion." The articles in question are as follows: food allocation among the noble classes, taxation and reimbursement during times of economic hardship, and council reconstruction to accommodate the non-noble inhabitants.
Celestia repeated the notes quietly to herself. "Council reconstruction to accommodate non-noble inhabitants?"
She turned her head to look outside the window. Dark clouds were just barely visible in the distance, swirling madly as they approached the castle.
They want to change the council so that it includes the commoners, she thought, raising a hoof to her face as she contemplated the idea. Why would they want to do that?
She continued to read through the notes, flipping quickly past the pages that described Goldenroot's speech in support of the law. The scribe had labelled many of the lines with evidence to support or deny the claims made and a certain line caught her attention.
Sir Goldenroot: "We have suffered a devastating plague for nearly half a year and only when things start to return to normal, do we seek to confront the issue. Why have we waited so long? Is it because of our structure, our lack of ability to realize our true problems?" Officially, no law was suggested by the council to Princess Celestia to make any effort to improve the critical situation caused by the drought.
It's all just nonsense, she thought, slightly taken aback by what she read. They did nothing. After all the time that's passed and everything that's happened, they did nothing. They only claim to be thinking about the drought, but they instead spend all their time on council reform.
Trying to calm herself, Celestia skipped to Vortex's very brief opinion on the issue.
Lady Vortex: "I already know I'm not going to sway any opinions in my direction, so I'm not going to tell any of you how I feel about the whole thing until we vote on it." This stance is common for Lady Vortex. She has refused to share her opinion on many of the issues presented in the council.
They don't even seem to work together, Celestia thought. How can anything ever be accomplished if they won't open up and share their opinions about the issues? Is this why nothing was done about the drought?
Celestia was enraged by the council summary report, shaking with a seemingly overwhelming anger that dispelled her immense sorrow from only moments before. Everything they did seemed either inefficient or just plain pointless. Trying to contain her anger, she noticed Thunderhorn's openly aggressive rebuttal.
Lord Thunderhorn: "I don't quite understand where you're getting this Goldenroot. Why are you so certain that they will help us and not just create unnecessary conflicts within our society? Everyone is greedy in some sense and I don't believe you could ever convince me otherwise. If we give them the right to participate in the council now, they won't fix the problem of the drought. They won't even think about the drought." Lord Thunderhorn places a strong value on traditions. Anything that goes against tradition is usually met with harsh disapproval from him.
And when they try to change things, they're shut down immediately like this? It's not that they can't change, it's that they don't want to, Celestia thought. How could I let this go on for so long?
Celestia closed her eyes, trying to forget about the council. Breathing slowly and relaxing, her thought's wandered to the conversation she had with Twilight.
"But in the end, was it the right thing to do? Do you think the world is a better place now? Were the decisions made in everyone's best interests?"
No Twilight. The answer to your questions, all of them, is no, Celestia thought as she lowered her head, tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. I was a fool to let you leave for Prance on your own. I was a fool to keep Luna, my own sister, imprisoned in the moon for a thousand years. It wasn't the right thing to do, the world isn't a better place and the decisions were only made in the best interests of the ignorant council I created.
It was like a waterfall of sorrow and regret, washing over her in a single moment she was reminded of all her failures over the years. The council had only ever been a crutch. She had tried to let them take the responsibility, her responsibility, for all the decisions made. It was a mistake to think that she could share the burden given to her at birth. She was an alicorn, a member of the royal family, and she alone was responsible for the well-being of everyone in Equestria.
Celestia's tears began to fall toward the ground. Her concentration on her magic failed and the pile of documents being held in front of her was released. Like leaves falling from a tree, they separated and scattered across the room, coating the floor beneath in a thin layer of paper.
"Princess Celestia! Are you alright!?" One of the guards asked as he rushed to her side.
"I've hurt the ones closest to me and betrayed my family's trust. I've made some serious mistakes," Celestia said, turning her head slowly to look up at the guard standing attentively by her side. "But it's okay. I know how to fix them."
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Author's notes:
Hello everyone. I hope you're still enjoying the story.
This chapter was a lot of fun to write. I finally have an editor, (Thank you, Specter Von Baren.) so I was able to catch and change certain aspects of the story that needed improvement. (I must have rewritten the section where the council votes on the law about ten times.) It also means that I'm working harder on the chapters than before, so the turnaround is a little longer, but I can assure you it's well worth it.
As always, if you have any questions or comments about the story, you can reach me at my email: admin@theamberfox.ca I'll also be keeping a close eye on the comments below the story.
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Disclaimer:
"My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" and its derivatives are the sole intellectual property of Hasbro©. I do not have, nor claim to have, the rights to the intellectual property that this story is based on. |
Shadows of the Sun | Chapter 5 | Shadows of the Sun
By theamberfox
Chapter 5
"You know, Goldenroot, I think you live just a teensy bit too close to the council assembly." Vortex said, glancing out the window near the door.
"It saves me a lot of walking." Goldenroot said, looking up into the dark, clouded sky as he headed out the door. "Besides, I don't like spending too much time outside on a day like today."
"Almost makes me happy that we'll be spending nearly the entire day arguing in a stuffy room." Vortex joked, smiling as she slipped out behind him.
Rain was pouring down and soaking the path beneath them. The two ponies walked towards the council assembly, dodging the large puddles that accumulated in the cavities of the road. The water rippled in the pools as the droplets randomly broke the surface and sent tiny waves crashing against the shore like miniature lakes.
"It's not that stuffy." Goldenroot replied, grinning at the Pegasus. "I have to admit that this is a fairly dull part of the process. Mostly everything about the law is written in the records already. We're only checking over the wording and making sure we don't leave any loopholes."
"A few of us are going to feel pretty apathetic about the whole thing. We're all getting the boot if the law is accepted and then we have to decide whether or not we want to come back." Vortex said, kicking a small rock along the path.
Realizing that she was referring to herself, Goldenroot stopped in his tracks and turned to face the blue pegasus with a concerned look. Her mane lay flat against her body and her tail hung uselessly between her legs, wet from the downpour.
"You're not going to run for re-election?" he asked quietly.
"I'm still thinking about it." she answered, sending the rock hurtling into the bushes nearby and gazing up at the huge structure in front of her.
The building that housed the council's assemblies was almost completely characterless. Only recognizable by the illustrious stained glass windows at the entrance, it was essentially a large stone rectangle with a peaked roof. The building had sustained damage from the storm that had ravaged the city only a few days ago, but it was minor and only a few shingles were missing. The repairs had obviously been marked as a low-priority objective since it was difficult for the building to become any less attractive from a few scuffs and scrapes. It was just plain ugly and there wasn't much that anyone could do to change that.
Vortex turned her head and smiled brightly at the stallion. "I want to continue working in the council, but it's for all the wrong reasons. I just don't think my heart really belongs in politics."
Goldenroot pulled the heavy door leading into the building open, and stood to the side. "Well I'm certainly going to miss you if you leave."
"You're not going to lose me that easily. I just wouldn't be in those boring council meetings anymore." Vortex said, walking through the opening Goldenroot had created.
Goldenroot smiled happily at her reaction and followed after her, letting the door close behind him. The interior of the building was decorated with several tapestries and potted plants, but they were worn and unevenly spaced. It almost reminded Goldenroot of the corridors in Wind Dancer's mansion, but the tasteless arrangement rushed the memories away. To add even more distinction between the two areas, the government building had large, wide hallways that allowed many ponies to walk among them without disturbing each other, vastly different from the restricted passageways in his fellow council member's house.
"You had your own ways of making things interesting." he said.
"So did you." Vortex laughed. "You must have blown up at Dancer and the general a dozen times each."
"Lord Crescendo had his fair share too," Goldenroot smirked, "although it was definitely a lot less often."
"I can't believe you actually made Dancer cry about the luxury tax increase." Vortex said, laughing more loudly.
She then attempted to mock Wind Dancer by raising her voice and putting a hoof to her chest dramatically. "Oh boo hoo! You just don't understand my needs, Sir Goldenroot! I have to wear expensive make up and spend three hours on my hair every morning!
"Hahaha!!"
Vortex's overenthusiastic laugh echoed through the spacious hallways. It was odd, the hallways were wide for a reason, but that reason was hiding in the shadows, unwilling to reveal itself. A building that was usually clamouring with activity, was completely vacated and the pair hadn't seen anyone since they entered, not even the guards that diligently patrolled the halls.
"I didn't mean to offend her." Goldenroot said, ignoring the oddity and grinning stupidly at her impression. "I just got really caught up in the moment."
"She gets offended way too easily anyway. She'll be offended the moment we walk through this door." she said, trying to shake the water out of her mane and tail. "We're late and totally drenched. That's all the reason she needs."
Goldenroot flinched as Vortex flicked water at him. When she stopped, he turned his head to look at the clock just outside the room. It was fifteen minutes past one and he was late for something for the first time in ten years, but he didn't really mind. He was in a good mood today. Everything seemed to be working in his favour lately and he didn't feel like getting upset at something so minor.
Ignoring the water in his own hair, Goldenroot opened the door to the council assembly and smiled at Vortex, waiting patiently for her to walk through the entrance. Speechless, the dark blue pegasus simply glared through the opening and into the room. Concerned, Goldenroot gradually turned his head and peered though the doorway. The room was almost completely empty. The great table, with all its intricate carvings that had been so delicately preserved over the years, was gone and replaced by three figures, which Goldenroot immediately recognized as Princess Celestia and her royal guards.
"Princess Celestia, is something wrong?" Goldenroot asked anxiously, water dripping from his soaked body and pooling on the floor beneath him. "What are you doing here and where is everyone?"
"I was waiting for you two." she said, calmly smiling back at them. "You're both late. The others have already been notified."
Goldenroot displayed a very confused expression, "What do you mean? What's going on?"
"Do not worry, Sir Goldenroot. They're probably just sitting at home, enjoying all the nice rain we're having."
"Why aren't they here, in the assembly?"
"The assembly doesn't exist anymore."
Goldenroot stood in silence for a moment. Celestia's words just seemed to flow so effortlessly that it was difficult to grasp the severity of what she had just said. The assembly doesn't exist anymore..?
"I don't understand." Goldenroot said, giving her a blank stare.
"Your services are no longer required, Sir Goldenroot. Please go home." Celestia said, turning around to face the back wall.
As he became aware of the situation, Goldenroot's momentary disbelief disappeared and was replaced by a strong hostility towards the princess. The council, which had existed for a thousand years, had vanished in an instant and taken with it all the progress he had worked so hard to achieve. He strongly believed that the council was the most important part about the government, even more important than the princess herself. The council served as the representatives of the country's diverse inhabitants and gave voice to their plight. Even without the commoners, it was the essence of the equality Goldenroot believed in.
"You can't do this! We're an essential part of the government. You can't just remove us from the equation!" Goldenroot shouted.
Sensing the aggression, the two guards moved in front of the princess and glared at Goldenroot. Undaunted by the pair of golden armoured ponies, Goldenroot walked closer, fire burning in his eyes.
"Calm down! We don't know the whole story." Vortex intervened, trying to remain composed. "Princess Celestia, how can you just tell us all to go home? Goldenroot has a point. We've been a part of this government for a thousand years."
"I can show you the official records if you like, but technically every action of the council was considered to be treasonous and punishable by law for acting against the current ruling monarch of Equestria." Celstia replied. "You don't have any power... You never did."
"What about everything we've done? Everything we've accomplished!?" Goldenroot exclaimed. "You created us to help you!"
"Please go home, Sir Goldenroot. I don't want to have to use force."
"This doesn't make any sense, why are you doing this now!?"
Celestia lowered her head. "Because I was wrong. Twilight helped me realize that. The council forced me to deviate from the path I was destined to follow. I was born to lead this nation and I can't place that burden on anyone else. The council was an artificial creation that I used as a scapegoat. It was all just a lie."
Goldenroot stopped moving and stared at the princess. She was carrying all the blame for the drought on her shoulders and she made no effort to conceal her misery. Celestia's pain stung like daggers in his heart and he was ashamed that he had lashed out at her. She didn't deserve that and she didn't deserve to carry the weight of an entire nation by herself.
"Princess Celestia, please don't do this. I know we failed you during the drought. We failed Twilight Sparkle and we failed Equestria, but we can still help you fix this." Goldenroot said, cautiously approaching the princess. "You don't have to do this alone. I know that it might feel that way sometimes, but it's not the truth."
"It's not just the drought, Goldenroot!" Celestia shouted. "Ever since that day a thousand years ago, everything that we've done was wrong... I'm hurting the ones I care about the most. The council was a mistake and I intend to fix it."
"Princess Celestia..."
"Please Goldenroot..." Celestia interrupted, lowering her voice slightly.
She gently turned around to face the pale green stallion with an intimidating gaze. Suspicious, Goldenroot looked past her harsh stare. This wasn't the princess he remembered. He knew that somewhere, deep inside, she was scared of what she was doing.
Celestia closed her eyes and looked away. "This isn't easy for me to do. I know that you think you can help, but you have to trust me. I'm tired of pretending that everything is just going to all work out in the end. These are my mistakes and I alone will correct them.
"So please... Just go home, Sir Goldenroot."
The pale green stallion stood motionless, watching the princess still hanging her head. She looked so weak, so helpless, but what could he do?
Vortex moved beside Goldenroot and placed a hoof on his shoulder, causing him to break his stare and face the pegasus. Her comforting gaze met his, the amber eyes glistening in the faint light and calming his nerves.
"Come on." she whispered. "There's nothing we can do now." ~
"So the council is just... gone?" Twilight asked, quietly staring out the window.
The two ponies were sitting on the strange green couch in Celestia's bedroom. They were both trying to relax, but only Twilight really seemed at peace. She just sat there, watching the sun approach the horizon through the window.
"Yes." Celestia replied. "I thought about what you said and, although they don't believe me, I'm sure it was the right thing to do."
"It just seems strange... What will you do now?" Twilight asked curiously as she turned to face Celestia. "I mean, now that they're gone, can we really fix the drought?"
"I am going to make it my primary objective. I won't let Equestria suffer any longer than it already has."
Celestia paused and smiled at Twilight. When she had gone missing, Celestia was turned into an empty shell of what she once was. But now that she had returned, everything Celestia lost had returned at twice the strength it once was. She finally had the courage to make a difference in the world, a feature she lacked ever since the council was first created and Luna was exiled.
"But before I can act, I need your help." Celestia said. "I need to know what happened in Prance. If we can do anything at all to prevent this from happening again, I'll need to know every single detail of your journey."
"Of course, but you have to promise me that you will listen right to the very end." Twilight smiled weakly. "Not everything is pleasant." ~
The centerpiece of the castle was an enormous obsidian tower that shot hundreds of feet into the sky. It was the focal point of my journey and the very reason I had endured everything up this point. In truth, I didn't know what lay waiting for me inside that massive construct. I wanted answers to the questions I had and solutions to the problems at home, but even now, when I stood at the very doorstep of the capital, everything seemed so far away.
"You're from Equestria, aren't you?" a black stallion in silver armour asked pryingly as he walked away from the city gates and towards me.
Surprised, I uttered a quick reply, "Yes, but I thought..."
"We wouldn't speak your native tongue?" he scoffed. "Don't be so naive. You don't seem to realize it, but we rely on trading with the citizens of Equestria and since your government is so unwilling to communicate with us, we have to interact with the merchants on your border directly."
"I'm sorry..." I apologized, astounded by his reaction.
"Don't bother with this idiot." a yellow mare in identical silver armour said, walking up beside the black stallion. "He's not going to help you."
The black stallion frowned and glared at the mare, scolding her in his language. I was getting better, but I still lacked the basic comprehension that was necessary to understand what he said. From what I gathered, the stallion was very upset with the mare, but that could be recognized from his body language alone.
After a minute or two of what I assumed was cursing, the stallion turned and glared harshly at me before returning to his place at the side of the gate. The yellow mare just rolled her eyes at the display and walked closer to me.
"He's just not very fond of outsiders." she said, "It's not your fault.
"Now, judging from your personal items, you're not a merchant yourself, but from that ugly little battle wound you've got there, you could be an adventurer. Though I haven't seen any adventurers since vigilantism was outlawed so that makes me wonder..."
She paused briefly before continuing, "What are you doing here, traveller?"
I fixed my posture and tried to smile at the mare. After my last encounter, I wanted to get straight to the point in a very professional manner.
"My name is Twilight Sparkle. I was sent by Princess Celestia of Equestria to see Le Roi Pierre of Prance." I answered almost mechanically.
"Well you managed to pronounce his name completely wrong, but I know who you're talking about. I don't know what business you have with him, but Pierre is our king and if you really were sent by Celestia, then he'll want to see you right away."
"Why don't you refer to him with his full name?" I asked, blinking.
"'Le roi' means 'king' in our language, so it's not really his name, but his title." she replied. "It would be..."
She paused and looked off into the distance with a blank stare, searching for the right word to say.
"Redundant?" I said hesitantly.
"Yes!" she exclaimed excitedly, pointing her hoof in my direction, "It would be redundant to say that King Pierre is our king. See, we both have a lot to learn about each other. Now please, follow me, I'll take you to see King Pierre."
I followed the yellow mare into the castle and through the winding streets. Unlike Canterlot, nothing was very well organized and it was difficult to really get anywhere. Streets mysteriously ended or looped around to where they started. Various shops lined the streets, making it extremely difficult to follow the guard as she navigated through the crowds to the black pillar that cut its way out of the skyline like a knife.
"I forgot to tell you my name, Twilight." she said, turning around and talking loudly through the crowd. "I'm Catherine."
These ponies have really strange names, I thought as I bumped my way through the dense mob.
"It's very nice to meet you, Catherine!" I yelled in response.
"Hahaha!" Catherine laughed. "Okay, I get it. This isn't really the place to talk. We'll be at the tower shortly."
There was a large cast iron gate barring the way to the tower's entrance, each individual metal pole ending on both sides with a sharp spear-like tip. Compared to the constantly flowing mass of ponies on the opposite side of the gate, the tower's courtyard was nearly empty. Two tall, black iron statues were visible on either side of the pathway leading to the entrance. One resembled a pony holding a magnificent banner, flowing in the wind, while the other depicted a different pony standing on its hind legs with an elegant crown and cape.
I picked out the words I understood as Catherine spoke to one of the guards standing adjacent to the gate. "Please... Twilight Sparkle... Princess Celestia... Le Roi Pierre"
I'm really going to have to work at this.
The guard nodded and laughed at a joke that lay far beyond my understanding as they pushed open the gate. Smiling, Catherine motioned for me to follow her inside, giving me a better view of the courtyard. Around the statues were several flowerbeds, containing brilliant ruby and white blossoms arranged in several appealing patterns.
"Interesting statues." I thought aloud, ignoring the perplexing arrangements of flowers.
"The one with the cape resembles our king. Every time a new king takes power, we change the statue." Catherine replied, slowing her pace to walk beside me. "The other represents our battle for freedom against barbarism, greed and anarchy. It is a reminder of everything we believe in and what our ancestors worked so hard to accomplish.
"Hundreds of years ago, Prance was a set of four nations, constantly on the brink of war with each other. They fought over the resources that were uniquely plentiful to each separate nation. One nation had rolling hills and huge tracks of fields that produced a bountiful crop every year. Another had steep mountains and caverns filled with precious minerals. The third had massive, crystal clear lakes and the last had immeasurable forests filled with all kinds of wildlife.
"They could each survive on their own resources, but their avarice took over and one year, when the hostility between the nations was especially high, our original king, Florence, rose out of the darkness and disparity. He dreamed of a single, prosperous nation that was free from the conflicts that constantly ravaged the nations. With a tongue as sharp as a dagger, he cut into the very souls of the nations and united their inhabitants under a single banner."
Catherine stopped and pointed to the banner the statue held. It was a simple cross that divided the flag into four equal portions.
"You can't tell from the statue, but our flag is a white cross through a deep blue background." she continued, glancing in my direction. "It symbolizes how, despite our differences, our similarities prevailed and unified our nations.
"As a filly, the legend of Florence and the four nations touched my heart. It showed me that the light of the good in the world would always conquer the darkness of evil. That's why I became a soldier. I wanted to protect everything that he believed in, even if it cost me my life."
"Catherine... That's beautiful." I replied sincerely, smiling at her.
"If you fight for what you truly believe in, you can do no wrong." she said, smiling back. "But I digress, let us continue."
We walked towards the great black doors that led into the pillar, guarded by two ponies in recognizable silver armour that opened them as we neared. I followed Catherine closely as we stepped through the doorway and into the tower. The interior was very open. Several doors were placed in a pattern around the main hall, with a great staircase leading up into the building. Each floor had a separate, identical chandelier that illuminated the levels of the tower as we ascended.
After a long grueling walk up the monotonous staircase that seemed to narrow as we climbed, we reached the top floor. A small room with a set of cast iron doors, it was guarded by two very large ponies. Towering above her head, one of the ponies smiled as Catherine approached.
"Catherine, it's not every day that I get to see you here." he grinned.
"Always a pleasure, Daniel." she replied, returning the smile.
"And who have we got here? It wouldn't be the Equestrian that King Pierre has been expecting?" he said, looking in my direction.
Still panting from the staircase, I cracked a smile. "Actually, yes... I'm glad to hear... That he was expecting me... I'd hate to show up unannounced."
"Twilight Sparkle. It is an absolute honour to meet you. As you may have noticed, I have been brushing up on my Equestrian for the occasion."
"I've been trying to learn some..."
"But Miss Sparkle! You are injured" he interrupted, rushing in closer as he noticed the bruises around my mouth.
"Oh it's not that bad. I'm fine really." I said, smiling weakly. "I ran into some bandits on the way here."
"I know of them." He said sternly, inspecting the bruises. "They wait on the border, jumping across to the other side when either nation tries to prosecute them. They are evil, terrible ponies. I myself have had to show them the error of their ways a few times, but there will always be more.
"Did they steal anything from you? King Pierre will be furious if he finds out that anything has been taken from you."
"No. I..." I paused for a moment before continuing, "...Dealt with them."
He smiled brightly. "You are no doubt a splendid mare, Miss Sparkle! I would love to hear more about you, but we should really take you to see King Pierre."
He turned around and motioned to the other guard. They pulled the two doors open and revealed the large room inside. A single pony sat at a desk on the far side of the room against a massive window that stretched across the wall and overlooked the city below. Decorated with elaborate paintings, packed bookshelves and a set of smaller statues, identical to the ones outside the tower, it was absolutely stunning.
As we walked towards the desk, the pony lifted his head and smiled as the doors closed behind us. "It is nice to finally meet you, Miss Sparkle. I am hoping that you aren't too tired of greeting all these new ponies by now."
"No, no. Of course not, your highness." I replied, bowing my head.
"Bah! You needn't take such formalities with me, Miss Sparkle, we really haven't the time."
I raised my head quickly as he got up and walked around the desk. He was a ruby red pony, with a white mane and tail, the exact same colours of the flowers outside.
"But we do have enough time to show you to your room." he continued, walking past me and towards the door. "For your convenience, I have found a room for you on the bottom floor so that you needn't climb those awful stairs every time you want to leave."
My jaw nearly fell off at the thought. I have to walk down the stairs again!? I just got up here! I'm exhausted!
He stopped suddenly and turned around. "Haha! I jest, Miss Sparkle! Although your room is indeed at the base of the tower, I won't make you walk that distance so promptly."
I closed my jaw and smiled in relief. Oh, thank Celestia!
He walked back towards the desk and sat down. "Please, have a seat, Miss Sparkle. And so as not to bore you during your duties, you may return to your post, Catherine. I hope you don't mind the exercise."
"It is no trouble at all, my liege." she replied, turning around and heading towards the door.
Pierre waited for her to leave. He smiled brightly at me while we sat in silence.
"I was informed that you have been having problems with a drought." he said, breaking the silence. "I am truly sorry that you have had to endure such a devastating curse."
"I'm worried about my country." I said honestly, "I felt so useless at home. I came here, not because I was ordered to, but because I wanted to. I want to do whatever it takes to help my country and I am honoured that you are willing to help me."
"I sincerely hope that you will be able to find a solution to your problem here in Prance. I do not yet know how we can help, but I will send someone to escort you around the country to the various production facilities and give you access to the royal library. It is unfortunate that you cannot yet read our language; it makes the entire process much more unpleasant."
He stopped and smiled, turning his head to the side as he lost himself in his thoughts.
"You are well acquainted with Catherine, no?" he asked.
"Yes. She's a very nice pony."
"She is. I will have someone replace her at the gate and send her with you."
Once again, he just stopped and smiled, turning his head again. It was a little unsettling. It felt like he just died for brief moments as he contemplated his actions.
"Now, as unfortunate as this is, I'm not sure how much more I can help you right now so perhaps it is finally time to show you to your room." he announced, breaking the awkward silence again.
I have a feeling that I'm going to learn to hate these stairs, I thought as I flashed a fake smile. ~
"Your princess said that you lived in a library at home." Pierre said, opening a door. "I thought you might feel less estranged to the tower if you settled here."
The room was utterly gigantic. As I walked through the library, my jaw hung open and my eyes widened with admiration. It took up an entire floor of the tower and contained hundreds of shelves of books and records. The library at home was nothing like this, not even Celestia's royal library.
"Do not worry about the others. I forbade access to the library while you are here. If anyone enters, it will only be for an absolute emergency and I will make sure to let you know beforehand.
"I have tried my best to secure a proper sleeping chamber in the corner of the room and the facilities are just around the corner."
"Why are there so many books here? I've never seen a library so vast..." I asked, ignoring the plush bed and large desk that Pierre pointed to.
Pierre lowered his hoof and smiled at me. "We do our very best to document everything we can and encourage the literary arts within the country. Our library contains virtually every book produced in both of our nations as well as many others. It would take decades to read every book in the library and almost as many to learn the languages to read them."
I salivated slightly as I looked around the room. So much knowledge...
"If you are ever hungry, please contact the guard outside your room. He will have the tower's chefs prepare something for you." Pierre said, smiling as he noticed my expression. "His name is Daniel; you may have already introduced yourself to him."
"Thank you so much, Pierre." I said, trying to wipe my mouth inconspicuously.
"If you need anything else, let me know immediately. These are dark times, but that needn't prevent you from enjoying your stay."
Pierre turned around and walked out of the room, leaving me to stew in my thoughts. They were all very nice ponies, but they weren't really helping me right now. I had no idea where to start. I could begin by visiting the different areas of the country, but I would just be wasting my time if I didn't have a plan. I could start by reading the books in the library, but I would need to know what to read first. It was all becoming increasingly complicated and the amazing library I stood in wasn't really helping.
But under the veil of uncertainty, one thing was absolutely crystal clear. If I wanted to discover the truth about this nation and solve the drought at home, I would need to learn their language and I would need to learn it in less than a day.
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Author's notes:
Hello again.
I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope you enjoyed reading it. I'd like to extend a very special thanks to my editor, Specter Von Baren, for taking the time to read it over as many times as he did. Without your help, this story would not be nearly as interesting.
I'm not really looking for pre-readers anymore, but if you really want to help out, I'll see what I can do.
As always, if you have any questions or comments about the story, you can reach me at my email: admin@theamberfox.ca I'll also be keeping a close eye on the comments below the story.
________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer:
"My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" and its derivatives are the sole intellectual property of Hasbro©. I do not have, nor claim to have, the rights to the intellectual property that this story is based on. |
Shadows of the Sun | Chapter 6 | Shadows of the Sun
By theamberfox
Chapter 6
"Are you ready to go, Twilight?" Catherine asked, poking her head through the door and glancing around.
She wasn't wearing the helmet she had the day before and her now visible, short orange mane accented her light blue eyes. It was combed back across her head, a common military style that I recognized from the soldiers at home.
"Almost, just give me a minute." I replied, stuffing everything on the desk into my bag. "I want to make sure that I have everything I need."
"You really don't need anything." she shrugged, her eyes following me as I dashed around the room. "The mills are just outside the city walls."
'The mills', as they liked to call them, were a series of windmills and the largest grain processing facility in the country. Nearly every grain farmer in the area took his crop to the mills to have it processed. It was something the government of Prance had done to help the local farmers. By centralizing the refining process, efficiency was increased, cost was decreased and everyone was happier because of it. At least that's what I learned from the books in the library.
"I still can't believe you learned how to read our language in a single night." she continued with a rather shocked look on her face. "I've never met anyone that could do something like that."
"I spent my entire life reading books, Catherine." I said, stopping to smile and wink at her, "Although sometimes I wish I had left the house more often, it's a skill that really comes in handy."
"Well I completely understand why they only needed to send you."
"They?" I asked, giving her a strange look. "Celestia was the only one who had anything to do with this adventure."
"Oh, right. I guess I just forgot... Ready to go?" she asked, quickly changing the subject.
"Yeah, let's go." I answered, starting for the door across the room. "How far is it?"
"Not far. It takes about twenty minutes." she replied, propping the door open with her hoof while I walked through.
I had to squint to avoid blinding myself as I stepped out of the library and into the tower's foyer. The brightly lit room was a sharp contrast to the dim lighting in the library. With all the amenities in such a close vicinity and Daniel coming in to check on me and ask what I wanted for meals, I had comfortably spent the last twenty hours in that room. In a way, Pierre was right, it was so similar to my home in Ponyville that, if it weren't for the dire situation I was in, I would have nearly forgotten that I had ever left.
"Miss Sparkle! It is a pleasure to see you finally leave the library after all this time." Daniel exclaimed, positively beaming at me. "I suspect you have much to accomplish today?"
"Uh... yes." I smiled back. "I'm going to the mills."
"But of course! It is a wonderful place to explore..." he said, pausing for a moment before continuing in a lower tone. "...and to learn.
"But I won't keep you a moment longer, Miss Sparkle. I will leave you to our fair Catherine's protection. Enjoy your visit and I shall see you when you return."
"You really are too much, Daniel." Catherine said, smiling and chuckling quietly to herself.
"I am a gentlecolt." he replied sternly, "It is my duty to be respectful and courteous whenever possible."
"Right. Well as much as I'd like to stick around and receive complements from you, we really need to get going. I'll see you around."
He nodded slowly, "Of course."
"Bye Daniel." I smiled as I followed Catherine to the massive doors leading out of the black tower.
Daniel was an interesting pony. He was right, he was a true gentlecolt, but that was exactly the problem I had with him. He acted like a member of the nobility, a scientist and a scholar and unlike any soldier I'd ever met. I would have placed his interesting nature on the conditioning of the strange society I now resided in, but the other guards we're all so very like the ones at home. I wanted to know why he was different, but I just didn't have the time.
Once again, I stepped out into an even brighter area, the tower's garden, and again I had to squint to avoid blinding myself in the intense light. The sky above was a brilliant blue, with hardly a single cloud. A pleasant breeze rolled through the courtyard and moved the flowers like waves on water. It was a beautiful day to be outside and, if only for a moment, I let my concerns slide away from the unfortunate condition at home.
Prance really was a gorgeous country and whatever they were doing to keep the drought at bay was working extraordinarily well. The inhabitants were blissfully moving about the city, wandering in and out of the many shops that lined its streets. 'The Pointed Needle', 'Marie's Cafe', 'Jacque's Fine Furniture', all my work had made every sign perfectly legible. Although I still lacked the knowledge to understand their spoken language, my new awareness would help considerably.
Making our way out of the busy streets and towards the same gate I had entered through only a day before, I took note of the two guards standing to either side. The pony that replaced Catherine at the gate waited quietly, his eyes following us as we approached. The black stallion stood on the opposite side with a dirty glare plastered on his face.
How unfortunate. I thought, remembering his rudeness. Perhaps he will be nicer if he knows who I am.
"Catherine," he growled, "I see you're playing tour guide today."
"I'd rather do this than sit at the gate like a bumbling moron." she mocked.
The stallion just fumed as we both walked past. I only laughed a little at her comment, trying not to increase his annoyance with us.
Although I had seen it before, I never really had the time to enjoy the countryside outside the city. It was not unlike that at home, with sparse trees and houses decorating the rolling hills at irregular intervals. The cobble path painted along the ground led off into two separate directions. One way led back towards the south and Equestria, the other went farther north, towards our destination.
Looking out across the horizon as we continued, I could faintly see the outlines of the mills. From this distance, they appeared as several, equally spaced towers with six sails that moved slowly in the breeze. We had windmills at home, it wasn't exactly new technology, but it was extremely rare for more than one windmill to exist in the same neighbourhood. At most, I had only ever seen three small windmills placed next to each other on a single farm. These windmills, however, were comprised of a dozen gigantic towers that lay only a short distance from each other.
"So is there anything in particular that you want to see when we get there?" Catherine asked, slowly trotting down the path beside me. "It's not exactly the most exciting place to spend an afternoon, but I understand that you need to see it."
"I want to see how many ponies are coming to the mills, how much grain they bring with them, how long it takes to process their grain..." I said, listing my objectives and drifting off, "You know... Stuff like that. Almost anything could be useful, that's why I'm so eager to go."
"I can have one of the workers guide you through the process." she said, turning to face me. "It really doesn't take all that long."
"That's alright." I shrugged, "I learned enough about it from my books."
It was a simple process. The wheat was cleaned to remove dirt, pieces of straw and other parts of the plant that shouldn't end up in the flour. After it was cleaned, the wheat was put through a set of rollers powered by the windmills to grind up the kernels and then sifted into a fine powder and bagged. A large cart of wheat bushels only produces about two thirds of its weight in flour, which is kind of disappointing when you really think about it. It was part of the reason for the awful food shortages at home.
"Good. I'm relieved that you don't want to hear about it." Catherine chuckled, "It's reeaaaally boring."
We both laughed for a while as we walked down the cobbled road. The gentle breeze blew across my face and threw my hair back.
"I thought it was kind of interesting, actually." I finally remarked. "But I don't need to hear about it again. We just don't have the time."
"There isn't enough time in the world to hear about wheat processing more than once, Twilight." she laughed.
I couldn't help but smile at her reaction. She was a soldier alright, the kind of pony that always wanted to be in the heat of the action. She wasn't old, but she wasn't young either, so why was she guarding the front gate of the city? She seemed competent enough that she would have been promoted to a more important and exciting role by now.
When I was younger, I had asked one of Celestia's guards what it was like watching the doors to her throne room all day. The guard had smiled and reluctantly admitted that he had been scolded for falling asleep on one occasion. Except for the occasional disputes with angry nobles, it seemed like his job was fairly dull. He showed up for work in the morning, watched the doors, ate lunch, and again watched the doors until he went home at night and was replaced. If Celestia left the throne room, another set of guards would accompany her while he just stayed and watched the gate. He seemed rather annoyed that it was necessary to watch an empty room, but when he asked about it, his commanding officer said that it gave the citizens a clear picture of the authority they held. After telling me this, he just said, "You don't argue with the commanding officer."
Perhaps Catherine was just too nice or maybe she even enjoyed the job. As we approached the mills, I made a note to myself to ask her about it later.
Another set of guards stood at the entrance to the large warehouse-like building that connected the windmills. Beside them, a unicorn levitated a quill and a large tome in the air as he questioned a pair of farmers, each with a large cart of wheat. He looked at each individual farmer and asked a question, moving the quill to the tome and marking one of the pages as they answered.
"I'm beginning to wonder, Catherine, why are there so few pegasi and unicorns in Prance?" I asked, turning to the yellow pony beside me as we waited for the unicorn to finish his inquiry. "I think he must be the first unicorn I've seen here."
"So few?" Catherine smirked. "Your country is spoiled by its extreme diversity. From what I know, it is a very rare occasion to see unicorns or pegasi in any country. Equestria is the only exception.
"Many believe that the diversity roots from the Equestrian royal family. They believe that the unicorns and pegasi were lured in by the power that the alicorns held or that the alicorns actually gave them their power to begin with. Depending on your interpretation, some regard the pegasi and unicorns as gifted and powerful ponies. Others believe them to be mutants and abominations warped by the royal family's influence."
Mutants and abominations..? I thought, looking down. Is that what other ponies think of us?
"I don't believe that you're some kind of abomination, Twilight. You have a gift and you should be proud of it and, as much as I wish I could, I can't change what the ignorant public believes." Catherine continued, flashing a quick smile. "Even if they aren't mutants, they are still social outcasts in our society and, excluding you, I have only ever met four unicorns and three pegasi and all of them have important positions in the government. Pierre recognizes their talent and tries to protect them from unjust harm and, whether they are part of the government or not, they are kept under close watch.
"From what I understand, they don't really have a choice anyway. They have to work for Pierre and the government..."
At that moment, the unicorn made some final notes and motioned for the farmers to move along. They returned to their wagons and pulled their crop through the gate and into the building.
"Nathan," Catherine said, gesturing towards the unicorn and smiling, "oversees all of the grain production in the entire country."
"That I do, Catherine." he responded in a commanding tone. "And this, I presume, is the Equestrian I received word of?"
"I'm Twilight Sparkle." I said, smiling and approaching the unicorn. "It's a pleasure to meet you, but I'm surprised that you speak Equestrian. Nearly every pony I've met seems to speak my tongue, which I can't help but find a little unusual."
"All the important government officials are required to speak a multitude of languages." he said, "Since Catherine is in charge of guarding the gate to the city, she must also meet that requirement."
"As you may already know, we're going to be looking around the mills." Catherine interrupted.
"Of course." he replied, quickly nodding his head. "Take as much time as you want."
Looked towards the unicorn I asked, "Actually, Nathan, I was wondering if I could have a look at your logbook before I go in."
"Go right ahead." he said, levitating the logbook towards me. "If you have any questions, feel free to ask."
I opened the book to the most recent page and began flipping through it backwards, going one by one through the entries.
Processing Registration ID: 10038495
Taxation Level: 10%
Wheat Processed: 212 lbs
Flour Produced: 13 bags (10 lb)
Processing Registration ID: 10016201
Taxation Level: 10%
Wheat Processed: 237 lbs
Flour Produced: 15 bags (10 lb)
Processing Registration ID: 10001473, 10020345
Taxation Level: 8%
Wheat Processed: 501 lbs
Flour Produced: 34 bags (10 lb)
"You tax the wheat?" I asked, noticing the 'taxation level' in the book.
"Yes." he replied, smiling. "It helps pay for the cost of running and maintaining the mills."
I pointed to the last entry on the page, "How come this last entry isn't taxed the same as the others?"
"Each mill can handle a thousand pounds of wheat, but only one farmer's crop can be handled at a time. We tax them less for the larger amounts to encourage them to combine their crops. Larger loads increase the efficiency. It's actually a little more complicated than that, but the rest of the details are relatively unimportant..."
I nodded my head in understanding and flipped through some more of the pages. Passing through several nearly identical pages and satisfied that I wouldn't learn anything particularly useful from them, I levitated the book closer to Nathan. He reached out and grabbed it with his own magic before setting it down beside him.
"How do you measure the weight of the grain?" I asked.
"I have been magically trained to weigh the wheat while it's still on the wagons." he said proudly as he fixed his posture. "We don't tax the pounds of wheat, only the bags, so they never complain that I'm not giving them an accurate measurement and trying to rip them off. It's strictly for record keeping purposes."
I nodded again, "Thanks Nathan. I'm going to look around a bit."
Nathan just smiled as we walked further into the refining facility.
Catherine followed closely as I walked around the building. It was a fairly dull, empty room that served as a shelter from the ferocity of the wind outside. Up close, the windmills were almost deafening as they moved in the air, but under the protection of the large stone warehouse, it wasn't so bad.
Several ponies worked outside the entrances to each windmill, helping the farmers gather up their crop, clean it and bring it inside. The whole process seemed to be very quick and efficient, but it wasn't really helping me find any answers to the drought. Most of the information that I needed was in the logbook Nathan had, and it hadn't been as helpful as I thought it would be.
I wandered around for a few more minutes, watching them move the wheat into the rooms and eventually take the resulting bags of flour out and load them into the carts to be taken away. A few of the bags from each load were gathered into a pile beside each windmill as payment for the service.
Eventually turning to Catherine, I glanced at her nervously, "Um... Is this it?"
"It sure is." she shrugged nonchalantly, "I said it was boring, didn't I?"
I sighed, "I don't think I'm going to learn anything else by staying here any longer."
She simply nodded her head and we walked back to the entrance. After passing by Nathan once more and expressing our thanks, we left on the trail back to the city.
I was disappointed by today's exploits. I had hoped that the mills would have given me more to go on, but it was mostly just a dead end. Like I had read in the black tower, the mills were an efficient way of processing grain that seemed to benefit both the farmers and the government. What I did not expect was that they would contain so little information on the actual production of wheat across the country. Everything seemed to be coming from small, individual farms, just like at home and anything that was just like home was exactly the opposite of what I was looking for. ~
"Well here we are, back again at the library." Catherine said, glancing around the huge room. "Are you sure you don't want to go anywhere else? It's still early in the afternoon."
"I don't see the point." I sighed, levitating my bags off my back and falling on top of the bed. "I obviously need to spend more time figuring out where I need to go. Today was almost a complete waste of time."
"Well I'm going to leave then. If you change your mind, get Daniel to find me." she said, smiling at me once more before leaving the room.
I should send a letter to Celestia. She'll want to know what I'm doing, even if I'm not making any progress. I thought, rolling off the bed and back onto my sore hooves. I'm really getting sick of walking so much.
I moved over to the desk and sat down, taking a quill and some paper from my bag.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I have safely arrived in the capital of Prance and have made contact with King Pierre. He is a strange pony. Despite his position, he seems very relaxed, but I guess you are too.
I have learned to read their native script so that I can study the books in their library. It is far larger than I would have ever imagined, much larger than the library at home. I will spend the next few days exploring the library and searching for answers among their writing.
Most recently, I set off to investigate a grain processing facility comprised of a dozen large windmills with a very pleasant pony named Catherine who is serving as my guide. It is an efficient way to process the grain, but it did little to help me with the problem of the drought. I plan on utilizing my time more wisely in the future.
I will send you a letter every day, but I am unsure of how long it will take for them to arrive. I will not expect an answer from you anytime soon.
Your Faithful Student,
Twilight Sparkle
I leaned back, folded the paper and retrieved an envelope from my bag. Slipping the letter inside, I stood up and walked towards the door. Now I just need to find out how to send it.
Opening the door leading out of the library, I looked around the tower's entranceway.
"Miss Sparkle!" Daniel shouted from across the room as he ran over. "How was your little expedition?"
"Disappointing, Daniel." I answered, frowning slightly. "I guess I had just hoped to find more there."
"I am sorry to hear that, Miss Sparkle." he said, mirroring my frown. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
Bringing my attention back to the letter floating beside my head, I smiled.
"Actually, yes there is, Daniel. I was wondering if you knew where I could send this letter."
"Worry not, Miss Sparkle, for I shall send the letter for you." he said, once again mirroring my expression.
"Thank you very much, Daniel. I'm going to get back to work then."
"Not a problem, Miss Sparkle. I shall check in on you in an hour and see what you want for dinner." ~
"Wait." Celestia said sharply, looking at Twilight strangely from her place on the floor. "I never received any letters from you."
"I thought you promised not to interrupt me." Twilight replied, smiling back at her.
"I did, but this doesn't make any sense." Celestia continued, shaking her head. "You sent a letter to me every day and I never got any of them? Weren't you worried that I never responded?"
Twilight's smile quickly disappeared. "I knew that it would take at least two weeks for a reply. Without any pegasi to carry the mail, it would take a week to arrive in Equestria and then another week for your response to reach Prance. So for the first two weeks, no, I wasn't worried."
She turned her head to look outside the window. It was dark now and the room was lit up by the torches on the walls. The flames flickered and strange shadows danced on the floor.
"After the two weeks had passed though, I became suspicious. You had always replied to my messages in the past, so why weren't you now? The days went by, quickly turning into weeks, and despite everything I was learning, nothing helped my plight. I had already spent the time allowed for my trip, but I was determined to find something before returning home. I was sure that you wouldn't mind..." ~
Everyday was spent reading four or five books and then going to some production facility, not entirely unlike the mills near the city. I would arrive and learn absolutely nothing to help the situation at home and then go back to the library to read more books. It was beginning to grate on my nerves, but more recently, I had other concerns.
The ponies I now lived with were very strange. There was something odd about them all that I just couldn't put my hoof on. Catherine, the fierce, ambitious and sociable gatekeeper, Daniel, the intelligent, courteous, and regal soldier, and Pierre, the relaxed and elusive king, if only one of them had acted like a normal pony, I would not have been so worried. However, their professions did not match their personalities in the slightest and they would frequently change the subject whenever I tried to ask about them. To say that they were just strange was an understatement.
In truth, they were like a thick fog, clouding my vision and keeping me from reaching my ultimate goal. Who were they really? What were they hiding from me and why? I was determined to find the answers before I continued my search for the solution to the drought, if only to ease my possibly irrational suspicions.
So in the dead of night, moonlight creeping through the small windows in the library and casting long shadows across the room, I decided to investigate. The candle I had lit had been reduced to a pool of wax that had hardened when the flame disappeared. I moved silently towards the door and opened it slowly. Looking out the crack of the door I searched for the large pony that usually watched it.
Satisfied that Daniel had gone to bed, I crept out of the library and closed the door behind me. If I remember correctly, the only guards in the building are at the top of the tower and outside the main entrance. Pierre should be asleep, so his guards shouldn't be watching his room.
Moving swiftly, I ascended the staircase towards the top floor. The identical chandeliers shone just a little too brightly for my taste, but it was the only way up the tower unless I grew a pair of wings.
As I neared the top floor, my conscience kicked in and tried to persuade me to return to the library. This is ridiculous, Twilight. You're just a little irritated from the bad luck you've been having. There's nothing wrong with these ponies. They're just very unique.
Unconvinced, I continued on and approached the black iron doors at the top floor. Moving slowly, I tried the handle only to feel it immediately resist my effort.
Heh, locks are only a problem for pegasi and earth ponies. I thought to myself, gathering my magic and teleporting to the other side of the door.
The interesting statues and elaborate paintings that once inspired wonder and awe now conjured different emotions inside of me. They awakened the fear that lay dormant in my mind and I panicked at the thought of discovery. My heart beat faster and I could feel it thump against the side of my body as it tried to escape.
I took a deep breath and, pushing my fear aside, approached the desk and walked around behind it. Along the side of it were three simple drawers. Reaching out, I slid the top drawer open and revealed its contents.
Just some blank paper, I thought, sifting through the drawer.
Closing the top drawer and working my way down, I opened the second drawer. Inside were several, identical envelopes all addressed to the same pony.
Princess Celestia.
I gasped. Though my heart had beat fiercely before, now it had almost ceased. My body trembled as I lifted the envelopes out of the drawer and onto the desktop. Turning an envelope over, I discovered that it had already been opened and sliding the paper out, I noticed that the letter was bent in the corners, something that the earth ponies and pegasi usually did with letters as they had difficulty forcing the paper into the envelopes without the use of magic.
Gradually unfolding the paper I began to read the contents,
Dear Princess Celestia,
Today is the first day of my second week in the capital of Prance. I'm disappointed by my lack of progress, but I haven't given up hope. I'll find something soon, I just know it.
Catherine has been helpful with my research and I really enjoy spending time with her. She has taken me to some of the most interesting places all over the country and her knowledge of them seems almost limitless. Despite the immense cultural barriers that separate us, I feel like we've become very good friends...
I immediately dropped the letter onto the desk as if it had been set on fire. Not only had they read all my letters, they were keeping them! Princess Celestia had no idea what was going on. She didn't even know I was alive!
"You found the letters..." a voice resonated from the far end of the room. "I feared this would happen eventually."
Quickly turning my head, I looked across the desk and towards the iron doors. Standing at the entrance were the shadows of four ponies in the dim moonlight.
A bright light flashed suddenly and illuminated the room. Blinded, I turned away from the source.
"I am prepared to tell you the truth, Miss Sparkle." the voice continued. "Including the solution to your drought problem. It won't matter now anyway."
As my eyes adjusted to the light, I turned back to face the figures. Standing at the door were three faces that I immediately recognized. Second from the left, was the one who had spoken, King Pierre, waiting silently and glaring in my direction. To the right of him, was Daniel and then Catherine, each in their brilliant silver armour.
"You remember Daniel and Catherine." Pierre said calmly. "You've probably discovered that they're not normal guards by now. They, like all the other gifted ponies, play vital roles in the operation of my government."
The bright light flashed again, forcing me to turn away a second time. When the light subsided, the two ponies I had recognized as Daniel and Catherine were gone. Different ponies took their place, standing beside a pile of silver armour.
"Catherine is a pegasus. She merely hid her wings under the armour." Pierre continued, glancing over towards the yellow pony.
Catherine, now devoid of her armour, spread out her wings slowly before returning them to her side. She looked solemnly down at the floor, almost ashamed of whom she really was.
"Daniel is a unicorn especially skilled at illusionary magic. He merely copied the form of my personal bodyguard." Pierre continued, gesturing towards the tall grey pony in silver armour on his right.
Daniel had taken on a completely different form. A short unicorn with a fading orange coat, he nodded at me to show off his horn. He was quite old, much older than Pierre, which wasn't surprising considering that he had been able to maintain such an exhausting and convincing spell for so long. Something like that took substantial training and experience.
"I couldn't let you know they're true forms or you might grow suspicious. After all, why would I send all my most capable servants to feed you and watch you wander aimlessly around the countryside? However, it appears you became suspicious anyway."
"Why are you doing this!?" I yelled, glaring hard at the king. "What's the point!? If you knew how to solve the drought, why didn't you help me?"
"It's all part of a bigger picture, Miss Sparkle. I don't expect you to understand, but believe me when I say that I didn't want to have to hurt you."
"We're not really bad ponies." Daniel added in a low, raspy voice, very unlike what I remembered.
"We want to help the world become a better place and if that means we have to do some terrible things, then so be it." Pierre said.
"That doesn't explain anything!" I screamed.
"Catherine told you about the story of our creation, did she not?" Pierre asked.
The yellow pegasus flinched and closed her eyes tightly upon hearing her name.
I just stood motionlessly watching the king as he waited for some kind of reply.
"That story is part of our vision." Pierre eventually continued, realizing that I wasn't about to respond. "Just as the four nations were united to create Prance, we want to unite the whole world under a single banner.
"No more wars and no more food shortages. The entire world will work towards a common goal and become a better place for it!"
He smiled and walked closer to the table flanked by Daniel and the bodyguard while Catherine just stood speechlessly gazing at the floor.
"Oh Catherine," he said, noticing her reaction. "You shouldn't be so glum in front of our guest."
He walked right up to the desk and gradually leaned over, staring directly into my eyes.
"She didn't really want to help, but she knows she doesn't have a choice." he whispered.
He turned his head and glanced over his shoulder.
"Progress will be made with or without you, Catherine!" he shouted.
She flinched again and turned her head away, quivering and unable to look directly towards us.
"Now, how about a story, Twilight?" he continued, raising an eyebrow. "You might want to have a seat for this one."
He paced back and forth along the desk, but I refused to sit down and give him the satisfaction. How could I possibly relax at a time like this?
"No?" he asked calmly, as he stopped pacing. "Very well then, let me start at the beginning.
"As a young colt I was born into my position as king of Prance. I was given the right to lead from birth, but I never really understood how to properly utilize it until about five years ago. I read about the legend of Florence and the four nations and I studied it heavily. I went over every aspect of the legend and Florence's dream and I realized, why should we stop at the four nations? Why not unite the entire world!?"
Pierre raised a hoof dramatically and looked up at the ceiling, pausing for a brief moment. I looked behind me, out the window and towards the city below. From this distance, the city was not so different from the stars above. It was a few bright lights shining on the dark blanket of the night.
"But I had to come up with a plan." he continued, glancing back in my direction. "Obviously no nation would willingly give up their independence to us. We're just too small.
"I need help from Equestria, from your homeland. I need your power and to do that, I need to remove Princess Celestia from her position."
"You're insane!" I scoffed. "How could you think that you could ever replace Celestia? You can't even touch her!"
"No." Pierre replied. "You're absolutely right. I can't do anything...
He stopped and stared at me with a wicked smile.
"But you can." he continued. "You see, I had to find someone that Princess Celestia cared so much for that she would be so overtaken with the grief of their sudden disappearance that she would be unable to respond to what happened next.
"I couldn't use Luna, no she's too powerful and Celestia has protected her like a baby since the Nightmare Moon incident, so I needed you, Celestia's star pupil."
"Are you trying to tell me that you created the drought?" I asked doubtfully.
Smiling he just shook his head.
"No, Twilight. I did not create it, but with the help of the council, I was able to greatly extend its length and weaken your poor nation."
"The council!?" I asked. "What do they have to do with this?"
"They are working with me, Twilight. I promised them the power to rule over Equestria beside me, without their corrupt princess and her paper thin wall of propaganda and lies."
"Propaganda and lies!? How could you possibly think that?"
He walked around behind the desk and looked out the window into the night. The moon shone brightly, a single white orb in the blackness of the night.
"On the contrary, I don't understand how you could think otherwise." Pierre said. "She's lying to you, or rather; she's not telling you the whole truth. Princess Celestia tries to isolate Equestria from the rest of the world by restricting trade and travel amongst the surrounding countries. Any information about them is immediately passed off as mere rumours. She walls you off from the world and the moment you have a problem you can't solve by yourself, the entire country is thrown into disarray.
"After all, did you really think that it was reasonable for no one in your entire country to know anything about Prance? Someone had to know something and this ridiculous journey for knowledge shouldn't have been necessary. We know more about your country than you do about yourself.
"Celestia is so lost amongst her own falsities that she doesn't know what to believe anymore. She doesn't know who to trust..."
Is he telling the truth? It seems reasonable enough, but why would Celestia do that?
He paused and turned around to flash his wicked smile at me once again. The moonlight cast a horrible glow on the grin, piercing its way through the night.
"Except you, Miss Sparkle." he continued. "So I led you here and kept you captive as my prisoner. In a few days time, I will send a letter to Celestia stating your unfortunate passing. She will be overcome with grief and, with the help of the council, we will take control."
"How do you know that she won't blame you? How do you know that she won't break down your door and destroy you for what you're trying to do?"
"Because she doubts herself. Why do you think she created the council in the first place? And even if she did blame us, the council would stop her from invading.
"It's all part of the plan."
No I won't believe him or his lies. He's completely insane, this can't be true.
I wouldn't believe him because one pony in the room was showing me the truth. Catherine, who cowered in the corner by the door, was telling me something. She was telling me that he was lying, that everything he said was some elaborate plan to convince me of this falsity. She knew the truth and she was afraid of it.
"And what do you expect me to do?" I asked, smirking at him and shaking my head. "Do you just expect me to sit back and watch it all unfold?"
"I had hoped, but not expected, to convince you, Miss Sparkle, but I see now that's not possible." Pierre said with a deathly serious expression. "If I had expected to convince you, I wouldn't have needed the others to come with me."
Like the splinter forest, I was confronted with a difficult situation. Although I was sure neither Catherine nor Pierre would try to stop me, Daniel and Pierre's bodyguard weren't petty bandits and I couldn't catch them by surprise. They were trained soldiers and I couldn't hope to stop them alone.
Why does this keep happening to me?
My only hope was to try and escape. I could use my magic to teleport out of the room and away from the ponies.
Daniel and the tall grey pony neared ever closer as my horn lit up. I thought of the library below, perhaps if I could just escape this room then I would be safe.
"Twilight, I'm sorry, but we can't let you leave..." Daniel said as he noticed the glow of my horn.
He changed my thoughts to that of the night sky just outside the window. The soft gleaming of the stars and the polished white moon filled my head and before I knew it, I was outside the tower, looking in through the window at the ponies inside. Time seemed to stand still, a cool breeze brushing against my face as all four ponies looked silently towards me.
The gentle breeze quickly turned into a freezing hurricane and I drowned in the sound of my own screams as I plummeted towards the ground. Staring at the small, bright lights below and then the identical lights above, the window shattered into a thousand pieces. The glass fell like tiny raindrops, surrounding the yellow pegasus that came soaring towards me.
Catherine!?
Grabbing onto me, she sharply changed directions, now flying parallel to the ground. Crashing through the glass window had produced deep cuts all over her body and she was losing a lot of blood.
Unable to maintain her flight, she staggered in the air and we tumbled towards the ground. Rapidly approaching the city below, the small lights growing bigger and brighter, she aimed towards a window in an old building. She knew she was going to crash and she was determined to find somewhere safe to do so.
She turned herself at the last moment and absorbed the blow as we smashed through the window and tumbled onto the floor, slamming against the far wall.
My head throbbed from hitting the wall and I was covered in little pieces of broken glass, blood trickling out of the small gashes covering my body.
"Catherine!" I screamed, getting up and rushing to her side.
She lay in a crippled mass on the wood floor. Clutching her side tightly, she was covered in broken glass and coughing up blood. The entire event had destroyed her body and now I could hardly recognized her.
"You're... you're going to be okay, Catherine.... We're going to find you some help." I stuttered, bending down beside her.
"No, Twilight..." she said, staring back at me. "It's time for you to go home."
Her voice was weak, but calm. Tears rolled down her cheeks and onto the floor beside her as she moved her bloodied hooves away, revealing a large piece of glass embedded deeply into her chest.
"No! I'm not going to let you die here, Catherine!" I screamed, tears falling down the sides of my face.
"Do you remember what I said to you when we first met, Twilight?" she asked.
She paused and coughed twice while I just stared into the wetness of her eyes, the weak smile on her face growing slightly when she stopped.
"I said that if you fight for what you truly believe in, you can do no wrong." she continued. "I was fighting for the wrong thing, Twilight... I wasn't fighting for what I believed in... Instead, I was fighting for the dreams of some insane king and his lust for power."
I just kept staring into her soft, light blue eyes as she spoke, my tears dampening the floor below.
"But I'm fighting for what I believe in now, Twilight. I'm fighting for what good is left in this world and I'm fighting for you. You can still make a difference, Twilight. I know you can."
She turned her head and coughed again, wincing at the pain and clutching her chest harder.
"So I want you to leave. I want you to go home and tell Princess Celestia what happened and I want you to stop Pierre and help these ponies. I know that's asking a lot from you, but I don't know who else to turn to. I feel like you're the only real friend I ever had.
"Please...Just don't let him hurt anyone else..."
"I can't just let you die here, Catherine." I sobbed quietly.
"I'm already dead, Twilight. My bones are broken and my body is bleeding." she said, smiling weakly. "I lived for the wrong reasons, so I'll die for the right ones...
"I'm sorry I lied to you, Twilight... I'm sorry it had to end this way."
I leaned in close and hugged her, being careful not to disturb her too much and cause her anymore pain.
"You don't have to apologize to me, Catherine. I feel like I barely even know you, but you sacrificed yourself for me."
As I pulled away, I noticed she wasn't breathing anymore. Her eyes were closed softly and the weak smile on her face remained.
I'll find a way, I thought to myself, wiping the tears from my eyes and rushing out into the cold, dark streets outside.
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Author's notes:
Hello again. The story is really starting to pick up pace now and a lot is going to happen over the next few chapters. I originally planned on writing ten chapters, but it will probably end up being eleven.
As always, thank you so much to my editor, Specter Von Baren, who spends an extraordinary amount of time on this. He always helps me find something to improve about the story and make it more exciting to read.
If you have any questions or comments about the story, I'm always happy to hear them. You can reach me at my email: admin@theamberfox.ca and I'll also be keeping a close eye on the comments below the story.
_______________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer:
"My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" and its derivatives are the sole intellectual property of Hasbro©. I do not have, nor claim to have, the rights to the intellectual property that this story is based on. |
Shadows of the Sun | Chapter 7 | Shadows of the Sun
By theamberfox
Chapter 7
"So they were planning all of this from the very beginning?" Celestia asked, getting up from her position on the floor.
"Not everything, but more than we could have possibly imagined." Twilight replied nervously.
The alicorn stared at the floor and slowly paced back and forth across the room. Twilight's story and the detailed summary of the current situation had been quite jarring and she was still recovering.
"And the council was helping them the whole time?"
"I don't know if every member of the council was involved or not. Pierre was pretty vague." Twilight replied, her eyes following the princess as she moved about the room.
"I'm having trouble wrapping my head around all of this... Why didn't you tell me about this sooner, Twilight?" Celestia said, stopping and raising her voice substantially. "Do you have any idea how important this is!? These ponies are trying to kill me!"
Twilight looked away from the princess, wincing at the dramatic change of her mood and the shear volume of her voice. Celestia's anger pulsated throughout the room as she glared at the little purple unicorn in front of her.
"I was afraid of how you would react... I'm sorry, Princess Celestia." Twilight replied, still trying to dodge her mentor's cruel gaze.
Upon hearing her student's apology, Celestia's harsh glare faded into a worrisome look and she practically fell backward as she sat down again and dropped her head.
"I'm sorry, Twilight..." she apologized, "I'm so sorry... It's not your fault. None of this is. It was mine for being so trusting, so ignorant... We need to do something about all of this before it's too late."
Twilight turned back towards the princess, "But what can we do, Princess Celestia? They'll just deny everything I've said and try to convince you that it's all a lie..."
Celestia shifted her head slightly as she contemplated the thought.
"I know and I don't care." Celestia replied gently, "I believe you, Twilight... And it's because I believe you that we will have to go to war with Prance."
"How will that help!? Isn't that what they want?"
"No, it's not what they want. They wanted to catch me by surprise."
Celestia raised her head to stare back at Twilight with an uncompromising demeanour. It was an exceptionally focused expression that the unicorn had never seen before. The decision was hers alone and she could finally make a difference. All of the bureaucratic drivel had been pushed out of the way and she could act quickly and without doubt.
"I don't want to start a war, Celestia..." Twilight said, a concerned look crossing her face as she sensed the princess's emotions.
"It has already begun, Twilight. They brought this upon themselves and they should be prepared to face the consequences of their actions. I won't sit here and wait for them to plunge a dagger into my heart. They've done enough already and I won't let this continue any longer.
"I'm tired of shedding tear after tear for all the things I cannot change. The past is not the present, nor will it ever be, but the future is quite different. We can mould and shape the future, Twilight. We can change it and create a thriving society that everyone can live in happily, not just the greedy and influential noble elite.
"That is what I believe in, Twilight. Something better... But before we do anything at all, I have to speak with the former council members."
"Now?" Twilight interrupted with a troubled gaze. "It's past midnight."
"Yes. They cannot be trusted and I don't want them doing anything to intervene." Celestia said as she walked to the door. "They betrayed me once before. I won't give them time to do it again." ~
"Did you hear that?" Goldenroot asked, breaking the silence and looking up from his book.
"Mmmm... Hear what?" Vortex said, dozily rolling onto her back.
"The door." he continued from his seat across the room. "Someone's knocking at the door."
Goldenroot was sitting at the large desk in his study, a small lamp dimly illuminating the desktop and surrounding area. The smooth, glossy wooden surface was almost completely covered with the books and papers he had been drowning himself in.
"No... You're just crazy... crazy and paranoid." she sighed, rolling over onto her side again. "If you're going to be crazy and paranoid and make me sleep on the couch in your study instead of my comfy bed at home then you have to be quiet."
"No, I'm being serious. I think someone's at the door." he said, getting up from his seat and walking over to the couch. "And I told you that you could sleep in my bed if you were uncomfortable, but you said no."
Vortex rolled over onto her back again before her eyes popped open, the amber irises piercing through the darkness and fixing on the pale green stallion above her. Goldenroot looked silently back at the navy blue pegasus, her messy hair unevenly covering the soft, contrasting red fabric of the sofa.
"I said you're pushing your luck, Goldenroot." she said, smiling faintly and yawning. "Why don't you have spare bedrooms like everyone else? It's not like your house isn't big enough for them."
"I have spare bedrooms, but they're filled with books and files instead of beds. I never have any guests."
"Well you have one now and she's very displeased with the sleeping arrangements."
Vortex closed her eyes and frowned superficially, crossing her forelegs over each other with a huff. She wanted Goldenroot to feel bad for her, but he just rolled his eyes at the overdramatic display of discontent.
"I'm going to check the door. Even if it's just my paranoia, I'd rather be certain." he said.
"If it's a monster, be sure to scream so I can swoop in and save you."
Goldenroot just shook his head at her remark and walked out of the room into the gloomy hallway, closing the door quietly behind him. Despite what Vortex believed, his house wasn't all that big and the entranceway was only a short distance from the study.
Several loud knocks caused Goldenroot to come to an abrupt halt.
"Hello!?" he shouted, his voice echoing down the hall.
"This is Princess Celestia's royal guard!" a muffled voice responded through the thick wooden door. "Goldenroot, we need to speak with you at once!"
"At this hour!?" he continued, nearing closer to the door. "What is this about!?"
"Goldenroot, you will open this door or we will break it down." another, feminine voice yelled back.
What is she doing here!? Goldenroot thought as he grabbed the handle and turned it.
Pulling the door open revealed several of the princess's guards standing all around the brilliant white monarch herself. Her mane flowed almost violently around her body as she stood at the doorstep, a bitter look on her face.
"Is Vortex here as well?" Celestia asked firmly, glancing around the dark room.
"No, of course not." Goldenroot lied, staring strangely at the princess. "What is this about? Is it about her? Is she alright?"
Best not to let her know that Vortex is here, at least not until I know what this is all about, he thought, maintaining his anxious expression.
"Do not lie to me, I know she's here. She wasn't at her home and, from what I hear, she's been spending a suspicious amount of time with you lately." Celestia said, fixing a callous glare at the stallion.
Goldenroot blushed slightly, but the weight of the situation forced the embarrassment away, "Even if she is here, why would I want to lie about it?"
"You're just avoiding my questions, Goldenroot." Celestia said before turning to face the guards behind her. "Search the house and find that pegasus. She's in here somewhere."
The guards reacted quickly and pushed the stallion out of the way, rushing into the home. They split into several different directions, heading towards the various rooms.
Goldenroot turned and yelled loudly, his lungs burning as he forced the air out of them. "Vortex, get out of here! It's not safe! Get out!"
"So you were lying to me." Celestia said, shaking her head slowly, "You really are all the same aren't you? Wind Dancer, Crescendo, even Thunderhorn and Prairie Star, they all denied their involvement. They all lied to me, so why would I think you were any different?
"Did you really think that you could take over my government? I've held this right since my birth over a thousand years ago."
"What is wrong with you!? What are you doing!?"
"I'm punishing those responsible for the corruption in our country. You played your role and you will be punished for it appropriately. Your rank as a noble and a knight has been stripped, Goldenroot. You are a lowly peasant now, but I wouldn't let that concern you. You won't have much use for a title where you're going."
Goldenroots stuttered, "What... What are you going to do?"
"I haven't quite decided yet." Celestia replied, considering her options. "In the past, the punishment for treason and conspiracy was death and this has been going on for long enough that I may need to set an example for my subjects."
"What has happened to you, Princess Celestia? Why are you doing all of this?"
The princess paused and just shook her head again. As the two stood in silence, the guards continued to frantically search the rooms of the house for the blue pegasus. Goldenroot hoped that his warning had given her enough time to escape.
"I could ask you the very same question, Goldenroot. I trusted you as a friend, enough to knight you even, but now I find out that you were working with Prance to destroy me?" Celestia said, turning her head slightly as she asked the rhetorical question. "I just want to know why, Goldenroot. Why would you do this to me after everything we've gone through?"
Goldenroot tried to calm himself down before replying, "Princess Celestia, I don't know what you're talking about. I was never trying to destroy you."
"Then you wished to capture me, enslave me, or otherwise remove me from power? Are you really so arrogant that you believe you could do better?"
Before Goldenroot was able to respond, a voice shouted, "In here! She's in here!"
Goldenroot's head snapped back towards the source as he watched a guard fly against the wall, propelled by a powerful blow to the chest. Vortex emerged from the room, standing on top of the guard she had just knocked out as the rest swarmed down the hallway towards her. It was too narrow for her to fly over them, so she went straight through. After gathering her strength, she pummelled through the armoured ponies and emerged on the other side unscathed.
Vortex, landed valiantly amongst the pile of unconscious guards, "Nice scream, but why are we fighting..."
She paused and her smile fell as she looked towards the princess standing just inside the doorway.
"I told you to leave, Vortex..." Goldenroot muttered softly as he looked at the pegasus.
"It's so nice of you to join us, Vortex." Celestia smiled, "But now that I have all the pieces of the puzzle, I can stop wasting time."
Celestia's horn lit up and the room grew darker as the lights were extinguished and a thick fog rolled across the floor.
"What's going on, Goldenroot? What is this all about!?" Vortex yelled through the shadows.
Celestia's voice cut through the dense fog, "I'm tired of hearing your excuses. Your actions are enough to put what little disbelief I have to rest."
Her words echoed in the room as the two ponies slowly slipped out of consciousness. The fog was lifted and Celestia stood silently among the bodies of the former council members as several more guards rushed in from the street and proceeded to carry them outside.
"Put them in the dungeon with the others." she said sternly, turning to one of the guards. "Those two lovers can share a cell the day before their judgement. It might be the only time they have left."
The guard promptly nodded and hurried out into the streets after the others. ~
A small, concrete room with two beds, a simple toilet and a sink, the dungeon was a grim place. Over its astonishingly long existence, very few ponies had actually dwelled here. Admittedly, Celestia never really had any use for the dungeon. Perhaps it was the result of the very mundane society that she ruled over. With hundreds of guards constantly patrolling the streets of the capital, actual criminals were extremely rare. It was almost impossible to commit a crime in the city when someone was constantly looking over your shoulder and nearly every offence was discovered and prosecuted within a single day. And ever since the Nightmare Moon incident, Celestia considered locking a pony away in the dungeon the worst form of torture. Instead, she forced the guilty to perform community service and improve the society that they had deteriorated with their crimes.
"So is this what you thought would happen?" Vortex asked, glancing over at Goldenroot. "We'd end up in a dungeon waiting for our execution?"
"We don't know that for sure. She never actually said that we would be executed." Goldenroot replied, "But to answer your question, no I didn't. I thought she might change her mind about eliminating the council, but what I think and what I feel are two different things entirely. I was afraid. That's why I tried to protect you."
The two ponies lay almost motionless in the old beds across the room from each other. The mattresses were surprisingly clean, but they were stiff and lumpy, causing the ponies to constantly shift their weight around the surface.
"I'm sorry I didn't leave when you asked me to." Vortex said, breaking the silence. "If I had listened to you, I might not even be here right now."
"That's okay, Vortex. I never really believed you would leave."
"Really?" Vortex asked, smiling faintly. "Why not?"
"Because I would have done the same thing and we're not actually that different from each other."
The two ponies smiled pleasantly at the cracked ceiling above as they each thought about the pony on the opposite side of the room.
"Do you know why I was knighted?" Goldenroot asked.
"Actually, I don't." she responded, rolling over, propping her head up against her hoof and gazing at the pale green stallion patiently.
"Very few ponies are ever knighted in Equestria. I never really thought I was worthy of the honour and, as it turns out, neither did she...
"About eight years ago, when I was still working as an arboreal researcher, a small forest in the far east of the country was dying. It was a terrible disease that caused the bark on the trees to peel off, exposing the wood to the harsh weather. With nothing protecting the trees from decay, they slowly perished and the disease only spread more quickly."
Goldenroot turned to face Vortex with a solemn expression. She was still watching him attentively and, even in this bleak dungeon, he blushed faintly at the thought of her admiring him wordlessly. But it was depressing, forcing him to turn back towards the ceiling and regain his composure. How could a sweet mare like her get wrapped up in all of this chaos?
"The disease threatened to spread to other forests and eventually kill every tree throughout the land." he continued, "Naturally, Princess Celestia enlisted the help of every researcher in the country, including me. Other than the researchers, however, the entire country was kept behind a veil of ignorance.
"As time passed and the disease worsened, most of the researchers gave up looking for a cure. They urged Celestia to burn down the entire forest and save the remaining trees from harm, but would that really solve the problem? I didn't think so and neither did the princess.
"We saw what the others did not. The disease could easily reappear and we couldn't afford to burn down entire forests every time we ran into the problem."
Goldenroot paused and leaned forward as he waited for a patrolling guard to pass. His eyes slowly following the sentry as he walked down the narrow hallway and in front of the iron bars that separated them from the outside world.
"They argued with her and even convinced the council, but she refused to change her mind." Goldenroot said, leaning back again, "So one by one, the stubborn fools abandoned her. They all just deserted their research and left her to deal with the problem by herself.
"But I refused to leave. I was an inexperienced fool and didn't know any better, but I still felt like I had to try. I spent every day and every night working on what little knowledge I had and eventually I started making progress. I had isolated the disease and had started to work on the cure. I told Princess Celestia that I needed a month, but she told me that I only had a week.
"You see, the other researchers were becoming impatient and they were threatening to burn down the trees, regardless of the princess's orders. They were gathering the materials they needed and the entire forest would soon be set ablaze. However, what they didn't realize was that the disease had already spread. It was in nearly every forest in Equestria and my laboratory, with all the essential data inside it, was at the heart of the disease and the forest they threatened to torch. If I didn't finish my research in that one week, I would be burned alive.
"I continued to work despite the impending doom. I didn't really care if I died. I believed that if a solution wasn't found here and now then it never would be. This same event would only happen time and time again and so, on the very last day, I was still working in my laboratory when Celestia arrived." ~
"I'm sorry, Goldenroot, but you need to leave now." Celestia said, walking gradually up to me.
"All my research is here, I'm not leaving." I replied firmly.
The laboratory I worked in was a large, wooden structure built in a clearing deep inside the forest. It seemed unreasonable to have such a huge, complicated workspace for a single pony, but it had once been packed with dozens of researchers, all working towards the same goal. Every one of them had been far older and more experienced than I, so why did they leave? Didn't they know what would happen?
"They're going to burn the forest down in a matter of minutes, you must leave." Celestia continued, trying to persuade me to abandon my work.
"And then what!? Then I can watch the country rot and fade away as all life perishes and we die a slow and painful death from starvation!?" I yelled, turning to glare at her. "I'm sorry Princess Celestia, but I'm not leaving. If my life was ever worth anything at all, then its entire worth is placed on this very moment. I will find a cure or I will die trying. I refuse to follow the path that so many of my colleagues, my superiors and my idols did!"
I turned around and started working again. I was following the notes I had so diligently taken on the virus, grabbing test tubes and mixing the differently coloured chemicals in glass beakers around the laboratory. The task was significantly more difficult for an earth pony. Where a unicorn could precisely control the glass containers using magic, I had to manually grab each one of them and be careful not to drop any of the potentially volatile chemicals.
"Then I will stay here with you." she replied in the same, serene tone of voice. "I can hold back the flames and give you the extra time you need."
"Are you mad!?" I asked, turning around to face her again, practically laughing. "You're the ruler of this country. The princess! You can't afford to die here!"
"Goldenroot, your passion burns more brightly than any flame ever could. I find it highly doubtful that we're going to perish." she said with a smile.
I smiled back and turned around quickly, continuing my work with the test tubes. "I always wondered what it would be like to have an insane monarch leading my country. I guess it's not so bad after all."
After an hour had passed, I could finally smell the smoke of the fire burning just outside the building, but I wasn't frightened. In truth, I don't really know why. Was it because of what Celestia said or because of what I actually believed?
The alicorn was sitting on the floor in silence. She was concentrating her magic and keeping the flames from entering the laboratory, but I wasn't sure how long she could hold out. It was strange, I always thought that a task like this would be easy for Celestia, but it seemed like her magic was weakening. Perhaps it was the combination of the flames, the smoke and the heat, or maybe the strength of an alicorn just wasn't as legendary as we had all believed.
As the room heated and filled with an intense orange glow from the burning forest outside, I mixed the last of the chemicals together and poured a small droplet on the specimen nearby.
"Does it work!?" Celestia asked.
She was exhausted and the sound of her panting was barely audible over the crackling and burning timbers.
"I... I don't know. I need more time." I panicked.
"We don't have anymore time, Goldenroot!" she yelled as she got to her hooves, "Grab your notes and let's get out of here!"
She lifted a huge desk and flung it across the room at a large window, smashing the glass to pieces. Reacting quickly, I gathered up everything that could fit in my bag.
"Ready!?" she asked, glaring at me as I put the bags on my back.
As I nodded, she picked me up and threw me onto her back. Dashing out the broken window, we flew out of the woods and high into the smoke-filled air. As we ascended, I could see that the entire forest was engulfed by the fire, the huge flames rising far above the canopy.
"I don't think I want to do that again." she laughed, still panting from her fatigue. ~
"A week later, the tiny tree that I tested my cure on had prospered and it's bark was rebuilding. We mixed the cure into artificial rain clouds and spread it over the affected forests.
"When all the trees had finally returned to normal, Celestia invited me to her castle. She knighted me for my bravery, but she refused to tell anyone else what happened, forcing everyone involved with the disease into secrecy. She said it was better that way. No one really needed to hear that their country had teetered on the edge of apocalypse."
"You speak of it so casually..." Vortex smiled. "I heard about that forest fire. Everyone said it was just a natural disaster. What happened to the researchers that actually caused it?"
"The council refused to punish them. They believed that their hearts were in the right place and that they were just trying to help..." Goldenroot shook his head. "Ridiculous... I would have thrown them all in the dungeon for what they had done. Princess Celestia, felt the same as I did, but she couldn't get anything past the council. Even minor punishments were waived.
"On the day I was knighted, I swore that I would become a member of the council and stop such atrocious things from happening ever again."
"And just as the council was finally getting better, Celestia got worse and the council was abolished." Vortex smirked. "Funny how that works."
"I'm not laughing."
"While I understand how you feel about all of this, don't you think we should make the best of our situation?"
Vortex slid out of the small bed on the opposite side of the room and moved leisurely over to the stallion, who continued to stare at the ceiling and ignore her.
"I don't really understand what you mean. How could we possibly make the best of this?" he asked.
"Well, we may only have one night left on this planet, isn't there something you want to do other than just mope around." she smiled, winking at him.
"We're stuck in a dungeon at the bottom of the castle. Forget about what I want to do, I can't really think of anything I can do." he replied, sounding rather annoyed that she was so focussed on their depressing future.
"Oh, you are such an idiot sometimes, Goldenroot!" a pompous, but familiar voice sounded from the other side of the concrete wall.
Startled, Goldenroot sat up in his bed and turned to face the wall.
"Wind Dancer!?" he asked in surprise.
"Yes, you ignoramus, we're all locked up in this dungeon together, even if we can't see each other."
"You were listening to all of that?"
"Of course I was!" Wind Dancer exclaimed, "How else should I entertain myself in this concrete box?"
"Then how come you didn't interrupt me before?"
"Because up until now, I was trying to respect your privacy like a proper mare, but you've got such a thick head, I just had to intervene."
Slightly offended, Goldenroot replied back, "What?"
"You can figure this one out, Goldenroot." she said coolly, "You may only have one night left to live and you're stuck in a dungeon with a beautiful young mare that you've spent a large part of your career gawking at."
Vortex blushed brightly and rapidly turned away at the statement.
"What are you going to do?" Wind Dancer asked softly.
"Uuhhhh..." Goldenroot responded stupidly, glancing over at Vortex who was turned the other way and glowing red.
"Oh just kiss her, you idiot!" ~
Celestia stood behind a podium on a large wooden platform, pushed to the far edge of the town square. A massive crowd completely filled the area, small fillies and colts pointing at the stage and tugging on their parent's tails as they tried to figure out what was going on. Their parents, however, were just as lost, very little had been explained about the gathering except that it was important. So the ponies just stood and waited in silent anticipation.
"Citizens of Equestria!" Celestia exclaimed, amplifying her voice with her magic. "You are no doubt wondering why I have gathered you all here today. The truth is that traitors have been living among us!"
The crowd gasped and looked around in shock and awe.
"Foul ponies, they have been working in the shadows, performing vile deeds and conspiring against us. They sought to overthrow the government and take it for themselves." she continued, "I'm sorry that I let this happen to our country. I never would have believed that the very thing I created would turn against us, especially when we needed them the most."
One after another, six ponies were led onto the platform and out into the open, each with an iron shackle around one of their hooves that connected them to their companions.
"Goldenroot, Vortex, Wind Dancer, Thunderhorn, Crescendo and Prairie Star, once members of the elite council and the nobility, have now been stripped of their titles and positions." Celestia continued, turning to glare at the ponies as they stopped and faced the crowd in front of them. "They are not worthy of an honour that we reserve for only the most respected ponies in our society.
"They were working with Prance, the nation of ponies we all thought to be our allies and our friends. The drought that has caused so much suffering and pain was nothing that we could not have solved on our own in the past, yet it caused such terrible food shortages now. We all asked why and how, but only now do I know the truth. These ponies were lying to us and secretly worsening the drought. They were helping Prance weaken us for a coming war! They wanted to conquer our peaceful nation to meet their own selfish ends!"
"You're making a mistake, Princess Celestia!" Wind Dancer cried, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks as she desperately tried to convince the alicorn. "We haven't done anything wrong."
Princess Celestia left her spot by the podium and walked slowly over to the white pegasus. Wind Dancer's once long, beautiful light blue hair had lost most of its lustre, drooping down around her in a tangled mess. Everything she cared so much for had been tossed aside, disappearing in what seemed like an instant. The threat of her execution was too great and her appearance just didn't seem to matter anymore.
"I wish I could believe you, Wind Dancer, but I can't afford to gamble on our future. This is too important."
Meanwhile, the crowd was becoming increasingly agitated by this new realization. How could anything like this happen? Were they really so weak and vulnerable that they had let this go on for so long?
Celestia turned away, leaving Wind Dancer speechless. She walked back in front of the podium and gazed out over the troubled ponies around her.
"I won't let our country fall victim to their lies any longer, but I will not degrade myself to their level. Despite their crimes as traitors, conspirators and manipulators of the truth, I will grant them my mercy."
She turned back towards the former council members and paused, glaring at each individually.
Goldenroot looked at Vortex who was chained beside him. She returned a momentary glance and smiled slightly before pulling her eyes away and staring at the floor beneath them.
"You will all be exiled from Equestria and never allowed to return. If you refuse to live in harmony with us, then you will be forced to live in discord without us."
The ponies all reacted at once, sighing heavily or smiling brightly at their neighbour. Relieved to be spared, their eternal banishment from the country they had all spent their entire lives inside paled in comparison to an otherwise unfortunate and bitter end.
Vortex leaped over and hugged Goldenroot tightly, wrapping her hooves around the stallion's neck. Goldenroot almost immediately returned the gesture, too happy to be embarrassed.
"If you choose to defy this punishment and return to Equestria for any reason at all, I will have to resort to a penance reserved for only the most horrifying of creatures. I am only giving you one chance, don't waste it."
All six of them were unshackled and led off the platform and into a large black stagecoach waiting nearby. The crowd booed and heckled them while the unicorns in the audience threw stones. As the first rock guided itself towards Goldenroot, a magical barrier was lifted in front of him, causing the stone to gently bounce off and fall to the ground. Surprised, Goldenroot stopped and turned back towards the stage.
Celestia looked back at him with disgust, "You may not be now, Goldenroot, but you were my friend. I owe you this much, but nothing more."
Goldenroot just turned back and got into the stagecoach behind Vortex, the barrier disappearing as the door closed shut.
"Do not concern yourself with these traitors any longer. To remember them would be to acknowledge their existence within our country and I refuse to give them that satisfaction.
"No, we have more important matters to deal with! Our enemies lay waiting on our doorstop. They wish to see us misstep, but we cannot give them that opportunity. We must bring the war to Prance before they bring it to us. It is our privilege, no, our duty to stop them. They, not the drought, are the one true plague in this world and they must be brought to justice. We must free Prance from the tyranny of their leader and rescue its inhabitants from the corruption and brutality he has created.
"But I need to ask you for your aid, citizens of Equestria. Please, will you help me? Will you help your country? I am powerless without your support."
Her speech had worked the crowd into a frenzy of emotion and they let out a deafening roar of approval, stamping the ground with their hooves and cheering loudly. Even the young fillies and colts cheered, though they didn't understand why.
"Thank you." Celestia said, bowing her head in gratitude, "I could not ask for a greater country, or ponies, to serve. Your courage and strength truly has no equal and it is an honour to live among you all."
The crowd continued to cheer noisily as Celestia walked off the stage and towards the palace. They would support their princess. They would even follow her to the end of the earth and walk off the edge if she asked it. ~
Luna rushed down the hallway towards the throne room. Her new knowledge was nearly arresting, causing her to seethe with anger.
How could she do this!? she thought, the guards eyeballing her movements with curiosity. She banished the entire council from Equestria and now she's starting a war!?
"I'm sorry, Princess Luna, but Princess Celestia is very busy with war preparations and she has asked not to be disturbed."
Luna completely ignored the guards standing on either side as she flung the door wide open and walked through the threshold, leaving the two stunned ponies in her wake.
"Sister!" she yelled, slamming the door behind her.
Celestia was standing at a large table placed in the center of the room. A map was spread across the surface of a massive table, almost completely concealing the intricate carvings underneath. Small, differently coloured wooden blocks were strewn all over the map, each block representing a different army or group of soldiers.
As Luna drew ever closer to her sister's position, Celestia turned around and smiled pleasantly, "Oh, hello Luna."
"Why are you doing all of this? A war!? What are you thinking!?"
"Why?" Celestia repeated, turning back towards the table, "I was hardly given a choice in the matter. Prance held Twilight hostage, tried to convince us that she died and used the council, the second most influential members of our country, as puppets to further their own selfish goals. They wanted to take over our country, Luna. They wanted me gone forever.
"So wouldn't sitting here and just smiling like I've been doing for the past millennia give you more grounds for asking 'why?' than a war? A war is what they wanted and it's what I intended to deliver to them on a silver platter."
Luna looked extremely confused, "I don't understand where you're getting this. Traitors..? Conspirators..? Who told you this?"
Celestia spun around, "Luna, Twilight told me everything that happened in Prance. I may not have wanted to hear any of it, but it's the truth. Why would she lie about something like this? Do you think she wants a war? She's a librarian not a bored soldier or a maniac. She wants this no more than you do and after the nightmare she went through I'm not about to even consider that she's lying."
Celestia shook her head and turned around again, glancing over the map and moving the small blocks around the surface delicately.
Luna's anger diminished as she thought about everything Twilight had been through. Her sister hadn't told her everything, but she had heard about the bandits and everything that happened afterwards was almost certainly worse.
"I'm sorry, sister..." she apologized quietly, "I just don't think that a war is the answer to our problems."
Celestia, recognizing her sister's regret, turned back to face her. With a compassionate look in her eyes, she lowered her head down to her sister's level.
"Luna, it will be alright. Prance is too small to oppose us. They will probably surrender within the first few days." Celestia said reassuringly, "I'm not going to give them time to react and I will keep the casualties to a minimum. The only chance they had was through their dirty, indirect tactics.
"And who knows? Maybe if we knock on their door they will just open it, invite us in and no one will even be injured, but I can't let them get away with this. There has to be some justice in this world and if I need to look for it, then so be it."
But Luna's worried look persisted, even as her sister smiled warmly at her. "You've changed, Celestia. This isn't like you."
Celestia's smiled faded away as she raised her head and answered her sister, "No... It isn't, but the circumstances have forced me to change and I'm beginning to think that a lot of our problems could have been avoided if I hadn't been so blind."
"Sister, please... stop..." Luna said, small tears welling in the corners of her eyes, "You sound like... her."
"Her!?" Celestia exclaimed, "Why would you even say that, Luna? I'm not some nightmare trying to plunge the world into eternal darkness. I'm trying to protect us from psychopaths and criminals."
Celestia was more surprised than angry at Luna. She was surprised that her sister would compare her to that monster spawned from jealously and hatred.
Celestia lowered her voice slightly, smiling at her sister again, "You know that I would never let anything happen to you, Luna. Now please, don't worry about all of this. I promised you that I would fix my mistakes and intended on doing just that. This will all be over soon."
Luna turned and walked away from her sister and toward the door on the far end of the room. I know that, sister, and that's exactly what I'm afraid of. I'm afraid that when this is all over, you'll find out that you've just made another mistake.
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Author's notes:
Hello everyone. Another long chapter this time, so I hope you enjoyed it. The tension is building and the story is getting very close to its climax and conclusion.
I'm going to work on a revised chapter two that will describe the important council members a little more and talk about Goldenroot's knighthood so that it doesn't seem like such a surprise in this chapter.
As always, thanks goes to my editor, Specter Von Baren, who actually asked for a rewrite of the chapter. The original version is stored on my hard drive and I might post it after the conclusion. I think it might be interesting for everyone to see the kind of work that goes into these things and what happens when the author and the editor completely disagree.
If you have any questions or comments about the story, I'm always happy to hear them. You can reach me at my email: admin@theamberfox.ca and I'll also be keeping a close eye on the comments below the story.
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Disclaimer:
"My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" and its derivatives are the sole intellectual property of Hasbro©. I do not have, nor claim to have, the rights to the intellectual property that this story is based on. |
Shadows of the Sun | Chapter 8 | Just as a note to everyone, chapter 2 and chapter 4 were revised. The chapter 2 revision is quite major, while the chapter 4 revision was very minor. I encourage you to read chapter 2 again, but it doesn't contain any major changes to the actual plot.
Shadows of the Sun
By theamberfox
Chapter 8
"Alright, I've given us enough time to get out of the city, now I want to know who's responsible for all of this! Who was the filthy scoundrel that nearly cost me my life!?" Thunderhorn yelled, startling the ponies inside the stagecoach as he glared around the interior.
"Calm down, general. We can all hear you." Vortex smirked, "Although I have to admit, I'm a little bit curious myself."
"Don't you dare think I'm going to take you out of the equation, you egotistical brat."
"Don't make accusations you can't back up!" Goldenroot interrupted, glaring at the grey unicorn, "You don't even know what you're talking about! How do you know that anyone here is actually a traitor?"
Vortex smiled faintly, embarrassed that Goldenroot was defending her, admittedly, discourteous actions.
Thunderhorn snorted, "We wouldn't have lost our jobs and been banished from our homeland if someone wasn't a traitor."
"No, "Goldenroot replied with a deathly serious expression, "but don't you think there's more to it than just a traitor? I don't think that anyone would want to betray both Princess Celestia and their country for promises of power."
"Why does this always have to be a game to you, Goldenroot?" Wind Dancer asked, gently sobbing as she leaned against the wall. "We lost our homes, our fortunes, our fame... What was wrong with the way things were?"
The small carriage went quiet as the five ponies just sat and listened to the pegasus sobbing in the corner.
"It was you, wasn't it, Goldenroot?" she asked quietly, breaking the silence, "You were the one helping Prance, weren't you?"
There was a momentary pause as they all turned to look towards the pale green stallion. He slowly lifted his hoof to his face and started to rub the bridge of his nose, letting a deep sigh escape his lungs.
"Yes, but it's not..." he started.
"I knew it was you, you filthy mongrel! How dare you destroy everything I worked so hard to obtain!" Thunderhorn interrupted, jumping up from his seat and throttling the stallion with his magic.
"Stop it, Thunderhorn! I won't watch you turn into a murderer!" Crescendo shouted while using his own magic to break the unicorn's grasp.
Thunderhorn reluctantly complied, falling back onto the bench and putting a hoof up to his face. Goldenroot coughed and rubbed his neck, while Vortex just sat and stared at the stallion in disbelief.
"Besides, I would rather hear him explain himself." Crescendo continued.
But before Goldenroot could say anything, Prairie Star started to laugh in her corner of the stagecoach. She just giggled away as everyone diverted their attention towards her.
"Are you alright, Prairie Star?" Crescendo asked.
"I thought I had everything under control." she replied with a strange smile. "But in the end, I wasn't really doing anything was I? The whole thing was completely out of my hooves and it all turned into a nightmare.
"I sacrificed so much for this, so much of my life, my happiness, even my own personality... I remember that stallion I met so long ago. He was so handsome... so sweet... but I was just too boring. I had spent my entire life learning how to react to both exciting and depressing news in complete monotony that I couldn't even remember how to have fun so I just sat and watched him go. Watched him leave... I couldn't even cry about it when I got home. I didn't even know how to do that anymore..."
The mare continued to stare outside the window and started to laugh quietly.
"You're all so sad that you lost your precious houses and your beloved money, but you still have what's important, don't you?"
Tears started to form in the corners of her eyes as she turned around and looked away from the window and into the carriage at each of the ponies inside.
"I don't have that."
She turned back towards the window and gazed outside again.
"But at least my life is depressing enough now that I can remember how to cry..."
Prairie Star closed her eyes gently and started to sob uncontrollably, her golden hair obscuring her face. Her startling reaction had even surprised the usually overdramatic Wind Dancer, who now sat upright and completely motionless in her seat.
Vortex leaned over from her seat and wrapped her arms around the mare. No one had ever seen her like this. No one could have ever imagined the kind of effect that something like this might have on a pony, but Prairie Star's entire life revolved around the council.
As a young filly, she grew up believing that the council was one of the most important organizations in the entire country and she had spent most of her life trying to work her way in. Unfortunately, unlike the other members, she was not a celebrity in any way, shape, or form and she was completely ignored in the elections. So the only chance she had was to apply for the director position, which only required a nomination from the princess. While she would not actually participate in the voting procedure, she still felt like she would be making a difference and perhaps, someday, she could become a proper member.
But the position required every single aspect of the personality she did not have. She was an excitable and emotional mare who reacted to almost everything in a spectacular fashion. It was only through determination and intense training that she was able to contain these feelings and establish her legendary monotony. And once she had that, Princess Celestia was more than happy to give her the nomination and, when it became available, the actual position. But now that the council was gone and she was banished from her country, she had lost her dreams and with it, everything she believed in.
They remained in silence for a few hours while the coach just bumped along the road, nearing ever closer to their destination. Not until Prairie Star had finally stopped sobbing and drifted off into a deep sleep, did they once again start to question Goldenroot's involvement.
Vortex, still holding onto the sleeping pony, glanced over at the stallion with a worried expression, "So what were you doing? Why did you want to help Prance overthrow Celestia?"
Once again, the focus of attention returned to Goldenroot as he replied, "I was only ever trying to get the commoners involved in the council. I was not trying to overthrow Princess Celestia, I don't even know where that came from. I don't know whether it's a lie or just a misunderstanding, but it's not the truth."
"You mean you didn't know what they were trying to accomplish?" Crescendo asked, slightly taken aback.
"No. I had no idea. To be honest, I still can't believe that's what they were trying to do."
"So what do you believe?" Vortex asked, holding the sleeping mare more tightly between her forelegs.
"Well that's kind of difficult to explain on its own, so I'll go back to the beginning. You see, some time ago when the drought had first started, I was approached by Le Roi Pierre at my home. Naturally, I was a bit curious since we rarely ever have any foreigners in the country and having the monarch of any country on your doorstep is quite the honour. I was told that he was trying to keep his visit very low profile. He didn't really want the general public to know that he was here."
Thunderhorn scoffed, "And you didn't find that at all suspicious?"
"Actually I did, but then he told me why he had actually arrived. You see, he came to see Princess Celestia."
The other ponies exchanged several surprised glances.
"Why would he want to see Celestia?" Crescendo blurted, asking the obvious question.
"Le Roi Pierre told me about the situation in his country and how they were having problems acquiring all the resources they needed. They relied heavily on trade with their surrounding nations and when the largest country in the world refuses to trade with you, it's hard to make a living.
"He only wanted to know why we wouldn't trade with his country."
"Why would he need to come all the way to Equestria to do that?" Vortex asked.
"Well it sounded like he wasn't really asking... He was begging..." Goldenroot replied. "His country had spent the last two hundred years trying to establish proper trade routes with us, but every single proposal was turned down and they were finally getting desperate."
"Why wouldn't Princess Celestia just pass the law and get it over with." Wind Dancer asked, jumping into the conversation and rolling her eyes a little. "It doesn't seem like such a bad thing."
"It wasn't Princess Celestia's fault." Thunderhorn interjected. "It was ours. As far as I'm aware, Princess Celestia both proposed and approved every one of those laws. The council, however, refused to sign any of them. It wasn't worth our time or effort to get wrapped up in the outside world."
"Exactly." Goldenroot said, nodding his head slowly. "Le Roi Pierre was trying to get Princess Celestia to convince the council, but she couldn't do anything. The council was stubborn and refused to change their opinion. I was part of the council when one of those proposals went through, as well as Crescendo and Thunderhorn; however, I was the only one to vote in favour of it. That's exactly why Le Roi Pierre came to me. Princess Celestia had actually pointed him in my direction."
"Thunderhorn and I had been in the council long enough to see three of those dreaded proposals. No one ever wanted to deal with all the problems it would create..." Crescendo said, shaking his head. "I say, Goldenroot, this is getting more confusing the more I hear about it. It seems like Princess Celestia knows a lot more about all of this than she lets on, so why does she seem to have such a convoluted understanding?"
"I think Goldenroot is lying." Thunderhorn exclaimed.
"Why would I lie now?" Goldenroot asked. "If I wanted to lie about this, why would I wait until the very end and explain to you that I'm responsible? I won't gain anything from lying to you now."
"Alright, I see your point." Thunderhorn admitted, "So why would Princess Celestia believe we were the cause of the drought?"
Goldenroot frowned slightly, "I was partly responsible for the drought. Not for starting it, but for making it worse. You see, I explained to Le Roi Pierre that the council was stubborn and unwilling to change. I talked about how I had hoped to expand the council to include everyone in Equestria, not just the nobility. I wanted everyone to have a voice in the government, but the rest of the council did not. It's much easier to just sit in your house and watch the world go by from your window than it is to actually step outside. You feel comfortable and safe, free from all the world's problems.
"He just smiled at me and said, 'No one will change if they don't have to. Sometimes you have to create the catalyst for change. You have to set their houses on fire and force them to step outside.'"
"And the drought was your fire..." Vortex remarked, quietly interrupting the stallion.
"Yeah..." the pale green stallion responded, nodding his head. "A natural disaster inspires fear in your heart. That fear forces you to try and fix the problem before it gets worse. In Equestria, we have been mostly sheltered from these natural disasters. Princess Celestia's power and wisdom lets her fix almost everything before it can get worse and even when problems do exist, she shields us from fear. She tries to hide the truth. I knew that for a fact from my experience with the arboreal virus. I was knighted for saving the world, but no one even knew it was ever in danger."
"So you sabotaged the country and made the drought worse to help pass both your laws." Crescendo said, trying to bring him back to the point.
"We paid teams of pegasi to prevent certain weather patterns from entering the country. Some rain still got through, but we were keeping enough back to stop the crops from growing."
"Do you have any idea how much damage you caused with all of this!?" Thunderhorn asked, shaking his head.
Prairie Star stirred in her sleep, adjusting her head slightly as she reacted to the unicorn's noisy response.
"Ponies lost their homes, some almost died." he continued, trying to keep his volume to a minimum.
"No one was supposed to get hurt." Goldenroot answered, "We had organized for Prance to send provisions to help everyone, but I never expected the nobility to end up buying all of the supplies they sent. They took everything, far more than they needed.
"I was worried, so we stopped worsening the drought and let everything return to normal. However, not before Princess Celestia sent Twilight Sparkle to Prance. I don't think she knew what I was actually doing, but I think that she was trying to get us, the council, to realize that we needed to trade with them. She already knew the answer to our problem and she was trying to convince us indirectly."
"But we didn't listen." Crescendo replied.
"Yeah. Only I knew the truth, but I couldn't tell anyone. If I did, I risked being discovered and I would probably be thrown in jail for treason."
"Or exiled..." Wind Dancer scoffed, rolling her eyes and glancing out the window.
Goldenroot frowned and rubbed the bridge of his nose again.
"So I just stuck to the plan and tried to get everyone to vote for the law to involve the commoners in the council. After that was passed, we would all have to run for re-election. When the new council was formed, Equestria would recover on its own now that we weren't sabotaging it and the public would believe that the drought was improving due to the changes in the council. I, being the one to first suggest the idea, would be regarded as a national hero and an important political figure. I would have an incredible influence and I could convince everyone to establish the trade routes with Prance."
"And what if you didn't get re-elected?" Thunderhorn asked.
"I was giving every single pony in Equestria the right to vote, something that they've wanted for generations. It's very hard to believe that I wouldn't get re-elected after that."
"So what? You just wanted to become some kind of national hero?" Vortex asked, turning to watch the countryside pass by outside the window. "This was all just some kind of ego trip for you?"
"I didn't really want to be a hero, Vortex." he replied, dropping his head slightly. "I just wanted to make a difference. Ever since I got involved with politics after the forest fire, I wanted to do something like this. I thought this was my only chance and, even though it seemed like a more elaborate way of making an impact than I wanted, we weren't making any progress in the council."
"Two hundred years... They had been trying to establish trade routes with us for two hundred years and our ignorance was the only thing standing in their way. The situation with the commoners and the council has roots that go much deeper than that. I thought this was the best thing to do... I never wanted to hurt anyone."
"Fair enough, Goldenroot." Crescendo said, shrugging. "So Le Roi Pierre is a die-hard patriot and you're an arsonist and a lost visionary. That doesn't explain why Princess Celestia would think that Prance is trying to take over the world."
The stagecoach came to an abrupt stop and jolted the ponies inside. Prairie Star batted her eyelids and leaned away from the wall. Vortex smiled at her gently and slowly removed her forelegs from around her waist.
"No it doesn't. That's exactly what I've been trying to tell you. This doesn't make any sense." Goldenroot exclaimed, "Something else is going on here and now I'm afraid that we'll never find out."
The door to the stagecoach swung open and the two guards looked inside.
"This is your stop, traitors. A land with no name, owned by no country." one of the guards announced with a brash tone.
Wind Dancer was the first to step out, glaring at the two as she left. Neither she, nor any of the other council members, appreciated being called a traitor. The others followed suit, stepping out into a dense forest. Having travelled all day, it was now dark outside. The thick pine trees of the woods rose high above their heads, partially masking the glowing moon and stars in the serene night sky. Dim lights shone out from the windows in the small village off in the distance and a bumpy dirt trail leading to the village was covered erratically in little stones and patches of moss and grass.
Is this where we have to spend the rest of our days? Goldenroot thought, watching the lights flicker in the distant windows of the town. Cast out, we're intended to be lost and forgotten and live like savages in the middle of nowhere?
The guards slammed the stagecoach's door shut and returned to their place behind the wagon, the two ponies in front making a wide arc as they turned the carriage around and started the long journey home.
"So what exactly are we supposed to do?" Wind Dancer asked looking around the group in confusion.
"We should probably find some food and lodging first. We can figure out what we're going to do in the morning." Goldenroot replied.
"Does anyone have any money?" Thunderhorn asked.
The other ponies all just shook their heads.
"Wonderful..." he sighed, "I'm so glad we were all prepared for this."
"How could you possibly be prepared for something like this?" Vortex said under her breath.
"Regardless, we should still find an inn." Crescendo said, "Perhaps we can work out some kind of arrangement." ~
At the base of the cliff from which Canterlot was situated, a vast army was forming. The sea of golden armoured soldiers blanketed the ground. They had pitched thousands of tents, sticking out at regular intervals and disturbing the peaceful tranquility of the green fields they occupied. It had only been one week, but it was more than enough time to gather the bulk of the army and only a few remained to keep vigilant watch over the various cities and towns around the country. It wasn't conscription, but it may as well have been. All of Equestria had been devastated by the drought and its entire population had been cowering in the corner, afraid of the distant enemy they could not see with their own eyes. So when it was revealed that Prance and the council were responsible for the drought, they were eager to fight back. Now they had a common enemy to direct their anger and sorrow towards, more than happy to eliminate the pointless squabbling amongst their own kind. They could do nothing against the drought, but they could something against Prance. They could punish them for the sorrow and pain they had endured. Everything that they had lost, Prance would be held responsible for taking.
Celestia, perched on the towering balcony above, monitored their progress and tried to keep an accurate measure of their numbers. It was well over twenty thousand now, not nearly as many as the armies of legends, but more than enough to accomplish the task that had been laid out for them. In truth, she had no intention of actually taking Prance for her own, ruling over it like she did with Equestria. She wanted to free the nation from the tyranny of their imprudent ruler, but there was something else that ate at her insides like a horrible disease. It was a feeling that she struggled to contain, a thirst that she refused to quench. It was a thirst for revenge and, like the soldiers below, she wanted to make Le Roi Pierre pay for his crimes.
She wanted to make him pay, but she knew she couldn't. She couldn't let her anger and hatred for a single pony take control. It was an unreasonable desire that could only lead a pony to madness, so she just watched. She watched and planned out her careful advance upon her northern neighbour. Everything had to go according to plan or she would only become the cause of more pain and misery for the ponies in the nation she protected. They had suffered enough already under her selfish neglect.
Behind her, a familiar purple pony slowly approached. Carefully moving one hoof after another and trying not to startle her teacher, Twilight stopped just beside her.
"Hello Twilight." Celestia said pleasantly, still keeping an eye on the golden mass of soldiers below.
"You seem awfully calm about all of this, Princess Celestia." Twilight remarked, turning a concerned glance towards the alicorn.
"I have to be. They depend on me for their strength. They may be soldiers, but they are far from fearless and it has been centuries since Equestria was part of any major conflicts. None of these soldiers have any real battle experience. At best, they might have some familiarity with petty bar fights."
"But doesn't that mean you've just been doing a good job of ruling over our country? You've lived for so long, yet you've avoided so many wars. I never would have imagined that I would be seeing this in my lifetime."
"Unfortunately, that only makes the problem worse. It's exactly as you say. No one could have imagined this and that only means we're unprepared."
The two silently watched the soldiers move far below the castle. From a distance, they looked like a powerful army, but Twilight could see the real ponies below. Some were scared, regretful of the positions they had signed up for. Others were too worried about the kind of amazing stories they would tell when they returned in a few weeks, completely ignorant of the danger that waited for them.
"I don't suppose you're here to try and convince me to change my mind." Celestia asked, breaking the silence as she finally turned to face her student.
"I'm not really sure what to believe anymore, princess." Twilight replied, letting her head slowly fall towards the floor. "I still want to believe that there's another, better way, but I'm starting to understand that there isn't. I came, not because I wanted to try and convince you of anything, but because I wanted to know that you're absolutely certain that this is the right decision."
"We are by nature, very near-sighted creatures, Twilight. We always want to do what we think is best at the moment, but we never really take the time to stop and think about how our decisions are going to affect the future. Sadly, the future is almost entirely unpredictable so how can we ever be sure we're making the right decisions?"
"I've always believed quite strongly that we can't. We can never be absolutely sure that we're making the right decisions and that's exactly why we have to take such a near-sighted approach to everything. We can only do what we believe is right at the moment and hope for the best."
"So you only think this is the right thing to do at the moment? What if you change your mind?"
Celestia smiled faintly and turned back to stare across the horizon. The rolling hills and forests leading away from the castle and into the distance painted a beautiful picture on the landscape.
"You are and will always be more than just a student to me, Twilight. If I have to do this to protect you, my sister and everyone else in Equestria from harm, then I believe this is the right thing to do. I don't think I could ever live long enough to regret protecting the ones I care about."
Twilight moved closer and nuzzled her head up against the side of Celestia's neck. The alicorn smiled more brightly and moved her wing around the unicorn, pulling her closer.
"When will you be back?" Twilight asked, not daring to look up at her teacher.
"As soon as I can be." she answered, "I hope to be back in a few weeks, but I can't be sure. Nothing ever really seems to go according to plan, does it?"
Celestia turned her head down towards Twilight and smiled, the unicorn reluctantly returning the gesture.
"I don't really care how long it takes, princess." Twilight said, closing her eyes and pulling herself closer to the alicorn. "I just want you to come back."
"I will never leave you alone, Twilight. I won't make that mistake again." ~
It was a dark and overall depressing place, doing nothing to help lighten the mood. The floor, made of rickety wooden boards that unevenly covered the dirt beneath, squeaked curiously as it moved under the pressure of a pony's hooves. And, located in the basement, it was nearly freezing to the touch, in spite of the unusually warm autumn weather waiting just outside the building's walls. Shelves stacked chaotically with old books and documents detailed the otherwise boring walls on either side of the room. At the far end, however, was a single painting that glowed like a lantern in a dark cave. It was ugly, horrendous even, but that's exactly what made it so interesting to look at. It was a picture of a burning village, smeared across with poorly illustrated flames and lifeless ponies. They just seemed to stand there and watch the flames consuming their houses, displaying no emotions or reacting at all to the terrible disaster taking place before their eyes. It was the only thing in the room that gave it any character and what character it gave was miserable and unwanted.
The innkeeper had graciously given them all a room to sleep in and enough food to keep their stomachs from complaining, but the old stallion wasn't about to give away his best accommodations to a bizarre collection of ponies that just seemed to appear out of thin air in the middle of the night. So they had all slept in the basement with its completely chilling atmosphere and just as unpleasant beds. Thin sheets were laid out across a hard mattress, only just barely adequate in covering their bodies and protecting them from the night. It was entirely comparable to the dungeon in which they had spent their last night in Equestria, just less ominous and fear-provoking.
The event had changed them all, leaving them with invisible scars and constant reminders of their grim situation. None of them really knew what was going to happen next, which was exactly why they all seemed to have just given up. They couldn't return to their past life, it was too far gone and their last experience left many of them with a sour taste in their mouths and no desire to revisit their home country. They could live here, but they had nothing. Politicians with few survival skills, they were as good as beggars. Finally, as a last alternative, they could leave and go somewhere else, the fate that Crescendo had resigned himself to.
"Where are the others?" The dark brown unicorn asked, as he fumbled with the supplies in his bag.
"Vortex is out in the forest with Prairie Star." Goldenroot replied, getting up and walking over to his colleague. "Wind Dancer and Thunderhorn are still out trying to find ways to make some money."
"They didn't want to see me off, then?"
"Prairie Star has been having a difficult time ever since the incident in the stagecoach. I don't want to force her to do anything right now and I'm grateful that Vortex is spending so much time with her."
"And Wind Dancer and Thunderhorn just don't really care?" the unicorn asked, grinning slightly and chuckling. "They both still want to go back to Equestria, don't they?"
"Why wouldn't they? It's their home isn't it?" Goldenroot asked with a hint of irritation in his voice as he watched Crescendo organize his things.
"I like to think of this as an excuse to go on a very long vacation. It's almost like someone has given me permission to explore anywhere in the world, except Equestria. And I'm alright with that. I've already been there anyway."
Crescendo stopped fiddling with his bags and glanced over towards the pale green stallion standing near him. He smiled brightly and chuckled to himself before turning serious again.
"I guess I'm just too old to deal with this anymore, Goldenroot. I just want to go out into the world and enjoy myself a bit. That's something I never really had the time to do. So much of my life revolved around music and the council and now..."
The unicorn hoisted the bags up and over his head, letting them come to a slow rest on his back before releasing his grasp and letting them sag over the side of his body.
"Well it's kind of like you said, isn't it? No one ever really wants to leave the comfort of their own home, but if someone sets it on fire then you don't really have a choice."
"I'm sorry, Crescendo." Goldenroot apologized, letting his gaze drop from the unicorn. "I guess I just thought that everything would go according to plan. I really believed that I was going to help everyone."
"I've heard that one before." Crescendo said, grinning slightly. "Don't get me wrong, I do blame you for what happened, but I'm just not angry about it. I'm far too old for that and there are far more important things to worry about than revenge."
The unicorn started walking towards the door leading out of the basement and into the rest of the building. Slowly pulling it open, he turned around and glanced at the stallion standing in the center of the room.
"You're a good pony, Goldenroot, but you made a really poor decision. I may not really care, but you should find a way to make it up to everyone else. Or, at the very least, you should find a way to make it up to her."
The unicorn let the door gently close behind him as he stepped outside, leaving Goldenroot alone in the silence of the small room.
Vortex wasn't angry with him, like Thunderhorn and Wind Dancer were. No, what she felt was more of a sense of disappointment, like he had failed her in some way. Goldenroot had wanted to apologize, but he didn't know how. They had lived here for over a week now and he could barely even work up the courage to look at her, let alone say anything, so how could he possibly apologize to her for destroying their lives and disturbing the peace of an entire country?
The stallion only just decided to sit down on his bed to give it some more thought when several short, precisely spaced knocks arrived at the door.
Did he forget something? he thought, rolling his eyes and continuing on to the bed.
The knocks at the door continued, identical to the last.
"Oh, just come in already!" he shouted angrily, tilting his head towards the door, but not bothering to look back.
"Is this a bad time, Sir Goldenroot?" a graceful, but anxious voice asked through the door. "I can come back later, if you like."
Goldenroot paused for a moment, completely unable to recognize the voice on the other side of the door, Sir Goldenroot!?
The door sighed heavily as it opened and the stallion just stared at the pony in the doorway. She was not completely unlike Wind Dancer and he would not have given a second thought to calling her by that name if it weren't for a few defining characteristics. Her coat was undeniably the same white, but her mane and tail were a darker shade of indigo instead of the light blue hair that gently cascaded down Wind Dancer's body. Surprisingly, however, it was just as expertly groomed, if not even more so than the mare who claimed to spend hours on her hair every morning.
And yet, despite the difference in hair colour and appeal, what stood out most boldly was the absence of her wings and the presence of a horn on the top her head. Indeed, she was a unicorn and not a pegasus like the mare he had worked with in the council.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Rarity. I'm one of Twilight Sparkle's friends?" she said, leaving the last part as a kind of question and hoping that the stallion would recognize the name of Celestia's star pupil.
"Yes, I know Twilight. She's Princess Celestia's student. What do you want?" Goldenroot replied, still staring at the brilliant unicorn standing at the entrance to the dark pit that he now called his home.
"You are Sir Goldenroot, are you not?" she asked, staring back at him curiously.
"Not anymore, I had that title revoked."
"Well actually, that's part of the reason I'm here."
"I don't want to be called that anymore, Miss Rarity. I'm not the hero everyone thought I was and I just want to be left alone."
Goldenroot started to push the door closed, but Rarity held it open with her magic.
"Please, this is very important." she insisted, releasing her grasp once he stopped pushing.
"Alright then." he sighed, turning around. "I imagine this is going to take a while. Do you want to sit down, Miss Rarity?"
She cautiously walked into the room and stopped, carefully investigating the uncomfortable and filthy mattresses on the floor and then the strange objects around the room. She only stopped when she arrived at the peculiar picture hanging on the wall.
"Miss Rarity?" he asked again.
"Umm, I think I would rather stand." she replied, pulling her eyes away from the painting and flashing a nervous smile at the stallion.
"Yeah, I don't like it either, but I haven't really had much of a choice." Goldenroot said, frowned slightly as he lay down on one of the beds, "What did you want to talk about?"
"Well I was actually hoping that you might help me."
Goldenroot laughed, "What could I possible do?"
"I understand why you might find this humorous, but I really do need your help. You see, Twilight Sparkle..."
She paused and slowly turned her head to the side as she tried to think about what to say next.
"She's not really..." she continued, "Well, she was supposed to come and see us in Ponyville, but..."
"Listen, Miss Rarity, I may live in a dark hole in the middle of nowhere, but I don't want you to waste my time. I know Twilight has been depressed since her journey and she spends a lot of time with Celestia now, but that's not really my problem. So if that's all you're going..."
"I don't think she ever actually came back from Prance." Rarity blurted out, interrupting Goldenroot midsentence.
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Author's notes:
Hello again readers. I'll start off by saying thanks to my editor, Specter Von Baren, for helping me out with the story, as always.
I would also like to give a shout out to MaximillianVeers on Deviant Art who has been maintaining a stunning eReader ready PDF of my story. Thank you so much, MaximillianVeers, I really appreciate your hard work and I'm honoured to know that my story is worthy of your time and effort. (Now if only I had an actual eReader...)
As always, if you have any questions or comments about the story, you can reach me at my email: admin@theamberfox.ca I'll also be keeping a close eye on the comments below the story.
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Disclaimer:
"My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" and its derivatives are the sole intellectual property of Hasbro©. I do not have, nor claim to have, the rights to the intellectual property that this story is based on. |
Shadows of the Sun | Chapter 9 | Shadows of the Sun
By theamberfox
Chapter 9
"Oh, pardon me." Rarity said, lifting a hoof to her chest apologetically, "I really shouldn't have interrupted you like that. I just got carried away."
Goldenroot was sitting in a stunned silence, unable to completely grasp what she had just said. He was just staring at the unicorn with a blank, unintelligible look on his face.
"What... What do you mean, you don't think she ever actually came back from Prance?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.
"Not so long ago, just before I made the trip out here to find you, I was involved in a series of events that, while seemingly dull enough at first, led me to believe this was the case.
"The first was a visit from Princess Luna at my home in Ponyville. Strangely enough, she had arrived alone and unannounced with only a single question that she wanted to ask me, 'Has Twilight Sparkle come to visit you recently?'
"Understandably, I was quite confused and even upset with her question. I thought she was suggesting that Twilight had turned into a ghost or something equally as awful. Of course, I don't believe in such nonsense. Ghosts..."
"You mean she never actually came to Ponyville?" Goldenroot asked, pulling her back to the point before she got carried away.
"She died, Sir Goldenroot..." Rarity stated with a pained expression, "We held a funeral for her."
The unicorn turned her head away from the stallion as the heartbreaking memories started to return. Her eyes began to water, but she simply closed them and breathed deeply, the air entering and exiting her lungs shakily as she neared the point of breaking down.
Intrigued and confused by her response, Goldenroot ignored her fragile emotional state and continued to press her for answers, "But Princess Celestia has been with her for the past few weeks."
Rarity took another deep breath and attempted to gather her thoughts before answering the stallion. Convinced that she wouldn't shed any tears in front of him, she turned back and tried to maintain a serious expression.
"Unfortunately, that's what I came to realize as well. After Princess Luna had left with a rather concerned look on her face and a complete reluctance to explain why she was asking such strange questions, I decided to express my concerns to Princess Celestia.
"I wanted to know what was going on, but when I arrived in Canterlot I came to realize that a horrible event was just about to take place."
"The war is my fault, Miss Rarity." Goldenroot intervened.
"Listen Sir Goldenroot, whatever skeletons you have in your closet can wait until I've finished explaining what I need to. After I explain, you may have a different opinion about everything that's happened."
Goldenroot reluctantly restrained his thoughts while the mare waited silently for him to give her his full and undivided attention.
"I realized that Equestria was going to war with Prance, a fact that Ponyville was obviously being sheltered from, and I was curious why." she continued, "It seems that they were being held responsible for the drought, but I didn't really believe that. Why would they send us food and supplies if they were only trying to conquer us? And furthermore, why would such a small nation try to pick a fight with us when their defeat seems inevitable?"
Goldenroot almost opened his mouth, but he was met with a stern glare from the unicorn.
"So now I was only more curious about the question Princess Luna had asked me. Upon arriving at the castle and the entrance to Princess Celestia's private chambers, the guards at the door were absent and the door was left ajar. I didn't want to be so rude as to just barge in, so I waited for a moment while I contemplated knocking. You see, knocking isn't the proper way to address a member of royalty, it is tradition to confront the guards outside the door and be given their permission and, if that is acquired, a formal announcement of your arrival, but of course you already know that don't you. But while I deliberated the idea, I could faintly hear a voice from inside the room. It was Princess Celestia and she was talking to someone.
"Now believe me when I say that I'm never one to eavesdrop, but I shamefully let my curiosity get the better of me at this moment. These were the exact words I heard from inside the room."
She lowered her head, trying to remember what was said and attempting to elegantly clear her voice before she looked directly at the stallion and continued on.
"'We are by nature, very near-sighted creatures, Twilight. We always want to do what we think is best at the moment, but we never really take the time to stop and think about how our decisions are going to affect the future. Sadly, the future is almost entirely unpredictable so how can we ever be sure we're making the right decisions?'
"Unsurprisingly, I was swept away by my emotions when I realized that the princess was talking to Twilight Sparkle, whom I thought to have perished. I rushed into the room and peered out over the balcony with tears in my eyes, ready to be reunited with my long lost friend.
"But I did not see my friend on the balcony, Sir Goldenroot. No, what I saw was a much more disturbing image.
"There was only one pony standing there. Princess Celestia was alone, calmly standing on the balcony, peering out over the army gathering below and talking to no one at all. At times, she would even pause for long periods as if she were waiting for a response before she continued to speak. She would then answer these unspoken questions and at last, she moved to embrace some invisible pony beneath her wings."
"So it was a ghost!?" Goldenroot asked, his heart nearly bursting out of his chest.
"Don't be so juvenile!" she exclaimed as tears started to form in the corners of her eyes, "I think the tragedy of Twilight's death was too much for Princess Celestia to handle. She won't accept that her student, whom she treated so much like a daughter, just disappeared.
"I believe that Twilight Sparkle did die in Prance, Sir Goldenroot. The Twilight Sparkle that existed in Princess Celestia's bedchamber was an illusion. It was an imaginary creation that she used, and is still using, to help deal with the pain of her loss. And while some of what this delusion says may very well be the truth, the rest is obviously all lies. I have no idea what's going on inside her head, but reality is beyond her grasp."
This new realization was too much for Goldenroot. His vision blurred and the room started to fade out of existence. The sound of Rarity's voice grew quiet and became difficult to understand.
"Are you alright, Sir Goldenroot?" Rarity asked, regaining her composure and glancing at the pony with a genuinely concerned expression.
He was going to pass out. Everything that he had done had created a catastrophe far worse than anything he could have imagined. He was responsible for Twilight Sparkle's death, that sweet, innocent filly who was sent all alone to help solve the problem he had created. He was responsible for the insanity of arguably the most powerful creature in the world and her inability to accept the tragic death he induced. He was responsible for the resulting war with a peaceful nation that had only wished to help its citizens acquire all the resources they needed to survive. He was personally responsible for everything that was tearing the world apart. If the drought had been a horrible plague on Equestria, then this was an inconceivable monster that he had no possibility of stopping. What could anyone do to stop this disaster from getting worse? Was there any hope left at all?
With those last questions clouding his mind and pulling him away from reality, the brilliant white of Rarity's coat seemed to explode and fill his entire field of vision. A simple, dazzling white, it quickly distorted into a strange, sickly grey and finally into a black as dark as the night sky. ~
"I think he's finally waking up." a voice announced.
Goldenroot's vision was still too hazy to recognize the dark blue blotch that hopped out of its place in the bed beside him as he regained consciousness. He groaned loudly as he rolled onto his back and blinked rapidly, the ceiling above slowly coming into focus.
"You're very lucky that you were lying down, Sir Goldenroot." another voice, which he recognized as Rarity, proclaimed, "I had no idea this would have such a powerful effect on you."
"Miss Rarity?" he asked as he rolled over onto his side and gazed out into the room.
As he set his eyes upon the white unicorn, he noticed several familiar faces in the room. Vortex, standing to her right, appeared to be quite distressed, but was desperately trying to conceal this fact from the stallion. Prairie Star, who was standing very close beside the pegasus, had a similarly worried expression on her face, but, in contrast, she was making no effort to hide this detail from him. Thunderhorn and Wind Dancer were also in the room and stood to the left of Rarity. And now, in such a close vicinity to her doppelganger, Wind Dancer's defining characteristics were much more pronounced. Their stylish, but delicate manes that rolled down from the top of their heads were similar shades of the same blue, but Rarity's hair was visibly darker. Folded gently along her side, Wind Dancer's feathered appendages seemed to pull the stallions eyes towards them and distinguish the pegasus from the unicorn standing beside her. However, despite their differences, they were still unquestionably alike.
"Are you two related?" he asked, moving his hoof rapidly between Wind Dancer and Rarity.
The two mares looked at each for a moment and started laughing hysterically. As they did, a smile forced its way onto each of the other three ponies faces and they joined in on the excitement. Thunderhorn shook his head and rolled his eyes, while Vortex smiled exuberantly. Prairie Star merely covered her mouth as she chuckled away quietly.
When the five ponies finally calmed down, Wind Dancer turned to the stallion and asked, "Would you like some more time to rest, Goldenroot?"
She wasn't particularly rude about it. She even appeared to have some legitimate concern for the stallion, which was bizarre given the circumstances he had put her in. And, while it was appreciated, it only brought Goldenroot back to the grim reality. Princess Celestia was hallucinating that her student was still alive and well and this figment of her imagination had somehow convinced her to wage war on Prance.
"I'm so sorry, Miss Rarity." he said, resting his head against the dirty mattress and closing his eyes. "This is all my fault. I... I..."
"Do not talk such rot, Sir Goldenroot." Rarity exclaimed, interrupting his grovelling.
Surprised by the reaction, Goldenroot's eyes snapped open.
"Your companions have been kind enough to explain to me the full extent of your situation." she continued with a very strict tone. "And like our dear princess, you have made the foolish mistake of placing all the blame for these events on yourself."
Goldenroot pulled himself upright and cast a humiliated glance at the unicorn, "But I was responsible for your friend's..."
"You are not responsible for that, Sir Goldenroot, and nor should you be blamed for it." Rarity interrupted.
She walked closer to the stallion and lowered her head to his level on the mattress below.
"My friend's passing was a tragedy that I won't soon forget," Rarity explained in a miserable, but soothing tone of voice. "But I do not blame you for it. You are not a murderer, Sir Goldenroot. I truly believe that within every inch of my heart. It was a terrible accident and nothing more. You cannot be blamed for an accident."
"But what about the princess and the war and..?" Goldenroot asked.
"The only thing you can be held responsible for is manipulating your country and lying to your friends and fellow council members." she answered, "And while that may sound like a truly terrible deed, I am not so naive that I can completely overlook your intentions. From my understanding, you were trying to accomplish what no one else could. While you foolishly, and I really feel that I must emphasize my point here, foolishly sacrificed the happiness and well-being of others, you were willing to give up everything you possessed as well."
She smiled gently at him and lifted her head, backing away from the mattress.
"Now, you can either continue to grovel in your regret and self-pity or, if you're well enough, you can get up off that filthy mattress and help me." Rarity said, returning to her strict tone.
Although he was still shocked by the unicorn's reaction, he pulled himself up off of the floor and onto his hooves.
"Do you all know what's going on as well?" Goldenroot asked, looking around at the other ponies.
"While you were passed out, we had more than enough time to exchange our depressing stories." Thunderhorn said, smirking.
"Alright then, what do you suggest that we do, Miss Rarity?" Goldenroot asked, turning his attention to the unicorn.
"Unfortunately, I have no idea." she admitted, "That's exactly why I came to see you."
Goldenroot sighed heavily, "How did you even find us?"
"The guards told me."
"They just told you? I thought they were sworn to secrecy."
Rarity smiled pleasantly, "I'm very persuasive."
Goldenroot just smiled back and chuckled quietly.
"Well let's consider what we need to accomplish." he announced, turning serious again, "We need to confront Celestia and stop her from waging war with Prance."
"I'm afraid it's already too late for that." Rarity frowned, "The army has been deployed and is on the border of Prance as we speak."
"Then we need to lure them back. Can we get Princess Luna to help us?"
"Princess Celestia won't listen to her sister. She's already tried to stop her and failed."
Thunderhorn laughed quietly to himself as he listened to them bicker.
"Did you forget that I was a general, Goldenroot?" the old unicorn asked, diverting the attention in the room. "I think I know what we have to do. The only thing that is going to bring Princess Celestia back now is another war. What we need to do is start a riot right in the middle of Canterlot."
"Are you crazy!?" Vortex shouted, finally jumping into the conversation. "How is that going to help!?"
"We can use it as a diversion and lure the princess back to the castle. She won't have the bulk of the army behind her and we'll have the element of surprise. If we're careful enough, no one even needs to get hurt. Most likely, we can convince some of the nobles who were angry with the decision to eliminate the council to help us. After we gain some support, we'll ambush the guards around the castle and tie them up. With all the guards subdued, we can create some general chaos, nothing major or irreplaceable of course, and wait for Princess Celestia. When she arrives, we can confront her and put a stop to all of this."
After hearing the full extent of his plan and having no better ideas of their own, the ponies in the room silently agreed.
"But we're going to need a plan for when we confront Princess Celestia." Goldenroot said, "We're not just going to be able to tell her that she's gone completely mad. She either won't believe us or she just won't accept it."
"After what I saw, I think the only option may be to imprison her." Rarity said. "This is something that she has to come to terms with on her own and we have to be prepared for the worst possible situation."
"How can we possibly imprison an alicorn?" Vortex exclaimed.
"Actually, we have always been prepared for that situation." Thunderhorn said, "During the time the council was in power we were able to construct a magical prison that can contain an alicorn."
"Why would Celestia ever allow something like that to be built knowing that she and her sister were the only ones who would ever be contained?" Goldenroot asked.
"It was originally part of an elaborate plan to bring Nightmare Moon back from her banishment several hundred years ago." Thunderhorn explained, "While the council approved of the idea at first, they cancelled the plans before they were able to come to fruition. It just wasn't worth the risk."
The plan was to have Nightmare moon return to the planet and subsequently imprisoned in a magically altered cell below the castle. Celestia truly believed that her sister was still somewhere inside the monster that tried to drown the world in an eternal night and she wanted to help her. If she returned to Equestria then, just maybe, she might be able to restore her true form.
The arrangement seemed simple enough and the princess was able to convince the council to start constructing the cell. But it took a surprisingly long time, nearly ten years, and when it was finally completed and then tested by the princess herself, the council decided to cancel the plans. They just didn't consider it to be worth the risk. If Princess Celestia ever faltered, even for a moment, they chanced changing the world forever. The entire planet would be cast into an eternal night and it would be nearly impossible to save it.
The cell was almost entirely forgotten in the depths of time. Apart from Princess Celestia, for whom it remained a constant memorial of her beloved sister and her failed rescue attempts, only a select few members of the royal army knew about it and that had conveniently included General Thunderhorn. It was preserved for the rare case that it would ever be needed, either as a prison for Nightmare Moon or some other nameless horror. And as it was becoming evident to them all, that horror was none other than Princess Celestia, the creator herself.
"Then why wasn't Nightmare Moon imprisoned there on the day of her return?" Rarity asked with a puzzled expression. "Twilight predicted that she would return and so did Princess Celestia, so why weren't you prepared for it?"
"From my experience, the royal army never took the rumours that we found in dusty old books seriously." Thunderhorn scoffed, "I don't think anyone other than Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia expected anything to happen.
"But if Princess Celestia had expressed her concern to us, I think we would have considered it to be a serious threat; however, I believe that she secretly wanted to have the opportunity to see her sister again and she didn't want to prevent her return. Letting the council know anything about this would only jeopardize that opportunity."
"I don't think anyone can really blame her for that." Goldenroot said, "Having to banish your only living family member to the moon would be a difficult fate to accept."
"Tsk, tsk." Rarity slowly shook her head, "It seems that you have yet to truly understand my point, Sir Goldenroot. Both you and Princess Celestia have very similar personalities. You seem to think that the ends always justify the means."
"Do you really think you are so wise that you can criticize both our decisions so harshly, Miss Rarity?" Goldenroot said, glaring at the unicorn, "If you do, I think you are sorely mistaken."
"Perhaps, but are you really so arrogant that you believe you have nothing to learn from this?" Rarity responded with a curt smile. "I am only trying to help you, Sir Goldenroot. I'm trying to stop you from doing something you will regret."
"Then why, may I ask, are you so comfortable with the idea of starting a riot in the capital?"
Rarity's expression fell and she let out a deep sigh, turning her head away from the stallion and towards the rickety wooden floorboards.
"I'm not, Goldenroot." she said disconcertedly, "But while I believe that the ends do not always justify the means, I'm afraid that we have very little choice in this matter. We have to act as quickly as we can or we will face a terrible end. Princess Celestia has become extremely dangerous and she's nearly unstoppable."
"Well then, keeping that in mind, I think we ought to leave." Thunderhorn remarked.
"This is all very interesting, but I don't want to run the unnecessary risk of being executed." Wind Dancer said, breaking the pace of the conversation and lying down on one of the mattresses. "So as much as I would love to return home, I think I'm going to sit this one out."
"You're not going to help?" Goldenroot asked. "What about..."
"Oh please, Goldenroot." she interrupted, "I'm only going to get in the way. I am, at heart, a dancer not a soldier."
Rarity laughed pleasantly, "And I'm a tailor. How does that make me anymore suitable for this?"
"Because you're not a coward, Rarity." she explained, "I'm sorry, but I'm just not capable of doing this."
"I don't want to go either." Prairie Star added quietly, stealing everyone's attention. "My life was just depressing in Equestria and I'm actually starting to really like it here. I don't really think I would be much help anyway."
Vortex looked surprised, but she just smiled at the pony standing beside her. Prairie Star had taken it the hardest and she was just happy to see that she was recovering from the turmoil.
"Okay." Goldenroot replied, nodding his head. "I can't force anyone to come."
Diverting her attention away from the pony beside her, Vortex spoke up, "So what, we're just going to walk right in? Won't someone recognize us?"
The others just paused as they thought about their predicament. If they were spotted in Equestria, they would be put to death for returning from their banishment against the princesses' orders.
But before they could give it too much thought, Rarity whisked away the bed sheets and the horn on her head began to glow iridescently. Working with such haste that it was almost impossible to follow, she turned the simple bedding into stunning, and perhaps a bit too extravagant, cloaks with large hoods that could easily cover their faces whenever they deemed it necessary. Flawlessly cross-stitched at the seams to increase the weight on the edges and the durability of the fabric, the garments were connected around the neck with a broad silver chain that was held in place with two large sapphires on either side, though where the jewels had actually come from was a complete mystery.
Slipping the cloaks over each of the ponies' heads, including herself and the ones who had decided not to join them, she beamed back at them in anticipation.
"Well, what do you think?" she asked, "I thought it was best to keep it simple since we're trying to remain inconspicuous, but that shouldn't stop us from looking good."
"Miss Rarity, these are gorgeous." Prairie Star said, staring at the garments with wide-eyed adoration. "But we don't need them, we're not coming."
"I didn't want anyone to feel left out." she smiled.
"How did you wash them?" Vortex asked, "These things were so gross!"
"And where did you get these sapphires?" Goldenroot asked.
"Oh, I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that." Rarity responded, batting at her long hair, "I can't give away all my secrets."
The other ponies just smiled at her reaction. She was indeed a very interesting pony.
"Well, I guess this is it." Goldenroot said with a kind of disappointment, "If you two aren't coming with us, I find it highly unlikely that we'll ever see each other again."
Wind Dancer just smiled, "Oh, I fully expect to see you again, Goldenroot. Although Miss Rarity doesn't hold you responsible for everything that happened, I believe that you are required to clean up this mess you created. And when you do, I expect you to come and tell me so that I can return to my home."
Goldenroot smiled, "I'll do that."
Turning to face the light brown mare, still standing quietly beside Vortex and hiding behind her golden hair, Goldenroot slowly approached her.
"I'm sorry, Prairie Star." he said with a solemn expression, "I know that doesn't mean a lot right now, but I'm afraid I'll never have a chance to do anything more. I'm sorry that I ruined your chances at realizing your dreams."
"Don't feel bad about it." she answered, moving the hair away from her face with a hoof and trying to smile, "It wasn't really such a bad thing. I think I was trying too hard to live up to my childhood fantasies and I never really realized that I just wasn't enjoying it.
"Like you and Celestia, and perhaps everyone in the world, we all have some kind of dream stuck in our heads at some point in our lives, some kind of utopia. I really thought I could get there, to that perfect world in my imagination, but I was losing so much along the way. Now that I've finally lost everything, I feel like I can start over and I'm kind of looking forward to that. I want to experience all the things that I missed out on when I was younger and I want to find someone else that I can share all those experiences with.
"So, although my utopia came crumbling down around me, it wasn't such a bad thing after all and I'm beginning to think that the utopia I dreamed up wasn't actually what I wanted anyways."
Goldenroot smiled gently. He still wasn't sure if he had learned anything about himself, but he had learned a lot about the ponies all around him. He discovered the dreams and aspirations that they each held and how they were so radically independent from each other. They all had something different to gain and something different to lose.
Vortex hugged the golden-haired pony for a moment and Thunderhorn nodded suggestively towards the door. The four ponies left the room, leaving Prairie Star and Wind Dancer behind them. Making their way up the stairwell, out of the building and onto the dirt road outside, they left the small village behind. The flickering lights slowly faded out of existence as the ventured ever further on their way to Equestria, but what little time they had spent there had served an important purpose. They were a bizarre collection of perhaps unlikely companions, but their parallel ambitions persevered. They had to stop the sinister fate of their homeland and prevent the severe repercussions it would have on the world as a whole.
They walked in careful silence with their hoods pulled over their faces, afraid that someone would discover their presence, but they had much more to fear than mere discovery. They lingered on the blade of a knife, their path clear and in a straight line, but every step they took was more dangerous than the last. The country they had been banished from was fast approaching and they were all afraid of what lay waiting for them. It was to no wonder then that Vortex isolated herself from the group, dawdling behind the other cloaked ponies and watching the edge of the forest as it passed by. The trees had started to thin out, but it was still difficult to see more than a few feet into the wooded wilderness.
Taking note of her leisurely pace and curiosity of the forest, Goldenroot began to realize that she had more on her mind than just their journey. She was thinking about him and about how he had acted over the past few days. Unsure if anything he could say would put her at ease, but still willing to try, Goldenroot slowed his pace, allowing him to fall behind and match the steps of the dark blue pegasus behind him.
"I never really had the time to apologize to you, Vortex." he said, turning his head in her direction.
She pulled her gaze from the quiet ambiguity of the forest and glanced hesitantly at him. Her amber eyes flickered in the dim light breaking through the canopy and washing over the ground unpredictably, the course shadows that the leaves created moving slowly along the dirt.
"I don't believe that." she said, changing the direction of her gaze, "You had more than enough time to apologize, you just chose not to."
Goldenroot turned to watch the anomalous shadows dance along the dirt path, "I was worried that you wouldn't forgive me."
"And maybe you should be. I'm not going to forgive you as easily as the others have." she said harshly, looking back at him with an unyielding glare, "Apologizing now won't change that."
"But, Vortex..." he replied, his eyes starting to tear up as he realized what she had said, "I..."
He lifted his heavy stare upward, prepared to pour his heart out for the mare he had grown so attached to and willing to do anything to convince her to forgive him.
But as his eyes fell upon hers, he noticed something unusual. Her expression didn't seem to fit the gravity of the situation that she was implying at all. She was smiling. No, she wasn't just smiling, she was laughing at him. She had convinced him that his actions were completely unforgivable in her eyes and she was just laughing!
"You're soooo gullible, Goldenroot." Vortex said, her smile illuminating her face.
"Why would you do that!?" he asked, angry that she had been toying with his emotions.
She stopped smiling and met his gaze directly, "Because now you know how I felt."
In one sincere sentence, Goldenroot felt his anger completely evaporate, "I'm sorry, Vortex. I should have told you what was going on."
"Yes, you should have."
"Are you... are you angry about it?"
"Oh yeah, big time." she said, "At first I was really sad too, but then I realized that I was just letting my emotions get the better of me. I thought you didn't trust me and then I thought you were just lying about what you said when we were in the prison. I thought you didn't really care about me at all and it was just some big act, but then I realized..."
She smiled again and laughed a little, "You're a terrible actor."
Goldenroot just smiled.
"But although I'm angry about it all, I'm too excited about this adventure we're going on now to worry about it." Vortex continued, "So you can find a decent way to apologize to me later. I expect a present, probably... something expensive."
"Wait, you're excited about this?" he said in shock.
"Of course! We're going to start a riot!" she said, winking at him, "It'll be all kinds of fun."
"I can't believe you." he said, "We could die!"
"Oh, there's a million different ways to die, Goldenroot, but there's only one true way to live." she said with an almost humorously serious expression, "You have to make the most of it and enjoy every single day. Even the worst day of your life has some good parts to it."
"Okay, now I definitely don't believe you." he said, shaking his head, "What about when we were publicly humiliated in front of everyone in Canterlot and maybe even all of Equestria?"
"Yeah sure, we were publicly humiliated in front of everyone in Canterlot and maybe even everyone in Equestria, but..." she raised her hoof and pointed it at him as she tried to make her point, "We got to be publicly humiliated in front of everyone in Canterlot and maybe even everyone in Equestria. That's pretty cool, not many ponies can say they did that."
Goldenroot broke out laughing as he plodded along the road, "Oh yeah, that was soooo much fun!"
"And..." she continued, raising her hoof and pointing it again, "We got to ride in a stagecoach, watch you get strangled by Thunderhorn... and I got to leave the country for the first time in my entire life."
Goldenroot was laughing so hard he hardly understood what she had even said. She certainly knew how to make a depressing situation entertaining. ~
Celestia ambitiously walked at the head of the group of armoured ponies whom were growing more anxious and fleeting by the day. She was worried too, but not for the same reasons. They worried for the battle ahead of them and the uncertainty of the dark forest that surrounded them, while she worried about what would happen when she finally confronted Le Roi Pierre. Would he try to fight her despite the impossible odds against him? Or would he try to weasel his way out of it and deny his involvement, claiming falsities and misunderstandings had led her here?
She pushed her uncertainties aside and tried to focus on the task in front of her. Part of her plan had been to split up the army into three separate subdivisions. Her army was large enough that she believed any one of the regiments was more than capable of meeting the entire army of Prance head on, so the split gave them significant tactical manoeuvrability. While Prance was tied up defending one area, the others armies could advance on the capital and assault it with little resistance and avoid unnecessary bloodshed.
The bulk of the army, which she now stood at the head of, was taking the most direct route that travelled through the Splinter Forest. It was the very same forest that her dearest student had been ambushed in and that fact left an uneasy feeling in her stomach. But her unease was keeping her alert and vigilant and, upon hearing a peculiar rustling in the trees nearby, she stopped in her tracks. The soldiers behind followed her example, but being as inexperienced as they were, they started to talk quietly amongst themselves in anxiety and fear instead of being silent like they should have been.
I should have known that we would be ambushed in the Splinter Forest, she thought, turning around to face the ponies waiting behind her. It would have been better to go around and avoid this. These ponies aren't trained to deal with these sorts of situations. They're barely trained at all.
"Soldiers of Equestria!" she announced with a booming voice, "Defend yourselves!"
At that very moment, hundreds of figures leapt out of the dense forest around them. Thin layers of mud were covering their bodies and concealing the bright, silver armour that protected them. It was truly a horrific sight to behold. They attacked the unprepared Equestrians in unison, using the spiked metal horseshoes on their hind legs to kick at them with an impressive force. The ponies caught in the sharp metal talons were hurled like cannonballs into their comrades, knocking them onto the ground and leaving them stunned. The ones that were hit directly were left with horrifying bloody wounds across their bodies, deep punctures that bled uncontrollably and exposed the bone under their skin.
These ponies knew how to fight and how to react. They knew exactly what they were doing, but the Equestrians had almost no clue. And though the golden armoured soldiers outnumbered them by thousands, too many were overflowing with fear and panic and were unable to properly respond to these monsters that emerged from the sinister forest walls. They rushed in blindly and tried to push the attackers back against the trees, while the ones that were able to maintain their composure recognized the advantages of drawing them out into the open where their large numbers would serve a better purpose.
While the earth ponies could only mimic their attackers' forceful kicking as an offensive, the pegasi soared around the battlefield, constantly dropping towards the grounds and tackling the ambushers and otherwise causing general disarray among their numbers. What unicorns existed among them were made obvious, hurling crowds of enemy soldiers high into the air or thrusting them against trees with such force that their armour simply crumpled like paper under the weight.
And amongst all of this pain and suffering, it seemed like the princess was just standing, stricken with a paralyzing fear of what was happening all around her. While she was indeed frightened by this display, her long life had passed through many wars in its time and to assume that she was simply doing nothing at all was thoughtless. She was concentrating and gathering her strength, preparing to unleash a terrible magic power over all of the assaulting ponies and stop this madness before it got worse.
One of the attacking soldiers yelled out, telling his comrades to stop the princess and break her concentration. Rushing over to the alicorn, a silver armoured pony kicked at the joint in one of the princess' hind legs, a deafening crack filling the air as the bone completely fractured. Her leg, now unable to support the weight of her body, buckled and sent the princess tumbling towards the ground. But in that moment, the entire scene was blinded in a bright flash of light. The trees of the forest around them came alive, groaning and wheezing as they moved. Their long, rigid arms reached out into the battle and took hold of every one of the silver armoured assailants, pulling them away and holding them prisoner against the thick bark on the trees. They tried to struggle, but the trees only grasped them more firmly.
When the light subsided, the trees had once again become motionless objects, but were still tightly holding onto the attacking soldiers and preventing them from moving even a single muscle. The Equestrians, noticing that the battle had ended, started to rush around almost as chaotically as when the battle had first begun. Some ran to their injured friends and family, shouting for help and trying to do whatever they could to ease their pain. Others moved to look in bewilderment at the enemy soldiers suspended high in the trees above, some still trying to free themselves from their prison.
From her position on the cold ground, Celestia let out a blood curdling scream and fell to her side, shaking uncontrollably as she turned her head to look at the blood soaked leg jutting out awkwardly from her body. The pain was unbearable and for the first time in over a hundred years, she felt like she was going to pass out.
Soldiers all over the battlefield immediately turned their attention away from whatever they had been doing and rushed to their princess' side, crowding around her as they tried to help.
"Someone find a doctor, the princess is injured!" a stallion yelled loudly, looking around the crowd.
Several of the ponies frantically ran away from the group and starting yelling for help, but at that very moment, Celestia's horn shone and the injured leg was wrapped in a bright iridescent light. Gritting her teeth and trying to focus on what she was doing, the princess carefully rearranged the shattered bone fragments in her leg and formed them into their original shape. Then, carefully gathering all of the blood around her leg and separating it from the dirt, she pulled it back into the veins and sealed her wounds.
She had done this exact operation before, but never on herself. It was a difficult and wonderful process that left all the panicked ponies around her completely speechless as they watched in awe as the light faded away and revealed the flawless appendage beneath. Breathing deeply, she rolled onto her stomach and got up off the ground, gritting her teeth as she flexed the stiff muscles in her healed leg.
"Princess Celestia... are you alright? Do... do you need any help?" a wide-eyed soldier asked, still stunned by the magnificent display of magic that had taken place.
"I am fine. Thank you." Celestia responded quickly. "Now who needs help!? Where are the injured?"
"What about the enemy soldiers?" a blue stallion asked.
"Leave them. The injured ponies take priority." she said firmly, "Anyone that will survive without my help should be attended to by a medic instead. I cannot help everyone."
The large group of ponies surrounding her acknowledged this and ran off to look for those in need of immediate aid while the princess took flight and searched from the sky.
The scene from the ground was terrifying, but the scene above was unimaginably worse, so many were injured or dead. It was exactly as she feared, Prance had been preparing and educating their soldiers in the art of war, but Equestria was completely unqualified for this. She could only hope that the detachments which had ventured to the west and east would avoid any conflicts. If they had to face anything comparable to what had happened here, their fate would be much worse.
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Author's notes:
Hello everyone. We are fast approaching the conclusion of this story with only a few chapters left. I believe I will be able to wrap this up at chapter 12, two chapters longer than I originally anticipated.
I would like to thank my editor, Specter Von Baren, for the amazing work he does with this. His help is always appreciated. If you're interested in reading another, albeit less dark story about the main characters exploring the concept of immortality, you can take a look at his first written work of MLP fanfiction "If You Could Live Forever". Here's a link to that: http://www.fimfiction.net/story/2037/If-You-Could-Live-Forever
And as always, if you have any questions or comments about the story, you can reach me at my email: admin@theamberfox.ca I'll also be keeping a close eye on the comments below the story.
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Disclaimer:
"My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" and its derivatives are the sole intellectual property of Hasbro©. I do not have, nor claim to have, the rights to the intellectual property that this story is based on. |
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