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The luck in our stars. | A kiss... | King Sombra's P.O.V:
It had been long since sunset, and I was now calming myself by looking at the stars.
Today in court, the same pony had kept coming back with different problems and that had annoyed me greatly.
It had taken all of my energy to not scream at him. Now, my anger was being replaced by peace from the night sky.
A popping sound later, and a letter had appeared with the night princess's seal on it.
I levitated the letter to myself, and broke the seal before unrolling it.
I read, "To Sombra, The King Of The Monsters.
As a reply to your letter, yes I am sure I had cast the spell correctly. And yes, I was thinking of myself and Celestia.
That probably explains why I'm having daymares. Nightmist had come not long after your letter, and told me that it would take a while to stop my daymares.
I was thinking, since I haven't left the castle in a long time, could we meet at midnight?
If you aren't busy that is.
Awaiting your reply,
The Princess Of The Night, Luna."
I smiled and started writing the reply. Then, I put Luna's letter with the other ones she had sent.
************************************
Princess Luna's P.O.V:
I left the dream world for what seemed like the thousandth time to check if Sombra had sent a reply.
I waited a few seconds, and with a popping sound came a letter.
I levitated it to myself and saw it had Sombra's seal. After breaking the seal, I unrolled the letter and read, "To my dear Princess Of The Night, Luna.
You are right, that is the very reason why you are having daymares.
I am not busy, and will never be busy at midnight. It is a time when I leave all problems to deal with in the morning.
Yes, we can meet at midnight. I'm more than happy to say so.
Waiting for you,
King Sombra."
After I had finished reading Sombra's letter, I put it with the other ones from him. Then, I flew out of my balcony to the Crystal Empire. I enjoyed the feel of the wind blowing my mane against my face.
I hadn't flown in ages. Now I felt free. My flight ended when I landed on King Sombra's balcony.
He hadn't noticed me yet, so I quietly walked behind him.
He turned around and jumped. He put a hoof on his chest and said, "Luna! You scared me!"
I laughed, "I thought you weren't scared of anything."
He replied, "I may be a King Of Monsters, but I still have a heart. Pieces of it are still returning, and cannot be broken again."
"It was just for fun.", I said.
"I know that.", Sombra said. "I just said all that for dramatic effect. But it's still true."
"Ok, drama King. Where shall we spend the night?", I asked.
"How does a moonlit stroll through the Empire, and ice cream sound?", asked Sombra.
I replied, "It sounds great. Let's go!"
So, the both of us teleported down, and then started our walk. I broke the silence by saying, "You know, we could call this our first date."
Sombra blushed, "You'd really think of it as that?"
"Yes.", I replied. "We love each other, or do you not love me?"
Sombra blushed again and said, "Of course I love you, my dear Luna. How could I not? It strikes me as strange that nopony has asked to marry you yet."
I said, "I'll tell you why."
Sombra said, "Ok."
I started, "Celestia fell in love once, and she loved that pony with her whole heart. But, he didn't love her. He wanted to marry her so that he could become a prince. One day, the truth slipped from his mouth, and he left Celestia with a shattered heart. After that, Celestia never opened her heart to anypony and tried to keep me away from falling in love. She never let me go near any stallions."
Sombra said, "Oh. What do you think she'd do if she found out we love each other?"
"I don't know. And I don't want to lose you.", I replied.
Sombra said, "I don't want to lose you either. We'll never let her find out. Ever."
"We'll keep this a secret.", I agreed.
********************************************************************************
King Sombra's P.O.V:
Luna and I were now in an ice cream shop that I used to go to when I had been a colt.
We were both sitting at a table, Luna was opposite me. We were eating Vanilla ice cream, something that we both loved.
The last few minutes had been quiet, as none of us had thought of anything to say.
I looked at Luna and saw that there was some ice cream on her cheek. I broke the silence by saying. "Um, Luna? You've got some ice cream on your cheek."
Luna got a tissue and put it near her cheek. "Here?", she asked.
I replied, "No." I pointed at her cheek. "There."
Luna moved the tissue and asked, "Here?"
I said, "No." Then I stood on my chair and leaned across the table. I got a tissue from underneath my cape, and wiped Luna's cheek. "There."
Luna blushed. I sat down, and finished my ice cream. Then, I looked at Luna. She was so beautiful; it was complete torture for me not to kiss her.
Luna finished her ice cream and saw me staring at her. I blushed and looked away. When she was looking at something else. I looked at her again.
Something was telling me to just kiss her, while something else told me not to. I didn't know what to do. Should I kiss her or not?
While I was battling with myself, out of the corner of my eye I saw Luna lick her lips, suddenly finding them dry. Eventually I lost control, and kissed Luna with all my love. She was caught by surprise first, but then she kissed too.
It was our first kiss. So full of love, and sweet. We stayed like that for a long time, until Luna looked at the sky and said, "I have to go now, or Tia will know that I'm out of the castle. Bye Sombra."
Before flying off, Luna surprised me by kissing me on the cheek. I was frozen for a moment, and the I waved after her, "Bye Luna."
Turns out she did love me. I made my way back to my castle, and then i wrote in my journal. After that, I decided to call it a night.
As soon as I had taken my armor, cape, and crown off, then I fell asleep on the bed because I was so tired.
**********************************************************
Princess Luna's P.O.V:
As soon as I had looked at the sky, I realized that dawn was going to be soon and that I had to go. I told Sombra, , "I have to go now, or Tia will know that I'm out of the castle. Bye Sombra."
I was about to fly off, when i got an idea and kissed Sombra on the cheek. Then I flew off and watched as Sombra slowly raised a hoof to his cheek where I had kissed him.
Then he unfroze himself, and called after me. "Bye Luna."
I couldn't wave back, because I had only ten minutes to get back to the castle. I remembered something, and teleported to my room.
Then I looked in the mirror to see if any ice cream was left on my face. Finding none, I turned around and walked into my balcony. Then I lowered the moon, as Celestia raised the sun.
I could not help but feel sad seeing how everypony woke up as soon as the sun rose. The night was better than the day.
In the night, it was cold, peaceful, and beautiful. The day had none of that! I shook my head and walked to my bed.
Then I fell into the land of sleep.
************************************ |
The luck in our stars. | Don't you dare... | Princess Luna's P.O.V:
It had been a while since I had shut my eyes. I was having a not so peaceful dream, when suddenly everything froze.
That wasn't a normal thing to happen in dreams. It meant that either a dreamwalker or a powerful creature had entered the dream.
A mist came in front of me and said, "Princess Luna."
"What do you want?", I asked it.
The mist laughed, " Princess, I know everything that will happen in the future. You must trust me."
I was no fool, so I said, "I will not trust you."
"Fine, have it your way.", said the mist. " I am here to tell you what will happen in a month's time."
"Continue.'', I said.
"Your sister wants the throne for herself. She shall banish you from Equestria, and erase all history of you being a princess. Ponies will start to believe that she is the only Equestrian princess, and shall forget you."
"That's not true!", I half-screamed.
"Dear princess, it is true as you and I.", said the mist.
"I'm not sure how real you are.", I muttered. Out loud I said, "Ponies would never forget me." I knew that wasn't true.
"Ponies would forget you. After all, your sister Celestia can raise both the sun and moon."
"While it is true that my sister can raise the sun and moon, ponies wouldn't forget me, as I am the Princess of the Night. When their dreams aren't so bright, it is I who fills it with light.", said I.
"You are good at rhyming, as I can see. But I speak the truth and can make you a queen.", was the mist's reply.
"I am happy with my current position, and you speak not but lies. I shall never believe you, even if you cry.", I said.
"One day princess, one day you shall know that I speak the truth. Farewell for now. I shall leave you to your dreams.", was the mist's last words before leaving my dream.
I sat up in bed, fully awake. While I didn't believe what that mist had said, those were thoughts that normally stayed in my head!
It's almost like the mist had known my fears. Was it a part of me, or trying to help?
Needless to say, for the rest of the day the mist's words reverberated in my head.
I heard a voice say, "Luna?"
I came out of my thoughts and said, "Yes?"
Celestia had a look of concern on her face. She always did when speaking to other ponies when the expression was needed.
"Are you feeling fine?", asked Celestia.
"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?", was my reply.
"You fell asleep in your soup.", said Celestia.
"Just like old days.", I replied.
"Tell me the truth, Luna. Are you feeling okay?", asked Celestia with real concern in her voice.
"Yes, I am.", I sighed.
"Well, I don't think you are. You know, you could have a week off.", suggested Celestia.
"I most certainly can not have a week off. It is my duty to raise the moon!", I said.
A voice in my head said, 'She wants to take full control of your moon.'
"I could raise the moon while you-", Celestia was saying, but I cut her off.
"Raising the moon is Our duty! We shall not have a week off, nor shall We allow anypony else to raise Our moon. Tis Our duty alone.", I said in old ponish.
Whenever I spoke in old ponish, it was because I was angry or worried. I was angry that Celestia even thought of raising MY moon for an entire week, and I was worried because of that voice that told me Celestia wanted to replace me.
What if it was right? I pushed my bowl of soup away and went to my room ignoring Celestia's shocked face and her calls.
____________________________________________________
I had spent the evening thinking. I shouldn't have said all that to Tia, but it just came out. I hoped that it wouldn't lead to anything bad.
I decided to write to Sombra. Before I could start, a letter appeared.
It had his seal on it. Excited to read the letter, I broke the seal and unrolled it.
I read, "To my love, Luna.
I hope you are doing well. I was informed by one of my spies that Celestia is planning to come to the Crystal Empire, and blast me with the Elements of Harmony.
If it isn't too much of a bother, could you try and talk her out of it?
PS: Let's meet next week for another date.
Lots of good wishes,
King Sombra."
After reading Sombra's letter, I thought, Who could this spy be?
I shrugged and started writing a reply to Sombra.
_________________________________________________
King Sombra's P.O.V:
I waited for my dear Luna's reply, hoping she had read my letter. What I had written was true, I most certainly did have a spy.
A sound later came a letter, from the cherry of my eyes. I broke the seal and unrolled it, and then I read, "To my dear Sombra,
I can't say that I am doing fully well, as my dreams and thoughts are plagued by this Nightmist and another creature.
I hope that you are doing well, and I would be more than happy to talk Celestia out of her plan. And, I'm free next week.
Also, could you try and find a way to get those creatures out of my head? I shall go crazy if I have to spend the rest of my life with them.
Kisses and good wishes, The Princess Of The Night, Luna."
I thought, 'The nightmist is plaguing Luna's dreams and thoughts? That is quite strange. I remember that it had told me it was going to help Luna. Or maybe it is helping Luna, but the nightmare spell that she used (that I gave her) has created another creature that stops the nightmist doing its job?'
I shook my head and thought, 'I need to find a way to stop the new creature. But first, I'll need to know everything I can about it.'
Then I decided to write a reply to Luna. Levitating a parchment, quill, and ink pot over to myself, I started writing.
Once done I read it one last time before sending it.
"To my dear Luna, The Princess Of The Night, and the cherry of my eyes,
Rest assured dear Luna, you will not have to live with those creatures inside your head forever.
I shall do the best I can in saving your mind from them. And yes, I am doing well. I'll have the cure ready soon.
Lots of love and kisses, Sombra, The King Of Monsters.
PS: I'm excited for next week!"
That seemed good enough, so I sent it. Now all I had to do was research. Lots of it.
*************************************** |
The luck in our stars. | What?! | Princess Luna's P.O.V
The week went by quickly, and before I knew it, it was time for my date with Sombra.
Once midnight, I flew to the crystal empire. I landed on Sombra's balcony, and said, "Sombra, I'm here."
When I didn't hear Sombra coming, I asked, "Sombra? Tonight's our date, remember?"
I turned around, and jumped upon seeing Sombra. I put a hoof on my chest. "Sombra! You scared me!"
He just laughed and said, "Nothing's wrong with having a little fun." He saw my glare and stopped laughing.
"I'll forgive you this time.", I sighed.
"Let's go and get some ice cream then?", he asked.
"Sure.", I replied.
King Sombra's P.O.V:
Once at the ice cream restaurant, we sat at a table and ate our ice cream.
I was so busy eating my ice cream that I didn't see the smirk on Luna's face.
Suddenly, I felt something cold on my cheek. I looked up to see that Luna was throwing ice cream at me. "Hey!", I said.
"What's hey about?", she asked.
"You're throwing ice cream at me!", I exclaimed.
"And?", Luna asked as if there was nothing wrong with that. "It's payback for what you did to me before."
"But you said that you forgave me.", I told her.
"I tricked you.", she told me. "After all, nothing's wrong with having a little fun, right?"
I smirked as an idea formed inside my head. "Then let's have a snow battle?", I offered.
"Let's get started!", said Luna. We were outside of the Crystal Empire's shield that was made by the crystal heart.
The surroundings were covered with snow. Luna threw a snow ball at me, and I quickly got one ready to throw at her.
It hit her right on her face. Blinking away the snow, she told me, "You cannot defeat me so easily!"
I got hit. I wiped my face with a hoof, and then I told her, "You cannot defeat me so easily either!"
With a battle cry, I threw a snow ball at Luna, only for her to block it with a shield. "Hey! You never said that we could use shields!"
"But you never said that we couldn't.", Luna smirked at me. She threw a snow ball, and I quickly used a shield to prevent it from hitting my face.
After our snow ball fight, we both had warm showers. I was waiting for Luna to finish hers.
Once she came out, she sat next to me and asked, "Have you found the reason why I'm being pestered by those creatures?"
I nodded, "Yes, I have."
"Tell me then?", she asked.
I took a deep breath and said, "Luna, you know that spell I gave you for giving your sister nightmares?" She nodded, and I continued, "I did some tests, and found out that if used incorrectly, it creates a creature called the Tantabus which gives its host nightmares and tries to corrupt it."
"Is there any way to get rid of it?", Luna asked, hope in her eyes.
I looked at the ground as I said, "I'm sorry, Luna. There isn't."
"So I guess I'll be stuck with it for the rest of my life then.", she muttered and flew off, crying.
"Luna, wait!" , I called after her, but she ignored me.
Princess Luna's P.O.V:
My hope shattered as Sombra replied, "I'm sorry, Luna. There isn't."
"So I guess I'll be stuck with it for the rest of my life then.", I muttered before flying off, crying.
"Luna, wait!", Sombra called after me, but I ignored him. I kept on flying.
It wasn't easy to accept the fact that I would be stuck with the Nightmist and Tantabus for the rest of my life.
I had hoped that Sombra would've found a way to get rid of them.
I landed on my balcony, and used a spell to remove all traces of tears. I then lowered the moon as Celestia raised the sun.
I walked into my room, and threw myself on the bed. I dug my face into my pillow and tried to calm myself.
I heard a popping sound, and saw a letter appear. It had Sombra's seal on it.
I read, "Luna, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen, I swear! Please forgive me. From Sombra."
It was a lot different from all the other letters he had sent me, but that was because he must have written it in a hurry.
I put the letter away, and went back to my bed. I wasn't going to write a reply.
I would forgive Sombra, but not today. Not now. I just needed some space.
Some time to myself completely. I cried some more, and then fell asleep. |
The luck in our stars. | No! Sombra! | King Sombra's P.O.V:
It's been a week since we last met, and Luna hasn't answered any of my letters. I hope nothing bad has happened to her.
I've been sending thousands of letters, but Luna hasn't replied to a single one. I must do something.
I knew I had to do something. What kind of coltfriend would I be if I didn't?
Princess Luna's P.O.V:
It's been a week since our date. Sombra's been sending thousands of letters, but I haven't been reading them.
I was about to enter the dream world when a flash of light distracted me.
I jumped off my bed and saw that somepony had teleported into my room. The pony was dressed in black.
I fearfully asked, "W-who are you?" I was unable to keep the stutter out of my voice.
He did not give an answer, and instead came closer. He put something on my horn, and I realized it was a no magic ring.
I was about to scream, and he noticed. He pulled a knife out of nowhere and put it against my neck. I froze. He said, "Move or scream, and I will kill you."
His voice was deep, confirming that he was a stallion. He had a weapon, while I did not.
Without my magic, I could not do a thing to him. I knew it would be useless to even try to fight him.
Before I could think more, I felt a sharp pain in my flank. Looking there, I saw a needle. And then all went black.
King Sombra's P.O.V:
I had come up with a plan. The last thing that I wanted to do was this, but I had to do it.
I teleported to Luna's room, and she jumped off her bed. "W-who are you?", she asked, failing to keep the stutter out of her voice.
I didn't answer her, and put a no magic ring on her horn. She was about to scream, but I went closer to her and pulled a knife out of nowhere.
I put it against her neck, being careful not to hurt her, and said, "Move or scream, and I'll kill you." The spell I had used worked perfectly. She could not recognize my voice.
I knew that Luna would try to fight, and I had to take her to the empire without anypony knowing.
I injected a sleeping potion into her, and she fell to the floor, unconscious.
I put the knife away, and teleported us both to my castle. I left Luna in a room, and after chaining her, I teleported to my room.
Then I removed the spell, and the clothes. I put my armor and cape on.
Princess Luna's P.O.V:
When I woke up, I didn't know where I was. The last thing that I remembered was a needle in my flank, and everything going black.
I jumped up and looked around. I was in a room. Not a cell.
I looked at my hooves and saw that they were chained. My horn still had the no magic ring on it. The door opened, and I turned and saw Sombra.
He said, "You're awake."
I noticed that the room was made of crystal. Meaning that Sombra had ponynapped me.
"Sombra? Why did you do this to me?", I asked him.
He looked down as he answered, "I'm sorry, Luna. But it was the only thing that I could do. I still love you..."
King Sombra's P.O.V:
After talking to Luna, I went straight to my room. I threw myself on my bed. I felt terrible. Just terrible.
After calming myself, I sat at my desk and started writing a letter.
I knew that with Luna missing from the Canterlot castle, and all the letters in her room, it would not take long for Celestia to connect the dots and find out that I loved Luna and had ponynapped her.
And then she would come here with the elements of harmony and banish me for a thousand years.
So, I started writing what would be my last letter to Luna in a thousand years.
Princess Celestia's P.O.V:
"Princess Celestia!", shouted a lunar guard as he ran towards me. "Princess Luna is missing!"
I nearly choked on my piece of cake. "Are you sure?", I asked him.
"Yes, princess.", he replied. " I am sure."
"Thank you for telling me, Shadowlance.", I said. " You may leave now."
He bowed and left. I teleported to Luna's room and started searching for things that could give me clues.
I opened Luna's desk draw and saw letters. Lots of them. I took one out and read it. I dropped the letter after are reading the last line.
It was from Sombra. He and Luna were in love. I had failed to stop her from falling in love, and now it was too late.
She would suffer a heartbreak when I banished him. But I had to banish him.
I teleported to my room and took the elements of harmony and started flying to the crystal empire to banish Sombra and get my sister back.
King Sombra's P.O.V:
A guard ran up to me and said, "King Sombra! Princess Celestia is flying here."
"Make sure that the castle is guarded properly.", I told him.
"As you wish, my King.", he said and ran.
Knowing I had not much time left before I would get banished, I teleported to Luna with the letter.
A flash of magic and her bonds were gone. I teleported us both to the throne room and gave her the letter.
I told her, "Your sister, Celestia, is coming to banish me. Read this after I'm banished. And read it while you're alone."
A tear fell from her eyes. "Can't you stop her from banishing you?"
"I'm sorry, Luna. There's nothing that I can do. But I can give you this."
I pulled her into a kiss. She was surprised at first, but kissed me back. Our kiss got deeper and the seconds passed. Until...
"Step away from my sister!", shouted a voice. I knew that voice too well. It belonged to Celestia.
She pulled Luna away from me and said, "I should've done this long ago."
Then she powered the elements, as I cast my last spell. It was the one that would banish the empire with me.
As everything started fading away, I shouted, "Stay safe, Luna! Remember, I'll always love you!"
Princess Luna's P.O.V:
"Stay safe, Luna! Remember, I'll always love you!"
Those were the last words Sombra said, before he faded away with the empire. Celestia recognized the spell and teleported us to the Canterlot castle.
"Are you fine, Luna?", she asked.
I screamed, "No! Of course I'm not! You banished Sombra! I love him!"
"It had to be done sooner or later, Luna", she told me.
"I hate you! I bucking hate you!", I shouted as I stormed off to my room. And in there, I broke down. |
The luck in our stars. | Finale. | Princess Luna's P.O.V:
I stood on my balcony, looking down at the street. Seeing how ponies walked with their special somepony. I felt anger rise in my heart. It was unfair.
I loved Sombra, and I still do. But now he was gone, banished. He would be gone for a thousand years.
I got angrier, and got an idea. It was time to accept the offer that the Nightmist gave.
I started singing, "I have been locked up for long enough, I've kept my anger at bay." I paused, and gathered all my angry thoughts. "I must let myself be seen as tough, as I wait for that day."
A blast of magic escaped my horn and hit the doors, destroying them. "It is time to break out, time to show Equestria what I can do. I will shout, all love my moon!"
I flew out of the window and looked down at the ponies in the street. I brought out the stars and moon, making it night as I sang, "Now I'll bring out my moon, bring forth the night, it is truly a most wonderful sight!"
Ponies gasped, not knowing why night had suddenly fallen. I teleported to the throne room where Celestia was, and continued, "I can't hold back anymore, it's time to set my demons free! Now I shall let my rage consume me!"
Armor began forming on my body. Then I remembered about Celestia. She asked, "Luna, what are you doing?"
I ignored her. "I don't care what they will say, I won't hold back my rage anymore! It is time for me to shine! I don't care what the ponies will do, from tonight, the night will last forever!" I finished my song just as my transformation was completed. I was now the same size as Celestia.
Oh how I hated her. She was shocked upon seeing my new form but managed to say, "Luna, I don't know what happened to you, but lower the moon."
"No.", I replied. "And I am not Luna. I am Nightmare Moon."
"Luna...", said Celestia. "Lower the moon now. It is supposed to be day. I don't have time for your pranks."
"No, Celestia." I told her, " I will not lower the moon. It shall be eternal night, and I assure you, this is not a prank. "
"Luna, listen to me. You-", Celestia started to say but I cut her off.
"No Celestia. Did you listen to me when I told you NOT to banish Sombra? No, you didn't.", I nearly screamed.
"That and this situation are two different things.", said Tia.
"No, they are not.", I shouted.
"Luna, I'm saying this for the last time. Lower the moon.", she said.
"I am not Luna. I am Nightmare Moon. And what will you do if I don't do as you say?", I asked her.
Celestia's horn glowed and she brought out six small gems. The Elements Of Harmony. Her magic spun them and a light raced towards me. "I'll banish you to the moon."
The last thing that I heard before I found myself on the moon's surface was, "I'm sorry Luna. But it was the only option."
Full of rage at being banished, I screamed, "CURSE YOU SUNBUTT! CURSE YOU!"
In an effort to calm myself, I put my hoof in my armor and took out a letter. It was the one Sombra had given me minutes before his banishment. I unrolled it and read, "To my dearest Luna. This song is for you. I wanted to sing it to you, but time ran out. So here it is, written down. Love from Sombra."
I continued reading, "I was afraid to love, but you came and showed me your light.
As the days passed, I fell in love with you and your night.
I'm the pony that I am today because of you, oh Luna, you know it's true.
You captured my heart, right from the start.
And now I'm yours forever, our love is ending never.
I have loved you for a thousand years, and I'll love you for eternity.
Even if we are now apart, we'll be connected through our hearts.
Because if you love me as I love you, nothing could ever part us two.
We'll love each other forever, nothing can separate us ever.
Just call me, and I'll be right by your side.
We'll let the world know, paint the sky every color of the rainbow, using our love.
You captured my heart, right from the start.
And now I'm yours forever, our love is ending never.
I have loved you for a thousand years, and I'll love you for eternity.
Even if we are now apart, we'll be connected through our hearts.
Because if you love me as I love you, nothing could ever separate us two.
We'll let the world know, paint the sky every color of the rainbow, using our love."
I turned it over and read, "I wanted to sing to this to you when I was going to ask you to marry me, but I guess there was a change of plans.
I could still sing it to you a thousand years later, right? I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, why's Sombra so ok about being banished?
The answer is, even if Sunbutt banished me because we love each other, she won't be able to stop us from loving each other.
A thousand years later, when I return, our love for each other will be stronger than it was before.
I'll love you forever, Luna. No matter what pony does what. I'll love you forever. I call this, The Luck In Our Stars. Lots of love, truly yours, Sombra."
It was the most beautiful thing I had ever read. A stray tear rolled down my cheek. 'Oh Sombra', I thought. 'How I wish that you were here.'
And then I cried my heart out. |
Time Loop? the Gods Awaken, A Displaced Story. | pre | "Yeah I'm not a changeling, don't even think about it Red although after mentioning them I wonder where she is," Twilight said as she stared at a particular Rock that had been sitting on her bookshelves as a bookrest for the last few days.
"You got me." The Rock said as it rolled off the shelf and flashed a green ring of fire transforming into Chrysalis. "Before any of you attack me you should know that being affected by the elements is finally purged me of the insanity hunger had placed on me although it still hasn't healed the fucking cancer I have to deal with every single day thanks to Celestia's attack against my people!"
"Wait, you have cancer!?" Redheart exclaimed. "That actually explains so much about the changelings!"
"I am glad you are not evil Chrysalis because I would not have wanted to kill you." Po said "But you better not try anything with my Koty or I will kill you." She said her ki flaring a little bit but settled down after she breathed in and out.
"Sparkle is mine!" Chrysalis growled as she wrapped her arms around Twilight "Also someone else is taking over the hive my grandmother and the worst changeling, besides the king, I know of Instar, this didn't happen last time so something besides her introduction and our time travel has changed the world."
"Wait Instar?! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!!!!!!!!!!!!" Twilight shouted as her hair started to curl up at the edges a sign that she was having a panic attack. "She should be dead, no she shouldn't even exist at all! Simon you fucking bastich!!!!!"
Po went over to Twilight and hugged her and said "I am here for you my love." before looking at Chrysalis and saying "Koty is mine before anyone else's since I knew her first so try to take her from me and you will die." she then turned to Twilight. "What did Truth do!? You wouldn't be freaking out unless it was something you created that bit Us in the ass."
"I didn't create Instar in her entirety she was based on being seen a version of Chrysalis here when she was in the marshes before she met up with the Legion of Doom as the fandom called it, a what if Chrysalis had rebuilt her hive and made it even more powerful while she was that insane," Twilight said. "The main point of Instar was that she fed off pain." Chrysalis stared at Twilight utterly shocked at the fact that she knew so much about the insane queen of pain. "Yes I know the entire history of your people for the most part Chrissy, I wrote it or at least this version of it, Long story short timeline shit happened. I'm sorry, either when we went back in time Truth did some shit that brought her into the modern time or Instar existed already which I'm thinking is the truth but she was going to remain in the background pulling the strings since even Discord didn't know she existed."
"That's true, my grandmother killed my mother and tried to make me into her and almost succeeded thanks to the fact that hunger drove me and most of my people insane. The fact that we're all in pain makes our combined mental and physical anguish is enough food to sustain her forever. That's the true reason why I didn't take Starlight's hand. I had to remain like I was then otherwise Instar would have come after Equestria for taking away her main and favorite food source and playthings at the same time."
"Wait you are actually trying to protect Equestria then?!" Barb said as she and the girls quietly filed into the main room from the basement. "Ocellus wasn't lying when she said that the reason that you want to take over Equestria was to protect it, the reason you created the pods was to bring Bliss not pain holy shit!"
"Yeah, I don't know if she exactly knows that time travel has done something. Pharynx, Ocellus, Thorax, and I were able to get away and create our own hive mind away from her. Although I had to cut myself off from the rest of my hive and my children in the process, I wish I could have taken more but they were the only ones affected by the time travel as well. They remember everything, in fact, the other three are in their Greater forms. Instar must have sensed that and came out of the shadows to investigate the matter. Since only those three transformed there is still enough of her food source that she feels safe enough to try and route out those that transformed unlike what happened last time where everyone transformed at once besides myself. Cutting her power source to one battery, making it very very difficult for her to investigate things."
"I know how you feel Chrissy I know you're worried it's my worry too. I know I'm partially responsible for this. I'll help you! In fact, come here we can't have you weakened from cancer and pain. If you're cut off from her already you can transform as well!" Twilight said, pulling Chrysalis towards her and Po with her levitation.
"Koty, if you want to be with her also I am not against it," Po said.
"We have a harem. I legally can claim a harem as a ruler of Equestria. I'm claiming all of the Elements as part of mine. In fact, I was going through the paperwork of doing that before we looped back, that way the girls would have permanent residences at Canterlot Castle if they wanted to be there to support me. Now though I think that once I get my castle I'm going to stay here in ponyville. It was gifted to me by the one being that is below Truth in the hierarchy of this world Harmony herself so it was basically a god-given gift. It's kind of rude for me to move away from that when she did something as great as give me a place where I can live and all my friends can rule alongside me. Court will be held here but the administrative stuff will stay in Canterlot. Having a herd is something that developed from the idea of harems and the whole five to one female/Futa to male ratio."
"So who will be the alpha of the harem?" Po asked since she only knew a little about harems.
"There are going to be multiple. I have my eye set on a girl or three from across the mirror as well to join us along with someone from Canterlot." Twilight explained. "As a ruler, I can have a harem that is far bigger than the standard herd so the multiple Alphas are going to be necessary. You and Chrysalis are going to be the first two of the Alphas."
"Not that A'h mind being a part of a herd with you sugarcube but why did you decide on Po and Chrysalis here?" Applejack questioned asking the question the other elements were wondering as well "Po A'h understand that she was your first but why Chrysalis and none of us?"
"Do you know how much paperwork this is going to cause?" Twilight said, "An alpha of our harem is going to need to understand how to do that paperwork and be a ruler alongside me you all have enough responsibilities as it is you're already major nobles in the strictest sense of the matter thanks to Celestia's actions this time around and Rarity's family is a part of S.M.I.L.E., there's already going to be so much that would overwhelm all of you and I don't want you to have to deal with that kind of thing Chrysalis is used to the paperwork, at least I hope she is and Po...well besides fighting and being my captain of the guard alongside Tempest she'll have nothing else to do so being an alpha just makes sense."
"I am glad since I always respected Chrysalis and thought she was hot." Po said before looking at Twilight and pretended to be offended as she asked "Do you think I am not smart enough to do paperwork?"
"It's your new Saiyan nature that makes me worried. It's not that you're not smart enough to do it but that you'd be too annoyed at paperwork to want to do it since it's not fighting." Twilight said.
"You are most likely right." Po said, smirking "But that means I will be free whenever you need me." She added.
"Now let's get you down into the basement red heart we're going to need your help with two things: Po's medical examination but also the verification of a new child. They will be my legal responsibility. On my authority as a princess, I am adopting them." Twilight said.
"My love, what will I need to do?" Po asked.
"Come downstairs with me. we've got the little one's soul, we need some of your blood so that we can mix it with mine to give it a body." Twilight said "We'll draw some from you and will use your ability to create to give it a body. I'll guide you and teach you how to do so."
"We already have some of her blood but I guess that you need more for the catalyst." Rarity said "I do have one question though if you were going to have her scanned why have her pierced first? Those piercings are permanent. Anything short of literally cutting them off of her will not work. You know that I like to make these kinds of things permanent."
"The goal that gave you was pure gold mixed with a small amount of my magic which the machines filter out making it so that they are practically invisible plus I'm going to enchant the piercings later to be far heavier and incredibly durable both separate enchantments used on the gold titanium armor of the solar corps. Aka the solar guard." Twilight explained. "The durability enchantment for increasing the toughness of the alloy and the heaviness for straight-up training."
"Ah, that makes more sense now that's why it took you 4 days to make them. You had to infuse the metal with the magic itself." Rarity said. "Well here's her blood for the sample." The white unicorn said as she floated over the blood suspended in her aura. "It seems we won't have to go to the hospital after all, which is a good thing. Po here almost exploded when she heard about going there."
Po shuddered at the word hospital. "I never liked those places. It only got bad enough to be a phobia after I was an adult though."
"So you're an avian American so what?" Twilight mumbled as she scanned the blood sample Rarity gave her. "This is interesting you're absorbing background mana but not any mana directly in contact with you outside of it your blood's doing it right now as well. Seeing as you have your tail we might even be able to turn you into an oozaru without the Powerball technique considering lunar magic has all the properties of a moon."
A quiet chuckle could be heard almost as if someone was observing the area. "Avian American you kill me!!!"
"Either he's free already or due to the time loop he's able to use some of his power while a statue either way honestly as long as he isn't as he was before the centaur incident I'm fine with him observing us," Barb said as she Twilight and Po headed down into the basement.
"It's both," Twilight said as they approached a black flame-like object floating in a glass jar. "Considering everything we know about him including the fact he can time travel on a whim, it's both just accept it."
"Nyx we're going to give you a body," Twilight said to the object which seemed to stare at them with two white dots for eyes. "We talked it over and they've decided to change gender and distance themselves from what they were before that's why they're formless now technically they will be directly our child not adopted or even pseudo-adopted like Barb is they will be our flesh blood and all." Twilight turned to her friends a look on her face. "Best if you go home this'll take awhile, and be very horrific to you i'll be okay with it only due to my past life desensitizing me to gore and the kind of regeneration i'll be using on her body."
"Do I need to stay here because I got a thing to do that is not here," Po said with a smirk.
"Yes you do, you and Redheart are going to be going through a medical eval since the body-making process will take a fair bit of time but will be mostly me channeling energy into Nyx' alicorn soul. That means I need to do something else to keep my mind occupied." Twilight said as she cut her arm lengthwise to spill her icor. Mixing it with Po's Blood in her magic pulling out the Humanity Sprite that was Nyx's Dark soul and coating it in the mixture. " Now then lay down on the gurney Po i'm going to start scanning you. Redheart Record the results and tell me if you find anything particularly interesting."
The rest of the mane six left, Fluttershy and Rarity a little green-looking after seeing their friend cut themselves like that. "More matter if she regenerates I'll never get used to how she's practically lost all sense of pain!" Rarity said as the group went up and out of the library.
"Even before we came to Equestria she and I could take more pain than normal," Po said doing as Twilight said and lying down on the gurney. "Didn't hurt that she had nerve damage that reduced sensitivity."
"Twilight still had that though i assume since she ascended it's been fixed," Redheart said. "Your file just got transferred and i looked over it before coming thinking it might help."
"My pain tolerance has gone up immensely. Alicorns have a pain tolerance on par with dragons along with their temperature resistance, after all, Luna and Selene survived near absolute zero easily." Twilight said as her arm healed with steam coming off it.
"So what all is going to happen?" Po asked before her legs were spread by Twilight's hands and locked to the sides of the gurney. "Kinky bitch you just wanted them gone to play with me!"
"Sadly no. Redheart is a registered OGBYN and we need to examine your reproductive organs as well.
"How do you-?" Redheart asked before she remembered, "Time travelers got to remember that."
"I read your file." Twilight said "S.M.I.L.E. had you trained because of the insanity epidemic 20 years ago that stemmed from a serial rapist, Tia gave me access to all of S.M.I.L.E.'s documents two years ago. I think it was to prep me for going up against Luna and everything she could do." The alicorn grabbed hold of a massive camera-like device "Po honey, She said as the lens of the Deivce started glowing " This'll sting a bit the device i'm using is an MMRI Magic Magnetic Image Resonating machine it is an improvement over a normal MRI since it's smaller and can safely take X-rays and other medical scans as well. An all-in-one scanner but it'll still take hours to go through each scan one at a time i'll give you a break every 30 minutes to either stretch out or Stretch Out." With that, the raw magic washed over Po's Feet as the MMRI started its work.
"Well that bit might be fun," Po said as she felt the energy force its way through her as she desperately resisted flowing ki through her body to block it.
18 hours later
Nyx could feel her new Form coming to completion. She'd already started breathing on her own hours ago but now she felt the prickling of her fur rapidly growing all over thinking it to be the last step she began twitching her limbs not yet used to them. As she began moving she felt her new curves move with her the massive breasts and shelf of an ass she now had jiggling slightly making her involuntarily chuckle.
"Nyx don't," Twilight said as her mother's magic washed over her stilling her movements. "You're almost done yes but I have something to do to you first." this comment made the former male wonder, What's she up to? Nyx got the answer as she felt a small prick of a needle slide under her skin Of course vaccines! How could i have forgotten new body means no immunities!
"Thank you, mother," Nyx said, testing her new voice. "I had forgotten about feather flu and all the other mandatory vaccines I need."
"Alicorns don't exactly need them but Po's blood is a part of you now so it's to be on the safe side my little Nightmother," Twilight said looking at the alicorn that was nearly her size. "Also going to draw Blood to type check it."
"Starting to get stiff here," Po said as she jingled her restraints "I can easily break out but I'd rather not wreak your tech Love."
"Oh don't give me that our baby girl needs her shots," Twilight said as she finished injecting Nyx with a broad multi-immunizing serum, "besides, she also needs to open her new eyes."
That's right as a soul i lost most of my senses! Nyx said as she opened her eyes, seeing Po hanging in mid-air from chains with many wires placed on her skin. "Why is mama Po hanging like that?" Nyx asked perplexed at this.
"Mana pathway scan," Twilight said "We discovered that Po has an overactive thaumatic field the wires are placed where a human might release magic unconsciously. With saiyans being humans developed from lower apes instead of great apes the process is almost the same making the wire placement a good assumption on my part. They'll measure how much mana she has running through her body at one time to pinpoint why her field is overactive."
"The other reason is because she can just lift my legs at fuck me," Po said as Twilight turned to glare at her a ki beam punching Po from the glare. "OW FUCK!"
"It's our kid here," Twilight said as she began leading Nyx over to the gurney Po had laid on earlier. "just because sex isn't a big thing here doesn't mean we shouldn't let her get used to her body!" she then began scanning Nyx With the MMRI machen to make sure her body had grown alright.
Suddenly the world paused as if it were a movie and a group of seven lights appeared in the greyscale
"Maybe we should skip to the next day this is getting too long," A voice said from the largest light which was everchanging.
"Yeah we need to know how this timeline leads to ours but this isn't relevant right now." a golden and orange light said as the world faded to black. |
Tales from the Dark Side of the Mirror | pre | "So Rainbow, uh...look," Gilda started. "Ya busy today?"
"Huh? No..." I replied. "I was actually trying to figure what I wanted to do today...Why?"
Huh? Why does Gilda look like that? She's not sad, she just seems kinda...conflicted. Did I do something wrong?
"...Rainbow, the Weather Team is trying to make some storms to end this drought, they asked me to get any pegasi or Griffins I knew to help, they're kinda short hooved and need help...You see, the Princesses-"
Gilda wanted me to help make a storm? Yay! I love doing stuff with Gilda!...We hadn't had any time to really hang out for awhile. Gilda's a guard...she...she had to go away for awhile, right? She...she wouldn't have just stopped hanging out with me if she hadn't been busy, right? She'd never leave me right? Right.
But now we get to do something together again! I get to help Gilda! Yay!
"Rainbow? Are you listening?"
"Yeah!" I jumped up and hugged her. "I get to help do the weather with you!"
"...Yeah..." said Gilda, then smiled. She hugged me back. "It'll be a blast..."
"Alright, Rainbow Dash," Gilda told me, they two of us in the clouds with a bunch of other pegasi and griffins. Cool! Maybe I can show them how cool and helpful I can be! "This should be something you can handle, okay?"
"Anything!" I replied, trying to look eager!
"They need some help busting up the clouds that are already up here."
I blinked. "But I thought we were making a storm."
"We are," said Hoops. He's this really smart stallion we know. Well more Gilda than me. He adjusted his glasses. "But the clouds the Princesses allowed to be created are saturated with the dark magic they possessed, such that they could react violently if a storm is triggered utilizing them them."
"Uh...They what now?" I asked, blinking.
He gave an annoyed sigh. "There's evil magic in the clouds the Princesses put up. If we use them to make a storm, something bad might happen."
"Oh...okay...sorry..."
I would've got it first try if he weren't using such big words.
"...It's okay, Rainbow, simply do your job, okay?"
"Okay! Bust clouds, I can do that!" I shouted, giving a salute.
"Yes, breaking things is a talent of yours, one that should be put to good use here."
Gilda elbowed him and then nodded. "Alright, Dash, let's do this."
So we got to busting clouds! Huh? How do I know how? What pegasi doesn't? And I'm a good helper at it! I can help clear the sky in ten minutes flat! Especially with Gilda helping me!
I pull my hooves back and buck one, BAM! Gone! Gilda slashes another one in half! We both hit another and get rid of it together!
We both zoom around smashing up clouds left and right. Gilda can't buck (she's not a pony), but she sure knows how to use those claws to smash 'em up! Okay, fly up then back down right through a cloud, Gilda doing the exact same thing! Okay, still a lot left but we're doing it! Gilda was smiling! I'm smiling! I missed this so much! I...I missed Gilda, I missed doing things with her...with my other friends...I-
"You're doing good Rainbow!" Gilda called. OW!
"Rainbow, you alright?!" Gilda called, flying down to check on me after I crashed into the ground.
"Y-Yeah, I just wasn't watching where I was going. Was too busy with how much fun we're having!"
But...when I back in the sky. I just kept crashing. I kept hitting the ground. Somehow I ended up hitting one of the good clouds they brought in. They shouldn't have put them there!
"...Rainbow?"
"Huh?! What?" I asked, jumping. "What Gilda?"
She slashed a cloud in half. "What's wrong? You seem distracted..."
"I don't know," I replied, pinning my ears. "I think I just got a piece of cloud in my eye. Can't see where I'm going."
Yeah, that's it, I had clouds in my eyes! We were busting SO many!
No way am I gonna mess up! Not when Gilda's counting on me! Huh? I busted a cloud while I was talking to her.
Why do I care about making Gilda proud so much?...Because this is the first time I've been able to do anything with her in forever! And she's never given up on me...I don't want her to give up on me...
"Captain Gilda!"
Huh? A guard called her right as I went to buck-
"GAH!"
...Oops...
"Sorry, Hoops!" I called. Oh, wait, he can't talk right now, I missed the cloud and kicked him in that place stallions hate to get kicked in...now he's on the ground. That Guard distracted me so I didn't notice him there!
"Ugh...Rainbow?"
I turned to Gilda as she came back, huh? Why does she look so disappointed?
"Yeah, Gilda?"
She rubbed the back of her head. "Uh, Rainbow, look. We just got some intel and we found Spitfire. They need my help to come and help take her in. I gotta go..."
"S-Spitfire?!" I asked, practically yelled. Spitfire? N-No, not H-HER!
Why am I afraid of HER?! Because she's one of Celestia's minions, that's why! And...and when...she...in Flight School...NOTHING! NOTHING HAPPENED! I BARELY KNOW HER! Can we please stop talking about HER?!
"Yeah, but don't worry, she lost that power up Celestia gave her, I shouldn't have too much trouble with her now," Gilda replied.
"O-Oh no. If she lost anything, she's going to be upset, and when she's upset she gets mad, and when she-"
Gilda gave me a hug. "Rainbow, calm down!...Don't worry, she ain't gonna hurt ya ever again!...I swear I won't let her."
Why would she say that? B-B-Because we're friends! She doesn't need any other reason, right? Right! Of course, it's right! STOP TALKING ABOUT SPITFIRE PLEASE!
"O-Okay..." I said, why am I shivering?
"Alright...good luck, Rainbow, and glad that we got to hang out for a bit..."
"Yeah...yeah, it was..."
We hugged and she flew away...T-To beat Spitfire...to...to make sure SHE never hurts m-anypony! Ever again! Huh? Why...why didn't I ask if I could help?...I...I just didn't think she needed my help is all. That makes sense, right? Right! Now back to cloud busting and stop talking about HER!
Ah! Come back here clouds! Why are you running away from me?! Stop it! Bad clouds!
Now ponies are laughing at me! It's not my fault the clouds are running away from me! I...I'm going to let Gilda down...I can't let her down the one time...the one time we were doing something together in forever...I-If I let her down she might stop believing me and if that happened I...I...
But what could I do? The clouds are making this hard! Why?! It...it must just be the bad magic that the Princesses put in it! That's it! They're just mean!...Oh! Wait! I have an idea! If they're going to move every time I try to kick one of them, then maybe I'll just wrangle them all up and bust them all at once! That's smart, right? Right!
Here we go! Gotcha you stupid clouds! Now stay right here while I get your friends! Grab these ones over here, and these over here, and bunch them all together right here in the middle of the sky! See? I told you I'm an awesome helpful pony!
Nope! None of you clouds are getting away! Not a single one! I'm not letting Gilda down! I'll show her she's right about me! And...and SHE'S wrong! Wow, I forgot I could move this so fast! And...and I'm not crashing all over the place! I might really do it! Yay! Gilda will be so proud of me!
Okay, all the clouds are all packed up super tight together! Huh? Why is Hoops screaming at me to stop? All I need to do is bust it and them I'm done!
GGGGGGAAAAAAAHHHH!
Ow...I think I got electrocuted...everything tastes purple...
Huh? Is it raining? Or hailing? It's so heavy I can't tell...
"You idiot!"
"Huh?" I open my eyes and see Hoops glaring down at me. The pegasi and griffins behind him are trying to make the clouds stop, but they keep getting zapped by lightning.
"I told you that the dark magic could have a bad reaction if triggered! You've set off a wild storm!"
I whimpered, pinning my ears. "That's...bad, right?"
The wind is blowing really hard, the rain is stinging my face.
"I. Don't. Know."
"Huh?"
He rubbed his head like he had a headache. "It's a wild storm! There's no TELLING what it is going to do and pegasi can't stop it! And King Sombra can't just put up a shield to protect us this time! All we can do is just wait it out! And do you have ANY idea how much trouble that is going to cause?!"
"A-A lot?" I asked. No...I didn't...I...The clouds must have...have...
"If anypony had plans for tonight, they don't now!" he yelled at me. "Everything is going to have be canceled and rescheduled! You've ruined everypony in Canterlot's day, Rainbow Crash! Do you get that? No sports games of any kind. No plays. No concerts. No nights on the town. Because everypony is going to be too busy seeking shelter in case this gets very bad!"
"I...I didn't mean to...I'm...I'm sorry..."
"Sorry? You triggered a WILD STORM that no pony can control! Sorry will not cut it!"
No...I...he told me that...I...I just wanted to...
"Who are you trying to fool, Rainbow Crash? You think you're going to ever be able to do anything? You're never gonna get anywhere in school because because you're too stupid! You're never going to get anywhere flying because you're a klutz! You're never going to make it in the guard because you're too soft!" the fiery pony yelled at me...again...and again...and again...towering over me like an inferno. I feel so tiny that she could squash me like an ant, those orange eyes glowing like embers, her mane like fire. I feel like I'll burst into flames if she gets any closer. "You're nothing but a loser and that's all you ever will be!"
"Rainbow...are you crying?" Hoops asked me, looking at me surprised.
"No! I'm...It's just rain! And I caused it! I'm a stupid pony for causing it! I'm a bad pony who can't do a single thing right!"
He took a step back from me. The ground was already muddy.
"I...I have to do something!"
Gilda, I...I can't let her down...I...I don't want to lose her...I don't want her to be mean to me...
"Rainbow, I just told you! It's a wild storm! There's nothing you CAN do!"
"Well, I'm not letting Gilda down the one time she trusted me!" He tried to stop me, but I just shoved him away.
I flew back up and started trying to use pegasus magic to try and do something-AHHH!
Ow...stupid lightning!
I kept flying up to try and stop it...but I just kept getting hit by lightning and knocked back down...ow...this really hurts. Aren't pegasi not supposed to get hurt by lightning?
"Rainbow, stop it!" Hoops finally yelled, grabbing me and actually managing to hold me back.
"Stop it! I have to do this...I...I don't want to..."
Gilda...First chance I got in forever to actually help her...and I make such a mess out of it! I...I...I don't deserve a friend like her...Maybe she'd be right to lose her faith in me...
"And how will Gilda react if you're dead?!"
I stop struggling. "She...why...why do you...you hate me so why do you..."
Everypony hates me...my friends are the only ones that care about me...
He lets me go and flies in front of me. "...Because you're a pony. I know the idea is probably a foreign concept to you considering the kind of attention you normally attract, but ponies don't let other ponies harm themselves!...And regardless, you are still Gilda's friend, and even if this is all your fault, she'd never forgive me if I allowed you to kill yourself!"
"O-Oh..."
This felt weird...I...I don't know how to...
"T-Thanks...But...but what can-"
"Have no fear! Captain Goodguy is here!"
We looked over to see Captain Goodguy standing on a building all cool like he always does! Yay! Captain Goodguy was here!
"Help get ponies to safety, leave the storm to me!" he called, giving us umbrellas out of nowhere, which kinda got torn up by the storm really quick. Then he flew up and began to suck some kind of black stuff out of the clouds into a bubble he made from bubble gum.
So...me and Hoops rushed to get ponies inside...I ended up breaking some windows, but telling ponies about it wasn't that hard...It helped I was too hurt to really fly too well right now with how hurt I was, so I didn't have a lot of opportunities to crash...
The storm was getting less bad, but it was still really hard to see with how bad it was pouring. I got separated from Hoops and-ow!
"You! You caused it?! We should've known it'd be you!"
Somepony tackled me out of the air and into a wall...ow...
I looked up to see three pegasi. One of them is white and had a black belt Cutie Mark. Another is black furred with a knife Cutie Mark, and a third one is Score, one of Hoops's friends with a football Cutie Mark. He wasn't super strong, but he was smart enough he was still on a national team with strategy.
"Blackbelt, that was a little rough, don't you think?" Score asked, but Blackbelt just pushed him aside.
"Hi...I...I messed up...you're right to be upset but...I'm sorry-"
Ow! Blackbelt punched me in the face...ow...I think I'm going to have a black eye...
"You're sorry?!" he yelled. "My tournament got ruined because of your stupid storm!"
"Blackbelt, calm down!" Score yelled, trying to stop him.
"Are you defending her, geek?" he asked, making Score take a step back. "YOUR game got canceled too!"
"Y-Yes, but I didn't want to hurt her! Just...tell her off, you know?"
"Tell her off? How's this for telling this waste of space off?!"
OW! I think I have a burn there!
"Please stop!" Score begged but got knocked aside.
"...Don't try to stop him, Score..." I told him. "I deserve this..."
Score looked at me in shock.
OW! It's okay...I deserve it...I'm a nasty, stupid, worthless pony... I can never do anything right...I'm never going to ever be able to do anything... I'm never gonna get anywhere because I'm too stupid...I'm never going to get anywhere flying because I'm a klutz...I could never make it into the guard because I'm too soft...I'm nothing but a loser and that's all I ever will be!
Score tried to stop Blackbelt, but he just pushed him out of the way and kept hitting me. The other pony starts kicking me too.
"What's going on here?"
Huh?
There was this light purple unicorn standing in the alley, keeping this pretty glimmering shield around her to keep the rain off her...Wow! She just put it above the entire alley without a second thought!...Ow...
"Starlight Glimmer?!" Blackbelt yelled, looking really surprised.
Starlight? But...wait...what...I don't...she's supposed to be up north...
"I was helping get civilians to safety and heard the commotion, what's going on?" she asked politely.
"She bucking caused it and we're teaching her a lesson!" the knife pony called.
"I see..." Wow, she has a scary glare... She pointed to Score. "Since you appear to be the only rational pony here, please tell me what's going on."
"We already told you-"
"QUIET!"
Wow, that was loud. The knife cutie marked pony looked scared.
"I was asking him," Starlight said, looking to Score.
"Y-Yes ma'am...She...she DID cause the storm...but I just wanted to call her out! I didn't think she deserved to get beat up over an accident!" Score replied.
"He's wrong...I deserve this..." I said, not even trying to move.
Starlight watched us silently. "Well, I can sympathize with you, but at this point, only Mr..."
"Score, M-Miss Glimmer..."
"Mr. Score and your target are the only ones not on the verge of being guilty of attempted assault and battery," she explained, sounding kind of like mom when she was really mad at me. "If you kindly step aside, I'll be taking her into protective custody until Flim and Flam can take a look at her case and give her a just and fair ruling."
I'm being arrested?...I deserve it...I deserve everything...
Blackbelt snarled. "No way! I'm not letting this little, walking disaster get off with a slap on the wrist!"
"Uh, Blackbelt, this is Starlight Glimmer we're talking about," the knife cutie mark pony said, looking scared... "You know, the one ROYAL GUARDS ask to train them?!"
"Shut up, Chop! You know the loser deserves this!"
Starlight kept that stern face. "She won't be 'let off easy,' but neither will you if you lay one more hoof on her, Mr. Blackbelt."
Blackbelt just got angrier while Chop backed away with his ears pinned back. Blackbelt snapped around and tried to do a judo chop to my head...
There was a bright flash, and Starlight was over me with a shield around me to block him. "Tsk, using your special talent for martial arts to abuse a defenseless mare? Forgive me if I consider that a personal insult."
Blackbelt took a step back. "Her special talent is being a loser and a klutz!"
Wow...Starlight looks really, really, really mad...
"Oh really? You think there's such a thing as a bad special talent? Forgive me if I disagree."
Blackbelt gave a glare. He tried throwing some really fast punches at her, but she dodged the first punch, then blocked another with a force field. He then did some kind of fancy spinning kick, but she sent him crashing with a wind spell I didn't know.
"I expected this from you," Starlight told him, looking at him, her eyes and horn flashed for a moment. She sounded so...disappointed... "Ponies like you who look down on others need to examine themselves first. For example, your talent is martial arts, but you have no discipline. True martial artists never use that skill to harm the defenseless, or pursue a petty vendetta. You could be so much more."
"What do you know?!" he asked, charging lightning into his hooves and diving at her with some kind of punch I don't know either...
Starlight caught him with a force-field, the teleported above him faster than I could blink and sent him into the ground with a beam, then landed on his back, pinning him down.
"For starters, I've got some martial artists as teachers at Our Town, the best in the kingdom. You could be one of them if you tried," she then used a stun spell on him. How do I know what that is?...I've crashed into a guard training exercise and gotten zapped by one before. "You're welcome to come if you like, once your sentence is passed."
She looked up at Chop and her horn and eyes flashed. "What is your special talent?"
"Uh...knife fighting, ma'am. That's it..."
"...I see...Repeat after me: you don't want to hurt this mare."
He gulped. "I don't want to hurt this mare..."
"You want to go home and rethink your life."
"I want to go home and rethink my life..."
"Good. Go do that. And by Chrysalis' mane, stop caring so much about what others think and make what you ENJOY making! You've got a cooking cutie mark, wear it proud!"
Huh?
He blinked. "How did you know..."
"You carry yourself as a tough guy. You're either the genuine article or got a 'girly' talent and desire to look tough, and given your current behavior and that you lied about your talent, it leans more towards the latter. I've seen it a million times. You'll never reach your true potential if you care so much about what others think you stop carrying what YOU want. And it's perfectly possible to be a manly chef if it means so much to you. Come to Our Town and I know a few ponies who will gladly teach you, understood?"
"T-Thank you..." Wow, I didn't know he could run THAT fast.
Starlight then trotted over to me and...she helped me up along with Score. I stared at her hoof.
"You're touching me..."
"Yes."
"You're Starlight Glimmer and you're touching me."
One of Equestria's big heroes is touching me. And she's not trying to stop me from helping one of my friends do something bad! That's never happened before!
"Yes, I know," she said, looking proud. She should be, she's a big hero, not a loser like me... "You seem to have gotten yourself into a lot of troubles, haven't you?"
"...Yeah...I deserve it..."
"Do you now?...I do believe we have a lot to talk about...What's your name? You seem familiar..."
"Rainbow Crash..."
"...Gilda's friend?"
"...Y-Yeah...she talks about me?"
I wasn't surprised, I knew Gilda knew all the big goods...
"Yes, she's actually asked me to talk to you quite some time...She said you're a good pony and she believes in you...you just need a little help learning to believe in yourself...And I'm inclined to agree...Perhaps I can be of some help, Miss Crash..."
"...I don't deserve your help...I'm not worth it..."
"That's something you need to learn about me, Miss Crash: everypony is equal to me, they're ALL worth it. Now come along...we have much to discuss..."
To be Continued... |
Tales from the Dark Side of the Mirror | I (Don't) Care | Ugh...I can't believe Pinkamena replaced all our food again. She never thinks things through at all. Oh well, nothing I can do about it I guess. Might as well just eat it, except the spinach. Huh? Oh, Angel just grabbed that. Let him have it.
Huh, Rainbow Crash isn't on the roof. She better not get in trouble again, I'm running out of ways to charm people into leaving her alone.
Who am I? Let me guess, know somepony who wants to ask me out? What? I know I have a pretty face, why not use it? It makes life so much easier. Well if you don't want a date, what do you want? Just to hear about me? Your waste of time.
I'm Fluttershy. What? You want to know more? Ugh, fine, I don't have anything better to do anyway.
I'm an animal expert. Yes, I know Canterlot doesn't have a lot of animals, why do you think I moved here? It'd be too much work anywhere else.
Lazy? I'm not lazy. That's Applejack. I just don't think it'd be worth the effort. Why should I bother doing anything when you don't get anything back? If ponies give me what I want when I look and talk at them right, what's the point in trying to do anything else? It's worked for me so far.
Anyway, guess it's my turn to check the mail. How do we get our mail when we have wanted posters? Simple: we all have fake names. Even Applejack, or 'Blackjack' as she probably wishes everypony called her. Never anything but junk mail and letters from AJ's grandma who somehow tracks down every single alias ever made. I wonder how long it'll take to her to realize she's wasting her time. Applejack hates her, simple as that. It'd be better for her to just give up and move on. If she wants a pampered little flower, I'd be happy to oblige, not that she ever asks. I never understood why Applejack would rather be a two-bit crook instead of living in the lap of luxury.
Yep, just like I thought junk mail, junk mail, letters from Granny Smith. Oh, some science magazine of Twilight's. Don't care. Ugh, no, "The City of Canterlot," I don't care about some bear in Canterlot Park. Not sure why you care either, shouldn't you be dealing with the two evil Princesses trying to kill us all every day? That's why you've been ignoring us. Besides, I've got enough stuff to last me for now...
I'll just throw this somewhere. What else did we get? Well, here's the newspaper-Hey!
Little Miss Science snatched it right out of the mailbox. I just glare at her.
"Sorry, Fluttershy, I need to check the science sections," Twilight replied.
"Whatever...." I muttered and headed back into the house. It's the house's paper anyway. Worst that could happen would be Pinkamena cutting out any of the comics she thought were too fun or promoted bad habits or whatever. I was just going to look at the sells section and see if there was anything worth the effort to sweet talk the bits to buy out of some stallion or one of the others. It rarely was.
Twilight snagged my tail with her telekinesis. You know for a girl so focused on science and stuff, she sure does like to use her magic.
"What the...how? That...Fluttershy! House-meeting! Now!" ---
House meetings were typical dull. Most of the time Pinkamena spent half of them going on about health. Twilight tried to impress us with some science experiment. Applejack would tell us what half-baked scheme she had cooked up. Rainbow Crash either saying how she messed up or what she had planned to mess up that day. Rarity and I just set in the back. I like the marshmallow, she knows what she wants and doesn't care what anypony else thinks. Just like me. I just prefer getting attention with a pretty face rather than a tacky Hearth's Warming sweater. And she makes a great distraction and loves being one.
Rainbow Crash sticks next to me like glue as always. Wait...
"Rainbow, what happened to your eye?"
"Oh...I got some ponies mad at me..." she replied, covering her black eye. "I deserved it."
"Do I need to do some talking to get them off your flank?"
"Nah, somepony took care of it...thanks, though."
Well, that saves me some trouble. Why cover for her? So we don't have somepony coming to the club house to beat up Rainbow Crash. That's all. Anyway, better see what's going on.
"'Evil Princesses Turn Over a New Leaf?!'" Applejack yelled, looking the newspaper.
Yeah, just what I thought, something pointless...Wait what? What?!
Seriously, what the Tartarus?! You already heard about the Princesses and King Sombra?! And you didn't bucking think to tell us that earlier?! UGH! Are we the last ponies to find out the Princesses supposedly turned good and Sombra's a bad guy now?! You'd think it'd be pretty hard to miss that! Especially when there was apparently some big battle or something!
Apparently Lord Scorpan is back to rotting in Equestria, due to another huge fight we never bucking heard of! When did we suddenly live under a bucking rock?! Oh, and Rainbow Crash caused some wild storm, but that actually makes sense.
Ugh, great, just great, now the two biggest threats in the entire world are gone. The guard will have time to pay attention to little nuisances like us. Or the Princesses are still plotting to kill us all and just pretending to be good. Probably both, and now I can't use those forged letters I made with King Sombra's signature anymore.
Pinkamena being Pinkamena decides it'd be a good idea to go to a party where both of them are going to be and tell them how evil cake is. I didn't hesitate to tell her how brilliant an idea she had.
"Hey, genius, you do realize if they are still "evil," they're probably going to kill you for questioning them, right? Kind of hard to be healthy when you're dead you know."
Mean? No, I'm honest, there's a difference.
She just ignored me and went to get her stupid pamphlets. Though I admit, I'm tempted to go try some cake, haven't had anything sweet in years...Twilight just left to go get ready.
"Um...everypony..." Rarity interrupted, looking a bit confused for some reason. "Rainbow Crash was right...there is a picture of us fighting the Princesses..."
What...wait...What?!
Seriously, missing some big battle at the Princesses' Castle is one thing, but how did we miss the six of us saving the world?! Twilight, what did you do?!
"Did Twilight try to clone us again?" Rainbow Crash asked. Yes, the egghead had made an attempt to clone us. It worked about as well as a lot of her experiments.
"I do not believe so..." Rarity said, all four of us checking ourselves over to see if we were missing anything. When you live with Twilight, you tend to keep an eye on your body.
"Oh! Here it is! It says they're from that other world the Elements came from!" said Rainbow Crash.
Huh, look at that, she's right.
"Applejack, did Pinkamena throw out the cider again?" I asked AJ.
"Yep..."
"You sure we didn't drink it all?"
"I wish, dear...I mean...Ah sure wish! It'd explain a lot..."
"Are you dreaming?" Rainbow suggested.
"OW!" Applejack punched me in the front leg.
"Ouch!" she yelled as I hit her in the front leg at the same time. What?
"Well, we ain't sleepin'..."
"Oh...am I sleeping?"
No, we didn't punch Rainbow Crash. That'd be like kicking a sad puppy. Besides, she gets abused enough in her nightmares that it wouldn't matter.
"Ow!" so she just bit herself... "No, I'm awake..."
"Well Ah don't know about you, but Ah think the alternate versions of us part is just a buncha horseapples," Applejack interjected with a chuckle. "Ah mean seriously, meh as a good girl? As if! Not even in another world!"
I gave a chuckle myself. "Yeah, I mean me doing something for another world? As if!"
"...I don't think being that me would be that bad..." Rainbow muttered.
Okay, to be fair, anything's an improvement for her.
Rarity looked at herself. "...Well, I'd certainly get attention..."
Before this unbelievably weird conversation could continue, there was a knock on the door. Wait, who would knock on our door?
Oh, it's Starlight Glimmer. Wait, what?!
Starlight Glimmer is standing at our door. Why is she standing at our bucking door?!
Applejack put on that tough girl act she liked doing. "Ah can't believe it! Starlight Glimmer came to capture meh!"
Of course the knucklehead would want to get arrested, she always did.
Starlight blinked. "Oh! No, don't be silly you haven't done anything wrong that I know of..."
"What? Well...Ah stole an apple."
"...From where?"
"The Apple Family's store!" I hope she's not as proud of that as she's trying to convince us she is.
"...Technically it's from you family store, so I don't think that counts."
"Dagnabit!"
"And besides, stealing an apple isn't exactly arrest worthy. At worst you'd get a fine."
Okay, if she's not here to arrest Applejack (big shocker) why is she here?!
"Hi, Starlight!" called Rainbow, flying over. Of course.
"Rainbow Crash, you brought Starlight Glimmer here?!" I asked. "Why?!"
"Don't blame her," Starlight replied. "She's under protective custody."
"...Let me guess, that wild storm?" I asked.
"Yeah..." Rainbow replied, looking down. "Some ponies got mad at me and Starlight saved me...and kind of offered to help me a bit..."
"Ah," I muttered. "You know you're a moron, right?"
Rainbow Crash whimpered but come on! Even Applejack knows better than to lead somepony right to our clubhouse! She could've told her to meet her something else, but no! She just had to be honest! There's being like a whipped puppy, and then there's just doing something dumb!
Starlight Glimmer cleared her throat, reminding us we weren't alone. "I already knew where Rainbow Crash lived already; Miss Gilda told me."
Looks like the bird can't keep from squawking after all.
"...So you're not here to arrest us all?" Applejack asked again.
"No...unless you do something stupid," Starlight replied, giving us a glare. Don't tempt fate.
"Then Applejack should just go to her room," I said bluntly. It was true, knowing her she was probably going to try to attack her wanting to get arrested. Where's Rarity? I need somepony else who's sane! Oh, right, she probably went to change her outfit to something more shocking with an important pony around.
Starlight looked at me, and her eyes glowed weird. "Hmm...An animal expert, correct?"
"Yes...You have a spell that let's you know that?"
"Yes, I do."
"...That's creepy," I muttered.
"You know, if you're as rude and confrontational with animals as you are with your friends here, you'd probably be a lot better at your talent if you tried being kind. Most Animals respond better to a mixture of kindness and aggression, not just one or the other. That may earn you respect from them, but that's all you'll have. While it is a needed skill to get animals to see you as their alpha, not all animals respond well to it."
I snarled. "Oh and what do YOU know about MY talent?!" I scoffed, rolling my eyes, then remembered something; I was talking to somepony who could tie me into a pony pretzel with her mind if she felt like it. Open mouth, insert hoof.
"Tell me, Miss...Fluttershy, correct? Have you ever tried that rude behavior on an animal who's default response to aggression is to use a defensive mechanism? Like a skunk for example?" ...
Applejack practically falls on her back laughing. NO MY FACE ISN'T RED!
"Oh yeah, she did! Remember Fluttershy?!"
"I...well..." No, I'm not hiding behind my mane!
There was a skunk under the club house, I tried to get it out of there in exchange for Twilight buying me a game I wanted it, it sprayed me because I apparently offended it somehow. That's all there is to it. It just ended up causing me a lot of grief until Pinkamena gave up the tomatoes to clean me off. And Applejack just doesn't like to let that die.
"Those good looks of yours didn't do yah much good when ponies were too busy coverin' their noses tah look to it, huh?!" The stupid two-bit crook said, putting a hoof over her nose.
"STOP IT!"
Rainbow Crash put a hoof on my shoulder. "I didn't laugh at you, Fluttershy..."
"And I'm assuming you tried just to order it into leaving?" our stupid interloper asked. "Skunks tend to respond to aggression by becoming defensive. Compassion would've done you much better dealing with something that isn't afraid of bears."
"Well, I've got to go get a bear out of the central park, I don't have time to listen to this," I replied, showing the letter and leaving. I could care less if Applejack got herself arrested! Let her! At least now this stupid pointless job actually serves the purpose of giving me an excuse to get the buck out of there!
Rainbow Crash? Let Starlight Glimmer try if she wants to.
Ugh, she just didn't get me, you know. I know I could be a better animal expert, I just don't think it's worth it. I mean I only do half the jobs I get, so why do I need to be that much effort into it? Just enough to get paid is all I need to do. Normally, if a stallion hires me, I charm them a bit.
Why is there a bear even there for me? Simple, running from the evil Princesses, of course, duh. Why else would a wild animal go into one of the most populated places in Equestria? Ugh, and there's another way this stupid mess with them is going to make my life harder. Like it needed to be.
What do I mean? Well for starters my hometown got destroyed, is that hard enough for you? I guess you want to know more? Fine, whatever!
You know about Spitfire, right? Thought so. Well before she was all of Equestria's problem, she was ours. Mine, Rainbow's, and Gilda's. If you've seen Rainbow Crash, you can guess what that was like. Rainbow was her favorite victim, but she targeted me and Gilda too. Why do you think I hang out with Rainbow in the first place? Birds of a feather stick together.
I was the lucky one, though. Spitfire only targeted ponies who flew well, and I only passed flight school thanks to a teacher deciding to have a bit of pity on me. Oh, I still got picked on for that, just not by Spitfire, just the jocks who were afraid of her. Gilda didn't know when to shut her beak and was lucky she didn't get it broken. Don't know why she kept trying. Never did any good. Never made her stop, so why keep trying? At least she finally wised up and stopped calling Rainbow by her real name around Spitfire. Huh? Oh, you thought Rainbow Crash was her actual name? I'd laugh if it were funny. I'd tell you her real one, but trust me, you'd be doing her more harm than good calling her it.
Did I do a thing?...No way. Don't look at me like that! What good would it have done exactly? You think she'd have backed down just because it was two on one?...That one more pony would've meant anything?...That somehow Rainbow Crash wouldn't be the wreck she is if I'd just done something?...As if...it'd just have gotten me on Spitfire's hate list too.
Anyway, during the mess that was growing up, I did find something out one thing. When you've got a pretty face, colts tend to be a lot more generous and helpful. And thankfully for me, I've got quite the pretty one. Sure, they only cared about my looks, but that was better than being 'just' a weak flier. And if Spitfire could get away with the horseapples she pulled, why should I care who I got to help me out? All I needed to do was make sure to not do to good so Spitfire didn't feel I was challenging her territory, easy enough to do. Worked like a charm and I was doing pretty well for myself there, and barely had to lift a hoof. Of course then Spitfire went nuts and helped Celestia blow up Cloudsdale and all of that went bye-bye. Had to start all over from scratch. Decided never to build up anything too big just in case things gets annihilated again. Just never saw the point in it.
That's as close to a "backstory" as I have. Are you satisfied now? We're here anyway.
"Hello, you must be Miss Fluttershy?" asked...wait, what?! And I know I'm saying that a lot but today seems dedicated to being crazy! Sir Discord was waiting for me! You know, a guy who got knighted by King Sombra himself?!
First Starlight Glimmer, now Sir Discord, what's next, Captain Goodguy?! What? No! He's not Sir Discord! Sir Discord wears glasses, Goodguy doesn't; and what knucklehead takes off the thing they need to see to fight crime?! He couldn't see! Besides, why would somepony like Captain Goodguy pretend to be a regular guy without superpowers? I know I wouldn't.
"Um, Miss Fluttershy?"
"...Uh...hi...you're the one who sent the letter?"
He nodded, giving a smile. "Why yes, you see as I said, there's this bear causing trouble in Central Park. The darn thing just doesn't want to go," he explained, sipping a glass of chocolate milk. "We need to get them out so the Centaurs can start revitalizing the trees. And Miss Gilda speaks of you all the time, so I decided to call you in."
Gilda...suggested me? Ugh, what's the bird want? Back to my currently weird life, Discord offered me a glass of chocolate milk. I took it, free milk, never turn down anything free.
"Huh, this is sweet for once..."
"Yes, Captain Goodguy took the opportunity to start using his powers for the restoration of sweets. He has quite the sweet tooth you know."
"Can't say I argue with that..." Darn it, now I'm going to have to find a way to hide sweets I get from Pinkamena. "So...what's in it for me exactly."
"Well, the standard commission price and I was thinking perhaps I treat you for dinner if you do a good job."
"Dinner? Not that I'm complaining, but why?" Then again, maybe he just thinks I'm pretty. I toss my mane just to be on the safe side.
"Just felt like a nice thing to do. I am calling you all the way out here after all. And you do remind me of somepony I know."
Sir Discord is paying for my dinner? Not arguing with that. Especially when the best I expected out of this was an excuse to get away from the house for awhile.
"Sounds fine to me. My roommate just threw out all our good food because it was 'unhealthy.'"
"Fair enough, now if you excuse me, I've got a party to go to, I'll meet you here shortly, okay, my good mare?"
"Sure, I think I can wait..." Not like I have anything better to do.
"Good, I will see you then." He then got on a weird mini scooter thing and headed off. Weirdo. But he's a famous weirdo.
Well, I guess this whole thing wasn't a total loss. Shouldn't have to do anything for a few weeks and can get a good meal that isn't just health food. And I know just how to run out the clock. ---
"And now I'm going to have to jump through so many more hoops not funny! You know what I mean?"
The bear gave a growl and nod, laying at the side of the tree he'd been in since I got here. The tree was the same as everyone in the surrounding area, dead, but Mr. Bear didn't care.
Why did I become an animal expert? Simple! Because they'll listen. When I need to complain about something without getting snarky one-liners or anything like that thrown in my face, I can rely on animals for that. They don't care how I live my life; they don't try to change me. And they don't insult me. They just listen.
"Um, Miss Fluttershy."
Mr. Bear roared at the Centaur that interrupted us. Good bear! "What?"
Huh, you know he's surprisingly calm for a guy having a bear growling at him. Then again, Centaur, I guess.
"We need to begin the mana restoration. Please do your duty."
"Ugh...fine..."
Besides, it's almost time for Sir Discord to come back.
"Okay, Mr. Bear, the ponies, and centaurs, are trying to get you out of here, so it'd be for the best if you just leave."
He roars at me, predictable. "Hey! Don't shoot the messenger, I'm just doing my job. They, on the other hoof, will shoot you with some tranquilizer darts if you don't get out of here. And that wouldn't be good for anyone, now would it?"
The gives a growl at me.
"I know, it's not fair, but well, you can't stay here if you don't want a tranquilizer in the butt, and you don't want that, right?"
That got rid of him. He's not a happy camper, but eh, they just paid me to get him out of the park, he's not my problem anymore.
Guess I'll just sit and wait for Sir Discord...Oh, the centaurs? They started doing this one weird thing where they more or less throw up mana into the ground. Like literally, they open their mouths and magic comes out.
Huh? Wait, the ground! I...I...I'm a pegasus, but... I don't need Earth Pony magic to see that it's coming back to life. It's changing from that dull brown it's been since Luna back-stabbed us for her sister. Grass started growing up, a little pink posey sprouting up right in front of me. I got a flower for the kitchen (assuming Rainbow hasn't broken it by now) as payment for something before, and it was very expensive the way things were...this...
"Miss Fluttershy?"
I jumped about a foot into the air when Discord decided to yell in my ear. "Geeze! Don't sneak up on somepony like that!"
"Sorry, I apparently have a habit of surprising ponies," he replied, trotting up next to me and taking pictures of the centaurs with his camera. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
I scoffed. "I guess...Just caught me off guard that's all, and I just like flowers..."
Oh, you try not staring at the green ground after a three year drought!
"Why?"
"They just seem pretty."
Yeah yeah, I like flowers, sue me. They're pretty like me, and they're like animals; I can complain all I like to them, and they won't complain or get mad, but you know they're listening. Oh? Don't you know? Plants grow better when you talk to them. Duh.
"Ah, I see. Well, that's as good a reason as any," Sir Discord replied, taking a few more pictures. "Not everything needs an explanation, after all sometimes the most fun things are the ones that make no sense."
I rolled my eyes. "Sure, I guess. So can we go? I got rid of the bear."
"Certainly, come along." ---
We went to a nice restaurant, well nice is relative. Nice in the Tartarushole the Princesses made the world is 'slightly bigger portions and mildly tastier food.' What? You think the nobles were any better off than the rest of us? Even the ponies in their ivory towers can't do much when there's no rain at all. For most of the meal, I just set eating and didn't talk.
"So, Miss Fluttershy, I hope you're enjoying yourself," Discord asked.
"Eh, it's okay," I replied, and that's what it was, not great or awful. "Wait, you're dipping french fries in ice cream?"
He swallowed one of the dang things whole. "Yes, one of my personal favorites."
"...That's gross."
"Don't knock it till you try it, salty and sweet are an excellent combination...here, try one?"
"Ugh, do I have to?"
"It's some of the sugary ice cream that Captain Goodguy has generously donated."
"...Fine..."
Can't be any worse than half the 'healthy' stuff Pinkamena tries to force feed us. I'll just eat it quick and get it over with....hmm... "Huh...they're okay...can I have another one?"
He gave a smirk and handed me another one. "...So...you hang out with Rainbow Crash, correct?"
"Yeah..."
"Gilda talks about her a lot...she seems to be a little bitter at you for some reason."
I scoffed. "Surprise surprise." Gilda ended up being a guard, risking her life every day for ponies who don't even know hers, I'd be bitter that somepony else was getting by on looks and smarts too. "Guess the Temperance stuff is just horseapples."
"Now I wouldn't say that. Sure, she has her limits...but if she wasn't a temperate griffon, would you have heard that from me first?"
"...Maybe...You never know."
"...But she also says she is grateful to you for one other thing."
"...Grateful?"
"She's grateful you've never abandoned Rainbow Crash...why exactly is that?"
"...That's none of your business."
He shrugged. "I'm just a curious sort, comes with the territory," he replied, tapping that fancy camera of his. "From what she tells me, you don't do much if you don't feel it's worth it. Something your interactions with me supports. So, the question of the day is: what do you get out of staying a true friend to a mare like her?"
"...She's just a pony I know, and that's it."
"Your friend?"
"...So what if she is?"
He gave a smirk that made me think I'd just somehow lost a chess match I didn't know I was playing. "So what indeed...huh?"
There was a loud roar outside. We turned to see Mr. Bear growling at a garbage pony trying to shoo him off from the trash bin he was sleeping on. Then going kind of berserk and throwing the guy across the street. Sir Discord got up and looked about ready to run out to do something, I just set and kept eating.
He blinked and looked back to me. "...Isn't that the bear you were supposed to get rid of?"
"Yep...you said get him out of the park, and I got him out of the park...for the record, I did not tell him to do that."
See, that's why I don't try to be worse. If I did stuff like this on purpose, I'd be on the most wanted list like that one eco-terrorist hippy. What? You think I can't do that? Hehe...remember what I said about doing well enough to get by but never enough to attract unwanted attention? Applejack wants to be a big tough bad guy; I don't.
"...Are you going to do something about him?"
Mr. Bear just threw a car or something.
"...Eh, I did my job already, let somepony else handle him."
"...Well," he muttered, tapping his chin. "If you can get him to stop-"
We heard a crash as Mr. Bear smashed a window.
"-doing that, I'll pay somepony for some renovations to your little clubhouse."
"...The clubhouse?"
He nodded. "If I give you the money, I know it'd never be used for that."
"...Smart..."
"But think about it. Not only do you get a nicer place to live, but your friends will also be grateful, and I'm sure Rainbow Crash will appreciate it."
...Hmm...continue living in a run down cottage with a leaky roof, or get renovations? And maybe Rainbow Crash proof it a little bit...Can't say the guy doesn't know how to make it good.
"Fine, I'll do it."
Why'd I trust him? King Sombra didn't knight just anypony. Besides, even with the weird questions, I wasn't about to pass up free stuff. All I had to do was get Mr. Bear to go somewhere else.
"Good, I also need to find a phone booth...because reasons."
Okay, just trot up to Mr. Bear and talk him down. Wow, seeing him trip over a carrot dog cart reminded me of how terrible an angry bear is. I think the carrot dog cart's on fire now, eh, not my problem.
"Hey, Mr. Bear," I said, just looking up at him. "Look! I know you're clopped off, but think you can cool it off alread-AH!"
He just tried to swipe my head off!
"Hey! Don't shoot the messenger! It's me!"
Okay, Mr. Bear tells me he's just angry, has no where to go, blah, blah, blah. Okay. So how do I get him out of here without making him madder? Well...we do live outside of the city limits...sorta.
"I think I know somewhere you can crash."
No! I'm not inviting a bear to live in our house! But there is a cave nearby. And it's not like I'm going to keep him there! If Equestria's getting restored, he'll get to go home soon enough! Besides, he can take care of himself.
I mean, seriously! Do you know how much it'd cost to FEED a bear? More than I'm willing to pay! Let him find his own food!
"So do we have a deal?"
Mr. Bear nods and politely heads to wait for me to leave.
Okay, there, done. That was easy-Oh, right standing next to a burning carrot dog cart and next to several dry trees...well, this was a bad idea.
Oh, horseapples! Flaming tree falling at my head!...Wait, what?
I looked up to see a draconquus in red spandex standing over me and holding up the burning entire tree with an oven mitt. Okay, called it, I have now met Captain Goodguy. I'm not complaining, though. I like being alive, and not on fire.
"Are you alright, citizen?"
I nodded. I just got saved by Captain Goodguy, and even I'm not going to snark at that.
"Alright, let's do something about this fire, shall we?!" he announced, throwing that flaming tree aside and reaching into his utility belt, producing...pack of mints? "Hmm, was going for fire retardant foam, but this will do."
He ate the whole pack in one bite, took in a deep breath and blew, his breath turning blue and freezing the trees to put out the fire...and also making everything smell like peppermint.
"Stay here, Miss, I'll only be...oh, a few minutes."
He wasn't kidding either; it only took him a few minutes to fix up the damage from a bear rampage. Though the town did end up with some clashing colors I'm pretty sure Rarity would approve.
For some reason, Equestria's greatest superhero wants to talk to me. I'm about to be arrested aren't I?
"Hello, Miss Fluttershy, I've heard a lot about you from Starlight and Sir Discord, care to talk for a little bit?"
Wait...what...
"Okay, wait, wait, wait!" I exclaimed. "First Starlight Glimmer, then Sir Discord, and now you, is today 'National Mane Six Are Important' day or something?!"
Seriously, why?! I almost died, forgive me if I'm a little bucking hysterical right now!
He snaps his fingers, and we're on a roof. And he's upside down for some reason.
Oh, wait, I'm upside down.
"Why am I upside down?!"
He rubs his head. "Sorry, comes with the territory. My PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWERS..." Yikes! He just grew like three times his size and fireworks are going off! Is that a plaid sun in his claw?! "...have a little bit of a mind of their own..."
Now he's back to normal, and a glowing purple plaid version of him is waving at me before disappearing into him. Seriously, did I drink all of Applejack's hard cider while I was sleeping before Pinkamena could get to it?!
"So sometimes random things like that happen..."
I grunted and just got back on my hooves. "Whatever. Still doesn't explain why every big hero and their mother is coming to visit us today!"
"Well, this IS the first time in three years the lot of us all have any free time and been in the same place at the same time," Goodguy explained. "And we're all trying to help everypony, we've just been so busy protecting the world from the evil of the Princesses, so now that they are reformed, we have time to catch up. Perhaps it's less random chance and more the world deciding you're overdue some assistance. Maybe recent events have caused a new fate to open up for you lot. But as for me and Sir Discord, we felt you needed a little help getting ready for what awaits you...and...you remind us of somepony we once knew..."
Why can't I shake the feeling he knew more than he was saying?
I scoffed, crossing my forelegs. "Huh, well you're wasting your time..."
"Oh, and why is that?"
"Simple, we're not paying you back. We don't want to, and we couldn't even if we wanted to. There's nothing in it for you, so isn't that the definition of a waste of time?"
And now he's laughing.
"Why are you laughing?!"
"Oh, well dear, let me remind you of who I am," he announced, doing this one superhero pose and clearing his throat. Why is he in black and white now? "I'm faster than a speeding crossbow bolt!"
He jumped to one side of the roof and fired a crossbow, the outran it so he could catch it.
"More powerful than a locomotive!"
And now he's standing on train tracks with a train coming at him. He catches it, and sumo throws it over himself, causing it to turn into butterflies.
Huh? Where'd he go now?
"I can leap tall buildings in a single bound!"
And he jumps straight up over me from street level and lands on the rooftop. "I'm CAPTAIN GOODGUY!" He was in some pose with his hands on his sides and chest puffed out. Where is that music coming from?
"...Yes, I'm aware of that...why are you in black and white?"
"I have absolutely no idea; that is rather weird...huh... but that's beside the point. The point is, my dear, for somepony as powerful as I am, what exactly could I expect in return for anything I do?"
"I...Well..."
"Money?" he took out a lump of coal and squeezed it...turning it into lead and then again, turning it into a gold statue of Celestia mooning him. "Not an issue. Power? I still have my PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWERS! Land? Have my own pocket dimension where I keep my Fortress of Goodness. Self-gratification? Well, I do enjoy that, but my mere existence would get that. So tell me, my dear, what's in it for me?"
"Uh... Well... You're just... You're... You're wrong then... You shouldn't be doing this..."
I admit, part of my problem finding a witty retort might be the fact he just saved my life. If I told him that he was a moron for helping me...I would be saying I should be dead...and I like living.
"You have no idea how many times Celestia told me that very thing," Goodguy replied, giving an annoying chuckle. "But let me first ask you this before I explain mine, my dear. Your little group was bullied by that villain Spitfire, right?"
I narrowed my eyes. "And how do you know that?"
"Gilda's friend, remember?"
"Oh..."
"So here's my question: what would have happened if Gilda had done nothing to help Rainbow?"
I rolled my eyes. "Simple, she wouldn't have gotten bullied by Spitfire, simple as that."
"Ah ah! I didn't ask what would happen to her. I meant what would've happened to Rainbow Crash? If she had no one. If she had to endure all of that torment by her lonesome with no one to help ease her suffering?"
I...I...
I just stood there, we just stood there, no words, just silence for a few minutes.
"Heroes are made when you make a choice, Fluttershy," Goodguy said. "You both made one, didn't you?" ---
"We need to do something, Shy."
"But Spitfire will turn on us...She'll be so mad..."
"But if we don't do anything, she's going to keep hurting Rainbow Dash."
"But..."
"Do you care about her or not?" Gilda held out a talon. "She needs us."
I slowly reach out my hoof to take it.
"Come on, Rainbow CRASH, if you can't even fly two feet without crashing and burning how do you expect to be a great flier?" yelled Spitfire, Rainbow on the ground crying. She tried to get up and fly again, but Spitfire snagged her tail, sending her head over hooves into a cloud. "Hehe, well you got a few more feet that time." Spitfire then looked over at us and gave a glare that made my heart skip a beat.
I pull my hoof back. Gilda looks so disappointed in me. Rainbow Dash looks so hurt. ---
Why...why am I trembling?
Goodguy trotted over and leaned against an air vent next to me. He...he looks sad. Captain Goodguy looks sad. He's...he's looked serious before, but never sad.
"Let me tell you a story, Fluttershy...years ago, a great evil was let loose from beneath the northern ice. As the world suffered their wrath, a great and powerful Spirit of Chaos saw this. He had incredible power, he could've done much...but instead he did nothing. He thought much as you did. Told himself 'Why should I get involved? It's not going to affect me?'...Now you see, that Spirit of Chaos had one friend. She was a little purple Earth Pony. Who saw him and his creations as beautiful, and cared about him. Who meant the world to him."
...Why does his voice sound so hurt?
"But...you remember that evil force? The one he could've done something about it, but he refused to do anything because it didn't involve him?...It turned out it did, very much so. For that little Earth Pony?...She...Let's just say that the proud Spirit of Chaos found out the hard way the price of inaction. A price he wished he'd never had to pay...a price if he'd just done something, he'd never have had to pay...The moral of the story? Never pass up a chance to do good, because good deeds can only benefit somepony...but if you do nothing, one day it will come back to bite somepony. Maybe you, maybe somepony you care about, maybe somepony you've never met...but somepony will reap what you've sown."
I feel like my head's spinning... I... Rainbow... I...
He lowers his head and then looks at me. "But we all have a lot more choices than one, and a hero can be made at every one. What choices are you going to make?"
"... I'll think about it."
"That's all I ask...Want to go get ice cream? My treat?"
"Oh...uh...sure..."
"...Want to take one home for Rainbow Crash?"
"...Sure...I guess..."
"Good. Now come! To the Goodguy-mobile!" |
Tales from the Dark Side of the Mirror | I'm the Pony Everypony Wants (Not) to Know | Why good morning, darlings. I am Rarity Belle, Equestria's finest fashionista at your service. Do you need fashion advice? I have quite the knack for it. I know all the rules of being a lady like the front of my hoof. Speaking of which, how do you like what I've done with my room? Just finished redecorating!
Oh? The polka dot wallpaper? Why because they grab the eye the moment you walk into the room, bright and vibrant. And the white goes so well with my fur, the exact same shade! A perfect match! And the stripes on the other wall are there to make the room look bigger, they are supposed to make things look fat, right?
"It looks like your room has chicken pox, and eyes..." Spike said looking in. "And the other wall looks like a prisoner."
"Don't make me banish you again!" Yes, I banished him for insulting a perm I got. Twilight let him back in. I had to! Insulting a mare's mane is a massive breach of chivalry. It's a rule! Stallions are supposed to treat mares with proper respect! Even if they're dragons!
Oh, what does he know? He's a baby dragon. He's cute, but that's natural, not anything to do with style! He doesn't know the rules and pretends he does! And he won't wear this lovely yellow suit I made him. Doesn't he know you never turn down a gift from a lady?
Oh! Speaking of which, I must be getting dressed. It'd be unladylike to go to lunch undressed. Or anywhere for that matter.
Now let us see, it is still spring. I think. So hard to tell when you're in a drought. It is such an awful thing to have to wear a sunhat everyday. Or is it a good thing to have an excuse? So many rules to remember. Ah! Now I remember! It's awful because it's spring, it's only good during the summer. Because they're sunhats, and when is the sun the most intense if Celestia wasn't evil? Now back to more important matters: picking the proper attire! Well if it's spring, then green is a good choice. But I wore that lovely green sweater yesterday! The only other green I have is a Heart's Warming Eve sweater. Well, the TV always do 'Hearth's Warming in July' specials, don't they? This should be perfect! How do I look? Speechless? Just what I was going for.
What do I do? Why I make a splash, isn't that what a pretty mare is supposed to do? A noble pony makes certain all eyes in the room are on her no matter what it takes. That's the most important rule. The core rule. The one that is always right.
If I'm of noble blood, why am I staying here of all places? Simple, darling. When I moved away from home, I needed a place to stay and came across this lovely rustic abode. Not only is it charming, but every other part of Canterlot looks the same, so this is by far the most unique house in the entire city. And doesn't everypony always say unique is such an attractive thing? So how can living in one of the most unique buildings in town be anything but attractive?
Judging by the ruckus, I'm assuming that Pinkamena dumped out our food again, as she tends to do at least once a month. Oh well, ponies like to idolize dangerously slim ponies, or is slim out of style now? If everypony is slim and being unique is good, does that make pudgy the new slim? Ugh I do so hate it when the rules change all of a sudden! It's hard enough to keep track of them as is!
And now there's a crash. I do hope it was nothing that added character to the place. A lot of things can be so very hard to replace. Sure we could buy any old thing to replace it, but those would just be generic things you find a store, and being one of a kind is the best thing about this place.
Well while they're messing about, I should get my makeup on... Hmm... Eyeliner or lipstick? Or both? I am wearing green and red, so maybe lipstick to compliment it? Or maybe that would be too much red? Is makeup supposed to stand out against or complement what you're wearing? One of the two, both ways can't be right...Hehe, what was I thinking? Drawing attention to your face can never be a bad thing! I'll use both!
Huh? Who's at my door?
"Rarity! Get out here!"
"Twilight? What is it? I'm about to put on my makeup!"
"Important! House meeting! Now!"
"House meeting? What do-"
"NOW!"
I suppose my makeup can wait. ---
I didn't even get the chance to do my makeup, this had better be important, or I will be quite miffed.
Oh, how do I feel the others? Well, there's Rainbow Crash, I do not believe she ever tries to dress up. Though she did look rather nice that time I loaned her my green sweater (so long as she told everypony I lent it to her). The green in her mane is rather understated, the green brought it out. Or does that only work when it's the same shade? No, I'm certain green goes with green.
Twilight normally dresses in that nice white lab coat if she does at all. I suggested she accessorize with green, green really stands out when matched with purple as well. I mean look at how adorable little Spike looks in them (when he's not insulting me and forcing me to banish him). For some, reason she never listens to me, though.
Fluttershy was born pretty, and she gets it. She knows what it means to be the center of attention. She doesn't have much fashion sense, though. And that's a shame, honestly. She'd look so much prettier in a the right dress.
Applejack at least knows the look she wants to present. Nothing says 'bad girl' like leather jackets and cowboy hats. Though would it kill her to accessorize? I mean really, if you want to look the part go all the way. Oh wait, she's got an eye patch, good. Still, could use some chains. Maybe some red. Nothing says bad like red and black if that's what she's truly going for.
Pinkamena is minimalist, but she does like dressing up. Even if it's just to sneak into places. I don't lend her anything because she can't tell them where she got it, though. But I can never convince her to wear bright colors, she just says they're 'untrustworthy.' Then again maybe muted colors attract attention to her fur. Or does it attract them to the dress? The dress is out of place on bright fur, so it probably will attract attention, so bright colors would bring out her appearance better. I'm sure of it. And it draws attention to you, so how could it be wrong either way?
Huh? 'What about them'? I just told you? Oh, what I think of them personally. Sorry, just most people think the first impression is the most important one. And how you look is just that, the first thing somepony sees of you. And the company a pony keeps draws attention to them.
Rainbow Crash...is a mess, but she's our mess. I think out of all of us I'm the one she gets to properly 'help' the most. After all, standing still to model isn't the hardest thing in the world. That and she pulls off the 'sad puppy' look better than anypony I've ever seen. Not to say she hasn't found a way to mess that up from time to time. Then again, having my room wrecked via domino effect did yield some interesting inspiration. But she is quite willing to tell others I gave her the outfits.
Twilight is a bit full of herself, easily distracted, and likes to experiment...on us sometimes. A lot of the times. But she gets what it means to make a splash and attract attention. She's certain one day her science skill will get her a big break. I can definitely see the appeal. It's a very good way to get all eyes on you. But I'd prefer not to wake up to explosions or her accidentally creating a stinkbomb.
Fluttershy and I? We get each other swimmingly. We both know standing out is what a proper mare needs to do. She's blunt and sarcastic, but she understands how to be a lady. We talk about the attention we've garnered or the like. The only problem is getting her to model for me; I'd love to, but she doesn't see it as 'worth the effort'. Which I admit has me a bit miffed, are my designs not good enough for her? Still, I suppose that keeps me from being overshadowed by her, so that I can stay in the spotlight.
Applejack and I have known one another since we were fillies. My parents and her grandmother arranged play dates from time to time while mother discussed one of the Apple's stores carrying her cookies. We're both of the upper class, even if she doesn't show it. And we both knew what it was like to have demanding parental figures, though I imagine mine were far more competent and caring if her view of Granny Smith is any indication. What? She never mentioned it? I wonder why. Is she trying to ignore me? Still, at least she actually accessorizes.
Pinkamena...is a...healthy pony. She gets us food. And she's very intelligent. And she at least actually wears clothing to go out, that's more than most of our friends. Still...I don't hang out with her to have fun; I must admit.
I suppose I've always been a social creature, though. It is a little surprise I would ultimately end up in a large group. After all, a lady's value comes from how others look at her, so how can one be one if no one is looking? Beauty that isn't looked upon goes to waste. Beauty must attract everypony's attention at all times.
Now, what is all the fuss about?
"'Evil Princesses Turn Over a New Leaf?!'" Applejack yelled, looking the newspaper.
Wait...what?!
"How?! What happened?!" I exclaimed.
I... Apparently, the Princesses.
Apparently they're now good guys, Sombra's corrupted to evil, and Lord Scorpan is back in Tartarus.
I...I...Forgive me, I...there's no rule for a lady reacting to a world changing event. I hate it when the rules change! It just makes everything so confusing!
Still...Princess Celestia looks unusual. Ponygypt, never fashioned her as that sort. She always seemed to be wearing a shade of purple. I do admit it went well with her mane. I just can't see her wearing bright colors or blue. Or anything not evil.
And apparently Rainbow Crash started an out of control storm, again. How did she do it the first time? I do believe by getting instructions backward and giving out storm clouds instead of normal clouds, but this time sounds far worse...
Oh! And there's a party to celebrate?! Everypony who's anypony is going to be there?! From King Tirek to Princess Trixie?! If Pinkamena and Twilight are going, I simply must attend! Why?...Because I must. A lady should never pass up an opportunity to show off! She must take every opportunity to be the center of attention with all eyes on her!...She must. It's a rule.
Oh, Pinkamena can complain about cake all she likes, but I need to figure out what to wear! Though now that everypony will get meat back on their bones, being skinny will probably go back to being in. I need to lose weight.
"Hey, why is there a picture of us fighting the Princesses here?" asked Rainbow, looking at the paper.
"What was that?" I asked, looking over and, my word; it is us! But, how?!
There on the picture were us, but not us. That was blatantly obvious. Pinkamena with curly hair? Applejack not decked out in leather? Fluttershy looking caring? Twilight with... were those wings?!
The most surreal image was... Rainbow Crash with a confident expression. It made her look almost like a completely different pony! It's...chilling to see that for some reason.
Myself? Oh...we weren't that different. She was beautiful and lady-like. Her mane was fabulous, and she carried herself with grace. Though she does seem more 'rubble tumble' than me, given she was fighting. Though she was naked! I mean even if you're going to fight, a lady must stand out and have a good appearance even in the midst of combat!
"Um...everypony..." I interrupted, needing help making sense of this. "Rainbow Crash was right...there is a picture of us fighting the Princesses..."
Thankfully Twilight hadn't tried to clone us again...apparently these ponies were literally us from another universe, who brought the weapons that purified the Princesses.
I admit...a world where I'm a hero? It's...so much to take in. But I admit that is an attractive prospect. After all, who has more eyes on them than a hero? More attention. And everypony worships the ground you walk on.
I am actually quite envious of her for that I think. Then again, being a heroine has even more rules. New rules. And I've spent too much of my life learning the rules of being a lady to learn new ones all over again. I hate it when the rules change or new rules decide to throw wrenches in the works.
Before our conversation could continue, there was a knock on our door and in came...Starlight Glimmer?! The Starlight Glimmer?! The owner of Our Town and one of the most famous teachers in all of Equestria?!
Oh no! I'm underdressed! I've got to get something better on! A lady can never be under-dressed before somepony famous! Or pass up the attention of somepony famous! ---
Alright, let's see. Starlight Glimmer is light heliotrope in coloration. What goes well with that? Well, yellow contrasts purple. Heliotrope is a variety of purple, and she's a pale color, so perhaps a dark yellow shade to contrast properly? Ah yes, there's my mustard yellow dress!
Huh? Why do I have a mustard yellow dress? Simple, it contrasts my mane and makes it stand out. Now, how should I have an accessory? Ah! She has aquamarine in her mane, so I'll put an aquamarine bow in my hair. There we go, now time to dazzle our guest.
"Hello, darlings," I said, trotting in. Hold your head high, don't look down, look confident to draw her attention. Fluttershy was no longer here, well at least she won't overshadow me with her natural beauty. I looked to Starlight Glimmer. "Hello, Miss Glimmer. I have heard so much about your work."
I make sure she can get a good profile look at me. Huh? Why did Applejack face hoof?
"Uh...thank you...Miss...Rarity Belle, correct?"
"Oh, you know me!"
"Yes...mainly from the multiple counts of vandalism."
"I assure you, the accounts were greatly exaggerated, darling, do I look like a vandal to you?"
It wasn't vandalism; that house was just painted so dreadfully wrong! It'd have been against the rules to not fix it a little bit!
Starlight looked me over. Just let her have a good look and hope she likes what she sees.
"Uh... no... you look... very... yellow..."
"Thank you darling! It goes so well with my mane and eyes!"
She looks stunned, exactly what I was going for!
Huh? What's that spell?
"Wait...your special talent is for getting a reaction out of others?"
"Why yes, darling. Isn't that what a lady is supposed to do?" I asked. And it's true.
"I...I think I'll need to talk to you before I have a reply, but I'm afraid I don't have time at the moment, perhaps later?" Starlight asked, why does she look concerned?
"Certainly, I had a party to go to. I take it that's where you're heading?"
"I was going to, but I felt my business with Rainbow here was more important," Starlight explained, pointing to Rainbow Crash.
What?
"Wait, what business?" I questioned.
Rainbow looked down. "Uh...well...Starlight wants me to come with her to Our Town. Sorry..."
"Why does she get special treatment?" I questioned. Yes, I'm miffed! And envious! Why should Rainbow get to go with the celebrity?!
"Sorry..." Rainbow whimpered.
Starlight gave me a look that I admit frightened me a tiny bit...
"Miss Belle, Rainbow Crash is NOT getting special treatment. Our Town is open to anypony who wants to learn and grow, if you wish to come, then come along with us and skip the party, you are very welcome to it. Or come along later on, either way you're welcome."
Why did that look on her face make me feel like she was testing me?
Party with lots of celebrities or going with one and skipping the party.
"...I'll come later if that's alright. Maybe..."
Why does she look sad?
"...Alright then..."
What were the others doing? Applejack was talking to Rainbow for some reason; I wasn't paying attention. Regardless Rainbow Crash went with Starlight in the end. Worried? As if, she's with a celebrity! I'm green with envy!... Wait...should a lady not be that? A lady is supposed to be honest, but she's not supposed to be jealous...I...
"...See you later girls..." Rainbow Crash said, looking down. "Are you mad I'm going for a bit?"
"No, not at all darling..." I said. "I'm...happy for you..."
"...Yeah, happy for yah..."
Why does Applejack look more jealous than me? It's unlike her to be jealous of somepony else. Oh well, not my problem.
"...Tell Twilight I said see you later...and I'm sorry about breaking her window yesterday, and tell Fluttershy I'll write her, and..."
"Sure, whatever," Applejack replied.
Well that was out of nowhere. Still, maybe catching a train ride to Our Town some time would be worthwhile, but it's so far away and who's going to see me there in the middle of nowhere? Still...
Oh goodness! It's almost time, and I still haven't done my makeup! A lady mustn't be late! Unless she's fashionably late!
"The party isn't for a few hours, what's the rush?" Applejack asked.
"I need to do my mane!" ---
"You look...nice Rarity," Twilight said, pulling a wagon with some sort of...thing behind her. I don't question it. She'd wanted to wear her lab coat, but I convinced her to wear a dress. She still didn't take my advice and wear the proper colors.
"Why thank you darling, the mane was the difficult part." I kept the mustard yellow dress, my makeup took awhile to get just right. Both eyeshadow and lipstick. I chose a particularly vibrant shade to make sure I drew attention to my beautiful face. There were a lot of eyes I needed to draw the attention of.
As for my mane, I went through the trouble of curling it, it takes time, but it was certainly worth it!
"I can tell...I didn't know that many curls were scientifically possible. Are your lips bleeding?!"
"No, darling, that's just my lipstick."
"Oh...well, as for me, I'm going to impress Sir Discord, King Tirek and the others with my mastery of science!" She exclaimed. Her machine gave off lightning behind her as she said that (she is pulling it in a wagon after all). "And then everypony will see it should be ME and not Trixie who deserves their respect and admiration! And if that doesn't work..." she looked at this lovely purple locket she was wearing around her neck. It even had a little pulsing light in the shape of a purple star.
"Just so long as it doesn't explode, darling...again." Well, we couldn't have the party ruined before I get the spotlight, now can we?
"That was Rainbow Crash's fault!"
"I meant the other time."
"Spike forgot to carry a two, that's all. I double checked afterward."
Twilight got arrested that time. To be honest, I think Applejack is a bit jealous of her. Of course, Twilight does want to be the center of attention, as a proper lady should, so making your friends jealous is simply part of that. Still, I don't believe she intended to get quite as much attention as the 'mane washing' incident. Do not ask. Just know she only got the washing part correct.
Ugh, walking to this party reminded me of how dull this town is. Just a dull, dull walk towards the city hall past the same cookie cutter buildings. Ugh, and I got in trouble for doing some improvements. Vandalism is Applejack's cup of tea; mine is ART!
Huh? Tell my life story to pass the time? What a wonderful idea! When does a lady look up a chance to talk about herself after all? Now where to begin? ---
Naturally a pony such as myself came from a noble and respectful family! My father is Hondo Flanks and my mother Cookie Crumbles, I'm certain you know all about them. Oh? Explain for those that don't? Certainly!
My father is currently the lead coach for Canterlot's hoofball team and has been quite the success at it. Yes yes, sports were suspended once Princess Luna turned evil, but he'd made enough money to last, and I'm sure he'll be going right back to work soon enough!
As for my mother, she is one of Canterlot's best and brightest chefs! Her secret cookie recipe is so fabulous that they took the city by storm! Even without sugar or sweetener! My mother is just that good! I'm certain now that sweets are making a comeback, she might even make royal chef in no time!
My cooking? Well, I'm not as good as my mother, or even my younger sister. I may be capable of burning juice...But I'm a lady, ladies being able to do their own cooking is a bonus, not a requirement!
And as you can guess, they are one of Canterlot's best power couples, and to such a life was I born. Father was often busy coaching during hoofball season and offseason he was planning for the next one, so mother influenced most of my early life. She had it set in her heart that I would learn to be a proper lady and instructed me on the subject daily. My, I'd even say I learned how to curtsy before I learned how to trot!
My lesson continued until one day I found myself in need of a dress of my own for a school play. Now, I had knowledge of sewing (what lady doesn't know how?), but my dress just felt...lacking. As if something very vital and important was absent from it. That's when I realized my mother had recently purchased a new set of jewels and her previous ones fell into disuse. Well, she wasn't using them, and we were naturally quite wealthy, so I decided to use them to spruce up that dress. Oh, I was so proud of it! And so was everypony else! So were my parents! It was a beautiful masterpiece! I wish I still had it to show you, but mother still has it back home.
And well, standing up there on stage, in the beautiful dress I created, with all eyes on me? It was that day my Cutie Mark appeared! Mother and father were proud beyond belief!
And afterward, my mother saw a talent that needed cultivated, and set out to help me do just that. Isn't that what a good mother does?
Mother drilled me on the rules, the do's and don'ts. The in's and out's. And father contributed as well during his off season time, telling me what a stallion wants in a lady. So many rules. So many things you should and shouldn't do, so many.
A lady should always wear a dress when outside, except when she shouldn't.
A mare should know how to sew, but a lady shouldn't bother herself with trivial things like menial labor.
Use that spoon for soup, that one for stew.
Don't wear stripes, they make you look fat, but sometimes they fill you out and then it's okay.
Wear purple, it's Sombra's colors, very patriotic, but be careful which type, certain shades are Celestia's.
It's impolite to ask your client a million questions, but you need to deliver on what they want to the letter.
Nobility is entitled to what they want, but must obey the rules of proper behavior and what it means to be a lady.
So many rules, many from mother, many from father, many from both but with different takes. I do say it got bewildering at times. Sometimes it was like trying to solve a Rubik's Cube blindfolded to figure out how all the pieces when together. Like my brain was going in all directions at once. But a child listens to her elders, correct? So how can my parent's dear advice not make sense? So I made sense of it! I made them all fit together in the end! I had to. After all, I wasn't a lady or a fashionista if I missed even one. That much mother made very clear. And I'm a better mare for it!
But one rule was always clean cut and clear. A lady must always draw the eyes of everypony. They must always bring the spotlight on them. A lady should always have all the attention she deserves. And a stallion should always treat a mare with due respect.
That rule was always comforting. It was the most straight forward. Naturally the other rules change, but that one? It never does. It's concrete. It's set in stone. The world can well go to Tartarus, as it has, and that rule stays the same. And it is my special talent, after all, so why shouldn't I strive towards it?
Eventually, my darling little sister Sweetie Belle was born and my parents began to focus on her, as parents should, even if it took attention off of me, which ponies shouldn't. Especially when she got her spot on Scootaloo's little program. She sings the theme song you know of the show and does a beautiful job, mother was so proud. I never quite did understand what Applejack worries about those three for, they're getting all the attention a foal could ever need.
The rest should be quite clear: I moved out so I could find my own spotlight to bask in, stumbled on this rustic place with my old friend Applejack as a tenant. The rest is history! Thank you for hearing my origin story, it was quite fun to share!
Ah, and it also served it's purpose well and passed the time! We're here!
And my, my, my, this is such a big gathering! Oh, there's Al. E. Zotl! Though that old grandfather's outfit doesn't suit him at all. He needs something that would bring out those muscles of his. And maybe something orange to go with his blue, those two colors complement each other.
And there's Captain Good Guy...in an odd outfit as always. A purple and green tux. Fits him quite well to be honest.
And ah! There's Princess Trixie! Ugh, but that blue barding is way too much blue! Is she even trying to stand out?! Maybe red or orange would fit!
Twilight decides to trot ahead upon noticing that. It's only natural, Trixie is her 'rival' as she puts it.
"Hey! Let me go!" Naturally the guard decided to stop her; she is a criminal.
"Twilight Sparkle..." Princess Trixie replied, trotting down to talk to her.
"Too afraid of finally being upstaged by your rival?!"
Normally I'd like to say hi to Princess Trixie, but Twilight is doing a nice job keeping the guard busy. Sorry, dear, but a lady must always be the center of attention, and I can't be if my friend already is, can I? I may not be Shadow Spade, globe-trotting thief extraordinaire, but I do know how to take advantage of a distracted guard!
Besides, Twilight would probably use that old teleporter she invented to get in, assuming it doesn't teleport her into a bank vault again.
Oh, Pinkamena's sister Maud Pie is doing the music! One of the greatest rock stars in Equestria after all! Oh, so many celebrities in the same place at the same time! Darn it, she's talking to an odd pony in a fedora and trench coat!
I don't know why Pinkamena insists on having nothing to do with her sister; I'd leap at the opportunity in a moment! I should know, I have with Sweetie Belle.
Huh? My! Looks like that pony got quite miffed at Maud...now she's open.
"Hello, Miss. Pie," I said, trotting up to her and letting her see me.
"Oh, hey!" she called, snapping up. "Your...Rarity right? Pinkamena's friend!"
"Indeed, darling! We're good friends. And may I say, that shirt fits you. It definitely screams 'Rocker'...but may I suggest a choker collar or chains, though? If you're going for the rocker, go all the way."
"Eh, I'm a simple gal. It's worked for me so far," she replied, giving a shrug. Of course, her voice got ponies to look at her. And being a rocker had different rules than being a lady. "Your dress looks...nice...reminds me of a wild party I was at once! After we drank a lot."
"Why thank you, darling!" I replied, giving a smile. "The yellow goes perfectly with my mane!"
"Yeah...kinda...I guess...hey, Rarity..." she started, shooting a look in the direction that odd pony left. "...is Pinkamena doing okay? I worry about her, you know?"
"Oh, she's doing fabulously. Very healthy, even in these trying times...though she does cause problems throwing out all our good food and the like. Though thin is likely going to be in again, so that's fine."
"Yeah, always did that back home. Doesn't mean I don't worry she'll worry herself to death."
"Oh, certainly," I replied. "I know how you feel, sometimes I'm concerned about my little sister Sweetie Belle. I mean have you seen some of the things she wears on Scootaloo's little show?!"
What? I'm here to get attention, not let Pinkamena take it all when she's not even here. ---
Huh, I thought there would be more variety, why is it all fruits and veggies? Oh well, never pass up free food.
Oh! There's King Tirek! He's so majestic in that gold armor! But maybe he could be wearing some crimson, after all, it'd go with his skin tone so well! Too bad he's chatting with Sir Discord.
"Miss Belle?"
"Oh! Hello, Mrs. Smith!"
Applejack's grandmother is one of the wealthiest mares in Equestria, owner of an entire franchise of bargain stores! She is certainly one of the 'mares to know' in Canterlot.
How do I know that? Mother drilled me on tons of bios, said I should know the ponies I'm going to have to fraternize with. They're much easier to remember than the rules...bios only update, not change.
"Yes...Rarity..."
Why does she look so sad all of a sudden?
"...You still live with my granddaughter, correct?" she asked.
"Of course! We live together!"
"...Can you please tell her I miss her?...I just want to know why she's avoiding me. I know I might have been...off in how I raised her and Applebloom. I made mistakes, and I want to live up to them."
"Certainly, Mrs. Smith, I'll make sure to do just that!"
"Thank you..."
Huh? She didn't even notice my dress! Well, I never! I've known her since I was a filly! Not to mention that fancy dress of her's didn't have one ounce of green on it! I mean really-OW! Warn somepony before you turn the speakers up that loud! ---
At least plenty eyes are still on me, even if Mrs. Smith can't see good taste when she sees it. This dress is fabulous!
Oh, and there's Sassy Saddles! Who is that? Why only one of the most innovative mares in Canterlot fashion, and has extended into many other pursuits. I believe she's currently trying her hoof at art, doing well. She's one of those ponies who's always trying something new, always innovating. It's why she's so successful. Oh, I simply must talk to her!
"Rarity Belle, is that you?"
Huh?
"Oh, hello there," I replied, doing my best to hide my annoyance, I have fraternizing to do! But a lady must always be polite...unless somepony else is rude. Or hitting on her. Or unless they're very handsome.
"Don't you remember me? Suri Polomare?" the pink mare asked.
Suri...oh! "Oh yes, I remember you! You used to live in Ponyville, right?"
Suri Polomare was an old acquaintance of mine who used to visit Canterlot all the time. She previously lived in Ponyville, harsh place to be if I recall. She and I always got along so well. We both got that a lady needed to have all eyes on them, and that friends reflected you, but you must always remain in the spotlight. You could say we were 'friendly rivals' so to speak. We both loved fashion though she was always a bit more...mainstream than I was.
"How have you been, Suri? It's been years, darling!"
Suri gave a small smile. "Because I moved to Manehatten to make it in the big city, sorry I didn't tell you."
"Oh, I'm certain you must be doing well then! Mares like us would be perfect for the dog eat dog city, a lady must take the spotlight no matter what it takes!"
To think, an old acquaintance of mine big in Canterlot!
Huh? Why does she look sad?
"...Oh...Well..."
"Oh, you're not doing well?"
Drat!
"Oh, no I'm doing fantastic. It's just...well; I was hoping you'd grown out of that nonsense."
I blinked in confusion. "Wait, what?"
She rubbed her head. "Since Luna turned bad, Manehatten stopped being so dog eat dog and more 'try to stop being eaten by the evil Princesses.' Being all about yourself doesn't get you ahead when everypony else is looking for team players just to survive, m'kay? Being selfish isn't exactly seen as lady-like anymore you know."
"...I...I..."
"Rarity? Are you okay?"
"I'm...I'm okay...I'm fine..."
The rules... the rules say you have to focus on getting all eyes on you...how...she knew the rules...but...if the rules change...ugh! My head hurts!
Suri rushed to my side. "Rarity, you don't look so good, maybe you should lay down."
I...it...it doesn't make sense. The rules...The rules can change, yes, but that one never has! Suri GOT me! She knew that rule! She knows how it works! She knows standing out and having all eyes on you was the one rule...the one rule that ALWAYS makes sense! How can it just suddenly change?!
"It...Well, Luna's back on our side, that means things should go back to normal, right?"
Suri frowned. "Rarity...no, it won't...and it shouldn't."
"Yes, it should." I snapped back from her. Stop confusing me! "That rule is the only one that's clear cut! The only one that always made sense! How can you just tell me it doesn't anymore?!"
"Rarity, you're making a scene, calm down!"
Good! At least now all eyes are on me again! No, bad! Because we're not supposed to do that anymore! No, yes, no, yes! Make it stop!
I spent years figuring out the rules, why do they keep changing?! That one is not supposed to change!
Huh? Why'd the lights go out?! What's in my mane?! ---
Duchess Chrysalis did something to take care of those nasty bugs...Suri...I lost her...
Somepony must have lied to her. Yes, that's it. They must have. How else would she think that rule no longer applies? Lies! A lady must always draw eyes to herself. A lady must always stand out. A lady must always have the spotlight. That rule can't change. It is set in stone, like the law of gravity.
Poor Suri, who lied to you? Pity.
I am not twitchy, why would I be twitchy? I...I need to focus my mind on other things! Stress can cause early aging!
Ah, here's a perfect example of why rules are important! This ice sculpture is on a blue tablecloth! That's too much blue in one place, especially in summer! I'll just correct this for them! There we go! Out the window!
Oh, and these plates are white! What, were they going for a winter theme?!
Huh? The guards?! Let go of me! I'm just enforcing the rules! That's all! I need to do this! Please!...Please!
I was just trying to let the world go back to feeling normal! Is that too much to ask?!
"Excuse me, sirs..."
"May we ask what's going on here?"
Huh? The Flim Flam Brothers?
"This mare was vandalizing the party, your honors," said the guard rather rudely restraining me.
"I was not vandalizing! I was fixing it! There was far too much blue! It broke the rules!"
Flim and Flam looked to one another. "...Dear, what are these rules you speak of?" Flam questioned.
"The rules of fashion of course! Too much of one color is bad! It's just common knowledge..."
Flim rubbed his chin and had a brief word with his brother. I couldn't hear much, but I believe I heard them mention Starlight, Gilda, and Sir Discord and perhaps... Fluttershy? Why would they be talking about her? She's not even here! After a bit, they finally turned back to me. "Guards, can you please direct the lady to our table? Under watch, of course."
"Fantastic idea, brother of mine," replied Flam. "I am in agreement."
Wait, what just happened? ---
"So, Miss Belle, please tell us..." Flim started.
"What exactly do these rules mean?" Flam continued. "The ones you view as good enough to cause to...'redecorate' a party?"
The two of them were such gentestallions, so of course I explained! Right down to how Suri broke THE rule.
The Flim Flam Brothers? Why they're the Chief Judges for the entire kingdom, renown for their fairness above all else. Certainly they'll see that somepony clearly lied to poor Suri.
"Miss Belle, just to ask, your believe these rules your parents taught you are completely genuine, correct?" Flam questioned politely.
"Why of course, isn't it a rule a child is always supposed to believe what their parents tell them without question?" I replied. Of course, I do, why wouldn't I.
Flim rubbed his chin. "Yes, that is true I suppose...and you've never considered any of these rules mutually contradictory?"
"Well I used to think they were, but I've figured them out."
The two looked to one another, and Flam whispered something in his brother's ear, getting a nod.
"Miss Belle, perhaps are you aware of a concept called 'extenuating circumstances?'" Flim questioned.
Let me thing. Hmm... "No, I don't believe so."
He gives a polite smile. "Well you see, Miss Belle, it's quite the simple concept. Let's say that a certain pony beats another pony up. Under the law, that is quite clearly an illegal act, do you agree?"
"I believe so," was my response. It was simple logic. Applejack had mentioned getting arrested that way on some occasions, but normally never succeeds.
Flam gave a smile of his own. "But let us say in this particular situation, the pony who got beat up broke into the first pony's home with the intent to rob it. And ended up in a confrontation with the first pony who owns the home. Resulting in them being beaten up?" he questioned. "By law, it is illegal to beat up another pony. But in the context, the extenuating circumstances change it from assault to self-defense, meaning the pony who broke into the home in the first place is at fault. Does that make sense, Miss Belle?"
"I...believe so..." I believe Applejack frequently reminds Rainbow Dash she's capable of such more often than not.
"Alright then, let's apply this same idea to some of your rules, specifically the one that brought you to our attention this fine day," Flim continued, motioning to the table. "Now, you said there was an over-saturation of the color blue, correct? That is why you did it?"
I gave a nod. "Yes, especially for summer! Blue is a winter color. The white didn't help."
"That rule is true," Flam replied. Why did I feel like I was playing a chess game? "But what is your opinion on them being a water themed color?"
I put a hoof to my chin. Hmm...Water... "Yes...I believe so..."
"And therein lies the extenuating circumstances," Flim replied, holding up a hoof. "This party is to celebrate the return of regular rain and futility to Equestria. There is a table on the other side of the party with more greens and pinks. So by your logic, the thematic connection between blue and water makes that rule valid. As does the connection between the white of the plates and the clouds."
I couldn't speak. My words just died in my throat...I cannot be wrong...but...the rules...
"I...I suppose that's logical...but...the rules...how can..."
"Miss Rarity, there is a rather simple solution to that conflict," Flim continued, putting a hoof on my shoulder. He's touching me...
"The rule of blue being a winter color is true in some cases, but in other cases the extenuating circumstances mean the rule of blue being a water themed color overrules and takes precedence over the previous rule. The rules are not in conflict, merely one applies here while the other does not."
"That...that can happen?!"
I mean...yes, I've gotten confused on the rules before, by I didn't need to be?
Why do they look disturbed for a moment?
"Indeed, it can, and often does," Flam replied. "You merely need to think through them wisely. And as for rules like the one you believe Suri violated...are you aware of the concept of an 'amendment?'"
"I may have heard of them in newspapers..." I muttered, feeling a bit dizzy. I was out of my element...maybe that's why I felt right listening to them.
"An amendment is an additional clause added later to an existing rule," Flim replied simply. "For example, do you recall how the legal age to vote for elected officials used to be twenty-one?"
"...Yes...I believe so, I think Twilight explained the concept once..."
Flam nodded. "Changing that age was an example of an amendment to the law. Rules can be revoked, yes, but they can also be changed to become fairer or to address a previous error made in making the rule."
Rules...can change?
Flim cleared his throat. "Suri states that Manehatten is no longer dog-eat-dog, which is indeed the case. But that doesn't necessary mean your rule that a lady should always try and be in the spotlight is wrong...merely, outdated and in need of an amendment, so how about this one?" He took a piece of paper in his telekinesis and wrote things down. "A lady should always try and be in the spotlight when it is a matter of social status rather than survival, be it themselves or others."
I...just set there staring. "I..."
"That way your rule of a lady being respected and honored remains intact, but the new circumstances surrounding it are addressed and acknowledged," Flam continued. "There is no contradiction because now the rule remains valid, just evolved."
When...when mother and father always tried to explain things...they drilled them into me...they drilled the rules into me...but they were both being such gentlestallions to me...
"...Why...why are you trying to be so kind to me? I did something against the law..."
Both gave a chuckle. "Because, Miss Belle, it is our job to hear all the circumstances of a given case. Now, normally we'd let a defense attorney do that. But in this case hearing it from the horse's mouth was a valid option. And it'd likely have fallen upon a local court anyway, so we were within our rights to do so," Flim explained with a friendly smile.
"And besides, is it not the rules that a gentlestallion treat a lady kindly?" Flam continued.
I blushed a little bit...I...given the situation...I think the red is appropriate. "I...that is correct."
"But be that as it may, it is a judge's duty to give sentence..." Flam replied. "Given the extenuating circumstances and that we can ask such a settlement of Princess Trixie and Duchess Chrysalis, how does this sound: a reasonable fine for the damages and community service? After all, no pony was hurt, and the damage was minimal all things considered. Prison time does not seem particularly fair, particularly considering your confusion that influenced your actions."
Flim held up a hoof. "In addition to some time with Miss Do the Wise, you seem as though you'd benefit from a little chat with her to sort out any lingering confusion..."
Ditzy Do the Wise?! I...she's the wisest mare in the entire kingdom! I...
"I...I feel that is fair...I...I have a lot to think about I suppose..."
"Very good, Miss Belle," Flam replied, offering me his hoof. I shook it. "Now, how about we talk to Duchess Chrysalis and Princess Trixie about these terms? After all, Princess Trixie is currently acting ruler and Duchess Chrysalis her regent while she becomes accumulated for the role?"
Princess Trixie?! Duchess Chrysalis?! EEEEEEEEE! I can't wait to meet them!
Wait, what's Twilight doing with her locket over there? Is it supposed to be glowing like that? |
Tales from the Dark Side of the Mirror | I'm (Not) Great | Alright, let's see. I need to extend the metal casing by a few inches to accommodate the higher powered battery. That should extend the life by ten times! I'm so brilliant!
Oh, hello there! Who am I? I am Twilight Sparkle; scientist extraordinaire and one of Equestria's brightest scientific minds! Oh, and I'm also brilliant at magic, but I prefer to apply magic into scientific pursuits. Everypony makes too big of a deal of magic onto itself. I have made a multitude of inventions that will one day revolutionize ponykind, and ensure my place in the history books as one of the best ...as soon as Princess Trixie stops sabotaging me with her position. Huh? No, I've never seen her do it, but why else would all my grant requests be turned down? Besides, she has never been able to stand the fact I'm smarter than she is.
Thankfully she mysteriously disappeared from the public eye shortly after she ascended to Alicornhood and lost a fight with the evil Princesses! Rumor had it she was in the hospital, but I think she's just too humiliated to show her face again!
Oh, what am I doing right now? My laser pointer broke earlier...Rainbow Crash related. So I decided to not only fix it, but upgrade it! Now it has a more intense laser projector to go much further and a far larger battery, increasing the life considerably! I probably won't have to replace the battery for another year! Now all that's left to do is test it! AH!
Alright. Apparently increasing the intensity and boosting the power drastically makes it a powerful laser instead of a harmless laser pointer. Interesting! Though there is now a hole in my ceiling. Rainbow Crash? Don't worry, she decided a long time ago to sleep above Fluttershy's room and not mine. Now, should I try to convert this to what I intended or explore the possibility of lasers...
"Twilight!" called Spike, crossing his arms. "There's bits of ceiling all over the place! Pinkamena's right, this place might have lead in the paint."
Spike? Oh, he's my assistant! He does his best to keep me on track and help me in my experiments!
"And you better clean this place... I don't want any weird machine parts on the floor. You could hurt yourself with them."
"Oh Spike don't be... ouch!" Why did I have to step in the heat regulator crystal?
"Told you so."
And he also sometimes acts like he's my mother. It's very annoying. I mean I hatched him!
Hey look, there's that flux capacitor I lost!
What am I working on? I'm glad you asked! I'd love to enlighten you on my brilliance! Well one of my newest inventions is a machine designed to manipulate the climate! I got the idea from when I tried to fix our air conditioner and it ended up causing the living room to freeze for a few weeks! It was an accident at the time, but I wondered if I could use that intentionally to help speed things up! Well it has flooded the entire house on several occasions, but that's just trial and error! It's part of scientific progress!
Oh, not impressed? Then let me show you my greatest creation so far! I call it a Mana Collector! Yes, I made it into a convenient and portable necklace, amazing isn't it?! What does it do? It's intended purpose is to gather ambient mana from the surrounding area. You see for the last thousand years, ponies have been fascinated by magic since its applications were introduced by a wizard said to come from another world. While ponies have always had magic, we just didn't really think much about it or what it could really do before then. While legend has it we never reached the versatility with magic that the wizard's world had, we have taken leaps and bounds in it over the centuries. Technology wasn't forgotten, it's just seen as less fascinating and more mundane. I of course am good with both, I was so good at magic the School for Gifted Unicorns rejected me for being too powerful and talented! And because they were afraid of me overshadowing their star pupil who they like to put on a pedestal. Uh, what was I talking about? Oh right! Science! I just prefer to focus on technology because imagine how much recognition I'd get if I made it super relevant again?!
But I got to thinking. If technology is a big benefit to ponykind and magic is a big benefit, why not find a way to merge them more seamlessly? Now, unicorns can enchant certain objects with spells to power devices and Pegasi can use lightning to power generators, we've never been able to gather or use ambient mana directly. My device will do just that! Think of the possibilities! Converting mana into energy, using the ambient mana to revitalize the damage done by the Princesses, or even theoretically a pony absorbing it to revitalize or increase their own power! There are so many uses!
Though I'm still trying to get the ambient mana to be absorbed as effectively, right now it merely absorbs mana from other things like flowers and such (normally leaving them withered). But proof of concept!
Oh I can't wait for it to be finished! I'll be famous! Mom and dad will be so proud!
"Twilight, don't forget to check the mail," Spike reminded me. He's good at that, I can lose my train of thought sometimes, but who doesn't?
"Oh, right! Thanks for reminding me!"
I need to see if the science section for new advancements! Yes, there's a science section. Fluttershy's got it, I'll just borrow it. She won't mind, she never minds anything.
Alright, so what page is it on? Wait was that Trixie's name in that paragraph?! Ugh, great. She's coming home! Why?!...Wait, why? Hmm, 'Evil Princesses Turn Over a New Leaf?!'
"What the...how? That...Fluttershy! House-meeting! Now!"
________________________________________
House-meetings served many purposes. I shared my many experiments with the house and showed them my latest breakthroughs. Huh? Okay, maybe that's why our meeting room is in need of cleaning up, but science is trial and error!
What mattered was it was our time to share whatever we wanted to...mostly me, but Pinkamena could do some really good presentations!
Oh, Pinkamena? She's my closest friend in our little group! An intellectual like me, and the first one I ever met! We can talk over facts and figures! And we both agree that our siblings are massive disappointments! She's even the one who helped me find this place! It technically belongs to the Apples, but her family is are their fourth cousin twice removed by a fifth cousin! You know, it's weird, Applejack asked us if it was alright for her to stay here, but it belongs to her family. Hmm, will have to question her about that later.
"'Evil Princesses Turn Over a New Leaf?!'" Applejack exclaimed.
Oh! Right! Focus! There's just so much to think about I can get a tiny bit distracted sometimes!
"How?! What happened?!" Rarity wisely questioned.
That's a good question! The Princesses have been evil for all of recorded history! How can they suddenly just change?! Oh right, I can read the paper.
"It says they were both purified of evil when-oh! Look, the price of milk went down!"
We haven't been able to afford milk in ages! Milk prices have been up for the last four years after the cows demanded an increase pay in exchange due to having less food to eat during the famine! It's actually rather logical when you think about it, I mean if the Princesses have turned good then Princess Celestia is no longer scorching the crop-
"Twilight, focus!" Applejack yelled.
"Sorry! Just it's been awhile since I had milk!"
It's not my fault they put a big picture of milk right beside the paragraph!
"It says they were purified of evil when some objects from another universe called 'the Elements of Harmony' were used by King Sombra to pull all the evil out of them...and into himself."
"Wait, wait, wait, so now King Sombra's the BAD GUY?!" Applejack asked, all of us looking logically upset.
King Sombra is...bad? Not logical...not logical...
"...No, according to this, King Sombra had the will power to force himself away from civilization...the Princesses are good guys now, and they helped King Tirek and the other heroes imprison Lord Scorpan back in Tartarus. Captain Goodguy, Duchess Chrysalis, Princess Trixie, and Starlight Glimmer are all returning home as well now that they don't need to keep watch all over the whole kingdom all the time."
So that's why Princess Trixie is coming back! UGH! Why couldn't she have stayed away forever and let somepony else get a chance?!
Hmm...Wait... So evil is possible to be sucked out of somepony? That's highly illogical! It's far more likely dark or black magic was sucked out! Oh? What do I mean?
Well you see dark and black magic has a tiny habit of promoting the emotions it operates on, such as greed, envy, jealousy, hatred, anger, and so on and so forth. Spike says that's why he never lets me near it (and burns any books on it I bring home), but do I look jealous to you? No, of course I'm not! I just feel Trixie doesn't deserve a thing she has! Plus I have other ways to get my research done Spike doesn't know about! But my point is simple: in theory if somepony lost complete control of certain emotions and gave in completely to the influence of dark magic, they may lose themselves in it and fully embrace their negative emotions with their positive ones numbed!
But, and I've never heard of it happening, removing the dark magic the person is using could be the equal of a detox spell or stomach pump! That's about the only way this makes any kind of logical sense! But still...
Oh, everypony's looking at me to continue reading! ""It says here that King Tirek is sending his Centaurs to begin restoring the damage they caused. He's also attending a ceremonial party happening today to celebrate the end of this whole mess and to explain the restoration efforts," I read, then gasped! By King Sombra's mane, think of the possibilities! King Tirek will be there! THE King Tirek! "Oh! If King Tirek is there, maybe I can go impress him with my knowledge of science!"
Oh we had to talk about the weather and how Rainbow Crash caused another natural disaster, but that's old news! All that matters is I have a chance to make a big splash!
Think about it?! If I impress Equestria's greatest and most well-known people, and the ruler of one of our greatest allies, it'll be a surefire way to make a big impact and really put my name on the board! I can finally be somepony and show everypony how great I am! Then everypony will want to be my friends! I'll bring respect and admiration back to the Sparkle family! Trixie had a whole coronation to herself, let her take a backseat to somepony who needs recognition!
This was my big moment! My chance to shine and show everypony how brilliant I really am! My chance to finally make sure no pony ever looks down on the name Twilight Sparkle again!
Now where are my notes? Oh, right they're all over my bedroom floor. This could take a while.
Oh? What do I think about the others? Well, Applejack is a bad girl, and statistics show bad girls are considered 'hot' and 'in' by most of today's youth. That's one of the big reason I enjoy being here, who doesn't like a bad girl! Just look at the ratings for that show my friends' sisters are on! And I can't say I don't sympathize with having family who have made choices without considering how it will affect you!
Rarity listens to what I have to say and keeps Spike distracted quite often for me. She's also good for drawing the eye to you at a party. Oh, and we both know the importance of standing out and attracting attention! I can actually talk to her about that and she gets it!
Rainbow Crash is a curiosity. It's quite scientifically stimulating to try and figure out the many, many, many ways she's managed to fail despite all the odds! Still, she's a willing test subject (don't worry, I don't do anything too severe) and the good thing about science is if something fails, you still learn something! She's also good as a case study of the effects of bullying on foals, given what Spitfire did to her. It's a shame she tends to have panic attacks when anypony mentions her. That said, I have contemplated capturing Spitfire and using her as a test subject, contemplated. I have standards. What? I have a history with bullies who were jealous of you trying to ruin your life, so I know where Rainbow's coming from. Though that doesn't mean I won't banish her to the roof for our own safety if needed.
Fluttershy is a fascinating case of bystander syndrome, but I am quite curious about how her connection to animals works. Unfortunately she won't tell me unless I pay her. She also resonates with Rarity and myself, she's brilliant at managing to get attention when she wants it. She also is understanding that science is trial and error and a few explosions are nothing to get worked up about.
And having five ponies in the house is very handy for research! Especially that time I needed samples for my cloning experiments! What? I needed to go to multiple science expos and parties at once! Sadly all I ended up creating was bacteria with our color schemes and nuclei in the shapes of our Cutie Marks, but they were pretty! I'm still keeping an eye on them in case they develop sapience, though they could make intriguing designer pets!
Now where are my experiments? Which should I bring?
"Twilight, are you sure this is a good idea?" Spike asked, keeping his arms crossed.
"Of course it is Spike! What could possibly go wrong?!"
"You could get arrested...again...or you could blow up the entire building. Or unleash a giant rampaging cheese monster."
I roll my eyes. Your enhanced microwave brings dinner to life one time and you can never live it down.
"Don't worry, Spike, all I need to do is get the proof of concept across and everything will go perfectly fine!"
"...I'll get the bail money in order."
"You worry too much."
"Only because you give me a reason to."
________________________________________
While I was doing the beta testing on my experiments (and found out how to make my weather machine generate lightning for dramatic effect!), apparently we got visited by Starlight Glimmer and no pony bothered to tell me! I could have showed her my inventions! There are so many things I've invented that could have proven me a great value to Our Town and helping training ponies! Not that I need any training myself, I'm already amazing!
Oh and Rainbow Crash left with her...I can't say that's the worst choice somepony I know has ever made. Jealous? No! I'm not jealous! Why would I be jealous? And besides, if she succeeds I'll have a friend who's a graduate from Our Town! She'll come back and everything will be great...yeah...
"Want to come with us, Applejack?" I asked.
"...Nah, have fun. Enjoy all the attention..."
Alright then. Onward to fame and recognition!
________________________________________
This will be so great! I've got a wagon full of inventions! And of course my Mana Collector just in case! I mean there are centaurs all over the place using magic to transfer mana, so this is sure to impress King Tirek!
Oh, where's Spike? Well he kept nagging me, so I left without telling him. He won't be too mad. No it's not mean, he's a baby dragon! He wouldn't get what you need to do at a party anyway! Probably go asleep halfway through.
Rarity is...well, Rarity. I'd expect nothing else from her.
Ah, here we are, the ballroom...and there she is! Standing right there as the center of attention! Showing off those fancy wings like they make her so much better than everypony else! Well they don't! I've made mechanical wings and they looked so much cooler! What happened? I lost control and almost fell to my doom and had to be rescued by Rainbow Crash, but they still got me airborne! Last I checked Trixie hadn't learned to fly yet either!
Oh, you mean what happened between me and Trixie? Simple, she's jealous of me and keeps trying to keep me down, simple as that. I'll just go rub it in her face how much better I am than she is!
"Hey! Let me go!" Get out of my way you stupid guards! Can't you see I'm trying to confront my nemesis here! Why is everypony always trying to hold me back?!
"Twilight Sparkle..."
Ha! Figures! She has her guards here to prevent me from overshadowing her with my genius!
"Too afraid of finally being upstaged by your rival?!"
"...Twilight, I'm sorry, but you are trying to bring a large suspicious looking device into the building. The guards are merely doing their jobs."
"A likely story!"
"...What IS this machine? If you don't mind."
I smile proudly. "This is my climate controller! It's intended to make weather creation easier!" It generates a blast of lightning. "It also creates lightning for dramatic effect!"
Ha! She looks impressed! In your face!
"That would actually be quite helpful, how does it work?"
"Like I'll tell you! You'll steal it! Just like you've done everything else!" I growl. What do I mean? She's jealous of me and steals everything that should be mine! Just like she always does!
"Twilight, you know I'd never do anything like that. The guards won't allow you in if you don't explain your invention...especially after past...events, and I can't ether.... Just explain how it works and I can get you an audience to propose it here tonight. I promise."
"Liar!"
"Twilight, stop being so paranoid, please...I'm only trying to help you, just like Sunset always..."
"I don't want your help!" I yelled back, glaring at her.
"...Fine...but if you need it, just ask...sorry, Twilight..."
"No, you're not! You never are!"
"Princess Trixie!" called Duchess Chrysalis, waving. "I need to talk to you for a moment, please."
"...Sorry, Twilight, I have to go..."
"Come back here! I'm not done with you! Hey, stop it! I'm an Equestrian citizen!"
AHHH! Ow...is my machine okay?! Good!
Of course, she even admitted my machine was brilliant! Stupid guards! This always happens! Maybe I can sneak past them...Ugh! Now Gilda is there! Why don't I ask her? Because she's Rainbow Crash's friend, not my friend! She's arrested me before! Besides she's Captain of the Royal Guard!
Ugh! Why?! Why does the world give everything to her?! I'm smart, I'm talented, so why?!
And I didn't even get to show anypony my Mana Collector! Speaking of which I hope it's not broken! It's composed of a very rare metal! I totally didn't get it off the black market.
Looks okay, though the lock might have been damaged, but it still seems to be work-GAH!
Turn-it-away! Turn-it-away! Ow...Okay...Note...note to self...accidentally draining some of your own mana makes you very woozy...Wait! But that means that if it can take magic out of a pony it can put it back in too! Proof of concept!
Huh? The guards? Oh...Oh crud! Close it! Close it! Good... Alright, I may have just drained several Royal Guards and Gilda of a bit of magic. It was an accident! I didn't mean to! And they're okay, mana naturally replenishes over time...wait, they're still stunned from it...
________________________________________
Alright, I may have a slight headache from a minor case of mana drain and should probably eat some high energy food to replenish it, but I got in before they could recover! And they'll be perfectly fine once the mana drain wears off, I swear! Now where's the food so I can recover myself?
Huh? Why are there no sweets? It said there would be sweets! Oh, there's still the cake! Why is it being guarded? Oh well, apples will do and there's plenty of them. Oh! They have daisy sandwiches! My favorite!
So what do I do now? Simple find somepony to show my inventions to! This party is the biggest party of the year! I just need to impress one of them and I will finally be recognized for the brilliance that I possess!
"Excuse me?"
Oh! It's Derpy the Wise! Perfect! Surely the wisest mare in Equestria will understand!
"Oh! Hello Miss Hooves!" I replied. "My name is Twilight Sparkle, inventor extraordinaire!"
"I have heard of you, but I recall it being something involving mind control."
"That was an accident, I was intending to make a virtual reality game! It was just supposed to hypnotize the user into seeing a visual representation of what's going on in the game surrounding them!"
It wasn't my fault it worked TOO well. Like that time I tried to make three dimensional game and it ended up putting a hole in our wall while we tried to play a racing game!
"I see..." She looked over my climate controller. "And what is this device?"
"A climate control device! It's a prototype, but I feel it works as a proof of concept!"
"Hmm...I don't believe it'd be wise to demonstrate it inside. Perhaps we can take it outside la-"
"Oh! Well if you don't want to see it now, maybe this would be easier!" I replied, going through my wagon and producing my laser pointer. "This is an upgraded laser pointer with an enhanced battery!" I explained. "It's now a functioning laser!"
"...We're inside, once more that seems too dangerous to..."
Ugh! This is harder than I thought! Okay, big guns before she loses interest! "Alright, how about this?" I quickly produce my Mana Collector.
"And what is that?"
"A Mana Collector, it's primary intention is to absorb ambient mana for a variety of uses."
She blinked and looked at it. "Mana?"
"Exactly! Magic being used to directly enhance technology could be a major boon for all of Equestria!"
"Miss Sparkle...Can this draw magic from ponies?"
"Yeah! I did it to myself earlier and it's perfectly safe! Only a mild headache!"
Alright, so I almost passed out and I felt a little ill, but that qualifies as mild! Plus she was actually interested in it! I've managed to get on the good side of an important pony!
Derpy directed me to the side and found a flower, putting it in front of us. "Could you show me? I may have a use for this in an important endeavor myself and the Duchess are planning."
"Certainly! Behold the brilliance of Twilight Sparkle!"
I opened the Collector and began draining the flower, causing it to wither and transfer the mana into it.
"Don't worry, flowers have much less ambient mana than a pony!"
She looks impressed! Derpy the Wise is impressed! Maybe she'll want to be my friend now that she's seen how brilliant I am! Then we can revolutionize Equestria with our combined brilliance and go down in the history books! And imagine what mom will think when she finds out I befriended Derpy the Wise!
"Fascinating. If there was a way to focus it on a specific wave length of magic, maybe we could..."
"Could what?"
Oops! I may have just turned the device on her on accident! Ugh, it's a little harder to close this time! There!
"I didn't mean for that to happen, I just turned too quickly!" I covered, certainly the wisest pony in Equestria would understand a simple mistake, right? Right?
"Halt!"
"Miss Hooves, are you alright?!"
No! Stupid guards!
________________________________________
Alright, I think I lost them! Stupid guards! Can't they see I made one little mistake?! Why would I try to attack somepony I'm trying to impress?!
Huh, you know it was weird for some reason there was an odd color to Derpy's magic, Gilda's too. I wonder. Is it because they're not unicorns? Fascinating! Hmm...I wonder what would happen if somepony absorbed a type of magic from the other tribes...
But now what? The guards aren't going to let me near Derpy again! I'll just find somepony else! Then when I impress them they'll vouch for me with the guard and I'll have made two famous friends instead of one! I'm brilliant!
"Twilight? Is that you?"
That voice...
I turned around to see an old "friend" of mine.
"Oh...hello Sunset...."
Sunset Shimmer looked me over, probably finding something to pity me for.
"...So...uh...how you doing?" she asked.
"Fine. How's Trixie's company?"
She gave me a frown. "...It's good to see her again. Are you still living in that run down shack?"
"It's not run down, it's rustic!" I replied. "It's a perfect, isolated, and quiet place for my experiments! Like these!" I explained, pointing to my fantastic inventions.
"...I see... Do you need anything?"
I rolled my eyes, here we go again! She's always doing this! Always trying to pity me! "No."
"You sure? Crops are growing again, so I can spare some food..."
"What makes you think I NEED food?"
"Because I can see your ribs."
"Well I can see pity!" I replied. "And the Great Twilight Sparkle is her own mare! I don't want your pity!"
"Twilight, it's not like that! I just know life's been hard...since...you know...Shining-"
"DON'T MENTION HIS NAME!" I yelled right in her face. "NEVER mention his name!"
"Sorry...Just I know you've had a rough time and now that things are looking up, I want to he-"
"And keep your food! I'm going to be somepony on my own and make my mark!"
She's done this since we were fillies! She always acts like I'm a baby who needs somepony to hold her hoof just to get by! I'm smarter than her! Where does she get off?!
"Twilight, you're living in something that barely qualifies as a house, eating almost nothing, and you've been arrested like nine times in the last two months...you need help..."
"NO I DON'T!"
What's the difference between accepting help and having famous friends? You EARN friends! And when you earn something, that's YOUR legacy! No pony can claim it'stheirs! It belongs to you! If you accept help, then the one who helped you can take credit!
Huh? The damaged latch came undone?! Ha! That should teach her to pity me! Wait, stop! I don't want to take too much! I just want her to be sorry, not hurt!
I forced the locket closed (it was a bit harder) and she looks like she's going to faint...I...It wasn't my fault!
"Twilight...what did you..."
Ah! Guards again! Run!
________________________________________
Stupid Sunset and stupid guards! Why is everypony trying to get in my way?! This was supposed to be MY time to shine, they had theirs already!
I managed to get away when the lights went out and some parasprites were set loose, convenient distraction. Given parasprites have a habit of munching food up, I'm assuming Pinkamena had something to do with this, not that I care.
The Mana Collector? It's fine, the latch is just a little weak. Though it does seem to be getting harder to actually close. But I'll get the chance to meet with Derpy the Wise again, so why shouldn't I hold onto it? It'd be a waste not to!
So now the guard are probably really looking for me. It's a big ball room, I can handle this! I'm the smartest pony here after all! I just need to sneak my way to Duchess Chrysalis or King Tirek and then I can impress them and get them to pardon me! After all with King Sombra...gone, then one of them must be in charge now! They're both good rulers, surely they'll see reason and understand it was an honest mistake! Though I might have to hide my climate control device...
Speaking of which, Maud Pie is currently checking it out...Why does she look like she's been crying?
"Uh...hi..."
"Oh! Hey," she said, regaining her characteristic smile. That's better, much more logical coming from the renowned rocker of Good Cheer! "Sorry, was just checking out your...what exactly is this thing?"
"A climate alteration device!"
"I don't know what that means, but I am digging that lightning," she replied, watching it go off. I hope the guard didn't see that, but they seemed distracted by the Parasprites and whoever let them loose.
"Thanks! I added that for dramatic effect!"
"I gotcha, that'd rock as a special effects system!"
"Want to use it as one?" I asked quickly. Yeah, it's a secondary feature, but it's still an intended feature! And she's impressed with it! Now's my chance!
Her face lit up! Good! "Can I? Sure! It'd be great for the closing act!"
"Awesome! I've also tried giving it a fog setting!" I announced, climbing onto it and messing with the controls. "And I have a few laser projectors and stuff that could help!"
"Thanks, that'd be great! Hey, wait, you're one of Pinkamena's friends, aren't you?" she questioned.
"Yeah! Best friends!"
"...Can you tell her I'm sorry next time you see her? She'll know what I mean..."
"Huh, what?"
AHHH! Ow...Okay, I may have gotten distracted and accidentally set the device to send off lightning. Huh, why can you see your own skeleton when you're electrocuted? AHH! Another bolt!
Huh? I think my pendant just opened on it's own and swallowed the lightning bolt up! Fascinating! Perhaps it absorbed the weather manipulating qualities of Gilda and Derpy's magic when it siphoned off some of theirs?! This could be amazing!
"Whoa! You okay?!" Maud asked, rushing over.
"Yeah! I'm fine! I have a very high pain threshold from explosions! That totally were my assistant and roommates' faults!"
"Glad, wouldn't want to see one of my sister's friends get-GAH!"
Oh no, I forgot to close the Mana Collector! Stop!
Come on, close, close! Stop!
Okay, got it closed, why is it getting harder to close each time...and Maud just screamed and I set off a thunderbolt just before that...
"Ugh... did I accidentally drink too much salt?" Maud questioned, rubbing her head.
No, no, why is everything going wrong?!
________________________________________
THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MY NIGHT! WHY ISN'T ANYTHING GOING MY WAY?!
The Mana Collector? Yeah, it's acting up a little, but Derpy said she could use it! I'd be a fool to not keep it! I can handle it! I can close it! And this is just more proof of concept of what she wanted from it! It can absorb more than just Unicorn Magic!
What I can't handle is fate conspiring against me! I'm in a room with the biggest ponies in Equestria and can't seem to hit it off with one of them! And now I've lost my climate manipulator! Knowing Trixie she'll probably claim I stole it and take all the credit for herself! Of course it's something she'd do! The universe hands her everything on a silver platter! Especially when it should be mine!
Okay, just find somepony to vouch for me and everything will be fine! Sir Discord was here, where'd he go? He's got a lot of pull...he's nowhere?! Okay, find Duchess Chrysalis and explain what happened! She's the most loving being in the entire country, she'll listen!
"Twilight?"
I turn to see Princess Celestia...she sounds...weird when she's not evil...
"I didn't know you came back," she asked.
"Huh? You know me?" I asked, cocking my head. How does she know me?
She blinked, looking me over. "Well I was still...lost last time we met...you don't remember?"
"I don't think so..." What was she talking about?
"Oh...you must be our..."
"Attention ladies and gentlecolts!"
Oh, Princess Luna has something to say.
"Let's hear my sister...then we can talk more about this," Celestia said. Good! I can explain this! Even if she is still evil she's playing nice, so she'd have to humor me to keep up a good impression!
Luna smiled. "Please give your full attention to Princess Trixie Lulamoon, acting ruler of Equestria!"
"What?!" I asked out loud. Acting ruler?! How can she be acting ruler?! I heard nothing of this!
"Oh, you didn't know?" Celestia whispered. "Myself and my sister...decided we were not the best option for Equestria's leadership after our past transgressions, that left Trixie as King Sombra's official heir...so long as he's lost in darkness, she's acting ruler of Equestria... why is your eye twitching?"
Trixie took the stage, looking down at her hooves, trying to act all 'humble'. Humble, what humble person would accept that! "Hello...everypony...I...am not good with speeches...But thank you all for coming...King Sombra would not want us to be in low spirits when he gave so much to bring fertility and peace back to Equestria. Rest assured, we're doing all we can to save him if at all possible. And until then, I will do my best to be a good ruler, because that's what you deserve..."
"YOU?!"
Now everypony is staring at me, GOOD! Oh, and I may have burst into flames, but I don't care!
"Twilight, how did you?"
The guards are coming, get away! Whoa...did I just...I teleported...I can do that?!
I ended up on stage with Trixie...with perfect, 'gets everything in the world' Trixie!
"Why do YOU get to rule Equestria?! You've not even had those wings for a year!"
Trixie took a step back. "Twilight, calm down, you're making a scene!"
"GOOD! At least now they'll actually treat me like I exist!" I screamed. I teleported again to dodge the guards. I'm not trying to, it's just...happening. Oh, and Trixie has to turn around to face me. Luna just seems stunned. "You always get everything! Tonight was my chance to actually show my inventions to everypony! To finally let everypony appreciate what I can do! Why does nothing ever go right for me but everything does for you?!"
"Twilight, you know it's not like that," that Alicorn brat replied. "I never asked for any of this! And I certainly never meant to make you feel-"
"THEN WHY DO YOU ALWAYS GET IT?!" I roared, having to teleport again. The crowd is booing, I don't care. At least they're ACKNOWLEDGING me! "Why do you have the spotlight without even trying and I can't even get noticed?! WHY?! I'm just as good as you are, so what's different?!"
"...Twilight...you've hurt ponies by being careless...your experiments are..."
"SO?! EXPERIMENTS ARE ALWAYS DANGEROUS! WE'RE JUST AS STRONG, I'M SMARTER THAN YOU! I TRY HARDER THAN YOU! I NEED IT MORE THAN YOU! SO WHY DOES THE UNIVERSE LIKE YOU BEST?!"
Duchess Chrysalis shoots me a death glare and tries to get between Trixie and me. "That's quite enough, Miss Sparkle. Trixie is a wonderful young mare, that's no way to talk to somepony who's never done you wrong at all."
I teleport at random again to dodge the guards, this time ending up outside in the fountain on accident before teleporting again and ending up right next to Trixie. "Never done anything wrong?! Then why did she get to be King Sombra's personal student while I got thrown aside like trash for being the same as she is?!"
Trixie's eyes went wide. "Twilight...I...I didn't..."
"I SHOULD BE YOU! EVERYTHING YOU HAD SHOULD HAVE BEEN MINE! WHY DID YOU GO FROM RAGS TO RICHES WHILE I LOST EVERYTHING I HAD BEFORE I KNEW I HAD IT?!"
I may have blasted her and Chrysalis with a beam of magic stronger than I thought I could do...I'm done holding back. I don't care! I'm not letting her get away with this! Equestria handed to her on a silver platter and me left eating her scraps! I wish I could just take those wings for myself!
Huh?
Unleash The Magic - Piano Transcription
The Mana Collector floats up between us and opens on it's own, beginning to drain Trixie's magic!
Did...did it react to what I was thinking? Wait...is it going to take her Alicorn power and give it to me?!
Is...Is this...
"TRIXIE?!" Chrysalis screamed. "NO!"
She...NO! NOT YOU! GET OUT OF THE WAY!
NO! NO! NO! STOP! SHE'S NOT THE ONE! LEAVE CHRYSALIS ALONE!
It won't close! STOP!
I manage to turn it away from her and she collapses...
King Tirek jumps between the audience and me and puts up a force field to protect them from the Mana Collector...but it just starts sucking his force field into itself! I see the plants in the room begin to die, it's drawing magic from them too?!
"No! This is all wrong!" I scream, trying desperately to close it. Where's Captain Goodguy when you need him?!
"Twilight stop this!" Trixie yelled, checking on Chrysalis.
"I CAN'T! IT WON'T CLOSE!"
This was supposed to be my night! Why can't I just have this?! Why can't I have one day in the spotlight?!
Trixie tries to help me close it...I throw her off.
"TWILIGHT?!"
"I don't need your help!" I screamed in her face.
"It isn't always about you!"
"It's never about me! That's the problem!" I replied, Tirek's shield failed and I'm draining magic from HIM now! It's not wanting to close! Maybe I should...NO! Not from Trixie! NEVER from Trixie! I'm not giving her one more thing!
The Mana Collector won't close! Why?! Could it be it's having trouble containing all the magic? I knew I should've found a way to make it create a pocket dimension inside it, but I didn't have any dimensional magic!
Gah! Trixie...she just tackled me and closed it?!
Tirek...he's all scrawny now...how much magic did I steal from him?
Now they're cheering...for...for HER?! NO!
"WHY DO YOU HAVE TO RUIN EVERYTHING?!" I screamed, grabbing my Mana Collector back.
"You could have killed somepony!" she yelled back. "Chrysalis is hurt because of you!" Her expression changed suddenly, like she saw something scary. What could she have seen? We're looking each other in the eyes! Then her eyes go down to my neck and she gasped. "Twilight, your machine!"
I blinked, looking down at it.
My Mana Collector...it's cracking apart?! How?! The internal shell is made of Orichalcum! Magic shouldn't be able to break it! Just...just how much did I...
No! It's going to-
Ugh...where...the Mana Collector exploded...Am I in Heaven? At least I went out with a bang in front of everypony. At least my obituary will be noteworthy...No, wait...I...I'm in the magic...
How...how could everything have gone so wrong? I...I just wanted to win for once...to be better than Trixie for once...Why can't I ever be better than she is? Why can't anything go my way just once? Why can't I ever just be the one in the spotlight for a change? Everypony always judged me before they got to know me! They always got the rotten tomatoes ready to throw before I could even start my act!
Wait...am I...absorbing the magic? I...I feel...stronger...this power...I was right! A pony can absorb the collected mana! HAHA! I WAS RIGHT!
Wait...If...if I absorb it...if this magic was strong enough to destroy the Mana Collector...would it be enough? Enough to finally prove I'm better than Trixie? To finally show the world I deserve their attention as much as she does? No...I deserve it MORE!
The world's been unfair to me, so it's only right! Life decided to take everything away from me when I was too young to know I had it, so it's only fair! If no pony will GIVE me respect, then I'll just TAKE IT! Trixie doesn'twant it, so that means she won't mind if I take it, right?! That's what she always said!
With all this power, I could do ANYTHING! Ponies pay attention to the one with the most power! Because they HAVE to! Because when you have power they have to take you seriously! When you're the strongest no pony can ignore you, no pony can look down on you!
When you're the strongest, you're the star and no pony can tell you different!
Science, magic power, popularity, stardom, what's the difference? They're all just a way to get ponies to pay attention and respect you! Respect, that's all I've ever wanted. For ponies to take me seriously! To finally have the spotlight for once in my life! No pony will laugh at Twilight Sparkle anymore! HAHAHAHAHA! It's SHOWTIME!
________________________________________
Lunar 2: Eternal Blue - Zophar's Arrival
Twilight...I watched from next to the Flim Flam Brothers...her little pendant exploded, throwing us all away! Twilight!
Wait...what's going on? That big sphere...there's so much magic in it I can feel it from here, darlings...Twilight, is she okay? Why...why is it turning black? I...I don't think that's a good color...I can feel it, it makes me sick...what's going on?
It exploded upwards into a pillar, ripping through the roof! The blast...it's forming a curtain of energy between us and the stage?! The ground is shaking?! What's going on?! Twilight...
A number like an old fashioned film projector forms in front of it out of black magic, each number giving off a tick.
Five...
________________________________________
"What the Tartarus?!" Ah yelled. The roof got plumb blown off the ballroom by some black energy! Why is everythin' bein' lifted inta the air?! The ballroom and everything around it! They're forming into somethin'?!
"Applejack!" Spike yelled, running over and jumping on my back. "That's where Twilight and Rarity went!"
"What?! Twilight?! Rarity?! They're in the middle of that dreadful mess?!"
Granny...you're there too...
________________________________________
Four...
________________________________________
Me and Goodguy were eating ice cream at some parlor...I...Rainbow Crash...I...I still have a lot to think about...
Then the ground started shaking. We saw the Canterlot ballroom and the buildings around it start lifting into the air!
"That's where the party's happening!" Goodguy yelled. "The chaos readings are off the charts! Might need bigger charts..."
"The party?! Twilight, Pinkamena, Rarity! They're in there!"
________________________________________
Two...
________________________________________
Okay...peaceful thoughts....Calm peaceful thoughts...No stress...Just remain calm...
UGH! Pillars of darkness and an earthquake aren't peaceful! Wait...that's the ballroom, isn't it?!
Maud....
________________________________________
One...
________________________________________
Me and Starlight were on a train heading out of Canterlot towards Our Town...I...No ponies ever believed in me but Gilda...but...I don't want to let her down, but...can I actually...I want to be better but...
"Don't worry, Rainbow Crash, everypony in Our Town is very nice and kind," Starlight explained...then gasped. "What's that?!"
I looked out the window...whoa! Why's everything back in Canterlot floating?!
"...That light...I think it came from the Canterlot Castle Ballroom...the party..."
The party...Oh no...
"It looks like the buildings are...forming a stage?" Starlight asked.
Twilight, Rarity, Pinkamena...Gilda...
"Rainbow Crash, wait!"
________________________________________
The curtain flew up, before exploding into magic that rained down around us.
The hole in the roof looked like a spotlight...shining down on...Twilight?!
Undertale OST - burn in Despair! Extended
Where Twilight had been...was now a dark lavender Alicorn... No....she had a dragon's eyes. Her mane and tail seemed to be made out of purple starlight. She was wearing a flowing purple dress that made me think of a lady...except the black highlights...Normally I'd say they were gaudy (or does that depend on the season...I think 'being terrifying corrupted Alicorn outclasses that!), but here I think they just made me scared. They did go with her fancy black horseshoes though...Her tiara looked like Trixie's, only made of black metal with a dark, almost blood colored jewel in the center. Her glasses had been replaced with magic that seemed to be imitating a masquerade mask.
Her cutie mark...I...it's covered but she has a necklace with it on her dress. It was inverted, and now it looks like the big star is projecting a spotlight down from it...
I...I'll admit...It took a great deal of effort not to wet myself right now...
"No... It can't be..." I heard Celestia say, backing away in horror. "Sister, we have to do something!"
"But the civilians in the other buildings!" Luna replied. "They could fall!"
They fly off...Twilight...what's happened to you?
________________________________________
"HAHAHAHAHA!" I laughed. This power...Well, all eyes are on me now!
I grabbed Trixie in my telekinesis, Chrysalis and Tirek are too weak to do a darn thing about it!
"Hello Trixie! Sorry for the wait, but I had to switch into something more comfortable!" I said, grabbing her and flying up high above. I use bits of rock to form a defense grid around us, simple enough to do with this much power and the proper knowledge of physics! Add a few crystals and a little magic equal's instant laser grid! I knew that laser pointer from earlier would inspire me later! Why not just make a wall? Simple, because what good will this be without an audience? And I can angle the lasers to act as special effects!
"Twilight...what...what's happened to you?!"
I laugh. It feels so good to see her FEAR me! Finally taking me seriously, now Trixie?! "Like it? I had theorized the magic from the Mana Collector could be used to power up a pony, but I never realized it could do THIS much!"
She looked around, seeing how high my grand stage was. "Stop this! Ponies are going to die!"
"So what?" I asked. "I've been ignored for this long, so why should I pay them any mind?"
"...This isn't you, Twilight, you're not this oblivious!"
"Hmm... You're right, I'm not invisible old Twilight Sparkle anymore..." I replied. After all, this IS a new me! So a new name would make sense! Who would want to be dumb old Twilight Sparkle?! "Hehe...everypony's worst nightmare is to be overshadowed, so that must make me a big one for everypony! How about Nightmare Spotlight, the Ever Rising Star?!"
Trixie tries to get away from me, but I grab her by the leg, give her a quick kick to a very painful part of her anatomy to stun her, and throw her into a piece of floating rock with just enough force to break it, then form some magic chains and tie her down to it. She's not going anywhere, they're made of Orichalcum! Yes, I can make that now, I know the recipe and can now rearrange molecules on the subatomic level! "Now, now, why run? The show's just starting!"
I use my magic to levitate cameras being used to broadcast the party and hovered them around us, forming a podium in front of Trixie. I fed my magic through them, managing to hijack the broadcast, something I'd picked up this one time I tried to upgrade our TV to get more channels only massively amplified! I can't believe I'm able to apply all this knowledge I've gathered with a thought! Amazing! Oh yes, I'm going to enjoy this!
"Hello everypony!" I call, waving into the cameras. "This is your new idol, Nightmare Spotlight, coming to you live from my stage in the sky! If you're in Canterlot, you can probably see it! In fact you can probably see it everywhere, which is the entire point! And today we're going to be playing a little guessing game! Today's special guest is Princess Trixie!"
Trixie finally caught her breath and gave me a glare. "What happened to science, Twilight?"
"Oh, I plan to do that too! Science, magic, shows! Everything! By the time I'm done, Equestria will take notice of me!" I replied. "Now, ready for some questions, Princess? Better answer them well! Your life depends on it! The more questions you get wrong, the more of you I'm going to freeze! Won't this be fun?!"
I hear the crowd below gasping. Good, they're reacting! I make them some seats to sit in, whether they want to sit down or not!
"Alright, first question...why did I get kicked out of the School for Gifted Unicorns?" I questioned, giving a smirk, letting her see my new, sharp, pointy teeth! Hmm, am I a carnivore now?
She looked shocked. "I...I heard it was destruction of property."
"Ha-ha! Of course! Of course that's what they'd say!" I laughed.
You want to know my backstory? I think everypony else does too, so let's let everypony know it, shall we?! Origins stories always get attention!
"No...That's not what happened at all...well, from a certain point of view..." I gave a laugh. Wow, my laugh sounds intimidating...I like it! "You see, Trixie, back then I was a very knowledge happy filly, very magically talented. My family were nobility, so I was never overlooked...but everypony expected so much from me as a result! I mean I was a Sparkle! My family line has been big names in Canterlot for ages, my parents are nobles, I had all the reasons to be a great mare!...Then my brother flunked out of the Junior Guard for being a coward with no backbone, so my parents naturally put a lot more weight on MY shoulders. After all, somepony had to carry on the family name, didn't they? And that somepony was me. I was fine with it, I mean all eyes would be on me, what could be better? Except for one thing..."
"...You got kicked out..." Trixie said, eyes going wide.
I got close to her face, my long horn knocking her crown off in the process. "Hehe...I wasn't kicked out. You see, when my parents naturally signed me up for the School for Gifted Unicorns, I got the same test as everypony else: hatch a dragon egg...and at first I couldn't do it. Well, I thought, it must be a simple matter of amassing more energy! So I charged and charged and charged...and then a loud noise came from outside! The sound of...oh, I don't know, a little unicorn filly practicing a fireworks spell in a magic exercise?!"
Trixie's eyes go wide as dinner plates. "I...I didn't know...I'm...I had no idea...They moved my test to the next day because of the damage, I...I didn't even see you..."
"No, you didn't...But point is, I got distracted and lost control. My magic went berserk! And guess what the judges' reaction was when my power finally burned out?"
Naturally I'd turned them into fruit during my magic surge, but they got fixed! And I did hatch Spike, so that's a plus! Hmm, I wonder if dragons can become like this...
"I...I don't know..."
"Too bad!"
She screams as I freeze her up to her ankles.
I looked Trixie right in the eye. "They said 'that much power in the hooves of somepony without proper focus is dangerous' and tossed me out the door! Here's my question, about that, Trixie: isn't TEACHING the right focus what a school is FOR?!"
I floated back, looking to the camera. "Isn't a child with a talent that needs refining the entire point of the School for Gifted Unicorns? If I had all that power and no focus, wasn't it your job to teach it to me?! I was a FOAL! Of course I couldn't control it!"
Bitter? Oh yes. But doesn't the story of a little filly getting screwed over get everypony's recognition?
I gave a happy chuckle. "Oh, and by the way? If my judges are watching this: you're my next guests!" I've had so many fantasies! Too bad I have to pick one now that I can make them a reality! I turned back to Trixie. "And guess what, Trixie? My parents weren't happy! Not at all! Another failure in the family! Another disgrace to the family name! So I dedicated myself to studying science if magic wouldn't get me in. Science would get me to the top, right? But then we get to question number three: who became King Sombra's personal student not long after my test?"
Trixie gave that timid little look everypony finds so endearing. Maybe I should try it. Oh, is that guilt I see? "...Me..."
"Right, you! The little nobody from nowhere who came out of nowhere and somehow got the king's good graces after distracting me at my chance! Despite having JUST as much raw power as I did! Who was just as capable of everything I was, and who was just as young!" I didn't break eye contact. "So let me get this straight: they took YOU in and not me because I was MORE WORK than you were?! Because you had focus I was too YOUNG to have?! Tell me Trixie, is that FAIR?!"
Little Miss Humility looked down. She was silent for a few moments.
"...No answer counts as a wrong answer!" I exclaimed and she screamed as I froze up to her knees. "So next question, Princess," I flew around her and landed next to her. "What happened when I was barely a teenager? You know with my brother?!"
Trixie rose her head and looked me in the eye. "...He ran off and eloped with Empress Cadenza."
"Right, right, and another question," I give a dramatic laugh. "What happens to the family of a traitor?"
She looks horrified. Good. "...They're treated like them too..."
"Exactly! Our family name got ruined by what my brother did!" I replied. "We're the laughing stock of Canterlot! Thanks to him! And guess who had to 'redeem' the family name?"
"...I'm sorry you went through all that..." Trixie replied, still looking down. "I'm sorry my practice caused that...I never meant to..."
I just laughed. "See?! Now you respect me, because I'm a threat!" I turned to the cameras. "And now the whole world will respect me!"
"...But..."
I turned to her. "But what?"
Trixie looked up at me with a sad look. "I'm sorry that happened to you, you're right, they should have tried to do more for you...but ever since then ponies have tried to help you...you keep turning them down. I've tried, Sunset's tried, everypony else has tried!"
I snarled in rage. How dare she!
"Help? If you need help to get somewhere big it doesn't count! The one who helped you can say you owe them! That THEY'RE the ones to thank!"
"...And just because you're hurt...doesn't mean you have a right to hurt ponies, Twilight," she replied, struggling against her chains and...How did she break the ice?! She's not an Earth Pony! "...And I admit, sometimes even I don't think I'm worthy to lead...but I'm not going to let you hurt my subjects!"
Gah! She just blasted me in the face! Ugh, whatever, it didn't hurt that much!
Ah! Where did those boulders come from?!...Maud?! How did she get up here?!
"How did you get through the laser grid?!"
Maud gave a smirk to me. "Derpy figured out the trajectory...even if I didn't get a thing she said!"
WHAT?! She broke the chains?! "How?! Those are made of Orichalcum!"
"Rock farmer!" she replied, giving a smirk. "I may not know mathematics, but you bet I know how to find imperfections in anything! Let me guess, mass produced with magic from a sample ya got?"
"UGH! Fine, no more Miss Nice Mare! It's showtime!"
Oh, you still want to hear my story? With this much power I guess I can multitask!
You see, after my sorry excuse for a brother tarnished the family name and it fell on me to restore our honor, I set out to do just that. I studied so much, I tried to make myself a well-known scientist. I made so many inventions and ideas...but none of them got me anywhere. They were always "too dangerous" or didn't work like they should.
So, I admit I tried to go and get my brother to come back and dump his "wife" to the curb. Of course that'd restore our family's honor, why wouldn't it? Big mistake. I can't say he didn't get what he deserved, Empress Cadenza is the very antithesis of a loving wife. You reap what you so, don't you?
But of course, the "Tyrant of Broken Hearts" decided I'd make a fantastic slave! Thankfully, I was smart enough to escape, but my brother still loves that devil and tried to help her catch me when she asked! I don't know why. Guess he chose whose side he's on. I'll have to have them on for an episode some time, a very special one. After all, wouldn't the defeat of Equestria's biggest remaining threat get great ratings!
So now I faced an impasse: what to do? My parents where naturally ashamed of me at home, my brother couldn't be talked out of his bad choice, so what next?
Well I decided to travel the world, studying everything and anything I could! Learning everything I could about science and technology. Trying to develop everything I possibly could! I made so many inventions, so many ideas...but none of them worked. Something always went wrong! It's not my fault I ended up making my inventions too well! It's not my fault there's so many interesting things I can't focus on one at a time!
Gah! Nice shot, Trixie, have a boulder!
Where was I? Oh yes. My life. I admit, at first...I honestly didn't care about Trixie, I only knew her from seeing her practicing her magic outside the school when I got booted out. Oh I was mad, but well we were foals, I had more important things to go after...but then she kept showing up in the newspaper. She kept becoming more and more well-known and famous. She got wings! And all without seeming to CARE! She had the life I always wanted, the life my parents wanted me to have! And she didn't care! She just took everything like it was the most normal thing in the world! You could say I may have gotten a little bit bitter.
Ugh! Maud just punched me in the stomach, why does she hit so hard? Well I can too! Enjoy being embedded in the wall!
I felt insulted, slighted...Everything my family wanted from me, she was able to do. Everything I NEEDED she had without wanting after she ruined it for me! I felt like this was some cosmic trick!
Humility. That's what she's so famous for. Being humble. And yet for some reason the one who wanted nothing gets everything!
It burned me up inside. And then my parents... They never stopped. They always wanted more and more while everypony worshiped the ground she walks on! And it should have been me! Those rotten judges, if they hadn't kicked me out, it would've been me! Is it so wrong to want to be special? Well now I AM special! And all of Equestria will know it!
Huh, what's that rainbow explosion in the dist-GAH!
[=Undertale OST - Battle Against a True Hero Extended=]
Maud just tackled me through the window! Maud and Trixie try to follow me, but I just slam them both into the ground that was pulled up along with my stage. I'm barely bruised, they're both barely able to stand.
I converge all my cameras. "I'm bored with this, and I'm pretty sure so is the audience. Time to say goodbye to Princess Trixie!"
She tries to fight back against my beam, but I'm clearly stronger than her, after all I have so much more magic than her!
"Twilight, I think you need to chill! I get you had a rough go of things, but there's always a silver lining!"
Maud...Maud is bracing her? Where did that blue beam in Trixie blast come from?! Why did it just get stronger?!
I pull my laser grid projectors to me and have them converge on my beam, pushing back!
No matter. I'm still so much stron-gah! Who's hanging onto me?!
"Twilight, stop! I'm the one who's supposed to screw everything up!"
"Rainbow Crash?!" But she's supposed to be half way to Our Town by now!
Oof! What-
"Twilight, darling! The evil overlord look doesn't look good on you! Stop this!"
"Rarity?!" But she'd be too frozen about rules to do something like this!
"Twilight!"
Gah! Anoth-
"That much evil magic in you can't be healthy!"
"Pinkamena?!"
"Twilight, stop this right this minute!"
"I am supposed to be the rotten apple on purpose, Twilight! Not you!"
"Spike?! Applejack?!" But they were back at the club house!
"Stop it egghead!"
Gah! Wait...it can't be...
"Fluttershy?!"
"The truth is...I've always felt like you were hurting yourself with this mad scientist stuff, but thought it was YOUR problem...I'm sorry..."
Fluttershy...apologized? Not...not logical!
________________________________________
How did we all get up there? Let's just say my new friend with a cape was happy to give us a lift.
...I...Twilight...Now her problems became my problems...I'm sorry...
________________________________________
They're...they're fighting me? Why? They're my friends!...wait...Trixie. She's trying to steal them just like she steals everything else from me!
"I'LL DIE BEFORE I LET YOU STEAL THEM TOO!" I screamed, intensifying my beam. I'm not letting her steal my friends too! Ow!
"Wake up already egghead!" Fluttershy yelled, grabbing onto my neck. "We're doing this for YOU!"
"What?!"
"This can't be good for you, Twilight," Pinkie yelled, hanging from my leg.
"I don't have many friends, Twilight, I don't want to lose you!" Rainbow Crash admitted, looking...scared as she hang onto my back.
"And if I don't try to pull you back, who will?!" Spike questioned.
"The rules changed, Twilight...the world isn't dog eat dog anymore..." Rarity called, looking like she was trying to breakdown a wall in her own head. "I was told the rules are flexible! I...I don't care if a lady wouldn't help you, I'm your friend!"
"And...and...you're one of the only ponies that make me feel important! I do not want to lose you!" yelled Applejack, hanging off my hind legs. We all looked at her in shock. "Well...I...Ah got pulled away from Uncle Rich! Ah ain't gettin' pulled away from yah too, Twilight!" Was she crying?!
They...girls...
"Maud, it was unwise to engage her before we could catch up!"
Wait, Derpy?!
"I'm sorry, Miss Sparkle, I love you...and everything, but you have to be stopped!"
Chrysalis?
"Trixie, let me help you! And Twilight too!"
Sunset?!
"Rainbow, keep holding her! But be careful!"
Gilda?!
Where did...they must have come to help her while my friends had me distracted...why...
They brace Trixie, each one causing another color to join their beam! It's a rainbow now!
No, no, no! Stop! I can't lose! This was my moment! Stop!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
No...No, no, no...
I'm now in a crater...No wings...and...no dark magic...just reality...
I...I'm sorry...I...I never meant for anypony to get hurt...I never...I could have...
I just wanted to be somepony for a change...to finally make my parents proud, that's all...why? Why did everything go so wrong? Why...By King Sombra, what have I done? What did all of Equestria see me do?!
I'd always fantasized about stuff like that, but...they were just petty little fantasies...I...I never meant for them to come true...maybe deep down I always wanted them to and didn't want to admit it...I wasn't a big pony...I was just a five year old living out her power fantasy...they're not as fun in real life...
Huh?
"Twilight, you gave us quite the scare," Rarity tells me. She looks...less confused...
"...Actually helping...feels good for a change..." Fluttershy admitted. "Glad you're okay, egghead..."
Pinkamena was too busy checking me over to see if I was hurt to say anything...
"Don't ever scare me like that again!" Spike yelled...he's...he's crying...
"Yah were doing too good of a job being the bad guy, even fer me, Twilight," Applejack stated, giving me a look of...is that concern? "Glad yah snapped out of it..."
Rainbow Crash just hugged me.
...They care about me? Yeah...we're...we might take our shots at each other...but...
"I'm...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."
I'm...crying...it's been so long since I let myself cry...
My stage starts falling without me to keep it up...but Captain Goodguy and King Tirek (back to normal thanks to whatever that was they used to snap me back to reality) caught it and lowered it back...then Captain Goodguy snapped his fingers and put the parts back where I got them from.
"Alright, North Canterlot is where South Canterlot was and half of Canterlot is now orange, and I'm pretty sure Healthnut Joe's is now in the upper class district, but no pony died," he explained. "But oh boy that was a doozy! I may also have misplaced a bit of stone, still some repairs you're going to need to do by hoof."
I...I...my parents live in Canterlot...I could have...Canterlot would have collapsed with everypony in it...I...
Applejack's grandmother comes over and says something to her...and....hugs her?!
Ah! Starlight Glimmer?! She just teleported in here!
"Rainbow...Rainbow Crash..." she panted. "I think...I think you broke the sound barrier!"
Rainbow...she blushes. "Uh...I...I don't know...I..."
"I think you just forgot you were 'supposed' to fail..."
She...she actually broke the sound barrier?!...At least she'll be happy...
... I didn't resist when the guards came for me...I...I never wanted THIS...
"Twilight Sparkle?"
Trixie?
________________________________________
Celestia and Luna watched the events before them. "...This didn't end as intended...but...they did come to her aid..." Celestia said, the duo having saved the ponies caught in Spotlight's rampage from falling to their doom. "Do you think they can really change?"
Luna smiled. "Sister...the link between worlds is no more...the merger caused many unexpected changes...but now that it's gone, those six...their future is theirs. As is ours..."
The Day Princess gave a small smile. "Indeed...then may it be a bright one...for everypony..."
End of Tales from the Dark Side of the Mirror.
To be concluded in Legends of the Dark Side of the Mirror. See the heroes' side and the full battle. |
Tales from the Dark Side of the Mirror | BONUS: We're (Not) Tough | Oh, hey there. Want to talk to me? Hang on a second, I'm kinda in the middle of something.
"Are you ready, Scooter Girl?" asked my pilot, looking back at me.
"Always ready, let's do this!" I replied, putting on my awesome, special helmet that hides everything but my muzzle and walking up to the edge of the helicopter. And cue music.
[=Swat Kats Opening Theme=]
I jumped out and folded my hooves up to the side, diving straight down and building up speed. I see my target, a big elaborate base built into the side of a volcano. Why is it always a volcano? Geeze, it's like Dr. Cloudburst is running out of ideas. Dr. Cloudburst? He's my archenemy of course! Every great hero needs one after all! Well, okay, I've had like five, but he's my biggest one! Probably why being in his helicopter while it was crashing into an oil refinery which exploded didn't kill him. Did give him a nifty mechanical arm though!
I spread my wings and glad down, trying not to lose too much speed so when I grab my scooter off my back and I'm still moving wicked fast!
The two goons in front of the entrance see me, but before they can react BAM! I jump forward and kick one right in the kisser and then WHAM! I swing my scooter around and slam him right in the face!
"What's a matter? Sleeping on the job?" I quipped. "Then you won't mind if I take...this!" I said, rummaging through one of their black uniforms to find a key card and using that to open the door.
Okay, let's see, security cameras...
"Sweetie Belle, can you hack the cameras?" I asked into my cool earpiece, putting a little receiver into the nearest terminal.
"Can I? Tsk, it'll take ten seconds flat."
I take out my watch and look at it...and the cameras start glitching out and exploding right on time. "Right on time, as per usual."
"I don't know why you'd ever doubt me."
I take out my scooter and start down the hallway. "Alright, let's see. If I were an evil mad scientist with an attitude problem, where would I keep my stolen relic?" I asked, looking around as I sped down the hallway...and suddenly big steel doors begin slamming right behind me. "Looks like he knows I'm here!"
I speed up, racing as fast as I can, the doors slamming shut right behind me. The last one, naturally, begins closing in front of me, so I do a slide on my scooter, going right underneath it. Slams shut like an inch from my head. "That was cutting it close, even for me..."
I dust myself off and continue on into a great big room. "Sweetie, I'm in a big room.. Where's the stolen Lava Ruby?"
"You're going to have to be more specific that, Scoots."
"It's big, dark..."
And of course I'm now suddenly surrounded by a room of mooks who weren't there five minutes ago.
"Full of bad guys..." I say, giving a pause.
"Still going to have to be more specific than that."
I jump up to dodge one jumping at me and kick the one behind him BAM, right in the muzzle! Then I flip off him and swing my scooter off my back and smack another BLAM! Right in the side of the head!
I extend the handle of my scooter and begin using it as a staff to smack 'em around! Why does my scooter turn into a staff? Because its bucking awesome, that's why! Besides, my codename is SCOOTER Girl, what else would I have for a weapon?
One back flip later and KAPOW! Last three are out cold!
"What about a room full of unconscious bad guys?" I ask Sweetie Belle.
"That narrows it down."
Some unicorns pop out on an upper level so I hop on my scooter and put on the rockets, launching forwards and dodging their beams like they're nothing!
"Go down that hallway!"
"Which one?!" I replied, dodging more lasers. One of them freezes the ground in front of me, and I ALMOST spin out but barely manage to catch myself and dodge another beam from his buddy that lights the entire floor on fire!
"The one with the blinking red light on it that isn't on fire!"
"Oh, okay, I see it."
I fly through the door and continue down the hall way...until I see somepony standing in front of the final door in my path. She's a filly about my age, wearing a black cat disguise with a whip in hoof, a crown on her head with a black cat in the center, yellow muzzle exposed.
"Catastrophe!"
She smirks, flipping her red mane. "The one and only. Figures Ah'd see you here. If yah want the Lava Ruby, you'll have to beat meh to it!"
Who's that? She's my rival! Of course I have a rival, what good hero doesn't have one?! She's a phantom thief who's always trying to steal the things my bad guys stole!
"Shoulda guessed that it wouldn't be that easy..." I muttered, taking off after her. How can she keep up with me? She has the speed of a cheetah thanks to her magic amulet! You're new to this, aren't you? What?! No, she's not my love interest! He's back at the X-Games waiting for me to get back!
We rush down the hallway and take blows at each other. Of course, she didn't beat me, she only did that when I first met her and a few times after that! Now we just tie most of the time!
Finally, I managed to tackle her through the final door of the hallway and we rolled over each other before launching off one another and landing on different sides of the room.
We both take our fighting stances...then notice the big pedestal in the middle of the room. "The Lava Ruby!" We both yelled.
We both looked at one another and raced right for it when BAM, a big robotic arm knocks us back!
The bottom and top of the room both rearranged and aligned themselves, coming together to become this big robot with the jewel at its core! The ceiling opened up and down came a big glass cockpit with a certain smug griffon with a robot arm inside.
"Dr. Cloudburst, I knew I'd be seeing you here!" I yelled, staring up at the mecha suit twenty times my size without a bit of fear.
"Oh yes, little Scooter Girl and Catastrophe! It has been a long time!" he announced, as bombastic and hammy as ever.
"Eh, I kicked your flank last week," I replied, then gave my best cocky smirk.
"And Ah've certainly pick pocketed mah share of stuff from yah," Catastrophe mocked. Hers is ALMOST as good as mine.
"Laugh while you can, you little nuisances! With the geothermal power Lava Ruby powering the products of my brilliant mind, nothing will be able to stop me! Including you two!" he yelled, preparing for battle...
"And...CUT!"
Aww, scene done already? Anyway, name's Scootaloo, or as I'm called on my action figures, Scooter Girl! Yeah, secret agent code names don't have to be super creative, especially if its a stage name, but it suits me doesn't it? Oh, the burning tire Cutie Mark? Well, it's actually fake. I'm trying to get my Cutie Mark. In what? Being badflank awesome! That's what! ---
Finally, ugh. I can stop using big sister's fake accent. Makes you sound dangerous and all, but it is so hard on the throat. Me? I am Applebloom, youngest daughter of the prestigious Apple Family and co-star of this show.
"Good work, cousin," said Liberty Belle, my cousin and stunt double. What? You think somepony as important as me is going to do my own stunts? Then again, maybe that would get Grandmother worked up. Hehe. Maybe try that for next season. Anyway, Liberty's my age, we have the same mane and coat color, so she was a perfect fit. She's grateful I was nice enough to get her a job, or if she's not she really should be.
"Yes, it was, wasn't it?" I said, giving a chuckle.
"Were my stunts okay?" she asked.
"Eh, they were okay," I replied. But who really cared? She was the stunt double, I was the one everypony came to see.
Scootaloo?...Yeah, her name's in the title, I guess. But I'm her co-star, this show got so much better when I joined the cast. The only reason I'm not in the title too is the producer found her first. But they recognized talent when they saw it and made me just as important as her. Am I in every episode? Not EVERY one, but most of them since I showed up! And I get superpowers, all Scootaloo gets is a lousy scooter! And I haven't checked in awhile, but I bet my toys sell better than hers! They sure did when I kicked her flank in my first episode!
The cat get up? Hehe. My idea. They wanted to introduce a bad girl rival for Scootaloo, so I thought 'black cat crosses your path,' made sense to me. And given the ratings, it definitely did to everypony watching.
"Good job, Applebloom," Scootaloo said, coming over to me.
"I know...you were okay."
"You were great!" Liberty chimed in.
"Thanks, you were good too, Liberty Belle," Scootaloo replied.
I cleared my throat.
"Oh, and great one liners, Applebloom."
"Yes, they were, weren't they?" I asked, giving a pose. "My sister was right, the accent makes me sound so much more badflank."
"Uh...yeah...you've told me that before..."
"Yeah, I know."
The accent? I don't know where sister got it, but it definitely sounds cool, doesn't it? My sister always gives me pointers on how to look tough. She's always telling me how she's a big wanted crook back in Canterlot, so I'm learning from somepony who knows a thing or two. Certainly get along better with her than I do with Grandmother and Big Macintosh. Oh, you've talked with Applejack? Then you know our Grandmother doesn't give a darn about either of us, huh?
Only thing about Applejack I don't get is why she doesn't like being a rich pony. Especially with the whole 'evil Princesses' thing. Part of why this show gets so well funded. What? You thought a TV show would get our budget because the King liked it? Hardly, though I don't doubt he loves it. Entertainment does wonders to keep ponies' minds off what's going on. Scared? Hehe, nah. We move so often the Princesses never get a look at us. Right now we're filming at the beach. Sure, I can travel wherever I want to (that's the power of money), but this way I get paid for it (not that I need it) and more ponies get to see me. You can always go see the world, but how often do you get to let the whole world see YOU?
My Cutie Mark? Eh, it's a fake. Though a black cat would be great for the one I'm GOING to get. What am I going to get it in? Being a badflank bad girl, what else?! Why do I want that?
Hehe. Just watch and you'll figure it out. ---
Good, I can finally get out of this stuffy room! Ugh...
Who am I? Names, blech, Sweetie Belle. Don't blame me, mom picked it! Like I'd pick a sissy name like that if I got a choice! Laugh at me and you'll find yourself missing a few teeth!
What do I do? Ugh...this is why I told the producer I should be one of the bad flank leads, not tech support! I mean they said its because I look smart, and of course I do, but I'd rather be in the 'busting heads' part! Oh, my part of the show? I stay back in my little den giving 'Scooter Girl' tech support as a kid genius super hacker. Yeah, it's cool, but why do the other two get to be out there punching mooks in the face! I'm the toughest out of all of us! Yeah, I'm a unicorn, what of it? You racist or something?
That and I keep having to wear sun glasses just coming out of my set! Do they HAVE to keep it that dark?! At least its cooler out here than outside in Celestia's heatwave. Oh, and I ALSO sing all the music for the show, including the theme song. THAT part everypony knows like the front of their hoof. If only because mom and dad won't stop playing it for the neighbors EVERY time they come over. Not that I blame them.
"Good job, you two. I guess," I tell the others as I trot over. I have a monitor so I can see what's going on and make up stuff on the fly.
"Thanks," Applebloom replied, looking as smug as ever. "I'd say you did a good job, but we didn't see you."
"Oh shut up," I replied, rolling my eyes. "At least the camera SEES me instead of my cousin!"
"You sounded good, Sweetie," Scootaloo said, getting between us, like she normally does.
"Thank you, at least somepony appreciates how hard I work." Scootaloo's girly, but at least she appreciates me. Hehe, what's a matter, surprised? Most people see the bad flank kid spy, not the girl who collects dolls and gets hooficures. Like I said, I should be the one out there doing the punching mooks lights out!
Still, being here beats the Tartarus out of being back home with my parents. As screwed up as my big sister is, she was right to get out of there. Our parents are bucking control freaks! I know what I said, want to make something of it? I'd like to sing more if they weren't always bossing me around about it and expecting me to be the next Muse Sister!
'Sing louder, Sweetie Belle, you want them to hear you in the back!', 'No, sing softer Sweetie Belle, ladies don't shout!' 'Ladies do this,' 'No, Sweetie, ladies do THIS!'
And they wonder why my sister turned out to be a huge mess. If you listened to everything our parents said, you'd end up a giant mess too!
Oh, and then there's the fact they want me to be a classical musician like Vinyl Scratch. Well guess what? I don't wanna! I wanna be a rock star like Maud Pie! Hehe, at least my parents are so desperate to get a famous kid I could be a famous super villain and they'd still approve. Why do you think they keep playing my rock music all the time?
Oh, my Cutie Mark? Eh, like I'd have a geeky computer! It's fake. What do I REALLY want for it? To be a bad flank, tough girl!
Huh? My friends said the same thing? Hehe, of course they did! Who doesn't want to be badflank? And besides, who wants to have a DIFFERENT Cutie Mark than their friends? That'd be lame! No, I'm not afraid of us splitting up if we get different Marks! Oh, you didn't say that?...Well, I'm not! ---
I'll admit it, even though I get bummed when the scene ends and I go back to the real world, I like chilling out back at the trailer as much as anypony. Especially since we get the star's trailer! Only annoying part of sharing a room with my friends is when Sweetie makes fun of me for being 'girly.' So what if I collect dolls and read fashion magazines, that doesn't mean I'm girly! And even if I was, I AM a girl, so what's the big deal?
Besides, I'm the star! And the star gets to do whatever she wants to!
"This is the life, huh?" Applebloom asked, eating some fancy fruit. What's fancy about it? It's got a name I can't pronounce I guess. Apparently the fruit used to be 'sweet,' but I don't think I've ever tasted something sweet. Or I have and not known that's what it was.
"Yeah, I guess," Sweetie replied with her normal tough girl act and reading one of her comic books.
What am I doing? Getting a hooficure, stunt work is murder on the hooves. I mean yeah, I'm not really hitting ponies in the face (in my mind I am, but I wouldn't be doing my own stunt work if I really did), but your hooves tend to hit the ground pretty hard no matter what you do. Sweetie's giving me that 'you're being lame' look again, but what does she know? "Don't know how it could get much better than this!"
Okay, maybe it was better back when Luna wasn't evil...Though on the other hoof, the show was a lot darker back then. They made it a lot happier after that. The director said it was to make Equestrian smile again. I don't mind, less dark stuff means more adventures and more chances for me to look awesome! Though I do kinda miss that season I went into space and fought aliens, even if the big bad that season was kinda generic 'I want to destroy the planet because reasons' sorta guy. His actor loved every minute of it. Hehe The director liked to joke how his 'diet consisted mainly of scenery.' Do I know what that means? Yeah, means he's a big ham! What? I'm an actress, I know THAT much. Shame his character fell into a black hole and he left the show, he was fun.
Huh? Am I related to that rainbow maned pony? Nah, she just ends up crashing while we're filming a lot of the time. Happens so often the director made her a background gag and considered hiring her to do it but then got the insurance estimate. I don't know anything about her except she's a mess and keeps asking for my autograph. Not that I blame her for THAT! ---
You know the difference between the hired help back at our mansion and here? These are ours! Not Grandmother's, but OURS. Which means it's ME they're scared of disappointing and not Grandmother. Why does that matter? Because it means it's ME who's the center of attention! They're paying attention to ME not, Grandmother's rules. Why does THAT matter?...It just does!
"Get me a daisy sandwich," I ordered.
"Yes, Miss Applebloom," our servant (okay, he's some fancy word, but he's our servant as far as I know) said, and went off to get it. Miss Applebloom. That has such a nice ring to it, doesn't it?
Only problem with this is it's harder to be a bad girl when bossing them around is what I'm expected to do...
"Hey, did you notice that the script says I finally find out your secret identity next episode?" Scootaloo asked.
That? Well long story (like three seasons long) short, I first showed up as Scootaloo's rival in extreme sports (okay, Liberty Belle does the actual sports, but I still do all the actual acting, and that takes so much more talent), then showed up as Catastrophe when she went on a mission, but neither of us actually realized we're each other because we both wear masks.
"Eh, I don't write this junk, I just act it," I said, and it's true. Not sure who's writing this episode.
"Yeah, if you did, it'd be called Applebloom and the Appleblooms," Sweetie remarked with that grin of hers.
"Would not!...Though that does have a nice ring to it," I reply. What? It does! And my character's name isn't Applebloom, so that wouldn't work as a title. Maybe 'The Amazing Catastrophe!' or something like that.
Ah! There's my daisy sandwich! Thank him? Why? He's just the hired help.
"I'm just wondering how we should actually react to that..." Scootaloo replied. Ugh, she gets all caught up in the scripts whenever we go over it. Director said she's a' method actor' or something like that. I just memorize the scripts and try to act like I should for that scene. So long as they don't do anything to ruin my attention basking, I'm fine. "And I think we kill off Cloudburst." ---
"You mean like the LAST time we killed him off?" I asked. "He's 'died' more times than Owlmare!"
Conveniently, she just 'died' again in the comic I was reading, so I show them. She even screamed 'not again!' as she fell into a power plant smokestack!
"Tartarus, even I 'killed' him once! Applebloom 'killed him' the first time she showed up!" I yelled. How did that happen? I hacked one of his big machines and cut the power while he was flying after Scootaloo.
Applebloom took a smug pose. "Well I WAS the new badflank rival! What better way to show how bad flank I am than beating up the big bad guy by myself?"
"When I 'killed him,' it lasted a lot longer," Scootaloo bragged. I gave Applebloom a smirk. Kinda fun seeing that big head of hers get popped. Applebloom keeps forgetting MY family is rich too. But being 'old money' apparently meant somehow she was better than me!
"Well I 'killed' him cooler than you did!"
"What I'm wondering," I said. "Is when they'll actually let me out of the bucking control room again!"
Seriously, I've only gotten out of that control room twice! Once to get into a different control room when we fought aliens in space, and once to teach a bunch of phony so called 'heroes' for hire who were trying to get rid of Scootaloo a lesson about hacking MY system by turning their base's defenses against them! And that was the first, and so far only, time Scootaloo's character has actually interacted with mine at all!
Scootaloo looked at the script. "Says here you arrive in person to hack the defenses of Cloudburst's mecha suit."
"FINALLY!...Oh wait, I need to read that..."
Okay, so I normally don't need to memorize the script as much as those two because I'm STUCK IN A BUCKING ROOM with one camera pointed at my face the whole time or in a sound booth recording a song, sue me!
And now Applebloom's getting that 'I'm not the center of attention' face again. Eh, fine by me, that normally means we get out of this dump and stretch our legs for a bit! Why? Hehe, watch this.
"Eh, I'm getting bored and we're done for the day," she said, then got a devious look. "Let's go out and look for some trouble to get into."
"I'm game," I replied, putting the comic down. Red Mane beat Owlmare again.
"I don't know..." Scootaloo said, being a baby and trying to chicken out. Just like she always does. Girl will do the most dangerous stunts you can think of, but is scared to death of a little mischief! Thankfully, Applebloom can be pretty persuasive.
"Oh I understand. If you're too chicken, you can just stay here," Applebloom said, in a tone that made it hard to tell if she was being friendly or mean. She picked it up being a high society type, trust me, you learn how to hide your words. Why don't I? Don't want to.
"Am not!" Scootaloo yelled back. "Just...I just got a hooficure!"
"Well I guess Catastrophe knows Scooter Girl's big weakness now: chipping a hoof!" Applebloom replied.
"Lamest hero weakness ever," I replied. What? Scootaloo needs to toughen up a little bit! How do you think our fans would react to seeing their big tough hero afraid to chip a hoof?
Scootaloo got red in the face. "FINE! Let's go! I'm in!"
"That's better." ---
We're walking through town, looking for some mischief to get into. Like we always do. Got conned into doing it?! Nah...Applebloom was right, I shouldn't be afraid of a few pranks! I'm a big tough hero! I've got a reputation!
Speaking of which, getting requests for autographs left and right. Now this is the part of going out I like! The fans wanting me to sign their pictures and figures! Did you know I have a toyline? I mean yeah, half the stuff in it will never be in the show and is just there on the off chance a kid wants a figure of me with a capture claw gimmick, but come on! I have an action figure of me with a capture claw gimmick! And yeah, I have all my own action figures, they give them to me. Applebloom has hers back at her family's estate on a gold shelf with like twelve spotlights on it.
Sweetie Belle? She's got a couple, though most of them are of the robot drone she's sometimes used to join missions. What did you expect them to do with a unicorn who barely ever leaves her room?
"Alright, girls," said Applebloom, getting that devious look she does. We're in front of a big house in the middle of the small town we're filming near. It looks old and run down...probably not going to be the only thing we do tonight... She picked up a rock and threw it straight through one of the windows. Sweetie used her telekinesis to do the same thing. "Your turn, Scootaloo."
And now they're both staring at me. I pick up another rock and threw it through another window. Sweetie takes out that bottle of spray paint she keeps on her and writes our CMC logo on it.
CMC? Cutie Mark Crusaders of course! Why?...Well we're trying to get our Cutie Marks in being badflank and the Crusaders part sounds badflank, so why not?
"Alright, that's a good warm up, let's find something a bit better to do."
Why do we do this? Applebloom says it makes us look badflank and her big sister does it all the time. Sweetie says it's fun. Me? I do it to be badflank like Applebloom says. She's right, I don't want to be a chicken. ---
Alright, this place looks good. We were just practicing, now we're going to throw a rock straight through a big fancy house window!
Why am I doing this? Hehe. Well, you see it is a game really. One I like to call 'How Far Can I Push.'
Big sister kept trying and trying to get Grandmother to pay her mind. Still is. And I thought that was a wonderful idea! And at first, I gave it a shot...but then I realized one thing. Grandmother has a surprisingly high tolerance for misbehaving fillies (guess Applejack beat me to a lot of the good stuff). Acting out never got me attention from HER. But after spending day after day being a pretty little doll? It did wonders to relieve my boredom! After spending so long being an accessory for my family, it drew attention to ME from the hired help. It made them have to pay attention. But they'd gotten used to my sister's antics I guess, so I decided to try something new. I'd keep pushing and pushing until they blew up! Blew up at ME! Focused on ME!
HAHA! I must say, there's nothing more fun than seeing a babysitter get so fed up she quits! Grandmother has gone through quite a few. And the best part? I ALWAYS get away with it! Grandmother just hires another one so long as I act like a pretty little angel for the guests!
So why do I do stuff like throwing rocks through windows? Simple: to see how much horseapples I can get away with! And being the child stars of a popular TV show? We can get away with a lot. Why? Two things: first, we're minors. Which means 'we're too young to know any better.' And two? We're too important to let go! What are they going to do? Hire another three fillies who can act and do stunts that look exactly like us then say we all had plastic surgery? As if. GOOD foal actors are WAY too hard to replace! The producers just pay all the damages to get the charges dropped and back to work we go!
That's the fun part about being rich and famous! You get the best of everything and can do whatever you want! Besides, if big sister does it all the time, it has to be tough, doesn't it? She sure makes it sound like it!
Besides, I'm the bad girl character, I'm supposed to act like this.
Spoiled rotten? Hehe, if you think I'm rotten, go talk to my brother. You haven't seen anything yet.
Anyway, time to cause a little trouble! ---
"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Scootaloo asked as we looked up at the fancy house Applebloom picked out. Though the place was still kind of a dump. Considering how everything is, guess that's to be expected.
"Bawk bawk!" Applebloom clucked. "Chicken!"
"I'm not chicken!"
Huh? Why do I go along with Applebloom? Cause mom and dad wouldn't like it if they knew I was! Just like they don't want me to sing rock music or wear these crazy outfits!
Why does THAT matter? Because my big sister listened to everything they said and look how she ended up, duh! Why should I listen to anything they say? I don't want to end up a mess like her!
Anyway, Scootaloo finally gets riled up to grab a rock and throw it. Me and Applebloom follow up really quick. Lights come on in the place and I make sure to spray paint our CMC mark onto the side of it before we high tail it! Why leave our mark if we run? Because we're going to get away with it like we always do, that's why!
Anyway, rest of the night goes like you'd expect. Broke some more windows, wrote some graffiti here and there. Dumped a trash can with a skunk in it in someponies house. Guards catch us FINALLY.
"Call our producer," Applebloom says with that smug grin of hers.
"We'll pay for the damages," the producer says back.
And then we're back at our trailer in time for bed. What? You expected anything else?
Huh? Teddy bear. Uh...no, I don't have a teddy bear here! Goodnight! ---
Okay, so big final battle scene being filmed. Liberty Belle climbs up onto the big robot prop 'Cloudburst' is in, and swipes the Lava Ruby from the chest. Blah blah blah, will dub my voice in later on. Scootaloo does something big and flashy. Blah blah blah. Ah!
Me and Liberty Belle swap out when the camera is on somepony else and we run full on down the hallway, CGI explosions will be added in later on so we look extra awesome!
"See yah at the next race Scooter Girl!" I yell, then throw down a smoke bomb and exit all cool like. "Ah ain't gonna go easy on yah now that Ah know yer real name!" ---
Ugh...I finally get out of the control room set again and it's to be in ANOTHER control room set! At least I'll finally get the bucking chance to do the cool 'run away from the exploding base' scene and have a moment meeting up with Scootaloo this time! Geeze!
"Need a little hoof ?" I ask, looking at the big fake robot holding her in one claw as I push random buttons that apparently equals 'hack his suit and make his chest panel open up to reveal his weakpoint'. ---
Okay, so we're fighting Cloudburst's big mecha suit after making a big escape from the death trap he put us in last episode (and finding out each others' secret identities)! He grabs me in it's claw, prepared to crush me to bits!
"Need a little hoof?" Sweetie Belle asks in my earpiece.
The big door on his chest opens up and there's the Lava Ruby!
"Ah'll be takin' that!" Catastrophe yells, swinging in and grabbing the Ruby right out of his chest.
"NO! MY LAVA RUBY! GIVE IT BACK!" Cloudburst yells, now a big sitting duck in glitching mecha suit! "YOU...YOU...YOU ROTTEN BRATS!"
I get out of his claw and grab my scooter, using my wings to launch me up the side of the volcano ledge and BLAM! Right back into his cockpit!
He topples backwards and falls right into the volcano! "NOOOOO! CURSE YOU!" he screams as he disappears into it and the volcano starts to go!
Time for a dramatic escape as the whole place goes boom behind us!
"See yah at the next race, Scooter Girl!" Catastrophe yells, then throw down a smoke bomb and disappears into thin air. "Ah ain't gonna go easy on yah now that Ah know yer real name!"
I gave a chuckle. "I wouldn't have it any other way!"
"And cut!" the director yelled.
Aww, over already? Oh well, the adventures won't be ending any time soon! ---
"That was the series finale, the show is over..."
"What?!" all three of us asked.
"Sorry, kids," said the producer, I never bothered to learn his name, I barely ever talked to him. I didn't...really get to know any of the crew. He then shrugged. "We've been at this for so many seasons the writers are out of ideas and felt that was a good way to end it. Especially with some sensitive information we've gotten from up above, can't tell you until it's made public. Better to go out on top, you know?"
"But...but...but..." I muttered. It's...it's over? No more Scooter Girl? No more big adventures? "It's really over?"
"Well, we might make a movie, and we'll call you back if we do. Don't worry, you three are good actors...if a bit high maintenance, and decent foal actors don't come along every day. I'm sure you can get another job soon."
I'm sorry...I...I don't feel like talking right now... ---
So yeah, show's over and we're heading back home. Oh well, guess I'll go back to playing with the servants.
We were dropped off at Rich Apple Acres for our parents or guardians, or whatever to pick us up cause my family works with the place and Captain Good Guy promised my great something or other he'd protect the farm. And something or other about 'the danger's past' or something. Don't know who's supposed to pick up Scootaloo, never met her parents.
Why not just send us straight home? Hehe, I made our private chauffeur's so miserable they quit. Three times. Good times...
Sweetie Belle nudges me as we sit on a bench and wait. "Applebloom, look at Scootaloo."
I look over...and she's still moping around. Had been since we got the news. I thought she was just upset she'd not be the star of the show...but she looks...
Scootaloo's a lot of things, but moppy isn't one of them. Getting depressed...it just feels wrong.
"What's wrong, Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle asked. ---
What? I'm...I'm not soft! I just don't want Scootaloo moping around! She's bad enough when she's just girly! That's all!
She jumps up. "Oh...uh...I...I was just thinking...how...we don't all live in the same place...We're...we're not going to stay together, are we?"
We...we all looked at each other.
"I...I hadn't thought of that..." I said.
Me and Applebloom live in Canterlot...Scootaloo doesn't...Well, officially she DID while working on the show, but before that? I don't know anything about that.
"Well...I can invite you over sometimes," Applebloom said. "I've got hired chariots and besides, it'd be boring without you two around."
"Yeah, that's right, so do I," I replied.
Scootaloo smiled a tiny bit. "That...that'd be nice."
Huh? How did we meet? Me and Applebloom met first, parents are both big ponies in Canterlot and mom sells her cookies at the Apple Family's store. Long story short, mom figured out a way to make really good cookies without sugar and everypony loved them, blah blah blah. Point is, I met Applebloom at a business meeting and our parents thought it'd be good if we got to know each other.
Well Scootaloo was already Scooter Girl by then. She was at an autograph signing and we both went to it. Normally, it'd just be, you know, 'here's our action figure' get the signature, ask a couple questions (well, Applebloom wanted to ask to maybe join the show, but I was mainly hoping to see her get shot down). But that changed when somepony crashed the party.
Heard of Empress Cadenza? Us fillies used to call her the Boogie Mare, back before Luna took over that name. Rumor has it that she likes to find ponies who love each other and only take one of them to take back to be her slaves, leaving the rest behind. Parents used to say 'don't wander off alone or Cadenza will take you away.' She used to work with Celestia, but ended up turning on her aunt and taking some place up north for herself.
Any way, she decided to attack Scootaloo's little gathering and kidnap her to drive her fans into despair. And maybe snatch a few more slaves while she was there. Thankfully, Chrysalis was there (apparently she's a big fan of the show, who knew?) and fought her.
...We spent the whole thing hiding under a desk together until a stray beam almost caused a roof collapse on us...
Applebloom won't admit it, but Scootaloo ended up saving us both by pulling us to safety. THAT'S why I try to toughen her up, I know she can BE tough.
Anyway, Chrysalis won, but Cadenza got away. Chrysalis got her autograph (and Scootaloo got the biggest hug I've ever seen). One thing lead to another and we became friends...Yeah, I said, we're friends! Say something and I'll punch your lights out! ---
Why did I save the others? I...I didn't think of why...they were there...I grabbed them and pulled them out of the way.
I did feel like a hero...I liked that...I liked feeling like the hero...just like I liked being the hero on the show...I felt special...just like I did when we were... ---
"Oh, it's you."
I turned to see...oh, well look who it is. Little pink filly with a white and purple mane. Her names Diamond Tiara. Don't know why, she doesn't wear one, just a stupid cowboy hat that matches her Cutie Mark. Reminds me of an old picture I saw back at the house, but can't remember the details.
"Oh, hello, Diamond Tiara," I replied, giving a smirk. "How are you doing? Well, other than poor of course."
She gave a snarl. "Ah'm NOT poor."
Oh, right, that's where my sister got that accent.
"Close enough."
"Applebloom, who's this?" Scootaloo asked. Oh right, she's never met her.
"This is Diamond Tiara. Her and her father do my family's manual labor," I replied. What? It's the truth!
"She means we do the work that keeps her family's entire business afloat," Diamond replied. Ugh, of course she's still just as proud of being a dirty farmer! Always was, I don't know why.
"Hardly. Grandmother does the REAL business," I reply, giving a chuckle.
And Diamond is grinding her teeth. Good. "Look, pa told meh to come ask yah if yah want some food while yah wait."
"I wouldn't mind-" Scootaloo started.
"Ugh, country food? As if," I replied. "I will have the servants make me a big gigantic feast when I get home, I don't need to stoop to such a thing."
"We're the ones who GROW yer apples!" Diamond yelled back.
"And we're the ones who actually SELL them. Besides, why eat carnival fair here when I can eat like a queen back home?"
What do I have against her? Eh, maybe I just don't like her, did you ever think that? It's not like she has anything for me to be jealous OF or anything!
Huh? Why does my head feel wet now?
We all look up and...the sky's full of clouds...dark ones...
Diamond puts her hoof out and looked at the water landing on it. "It's...It's raining!"
"How? The pegasi cities were destroyed?!" Sweetie Belle asked.
"PA! IT'S RAINING!" Diamond yelled and ran back towards the farm house.
Good riddance!
"Applebloom! We're getting wet!" Sweetie Belle yelled.
Darn it she's right!
"Wait for us!" Scootaloo yelled and they ran off towards the smelly farm house, taking their stuff with them.
"FINE! If you want to stay in the gross farm house, then go right ahead!" I yelled...and sat here in the rain...Alone...in the dark...by myself... "HEY WAIT FOR ME!" ---
"Oh, so they decided to come in after all?" Diamond Tiara's mom said, looking a bit shy. She might've been pretty, I guess, if it weren't for that crooked nose of hers.
What do I think of Diamond? Eh, nothing really. She seems tough. Thing that bugs me is how Applebloom was acting. She kept looking at Diamond Tiara with that 'you have something I want.' Oh, that's not weird. It happens all the time, it's just normally she just calls somepony who works for her and orders it, or tells me and Scootaloo to write it down so she can later. I mean yeah, we kinda got fired and all, but she's still got her family fortune. It wasn't like her to be jealous and NOT tell us to get her what she wants.
"Yeah, ma, but that ain't important! It's rainin'!"
Mrs. Rich's eyes went wide. "Raining?!" she asked, running out.
Applebloom looked to Diamond. "What is with that accent of yours, anyway? Your family weren't cowponies."
Diamond snarled back. "Where's YER accent? Yer family WERE!"
Hehe, I'm tempted to get some popcorn, this is going to be fun.
To Be Continued In Legends From The Dark Side of the Mirror |
Ice Cube Tells Stories to the Ponyville School-Children | pre | "No problem, Ice Cube. Oh, almost forgot. You have a letter, too." she said, pulling an envelope out of her bag and giving it to the disgruntled Human.
"Thanks again."
"No problem again, Mr Ice Cube. I have to go deliver more letters. Bye, nigga." Derpy said with a smile, flying clumsily away.
Ice Cube wondered where she heard the word 'nigga', but forgot about it when he remembered his door was now a shattered piece of shit. He just sighed and went back to his table.
Ice Cube sat down and opened the letter. It appeared to be from the the chief editor of the Ponyville newspaper.
Dear Ice Cube,
We at the Ponyville express have heard and taken an interest in your stories. We would like to ask that you come read one of these stories to us, so that we may put it in the next edition of our newspaper. There are no strings attached, so you have full creative freedom to tell your story how you see fit. As is normal, you will recieve 300 bits upon finishing the story. If you are interested, come to our headquarters at your leisure.
-Sincerely, chief editor Word Life.
Ice Cube was already a fan of this pony's name, but he wasn't too sure about the offer. Ice Cube wanted to read to the school-kids; he didn't really think about spreading it around. The money wasn't all that important to him either. He was about to throw out the letter when he remembered he needed money to replace his broken door. He thought for a moment before giving up.
"Shit." he said, putting his shoes on for the trip to Ponyville Express.
When he arrived, the chief editor was already waiting in the lobby.
"Mister Ice Cube, my name is Word Life. I see you got my letter. If you'll step this way, we can begin." the pony began leading him into the hallway. Ice Cube was still unsure, but he couldn't turn back now.
"Yeah, so you said no strings attached, right." Ice Cube asked.
"That is what I put in the the letter, is it not?" Word Life asked rhetorically. Ice Cube followed him further into the hall before they stopped in front of a double door.
"Now, Ice Cube, I wasn't sure if you'd be comfortable reading to only our writer, so I took the liberty to bring some familiar faces." at that, Word Life opened the double doors to a large room with what had to be hundreds of chairs surrounding a stage. In the front row sat the students he'd been reading to for the last couple weeks. Ice Cube cheered up a little at the sight of the children happy to see their reader. Even Diamond Tiara perked up a little; that dumb bitch.
"Would you like to begin, Ice Cube?" Word Life pointed a hoof to a chair in the middle of the stage. He assured Ice Cube that this chair was sizable for a human ass, and wouldn't break.
"Wait, but how did you know I would accept the offer?" Ice Cube asked Word Life.
"How did I know you'd accept the offer?" Word Life gave a hearty chuckle. "Because, my dear Ice Cube... they always accept." he said with a smile. Ice Cube could swear that pony's eyes glowed red for a second.
Woah! Holy shit, he's a motherfucking terminator. Ice Cube thought before moving to the stage, pushing his new revelation to the back of his mind for later.
Ice Cube sat on the chair after the class was done greeting him. Even Cheerilee gave a welcoming smile, which he found kind of suspicious, as Cheerliee probably hated his guts. The pony who was sitting at a type-writer gave the okay, and Ice Cube began.
"Jack and the Beanstalk."
Once upon a time, there was a young man who lived with his mother on a farm. They were broke as shit, and only had one cow, which gave them milk to sell at the market. They named the cow Snickers. But one day, Snickers didn't give them any milk. The mother panicked about how they wouldn't be able to make a living. Jack suggested he sell their cow at the market, and he went off to do just that.
On his way, he saw an old man, who stopped him and asked where he was going.
"Hey, Billy, where ya' goin'?" The old man asked.
"My name's Jack. And I'm going to sell Snickers here at the market."
"Oh, what a cooincidence. I'm currently trying to buy a cow."
"Daaaamn. That was easy. How much are you willing to pay?" Jack asked.
"Would you be interested in... beans?" the old man pulled five beans out of his pocket.
"Are you fucking kidding me? Beans? You couldn't buy a turd with beans."
"Ah, but these are magic beans. Four of them will create a beanstalk that reaches to the clouds over night. The fifth is guarunteed to give you a harder, longer-lasting erection for up to twelve hours."
"Shut up, and take my cow!" Jack yelled, pocketing his new beans. The two men went their seperate ways.
When Jack arrived at his Mom's house, she saw that Snickers wasn't with him.
"You actually sold the cow? For how much?" His Mom asked in excitement.
"You'll never believe it." Jack said.
"A thousand dollars?" she asked.
"Nope, five."
"Five thousand dollars?!"
"Nope. Try again."
"Five dollars?" his Mom asked, perking down a little.
"Nope. Try... five beeaaans." Jack said in a 'holla'-type voice. He threw his gains into the air, making it rain beans. The fuck-tard truly thought he got a great deal.
"Beans? Are you fucking serious? You sold our only cow for a handfull of beans?"
"But, Mom. They're magic beans. One of them is a viagra-bean, so I wouldn't eat any of them until I sort out which one it is."
Jack's mother grabbed the beans up off the floor and threw them out the window.
"Jack, go to your room before I whoop your punk ass."
"Yes Mommy." Jack said, going up to his room and falling asleep.
The next morning, Jack woke up and looked out of his window. Outside, he saw the beanstalk rising up out of the ground where his Mom threw the beans.
"Yeah! I was right, Mom. What now, bitch!" he yelled victoriously. Instead of telling his Mom they had a life-time supply of beans, he decided to climb the beanstalk like a dumbass. He climbed and climbed until he reached the top of the clouds. In front of him was a big cloud road. He followed the big cloud road until he reached a giant house. There was a giant woman sitting on the front porch.
"Yo, can I get something to eat?" he asked the giant cloud bitch.
"What do I look like, your fuckin' charity case? Beat it. Besides, my sugar daddy's an ogre, and he has the tendency to slap bitch-niggas like you. So if you don't wanna get slapped, you should turn around and keep on walkin'." she said, pointing back towards the road.
"But I'm really hungry." he insisted.
The sky bitch sighed and opened the front door. "Damn. Fine, you can come in." she led him into the kitchen and gave him some bread.
Before he was finished eating, they heard heavy footsteps coming toward the kitchen.
"Shit, it's my sugar daddy. You gotta hide." she whispered to Jack.
"But I'm not done eating." Jack complained.
"Nigga, do you wanna eat or do you wanna live? Now hurry up and get in the oven."
"What? Hell no, I'm not getting in the oven! I've seen those World War 2 documentaries."
"If you don't get in the oven, you are gonna get slapped to death. Now get your ass in this oven!"
Not wanting to get pimp-slapped to death, Jack abided and hopped inside the oven. She closed the oven door just in time, as the giant pimp/ogre walked in and put his fur coat on the table.
"What's cracka-lackin', Laqueesha? I'm gonna be upstairs, so kindly make me a mothafuckin' sandwich." the cloud-pimp looked and sounded a lot like Snoop Dogg if you looked closely.
"Yes, sugar daddy." Laqueesha obeyed.
"Wait, do you smell that?" he asked, sniffing the air. "Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell a bitch-nigga."
Jack nearly shit his pants, but Laqueesha managed to shoo the pimp away.
"Nope, no bitch-niggas here. It must be the smell of the one you slapped and ate yesterday."
Jack actually shit his pants this time. She never mentioned to him about getting eaten.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm going to take a nap. Oh, and when you make my sandwich, put less orc fat on it. I'm trying to keep my figure." he said before walking into another room.
"Yes , sugar daddy." she replied, making sure he had left before opening the oven again.
"Okay, now I'd haul ass if I were you." she suggested. Jack nodded and ran towards the door, passing by the pimp's bedroom. He saw a bag of gold sitting on the floor, and Jack grabbed it and ran towards the beanstalk.
For a while, he and his mom lived off the gold for a while, but it wasn't enough to keep them going for long. Jack ended up climbing the beanstalk again and making his way to the giants' house in the sky. On the porch, Laqueesha was sitting. Jack walked up to and asked her for more food.
"More food? Have you lost your damn mind? You'll get both of us in trouble." she ridiculed. "Besides, after you left, we found out one of the bags of gold was gone. Do you know anything about that?"
"Hmm, I can't seem to remember. Maybe some bread will jog my memory." Jack said slyly.
"Alright, fine, come in. But I have my eye on you." she brought him to the kitchen and gave him another piece of bread, before hearing the same steps coming towards the kitchen.
"Shit, get in the oven again." Laqueesha ordered. Jack silently obeyed and climbed into the oven.
"Bitch, where's my sandwich?" the cloud pimp walked into the room and sat at the table.
"Coming right up."
The pimp reached into a box and pulled out a hen.
"Lay." he said. With that, the hen shit a golden egg. He repeated the demand, and the hen shit another golden egg. The lazy pimp then fell asleep on the kitchen chair.
Jack climbed out of the oven and began sneaking to the door. On the way, he passed by the pimp's chair, and by his feet was the hen. Jack decided to grab the hen and get out. But when he took hold of the hen, it squacked and woke the giant pimp up. By that time, Jack had already hauled ass out of the house, and was on his way back to the beanstalk.
The golden eggs pretty much set him and his mom up for life, but Jack pulled a Mitt Romney, and decided that wasn't enough. So he tried his luck again. He climbed the beanstalk again and headed back to the sky-house.
He knew he couldn't just ask Laqueesha for more bread, so he snuck in through a door crack and hid in a bucket. The pimp was heard entering the house when he called to Laqueesha. "Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell a bitch-nigga."
"Well, if it's the same bitch-nigga that stole your gold and your hen, he'll be in the oven." she said.
"Good. Let's roast his ass." he replied. They both rushed over to the oven and saw that no one was there. Laqueesha shrugged it off, but the giant pimp began looking around for Jack. He never looked in the bucket, and the pimp sat back in his chair and ordered Laqueesha to bring him a golden harp. She got the harp and put it on the table.
"Play." he said, and the harp began playing the beat to "Bitches Aint Shit". The cloud-pimp fell asleep quickly, and Jack made his way to the table.
He grabbed the harp and made a dash for the door. Unfortunately for Jack, the harp decided to gain sentience and it called out to the pimp "Master, Master!" The pimp woke up at hearing his harp yell and chased Jack out.
Jack ran straight for the beanstalk, with the giant pimp close behind. The pimp made a few swings with the back of his hand, but Jack got out of the way. Before long, Jack reached the beanstalk and began climbing down as fast as his desire not to be slapped let him. The giant started climbing down too. When Jack reached the bottom, he called for his mom to get an ax.
When she got the ax to Jack, he began chopping away at the stalk.
"Eat! My! Dick! Bitch!" Jack yelled with each chop. The giant pimp noticed the beanstalk get weaker with each swing. The final swing came from Jack, and the beanstalk, along with the pimp, fell to the ground. The giant pimp broke his neck and didn't get up.
Jack showed his Mom the harp, and they became as rich as a white US senator. Jack ended up banging a princess, and they lived happily ever after...
Until Snickers the cow snuck into their house at night. Snickers creeped into Jack's room and closed the door. He then walked over to the bed of a sleeping Jack and talked.
"You forgot about me, didn't you?" Snickers whispered.
"Five beans? Five beans is all I'm worth to you, ya' son of a bitch?"
Jack just snored away.
"You don't know the kinds of things that old man did. I can never see car lubrication the same way again!"
Jack continued sleeping, unaware of the knife Snickers pulled out.
"Good bye Jack." he said, plunging his knife into Jack's neck. It was only seconds before he bled out and Snickers made his escape.
The moral of this story: if you mooch off government welfare, Uncle Sam is gonna fuck you up the ass. The end.
Ice Cube looked to the pony at the type-writer. The pony stopped typing and began giving his own applause. The children were soon to follow his clapping and some were cheering for the story. Even Cheerilee was openly showing praise. The chief-editor/terminator Word Life shed a single tear of joy, before joining in the applause also.
"Bravo, Mr Ice Cube. Bravo." he cheered.
Ice Cube felt like such a pimp at that moment.
In the lobby, Word Life pulled Ice Cube to the side while the children were getting ready to go.
"A fantastic story, Ice Cube. If you'll wait here, I'll retrieve your payment." Word Life said. Ice Cube nodded before looking over to the children. They were talking and laughing about the story they'd just heard. Ice Cube brought smiles to these kids' faces; and if they were happy, he was happy... unless it's Diamond Tiara. He couldn't give two shits about that bitch.
"Nah, keep the money. I don't need it."
"Are you sure?" Word Life asked. Ice Cube glanced back at the gleeful children.
"Yeah, I'm sure." with that, Ice Cube walked out with his head held high. He continued on with his chipper mood until he got home. Then he saw the huge hole where a third of his door was supposed to be. Then he remembered why he needed money in the first place.
"Shit."
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
It was almost 24 hours since he told his story at the Ponyville Express, and he was anxious to see what would be on the paper. Ice Cube decided to wait in front of his home, so Derpy would see him and not crash into his door again. Sure enough, the mailmare appeared and landed in front of him without disaster.
"You've got news, Mr Ice Cube." Derpy said happily.
"Thanks, derps." Ice Cube opened the paper and looked for his story, while the clumsy pony flew off. Amazingly, a review of the story was put on the front page. Ice Cube flipped through and saw his story take up more than a page. Below the last paragraph was a long list of reviews. Ice Cube felt like he didn't deserve the wave of praise for his profane renditions of stories he didn't even create; especially the review that stated:
The most well-written and influential politically-charged story since George Horsewell's "Nineteen-Neighty-Four" and "Human Farm". Jack and the Beanstalk will take you on an epic journey with Jack, a down-on-his-luck bitch nigga who steals giants' stuff when they aren't looking. A true masterpiece of fiction.
Don't get him wrong, he did like the spotlight, but this was a little much. Nobody ever called "Fuck the Police" a masterpiece of song writing, although it does kick ass. The next review he read made Ice Cube just know Cheerilee was out there somewhere planning to kill him. It read:
That shit was the shit, nigga.
~Sweetie Belle, Ponyville Elementary.
"Ruh-roh." |
Ice Cube Tells Stories to the Ponyville School-Children | Three Little Pigs | Author's Note
I'm not sure this chapter stands up to the humor of the other chapters. I also feel that I might have rushed it a bit. I'm not trying to undersell it, but that's what I get for writing it all so late at night.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
Even though Ice Cube was paranoid, he continued to walk the streets of Ponyville in his normal way. Ice Cube knew that there was a good chance Cheerilee was out for his blood, but he's dealt with worse than angry, colorful school-teachers. Though he had to admit that this world was a bit unsettling. All its inhabitants seemed too happy; too care-free. The way they just looked at you, smiled, and waved was way to friendly to be genuine. It was like happiness was a disease they all had no choice but to have, and there was a serial killer inside every one of them just waiting for someone to make them mad enough.
At least on Earth, you knew when someone wanted to kill you. he thought.
Ice Cube tried to stare deep into the soul of a pony who waved at him from across the street. He appeared to be nice enough, but Ice Cube's mind was still playing tricks on him.
"Hi Ice Cube." the stallion said, waving a hoof. However, Ice Cube's paranoid brain heard something along the lines of, "Hi. You better sleep with one eye open, nigger."
What?! Damn, the ponies are homicidal and racist.
Trying to get away from the ponies on the street, Ice Cube took an alley-way through town. Normally, he would just walk straight to the school, but he decided today that he'd rather be late than be shanked. He was more than surprised when he walked into the alley and was greeted by being slammed into the wall. Before Ice Cube could react, he was pinned to the wall with a bowie knife pressed against his neck. In front of him was a lavender pony with a pair of angry and familiar green eyes.
"Hi, Ice Cube. How was your day?" Cheerilee asked in a voice that made it sound like she finally snapped. Her left eye twitched a few times.
"Uh, okay. I know you're mad, but I didn't know Sweetie Belle would write that review. Didn't you go over what words they shouldn't say?" he asked nervously. He had his pistol in his belt holster today, but his arm was pinned as well. If it hadn't been, Cheerilee would have had a leg full of lead by then.
"Oh, don't worry about Sweetie Belle. I took care of her earlier." an evil grin worked across the insane mare's face.
It took Ice Cube all he had not to shit his pants.
"Remember when you told me that the last time you cried was decades ago, when your friend Eazy-E died?" Cheerilee asked. Ice Cube nodded confusedly.
"Then you should be thanking me." she said, slightly releasing the knife from his throat.
"Why?" he asked, in a loss of any more words.
"Because you'll see each other again for the first time since then." Cheerilee replied, quickly bringing the knife across Ice Cube's throat.
Ice Cube collapsed to the ground, clutching his throat, which was now bleeding profusely. His back was against the wall as he sat there at the mercy of Cheerilee. The crazy teacher in question was smiling at the scene, happy that the thing that corrupted her students' minds could do no more damage.
Ice Cube could feel himself beginning to fade into unconsciousness. Out of all the things that Ice Cube could have died by, it had to be at the hooves of a colorful, talking horse.
Cheerilee now walked closer to the near-expired rapper. "Now, Ice Cube; I would ask you for any last words, but I'm guessing that's difficult without a throat. Still, I have some words for you before you go."
Ice Cube looked up to the insane pony. He did his best to keep a stiff upper lip, despite his situation. He decided if he was going out, he would do it like a real nigga, and with some dignity. He would have spit in her face if not for the bleeding hole in his neck. Instead, he just mouthed the word 'what', with teeth still clenched.
The lavender pony put her maniacal-looking face closer to his and spoke.
"Wake up, Ice Cube!" she said in a bubbly voice that sounded nothing like Cheerilee. Ice Cube suddenly looked very confused.
"I said; wake up, Ice Cube!" the insane teacher's face morphed into a cheery, pink one. He lost his tough composure and let his jaw drop.
"I said; WAKE UP, ICE CUBE!"
"Huh? What? What the fuck?" Ice Cube woke up and looked around rapidly. Instead of bleeding to death in an alley, Ice Cube discovered he was sitting in a chair outside of a restaurant. In front of him was his shitty vegetarian sandwich he had been eating before his nap. The pony trying to wake him up was none other than Pinkie Pie.
"How long was I out? A couple hours?" Ice Cube asked Pinkie.
"No silly. A couple days." Pinkie said with a dismissive hoof. Ice Cube's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Just then, the French-sounding waiter approached his table.
"Ah, Monsieur, you're awake. I thought you might not wake up."
"Hey, it would have been fine if you woke me up after the first 24 hours." Ice Cube tried to yell, but was still too tired.
"I apologize. One of the chefs accidently confused the mayonaise with chloroform. After eating that much, I'm surprised you're still even alive, Monsieur." the waiter informed him.
"Chloroform? How the fuck do you confuse the two? One is white and gooey. One is clear and toxic. Why do you even keep chloroform in the kitchen?" Ice Cube asked. He wanted to be angry, but didn't have the energy.
"It's okay, Ice Cube. You're not dead, so why not have some fun? Here's a Pinkie Pie to cheer you up." Pinkie said, before another Pinkie Pie bounced into his line of sight. Ice Cube was used to Pinkie's shenanigans, but this was just bullshit.
"Pinkie, why are there two of you?" Ice Cube asked.
"Oh, you silly dice-shaped chunk of frozen water. There aren't two of me. There are 49 of me." Pinkie said with a smile. Ice Cube, however, was not smiling. Instead, he was almost sure he was either still dreaming or insane.
"Okay, why are there fourty-fucking-nine of you?"
"Well, it all started when I was born. It was a bleak and foggy day. My fath-"
"Just get to the part where you went amoeba on us." Ice Cube interrupted.
"Oh. I found a magical water mirror in a cave and used it to make copies of myself. Now, I can have fun with everyone all at once. Like a giant fungasm!"
Ice Cube wanted to respond to that, but he remembered he had kids to read to. Plus, he just didn't have the patience to deal with Ponyville's obvious shit-storm at the moment. He began his trek to the Ponyville Schoolhouse after telling Pinkie he was off to some place very boring. That was enough to deter Pinkie Pie and her hell-spawn clones. After letting his head recooperate from his two-day chloroform nap, he neared the school.
Something was wrong. Normally, the school would have recess around this time. And normally, there wouldn't be an array of sandbag barricades surrounding the front entrance. Getting closer to the school, he could see Cheerilee poke her head out from behind one of the sandbag barricades. She was wearing a combat helmet and carrying a squirt gun in her hooves. She didn't unload her watery fury on Ice Cube as soon as she saw him, so she couldn't have been that mad at him.
"Yo, Cheerilee." Ice Cube called out, approaching the teacher.
"Ice Cube, over here, quickly!" she said. Ice Cube decided to walk a little slower to mess with Cheerilee. She looked only slightly annoyed.
"So... why are there barricades around your school?" Ice Cube asked, poking on of the sandbags with a finger.
"Maybe you haven't noticed, but Pinkie Pie has sort of multiplied."
"Yeah, I did notice. The rate of Pinkie population growth is too damn high!" Ice Cube motioned with a finger in the air.
"For once, we agree on something."
"We agreed that Diamond Tiara was a bitch."
"Oh yeah, that too. This barricade and this water gun are meant to keep the Pinkie Pie's away from the children. Oh, and by the way; where were you two days ago when you were supposed to read to them?" Cheerilee asked.
"I got chloroformed by a Frenchie waiter."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Are you okay?" Cheerilee asked sincerely.
"I'm fine. Though I did have this dream that you slit my throat in an alley with a bowie knife."
Cheerilee stared at him for a few seconds. She continued staring before pointing the water gun at his pants, particularly around his junk area, and spraying it with water. Cheerilee giggled a bit before pointing a hoof towards the door.
"Please, come in." Cheerilee said, trying to repress her fit of giggling.
"Sounds great." Ice Cube growled.
Ice Cube stepped through the door and immediately noticed something was wrong. The children looked... bored.
"What the hell is wrong with yall?" Ice Cube asked. Normally, the kids weren't this stoic.
"Ms Cheerilee said there's an army of Pinkie Pah's, and if we have any fun, they'll come here and annoy us ta death." Applebloom asnswered.
"Did somebody say fun?" one of the Pinkie Pies popped out of Scootaloo's saddle-bag, followed by a few more popping out of different places around the room.
"AHH! They're gonna kill us! Ice Cube, distract them with a story!" Applebloom shouted.
Ice Cube was done with Ponyville's bullshit for today, so he decided on a short and sweet story to tell.
God dammit.
"The Three Little Pigs."
Once upon a time, there were three pigs who lived in South Central Los Angeles. They wanted to get houses of their own, but as they soon learned, housing in LA is expensive as fuck. So instead of buying houses, they decided to build their own, even though the third pig was the only one who knew how to build anything. The other two couldn't put together a goddam Lego set if their lives depended on it.
The first pig thought about what he could build his house out of. He decided it would be made out of sticks. The second pig thought about what he could use. The second pig decided on Q-Tips. The third pig thought about what he would use, and decided the house would be made of brick.
Something you need to know about the three little pigs; they were from East side LA. The reason I tell you that is because in their neighborhood, there lived a wolf. And this wolf was hardcore West side. I mean, he had a blue bandana, a blue holster, blue everything. Whichever of his testicles was closest to the West is the one he preffered. Well, this wolf didn't like the East side pigs all up on his turf. So, he decided to remove them himself.
Another thing; after years of smoking weed, and a small-to-medium amount of radiation, this wolf had the lung strength of a class-5 hurricane. The first pig with the stick house challenged him to try and break his house.
"Eyo, wolf. Eat a dick!" the pig said, pointing down to his pink piggie genitalia.
"Sheeit. I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your punk-ass house down." and with that, the wolf easily blew down the pig's house. The pig tried walking out of the wreckage, but was met with a kick to the chest from the wolf.
"Oh yeah! You were talkin' all that good shit a second ago. Then you got kicked in yo' chest! You eat a dick, nigga! You eat a dick!"
After pissing on the face of the first pig, the wolf moved on to the second's house. The second pig, whose house was made out of Q-Tips, gave a similar reaction to the wolf.
"Yo, wolf. Those are some big lungs you got. You compensating for something?"
"What? Nigga, I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your punk-ass house down."
When the wolf says he's gonna blow down your house, the wolf fucking does it. And it's said that the moment the second pig was trapped under the debris of a million ear-swabs was the moment he finally realized he was a dumbass.
Ice Cube looked around the classroom and saw that most of the kids had snuck out of the building, and the Pinkies were still captivated.
The wolf moved onto the third pig's house. This pig wasn't semi-retarded like the other two and he made his out of brick.The pig told the wolf to give it his best.
"Bitch, I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your punk-ass house down."
The wolf gave it the biggest breath he had, but the brick house didn't budge. He tried again, but the house remained upwards and the pig yelled for the wolf to suck his balls. The wolf thought for a moment and went to get something out of his trunk.
"Ha. I told you you couldn't blow my house down. This aint' no fucking Q-Tip house. This is brick; it's the real shit! Nothing is blowing down this house!" the pig yelled.
Soon after finishing his gloating, a molotov cocktail crashed through his window. The pig panicked and ran out of his front door while his house was burned to the ground. But the wolf was quick to catch the pig and break his legs.
The wolf decided to make an example of the third pig, and pulled out a pair of balls so large, it would make the Big Lebowski piss himself. It was recorded as the most devastating tea-bagging of all time. The wolf's nuts practically molded around the pig's face like an arm full of Gak. Afterwards, the third pig had to be put in a psychiatric ward, where the pig did nothing but crawl into the fetal position and mumble "the balls" over and over.
It was the only time a tea-bag has ever caused the victim to go insane, and it's just because that's how West Side rides. The end.
"Ooo, what's the moral?" one of the Pinkies asked.
"There is none." Ice Cube said simply. All the kids were evacuated and all that were left was him and the Pinkie clones. "I'm leaving now."
"No moral?!" the Pinkie's said in unison. The Pinkies converged on Ice Cube, who backed towards the door. They really wanted that moral.
Holy shit. Deja Vu.
"Look! An orgy!" Ice Cube yelled, pointing to the other side of the room.
"FUN!!!" the Pinkies squealed, turning around to see.
Ice Cube opened the school door and began to haul ass away from the building. One thing passed through his brain. Why would the Pinkie's even know what an orgy was? Ponies didn't have anything to have an orgy with. Or did they... Ice Cube didn't particularly wanna find out, but one thing was for certain.
I'm taking my gun everywhere I go from now. This was just Bull. Shit. |
Ice Cube Tells Stories to the Ponyville School-Children | Pinocchio | Author's Note
And, as of now, THIS FIC HAS 100 LIKES! REJOICE! As you already may have heard, my chapters have been slow lately due to many things. As much as I enjoy writing these, it is very strenuous. I have a new story on the way, and I'd like to be working on that, as I think it has a lot of promise. So until I'm satisfied with the progress of the new story, this will be the last update you'll see. It will not be my last update in general, but this story is currently taking a break for a bit.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
It had been about a month and a half since Ice Cube came to Ponyville, but he hadn't forgotten about Earth. After a week of visiting Earth (mainly to escape the Pinkie-infested town from before), Ice Cube got a real sense of what was going on between ponies and humans. He had been seeing other humans around Ponyville before, and there were also some ponies living in the cities of Earth, which were generally enormous compared to pony cities.
The two races had gotten along fine. The ponies introduced magic to the humans, which eased life tremendously. The ability to control weather almost eliminated drought, and great strives to end hunger were made. In return, the ponies got many scientific and innovative technologies that provided opportunity for ponies of all races. Magic for ingenuity; yes it was going great. That's right, it turns out the human race had very little desire to conquer Equestria, and had intended more to form a friendly alliance with the beings who shared the universe with them. It's almost as if the Conversion Bureau is a load of shit.
Oh, and the ponies also got alcohol; which when mixed with poison joke, was like... wooaaah. Groovy.
Anyways, Ice Cube was back in Ponyville, and the children were no doubt wanting a story. Luckily for him, no crazy shit happened to him on his way to the school-house today. Just to make sure he wasn't in a chloroform dream, he pinched himself on the arm. Nope, not a dream. Still, Ice Cube packed his pistol in the holster just in case.
There didn't seem to be anything wrong with the school. And there weren't sounds of mass hysteria inside. Ice Cube wasn't used to days in Ponyville where nothing went wrong. He opened the school door with a confident enthusiasm.
"Yo, Cheerilee, I'm ba-" Ice Cube was cut off by the sight of Cheerilee. She had apparently turned into a stallion recently. Either that or they have a substitute. Probably the latter, but in this town, it's safe just to assume the weirdest.
"Hello. You must be Ice Cube." the substitute said with extremely little enthusiasm in his voice. The pony was gray and looked like the epitome of boredom. His eyelids were half-closed and his face didn't show a single bit of happiness or emotion. Even his cutie mark was dull. It appeared to be a yellow smiley face, just without the smile, instead having a straight line for a mouth.
"Uh, yeah. Who are you?" Ice Cube asked.
"John."
"You're name is John?"
"Yes."
"That doesn't sound like a pony name."
"I don't believe Ice Cube is a common Human name."
"Good point. Where's Cheerilee?"
"She's not here."
"No shit, really?" Ice Cube was getting bored just being around this pony. He was clearly having an effect on the foals. Some were playing with their pencils, some were sleeping, and Scootaloo was slamming her face on her desk. This pony had to be dealt with.
"Hey, I think there are donuts and coffee across town." Ice Cube said in a lame attempt to get the pony out unforcefully. He wasn't sure that the plan B he always had in store for cops would work on teachers, but it was worth a shot.
"I don't like donuts." the dull pony stated. Figures. Ice Cube went for a different approach.
"There's also some bread and water." Ice Cube tried.
"Hm. I could go for some bread and water. Thanks." the pony said in a monotone voice as he left the building.
That problem was dealt with, but the kids were still depressed. Ice Cube knew the solution.
"Story time, niggas!"
The children perked up a lot. A few of their smiles seemed to engulf their entire face. Diamond Tiara tried and failed to not look excited. Dumb bitch.
"Pinocchio."
There once was a man who worked as a woodsmith. I forgot his name, so we'll just call him Woody. Woody was old and lonely. His wife died years back and she never had children. She had so many failed pregnancies and failed births, they used to call her Miss Carriage. He didn't have many friends either, since everyone in town thought he was crazy. Most of the time, he would just sit on his porch and call passing kids 'whippersnappers' while shaking a cane at them.
Woody coped with his lonliness by making wooden dolls and giving them names like Sweetie Pie, Carrot Cake and Sugar-Tits. It helped him through his day-to-day normally, but having your only friends be lifeless dolls will get to you eventually. One night, he made a wooden doll that he named Pinocchio. In the sky, he could see a shooting star, which actually isn't a star at all.
"Wait. You're telling me that shooting stars aren't actually stars?" Scootaloo asked questionably.
"Yep." he replied, trying to get back to the story.
"That's a lie." said Diamond Tiara.
"No it's not. Look, can we get back to the-"
"Then what are they?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"Ugh. They're space rocks that burn up before they hit the ground. Now let-" Ice Cube said, being cut off again.
"Why do they burn up?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Because they do! Just let me-" Ice Cube was being interrupted again, and the questions were coming at him full force now.
"Do they get hurt when they burn up?"
"Do they ever hit the ground?"
"Will the space rocks kill us if they hit the ground?"
"Will they rape us first?"
"What's rape?"
"I think it's how babies are made."
"Ice Cube, how are babies made?"
"Who?" "What?" "Where?" "Why?" "How?" "Space rocks?" "Rape?" "Babies?" "Ice Cube?" "Ice Cube?" "Ice Cube" "Ice Cube!?" "Ice Cube!?!?" "ICE CUBE!?!?" "ICE CUBE!?!?"
*BANG*
The kids screamed in shock and stared at Ice Cube, who's pistol was facing upward, a small bit of smoke leaving the barrel. The room was dead silent until Ice Cube spoke up.
"Good! Now sit down, shut up, and enjoy my God damn story!" Ice Cube ordered, putting his gun back in it's holster. The kids seemed to get the message and kept their mouths closed. "Thank you. As I was saying."
The old man saw the space rock and made a wish. He wished that Pinocchio would become a real boy. When Woody went to sleep, the space rock came down and entered the house. I don't know how that happens, but it does. It cast one of its space rock spells on Pinocchio and gave him life. Though he was still a wooden doll, Pinocchio was alive, and that was something at least.
"I'm a real boy!" Pinocchio said excitedly.
"Actually, you're an animate piece of wood shaped like a real boy, but you aint' a real boy." the space rock told him.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Rocky: your friendly neighborhood space debris and personal guardian."
"Really? Damn. Do you sing?"
"What? Hell no. I don't even have a mouth."
"Then how are you talking?" Pinocchio asked.
"Well, um... fuck you, that's why."
"Look, just how do I become a real boy?"
"First, you have to stop being a piece of wood."
"Fuck you too." Pinocchio retaliated.
"I'm kidding, homeboy. First step: you have to prove you'll be a good person. Second step... Third step: Profit."
"I like profit."
"Then you better get to being a good person. Oh, and to keep tabs, I'll be putting this truth spell on you too." the space rock said before casting it. The rock shook a bit and stopped.
"There, you are now bound to tell the truth."
"What does it do?" Pinocchio asked inquisitively.
"Go ahead. Tell a lie." urged the space rock.
"Um, okay. Obama is a great president." Pinocchio said. Just then his dick grew long and hard... or was it his nose? Hell if I know. Let's just go with nose. His nose grew.
"See? Tell another." said the space rock.
"The other brothers actually can deny that they like big butts." again, his nose grew.
"Wrong. The other brothers can't deny. Baby got back!"
"Wow, your spell works. Okay, what now?" Pinocchio asked.
"I dunno. What do I look like; your fuckin' secretary? Figure it out. It's your journey, not mine."
"Okay, so where are some people I can be good to?"
"Try the strip club."
"Not a bad place to start." and with that, Pinocchio was on his way to the strip club.
When he arrived, he didn't notice anything that needed fixing, but there was a scantily clad woman standing in front of the strip club who seemed a little down. Pinocchio decided she would be first on his list of people to be good to. She was leaning up against a light pole when Pinocchio approached her.
"Hi, I know this might be weird for you, seeing as how I'm a talking doll and everything, but I couldn't help but to notice you're looking pretty suicidal right about now. Don't worry, I've come to ease your pain. Do tell, what sand has crawled up your barely-covered vagina?"
"It's my pimp. I've barely made any money today and when he finds out... I don't even wanna think about it." the hooker said with head held low. "But that's what I get for being a good-for-nothing prostitute anyway."
Pinocchio didn't want to admit it, but he had no clue what a prostitute was. Instead of telling her and making himself look stupid, he decided to roll with it to make her feel better.
"Don't talk like that. I know plenty of good prostitutes." Pinocchio sympathized. His nose grew longer, though.
"Really?" The prostitute asked, not noticing the size of his nose.
"Oh yeah. Plenty. Even my Mom was a prostitute." his nose continued to grow.
"Wait, really?"
"Mhmm. She even got an apprenticeship in high school. She was quite the novice in prostitutism. She helped kids with it too, and they all turned out to be great prostitutes."
"Are you serious?" the prostitute asked with worry.
"Am I serious? Is the Pope Catholic?"
"Uh, maybe you shouldn't be telling me th-"
"The answer is yes; the Pope is Catholic." Pinocchio said. To his surprise, his nose grew. "Woah... mindfuck."
"Did your nose just grow?" asked the woman of ill repute.
"Yes, yes it did. That's not important. What is important is me helping you. Now how can I do that?"
"Well, you can help get my pimp off my back." the prostitute replied.
"Sure thing. How do I do that?" Pinocchio asked.
"Well, come with me and I'll show you." the prostitute than walked Pinocchio down the avenue to an apartment, where they wouldn't leave for another half hour. Upon exiting the apartment, Pinocchio was wiping his giant nose with a towel, and the prostitute was the first to speak.
"Wow, that was amazing." she said, buttoning up her jacket. "I didn't know a nose could do that."
"Me neither. I didn't know you could do that with ping pong balls. You should be in the olympics." Pinocchio said.
"Thanks."
"But I still don't understand how this helps get your pimp off your back."
"Well, because you kinda have to pay me now."
"Huh? Pay you? You never said anything about me having to pay you." Pinocchio said with confusion.
"Well, yeah. What did you think that was for?" the prostitute asked in awe of his ignorance.
"I dunno. I'm like, 5 hours old. Also, I'm a doll. I don't have any money."
"Well, then I don't see how you've helped me."
"If so, then my services are no longer required." Pinocchio said. He walked away with a smile and a head held high. He was ready for the next pedestrian that needed help. The prostitute watched him go and sighed.
Pinocchio was strolling down the street in search of anyone who needed his assistance. He couldn't get over the fact that his nose had been smelling like fish since helping the prostitute, but that was the least of his worries. A few minutes passed and Pinocchio walked by a very troubled-looking man sitting on a bench.
"Hey mister, you look like shit. How can I help?" Pinocchio asked with a smile. His nose grew again.
"Dammit, nose, I didn't mean literal shit." Pinocchio whispered to his appendage. A few seconds went by and his nose shrunk a little.
"Wow, a talking doll. Well for starters, you could kill that guy over there." the man said, pointing a finger at another man moving things inside a house across the street.
"What? Why would I do that? That isn't a good thing to do." Pinocchio retorted.
"Kid, trust me when I say that bastard deserves everything he gets. The world will be a better place without him."
"Sorry, but I'm not sure I should do that."
"You said you wanted to help me, right?"
"Well, yes, but-"
"But nothing. If you want to help, this is how you do it. Besides, the law doesn't say anything about a doll killing someone; not that the asshole can be classified as a human being, but I digress."
"Um... okay." Pinocchio said quietly. He took a nervous walk down the street, looking back to the man, who urged him forward. Pinocchio was in a near panic. On one hand, he would be helping someone; but on the other, he'd be murdering someone.
'WhatDoIDoWhatDoIDoWhatDoIDoWhatDoIDoWhatDoIDo' he thought.
In his rapid thoughts, he didn't realize he had already crossed the street. Before he could react, the man he was sent to kill tripped over Pinocchio's giant nose and fell backwards, along with the large television he was lifting, which fell on his chest. The man lied on the ground moaning in pain, but tried to get up anyway. After the man was on his feet, Pinocchio tried to console him on his injury. The man insisted that he was fine, but was stumbling dizzily all over the place. Eventually he stumbled into the street and Pinocchio tried to warn him.
"Sir, you're in the street. Hurry up and get out."
"I told you, I'm fine. I'm gonna be oka-" the man was cut off by a station wagon to the side. He was thrown quite a few yards away and Pinocchio could only gape in horror as the man did not get up.
Pinocchio continued to stare at the scene before looking over to the man on the bench, who gave a smile and a thumbs up. Pinocchio, in shock, continued on his way to find other people to help, though unsure of how well it was working. The man on the bench ran to catch up with him.
"Hey, nice work, kid. Here's twenty bucks. Don't spend it all in one place." the man said before parting ways. "That'll teach him not to look at me funny."
Pinocchio eyed the twenty dollar bill in his hand. He could always go back and pay the prostitute like she wanted. Then again, he could just go to the bar and drown his sorrow. Like any sensible person would, he chose the high road and went to the bar.
At the local brewery, Pinocchio was busy drinking his troubles away. After finishing the fifth beer, he motioned for the bartender to come over to him.
"Don't you think you've had enough?" the bartender asked, cleaning a glass as he did.
"Don't you think you should mind your own business?" Pinocchio said with a drunken drawl. "You know the deal, Jack. One bourbon, one scotch, one beer."
The bartender shook his head and walked off to serve another customer. Pinocchio looked up from his drunken stupor to see a black man sulking further down the bar. Pinocchio got up onto his feet and was barely able to stumble over to the man. He propped himself onto a seat next to the man and sat for a few minutes before speaking.
"Hey, buddy, you're looking down." Pinocchio said.
"My woman left me. Kicked me out of my own house." the man's deep voice was soothing to Pinocchio's, er... let's call them 'ears'.
"Yeah? I know that feel; I just killed somebody."
"Wait, what?"
"Yep. One second I'm walking, the next second, he trips on my nose and splat."
"Damn. I'm pretty sure I don't know that feel."
"You should be happy about that. So anyways, is there any asinine task I should do for you to help you."
"Help me? I'm pretty sure the court would side with me anyway. I'll survive. However, you might need my help. Why are you so intent on helping me anyway?" the man asked in his smooth, black voice.
"Because if I help enough people, I can become a real boy."
"Hm. A real boy, huh? What's your name, son?" he said with a friendly smile.
"Pin-cock-macchiato." Pinocchio forgot his actual name in his drunkenness.
"Well, Pin-cock-macchiato, it's well and good that you want to help people, but sometimes you just need to stop looking, and let someone help you." he emphasized the 'you' with a gentle finger on Pinocchio's wooden arm.
"Let others help me?" Pinocchio pondered.
"Yes, Pin-cock-macchiato. Sometimes, to help others, you have to let others help you."
"He's right you know." behind them floated the space rock that sent him on this three-hour journey. "You have to let others change your life before you can change others'."
"So you're saying that all this time, I've tried so hard to improve others' lives, but I should have taken some time to get a perspective?" Pinocchio asked.
"You got it, little man." the black man said with a smile.
"That's right." the space rock aknowledged.
"That... that's the gayest thing I've ever heard." Pinocchio said.
"Well, you get it at least. And that's the minimum requirement, so I'll just turn you into a real boy now." said the space rock.
"Sweet."
The space rock shook a little more and Pinocchio's wooden form began to change into the body of a real boy. After the ritual was complete, Pinocchio looked down to see that his pants were no longer painted onto him and he could physically look into them.
"Hey space rock, I think you put my long nose into my pants."
The space rock chuckled and reassured him. "No. That, my good boy, is a penis."
"Oooo, peniiis. So what happens now?" Pinocchio asked, removing his eyes from his new favorite appendage.
"Well, I was only your personal guardian until you finished your quest, which is now. So I guess I should just be going." the space rock floated towards the door.
"But wait, who's gonna be my guardian now?" Pinocchio asked.
"Chill, nigga. This good fellow here will be your personal guardian." the rock motioned towards the black man before flying out the door of the bar. The pedestrians and bartender had already left at the sight of a talking meteor.
"Wait, what. But he's just a normal guy." Pinocchio called out. The black man in question held out a piece of paper towards Pinocchio, who took it and saw it was a phone number.
"Well, guess I'd better be going now. Good bye, Pin-cock-macchiato." the man said, turning walking for the door. Now, Pinocchio could see the man was very overweight.
"What? But I don't even know who you are yet."
"Any time you need me, you know what number to call." the man said on his way to the door.
"Oh and by the way..." he said, turning back to Pinocchio.
"The name's Biggie." the man tipped his hat and vanished into the air as a ghost would.
Pinocchio was stunned, but had a new sense of resolve. He walked... well, he stumbled out of the bar, ready for anything life had to throw at him. He raised his head into the air and yelled with all his willpower.
"GET READY WORLD! CAUSE PIN-COCK-MACCHIATO IS HERE TO FUCK YOUR ASS!"
Pinocchio then passed out drunken on the sidewalk, where a homeless man took his socks.
After waking up, he went to live with Woody happily for the rest of his life. Well, until he turned 18, when he moved out. But after that, he lived happily for the rest of his life.
And I mean it this time. No rapes or murders. The end.
The kids looked confusedly at each other for a moment before Sweetie Belle spoke up.
"No rapes or murders? But... you always have rapes and murders in your stories."
The group of school-ponies gave a collective disappointed "Awww".
"What? You kids are fucked in the head." Ice Cube said.
"But it just didn't match up to the other stories." Silver Spoon replied.
"Well, I thought I'd shake it up. Besides, there was plenty of cursing, and there was one murder." Ice Cube pleaded his case.
"That's true. Maybe we're just getting too used ta yer stories, ya know?" Applebloom said.
"Yeah. Maybe you should take a break from reading. Just for a little bit, so we can have something to look forward to." Sweetie added.
"I guess. Well, I'll see you little niggas another day then." Ice Cube gave his farewells before opening the door to the school house.
"Bye nigga!" Twist shouted.
"Bye nigga!" the other kids repeated. Ice Cube waved a hand and closed the door behind him before realizing there was no one there to teach them.
Ice Cube continued on his way home, thinking what he would do for a couple weeks in place of telling stories.
I could teach some ponies around town how to rap. Ice Cube thought, a smile forming on his face. He'd already made up his mind on the matter.
Dis' is gon' be good. |
Ice Cube Tells Stories to the Ponyville School-Children | Hansel and Gretel | Ice Cube walked out of Bob's Burger Shack, content with his lunch. After Humans and Ponies made contact, it wasn't long before supply met demand, and meat-selling restaurants popped up in Equestria. With a belly full of beef, Ice Cube took back every bad thing he said about Capitalism. Capitalism was damn tasty.
Ice Cube walked through the market before seeing a familiar pony behind a stand. The gray pony that was almost always an accessory to Diamond Bitch's endeavors, sat there, swirling a spoon in a bowl of soup.
Ice Cube was neutral towards Silver Spoon. She was only a bitch when she was around Diamond Tiara. And that ho wasn't around. Out of curiosity, he walked over to the stand. Silver Spoon looked up to see the rapper coming.
"Eyo, what's the haps, homie?" Silver Spoon asked. Ice Cube got used to this kind of thing, ponies talking like him, but nopony used ebonics like Diamond Tiara. She threw black slang around so much, it would make Tupac's hologram jealous.
"Nothin' much. What the fuck is this?" he said, pointing to the soup.
"Makin' my cream, yo. I took your advice, and now I'm makin' dough off eatin' soup."
"They pay you to eat soup?" Ice Cube asked increduously.
"Damn straight. Watch." Silver Spoon dipped her utensil in the soup, and with one motion, flung a string of soup into the air. She jumped up with a back-flip and skillfully caught the liquid in her mouth.
"Wha- how the fuck did you do that?" he asked, mouth agape.
"I can demonstrate my shit again, sure. But it'll cost ya'." Silver Spoon stuck out a hoof.
"You're gonna go far, kid." Ice Cube said sarcastically, looking around. "Where's Diamond Bitch? Aren't you always with her sorry ass?"
"Oh, dat bitch? Please, nigga, I dropped that shit like it was hot. She was dragging me down, treatin' me like I was her ho or somethin'. I wasn't havin' that shit, dawg. You know what I mean?"
"I hear you, fool." Ice Cube nodded.
"And now that I got the ball and chain off, I'm makin' cash flow, my brotha."
A lone tumbleweed rolled past them, and Ice Cube swore he heard a cricket nearby.
"Aaight', so it's been a slow day. But these ponies'll come around. Besides, I gotta go to school anyway. A real nigga gotta get an education."
School? She still had a lot to learn about the streets.
"I'll check ya later, Cube." Silver Spoon trotted off towards the school house.
"Peace." Ice Cube went his own way.
It wasn't bad having a pony around that talked like him, even if it was a girl, and no older than 10. Ice Cube didn't know the effect he would have on Ponyville. After his story got put in the paper, words like 'nigga', 'bitch', and 'ass-captain' were thrown around on a daily basis. There weren't many ponies in Los Angeles. So if the ponies wouldn't come to South Central LA, Ice Cube was gonna bring South Central LA to the ponies.
The Ponyville plaza was bustling, ponies hurried to get to work. Ice Cube, however, was currently jobless. The idea to teach ponies how to rap had backfired. This was Ponyville. There were no police to shoot, no projects to rep, and no bitches to bone. What is a poor gangsta rapper to do when there's nothing to get pissed off at?
He thought for a moment while he watched the sky have a seizure. Grey clouds were aligning theirselves in a checkerboard pattern, leaving square patches of sunlight adjacent to square patches of cloud.
What the fuck?
Across the street was a white pony using her magic to move the clouds into the strange positions. Ice Cube was going to ask her why she was doing this, but knowing Ponyville, he'd probably just get some bullshit answer like "magic", or "friendship", or "ancient God of Chaos".
He decided to ignore it, and ponder his joblessness. Rapping was pretty much the one thing he had a lot of talent in, and gangsta rap didn't really work out in Equestria. The only other thing he did really well was reading to the pony kids. Ice Cube got wide eyed, and pulled out his phone. It was mid February, and the last time he read a story was early December.
Three months? Holy fuck, had it really been that long?
Ice Cube knew what he had to do, or at least what he had to do for the next 15 minutes or so. And off he went, to where he could kill a little time, and insult Diamond Bitch to his heart's content.
"Okay, so can anypony tell me, if a gas that is at 33 degrees Celcius and 100 kiloPascals is heated to 75 degrees Celcius, what is the new pressure?" Cheerilee asked her class.
"227.27?" Applebloom answered.
"Nope. Did you remember to convert Celcius to Kelvins?"
"Oops."
"But Miss Cheerliee, you didn't give us the volumes for either." Sweetie Belle spoke up.
"If the volumes aren't included, just forget about them."
"Well, that's stupid."
Cheerilee watched the bored students work on their assignment in silence until someone knocked on the schoolhouse doors. Cheerilee went to see who it was. She was not pleased to see them.
Faust damn it.
"Ice Cube. What brings you here?" she asked with a forced smile.
"Yeah, hi to you too." he said sarcastically, walking past her into the classroom.
The kids looked up to find their hearts almost exploding into a million happy little pieces.
"ICE CUBE!" they erupted into a sea of smiles. Chemistry work was pushed off of desks, some of them even balled up and thrown around the room as paper projectiles.
Cheerilee watched the scene, feeling slightly defeated. What could Ice Cube do that combined gas laws couldn't?
"Alright little niggas, it's story time."
"YAY!" the students yelled.
"Story time? I love story time!" Pinkie Pie popped her head out of one of Cheerilee's desk drawers.
"No, no, no." Cheerilee stopped them. "We have to go over Stoichiometry, and then we have a quiz. Sorry, Ice Cube, but no stories today."
"Awww." the class moaned.
"But Miss Cheerilee, it's been forever since we heard one." Scootaloo testified.
"Yeah, come on Miss Cheerilee. Can we please hear one?" said Sweetie Belle.
"Pleeeaase?" whined Apple Bloom.
"Pleeeeeaaase?" Pinkie's face came within inches of Cheerliee's, her neck stretching to unholy length.
"No."
Every face in the room except Ice Cube's and Cheerliee's had pleading eyes and stretched bottom lips. The annoyed teacher gave a deep sigh.
"Fine."
"YAY!" the children screamed. Pinkie jumped into the air, small fireworks bursting around her for no specific reason.
Ice Cube took a seat in his story-telling stool. He had to think for the name of his story.
What was the story with the two German kids that met a pedophile in the woods? he thought. Handson and Goebbels? Yeah, that's it.
"Handson and Goebbels."
In the days of old, there lived a lumberjack and his hoe in a cottage, with their two adopted German kids named Handson and Goebbels. The lumberjack worked all damn day, but was still poor as shit. I mean like, mothafucka was poorer than an LA hooker. And let me tell you right now, they are poor. His ho only stuck around because they lived in a forest. Aint no pimps in a forest.
"Laqueesha, what da fuck are we gon' do? We broke. I aint got no money, and we runnin' out of food." the lumberjack said to his hoe. "Who da fuck is gon' feed the kids?"
"Nobody. Let's just drop them in the forest somewhere, and let them take care of themselves."
"Bitch, dat's fuckin' stupid."
"Fine. You can sit your poor ass down and starve." said the ho. "Imma kill the little motherfuckers."
They didn't know Handson and Goebbels were listening outside the door.
"Well, we fucked." Goebbels said, lighting a fat blunt.
"Maybe not. I have an idea." Handson replied, creepin' his German-nigga ass into their bedroom. He went into his sister's drawer and searched.
"Found em'." he said, pulling out a handful of joints.
"Nigga, what da fuck are you doin' with my weed?" Goebbels demanded.
"You wanna smoke, or you wanna live?"
Goebbels hesitated to answer. "Gimme some time to think about dat. Why you need my weed anyway?"
"I'll show you in the morning. Just try to get your munchies over with now."
So they slept through a whole night without a single gram of chronic. There were no urges to eat everything in the pantry. Goebbels hated it. But it would be worth it the next morning.
"Hey, shortys, get yo' raggety asses outta bed!" the ho yelled at the sleeping Aryans.
"Bitch, I'm tryin' to sleep." Goebbels said, before being pulled out of bed.
Then the kids walked into the kitchen, Handson made sure the weed was still in his pocket.
"Getchyo damn jackets on." she demanded. Handson looked at their father, who was layed back with a lit blunt in his mouth. He clearly just had sex.
"Damnit, she bent Dad to her will." Handson whispered to Goebbels.
After getting their kicks and hoodies on, the ho took them outside, and started walking them into the forest. Handson felt in his pocket for a joint, and threw it on the ground about 30 feet away from the house. The ho walked their asses deeper into the forest, and every minute, he would drop another joint onto the ground. About forty minutes passed before Goebbels noticed what he was Handson was doing. She no gusta.
"Nigga, da fuck are you doin' with my weed." Goebbels whispered.
"Savin' our lives. bitch."
"How is wastin' my weed gonna save us?"
"I'll tell you later. Just shut the fuck up and follow the ho."
And they did. For 5 goddam hours. It was almost night time what the ho stopped at a small clearing deep in the woods.
"Aaight. This is where you'll be sleeping." she said.
"In the woods? You crazy, bitch?" Goebbels replied.
"I ain't nobody's bitch." the ho yelled back.
"Bitch, you everybody's bitch. You like the community bitch. Or the communism bitch. Everybody gets some."
"Fuck you." the ho threw down some firewood and sleeping bags into the middle of the clearing. "I am a grown-ass woman. I ain't gon' tolerate this bullshit from a little white punk."
"Grown-ass is right. What, did you stuff packing peanuts into yo' butt or something? You look like you got Tyler Perry's ass."
"Wh- you're too young to even have an ass, bitch. I ain't havin' this."
"You ain't havin' what? All the food in the house? Too late, you already did, fatass."
"You know what, screw this. I'm outta here. I hope a bear comes and rips yo' tits off." the ho stomped away from the clearing.
"Yeah, well at least I have tits, ya double-A nympho!" Goebbels yelled back at the retreating ho.
She laughed for a minute or two before solemnly saying "Well, we're fucked".
"Not really. I laid out the joints on the ground when we were walking, so we could follow them back to the house." Handson said with pride.
"If it doesn't work, and I lose my weed, I'm gonna have to kill you."
"Don't worry about it. There'll be more weed when we get back home. Let's just light the fire and go to bed."
Goebbels took out her lighter and set fire to the wood. When it was dark, they both layed in the clearing to try to get some sleep. Goebbels was the one to break the silence.
"I can't go to sleep, Handson."
"I don't care." he mumbled from underneath his sleeping bag. "Just try to."
"But I can't stop thinking about my weed. It's out there, cold and alone."
"Oh for fucks sake. Is there anything you think of other than weed?"
Goebbels thought about the question. The only thing that crossed her mind was 'weed weed weed weed weed weed weed'.
It turned out that weed was literally thing she could think about.
"No." she replied to her brother's question.
"You need to cut down on the drugs. I swear, your like Jimmy fuckin' Hendrix. Turn around, catch you drowning in your own puke."
Goebbels was silent after that, and they both eventually went to sleep.
The next morning, Handson woke Goebbels up and they both went to follow the trail of joints. There was only one problem: the last joint he layed down wasn't there.
"Uhhhhhh." he muttered to himself. Goebbel's eyes widened.
"Nigga, where's the joint?"
Handson looked all around, but didn't see any weed.
"Oh shit, they must have blown away in the wind." he said.
Goebbel's left eye twitched a bit. "Remember how I said I was gonna kill you if it didn't work?"
Handson reached into his pocket and felt something. He pulled out two leftover joints and handed one to Goebbels.
"Well, it turns out we are fucked. But two last joints between friends." Handson said to his sister.
Goebbels was still mad as hell, but she couldn't turn down weed. So they lit up the doobies, and in a couple hours, became two giggling, bumbling idiots.
"And so I said-" Handson said, interrupted by his own chuckle. "And so I said 'that's not a ruler, that's my dick."
Goebbels snickered and laughed madly, as if it was the funniest joke ever told. In a sober state, it wouldn't have been funny, but weed makes everything funny. Even the Holocaust if you tell them the nazis sounded like Christopher Walken.
"Aw shit. Dude, I'm hungry as fuck." Goebbels said to her brother, who chuckled at her simple statement.
"I know, man. We gotta go find something to eat."
So the two walked to no particular destination, snickering and laughing at every mothafucking thing they walk past. After a couple hours, their munchies were getting worse. Lucky for them, they walked into another clearing. This one had a house. Not just any house. A house made out of doritos, and Pop Tarts, and bean burritos, and cereal, and tacos, and Cheez-Its, and Fruit by the Foot; everything that a stoner needs to cure their munchies.
"Woah, Goebbels. Did you put something in this weed?" Handson said, looking at what he thought was a hallucination.
"Nah man, thats- that's an actual house made of snack foods!"
"Halle-fuckin'-lujah!"
The two started eating chunks of different parts of the house. They went fucking nuts on it. Goebbels gnawed on the Pop-Tart fireplace, and Handson got done chomping on a waffle brick, before he heard someone on the inside.
"Who's that outside?" an elderly man asked. Handson and Goebbels were frozen in place. An old white man stumbled out of his front door. The man saw them and gave a chuckle.
"You two seem hungry, seeing as how you're eating my home. Would you like to come in? I have milk."
"Milk? Hell yeah. Got any purp drank?" Handson asked, following the old man. Goebbels stopped him in his tracks.
"Wait a minute. I don't trust this guy." she whispered into his ear. "He doesn't care if we eat his house, he invites us in like nothing happened, and where does a mothafucka get all this food anyway? I'm tellin' ya, he's bad shit."
"Don't jump to conclusions yet. Just wait and see if anything happens. In the mean time, I can hear purp drank callin' my name."
The two walked inside, where there were a couple glasses of milk on the table. The kindly old man was brewing tea on a kettle.
"Tea, huh? Suspicious-ass mothafucka." Goebbels muttered to herself. Handson ignored her and took a gulp of his drink.
"So, bangin' place you got here." he pointed out.
"Yes, I inherited it when someone shot all the Keebler Elves who lived in this cottage. It uh, wasn't me though." the old man replied.
"Coolio."
Goebbels was preoccupied examining the kitchen, and her arm accidentally knocked her milk over.
"Oh shit. Yo, my bad." Goebbels said.
"No, it's quite alright. Just get a mop from the closet for me. Down the hall, third door on the left."
Goebbels did what he told her, and opened the closet. Her eyes widened as mops were not the only thing inside. Bibles, catholic robes, and pictures of the Pope sat on the shelves. Goebbels grabbed the mop and quickly shut the door. She had to tell Handson.
"And that was how I shot- I mean met Martin Luther King." the old man finished his story to Handson.
"Damn. Did he like grape drank?"
"Oh, did he ever! And chicken too."
Handson chuckled and continued drinking. Goebbels gave the old man the mop, and took Handson out side.
"Handson, we got our asses a problem."
"A problem? Damn straight we got a problem. I was about to hear a story about how Reverend King liked fried chicken, and yo' ass is draggin' me away. That's the problem."
"No, really. I went in the closet, and I found Bibles, pictures of the Pope and all kinds of other shit."
"And?"
"Handson? He's a Catholic priest." she whispered.
"Yeah, and? Catholic grape drank still tastes like grape drank to me."
"Nigga, do you know what happens to kids around Catholic priests? Molestation, that's what?"
"Bitch, you fuckin' crazy. Unless you have some proof, Imma go back inside."
Handson walked into the cottage, followed by Goebbels. Goebbels took the opportunity of the old man being distracted by Handson to investigate. She looked in the closet again. There was nothing to rapey. She checked the bathroom, but that was clear too. She did the same thing for almost every room, and she was about to give up. Tired as hell, she leaned against a bookshelf. It shifted with her weight, and Goebbels got suspicious.
She slid the bookshelf over with all her strength. Behind it was a hole in the wall, leading into another room. She walked in and felt for a light switch. Once she got the lights on, she almost shit her pants in terror. Fuzzy handcuffs, gags, viagra, and lubricants of all kinds lined the walls. She tried to slowly step back from the scene. She heard the clang of a metal object to her head, fell over, and passed out.
When Goebbels woke up, she was in a dark room with a splitting headache. She looked around, but it was too dark to see anything. A few minutes later, she heard locks being unlocked from the other side of what was obviously a door. The door opened, and the old man pushed Handson in with her.
"You kids these days, always disrespecting your elders, not letting them have sex with you? Who else am I gonna bone out here in the woods?"
The old man shut the door, making it dark again. Goebbels and Handson sat silently for a few more minutes before Goebbels piped in.
"I told ya, dumbass."
"Shut the fuck up, and help me find a way out." Handson replied. He thought hard before remembering something.
"Wait a minute. This whole building is made of food." he said. Handson walked over to a wall on his right and licked it.
"Fuckin' sugar wafers." he said. Handson punched the brittle wall, revealing sunlight on the other side.
"Quick, lets get the hell outta here before he gets back." said Goebbels.
Handson punched and kicked the wall until there was a hole big enough to fit through. After they were out, the two walked away from the scene. The man was like, 60 years old, he wasn't gonna run them down. Unless he was secretly Kenyan. That would suck.
"And that's why you don't trust old white people, or Catholic priests, or any Catholics for that matter." Goebbels said to her brother, who left without any grape drank.
With all the food they shoved in their pockets, it would last a few days, though they were completely out of weed. After a while of wandering aimlessly, and weedlessly through the forest, they found their parents' house. They knew they should have felt glad to be home, but then they remembered that they were still broke and the ho still wanted them dead.
"Aw fuck it." They thought, walking through the front door. Their dad was sitting at the table, drowning his sorrows in cheap vodka. Not even the good stuff. It was practically store-brand.
"Dad?" Handson said. The dad looked up and smiled a big dumbass smile.
"Holy mothafuckin' tit shit. Kids... come- come 'ere. I wa- I wanna give you a- a hug." he said drunkenly. He tried to get out of the chair, but fell onto his face.
"Dad, where's the ho?" Goebbels asked.
"Oh, her? She- she ran away. And by ran away, I mean I killed her and threw her body in the river. Show of hands, who's gonna miss her?"
Nobody raised their hands.
"Didn't think so."
"Oh, dad." Handson said, pulling him into a big hug. It was pretty gay, and Goebbels was quick to point it out.
"You two are the biggest faggots I have ever known."
After that day, things went smoothly. With the ultra-bitch gone, their dad could invest in new, hotter bitches. And with time, he became the most successful pimp in the area. Goebbels grew up to raise one of the largest marijuana farms in the country. Handson became a well-renowned food critic, tasting everything from the finest grape drank to the most eloquent fried chicken. Yes, things seemed to be going well for the pimp and his German adopted kids.
But out there was still an old Catholic child molester. He was mad, and he was going to have his vengeance. If it was the last thing he did, one day, those kids would get fucked. With no vaseline.
When Ice Cube was done, Pinkie Pie's face came to mere centimeters away.
"So did they get raped?" Pinkie asked.
I'll leave it to the imagination." Ice Cube said.
"What's a Catholic?" Scootaloo asked next.
"Are they part of that Ku-Kluckers-Flan you were warnin' us about the other day?" asked Apple Bloom.
"Are the dad and Handson actually gay?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"What does gay mean?" Silver Spoon piped in.
"What's a kiloPascal?" Snails said.
"Why do we have to learn Chemistry?" Snips asked.
"Why do Humans wear pants all the time?" asked Pipsqueak.
Ice Cube listened to the rapid-fire questions in awe. The conversation went off the rails faster than an internet thread. Somewhere in the chaos, a pony with a few hat asked what a clitoris was.
How the fuck did they get off topic so quick? he thought to himself.
Suddenly, the class seemed to go quiet. They were staring at Ice Cube, agape. He looked to a startled Cheerilee, and then down at his legs. For seemingly no reason, magic enveloped him and glowed brighter every second.
"What. The. Fuck." he said to himself. He felt himself demolecularize at the behest of whoever was using the magic. Ice Cube finally decided, he fucking hated this town. It was pain free, but in moments, Ice Cube could tell he wasn't going to be in the schoolhouse much longer. He closed his eyes, and waited for whatever stupid-ass thing Equestria had in store this time.
In a moment, Ice Cube was gone. Among the silent gaping mouths, Cheerilee muttered, "Holy shit."
"Miss Cheerilee!" the class yelled.
"Watch yer language." Apple Bloom scorned. "Yer setting a bad example for us."
Ice Cube opened his eyes. He was no longer in the school-house. Instead, he found he had been teleported into what looked like the inside of a palace, complete with two ponies on thrones, and a sea of bickering bureaucrats and politicians beneath them. Ice Cube didn't know why he was there, but he sure as hell didn't like it.
Here Ice Cube was, the fucker of police, the killer of Uncle Sam, sitting in a room with angry politicians bitching about their high social statuses and abundance of money.
Someone just fuckin' shoot me. |
To Be Malevolent | pre | "Prey..." He hissed out, "You come back, to find your homes taken by the very mist that you defeated. You have failed your primary task. To protect Unicornia. But perhaps, even if you have failed such a simple objective, you may still be of some use to me..." A dark smile decorated the charcoal pelted Unicorn.
Sturdy Shield stood in place, whilst his soldiers hid behind. That simple act wouldn't terrify him. What terrified him was what the Dark Unicorn had done to the inhabitants of Canterville. That moment, the chamber became dark as all candle flames were extinguished and the Dark Unicorn turned to mist. Then, silence. Not even the howling of wind could be heard. It was pure, blissful silence. Pure dreadful silence. The Guards stood together, their rattling armour being the only sound heard in the throne room.
Each Unicorn lit their horn, yet the light that emanated was dim, they were only able to see one another.
Time ticked. And yet, nothing happened. There in the darkness, the white eyes illuminated the chamber around them, surrounding them almost, merely staring from the blackness. The Captain gripped his spear tighter, exhaling as his eyes darted around, attempting to find the true Dark Unicorn in all of the illusions. Then, he felt a bitter chill crawl down his body. He heard a hiss by his left ear. Slowly turning his head, he saw them. Those white eyes, right next to him.
A hiss. They all recoiled in shock. Each turning their bodies to face the Dark Unicorn, or at least what they believed to be the master of the mist. They unanimously thrust their spears towards the darkness in the centre, yet only the clashing of the spear tips resonated, and as they collided, a bright flash consumed their vision. A moment later, they looked towards each other, checking if any damage had been done. No. Nothing, not a scratch. Then, they stared into each other's eyes. A dim glow. Pupils a pearl-white. Pelt, a darker tone.
They wished to panic, but they couldn't. They wished to scream, but their mouth refused to obey that order. Instead, a new command was implanted within their minds. Guard the palace. Simple. And they obeyed without question, without as much of a hint of disloyalty. It was painful, truly painful in their minds. Visions flashed; nightmares haunted. And throughout all of their mental torture, they still obeyed.
Only one was spared from this. Though it shouldn't be called 'mercy'. Call it punishment. The Captain was forced to watch his soldiers march to their posts, eyes completely devoid of life, movement almost mechanical. The Dark Unicorn approached him at a snail's pace, and as those lifeless eyes gazed down onto him, he felt fear.
There is no escape.
He heard an echo within his mind. Then, he noticed that his hooves were restrained by the mist, his horn too restrained by his fellow Guard's magic. All he could do, was wait. His chin was lifted, and as much as he wanted to look away, the magical grasp on him refused to let go.
An exhale, or rather hiss escaped the apparition as he licked his lip and fangs. Leaning closer, and closer to the restrained Sturdy Shield. Then, another chuckle. "Tell me. How much magic do you think is stored within every inhabitant of Canterville?" He coldly asked, to which the Captain snapped his head in one direction and growled, overpowering the grasp. "Imagine that. A Unicorn Kingdom, without magic. I would do it some other way, if I had another alternative in mind. But I must thank you! Without you, I would've never found such a plentiful source of magic this quickly, nor would I've have gotten a proper test of my magical prowess other than some brigands..."
Now submit to my will, and obey my commands.
The Captain continued his struggle, yet to no avail. Then, a sharp pain. He hissed, but almost immediately stopped as his vision turned brighter, and brighter, until all he could see was a whiteness like no other. He felt the mist and magic let go of his body, and a leg give away, but he quickly caught himself and stood back up.
Go and rally the denizens of Canterville in the city centre.
He bowed his head in acknowledgement, turning to face the now opened door into a foggy city. Those mist-born terrors now faded into the mist, never to be seen again. All that remained were hundreds of ponies, their eyes all luminescent. He rose a hoof, and they obeyed.
Elsewhere, the Dark Unicorn himself pondered as he wandered the labyrinthian Canterville Castle halls, the one question on his mind being; where was Starswirl? Where was that blue-cloaked mad-scientist in the making hiding? He heard the Guards' stomping and rattling armour throughout the Castle from the full-sweep he ordered. Yet not one had reported any finding of the light-grey Unicorn. One however, found the brown maned Unicorn's personal office within the palace. As expected, it was a mess. There's no time for tidying when there is work to be done.
There was paperwork strewn across the tables and even floor, some containing sketches. Others, notes. Some cryptic and vague, or inexplicable even by Starswirl. Others, graphic. But only one sketch interest Chaos. One peculiar sketch of a winged and horned pony. Next to it, two sketches of regular Unicorns, one coloured darker than the other. Both seemingly drawn to compare scale. There were plenty of things written about it, yet most was scribbled out, or plain incomprehensible.
The writing itself clearly wasn't English, though the Dark Unicorn already knew that, in fact he could read most words written in Archaic. Scanning through the papers, he noticed a set of particularly big letters, seemingly a name, and below it, the species. Of course, the species wasn't cross out.
"A-l-i-c-o-r-n."
He muttered, then shifted his gaze to the incomprehensible scribble which must've been its name. He ignored that, more interesting on a different paper, containing two more of the Alicorns. Now those, he recognised from his Host's memories. He needn't glance at the names to know what they were. One's mane was a vibrant and flowing pink, seemingly defying the laws of physics, and the other a sky blue.
Starswirl's notes described his experience with the two Alicorns to be beneficial to Unicornia, though he later wrote that he could care less about Unicornia's well-being, and Chaos huffed at that. Then, he shifted to another note, this time on the tree. There was an incredible amount of detail on the crystalline tree, ranging from its properties, anomalies and surroundings, its compositions, et cetera. And then he noticed another sketch of a Unicorn, every detail matching himself, even the crown was drawn. Next to that Unicorn, was depiction of the host. The lighter pelt and name suggested so. He felt rather insulted, when under his figure, Starswirl labelled 'Apparition / Parasite'. According to his notes, he found the Dark Unicorn's relationship to the tree to be extraordinary.
He pushed the paper aside and looked back to the tree. There were dates on the paper for specific paragraphs, and some were clearly before his arrival. Starswirl had encountered the tree many times before. Each encounter seemed to differ vastly. He seemed to document the abilities of the Dark Unicorn better than Clover could ever dream.
There laid yet another note nearby, describing what seemed to be the day the Dark Unicorn had emerged. Much of the writing was of the Host and his brief adventure with Starswirl through the woodlands of the Everfree. He noted a perfect location for a Castle to be built, where there was clearing nearby ravines. Then, he saw 'unknown magic' labelled in red, described as a bolt that emanated an aura of darkness. He read further, the notes spoke of a bandit presence in the Everfree, and how the Host was taken away by those bandits. Starswirl expressed regret in these next few lines, of how he had abandoned the unknown Unicorn to his fate. Not only because of that, but also the Unicorn was dangerous, clearly from his demonstration of a simple bolt of magic. There was some small writing inscribed at the bottom of the page, and the Dark Unicorn looked closer.
"I am sorry...? Hmph."
Chaos huffed and pushed aside the papers, sparing a brief glance at another which noted his absence from the Castle, apparently to research more of the crystalline tree. That mattered little, Starswirl could have his little escapade, and when he returned, he would have a great shock. Walking towards the balcony, he looked down at the Everfree and beyond, even looking towards the cloud city of the Pegasi in the distance, noting something flying towards Canterville. But, only one question lingered in his mind, where was Starswirl at this moment?
Time Skip
A gasp and pant. Inhale and exhale. Starswirl turned his head to briefly view the mist covered Canterville. He had only narrowly escaped the Dark Unicorn's wrath; the mist didn't seem to notice him either. The leaders of al three pony tribes were to return to Canterville after their supposed meeting, and he couldn't allow them to return to the now occupied capital of Unicornia. He needed to inform a friend within the ranks of the Pegasi and the Earth ponies. After a minute of rest and recovery, he galloped towards the nearby Earth pony settlement, of which was quite diverse in ponies, ranging from Pegasi, to Unicorns and even some other species of animals.
What mattered now, was to inform the other tribes of Unicornia's fall. Of course, he knew the risks, if they decided to invade the weakened nation. However, with their leaders' safety compromised, they would have to help. Galloping as fast as he could, Starswirl eventually saw the wooden houses that lined by a barely paved muddy road. Soldiers came to greet him, their mistrusting attitude towards outsiders didn't help him whatsoever, until he explained the situation of the kingdoms.
He informed them of the threat posed to their leader, the Chancellor and leaders of other nations too, and they should spread the information amongst their ranks and to the Pegasi in the clouds. Many believed him, despite him being a Unicorn and the distrust and divide was still much prevalent.
"Starswirl!" Cried a pony from above.
The light grey Unicorn heard the flapping of wings. As Starswirl turned his head, he was suddenly tackled by a Pegasus in gilded armour made from multiple sheets of metal, clearly a Captain. His response was an 'oomph' as he nearly collapsed onto the floor before being supported back up by the Pegasus who just crashed into him. "Sudden Strike, please don't do that ever again." The Unicorn begged.
The Pegasus then chuckled as he released Starswirl from his grip and the two bumped their hooves against each other. "Long time no see; you were busy with research again?" His query was answered with a nod. But not so soon after did the Pegasus Captain's expression turn into one of concern, and with a sigh he began. "I saw it happen, Starswirl, you needn't tell me anything. Our scout noticed the city covered in mist, and we saw you escape."
"Good, Have you informed your superiors?" Starswirl asked, to which he was given a nod in response. "This is a very opportune time in our age, with the possibility of the unification of the tribes drawing ever closer, we must show the others that all ponies can work together in perfect harmony, without infighting and distrust. Gather your soldiers here, and attempt to convince as many as possible to come, there are some ponies I must meet."
The Unicorn was given a salute, to which he smiled and turned to head further into the town. Briefly glancing around, he noted the areas with the highest concentration of ponies, eventually finding what he believed to be where 'they' were. Travellers from lands distant, they were visiting the Everfree woodlands and its surrounding region, from the cloud city of the Pegasi, to the Earth pony towns below, and soon they would head to Canterville. Alicorns, exactly as described in his notes, tall, angelic ponies that combined all three tribes' powers into one. Their durability and magic were immeasurable compared to a regular Earth pony or Unicorn, and their wings could propel them farther and faster than even the fastest Pegasi. They were considered deities amongst many, and many others envied them. Surely, they could put an end to the threat in Canterville, and possibly unite the tribes at the same time.
There, in the centre of the crowd, two of the Alicorns stood, surrounded by ponies watching in awe. Some, hypnotised by their beauty, others shocked by their possession of both horn and wings. They were viewed like angels, just as when they were in Pegasopolis. In truth, they were just two nervous young mares, Celestia and Luna. And to their rescue, their Knight-In-Shining-Armour, Starswirl came to disperse the crowd.
Starswirl was stuck in the back, helplessly waving his hooves until the two Alicorns noticed him, and teleported themselves out of the area. All three retreated to safer grounds before collectively sighing in relief. Celestia was the first to speak. "Thank you, Starswirl."
"If I thanked you, you wouldn't live to hear the end of it." Luna sarcastically added, to which the others chuckled. "Now, to what do I owe the pleasure?" She asked, her expression turned into one of concern as Starswirl's turned to dread. The Unicorn stayed silent for a whole minute.
Starswirl opened his mouth, and only exhaled cold air until eventually, he spoke. "Canterville has been conquered.". And to this, both Alicorns gasp, the information wasn't taken lightly by the younger Alicorn, who valiantly rose her hoof in defiance and prepared a speech to liberate the Unicorn city, before a shake of the head from her sister caused her to take the situation more seriously. Starswirl then proceeded to explain the situation to the two sisters, of how the city itself was swept by a great rolling blanket of mist, and nightmarish creatures emerged from it. Then, he sighed and explained how they led the Dark Unicorn to Canterville, threatening the city due to their little concern over its power. He explained how he had tried to convince Clover to be more careful, after failing to convince him to leave the Unicorn to his custody.
Celestia narrowed her eyes in suspicion, "There something more you're not telling us." She demanded, to which Starswirl capitulated to her. As he sighed, a small smirk appeared on the alabaster Alicorn.
"Months ago, I started my research on the crystalline tree in the Everfree forest. Of all sights and oddities there, I found that the most intriguing. The magic that emanated from it was... completely unnatural. The sheer power I felt, it was even beyond Alicorn magic. I believe once it even... spoke to me. No, no it must've been my mind. What I found most intriguing was that Pere-." A pause, and a clearing of the throat. "The Dark Unicorn had it's magic, though a much weaker variant. Almost as if he was doused in a cauldron full of it. I had taken interest in that Unicorn. He apparently had no clue of how to control his magic whatsoever, so I tutored him. That, that was when I discovered his magical bolt. It was truly something to behold, yet it was so... malign."
Starswirl looked up to his Alicorn friends and noticed how immersed they were into this story. Both staring with intent, he'd never seen them so intrigued. Was it the tree? Perhaps the fact of it's magic being stronger than even an Alicorn's? He finished explaining to them what had abruptly happened after the two Unicorn's brief journey in the Everfree, and his regret about it, to which the two gave a nod of understanding.
"For as long as we can remember," Starswirl began, catching the attentions of the two once more. "the tribes of the Unicorns, Earth ponies and Pegasi have been divided. Never once has all three been united. We need each other to survive, in our desperation, our pioneers explored new lands, and eventually found this one. But still, hostilities between nations are still too great. That is where you two will come in. Many here already admire and respect both of you. Our current situation couldn't be better. If you two could help in liberating Canterville, you may be able to unite all Kingdoms into a sole nation and as it's rulers."
Celestia rose her hoof. "But Starswirl, we've barely learned anything about rulership thus far, we have barely been immersed in politics, and we haven't even met her majesty Princess Platinum yet."
Starswirl tilted his head and pondered, and eventually a lightbulb ignited above him. "Platinum and the other leaders will rule this new nation, however unstable it may be. Eventually, I can fully introduce you two into becoming proper monarchs, beforehand your duties would be to stabilise the nation, along with your current duties as Alicorns of the Sun and Moon."
"That is a very big responsibility, Starswirl. Usurping the thrones from all those rulers, have you consulted with at least Princess Platinum about this?"
He sighed, looking towards the sky. "Platinum has long before her reign ends, and everyday she looks down at the nobility, she sees only incompetence. She won't live forever, and you two are immortal, you have millennia to hone your skills, you could control them. And if everything goes according to plan, you would become the greatest rulers who had ever lived. I hope you too share in the optimism I have."
Black clouds rolled over the mountain range of Canterville, and rain began to pour down onto the rich and fertile lands. Thunder and lightning forced the Pegasi down, and most ponies went indoors. The three looked at the each other, and unanimously agreed to head back towards the town centre. By the time they had arrived, they were staring at a battle-ready legion of Pegasi. Of course, they were being pestered by the Earth pony guards that were stationed here until they explained the situation, and pointed in the direction of Canterville.
At the front, inspecting the soldiers was Starswirl's trustworthy Pegasi comrade. The two had known each other since leaving their respective homelands. Tales of their adventures and escapades were considered legendary to some. Though the two swore they were just 'having some fun with their friends'. This attitude was nothing like the Starswirl Clover was used to, their relationship was more professional, sometimes even plain maniacal.
As the three approached, Strike couldn't help but almost bow to them, which surprised his soldiers, and the Alicorns nervously motioned for him to be at ease. "They're not royalty yet..." Muttered Starswirl, which was overheard by the Lunar Alicorn, whom chuckled a little and repeated the 'yet'. Then, they began to gather soldiers, Earth ponies, Pegasi, even Unicorns who had survived the onslaught in Canterville and prepared for the oncoming reclamation of Canterville. The scheme would be a great gamble, but with risk comes reward.
Time Skip
Like a missile, the distant object soared towards Starswirl's tower in Canterville as the Dark Unicorn stood on its balcony. He whistled as it drew ever closer, eyes examining every detail, recognising it to be a semi-equine shape, and on its head, a translucent jagged crown. "Windigoes." He softly spoke as the ghostly howl of the wind became audible. He 'tsked' as the weather around him changed from 'sunny and cloudless' to winter. There must've been a lot of hate in Canterville.
As the Windigo approached the tower, the mist lurched upwards to grab at him. He unleashed shards of ice down at the pillars of mist, cutting it from the rest, however they merely wrapped around him. A white aura of magic then took hold of his body, forcing him closer to the tower as the mist returned to formation. His attention was turned to the Dark Unicorn, and he hissed and squirmed to no avail.
Chaos examined the Windigo with great curiosity, even down to the very basic detail. How the magic flowed through their translucent body, seemingly keeping them alive without any obvious internal organs. It had no heart whatsoever, instead an accumulation of magical energy in it's centre, where there was a massive gash, signalling a battle wound. An aura of coldness was emitted from its body, and the Dark Unicorn thanked his own pelt for its warmth. Then, he began siphoning the magic from it, and his eyes widened immediately and he hissed. Bringing the Windigo closer, he tilted his head, and a grin replaced his grimace.
"Yours is a magic so vile I dare not to taste it again." To this, the Windigo emulated a spit, to which the apparition chuckled. "Tell me, phantom, where are the rest of your kind?" He asked, which to his surprise saddened the crowned Windigo as he lowered his head in shame and whimpered. Eventually, it opened its maw and spoke.
"Gone. Banished for our greed. I was their King, and I am the last free from exile. They will not return for centuries, perhaps three hundred." It morosely answered.
The Dark Unicorn couldn't help but feel pity for this creature, and loosened his grip on it. He pondered for a moment, and found something possibly beneficial for both parties. "You came here, to feed on hate, yes?" He asked, a slow nod being the response. "Go ahead, I won't be stopping you... If you agree to support me in the time of your brethren's release, if I am in need of aid."
The Windigo King placed a hoof on his chin and reviewed the proposition. Nodding, and muttering under his breath. "You will regret your decision..."
The apparition turned his attention to the cityscape beneath and with a simple motion of his hoof, the mist parted to reveal everything. The ghostly Windigo smirked and dove down. At that moment, the Dark Unicorn looked beyond the city, towards the gates, noticing a peculiar group of ponies and guards. He recognised them immediately, and so did the King of the Winter whom attempted to take his revenge, before being leashed by the shroud around them and submerged in it. The King was pulled back and restrained. "Not yet, not until they've delved deeper into the shroud." And he begrudgingly obeyed.
Retreating from the balcony, the Dark Unicorn descended the tower whilst manipulating the mist to hold the royalty at bay. Arriving at the throne room, he found the comfortable throne once more, flanked by it's former, and current guards. The Captain too, whom only just re-entered the Castle to inform of the intruder presence. He motioned for the Captain to move aside, to one of the backrooms.
Sitting down, he gazed forward, commanding the mist to blow away the previously relit candles. He knew they were approaching fast, and the determination of the guards were great enough to repel the creatures of the mist. He tasted no fear from them, only those whom they protected. Of course, he could've added a dose of pain, however he wanted to see those adorable little reactions on those puny little ponies. Afterwards, he could siphon all of the magic from a majority of the city. Flooding the room with mist, he reclined on the throne and sighed. It's good to be the King. |
To Be Malevolent | 4 - Reconquista - Scheduled For Rewrite | The mistform dark Unicorn drifted near the gates of Canterlot, not noticing many sentries, in fact, there were two unicorns lacking any protective equipment lazily standing around the gate. They seemed exhausted, both magically and physically.
One wonders what horrors they face, and me. He would've snickered, if he wanted to be known to the entire Unicornian population of Canterlot, which, he discovered wasn't called Canterlot, but rather Canterville.
The six soon-to-be founders of Equestria were delayed due to a storm, a natural storm. So, Chaos could have his banquet of fear. He noticed these Ponies were miserable, and some of them were already terrified, most likely of the Windigos. It didn't matter to him, as long as there was more magic to be gained, he was interested.
My lust of dark magic, I crave it, it is driving me mad. Though he had warned himself of this in advance, the allure of forbidden magics still manage to break through. Chaos had attempted to stave off the hunger many times prior, but to no avail.
His mistform dispersed as he entered the town of Canterville, in broad daylight. On the exterior, Chaos was terrifying, his visage was one of malice, of callous cruelty. But inside the mind, he was deeply concerned. This thought had to go; it must be purged.
But that mattered not at this moment. Mist rolled into the sunny Canterville, shrouding all foolish enough to be outdoors. The poor Canterville Guards ponies were not given a second to react, practically all caught in the misty cloak before they could combat their assailant.
"Ponies of Canterville, thou saviour hast arrived, now bask in mine glory and savour it, for it shalt be thy last." He amplified his voice using the vast dark magic reserve within his jagged crown. "Know mine name. Chaos..." Chaos was said with added vile and darkness.
"Purge thyself of thy weak emotions, if not willingly, then I shalt purge it myself." Adding a chuckle at the end of the sentence, he wanted the Ponies to feel maximum terror. All around, Chaos could see the terrified Unicorns through his mist. Those adorable little Ponies were rearing back in horror, but what they will experience next is sure to scar them permanently.
Chaos was hesitant to do this next act. Sure, he may have destroyed entire hamlets with this action, but their population numbered not more than a dozen. This was the biggest city harbouring Unicorn kind, and he was about to consume their magics, all of them.
No, we are the Lord of terror, we shall not be scared of this simple action, fear itself must be purged from us. Chaos suddenly realised he said `we` instead of `I`, perplexed, but not letting thoughts distract himself, he raised his hoof and tapped the crown upon his head.
Ponies all around shrieked in terror, writhing on the ground and crying out for support. Nothing came, only their greatest fears were there to greet them.
Meanwhile, the dark Unicorn was having great fun, by great fun we mean going insane. His eyes twitched, he collapsed onto the floor and writhed. This was a lot of intake at once, and it was all converting into dark magic.
Even his thoughts were of pain, though, he had gotten use to feeling a lot of pain. The constant torturing from the apparition has taught the Unicorn's body to become physical resilient, mentally too, though not as much.
Another a long few minutes, the Unicorn's episode was over, and he rose up onto all fours, marching into the palace. Of course, the guards were busy writhing, recently having their magic pried from their very being.
Inside, the throne room was filled with courtiers, henchmen to the pompous Princess and loyal retainers, who were all busy...With anguish. Chaos strolled up to the throne and planted his rear onto it, sitting in the most comfortable and pony-ish position he knew.
"Hmph, I expected some more resilient Guards ponies to stand up against me. Is Clover the clever your most mentally prepared Pony?" He casually asked the pained Ponies cuddling the carpet floor. "As a matter of fact, who is your Guard captain? I'd expect every Guard captain to at least put up a fight." He scanned the room, looking for the Pony with the single most ridiculous armour of them all, and, to his relief, none of them were the challenge he'd hope to find. Easily immobilising an entire city was not very entertaining, but necessary for his powers.
The dark Unicorn heard hooves beating against the cold stone pavements outside, and then, bursting into the throne room was a Unicorn as tall as him, clearly this was the Captain of the guard. He was clearly very strong, clad in reasonably protective iron armour, much to the relief of Chaos' rationality side.
"Fiend! Thou shalt not place thyself on that throne for a second longer!" The Captain declared with a victorious voice. He stood strong and vigilant, spear in hand, ready for combat.
To the Captain's surprise, the dark Unicorn turns into mist, joining the shroud in the throne room, and suddenly reappearing directly next to him, grin on his face. The Captain reared back, expecting a strike from the Unicorn, but he did not immediately attack.
"Tell me, Captain, what dost thou qualify as a predator?" He began, slowly approaching the slightly startled Pony, who recollected himself. "Ist it a manticore? Hydra perhaps? Windigo? There are many answers I expect from thee." Chaos was having a hard time attempting to mimic the speech of the Unicorns, he wasn't the best Shakespearean speaker of all time.
"What art thou playing at, abhorrent?" The Captain kept his eye on the Unicorn, never faltering, extremely suspicious at his actions. "Dost, thou intend to terrify me? Fool me?" He readied the spear, pointed directly at the throat, standing in place.
"There ist something beyond what thou simple mind could fathom. Nay, it isn't what thou may think. Nay, it isn't a great beast with dark adornments. Nay, it is a simple creature. But its capacity for malevolent deeds is beyond the vilest Pony thou could imagine." Chaos didn't even seem to care that spear was so close to his neck, only closing the distance.
"Where it comes from, it hast conquered the world. The apex predator, not in physical strength, nay. In sheer intellect and tenacity. Hundreds of thousands of creatures from myriad species have fallen to it." The dark Unicorn struck the Captain's spear, which flew across the throne room and shattered into millions of shards.
The Captain attempted to retreat a few steps, but found his hooves bound to the floor, connecting to them were iron manacles, he was surprised once more, yelping. "Nay, stay back!" He cried desperately.
"I have studied its history almost all of my life." Chaos gave up old English, preferring to utilise what he already knew. "Its conquests, its struggles, the wars that it had to go through, the weapons that could incinerate entire cities in the matter of seconds with power you could barely comprehend." He conjured up a mental image, which was rather blurry and hazy of a Human being, clad in metal armour somewhat similar to the Gothic style of 15th century Germany, in its hand it carried a great sword.
The creature manifested itself into a shade and charged at the now wavering Pony Captain. Its weapon coming down, hitting the poor Pony. There was a great screech of pain, but visibly, there was no damage whatsoever.
"Tell me, what do you qualify as a predator? When you are so helpless against an attacking creature. When there is nothing you can do." Chaos was now looking down at a cowering little Pony, instead of the tall imposing Captain from before.
"Begone." The shade disintegrated into the mist once more. "Now answer mine question, young Pony." He still looked down, not a muscle moved, only the mane flowed gloriously.
"T-thou... Thou hellish demon..." The Captain managed to utter. Then, a great shriek, his magic was being siphoned, but there was something else entering him, a poison, dark magic. Then he heard the clapping of hooves.
"Thou art the second pony to be able to resist mine efforts, good. At least some resilience. Thou shalt make a fine soldier." As he spoke, the Captain's coat became darker and darker, or at least the visible parts not covered by armour.
He lifted his hoof and pushed his new thrall's head up by the chin. Staring into those now soulless eyes, his admired the creation. At that moment, those eyes began glowing, dimmer than his own but still infused with the same forbidden magic.
"Now, thy weak thoughts shalt be purged." His horn ignited and shot at the head. The formerly corruption-free Captain didn't even make an effort to clutch his head, only awaiting commands.
"And now, my reign shall begin."
Time Skip
There was a sense of dread in the air, Clover the Clever could not understand why. When they left Canterville, the weather was terrible, but the townsponies were cheerful, they had an understanding of why the Princess was leaving, to save their people.
Now, there was something inherently wrong, a melancholic atmosphere. Clover could almost hear the lament and sorrow of countless Unicorns. When returning to Canterville, he expected joy, merriment, relief and celebration. There was none of it.
Princess Platinum could feel it too, this was something beyond what she had ever experienced. Malignant magics were at work here. The Six founders arrived at the gates of Canterville, where they found nopony, only a thick mist that shrouded their legs.
To say they were worried would be an understatement. Pansy was downright terrified, Smart Cookie was feeling uneasy, Puddinghead was also quite frightened, Hurricane scanned the are for any interlopers, Platinum was worried sick about her city and Clover wasn't feeling all to happy either.
"We mustn't stray too far away from each other, stay vigilant and do not show fear. I am afraid of the truth of our situation, but we mustn't falter either." Clover reassured his fellows in an attempt to reorganise them.
For the most part, Clover's words had kept the five others in line, even the rulers could agree to follow his words.
As they walked through the city gates, they found a hollow street, devoid of life. The mist was much more prevalent here, so much so even the sky was darkened. Pansy could almost hear the word Fear being repeated. The mantra continued until all of the Ponies could hear, it was faint and distant, but was still heard.
"The palace, we must head there. Surely, we could find refuge, or information there." Platinum suggested, and the others felt obligated to agree. So, they began heading towards the castle, which was now much more imposing than before.
"I have a bad feelin' bout this." Smart Cookie inputted, to which the others agreed with nods. Hurricane was looking back towards the path they took to the castle, which was now suddenly covered by a much thicker shroud.
Clover pressed his hoof against the castle doors, which made a sickening creak and opened at a snail's pace. The room was dark and the mist seemed most prevalent here, especially on the throne. As all six entered into the main chamber, the door slammed shut, the shroud seemingly closed it.
"Within every single creature," A voice boomed into the room, everypony froze in place, all with shivers down their spine. "there is a single emotion that will always be emitted in danger. Every primal life form, every sentient life form. Nothing is safe from that emotion, which is why some choose to keep that thought at bay, mentally barring it." Clover recognised it, and regretted his actions from a whole day ago.
Shade-like Ponies stepped out of the mist, standing to attention at the side of the carpet leading up to the throne. With a burst of flame, the chandelier lit up with a white flame. Lanterns decorating the walls also burst with flame.
The mist in upon the throne dispersed, revealing the Pony behind the voice. His posture was regal, yet there was something inherently wrong about it. His body was clad in chainmail and iron plates. Draped along his back was a jet-black cape.
"Ah, so the Princess of Unicornia hast come to attend mine coronation?" The Unicorn mocked, and one of his servants stepped forth with a crown in his hoof. "How thoughtful." He grabs hold of the crown with his magic and placed it upon his head.
One of the shade-like Pony guards stepped forth. "Unfortunately, mon cher, thou hast missed it." Clover and Platinum could recognise that specific Guards pony from their height and equipment, it was the Captain.
"What hast thou done to mine Ponies, fiend?" The Princess' outburst was expected, but the others flinched anyhow. "Answer me, damn thee!" Platinum took an aggressive stance, ignoring everything regal.
"Worry not, Princess, for they are all safe under my rule. All ready for a single command." He punctuated the sentence with a chuckle. Rising up from the throne, he strutted down towards the Ponies.
"Clover the Clever, thou have evaded mine wrath once, or rather, I required more preparation. Thy comrades magic was delicious." He licked his lips. "I do wonder what the former pupil of Starswirl the Bearded has to offer." He continued his approach.
"Stand back, I shalt deal with him!" Clover exclaimed; he was worried he wouldn't be able to challenge this dangerous being. Igniting his horn and aiming for the head, he fired a small beam of magic to test the dark Unicorn.
As the beam nearly made contact with his opponent, a shield came up a second before it may contact. "Thou shalt try harder, Clover the Clever." As the dark Unicorn finished his sentence, Princess Platinum joined in the fight and fired a great blast of light magic, which was promptly blocked by the annoying shield.
The two Unicornians joined together their attacks. But no matter what they did, the dark Unicorn never faltered in his defence, only slowly approaching, as silent as the drifting of clouds.
They had their back against the entrance now, nowhere else to retreat, nothing else to do. Hurricane wanted to push forward and face the Unicorn himself, but he could feel the others holding him back. Clover and Platinum were quite exhausted, having barely any rest since the previous confrontation with the Windigos, they had used up a majority of their magical reserves.
"Usually, the confrontation would be over in mere minutes. I would fire off a blinding ray of light to daze my opponent and proceed to take their magics. But now, there is nothing to worry about. I am facing two magically exhausted Unicorns and the ensemble of magicless Ponies." The Dark Unicorn finally spoke, and stopped his advance.
"Dark magic is a disease, a malediction that corrupts minds. I have yet to find a solution to my problems. It would be wasteful to just disperse of this valuable source of power, and I ceased being wasteful as I turned to my newest form. The Unicorn continued.
"None of thee lot know of my name, dost thou? Before I came to take on the vast amount of dark magic, I had no name, I was an outlander, foreign to you all, I would've possibly called myself Peregrine. But now, I have a truer purpose. I am Chaos, nay, henceforth I shalt be known as thy lord." Dramatic pause. "Lord Chaos."
The Ponies change their stance to aggressive. Ready for action against this mad Unicorn. They see his horn ignite, and suddenly everypony begins to clutch their head. "Pins and needles, they hurt, don't they?" Chaos approached Clover, looking down at the Unicorn, continuing his monologue. "Squirm as much as thou like, I had to suffer this many times before."
Dark magic seeped out of the horn of the dark Unicorn, striking at Clover and forcing itself into the poor Unicorn's body. Clover could only plead and shriek, but his opponent only watched, how apathetic.
"Rise, Clover." Chaos commanded, and his dark magic inherited Unicorn obeyed his order. Releasing the others of the torment, Chaos watched as they looked in disbelief at their companion. Platinum was especially worried "C-Clover?" No response. "Clover?" she called out again, yet again no response. "Please, speak to me..." She approached the corrupted Clover.
"Please, Clover..." She was right in front of the Unicorn now. Clover could only watch in anguish, his mind was in turmoil, battling with the magic that had forced itself into him. On the exterior, he looked soulless, a husk of his former self.
"Advance." As soon as Clover heard this word uttered from his new master, the Unicorn moved forward, pushing his Princess out of the way, walking directly towards the door. Slowly pushing open the creaking wooden door.
The five Ponies looked outside to see a gut-wrenching sight. There were myriads of Unicorns stand in a massive gathering. They were all tainted, all looking dishevelled, lamenting, sorrow planted on their visage. They had all lost their natural coat, replaced by an ashen coat devoid of colour. Their eyes lacked any colour, not even the white of Chaos. Their cutie-marks were all black and white, and significantly more melancholic than before.
"Princess Platinum," Chaos suddenly began. "Thou wanted to know where thy Ponies were?" They were all staring at the five Ponies. "They obey me now." He trotted pass them to get a better look at his handiwork... Or is it- Not a good time.
Platinum felt defeated, even Hurricane, her hated rival joined her in lament. Staring out into the shrouded sky, and then back at Clover, who was standing by the side of the true threat. *How could a Pony be so callous, so cruel? Why has he done this? *
The Princess, and by extension, the rest of the Ponies all prayed for somepony to come and safe them from this nightmare. Something. This day was supposed to be cheerful, the beginning of something new, Equestria. But it was instead the beginning of something terrible.
Chaos heard the flapping of wings, a lot of wings. He looked up into the sky. Pegasi? What business do they have? Are they here to retrieve their precious Commander? He pondered, watching as his mist was being dispersed, and radiant light from the sun beaming through.
What he saw could only be described as angels descending from the heavens. Thousands of Pegasi were in the air, the sun directly behind them. Their dark silhouettes were shining. It was beautiful, even to the dark Unicorn.
But there were two that caught his eye, two Pegasi- No, winged Unicorns leading the charge. Wuh-wuuh-wuuuh-wha-WHAT?! chaos.exe has stopped working. Rebooting program. Chaos.exe is starting up.
On the outside, Chaos kept his emotionless visage intact, but he did not anticipate the Alicorns, the flight of the Valkyries, or rather Alicorns. The Unicorns before him set up along the walls of Canterville and its castle. Clover and the Captain began escorting the five Ponies into the dungeons.
One of the Shade Unicorns approached Chaos, "My lord, Earth ponies have been spotted heading towards our gates." He turned around and looked towards the Canterville gate.
"I want less Unicorns defending the gate, a majority of them will be fighting the Pegasi." The dark Unicorn ordered, and his subordinate saluted and left.
My reign may be cut short here. Those two are relentless, I can tell. There is very little chance I have against Alicorns, my magic has yet to reach the capacity to face two at once. Though, I could still put up a good fight. I feel like King Sombra right now, only it's a couple of centuries before that. Happy thoughts for a Unicorn that just signed his own death warrant.
Chaos snapped out of his pondering and headed towards the battlements, which was now filled to the brim with Unicorns wearing actually useful archaic armour. They would've covered their eyes, if they weren't enhanced by dark magic, allowing them to see past the sun's rays... Well it still hurts, a lot.
The dark Unicorn cleared his throat for a great speech, or something relatively short so he could blast the Pegasi out of the sky. Deep breaths, after all, these Unicorns wouldn't mind you mess up a line or two.
"Hear me, legions of Chaos. What we face next are naught but simple-minded herd creatures. Their views are narrow, and they are effortlessly startled, and their decision-making is on par with a headless cockatrice. Fear them not, for we are the predators, and they are the prey. For centuries we shall reign. For centuries we shall dominate."
"We shall not falter in our mission; we shall not break. This day Pegasi and Earth ponies all over Equestria will learn true fear. We shall teach them obedience, for they are a herd of untamed sheep. Since they are sheep, there is no reason for them to be running free in the wild."
"The sheep will understand who they should fear. Soldiers, it is time for battle, it is time for conflict, and we shall never falter!"
"HAIL TO CHAOS!" The Unicorns chanted in unison, or at least the dark magic puppet masters were.
That speech went better in my head. Chaos thought as he finished. Looking up towards the sky, the sheep were already beginning their charge. "First row, charge thy beams and pick thy targets." They did as order, awaiting next orders.
"Second row, charge lightning bolts, pick thy targets." The Pegasi were closing in, he could see the two Alicorns with them. "On mine mark, disintegrate them." Chaos charged a bolt of magic himself, simultaneously moving the mist to shroud his city walls.
He raised his hoof. "Eviscerate them."
Perspective Switch
Sudden Strike was one of the Pegasi captains leading the charge, he had been confident that the battle would be swiftly over with most of the Pegasi easily swooping in and disabling the Unicorns. However, what he did not expect was the fact that the Unicorns were not retaliating, or rather, they were waiting.
Then, he saw it, a great wall of Unicorn beams infused with vile magics. Accompanying it, was the Pegasi's greatest weakness, lightning bolts. Attempting to call off the attack, he slowed down just in time to see many of his comrades disintegrate before his eyes.
It was a tragic scene, Pegasi armour was falling at a rapid pace towards the valley beneath Canterville, whilst the ashes of the Pegasi disperse into the wind.
The Pegasi sustained great number of casualties in the first charge, suffering hundreds of losses before they inflict a single Unicorn casualty. The two Alicorns that accompanied the Pegasi army sped ahead towards the battlements, protective shield around them. They were truly like goddesses descending from the heavens.
Strike had a great/absolutely idiotic thought of chasing after them, believing victory was about to be snatched from the jaws of certain defeat. Inspired by this act, groups of Pegasi all followed Sudden Strike to the battlements, to their certain deaths.
Time Skip
Chaos knew the next scene would be akin to Pegasi charging trenches with magical machine guns. The Unicorns fired the next barrage, and that was the last mistake the Pegasi would make for a very long time. The dark Unicorn watched as Pegasi remains fall behind the Alicorns, who turned back, probably in horror and immediately turned back to their target, both firing bolts of energy.
Chaos didn't bother shielding his Unicorns, rather, he was too interested observing the Alicorns...Who were coming straight for him, of course. He noticed they were firing yet another beam of light magic directly at him, so he did the reasonable thing and leapt.
Damn it, at least I could leave a lasting effect, maybe infuse one of the Alicorns with dark magic, prematurely creating Nightmare Moon, or Daybreaker? Chaos landed back on the paved ground of Canterville, firing retaliatory bolts of dark magic.
I can indeed confirm that is the sun and moon chasing after me. The two Alicorns descended down onto the ground at lightning speed, carrying melee weapons with their telekinesis. They were donning contrasting armours, Sun alicorn with golden armour and Moon with dark blue-ish.
The dark Unicorn smirked in the face of danger, scorning the two Alicorns. He decided to summon a weapon to call his own, a halberd. "Alicorns of the Sun and Moon, how predictable." He scorned, not faltering even the slightest.
"Give up and we shalt show mercy, or we shalt not hesitate to eradicate thee." The Solar Alicorn began. "Release these poor Ponies this instant!" The Lunar Alicorn busted in.
"But I am afraid, our conversation ends now." The Alicorns and Unicorn were circling each other now. Hmph, they aren't as old just as I thought, so this is about the time they were uniting Equestria. Chaos began formulating a plan.
Mist around the combatants began creeping towards the two Alicorns, as they attempted to back away, it engulfed them completely. The Unicorn turned to mist and joined his shroud.
Perspective Switch
Celestia was on high alert, she scanned the fog, looking for the highest amount of dark magic concentration to find her assailant. She knew where Luna was in the shroud, so slowly approached her, ignoring all of the illusions the Unicorn was trying to create.
"Celestia!" She could hear Luna call out from behind her, gripping tightly in her magic was a sword and she could see apparitions leaping towards her. The two were now back to back They destroyed apparitions left right and centre, but they were only illusions.
Then, one of the apparitions manage to pounce Luna, out of sight from her sister, which prompted Celestia to yell her name. Now all of the apparitions focus on the Solar Alicorn. Nightmarish creatures appeared to form in the mist, they looked like twisted versions of Luna, wearing similar armour.
Celestia destroyed each and every one of them, but they only pleaded for mercy, and their screams were to eerily similar to Luna's. The Alicorn of the sun reminded herself that these were only illusions, not her sister.
They eventually overwhelmed the Alicorn, pinning her down with magical manacles. All of the nightmarish creatures disintegrate into mist and reform into the dark Unicorn. Celestia barely had a second to react before she felt dark magic striking at her from all directions.
The malevolent Unicorn only stood there, motionless, looking at her. Celestia wanted to scream, but found herself unable to, she wanted to yell, call for help, but her body never obeyed. Then, the apathetic Unicorn approached, raising the halberd, and bringing it down onto her.
The next thing Celestia could see was darkness, she could not hear anything, taste anything or feel anything. Then, a desperate cry of her name, over and over again. All cognitive thought returned to her.
"Celestia! How art thou feeling?" Luna was beside her, there was no mist anywhere, no sense of dread, nothing. "Luna?" She finally responded. "What hast happened?" Getting up, Celestia looked around, seeing that the Unicorns were no longer corrupted by dark magic, but by no means were they relieved.
"The dark Unicorn escaped, taking all of his magic with him." Luna quickly explained. "We fear that he hast scarred these poor Unicorns permanently, the vile fiend."
"Then we must prepare for his next actions."
Perspective Switch
Elegant, as feather in the wind. It will be centuries before the dormant magic activates itself. But for now, it wouldn't be able to be detected, neither will she remember even being given that in the first place. Galloping through the Everfree, Chaos was reflecting on his now perilous situation.
Hunt me all you want, Ponies, but I will only become stronger. In addition, the entire Unicorn population will practically be feeding me on a daily basis! He laughed; he had already won. Myriad of Ponies had already witnessed the atrocities he had committed, they feared him.
Powerful as I may be, I am yet to be a true opponent for the Alicorns. What I did earlier was pure illusionary, Celestia was very susceptible to it, but I doubt that she will fall to trickery again. Luna on the other hand was like holding back a crazed, wild starving animal. Once again, the deceiver formulated a plan.
"If I can't take a Kingdom, I will build one from the ground."
Time Skip
Princess Platinum was quite poorly. First, her own advisor betrayed her, second, her own kinsmen were corrupted by forbidden magic and third, her coat and mane were dirty. She had been tossed into her own dungeon cell, by non-other than Clover the Clever.
She couldn't understand, this day was supposed to be a celebration, and now it had been turned into a nightmare. She, along with the other rulers and subordinates were all lamenting in great sorrow.
They heard steps, all immediately huddling together in terror. What was Chaos going to do now? Take away another member of their formerly merry group? Coming into view of the rulers, was Clover the Clever, freed from his malediction.
"Is everypony okay?" Clover immediately asked, great concern in his voice. He approached the cell and unlocked it. Platinum sprang up to her hooves and charged towards the royal advisor, lightly slapping him on the muzzle and hugged him. "You had me so worried, Clover." She let go of her advisor and trotted beyond her cell.
Clover, snapping out of his daze, gave a quick glance at the princess before heading to help the others. The others were suspicious of Clover, but eventually they accepted that he was no longer corrupted by dark magic, getting up and heading back out into the Canterville city centre
Princess Platinum had to rally her Ponies. Even if the threat had been defeated, or rather it escaped. She knew that her ponies would still have mental scarring, many showing symptoms of extreme torment in the mind. Worse case scenarios were the Guards ponies, who suffered the most extreme pain and torture.
As the Princess observed her subjects scrambling to the city centre, she conversed with the two Alicorns who had saved Uniconia and its people. Though, the cost had been great. Platinum once more looked out to the assembling crowd, which was made up of freed Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth ponies.
She cleared her throat, closed her eyes, cleared her mind until she felt ready to begin. Once more, opening her eyes to see the crowd had finished gathering.
"Ponies of Unicornia, of Pegasopolis, of Earth and beyond, we are gathered here today to mourn and celebrate. For today, we have routed great evils from the lands of Equestria. This day, we shall mourn those who had fallen to the corruption of dark magic, those who had fallen to the cold magic of the Windigos, those who had to suffer infighting, loss of family members."
"But this day is not only to mourn our fallen, but it is also to celebrate our unity, the unity of all Ponykind. For far too long we have been divided, far too long we have allowed others to exploit our disunity to their own malevolent goals. We celebrate those heroes who courageously fought for our freedom, for our very right of existence."
"This is the beginning of a new age, a new epoch. We celebrate the founding of Equestria, and the end of separation. For centuries, millennia onward, we shall celebrate this day with a holiday, Hearts warming, where the Ponies of Equestria put aside their differences, their hatred, their fears!"
"Ave Equestria!"
Countless Ponies began cheering for the founding of their new nation, they watched their leaders all step forth, raising their hooves and cheering. Then, the Unicorns noticed their liege bring forth two Uni- no, winged Unicorns forth.
"As to respect our position as founders of Equestria, we have chosen the heirs to the new realm. Introducing; Celestia and Luna. They are Alicorns, Ponies who have inherited the abilities of all three tribes. After our eventual demise, they shall represent Equestria as its sovereigns."
Some Ponies were in objection to this, but most decided it was most likely for the better. They all watched as the Alicorns humbly bowed their heads, in a show of respect towards the assembled Equestrians.
The next century would be prosperous, they could tell...
But I won't make it easy for them. |
To Be Malevolent | 5 - Emergence - Scheduled For Rewrite | Time Skip - Past
Silence, the lack of even the simplest sound. A vast empty expanse of absolutely nothing, only darkness. Here, there is nothing, was nothing, and it craved to become something. To escape the void that was its prison.
Stillness, without even the slightest movement. Without the chirping of birds, without the tranquillity of the wild. Absolutely nothing, there hasn't been anything here for decades. Something wanted to leave here.
However, eventually, that almost non-existent object finally arrived, dazed, confused, scared. It was beyond frightened, it could not see anything, hear anything, feel anything, taste anything, it felt robbed of all of its amenities.
It motioned forth, only to find itself stuck, somewhere, nowhere. It tried to scream, but nothing ever came from its attempts. Nothing. It knew not the time, the place, even the simplest detail. It was secluded in a world of emptiness.
Time, or rather the lack of it passed. Still nothing, the creature attempted to huddle itself, anything. Still nothing. Nothing ever came to its pleas, or the pleas that it would've uttered. Eventually, any form of struggle halted. Still alone.
Eventually, something appeared, something to help it. No, it didn't come to help. The creature was struck with an immense pain, something beyond what it had ever experienced. Continuous pain, it never ceased, never once died down.
It would never stop. Why? He could not understand. There was only pain and sorrow he never thought possible. Still, he tried to scream, still he tried to lash out, still trying to escape. No, he had to adapt to this pain.
Eventually, he felt himself touching ground, he still heard no sound, but he could see clearly, a box in front of him. It had no unique shape, no special touch, it was merely a metal box. He tried moving forward, but found himself collapse into the dark floor beneath him.
He screeched, but this time it was heard, it echoed throughout the void. Then, answering his call were many unidentifiable creatures, which he could only distinguish by their silhouettes. They seemed infinite and were of all different proportions.
The roars of those amalgamations could be heard echoing through the void, never ceasing. He was in anguish at this point, the group was charging towards him, but he wouldn't have been able to escape. Standing there, only watching as fate came running.
They never stampeded him, no. Instead, they comforted him, and that pain ceased for the briefest moment. They didn't look distorted; they were not the monsters he thought they were. No, they only wanted to help.
Those creatures then led him to the box, pointing towards it with their appendages. A faint and distorted Help us was heard, then, it was chanted by all the creatures. Their voice wasn't distorted either, they only asked for help.
Finally, he approached the container, curious what was inside, why the creatures considered it salvation. He tapped at it, observing it, trying to find all of the intricacies, anything to open it. There was nothing, nothing at all.
His phantom pain was returning. Frustration. Immense torment. Freedom. The box crumbled to dust before him, nothing ever touched the `ground`. Where the former metal crate once stood, was a miasma of energy, it was scorching.
Those creatures that asked for assistance now swarmed towards the shroud, seemingly combining with it, all becoming one. Then, the mist expanded outwards, encompassing everything in the void, not a hint of black remained.
Dispersing, the shroud revealed a chamber with glass all around, pointing towards one point in the entire room, where the tormented creature stood. There was now light, though its origin was unknown.
"Hello?" he spoke, the voice was unusually deep compared to before, when he screeched. `Grasping` himself, he noticed his appendages, then, he looked at the mirrors in more detail. This was foreign, completely alien. This is a room in which he never fathomed to be in.
Everything was inexplicable. He pried himself for memories, finding only a few indistinct images, and voices. Then, those who answered his call came back. Their appearance would've been terrifying, something out of nightmares.
But he only watched as they amassed, materialising in the glass chamber. They did not approach as friends. Once again, they began chanting; He did it.
This act confused the tormented. He? Who was this `he`? Were they the ones responsible for bringing him to this realm, where he came from before? Unexplained queries began to manifest everywhere within his mindscape.
Then, all around, the reflections turned into `him`. Something completely foreign, a creature the likes of which he has never seen, or he had seen before. Suddenly, all of the creatures turned into mist, then forming back into one being.
A Unicorn. He instantly guessed, despite not knowing where this knowledge came from. It trotted forward, straight towards him, all of the mirrors seemingly pointed towards it, only reflecting its form.
Sound had been omitted from the chamber. There was nothing, only the Unicorn and the tormented. Still, the voiceless Unicorn continued its approach, never once slowing, never once galloping.
It was directly in front of the tormented now, examining him, another Unicorn. Blank, without any distinguishing features. The two observed each other for what must've been hours, however, there was no way to check time.
"You have suffered enough." The shade-like Unicorn spoke, its voice gentle, echoing through the void. "He, he who created you should suffer. That which locked you away for so long, that should suffer in your stead." It continued, calm, gentle, yet the anger eventually built up in its voice.
"Who am I?" The tormented Unicorn spoke, his voice was of anguish, of suffering, it was raspy. "Where am I? How long have I been trapped here?" He was crestfallen, forced to suffer for naught. Its very purpose, its very existence was unknown to it.
"You, you are nothing, yet you are many things." Cryptic, the Unicorn disliked the enigmatic nature immediately. "You think you are nowhere, but you are somewhere secluded, safe, but not for you." "You have been here for much longer than you think, years have passed since your arrival." The first Unicorn finished, sighing.
"I am nowhere? Somewhere safe and secluded? It has only felt like a few hours have passed." He was perplexed, this shade-Unicorn had to be deciphered. He hoped the answers would come in due time, when the truth of his situation would be revealed.
"You are not yet ready for the answers. You must be prepared for it; I shall guide you." Still, the calm, composed voice, it soothed his pain. All the mirrors surrounding them shattered at once, revealing behind them, a dark temperate forest.
"Then teach me what I do not understand. My thirst, nay, lust for knowledge and reason is awaiting." The two equines travelled deep into the forest, where one shall tutor the other.
Time Skip - Present
It was the silence and darkness that terrified many, the moon was at its zenith, all around, rain droplets were cradled in the Everfree's grasp. Flora shuffled in the wind, shielding fauna from the dreadful weather.
Chaos was sat down before a campfire, gazing vacantly into it, shielded from the elements with a straw canopy, unmoving. All of the world was frozen, around him. Fierce flames continued to shine, burning intensely. Around the Unicorn, light was absent, completely abandoning his presence, except the searing flames.
Still looking forward, nothing progressed. Those pure white eyes were dimming, losing their glow, pupils returning their original colour, dark brown. No motion, only observation, the visage drained of emotion.
The mane no longer flew wildly, the crown no longer emitting dark magic. The coat, once charcoal was now light grey, similar to before the total corruption. However, no malediction is forever halted, and the charcoal began to quickly slither back onto its lighter counterpart.
"Stop." The Unicorn spoke, his voice was calm, yet melancholic. "Why? Answer me." His magic took hold of the crown, and he gently placed it onto his hooves, which were now semi-covered with dark magics. "A moment of respite, if you may." Surprisingly, his accursed counterpart halted. "Answer me." The crown is placed onto the ground, right before the blazing campfire.
*Thou still persist, despite mine actions? * The thought emerged, the thought of Chaos. *Do not hold back. Let me take control once more, we both know that you cannot stop me permanently. * Then, the dark magic began creeping once again.
"It is you who persists." Contrasting magics began to combat for dominance over the body. The Unicorn, despite his focus on combating the biggest threat to him, manages to shuffle forth, gripping the crown with both hooves.
*Doth thou knoweth what hath kept me so persistent all these decades? Perseverance, tenacity. * Wisps of magic shot out of the Unicorn's form, emerging, re-emerging and re-entering the body. Constantly battling for control.
"We do not have to fight, yet you still choose to embezzle what is not yours." His voice never changed in tone, still calm, still morose. Then, a flare of anger, the crown was now scorching in the campfire.
*Nay, fetch mine crown! * Hissing, panic filled the mind, the dark magic billowed up, forming a miasma with the signature white eyes. It sped towards the metal piece of headgear, desperately attempting to rescue it.
The crown only burned, blood-curdling cries were emitted from it, the sound of countless Ponies' screams bellowed. The apparition watched in horror; its creation was destroyed before its eyes. "Nay...Nay-nay-nay, tis' unfair!" The dark mist' horn attempted to grab hold of the crystal, which was now laying before the Unicorn.
Its opponent's magic grips the crystal, levitating towards the corporeal one. "You had done nothing to deserve this!" He slams it into the muddy floor. Stomping it with full fury. "This pitiful act of mindless frightening is over." Dark magic combusts and flares out, the apparition could only watch in dismay, all of the confidence, the arrogance removed from It.
In a mere moment, the dismay had been transformed into pure unbridled anger. "THOU INSOLENT WHELP!!! PREPARE TO BURN!" Significant portions of its power were removed, but those that were retained, it used to the fullest.
Beams of dark magic sped towards the Unicorn, screeching as it almost made contact. Those beams were halted completely by a quick shield spell, immediately dispelled after fulfilling its intended purpose.
The apparition casts one of its infamous blinding spells, temporarily dazing his opponent. Its miasma floating forward, completely unrestrained, once again striking at the Unicorn's body. Its adversary hissing upon contact.
With his hissing concluded, the Unicorn proceeded to levitate one of the burning logs of the Sampfire, swatting at the fog of dark magic, retreating as it approached. Neither combatant had any thoughts other than survival at this point, and they were prepared to destroy each other once more.
In that moment, the sound of trotting. Both halted in total silence, scanning their surroundings. The clash of armour plates and rain drops reverberated. Equestrian Guards, no doubt they had noticed my counterpart's yelling.
*Damn it, if that fool hadn't destroyed mine artefact! * The pair now glared at each other with loathing, contemplating their options. Both deciding on a mad dash away from the Equestrian patrol.
As the two scurried off in opposite directions, both were halted by an invisible force, completely stopping the two from escaping. The apparition felt its incorporeal form re-entering the Unicorn's mind, the last glimpse of the world being of the night sky and its constellations.
*W-what? NAY! We're bound! * Unfortunately for the apparition, it failed to comprehend the reality of the dark magic ritual it had committed so long ago. *Aye, I must re-instate my dominance over this body. * It mentally sighed.
The Unicorn felt a great surge of energy, the form he despised out of all. But it was necessary for his escape. Ignoring the return of his loathed counterpart, the Unicorn turned to mist, steaming forward at his prime speed.
The Equestrian Guards ponies are barely granted a moment to react as a miasma races pass them, leaving behind a trail of smoke, not to be seen for an extended period of time.
Time Skip - Past
"To master the magical drain, you mustn't hesitate." The Shade-Unicorn began, staring down at his apprentice. "Showing weakness will be your downfall, is that understood?" He had a hoof on top of the tormented Unicorn, pinning them down.
"But I had done as you demonstrated! What more is th-" Before he could finish his sentence, a hoof was violently struck on his muzzle. "What do you wish of me?" A defeated sigh escaped, and he waited, yet reply was given. "You still do not answer me, Mentor."
"The strong does not answer to the weak. A valuable lesson, when I was whole." The Unicorn mentor looked up towards the sky, specifically at the magical boundaries that separated his world from that beyond.
"You imply that tis' only a fraction of your power?" The apprentice gulped, prompting yet another strike, this time he was not as merciful. "Mercy! For goodness sake!"
"What did I just say?" Finally letting go of the pitiful stallion beneath him, a hoof on his face, the mentor shook his head in disappointment. "Let us get back to magical drain, before trailing off completely."
Rising up from the dirt, the apprentice nodded, eyes locked onto yet another shade, a thrall of the mentor, his guinea-pig-pony. I can do this; I can do this... His mind repeated the mantra, attempting to reassure himself of the casting.
Unfortunately, the mentor wasn't a very merciful pony. His shade-spawns were extremely hostile when given the command to retaliate. In fact, one might say he found amusement in seeing the apprentice being beaten and moulded into his image of a powerful Pony.
Once again, like so many attempts preceding, the Unicorn was utterly crushed, writhing in pain on the floor. He may have experienced pain like no other before, but this was something special. It was actually melting him, only his mentor's magic would halt the effects of the poison.
This would become more than a regular occurrence. But the mentor had no pity, what he saw was only progress, only improving results. Examining every intricate detail of every failure. He knew that the apprentice would dare not to think of betraying, for he was the only key to the knowledge the tormented Unicorn desired.
"You had failed me once again, how predictable. This will be enough combat training for one day." Still, despite his complete disregard for the Unicorn under his tutelage, there was a great amount of respect for the young one. It seemed as if the young stallion would never cease, only wanting to continue, through what? His sheer tenacity.
The two seldom rested, in between the rigorous combat drillings, the older and wiser would teach the younger certain historical details, which seemed to spark his memory and certain details, including newer details would come.
The more revealed to the young Unicorn, the less comfortable he felt, and the more paranoid. But that mattered not, for now, the answers were still far from his reach.
Time Skip - Present
Those dark brown eyes were locked on the apparition, no movement was made. This tactic preferred to the Unicorn, to make his opponents uneasy, to not display emotion. By now, he had become a master. However, today, it was different.
"Yesterday, it was my anniversary." Punctuating it with a sigh, he looked down at his hooves. "It was also our anniversary." This was an assumption, a correct assumption. It had been decades since the apparition had begun its torment.
"Yesterday, I was to cease. But yet I live in my prime, just as when I first arrived." The Unicorn began prodding himself. "Is this a damnable property of your magic?" He growled, once again, letting his emotions take over. "I don't even fear death anymore."
"If thou hadn't destroyed mine crown jewel...Yes, tis' a property of mine magic." The mist encircled its former body. "Decades prior, I had realised mine true goal, mine purpose." It began its monologue.
"My world had been shattered, when I believe I had been transported. But I hadn't been displaced into any world, nay, I had been re-created. Reborn, reincarnated. You are only the vessel of which I was to force my will upon. But you have more of my memory than I do, but that...Those aren't my memories, those are yours."
Time Skip - Past
"It has been long since your arrival, young one." The mentor and his apprentice were trotting down the long path of their temperate forest. "I had promised so much to you. For your first answer, you are in my...His...Their mind. This world, as you may have guessed, is not real." The younger Unicorn had his full attention on the elder.
"I have merely manipulated it to our benefit. This part of the mind is completely secluded from the rest, it is locked. Do you remember that metal box? It was the literal interpretation for where we are trapped. To destroy it, is to set us free."
"It disintegrated before my very being, or was that only a representation? My memories feel less and less validated by the day. I can already feel the paranoia creeping onto me."
"Those memories you have retained, they are not yours, but rather his. You and me, we are alike, we have been created here. Banish those false thoughts, for they are not yours. We have created you as our champion. And he, he who had originally trapped us away, he who had tormented you since inception, he shall suffer the worst."
"But...You mean to say...I was never who I thought I was? All of my memories are false? We are mere mental constructs, created to toil in anguish? I see what you had meant, when you told me I was unready. Now, I am ready for all truths, due to you."
"All of the hardships I had put you through, yes. It was for the penultimate truth, that you, we, have been fighting him, the damned jailor of my brethren.
"Then what do you represent? What do we represent? Intruders? Locked permanently away in our very own dungeon. Trapped forevermore. If I could not best you, then what chance do I have against this mental prison?"
"You have unprecedented amount of natural power, raw and untamed, it seemed as if you are a manifestation of all the locked away thoughts and emotions of him. But with only this, you were unprepared, untrained, young. We had to teach you, now, it is time." The mentor finishes, both now at the boundary of the temperate forest.
The elder places a hoof on the boundary, instantaneously transporting them to the void, the pitch black nowhere that the younger originated from. This time, the other shades were everywhere. A horde of indistinguishable creatures.
The apprentice had realised that his comrade had abandoned his side, and the shades began surrounding him. All consecutively igniting their magic and discharging above the Unicorn, a burst of shining light illuminated the entire void.
All came crashing down onto the tormented Unicorn, magic piercing him from all directions, in addition, a blinding light that negated vision. To describe such an experience, is like tossing one's very own soul into a grinder, which also contained a myriad of many other spirits, abominations, et cetera.
Pain, a sense of warm, such as on a summer beach, cold, such as being encased in permafrost, all the sensations burned into him. This was something truly indescribable. That pain returned, that phantom pain from so long ago.
With that, the ritual ended. The luminescent glow disappeared. Those silhouettes and indistinguishable creatures all ceased to exist. There was only the pain, and, a thought emerged from the Unicorn's mind.
Freedom. Freedom. Freedom.
The mantra continued, and he felt himself instinctively look up towards the sunless boundaries of the mind. If it is freedom you desire, then it is freedom I shall grant.
His horn ignited, shooting straight up into the boundary. The void began to collapse around him, smoke seeped in. Amalgamations of the mind, of him, they had to be terminated. With a quick jerk of the head, the great beam of magic sliced through all approaching assailants.
As those creatures disintegrated, the Unicorn looked down at his hooves, firing yet another spell, this time to propel him beyond the boundary, into the new escape route he had created. This moment, he took in the aroma of the beyond.
Behind, the `metal box` shattered into a million pieces, combusting and shooting in all directions. They had done it, they had escaped, finally. My first taste of freedom has yet to come. There shall be justice, and I shall deliver it!
The mindscape beyond, it was...Honestly, it was disorderly, chaotic. His mental prison was actually more inviting than...This. But it did not matter, he couldn't care less for his tormenter. Now, I shall destroy all of it, escape from the mind, and assume total control!
Finishing his pondering with laughter, he looked around the hell-mindscape in wonder and disgust. There had to be somewhere to escape, or even better, take over. There was decades of torture and torment awaiting his torturer.
Time Skip - Past
The now freed Unicorn had been wandering around the mindscape for what felt like hours. Despite it being in absolute disrepair and disorder, he felt comfortable traversing this world, it was as if all mental bridges bent to his will.
This, he realised was the true purpose of his cage, that the mind was terrified of those which it had locked away, it was a slave to those emotions. Nothing attempted to retaliate against his intrusion. As a matter of fact, they guided him to his destination, obedient.
The mind is a truly wonderful place. Everywhere, everything was the culmination of pure imagination. Some of the inventive landmarks and structures were even constructed to his liking. Well, it failed to surprise. After all, according to his mentor, he and him shared memories.
Only, one was vindictive and bitter, and the other was benevolent, or at least as benevolent as he could be and somewhat of a show-off. This wasn't exactly the most pleasant thought to the tormented.
Eventually, he realised that the colossal spire at the centre was the path out and face-hoofed, completely and utterly disappointed with his own lack of common sense. He approached a bridge towards the tower, which had been floating on an island anchored by great chains.
Those who guarded the tower bowed before him, not a single acted against him. Scaling the tower would've been tedious, had he not been taught his mist-form, disintegrating and re-materializing into this convenient gaseous miasma.
Arriving at the final floor, he was awestruck. It was an imitation of the stairway to...Not exactly what he'd call heaven. Turning around to face the disorderly world behind him, he examined all of the unfathomable details, becoming more relieved to escape the mind.
He strode up the stairs, grinning like no other, his escape was less-than palpable. There weren't any obstacles in his path. Exuberant wouldn't have described him at this moment, the illumination, it was blinding.
Time Skip - Past
Dirt, the taste of dirt. Blood and oxygen, the smell, it relieved him. A tingling sensation came from his muzzle, nothing too serious, compared to what he felt before. However, what intrigued him the most, it was conversation, or rather, all around, it was bustling with activity.
He had made it, he had escaped. Finally, he had control. The light, he remembered striking it with mist-formed tendrils, along with other shades. Something was wrong, he felt his limbs were restricted by something, it felt like rope.
Then, a slap to the muzzle, his eyes flared open. Before him, another Pony, this one lacked a distinguishing feature, the horn. It had reared back in surprise. Mumbling incomprehensibly, and then motioning to his, what were presumed to be comrades.
"Wh-?" The first word spoken in reality; it would've formed `what` if he had not immediately been assaulted. In retaliation, his horn ignited and casted a blinding spell. His telekinesis, combined with strength tore his bindings apart.
Standing up, he was greeted with a rag-tag army of Ponies, all wearing varying degrees of armour, seeming originating from eleventh century Europe. Most seemed to prefer the padded gambesons and mail hauberks. Most wore the nasal helm, similar to Normans.
"Norman Ponies, this is a reality I never thought I would wake up in, I must've gone bonkers." He said aloud, adding a chuckle at the end. Those Ponies didn't take too kindly to his comment, and charged towards him.
"Then again, I had to deal with abominations that of which none of you could fathom." He took a wild guess at these Ponies' imagination, later finding out that Ponies could be scared by virtually anything, firing off precise light magical beams at each of them, only to find that their armour actually protected them quite well.
They closed in quick, so he quickly switched tactics, using telekinesis to its fullest. Ponies were lifted into the air and crashed into each other, this was amusing to him, self-defence quickly became slaughter.
Those Ponies weren't just randomly tossed about, they were deliberately thrown at their comrades' weapons, or their own. Ensuring that none of them would survive, magical beams, this time charged up, tore straight through the heaviest of armour, thought it was quite magically exhausting.
As he finished with the grunts of the Ponies, a massive hornless one approached him. Massive compared to the smaller Ponies of course. He was about the same size as the tormented Unicorn. Wielding a devastating mace and clad in the finest armour of the camp.
"Oi, stop murdering my men! I'll be the one gutting you today, Unicorn!" Truly an inspiring Pony. He barely got the attention of the Unicorn, and lunged forth to crush the damned charcoal demon.
The Unicorn merely created a shield, which was shattered in a single hit with the mace, to his surprise. But unfortunately for the Earth Pony, his opponent constantly stepped backwards, keeping a distance and blasting him with magic. It was not a very pleasant experience, but nopony becomes the Chief if they are weak.
Then, a grand idea for the Unicorn, he dashed pass the large Pony, finding the biggest and sharpest pike of the camp, ready to impale the substantially annoying problem. Vlad the Impaler, Pony form.
He had waited for the Chief to lumber over, lacing the pike with deadly magics, and then the enduring Pony threw the mace directly at him, at that moment, the pike soared through the air, piercing straight through the big Pony, killing him instantly.
The mace smashed the Unicorn, breaking multiple bones, damaging the skin, veins and causing him to collapse in minor annoyance. He has persevered through hell and in no world was he dying here. Immediately, he began to mend the broken body parts, at the same time, planting the pike now impaling the pony Chief upright, so all the camp can witness.
He limped into the nearby forest, which suspiciously resembled the one which he had trained in. Finding a tree, he laid down and rested, blood smeared all over his body. He closed his eyes, and felt he was being dragged away. He wasn't being dragged by anything.
Then, unconsciousness. Control was slipping from him. It felt like...No, it was nothing he'd ever feel before. The owner of this body was taking control once more.
Time Skip - Present
"Thou hadst created me, mine comrades. I had decided to guide thee, for that is the greatest method of torture thou could suffer. When thy body is masqueraded around, committing heinous misdeeds. Now all of Equestria despises thee, and the only one who can help thee, is me."
"You have been murdering and tormenting countless Ponies, and tormenting me for the majority of my life just to spite me, Have you no mercy?"
"I have only destroyed those deserving, tormenting the others. We art two halves of one person, art we not? These are misdeeds that thou would've committed, or considered, hadst thou not locked away mine brethren. Impulses thou had always felt, but chose to lock away entirely."
The two hadn't moved an inch since the start of their conversation. They were in a cave, located outside of the Everfree forest, for it had recently been claimed as the grounds for a new Castle, the Everfree Castle.
Debating, arguing and general boredom dominated the cave. The Unicorn had used a majority of its power restraining his emotions, quite literally and stopping it from harming anypony. Unfortunately, it seemed to overpower him on occasion, and take control briefly, feeding on its favourite emotion, and regathering its magic.
With the destruction of the crown and its jewel, the vast deposit of dark energy had flooded the entire world. The apparition had attempted to recreate the crown, unfortunately, after rigorous researching, it had found that the crystal used to contain so much energy was exceedingly rare, in fact, to find one required luck beyond understanding.
Eventually, Chaos shall return, renewed in strength and magical potential. But as of now, one must play the waiting game, and watch as the world grows. Where shall he wait? A question the Unicorn always pondered, after all, his public image had already been shattered by the one whom desired vengeance beyond all else. He was a towering Unicorn pony, and his coat was unique in Pony standards, so it wouldn't be easy to disguise one's self.
"Return to me, and we shall hide near the south of the Everfree, I believe I remember another cave there, nearby the river. You can do your petty vengeance, torment me, I do not...Cannot mind. But remember, we mustn't reveal ourselves completely, I rather liked being immortal." The Unicorn turned, trotting out of the cave towards the stormy Everfree, rain blocking the skies.
"As you wish." |
To Be Malevolent | 6 - Weaknesses | There was only the sound of hooves beating against the muddy floor of the Everfree. Unusually silent, this wasn't a good sign, there were definitely predators around. It is almost baffling why the Princesses would inhabit such hostile territory. However, they most likely had their own justifiable reason for their own balderdash.
Of course, the matter was trivial. The Unicorn had only one goal in mind; head south. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the apparition was silent. Not a sound came from the dastardly spirit. Every query was dashed. Not even the usual painfully brutal tactics of the spirit were utilised. Not a thought appeared, not one intercepted.
This was making him uneasy, paranoid, constantly pondering what the apparition could be planning. Thankfully, his thoughts and his counterpart's connection to them were severed on most occasions. Having regained control of most parts of his body, there was little that his foe could do other than attempt to feebly claw away at the renewed internal security of his mind, it had practically become a fortress.
The trotting was not of confidence, it was cautious. Equestrian Guards were known to be ruthless, their new doctrine of seek and destroy was not by any means merciful, Celestia has trained them well. Their stronghold was located near to the centre of the dreadful forest, Pegasi were scattered all over, constantly monitoring the perimeter.
Alas, it was not the Equestrians that were the apex predators of the forest. No, far from it. They were terrified of the true beasts that resided here. Chimeras, Manticores, Hydras, Serpents, the Cockatrice. There was no escape from these horrid abominations.
The roars were easily able to bring harrow to all Ponies, to the point of submission. But what was truly terrifying was the silence. They watched in the dark, surveying the road. Eerie screeches bellowing out of the trees.
By now, there were almost no number of creatures that could terrify the Unicorn. He often remarked that these creatures were trivial in the grand scheme of things, in fact, he enjoyed hunting them. A great source of digestible meat for the omnivorous Unicorn. Of course, Chimeras were the most appetizing, offering a variety of different exotic meals, Griffons would love to dine on these beasts. This gave him a mischievous grin. Chimera Diner, come to the Everfree for your taste of exotic Tiger-Goat-Snake thing.
Fish. Fish was still the greatest source of food. Rice isn't an Equestrian specialty unfortunately, which destroys the prospect of noodles. This pondering was completely distracting. The Unicorn wasn't paying his surroundings even the slightest attention. Now was the time to strike.
Acting on instinct, the Unicorn felt his body once again being taken over, the apparition jumps backwards, avoiding a death sentence from none other than a Hydra. Towering and menacing, the beast looks down at its prey, all heads lurching forwards to tear him apart.
Wuh-? Yo- Before he could even finish his thoughts, they were all cut away by a brief mental sting from the incorporeal Chaos. "I am trying to save us both." He answers in honest, not many reasons to lie here.
Releasing a torrent of dark magic, each aiming at a head, the apparition-controlled Unicorn follows up with a dash towards the gargantuan Hydra. Unfortunately, one of the heads quickly swipes down and slams into the Pony, making him skid across the muddy floor and ending with an `oomph`.
The other heads of the Hydra were not so lucky, having felt a sensation magnitude beyond what they have experienced. It staggered, all heads except one writhing in agony. The body itself was rearing backwards. Roars were being blasted like foghorns.
"Urrghh... Worry not... Swift justice awaits." Punctuating his sentence with a hiss, once more firing off dark magic. Precision is key. Those bolts made contact with the necks this time. Manacles appeared on them, chains connecting to each individual head. They wouldn't be shackled for eternity; the Unicorn was reassured. This was only temporary.
Unfortunately, the Hydra then began a wild charge forward. Its body was...Say...10 times as large, slamming the Unicorn, who was one of the tallest of the entire species. The next moments were filled with gasps, panting and pained groans.
With a mighty thud, once more, the Unicorn's form was slammed onto the cold muddy floor. Bones were audibly shattered, some even protruded out. Skin was ripped and bellowing blood. The body hasn't been this badly damaged in almost an entire century. In fact, the pain could be felt from both sides of the body, one just felt the blunt of it.
Instead of screeching, what followed was a grunt. Coughing. Dark magic began mending the broken body. This process had to be quickened, the Hydra was fast approaching. Then, an idea. Most ideas from the apparition were not usually involving desperate methods of fighting... At this instant, magic swirled around the surroundings, finding the biggest tree there was and snatching it.
The many heads of the Hydra, which were still bound all looked in shock as the massive unrooted tree flew directly at them. It wasn't a pleasant experience for the oversized lizard. Dazed and still in unprecedented amount of agonising pain, the Hydra was distracted.
This was the opportunity to escape, no more wasting magic. By now, the magic that had been used to mend had worn off, the skin was still severely ripped, but it no longer secreted blood and the bones had been fully repaired, albeit pain was still present.
With a quick dash, the apparition-controlled Unicorn began his escape. This will not be the end. A thought that frequented his mind, everlasting in situations such as this. Be it facing dozens of well-trained Equestrian Unicorns, great wild beasts, close encounters with the Princesses themselves. Of course, he never spoke it aloud.
Once at a safe distance, the apparition released control of the Unicorn, completely magically, mentally and physically exhausted. These feats of magic may have been simple, but keeping in control of the body was still draining.
He once more regained control of his body, this time, not through force. The control was given by the apparition. *We hath to recover once more. * These were the only thoughts relayed to the Unicorn.
Time Skip
Droplets of water, constantly hailing from the heavens. They brought with them a symphony that the Unicorn cherished. No constant combat, struggle for life or death, no escape from armour-clad Guards. Not even the difficulties of dealing with an evil counterpart. All, for a long time was well. There he trots, nearby the very same river that a century ago, he had learned telekinesis magic. It was quiet, not even the constant infuriating noise of the apparition. Though, the two sides of one body had their relationship smoothen after constant infighting, sometimes quite literally.
Fortunately, the Unicorn's plans were safe, not having been jeopardised by his sometimes horrifyingly similar counterpart, thought the close encounter with certain death was unnerving. He realised he shouldn't have been so surprised, they are almost the exact same individual, just with more extremes in belief and principle, ideology and doctrine. They bickered like siblings, one only wished for a simple existence whilst being immortal and almighty in the process, the other only wished to feed on magic and torment that which he saw fit, having inherited the darkest desires and immoral wishes.
"Doth-" Cough "Nay, no. Is your memory intact enough to remember that novella, The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde?" His memories of the novella were...Not exactly the fondest, but he found it intriguing. A story of which the good Doctor acted out his greatest and foulest desires through the terrible Hyde. This, along with the very real Jack the Ripper fascinated him. Though, the novella and event were not the most interesting things he had ever known. There were other books, no doubt none of them exist here in Equestria.
"Calais?" The Unicorn spoke with a chuckle.
This stirred the apparition instantly, a nickname for the name it had chosen. "What?! Oh-uh-we-Apologies." Not popular with the spirits. "Tis' Chaos, not Calais, that shalt be removed from thine vocabulary." It removed itself from the Unicorn once more, levitating next to him. "We hast heard of this novella, yes. Thou intend to compare us to it? Vast amounts of rain water began bombarding the Everfree.
"You read my...Thou already read my mind...Occasionally...This old English speech is getting to me. Stop converting me." Punctuating his words with an annoyed groan, dragging it out for as long as possible, the opposite effect occurred, his counterpart only found it amusing, and clapped his miasma-like hooves together. "Also, why are you so much more talkative?" Curiosity.
"Heh. We find the simplest things funny. Thou will be converted, indoctrinated into the olden English! Fear my might!" Evil-No, laughter followed, though, both of their laughter almost always sounded malevolent, it seemed to be a natural trait.
"For thy latter query, we speak more because we hath recovered enough. No longer art we in a terrible mood." The reception to this was hooves wrapping around the cloud, hugging. Surprised by this action, the dust cloud of damnation materialised itself into a shade-pony temporarily, this was extremely draining on the magic department, but he did not care.
"I forgive you," The Unicorn looked to his counterpart who was unsurprisingly stunned. "I deeply apologise for all the wrong-doings I have committed against you during your creation. I had never realised my very own emotions could revolt against me." This was followed by tightening the hug. "Put the past behind, purge it, it matters little."
"Uh-I...We-I uh." Forgiving? All that torment, that century... "But...We..." No. He's right, the bitter hatred has only brought them ruin. In this brief moment of respite, he could feel the phantom pain receding. "But...Why do you forgive us? After all we hath done, very few debts have been paid." He felt there was slightly more to this.
"You. Thou are the reason why we still persist, are you not? I realised that I would have never attained such powers without you. In addition, you have saved my existence from being cut short by an oversized lizard. Immortality. Power. I- I realise that this is something I have always desired. One who shares in my ideals, in my image. Well...I am starting to sound like you, me, both of us." He released the poor ghostly stunned dark shade-like Unicorn.
"You were born of my blood, my flesh, my very thoughts, technically, you could be classified as my son. But...I'd rather keep us as...Siblings. Don't think about it too much." The Unicorn could think of a myriad of great scenarios where that could be turned into a movie reference.
"We...No, I agree with you." Dropping the archaic, the apparition and Unicorn continued their stroll next to the river. "It has been a whole century, even I couldn't keep that bitter. I have found that...Speaking to you has been enjoyable. You mostly aren't at fault for my suffering in the mind." The creation has full sentience, what Humanity fears the most. It is not machine, it is man-uh-pony.
Clouds began to part, revealing the radiant sun at its peak. The two Unicorns revelled in its shine, though, it was awfully scorching day. Still, it beat the cold, completely dark nights, where merely looking around was a chore. Not even Dark Magic users are resistant to the elements of nature. Dark magic users have dwindled since the founding of Equestria, the Royal Guard had become efficient in hunting down these foes.
Necromancers and their minions have been felled. Vamponies even. Mostly brigands, though these worthless bandits had crumbled in power since the destruction of their first by the hands of the apparition. Ironic, this makes hiding from the Guards ponies more difficult. Its almost impressive how peaceful Equestria is depicted in the show, perhaps all of these pitiful annoyances had been destroyed long ago. Its honestly quite worrying, Celestia could be a ruthless slaughtering machine at times. Well, the Unicorn(s) couldn't really speak much, their crimes were already on par with some of the most brutal. Though, all of the time, they remained as non-lethal as they could on innocents.
Thought such as this frequented the century old Unicorn, paranoia wasn't a big factor, he knew eventually that the Guards will catch onto his antics. Then, he realised that both he and his comrade/archnemesis were silent, the only sounds came from breathing and the contact of hooves on the forest floor.
It was rare quiet moments like this, where the vivid scenery with the added aroma that calmed the two. Not even the ever-present mental pain was bothering the apparition. Ironically, they were in harmony, no fighting here. Though, the tranquillity would be shattered into millions of unidentifiable pieces in mere moments.
Suddenly, dozens of Equestrian Unicorn and Pegasi Guards appeared to encircle the pair, having caught them off-guard during their brief moment of observing scenery. This time, unlike the prior attempts to capture the dark Unicorn, they were armed to the hoof, having tracked them down for many days.
This time, it wasn't a patrol or small gathering of Guards, this time it was almost a platoon's worth of Guards. Their armour shone in sunlight, glorious golden and most likely useless armour. Fortunately, that was only the decorative part, under all of that gold was proper mail and padding. Gold seemed to be a resource in abundance, they had the metal everywhere. Equestria really was a paradise.
The Guards closed in, Unicorns casting an anti-teleportation bubble around the entire area, in addition, casting shields before themselves. As a taste of irony, the blinding spell was also casted in the direction of the dark Unicorns.
The blinding wasn't effective against an opponent whose eyes were luminescent. Acting quickly, the apparition took control of his Unicorn companion, charging a huge amount of dark magic into his left hoof, slamming it into the cold, damp muddy floor. A ripple followed suit, a collective gasp, some Unicorn Guards collapsed onto the ground, others only dazed and unsteady.
The Pegasi saw no more reason to wait, charging in all at once, spears in hoof pointing directly at their target. A shield was swiftly raised and stopped them dead in their tracks. The Dark Unicorn wasn't escaping without at least a scratch, the Guard Unicorns recomposed themselves and fired off beam after beam of magic, scorching the area surrounding the retreating Unicorn.
Almost at an instant, the Dark Unicorn halted and turned at speed, mist billowed from seemingly nowhere, striking at the pursuers. The shroud had overtaken the entire area as soon as the Pegasi had catched up. Laughter, pure arrogant laughter exploded from the miasma. Despite all the preparation, mental training against mist-terrors and shade ponies, the Guards could not withstand the sharp pain that came with the mist. Many broke down crying as the pain wouldn't cease.
Let them go, do not break my trust, Chaos. The Unicorn had genuine worry in its mentally conjured voice as he scanned the area, looking at those poor souls on the ground. As the conjurer of the mist, or rather the host of the body, he could see perfectly through it, like transparent glass. I said let them go.
*I am sorry, I am obligated to take their magic, I... I believe I have become addicted to this damned power; I can't go without it...I need more...It soothes the pain I feel...* The magic siphoning had begun, those who had felt the sharp pain before yelped and writhed. The two sides of one body had approached what seemed to be the leading Guard, one in the most well decorated armour.
"F-Fiend..." He screeched; fiend seemed to be a favourite amongst Equestrians. In addition, this Guard could see past the shades. He had been trained well, the pain was too much to bear, though. "Thou s-shalt not succeed...Gurrghh..." This was highly amusing to the apparition, despite his brief speech about siphoning magic, he still very much enjoyed the Ponies' suffering, it gratified him.
The Unicorn placed a hoof on his downed opponent, personally ensuring the magic was taken away. Without the crown, converting regular Unicorn magic into dark magic was difficult and exhausting. Then, the most predictable action occurred; the Pony threw a punch at his assailer. The punch was surprisingly hard, enhanced by magic and the studded metal horse shoe. The blow landed directly onto the dark pony's muzzle, upon contact, there was a small combustion.
For that moment, the Unicorn was distracted and slightly pained, then, a flurry of blows from the hooves of the Guard leader. Brute force was unsurprisingly effective, this, combined with the exhaustion faced from using such vast amount of dark magic caused the dark pony to stagger backwards, the mist almost immediately dispersed.
"Beaten by a guard...Ugh..." The fatigue forced him to collapse, now surrounded by aggravated Guards. The Pegasi swooped down and grabbed all four of his hooves. The group leader was now in front of him, taking out an experimental anti-magic ring and firmly placing it onto the horn. This was embarrassing. The crown meant everything, and without the precious artefact, it was so easy to become magically exhausted with the sheer calibre of dark magic utilised.
Perhaps it is well deserved, but as soon as he was incapacitated, the Unicorns punched him into oblivion, kicking the Unicorn's form and battering the battle armour worn. This pain meant nothing, he was used to it, but his body wasn't, the primary host wasn't. At that point, the body shut down, all went black.
Time Skip
The vast expanse. This disorderly realm in the mind scape. It was truly baffling how fast one's own world could crumble so fast. The sky was falling down, quite literally. As the world cascaded around, Chaos could only wonder where its architect was located. Perhaps, at the spire? The apparition, and by extension the Unicorn's mind always loved towering structures, they bring menace and authority. A particular taste of grace and grandeur. Through all of the pondering, the world still collapsed around him, it was becoming a blank canvas, only the spire remained.
Breaking into gallop, the apparition only had one thing on his mind, find the one willing to forgive. Scaling the tower would be the most challenging and tedious task. But it seemed to stretch on for eternity, every floor was an exact replica of the previous, only higher. This was going to take a while.
Time Skip
The armour screeched along the cobbled paths of the Everfree Castle. The Dark Unicorn was dragged on the floor, escorted by a cohort of Guards ponies. This was their greatest catch yet, having evaded them for an entire century. Unfathomable for those who only live to their fifth decade maximum. Medication hasn't advanced very far since the days of Unicornia.
At the gates, Princess Celestia herself stood at watched the captured pony with anger, the `Lord` of fear, what a ridiculous title. He deserved severe punishment, beyond hanging, drawing and quartering. Since he was immortal, he will suffer a century of agonising torture to repent for his century of tormenting.
'He shall break' Celestia was sure of it, the world had to be rid of this foul magic and all of its bearers. "Send him to the dungeon, the deepest cell." A mischievous grin appeared on her face, in addition, chuckling with a great hint of malevolence. "When we art done, we shalt hath peace."
Moments later, the unconscious Unicorn had shackles restraining all four of his hooves, chains attached to his armour pieces holding him in place. Speaking of armour, the equipment seemed to be bound magically by the user, and it was tough. This was a century of metallurgy practice at work. One wonders how many variants of armour Chaos had to go through until he created the latest variant.
The Unicorn himself appeared to still be unconscious, immediately they attempted methods to wake him. First came a bucket of freezing water, it wasn't particularly effective. Then, noise, prodding, shaking, anything. He just didn't wake up. They knew that the pony hadn't been killed, his breathing was still regular.
At this moment, life seemed to stir, the Unicorn grunted, immediately alerting the Guards to his awakening.
Perspective Switch
It was at this instant, that the world, the spire, everything collapsed. Then, sounds of the outside, of familiarity, the clashing of armour plates. He had failed to reach the host; the tower had never ceased to grow. Now, a blurry haze clouded his vision, barely even being able to see forward. There were guards clad in gold, they were the easiest to distinguish. Magic failed to work, no matter how hard he tried.
Then, a Unicorn in the centre, no, Alicorn. Damn it. This was it; this is where he will be deleted from existence, he thought. Moving his hooves around, he noticed they were bound by cold hard steel. He had nothing to say to them. Merely smirking. Even as they brought out devices clearly meant for torture; he did nothing other than smile. No, he wasn't a masochist, he despised feeling the extreme version of migraine every single second of his existence. But his mentor had told him never to falter, at least he could honour the now captive spirit.
Most of the torture devices match the description of torture. Well, mostly just cause you extreme agony. This is already making him miss the moments of tranquillity, though, this was destined to happen due to his escapade a century ago, so no arguments can be made.
Everything was clear, an enclosed damp cell, chains all around, guards clad in gold, the Sun Alicorn before him. After he had gained full awareness of his surroundings, the Alicorn discharged multiple spells, aiming for the hooves. They made contact, causing the Unicorn to kneel. He could feel the magic coursing through the appendages, but he chuckled.
The Solar Princess was displeased, raising a hoof and battering the Unicorn's muzzle. He merely looked back, not a hint of bother in his eyes. "All of these mundane methods of torture, thou insult me, Princess." In truth, he was in fact worried, not for himself but for the host. But he taunted the Princess anyway.
"Silence! Thou dare to speak?! Thou shalt serve thine punishment for thy actions against mine Ponies!" Celestia exploded, she was beyond infuriated. Mercilessly ripping a blade from her guard and piercing it deep into the taunting Unicorn. She had expected a loud yelp, screech, shriek, anything.
Instead, what the Princess received was a chuckle. As she withdrew the blade, there lacked a red stain, no blood gushed out of the supposed wound. She saw that it had become mist. Hissing, she raised a hoof, attempting to strike the Pony of damnation. He avoided it, despite almost being completely chained.
"Thou may believe thyself to be so powerful. But we know thou art weak, we can sense it, the loss of black magic." Celestia held the Pony in place with telekinesis, following it was a chain of lightning, scorching the pony. She knew he was resistant enough to survive mere lightning. After all, she had been lucky with this Pony, having been in combat minutes before her guard decided to strike.
"We hath waited long for this." Chuckling in malign, Celestia continued the electric shock, but soon noticed it was not giving the intended effects. The Unicorn before her merely gritted his teeth and took in all of the lightning, despite all of the pain coursing through his innards.
"What?" This is all Celestia could muster at that moment, the damned Pony was actually smirking! A hiss escaped him, left eye twitching, hooves incapable of movement. "Thou art a Unicorn, we art correct in that assessment, yes?" Usually, by now the tortured would've broken down, the intense pain would be unbearable.
"Alicorn, Cruelestia, I-I may not -hurk- have thine durability, but my will carries on. You can't break me." He laughed, followed by madly coughing, which was promptly followed by chuckling. The Alicorn stopped her lethal method of torture, watching as her victim completely fall. The body was in too much agony to function. "Mend me, and w-we can-" He coughed "continue tomorrow..." Then, once more darkness, why couldn't it be something different?
"Cruelestia? What th-" It took the Sun Alicorn a whole second to process. That was the last thing he heard before drifting off to unconsciousness.
Time Skip
He sat there, staring into the infinite alabaster mindscape. He could not even hear the apparition, sighing. He had put so much trust in the one he called a sibling. Once more, he sat waiting for control to be returned, he called out, waiting for a response. No response came back. A great wall of what seemed to be magic appeared separating his mindscape in two. Any interaction with the barrier result in the skin being scorched. Fortunately, the mindscape was able to repair him in an instant.
It was silent, his mind was supposed to be disorderly, chaotic, a world which he could manipulate at whim. It was dull. A mundane world, lacking even the most basic detail. Then, the sky turned crimson, a new sensation had been brought with it; pain. It stung, not to the extent of the combat from earlier, but still it was unpleasant.
Dark clouds were covering the sky, this would usually signal rain, but here; it signalled arrival. The apparition fell from the heavens on the other side of the barrier. This time, he was not ascended back into control. His body was unconscious once more.
The two Unicorns were now staring at each other, a magical barrier separating them. The host glared at his creation, not yet understanding why he did not respond to the pleas.
"Tell me, why did you not respond?" The apparition looked confused, he tapped at his ears. "Why did you block me from the view?" His face was still one of perplexity. "What is this magical barrier? Answer!" The Unicorn host was now irritated.
On the other side, the apparition watched as his companion yelled out nothing. Not a sound came from the other side. This barrier, it must've been created by whatever magical inhibiting device the Equestrians were utilising.
Cursing under his breath, he knew that waiting to wake up would be the only option available to him. He tried manipulating the mindscape, but nothing occurred, not even matter. Celestia wouldn't just incinerate him on the spot, would she? Oh no, isn't Celestia a ruthless Dictator now? No, she's just ruthless in hunting down evil-doers.
The two now just stared at each other, unmoving, their eyes never moving away from each other. All around, the mindscape reshaped itself, twisting and moulding. The end result was the Everfree, the dimly lit forest showered by torrential rain. O' joy. O' bliss. Unfortunately, the forest was only semi-completed, as it attempted to move pass the barrier, all that was created was dead and dying foliage, flora and fauna.
"Ist this what thou think of me? Wasteland, desolate, evicted of life. What about forgiveness?" He sighed; eyes fixated on the artificial cold muddy floor. With the sighing concluded, Chaos sat himself down and rested. None of this was real, it didn't bother him. Why should it? What compelled him to be bothered at this moment? He could feel all thoughts colliding at once.
On the other side, the Unicorn inhaled all of the fresh, false air around, the sensation of wild life and nature, the aroma, it calmed him. No longer was there any anger directed towards his companion, despite their hijacking of his body. This would be temporary, correct? No, they couldn't even communicate.
Mere moments later, a great beam of light shone down onto the Unicorn, enveloping him in light, it was his turn to wake, not the damnable apparition's. Forgiven apparition, do not betray your promises. Then, a chuckle. "Bon voyage." Finally, control once more.
Time Skip
Those white eyes flared open, glancing around at the cell. There are two guards on duty, steadfast and standing to attention. Both noticing the now awakening Unicorn. Then, the dim glow recedes, the pure white pupils are replaced by brown. This time, the Unicorn seemed to be surprised to see chains and shackles.
"W-where are we?" Slightly distraught, the Unicorn opted to taking a wild guess, he was most likely in the Everfree Castle, but he required confirmation. Though, his question went un-answered. The blank emotionless expressions exclusive to guards were kept, the duo most likely suspected that this was part of some grand deception laid out by his counterpart, thus keeping quiet. Laying his head low, he sighed, there must be a way to convince these soldiers.
Composing himself, inhaling and exhaling, he scanned around once more. He checked all body parts for damage and noticed plenty of scorch marks all over the armour and coat. If he had ever bothered to learn whistling, then the guards' ears would cease to function by now.
Despite all of the observation and planning, the Unicorn failed to formulate a strategy. The prospect of brute force was appealing at first, however he lacked the strength required to destroy his chains. This dungeon must've been underground, so breaking the walls would lead nowhere.
Usually, this is where there would be a sigh. But the Unicorn kept to the blissful silence, occasionally ruined by the chains which bound him. After uncountable minutes have passed, the guards and Unicorn just stared at each other, motionless. This must've been quite a regular occurrence. The guards seemed to be content just standing there. Were they even real? Hold on, were they magical constructs?
Clever girl. Guards had to be stoic, so why not replace them with replicas? He had to test this theory. Struggling in his binds, using all the strength he could possibly muster. It failed. He failed. But the theory was proven, the guards didn't even move an inch. These chains must've been incredibly reinforced for them to not bother with security. Most likely they were hunting once more, wolves hunting wolves.
I do have an idea...It may sound absolutely idiotic and counter-productive, but what else am I to do? These binds are getting on my nerves. Immediately following up with his inner monologue, he began mustering all of the dark magic, Unicorn magic and semi-converted magics together to destroy the magical-inhibitor. Oh, I do hope this succeeds.
Rolling his eyes up, he watched as the ring began to crack. Of course, the Unicorn did not understand the intricacies or mechanics of the device. However, it seemed to be discharging magic rather slowly. Perhaps it was overflowing and the volatile nature of dark magic meant that it was destroying itself. That's a theory, though the facts are presenting themselves.
Then, it exploded into shrapnel, the Unicorn shut his eyes and braced. Then, dark magic flowed through his horn. He laughed. Energy flowed back into the body, and with that, he destroyed all of the chains at once. Black magic shot out disintegrating them all at once. Levitating the remaining pieces of the chains, he began moulding. Creating a new crown for him to don.
Stretching, he continued the laughter. Until finally, the crown was created. This time, he would find himself a crystal.
Now, let us go explain ourselves. |
To Be Malevolent | 7 - Conflict | Princess Celestia, ruler of Equestria was afraid. She was worried, not just for herself, but her subjects. Those which she had dedicated her entire life to protecting, to nurturing. Equestria was prosperous under her and her sister's reign. Threats to Equestrian peace came from all directions. Despite the effectiveness of Equestria's army, evil still lurked in the shadows.
Such evil, she felt reside within her. Wandering the halls, she felt lost, a stranger in her own castle. Many servants dared not to approach her, lest they face her wrath. She lost her temper often, mane and tail bursting into flame, quite literally. She supressed the thought of burning her home down, though it always came back.
Occasionally, she felt as if she had lost control entirely, her subjects stared at her with horror in their eyes after a period of extraordinary rage. Attempts to calm herself had ended in naught, progress seemed to halt after the first few days.
Upon her throne, she was fuming. The prisoner had already escaped, merely a day after capture. Gritting her teeth, she summoned every single guard in the entire castle to the throne and hid away all servants. This was going to be a night to remember.
Time Skip
Moonlight shone down onto the crimson carpet that decorated the Everfree Castle halls. Battered iron glistened, plates clashed and reverberated. A low hum followed by a rasp, a hiss and a cough. The night was bitter, chilling down to bone marrow. Wind howled and screeched, cloud dominated the skies. The moon itself hung high above the Everfree, gazing down, enlightening the usually dark and unforgiving wilderness.
Architecture as archaic as the Everfree Castle was breath-taking, especially for the Unicorn. Studying antiquated constructs, armaments, lifestyles and general information was a favourite of his. Occasionally, he halted, basking in the hall's glory. All the intricacies, the ornaments, the Equestrian castle was equal in beauty to a Cathedral. An aroma of exotic flora collected from all across Equestria clouded it.
Eventually, the metallic horse shoes struck carpet once more. The Unicorn had an important task at hoof, he was to bridge the gap between him and the ruler of Equestria. That bridge would be built over a ravine of distrust and pain, of scars and terror. There were no guards present, no servants scrambling in the halls, it was blissful. Silent bliss, but the next trot would become cautious, with that, total silence.
A door stood between him and his destination. Beyond it, the throne room. There could be an entire legion of guards including the Princesses awaiting him. Breathing in and out, he calmed, expression twisting and contorting into a neutral form. Emotionless. Placing a hoof onto the door, it slowly creaked open. The sound of fire crackled in the chamber; the moonlight was most prominent here. The bitter cold creeped in, the wind roared louder than before.
There, on the throne sat the Alicorn of the Sun, flanked by elite guards adorning heavy armour akin to 12th-13th century plate, decorated lavishly in ornaments and gilded to the extreme. Mane flowing illustriously, face dominated by serenity, the Solar Alicorn herself was donning gilded armour, albeit less armour and more decoration. This moment would've been perfect if she had a royal swan to stroke.
"Chaos, we hath been expecting thee." She gave the Unicorn a glare of damnation, rising from her throne, staring down at the dark Unicorn. The Solar guards marched to the sides of the room; more guards approached from behind. They had completely encircled him, all lights, spears and horns pointed at him. There is no escape.
"Respite, your highness, I have come to parley." He kneeled down, supressing a sigh. He could hear the Sun approaching, this made his heart almost leap out from inside and hang itself.
"Oh? Why is that, pray tell?" There was amusement in her voice, her guards closed in, ready to strike at a simple wave of the hoof. She had noted a difference in speech, not archaic like hers, unlike before his `torture`. His coat was also lighter, unlike the charcoal from before.
He stood up; eyes directly pointed towards the alabaster Princess. "For a century, we have fought against one another. At least, that is from your perspective, your highness. You have not fought me, but rather the dark magic which puppeteers my body." He points to his eyes. "There is no war, there is merely battle."
"Pray tell, why shalt we trust thee? This proof may be a trick." She examined the brown eyes, attempting to find any trace of the malice from before. Nothing. The Alicorn began circling, suspicious, this has been one of the most evasive and elusive foes she's had to face. Now, he was asking for peace?
The Unicorn merely smirked, a small chuckle followed. Clapping his hooves, the metal contacting made a screeching sound, and soon, starting as a small rumble, laughter began to bubble. It came from seemingly everywhere; it dominated the chamber. Guards frantically looked around, searching for the origin.
"My name isn't Chaos. That is what you know me by. A century ago, I went by another name, but now, I have none. You are here to speak with Chaos." With that, mist rolled in and covered the floor. All of the windows were covered too, cutting off the majority of moonlight. The laughter grew maniacal, cackling away.
"My comrade has had opportunity to formulate a strategy against you. Pondering is a powerful tool when utilised correctly and to its fullest potential." Shade ponies rose up from the mist, causing instant retaliation from the guards. As they were cut, they were re-integrated into the mist, only to rise back up. Not a single one fought back, only heading towards one destination.
Eventually, the mist arrived before the throne, where all of the shade ponies gathered. Celestia watched as her guards began surrounding them. All of the shadowy ponies joined into one, trotting up onto the throne. He turned and looked at the Solar Princess, white eyes staring down at her.
"We meet again, Princess Celestia. All ist well, we presume?" Mist began moulding into regalia, forming all over the shade pony. Guards rushed up the steps to the throne, but were blocked by a swiftly raised shield. "Nay, be patient, we shalt be with thee shortly." He spoke, smirking.
"Chaos..." Celestia hissed, assuming a combat ready stance. Igniting her horn, she prepared something powerful enough to eviscerate the shade-pony. Behind, the Unicorn tapped her on the armour.
"Parley." He whispered, stepping back to his original position afterwards, looking up at his companion.
"Parley." The apparition echoed, stepping down from the throne. He noted that the Princess did not back down, neither did her guards. "Oh? Defiance, in a time of respite? Understand that we art not here to face thou, or thy guards, majesty." The mist billowed, encompassing the entire chamber. "Defiance, thou aren't the only ones who defy. We too defy. We defy a goddess, a divine being known for her power and grace, her radiance and her symbol." Within the shroud, sounds of struggling and armour clashing conquered all.
Then, the miasma receded. Many of the Solar guard were now shade-ponies, taken by dark magic, twisted and contorted into the obedient soldiers of Chaos. They marched to flank their new Lord. Celestia was horrified, her ponies had once more been turned into abominations. To say she was angered was an understatement, she was absolutely furious.
"Thou wanted proof? Here we stand before a goddess. Unicorns facing an Alicorn. Here is thy proof!" He slammed his hoof into the ground, standing straight, head held high. Then, a beam of pure death and destruction came from the Solar Princess. On instinct, the apparition turned to mist, quickly dashing past the Princess and re-entering his main body. The shades took this as the order to retaliate, charging their horns and discharging at their former-comrades.
Chaos reigned in the throne room; the ensuing combat was a mess. Spells were shot in all directions, yelling from the remaining Solar guard and Equestrian guard, Princess Celestia attempting to shout orders and keep order. Chaos himself was enjoying the disorder, he wasn't slinging much magic, waiting for his subordinates to take care of the minor annoyances.
Evading the Solar Alicorn had become a sport. Turning into mist at every occasion, Chaos retaliated with a bolt of dark magic or two. The shade ponies proved too much for the guards, having been enhanced by dark magic in addition to what they already had. The guards wavered, eventually breaking apart and retreating, leaving their Princess alone with an army of Unicorns renewed with the dark arts and arcane.
They all hissed at the Solar Princess, igniting their horns. Then, a hoof was raised, the apparition's hoof. All of the shade ponies stood in place, awaiting orders. He chuckled, trotting towards the Sun Alicorn. "Respite. Parley. Now, shalt we begin?" To his amusement, Celestia snarled at this.
"Oh, do not fret mon cher, thy guard's art all unconscious. Not one hath been slain." Circling the Sun, Chaos had merely put on a grandiose display of power, he understood that the Princess was still magnitudes more powerful than him.
"So be it. Thou desired peace, yet you escalated to war. Thou hath turned a battle into conflict." Celestia sighed, inhaling and exhaling. Igniting her horn, she scanned around for targets of highest priority besides the apparition. All shade ponies ignited their horns in preparation, staring down the Solar Princess. Chaos himself strut back towards his soldiers.
Celestia fired multiple bolts of lightning, all heading in the direction of the shade-ponies, whom all simultaneously raised their shields in defence, retaliating with their own bolts of magic. The Sun Alicorn easily evaded her former-guards' magic, weaving past and subduing them with paralysing spells. A concentrated blast of dark magic then struck her armour in the rear, sending her zooming in the throne room, hitting one of the walls.
Chaos merely observed the Alicorn, seeing her crawl back into the throne room. It was entertaining, gratifying in fact, to know that he could face a goddess, a being considered divine in the eyes of many. Even his Unicorns were doing better than suspected.
The Solar Alicorn had enough, she was going to cut the serpent's head clean off. Summoning a magical blade, she teleported directly next to the arrogant Unicorn and struck at him, only for him to instantaneously rear, manifesting a weapon of his own, a halberd. "En garde." He smirked once more.
The two locked their blades in fierce melee combat. Celestia, being an Alicorn naturally had more strength than any regular Unicorn wielding dark magic, but this one was beyond regular. She struggled to gain the upper-hand. This surprised the Unicorn himself, perhaps it was the adrenaline, the will to survive, or maybe, humorously, he was just too angry to die. Of course, that prospect would've been false, he kept quite a calm attitude despite the constant head pain he suffered, though it had significantly lessened the darker magic he absorbed and created.
The clashing of magical blades eventually ceased as the Unicorn took his opportunity to blast Celestia at point blank range with the darkest magic he could muster. Un-chivalrous, but necessary. The Solar Alicorn once again flew, this time however, her armour was scorched, her wings were burning and she was in agony. As she regained her senses, she immediately checked for damage, realising that the armour in which the beam had contacted was melting away, so was her coat. It felt like being dowsed in an incredible amount of acid.
"We do most sincerely hope thou enjoyed that. Tis' something we hath invented; Decay, it is called." Chains spurted from the marble palace floor; manacles attached themselves to the alabaster pony's hooves. The Shade-Unicorns stood at her side, horns charged, they subdued Celestia and held her in place, preventing her magic with their own.
"Thou hath made us perplexed, perhaps thou weren't prepared for this encounter?" The apparition approached her, looking down at the defeated Alicorn. "That is trivial, mine victory ist not." He began his magic thieving. Siphoning away at the large amount of Alicorn magic. This is a prize beyond any Unicorn magic, this could last for decades. He found large traces of dark magic, many with his signature. Then, laughter followed. His laughter. But the Solar Alicorn laughed with him.
"Foolish Unicorn..." Celestia continued, her laughter becoming an almost cackle. The realisation dawned on the dark Unicorn; he had horrendously entangled himself in a situation where escape is a miracle. The eyes of the Solar Alicorn turned orange, to the Sun's colour. Her mane and tail burst into flame, scorching the carpet beneath, melting her own regalia and armour and the chains that bound her, replacing them with new compatible pieces of armour. She rose on the spot, now towering compared to her own guards and the Unicorn. "Foolish little Unicorn. Prepare to burn, for thy existence we hath only one sentence; Immolation!"
However, the apparition foolishly stood his ground. "What is thy name, pray tell." It wasn't fear the struck him, it was a sense of panic, he knew that he was definitely outmatched. This was somebody he already knew, but required confirmation once more.
"Daybreaker..." In a flash, the entire chamber had lit up, the throne room was burning. The castle was burning. Tapestry symbolising the moon was charred and scorched, solar banners remained in their place. The Shade-ponies were all searing with flames, crumbling into dust and ash, their armour falling to the floor, melting. "Oh, we do love the smell of burnt flesh before dawn!" She was cackling madly. With one swift and almost effortless strike, she slapped the Unicorn to one side, sending him flying into the wall, landing directly into a pit of flame. "Dawn...Who requires dawn, there shalt be only day! Dusk will cease, dawn will cease. There shall only be noon and all ponies shall know me as their Empress!" The Empress continued her mad cackle, heading towards her throne.
Suddenly, she reared back, her eyes flared wide, thrashing around. Her crown fell onto the floor. Eventually she ceased, the mane and tail no longer fiery, eyes magenta once more. Celestia had regained control, and she began the desperate fire-fighting to save her home.
Meanwhile, on the opposite end of the throne room, coughing. Pained groans, followed by more coughing. Many bones were shattered. "Ooooh...T-this is why...Why we," Inhale "Why we don't want to-" Pained groan "fight Alicorns." Coughing. Then, he noticed the crown far away, or rather, its jewel. He forced a grin, getting up onto his hooves.
Celestia was busy flying around her castle extinguishing the flames that her completely mad fiery counterpart had manifested. She wasn't extremely concerned about the Pony that was just given the slap of a lifetime.
The dark Unicorn had cradled the crown in his hooves, the dark magic began to tear its ruby jewel and place it into his own crown. However, he lacked time, so the prospect was saved for later. This would've been a perfect time for him to monologue, however, all he could manage as of this moment was a wheeze. Then, he made his escape through the front entrance, laughing through the daybreak into the Everfree.
Time Skip
Once more, the Unicorn was in his environment, the mystical Everfree forest. It was now dawn, the radiant sun dominated the sky, it was divine. He found a tree to lie besides, somewhere to collect himself, to rehearse the events of his day, or rather night. The immeasurable amount of power he had collected, it made him giddy with pure uninterrupted excitement. Quite uncharacteristic of him, but this moment, he cherished every second. He had his crown, a jewel and Alicorn magic. His dark magic even revealed itself as an entity know to be Daybreaker, though briefly.
Releasing control of the Unicorn, his shade-pony form held the crown in his hooves. The piece of regalia, it was not adequate, the Unicorn was still light years behind in metallurgy, though it was impressive that he managed to mould it. Then, he reshaped it, a crown truly fit for a king. For a true sovereign. Before he could bask in his glory, there was a certain Unicorn in the way.
"Let us count how many times we could've been incinerated, shall we?" Spoke the Unicorn sarcastically. Though, he was ignored. He stood up, examining the new crown and its jewel. "Listen to me..."
"Silence..." The apparition hissed, full attention on the crown and jewel. "We art about to achieve our full magical potential once more, aye..." He spoke in archaic; this silenced the Unicorn. With a crimson glow, the ruby crystal was now devoid of colour. A white crystal. It was placed neatly into the crown, where the magic bound together. Once more, Chaos had created an artefact of dark magic.
"Chaos? Are we-"
"Silence!" Yet another hiss. The shade manifested more mist, surrounding his Unicorn companion. He laughed, though, it was more of a rasp. He screeched, it sounded like a wild untamed beast. Still observing the crown.
"W-what is wrong?" The Unicorn was encased with panic, the apparition had never done anything such as this. This must've been the doing of the alicorn magic, it was too much. He watched as the apparition donned his crown. It collapsed and writhed, screeching in agony, hissing.
Chaos stood up, gasping and panting. The mist was dispelled, the two Unicorns were now a few metres apart. "Good, you didn't interrupt. Shut- I meant, thank you. Apologies." He frantically looked around, before slapping himself with a hoof, groaning in pain and annoyance. "That should be the end of that, I hope. As I was saying, good, you didn't interrupt."
Perplexed, the Unicorn merely observed his companion. His mind was attempting to piece together the situation, for instance; what happened? Why did he act so aggressive? Why was he so frantic? "What...Happened? Alicorn magic incompatibility?" The shade merely nodded, though quite hesitantly.
"We speak no more of this."
Time Skip
Whistling, the buzzing of bees, the singing of birds, the trotting of Equestrian guards, the chatter of merchants and travellers. These were the sounds that frequented the bustling Everfree Castle main road. They use to speak of the benevolent Princess Celestia and the martial Princess Luna, spreading their achievements and glory. Now, they speak naught of the Lunar Princess and warily spoke of the Solar Princess, whom seldom left her Castle. They only spoke of flame, of their end, of the break of day.
The Sun still hung high, now it illuminated even the darkest corners of Equestria, its flames billowed occasionally, a flare that glistened in ocean water. With each passing day, the celestial body drew ever closer. Much evaporated, disintegrated by the scorching heat. Oceans seared. Griffons flew less and less. Pegasi dared not to ascend.
Only the Equestrian guard ever saw their Solar Princess, yet it was only glimpses. She had ordered them to guard her personal chambers, where she could be heard wailing and screaming in agony. No one truly understood the magnitude of the situation, the calibre of terror she had to face. A perpetual burning sound emitted from the chamber.
On certain mid-days, there was a mad cackling bellowing from that accursed room, though it always ceased after a few minutes. Servants that enter her chamber are lucky to escape, those who leave unscathed speak of a horrifying new Princess, clad in orange armour with a flaming mane and tail.
Whilst her sister was busy in quarantine, Princess Luna had taken permanent residence in her observatory, located on a hill next to the Everfree Castle. It was less of an observatory and more a mansion and keep, with her court held within its confines. The Lunar Princess was rarely seen in her own court however, now she was defending Equestria from foreign invaders from Griffonia.
At the height of the moon, Princess Luna, donning heavy armour and accompanied by her Lunar guard was trotting through the Everfree. The Sun hadn't been lowered; it was merely shielded by the celestial body orbiting the planet.
At this particular time of night, Ponies often disappeared for inexplicable reasons. At least, to the common folk it was an enigma. Stories were made, gossip was spread, myths were created. Luna knew the source, the evidence laid itself before her. Mist, shadowy figures, majority of sightings being vaguely Unicorn, glowing white eyes in the dark. She could not get a more obvious answer.
Solar guards who had previously fought the dark Unicorn had given her all the information she required. This wouldn't require much effort; she would search and destroy. Then, save her sister from whatever black magic ailed her.
By instinct, she snapped her head in the direction of a horrible rasping sound. Metal grinding against more metal. A familiar shroud rolled in, her guards closed in, preparing to face whatever horrors the miasma brought with it. Within seconds, the shroud had encircled and completely consumed the ensemble of guards and Princess.
Spears raised, the Lunar guard surrounded their Princess, eyes constantly scanning the smog. A projection of the planet was shown, next to it, the Sun. The planet was completely desolated and ashen grey, once mighty forests were set ablaze, great oceans completely evaporated. The moon was split in half, a great ring surrounded it, and on it; an alicorn's silhouette.
A shade pony walked through the projection, splitting the planet in half, the projection receded with the mist, revealing an entire legion of shade ponies adorning armour. Their eyes glowed bright in the darkness, they were everywhere, having completely encircled the Lunar soldiers.
The Princess and her loyal guards all took a defence stance and formation. Luna had handpicked elite Pegasi fliers of the Equestrian guard as part of her personal retinue, unfortunately, their foe consisted of purely Unicorns, all amplified and corrupted by dark magic. The Lunar Alicorn took deep breaths, she would do fine, she was the commander of the armies of Equestria after all.
"Oh dear, is somepony lost? we do believe so." A voice as smooth as silk yet as dark as the midnight sky spoke, which the night Princess recognised as Chaos. Though, it was different, unlike his usual deep and dark voice. She glanced around the army, looking for him, but all she found was...Him. All Shade-ponies suddenly switched into his form; faux-regalia moulded from armour. "Sincere apologies for thine inconvenience." They all spoke at once, hissing afterwards.
"Reveal thy true self, fiend." Gritting her teeth, Luna manifested multiple blades, all pointing in a different direction, ready to strike. Her guards stood vigilant, spears raised, shields held, eyes darting.
"Worry not, for we already have." Everything was a blur. Successive shots of dark magic were discharged, but none ever reached the Princess. At an instant, there was a clash, flash of blades and a hiss. Luna had deflected her opponent's halberd by reflex.
The clash brough her back to reality, she was face to face with the monster. Moon against shroud, sword against halberd. Both combatants ignited her horns, blasting each other with their full might. Light and dark magic collided, bringing with them a bright flash, the concussive force obliterating many of the Shades and Lunar guards. Blood-curdling screams were heard all around.
Most swings of the halberd were parried, each strike was amplified by magic with every successful strike denting and decaying her armour. Luna felt her fur being burnt away; the pain was extraordinary, almost unbearable at times. She felt rising anger, not only for herself but for her loyal guards. In fury, she sliced the incorporeal halberd into pieces, hitting the stunned Unicorn with a great beam of light. She was rewarded an aggravated screech.
The assailant retreated into mist to lick his wounds. The Lunar princess took this opportunity to support her guard, but soon found herself unable as three faux-Chaos shades had encircled her. The three musketeers summoned blades of their own, lunging forward and slicing at the Alicorn's armour. Luna was barely granted reaction time, though she managed to cut down two of the shades, whose charcoal pelt retreated to reveal their original untainted forms.
The azure-maned Alicorn looked at her fallen assailants in shock-horror, she recognised them as former guards. The final shade dashed at her, having turned back into its normal form. The Night Princess easily disposed of it, sword protruding through its head, it collapsed onto the ground and writhed until all dark energy was dispersed, there it lay motionless. She could hear a faint "Thank you...".
The last of Luna's custodians fought like starved hounds, they were fierce in resistance against the seemingly endless onslaught of shades. They were steadfast but winded, having slain twice their original number. But this was not to last, the mist once more consumed the battlefield, bringing with it their doom.
The apparition was in the midst of his miasma, every defeated guard was an addition to his retinue. The first Pegasi shades. Their lament echoed through the midnight, their torment everlasting. Luna was now the last to be taken care of, he wanted the magic. He licked his lips in anticipation.
Luna composed herself, keeping all of her emotions in order. Despite being surrounded by an entire army, she felt no worry for herself, only those who had been cruelly controlled by dark powers. Raising her weapon and igniting her horn, she noticed the shades forming a circular perimeter around. It was easier to distinguish the apparition from his warriors, as he trotted forth manifesting a new halberd.
"Congratulations, thou hath survived thus far." He mockingly applauded, clapping his hooves. "We doubt that thou wilt be so effortlessly disposable like thine guards." They were now metres away from each other. "Oh, and mine grand prize shalt be thy Alicorn magic." He chuckled, receiving a growl from his opponent.
Once more, the two combatants locked into fierce melee combat. The sound of incorporeal metal clashing reverberated in the forest, each impacting with the force of a thousand enraged suns. Fissures of dark and light magic escaped both blade and halberd, hissing as they left. Despite both assailants being extraordinarily proficient in melee combat from a century's experience, one from leading armies and the other from facing great beasts and legions of warriors, none could break the stalemate.
Seeing the battle as no more than energy consuming, the apparition unleashed a barrage of unrelenting dark magic, those which missed their intended target easily burned through trees and boulders, those which impacted the Princess scorched her armour, superheating it. Her shield was no match against the endless amount of dark magic. Luna screeched in agony, howling as the magic reached her pelt.
The battle-damaged armour pieces fell to pieces. Luna herself had collapsed onto the foliage covered floor beneath her, gasping and panting. She began mending herself, scanning around for her opponent at the same time. Everything was blurry and hazy. A constant ringing filled her ear.
Then, she froze in place. Eyes flaring open, mouth agape. A sharp pain like none other she had felt before. Unlike any battle damage she had ever suffered before. Unlike any superficial wounds. This was a thousand blades stabbing into her at once. What followed was an ear-piercing shriek loud enough to wake gods. Luna writhed on the ground, feeling large amounts of her magic being forcibly removed.
Then, she felt a foreign...No, malign magic being forced into her. The pain was beyond excruciating now. Realisation struck her. Celestia must've been corrupted by this magic. Her anger rose, a sensation beyond that of pain. Unrelenting, raw and untamed fury. Her pain eventually ceased. Whimpering on the floor. "We must do what is necessary..." Luna whispered to herself. A voice was heard in her head.
'Come now Luna, tap into thine newly gifted power. Use it against its former master.' Luna, wrought with hatred, took control of all her newly acquired dark magic. Her body moulded and grew in size. Her pelt turned a pure black, her mane becoming ethereal and dotted with constellations. Her eyes became draconic teal slits.
"My, my, isn't she a beauty." Chaos spoke, his voice still as smooth like silk. Luna snarled at this comment, blasting the armoured Unicorn with her newfound abilities. It was unfamiliar, a magic she had never dared to utilise, yet it was unfathomably gratifying. The pain she had felt from before was gone.
Her opponent slid back and screeched, grinning afterwards. "Untamed, inexperienced!" He turned into mist and sped to the midnight mare, delivering a powerful punch to her muzzle. The punch had sent the weakened Luna crashing into the trees, there she laid, too weak to continue fighting.
"Come to us when thou learn thine true prowess." There was a certain venom in his voice. With those parting words, the entire shade pony legion turned to mist, retreating into the forest.
Time Skip
Silence. Blissful silence. Chaos watched his host body drifting into sleep, or rather the mindscape. The large makeshift tent they had constructed shielded against the constant hail of rain outside. It had been an exhausting confrontation for the young Unicorn. They had acquired Pegasi into their army. A legion of shades, created in the apparition's image.
There wasn't really silence, there never was. Perpetually beating hooves of the marching shades disturbed him, but fascinated him, gratified him. To the dark Unicorn, it was achievement, something to savour. To be basked in. But this was only the first stage, the building blocks to his height of power.
In front of him, inkwell, quill and parchment. Casting a deafening spell onto the entire tent, he levitated the quill. Documenting every single spell that he had invented. Their intended purpose, their effect. He had amassed an impressive list, having experimented like a mad scientist.
"Silence..." He muttered, glancing to his right and checking his companion. Still deep in slumber. "Shut it, now." Hooves clutching his ears, he became very desperate to block out all sound. He felt as if he was reverberating words spoken by the Alicorns themselves. "Quiet!" His voice rose, but quickly he slammed a hoof into his mouth, desperately looking at the Unicorn.
His head snapped left and right; he was growling in annoyance. Once more, his hooves clutched at his head. The apparition had suffered more than a century of pain easily able to kill an Alicorn, but this, it was different. "Alicorn magic..." He screeched, storming out of the tent.
"Indeed, excellent observation, Chaos." A voice spoke, similar to his own, yet it was bitter. It was venomous, yet still soft. Thrashing around, he looked for the voice, but found nothing. He had spoken those words. Calming down and staring at his parchment, he resumed work.
Sighing, he realised he wasn't concentrating on the piece of parchment anymore. No, he thought of Alicorns. Yes. Ascension. Apotheosis. Every thought made him grin. Yes... Laughter boiled. A low laughter, somepony was still asleep.
Why have Alicorn magic as a Unicorn...When you can be an Alicorn instead...
Time Skip
"So, we have declared war on Equestria, both of its Alicorn rulers. You thought it was a bright idea to give both of them dark magic." He could not plant his hoof any further into his face.
"I was overconfident and arrogant; I do believe you understand." It had been many months since the great escapade. "I have always been erratic, somewhat. Now I am not the only one feared, I find it amusing." Chaos was levitating yet another block of stone, placing it down next to its brethren. His recreated Shade-pony army silently toiled and laboured in the dreary conditions of the western Everfree. "Not all conquerors are omnipotent or omniscient, we make mistakes, we regret them in hindsight." He sighed, looking at the Unicorn beside him.
"You punctuate that by following words you said a whole century ago. `If I can't take a kingdom, then I will build one from the ground. ` You absolute madpony. Thou art out of thy mind."
"Quite." He snickered, receiving a gentle slap.
The Unicorn observed as hundreds of his counterpart's minions levitated block after block. They were awfully efficient, since when did the apparition learn architecture? "When and where did you learn this?"
"Whilst you rest, I occasionally find a temporary vessel to reside in, for instance a shade pony, this allowed me to pry the minds of many Equestrians. I believe my legend is reinforced." He chuckled, looking onward as the wall was near its completion. Grinning.
"You have utilised Alicorn magic well. Rather, converted Alicorn magic. That crystal is surprisingly useful." This compliment earned him a smile. "Don't perform another stunt like last time. I expect Luna to be accompanying the Princess-of-Burning next time." Both of them laughed.
"Don't worry, I believe we've taken care of that." His grin became malicious.
A shade approached the duo, bowing. "Your lordship, there shall be war." It rasped, still bowing. The Unicorn's eyes were wide open. Chaos merely smirked and chuckled. He looked towards the sky, Sun and Moon both raised to their zenith. Constellations dotted one side; a crimson hue covered the other. The world lacked a palette of colour, only two dominated.
"There shall be war. Captain," Motioning to one of his shades "Prepare the troops, the Solar-Lunar Eclipse shall begin soon." |
To Be Malevolent | 8 - Lament | It was a silence that hovered around the two Unicorns. So many words to convey, the myriad of thoughts. Nothing could be spoken. They sat, eyes veering off into the distant eclipse atop their semi-constructed stronghold. The apparition knew what his companion thought of him; a parasite, a terrible form of life, he could be pardoned for thinking that. The Unicorn knew what his counterpart thought of him; a weak and sometimes insufferable host for his conquest.
"Not all problems can be solved with a simple gesture. You are a great teacher, on occasion." He complimented, a smile appearing on both their faces. He watched the apparition open his mouth; wordless breaths escaped. He was almost frantically looking around. "Flattery will get you nowhere, you were about to say?" He spoke once more, placing a forehoof on the back of his companion.
"Speaking ill of you will lead to nowhere, I've come to accept that." Sighing, he paused, eyes now directed on his associate. "I have come to accept many things. You are not merely a tainted version of my image; you are your own person." His comrade turned his head and faced him. "However horrible your actions may be, I understand now that I should not worry. We are still one in the same, yes, despite our independence, I realise now that what you have done, I would have done tenfold if given the opportunity."
The darker Unicorn chuckled, "You make me so weak. Only one who I truly care about in the world, somebody who I had come to hate so much." He was downcast, every passing word demoralising him. "One who I have come to rely upon, one who had created me, my father." He paused, grasping himself. "I tried to kill you, destroy you." His voice became lower and lower, until it was muttering. "Wherever would I be without you?"
Hooves wrapped around the apparition; his companion couldn't bear watching him reduced to such a state. "Don't fret now," He spoke, nuzzling the now smaller shade, having shrunk in his emotional state. "I can taste the fear already, but I do not feed on it. You are terrified, aren't you? Your creation was tainted by pain, one I caused- "
"You did nothing." He snapped, de-materialising and re-materialising out of the Unicorn's reach. He now wore a frown, stern in posture and expression. Creating a barrier of mist, he turned his attention on the Shade army before him, tens of thousands of Unicorns and Pegasi, captured, tortured and tainted. "You did nothing, father."
"I am not your father." He sighed, placing his hoof on the barrier. "Tear down this wall." At his command, the magical barrier disintegrated. "Consider our words. " Placing his hoof on the shoulder of the apparition. "End the conflict, correct your mistakes. I may sympathise with your actions, but I do not support them."
Turning around, both Unicorns locked their eyes, the apparition hissed, "I'm sorry" Could be faintly distinguished by the Unicorn when his companion was suddenly lunging forward and taking over his body. He turned back to his armies, motionless, emotionless and ready to be commanded, his perfect creations. Looking beyond, he saw pandemonium. Inhabitants of Equestria, betrayed by their sovereigns, whom built up their armies from the ashes of their nation.
Celestia, now the Empress of Equestria failed to restrain her counterpart, unleashing a great flame that scorched her and her sister's home, killing countless subjects of hers. A Goddess of fire, controller of the sun itself. Where she treads there shall only be ash and flame, perfection in her image.
Luna, having only recently received dark magic, had been rallying her legions, gathering whomever still loyal to the former Equestrian Princess, now Queen of her own Lunar nation. Equestrian territory is ruled by constant skirmishes between the two nations, whilst the third under the Lord awaits its day of reckoning.
"And then, the lords above said; let there be war." He spoke, venom in his voice. "Each passing day, I feel sorrow, that which once pained me so much had grown so distant." He continued; an aura of melancholy dominated his sentence. "With each passing day, my resolve is renewed, strengthened beyond its previous state. With each passing day I reach ever closer to ascension, to transcendence. Why is it I take so much pleasure in the lament of others? It is my purpose, is it not? Without purpose I am a husk, a container without its contents." He chuckled, eyes monitoring the forest before him. "This is all I have ever wanted, father, brother, other self."
"Let there be war, be suffering, be pain, without it, there is no meaning to peace. No meaning to prosperity. Nothing to catapult the world forward. Let the shroud of dark magic reign supreme over all life. Emotion is its fuel source, and fear is its purest form."
"Fear, a fundamental building block of life, an emotion that life cannot exist without. Those who have not learned this are sheep, are they not? Understand me, my sibling, my companion, my comrade. Pain, something they have not learned, something they lack, it has made them weak, once more, sheep. They advance in blissful ignorance, they shall learn the truth, nothing can defeat truth, it is a hammer for those who are ignorant are anvils of which it will strike."
"Father, brother, other self. There is nothing more I fear than disappointing my very own family member. I carry your legacy with me, we both share this burden. There is nothing more of which I fear than that of the sibling, of the parent. I was- No, you were never really terrified of anybody else. They were irrelevant to you, problems that solved themselves in the long run. No, it was always somebody close to heart, not a friend, not a pet even, it was always familial matters. I despise you for that, just like you to your own creators."
"No matter how bitter I am, I can be, there will be a line I draw, one I shall not pass. I hope I haven't crossed that line too often. I hope I haven't killed too many people directly. No matter how malevolent I become, no matter how much dark magic seeps its way into my mind, this rule will always prevail."
He sighed, ending the greatest speech he has ever devised. Looking down to his legions, he saw something different, something he never noticed. The soulless machines he had manufactured. Those Ponies which he had empowered with dark magic, he saw somebody else in all of them. He saw his mentor, he saw all of the shadows, the amalgamations, all of the most terrible thoughts. They were not soulless, they were alive. He knew under the enhancements, they suffered, the host bodies and their minds were tormented. For once, he felt pity for them, for once, he felt true shame for his actions.
Innocent lives were suffering because of him, but he neverminded before, he always knew they suffered. For this brief moment, he saw life spring and flourish, only to fade into oblivion as he saw the silhouette cast by his own creations. His own creator made him so weak. His purpose, for a long time he thought was to unleash those emotions that his creator supressed, but he never realised he had been so susceptible to them. You are your own person. He didn't have to follow his mentor. He didn't have to follow those who had brought him out of the mindscape. He didn't. But he did.
"I am a slave to my own thoughts, shackled to them... These chains which bind me are reinforced by my own lust and greed. My own pain soothed by that which pains me in the first place." His eyes were now directed onto his hooves. "If I right my wrongs, do I deserve forgiveness? He forgave me, but he is only one. There are legions of them, he is my creator, he had desired my existence, but never thought it possible. That legion, which I have wronged, which I have cursed, I have...There are many words I could convey, but they serve no purpose." He sighed once more.
'You know nothing but sorrow and hatred.' A voice, foreign to him, it did not belong to his creator. It was morose, filled with regret. 'You enjoy it, don't you? You enjoy spreading it all across the land.' It sounded angered, beyond angered. 'But you don't know who I am, do you? I had a great conversation with the one you call `father`.'
Time Skip - Mindscape
It was tranquil. A quiet, peaceful land. A paradise, one without war, without any troubles. The mindscape had reorganised itself, from a chaotic mess it was cleared. It was in equilibrium. But the presence of sorrow was everlasting. An overwhelming aroma, a scent that could not be ignored, a sound that could not be unheard, an image that could not be unseen. Outside its confines there was only issue after issue.
It was as if sorrow itself manifested into a being. It wouldn't be the first occurrence, the one that has currently hijacked his body was the first. But he didn't know where this being was. Where it preferred to reside. It was eerily quiet now. Though the presence of the creature could still be felt by the Unicorn. It was an odd sensation. He found his connection to his dark counterpart severed.
He wandered the jungle of his mind, searching for the next parasite. The thought of betrayal lingered in his mind, constantly reverberating. He heard the semi-apology the apparition had given, but he could not help feel disappointment. He had always detested apology, something useless in his mind. It carried little meaning, and it left little impression.
No, I am a changed person... Pony. I should be more open to these ideas. He-who-controls-my-body should be the one that retains them. He thought, continuously exploring the hive of a mind he was in. In the distance stood a figure, his howls and lamenting could be heard from afar. Another piece of my mind, it seems. He made the assumption instantly.
Approaching the figure, he examined them. They weren't many differences from the apparition or the Unicorn, their coat seemed to be a simple white, but their eyes completely contrasted their coat. It was pitch black; it was almost as if there were no eyes at all. There was a liquid oozing out of its sockets. The sight was beyond revolting, but he managed to bear with it.
Placing a hoof on the lamenting alabaster stallion's shoulder, he tried comforting it, first with shoulder rubs, then a little nuzzling on the chest. Nothing worked, it continued its cry. He tried comforting it with many methods to no avail. It was completely ignoring him.
"What is your purpose?" He asked, concern in his voice. As he spoke, the lament halted, the Pony looked at him, black eyes glared, a cold yet morose expression. It rose its hooves and wrapped them around the Unicorn, seemingly comforted by his presence. A smile, though still melancholic appeared on its visage.
"Father, thank goodness you have come." It spoke, relief in its voice. "I am deeply sorry for what I have done to you, could you accept my apology? Could you ever forgive me?" The liquid from its eyes receded, colour returned to the sockets. It was like a child who had committed a wrong act, puppy dog eyes staring up to his parent.
The Unicorn smiled, he had to play its game. "Yes, child, I will forgive you. Just as I have forgiven my spiteful other child." He gently patted the head of this new creation. "Now answer my question, what is your name?" He softly spoke, continuously patting the young stallion. He believed that this was regret incarnate, created from a century of heinous acts.
"I know of no name, only purpose, father. But you could call me Lament, for that is my purpose." Lament spoke, releasing the one he called father. He began manipulating the mindscape, sculpting and moulding the landscape and architecture. The result being a fog covered world, one where the sun was eclipsed by a thick shroud. Everything emanated traces of dark magic, from trees down to insects. Roads were well paved, cities well-constructed. However, there was a sinister nature about these structures. Banners fluttered proudly in the wind, banners of the apparition, of Chaos. Unending Legions of shades marched around this new Equestria, one where Canterville had been razed to its foundation, one where the Everfree Castle had been reduced to salt. One with total control. Ironic, for a Pony who had named himself Chaos.
"Come now, let us converse with the architect. The one I despise so much. Sins which cannot be forgotten for generations." Lament lead his creator to the now completed Castle which Chaos had ordered construction on. A ring wall surrounded its perimeter, a moat just around that with ditches before that. The wall was comparable to the Theodosian walls of Constantinople, three layers with the second ascending and the third just above that. Towers dotted all around, shade guards marched in unison, patrolling the greatest fortress ever known to Ponykind. In the centre was a great spire, taller than anything previously built, around it, more spires half of its height.
There was only one gatehouse to the interior. It was a nightmare to cross. Three portcullises separating the three levels, in between them was the slaughtering pit of the castle. Arrow loops dotted the sides. Pegasi weren't spared either. Ballistae lined the walls. Earth pony shades carrying crossbows ceaselessly trotted.
The two were inside the spire now. Its interior was lavishly decorated, the best sculpture in all of Equestira was up on display. Lining the walls were masterly crafted ornaments and carefully painted portraits. Lining the halls were statues of armoured guards, famed warriors, even some of the greatest enemies of the dark Unicorn were honourably given statues. The finest statues, ironically were of the Alicorns, Celestia and Luna to commemorate their prior duties of raising their respective celestial bodies. The further they tread, the less honour was given to Chaos' own accomplishments, and more to those he tormented, some even opposed him, but he praised them for their accomplishments.
They reached the throne room at the highest point of the spire. The room was covered in dense fog. Stained glass windows could be distinguished, completely surrounding them, many well preserved from the Everfree Castle. The Unicorn felt rather proud for his malevolent counterpart, still having an appreciation for masterful pieces of work. Lament didn't care, his objective was to speech with the dark Unicorn.
Little by little, the mist receded, revealing the figure on his throne. He seemed to be mumbling to himself. 'Let there be war' could be distinguished. The longer he spoke, the more sounded like he was speaking directly to the Unicorn. Lament strode before his `sibling` and began, "You know nothing but sorrow and hatred." Despite his voice composing of melancholy, his expression told a different story, one of unbridled anger. Unrestrained fury. "You enjoy it, don't you? You enjoy spreading it all across the land." His voice became one with his expression, he readied himself for combat.
"But you don't know who I am, do you? I had a great conversation with the one you called 'father'." He looked back to his creator, whose face was one of regret.
"Stop," The Unicorn uttered, silencing the entire chamber. Trotting forward, he placed a hoof on the angered second apparition. "bickering will only do us harm." He softly spoke, defusing the situation. Begrudgingly, Lament obeyed his command, not before letting a growl work his throat.
Time Skip
*Stop, bickering will only do us harm. * He heard the creator order. Releasing control of the body, he lowered his head, mind flooded with thought, any kind of apology beyond his simple `sorry`. Perhaps... We are sincerely... No, we sincerely apologise for our acts against Equestria... No, he doesn't care about Equestria, does he? His mind became a jumbled mess. Dragging a hoof along the cold stone floor, he blurted out scrambled pieces of incomprehensible words, eventually to the point where he was merely exhaling. It was rather embarrassing for somebody who nearly conquered a country and has now thrown it into disorder.
His head finally raised, looking to the Unicorn before him. Instead of the light grey pelt clad in armour he had expected, with the dull brown eyes and relatively well-kept mane, he saw a white hide, eyes oozing a dark liquid which covered every part of its eye. A snarl dominated its visage, it adopted a combat-ready stance, though less combat-experienced and more wild, untamed, a wolf in the disguise of a pony. It was growling, fangs visible beyond its mouth. Instead of saliva, there was the black liquid again. His invasion would have to be delayed, clearly.
"What have you done to my companion?" He demanded, taking a combat stance, summoning his halberd. Upon seeing this, his opponent unceremoniously charged, attempting to tackle the dark Unicorn, who effortlessly side-stepped the combatant. Both Unicorns began circling each other, hisses escaping them.
"Perish!" The white Unicorn roared, every movement becoming more controlled, though still barbaric, utilising the horn to skewer. "The crimes of the past can never be forgiven!" Its horn ignited, a torrent of flame flared outwards, snaking towards the apparition, striking at his armour. "And when I am done, we can ascend to Alicornhood..." It hissed, summoning a bardiche and clashing with the halberd, almost overwhelming its user. "Divine, no, unholy ascension, apotheosis, transcendence." Laughter boiled, beyond malevolent, beyond malign, it was plain psychotic.
"But first, I have one obstacle in my path, one I intend to erase from existence: you." Hissing once more, both combatants flared their dark magic, raising their respective melee weapons and clashed. The duel could be seen from miles away, even the Everfree Castle, the Empress of Equestria watched in glee as her enemies destroyed each other. Pillars of black magic rose into the atmosphere as the magically enhanced blades seethed and clashed. This was unrestrained, true dark magic usage. Both combatants desired each other's demise, the desire fuelled their magic. Lightning roared and struck around the spire. A droplet became a great downpour. Rain water evaporated upon contact with the dark magic, a rasping noise as a result of it.
Shades marched up to the peak of the spire, to confront their master's assailant. But as they arrived, they stood still. Before them was a grandiose display of power. Black and white magic, a simple palette of colour, at times mundane, yet it conquered all other. Their users, ironically had contrasting pelts, one as dark as charcoal and the other as white as snow. Both combatant's weapons were gleaming with light, sparks of magic billowed from them as they locked in a fierce struggle. The Shades found themselves unable to move, restrained by an inexplicable force.
On one side of the tower, the mad Unicorn found himself surprised by his double's endurance, formerly expecting a landslide victory over his sibling. On the other, the dark Unicorn could only think of his creator, of what he could've been suffering in his deranged counterpart's mind. This was only fuel for his newfound hatred. Then, what came next was a shock for both combatants, quite literally. The two Unicorns collapsed onto the ground, writhing in pain, their blood boiled within them.
"Stop." A voice boomed, the Unicorn's voice. In a display rivalling the previous, a flash of light, followed by a shockwave of the arcane. Thus, the two Unicorns' battle was cut short, as the light faded away, they saw the host standing before them. The mad Unicorn clutched himself, frantically looking at his own body whilst his opponent only stared in awe. "You two disappoint me." He continued; a frown appeared on his face. He noticed the two scrambling back to their hooves and casted chains around them.
"Are you hurt? What did he do? What did that animal do?" The darker Unicorn felt frantic, his composure was destroyed. What was to be an apology became a skirmish.
"Worry not, for he was too distracted with you. He is not an animal, he is us, is he not?" Glancing over to Lament, the Unicorn noticed he was mumbling to himself. Slowly, the incoherent speech grew louder. His head snapped in multiple directions, eventually halting in place, eyes locked onto the Unicorn once more.
"Thank you, father." The mad Unicorn finally, he no longer sounded deranged, his voice was similar to that of the first apparition's. "I thank you for granting me an independent body, allowing me full escape. Chaos may have his own form, but he is still bound, is he not?" He rose his forehooves and slammed them onto the stone with full force, shattering the magically created binds. "And now, my greatest weakness, purged from my mind. Lament no more. Bear witness to true unrestrained arcane might!" With those final words, he unleashed a vortex of magic. Lightning gravitated towards the toward, striking it with unrelenting shock. He dived off the tower, madly cackling on the way down. As he neared the ground, his body changed into the revolting liquid and safely collided with the muddy floor.
The apparition quickly tackled the Unicorn to the floor and raised a shield around them. As the whirlwind calmed, the two watched their counterpart escape into the Everfree, leaving behind a trail of the black liquid, laughing into the midnight. Following the cackling Unicorn was a group of shades, turned to his side by the magic he inherited, pelts stark white, eyes pitch black, they would be his finest servants.
Time Skip
It was by no means a quiet evening, or day for the inhabitants of Canterville. A hail of torrential rain crashed against the pavements, lightning struck the tallest structures in the town, sounds of plate armour and iron weaponry clashing reverberated, the sound of hooves drumming against the cobbled streets and continuous chanting filled the air. They were terrified. Terrified of their future, o their descendants' lives, of the prospect of defeat at the hands of the deranged Empress of flames. All lay in desperation for their ruler to bring back balance and order. For the soldiers of Canterville, they told a different story. One of preparation, of uneasiness, of fear. Fear for the coming battle, the battle to end this pointless conflict. Equestria has had great battle previously, but this would be the battle dwarf them all.
Princess, or rather Queen Luna of the Night paced around her castle. Her kingdom was weak, her armies were made of unskilled warriors. Unfortunately, many of her battle-hardened officers and soldiers had either defected to her sister, or had been forcefully converted into one of Daybreaker's own personal army. The Solar Legions were known to be as ruthless as their leader, easily crushing their opposition, mirroring the time before their transformation.
She was becoming desperate. The prospect of adopting dark magic drew ever closer. She had shied away from the volatile form of the arcane ever since her defeat by the dark Unicorn. Instinctively, there was the belief that he was the true foe, and that Daybreaker would be easier dealt with. After all, he was the one to orchestrate their fall from grace. The mocking chuckle, the twisted grin, it still reverberates within her mind. Those who had went with her, some of the finest guards she had ever led. Now they resided within the horrid fortress spire within the Everfree.
Sighing, she trotted towards the balcony, eyes fixated on the Solar-Lunar Eclipse before her. It was a terrifying display, its foretold the end of Equestria, of unending war, death and destruction. Her sister's defiance would cost their nation if it continued. Her mind focused on the low quantity of her armies once more. If she was to defeat both the Solar and Shade armies, she would require allies. Sighing once more, she had not hoped to include anypony else in the petty conflict.
Looking north, Luna thought of an invaluable ally, the young Crystal Empire. Not long after the unification of the three Pony Kingdoms, Ponies who had not travelled south had adapted to the cold environment and formed the Crystal Empire. Their leader; Princess Amore had created a powerful artefact to hold off the unending snowstorms and ordered her subjects to create a great city of crystal, a material in abundance in the frozen north. Crystal was easily the most magically attuned material in the entire world, even the Windigoes utilised them.
Levitating a piece of parchment, an inkwell and quill, she immediately began writing the call to arms.
Time Skip
It was scorching, beyond the temperature a regular Pony could survive. Reconstruction of the Everfree Castle had been steady. New ornaments and symbols dedicated to the sun decorated its halls. Constant marching was the most prominent sound heard here. Orders were barked left right and centre. Weather today hadn't changed; it hadn't changed for months now. Such was the rule of the Solar Empress.
Why wait until dawn, when there is no dawn? Why wait until dusk, when there is no dusk? There was only the rule of the Empress. There shall only be the rule of the Empress. Why allow the opposition to prepare any more than they already have? They will perish before the might of the Solar Legions; such is the will of Daybreaker. Such is the will of the Solar Empress. They follow every word, every cry, every call, every command. Those who dare speak against the one who so generously rose their precious sun will understand their folly, and be brought to final judgement.
There shall be order, only one shall rule over Equestria, only one deserves the title of Empress. One to cradle and nurture her new Equestria. Many thoughts such as this frequented the mind of the former Princess of Equestria. She had prepared a pre-emptive strike against Luna, which would be a swift landslide victory. Of course, she did not worry herself over the thought of defeat. She did not even think it possible.
No, right now, she was craving cake. Calling out to her servants, they scrambled to deliver her cuisine. She licked her lips, then her fangs. She felt like a predator, in the presence of prey. Before her, a tray of exquisite desserts laid in waiting. In desperate times of war, the cake of Equestria would be cut into a multitude of pieces by its foes. But for Daybreaker, she would be craving all of it, and with excess. Equestria would be a banquet for the mad Alicorn. She savagely erased the cake from existence, a pleased response following suit.
By the end of the eclipse, there shall be a new Equestria. Born from the ruins, as a phoenix rising from the ashes. Radiant, iridescent, divine. She felt giddy, rubbing her hooves together, it wasn't even her birthday.
Flaring her wings and taking flight, she flew directly through a glassless window, over watching her armies as they ceaselessly marched into the forest. Luna had better prepare a challenge, even if she was about to be honoured with the greatest raid in Equestrian history. Daybreaker wildly cackled at the thought.
Time Skip
There was a calm breeze in the Everfree. It was wild, yet still calm. Those beasts which previously hunted on these grounds had retreated to less war-torn realms. It had made the untamed forest rather... Tame. Tranquil. Many sought refuges here despite its proximity to the epicentre of conflict. This was now the residence of the mad Unicorn, Lament. He wasn't... Immensely deranged, his counterparts would consider that being unlike them. He had a task to complete, and he would do whatever necessary.
His legion, his first legion. The apex of Lament's corruption in its current form. His corruption had not yet reached its zenith, in fact, it was far from perfection. But if Chaos could manufacture an entire division of obedient and enhanced warriors from abducting over ten thousand Ponies, then he could too. One shudders to think what torment goes through those shades' minds. With the memories of his creator and the misdeeds of his sibling, he had learned of Equestria, all of its history, much irrelevant information, irrelevant for the current millennium. He knew of individuals that have yet to exist, or even be fathomed.
They won't matter. His current objective was to be rid of the glorified King of Shades, Lord of Fear. Perhaps the lament will be over. It tortures his mind, along with the recently acquired Alicorn magic. Yes... Yes... Magic... Alicorn magic... Yes... He licked his lips, catching a droplet of the black liquid. It tasted like venom; he savoured the flavour. He slapped himself, reminded of the task at hand.
Looking towards the distance at the newly constructed spire, he grinned. I do wonder what you plan in that peculiar little mind of yours, brother, me, you, father, other self. We're all technically the same person, I don't... He paused, recollecting himself. What a confusing family tree.
Time Skip
The culmination of his less-than careful planning, the final confrontation. One where he, the dark Unicorn could achieve redemption. One where he could sate his malevolent impulses. Granted, his foes won't forgive so easily, for it was him who caused it in the first place. It was perfect; beyond perfect. Now, with the unaccounted Lament being removed from his mind; there were no distractions. Everything can proceed as I have rearranged. He thought, eyes fixated on the Everfree Castle. Daybreaker was already marching towards Canterville. Good. Let them fight. All will be good in due time.
Trotting through the halls of his spire, a stillness filled the construction. Calm before the storm. Here, it was quite literal. A calm that could not be replaced. Soon, a storm of magic would brew on the battlefield. Afterwards, peace. There will be ashes, there will be dust, but in the end; peace. He felt rather twisted, having prepared Equestria for future conflict. Realising that, in fact he had made Equestria more powerful, a nation to be reckoned with. Villains, archnemesis, evil-doers, they should be worried. They should feel dread, harrow... Fear. Yes. Fear me. |
To Be Malevolent | 9 - Confrontation | It was beyond disastrous. Everything fell apart, all intricacies, all surprises. The roars and howls of thousands echoed throughout the battlefield. It was beyond chaotic. It wasn't a battle, rather a brawl. A crowded mess, filled to the brim with heavy armour-clad warriors wielding and levitating great weapons. Strategy was long forgotten when it all devolved into such pandemonium. Daybreaker, could not believe her eyes. Despite her presence on the battlefield, her armies were being slaughtered. One moment, she notices the left flank being broken. The next, the right flank. This was unaccounted for, neither was the strength of the Lunar legions. Daybreaker herself was a menace, butchering entire platoons with ease.
She had made a fatal error, but she could not decipher it and find its root. She was busy, so were her officers. Flame was ever-present. Ash littered the grounds. Steel tasted hide and flesh. Corpses were unceremoniously thrown into the battlegrounds. Directly above, the Solar-Lunar Eclipse hung, glaring down at the combatants with malice. Its mere presence was scorching, yet it was bitter. Day and Night clashed. The bitter steel cares not for allegiance, not for status, not for destiny, it only slays.
Calm before the storm. The calm was long gone, but where was the storm? It gathered high above the battlefield near Canterville. A great vortex of magic. It spun, unleashing bursts of dark magic. Great shockwaves flattened large portions of the Everfree. It shook the foundations of archaic structures, ghostly howls emanated from it. This, this was truly the twilight of the gods. The skies were darkening, the fields burned. Thunder roared; lightning struck. Then, silence. It halted. Not another burst of magic, not another howl or roar. Soldiers from both sides looked in awe, turning to horror. It was mist. It was them.
The hissing began. The armour plates reverberating, the steel screeching along the Everfree woods. Those white eyes in the dark. The Equestrian armies realised their greatest mistake. They were now completely encircled. Pegasi refused to fly due to the storm. Unicorn magic was nullified by the storm. Earth ponies were now drenched in mud. It was Equestrian Passchendaele.
Daybreaker hissed, shifting her attention to the army, a growl escaping afterwards. "It is easy to forget who orchestrated thine defeat in the first place, Empress Daybreaker of Equestria. Though, we forgive thee for such a trivial mistake." Chaos mockingly bellowed as he materialised from mist, his soldiers wasting no time unleashing Tartarus upon her and Luna's soldiers. A battle between former brothers and sisters. She quickly assessed the situation, frantically reorganising her soldiers to face the new threat. Out of all places, not here! She panicked.
Victory, it was certain mere moments after the beginning of the battle. But alas, it was not to be, Chaos had not even needed to predict this mass movement of Solar soldiers. Castle Everfree is under complete subjugation, its surrounding towns patrolled by shades. In truth, Equestria was already lost. Daybreaker, and by extension her sister merely delayed the inevitable. Perhaps in another world, one where Chaos had not spoken with his counterpart, Equestria would merely be his plaything. This, this isn't that world. His plan, however flawed it may have been, still would result in achieving a greater, better world. He wasn't toying with them today. No, his mindset was far from that. This battlefield was to correct prior mistakes. One more act of malice towards the combatants of Equestria.
The Solar Legion had suffered unprecedented number of casualties. Despite their superior numbers, heavier armour, greater number of supplies and more well-experienced soldiers, they were being slaughtered en-masse. Luna had been especially careful with her planning, sending scouts and even the populace to monitor Daybreaker's armies. Once word had gotten out, she prepared her armies and snuck them into the dense forest, waiting for the precise moment her sister arrived at the perfect location. This field, she had been informed by multiple of her scouts was particularly difficult to cross, though it was the closest route directly to Canterville. No doubt Daybreaker would've wanted to sneak her armies through despite their large numbers. She had lured the Solar Alicorn with a faux-army, beginning the ambush on the slow and drenched heavy-infantry. It was perfect, as the storm rolled in along with the increasingly torrential weather.
Luna had not expected the shades to attack so soon. They merely observed previously, and their armies were comparatively tiny to both her and her sister's. However, they were still a significant threat. Luna had watched the tower being set ablaze by dark magic. She had saw a great duel, everypony did. It was a significant setback, was it not? The Lunar Queen was severely mistaken. She had, once again overlooked a crucial detail; the very mist that surrounded the spire was the army. A legion which could not be seen. A legion which surpassed the peak of any regular Pony army. A legion renewed in arcane might.
Here she stood, monitoring the field of battle. Was this what she had hoped for? It was a slaughter, thousands of Ponies, brothers and sisters cut each other down, whilst their true foe scythed them as Earth ponies in fields of wheat. Was this truly the victory she had desired; the defeat she foresaw? She felt cowardly. A craven merely observing, instead of rescuing her corrupted sister and facing the true threat. Where was Amore? Where was the Crystal Empire? Where were the Royal Guards of the Crystal Princess? She was growing impatient.
Their armies were completely surrounded, retreat was not an option. Risk without reward, thousands would perish... She could not bear watching them fall. Not only was she not personally participating in the battlefield, potential honour and glory lost, but her ponies desperately needed inspiration. Those shades were not slowing down. She had to face Chaos and his familiars. Wings flared, blade readied, magic flowed through her horn. Donning heavy armour, plate, mail and gambeson. Daybreaker would have to wait.
The blue lightning whirled through the air, piercing straight through multiple Solar Pegasi. Her target was sighted, his shroud already billowed. Daybreaker was surrounded, dozens of shades snarled at her; polearms raised, ranging from the trustworthy spear to the multi-purpose halberd. She was defiant, steadfast to the bitter end. In a way, Luna admired her corrupted sister; not backing down from a fight she is destined to lose.
The Empress of the Sun failed to falter in her time of need. To escape when she had her window of opportunity. Stubbornly, despite being outnumbered completely, she stood her ground. Blade held by magic, flame casted by mane and horn. Gritting her teeth, she saw the cobalt Alicorn speeding through the skies. Her sister dared to face her and the legion of shades? That was trivial, for now she had an important task at hoof. Slamming her hoof into the cold muddy floor, the shades surrounding her burst into flames. Screeching as they perished before their destroyer.
Merely a moment later, more had returned to avenge their fallen. No, not avenge, they had no concept of vengeance. They were Chaos' machinations. Imperfections, unrefined. Weakness lingered from their very core. Their puppeteers were miserable thoughts and emotions.
Daybreaker decimated her foes, scything down each and every shade. Her blade tasted mist and flesh. Blood boiled, flame pierced through hide. The taste of iron, the aroma of steel. Dancing in combat, a ballet of blood. Her soldiers, aspired by her actions had persevered despite the perpetual onslaught of shades.
Luna could watch no longer. Diving down with the speed and ferocity of a meteorite, impacting the ground at maximum velocity. Daybreaker found a crater beside her, corpses and ash decorated the ground. The Martial Queen escaped the newly created hole in the earth, eyes staring directly at her sister. They stared at each other, circling around the crater.
Chaos' familiars encircled them once more. Not a second was wasted by them. Luna and Daybreaker fought like hounds, perseverance was their only thought. Every casualty was replenished. The hissing only grew louder. The storm brewed once more.
Despite their numerical superiority, the shades were unable to overwhelm the two Alicorns; they were unyielding, defiant to the last. Then, all familiars switched their attention to the Solar and Lunar Legions, flooding past the armies' respective leaders.
Luna panted, knees in contact with the floor. She noticed the Sun Alicorn's approach to her side. Instead of striking her down, Daybreaker merely gave a smirk. She was chuckling, not a mad cackle such as before, but a harmless chuckle. She extended her hoof to the Moon Alicorn, helping her back on her hooves.
"Let us not falter, sister." She spoke, voice unlike the bellowing from before. "For now, we shalt hath respite." Vaguely, the soft voice of Celestia broke through, before the Alicorn snapped her attention in front of both of them. "Chaos..." She hissed; weapon firmly wrapped in Solar magic.
He made no effort to monologue. Not a speech, not a single word. Only an infuriating sneer. "Hmph." The Unicorn summoned his weapon of choice. He chuckled, quite full of himself this fateful day. Not another sound later did he gallop forth, mist rolling and encasing all three combatants.
The Breaker of Dawn gathered herself, one hoof placed on the Lunar Queen. Her weapon was ripped away into the abyss, never to be seen by her eyes. Flaring her wings, she fluttered the great white feathered appendage and dispersed the sickly miasma immediately. No sign of the apparition, no sign of her sister. She hadn't been in contact with the cobalt Alicorn, no, she was in contact with a piece of Solar armour.
The Bringer of Night scanned around herself, horn illuminating a darkened mist. Daybreaker... No, Celestia was nowhere to be seen, not a signature. Slamming her left hoof, the mist recoiled and revealed the Dark Unicorn standing before her. Her blade immediately made contact with the halberd. "Thou hath yet to tap into thine magic... Thy true magic." He sounded rather surprised and disappointed.
"We shalt never give in! Never again!" She cried valiantly. With that, she galloped forth, throwing an armoured hoof at the Unicorn. Of course, he effortlessly deflected the flimsy attack, retaliating with a hoof of his own. Unarmed combat commenced. Luna threw a flurry of punches at Chaos, either colliding with his armour or contacting with his hoof. Their blades screeched as both attempted to make contact with their opponent.
"Don't worry, once we are finished. Thou wilt- nay. Shalt be grateful." With his reassuring words concluded, Luna felt a great shockwave push against her. Her metal shoes slid across the stone floor; sword planted directly through creating a crack. The mist rose and lurched towards her, hissing as it struck her armour.
"Unfortunately, our confrontation hath not escalated to mine desired point. Thou require a dose of pain." He spoke, malice creeping onto his grin. Luna thrashed in place; her eyes darted in all directions. Panic overtook her mind; fear creeped into her. Needles- No, blades pierced into her flesh. Faux-blades. They never pierced her pelt. She let out a blood-curdling shriek, eyes flaring wide in agony. She felt the flooding of adrenaline, the flowing of magic, the incursion of dark magic. Her own dark magic. She cried and begged for respite. No response came from her tormenter. Instead, incoherent mumbling. Through her pain, she had recognised a series of Where are you? Come out. As he merely observed. He was growing impatient.
Luna had no idea what the cruel stallion had in mind; she didn't care. The pain brought her rage, fury. Anger beyond what she had ever felt before. She chuckled. She chuckled before the dark Unicorn, catching him completely off-guard. He rose an eyebrow, intrigued at the cobalt Alicorn's gesture. Then, a grin. Both Unicorn and Alicorn grinned. Luna felt the pain immediately cease. She had already accepted the influence and indoctrination of the malevolent magic now. Anything for Equestria, anything for her sister.
The Lunar Alicorn was released from her binds. She stretched her body, clicking her bones. Levitating her blade from the ground, she switched into a combat-ready stance. Her opponent was rather amused by the display, clapping his hooves once she finished. Rolling her eyes, she dashed forth, sword shooting forth and narrowly grazing the stallion's armour.
Luna received a hoof to the face. Furious wouldn't describe her at this moment. The magically levitated sword chased her assailant, homing onto him as an angry swarm of bees. He merrily dodged and weaved through the danger, this was merely to bide his time.
The Alicorn, tired of her opponent's game discharged waves of dark magic before him. To her frustration, and her adversary's amusement, he deflected bolt after bolt. "Fight back, damn thee! Art thou a coward? High and mighty diving so low, Chaos?" She spoke with a particular poison in her voice. Seductive in nature, though it was filled with anger, with unrelenting fury.
Finally, Chaos stood still, infuriating smirk still dominating his expression. Luna's sword was forced into the ground, shattering to millions of shards from the sheer force. At last, a great beam of magic howled, piercing towards the Unicorn. "Hah! You fell for it!" Completely disregarding archaic, the Unicorn teleported directly above his adversary, unleashing a great beam of magic onto her. What followed was a cry of surprise, of fear. The Cobalt Alicorn felt her body being thrown through the air, she cried out in pain and terror. Her horn lit, attempting to connect to the dark magic. Only little traces of it was found. It had been ripped from her system.
"CHAAAAAOSSSS!!" Cried the valiant Daybreaker as the lightning bolt flashed across the battlefield.
Only one word was uttered by the dark Unicorn. It was barely heard. "Wha-?"
A fiery meteorite soared directly into him, smashing his rib cage and instantly destroying all of his bones in a blood mess. His cry of pain was barely distinguishable as his body sped through the air. Blood gushed and practically exploded out of the stallion as he slid into the ground. Daybreaker had arrived, rushing over to the Lunar Queen. "Luna!" She cried.
Despite being flailed into the floor, Chaos stayed fully conscious. He howled in inconceivable agony, thrashing his broken body around. He would've muttered Impossible and or Improbable, if his vocal cords hadn't been annihilated upon impact. No! Father! Speak to me! His thoughts reached out to his creator. No response was given, but he could tell he was still alive. He would've breathed a sigh of relief, if he wasn't in agonizing pain. His internal structure desperately repaired itself, despite the severe damage to a majority of internal organs due to the skeleton and impact. He felt a looming sense of dread, they were about to approach him.
Not a limb was able to move. Not an appendage was available. Nothing... No... No... He let out a rasp, followed by a cough. Move... Move! They weren't working. A familiar darkness creeped into his vision. His thoughts scrambled. His hearing was impaired. Damn it all! Move! It was as if a massive weight was placed onto him. Not... Not this again... No... "N-no...". Before another word could be spoken, he slipped into the veil of unconsciousness. Once more in the mindscape.
Luna too was in a critical state. Her entire body had been scorched by the point-blank wave of magic. She was panting heavily, intaking huge gulps of air. The warm and comforting wing of her sister was shielding her, despite the fiery properties of Daybreaker. Both siblings shared a hug, not a word exchanged. "It hurts..." The Lunar Queen whimpered. "It hurts so much..." She continued; a tear forming in her eye. One hoof moved the great feathered wing out of her vision. She angrily gazed upon the shredded Unicorn, who seemed to be unconscious.
Daybreaker wasted not a second more. Levitating her weapon of choice, she strutted over to her severely battered opponent. Fiery magic seeped from her horn and contacted the blade, igniting it. The Unicorn's head tilt upwards, eyes meeting hers, brown instead of white. "Know this; we take no pleasure in thine demise." She sighed, closing her eyes and thrusting the blade into the Unicorn. She heard the blade make contact with steel. Eyes flaring open, she was in disbelief. "Impossible..."
"N-no." Cough. "N-nothing... Nothing is-" Cough. "I-impossible..." The Unicorn rasped, pushing aside the fiery blade of Daybreaker with his halberd, watching as she recoiled. "Surprised? Y-you... Ugh... You shouldn't be." He continued, getting back to his hooves with difficulty. His left hoof gave away, collapsing the armoured living-corpse. "I am very hard to kill..." His head lifted, a smile in place of the prior smirk.
Neither combatant made an attempt to dash, eyes fixated on each other, examining every movement. They slowly began circling, weapons dragging along the floor. All three armies of shades, Lunar and Solar Legion had halted their fighting and encircled their respective leaders. The luminescent glow of the shades, the fiery mark of the solar soldiers and the iridescent reflections of the lunar armour shone onto the two leaders. Luna had been carried away from the field of battle to recover.
The Unicorn was running on life support, everything keeping him together was magic, it was exhausting. He felt numb, the magic he utilised was fending off the immense pain. His instincts told him to flee, to escape back to the spire. His body was too weak. His body. Not the apparition. For once, combat. He had never participated in a confrontation, only a mere bystander. He may have been a century old, but he felt like a child. In this moment, he was terrified. But he battled on his fears. Purging them merely made them stronger. He wanted, needed to conquer them. His companion, the parasite of his mind, reckless as he may be, he felt obligated to protect. It was duty like none other.
Daybreaker was losing grip of the body, losing control of Celestia. Both acknowledged their tasks; both were prepared for the final confrontation. They assessed the situation of their adversary. Battered, bones protruding out of his pelt and armour, slowly being repaired. He was exhausted too, having suffered enough damage to render most Unicorns deceased. The fact he still stands meant he still had some fighting spirit. The potential of a Unicorn who can control Alicorn magic was devastating, even if he was in a weakened state.
Cautiously, the pair continued to circle. Then, the Unicorn once more collapsed, letting out a groan afterwards. Daybreaker took this opportunity to shower her opponent in flame, unleashing an unrelenting hail of fire. Soldiers from the Lunar and Solar sides looked in shock as their former princess seemingly erased the stallion from existence. Eventually, the onslaught halted, leaving behind a wall of flame.
Daybreaker cautiously trotted forth, examining her work. There was nothing beyond the fire. Lifting her head, her soldiers were staring with their mouth agape and eyes wide. She felt a shiver down her spine. Turning around, she saw the half-corpse standing, wide grin on him. She wasn't given a chance to react afterwards, a flurry of attacks from the halberd ensured that. The Alicorn retreated and caught her breath. Her opponent was inspecting his weapon, licking his lips as well! The nerve...
"To be honest with you, I have never fought another creature with magic." He chuckled; eyes now directed to the Alicorn. "Being acquainted with this was rather... Exciting. I can see why Chaos enjoyed the thrill of combat so much now." As he spoke the name, his left eye turned to a white. The white of the apparition. "You should feel honoured, Empress of the Day." No longer was there a vile rasping sound, but rather regular speech. "Repairing my body requires a rather large sum of magic. Replacing that is costly, it takes time and effort." He slowly approached the pearl Alicorn. "Or, alternatively, I could follow the stratagem of my darker counterpart, and you can return it to me." He pointed the halberd towards her.
Daybreaker rose her blade and heard the fluttering of wings. Eyes shifting to the skies, she saw Luna looming overhead. The Lunar Queen was donning heavier armour than before, pelt as black as midnight. She landed beside her sister, determination in her eyes. Both Alicorns turned back to the Unicorn, who hadn't moved an inch.
"Sometimes, I feel like the single most idiotic Unicorn in all of Equestria." He uttered; a few snickers came from the encirclement. Taking a defensive stance, or at least as close as he could replicate, the Unicorn inhaled and exhaled. This is for you. He galloped forth; sending the halberd to crash down onto the two Alicorns.
His way of fighting differed from Chaos, Daybreaker and Luna could both tell. His movements were less methodical, more predictable. He was inexperienced after all. But there was mimicry, along with that, improvisation. He made sure to utilise his horn more often, despite that, still valuing chivalry. He couldn't pass for a Knight, no, but an aspirant. There was a sense of desperation within his style, less of a prolonged battle and more shortened duel.
The Royal Sisters were slightly overwhelmed by the onslaught of the Unicorn. However, eventually he retreated, taking a more defensive stance. By then, he had already exhausted a huge reserve of magic by repairing himself, keeping his battered body together and numbing the pain. Once more, he collapsed, writhing on the floor. The crowd was cheering wildly, celebrating the conclusion of a century-due duel. The Shades were silent, they all expressed shock, replaced by frown.
"We're not done yet..." The Unicorn rasped, getting back onto his hooves. "No, this duel is far from its conclusion." He continued, licking his lips. "I shall have my desired victory; my stratagem shall succeed." The King of Shades rose his halberd once more. "And then, we shall have PEACE! Peace in our time." He concluded his triumphant short speech by summoning the storm once more. The shades commenced their surprise attack onto the shocked soldiers of Daybreaker and Luna.
No longer was he expending magic to numb, or to hold his now repaired parts together. A great shockwave was sent forth, flattening much of the encircling trees of the Everfree and knocking down many Solar and Lunar legionaries. Daybreaker and Luna themselves were once more swarmed by the shrouded onslaught of shades.
Chaos observed the battlefield, leaving his shades to complete the task. Daybreaker had ruined much with that single manoeuvre. He felt his magic waning by the second, body still repairing. Luna had already been taken care of, mostly at least. Daybreaker would be the next target, the more annoying and powerful older sister. Even with the crown containing both Alicorns' magic, it wasn't enough to shield him from an impact at such high speeds. He felt physically weak, weaker than any other point in his existence.
"Lament." He reminded himself, turning his head towards the Everfree. "I do wonder where you are." He stated, curiosity piqued. "Your existence is a fault, an error, an imperfection. Merely to annoy me. But I could say that about myself for our poor creator." He continued, noticing an odd shape emerging from the Everfree... No... Ponies. "Perhaps, you were right here watching..." He focused onto the shadowy group. Beyond the sound of battle was marching. The clashing of armour plates, the reverberating battle-cries.
He couldn't have built an army this quickly... An expression of concern marked his visage. Then, a warhorn was blown. It howled and signalled for a charge. A charge of crystalline armoured Ponies crashed into the shade armies. Oh... Them. He face-hoofed and snickered. Princess Amore had arrived, later than scheduled.
"My, my. Aren't you just the peak of comedy?" He continued observation, redirecting his forces. This was going to be a long battle.
Time Skip - Elsewhere
Lament felt rather... Rather painful, that was not an experience he'd like to relive. Amore's Crystal army was extraordinary. Despite being composed of mainly Crystal Earth Ponies, they still had a great arsenal of magical weaponry. Instead of gaining soldiers, he had lost a large portion of his retinue. It was a decisive defeat, he barely managed to escape. Princess Amore herself was an extremely powerful sorceress, scything through congregations of his converted-shades.
He wasn't ready to face Chaos, if he couldn't halt the Crystal army, then he'd have no chance in the biggest battle in Equestrian history. His task would have to wait. What was it his father had said to Chaos? You are not merely a tainted version of my image; you are your own person... He contemplated these words as he regathered the still functioning shades.
Ascension would have to be delayed, perhaps never achieved. In fact, he didn't even know how one could possibly ascend. Lament couldn't find a solution to this issue, perhaps it could be achieved artificially. Perhaps he didn't have to become a proper Alicorn, but rather a demi-Alicorn. Yes, that sounds achievable.
Circling the perimeter of the brief skirmishing field, Lament studied the Crystal soldiers, what they had done, how they had defeated his forces. They had numerical superiority, their equipment was of higher quality and they were led by a Princess. The ambush... It didn't go as planned, not at all. They bulldozed through the dark magically enhanced shades with ease.
"Perhaps, we need not to wander. Perhaps we can still accomplish our mission. Perhaps Chaos will perish forevermore. No perpetual torment. No eternal sorrow." He said, sighing. "Perhaps, he has the same ideals as I. Perhaps we share a very similar goal. We see different ways to attain that final victory." He said, chuckling.
In the distance, the storm brew once more, it was beautiful, it needed not to be radiant, to be glamorous. Its mere presence brought intimidation, but a violent calm too. He trotted towards it, waving his hoof, the lamenting shades followed.
"My name does not command respect, does not invoke terror, it was hastily thought up. Hmm... Perhaps, if I am to rule this world, to become this world's sovereign... Yes... Yes... Sovereign." The third personality smirked. Sovereign, supreme ruler of Equestria. Those were thoughts for another time, perhaps after Chaos' demise.
Time Skip - Battlefield
"What?! Impossible!" The King of Shades cried in surprise. His soldiers were being slaughtered. Princess Amore's Crystal guards were efficient at dispatching his shades, so efficient in fact, the numerical superiority from before mattered little. Chaos was desperately reorganising his familiars, mouth agape as they were practically executed by the Crystal magic of their adversaries. These, these were tell-tale signs that his shades required improvement, that they were yet to become the ultimate combatant.
Reserve infantry, reinforce the- Never-mind, just fight back against the Crystal guards. His orders flew left right and centre. At this point, his orders became more-or-less frantic shouting. He wanted to slap himself, for being so careless upon their approach. At least, the two Alicorns were still kept busy with the majority of his forces. He still wasn't fully prepared for another confrontation, but soon, very soon, this will end. Or at least that's what he hoped for.
"Shades, on me!" He called out to his nearby guards, though it wasn't necessary. They all ignited their horns at once, their target being the Crystal ponies. Then, they all discharged at once. A hail of dark magic struck Amore's troops, disintegrating a huge amount of her ponies. It was a gruesome sight, comparable to the first mass-organised dark magic barrage a century before.
"Second row, charge lightning bolts, pick thy targets." He repeated the exact words spoken before. "On my mark, disintegrate them." The King of Shades himself had amplified the magic of his personal guards.
Raising his hoof, a smirk appeared on him. "Eviscerate them."
Then, a great cry of terror came from the battlefield, a howling wave of lightning erased hundreds of Crystal ponies. Their history, their lives, their memories, deleted. They were all gone, only the armour remained. Their moral had crumbled into dust, much like their fallen comrades. Princess Amore had been in the midst of fighting, and had managed to protect her and her closest soldiers from the ensuing electric blanket.
The Crystal Princess was horrified, hundreds of loyal followers, those whose ancestors she had saved from the bitter environment of the frozen north. Now, they were gone, reduced to dust, their legacy in tatters. Those who have fallen shall not go unavenged. Amore prepared a shield against the dark Unicorn's next barrage, and the one after whilst sending her forces forth to do battle.
The Solar Legion was practically decimated, Daybreaker was all that stood against the hordes along with her sister. Eyes now locked onto the mist surrounding the centre of the shade army. Chaos, it must've been him. No more stalling, it was time to fight. It was time for him to perish. Perish forevermore. She had been mocked by the stallion; her soldiers had been slaughtered in the masses. She could not feel remorse for the masses anymore, this battlefield was about to become desolate. With that, Daybreaker unleashed great torrents of flame, whirlwinds of blaze, a hellish inferno which consumed all within its path. The shrieks of a thousand enthralled Unicorns filled the skies.
Luna followed her sister's example, unleashing a combination of black and lunar magic down onto her adversaries. Collateral damage was almost completely ignored, the sisters merely scythed through the army. The Lunar Legion watched in awe, encouraged by their commander. They follow her example, fighting with ferocity and renewed tenacity. Adrenaline pumped in every single creature, the thrill and terror of battle consumed their minds. Magic discharged in all directions, weaponry of all types clashed and reverberated. Armour collapsed onto the grounds of the Everfree, bodies writhed in pain.
Chaos felt as if he had abandoned his morals once more. This battle, it was to be fleeting. Yet, it had lengthened, to the point where the Crystal Empire had to be involved. He had to resort to his most brutal tactics, despite how costly it may have been. He watched the two Alicorns and empowered Unicorn decimate some of the former denizens of Equestria, and he felt terrible at heart. He could feel the thoughts reverberating in his very own familiars, having to scythe down their former comrades, their compatriots. This, this was the creature he had devolved into. But another part of him loved it, a sensation beyond satisfactory. To cause torment, to cause pain, to spread fear. This was him, his grandest display, his finest architecture, his masterwork painting. He could laugh at this- No, he couldn't. One still stood in the way, the one who always reeled him from the abyss. Companion, associate, comrade. Father..
Not a single combatant could feel regret or remorse. They only fought. Their minds demanded this conflict to conclude, but they continue to slay each foe without relent. It was a bloody ballet, an orchestra of flame, an ensemble of pain. Lament-Or rather the self-proclaimed Sovereign witnessed it all from a distance. It was... It was uneasy feeling; he had found the beauty of this battle beyond its horror. Brush in hoof, landscape before him. He was documenting the battle with art. The art of conflict, of bloodshed. The world, oh how it had devolved into such a catastrophe. |
To Be Malevolent | 10 - Thoughts | Chaos stood in place; eyes glued onto the vacant wall before him. Sighing, his eyes failed to avert from this particular section. Behind, his patient acolyte awaited the conclusion to his final confrontation. Another sigh escaped his maw, the air inhaled mere moments later. Haunches placed onto the stone tiles beneath him, the former King of Shades stared, motionless. Not emotionless, he could feel himself becoming weaker every second. His body shivered; his stomach contracted. He hadn't realised that he shrunk down.
"What troubles you, your eminence?" Questioned the concerned lesser Unicorn whose coat was a lavender with a black mane and tail, a wand of sparks was his mark. He wasn't offered a response. Approaching cautiously, the servant could feel a sense of dread creeping onto his pelt. The King of Shades turned to face his lesser and recoiled, hissing as his back made contact with the wall. The rather shocked Unicorn merely watched as his superior curled into a ball of mist and miasma.
"Leave this room." Chaos muttered; vision filled with charcoal fur. He heard not a step, nor did he feel mere motion. "Leave me, that is an order." He commanded, voice turning to authoritarian and malevolent. There still hung a melancholy in his voice, however commanding it may have turned out.
The Acolyte obeyed his order, bowing respectfully before leaving the chamber. At this moment, the congregation of victim Unicorns woke from their immense torment, dazed and unruly. Immediately, the mist encased them and began converting them into shades. They marched into formation and snapped to attention.
Chaos watched his new guard form, standing onto his hooves and closely examining them. "You all disappoint me." He hissed at the foremost Shade. "You specifically. I am speaking to you, mentor." Rasping at the particular shade, the King slapped him across the muzzle. "Perhaps you have always required an improvement..." He spoke, hoof rubbing his chin as he pondered. Then, the Shade-Unicorn was floored, hoof against his chest where the heart would be located. Manfesting a rather weak halberd, he prodded the unarmoured pelt lightly. "This is your greatest weakness, where you shall perish." He continued, forcing the blade into his machination, killing it instantly. "I am not immune to that either." Another Shade was dragged before him. "THAT IS WHERE YOU HAVE DISAPPOINATED ME!" He roared, loud enough for the entire chamber to rumble, prior etiquette having been abandoned. "Why did you fail me... How..."
The smaller Unicorn listened as the King of Shades disciplined his ensemble of shades, rather intrigued at his ramblings, even chuckling at points where the dark Unicorn lost his temper.
"I believe I am done... Father..." The Dark Unicorn sighed as he dispatched the last shade, leaving his corpse writhing on the floor. He smirked. "Begone." With a wave of his hoof, the corpses disintegrated into dust, never to be seen again by Ponykind. "Even after all of these centuries... I haven't changed, have I?" He contemplated his actions, looking down to the floor. A broken mess of a Unicorn, mind scrambled, pain lingered still, desire lingered still, desire for torment. He felt... Unrestrained. Unshackled. Free at last, but yet... There were still manacles attached to him.
The lesser Unicorn entered into view of Chaos, slowly approaching the quite literally emotion driven dark being with caution. He had calmed, posture no longer that of a wild beast but rather a Canterlot noble. "Your eminence, are you feeling well?" He asked, careful with his approach.
"Y-Yes... Yes, I apologise- I mean..." He paused, he just apologised to his subordinate. "Damn it all!" He stamped his hoof. "I believe I require... I require proper rest. My tower still stands, am I correct in that assumption?" He spoke in a rushed manner, head lifted to meet his new servant's eyes.
"Indeed, your eminence." The Unicorn politely responded. "Shall I lead you to your chambers?" He continued, hoof gesturing in the direction of the exit. He received a tired smile and sigh. Both Unicorns trotted out of the dreadful tomb, leaving behind the unforgiving memories.
The two strolled through the archaic structure. The halls filled with shattered glass panes and destroyed statues. This place had been desecrated in the King of Shades' absence. Much of the items in here were definitely of high value, after all, some were personally sculpted and crafted by the shade-Unicorn himself. He wasn't necessarily the greatest artist on the planet, in fact he was rather mediocre compared to even artisans of his time. He may have fled for a majority of his existence, but during the quiet moments, he had bothered to pick up passion projects long abandoned.
Eventually, the duo reached the top of the tower, a relatively untouched chamber filled to the brim with dust and nests. Chaos immediately flung himself into the bed. Finally, rest, true rest unlike before. "What about the rest of your story?" He heard the Unicorn ask, but he was too tired to answer in full, a Noo... Could be heard.
His horn ignited, magic billowing from its tip and attaching themselves to the armour straps. Firstly, the cape, a ruined form of its former glory. He removed the criniere second, carefully placing them aside his velvety bed. Then came the peytral, a thick piece of refined metal which had withstood blade after blade, magical blasts of all types. Its centre piece was exposed by a great gash, punctured by intensive combat, exposing the location of the heart. The flanchards slid off without issue, having been the piece of armour to be struck by Daybreaker's violent meteorite manoeuvre. After this came the mail underneath, a time-consuming task attempting to remove the carefully warn chain of armour. As the barding was finally removed, the Shade stretched his body, the sounds of bones clicking filled the chamber.
"Quite an interesting set of armour, your eminence." The lesser Unicorn whistled, admiring the neatly packed barding. "Isn't it a little... Heavy?" He continued, hoof prodding at the plates of steel.
"Are you... Are you saying that they have abandoned plate armour?" He asked, disappointment clear in his voice. "Has technological progress advanced to that point already? Perhaps it is merely ceremonial." He continued; eyes glued to the iridescent window, what he saw beyond was... Spectacular. "What happened in my absence?"
"Discord, a being of chaotic magic. Responsible for a technological dark age. He still roams this world..." The lesser Unicorn trailed off as he heard laughter. "What? I don't..."
"Discord, spirit of mischief. Chaos brough pandemonium to the world of order and left a ruined kingdom. In turn, he must've strengthened its resolve if a discordant God of Chaos wasn't satisfied. What grave irony, I brought order through chaos, so chaos had returned to destroy order." The King of Shades spoke, amusement predominant in his speech, then another yawn.
"Your eminence-"
"Silence... We need-" He paused, yawning. "I need to recollect my thoughts..." He finished, breathing yet another sigh and slumping into the bed and fully melting into its sheets. "Leave..." The Shade hissed, not a second later was he already asleep. The smaller Unicorn took notes of the dark Unicorn's behaviour, rather odd for one described to be malevolence incarnate. His expression was one of deep regret and shame, yet there was a certain pain in it. The smirk prior had been merely a façade.
What was he thinking?
Time Skip - Mindscape
'What was I thinking...?'
A rhetorical question came from the King of Shades. He looked down upon his dominion, his empire, the false world. He hadn't visited this place in centuries, yet little had changed. It was his perfect world. His world. It needed to go, to be destroyed, replaced.
At an instant, it disappeared, replaced with a hallway. A hallway of memories. It was in total disrepair. Rows of doors led to treasured and loathed memories, from torment to lament.
'Why do I still cling on to those thoughts?'
A sigh, he motioned his hoof, banishing those thoughts further down the corridor. One door disobeyed his command, one defiant memory. His expression twisted into one of fear, fear of that door. He was beyond terrified, words yet to be fathomed by Ponykind. His mind reverberated the same word, a simple word. No... No... No... No... Then, the symphony was broken, a new word introduced. Please... No... No... Until the orchestra flared. I beg of you... No... Spare me that thought... Anything, anything! His very thoughts were opposing him.
'They do not benefit me, merely hold me back.'
Suddenly, a whiteness encircled and eventually consumed his incorporeal form. He clawed at it, screeched and hissed, refusing its abduction. Yet, nothing worked. Twisted laughter echoed through the mind, the twisted laughter of Chaos. It lacked his perfected malevolence, it lacked his persistent sorrow or regret, it lacked the elegance, the glamour, grace. It was beyond them. Beyond insanity too.
'Then banish those thoughts, let me help you my creation, my son.'
He wasn't speaking, or thinking of that... W-what is happening t-to m-me... Then, before him, the memory played like a tape recorder. The harrowing screams amplified in his void. His soldiers, they were screaming in pain. He could hear them, their anguish clear, their true torment. It terrified him beyond limits. He shouldn't have been terrified; he wasn't a pony to be easily terrified... He wasn't susceptible to fear... "Enough!" He weakly cried, yet none followed his command.
'As you wish, father, my one true father.'
"Please... Stop!" He pleaded as his shades surrounded him. They cared naught. They felt no remorse, they felt no fear, no pain. They were perfect. They parted to reveal a dark Unicorn, Chaos. He was impaled through the chest with a sword, directly through the heart. His expression was one of shock, of terror and pain. Before him, the Solar and Lunar Alicorns, cured of their blight, triumphantly standing before the King of Shades.
'You will become the greatest in the eyes of many and all.'
He felt himself impaled by his own shades. They all descending onto him, ripping his hide, canines piercing the pelt. His screams of agony were muffled, muffled by the laughter of his own creations. Laughter of the shades, hoarse, a rasping noise, they cackled into the midnight.
Time Skip
"Please, I-" He stopped himself, heart beating abnormally, hoof on his chest, panting and gasping. It was midnight. Silence reigned supreme, yet a familiar sensation creeped onto him. The bitter wind howled, emanating its ghostly presence throughout Equestria. The breeze occasionally brushed past his pelt, leaving a shivering paranoid Unicorn.
He hadn't spoken those words... It was... It was replaying a memory from times past. He was speaking in those memories, yet he was thinking of the exact words. Who...? Who was this father? He... He who called my voice creation, his son... He contemplated these words, eyes locked onto the stained-glass window. No... I have only one creator, and he... Pause. Time passed. Snow fell upon the untamed Everfree. Birds sang their early morning choirs. Wolves howled as their precious night was consumed by the break of day.
He was soon snapped out of his thought. "Good morning, Your eminence." Came the voice of his second most favourite pony of the century. "Did you sleep well?" His question was responded with a shake of the head.
"Why are you still here?" He demanded; horn ignited as he placed his armour on. "Go home, leave this poor excuse of an ancient stallion behind, leave him to rot in his personal fortress." He grumbled; cape draped along his back. "Eminence... Hmmm... I rather like it..."
"I realised you were more than a history subject, more than just another roadblock in the Celestial Alicorn's path." He spoke, stunning the dark Unicorn. "There must've been more, more I could learn. They know you're alive, we all do." He continued, grinning at the shade. "What has kept you striding forth? What kept your ship afloat? What was it?"
"Why do you care?" Chaos replied, hissing as he stood on all fours. "What you see isn't me... I am a walking corpse, mutilated, infernal pain even the most enduring earth stallion of all couldn't fathom. What has kept me going? Pain. Torment. And now, Hatred. Hatred for Celestia, for her sister, for myself, for my other self." Concluding his explanation, his form, true form was revealed to the smaller Unicorn.
He gasped, before him stood what could only be described as a silhouette, one with patches of its translucent body leaking a vile dark substance. His horn was chipped at the tip, his mane and tail were ethereal. He rasped and growled, hissed and screeched. Posture more akin to that of a wolf than the regal stance before.
"Cel... Celestia... Celestia... Cel..." The Silhouette reverberated, a forked tongue licking his fangs. He turned to face the smaller Unicorn, growling as his stance became predatory. "Yes... Magic... Yes... Yes-" He rasped, head snapping to the left. In the place of the translucent monster was Chaos, regal posture returning. "I apologise for you having to witness that. Dark magic, it still consumes my mind. By the end of my reign, I will be naught but a feral hound, left to wander the forests awaiting my eventual demise." He spoke, chuckling.
"I- Uh... Okay... I believe I will be having a lot of nightmares tonight." Nonchalantly replied the Unicorn, though still quite on edge after the display. "Let's... Get onto a different topic..."
"What is your name, young Unicorn?" The King of Shades asked, giving a welcoming smile, or as close of a convincing non-evil smile as he could. Though, it was still rather terrifying. "You'd make a fine servant; Intuition has spoken."
"Arcane, Arcane Scroll, descendant of many great Unicorn spellcasters of your time." He began, bowing his head. "In fact, many participated in your battle against Empress Daybreaker and Queen Luna of the Solar and Lunar Empires. My ancestors may have fought to destroy you, but I know better than them. They were blind to the true capabilities of your magic." He concluded, though one thought still lingered within his mind. "Have you ever heard of a certain `cataclysm` during your century of freedom?"
"Cataclysm? Of what magnitude do you speak of? I had caused much destruction during the century of which I reigned." He questioned, intrigued by this student of the forbidden.
"Circa fifty years after your initial appearance to the Kingdom of Unicornia, a great surge of dark energy consumed the skies. Reportedly, the screams of thousands of ponies in torment could be heard, though I seriously doubt-"
"That event. O-oh no... He did it... Unintentionally." Chaos spoke aloud, downcast.
"Shall I continue, your eminence?" Arcane asked, his interest in the past renewed. With a nod, he smirked. "That dark energy was identified to be yours. Or rather, the magical signature of thousands which had been... Influenced by your magic. Most Unicorns have now inherited this artificially created magic, so the majority of the population could tap into dark magic, though with great difficulty as it is fed by emotio- You already know this. In essence, a myriad of powerful spellcasters had been granted power beyond their wildest fantasies. Necromancers rose. Sorcerers lurked. Warlocks reave." He finished speaking and heard a chuckle.
"Oh, grandiose, that crown truly possessed power beyond what I could fathom, I doubt the one I don, despite being fuelled by Alicorn magic could've compared to that crystal. In my efforts to bring this world harmony, I created true disharmony. What is light without dark? What is benevolence without malevolence? A concept without true purpose, without true opposition." He spoke with venom, another chuckle escaping his maw. "Come, let us leave this dreary building. I have not explored Equestria in... Excuse me for my ignorance, how long has it been?"
"Say- two centuries minimum."
"Two centuries of history I have missed... Four centuries since my creation and yet I am still remembered." He spoke with a grin. The two Unicorns prepared for their departure from the desecrated tower.
Time Skip
The day was young, the skies were cloaked with a barrier of shaded clouds. A great storm was brewing, a great magical storm of forbidden energy. It wrought havoc where it went, it cared not for the inhabitants of Equestria, nor the flora or fauna. It was a directionless chaotic vortex. The one who had conjured it was indeed the spirit of mischief, lord of chaos Discord.
Beneath those skies was the ever-expansive Everfree. It had become rather quiet. Tranquil. It was a sanctuary, a garden of eden. Ever since the great battle centuries ago, the mightiest predators had fled, leaving only the harmless woodland critters to tread. Everfree Castle had been fully rebuilt, greater than it ever was prior to the Solar-Lunar Eclipse. All that remained of the old was the harrowing spire of Chaos.
"They're here, I could recognise that signature anywhere!"Spoke a young Unicorn of crimson hide and midnight black mane, his cutiemark a glaive surrounded by a sea of crimson spoke to his companions as they navigated the dense woods.
"At ease Crimson Glaive, they aren't going anywhere. Our intelligence had stated clearly that they had reached the tower." Came the voice of a companion, a Pegasus of a tangerine pelt and brown mane and tail.
"Stay vigilant, or we shall taste the bitterness of defeat, Seasonal Wind. They have evaded us for long, but this dawn, our efforts will pay!" Replied the crimson Unicorn, unsheathing a glaive. "Come, Crusaders of the Sun! No longer shall this accursed group of dark magicians lurk in Equestria's shadows!" He declared, his companions cheering as they simultaneously drew their weapons. Unicorns, Pegasi, Earth Ponies all clad in gilded plating, though lacking the superior protective capabilities of past armour, inspired by Chaos' personal combat equipment, this new mail-less equipment was light, its bearers were manoeuvrable. All Crusaders wore a Solar pendant, repelling the forbidden magic and destroying it from its bearer.
They escaped the forest, alas, they arrived before the towering structure built by Chaos all those centuries prior. A constant reminder of the darkness which prowls Equestria. He himself was entombed within this structure, his spell having back-fired once the cured Princess Celestia and Queen Luna had interrupted his final spell. Doomed to an eternity of solitary confinement.
"Thank Celestia for that." One of the Solar Crusaders muttered.
As they walked past the flora infested gate, a sense of dread crawled onto their iron-clad pelts. Howls and shrieks of the long deceased were audible, the tens of thousands of souls shackled by the will of shades. The influence of dark magic creeped onto their minds, but hissed and recoiled as they were repelled by the solar pendants.
"May you rest in peace, tortured souls!" Crimson, ever the melodramatic Unicorn that acted as if he was expelling demons. The others gave either an eye-roll or a sigh and groan. There was nothing but lamenting voices here, they were harmless. Still both leading ponies felt a shiver down their spine as a hiss could be heard from within the spire.
"I-I'm sure its n-nothing..." Another Solar Crusader nervously remarked, weapon shuffling in his hooves.
"Worry not! For we shall return un-harmed by these vile and dangerous practitioners of the dark!" The Unicorn of theatrics triumphantly declared. He is the first to enter, one hoof pushing the creaking door to reveal a grand chamber at the base. It may have been grand during its heyday, but now it was a ruined and desecrated mess. Statues had collapsed or severely damaged and degraded, portraits were either torn or their frames broken.
"This place is a wreck. Must've contained some extremely valuable artefacts or jewellery in here." An observant Solar Crusader spoke, his comrades nodding in agreement.
Seasonal Wind overtook his red pelted companion and reached the centre ignoring his pleas of 'vigilance' and 'danger lurking'. What nonsense, the group they were hunting weren't the most organised of dark magicians in Equestria. No, they weren't even the most dangerous. It was their intention, the return of the King of Shades. Wind couldn't allow that. Not in a million solar cycles. Intuition had already told him be wary, but he ignored its call. "Justice awaits." He whispered.
A rasping sound resonated in their collective ears. The clash of armour plating, the rattle of chain mail. Armoured hoof against the stone tiles. They unanimously prepared for combat, swords and spears, axes and maces raised. The mist rolled, seeping into the chamber through cracks in the wall or entrances to hallways.
Panic, yet they stood in place.
"Seasonal... I think we should retreat..." The glaive wielding Unicorn nervously asked, simultaneously igniting his horn and illuminating the room. "Seasonal?" He received no response, the Pegasus merely waited, focusing his attention on the direction of the noise.
"I have a bad feeling about this..." Nervously spoke a Solar Crusader, clutching his weapon tightly.
"It's him... It's HIM!" The Pegasus suddenly had an outburst, causing his fellow Crusaders to squeal. "Stand your ground, soldiers! Do not falter in the face of your enemy!" He commanded, dragging a pair of terrified Earth ponies.
Agonisingly slowly, the miasma encircled the Solar ensemble. Luminescent eyes emanated from the thick mist. Out of the shroud strutted the armoured-clad Dark Unicorn. Chaos, King of Shades, harbinger of dark magic. With him, a lavender Unicorn donning a cloak and circlet, the Unicorn they had been hunting.
"Shalt I call thy companions brave or foolish? Brave to face me, foolish to come here. But I digress. I welcome thee, children of Celestia. Welcome to mine fallen Kingdom." Declared the formerly entombed King. His armour was battered beyond recognition, his body was scarred from hoof to head.
Crimson Glaive took a step back along with the majority of his fellow Solar Crusaders, his eyes focused on the tangerine Pegasus whom took combat stance, spear raised and prepared to impale his foe. Others were inspired of his bravery, in spite of their terror. After all, the Unicorn before them managed to face two Alicorns, in the same battle.
"Nay. I wish not to fight thee, for I harbour no hatred towards thee and thy associates." Continued the Dark Unicorn as he approached the Pegasus, nonchalantly batting his weapon aside with an armoured hoof. He noticed multiple Crusaders attempting to escape and raised the mist barrier, halting them entirely.
"You have caused great harm to my family." The Pegasus spoke in a sombre tone. "My ancestors suffered from your rule. Many of my family had became Shades, destined to toil under your control for the rest of their lives. One of the greatest of my family, Sudden Strike had accomplished much before your merciless slaughter. You are a parasite, a blight upon our world. And you shall be vanquished!" He scorned. Disregarding his previous worry, merely being fuelled by vengeance the Pegasus charged.
Chaos was rather amused, raising a shield before the Pegasus. Then, rather surprisingly, the winged tangerine didn't crash into his barrier. "Oh no, I have been threatened, whatever shalt I do? But seriously, what do you expect to happen? That you're going to plunge that puny little spear into my heart and get the vengeance you desire? Because that isn't how events here play out." He spoke with amusement. "Understand that I wish not to fight, instead, you are interrupting my morning walk around the Everfree, my first one in centuries. I only need to clear my mind a little." He explained, walking past the Solar Crusader.
"You may not know this, but with the little stunt Celestia pulled on me whilst I was busy, she had inadvertently killed over eight thousand of her own people including the ones her army had already killed by disintegrating them into ash. Only I can reverse the Shade curse, and if you try to revert it yourself, you kill whoever it controls." He informed the Crusaders, who were all disheartened.
"By the way, faithful servant Arcane." He turned his head, watching the little Unicorn trot. "Who are these... Sun-lovers?"
They took great offence to this nickname. "How dare you insul-mmmph!" Instantaneously, the Solar Crusader was silenced by his comrades.
"After your entombment, Celestia formed the order of which they are a part of. They are Crusaders of the Sun, what nonsense. You having escaped that tomb is living proof that they are incapable of doing their job correctly." Arcane Scroll mocked, much to the dismay of the others. "You are an organised militia, created to hunt down those who freely practiced dark magic. Is it so vile that you must burn us at the stake? Is it so vile that we must be lynched in every town and city we enter? You do not see the benefits of this gift. Merely its malignancies." He scorned, receiving looks of anger and shame from the Crusaders.
"Don't think we'll ever forgive you, former brother Arcane Scroll." Crimson spoke in a much more serious tone. "You were too ambitious and took up this magic." He continued, the others nodding in agreement and giving glares.
"Silence! I have enough of you lot grumbling behind my back!" Chaos growled, displaying his fangs to the shrinking Crusaders. "Go. Get out of my castle. The ones following Arcane Scroll have perished, so unless you so wish to be turned into a Shade, I would recommend your immediate withdraw from this fortress." He scowled at them, hoof pointing to the entrance.
The Crusaders scrambled out of the angered demi-god's home; most were glad to have not fought with the King of Shades. Seasonal Wind felt different, he felt his ancestors were cheated, and they wouldn't rest in peace. Crimson on the other hoof felt betrayed and insulted. This couldn't continue. With the discovery of Chaos, the Princesses must be warned.
Time Skip
After the rather amusing display of Equestria's finest buffoons, Chaos needed to clear his mind. Sleep didn't help, merely nightmares and memories of the past. I hate them, so inconceivably much. He thought, aimlessly wandering the snow covered Everfree. Beside him was a rather useful information machine, everything he needed to know about modern day Equestria. Or well, 'modern'. Equestrian technology had advanced to what would be the renaissance. It hasn't exactly been a golden age for the nation.
Empires from across the azure seas have come and went, pillaging the land as they pleased. Deer, Griffons, other Griffons, Minotaurs, Pirates, Dragons quite frequently and internal threats such as powerful dark magicians. Now, in the skies, Discord. Chaos was rather giddy, a peculiar behaviour rarely exhibited by the Unicorn. Many of the Unicorn inhabitants of Equestria were now technically his descendants, marked by his magic. In fact, he felt an increase in dark magical presence universally.
"Ah, it must be noon. Unless Discord is messing with the skies once more. How about a picnic?" Arcane suggested, looking up at the dark Unicorn hopefully.
"Yes, that sounds appetising. Since you don't look in any way like an omnivore, I am presuming that you've only brought regular Pony-food, the stuff tastes like venom to me." Chaos responded, licking his fangs at the thought of food. His companion however was taken aback.
"Omnivore? You eat meat?! Ooh... If only I had known! Wait, you don't like the food we normally have? Omnivore? Only eats meat? What happened to the vegetation part? Do you... Do you like pony?" The young Unicorn felt a little uncomfortable around the Dark Unicorn now. Creating a little bit of distance between him and himself.
"Ooh noo! Chaos is going to eat me! Oh, the ponymanity! No. I am not a cannibal. Where did you get that idea from?" He asked, snickering at the smaller Unicorn's antics.
"Griffons... They ea-"
"Don't even continue. I don't want to hear it." Chaos placed a hoof onto his companion's muzzle. "Predators, I have never considered the animal's perspective whilst I poached, roasted and devoured them." He was given a certain look. "What? I cook my food."
"O-okay..." Nervously replied the Unicorn, shuffling a little further away.
Eventually, the two dark magic addicted Unicorns arrived onto a hill with a great scenic view of the Everfree and beyond. In the distance, there stood the spire, the Everfree castle, Canterville in the far distance, or rather Canterlot, plenty of obscure villages, the river. Discord's antics was unmissable, neither were the Royal Pony Sisters attempting to eradicate him.
Chaos had hunted down many of the local wild life inhabiting the local area, ensuring his lunch would be as grand as a banquet. He was starving. Beyond starving. Using magic to sustain one's body was exhausting and didn't completely negate the requirement of a pony's body.
In the distance, Discord seemed to be tormenting the two unfortunate Alicorn sisters with his rather cruel machinations. It seems he enjoyed spreading this torment as much as Chaos did centuries prior. The two dark magicians merely observed, their view was spectacular.
Arcane on the other hand was granted a training session with the pony whom was the single most potent in dark magic. He loved it. Just a single duel with the Dark Unicorn and he already figured he was outmatched. But proper pupils are always determined to learn, to become as great, or greater than their tutors.
And that is why you must endure this pain, no matter how much I break you, how many bones are broken, how many organs are crushed, how much of your skin is destroyed, how much you bleed. You must stand. You must stand back up. Chaos halted in place; eyes glued to the skies. That was his mentor's voice... No... It was mixture of two voices. The one his voice called 'father'.
You must adapt if you are to ever face your foes in combat. Be tenacious. Be relentless. And eventually, we will face each other on the battlefield. The battle will be fierce. But you shall fulfil your purpose. That which you will learn in the future. I will be relentless. I will not show you mercy. We shall know each other as foes, not parent and child. Eventually, the prophecy shall be broken. My destiny will be fulfilled. My child, know this; Harmony awaits.
"Harmony awaits..." He hissed aloud and collapsed to the ground. |
To Be Malevolent | 11 - Inheritors | Grand Gallery reviewed the work laid before him. A landscape painting, finest of its kind. Vivid in detail, aspiring in beauty. A battlefield stretched across the canvas, within it, thousands of warriors clad in steel and crystal. At the centre, there stood two figures, one as pristine as the crystalline north and the other as stygian as the midnight descended down to their subordinates, facing in the direction of their foe, a dark horned figure towering above the shrouded battlefield. The work was labelled Final Confrontation. Though many understood its representation, few understood its true meaning.
Gallery handled the painting as if it was a volatile explosive, primed to wipe out Canterlot upon contact with the ground. This, this was his finest work. Here in the centre of Canterlot, where he took his residence. The bustling city was his safe haven, free from the tyranny of the outside world. Governed by the Princess of Love, the city had enjoyed relative prosperity similar to the Everfree Castle during its heyday. Trouble had stirred recently, throwing the city into minor disorganisation.
Gallery always wondered if his career would collapse into the dirt, he wasn't exactly successful. But the Unicorn always tried his finest to impress the wealthy of Canterlot. Perhaps it was his proper etiquette that lured the nobility. Or perhaps it was the items of value, that's what they cared about, wasn't it? Then, the snowy Unicorn hissed. Looking out of the window, he saw them. Those buffoons of the Sun! Coming back to Canterlot after murdering another innocent Unicorn? Perhaps bothering the Princess once more with their paranoia? Growling in their direction. He despised those Solar Pendants, no one Unicorn with dark magic would be sane enough to approach one.
Their expressions told a different tale. A tangerine Pegasus and crimson Unicorn led the ensemble, fear plastered on their faces. Fear? Crusaders of the Sun can feel fear? Unheard of... Unless they fought a manticore or goddess forbid, Hydra. His mind searched all possibilities, there was a discrepancy. Hydra... No, there aren't any Hydras in the Everfree anymore. He examined closely. There isn't even a shred of relief in their expression. They have lost to something. But he was curious, not one had suffered any form of battle damage.
As the golden armour-clad returned to their Solar fortress situated west of the Canterlot centre, the white pelted Unicorn snapped from his thoughts, returning to his previous activity of paint watching. It was enchanting, he could almost see the figures move on their own accord.
The Unicorn hadn't lived within these walls for long. Only recently did the portrait enthusiast move from the Everfree. A persistent presence drew him ever closer to its centre, near to the Capital of Equestria. Its inexplicable nature perplexed the dark magical Unicorn, and that terrified him. At its core, the Everfree contained a well filled with magic of all types. Yet whoever desires to access this well is destroyed without thought. Many have documented its behavioural pattern, almost as if it was a sentient being. The abhorrent King of Shade's Dark Magic is known to leech whatever magic it desires, yet it isn't sentient. It does not feel. It does not fear.
He heard a commotion outside. Once more, Gallery glanced at the window. Beyond the confines of his residence, a violent altercation was erupting. There, in the centre of Canterlot, the Princess of Love took her residence too. The morning parade was interrupted, by none other than the Crusaders of the Sun. Her supporters were being assaulted by those of the Sun. The simple tan-pelted, cerulean-maned and viridescent eyed Princess of Love herself was surrounded by the golden-clad Crusaders, an argument brewing between the two parties.
"If you would only realise the error of your ways!" A Solar Crusader yelled, raising his weapon as his comrades followed suit in approval.
"Error of our ways?! You are too blind to see the practical usage of such power, and you persecute us for simple actions! We have saved lives, and yet you still hunt us? We even have longer lifespans!" One supporter retaliated, his ensemble applauding.
"And what do you do during that time? Spend vast amounts of dark magic, ensuring that your bodies decay faster and killing you sooner, as well as committing to your abhorrent studies!" A Solar supporter exclaimed.
Gallery could distinguish two Crusaders speaking directly to the Princess, one with a pelt of crimson and the other a tangerine. They were clearly the leaders and most likely instigators of the quarrelling. Their chatter was drowned in the sea of squabble. The artistic Unicorn left his home, joining the crowd, prepared to de-escalate if possible. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen, and Gallery felt a sense of dread loom over him.
The confrontations between these two parties started peacefully. A word of sedition or two, perhaps insults, false accusations and maledictions. Then, violence. Combat Magic flared in the city of Canterlot. Such has not happened for centuries. Dark magic too billowed. Such is why the Crusaders still prowl Equestria. Gallery watched in shock and horror. They were killing each other, in the streets of Canterlot! Brothers and sisters, Unicorn, Pegasi and Earth pony!
The Princess by no means was a warrior. She merely practiced the practical non-combat-related spells and techniques of Dark magic, ironically created by the one pony who desperately needed combat magic the most. She was merely casting shield after shield to protect her supporters, seeking to end this without more bloodshed. But the Crusaders of the Sun cared little for those who practised the dark arts. They must be purged.
Suddenly, a bolt of Solar magic rippled through the Canterlot streets towards the Princess of Love, hissing as it drew closer to the young Alicorn. It impacted, an explosive reaction following suit. The Princess felt dust impact her pelt, but not a trace of Solar magic. She heard a sharp inhalation from the smoking pillar before her. Then, the column of smoke dissipated.
"Grand Gallery? The painter of Canterlot?" Spoke the stunned Princess as she backed off from the dissipated smoke pillar.
Gallery felt the rush of adrenaline coursing through his body. His pristine coat of white was now decorated with a black patch. The remnant of Dark Magic emanated from his horn, crackling and evaporating into the air around. It was excruciating, but he still stood. "Flee... Princess, flee from Canterlot, they will only hunt you here in Canterlot." He rasped to her, one hoof giving away and collapsing him. "The Solar Crusaders won't stop until you are dead..."
The Princess heeded his word, her remaining supporters withdrawing from the streets of Canterlot, much of the Crusaders and their supporters attempted pursuit, but were halted by the one-pony army of Gallery, using all of his magic to create a shield. The emanated magic was vile and detestable to the Solar supporters, its revolting sense repelled them. They had to wait, and Gallery made sure of that.
Eventually, he was overwhelmed. The shield bubble shattered, disappearing into the aether. Gallery was surrounded by the Crusaders, all jeering, scowling and glaring him daggers. He wasn't in any condition to fight, having exhausted his supply of magic. He felt dread, they were going to kill him. Then, the white pelted Unicorn collapsed once more, slipping into the veil of unconsciousness.
Perspective Switch
Crimson Glaive slapped the white Unicorn's head whilst ordering his retinue to disperse the disorderly militia of Solar supporters. He spat at the ironically pristine coat of the Dark Magician, dragging him by the hoof towards the Solar Fortress. His men began desecrating the art enthusiast's residence, they cared little for those who practised the dark arts and especially not for their creations. Though, many items were of great value, such were tapestries of old, mostly archaic items which are no longer in production. Seasonal Wind especially admired the landscape paintings within the white Unicorn's personal room.
Then, somepony whom Glaive hadn't hoped to meet with had arrived, the Grand Master. A towering stallion clad in the finest plate and mail, he was intimidating sight to witness. An aging Earth pony, Grand Master Allegiant Light may have passed his prime, but he was one to command respect. And Glaive was terrified of him, even beyond the sight of the King of Shades remerging.
"Crimson Glaive," He reprimanded, "Once more, you have disappointed the Order and its highest-ranking members. By provoking conflict between a sovereign, even if they are a figurehead, you have made a great enemy." Allegiant continued, great disappointment in his voice.
"B-but, s-sir... H-have I n-not done as the Order d-desires?" Stuttered the crimson pelted Crusader, shrinking beneath his superior in absolute terror. Many of the retinue were astonished, Allegiant's mere presence brought the theatrical and somewhat brutal Crimson Glaive to his knees.
"You indeed have, but against one of Equestria's very own Princesses? Actions have consequences, you should already know that." The armour-clad Allegiant spoke, lifting the Unicorn's head and staring directly into his pupils. "Before you speak of witchcraft and burning at the pyre, understand that this situation could be resolved differently." He scoffed, slapping Crimson and receiving a whimper from the Unicorn. "I am not going to allow you free reign over the Order. And for this action, you will suffer punishment. Be glad you aren't going to be executed."
Glaive sighed in relief, before his equipment was stripped from his body, and the Master's personal retinue took him to the Solar Fortress dungeons.
Seasonal Wind however was granted mercy by the Order, having informed them of the King of Shades' return, Allegiant appointing him as the leader of Crimson's retinue in the glaive-loving Unicorn's place.
"Lieutenant Seasonal Wind, I, and by extension the remaining Order high command do suspect the Princess of Love of treacherous acts against the state. Indeed, earlier she had been found guilty of abusing dark magic, but we do suspect possible collaborators. I will send you and Lieutenant Platinum Star to hunt down her and her supporters, I want her alive. Kill the rest if need be." Allegiant commanded, his subordinate nodding. "Regarding the Dark Unicorn, Chaos, I will be sending somepony else to monitor his actions."
Seasonal Wind felt relief, yet something didn't add up. The Princess of Love may have practised dark magic, but he didn't have a grudge against the mare, his true foe being the King of Shades. She didn't seem like the type to deceit and betray, especially not to the highest authority, the Princesses. He also desired Crimson's release, however that would have to come later.
Time Skip
Chaos groaned as he awoke from unconsciousness. His first sight was blinding light, completely filling his vision. Light from the sun. His ears perked as he heard a classical piece of music played on the piano, vaguely similar to those within his memories, his false memories of Sol-3, Earth. It was soothing his mind, pushing aside the pain from his mind, a symphony that he connected to the end of the world. The great explosion of Earth, perhaps the Sun devours the entire planet. Beethoven's seventh symphony, in Equestria. Despite its melancholic tone, it shone with its own allure. Beethoofen. He chuckled as he rose from his resting place.
Technological dark age, and yet they find time to invent the piano.
Immediately, the Dark Unicorn recognised his personal chambers, though it had been cleaned. His bed didn't feel like a spider's nest. The iridescent stained-glass window dazzled in the radiant sunlight. His chamber was calm, its melancholy was swept away by the melodious piano. He hummed to the tune, searching for its practitioner. There, in the solitary corner of his mist-blanketed room, an Earth pony mare of rosy hide and golden mane drummed her hooves against the keyboard.
The King of Shades let her continue uninterrupted, slipping into his regalia and stretching his body, popping his joints. Then, finally, the Beethoofen mare completed the seventh symphony, a sigh escaping her lips as she wiped her forehead.
"You play well, that was almost perfect." He complimented, trotting over to the musical mare.
"T-thank you sir..." She replied, a slight fluster from the comment, "Almost? What did I fail?" She continued; disappointment clear in her voice.
"You did well for the majority of the piece, however you were distracted whilst I was putting on my regalia. Don't let pesky distractions disturb your performance." He explained, patting the mane of the mare. "Now, tell me; what is your name, and why are you in my home?" Chaos asked, quite concerned over the security of his 'fortress'.
"First Symphony, sir. I, along with the Onyx Pact, the group of Unicorns who have directly followed in your hoofsteps have heeded the call of Sorcerer Arcane Scroll, who reportedly had created a sect of Unicorns to free you from the tomb." She explained, bowing her head, only to have it lifted by the chin.
"No need to bow to me, Miss Symphony." He spoke, continuing to pat the small Earth pony mare. "And how did an accomplished little Earth pony like you come to join the ensemble of Dark Magicians?" He questioned, perplexed by the minor detail, and he finally stopped patting the adorable little musical Pony.
"I am a trustworthy assistant to the group, including the fact that apparently I am great at playing the piano, despite its extremely recent invention-Wait... How have you heard of the piece of music I had played before? Perfect? You wouldn't have even escaped..." She halted, big eyes staring at the Shade.
"O-oh...Erhm... Uh... Ah..." He wasn't sure how to answer this question. "Intuition...?" He gingerly lied and slowly stepped backwards. Then, he was slapped. He was slapped. The King of Shades was slapped. The Dark Unicorn had been lightly slapped in the muzzle, though accidentally. The Earth pony was in horror, expecting punishment.
"I-I-uh... I'm sorry-"
"Boop."
A moment of levity.
He gently tapped the little Pony on the nose after removing the cold steel of his horseshoe, his response being a surprised gasp. He quickly escaped the monotony of his personal quarters, leaving the shocked mare behind. Peculiar little adorable Earth pony. I need to lighten up, some more silliness in my life perhaps? Now, where are you Arcane? He pondered as he trotted through the shimmering halls of mirrors. I had no reign over the mindscape during my time under... Whatever influence that was... Harmony awaits...? Harmony?
'Oh, how feeble you are, little Unicorn. Can't even withstand a single shade? How utterly pathetic.' A sharp pain presented itself in the Dark Unicorn's mind.
'B-but I have done as you desired! Have I n-not?' Chaos' eyes dilated with horror; the vivid memory was relapsing! He clutched his head, unleashing a painful hiss. Streaks of pain rippled through his scalp, slithering down his head.
'Silence and stand up, whelpling! We're not done yet.' The Dark Unicorn felt light, as if he was lifted from the ground, yet, weight returned. 'I said STAND!' Yet he failed to stand. No, he plainly refused the command. 'So be it, child.' His entire body felt as if it was molten. His eyes dilated even further, body thrashing on the floor, breathing becoming faster. As a thousand faux-blades lacerated his pelt, laughter echoed through his mind.
'N-no... I-I am b-better than th-that!' The King of Shades stood back up, gritting his teeth. When would this end?
'What did I just say-'
'E-enough of y-your blabbering!' He growled at nothing in particular, smirking in triumph. 'Bring on your shade-spawns!' Readying himself in a combat-stance, the King of Shades received not another wave of pain and torment.
'I'm impressed, you've finally learned. But still, you are far from your goals! And that, that is unacceptable. If you are to fulfil destiny, such I am unable to tell you, then we must continue this.' He felt a pit of dread open within his mind. Yet again, a spike of excruciating pain. 'I have shown you enough mercy, it is time for true punishment. I have reason to believe Harmony would enjoy that.'
Thankfully, the memory ceased at that moment, Chaos breathing a sigh of relief afterwards. What he had avoided was the single most agonising part of his torture. These memories, yet another reminder of his reason for causing torment. However, there was a discrepancy. Harmony would enjoy... He never told me that piece of information!
The King of Shades felt outraged, yet he restrained himself. Merely another memory, an archaic piece of information, he shouldn't be worried. Harmony shouldn't be so terrifying, should it?
Chaos continued his pondering, intrigued about those dreams, memories and visions rather than afraid. He was done being afraid, fearing the phantom pain. Still, it ravaged his mind. Still, he could hear the voices of his shade-controlled victims. The pain was perpetual, the voices eternally tormented his mind. He tried forgetting it, oh he tried! But alas, the pain stayed. He found the more magic he took, the more that Ponies feared him, it soothed the malady. It was the incentive that drove him to Dark magic, some exterior force required him to do so, to further some goal.
Before the Dark Unicorn even knew it, he had arrived to at the entrance to the main chamber. Looking in, he saw a congregation of Unicorns were speaking, one of them the Dark Unicorn recognised as Arcane Scroll. The stallion stood next to a larger and older Unicorn on a dais.
"If we are to dethrone the Tyrant Sun and end her reign of terror, then first we must focus on her fanatical Crusaders." Came the voice of the older and larger stallion, who too had a cape and a coronet in place of a circlet.
"As soon as we have dealt with the fanatics, we have no doubt that our spies would be able to mis-direct their chain of command. Then, our Lord can be brought into the fold to face the Tyrant Sun once more. And then, we shall have peace! Peace in our time." He declared, cheers coming from the ensemble of Dark Unicorn Mages.
And then, we shall have peace. Peace in our time.
Then, Chaos strutted into the chamber, mist announcing his presence. All Unicorns in the chamber snapped to attention, hoof placed onto their chest in a sort of bow, to which the Dark Unicorn waved a hoof at them. "At ease, fellow Dark Magicians." He spoke, the inheritors of his magic obeying his order.
"Your eminence, I-I am humbled by your presence!" The coronet donning Unicorn spoke, falling onto his knees at the sight of Chaos, surprising his followers.
"Servant, what is this mess on my carpet?" Chaos demanded, hoof pointing towards the regalia donning sorcerer. "Why is it giving me the puppy dog eyes?" Staring into the sorcerer's eyes, he found the Unicorn adorable, as opposed to the intimidating presence from before.
"Eidolon, our leader, the greatest Sorcerer of our pact, your eminence." Arcane replied, barely glancing at the now shrunken Eidolon, clearly a fan of the ancient Lord of Fear. "Uhm- A-are you alright?" He spoke with concern, prodding the Unicorn's head, his response being a comical roll on the floor.
Chaos lifted the Unicorn to his hooves, whom was still in a trance, chuckling. "Come now, treat me not as your god, but as your friend." He turned his attention to Arcane Scroll, narrowing his eyes on the lavender Unicorn. "You will have some explaining to do, Arcane Scroll of the Onyx Pact."
"Oh-er... Yes, your eminence." The dark magic enthusiast responded, "Our pact was formed by the most powerful Unicorns who had adapted to dark magic centuries ago. Your people are being persecuted, your eminence. They were being slaughtered, hunted down into near extinction by the Solar Crusaders for their practise of your magic. The only way they survived was because of the Princess of Love, whom minded little about sullying herself with dark magic. Though, her influence over Canterlot wanes, the Crusaders will take actions soon, I have no doubt." He morosely concluded, sighing at the prospect of their champion being removed as his resentment raised.
"And why should I risk banishment for another century? They are beneficial subjects, yes. But do I have to care for them? They should be able to take care of themselves, should they not?" Chaos rhetorically asked, much to the shock of the Pact's members.
"T-they are your heirs! And you so carelessly throw their lives away?! W-why?" An astonished Unicorn demanded.
"This Princess of Love," Chaos ignored the Unicorn, pushing the lesser mage to the side. "She intrigues me. Pray tell of her actions to save the sheep disguised in wolves' rags. Tell me of how she had defied the Order of craven wolves." He continued with predominant neutrality in voice, expression and posture.
"Ah yes. Of course, your emine-"
"Arcane Scroll," Chaos cut through, "as you are the Unicorn that freed me from that blasted tomb, I consider you a friend. Address me by name, not as your sovereign."
"As you wish, Chaos." Arcane gladly began. "As the Governess of Canterlot, the Princess of Love is our champion, a mare who had chosen to spare us in the streets of Canterlot instead of submitting to Princess Celestia's fanatical Crusaders. She defended us in the court against the Sun Princess, to the dismay of her foes. She is known to utilise two types of magics, your Dark Magic and Love magic, though she seldom uses the latter." Concluding his explanation, Arcane placed a hoof on his lips and muttered. "She's my personal hero." To this, his comrades snickered.
"I see. A valiant attempt, but eventually she will fail. Celestia is more powerful than you could fathom, in physical, magical and mental prowess, and her influence still stretches across Equestria, as you so graciously granted me the information." Chaos spoke, still the same neutral tone. He felt no connection to his own heirs, he cared so little about them. This was his second chance, why should he care? He had done as he desired, losing something of great importance in the process. Though, Arcane was perfect. He enjoyed the Unicorn, despite their short time together.
Arcane Scroll felt betrayed, he felt his own people was betrayed by the one whom granted them the power that casted them from society. Betrayed by the one who gave them possibilities beyond what they could achieve beforehand. Betrayed by the one he had freed from two centuries of solitary confinement.
He adopted a stoic expression, seriousness predominant, rigid and prepare to convince the Dark Unicorn otherwise. "Chaos, those who condemned us are the Solar Crusaders. They will stop at nothing to destroy you and your supporters. They stand against you; their very doctrine was created to destroy you and your supporters. At this very moment, Princess Celestia and her Crusaders schemes and plots for your destruction."
Chaos hollered, "Do you believe that I am ignorant to that fact?" Rhetorically questioning his faithful servant, whom flinched from the gratuitous outburst. "I spend every moment of my second chance of freedom with an infernal head pain! I question my actions, the purpose of the voices, the memories, the torment I receive!" He paused; eyes locked onto his armoured hooves. "There are things of which I have done, none of you would've ever fathomed. Cruelty beyond reasoning."
"Chaos, spend some time alone, let out the anger elsewhere, where nopony else can be hurt. You are extremely unstable in this state, such is not good for your health." Suggested the lavender Unicorn, whom slowly approached the Shade-Unicorn. "We can speak of this matter later."
The Shade sighed, intaking breaths. "I... I-I... You are right." He conceded, "I am rather unstable... I will clear my mind. I am going for a walk." Decided the King of Shades, leaving behind his subjects. "By the way," Chaos halted in place, waving his hoof in the direction of the corridor. "the Earth pony pianist deserves attention. That music soothes me."
But there was something else that required to be addressed. "Arcane, what of the Spirit of Mischief, Discord?" Chaos awaited his answer expectantly.
"Oh-er... Ah yes, of course. He has almost been destroyed."
"Destroyed as in..."
"Sent to Tartarus...?"
Chaos flinched, blinking, his mask of calm shattering into a million pieces.
"With what?"
"Their raw Alicorn magic? What bewilders you so?"
"What."
It wasn't his answer that perplexed, or even astonished the Dark Unicorn. No, it was something else entirely.
"More accurately, he has been banished to Tartarus, but he was almost completely vanquished by the Royal Sisters Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Unfortunately, Chaos, you missed their final bout, which happened a whole minute after you inexplicably collapsed to the floor muttering... Something..." The lavender Unicorn trailed off completely, his superior was blank.
Chaos couldn't compute. An overload of information into his mind. "Stand back! All of you, stay away!" He cried desperately before collapsing to the floor and writhing. Fortunately, his all but one of his subjects heeded his word.
'Purpose... Destiny... Purpose... Destiny... Purpose!'
The mantra reverberated in his mind. It was agonising, but he dared not to move. "No... Not at this time..."
'But you shall fulfil your purpose.'
"Shut up... Shut up, shut up- Shut up!" He cried, form transitioning to that of his unrestrained Dark Magic silhouette. Rasping came from the Shade, with it, the crackling of bones. Thrashing accompanied by cries of agony. Magic seeped through the walls of the spire, impaling his form.
"Purpose... Destiny... Magic..." The now translucent Chaos hissed at the members of the Onyx Pact, lunging at the nearest Unicorn; Arcane Scroll. Rippling through the chamber, he struck the fast-thinking Unicorn's shield, relentlessly clawing away at the incorporeal shield. The others stared in shock, any attempt of restraining the feral creature failed.
Arcane was by far the most shook of all the Unicorns, not only was he terrified beyond measure, but he knew this form of Chaos only desired his magic. The thing showed no restraint, no moral, no meaning beyond its goal. It would kill them all if not halted. The Unicorn realised he would be the only one able to stop this... Thing.
Suddenly, the room was flooded with a luminescent glow. The silhouette recoiled in agony, hissing and screeching. "More light!" Arcane barked, and his order was heeded by all. The entire chamber was enveloped in a blanket of radiance. Then, a 'thump' could be heard. Once more, rasping, panting.
Then, the Shade stormed out of the chamber, a trail of mist indicating its escape route. The ensemble of shook Unicorns merely blinked in astonishment. One attempted to follow their leader, but was held back by Arcane. Eidolon had finally snapped from his trance, gleefully prancing around the chamber.
"Where is his eminence?"
"Chaos is gone."
Time Skip
'Your people are being persecuted, your eminence.' The King of Shades unleashed a great sigh, contemplating his next action. He felt truly vile, abandoning those he had corrupted to their fate. They supported him, they saved him. They needed their sovereign. Yet, Chaos felt discontent with his life of destruction. He desired solace, a two-century due long night of solace. Without worry, without pain, without fear.
If I am to die, the hope of tens of thousands will be crushed. But if I do not act, they will perish none the less. What am I to do? In truth, his mind became a pit. Information was needlessly emptied into this void, yet nothing was ever truly processed. The cries of terror constantly reverberated during his contemplation, those which haunted his mind, such made even a being such as him feel harrow and dread.
Such put him to unease. Such made him fear. As vulnerable as a newborn foal, swarmed by starved vultures. These few moments away from that accursed fortress should've cleared him from worry, yet he only felt more weight placed onto him. More pain. More... No... I shall help them; they are my heirs. They are the sons and daughters of shades, heralds of a golden age. Perhaps I could truly right my wrongs. No... No, no. Harmony is more important. Ending this infernal pain is more important. End-
He never finished that line of thought. There, in the distance, beams of solar magic. He wanted to growl, to hiss and howl. He decided against that. Where I trot, conflict trots. So be it.
Then, dark magic billowed into the skies, accompanying it, a rosy coloured magic flared. Chaos felt gravitated towards it. His heirs were once more being hunted down. The King of Shades had enough. Enough with the Solar Crusaders and their superstitious dogma. Turning to mist, he soared through the forest in pursuit of those who had wronged his inheritors. The thought of war penetrated his mind, once more, the ceaseless bloodshed and meaningless conflict. Once more, he would involve himself. Once more.
Once more, they shall know fear. Fear of me, of my sons, of my daughters. They shall taste it.
Perspective Switch
Platinum Star's eyes dilated. Had he known that the Princess of Love was such a threat, he would've prepared an ambush primed directly for her instead of the dark worshippers and spell-casters of Chaos. His Crusaders were facing a force beyond their capabilities. Despite her relatively passive nature prior, the Princess of Love's heart had become black with vengeance. She had failed. Failed to protect those she had sworn to save from the grasp of the Sun. Failure only fuelled her bitterness towards them. Fuelled her tenacity. She combined Love and Dark magic into an amalgamation of pure terror, magnitudes beyond the simpler Dark Magic utilised by the Shade's descendants.
Where was Seasonal Wind? Where were the reinforcements? Where- "Oh no..." The Earth pony muttered in great distress. There, in the distance; the rolling mist. A sight dreaded by many veterans of the Solar-Lunar Eclipse; whose descendants shared their sentiment. Mist indicated the arrival of only one Pony. Chaos. "Regroup-hrrk!" Suddenly caught off-guard, he was swiftly knocked to the floor by the Princess of Love, whom pointed a spear directly at his neck.
"You deserve no pity for your actions." She spat at the golden plate, stomping her hoof into the Crusader's armour. A sickening crack of his ribs failed to satisfy the vengeful Princess. She callously pressed harder onto the plate armour. "Lest you forget what the children of dark magic suffered." Hissed the Princess, magic gathering at the tip of her horn.
Then, the mist washed over all combatants on the road, enveloping them in the thick unforgiving miasma. Only the Crusaders suffered. Only they cried for mercy. Only them. Yet none cared for their voices, none cared for their screams. They lived their worst nightmares in mere seconds. Yet, it felt like a millennium had passed.
There was no bellowing or rasping laughter from Chaos. No laughter from his followers. They were merely pleased to have survived. They were exhausted. Having eluded the Crusaders for long enough. Many were dying, many more suffered severe injuries. They had won a Pyrrhic victory. The Princess of Love could only do so much against an overwhelming onslaught of trained fanatics armed and armoured for war.
Atop the unconscious form of the commander, stood the Princess, Or rather, former Princess of Equestria. Tears formed in her viridescent eyes, and she wept for the fallen. Her followers joined her in mourning as a cascade of rain collapsed onto the corpse field. Their wail echoed through the forest, a ceaseless cry for loved ones, for family and friends. Echoing the loss of so many before them. From Canterlot, to the fields before it where so many lost their lives to Chaos, to the Crusaders. from the Solar to Lunar Empires, to the extinction of the Shades.
Chaos manifested himself before the weeping Princess, adopting a stoic expression. He made no effort to mourn, to weep. Merely observing the field, reminiscent of those countless times he had committed such atrocity. His horn ignited, gently removing his cape and placing it onto the cerulean-maned Princess, whom gave him a surprised glance through her tears. He conjured a handkerchief, giving it to the Princess gave a respectful bow.
"Pray tell Princess, what is your name?" He looked on expectantly.
"Chrysalis." |
To Be Malevolent | 12 - Creator | Time Skip - Past
Atop the cliffs before the Canterville fields stood a Unicorn, pelt stark-white. Lament. His observation became intervention for the battle taking place. The semi-deranged Unicorn took to admiring the shimmering armour and gleaming weaponry of the combatants,
Lament was gleeful. He had fulfilled his task. His personal assignment, to end Chaos and his reign. There, in the distance laid the Dark Unicorn's body, expression one of astonishment and fear. Fear. The King of Shades felt fear. Before him stood the alabaster Empress Celestia, smeared in searing crimson blood and donning Daybreaker's personal armour, her prior form having been shed from a powerful dark magic blast. Next to the Empress was Queen Luna, whose form had too been shed during their mutual charge against the King of Shades. Now, the Shade was impaled. In addition to both Alicorn's personal weapons, a spear protruded from his chest, one imbued with dark magic which hadn't been utilised by either former-Princesses.
The ethereal howls and screeches of Shades resonated as they dissipated into dust and drifted into the wind. The clatter of armour plating impacted against the cold hard and muddy forest floor. Blades clashing against plate too fell and struck the floor. Not a cheer, not a triumphant cry. The Solar, Lunar and Crystal Legions collectively breathed a sigh of relief. This was not a conflict of belief, of glory and honour. This was a conflict of survival, and they had survived.
Blissful silence held sovereignty over the fields before Canterville. Serenity once more crept into the empyrean, casting away the shroud that once reigned over its expanse. The Solar-Lunar Eclipse ended, with it, the moon was lowered whilst the sun ascended beyond its prior limits set by Daybreaker, to its position before the Eclipse.
Chaos, fanged mouth agape could see his very own heart. No, the peregrine Unicorn's heart before him, held in magic by the Celestial Princess. He shakily eyed his chest, at the spear protruding from it. He could feel his communication with the host severed completely. Every desperate mental call was left unanswered. His mind was emptied with the flood of fear and disbelief. The host was deceased. All but one sensation halted. The flow of dark magic.
A new emotion shrouded the King of Shades' mind. Hatred. An emotion he had seldom felt. A truer emotion than its predecessors. Then was the boastful, arrogant and callous nature of prior. Now replaced with the truth. He had lost the only thing that mattered. His horn ignited in pearl-white flame, much to the surprise of the Equestrian rulers. Raising his head, Chaos gave a glare like none before. Yet, the Dark Unicorn was silent. Not a word uttered, not a growl, hiss or cry.
Instead. He chuckled. The chuckle grew into quiet, rasping laughter. His Alicorn opponents simultaneously flared their respective horns, prepared for a summary execution. Then, his eyes focused on Empress Celestia. With great effort, he warned. "There are no happy endings, Celestia."
The Dark Unicorn casted a shield accompanied by a blinding light. His next manoeuvre a teleport. Yet it was already too late, the Alicorn Sisters had unleashed their Solar and Lunar magic onto him. His cold, white eyes dilated in surprise. Death gently caressed his pelt, pushing the Unicorn into his coffin. He thrashed, writhed and squirmed, unable to escape.
Suddenly, the pain had arrived. The magic of which that held it back had faded, now, he could feel everything. Everything. The weight and consequence had collapsed onto him, shattering whatever was left of his composure. He wailed, cried in pain, in great sorrow, terror and pain, solitary within the security of his personal fortress in Equestria. No company, no reconciliation, no redemption. Merely the monotony, the relapse of his mentality. Then came the painful visions, clawing into his mind, prowling through the abyssal depth. Hissing and growling followed suite.
Back in the Canterville fields, Lament had already escaped, disappearing from Ponykind, once more into the vast Everfree forest. He would remember this day fondly, this hour fondly. Cherishing every second his sibling suffered that spear of which he had thrown. The debt of Chaos was paid, and Lament had collected it.
He desired nothing more, no more was to be accomplished, surely. Ascension was impossible, surely. He desired a simple life. One beyond the boundaries which had been set prior. Ones he set himself. To face his deceased sibling. Now, to live a life without conflict.
Time Skip - Present
Grand Gallery was chained, a manacle for each hoof. Nascent Magical inhibitors were carefully placed onto his horn. There is no escape. He was in the Solar Fortress dungeon, a wretched and bitter cave with bars of iron separating him and his captors. Around him, dozens of Unicorns whom had endorsed Dark Magic, even Earth ponies and Pegasi, whom supported these Unicorns. Squirming, the once pristine Unicorn cried out in desperation. Yet no answer was given. This was the blissful silence he desired, a life of quiet and simplicity. Monotone and mundane. He detested it. He despised it.
All he could do was reminisce. And oh, did he reminisce. Memories fond and detestable found their way through the mind, once abandoned and kept hidden from the Unicorn.
Those damned Solar Crusaders jeered and pummelled him, despite his lack of resistance. He demanded their heads, yet he controlled himself, composed those emotions and organised them. Perhaps it was better this way. Sighing, the painter lowered his head in acceptance. He wouldn't be able to escape these chains.
He had not a clue about how long he stayed in the confines of the fortress. He couldn't see the sun or the moon. Both hidden beyond the cavern walls. Yet a mere glimpse of either would bring him solace, he had decided. He should've felt content in the darkness, for it was the only place that accepted him. He should've felt content, having been surrounded by chained supporters. He despised it so much. This was the blissful silence he despised, a life within captivity, within solitude, surrounded by living corpses.
The chains once more rattled, rustling in the cold Canterlot cavern, its resonant echo reverberated off the walls. Still, silence. It drove him mad. For his musing did nothing. He wanted to scream, yet his body refused to obey such a simple command. He wanted to wail, yet his subconscious disobeyed even that. Still, so quiet, so cold. So cold.
Only one Crusader was stationed here, the rest sent off to hunt, the imprisoned were too weak to retaliate anyhow. Then, the clip-clop of armoured hooves filled the stygian chamber, a luminescent glow presented itself. Gentle and cerulean, it billowed and struck the Solar Crusader, lifting him and slamming his body against the jagged walls. Not a moment later did the unconscious form of the Crusader slump onto the floor, a hiss escaping their lip.
Only Gallery reared his head, the rest of the cell occupants laid motionless. He stood onto his hooves as a cerulean glow created the rough silhouette of a Unicorn, and a rather tall one at that. His eyes narrowed as the enigmatic figure adopted a regal stance and approached, unlocking the barred entrance of the cell. No... That wasn't a Unicorn. Shaded wings flared, noticeable spikes at the tip of each feather.
Stepping into the view of Gallery, a towering Alicorn. Alabaster in pelt, mane, tail and eye. He was taller than both Princess Celestia and Luna, at least head taller than the older of the two. The Alicorn lacked regalia, not a crown, coronet or circlet. Instead, in its place was a helmet resembling a crown, however, it was less decorative and more practical. His silvery and ethereal mane flown wildly in phantom wind; excess magic flowed from it. An unnatural aura emanated from the Alicorn stallion, overwhelming in power. Gallery could feel it pass through his pelt and penetrate into his flesh, it was foreign, yet he recognised it from... Somewhere. Strangely enough, the Alicorn lacked a mark on his flank.
The Alicorn stallion bore an expression of neutrality, not a smile, not venomous. Merely a regal façade, unbreakable by conventional means.
"Shed your pelt, and reveal your true, dishevelled self." The Alicorn commanded, his voice resonated authority and power, drilling into the stark-white Unicorn's skull. Hoof extended, he tapped Gallery. His command was heeded, as the painter of Canterlot subconsciously removed his 'disguise'. Behind that mask was Lament, the sable eyes overtaking his prior golden.
"W-who... Who are you?" He managed to utter, weakly examining the mountain of a pony, his chains dragging his body back.
"Do you not recognise your own creator, my dear little Contingency?" The radiant Alicorn rhetorically asked, patting the chained Unicorn on his head. "It is no surprise, favoured creation. But I digress. Now, I am in need of your assistance."
Lament narrowed his eye. "You're... You are the one who create me? The one from my dreams? You- You are the one who tortured me, aren't you?" He rasped with venom, glaring at the Alicorn.
"Indeed, my favoured creation. So quick to accept the truth. Now be quiet. You have no say in this matter, it is irrelevant." Reprimanded the illuminated Alicorn, turning his back on the Unicorn, whom once more subconsciously obeyed his command.
"As we speak, your sibling, the first apparition, or rather I'd rather call 'Revenant' has failed to accomplish his primary task." A projection of the Dark Unicorn appeared before him, dissipating soon after. "Contingency, you too have failed. You escape prematurely, and in addition, you had failed your secondary objective." He paused, sighed and hoof-palmed "You disappoint me, favoured creation. But my words mean little to you, don't they?"
A slow nod came from Lament.
"Favoured creation, I am still incorporeal. What you see is a magical projection, I am ethereal. Equestria REQUIRES me to survive. Without me, they will perish in future conflict." He spoke with urgency.
"I have been unable to reach out to Revenant. My efforts to parley with him have resulted in... less than desirable outcomes and circumstances."
"Instead, Contingency, I shall grant you a second chance. Still, I value Revenant for his prowess in combat, and among other things. Lure the Princesses to the centre of the Everfree, where it is imperative that they discover a cave containing a crystalline tree. They must find it, by any means necessary. Favoured creation, is that understood?"
Lament felt obligated to comply. "Y-yes... Creator... N-no... No... What am I saying?!" His eyes dilated. He still felt the need to rebel, to go against this Alicorn. Yet his subconscious commanded him to do so.
"This isn't a choice. It is a command. Do as I order, Contingency." The Alicorn unleashed a low growl.
"As you command, Creator." Lament finally conceded. Still, a discrepancy presented itself. "How am I to escape this blasted cell?!"
"Slip back into consciousness, Contingency. The Cerulean Princess awaits. Harmony awaits. But be wary of who you trust." With those departing words, the Alicorn disappeared from view, and Lament saw true light once more.
There, beyond the bars of iron, was the exact same silhouette of a Unicorn with cerulean magic. This time however, the figure beckoned him closer with a gesture of his hoof. Lament found his chains broken, his façade of Gallery on once more. He forced himself forward, dragging the battered limbs forward and slumping onto the bars, where he could see the enigmatic Unicorn.
"Her majesty sends her regards, Grand Gallery." The hooded Unicorn whispered, horn ignited as he gathered medical supplies and started to mend the weakened Gallery. "She desires your release from this prison, yet now it is unsafe. Very soon, you will be interrogated, afterwards, we shall break you from the fortress."
"Let... Me... Out..." Gallery demanded with a growl.
"Patience, the risk of discovery is simply too great at this moment; they send guards here as we speak." The enigmatic Unicorn explained. Then, he snapped his head to face the entrance. Without another word, he had turned into mist, a technique Gallery had attempted many times during his brief captivity. Though, it required great concentration and power. Unfortunately, Solar magical inhibitors were far superior than their predecessors, eliminating the possibility of a Dark magician escaping its grasp.
The Unicorn disappeared from view into the abyssal shadows, much to the dismay of the captive.
Then came the Solar Crusaders. Their armoured hooves crashing against the floor announcing their entrance. There were three of them, heavily armed and armoured, their eyes cold and merciless. Each, stoic expression plastered onto their visage. They hadn't even bothered to keep quiet, waking every other prisoner in the dungeon. Though, they were too weak to incite a revolt.
In the corner, laid the lonesome guard of these cells. He was prodded by the Crusaders, checking if he was deceased or merely sleeping on duty. Gallery's view was impaired when a Crusader unlocked the barred gate, unceremoniously pushing the door and swiftly wrapped a hoof around Gallery, dragging him out of the cell.
To his credit, Gallery didn't bother to resist, not even a slight act of aggression. It would only make his sentence worse. Well, his sentence was death. Of course, it was, only that it would be even more depraved and brutal in his possible mutilation. Equestrians didn't really care for their own kinsmen if said kinsmen had even slightly tapped into dark magic.
Soon, Gallery felt time fade into obscurity. It was as if the entire trip to the interrogation chamber took merely a second. The guards were stoic, extremely stoic. Not a glance exchanged. Not a word escaped their maw.
Now, he found himself chained once more, this time in a... Roomier environment, once could say. Standing face-to-face before him was the crimson Unicorn. A snarl decorated the glaive-loving Lieutenant.
"Oh, what grave irony Grand Gallery. I admit, for the longest time, I had admired your work. I thought of you as a beacon of light, merely witnessing the paint on canvas." Crimson Glaive complimented causing the painter to raise an eyebrow. "To learn that one as renown and as enigmatic as you were corrupted by forbidden magic, it had torn me." He admitted, releasing a sigh.
Gallery merely listened contently; his accomplice would help him escape later.
Then, Crimson's tone became serious. "You're noble, I have to admit, I was the one whom tried his luck killing the Princess." He paused, sighing once more. "You saved her, you stood in front of an attack that would've obliterated her. Very... Very brave of you."
Gallery chuckled at that. "I took the liberty of creating a shield powerful enough to stop that. To your credit, you are an incredibly powerful Unicorn."
"Now. Tell me," Glaive's expression turned cold, his tone inquisitive. "Where hides the prey of bird? Where prowls the magicians of forbidden arts?" He narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps they have hidden with Chaos. Perhaps they have eluded us to join with the Dark Unicorn himself."
At that, Gallery's eyes widened. He didn't believe the `Creator` when he mentioned a `Revenant` being the first apparition. There needed to be evidence. Yet he wasn't granted any.
"His agents prowl this castle. They roam as if it was their own. I know they are here, yet the rest of the stubborn imbeciles of the Sun refuse to believe me. Allegiant knows there are traitors within our ranks." Glaive chuckled, shaking his head. "Hah, that's why he released me in fact, apparently, I am 'suitable' for this position. But I digress."
"Is this an interrogation?" Came the voice of Allegiant Light. Crimson snapped his head and saw the stern Earth pony and weakly chuckled, slightly shrinking. "Or your mad ramblings about Shades, Crimson Glaive?" He rhetorically questioned causing the Unicorn to shrink even more. Then, he continued with an expression of neutrality. "No, continue. Please, continue. You're slowly getting to the point."
"As-Ahem. As you wish, sir. Now, Grand Gallery. Tell me..."
Time Skip
Arcane Scroll composed himself, taking deep breath after deep breath to prepare himself. He was about to enter Chaos' personal chambers. Being his most faithful servant, Arcane had found the Dark Unicorn rather volatile to be around. The King was unstable, possibly due to his two-century imprisonment, possibly due to being defeated, perhaps the dark magic really had taken over his mind completely. But Arcane felt unsure whether he should enter, to confront him. To speak of the Pact's greater plans. After all, he was technically the de-facto leader of the Pact, Eidolon felt more like a figurehead rather than an actual leader.
Placing a hoof onto the charcoal door to the Dark Unicorn's personal chambers, he sighed once more. Arcane, you'd better not mess this up... You know what he is like when he loses his control. Oh, by the Goddesses you know what... As he trailed off, the door creaked open. Sweet music filled his ears. The piano in all of its glory, each note as harmonious as the last. Every crevice of his mind was massaged with it. He calmed, hooves practically moving on their own as he arrived into the chamber of Chaos.
There, an unexpected sight. Chaos, the Dark Unicorn, Lord of Fear, King of Shades, he was playing the piano. Of course, with some guidance from the only Earth pony within the tower, First Symphony. A genuine smile found itself on the Dark Unicorn, one which surprised Arcane, who noticed yet another pony in the room.
Princess Chrysalis sat content on a cushioned seat. Levitating in her magic was a cup of tea, which she took sips of occasionally. Her ears were perked, each note of the piano entered without hinderance. The room was tranquil. It was almost another realm entirely. Sealed from the terrors beyond its confines.
Chaos finished his mediocre playing of the piano, clapping of hooves followed suit. He turned to face Arcane, a hoof beckoning the younger Unicorn forward.
"Chaos-Ur welcomes you Arcane Scroll, but to this place where destiny is to be made, what have you to tell me?" The Dark Unicorn did his greatest Dagoth Ur impression possible, internally chuckling.
"Oh-er. Your emi- Chaos...Ur...?"
"Come now, Arcane." Chaos' tone had turned into a calm, composed variant of its prior authoritarian. "Would tea be of interest to you? Perhaps, some other beverage?" He offered, tilting his head and continuing his smile. "After all, comradery is the pact's finest weapon, is it not?"
"What has gotten you so... Calm?" Arcane queried, narrowing his eyes, suspicious at the change of character. "And, yes, I would enjoy some tea."
The Dark Unicorn sighed, shaking his and chuckling, "Good. Perhaps I had been so... unstable before due to an, hm, external force... At least, that is a theory. Though, I have leap over the boundaries set in place by my previously weaker thoughts and feelings." He spoke, tone and expression becoming serious. "But," Then, it twisted into one of concern, "I do suspect one of attempting to breach my mind, perhaps Moon and Star have finally found the keys to my inner sanctum. Perhaps, perhaps not."
Arcane approached the triumvirate, respectfully bowing before the Princess. "Your highness."
"Please, call me Chrysalis, I am Princess of no land here." She humbly replied, a surprised look came from the Unicorn. Chuckling at the cloak wearing Onyx sorcerer, Chrysalis levitated a cup of tea over to him. "You must be the Unicorn whom released the King. As you are his saviour, I thank you. By doing so, you have indirectly saved me from a most likely fatal experience on the battlefield." She granted a warm smile and another chuckle to the now flushed Arcane.
The King of Shades nodded to his Earth pony pianist and joined the duo in their one-sided conversation. "Arcane Scroll, you've something to tell me?" His now soft and gentle voice queried.
"Indeed. It is time you learn of the pact's intentions, your eminence." Scroll cleared his throat, the others looked on expectantly. "The Pact's intentions extend from merely saving our people and overthrowing Princess Celestia, as you may have heard. Our true goals are to disband the Crusaders of the Sun, we truly want peace. Yet," A sigh "they grant us no quarter."
Scroll turned his head to face Chrysalis. "Princess Chrysalis, as Governess, or rather former Governess of Canterlot, you have safeguarded our people for a decade. Why? Why do you do these things for us?"
"Temporarily unavailable Governess of Canterlot." Chrysalis muttered and chuckled, a slight chuckle came from the others too.
She cleared her throat, "I saw a people butchered. I saw Ponies killing Ponies, brothers and sisters putting each other to the blade, how was I to spread love and joy to all, if all despised each other? This problem has reverberated itself in the Bat pony race, whom too are kept in the dark. Tortured and mutilated for their difference. They speak of Vampires, yet Bat ponies commit to the exact rituals any Pegasus would. They are merely nocturnal, their appearance merely adapted to their preferred environment. Au-Ahem... Princess Luna has so far been successful in protecting them from harm, and she is casted down because of it. The Night Mare, they call her, a Witch, they call her."
Chaos placed a hoof onto his forehead and shook his head in disappointment, sighing afterwards. "I knew this would happen."
"Excuse me?" Both Arcane and Chrysalis asked.
"We wouldn't be able to conceive an alliance in a millennium even if we tried. Luna is too stubborn to swallow her pride, to concede to me would be harder than taking her betraying her own sister. I know she can despise Celestia, most likely due to the adoration the Sun can get. Though, it isn't really a surprise, seeing as that celestial object is quite essential to our-" He stopped mid-sentence. "I am going off on a tangent. Anyhow, if she tried to usurp the throne, she will be taught a lesson. Not by us, not by Celestia even. But by... No. That thought is irrelevant. Continue, Arcane Scroll."
Denial, Revenant? Clever, but worthless in the end.
"Uh... Oh-er. As you wish, your emin- Chaos." Arcane stumbled over his words, processing the information he was just granted.
"He's not wrong," Chrysalis quickly added. "Luna can be an annoyance, though she is quite busy organising her nocturnal subjects and stars to interact with me. Celestia is too busy all of the time for even a simple conversation. The two can become quite the rivals at times, though as you said, Moon and Star. In fact, she has seemed a little bitter. Not any help to the poor Bat ponies even from Celestia."
"Irrelevant. So, Arcane. You want to grant Equestria a new ruler. The logistics of that could cave my skull. Have you considered being an accountant?" The King of Shades sarcastically added.
"N-no... What... I don't... Whaa...?"
"Ignore that. Besides, dethroning the Celestial Princess, wouldn't that mean nobody is there to raise the precious sun?" Chaos queried, Arcane was still in a bewildered state. "Oh, you want me to raise the sun? Do you even understand how consuming that process would be? Foolish and adorable little Pony."
"No, of course not." Arcane firmly stated, getting back onto track. "Dethroning Celestia was Eidolon's idea, the fool. I merely desired a benevolent ruler that cared for their people. You," He narrowed his eye on the King of Shades. "you don't deserve to rule, but Chrysalis, she had poured her heart and soul into that role."
Chrysalis smiled at the compliment, for that fact was true. She had poured everything into helping all. A great Samaritan. "Thank you." She tilted her head forward and responded.
"Now, i too have questions, if you do not mind." He informed, a nod as his answer. "Chaos, your people, have you seen their condition? Dark magic seep from their flesh and pelt, constantly attempting to escape. Do you know why we wear cloaks? Why you have seldom seen our pelt? We are weak. A weak people with a weak spirit. Do you... Do you feel any pity for them? Answer me in honest. Do you feel empathy?"
A smirk appeared on Chaos, "You know the answer to that question." He coldly stated, standing back up and preparing to leave the room, leaving even the pianist in shock as she continued to tap at the keyboard.
"But..."
"No." A simple word, yet it conveyed so much. "I may care so little about these mock-shades. But I am bothered about the Crusader's mere existence. A threat so miniscule I shouldn't even bother, but if my allies, are threatened, then they shall know no mercy." He chuckled, and the others could tell, an idea had popped up. "Instead, let the Crusaders have a taste of irony. Burn their encampments. Burn the villages, bring the strongest ponies here. Then, my creations can rise anew. If they desire to harm my people, then they shall be granted the same mercy they show us." Chaos commanded, his tone becoming colder with each word uttered.
"Where is your heart, Chaos? Why so callous, why so cruel?"
"I haven't had a heart since it was ripped from my flesh and destroyed before my eye." The Dark Unicorn hissed and patted his peytral. "Tis' magic that feeds my flesh, and fear is its source. I am going poaching... Hm, hunting. Now where is the sheep~..." He licked his fangs.
"Chaos..."
Dark magic billowed from the Dark Unicorn's horn, turning into mist and shrouding his hooves. Then, it turned into tendrils of magic and lunged at Arcane, allowing the Unicorn little to no reaction time. It pressed into his skull. The Princess and pianist looked in shock. Chaos still had his back towards the others, still calmly strutting towards the doorway.
As the magic continued to seep and the King of Shades headed towards the door, Arcane's vision became clouded. Darkness consumed and impaired it, he tried to resist, yet his body refused to obey. To everybody else, his expression was one of bewilderment. To him, visions and pictures flashed in his mind. Those of Castle Everfree burning, of armoured hooves beating against the forest floor, of siege engines unleashing flame upon a castle, of cloaked figures donning circlets marching through a crimson sea towards the same castle, of droplets cascading onto the bloodied floor, contacting their cloaks of ashen grey and stygian black. Tens of thousands screamed within his mind, the clashing of armour plate and in-equine howling reverberated.
Chrysalis sprang to her hooves, dashing over to the petrified Arcane. She glared at the heartless (quite literally) King of Shades, whose shade-tendrils receded and dissipated into the aether. "What have you done?!" She cried.
"I have shown him my plan. Such intrigue in these times, I think I truly enjoy life. Now, bother me not, we shall spar later, Arcane and I." The King of Shades answered, "Au revoir mon ami." and with those parting words he turned to mist. Returning to his favoured sport from three centuries ago.
Arcane Scroll groaned in pain; his vision no longer impaired by darkness. "By the Goddesses, what is he thinking?" He shook his head and Chrysalis merely shrugged.
Time Skip
The Dark Unicorn had lied. He was having another episode. Those visions again, Harmony too. He had found control. Harmony's wrath was insubstantial now. He explored the halls of his fortress, much of it unkempt and collapsed. Halls once lined with artefacts collected and created throughout an entire century now laid still.
He could still hear the torrent beyond the walls, it still soothed him as despite the centuries he had spent without it. Peace. To him, rain was a connotation of peace.
Here, he found his peace once more. Though, not for long. Another streak of pain rippled through his scalp. Possibly another memory, possibly another vision. He didn't care. Couldn't. Wouldn't. Lying down on the wall, he breathed out a sigh. Once more, he isolated somebody who could've been close to him. Once more, he followed his personal doctrine blindly. Damn you, Harmony.
"By Celestia's titanic flaming rump you are annoying." He muttered to no one in particular. I hope nobody heard that. His thoughts drifted to that of the Shades once more. Soon, they would become obsolete. Perhaps Eidolon could be put to good use? Yes, that sounds adequate. An enhanced Shade, one with the capability to independently make decisions. Yes. Field Commanders. Yes. Yes. Then, he decided to rest. Finding a comfortable position on the cold tiled floor, he closed his eyes, once more the darkness impaired his vision.
Time Skip
Seasonal Wind felt the cool breeze and rainwater brush against his flared wings as he drifted in the gaze of the moon. His soldiers lost contact with the main group of Crusaders. Not a word came from his associate, Platinum Star, not a single one of his soldiers were sighted. Something was wrong. The forest felt empty with spectral life, constantly watching his soldiers of steel and flesh. On another occasion, he would've brushed it off as paranoia. But, today was different, this week was different. The King of Shades had returned, of course it was different. So much happened in the mere span of one month.
Reports from the Crystal Empire had said that Princess Amore was deceased, and a new mad Unicorn King had taken control. Of it and its surroundings. Discord was banished from Equestria, yet the damage had already been done. Communities isolated permanently, once more a division between Unicorn, Pegasus, Earth pony, Bat ponies, even those whom followed Dark magic.
"These are troubled times, sir." One of his bodyguards spoke as they flew above the Everfree. His comrades nodded, even Seasonal himself concurred.
Not a minute later did the Crusader witness a clearing within the forest, dotted with objects. He flew down with his Pegasi, suspicion filling the mind of their group. As they drew closer, armour could be seen. Crusader armour. Crusader weaponry. Insignia on amulets, shields. Strings of hair on the muddy floor. Corpses littered the field. Followers of Dark magic and Crusaders of the Sun. Seasonal felt anger build up within him.
"Search for Lieutenant Platinum Star! Any evidence, any trace!" He ordered, frantically searching the field for any trace of survivors. He heard nothing of Platinum Star, only irrelevant lower-ranking soldiers of the Order. No corpse of the Lieutenant. "Where is he?!" Seasonal roared.
"No sign of him here sir."
"Not here either, sir."
"This is a lot less than Lieutenant Star's retinue, sir."
No... already? Damn it... Damn it... "Damn it all!" Wind bellowed, much to the surprise of his soldiers. His outburst forced them turned to him. "Everfree hasn't been inhabited by beasts for centuries... The King of Shades' return must mean... Shades... Secure the perimeter, immediately!" He cried out once more.
It was already too late. Mist came first, rolling into the clearing. The dragging of steel against wood came next and told him and his retinue, they were in trouble. The clashing of armour plates was heard almost immediately. White eyes spotted in the forest. One Shade came out, followed by many more. All donning plate armours. The first, still wearing his Solar pendant. They collectively hissed.
Seasonal Wind could vaguely recognise the leading Shade. That thing. That was Platinum Star. Was. Platinum Star. |
The Rise of Demon King Spike | pre | He really didn't have a better idea.
"Thanks, Scootaloo. You've been really helpful."
"You know..." the fit and toned young filly glanced at the dragon with half lidded eyes. Her eyebrows waggled suggestively. "I could be even more helpful with your problem." She laid her hoof across his chest.
Was it desperation? Was it a lingering desire for self destruction? For hours after Spike would question the dark motives behind what he agreed to do next.
But really, when the time came for regret, it was far to late for anything.
Wind whipped past Spikes scaly face, he held his crash helmet in place with one claw and gripped the tow rope with the other. Every crunch of the bearings in the skateboard and and bump in the road set his heart racing.
In front of him pegasus wings blurred forcing ever more speed out of the scooter. She was wearing that manic grin she always wore going this fast. Spike couldn't see it, but he could feel it.
There was a produce wagon in the middle of the street because there always was.
Scootaloo hopped it with practiced ease and Spike was dragged through it in a shower of wooden splinters and lettuce.
After doing a full loop of Ponyville to build up the necessary speed there came the ramp. Well not a ramp really. It was the roof of a house that had stood empty for years with two boards to bridge the gap between it and the ground.
Spike released the tow rope amid the shower of ceramic roofing tiles and he soared up into the sky like a majestic bird.
The aged domicile wobbled briefly before exploding into a fireball for no perceivable reason. Possibly due to exposure to excessive amounts of radicalness.
The drag on the crash helmet pushed him back and the helpless tumble began. The night sky and the ground changed places freely and without care.
He no longer knew where he was, where he was going or if he would die. But still he knew that he had accepted the help of a Cutiemark Crusader and that meant he had no one but himself to blame. |
The Rise of Demon King Spike | Chapter 6 | Spike bounced violently across the reinforced cloud path and the crash helmet went flying off into the dark abyss. Sharp claws attempted to grip the spongy surface in vain.
Lateral speed barely abated he once more soared up into the air flying past luminescent rainbow fountains.
With a crack Spike hit the only hard surface available. The impact echoed all throughout the cloud mansion of Rainbow Dash, Ponyville's most awesome weather pony.
Struggling to re-inflate his lungs the dragon lay mostly quietly on the door step. He could hear sounds coming from within the residence. Like an alarmed pegasus woken from a sound sleep.
"Spike?" asked the rainbow maned pony in her night gown and slippers.
"Heya Dash," answered Spike as he lay still gasping upon the doorstep.
"What are you doing here, how did you even get up here?"
"I have to... talk to you about some stuff."
"Huh, I don't... I don't get many visitors," the pegasus looked sheepishly behind her into her residence.
"It's impor- well it's personal stuff."
"Okay, come on in. Mind the mess."
Empty takeout boxes littered the every available surface. More dirty laundry then one would expect a usually nude pony to even own was strewn across the floor and furniture. In defiance of science and reason a teryaki carrot stain was permanently etched into a bare section of cloud wall.
Tip toeing past the squalor Spike made his way to the sofa.
"So... what is this 'personal stuff' you wanted to talk about?"
As Spike settled down onto the sofa, a rat looked up at him, it's mouth still filled with pizza box. It didn't appear to be of the pet variety.
"I wanted to ask you about sex," explained Spike, his eyes never breaking contact with the curious gaze of the rodent.
"Oh! Sex! I have lots of sex! Like all the time!" Dash explained boastfully.
"That's great to hear, because I've been in a bit of a bind. You see I need to start and I have like no idea where to start."
"... Like you wouldn't even imagine how much sex I have." The pegasus continued, perhaps without listening to the dragon at all. "I can barely keep the colts off of this!" she finished pointing to her cutiemark with a hoof.
"Oh, that is a relief. Actually, I also need a specific favour."
"Sure, I mean like what kind of favour?"
"I mean could I have sex with you?"
"What?"
"I mean, if you have sex all the time, then could maybe you could have some with me too? Like some extra to spare maybe?"
"What?"
"It would really be like a big help."
"I... I... I suppose I could do... that... for you." The eyes of the blue pegasus darted in every which direction as though in search of escape. "I mean, I have sex like totally all of the time and of course... I could have sex with you, yeah."
A moment passed with nothing being said or done. A blush burned across Dash's cheeks.
Spike cleared the debris off of the surface of the couch to make room.
"Oh right, we can have sex on the couch. I have sex on the couch all of the time... It's like the sex couch or something."
Slowly, meekly, one hoof step at a time Dash stepped up onto and laid down upon the couch. Her breathing was ragged and bordering on hyperventilation.
Spike moved behind, steadying himself my gripping a claw onto her haunch. She flinched. He stroked himself to hardness and Dash stared intently at the place between her front hooves.
The rainbow tail was firmly down. Tightly down covering her genitals. It actually took a moment's work to get his claw under it and lift it aside.
"I lied!"
"What?"
"About the sex couch thing, that was totally a lie, I don't- I don't call it that!"
That... while a curious admission, was not entirely relevant to the task at hand.
Spike gently pressed his cocks into Rainbow Dash's marehood and stopped as they hit... something... something kinda firm but that his hips immediately understood he should just push right through.
"Oh Celestia! I lied!"
Spike briefly wondered if he should say or do something. This allowed his hips to steal the initiative and in a moment he was buried to the hilt, his double dongs plunged deep into that tight mare muff.
"Ow! My flower!" The mare exclaimed in pained alarm.
"What?" Spike was suddenly also alarmed and panicking. Sex wasn't supposed to hurt was it? He felt pretty sure that was the case.
"That's what my mom called it!" Dash put her face down into the sofa and put her hooves over her head.
The dragon glanced around uncertainly looking for some clue as to what he should do. He locked eyes with the rat from before. It offered him no answers as it chewed the morsel of food in it's paws.
"Don't judge me!" the mare demanded.
"Okay! I won't!"
"But you did!"
"I didn't, I swear it!"
"Just... Just don't sit there. Just do it!"
Spike thrust again.
"Ow," squeaked the pegasus in reply.
Another thrust.
"Ow," again.
Spike looked down. "There's blood!"
"Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up! For Celestia's sake just... do me!"
Horrified Spike fucked the mare. Every thrust was answered with an "ow." Her face was still buried into the couch and he was pretty certain that she was crying. Not knowing what else he could do he just did as he was told and kept on going.
The rat placidly watched. It also chewed but mostly, it watched.
Finally Spike came heralding the end of this trial.
A gentle shake failed to provoke any reaction from the pegasus. She was either passed out cold or determined to fake it.
He found a bathroom and washed the blood off of his cocks. Then he found an unmade bed and took the blanket down to the living room and tucked Dash in.
Trapped till he could get Dash to help him to the ground he looked around the interior of the mansion. He locked eyes again with the rat.
Then for the next eight hours, Spike cleaned.
He threw out the take-out cartons. He scrubbed the walls and the floors. He did the laundry. He made a cage for the rats and poured them in. |
The Rise of Demon King Spike | Chapter 7 | "Long ago in the magical land of Equestria..." Berry Punch tipped her glass, watching the ice cubes shift. She lifted the glass to her lips and let the last residual of alcohol flavoured ice water flow down her throat. It was time.
"All the little ponies lived in harmony with each other." The plum coloured earth pony made her way to the bar. Some amount of pushing and shoving was required to get past the throng of young ponies thickly layered around the bar. The blasted kids seem to get younger every year.
"Watch it, bar nag!" responded a mouthy filly as she stumbled out of the way.
The first time a pony had called her that it had ended in a serious fight outside of the bar. Berry was proud of having given just as good as she had gotten.
"A drink!" she shouted over the crowd as she clapped the empty glass onto the bar. The kids got louder every year to.
"I think you've had enough!" shouted back the bar pony as he filled a row of beer mugs.
"One more and maybe I agree with you!"
Wine cooler in hoof the earth pony once again pushed through the storm of loud and energetic youths. She reached an impasse against the crowd and digging her shod hooves into the wooden planks of the floor she muscled her way forwards.
"Will you watch where you're- oh it's just the bar nag."
She had her drink, her last drink of the night. It was a precious drink and she couldn't risk spilling it. That meant she couldn't thrash that colt.
She made her way back to her empty table in the corner and sat down next to the dragon with the fruity looking drink with an umbrella in it.
"Under the rule of Princess Celestia, the end." Cradling the glass in her hooves she gave it a friendly introductory sip.
"Hi."
Better acquainted now she took a savoring swallow, enjoying the burning on her tongue. This really made it all worthwhile.
"I don't really know how this is supposed to work, but it's the only lead Rainbow would give me..."
The warmth spread through her chest and she quietly meditated one the sensation in the bar packed to the rafters with celebrating youth. Youths celebrating their own youth in lieu of anything better. A quick glance confirmed that atleast two pegasi had retreated to the rafters to escape the crowd.
Lousy featherdusters. She wished that she could do the same.
"...I just wish I knew what to say or who I should talk to. How..."
She took another sip and she began to suspect she might be missing something. Like there was a detail just out of her notice that she was over looking.
"...does anyone talk in here? It's too loud to even hear anyone even if their sitting right next to you."
"Woah! Isn't he a little young for you bar nag?" asked a surprised filly just before she had to duck a well aimed glass.
Things happened after that. She wasn't entirely clear what they were but when she hit the ground outside of the bar she had to give a snort to clear the blood out of her nostrils.
"Go home!" There was a thump on the ground next to her. "And take your dragon with you!"
She contemplated avenging her lost beverage before yielding to the inevitable. She draped her dragon over her back and on unsteady hooves exited stage left.
"Where are we going?"
"Home." Berry kicked over a rock and fetched her front door key from under it in her lips. The taste of blood, dirt and alcohol blended on her tongue. It was a special kind of taste and one she was familiar with. It carried all kinds of associations with it.
"I don't want to go home."
"Neither do I. But it's last call and I have no where else to go." Twisting her head a sharp ninety degrees she unlocked the door and pressed her way inside.
Spike was oddly enraptured as he was carried past the living room. Ornaments, banners, trophies and photo's stood bold and proud upon the shelves overlooking an intimate cluster of couches and chairs. These were arrayed in turn around a central coffee table where an intricately engraved tea set sat. The thick layers of dust suggested that no mortal pony had entered the room in years.
In the kitchen Berry dropped her dragon off at the table and fetched herself a bottle off the counter and pulled the cork free with her teeth. A passionate draw on the vessel proved the contents to be satisfactory.
With a happy sigh she settled down at the table.
She frowned as she perhaps for the first time of the evening looked at Spike.
A moment later she had retrieved a pair of clean enough glasses from the sink full of dishes and placed them upon the table. These she filled from the bottle with a fluid both darker and thicker then blood.
She took another drink.
"I haven't made a bottle of this in years. I wonder if I still could?"
She trembled as she lifted the glass into the air. It's contents absorbed all light when held aloft appearing black and impenetrable.
"Bars were better then. They weren't stuffed with noisy, stupid kids."
Thick liqueur caressed her tongue like a lover. Burning down her esophagus in a slow and unhurried manner.
"Who am I kidding? I was the louder, stupider and younger then the lot of them put together."
She set down the empty glass and considered her dragon. His drink sat untouched. His eyes shone with curiosity and his attention was clearly upon her.
She supposed it was understandable. There were a finite number of possibilities a pony could expect after being brought home by the bar nag.
Very finite. Singular infact.
And here she was waxing on and feeling sorry for herself.
Well that would make sense for a pony atleast. So she had to ask.
"What does a dragon do?"
"What?" Spike flinched as though he had been slapped.
"Dragons they do things right? What is it that they do?"
The dragon looked away. "Dragons take things and they break anything they can't take."
"Hmm, but is that what you are doing?"
"No."
"So what do you do?"
Silence hung thick over the kitchen and Spike looked away.
Hadn't he taken everything that Cheerilee had to give? Had he not broken Dash? Wasn't he going to do the same here? What else was he here for?
Warm lips pressed into his, a thick tongue intruded into his mouth. He tried to pull back in alarm but a strong hoof wrapped around his kneck holding him firmly but not unkindly. He could taste liquor.
The kiss assured him of his welcome.
Spike kissed back, reaching out his claws to grip at the mare's coat. This was different. This was new. He could feel her desire and his own lifted in answer.
His achingly hard penises pressed prominently against the pony's chest.
Berry dragged the dragon off the chair, sitting down onto the linoleum floor. Her free hoof ran it's self along his rounded spines.
Without breaking the kiss and with much expertise the mare rolled back onto her back drawing Spike and his cocks forward pressing them against her hot moist muff.
Desperately, frantically the dragon grabbed his cocks and fed himself into her.
Panting and rabid with animal lust they fucked.
Dislocated and unattached thoughts, tried to form in Spike's brain as he pounded into the mare as hard as he could. He tried to compare this event with either of his previous encounters and found himself unable to do so.
This was something different. Something fantastic.
Berry gave a loud animalistic whiny as her vag spasmed tightly around the cocks before laying back, spent and content.
Shortly after Spike finished.
Panting for breath the dragon looked on at Berry, sprawled out on her back, her legs still splayed upwards, her drooling muff still on display. Her mane was scattered in every direction, she had a gentle smile and her chest rose and fell in sleep's tempo.
She looked... beautiful like that. Like some majestic and lewd angel descending on Celestia's celestial rays of light on a sacred mission to shove Rarity out of his heart's spotlight of adoration and replace the pale unicorn with just her own hot and wet plum coloured cunt.
He was actually debating whether or not to go again when she vomited.
After rolling the mare onto her side so she wouldn't drown in her own puke, Spike went to work cleaning up the mare and the floor around her. Then he fetched a blanket.
Then he washed up the glasses they had enjoyed together and then the dishes because they where there. Then the rest of the kitchen.
Then the living room. He dusted the shelves and wiped down the myriad trophies and awards, most of which had to do with distilling and brewing. He polished the glass of the photos. He moved onto the furniture and then onto the tea set at the center.
It was still filled with a hardened sludge at the bottom.
This to he cleaned to perfection and placed on the shelf where he could only guess that they went. |
The Rise of Demon King Spike | Chapter 8 | The smell of fresh earth filled her nostrils. And covered her pale magenta hooves. And was blinked away by from her bright green eyes.
With the back of her hoof Daisy attempted to wipe away the dirt only to smear it together with the sweat beading upon her brow to form streaks of mud.
Gardening shovel dangling from her lips she looked on with pride at her garden and it's muted riot of colours and smells. Thick bushes of pink oleander hedged her fences, pads of deep purple anemone flanked the main garden, then her prized purest white carnations edged with a red as vibrant as fresh blood, Then the rows of deep purple hyacinth and primrose and then in the centre her own purest white daisies of her own namesake. All of it delicious and vibrant with life.
Upon spotting a daisy with a dark spot on one of the petals she panicked for a moment before quickly snatching the blemished thing out of the ground by the root.
That had been a close one. With a sigh of relief she lay the flower upon a stone hot from the morning sun so that it would dry and whither.
A slight shudder of alarm streaked through from her hooves and into her withers as her eyes were pulled from her garden and to the eyes of another pony. Somepony who had seen her commit this act of murder? Somepony who knew that she had harboured this imperfect flower within her garden?
Well not a pony. Another someone. It was that baby dragon that her eyes were now locked with.
He was always with that one mare. That bossy one that had moved into the town library. But not today. Today he had apparently escaped his leash.
He was out in the street, apparently he had been walking by when he had seen her, and now he was walking this way.
She looked away for a moment her eyes stopping at the bushes that hedged her fence with their clusters of small pink flowers. She took a nervous breath before looking back.
No, the dragon had not lost interest and continued on his way. Now he was almost at the gate.
She counted the number of steps that she would have to take to get into the safety of her domicile. It was seven. Just seven steps and she would be at her door and then she could be inside and safe and sound.
She took a breath.
"Hi!" he greeted and gave a sure smile.
"... Hi." she replied eventually. She returned an uncertain smile.
"You have a nice garden."
"It's not as good as Rose's though."
"I'm sure they could be if you tried."
Daisy looked down at the creature's claws.
"Do you happen to have time to talk?" the dragon leaned against her gate.
"Well, we're already talking."
"I mean we could sit down and talk."
She backed up three steps, now it was four steps to the safety of her home.
The dragon apparently took this as invitation and stepped through the gate.
Now there was no barrier between her and this creature.
She took two steps back. Now only two steps remained.
The dragon took a step forward and looked down upon the blemished daisy on the stone.
Daisy found her weight shifting. Not to run away but to run forward. She caught herself.
"This is actually a very lovely flower."
"No, no it's just... garden waste" she explained suddenly shifting from terrified to guilty.
"But the shape is perfect and exquisite," he reached down and picked it up. "It would be a shame to waste it."
Of course the shape was perfect! It was one of her flowers! Any fool could look at it and see that it was one of Daisy's flowers. Any fool could see that the colour was mixed up! It was a filthy obscene flower and she had grown it with her own hooves.
"Since you're throwing it out I think I will take it."
Daisy galloped up to the dragon her eyes wide with alarm and terror.
"You, um ah, you don't want that flower! How about I get you a different flower? Yes that's it! Just let me take that one..." Daisy reached down desperate to snatch the filthy flower from the dragon's greedy grasp but she couldn't bring herself to get close enough to him. Her hooves pranced in place as she attempted to run forwards and backwards at the some time.
"But I like this one."
Daisy briefly thought about the dragon leaving with the flower. She thought about how everypony in Ponyville would see that awful daisy. They would all know that it was her fault. They would all laugh at her. No pony would buy her flowers and she would be out of a job. She'd have to get some kind of ridiculous and terrible job like selling frying pans.
And she couldn't muster the nerve to just take the flower from the sharp pony shredding claws of the dragon.
Oh, she had a chance. There was something else that she could do.
"Ah. Mister, mister dragon, sir..."
"It's Spike."
"Spike, sir, you wanted to come inside?"
"Yes, that is exactly what I wanted to do." He gave a wink but Daisy was far to distracted with ushering the dragon into her home to notice.
With the young dragon seated in her living room struggled to get her nerves under control as prepared the tea.
She would open negotiations by asking for something she didn't want and in turn so would the dragon. But in the interplay they would ask for the things that they did want without letting the other party know what it was that they infact desired.
The dragon being a dragon would desire jewels, just as Daisy desired the flower. But instead they would ask for things that would flatter the other. Dragons were greedy, proud and vain of course.
The water reached a slow simmer.
Daisy fetched a box containing a broach affixed with an emerald the size of her hoof that she had traded for a dozen flowers. She felt certain this trinket would be enough to retrieve the flower.
She poured the now boiling water into the kettle with the tea.
With a sly smile she made her decision as to what she would pretend it was that she desired.
The tea was poured and the pot was set upon the table. Daisy took the seat opposite of the dragon as she prepared for the battle.
The dragon, Spike, she reminded herself, fidgeted before taking his first sip of tea.
Spotting the weakness, Daisy took the offensive.
"I must say, now that I see you better, that you are a most handsome dragon indeed," she flattered.
"Oh!" he blushed in surprise. "Why thank you Daisy, I must say that you are also a very pretty pony."
Daisy weighed his response as she took a sip of tea. Was that him just being polite? Still she had to win the flattery before she could begin properly.
"Your scales are so smooth and your spines, they are just so sophisticated," Daisy randomly applied flattery to his various features in place of more appropriate words like glistening, menacing and horrifying.
"I have always liked the cut of your mane and it looks so soft. Do you get it professionally done?"
Daisy faltered as a blush tried to creep up her neck. "N-no I do it myself," she stammered briefly. She averted her eyes while she attempted to find another angle of attack, not yet willingly to call it a draw.
"Your garden is very neatly ordered and I don't think many ponies at all have ones nearly as varied as yours is," the dragon lunged forward crushing her hopes of an early lead.
Daisy quickly tried to figure out what Spike did for a living and how to flatter him for that in turn if only to keep pace with him.
"Those carnations, I haven't seen any quite like that before. Are they your work?"
The mare's jaw dropped.
"Striped carnations have to be hybridized and I mostly see white and purple ones. Well those are the ones that Twilight always gets."
Daisy had just wanted to express herself. She had just wanted to say something. She had never wanted to be heard.
"She sends daffodils and gets those carnations. It's a crazy world don't you think?"
Rose and Lily poked fun at her for her garden. But that was okay because they where her friends. It wasn't like anypony else really knew what it meant.
The blush filled her cheeks, she had to change the subject and quickly.
"Those hedges you have, they're oleander aren't they?"
"A kiss!" Daisy suddenly shouted. This had been her plan. "I would like a kiss from such a handsome dragon as yourself!" Yes, just ask the pony eating monster for a kiss which it would refuse because of the species difference, but he would be flattered none the less and it would make the negotiations go smoother. See, it was a perfectly reasonable plan! There was no reason to panic!
Her eyes were wide with alarm as the dragon got up and approached her. Her muscled were locked in terrified paralysis as the flesh rending talons gently gripped her neck. Her mouth yielded in absolute submission to his scaly lips and her mind was too shocked to even respond to the narrow and agile tongue as it plunged and explored the cavity of her mouth.
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
The force of the kiss pushed her back, her unresponsive body was tilted until she fell backwards onto the floor and the much lighter dragon was pulled along with her.
Flat upon her back and under this scaled horror she awaited the first pinch of fangs against her delicate pony flesh followed by her looming devourment.
"You wanna have sex?" asked the only slightly flustered dragon. As though he regularly went into ponies homes for this purpose.
Daisy first noticed the member poking into her belly and then her own sopping nethers.
She didn't believe it. Was he really going to play with his food like that before eating?
Her sex winked hungrily as that thought ran through her mind. She decided not to dwell overly on that.
"'Kay," she responded quietly.
Spike took hold of each of her hind legs as he moved to line up with her.
Wait. What had she said? She had said a word back there and now this was happening!
She gasped as the weirdly shaped dragon wang plunged into her mare cunt.
She couldn't have agreed to this!
Her muff drooled on appreciation as the pony eating beast ravaged her innocence.
Daisy was a good mare. She didn't have sex with monsters. She knew that. It was a fact of life.
A lustful whinny echoed out from her gasping mouth as the mighty creature rubbed its' twisted phallus against the inside of her innocence.
That is why Daisy grew the carnations.
Small and helpless the mare squirmed belong the hideous thing made her its' own. Her now wantonly wet snatch rejoiced in it's defection.
The solid white petals with the bloody edges to express her rejection. She had handed them out so freely.
Innocence? Purity? What did those words mean to her now? She was submitted herself as the terrific dragon's whore as it plunged into her over and over again.
She really hadn't wanted to reject all of them had she? She had never wanted to be left alone.
Her womb shuddered violently in response to the torrents of hot semen that flooded her sex. She shouted some kind of obscenity and her face relaxed into a massive grin that hurt her cheek muscles.
With her eyes closed Daisy gasped for breath as she tried to come to grips with her sudden emptiness as the beast had abandoned her.
When she opened her eyes she saw something curious. A harmless little dragon, almost kind of cute who was cleaning up her tea set in a most helpful and beneficial manner.
She wondered where the monster had gone before closing her eyes and drifting off into a nap.
It wouldn't be until much later that she would remember about the flower. |
Nore's Choice : The Salvation and Origin of the Rom | pre | Despite the heat, time flowed like cold molasses until evening. Leaning into the harness, I eased the cart out of the canyon the same way that we got it in. Sando scouted the way for safe passage of the cart with its precious cargo of food and water.
We made regular stops to give more of water and food to the band. I have no real need of food or water so I simply helped to ration out the supplies as we wended our way between the desert's stony ridges. I adjusted my disguise as Marchhare to be gaunter looking but did it gradually, so that they would not notice some big change.
Rom and Nore came to me in the heat of the third day. "We could not find any sort of shelter from the sun, Marchhare. Sando is very upset to have let you and the rest of us down."
I cocked an ear at them and their words while I leaned into the sweat slimed harness. "He has nothing to be ashamed of. It was the same coming out of the mountains on the way into the desert. I am more worried about the supplies. They are running low quicker than I hoped."
Nore said softly, "We need some sort of protection from the sun. Malit has nearly stopped sweating and she is starting to stagger."
I closed my eyes in deep thought. "I may be able to help some. I have a spare cover for the wagon. It is worn and has repairs but it is serviceable. Bring her here."
I stopped pulling and got the spare canvas cover out of its locker in the cart. We made Malit crouch in the cart's meager shade while we carefully tore and cut the fabric to fit her better.
Nore suggested, "We can tie it with fabric strips. That will help Malit to keep the sash on."
Rom pointed out, "I know that our water is very short but if we use just a little, we can cool her better."
He was right. It only took one ladle of water, carefully applied so that it soaked into the canvas to cool Malit enough to restore her body and spirits.
Rom suggested, "We have a lot of canvas left, Marchhare. Perhaps, since it is no longer useful as caravan cover, we could make the rest of us shade sashes like Malit's."
We took the time to do it. The mares were getting pretty professional about the fitting and tying by the time that they ran out of canvas pieces big enough to do the job.
Little Nore was not exaggerating when she told me that they were good slaves. They were well organized and worked with a will. Of course they were STILL trying to process the idea that they were now free. That was really difficult for the whole lot of them. The cultural conditioning of a lifetime is not easily set aside. They were slaveborn and it had never even entered their thoughts that they might be free.
We stopped for rest. There was no shade but what was cast by my cart and its cover. As we all crowded into it, Sando paused to examine my pulling harness.
I saw him whispering to Rom and to Malit. They, in turn whispered to Nore. She got a stricken expression and came to me.
"Marchhare, why did you hide from us that you were not eating and drinking your share of the rations? You are doing the heaviest work, pulling the caravan and supplies and you have been starving yourself. It is not right!" She stomped a small hoof in the dust for emphasis.
"I know it, dear Nore. You have all become very important to me. The supplies, especially the water will not last long enough to get you all safely out of the Anvil. My share may get the rest of you to safety.
"I will guide you all as long as I can, that is a promise. Look to the horizon. The tips of the mountains that guard Equestria are showing." I pointed with a hoof. "Now let us get going. Perhaps we can reach the mountains and the spring before any of us die."
As I was shrugging into the harness, Sando suggested, "I could pull the caravan. I was looking at the harness and it can be adjusted to fit me."
Under the blaze of the sun, I replied, "True. If it is needed you could. Until I cannot pull it, this cart and what is in it is my responsibility."
His shoulders slumped. "I knew that you would say that. Have you seen Nore? She has short rationed herself too. We are going to need to put her in the caravan or leave her to die."
I nodded compassionately as I told him, "I already know that, Sando, my friend. Get her in the cart now. We will make better time if she is riding and that means a better chance for you all."
By late afternoon, Malit was staggering again. We put her into the cart under the shade of its cover for a while. I had to lean harder but it was still not as difficult a pull as the original loaded cart had been.
Dust devils romped through the waste's shimmering heat. Mirages made their false promises of water. I kept the whole band going as hard as I dared to push the suffering horses. We did not rest until long after dark.
I rested, quiescent while Nore doled out the very last wisps of hay and scoured the final grain chest for any kernel. All that was left was a fourth of a cask of water and a bare two or three bites of dried fruits and nuts.
Nore whispered to Rom. He nodded. She gathered a flat stone and a rounded one. Taking the fruits and nuts, she pounded and rolled them together.
I stirred enough to look past her shoulder at what she was doing. "Why mash it all together, Nore?"
She actually smiled as she explained, "They would not have shared out equally. This way, we all get the same amount of each bit."
Her shoulders slumped. "It is the very last of the food. We have only a fourth part of one cask of water left." She sighed. "We would have abandoned the chests and empty casks but for your wise counsel that they may yet serve us to hold our necessities later."
The early light before dawn saw the whole band get those last fruit and nut portions. The remaining water was over half gone. Every horse, even I, donned the sun shading sashes and we struck out while the Anvil was at its coolest.
About mid morning, shortly after the last of the water was rationed out, I faked a stagger and fall in the traces. I stood uncertainly and said softly to Rom and Nore, who were the first to my aid, "I am tired. I must not have slept well last night."
My lids drooped heavily. I breathed slowly and deeply, legs splayed some for support. I pointed to a ledge of stone not far south of the way that we were going. "I think that I will take a nap there. It appears to be shaded throughout the day. It will be a good place to rest."
I saw tears in the eyes of the band. I pointed to the mountains. "Do you see that pass? The steep sided one with the north shoulder looking like a gryphon's head?"
Rom nodded.
I took another few deep breaths before I said, "Make for that pass with all speed. Only a little ways into it is a good spring and a fine meadow.
"I will catch up to you as soon as I am well rested."
I staggered over to the ledge and stretched out in the shade. Nore put her small hoof on my shoulder and sniffled as she said, "Rest well, Marchhare, our good guide. May the Lake be a fine place for you indeed."
"I am only taking a nap, my dear. I will catch up to you soon.
"Sando, I am too tired to take this harness off. There is another in the locker at the front of the cart. Use it well to get the rest to the spring."
He laid a hoof on my shoulder and replied in an unsteady voice, "I will do that. Rom will lead us and I will pull."
Rom, steady of voice but eyes tearing said, "I will lead them all as best as I can, Marchhare." He paused and swallowed hard, "Until you catch up to us again."
I closed my eyes and let my breath out in a long deep sigh. It was damned hard to keep my ear from twitching when that fly landed on it.
They all returned to the cart. My big donkey ears overheard Malit say softly, "I was hoping that he could be our new Master."
Nore, choking on sobs, replied, "He did not want to be our Master. Only to be our guide. He wanted us to be free."
In only a little time, they were underway again. They were truly free of any Master at last. Especially me.
As soon as they were out of sight, I got up. Minor advantage of being truly immortal. I couldn't die if wanted to, and I don't. Not true of most of the rest of the living things of the world though. As soon as I had any idea that I might need a decoy, I started using the Orb of the Ages to find an old donkey who was already dying. The one that I found was poor even for a donkey.
Working a small plot of land for a share of the crop, he was plowing when his heart gave out. He died in the traces, like I had pretended to.
I appeared beside his body and separated him from the plow.
I do not teleport, though the difference between teleporting and temporal translocation is pretty technical. The main difference is simply this. What I do, temporal translocation uses no magic at all. It stems from a property of time itself, when the nature of time is properly understood.
When I had him ready, I shifted him back with me to the rock ledge out on Celestia's Anvil. There, I covered him with my sash and harnessed him in the one that I was wearing. I took his. Not a lot of difference between them, really. Plowing and cart haulage are both hard pulling work.
Wondering if he would ever be found and what would become of him, I left that nameless donkey behind and went ahead of the band, up into the Sunset Mountains. I went to a spring further up the pass than where I directed them to go, and had a drink. Grazed some too. I don't actually need it, but it is a comfortable habit, eating and drinking, I mean.
I also took the instant that it needed to make my disguise as Marchhare into my usual well fed but not really plump self.
~~ ~~ ~~
With Sando pulling the wagon, it was Rom scouting the way. The barren landscape had one feature that was useful to Rom's band. It held old tracks, especially in the dry sandy clays. "Look, Sando! There are the tracks of Marchhare's previous trips!"
From inside the cart, Nore said in a broken voice, "Even from the Lake he still guides us!"
The other mares heard and nodded. "It is like he is still here to show us the way."
Malit stumbled on a stone. Shortly so did Sarel. Even with the protection of the sashes, they were sweating far too little. Rom consulted with Sando, "Malit and Sarel are showing signs of sunstroke. Can you pull them too, in a bit?"
Sando replied, "Do not wait until they collapse. Get them both into the caravan now. Like Marchhare, I will pull until I cannot. We will get them to the spring somehow."
Under a cloudless, blazing sky, Sando leaned into the harness and set an even faster pace than he had been. Tears leaking, he was muttering, "My fault! If I had simply listened to Rom we would not be here. Our good guide would still be living! My fault! I will NOT let another die for my failing."
Nore, inside the cart, under the cover, heard him. "Sando! Sando. Marchhare lives. He is guiding us still. He may be at the Lake of Paradise but he has not left us! You told me of the Lake of Paradise where we will live on, yourself. By the tracks that we are following, he is still with us, showing us the way!"
Sando spared a glance over his shoulder, reminded of the tale that he had told to comfort Nore and took some comfort in it himself. He replied, "Thank you, Nore. It is so easy to um ... forget."
Rom overheard and he pointed out, "All that Marchhare did for us, Sando, he did freely and willingly. Giving us the end of his long life to save ours was, in his eyes, a worthy thing. Besides, Nore is right. We are still being guided by him."
Sando nodded slowly as he worked it out. Then he increased his pace even more. The day crawled slowly past. It was nearly evening when the band rounded a dry ridge of gray stone and saw some growing plants.
One of the two mares still on her feet rushed forward and carefully trimmed the precious leaves away from the thorny branches. Though salivating from hunger, she brought the harvest to Rom. He passed it into the canvas cover of the wagon.
Nore called, "Brief stop, Sando! Rom! Wait up a moment!" With a shaking hoof, she passed out a meager ration of the leaves. "These are for Sando! He has been doing the pulling. He gets first portion!"
Rom and the remaining two mares formed a group at the wagon's rear and each received a share.
As soon as all had swallowed the small nourishment and moisture in the leaves, Rom got the whole band moving again. There was hope in every step as they entered the shade of the pass.
There were more and more growing plants. They even found a tiny seep of moist earth as they forged ahead to find the promised spring and meadow. When the walls of the pass suddenly opened out, the whole band saw a pool, ripples radiating out from the spring's source. All about was fine grass, the sweetest that they had ever tasted, at least so it seemed. There were some trees near to the pool and more on the slopes of the small dale that cupped the spring.
Nore's eyes went wide at the sight. "It is like the Lake of Paradise that awaits us! This is Sha Ja Shehan, the Spring of Salvation!"
The others, even Sando, exchanged knowing glances and nodded. None could gainsay Nore. It was indeed the water and good pasture that was their salvation from death on Celestia's Anvil. But for one thing, it almost did appear to be paradise come to the world of the living.
Sando hung his head. "I could have brought him in the caravan. If only he had known how close he was to safety. I ... Have failed again."
Nore wrapped his hanging neck in a hug. "No, Sando. You have not failed at all. Look about you. The spring of pure water, the fine grass and excellent shade. All of this is ours now because of your so-called failings. Without them, we would not be here, safe from famine and thirst. We would still be cast out slaves starving or dying of thirst in Gyptia.
"Marchhare's death is not your fault at all. He did know how close he was. He made two trips to Gyptia and back. He came for us the third time. He knew the route. He knew that it was his time to go. Perhaps he knew that if his load was added to what you were already going to pull, that you would not be able to make it here.
"If you failed, those of us in the caravan would die too. The sun of the desert has no mercy. He was a good and wise donkey. Freeborn himself, he gave us our freedom."
Nore did break down and cry. "All that he had to do to free us was die. He did it without complaint. May the Lake be a good place for his life beyond this one."
Hearing Nore, Sarel thoughtfully tried something that none of them had ever done except to replace it or clean it. She removed her headstall and bit of slavery. She shook her head. She attempted to graze. Shortly, she sat and stared at the headgear that she had worn since her foaling. She was weeping.
Nore, seeing Sarel's experiment, tried it too. Shortly, she joined Sarel. "We may be free but it feels wrong to be without our headstalls, doesn't it?"
Sarel nodded sadly.
Nore thought deeply. Suddenly she smiled. "We have worn a headstall all of our lives. To feel right, we still need one! These have been the mark of our slavery. We need a headstall that is the mark of our freedom!
"What makes it possible for us to be slaves with this? By the bit, we can be reined and steered to another's will! The lead ring under the chin, makes our head follow when a lead rope is pulled! We only need to rid the headstall of the things that bind us to another's will and we have headstalls of freedom!
"We can be Free and still have the comfort and safety of a headstall!"
Rom overheard Nore's enthusiasm and thoughtfully went to check the caravan's lockers for tools and supplies. He knew already that Marchhare's caravan was not ordinary. It was made for long journeys and had much that was needed for repairs in emergencies far from help.
He returned with a hooked knife meant to shape wheel spokes. He picked up Nore's headstall and studied it for a moment. He made several careful cuts. He thriftily saved the bit, lead ring and scraps.
Rom tilted Nore's head up and carefully fitted the modified headstall. He tested it for security and nodded.
"This was the sign of your slavery. Now it is your Freedom. Do not disgrace it by any unjust or unkind act." Rom smiled widely and hugged Nore to him. The rest of the band had gathered about quietly while he was fixing Nore's Freedom.
He next took Sarel's headstall and did the same. He continued until only he and Sando remained. He saw Sando's forming revolt and forestalled it. "As the leader of this band, you ALL come first. That is the duty of the leader. To care for the entire band before himself. Give me your sign of slavery and take back your Freedom."
With a few quick cuts, it was done.
Then Rom took off his own. Nore stepped forward. "The band of Rom has chosen me to take your slavery from you for us all, Rom. Give to us the sign of your slavery and receive from us, your Freedom." Deeply moved, Rom handed over his headstall and the knife.
Nore cut away the parts that made slavery possible and then each of the band touched Rom's Freedom before she gave it back and buckled it into place.
She pronounced proudly, "Now, none of us are slaves. We shall wear our Freedom proudly and NEVER be a slave to another Master again!"
That night there was a mild rain. "Get into the caravan, all that we can," Rom directed. Sando, Sarel, and I shall shelter under it. That is the best that we can do for now."
"Look at the sun rising above the mountains!" Nore called, actually frisking a bit. "Taste the grass! The rain washed it or something! It is even better now than it was!"
Sarel did graze a tasty breakfast. She went to the meadow's edge where the grasses were longer and tougher. She gathered quite a pile of it before curious Nore came over. "What are you doing, Sarel? These are not going to make very good hay."
Sarel smiled, "I know that, Nore. They have good fibers though. I can make strings out of them. If I can make strings, I can weave cloth. It may not be the best cloth until we find better material, but we can attach it to the caravan to make more cover for those who won't fit into it. Perhaps we can find some sort of gum that will close up the weave and make it more waterproof."
Nore picked up string making quickly. It was not a complex task. Sarel gathered the grasses and Nore made coil after coil. Rom watched the other mares join in, one by one. He turned to Sando.
"They have found a harder Master than any horse of Gyptia, Sando. They drive themselves and are their own Master. Let us join them."
Sando and Rom began to gather grasses too. Sando wondered aloud, "Would Marchhare approve of what we are doing? We will be changing his caravan quite a bit."
Tears that were never far from her eyes beginning to overflow, Nore replied, "Marchhare gave us all that he had, even life itself." She sniffled, "He would want us to have as good as can be. That is why we are doing it. It will honor him."
She touched her new Freedom and went on, "It was he that first told us that we are free. We owe him only one thing now. Our best at EVERYTHING that we do. Thus we give back to him what he gave to us. He gave us his very best. We must never do less than that."
The others were softly weeping but not a one slowed or gave over the work.
By afternoon, Sarel nodded approval. "Those two saplings will work for the loom cross bars. We need to hang one them from that branch after we tie strings to it. They will be the warp threads."
When that was done, "Now it gets tricky! We need to comb these warp threads out so that none of them cross each other and tie them neatly in bunches of six, down at the bottom. We attach them to the other sapling to stretch them neatly." It took a bit of adjusting and fiddling to satisfy Sarel, who was an expert weaver. She began tying many loops of her thread
"What are all of those little loops for?" asked Nore.
"We need them to catch the warp threads. Each of these will fasten to one thread. A stick through every other one of them will pull half the threads forward and make a tunnel that we can put the woof thread through. Then we let that half go back and pull the other half forward. That traps the thread and makes a tunnel for the next thread. All that we will need then to be able to make cloth of this will be a way to pack the woof threads tightly and evenly."
They all stood about and thought deeply of the looms that they had seen with their fine metal combs to pack the threads. Rom did include young Nore in the group trying to sort the problem out.
She asked, "Since we have no way to make a comb, could we use a straight stick? Close the tunnel to trap the thread and then push a stick through the new tunnel and use it to pack the, woof did you call it? The strings of the loom will be the comb part, that way."
After some experimentation and Malit doing some expert carving of the stick, to make an even edge to press the thread, the idea worked. It was not as fast as a regular loom, but it did work.
Sando took Rom aside and said, "I now understand why you are so effective as a leader. I would have left Nore out of the discussion because she is young and has no experience. That is the very reason that you did include her.
"She saw the problem differently from the rest of us BECAUSE she had no experience. Even if she had not seen a solution, she would have learned from the discussion." Sando shook his head. "Such wisdom as yours, I hope to have someday." He sighed.
Sarel was standing back and sheltering her eyes from the noonday sun as she directed, "Pull it a little tighter to the top of the caravan box. That's it! The regular cover will fit over it now! That will help to keep it from leaking."
Nore was over by the spring, picking cresses and clovers. She gathered quite a few of them, actually. She lugged them all over by the fire. She had the stones that she had used to make the paste for evenly dividing the odd bits of fruit and nuts, while out on the Anvil.
While Malit looked on, Nore began to mash the mixed greens together. As fast as she had a decent portion, the filly scooped it together into a firm patty and put it on a hot stone by the fire to bake.
Malit sat beside Nore and began to turn the baking portions. As they got nicely toasted on both sides, she set them aside to cool. They made enough for the whole band to have several.
Malit's ears suddenly popped up and swiveled to point back down the ravine toward the desert. "Rom! I hear hooves coming up from the Anvil!"
By then, they could all hear the clopping of small hooves tripping lightly along the stony way. As the source of the sound came into view, there was no mistaking the old donkey that they had all seen die. He no longer appeared to be starving.
The whole band drew back in superstitious fear.
I pointed my old donkey snout at the pool. my ears perked up and he said, "Rom, my friend! You all made it! That water looks so good. May I have some?"
Rom swallowed his fear enough to say, "There is a plenty of good water, Marchhare. Help yourself to as much as you wish."
I dipped my muzzle into the spring and began to drink. Nore gathered one of her new clover and sorrel cakes and came cautiously up to me.
I turned my eyes to her and asked, "Why are you afraid of me? I promised to guide you for as long as I can, didn't I? I took my nap, just as I said I would. Now, I have caught up to you."
Nore, speaking the fears of the whole band, replied, "It was not a nap that you took, Marchhare." She swallowed hard. "You died. It happened three days ago. We all saw it. You were our guide while you lived. Now, I guess, you are the Ghost Who Guides."
I smiled an elderly donkey smile of amusement. "No, dear. I took a nap in the shade of that ledge of stone. I am sure that I would have noticed it if I had died. I felt better after my nap and I came as quickly as I could to get you through these tricky canyons and safely to Equestria."
Nore stared pointedly at the sunny grass next to me. I glanced at it myself. I frowned as if puzzled at first. Slowly my shadow grew and filled its proper place.
Changing the topic in an embarrassed way, I asked, "What have you got there? Smells delightful!"
Nore started to bow to me, extending the clover cake. I reached out a hoof and stopped her, lifting her back up to standing. Smiling, I told her, "Friends do not treat friends that way. A bow like that should be reserved for something important or for comedy."
Nore took a deep breath and steadied herself. Marchhare's touch did feel solid. His hooves did resound from the stones. He drank.
She replied, "You have drunk from the spring that we have named Sha Ja Shehan. The Spring of Salvation. It saved us all. I made some cakes of clover and bank sorrel from this same spring. This is one. Would you like to try it?"
"Delighted! It smells wonderful." I tried to take the cake. My hoof passed right through it on the first try. I got it on the second try and devoured it with gusto. "Excellent! I never had clover prepared like that before!
"That spring's water tasted so good that I can understand calling it Sha Ja Shehan!"
Taking stock of Nore, I realized the difference in her headgear. "What is this? Why wear that? I think that I understand the sashes."
Lifting her head with pride, Nore replied, "All of our lives we had on our heads the mark of slavery. Now we wear our Freedom! No Bit or Lead Ring rules us now."
She paused and added softly, "Because we have had something on our heads for our whole lives, it felt wrong to wear nothing. Far better to wear our Freedom and feel whole, than discard all and be unhappy. We tried it both ways. This is how we like it."
I nodded my head in agreement. "Think that you could whip up a Freedom for me too?" Glancing back, I got a completely bemused expression. "I am not quite sure how this happened. I seem to still have my harness on but I appear to have misplaced the sashes that I was wearing when I went to take my nap."
Sarel bit her lip in nervousness before replying, "We can make you new sashes but it will take a few days to weave them. More perhaps if we are moving through the mountains and only working in the evenings or mornings."
Smiling happily, I trotted over and gave her a quick hug. "That will be fine, Sarel. I would find it an honor to wear what you fine mares make for me."
She relaxed. "You are warm. I am sorry to say it, but I sort of expected the chill of the gra ... the Lake where we left you.
"Is the Lake of Paradise as lovely as we have heard?"
I chuckled. "I would not know, Sarel. I mean, when I woke up from my nap, I was not only rested, I felt good. Really good. All of my old aches and pains from age were gone. I was not hungry anymore. I was woolgathering about lovely water, sweet grasses and shade as I came after you.
"Forgot all of that nonsense as soon as I got a real drink. This world is lovely and its horses beautiful. That is enough for me."
Sando whispered to Rom, "I thought that I was weaving Nore a fairytale of hope. My mother used to tell me of such things but I never really believed them. Now I think that there must be truth in those tales.
"He did die. We all saw it happen. He thirsted and starved for us and now he is fit. There is a Lake and the grave is the Gateway to the Lake. It must be. How else to account for what we are seeing?"
Rom nodded thoughtfully. "That makes more sense than I care to admit, Sando. It appears that it may not be entirely a one way thing.
"I wonder if all of our loved dead will return in some way? He is back among us."
Nore interrupted their speculations to give them their sweet clover cakes. "I heard what you were saying, Rom. We all know that Marchhare died. He does not want to believe it, but he did. He had to try twice to take hold of his clover cake. His hoof went right through it, like it was not there, the first time. He had no shadow until he saw me looking at where his should be.
"He came back as a Ghost Who Guides Us. We can make a jest of that. I think it is best to let him think that he only a took a nap. What if he should leave us and go back to the Lake? He is wise. We need him." Her eyes teared just a little. "I need him."
They nodded solemn agreement and nibbled their clover cakes. Sando brightened up at once. "These are really good, Nore! I agree with Marchhare about them. I never had clover made like this before! Thank you!"
The whole band got served the treat that Nore had cooked up. All were agreed that delicious was too weak a word for it. I asked her, "I see that you have more made up. Might I have another, or are they travel provisions?"
She spared a glance to Rom, who nodded to her. She replied graciously, "As you gave freely all that you had to save us, so it is that what we have is yours." She thoughtfully touched her Freedom and went on, "It is the freely given gift of the Free horses of the Band of Rom. So long as we endure, you need never fear that we will not share all that we have."
I stared sideways at her, my eyes taking in the whole band. Nodding, I replied, "A freely given gift from Free Horses? Thank you, dear."
Nore immediately gave me another cake of the sorrel and clover.
As I was savoring the slightly crunchy sweet clover cake, Rom approached and promised, "Marchhare, my friend, we of my band have some idea of what it cost you to save us. We know that it was more than mere gold."
I replied, tail swishing away an imaginary fly, "I gained something too. In Equestria, my sort, donkeys, are not thought highly of. Among your Gyptian horses I have found some real friends. I treasure that."
Rom glanced about the now busy meadow where the horses of his band were working to gather the clovers and other grasses to try making them into their travel provisions. The cakes would be far more compact and easier to transport than hay.
He shook his head in bemusment. "I fail to see how one both freeborn and so good of heart could be looked down upon but this will be your land that we are going to. I expect that it is true.
"If it is, you never need fear that among us. So long as the band of Rom exists, we will remember that you saved us when you could easily have passed us by. You gave us food and water. You gave us our freedom. You will never lack for respect or any other need at all. What we have shall be freely given back."
Deeply moved, I could only nod. To cover both my embarrassment and delight, I went to ask Nore, "What can I do to speed things along?"
She spared a glance up from her task of forming and baking the clover patties on the hot stone. "Perhaps you could find us another large flat stone to let us bake more of these at a time?"
I blinked. "I have a big iron griddle in a locker on the wagon. It should still be there. It is easily twice the size of that stone and it has several portion covers to speed cooking. I will go see if it is there."
Shortly, I returned, carrying the griddle and assorted parts. I set up the bridge over the fire and hung the griddle by chains that let it be adjusted up or down as needed. Being iron, it started to heat quickly.
Nore promptly began loading it with patties and putting covers over them, four at a time. The pile of finished patties threatened to overflow the cloth that she was putting them on.
I went back to the wagon and brought over a grain chest. We started to load it. With careful stacking, it would easily hold the whole batch and many more.
After the chest was filled, we stowed it and cleaned all of the cooking gear and stowed that too.
Rom and Sando harnessed up. Seeing that fascinated me. I was wearing one of the two harnesses that I had brought along. Between Sando and the mares, they had made another. Studying it, I saw that it was of very thick, hard-woven fabric of the same grass fibers as the new wagon cover extension. Rings were twisted rope. Junctions were sewed. There was no metal in it at all. If you do not have, you make do with what you do have.
Rom directed, "Marchhare, we are stronger than you. We will pull the caravan. You have been this way before. If you would, please scout the way for us and we will bring your caravan by the safe ways that you show us."
I was truly pleased. Right up front leadership without subservience. I set out to scout the way while the rest of the band followed.
I knew that it was going to be at least three days of hard pulling. The desert side of the pass was the steepest. The longer slope, into Equestria, would be no easier, though.
I stopped to stare at the first serious obstacle and was glad that there was a whole band back there to help! I reported, "We have a bit of a rock slide up ahead. We can clear a way for the wagon along the north side of the pass. Most of the stone is not too large."
Rom and Sando unhitched from the wagon but left their harnesses on. With all of us working on it, the stones that had fallen were cleared enough to get the wagon through. Shoulders were needed to encourage it in a few places, but we got it over the fall. From there, it was pretty easy to get to the next spring.
We rounded a bend and I heard literal gasps from the horses with me. At first I was puzzled. Then I heard them clearly. "Look at those trees!" "What kind of trees are those?" "They are so tall!"
I said, "Just ordinary pines. Not really too big, either." Then I stopped to actually think. Oh, right. They are from a serious desert. Such trees as these are a rarity for them. Thinking about the ancient trees on the other side of the pass, I grinned. The band of Rom was going to get a real shock when they saw those!
The spring came out under the trees' roots and was pretty heavily crowded with tree roots. It watered a slightly boggy meadow that was full of weedy nettles among other things.
I commented, "I am sure glad that we have your clover cakes along, Nore!" That was when I noticed her eyes lit with delight at the sight of the nettles.
I was wise enough to shut my trap this time and learn why they were all so happy to see weeds. Nore came to me and asked, "Marchhare, will it harm our journey to spend a few days here? There is a good harvest of the nettle for both fibers and food. Soaking the stems a few days will soften them so that we can get the fibers out to make us proper thread and string.
"Boiled lightly, the leaves make a fine addition to salad or can be used to wrap other good things."
Hearing her reason, I was glad that I'd kept my mouth shut. Standing in the shade of the pines, I spared a few moments to watch the sky. "At this season, Nore, waiting a few days should be fine. A bit of rain should be the worst that will happen."
Nore actually galloped back to the other mares. They started to gather nettles like mad! Rom and Sando began to dig a largish pit in the wettest area of the boggy meadow. The water and flying mud told me that it was filling with water as they dug.
Nore did mention that the leaves needed boiling, so I got out my biggest pot and fire crane. It did not take long to get the fire going in a satisfactory way. The pot hung over it was heating nicely.
Just in time, too! Nore trotted up with a big hay bale bag full of leaves! She observed, "There is lots of that sweet sorrel around the springs and waters here in these mountains. I wonder if we could make cakes of nettle and sorrel too?"
"One way to find out, Nore. Let's get out the griddle and covers! We can toast some up and see!" As I turned to get it out, I noticed that she was watching me with something close to adoration. She'd been spending what time she could with me too.
As we pulled the griddle out of my cooking gear locker, Nore observed, "Your Equestria must be a very wealthy place to use iron so freely. You know that our old master was wealthy. Even so, he did not have as much iron among all of his goods as you have here in this caravan and its equipment."
I looked up in surprise. "No, Nore, iron is not all that common in Equestria. What I have here was quite expensive. For a trader traveling in remote areas, like I do, it is just needful. If my cart breaks in some hinterland village, and I can't fix it, I could lose everything."
Now it was her turn to be surprised. "But don't they need your trade goods? Would it not be to their advantage to help you?"
As we set up the griddle on its fire bridge, I gave Nore a lopsided smile and let an ear droop comically as I replied, "You are correct but most ponies, especially in rural areas, do not think so far ahead. If they find a disabled cart belonging to a donkey, they will help themselves to whatever they want. They may even set the cart on fire for amusement.
"They will then blame the donkey for not coming back with more of the trade goods that they do need."
She shook her head in puzzlement as she ground her nettle leaves and Sorrel together into the same sort of paste as the clover had made. She pressed a patty and put it on the griddle to cook. A second, third and fourth followed quickly. Then she popped a lid over them. They smelled heavenly.
The experimental batch vanished like magic. They were really good! Sarel suggested, "Nore, since we are cooking the nettle leaves anyway, maybe we do not need to boil them."
Agreeing, "It can't hurt to at least try it", Nore took some and mashed them to paste without bothering to boil them first. She tested the nettle paste by itself first. It toasted beautifully. They had a delightfully nutty taste, quite different from the ones with sorrel in them.
It was Malit and Sarel who pulled out the other grain chests to load with more portable provisions. "Look, Sarel! These chests were simply for grain transporting! They have iron corners and bindings. The hinges and catches too!"
Sarel stared in disbelief. "We were too hungry to notice it before, Malit! There is more. There are NAILS holding them together instead of joinery! What sort of place has so much iron that it can be used in common boxes and chests?"
That pretty well floored me. Orb of the Ages or not, there are nuances to every society that you will simply miss. It never occurred to me that something as basic as iron might be a scarce commodity to the Gyptians.
I turned my disbelieving eyes to the bog. There are not many iron mines in Equestria, it is true. They are pretty big operations, though. Donkeys and goats usually can not afford iron unless it is absolutely necessary ... If it is pony mined and forged.
We "bottom of the heap" sorts have made do by NOT buying pony made iron. We muck about in bogs and gather the iron rich nodules that grow on many of the roots of some of the common bog weeds.
The crushed and washed roots make a reddish orange paint pigment that we cheerfully sell to the ponies! It gives us a good cover for WHY we really muck around in swamps and bogs AND it makes us some good coin too!
Thing is, if the nodules are burned out properly in a forge, you got a spongy, soft iron from those same root nodules! That iron only needs work to turn it into good iron or even steel. Work does not bother us and the bog mucking is something that no pony will stoop to doing.
The bog that I was staring at probably would yield a reasonable harvest of a tonne or more of iron a year, year in and year out, with good management.
I lifted my ears in interest as I asked, "Do any of you know how to work with iron?"
The brown mare with a white patch on her flank that had smaller spots stepped closer and said, "Good Ghost ..."
I rolled my eyes and made a face.
She grinned and nickered, "I thought that you would do that! I am Phapa el Oosa. Before our old master cast us out, I was his blacksmith. Malit was a fine carpenter, Sarel besides being an expert weaver was a dyer of cloth and threads and Maina Ja Shaks was a good wheelwright. Sando was one who drew the pictures that we all worked from. Rom was a supervisor who knew enough of all of our trades to get us to work effectively together.
"The Master kept all of the tools, supplies and equipment when he cast us out, of course.
"Now I have told you our names and what our skills were."
I pulled a grimace and stated flatly, "NOT WERE! ARE! You can all still do those things! Likely much more besides. You are a resourceful lot. I have been watching." I followed up with a smile and added, "We need to totally unpack my lockers under the wagon bed. I have a good many tools that you need to see."
As locker after locker yielded its trove of tools and supplies, the whole band gathered about, marveling at the collection. I explained, "When a trade wagon is working the hinterlands of Equestria, self repair of damage, wear and outright sabotage is a necessity."
"You have to be able to do passable carpentry, iron forging, wheelwright and harness work at the minimum. Those skills can also earn you a good bit of honest coin."
I was using the Equestrian word wagon because I could not find any Gyptian word for wagon. They still looked slightly puzzled like hitting a bump in the road every time that I said it. Then they would go on, sorting out what I was saying in my broken but passable Gyptian.
They were starting to nod understanding when Rom focused in on part of what I said. "Sabotage? Why would these ponies sabotage your caravan?"
I gave him a sad stare as I pointed out, "Some just think that it is funny to cause a donkey or goat to have a breakdown out where it is serious trouble at least. The worst are the ones who do it so that they can rob the wagon while the trader is away looking for help."
That caused looks of consternation among the horses of the band.
I saw Maina carefully sorting some of the tools and looking closely at the wheels of my wagon. She shook her head and checked my supplies again.
"Marchhare, these wheels and their axles are nearly worn out. The right front, at least, needs major repair right away. Phapa and I can do it but we will need more iron than you have here. If we absolutely must, we can redo them as you have them now, with wood axles and hub parts. That is not good. It will get you through for a few months, perhaps."
I glanced back out at the bog and back to Maina and Phapa. "We have all the iron that you need and then some. Quite a lot more, in fact. What I am going to show you must remain a secret from EVERY PONY that you meet, no matter what. Will you agree to that?"
The whole band was exchanging puzzled glances when Nore spoke up. "I trust Marchhare. If he says that there is a good reason, he means it. I will keep the secret!"
That broke the dam. They all agreed.
I led them out into the bog. "Watch your footing, bogs are tricky and dangerous. What we are looking for are lumps on the roots of these broadleaved weeds." I fished about and pulled one free. Holding it up, I explained, "These lumps have a surprising amount of iron in them that we can get out with some work.
"We are looking for ones about the size of a hen's egg or bigger. Break them free of the plant without pulling out the plant. Leave it to grow more iron lumps."
Bemused, I watched the whole band dive into the task with sheer delight! I realized why slowly. Desert Raised. This wading about in mud and water was a luxury!
They soon had a surprisingly big pile of nodules.
Phapa got the forge fire going in jig time. We piled on nodules and layered charcoal over them. The stench was glorious! It was the scent of the organic parts of the nodules burning away. The bellows were being pumped by Nore while Phapa carefully poked and examined the result of our labor.
She began removing lumps of glowing raw iron and adding more nodules and charcoal. After awhile she gathered several of the iron lumps and put them on the anvil and hit them fairly gently with one of my hammers. She examined the results of her test and then heated a lump and did the same. She took several and hammered them to compress them a bit and heated them. When she hammered them together, they stuck, welded together.
Smiling happily, she began adding to her growing billet of soft spongy iron. When she was happy with the size of it, she began heating and working the billet to compress it and toughen it.
The whole glade rang to her work. Rom and Sarel were using the wagon jack to raise the right front of the wagon for removing the bad wheel. When it came free, Maina shook her head in disbelief at what she found.
"Did your ponies really make a wheel this badly?"
"Afraid so, Maina. Those were some of the best wheels to be had in Equestria when I got them."
Rom had Sando examine everything and then speak to both Maina and Phapa before starting to do some drawings for new parts. Frankly, I was amazed. A good wheel is a complex device with many parts made of carefully chosen woods with properties selected for the service that they do in the wheel. All of them have to fit very exactly.
And Maina was muttering curses about sloppy work under her breath as she took the wheel apart.
Nore and Malit were examining the axle shaft in eyebrow raised amazement. It was Nore who broke the shocked silence. "Not even a sleeve bearing? Don't they have any idea how expensive really good wood is? Is this really the best that ponies can do? Greasing bare wood for something as important as an axle? This one is almost worn out!"
It stopped me like hitting a wall of invisible bricks! Wood rare? Oh, right. Desert and all of that. Wood is imported. Iron pretty scarce and wood is worse.
Frowning with thought, I pointed out, "I saw a good bit of ironstone in Gyptia. You make jewelry of the good ore and even build walls with the poor grades. Why is iron scarce?"
Phapa overheard and responded, "Fuel. We KNOW about the ore. We can't get the iron out, except in small amounts. It takes a LOT of charcoal to make even a little iron.
"If the Godolphin had known how much high quality charcoal, iron and steel you had hidden in your lockers, you would have been forced to sell it or been killed to get it."
I shuddered all over. It was sinking in gradually that these Gyptian horses were far more different in their minds than I had imagined. They were shaped by a world so different that they truly thought in different ways. They were not the only ones who needed to learn. I was going to have to change how I thought, just to understand them. That was a shock of sorts.
While I was trying to wrap my mind around the alien concepts of Gyptian thought, Rom called Sando, Malit, Phapa, and Maina together to conference over the question of my wagon's whole running gear, now that they had the luxury of time to examine it all.
Nore, BECAUSE she was young, was welcomed into the study group, both to learn from their experience and to ask those questions that only the untrained mind, looking at a problem with fresh eyes, might ask.
When they were done, Sando retired to begin many drawings. Phapa started to make far more raw iron from the nodules gathered by Sarel, Rom and Nore. It was easy to see why the others followed Rom. He was not just good at setting tasks. He was not afraid to put himself to those same tasks, even the most menial seeming ones.
Since they were all busy, I felt just a bit guilty for being idle. I went to gather some wild berries that I had seen. I took them and mashed them together with sorrel to give them some body. I toasted up some nettle patties. When I turned them, I topped them with berry goo and finished toasting them under the covers. I made enough to go around.
I had some berry spread left over so I dumped it all into a pot and boiled it to make make a sweet drink. When evening came and they all trooped back to the fire, the response to my simple fare was most gratifying!
They were in such high spirits that they gathered stones and sticks. They tested stone on stone, stick on stick and stick on stone, discarding most of them. At the end, they had a creditable percussion band and were trying out the unusual tunes of Gyptia, with unique beating patterns and singing tunes to the odd but melodious Gyptian scale.
Sarel and Malit began to dance the sensual and lovely traditional slave dances of Gyptia. Giggling, Nore joined in, while the others provided the music. They all took turns dancing and playing, even Rom and Sando.
Nore, completely over her earlier shyness and fears, dragged me out to the center! I made a great fool of myself, trying to do their dances but they leaned back their heads and trilled their applause, just as they had for the others.
As we were finally relaxing and starting to sleep, Rom took me aside and said with a smile, "We are having a bad influence on Nore.
"Maina has always used a lot of, um, colorful language. Nore has picked up Maina's latest one, which, I grant, from seeing them, is justified. Nore was sorting nodules and found one that was rotting. She called it 'as bad as a pony-made wheel!'
"When I asked her, she told me that Maina has been saying it."
I nodded briskly, "I heard Maina say it too! Thought I had really good wheels before I saw how she is fixing the new ones and installing the parts that Phapa has been making. Now, sadly, I have to agree with her! The replaceable bearing pieces are simply amazing to me. I have lived a long time and I never even heard of the like."
Rom smiled and said, "They are the real reason for this conversation. Like your bog plant iron, Gyptian wheels are a secret too. We may be cast out slaves but we do understand the need for secrets. Gyptia is not a rich land. Its wealth has been built on long haul trade. Those wheels are the only real advantage that the nation has."
I nodded thoughtfully. This hit so close to home. I too, was exiled but loyal, nonetheless. "The secret is safe with me, Rom."
"A pleasant night to you, Marchhare. May you dream of the paradise that you ... came so close to."
I went to sleep that night and did dream. It was a roiled dream of being on the road, which was not unusual. What was unique, was being surrounded by friends. I woke to the sounds of the band trying to be very quiet as they worked. Breakfast was on the fire and some sort of tea or infusion was smelling heavenly.
If there was a paradise anywhere, this was it. Friends and a surprise breakfast that I did not have to fix!
Somehorse among them had figured out the berry topping! They managed to sneak that one past me somehow! They had a flour like stuff made into a dough. That was being rolled out, baked and topped.
Nore made a point of serving me the whole breakfast, eyes sparkling as I started to eat with true gusto.
I recognized the nutty flavor of the nettle leaf in it. It had a totally unique texture though and I would never have spotted the taste it if I had not had it before. I saw one of the grain chests open and the parts of the mystery fell into place, solved.
With a delighted smile, Maina turned to Malit and Nore and exclaimed, "I told you that he would like Ka'chek Alsa Porlan! My mind had to work for a moment to translate the kitchen terms. The name meant baked nettle flour cake.
As I was eating, I noticed the scent of smoke that was different than the cookfire. Fire is one of those things that you never ignore. I stared about and spotted a good-sized mound of turves, smoking away.
Phapa noticed me checking out the mound and trotted up. Utterly pleased with the work, she announced, "Nore found a WHOLE big log of dead wood back in the trees! We have broken and cut the worst parts of it to small blocks and are making you more charcoal to replace all that we are using up!
"It is not quite as good a charcoal as you had, but there will be much more of it!"
I shook my head in wonder. These horses were some of the finest beings that I have ever met. And they did not even notice it.
On the second day at this meadow, Sarel began lifting out the soaked nettle stalks. She started cracking them along their length between two stones. As she cracked them, she returned them to soaking. I quietly joined her with a pair of stones and began to crack stalks too.
Smiling at the help, she explained, "This is part of the retting process. By cracking the stalks, we let more water inside to loosen everything up. Tomorrow, we will be able to get the good thread fibers out and begin to wind the threads for making all sorts of cloth, strings and rope. Cloth first, though. We all need better sashes and to make you a new wagon cover to replace the one we tore up."
"It was worn, Sarel, just an emergency spare. Those sashes that you made out of it kept you alive by keeping off the sun and they helped you all to stay drier in the rain too. It was well used."
She smiled genuinely as she continued to crack open the stalks, "We know all of that, Marchhare. We discussed it most carefully. One thing remains that you did not mention. It was yours. We will give back to you one that is better than what was taken.
"Malit is working on a better loom to weave it all with. The log that Nore found is doing far more service than simply being made into charcoal. Malit has split out boards too. We need more caravans than just yours. We will need a caravan of them."
I kept on cracking open stalks but I was thinking furiously. The horses of Rom's band were doing many things that only a unicorn should be able to do.
"Sarel, do you know if there are there any unicorns in Gyptia? When I came to trade, I did not notice any."
She looked up innocently as she asked, "Unicorns? I don't know. What are unicorns? Those ponies with a horn that you told us of? No, we have none like that."
I told her, "Among ponies, unicorns handle things and move things by magic that comes from a horn on their foreheads."
She laughed gaily and said, "Is that a joke? No, we have no such creatures among the horses of Gyptia!"
"Sarel, would you please show me how you hold that stone?"
"Certainly, Marchhare. I do not see why though. You are holding one as well."
"Donkeys and horses may do things differently. I am curious about how you hold things. I have never seen one of you drop anything by accident."
Sarel held out her hoof and turned it up. Her stone was not gripped in a socket of magic. A thin veil of magic, looking to be the same color as her lovely brown eyes, emerged from the frog of her hoof and sank invisibly into the stone. Her grip did not reach around the stone at all. It held the stone from the inside.
More things that I had seen these horses do fell into place. Whistling softly to myself, I took my leave of Sarel, who returned to her task. I found Nore helping Malit with her boards.
"Malit, how do you mean to secure these planks together?"
Surprised that I would ask, she replied, "By good joinery, pegs, and glue, if we have any. How else would you do it?"
"That is why I wish to borrow Nore's services for a bit. I know of a thing that only a very few unicorns among the ponies of Equestria know how to do. If Nore can learn it, she can show you how to do it better than I can."
"If it is magic, we cannot do it. We were slaves. We have no magic," Malit said firmly, laying a hoof flat to a plank and lifting the end of it.
I raised my eyebrows skeptically and led Nore off a little from the rest. "Here, Nore, pick up this piece of wood. Now, with your eyes shut, add this piece under the one that you are already gripping. Can you feel both pieces?"
Eyes scrunched shut, Nore nodded.
I pointed out, "Your grip is reaching right through both pieces, just to hold them. I want to see if you can feel the fibrous insides of the pieces."
Brow furrowed in concentration, Nore started gently moving the two pieces with her other hoof. Following her instructions, she managed to keep her eyes shut when she suddenly got an expression of utter surprise.
"It is really easy! You just have to learn what to feel for!"
"True. Since you can now feel the fibers, try straightening them out and combing out things like knots."
Still concentrating, she held onto the end of a piece and stroked along it with her other hoof. Three small knots fell out from the end of the piece.
"Now, Nore, comes the trickier part. These pieces that I have here are all just firewood. Not good for much of anything else. Do the same thing to each of the pieces first."
It only took her a few minutes to comb all the knots out of the wood and produce lovely straight grained pieces.
"This next thing is really tricky to do, Nore. Among the rare ones who can do this at all, only a few can do this. Take several of these pieces that you did and comb them together into one perfect plank. Then, if you can do that, try to compress the fibers tighter together. Make a really dense tough plank out of this soft wood."
I watched with admiration as Nore fused the wood together and toughened it into a wonderful, darker colored, dense plank. Back when we were building the original Fortress Canterlot, Princess Celestia used to do that trick but, to the best of my knowledge, nopony has ever done it since.
We strolled back over to where both Malit and Maina were managing wonders in spite of the poor quality of the wood that they were working with.
When we showed them the lovely plank that Nore had just made, they were so amazed that Maina stopped her swearing!
She carefully split off a thin long splinter. She flexed it, cracked it and then took a sharp tool and cut into it, feeling the hardness and resistance to being cut. Almost reverently, she said, "This is a nearly perfect hub wood. I do not recognize it. What kind is it? Can I get more?"
Delighted by the reception for her "trick," Nore, said, "It was plain, knotty soft pine firewood. Marchhare showed me a way to fix it into this. I can do it softer or even harder. This was three chunks of the firewood. The way that he showed me to do it lets me combine smaller pieces and make them into planks or pieces any way that you want."
Both Maina and Malit turned their gaze to me with something like adoration. I put a hoof on that quickly. "It is not something that donkeys can do. I have a friend, a pony that I know, called The Exile, who let me know about the method.
"He and his daughters used it to build the original Fortress Canterlot. They built it of beams, planks and timbers made this way. They even fused stones of the walls together with it.
"I just saw how you were gripping things and realized that it was similar to the magic of unicorns in appearance. It was worth a try. We were lucky. It worked."
Malit observed dryly, "Luck seems to follow you, Marchhare."
She trotted off and returned shortly with Sando. First, she showed him Nore's plank and explained, "She can make us thin, curved pieces. I was thinking of perhaps a lyre. Phapa told me that this iron can be drawn out to make good wire strings in several sizes."
Eagerly, she asked, "Do you know how to draw it up? I would love to get some better dancing music!"
Sando nodded slowly, thinking deeply. "I believe that I can, Malit. I will need to try it. It will need many parts. I have only talked to luthiers before. I have never actually done a lyre. Now, drums, flutes and whistles; those, I have done.
"We can get some good music quickly. A few days at the most."
Malit nodded briskly and split off a piece from the plank with absolute assurance. "I know flutes too. I needed some glue to do one properly. Nore's new talent can remedy that!"
Thoughtfully, she turned to Nore and set up a pair of largish chips at right angles to each other. "Nore, can you fix these to each other?"
Nore looked carefully at the problem and reached out tentatively at first. She barely touched the parts held by Malit. She appeared to be concentrating heavily. She shut her eyes. Her hoof began to move as if possessed. It nearly danced around the corner of big chips.
Nore's eyes opened and a delighted grin spread across her face. Not only were the chips bonded together at the chosen angle, there was no visible sign that they had been two parts. Several cracks in the original chips had been fixed as well.
Nore happily gathered four more fallen chips from Malit's careful adze work and began to pat and stroke them together, causing cracks and other imperfections to vanish before the astounded eyes of the others. She fitted them one at a time to the first pair. Two became the other sides of a rectangle. One became the bottom, making box of it. The last chip she worked on for over twice as long as for any of the others.
It became a lid, with fitted edges and a delicately swirled grain top that spelled out, in tight, darker whorls, "Marchhare, our Guide, a gift for your gifts." It was written in the graceful swirls and tall straight strokes of Gyptian.
This went so far past the simple thing that I taught her that I was blown away. I had to draw a breath. I had failed to notice breathing and forgot to do it while I watched. "It is lovely, Nore. Nobody ever gave me anything like it. From the bottom of my heart, thank you."
Smiling with delight at my reaction, Nore gave me the box.
Malit, Nore, Phapa and Maina apparently did notice my lack of breathing as I watched Nore's work. They looked silently at each other and nodded. Then, very carefully, did not say anything. I went off to my wagon to put away the lovely wooden treasure.
When I came back, Malit and Nore were working together on a large, very carefully shaped, part. Malit was happily exclaiming, "I told you that you cold fasten thick planks together! Maina will need your densest, strongest material for the axle! We can do it just like this joint! Thiner pieces that you CAN do, can be locked together into a large piece, one thiner layer at a time! We will have this caravan done in just a few days!"
I shook my head in absolute amazement. "I can't believe the sheer speed and energy that you all put into anything! Your Master was insane to cast you out!"
Rom overheard me and replied proudly but with a grin, "We were good slaves for him, but we now serve a much more demanding Master. Our own free hearts. You gave them to us. They drive us to do the best that we can to honor that amazing gift."
Malit gave me a rueful expression as she carefully planed a plank, making a long curled shaving. "I am a carpenter. A good carpenter. This thing that you showed Nore? I can't do it. I tried. I can pick up two pieces at once. Any horse can. Get them to lock together? Not at all. And it would be so useful, if I could."
I watched as Malit thriftily gathered her shavings. She looked up. "With Nore here, they are more good wood as soon as I have enough of them."
I turned about and noticed that Nore was trotting over to Sarel's weaving. She was delivering Sarel a bunch of wooden thread bobbins that she made, working on them any time that she was not needed to make or fasten planks for either Malit or Maina.
I commented, "That is an ingenious design to stabilize a two wheeled wagon when you park it. How will the supports be set? Will you need two horses to do it?"
It was Sando who answered me. "Two horses would be best but I figured out how to drop the supports by using a single pull line. The caravan will tilt some but be safe enough for the pulling horse to drop the harness and then finish leveling and locking the wagon's supports."
I had to ask, "Why only two wheels? You could easily make it a four wheeled wagon and not really need the supports at all."
Sando acknowledged, "We could. To be something that we can stay in comfortably, it still needs the leveling supports. The issue is available materials. By doing two wheeled caravans, we can make two of them.
"The limit is dictated by the total amount of iron that we can reasonably get from this bog. Maina tells me that we can only make four wheels of good quality.
"Besides parts for the wheels, Phapa is making parts for Sarel's new loom and parts for a wheel for the spinning of weaving and sewing threads. She needs to make herself tools, too. Yours are well sized for you but they are small enough to handicap Phapa at her work."
I nodded. "Wise indeed. We are lucky to have you along, Sando."
Ruefully, he gazed about at all of the industrious work going on and replied, "We would not be here at all, had I simply kept my head and obeyed Rom to begin with."
I nodded. "True. However, as a result of that, you are all free. There is no Master that you must obey but your own hearts. You all live and are well. Many in Tadast's Wells have died of thirst and starvation."
He hung his head and sadly said, "I am sorry for that. None of us wanted to see you di ... leave us for that rest."
"I was tired, Sando. I needed that nap. I caught up to you to finish the job that I started. To guide you all as safely as I know how."
Nore had joined us without our noticing. She had a thin sheet of light colored solid material. Eagerly, she exclaimed, "Look Sando! Sarel and I figured this out! She is weaving coarse grass stalks and grass strings together. Then we stretch it out flat and I make a woven wood thing out of it! We were thinking that maybe it could be used in the caravans to make light, strong walls and roofs!"
Sando focused his entire attention on the new material. He flexed it, tapped it, ran a hoof across it and tried cracking a corner off. He held it up close to an ear and repeated the taps and hoof scrapes.
Excited in his own turn, he asked, "How much of this can you make? You are right! It would be ideal to keep a caravan from being top-heavy. It has a good voice too. I think that it might be good for the sounding box of a lyre!"
They wandered off to speak to Sarel about the new material. As I watched them go, I saw Phapa grin, nodding to herself. She got my swages out and began hammering out a thin rod. Soon she was pulling out coarse wire through a wedge adjusted pair of square dies that could be pressed to a smaller and smaller opening.
Seeing me watch, she cheerfully explained, "Lyres need lots of strings. I am going to have to pierce some of my steel into a drawing die with graduated holes to make the finished wire round and smooth. That will be finicky work."
She was right about that. I watched her do it. Sando and Nore showed up with hoofloads of parts that were all strange to me. Thicker and thiner curved parts made of the new woodlike material.
They consulted with Malit for a little. She dove into her wood supplies like a terrier after a rat. Soon she was happily chopping away with adze, mallet and chisel. Beautifully shaped scrolls formed the ends of two uprights and a top cross arm to go between them.
Nore assembled all of the parts. Except for the strings, she had a lyre. The top beam was pierced with many tapered holes. She'd made pegs to fit the holes but they were not of the same light golden woody substance as the soundbox or the darker, stout plank wood of the beam and uprights. They were nearly black and so dense that I had never seen such a wood in my very long life.
As I watched, another thing percolated through this dense old donkey's skull. As important as all of their other tasks were, they all dropped everything to make that instrument. Music was something vital to these horses.
Phapa proudly hoofed over her wire, drawn out in three sizes. The utterly excited Nore began to string the instrument. As she did, I got another shock of sorts. She was stringing and tuning it to an utterly alien scale. Different from any that I had ever heard, or more precisely, noticed before. On my two previous trips, I heard it but was focused on other things and paid it no mind.
They all dropped everything as fast as they could without compromising their work and gathered into a circle. With Nore plucking and strumming the new lyre, Maina playing a newly made flute, and Sando beating rhythms on sticks and a few selected stones, Malit began the lovely and sensual dances of Gyptia.
No matter how alien the music and rhythm seemed at first hearing, it and her dance formed a perfect and seamless whole. As she finished, the glade rang to joyous trills from every horse there, muzzles uplifted to the sky.
The dancing stayed just as amazing when Phapa replaced Malit. Sarel took her turn. Even Rom joined in. And the trills followed each performance.
It looked like all that dancing might be hungry work/play, so I busied myself at the cooking fire. I had an idea. There were some reeds not far from the spring that had edible, tasty in fact, roots. I got a couple of them and diced them together with whole sorrel and used the ground nettle cake flour to make a paste shells to wrap treats in. I was baking them under the covers on the grill, four per cover. And four covers going at once! I also set up some tea. Well, a herbal infusion, anyway.
I used the tea like infusion when camping beside the Equestrian roads. The bushes that the leaves grow on are actually plentiful. The leaves dry beautifully for making the infusion when no bushes are handy, or in the winter, after the leaves have fallen.
The happy horses of the band descended upon my handiwork in a most satisfactory fashion.
I watched Sarel begin to separate her fibers from the pulp of the nettle stalks. She got far more than I would have expected. They were fine, smooth and glossy looking. Smiling happily, she retired to the winding wheel that Malit and Phappa had made her and began to spin it. The turning wheel drove a smaller one equipped with a distaff like bobbin. That bobbin built up a load of fine thread far faster than any distaff that I ever saw.
Nore zeroed in on the remains of the stalks. She started to work with the gooey mess that fiber extraction left. She stirred it back into the water and dipped up thin sheets of the suspended goo on a piece of my old canvass wagon cover stretched between a pair of sticks. She spread the resulting thin sheet out to dry. As it set, I recognized the source for all of the paper that Sando was using to draw on!
Sarel got busy stringing her new loom, happier than I had seen her since we all got together. Thinking back, I realized that the whole band was happier and not solely because of being safely out of the desert. It was from having self chosen tasks to do.
I noticed clouds forming up. Looking closely, I could see the pegassi weather workers pushing the clouds into the formation that they wanted.
I called Rom over and showed him what was up.
"What will they do up there, Marchhare? Why are they going to make it rain here? Would it not be better to give the rain to Gyptia?"
I nodded briskly, "That probably would be a better use for the rain, my friend Rom. Before they could do it, they would have to know about the drought and get permission from the Princesses Celestia and Luna of Equestria, the Cloudsdale Weather Board and the Godolphin of Gyptia as well. It is a matter of international policies and politics.
"What they are doing is storing surplus rain water in the mountainsides facing Equestria. The water there will keep streams and rivers running at proper levels and fill up lakes and reservoirs.
"We will get the outskirts of the rain here too. Perhaps you should let the others know that it will begin to rain soon. I do not want their fine projects ruined or them to get too wet."
Everything of importance got put away neatly and the new side shelter cloths set up to give us all the room to be warm and dry.
Good thing too. When the weather ponies let it go, it was a thoroughly soaking downpour. While the rain was falling, Malit got out the flute and Nore the lyre. I was half afraid that they were going to try dancing in the tiny dry space that we had.
Nope. Songs. Gyptian is a melodious language and the songs had a sweet, soft wailing sort of sound. I sort of curled up to give the others a bit more room. Nore sat so that she leaned comfortably against me as she played and sang. It was a quietly beautiful way to spend a rainy afternoon.
Sarel politely asked, "My new loom fits very well in your caravan, Marchhare. See how it stands up and takes so little space? Would it be alright to leave it there and use the caravan for a studio when I am weaving?"
How do you say no to something like that? Especially when it will soon be time to be moving on? You don't. "Of course, Sarel. That is just the sort of idea that we need."
By noon of the next day, Malit and Phapa were packing their tools and stowing everything. Sarel was already packed, sort of. A few safety strings to secure parts of her loom that might bounce about and new, tall case to hold her many new bobbins of thread completed her needs. Maina packed most of her tools but held some back.
Rom and Sando, smiling widely held up one side of a platform that Malit had built. Maina mounted a wheel to the jutting axle and set it with both a proper greasing and a few strokes of a mallet to set the lynch pin.
"Now the other wheel! This will be a good caravan once we get the sides and top on!" As she struck the lynch pin into place, Sando grinned with delight. He pulled on a line. supports dropped from the underside to keep it from tipping, just as he had planed it.
They opened a locker at the front of the platform. It yielded a pair of whipple staffs that they locked into sockets. A flat platform wagon, needing only sides and a cover, was standing there, ready to be hitched to a horse. It took less than a half hour and the band had TWO wagons standing ready.
They had a second harness of their own making ready too. Along with mine, they had three. There was a slight dispute about my harness. They wanted me to put it into the locker as a spare.
I pointed out, "You wear your Freedoms because you are not comfortable without something on your head. Do you have any idea how long I have used this harness? It would not feel right to be on the move without it."
Nore stood up for me. "Marchhare," she bit her lip and leaked a few tears, "wore that harness to the ... um, to take his nap. He brought it with him when he - - caught up with us. He is right about our Freedoms. Let him have his harness. Think of all the good that has come to us. Because of that harness, we live."
The others agreed silently. They drew lots for the privilege of pulling the wagons. Especially, the ones that they had built. Phapa and Sando won.
It was time to move on.
Nore led me to the head of the caravan of wagons. "You are not going to pull, Marchhare. We need your wisdom as a guide. When we went looking for plants that can dye her fabric, Sarel and I saw how complicated these canyons are. Only you know the way."
Looking back, I saw Rom nodding happily and recognized his subtle hoof in the works. I agreed, "I will guide the caravan, Nore. You must come with me, though. I am old and may need help."
She whickerd amusement. Then, more soberly, she said, "I will come with you, Marchhare, and stay by your side as long as I can."
I agreed, without noticing the delighted reaction of the others, "That sounds like a perfect arrangement, Nore. So be it."
We explored the way ahead, marking the safe passage for all three wagons of the Rom caravan. By noon, we were climbing into an area of nearly bare rock. That was harder for the wagons than forest floor was. It was nearly to the top of the pass, too. She and I crossed over the divide together.
Gazing down the slope in absolute wonder, Nore asked reverently, "Is that Equestria? The trees are huge! Everything is so green! I have never seen greens like that, even in our old Master's garden! We must get the others here to see this!"
Imperturbably, I pointed out, "They will see it soon enough. They are only about twenty minutes behind us."
Nore gave me a look that was both admiration and sadness as she said, "Did the memory of this place help you to - catch up to us?"
"Diplomatically put, Nore! It did help me to focus on following you good horses." I chuckled a bit as we picked our way down the somewhat broken slope to the brush and trees.
Nore was all business as we marked and cleared the way for Rom's Band that was following us. "I want the rest of us to get here as quickly as they can," she explained, as we shifted a rock that might have otherwise become a wheel trap.
Not far into the trees, we came to a glade that had signs of camping and some wheel tracks. Those were the remains of my old life, as a merchant donkey. There was a nice quiet waterhole with both browse and many other sorts of plants about.
Nore exclaimed in delight, "There are nettles here too! I see that bush you made the wonderful infusion from! I think that there is more sorrel here than clovers!" She was skipped about the glade like one gone happily demented.
We toiled our way back uptrail and were there to share in the delight of the band's first sight of the Equestrian highlands. It was worth it. Their delight at the new glade was no less than Nore's had been.
I counseled, "We can stay enough nights here to gather and rett this nettle for your strings and threads, Sarel. Nore, we can make up as many of the nettle cakes and other flavors as we can. Phapa, we should be able to make up a good batch of charcoal too."
That needed no further encouragement! The band was already expert at setting up camp!
That evening, we sat about a new fire and they played, sang and danced far into the evening. The glade echoed to their joyous trills of applause.
When we broke to sleep, Nore contentedly settled to the same soft grass patch that I had chosen. She snuggled close and said softly, "I will be by your side for as long as I can. So I swore it and you agreed. I know that I am young. For anything beyond being close, we will wait but I chose you by the customs of our kind and you have agreed."
Thinking back, over two thousand years, I realized that, in all of that vast span of time, I had never been married. I was an old bachelor when Skyglow, Titan of Life Creation, gave me the Twins, Celestia and Luna to raise. I was given a form of immortality then too. After that, affairs of State and keeping my precious Twins safe kept me busy.
After my Exile, the necessity for secrecy along with keeping both of my Twins and their Realm safe had done the same. Here, among these ex slaves, I finally felt free and, for perhaps the first time in my whole life, loved as someone other than a parent.
I stuck my nose in next to Nore's mane, behind her ear. She smelled of the sweet sorrel and nettles that she was working in all day.
I woke with a mare beside me for the first time in ages, for real, in my case. It was an amazingly good feeling. One that I hoped would last for a long time to come.
I noticed at once that SOMETHING was in the wind. The others had, very quietly, put together a veritable feast!
As Nore stretched and I got up, Rom solemnly asked, "Marchhare, we understand that you are strange to the ways of Gyptian Slaves. In this matter, though we are free horses, we have no other guide.
"Nore set her heart on you and we all approve. She has asked that she be by your side for so long as she can be. You accepted that. Do you know what that means to us?"
I nodded solemnly, pointing with a swiveled ear at all of them and then to Nore, standing beside me, trembling with fear. "It means mated for life or for so long as circumstances allow. Since there are NO masters here to sell any of us into servitude apart, it means mated for so long as we live.
"Nore told me of it last night. I see no reason to change my mind. I am old but feel fitter than I have for many a year. I will wait for her to grow properly and be ready before we share anything but the best of friendship and company."
Rom and the others nodded wisely. "She will stay by your side, Marchhare, for so long as she lives, so she has sworn before us all.
"What of you?"
Now I understood what was happening with crystal clarity. "I will stay by Nore's side for so long as she or I live."
Sarel stepped forward, a wide flat packet in her hooves. She draped a white, shimmering fabric sash so that it covered us both.
Nore was no longer trembling with fear. She was standing proud. She calmly pronounced, "I loved you before you went to sleep and took your nap in the desert. I still love you and have from the moment of your return to us. Mere death shall not stand between us!"
The others all leaned back their heads, muzzles to the sky, as they made the glade reverberate to their trills. Sarel brought over another packet of the same shimmering fabric and carefully removed Nore's old, battered canvass sashes and replaced them with new ones of shimmering fabric to match what had been draped over us both, earlier. That set was now mine and matched what Nore now wore.
Nore was weeping but it was happiness. Me too, truth be told. In over two thousand years, none had ever expressed simple romantic love for me. No pony at all.
The others broke from congratulating us to make a mad dash for the breakfast feast! Then, having beat us to it, they held back and let us have first pick of everything.
They had indeed paid attention to which bushes I'd chosen to make the tea infusion. It was present in quantity. A delightful flavor and warmth to wash the rest of the feast down with.
Here, with some real trees to work with, and Nore's talented hoof to make the wood into any density or hardness, Malit, Maina and Phapa got busy. They were adding planned parts to their first two wheeled wagons. Sides and roofs were being fashioned. Interior set up parts went in as well. Sleeping stall sides, fixed place folding tables, cabinets, drawers and chests got made and fitted.
Malit grinned hugely as she pressed two parts together and ran a hoof slowly down the join. It was solidly done. "I finally got it!" she exclaimed happily.
Nore clapped her hooves and trilled her delight. "I knew that you could do it!"
Sarel came around and gave me a far more serviceable set of sashes. They were of the same nettle fiber, but a different and sturdier weave. Nore traded her shimmering sashes for her old canvas ones. She carefully packed my wedding sashes and hers into a case that she had made for the occasion.
We all settled into the routine of working. Phapa set the forge to going full blast. She had far more charcoal in turf covered heaps, being carefully prepared. The glade rang to her hammers making the tires and bearings for another of the two wheeled wagons for our growing caravan.
Standing back, Malit let Sarel and Rom go up the steps and look about inside the first wagon that they finished. We all heard them opening doors, sliding drawers, and slamming chest tops closed. The came out, all smiles and reared back to let out trills of joy for the delighted Malit.
Rom came over and diffidently asked, "Marchhare, we know that your caravan is yours alone but we should like to fix it for you and Nore in the same way as this one that Malit has done for Sarel and I."
I gave him a big smile and hugged Sarel. "You have asked Rom to be at your side? He has consented? I knew that you were both wise!"
Sarel nodded happily. "Nore's asking you and you consenting, gave me the courage to ask Rom, whom I have long admired. He said yes."
Malit butted in with, "Well, can we fix up your caravan, or not?"
Nore did not give me the chance to answer. "Please do! I just got done looking at how wonderfully you did Rom's caravan."
Hearing that, I realized that no matter how many lessons I gave them in Equestrian, some things did not translate well. Gyptian was in many ways a tongue more alien to Equestrian thought than even X'ibian.
Rom's band were doing their best to learn. On this point, caravan was something that carried things. How many were in a caravan could be said but awkwardly. Gyptian did not separate a caravan of one from a caravan of many wagons.
I watched Nore start right in cooking. I was bemused, at first, and then joined in, as I realized why Nore was so busy cooking and baking all manner of treats. Sarel and Rom were going to need a wedding feast and it appeared that it was going to be at luncheon!
While we were busy baking and frying, I notice that Phapa had stopped her hammering and bellows pumping. She was across the glade speaking quietly to Sando. He nodded with every appearance of happiness.
I pointed to them with a swiveled ear as I ground dry baked patties to the flour that Nore was expertly forming into dough shapes. I leaned over and whispered to her, "Looks like we really need this feast!"
She whickerd amusement and took a second to point over to where Maina was putting down her tools to look with delight at Malit. "Love is contagious," she snorted.
We were busily adding to the pile of goodies when a shadow fell across us. Two shadows, actually. Malit and Maina stood nervously by.
Malit shuffled the grass with her hoof nervously. "Marchhare, we have a difficulty. I like Maina and she likes me. The marriage of Nore to you, Sarel to Rom, and it looks like Phapa to Sando all follow Gyptian custom. What we want is forbidden by Gyptian custom. The Masters would sell us apart, if they knew. What can we do?"
I looked up in apparent perplexity. "What do your hearts say that you should do?"
Maina said firmly, "Our hearts are one. It is forbidden but it is so."
I lifted my head and stared about at the mountains and back up the trail looking utterly confused. Pointing with a swiveled ear, I said, "I thought that Gyptia was back there!"
"It is," said Malit with dawning hope.
"How many Masters are there here to forbid or sell you apart?"
"None!" they chorused as one.
"So what is the problem? The feast? Nore and I are cooking enough for all of us!"
"No, not the feast," said Malit nervously. "We were wondering about the possibility of a family. Foals. What about foals? Just because we like each other does not mean that we don't want a family."
I pretended to look in a mirror, and then about the glade to Rom and Sarel, Phapa and Sando. "I see several answers to that problem. Do you hate stallions?"
Completely shocked, they both replied, "No! Of course not!"
"Then, you can have a family by several routes. You can wait for something bad to happen to another couple and adopt any foal or foals from that.
"The other is to simply talk to the pair that you like and get the consent of both to use that pair's stallion for your foal. If both consent, there is no cheating or breaking of promises.
"So, since you are free and there are no Masters to forbid it, go side by side and be happy. Isn't that easy?"
"Will Rom bless us? He is the leader of the band."
I pulled a sour face and stated flatly, "If he won't, I will personally kick him into the middle of last week and leave him to catch up to us!" Then I grinned. "I will advise him to accept it, OK?"
Rom listened and nodded. His solution was elegant. "Marchhare, we all need to be paired." He paused to smile at Malit and Maina, Sando and Phapa, and finally at Sarel, by his side. "You are our Ghost Who Guides us in all things. If you bless us all, there can be no question at a later time of the propriety of our pairings."
I wound up doing for all of them as they had done for Nore and I. The glade rang to our trills of joy when it was done.
The feast? There were not even crumbs left. Does that answer the question?
There was a protracted celebration afterwards too. Since I have been proved before this to slightly worse than hopeless at any instrument with strings, I happily banged a drum set. Set?
Nore had managed to make up a set of two drums whose heads were of something that I had never seen before. The two drums had totally different sounds that had to be played at the same time in a set of cross beat rhythms.
It was hard at first. Watching the mares dance, swirling their sashes and tapping or stamping, sometimes almost floating above the ground and trying to follow their lead, helped me to learn it. The flute and the lyre adding their complex multiscale sound to it helped too. Soon it became natural.
By the end of it, a sweating Nore nuzzled me happily. "That was very well done, love of my heart. We did not expect you to pick up the drums so swiftly or well. We must get Sando to teach you the flute too."
I nuzzled right back. Affection like that was so natural that I wondered how I had managed to miss it for two thousand years. I began to dry her sweat, rubbing her down with towels. She purred like big cat, stretched and twisted to get me to rub where she wanted.
"You were pretty amazing out there too, sweet Nore."
She whickerd amusement. "We start to learn dance almost as soon as we can stand. It would be more amazing if I could not!"
"Speaking of amazing, compliment Sarel on these colored sashes that you are all flourishing. It makes a terrific show! I will bet that we could earn some good Equestrian coin by doing dances like that at fairs. Perhaps we could earn enough to get some land and settle down, somewhere."
Nore stared over at the wagon that we presently called home and said softly, "I like our caravan. It is ours already. If your Equestria is as rich as what little we have seen, what need of anything else? We have here more than most Freeborn of Gyptia."
Maina overheard and commented with a grin, "She's right, Marchhare. If the ponies of Equestria will PAY me to dance, why do something that is work? Other than keeping our caravans in good order, I mean."
Sarel, already toweled dry of her sweat, said, "Nore and I scouted for plants to dye the fabrics with. I don't know if we could find our way out of this maze without you. That said, we did find the plants that we were looking for.
"What you saw was the result of using them."
"I do understand that, Sarel. The dances that I have seen before did not use sashes at all. Is this something else that I missed?"
Sarel snickered, "No. The sashes are new. We never wore sashes like these before. Since we start dancing almost as soon as we can stand, thinking of dances and how to use what we have in our dances is second nature. These sashes and the harnesses that go with them add a whole new dimension to our dances. We are going to be exploring this for years to come!"
Seeing the beauty of their first effort, I truly hoped so.
~THE END~ |
Musicians and Dreamers | pre | "The reason, Trixie."
Trixie blanched. "Look, I'm not saying I'm perfect--"
"If you aren't going to give me a straight answer, I'm not going to help you," said Raindrops. She turned around. "I'm behind on my paperwork, Trixie."
"I'm trying to help her!"
"So you say."
Trixie wanted to scream at Raindrops, but she forced herself not to. She had no desire to get another buck to the jaw. Instead, she silently turned around and began to run off.
Cherilee hadn't been home when she checked, and Trixie really didn't want to have to admit to Ditzy that she might have screwed up that badly with Lyra. There had to be something else to try.
"...why don't I play a new composition for you?"
Lyra's eyes widened. "Oh, you don't have to do that. I mean, we were just playing for three hours, and--"
"I practice for nine hours every day. Another thirty minutes won't hurt me." Octavia lifted up her cello. "As long as you promise not to fall asleep, I won't mind if you lie down. I understand that you have had a... difficult evening."
Lyra did so, snuggling under a blanket on the couch.
"Sonata for Solo Cello No. 34, in D-Flat Major," said Octavia, raising her bow. "Dedicated to Lyra Heartstrings, my best student."
Lyra smiled.
"Lyra," said Octavia, as if she was introducing the piece at a professional concert, "Has worked tirelessly to put into practice the principles which I taught her. She has demonstrated ceaseless devotion and dedication to her craft, and this is clear in every performance of hers that I have heard. No matter the challenge, Lyra..."
Lyra found herself grinning.
"...Lyra rises to the occasion and produces some of the most brilliant music of our time. She is everything one could hope for in an apprentice."
Octavia bowed her head, then brought up her bow and began to play.
"Okay," muttered Trixie, "What if I trap them in town until the stupid thing starts?"
She had galloped into the downtown area. Though she was starting to tire, she wasn't going to stop. She was going to save Lyra, even if everypony in town was against her. She would save Lyra and they'd all have to admit that she was right.
"I can probably get the train station to close for a few hours on some pretext, but then Luna will probably get mad at me," muttered Trixie. "And that won't be long enough anyway. Maybe an illusion of a broken track? No, they'll try fixing it right away and they'll figure out it's fake."
She glanced at the little jail. "Maybe I could have Octavia arrested... or detained, or something." But would that be enough to stop Lyra? Lyra might go to Canterlot without Octavia. Of course, Trixie could just have Lyra arrested... well, she could probably figure out a way to do that... but she had a feeling that Lyra might not ever forgive her for something like that, no matter how much better it was than the alternative.
Wait! Lyra was the Element of Loyalty. All Trixie had to do was come up with something Lyra would feel obligated to stay in town and do instead of going to the stupid concert. Some dumb task, it didn't have to be hard or onerous, just something that would occur during the three months of the concert. Something like...
Her gaze fell on Town Hall, and on the little bulletin board of 'upcoming events.' Smiling, Trixie trotted over to the board. Surely there was something on there that Lyra could help with.
Octavia's sonata was one of the most relaxing pieces that Lyra had ever heard.
The melody seemed almost like a fine mist, a gently floating stream of notes that enveloped her and drained her tensions. The harmonies were beautiful yet subtle, calling to her attention and diverting her focus from her cares without being overt or obnoxious. The more she listened, the more distant she felt, until it was like her mind was resting on a bed of music and her tired body was far below her.
She didn't know when the piece was over, but she knew that she regretted that it wasn't longer. She felt like she could listen to it forever. "That was so beautiful..." she murmured.
"Thank you."
"You're awesome, Octavia."
Octavia stepped over to her. "Lyra."
"Mmm?"
"I think that you want to play in the Extravaganza."
At the moment, Lyra felt like she'd agree to anything Octavia said, just on general principles. What other friend could make her feel so good and relaxed after having such a bad fight? Besides, she really did want to play there. "Of course I would."
"And it would mean a lot to me. I would find it deeply satisfying to see you, my greatest student, having the debut you deserve."
"Aw, thanks..."
"So - will you play?"
Hadn't she already said she would? Lyra frowned. Well, if not, she'd say it now. "Definitely. You can count on me."
Octavia's voice sounded very pleased. "Thank you, Lyra."
Trixie gripped the piece of parchment in her mouth and raced towards Octavia's lodgings.
Finding the perfect task had been easy. The Ponyville census was coming up, and there were always a substantial number of ponies who didn't bother to fill out the forms. Thus, the bulletin board proclaimed, the village would need census takers. Volunteers could sign up by talking to Mayor Scrolls' secretary, and if there weren't enough volunteers, some might be chosen by random draw. To Trixie's delight, the sign-up sheet wasn't even close to full. Random draw it would be, then.
It had been harder to track down Mayor Scrolls, get her to answer her door, and persuade her that they needed to choose one by random draw right away. "Look, the Night Court's got an agent in town, and if they find out we're behind they'll take the advantage to cut our funding," she'd lied. "We only have nine volunteers, and ten's the magic number. If we don't have ten, they'll think we're slacking and hammer us." But to her relief, Scrolls had at last said that they could choose a 'volunteer' right then.
Any competent magician knew how to make a pony think they were choosing a name at random while actually directing them towards some predetermined outcome. Trixie had written the names of thirty 'randomly' selected citizens on cards and put them face down on the desk, Scrolls had 'chosen' groups among them, Trixie had discarded or kept the groups as needed, and when they were done, Lyra's was the only name left. Thus she became Ponyville's tenth census taker, a job which was not overly difficult, but would require just enough of a time commitment that it would make it impossible for Lyra to get to Canterlot.
Scrolls filled out the requisite paperwork, shoved it at Trixie, and informed her that under no circumstances was she to bother Scrolls outside of working hours again. Trixie had agreed and left.
She'd gone to Lyra's house, but Bonbon had told her that Lyra hadn't come up yet. Scratch said that she wasn't at the studio. That just left Octavia's place. All she had to do was go there and deliver the news.
Trixie smiled. Lyra was stuck in town now. Greengrass wouldn't be able to touch her, and Lyra would be safe from his machinations. She was such a great friend!
"Could you please excuse me for a few moments?"
Lyra looked over at Octavia. The gray mare had helped Lyra get another glass of wine and had played a little more music for her. Lyra had asked for the windows to be opened up, which Octavia had, and was enjoying the evening breezes playing across her face. Octavia, she noted, looked a bit odd, like she was focusing on something only she could hear.
Well, actually, that wouldn't surprise Lyra.
"Sure," said Lyra.
"Thank you." Octavia rose. "I will return as soon as I can."
She left the room.
Trixie slipped inside the building. She didn't know which room, precisely, Octavia was in, but she couldn't be too hard to find. Hay, she could probably follow the cello music, and -
"Miss Lulamoon."
Trixie froze.
Was that voice coming from the floor above her?
Trixie looked up in confusion, then started to hurry towards the stairwell. But before she got there, the door opened, and Octavia stepped out.
Trixie froze, and the two stared at each other for a moment.
Then Trixie tucked the paper into her saddlebag so she could talk. "How did you know it was me?"
"I heard you walk in."
"You heard hoofsteps downstairs from your room?"
"I have good ears."
"And you recognized me from my hoofsteps?"
"You have the most arrogant gait I've ever heard. It is quite memorable." Octavia shrugged. "This is my private room, and you are not welcome. Lyra has made it very clear that she does not wish to see you, and I will respect her wishes. If you try to force your way inside so that you can bother her, I will stop you." Her eyes narrowed. "I will not let you agitate her further."
Trixie scowled. Okay. This would be harder than she thought. Well, no matter. She would just have to get around the cellist. Octavia was a musician; it wasn't like she had any combat training.
Her horn glowed, and she cast an invisibility illusion over herself. She smiled as Octavia's eyes widened; no doubt the cellist would start freaking out over not being able to see her foe. She slipped to Octavia's left, then began running around her -
Octavia bucked her in the side.
It didn't look like Octavia was trying to land an especially hard blow; certainly the musician didn't seem to even notice the exertion, but it was still enough to send Trixie flying into the wall. Her head rang, and her invisibility spell fizzled out. "How?" she demanded. "How did you know where I was?"
"I can hear you," was the response.
Hay...
Trixie got back to her feet and glowered at the cellist, who seemed completely unperturbed. "Just a lucky shot," said the blue mare.
Octavia said nothing.
Trixie turned invisible again, this time focusing harder and making herself inaudible too. This drained a lot of her energy, but when she was done, no sound would be able to move past her or through her. Now that blasted musician wouldn't be able to see or hear her. Trixie could get around Octavia, talk to Lyra, and get this whole stupid thing done with.
Octavia began to hum.
Trixie stared. What in Equestria was she doing?
It didn't matter. She still had to talk to Lyra. She began to edge around Octavia again, going for the door.
And Octavia bucked her again.
When Trixie managed to get up and the world stopped spinning, she saw that Octavia had opened her saddlebag, which had been sent flying by the kick, and was looking at the census taker form. "Oh. I see."
"...how?" It wasn't a demand this time. It was a plea.
Octavia smiled thinly. "If I can hear an echo from every part of the room... except one spot... then something or somepony is in that spot and blocking sound."
Trixie stared. She felt too dizzy to stand up again.
"Since when does the Town Representative act as a courier for the mayor?" mused Octavia. "And it is quite the coincidence that Lyra was selected for this duty now, of all times. I find it more likely that you forged the document as part of your jealous scheme to keep her here."
She put the form on the ground and began to carefully rip it up with her hooves. "I see no reason to subject her to your lies, Lulamoon."
"Not lies," hissed Trixie. "I know that you and Greengrass are up to something."
"I won't dignify that with a proper response."
Trixie wanted to get up and try again, but even disregarding her dizziness, she had no idea what to do. How did you get around an opponent that could find you even when you were invisible and inaudible?
Octavia finished shredding the form. "Good night, Lulamoon. Please do not bother me again." And she returned upstairs.
Trixie could only stare, wait a few minutes to recover, and then slink out in disgrace.
It was over, Trixie thought. She'd lost.
She didn't have any proof anymore that Lyra was needed in town, so Lyra wouldn't believe her. Hay, at this rate, she probably wouldn't care even if Trixie still had her proof. Octavia wouldn't have dared attack her unless she'd been confident that Lyra would take her side. And, Trixie thought, Octavia had technically just been defending her room from an intruder. Trixie couldn't even go to the police about this.
So now what?
I go back home and write Luna and tell her I've failed, she thought bitterly. Failed again. And Lyra goes to Canterlot...
She could visualize Greengrass meeting Lyra. Somewhat short and very slightly fat, with a red mane and a large red 'X' for a cutie mark, the Duke was a memorable figure. Greengrass would welcome her gregariously and wine and dine her. He'd befriend her, cajole her, and bamboozle her until she agreed to whatever he wanted. And then he would wait, and a month or a year later he'd use her. If his plan worked, Duke Greengrass would get another promotion, or a raise, or more land, or whatever he wanted, and Lyra... well, Greengrass had been known to say that he didn't pay much attention to the fate of obsolete tools.
She could picture the last few nobles that had 'worked with' Greengrass. She could picture them easily, because they tended to make the papers when they went to prison, into exile, or to obscure positions and posts at the end of the world. Greengrass was bold and audacious, so everypony seemed to underestimate him... and yet, strangely, it was never he that took the fall for his actions. Trixie could easily see Lyra being jailed for treason, or barred from ever stepping foot in Equestria again.
But there's nothing I can do. I've tried everything I know. I'm still too weak...
"Sorry, Lyra," she muttered. "I really tried. I'm sorry..."
Right, apologizing. She remembered, again, that Raindrops and Carrot Top had told her to apologize. Trixie didn't want to, though, and felt it wouldn't do much good. She'd been in the right, after all, and...
No. Forget that thought. Lyra's life was at stake here; Trixie was not going to let her get hurt because of pride. Who cared who was in the right? Trixie would swallow her pride and ask for Lyra's forgiveness... and for her to listen to Trixie. It was the only option left.
She began walking to Lyra's house. The musician had go home at some point; Trixie would wait for her there. She'd wait, and then beg Lyra's indulgence.
And if she failed, that would probably be it for Lyra Heartstrings. |
Musicians and Dreamers | Call and response | It was very late by the time Lyra got home.
"Where were you?" asked Bonbon, looking up from the recipe she was studying. "I was starting to get worried."
"I was with Octavia, nothing to worry about," said Lyra, smiling giddily. "She played her latest piece for me. Do you realize what that means?" She flopped down on the couch. "Do you know how many nobles would pays buckets of bits to hear one of her unreleased pieces? And she just played it for me. It was amazing."
"Did you decide if you're going to go to Canterlot?"
"Yeah, I am!" Lyra laughed. "I told her that today. I'm sorry, Bonbon, but it's just such an incredible opportunity, and--"
"I told you already, I'm fully in favor of you going. Get me some autographs, okay?"
"You got it!"
The doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," said Bonbon. She trotted over to the door. "Hello? Oh, hi Trixie. What's up?"
Lyra shot to her feet. "Not now," she said. "Get out."
Bonbon looked between the two of them. "What's wrong?"
Trixie stepped into the threshold of the door. "Lyra, please. Just give me five--"
"I don't want to talk to you now. Bonbon, could you please shut the door?"
Bonbon hesitated. "Uh--"
"Lyra! Please!" Trixie began trying to force her way past Bonbon, who shoved Trixie back. "I am begging you to listen to me!"
"I don't care." Lyra's horn glowed. "Get out!"
She slammed the door shut just as Trixie stuck her front hoof through it. The door banged against Trixie's leg, and the blue mare cried out.
"Trixie! Are you okay?" Bonbon threw the door open and looked down. Trixie's leg was already beginning to bruise. "I'll get some ice, and--"
"It's fine. I'm fine." Trixie gritted her teeth and looked right at Lyra's eyes. Lyra blinked - Trixie looked unusually, well, honest. "Lyra. Five minutes. That's all I want." She bowed her head. "Please. If you want to throw me out later, if you want me to never come back -- fine. Just give me five minutes."
Lyra stared at her for several moments. Trixie didn't look so well -- were those bruises on her sides? She opened her mouth to ask what happened, then paused. Trixie hadn't brought those up, and that in and of itself was unusual for the attention-seeking mare. What was going on?
After a moment of thought, she said, "Bonbon, could you please be a dear and run down to the hospital? They should be able to get an ice pack for Trixie."
Bonbon nodded and hurried out.
Trixie stepped inside. "Lyra - I'm sorry about what I said earlier. It was out of line." She took a breath. "Way out of line. And -- and I know I shouldn't be thinking of things like that anymore. All I can do is beg you to overlook it, and..." She trailed off. "I'm sorry," she repeated.
Lyra nodded.
"Just give me a few minutes to talk to you. I'm worried about you, and you're my friend and friends don't let their friends get hurt and, and..."
Lyra could tell how hard this was for Trixie, who so rarely thought of other ponies beyond herself. "Alright, Trixie. I'll listen."
Trixie took a deep breath and marshaled the arguments she'd come up with on the way over. "This Extravaganza, you said it's a really big deal. Isn't it unusual that the conductor would hire you without hearing you first?"
"He probably heard me at the recital we gave last month in Canterlot."
"Not the same thing. You said it yourself, solos and playing as part of an orchestra section aren't alike. Have you ever heard of a conductor who would hire a new musician, especially one without a professional history, without evaluating how they could do?"
Lyra hesitated. "I grant that it's unusual, but I'm sure he just trusts Octavia. She's one of the best, and she would never recommend somepony for a position they couldn't fill. Besides, it's starting in a week or so, so they wouldn't have time for a full round of auditions."
"Okay," said Trixie. "Let's take Octavia then. You've been in a lot of performances with her, right?"
"Yes."
"And for some of those, did she bring in other musicians? If you needed some unusual part or something?"
"Sure."
"Did she ever recommend a musician for a job, or hire one, without hearing them audition?"
"Trixie, she's heard me play for years."
"Has that ever mattered before?"
Lyra thought. Octavia often asked her trainees or students she knew to fill in for her groups when they needed a member... but... yes, she had always forced them to audition first. Even Lyra. "It's not about friendship," she'd said, when one mare had complained. "I need to know that you can play these pieces. That's all there is to it."
"No - but I was her closest trainee. It's different. She trusts me completely."
Trixie nodded a little. "Have you ever played in anything like this before - with a huge orchestra like this?"
"Well, not exactly..."
"Are you familiar with all of the music?"
Lyra shook her head. "I don't know what pieces they're playing yet."
"Then shouldn't she have had you go over them and audition, for you if not for her? It's been months. For all she knows, you've slacked off." Lyra opened her mouth, and Trixie held up a hoof. "I know you haven't, but she doesn't know that, since she only heard you play the one recital, and like you said, that's not really the same as a big orchestra performance. She can't be certain that you'll be able to play well in the Extravaganza -- especially since you've never seen the music. And if you do screw up, you'll be the one who looks bad. Shouldn't she have had you audition - Hay, brought some of the music with her and had you play it - just to make sure that wouldn't happen? For your sake? Isn't that what she would do in any other case?"
"I... yes, Octavia would normally insist on an audition. Probably even from me, for something like this. But there may not have been time. Like I said, this concert series starts really soon."
"Then why did they wait so long to ask you? They had to have scheduled in months ago."
"Maybe somepony got sick or quit," said Lyra. "It happens."
Trixie looked steadily at her. "So the conductor's acting weird, Octavia's acting weird, and it only makes even a hint of sense if a bunch of the lyre players had last minute emergencies and they didn't have enough backups?"
Lyra was quiet for several moments.
Then she said, "It looks odd. I get it. But, yes, it's completely possible that they needed an emergency fill-in and Octavia gave them my name. For that matter, it's possible that I will have to audition once I arrive in Canterlot and Octavia is just assuming that I'll pass without problems and so isn't having me worry about it. I've known Octavia for years. If there was anything bad going on, she wouldn't be involved... or, at the very least, if she was being forced into it, she would let me know." She turned. "I appreciate your concern, Trixie. But I'm not convinced. And I'm still very upset with you for threatening to have me blacklisted."
"Then let me prove it to you."
Lyra turned back. "How?"
"I'll - I'll talk to Octavia. You'll eavesdrop. If she's setting you up, I'll make her confess. If not, then I'll probably just look stupid, and I won't bother you anymore. I won't try to stop from going to Canterlot with her."
Lyra frowned. Trixie sounded unusually sincere and serious. "Why is this so important to you? No offense, Trixie, but even if what you're saying is true, it isn't going to affect you."
"You're my friend!" Trixie looked down. "And I know I'm not good at friendship yet, and I know I've screwed up a lot, but I - I want to protect you if I can. And if Greengrass gets you he'll make you work for him and act as his agent, and it's going to mess up your life. A bunch of the ponies that he's worked with and can't use anymore winds up in jail or exiled or something." She took a slow, deep breath. "If you want to hate me for what I said, I get that. But please let me try to show you what I think is really going on here."
Lyra didn't know what to say. She'd never seen Trixie look like this. If somepony had told her the day before that Trixie would say anything like this, she'd have thought they were crazy.
She's probably just acting; she's a decent actor when she tries, she thought.
But...
She was the Element of Loyalty. If it meant this much to Trixie, if there was even a chance that Trixie was being honest, she owed it to her friend to agree. Octavia would understand. Trixie would talk with Octavia, would learn that there was no deception, and that would be that.
"Fine. But I mean it, Trixie; if you don't come up with anything, I don't want to hear any more about this."
"Promise." Trixie nodded. "Leave Bonbon a note, then come to my house. I'll get Octavia. I'll say I want to apologize, or I want to bribe her or something, but I'll get her to show up."
"Wait. You won't be able to hide me in the room. She'll hear me, even if I'm just standing there and breathing."
"I've got that worked out. You'll be fine."
"How? She--" But Trixie was already gone.
Trixie took a few deep breaths. This was it.
She'd tried her hoof at politics before. She'd never done a very good job, but she'd tried. Ultimately, though, all of her prior schemes had been designed to benefit her. This was the first one where she wouldn't really be helped or hurt by it (except insofar as its failure might make her look stupid, and that was pretty much the common perception of her in the Court anyway). The only pony that would lose if she failed was Lyra.
And Lyra would be hurt if she went to Canterlot. Trixie was sure of it, would have been sure even if she'd never heard of Greengrass and hadn't seen Octavia rip up Trixie's form. There were too many things that didn't add up, too many odd coincidences in Octavia's story. That the orchestra just happened to need a lyre player. That the whole concert series was based around the lyre in the first place. That Octavia hadn't written but had come in person -- after all, it would probably be harder for Lyra to say 'no' to her mentor's face. That no auditions were needed for what was supposed to be a huge event. It just didn't make sense, and she had to make Lyra see that.
Luna tried to teach me politics, although I guess I wasn't very good... okay, can't focus on that. Think. How can I get her to confess?
Octavia was (or had been) fundamentally honest, according to Lyra. Trixie could use that; Luna had taught her how. If Octavia was honest at heart, it wouldn't be easy for her to mislead and trap Lyra, so she would be stressed from it. She'd want to tell somepony. Trixie just had to make sure that pony was her. If she gave Octavia enough of a push, made her angry enough to forget herself, she might say something stupid. Once a pony said one thing that they shouldn't, Luna had said, they tended to give up and just spew out the rest, especially if they were stressed or unhappy from keeping the secret in the first place.
How to get that initial comment, though? Octavia was formal and probably hard to anger with insults, and Trixie had no desire to get beaten up again anyway. Maybe she could provoke the mare's contempt? Octavia already didn't like her, so maybe if Trixie acted like a total lout and idiot, then that would irritate the cellist. And also, since Octavia hated Trixie and seemed rather proud, fooling her might make her mad. That seemed likely.
A plan outlined itself in Trixie's head. Start out friendly and inviting, use an illusion to make the place look a lot more comfortable, and get Octavia at ease as much as she could. Be apologetic and conciliatory. Maybe spend ten or fifteen minutes like that. Next, 'accidentally' reveal the illusion and otherwise act dumber and dumber until Octavia was angry - at being fooled by the illusion, at being fooled by such a dumb pony, at even having to deal with such a dumb pony. At that point, she could probably be tricked into saying something that she shouldn't. Once she'd done that, it would hopefully be easy to coax the rest of the story from the cellist.
Trixie began setting up the illusion.
It took twenty minutes to work out the magic and get the spell running. Trixie was proud that she'd even remembered to make her horn look like it wasn't glowing. It would be no good if Octavia figured out the illusion moments after showing up.
Somepony knocked crisply at her door.
Alright. Show time.
Trixie crossed the room and opened the door. Octavia stared at her. "Miss Philharmonica," said Trixie, forcing an insincere smile. "I'm pleased you could come at such a late hour."
"Musicians keep unusual schedules," said Octavia. "It was no trouble."
Trixie invited her in, showed her to the living room, and poured her a glass of bourbon. Her home looked about right, she decided, with rich, blue walls and thick, soft carpet. The living room appeared to be freshly cleaned, with a couple of nice couches and chairs and a few knickknacks on the tables - probably exactly the sort of room that would appeal to a formal mare like Octavia. "Please, help yourself. I'm honored to have such a distinguished guest in my home."
Octavia waved this off. "You need not flatter me. May I ask the purpose of this meeting? Your letter was rather vague." She looked honestly curious, which was what Trixie had been hoping for. If Octavia had just ignored the letter, the plan would have fallen apart at the beginning.
Trixie nodded. "As Night Court Representative, I felt an obligation to apologize for what happened at your residence. I was out of line."
Octavia settled back in her chair. "I see."
"So, hopefully, we can clear the air between us. I thought a little meeting might assist with that."
"Of course." Octavia smiled slightly. "Incidentally, you can drop the illusion now, Trixie Lulamoon. It doesn't fool me."
Oh, Hay. "What - what illusion?" Trixie stammered. She'd put her best effort into it this time. What had she done wrong?
"The one you're casting over this room." Octavia looked almost smug. "First of all, the reverberation in here is completely wrong for a carpeted surface. The sound of our voices should be much duller. This floor - soft as it feels - has a thin carpet here and there, and hardwood everywhere else."
Trixie hated the feeling of being completely outmatched. "Uh."
"Second, I hear the breeze from outside." Trixie cocked her head. There was some faint sound, but she couldn't say what it was. "From there." The cellist pointed at Trixie's largest window. "A weak seal or a crack... and yet it looked freshly installed."
"Um." Trixie gulped. The Residency was reasonably weather-proof, but it was old and it did have a few places that needed patching up. But how had Octavia figured that out in seconds, and by ear alone? How freakishly good was her hearing?
"And, lastly you're breathing rather heavily for a mare who's simply sitting in a chair. One might theorize that you're casting something." Octavia's smile grew slightly. "Especially given that faint, high-pitched whine I hear, which, as I recall, is emblematic of unicorn magic."
She can hear my magic too? Oh come on! I'm great at casting quiet spells! Trixie forced herself to remain calm - though this was complicated by the fact that Octavia was apparently listening to, and studying, her breathing patterns. Fine, junk the illusion. Skip to the contempt part. Come on, I can make her angry! I'm really good at making people not like me! It's just on purpose this time!
While she thought, Octavia began to speak again. "It is a good effort. Your horn looks dull, and the tactile sensations are a nice touch. But the auditory aspect is lacking." Octavia sipped her flask of bourbon. "Let me guess what's going on. You still think that I'm going to set Lyra up for something bad, so you brought her here, cast a spell to mask her and to gussy the room, and intend to try to get me to detail some evil scheme with her in earshot?"
"So you admit you have an evil scheme?" asked Trixie, brightly.
Make her think I'm a complete idiot...
Octavia rolled her eyes and rose to her hooves. "Goodnight."
"Wait!" Trixie shot to her hooves, deliberately breaking the illusion as she did so. "Wait, hang on!"
The room, in a flash, turned back to its usual chaotic state. Old dishes and a few pieces of clothing were scattered about, and the wallpaper was dirty and faded. The carpet was indeed sporadic and thin, and the big window needed new sealant. Furthermore, instead of neatly organized stacks, the papers on Trixie's desk were scattered all around. A few quills were mixed amongst the papers, tethered tenuously by a mess of strings to an old can.
"Lyra isn't here," lied Trixie. "I tried to get her to come, but she wouldn't listen to me. She doesn't trust me anymore. But I thought if, if I could impress you with my taste or something, you'd-"
"I find it oddly hard to believe you, Trixie. I hope you won't mind me checking for myself."
Trixie fell silent and watched as Octavia began to slowly walk a circle around the room. The cellist paused frequently, shutting her eyes and listening to sounds only she could hear. Trixie bit her lip. Had she hidden Lyra well enough? Was Octavia even now hearing a breath, a blink, a rumbling from Lyra's stomach that would give her away?
But Octavia didn't seem to hear anything. "Alright," she said, opening up her eyes. "There's nopony in earshot except you and I."
"Like I said, she wouldn't listen to me. She thinks you're more trustworthy. I don't get it, I'm usually really good at talking ponies into things, but lately..."
Make her hold me in contempt...
"I'm unsurprised. I've heard a lot about you, Lulamoon. You're not very good at making friends."
"Well, forget friendship then." Trixie walked over to Octavia. "Look, just stop whatever scheme you've got going. I'll make it up to you. I'm Luna's student. I have influence." She smiled winningly. "Lots of it. I'll do more for you than Greengrass ever could."
"You? How - how can you even think that?" Octavia raised an eyebrow. "How unintelligent can you possibly be? Everypony in the Court knows that Luna was so fed up with you that she exiled you here. And then you screwed up the Longest Night ceremony, and you're only still in Equestria and not exiled to Tortrotto because you somehow obtained the Element of Magic. You have no influence."
"I have influence with Luna!" Trixie repeated, as if repeating this statement would somehow help her.
"Yes, and that matters how? Can you use any of it?" Octavia smiled again. "Apparently, you're so foalish that you not only thought I was up to something bad, but you thought I'd just tell you because you asked politely and promised me something you could not possibly provide?"
Trixie looked away. It wasn't working. Octavia hadn't confessed anything, and she would probably leave soon. No matter what Trixie said or showed about herself, the cellist wasn't biting.
Wait. Forget myself, Octavia doesn't care enough about me to get angry when I act dumb, but Octavia likes Lyra. I should be able to use that! If I make Octavia think that I don't appreciate Lyra, that I can't see how useful she could be, she might be contemptuous enough to...
"Well, maybe I'll tell Luna what you're up to!"
"I am 'up to' nothing."
"You're trying to get Lyra to work for Greengrass so you can manipulate me!" said Trixie, triumphantly. "It's obvious! You obviously don't want her for her own sake, since she's just an unemployed lyre player, but you know I care about her, so you want to use her to force me to --"
Octavia began to turn a bright shade of red.
Got her, thought Trixie.
The musician approached Trixie. "You... you are a COMPLETE IDIOT! You think any of this is about you? Are you really that self-absorbed? You don't factor into any of the Night Court's calculations, because none of them hold you in anything more than mockery and contempt! Luna herself was probably hoping that you'd be eaten by some monster in the Everfree when she sent you here!" She tossed her mane. "None of this has anything to do with you whatsoever."
"I don't believe you," said Trixie, trying to match Octavia's former smugness. "Why else would Greengrass want Lyra?"
"Because she's the Element of Loyalty, you..." Octavia hissed something inarticulate. "She's one of the Elements of Harmony. One of the six ponies who can beat Corona. How is it not obvious?"
"Well, so am I," said Trixie. Now, if she was right, Octavia would keep talking. She would be desperate for somepony to confide in, wouldn't have the political chops to know to shut up, and would believe that Trixie was both too distrusted and too stupid to use the information.
Octavia obliged her. "Yes, and you support Luna. Fine. But right now, all of the Elements work for Luna. Are you able to comprehend why some nobles might not like that?"
Trixie pretended to be thinking hard. "Uh..."
"Look. Let's say Corona does return. Say she arrives in Starlight's territory. Starlight runs to Luna and begs for help. Luna says 'sure,' if Starlight votes her way on the next few motions in the Court. If he says no or dithers, no Elements arrive, and Corona lays waste until he gives in." Octavia shook her head. "The nobles don't want Luna to be able to threaten them with obliteration from Corona if they don't do what she wants. They don't want her to be slow to defend their provinces and cities because they opposed her on some tax issue. Now do you understand?"
"Well, the Elements don't really work for Luna." Trixie smiled. "Some might say they work for me."
"That's even worse. 'Trixie, save us!' 'Of course, as soon as you build me my own palace!' The Elements are too powerful to be left in your foalistine, selfish hooves." Octavia straightened. "So, yes, Duke Greengrass and his collagues enlisted me to track down Lyra and secure her services, so that if something requiring Elemental magic does come up, he can count on her. Honestly, I'm doing Lyra a favor. A lot of nobles want their own Element, and Greengrass is a much better boss than most."
Trixie decided to go further and continue acting dumb to get more information. It could be important. "It sure was lucky for him that the Extravaganza was lyre-based this year--" she began.
"It wasn't luck! He was one of the big sponsors, so he told them to play lyre music. And he forced several of the lyre players to quit or run away, so they'd need understudies and backups."
"Wow. I guess he really outmaneuvered me. I was expecting somepony to try to poach the Elements, but this was really unexpected."
"Well, that would be why he is a Duke and you are a Representative," hissed Octavia.
"So what's going to happen to Lyra? When she gets into Canterlot, Greengrass threatens her until she signs a contract to work for him?"
"No, nothing so crude. He just won't let her play at the Extravaganza until she swears to support him if he needs the Elements. He's sponsoring, so he can veto musicians he doesn't like. She'll swear, she'll play, and that will be the end of it. It's not like we've needed the Elements more than once in the past millennium, so I doubt he'll even ever have reason to call upon her." Octavia began walking towards the door. "Either way, there's nothing you can do about it, Lulamoon."
"Oh. Well, can't she just say she'll work for him, play, and leave? I mean, if he calls for her and she doesn't come, what's he going to do?"
"Lyra is intelligent enough to know that you do not break a contract with a Duke of the Night Court, Lulamoon. It is pathetic that you are not even that wise."
Trixie had one more question. "Why are you helping him? I thought you were friends with Lyra."
That seemed to irritate Octavia more than anything else Trixie had said. "I still am! How can you possibly be this thick?"
"What?" asked Trixie, not having to pretend to be confused.
"I... oh, I wouldn't expect you to understand. You were always trying to be a career politician. You don't understand how sometimes you have to choose between your friends and what you want to do in life. I suppose it helps when what you want to do is rule over other ponies, but that's not me. I create something. That matters. That - that's worth a sacrifice."
Trixie frowned, not knowing what the cellist was getting at.
"I have worked very hard, Lulamoon." Octavia looked out the window. "I have perfected my art. I have never asked for anypony to pity me or give me a job I didn't deserve, an audience I didn't merit. I am fully aware of my ability. I am good enough to play for the nobility and best ears in Canterlot." She took a breath. And they began asking me to do things for them; to pass secret messages under the cover of my performances, that sort of thing. I didn't want to, of course, as if you could understand not wanting to get involved in politics, but I was informed that my career would be over unless I complied. So I complied. I'm complying now too." Octavia glared at Trixie. "A musician without an audience is just a dreamer, Trixie, and I don't just dream. I create. So I do what I have to do to have the career I love and to share the glory of music with the world."
"You were Lyra's mentor. Is that what you taught her?"
"We were both naïve then. Someday she'll thank me." Octavia scowled. "Probably the day she gets to Canterlot, signs whatever Greengrass throws at her, and then gets to play for an audience of twenty thousand ponies. I'm giving her the greatest gift she could ever hope for."
Trixie had what she needed, and now she couldn't help it -- it was beyond her to avoid throwing in a little barb at the end. "Her? It sounds like Greengrass threatened to have you blacklisted unless you brought him Lyra. You aren't doing this for her at all. It's just for yourself."
"I have worked too hard to be kicked out of Canterlot for something as stupid as this! If it was due to any flaw in my technique, I could accept that, but I will not sacrifice my passion on the altar of some noble's stupid political gambits!" Octavia reached the door. "I will bring Lyra to Canterlot, and I will get on with my life. I will flourish and continue to perform. And so will she. And someday, when all you have to show for your life is a fiefdom in the middle of nowhere and a squadron of sycophantic toadies, when you wonder how it is that you never produced anything but only took from others, when you look at all the lives that she and I have improved and you cannot find a single pony who was better off for having met you, you will understand why I made this choice. Goodbye, Lulamoon." She stormed out.
Trixie sighed. That had gone... well, it had gone very well for her, because Octavia had confessed, but probably not as well for Lyra. She had to go comfort the green mare. It was the friendly thing to do.
She approached the old can on her desk, and found the one string that wasn't connected to a quill. It was taut, and careful visual examination showed that it led out of the room. Trixie spoke into the can. "She's gone."
The string slackened.
Trixie nodded. That was how to send a voice or a sound from one room to another, far enough away that two were out of earshot with one another, without using magic. All you needed was two cans and some high-quality wire. A foalish trick, perhaps, but sometimes those were the best.
Trixie's back door opened, and soon Lyra was dragging herself from the garden into the room. She looked like she was about to cry.
Trixie opened her mouth to gloat, but then shut it. This wasn't the time. "Alright," she said. "Now we need to decide what to do about it." |
Musicians and Dreamers | Deceptive cadence | Lyra didn't know what to say.
Octavia. The friend who had stayed up with her all night when she was horribly sick with the pony pox, even though the cellist had a jury test in the morning. The friend who had spent three days helping her master Professor Eight Note's last and most difficult symphony, teaching and instructing without rest, enabling Lyra to earn the 'Best Performance' award for the end of year recitals. The friend who had trained with her, performed with her, and griped with her during their 3AM study sessions.
And now she had betrayed her.
Trixie helped Lyra onto a couch and laid a blanket over her. "Do you need anything? Ice cream, or hot chocolate, or bourbon or...?"
"No. I'm okay." Lyra realized that she was crying. "Trixie, I'm... I'm so sorry I didn't believe you. You were completely right, and--"
"Not your fault. I went too far, and it's not like I haven't given you reason to doubt me." Trixie sighed. "If you hadn't been so patient with me, we might not have caught this in time."
Lyra managed a very slight smile through her tears. "Still. I should have trusted your instincts more - you know more about the Court than I. Besides, we're friends. Right?"
"Yes." Trixie smiled back at Lyra. "We are."
Lyra scooted back as Trixie sat on the other end of the couch. The musician was still softly crying. The blue mare paused, then said, "I'm going to guess you don't want to take that job anymore."
Lyra shuddered and didn't say anything.
"Stay with me, then. Octavia'll probably freak out trying to find you, but if she can't get you there in time, we win. She'll have to leave, and then she'll never be able to hurt us again."
That sounded ominous to Lyra. "Why not? Couldn't she just come back later?"
"Greengrass is vindictive. He'll have her blacklisted for failing him, and probably arrange that she has to leave Canterlot. That's it for her political career."
"Leave Canterlot?"
"Yeah. If I know him, he'll do whatever he can to ensure that she can't find work there or in other major cities. He sees it as giving his remaining helpers an incentive to avoid screwing up."
Lyra hesitated.
"I want to be able to play," Octavia had told her long ago, "For as many ponies as I can. I want to be good enough to be able to obtain orchestra positions so I can reach entire concert halls and let thousands of ponies hear beautiful performances. But not just that... I want to be great enough to perform for the Dukes and Counts and Viciennes, and maybe even Princess Luna herself!" This was the only time Lyra had ever heard Octavia sound excited and jumpy, almost foal-like. "Can you imagine what an honor it would be to play for an immortal pony, one who's heard so much music before? How amazing it would be to impress her and to perform something so gorgeous that it moved her to tears? If I could do that, no matter what else happened, I would be so happy..."
Performing music had always been Octavia's dream. It had been her sole passion for all the years Lyra had known her. Now it would be wrecked; she'd be unable to perform again for the Court or almost any other pony. She'd still be able to play in villages, but she'd never reach the quantity of ponies -- or the elite few that she really wanted to meet and play for -- that way.
Octavia had betrayed her, had tried to sell her out to Greengrass. But, as badly as Lyra hurt, as much as she wanted to fling herself into Bonbon's arms and sob for an hour, she couldn't bring herself to want to destroy Octavia. Octavia had been disloyal to her, but even so, Lyra found that she didn't want to smash her former friend's career and send her off to spend the rest of her life doing anything but the one thing she wanted.
"No." Lyra shook her head. "No. Not even after this... I can't let that happen."
"Uh, Lyra, she just admitted she would try to force you to work for her boss. And that her boss would do really bad things if you backed out of it."
"I know. But I still owe her. I wouldn't be half as good at the lyre as I am today without her." She looked down. "I can't hate her, not even after this. I just can't."
Trixie didn't say anything.
"Isn't there any way I can get out of it without ruining her?"
Trixie thought. "The only way would be to make you unavailable. So it wouldn't be Octavia's fault that you couldn't go. But you already told her you were free, right?"
Lyra nodded again.
"Besides, if it was obvious you were lying about not being able to attend, then Greengrass might think that Octavia tipped you off and you both colluded. You'd have to be unable to go there due to the efforts of some other pony."
They were both silent for a few moments.
"I have an idea," said Trixie. "But you're probably not going to like it."
"Tell me."
Trixie did.
Lyra was still for a moment, then smiled a little. "Trixie, that's... that's awesome."
Trixie brightened. "You really like it?"
"It's perfect. And it saves me, and it stops Octavia from being exiled. I love it."
"Well, I'll get on it, then." Trixie rose. "If you want to stay the night, I'll go tell Bonbon that you're staying... you look kind of tired to go walking--"
"I'll be fine. But thank you."
Trixie led Lyra out of her house, and Lyra began the walk home. She was lucky, she thought, to have a friend like Trixie.
Lyra was awake early the next morning, and was unsurprised to hear Octavia knock on the door.
"Octavia! Hi!" She smiled as best she could and welcomed Octavia inside. "What's new?"
"I was thinking. Since you decided to play in the Extravaganza, it might make sense for us to head back to Canterlot now. We'll have a few days to settle in before the actual concerts begin." Octavia smiled. "And I would be quite surprised if you didn't want to try the Grace Note at least once."
"That little bakery by the Academy?"
"The very same. They have some kind of partnership with a proprietor named Donut Joe, now, where he provides donuts and they provide cakes and sweets to fill the hole in the donut. Surprisingly, it's quite delicious. My treat."
"That sounds amazing." Lyra turned. "Let me get my bags, and--"
"Hey! Lyra Heartstrings, open up!"
Lyra paused and turned back to her door. "Who is it?"
"It's the police! Open this door now!"
Lyra and Octavia exchanged a confused glance. "Lyra, what is this?" asked Octavia.
"You're asking me?" She opened the door. "Is everything alright?"
A large yellow pegasus with a policepony's hat was scowling at her. "Lyra Heartstrings, right?"
"Yes?"
"You're under arrest!"
"Lyra, what did you do?" hissed Octavia.
"I didn't do anything!"
The officer was leading Lyra to the courthouse, with an increasingly frantic Octavia following. "Fine, what does she think you did?"
"How should I know?"
A foal was taking pictures outside the courthouse. Octavia winced as the camera flash went off in her eyes. "Stop that!"
"Foal Free Press, ma'am," said the foal. "I'm supposed to take pictures outside the courthouse today."
The officer shoved at Lyra. "Come on, Heartstrings. Time to pay for what you did." They both went inside, leaving Octavia to again chase after them.
"Will you just tell us what's going on? We have a train to catch!" snapped Octavia. "Do you know who I represent?"
"Should I?" asked the officer.
"I have the ear of some very important ponies. Tell us what Lyra is being charged with, or I will -"
The officer smiled contemptuously. "Or you'll what?"
They were led into a conference room, where the officer left them but promised that she'd be right outside the door in case they tried to run. Octavia sighed. "I don't believe this."
"Do you think it's Trixie?" mused Lyra.
"Trixie?"
"She was really upset over me choosing to go play. She went on this crazy conspiracy rant last night about you and this Greengrass guy and everything. Maybe she's using her power as Representative to have me arrested."
Octavia frowned. "Well... don't worry. If that's what's happening, I'll get you a special royal exemption. The charges, whatever they are, will be voided and you'll get to Canterlot with time to spare. We just--"
The door banged open, and Trixie staggered in.
"Lulamoon, what is the -" Octavia froze. "Are you drunk?"
Trixie laughed. "Bourbon! Now that's a loyal friend! It ain't gonna just leave you behind and run off to Canterlot to have all kinds of fun with somepony who's just gonna betray her!" She stumbled into a chair and collapsed. "Hey Lyra, how's it goin'?"
"Trixie, what did you do?" demanded Lyra.
"Nothing. Just broke a few of Carrot Top's fences, ripped up a few carrots, you know. Stuff like that." She grinned. "Course, I illusioned myself to look like you."
"You WHAT?!" cried the two other mares at once.
Lyra had to fight not to laugh. Trixie was giving a great performance, and it was kind of fun to put on this huge show just to fool Octavia. But she couldn't crack up. If Octavia suspected they were lying, it would cause problems.
"Uh huh! Looked like you! Even stole one of those stupid rings Bonbon got you and left it there! You're goin' to jail! That way, you'll never get to Canterlot!" Trixie laughed. "Serves ya right! Octavia, she, she was totally gonna make you work for that jerk Greengrass."
"How dare you? Trixie, I could go to jail for this!" cried Lyra.
"Yep!"
Octavia scowled. "Don't worry, Lyra. The investigation will show--"
"Who cares what it shows? Court'll take weeks! You'll miss your stupid Extravaganza opening, and even I know that musicians can't just miss concerts and come back later!" Trixie brayed laughter. "Serves you right for throwing me under the cart!"
Lyra groaned. "Octavia, help me - I don't know what to do!"
Octavia shut her eyes. "Let me think!" And then, a moment later, "Hey, somepony get this idiot out of here!" She kicked at Trixie, who rolled away from it.
The officer came back in. "Come on, miss," she said, helping Trixie up. "You're not supposed to be here."
"Good riddance," muttered Octavia, as the two left.
"Octavia, isn't there anything you can do?"
"I can try to contact the sponsors and see if they can pull some strings," said Octavia. "I'm sure they'll be able to. It would be very embarrassing if one of their performers couldn't show because she was in jail."
"How long will that take?"
"A day at most," said Octavia.
"Well, as long as they don't--"
The officer reappeared. "Heartstrings! You're up!"
She dragged Lyra to her feet and began prodding her out of the room.
The courtroom was sparsely populated, but Octavia could see a judge - a purple mare with a pink mane, sitting at the bench - and a prosecutor The officer took a position by the door, apparently also acting as baliff, and Octavia followed Lyra to the defendant's bench.
"Your honor," said the prosecutor, a yellow earth pony with an orange mane, "We are ready to present our case against Lyra Heartstrings."
"But I'm innocent--" began Lyra.
The judge banged her gavel. "We don't have all day. Hurry up!"
The prosecutor began her case. Briefly, it seemed that a farmer named Carrot Top had woken that morning to find one of her fences torn down and several of her carrots ripped to pieces. One of Lyra's rings had been found in the dirt, and a few other ponies had seen Lyra leaving the scene late that night.
"I think we can deny bail, then," said the judge. She quickly began filling out a form.
"Wait!" called Octavia. "Lyra is due to perform in Canterlot in just a few days. She--"
"That doesn't exempt her from following the law," snapped the judge. "Now, be silent or I'll have you removed from my court."
Octavia thought as quickly as she could. There had to be somepony in town who could intervene and stop this. Trixie wasn't the only governmental official they had, and besides, she was drunk and couldn't interfere with anything Octavia did.
"Lyra," she hissed. "I'm going to get the mayor of this town and anypony else who can help. I'll get you out as soon as I can." She turned and hurried out of the room.
Everypony was completely silent as Octavia's hoofsteps faded down the hall. Only when the foal from out front came back and reported that Octavia had left the building and was galloping for Mayor Scrolls's office did they make noise.
Specifically, they burst into laughter.
Cherilee put down the gavel, giggling merrily. "You know, when I was little, I thought it'd be a lot of fun to be a judge. You could bang gavels all day, and that sounded really neat." She grinned. "I was right! That was fun!"
The officer took off her helmet. "Think we fooled her?" she asked.
"Yes." Lyra smiled merrily. "Thanks, everypony. Raindrops - nice police officer impression."
"No problem."
"And Carrot Top, great job."
The 'prosecutor' smiled. "Aww, it was nothing."
The foal had gone to tell tell Trixie that Octavia was gone, and the showmare dashed into the room. "So, did it work?" she asked. "She get fooled?"
"Yeah!" said Lyra. "Great drunk impression, Trixie. I think you really sold her."
"Impression?"
Lyra frowned. "Trixie, are you...?"
"See, I was gonna just fake it, but I thought, we're great friends! I gotta be realistic!" Trixie hiccupped. "And ya said it yourself, I did great!"
"Wow, Trixie. You got drunk for me." It was hard to tell if Lyra was kidding or not.
Trixie frowned a little. "Aw, come on. I'm trying to help ya. And - and maybe I'm not always good at it, but I'm really trying real hard, and--"
"You did fine." Lyra hugged Trixie. "Thank you."
Raindrops coughed. "Come on, girls. We need to get ready for when she comes back."
Lyra nodded. "Let's get to the train station."
Several hours passed.
Octavia, looking exhausted and disheveled, approached the train station on hoof. "Lyra?" she called, weary and worn. "Lyra, are you there? They told me they saw you heading over here."
Lyra poked her head out of the station building. "In here, Octavia."
Octavia staggered inside and took a long drink of water before talking. "Good, you got bail. I talked to the mayor, town council, and a couple of the richer ponies in town who are patrons of the arts. Told everypony that you're being framed by Trixie, that they need to step in and stop her. Mayor Scrolls told me that... what's this?"
She had noticed the pile of luggage.
"Those are your things," said Lyra.
"My things?"
"You're going back to Canterlot."
Octavia blinked a few times. "I don't understand. I can't leave without you."
"I'm not going."
"Lyra, we can beat Trixie. You can still play at the Song Cycle Extravaganza."
"I said, I'm not going." Lyra glared at Octavia. "I was listening in on your conversation with Trixie last night."
All the color drained from Octavia's face. "Impossible. I broke her illusion, and I--"
"Trixie hid me. Not with magic. Doesn't matter." Lyra scowled. "You've been trying to manipulate me from the start. Force me to work for this Duke Greengrass. You lied to me. You betrayed me!"
"Wait. You don't understand." Octavia gulped. "Listen, when I told Trixie that Greengrass was the best possible option for you, I was being sincere. He isn't the only noble that wants an Element, but he's definitely the best one to work for, and--"
"I don't think the Elements work like that. I'm not somepony's bodyguard."
The two stared at each other for a moment.
"Just consider it," said Octavia, her voice becoming more of a plea. "It would mean a lot to me. I have never asked you for anything until now, but if you don't come with me to Canterlot, Greengrass will--"
"About that. You're going to tell Greengrass that Trixie got jealous and had me arrested. That I pled guilty and received three months' probation, and as part of the agreement I cannot leave Ponyville. So I can't play in his stupid concert and it isn't your fault. Furthermore, if he tries to get the sentence overturned or something, Trixie will cause a huge scandal. If there's one thing she excels at, it's at drawing attention to something, and she'll make sure every paper in Equestria knows that a criminal is playing at the Extravaganza at Duke Greengrass's behest."
"He'll never believe that. Lyra, he'll think I made it up due to our friendship, and--"
Lyra nodded at an envelope resting on top of Octavia's belongings. "Photos from me being taken into court, the paperwork Cherilee filled out, and other court papers. That should be sufficient evidence."
"Any pony can make paperwork. If it was just you and your friends in the courtroom, then there weren't any witnesses. He'll investigate and find that nopony in town knows about this 'frame up.'"
Lyra smiled, but it was thin. "Well, you've spent the day telling ponies all over the city that Trixie was having me framed, right? And I'll bet you looked really sincere. I'm sure the ponies you told then told all their friends, who told their friends, and so on. By now, half the town probably knows what Trixie 'did' to me. Greengrass's investigation will show all the confirmation of our story that you need."
The cellist looked stunned. "You fooled me. You used me."
"Yeah. To help you. So it isn't your fault that you failed to bring me back to Canterlot." Lyra scowled. "We could have just left you high and dry, but we went through this whole act so that Greengrass doesn't have you blacklisted. You're welcome."
Octavia looked down, and Lyra saw that she was about ready to cry. "Lyra, I never intended for you to get hurt." Lyra said nothing. "I tried everything I could, but there was nothing else for it. If I was going to perform for the nobles, I had to participate in Night Court activities! It was just carrying letters at first, and I didn't care about that, but Greengrass wouldn't let it stop there. He said that, if I didn't collect you, he'd make sure I never played in any noble houses again. What was I going to do? A musician without an audience is just a dreamer, I've invested my whole life in my craft, and--"
"Stop it. Please." Lyra approached her. "You could have told me, Octavia. I trusted you. If you had just approached me and told me what was going on, we could have figured something out. But you lied to me and backstabbed me. So that you could get a better clientele."
"Well, what would you have done?"
"I'm the Element of Loyalty," said Lyra, quietly. "You know I would never have done this to you. I would have quit first." She looked at the tracks through the train station window, which were slowly being filled by an arriving train. "And that's your ride, Octavia."
"Lyra, please." Lyra had never seen Octavia like this. She didn't seem refined, or even scornful. She looked like she was about to beg. "You know how few ponies can do what we do. The others don't understand. They think of music as frivolous or some quaint hobby, something to occupy hours not set aside for more important tasks. Even the nobles care more about my utility as a secret mailmare than for my music! But we've always understood each other. We know the kind of work that our art requires. I've always thought of you as... as understanding me more than any other pony. My mother and father, an architect and a tailor, they don't get it - but you did. Lyra, you are my closest friend." She paused. "Can you - can you understand--"
Lyra sighed. "Octavia. You are..."
She hesitated, not knowing what to say. Octavia was her mentor. But Octavia had betrayed her.
"You are an excellent musician."
Octavia looked away. "There will be others, Lyra. They won't all be as nice as me."
"We'll deal with them too."
Porters began carrying the luggage onto the train. "Careful with that one," called Lyra. "It's got an instrument inside. Very fragile."
"Yes ma'am."
Lyra turned on her hooves and left. "Goodbye, Octavia. Maybe I'll see you in Canterlot sometime."
Octavia said nothing. |
Musicians and Dreamers | Coda | The train was about to depart. Octavia sat in her seat moodily, feeling impossibly low. What could she do now?
It was almost worse that the Elements had gone to all that trouble, even damaged Lyra's and Trixie's reputations, just to give Octavia a reason for failing so that Greengrass wouldn't blacklist her. Lyra had implied that she didn't deserve that kind of consideration. She was probably right.
"What happened to me?" she muttered. "I was happier when I was just dreaming. This wasn't what my career was supposed to be." She knew that if she tried playing her cello now, she would only produce noise. Her heart just wasn't in it.
She heard hoofsteps approaching - Trixie's. She had the most arrogant gait of any pony Octavia had met. "Get out, Lulamoon," hissed the cellist.
"So, Octavia!" Trixie sounded very pleased with herself. "We just did you a pretty big favor, so now you owe us one."
Octavia said nothing.
"From now on, when you hear about Greengrass or anypony else trying to 'obtain' one of the Elements? You write me. Got it?"
"Or what?" the cellist hissed.
"Or I let it slip that the reason I had Lyra arrested was not out of stupid jealousy, but because I figured out your plan. No, because you told me your plan. Greengrass won't like that too much, will he?"
"...go to Tartarus."
"Hey, the Elements are my friends. I'm going to protect them, whether you like it or not." Trixie began to walk off. "Have a nice ride back. Say hi to the Duke for me!"
Octavia groaned and sank deeper into her seat. This was the worst day of her life.
A few days later...
Lyra looked at the letter on Trixie's desk. Only the second page was visible, but it was still quite interesting.
...be advised that some of the nobles are attempting to obtain the services of the Elements of Harmony, and may be using proxies to do so. Philharmonica will probably not be the last one. I will, of course, do all I can to prevent them from succeeding.
Regarding Philharmonica, I have discussed the matter with Lyra, and neither of us wish to see her destroyed over this affair. While she did betray her friend, she was pressured into it, and Lyra still feels a debt to her from her time at the Academy. I understand that one could argue that she be harshly punished because, were she successful in tricking one of the Elements to work for one of the nobles, that Element could be used for political gain instead of the safety of all Equestria. Nonetheless, we both hope that you temper justice with mercy and deal with her lightly.
On a more personal note, I wanted to thank you for insisting that I learn about friendship, even when I was reluctant. If I had still been my old self, I could never have protected Lyra from Greengrass. I acknowledge that I am still learning, but your instruction has already been invaluable for myself and my friends.
Your faithful student,
Trixie Lulamoon
PS: Incidentally, if you do need a lyre player for any reason, I cannot recommend Lyra highly enough.
"Hey. Don't you know it's rude to read somepony else's mail?"
Lyra turned to see Trixie and grinned. "Just making sure you put in all the good parts."
"You mean, making sure I didn't take credit for everything? Nah, it's all in there. Including..." she sighed. "The part where I almost drove you away."
"Hey, I forgave you."
"Still." Trixie nodded. "I'm trying to be better. I really am. But I still screw up sometimes. I'm sorry--"
"I already told you, it's okay." Lyra laughed. "Trixie, I know you're not perfect. Well, that's probably an understatement. But I also know that you always come through when it really matters. Against Corona... against Twilight... at the performance last month... even now. Sure, sometimes you don't say the right thing, but you're still a great friend."
Trixie blushed. "Thanks, Lyra. That means a lot to me." She put the letter into her hat and cast the spell to teleport it to Luna. "It really does."
Lyra beamed.
"And, I guess I should be happy that I scored my first political victory."
"Over a cellist with absolutely no political training."
"Gotta start somewhere!"
The two laughed.
Lyra plucked her lyre. "Come on... let's get to the park. I've got some new music that I think the foals will love."
"I'll get the Doos," said Trixie. "And the other Elements."
"Better hurry. You don't want to miss the opening. It's based on our adventures the past week."
"I'll be there for the opening, but I won't be able to stay for long. There's still twenty homes that haven't filled out their census forms." Trixie looked at the paperwork in her saddlebags. "And Pokey can't help me with this for some legal reason."
"Well, I suppose now you've learned not to sign your friends up for random bureaucratic tasks."
"I certainly have," sighed Trixie.
Lyra smiled kindly. "If you're still working when I'm done, I'll help you."
Trixie brightened.
"Now, come on, let's get going. I've got to regale the crowd with the music of our adventures!"
"...you did omit the part where I got drunk and almost passed out on the judge's chair, right?"
Lyra giggled and began to leave.
"Right? Lyra? Hello?"
Lyra laughed and galloped out of the room.
"Hey, come back here!" Trixie, smiling radiantly, chased her out into the bright new day. |
In My Blood | pre | "You're my friend Morrigan. And it hurts to lose friends and not be able to do anything about it, especially when you can't even be there to say goodbye. It hurts to know you'll never get to see them again. And I'm hoping that teaching you how to stay alive will help to make sure that doesn't happen with you. So thank you for your patience, and thank you for your willingness. And good night." He said to her with a thankful smile up at her. Then he turned and padded to his own room in the castle.
Morrigan stared after him in silence, digesting everything Baelor divulged to her. She watched him go until he rounded a corridor, then looked out one of the broken windows to the blood red moon outside.
"A friend, huh...?" she muttered to herself. After a short while, she sighed and walked into her room to sleep on the idea.
Day 8
The next morning, Morrigan went down to the eating hall, only to find that Baelor wasn't there, only Zecora. She looked around, trying to see if the dragon was just hiding to ambush her like he had done a few times before for training. But she couldn't find him.
"Hey, where's Baelor?" Morrigan asked the Zebra.
"To gather some fish, he has gone. He should not be long," Zecora told her.
Morrigan blinked. "Oh." She responded.
She sat down across from Zecora, and as she said, Baelor walked in with several river trout floating in a glowing sphere of water. "Sup." He greeted them. Then he promptly dumped the fish and all the water on the ground. Several large splinters of ice impaled each fish through their eyes and they stopped moving.
"Jeez, I'll never get used to how damned brutal that looks," Morrigan said with a shake of her head.
"It's quick, and that's all that matters. It isn't right to make them suffer any longer than they have to," Baelor answered. Morrigan just shrugged.
"Whatevs, teach," she said before reaching for one of the fish so she could eat it.
Baelor arched a brow at her. "Eating it raw?" Morrigan just stared at him as she took out a knife, showing she had no intention of eating it that way. She held the fish out to him, knife in the other hand.
"Cook, please," she said simply.
Baelor rolled his eyes before he snapped his claws. A burst of fire surrounded her fish for a second before it disappeared to reveal a cooked fish. She licked her lips and just dug in, eating it like that, knife forgotten in her hand. Once again, the sight of cooked meat had overwhelmed her already small need to look like a lady.
Fortunately though, not enough to stop her from hearing Baelor's next words to Zecora.
"So do you think you can keep up the same training regimen we've all been doing for the past week?" He asked her.
"Yes, and with any luck our student will have just a little less stress," Zecora said with a titter.
"Alright, then I think it's time I take my leave. I leave her in your hands Zecora," Baelor told the zebra.
"Wait what?!" Morrigan exclaimed in surprise. "The fuck you mean 'take my leave?!'"
"Exactly what it means. I need to head back to my world," He answered.
"Seriously?! I still haven't gotten close to mastering the Split Axe, though!" Morrigan cried.
"It's an axe, swing it around and hope you hit something. I can't really give you any other advice other than that. I use whips, I don't have any experience with heavy weapons," Baelor suggested unhelpfully.
"And you're just gonna fucking leave me here? With the knowledge that I still can't use that weapon to its full potential, and get killed because of it?" Morrigan countered.
"Morrigan, do not try and guilt him, the chances of it managing to work are slim," Zecora chided. Morrigan grit her teeth, her food forgotten.
"Morrigan... I was never going to be able to stay here forever. I don't know how it works, but I have a feeling that if I stay here too long, I'll be pulled back to my world whether I want to or not. It's better to go of my own volition when I'm ready instead of getting yanked away with no warning," Baelor told her.
"...Fine, whatever," Morrigan said. She picked up her food, then walked towards the door. "I'll be in my room." With that, she left.
Morrigan sat on her bed, back against the wall behind her.
"Can I come in?"
Morrigan looked up to see Baelor looking at her from just outside her room.
"...Yeah, fine," she said after a short while, returning her gaze to the broken window across the room from her.
Baelor entered her room and sat down on the floor. He was silent for several seconds before he spoke.
"I know what it's like, you know," He told her.
Morrigan blinked in confusion but didn't look at him. "What?" She said.
"I know what it's like to be afraid and feel alone," He elaborated. "I was alone for over a week when I was first Displaced. I was alone, tried to survive with minimal amounts of knowledge of how to find food or water, and I was also struggling to figure out how to use my completely changed body. Then I saved a mare from a griffin, brought her back to her home, and met some of my oldest friends because of that," Baelor said.
Morrigan frowned. "What's your frickin' point?" She asked him.
"You're not alone, Morrigan. Zecora's still going to be here to help you, and she knows a heck of a lot more about this world than I do. And if you ever do need my help, I'm only a token call away," He said glancing at the stone that summoned him here that was resting on a dresser off to the side.
"..." Morrigan was silent. The silence filled the room, broken only by the sounds of insects and frogs and the like chirping and croaking their nightly calls. Finally, Morrigan spoke up. "...It's just hard, knowing that I'm the only real human around here, knowing that my family and my friends are all..." Morrigan stopped, not sure how to continue, and starting to choke with barely restrained emotion.
"I know. They might not be gone, but being unable to get back-" Baelor began, before Morrigan interrupted him.
"The fuck do you know? I saw them! They had blood leaking from every goddamned orifice, like damned waterfalls!" Morrigan yelled, her anger and despair getting the best of her.
Baelor stayed silent after that. "I didn't know... I'm sorry."
"Yeah, well..." Morrigan trailed off, not knowing how to express herself after that.
Another long moment passed between them. Then Baelor sighed. "Like I said before. If you need me, only a call away," Baelor told her. Then he stood up, and walked out the door to her room. Morrigan watched as the door closed, then sighed and flipped over on her bed, burying her face in one of the pillows.
She was alone.
Again. |
The accident | pre | 10 seconds later she was already at the shop, and i was at 30 feet from the start. Well, my top speed is around 5 MPH, Dash's one is around 3.800 MPH, so i think she will always win any race. With a human!
She came back, and we met at half a way.
"Too slow! AHAHAHAHAHHA!!!"
"Well, you go at around 4.000 MPH so..."
"I know, right? So, when we..." She stopped, looking terrified.
"When we what?"
"L-l-l-look over there!" She pointed to a pony buying some stuff...
"It's a dark blue alicorn, so?"
"Sh-sh-she's NIGHTMARE MOON!!!"
"And so? She's just buying something at that stall... I don't see anything wrong with it!"
She just hided behind a bush.
"Look, i'll show you that she's harmless, ok?"
So i walked to Princess Luna, i don't know why Rainbow was so scared and why she called her "Nightmare Moon" even if she's no longer that alicorn...
"Hello miss Luna!" I greeted
"HELLO TO YOU, STRANGER!!!!" She screamed.
My ears just got raped...
"M-m-my ears..." i said
"I'm sorry, i'm used to talk in Royals tone... Aren't you the "human" that my sister talk about?"
"Yes it's me."
"Well, good to see that you're fine. But now i have to go. SEE YOU LATER, STRANGER. AND THANKS FOR THE APPLES, SALESMAN!!!!!"
And she flew away. God dammit my ears...
I walked back to Rainbow Dash, and this time, she was the one with the mouth open!
"See? Except the voice's tone, she's like any other pony here in Equestria. No need to be afraid of her!"
"That was AWESOME! You just walked to her, and greeted her without even being scared!"
"I told you she was harmless. Nightmare Moon is only an old story now..."
"Well, guess you're right..."
"So, are we gonna go to Sugar Cube Corner or you just want to stand here staring at nothing?"
"No, i'm coming..."
"You lead!"
We got at Mr and Mrs Cakes shop, and Pinkie Pie was there welcoming us.
"Hi! What can i do for you?!" She said, bouncing around, like always
"Well, we came here to eat something sweet and..." Pinkie didn't let Rainbow finish her sentence
"What about CUPCAKES!?" She said.
I froze. Terrified. My brain just crashed like a Windows Vista while processing the word "cupcakes"...
"C...c...cupcakes?" I barely said
"Yes! Rainbow colored cupcakes, just for you two!" She said, smiling.
Dash looked at me: "Something wrong?"
"Yes, you don't look so good..."
I then rebooted my brain, realizing that Rainbow was next to me and not in the cupcakes.
"Yes, i'm ok."
"Good!" Rainbow said.
"So, want some cupcakes?" Pinkie asked.
"Ok, i'll take one, and you Dash?"
"One too."
We ate the cupcakes at the park. She then take off and get to his home, saying that she was late for her favorite show. That reminds me of an episode of "The Cleveland Show"...
So i just walked around. Still looking for something to do.
"What can i do? I don't want to be an obstacle to ponies, i have to help them back... somehow..." I said, probably out loud because AppleJack trotted to me.
"Ya could help us at Sweet Apple Acres! We always need some help for some works, and Ah ain't gonna do it all alone, or let mah brother do that alone too!"
I nodded in agreement.
"Follo' me."
We got at the farm. Big Mac greeted me, he knows me, almost everyone in Ponyville know me now. I wasn't a stranger anymore!
"So, what do i have to do?" I asked
"Well, Ah noticed that some apples don't want to fall from trees when i buck them, but you're taller than me, so Ah think that ya could get on the tree and take off that apples! Big Mac will help ya."
"Eeyup" Big Machintosh said
"Ok, where do i start?"
"East field, over there." And she pointed me the HUGE field of apple's trees. At least i didn't had to do it all alone...
So i started to climb on the trees, shaking the leaves, picking up the apples. Good thing it wasn't that hard. Else i could die! I'm not an athletic guy, i barely do something, but i wanted to help, and that gave me the force to continue doing it.
Being different doesn't mean i can't help!
We managed to finish this work at the sunset.
"So, we finished?" I asked
"Eeyup" Big Mac answered
"Good. But i need something to drink, my throat is dry..."
"Sure, follo' me to the house."
We got at the house, there was granny Smith, sleeping.
"Here's a glass of water." He said, quietly
"Thanks" I said.
"And here's some bits for the help, Ah really appreciate it! And Mah sis' too."
"Well, thanks again!"
I drunk it, took the bits, greeted him, and left the farm to go to Fluttershy's home.
I got there at around 7 PM, 'Shy was putting the chickens into the chicken's coop.
"Hi..." She said, i could barely hear that.
"Hi 'Shy"
I got indoor, she was still managing with the chickens.
After dinner, i got to bed. And slept. |
The accident | Chapter eight: Back to my world | Chapter eight: Back to my world
I woke up, screaming. I wasn't at Fluttershy's home. I was in an hospital. My arm was fine, it has only some bandages.
"Yo what the fuck is wrong with ya nigga?" A man with a deep voice said next to me.
"What?"
"I was sleepin', nigga, and ya woke me up!" He was getting REALLY angry
"I didn't meant to, sorry. What time it is?"
"6 AM"
"Day?"
"Hey, the fuck ya think i am? A calendar?"
I didn't said nothing...
"July the 8th, 2012" He finally answered
I froze. I stayed in coma for about one month... It was all a dream...
I just sat on the bed, and cried.
"Hey man, calm down, no need to cry, what's wrong?" The man with the deep voice said, this time was a little surprised by my reaction and even a bit sad.
"I just... i just don't know what happened... i was in another dimension... and then i woke up here..."
"You were in coma, now that it think about it..."
I sighed, and then went back to cry. That man was still trying to calm me down, usually saying "No homo, dude, but everything's fine now"
MEANWHILE, IN EQUESTRIA...
Fluttershy was running from side to side of the home, searching for me.
"Oh my gosh where did he go?" She cried
Twilight came into the cottage, and saw Flutteshy running around and crying.
"Fluttershy, what happened?" She asked
"I can't find him, WHERE DID HE GO!?" She screamed.
"Hold on, Fluttershy, screaming?"
"Yeah, it sounds strange, but this is how it went."
"I know that when she rages she screams, but..."
"I think she's just attached with me!"
"Eheh!"
"Ok Fluttershy, calm down. I'll take here our friends and we will start the research, ok?"
She just squeaked.
It was the afternoon, when the mane six where all reunited at Fluttershy's house.
"Allright girls, the human is missing, and nopony's know where did he go, and why he left."
Applejack jumped, Pinkie STOPPED jumping around, Rarity said her "drama" sentence, Rainbow Dash froze.
"WHAT!?" Said the cyan pegasus.
"Yes, he somehow disappeared. We need to find him. He can get hurt, again."
There was a moment of silence, broke by Fluttershy's sighs.
"Rainbow Dash, you search for him by flying over the place, in a mile radius."
"Got it!" She said.
"Applejack, you go with Pinkie in the Everfree Forest."
"Uhm... Ah guess it's ok..." AJ said.
"Rarity, you will help me looking for clues in the house."
"Ok, let's get started!"
Everyone started their own jobs.
MEANWHILE, ON THE EARTH...
"Good, it seems that you woke up from your coma pretty soon and well!"
"Yeah..."
"Oh, and don't mind about the "dreams" you could had during the period, they're just dreams! Nothing more."
"Ok..."
"I suggest you another week of resting, and then you can go back to work! Oh, and don't do any strange movement with your arm! It should still hurt!"
"Thanks doc..."
And i left the hospital.
I didn't gave a single FUCK about what that doctor said. It was just a dream. The adventures i lived were just dreams.
Strangely, there was my car in one of the parking lot, with a piece of paper attached.
"Hiya dude!
I hope everything's fine now! I heard that you woke up from your coma and so i thought about taking your car here so you can easily come back home!
Sincerely,
-Mark
PS: The car's tank is full, and no, Season Three of My Little Pony isn't on air yet."
Mark is one of my best friend, Actually, he's my ONLY friend. He lived with me at my house. He's both a smartass and a retard. he's AWESOME! And he's a brony too.
I drove. Not to reach my home, but to reach the sea. And i saw his motorbike at the end of the road.
I got out of the car, and walked to him.
"HEY DUDE!" He said, smiling
"Hey man, wazzap?"
"Fine, you?"
"Bad. Really bad." I sadly replied.
"I think a brohoof will fix it!"
We brohoofed and we continued talking.
"What's so bad, anyway?"
I gulped. I was nervous. He's my best friend, and i anyway need to tell him about my "dreams".
I narrated him my whole "life" in Ponyville.
"Whoa" He said, after i finished my story.
"Yeah, that's weird, right?"
"No it isn't!"
"What!?"
"I had a friend before, he was a brony too, and he had a car crash, fall in coma, and when he woke up, he told me a story similar to yours. He then died because he had a hearth attack... But i think it's normal to dream stuff like that."
"Oh... And what are you doing here at the beach?"
"I know that you like to sit here and stare at ocean when you something bad happened to you. And the coma is a bad thing, i think!"
"Yeah, you're right..."
"Hey dude, why that sad face?"
"Because i don't think it was a dream... i think it was real..."
"AHAHA, as soon as Twilight doesn't pop up and take you with her to Ponyville, i'm not gonna believe that! No offense..."
"No offense taken, don't worry..."
After a few minutes of silence, he said: "Well, since those roads here are abandoned, wanna race to home?"
"I bet my "Dashie" will beat your Yamaha!"
We ran to our vehicles and started the race. My car sure is fast as Rainbow Dash (metaphorically), but his motorbike can go in small rooms.
The roads we used for our races are abandoned from about 30 years now, same thing with the buildings all over the place. It's like a Fallout map! Without cops or any other person!
There are various items scattered around the place, and some 80s cars too. If a piece of rust that reminds of a Chevy Impala can be called "car"... But still, it's an awesome place.
I drove as fast as possible, i drove as Rainbow Dash flies, trying to don't crash into anything... See? I don't care of what medics says to me. And that's a good thing.
His bike is a Yamaha, that's all i know, a Yamaha with a 550cc 2 piston engine. My car is a Ford Focus that i modified last year. It's cyan, it has a 2.000cc V6 engine 16 Valves. I don't refer at it as a car or "Focus", i call her "Dashie".
Anyway, back to the race, i was in the lead, and i actually won.
He got here after a minute.
"BWHAHAHAHAHHAH!!!! I lost myself here. AGAIN!"
"You will learn the road, one day. And the shortcuts too!"
And we laughed. We always laugh about stupid things!
"Well, at least we got at home!"
"Anything interesting in TV this evening?"
"Well, your favorite episode of MLP: "Sonic Rainboom", season 1 episode.... episode...."
"...episode 16... where Rainbow Dash does a sonic rainboom..."
I froze for a second, with a sad expression on my face.
"Hey dude, it was a DREAM. A dream, that's all. I know that you "love" Dash, but it was just a dream. Maybe it's better if we don't watch TV tonight."
"Yeah..."
We then watched TV until 2 AM. And we watched My Little Pony. Then i cried. |
The accident | Chapter nine: Meanwhile, in Equestria... | Chapter nine: Meanwhile in Equestria
A week as passed. Everypony gave up.
Fluttershy didn't exit her home since i left, Rainbow Dash was really sad about my departure, Twilight too. Pinkie didn't thrown a single party during that week, AppleJack was a bit sad too, but not so much, probably because we don't know each other so much. Rarity was looking at the mockup she made for me when she was walking in front of it.
"I can't believe it..." Twilight said
"Yeah, i mean, i saw him not so much times, but it seemed to be nice, and friendly with you! I just don't know why he left like so..." Spike replied
"I don't think he left because he wanted too. Something must have happened in his world, that caused him to go back. Somehow."
"I dunno Twilight... maybe you're right, or maybe not. What did the princess said about this?"
"She said that she's a bit sad because she wanted to know about humans a bit more, but the only chance she had just disappeared. Now she's working on some spells to try to get him back. Actually, why is she trying to get him back?"
"You're asking it to the wrong dragon. Anyway, why don't you join her in the studying?"
"I don't know..."
"Twilight, two heads are better than just one."
"You know what? Take note!"
"Ok!"
"Dear Princess Celestia,
Here at Ponyville are all sad about the departure of our friend.
But since i know that you're working on a spell to get him back here, i thought to join you and help you!
As my assistant Spike said: "Two heads are better than just one!" and following his suggestion is not a bad idea, i think.
Tell me if you are interested,
Your student,
Twilight Sparkle"
"...Twilight.... Sparkle... Got it!"
"Ok, now just send it and let's wait for her respond..."
The dragon took a deep breathe and blow away the letter.
MEANWHILE, AT PINKIE'S ROOM...
"Why did he left? I thought he was going to tell us if he left! So i could make him a "Goodbye" party!" Pinkie complained
"Pinkie, not always you can find your answer." Mrs Cake said
"I know..."
"Maybe there's no answer to why he left. Maybe he didn't want to! He was your friend, right?"
"Yes he was!"
"He would tell everyone when he's going to left!"
"Yes, i don't think he left because he wanted too! Maybe something happened..."
"Well, tell Twilight about your idea!"
"I'm gonna tell her as soon as possible."
"I still don't get it, anyway..." Mrs Cake said while exiting the room.
MEANWHILE, AT RAINBOW DASH'S CLOUD-HOUSE...
"Leaving like so is not what a REAL friend like him would do!- The cyan pony said -Maybe there's something worst, deeper in this situation! No, it's IMPOSSIBLE that he left because he wanted to! He would at least greet us before leaving! Something happened. I can feel it! I KNOW it! Well, no i don't know what happened, but i know that SOMETHING happened! ... I need to calm down."
The pegasus flied to the kitchen, and make herself a warm cup of tea.
"This is not a thing that an awesome pony like me would do, but i really need a cup of tea!" She thought.
After drinking the cup of tea, Rainbow Dash came back to her even-too-out-loud thoughts.
"Maybe i should tell Twi' about this feeling i have..."
MEANWHILE, AT FLUTTERSHY'S COTTAGE...
"I just don't know why he left!" The yellow pony said in tears.
Angel was staring at her.
"Oh Angel, what am i going to do? Did he left because i did something wrong?"
The rabbit shooked.
"Maybe he didn't left because he wanted to. Actually, he just disappeared. Can human disappears? Probably not."
Her pet was pointing a photo of Twilight.
"Maybe i should tell her, Angel!"
"How do you know what they did?"
"They told me."
"Oh.. and where is..."
"She left for a moment."
"LOL we're alone!"
"And so?"
"I dunno, i just wanted to point it out. Don't look at me like so, I'M NOT HOMO!"
"I'm just gonna facepalm..."
MEANWHILE AT SWEET APPLE ACRES
"Where is that human that helped Big Mac last week?" Apple Bloom asked
"Ah have no idea sugar cube... Ah wannna know it too..." AppleJack said.
"Maybe he didn't really left. Ah just have this feeling. I don't think he wanted to left for some reason, leaving his friends alone..." Big Mac said.
"Ya know what, bro? Maybe ya're right!"
"Tell it to Twilight, maybe she knows what to do." The colt said.
"Ah'm on mah way!" And she ran out the farm.
MEANWHILE, AT RARITY'S SHOP...
"C'mon sister, why you're so sad?" Sweetie Belle said
"Because one of my friend just disappeared, poof!" Rarity answered
"The human? Like, poof? Really? Is he a magician?"
"I don't know, but it's rude how he left without saying goodbye to his friends!"
"Are you sure?"
"No, now that i think... maybe he left because something happened! I surely know that he's not a magician of any kind, he's been nice with us the last month... Something happened. I need to tell my idea to Twilight!"
And the mare stopped everything she was doing.
"Don't make any disaster while i'm away, little sister!"
"Allright!"
All the ponies met at Twilight's home and knocked at the door.
"I'm coming, just wait a second!" A voice from inside the tree said.
Twilight opened the door, he had some travel bags.
"What are you doing Twilight?" The other mares asked her.
"I'm..." She tried to say
"We gotta help our friend! It's time to stop wasting time!!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
"I got this idea: He didn't left because he wanted too, something must happened to him!" Pinkie said, with one breathe
"Hey Ah got it too!" Applejack said.
"Me too!" Rarity replied
"Count me in, i had your same idea, girls!" Dash said.
"LET ME EXPLAIN!!" Twilight then screamed.
She took a deep breathe before speaking.
"I'm going to Canterlot for this month, to help the Princess find a way to get our friend back. If he want to."
"OF COURSE HE WANT! He wouldn't left us like so! I know him very well and i can say he's not that kind of people who left their friend like so!" Rainbow said.
"Well, i'm going anyway. My train leaves in 5 minutes. Bye girls, i'll miss you!"
Then group hug.
"Good luck Twilight..." Fluttershy barely said.
"I really have to go now, bye!"
And she ran as fast as she could to catch is train in time.
"Well... Ah guess it's better if she does like so, two heads are better than only one!"
"HEY! I said that!" Spike said
"Oh hi Spike!" Pinkie greeted the dragon
"Hi guys..."
"So she left you all alone here?" Rarity asked.
"Yes, she needs someone to watch is library. And i have to write her a letter every day."
"Well... I don't have any other idea now. What we gonna do?" Pinkie asked
"I'll train for the Wonderbolts. It's not going to be the same thing without him, but i need to train." Rainbow Dash answered.
"It's better if we go, so. We can't help anypony at the moment. I hope something will happen soon..." Fluttershy said, before everypony took their way back to home.
The afternoon passed, and so the evening. They all went to bed. Everyone with their thought on their minds. |
The accident | Chapter ten: Dreams... | Chapter ten: Dreams
I don't remember very well what happened. Maybe i just got drunk.
Anyway, i woke up, Mark was watching TV.
"Anything to eat?" I asked
"I dunno, i think there's some cheese under the armchair..." He replied
"I already told you that the cheese doesn't go under the armchair!"
"I'm sorry..."
"Well, let's pick it up before some fucking mouse eat it..."
I got the the armchair, and looked for the cheese. There was just a Coca-Cola cap and 5 dollars.
"Well, at least i found 5 dollars... i'll go get breakfast. What are you gonna do?"
"I dunno..."
"Right... Well, i'll go. Later."
"Later bro!"
I drove to the near shop. Well, actually it's a gas station, but it sells food and drinks too.
I bought some milk and cornflakes. With 5 dollars. it's a cheap shop. Fortunately...
The town changed a lot since i woke up from coma, and only a month passed.
Most of the town now have to deal with criminals, shootouts, illegal races and stuff like that. And almost half of the population left their home, abandoning them. This city is literally dying. I was lucky to not being death. But i wanted to go back to Ponyville, with my friends...
I syntonize the radio to a random AM frequency... and i listened it. The radio was playing "Winter wrap up".
I had to stop for a second. I parked and turned off the engine. That song destroyed my mind for some minutes.
"IS THIS SOME KIND OF SICK JOKE!?" I yelled, inside the car. People could still hear me.
I turned on the engine and i skidded away. I didn't care about signs, i was just running to home.
When i got there, i used the handbrake to stop the car.
Mark got out of the home, he was looking at me, and i was a mix of sad and angry.
"Yo man, what happened?" He asked
"I know it wasn't a dream, they're trying to contact me!"
"Dude... are you drunk again?"
"No i'm not!"
"So are you high?"
"WHAT THE FUCK DUDE! Of course i'm not high!"
"Ok, calm down! What happened?"
"Listen to the radio in my car."
"Ok..."
We both got in, the radio was now playing a remix of "Love is in Bloom"
"You sein' this!?" I said
"Yes, that's Brony X. I always listen to that when i use your car. That radio born some weeks ago as a group project of the university. And it's actually a very followed radio!"
God. I hate when i have some ideas and they're wrong!
"Well, fuck this."
"First off, calm down, you seem pretty upset!"
"Shut up. I'll leave now, i have to think..."
"Ok, don't do shit!"
I looked at him, with the rage literally wrote on my face.
He looked back, nervously smiling.
I thrown the stuff i bought out of the trunk and then i left.
I drove as fast as possible in the abandoned part of the city to reach the sea. When i got at the same place, i think i crashed into a old sign, making it fall. Good thing that sign was just a pole made out of rust, so "Dashie" didn't got any damage to the body.
I stared at the sea. Talking to myself.
"Why was it a dream? I was so happy!"
"It's better if i'm here or if i go back to Ponyville?"
"If i go to Ponyville, what is Mark going to do?"
"And how can i get to Ponyville again?"
After some hours of thinking, i decided to lay down. And i fell asleep.
"Where am i?"
"Hey! You came back!"
I met Rainbow Dash in the dream. What the hell?
"Rainbow!"
We hugged.
"Why did you left? I thought we were friends!" She asked
"I don't know what happened, but i WANT to come back with you! My life sucks here!"
"I'll ask Twilight!"
Suddenly, i heard a seagull.
"What's going on?" She asked
"Don't leave me!" I yelled, trying to catch her hoof, but i was too far.
I woke up. A seagull was flying over me. It was night. And when i fall asleep that it was around 3 PM.
I got to the car and looked at the clock. 9 PM. I slept 6 hours without being really tired. Is it normal? The dream i had was normal?
I got home, Mark was sleeping on the sofa.
I decided to go to bed too, even if i slept for 6 hours in a row...
That dream freaked me out... |
The accident | Chapter eleven: Was it only a dream? | Chapter eleven: Was it only a dream?
Rainbow Dash woke up in her bed. She was heavily breathing.
"What in hay was that!?" She exclaimed.
The cyan pony then got out of her house, and flew to Twilight library.
Once she got there, she knocked heavily at the door, and a really tired dragon opened her the door.
"Oh Rainbow, it's you. You don't look good, what happened? And why you are here at 2 AM?"
"There's no time Spike, i just need you to send Twilight a letter!"
"Oh, ok. But then can you tell me what happened?"
"Yes, now move!"
"Ok, i'm ready"
"Twilight,
I had a dream, i don't know if it was a dream or some kind of sick joke my mind is doing to me, but anyway, i talked to the human. he wants to come back here. He says his life sucks in his world.
I don't know how to feel, it was a dream, but it was so realistic!
I hope this is a good thing...
Rainbow Dash"
"...Rainbow....Dash... Got it! Now i'll send it."
And Spike blown away the letter.
"I don't think she will answer immediately, but let's hope." And she flew away.
"Jeez, that was fast... I hope this ends well..."
The next day Dash came back to the library, and asked Spike if Twilight answered to the letter.
The dragon shooked.
"Maybe she's just too busy to read the letter..." He said
"If so, i'll tell her by myself!" The pegasus replied.
"Don't do anything stupid, Rainbow!"
"HEY! I'm not a silly filly anymore! And you're the last one who can tell me what to do!" She said, angrily...
"O...k..."
Rainbow flew as fast as possible to Canterlot.
When she got to the castle, she asked for Twilight.
"Miss Sparkle is out for lunch at the moment. I don't know where, i'm sorry." A guard replied.
The cyan pony flew from side to side of the town, looking for her friend. And she finally found her.
"Twilight!"
"Rainbow Dash, what are you doing here?"
"Did you get the letter i wrote to you!?"
"Yes, but i didn't read it, i was too tired..."
"Anyway, we need to talk, NOW." Dash said, with a quite angry tone
"Ok, sit here and tell me."
She then told Twilight what she dreamed about.
"Maybe you just can't afford the fact that one of your friends just disappeared with no reason."
"Maybe i'm the only pony who can talk to him! Maybe i have this link with him, for some reason!"
"Some reason? You two are like the best friend ever for each other."
Rainbow felt a bit embarrassed about that sentence.
"Anyway, i just had this dream. And i think it's REAL. I think i can REALLY talk to him!"
"Let's do a test. Next time you have a dream like so, tell him to take one of your feathers. If you have a missing feather the next morning, than there is a kind of... i don't know, link, or portal to the other world."
"That's stupid Twilight..."
"Want to know the truth or not? Do like so if you want to know!"
"Allright allright, i'll do like so!"
"Now i really have to go. Nice to meet you again, Rainbow Dash."
"I hope it's not only a dream..."
MEANWHILE, ON THE EARTH...
"Yo what the fuck dude! You just had a dream, again! That's all! Just because you basically "love" a cartoon pony so much to dream about her, it doesn't mean it was real!" Mark said
"I just don't know... It was so real..."
"Dream. it was a dream. Nothing more, nothing less."
"What about if we're like, i dunno, linked? Somehow. I was her best friend in my "coma-dream"! Why not?"
"Because it's ridicule."
"For fuck sakes!"
"Dude, just don't think about it, ok? Think about season 3! It's coming on next month!"
"It's coming in september..."
"Really?"
"Do you go to equestriadaily to watch the news?"
"No i don't..."
"In fact."
"Dude. it, was, a, dream. Nothing more than a dream."
"I'll prove you that it wasn't a dream!"
"Ok, how?"
"I don't know..."
"Well, there's still the whole day before you go to bed. Let's do something!"
Then i remembered about the notes i took while i was in Equestria. I looked everywhere, and i incredibly found them on the pants i was wearing during the accident. How the hell did they got there?
"MARK COME OVER HERE!!!" I shouted
"What's going on!?"
"Look, those are the notes i was taking during my lifetime in Equestria. Still think it was all a dream?"
"Holy shit... You could have wrote them, but i didn't saw you writing or anything..."
"I found them on the pants i was wearing when i had the accident. It couldn't be a dream!"
"Shit, maybe you're right!"
"I KNEW IT!"
"I think we need a "Twilight" here too... this is pretty hard to explain..."
I knew that it wasn't a dream. And good thing i took notes! But i still don't know how they got into my pants...
Some minutes earlier, in Equestria...
"Are you sure this will work?" The Princess asked
"Well, if we don't try, we will not know it!" Twilight replied, with a grin on her face
The unicorn used a magical spell on the notes i took, and they disappeared.
"Well, let's hope he reads the message you and your friends al wrote him..."
Back to the Earth...
"Hey, what's this?" I noticed a piece of paper with a strange wax sign.
"I'm Twilight. This is a test for a spell for teleportation through dimension. If you read this, then continue reading, we all have a message for you.
We all miss you, we're sad about your departure. And i didn't even thrown a single party during the first week! -Pinkie Pie
Your head is perfect for hat designing! I always appreciated your help here at the shop! -Rarity
I wanted to thank you for helping us at the farm that day. But i don't know how to thank you if you're not here... -Applejack
I feel alone in my home now... -Fluttershy
I knew you would left without reason! You're one of my best friends! I hope you will get the notes and this letter back, so you will know it wasn't a dream! -Rainbow Dash"
"HOLD ON A FREAKIN' SEC!"
"Yo man, what are you yelling at!?"
"Look here Mark!"
"Woah... So they like... teleported here your notes and this letter?"
"If you know how to read, then you will know that you're right."
"What's that wax sign?"
"Spike's seal of approval. What the heck?" And i laughed
"LOL!"
"I knew it wasn't a dream... but how can i contact them back? There isn't stuff like so here in this planet..."
"I have no idea... But if i'm not retarded, i think that when you dream, there's ACTUALLY a link to Equestria."
"Well, we only have to wait! I feel better now!"
"I'm a little freaked out, but what ever..."
I was happy! It wasn't a dream! |
The accident | Chapter twelve: Looting | Chapter twelve: Looting
I got to bed at around 11 PM... and i started dreaming.
"Rainbow Dash!!"
"Finally you're here!"
"I got the letter! I knew it wasn't a dream!"
"Well, take one of my feathers now, before it's too late!"
"What?"
"Take one of my feathers, now!"
"Ok Dash!"
And i took one feather from her wings.
I woke up. I had a cyan feather in my hand.
"Holy shit..."
And i fell asleep again.
The next morning, i showed Mark the feather.
"Wo wo wo dude! That is a feather from one of Rainbow Dash's wings!?"
"Yup."
"Dude this is so fucking amazing!"
"Yup."
"This reminds me of "Inception"..."
"Yeah, it reminds me that movie too!"
"There's a link with the 2 dimensions, and the link are the dreams that you and Rainbow Dash do. Am i right?"
"No, you're just a fucking genius!"
"How can we use this link? You can only talk to Rainbow Dash..."
"I dunno, but knowing how smart Twilight is, i think she will find a way."
MEANWHILE, IN EQUESTRIA...
"So, Rainbow Dash, what happened?" Twilight asked
"He took one of my feathers, as you can see." Dashie replied, showing Twilight her wing
"Did he said something else?"
"Yes, he got the letter we sent him."
"Well, i'm at only half a way! And it took only some weeks!" She smiled
"I hope you will get to a solution as soon as possible, i really miss him!"
"Everypony does. But now, i'll go back studying. See you, Rainbow!"
"Later, Twi!"
They were both happy for the succeeding of the test.
BACK TO THE EARTH
"That's incredible dude!"
"I know..."
"You two are linked in a special way. And i'm like: "OMGWTFBBQ"! That's awesome. I knew that you like Dash, but... in this way?"
"Don't joke about me..."
"Sorry, i didn't meant to."
"What shall we do now?"
"I have no idea."
"I think that... I'll go to loot the abandoned row, again..."
"Oki doki loki!"
I drove around the abandoned part of the city. It's a nice place for me, it's quiet, there's some stuff to loot, and there's no one!
I love to loot the houses or the cars that are in the middle of the street. Yeah, it's creepy, i know, but i just love to do like so, it reminds me of Fallout, which is my favorite videogame.
Then i found an old, black Buick, a tire was flat, and the the truck opened. It seemed not so rusty as the other wrecks, and that's why i got inside the car. Everything was pretty OK inside, there still was the keys in the steering wheel. I looked inside if there was any interesting loot, but i found just a gas can and an AA battery. I smiled when i thought about trying to turn on the engine, so i turned half-a-way the key, but nothing happened.
I got out and looked at the house where the car was pointing at. I wonder what happened before this cars were abandoned. Maybe a huge crisis made everyone left their stuff. Or maybe something else happened.
Anyway, i entered the house, and looked for something interesting. What i found gave me creeps: the house was like INTACT, except for the dust and the webs all over the rooms. I tried to use a switch, but the lights just had a some sparkles, nothing more. I so picked up my flashlight, and pointed it around to light my way. I found a fridge, and there was still food inside. If what i found could be called food.
"Jeez, what the heck happened here?" I told to myself.
After a while, i got back to the car and drove around the place, trying to find a good spot. Then, something catch'd my my attention. It was a car, i think, but COMPLETELY flatted, like if a tank just ran over it. I parked near the wreck, and looked closely. I could see crawler tracks on the metal of the car. I looked in front of me: more flatted car, completely or partially.
I froze: What the hell could a tank doing here 30 years ago?
Then it got windy and dark. It was really cold, and it was july!
I ran to the car, trying to turn it on, but it seemed to be literally dead. I was scared as hell. I tried to turn on the radio, but it was giving a blank signal. Suddenly, i spotted something moving really far away, but it was still in the beacons lighting range. It stopped, looking at me. It looked like a dog, a light colored dog, with a... kind of mane? That thing looked at me. It has really big, magenta eyes. I was nearly crying. What the fuck was that!?
I closed the car with me inside. that thing was getting near. I tried to turn on the engine, and it worked. I completely pressed the gas pedal, trying to ran over that thing, then i thought about what i was going to do: "Do i really want to kill that something?"
I used the emergency brake to try to stop the car.
50 meters before hit that something
As soon as i released the handbrake, I lost the control of the car, i was skidding.
20 meters before hit that something
I tried to use the normal brakes, but the car was skidding to much.
10 meters before hit that something
I just turn the steering wheel like an idiot, crashed into fence, and i stopped into a garden.
That thing was still looking at me, but it seemed to to be like scared, protecting its head with its legs.
I opened the door and fell outside the car, it was still on, but the bumper was damaged. I picked up the flashlight and pointed it to that "thing".
"RAINBOW DASH!?"
"What the hay...!?"
I ran to her, but then a flash just took her away, and i literally flew away, like if it was an explosion. I landed near the car. On my butt.
I could kill her... I could never ever forgive me for doing such an HORRIBLE thing. What the fuck was in my mind?
I ran back where Dash's was. There was nothing. Not a sign or something like that. Nothing.
I drove back home as fast as possible.
"Hey man what the fuck happened to you!?" Mark asked
"I...i... I SAW HER!" I yelled
"Another dream?"
"N..no! I REALLY saw her! I was going to ran over her with the car!!"
"That's not cool, bro..."
"Holy shit..."
I sat on the ground, near the door of the house.
Mark got near and looked at the car.
"What happened to the bumper?" he asked
"I crashed to avoid her."
"Dude..."
"What?"
"It's better if the next time i go with you looting..."
"Ok, it'll be fun!"
"Now it's better if you go to bed..."
"Yes... ok..."
While dreaming...
"Rainbow, are you here?"
"WHAT THE HAY WAS IN YOUR MIND!?"
"I'm sorry, i didn't know it was you, i'm really sorry, i was scared. I could kill you... I could never ever forgive myself for doing such an horrible thing..."
"Gosh..."
"I'm sorry Dashie..."
"It's ok, i'm fine, but what is that "thing" that was going to hit me?"
"It's a car, we use it for travel from place to place faster than going on foot."
"Oh ok. Don't use it again against me!"
"I'm sorry!" I said, almost crying
"Hey, calm down. Most important is that we're both fine!"
Aaaand i started crying. Now i know how Vinyl felt when i was in Ponyville. She hugged me.
"It's ok, you just need to vent yourself."
I didn't know that she could be so "romantic", if it's the right word... I think not...
Anyway, i cried. Both in the dream and reality.
"Feel better now?"
"Yes, thanks."
I hugged her in a tight hug, then i woke up.
"Dude, what the fuck..."
"It's nothing, i felt sorry for trying to ran over Rainbow Dash, she understood me anyway."
"Good. Now go back to sleep because you wake me up with your fucking sighs!"
"Eheh, sorry..."
My brain was fucked, i think... |
The accident | Chapter thirteen: The end of my nightmare | Chapter thirteen: The end of my nightmare
Almost a month as passed. I met Rainbow Dash in all my dreams, and every day i go to loot with Mark, and we became junk dealers. It'a not a lot, but we live with it, and we have fun too.
So, today was a big day. A costumer asked us if we had a old Buick from the 80s, of course we don't have one, but i knew where to find one.
Another thing is that Mark sold his motorbike and bought a big Ford Transit, so we can load more loot instead of ruining the interiors of my "Dashie".
We tow the car back, and that guy gave us 5.000€ for that wreck. I was a little confused, but he was happy, that's what count!
We separated after a while so we could cover a bigger area. I used my "Dashie", Mark used is van.
I was listening to the radio. I was listening to Brony X. They have some cool DJs, and cool music too!
Anyway, it was even TOO hot that day. I looked up. No clouds.
I met Mark in a house near me, it was the sunset.
"Hey Mark!"
"Hey man, wazzap?"
"Nothing much, you?"
"I didn't found anything interesting..."
"Well, i found some old music tapes, i don't know if they work or not, but anyway..."
"Collectors always buy stuff like that."
"Yeah... yeah... Anyway, do you know what happened here that caused everyone to ran away?"
"A russian airplane with some chemical wastes crashed here 26 years ago. The army secured the area and make everyone left their stuff here. And they used tanks, they flatted some cars too..."
"CHEMICAL WASTES!?"
"Don't worry, if there was still something awful here, we would both be dead after 10 minutes entering here!" He then laughed
"What the fuck..."
"I know, i know, but it's safe!"
"If you say so."
"Well, i'll change road. See you later!"
"Bye"
He walked to the van, and turned it on, or tried to.
"Piece of shit! Y U NO START!?"
"Hey man, what happened?"
"I don't know, the engine seems like dead."
"I'll go find a phone, ok?"
"Ok, i'll wait you here."
I got to my car. It wasn't working too. I was a little scared now.
"Dude, why your car doesn't start up?"
"I don't know, it always worked fine, except when..."
"Except when...? He asked, really worried.
I could feel the adrenaline raising in my blood. I could hear my own heart.
"Except when i found Rainbow Dash..."
"Oh my god..."
We looked around, looking for some sign of ponies, but nothing happened.
Then the sun literally turned off, and a cold wind started to blown. I could hear the wind itself on my ears. It was incredibly cold.
We ran to the car before literally freezing. The radio was giving a blank signal, but the car started up.
I started to drive, at really low speed, around 10 MPH, and i turned the lights on.
Suddenly, a flash. And something landed on the hood.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS TWILIGHT DOING ON YOUR CAR!?" Mark shouted.
I was in panic. I pressed the gas pedal until it reached the floor.
Twilight teleported herself inside the car, on Mark's stomach.
"You need to come with me, now!" Twilight yelled at me.
"What about Mark!?" I replied, still pressing the gas pedal.
"He can come too, but you need to come with me, NOW, we don't have so much time! Grab my hoof!"
I realized that i was going at 70 MPH. Running towards Mark's van.
"DUDE WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO!?" Mark screamed.
"Grab my hand, it will all be fine!"
He grabbed my hand, and i grabbed Twilight hoof.
Then the time slowed down, and we got teleported behind the car, outside, on the road.
I could see my car crashing into the van, destroying the tank of the vehicle, generating an explosion in pure HollyWood style. I could see metal sheets flying away. I could see the metal of the vehicles folding. I could see a ball of fire from under the van, literally launching it in the air. And everything went dark.
I woke up in place familiar for me. Even too much familiar.
I sat on the bed and looked around: It was Fluttershy's cottage. I was teleported back in the place where i can be happy for ever.
I was going to get up, but a cyan hoof stopped me.
"Where do you think to go? Aha!" Rainbow Dash was there.
"Finally, i'm back here! I missed you!"
"We all missed you too!"
She hugged me. A really tight hug.
"I knew it wasn't a dream!"
"Of course it wasn't! I always waited for you, i always tried to find a way! I'm The Element of Loyalty!"
I started to cherish her rainbow colored mane.
Mark slammed the door and entered the room.
"HEY GUYS! You must come outside!"
"Hey Mark, you're ok!" I smiled
"Sure as a Pinkie Pie promise!"
We all laughed.
"C'mon, get up and go outside, we got a surprise for you!"
We walked outside.
Pinkie made a party, a "Welcome Back" party. She should had add the word "Home" at the end! After all it is my new home. And it wasn't a dream. It'S NOT a dream. Finally. I wasn't lost anymore. I live here, and i'm happy.
Now i live a normal life in an extra-ordinary place.
I even managed to tell my sentiments to Dash, and she returns them! She's my "marefriend", if a word like that exists. That could freak out someone, or even hate that, but i'm happy as i am. If you find something wrong on me being happy, then there's something wrong with you.
I'd never thought about being teleported here, then back to Earth, and finally live here.
It's been a year since we're here. Rainbow Dash is still training for a place in the Wonderbolts, and she always need someone to cheer her. Twilight works on some kind of spell almost every week. For example, last week she blew up a melon while trying to find a cure to headache! Pinkie Pie is always the same Pinkie Pie, still making parties to everyone in town. Rarity finally had a chance to expose her dresses in Canterlot. Applejack need help at least once a week, so i sometimes go to her, even with Rainbow, and we help her with the farm. Fluttershy finally became a little less shy, even if she just run away from almost everything, but she's not afraid of her own shadow anymore. The Cutie Mark Crusader are still looking for their talents, without success...
Nothing changed, except me. I changed a lot since i'm here. I found my love, i found my happiness, and the best thing is: i can share it with a friend.
Now that Twilight found a way to make me walk permanently on clouds, i live with Rainbow Dash. And i can't be much happier!
I'm finally happy.
THE END
"Rainbow, i finished it, finally!"
"I'm coming!"
*After reading the story...*
"So, what do you think about it?"
"I think there's a lesson that you should add here."
"I know, but i want you to set it!"
"Ok. So, having a friend is nice. Sharing something with a friend is nice too. Living an adventure with your very best friend is pure awesomeness. Finding the love can't be described. It's too much things together, and it's only one sentiment. It's simply epic. It's an awesome feel! And never, ever, give up about your dreams! They will become true, one day!"
"Good! Hug?"
"Sure!"
"...i love you..."
"...i love you too..." |
Discord's Elements of chaos | pre | "This is so much fun!"
"Wait until I get my hooves on you!" *
Still only on the Trample Jerk and Foulhoof's tail, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy weren't able to make any progress.
"Neh-neh! You're not going to catch us at this rate!" shouted Foulhoof.
"Yeah, you slowpokes!"
"Grr, I'm sorry, Fluttershy, but I'm going to have to speed ahead, and you're just going to have up when I get my hooves on them."
"I don't think its-!"
"The gloves are off, Foulhoof!"
Rainbow began to amazingly motor up behind the two.
"Oh no, I'm so scared. Quick, Trample Jerk, do the tactic I told you to do."
"Fine."
The two's necklaces began to glow and a dark thick fog blew behind them directly into Rainbow Dash's face.
"Cough-Foulhoof!"
Her necklace lit up and beams of light scattered away the thick fog. But she looked up ahead to see the targets were gone.
"Darn it! Foulhoof! You and your cheap tricks!"
"Not cheap tricks really, just methods of winning the game!" shouted Foulhoof. When Rainbow Dash looked up, she saw the two descend at her. "Banzai!"
Rainbow Dash was struck and propelled back towards the earth, where Foulhoof and Trample Jerk heard the bang sound she made.
"Ha! Ha! Rainbow Dash always fell for that!"
"Stop right there you two!" The two turned to see Fluttershy approach them. "That's if you don't mind..."
"Look who's all alone, Foulhoof."
The two made an evil snicker noise that made Fluttershy start to shake. *
Emerged out of her hole with her head spinning, Rainbow Dash seemed to be alright. Something then crashed down next to her. Climbed out of the hole it had made, Rainbow dash cried.
"Fluttershy!"
"Sorry, I was sort of outnumbered two-to-one; there was not much I could do." Fluttershy said though she became a bit worried when she saw the anxious look on Rainbow Dash's face and how quiet she was. "Is there something wrong?" Oblivious to her messed up hair and what looked like pen marks all over her face.
"Um, no, but you might want to clean yourself up when you get the chance?" *
Hit off against one another in a collision, both Applejack and Rotten Tim were thrown back from one another and crashed haphazardly across the field.
"Why you little-" said Rotten Tim. He charged across the field at where Applejack was. But the other pony had managed to duck and roll out of the way and allow him to smash through the gate. Rotten Tim then came to a stop and said, "huh?" and realised he had a lasso around his legs.
"Now, Winona!"
A work dog barked in response and grabbed the end of the lasso rope and ran around Rotten Tim and made the lasso tight around him.
"You're about to find out what it means to have family by your side, Rotten Tim!"
Applejack and all her family then made a single charge at Rotten Tim. Their combined power all together struck against him and fired him through the air in one mighty deliverance.
"Yeah, we showed him!"
"I told you to stay inside, Applebloom!" said Granny Smith. *
Cover-to-cover, the two unicorns kept each other at ranged distance and fired bolts from their horns. Spike had stood on the couch and rooted Twilight, while he jeered Dawnshade at the same time.
"Come on, Twilight, can't you feel the love coming on? How our styles of battle translate to one another into passion?"
"Dawnshade!" shouted Twilight and fired another bolt. "Get over it, it isn't happening!"
"You tell him, Twilight. You start getting it, Dumbshade!"
"How about you get go you little pest!"
Dawnshade then fired a bolt at Spike, but the baby dragon was able to jump behind the couch in time.
"You leave, Spike, alone!"
"You know that worthless hide has been nothing more than tightened the chains that imprison you. How about this, after I barbecue him, I get you a new pet, one that demonstrates your rebirth and shows our loves?"
"To start off with! Spike is not a pet! And would you stop assuming there's something between us."
Dawnshade jumped out from behind the staircase, where Twilight was now able to see of them a book that was laid open.
"Hey! Is that my diary?"
"Oh yeah, I was getting bored waiting for you and really wanted to catch up to see how you had been getting on, so-."
"You read my diary!"
"Yeah, it's sweet that you've spent time away from that oppressor and-."
"You read my diary!"
"Uh yeah, didn't you hear me the first time?"
"You read my diary!" An influx of power than built up over Twilight, so power that it fired out from both her tiara and horn all at once.
"Oh no..."
Struck full force by it, Dawnshade crashed outside the house. He continued on going with the built up of energy continued to smash him through five blocks of buildings, before it calmed down and rolled across the dirt and tumbled into a pile of rubble.
Slowly gotten back up with his head spinning.
"Um, Dawnshade?"
He was then just about able to see, an Earth pony covered in icing and sprinkles.
"Frownie?"
"You're so in for it now, Dawnshade!" screamed Twilight stormed out from the air and pounced on him. She had him now pinned against the ground and her horn aimed at his face. "You're going to wish you never read through my diary!"
"You read through her diary?" asked Frownie.
"Huh!? You read through Twilights diary!?" said Pinkie pie, suddenly appeared next to Frownie.
"Now just hold on, Twilight, I can make this up to you."
"You're going to pay! You hear me!?"
"Hold it!"
Twilight was able to move her eyes to see Glomun had pinned Rarity against the shattered remains of a wall, with his hoof near hovered over the girl unicorn's face.
"Like, do anything more to Dawnshade and I'll so give this little missy here a new makeover!"
"Gasp, you wouldn't!" said Rarity.
"I would and I know how you sparkly girls dislike me getting my hooves all over your faces."
"Whoa! Now that's just harsh!" said Pinkie pie.
"What's it going to be, Twilight, let Dawnshade go or make little Ms sparkle queen have to wash herself for a few days? I can make it a few weeks just so you know."
"Don't- have to- Twilight- I can-."
"Sigh, fine, but you let go of Rarity."
"Fine by me, so long as you let go of Dawnshade first."
Twilight slowly got off Dawnshade and the unicorn swooped back between his gang. Glomun then got off Rarity and allowed her to run back between Pinkie pie and Twilight.
"Yuck, that filth has gotten his germs all over me. But you shouldn't have, Twilight, you should have given that Dawnshade what for."
"Sorry, Rarity, but I know how filth pains you."
"Don't be silly- it just grosses me out- really bad."
"Don't forget that we're still here." said Dawnshade.
"Oh! Do you guys still want to play some more?" asked Pinkie Pie.
"No!" shouted Frownie and shook off all the mess off her.
"Actually we just don't like to people speaking about us away from our faces." said Dawnshade. "But where's Rotten Tim!?"
"Um, well-."
A loud whistle sound then pierced through the air and a large object, bombed on all three of them.
"Rotten Tim! What you doing flying through the air and dropping on us!?"
"None of your business!"
"Raagh! Never mind! Time we got out of here, Foulhoof and Trample Jerk are bound to have retrieved Discord!"
"Wait! If that's true, you four aren't going anywhere unless you tell us where they might've taken Discord then!"
"No thanks, it so happens that while I was reading through your diary, I found this teleportation spell you had uncovered. Intriguing as it was, I read how you did it."
"Oh no!"
"Oh yes, boys- and girl, we're out of here!"
His horn than glowed and then all at once there was a large boom. As the smoke cleared, all that remained was this large crate in the fours place.
"I'm no expert on it, but that didn't look like my teleportation spell." said Twilight.
"Either way, this could be bad; all four are gone, which means if they have Discord there's no means of finding them."
"Stop worrying, I'm sure Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were able to secure Discord," said Pinkie Pie.
"Anyone of you, see a pony fly through the air come by?" asked Applejack.
"You just missed him," replied Twilight.
"Shoot, I wasn't done yet with that big bully!"
"Guys!"
"Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, did you secure Discord!?" shouted Twilight as she saw the two fly towards them.
Both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy dropped down and had their heads turned away. "Sadly no, I'm afraid they were able to take off with him." said Fluttershy.
"Oh no... this could spell the worse for all of Equestria." said Twilight.
"No it darn well doesn't!" shouted Applejack.
"But, they have Discord now." said Rarity.
"So you're telling me you all are just going to throw in the towel!? We're the chosen Elements of Harmony and we don't give up, no matter what! So long as we all stick together!"
"She's right, there's still hope," replied Rarity. "But is it okay if we take a bath first? I'm covered in ick and Fluttershy has a facial and hair emergency."
"What do you mean?" |
Discord's Elements of chaos | Chapter 3 | Chapter 3
[Edited by Stardust]
"Man, this things heavy." said Trample Jerk as she and Foulhoof placed down the statue, deep within the gloom forest.
"Alright, wasn't the rest of the gang meant to meet us here?"
They then heard this chorus of screams from above and were slammed down by the rest of them just on queue.
"Dawnshade! I thought it was a teleportation spell! Not a flying lesson spell!" shouted Frownie.
"Oh haha with the sarcasm!"
"Seriously, is blowing stuff up the only thing you're able to do?" said Glomun.
"Hey, for your information I was a great magic user, I just didn't expect doing the teleportation spell would be that hard. Besides, I got us out in one piece!"
"One piece is putting it mildly."
"Want to fill us in when you'll be getting off of us!?" shouted Foulhoof. The ponies all got off the pile they were in, except for one of them. "Trample Jerk! You too!"
"Did you get Discord?" Dawnshade then saw for himself the statue before them. "Yes-yes! We've won! We've did it! We've got Discord! Now all we need to do is awaken him!"
"Um, just how do we free him?" asked Frownie.
"Trample Jerk! I told you to get off me!"
"Uh, I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"Well, Discord didn't exactly give instructions."
"Well you don't exactly expect him to just get us to free him, without knowing how."
"That's the thing, what if we do know, but just don't realise it yet?"
"Huh?" chorused all the ponies.
"Think about it, Discord was freed once right. I bet it was so easy that some pony got tired to society like we have and was able to free him just like that. So it must be the same for us, it's so trivial that we're just not looking hard enough."
"Trample Jerk! I'll give you one more chance to get off of me!"
"Or more likely, Discord didn't even know how he got freed the first time and expects us to figure out," said Rotten Tim.
"Either way, we've only spent eight hours, which means we should have sixteen hours to let us figure out how!"
"That gives us basically a day to figure out how we're suppose to get Discord out of there."
"Thanks for pointing out the negative news, Frownie, but if you've forgotten, we didn't sign for this, so we have no choice but to deal with this. For now we're going to have to keep moving."
"Why?"
"If you really need me to point it out, those Elements of harmony will be trying to pursue us once they figure out that we haven't freed Discord yet, then again they'll be after us either way and we can't let them hinder us anymore."
"Um, I'm sure they won't even find us, we're all the way out in the forest."
"Trust me, Twilight will be drawn by the bond she has tied to me and will come trailing to be together."
"Yeah right, when I saved your ass from her, she looked ready to waste you."
"That was her imprisoned side trying to desperately resist me. Now that she must confront who she is with herself, she will realise that she was being foolish and come racing to me. If not, doesn't change the fact that they'll be wanting Discord back and might end up getting lucky and finding us, therefore, we keep moving!" *
Huddled around a map inside the remains of Twilight's house, Twilight spoke. "Alright, girls, we know our objective, we just need to know where to look for it, but the thing is-where?"
"Me and Fluttershy chased them east, before they got the no good drop on us."
"That'll lead to nearby the dark forest." said Applejack. "I bet that's where they're heading, the environment suits them fine."
"She may be right. In the fashion magazines, it was said that Glomun had been last spotted in the dark forest among other delinquent ponies, so I would say that it's possible."
"So is there nowhere else they might have gotten to? We have to consider all our options before just jumping in, remember that the worlds at stake."
"Sorry, Twilight, but I'm afraid that's all we've got."
"That's alright, Applejack, if it's the only place they may have gone to it might have been where they have gone."
"Thing is, where in the Dark forest? It's so big." asked Fluttershy.
"We'll have to figure that out on the way, we can't waste anymore time. Did you all pack your things while Rarity and Fluttershy were fixing themselves?"
"Eager and ready." said Fluttershy.
"I'm planning on making this quick to settle things with those no good outlaws."
"You know I'm ready!" said Pinkie Pie.
"Good, then we shouldn't spend any more time here and start making progress."
They then all went outside ready to go on their journey, but were all stopped as they looked at the mass devastation of Ponyville. Ponies were out trying to pick out possessions out of the rubble, but some were still hurt from the attack and were bandaged up and then there were those who couldn't do anything at all and had to remain still outside until beds could be sorted at the hospital.
"Girls!" shouted the Mayor as she approached. "I hope you give those vandals what for."
"Don't worry, Mayor, we will, I just wish we had been here sooner though to prevent all this." replied Twilight.
"That's alright, to be honest; I doubt there would've been much you could've prevented. Those savages have damaged our hometown's spirits with the malice and madness they brought. Just seeing them were enough to hurt us. I'm ashamed that some of them came from this town or anywhere for that manner."
"Don't worry, we'll see they get brought to justice and be back to help with the repairs. I've left Spike here to help out for now though, seeing as there wasn't that much he could do while we were fighting those goons."
"Thanks and I hope to see you soon."
"Hope to see you soon again as well. Alright, girls, let's move it out!" *
"We're at the dark forest why now?" questioned Rarity.
"That's the problem, I don't know." said Twilight. "If they are in here, it'll be like looking for a needle in a haystack."
"Wait, can't Fluttershy communicate with animals?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"Oh yeah, Fluttershy, are there any animals around here that you could possibly communicate with?"
"I'll see, but there aren't that many animals that stay near around the Dark forest."
"How about that raven up there?" asked Rarity.
They saw perched on one of the trees, a black bird that looked at them.
"Um, I don't know, he looks like he doesn't want to be bothered."
"Come on Fluttershy, you have to try. The world's at stake."
"Oh okay. Excuse me, raven, but you wouldn't happen to have seen six ponies with a statue walk into the forest, did you, if you don't mind me asking?" In response, the raven gave a caw. "He says nope." The raven then gave another caw. "But he did see two Pegasus ponies carrying a statue fly by." The ponies then gave a relieved gasp. "Followed by four other ponies that flew by."
"Four flying ponies? Do you think Dawnshade and the rest of the varmints got chased by some other ponies or something?" asked Applejack.
"I believe it may have been Dawnshade's teleportation spell," said Twilight sarcastically.
"Dawnshade knows a teleportation spell?" asked Rainbow dash.
"Don't worry, he hasn't exactly learnt to get the grasp of it yet, though I will admit that it was what managed to get him and his gang out of our hooves before we could pursue him. But I doubt he'll think of using it again."
"Well enough with the vague answers. Fluttershy, could you ask which way exactly those douches entered?"
""Um, Mr. raven, could you indicate where they went?"
It then pointed its wing in a specific direction.
"Great." said Twilight. "Fluttershy, keep an eye out for any other animals and ask them if they've seen the other ponies are well. Everyone, let's get moving." *
One of the owls had emerged from its home and stretched its wings, ready for tonight. A rock had struck close to him and he shot off from his branch in panic.
"Hahaha! Take that you stupid owl!" said Trample Jerk.
"Do you always have to start with those animals? They just end up attacking you in your sleep and waking us all up."
"Frownie, I want just for one night for you to stop trying to get in the way of my fun and know what it's like for a change at how amusing to see someone in a killer moment."
"I'm about to kill you in a moment if you don't start realising that nothing you do is fun."
"You two aren't going to fight again are you!?" shouted Dawnshade. "Anyways, Rotten Tim and Foulhoof, your turn to carry Discord!"
"Forget it." said Rotten Tim.
"Dude, I don't see even see where Foulhoofs gone to." said Glomun as he helped carry the statue.
"Raagh! Do any of you care that if we don't work together, we'll never awaken Discord!?"
"Forget Discord, I'm just in this so that I can be free once more." said Rotten Tim.
"Oh, so what? So that you can be a loner again, all by yourself?"
"Yes, because I like to be alone. The only reason I was with you six to begin with is because we were going in the same direction, after this I'm making sure we go our own ways."
"Keep talking, Rotten Tim, you'll regret that once Discord is free and you isolate yourself from a wonderful world that he will create, where there's no rules, no oppression and we can do whatever we want!"
"Strange, we sort of, like, had that to begin with." said Glomun.
"Yes, but I hate society, believing that it's okay to listen to a pile of wasteful thrash that does nothing more than restrain us from who we really are."
"I'm getting tired of all this bickering," said Frownie.
"It's also getting dark. I think if we're to use our brains to find a way to free Discord, we should give them some rest."
"Guess you're right. We haven't had anyone try to stop us so far anyways, so it'll be okay to rest. Just no fooling around. I swear can't get a moments sleep when you're all reverted back into idiots. Especially you Trample Jerk."
"Fine."
Dawnshade then randomly appeared over in front of her. "I mean it, you mess about just once that results in me waking up that'll even further result in ruining everything, I swear, before we're turned to statues, I'll ring your neck so hard, your head will fall off once you're turned to stone!" *
"I think we're getting close to them." said Fluttershy. A lot of animals of the forest now surrounded them, birds perched on trees; animals circled about and underground creatures borrowed and all made their sounds to her.
"What's with all these animals chasing us?" asked Rainbow dash.
"Apparently all these animals have something against one of the ponies were tracking, whose been mean to them all in one way or another and are eager for us to help us get back at them on their behalf, even though some of them have already done it themselves. Plus some of them would be relieved if we could also do something with the pony that smells so bad that it will stop him stinking up the forest."
"You can assure them that I can promise that latter request." said Rarity.
"I don't see why we don't just charge and run after them instead of going at this slow poke space!"
"Because, Rainbow Dash, we need to conserve energy for when we do find them, plus we weren't this sure at first as we are now that we're on the right path." answered Twilight. "We'll also need a plan of attack for when we do find them."
"Yawn, doesn't change the fact that we have been doing this for some time now. I think it's important we get ourselves some rest before we wear ourselves out first." said Applejack.
"What!? You want us to stop while we're getting so near to them!?" shouted Rainbow Dash.
"I doubt we're that close to them and we could use the rest. The Elements of chaos ponies might have just done that while we were catching up with them. They may have been resting this whole time in fact, being that they shouldn't be aware that we're beating them and therefore be at full strength when we find them. We also shouldn't get worried about losing them, so long as enough animals keep up contributing to help us catch them."
"I just wish we knew why there's been no sign of Discord being freed yet, my mind hasn't been able to rest about it?" questioned Rarity.
"They probably don't know how. Think about it- how do you free Discord? The first time he was freed was because Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were no longer connected to the Elements of Harmony, but how else to do free Discord besides that?"
"You have a point, they're probably wreaking their brains on how to accomplish that." said Rarity.
"That just gives us more reason to hurry up after those guys!"
"No it doesn't, they can exhaust their heads all they want, but if we arrive exhausted we're more at a disadvantage if they have rested at all. We can't just throw ourselves at them, considering we're Equistria's only hope."
"I think we should all put this to vote." said Twilight. "All up for resting for tonight?" Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Twilight and Applejack had placed up their hooves. "All up for continuing our pursuit?" Everyone then placed their hoof down, except for Rainbow Dash, who raised hers. "Then it's decided, we'll rest for tonight and continue the pursuit tomorrow."
"Hey! Fluttershy, how come you didn't put your hoof up at all? You got to have wanted to get back at those dirtbags as much as I did for bullying your friends!"
"I just didn't want to take sides."
Rainbow Dash had made a loud grunt in response.
"Come on, ladies, let's get some rest." said Twilight. *
Gotten out of her sleep, Trample Jerk had gotten agitated by these loud murmurs she heard.
"Oh, Twilight, don't feel so bad, we were all fooled by Princess Celestia at one point- No, I'm not mad at you for all those times you blasted me- of course I still have feelings for you, we were meant for one another."
She could see it was Dawnshade- the Unicorn with a goofy grin on his face.
"Just come here and kiss me, I have always wanted to see what you tasted like."
Saw the unicorn's lips puckered up, with a twisted thought crossed Trample Jerk's mind, she had moved Glomun next to Dawnshade and pressed him on his lips. The two waked up with shot open eyes to one another with their lips compressed to one another.
Trample Jerk then rolled back and laughed off her head.
"Trample Jerk!" Dawnshade growled.
"Trample Jerk! How many times have I told you that I don't like waking up to that stupid laughter of yours!" shouted Frownie.
"You've told me a lot of things, but you should've seen it! Dawnshade just kissed Glomun!"
"Not funny! I can barely get Glomun's taste out of my mouth and I doubt I ever will!"
"Dude, why did you kiss me?" asked Glomun concerned.
"I really should've slept somewhere else," said Rotten Tim.
"I didn't mean to! Trample Jerk made me!"
"How! Was it a bet or something?"
"A bet!? Why didn't anyone get me involved?" asked Foulhoof. "I so would've won."
"More like cheated," said Frownie. "But, Trample Jerk, cut out the laughter! I flaming well hate that laughter of yours!"
"It wasn't even a bet!"
"Then what then!?"
"It was a bet wasn't it!? I want in next time!" said Foulhoof.
"Trample Jerk, you keep laughing and I will throttle you!"
"I'm off to sleep somewhere else." said Rotten Tim.
They then all halted at the sound of this buzz saw grind noise. "Uh, what's that?" asked Trample Jerk. They all turned to see it was Dawnshade, his teeth cracked against each other, his eyes flashed black and his horn flared with dark flames.
"Why does this always need to happen?" asked Foulhoof.
"Raargh!" *
Woken up by this loud boom that trembled the forest, all the girls jumped out of bed.
"What on earth was that?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"I don't know, but you should go up a look to try and see if you can figure out what it was." said Twilight.
"On it!"
Rainbow Dash shot through the trees and was able to see a cloud of smoke pour out and amongst it was Foulhoof who saw her too. He had seen her as well and quickly jumped back into the forest in a panic.
Rainbow Dash dashed back down.
"I've seen them; or at least I've seen Foulhoof that sneak. They're over at some thick trail of smoke that just appeared!"
"They must've uncovered a ritual or something to awaken Discord." said Rarity.
"Either way, we're going to have to get moving now that we have a precise lock on their coordinates and need to know what they're exactly up to now." said Twilight. "Let's move." *
Landed back amongst the other Elements of Chaos, where Dawnshade panted heavily and his bloodshot eyes flared out in the centre of a large crater, Foulhoof ran up.
"Got to get moving! Those Elements of Harmony dorks are here!"
"Uh, what? Did they, like, see you?" asked Glomun.
"Uh, nope, but what else do you think is going to cause a big explosion all the way out here? We're going to need to move now!"
"Hold it!" said Dawnshade, now a little more composed. "They've got nothing on their backs, while we have a heavy statue on ours. That means that they're sure to catch up with us and we need time to think, not just run around all day and night until time runs out, we need time to think so that we can awaken Discord if you haven't forgotten."
"Well what do we do?" asked Glomun.
"Fight them, that's what." said Rotten Tim.
"I think we should set a prank and wait for all them to come by and spring it!" spoke Trample jerk.
"How about we challenge them to a game? We win, they get lost!" shouted Foulhoof.
"No! No! No! You morons, none of that'll work. I have something that just might though, but all five of you, listen up and carefully," said Dawnshade. *
Arrived at the area that produced the smoke, the girls saw the large crater.
"What went on here?" asked Rarity.
"I don't know and I doubt I want to know." replied Twilight. "We now need to figure out which way they've gone. Fluttershy, do the animals know anything?"
Fluttershy then looked to a couple of nocturnal animals that made noises at her. "Yes, but they all split up into six different directions because they knew we were coming."
"Do they know why?"
"No, apparently they all got a scare from one of the unicorns exploding and when they returned to see what had happened, they had all gone into six directions."
"Do they know which one was carrying Discord?"
Asking that question to the animals, she replied to Twilight. "I'm afraid not, there was so much smoke and they went so fast that it was hard to tell any of them apart, even with a statue on their backs."
"Sigh, we're just each going to have to take a direction each and hope whoever finds Discord is able to retrieve him."
"You can count on us, Twilight, each one of us is able to takedown two of them rattlesnakes with our front hooves tied behind our back, never mind one." said Applejack.
"Okay, Fluttershy, tell us which directions they each went in." *
Propelled through the forest, Rainbow Dash flew eagerly. She was caught unprepared though for the tree branch that was slipped and slapped into her face and spun her back across the air.
"I know that dirty trick anywhere!" shouted Rainbow dash, after she regained control.
"Then how come you fell for it like always!?" shouted Foulhoof and swooped out from behind a tree. "Another race, Rainbow Crash!"
"Raagh! You're so in for it, Foulhoof!" *
Rushed through the trees, Rarity had gotten struck in the face by a splodge of mud.
"Ugh! I took a bath this afternoon after the first pile of mud you threw at me, Glomun."
"And I totally had to catch up on some bad smells after the wash you gave me." said the unicorn as he ran out from his hiding.
"Should be glad I gave you that wash up, those smells weren't doing you much good!" shouted Rarity.
"Says you. What you going to do now anyways? Not like there's any soap to hit you with- yikes!" shouted Glomun, just managed to dodge an soap bar thrown at him.
"You might want to rephrase that as I managed to pack a couple of soaps just for you!"
Dodged another bar of soap, Glomun threw a pile of mud back at her. "Dude, that's righteous of you, but I'd rather you kept them to yourself, but here's some mud right back at you that you might appreciate!" *
Fluttershy ran more haphazard than control as she was being chased by Trample Jerk.
"Where you going, little pony? I just want to give you another makeover!"
"No thank you, I'd appreciate if you didn't. I'd rather you'd just stop chasing me and just give up."
"Maybe if you let me play with your hair one more time, come on, Fluttershy, it'll be fun!" *
"Rotten Tim, get back here and take your medicine!" yelled Applejack after the other Earth pony who had Discord on his back.
"Oh come on, you're not telling me that your still upset that I hurt about two or three ponies I attacked. How can you get upset about that when it doesn't even directly affect you!?"
"One thing you should know, Rotten Tim, is if you hurt someone, you hurt all those bonded to him at once and you have to deal with all of them!"
"Now that is just really stupid!"
"You can see how stupid it is if you turn around and fight me."
"No thanks, I have places to be, where you're not wanted!"
"Have it your way, but sooner or later that statue's going to bear down on you and the you're going to have to turn and fight me!"
"That's what you think!" *
"Hold it! Frownie!" said Twilight.
"Not interested, but it's good that I ended up being chased by you, instead of that pinkish crazy pony that won't stop trying to make me laugh and do these pointless games!"
"Mind telling me what's wrong with that?"
"Everything's wrong with that, I hate laughing, I hate games and I hate those who embrace it!"
"Have you at least tried to laugh and have fun!?"
"No, because it would be absolutely pointless!"
"Shouldn't think something's impossible until you try it, Frownie. No point staying in a frown for the rest of your life!"
"That's the thing, I like being in a frown and I want to stay that way for the rest of my life! So would people just get off my back about it, especially you and that pink freak!?"
"Fine, if you really want to stay miserable your whole life, be that way, but I won't let you bring Discord into this world."
"Everyone tries to make me partake in their stupid games, I'll have Discord awakened to make them partake in the stuff that no one liked doing centuries ago!" *
"How'd I get stuck with this pink freak!?" screamed Dawnshade as he ran through the forest.
"You know that's not very nice to call people names, even if you might not know their real-"
"I mean I was really hoping to get Twilight, maybe then we could talk some more and then she might finally fall into my hooves."
"Why'd you want her to fall on your hooves?"
"It's a metaphor about her falling in love with me!"
"I really don't think that's going to happen, especially after you read her diary!"
"What's the big deal in looking into someone else's book that they read?"
"A diary is where ponies keep all their private thoughts and ponies never like it when you read their private thoughts because then they're not private thoughts!"
"Okay that's really stupid!"
"Says you, you almost got the snot blasted out of you by Twilight!" shouted Pinkie pie and laughed.
"Shut up! I just wasn't going to fight back because it was Twilight! No way a guy should hurt the gal he loves!"
"I thought you were the guy who didn't follow rules?"
"Grrr, keep focused Dawnshade! Keep focused!" *
The multiple chases had kept on going up to a junction where all their paths met. All at once, the Elements of Chaos leapt up and jumped pass one another, but the Elements of Harmony girls knocked into one another and fell into a hidden pit and crashed down onto the bottom.
"Good, was that all of them?" questioned Dawnshade.
"Um, there's still one." said Trample Jerk.
Huddled up against the corner was Fluttershy, surrounded by all six ponies. *
"Ow- is everyone down here?" asked Rainbow dash.
"Hold on, let me light up the place." Twilight's horn then glowed and the ponies found themselves all crammed down in this hole. "Looks like it."
"Hold on, where's Fluttershy?" asked Rainbow dash.
On cue, Fluttershy was thrown down and crashed amongst all them.
"Ow! Fluttershy!"
"Sorry- sorry- sorry, so sorry."
"Oh my, Fluttershy, what did they do to you back up there?" asked Rarity.
"Not much, strangely, why... they did it again didn't they?" asked Fluttershy, covered in black markings and hair all messed up.
"Pah! You look so funny!"
"Pinkie pie! Those no good ponies did that to be mean to her!" yelled Applejack.
"I know, but she looks so funny!"
"You know, that pink freak has a lot in common with you, Trample Jerk." said Dawnshade, his head hovered over the top of the hole.
"Yeah, too bad she's friends with a bunch of dweebs and trying to stop all glorious Discord."
"Dude! You think a hole's going to stop me- Rainbow dash!?"
"Yeah, I could spring right out of this hole- soon as I can get my back hooves to touch the floor." said Applejack.
"True, but that's why we have this big rock here to clog it. We made this place whenever we couldn't put up with Trample Jerk."
"You're not going to keep us in here!"
"Don't worry, Twilight, my love, I'll let you out when we've found out how to free Discord. After that you'll be able to see the wonders he brings and see what I've done is right and might finally feel that special bond."
"Enough about bonds please." said Rotten Tim.
"Either way, see you for now, Twilly."
The Elements of Chaos then slid the rock they talked about over them.
"Wait! Dawnshade, you don't- wait! You better have not just called me a pet name!"
But the rock was fully sealed over them. |
Discord's Elements of chaos | Chapter 4 | Stood on top of Applejack's shoulders, Pinkie Pie helped Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy push against the rock, but even them combined couldn't budge it, even with Rarity and Twilight using their magic to try and levitated it.
"Okay, that boulder is pretty heavy." said Twilight.
"We can't just give up, just push!" yelled Applejack.
Soon as Applejack pressed harder though, Pinkie Pie was thrown off balance and knocked against Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash and they all fell back down against the ground.
"I hate this!"
"Well it's not like we wanted to be in this mess, Rainbow Dash."
"I'm just saying, Rarity!"
"Look, calm down. I'll have to admit this is my fault."
"It isn't, Twilight, we all fell into this mess." replied Applejack.
"No, I wasn't willing to think carefully with Dawnshade, I didn't take into account he'd have some intelligence and was able to outsmart us."
"Don't just think it was Dawnshade, in fact I bet those mindless buffoons put their heads together to come up with this, something we wouldn't have been expecting." said Rarity.
"I think that's still giving them too much credit." replied Rainbow Dash.
"It don't matter, what does matter is that we got to get out of here and go after them idiots." said Applejack.
"But how? We've been trying to get out of this for ages now, but that rock just won't budge!" shouted Rainbow Dash.
"We have to try something, there must be something we haven't tried yet."
"Oh! I know! How about we use all our Elements of Harmony?"
"Pinkie Pie, I do not know how we didn't think of using that earlier ourselves, but you have a point." said Twilight.
"I guess it's because we aren't use to having the Elements of Harmony with us." replied Fluttershy.
"Either way, let's do that, combine our elements together to breakout of here."
"Way ahead of you." said Rainbow Dash.
All of the six girls charged their powers and seconds later the rock above them was thrown off from their combined force. They were all then able to climb out from the hole. From there they noticed the sun started to shine, even through the thick nest of branches above their heads.
"Yes, we're out!" said Twilight.
"But how long have we been down there? Those cheats would have used the time to sneak away!" shouted Rainbow Dash.
"It doesn't matter; all that does is catching up to them. Fluttershy, ask the animals where they were last seen and let's tail them until we catch up.
"Could I just sort myself out a bit before we do?" requested Fluttershy.
"Oh yes, we simply can't let Fluttershy go around like that." said Rarity.
"Sigh, just try to do it on the move."
"That's going to be really hard to give an emergency make over on the move." replied Rarity.
"Just going to have to, I think the world's more at stake than how Fluttershy looks."
"Alright, fine, just be sure to keep your head steady while I apply some hairspray, Fluttershy."
"Okay." *
After hours of being on the run, the six all came to an exhausted halt and placed down the statue of Discord before them.
"Okay, this is, really, really bad." said Trample Jerk. "We've only got five minutes left to free Discord."
"Five minutes!? Shouldn't someone have stopped us in ten minutes or something!" cried Glomun. "Like, I mean we have only five minutes to put our heads together and think of something!"
"Five minutes is enough!" yelled Dawnshade. "We've made it this far, we're just on the homerun to the final running. So has anyone come up with any ideas that we can try?" There was just all silence between the other five ponies, who just stared like hapless sheep. "You mean to tell me none of you thought of something!"
"Well- I bet you thought of nothing either." said Frownie.
"I've been doing all the thinking since we started this stupid quest! But in a matter of fact I have came up with something, you lame brains!"
"Well, what is it?"
"I'm going to ask you idiots one more time to use the thing called thinking. Because if you do, you'll remember that Discord was put away twice by the Elements of Harmony, so if he is put away by something like that twice, maybe something which is similar, even though it was made by all powerful Discord, should be able to pull him back."
"Oh, so we should try and use these Elements of Chaos to bring him back."
"Isn't it obvious? It must be the reason why Discord didn't tell us how to free him because he already gave us the method, it's too obvious."
"Then why didn't we think of it before?" asked Glomun.
"Because I'm the only one with any brain power and it's hard to see the obvious if you're the one doing everything."
"Just so you know, I thought of it, I just wanted to see if every pony did as well," said Foulhoof, with the ponies who showed no reaction to him.
"Alright, enough with the insults, Dawnshade, just tell us how to do this so I can get you out of my face." replied Rotten Tim.
There was a low growl from Dawnshade. "If you did as I ask, which was to think, you wouldn't need me to tell you. Just use the darn Elements of Chaos!"
All six ponies faced Discord and they began to brim with black smoke that lit from their eyes and items. All at once the Elements of Chaos fired beams at the statue. The stature rumbled as the energy crackled against it and it begun to take colour. The ponies hardened their concentration and gave it their all.
But after minutes of this, they all stopped and Dawnshade muttered. "I-it didn't work, he isn't free now."
"And it's been five minutes, our time is up." said Glomun grown pale.
"I guess this is the end huh?" asked Trample Jerk as she gave a half-hearted chuckle.
"No- no, this can't be the end, I don't lose, I never lose! I never lose!" screamed Foulhoof. "Give me another try, a something!"
"On the bright side, I get to see all of you go down with me." said Frownie.
"Oh, now you grow a sense of humour!" spoke Trample Jerk.
"I can't believe it, I never got to show the world what it truly means to live, everyone will think I was just the thrash of society, when I was just trying to save it and Twilight- I never got to-."
"Um, Dawnshade, when do we turn to stone or something?"
"Oh, I'd say in about a couple more seconds or so. But don't interrupt me, Glomun, I'm depressing how the world missed out on-."
"But it's been a couple more seconds, in fact I think it's been a minute or so."
"Time must be off or something, but our end is here and we can't do anything about it."
"Seriously, dude, seems a little too late. To be honest, I think Trample Jerk's timing was a bit off by, like, five minutes or something since we got these things twenty-four hours or so."
"Why didn't you stop us five minutes ago then?"
"I didn't know we were going to stop and think for five minutes, I thought we kind of just gave up in some way and didn't care anymore."
"Glomun, that is just stupid. Now would you just let me contemplate my end!?"
"But, Dawnshade, none of us are turning to stone or anything." said Trample Jerk. "And I did intentionally go five minutes off just to give one last time to mess with you all."
"You thought you'd mess with us just before we die!?" yelled Frownie.
"It's funny if you think about it!"
"No! It is not, nothing you do is funny!"
"Hold on, how long has it been now?" asked Dawnshade.
"I'd say about another three minutes," replied Glomun.
"Heh-haha-heh-haha! So genius and amazing!"
"What, I like, don't get it!"
"One more time- start thinking. Discord is all powerful and cool, but he's also tricky and mischievous. Forcing ponies against their will to do stuff isn't his style, but manipulating is. So this whole time, this whole keep on going or we'll be turned to stone was just a lie to keep by his cards!"
"Wow, that is devious." said Glomun.
"Hey wait! Rotten Tim! Where are you going!?" yelled Dawnshade.
"I told you, soon as we were done with this, I'd get you out of my face and so because there's nothing keeping me, I'm leaving."
"I am to!" screamed Frownie. "Now that I don't have to stay around this cackling maniac, I can just go my own way!"
"Me too, I am going the completely opposite way from this party pooper!" responded Trample Jerk.
"Yeah, I'm fed up of not getting any respect around here as the best athlete or just generally the best of anything, so I'm afraid I'm going it alone as well."
"I'm going to just go my own way as well. I'm fed up of not being appreciated here. Like, I listen to what you got to say the most, do as you ask and, heck, I even saved you and you've done nothing but give me a kiss at night. A thank you would've been more preferable and would've made me stick around as well."
"You guys! Just because we aren't being forced against our will, doesn't mean we shouldn't keep trying to free Discord, after all we've done! Been through! You guys!" shouted Dawnshade. But as they all continued to walk away in their own directions, he began to get steamed and make that horrible noise as he started to get worked up.
"Hold it!"
They all turned their heads to see in the direction they had come from, the Element of Harmony ponies, with Twilight in front of them all. "All six of you are still in deep trouble and better hand yourself over!"
"Yeah and don't think of sneaking out of this one, Foulhoof!"
"You aren't done with your scrub yet, Glomun!"
"You aren't leaving until you've learnt to put a smile on that face, Frownie!"
"There's payback to be had, Rotten Tim!"
"You also need to learn why you need to be friendly to others, Trample Jerk, if that's okay with me saying?"
"Man, do you girls not give you up? We just won twice, do you really want to make it three out of three?" asked Foulhoof.
"I bet it's something to do with how we hurt their precious bond." said Rotten Tim.
"The only reason you guys have been winning is because you've been doing what you do best- running and hiding!" responded Rainbow Dash.
"That's right and there's nowhere for you scoundrels to run and hide now!" said Applejack.
"Fine, if you little girls want to fight face-to-face, we're game!" spoke Trample Jerk.
"Looks like we're team until we scrub these dorks across the floor." said Glomun.
"Good, but leave Twilight to me, she's mine."
"We appear to all be in some particular face off that we all want." said Trample Jerk.
"Not me, I'd rather trade, anyone want to go up against the pink freak!?"
"Enough talk! Here we come!" yelled Twilight and led a charge.
"Here we come indeed, your all mine now, Twilight!"
The two sides collided into a storm of dust clouds, magical beams, and torn pieces of terrain flung across the place.
Inside it, Frownie chased Pinkie Pie.
"How about instead of you teaching me how to smile, I teach you to cry for a few weeks!?"
"No thanks!" responded Pinkie Pie cheerfully. She had then bounced up into a tree and caused Frownie to hit straight forward into a tree. While she was then stunned, Pinkie Pie jumped back down from a branch and landed on top of her. "I'd much rather stick with what we're doing. We can start with how it actually feels to smile." She then used her hooves to stretch Frownie's lips.
"Get off me!" Frownie struggled to say and started to try and buck Pinkie Pie off her.
"Awesome, you're finally starting to learn and play!"
"I'm learning nothing more than what a pain you are!"
Nearby, Fluttershy was also being chased by Trample Jerk.
"Come here Fluttershy!"
"No, you're just going to be mean to me. What fun do you even get out of it, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Simple, it just is, those little bunnies are only adorable when they start weeping like little babies, turtles rolling around in their shells is so pathetic it's hard to not laugh out and watching how easy those birds get scared is so funny, oh I love it and what's more I like-." Trample Jerk had then saw Fluttershy turn to face her. "Oh are you going to face me now?"
"No, I'm going to give you a good telling off is what!" said Fluttershy as loud as she could.
"Heh...what?"
Fluttershy then stormed over her, where Trample Jerk could now see her intense glaring eyes right over her. "You think its funny doing all that mean stuff at others expense, I thought you would've learnt better when the animals started being mean back to you, did you think it was funny then when they started to treat you in the same fashion, when they made you cry, hide and get scared, was it so funny then, well, was it?"
"Um, you know-."
"Speak up while talking, it's about time you started speaking to people properly instead of always saying harsh things that hurt feelings and only upsets others as a result."
"Okay, Fluttershy, you're really starting to freak me out here-."
"Just like when you started freaking out all those other animals, hold it there- I'm not done giving you a good telling!"
While that chase turned the other way around, Rotten Tim knocked into Applejack and slammed her back straight into a tree.
"You see that, girly? That's the pure power you get from learning to rely on yourself. Having others do it gives you nothing."
"On the contrary, hombre." spoke Applejack as she got up.
"Oh come on, how could you possibly get any stronger other than learning to rely on yourself?"
"My Grandma raised me to be fit, my brother taught me how to do things the proper way and my little sister gave me the motivation to keep making her proud through hard work. My friends rely on me, just as I rely on them; keep making me stronger so as not to let them all down. And when you put the bond that we all have together, it gives me the strength to deal with problems like yourself."
"You know, the only reason I hadn't crushed you before is because I hoped someone like you had the potential to stand on her own without needing anybody. I can see it you really are a waste of time and should've stuck to my way of just thinking about only myself."
"How about you do it after I've kicked your ass?"
"Whatever, but you're going to really regret this."
He rushed at her, but able to shift her rear at him, thanks to how well she was built, pulled her legs back like the way she was taught how and used inspiration to give her strength, she booted against and sent Rotten Tim rocketed off his hooves.
"Hope you like the Apple family specialty!"
Rotten Tim had smashed through rows of trees, grinded against the ground and crashed into a rock. He was now really dazed and bruised at what had just happened.
Flew in circles and zigzag lines across the forest, Foulhoof kept ahead of Rainbow Dash by using all his dirty tricks in the book. He flung mud, pulled back branches to whack at her face and other such tricks.
"Ha! You'll never catch up with the best athlete in the whole wide world!"
"You keep dreaming, Foulhoof, always will. But you were always the worst back at Cloudsdale and always will be!"
"Look who's jealous!"
"Why would I be jealous of an infinite rate reject like you!?"
"Face it; I'm so much smarter, faster, and better than you. Like, come on, this whole excuse with me cheating is just because you wish you thought of it yourself and don't want to steal it from a genius like myself."
"Why would I even want to cheat?"
"I don't know, maybe so you could overtake me for a change."
"I have really had enough of you, so I'm done trying to make you a challenge by only going at twenty percent speed."
"Wh-what, twenty percent? That's not right, I'm going at-!" Rainbow Dash dashed pass and caused Foulhoof to spin haphazardly across the air. When he quickly gained control, he was awestruck by how far away Rainbow Dash already was. "N-no, that can't be right! You shouldn't be ahead of me! Y-you can't be beating me! I-I c-c-can't lose! Get back here! I always win!"
Beneath them, Glomun had manipulated out an ooze of mud with his magic and fired it at Rarity, but the unicorn had gotten behind a tree before he could hit her.
"Heh-heh, you hiding little missy, afraid of a little mud?"
"Actually it's because I have no time to play in the mud, due to the fact I have to keep my concentration."
"Huh? Concentration for what?"
"Getting all that piles of water I've been carrying to be directly above you."
"Wait- what." He looked up and saw this enormous pile of water over him. "So, totally, oh no..."
"Oh yes is more like." The water was then dropped on top of Glomun and consumed him. Rarity had then used her magic to form the water into a solid cube and popped Glomun's head out at the top, with the rest of his body still trapped inside. "Now then, let's get some hairspray on, some deodorant prepared for you to come out and oh soap on those awful places."
An array of cleaning products then surrounded Glomun. "Oh please no! No!"
Unable to hear the pandemonium screams of Glomun, Twilight and Dawnshade were in crossfire with each through forest and traded shots with each other.
"Come on, baby, don't take it personally that I buried you. It was just so you could stop trying to ruin what's good for us, all of us!"
"Dawnshade! Whenever you do something, you are totally oblivious to all other perspectives but your own and never even think of what you're doing."
"What are you saying, sigh, never mind, all I want is you, Twilight. You should know that, even learn it and I bet you can't. Like, I bet if we weren't divided between this line of oppression and freedom, we'd be the two greatest lovers in the whole world!"
Stood her ground and showed how serious her face was, Twilight screamed. "Dawnshade! Even if we were on the same side, I'd never fall for a creep like you. Your self-centered, nothing but a jerk and you're a complete creep!"
"Twilight," said Dawnshade frozen in front of her. "You didn't just say that, please say I didn't just hear that!"
"I did! I say it so that you can get it through your thick, stupid skull that there is no way I can fall madly in love with a freak like you! You dumb self-centred jerk creep!"
Dawnshade jaw dropped open, his right eye twitched and a tear slid from his face. Everything snapped though when he gritted and glared at Twilight, his horn glowed and black smoke flared up.
"Um, Dawnshade!"
"Raaagh!"
A tremendous level of power built up from Dawnshade that pulled up chunks of earth, plucked trees and shook the ground. Harnessed it, Dawnshade had fired it from his horn directly at Twilight.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and saw the large ocean of energy sweep miles through the forest and took minutes before it could start to simmer.
"Twilight!" screamed Rainbow Dash about to go down.
"I'm alright." said Twilight, clunked against a tree. "I was able to use my teleportation spell to get out of that, though I'm afraid Dawnshade's lost it." |
Discord's Elements of chaos | Chapter 5 | Chilled a bit, Dawnshade breathed heavily and kept his feet solid against the ground.
"Yo! Careful would you, Dawnshade? You almost hit me! Though at least you freed me!"
"What the heck Glomun, is that you?" asked Frownie walked over.
"What?"
"Haha! You look so funny!" screamed Trample Jerk.
"So did you a moment ago, you looked," said Frownie with a slight smirk. "Seemed all pale white and shaken."
"Well, at least you're smiling for a change."
"Can't help it, my lips were stretched so far up by that pink freak, it's easier to smile right now."
"Dude, everyone, um yeah, did you see me out race Rainbow Dash right? That was me beating her, not her beating me, it just looked like she was ahead because I like circled around her four times and got bored, yeah."
"Has anyone seen where my other missing tooth went?" asked Rotten Tim as he staggered around the place, his head flopped on his shoulders and his body shook.
"Guys, what the heck is so funny!?"
"Look in a reflection or something, Glomun." said Dawnshade frustrated.
Able to find a puddle of water nearby, Glomun looked into it and screamed frantically. His hair had been combed and shampooed, his skin had all the grime and filth wiped off and horn had been polished and sparkled.
"No! Dude! I've been turned into my worst fear!"
"Oh, but I think you look rather dashing, in fact your name Glomun, will no longer suit you."
The Elements of Chaos then turned to see the Elements of Harmony gathered in front of them once more.
"Give up, all of you, you're clearly out matched that its only a matter of time until we apprehend all of you." said Twilight.
"No! No! No! It wasn't supposed to be like this at all! We were meant to bring the era of a new age of freedom! Me and you, Twilight, were meant to be together in loving arms! Discord was meant to have been freed!"
They then heard a loud crack sound and all turned towards the statue. They had seen its surface begin to crumble and an assortment of lights pierce through.
"Oh no." said Twilight.
"Yes-yes, this is it, this is what's meant to happen! Please tell me its happening!"
In one loud explosion, Discord had emerged from his imprisonment and took to the air in roar of laughter. "It's good, to be back one and all!" He drifted across the air in his dragon like form before he came back down and slithered across the tree and looked over at all the ponies who looked at him in both fear and awe. "Oh it's so nice to see you as well, Twilight, and all your other ponies, never thought I'd be able to see you again after our last encounter, I thought it had been far too short to be honest and really should've got to know each other a bit more before our goodbyes."
"H-how have you freed yourself?" asked Twilight in demand.
"Yeah, we like tried everything ourselves, well maybe not everything, but we didn't know how?"
"A good question you ask. You see those Elements of Chaos items I made have ability to absorb chaotic events and channel to me and so the shifting back and forth tide of battle, the swings of loyalty and betrayal and oh the emotions, thy unpredictable emotions that can change from the slightest imbalance, it's all so invigorating and wonderful. That thanks to the items successfully channeling it all, it gave me the ability to bring myself back into this world."
"Haha! Awesome! Yo, Discord, I'm Dawnshade, I'm like your biggest fan and your most loyal servant and it's so great to finally meet you."
"How nice."
"Yeah, by the way, awesome trick you pulled on us back there about us sharing your fate and everything. It had us going, even dragged the bunch of us that didn't want to help you out!"
"Oh that wasn't a trick."
"What, but sure it was, nothing happened to us. Like it's been over twenty-four hours and you said you'd turn us to stone only once it had been twenty-four hours."
"Oh no, what I said is that if you didn't free me in twenty-four hours, you 'would' share the same fate."
"I don't get it."
"Well you see, I dislike lying, especially my most loyal servant and all, but I wanted him to free me first. Be rather stupid if I turned you all to stone while there was a chance you could still free me."
"You're not actually going to turn us to stone, come on."
"I think if you were listening, you'd know that of course I am."
The six Elements of Chaos items then began to slowly morph their owners to stone.
"W-wait come on, we freed you! I freed you!"
"Dude, this is not the way I want to look like before I go bye-bye," said Glomun.
"I never liked any of you and you mean to tell me we all have got to share the same lousy fate!?" Rotten Tim said as he growled.
"I've already been told off today by some little wimp! You mean to tell me I still get turned to stone!"
"I was so close to having it all! The fame! The power! Everyone knowing I was the greatest!" cried Foulhoof.
"I've got nothing," said Frownie as her last words.
"Twilight! I know you don't like me as I like you! But you've got to save us! You're the good guys!"
"I will, Dawnshade, but for now, take your medicine," responded Twilight. All of the six Elements of Chaos ponies were then fully transformed into stone. "Okay, Discord, you've just turned all your comrades into stone, so now it's the same as last time, just you against all six of us."
"On the contrary, I have my precious Elements of Chaos." The items then detached themselves from their previous owners and levitated over to Discord, where the necklaces clasped themselves around his snake-like torso and the crown fitted over his head.
"What!? But you made those things while you were active last time and didn't use them then!"
"That's because even though I made sure to have absolute clone devices, they couldn't be activated until I found the right ponies who matched the spirits that each were designed for. Cheating, meanness, ugliness, misery, isolation and chaos, all of which needed to be found. Now that they have and have been properly tuned, I now have total control of them. Now that I've cancelled out the only things you had to defeat me, you may as well just give up."
"Never, Discord!"
"Did you really have to go for a cliche line? I thought-."
"We were entrusted by Princess Celestia to stop you!"
"I was entrusted by Princess Celestia to stop you." imitated Discord in a childish fashion. "Please."
"We were entrusted by Ponyville to stop you! We were entrusted by every pony in all of Equestria to stop you and we will not let them down!"
"How nice, I'd fall down dead to your amazing speech, but I forgot, the speech awards aren't until next Tuesday and you won't be around then, you know why? Because I'm about to put you six in the same imprisonment you put me in!"
He then zapped from all six items around him, beams of colourful energy at the girls, but they had all managed to dodge in time.
"Pinke Pie!" shouted Applejack as they ran at Discord. "You run around and distract him, I'll go and buck him off his fancy high horse!"
"Okie dokie!"
"You know, it doesn't help if you shout out your plans." said Discord and fired a beam that scattered the two.
"That's why we don't do it!" said Twilight teleported above Discord and tried to jump him. But his tail snatched her and held her in front of him.
"Don't do what?"
"Get off him, you mean jerk!" yelled Rainbow Dash with Fluttershy beside her.
Twirled Twilight in the air for a moment, Discord then flung her at them and knocked both of the pegasi out of the sky with Twilight.
A zap was then fired at Discord, but he had cancelled it out with the blast of one of his items. He then looked down at Rarity. "Looking good as always, Rarity." said Discord and then a bucket appeared above Rarity's head. "I think we're going to have to do something about that." The bucket then flipped over and poured out a splash of mud, but Rarity was able to run out of the way in time.
"Where are you all going, girls, the fun's just started?" asked Discord and watched them run.
"Why are we running?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"We need to rethink our strategy." said Twilight.
"We don't have a strategy that'll work, he's just too smart." said Applejack.
"There has to be something, he's too powerful for us as well." said Rarity.
"He's only one person though. There must be some way of using our numbers against him." replied Twilight.
"Why don't we just surround him then?" asked Fluttershy.
"Too obvious of a strategy."
"What other strategies are there?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"Do what he least expects, us all to hold our ground before him and then hit him with everything we have combined all together."
"I don't know, Fluttershy's plan sounds a lot more, well intelligent." said Rarity.
"Look, Discords only one person while there's six of us, he may have his magic combined with the Elements of Chaos, but we have the Elements of Harmony and all our strength combined and if you add our friendship, that's a whole entirely different force."
"I have to say, Twilight, you have a point. There's no way Discord can beat us with all our power combined together." replied Applejack.
"You honestly want to try that?" asked Discord and perched on top of a branch before them. "I let you think you could possibly get away from me so you could try something original, something tricky that would be a challenge. But you're going to tell me that you think just because you're six ponies against only just me that you can beat me with just sheer force. Well, alright, if that's the plan you're set on then okay, makes things easier so I can just move along from here."
"Alright, girls, here we go! Get him!"
All at once the two sides flared into auras of power and burst from their items great beams of energy. Discord's six Elements of Chaos wrestled against the power of the Elements of Harmony. The part they collided at had formed into ball that was mixed with all sorts of colours. It moved back and forth between the two sides in this epic struggle, but eventually the girls started to slowly pace forward and the ball started to grind back into Discord.
"That's it, girls, we've got them now!" shouted Twilight.
"Your times up, Discord!" shouted Applejack.
"Start saying your last goodbyes!" yelled Rainbow Dash.
"Sigh, I'm not even trying yet, in fact, I haven't even added my magic into the equation."
Hovered both hands over his items, the Elements of Chaos output began to double and the giant sphere began to slide back towards the girls.
"What do we do!?" said Rarity in a panic.
"Should we move, Twilight?" asked Fluttershy.
"No! Hold our ground, we can do this, we can beat Discord and save ourselves, save Ponyville and save all of Equestria!" shouted Twilight, but things still looked bleak. "Come on, girls, start pulling it together. We're friends, remember all we've been through at once and channel it into this so that we can start using our friendship against him and show Discord that he is not welcomed in this world anymore."
Slipped their minds back to when they first met, back when they soon had to go up against Nightmare Moon, when they were all together at the Grand Galloping Gala and first time they beat Discord, they flowed all the memories of being together as one into the struggle. The sphere then halted for a moment and rushed right back at Discord.
"What? What you doing!? I just got here!? You can't be saying I've already been defeated!"
"Yes you have, Discord, so long as there is friendship as strong as ours in the world, you'll always been turned away again and again, so go back to the way you were!"
"No!" screamed Discord, already struck by the sphere, his body shaped to stone once more. *
"You have done Equestria another favour girls by not only stopping six harmful ponies from causing further destruction on our kingdom, but you have defeated Discord once again." said Princess Celestia.
Her guards and recruited maintenance workers were behind the Princess and worked on the removal of the statues in the area to be brought back to Canterlot.
"No problem, your majesty." said Twilight slumped down against the ground with the other ponies, all half asleep. "May I ask what you're going to do with the six accomplices?"
"Although these have been bad ponies, we cannot leave them to the fate they own. I think we'll free them from their imprisonment, but don't think we'll just let them go before we banish them for real this time. We'll have them make up for some of the damages that have been caused."
"Agreed, your highness." responded Twilight, too tired to consider any other alternatives or suggestions.
"Anyways, is there anything we can do for your ponies in return for what you've done?"
"Well sorry for asking this, but because we've been doing a lot of fighting, travelling and didn't get much sleep last night, you wouldn't happen to have a method of transportation of getting us home safely?" asked Twilight.
"Not a problem, girls, you deserve it."
"Thanks."
And so ended the great adventure to save Equestria once more from evil thanks to the six little ponies. |
Twillight Sparkle’s awesome adventure | pre | "But how?" asked an unimportant background pony.
"By fighting." said Awesome
"That makes sense." said the unimportant background pony.
"But we can't stay in the town. That's what the evil queen is accepting." said another unimportant background Pony who was poking a dead elite elite guard with a stick to make sure he was death.
"We could hide on my farm. It's outside and Celesia will not expect that." said Applejack.
"That's a great idea." said Trixie who totally agreed because it was a great idea.
Awesome thought about it and realized that it was a bad idea.
"No we should hide in the Evarfre Forest." said Awesome.
"I agree with my best friend Awesome." said AJ.
"That's an even greater idea." said Trixie.
"My cutie mark is tree balloons." said Pinkie.
"What a fabulous idea darling. But Queen Celesia thought about this and place some many uncouth land mines on the path to the forest." said Rarity.
"And there's n evil entrances living in the forest who does evil dances and worships Satan and play bad videogames." said Applejack.
This made Awesome think. In fact it made him think so hard that his head hurt in a not lethal way. He could punch the evil enchantress that was no problem. But what to do about land mines. He couldn't punch them. Or could he? No. Also it would be boring.
Thankfully a solution arrived immediately in shape of three littles fillies on a Scooter.
"CUTE MARK CRUSADERS STREET ALONG RIDER." screamed the little kids before they were stop by Awesome.
It was the three CUTE MARK CRUSADERS: Scotaalo a Pegasusususu filly who was a big fan of Dash and wanted to be such a great lesbian as her idol (but couldn't because she hadn't the right hair color), Berry Punch who was working on Applejack's farm or something and the white one with that long complicated name I always forget.
(Seriously give them better names Marvel or I STOPP WATCHING YU SHOW I ONLY WATCHED BECAUSE OF THAT BET!)
"He Awesome what's up. Heard anything from Dash?" asked Scotaalo.
"The evil Queen Celesia probably trapped and killed her. In a slow and painful way. said Awesome.
"Nooooo. Why Dash? Nooooo." screamed Scotaalo and started to sob and cry.
"And then she turned her into Cupcakes and ate them." added Awesome and strangely Scotaalo cried even more.
(Cupcakes! Get it?)
"Don't worry Scots. We are still your friends and will help you get your Cute Mark." said Berry Punch.
"Yes. That's what friends do." said the white one.
"Thanks you are the best friends. Even now after Dash is death." said Scotaalo and didn't cried that much anymore.
"And you know how you can avenge her death?" asked Awesome.
"No" said all three Crusaders at the same time.
"You could join our rebellion against Celesia and help us by clearing the path to the Evarfre Forest from land mnes." said Awesome.
"But isn't that dangerous." asked Berry Punch?
"Sure But you might get your Cute Mark." said Awesome.
"Dirt is funny." said Pinkie Pie.
"I don't know..." said the withe one.
"If you don't do it Celesia will come to Ponyvile and we have no place to run and then everybody and your families die." said Awesome.
So the Crusaders immediately started to cry and rushing toward the path to disarm the land mines.
"CUTE MARK CRUSADERS LAND MINE DISARMER." screamed the Cute Mark Crusaders.
And everybody cheered because Admiral Awesome Yonasomun Armageddon was such a great character who just solved the mine problem. Except for one pony.
"Umm... excuse me mister Admiral... I don't want you to think bad of me but isn't it just a little bit cruel to send little fillies to disarm landmines." said that annoying animal hugger.
"Do I need to punch you in the face again?" asked Awesome and then Fluttershy was quiet.
"But we still need a name for our group who fights against Celesia." said Trixie.
Don't worry Darling. I'm sure the dazzling Admiral has already a name." said Rarity.
And Awesome had already a name!
He jumped onto a big statue and looked into the crowd.
"I already have a name." said Awesome and looked into the many faces below him.
There were Rarity and Pinkie Pie and Applejack and Liara and Bonbon and Octavia and Vinyl and Mayor and Spitefire and Berry and Derpy and Doctor Whoovies and Sparkler and Caramel and Hearthstrong and Angel and Prince Blueblood and Braeburn and Rainbow Dash and Big Macintosh and Soaring and Dinky and Carrot Top and Mr. Cake and Sheriff Silverstar and Trixie and Granny Smith and Sweetie Belle and Fancy Pants and Fleur and Lyra and DJ-PON3 and Caramel Toffee and Colgate and Upper Crust and Commander Hurricane and Nyx and Pipsqueak and Noi and Gibson and Scotaalo and Twilight's Mom and Inky and Gummy and Mrs. Cake and Blues and Littlepip and Chief Thunderhooves and Minty and many other ponies, too.
"We will call ourself New Lulamoon Repbulic because I read it in a Fan Fic." Awesome said and everybody cheered.
"However, since I'm the leader we'll add an Awesome into the name because that's my name and so it sounds more Awesome. So we will call ourself the New Awesome Lulamoon Republic." Said Awesome and everybody cheered again.
"However, I decided to make the name more awesome. And Republic sound boring so we'll replace it with Empire because that sounds cooler like in Star Wars. So we will call ourself the New Awesome Lulamoon Empire." Said Awesome and everybody cheered again.
"And to make sure that Celesia will not come up with a better new for her group we'll call them now Celesia Evil Losers. Because Celesia leads them, they are evil and they are loser." said Awesome and everybody cheered again.
"I love you. You are the best OC ever." said Applejack.
"All your plans are great and well-thought masterpieces and I'm not saying that because you're a blunt wish-fulfillment of the author." added Pinkie Pie.
"Yes I'm Awesome. And now let's head to the Evarfre Forest." said Awesome
"But what's about my love Twillight?" asked Trixie, Twillight's husband.
"There's nothing we can do for here now. It's better to go into the forest." said Awesome.
"That sounds like a great idea." said Rainbow Dash who suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
"Rainbow Dash!" everybody screamed in excitement.
"Who are you and how did you escape from Ponyland Castle?" asked Awesome.
"I'm Rainbow Dash and I'm a lesbian. And I escaped from Ponyland Castle with the help of Starwirl the vizard. We killed many guards and fought a dragon and then Starwirl died and I had to leave him behind." said Rainbow Dash.
"Great. That explains the hair. So let's finally go to Evarfre Forest and see if the CMC's are still alive." said Awesome. ***
"Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein!" said King Gilda and smashed his hooves on a big fancy table.
"Ve a very sorry. Really! But ze good new is zat ve kill Starwirl" said one guard griphon.
"Queen Celesia will not like it. Not a bit. Zats for sure." said King Gilda.
"What will I not like it?" asked Queen Celesia who was suddenly at the door and looked at King Gilda munching some really cute baby seals.
"Nozing. Ve only have good news, definatley no bad ones." said King Gilda who was sweating like something very sweaty.
"Ooohh I like good news. Tell me them." said Celesia and burped because the seals tast so good.
"Vell the good news is zat ve killed Starwirl the vizard vhile he tried to escape from ze dungon vith Rainbow Dash." said King Gilda.
"Good. I never liked him anyway." said Queen Celesia.
"Sadly... I mean luckily Dash escaped, too. And probably varned all here friends. Vhich Is a good zing. Because... because... it's a good zing?" said King Gilda.
"Indeed it is. Oh I love to hear good news. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" said Queen Celesia.
Then suddenly a guard stormed into the room
"Queen Celesia I have... good news. We failed to kill Twillight's friends and she killed lots of us and lots of elite elite guards!" said the guard.
"WHAAAAATTTTTT?" asked Celesia.
"We are sorry." said the guard.
"You stupid foals (Hehe foals)! I gave you one simple task and you failed. Now everybody knows that I'm evil and there's a rebellion. That's not what I wanted. I should kill you right now." said Celesia.
"But I... I... brought you good news." said the guard.
"That's right and I'm not killing you." said Celesia and killed one of the griphon in the room because she was angry and wanted to kill someone.
Then everybody looked at her funny.
"So vhat's is zeir plan? Are zey moving tovard Ponyland Castle?" asked King Gilda.
"No not Ponyland Castle. They are moving toward Evarfre Forest planning to set up a resistance base." said the guard.
"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Then they will die there are landmines on the path and a evil enchantress in the forest." said Celesia.
"Maybe not. They are lead by a human." said the guard.
"A human? Ze most powerful zing in ze univers?" asked King Gilda.
The guard noded.
"What's his name?" asked Celesia.
"Admiral Awesome Yonasomun Armageddon." said the guard.
Celesia had never heard that name before but suddenly fear grabbed her heart, shaked it, squeezed it, pushed it, tickled it and grabbed it again. And then she wets herself because that name sounds so scary.
"Ve must stop zis human. He is a bigger danger zan your daughter my queen." said King Gilda.
"You are right. We will kill them first. But before that we must know his weaknesses." said Celesia.
"That should be no problem my queen. I Enemy Boss Leader know everything about him." Said Enemy Boss Leader suddenly appearing from the shadows.
DUDUDUN....
END OF CHAPTER 5 |
Twillight Sparkle’s awesome adventure | In Evarfre Forest nobody hears your scream | CHAPTER FIVE - In Evarfre Forest nobody hears your scream
Autor note: Hai everybody! It's me the autor of story Yonsonun. Yes I named after the OC, because he's made after me. Well I'm no vampire or Saijin or Admiral but I wish I was so that I could live in Ponyland and punch Fluttershy all the day.
I write this because I amazed by the rating. It's not easy to get two stars on this site because everybody is criticly. There are stories with over 1.000 comments, everybody likes and still gives five stars. So that means my story is better than all their stories.
*laughter's and points with fingers at them* You guys need cooler characters and good plots like mine story. But don't steal Awesome because he's mine! But I like to give you all advices about how to write such a great story. If you are interested just sent my 20 $ and I help make your story as Awesome as mine.
As for my voters, keep up the voting. Two stars are good but I want One.
But enough of that blabla and onward with the story since you all missing Awesome and Twillight and the others.
Chapter Five - In Evarfre Forst nobody hears your scream
The Tyrant now has reached Ponyvile which was empty because everyone left for Evarfre Forest. But the Tyrant didn't bother and moved toward the library.
"Sparkle!" said the Tyrant.
And then suddenly out of nowhere a Spaceship crash into Ponyvile and caused and huge explosion that destroyed the whole town and blew the Tyrant so high in the sky that he flew into the sun and burned to death.
BAM!
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Made the explosion.
And as it was over the door of the blue telephone box who was a spaceship open and out of it jumped Twillight Sparklier the alicorn.
She looked around in the huge crater that was once Ponyvile but now there was nothing left of the town.
"There's nothing left of the town." said Twillight Sparklier.
Then she thought about her next steps. She needed to stop her evil mother but she need help to do so because she's a powerful alicorn and evil. Maybe she should recuse Rainbow Dash but then she remember that Dash probably would've escaped by now because she was lesbian and could seduce guards with hot lesbian sex.
So her other option was to look for other allies.
"My other option is to look for other allies" said Twillight Sparklier and spread her wings because she could fly now. And then she flow into the sky looking for other allies. ***
"I haaaaattttttttttteeeeeeeeeeee walking. I wanted to go home and watch shopping TV." Cried Rarity.
"I want to cuddle an elephant for my birthday." said Pinkie.
"Don't worry Rarity. It's only one more minute." said Applejack.
"But I caaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnn'ttttttttttt any longer. It's just to dashing." Screamd Rartiy.
"If it's really that hard to walk five minutes, I could carry you." said Applejack.
"It's glad that you finally admitted your love to Rartiy." said ADMIRAL Awesome.
"My... what?" asked Applejack.
"Oh don't deny it. You're made in love with Rartiy since the moment you offered to carry her." said Awesome.
Applejack wanted to deny it but then she realized that he was true. She cried and hugged Rariy.
"Oh Rartiy I love you." Screamed Applejack.
"Oh Applejack I love you." Screamed Rartiy.
"But what will your friends think about our secret relation. Will the accept us?" asked Rarity.
"I'm 20% cool with it." said Rainbow Dash
"Jumping is fun." said Pinkie.
"It's... nice. But are you sure you love each other?" asked Fluttershy who always wanted to ruin other Ponies happiness and never get's laid by anypony for this.
"Of course we do. The last one minute was an eye opener. And ADMIRAL Awesome said we are in love and he is always right." said Applejack.
"Man I wish I had a lesbian girl friend." said Rainbow Dash.
"But you love Pinkie aren't you?" asked Awesome.
"YES YOU ARE RIGHT I LOVE YOU PINKIE!" screamed Rainbow Dash who couldn't harbor her feeling that much longer.
"Nails make ouchies if you sit on them." said Pinkie and licked stone with her tongue.
"I'm glad that you like me to. But what will our friends think about our secret relation. Will the accept us?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"Of course. Oh this is so beatifuly I'm crying now." said Rarity and cried again.
"Sure. I you are still my best buddy. Right after Awesome her." said Applejack.
"Oh I'm so happy Pinkie." screamed Dash.
"Pirateninjas." Screamed Pinkie and then they kissed.
"So now that we solved all the love tension we can stop the Queen. And look we are at the border of the forest." said Awesome.
And the were in fact and the border of the Forest and there was a large pile of disarmed mines right next to the path as well as the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
"Oh you are still alive. I didn't expect that" said ADMIRAL Awesome in a nice way.
"Yes but we sadly didn't get any Cutie Mark." said Berry Punch.
"And the white one lost a leg." said Scotalo.
Then the white one appeared and her left back leg was missing and probably blown up.
"It don't hurt." said the white CMC.
"Oh my goodness." Screamed Fluttershy and rushed past Awesome to look after the wound because she can't she blood like Awesome who had no problem with that which is why he's an Admiral and the other stuff.
"So now we can go in the forest." said Awesome.
"But what about the dangers and the evil enchantress and the monsters and the gay snake?" asked Trixie.
"Good point. Somebody should scout the area. Hey want you to be CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS EVARFRE SCOUTS?" asked Awesome.
"I still feel dizzy in the head." said the white one.
"You are always dizzy in the head that's why you are dictionary. And now go into the forst." said Awesome.
And the CMC's would've gone scouting the forest if t weren't for Fluttershy who went bitch.
"Oh No Mister! You're not sending these little fillies into the Evarfre Forest. If you are such a great and awesome guy why don't YOU go into that forest instead of ordering everybody around?" said Fluttershy. `
"Because scouting is boring. I want to smash people." Said AMDIRAL Awesome and showed again how much better than Fluttershy he is.
"Ooohhh so much drama." screamed Rarity.
"I guess you both have a point Awesome and Fluttershy. So maybe I should go scouting." said Applejack
"No you are a main character. It's better to send in a unimportant background pony." Said Awesome and pointed at a pony.
"You go into the forst scouting." said Awesome.
"Great!" said the unimportant background pony and rushed into the forest.
Everybody waited a bit.
"AAAAARRRRRHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGG!" screamed to unimportant background pony from inside the forest and then was silent.
"The title is wrong. We can hear you screaming if you're inside the Evarfre forest." said Pinkie.
"Don't worry, we have more background ponies." said Awesome. ***
"AAAARRRRRRGGHHHHHHHHH SWEET CELE... Oh wait she's evil.... SWEET LULAMOON IT HURTS. ARGHHHHHHH..." screamed another unimportant background pony from inside the forest.
"Looks like we're running out of unimportant background ponies." said Applejack.
"Don't worry then we send in the less popular background ponies." said Awesome who is a brilliant strategist.
"Oh let me go please." said Rainbow Dash.
"But you are a main character and if you die I would be sad." said Awesome.
"Oh please. I want to do something important." said Rainbow Dash.
"But you are already doing something important by being lesbian." said Awesome.
"Oh come on! Is "begin lesbian" the only thing I'm good for in this story? What's about my amazing flight skills or the fact that I can pull of a Sonic Rainboom? Isn't that more important than my sexual orientation?" asked Rainbow Dash.
Everybody stared at her.
"What's a Sonic Rainboom , darling?" asked Rarity.
A frustrated loud came out of Dash mouth and then she dashes into the forest
"What's wrong with her?" asked Applejack.
"It's probably a lesbian thing." said ADMIRAL Awesome. ***
So now Dash was in the forest because she wanted "character development" despite Awesomes advice against it. It was very dark, gloomy and woody in the forest but Dash wasn't afraid cause she's Rainbow Dash (and a lesbian).
"I'm going to have some awesome character development when I save the day and scout the forest for evil monsters." said Dash to herself.
But while she was so confident she didn't realize how close to the water she came and suddenly without warning a gay snake jumped out of the water a grabed Dash
"Oh nooooooo!" screamed Dash.
"Oh Yesssssssssss!" said the gay snake in an evil gay voice.
Dash tried to fly away and kicked the snake in the face but she couldn't because the grabing had broken her wing.
"Help me! I don't want character development anymore." screamed Dash.
"Oh it's to laaaaaaaate. And you ruined my pretty face you will so so much pay for it." said the gay snake.
"I'm not afraid of you do your worst." said Dash.
"Oh that's what I'm planning to do. I'll turn you gay." Said the gay snake and laughed in an evil gay way.
Dash eyes width in terror as the snake squeed her and started to make her gay.
"Noooooooooooooo!" screamed Dash and tried to struggle free but it was hopeless. She could really feel how she became gayer from minute to minute. Soon she would be a gay to and do evil stuff. It was hopeless and so she started to cry. But this time no turtle could save her.
"Aaaahhhhh don't fight it. You know you want to be gay." said the snake.
But then he stopped talking because two lasers hit the snake in the chest and made her scream and drop Dash.
Dash rolled off in the grass and was glade. She was saved just time before becoming gay.
"How dare you prevent my evil plans." said the snake and looked and the disturber It was...
...THE SLENDERMAN!
The Slenderman ingored the bitching of the snake and shooted another pair of laser out of his eyes.
"Argghhhh! I'm melting." Screamed the snake and melted.
The Slenderman move slowly toward Dash in his goofy walking style and Dash was a bit nervous because Slenderman was an ancient evil but he saved her live so he couldn't back right
"So thanks for saving my live and lesbianess. How can I repay you?" asked Dash.
Slenderman responded by kissing her. It was a good kiss and Dash liked it. But I'm not going to describe it because it's cheesy. Just look at any of this shipping Fics for a description it's just the same.
Then as they stopped kissing Dash looked in the eyes of Slenderman in a lovely way.
"I love you but I'm lesbian. We can't be together." Said Dash.
"Oh that's ok because I'm actually a girl. So we can be together and be happy." Said Slenderman.
And then they were happy and kissed a bit more. ***
"Slenderdash? NOW that's a new ship." said Pinkie Pie.
"I told her that character development is bad because it almost kills you." said Awesome and he was right.
"I'm whining for no reason." cried Rarity.
"And that's why you best pony." said Awesome.
"Look I'm a bicycle." said Pinkie while building a space ship.
"Anyway we need to send in another pony to scout the forest. How many background ponies are left?" asked ADMIRAL Awesome but was interrupted by screams from everybody.
"Aaaahhhhhhh!" screamed everybody because there was a large Alicorn in the sky above them who was about to land.
"It's Celesia she's going to kill us." screamed Liara.
"Run for the hills! Run for the hills!" screamed another important background pony.
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS PANICING CROWD! AAAAHHHH!" screamed the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
So everybody was in panic except for ADMIRAL Awesome who waited for Celesia to land so that he could punch her in the face.
But the Applejack noticed that it wasn't Celesia because she was white and this pony was purple and looked like Twillight with wings and bigger.
"Hey is that you Twillight?" asked Applejack.
The Alicorn landed looked at AJ and smiled.
"Yes it's me. But I'm no longer Twillight. I'm now Twillight Sparklier." said Twillight Sparklier the Alicorn.
Then awesome pushed AJ aside and gave Twillight his hand.
"Hello I'm ADMIRAL Awesome Yonasomun Armageddon. I'm leading the New Awesome Lulamoon Empire." said Awesome.
Twillight took the hand and shaked it.
"I already like you very much." said Twillight.
"Twillight is that real you?" asked Trixie suddenly.
"Yes it's me Trixie. Oh how did I miss you honey." screamd Twillight and the she and her husband hugged. And Rarity stoppd crying for a second and looked at the two before crying agan.
"I thought your evil mother would've killed you." said Trixie.
"Now I escaped together with the astronaut but now he's death and I'm an Alicorn." said Twillight and was said for a moment.
"Anyway it's nice that you are here. Since you are an Alicorn and all that you could scout the Evarfre Forest." said Applejack.
"Why do you want to scout the forest full of monsters and gays?" asked Twillight Sparklier.
"Because we're going to set up a resistance base and there's also Celesia's secret nuclear weapon arsenal we can use against her." said Awesome.
"Woah you know a lot. Even more then I." said Twillight and was impressed
"Yes. Let me show you how awesome I'm." said ADIRMAL Awesome and the he put a gun in Fluttershy's hooves.
"Shoot me in the face." said Awesome.
But since Fluttershy was a coward she just stared at him with her stupid eyes.
"Shut you? But... I never used..." whimpered Fluttershy.
"Shoot me our I break your leg!" Screamed Awesome.
"O... ok if you're really want it." said Fluttershy , aimed the guy and closed her eyes. And then she shoot.
The bullet hit ADMIRAL Awesome in the head and fell on the ground and was death.
Everybody looked at the death Awesome in horror.
"Let's watch Prince Promenade." said Pinkie Pie while she poked Awesome's corpse with a stick.
Fluttershy immediately dropped the gun.
"I-I didn't want to kill hm. Oh sweet Lulamoon !" cried Fluttershy.
Yes now she's sorry. If she is really that worried about him begin death then she shouldn't have shoot him in the fire place.
Now she killed THE BEST OC EVER and is definitely worst pony.
So how will the fight against Celesia? Is Twillight Sparklier enough to stop the evil queen? Or is all hope lost because of Awesome death? Can Fluttershy become even worse?
She next time in Twillight Sparkle's awesome adventure.
END OF CHAPTER 5 |
Twillight Sparkle’s awesome adventure | Part VII – Evil enchantress!!! | And now to some different place than the Evarfre Forest: Ponyland Castle was Celesis is having dinner with Enemy Boss Leader.
"Thanks to you Enemy Boss Leader I finally know the one weakness of ADMIRAL Awesome." Said Celesia while laughing evelish.
"Jawohl! Vho vould have zought zat the best vay to kill a Supersajan half-vampire Admiral is shoting him in ze head?" said King Gilda who had dinner, too.
"So and if you kill ADMIRAL Awesome you take over Ponyland and I take over earth. It's perfect plan." Said Enemy Boss Leader.
And then they laughed.
"Sister please there's still good in you." cried Lulamoon chained on the wall.
"No all good is gone long ago as I decided to become evil because then I can shoot ponies with lightings from my eyes and it makes for better stories." said the evil Queen and shooted Lulamoon with some lightings from her eyes.
"I wish I could do that." said Enemy Boss Leader. But sadly he couldn't because he was human. But ADMIRAL Awesome probably could because he's the hero.
And then (again) a guard busted in.
"Queen Celesia I have good news." Said the guard.
"Good." said Queen Celesia.
"And this time I'm not only saying it so that you don't kill me." Said the guard.
"Good." said Queen Celesia
"Our spy inside the Ponyvile group just reported that Awesome was shoot in the head and is death." said the guard.
Everybody in the room gasped liked Pinkie in the episode with the chariot and singing birds in a tree.
"No. He can't be death. Not ADMIRAL Awesome." Cried Lulamoon.
Celesia was surprised.
"I'm surprised." Said Celesia.
"Vho did he die?" asked King Gilda.
"He was shoot in the head by Fluttershy. She's the worst pony." Said the guard.
"That's true. Oh I hate her so much." said Celesia.
"I, too." Said King Gilda
"I, too." Said Lulamoon.
"I, too." Said Doctor Wwhhoves who was chained right next to Lulamoon.
"I don't know her but I hate her name already. It's a stupid girly name. Not like ADMIRAL Awesome Yonasomun Armageddon." said Enemy Boss Leader.
"But at least he's death." Said Celesia and then she killed the guard who brought her the message because Awesome's death was good but he was shoot by Fluttershy so that was bad and now a poor guard died because of Fluttershy being worst pony.
"Now ve only must kill Twilight Sparklier. Zat should be easy since she's just an Alihorn and I have ze right person for zat job." said King Gilda and clapped into her hands.
Then suddenly a dark creature appeared in middle of the room in a smoke bomb that looked totally cool and badass and grey.
And after the smoke was gone there was a blue pony with a dark blue sparkling mane that move like it was alive or something and she had sunglasses and two totally cool katamarans in a sword belt and two guns, too. Oh and she had a horn and wings.
"HAIL KING GILDA OF THE GRYPON. THY HEART THOT TOU NEEDOST MY HELPTH?" said Luna.
"That's correct Luna. We need your help to kill me daughter before she can ruin me reigne of tyranny. MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" said Celesia.
"THIN WOUT WOULD MY REWARTHED BE WERE?" asked Luna.
"I'll give you more gold than you can spend and 100 virgins." said Celesia.
"THYS SOUNDED AGREEABLET." Said Luna and was gone with a poff on the way to kill Twillight.
"So this should solve our problems." said Queen Celesia.
"Are you sure? I mean all the other guys und guards we sent after them were killed?" asked Enemy Boss Leader.
"I'm sure. MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" screamed Celesia.
"Sister you are so evil!" said Lulamoon and got shocked again.
"I agree with Lulamoon just for the protocol." Said the astronaut with that stupid name and got shocked, too. ***
Everybody cried even Fluttershy and Twillight and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Because befor them laid the dead ADMIRAL Awesome Yonasomun Armageddon.
"He was such a great person. I remember all the good times we had." Said Twillight Sparklier.
"He was such an interesting character." Said Applejack.
"And his hairstyle was absolutely faboulsdarlingish. Now he's dead and I'll never find out the name of his hair dresser." cried Rarity.
"Fluttershy is worst pony." Said Pinkie Pie.
And Fluttershy said something too but that's not important.
"What are we going to do now Darling?" asked Trixie and kissed Twillight.
"Mh I'm not a good strategist like ADMIRAL Awesome, so we should stick to his plan." Said Twillight.
"I agree. All is plans were good and flawless." Said Applejack.
"Alright then I'm senind you Pinkie and you Fluttershy into the Evafre Forest to scout for the evil enchantress. And you two background ponies too." said Twillight Sparkle.
"Yeah great." Said one background pony.
"Let's do this." Said the other background pony.
And then both background ponies and Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie entered the Forest.
"I hope this works. Otherwise they are dead." Said Trixie.
"THOUT DOESTEN MATTERED THY YOURTH BE DEADIES THOU!" said Lula who appared out of nowhere and already had killed a few background ponies to show how aweomse she is.
"Who the straw is that?" asked Applejack.
"It's Luna a bountyhunter like that Doug guy from TV but evil. She works for the Griphones and killed Rarties parents." said Twillight.
"Oh the horror!" cried Rarity.
"INDEETEST. WE KILLTH THEIR PARENTS AND ENJOINDED THIS!" said Luna and killed a few more background ponies will talking.
And then she jump over the crying Rarity and ran toward Heartstrings and Liara and tried to kill them but then Twillight jumped between before some likeable character could die.
"I won't allow you to hurt more ponies. So I'll fight you." Said Twillight.
"I ACCEPTEST THY CHALLENGING!" sad Luna and then they fought.
"Should we help you?" asked Applejack.
"No stay back! I must fight her alone because
Dash woken up and the first the she noticed was the she was chained onto a table and her wings were cut off.
"Where I'am? Why are my wings cut off? Where's Slenderman? Why is ADMIRAL Awesome death? Why does my side hurts? Why I'am chained to a table?" asked Dash.
"Because you're in my lair. And now it's time to lose your hope." Said a rhyming Zebra standing in a corner.
"Oh my gosh. You are the evil enchantress!" screamed Dash
"Your guess is right my lesbian friend which means your life is about to be over." Said the Zebra.
"What have you done to Slendermane? Asked Dash
"I killed him with my knife while he scremed like a little minor." said the evil enchantress.
And than made Dash cry because she was in love with Slenderman and so she cried and was sad. A few minutes ago they were still alive and chatty and now not.
The Zebra seemed to enjoy this because she liked of the tears of Dash - in a not sexual way.
Then she suddenly stopped and turned her head to the window.
"Looks like more intruders came to my house. Now I'm using my evil enchantress magic to kick their flanks and make them wish that they were never born." Said the Zebra and left the crying Dash alone. ***
Fluttershy (WORST PONY!) and Pinkie Pie and the two background ponies approached the hut.
"Is this the place? We should be carefully. Oh and could you please be a bit quieter Pinkie?" asked Fluttershy cowardly.
"Chimicherrychanga!" screamed Pinkie Pie while playing a large and loud organ.
"I'm so happy to be on this mission. I hope I don't die." sad a Background pony.
And then he noticed something lying in front of the door.
"Hey a candy bar in a bear trap. Great. I go over there and eat it." said the background pony and was happy.
"You shouldn't do that. That looks like a trap." said Fluttershy but couldn't be heard because of the organ.
So the background pony moved over to the bear trap and got killed.
"Hmm looks tasty I.... Argghhhhhh!" screamed the background Pony before it's dead.
"Oh no! No you other background pony. I'll avenge you." Screamed the second background pony and rushed toward the door, kicked it open and got killed by a blaste from the evil enchantresses shotgun.
"Now look what we have her. Two cute little hearties." Said the Zebra and pointed her shotgun at them.
"Rarity is best marshmallow." Said Pinkie Pie will throwing cake at a tree before surrendering. ***
"THY THINKEST THAT THOUS CANTHOUST STOPPED MY?" screamed Luna.
"I have no idea what you said but Yes." Screamed Twillight and shooting laser from her horn which Luna deflected with her blade.
And then they fought even more will all other ponies watched with awe and Rarity even cried.
"THOUS CANNOT DEFEATEST YOUR MOTHER!" screamed Luna.
"But I fight anyway to give the ponies a better future." Said Twillight.
"WHATEST THAT BETTER FUTURE WROTH WITHOUT THY MOTHER!" screamed Luna.
"Everything!" Screamed Twilight
"BUT EVERYTHINGST IS NOTHINGEST WITHOUT MONEY!" screamed Luna.
"You can't eat money and most movie sequels are bad." screamed Twillight.
"THAT'S WHY I READEST BOOKS. YOU SHOULDEST READ MORE, TOO. WATCHEST TV MAKEST YOU BALD." screamed Luna.
"I hate books and Id don't want that Doctor Wohes died for nothing." Screamed Twillight.
And then they die more epic fight and good and dramatic and all philosophical talking before Luna jumped back.
"ENOUGHEST WITH THOUSE PETTY FIGHTING. I'LL LEAVE BUT KNOWEST ONE THING. I WAS THE ONEST WHO KILLEST YOU BROTHA BY THE ORDER OF THE PRINCESSEST." Screamed Luna and then disappeared in a cool Kai Leng-style way.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" screamed Twillight.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" screamed Twillight.
"You killed my brother Luna." Screamed Twillight.
"I will kill you for this." Screamed Twillight.
"And then I will kill my mother, too and make live better for every pony." Screamed Twillight.
And then Twillight used her powers and turned everypony into an Alicorn.
And then she flied into the Evarfre Forest to the hut of the evil enchantress and killed her before she could do any harm to anypony.
"Oh thank you Twillight Sparklier. You saved us. I was really scared." said Fluttershy who was as ungrateful as ever.
"Yeah. I'm sad that Slenderman died offscreen but I still have Pinkie." Said Dash who was now over Slendermans death.
"This whole Everfree Forest plot was totally pointless and Zecora should've gotten more screentime." Said Pinkie will setting a rock on fire.
"Great! Now let's kill my mother and transform Equestria into a democracy ruled by me." Said Twillight.
And then she turned Pinkie and Rainbow Dash and even Fluttershy into Alicorns, too.
Then they flew back to the edge of the forest were Applejack and Rarity and several background Alicorns were waiting.
"Why are you crying?" asked Applejack.
"I don't knnnnooohooooooo." cried Rartiy.
Twillight Sparklier looked at crowd and made an awesome speech.
"Today my fellow Ponies we finally defeate my evil mother. Many brave ponies lost their lives. ADMIRAL Awesome Yonasomun Armageddon for example who was such a great OC. His dead really bothers me because he was the whole reason why we started this rebellion and without his help I would've never become an Alicorn."
Everybody cheered because it was a good speech.
"But there are other as well. Although they aren't even a quarter as good as ADMIRAL Awesome we shouldn't forget them. The Doctor Who, Sheriff Silverstar, Owlowiscious who was ret coned, Angel, Starwhirl the vizard, Slenderman, my brother I didn't even know five minutes ago, Dusk Shine, the white CMC..."
"No I just lost my leg" said the white CMC.
"Oh right, sorry. As well as many, many, many background ponies. But there sacrifices weren't in vain. Especially not ADMIRAL Awesomes who died to show us that Fluttershy is worst pony. So now we're flying to Celesia palace were many of you will die and then the survivors will have a big happy part. LET'S DO THIS. FOR THE NEW AWESOME LULAMOON EMPIRE!"
"FOR THE NEW AWESOME LULAMOON EMPIRE!" screamed everybody.
And then all the Alicorns took off and flying toward Ponyland Castle. ***
Queen Celesia, Enemy Leader Boss, King Gilda and Luna were watching the approaching army.
"So this is it. The final fight." Said Enemy Leader Boss.
"Ve vill destroy zem all and the rule over everzing." said King Gilda.
"THY WILL REGRETEST THOU DAYST THEY RISE THY ARMST AGAINST US." Said Luna.
"Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha." Said Queen Celesia.
And then she killed Doctor hoves with lighting from her eyes. And a guard, too.
CHAPTER OF END |
Twillight Sparkle’s awesome adventure | Last Part – The final standoff of final fate | Previously stuff that happened before:
"What a bright, happy and sunny day." said Twillight. ***
"He can still die." said Lulamoon. ***
"Hello Mr. President. Beautiful weather isn't it?" asked Awesome. ***
"But how?" asked an unimportant background pony. ***
"Dirt is funny." said Pinkie Pie. ***
And Fluttershy said something too but that's not important. ***
"Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein!" said King Gilda and smashed his hooves on a big fancy table. ***
Autor note: Hai everybody! It's me the autor of story Yonsonun. ***
"Twillight Sparklier will avenge me Luna." said her brother while on fire.
"THY IS SILLY THOU THINHKEST THOUS!" said Luna.
"Remember me words Luna, one day an astronaut will find her and then she will turn into an Alicorn and fight alongside the THE BEST OC EVER and kill you." said her brother.
"THY IS MADNESS!" ***
And then (again) a guard busted in. ***
"And I'm missing my hair dresser appointment." cried Rarity. ***
If you are interested just sent my 20 $ and I help make your story as Awesome as mine. ***
and Sparkler and Caramel and Hearthstrong and Angel and Prince Blueblood and Braeburn and Rainbow Dash and Big Macintosh and Soaring and Dinky ***
And now to the final conclusion of the events. ***
There were so many Alicorns in the sky that the sky was dark light at night without moon or stars. And all of them moved toward Ponlyand Castle, leaving Ponyvile and the Evarfre Forest behind them.
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS ALICORNS!" screamed Berry Punch and was hit by something, but not much so it didn't hurt much.
That something was a laser-bullet with poison and acid and burning oil inside it and it had been fired from a massive auto-turret to popped out of the ground and was part of the Ponyland Castle defense system.
Twillight Sparklier immediately used her Alicorn powers and destroyed the auto-turret who exploed in a large and loud explosion but then several more appeared, at least one for every Alicorn.
"Oh no, what are we going to do now? I wish ADMIRAL Awesome was still alive." said Applejack and dogged under one bullet who instead hit the with one who now lost another leg.
"Maybe we can solve this by talking about fashion?" asked Rarity.
"I want balloons and elephants and marshmallows." said Pinkie.
"Good thinking Pinkie. That's how we'll destroy the turrets." said Twillight.
"Alight I take the Wonderbolts and destroy the ones on the left, you take the others and destroy the ones on the right." said Rainbow Dash.
And then they die so. They were flying fast and the turrets were firing and many Background Alicorns died but again most of them weren't important so it's like nopony died.
Dash and the Wonderbolts did some awesome stunts and then she grabbed a Fat-Man from Falout - the last one with the annoying and the train that looks like the friendship express and pigs - and blew up all of her towers and half of Ponyland Castle.
Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie and Rarity and the others meanwhile used some other ways to destroy their turrets. And Fluttershy was useless as always. She's only good for killing good well-written OCs. I hope she died in the boring wedding episode. I only watched it because I hope she would die but then I fall asleep after the intro so I don't know.
Hopefully she did. With lots of blood and screams.
Anyway the towers now were all gone.
"Good job Rainbow Dash. Only a lesbian could've destroyed them so good and fast." said Twillight.
"Or ADMIRAL Awesome." said Applejack.
"Yes. And I only lost all Wonderbolts except for Spitfire and Soaring." said Dash.
"That's good. We also lost only a few hundred Alicorns." said Twillight.
"And I lost another leg." said the withe one.
Then everybody laughed because it was funny and they moved on.
"STOP!" yelled Twillight.
Everybody looked at her.
"We can't just go into the palest. That would be self-suicide." said Twillight.
"But what else should we dooooooooooohoooooo?" asked Rarity.
"Queen Celesia and here allies don't know that we are there. So we should surprise them and sneak through the canalization." Said Twillight.
"That sounds like a plan ADMIRAL Awesome would use. I'm with you." said Applejack.
And so the whole army of Alicorns flee around the mountain to a secret sewer entrance and sneaked into the canalization. ***
Meanwhile the bad guys had lunch.
"Is it great zat ve soon will do even more evil zings?" asked King Gilda.
"THAT ISHET INDEETHEST GREAT." said Luna while slurping a pina colala.
"Oh I love doing evil things. That's why we are the bad guys." Said Enemy Leader Boss.
"BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" said Celesia and destroying large parts of the rain forest with her lighting eyes.
"WE TOTALLEST AGREE WITH YOUTH!" said Luna.
But then they fun was ruined because Commander Killemall entered the lunch run and looked very disappointed and said.
"My Queen our cameras have spotted intruders in the sewer system of the palace." said Commander Killemall.
Celesia raise an eyebrown and then another one.
"Who is it?" asked Queen Celesia.
"It's the New Awesome Lulamoon Empire." Said Killemeall.
"Hurray!" said Lulamoon and was eye-lightened by Celesia.
"Are they lead by my daughter?" asked Celesia.
"Indeed said Killemall
"And she is now an ALicorn and calls herself Twillight Sparklier." Said Killemall.
"How unfortunate. But we'll deal with them and kill them all." Said Celesia.
Then she turned around and looked at the other villians.
"This is it. The final standoff of final fate. BWAHAHAHAHAHAH!" said Celesia.
(Title drop!!!!!!! Anybody noticed it?)
BWAHAHAHAHAHAH!" said the other villians.
Then she made her plan. And that was her plan.
"Enemy Boss Leader you will wait in the courtyard and kill all rebels that enter. Killemall you will kill Applejack. Luna you murderer my daughter and King Gilda and I will watch everything from he balcony and coordinate my guards, gryphons and elite elite guards." Said Queen Celesia.
"Great plan!" said the other villians and did their part of the plan.
"No please end this madness. It's still not too late. How many unimportant background ponies must die until you make peace?" asked Lulamoon.
"I don't care for them. Even if hundreds of them would die." Screamed Celesia.
"You're so cruel it makes me cry." said Lulamoon.
"And I don't even care if important characters die." Said Celesia and showed every reader how evil she was.
But Fluttershy is still worst pony. ***
So that's why I like that episode with the big goat so much, even if he was totally a copy of my character and not even half as good. And it's my favorite episode because everybody was beating up Fluttershy and it was so funny I laughed the whole time and hoped she would loss a leg or something.
But then they ruined it because Fluttershy became even bitchier than usual and hurt and insulted all the other ponies and I disliked her even more. And then she insulted Rarity who is best pony because she loves shopping and other stuff and Pinkie who's always so random and says stuff that makes no sense.
So I'm only watching the first half of the episode and ignore the rest so that I can think it don't happen. Smart, huh? ***
Anyway our heros are now in the sewers and they are big and empty and full of green goo.
"It's dark in her." said Applejack.
"And it smells bad. Not that I mind because I'm lesbian." Said Dash.
"Don't worry we soon reach the secret sewer exit that leads into the courtyard." Said Twillight Sparklier.
"Waaahhhhhh! Waaaaahhhhhhh! Waaaaaaahhhhhhhh!" cried Rarity because everything was dirty.
Then suddenly a large sawblad flee through the darkness and beheded one background Alicorn.
"Hhhrrrkkksss." Said the background Alicorn and then Luna appeared Kai Leng style.
"SO WE MEETEST AGAIN!" said Luna, slurping a milkshake.
"Alright everybody takes the route right to us. This is a fight between her and me." Said Twillight Sparklier.
"Are you sure sugarcube? We could help you and shoot her together?" asked Applejack.
"I'm sure. Because it's personal. But thanks." Said Twillight Sparklier.
"Oh ok. Then bye." Said Applejack and they took another road while Twillight and Luna had a standoff.
"SO WE MEETEST AGAIN!" said Luna.
"So we meet again." Said Twillight.
"WE WANTEST THOU TOLD YOU THAT WE ALSO KILLEST THE PET YOUTH HADEST IN THE MAGICEST KINDERGARDEN!" said Luna.
"What?" asked Twillight.
"AND WE BLAMEST THY BROTHEREST ON IT SO THAT YOU WOULD HATEST HIM UNTIL I KILLET HIM." Said Luna.
"You monsterous monster." Screamed Twillight and attacked Luna and they had another philosophical banter.
"You think you can change fate?" asked Twillight.
"WE CHOEST OUR OWNEST DESTNY!" said Luna.
""Money don't makes you happy." Said Twillight.
"BUT EVERTHING ENDEST." Said Luna.
"If a tree falls down and no one is around does it still makes a sound?" said Twillight.
"WHATEST WALKS ON THY FOUR LEGEST IN THOU MORING, ON TWO AT DINNER AND WITH THREE AT NIGHEST?" said Luna.
"There's no try. Do it or not." Said Twillight.
"BUT THERE'S ALSO NOTEST SPOONEST." Said Luna.
"Oh my god you were right." Said Twillight and has sudden realization.
"I now understand why my other did what she had to do and you... she is absolutely right." Said Twillight.
"THY THAT MEANS THAT YOU SURRENDEST?" asked Luna.
"No I kill you anyway." Said Twillight and blasted Luna away with her horn.
The blast were so heavy that Luna crashed through the ceiling and high into the sky until she landed on the moon. And there she died because of no air.
"No my brother s avenged." Said Twillight.
"Yes I'am." Said her brothers ghost appearing out of nowhere.
"That's great." Said Twillight.
"But now you must go and stop evil Queen Celesia and her other henchman." Said ghost brother.
"I'll do." Said Twillight Sparklier and ran off. ***
Meanwhile the rest of the Alicorns was entering the courtyard.
It was quiet.
"I don't like it." said Applejack.
"What can you do with a drunken sailor early in the morning?" asked Pinkie Pie.
"It looks like a trap. Because this place is so empty." Said Trixie.
"I don't carry. Finally out of the dirt." Said Rarity and jumped right out of the exit on the place.
"No Rarity! Wait!" said Trixie and went after her but was impaled by the acid mace of Enemy Boss Leader who suddenly jumped out from behind a tree and impaled Trixie.
Then Trixie gasped and he fell on the ground.
"Tell Twillight that I love her." Said Trixie and closed his eyes.
(Don't worry, he survives!)
"Ah you must be Enemy Boss Leader. ADMIRAL Awesome told us about you." Said Applejack.
"Indeed. But he's dead now and so will you be soon." Said Enemy Boss Leader and then a whole bunch of guards jumped out from behind trees and other stuff.
"And now we have you surrendered. Perpare to die." said Enemy Boss Leader.
And then everyone realized how hopeless the situation was because they were just Alicorns and not ADMIRAL Awesome so they all started crying.
Except for the worst pony.
"I'm not allowing you to hurt my friends." Said the worst pony and looked at him in that retarded way and of course it didn't work. But she still wanted to fight despite the fact that it was useless because she is stupid.
"Hahaha you are stupid." Said Enemy Boss Leader and told the guards to attack.
But then a large shadow jumped between them and started killing them while making cool puns.
"Hello my old friend." Said the big shadow
"No... no it can be. You are dead." Said Enemy Boss Leader.
"You I'm not dead but you should wish I was." said ADMIRAL Awesome Yonasomun Armageddon.
DUDUDUDUN....
END OF THE LAST PART PART I |
Twillight Sparkle’s awesome adventure | Last Part PART II – The final standoff of final fate | "But how could you survived. Worst pony shoot you in the head? And shooting in the head kills vampire sajain Admirals." Said Enemy Boss Leader.
"Well in fact I'm ot a vampire sajajin Admiral." Said ADMIRAL Awesome.
Everybody gasped.
"I'm also a Jedi knigt. That's why I survived shooting in the head." Said ADMIRAL Awesome.
Everybody gasped again.
"Oh no. I didn't know that." Screamed Enemy Boss Leader.
"Neither did I." said ADMIRAL Awesome.
"And now I'm gonna killing you fast." Said ADMIARAL Awesome and jumped forward.
But then some guards used their Bazookas and shoot holes into ADMRAL Awesomes body and then he droped on the ground and was death.
Naaahhh just kidding...
Instead he jumped over the rockets - Kai Leng style but only cooler and only better - and started killing the guards. The other Alicorns soon joined the fight and there was a big battle.
"What are we going to do. We're losing." Screamed an Eltie Elite Guard.
"Don't worry I have a back-up plan." Said Enemy Boss Leader and pulled out Doctor Whs from behind a tree and holding knife at his throath.
"Surrend now and let me kill you ADMIRAL Awesome. Or I'm going to kill the astronaut." Screamed Enemy Boss Leader.
"Please I don't want to go." Said Doctor Doctor.
Everybody was frozen, not because of cold but because of shock.
"You are still alive astronaut? I'm frozen. Not because of cold but because of shock." Said Twillight Sparklier.
"Once in a blue moon." Said Pinkie Pie.
"So what's your answer?" asked Enemy Boss Leader.
"I don't surrender. BECAUSE HE'S ALREADY DEATH!" screamed ADMIRAL Awesome, grabed a throwing knife and throw it at the astronaut.
"I don... urgghhllll.... Wurghlllggg... gargllll.... gurggllll." Said Doctor Sevoohw because he was hit in the throat and there was blood and all.
So he died and the fight went on and everybody cheered because ADMIRAL Awesome is best hostage negotiator ever. ***
"How is the battle going?" asked Queen Celesia.
"It's not looking very good. Ve may lose." Said King Gilda of the Griphons.
"Don't worry even with the ADMIRAL they can't hope to win." Said Queen Celesia.
"I hope zat you are correct." said King Gilda.
Then Celesia impaled him from behind with her horn right throught the heart.
"Vhy?" asked King Gilda.
"Because... I'M EVIL BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" said Queen Celesia. ***
"There are so many. I'm getting tried" Cried Rarity
"Don't give up. There's still hope." Said Trixie.
They had killed already one million guards but there were still more so they needed a plan.
"We need a plan." Said Twillight Sparklier.
"Then let's ask ADMIRAL Awesome. He's the greatest planer." Said Applejack.
"And I have a great plan! I and the others keep on fighting and you sneak into the Castle a kill your mother." Said ADIRMAL Awesome while behading one guard and beating another guard with the head.
"What a great plan." Said Twillight Sparklier.
And so she sneaked passe the guards and entered the palace ready for the final showdown.
But Enemy Leader Boss noticed her and was about to rush after here but then ADMIRAL Awesome jumped in the way.
"So old friends this is it? The final battle." Said Enemy Leader Boss.
"Indeed. And this time I'll kill you and your whole family and your friends because you annoyed me that much." Said ADMIRAL Awesome
"But you already killed them many years ago because they stand between you and your goal." sad Enemy Leader Boss.
"Really?" asked ADMIRAL Awesome.
"Yes. That's why I joined the Enemies and became Enemy Boss Leader in the first place. I wanted to..." said Enemy Leader Boss.
"I said I can't remember and your story bores me. So can we please fight. Because Boss talks in MGS are bad." Said ADMIRAL Awesome.
"For my family." Said Enemy Boss Leader and cried like Fluttershy while attacking him with his poisoned acid mace.
And then they fought intensely and heart-warming. And stuff happened like Enemy Boss Leader trying to hit ADMIRAL Awesome but he doged and tried to hit Enemy Boss Leader and he jumped away and countred but Awesome blocked and tried to throw sand in his eye. And that for half-an-hour.
Just watch a good sword fight in a movie, it's basically this only with ponies fighting each other in the background.
Anyway it was a tie and non of them could defeat the other.
"I need a clever plan" said ADMIRAL Yonasomun Awesome Armageddon.
And he thought about it and then he had a good idea.
After Enemy Boss Leader hit another strike at Awesome he left a hole in his cover so that Enemy Boss Leader could hit him at the arm.
"Oh no. I'm dying and can't fight back any more. I'll now drop my weapon and knee before me so that you can kill me." said Awesome.
"Wait. You tried this trick already. I'm not stupid and failing for it again." said Enemy Boss Leader.
"But this time I'm serious." Said Admiral Awesome.
"Oh ok. In that case I kill you." Said Enemy Boss Leader and lifted his poisoned mace.
And then ADMIRAL Awesome used his Sajajn Katamaranu and impaled Enemy Boss Leader.
"Oh no you lied." Said Enemy Boss Leader.
"Yes I lied." Said ADMIRAL Awesome and then he kicked him right so high in the air that he crushed into Celesia's balcony.
"Now it's final over. Now Amarica is save again and President P. Resident will give me lots of money and woman." Said ADMIRAL Awesome. ***
Heavily crushed and impaled Enemy Boss Leader crawled through the palace leaving blood and mud behind him.
Then he stood before Celesias thrown where she was eating King Gilda's heart.
"What's wrong Enemy Boss Leader?" asked Queen Celesia.
He cought and spited some blood one the floor while not dying.
"Queen... Celesia... I've... bad news..."
And then Enemy Leader Boss was death. Like Elvis. ***
Twllight Sparklier was running through the Ponyland Castle Castle, blasting away some guards until she stand before the final door.
"It's the final door." Said Twillight Sparklier.
And then the door opend and all kinds of villians appeared: Nightmare Moon and Discord and Trek and the Smooze and Chrysalis and Grogar and that villain from Princess Promenade and Cupcakes Pinkie Pie and all the people who down-rated this story and the witches and even Pound Cake.
"Twillight Hadoken!" screamed Twillight Sparklier and killed all of them with a super powerful blast.
"You are strong my daughter." Said Celesia stepping out of the shadow.
"And you are evil." Said Twillight Sparklier.
"Yes I'm BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" screamed Celesia.
"But why?" asked Twillight Sparklier.
"Because I'm evil. BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" screamed Celesia.
"But this doesn't makes any sense." Said Twillight Sparklier.
"Yes. Because I'm evil. BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" screamed Celesia.
Then they both stared at each other for a while ready for a bloody fight.
And then they started fighting.
"No please don't fight sister." Cried Lulamoon still chained to the wall.
Queen Celesia ignored her and shoot Lightings out of her eyes who hit Twillight.
"Arghhh. You shoot Lighting out of your eyes that hit me. Argghh!" screamed Twillight Sparklier.
"Indeed. And now you DIE! BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!" said Celesia and watch in anticipathion how Twillight would die.
But as the smoke left she was surprise because Twillight was still standing normal.
"How is that possible? My Lighting killed everybody before. Nobody can withstand it." said Celesia.
"That's because I'm the chosen Mare." Said Twillight Sparklier and attacked her with a jump kick. ***
There were bloody corpses of guards and background Alicorns everywhere. But the New Awesome Lulamoon Empire had finally won. There was just one single guard left covering in a corner.
But ADMIRAL Awesome had already noticed him and moved heroically toward the shaking guard.
"Looks like I'm about to beat a dead horse." Said ADMIRAL Awesome which was a very clever pun.
"Please, don't... I.... I surrender." Said the Guard.
"Sorry, I already made the pun. Now I have to kill you." Said ADMIRAL Awesome.
"No... mercy... please..." cried the guard.
"Umm... do you really need to kill him?" asked Fluttershy not understanding anything about the importance of good puns.
"Yes I've to kill him annoying, animal-loving punchbag." Sad ADMIRAL Awesome.
"But I'm sure he's no threat. Why don't we just imprison him? That's if you don't mind." asked FLuttershy.
"Because sometimes they let people out of prisons after a few years. It's better to kill him so that he can do no more harm. And it's funnier." said ADMIRAL Awesome with flawless logic.
"No I didn't even want to fight. The Queen told me I had to our she would kill my family and eat their hearts." Said the guard who loved his live to much and was annoying. But not as annoying as Fluttershy.
"That's cleary a lie. And if it's no lie I don't care." Said ADMIRAL Awesome and moved closer, too.
"I think we should really give him a chance. He seems like a nice guy." Said Fluttershy.
ADMIRAL Awesome was really annoyed by Fluttershy right now. But he was a clam person so he didn't rip of her head and throw it into a volcano.
"Yes... I'll never put up a sword again. I retire and live a quiet live somewhere else. You'll never see me again. I'll be a civilian" Said the guard.
And now ADMIRAL Awesome was really angry because he couldn't kill civilians because they are good guys unlike guards. So not that the guard was a civilian he was good and he couldn't kill him anymore and that's why he wasted a perfect pun.
So the guard run away and everbody celibrated the victory.
"And non-background Alicorn loses?" asked ADMIRAL Awesome.
"Well the with one lost the rest of her legs." Said Berry Punch.
"That's bad. Now she can never wear socks." Cried Rarity.
"It's not that bad. Because she's actually a demon-robot and her legs will grow back." Said Scotaalo.
"That's true." Said the with one.
"Great. Then let's move into the place and help Twillight killing her mother." Said ADMIRAL Awesome.
"Look, I just found a hidden elevator that leads right to her throne room." Said Pinkie Pie.
Everybody stared at her.
"That's a strange concidens, isn't it?" asked Applejack.
"Duh! We're in a poorly written story full of grammatical errors with a bland Mary Sue of the author as main character. Twilight is married to Trixie who is a colt, Princess Celestia is a super-evil meanie who kills people because they bring her bad news and Rainbow Dash was shipped with the Slenderman. Of course, this is a strange coincidence! But at least it means that this story will be over very soon. Or do you want to read any more pages about Meanie Sue betting up guards?" said Pinkie Pie.
There was a moment of silence.
Then everyone entered the elevator.
The last one who tried to enter was Fluttershy but since she ruined a good pun ADMIRAL Awesome kicked her in the guts so hard that she flew through the sky into a tower which collapse onto her and broke her wings.
"You are stupid and worthless." said ADMIRAL Awesome. ***
"I can't believe... that you have beaten... me..." said Queen Celesia while and Twillight Sparklier was standing above her.
"No your evil stuff is over and all of Ponyland will be free." Said Twillight Sparklier
"Then waste no time. Kill me? What are you waiting for?" asked Queen Celesia.
And Twillight tried to kill her, her horn glowed and all that but then she stopped.
"I... I... can't. Your are still my mother." said Twillight Sparklier.
"No she isn't your mother. She killed your real parents." Said her brother's ghost.
"Oh... okay then..." said Twillight and killed her with a horn blaste.
"Thanks for killing her. No I'm free. Bye." Sad her ghost brother and disappeared forever or until to the sequel.
Then Twillight freed Lulamoon from the wall and in that moment the express elevator appeared with ADMIRAL Awesome and everybody else important and alive.
"You did it. You saved Ponyland. I'm so happy I could do hot lesbian sex." Said Rainbow Dash.
"This is sooooo beautiful." Cried Rarity and ran torward Lulamoon hugging her and crying. Lulamoon hugged Rarity, too and cried, too. And so they both hugged and cried a lot. That's why Rarity is best pony!
"I'm a demon-robot and my legs are back." Said the with one.
"Thank you all. But I couldn't have done it without ADMIRAL Awesome Yonasomun Armaggedon. Leader of the US-Army Saijin Brigade. Admiral, Saijin, Vampire who can walk in the daylight, Jedi knight and... THE BEST OC EVER."
Everybody cheered.
"I'm so happy. I'm going to retire and make you the new leader of Equestria." Said Lulamoon and cried.
"That's very nice from you. But I'm not a leader, I'm an ADMIRAL and my place is on the battlefield killing lots of people. So I have to left you now." Said ADMIRAL Awesome and then a portal back to earth opened in front of them.
"That's aid because you would be a great leader. Even better than Lulamoon." said Applejack.
Then ADMIRAL Awesome was ready to jump throught the gate but suddenly worst pony appeared.
"WAAIIIITTTT!" squeak worst pony and the ADMIRAL stopped.
"What is it worst pony?" asked the ADMIRAL.
"Ummm... I know we had our differences and that you've beaten me up a few times and broken my wings, but that's ok. I realized that I'm indeed the worst pony and I'm very very soon about it. So please, that this gift and don't be made at me. I really want to be your friend." Said Fluttershy and handed him over a flower.
"Well..." said ADMIRAL Awesome, took the flower and waited until Fluttershy looked hopefully before he punched her.
"YOU ARE STILL WORST PONY AND I HOPE PINKIE KILLS YOU AND MAKES YOU CUPCAKES!" said ADMIRAL Awesome and jumped into the portal while everypony waved him a goodbye. Except Fluttershy who was bleeding on the floor. ***
After he jumped through the portal he suddenly was back in the Amarican camp and President P. Resident was in front of him.
"Oh I'm glad you're back ADMIRAL Awesome. We were worried that Enemy Boss Leader had killed you." Said President P. Resident.
"Don't worry he didn't kill me. I was transported to a land full of magical ponies and helped them to kill their evil Queen." Said ADMIRAL Awesome.
"That makes sense." Said President P. Resident.
"So where's my money and my medal for saving Amarican and the world?" asked ADMIRAL Awesome
"Sadly there is no more Amarican and no more world. The bomb you tried to stop exploded and non many peole are dead and the world looks like Mad Max." said President P. Resident.
ADMIRAL Awesome was shocked and sank on his knee. This couldn't be. This was horrible. He didn't want to believe it, but it was true. No matter how much he wished otherwise.
The president of Amarica didn't want to give him money and medals!
Of course, there was only one explanation for this behavior!
"You are controlled by evil Martian deepsea fishes. I've to kill you to save you and get my money." Said ADMIRAL Awesome and tried to kill the President.
But the black dude jumped between him and the President and ADMIRAL Awesome would've punched him to death but his fists hit the dude and nothing happened.
The ADMIRAL was horrified but tried to hit the dude again and nothing happened. It was like his hands were rubber.
Then a lot of the dudes in the black suites jumped and him and overwhelmed him.
"You tried to kill the President of Amarcia. No you're no longer an ADMIRAL or a Saijin or a Vampire or a Jedi Knigt. And we also throw you into prison." Said President P. Resident.
"Noooooooooo!" screamed NOT-Admiral Awesome Yonasomun Armageddon as he was dragged away. ***
Meanwhile in Ponyvile, Ponyland Fluttershy was feeding her animals. The broken wings still hurt a bit but it got better every day.
She looked at some flowers in her garden and smiled. Especially at some blue flowers she found in the Evarfre Forest not so long ago.
Fluttershy is worst pony!
"Yay!"
THE END!!!!111111111!!!!!!!!!! |
Yugioh: Reunion | pre | "Now, Trapeze Magician attack his Mage Annette!" stated Trixie as she commanded her monster to leap into the air as it grabbed onto the swinging trapeze and delivered a kick to Isaac's other monster.
"Annette!" shouted Isaac's boy magician as he saw his best friend get defeated.
"And you're wide open, Performage Magical Tamer attack Isaac directly!" shouted Trixie. Her female monster now unfurled her whip and with a crack sent it in Isaac's direction as he blocked it with his duel disk as he then rolled out of the way.
Isaac's Life Points: 4200-
"Seems you were right, I can beat you." smiled Trixie as she ended her turn.
Turn 6: Isaac
"Alright," said Isaac as he got up and dusted his shoulders. "Time to get serious. Draw! First up, I'm gonna use the pendulum ability of my Rune-Eyes Illusionist, so now I can add one monster whose attack points are less than his to my hand. So I choose my Breaker!" Isaac's magician felt the relic in his left eye power up as waved his hands about as it created a divinity circle as out came Isaac's chosen card. "Next up, I'm summoning my Breaker the Magical Warrior(1600/1000). And when he's summoned, he gains a counter which raises his attack by 300. But it won't be staying for long, cause by getting rid of it, I can destroy one spell or trap card. And I'll take out your Mage's Fortress!" Breaker then did a slash attack with his sword as he took out Trixie's trap.
"By destroying my Mage's Fortress, I can now draw one card," said Trixie.
"Fine by me, cause I'm next going to play Twin Twisters. By discarding one card in my hand, I get to destroy two spells/trap cards on your field. So now your Bubble Barrier is destroyed as well as my Magician Boy. And your Performage Magical Tamer loses its extra stats." said Isaac as both cards were gone.
"Then, I'll reveal my facedown, Guidance of the Heart!"
"What's that?" asked Trixie.
"Like you, I've also got some new cards since we last saw each other. And let me show you this one since both my Magician Boy and Mage Annette are in my graveyard, this allows me to summon one of them to my field and the other is added to my hand. So I'll summon my boy magician to the field while my girl magician is added to my hand." Isaac's duel disk then ejected his two cards as he placed his boy magician on his card tray.
"Then since I control a Level 4 or lower monster, I can summon my Mage Annette back to the field." Isaac now had both of his kid magicians on the field once more.
"Annette, you're okay." said the boy magician as he hugged the girl and lifted her as they spun.
"Don't touch me!" said Annette as she broke free from her crush's arms and looked away as her face turned crimson red.
"I was worried about my best friend." said the small boy.
"Leave me alone." said the girl as she tried to avoid looking at the boy she had a crush on.
"Now, my Mage Annette's ability allows me to draw an extra card. And now, I banish my Guidance of the Heart. By doing so, it allows me to add a spellcaster monster to my hand from my graveyard, so I'm taking back my Magician's Valkyria." Isaac's duel disk ejected his two cards as he put one of them in the banished compartment of his duel disk.
"Now to attack, Magician Boy attack her Trapeze Magician!" said Isaac as his boy magician pointed his staff at Trixie's monster and fired his attack as her monster simply blocked it. "Now I activate my Magician Boy's spell ability, now the damage I would have taken is dealt to you."
Trixie's Life Points: 7000-
"And that's not all, when my Magician Boy fails to destroy a monster, he can destroy one monster on your side of the field and then you take damage equal to its attack points. So I choose your Performage Magical Tamer!" Isaac's boy magician then looked at the monster who tied it up as he was now angry at how she was responsible for hurting his best friend. He then pointed his staff and blasted a spell as it took out Trixie's monster.
Trixie's Life Points: 4700-
"Nobody hurts my friend!" said Magician Boy.
Annette saw her friend and how he wasn't backing down from danger. She couldn't help but smile and blush as she wrapped her arms around the boy and hugged him from behind as she closed her eyes keeping that smile.
"I now end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 7: Trixie
"My turn, I draw! Trixie will play the card, Performage Attraction. Now since I control a 'Performage' monster, Trixie is allowed to draw 3 cards." said the girl as she refilled her hand. "Now, I'll use my pendulum scale so that I can pendulum summon once again! I Pendulum Summon, two Performage Wing Sandwichman(1800/2100, Level 5, Scale 1) and Performage Reversal Dancer(100/100, Level 1, Scale 2)!" Trixie now had three lights appear from her portal as her monsters appeared. "Trixie will now use the pendulum ability of her Performage Bonus Dealer since she pendulum summoned three 'Performage' monsters from her hand, she can draw 2 more cards."
"Trixie will then activate one of her Performage Wing Sandwichman's special ability, so now I can change my Performage Reversal Dancer's Level to 5. With that done, I now overlay all three of my Level monsters to build the Overlay Network!" Trixie's three monsters then transformed into orbs of light as they hovered in the air for a bit. Soon a portal opened up in front of the girl as they entered the portal and a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon! The Monster with the silhouette you can't forget! Performage Shadow Maker(2600/1000, OLU: 3)!" Out emerged Trixie's shadow as it got longer, soon it began to stand up on its own as it then started to take shape as it was her new monster as it had a tux, top hat, and a pair of scissors in its hand as it wore white gloves.
"Now, I'll activate the effect of my Trapeze Magician's special ability by using one overlay unit, I can target a monster and have it attack twice this turn, however at the end of the Battle phase it's destroyed. So I'll use my monster's ability and target my Performage Shadow Maker!" said Trixie.
Everybody in the audience let out a gasp as they were stunned by Trixie's move.
"Watch closely," said Trixie with a snap of her fingers, "Cause now I can activate the special ability of my Performage Shadow Maker since it was targeted by a card effect, I can now remove one Xyz material from it to special summon another Performage Shadow Maker from my Extra Deck," said Trixie as her monster raised its pair of scissors as soon another shadow appeared. "But why stop at one, cause I'll use my Trapeze Magician's last overlay unit to target my Shadow Maker again and then have the effect of my Shadow Maker use another overlay unit to produce a third one!" stated the girl as she now had three shadows on her field.
"Great, now Trixie can launch 5 attacks," said Isaac to himself.
"And don't think I forgot about your Magician Boy's ability, cause I play Performage Dramatic Act! With this in play, all your monster's special abilities are negated this turn." said the girl as she rendered Isaac's boy magician powerless.
"Now to close the curtain on this act, first Trapeze Magician attack his Breaker the Magical Warrior!" said Trixie as her monster took out Isaac's warrior.
Isaac's Life Points: 3300-
"And now my second Shadow Maker will take out your Mage Annette." Trixie's monster then took out Isaac's second monster. "Now my third Shadow Maker will take out your Magician Boy!" Trixie then had her other monster take out Isaac's last monster.
Isaac's Life Points: 2200-
"And now you're wide open, and keep in mind my first Shadow Maker can attack twice. So you lose! Attack Isaac and finish the World Champion off!" said Trixie as her monster then raced forward to attack the boy.
Isaac just stood there with his arms crossed. Soon some lights began to glow in front of him as all three of his monsters that were just destroyed were now back as the boy had a smile on his face.
"How?! Trixie took all of them out!" shouted the girl as her monster stopped briefly.
"Exactly, you helped me, Trixie. Cause I activated my Mirage Ruler trap card. See it only works when all the monsters on my field are destroyed in a single turn. So by you using your monster's effects to power up and fill your field, I prepared myself. So as you can see, not only are my monsters back in play, but my life points go back to the original value."
Isaac's Life Points: 4200-
"Then I have to pay 1000 life points as a cost." stated the boy.
Isaac's Life Points: 3200-
"But that's a small price to pay since I now have my field full, which means my life points are safe."
"So be it, but I can still take them out. So say goodbye to your Breaker and Mage Annette," said Trixie as she took out Isaac's monsters once more.
"Now your turn comes to an end and your Shadow Maker is destroyed!" said Isaac.
"Not quite, see I'll use the pendulum ability of my Performage Overlay Juggler. So now I can target my first Shadow Maker and it becomes an Overlay unit for my Trapeze Magician. So he's not gonna be destroyed, but rather give my other monster a chance to use his ability once more." said Trixie as she pulled off an expert move.
"Not bad," said Isaac as he clapped at Trixie's moves. He was impressed by the new moves he was seeing from the girl since they last saw each other.
"I'm getting praised? From the World Champion?" said Trixie in shock.
"Of course, you've grown since we graduated." smiled Isaac. "But... so have I."
Turn 8: Isaac
"My turn, I draw! To start, I play Card of Sanctity, so we draw till we're holding six cards. Next up, I'm gonna use my pendulum scale. Back and forth, to and fro. What's coming next? You'll all soon know. So swing far pendulum and card the arc that will lead me to victory! My monsters are ready to swing into action!" shouted Isaac as he thrust his hand as three lights came out. "Prepare to have your fortune told, it's my Black Robe Mentalist(1700/1300, Level 4, Scale 7) and meet my two Magician of Dark Illusion(2100/2500)!" Isaac now had three more monsters on his field.
The crowd of university students was in awe. They began to clap and make noise at seeing Isaac do one of his many famous moves. Trixie could hear the roar of the crowd and how they showed their love for her friend from high school. She had performed in Las Pegasus and had a huge appreciation, but the one that Isaac was receiving put all of those to shame.
"He really is the World Champion. Every word said, every single gesture," Trixie snapped her fingers, "Hooked. Just like that."
"Now I activate the ability of my Black Robe Mentalist's special ability, so since I control 4 monsters, I can look at the top four cards of my deck and add one of them to my hand." Isaac then had his options show as he picked the one he wanted as it slid out for him to grab it. He then saw his goth girl looking at him.
"Okay, I know it's been a while since I talked to all of you. But... I've got responsibilities now. My life has undergone some changes." said Isaac to his monsters.
His two Magician of Dark Illusions were silent, as his Black Robe Mentalist stared hardly at Isaac. She approached the boy as she was reading her master's mind. She saw her master's life since he became World Champion as it was nonstop. She then simply planted a quick kiss on the boy's cheek as Isaac raised an eyebrow.
"Good to see you're still cute." smiled the girl only for Isaac to see as she floated back to her position.
"Well, then. Back to the duel, first I overlay both of my Magician of Dark Illusion to build the Overlay Network!" Isaac's two monsters then transformed into dark robs of light as they hovered in the air for a bit as a portal opened up in front of the boy. Soon they entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Ebon Illusion Magician(2500/2100, OLU: 2)!"
As expected, the crowd went crazy as they saw Isaac summoning one of his famous monsters from his Extra Deck.
"But I'm not done, cause I'll overlay my Magician Boy and Black Robe Mentalist to build the Overlay Network again!" Isaac's other two monsters turned into orbs of light as another portal opened up in front of him as they disappeared as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, ride the wind, Ventus Oraculum(3500/2900, Rank 4, Scale 3, OLU: 2)!!" Isaac now summoned his monster as he held a javelin-like spear as it too was infused with magic, he then brought his fingers to his mouth as he let out a whistle as his pet wyvern appeared from the sky as he jumped on it and raised his weapon as it let out a roar. The kid had a small red cape, wore a kid magician hat colored purple as he wore a magician outfit with shades of dark red with green outlines and shade as there were hints of yellow.
"I now activate the effect of my Ebon Illusion Magician, so by using one overlay unit, I can now special summon one normal-type spellcaster from my deck," said Isaac as at that moment all the lights turned off as a single spotlight shined down on him.
"Welcome, one and all! You've waited for this moment. So please welcome to the field, none other than my most loyal monster. Appear," Isaac now snapped his fingers as the whole room lit up. "Dark Magician!"
Isaac now received even more applause as in a blink of an eye, the room was filled with magic particles. The crowd was hot, as they saw Isaac's signature monster in person.
"I know you all want to cheer, but hold that till the end of the duel. Cause now I'll have my partner here attack Trixie's Trapeze Magician!" said Isaac.
"What?!" said the crowd of students.
"Let me explain, cause you see my Ebon Illusion Magician's other effect means when a Normal-type spellcaster declares an attack, it can banish a card. So time to make Trixie's monsters disappear with some magic," said Isaac as he snapped his fingers. Ebon Illusion Magician and Dark Magician put their staffs together as they fired a beam of powerful magic at one of Trixie's Shadow Maker as it was soon gone.
"With that done, I'll now attack, Ventus Oraculum, take out her other Shadow Maker!" stated Isaac as his pendulum-hybrid then flew over to Trixie's side and then did a barrel roll as it took out the shadow.
Trixie's Life Points: 3800-
"Now to take out her Trapeze Magician!" said Isaac.
"Our monsters have the same attack points."
"True, but from my hand, I activate my Dark Magic Expanded to give my Dark Magician an extra 1000 attack points till the end of the turn. So now it's stronger than your Trapeze Magician," said Isaac as his magician now took out Trixie's.
Trixie's Life Points: 2800-
"And with that, you're wide open."
"Not quite, see when your destroyed my Trapeze Magician, it allows me to summon a 'Performage' monster from my deck. So I choose my Performage Water Dancer(1200/1400, Level 4, Scale 2)!" said Trixie as she summoned a monster as Isaac's Ebon Illusion Magician made contact. "And now the special ability of my Water Dancer activates, so now the monster that destroyed it switches to defense mode."
"In that case, I'll end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 9: Trixie
"My turn and I'll use my pendulum scale so that I can pendulum summon, appear, my two Performage Sandwichman, Performage Ball Bouncer, and Performage Water Dancer!" said Trixie as she now had a field full of monsters.
"Next, I play Polymerization so that I can combine my Ball Bouncer and Water Dancer!" Trixie's two monsters then combined as a vortex appeared behind her. "Let your magic and majesty mix, mingle, merge and become one, one with the power to both delight and destroy! I Fusion Summon! Performage Trapeze Witch(2400/1800)!" Out was another humanoid similar to Trapeze Magician as it too swung in on a trapeze as it wore white gloves but this one was a female as it let out a laugh.
"And that's not all, cause now I'll overlay both of my Sandwichman!" said Trixie as both of her monsters now changed into orbs of light as they entered a portal that appeared in front of the girl as a pillar of light was shown. "I Xyz Summon, Performage Trapeze High Magician(2700/2200, OLU: 2)!" Trixie now had the big brother of her Trapeze Magician as he appeared with his hands glowing with magic.
"Now to attack, so I'll have my Trapeze Witch attack your Ebon Illusion Magician!" said Trixie as her monster took out Isaac's magician. "Then Trapeze High Magician will attack your Dark Magician, and the effect of my Trapeze Witch means that your Dark Magician loses 600 attack points whenever a 'Performage' monster attacks. So you're losing a bit more life points." said the girl.
Isaac's Life Points: 2400-
"Well, it won't be that simple, cause I'll use the effect of my Ventus Oraculum's ability, so by using one overlay unit, I can keep one card on my field from being destroyed. So my Dark Magician is safe," said Isaac as he managed to save his monster from being destroyed.
"With that, Trixie ends her turn."
Turn 10: Isaac
"Well, now. You almost took out my ace monster and dealt me damage. And you thought you couldn't beat me cause I'm the champ."
"Y-Yeah. I-I did," said Trixie as she realized what the boy was saying. "Thanks. Seems even after we graduated, you're still playing the hero."
"Hey, it's just the role that I'm given." smiled Isaac. "And I have another role, and time I show it. Draw! First up, I'm gonna play this spell card, Xyz Transformation. Now, my Ventus Oraculum has his rank changed to a level. Then I can select a monster on my field and he matches that Level. So now he's level 7 like my Dark Magician! But that's not all, cause I'll now overlay my monsters to build the Overlay Network once more!" Isaac's two monsters then turned into orbs of light as they entered another portal that appeared before the boy. "I Xyz Summon, Ebon High Magician(2300/2800, OLU: 2)!"
"Okay, what are you doing? Your Ventus Oraculum was stronger than your Ebon Illusion Magician?"
"True, but I'm not done. See my Ventus Oraculum was only rank 4, for what I'm about to do, I require a Rank 7 monster. And I have it, so now... go Chaos Xyz Evolution!" shouted Isaac as he did one final transformation for his magician as it began to shine. "Show the world your wizardry and wonder, I Xyz Summon, Chaos Mageía(3000/2500, OLU: 3)!" Out emerged from the portal a brand new monster. It was a sorceress who had long flowing red hair with vanilla skin tone. She wore an emerald necklace and had white gloves that covered her smooth hands. Her outfit consisted of a light blue dress that stopped at her knees; she wore black heels that weren't too high, as well as earrings that matched her necklace. She did a quick twirl for all to see as bits of magical particles surrounded her and it made her look even more beautiful.
"I now activate Chaos Mageía's special ability, by using one overlay unit, she can remove all other overlay units from the field. Then she not only gains 500 extra attack points for each one but an additional attack," said Isaac as his female magician used her wand to take away the two Xyz materials around Trapeze High Magician as she boosted her attack to 4000.
Isaac then saw his female magician. She was giving him a bit of a glare.
"I know, I know. It's been a while. But being World Champion is hard."
"Oh, master. Good to see you haven't changed." smiled Chaos Mageía. "My have you grown." said the girl as she examined Isaac's new body as it got her excited. She planted a kiss as she winked at her young master.
"Ready to do it like we used to?"
"Always." said the magician.
"Let's finish this!" shouted Isaac.
Chaos Mageía then had her wand transform into a bow as she pulled out an arrow from the quiver on her back. She placed the arrow in the bow as she pulled back on the string and pulled back as she closed her left eye. She had her targets in her sight as she just smiled.
"Divinity Arrow!!" shouted Isaac and his magician.
She released the arrow as it raced forward. It was encompassed in a golden light as it broke apart into three smaller arrows as it hit its targets. One for each of Trixie's monsters as the last one was sent towards the girl as she was thrown onto her back.
Trixie's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac
The duel ended as the sea of university students gave a rowdy applause to what they saw. They showed their love for Isaac as the boy just looked at them and waved. He looked at his Chaos Mageía who was still present as she couldn't help but hug her now slightly older master while feeling his upper body and noticed his new changes to his body as she smiled. Isaac gave his magician a look as she just kissed him one last time before disappearing. The boy then saw Trixie on the floor stirring as he made his way over to her. He extended his hand to help the girl up as she let him pull her up.
"You're still as good as I remember, better even," said Trixie.
"You've improved. So enjoy the moment," said Isaac as he started to walk away as Juniper followed her client.
Isaac was exiting the place as he allowed Trixie to have the crowd to herself as he had plenty of that in his life. He gave one last tip of his cap to his friend as he was glad to have seen her again. The pair were now leaving the premises of the university as it was a nice break from performing for thousands of people in big arenas and venues. They were now walking on the sidewalk as they had some other things to do.
"Stellar performance, Isaac."
"Thanks, Juniper. It was nice to see Trixie again."
Isaac then noticed a nearby homeless person sitting on the ground as he had a sign that said: "Help. Anything." Isaac stopped in his tracks as he started to make his way across the grass; Juniper saw this and looked at the boy. The person had their head down, they soon heard something and saw shoes as they lifted their head. Isaac saw the person as he reached into his pocket and pulled out some bills.
"No, please."
"Take it."
"Thank you, sir. I didn't know what I was gonna eat tonight. But now, I can. God bless you."
"God bless you too." smiled Isaac.
He then reached into his backpack, he opened it up and pulled out a blanket as he gave it also to the person as he thanked the boy once more. With a tip of his cap, Isaac slung his bag over his shoulder as he made his way back to Juniper.
"That was a nice thing." said the girl to her client.
"Hey, this stuff I was used to seeing in Chicoltgo. People trying to survive on the streets. Not knowing when they might be here. I couldn't help them when I was a kid, but now that I have some sort of power. I can actually start to help. As you said, Juniper. Nothing is perfect. Life is about the management of problems. And whoever manages their problems the best, has the best life." stated Isaac as they continued to walk down the sidewalk.
Juniper was touched by Isaac's words. She couldn't help herself as she leaned over and planted a kiss on the boy's cheek and placed her head on the boy's shoulder. Isaac just smiled as he wrapped his arm around the girl as the two kept on walking to their next set of appointments.
It was about nine in the evening when the pair had made it back to their hotel. After the duel for the students, they had some regular business to take care of. Now the two had entered Isaac's hotel room as Juniper sat on his bed while the boy went to go wash his face.
"So, Isaac! You'll be pleased to know that all our appointments from now until your championship match have all been canceled. As expected the media wants to hype it up." said Juniper looking through her tablet.
"Well, then. Guess that means we won't be as busy in these upcoming days."
"A few things here and there. But for the most part, yes. So that being said, I think it's best we start your training tomorrow. I was thinking of..."
"Actually, Juniper. I had something else in mind," said Isaac as he exited the bathroom and sat down next to the girl on the bed. "I appreciate and love all that you've done for me. I can't picture any other girl who I love to have as my agent. Know you mean a lot to me."
"Of course. Isaac, I should be saying that to you. After all, you've done alot in helping me." said the girl as she grabbed the boy's hand and looked at him.
"Then I need you to trust me on what I've got in mind. First thing is, can you book me a flight?"
Everton University was a rather medium-sized place. Apart from the town which was nearby, the campus itself had its buildings for the students to enjoy. In an apartment, there were two girls inside. One of them was had vanilla skin and wore glasses that looked like they had broken at some point, judging by how the middle of her glasses had tape wrapped around it. Her eyes were purple and she had long, red hair with a light and dark purple stripe running down from each tip. She also wore a blackberry-colored button-up shirt and matching skirt reaching down to her knees. The other girl had moderate purple eyes, dark sapphire blue hair with moderate purple and brilliant raspberry streaks, and wore a pale, light grayish mulberry t-shirt and matching shorts with a belt that matched her hair and purple boots that reach up halfway to her knees as they were next to her desk.
"Come on, Twilight."
"Sorry Moondancer, I wish I could hang out with you and Minuette tonight. But I've got other things." said the girl to her roommate.
"Like what? Every time we go for a girls' night out, you either decline or the times you do come. You decline every boy's offer of asking you out." said Moondancer to her friend.
"As I've said before, Moondancer. I love hanging out with you girls. But as you know, it hurts rejecting any guys that might be interested in me. But I have..."
"A fiance. And you both have plans to get married one day," said Moondancer as when she first roomed with her friend, she was shocked to hear that. "But at least enjoy the last moments you might have as a single girl. I mean, the fact that he told you right as you guys graduated and promised each other to come back. Seems a bit farfetched. Plus we have plans for when we finish our studies in a little bit to start our card designing company."
"And it will happen, Moondancer. We'll get our dream of being card designers and owning our own business. You've already made some stellar designs, some even better than mines."
"Thanks, but still. It's not like the boy that you're a fiance to is some big celebrity."
Before Twilight could say anything, there was a knock on the door. Moondancer volunteered to get it as she went to see who it was. She opened the door and upon first glance had a mix of emotions. Standing there was a boy who had his fist up as he looked to knock again as he too saw the girl.
"Oh, my bad," said Isaac as he saw the person who answered the door. "I probably have the wrong room."
"Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh," said Moondancer as her mouth dropped at who she was seeing. For the girl, she knew who Isaac was as she had a few posters of him and had a small crush on the young celebrity.
"Well, sorry for bothering you miss. I thought this was the right address."
"No, it's correct," said Twilight from behind as she was seeing this whole interaction between her friends with a smile. "Hi, honey."
"Hi, Twily," replied Isaac to Twilight.
"H-Honey?!" said Moondancer as she was stunned. She then looked at her roommate and then at Isaac doing several double-takes between the two. "Y-You mean? You're fiance... is..."
"Yup," said Twilight as Isaac pulled out a flower from behind his back and gave it to the lavender girl as she took it and sniff it.
"Well then. I'd best take my leave, Minuette is probably wondering where I am. Her project might take a bit longer than expected, so I'll just stay the night." said Moondancer as she prepared to leave.
"I apologize, Moondancer."
"No, it's fine. You spend time with your fiance who is the World Champion. Don't want me to get in the way." said the girl grinding her teeth together. She grabbed her things and put on her shoes as she looked at Isaac before leaving.
"Hey, wait a sec," said Isaac as he got Moondancer to look at him. "Moondancer, right?"
"Yes."
"You a fan?"
"Well... yes."
Isaac then reached into his backpack and pulled out a print of him as he then began to sign it and leave a personal message for the girl. He then handed it to her as she took it and gasped at what she read and that it was personally signed by the World Champ himself.
"Also, take this. Something for your trouble," said Isaac as he handed the girl some cash to enjoy herself with her friends.
"Thanks."
"Oh, one more thing." smiled Isaac as he planted a kiss on the girl's cheek as it got Moondancer to turn all shades of red. "Something for my special fans." winked the boy as Moondancer now left as she was floating on clouds.
"Special fans, huh?" said Twilight with a raised eyebrow and sly smile as she leaned against the doorway with her arms crossed.
"What do you expect." smiled Isaac. "But... there's one girl who's very special to me." Isaac then approached Twilight as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss. The two enjoyed it for a few moments as they pulled back with their foreheads touching.
"Hey."
"Hey."
The two said their special word that symbolized the first time they met.
"You gonna invite me in?" asked Isaac with a smile.
Twilight then broke free from the embrace of her fiance as she stepped to the side. Isaac grabbed his backpack as he stepped inside of Twilight's apartment as she closed the door behind them and locked it.
"What do you think?" asked the girl leaning against the door.
"Not bad," said Isaac as he took in the place where his fiance was staying during her studies.
"Thanks," said Twilight as Isaac now sat down on the couch and put his backpack on the ground. Twilight then came from behind as she wrapped her arms around her fiance, she closed her eyes and sighed happily.
"Guess you missed me."
"You don't know the half of it." stated the bookworm.
She then walked around the couch to sit next to the boy and wasted no time in kissing him. The two young adults closed their eyes as they wrapped their arms around each other. For Isaac he missed this type of affection with his constant schedule, kissing Twilight was one of the things that was worth the tons of traveling. For him, Twilight's lips were like biting into a peach: delicate and supply, juicy almost to the point where he thought juice would dribble down his cheek, and sweet, so very sweet.
Eventually, the pair laid down on the couch with Twilight being on top of the boy. Isaac's hands were rubbing the girl's thighs and moved up under her shorts. His hands shot up her shorts and grasped her butt cheeks, getting a surprised moan from Twilight's throat. Her butt was firm and full, soft like a pair of pillows as it had developed a bit more since they were last together. Isaac then grabbed her ass with his hand, hard enough that it sounded like a slap. Twilight broke the kiss and looked down at the boy with a bit of surprise in her eyes. He made it no secret about what he did and just looked back up with a confident smirk. She let out a smile laugh before they resumed their make-out session, but this time, her hands found their way under his shirt.
The tips of her fingers skated over his mid-section and up to his chest. He could feel her lips curl into a smile as she traced a path over his body. She was enjoying this. Suddenly, Isaac flipped Twilight over so that she was on the bottom and he was on the top. They broke away from kissing and simply looked at each other. He looked down at her, deep into those deep moderate purple eyes that he loved to see. The both of them were panting as they had just run a marathon. With each intake of air, he breathed in more of her scent. It was a light and airy smell, almost like she had just chewed some bubble gum and the smell lingered on her breath, with a hint of lavender.
His hand reached up, resting his palm across her face, with his thumb rubbing her lips. Her tongue darted around a little, flicking at his digit. She reached up and ran her hands through his hatless head, due to his signature cap falling off earlier during the session. He then slowly leaned in and gave her a light kiss on her lips which she returned. It lacked the passion and intensity of their earlier one, but it was as an inmate as ever. They were just enjoying the feeling of their lips on each other. His hand reached up to find her hand above her head and almost on instinct, their fingers interlocked with each other. It felt natural for them.
"Okay. That was fun," said Twilight breaking the silence as she sat up. It was enough to sober Isaac out of the high he had been on since it began.
"You're telling me," he replied, sitting up behind her.
"I think we should slow down, Isaac."
"Why? Didn't you like it?" he asked, leaning over her shoulder and nibbling on her ear. He felt her squirm and wiggle against him as he played with her ear. Twilight giggled as she brought her hand up to caress his face.
"Of course I did, but I have other things I want us to do tonight. Hungry?" asked the girl as she got up. She then made her way to the kitchen as she prepared to make some food.
"Since when did you start taking cooking lessons?" snickered Isaac as he too got up and leaned against the kitchen counter looking at the girl.
"Well, I can't rely on you to be the one to keep making dinner. Besides, I figured you'd like a girl who can worm her way through your stomach. You certainly have a big appetite, not to mention tons of energy." winked Twilight.
After a few minutes and some help from Isaac, Twilight finished making the pasta dinner as she brought two plates to the table as the pair now sat down. Isaac sat down as he took a bite from the food made by the girl. Twilight asked the boy how he liked it, to which Isaac gave a smile to his fiance as she was glad that she had a future in feeding her man. So the two now enjoyed their meals as well as with each other.
Once that was done, Isaac was at the dinner table as he pulled out his deck and scattered them out in front of him. He was focusing on his championship match that was happening in about 2 weeks.
"How are you feeling about your duel coming up?" asked Twilight as she was washing the dishes.
"Like every single time, I'm confident, a tad bit nervous, usual jitters," said Isaac looking up at Twilight who finished washing.
"Well, don't worry. You're a strong duelist, you've shown it time and time again. Even during our high school years and all the adventures, we've had." said Twilight as she now approached her fiance as she sat on his lap and kissed him. She then looked at Isaac's cards as they brought her memories, especially their graduation duel. "I have faith that you'll do fine. It's why I fell in love with you."
"That right there, is why I fell in love with you," said Isaac holding Twilight as he leaned in for another kiss as the girl let out a moan. "That and because you can duel your ass off."
"You sure it's not my other features that you love?" said Twilight slyly.
"Well, you do have some nice assets that I like," said Isaac planting another light kiss on Twilight's lips and then planting a small trail on her neck as she let out a sound.
"Nice to see that I can still catch your attention." smiled Twilight. "So, how are you gonna train for this upcoming match?"
"I have a plan. Let's call it some 'special training'." said Isaac to his fiance as both looked back at Isaac's cards on the table. |
Yugioh: Reunion | Chapter 3: Where it All Began | Isaac was now on a plane as it soared through the clouds. He told Juniper and Twilight of his plan as they trusted him. During that time, Isaac would be off doing his "special training", Juniper said that she would handle any concerns or commitments that people wanted him to do. And after stopping by and spending some time with his fiance, Isaac was now on a trip. A trip back to where his whole Duel Monsters career started.
While he was on the flight, Isaac had his cards laid out on the table in front of him as he was going over his comrades and talking with them since it had been a while. Soon all the spirits of all of his Magician Girl cards appeared.
"Isaac," said Berry Magician Girl as the tiny baby hugged her master's face as she sat on the boy's shoulder.
"Hey, Berry."
"So good to see you, Isaac," said Apple, Lemon, and Chocolate as they snuggled their master squishing him between their bosoms.
"Girls, let me breath a bit," said Isaac.
"Nice to see that you're doing well," said Kiwi.
"It hasn't been easy since I became World Champ."
"But you at least made the effort to talk us," said Mana as she pushed the others away and hugged Isaac with all her strength. She made sure to show her place by pulling Isaac close to her chest.
"Mana!" said Isaac.
"Alright, fine." said the girl as she let her master's head out of her bosom.
"Now then, girls settle down," instructed Isaac as they all sat down in the air looking at their master. Seems with the slight growing up, he was now cuter than ever for the girls as they couldn't stop staring at the boy.
"Now, then. You've probably heard me say this with Juniper, but right now I'm doing some special training."
"What special training?" asked Berry as she was on his shoulder sucking her pacifier.
"Something that I believe will help me get my mind in the zone," said Isaac to the baby as he tickled her tummy.
"So, mind telling us what it is?" asked Apple.
"Now girls. Magicians don't reveal secrets. Besides, I have to make a quick stop." said Isaac as he looked out of the window as did all the girls as they were high above the clouds.
The view now changed as the clouds disappeared and a town was shown. Down below were tiny buildings as Isaac had a smile on his face. He was looking forward to seeing Canterlot as he was glad to be back in the place where it all began. The plane was now descending as all the girls needed to return, but not before each one gave a kiss and hug to the boy as he returned the hug from each one giving smiles to all the girls.
The plane landed on the runway. Isaac now exited the plane with his backpack as it was the only thing he brought with him. He now exited the airport as he grabbed a taxi, and told him where he was headed. It was about 9 in the morning when Isaac landed as he had a certain stop to make. It didn't take long as about 35 minutes later, he was now in front of the place as he stepped out of the taxi and paid the driver.
The boy now looked at the place in front of him as it had vastly improved since he last saw it. Canterlot High had undergone some massive renovations since he last graduated. With all the money that the Board of Education and he gave, the entire school was remodeled and expanded as it was now a high school that looked like a university. One massive change is that the school had an indoor arena filled with seats that duels could occur. The back of the school now bought more land so that a portion of it was changed into practice grounds for anybody to use at any time. Another thing is that inside the school, there was a card shop that was built so that students and staff could buy cards for their decks.
The card shop was in partnership with Mr. Johnson as Isaac still owned half of the store and their connection, allowed the business to boom on both ends. However, the biggest thing was that Duel Monsters had now been incorporated into the curriculum as students could learn not only the basics of dueling but could master each summoning method. Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, and Pendulum were all taught at the school as the school hired more teachers and tutors to help teach the subject. Usually, students would enroll in which one they wanted and could change to another at any time should they choose to. Now there were a few that wanted to learn 2, but that was as far as it went. Since trying to do more than 2, let alone all of them was a bit of a hassle. But regardless, every single student was given a chance to learn, regardless of whether they had cards or not.
"Good to see the place," said Isaac as he took a deep breath and slung his backpack over his right shoulder. He now began to walk as he passed by the statue. He put his hand on the reflective surface as it rippled when his hand touched it. "Seems the mirror still works after all this time." smiled the boy.
Isaac now entered the building. He saw that classes were going on which was what he expected. Cause right now he didn't want to be swarmed by the students as he had some business to do. He began walking as he passed the trophy cabinet as it showed off CHS achievements in the recent year and a half since it underwent a remodel. He noticed one certain award as it read: "Best Duelist in CHS history: Isaac."
"Cute." said the boy.
He was now walking as he passed by a hallway that had some pictures hanging from the wall as some of them were from his adventures from the past years as it served as a good reminder down memory lane. He got to the graduating photos as he saw certain people that brought a smile to his face, especially when he saw his picture as well as his deck info under his photo.
Isaac now continued walking as he turned a few more corners as he arrived at his destination. He was now standing in front of a door as he was wondering whether or not he should knock. He heard some voices going on as it was muffled, but he knew who they belonged to as he just opened the door and let himself in.
"And I told you, Lulu! We are not having a video game theme for the party!" shouted Principal Celestia to her younger sister for wanting to spend the school budget on having the party being video game-themed.
"Well, you're not coming up with any ideas, Tia! All you can think about is which cake should be present for the school. No wonder your ass is fat, not to mention your hips." responded the younger sister to her older sibling.
"Don't talk about my figure, Lulu!" said Celestia as both sisters glared at each other.
"The more things change, the more they stay the same," said Isaac.
"Yes, they do! Hi, Isaac!" said both girls not knowing it was him who was present. "Now as I was saying sister... huh..." Both girls now turned their heads back again towards the door as they took a good look. Standing there was none other than one of their former students, but more importantly, they knew he recently became the World Champion a few months ago.
"Isaac..." said Celestia getting up from her seat.
"... It's really you," said Luna as she too approached the boy.
Both girls were amazed by how much their student had grown in the last year or so. However, he was still the same teen that he was when he was a student. Both Celestia and Luna immediately hugged the boy as it brought a smile to their faces and tears rolling down their eyes.
"It's so good to see you again." said both girls while hugging the boy.
"It's good to see you two," responded Isaac.
"My... you've grown," said Celestia to the boy.
"I'm still the same person, Principal Celestia."
"You know that you're not a student here anymore. So no need to be formal with us." smiled the older girl.
"Force of habit." smiled Isaac. "So, how have things been? Still enjoying your retirement?"
"You have to keep bringing it up?" smiled Celestia with a smug expression. "But yes, we're enjoying ourselves. And we're grateful that we both had our final duels with you."
"With your money, we got the school of our dreams," stated Luna.
"Glad I could help."
"But what are you doing here, Isaac? Not that we're not grateful for you being here. But don't you have a schedule to keep?"
"I do, Celestia. As well as a championship duel coming up, but I guess you can say that I'm doing some special training before my match. And to be honest, I wanted to see my old stomping grounds. Care to show me around?" asked Isaac to which the girls smiled.
The two sisters now walked with the boy as they told Isaac of all the things that happened after he graduated. They stopped to look in at some of the classrooms teaching Duel Monsters as Isaac saw how each person was invested in the game. He looked at the girls as they nodded as he entered inside and he made his presence known. So Isaac did a bit of guest work like teaching the classes and showing off his cards for all to see. He even signed a few autographs for the students. With that, he continued his tour with the two women as the three began to hear how their student had been since graduating and his busy life since becoming World Champion.
The trio was now passing by the dueling arena inside of the school as they overheard something.
"Are you serious Shadow?" asked Jack.
"I've never been more serious, bud." said the boy to his friend.
"He's still pissed off that he lost the duel or else he'd be standing here as the champ of CHS," said Penny.
"I came very close. But it's just a minor setback. Trust me, next time it'll be different," said Shadow to the cool girl.
"How is he gonna make sure that he wins next time?" asked Jack to Penny.
"He put out an open challenge to the whole school. To anybody who wants to face him. I'll admit, it ain't stupid." said Penny.
"Is it like this when you guys, go out?" asked Jack.
"Yeah, well we've only been on a few dates. Plus, he thinks that his Raidraptors are better than my Blackwings. Guess he forgot who eliminated him during our freshman year during that tournament." stated the girl as she looked at Shadow.
"I'm being fair, cause I'm allowing someone an opportunity to step up. Give them a chance to face someone as good as me. Plus, my Raidraptors are way better than your Blackwings, Penny. Just like boys are better than girls."
"You wanna settle this again? Cause I beat you in your favorite video game last time," said Penny with a sly smile to Shadow.
"Whatever, that doesn't count! Plus I was distracted."
"Were you distracted by Penny's beauty or the fact that she was whipping your ass?" taunted Jack.
"No one asked you, Jack!" replied Shadow as his own bro siding with the girl who he went out with for a few dates.
"Open challenge, hmm," said Isaac looking at Celestia and Luna as they overheard this and all nodded at Isaac's idea.
"Whoever walks through that door, I'm not only dueling, but I'm gonna smash them!" stated Shadow pointed at the twin doors.
The twin doors then flew open as some air blew. The three teens all covered up as Penny's skirt was fluttering in the air. Soon the breeze died down as they all looked at what made the wind blow as it got them to gasp.
"Open challenge, huh? Challenge accepted, bitch." said Isaac standing there with Celestia and Luna behind him.
"Uh..." was all Shadow could say as he was both scared and glad to see none other than his former headmaster standing before him.
"You said, anybody in the school. You didn't specify that they had to be a student, just present on school grounds," said Isaac slyly as he got on the arena and pulled out his deck from his belt and slotted it into his duel disk as it projected a gold card tray. "Well, Shadow."
"Uh, right." chuckled Shadow nervously as he got on the field with the World Champion as he slotted in his deck and his duel disk projected a dark blue card try.
"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.
Shadow's Life Points: 8000-
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-
Turn 1: Shadow
"I'll let you go first," said Isaac with a calm tone in his voice.
"R-Right," said Shadow as he drew his card, "To start, I'll summon my Raidraptor - Napalm Dragonius(1000/1000). Then since I control a 'Raidraptor', I can also summon my Raidraptor Fuzzy Lanius(500/1500) to join my arsenal of birds. Next, I'll activate my Napalm Dragonius' special ability, once per turn, I can deal you 600 points of damage." said the boy as his monster opened its mouth to fire a shot at Isaac who just simply moved to the side as the attack missed.
Isaac's Life Points: 7400-
"That all?" taunted Isaac.
"Not even close, I overlay both my Level 4 monsters to build the Overlay Network!" Shadow's two monsters then transformed into orbs of light as they hovered in the air for a bit as a portal opened up in front of him. Soon both lights entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Raider's Knight(2000/0, OLU: 2)!" Out emerged a horseman who was dressed all in black from head to toe as well as the horse it rode on. It wielded a lance as it had flames surrounding it.
"I now end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 2: Isaac
"My draw!" said Isaac as he drew his card. "I'll start by playing the spell card, Dark Magical Circle. So now I can look at the top three cards of my deck and reveal 'Dark Magician' or a 'Dark Magician' related spell or trap card." Isaac's duel disk then ejected his choices as he looked at them and knew which one to choose. "I choose to reveal the ultimate wizard himself, Dark Magician. Next, I'm gonna play this Dark Magic Veil so by paying 1000 life points, I can special summon my Dark Magician from my hand!" said Isaac as his partner now appeared on the field.
Isaac's Life Points: 6400-
"Now, my Dark Magical Circle's effect activates which means since I summoned my Dark Magician, I can banish one card on the field, so I choose your Raider's Knight!" said Isaac as his spell removed Shadow's monster from the game with ease. "Then I'll play Bond Between Teacher and Student, so now I can also summon my Dark Magician Girl!" Isaac's star female magician now made her presence known as arrived and gave a small wink to Shadow but planted a kiss for the most important boy in her life and that being Isaac.
"Now my spell lets me set my Dark Magic Twin Burst, but before I activate it, I'll play Graceful Charity so that I can draw three cards and discard two. Next up is this spell card, Soul Servant. So now I take one of the cards that I sent to my graveyard that list 'Dark Magician' or 'Dark Magician Girl' in its text and put it on top of my deck. So I'll take back my Dark Magic Expanded." said Isaac as his card slid out for him to grab as he put it on top. "Then I'll activate the second effect of my Soul Servant, so by banishing it, I can now draw cards equal to the number of 'Dark Magician', 'Dark Magician Girl', or 'Palladium Oracle' monsters that I have on my field and in my graveyard. So since I currently have two, I draw two cards. With that, I'll now play Magic Formula to give my Dark Magician an extra 700 attack points. But that's not all, I'll also play Dark Magic Expanded to give my Dark Magician Girl an extra 1000 attack points."
Isaac now had both of his monsters power up. "Finally, I'll activate my Dark Magic Twin Burst to raise the attack points of my Dark Magician by Dark Magician Girl, so now my Dark Magician has 6200 attack points."
"UH-OH!" said Shadow as he saw what was in front of him.
"Go, my magicians, Double Dark Magic Attack!" commanded Isaac as both of his monsters put their staffs together as they created a huge ball of energy as they fired the spell and hit Shadow square in the chest as he was thrown onto his back.
Shadow's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac (OTK)
"Oh shit!" said Penny and Jack as they saw their friend get beat by their former headmaster now World Champion in one move.
"Penny, wanna go?" asked Isaac to which the girl just got on the field. She put on her duel disk and slid her deck in as it projected a black card tray.
"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-
Penny's Life Points: 8000-
Turn 1: Penny
"Good to see you're still just as tough, Teach," said Penny as she drew her card. "But don't forget who was the runner-up in the tournament. Since I control no cards, I can special summon Blackwing - Gust the Backblast(900/1400). And since birds of a feather, like to flock together, I can also summon my Blackwing - Kris the Crack of Dawn(1900/300). But that's not all, cause I can also summon my Blackwing - Oroshi the Squall(400/600) to join my flock!" Penny now had three monsters on her field.
"Now, I'll tune my Oroshi the Squall with my Kris the Crack and Gust the Backblast!" Penny's tuner monster then flew high into the air as it turned into a single green giant ring that circled her two other birds. "And by way of their cosmic bonds, I can form an even mightier beast! I Synchro Summon! Spread your wings, Assault Blackwing - Raikiri the Rain Shower(2600/2000)!" Penny's monster emerged as it resembled a cross between a man and a raven, covered in bits of purple armor, a headpiece shaped like the head of a bird, a pair of bird feet feathered wings sprouting from his back, and a tunic covering his lower half. He drew his sword and released a war cry that sounded like a man yelling mixed with a raven's caw.
"Still as I remember," said Isaac to Penny with her Blackwings and Synchro Summoning.
"Now, I'll summon my Blackwing - Blizzard the Far North(1300/0). And when I normal summon my Blizzard, I can also bring back a Level 4 or lower 'Blackwing' monster from my graveyard." Penny's monster then landed on her duel disk and pecked at her graveyard as it then grabbed a card in its beak and it landed on its mistress' shoulder giving her the card.
"Thanks, bud." said the girl petting her bird. "I'll bring back my Gust the Backblast. Then I'll tune my Blizzard the Far North with my Gust the Backblast!" Blizzard the Far North then flew from Penny's shoulder as it turn into four giant green rings that circled her other monster as it flew in between them. "I Synchro Summon, Blackwing Armed Wing(2300/1000)!" Penny now had another Synchro monster on her field.
Turn 2: Isaac
"Well now, my draw! I'll start by summoning my own tuner monster, you remember my Enchantress of Melody(900/1800)!" Isaac played his magician as a beautiful young girl with crimson-colored eyes, a determined and gentle look, and mid-length dark brown hair tied into two twin-tails to a ribbon that laid on her shoulders. She wore black robes and a cloak, she wielded a silver staff and kept a short sword sheathed around her waist. Underneath the cloak, she wore a low-cut blouse, ultra-short pink miniskirts, and wore burgundy boots that stopped before her knee caps She also wore some leggings that stopped halfway to her thighs as she still showed off her fair smooth skin.
"Then I'll play Pot of Greed to draw two cards. Then activate Dark Magical Circle! So now I can look at the top three cards of my deck and then I can reveal a 'Dark Magician' related spell or trap card or the monster itself and add it to my hand and put the other cards back in any order I choose." Isaac's duel disk then showed his options as he made his choice as it slid out for him to grab as he used his screen to rearrange the order of his other cards.
"I reveal Dark Magic Expanded. Next, I'll play Strength in Unity. Then I'll play Advanced Ritual Art, so now I can ritual summon a monster by sending normal-type monsters from my deck so I send my Dark Magician so that I can ritual summon Magician of Chaos(2500/2100)!" Isaac's monster then entered a black portal as a pillar of light emerged and soon his other monster emerged on the field.
"Now my Dark Magical Circle's second effect activates when I summon Dark Magician, I can banish one card you control and my Magician of Chaos becomes 'Dark Magician' when it's on the field or in my graveyard. But that's not all my Strength in Unity now activates, since I ritual summoned using Dark Magician, I can now banish a second card you control. So I'm banishing both of your monsters!"
"WHAT?!!!" yelled out Penny as she saw her monsters disappear before her eyes.
"Next, I'll play Monster Reborn so that I can bring back my Dark Magician. Then activate my Enchantress of Melody's effect, so now I can roll a die and whatever number it lands on I can either increase or decrease a monster's level on my field by that amount." Isaac now had a die appear in his hand as his magician put her hand over his.
"Ready, Melody?"
"I've missed this." said the girl planting a kiss on the boy's cheek.
"Dice Roll!!" shouted both of them as they tossed the die into the air as it spun and soon rolled around on the ground as it landed on a number. "Now I'll decrease my Melody's level from 3 to 2. And with that, I'll now tune my Enchantress of Melody with my Dark Magician. And when I use Dark Magician as synchro material, he counts as Level 6 instead of 7. So now I tune my monsters together!" shouted Isaac as his female magician played her lyra and transformed into two giant green rings as they circled his other magician. "I Synchro Summon, Dark Sorcerer Magician(2500/2100)!" Isaac now had his synchro monster as out came a spellcaster that had white hair and had garments that were dressed in an indigo/purple color scheme. It wielded a staff and was surrounded by bits of stardust and magical symbols.
"I now play the second to last card in my hand, Dedication through Light and Darkness, so I'll tribute my Magician of Chaos so that I can summon my Dark Magician of Chaos(2800/2600). And when my Dark Magician of Chaos is summoned, I can then add a spell card to my hand, so I choose my Monster Reborn, but I'll play it so that I can bring back my Magician of Chaos," said Isaac as he now had three monsters on his field.
"I now play the final card in my hand, Dark Magic Expanded. Now I can give a Dark spellcaster on my field an extra 1000 attack points this turn, so I choose my Magician of Chaos," said Isaac as his monster now had 3500 attack points. "So now my magicians, combine your attacks and take out Penny's life points!!" commanded the boy as his three monsters all put their staffs together as they created a huge beam of magical energy as it shot towards Penny as she took a hard hit as it caused her to hit the ground.
Penny's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac (OTK)
"I'm starting to remember," said Jack as he recalled the first time he and the other six of them tried to challenge their former headmaster during his final year of high school and how he wiped the floor with all of them.
"Come on, Jack." taunted Isaac with a 'come-on' gesture.
"I'm gonna regret this." groaned Jack as he put on his duel disk and slid in his deck as it projected a dark purple card tray.
"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.
Jack's Life Points: 8000-
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-
Turn 1: Jack
"My draw and I'll play the spell card, Ring Announcer. This allows me to special summon a 'Battlin' Boxer' from my hand, so I choose my Battlin' Boxer Switchitter(1500/1400). Then I'll play my Battlin' Boxer Headgeared(1000/1800). And when I summon my Headgeared, I can send a 'Battlin' Boxer' monster from my deck to the graveyard. So I'll send my Battlin' Boxer Big Bandage." said Jack as his duel disk slotted out his card for him to grab as he grabbed it and sent it to the graveyard. "Then I'll play the spell Battlin' Boxer Spirits, so I send the top card of my deck to the graveyard and then I can summon a 'Battlin' Boxer' monster from my graveyard, so my Battlin' Boxer Big Bandage(1100/1400) is now on the field."
Jack now had the monster he sent away using his Headgeared's effect. "Now I'll activate the effect of my Big Bandage, so I banish my Battlin' Boxer Glassjaw, so now all my 'Battlin' Boxer' monsters on my field become its level. So now all three of my monsters are Level 4." said Jack. "With that done, I now overlay my Level 4 Battlin' Boxer Bandage and Headgeared to build the Overlay Network!" Jack's monsters then transformed into orbs of light as they hovered in the air for a bit as a portal opened up in front of him. Both orbs then entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Battlin' Boxer Lead Yoke(2200/2000, OLU: 2)!" Jack's monster now emerged as it had its arms and hands in chains.
"But I'm far from done, cause my Battlin' Boxer Switchitter counts as 2 monsters when I Xyz summon." said the boy as his monster split and then changed into orbs of light as they hovered in the air as another portal opened up. "I Xyz Summon, Number 79: Battlin' Boxer Nova Kaiser(2300/1600, OLU: 1)!" Out emerged another fighter as it wore colorful armor with red and yellow outlines as the number glowed on its body. It then clapped its knuckles together as it landed on the field with a thud as it unfurled its outerwear.
"But why stop at two, when I'm gonna do a third one. I play the spell card, Rank-Up-Magic- The Seventh One!" shouted the boy as his card lit up. "So now I can target 1 'Number 10X' monster in my Extra Deck and summon it with its effects negated, so I choose my Battlin' Boxer Star Cestus!" Jack's monster then appeared as it let out a cry as it took its position next to the young boy. "Then my spell lets me use my monster and Xyz Summon 1 'C' Xyz monster that's one rank higher! Go Chaos Xyz Evolution!" shouted Jack as his monster turned into an orb of light as it hovered in the air for a bit as a portal opened up in front of him. Soon that orb of light entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. For Isaac watching this, he had a smile on his face as he saw Jack do an advanced move and pull it off successfully. "Appear, Chaos Number 105: Battlin' Boxer Comet Cestus(2800/2000, OLU: 1)!" Jack's new monster was a chaos number monster as it stood in a dominating pose as it had four wings attached to it.
In front of Isaac were three powerful Xyz monsters as they stood over Jack. Isaac was smiling at how much the boy's skills had grown since he last saw him. But... so did his.
Turn 2: Isaac
"My draw, first up, I'm gonna use these two cards Scale 2 Sleight of Hand Magician and Scale 8 Mirage Magician to set the Pendulum Scale!" said Isaac as he placed his two cards on the far end of his duel disk as the word 'Pendulum' in rainbow coloring spelled out in between them to signal that it worked. Isaac's two monsters then appeared in columns of light with their respective numbers in front of them.
"I'm allowed to summon monsters, from Levels 3 through 7 all at the same time. Back and forth, to and fro, what's coming next? You'll all soon know! So swing far pendulum and carve the arc that will lead me to victory! My monsters are ready to swing into action!" shouted the boy as he thrust his arm upwards as a portal opened up and three lights came out. "She's rather tasty, it's my Apple Magician Girl(1200/1000). She may be a bit sour, but she's got a cute personality, it's my Lemon Magician Girl(800/600). And lastly, give a warm welcome to the star monster of our show, it's my Dark Magician!"
Just like Jack, Isaac now had three of his monsters on the field. Mahad now stood on the field with his master, as Isaac's magician girls all took one side of him as they snuggled the boy.
"Now, I'll activate the pendulum ability of my Sleight of Hand Magician. Twice per turn, he can change the level of a monster on my field to match that of another. So I'll change both of my magician girls' level so that they become the same as my Dark Magician." said Isaac as his monster pulled out his deck of cards and flashed the number seven as magic particles landed above the girls who were still hugging Isaac.
"Girls, you're gonna need to let me go if we're gonna win," said Isaac.
"Alright, Isaac." said the two sisters.
Isaac smiled as they both planted a kiss on his cheeks as they stood next to their mentor as Mahad nodded at his master. "I now overlay all three of my Level 7 monsters!" shouted the boy as his monsters turned into orbs of light as they hovered in the air for a bit as a portal opened up in front of him. The lights then entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Chaos Mageía(3000/2500, OLU: 3)!" Out emerged from the portal a brand new monster. It was a sorceress who had long flowing red hair with vanilla skin tone. She wore an emerald necklace and had white gloves that covered her smooth hands. Her outfit consisted of a light blue dress that stopped at her knees; she wore black heels that weren't too high, as well as earrings that matched her necklace. She did a quick twirl for all to see as bits of magical particles surrounded her and it made her look even more beautiful.
"Since I used 'Dark Magician' to Xyz summon her, my Chaos Mageía can negate your monsters' effects," said Isaac as his magician waved her wand and rendered Jack's monsters all powerless. "And then I activate her special ability, by using one overlay unit, she removes all other Xyz materials from other Xyz monsters. And for each one removed, she gains 500 attack points and an additional attack. So I'm removing 4 overlay units meaning she gains 2000 more attack points and can attack 5 times."
"Shit!" said Jack as he realized what this meant.
Chaos Mageía winked at Jack as her wand transformed into a bow as she prepared to hunt down her target. She reached into her quiver and pulled out an arrow made up of light as she put it in the strings and pulled back. She didn't even bother closing her left eye as her aim was precise.
"Divinity Arrow!" shouted Isaac and the girl as she released the shot.
The arrow now traveled super fast as it was enveloped in a golden light and it split into five separate arrows. Each one of Jack's monsters was taken out by a single one as the remaining two headed towards the boy as they landed in front of him and he was knocked back by the impact and joined his pals on the floor.
Jack's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac(OTK)
"WOO!!!!!" shouted Isaac. "Hell yeah! Oh, it feels good to be back, baby. Man, have I missed this feeling. I've missed dueling for you guys." said the boy to the fourth wall. "It feels good."
Isaac was filled with energy at the feeling he was going through. Celestia and Luna saw how fired up the boy was acting, as it brought a smile to their faces as Isaac fist pumped. Jack, Penny, and Shadow now all sat up as they looked at each other for a second before looking ahead to see their former headmaster.
"He can still kick our asses." said all three in unison.
"Damn straight, I can. Six ways to Sunday and all over god's green earth." said Isaac. He knew this trip was a good idea as he was being reminded of some memories when he was a student. He helped the teens to their feet as they all dusted themselves off.
"Anyways, good to see you guys."
"Nice to see you again, Teach," stated Penny.
"So, how have things been since me and the girls left?" asked Isaac.
"Well, as you can see. The whole school underwent some major renovations. Your program got off the ground and is a huge success." answered Jack.
"Well, it's wasn't just me. You seven actually helped to make it a reality. So you all have just as much credit as I do." said Isaac. "So, how do you guys like it?"
"It ain't bad. Seeing as how we've noticed the difference from the old way to the newer way. Almost everybody is enrolled in a summoning method they want to learn. Jack, Jason, and I are in the Xyz program, Bryant is in the Pendulum courses. Amber is in the fusion section, though she wants to at least be informed about all four, her main interest is still fusion summoning. Penny naturally went with Synchro, and Lucky Star is doing both Xyz and Synchro given her deck. Though, she does give some lessons for Bryant since he noticed a few cards that could add to his deck's firepower but didn't want to study it fully. So she just teaches him the basic lessons. Same with Jason, he mostly is in the Xyz program with us, but Amber tutors the big guy with the basics of fusion for his deck."
"Well, now. Seems you all have some nice courses," said Isaac to Shadow.
"And that ain't all, Bryant and Lucky Star are now an item. Seems her baking skills and his cooking skills gave the two an interest in each other," said Jack.
"How about that," said Isaac as he smiled.
"They ain't the only one, old Shadow here is trying his hardest with Penny."
"Yeah, right," responded Shadow to his buddy.
"You seem to be forgetting, Shadow. Weren't you moping around when you got rejected by your crush, hmm?" said Penny looking at the boy who turned away in embarrassment. "Birdboy cried for nearly a week, all of us tried to cheer him up, but he wouldn't even leave his house. Wasn't till I had to play rebound that he stopped thinking about his heartbreak." snickered the cool girl with a sly smile.
"Well, glad to see things are still going strong here," said Isaac.
"So, why are you here? Other than to remind us of what happened when we tried to take you on at once," said Jack.
"Well, I got a match coming up in a few weeks. And I wanted to do some 'special training', as a way to prepare for my duel. But I also wanted to see how things have been since I last stepped foot here. And to be honest, I'm glad I did." said Isaac to the students and the principals.
"Well, I'm sorry to cut this short. But I need to get going," said Isaac as he grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder as he prepared to leave. "Say hi to everyone for me, will ya?"
"You got!" said the three students.
"Jack, Penny, Shadow, Celestia, and Luna. It was nice to see you all again. Don't forget to watch my duel in a few weeks." said Isaac as he waved goodbye to the individuals as they all waved back.
"Good luck, Isaac!" said all of them in unison as the boy left through the doors.
"Good to see the place." Isaac was now outside as he took one last look at the school. "Now then, before I head to where I need to be, I got some pit stops to make." Isaac then began to walk down the sidewalk.
A woman was currently in the front yard as she was watering some flowers. She soon heard the sound of the front gate opening and closing as she turned around. She almost dropped the watering can that was in her hands as she took in what was in front of her.
"Mami."
"I-Isaac."
The young man just smiled as he saw his mother in front of him.
"Isaac!" said his mother as she went to hug her son as both embraced one another.
"I've missed you."
"I've missed you too, Mami." said the boy to the woman that gave birth to him.
"It's been so long, my, you've grown. And look how handsome you are," said Isaac's mother as she looked at her son's face and touched his cheek. "I thought I told you, to call me ahead when you were gonna visit."
"Well, I'm not totally visiting, Mami. I'm here for another reason, but I'd figured I'd stop by and see you guys. Being World Champ, it's tough. Especially when I think about you guys every day."
"I'm proud that you are living your dream, mijo. I tell everybody that you came out of here," said Isaac's mother to her body. "This is the road to success."
"Good one, Mami." chuckled Isaac at his mother's joke.
The pair entered inside as Isaac couldn't stay too long as he had other business to attend to. However, he was able to sit down and talk with his mother about how he'd been doing. He told his mother about his busy schedule and how it was grueling work, but he was able to handle it. Not to mention all the people that showed their appreciation and love for all the boy did. His mother was glad that her son was doing well and taking care of himself. She was also grateful that Juniper was doing her job of looking after her son.
Isaac did pull some things from his backpack as he brought some gifts for his mother and father as he was looking to drop them off while he was here. He gave them to his mother as well as some extra cash for them to pay some bills and for anything they wanted to buy. Isaac's mother told her son that he didn't have to always send his own hard-earned money to them, but Isaac just said it was his way to pay back them for raising him. About an hour passed as Isaac needed to leave, though his mother decided to at least make lunch for them before her son left. She also did her motherly habits by fixing her son's appearance to her liking as Isaac put it back to the way it was.
Once he said goodbye to his mother and thanked her for lunch, Isaac had one final pitstop that he needed to make.
"Vroom. Vroom. Chug-chug-chug." said a small Flurry Heart as she was playing with her train plushy.
She was on her hands and knees as on the couch were Spike and Tigre as the two pets were lazing about and taking a nap. In the kitchen, Cadance was washing some potatoes as she was prepping for dinner. Soon came the sound of the door as she put the vegetable down and went to answer it. She opened the door and saw who it was.
"Vroom, vroom."
"Flurry!"
"Yeah, mom." said the small toddler.
"We've got someone who wants to see you," said Cadance.
Flurry Heart then got up as she dusted off her skirt. She then started walking towards the front door.
"Who is it, Mom?"
"Close your eyes," said Cadance as she bent down to her daughter. Flurry then did as her mother asked.
"One. Two."
"Three." said a voice as the small girl opened her eyes and saw who it was.
"Uncle Isaac?"
"Hey, Flurry," said Isaac as he bent down on one knee.
"Uncle Isaac!" shouted the toddler as she now raced into the arms of the boy as she hugged him. "Nice to see you, Uncle Isaac."
"Technically, I'm still not your uncle, Flurry. Me and Twilight aren't engaged yet. Nevertheless," said the boy as he put the girl down. "My, look at you, you've grown a bit since the last time I saw you."
"Mom says that I'm gonna grow up to be big and strong." said the young girl as Isaac rubbed her hair.
"Hey, I brought you something," said Isaac as he put his backpack down and unzipped it as he pulled out a small present. "Here you go."
"What is it?" asked the small girl as she took the gift and shook it a bit. She then tore at the wrapping paper. It was a small box as she took the lid off and inside were some cards.
"Some cards I decided you might like."
"Wow, I love them. Thanks." said Flurry as she grabbed the boy's hand and tried to drag him as Isaac walked with the girl to the living room.
She took the cards out as Isaac was on his knees next to the girl as she began to look at them as Isaac told about each one of them to the small child. She soon brought out her deck of cards as she had Isaac help her to adjust and edit while putting in the new cards. She even showed off the Blue Dragon Summoner card that was given to her by the boy during the time he and Twilight had to babysit the baby during New Years.
"Can we have a duel later, Isaac?" asked Flurry.
"I think I can spare a match." said the boy to the small girl. He then looked over at the couch as Tigre saw her owner. "Hey, girl."
"Meow."
"You've been behaving?" asked Isaac.
"Meow."
"You've been bossing Spike and keeping him in check?"
"Meow."
"Good." smiled Isaac as he grabbed his cat as Tigre let out a purr. She was glad to see her owner again as she missed seeing him. "I've missed you too." said the boy scratching her ears and under her chin.
"Hope she isn't too much trouble, Cadance."
"It's no trouble at all, Isaac. At least she's quiet, unlike Spike."
"Bark!" said the dog as he was offended by that comment.
"Meow, meow." said the cat to her animal buddy with some sass.
"I've been taking care of her," said Flurry.
"Are you now? Well, you're doing a good job," said Isaac as he put his cat down on the couch as he sat down with Flurry sitting next to him. His pet wasted no time in getting in his lap as she began to rub herself against her owner as she purred.
"Did you see Aunty Twily?" asked the girl.
"Yup, and she wishes she could be here. But she did ask me to give you a message," said Isaac as he kissed the small girl on her cheek.
"Then can you give this to her when you see her again," said Flurry as she kissed Isaac's cheek.
"I will," smiled the boy.
"So, how are things, Isaac?" asked Cadance as she sat in another couch chair.
"It's tough, especially being champion. I understand what Shining Armor went through when he was champ. But then again, you two were engaged, so his load was cut back a bit. Me, I'm doing every signing, every meeting, and every appearance that's being asked of me." said Isaac to the woman.
"Isaac, can I see your magicians?" asked Flurry tugging at his hoodie.
Isaac just smiled as he flipped open his deck box on his belt and pulled out his cards. He handed them to the small girl as she was looking at the monsters that belonged to Isaac as she was grinning ear to ear from seeing them again. She soon saw Isaac's two magicians as it brought back memories of a year and a half ago, when she was still a young baby and how she loved them.
"Do you remember what you used to say?" asked Isaac.
"Magic." said the girl.
Isaac just rubbed Flurry's hair as she smiled. For about the next hour or so, Isaac told Flurry and Cadance about his life since he became champion. Also as to why he was here as he was off to do some special training for his upcoming duel in a few weeks. Before Isaac left the two girls, he agreed to Flurry Heart's request on having a duel with the small toddler. The pair now sat on opposite sides of the table in the living room, as Cadance watched the two. Tigre had jumped on the table and sat in front of her owner to his side as she wanted an up-close view.
During the duel, Isaac would sometimes ask his cat what card to play as she used her paw to point at the one she liked. In the end, Flurry Heart was smiling as she enjoyed herself and getting better by learning from the boy. Soon it was time to leave, as Isaac said goodbye to the pets and received a hug and kiss from Cadance and her daughter as they were looking forward to seeing his duel in a few weeks.
Isaac was now walking down the sidewalk again. It was about 3 in the afternoon when he looked at his watch as he had taken care of all that he needed. Now he started to head towards his true destination. It didn't take long as soon the boy now found himself in front of a building.
"Never thought I'd see this place again," said Isaac looking at the house.
He then took a few feet towards the door. He took a deep breath and prepared himself as he rang the doorbell. For a few moments, nothing happened. Soon the door creaked open a bit.
"Hello?"
"Who is it?" called a voice from inside.
"Pinkie. It's me. Isaac."
"I-Isaac?" said the voice.
The door then opened a bit more as it revealed the girl. The girl had light cerulean eyes and brilliant raspberry hair that could almost pass for cotton candy. She wore a sequent grayish pink shirt and pale, light grayish raspberry shorts, white stockings, and light blue sneakers. She had grown since Isaac last saw her, but the thing that remained the same was her puffy hair that looked like cotton candy.
"Big brother?" said the girl as she looked at the young man as she too saw how Isaac had grown as well.
"Good to see you, little sister."
"Big bro!" said Pinkie as she lunged at Isaac and she wrapped her arms around the young man. It had been so long since she last saw the boy as she buried her head into his shirt and she had a few tears.
Isaac returned the gesture from the girl as he too hugged her. He ran his hair through her puffy hair as he was glad to see the person who he considered a sibling.
"I've missed you, big bro." cried Pinkie.
"I've missed you too, little sis." responded Isaac as the pair enjoyed the embrace from their sibling. |
Yugioh: Reunion | Chapter 4: Sibling Reunion | Isaac had an upcoming championship duel. And instead of his usual training method, he decided to do some special training. But also because the duel meant that Isaac's schedule was clear of all of his usual duties. So he took that time to go on a little training journey and one of them included reconnecting with one of his old friends from high school. The one person who he considered a sibling, his little sister, none other than Pinkie Pie.
Like the boy, the girl had also undergone some changes. She had grown up a bit as her body developed a bit more. Not to mention she dawned a new attire, but yet through all the differences, she was still the same party girl that Isaac remembered from high school.
"I've missed you, big bro," said Pinkie as she buried her head into Isaac's shirt.
"I've missed you as well, little sis," said Isaac as he hugged the girl.
It had been a while since the pair last saw each other as it brought some memories. Eventually, the boy and girl broke their embrace as they looked at each other.
"It's nice to see you again, Pinkie."
"You too, Isaac."
"So, mind if I come in?"
"You're always welcome here," said Pinkie as she stepped to the side and allowed the boy to enter as she closed the door.
Upon entering, Isaac took a deep breath. He was now inside of the house that he bought for him and the girls when they were going into their final year of high school. But more importantly, he looked at one of the many small photos on a shelf. It depicted one of the many adventures that the gang went on as it brought memories of the boy.
"The Fall Formal," said Isaac as he looked at a photo of him facing Sunset and where he became champion of CHS.
(Memory)
"Stay down!! Just stay down!!! Every time I've beaten you to a pulp, you still find some way to get back up! I kick your ass and you get back up. I kick your ass again and you still try to get back up!! Maybe your parents told you that if you face a bully and he's beating you down then you should just get back up. Well, let me tell you, the next time that bully is not going to let you get up. They're going to keep beating you till they make sure that you don't get up! I said that you were going to be in for the beating of a lifetime but you still are trying to fight. So tell me!! What do I have to do!? What do I have to do to get you out of my life!? I! HATE! YOU!!!!"
"Now you know, Sunset. You said it yourself, that I'm going to be in for the beating of a lifetime. Well, that's like saying that the sun will come up tomorrow. Of course, I know that I know that. But I also know what it takes to beat you! But what separates me from you Sunset is heart. And when the chips are down, you may beat the hell out of me but you're going to have beat every last breath out of this body!!" said Isaac. "Well, I duel out of love!"
Sunset had a disgusted look on her face like that was the stupidest answer she ever heard from someone.
"Oh no, don't get me wrong I see you, I see the look on your face. Because we don't use/say the word love around here, especially if you're a guy because when we say that we don't look tough. Please I'm a grown-ass man, I could do/say what the hell I want and I don't give a damn on what anybody else thinks! I love this game, I love the fact that I can make people happy, I love every little aspect that Duel Monsters brings to me and my life! I love the look on these people's faces; I love the smiles that I put on for the people not just in here but also for the fine folks at home watching and to the readers who're reading this story. It warms my heart when I'm pulled to the side and people say: thank you. I am here out of love, what the hell are you doing here!! Cause I'm not just fighting for me, Sunset. I'm fighting for everybody whose dream was to be here, whose dream was to stand here on the grandest stage of them and say they've made it. Know that because this is my life! This is my passion! This is all that I got!!!"
(End of Memory)
Isaac then put the photo back on the table as he looked at another one. This one was from the time he had to deal with Starlight and at the time her idea of Duel Monsters' ideology.
(Memory)
"I am the 'best' duelist in the world!" said Starlight as she corrected the boy's statement.
"Congratulations, for thinking that. I hate to tip my ace to you, there were a lot of people who thought that. A lot of people. Names like Yuya Sakaki, Jaden Yuki, Yuma Tsukumo, even Satellite's Shooting Star, Yusei Fudo! Every single one of them thought the kid couldn't hang with me. Thought there's no way that he can duel with me on this dueling field! Every single one was disappointed!"
"He somehow chose you to be the one to hand the keys to the kingdom. After that meeting, well, unfortunately, the story doesn't have a happy ending because why would it. See, that was the first time I grabbed that imaginary brass ring and went absolutely nowhere with it. See, Isaac, I don't play games. What you see with me, is what you get. And I would much rather be hated for who I am than loved for something that I'm not."
"You will ask these folks if they want to see an apology, you will ask these folks to be the voice of the voiceless. My point is, your strongest attribute is also your biggest flaw. You are Starlight Glimmer, you beat to your own drum and I admire that. But in the path of doing things you wanna do, you've lost sight of everything."
"Oh, hold on, I'm gonna stop you right there, I'm not gonna have you stand here and belittle me and say I've lost sight of everything. I've lost sight of things, Isaac?! The reason I say all this is I don't fit a certain mold and because I am the underdog and that's exactly what you've lost sight of. Earlier you told me how you 'supposedly' had met some of these duelists, Yuya Sakaki, Yuma Tsukumo, Jaden Yuki, and Satellite's Shooting Star, Yusei Fudo and you said that they used to look at you and think that the kid couldn't hang and now you stand here and look at me as the kid that can't hang!!" shouted Starlight.
"If I hated this game, I wouldn't be sitting here right now. I'd be at home a lot happier. You would be rid of the evil Starlight Glimmer and you'd be a lot happier. Want I want is change! I recognize when things suck and I speak my mind!! I want things to be different. I want things to be better! I want things to be better not just for me but for everybody!!!" stated the girl. "I am dying for a change. We are dying for a change. I want to be the catalyst for that change."
"Oh, save me!!!" yelled Isaac. "You want to be the catalyst as long as it benefits you!! I am sick to death of listening to you talk about how you're doing all of this for them!! Yeah, there are a lot of people out there and reading this story, maybe half of them agree with what you're saying, the other half, they don't give a damn! You know what, Starlight? Some of these people and readers actually like this story. Some of these people dig it, they tune in every single chapter. They love what they see, they come here to have a good time. They like it the way it is. But when you talk about being the catalyst for change, really what you mean is, you will only accept change if it means Starlight Glimmer is on top, because unless Starlight Glimmer is the gal, the man, that's not enough change for you. That's not really what you want. See, you're no different than anybody else that's ever been in this business, including me. We're a lot alike. We did what we had to do to get on top. The difference is? I looked everybody in the eye and told you, I'm gonna step on you, I'm gonna walk through you to get to the top. You, you don't have the balls to do it! What you did is you backdoor your way around. You tried to do it being a martyr."
"You became champion, I immediately started testing you, trial by fire, call it, and guess what, you failed. You're just like everybody else, you're just like Celestia and Luna, you're just like the Big 5. You know, I thought maybe since me and you, yeah, we are a lot alike, I thought maybe we wanted the same things, I thought we were on the same page, we wanted the same goals, but it turns out, you're egotistical, you're vindictive. It's the same old thing I've seen before, I mean, you hire your buddies to do your dirty work because you can't get your hands dirty." said Starlight as she pointed and looked at the girls.
"My goal not being, okay, a certain amount of dollars and I'm done. No! No, I wanna leave Duel Monsters a better place than when I walked in through that door the first time. That's what I want as my legacy. This is what I believe in. You work hard, you show up on time, you stay loyal to those who support you, you respect enemies and friends. That's my stance. By the way, I don't ever give up. Either you're in or you're out." said Isaac. "But what I fear most is, all the sacrifices I've made to try to not win anybody over, but just to try to... get people to believe, yes this is what he stands for. So many times, people say, 'Ahh, I-- I hate your character, but I totally respect you'. That is-- that's it. That's my legacy. That's what I want. I don't agree with you, but I respect you."
"You know, you remind me of one of those championship thoroughbred horses. One that's been running for a long, long time and it races and it wins. And it wins and the people, they just cheer for him! But one day, this championship horse, he starts to slow down. And that is when reality sets in. And now he finds himself not just looking for the next finish line. He is now sitting somewhere in the back of a barn laid out on a slab." said Starlight.
"You want to talk about what-ifs? Let's talk about it. What if Starlight Glimmer would've been here 16 years ago? Hell, 3 years ago even. I'll tell you, you wouldn't have been a champion. You've wouldn't have been blessed by your idol. You wouldn't have retired Celestia and Luna. You wouldn't be on magazine covers; you wouldn't be in a shitty movie! If the powers that be hadn't had kept me out of Duel Monsters and CHS for so long, I would have all those accolades, and I, Starlight Glimmer, would be the face that runs this place!!" shouted the girl.
"SHUT UP!!!!" shouted Isaac as he slammed his fists on the table. "Enough, man! Your club isn't full of bullets, it's just full of bullshit!! Every single thing you've done, and I sit here and give you respect, and you waltz out, and whine, and bitch, and complain like every other single person before you entitled, thinking, 'It should've been me. It could've been me. I deserved that'. You didn't do it, chipmunk cheeks, but you're too stupid to see that you got a chance right in front of your face, to man up, knuckle up, and do it now!! So, you sign that and you prove me wrong. Or you sign that," Isaac then pointed at the right contract, "And you're not gonna need me to bury you, homes. Everybody here knows you're gonna bury yourself. We're gonna put your ass on a bullet train back to Sire's Hollow, cause apparently, you left your balls over there!!!"
(End of Memory)
Isaac put the photo back as he now looked at the many others on the stand. All of it, he was reminded of his adventures during his high school years. Pinkie saw how her friend was looking at the old photos as she smiled.
"Been a while since I've last thought of our adventures," said Isaac as he looked back at Pinkie.
"I look at them every day. It keeps me company that I'll see you all again." smiled the girl to her friend.
"Well, I'm here now," said Isaac as Pinkie gave him another sibling hug.
"You should have told me, you were coming to visit. I would have done a 'Welcome Home' party." said Pinkie.
"But then it's wouldn't be a secret. And you like secrets, little sis," said Isaac with some playfulness in his voice as he rubbed her hair. "How have things been?"
Pinkie then sat down on the couch as Isaac sat next to her.
"I've been doing alright. Still putting smiles here for people. Still working at my job, but I also run a small care center for any mothers who need to have their children watched. So on the days off, I work a side job of sorts. Don't worry, I make sure that the kids don't make a mess to the house." stated Pinkie. "Besides, I have Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle to help me out. I promised Rarity that I would look after her little sister, and since we have so much room here, I let Scootaloo live here. I gave them each Rainbow's and Rarity's old room."
"Nice to know the girls are growing up and acting responsible," said Isaac.
"Well, they're still at school. But if you're staying tonight, then they'll have a chance to see you since tomorrow they don't have class," said Pinkie. "I've also been contacted on multiple occasions by people to plan and throw them a party."
"You're still the same, Pinkie. Energetic, fun-loving, and don't forget zany," said Isaac.
"Aw, thank you, big bro." smiled Pinkie as she reached into her hair and pulled out a cupcake as she gave it to Isaac. "Now your turn, tell me. Tell me!"
"Well..." Isaac took a bite of the cupcake as he began to collect his thoughts, "I guess, I'm the World Champion."
"I know, I saw it when you won that duel. I so wanted to send you a party in a box, but I didn't have enough wrapping paper to put the party cannon in."
"Yeah, okay, maybe it's best that you didn't send me a gift if I knew you were going to do that," stated Isaac. Now he was questioning how Pinkie was gonna fit that thing into a small space.
"Aw, don't worry. Next time, I will." smiled Pinkie.
"I'm afraid now," muttered Isaac as he finished his cupcake.
"So, are you getting lonely? Do you miss your little sis?" asked Pinkie putting the puppy dog eyes.
"Yes, I miss you. All of you, but... like we said during graduation. We're all doing our own things right now, but we promised that we'll meet up and discuss our adventures." said the boy. "Besides, I can't find an excuse to spend time with my little sibling."
"Of course you can silly." said the pink-haired girl as she hugged the boy and nuzzled into his chest.
With that, both Pinkie and Isaac continued to talk. Eventually, it was about 5 in the evening, as Pinkie started to make some dinner as Isaac volunteered to help. The pair enjoyed themselves as all the cooking skills that Pinkie taught her big brother stuck with him as it brought back some old memories of the pair. Soon, the front door opened as in came an older Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle as they saw Pinkie. They soon saw Isaac as both dropped their backpacks on the floor and ran up to the boy to hug him.
Isaac got down on a knee as the girls hugged him. Isaac saw how much the girls had grown in the past year and a half, but they were still a bit smaller than him. He rubbed his hand on their heads and planted a kiss on their foreheads as they began to bombard him with questions. Isaac told the girls what they wanted to hear as well as how his life had changed since he became a pro, but more importantly, how it was being World Champion.
Isaac told the two girls that it wasn't just dueling as he had other responsibilities. He told them about the many commitments he had to do, like signings, interviews, and even being on the road 24/7. The girls felt a bit concerned with how much sleep Isaac was getting with his busy schedule, to which the boy told them to not worry, cause every now and then he would get a few weeks in the year where he didn't have to worry about any of his duties. Especially, with his upcoming duel in a few weeks, his entire schedule had been cleared so that he could focus on his training.
The girls were curious as to what training, Isaac meant. He told them he would show them after dinner. All four then sat at the table as they began to enjoy the meal prepared by the two young adults. During their dinner, Isaac learned about how the girls were handling the new school as they loved it. With the new courses involving Duel Monsters each of the girls was involved in different courses, Applebloom was part of the Synchro section, while both Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were part of the Fusion department. But they still hung with each other as they still called themselves the CMC.
Isaac was surprised to learn that each one of them had an opportunity to be ranked as the champion of CHS, but they all fell a bit short. Nevertheless, they were now working hard to hopefully get another shot. They all made sure to keep the lessons that Isaac taught them as the boy was glad they didn't forget what he told them and how they were building their own legacy rather than following the ones left by the girls. Once dinner was over, the girls wanted to duel against Isaac for old-time sake. Isaac smiled as he led all three of the girls to the backyard of the house as he put on his duel disk and projected a gold card tray.
About two duels later, both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were on their knees as Isaac was declared the winner. He did admit that with the new courses and lessons they were learning from their school, they surprised the boy with some unexpected and high-level moves.
"That's game, Scoots," said Isaac.
"Yeah, GG." said the girl as she got up.
"Man, you've gotten way better, Isaac," said Sweetie Belle.
"I try." chuckled Isaac. "So, little sis. Care to have a duel with your big brother? Like when we were students."
"Of course." smiled Pinkie. She then pulled out her small rectangle device and put it on her wrist. She took out her deck as she slid it in and it activating projecting a pink card tray.
"I won't go easy, Pinkie," said Isaac as he activated his duel disk.
"Better give them space," said Scootaloo to Sweetie Belle as the girls knew that this was gonna be intense between the two siblings.
"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.
Pinkie's Life Points: 8000-
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-
Turn 1: Pinkie
"I'll start, Isaac. I draw! I'll use these two my Scale 2 Madolche Infanpraline and Scale 6 Chiffonberlain to set the Pendulum Scale!" said Pinkie. She placed her two cards on the far end of her duel disk as the word pendulum in rainbow coloring was in between them to signaled it worked. Soon both of Pinkie's monsters appeared in columns of light as they had their respective numbers in front of them.
"And now I can summon as many cute little guys as I want from Levels 3 through 5." Soon a portal above Pinkie opened up as out came two lights. "I pendulum summon Madolche Marmalmaide(800/2000) and my Madolche Barenberg(2000/1800)." Pinkie now had a small maid sitting on her desert as she had a menu in her hand and her other monster was a white knight made as he had a sword colored dark and a shield with a buttercup color while he stood on top of a Battenberg slice of cake.
"Nice to know you're still using the pendulum cards that I gave you so long ago, Pinkie." smiled Isaac.
"It was a gift from you, big bro. Of course, I would keep them in my deck, plus they're useful, like this. Cause since I special summoned my Barenberg, he can increase or decrease the level of a 'Madolche' monster on my field, so I'll do just that and have him increase my Madolche Marmalmaide from Level 4 to Level 5. And with that... I'll overlay both of my delicious monsters to build the Overlay Network!" Pinkie's two small monsters then changed into orbs of light as they hovered in the air for a bit as a portal opened up in front of her. Soon both orbs of light entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Empress Haute(3000/2800, OLU: 2)!" Out emerged a high-class girl as she was dressed in a 14th-century dress as they were made up of small portions of the food as she wore white gloves that covered her arms up to her elbows. Her hair was done in a bun and when let down flowed majestically to her shoulders as she had brunette hair and a smile that made you fall in love with her as she wore a necklace.
"Since I Xyz summoned my Empress, I can now activate my Madolche Chateau from my deck," said Pinkie as her duel disk slid out her card as she played it and the entire field around them changed into a candy land with the building being behind the pink-haired girl. "Now with my field spell, all my 'Madolche' monsters gain 500 more attack and defense points."
"So Pinkie already has a monster on the field with 3500 attack points," exclaimed Scootaloo.
"Well, Isaac isn't too worried," said Sweetie Belle.
"I end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 2: Isaac
"Not bad, my turn. I draw!" said Isaac. "I'll start by summoning my Chocolate Magician Girl(1600/1200)." Isaac summoned his female magician as she appeared on the boy's field. She couldn't help herself but hug the boy and kiss him. "Now, I'll activate Chocolate Magician Girl's special ability, by sending a Spellcaster monster from my hand to the graveyard, I'm allowed to draw a card. So I'll send my Magician's Robes to the graveyard." stated the boy as he discarded a card from his hand as he drew from his deck.
"The card I drew was my Palladium Oracle Mahad(2500/2100). So since I drew him, I can now summon him to the field," said Isaac as he had his loyal magician on his field as he wore his Egyptian garments.
"Next, I'll throw a facedown and call it a turn. Your move, Pinkie."
Turn 3: Pinkie
"My turn," said the girl as she drew her card. "I'll play my spell, Madolche Saloon. Now with this, I'm allowed an addition summon during my turn. Then I'll move in to attack, Empress Haute attack his Chocolate Magician Girl!" shouted the girl.
"I activate my facedown, Shift! So now your attack is redirected to my Palladium Oracle Mahad!" said Isaac as his other magician stepped in front of the girl spellcaster.
Isaac's Life Points: 7000-
"And by destroying my Palladium Oracle Mahad, that means I can now summon my Dark Magician from my deck!" stated Isaac as the smoke cleared, and there stood Mahad as he was wearing his purple garments.
Not bad, big bro. You minimized the damage you would have taken and summoned your magician. Always thinking ahead.
"I end my turn."
Turn 4: Isaac
"My turn, and I'll start by summoning my Magician's Valkyria(1600/1800). Then since I control a Level 4 or lower monster, I can also summon my Mage Annette(1300/1700)." Isaac now summoned two more of his magicians as both girls took the field in defense mode. "And by summoning my Mage Annette, I can draw a card." Annette opened her book as inside was a card that floated over to Isaac as he grabbed it.
"I now place one card facedown and end my turn."
Turn 5: Pinkie
"My turn and I summon my Madolche Magileine(1400/1200). When my Madolche Magileine is normal summoned, I can add a 'Madolche' monster from my deck to my hand." Pinkie's used her duel disk screen as she was deciding which monster. Once she made her selection, her duel disk then ejected her choice for her to grab.
"And don't forget, thanks to my Madolche Saloon, I'm allowed an additional summon. So I also summon my Madolche Chouxvalier(1700/1300). Not to mention my field spell gives both of my monsters an extra 500 attack and defense points." stated Pinkie as both her monsters powered up.
"Now, I'll activate my Empress Haute's special ability, by using one overlay unit, I can grant all of my monsters piercing damage until the end of the next turn," said Pinkie as her Empress granted her monsters some extra firepower.
"So looks like you're losing points either way. Madolche Magileine attack his Magician's Valkyria!" shouted Pinkie as her monster took out Isaac's monster.
Isaac's Life Points: 6900-
"Now Chouxvalier attack his Mage Annette!" called out the party girl as her tiny horsemen then charged forward with his lance and took out the small girl.
Isaac's Life Points: 6400-
"And now my Empress Haute will attack your Dark Magician!" stated Pinkie as her monster prepared its attack.
"I reveal my facedown, Magic Cylinder! So now your attack is redirected right back at your life points!" said Isaac.
"Did you think I would forget all your tricks, big bro? I'm not your little sister for nothing, I activate my Madolche Infanpraline's pendulum ability, so now I can attach the Madolche Barenberg that I sent to the graveyard to activate my Empress' ability back onto her." said the girl as her monster appeared and then turned into an Xyz material as it circled Pinkie's monster.
"By doing that, my graveyard is empty so that means I can activate my facedown, Madolche Tea Break! Since a spell or trap card is activated, and I have no monsters in my graveyard, I can negate your Magic Cylinder and return it to your hand." stated the pink-haired girl as Isaac's trap then zoomed back to his hand. "So, your magician is still getting destroyed!" Empress Haute then finished powering her attack as she took out Isaac's monster with a punch as the smaller girl did a hair flip.
Isaac's Life Points: 5400-
"Nice counter, Pinkie."
"Thanks, I now end my turn."
Turn 6: Isaac
"Time for me to get in gear, I now reveal my facedown, Eternal Soul. So now I can bring back my Dark Magician from the graveyard," said Isaac as his facedown flipped up. It produced a stone tablet as the outline of Isaac's monster as it glowed and then it emerged.
"Now Dark Magician attack her Madolche Chouxvalier!" commanded Isaac as his monster then took out Pinkie's tiny rider.
Pinkie's Life Points: 7700-
"My monster may be gone, but don't forget what my Madolches can do. If they are ever sent to the graveyard by battle or graveyard, I can shuffle them back into my deck. But I got options, cause my Chateau can add that monster back to my hand, or I can attach it to my Empress Haute as an overlay unit." stated Pinkie as she was deciding which one she wanted to do. She then made her choice as she put the card back in her hand.
"Now my Madolche Saloon's effect activates since I added a 'Madolche' monster from my graveyard to my hand, I can now set a 'Madolche' spell or trap card from my deck." Pinkie then used her duel disk screen as she selected the card she wanted. It slid out for her to grab as she placed it facedown.
"I'll now end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 7: Pinkie
"My draw!" said the girl. "I'll resummon my Madolche Chouxvalier once again. But he won't be around for long, cause I'll sacrifice him so that I can summon my Madolche Puddingcess(1000/1000)." Out came a tiny girl whose dress was made of pudding as her hair was a shade of yellow.
"Like all my monsters, she gets 500 extra attack and defense points due to my field spell. Then I'll activate the pendulum ability of Madolche Chiffonberlain, since I control a 'Madolche' monster, I can target two cards in my graveyard and shuffle them back into my deck, and draw two cards. So I'll take my Madolche Chouxvalier and my Madolche Tea Break." Pinkie's two cards then slid out for her to grab as she placed them on top of her deck as the auto shuffler kicked in. Once it stopped, she then drew her cards.
"And now that I have no monsters in my graveyard again, my Madolche Puddingcess' ability activates. Meaning she gains 800 more attack and defense points. So she has a total of 2300 attack and defense." stated the party girl as her tiny princess was full of glee.
"Now to attack, Madolche Magileine will attack your Chocolate Magician Girl!" said Pinkie.
"I activate my Chocolate Magician Girl's special ability, now since she's the target of an attack, I can bring back one spellcaster from my graveyard. So I'm bringing back my Mage Annette!" said Isaac as his small girl magician rose.
"As before, when Mage Annette is summoned, I can draw one card. And due to the effect of my Chocolate Magician Girl, your Madolche Magileine now has to attack her. But her stats are cut in half!" said Isaac as his two girl magicians combined their power as they reduced the strength of Pinkie's monster as she was blocked by a barrier and pushed back in her weakened state.
Pinkie's Life Points: 6950-
"Well, that effect only works once. Especially, cause my monsters can still inflict piercing damage. So now my Madolche Puddingcess will attack your Mage Annette!" said Pinkie as her tiny princess took out Isaac's revived monster.
Isaac's Life Points: 4800-
"And now my Puddingcess' ability activates, after she battles, she can destroy one card on your side of the field so I choose your Chocolate Magician Girl!" stated Pinkie taking out Isaac's monster. "And now, I'll have my Empress Haute attack your Dark Magician!"
"Not this time, cause I'll reveal my facedown, Magic Cylinder. And you don't have your Madolche Tea Break to negate it," said Isaac as the attack was absorbed by one of the cylinders as it then shot out of the other one as it headed towards Pinkie who covered up.
Pinkie's Life Points: 3450-
"And with that, your life points just got smaller." smiled Isaac.
"I end my turn with a facedown! And now the effect of my Empress Haute ends."
Turn 8: Isaac
"My turn and I'll play my Magician Boy(1500/1200)!" Isaac's small boy sorcerer now appeared as his cape flowed in the wind. "Now, I'll have my Magician Boy attack your Madolche Puddingcess!" stated Isaac as his tiny boy sorcerer pointed his staff at Pinkie's monster who simply blocked it. "Now whenever my Magician Boy battles, any damage that occurs, you take instead." stated the boy.
Pinkie's Life Points: 2650-
"And then when my Magician Boy fails to destroy a monster, he can destroy one monster on your field and then you take damage equal to its attack points. So you lose, little sis!"
"Not quite, cause I reveal my facedown, Madolche Nights! Since I have no monsters in my graveyard when you activate a monster's effect, and I have no monsters in my graveyard. I can negate that effect, and since I also control Madolche Puddingcess, I can also shuffle one card from your hand back into your deck." stated the pink-haired girl.
"Which one then?" asked Isaac. His hand then materialized in front of Pinkie as only the back part was shown.
"I pick... no, no, no, you would expect me to pick that one. Mmm... Which one?"
"Pinkie!!!" shouted Isaac as he used his older sibling's voice.
"Alright. Eeny meeny miney moe. That one!" said Pinkie pointed to the card she chose.
"Geez, she's still driving me insane," muttered Isaac to himself. He then grabbed the card that Pinkie selected and placed it on top of his deck as the auto shuffler kicked in.
"I still have one more attack, so Dark Magician take out her Madolche Magileine!" shouted Isaac.
"I'll reveal my other facedown, Madolche Waltz! Now whenever a battle occurs with a 'Madolche' monster, you take 300 points of damage!" stated Pinkie.
Isaac's Life Points: 4500-
"Well, either way, your monster is destroyed!" said Isaac as he took out Pinkie's tiny witch.
Pinkie's Life Points: 900-
"Now when since my Madolche Magileine was destroyed by battle, I can shuffle her back to my deck, but with my Chateau, I can add it back to my hand. And since my Saloon is also out since I'm adding my monster to my hand, I can set one spell or trap card from my deck," stated Pinkie. Her duel disk then ejected the card she wanted as she put it facedown.
"With that, I'll end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 9: Pinkie
"My draw! And I'll summon my Madolche Anjelly(1000/1000)! Then I'll activate her ability, so by tributing her, I can special summon a 'Madolche' monster from my deck. So I'm bringing out another Madolche Puddingcess!" stated the girl as she had a pair of twin sisters on her field. Both girls squealed as they grabbed their hands and began to skip around in a circle.
"Next, I'm activating my Chiffonberlain's pendulum ability, so now I can take two cards in my graveyard and then shuffle them back into my deck to draw two cards. So I'm returning my Madolche Anjelly and Madolche Lesson." stated the girl as her duel disk ejected her cards for her to put on top of her deck as the auto shuffler kicked in. Pinkie then drew her cards as she smiled.
"Now that my graveyard has no monsters, my second Puddingcess gains 800 more points and with my Chateau an extra 500 points." stated the girl as she now had three strong monsters on the field. "But I'm far from done, cause now I'll use my pendulum scale to pendulum summon!" Pinkie then had a portal open up above as two lights came out. "I Pendulum summon my Madolche Messengelato(1600/1000) and Madolche Marmalmaide(800/2000)!" Pinkie now had two more of her tiny monsters join the field as she had a full army in front of her.
"Don't forget my field spell gives them a boost. But they won't be sticking around for long, cause I'm gonna do a double Xyz summon. First, I overlay my two Level 5 Madolche Puddingcess to build the Overlay Network!" shouted the girl as her two monsters then transformed into orbs of light as they hovered in the air for a bit as a portal opened up in front of her. Soon both lights entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Madolche Puddingcess Chocol-a-la-Mode(2500/2200, OLU: 2)!" Out came a similar version of Pinkie's Puddingcess, but the girl now had a dress made of chocolate.
"Next, I'll overlay both my Level 4 Messengelato and Marmalmaide to construct the Overlay Network once more!" Pinkie's other two monsters then turned into orbs of light as well as they hovered in the air as another portal opened up in front of her. They then entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Madolche Teacher Glassouffle(1800/2500, OLU: 2)!" Out emerged another female who sat on a small throne with a book in her hand.
"Now both of my Xyz monsters gain 500 more points. Then I'll play Pot of Greed so that I can draw two cards. Next, I'll play one of them, Fissure. So now your Magician Boy is destroyed." said Pinkie as she got rid of Isaac's magician as the only one left was his Dark Magician.
"Now time to end this, big bro. Empress Haute attack his Dark Magician!"
"I reveal my facedown, Magical Hats! So if you want to destroy my magician, you'll have to find him!" said Isaac as four hats appeared as they covered his magician and then spread out in a straight line.
"Is Isaac crazy?!" stated Scootaloo.
"Not to mention her trap card that she has out," informed Sweetie Belle.
"Guessing game. Oh my favorite, you remembered big bro." smiled Pinkie. "But don't forget my Madolche Waltz is still active and it triggers when my monster battles, so even I don't find him in this attack you still take 300 points of damage." informed the girl.
Isaac's Life Points: 4200-
Empress Haute then took out the hat on the far left side as it produced smoke when it was exploded upon contact. After a few moments, the smoke cleared to reveal nothing as three hats remained.
"Strike one," said Isaac.
"Then time for a second attack. Go Puddingcess Chocolat-a-la-Mode!" shouted Pinkie as her second monster targeted the hat on the right as it exploded. It caused some smoke to appear and once again, there was nothing.
Isaac's Life Points: 3900-
"Missed again."'
"Still you took damage due to my trap. I now end my turn."
Turn 10: Isaac
"My turn and I'll start by playing Card of Sanctity so now we draw till we're holding six cards in our hand," said Isaac as he and Pinkie replenished their hands. "I'll now dispel my Magical Hats. Then I'll activate the effect of my Eternal Soul. So now I can add Dark Magic Attack to my hand and then I'll play the spell. So now I can destroy all your spells and trap cards on your field!"
Isaac's magician then felt the power of his staff as he leaped into the air as he pointed his weapon at Pinkie's field and a huge ball of energy was fired as it collided with Pinkie's field taking out all of her cards as well as her pendulum cards.
"My pendulum cards may be destroyed, but they won't be going to the graveyard. I can place them in my Extra Deck, but I could also shuffle them back into my deck," said Pinkie as she chose to put her cards on top of her deck as the auto shuffler kicked in.
"Either way, with all of your spell and trap cards gone, your monsters lose their extra effects," stated Isaac. "And now I'll play Premature Burial so that I can bring back my Chocolate Magician Girl by paying 800 life points."
Isaac's Life Points: 3100-
"Next up, I summon my Alpha the Magnet Warrior(1400/1700). Then I'll play this, Level Lifter! So by sending my Magician of Dark Illusion to the graveyard, I can target two monsters on my field and their levels match the monster I sent away until the end of the turn. So now my Alpha and Chocolate Magician Girl are Level 7." said Isaac as both of his monsters had their stats change as they were the same as his Dark Magician.
"Now, I'll overlay all three of my monsters to build the Overlay Network!" shouted the boy as all three monsters turned into orbs of light as they hovered in the air for a bit as a portal opened up in front of the World Champ. All three lights then entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Chaos Mageía(3000/2500, OLU: 3)!" Out emerged from the portal a brand new monster. It was a sorceress who had long flowing red hair with vanilla skin tone. She wore an emerald necklace and had white gloves that covered her smooth hands. Her outfit consisted of a light blue dress that stopped at her knees; she wore black heels that weren't too high, as well as earrings that matched her necklace. She did a quick twirl for all to see as bits of magical particles surrounded her and it made her look even more beautiful.
Chaos Mageía landed in front of Isaac as she couldn't help herself but snuggle her master and plant a kiss on his forehead.
"Okay, can you let me go?" asked Isaac to his female magician.
"No." snickered the girl with a smile as she pressed the boy closer to her chest.
"We need to win, first," said Isaac as he broke free from the embrace of his monster.
"Now, since I used Dark Magician to summon my monster, all your monsters' effects are negated!" said Isaac as his female magician used her wand and waved it about as a powerful spell was cast over Pinkie's field as her monster felt their power weaken.
"Now I activate my Chaos Mageía's special ability, by using one overlay unit, she can remove all other Xyz materials from all other Xyz monsters. Then for each one removed, she gains 500 extra attack points and an additional attack!" stated Isaac as his magician removed 6 overlay units from Pinkie's monster as her attack rose to 6000.
"Let's finish this," said Isaac to his magician as she gave a wink.
She had her wand transform into a bow and reached into the quiver on her back as she pulled out an arrow that was made up of energy. She place it in her bow as she pulled back on the string.
"Bull-eyes." stated the girl.
"Divinity Arrow!!" shouted Isaac and his magician.
The arrow was sent flying as it traveled through the air. It split into seven different arrows as six of them collided with Pinkie's three monsters as the final one headed towards the girl as it exploded near her feet.
Pinkie's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac
Isaac gave his magician a smile and nod as she was glad to make her master happy. She disappeared as the boy began to walk as Pinkie now sat up.
"Ohh, what a doozy," said Pinkie immediately getting up and smiling.
"You've gotten better, sis," said Isaac.
"Thanks." smiled the girl as she wrapped her arms around Isaac.
The pair just held each other as Isaac ran his fingers through her cotton candy hair. They broke their embrace as Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle then rushed over and toppled the boy over as they hugged him tightly. Seems even now, they were still amazed by his skills as Isaac just let out a chuckle. For the rest of the night, Isaac told the girls some more stories about his time since joining the pro circuit. Eventually, it was getting late as the girls needed to head to bed despite there being no school in the morning. Once both young adults put the girls to bed, they stopped in front of Isaac's old room.
"So, are you nervous big bro? About your upcoming duel?" asked Pinkie.
"It is what it is, Pinkie. But, right now, I'm not thinking about that. I'm focusing on my special training."
"Well, glad I was able to help. It was nice to duel like we used to back when we were high schoolers." stated the girl as Isaac rubbed the top of his little sister's hair.
"You're the best little sister, I could ask for." smiled Isaac.
"You're welcome, big bro."
"So, the others?"
"Fluttershy is in Whitetail Woods, Rarity is currently in Manehattan, and Applejack is at the farm. As for Sunset and Rainbow, well, I haven't heard from them in a few weeks. Guess they must be busy with their lives." stated Pinkie.
"Well, at least I have a start. Thanks, Pinkie."
"By the way, I kept your old room the same. Figured one day, you would come back."
"I appreciate it, thanks sis," said Isaac planting a kiss on Pinkie's forehead as she returned the gesture by kissing him on the cheek and giving one last hug.
Pinkie then left to her room as Isaac now turned to his. He took a deep breath as he put his hand on the handle. He then entered his room as when he looked inside, it was indeed the same as when he left for his career as a pro over a year and a half ago. Isaac smiled as it felt nice to be home, so he flopped on his bed as he prepared for tomorrow. |
Yugioh: Reunion | Chapter 5: Kinfolk | It was now morning as the sun rose in the sky. Pinkie was already up early as she was making some breakfast for everyone in the house. She considered waking up Isaac to help her; she opened the door to the room of the boy and saw him sleeping peacefully. Normally, Pinkie would do something crazy to wake her big brother up, but based on how he was fast asleep. It seemed like Isaac was trying to get some more ZZZ's since his entire schedule had been cleared for him to prepare for his duel.
Pinkie knew how busy Isaac's life was that she thought it unfair to wake him up when he could use this time to get some much-needed rest from his daily duties. Seems growing up, made Pinkie a bit more responsible when it came to others and letting them have some space. So she just closed the door quietly and allowed the boy to sleep in a bit before he left.
It was about an hour and a half later when Isaac finally awoke. With the sounds coming from his window. He sat up and yawned while stretching his limbs.
"Man, forgot what it was like to sleep like a regular person. I've just gotta used to being on the road that sleeping in feels nice," said Isaac.
He then grabbed his phone as he got a few messages from Juniper. She told the boy about some things she had been taking care of during his trip. A few signings that he would need to take care of, with the only major thing being a Q&A panel that he would need to attend. Isaac responded that he understood but also contact Juniper about booking some more flights. With the info Pinkie gave him, Isaac had the location of two of the girls, but he'd yet to know where Rainbow and Sunset were. Regardless, Juniper said she would take care of it and get back to her client.
Isaac now exited his room and was welcomed to the smell of breakfast. He walked down the stairs and saw Pinkie in the kitchen as the sound of the stove was sizzling.
"Didn't wake me up to help you, little sis?"
"I wanted to give you some much-needed rest. You're on the road so many days out of the week. And with your schedule being light due to your upcoming duel, I'd figured why not give you a chance to get the sleep that you've been missing." said Pinkie.
"I appreciate that." smiled Isaac. He then began to set the table with all the foods that Pinkie made.
Once everything was set up, the pair now pulled out some plates as both Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle came into the dining table rubbing their eyes as they just woke up. Soon everybody began to sit down as they began to fill themselves up with the tasty meal made by the party girl. After breakfast was done, the girls all wanted to have one final duel with Isaac as he was leaving. While Pinkie cleaned up, Isaac entertained the two by playing on the table in the living room.
After the duels ended, Isaac gave some praises to the girl as he told them to continue getting better. He then headed up to his room as he grabbed his backpack and duel disk as he exited the room. He now was back in the living room as he started to walk out of the front door as he stood outside with Pinkie and the girls standing in the doorway.
"Wish you could stay longer, big bro."
"Wish I could, but I still have things that I need to do, Pinkie. I need to complete them before my duel."
"We're gonna miss you, Isaac," said Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.
"I'm gonna miss you too, girls. It was nice seeing you. Keep at it," said Isaac as they came to hug the boy as he hugged both of them while patting their heads.
"Good luck, Isaac."
"Thanks, little sis. Be sure to watch my duel," said Isaac as he hugged the girl one last time.
Pinkie then let go of Isaac and planted a kiss on his cheek as he started to walk. Before Isaac disappeared down the road, he turned around and waved at the trio as they waved from the doorsteps to their friend. Isaac was now walking down the sidewalk with his backpack slung over his right shoulder. He had his phone out as he was looking at the GPS as he had his destination in hand.
"Sweet Apple Acres, here I come."
It took a while, but Isaac soon arrived at his place. The sight of apples that filled the orchard for miles and miles was still the same. In fact, it seemed to have gotten bigger. The smell of the air was clean and refreshing as he took a deep breath in and out.
He now began to walk as he came to the entrance of the place as he looked at the sign above. He read it and smiled. Once he entered inside, he saw the barn a few yards away as he was making his way towards it. All around he could see many farm animals as they all made a sound. Isaac took it all in as he passed by some pigs as he petted them on the head as they let out oink sounds. He then heard another sound as he looked in the direction and saw someone.
The person was a girl who compared to when he last saw them, had grown a few inches like Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. But the thing that remained the same was the pink bow in their hair.
"Come on. Just... need... to... pull!" said Applebloom as she struggled. She lost her footing and fell onto her rump as she felt it. "Ow." said the girl as she began to rub her behind.
"What have I told you about asking for help?" said Isaac.
Applebloom looked up at the sound of the voice and saw Isaac standing in front of her. She took a look at the boy as her eyes started to form tears as she couldn't believe what she saw.
"Isaac?"
"How are you doing, Applebloom?"
"It's you!" shouted the small girl as she got up and tackled the older boy to the ground as she lied on top of him. "I knew I'd see you again." said the girl as she wrapped her arms around the boy's neck and began to nuzzle him.
"Good to see my favorite CMC," said Isaac as he rubbed Applebloom's hair making sure to not mess up the bow.
Applebloom now allowed Isaac to sit up as she was sitting on his leg. She couldn't contain herself as she planted a kiss on the boy's cheek and nuzzled into his chest. Isaac returned the embrace as he rubbed Applebloom's hair.
"Did you miss me?"
"Of course, I did, Applebloom. I miss all of you." said the boy looking at the girl.
"What are you doing here?"
"That's a secret."
"Tell me."
"Can't say. Let's call it training for my upcoming duel."
"Oh, the duel that you'll be defending your rank as World Champ. I watched when you became champion. I told everybody that you were gonna win, but they didn't believe me. I made sure to rub in their faces for doubting me and you."
"Nice to see you haven't changed from that mischievous little girl." smiled Isaac. "By the way, how are things with you and Tender Taps?"
"Uh... well..." said Applebloom as she blushed at Isaac's question while looking away. Seems the girl still had a bit of a crush on the boy as Isaac could tell.
"I'm teasing, AB. Still, if you two do act on your crushes, make sure he treats you well." winked Isaac as Applebloom nodded.
Isaac then stood up as he volunteered to help Applebloom with the thing she was trying to pull. He was able to get it into the barn as Applebloom then began to grab Isaac by his hand as they were heading towards the house.
"Granny! We got a visitor!" said Applebloom.
"She's not here, Applebloom." said a woman.
Isaac saw the woman as she emerged from the kitchen.
"That's too bad, Sugar Belle," said Applebloom.
"Sugar Belle?" asked Isaac.
"Yup." said a voice as it belonged to Big Macintosh as Isaac saw the older man as he put his arm around the woman.
"Guess, I should have told you. A lot of things have changed, one of them is that my brother found someone who he's in love with and is married to," said Applebloom.
"So, you finally found someone who can handle your talking, huh, Big Mac?" mocked Isaac.
"Yup,"
"Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Sugar Belle."
"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Isaac." said the boy shaking her hand.
"Isaac? You mean, as in the World Champion."
"Yeah."
"So..." Sugar Belle then looked at her husband and Applebloom as they nodded.
"I'm assuming that they told you that they knew me, but you didn't believe them," answered Isaac. "Happens all the time."
"Well, it's an honor to be in the presence of the World Champion of Duel Monsters," stated Sugar Belle.
"No problem." Isaac then put his backpack down as he pulled out a print and a marker as he began to sign it and personalize it. "Here you go." stated the boy as she handed the picture to Sugar Belle.
"Thank you. I'll treasure this."
"Isaac, can I get one, please?" said Applebloom giving him the puppy dog eyes.
"Of course, anything for my favorite CMC," said Isaac as he signed another print and did a different message for Applebloom as he gave it to her and a kiss on her cheek. She was ecstatic that she finally got an autograph from him. She couldn't wait to show it off at school.
"So, where's..."
"She's in the orchard," said Big Mac as he knew what Isaac was asking.
"You can leave your stuff here, go to her," said Applebloom as she also knew.
"Thanks," Isaac handed his backpack to Applebloom as he gave a quick fistbump to Big Mac.
Isaac now exited out of the house as he looked in the direction of the orchard. He now began walking as he was hoping to find the person he came here for. Isaac was passing by many and many trees that had apples in them. Walking brought some memories for the boy as he remembered all the times he and his friends helped to get all those apples down. All the time they helped to make cider and other sorts of apple-related products. He soon heard a grunt as he knew he found it. He walked in the direction of the sound as he passed by a bush and saw what made that sound.
The person who was making those grunt sounds was a girl who was hard at work. Since he last saw her, she had grown and changed a bit, and not just in the bust and rear area. She had moderate sap green eyes and hair that was pale, light grayish olive. Her signature attire now changed as she wore brilliant gamboge shorts and vest with a white short shirt underneath, brown cowboy boots, and a stetson hat on top of her head. Another thing to note was her hip area, wide, and with the rear end to fill out her shorts nicely.
Applejack was busying pulling some twigs from the ground as her blond hair was soaked. She used her strength to pull as she was a bit too strong and fell onto her butt.
"Shit," said Aj as she rubbed her rear.
"Need a hand... partner," said Isaac as he now stood in front of his friend. He had his hand extended out as Applejack looked up and saw the boy as her eyes widen.
At that moment, all of time slowed down. Both girl and boy looked at the other as they were seeing one person they hadn't seen in a while. The memories came rushing back. From when they first met, to the Apple family reunion he helped her to set up just days before the Fall Formal. The biggest one was when they faced each other in the semi-finals of that tournament. The Friendship Games, and then the moment they each had in Appleloosa. Along with assigning her as one of the tutors for his program during their final year in high school, just to name a few.
"Sure thing... sugar," said Applejack as she reached out and grabbed Isaac's hand as he pulled her up.
Isaac pulled the girl to her feet as she wrapped her arms around the boy and he too hugged her tightly. Isaac felt Aj's head in his chest as he could sense a bit of tears as he too cried a bit. Both of them were giving a loving embrace as held the other. He ran his hands through her hair as it felt nice to be remembered for what it felt like. This was a moment for the pair as it felt so long since they last saw each other.
"Nice to see you again, Isaac."
"Nice to see you too, Applejack."
"Now don't get any ideas," she smirked, pushing him off with a little force but with a playful expression. "We've both grown, and I know what is probably on your mind."
"What?!" said Isaac as he had a surprised look on his face. He looked at AJ as she still held the smirk but directed her gaze to her ass. "I would never!" said the boy waving his hands about. "Not intentionally."
"Good to see you haven't changed, city slicker." said the country gal as she playfully punched the boy in his arm.
"Nice to see you have, country gal." said the boy with a mocking tone.
"I'm just havin' fun." laughed Aj. "But be honest, did you glance a look when you saw me?" asked the girl with a raised eyebrow.
"Well... yes." said the boy honestly. "You've definitely grown since we graduated."
"Ah appreciate the honesty. And you've done the same, look at ya. World Champ."
"Well, I don't like to brag, but... yeah. I am the World Champ."
"Bet I can still kick yer ass."
"Is that a challenge, Jacklyn?" taunted the boy.
"Oh, now you've done it," said Aj as she cracked her knuckles.
She then charged to the boy as Isaac now began to run around the trees with the girl chasing after him. It was now a game of cat and mouse. He and Aj were on opposite sides of a tree as they moved left and right trying to see what the other would do. Isaac somehow was able to fake out Aj as he took off with the girl recovering and going after him. Soon he began to climb a tree with Aj still coming after him. They were now moving from branch to branch, tree to tree. After moving through a few trees, Isaac finally jumped down onto the ground as he looked around and didn't see the country gal. It seemed like he had lost here when he turned around and suddenly was tackled to the ground as they rolled around on the dirt. Dust picked up as they rolled around as soon it stopped. Applejack had managed to launch a sneak attack on her friend as she was now on top of him and she had him pinned down with her hands on his shoulders.
"Got... you..." huffed Aj as she was out of breath. "Now... yer... gonna... pay... for callin'... me... Jacklyn."
"Uh-oh." stated the boy as he was a bit scared of what she might do.
He soon felt a pair of lips on his as Applejack leaned down and kiss the boy. Isaac then brought his hands up as he held Aj's face as the two enjoyed their little affection. It seemed this was one of the things that the farm girl missed as it gave her comfort on the small crush that she still had when it came to her friend after all these years. They pulled apart as they looked at each other as they were officially out of breathe. She allowed the boy to sit up as she sat next to him and placed her head on his shoulder.
"This brings memories," said Isaac as he placed his arm around his friend and stroked her hair while planting a kiss on her forehead.
"So, what are you doin' here? I doubt yer here just to see us."
"Why can't it be that?" asked Isaac.
"Sugarcube, you know ah ain't stupid. Ah, know you have a match in a few weeks. So that means yer here for some sort of trainin'. Am I wrong?"
"I mean... it's... yes, but it's not just that. I really did want to see you. You and the others." assured Isaac. "It's been a year and a half since we graduated. We haven't really talked like this since then, you and the others at least are in touch. Since I got started, and especially when I became champion three months ago, I've had a busy schedule, I'm lucky enough if every now and then, I can meet up with Twilight who keeps me updated on what you girls are doing. So, believe me, when I say this, I really did want to see you."
Applejack now used her trait as she listened to what Isaac was saying. She also looked into the boy's eyes to see if he was telling the truth. After a few moments, she got her answer as she wrapped her arms around the boy's shoulder.
"Seems, yer bein' honest. And I'll admit, I've missed you too." smiled the farm girl. "Me and mah family watched the duel when you became champion. After that, we received some donations to help our farm. You kept yer word."
"I told you, that when I became champion, I was gonna help you and your family business to thrive."
"I appreciate it. Thanks." Applejack then got up as she dusted her shorts and hat. She now walked a few feet in front of the boy as she added a bit of sway to her rear for her friend to see. She then turned around as she put on her duel disk and slotted her deck in as it projected a green card tray. "Ah meant what ah said. Time to pay for callin' me, Jacklyn."
"So be it." smiled Isaac as he now got up and grabbed his cap that had fallen off during the tussle. He dusted it off and put it on his head as he pulled out his small rectangle device and slotted his deck in as it projected a gold card tray.
"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.
Applejack's Life Points: 8000-
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-
"Let's duel!" said both young adults.
Turn 1: Isaac
"I'll start, here goes!" said Isaac drawing his card. "I'll summon my Berry Magician Girl(400/400). Then since I summoned her, I can now select a different 'Magician Girl' from my deck to add to my hand." Isaac's tiny baby magician appeared as she flew over to her master and sat on his shoulder sucking her pacifier.
"Why was I blessed to have so many cute girls?" asked Isaac with a smirk as he looked at all of his options as the spirits of the girls all appeared before the boy waiting to see who he would choose. "Berry, which of your sisters should be the one to spend time with me?"
"Hmm..." said the tiny baby making a sucking sound as she looked at her older sisters. "I pick... Lemon."
"Alright then," said Isaac to his magician with a nod. He then touched his duel disk as he clicked confirm and it slid out for him to grab.
"Thank you," said Lemon to her baby sister as she grabbed her and kissed her. She also gave on to Isaac as she nuzzled him before disappearing.
"Then I'll lay one card facedown and end my turn."
Turn 2: Applejack
"Mah turn. And to start, I'll gonna show off one of mah new cards to mah deck. I place my Predaplant Triantis in one of mah pendulum zones." stated the country gal as she placed the card on the far end of her duel disk. "Then I'll summon mah Predaplant Moray Nepenthes(1600/1200). And ah also play mah Rapid Seed Fire spell card." stated the girl.
Applejack then touched her duel disk as she saw the field; she touched the image of Isaac's card as she refreshed herself on what Isaac's Berry Magician Girl could do as she was thinking. She touched his facedown, but it was hidden so she couldn't figure out what he might have set. She then turned her attention back to the duel as she called out her move.
"Now mah Moray Nepenthes will attack yer Berry Magician Girl!"
"I activate the effect of my Berry Magician Girl, so I can switch her into defense mode. And then I can special summon a different 'Magician Girl' from my deck. So I choose my Apple Magician Girl(1200/1000)!" said Isaac as a floating apple appeared with wings on it as transformed into a girl wearing red garments.
"Either way, yer Berry Magician Girl is destroyed!" stated Applejack as she took out Isaac's baby magician. "And now mah monster's effect activates, so the monster it destroyed becomes an equipped card onto mah monster. Then I'll activate the effect of mah Rapid Seed Fire, so now ah send a 'Predaplant' monster from mah deck to not only lower yer monster's attack points by 600 but to deal you 300 points of damage!" stated the girl as some seeds fired from her spell as they landed near Isaac who covered up.
Isaac's Life Points: 7700-
"Then I play mah Foolish Burial so that I can send one card from mah deck to the graveyard," said the country girl as she selected another card to send off.
"What are you doing?" asked Isaac.
"You'll see soon, sugarcube. I end mah turn with a facedown."
Turn 3: Isaac
"My turn, I'll now summon my Magician's Valkyria(1600/1800). And then I'll play Dark Magical Circle so that I can look at the top 3 cards of my deck and add 'Dark Magician' or a 'Dark Magician' related spell or trap card to my hand." Isaac's duel disk then ejected his cards as he looked at them. "I'll take my Dark Magic Curtain," said Isaac as his duel disk ejected his card as he placed the other two cards in the order he wanted.
"I now end my turn."
Turn 4: Applejack
"Mah turn, I summon mah Predaplant Spinodionaea(1800/0). Then when he's summoned, ah can place a Predaplant Counter on one of yer monsters, so ah choose your Magician's Valkyria!" stated Applejack as her monster fired a seed as it attached to the girl's staff. "Now her level drops to one. Next up, ah place Mystical Space Typhoon. So yer Dark Magical Circle ain't gonna be banishin' any of mah critters anytime soon." A giant wind now blew over as it destroyed Isaac's card.
"Ah told you, city slicker. I ain't stupid."
"Yes, you aren't." chuckled Isaac.
"Trying to get me to blush, sugarcube. Don't think that's gonna throw off my focus. Now I'll activate mah Rapid Seed Fire, so ah send another 'Predaplant' from mah deck to the graveyard. So now both of yer monsters lose 600 attack points and you lose another 300 life points." stated Aj as more seeds bombarded Isaac's field.
Isaac's Life Points: 7400-
"Ah end mah turn."
Turn 5: Isaac
"My turn, and I'll place my Magician's Robes(700/2000) in defense mode. And then switch my Apple Magician Girl also into defense mode. I then end my turn."
Turn 6: Applejack
"Come on! Yer the World Champ, and you ain't attacking!" stated Applejack.
"I'm not the World Champion just simply cause I attack recklessly. It requires you to think about the field and to prepare. Besides, you're one to talk, Aj. You haven't launched an attack either. All you've been doing is chipping away at my life points bit by bit." stated Isaac. "Where's that country gal that I knew like to get down and dirty?" mocked the boy.
"You want me to get down and dirty?" stated Applejack as she cracked her neck a bit. "Sugar, you're gonna regret that. I draw! I now activate the effect of mah Predaplant Cordyceps, by banishin' it from mah graveyard, ah can summon 2 Level 4 or lower 'Predaplant' monsters from mah graveyard. So welcome mah Predaplant Lilizard(1200/1200) and Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra(1000/1500)." Aj now had two monsters appear as a lizard and snake-like plants appeared.
"Now two things happen. When mah Lilizard is summoned from the graveyard, ah can draw an extra card. Then since Darlingtonia Cobra was summoned by the effect of another Predaplant monster, ah can add a 'Polymerization' or 'Fusion' spell to mah hand." A snake with a body like a plant vine slithered in front of Applejack, its jaws patterned like flower petals. It opened the petals as there was the card she wanted as she grabbed it.
"Then I'm gonna activate mah Rapid Seed Fire once again, so ah send another Predaplant to mah graveyard to make yer monsters lose another 600 attack points and you another 300 points." stated the girl as more seeds bombard Isaac's field.
Isaac's Life Points: 7100-
"The monster ah sent to mah graveyard was another new addition to mah deck, mah Predaplant Bibrisup. And when it's sent to the graveyard, ah can add a 'Preda' monster to my hand from mah deck." said the country gal as she had another card eject from her duel disk.
"Ah now play Polymerization! So ah fuse mah Predaplant Lilizard and Darlingtonia Cobra!" Applejack's two monsters swirled together in a vortex of green light. "Ah combine mah carnivorous reptile and mah venomous predator, and let a vicious new plant bloom!" Applejack took the card her duel disk ejected as she held it up high. "Ah, Fusion Summon Predaplant Chimerafflesia(2500/2000)!" A large coil of vines burst from the chasm and splayed out on the field. A large circular mouth ringed with teeth and surrounded by plump pink petals was at the end of the largest of the vines, and two smaller mouths rose beside it on smaller vines.
"Now ah activate mah Chimerafflesia's special ability, once per turn, ah can banish a monster on the field with a level equal to or less than it. So yer Apple Magician Girl is gone, which means you won't be triggering her effect!" stated Applejack as her Chimerafflesia lashed out its two mouthed vines towards Apple Magician Girl.
"Now, ah reveal mah facedown, Plant Food Chain. This trap gives mah Predaplant Moray Nepenthes an extra 500 attack points. So now, ah have it take out yer Magician's Valkyria!" stated the girl as her other monster took out Isaac's magician. "Like before, when mah Moray Nepenthes destroys a monster, it becomes an equip card to mah monster. And now to attack yer Magician's Robe with mah Chimerafflesia!"
"I activate the effect of my Magician's Robe. During your turn, I can send one spell or trap card from my hand to special summon my Dark Magician from my deck. So I'm discarding my Dark Magic Curtain!" Isaac's duel disk then shined brightly as out came his partner as descended onto the field.
"Good to see him again." smiled Applejack as she saw Isaac's Dark Magician as it reminded them of their high school days. "Either way with that new monster, ah now gonna target yer Dark Magician. And mah Chimerafflesia's other effect allows mah monster to gain 1000 attack points while yers lose 1000 attack points."
"Now quite, cause I reveal my Shift! So now your attack is redirected to my Magician's Robe!" said Isaac as his other monster took the hit and was destroyed.
"Still as hard to get rid of yer monster as ever. Your move, sugar."
Turn 7: Isaac
"My turn and to start, I activate my Thousand Knives to destroy your Chimerafflesia!" shouted the boy as tiny daggers appeared and were sent towards Aj's monster as it was destroyed.
"Now you won't be banishing any of my monsters. Next, I play Dark Magic Inheritance. So by banishing two spells from my graveyard, I can add a spell or trap that lists 'Dark Magician' or 'Dark Magician Girl' in its text." Isaac's duel disk then slid out his Thousand Knives and Dark Magic Curtain as he put them into the banished compartment of the device as he touched his screen to make his choice as it slid out the card for him to grab.
"I then play Diffusion Wave-Motion. So by paying 1000 life points, I can have my Dark Magician attack all of your monsters and they can't activate their effects when he destroys them!" shouted Isaac.
Isaac's Life Points: 6100-
Dark Magician then leaped into the air as its staff powered up. A ball of dark energy was manifesting as he pointed his staff at Aj's field and fired it as both of her monsters were destroyed.
Applejack's Life Points: 6400-
"With that, I end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 8: Applejack
"Not bad."
"As I said, I'm not the World Champion simply by not having a plan."
"Then it's mah move, I draw. And ah use the effect of Chimerafflesia in the graveyard. The turn after it gets destroyed, Ah can add a Fusion card from mah deck to mah hand." She then touched her screen and searched for the card she wanted from her deck and then clicked on it as it slid out for her to grab. "Ah'll take Fusion Recovery and activate it immediately to get Polymerization and Predaplant Spinodionaea back to mah hand." said the girl as two more cards slid out for her to grab.
"Ah then summon mah Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio(1200/800)!" A black scorpion appeared in front of Applejack, roots on its back running up to a plant sprout behind its stinger tail. "Now the effect of mah Scorpio activates, when he's summoned I can send one monster from mah hand to the grave, and in exchange, I can special summon one 'Predaplant' monster from mah deck. So an' send mah Rose Lover to mah grave and special summon mah Predaplant Flytrap(400/800) from the deck!" The ground in front of Applejack cracked open. A small spindly vine with hand-like leaves and a pair of jaws formed from two large leaves grew up from the crack.
"Ah then use Predaplant Flytrap's special ability and place a Predator Counter on yer monster."
"Not gonna happen, cause now since you target a spellcaster on my field, I can summon Palladium Oracle Mana(2000/1700) from my hand." Isaac now had his female magician appear as Mana was now wearing her Egyptian garments. "And with Palladium Oracle Mana on my field, all my Level 7 or higher spellcasters can't be destroyed by card effects. So your Predaplant Flytrap can't destroy it using its special ability."
"In that case, I'll pull back," said Aj as her monster slithered back to its mistress.
"That's not all since I activated an effect during your turn, I can summon back my Magician's Robe," said Isaac as he had another monster on his field.
"I end mah turn with a facedown."
Turn 9: Isaac
"My turn and I'll play Card of Sanctity so that we draw till we're holding six cards in our hand." said the boy as he and the girl refilled their hands. "I now play Impact Flip and equip it onto my Palladium Oracle Mana. Now to attack, Dark Magician attack her Predaplant Flytrap!"
"I reveal mah facedown, Dark Seed Planter! So now all yer monsters become Dark-types and then you none of yer Dark-type monsters can attack mah Dark-type monsters," said Applejack as she avoided Isaac's attack.
"I'm not liking what you just did, so I end my turn with two facedowns."
Turn 10: Applejack
"Oh, you're right to fear what I'm about to do. My draw!" shouted the girl. "Here's another new monster that's a part of mah deck, I place mah Predaplant Buforicyura in the other pendulum zone to complete my scale!" Applejack now placed her other monster in the other zone as her pendulum scale was complete as it spelled out the word in between them. "I now play Polymerization once more and combine mah Predaplant Flytrap and Ophrys Scorpio!" A purple vortex with tendrils of green energy appeared behind Applejack and drew in her two monsters. The vortex spun and flashed, its light growing. "By craftin' these ravenous plants together, I'll create a botanical nightmare! I Fusion Summon! Arise, Starving Venom Fusion Dragon(2800/2000)!" She slammed her card on her duel disk, the card tray lighting up purple.
The ground shook as a massive plant bud grew behind Applejack and rose into the air. It shone purple and burst apart, a dragon flying out of it and circling the field. Its body was lithe and green, armored in hardened purple growths with thorns emerging from them. Orbs of orange light lit up on its claws, shoulders, and wings, pulsing with energy. The dragon stopped its flight above Applejack, a vine-like tail lashing the air, and roared.
"But I ain't done, sweetheart. Cause now mah Starving Venom Fusion Dragon gains the attack points of all yer monsters!" said the girl. An aura of purple energy lit up over Isaac's field and trails of it swirled into Applejack's dragon. The orbs on its wings grew brighter as it now had an attack power of 8000.
"Oh shit!" said Isaac as he saw AJ's dragon power up.
"Sugar, it's not over. I now activate Predapruning so that I can bring back mah Predaplant Chimerafflesia! Next, I'll activate mah monster's effect so that I can remove yer Magician's Robes." stated the girl as the vines wrapped around the monster and crushed it.
"Then ah play this, Super Polymerization! So ah combine yer Dark Magician with mah Chimerafflesia!" Both monsters then turned into lights and were sucked into a vortex. "Ah Fusion Summon, Predaplant Dragostapelia(2700/1900)!" Out emerged a monster as it let out a vicious roar as it unfurled its wings and showed off its claws as it hovered in the air next to its mistress.
"Two Fusion monsters?!" said Isaac.
"Now I activate mah monster's special ability, which means I can place a Predaplant Counter on one of yer monsters." Applejack's monster then opened its mouth as it fired a seed as it landed on Penny's Blackwing as it soon began to wrap around her monster as the vines were zapping away its power. "Then since yer monster has a Predaplant Counter, mah monster can be able to negate the effects of yer monster since it has the counter. And it's Level drops to one."
"Now Predaplant Dragonstapelia attack his Palladium Oracle Mana!" shouted Applejack as her monster took out Isaac's magician with ease.
Isaac's Life Points: 5400-
"Now the effect of Impact Flips activates, when it's sent to the graveyard, we both draw one card."
"It doesn't make a difference. Cause I got a powerful dragon that can wipe you out in a single hit." smiled Applejack as her dragon let out a roar. "So sugarcube, you gonna beg?"
"Yeah, right. I rather face your monsters than ever get down on my knees." replied the boy.
"Suit yerself, now Starving Venom Fusion Dragon attack him directly!" shouted Aj.
"You know you could have ended this duel if you attacked my Pallidum Oracle Mana with your dragon, Aj?"
"I could have, but those facedowns you still have. If I attacked with mah Starving Venom Dragon and you activate one of yer cards, then that attack would have backfired on me. So I choose to attack with mah other monster to test the water."
"Smart, but if I did have something to stop yer attack."
"If you did, you would have activated it to protect yer life points."
"But I could have also chosen not to activate it and then take the damage."
"But then I would attack with mah Starving Venom Fusion Dragon to end this duel liking I'm doing."
"But you didn't, did you?" smiled Isaac.
"Heh, you... you're something else, city slicker. Makin' me think and second guess mahself. You're more sly than a rattlesnake in a tall grass, it's one of the things that I love about you." smiled Applejack.
"Well, you were right. I did have something, but I was also banking that you would attack me with your weaker monster. It was a gamble, but it paid off. I reveal my facedown, Spellbinding Circle! So now your dragon can't attack and it loses 700 attack points," shouted Isaac as a magical circle came out and ensnared Aj's monster.
"So you did have a way to stop me if ah attack you with mah dragon first."
"Yup, I made a gamble, but I also made a safe bet. See my two facedowns were both a bluff and trap. Anybody would know not to attack careless with two facedowns. But then again, you could bluff and get into your opponent's head. So I prepared for both situations; then let it all up to you. I was hoping you would lean into playing it safe, that way I could stop your second attack. Granted I may have lost some points, but it was worth the price." said Isaac.
"Isaac, don't ever change." smiled the girl as she admired that the boy she knew was still the same. "Well, I end mah turn. Now mah dragon loses its extra points."
Turn 11: Isaac
"My turn and I play Graceful Charity so that I can draw three cards and discard two," said Isaac as he drew some more cards and selected the ones he wanted to get rid of. "I then activate the effect of my Magicians' Souls, so by sending it and my Apprentice Illusion Magician to my graveyard, I can summon my Dark Magician Girl from my graveyard!" stated he boy as he had his female sorcerer appear. "I now play Dark Burning Attack, so since I control Dark Magician Girl I can destroy all your monsters on the field!" Mana then lifted her wand high into the air as she prepared her spell. She then pointed her staff at Aj's monster and blasted them as they let out a roar.
"Now your wide open, Dark Magician Girl attack Applejack directly!" commanded the boy as she fired another attack as it made contact with the farm girl who covered up.
Applejack's Life Points: 4100-
"I now play the spell card, Spider Web. Now I can take one card from your graveyard that was sent during your turn and add it to my hand. So I choose your Polymerization!" said Isaac as a spider string shot out and attached to Aj's duel disk as it pulled out the card from her graveyard as Isaac grabbed it.
"Next, I'm playing my own fusion spell, Eye of Timaeus! So now I combine it with my Dark Magician Girl! I Fusion Summon, Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight(2600/1700)!" Out came his monster as his magician girl now wore a suit of armor as she raised a sword and rode on Timaeus' back as the dragon let out a roar.
"I end my turn."
Turn 12: Applejack
"Mah turn and I activate the effect of mah Chimerafflesia, so now I can add a 'Fusion' spell to mah hand." Applejack's duel disk then ejected the card she wanted. "I then summon mah Predaplant Squid Drosera(800/400) in defense mode." said the girl as a tiny plant-like squid came out and planted its roots on the ground.
"I end my turn."
Turn 13: Isaac
"My turn and I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior(1600/1000)! Now when Breaker is summoned, he gains a counter to give him 300 more attack points. But I'll remove that counter so that I can destroy one spell/trap card, so I get rid of your Dark Seed Planter!" Isaac's warrior then did a slash attack as it took out the card.
"Now, Breaker attack her Squid Drosera!" commanded Isaac as his warrior leaped high into the air and did a downward slash on Aj's monster.
"Now mah Squid Drosera's effect activates, so now all of your special summoned monsters gain a Predaplant Counter." said the girl as a seed attached to Isaac's fusion monster.
"Now to attack you directly, Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight, attack!" shouted the boy as his monster fired an attack as Aj dug her feet into the ground and slammed her duel disk into the ground to stabilize herself.
Applejack's Life Points: 1500-
"I end my turn."
Turn 14: Applejack
"My turn and I play this Plant Herbal Combination. So now I can conduct a fusion summon using monsters in mah graveyard. So I fuse mah Predaplant Squid Drosera, Flytrap, and Lilizard." Aj's three monsters then turned into purple lights as they were sucked into a vortex. "Ah Fusion Summon, Predaplant Triphyoverutum(3000/3000)!" Applejack's monster descended as it had three heads and it let out a triple roar.
"Now mah monster gains attack points to your Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight since it had a counter. So it now has 5600 attack points," informed Aj. "Now attack his Breaker!"
"I activate my facedown, Magicians' Defense. The damage I take is cut in half!" shouted Isaac as the blast made contact with the boy as she covered up with one arm as his feet skidded on the dirt.
Isaac's Life Points: 3400-
"I end my turn."
Turn 15: Isaac
"My turn and I activate Pot of Greed to draw two more cards. Then I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon so that I can destroy my Magicians' Defense. By doing that, I can bring back my Dark Magician. Then I play your Polymerization and fuse it with my Mirage Magician, thanks to her effect, she can substitute for a fusion material." said Isaac as his two monsters combined. "I Fusion Summon, Amulet Dragon(2900/2500)!"
"Not quite, cause I activate the effect of my Triphyoverutum, now if you summon a monster from yer Extra deck, then mah monster can negate it and destroy it!" said the farm girl as she got rid of Isaac's monster.
"Shit!" Isaac now looked at his hand as he had another plan. "I play Dark Magic Veil, so by paying 1000 life points I can summon a Dark spellcaster from my hand or graveyard. So I summon my Dark Magician of Chaos(2800/2500)! And by summoning my magician, I can add a spell card from my graveyard to my hand."
Isaac's Life Points: 2400-
"I then play the spell card, Card of Sanctity. So we draw till we're holding six cards. Then I play one card facedown and switch my Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight also to defense mode."
Turn 16: Applejack
"My turn and I play Dragon's Mirror." A large mirror appeared in the air, the wings, claws, and tail of a dragon carved from its frame. "This lets me banish the Fusion parts needed to summon a Dragon-type Fusion monster from mah graveyard and summon it. Ah, banish Predaplant Flytrap and Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!" The mirror pulsed and glowed purple, its surface cloudy. Applejack reached to her duel disk, fingers poised.
"Ah combine mah botanical nightmare and mah carnivorous predator, to bring out a toxic terror like no other!" The mirror cracked down the center, the image of glowing purple eyes appearing in either half. "Ah, Fusion Summon Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon(3300/2500)!" The mirror shattered and a massive dragon flew out of the frame. Its serpentine body was glowing blue, purple, and yellow, streaks of light along with its limbs. Wings like the growths of a plant spread behind it, crackling with energy. It circled to float in front of Applejack, roaring down at Isaac.
"Now since you control a monster with a Predaplant Counter, I can summon mah Predaplant Helimaphorhynchus(1200/2400)!" Applejack now had a dino-like monster appear on her field as it let out a cry.
"Now to clear yer field, cause I reveal mah facedown, Aggressive Leech! With this, I can now use two monsters and with it, I can conduct a double fusion summoning ignoring its summoning conditions, but the monsters that I summon have their effects negated. And thanks to the pendulum ability of my Predaplant Triantis, I can use both of my pendulum monsters as materials. So get ready to see two more new creatures! I combine both of mah pendulum monsters twice!" said Aj as her monster now entered a vortex.
"Say hello to mah Predaplant Anbromeridus(1000/2500) and Starving Venom Predator Fusion Dragon(3600/2500)!" commanded Aj as field was now filled with tons of powerful creatures. "Time to win, Greedy Fusion Dragon take out his Dark Magician of Chaos!"
"When he's destroyed, he's banished from the duel," said Isaac as he removed his card.
"Now mah other dragon attack him directly!"
"I send Kuriboh from my hand so that I take no damage!" shouted Isaac as his tiny monster appeared and protected him.
"Just like back then, in that case, Triphyoverutum attack..."
"I reveal Negate Attack!" shouted Isaac.
"Ah hate you," snickered Aj as she ended her turn.
Turn 17: Isaac
"My turn, and now I'll play Magician Fusion Gate. This spell lets me fusion summon using monsters in my graveyard or Extra Deck, and I can also use this spell to substitute for a fusion material! So I'll use it with my Dark Magician!" Isaac's spell and his magician both turned into lights as they entered a vortex behind him as everybody was seeing what he was doing. "I Fusion Summon, Lychinus Enchanter(2800/2500, Level 8, Scale 1)!"
Isaac now had a pendulum fusion monster on his field as out came a male adult magician who wore a bycocket(robin hood hat) on his head as he wore a black cape and a magician's robe with the sleeves cut off as in his left hand was a staff that was the same height as him and in his belt, there was a small dagger as his outfit consisted of yellow, red, and black, with a hit of silver as he wore boots.
"Did you forget about mah Triphyoverutum? He can negate yer monster's summon."
"Not this time, cause since I used Magician Fusion Gate to summon a fusion monster, its summoning can't be negated."
"Even so, your monster is weaker than mines."
"Then it's a good thing that I'm ending this duel right now, cause I activate my Lychinus Enchanter's special ability, once per turn, I can deal you damage equal to a spellcaster in my graveyard. So I choose my Dark Magician and that means, you lose," said Isaac as his magician then infused his staff with the power of his fallen comrade as he shot it towards Applejack who covered up as it hit dead on as she smiled.
Applejack's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac
"Good game, Isaac."
"You're still one tough country gal. Nice new monsters, by the way."
The two took a while to sit down as they had to catch a breath from that duel. After a while, they grabbed the baskets full of apples as they began to walk back towards the barn. The sun was slowly starting to set. The pair put the baskets in the barn as they would soon be turned into cider.
"Thanks for helpin', sugarcube."
"Anytime, Aj."
"Say, seeing as how you came to visit. I'd figured, if you don't have anything else, then about we go out for some drinks. Talk a bit and catch up. My treat." offered Applejack.
"That sounds nice."
"Great, just give me a few minutes."
Isaac now pulled out his phone as he received a message from Juniper telling her client that she booked his flight for him tomorrow afternoon. She figured she'd give time for him to say goodbye and get some breakfast before he had to fly back to her to handle some small duties. After that, he would then be on his way to his other friends. He sent his reply and put it away as at that moment out came Applejack. Nothing changed other than she just cleaned her hair from the small specks of dirt and she was without her stetson hat.
"Well, what do you think partner?"
"You look... beautiful," said Isaac as it was the first thing that came into his mind.
She smiled, seeming pleased and yet embarrassed. "Well gosh, you still know how to flatter a lady?" smirked the girl.
The pair now got out of the car as they had arrived at where Applejack wanted to take Isaac. The bar was country-themed, and a lot of the patrons were wearing cowboy hats. The place was called Silver Dollar as it was a good place to enjoy a night out. Aj then linked her arm with Isaac's as she pulled them inside. Upon entering some of the patrons took notice of the pair as they saw Isaac. They knew he was the World Champ, as a few made some warm comments to which Isaac thanked them.
They both found a table as the pair sat down and as a waitress came over to take their orders. The music being played, country style of course. The mood was high, people were laughing, eating, drinking, some were even dancing or playing pool. As the pair were talking and catching up, the waitress came back and placed two glasses with cider on the table. Aj reached for one of the glasses and took a sip. More drinks and more stories were shared, they laughed, and even argued a few times, but it never crossed the line. Before they knew it, they were now sitting at a bigger table with more people and more drinks were consumed. People sang, laughed, and yelled.
Isaac had no idea how it happened, but suddenly he found himself arm wrestling with Applejack?
It's no secret that Applejack was strong, but HELL! She was insanely strong, so much that they were both locked in place as Isaac's muscles were bulging. Applejack seemed to have a great time, but even she seemed to struggle and put as much effort into winning as she could. The table was shaking as both held each other in a tight lock, now it was a battle of endurance!
"You think you can outmuscle me, city slicker," said Aj grunting.
"I'm not trying to. Besides, you're slowing down. Did you forget that I had a lot of energy and drive when I took on Starlight in a one-hour duel? So that means, the longer this goes... means I have the advantage." said Isaac as he was showing off his high levels of endurance and stamina.
Even Applejack was worried as she knew Isaac had insane levels of stamina.
"Then you should show that to Twilight on your wedding night."
"Nice try, Aj. But that mind trick ain't gonna work. Nothing is gonna break my focus." said Isaac as he saw through Aj's trick as she was sweating hard.
At some point, it had become a battle between the males, who were on Isaac's side of the table, and the ladies, who were on Applejack's side. Both sides cheered and yelled at us, but at some point, one of the ladies leaned down and whispered something to Applejack. Whatever it was made her blush and glance down, which in turn made Isaac glance down as well. The way they sat made Applejack's wide shirt tighten and low enough for Isaac to see plenty of her cleavage. Applejack took advantage of that short lapse in focus and finished her friend off, his hand slammed against the table, making the glasses jump and shake for a moment, and making the group of ladies behind Aj jump and cheer, and of course, made the guys behind Isaac groan and laugh at his weakness.
Applejack was blushing as she adjusted her shirt. When the initial embarrassment had passed she looked at Isaac with a sly smirk. "I win sugarcube."
"Bullshit! You cheated!"
"How so?"
"You!... you... you..." Isaac was now having a tough time with what he wanted to say. "You... know..." He now started to roll his hands as he didn't want to sound like a pervert.
"Well?" smirked Aj even more.
"You... you... uh, exposed... your bosom." said Isaac in a quiet tone while looking away.
Applejack just simply laughed. She then grabbed Isaac's arm and hauled him to the dance floor, much to the entertainment of the entire pub. From there, the pair enjoyed themselves, moving to the rhythm of the music playing. After a while, the pair now walked to the bar, needing something to drink.
The bartender came up to us with a smirk of his own. "So, what can I get you two?"
"Just some water. With ice, lots of ice," Isaac answered, with Applejack agreeing, ordering the same.
Looking at his watch Isaac realized just how late it was, and just how long they had been here. "Damn, it's late. I'll go pay the bill, then we can leave after our final drinks."
Applejack nodded. "Sounds good, you go ahead, I'm just going to relax for a bit."
"Be right back."
Isaac left her to relax a bit with her cold water while he went to the cash register to get the bill and pay so they could leave soon after. As he was paying, however, the boy noticed a guy had walked up to Applejack and started to make moves on her. She didn't seem interested at all.
One thing Isaac quickly noticed was that the guy was not from around town, he wasn't a regular, which explained why he dared go up and chat to his friend. Anyone from town who had seen them together would not have done it and he could already tell those who saw it was looking disapprovingly at him.
For the moment, the flirting seemed innocent enough, nothing more than a few one-liners and so on. Though as soon as his hand found its way to her ass, Isaac knew he had to step in, or at least he thought so. Barely a second after the guy had touched her, Applejack swung around using the momentum of the swing and her pure strength to kick the guy so he flew back a few meters. Isaac had hoped they could avoid this kind of attention, Applejack was strong, so strong he almost felt bad for the guy who had laid a hand on her, but only almost. Unfortunately, it seemed the show was not over, the guy had friends, friends that didn't seem to appreciate their friend getting kicked. As soon as he saw the expressions on their faces and them getting up, Isaac made his move and walked over to Applejack. The first one tried to grab her, but he leaped forward and by reflex, sucker-punched him across his jaw.
"Don't touch her!" yelled Isaac, which gained the attention of everyone, but he didn't care. The rest of them glared at us, and the two idiots they had already knocked down stood up again.
"You're dead!"
In that moment all the other patrons stood up and walked closer, giving the four men a visual warning that if they wanted to fight the pair, they would get their asses kicked by the entire town.
"I think it's time for you gentlemen to get the hell out of our town." The owner of the pub said from behind the bar.
They seemed pissed but did not dare do anything stupid, and so they were about to leave but were blocked off by some of the regulars.
"Haven't you forgotten something?"
The owner coughed. "Your bill."
Isaac and Applejack couldn't help but smirk as the four morons were forced to pay the bill before they were forced to leave. When it was all over the entire pub burst into laughter, people came over and patted Isaac and Aj on the back, saying it was an amazing display, and congratulating the boy on defending the girl.
Looking to Applejack who seemed pretty pleased with the result, thought the same as Isaac, it was time to head home. One of the regulars called them a cab, even paid him for them, guess that's what a tight-knit community does for each other. The drive was short, but Applejack still leaned against the boy during the trip, if it was not for the adrenaline and the excitement, Isaac figured they would have fallen asleep right then and there. But when the small dirt road leading to the farm came into view. Isaac leaned towards the driver on the front seats.
"Stop here, we'll walk the rest of the way."
The car stopped and they both got out, starting to walk down the road, first in silence, but then, Applejack started to giggle. "You sure hit that fella so hard it hurt." She smirked, stepped closer, and leaned against Isaac a little. "Thank you for defending me."
Isaac snorted a little. "Didn't look like you needed any help, you almost kicked that idiot into next week."
She blushed and shrugged. "Well, even I wouldn't be able to handle all four of them, and you did save me. You're still playing the hero."
Applejack gave Isaac's arm a squeeze and he blushed in return, however, before the boy could reply the first raindrops fell down, and he looked up. "Damn, it's supposed to rain tonight." As soon as those words had left his mouth, it was like the sky itself opened up, unleashing the waterfall of rain that soaked us within seconds.
They started to run down the road, laughing like teenagers who had been out way too late. Isaac had given his cap to Applejack to wear to protect herself. The pair now arrived at the door as Aj pulled out her keys and the two entered all soaked, Isaac being a bit more than Applejack.
"Thanks, sugarcube," said Aj as she handed her cap back to Isaac.
"Thanks for a great night out," said Isaac as he wrung out his cap. "Well, I think it's time we get some sleep."
"You can stay the night," said Applejack trying to dry her hair.
"Mind if I get the couch?" asked Isaac.
"To be honest, you can share my bed."
"You sure?"
"Don't try anything funny, now. Unless you want a punch like that guy," said Aj.
"I won't try anything without a girl's permission," said Isaac putting his hands up.
Applejack smiled as she planted her lips on Isaac's as the two wrapped their arms around each other. Then broke apart as the boy and girl smiled. Isaac then grabbed his backpack as he followed Aj up the stairs as she lead the boy to the bathroom so that he could change out of his wet clothes. After hanging their wet clothes, both of them were now in Aj's bed as the pair now drifted off to sleep after a pleasant day. |
Yugioh: Reunion | Chapter 6: The Nickname | The morning came as the rooster on the farm let out a cry. The sun coming over the horizon. All the animals on the farm let out collective grunts and respective sounds. The rays of the morning star entered the room as it hit the face of a certain cowgirl. Applejack blinked for a bit as she saw the sun as which meant she needed to get up. She then grabbed her Stenson hat and sat up on her bed as she let out a stretch. She put on her vest as she looked behind her to see Isaac. The boy was still asleep from their night out as he was peacefully dreaming as his cap had fallen in front of him on the bed.
Aj couldn't help but smile at her friend as she enjoyed their night out. She then leaned down to address Isaac.
"Get some more rest, city slicker." responded the country gal as she planted a quick peck on his cheek. "You're on the road so much, you deserve it."
Aj then began to exit her room quietly as she closed the door to allow the city boy to sleep. She then began to walk downstairs as her brother and sister were already as they began to start their morning chores. For the next few hours, the Apple family was hard at work doing their usual duties. Eventually, Granny Smith and Sugarbelle had finished making breakfast as they called the Apple siblings to eat.
They all washed up and began to sit down as Applejack had emerged from the bathroom as she was drying her face.
"AJ, be a dear and wake yer beau, will you?" asked Granny Smith.
"Granny!!!" shouted Aj. "Isaac's got a fiance in Twilight." The country girl began to climb the stairs towards her room as her family all snickered and laughed at what Granny did to embarrass Applejack.
Applejack now opened the door slightly as she peaked her head. Isaac was still fast asleep as she slowly entered. She then made her way to the bed as she saw the boy with the covers over his body. Aj did admit that she found Isaac sleeping rather cute, regardless she began to gently nudge the boy. After a few nudges, Isaac began to open his eyes slowly. He blinked a few times as his vision was coming to him.
"Applejack?" said the boy as he blinked.
"Rise and shine, sugarcube."
"What time is it?" yawned Isaac.
"Time for breakfast. So get yerself ready and join us," smiled Aj as she grabbed Isaac's cap on the bed and put it on his head. She winked as she left the room as the boy sat and stretched.
Isaac now put on his hoodie as he grabbed his backpack. He now exited out of Aj's room as he entered the bathroom and began to wash his face as the cold water hit his face which was both refreshing and woke him up. Once he was done, he then descended the stairs as she saw the entire family already at the table as they smiled at the World Champion.
"Dig in," said Granny Smith to the boy.
"I appreciate this, everyone."
"Isaac, do you really have to go?" asked Applebloom as she looked at the older boy with a set of sad eyes.
"Unfortunately, yes. I wish I could stay longer, Applebloom. But I got things to do. Besides, I still have to prep for my duel that's coming up." said Isaac as he told the small girl.
"But are you coming back and visiting us?"
"Of course, I will." smiled the boy as he rubbed Applebloom's hair as she smiled.
With that, everybody now began to eat as Isaac sat down next to Aj as the two friends smiled. Even after all this time, the Apple family made some of the best food that the boy ever tasted. Once everybody had their fill, Isaac made a call to Juniper as they talked about the small things he had to do heading back. Once the conversation was over, Isaac then began to get ready as he would need to get to the airport.
Though he couldn't leave without granting Applebloom a duel as she had been dying for. So everybody gathered in front of the house as the two went at it. For Isaac, he was smiling at how Applebloom had grown since he had last the girl. The final exam that he tested the CMC was used to see if the girls were ready to take over, and with the new programs being taught at CHS, the girls were that much better and more polished. However, Applebloom was also getting a first-hand experience at why Isaac was the World Champion.
Once their duel was over, Isaac gave his praises and critic on Applebloom's dueling. She gave a hug to the boy as he patted her head. Aj also gave her little sister a hug at how much she'd grown. Though, of course, everybody wanted to see the two friends go at one last time as both Applejack and Isaac decided to have one final duel before he left as the two put on their duel disks.
It was now an hour or two later as a truck now arrived in front of the airport. Aj had decided to take her friend to the place as the two were now standing in front of the building.
"Thanks for the ride, Aj," said Isaac as he slung his backpack over his right shoulder.
"No worries, sugar. It's was nice to see you and catch up." smiled the country gal. "Good luck in yer duel. Don't upset Applebloom by losin'."
"I'll do my best." chuckled Isaac.
Applejack also let out a chuckle. She leaned in and planted a kiss on the boy's lips as she pulled back.
"Be safe, city slicker."
"You as well, Jacklyn," said Isaac as he tipped his cap at his friend. He then waved goodbye as he entered the airport and made his way to his flight.
It was a few hours on the plane as the waitress had delivered Isaac's beverage as he thanked the lady. He was sitting down at a table with his deck and cards all scattered in front of him. The boy was looking at them as he was talking to his comrades. Isaac's duel disk was also in front of him as he was getting a call on it. He pushed the button as the image of Juniper came up as the girl was checking in on her client. They were going over some of the things he had to do before he would continue with his special training.
The plane touched down as it landed on the runway. Isaac then exited out of the jet as he walked down the stairs. He saw Juniper waiting for him, he hugged the girl as the two entered the limo as it was taking the pair to their hotel. Once they were checked in, Isaac then pulled out his phone as he made a call to one of his close acquittances as they had to have a meeting tomorrow before he would attend the Q & A panel for a small convention he was scheduled for.
The next day came, as Isaac emerged from the hotel as Juniper was already outside on her tablet taking care of some things. They soon got into the car that was sent to them as the pair entered and it took them to the location where Isaac was going to meet his acquaintances.
They arrived at the building as Isaac got out of the limo and looked up at it. He'd been here so many times since becoming a pro, that it was sort of like a second home to him in ways. Both he and Juniper told the driver that they wouldn't need him for a few hours until the panel tonight. They both entered the place as they stepped through the doors and to the elevators. They pushed a secret button as it was taking them to a private floor that only certain people had access to. Once they got to their floor, Juniper told Isaac to contact her when all was done. With that, the doors opened as only Isaac got off and it closed behind him.
Isaac walked after exiting the elevator as he was heading towards a door. He then grabbed its handle and entered. Upon entering the entire room was dark with only the area being dimly light with some form of light was in the center of the room with a round table surrounded by six chairs. Isaac then walked to one of them as he sat down and he looked at the smallholder in the arm. He pulled out his deck as he put it in as the system for the entire room was now powered up.
"Scanning... Name... Isaac." said the A.I. as it did the final security measures to make sure that it was the boy himself. "Welcome back, sir."
Now the entire room lit up as it had several Duel Monsters training devices as well as tons of posters along the wall that depicted the famous duelists throughout history. Behind them in the room next to them were some fields to which duels could take place. Isaac then looked up at the center wall as there were the pictures of the Big 5 and his pals, which brought a smile to the boy's face.
His deck then ejected for him to grab as he now placed it on the table spreading the cards out. Once more he was looking and talking with them as he was preparing himself for his upcoming duel with the training he was undergoing. Isaac now took one last look around the room as he was reminded of a memory.
(Memory, Three Months Ago)
Isaac was currently doing some last minute dueling exercises as he was in this room. It was late at night as the only light was from the moonlight as well as a few dim lights. He was preparing for his duel tomorrow which was where he would win and become World Champion. And right now, one person had decided to stay behind and train the kid as it was none other than his idol.
"Come on! Keep pushing!" shouted Yugi as he watched Isaac train. "Counter his card, then fire back with yours. Summon your monster, go in for the attack!"
Isaac was working up a sweat as he continued his training as he was pushing himself to the limits.
"That's it. Keep going," said Yugi as he saw Isaac stop for a moment, "I didn't the hear the MC announce the winner, keep going!" instructed the King of Games as Isaac went back to the exercises and kept on pushing for a few more moments until Yugi called it.
"Alright, that's it. Memorize! See that person in front of you! You see yourself doing right and you'll do right!" shouted the boy as Isaac heard the motivated. "Time!" shouted Yugi as Isaac now stopped and began to take some deep breaths.
"My god, Isaac. You're ready," said Yugi as he now approached the boy.
"That duelist won't know what hit him when you get on the field. You're gonna roll over him like a bulldozer. You know, bud. I know how you feel about this duel that's coming. Cause I was in the same position as you were and I'll tell you something. Well, if you weren't here, me and the others would already hanged up our careers. The fact that you're here and doing as well as you're doing gives me motivation to stay alive. Cause I think people die sometimes when they don't want to live no more."
"Nature is smarter than people think," said Isaac as he was looking at the memory from the outside.
"Nature is smarter than people think. Little by little, we lose our friends, we lose everything. We keep losing and losing till we say, why am I still here? I got no reason to keep going on. But with you, kid. Me and the others have a reason to keep going on. We're in the Twilight era of our careers, but you... your career is only getting started. Me and the guys, we've had our run. We've had our fame, adventures, our legacy. And we're gonna keep watching you do good. A new generation is upon us, and you're part of that. Time to let you create your path, your own legacy."
"And I'll never leave you," repeated Isaac.
"And we'll never leave you. Cause when that does happen, and all of us hand it all over to you. You'll not only know how to duel, you'll be able to take care of yourself outside the dueling field, is that okay?" asked Yugi.
"It's okay," responded Isaac.
"Okay. Now I got a little gift for you."
"No, Yugi. You didn't have to do that," said Isaac as he saw his friend retrieve an item.
"Come on, here. This box is the last thing that I have with me. This box was where I kept my most precious cards, not just to me, but also the ones that were special to Atem. This box also held the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle when I first put it together. I had it with me when I dueled him and allowed him to final rest in peace. It holds memories, and now... I give this box to you. For you to create your memories." said Yugi as he handed the golden box to Isaac.
"Yugi..." said Isaac as he held his idol's most precious belonging as he then looked at his friend.
"It's gonna be like an angel that's on shoulder and if you ever get hurt and you fell like you're going down. Just remember, an angel's voice is gonna whisper in your ear and it's gonna say: GET UP!! GET UP!!! Cause me and the guys love you," stated Yugi.
"Okay?"
"Thanks, Yugi," said Isaac as he hugged his friend as Yugi returned the gesture.
"We love you, bud."
"And I love you," stated Isaac as he hugged his idol.
"Now go after him, kid. Go after him, we're rooting for you," said Yugi as he put his hand on Isaac's shoulder as he was holding the box in his hand. The pair now exited the room with everything fading to darkness.
(End of Memory)
"You and the guys," said Isaac as he was remembering that scene. "Thanks."
"Always, the first here. And the last person to leave," said a voice.
That got Isaac's attention as he snapped out of his thinking. He looked up and saw who it belonged.
"And you're always late,... Yuya." snickered Isaac.
Standing at the door was a boy who had crimson eyes and dual-colored green and crimson hair of average length sticking out in downwards pointing spikes all around his head. He wore a pendant on a simple string around his neck, and a buckled choker, and a pair of golden goggles with orange lenses on his forehead, with a blue star obscuring the right lens. He had on a simple orange t-shirt with a thick, silver-buckled brown belt over it, green pants with what appear to be "Deck pockets" on each leg, and magenta shoes, as well as crimson wristbands. He also wore a gold and red lined white school jacket over his shoulders like a cape.
"Hey, I left early to beat the rush hour. Traffic is crazy," said Yuya as he now walked towards the table and sat down in his chair as he put his deck inside the holder.
"Scanning... Name... Yuya Sakaki. Welcome back, sir." responded the system as it ejected his cards.
"So has it been since becoming World Champion?" asked the boy to his friend.
"A lot of work, no joke. The grind is real, but... I enjoy it. Being involved in the community, giving back, performing. I love all of it. And I have no regrets about it." smiled Isaac.
Soon the door opened up as in came some more people. Four individuals all entered the room.
One of them had tan skin, a somewhat muscular-looking physique, black hair with gold highlights, and royal blue eyes. The upper layer of his hair jutted upwards while the lower layer arched down. The person wore a long-sleeved blue jacket with a high collar and amber gems, over a sleeveless black shirt with a red symbol, and wore gloves below his elbows with an amber gem on them. His lower body consists of black jeans with amber knee pads, a belt with two deck holsters hidden under his jacket, and calf-high motorcycle boots.
The second person had tan skin, red eyes, and black and red spiked hair that pointed out and upward. He wore a key of sorts around his neck that was being held by a black string. He too had a device over his left eye as it was white and yellow with a green lens. He wore a red vest with a white hood and a blue sleeveless shirt with a green "D" symbol; he also wore white pants with designs of three orange moon crescents attached with yellow outlines at the bottom, a white brown-stripe belt, and black with blue streaks shoes with white straps. Other accessories included a brown fingerless glove on his left hand, a black protective pad on his right elbow, and a thick, dark blue bracelet with light blue gems and red outlines on his right wrist.
The third individual wore a Slifer Red uniform, unbuttoned, and a black shirt underneath. A deck box was strapped above his waistline, largely hidden beneath the lower rim of his jacket. He wore an Academy-issued Duel Disk on his left arm customized with red outlines; his brown eyes were positioned directly beneath the bangs of the layer closest to his face, and he wore dark pants.
And the last individual to file through the door was a small boy that had a male high school uniform with a closed buckled collar. However, the most visually appealing about the person was their hair. His extremely extravagant hair featured multiple layers including long blond crooked, pointy locks for his fringe; the rest featured a set of five large spikes and two smaller spikes colored black with a magenta sheen along the edges.
They all then sat at their chairs as they slotted in their decks.
"Scanning... Names... Yusei Fudo... Yuma Tsukumo... Jaden Yuki... and Yugi Moto. Welcome back, sirs." said the A.I.
"Good to be back," said Jaden as he put his hands behind his head and leaned back.
"So, how was the trip?" asked Isaac to his pals.
"The flight was too long," complained Yuma as he plopped his head on the table with a thud sound. "Ow." groaned the boy.
"Well, glad everyone could make it," smiled Yugi.
"So, what's on the agenda? Other than simply congratulating Isaac on becoming World Champion. Congrats, bud."
"Thanks, Yusei."
"Well, I got in contact with the Dueling Committee, and they've been discussing something." Yugi then pulled out an item from his pocket, and he placed it in the middle of the table.
The item began to turn on, as it was now protecting holograms and designs that all the other duelists were looking around the room as it expanded. Soon all six duelists were now looking at the image in the center as it was a building.
"What is it, Yugi?" asked Yuya.
"This is the blueprints for the new stadium that the Dueling Committee is hoping to fund. But the thing that makes this stadium special is that all forms of dueling are going to be incorporated. A racetrack for Turbo Dueling, an ARC projector for Action Duels, the new V.R technology that's going to take the action and damage more real than it is now." informed the boy as all the others were looking at the different parts
"Awesome, so when do we get to see it?" asked Yuma with excitement.
"It's still in the planning phase, Yuma. Besides, there's another reason why they're thinking about this idea," stated Yugi. "It involves something of a little competition."
"Competition, you say? Now you're speaking my language," stated Jaden as now hyped.
"So the plan is to create the blueprints on how the stadium will be constructed. Then the Dueling Committee is going to try to find the funds to get it built. Once they pass all the regulations and safety measures. So realistically, they hope to build this new dueling arena in 3 to 5 years from now. Then to commemorate it, they want to hold a special dueling event. Possibly having all of us duel."
The device shut down as all the holograms ended.
"Well, I hope it gets approved. That way I'll prove I'm the best duelist between all of us!" stated Yuma stood in his chair.
"Hate to break it to you, Yuma. But there's no way your Xyz monsters can beat my Fusion Elemental Heroes," stated Jaden as he too let his competitive side show.
"It's all about Synchro Summoning, guys. Quick on the draw and quick on summoning your monsters," chimed in Yusei.
"Don't forget about Pendulum power," said Yuya.
"Settle down, guys. Save that for the field, speaking of which." Yugi then pushed a button next to him as the lights in the room behind Isaac now turned on.
The entire dueling arena now lit up as the field came online.
"Time to have fun," said Yugi as everyone now stood up from their chairs and began to make their way to the huge dueling field where all six of them would be taking each other on in respective duels.
All the boys were now making their way when Yugi saw Isaac still sitting down in his chair.
"Hey, Isaac. I just wanted to say that congrats on becoming World Champ. Wish I could have celebrated with you, but I had other commitments."
"It's fine Yugi. I appreciate it though. You know when I was in that duel, I was remembering the lessons that you all taught me before I became a pro. When we dueled, I told you that I was gonna get stronger."
"And you did. So how about showing me that in our duel?" asked Yugi as he wanted to battle his friend during their small get-together with the rest of their pals.
"Alright," smiled Isaac as he now stood up and walked with Yugi towards the others.
The two arrived on the field as Yusei was already taking on Jaden in a duel while Yuya and Yuma were going at each other. In the third field, Isaac and Yugi took their respective positions as they activated their duel disks and slotted in their decks. For the next few hours, all six friends began to enjoy their hang out as they dueled against each other all with smiles on their faces.
It was now about to be nighttime as Isaac was the last person to leave. He exited out of the elevator as Juniper was sitting on the couch in the lobby with her tablet in her hand. She was taking some last-minute details as she looked up and saw Isaac.
"So, did you all have fun?" asked the girl.
"It was nice to see the guys again. I do look forward to our meets up." smiled Isaac.
"Well, we've got to get to the panel," said Juniper as she uncrossed her legs and stood up as the pair now headed out of the building as they entered the limo.
It wasn't long as soon the ride was over as the convention was already underway. People could be seen entering and leaving the building as Isaac and Juniper entered through the side entrance reserved for the special guests. The security allowed them in as they were welcomed by one of the moderators and his two assistants as they were now making their way to a spot on the main floor. They arrived as the World Champ and his agent could see tons of people getting seated as there was a microphone in the middle aisle that would serve for the Q&A portion of the panel. The camera crew was setting up the video recorder as they would be recording the panel for people to see on the internet.
After a few minutes, it was time as the moderator made her way onto the stage and sat down at the table.
"Mic, check. How's everyone doing tonight?" asked the moderator as the crowd made some noise. "Alright, we thank you for coming out tonight. I'm Melissa, and I'll be the head moderator for this Q&A." said the women as applauses were heard.
"Now them, we want to thank everybody for coming out tonight. I know not everybody could be present here, but the ones that could make it today, thank you," said Melissa as the people clapped some more.
"Now then, I know everybody is excited and you have a ton of questions so... without further ado. Let's get started. Please help me in giving a warm welcome to the person who's not only the World Champion but also today's guest. It's Isaac." said the woman as she pointed to the side as both Juniper and Isaac now made their way on stage as they waved to them as they were given a thunderous greeting by the crowd.
The pair now sat down as the chants for the boy were still going. Some of the backstage crew quickly came out as they placed some bottles of water in front of the boy and girl as they tested out the mics.
"Testing, testing, perfect," said Isaac as everybody could hear him as they went nuts at hearing his voice as it got the boy to smile.
"All right, so what we're gonna do real quick folks before we get started a couple of quick notes again because now we have everyone joining us, uh have you two ladies stand up," said Melissa as she pointed to her two assistants.
"So this is Lexi and Santana, I am training them today. This is their first panel they're going to work as moderators for me this weekend."
"Oh, great." smiled Isaac.
"So, Isaac is a very tough one to do," stated Melissa. "Number one: do not make direct eye contact with Isaac at any time." joked the women as everybody let out a small chuckle. "Number two: it's always Isaac sir, and number three: if he says someone is kicked out. It usually means he wants them shot in the back of the building."
"It's true," joked Isaac as the crowd and everybody laughed.
"So everyone else behaves accordingly. That said, we'll do a short introduction here in a second, and then if we do Q&As, if you have questions there's a microphone right there. We asked just to line up with that microphone, and then speak into it. So that said ladies and gentlemen, I'm gonna let him introduce himself. Isaac." said Melissa as she turned it over to the boy.
The crowd applauded as they showed their admiration for the World Champion and his agent.
"Hello, hello, everybody. Welcome to tonight's expo and convention. Glad I was able to make an appearance. Uh, I'm Isaac. I'm a duelist and currently ranked as the World Champion. I'm 21 years old and I'm from Chicoltgo." said Isaac as he gave his brief intro as a light applause was heard.
"I'm so excited to be here and I don't have much more to say about myself. So I'd be happy to start up some questions," said the boy to Melissa.
"I'll start with a few ones and then we'll turn it over to the audience." said the woman as she pulled out some notecards. "So, I think a big one people want to know is: how did you get started with Duel Monsters?"
"So for me, my career and life with Duel Monsters, started when I was little. Growing up in Chicoltgo, living with my parents in an apartment. Having to pay rent, hanging out with the kids in my neighborhood. And to me, Duel Monsters was a sort of escape I guess you could say. Seeing the city and the things that happen on the streets on a daily basis. It can be easy to fall into all of that." said Isaac.
"My parents, they did their best to give me the things that I need. And they tried to shield me from seeing some unpleasant things, but they knew that they couldn't protect me from everything. So I began to watch things play out from my front steps. But Duel Monsters, as you all know, was the one thing that brought people's attention. No matter what, people would always drop whatever they were doing whenever a duel occurred. So I took that into perspective and as a young kid, you don't think too much about it. Cause it's just a game. But as I've grown and my mindset has developed a bit more. I look back, and I see that Duel Monsters was my saving grace from potentially being a product of the streets."
"Excellent, uh, how long did it take for you to build your deck? This is a question that I'm sure many of our people in attendance want to know," asked Melissa.
"Well, to be honest, it took a rather long time. See, my deck, as crazy as it sounds. It's been with me since I was a kid. Most of the cards have been with me since I was a child. So let me tell you a story, is that my mother wasn't the biggest fan. Yeah, shocker." joked Isaac as everybody also chuckled.
"She didn't realize what the hype was behind a card game that looked to be for kids. But once she saw that it was all types of people that played this game, uh, she kinda soften to the idea. She wasn't full-on board with me becoming a duelist per se. So, one day, she surprised me with a tin box full of cards. She managed to save up a portion of the money for rent and decided to get me some cards. Now in her mind, she just figured she get her son something so that I wouldn't bother her. But it was that gift that my mother gave me which helped spark my passion for the game. And when I opened up that box and saw the cards, I just hugged and thanked her."
"And the last question that I have before we turn it over is World Champion, good or bad?"
"Ah man, you're asking the hard-hitting questions," stated Isaac as everybody chuckled.
"Well first off, I want to say that none of this would be possible by myself if I didn't have a wonderful agent in Juniper Montage," said Isaac as he looked at the girl sitting next to her. "She's an incredibly hard worker, we're always discussing things that people want me to do. She lets them know what I can't and can do. There are times when I'm doing things like podcasts, TV shows; she's busy handling other stuff. The grind for her never stops and I tell her to take a break now and then, but she's a bit stubborn." said Isaac as the crowd also laughed.
"But the best thing about having her is I can always count on her to get the job done. Just as I do my job out on that dueling field, she does the same thing behind the scenes. And for that, I couldn't be more grateful than to have a girl like her as my agent." smiled the boy as Juniper smile back as they applauded her.
"Very touching," smiled Melissa. "Well then, I think that covers all the general questions that I have. Now, we're gonna open it to the audience to see if they have anything they would like to ask Isaac. Remember, come up and do not forcibly grab the microphone. So, anybody wants to start, go ahead."
A few seconds passed before someone approached the microphone as the nearby crew was adjusting it.
"So, I have a question?"
"What's your name?" asked Isaac.
"Daniel."
"Nice to meet you, Daniel."
"Nice to meet you. So, what advice would you give in helping to pick out your signature card?"
"What advice? Honestly, use any cards except the ones in my deck. You're not worthy of using them." joked Isaac as everybody laughed. "Honestly, when it comes to picking out your signature card, it doesn't have to be a monster per se. People talk about how they have their favorite monster card that they like. That's nice, but who's to say that your signature card has to be a monster, it could be a spell, magic, or trap card. To me, a signature card is not something powerful, but rather you have a strong connection with it. You have that special bond with it, there's just something about it that draws your attention to that one specific card. So just pick a card that you feel strongly about and go from there."
"Thank you." said the person as they left as the next person stepped up.
"Uh, my name is Sandra and I want to ask, what's the most difficult thing about being a duelist, World Champion, or anything in general?"
"Traveling, of course. So many appearances I have to make in a year, sometimes in a week. It can be tough at the time, but again, I'm not doing it for the money. I'm doing it because of you guys, I love to give back and be a part of the community." smiled Isaac.
"Hi, my name is Sugar Moonlight and I want to say it's an honor to see you, Isaac." said the girl.
"The honor's all mine."
"My question is, what's your number one motivation? What's the thing that keeps you going in life?"
"Uh, I've-- I've openly said all the time, you want to buy into my stock, this is what I believe in. You work hard, you show up on time, you stay loyal to those who support you, you respect enemies and friends. That's my stance. By the way, I don't ever give up. Either you're in, or you're out. Never asked you, 'Hey, you need to do this, you need to do that'. So many times, people say, 'Ahh, I-- I hate your character, but I totally respect you'. That is-- that's it. That's my legacy. That's what I want. I don't agree with you, but I respect you."
Everyone took a moment to show appreciation for what Isaac said as they clapped.
"Uhm, one more thing, would it be alright if I could get a photo?"
"Absolutely," stated Isaac as the girl was now being led by one of the assistants onto the stage as she appeared behind Isaac's seat as she held her phone out as the pair took a quick selfie. She thanked the boy as she was then led back to her seat.
"Any more questions?" asked Isaac.
"Uh, what was it like being in your first film?" asked someone.
"Well, my first film, I was sort of a background person. Who here remembers the Daring Do film?" asked Isaac as he got a huge response as even years later the film was still popular among people.
"So, in that film, I played a minion of sorts. One thing I will say is that it's a bit easier to play the bad guy because the good guy always has to react to what the villain is doing. So for me, this was a sort of getting me to step out of my comfort zone and try something new. Plus, girls like the bad boy." All the ladies cheered at the top of their lungs to Isaac's response.
"So that was my TV debut. And since becoming World Champion, I've been offered some roles in a few movies. Some that I liked, and somewhere I felt like I could have done a bit more. I've had the chance to meet some famous actors and even I'm in shock. Yeah, even I get starstruck. Why cause I'm duelist, not an actor." said the boy as everybody laughed at that joke.
"So, I just want to say that it's such an honor to see you. And all the work that you've done inspires me to do my best every day. Especially for someone like me who has some anxiety and depression in their life, I just want to say that you're truly a role model." said the person as the people clapped for the girl.
"Glad I could help and motivate you."
"So, I want to ask is Isaac, will you be my boyfriend?" asked the girl as Isaac just smiled and chuckled as did a few others in the crowd.
"You're lovely girl, but... unfortunately I have a fiance. Sorry," apologized Isaac with a genuine smile. "But hey, now people know you're single. So any guys looking for a date, you got good one right there." pointed the boy at the girl as she smiled at World Champ as she took her seat.
"So, who's your favorite? Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl?" asked a little boy as he held his mom's hand.
"Ooh, that hurts," said Isaac as he leaned back with his hand over his heart in a dramatic pose. "It's always the little ones. Little kids are little alcoholics, they're too honest." said the boy as everyone chuckled.
"Which one is my favorite? I can't do that to my magicians, they mean too much. I mean, my Dark Magician has been there with me since I was young. I've always relied on him to get me through tough situations. He's my partner and awesome. And as for Dark Magician Girl, well I'm growing up and she's very cute, beautiful, smart. She's got a good set of ti... good sense of humor." said Isaac as he playfully avoided what he was going to say.
He noticed out of the corner of his eye as Mana appeared. She had a playful smile as she knew what her master was about to say as she giggled and planted a kiss on his cheek before she disappeared as Isaac smiled.
"So if I had to pick, uh, I don't know. I'm kind of on the fence on that," said Isaac.
"If you could go back in time, and tell your younger self anything, what would it be?" asked another person.
"I would tell him, don't worry about it kid. Everything is gonna be alright. Just keep doing what you're doing and though the road may be rough and at times you want to give up, just hang in there. And I know that sounds like the cliche answer, but it's true."
"What's the biggest advice you could give to anyone who wants to go pro?"
"Well, I would first ask myself this. What do you duel for? That's a question that I was asked when I was in high school and at the time it was an unusual thing. But as I developed myself as an individual, all the duels I had throughout my high school years, I learned the reason. And that was because I love this game." said Isaac.
"To be a pro, it's hard work, no joke. But to be not only successful and have a career that you can look at 20 years from now, and be proud of it. You gotta have that reason on why you do. I mention that I love this game, and pardon my language for the kids, but this is a job. And yes, as much as it's me just doing events and battling. It's also a regular job. I'm being paid to do the thing I love and people count on me to show up. This kind of job, I can't just phone it in or half-ass this shit. I have to give it my attention and focus, 100%. No two ways about it. If you don't love something, why even do it, to begin with. I love this game, I love the fact that I can make people happy, I love every little aspect that Duel Monsters brings to me and my life! I love the look on people's faces; I love the smiles that I put on for you guys. It warms my heart when I'm pulled to the side and people say 'Thank you'."
Question after question was asked. Isaac answered each of them, a few were even directed at Juniper as they asked her how she felt being Isaac's agent. She told the crowd how she loved working for the boy as it brought her a smile. A few were requests on having him sign some stuff as the boy was glad to do so and take a couple of photos.
"Well, I think that's it," said Melissa as things were wrapping up. "We want to thank Isaac and Juniper..."
"Actually, I got a question." said someone as they approached the microphone.
"We're about to wrap up..."
"It's alright, Melissa," said Isaac. "What's your question, man?"
"Yeah, why were you so blessed? Why are you the one who's the World Champ? I saw how you won kid, you're good. But you ain't great." said the person.
"I think it's best..."
"Tell me, your buddies, did they rig the duel? Those great Big 5 duelists you hang out with, they pay off your opponent?" asked the man.
"Security," asked Juniper.
"No, it's alright," said Isaac as he waved off that request. "Tell me, bud. What's your name?"
"Thundercrash. And I'm saying that you only became champion because I wasn't your opponent. Had I'd been, you wouldn't be ranked as the World Champion." said the man.
"I see. Tell me... that duel disk on your arm, you play?" asked Isaac.
"Just recently graduated and have done some small-time venues. Going full pro is my objective. I'm showing everybody why I'm the next big thing," said the person with a boastful tone.
"Well, how about you and me duel right now?" asked Isaac as that got everybody to let out a gasp.
"Isaac..." said Juniper.
"You and me, in a duel. And I'll show you why. To make it even more incentive, I'll put my rank as champion on the line." said Isaac as an even bigger gasp was heard. "You want a chance to make it to the big leagues and make an impact, bud? No better way than to dethrone the current champ and become the new champion of Duel Monsters."
"Heh, you're must be dumb as you look. Game on." snickered Thundercrash.
"Isaac..."
"I'll be fine, Juniper." said the boy as he smiled.
The entire people all moved their chairs as the entire space was now cleared out as both duelists took their position. Both duelists looking at each other as Thundercrash was glaring at Isaac. To think that someone like him was the current World Champion of Duel Monsters made him angry that everybody treated Isaac like he was royalty and they worshipped him. He was going to make sure that he showed everybody that Isaac wasn't who he said he was and that he didn't have the skills to be a champion.
Isaac reached into his belt as he pulled out his deck and slotted it into his duel disk as it activated and projected a gold card tray.
"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.
Thundercrash's Life Points: 8000-
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-
"Let's duel!" shouted both boys.
Turn 1: Isaac
"Here goes... I draw!" said Isaac. "Okay... I summon Gamma the Magnet Warrior(1500/1800) in defense mode!" Out emerged a monster so round that it was more a pink parody of a human shape. Its arms and legs were stubbly and it sported a pair of enormous metal wings.
"I place two cards facedown and end my turn."
Turn 2: Thundercrash
"Time to kiss your rank as champion goodbye," said Thundercrash as he drew his card. "I summon Vijam the Cubic Seed(0/0)!" A monster now appeared as it took the shape of a seed while an eye was shown blinking. "Then I'll use Vijam... to special summon this. Take to the field... Geira Guile... the Cubic King(0/0)!" Thundercrash's monster now disappeared as a bigger monster appeared with a jaw opening up with an eye in the middle.
"By itself, Geira Guile the Cubic King has zero attack points. But by absorbing Vijam, it gains 800. Plus, you lose 800 life points! Whirling Windstorm!" shouted Thundercrash as his monster sent an energy beam at Isaac who covered up.
Isaac's Life Points: 7200-
"Next, I play the spell! Cubic Karma! Geira Guile absorbs two more Vijams to gain even more attack points!" said Thundercrash as his monster now had 2400 attack points. "Attack Isaac's Gamma the Magnet Warrior and pulverize it into rubble!" The monster then fired another beam of attack as it pierced through Isaac's monster as it exploded.
"But I'm not done, cause now I activate the effect of my Geira Guile. Since it battled this turn, I can send it back to my deck to bring back my Vijams, and then I'll summon another Cubic King! Observe Vulcan Dragni the Cubic King(0/0)!" Thundercrash's new monster now boosted its attack up to 2400.
"Say hello to Isaac, won't you?" stated Thundercrash as his monster fired another beam of attack at Isaac as he covered up again.
Isaac's Life Points: 6400-
"I don't think... he heard you! Attack him directly!" shouted Thundercrash as his monster fired a giant attack at Isaac as he was thrown onto his back.
Isaac's Life Points: 4000-
"You triggered my trap. Dig of Destiny!" said Isaac as he was on his knees. "Since I took battle damage, I get to draw a card!"
"Draw a million cards if you want, Isaac. They won't help you. Not as long as I have my Cubic Monsters. They'll keep transforming into new and powerful forms!" said Thundercrash as his monster's effect activated as his Vulcan Dragni turned back into the three Vijams.
"Why stop now? Next... my Cubic King will transform itself again. And reveal to you... its ultimate form! A form so powerful, it's no longer a mere king, it's become something even grander. Behold, Indiora Doom Volt the Cubic Emperor(0/0)!" Thundercrash now had another new Cubic King as its attack points went up to 2400.
"Unh!" shouted Isaac as he was struck once again by another 800 life points.
Isaac's Life Points: 3200-
"Now attack Isaac one more time!" shouted Thundercrash as his monster fired another attack beam.
"I send a monster to the graveyard to activate the Nitwit Outwit trap!" shouted Isaac. "Magician's Valkyria cut the Emperor's attack points down to size!" said the boy as his female magician appeared before her master as she pointed her wand at the Cubic Emperor. She fired a spell as it weaken the strength of Thundercrash's monster to 800 attack points as the beam got smaller. Isaac was thrown onto the floor with a few scuffs.
"Unh!" stated Isaac as he slowly lifted himself back up.
His magician saw her master on the floor as she checked on him to which he smiled to show he was fine. Magician's Valkyria smiled as she planted a kiss on Isaac's cheek as she bid farewell.
Isaac's Life Points: 2400-
All around, the kids were looking on as they saw Isaac down on the ground with his life points being so low. Juniper too had a concerned look on her face as she watched her client being tossed around by his opponent.
"You merely delaying your demise, Isaac!" said Thundercrash as he looked at the boy get back to his feet.
Turn 3: Isaac
"It's my turn! I draw! Please..." said Isaac as he looked at the card he drew. "Yes! Since you control a monster and I don't, I can summon my Lord Gaia the Fierce Knight(2300/2100)!" shouted Isaac as his warrior appeared dual wielding lances.
"Go! Lance his Cubic Emperor!" shouted Isaac as his monster then charged forward with its weapon in front as it delivered a powerful thrust that took out Thundercrash's monster and dealt the boy damage.
Thundercrash's Life Points: 6500-
"Your Cubic Emperor has been... dethroned," said Isaac as Thundercrash simply laughed.
"You can never truly get rid of my monsters," stated Thundercrash as his Cubic Emperor was transforming.
"It split back into three Vijams," said Isaac.
"Correct. Then by sending Cubic Karma to my graveyard, I eliminate half your life points!" shouted Thundercrash as his Vijams fired separate beams that hit Isaac again knocking him to the floor.
Isaac's Life Points: 1200-
"Don't even bother. The sensible move is to give up."
"Then I guess I don't have a lot of sense," said Isaac to Thundercrash as he was shocked to see the World Champ take a beating and still get back up.
"I will never give up, I place three cards facedown." said the boy as he ended his turn.
Turn 4: Thundercrash
"My turn!" shouted Thundercrash as he drew his card. "And time to put an end to your phony reign, Prince! Serve me again, Indiora Doom Volt Cubic Emperor!" stated the boy as his monster appeared once more and dealt another 800 life points to Isaac.
Isaac's Life Points: 400-
"You may have gotten your Indiora back... but it's return also powers up Lord Gaia!" said Isaac as his monster now had its dragon appear as he jumped on its back and had its attack points increase to 3000.
"Rah! I play the spell Cubic Wave! While my monster's attack points are doubled, yours are cut in half!" stated Thundercrash as Isaac's Gaia was reduced to 1500 attack points while his Cubic Emperor had 4800 attack points.
"You're finished, Isaac. And with your defeat, there's going to be a new champion!" shouted Thundercrash as he looked to end the duel. "Cubic Emperor, attack and erase him!"
"I don't think so," said Isaac.
"What?" said Thundercrash.
He looked at Isaac as he saw the boy's face. For Isaac, only the lower part of his face was shown. Then in slow motion, that grin turned into a smile. Thundercrash saw this as it got him to gasp at seeing his opponent cracking that expression when he was moments away from losing everything.
"We're not through... not at all. Go! The trap Dimension Sphinx! Since your monster has over twice the attack points of mine... the difference is dealt to you as damage!" shouted Isaac as a Sphinx appeared behind him as it gave his monster power as it deflected the attack beam back at Thundercrash.
Thundercrash's Life Points: 3200-
"But... so what?! My attack still ends you!"
"Not when I play my second trap!" shouted Isaac as his second facedown flipped up. "Dimension Guardian! It keeps Gaia from being destroyed!" said the boy as the statue appeared to shield his monster.
"Are you through?!" asked Thundercrash.
"Not yet! Cause now I play... my third trap card!" said Isaac as his last facedown flipped up.
"A third trap?" said Thundercrash.
"Dimension Mirage! Since you failed to destroy my monster, your monster is forced to attack again!" said Isaac.
"Oh, no... That would mean... you trapped me!" said Thundercrash as he saw what Isaac did.
"That's right. Indiora is caught in a perpetual attack loop! Which thanks to my three trap cards, will result in you losing life points with every attack!" stated Isaac as his cards now formed the symbol of a triangle for all to see. "And with no way to escape my combo, you know what that means. This duel between us is all but over."
The kids and everybody else was shown having smiles as they saw what Isaac did. All around the sound of laughter and happiness could be heard as they saw Isaac, the hero they were cheering on as he was about to defeat his opponent. Juniper had a smile as well as she saw her client and how all this time he was waiting for the right moment to spring his plan and it worked.
Thundercrash was at a loss for words. He was amazed that not only did Isaac manage to do something incredible, but that he had no way of stopping the loop. He put his arms down to his side with his head down. He glanced up to see Isaac a bit beat up but standing with a smile and confident posture. At that moment, it had become very clear to the man that Isaac was the real deal.
"He's truly is the World Champion," said Thundercrash as the final attack was reflected at him as it engulfed him. The boy was thrown onto his back as his duel disk registered the result.
Thundercrash's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac
The ended as everybody cheered. Isaac stood there with some scuff marks on him as he put his arm down.
"Way to go, Isaac! I knew you would win! Isaac!!!!" shouted the crowd with several cheers as they just watched the World Champ defend his rank.
"You come for the Prince, you best not miss." said a random person as that statement had a nice ring.
Isaac made his way to the person he dueled as he was coming to. Thundercrash sat up as he saw Isaac towering over him with his hand extended out. Even now, Isaac was still playing the hero. Thundercrash then accepted as he was pulled up.
"Good duel," said Isaac. "You got potential, kid. Keep at it, and maybe one day, I will see you on the big stage." Isaac's response got Thundercrash to smile as the boy said goodbye to him and everybody as Juniper began to follow the boy as she grabbed his backpack as the two exited the building.
They arrived at their limo as it was taking them to their hotel. Juniper then pulled out some wipes as she began to clean some of the bits of scuff marks on Isaac's face as he sat down.
"You didn't have to do that." said the girl as she grabbed Isaac's cheek and began to clean him up a bit.
"I know, but I needed to," said Isaac. "I'm the World Champion, and that means I have the power to help others. I allowed someone like Thundercrash to have the opportunity to step on the dueling field with me. Before that, nobody would think that's possible. But after that duel, we just inspired similar people that you can reach that level of success. To stand across that dueling field against the World Champ and one day, it may be you walking out as the guy."
"Always the playing the hero," smiled Juniper as she held her client's face and looked at his eyes.
"It's my job," smiled the boy.
Juniper then leaned in as she connected her lips with Isaac's as the boy put his hand to her cheek. They held for a bit as they pulled apart and smiled. She then got back to work cleaning the last bit of scuffs as they soon arrived at their hotel. With the small duties now taken care of, and Isaac having time to spend with the Big 5. He was now getting ready as tomorrow, he would be leaving to Whitetail Woods to see another close friend and continue his special training. |
Yugioh: Reunion | Chapter 7: Whitetail Woods | "And that brings us to our latest story. Last night, at a convention, the World Champion took on a duelist who had some comments to make about the boy. Isaac is shown here as the two engaged in a duel where he showed everybody why he is the champ." said the newscaster as she was discussing the story as the video footage began to play.
"You come for the Prince, you best not miss," said the person making that comment as the video ended.
"Prince, huh? Well, with moves like that, how can he not be a Prince?" said the newscaster. "Of course, since the King of Games, there hasn't been anybody to dominate the game quite like him. And with Isaac knowing how to do all the known summoning methods, I dare say he's the closest. However, the difference between a Prince and a King. The King was good, but the Prince knows there's a bigger crown."
"Prince is what everyone is calling you?" asked Juniper over the boy's duel disk as they were watching the TV on the private jet that Isaac was on.
"Well, I was bound to get a nickname eventually. Yugi and the others all have theirs. He's the King of Games, Jaden is Duel Academy's Star Pupil, Yusei is known as Satellite's Shooting Star, Yuma is called the World Duel Carnival Champion, and Yuya is the Pioneer of Pendulum Summoning."
"I understand that, Isaac. Just didn't expect that nickname to be the one that people want to call you."
"I didn't have a say in the matter, Juniper. People just like what they see. So I guess my nickname in the world of Duel Monsters is the Prince."
"Well, it's also not bad. That little saying, 'You come for the Prince, you best not miss'. Has a nice ring to it," smiled the girl at her client.
"Well, if that's gonna be my nickname, then we better start making shirts with that little mantra," stated Isaac.
"Already on it," said Juniper through the boy's duel disk as she showed her tablet to the designs that they could potentially put on shirts.
"Well, I'll let you do your thing. Also, has the document that I requested been made?" asked Isaac in a now serious tone.
"Yes, the document is nearly complete. Once it's finished, I'll give it to you, and then you shall meet with Twilight about it," said Juniper in a serious tone as well.
"You don't think I'm doing anything wrong by showing her that document, do you?"
"Isaac, I understand you covering your bases. I respect that, how Twilight will react? Well, that remains to be seen." said Juniper as she ended the call on his duel disk.
The flight soon landed as it descended on the runway. Isaac then grabbed his backpack as he exited the plane and then grabbed a taxi to take him the last part of his journey. It soon arrived at his destination as the boy got out of the car and was now standing in front of the place as the sign read: Welcome to Whitetail Wood Nature Reserve.
Isaac took a deep breath as he entered the place making sure to grab a map at the front stand. The place had been founded about 50 years ago and the owners who were a married couple loved animals. Exotic, plain, even animals that were nearly extinct, so they wanted to make a place where all of them could be peaceful. Over the years the place grew bigger and bigger. Sure enough, it soon became the biggest place in the world. Now every animal ever listed in the animal kingdom was placed in the same spot. The beauty he saw could not be described, for it was an amazing sight. For all around the land was as large as Disney Land's land property, with every part of the place that would fit for every animal perfectly.
He wasn't sure where the girl might be as there were tons of different sections Fluttershy could be. But also, he hadn't seen the place so he might as well take a look. He pulled out the map as he started to head over to the Safari section. Sure enough, he reached the safari section of the reserve. Isaac was left speechless when he saw so many safari animals out there.
"Wow, this is amazing." said the boy as he saw the many creatures living peacefully as he pulled out his phone to take some pics.
He moved to the next spot as it had the monkey exhibit. Though they were quite entertaining, it wasn't as entertaining for Isaac when he saw a monkey steal his phone whilst he chased them around whilst shouting.
"Give me that back, jackass!" shouted Isaac to the monkey that was mocking him.
It took a while, but the boy got the device back after he clocked the monkey in the head with coconut as the monkey had swirls in its eyes as it dropped the smartphone, and he grabbed it to avoid hitting the floor. He then left the place to avoid any more funny business. As he was walking down the next part of the reserve, a certain bunny, known as Angel Bunny, hopped from out of the corner looking for some tasty snacks. But as he looked around, he spotted Isaac. Causing the rabbit to quickly hop back to his owner to tell her the news.
He walked up to what appeared to be the elephant section, which Isaac find them adorable until a handful of them sprayed him with water. He was drenched in water, whilst trying to shake it off at the same time. He groaned a bit at first until he looked at the pachyderms, which he couldn't help but laugh over his predicament. He went to the bathrooms to dry himself up. Once he wrung out his cap and put it back on his head, the boy felt something poking his leg. When he looked down, to his surprise, it was a rabbit, who looked at him with a smile.
"Cute little thing," said Isaac as he bent down to pet the rabbit, unaware it was Angel Bunny.
"It can't be." said a familiar voice.
Isaac looked up as he saw who the voice belonged to as it was the person he had come to visit. Standing before him was none other than Fluttershy.
Just like Applejack and Pinkie Pie, the girl standing before him had undergone some changes. The obvious one being her chest area had gotten a bit bigger as her attire was now changed. She had moderate cyan eyes, pale and light grayish rose hair. She wore a pale, light grayish gold scarf and pants along with a white shirt. But with all the changes to her wardrobe and body, it was still the same shy, animal-loving girl that the boy knew from high school.
"Hey, Fluttershy."
"Isaac, is it really you?" asked the girl in a timid voice as she slowly walked a few inches to look at the boy.
"It's so good to see you."
"It's great to see you too," smiled the girl.
At that moment, Fluttershy now wrapped her arms around the boy. Isaac could feel the girl's bosom pressing into his chest as he too wrapped his arms around his friend as both gave a meaningful hug. The two young adults had tears falling from their eyes as it felt good to see the other in a while. The memories from high school were playing in their minds as it got them to smile as they remembered their adventures with their friends.
"What are you doing here?" asked the buttercup girl as she broke the hug.
"I came to see you," smiled the boy.
"Thanks, and... congrats. You're the World Champion, just like you dreamed of."
"It wasn't easy, and my life and work schedule have been a bit more hectic. But you're right, I did get to realize my dream," said Isaac.
"You want something to eat? My treat." stated the girl as she picked up Angel.
Isaac nodded as the two friends walked over to the nearest food stand to buy what food they had on sale. After they got what they were looking for, they continued with their conversations.
"So, how have things been with you?" asked Isaac as the pair now leaned against the railing overlooking the sanctuary.
"After graduation, I began to study under Dr. Fauna. She showed me many things about caring for animals. I became her assistant and gained my certification as a veterinarian. Not to mention we both helped to create my idea of an animal sanctuary for all animals to live." said the girl looking over the place as she saw a section of the huge place that was dedicated to her small sanctuary.
"Look at that, Dr. Fluttershy. Has a nice ring to it," smiled Isaac as he looked at his friend.
"I don't like to brag." said the girl trying to hide behind her hair.
"You still have the same shy nature," said Isaac as he brushed away the hair from her face as he saw the girl's eyes.
Fluttershy looked at her friend as she stared into his brown eyes. The touch of Isaac's hand filled her mind with warmth and happiness. She let her mouth move on its own as the girl scooted closer to the boy as she placed her hand on his and then made contact with his lips as the two closed their eyes. The kiss was simple and lasted for a few moments as they pulled apart smiling.
"I'll be honest, I've missed that," said Isaac.
"Same here," said Fluttershy.
They heard a sound as it was an elephant splashing around as it sucked in water into its trunk and then sprayed it at the two. Both of them were now soaked, and they couldn't help but laugh as it reminded them of being teens once again. Once they had a chance to dry off, Fluttershy was now leading Isaac to the building where she worked in this place as the boy told her about him meeting up with Pinkie and AJ, as well as seeing how things had been at CHS.
Fluttershy was amazed at how their school last changed since they graduated and was glad to know that their friends were alright. She also heard about Isaac's upcoming duel which was in 8 days as she felt concerned for her friend. Isaac told her that it was part of his job and that he was looking forward to his upcoming duel. Once they made it to the building, she asked Isaac to wait outside as she needed to fetch something.
Isaac then sat down on a nearby stump as he set his backpack down. At that moment, several small woodland animals now gathered in front of him as they sniffed the boy's scent. Isaac waved at the critters as they all backed up a bit. He noticed a small bucket near him as it was filled with food as he grabbed a handful and showed it to the animals as he was hoping to prove that he meant no danger. The animals all approached him still keeping their distance, eventually, they took a nibble at the boy's hand holding the food as they warmed up and then got closer as Isaac smiled.
A few of the squirrels all now stood on the stump looking at the boy as some birds landed on his shoulder and his cap as Isaac smiled. At that moment, Fluttershy emerged from the building as she saw the sight before her. It made her giggle as she got her friend's attention.
"Seems they like you."
"I guess," stated Isaac.
"Isaac, if you don't have anything planned? Would it be okay... if... we... went out... you know... as a way... to hang out?" asked the girl feeling a bit embarrassed.
"I don't mind," said the boy.
"Good, well then... I... also have one last request..." said Fluttershy.
"What is it?" asked Isaac.
Fluttershy took a deep breath as she revealed her arms from behind her back as her duel disk was strapped on. She reached into her pocket as she slid in her deck as it activated in a long time as it projected a pink card tray.
"Care to duel me?" asked the girl.
"It'd been my honor," said Isaac as he now stood up and activated his duel disk. He slotted in his deck from his belt as it projected a gold card tray.
"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-
Fluttershy's Life Points: 8000-
"Let's duel!" shouted both of them.
Turn 1: Fluttershy
"I'll start," said the girl as she drew her card. "I'll play the spell Foolish Burial so that I can send my Nimble Angler from my deck to the graveyard." Fluttershy's duel disk ejected the monster as she grabbed it and then sent it to the graveyard. "By doing that, my Nimble Angler's effect activates, since it was sent to the graveyard from my deck or hand, I can special summon up to 2 Level 3 or lower 'Nimble' monsters from my deck. So I'm summoning a pair of Nimble Beavers(400/100)!" Two small beavers with a twig in their mouth jumped up from a pool of water that spontaneously appeared at Fluttershy's feet.
"Then I'll summon my Baby Raccoon Ponpoko(800/0) in attack mode." A small raccoon with a tiny drum strapped to its chest jumped in front of Fluttershy, scratching its ear. "I'll then activate Ponpoko's special ability, when he's summoned I can then special summon one level 2 or lower beast-type monster from my deck in facedown defense position." Fluttershy then touched her screen as she looked for the monster she wanted; once she made her decision, she then tapped her screen and pulled her card from her duel disk, and set it on her card tray.
"I'll then end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 2: Isaac
"Then it's my move," said the boy as he drew his card and looked at his hand. "I'll begin by summoning my Berry Magician Girl(400/400). Then since I summoned her, I can be able to select a different 'Magician Girl' to add to my hand." A tiny baby magician appeared in front of the World Champion as she flew over to sit on the boy's shoulder. Berry sucked her pacifier while placing her small hand on the boy's cheek.
"You know the deal, Berry. Which of your big sisters do you think should be the lucky girl to spend time with me?" asked the boy to his baby magician as the spirits of all of his Magician Girls were present.
"Mmm..." said the baby spellcaster as she looked at her sisters. "I pick... Lemon."
"Alright then," smiled Isaac giving the small baby a tummy rub as she made a pacifier sucking sound.
Isaac's Lemon Magician card slid out from his duel disk as he grabbed it. Soon she appeared before the boy as she hugged her baby sister and tickled her tummy. She set her sister down and kissed her master as she hugged him.
"Thanks for choosing me," said the girl batting her eyes.
"Settle down, Lemon," stated Isaac as she obeyed the boy's command and returned to her card.
"With that, I'll then end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 3: Fluttershy
"My turn then, I draw. And now I'll flip over the monster I previously set, Baby Raccoon Tantan(0/800)!" A raccoon with a larger vertical drum over its chest rose from the card backing, banging padded drumsticks on its instrument. "Now his ability activates, when Tantan is flipped up, I can special summon a level 2 beast-type monster from my deck. I call upon Catnipped Kitty(0/500) in defense mode." A pastel purple cat hopped onto Fluttershy's field, a jingling bell on its collar, and rolled onto its back.
"Now, I'll perform a double Xyz Summon. First, I overlay both of my raccoons to build the Overlay Network!" The two beasts turned into transparent red outlines and slid together, undulating. "I unite the powers of my raccoons to summon a brave new animal guardian!" She then grabbed the card that ejected from the top of her duel disk and then played it on her duel field. "I Xyz Summon Number 64: Ronin Raccoon Sandayu(1000/1000, OLU: 2)!" The red light burst apart, revealing a humanoid raccoon in red samurai armor, its eyes glowing. Two orbs of red light orbited the air around it, trails in their wake. Twin capes of yellow burst from its shoulders to flutter in the air. It reached to its back and pulled out a large polearm, spinning it twice and then pointing it at Isaac.
"Then I'll overlay my two Nimble Beavers to construct the Overlay Network once more!" The two Nimble Beavers turned blue and slid together, then lowered into the water. Fluttershy clasped her hands. "I unite the powers of my two beavers and call on the spirit of the feline that dwells in the depths. I Xyz Summon, come on out Cat Shark(500/500, OLU: 2) in defense mode!" A black and white aquatic monster jumped out from the pool and landed in front of Fluttershy in a spray of water, two orbs of blue light circling it. It stood on a pair of hind paws and waved a pair of front flippers in the air. A fishtail slapped the ground behind it, and a cat's face with whiskers and fur topped its body.
"Then I'll summon my Nimble Momonga(1000/100)." Fluttershy now had another one of her monsters appear as a flying squirrel glided down from the sky. "Now, I'll activate the effect of my Catnipped Kitty, so I can lower your Berry Magician Girl's defense points to zero."
"What good will that do?" asked Isaac.
"You'll see, cause now I'll activate the effect of my Cat Shark by using one overlay unit, I can double the attack and defense points of an Xyz monster I control until the end of the turn. So I choose my Ronin Raccoon. And then I'll attack your Berry Magician Girl with my Ronin Raccoon!" stated Fluttershy.
"I activate the effect of my Berry Magician Girl, when she becomes the target of an attack, I can switch her to defense mode. Then I can special summon a 'Magician Girl' from my deck. So I choose to bring out my Dark Magician Girl!" shouted Isaac as he now had his female spellcaster appear.
"To be honest, I was hoping you would activate your magician's effect. Cause I had something, I reveal my facedown, the continuous trap card, Roaring Earth! While this card is in play, when a Beast-type attacks a defending monster, it can pierce its defenses and still deal damage to you."
"So that's why you lowered my Berry Magician Girl's defense points to zero."
Fluttershy's Ronin Raccoon then jumped into action. The samurai charged across the field, the blade of its polearm held out. It made contact with Isaac's baby magician as the boy covered up from the attack.
Isaac's Life Points: 6000-
"With that, I end my turn with a facedown. And now Ronin Raccoon's stats go back to normal."
Turn 4: Isaac
"My turn and I'll play Sage's Stone. Since I control Dark Magician Girl on my field, I can summon my most loyal companion, Dark Magician!" shouted Isaac as Mana touched a white stone that appeared as it cracked with bits of light coming from the rock. It then revealed Isaac's partner as he took the field.
"It's been a while since I last saw you and your magicians," said Fluttershy as the sight in front of her brought her happy memories of Isaac and their high school adventures.
"Then how about a refresher of what they can do! I play Dark Burning Attack! So now my Dark Magician Girl can wipe out all of your monsters on the field!" said Isaac.
"In that case, I'll reveal my facedown, Beast Burial Ritual! So I'll destroy my Catnipped Kitty so that I can draw two cards," said Fluttershy as her cat disappeared as she drew the top cards of her deck.
At that moment, Mana finished charging up her spell that she pointed her staff at Fluttershy's field as she took out all of her little animal pals in one blast. Now there was nothing left on her field. Isaac gave a thumbs up to his female sorcerer as Mana hugged Isaac nuzzling her cheek against his before planting a kiss.
"Now you're defenseless. Go my magicians, attack her directly! Double Dark Magic Attack!!" shouted Isaac as he gave his pals their command as both magicians leaped into the air as they put their wands together as they fired a powerful magic spell that collided with Fluttershy as the girl covered up as her feet dragged along the dirt.
Fluttershy's Life Points: 3500-
"With that, I'll end my turn."
Turn 5: Fluttershy
"Not bad, my turn!" said Fluttershy as she drew her card and began to formulate her plan. "I'll start by summoning my Eucalyptus Mole(300/1300)." said the girl as a tiny animal now appeared in front of her.
"Then I'll place two cards facedown and end my turn."
Turn 6: Isaac
What is she planning?
Attack Isaac, you know you want to.
"My draw," said the boy as he looked at his hand and examined Fluttershy's field.
So far Fluttershy only has a mole on her field and if I destroy it, then she can summon a 'Koala' monster from her deck. But then again, there are her two facedowns. Right now, I have nothing in my hand to deal with those, so for now, I best be ready for when I take out her monster.
"I'll play Magician's Valkyria(1600/1800) in defense mode. Then I'll have my Dark Magician attack your Eucalyptus Mole!" stated the boy as his magician thrust its hand out as it took out the tiny rat.
"Now the effect of my Eucalyptus Mole activates since it was destroyed, I can now special summon one 'Koala' from my deck. And I'll place this guy facedown," smiled Fluttershy smugly as she placed the card sideways on her duel disk.
"What's she planning?"
"But I'm not done, cause since my monster was sent to the graveyard, in exchange for 1000 life points, I can also summon my Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest(2600/1800) from my hand!" A giant green primate appeared as it wielded a club in its hand as it let out a howl.
Fluttershy's Life Points: 2500-
"So that's why she played her mole," said Isaac to himself as he saw Fluttershy's monster was stronger than his.
"I end my turn."
Turn 6: Fluttershy
"My turn and now to start, I'll flip over the monster I set and reveal my Des Koala(1100/1800). Now his effect activates, so you take 400 points of damage for every card in your hand. And right now you hold 4 cards, so you're taking 1600 points of damage!" shouted Fluttershy as some leaves now bombarded Isaac as he covered up from the massive damage done to him.
Isaac's Life Points: 4400-
"Next up, I summon my Delta Flyer(1500/900) to take the field! And when Delta Flyer is summoned, I can increase or decrease the level of a monster on my field by 1. So I'll increase Delta Flyer from Level 3 to 4." stated the girl as her monster gained an extra level. "Now I tune my Level 4 Delta Flyer with my Level 4 Des Koala!" Delta Flyer then soared into the sky as it turned into four green giant rings that circled her koala. "Let the sky open up and now give way to a gleaming beast of electric might! I Synchro Summon, Lightning Tricorn (2800/2000)!" Storm clouds appeared despite it being sunny as the sight of lightning flashed. Soon out emerged the monster as it had a yellow coat with several horns sticking out of its body with a blue mane as it fluttered a bit in the wind.
"Now Lightning Tricorn attack his Magician's Valkyria and remember my Roaring Earth is still in play so that means I can still deal damage even if your monster is in defense mode. Go Leaping Electric Lunge!!" shouted the girl.
"I reveal my facedown, Magicians' Defense! Since I control a spellcaster, the damage I take is cut in half!" shouted Isaac as the beast took out his female monster as he managed to reduce some of the damage.
Isaac's Life Points: 3900-
"Then prepare for another attack, Green Baboon take out his Dark Magician!" shouted Fluttershy as her ape now dashed forward as it brought its club down on Isaac's monster as it was destroyed.
Isaac's Life Points: 3850-
"With my Dark Magician in the graveyard, my Dark Magician Girl gains 300 more attack points."
"But that still doesn't make her stronger than my beasts. So I'll end my turn by placing my Zany Zebra in the pendulum zone." stated the buttercup girl as her monster appeared in a column of light as it had its number in front of it.
Turn 7: Isaac
"Then it's my move, here goes," said Isaac as he was now figuring out what to do. "I'll play Swords of Revealing Light. Now you can't attack for three turns." stated the World Champ as giant swords fell from the sky and embedded onto the girl's field.
"Isaac, do you remember our AP Literature class we took in our senior year?"
"You have to remind me of that? The only reason why I was able to pass and ace that course was cause I had you to help tutor me in understanding the complicated shit."
"Well, do you remember this quote from class, 'Compassion for animals is intimately associated with goodness of character, and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot be a good man'."
"Yes, I remember that quote. Arthur Schopenhauer, German Philosopher," stated Isaac.
"Then you know what it means. So prepare yourself for when my animals break out of their prison." snickered Fluttershy with a devious smile.
"I now summon my Lemon Magician Girl(800/600)," said Isaac as he had another magician appear as she wore lemon earrings with her attire being the color yellow.
"Yellow was always your favorite color, master." said Lemon snuggled up next to Isaac.
"You're forgetting who he admires more, Lemon," said Mana as she hugged Isaac tighter to show her place when it came to the hierarchy of Isaac's female monsters and their master.
"Girls, let me go," asked Isaac to which the two obeyed. "I'll end my placing one card facedown."
Turn 8: Fluttershy
"Then it's my turn, and I'll play Pot of Avarice so I'll take back my Nimble Beavers, Catnipped Kitty, Delta Flyer, and Nimble Momonga. Then I shuffle them back into my deck and draw two cards." Fluttershy's duel disk ejected her five beast cards as she grabbed them and placed them on top of her deck as the auto shuffler kicked in as she drew her cards. "Then I summon my Mogmole(800/800)." A small anthropomorphic mole with goggles and a giant hand drill popped out of the ground.
"I end with a facedown."
Turn 9: Isaac
"My turn, and I'll summon my Chocolate Magician Girl(1600/1000)." Another female magician appeared as she gave a wink and floated near Isaac as she snuggled his arm.
"Did you miss me, master?" asked the girl.
"Well,..."
"Chocolate!" shouted Lemon at seeing her older sister snuggling Isaac.
"It's fair game, sis," said Chocolate sticking her tongue at her little sister.
"Girls, need I remind you of the sharing," stated Isaac.
"Yes, master." said the two girls as they obeyed his command.
"Now I activate the effect of my Chocolate Magician Girl, so by sending my Magician's Robe to the graveyard, I can draw a card." said the boy as he sent his card to the graveyard as he picked up the top card off of his deck. "Then I'll play Graceful Charity so I now draw three cards and discard two." Isaac picked up some cards as he selected the ones he wanted to get rid of.
"I then end my turn."
Turn 10: Fluttershy
"That's it? I was expecting more." snickered Fluttershy as she drew. "I'll now activate the pendulum ability of my Zany Zebra, so now I can select one of your card zones, either monster or spell/trap, and you can't use it. So I choose to lock out your monster zone." stated the girl as a giant red appeared on his duel disk and on the field to show that Isaac couldn't use it.
"Now I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon, so now your Swords of Revealing Light is no more," smiled the girl as a giant wind blew over the field making her hair and scarf flutter in the wind as Isaac's hoodie also did the same as he covered up his face as the swords disappeared.
"Now, I'm free to attack and so Lightning Tricorn attack his Dark Magician Girl!"
"I activate the effect of my Electromagnetic Turtle, by banishing it from my graveyard, I can end the battle phase!" Isaac's graveyard shined as the spirit of his small turtle appeared as it unleashed all the electricity that it stored up as it created a wall that made Fluttershy's animals be paralyzed as they had static coursing through their bodies.
"Not bad," smiled Fluttershy.
"Thanks, little guy," smiled Isaac as the Magician Girls all petted the small turtle for protecting them as he made a happy sound as he disappeared.
"In that case, I end my turn."
Turn 11: Isaac
"My turn, and I'll play Dark Magic Inheritance. So I banish two spell cards from my deck so that I can add 1 spell/trap card from my deck that lists 'Dark Magician' or 'Dark Magician Girl' to my hand." Isaac's duel disk screen showed his options as he was figuring out which one he wanted. He made his choice as he touched it and clicked confirm as it slid out for him to grab.
"Next, I'm summoning my Apple Magician Girl(1200/800)!" Isaac now had another one of his beloved magician girls appear as she took the field and showed the same affection to her master as did her sisters. And just like before, they were jealous of what they saw their sister doing to Isaac.
"Keep in mind, my Zany Zebra locked out your last monster zone. So that means your entire is full."
"Then that means you should have no problem taking out my girls," smiled Isaac giving a wink to his magicians as they all blushed.
"What are you doing?" asked Fluttershy.
"Nothing. I just set a card facedown and end my turn." smiled Isaac.
Turn 12: Fluttershy
"My turn," said Fluttershy as she drew her card. "Now I'll have my Green Baboon attack your Lemon Magician Girl! Since your field is full you can't use her effect to save her!"
"I don't have to, 'cause I activate my facedown, Magician Girls' Confidant! Here's how it works, we each pick one monster, and spell/trap to remain on the field, while every other card we control is shuffled back to our decks," stated Isaac.
"So be it. I choose to save my Lightning Tricorn and my facedown."
"As for me, I'm choosing to save my Dark Magician Girl and the card I set on my last turn."
Both duelists now had all of their other cards disappear as they grabbed each of their cards and placed them all on top as the auto shuffler kicked in.
"Either way, I'm still gonna attack. So Lightning Tricorn take out his Dark Magician Girl."
"In that case, I'll send my Kiwi Magician Girl to the graveyard," said Isaac as he slide his card into his graveyard slot. "By doing so, I activate her ability, which lets me grant all of my 'Magician Girls' that I currently control an extra 300 attack and defense points for each 'magician girl' with different names on the field and in my graveyard. So since I currently have three in total that means my girl gets a 900 point boost to both stats until the end of the turn."
"Clever move," said Fluttershy as her monster was blasted by Isaac's magician as she used her wand to fire a spell at the beast as it was gone.
Fluttershy's Life Points: 2100-
"You may have taken out my monster, but that's helped me. Cause when Lightning Tricorn is destroyed, I can summon either 'Voltic Bicorn' or 'Thunder Unicorn' from my Extra Deck. Feel the winds blow and watch the storm clouds up above rumble with electricity as I summon, Thunder Unicorn(2200/1800)!" The sound of lightning was heard as up above some storm clouds formed as soon something came out of it with fast speed as Fluttershy's horse raced down from the heavens as soon it landed on the field as electricity formed at its hooves for a sec as it let out a fierce neigh and stomped its hooves as more lightning was produced.
"I'll now place one card facedown and end my turn."
Turn 13: Isaac
"It's my move, and now Dark Magician Girl attack her Thunder Unicorn!" commanded Isaac.
"Not quite, cause I activate my Fiendish Chain trap card! Now your Dark Magician Girl can't attack and its effects are negated." A steel chain then launched at Mana as it wrapped around her midsection as she couldn't move her arms.
"Mana!" shouted Isaac as he saw his magician being tied up.
"You didn't think I would let you destroy my Thunder Unicorn so easily," said Fluttershy with a smug smile.
"I play Card of Sanctity so now we draw till we're holding six cards in our hand. Then I place one card facedown and end my turn."
Turn 14: Fluttershy
"It's my turn, and I'll activate Horn of the Unicorn to give my beast an extra 700 attack and defense points. Then I summon Nimble Momonga to the field. Next up, I activate my Thunder Unicorn's ability. Now your Dark Magician Girl loses 500 attack points for every non-Thunder Unicorn I control, so she's reduced to 1800 attack points." stated Fluttershy as her beast powered up while Mana got weaker.
"Now to attack. Thunder Unicorn, take out Isaac's favorite magician girl," stated Fluttershy as her monster raced forward.
Isaac looked to his duel disk as he was about to activate his facedown.
"Don't even think about it, cause I reveal my facedown, Superficial Peace!" shouted Fluttershy. "Now all spell/trap cards can't be activated until the end phase, and all monsters can't be destroyed."
"Shit!" said Isaac as he couldn't protect Mana as she was knocked back by the attack as she fell on the floor tied up.
Isaac's Life Points: 3150-
"Now the other effect of my Superficial Peace activates. Since I dealt you damage this turn, I can now destroy one spell or trap card you control and draw a card for myself," said Fluttershy as she pointed to the card on Isaac's right as he was hoping to have used it.
"Spellbinding Circle, huh? That's quite a powerful card that could have saved you just now, too bad I was a step ahead." smiled Fluttershy as she drew her card.
"I end my turn with two facedowns."
Turn 15: Isaac
"My turn, I draw, perfect. I now summon my Enchantress of Melody(900/1800)!" A beautiful young girl with crimson-colored eyes, a determined and gentle look, and mid-length dark brown hair tied into two twin-tails to a ribbon that lay on her shoulders. She wore black robes and a cloak, she wielded a silver staff and kept a short sword sheathed around her waist. Underneath the cloak, she wore a low-cut blouse, ultra-short pink miniskirts, and wore burgundy boots that stopped before her knee caps She also wore some leggings that stopped halfway to her thighs as she still showed off her fair smooth skin.
"I now activate her effect, once per turn, I can roll a die and then increase or decrease a monster's level by that number." A die then appeared in his hand as he looked at his monster as she put her hand over his as the two smiled.
"Ready, Melody?"
"Always," said the girl at her master.
"Die roll!!" shouted both monster and duelist as the die was tossed into the air.
It hovered in the air for a bit as it then started to fall. It rolled on the ground for a bit as it soon landed on a number.
"One! So now I'll decrease Melody's level so that she becomes Level 2. Then I'll tune her with my Dark Magician Girl!" Enchantress of Melody then played her lyre as she turned into two giant green rings that circled Mana. "I Synchro Summon, Dark Sorcerer Magician(2500/2100)!" Isaac now had his synchro monster as out came a spellcaster that had white hair and had garments that were dressed in an indigo/purple color scheme. It wielded a staff and was surrounded by bits of stardust and magical symbols.
"When I summon my monster, he can destroy one spell or trap card on the field. So say goodbye to your facedown on the left," stated Isaac as his monster got rid of Fluttershy's card.
"Now to attack Dark Sorcerer Magician attack her Thunder Unicorn! By doing so, I now activate my monster's special ability. When he battles another monster, he can cut their strength in half, and then, he gains those attack points." said Isaac as his monster rose to 3950 while Fluttershy's monster dropped to 1450 attack points.
"I still have my other facedown, Barrier Wave! I may have to sacrifice my Thunder Unicorn, but I at least get to switch your magician into defense mode. Then you take damage equal to its defense points!" shouted the girl as her monster collided with Isaac's as a huge smokescreen occurred. It died down as her monster was gone, but a bolt of lightning headed towards Isaac as he was thrown onto his back.
Isaac's Life Points: 1050-
"This duel is just about over," stated Fluttershy. "Now since my Thunder Unicorn was equipped with my Horn of the Unicorn, I can place it at the top of my deck instead of sending it to the graveyard."
Isaac now started to get back to his feet as he saw Fluttershy as the only monster left on her field was her Nimble Momonga.
"I place one card facedown and end my turn."
Turn 16: Fluttershy
"It's my move, and I'll tribute my Nimble Momonga so that I can summon my Behemoth, the King of All Animals(2700/1500)!" A large white image appeared behind Fluttershy and came into focus. A massive pink and purple monster loomed over the field, cuffs with broken chains wrapped around its paws. Curved horns rose into the air on either side of a massive mane of dark fur. Drool dripped from the beast's jaws as it roared.
"Since I only summoned my Behemoth using one tribute, his attack drops to 2000. But the good thing is my Nimble Momonga is now returned to my hand," said Fluttershy as her duel disk ejected her card for her to grab. "Then I'm following up with this spell, Ayers Rock Sunrise! So now I bring a beast-type monster from my graveyard, so rise again, Lightning Tricorn!" The ground opened up as her beast returned as it let out a neigh.
"And I'm equipping him with my Horn of the Unicorn to give him an extra 700 point boost." stated the girl. "Now to seal the deal, Lightning Tricorn attack Isaac's monster!" shouted Fluttershy as her monster took out the boy's magician. "Behemoth attack him directly and end this duel!"
"I reveal... Ricochet! So now I can bounce a monster on your side of the field back to your hand. Then I can add one card from my deck to my hand!" shouted the boy as his duel disk shot out the card he wanted and made contact with Fluttershy's Behemoth as it disappeared and returned to her hand. It then zoomed towards Isaac as the boy caught it in one hand while looking at his friend.
"You survive yet again, no matter. I end my turn with a facedown. Your move."
Turn 17: Isaac
This may be my last move if I don't figure out a way to take down her beast and the rest of her life points. Come on deck, give me something.
"My draw," said the boy as he drew his card. "Hope this works. I play the Shallow Grave, now we each bring back a monster to the field, but they have to be in defense mode. So I'm picking my Dark Sorcerer Magician." stated Isaac.
"And I'm choosing my Thunder Unicorn!" said Fluttershy as she now had two of her most powerful beasts on the field.
"Since I control a monster, I can special summon my Paladin Fortis(300/500)!" Out came a small paladin as he had shiny armor with a helmet on him as he wielded a sword by his side. "Now my paladin's effect allows me to revive a tuner monster in my graveyard, so I bring back my Enchantress of Melody. And then I'll use her special ability so now I can roll a die and either increase or decrease a monster's level." The die appeared in Isaac's hand as he looked at it, he closed his eyes and blew on it for good luck. He then tossed it high into the air as it began to spin through the air and tumbled around as Isaac was hoping to get what he wanted. Soon it stopped on a number to which Isaac smiled.
"Now I'll decrease my Enchantress' level by 2 so now she's Level 1," said Isaac as his magician lowered her level.
"What are you planning?" asked Fluttershy.
"Watch, I tune my Level 1 Enchantress of Melody with my Level 1 Paladin Fortis!" Isaac's magician then transformed into one giant green ring as it circled Isaac's other small monster. "I Synchro Summon, the tuner synchro, Valor Valkyrie(1500/200)!" This time out came a valkyrie as she wore a red and black color scheme with a fleur-de-lis on each sleeve and pant leg. She raised her sword high as the pegasus she rose in on had a white coat and mane as it unfurled its wings and let out a fierce neigh.
"Now my Valor Valkyrie allows me to gain 1000 life points for each card I hold in my hand," said Isaac.
Isaac's Life Points: 4050-
"It's time! I tune my Valor Valkyrie with my Dark Sorcerer Magician!" Isaac's Valor Valkyrie then flew high into the air on her pegasus as she turned into two giant green rings as they circled his magician. "Be transformed by the winds of destiny! Go, Accel Synchro!!!" shouted the boy. Out came a dark flier as the pegasus's coat and mane were black as riding it was the rider as she wore a set of blue armor that held her body close as her arms were exposed as she had some black, silver, and blue flames on the cuffs of her outfit which also contained a cape as it fluttered in the wind as she let out a fierce cry as her hands lit up with magic.
"It's my Dark Flier Lysithea(3500/3000)! Now I activate my Dark Flier Lysithea's effect, so by paying 1000 life points, I can then excavate the top 5 cards of my deck, and then for each 'Magician/Spellcaster' that I reveal, my monster gains 500 attack points."
Isaac's Life Points: 3050-
Isaac now excavated his top five cards as he saw that three of them were spellcasters as his monster rose to 5000 attack points. "I then play Stop Defense to switch your Thunder Unicorn to attack mode. Now Lysithea, attack her Lightning Tricorn!"
"With that power boost, your monster still doesn't have enough to take out my life points."
"Guess I forget to mention since my Valor Valkyrie was sent to the graveyard as part of a synchro summon, I can now attach it to one of your monsters and have its attack points lower by the attack points of my Valor Valkyrie," stated Isaac as his monster appeared who used her sword to do a slash attack on the horse as he felt his power weaken.
"I'm not losing, you are! I reveal Return Damage! So now your life points take the hit instead of mine!"
"Sorry Fluttershy, but that's no can do! See if you activate any spells or traps, my Dark Flier Lysithea can freeze them in their tracks," said Isaac as his female magician used her magic to render Fluttershy's trap useless. "Now finish this duel. Lysithea attack with Dark Spikes!" shouted the boy. She was above the monster as she did a full circle motion with her hands and then brought them together as manifested dark spikes out of thin air as they were sharp and soon she clapped her hands together and all the spikes followed her lead as they embedded themselves into the monster as it let out a cry and exploded.
Fluttershy's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac
The duel ended as Isaac sat down. He took some deep breaths as he saw Fluttershy was also sitting. The two couldn't help but laugh as the duel they just had made them remember how much fun they used to have back in the past. All the small woodland animals all gave a noise as they crowded the girl as they were giving her compliments in animal language to which Fluttershy understood.
The day had come to an end as Fluttershy was with Isaac as the pair had decided to go out and see a movie. They arrived at the theater as the two friends found their seats and began to enjoy their hang out. Once it ended, they made it back to Fluttershy's place as the pair talked a bit more about Isaac's upcoming duel that was days away.
Isaac also talked about a private matter with Fluttershy.
"What do you think?" asked the boy.
"I get it, and at the same time, I understand why you're doing it. But it does raise some concerns. One thing is Twilight. Do you feel as if Twilight is gonna be comfortable with that document you give her?" asked Fluttershy.
"I just... I just want her to feel comfortable. And for her to understand that the reason I'm doing this is so that I can protect the both of us, should... something unfortunate happen." said Isaac.
The conversation didn't continue much after that as the pair began to prepare themselves for a good night's rest. Fluttershy showed Isaac to the guest room. The boy then prepared to get some sleep as come tomorrow he would be heading towards Manehattan where he would continue with his special training.
It was about a few hours after the pair had gone to sleep. Outside, the sky was covered with grey clouds. Isaac could hear the rain had picked up, and the wet weather was accompanied by an orchestra of thunder and far away flashes of lightning. He laid there in the darkness for a bit, listened to the raindrops falling to the ground, hitting the window, and the soothing sound of rumbling thunder. Slowly his eyes started to close, and soon enough Isaac started to drift off to sleep once again... Zz
Zzzz
ZzzZZzz
ZZZzzzzZZZZzzzzz...
kkrrrrrrrrBOOOOOOOOOM!!!
"EEEP!!"
Eep? First, Isaac was kind of woken up by the thunder, but now a scream and the- Wait, something felt warm, felt soft, something was laying up against him. His mind slowly worked out the clues, and slowly woke the boy up from his slumber.
"Mmm, what the..?"
"Uhm, do you mind if I stay here...?"
"Huh..?"
Isaac turned his head, only to discover Fluttershy laying next to him. Her head poked out from under the covers, and Isaac could feel her body heat radiate from her.
"Flutters..?" His mind was not fully awake yet, and Isaac wondered how long he slept for, probably not very long.. "Wha, what are you doing in my bed..?"
Her blush increased. "I... I'm... I'm not good with thunder...."
"Oh..." Isaac frowned. In hindsight, he should have seen this coming.
"Is... Is it okay if I stay here...?" asked Fluttershy
KRrrrrRRRRrrrBOOOOOOOOM!
"Eep!" Her arms grabbed Isaac's arm, and she pressed herself close, making her chest press into him.
"W-well, sure, I don't mind, but are you sure you will be okay sleeping here?" She simply nodded and looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Then I guess you can."
Her body relaxed, and she gave me a gentle smile. "T-thank you, Isaac..."
His cheeks burned slightly as he felt her squeeze his arm, pressing her still growing chest into the boy. "S-sure, no problem Flutters..."
You would think it would be easy to go back to sleep, but no, Isaac's mind was fully awake now, fully aware of the girl right next to him. Isaac could feel her breathing, and if he focused, he could feel her heartbeat. Thump, thump, it was calming, soothing even. One of Fluttershy's hands traveled down Isaac's arm, and soon enough she took his hand in her own, their fingers intertwining. It was a strangely warm and cozy feeling, making the boy relax a bit. This was nice, and it felt good to see her loosen up and be relaxed. She was so relaxed she didn't even notice the last three booms of thunder.
I'm not sure if you can recognize this, but have you ever been close to someone you care for, be it male or female. And stuff just happens naturally, without hesitation, second thoughts, or even an active choice? That's how it was for them at that moment. Neither was sure who started it, but it didn't matter. It started with a small peck on the lips, then followed by another, then another, and before they knew it, their lips were locked in a tender kiss.
The boy and girl stayed like that for a while, simply being near one another, their kiss the only thing their minds could focus on. Isaac held Fluttershy close, one of his hands tracing her form, moving up from her thigh, up her arched back, and up to her cheek. She shivered, pushing herself closer to him as they both melted into their gentle embrace. When their lips finally parted, they looked into each other's eyes, not uttering a single word.
So both smiled, sharing another, but shorter, tender kiss.
"G-goodnight, Isaac..." She said, almost in a whisper.
"Goodnight, Fluttershy..."
They both fell asleep shortly after, still holding one another in a warm and loving embrace. |
Yugioh: Reunion | Chapter 8: Manehattan | "Everything seems in order," said Juniper as she was currently holding the document that Isaac had requested. She was doing her job of looking it over, going over the fine print, and explaining the details to Isaac.
"Even the statement that I asked for," said Isaac.
"It's all here, Isaac."
"Thank you, Juniper. Well, I best let you get back to work."
"Take care, Isaac. And give Rarity our criticism about the designs she sent us for some new outfits for you to wear," stated Juniper as the video on his duel disk ended.
The day began with the sun rising as it brought light and warmth for the animals of Whitetail Woods. Fluttershy had awoken first as she saw Isaac was still fast asleep after she got up. She put on her attire and was preparing to leave her place to do her morning routine as she took one last look inside her room to see the boy still napping. Fluttershy just smiled as she leaned in to plant a kiss on Isaac's cheek as she put on her scarf and vet coat as she got to work.
Fluttershy visited every exhibit and section of the place. She performed daily checkups making sure the animals were healthy and fed them their food. It took a while, but she soon finished her chores. The girl headed back to the place as she took off her coat. She began to make breakfast for both her and Isaac when he woke up.
Isaac let out a yawn when he blinked a few times to avoid the light in his face. He then rubbed his eyes as he stretched his limbs, rolling out of bed. The boy put his cap and hoodie on and made his way downstairs. He smelted the food that Fluttershy had finished making as she was currently feeding Angel.
"Oh, you're finally awake," smiled Fluttershy as she sat down at the small table.
"Yeah, sorry, Fluttershy."
"Don't be. Your life has been busy since becoming World Champion. Multiple media days and appearances. I'm amazed that you can keep up with all of it. I can't imagine how things will be once you and Twilight finally get married." said the girl.
"Well, I think when Twilight and I finally decided to settle down, my schedule is also gonna change. Cause I'm not only gonna be the World Champ, but also a husband. Meaning that I need to spend time with Twilight. So us finally getting married will allow some of my usual work to be lifted off my shoulders." said Isaac with a smile.
"Well, I can't wait for the wedding," stated the girl.
"Yeah, we still need to plan that shit out and the details. But that's a problem for future Isaac. Man, I don't envy that guy." chuckled the boy.
The two friends then began to enjoy the meal that Fluttershy made. Once breakfast was over, Isaac started to grab his backpack as he had to prepare himself. They were at the entrance as Isaac thanked Fluttershy one last time. After all this time, it was nice to see the girl again. He wished the best for Fluttershy as she did the same and told Isaac that she would watch his upcoming duel. She also told Isaac about the talk they had concerning his private matter.
With one last wave and kiss, Isaac said goodbye to the veterinarian girl as Fluttershy waved goodbye. Some of the animals made noises as they saw Isaac disappear out of sight. He made it to the airport as he was now on his flight to Manehattan.
Going to Manehattan meant several things. The big thing is that the girl who he was going to visit was the most popular and successful fashion designer to take the world by storm. Might as well throw in beautiful in there for extra credit. But because he had no idea of the locations of his last two friends. Even with Juniper's help, Isaac still had no idea where Rainbow and Sunset might be. So for the time being it looked like this might be Isaac's final stop as his upcoming duel was but six days away. Not to mention that he was also going to have to meet with Twilight the day before to discuss something of importance.
The plane soon descended as the World Champ had arrived in the city that never sleeps. Isaac looked out of the window as he saw the many tall towers and vehicles that were on the road. The boy had been to the city many times in the past, as he performed in the arenas the city had however, he never had time to explore the place. So it was a nice change of pace as looking at the place allowed him to remember when he came here during his high school year.
Once he departed from the airport, Isaac was now being taken to his hotel. He arrived at the place, as he tipped the taxi driver handsomely and entered the tall building. He approached the front desk where the attendant was.
"Excuse me, I'm here for a reservation. It should be under the name Isaac?" stated the boy.
"Ah, yes. Mr. World Champion." said the attendant.
"You don't have to call me that."
"Alright then, Prince," said the attendant calling Isaac by his nickname that had at this point been the name that everybody in the dueling community decided to give the boy.
"You don't have to call me that, either," said Isaac. "Just call me by my name. I won't find it offensive or rude."
"Very well then, sir. Ah, I found you in the system." The attendant then reached behind him as he pulled out the suite keycard. "Here you go, do you have any bags?"
"Just my backpack," said Isaac.
"Well, then. Enjoy your stay here at our hotel," smiled the attendant.
"Will do, thank you," said Isaac as he accepted the key.
The boy entered the elevator as it closed. He soon arrived at the top floor as he got out and began to walk down the hallway. He passed by some other doors as he looked to his left to see the glass wall that allowed the people on this floor to get a nice view of the city.
He stopped by the balcony in the middle of the pathway to his room as he couldn't help but admire the city's beauty. He thought of maybe having this place as the honeymoon for him and Twilight. Isaac put that idea out of his mind as that he kept on walking. He accidentally bumped into someone without looking as the two of them fell.
"Ow, that hurt darling," said the person who bumped into the World Champ.
"Sorry, my bad," said Isaac as he rubbed his head. He picked up his cap and put it on. When he looked up to check on the person, his eyes widen at what they saw.
Standing before Isaac was the person he never thought he would run into so quickly. The girl in front of him had grown as did her more balanced body. She looked like a model really, everything seemed to be the exact right size. Her curves, her bosom, her hips. The girl's appearance was on display with her curved, moderate indigo hair a gradient of dark mulberry to moderate mulberry, and moderate azure on the shadowed side. She wore a light gray long-sleeve shirt with a black mini-skirt and a sash that matched her hair color.
"I don't believe it. Rarity?"
"Yes, that's my name. But how do you know that?"
"Rarity, it's me... Isaac."
"Isaac?" said the girl.
Rarity now began to look at the young man in front of her as she took in his appearance. She to saw how much the boy had grown since graduation. As she was looking at Isaac, she noticed two things. The first was the attire the boy wore which consisted of a black V-neck t-shirt with white hemming, black shorts with gray pockets held on by red straps. His shorts were tight around his calves. He wore a long black hooded jacket with red hemming, gray pockets with white hemming, and red flannel flaps that are held down by a series of yellow buttons which he sometimes wore like a cape.
She remembered making the designs of the clothes that the boy in front of her wore. But the thing that made her believe it was Isaac was the thing around his neck. Rarity saw the Dark Magician necklace the World Champ was wearing as it was the one he had gotten for his 18th birthday, and since that day, he always wore it. Her mind registered all of this as it made her gasp.
"Isaac... it is you," said the girl as she brought her hand up to touch his cheek as Isaac grabbed the hand with his. The contact of hand on hand sent shivers down the fashionista's spine as it was the same touch she remembered from high school.
"Isaac, my, you've grown."
"So have you," said Isaac as he looked at Rarity's body.
"Don't stare, darling. It's rude." stated the girl. She giggled, giving him a teasing shove with her hand.
The pair now stood up as they looked at each other. It didn't take long as Rarity immediately wrapped her arms around Isaac, to which he did the same. The hug brought the two warmth and happiness as it felt good to see the other after so much time.
"It's so great to see you again," said Rarity in her excitement.
"It's so great to see you too," said Isaac.
"What on earth are you doing here?"
"Well, I wanted to see you," smiled the boy. "It's been since graduation since I've talked with any of you, except for Twilight. So with my upcoming duel in a few days, my schedule has been cleared. Therefore I decided to take a little trip to see my best friends."
"Well, I'm charmed that you came to visit little old me." said the fashionista. "If I may ask, darling? Do you still find me beautiful after all this time?"
"You kidding, I mean you were beautiful before. But now... you're drop-dead gorgeous," said the boy.
"Darling, no drooling." joked Rarity. "Though I appreciate the kind words."
"Well, what about you? What are you doing here? In this fancy hotel?" asked Isaac.
"Well, I was just dropping off an order for a customer. They're currently attending a meeting so they told me to leave it in their room. So I had just finished delivering it when I bumped into you." said the girl.
"Seems you're dream of being a fashionista is doing well."
"Believe it's no easy task, but I'm getting by good enough. Speaking of which, if you want, I can show you around town?"
"Sounds like a date, just let me put my stuff in my room." said the World Champ as he began to walk towards his hotel room with the girl following behind her friend.
Isaac pulled out his suite keycard as he swiped it and the door unlocked. He opened it and let Rarity in first as he held the door. Once they were inside, Isaac put his backpack near the suite bed as he went to freshen up in the private bathroom. Rarity was the most amazed by what she saw, being World Champion of Duel Monsters came in some great perks, one being that Isaac was always given the best suites possible at any hotel.
The girl was engulfed by what she saw. She noticed the suite had its own balcony that allowed you to see the city. Rarity now laid down on the bed as it felt soft. She felt like she was floating on clouds as the accommodations were to her liking.
"This is heaven," said Rarity as she was still on the bed as she hugged a soft pillow.
"You're gonna make out with that pillow, or are you gonna show me around?" asked Isaac as he exited from the bathroom and saw the girl enjoying herself on his bed.
"Sorry, darling. It's just... it amazes me that you're treated to this kind of attention everywhere you go. No wonder you enjoy being World Champion."
"Yeah, it's great. But I don't think too much about it. To be honest, I'm fine with a regular hotel room. But I digress," said the boy as he put his deck into the deck box on his belt.
"Shall we?" asked Isaac offering his arm.
"Yes, we shall." smiled Rarity as she now got up from the bed and wrapped her arm around the boy's as the pair exited the room.
The two exited out of the hotel to explore the sights. Seems Rarity had her own connections as they were able to hire a limo and toured most of the place. They walked down the streets called "Starshine Boulevard", a hot spot to some of the best attractions known to everybody. From diners to restaurants, even a few of the movie places.
"That place over there?" said Rarity as she pointed at one of the diners "That is where they made their famous movie, Warrior Hunter. Ooh," said Rarity as she pointed at that building over there, "That is where Chestnut Magnifico filmed one of Daring Doo's movies."
"I still remember that adventure during high school," said Isaac.
"Speaking of which, is Juniper behaving?" asked the girl.
"She's more than redeemed herself, Rarity. I'm grateful that she's my agent and is doing all of this work with me." smiled the boy.
The limo then stopped at its final destination as it came to place. It was a restaurant called the Tasty Treat. The pair now exited as Rarity kept her arm wrapped around Isaac's as they entered the establishment. They were greeted by a waiter as he brought the boy and girl to a table as they sat down.
"Nice place," said Isaac as he looked at his surroundings.
"It's a popular place for all kinds of people. Plus, tonight is karaoke night." stated the girl.
Once they placed their orders the pair now began to talk.
"So tell me, Rarity. How have things been since we graduated? I mean, I know I asked you to make me the outfit I'm wearing. I'd figured I need to update my signature look; as you've said, clothes can help to attract people's eyes."
"Where to begin? Well, after I said goodbye to the girls, I headed here to open my shop. By the way, daring? Before I continue, is Sweetie Belle doing okay?"
"She's fine, Rares. Pinkie is taking good care of her and the house. Next time you see your little sister, challenge her to a duel. She's grown quite a bit. CHS has done well with its new look. From what Celestia and Luna told me, they're seeing an improvement in the school's performance in terms of Duel Monsters. They're on par with Crystal Prep in that category."
"Good to see she's doing well. Now then, where was I? Oh, right. So I opened up my shop and had a few orders to start up. After that business... was not progressing. As expected for starting a fashion empire from scratch. I had my assistants to help me and through all the tough times of trying to make money. They stuck by, I told them to go find some other successful fashion designer, but they were dead set on sticking with me." said Rarity.
"So for a few months, we did our best to advertise our business. Still nothing, it wasn't until I got a call from Sapphire Shores. I thought it was a prank, but turns out it was her. She wanted me to design her a dress for the new music video she was going to work on. So I poured my heart out to create the best dress possible."
Rarity pulled out her phone as she showed the picture of the dress to her friend.
"That's hella expensive," said Isaac as he saw the dress.
"Oh, it was Sapphire Shore gave me a 12-carat diamond as payment," said Rarity.
"Shit!" exclaimed Isaac.
"So I used that diamond to replenish my resources for the dress. The music video came out and to my surprise, Sapphire Shores credited me as the person who made the dress. I was amazed that she of all people who acknowledge me, a new fashion designer trying to get her name out. And it was there that my business began to boom. After that, I received tons of orders, and people came into the shop liking what I created. It felt good to finally get noticed. And then... came your request."
"I remember. It was the day that I got invited to compete against Yusei in an exhibition match. And like you, I was just starting to come onto the scene 6 months after I began."
"I remember Juniper sending me the email asking me to make you a new look. So I simply looked at the design of the hoodie I made for you that you wore during high school. After a few tweaks and reworks, I had the outfit made and sent it to you."
"And I've enjoyed it just as much as the first outfit you made me. Thanks, Rarity."
"It was my pleasure. And thank you for also helping me to expand my business. Seeing the World Champion of Duel Monsters has attracted more eyes to my work. I've opened up a few more shops in different cities and travel in between them to see how they're doing." said Rarity as she smiled at Isaac for help her.
"Oh look, they're just about done," stated the girl as she pointed at the karaoke machine.
They saw that the people were leaving the karaoke machine, whilst they waited for someone else to sing.
"Oh, darling." said Rarity as she held onto Isaac's arm, "Would you like to join me?"
"Sure, for old times sakes." smiled the World Champ.
The pair walked to the karaoke machine. They held onto their microphones while looking through the song list. Isaac stopped on a song, making Rarity's eyes go wide when she saw it. She smirked as she looked at the boy as the music began to play.
I close my eyes and I can see
The world that's waiting up for me
That I call my own
Through the dark, through the door
Through where no one's been before
But it feels like home
Everyone soon watched Isaac sing as if they were hearing him sing his heart out.
They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy
They can say, they can say I've lost my mind
I don't care, I don't care, so call me crazy
We can live in a world that we design
More folks began to cheer when they heard how his voice sounded. Sure enough, Rarity began to sing.
'Cause every night I lie in bed
The brightest colours fill my head
A million dreams are keeping me awake
I think of what the world could be
A vision of the one I see
A million dreams is all it's gonna take
Oh a million dreams for the world we're gonna make
Now it was Isaac's turn to be amazed by Rarity's voice as it was still lovely as it was back then.
There's a house we can build
Every room inside is filled
With things from far away
The special things I compile
Each one there to make you smile
On a rainy day
Both Isaac and Rarity began to harmonize together.
They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy
They can say, they can say we've lost our minds
I don't care, I don't care if they call us crazy
Runaway to a world that we design
Pretty soon, the two of them sang in a different tone and they were perfect.
Every night I lie in bed
The brightest colours fill my head
A million dreams are keeping me awake
I think of what the world could be
A vision of the one I see
A million dreams is all it's gonna take
Oh a million dreams for the world we're gonna make
However big, however small
Let me be part of it all
Share your dreams with me
You may be right, you may be wrong
But say that you'll bring me along
To the world you see
To the world I close my eyes to see
I close my eyes to see
Every night I lie in bed
The brightest colours fill my head
A million dreams are keeping me awake
A million dreams, a million dreams
I think of what the world could be
A vision of the one I see
A million dreams is all it's gonna take
A million dreams for the world we're gonna make
For the world we're gonna make
Everyone began to cheer as they clapped their hands. Rarity hugged Isaac and kissed him on the lips, for it was the most fun she ever had even Isaac had fun. The rest of the night went on without a hitch, and the food tasted great. After they finished, they were now making their way back to Isaac's suite room as he allowed the girl to stay the night as there was an extra bed. They discussed the plan to visit Rarity's boutique as she wanted to take the opportunity to have Isaac model for her to create some more outfit designs.
"Darling, this is..." said Rarity as she held the document that Isaac mentioned to Fluttershy.
"It's something that I believe needs to be done," stated the boy.
"I see, well... hopefully, Twilight doesn't take this the wrong way." stated the girl as she gave the document back to Isaac.
The pair then got ready for bed as it appeared Rarity had packed her nightwear as the friends drifted off to sleep.
The next day came, as the sun was rising. After getting room service delivered to their room, Rarity and Isaac exited the hotel as they caught a taxi towards the girl's boutique. They saw the girl's boutique as Isaac saw the sign.
"Rarity for You. Catchy name," said Isaac as he followed the girl inside.
The pair entered the place as Isaac got to see just how big Rarity's store was. Inside tons of mannequins and dresses. There were even a few pieces of clothing for men as Isaac was taking a look at the outfits. He followed Rarity towards the cashier.
"Welcome to... oh, Rarity. It's you."
"Greeting, Sassy, Coco. Isaac, these are my assistants and partners in helping me to run this boutique." said the girl as she introduced her friend to her partners.
"Hey there," said Isaac as he extended his hand out.
The girl he saw behind the desk had brilliant orange eyes. Her hair had brilliant vermilion with light amber and light tangelo stripes, with a gradient of moderate fuchsia to moderate orchid on the shadowed side. The girl's skin was pale, light grayish cerulean. She wore a short black puffy-sleeved black mini dress with a golden saddle around the torso. Next to her was a smaller girl in height who was cream colored with two-tones blue hair, light cyan eyes, wearing a red flower barrette clip in the back of her hair along with a purple collar and red ascot around her neck. She was wearing a violet skirt and a simple white button up top.
"My stars, you're... Isaac." said the girl as she shook the boy's hand and couldn't help but blush at feeling his muscles.
"You're the current Duel Monsters Champion," said Coco as she shook the boy's hand and was turning all sorts of red.
"Darlings. Isaac's already taken by my friend. Do try to keep your eyes above his waist," snickered Rarity as she teased her business partners.
"So you know who I am?"
"Who doesn't know who the World Champion of Duel Monsters is? Plus, Rarity talked about you during the summer internship that she did during high school. It's how we met." stated Sassy Saddles.
"Not to mention, we get tons of people come in as they want a similar outfit to the one Ms. Rarity makes for you." said Coco Pommel.
"I see." Isaac then pulled out two prints from his backpack as he began to sign and personalize them. He then handed it to Sassy Saddles and Coco as they looked at it and hugged it tightly.
"Thank you," said the both girls as they admired the photo.
"One more thing," said Isaac as he planted a quick kiss on Sassy and Coco's cheek as he winked to which the girls gasp as they felt their cheek.
"Alright, girls. Isaac is here to do some modeling. Since he's in town, I'd figured I get the chance to get a headstart on some of the outfits that I've designed for him. So could you go fetch the clothing rack?"
"Right away, Miss Rarity," said Sassy as she went to the back.
"Coco, put the sign up to let the customers know that we're close for some important business."
"Right away," responded the girl.
"You already made clothes for me?" asked Isaac.
"Darling, you're my friend. Designing outfits for you I consider my downtime. Cause I know you don't have too many expectations on what I create for you." said Rarity as she was pushing the boy to one of the platforms with three mirrors in front.
"Well, you do many some incredible outfits," said Isaac.
"Exactly, now let's get to it. After all, life is a runway." said the fashionista as some music began to play.
Sassy and Coco rolled out the clothing rack filled with outfits as Rarity began to work her magic. Every scene shifted with a simple spin by the girl as she kept on singing. Isaac was put in the many outfits that the girl had been designing for him.
One of the outfits Rarity made had Isaac wearing a light blue t-shirt in 'V' with a big crown symbol gold-colored right on the center, blue jeans, slightly darker, crown-chain on his left side, and his shoes were colored in shades of grey and black. On his fingers he wore 2 rings per hand, on his right hand he had a plain black ring on his index finger and a plain white ring on his middle finger, while on his left hand he had the same rings but on the opposite finger.
Coco handed Isaac the sweater to go along with the outfit as it was a silver sweater with a hood and two pockets and white blocks. The boy put it on and left it unzipped as he preferred wearing his sweaters like that.
"That's better," said Isaac as he was felt his shoulders being grabbed by Rarity.
Another spin by the girl as she continued to sing, and Isaac was in another outfit. He was now in a cyan t-shirt slightly dark, and on its center, there was a big symbol but divided into two sides right on the center, on the left side it's color was silver and on the right, it's empty making somehow a reference to the yin and yang symbol. He was also wearing blue spandex pants slightly dark, his shoes were just like the ones he normally used, but in black color with three stripes on the sides of orange color.
Just like before, Rarity had a jacket to go along with this outfit as it was a black leather jacket, on the right forearm there was a dark blue line and on the left forearm, there was a gold line. Isaac grabbed it from Sassy, put it on and left it unzipped, and he raised the neck that reached above his mouth.
As the song continued, more and more outfits Rarity was having Isaac model for her as she made some mental notes. As it ended, the music died down as she did one final spin as Isaac was now back in his regular clothes as the girl's assistants were rolling the clothing rack away.
"Why do I feel like I need to sit down?" asked Isaac as he felt his head spin a bit as he sat down on the platform.
"Thank you, Isaac. I was able to make the final touches and adjustments. I do hope that you enjoyed all the designs I made for you."
"It was my pleasure, Rares," said Isaac as he finally got his head to stop spinning.
"Oh, my word. I almost forgot one last thing. Isaac could you follow me to the back, please?" asked the girl battling her eyelashes as she leaned against the counter in a rather seductive pose.
"Uh..." was all Isaac said as he saw his friend in that posture as his mind was starting to think of something.
"I promise, I won't bite... much," said Rarity as she left giving her hips a little sway.
"Oh, boy." stated the World Champ.
He cautiously followed the girl to the back as he prepared himself for what might go down. He saw Rarity next to a door; she opened it and then stepped through it as he soon followed. He now found himself in the back of the place as there was a huge storage area filled with boxes and other stuff the fashionista used for running her store.
Isaac was taking it all in as he didn't pay attention to what Rarity did.
"Now then, darling, since you did me a favor. I feel it's only right that I return it," said Rarity as she now turned to face the boy as her duel disk was strapped on her wrist. She pulled out her deck and activated her small rectangle device as it projected an indigo color card tray.
"Then it's my duty as a gentleman, to give the lady a proper finish to our date," smiled Isaac as he reached into his belt and pulled out his deck, and slotted it into his duel disk as it projected a gold card tray.
Sassy and Coco were nearby as they had pulled up some chairs and were preparing themselves to watch her friend and the World Champion in action.
"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-
Rarity's Life Points: 8000-
"Let's duel!" shouted both of them.
Turn 1: Isaac
"I'll begin," said Isaac as he drew his card, "I summon my Magician's Valkyria(1600/1800). Then I'll place one card facedown and end my turn."
Turn 2: Rarity
"Now then, time for the lady to shine," said Rarity as she flipped her hand as she twirled around as she drew her card, "I'll start by placing my Scale 2 Crystal Keeper and Scale 5 Crystal Master to set the Pendulum Scale." Rarity placed both of her cards on the far side of her card tray as the word pendulum spelled out in between. Her monsters appeared in columns of light as their respective numbers showed in front of them.
"I can summon as many of my fabulous monsters from Levels 3 through 4 all at once." Rarity snapped her fingers as a portal opened up and out came light. "Appear Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger(1600/1000)!" A white tiger with a horn and a collar studded with yellow gems stepped from the rubble of the gem.
"Then I'll play the spell card, Crystal Tree." stated the fashionista as a small twig appeared on her field. "Next I'll have my Topaz Tiger attack your monster and remember my monster's ability, when it attacks a monster, it gains 400 extra attack points. So go my tiger, Topaz Incisor Shred!!"
Topaz Tiger heard the command by its mistress as it raced forward and then leaped into the air as its claws were out and took out Isaac's monster.
"I end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 3: Isaac
"Nice to see you still know how to play, Rarity."
"A lady never forgets," said the girl flipped her hair while shooting a wink at her male companion.
"Then let me show some new moves I've learned since becoming champion, I draw! To start, I play Imperial Bower(1500/1500)." Out came a set of knights as they stood side by side as each one was a different color. "Then I activate their ability, see if I control no other monsters, I can tribute these guys to take 2 of my Royal Knights from my deck. Then I can either add them to my hand or summon them to the field, so I choose to bring out my Queen's Knight(1500/1600) and King's Knight(1600/1400). And then because of my King's Knight's ability, I can summon Jack's Knight(1900/1000) from my deck!" All at once, Isaac now had his three royal knights on the field as they all put their swords together.
"Royal Knights, Isaac. Seems that nickname of yours really does suit you," said Rarity.
"You heard about that?" asked the boy.
"Darling, the Prince. My if you didn't give that somewhat of a proposal to Twilight during your graduation duel, you know how many girls would kill to be with you?" asked Rarity.
"For the record, I didn't pick that nickname. People just went with it, plus, it doesn't feel right to have my friends addressing me by that," stated Isaac. "Anyways, I end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 4: Rarity
"My turn and I'll now have my Topaz Tiger attack your Jack's Knight, remember, it gains 400 attack points when it battles a monster." said the girl as her tiger leaped into the air once more as it took out the warrior.
Isaac's Life Points: 7900-
"I end my turn."
Turn 5: Isaac
"My turn and I'll start by revealing my facedown, Court of Cards. Now since the only monsters I currently control are my Royal Knights, I can revive any of them if they're in my graveyard, so my Jack's Knight rises once more," said Isaac as his knight was back in play.
"Now, I'll get rid of my Queen's Knight so that I can special summon my Arcana Triumph Joker(?/2500)!" said Isaac as his female knight disappeared as it was replaced by a more powerful one.
"My monster has a unique special ability, her attack points are determined based on the number of total cards in our hands by 500. I'm currently holding 3, and you're holding 2, so that means she has 2500 attack points," stated Isaac as his female knight powered up.
"Now to attack, Arcana Triumph Joker attack Rarity's Topaz Tiger!" instructed the boy as his knight nodded her head and leaped forward.
"I reveal my facedown, Last Resort. When you declare an attack, I can now activate one field spell from my deck. And so get ready cause I play Ancient City - Rainbow Ruins!" shouted Rarity as the field around them as the pair found themselves in a rundown coliseum arena.
"Well, either way, your Topaz Tiger is getting destroyed!" stated Isaac as his female knight brought her sword down and took out the striped feline.
Rarity's Life Points: 7100-
"Now instead of sending my monster to the graveyard, I can place it in my spell and trap cards zone. And now my tree grows a fruit," said Rarity as a shiny plum fruit appeared on one of the branches of the twig.
"I now end my turn."
Turn 6: Rarity
"My turn, I draw!" said Rarity.
"And that means another card in your hand so my knight gets stronger," stated Isaac as his knight now had 3000 attack points.
"I play the spell Crystal Bond, so now I can add a 'Crystal Beast' from my deck to my hand. And place a different one in my back row. So I choose to add my Crystal Amber Mammoth while Crystal Ruby Carbuncle will go to my spell and trap card zone." said Rarity as her duel disk ejected two cards for her to grab. A red gem then appeared on the girl's field as another fruit grew on the tree.
"Since Ruby is in my back row, I can special summon it. So come out Ruby Carbuncle(300/300) in defense mode!" Within the rays of light appeared a small purple quadruple with large red eyes and a round red gem on its tail. It jumped down in front of Rarity and mewled. Rarity smirked. "When Ruby Carbuncle is special summoned, all of my crystallized Crystal Beasts in the spell and trap zone are released! So Topaz Tiger is back in play. Along with my Amber Mammoth(1700/1600) who I'll also summon!"
Ruby Carbuncle held up its tail and cried. The gemstone on its tail lit up red and shot beams of energy into the yellow and orange gems behind it. The gems glowed brightly and shattered. From the orange gem came a large mammoth, a circular amber stone on a crest on its forehead. A white tiger with a horn and a collar studded with yellow gems stepped from the rubble of the other gem.
"Next, I'll activate the effect of my Crystal Tree. So by sending it to my graveyard, I can place as many 'Crystal Beasts' from my deck in my spell/trap card zone based on how many counters my tree had. So since it had 2 counters, I'll place two 'Crystal Beasts'. I choose Crystal Beast Amethyst Cat and Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus." said the girl as two more gems appeared with one of them being amethyst colored while the other was sapphire.
"Now to attack, Topaz Tiger take out his Jack's Knight!" commanded the fashionista as her tiger powered up and destroyed Isaac's monster.
Isaac's Life Points: 7800-
"Amber Mammoth, your turn. Attack his King's Knight!" The pachyderm let out a trumpet sound as he began to charge forward as he had his foot over the knight and brought it down as it squished its target resulting in an explosion.
Isaac's Life Points: 7700-
"My word, Rarity is now in control. And against the World Champion no less," said Sassy as she was amazed by what her boss could do when it came to Duel Monsters and dueling.
"I now end my turn."
Turn 7: Isaac
"My turn, and I'll activate the effect of my Court of Cards so that I can bring back my Jack's Knight. Then my Arcana Triumph Joker gains 500 more points so it has 3000 attack points!" said Isaac. "Now attack her Amber Mammoth!" shouted the boy.
"I activate the effect of my field spell since I have two 'Crystal Beasts' in my spell and trap card zone. I can cut the Battle Damage in half!" stated Rarity as a small force field produced around her and minimized the damage she would have taken. An orange gem then materialized in her back row.
Rarity's Life Points: 6450-
"Now, Jack's Knight. Attack her Topaz Tiger!" shouted Isaac as his other knight took out Rarity's cat once more.
Rarity's Life Points: 6150-
"Now, I'll play Graceful Charity. So I draw three cards and discard two," said the boy as he drew his cards and then selected the ones he wanted to get rid of.
"I now end my turn and so the effect of my Joker's Straight activates. Since it was sent to the graveyard, I can shuffle my King's Knight back into my deck and then add my Joker's Straight back to my hand." Isaac's duel disk then ejected his two cards as he placed his monster on the top of his deck as the auto shuffler kicked in.
Turn 8: Rarity
"My draw," said Rarity as she drew her card.
As long as Isaac has his Arcana Triumph Joker on the field, none of my monsters can damage his life points. And it gains power based on the number of cards that we both have. Right now, it has 4000 attack points.
"I now activate the effect of my field spell since I control 4 'Crystal Beasts' in my spell and trap card zone, I can draw an extra card," said Rarity as she drew another card as Isaac's monster gained 500 more attack points.
"You're just making my monster stronger," said Isaac.
"Am I? Well, let's change that. Cause I play my spell Crystal Abundance! now I can send 4 'Crystal Beasts' from my spell and trap card zone to the graveyard." Rarity's Topaz Tiger, Amber Mammoth, Sapphire Pegasus, and Amethyst Cat all shined in their crystal form. "Now I can send all cards on the field to the graveyard!"
"What?!" shouted Sassy as she was amazed.
The entire field began to change as her field spell was gone as Isaac's cards on his side of the field and her Ruby Carbuncle were all gone in explosions.
"Of course, I can save my Ruby by placing it in my spell and trap card zone." said the girl as a red gem appeared. "Now the next effect of my Crystal Abundance activates, in that, I can special summon as many of my Crystal Beasts from the graveyard up to the number of cards that you controlled when they were sent to the graveyard. So since you had three cards on the field, I can bring back 3 'Crystal Beasts! Sapphire Pegasus(1800/1200), Amber Mammoth, and Topaz Tiger!" Three lights shined down as they all appeared on the girl's field as her monster were present.
"Now Pegasus' effect activates, since he was summoned, I can place a 'Crystal Beast' from my hand, deck, or graveyard in my back row. So I'll take back my Amethyst Cat and place her in my spell and trap card zone." said the fashionista as her gem appeared on her field once more.
"And now, you're defenseless. My gorgeous monsters, attack Isaac for hurting your mistress," said Rarity in a drama queen tone as her monsters heard the command as they all took turns to hurt the boy as he was thrown onto his back.
Isaac's Life Points: 2600-
"That hurt a bit," said Isaac as he sat up and saw Rarity petting her monsters as they showed their love for their mistress.
"Stunned by my beauty?" taunted Rarity flipping her hair.
"Who isn't?" joked Isaac as he kipped up and dusted himself off.
"Then I believe it's your turn. And since my pendulum cards were also destroyed, I place them in my Extra Deck." said the girl as she placed a card facedown to signal her turn ended.
Turn 9: Isaac
"My turn and I'll play Card Destruction, so now we discard our hands and refill them." said the boy as he and Rarity discarded their cards as they drew new ones.
"I now play Berry Magician Girl(400/400). Then since I summoned her, I can now add a 'Magician Girl' from my deck to my hand." said the boy as his baby magician floated to sit on his shoulder as she wrapped her tiny arms around his cheek, and made a pacifier sucking sound.
"Which sister?" asked Isaac.
"Chocolate." said the baby magician.
His duel disk then ejected his card as he grabbed it and gave the tiny thing a tummy rub as she then floated back onto the field.
"I then place one card facedown and end my turn."
Turn 10: Rarity
"My turn and I'll activate the effect of my Ruby, so I can summon it since it's in my spell and trap card zone. And when is Ruby is summoned, so is my Amethyst Cat(1200/400)!" shouted the girl as her two crystals in her back row now appeared next to their comrades.
"Now to finish you off, Sapphire Pegasus attack his Berry Magician Girl!"
"I activate her other effect since she's the target of an attack, I can switch her into defense mode. Then I can summon another 'Magician Girl' to take the field. Give a warm welcome to the girl who always knows how to capture my heart, Dark Magician Girl!" shouted Isaac as he now had his female ace magician on the field as she did a twirl.
"Either way, your smaller magician is destroyed," said Rarity as Berry Magician Girl was destroyed. "And now Topaz Tiger, attack his Dark Magician Girl, remember he gains 400 attack points. So while they may tie, my other Crystal Beasts will wipe out your life points."
"Then I activate Magical Hats! Now you have to find her to get rid of her," said Isaac as four hats appeared and covered his magician as they shuffled on his field.
"Still playing with the same tricks, Isaac. Very well, attack the hat second from the left." stated the fashionista as her tiger leaped at the hat as it exploded in smoke. It soon disappeared as the other three hats remained.
"And you still fall for the same tactics, Rares."
"Touche. Very well, I may not be able to destroy your magician, but I can still go for your life points. By cutting my Amethyst Cat's points in half, she can attack you directly!" said Rarity.
"Oh no," said Isaac as the cat pounced on him and pinned him down by the shoulders. He was expecting her cat to scratch him up like she always did, but this time she simply licked his face as she let out a soothing purr.
"I'm guessing you missed me as well," said Isaac as he sat up and rubbed the cat's ears as she purred even louder.
Isaac's Life Points: 2000-
"With that, I end my turn," said the girl as her cat returned to her field.
Turn 11: Isaac
"My draw and I'll play Card of Sanctity so that we draw till we're holding six cards. Next, I dispel my Magical Hats and play Sage's Stone, so since I control Dark Magician Girl, I can summon my Dark Magician!" said Isaac as he now had his two ace magicians on the field.
"After all these years, your magician is still as handsome as you are," said Rarity.
"Next, I play Magic Formula to give my Dark Magician an extra 700 attack points. So now Mahad attack her Amber Mammoth!" shouted Isaac as his magician fired a powerful spell that took out the pachyderm.
Rarity's Life Points: 4650-
"And Mana, attack her Topaz Tiger!" shouted Isaac as she now took out another one of Rarity's beasts as it was blasted off the field.
Rarity's Life Points: 4250-
The attack ended as both of Isaac's partners stood in front of their master as that image alone got the attention of both girls. Sassy as she saw just how dominant Isaac was to be considered the World Champion. There was a major difference between seeing him on TV compared to real life. For Rarity, she was seeing some memories of the boy from their adventures and how he always had his loyal monsters by his side.
"I now end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 12: Rarity
"My turn and I play the spell card, Crystal Beacon. Since I control 2 'Crystal Beast' monsters in my spell and trap card zone, I can special summon one 'Crystal Beast' from my deck. So I choose my Crystal Beast Cobalt Eagle(1400/800)!" A bird with a jeweled collar set with blue crystals and the same crystals embedded in its wings swooped down to perch in front of Rarity.
"Then I activate the effect of my Cobalt Eagle, so I can place one of my Crystal Beasts on top of my deck. I choose my Sapphire Pegasus." said the girl as she grabbed her card and put it at the top of her deck. "Then I play Rare Value, this allows me to get more bling for my buck. So Isaac which one of my Crystal Beast are you sending to my graveyard?" asked Rarity.
"I choose your Amber Mammoth."
"Very well," said the fashionista as she got rid of her orange gem and then drew her card. "Now I summon Sapphire Pegasus back to the field. And when he's summoned, I can place my Emerald Tortoise in spell and trap card zone from my deck!" Rarity's duel disk now ejected her other monster as a green gem appeared.
"Wait... seven..."
"Indeed, I now reveal my facedown, Rainbow Gravity!" shouted the girl. Rarity's card flipped up and lit up in white light. Streams of light in the colors of the rainbow rose into the air. It reached the clouds and let out a wave of multicolored light across them. Rarity smiled and closed her eyes. "By the powers of this trap card, from my deck, I special summon Rainbow Dragon(4000/0)!" The light in the air them shone brighter, the silhouette of a long, serpentine dragon appearing within it. With the sound of a mighty roar, the light cracked and broke apart. From the shards came a giant white and gold dragon in a rainbow aura, massive white wings spreading into the air, gemstones in seven colors embedded in its scales. It descended behind Rarity and coiled in the air her, glaring at Isaac with golden eyes beneath a crested helmet of white and gold.
"Magnificent, Rarity's beast is here. So beautiful, the colors, the style. All of it!" said Sassy as she was in awe at seeing Rarity's dragon as it caught her eye.
"A beast that is beautiful to its core," said Coco looking at the dragon's colors.
"The only dragon that knows true beauty," bragged Rarity.
"Then go ahead and attack," stated Isaac.
"Tsk, tsk, darling. I'm not gonna rush in without ignoring your facedown, which is why I have this. I play the spell card, Crystal Overfusion!" Rays of violet light shone from Rarity's card. Rarity's voice echoed as she spoke. "By banishing Crystal Beast cards in my graveyard and on my field, either as monsters or as spell cards, I conduct a Fusion Summon!" The crystallized monsters shattered, and the shards rose into the air, swirling around each other in a sphere. Rarity slid her card into her duel disk, and a ray of seven-colored light shot up into the sky, engulfing the gem dust and lifting it into the clouds. The clouds twisted and swirled around each other, white light flashing within.
Rarity put a hand over her duel disk. "By combining the lights of the seven gems, I create the bridge to a new future and summon forth a crystal guardian like no other! I Fusion Summon! Descend, Rainbow Overdragon(4000/0)!" The clouds parted and Rarity's new monster slowly lowered from above them. A massive white and gold dragon, even larger than Rainbow Dragon, spread its wings across the field and raised its head, eyes glowing white beneath a gold and silver horned crest. Its stomach was shining violet scales, light in seven colors pulsing within them. It hovered above Rarity and roared, the force shaking the field.
"Rarity has won?!" said Sassy as she saw her boss have two powerful dragons on her field as they looked to take out Isaac's top magicians.
"Our boss is about to beat the World Champion?" said Coco also stunned by her Rarity's skills.
"Well, Rares."
"One last thing, Isaac. And this move will guarantee I win. I activate Rainbow Overdragon's special ability! By offering it as tribute, all other cards on the field are shuffled into the deck!" Rainbow Overdragon spread its wings. Isaac's magicians lit up in seven-colored light and squawked as it was drawn across the field. When the two forms were close enough, Rainbow Overdragon swept its wings around them and bowed its head. Sparks crackled over its wings, and the dragon dissolved Isaac's cards vanished from within its grasp.
She reached to her duel disk as a card ejected from her graveyard slot, and she held it up. "I activate the effect of Crystal Overfusion in my graveyard. By banishing it when the monster it summoned leaves the field, I can search my deck, hand, graveyard, or banished zone, for a Rainbow Dragon card, and summon it." With a shimmer of purple light over it, Crystal Overfusion in Rarity's hand transformed into Rainbow Dragon. "Return to me, Rainbow Dragon!" The vanishing particles of Rainbow Overdragon came together behind her and formed into the visage of Rainbow Dragon, the beast roaring proudly.
"So this is it," said Isaac as he had nothing on his field.
"Time to end this duel," said Rarity as she looked at her friend with a smile. "Rainbow Dragon, finish Isaac off! Rainbow Refraction!" Rainbow Dragon opened its jaws as it summoned energy from the seven gemstones in its scales. It thrust its head forward and fired a beam of searing light.
"I activate the effect of my Electromagnetic Turtle. By banishing it from my graveyard, I can end the battle phase!" shouted the boy. His turtle appeared as it unleashed a wall of electricity that paralyzed the girl's mighty dragon as it backed off.
"I knew you had one last trick up your sleeve," smiled Rarity.
Turn 13: Isaac
"My turn and I play Dark Magic Curtain. So by paying half my life points, I can summon my Dark Magician!" said Isaac as he had his partner back on the field.
Isaac's Life Points: 1000-
"Then I play Eye of Timaeus, and with I can conduct a Fusion Summoning of my own!" said the World Champ as he had his magician fuse with his dragon as a new beast was emerging. "I Fusion Summon, Amulet Dragon(2900/2500)!" Out came Timaeus as riding on his back was Mahad as rune symbols glowed on the body of the dragon as it let out a roar.
"I now activate my Amulet Dragon's special ability, I can now banish all the spell cards in my graveyard and my Amulet Dragon gains 300 extra attack points for each one. And I have a total of 9 which means my dragon gets 2700 extra attack points meaning its strength rises to 5600!" stated the boy as his dragon's symbols on his body lit up as the power coursed through its veins.
"Now attack Rarity's dragon!" shouted Isaac as Timaeus opened its mouth and fired a powerful attack as it collided with Rainbow Dragon who shattered into tons of rainbow sparkles that fell over the girl.
Rarity's Life Points: 2450-
"One more card to play, so I now activate De-Fusion. So time for my Amulet Dragon to split and my Dark Magician is once again on the field," said Isaac as his top spellcaster was summoned. "Time to end this. Mahad, attack Rarity!! Dark Magic Attack!!!" said the boy as he thrust his arm out. Mahad also thrust his hand out as a powerful spell shot towards the fashionista as she covered up from the attack and then fell to a knee.
Rarity's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac
"Marvelous! Brilliant work, you two!" said Sassy as she applauded and cheered for the two friends as they each were catching their breath as they looked at one another and smiled.
"Truly a stunning performance," said Coco.
The day was ending as Isaac was preparing to leave to his hotel room as he would need to leave in the morning.
"So I guess this is goodbye until your duel?" asked Rarity.
"Yeah, it's just days away and I need to continue to prep for it. Thanks for a fun time, Rarity."
"It was no trouble, darling. It was nice to catch up," smiled the fashionista. "And I'm glad you liked the outfits that I came up with. Once they're ready, I'll send them to you."
"I appreciate that. I just wish I knew where Rainbow and Sunset were. I was hoping to meet with them before my duel." said Isaac.
"Why didn't you say so, darling? Rainbow is actually wrapping up her season. She and her sports team are having their last game in Baltimare in just two days."
"Wait, what?" asked Isaac.
"Well, she was here just last week. She stopped by my shop and told me during our hangout." answered the girl.
"Baltimare, huh?" Isaac then looked at his phone as he sent a message to Juniper about booking him a flight to Baltimare.
He got his response as it appeared that Baltimare was the place he need to be for the next few days. Turns out Rainbow's game wasn't the only thing that was going to happen, as the city would be hosting the final game for Rainbow's team. So to celebrate the occasion, they had asked Isaac to perform in an exhibition duel.
"Well, that's convenient. Seems I knew where Rainbow was gonna be without knowing," said Isaac as he put his phone away.
"Safe travels, darling," said Rarity as she leaned in to kiss his lips as Isaac brought his hand up to cusp her cheek as the pair let it last for a few moments. "Take care and good luck in your upcoming duel. We'll be watching."
"I will. Take care, Rarity. You as well, Sassy. Good bye, Coco." said Isaac to the girls behind his friend.
"Goodbye, Isaac. And thanks for the autograph," said Sassy.
"We wish you luck in your duel. And we hope you win," responded Coco.
They and Rarity waved goodbye to the boy as he exited the shop and headed back to the hotel to get some rest as he had to leave tomorrow. He now had the location of another one of his friends as he was looking forward to seeing the former sports captain of the Wondercolts. |
Yugioh: Reunion | Chapter 9: Baltimare | "I can't believe how big this house is," said Twilight as she was using her duel disk to talk with Isaac. She was moving the camera around so that the boy could also see.
"Yeah, it's a rather decent-sized place," said Isaac. "By the way, did you take a look upstairs?"
"Yes, I love it!" said Twilight. "My own private dressing room/closet."
"That's what's it was supposed to be, but I know you'll put your books in there," said Isaac.
"Maybe," smiled Twilight sheepishly.
"Well, I'm glad you got a chance to see it. I've got some last-minute things to do. I should be home the day before my duel." said Isaac.
"Alright then, take care, honey," said Twilight as she blew a kiss to her fiance as the call ended on Isaac's duel disk.
"So she's already starting to move her stuff in," stated Juniper as she was sitting next to her client.
"Yeah," answered Isaac.
"And you haven't told her the document yet?"
"I want to do it in person. I want to see her genuine reaction, plus I've been busy with all this training and catching up that I'll only be home the day before my duel," said Isaac.
"I wish nothing but the best for you two. Especially if you two are going get married," said Juniper as the pair continued their flight.
The day began with Isaac leaving his hotel suite from Manehattan. With the information given to him by Rarity, the boy was able to know the location of his athletic friend. The plus side was that she and her team were wrapping up their season, as they would be competing in Baltimare for the championship match. So to commemorate the event, they had contacted the World Champion to take part in an exhibition duel.
Hours passed, and soon, the flight descended as the wheels touched the runway as the plane slowed down. The exit opened up as the pair now grabbed their bags. They got on the bus that Juniper requested for them as they placed their bags in the compartment on the side as they boarded the vehicle and were on their way.
They arrived at the place; they thanked the bus driver and tipped him. The pair now entered the place as they grabbed their keycards and entered their rooms that were next to each other. The morning came as Juniper was talking with her client.
"Are you all set?" asked the girl.
"Just about," said Isaac as he put on his cap and watch.
The pair now left the hotel as they were heading over to the stadium. The big game was going to be taking place tomorrow night as well as the exhibition duel. So today, the pair was going to hopefully see Rainbow and her team as a way for the boy to catch up and give her some news.
They arrived at the stadium as from the outside, it was massive. It was used to holding several events over the years, but it was still impressive. They made it to the gates as the security saw them and let them in without hesitation. The pair kept on walking as they came to one of the many sections of the stadium as they were taking it all in from the inside. Tons of LED screens, speakers, the many seats that would be filled for tomorrow's game. For Isaac, being a pro duelist and competing in duels in big-time venues, this was normal for him.
"There she is," said Juniper as she pointed down to the field.
While Isaac couldn't get a full view of his friend, he did see her rainbow color hair that stood out even a mile away. He smiled as they began to make their way to the field.
On the field were several people as they were practicing for their big game tomorrow night. Spitfire was having her team of all-stars run some last-minute practice drills. All around, her teammates were hard at work trying to get themselves ready for the game in less than 24 hours. One of the players happened to be a girl who had rainbow-colored hair. She was standing in front of a goal as she had the ball at her foot.
"This is it. The final shot of the game, one point to win it." said the girl to herself. She was imagining herself in the moment. "The spotlight is on you." She then began to take a few steps back as she let out a breath and closed her eyes.
"When Rainbow shoots, Rainbow don't miss."
The girl spoke her little catchphrase as she opened her eyes. She then began to charge forward as she looked to kick the ball in. Isaac made his presence known as he got the attention of Rainbow's teammates as they all gasped. He put his finger to his lips as he made sure that Rainbow didn't notice he was here. The girl was too lost in her own mind that she brought her leg to kick the ball when...
"Hey, Skittles!" shouted Isaac.
"Huh?!" said Rainbow as she completely missed the ball and fell hard.
Spitfire and her teammates couldn't help but laugh at how easily the World Champ was able to get their MVP of the team off her game. He gave them all fistbumps as he now walked over where Rainbow was lying on the ground spread out.
"Who's the asshole that called me..." Rainbow then paused what she wanted to say. She sat up and saw who was in front of her. "No shot! This is... it can't be..."
Isaac could see that Rainbow was trying to process the situation. He took this time to examine the girl as it seemed she also grew in the time frame. Playing sports for years had really done wonders for her body. His eyes traveled down her body, tracing her curves, and taking in every detail. Her body was slender but still had some nice curves. After her upper torso, Isaac could trace her form inwards, then as he moved down to her hips, the form moved out again. While he couldn't tell from her backside, he could easily tell she had nice hips and some really lovely legs. Nice sporty thighs that were shown off so nicely.
"Hey, my eyes are up here!" shouted Rainbow as she didn't like that Isaac was examining her like a piece of meat. Though she did blush a bit at the thought of her friend checking her out.
"Sorry, just... you've grown from the teen girl I last saw," said Isaac as he extended his hand out.
"And you're still the same dumbass geek from before," smiled Rainbow as she grabbed his hand as he pulled her up.
"Nice to see you, Dash."
"Nice to see you, Isaac."
"Hey, Crash. You gonna make out with your boyfriend?" mocked Fleetfoot.
"He's not my boyfriend!!" shouted Rainbow to her teammate while turning red.
"You sure, cause the way he was looking at you. Seems he likes what he sees. Why don't you turn around and bend over to give him a nice view?" taunted Spitfire as all the other players laughed.
"Shut up!!" shouted the girl as she turned her head away as even Isaac was laughing.
"Simmer down, Crash. We're just messing with you," said Thunderlane.
"So what brings you on by Mr. World Champion?" asked Soarin.
"Or should we call you by your proper title, the Prince?" asked Misty Fly.
"Okay, first of all, I didn't ask for that nickname," stated Isaac. "It just sort of happened, and second of all, I'm actually doing a bit of training on my own."
"What kind of training?" asked Misty Fly as he and Rainbow now walked back with the other members.
"Special training." answered the boy.
"AHH!!!" said the team minus Rainbow. "We get it."
"Plus, as it so happens. You all have a game tomorrow night. And since it's not only the finals but your last game of the season, I've been asked to put on an exhibition duel after the game."
"Exhibition, huh?" said Rainbow.
"Yup, especially since I have a championship duel coming up in about 4 days. But I did also want to come here to announce something. For the exhibition duel, they're allowing me to choose my opponent. So... you want the challenge, Dash?"
"Wait, what?!" said the girl as she looked at Isaac.
"You always were determined to take me on during high school. And you never did complete your promise that you would beat me in a duel. So, how about now? Think you got what it takes to finally beat me?" taunted Isaac.
"Ohh, Crash. Don't tell me you're gonna be a little bitch now?" taunted Spitfire as she too wanted to see the girl in action.
"She ain't got what it takes to beat the champ. She couldn't even make that goal." mocked Fleetfoot. Soon the others all did their own taunts as Rainbow was getting fed up.
"I don't back down from any challenge. You understand, geek!!" shouted Rainbow as she got in the face of Isaac. "I can't tell you how long I've waited to settle the score between me and you! What's that little tagline that people like to say with you? 'You come for the Prince; you best not miss'. Well, I got a little mantra of my own, and it goes like this: When Rainbow shoots, Rainbow don't miss."
Isaac smiled smugly as he saw Rainbow still had that competitive spirit in her that he admired and loved.
"So you best believe I accept!" said the girl staring at her friend.
Both duelists had a serious look on their faces as they stared at one another. Eventually, Isaac had a small smile on his face as did Rainbow as both let out a chuckle.
"I can't wait to see this," said Thunderlane.
"Well, I think we've got enough practice in," said Spitfire as she blew the whistle around her neck. "Alright team, time to hit the showers and call it. Tomorrow's the big day."
"Yes, captain!" said the team as they all gathered their bags and towels as they went to wash up.
"Hey, Crash. Take the rest of the day off. Spend some time with your little 'boyfriend' before you two try to kill each other for tomorrow's duel."
"He ain't my boyfriend!" shouted the girl to her captain.
"Yeah, sure." taunted Spitfire. "And champ, if you get the chance. Make sure you tap that ass," winked the girl as she left. That comment made both Isaac and Rainbow turn red as they looked away for a bit.
"Don't get any ideas, geek!" shouted Rainbow as she turned to look at Isaac still having red on her face.
"Chill, Dash. You forget Twilight's my fiance."
"Right. Anyways, give me a few minutes to wash up and I'll meet up with you by the entrance," said Rainbow as she grabbed her bag and went to the locker room as Isaac and Juniper left to wait for their friend.
After a couple of minutes, Rainbow had met up with the two and changed out of her uniform. She had her bag over her shoulder as she was in her usual attire, which consisted of pale, light grayish cerulean pants and a black t-shirt.
"Ready to hang out?" asked Isaac.
"Yeah," exclaimed the girl as they stopped by the team's stay in Baltimare as the girl dropped her bag.
"So any plans?" asked the chromatic girl.
"Not really," answered Isaac.
"Well, thankfully, I took the liberty of researching some incredible sights for us to visit," said Juniper as she showed off her tablet to the pair.
"That's why I love having you as my agent." smiled Isaac as he planted a kiss on Juniper's cheek as the girl blushed a bit. "Anything you want to do though, Dash?"
"Well, I heard there's a motocross show happening tonight." said the girl as it was the one thing she really wanted to see.
"Well according, to my tablet, the show doesn't start until 6 pm. So we got time to see other things," said Juniper.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go have fun!" exclaimed Isaac as he began to walk with Juniper following behind her client.
"Still the same boy from high school," said Rainbow as she smiled and went after the pair.
The first thing the pair did was they stopped by a video game store as they all entered inside. Apart from the occasional gathering of people who saw Isaac as well as Rainbow and asked for an autograph, the trio was allowed to not be bothered by the fans. They were now playing some consoles as it brought back memories for the two friends from their high school youth. The competition got a bit heated as the pair managed to draw a crowd of people, including some of the store owners as Isaac and Rainbow were engaged in a battle for the ages.
They were currently playing a first to 10 as right now the score was tied with each person winning nine individual games. Both were going with the fighter they knew best as jab after jab was traded. Spot dodging, blocking with shield, and combos were thrown out as both were in the danger zone of being defeated. The percentages at the bottom in the red showing just how close this was.
In the game, Isaac's character blocked Rainbow's three-piece jab as he then grabbed her character and threw her backward. His character then began to chase after her as it jumped into the air and looked to hit the final attack off the stage, but Rainbow recovered immediately as her character hit his as it allowed her time to get back onto the stage. Now she landed and chased after Isaac's fighter as he dodged to the side when Rainbow's went for mid-air attack. About another 2 minutes passed of each other trying to get a final attack in while also avoiding getting hit.
The high pressure and tense situation, as well as atmosphere, was on full display. Both players were making a few mistakes, but can you blame them? Eventually, it came to the final closing moments of the fight, as Rainbow grabbed Isaac's character and threw forward as she dealt a hard attack as it sent his character sailing to the left and would have knocked him out, but Isaac used the analog stick of the controller to input some DI of his own that barely saved his character as he stopped Rainbow from hitting his fighter again and then recovered as his fighter hung on the ledge.
At that moment, Rainbow had her character throw out a side special while she jumped in the air, anticipating Isaac's fighter to jump. The boy jumped up as he did a side special of his own to delay his fall just enough to avoid getting hit by Rainbow's side attack. As he landed on the stage just as Rainbow's fighter landed as to which she spot dodged thinking Isaac would attack, but instead he grabbed her and instead of throwing forward, backward, or even upwards. He did a downward throw which flung her character into the air as she air dodged to avoid an attack but instead Isaac had his character charge up his side smash as it hit Rainbow's character as she was but inches from touching the ground as the camera zoomed in on the final hit for 2 seconds as her fighter was sent zooming off the screen as it was over.
"GAME!" said the screen as the fighter's pose was done, with Isaac being the winner. The crowd cheering for the boy all let out noises as the ones who wanted Rainbow to win all groaned. They all soon disbursed.
"Motherf!@@#$!!" shouted Rainbow as she was angry.
After Rainbow let out a temper tantrum, the trio left to explore more places. They stopped by a library as Rainbow made a groan.
"Ughh, why are we here? This is more Twilight's place," stated the athletic girl.
"Then I guess you don't want to check out new Daring Do books that you haven't read yet?" asked Isaac.
"I read all of them, geek. Twice!" shouted the girl.
"Alright then, so much for wanting to see if they have the definite edition," said Isaac as that comment got Rainbow's ears to perk up.
"Definite edition?" said the girl looking at her friend.
"Oh, you didn't know. They remade one of the popular books in the series. Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone was such a huge hit they remade the book, but this time A.K. Yearling added some extra content that she didn't put when she first wrote it down." said Isaac with a smug expression
"Then get the hell out of my way!" shouted Dash as she shoved Isaac and Juniper to the side and ran inside the library leaving a trail of smoke behind her.
"Never change, Rainbow. Never change." chuckled Isaac as they entered.
They entered the library as Rainbow wasted no time in dragging Isaac with her as Juniper was left to browse some books of her own interest. The pair found the edition as Rainbow felt like wanting to squeal in excitement, but she kept herself under control. In the end, Rainbow read through all the books with full glee, reading parts that she never knew would be awesome(in her own way).
After that, they then moved on to some food stands that were near the central square. Rainbow took an interest as she wanted to try to make a few different protein shakes that she wanted to try and more for future workouts. They visited some more places as they passed by a park in which Rainbow began to show off her skateboard skills as both Isaac and Juniper leaned against the street lamp as the girl put on a show for the kids.
"Hey, Rainbow. We need to leave if we're gonna make it for the motocross show!" shouted the boy.
"Right, later, kids." said the girl as she handed the board and helmet back to the girl who she borrowed from.
They made it to the arena where the show was taking place. The roar of the crowd could be heard two blocks down as it was packed to the rafters. Rainbow was expecting them to be going through the entrance, but Juniper used their connections to get the three of them a private skybox to watch the show with people to serve them. Rainbow couldn't help but hug the two as she raced towards their box.
"Isaac always gets the coolest shit," said Rainbow to herself as she saw the private skybox as there were a few people dressed in suits ready to fetch anything the guests asked for.
"There you go, again. Mooching off of my stuff," said Isaac with a smile.
Everyone then took their seats. Sure enough, the Motocross show known as the X Games began. The riders showed off stunts and dangerous tricks for people's entertainment. Isaac looked over to Rainbow as she had the purest of happiness on her face as it was enough to get the boy to crack a smile. About an hour and a half of watching the show, the trio had just exited the VIP booth and were heading out of the stadium.
"That. Was. Awesome!!!" shouted Rainbow as she got excited.
After that, it was now nighttime as the city was lit up by the lights from buildings and the cars in the streets. The trio had managed to stop by the place where the team was staying as Rainbow grabbed her bag. Juniper was kind enough to book a room for Rainbow to stay at their hotel as they had made it back.
Isaac was with Rainbow in his hotel room as the pair was catching up with the other.
"This has been the best day ever!" stated the girl as she sat on the boy's bed.
"Glad you enjoyed it," stated Isaac as he sat down in a chair.
"I haven't had this much fun since..."
"Since we were still students in high school," said Isaac as he finished Rainbow's train of thought.
"A year and a half makes a difference," said Rainbow as she could feel the time skip since they all went their separate ways. "It feels just like yesterday we were battling evil magic and dueling against tough foes."
"Keep in mind, I'm the one who had to deal with most of that shit," said Isaac.
"Not everything, alright. Remember the cruise ship, I was the hero that day."
"Bullshit!" shouted Isaac. "I know you meant well but,... why did you act out like that on Spring Break?"
"Well," said Rainbow, "I wanted to fight and save the day and stuff."
"Are you sure?" asked Isaac as he crossed his arms.
"Well yeah, of course," said Rainbow as she smiled.
However, the moment he flexed his right eyebrow at that, the very thing Rainbow recognized as she widened her eyes in surprise. She then sighed and lowered her head.
"Fine, I wanted to have an excuse to use magic so that I could save the day because..." said Dash, which Isaac noticed.
"Why?"
"Because I was bored, okay?!!" exclaimed Dash. "I didn't have anything else to do because I was on a ship in the middle of the ocean with nothing to do!! Everything was slow and I wanted excitement. Plus at that time, we didn't have that sort of adventure for a while. So I was looking forward to it happening."
"And you thought you could entertain yourself... by ruining it for everyone else?" said Isaac.
"Well, I..." said Rainbow, until Isaac gently placed his hand on her shoulder, signaling her to be quiet about it.
She noticed that instead of having a stern and angry look, he had a look of concern and worry; even care in his eyes. He released her shoulder as he sat down next to her and spoke.
"Do you wanna know the real reason why Twilight arranged the yacht cruise for Spring Break?" asked Isaac.
Rainbow didn't know how to answer that which made him break the ice.
"Twilight arranged the trip because she wanted not just for you, but for us to take a break from everything. Magic stuff, dueling, high school, etc. In case you forgot, we were just a few months away from graduating, Dash. About to go on our separate ways, and Twilight wanted us to relax and make some last-minute memories."
Rainbow put her head down a bit even more as she listened to her friend.
"Everyone deserves to have a break and spend some time with each other. It's why I'm spending my days before my duel with each one of you. Cause I want to get away from my duties as World Champ. I want to see my best friends. I miss them! I miss you, Dash."
Rainbow slowly looked away as she listened to the boy.
"Twilight arranged the trip for us to have fun. But because of your own obsession and paranoia, you were so obsessed with using magic just to play superhero you failed to notice that you ended up hurting your friends. When I play the hero part, was I doing it to feed my ego? Was I doing it so that I could be the center of attention?"
"N-no." said the girl, still looking away.
Rainbow let out some sniffles that were building up as she turned around and kept her head lowered. For now, thinking back, she felt ashamed for what she did. Isaac placed his hand on her shoulder, gaining her full attention.
"I know you meant well, and you tried to help fix things when danger happened. But it's not up to you or me to do everything on our own," said Isaac. "I mean, even heroes need to take a break every once and a while. You need to trust that things will work themselves out in the end. You spend too much time worrying about the bad things that might happen; you'll miss out on all the good things that are happening."
For Isaac, that last line rang true.
"You gotta do that shit. Pull out the cliche 'feeling' line." said Rainbow looking at her friend with tears slowly falling down her cheek.
Isaac brought his hand to wipe the water from the girl's eyes as he cusp her right side.
"It's what I do," smiled the boy. "We should never take the things we have in life for granted. Some things may have an end, which we know is very sad. That is why we gotta learn to live life to the fullest in the time we have. And in the end, you'll look back at all of this someday, and you'll realize how good of a life you really had."
Isaac made sure to also direct his attention to the fourth wall when he said that.
Once again, Isaac was doing the thing he did best. Being the hero by helping those around him. Rainbow couldn't take it anymore as she ended up hugging him tightly. She kept shedding tears as Isaac just sat there with a look.
"I know you don't like talking about your feelings. But you know what that makes you if you do?" said Isaac, reassuring his friend, "Just like everybody else."
They broke the hug as she wiped her tears and looked down, "But I'm not supposed to be, am I?"
He held up her chin with his hand, making her look at him.
"Everyone fails who they're supposed to be, Rainbow. But the measure of a true person, even from time to time, a hero, is how well they succeed in being who they are."
Rainbow couldn't help but smile, and say, "I really missed you, geek."
"Missed you too, Skittles," said Isaac.
The two friends looked at each other.
"I love you for who you are, Rainbow. I don't wanna change anything about you." Rainbow wiped her eyes again, and Isaac smirked. "Are you crying again?"
"No, you dork, just got something in my eye..." She said, laughing a little before she looked at him with a genuine smile.
"Wow, after all that, and you're still trying to preserve your cool image?" Isaac said in a teasing tone, trying to get her back to the good old Rainbow Danger Dash. "Oufh!"
As Isaac was laughing, Rainbow leaped at him like a hungry cat, pinning the boy to the bed as she pressed her lips against his. The boy's cap had fallen off when the girl tacked him to the mattress. She almost gasped into the kiss, as if not believing she just did what she did, but then refused to let go as Isaac felt her press harder against him.
They weren't sure how long the kiss lasted, they had lost track of time, but it was long enough for Rainbow to gasp as their lips departed.
"You're a dork." Kiss. "And you're an idiot!" She kissed Isaac again and again until he took her hands in his and smirked.
"I love you too, Rainbow." She blushed, and Isaac chuckled, planting a peck on her lips before he sat up with her on his lap. "I think it's time we get to bed," said Isaac as Rainbow let the boy up and tossed him his cap as he put it on.
"Right, tomorrow is the game. And then, it's our duel. I meant what I said earlier. When I shoot my shot, I don't plan on missing." said Rainbow with a determined look.
"Then I looked forward to beating you," said the boy returning the same look to his friend. "Now, mind leaving so I can take a shower?"
"Yeah, I got it. I'm not a pervert like you. Remember that one time back at the house we shared?" asked the girl.
"First of all, that was a mistake. You knew I was the only one in the house since the others all left for the day, yet you still left your door unlocked when you finished your shower. It wasn't my fault that you left a bar of soap on the floor in the hallway, and I slipped in while you were changing." said Isaac. "And second of all,... you got a nice ass," smirked the boy.
"Go take your shower, bitch." said Rainbow with a playful smile on her face as she flung a towel at Isaac as it covered his eyes.
The two pals let out a laugh as Rainbow was making her way out of Isaac's room and to hers as the pair was glad they got to hang out and reunite with each other.
The next day came as it was the day of the big game. During the day, Isaac and Juniper were doing a small TV appearance. After they finished up, they now grabbed a car as they went to go pick up Rainbow. She had sent a text to the boy saying that she was at the local Health and Fitness Center. It was where people gathered to do a variety of athletic activities such as workouts, swimming, etc. Isaac had exited the car as he went to go fetch his friend.
He entered the place and looked around until he spotted Rainbow by the workout equipment. She had just finished her last exercise as she wiped the sweat off of her forehead and took a sip from her water bottle. Isaac couldn't help but gawk at Rainbow as she wore nothing but a dark blue sports bra and a pair of dark blue spandex athletic shorts that not only hugged her hips and ass comfortably but also showed off her strong legs.
"Hey," said Dash while snapping her fingers. "Focus on my eyes, buddy."
"Sorry, I couldn't help but admire your physique," said Isaac as he scratched his neck.
"Oh, really?" said Rainbow as she now made her way to Isaac as she gave him a seductive look and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Anything else you wanna look at? Maybe feel."
Isaac played along with the girl's antics as he wrapped his arms around the girl's body. He then brought the girl in as the two shared a kiss that lasted for a bit. They pulled apart as Isaac gave Rainbow what she asked for as his hands traveled down to her butt and gave her ass a playful smack. Rainbow let out a small gasp as she looked back at her friend.
"Well, how does it feel?" asked the girl with a devious tone.
"Soft, yet firm. Just as I figured it'd be. You've got a cute butt." answered Isaac as Rainbow blushed.
She suddenly placed her hands under her bosom, pushing them up slightly with a playful grin. "Don't let these fool you, I can still kick your ass!" She let out a laugh, and Isaac couldn't help but join in.
"You ready to leave?" asked Isaac.
"Yup, let's go." said the girl as she fetched her gym bag and followed the boy out of the center as they entered the car as they were on their way to the stadium.
People were filing into the stadium as they were looking forward to seeing the game. Not to mention the exhibition duel that was going to take place soon thereafter. The trio arrived at the stadium as Rainbow went to join her team in the locker room as the World Champ and his agent went to their VIP booth to watch the game. After a few moments, the game started as Rainbow and her teammates all came out to the field as they were being cheered.
The game was more competitive than it was made out to be. Rainbow and her team were considered one of, if not, the best sports team around. But even they struggled against their opponents. In the end, it came down to the final shot. A penalty was issued as it would determine which team won. Rainbow had approached the ball as she was selected by Spitfire and the others to be the one to score.
The chromatic girl looked at the goalie guarding the net. Rainbow saw the girl as she gave her a look. She looked down at the ball as she let out a breath. Dash was now taking a few steps back as she prepared to kick the ball. She stopped a few meters away as she was taking it all in, the roar of the crowd, the high-stakes atmosphere, the feeling of having your entire team watching and counting on you to win. And then there was having one of her best friends in attendance showing his support. All of it, Rainbow was absorbing and letting it sink in. She then started to run forward as she was making her way towards the ball.
The girl riding high on adrenaline as she was getting closer and closer. All of time seemed to be moving even slowly as she was about to make her move. She lifted her leg and was about to make contact with the ball.
"When I shoot; I don't miss," she said her little mantra as she kicked the ball as it soared into the air.
The ball was high in the air as it curved a bit to the right. The goalie also saw this and jumped up to block it. However, it was but two inches from her fingertips as it slipped past her and went into the net as the buzzer went off.
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The announcer let out the biggest scream as everybody joined in. Confetti and fireworks went off as Rainbow's teammates also cheered as they ran towards the girl.
"I told you! When Rainbow shoots, Rainbow don't miss!!" shouted the girl to the camera.
The girl then felt herself being lifted by her teammates as the crowd went even louder. They showed their admiration for the team as the trophy was brought out, and Rainbow lifted it high in the air. Up in his VIP booth, Isaac was clapping his hands at seeing her friend enjoying the moment.
"Good job, Dash."
Juniper then instructed Isaac to follow her as the pair was now getting ready for the duel. The field was now getting ready as the announcer spoke into the mic.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we hope that you've enjoyed yourselves. But we have one final event left, so please give a warm welcome to none other than the World Champion of Duel Monsters. Isaac!!!" said the MC as a spotlight shined down on the boy as he was walking towards the field.
"And his opponent for tonight's exhibition duel is none other than the girl herself who made the winning shot. Ms. Rainbow Dash!!!" Another spotlight shined down on the girl as she had changed out of her uniform and into her casual attire.
Both duelists met in the middle of the field as they looked at each other.
"Hope you saw what I just did, Isaac. Cause I meant it. When Rainbow shoots, I don't miss. And that's not just some catchphrase, it's a lifestyle. My lifestyle." said the girl as pointed her fingers at the boy in the shape of a gun.
"Well, you've heard what people say. When you come for the Prince, you best not miss," replied Isaac as he too did the same gesture to Dash.
Both duelists then turned around as they took their positions. Both strapped on their small rectangle device as they slid in their decks. Their duel disks activated as it projected a sky blue card tray for Rainbow as Isaac had a gold color card tray.
"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-
Rainbow's Life Points: 8000-
Turn 1: Isaac
"I'll start," said the boy as he drew his card, "I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior(1600/1000)." A warrior in red armor emerged as it wielded a sword and shield. "Then I'll equip him with Bound Wand. So Breaker gains 100 extra attack points times his level. Not to mention that when he's summoned, he gains a spell counter to give him 300 more points. So his attack strength is 2300!" Isaac's warrior raised his sword as it charged up with magic.
"I end my turn."
Turn 2: Rainbow
"My draw," said Dash as she drew her cards. Her teammates were in the locker room as they wanted to see her duke it out with the World Champ.
"Time to get this duel off and running, since I control no monsters I can summon this from my hand. Speedroid Terrortop(1200/600)!" shouted the girl as her monster came out, which was a snake-like top that had jaws at the head of it. "Then Terrortop's ability activates when it's summoned, I can add a 'Speedroid' monster from my deck to my hand. And I choose my Speedroid CarTurbo(800/1200) who I can also summon since I control a 'Wind' monster!" Rainbow now had two monsters on her field as her new one transformed itself.
"You know what comes next! I tune my Level 3 CarTurbo with my Level 3 Terrortop!" CarTurbo then transformed into three giant green rings that circled Terrortop. "I Synchro Summon and call forth a mystical cross-sword with the power to cut every enemy down to size! Hi-Speedroid Kendama(2200/1600)! I now activate Kendama's ability by banishing my Terrortop from my graveyard, I can deal you 500 points of damage!" exclaimed Rainbow as her monster fired a beam as Isaac simply blocked it with his duel disk.
Isaac's Life Points: 7500-
"I now end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 3: Isaac
"My turn," said Isaac as he looked at the field.
I know Rainbow didn't bring out a weaker monster than mines on purpose. That's why she threw a facedown; the question is: What does it do? Time to find out.
"Now I'll have my Breaker attack your Kendama!" ordered Isaac as his warrior leaped into the air.
"You didn't think I wasn't prepared, Isaac? I activate my facedown, Speed Turn! Since I control a 'Speedroid' monster, I can target one monster on the field and switch it to defense mode. Then it loses 500 defense points. So your Breaker has to halt its brakes!" exclaimed the girl as Isaac's spellcaster stopped its sword and then jumped back to the boy's side.
"Not bad," said Isaac.
"I thought you would have used your Breaker's ability to take out my facedown?" taunted Dash.
"True, but my Breaker would have been weaker than your Kendama. Which is why I was hoping to take it out first and then use his ability to get rid of your facedown."
"But I knew that and laid a perfect trap." smiled the girl.
"Well then, I end my turn."
Turn 4: Rainbow
"If you keep doing moves like that, this duel is gonna be over," said Rainbow as she drew her card. "I activate Kendama's ability once more, so I banish my CarTurbo to deal you 500 points of damage." said the girl as another beam attack hit Isaac's duel disk.
Isaac's Life Points: 7000-
"Then I'll have my Kendama attack your Breaker! And don't forget it can deal piercing damage!" commanded Rainbow as her monster zoomed forward and took out Isaac's warrior.
Isaac's Life Points: 5300-
"Now the other effect of Bound Wand activates, which means I can bring back my Breaker." said the boy as his monster rose.
"I then end my turn."
Turn 5: Isaac
"It's my turn, and I'll sacrifice my Breaker so that I can summon my Dark Magician Girl!" shouted Isaac as his monster disappeared and was replaced by a female spellcaster as she twirled and gave a wink. "Then I play Magic Formula to raise her strength by 700 attack points. Now Mana, attack Dash's Kendama!" instructed the boy as she pointed her wand at the machine and blasted it.
Rainbow's Life Points: 7500-
"With that, I end my turn."
Turn 6: Rainbow
"My draw and I play the spell Speedraw. Since I control no cards, I draw 2 cards and then send a 'Speedroid' monster from my hand to the graveyard." Rainbow drew her cards as she selected the monster to send away. "Then I play my Speedroid Maliciousmagnet(0/0). And now my monster's ability activates, when he's summoned I can target one monster you control and I can synchro summon using your monster and mine."
"Uh-oh!" said Isaac as he knew what the girl was doing.
"So I tune your Level 6 Dark Magician Girl with my Level 1 Speedroid Maliciousmagnet!" shouted the girl as her monster turned into a single green ring that circled Isaac's spellcaster. "Beat your wings to whip up a whirlwind of destruction! I Synchro Summon! Clear Wing Synchro Dragon(2500/2000)!" Rainbow now brought out one of her most powerful synchro monsters as it descended onto the field and roared.
"Since my Magic Formula was sent to the graveyard, I gain 1000 life points."
Isaac's Life Points: 6300-
"You're gonna need them cause I attack you directly with my Clear Wing! Spin Storm Sky Strike!!" shouted Rainbow as her dragon soared into the air and hovered above the stadium. It then descended at high speeds as it spun and collided with Isaac's field as the boy was sent flying.
"Ahh!" said the World Champ as he was thrown onto his back.
Isaac's Life Points: 3800-
"I now end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 7: Isaac
"My turn," said Isaac as he wiped the scuff near his mouth and drew his card. "I summon Chocolate Magician Girl(1600/1000)!" said the boy as he had one of his lovely female magicians appear on his field as she snuggled her master and planted a kiss on his cheek.
"Alright, if you're so confident in your dragon taking me down. Let's see if it can get past her!" taunted Isaac as he placed one card facedown and ended his turn.
Turn 8: Rainbow
"You mock me?! Please!" shouted Rainbow as she began her turn. "I play U.A. Draft, so by paying 500 life points, I can special summon a 'U.A.' monster from my deck or graveyard. So I summon my U.A. Goalkeeper(1000/2800)!" With a large thud, Rainbow's monster descended to the field, a massive creature in thick white and orange hockey armor with glowing green lines crossing the pads. It crouched and held its hands out to the side, a red visor over its eyes lighting up.
Rainbow's Life Points: 7000-
"Now to attack, Clear Wing strike down his magician girl!" commanded Rainbow.
"Thanks for that, cause now I activate Chocolate Magician Girl's special ability. Since you targeted her for an attack, I can now bring back a spellcaster from my graveyard, so my Dark Magician Girl is once again in play!" shouted Isaac as a portal opened up in front of him as his top female sorcerer appeared. "And there's more your attack is directed to her, plus she zaps away half of your monster's attack points. And you can't activate Clear Wing's ability!"
"Like I didn't have a plan, I activate my facedown, Sonic Boom! So by sacrificing my U.A. Goalkeeper, I can stop my Clear Wing's attack, and then it gains the attack points of my monster," said Rainbow as her dragon stopped its assault as its attack points rose to 2250.
"So you expected me to use my monster's ability?"
"I ain't stupid, Isaac."
"Mmm, debatable."
"Shut up!" yelled Dash as the boy chuckled. "You'd think it's funny, well we'll see who gets the last laugh. I end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 9: Isaac
"My turn, and now I'll activate the effect of my Chocolate Magician Girl, so by sending my Magician's Robe to the graveyard, I can draw an extra card." said the boy as he discarded his monster as he drew the top card. "And since I control a Level 4 or lower monster, I can summon my Mage Annette(1300/1700). And when she's summoned, I can draw one more card. And then I'll play it, it's my Black Robe Mentalist(1700/1300, Level 4, Scale 7)!" Isaac now had a field full of female spellcasters as they all looked at their master with looks, apart from his mentalist who gave her usual goth moody look.
"Now I activate my mentalist's ability, so since I control 4 monsters, I can look at the top four cards of my deck and add one of them to my hand." said the boy as his duel disk showed his options, and he selected the one he wanted as it slid out for him to grab.
"I now end my turn."
Turn 10: Rainbow
"My turn, and to start, I'm activating my U.A. Draft, so by paying 500 life points, I can summon back my U.A. Goalkeeper!" stated the girl as her monster rose in defense mode. "Then I play Synchro Urgence. So I remove one Synchro monster from my Extra Deck so that I can bring back a different Synchro monster from my graveyard, but its Level increases by one. So I remove my Colossal Fighter." Rainbow's duel disk then ejected her card from her Extra Deck slot as she grabbed it and removed it to the banished compartment.
Rainbow's Life Points: 6500-
"So I'm bringing back my Hi-Speedroid Kendama and this time it's Level 7. Then I summon Speedroid Fuki-Modoshi Piper(1000/1000). Now I activate its effect, which allows me to excavate the card from the top of my deck equal to the number of 'Wind' monsters I control. So since I currently control 3, I can look at the top 3 cards of my deck. I add one of them to my hand, and the others go to the bottom of my deck." Rainbow's duel disk showed her options as she knew which one she wanted.
"I'll pick this one, Speedroid Manufacture! This allows me to add 2 'Speedroids' from my deck to my hand, and I'll choose the two that I just saw." said the girl as her duel disk ejected the cards for her to grab. "Then I'll use those two cards to set the Pendulum Scale with my Scale 1 Speedroid Marble Machine and Scale 8 Speedroid Dominobutterfly!" shouted Rainbow as she placed her cards on the far side of her card tray as the word pendulum in rainbow coloring spelled out in between them to show that she got it to work. Soon both of Rainbow's monsters appeared in columns of light as they had their respective numbers in front of them.
"But I'm not done, cause now I tune my Level 7 Kendama with my Level 4 Fuki-Modoshi Piper!" said the girl as her piper turned into four green rings that circled her Kendama. "I Synchro Summon, Hi-Speedroid Clear Wing Rider(3500/2000)!!" Rainbow's newest synchro monster was a motorbike as it was attached to the spirit of her Clear Wing Dragon as its engines revved up.
"Now, Clear Wing, attack his Mage Annette!" commanded Rainbow as her dragon took out Isaac's monster. "Then my Hi-Speedroid Clear Wing Rider will attack your Black Robe Mentalist!" said the athlete as her next monster took out the boy's other monster as he lost life points.
Isaac's Life Points: 2000-
"Ugh!" said Isaac as he fell to a knee as the attack connected. "Instead of sending my Black Robe Mentalist to my Extra Deck, I can place her in an empty pendulum zone." said the World Champ as his monster appeared in a column of light.
"I now end my turn."
Turn 11: Isaac
"My turn, and I'll play Wonder Wand to give my Dark Magician Girl an extra 500 attack points. And then I'll have her attack your Clear Wing!" shouted Isaac.
"I activate my facedown, Dicetadium of Fate! First, I target a monster, and I choose your Dark Magician Girl. I then roll a die and whatever number it lands on determines what effect happens. Odd number, I can destroy your monster or even it gains 1000 attack points." said Rainbow as a die appeared in her hand as she tossed it high into the air. The die then fell as it landed on five.
"Five, so your Dark Magician Girl is... destroyed!" exclaimed the girl as Isaac's monster was gone.
"Not good."
"Oh it gets worst, cause I activate my Clear Wing Rider's effect, so I can tribute it to summon out up to 2 Level 7 Wind Synchro monsters, so I'm busting out Hi-Speedroid Puzzle(1300/1600) and Hi-Speedroid Hagoita(2000/1000)!" Rainbow now got rid of her monster as in its place two more synchro monsters appeared.
"I'll just play Graceful Charity so that I can draw three cards and discard two," said the boy as he picked up his cards and selected the ones he wanted to get rid of.
"I now end my turn."
Turn 12: Rainbow
"Nothing to help you, don't worry. I'm gonna win this very soon. My turn," said Dash. "I activate the effect of my U.A Goalkeeper, so I switch him out for my U.A. Dreadnought Dunker(2500/1800)." A muscular basketball player in dark blue and black pants and a thick silver and orange chest piece materialized.
"Then activate the effect of U.A. Draft to pay 500 life points so that I can summon from my deck my U.A. Strategist(1000/600)!" A monster in a silver uniform with blue and orange stripes, a clipboard under one arm, and a whistle dangling from its neck. The monster raised its head, eyes staring sharply under a white baseball cap, and let out a grunt.
Rainbow's Life Points: 6000-
"I now tune my Level 3 Strategist with my Level 7 Dreadnought Dunker!" Strategist's whistle echoed as it turned into six green rings that floated into the air. Dreadnought rose into them as they began to spin. A pillar of blue light shot down through the rings. "I align brains and brawn, coach and player, and call in the unparalleled master of the field!" Rainbow's duel disk popped open as she grabbed it from her Extra Deck. "Meet a superstar like no other! I Synchro Summon! Rushing in, U.A. Star Player(2700/2500)!" The pillar of light receded, revealing a darkened form floating in the air. Around the field, the lights darkened and spotlights shined on the monster. Clad head to toe in a silver bodysuit with glowing blue and orange stripes up the sides, it hung ominously in the air. The monster raised its head, scruffy blond hair blowing in the wind, and dropped to the ground, landing on its feet. It held a hand to the side, and a pair of orange sunglasses appeared in its fingers; it slipped them on, grinned, and reared up to its full height, arms crossed.
"I'm not done, cause I play Pot of Greed to draw two cards. Then I summon Speedroid Gum Prize(0/800). And with it, I'll tune my Clear Wing with my Gum Prize!" Rainbow's Gum Prize then changed into a single green ring as her dragon flew in. "I combine the two to pave the way for an even mightier dragon! Watch as the essence of that Monster takes shape! Watch as it is forged by raw power! I Synchro Summon! Take flight, Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon(3000/2500)!" Rainbow now had a more powerful version of her dragon as it roared even louder.
"Four Synchro monsters!" said Dash's teammates as they saw the screen.
"One more card, I play Shock Surprise. So I banish my Speedroid Gum Prize and Fuki-Modoshi Piper so that I can destroy your Chocolate Magician Girl and your facedown!" shouted the girl as Isaac's entire field was gone.
The boy looked up as he saw Rainbow's team of all-star synchro monsters ready to deal the final blow. The girl standing there with her team smiling confidently.
"I told you. When Rainbow shoots, I don't miss!!" exclaimed the girl. "Now... finish him!!" Her dragon heard its orders as it began to lead the charge as her other monsters all raced forward looking to get their own strikes in on the boy.
"There's a first time for everything! I activate the effect of my Electromagnetic Turtle. By banishing it, I can end the battle phase!" Isaac's small turtle appeared as it unleashed tons of electricity that paralyzed all of Dash's monsters, and they stopped in their tracks as the voltage was too much to handle.
"You just had to ruin it! Just like back in high school!!" yelled out Rainbow as she was this close to winning.
"Of course! I'm trying to win also, Skittles!" yelled out Isaac.
"I'm gonna beat your ass all over this field for calling me that while the cameras are rolling!" shouted the girl.
Turn 13: Isaac
"Then I better win this turn, so here goes!" said Isaac as he drew his card. "I play this, Magician Synchro Gate! Now I can synchro summon using monsters in my graveyard or Extra Deck and this spell then turns into a tuner monster so I'll tune it with my Mage Annette and Breaker the Magical Warrior!" Isaac's spell card then turned into two giant rings as they circled Isaac's monster as another new monster was emerging as it was a pendulum synchro monster. "And the one I choose is a scorcher, I Synchro Summon, arise Solis Witch(3000/2700, Level 9, Scale 10)!"
The new monster was an adult female who had light blue hair and eyes, a slim figure with ample breasts, long legs, wide hips, and blue waist-long hair that is partially tied into a loop with a spherical clip. She wore a sleeveless dark-blue feather dress with white trimmings, an extremely short dark blue miniskirt, a green bow around her chest with a blue gem in the middle, a translucent purple underskirt, and detached white sleeves with blue and golden trimmings. She wore thigh-high blue heeled boots over white stockings with blue trimmings. Around her neck was a pendant as it was in the shape of a rune has used her magic and made an ax appear in her hand as it shined with relic symbols on it as elemental symbols appeared above her and infused her weapon.
"So what? She's still outnumbered four to one," said Rainbow.
"Now when my Solis Witch is summoned, I can negate the effects of all special summoned monsters on my opponents and drop their attack points to zero!" said Isaac as his female magician raised her ax as the elemental symbols powered up as she did a slash attack.
"Come on, Isaac! You're not that much of a dumbass, my Crystal Wing Dragon can just negate that ability and destroy your monster altogether! Go Reverse Revenge!!"
"I know which is why she's not going anywhere. Cause Solis Witch can't be targeted or destroyed by card effects!" said Isaac as his female sorcerer put up a barrier to prevent Dash's dragon from destroying herself. She then did another slash attack was it hit all of her monsters rendering them useless.
"You may have weakened my monsters, but I'll still have plenty of life points even if you destroy one of them."
"Which is why it's game over for you! I play Magicalized Fusion! So I banish my Dark Magician Girl, Breaker the Magical Warrior, Mage Annette, Chocolate Magician Girl, and Magician's Robes so that I can conduct a fusion summon!" shouted the boy as all of his monsters appeared as their spirits turned into five energy colors. "I Fusion Summon, Quintet Magician(4500/4500)!!" shouted the boy as his powerful wizard descended onto the field with tons of magical energies gathered around it.
"Oh, fuck me!" said Rainbow as she knew what was about to happen.
"With pleasure," snickered Isaac as it got Dash to turn red from hearing that.
"Now, whenever I use five different magicians to summon my Quintet Magician, I can destroy all the cards on your side of the field!" informed Isaac. He snapped his fingers, and his magician cast a huge explosion spell that nuked Rainbow's entire field.
"Just do it! Don't embarrass me by prolonging it." said the girl as she put her head down.
"Now, my magicians, attack Rainbow Dash directly and end this duel!" shouted Isaac as they obeyed his command and fired one last spell as dropped the girl's remaining life points.
Rainbow Dash's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac
"The winner... Isaac!!" shouted the MC as the crowd cheered.
Everybody was on their feet applauding for an entertaining duel from two phenomenal duelists. Dash's teammates also clapped at seeing one of them take the World Champ to the limit. Out on the field, Isaac approached Dash as the girl still had her head down. He put out his fist, to which she did the same.
Once the event was over, Rainbow was with Juniper and Isaac standing in front of the bus.
"So now that your season is done? What are you gonna do?" asked Juniper.
"I'm heading back to Canterlot. Spitfire thinks we deserve a break before we get back into training for next season. So I think some downtime will be nice. Plus, I get to see Pinkie and Aj. Figured I see how Scootaloo is also doing."
"She's grown as a duelist, I'll tell you that," stated Isaac.
"As for you, geek. You got your duel in a few days. Better not lose, cause I'll be watching."
"I'll do my best. I just wish I could have met with all of you. The only one that I haven't seen is Sunset." said Isaac.
"Hang on, I think she mentioned where she was. Before we came here, I played our favorite online game together, and she talked about how she was visiting a place called Silver Shoals. Says she wanted to get away from her job." said Rainbow.
"Silver Shoals?" asked Isaac.
"Here it is," said Juniper showing her client her tablet. "It's a beach that's a nice destination for getaways. It also homes a retirement home for elderly people."
"Then I got a flight to catch, thanks, Rainbow."
"Don't mention it, Isaac." said the chromatic girl planting one final kiss to the boy's lips as she got on the bus. She sat down and waved from the window, as did her teammates to the pair, as they were now traveling to Canterlot.
"Silver Shoals and Sunset is waiting for me," said Isaac. |
Yugioh: Reunion | Chapter 10: Silver Shoals | "You're serious?" asked Twilight.
"Yeah, I want you... to move in with me," said Isaac.
"Wow," said the girl as she sat down on the couch in her apartment. "I can't believe it."
"I figured since we still have to plan our wedding, why not at least do it together? Also, once you finish your last studies here at Everton University, you can see me on my days off when I'm not traveling," said Isaac.
"Then I guess I should start packing my things," said Twilight.
Before Isaac had left Twilight, he told the girl about his plan to have her move into the house he bought. They still had plans to get married, but Twilight also wanted to start up her card designing business with her roommate. So the boy thought it best if he allowed his fiance a place to stay while she got it off the ground. So the girl made a call to her parents to not touch the stuff she left behind in her room. As well as to Pinkie, to let her know she would stop by and gather any of the things she had in the room she stayed in during their final year of high school.
Isaac was on another plane as his duel disk was on the table in front of him. A video call was playing, as Twilight was contacting the boy as she had finally finished her studies at Everton University. The girl had already begun discussing the plans with Moondancer about starting their business.
"I gotta say, Isaac. This place is amazing. I can't wait for you to be here; I feel like we're gonna create a lot of memories here," said Twilight as she was walking through the house as she held her duel disk in her hands to allow Isaac to see the place.
"That's what I was thinking when I bought it the moment, I became World Champion," said Isaac. "Truth be told, I've only stepped foot in that house twice since I bought it. The first when I saw it, and the second when I stayed there for two days during my small break. But I know where everything is."
At that moment, the doorbell rang as Isaac could hear it through the duel disk. Twilight went to the front door as there was a delivery man with a clipboard in hand.
"I've got some packages for a Ms. Twilight Sparkle," asked the man.
"Oh, is it my boxes?" asked the girl.
"Yes."
"Oh, yay," giggled Twilight.
"Just need your initials here, here, and a signature there, please." said the man as he held the clipboard for Twilight to sign. "And where can I put them for you?"
Twilight then looked inside of the place as she was thinking. She then turned to her duel disk to ask Isaac.
"Here or in the dressing room?" asked the girl.
"How many boxes?!!" asked Isaac with a rather concerning look.
"I think there's 26," answered the man as Isaac's face dropped a bit more. The boy looked at Twilight as she smiled nervously for overpacking a tad bit.
"Okay... dressing room it is, yay," said Isaac in a deadpanned tone as the man left. "All right."
"Isaac!" called the girl to her man with a chuckle.
"That's fine." replied the boy.
"What do you want me to do? Leave them outside and get dressed outside?" asked Twilight.
"No."
"Don't make me feel weird,"
"Oh, you wanna wait on the box thing though, right?" asked Isaac.
"Well, it's clothes and shoes and books," said Twilight.
"Okay."
"What, do you want me to walk around here naked?"
"Yes, I do," said Isaac with a smile.
"Shut up," chuckled the girl as she said goodbye to her fiance as he told her he would stop by the house before his duel.
Isaac had a smile as the video call ended. The boy then changed his expression as he pulled out the document that he was planning to give to Twilight once he saw her. For now, he had one final stop, and it was time to reunite with the duelist who he helped redeem years ago.
The boy was now in the back of a car. He was looking out of the window taking in the views. Sure enough, as the vehicle drove over the hill, and Isaac couldn't believe what he was seeing. To say that this place was beautiful would be an understatement. Silver Shoals itself had the most beautiful beaches, wonderful greenery, and forests, even a small city for folks to come and relax all around.
As he was being driven through the streets, Isaac was amazed to see so many people walking about, doing their usual activities.
"Wow," said the boy as he looked around, "This place is packed."
"It is." said the driver, "This place is one of the country's biggest tourist attractions."
"Really?" asked Isaac with a flexed eyebrow.
"Well, of course," said the driver. "Silver Shoals happens to be one of the best places to be. They plan tons of beach parties, even during Spring Break. Kids from every school come here every year to cut loose and have fun, even most of the adults who tend to come and arrange huge concerts." He then turned to look at the boy, "Trust me, people spend a ton of money around here."
"I can believe it," replied Isaac.
He then looked out of the window as he saw the beach. He saw many activities happening. Sandcastles being built, people sunbathing, swimming, and surfing. The car arrived at one of the vacant beach houses near the suburbs as Isaac got out. He thanked the driver as he tipped him and slung his backpack over his shoulder. He went to one of the beach houses to check in as they gave him his key. Once he saw the room, he got himself situated as he took it all in. He opened the side door that led to a balcony. It overlooked the beach as the boy was greeted by that warm, cool air. He pulled out his phone as he began to take some photos.
Isaac then looked through his gallery, and he stopped at a photo that showed his friends. It was one of the last photos the whole group took before they went on their separate ways after graduation. Now just days before his big championship match, he was looking to complete the final piece of the puzzle.
After taking some time to relax in his room, Isaac now exited the beach house. He went to a nearby store that was recommended by the girl at the front desk to get some proper beachwear since he didn't bring any. The boy entered the store and was able to find him some proper swim trunks, as well a Hawaiian shirt, as well as some sandals. Once he paid for his stuff, he then started to head to the beach.
Upon seeing it, tons of people and kids were present. Isaac just kept on walking till he came to a spot that wasn't as crowded. He looked out at the ocean as the shining blue water was beautiful. Just as he was about to sit down, he overheard some noises. He saw a gathering of people all in a circle as it got his attention. Isaac couldn't see what was going on so he walked to the top level of the sandbar to get a bird's eye view and what did he see.
Standing in the middle of the crowd were a man and a woman, one could assume they were married. But the thing that got his attention was the other person. Standing a few meters from them, there was an easel. There was someone who was painting the couple as the art was so lifelike that it drew everybody's attention. However, the thing that stood out to the boy was the bacon-colored hair.
"Done," said the person at the easel as they showed it off. The first reaction was a gasp followed by praises at how life-like the drawing was.
The couple looked at the piece of art as they were happy. They paid the painter the cost as soon everybody disbursed. Now Isaac had a clear shot at who it was.
"I guess work can't escape me," said the person as they folded up the easel and put their art supplies away. They were putting their stuff away when a shadow loomed over them. "If you want me to paint you something, I'm closed for the day. I'm on vacation."
"Too bad, I was willing to pay a lot of cash," said Isaac as his voice got the person to pause their actions. They then lifted their head as they recognized the voice. They turned around as it confirmed their suspicions.
"Sunset."
"Isaac."
Both young adults stood there. Nothing was said, not a word muttered. All but a stare. A stare that both hadn't done in a long time. For Isaac and Sunset, the spirits of their signature monsters could feel the presence of the other as it almost seemed like they wanted to fight. Neither moved a muscle until each took a step closer to see the other. The memories of their many battles came rushing into their minds.
For Isaac, he had finally seen the girl he'd come here for. And to his surprise, she really did undergo some changes. Her whole look gave her an air of being a naughty feline, ready to pounce. Her eyes scanned him up and down as he did with her. She had a lovely form, nicely defined curves, and like the other girls, heavy in the chest section. Not to mention her swimwear added more to her physical attractiveness.
"So..." said Isaac trying to figure out the proper way to greet the girl.
"Tell me, boy toy? Did you miss me?" asked Sunset as she turned the charm on and began to tease her friend.
"If we're being honest... yes," said Isaac as he rubbed his neck.
He soon felt a pair of arms wrap around him as Sunset hugged the boy. Isaac could feel Sunset's chest pressing into him as he restrained himself and wrapped his arms around her. The pair felt the embrace of the other since they all parted ways a year and a half ago.
"What you doing here, boy toy? Shouldn't you be off saving the world, like you normally do since you're the hero? Or don't you have a duel that you need to compete in?" teased the bacon-haired girl.
"Funny, but believe it or not. I came to find you."
"Find me? So, things didn't work out with Twilight and you came after me?" smirked Sunset. "Isaac, I need you to take me out to dinner, before I let you near my oven."
"Good to see your sense of humor and teasing hasn't diminished after all these years," stated Isaac with a smile. "But seriously, I am here cause I wanted to see you. With my duel in less than a few days, I've been taking a bit of a slow break and seeing how each of you has all been doing. I haven't talked to any of you, other than Twilight, since graduation. So I'd figured why not see my friends."
"So you went for a vacation?" asked Sunset bluntly.
"I guess," smiled the boy sheepishly.
"Well, I'm glad to see you as well. How'd you find me?"
"Rainbow told me."
"In that case, let's have fun," smiled Sunset.
She brought the boy to where her things were as the pair had a good view of the beach and the ocean. Isaac set his backpack on the chair next to Sunset's as the boy sat down. Sunset then threw an object at her friend as he caught it.
"What's this?" asked Isaac.
"Sunscreen," answered Sunset as Isaac began to put some on to protect from the sun's rays.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it. Now help me to put it on."
"What?"
"I can't reach my backside, so you do it for me." smiled Sunset deviously. She then laid down on the beach chair while also resting on her arms. Isaac sat next to her and lifted her hair a bit to the side so that he could apply the sunscreen on her back. He was able to rub them on her back, causing her to shiver.
"So tell me? How's it being champion?" asked Sunset as she sat up.
"Tough, constantly on the road. And the days that I do have off, I try to relax. It ain't easy, but this is the job that I chose and love." said Isaac.
"Glad you're at least happy," said Sunset.
"What about you? What's your life been since we last saw each other?" asked Isaac.
"Well, I got a full scholarship and went to art school. Studied and am now a full-fledged artist."
"I noticed that painting that people were talking about." stated Isaac.
"Of course, I'm not just an artist. A top streamer in the world of video games and just reached 1 million subscribers on my channel." Sunset then showed her phone to Isaac as she took a picture of her silver play button. "So I've decided to take a small vacation and came here to Silver Shoals. It's one of the best places for getaways."
"I heard. I'll probably consider this place for me and Twilight's honeymoon."
"Speaking of which, when is the wedding? You guys made a promise at graduation, so..." asked Sunset rolling her hand.
"We're... working on it. She and I are doing our own things right now, but we do want to at least start planning our wedding soon. By the way, any word on how things are in Equestria?"
"I tend to visit Princess Twilight every now and then, she's only been ruler for a few years. Not to mention your counterpart is still with her. Seems even she couldn't let go of you and so she decided to spend the rest of her life and ruling the land with him." stated the bacon-haired girl.
"So does that make my Equestrian counterpart technically a prince?"
"By law, yeah. He's still a unicorn though. Besides, aren't you a 'prince', yourself?" said Sunset doing air quotes.
"Again, I didn't ask for that nickname. It's... just what people went with. It's not bad, but... I don't know," said Isaac as he rubbed his neck.
"Alright, enough talking. Since you're here and I have you to myself, let's enjoy ourselves." said the girl as she got up with the boy following her.
For the next few hours, the pair was now having fun. They began to do some beach activities. They stopped by a ice shaved stand as the pair sipped the cool and refreshing drink. From there they began to hang out on the beach, engaging in a game of volleyball. Sunset was able to push Isaac into the water as it got a reaction from the boy. They were in the swallow part as the boy was splashing about in the water as he felt like he was drowning. Sunset just simply walked over to him as she raised an eyebrow. Isaac then saw the girl standing as he now stood up as he realized the water wasn't deep.
"Seriously?!" asked the girl.
"How would you feel not knowing how to swim?!" countered Isaac as Sunset rolled her eyes. Isaac then splashed some water at the girl as both let out a laugh.
Nighttime was slowly coming over the beach as the sun was starting to go down, and it created a colorful orange light followed by the colors of black and blue in the sky. The two friends were sitting on the beach shoulder to shoulder as they were watching the ocean. Sunset placed her head on the boy's shoulder as he wrapped his arm around his friend.
"I forgot what it was like to be young again," said Sunset.
"We're still technically young," said Isaac.
"You know what I mean, boy toy. All the adventures we had during high school. I almost forgot what it felt like." smiled the bacon-haired girl. "Come on, there's a place down the beach that has a reggae band playing tonight and I know they don't check for IDs," said Sunset with a sly smile as she got off the sand, brushing the grains clinging to her sarong and legs.
"We're of legal age, Sunset," stated Isaac.
"You ruin the moment, boy toy," said the girl as she extended her hand out.
Isaac grabbed her hand and let her tug on him. He was a lot bigger than she though, so her first tug just unsuccessfully tugged his arm at its socket. The second tug involved her swinging her entire weight up and both hands to get the boy off the ground, but had the unfortunate side effect of making her slip backward and fall into the sand.
"Whoops, haha," she says with a sheepish smile, with a hint of frustration cast down at the new layer of sand covering her legs.
"I don't think you're supposed to fall doing that," smiled the boy. He got up and returned the favor by extending his hand out and pulling Sunset to her feet with one tug.
Her face turns a little bit red. "Well, I had to figure something out," she said as she wiped her legs off again.
"So you meant to do that?" asked Isaac.
She shoots another grin and a wink at the boy, "Oh yeah, I love taking any excuse to get all sandy. Now let's forget this ever happened and go get something to drink."
The pair walked to where Sunset mentioned as they saw the place. The little hut had its own bar, and the stage only held a half dozen or so tables underneath its palm frond roof. There weren't any roads leading to it, so only people making their way down the shoreline around some of the surrounding houses would've found it. As the pair both made their way in, the only other people around were five older people, probably vacationing somewhere warm in their retirement.
"Two mai tais, please," Sunset says as she grabs a stool next to the thatched bar.
A gentle flow of slow, gentle music plays out of the instruments behind the pair. The band looks like they've been doing this for 40 years judging by the white hair and ragged shirts, but the bright smiles and rhythmic swaying of their bodies made it seem like they were enjoying themselves. The relaxing music is a nice change from the constant rush of the ocean. Isaac settled onto the old wooden bar stool beside Sunset and watch the elderly bartender mix the drinks with practiced ease.
Sunset reached into the top of her swimsuit for a moment and Isaac caught a flash of green, but he put a hand up to stop her.
"No need to expose yourself," said the boy, pulling some money out of his wallet and slapping it on the bar.
"That's sweet, but you don't need to do that," she said, sliding the money back over to Isaac. "I am the one that brought us here after all."
"Just let me pay for it, Sunset. It's not a big deal." Isaac slid the cash, back over to her.
Sunset opens her mouth to protest but decides not to. "Alright. Thank you..."
Isaac took in a deep breath and looked out to the stars as they began to peek through the darkness. The bartender placed the drinks down in front of the pair. The boy leaned down and took a sip out of the straw, his face twisting at the odd combination of citrus sweetness and the sour bite of alcohol behind it. Sunset let out a little giggle at her friend's reaction.
"Have you ever had one before?" she says before taking a sip of her own.
"Uh..." Isaac coughed a few times, trying to get used to the feeling as it went down his throat. "I can't say I have. And besides, Sunset... I don't drink much. Especially since I'm the World Champ." The boy looked back down to the orange slurry in front of him--it didn't look like it'd have that kind of bite, but as it was settling in his stomach as it spread around a strange kind of warmth through the rest of his torso. He leaned back down and took another sip, doing his best not to grimace this time.
Sunset giggled at Isaac's attempts again. "Oh come on, it's not that bad."
"It's definitely something new..." said Isaac, taking another sip, a little more prepared this time. Once the shock of the alcohol on his tongue subsided, the sweet flavor was kind of nice.
"Well, you'll be having a lot more fun after two or three more," Sunset says with a big sip of her own.
"You trying to get me drunk?" asked Isaac with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, that's up to you if you're buying. I should probably be asking you that question instead," Sunset says as she took another sip of her own.
The melodies coming out of the band started feeling different, and Isaac could feel his foot start to sway with the beat. Somehow with every drink, he could feel the tension of the last few months fading and emotion flowing in from the music. The boy closed his eyes with his mouth settled on the straw, just watching as the strange warmth spread out through his body and clouded his mind away from the constant barrage of his duties.
"Are you trying to get drunk?" Sunset asks, snapping Isaac out of the momentary reverie. The boy looked over and blinked in confusion at her for a moment before he looked back and realized just how much he'd taken in: the fancy glass is already almost half empty.
"Oh, well... not really, I don't think. I guess I was starting to like it."
Sunset gave her friend a warm smile. "Good. Maybe after the next one, I can get you to dance," she says, leaning over and giving Isaac a gentle nudge with her elbow. "Speaking of which, how many fingers am I holding up?"
"Okay, Sunset, I'm not even intoxicated. My brain can still function," said Isaac.
"High energy and stamina levels, plus high alcohol tolerance. Impressive," said the girl as she then formed a seductive smile as she felt up the boy's arm. "Wonder what else, you got? Anything I might like down there?"
"Pump the brakes, Sunny. Keep in mind, I'm a fiance," stated Isaac with his sly smirk. He looked back to take in the little beach hut, glancing around the tables as the tiki torches provide the only light in the growing night. "So, why here exactly? Doesn't really seem like your kind of place."
Sunset raised an eyebrow at Isaac as she leaned back onto the counter with her elbows. "Because it was quiet and I wanted to hear the band... maybe dance a little bit. What's 'my kind of place' to you?" she asks with an amused grin.
Isaac gave her a shrug and let his eyes wander away from hers. "I dunno, a dark, dirty, evil lair where you mastermind your next scheme." stated the boy with a playful tone.
"If I had a mustache to twiddle, that'd be perfect," she says with a roll of her eyes. "I mean, what's wrong with here? I thought I fit in pretty well."
Isaac raised an eyebrow and looked around the crowd. "With all the old people?"
Sunset rolled her eyes. "No, I mean with the chill vibe and relaxing music. It feels like a good place to hang out with and have a fun, quiet night. Seems up my alley, don't you think?"
Isaac poked his straw around in the rest of his drink. "I don't know... I always figured a popular girl like you would stick around the big parties and clubs, getting drunk all the time with all your friends."
"Ha, ha, very funny," said Sunset giving a light punch to Isaac's shoulder.
The band ended their song, and a normal voice called out to the crowd. They say something about the massive crowd and thunderous applause, enticing a laugh out of the elderly couples populating the seats. They announce the name of their next song, and a gentle, calming tune flows out of their instruments, letting a different kind of feeling settle onto the little hut. It's almost like a love song with its sweet, low melody. Isaac glanced back over at Sunset to see she's somehow downed the entire drink in her hands. A soft redness forms on her cheeks as she turns to step off of her stool before the boy could say anything. Sunset holds out an eager hand once she sees Isaac looking at her and looks down her arms expectantly.
"Dance with me?" she asks, a hopeful smile on her face.
Isaac's brain was hardly in control any more as he reached his hand out to meet hers. He stood up and let her pull him out in between the tables.
"You know I'm not much of a dancer," said Isaac.
Sunset took both of Isaac's hands in hers as they came to a stop between everyone. "It's okay, it's a slow song. Just put your hands here."
Her hands guided Isaac's hands to the top of her bare hips. His palms come to rest against her silky skin. Sunset rested her soft hands against the boy's shoulders and let herself settle up against Isaac, her bare stomach lovingly caressing his as both started to sway. They held strong and managed to sway to the beat of the music. The feeling of her hair falling over the boy's shoulder and brushing up against his skin, the smell of her fruity shampoo radiating up to him, and their bodies being so close together... it's almost more intoxicating than the alcohol.
"Do you like the music?" Sunset asked, breaking Isaac out of his reverie.
Isaac had to blink a few times before he realize she just said something. "Uh... yeah. It's nice," he said.
"It feels good to just forget about everything and just flow with the music, doesn't it?"
"It really does..." smiled the boy.
Before Isaac could settle back into it, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see one of the elderly couples looking at him and smiling.
"I just wanted to say how nice it is to see two young people so in love with each other in this day and age. I hope you two live a long and happy life together," said the older woman of the couple.
"Forgive me madam, but we're just two friends who haven't seen each other since high school graduation. Plus, I have a fiance who I love," said Isaac.
Sunset just giggled. "We appreciate the comment, ma'am. You two are really cute together too," she says with a bright smile before they both share a happy nod.
The older woman sauntered back over to her husband and took his hand to start dancing as well. The pair looked around the hut and noticed most of the couples had followed their lead, swaying back and forth to the music together. Sunset took in a deep breath of her own and leaned her head forward onto Isaac's chest. The feeling of her incredibly soft amaranth and light apple green locks brushing up against his skin sent goosebumps across the boy's entire body. The band slowed down their song until it ended with a long, slow note fading into the night. Sunset lifted her head, and the two stopped swaying.
The feeling of the girl pressed up against him was almost intoxicating. The soft palms of her hands resting on the back of his neck, the feeling of her head up against his chest. The smile on Isaac's mouth didn't seem to want to go away at all the wonderful sensations. He squeezed her a little tighter up as the girl looked at her friend. The pair now moved their heads in closer as they closed their eyes. Eventually, their lips made contact.
The pair kept their arms around each other as they enjoyed the moment. A while passed as the pair parted their lips and looked at each other. The boy and girl smiled as Isaac ran his hand through the girl's hair as Sunset felt the touch to be soothing. She leaned into his hand as she closed her eyes once more.
"You want to get another drink?" asked Sunset.
"Yeah, I think so."
Sunset took Isaac's hand and led him back to the bar, pulling out some of her money this time and asking the bartender for two more. Isaac didn't bother to protest this time. It wasn't long that the pair had decided to call a night as they gave one last hug to each other. Sunset had one final thing she wanted to do with the boy as the pair went to their respective beach houses.
The morning sun beat down on the bright sand, simmering up an uncomfortable heat. Isaac had awoken as he prepared himself to meet up with the gal. He contacted Juniper as she let her client know that after he was done with Sunset, he was to meet with Twilight as he should take the day before his duel to relax and spend it with his fiance.
She said that on the day of the duel, she would pick up the boy, and they would head over to the stadium for rehearsals. Isaac send his response as he now headed over to where Sunset told him to meet her. He arrived as the girl wore a dark magenta dress with a black leather jacket and black boots as her new attire.
"Alright. So where are we going anyway?"
Sunset shot a smirk at Isaac then turned her nose up. "If I told you that it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it? Now come on."
The flashing lights, the cool blacks and purples of the room, and the constant sound of various games blaring their music or random sound effects, and the wall of prizes full of strange, random, and colorful toys all overwhelmed the boy's senses for a moment as Sunset drags Isaac by the wrist into the small vacation town's arcade.
Sunset's face lit up like a kid in a candy show as she held the little card in her hand like a precious treasure. Isaac could barely grab his card before he knew it, she was off into the aisles of flashing lights. Isaac could hardly keep up as she dragged him over to each game and swiped the card in the machine, and went at it with an almost religious fervor. Her hands shoot over the buttons and joysticks on everything from fighting games to Pacman, taking the occasional break from the frantic button pressing to squeeze in a game of skeeball or whack-a-mole.
Isaac almost got out of breath just watching her go at it. On occasion, he joined her on one of the fighting arcade machines or the shooting games and get himself thoroughly beat. Her competitive spirit was certainly something to be admired as she went through each game and honed in to get her little moniker on the high score screen.
"She's still a gamer girl at heart," smiled Isaac as he found that part of Sunset to be adorable.
While Sunset was distracted with her high scores, Isaac walked around and took a look at the huge wall of circus prizes on the shelves and hanging from the wall. He looked down at his little game card and remember that after every game a ticket counter popped up on the screen as well.
With a newfound purpose, Isaac strode back into the rows of games and start experimenting. He did his mental calculations after each attempt to see how much each game gave him and how much he'll need for one of those massive stuffed animals. He ran through a good chunk of his money until he finally find the perfect loop of the basketball hoops, a button reaction game, and a miniature shooting gallery. The number of tickets piled up quickly on the card until his wrists started getting sore from the constant movement.
"Hey, find something you're good at?" Isaac heard Sunset say behind him as he mashed the last button for the reaction game.
"Oh, yeah. Thought this was pretty fun. Get all your high scores yet?"
Sunset sat down on the game's bench beside Isaac, trading the boy a few apologetic glances with her sheepish smile. "Yeah... sorry about that. I saw some of my favorite games and got a little carried away."
"No problem," said Isaac.
"How about we try to beat House of the Dead together? I promise I can't beat you at that one," she says with a playful nudge and a wink.
"Hey, you just got lucky with games you already knew how to play," Isaac said with his playful nudge back.
Sunset shot an amused grin at him. "Yeah, that's what they all say. Now come on, we've got zombies to kill."
Isaac couldn't help but smile as she led him through the aisles to the huge screen sporting the logo in those red streaks that horror movies love to use. He stood silently as he watched Sunset's giddy excitement as she looked over the machine. The way she swiped her card like an excited kid opening a Christmas present, the awe in her face as she picked up the gun in her hand and pretended to appreciate its power, and the confident grin on her lips as she pointed it at the screen.
"Hey, what are you doing, partner? I need some backup," she says, only sparing a moment to look over at Isaac before she looked back and started belting out shots at the zombies shambling over at her.
"Oh, right." Isaac scrambled around with the card and swipe it as fast as he could.
Sunset smiles over at Isaac as she bumps the bottom of the gun to reload. "Now that's more like it. Get ready, we're in it to win it," she says before focusing back in to blow the head off another zombie with expert precision.
Isaac didn't know how long he ended up standing there with her. His already-sore wrists got even more tired as he held that gun up, mowing down hordes of zombies and doing his best to keep from dying when the massive bosses showed up. Inevitably Isaac and Sunset both end up taking hits here and there, needing to swipe again to prevent that countdown from erasing all of their progress.
The sun peeking through the front door to provide some light in the darkroom had slowly disappeared as the two went at it. Isaac's legs protest at him for standing in one place for so long, but he can't help but be engrossed as the virtual environments slowly change around him. The intense fighting is only broken up by her amused giggles as both laughed through the ridiculously cheesy cutscenes. The levels slowly get harder and the bosses more intense, slowly draining their cards of money. Isaac swiped it on a particularly nasty death and notice the number dropping to dangerously low levels.
"Uh, Sunset? I think we might run out before the end," said the boy as he pick his gun back up to get the enemies off of Sunset's back before she goes down too.
"What? No way! We're so close we just need to hold out a little longer."
Both exchanged glances before going back to the zombie slaughter, knowing neither of the other would survive without the other long enough to go get more money put on the cards.
"We can do this!" shouted the girl.
Isaac could feel the sweat beading up on his brow as the pressure ramped up. He knew they only had a couple of deaths left before they had to give up for good and deprive Sunset of her desired win. Isaac locked in and got serious, tensing his arms and making sure all his shots are as perfect as they could be. Finally, the two of them entered a massive arena with an equally intimidating boss before them.
"Alright, I'm pretty sure this is the last boss. This is as far as I could ever get on my own, and it took me twice the lives. Let's do this!"
In the screen's light, Isaac could see the sweat on Sunset's brow accompanying her serious expression as she looked back to the fight. He looked down at the little screen that told him how much money was left on his card, letting the boy know he had only had two lives left, and unfortunately, they were both almost out of health.
The battle raged on, and both took massive damage from the onslaught of the ultimate challenge. Isaac had to swipe again as the boss cuts out bits of health that he could barely keep up with. Sunset desperately tried to whittle down its health, but the process was slow and painful. As he watched her, Isaac noticed she was focused more on killing the boss than defending herself and it finally cost her another life. She leaned down to swipe her card only to find she'd already spent the last of her money in the last stage.
Sunset looked frantically between Isaac and the screen. They both knew this probably wasn't a fight one of either could win on their own, so this might be it if the boy wasn't fast enough. He leaned over to her and swiped his card on her side of the machine, instantly bringing her back to life so she could both finally finish off the foe once and for all. With the final save, they both focused on its weak spot and whittled the last bits of its health away right before it could manage to kill them.
The massive beast went down and both were rewarded with the final cutscene. Sunset dropped the pistol from her hands and shot her hands up into the air, spinning around in glee as she proclaimed her victory.
"Yes! Finally!"
Isaac could only smile at her and appreciate the joy on her face. Emotions exploded as she jumped over to Isaac and wrapped him in a massive hug.
"Mmmm. I never would've gotten there without you. Thank you," she said with an affectionate tone into the boy's chest. Isaac wrapped his hands around her and melted into the beautiful feeling.
"No problem, Sunset. It was a lot of fun," Isaac said as he let his cheek rest on the top of her head. "So, you want to go cash our tickets in?" asked the boy, gesturing back over to the counter.
The bored cashier at the counter takes the cards and swipes them into his machine. Sunset beams as the number on the screen beam up to almost a thousand tickets. She taps a finger to her chin for a moment as she looks across all of the prizes on the wall.
"So, do you want that stuffed, neon-blue monkey or the blue, cartoon shark?" she says, tracing her finger over to the more reasonably-sized stuffed animals.
"Oh, you're going to spend your points on me?" said Isaac as he didn't expect that.
Sunset places a hand on her chest with an aura of haughty triumph that she'd grace the boy with her winnings. "Of course. I need to get you a souvenir to remind you of our victories after all."
"I guess I like the shark, then."
"Good choice. The monkey doesn't scream 'beach vacation' to me."
Sunset turns her attention to the cashier and straightens her posture, and places her hands on her hips. "I'll take that stuffed shark up there. Oh, and also a spider ring and some cherry sours."
The cashier takes the assorted junk down and slides it down the counter before sliding Isaac's card as well. He almost broke out laughing when he saw the triumphant expression on Sunset's face fade at the sight of over five thousand points on the screen.
"Wh-What? How...?" she says, looking back and forth between Isaac and the screen with bewilderment.
"Strategizing. I'm not just good at Duel Monsters, you know? Now which massive stuffed animal do you want?"
Sunset purses her lips and crosses her arms. "I guess you had to beat me at something." She lets out a quick chuckle to herself as she stares up at the assortment of fluffy colors. "The parakeet."
"I had a feeling you'd choose that," said Isaac looking at the massive green bird. "Alright then. The parakeet, some of that chocolate, and that sun keychain, if you wouldn't mind," the boy said over to the clerk. He had to reach up with a pole to get Sunset's prize down and she can only let out an annoyed sigh as the massive plush dwarfs what she got.
Isaac adopted his smug grin as she stared at the massive bird. She rolled her eyes at him when she caught the boy's look and nudged him.
"Enjoy it while it lasts. I'm going to get you something even bigger next time."
Isaac leaned over and grabbed his shark and everything else that could fit into a plastic bag, leaving Sunset to haul her new friend out of the arcade. He let out a chuckle as she tried to lift it, only to hobble off balance in a few directions before finally finding her footing. The massive bird almost looks larger than her when it's finally in her hands.
"I'm not sure anyone even makes something bigger than that."
"Wo-oah... Yeah, you might be right. Let's head back before this thing absorbs me entirely," she said, barely making her way over to the front door upright.
The ocean gently sways in the soft moonlight across the beach, filling the air with its rhythmic waves and making sure the world isn't silent. The stiff boards of the custom chairs of the little beach house weren't making Isaac's soreness any more comfortable, but he still couldn't get the smile off of his face as he looked over at Sunset sitting in the other chair, her massive bird propped up on the railing beside her.
"This is a nice, little place you've got. Secluded and quiet. I'm surprised there was even a place out here." Sunset says as she pops another cherry sour in her mouth before offering the bag.
Isaac took a piece out and leaned back in the chair, taking in a deep breath of the ocean air. "Yeah, nice to get away now and then."
"So, this is it? You're heading back?" asked the girl.
"Yup, my duel is two days away. And I fly in the morning after that I only have the day before to spend with Twilight. Cause after that, I'm gonna be spending the majority of the day preparing for my duel." said the World Champ.
"In that case, I wish you luck boy toy. And I'm glad we got to see each other again."
The pair looked out at the view as the moon was coming up from the water as the sun was dipping beyond the horizon. The moment was stunning as both young adults were taking it in as it reminded them of their adventures. Sunset then stood up from her seat as she now walked onto the sand as her boots felt the grain. She then turned around as on her wrist was her duel disk. She slid in her deck as it projected a red card color tray.
Isaac then also stood up as he too walked onto the sand and put on his small rectangle device as it projected a gold card tray as he slid in his deck. Neither needed to say anything as they knew what the other wanted.
"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.
Sunset's Life Points: 8000-
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-
Turn 1: Sunset
"I'll start, I draw! I play the spell Red-Eyes Fusion!"
"Not wasting any time, are you?" stated Isaac.
"Nope, and now I can conduct a fusion summon using monsters in my deck. So I'll combine my Summoned Skull with my Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" shouted the girl as her two monsters appeared before a swirling vortex as they entered and a red light emerged. "I Fusion Summon, Archfiend Black Skull Dragon(3200/2500)!" Sunset's mighty monster descended onto the field as it let out a roar.
"I now end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 2: Isaac
"My turn, and I'll play the field spell, Magician's Salvation!"
"Field spell, you've never done that, boy toy."
"Being World Champion, I had to learn some new tactics. As good as I was, I had to get better. Now that I played my field spell, I can set my Eternal Soul from my deck." said Isaac as his duel disk slide out the card as he placed it facedown.
"You still know how to give a girl some excitement," said Sunset flashing a wink to Isaac.
"Then let's see if you like this, Sunny. I now play my Magician's Rod(1600/100) in defense mode. Then by summoning my Magician's Rod, I can add a Dark Magician-related spell or trap card to my hand." Isaac's duel disk then showed his options as he was selecting which one he wanted. He made his decision as it slid out for him to grab.
"I now place two cards facedown and end my turn."
Turn 3: Sunset
"My draw," said Sunset as she looked at her hand and then at the field.
"I'll start by summoning my Black Stone of Legend(0/0)." A black stone then appeared as it shined with a red light. "Now to attack, Archfiend Black Skull Dragon attack his Magician's Rod!" instructed the girl as her monster opened its mouth and fired a fireball. "And if you're thinking about saving your monster with your facedowns, don't bother. Cause my Archfiend's ability makes it so that you can't activate any cards or effects until the end of the Damage Step," said Sunset as her monster took out Isaac's.
"Just what I expected. I reveal my facedown, Soul Rope! By paying 1000 life points, I can replace my destroyed monster with a different one from my deck. So I summon my Magician's Valkyria(1600/1800)." said Isaac as he had another spellcaster.
Isaac's Life Points: 7000-
"I'd expected as much, in that case, I'll activate the ability of my Black Stone of Legend. By tributing it, I can summon one Level 7 or lower 'Red-Eyes' monster from my deck. So I summon my Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning(2500/2100)!" Sunset now had another fiend creature appear as it landed with the sound of thunder booming.
"I end my turn."
Turn 4: Isaac
"My turn and I'll play this Magician Fusion Gate, so now I can combine monsters in my graveyard or Extra Deck and fuse them, and this spell substitutes for a fusion material." stated the boy as his card and his Magician's Rod appear and entered a vortex. "I Fusion Summon, Lychinus Enchanter(2800/2500, Level 8, Scale 1)!" Out came a male adult magician who wore a bycocket(robin hood hat) on his head as he wore a black cape and a magician's robe with the sleeves cut off as in his left hand was a staff that was the same height as him and in his belt, there was a small dagger as his outfit consisted of yellow, red, and black, with a hit of silver as he wore boots.
"Then I'll activate the effect of my Lychinus Enchanter, once per turn, I can deal you damage equal to a magician in my graveyard." said the boy as his magician blasted his staff at Sunset.
Sunset's Life Points: 6400-
"Then I'll play Bound Wand and equip it onto my spellcaster. Now he gains 100 extra attack points for each of his levels, so his attack strength is now 3600." informed the boy. "Now attack Sunset's Archfiend!" His monster twirled his staff before he fired another spell at her monster as it exploded.
Sunset's Life Points: 6000-
"Like you, I also was prepared for when you took out my monster, cause I reveal my facedown. Time Machine!" A device appeared from the ground with smoke coming from the bottom. It opened up as Sunset's monster was now back from the graveyard.
"I'll just end my turn."
Turn 5: Sunset
"My draw, and now I'll activate the effect of my Archfiend of Lightning, now I can destroy all of your monsters whose defense points are less than my monster's attack points!" shouted the girl. Her monster then struck the ground as lightning came from the sky onto the beach as it took out Magician's Valkyria.
"Then, I'll set the Pendulum Scale with these, Scale 2 Dragoncaller Magician and Scale 10 Red-Eyes Dark Knight!" Sunset then placed her two cards on the far side of her duel disk as the word pendulum in rainbow coloring was spelled out in between to show it worked. Both of Sunset's monsters then appeared in columns of light as their respective numbers were shown in front of them.
"Now, I'll activate the effect of my Black Stone of Legend. I can return a Level 7 or lower 'Red-Eyes' monster and shuffle it back into my deck. Then I add my Black Stone of Legend back to my hand." Sunset's duel disk ejected her two cards. She took her Red-Eyes and placed it on top as the auto shuffler kicked in.
"I end my turn with a facedown," said Sunset.
Turn 6: Isaac
What's she planning?
Isaac was thinking about what Sunset might be thinking as she brought her monster back but didn't do anything with it.
"My turn, and activate the effect of my Lychinus Enchanter. So you lose life points equal to my Magician's Valkyria," stated the boy as his spellcaster fired another magic shot.
Sunset's Life Points: 4400-
"Then I'll move in..."
"Not this time, boy toy! I reveal Fiendish Chain! So your monster can't attack." smiled Sunset.
"In that case, I'm playing Dark Magic Veil. I pay 1000 life points so that I can summon my Dark Magician!" shouted Isaac as his partner made his presence known.
Isaac's Life Points: 6000-
"I'll place one card facedown and then play Card of Sanctity so that we draw till we're holding six cards in our hand."
Turn 7: Sunset
"My turn, and I'll start by using my pendulum scale to Pendulum Summon!" shouted Sunset as a portal opened and two lights came out. "I'm bringing out a pair of Red-Eyes Alternative B. Dragon(2400/2100)!" Two dragons emerged as they roared. "I now overlay both of them to build the Overlay Network!" Sunset's monsters then turned into orbs of light as they hovered in the air as a portal opened up in front of her. They both disappeared as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon(2800/2400, OLU: 2)!!" Her new dragon was even fiercer as it let out a roar.
"Now I'll activate the pendulum ability of my Red-Eyes Dark Knight, until the end of my turn, I can give a 'Red-Eyes' monster an extra 1000 attack points. So now my monster is stronger than your magician!" said Sunset as she pointed at her Xyz creature. "Then I'll activate my Archfiend of Lightning's special ability, so now your Dark Magician is about to be destroyed!" Sunset's fiend then hit the ground once more as lightning bolts took out the spellcaster.
"With him gone, my Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon will attack your Lychinus Enchanter!" shouted the girl as her monster took out Isaac's other magician.
Isaac's Life Points: 5800-
"Since my Lychinus Enchanter was equipped with Bound Wand, I can bring him back," said Isaac.
"Yeah, but don't forget. Cause of my Red-Eyes Metal Flare Dragon's special ability. Since it has Xyz materials, every card or effect you activate costs you 500 life points!" shouted Sunset.
Isaac's Life Points: 5300-
"Even so, I still have my magician to protect my life points,"
"Not for long! Archfiend Black Skull Dragon, time for you to attack!" exclaimed the bacon-haired girl as she commanded her other monster. "And with his ability, you can't activate any cards till the Damage Step!" At that moment, Isaac's magician was once again destroyed.
Isaac's Life Points: 4900-
"Since my Lychinus Enchanter was destroyed, I can place him in my Pendulum Zone." said the boy as his monster appeared in a column of light.
"Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning, take your shot at Isaac! Attack him directly!" shouted Sunset as her last monster struck the ground as thunderbolts rained on the boy as he was tossed onto the sand.
Isaac's Life Points: 2400-
"Time to get rid of your field spell, I play Mystical Space Typhoon!" A giant wind then blew over the field as Isaac now had sand blowing in his face.
"I end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 8: Isaac
"My draw," said the World Champ as he drew his card and looked at it.
Well, I got nothing else.
"Get ready, Sunset. Time to take my game to the next level once more! I play Magician Ritual Gate!"
"Huh?" stated Sunset as the boy's card shined a bright light as it slowly came over the field.
Isaac's Life Points: 1900-
"Like my other three gates, I can use monsters in my graveyard or Extra Deck to perform a ritual summon!" Isaac's Dark Magician then appeared before his master as he gave a bow as his energy was being used to call upon a new comrade to serve his master.
"Holy Priest that shines with a beautiful and bright radiance. With the light as your guardian angel, I unlock your power and call on you in my time of need!" shouted the boy as the silhouette of his new magician was shown. "I Ritual Summon!! Holy Knight Marianne(3300/3100, Scale 13, Level 7)!!!" The light now faded as Isaac's new monster was shown to be a Pendulum Ritual hybrid. However, instead of being on the field, she was behind the boy as she was a bit timid.
The appearance was a pretty young girl with long blonde hair and green eyes. Her hair flowed down to her back, with split bangs over her forehead and a single strand sticking out from the top and sloping backward. The girl's uniform consisted of a white long-sleeved, button-down shirt with vertical linings, a black ribbon on the collar, a black shoulder cape and matching button-down corset, and a magenta skirt with white accents. There was a brown satchel slung on her right hip and brown boots with black straps in an X-shaped pattern. She also wore a silver cross necklace around her neck.
"Hey, it's okay," said Isaac as he turned his head to look at the girl hiding behind him as she clutched her master's arms tightly. "You're in good hands, I promise to take care of you and keep you safe."
"P-p-promise," asked the girl as she looked directly at the person who had awakened her.
"I promise," smiled Isaac. "I treat all my girls with love."
The girl listened to the words of her new master. She used her divine powers to look into the boy's soul as she got her answer. With newfound confidence, she stepped out and took the field as the holy light that was surrounded her began to glow as if she was an angel. At that moment, Isaac's duel disk sent him a message as he read it.
"Nice, since I summoned my Holy Knight Marianne, she allows me to look at all of my Pendulum cards and add one of them to my hand!" stated Isaac. Marianne then put her hands together as she closed her eyes. She started to say a prayer as the light radiated off of her and soon all of Isaac's pendulum cards from his deck and Extra Deck appeared before the boy as he made his decision.
Isaac's Life Points: 1400-
"I'll take my Black Arts Trickster and then place it in my other pendulum zone to complete my scale!" shouted Isaac as he placed his other monster on the other far end of his duel disk as the word pendulum in rainbow coloring spelled out in between. "My Black Arts Trickster's pendulum ability activates, since there's a magician in my other pendulum zone, I can raise her scale from 3 to 10!" stated the boy as the number changed.
Isaac's Life Points: 900-
"Then I'll activate the ability of my Lychinus Enchanter in my pendulum zone! His power allows my Marianne to attack twice this turn!" stated the boy as his magician helped his comrade as the girl shined even brighter with holy light.
Isaac's Life Points: 400-
"You're almost out of life points!" stated Sunset.
"Now Marianne attack her Archfiend of Black Skull Dragon!" shouted Isaac as the girl put her hands together as a pillar of divine light came crashing from the heavens as it destroyed the girl's monster.
Sunset's Life Points: 4300-
"And now take out her Red-Eyes Metal Flare Dragon! Fimbulwinter!" stated the boy as Marianne lifted her left hand and did a quick motion as ice spikes now headed towards the dragon as it connected and took the mighty beast down.
Sunset's Life Points: 3800-
"I now end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 9: Sunset
"A new card? You always have to have something, Isaac." said the girl to herself as she drew her card and looked at the boy's new girl.
"I play my Black Stone of Legend and then tribute it so that I can summon my partner, Red-Eyes B. Dragon!" shouted the girl as her dragon rose and let out a roar. Red-Eyes saw Sunset as it lowered its head and let the girl pet it.
"Been a while. Miss me?" asked Sunset as her dragon let out a soothing roar to its mistress.
"I now switch my Archfiend of Lightning to defense mode and end my turn."
Turn 10: Isaac
"My turn, and I'll activate my facedown, Eternal Soul! So now I can bring back my Dark Magician!" said the boy as he had his trusty partner along with his new magician as the pair smiled.
"Is he... good?" asked Marianne to Mahad.
"The master is willing to put others before him. He treats us as friends rather than mere servants," replied Mahad.
"I see," smiled Marianne as she glanced at the boy.
"Then activate my Lychinus Enchanter's ability once more to allow my Marianne, to attack twice this turn. Now Mahad attack her Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" shouted Isaac as his magician took out Sunset's partner. "And then Marianne take out her Archfiend of Lightning!" stated the boy as his other magician took out her monster.
"Now attack Sunset directly!" shouted Isaac as the girl now-fired another ice spell at the girl as she covered up.
Sunset's Life Points: 500-
"With that, our life points are similar. I now end my turn."
Turn 12: Sunset
"Time to end this! Draw!" shouted the girl as she looked at her card. "I play Card of Demise so now I draw till I have five cards in my hand as long as I get rid of my hand in five turns." stated Sunset as she drew her cards. "I now play Monster Reborn to bring back my Red-Eyes. Then I play Change of Heart so that I can take control of your Dark Magician!" Isaac's magician now switched over to Sunset's field as the girl looked to end this duel.
"Oh no!" said Isaac as he saw what Sunset was about to do.
"I activate Polymerization! And fuse these two monsters!" shouted Sunset as flames surrounded her and then wrapped around her arm as she slammed it on the ground and it opened. "I Fusion Summon, Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon(3000/2500)!" One of the most powerful cards in Duel Monsters now appeared as he looked to end the duel.
"I..."
"I discard Effect Veiler to negate your monster's ability!" shouted Isaac as he didn't even let Sunset finish what she was going to say.
"You asshole!!" shouted Sunset. "Fine then, I'll reveal my facedown, Red-Eyes Fang with Chain. So now my Dark Dragoon can attack twice this turn."
"Even so, it's weak without its special powers!" stated Isaac.
"We'll see. First, I play equip him with my Black Metal Dragon to give him an extra 600 attack points! So now it's stronger than your monster! Then I activate the pendulum ability of my Dragoncaller to change my Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon into a dragon-type! And I'll boost him even more with the pendulum ability of my Red-Eyes Dark Knight by another 1000 attack points!" said the girl as her monster now had 4600 attack points.
"Time to end this! Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon attack!" stated Sunset as she thrust her hand out.
"C'mon, you don't think that'll really work, do you Sunset?!!" shouted Isaac as he too thrust his arm out. "By returning a magician or spellcaster to my hand, my Holy Knight Marianne can't be destroyed, and I don't take any damage either!" stated the boy as his Black Arts Trickster returned to his hand. A huge explosion went off as when it died down, there was Isaac's monster being protected by her divine powers as she was saying a small prayer.
"Not a bad ability. But mine's better! Cause remember my trap allows my monster to attack again!!" shouted Sunset as her monster flew back into the air and shot another massive fireball. "It's over for real this time, Isaac!"
"It's not over 'till I say it's over!" yelled Isaac. "I still have another magician on my field! I return it to my hand to block your bombardment!" said the boy as he grabbed his Fusion-pendulum hybrid and put it in the Extra Deck compartment of his duel disk as he got rid of his pendulum scale completely.
"That doesn't change a thing, not in the slightest!" stated Sunset. "I still have one final card in my hand! Dragon's Fighting Spirit! So my Red-Eyes Darkness Dragoon can attack one last time!" yelled the girl. "And you don't have any monsters to stop it!" One massive firestorm erupted from Sunset's monster as it was heading towards the boy and his magician.
"If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!" shouted Isaac.
At that moment, the entire field was ablaze. The fire could be seen by anybody that might have passed by. The embers were sent into the sky as the crackle was heard. Soon the flames died down as the field returned to normal. The scene that was revealed was rather shocking as there stood Isaac with his Holy Knight Marianne as they had some small scratches on their body and clothes. But across from the boy was Sunset as she was lying on the ground as her Red-Eyes Darkness Dragoon also fell and landed with a thud as it disappeared. Their duel disk registered the result.
Sunset's Life Points: 0-
Isaac's Life Points: 200-
Winner: Isaac
Isaac looked at his new monster as she had a small surprised look on her face.
"You did good, Marianne," smiled Isaac.
The priest girl was ecstatic that she helped her new master. She wrapped her arms around Isaac as he smiled. He ran his hand through the girl's hair getting her to have small hints of red on her face. She broke the embrace to look at her new owner and bowed as she disappeared into the boy's deck to meet her new allies. Isaac looked at his deck as he could feel the spirits of his friends as they welcomed the newest addition to their team.
Sunset started to stir as she opened her eyes. She sat up a bit as she saw Isaac standing over her.
"How?" asked the girl.
"Let's just say that my Marianne had one last trick up her sleeve. And boy, did I need it. By discarding two spellcaster monsters from my hand, Marianne made it so that you also take the same damage as I do. But she not only survives the battle but by paying half my life points, the damage I would have taken gets cut in half and sends it back to you."
"No way..." said Sunset in shock.
"That's why I'm standing, and you're planking," stated Isaac. He then smiled to which he extended his hand. "What a duel. Good game!"
Sunset couldn't help but also smile. She then put her hand in the boy's hand as the pair stared at each other's eyes. The sun now reaching the final stages of its setting in the background as the moon was high above the pair. Isaac was hoping to pull Sunset to her feet, but instead, the girl found some incredible strength and yanked the boy down.
Isaac fell as he landed on his back. He was laying on the sand as on top of the boy was Sunset as she had a devious smile.
"You didn't think I was gonna let you go without having one of our 'hands-on' experiences now, did you? Since you're gonna be engaged to Twilight, I'd figured get in as many as I can before you're officially off the market." smirked the girl.
Isaac returned the smirk as Sunset pressed her lips to the boy as he wrapped his arms around her. The girl now began to move her hands feeling the boy's body as it brought her memories. Isaac coping Sunset's movements as he did the same and felt the new changes to Sunset's body as she had grown. Safe to say it did not disappoint. He got the girl to evoke a sexy moan as he reached down to her backside to which she enjoyed it. The two enjoyed their final moment with each other as the moon provided the perfect light as it shined down on them. |
Yugioh: Reunion | Chapter 11: The Document | The duel was over as a light began to shine. From the light emerged Isaac's newest monster, Holy Knight Marianne. The girl now found herself in the Spirit World and inside the palace that housed Isaac's monsters in his deck. She stood in front of a door that materialized in front of her, as she was hesitant. She mustered up some courage as she opened it and entered. She was welcomed to another set of doors as there were three. Marianne looked at the names on the doors as each one belonged to one of Isaac's other pendulum hybrid monsters. A fourth door now appeared as it had her name on it.
She then approached it and entered. Inside was a bed and a window as well as lots of space. The girl looked around as it was empty, so she decided to fill it. It took a while, but the girl had finally finished decorating her room. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Marianne opened it as standing there was Mahad.
"Ms. Mariannne."
"Oh, uh... you're..."
"Mahad."
"Right, our master's partner." said the girl as she was comfortable around the man.
"Yes, now have you taken the time for your accommodations?" asked Mahad.
"Well, I filled it with things that I love," said the young girl looking at her room.
"Of course, all of our comrades have their room in the palace and can design how they like it," stated Mahad. "Now then, follow me."
Mahad now began to levitate as did Marianne, who followed her comrade.
"Where are we going?" asked the girl.
"To meet the others. It's tradition to hold a gathering when our master gains a new comrade," said Mahad as he saw that got the girl to be a bit scared about meeting new people. "You have nothing to worry about; we are all friends here."
Mahad's response got the girl to calm down as they soon approached a set of twin doors. The pair landed as they prepared to enter. From the other side, there were sounds of music and talking. Marianne hid behind Mahad as she peaked her head out as they entered. Inside were all of Isaac's monsters and magicians as they were talking and socializing. Even Isaac's Black Robe Mentalist participated in the social event despite her goth attitude. Though she just stayed in the corner to avoid any unwanted attention.
All of Isaac's monsters then saw Mahad. Melody stopped the music as she saw their leader.
"Everyone," stated Mahad as he cleared his throat. "Please welcome the latest addition to our master's deck." He then stepped to the side to allow the others to see Marianne.
The girl was still embarrassed as all eyes were on her. She waved as everyone returned the gesture. Mahad then gave the cue as everybody continued the small gathering. He then told the girl to join in as she slowly made her towards the tables of refreshments and food. Marianne approached the table and she saw three other individuals who looked at her. They talked and then all made their way towards the girl as they were Isaac's pendulum hybrids.
"Uh, hi?" said the girl, a bit nervous.
"So you're the latest of our group," said Lychinus Enchanter. "Pleased to meet you, laddie."
"Nice to finally have another girl in this group," said Solis Witch as the two older magicians shook the hand of the girl.
"Thanks," said Marianne as she saw Isaac's Ventus Oraculum.
The boy was staring at the girl who was his age as he did admit, she was rather stunning.
"Hey there," said the boy waving a bit awkwardly.
"Hey," giggled Marianne at how the boy acted.
"Sorry, hope I didn't make you feel awkward." chuckled the boy while rubbing his neck. "I'm Ventus. But you can call me Ven."
"Marianne."
The four of them began to talk as they asked her how she felt in her new home. Marianne responded that she was glad to be a part of Isaac's deck. After a while, the other monsters all conversed with the girl. She then met Isaac's other signature magician.
"So you're Isaac's latest girl?" asked Mana.
"Uhm,... yes?" said Marianne as she didn't know how to answer that question.
"Mana."
"M-Marianne."
"Answer me this: Is Isaac cute?"
"W-What?" said Marianne.
"When you saw him, did you think our master was cute?" asked Mana, fishing for details.
"Uhm, well... I mean... he... he is... rather cute..." said the girl thinking about her master.
"Then we're gonna be best friends!" said Mana hugging the girl. "Now, we need to find out where you rank when it comes to Isaac's other girls?"
"What do you mean?" asked Marianne.
"Stick with me, girlfriend, and I guarantee you'll have a top spot." smiled Mana as Marianne also returned the gesture. "Just know, I'm Isaac's first and most important girl," stated Mana asserting her domain when it came to the hierarchy of Isaac's little harem of his female spellcasters.
"I understand," said Marianne.
"MANA!!" shouted Mahad as he saw that his student was trying to use her mischievous ways to influence the girl of pure heart.
It was the next day as Isaac had finished gathering his stuff. He checked out of his beach house as he thanked the receptionist. He exited the place as he saw Sunset waiting for him. The pair now began to walk towards the car that was going to take the boy to the airport.
"Thanks for a nice hangout, boy toy," stated Sunset. "I forgot what it was like to have you all to myself."
"Glad you enjoyed it," snickered the boy. "You gonna stay a bit longer?"
"Of course, I'm on vacation," said Sunset. "Hey, good luck in your duel. I'll be watching." Sunset then leaned in and kiss Isaac as the pair wrapped their arms around each other, and they let out a moan in each other's mouths.
"See ya, Sunny."
"So long, Isaac."
The World Champ then entered the back of the cab. The driver turned on the engine as the vehicle drove down the road. Isaac rolled down his window as he waved at his bacon-haired girl, to which she also did until he was out of sight.
After a while, the car stopped at the airport. Isaac thanked the driver and tipped her as he entered the place. He then got his ticket and soon boarded his flight. The boy took his seat and looked out of the window. He pulled out his phone as he looked at one picture. It was a picture of the girls, but some of the monsters from their decks were also present. It was the final photo before their graduation day as they wanted to have one last memory of each other before they went their separate ways.
It brought a smile to the boy as he saw the piece of paper in front of him. He grabbed it and read it one last time. Isaac was now on his way to where Twilight was as he had one day before his duel as it would be there where everything would be answered.
Nighttime had fallen as the moon was in the sky. Soon a car entered the driveway of the house as it stopped. The backdoor opened as out emerged Isaac, who had finally gotten home. He thanked the driver as he made his way to the front steps. He took out his keys and opened the door as he was finally home. It was just as he last saw it, but again, he'd only been in this place twice. He put his backpack down by the coat rack as he entered the living room and sat on the couch. He leaned back as he let out a tired yawn from his flight. It was then he felt something wrap around his neck as it was a pair of arms.
"Welcome home," said Twilight.
Isaac turned his head as he saw the face of his fiance as he kissed her hands.
"It's nice to be home." stated the boy.
"Tired?" asked Twilight.
"A little," chuckled Isaac.
"Then you made it in time for dinner," said the girl as she unhooked her arms around her fiance and told him to come into the kitchen.
"Actually, I have something I want to show you," said Isaac.
The boy's response got Twilight to raise an eyebrow.
"I promise, it's something you'll like," stated Isaac.
He then began to get up from the couch as Twilight followed him. The pair walked to a part of the house and came to a door. To Twilight's surprise, she was shocked that she had never seen it since she was here longer than the boy.
"Now, close your eyes."
"Isaac?" said Twilight raising her eyebrow again.
"Trust me, Twily," said Isaac using the girl's nickname.
Twilight just rolled her eyes as she did what he asked. The boy then waved his hand in front of the girl's face to see if she did have her eyes closed. Isaac then opened the door as he then grabbed Twilight's hands and guided her in. The room was dark as the pair stopped.
"Can I open them?"
"Not yet," stated Isaac. "Wait here." He then approached some curtains as he pulled them away to let some light in as Twilight could sense it with her eyes closed.
"Now can I open them?" asked the girl.
"Hold on," Isaac then approached a switch as he turned it on and adjusted lighting to match the evening setting.
"Isaac?!!" stated Twilight as she was getting a bit impatient.
"Alright... now you can open them."
Twilight then opened her eyes as her sight was slowly taking in what she saw. All around her were books, but not just books, but the entire room was a library. Shelves upon shelves lined the walls as there were several ladders along the shelve to reach the higher levels. There was a fireplace with a couple of chairs and tables. Twilight did a spin to take her entire surroundings in. She let out a gasp in surprise as she couldn't believe what she was witnessing. She smiled with glee whilst holding her face together.
"Oh, I'm in heaven. Someone pinch me," said Twilight.
And right on cue, Twilight felt a pinch on her butt cheeks, making the girl yelp and hold onto her tushie with a blush on her face. She looked at Isaac as he had a smirk on his face.
"Well, you did say to pinch you."
"I didn't mean literally," said Twilight while feeling embarrassed.
He then leaned over and whispered to her ear, "And admit it, you wanted me to do that, didn't you?"
Twilight felt really flustered, and she slapped his shoulder. She then began to walk towards one of the many shelves. Twilight was checking out the covers and titles as all of it was making her have the biggest grin on her face. This was a dream come true for the girl to have her own personal library, and she couldn't begin to express how happy she was.
"Do you like it?" asked Isaac as he watched his fiance get into her nerdy side.
"There are so many books here, I don't know where to start. It's wonderful!" said Twilight in glee.
"Then it's yours. All of it," said Isaac.
"Isaac..." said the girl as she now walked over to the boy. "I... don't know what to say but,... thank you." She then wrapped her arms around Isaac as she hugged him. Isaac wrapped his arms around Twilight as he was glad he was able to make her happy.
Twilight then began to grab some books as she had a small stack with her. She made her way to a table and sat down as she began to read. Isaac smiled at seeing Twilight be full of wonder and pure magic. He was about to leave, but he turned back to look at the girl. Twilight was so engraved in her reading that she didn't pay attention to her surroundings. She then felt an arm over her shoulder as she looked to see Isaac was also sitting next to her. Isaac decided that he would spend some time with his fiance. Twilight smiled as she planted a kiss on his cheek, and the two spent the next hour or two reading some books as Twilight leaned into Isaac as the pair had smiles on their faces.
After some novels and stories, the pair now exited the library. They went back to the kitchen and began to make themselves dinner.
"So, how did your special training go?" asked Twilight as she was stirring the pot on the stove.
"It went well. I made the right call," said Isaac as he finished cutting the vegetables. "Plus, it was nice to see the others after so long."
"I'm glad you got what you wanted," said Twilight as she grabbed the cutting board and dumped the veggies inside the pot as the smell got to her noise. She took the spoon and took a quick taste of the stew.
"Delicious. Those cooking classes paid off," Twilight then felt a pair of arms wrap behind her as Isaac had his head on the girl's shoulder and smelled her hair.
"As good as that stew might be, I think I found something else that's just as tasty," said Isaac into Twilight's ear as she blushed.
Isaac then turned Twilight around as he grabbed her by her hips and lifted the girl onto the counter. He then brought his lips to kiss her as the pair grabbed each other's faces. They began to open their mouths as they let out some moans as they were enjoying their little moment. Isaac then broke apart and started to plant trails of kisses along Twilight's neck as the girl held his head. He then stopped as he saw the necklace she was wearing. Since the day he gave it to her, Twilight never once took it off as it was a symbol of the time and adventures they had with each other and their friends.
"As pretty as this necklace looks on you. You make it that much more beautiful," said Isaac giving another short kiss to Twilight's lips.
"Why do you always say the things that make me fall in love with you again?" stated Twilight with a laugh. She grabbed Isaac's cap off his head and put it on as they shared another gentle kiss.
"Alright, can't let the stew burn. Mind setting the table?" asked Twilight.
Isaac smiled as he let Twilight down from the counter. He then began to grab the silverware as Twilight checked on their food as it was nearly done. After a few more minutes, she turned off the stove and brought the spoon as she filled two bowls full of the concoction. She grabbed both bowls and walked to the table as Isaac had pulled out her chair. She sat down as he grabbed his bowl and sat down next to her. The pair smiled as they began to eat and discussed Isaac's meetups with each of their friends.
"So CHS is improving. And it's all thanks to you," said Twilight.
"It's not just me, Twi. You and the others all played a role in helping the program get funded," said Isaac as he grabbed the girl's hand. "Because of what we did, we gave Celestia and Luna the school of their dreams. Now CHS is on a whole different level in not just academics, but also Duel Monsters."
"As I said, they have you to thank. But... I will give myself some credit," snickered the girl as Isaac just laughed. Isaac then got up from the table and grabbed their bowls as he made his way to the sink and began to wash them.
Once he finished, Isaac then made his way to the living room as Twilight was sitting on the couch. She had her deck in her hand as the boy now sat down next to her. She snuggled into his chest as Isaac lifted his cap a bit to see Twilight's eyes as he planted a quick peck on the lips. The pair now snuggled up as they watched some TV for a bit until it was time to sleep. All the while, Isaac held the girl he loved as Twilight was in the arms of the person she loved.
Morning rose as it brightened up the entire world. It was now the day before Isaac's duel. This would be the final day for him to relax as the majority of tomorrow, he would be with Juniper going over the details of his duel. Which meant that today was the day he had to do it. The boy awoke as he was searching for Twilight. He found the girl as she was in her dressing room/closet where she was unpacking the last of her boxes. All around in the room were her clothes, personal things, and even some books.
"That's more like it," said Isaac as he saw all of Twilight's belongings being neatly put away compared to when they were all over the place in boxes.
"I'm on my last box," said the girl.
"You like it?" asked Isaac.
"I love this room," said Twilight. "I just can't believe it's all mine."
"Glad you enjoy it."
"So, Isaac. I was thinking that once I'm finished, we could do something? Since tomorrow you'll be gone for the whole day, not to mention it's your championship duel."
"Twilight?"
"So, I heard there's a great restaurant not too far from here."
"Twilight?"
"I hear there's a carnival in town. Maybe we can go check it out. I also heard there are some new books at the bookstore. I was thinking of maybe buying some for my collection."
"Twilight?!"
"Don't worry, we'll discuss the beginning stages of our wedding."
"Twily!!" stated Isaac as he called his girl by her nickname.
That response got the girl to look at her fiance. Twilight knew that nickname was what Isaac used when he was being romantic with her or when he needed to discuss something. And based on his face, it was a mix of both but more so the latter.
"What is it, Isaac?" said Twilight as she wrapped her arms around the boy's neck and looked at his eyes.
"I'm glad you're enjoying this place. I wanted to give you a home that you can call your own. And a place where we can spend the rest of our life together. Possibly start a family when we're ready. I want you to understand."
"I do, Isaac."
"Then... if you really do wanna stay, like, if you really do wanna live here, please don't-- there's no right way to say this. Just don't take it the wrong way," said Isaac looking away from Twilight's eyes for a bit as he took a deep breath. He then looked back at the girl as she removed her arms from his neck.
"I need you to sign something for me," said Isaac as the air now got tense.
"Like what?" asked Twilight.
"The formal term for it is a cohabitation agreement," stated Isaac.
Twilight then had her eyes change as she looked down and then back at her fiance.
"I have it right here." stated the boy as Twilight was stunned hearing that. "Yeah. I had this made up for you," said Isaac as he now showed Twilight the document he was holding as he gave it to her.
"Oh, I see that has my name on it... and... you signed it," said Twilight in a bit of shock as she looked at the paper and began to skim over the fine print.
"Yes," said Isaac. "I mean it's only a one-page letter, but I need you to sign it three times and I need you to have it notarized."
Safe to say that Twilight was in shock. The cohabitation agreement came out of nowhere and right now she didn't know how to feel. She was currently reading some of the writing to get a sense of what it said.
"As your guest. And I have 48 hours of your request to vacate the home," said Twilight as she read that detail out loud.
"That doesn't mean I'm gonna ask you to leave. It just means that if anything should happen. Then..." Isaac didn't finish his statement as both knew what he meant.
"Why didn't you give this to me before I had moved my stuff in?" asked Twilight.
"I should have told you. I didn't want to bombard you with information. And if I had asked you to move in and then followed it with that, this would have never happened." said Isaac as he referred to Twilight agreeing to move in.
"How do you know that?" asked Twilight.
"That's the way I think." answered the boy.
"You could have just said it as I shipping my boxes," stated Twilight.
"I had other things I was doing. Not to mention the document wasn't fully made when I suggested the idea of wanting you to move in with me. And I've had some time to think about things and this is one of those things that kind of needs to be done for all of this to happen." said Isaac.
Twilight now heard what Isaac had to say as she looked at the document in her hands. All sorts of thoughts were running through her head as she didn't know what to think or how to act. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't find the words to truly express herself. Just when it seemed like she was about to live her dream, all of a sudden it came to a screeching halt as it may not happen.
"I... I just... I just--just need time to think about this," stated Twilight.
"That's totally understandable," said Isaac.
"I feel like I'm signing something for a hotel," said the girl. Twilight then walked over to the window as she grabbed her satchel and packed some of her things and slung it across her body. "I just need to go think." Twilight then exited the room and was making her way out of the house.
Isaac was left by himself as he took a deep breath. He now leaned over the dresser as he had his hands to his mouth as he was thinking about what went down. For Twilight, she had exited the house and got into her car. Right now, her mind was firing on all cylinders, and she needed to get away for a bit. If she was to think about what went down, then she needed to not see Isaac.
She entered her vehicle as she turned the engine on and was now driving onto the street and away from the house. Safe to say there were a bit of tears in her eyes as she tried to wash them away but they kept on crying. Twilight was really thinking about the cohabitation agreement that Isaac had given her as if she didn't sign it, then they would be no future for the two of them. |
Yugioh: Reunion | Chapter 12: Reunion | Twilight was driving as she had to clear her mind from what happened a few moments ago. Isaac had asked Twilight to move in as he wanted to give her a place where they could live. She was all excited about the idea, especially when Isaac had a room in the house become a library, and he gave it to her. At that moment, Twilight was looking forward to getting married and spending her life with the boy she loved. But after what occurred this morning, her mind was in a state of shock.
The boy she loved had given her a cohabitation agreement as if they were to be together; then, she would need to sign it. Twilight had to leave to clear her mind as she grabbed her satchel and got into her car as she left the house. She was driving as tears formed in her eyes. After a while, she pulled to the side of a dirt road. She grabbed the document next to her as she pulled out her phone and began to call.
"Hello?" said Cadance on the phone.
"Hey," answered Twilight.
"Twilight, so good to hear my favorite sister-in-law," asked the women.
"I want to talk to you about something. And it relates to Isaac," said Twilight.
"What's up?" asked Cadance as she could tell the tone of Twilight's voice.
"So Isaac handed me a paper that I have to sign, and it's about living in his home," said Twilight as she now began to read some of the document to her sister-in-law. "Quote: 'Although I do not wish to be formal, I do not want there to be any misunderstanding regarding your presence at the home as my guest'."
"What the hell?!" said Cadance as she was shocked by what she heard.
"There's more: 'In the event that I ask you to vacate the home, you'll agree to immediately vacate and remove any and all items you may have brought into the home as soon as possible'." said Twilight.
"That's like the weirdest... craziest thing I've ever heard," said Cadance as she listened to what Twilight said.
"I just don't understand it," said Twilight as she could feel some water forming in her eyes as she wiped them away.
"To be honest, I don't either, because, you know, I feel like a normal relationship. Like that would never come up, and your brother would never do that to me," said Cadance. "We're both on the same page in our relationship and..."
"Well, I just don't know what to feel. I'm so confused. I don't know if it's disrespect or I need to be understanding, but I don't understand. I don't know what to feel." said Twilight to her sister-in-law.
"I get it, Twilight. But the first time you move in with someone like that's you trusting him completely and giving him everything."
"It kind of makes me second guess where Isaac and I stand in our relationship. I love him, but maybe he knows that he doesn't want to be with me forever," stated Twilight letting some tears fall.
"For him to do that, kind of makes me scared for you, like is he really serious about you?"
"Cadance, don't say that!!" shouted Twilight through the phone. "I know Isaac, and when he's serious about something, he means it."
"Twilight, I get it. Just know that if you need to talk about it, I'm here."
"Thanks, sis," said Twilight as she ended the call. She now looked out of the car window as she took another deep breath as some tears fell.
After Twilight left the house, Isaac was contemplating on what went down. He knew he loved Twilight with all of his heart and he wanted to be with her. But he also had to be smart if they were to get married. He needed to have some form of insurance, in the event, things went bad between them. Isaac pulled out his phone as he was contacting Juniper.
"Hey,"
"How did it go?" asked Juniper.
"I gave her the document, and... she said she needed time to think."
"Then it's up to her. I wish nothing but the best for you two."
"I appreciate that, Juniper. I'm leaving now. I think it best to not see Twilight until after my duel."
"I'm on my way to pick you up. I'll make the reservations for an extra day." stated the girl as she ended the call.
Isaac then began to pack his backpack as he started to leave the house. He looked at his phone as he was thinking of calling Twilight to let him know he was leaving early to let this whole thing blow off, but decided against it. Instead, he grabbed his duel disk and turned it on.
"Record message," said Isaac to the small rectangle device on his wrist. It obeyed his command as it now was ready to record what the boy wanted to say.
"Uhm, Twilight... I know you're thinking about the document. And I respect how much time you need to make a decision. So I'm leaving early to get ready for my duel. If you want, you can stop by the house. Don't worry, I won't be there. So... yeah... just know that I love. And that's never gonna change. I love you, Twily."
Isaac ended the recording as he played back the message. He then took a deep breath as he pushed the button. It was now going to her duel disk so that the girl could listen to it. He then grabbed his backpack as he headed towards the door. He exited the place as in the driveway was Juniper as she had arrived. The boy got in the passenger side as the girl saw her client. Isaac leaned his head against his seat as he let out a stressful sigh.
"It's alright, Isaac. For now, let's focus on your duel," stated Juniper as she placed her hand on his shoulder. Isaac nodded as the girl started the engine, and the pair was now on their way.
While Isaac was on his way to the site of his duel, Twilight stopped by the local park. Her duel disk had received a message as she looked at the contact. She wanted to hear it but figured it would persuade her mind about this cohabitation agreement as she wanted to make that decision on her own. Twilight sat on the bench and put her satchel next to her as she let out a sigh and looked to the sky. The document was in front of her as she pulled out her phone again.
"Hello."
"Hey, mom," said Twilight.
"Twilight, what's wrong, sweetie?" asked Velvet as she could tell something was bothering her daughter as her motherly instincts were going off.
"You know how Isaac asked me to move in, and I've been like moving into his place for the past week. But..."
"Uh-hmm," said Velvet.
"... he gives me this paper, and he's like I need you to sign this. It refers to me as a guest in this paper, and it says: 'You agree that I may pursue monetary damages or other equitable relief to compensate me for any loss that he may suffer related to me being a guest in the home. In the event that I asked you to vacate the home, you'll agree to immediately vacate the home and remove any and all items you may have brought into the home within 48 hours of my request'."
"Okay," said Velvet as she took in what her daughter transcribed. "So let me ask you a couple of questions? Have you felt like a guest or do you feel like it's truly your home also?"
"I feel like it's my home. I mean, last night when he arrived. We talked and then he had surprised me again. He gave me a room full of books. Full of books, mom. I can't begin to describe how happy I was." said Twilight with a smile despite tears in her eyes. "Then we had dinner, and then we talked a bit as we held each other. I took that as a preview of what our future will be, despite us going to be busy with our careers. I was smiling."
"Now, he gets Juniper and this attorney who drew this up and is there to protect that," stated Velvet. "Now, I understand, you know, that this document is all based on prior experiences that married couples have. And Isaac is looking to have that sort of protection for himself."
"I understand that as well, Mom. But if Isaac and I don't work out, I don't want his home. I don't want his money. I don't want anything that is his, you know, like..." said Twilight. "The only thing that I want from Isaac is his love. And he's shown it since we were in high school. All the adventures we've had, the times he's had to save me from danger. The amount of dedication and commitment he has towards me and to do his job as World Champ. The only thing that I want to give back to him is my unconditional love. To be there for him so that when he comes home from being on the road, he can get rid of all that stress and smile. Knowing that there's the girl of his life just waiting to brighten up his day, his center of his world."
"I said the same thing when I met your father, dear." stated Velvet. "
"So, what do I do?" asked Twilight.
"Only you can decide that, sweetie. Whatever decision you make, we support it. I want you to be happy, Twilight. I love my daughter, and I would want nothing more than for you to have the boy of your dreams. And if you feel like that's Isaac, and you both can agree to love each other with that document, then you're destined to be together."
"I hear what you're saying, mom. Thanks."
"Anytime, sweetie."
The call ended as Twilight let out a sigh and looked ahead. She grabbed the document as she was thinking about what both her mother and Cadance said. She wanted to have a future with the boy who she felt like was the one. She wanted to have the dream of being a card designer and have a husband. But would it come at the cost of this document?
Twilight then looked at her duel disk as she touched the screen. She saw the message as she clicked on it and she heard it play.
"Uhm, Twilight... I know you're thinking about the document. And I respect how much time you need to make a decision. So I'm leaving early to get ready for my duel. If you want, you can stop by the house. Don't worry, I won't be there. So... yeah... just know that I love. And that's never gonna change. I love you, Twily."
Twilight heard the message. With Isaac being gone, it meant that he was giving her some space. So with a heavy heart, Twilight now grabbed her stuff and was now heading back to the house to hopefully get an answer.
Isaac had arrived at the site of his duel. Both he and Juniper had arrived at the hotel next to the arena. The pair exited and checked in. They were going to go over to the stadium to begin the details as the boy wanted a few minutes to himself. Isaac laid down on the bed as he placed his head on the pillow and pulled out his phone. He was looking at the photos that he had of him and Twilight together in the past as they reminded the World Champ of happier times. Isaac felt tears roll down his eyes as he thought about his future with the girl. He wiped the water and then got up to leave.
Both now took a walk to the stadium as they entered the place. Despite the duel being less than 24 hours away, the entire management team and people were all hard at work designing the stage, the ramp, and the dueling arena. Beams, pieces of metal, LED screens, and speakers were being lifted and moved by pulleys and machinery.
"They're just about done," said Juniper as they met with the person in charge. "Hey, Daniel."
"Juniper, Isaac. So glad you guys could come. You're a little bit early than expected." said the man with the headset.
"Let's just say... I had to get away from something," said Isaac.
"Alright then, so we're still working on the set. But we need to go over your entrance."
"So, what do you and the production team have in mind?" asked Juniper.
"Take a look," said Daniel as he led the two over to where the video engineers were. "So this is what we came up with." One of the engineers heard the command as he loaded the video and then began to play on the screen for all to see.
The video that the engineers came up with started with a low camera angle that only saw the feet of someone. They walked and the camera was still fixed on their feet. Then it slowly began to lift as it traveled up. The person walking was Isaac as he had his head down with his cap covering his face. Isaac was shown walking down a corridor as he was making his way up a small ramp to a curtain that was connected to the stage where he would exit to appear in front of the live crowd.
As the boy kept on walking, the sounds of people cheering were input as they chanted Isaac's name.
"Look, dad!" said a kid who was flank by another person. "It's Isaac!"
They appeared from the corner of the corridor as they saw the World Champ. However, the shocking thing about the kid in the video was that it wasn't just any kid. But rather Isaac from his younger years.
"ISAAC!!!"
Isaac now turned around when he heard his name being called as he looked in the direction of his younger self. He was walking towards the small boy as the video then shifted with the young boy now turning into him from when he was in CHS. Isaac now stood in front of his teen self as both looked at each other. All around were still shots of Isaac's duels from his life.
Isaac's teen version smiled as he then shifted back to his little boy version as Isaac was now starting at the small kid.
"Go get'em, champ!" said the kid version of Isaac.
Isaac just smiled at hearing his own self say that. He took off his cap and placed it on the small boy as it was a bit big that it covered his eyes. Isaac then turned around as he continued to walk up the ramp as he passed through the curtain to the roar of the crowd.
"Wow," said Isaac's younger self lifting the hat from covering his eyes.
The video package then ended.
"So, what do you think?" asked Daniel to the pair on what they saw.
"I love it," said Isaac.
"Stellar work on producing a meaningful video package," said Juniper.
"Thanks, guys. Now time to talk music. This is what we decided to have you come out to," said Daniel as he played the song that they were going to use.
"That'll work," said Isaac.
"Great, now then let's work on the actual entrance," suggested Daniel as Isaac and Juniper nodded.
Isaac now began to follow some stagehand assistants as they took him to the top of the stage. The stage connected the dueling field with a long ramp that stretched 45 yards. Juniper was with Daniel at the bottom of the ramp as they were going to watch the thing.
"Alright, Isaac, you ready?" asked Daniel through his headset.
"Yeah," said the boy through one of the stagehand assistant's headsets.
"So we're just gonna let the music play, and you do your usual thing. We'll figure it out as we go," said Daniel as he gave the signal to sound engineers as they played the music.
The song started as Isaac let the first few moments of it play before he stepped through the curtain. Isaac did his usual thing of playing to the crowd as he stopped at the top of the stage and imagined there was a sea of people chanting his name. He got that mindset in his head as he was soaking it in. He looked to the left and right making sure to look at the cameras that pretended to be rolling. He talked into them as he was pretending he was talking to the people watching from their homes. After that, he then began to walk down the long ramp at a medium-sized pace making sure to match his walk to the beat of the music.
He stopped in the middle of the ramp as he looked to the left and the right as he imagined fireworks and pyro going off behind him and into the sky. He then continued to walk as the song was nearing the end as when he reached the bottom part of the ramp he extended his hand out and imagined he was giving people some passing high fives. Once he did enough, he then stopped in front of the dueling field taking a few deep breaths as he psyched himself up, and then took his position.
"Alright, stop," said Daniel through his headset. "Not bad, Isaac."
"So anything you might want to add to your entrance?" asked Juniper.
"Here's what I'm thinking. Upon me passing through that curtain, let's have the cameras rolling on me. Give them about a 5-second shot before they transition to the next camera. Camera 1, five seconds, Camera 2, five seconds, and so on." stated Isaac.
"Then I say about the halfway point of the ramp, I'll stop to soak it all in again. As the music is playing, some fireworks, pyro to go off into the sky."
"Fireworks, pyro," said Juniper writing it down on the tablet.
"So the crew and I had this idea. What if, as you walk down that ramp, there were pictures of your monsters that are in your deck? You're a big fond belief that your monsters are your friends. So as you walk down that ramp, you could imagine your friends cheering and supporting you as you make your way to the field." said Daniel.
"There are some hologram projectors that we have that we can set up to have alongside the ramp. So the first one will be on the right side, then the other one will be on the left side, but it'll be a few feet up. And so on. We'll alternate. You get what I'm suggesting?" asked Juniper to her client.
"I hear you, Juniper. So as I pass each one of the projectors, the images of my monsters will show up." repeated the boy. "So then the last two projectors that I want need to be placed here," said Isaac as he pointed at the bottom of the ramp. "These two will be where my trusty partners will be. My Dark Magician on the right and Dark Magician Girl on the left."
"What other monsters will you want to project hologram images of?" asked Daniel.
"All of them," said Isaac.
"Of course," stated Juniper with a smile. "So we'll sort them by categories. Pendulum-hybrids; your pendulum cards; Xyz monsters; Synchro as well as your tuners; Fusion monsters; your Royal Knights; then Magnet Warriors with your Electromagnetic Turtle; your high power monsters; then your Magician Girls along with the other female teen spellcasters; your kid duo; Kuriboh along with Breaker; and lastly, your two top monsters at the end." Juniper now showed her tablet to both men as they saw the general outline she was suggesting.
"Now, when you get onto the dueling field, the song will still be playing. So what here's my opinion, is that you look out into the crowd as some lasers surround you making a swirling circle. Then you stomp your foot as it spreads out and the pyro on top of the stadium will go off so that the people in the top levels can look up behind them to see the fireworks go off." said Daniel.
"Alright, then let's run that entrance back again," stated Isaac. He now walked back to the top of the ramp as they added part of what was suggested.
For the next hours, they were all hard at work. Some of the ideas they kept, others they scraped. Everyone trying to come up with a stellar entrance as Isaac was swiping himself now and then to wipe the sweat off his brow. Trial after trial, practice after practice, Isaac was determined to get the proper entrance that they wanted. From when they started it was about 5 in the evening, they didn't stop until almost 2 in the morning. After the final practice, everybody decided to call it as they would pick it up in the morning.
Isaac and Juniper thanked everybody as they all wanted to get some sleep before they would practice in the morning. The pair retreated to their hotel as they fell asleep.
The morning arrived as it was the day of the duel. Isaac had awoken to an early start as Juniper took the boy to the local training center to get one last physical training session in before tonight's main event. He then went over to the arena as they went over the final practice runs of the boy making his entrance.
Twilight had awoken as she felt the sun's rays hitting her face. She pulled the covers over her as she wanted to fall back asleep, but her body was telling her otherwise. Safe to say, she wasn't tired. All night she kept tossing and turning as she was awake for most of it. She rolled out of bed and began to head downstairs hoping to drown her feelings in food. Which worked, but only for a short time. After she heard Isaac's message, Twilight returned to the house. True to his word, the boy was gone as he left.
During the night, Twilight called some people to help clear her mind.
(Last night)
"So how's Isaac?" asked Sunset.
"He's good," answered Twilight through the phone.
She had called her friends, hoping they could help. But they were all busy as the only one to pick up was Sunset.
"Did you talk to him about the agreement?" asked Sunset as she and everyone else, apart from Dash, knew about it.
"No, I haven't talked to him yet."
"Twilight, are you kidding?" asked Sunset. Twilight didn't immediately respond as her eyes were wandering about. "Can we talk about that?" demanded Sunset.
"Just-- I don't know. I'm so-- the fact that he was just afraid to give that to me because I would leave is just-- that's the only thing that bothers me. Let me have that choice." said Twilight.
"But you're telling me this, when are you gonna be telling Isaac this? Exactly what you just said right now..."
"I know."
"... you need to be telling Isaac," said Sunset.
"I just don't want to make a mistake. I don't want to mess things up between us. I just want time to think and make the right decision." said Twilight. "I'm kind of afraid. Isaac and I have had this perfect, happy relationship. I'm afraid bringing it up, it will ruin stuff."
"I look at it way differently than you do," said Sunset.
"How so?"
"You need to get everything out. And if you just let it all build up inside, you're really gonna start hating him and you're also just one day gonna blow up."
"Right," said Twilight as the girl let out a sniffle from the tears in her eyes. "I guess I have to call him and talk to him about that agreement."
"You better hurry, cause he already left to the stadium for his duel. So if you guys are gonna talk about it, it needs to be done before his duel. He's got enough stress on his plate as it is right now, I don't think he wants this to be a part of that." stated Sunset.
"What do I say?" asked Twilight.
"Just say you want to meet up with him," stated Sunset.
"Alright, I'll try. Thanks, Sunset,"
"Anytime," said the girl as the call ended.
Twilight then took off her glasses momentary as she wiped the last bit of water from her eyes. She then put them back on and looked at her smartphone as she took a deep breath. With the touch of her finger, she was contacting her fiance's number.
"Hey... it's me... I'm ready to talk."
(Present day)
Twilight didn't get the boy as his voicemail answered. So she left him a message, hoping that he would get it before his duel tonight. As to avoid any more stress than he might have, going into his battle to defend his rank as champion. The girl's mind was then interrupted as there was a knock on the door. She was surprised as she wasn't expecting any more boxes. So... was it Isaac? Had he returned to talk to her about the prenup?
Twilight then began to make her way towards the door as she took a moment to compose herself. She prepared herself for what she might expect. Twilight opened the door and it was something she didn't see coming.
"Surprise!!" shouted the girls as they all were in front of the door.
"Girls!" said Twilight as she saw her close friends as they all pulled the bookworm into a group hug. The feeling for all of them was nice as it had been so long since they last did it.
"Were you surprised?" asked Pinkie.
"What are you all doing here?" asked Twilight.
"Well, darling. We came to see you. Plus, Isaac's duel is tonight. So what better way than to experience it together." said Rarity.
"Speaking of which, where's the geek?" asked Rainbow.
Dash's response got Twilight to put her head down as she clutched her left arm.
"Sugar, you okay?"
"I think it's time you tell them what happened," stated Sunset.
"I guess. Come on in," said Twilight as the girls entered the house.
They all sat down and listened to Twilight's tale. She told them how before he left to meet each of them, he had asked her to move into this house. She agreed and immediately began to move her stuff in. Then after Isaac came back from his visit with Sunset, he had given her a room that was a library and told Twilight it was hers. The girls all smiled as they were happy to see that the boy had given their friend something of her own heaven. Then Twilight brought up what occurred the next morning, how she was finishing up unloading her stuff when Isaac gave her the cohabitation agreement.
All the girls knew about the agreement, aside from Rainbow, as the boy told each one of them. They took a moment to explain it to the chromatic girl as she now nodded her head in understanding. The group then listened to Twilight explaining what went down as she left the house to clear her mind as she contacted her mother and Cadance for advice.
"So, what are you thinking?" asked Sunset.
"I... don't know."
"Darling, you need to talk to Isaac. The best thing for you two is to sit down and talk about this document," said Rarity.
"I just don't want to make the wrong decision."
"It's not a wrong decision if you're making it with your heart," said Fluttershy. "Twilight, do you love Isaac?"
"Of course, we're moving in before we're actually engaged. But it's because I love him."
"Do you feel like he treats you with respect, or some guest?" asked Aj.
"I feel like this is my home. I can see myself having my life and our future here."
"Do you think that you can be happy with him, no matter what challenges you two may face?" asked Pinkie.
"YES!!" answered Twilight immediately. Her response made her turn red as she covered her mouth.
The others all smiled as they knew what the answer was already. Twilight was now thinking of how she responded to that question and how fast she answered it. That feeling was the same feeling she experienced the night before their graduation, where her true feelings for the boy were revealed.
"Then you know what you need to do," said Rainbow.
"We have faith that you two are meant to be with each other. And if you do truly love him, then you don't need to worry about any document," said Sunset.
At that moment, Twilight's phone began to ring as the girl looked at it.
"It's... Isaac."
Seems the boy had gotten her message from last night as he was calling her.
"Well, answer it," said Sunset.
Twilight took a deep breath and straighten out her hair. She then clicked on her phone and put the boy on speakerphone so that the girls could hear as well.
"Hello."
"Hello, Twilight," said Isaac as the girls heard his voice. "I didn't think I'd get you. I thought I would get your voicemail."
"No, I... decided to answer," said Twilight.
"I've been wanting to talk to you. I want you to be comfortable and... maybe if I just had a little... chance to explain myself... I don't know... I would love to do it in person. Maybe we can go to... lunch or something close by? Does that sound like something... you'd be interested in?" asked Isaac.
"Yeah, I'm in for lunch," said Twilight as she played with her hair a bit.
"Well, we can start to talk it over... and I just want you to know that... I miss you and I love you very much. So glad we can go together. You just tell me where to be, OK?"
"Okay, I'll meet you in 30 minutes," said Twilight.
"I love you, Twilight."
"Okay, bye."
"Bye."
The call ended as Twilight looked at the group as they had small smiles on their faces.
"I'm gonna meet with him," said the girl.
"So you're gonna agree to sign it?" asked Pinkie.
"Seeing him doesn't mean I'm gonna sign it. I just want to understand what all of this means, and I want him to make me understand. The least I could do is hear what Isaac has to say." said Twilight.
"Then you'd better get ready," said Rarity as she guided Twilight away so that she could fix her hair and make her friend look nice.
After about 15 minutes, Twilight prepared to leave the house. She told the girls that she'd be back as she allowed them to stay. They all wished her the best of luck in what might happen between two of their close friends. Twilight thanked her friends for visiting and talking to her about her problem as she left and promised she'd return after her meet-up with Isaac. The girl then got into her car and was now driving to the place where Isaac was waiting for her.
As their friend left, the girls then began to make themselves at home. Well... moreso for Rainbow Dash.
"Alright, she's gone." said the girl as she jumped on the living room couch. "Gotta say the geek picked a nice house. 70 inch TV, cable, streaming apps." She then began to pick up the control and was flipping through the different channels. Soon the TV remote was swiped out of her hands.
"Hey! I was watching that!" shouted the athletic girl.
"This ain't yer house!" shouted Aj. "It's Isaac and Twilights. So that makes you, a guest. So treat it with respect!"
"The geek isn't gonna be angry that we crashed at his place. Besides, Twilight said she'd be back, so we can watch Isaac's duel tonight together."
"Ohh! What party food should I make?" asked Pinkie as she now ran into the kitchen in a pink smoke trail as she looked inside of the fridge. All of the food inside was calling to the girl as angelic voices from heaven were ringing with Pinkie having a golden halo above her head.
"Pinkie! Don't touch stuff that isn't yours!" shouted Sunset as she went to stop her friend from raiding the couple's food.
"Oh dear," said Fluttershy as she hide her face behind a pillow as she saw two shouting situations occurring.
Rarity had been on her phone as the moment Twilight left, she had received a text message. She was busy answering but could still hear what was going on around her. Her thumbs dwindled at a fast speed as she then clicked send as her she to grab each of the four by their collars and sat them down in the living room.
"What the hell, Rares? We're supposed to be prepping for Isaac's duel tonight," said Rainbow.
"Actually... we won't," said the girl as the other five all had confused looks on their faces while the fashionista had a smile.
The drive wasn't long as Twilight soon found herself at the place where she told Isaac to meet up. It wasn't a fancy restaurant as she felt it would be the right atmosphere to have their discussion. She grabbed her satchel and slung it across her body as she exited the car and headed inside. She found a table as she sat down and waited. Twilight reached into her satchel as she pulled out her deck and began to look at them until she stopped on her High Priestess of Prophecy as it was her signature partner. It didn't take long as she saw the boy's cap as he had just entered the building. Isaac had just gotten done with his final rehearsals when he called Twilight as he had gotten the message she'd sent. He told Juniper that he was going to meet with his fiance for lunch to discuss as she wished him the best of luck.
Isaac approached the table as he saw Twilight sitting there as she tapped the table with her hand while the other played with her necklace.
"Hey," said the boy.
"Hey," responded the girl.
Isaac then took a seat across from Twilight as the pair looked at each other. Their eyes said it all, these past 24 hours since they last talked meant something. Their eyes stared at one another as it was conveying the message that they missed the other. The pair sat in silence as they were brought some menus. The waiter left them so that they could make their selection as both still stared at one another. Neither said a word as they wanted to see what the other would do or say.
"Well, I've been thinking about your paper," said Twilight.
"Ahh," said Isaac. "Yes. There's no nice way to do this. It's something that's necessary."
"Isaac..."
"If you were to turn into some sort of super evil person that I've never seen yet. Ironically, you did at the Friendship Games all those years ago, but that was evil magic. But if you did turn into that kind of person, I would be stuck." said Isaac.
"Being practically impact, I felt like you were being selfish, and you even tell me that the reason why you didn't give it to me before is that you're afraid I'd say no," said Twilight.
"Yeah," said Isaac.
"And that's selfish," stated Twilight looking at her fiance.
"Yes, you're right," said the boy.
"Huh?" was Twilight's initial response. She didn't expect that answer to come from the boy. If anything, his answer caught her off guard.
"You're right. I should have told you before you packed the first box," said Isaac as he took a deep breath. "I guess the reason I didn't ask you when I asked you, because I didn't wanna take something so wonderful and immediately fuck it up with something so business."
Twilight was taking in Isaac's words as she had could see where the boy was coming from.
"This is what my life is. This is what I wanted it to become," said Isaac. "You've met my family. Do you think my mom paid for that new house she lives in herself?"
"Yeah," answered Twilight.
"She didn't." smiled Isaac. "She tries to tell me that she doesn't need my money, but I try my best to be the best provider that I can. And not just her, all the organizations that I'm involved. Aj and her farm, Rarity, and her business. Even donating some money to Fluttershy for her animal sanctuary. I'm even covering the cost of the house that Pinkie is taking care of for us back in Canterlot. And I'm helping Mr. Johnson with the card shop that we built."
"Wow," said Twilight.
"I just don't want to ever be in a position where that's in jeopardy. All of it."
"I didn't know about that. I had no idea that you support this many people. No wonder you're always doing appearances. It's not just cause your job demands it, but you have to do it to keep others happy and to not let them down." said Twilight. "If I had the money, I wanna support my family and anybody else that I care about. And I'd be damned to let anybody take that away from me."
"Now you know what I do not regularly, but all the time since I became World Champion."
"Not a lot of men nowadays would take care of their family. Let alone be involved with so many other commitments. I mean, it's just amazing." said Twilight as she grabbed Isaac's hand as they looked at each other.
"So, I don't have to move your stuff out?" asked Isaac with a small smile.
"No. You don't have to move my stuff out." smiled Twilight.
"Let's just say, that we were to toy with the idea of being married?" asked Isaac.
"I know what you're trying to say. So... I came over with my own prenup," smiled Twilight smugly.
Isaac made a yeesh expression on his face, "Alright, what are your terms?" said the boy as he saw this coming from a mile away.
"You need to give me 10 to 15 kisses a day," stated Twilight as Isaac. "So can I?"
"Go ahead. I owe you 15 anyway," chuckled Isaac as Twilight got up from her seat and made her way to Isaac, and began to bombard his lips with quick pecks.
"Anything else?"
"Hmm... you need to buy me a few hundred books every year," stated Twilight as she sat in his lap.
"Didn't see that coming," snickered the boy. "What else?"
"That you love me every day for the rest of our lives. Isaac, I love you for nothing more than the fact that you are you. I don't want anything from you, but your dedication and admiration to me. I love you, I truly love you. And here's the proof."
Twilight then took out the document from her satchel as she clicked a pen and then signed her name on the dotted line. She then placed it on the table in front of them as Isaac saw it.
"So don't you ever let me go." said the girl as she held his face.
"I would never do that. Know why," said the boy as he placed his hands on Twilight's butt as he looked at her eyes and held the girl. "From the moment we met. I've always kept you safe and held you close. And I'd be a dumbass to ever think about the idea of letting a girl like you out of my life. You're the best thing that ever happened in my life, Twilight. So I'm holding you tight, forever."
Twilight then pressed her lips against Isaac as the two let out a moan. They opened their mouths and began to play with each other. Then parted as a trail of saliva connected their lips as their foreheads touched each other. Their necklaces also touched each other as Isaac bopped Twilight's nose.
"I love you, Isaac."
"I love you, Twily."
The pair smiled as they began to enjoy themselves. After they had lunch, Isaac had to head back to the arena. Twilight wished her fiance good luck and was driving back to the house. However, upon arriving, she was informed by the girls about Rarity's message as it got her to smile.
Isaac met back with Juniper as the girl asked her client how it went. Isaac told her about Twilight signing the document, and the two agreed to love each other. With that issue out of the way, the boy now began to run some final practice runs of his entrance.
"Alright, Isaac. Let's do this!" stated Daniel.
The video from that was shown earlier played on the titration. Once it ended, the music started to play as the World Champ emerged from behind the curtain and Isaac walked to the center of the stage as he stopped and began to do his thing.
"Remember, when you hear that beat drop. The 'ba ba', then you walk down the ramp," said Daniel in his headset.
That part of the song occurred, and Isaac started to walk down the ramp. He passed by the first hologram projector as the images of his pendulum hybrid monsters appeared. He kept on walking looking straight at the camera in front of him as the people behind it were rolling it on a dolly as they walked backward. He arrived in the middle of the ramp as he imagined looking at the crowd and all around him as he was soaking in the cheering.
"Remember to be at the halfway point of the ramp when the solo of the song kicks in," said Daniel.
Once the solo of the song finished, Isaac then waited for the second beat to drop before continuing down the rest of the ramp. Fireworks and pyro went off behind him as they shot from the stage into the air as the boy passed more hologram projectors showing his monsters. As he got to the tail end of the long ramp, he stretched his hands out as he pretended to give the people some passing high fives. He then took a deep breath as he then got on the dueling field.
The boy then stood in the middle of the dueling field as some laser light effects began to swirl around him as he had his head down and eyes closed to build suspense. He then shot open his eyes and stomped his foot on the ground as the grand finale of fireworks went off. The top of the arena could be seen shooting the fireworks into the air as they went off. Isaac gave one last smile to the hard cam as tipped his cap with the song ending.
"Cut! Perfect!" said Daniel.
Everybody gave a round of applause to the boy. Isaac was sweating bullets as Juniper brought a towel for her client as he began to wipe his forehead. She gave Isaac some water as he cooled off.
"Alright, then. We're all set. Places everybody cause the doors are about to open in fifty-five minutes! Let's go!" shouted Daniel as the whole crew now rushed to get everything ready.
"Come on, Isaac. Your duel is about to start," said Juniper as she led her client to his locker room so that he could spend this time to finetune his deck.
Once Isaac was inside of his room, Juniper quickly snuck away as she made her way to the backstage entrance. She opened the door as there was her surprise.
"Ready?"
The doors opened, and immediately, people began to file in. Tons of people. Kids to parents, to anybody. They all came to see the grand championship match that was about to go down. Merch stands and food vendors doing their thing of attractive consumers to buy. Kids begged their parents to buy a shirt with Isaac and his magicians on it, some wanting to buy a signed print of the boy. Even selling Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl hats and toy wands, as tons of girls and boys were running around laughing and smiling.
It was mere moments from showtime as Isaac had finished putting together his deck for tonight's contest. He looked at his deck and began to talk with his monsters.
"Alright, guys. It's finally here, we've been training. So let's go out and do our best. And win or lose, I'm proud to have you guys as my servants, but more importantly, my friends." said the boy as the spirits of all of his monsters appeared before him. They all bowed in respect.
"We shall serve you in this battle!" said the entire group in unison.
Mahad and Mana looked up at their master as he smiled. Isaac put his hand out as the two did so, with Kuriboh joining in. They all smiled as they prepared to go out and have fun. Not just for them, but everybody in attendance and watching. Isaac's monsters then disappeared as they returned to his deck, ready for battle. The World Champ then grabbed his hoodie, and instead of wearing it normally, he adjusted it on his shoulders so that he wore it like a cape. He took his cap and put it on his head as he began to walk out of his room.
He saw Juniper as she was near guerrilla as they were just about to start. Soon the lights in the arena all dimmed down as spotlights all over the stadium came on. LED screens turned on as the camera rolled, and drones in the air covered the footage. Celestia and Luna, Aj's family with the CMC, along with Isaac's and Twilight's families were all watching their TVs as they prepared to see the boy's duel.
The MC then appeared in his booth as he had a microphone in his hand. A spotlight shined down on him.
"Welcome everyone!!" said the MC as the crowd made some noises. "Tonight promises to be a very special night. For tonight the current World Champion will defend his rank against his latest challenger." said the announcer as Isaac's opponent was already on the field as he was given his introduction.
"90 seconds!" said Daniel as the MC was wrapping up the small intro for Isaac's opponent.
"Game time," said Isaac, jumping in place a bit taking deep breathes.
"Good luck, Isaac," said Juniper. She then clinked something on her tablet as it trigger a signal for someone as they saw it and recognized it.
Then it was time.
"And now... to introduce the current World Champion of Duel Monsters. Someone who has been a pivotal idol, not just in the community but around the world. Please get up out of your seats and welcome your World Champion, the Prince, Isaac!!!!" stated the MC.
At that moment, everybody looked to the stage as the video package began to play.
The video started with a low camera angle that only saw the feet of someone. They walked and the camera was still fixed on their feet. Then it slowly began to lift as it traveled up. The person walking was Isaac as he had his head down with his cap covering his face. Isaac was shown walking down a corridor as he was making his way up a small ramp to a curtain that was connected to the stage where he would exit to appear in front of the live crowd.
As the boy kept on walking, the sounds of people cheering were input as they chanted Isaac's name.
"Look, dad!" said a kid who was flank by another person. "It's Isaac!"
They appeared from the corner of the corridor as they saw the World Champ. However, the shocking thing about the kid in the video was that it wasn't just any kid. But rather Isaac from his younger years.
"ISAAC!!!!"
Isaac now turned around when he heard his name being called as he looked in the direction of his younger self. He was walking towards the small boy as the video then shifted with the young boy now turning into him from when he was in CHS. Isaac now stood in front of his teen self as both looked at each other. All around were still shots of Isaac's duels from his life.
Isaac's teen version smiled as he then shifted back to his little boy version as Isaac was now starting at the small kid.
"Go get'em, champ!" said the kid version of Isaac.
Isaac just smiled at hearing his own self say that. He took off his cap and placed it on the small boy as it was a bit big that it covered his eyes. Isaac then turned around as he continued to walk up the ramp as he passed through the curtain to the roar of the crowd.
"Wow," said Isaac's younger self lifting the hat from covering his eyes. The video package then ended.
"Let's get this shit!" stated Isaac as he passed through the curtain.
The music now began to play as a small platform that was part of the stage was rising. The music began to play as the people on it were playing it. However, the thing was that it wasn't just some people but rather the girls.
Juniper had made sent a text to Rarity asking the girls if they wanted to help introduce their friend by playing him to the field. They were all for the idea, as when Twilight arrived back at the house, they all zoomed over to the stadium and got their instruments set up. Rarity even had the perfect outfits made for them. She took inspiration from Isaac's gear and made one for each of them.
Starting with Rainbow Dash, her's was a dark blue jacket open zipper somewhat like Isaac's, but without the pauldron plaid-like cloth on his shoulder, and longer sleeves reaching just above her hands, the trims on the sleeves were a gold lightning design wrapped around the edge, the bottom of the jacket reached to just before touching her legs. The back of the jacket had a rather fierce design depicting a rainbow lightning bolt striking the bottom of the jacket and sparks of individual colors of the rainbow flying off and away from the impact site of the bolt. These designs seemed to be made of many different gems as they glittered in the light. To finish off the outfit on the collar, either side of the zipper teeth were rubies in the shape of miniature versions of Rainbow's element dangling. Her white undershirt although not as flashy, seemed to compliment the jacket for its simplicity compared to it.
Next was Applejack. Her outfit seemed to keep to a theme to match her personality, hat, and lifestyle. Starting with the red neckerchief around her neck it seemed to hold green vine-like curls that trailed near the edges of it. A green and white shirt plaid long-sleeved cuffed shirt, the back of it was of an entirely different design that resembled closely to a saddle that reached to just before her waist but had fringes that came off it and covered the upper parts of her legs. The plaid shirt however did not reach as far as it ended where a pleather edge wrapped around the stomach and looked like it connected to the saddle-like back part of the outfit. To add to this ensemble, she wore boots on her feet, they seemed to be the same material as the saddle part of Aj's shirt. The bottoms seemed to be encased in some sort of metal, a green strap buckled around the ankle part and at the front of the zipper that reached from the buckle up to the top. The top edge seemed to extend upward away from the top of the zipper as it wrapped around the leg. It looked like her regular cowboy boots, but with those metal plating on the bottom, they'd do a lot more damage if she decided to kick something.
For the fashionista herself, she wore what could be considered as a sleeveless V-collar top baby blue, with a very light pink band that traced around the collar an inch away from the edge. The top reached down till just about her stomach where a magenta sash wrapped around it, fastened in place but a diamond-shaped gems in the shape of Rarity's signature mark and where her pants would begin. The pants looked almost like tights and had a gradient. Starting from the sash, it was midnight blue and only started changing to a lighter blue around where the upper and lower leg would meet. Two silver lines went the outer sides of both legs and seemed to give off a weak shine. However, it was unclear how far the gradient went since she wore high pleather shoes that were a darker reddish color compared to Applejack's. There was a leather strap that wrapped around near the top of the shoes with a buckle on the outer sides of the shoes.
Fluttershy's took the same inspiration as Twilights did, but hers took on a more floral form. The entire outfit took on a rather light green path as the majority of its color with white as its follow-up color for trimmings, straps, etc. She was wearing a sleeveless hoodie jacket, made of thin and smooth material, unlike Twilight's jacket, the end of it reached down to her legs and then out and away from her body a few inches looking like flower petals just past the black belt around her waist, and her zipper having a pink butterfly. On her belt, her saddlebags resembled Twilight's, sans the color scheme and the latch. Her shoes also took a modern look, yet there were black trims where the front of the shoes would meet the white straps holding the shoes to her feet, with white soles and light everywhere else on those shoes.
Pinkie's outfit had a light blue buttoned-up blouse with the girl's mark represented at the front and center of it but cut in half to place on both sides of the line of buttons, with puffed out sleeves and frilled trimmings on them and the bottom of the blouse. Purple somewhat puffy pantaloons that end just before where the legs bend with the same frilled trimmings as she also wore red leg bands.
Sunset wore a dark black short jacket similar to her leather one as its sleeves reached to her elbows and stood at her chest area. She wore a red buttoned-up blouse with the girl's mark at the front and center. Above her exposed stomach, she wore a yellow sash that wrapped around it, fastened in place by gems that matched her mark. She wore some tight leather pants that hugged her body, her shoes that had red trimmings along the sides with a sun pattern in the color of brilliant amaranth with light apple green stripes that matched her hair.
And lastly, was Twilight. To be honest she was wearing the same outfit she wore when she and Isaac competed in the Duos Cup during high school. Rarity took that inspiration along with Isaac's new signature attire to create the others. She only made small tweaks and adjustments to her friend's outfit to account for her new body changes, but it still fit nicely.
Twilight's outfit consisted of a dark purple cloth jacket with two-tone streaks matching the streaks in her hair going up her sleeves connecting to her hoodie that matched their colors as well. It was zipped up with a gem representing her element as the tab on the zipper you pulled on. She wore light pink leggings that seemed pretty loose at the ends of her legs and ended a few centimeters from her blue laced boots. It had a modern look like Isaac's and held to her hind legs with dark blue straps at the front of the boot, in front of the tongues. Wrapped around her hip area was a belt with a specially designed saddlebag on one side while on the other was a deck box that was clipped on, with the same design and color code as her boots, only the latch resembled her element.
"Rarity, you make some sick outfits!" exclaimed Rainbow as she liked her outfit as she was playing her guitar.
Their platform rose when the video package ended as they began to play the music. They began to sing as Rainbow and Sunset took turns singing the first part of the song as the rest sang the chorus.
Ooh oh oh oh, ooh oh oh oh
Be careful making wishes in the dark
Can't be sure when they've hit their mark
And besides in the meantime I'm just dreaming of tearing you apart
I'm in the details with the devil
So now the world can never get me on my level
I just got to get you out of the cage
I'm a young lovers rage
Gonna need a spark to ignite
Isaac stepped through the curtain as the crowd went nuts as they saw the boy. He made his way to the stage as he was playing to the crowd and looked out at the sea of people. He was taking it all in, closing his eyes, enjoying the moment. He saw the girls on the platform to the side of the main stage as he couldn't believe what he saw. To see his friends, showing their support for the boy as he quickly wipe the happy tears from his eyes and then began to walk down the ramp.
He passed by the first projector as the images of his pendulum hybrid monsters appeared. He passed the second projector, as had his Dark Sorcerer, Magician of Chaos, Dark Magician of Chaos, and Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning images were shown. He kept on walking passing by another hologram projector as it was his pendulum crew. Passing another as it showed his Synchro monsters and his tuners.
My songs know what you did in the dark
So light em up up up, light em up up up,
light em up up up, I'm on fire
So light em up up up, light em up up up,
light em up up up, I'm on fire
Ooh oh oh oh (In the dark, in the dark)
Ooh oh oh oh (In the dark, in the dark)
The girls kept on singing as Isaac continued to walk down the ramp. He passed the image that showed his Fusion monsters. Then walking past the images of his Royal Knights, soon followed the images of his kid duo, Magician Boy and Mage Annette. Isaac had reached the middle of the ramp when suddenly he turned back to the platform the girls were on. Twilight took a few steps forward as she began to sing her solo.
All the writers keep writing what they write
Somewhere another pretty vein just dies
I've got the scars from tomorrow and I wish you could see
That you're the antidote to everything except for me
A constellation of tears on your lashes
Burn everything you love
Then burn the ashes
In the end everything collides
My childhood spat back the monster that you see
To see Twilight singing her fiance to his duel, made Isaac smile. She finished her solo with a wink and blew a kiss as she turned back to walk to the girls as they picked up the next part of the song. Isaac was now fired up even more as he kept on walking down the ramp. Passing the next set of images of his monsters. His Magician Girls along with his Apprentice Illusion Magician and Magician's Valkyria. Then his Magnet Warriors were shown as was his Electromagnetic Turtle as he was getting closer to the end of the ramp.
My songs know what you did in the dark
So light em up up up, light em up up up,
light em up up up, I'm on fire
So light em up up up, light em up up up,
light em up up up, I'm on fire
Ooh oh oh oh (In the dark, in the dark)
Ooh oh oh oh (In the dark, in the dark)
Isaac reached the end of the ramp as he passed the projector that has the images of his Breaker the Magical Warrior and Kuriboh. He was giving some of the kids some high fives as he passed and then took some quick photos. He stood at the end of the long ramp as on his right the image of his Dark Magician appeared, and on his left was his Dark Magician Girl. All three looked out into the sea of the people as they chanted the boy's name. To everybody in the stadium, they saw the still images of the boy's monsters. But to him, they were alive and seeing the crowd as they felt what their master was doing. With one final deep breath, Isaac now stepped onto the dueling field.
My songs know what you did in the dark
My songs know what you did in the dark
So light em up up up, light em up up up,
light em up up up, I'm on fire
So light em up up up, light em up up up,
light em up up up, I'm on fire
Ooh oh oh oh (In the dark, in the dark)
Ooh oh oh oh (In the dark, in the dark)
Ooh oh oh
The girls were wrapping up the final bits of the song as Isaac was in the center of the field. He had his head down as the lights darkened the entire arena as the laser lights shined down on the boy as it circled him. It was starting to change colors as it soon turned into a rainbow color. He then did the stomp of his foot as the wind blew in his face, and signaled the final fireworks to go off. The top of the stadium shoot off the pyro into the sky as Isaac looked at the hard cam for one final confident smile, tipping his hat as his friends finished the song.
The entire crowd got on their feet and applauded as the kids made loud cheers. Isaac looked around to see signs that showed their love and admiration for him. The World Champ was living in this moment, as he got to share it with his best friends. He looked back at the stages as he could see the girls also clapping for their friend. Twilight saw her fiance as she smiled and Isaac returned the gesture as they were looking forward to one day getting officially married.
Isaac now turned his attention to his opponent as he got into position for the duel. The girls stepped through the curtain as they met Juniper in guerrilla as they saw on the screen Isaac about to start his duel.
The boy had a smile on his face as he was grateful for all that had happened in the past weeks. Being able to see his friends after so long, getting his fiance to move in with him and show her the house where they would start their life together. Isaac pulled out his deck from his belt as he looked at it. The World Champ then slid it into his duel disk as it activated and projected a gold card tray.
"It's time to duel!" shouted Isaac.
Isaac was in his private room as he had finished his shower. He dried his face as he let out a sigh. He then began to open a few of the gift baskets that people had brought to him; after a while, he now began to pack his bag and backpack. He grabbed his deck that was on the table and put it on his belt. The boy exited the room as there was Juniper waiting for her client as the pair now walked side by side. They made it out to the arena as the girls were all gathered by it talking. They saw the pair as Twilight rushed over to Isaac who caught her in his arms as he spun her around.
"You did great out there," smiled Twilight planting a simple kiss to his lips.
"Thanks, but, I couldn't have done it without my friends," responded the boy as he put his arm over his fiance's shoulder.
"I knew you had it in the bag," stated Rainbow.
"Now who's ready for a celebration!!" shouted Pinkie as she had a party waiting for all of them once they got back to the pair's house.
With a unison of cheers, all nine of them now left towards the house. The party was in full swing as everyone was enjoying themselves. Isaac did a quick toast to the group as he had his arm around Twilight as listened to his speech. Once he said what he wanted, they all smiled.
"You know, Isaac. You said you dueled each of us as part of your special training, well... seems you missed one," said Sunset with a sly smile.
"What do you mean?" asked the boy.
"Isn't it obvious, sugarcube?" said Aj with raised eyebrows as she gestured her head to the side.
Isaac then looked to his side as he saw Twilight. He blinked for a few seconds as he soon got what his country friend meant.
"Ohh... well... I mean... we had our graduation duel and I think it's fine if we leave it at that."
"What do you mean?!" shouted Twilight as she gave her fiance a look. "Are you saying that you're a better duelist than me? Correct me if I'm wrong, honey, but didn't I beat you clean and you had the Egyptian Gods cards, hmm?"
"Yeah, but I won the other two duels and you had cards that I never saw before. So who really is the better duelist in this household?"
"Maybe the person who will be sleeping on the conch?! Ever think about that," threated Twilight.
"To be honest, the conch is a bit more comfortable than our bedroom. So really it's a win-win for me, Twily," snickered Isaac as Twilight made a pouting face. "That threat ain't gonna work with me."
"Will you two just duel already?" said Rainbow as she wanted to see the couple battle.
Both Twilight and Isaac looked at her and then at each other as they gave a shrug. They each grabbed their rectangle devices next to each other on the table as they made it to the front of the house on the small grass lawn. They stood apart a few feet as they pulled out their decks and slotted it into their duel disks. The others and Juniper all stood on the side as they prepared to see the couple about to battle once more.
"Opponent detected. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.
Twilight's Life Points: 8000-
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-
"Let's duel!" said both of them.
Turn 1: Isaac
"I'll start, and I play the field spell, Magician Salvation. By activating this card, I can now set my Eternal Soul from my deck, but it won't stay facedown for long, cause I'm gonna activate it so that I can summon my Dark Magician!" stated Isaac as he already had his ace on his first turn. "But I'm not done, cause I then play Bond Between Teacher and Student so make way for my Dark Magician Girl!" shouted Isaac as he had his other signature magician as they descended on the field.
"I then set a card due to my spell as well as another facedown and end my turn."
Turn 2: Twilight
"I too will play my own field spell, The Grand Spellbook Tower!" said Twilight as a giant tall building appeared behind her. "Then by revealing, three Spellbooks in my hand, I can special summon my High Priestess of Prophecy!" shouted the girl as her partner made its presence known as she levitated in the air with her legs crossed and a book in her lap. "I then play Spellbook Library of the Crescent, so since I have no 'Spellbooks' in my graveyard I can select 3 Spellbooks and you add one of them to my hand."
Twilight's cards then appeared in front of her they had their backs turned to Isaac and the others as they spun in a circle before stopping.
"Which one, honey?" smirked Twilight.
"The right one, Twily," smiled Isaac.
"Very well then, I now play my Temperance of Prophecy and then activate her ability. Since I played a Spellbook previously, I can sacrifice her to summon one Level 5 or higher Light or Dark spellcaster. So I choose my Dark Red Enchanter!" shouted the girl as she summoned her other ace of her deck as it appeared and bowed down before its leader and mistress. "I then play the card you selected, Spellbook of Secrets so I can add any Spellbook that I want. Then my Dark Red Enchanter gains a spell counter since I played a spell and its attack points increase by 300. I then end my turn with two facedowns."
The others saw the scene in front of them. Both Isaac and Twilight had their top spellcasters out as they were ready to battle. The monsters could sense the situation as they all had smiles on their faces as they were glad to see their masters in love and willing to spend the rest of their lives together. It also meant that all the comrades in each of their decks were now going to become even closers as allies.
"Ready, Twilight?"
"Ready, Isaac."
Both gave a nod as they thrusted their arms out.
"Attack!" shouted both the boy and the girl.
Each of their monsters now raised their weapons as they charged up their magic. With a nod to their comrade and from their respective masters, they all then fired their attack. All four spells headed towards each other as they all met in the middle. A huge light transpired as it held in the middle for all to see as some fireworks were firing into the air. While the attack was happening, Isaac and Twilight looked at each other as they were now ready. And of course, their future dream of them getting married, which would happen, but... that's a story for another time. |
Thirteen Reasons | pre | Celestia 'hmm'ed softly and stepped inside, finding the nearest lamp from memory and lighting it with a spark from her horn.
The narrow hallways' floral wallpaper was faded slightly and peeling near the roof. The floorboards were solid and worn from years of traversing, and there were a few drink stains and crayon marks along the edges. Celestia found the stairs with ease, her fake fur starting to singe around the edges.
There were five doors in the upper hallway. She knew which ones led to the bathroom, and to her own room. Of the others, one was a spare room, one held her older brother - some part of her knew he had moved back between jobs - and the last held the shared quarters of her parents.
She blinked a few times as the last of her cloak burned away, returning to her darkened skin. There was a chance that snooping into the wrong rooms would awaken the rest of her family.
She closed her eyes, mentally choosing a door.
She opened them to silk drapes and a dimmed lamp.
"Wha?" She muttered, sitting up. She slowly recognized her own room, the nervous tremors down her bones fading out. She leaned forward, resting her head in her hooves.
She felt tears running down her face, although she couldn't remember when she started crying. "W-what's real?" She sobbed. "What do y-you want me to f-f-feel..."
She sat like that for a long time, sobbing away the hours until dawn, until Luna's guard entered her chamber to wake her.
Is was the Changeling who had talked to her before, the pony hidden under the skin of a Pegasus long-gone. She did not speak when she grabbed him and pulled him into a hug, and he did not move to hinder or aid her. He simply waited for her tears to dry before helping her get ready to face the day.
As she left the chamber, Sky straightened the sheets on the bed with his teeth. As he moved the pillow, he saw a flicker of green from beneath.
He took a few steps backward, snorting in disbelief. The shock vanished quickly, overwhelmed by sadness and sympathy.
"Of all the ponies, you chose her?" His voice rasped around the empty room. His expression steeled quickly, and he spun, trotting stiffly towards the large doors. He paused, turning to look at the bed again. He smiled softly. "Goodbye, sister."
The doors swung once, and he was gone. |
Thirteen Reasons | Shades of Night | Celestia paused on the way to the throne room. The windows seemed brighter, as if the sun had already risen. She shook her head, and shut her eyes, muttering about caffeine.
The window remained stubbornly highlighted.
Snorting, Celestia wearily approached the offending decoration. The brightened edges seemed to shrink as she approached, but remained.
Tilting her head to view the sky through one of the less-tinted panels, she saw the moon shimmering happily back. She frowned, closing one eye, followed by the other. She remembered this effect from somewhere.
Ah, yes, of course. She leaned back from the colored panels with a contented sigh. Changeling vision.
She continued trotting happily down the hallway before the realization actually dawned on her. Her hooves ground to a stop on the plush carpet.
She heard a quick trot approaching from behind. She spun around to see Sky arriving in the hallway. "I'm not feeling well." She yelled hastily, starting into a canter back towards her room. "Tell Luna to hold down the court for today!"
Sky stepped aside, watching her pass, and continued on his way. "Yes, your Majesty."
Celestia shoved open the double doors to her bathroom. It was a decently sized room, sided on three walls by mosaics and the furthest by a mirror. The floor was a tiled representation of the Elements of Harmony - the crystals, not the bearers - and the roof was an enchanted glass replica of her own cutie mark.
The room lacked toiletries; being royalty, there was a whole other room for that. Instead, each side was mounted with shower-heads. Celestia turned on all of the showers, and quickly locked the door. The mirror quickly fogged up, and Celestia sat down.
She ran her hooves over the small gray patch under her chin. It had spread up the side of her neck, the nerves underneath nonreactive to her touch. She stretched out her wings, checking them for deformities; the inner feathers of her wing had discolored to a pale blue, and seemed to be a bit tougher than usual.
Her eyeteeth also felt rather jagged today.
Sky shifted his hooves nervously, one ear pressed up against the edge of the door.
Oh by the goddesses, Lady Luna. He moaned to himself, Why do you always pick me to do these things?!
Another characteristic of the Changeling race was their echolocation skills. This, as well as the enchanted armor of the Night Guard, allowed him to 'paint' entire rooms and their occupants from even the most minor of sounds.
The steady noise of over a dozen showers was more than perfect for the occasion. With his eyes closed, her could see the outline of Celestia's body as she checked her growing carapace, every single drop of water running down her back, the flickering sparkles in her mane...
...and her ears unconsciously spinning to face each new noise.
Most of the time, when he was upset, Sky was able to chatter to himself in the Changeling's natural language instead of seething quietly. He was barely breathing, lest Celestia's new powers had manifested enough to hear it.
Couldn't be an intern, no, it had to be the one warrior in her entire army she would recognize.
Against his will, he let out an annoyed chirp.
Celestia's head shot up. Someone was outside the door.
She snapped her wings shut, and flipped her mane to hide the armor.
"Who goes there? Announce thy name!"
"Um... there's nopony here!" A small voice replied. "I'm a... just a plant!"
Celestia snorted, turning off the water and flinging the door open. It stopped halfway with a thump.
"Who goes there?" Celestia repeated. "Who dares interrupt my bath?"
"Why did you open a door on my face?!" The intruder replied, scrambling to his feet.
"Sky?" Celestia replied. "Why were you behind my bathroom door?"
"I'm here on direct orders from Lady Luna to watch over you during your sickness." He flapped his wings on the mention of his Princess's name, the enchanted armor having turning the feathers to skin in the moonlight.
"Of course." Celestia muttered. Steam started rising from her back as her magic channeled into drying her fur. "How long are you supposed to be here for?"
"Um... until you get better, I guess."
With a quick flash, the sun rose to its' peak outside. The moon set a couple seconds after. Celestia sighed, collapsing on her bed.
Sky let out a disappointed chirp as the enchantment on his armor faded. His fur returned to it's orange shade, and he sat down to preen his disheveled feathers.
He seemed completely oblivious to Celestia's burning gaze. "Cloudy Sky?"
He glanced up, a feather still caught in his teeth. "Yef?"
"What happened to your sister?"
He dropped the feather. "She died in a magical accident when a Changeling attacked you during her initiation." He recited the words calmly, as if they were simple facts, as if the life of his family member was not fated by them.
"Of course." Celestia whispered. "How did you become a Changeling?"
He looked curiously at her. "I was attacked in my own home by a Changeling monstrosity."
"How long did you stay with other Changelings?"
"Haven't." He said simply. "I retained my disguise until the attack, and moved away whenever ponies became suspicious."
"Oh." Celestia rolled over, turning her back to the warrior. Her eyes closed as she thought.
He was silent for a few minutes. "You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?"
Her eyes snapped open, and she sat up abruptly. "What?"
His gaze drifted from hers to her pillow. Her blood ran cold.
"I lied." He continued. "I know what happened to my sister."
"What?"
His eyes narrowed. "Don't play games with me, Celestia." His body flashed green, and his Changeling skin took it's place. "You know what I mean."
"I... I..." She paused, before pulling the orb out from its hiding place. "Yes. I do."
He nodded gently. "I don't know why she chose you, of all ponies. You see, the orb..." He shook his head, frowning. "I have to go. Uh, good luck."
His guise blazed back into place, and he trotted quickly out of the room. |
Thirteen Reasons | Hallucinations | Celestia hadn't slept that night. Or the night after that.
Her weary shakiness and general dizziness had enforced her 'sickness' lie, and most ponies steered clear of her room.
And 'most' meant all but one.
Celestia pushed herself into a sitting position as the door opened. Cloudy Sky entered quickly, trying to avoid getting hit by the door as it returned to its original place. He gripped a large silver tray in his mouth, his wingtips touching each side to keep it balanced.
"Oh. It's you." Celestia slid back down the headboard, sinking back under the covers.
"Wm hmlm mm mm mu." He replied, rolling his eyes.
"What?"
He set the platter on the foot of her bed, frowning up at her like the mother of a disobedient child. "Well hello to you to." He deadpanned. "Now eat."
"I don't want to." Celestia replied.
"I made this myself!" Sky protested, hopping up onto the bed. He shed his Pegasus skin in order to levitate the tray. "The cooks said you 'needed to fast to recover'. There's nothing a crapload of herbal tea can't fix."
"You made tea."
"Oh, of course not, it's toilet water." He drawled. "Drink it."
She glared at him from the edge of the blankets. "No."
During the past week, the two had become close friends; even more so when she agreed that being her slave footstool helper was a much better punishment than banishment to the moon. He had refused to leave the room on numerous occasions and brought her meals against both the wishes of the kitchen staff and herself.
Close friends was putting it lightly. It was more along the lines of 'I want to kill you but I'd get arrested' and 'there is a signed document that keeps me from leaving you for more than an hour', which is basically what friendship is anyway.'
"I am royalty!" Celestia shouted. "There's nothing you can do to make me eat!"
"I will tickle you." Sky hissed, a dead-serious glare focused on Celestia's skinny frame. "Nopony will hear you scream."
Celestia gulped and vanished under the covers with a yell. "Tactical bedfort!"
"Wha?! No! Get out of there!" Sky chattered angrily as he attempted to haul the blankets up. "You are a Princess! You shouldn't act like this!"
The pillows in front of him lifted into the air with a golden glow.
"I hate you so much." He sighed, resigning to his fate.
Feathers flew as each of the plush headrests collided with gray shell. One tore open while gliding along his horn, catching on the tip and dumping feathers all over his face.
Celestia peered out from the blankets, cautiously levitating the rest of her arsenal.
"You made me spill my tea." Sky pouted, setting the mostly-empty teapot on the table at the other side of the room. He faced her with a devilish grin, a few feathers sticking out from his fangs. "Nopony gets away with that!"
He leaped towards Celestia's head, and she withdrew under the blankets again. She hooked his hoof upon landing and pulled him into the self-proclaimed 'bedfort'. Sky squealed in protest and scrambled to escape, mistakenly kicking her chin.
The resonding 'clunk' froze both captor and escapee.
"It's spread, hasn't it?" The way Sky said it, it had stopped being a question.
Celestia turned away, intending to hide the armor. Instead, she heard Sky inhale sharply. "What?"
"It's gone all the way down your neck." She felt a vague pressure along the base of her mane, and realized she couldn't truly feel his hoof. "Beyond, actually."
As he continued running his hoof down her back, she felt a mixture of fear and pleasure. It terrified her that she hadn't noticed, but something about Sky being so close to her made her feel... full.
Did you hear me?
"What?" Celestia tilted her head to see him. "I zoned out."
He wasn't smiling like usual. In fact, his expression could only be called shock. "You were broadcasting your thoughts."
"What?"
"You were using a hive link." He paused, before considering her ignorance and continuing. "It's a method Changelings use to communicate; we think out our plans, and nearby Changelings can hear and respond. It works much further than yelling, as well."
There were rapid taps at the door, encouraging the two ponies to emerge from the blankets.
The door swung open, revealing Luna and about ten of her guards. She looked about to speak, but blushed heavily upon seeing the two. The guards managed to avert their eyes after a few stunned seconds.
"Luna, why are you..." Celestia slowly came to a realization, focusing her gaze on Sky as he reached the same conclusion. "This isn't what it looks like!"
"We're not I mean she's not nothing - AUGH!" Sky let out a yell as he was unceremoniously shoved onto the floor. "We weren't doing... that!"
"O-of course, sister." Luna replied, her voice much meeker than normal. "Um... the Changeling guards," she nodded to her companions, "said they all heard something. Apparently is sounded like you. Are you... um... alright?"
"Something about 'feeling full'." A guard elaborated, blushing heavily. His shimmering blue eyes seemed to glow against his gray coat. Celestia was somewhat impressed by his closeness to his Changeling skin, while distant enough to avoid suspicion. "Um... thanks."
"For what?" Celestia asked.
"Complimenting my disguise." He replied, frowning slightly. "How can you use the hive link if you're not a Changeling?"
"Okay, you caught us!" Sky suddenly shouted. "We're together. We're so in love that we can understand each other."
"Sky?!" Celestia shouted.
"I must have just thought too loudly while I was trying to figure out what she was saying." He sighed. "If we could have some privacy, please?"
All of the ponies in the room were blushing now, Celestia included. Luna and her guard quickly turned tail and fled, slamming the door behind them.
A few awkward moments passed before Celestia finally regained her voice. "Sky, why did you say that?"
"Would it have been better if I told them you were turning into a Changeling?" He replied calmly. "They already suspected it. The least I could do was save your reputation."
"Oh..." Celestia felt somewhat let down. "Thank you."
He blinked, as if he expected her to react differently. "You can thank me once you finish her memories."
Celestia looked towards the ball on her bedside table, currently disguised as a 'broken' lamp pull. "...okay." |
Thirteen Reasons | Sheer Exhaustion | Celestia gritted her teeth as she was flung into a world she should have had no part in. But here she was.
The scent of ponies, of warm meat, filled the narrow space. It was all she could do to keep from drooling.
One part of her that existed in this place was filled with primal lust; wishing she could simply break through the doors and devour anything breathing inside.
One part of her wanted to simply be in the presence of her family, and feel their love.
One part of her couldn't figure out which to choose.
She shrunk back against the wall as a loud chorus of hoofbeats echoed from one of the rooms. A faint memory drifted up; "I have to get up early, Shimmer. If I want to be a guard, I have to rise with the sun."
He didn't choose me to serve under, though. Celestia remembered. I was too cruel to his kind.
The door swung open, and a ratty-maned and bleary-eyed Sky slowly walked out. He stopped in the doorway, obviously seeing Celestia but not really registering what was going on.
In a blur of motion she had no recollection of deciding, she lunged forward. Her fangs dug into his mane, and one wing slapped over his mouth. With a wild leap, she crashed through the window at the other end of the hallway.
There was a single moment where she seemed to hang in the air, the glass around her full of reflected light, and the rising sun burning brilliantly on the skyline.
And then she hit the ground, spears of pain shooting up from her hooves. She ground her teeth together to stifle a screech and started running. Her free wing flapped occasionally, freeing up pressure from her front hooves for a few moments. Sky was struggling against her grip, using his mouth to bite at her neck instead of yelling.
The dark shadow of the Everfree Forest started to show as the meager town ended. In a matter of minutes, Celestia tore through the first layer of undergrowth and into the lower grasses inside.
Without thinking, she started heading to the Old Ruins, a place she remembered exploring with Luna at somepoint, and even more vaguely with Sky himself.
Slowly, the thick forest thinned, opening into a clearing. The sun streamed down in larger patches now, dappling her dark gray flank with silver spots. Sky had given up, falling limp and opting to look around instead. Celestia fully felt the pain in her legs now, spikes that shot up her limbs with each step. She slowed her pace, the soft grass keeping some of the pressure off her heels.
The entrance to the ruin was less overgrown than she remembered, of course, and it was much easier to traverse. She wandered off to the side, finding the entrance to what might have been a dungeon, once. The stairs were little more than lumps, and it was almost easier to slide down than take individual steps. She removed her wing from Sky's muzzle, hovering down the narrow chamber and into the open room below.
Little half-walls had eroded from bars and stone, sunlight lancing in from occasional holes in the roof and the upper half of the dungeon.
Celestia kneeled down, laying Sky gently on the stone. He stood up and backed up calmly, watching as she collapsed to her side and began nuzzling her hooves.
"Who are you?" His tone was rough, and harsh. A part of her stung from his unfamiliarity.
"It's me." She whispered, looking up to meet his eyes. He stepped back, frightened of her voice.
"I don't know you." A cross between disgusted and curious, she noticed.
"You do." She insisted, hissing as she found a tender spot on one leg. She felt traitorous tears rising in her eyes. "You have to remember me, big brother!"
She heard him snort, his hoofsteps backing away. "My only little sister is Magic Shimmer! You're a-a monster!"
A monster...
Celestia looked up at him, now crying fully. "Sky! Please remember me... please..."
You're a monster...
"You can't be her. She's in Canterlot, training."
I'm a monster...
"No... it went wrong... I was... I made a mistake."
I'm just a monster...
"What happened?" He was sitting now, not far away.
I'm... just...
"Your sister... the Changeling... you switched." She choked out. "The Changeling went to the Academy... your sister was captured as a Changeling spy." She saw Sky open his mouth, but she held up a hoof to quiet him. "Celestia watched over. The Changeling's task was to kill your sister, and... she couldn't. Celestia figured out they had been swapped, and..." she paused, swallowing, "...and your sister tried to protect the Changeling."
"What do you have to do with this?" Sky asked quietly.
"All of their magic - Celestia's guards, Celestia herself, Magic Shimmer and Cocoon - combined. Your sister and the Changeling were caught in the crossfire and... merged." She took a deep breath. "I... I am that merge."
Sky's breath hissed as he drew back. "That's impossible. The Princess would never let that happen."
Celestia nodded slowly. "It happened."
Sky was still frowning, but his emotions were a whirl of chaos. "I... I can't... why did you bring me here?"
"I needed you to listen."
"But... my family... my friends... my girlfriend..."
Celestia felt a sudden hope spark in her chest. "I'll see if I can get someone to come, okay? But please... stay here."
He frowned, but nodded. "I'll wait two days for you to come back."
Celestia slowly got to her hooves, her legs hurting less than before. "Goodbye, big brother."
His expression was flat, his eyes flashing like flint. "You are not Magic Shimmer."
Celestia frowned, but backed up nonetheless. With one backwards glance, she trotted up the worn stairs to the surface.
Celestia quietly slid the deadbolt closed as she exited the castle. Concentrating on the image of her brother, a green flame quickly consumed her gray skin.
While Cloudy Sky sat patiently under the stone of the castle, watching the beams of light play across the floor, his sister donned his skin and hunted for their family.
Sky watched in silence from the foot of Celestia's bed. His breakfast lay cold beside him as he sat, waiting for the Princess to wake up.
He ran a hoof over the blankets on her tail, watching her pupils flick around under her eyelids. She whimpered, frowning, before her expression calmed again.
Sky sighed, reclining against one of the bedposts. He closed his eyes, tuning into the hive link for a few moments. Her voice was there, again.
I'm so... hungry...
...but I'm a monster...
...I'll always be a monster...
Sky frowned again, petting her tail through the shimmering fabric. He tore his gaze from her peaceful face, and gazed out the window instead.
"I don't think you're a monster."
Celestia rolled over, one wing tangling the mess of blankets. Sky quietly released the appendage, watching as she opened it fully before pulling it closed.
"I don't think you ever were." |
Thirteen Reasons | Blood Moon | My brother has changed.
She did not even notice that she referred to Sky as hers, and to be honest would not care even if she had. She had approached the town, and, seeing a house with a broken window, trotted up.
"Oh, honey! I thought you ran away!" A tall, extremely curvy unicorn sauntered out of the house, her coat sticky with sweat. "Give Mommy a hug!" She leaned forward, but pulled back at the last second with a little laugh. "Oh, I guess I shouldn't. Work came home today."
Glitter Dancer... the Unicorn with a name that didn't sound like magic...
Celestia was suddenly very grateful that contact had been avoided.
"Mom..." The word felt familiar in her mouth, "where's Dad?"
Her face fell. "He'll be home... soon. Come inside, Sky."
"I'm sure you know the story by now."
The memory fizzled out with a snap, and Celestia could see that she was outside, pinned under a semi-transparent wing. Judging by the high stone walls, this was it. Her final moment.
Queen Chrysalis continued talking, her voice a mere whisper. "The evil Changeling emptied the soldier of love. He became her first victim, but there were many. They were produced naturally, through the breeding of the transformed." She laughed, and the 'chink' of chains and a slight choke notified Celestia that her collar had been pulled taught. "And eventually, she attacked you. Did you know her then? Did you see yourself reflected in her eyes?"
"Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings!"
Another jangle of metal as the Queen lifted her head, probably looking the speaker in the eye. "Yes?"
"This is to be the day of your execution! Do you have any last words before you are punished?"
She growled, loud enough to see the guards around flinch slightly. After a few moments, they caught on that she was laughing. "You think... you think that I will give you the pleasure of begging for my life? No such thing!"
The guards snorted in shock. Hoofs pawed angrily.
"You really think that I, Queen of the Changeling nation and ruler of millions, will fall to her knees and pray to your goddesses?! Fire away, boys!" She ended with a maniacal laugh, her breaths rasping from starvation. "Take your best shot."
She struggled against the chains until she was standing tall, and lifted her head proudly. Even in death, she was the epitome of pride and dignity.
The magic of the unicorns swirled as one, each pinpoint of light a bright gold. Celestia heard Chrysalis sigh.
"You've already done this to me once."
The eyes of a few guards burned white with the power they were amassing.
"Don't think it'll work this time, either."
The beams started lancing towards her, and Chrysalis charged her own spell.
"Goodbye for now, Celestia."
The entire scene disappeared in green light.
Celestia's eyes snapped open in her own room. Her body was drenched with cold sweat. She felt like she didn't fit in her own bones. Panting and bleary-eyed, she rolled off of the bed and blundered into the bathroom. Her hooves felt light, her head felt heavy, her fur felt like it was stuck to her flanks...
She clicked on the light and stopped dead.
She was staring into the eyes of a off-white Changeling Queen.
With a terrified screech, she reared up, kicking the intruder. A cracking noise followed quickly, and the Queen vanished under a spiderweb of cracks.
"P-Princess! Are you alright?!" Sky cantered in, silently cursing himself for closing his eyes. "Prince... oh."
Slowly, Celestia turned to face him, consciously aware of the lack of her mane flowing beside her face, the lack of wings folded warm against her back. "Sky..."
She slowly kneeled, rolling onto her side and staring into the mirror from the ground. That was her now, she noticed.
She was as tall as she was before. Her coat was a bit grayer than it had been before, and her mane was a pearlescent pink-blue.
That was where the similarities ended.
Her eyes were slitted like a cats', the irises around them a pale purple. Her horn was a twisted, holey mess, and her ethereal mane was reduced to a thin, silky sheet, also riddled with holes. Her wings were the same not-quite-gray as her coat, an insectoid web folded into itself. Her back was covered in a domed shell that matched the two-color sheen of her mane, offset by three blue bands on each side of her ribs. Her tail matched her mane almost perfectly.
And on each flank was a pale, splotchy, crude crayon-esque sun.
"My... Queen." Sky muttered, still in shock.
"I am no Queen." Celestia growled. She heard the echoes of her own voice, the three-part cadence that made up her new speech. She thought she detected Luna and Nightmare Moon in her own words, and sighed.
"Queen Celestia." Sky repeated, bowing down on one knee. "I am under your command."
"I told you, I am no Queen!" Celestia yelled, jumping to her hooves. "I am a Princess of Equestria! I am a Sun Goddess... not a... matriarch of monsters..."
If Sky was offended, he didn't show it. "My Queen, you must tell your sister of your developments, or I will."
"You will do no such thing!" Celestia growled, turning to glare at him.
Sky was suddenly aware of just how much taller she was than him. "A-as you wish. B-b-b-but she will see you at some p-p-point, won't she?"
Celestia grimaced, looking back to her splintered reflection. "I guess I will have to remain here until I master my own form."
"You can't."
"I will." She replied firmly. "No matter how long it takes."
"Not that, you just can't."
"Elaborate."
Sky sighed, scuffing his hooves. "You can't ever turn back into your own form."
Celestia snorted. "You did."
"I was created differently than you were!" He protested. "I was drained... you were... assimilated."
"What's the difference?"
"The ponies drained of love still retain clear memories of themselves and their lives. Assimilated ponies find their memories too garbled with that of the Changeling that changed them to discern their own form."
Celestia scoured her mind, trying to find a way to link that perfect princess she had in her mind to a memory, to something that would make it her. The further she struggled into the memories, the harder it was for her to catch glimpses of herself,.
A single memory flashed out of the gloom.
A pale white face stared towards her.
"I'm sorry." It mouthed.
And then it was gone.
She sank to her knees, her panicked breath fogging up the glass. "Who am I? What do I do?"
Sky slowly lay down beside her, reverting back to semi-instinct as he began gently preening her mane. "Your name is Princess Celestia." He softly reminded her. "You have a sister named Princess Luna..." |
Thirteen Reasons | Before Sunrise | There was a loud crash as one of the light bulbs in the chandelier above blew out. A series of small shards of heated glass rained down upon the pony waiting patiently below.
Each fragment hit almost eerily with their sharp edges against her sides, but each one slid away and left no mark.
Celestia sighed, shaking a few settled pieces from her back. Sky watched nearby, eyeing the strange ceremony curiously. She had explained her motives, but he couldn't help but feel scared each time a new shower of glass sprayed down upon his Queen.
After a few more showers, the room was plunged into darkness.
"M-my Queen?" Sky called. "Why didn't you just turn it off?"
He heard her sigh. "Because Luna knows where the switch is. She would have turned on the lights the second she got worried."
"Oh."
The two stood in shadowed silence.
"My Queen?"
"You can just ask the question, Sky."
"Oh. Um..." He shuffled his hooves. "I... I... I think... I think I love you."
He blushed as he felt Celestia's head alongside his own. "Don't worry, my little Changeling." Her lips grazed his cheek. "I might just love you too."
"Sister? Are you in there? Your lights are out."
"I am aware of that, Luna."
She shifted awkwardly. "Well, I guess it's fine... may I ask why?"
"Because I... I don't want you to see me right now."
"Why not?"
There was a shuffling, and the door closed gently behind Luna. "Can you trust me?"
"I will always trust you, sister."
Slowly, a pair of glowing blue eyes opened to Luna's right.
"S-sister?"
Another pair of eyes opened. And another. And another. Within moments, all but one splotch of the room was dotted with the eyes.
"Do not be afraid, Luna."
A dim gold glow lit the room, illuminating the face of a Changeling Queen. Her eyes sparkled in the light, evoking a strange feeling of family from the Night Princess.
"It's me." The creature ahead of her was speaking, but the voice was that of her sister.
Slowly, the light intensified, defining the faces around the eyes; pupil-less lenses became defined pupils as Luna slowly recognized members of her guard and workers around the castle.
"S-sister? What did they do to you?"
The Queen looked away, glancing down to a Changeling beside her. "They did nothing."
"B-b-b-b-but you-"
"I know what I am!" Celestia replied forcefully, her eyes narrowing towards her sister. "And I am placing my trust in you! I protected your identity when the Nightmare overtook you, and I wish for you to do the same for me!"
Luna gaped around at her guards before snapping her mouth shut and nodding firmly. "You may trust me. I will not speak of this."
Celestia sighed. "Thank you, Luna."
The Changeling at Celestia's side chirped loudly, nudging her with a hoof. The two carried on a conversation in chirps, as Luna waited awkwardly.
"Whenever you talk to me where others may hear, please call me Cocoon."
"Of course." Luna turned to leave, but looked back at the last second. "When will you tell Equestria?"
"When I am ready."
The second Princess nodded, leaving the room.
Celestia looked around, meeting the eyes of every one of the Changelings in the room.
"Please, sit down."
They all obeyed, despite being slightly confused.
"Now please... tell me everything about you."
One Month Later
"We understand that thou has been displeased with the absence of thine Princess of the Day! Fret no longer, citizens of Equestria, for your Princess is alive and well, and shall be making an appearance once you all quiet!"
The panicked masses fell silent under Luna's call, looking up to the balcony.
"If you see anything that frightens you, do not fret! All is well!"
A loud muttering broke out, ponies clamoring to understand why such a message would be needed.
The regal Alicorn posed in front of a mirror, fretting up at her crown.
"Is this really necessary?"
"Yes." Celestia replied, watching from the other side of the pane. "Refold your wings, you look like you just ran a marathon."
"I feel like it!" The second Celestia replied, obediently fluffing her wings. "You made me change all over again to fix minor details!"
"Whatever do you mean? Your crown is off-kilter."
"Thanks." She fixed the tilt, before frowning again. "Oh deary me, you're missing one of the points on my butt-tattoo! Better redo everything!"
"I don't sound like that." Celestia replied. "But thank you, Sky. For everything."
The other-Celestia frowned. "Oh, my precious little pastel ponies, I've missed you so much! Teeheehee!"
Celestia frowned again, taking on the form of one of the Solar Guards. "My hatred for you has reached a peak."
"You won't be thinking that tonight~!"
"Cloudy Sky!" Celestia yelled, blushing furiously.
"Sister!" Luna announced, looking back from the balcony. "Oh, uh, sister! Are you coming out here or not?"
"Here goes nothing..." Celestia muttered, donning her golden armor.
"Yeah, like you're the one this whole facade is resting on." Sky simmered, shifting his hooves.
Celestia trotted out into view, seeing a dozen other guards at various points in the crowd, each resonating with the green essence of Changeling. Sky followed after her, his disguise reviewed over and over until every little detail was perfect.
"Citizens of Equestria!" He yelled, his greatly-more-feminine voice subduing the crowd. "I have come before you today to address the problem of my absence!"
Celestia glanced up at him, waiting for the key moment.
"I do not wish for you to be fearful of what I am about to say. This is the truth of the matter and shall not be taken lightly. Please, my subjects, do not flee."
He looked down, meeting Celestia's eyes. She nodded.
A dozen-and-two ponies vanished under pillars of green flame.
A dozen-and-two Changelings took their place.
The real Celestia soared up into the air without hesitation, her gossamer wings catching the sunlight and directing it upon the masses below.
"Do not fear, my little ponies! This is no corruption, no attack. I... I am Princess Celestia."
The gasps and screams rose up around her final words, the Changelings in the crowd fleeing to the rooftops to avoid the angered masses. There was nothing she could do anymore, she realized, she was the enemy, and they were the prey.
"Changelings, come to me!" The small group fluttered up to the balcony, trying to act as Equestrian as possible. "Go down to the entrances and barricade them." She instructed calmly. "Inform the other Changelings to disguise themselves or hide. Instruct the guards to set up at their outer posts. Dismissed."
As the ground clambered off into the castle, Luna trotted up to her sister. "They will accept it in time."
"Like they accepted Discord or Nightmare Moon?" She sighed. "Admit it, sister, they are as close-minded as the Griffons."
"That may be true." Luna answered. "But they need time, and kindness. Discord threw the world into chaos and was not gentle in the process. Nightmare Moon attempted to exterminate the pony race by pushing the sun from the sky. You are still you, just in a different skin. They will find their way in time."
Celestia turned, walking away into the darkness of her room. "We shall see, my sister. We shall see." |
Thirteen Reasons | Daybreak | Celestia stood in the center of the crater. The burned husk of the Changeling hive lay dead and black around her, the tearing wind and pouring rain having washed away the blood and the grime of a battle once fought. Equestria's closest town lay as a dark smudge on the horizon, the flowing grass replaced fluidly by rolling golden sand. A few barren, spindly trees reached their dead, gray fingers to the unforgiving sun, pleading for rain that rarely came.
A golden crown hit the ground with a crack, a layer of dust billowing out from the impact.
"Do you see?" The Princess whispered. "Do you understand what I had to give up?"
She looked around, knowing full well she was alone here.
But despite her soul being the only one, she felt an energy flowing through the ground that she had not known before. She recognized it now.
It was love.
The love of Changelings rushing to defend their families. The love between the parents making their final stands over pits of foals. The love released as their lifeblood ran on the stone. The love left to fizzle away.
Celestia fed her own energy into the ground, her energy merging with that of the hive.
"Do you understand what I'm willing to do?"
Spires of green-gray crystal began to spike from the edges of the crater, stone and love congealed into a solid form. Branches spread like fans, stretching and connecting.
"Do you understand what I'm willing to give?"
The spires arced, connecting at the top of the dome. The last of the crystalline fans wove together, the last of the unfiltered sunlight dying out.
The Princess of the Sun and the Queen of the Changelings stood still, the emerald sunlight wreathing her in a warm embrace. A late whirl of wind from her spent magic blew a cloud of sparkling dust into the air.
"Do you understand at all?"
---A few months later---
"My Queen, the third nursery is complete."
"Thank you, Chimera."
The small Changeling scuttled away, replaced by yet another.
"My Queen, the fifteenth embassy has returned from Ponyville, and they say it was a success."
"Thank you, Seethe."
Celestia looked up as a series of hooffalls echoed above, the oddly heavy sound of Equestrians. A tall Changeling mare strode in, grinning happily. "And this is the main chamber, that over a hundred Changelings go through each day! It's also home to our Queen, Celestia!"
A series of small faces peered over, around and under the guardrails, each foal scanning the chaotic mass for the Queen. Celestia rose up, spreading her wings and soaring up to the platform. With a sudden thud, she landed, the class of foals scrambling behind the surprised Changeling guide.
"A-ah, Queen Celestia!" She bowed quickly, her wings instinctively fanning over the foals. Shouldn't you be working? She projected into the hive mind.
Celestia laughed, nodding her head for the guide to stand. "I'm here to look at our latest batch of Changelings." She grinned evilly, flashing her fangs. "I hear foals are quite juicy."
The schoolchildren screamed and reversed, except for one. "What if we wanna be Changelings?"
"Well, you can come back when you're older. We accept new Changelings all the time, but you have to be old enough." Celestia softened her smile, drawing the young foal into a nuzzle. "Now, Sketch, run them along. Don't want them to be late for the chariots."
"Of course! Come along, colts and fillies! And don't mind silly ol' Celly, she's just prickly when she has to work all day." With that closing statement, Sketch trotted away, a double line of foals trotting after.
Another Changeling landed beside Celestia with a grunt, watching the foals depart. Celestia confirmed it was Sky with a sidelong glance. "So, my Queen, what do you think? This new life fitting you?"
Celestia smiled, turning and scanning the hive, bustling with life and energy. She sighed happily, a wing draping over Sky. She remembered Queen Chrysalis, her tyrannical ways and the ways she had branded onto her Changelings. She remembered her own failure, sentencing her to death, killing thousands of Changelings in the process. A little tingle of respect, of love, sparked inside her. I forgive you.
"You know what, my little Changeling? I think I'll be just fine."
---END--- |
Finn and Jake Meets... My Little Pony | pre | The princess and adventurers are taken to the entrance of a castle where a revolving crystal heart spin between crystal spikes. "It's nice meeting y'all, but we gotta go! Enjoy your stay!" the yellow Pegasus said before the guards leave. "Or don't..."
"Where can we find the friendship problem?" Jake asked Twilight Sparkle.
"The Map doesn't specify who's in trouble. You have to find it yourself." Twilight Sparkle answered.
"Then let's get started!" Finn said as he and Jake turn around, but Twilight Sparkle leaps in his way with a smile.
"Why don't I come with you? Y'know, to observe your process." Twilight Sparkle asked excitedly as she gets close to Finn.
"We're good." Finn declines as he backs away.
"Okay... I'll just be in the library... waiting..." Twilight Sparkle said before flying away.
"Jake, what time is it?" Finn turned to Jake.
"Friendship Time!" they hoofbumped to kick off their new adventure.
They explore the streets, passing shops and cafes run by fancy-looking ponies. "Why'd you think this Tree chose us to give counselling to random ponies?" Jake asked Finn.
"Maybe it's a test to see if we're righteous heroes." Finn suggested.
"We'll have no problem, 'cuz we're already righteous heroes!" Jake said confidently as they approach a male yellow Pegasus guard with a blue mane. "Hey, you. Have you seen friends having problems?"
"Did your dog talk?" the guard asked Finn in surprise.
"Again with the talking dog thing! There are dragons that use their fire to send mail, for crying out loud!" Jake exclaimed in frustration.
"I'm Finn, this is Jake. We're sent by Princess Twilight Sparkle to solve a friendship problem." Finn introduced themselves to the guard.
"Princess Twilight Sparkle? If there's anything I can do to help wards of her highness, Flash Sentry is at your service." the pony introduced himself proudly. "If you're looking for friends having problems, I think I know who fits the bill."
"Lead the way, Flash." Finn said as they follow him.
At the castle, they peek inside a breakroom to see the five guards from earlier doing their own things away from each other. "They're the welcome party the captain sent. They didn't make us feel all that welcome." Finn observed.
"They joined pretty recently, and were tight as a hay bale. Now, they barely tolerate each other." Flash Sentry explained.
"Sour Sweet might seem nice, but she loses her patience fast. Don't wanna get on her bad side." Flash Sentry pointed to the yellow Pegasus polishing her helmet.
"Sunny Flare's creative at designing armour and weapons, and is really protective of her work." he pointed to the unicorn screwdriving a metal cuff.
"Indigo Zap is competitive, and gets intense during training, aiming for the top in anything." he pointed to the other Pegasus doing sit-ups.
"Sugarcoat always has something on her mind, and lets everyone know, even if it hurts." he pointed to the twintails guard squinting her eyes at a book.
"Then there's Lemon Zest. She never takes off her headphones and gets distracted all the time. Despite this, she's got some crazy focus when needed." Flash pointed to the pink pony dancing to her music.
"If you need help, don't be afraid to call on me." Flash Sentry told them before walking away.
"Thanks, Flash!" Finn waved.
"How should we enter? We can't go in without a good reason." Jake asked Finn.
"But we do have a reason." Finn said as he held Sunny Flare's sunglasses.
They barge into the room, gaining the guards' attention. "Hey, us again! You forgot your sunnies." Finn announced himself before Sunny Flare swiftly takes the sunglasses back.
"Thank you! Now get out! This room's staff-only." Sour Sweet growled before pushing them to the door, only for Jake to stretch into a door-sized block, terrifying everyone except a distracted Lemon Zest.
"First it talks, now... that! Who are you two?!" Sugarcoat said in surprise.
"We're the guys who's gonna make y'all friends again!" Finn answered proudly.
"*SCOFF* We're already best friends forever, aren't we?" Indigo Zap asked the others, only to be ignored.
"We don't need your help, so go away." Sunny Flare refused sternly.
"As a hero, I vow to help anyone in need, no matter how small their problem." Finn told her seriously.
"My problem is that a foal and his freak dog waltz in thinking that they can stick their muzzles into other ponies' business! And the only way to solve it is for you to leave!" Sour Sweet yelled before bucking Finn and Jake out the door and slamming it shut.
"That's a bust." Jake groaned in defeat.
"I'm not giving up. We're gonna make them friends again. Once they're on duty, we'll split up and talk to them one-by-one, ask what happened between them." Finn declared.
Sunny Flare is in the armoury, checking for damage on helmets when Finn approaches her from behind. "You're the kid that returned my sunglasses. What're you doing here?" Sunny Flare asked him.
"I wanna see what you're working on, just in case you're slackin'." Finn answered.
"I'm a hard-working guard who takes her job seriously... unlike Indigo..." Sunny Flare said before moving to another table to resume working on her cuff.
"You think she's not hard-working?" Finn peeks over her shoulder.
"All she does is fly circles around the castle and calls it patrolling. One time, she kicked up wind strong enough to blow all my designs out the window." Sunny Flare recalled.
"Why don't you talk to her 'bout it?" Finn suggested.
"As if she'll ever stop to listen." Sunny Flare scoffed. Finn tries to peek at her work, but is met by a wall of spears pointed at him.
"Get out." Sunny Flare said sternly as her horn glows. After Finn is escorted out the door by the spears, Sunny Flare hears a clatter from the armour racks and sees a purple blur jumping out the open window.
Sour Sweet is patrolling the garden, decorated with beautiful crystal foliage and flowers, relaxing as she sniffs a strange yellow flower from a topiary. "The flowers look beautiful this time of year." Jake greeted her.
"Ah!" Sour Sweet screamed before swatting him out of the bush and into the crystal flower bed. "Don't you have anything better to do?!" she growled in frustration.
"Nope. This is what I'm here for, and I'm not leaving 'til I fix your problem." Jake answered as he stretches into dog form.
"Will telling you my problem make you go away?" Sour Sweet rolled her eyes.
"Probably." Jake answered.
"It's Sugarcoat!" she blurted. "That blabbermouth runs her trap about whatever whenever she pleases! Once, I told her to take my place guarding the royal baby's room while I did errands. When I came back, the captain was there and said Sugarcoat ratted me out!" Sour Sweet explained, getting increasingly angry. "I had to sharpen spears overtime as punishment!"
"Did you talk to her?" Jake asked.
"I don't see a reason to." Sour Sweet turned away. "If you'll excuse me, I've got a garden to patrol." She flies off without another glance at Jake.
Indigo Zap is at a track doing pre-flight stretches when Finn approaches her. "Hey there, Indigo Zap. I heard from the other guards that you're pretty fast." Finn greeted her.
"Fast's an understatement. I'm the best flyer in the Crystal Empire, and I make sure everypony knows!" Indigo Zap boasted.
"You must've broken records." Finn said.
"I would've... if it weren't for Sour Sweet." Indigo Zap clenches her teeth.
"What'd she do?" Finn asked.
"I was 'boutta make my fiftieth winning practice race in a row when she pushed a thundercloud in my way! I made second place!" Indigo Zap ranted.
"Did she apologize?" Finn asked.
"She didn't even stick around to see me lose!" Indigo Zap exclaimed. "I'm done talking. See ya never, kid." Indigo Zap groaned before zooming off. Finn hears a click and turns around to see a camera engulfed in purple aura floating away.
Sugarcoat is in the city, reading a notebook when a weird yellow bird falls on her face. "Hi." Jake greeted Sugarcoat before she shakes him off.
"You're a stubborn dog-thing, y'know that?" Sugarcoat said to Jake.
"You investigatin' crime?" Jake asked.
"Theft. According to the victim, the perpetrator was a yellow unicorn mare with a curly red-and-yellow mane. He didn't see her face or Cutie Mark since she wore a cloak. They clearly didn't want to be recognized." Sugarcoat explained.
"I'll tell you if I see her." Jake said. "With that seg outta the ue... what happened between you and your friends?"
"I found the hard way they can't be trusted." Sour Sweet looked down. "Sunny Flare asked if she could borrow my glasses for a project, and I said yes. A few weeks later, I found she's been hiding the fact that she broke them." Sugarcoat explained.
"All this over glasses?" Jake commented.
"It's not about the glasses. I thought I could trust her with something important." Sour Sweet answered sadly as she turns away. "Apparently, I can't." she said before walking into a lamp post. As Jake goes in the opposite direction, Lemon Zest emerges from an alley behind him, looking distraught.
Outside a cafe, Finn and Jake meet with Flash Sentry to exchange their findings. "Glasses! Glasses!" Jake recounted frustratingly, attracting the other patrons' attention.
"And they all refuse to talk?" Flash Sentry asked.
"Communication is key in any relationship." Finn commented. "What can we do to convince them to just talk?" Finn wondered.
"We kidnap them and put them in a room." Jake suggested.
"I won't be an accessory to that." Flash Sentry declined.
"If we're going to make them friends again, we have to do it non-violently." Finn told Jake.
"What about Lemon Zest? Have you talked to her?" Flash Sentry asked them.
"We couldn't find her anywhere." Finn said.
"Um, hi..." a voice greeted them. They around to see Lemon Zest with a sheepish smile and her headphones down. "Got room for one more?" Lemon Zest asked.
"Sure. Take a seat." Finn gestured to an empty chair.
"I'm sorry about my friends." She took her seat. "I appreciate that you're trying to help us."
"Lemon Zest, what can you tell us about your friends?" Finn asked.
"We met in prep school before King Sombra's rule, and suffered during it." Lemon Zest began. "We stuck together as friends and held onto the hope of better days to come. That day came when the Spike the Brave and Glorious and his allies saved the Crystal Empire and restored our hope." Lemon Zest explained.
"Were they always this stuck-up?" Jake asked.
"Not always. We were miserable under King Sombra. After the Crystal Faire, we expressed ourselves more freely and followed our passions, becoming different ponies than before." Lemon Zest answered.
"The fact you're here means you're different from your friends. Why'd you come to us?" Jake asked.
"I..." Lemon Zest said before she tears up. "I'm tired of it! The bickering, the fighting! I can't take it! " Lemon Zest cried. "We joined the guard to defend the Crystal Empire against evil-doers like King Sombra so nopony can be miserable again! Now we can't be in the same room without starting an argument."
"Haven't you talked to them?" Flash Sentry suggested.
"You've met them! They're not the friends I knew, they're... mean! I may look happy when my music's on, but I still hear every mean thing my friends say!" Lemon Zest answered.
"Lemon Zest, this situation isn't something you should avoid. If you talk your friends through, you can bring them back together." Finn persuaded.
"I'm too scared to talk to them. They won't listen to anypony, not even me." Lemon Zest declined in fear.
"They need more convincing. Got any keepsakes from the good ol' days?" Jake asked Lemon Zest.
"Sure do. I sometimes look at old pictures of us." Lemon Zest said as she gives Finn a black-and-white photograph of Lemon Zest and her friends; looking plainer than their present selves.
"Jake, you may be onto something with the room, but they have to come willingly." Finn turned to Jake. "Flash, you're gonna help gather them, since they're probably not keen on seeing us again." Finn instructed Flash Sentry. "We're gonna make them friends again, or my name isn't Finn Mertens!" Finn declared.
Unknown to them, Twilight Sparkle is spying on them at another table, hiding behind a newspaper as she stares at Finn intensely
In the tundra, a portal opens for two towering figures to emerge. "So, this is another universe? We just had to land in their arctic." the shorter figure with glowing blue eyes groaned.
"Our target is nearby. Focus on that." the larger figure said in a menacing voice as their yellow eyes burn through the snowfall. Metal clanking echoes through the snowstorm before two fast-moving shapes plough through the snow.
To be continued... |
Finn and Jake Meets... My Little Pony | Chapter 4 | Sour Sweet is flying around the castle when Flash Sentry approaches her. "Hey, Flash. S'it time to switch shifts?" Sour Sweet asked.
"Actually, there's something you should check in the relic room. It's real messy." Flash Sentry said.
"If it's a broken vase, I'm not sweeping." Sour Sweet sighed before descending.
Sugarcoat is at a street corner talking to a crystal pony when Flash Sentry comes. "Flash Sentry. Need something?" she greeted him. "I'm in the middle of questioning a witness."
"A painting from the relic room's missing!" Flash Sentry informed her urgently.
"Might be an unscheduled restoration. But since you bothered a recruit instead of somepony else, I'll check it out." Sugarcoat said before handing him her notebook.
As she leaves, Flash Sentry looks at the notes and raises an eyebrow. "Unicorn mare... curly red-and-yellow mane... huh, sounds familiar."
Sunny Flare is sketching in the armoury when Flash Sentry barges in. "Flash! Don't look!" Sunny Flare exclaimed as she covers her work.
"I've received word a dangerous criminal's cornered in the relic room! We have to get there now!" Flash Sentry informed her hurriedly.
"Sounds like a good opportunity to test out my newest project." Sunny Flare said as she puts the metal cuff on her front right hoof.
Indigo Zap is taking a water break at the track when Flash Sentry tiredly limps to her. "Indigo... you... in..." Flash Sentry panted.
"Drink this, handsome." Indigo Zap gives him water from her bottle.
"Guh! Thanks." Flash Sentry sighed in relief. "We have to get to the relic room, fast! An intruder's holed up there!"
"Fast, you say? I'll get there faster than a blink of an eye!" Indigo Zap said confidently before zooming away.
At the relic room's doors at the end of a hallway, Sour Sweet, Sugarcoat, and Sunny Flare arrive. "What're you doing here?" Sour Sweet asked Sugarcoat.
"Move aside, I've got experimental equipment to test." Sunny Flare rudely pushes them aside.
"Don't break anything then hide it for weeks." Sugarcoat said sarcastically.
"Will you get over that?!" Sunny Flare roared.
"If you do, Sugarcoat is sure to inform the captain of such a mistake." Sour Sweet teased Sunny Flare smugly.
"Incoming!" Indigo Zap zooms into her ex-friends, slamming them into the room.
"Watch where you're going!" Sunny Flare scolded Indigo Zap as they lie on the floor.
"I gave you a heads-up!" Indigo Zap argued as they all stand up.
"Which painting was stolen?" Sugarcoat wondered.
"A painting? I was told there's a dangerous criminal that needs taking care of." Sunny Flare said before the doors close, revealing Lemon Zest behind them.
"Hey... everypony." she greeted them meekly.
"Lemon Zest, glad to see you! Seen anypony fishy around here?" Sour Sweet asked her.
"Maybe she's the fishy one!" Indigo Zap accused Lemon Zest.
"She does have a habit of bumping into things and breaking them." Sugarcoat suggested. "Almost like somepony I know." she glares at Sunny Flare.
"That wasn't my fault!" Sunny Flare argued.
"Then why'd you hide it?!" Sugarcoat barked.
"If nobody's going to take this seriously, I will." Sunny Flare looks at her cuff.
"What's that doohickey?" Indigo Zap asked.
"Don't touch it! You'll ruin it like you ruined my designs!" Sunny Flare cupped her other hoof over her creation.
"I never did anything like that!" Indigo Zap defended.
"Yes, you did!" Sunny Flare insisted. They all argue over each other, to Lemon Zest's distress as she breaks down.
"Enough!" Lemon Zest screamed for everyone to stop. "There is no painting! Flash brought you all here to talk."
"Then this was a waste of time." Sunny Flare walks to the doors, finding them locked.
"Looks like it's stuck. Old castle doors, y'know?" Lemon Zest smiled awkwardly as she discreetly pockets a key.
"I don't wanna spend another second with you ponies. I'll break down this door if I have to." Sunny Flare said as her horn glows.
"Like you did to my glasses?" Sugarcoat said to Sunny Flare's frustration.
"For the last time!" Sunny Flare zipped to an inch from Sugarcoat's muzzle. "I. Did. Not. Break them!" she growled, restarting the four-pony argument.
Upon seeing this again, Lemon Zest gulps and takes a deep breath. "I said that's enough!" Lemon Zest yelled at the top of her lungs, gaining her friends' attention. "Look at this." Lemon Zest presents their old group photograph to them.
"This was when we enrolled at Crystal Prep." Sour Sweet noted.
"I was so pumped to be there, and even more pumped when I met you guys." Indigo Zap added.
"Oh, my manestyle was so cute back then. Remember when I gave everyone braids?" Sunny Flare cooed affectionately for everyone to nod in agreement.
"This was before King Sombra invaded. We thought we'd never see another day of freedom again." Sugarcoat remembered sadly.
"What happened to us? When we joined the guard, we were as close as friends can be." Lemon Zest told them.
"Lemon, things change, for better or for worse. Including friendships." Sour Sweet told her.
"Yeah, we get better at what we do, like soaring fast!" Indigo Zap boasted.
"Fast enough to lose my designs." Sunny Flare grumbled.
"For the last time, I don't know what you're talking about!" Indigo Zap roared.
"You know very well! Three months ago on the fifth, you were doing your so-called 'patrols' when you flew past the armoury, creating a vacuum that sucked my designs out the window! I spent an entire afternoon scouring the city for them!" Sunny Flare recounted.
"The fifth? I had night patrols." Indigo Zap told her.
"You did?" Sunny Flare said in surprise.
"She was. I was with her." Sour Sweet corroborated.
"Unfortunately." Indigo Zap rolled her eyes.
"Excuse me?!" Sour Sweet exclaimed furiously.
"I don't feel comfortable around ponies who ruin my winning streak." Indigo Zap turned away.
"When'd I do that?" Sour Sweet asked.
"Our fiftieth practice run. You pushed a thundercloud in my way! I saw you fly past me!" Indigo Zap answered.
"I was a couple places behind you the entire time! There's no way I could even come near you!" Sour Sweet told her.
"Then why were you the first pony I saw when I got outta that cloud?" Indigo Zap interrogated her.
"Because she overtook you." Sunny Flare answered for he Pegasi to look to her. "I saw it from the ground. The cloud came up behind you by itself. When it did, Sour was already about seven places behind you." Sunny Flare explained.
"You assumed I did it?!" Sour Sweet asked Indigo Zap frustratedly.
"Uh, guess I did." Indigo Zap rubbed the back of her neck.
"Sugarcoat, why are you angry with Sunny?" Lemon Zest asked.
"She broke my glasses and hid it." Sugarcoat answered.
"Did you let her explain what happened?" Lemon Zest asked.
"No." Sugarcoat lowered her head shamefully.
"I found it already shattered in the armoury one morning, so I hid it to give me time..." Sunny Flare explained as she searches her armour's pockets. "...To make these." she presents a pair of orange-framed glasses to Sugarcoat.
Sugarcoat takes it from her and puts them on, and is amazed to see the world clearly again. "These... these are better than my old ones. I can see clearly again!" Sugarcoat looks to her friends in awe.
"I wanted to give them to you sooner, but I guess I was angry, too." Sunny Flare explained.
"I think I'm seeing a pattern here." Sour Sweet narrowed her eyes. "Sugarcoat, you didn't rat me out to the captain, did you?"
"No, I stood guard at Princess Flurry Heart's room for five full hours." Sugarcoat told Sour Sweet. "I may be brutally honest, but I wouldn't tell on my friends." she assured.
"Did the captain say Sugarcoat told him herself?" Lemon Zest asked.
"He mentioned a letter... oh." Sour Sweet answered, widening her eyes at the realization.
"I didn't write a letter." Sugarcoat added.
"Oh... um, Sugarcoat... I'm sorry." Sour Sweet apologized nervously.
"It's alright, Sour Sweet." Sugarcoat assured.
"We really should've had this talk a long time ago." Indigo Zap said.
"I guess the guard work took its toll on us, and we were too stressed to talk about our problems." Sour Sweet added.
"We're sorry, Lemon Zest." they all apologized.
"I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't've sheltered myself in my music, and just spoke out sooner. I'm just glad to have my friends back." Lemon Zest apologized as well.
"We're still friends, no matter what." Sour Sweet assured Lemon Zest before they all hug her, letting her cry tears of joy.
"Woo! Yeah! Go Lemon Zest!" a voice yelled to everyone's surprise. They break the group hug and look to the end of the room to see Jake stretched into a vase.
"Jake, you blew our cover!" Finn emerges from behind Jake.
"What're you two doing here?" Sour Sweet asked them tensely.
"We're helping Lemon Zest. You wouldn't listen to us, so we encouraged Lemon Zest to talk to you herself." Finn explained.
"I guess we have you to thank for bringing us together." Sunny Flare chuckled.
"And Lemon Zest. She's the one who came up with all that crud to convince y'all to get back together." Jake added.
"Finn, Jake, thank you for giving me the courage to talk to my friends. I dunno what I would've done without you." Lemon Zest thanked Finn.
"No prob. It's what us heroes do." Finn said as his Cutie Mark glows.
"You're glowing again!" Jake said as he glows.
"You too!" Finn pointed.
"Does this mean we completed the friendship quest?!" Jake said excitedly.
"Radical!" they both celebrated with a hoofbump, when barging into the room is Twilight Sparkle with a wide smile.
"Finn! Congratulations on your first friendship quest! You're a true hero!" Twilight Sparkle congratulated Finn with a tight hug.
"Were you outside the entire time?" Jake asked her.
"I, uh, just happened to be in the area when I heard you in here." Twilight Sparkle answered awkwardly.
"C'mon, everypony. Let's go on break, together." Sour Sweet said as she walks out the room with her friends.
As they leave, Flash Sentry rushes in front of the door. "Finn, Jake, everyone! Something's happening outside! Unknown objects have been spotted entering the city!" Flash Sentry informed them to their shock.
"Sound like more trouble!" Finn declared before they gallop away.
As they hurry outside, a hooded pony emerges from a pillar to spy on them. "C'mon, friends! Let's make the captain proud!" Lemon Zest rallied her friends.
The hooded pony stamps her leg and pulls back her hood, revealing a yellow unicorn mare with wavy red-and-yellow hair and seething blue eyes, matching Sugarcoat's suspect description. "Great, they're friends again." She growled. "Ruining their friendship should've been the perfect revenge for making a move on my little pony." she locks eyes on Flash Sentry. "Human, pony, I don't care. He'll be mine." she declared before retreating to the shadows.
The heroes arrive in the city square to witness two unidentified objects in the horizon zooming towards them, letting out faint roars. "What are they?" Sugarcoat wondered as she adjusts her glasses.
The objects skid to a stop before them, revealing to be a rusted S.U.V. and a yellow-and-black pony car. The S.U.V.'s back opens up to reveal injured guard ponies escorting an injured white unicorn stallion wearing golden armour, alongside an unconscious pink winged unicorn wearing a tiara.
"It's Captain Shining Armour and Princess Mi Amore Cadenze!" Lemon Zest said.
"Shining Armour? That's your brother!" Finn said to Twilight Sparkle.
"Cadence! Shining Armour! What happened?" Twilight Sparkle asked the stallion in shock.
"Too... many..." Shining Armour groaned before falling unconscious for the guards carry him away alongside Cadence.
"I don't know what these things are, but they saved the princess and the captain." Flash Sentry said as he knocks on the yellow car. In response, the car breaks apart into smaller components, rearranging into a humanoid shape with door-wings and a helmeted head with blue eyes upon a metallic visage, terrifying the guards as it focuses on Finn and Jake.
"Bumblebee, what're you doing in Equestria?" Finn asked it.
"Finn? you're a pony?" the robot said in surprise as the S.U.V. transforms into a taller, menacing form with a squared helmet, sharp teeth, and asymmetric claws.
"Eighty-One? You're here too?" Jake asked the other robot.
"You know these... metal things?" Twilight Sparkle asked Finn and Jake.
"They're friends of ours. We met them on our adventures." Finn answered.
"We're Cybertronians from the planet Cybertron." Bumblebee introduces themselves. "I'm Bumblebee of the Autobots. C-Eighty-One here's a drifter." Bumblebee informed them.
"Perceptor sent us to track down something very dangerous." C-81 presents a purple crystal.
"It's the crystal core of creatures that attacked Ponyville!" Twilight Sparkle recognized.
"Crystal Terrorcons we call them. We saw them attacking Cadence and Shining Armour, so we destroyed them before they could do any real damage." Bumblebee explained.
"This crystal, I know it too well..." C-81 muttered. "Dark Energon: the unholy lifeblood of the dark god Unicron. It could spell catastrophe in the wrong hands."
"The Injector, it can make soldiers from gems... it all makes sense." Finn muttered as he pieces everything together.
"We have more specimens at my castle. You know more about this material, so you're welcome to examine them." Twilight Sparkle offered them.
"We appreciate your cooperation, Twilight Sparkle." C-81 accepted.
"Ah-ah-ah! That's Princess Twilight Sparkle!" Bumblebee wagged his finger at C-81.
"You know who I am?" Twilight Sparkle asked in surprise.
"We know all about you and your friends in Ponyville! Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy!" Bumblebee told her excitedly. "I'm a big fan."
"Oh... is that so?" Twilight Sparkle said nervously.
"Guess this is goodbye." Finn faced the guard ponies.
"We'll see each other again soon." Lemon Zest smiled.
"We'll be sure to stick together like glue on a scrapbook." Sour Sweet assured.
"And bring Rainbow Dash! I still want that race." Indigo Zap raised her hoof.
"Hopefully, we'll wear shiny new sets of armour by then, courtesy of yours truly." Sunny Flare said proudly.
"Please don't stalk us next time." Sugarcoat said bluntly.
"We'll talk over coffee, my treat." Flash Sentry offered.
Finn and Jake wave to their new friends as they follow Twilight Sparkle, Bumblebee, and C-81 out of the city. "Bye, wife-stealer! Bye, Shadowbolts!" Bumblebee waved to the guards.
"Wife-stealer? I'd never do such a thing." Flash Sentry said.
"Heart-stealer, more like." Sunny Flare moved in with a smile.
"Shadowbolts? Sounds like a good squad name, don'cha think?" Sour Sweet turned to her friends.
By sunset in Ponyville, Finn, Jake, and Twilight Sparkle disembark from the train as Bumblebee and C-81 transform from their flatcars, tearing off their restraining cables and scaring ponies on the platform.
"I can't believe I'm in Ponyville!" Bumblebee squeaked.
"We're here to investigate the Dark Energon. We're not tourists." C-81 reminded Bumblebee.
"Aw, c'mon. Live a little, we're in Equestria!" Bumblebee said as they leave the station, when Spike worriedly waddles to them.
"Twilight, thank- ah!" Spike looked up fearfully to the Cybertronians.
"Don't worry, they're friendly." Finn assured.
"Spike, what is it?" Twilight Sparkle asked.
"The crystals, they've escaped!" Spike exclaimed before the Castle of Friendship east wall bursts open. They rush to the castle where they find Crystal Terrorcons crawling all over the place, now resembling robots like Bumblebee and C-81.
"Looks like they upgraded!" Finn pointed to them when they hear Rarity screaming from inside.
"The marshmallow's in trouble!" Bumblebee said before he and C-81 grabs everyone and climbs the building.
They scale the castle to the lab where they find Crystal Terrorcons taking Twilight Sparkle's friends hostage. "Lemme go, ya oversized glass figurine!" Applejack demanded as she tries to wriggle out of a Crystal Terrorcon's grip.
"You dunno who you're messing with!" Rainbow Dash roared.
"We're too late!" Twilight Sparkle exclaimed
"Please, don't hurt us..." Fluttershy cried.
Upon seeing her tears, Bumblebee's eyes narrow. "Let go of Fluttershy!" Bumblebee screamed before priming his plasma cannon.
"Twilight, help us!" Rarity cried out.
"Where'd you get those metal guys?!" Pinkie Pie wondered.
"No time to explain!" Finn brandishes his Night Sword as Jake inflates his fists.
"Hold tight, girls!" Twilight Sparkle shouted.
Bumblebee first shoots a Crystal Terrorcon holding Starlight and Maud Pie captive, freeing them. "Spike, evacuate your fellow supporting cast outta here!" Bumblebee commanded.
"Supporting cast?!" Spike blurted in confusion before Starlight telekinetically grabs him.
"We'll leave this to you, Twilight!" Starlight Glimmer said before they leave the lab.
As the heroes rush to save their friends, Crystal Terrorcons burst from a wall and swiftly tackle them all into a mirror connected to a machine, entering its reflection like a portal.
"Twilight!" the ponies screamed as the creatures take them away.
The heroes find themselves falling through a rainbow vortex with the Crystal Terrorcons behind them. As the Crystal Terrorcons converge, C-81 grabs one from behind and flings it past Bumblebee's shoulder. "Nasty abominations." C-81 pumps a laser shotgun.
"Get over--!" Finn screamed before he and Jake are swiftly captured by the giants. "That all- Aaah!" Finn screamed as the Crystal Terrorcon forcibly tears off his robot leg.
"Let him go!" Twilight Sparkle grabs Finn by his backpack to free him before the giant yank them away, tearing off the bag by its straps before escaping into the vortex wall with them. "No... my friends... Finn..." Twilight Sparkle muttered in defeat as she holds onto the bag.
Suddenly, a group of Crystal Terrorcons ambush her in mourning. "Twilight, look out!" Bumblebee said before pushing Twilight Sparkle away, letting the giants attack him. They overwhelm him with unnatural speed and tear him apart limb-from-limb.
"Bumblebee!" C-81 screamed before firing on the giants with his laser shotgun. They respond by taking Bumblebee's remains and throwing them at C-81. Before Twilight Sparkle realized it, the last thing she sees is Bumblebee's dented head throttling at her before everything goes dark.
THE END |
The Playground Bicycle | pre | Niko looks confused until he feels something secure around his neck. Looking into the mirror he spots a purple velvet choker secured around his neck with little pink hearts decorated across the band every quarter inch. He smiles as he runs his fingers over it, and then looks to her with a raised an eyebrow. "So... Are you finished?"
She nods, "Yes indeed! Though perhaps I should get you some earrings for your next outfit."
"Good, then it's my turn."
She furrows her eyebrows, and then squeaks as he suddenly picks her up, carrying her to a couch as he walks on his knees. She sputters protests until he silences her with a kiss. Slowly she relaxes, and slips her tongue into his mouth as she wraps her front hooves around his neck. They make out happily for a few minutes before breaking for air, a bit of saliva connecting their lips.
Rarity smiles up at him from her position on her back. Looking down she sees her erection, and gives him a sultry look. "Now look what you did you naughty filly~"
Her tone sends a shiver down his spine, and he looks down at it. He hasn't tried to make love to an adult pony yet, but the size of it is easily twice what Applebloom stuffed in his behind. Swallowing softly he says, "S-sorry..."
"Oh you're not so easily forgiven," she chuckles, putting a hoof on his head. "Take responsibility for what you did, and suck mommy's cock..."
His face ignites as she pulls his face towards her erection, the flared mushroom shaped tip already glistening with precum. He runs his tongue over it earning him a shuddering whimper from the seamstress. She rubs his head with a hoof as he rubs her "head" with his tongue, tracing his tongue down her shaft.
"Darling stop teasing mommy, and suck it," she says breathlessly, smiling erotically at him.
He nods, and opens his mouth, careful to keep his teeth off the pony meat invading his mouth. Moaning softly at the oddly sweet taste he closes his eyes, trying to sink as much of her cock into his mouth as he can. He holds her hips in his own as he carefully lifts her back half off the couch with every gobble of her dick.
Rarity looks like she's in heaven, "Oh that's a good girl~! Yes, give mama lots of love~! Oh it's been far too long since I've had this sort of attention..."
Niko smiles around her cock, and jerks when he feels her using her magic to tease the base of his tail, stirring the plug around in his ass. He moans sluttily around her shaft, making his lover bite her lips in joy, and smear more precum over his tongue.
"Oh yes, yes Niko! Ah! Mama's gonna Cum! Mama's cumming~!!!"
He almost gags in surprise at the feel of her load firing into his throat, but dutifully does his best to swallow it. He doesn't want to get the new outfit messy, and he loves her flavor that reminds him of slightly salted marshmallows, and grapes. When the forceful spurts subside he's rewarded with that thick cream all over his tongue.
When he's sure she's done he slowly pulls off her, not wanting to waste a single drop. Rarity pants as she watches him swish it around in his mouth softly with a smile, and then swallow it. Smiling she moans softly which dissolves into a giggle. "Did you like your treat my good little filly?"
He blushes, and nods slowly, slipping into the roleplay. "Y-yes mommy..."
She slowly gets to her hooves, her softening erection starting to get harder again. "Well, mama still wants to play with you. Turn around, and let me have that sweet pussy~"
Obediently he turns, and lifts his skirt up. Gasping he slowly pulls the plug out of himself. Rarity takes it with her magic, and sets it on the couch beside her before hopping off to the floor. Smiling she mounts him at once, gasping as she feels both their erections rubbing through the fabric of his thong. With a giggle she pulls back, lines up her dick, and slides inside.
Niko gasps, and pants softly as she gently stretches him wider than anything he has taken up the ass yet. Once she's a little over halfway buried in him she starts to jerk her hips back and forth, pulling a moan from him with every thrust forward.
"Is it too much?" She leans to the side to get a glimpse of his expression.
He shakes his head, "No mommy, I can take more~!"
Smiling she suddenly thrusts the rest of herself into him, slamming their hips together, and eliciting a very girlish squeal from him as she starts to hammer him with abandon. She hasn't gotten laid in a month or two so now she has the intention to make full use of her given outlet.
Niko drools softly as he hangs out his tongue, gripping the carpet under them. "Oh! Oh! Oh yeah! Mommy it's so good!"
She groans as she drapes herself over his back, "Oh I'm so glad to hear that dear~! Cuz mama's almost done, and she's going to fill you up so much with all her love!"
Niko's eyes almost roll back as he hears this, just imagining the feeling has him putting a fresh stain in his panties. He doesn't have to imagine long for seconds later Rarity gives a whorish moan as she climaxes deep inside him, still thrusting her hips as her seed pours into his well used behind. All the while Niko spurts his own load into his panties, his semen starting to leak through the fabric to drip on the floor.
Rarity slowly pulls out of him, plopping down onto her plot with a satisfied smile. She watches her seed pouring softly from him so with her magic she plugs him back up with his tail. Perhaps a bit harder than she had meant to, but Niko certainly doesn't seem to mind.
Niko smiles back at her, relishing his new place in life... Bent over, and servicing pony cock to his heart's content. |
Tugging at my undead heartstrings | pre | Beneath the glitter of the highrises though, there was the undercity, a dank and dark world ignored by the upper classes. Here it was everypony for themselves, where a pony would sell you one of their kidneys if it meant putting food on the table, or others who would gladly take yours for exactly the same reason. In a place such as this, two vamponies could exist for months, years even without raising any suspicion.
Every member of the Suns kept a largely independent network of sources to do their scouting for them. In this place mine was Fast Eddie. Not his real name of course, but I didn't ask and he didn't tell. He didn't know who I worked for, and ultimately he did not care. He was well paid for his services, his interest starting and stopping at the bag of bits I chucked his way.
"You are looking for two new arrivals, go by the names of Lyra and Bon-Bon. Green unicorn and cream Earth Pony. Put the word out; follow but do not approach. Once you find where they are staying you call me at once, understand?"
Eddie nodded, not looking up from the pile of bits he was counting out on the table. "Whateva ya want lady. Them's as gooda found. You leave it to old Fast Eddie, he getcha what you want." Despite his crude lingo, Eddie was correct. He had never failed me before. I had no reason to start doubting him now.
With the undercity ready to be scoured for my quarry, it was time to return topside. My upbringing as a Canterlot noble, plus my position as a respected cello player allowed me to move through certain circles far more easily that any old hood. On the very slim off chance that the vamponies did not try to go to ground here, the upper class could be my best chance to find them. Nopony gossiped like a rich pony bored.
Lyra
The underbelly of Manehattan blossomed before us. A signal to all the world that you had just hit the notch above rock bottom. Securing a place to stay had been surprisingly easy, just crack open one of the abandoned shacks listed as condemned. Nopony on the street paid the slightest attention to us, just another two lost souls adrift in a sea of misery.
The apartment was squalid. Dirt and dust covered every exposed surface. The heartbeat of rats could be heard from every room, many of them scuttling away at the sound of our voices. A grimy double bed took up most of the bedroom, rags of a sheet still covering the mattress.
"This will do for the moment. Bed, table, we don't really need anymore," I muttered. One plus for being a vampony was that my living costs had dropped to almost zero. We didn't need to eat or bathe so no grocery costs or running water. Blood would be easy to obtain here. The sheer mass of living refuse would be unlikely to notice a few ponies who claimed to have been attacked, or should it go wrong, go missing. The truly desperate could most likely even be convinced to part with some voluntarily for a bit or two.
I put a stasis spell over the blood packs. It would keep them fresh over a far longer time. Bon-Bon and I had agreed that we would not use those except in emergencies, not while there was a buffet just outside the door. There was no telling when we would get the chance to replenish our portable supplies.
"I don't care about the lodgings just now, I need to feed soon." Bon-Bon was very young and was going to need a lot of blood over the next month or so, as the changes to her body continued. I was tempted to give her one of the packs, but we had to be sparing with those.
"Well then, let's go and see who is on the menu tonight." I smiled at her, allowing the full extent of my fangs to come into view. Bon-Bon did likewise. It was time to embrace our new nature. If we were going to have to spend the rest of our lives as blood drinkers, then we were damn well going to enjoy it.
"Try to find somepony alone. Don't break up a family if you can help it; either that or a criminal." Neither of us knew exactly what was going to happen tonight. This was an almost entirely new experience for both of us, going out on the hunt. If we could find a pony just about ready to end it all for themselves, it would be best. They would get their wish, preceded by a moment of intense pleasure. We would be fed for the time being, nopony lost. Once we knew what feeding on a living pony was like, knew where the point of no return was, we could consider allowing them to live, but for now a pony on brink would be ideal: no remorse.
"I suggest we try the local bar, there has to be someone there desperate enough to agree to come back with us." I nodded and off we went. The closest watering hole to the apartment was a total dive, the name had long since worn off the sign out front. We went in a tried our luck.
My first reaction was that if we were only going to pick up dead beats or those who were themselves criminals, then if this bar was a cross section of the city we would never have to go hungry again. Many of the ponies were trying to kill themselves, either through alcohol poisoning, or more conventional means. A wide array of drug use was visible. I doubt anypony would have noticed our fangs if we had shown than to begin with.
"See if you can grab one of the drunk ones, less hassle if two pretty mares ask him to come back" Bon-Bon asked. I could see that she was eyeing the clientele with an increasingly hungry look. She needed blood, and she needed it now. I didn't bother to be choosy, grabbing the closest wino, a dark red earth pony stallion.
"Huh, wat do you wantz?" he slurred, clearly drunk out of his skull.
"Well hot stuff, How about you come with me and watch me and my lesbian mare-friend make out, maybe even join in a little?" I said pulling out the most seductive voice I could find. Hopefully he wasn't so far gone that he couldn't understand words.
"Well, I'sh love to, jusht left me finish thish drink." The Stallion grabbed the glass and missed his mouth entirely, splattering me with some kind of cheap hooch. A drop landed on my tongue and I felt a rising urge to vomit, and not just from the fact that I was a vampony. That stuff was the absolute cheapest crap he could afford.
We led the stallion back to the apartment, nopony meeting our eyes. Just another pair of working girls trying to make a living, they would have most likely thought.
We got the stallion inside and seated at the table. He didn't even seem to notice the dirt and grime staining his already matted coat. "Sho, what happensh now?"
"Now, me and my friend need a drink, on you I think" I smiled at him, his brow furrowing as he attempted to comprehend what had just been said. Bon-Bon could no longer wait. As I was prepping him, wiping away some grime from his neck, she simply dove in, bared her fangs and latched on. I quickly followed, sinking my fangs into the other side of his neck.
The rush of taking his blood was incredible. While not as sweet as when I had drunk from Bon-Bon, this unknown stallions blood was intoxicating, possibly from the all the alcohol in his system. My loins began to stir, wetness creeping down from my slit. Bon-Bon had given up any pretence and was sliding a hoof between her legs, wet squishes could be heard over the sounds of our sucking. Sitting down onto the stallions chest, I felt something begin to rise under me. It seemed that we were not the only ones enjoying this moment.
Bon-Bon noticed this as well. "Go on; give him the last ride of his life," she urged me, letting a thin trickle of deep crimson liquid escape her lips. While we both accepted that we were gay, that didn't mean we didn't experiment with the other gender from time to time. Being a vampony also meant no risk of pregnancy or disease, so no worries there.
I slid a leg over him, positioning myself directly over his pole before sliding down to his base in one swift, fluid motion. While not the most well endowed guy I had ever been with, he still filled me up as I began rising and falling on his stiff pole. The guys eyes had glassed over, he was now totally lost in the moment, not even noticing the fact that his member was now covered in a slick blood sheen.
The sounds and smells of sex filled the stale air of the apartment, as I grinded into this stallion I had just picked up at random; his pulsating length driving into me, splitting my hips and stretching out my vagina.
Bon-Bon had taken her fill for the moment and was reaching down between us, her tongue darting out to lick up from the base of his dick to my slit and over my nub, pausing for a moment to tickle it with her tongue. That was enough to send me over the edge, blood squirting out of me and coating the stallions dick and sack. Bon-Bon moved around and took his ball sack into her mouth, sucking it clean of my secretions.
Soon I felt him begin to tense up, and then twitch inside me. While not feeling the cum itself, I saw a thin white liquid begin to trickle out of me and drip onto his lap. Rising off of him, I motioned Bon-Bon over, who instantly took his softening prick into her mouth and began to lick him clean of my blood. Moving over I saw her cunt winking at me, red dripping freely from the opening. Not hesitating I moved in and gave her a long slow lick from base to tip, nipping at her clit on the way. Bon-Bon squealed at the unexpected burst of pain, but didn't pull away from either me or the stallion she was still eagerly fellating.
For his part, the stallion had passed out fully, either from the alcohol, exhaustion or loss of blood. He still had a heartbeat and blood, but right now my eyes were only for Bon-Bon. I pulled her away from him and dragged her over to the bed. She flopped down and I spread her legs, looking longingly at the glistening treasure they contained.
Once again, I drove in, suckling on her cleft, the taste of her blood dancing on my palette as I stuffed my tongue further and further inside her snatch. Bon-Bon was simply moaning in pleasure, one hoof rubbing her budded nipples, the other pulling my head even closer to her. All at once, she climaxed and my face was covered in her blood. As she came down, Bon-Bon leant forward and took my horn into her own mouth. The feel of her mouth over my horn was enough to get me off again, and I redoubled my efforts on her clit.
After a moment of pure pleasure, Bon-Bon spun me around, getting into the 69 position, her tongue snaking out and lapping up my drippings. I buried my face back in her crotch, savouring her taste when I felt her fangs rub over my nub. It was electric and I returned the favour, listening in delight as she squealed and squirmed under my touch.
By this point we were both totally covered in blood, from each of us, and from the stallion who seemed to have roused just enough to get himself back to half mast and was clopping with a furious intent. He still didn't seem to see or care that everything was soaked in our secreted blood; he was too far gone to notice what it was.
Bon-Bon got up and whispered into my ear "I want you to fuck me like only a Vampony can." With that she lay back down, bared her fangs and drove them right into my pussy. The feeling of her biting me down there was unbelievable, her lapping at my clit as my blood flowed freely across it and into her mouth. I returned the favour with intensity, the taste of her blood only getting stronger as it flowed directly into my mouth.
Behind me, the stallion was up and moving again, reaching in and guiding his dick back into me. "Oh, no you don't, this time I want it" Bon-Bon pouted, not letting up from her attack on my pussy. He complied, withdrawing from me and shifting around too Bon-Bon. He could not get into her, and I wasn't about to make room for him. Shrugging, Bon-Bon shifter her tail, exposing her tight butt-hole, and he pushed up against her rosebud. Slowly, I watched as he sank inch after inch into her, filling Bon-Bon in a way that I had never been able to do. From the way she mashing her snout between my legs. Clearly she was loving every moment of it.
"Oh, Celestia. It's never felt this good before. More, fill me up you dirty stallion."
The earth pony continued to ream Bon-Bon, his cock sliding in and out of her ass, while I looked on, licking up every drop that Bon-Bon secreted. Soon he pulled out.
"Open up ladies" the stallion had risen to his hooves and was standing over us, his fully erect pole leaking clear cum in an almost constant dribble. We both detached ourselves from each others genitals and sank to a sitting position below him. His first spurt of cum landed right on my horn, leaving a strand to drip onto my forehead. The second and third were aimed at Bon-Bon's mouth where she obediently took all in, but did not swallow it. His last blast was saved for me, and the salty taste of his seed mixed with the lingering taste of his blood in my mouth.
Combined with the blood, my body seemed to have no issues in accepting and keeping down his spunk, and Bon-Bon reached over and licked clean my horn of his sperm before coming in and giving me an open mouthed kiss, her tongue and mine exchanging his essence between us before we both swallowed.
"Time for the last act" Bon-Bon whispered to me and I nodded. We both looked up and smiled at the stallion one last time, before launching ourselves at his neck again, latching on like leeches and draining him dry.
As his heartbeat stopped Bon-Bon leaned over and kissed me again, the taste of three separate types of blood and the stallion's seed mixing on my tongue for the last time.
Finally we came down and lay in the bed, basking in the afterglow of the moment, neither of us caring about the fact we now had a dead body in the room with us or thinking about how we were going to dispose of it. Right now, life was good. We had food, we had love, we were going to be ok, I was sure of it.
Unknown to either mare, they had been seen out on the prowl. A small urchin had watched as they led their meal into the apartment. Just like Fast Eddie had told her, the urchin ran off to find him. The twenty bit reward he had posted meant a good hot meal and a new blanket for her, things she had not had in a long time. |
Tugging at my undead heartstrings | Chapter 6: A newborn Vampyre in Princess Celestia's Court | Tugging at my undead Heartstrings
By: Fimbulvinter
Chapter 6: A newborn vampyre in Princess Celestia's Court
Octavia
Fast Eddie had come through for me. I now knew where my quarry were hiding. All that remained was to call for an extraction team and they were on their way now.
Disabling a vampony was easy enough if you knew how to do it. Stakes or bolts with a hypodermic tip loaded with colloidal silver. Didn't kill them but left them in agony, unable to perform even the most basic of tasks until their bodies purged the silver. I personally never carried such a weapon - pure silver all the way for me. Why disable a monster only to kill it later when you could simply kill it now and be done with it?
Still orders were orders. I had to bring in at least one of them alive and talking. The princess had asked that I try to take them both in, but would understand if only one could be managed. While I may not get the pleasure of watching them die in front of me, I could at least watch as they squirmed in agony, the silver burning them from the inside. That was the part I like the best, watching them suffer. They were an unholy perversion of nature and should be stamped out whenever the chance arose. Taking pleasure in that couldn't be wrong, could it?
The extraction team arrived in short order, and weapons were distributed. Nets, cages and silver hypo darts were provided, but I refused the latter. If one of them attacked, I was swinging to kill. Twilight Sparkle would just have to find another vampony to talk to.
Assuming that we were able to capture one or both of them, the cages we had built to transport them were a work of sadistic art. Silver chains kept the mares bound to a wooden board, should they escape that, the entire cage was built as a death trap. A quick release panel studded with wooden stakes hung from the ceiling. One flip of a switch and, Splat, Crushed vampony. I would be all too glad to flip that switch.
"Team leader ready," One of the hit squad called out from down the street. I nodded and signalled for an incursion. All the members of the squad readied weapons and bust down the door that Fast Eddie had indicated. Shouts echoed out from the room, followed by two separate but equally loud screams. I strode in on my back legs, like a commander surveying the scene of a battle.
Inside the room, weighed down by silver netting, burns appearing anywhere the nets rubbed, the two vamponies I had been sent to capture writhed in agony. The smell of charred flesh rose to fill the room, in some ways it was an improvement over the rotting smells already there.
"Load them into the cages, take no chances, total incapacitation," I ordered the ponies around me. They all nodded to me and proceeded to transfer the two screaming vamps into the transport caged.
I loved it when a plan comes together like this.
Twilight
The fact that Octavia had managed to capture both Lyra and Bon-Bon with no casualties was the talk of the entire organisation. They would be here by nightfall and I could really get my research underway. Studying in the archives had been fascinating but the problem was that there was almost no confirmed facts. Abilities brought up in The Vampire Menace I were contradicted by other claims in Legends of the Equestrian Dark. The only things that all the texts agreed on were things I already knew: That they were immortal, drank blood, and could not be seen in mirrors. All I could do now was to wait and try to think of questions to ask Lyra and Bon-Bon when they got here, assuming they would even talk to me at all. We used to be friends, surely that had to count for something, right?
Nightfall came not quickly enough and with it, the extraction team arrived, entering the castle through a number of secret entrances designed for just this kind of procedure.
I watched as two covered cages were wheeled into the main chamber and left alone at Celestia's direction. Now it was my turn, time to learn what I could about for the longest time, I had thought to be nothing but legend.
Pulling back the cover over one of the cages I beheld a scene right out of a horror book. Bon-Bon was shackled to a board; silver manacles seared her directly down to the bone. Her neck, spine and all of her legs had been broken repeatedly, bone chips and fragments poking out through her skin. Despite all her injuries, she was still awake, her eyes tracking me, but not showing any sign of recognition. The only other movement was from her dislocated jaw, as she attempted to bare her fangs at me. One had been removed entirely, a gaping bloody hole where it used to be, the other one was chipped and broken.
Lyra's cage was exactly the same, but she had also had her horn removed, a bleeding stump now all that remained. Burn marks and cuts littered her body. The pair looked like they had been tortured past the point at which they would have normally died, their undead nature keeping them awake through out their suffering. Octavia had clearly been very methodical in her disabling of the pair.
Octavia herself was still standing off to the side. I looked at her horrified at what she had done to these two, feeling vomit threaten to rise up in my throat. "Was all this really necessary?"
She looked at me, a sneer plastered all over her face. "All this and more. You haven't spent any time out in the real world, hunting and tracking these things. The only way to keep them down is to hit them with silver, and break bones until they stop regenerating. Burn off their blood pool and they become weak, easy prey."
I walked up to the cage, thrusting ethical concerns from my mind. I had a job to do, given to me by the princess herself; it would not do to waste time. Along with the cages, a box containing their personal effects had been brought. Inside was only a half dozen blood packs and a very small supply of bits.
Neither of the mares was in any shape to be able to talk right now. The only way I would be able to get information out of them would be to heal their wounds, which would also give me a chance to see first hand how their regeneration powers worked. If I could replicate that power myself, it would be the greatest advancement in medical science since ever.
"Bring me a full array of medical instruments, and some IV tubing," I called out to the bouncy pegasus mare who had been assigned as my assistant for this project. She ran off and returned with an assortment of medical tools, and clear plastic piping.
I pulled out one of the blood packs and hooked the pipe to it, the other end I carefully inserted into Lyra's mouth, taking care not to get to close. For all her injuries she still looked like she would take a bite out of me if I let her.
Blood began to flow down the piping and pooled in her mouth. For a moment nothing happened, then she suddenly began to swallow it as she realised what it was. Within moments, I could see her injuries begin to heal. Exposed bones reset themselves with no assistance, burn marks faded. Missing flesh simply grew out of the old surrounding tissues; even her horn began to regrow. It was truly a miracle of nature.
The blood pack ran dry, leaving Lyra still wounded but in far better shape than when she began. Her jaw had healed to the point that she could say a single word, "More."
I hooked up another pack and watched again as she healed up, this time it was faster and cleaner. By the time the second pack emptied, Lyra appeared fully healed and alert again. She struggled against her bonds, the silver burning her skin again, before catching sight of me and freezing.
"Twilight? What are you doing here?" she asked me very carefully." Honestly I wasn't sure, but decided to tell the truth.
"Celestia had ordered me to research vamponies, so that we can understand more about them and what you have become. Can you tell me how you were turned into one? It would really help me here. You see, if I can learn how you do things like heal of fast, maybe I could replicate it for the good of all ponies." Wrap it all up in a nice noble purpose; that would get her talking for sure.
Lyra on the other hoof had other ideas. "Why would I tell you anything? You're working for the Silver Suns. Don't deny it, I saw you the night Octavia killed DeVille. You want to know about us to make you a more efficient killer. Well I'm not telling you anythi..." She stopped midsentence when she caught sight of Bon-Bon in her cage, still in very poor shape.
"Oh, Goddess. Bon-Bon, what did they do to you?" Lyra breathed. Returning to me she spoke up again, "and you people call us monsters. When we feed, we don't cause suffering. They even enjoy it most of the time. You and your kind are the monsters Twilight. How could you have joined them?"
Again I suppressed my ethical obligations. If it were up to me, I would have let them out, and we could talk like civilized ponies, but right now, keeping Bon-Bon in her current state was an advantage I could not waste. Didn't make me feel any less dirty, though.
"Lyra, I don't like to see you suffer, but I need to know about you. If you co-operate, then I can give Bon-Bon some blood and let her heal."
Lyra hung her head in defeat; she knew I had the winning card in this hand. "Fine, what do you want to know?"
"Describe how you were turned in as much detail as you remember."
Lyra recounted her tale to me, about how Octavia had shot her, something Octavia had failed to mention to me. About how DeVille had given her his blood and she had fallen asleep. When she awoke, she had fangs and a lust for mortal blood.
I took down notes regarding the transformation process. It seemed that merely being bitten wasn't enough, unlike what several texts had indicated.
"Now give Bon-Bon blood like you promised" Lyra demanded, straining against her bonds again.
"In a moment, first I need something from you, I am sorry for this, but I need them for my research." I levitated over a syringe and a scalpel to the cage. Jabbing the syringe into her flank, I drained out a large vial of blood, several mouthfuls at least, so that I could analyse it later. Also I cut out a chunk of her flesh, which was replaced almost instantly. There had to be some physiological aspect to how vamponies could remain alive after death, or how they regenerated so fast.
After I extracted her flesh and blood, I did as I said I would, and gave Bon-Bon a blood pack. Despite having the same amount of blood, and similar injuries, Bon-Bon healed significantly less than Lyra did, an affect of age perhaps. Lyra was an older vampony then Bon-Bon, did that make her stronger? So many things I could study.
I gave Bon-Bon another blood pack, again watching in fascination as her body repaired itself, somehow converting the liquid blood into pure energy to fuel its functions. She slowly returned to her senses, but seemed shocked that I was there, but not to release them. Clearly Lyra had not told her about me.
I left the pair in their cages, and retired to my lab to analyse the blood and necrotic flesh. The flesh turned out to be a bust, there was nothing different about it from normal dead flesh, but the blood was something else. The cellular structure of the blood had been radically changed, the cells having now been reconfigured to be unable to transport oxygen, but were moving something else, something I could not yet figure out: the life essence of a vampony. If I could replicate it, and transfer it to normal blood, maybe I could give regular ponies vampire abilities without the need for blood.
All through out my experiments, a voice kept niggling at the back of my head, telling me that some things cannot be studied from the outside; that if I wanted to truly understand the vampony, I had to become the vampony. It was the same voice that had convinced me to enchant by doll in order to manufacture a friendship problem for me to solve.
Such an idea was impossible; I had to maintain my objectivity. Plus being surrounded by a fanatical order dedicated to the destruction of vamponies didn't help persuade me much.
Celestia came in shortly after my internal debate, asking what progress I had made. My notes on tissue regeneration seemed to interest her, but were also still woefully lacking in detail. I would just have to keep working on it.
When I realised that it was about 3 am, I decided to turn in for the remainder of the night. Lyra and Bon-Bon would still be there in the morning for me to question. Hopefully Bon-Bon would be more receptive to talking that Lyra was.
As I started to drift off to sleep, the voice came to me again. "Go on Twilight, take the blood, become a vampony. Think of all you could learn about them if you become one. Plus you would live forever, imagine all the research you could get done. Do it, Do it for science." The voice was able to make a persuasive argument.
That was it, the last piece of convincing I needed. I knew now that I had to do this for science, and for Celestia. She would understand and protect me. After all this was her idea. If I was a vampony then I could experiment on myself and see how regeneration worked first hand. Think of all the data that would be gained. I may even be able to develop a cure, then all who were turned could become normal ponies again. Surely they would want that.
Ensuring that nopony was around, and that all the doors were locked, I grabbed the vial of Lyra's blood I had extracted and looked at it in my hooves. From the outside, it looked just like any other ponies blood. But I knew this was special. Pulling out the stopper on top, I looked down at its contents.
'For Science,' I thought as I raised the vial to my lips...
Lyra
At first I wasn't willing to believe it, but now there was no doubt. Twilight had gone over to the Suns fully. She was going to be no help to us. Bon-Bon and I were alone in a hostile stronghold, surrounded on all sides by ponies who wanted to kill us or watch us suffer, nopony knew we were there, and nopony was going to come looking for us. As much as I didn't want to admit it to myself, and would never tell Bon-Bon, there didn't seem to be any way out of this.
We both just simply lay there, hanging limply against our restraints. There was no point in resisting. Maybe one of the ponies would grow tired and just put us out of our misery.
The sounds of a scuffle and somepony hissing and spitting made me look up, breaking me out of my cycle of depression. The sounds grew nearer, and Princess Celestia burst through the doors, dragging along in her magic a raving and feral Twilight, who was lashing and lunging out at anything she could get within range. Celestia came to a stop directly outside our cages.
"Please, you have to help her." Celestia indicated Twilight, who was still trying to lunge and bite her.
"What happened to her?" Bon-Bon asked.
"It seems she tried to turn herself. She drank the entire vial of your blood, Lyra."
This was bad news. DeVille hadn't told me much, but he had made sure to note that you must never try to turn a pony without draining their blood first. If you didn't then they always would end up insane, the two competing forces of life and death eventually destroying their minds.
"Did she drain her own blood first?" I asked
Celestia shook her head. "No, she simply drank yours. Is there anything you two can do for her?"
The only way I knew of was to drain her fully, and restart the process properly. I told the princess as much. "So she would be a vampony, but would be alive and functional?" I nodded at that assessment.
Celestia took and held a deep breath, before looking down at the feral creature she once called her student. "Is there no other way?"
At this point, I had had enough. "I'm only 6 months old, still considered a baby in the vampony hierarchy. I don't know much more about being a vampony than you do. Someone had to go and kill my maker before he could teach me." I shot a dirty look over at Octavia. It was returned with intensity.
Celestia nodded sadly. "Then do it." |
Tugging at my undead heartstrings | Chapter 7: I didn't see that one comming. | Tugging at my undead heartstrings
By: Fimbulvinter
Chapter 7: I didn't see that one coming
A/N: In response to several pieces of reader feedback, this chapter has undergone several significant re-writes aimed at expanding on some of the later plot points.
"Then do it"
At Celestia's direction, Bon-Bon and I were released from our cages, though under heavy guard. Twilight had settled down slightly, but was watching us was an odd expression, the kind that I had seen DeVille wear when he was tracking animals.
"Put her in the cage, we need her restrained," I called out. Celestia floated Twilight over to the cage where I had been restrained and in one motion, fastened Twilight to the straps. She snapped again, snarling at everything and nothing all at once.
"Bon-Bon, I will need help with the draining." Bon-Bon came over and joined me in the cage. I whispered over to her, just loud enough so that only she could hear me "Very slow, no sudden movements. Whatever you do, don't loose control, please don't loose control." She nodded back.
"Princess, call the guards back, we need some room. While I understand the theory involved, I have never actually done this before, and having weapons shoved in my face is not helping," I said out loud.
Celestia motioned for all the guards to step back. Most of them did, the others simply lowered their weapons slightly.
I looked over at Bon-Bon. "Ready?" I asked her
"As I'm gonna be," was her reply.
Moving very slowly, we both lowered our mouths to Twilight neck, trying to avoid her own snaps and bites before latching on and drawing her blood. From the first sip, I could taste that something was wrong with her blood. Most blood I had tasted was smooth; rich and serene. This blood tasted angry, like pure rage. Bon-Bon was struggling to keep her control, so I pulled her off.
Twilight slowly became placid, as her blood was drained. Soon she was almost still, and it was time to begin the next stage. I reached up and bit into my leg, welling some of my own life-force into my mouth then I moved down and allowed it to spill into her mouth. She swallowed and almost instantly locked up, becoming totally still. I figured that meant I had done it right, as it was how Bon-Bon had looked when she was turned.
Bon-Bon and I withdrew from the cage. "She can be untied, the process will take about 6 hours for the first stage, and upwards of 2 months to finish after that. Somepony need to either donate some blood, or send out for blood packs from Canterlot General. When she wakes she will be hungry."
Celestia nodded and dispatched one of her guards.
She turned back to me. "And now for the matter of what to do with you two."
If I had body heat anymore, my blood would have turned to ice at that comment.
"Normally, I would have had you disposed of, but given the situation here, I cannot do that in good conscience. You saved Twilight after she made a very stupid mistake; one that was entirely her own fault. I am going to make you a once in a lifetime offer of clemency on three conditions. One: no killings. Two: if you get caught feeding all deals are off. Three: when she wakes, you two will teach Twilight how to control herself."
"Somehow I doubt we will get as good a deal anywhere else," I said, shrugging. "Deal."
Celestia and I shook hooves.
"You may return to your lives in Ponyville if you so decide. You can use the official secondment act. Say that you had been recruited for royal duty if anypony asks. Where ever you go, Twilight will need to follow until you feel she is ready to strike out on her own."
We quickly struck down the deal, and settled in to wait until Twilight would rise.
During the time, Celestia asked us about our experiences as Vamponies.
"Well, aside from the whole kidnapping, torture and attempted assassinations, it hasn't been all that bad," I deadpanned back at her.
"Touche," she countered.
"All we want now is to be left in peace, allowed to live as close to a normal life as we can. We will take and train Twilight, but after that I don't want to hear from you again."
Celestia held up her hoof. "I swear to myself, providing you keep to our agreement, you will not see us again, right Octavia?"
We all looked over to see Octavia skulking away from the room.
"Yes, Princess," came the reply through clenched teeth. She didn't look back.
The unicorn that had left returned with a small box of blood packs a short time later. Finally there was nothing to do but wait.
It didn't take long after that. Twilight seemed to turn abnormally quick, maybe it was her talent for magic, maybe her harmony element, either way she had turned in almost half the time it took me or Bon-Bon.
"Oh, Ow, Ow, Ow. My head," she moaned, not noticing her still growing fangs now starting to protrude from her gums; the speed at which she had turned meant that they were still about the size of her normal teeth. "What happened to me? I remember being in my lab, then blacking out."
Celestia took a very stern tone with her, almost as a mother would when scolding a child. "What happened was that you made the last mistake of your life and tried to turn yourself into a vampony by drinking Lyra's blood. What were you thinking?"
Twilight huddled up on the ground. "That's right; I needed to understand how the vampony body worked. I thought that if I became one, I could learn its secrets myself, for the good of all ponies. Seems like it didn't work though. Left me kinda thirsty."
Celestia picked up a blood pack and tossed it to her student. "Here, drink this, see how it makes you feel."
Twilight looked at the pack and back up at Celestia. "What, what's this? You said it didn't work."
"No, you said it didn't work. When you drank the blood, it caused some kind of imbalance, and you became feral and rabid. The only way we had to save you was for Lyra and Bon-Bon to drain and turn you properly. Congratulations Twilight, You are a vampony after all, just like you wanted."
Twilight's eyes widened and she instantly brought a hoof up to examine her teeth. Her fangs had finally begun to lengthen. "What happens now?" she asked.
"First, drink the pack, it will make you feel more stable" Twilight opened the pack, sniffing the contents. Eventually she sipped it and paused before swallowing the entire thing a bit faster. Within a few moments, colour flushed her cheeks, and her eyes flashed at me. I grinned, knowing exactly what had just happened. Twilight had gotten her first taste of vampony arousal.
Celestia continued unabated.
"Now, Twilight. I want you to know just how disappointed I am with you. I thought I had trained you better than this. I understand why you did what you did, but that does not make it in any way right. You are very lucky these two were able to save you at all. I am sending you back to Ponyville with Lyra and Bon-Bon. There you will learn everything they have to teach until they are confident you are in control of yourself. Then and only then can we see what may be done about you."
Celestia ushered us out of the room, towards a waiting chariot. I used the ride back home to explain to Twilight the finer points of vampony nature as we understood it. She blushed as the mention of sex however. Even after her time in Ponyville she was still really just a sheltered little filly at heart. I also showed her how to cast the illusion spell for her fangs. They had finally grown out enough to be noticeable to others.
As the chariot descended into the town square, we all tensed up and hid our fangs away. Bon-Bon simply had to clamp her mouth shut and leave the talking to me. Needless to say the town was shocked. When Bon-Bon did not surface after the fire, everypony assumed her dead. Twilight stepped in and took over the conversations, claiming official secrets and royal duties.
Eventually the crowds dispersed as they found that we would not budge on our stories. When we had a moment to ourselves, Twilight insisted that we go out into the Everfree and visit the zebra witch, Zecora.
"If I know her, she will be able to tell what we are. She may be able to help us, plus it will be better to go to her, rather than have her find out here in the middle of town. At least in the forest we can contain the situation if things get out of control."
We all followed the trails out to the forest; Bon-Bon gasping as she saw the charred wreck that was our home. When I stopped to think about it, only just over a week had actually passed since that night. It seemed like a life time ago now. Twilight took the moment to try using her magic. I had explained to her that adding in blood could make her spells much more powerful, but at a potential loss of control. Her first attempt at picking up a rock ended up the same way as mine - total obliteration.
"Imagine your magic like a tap. Dial it back until only the faintest trickle is coming through. Then try to pick up the rock again."
Twilight did so, concentrating hard and she did manage to life a rock safely off the ground. "I did it," she called, breaking her concentration over the rock. I watched as it flew off into the forest, a passage the unfortunately sent it directly through Bon-Bon's forehead. Normally such a move should be fatal, but for us it was little more than an annoyance.
Blood oozed out of Bon-Bon's new ventilation, and we could see right through to the other side oh her head for a moment until the wound closed over. Twilight watched in total fascination. She had seen us heal from injuries before but this was something else. Bon-Bon's eyes glazed over for a moment as her body refocused on healing.
None of us had really tested exactly how far our ability to heal would take us. Cuts and broken bones were one thing. The ability to regenerate a lost limb, or extreme damage like a rock through the brain was another.
"Damn it Twi, that hurts," she called out, coming out of her trance and rubbing the now healed spot.
"Oh, Goddess. I'm sorry Bon-Bon. I didn't mean to," Twilight gushed out.
"No lasting damage I guess. Let's just forget about it. Next time point our rock the other way. Come on; let's just get to this hut already."
Twilight knew the way to the hut fairly well, and we reached it without incident. Tribal masks littered the ground around the hut, and the entire place gave off a strange off kilter vibe. If this was what she felt like, no wonder the town had rejected her for so long.
Twilight boldly knocked at the door. A muffled shout came from within.
"Coming, coming, my dears
Just sit back upon your rears."
We all waited outside the door. Even if the door had been open, we could not have entered it, none of us had been invited. Soon the door opened and Zecora, Ponyville's resident herbal master and witch doctor appeared in the entrance.
"Well, well. Do my eyes deceive?
Three young vamponies, I do believe.
Twilight my dear, don't look so done
Being a vampony, I hear, can be lots of fun
But come in now, off that road
Please, you may enter my abode."
The invitation cast, we were able to enter into Zecoras hut. Inside was a wide array of potion materials and ingredients, even one or two bottles of what I suspected to be various types of blood.
"Yes, we are vamponies now. How could you tell Zecora?" Twilight asked.
"Your eyes, all stained with lust
You will keep that under control, I trust"
We all nodded. "Twilight thinks that you may be able to help us somehow. None of us really known all that much about being a vampony. Is there anything you can tell or teach us?" I asked the zebra.
"There is much I can teach
Up on that shelf you must reach
For upon it there is a book
Well worth the time it takes to look."
I pulled a book down from the top shelf, none of us quite trusting Twilight with magic just yet. At her power, she could level a city block if she wasn't careful. The book was old, hoof bound and faded at the edges. The cover read 'the true accounts of an Equestrian vampony'
"Inside that tome, its pages so weak
Is contained all the knowledge that you seek.
As for this one, for her talents to grow
I can teach her all that I know."
Zecora pointed at Bon-Bon. If she could teach Bon-Bon how to wield her powers then that was great. As Unicorns, neither Twilight nor I could help her.
"Why are you always rhyming? Are you under some kind of curse?" Bon-Bon asked, ruining the moment through a lack of tact.
"No my dear, I labour not under a curse
I simply like to rhyme in verse"
"But what about words that don't have rhymes, like orange?" I blurted out, unable to resist trying to trap her.
"Ah, my friend. To find the rhyme to that word orange
Simply ask that highland family, the clan McSporange.
Everypony laughed at that one. "Proper names don't count," I grumbled under my breath.
With that, we were soon able to enter into a routine. We showed Twilight how to hunt animals, and once she grew some what more stable, how to seduce a pony into going home with her. We didn't kill them anymore; we didn't have to. Twilight had powerful mind control magic that allowed her to make ponies forget everything that happened. She joined us in our bed on a few occasions after a successful feeding, but never really clicked with us.
Each week, we would go and meet with Zecora. Her special brand of magic was useful when teaching Bon-Bon. Within a few weeks she had mastered wall walking, developing a strange fondness for hanging from the ceiling for long periods. It relaxed her, she said. Twilight, ever the scientist, said something about blood pooling in her brain but I wasn't really listening. When ever I tried it, using my magic to hold myself in place, it made me feel funny, and would always loose control over my magic shortly after.
After a few months, we pronounced her ready to return to Canterlot and that was the last we heard from her, until half a year later, when she returned with a most unexpected offer for us.
We had just returned from Zecora's again. Bon-Bon had been practicing to develop her abilities as a Terrapath. By now she could move dirt as if in a wind, and cause a very weak tremor. Zecora assured us that such progress was normal for one as young as she was. With time, training and practise she would be able to wield the earth as an extra limb.
Twilight was waiting for us when we arrived back at our house. While we didn't know why she was there, we invited her in out of courtesy.
"So what's up, Twilight?" I asked, reaching into the fridge and pouring us all a glass of blood. Even as Vamponies we still had to follow etiquette and offer a drink. It was lucky that Twi had the same 'tastes' as us; there was precious little else in the fridge.
"I went back to the Silver Suns after you let me go. Celestia was right, I had been very foolish about this whole thing, but now that it has happened I wanted to make the best of it, and the Suns represented a chance to do some good. There have been several times in which only I was able to finish a mission, and the fangs make a great interrogation tool. Even the more experienced agents are having a hard time matching my abilities now, which brings me to the purpose of this visit. Celestia is wondering if you two would be interested in joining the organisation. We have had several members retire or be put on the injured list and need replacements. You could stay here in Ponyville; enough stuff comes in from the Everfree that it needs to me monitored."
Bon-Bon was not overly keen on the idea, but I was intrigued. A chance to be the hero for once, plus it would be a challenge and keep us doing something.
"Come on, Bon-Bon. At least give it a go. We can always try it and then back out if it seems too hard on you, besides if we don't then somepony who can die for good would have to. Do it for the families of those ponies. We can help to protect Equestria and spare ponies grief at the same time."
Bon-Bon eventually warmed up to the idea, but made it clear to Twilight that she wasn't doing it for the princess or for the Suns. She was doing it for me.
As it happened, we didn't have to wait all that long before something requiring our attention came up. Unfortunately for us, it was a far worse experience than we could have possibly imagined.
Twilight, Bon-Bon and I were sitting in the library, rereading the book Zecora gave us, when into the tree house came the filly, Sweetie Belle, screaming something about blue murder. Twilight took charge and managed to calm her down slightly.
"Sweetie, what happened?"
The filly was still upset but choked out her tale. "I was coming home from a day of crusading when I saw Rarity serving a pretty earth pony in her shop. While I watched, I noticed that she seemed more intested in Rarity herself, not the dresses. She kept on looking at her, licking her lips and smiling this really creepy smile. When my sister turned her back to get a measuring tape, the pony hit her, hard on the back of her head. Rarity fell down and didn't move. The earth pony grabbed her and ran out of the back door, moving faster than anypony I have ever seen, even Rainbow Dash."
Twilight stroked the filly's mane. "Shush, Sweetie. It will be alright. I promise that we will get your sister back. Can you take us to where it happened?" Sweetie nodded and led us back to her house.
On the way, I leant in close to Twilight and whispered "Should we get the rest of your friends?"
Twilight shook her head. "No time, and I think that you two would be a bit more useful if something really has gone wrong. Sweetie's comment about this pony moving faster than Dash, sound familiar?"
Bon-Bon and I both nodded; it did sound a little too familiar.
Rarity's boutique was a total mess when we arrived. Something had clearly happened here, clothes were strewn about, and the back door was ripped almost off its hinges. There was no sign of Rarity anywhere, but we were not totally lost.
Being a vampony comes with heightened senses. For all the perfume that Rarity liked to wear whenever she did herself up she may have well left us a trail of breadcrumbs to follow. Finding her would be the easy part. Dealing with whatever took her would not be so easy.
"We need to get rid of the kid, we can't start following the trail if she can see us" I called over to Twilight. She nodded
"Sweetie, I need you to do something for me. Can you go and find Spike for me. Tell him to send a letter to the princess on my private letterhead. Tell him that we have a rogue, nothing more. He and the princess will understand."
"Yes, Twi," she said, streaking out, eager to do something to help her sister.
With Sweetie Belle gone, we could finally set off. We all took off at a gallop, breaking into supernatural speed once we left the sight of the town.
Rarity's trail meandered a little before setting course for the Everfree. Inside, the perfume began to dissipate, being overpowered by the musty stale odours naturally present. Fortunately though, the passage of the mare could be seen by the disturbances to the plants, and a few hoof prints.
The new trail led us back to the one place that I had never wanted to go again - the ancient fortress of the pony sisters, death place of DeVille and now clearly given new life as a waypoint for any old vampony passing through this way.
Inside the fortress there were only a few places that could be used to hide a body away, so we checked out the closest one. We got lucky, or maybe somepony was expecting us.
Rarity was placed out on a dais, left alone almost like a sacrificial offering. Twilight rushed over to check her, while Bon-Bon and I fanned out to search for the kidnapper.
"Oh, no," we heard Twilight breathe.
"What is it?" we called back.
"There is no pulse, no breathing. Her body is going cold. She can't be dead, she just can't. What am I going to tell Sweetie Belle?"
Without warning, a wave of earth rose up a slammed into us, knocking us all over, and tumbling Rarity's body onto the ground. As the earth settled, a new pony, a bright green mare with a lavender mane could be seen standing in the middle of the room. No heartbeat or breathing could be heard from this new mare. Grinning at us, she revealed gleaming fangs. It seemed that our kidnapper was a vampony herself, something we had suspected.
"You will not take the white one. She will make an excellent offering to my lord and master. And when he finds out that I have eliminated the traitor to our blood, and the one who made her. You three claim to be vamponies, but you work for our mortal enemy."
"Who are you? What do you want?" Twilight asked her.
She laughed. "Who I am does not matter. Who I work for does not matter. The only thing that matters to you is that I am older and stronger then you."
With that she slammed down her front hooves into the ground, and two fingers of clay rose from between the cracks in the stone. One formed itself into a snake, long and coiled; the other one formed itself around the pony, creating a new body for her, larger, with longer legs and spines all along its flanks. It seemed our mystery pony was a powerful Terrapath, far more advanced than Bon-Bon was.
"Lyra, can you deal with the snake?" Twilight called off to me. I had an idea and nodded back to her.
"Bon-Bon, when I call for it, use your power to scatter the snake."
"I'm not that good yet." Bon-Bon was unsure of what I wanted
"Don't worry, I trust you." I pulled out the stopper on my magic and launched a blast directly at the clay snake, draining all of the moisture out of it, effectively turning it into dust.
"Now, hit it." Bon-Bon focused through her hooves and I saw the snake break apart as an invisible wind slammed into it. Bon-Bon kept up, scattering the dust until none remained in the room.
We turned out attention to the unknown mare in her suit of earthen armour. Currently she was kicking the crap out of Twilight. She was faster than Twi, had more mass and was clearly a better fighter. I started to chip away at the clay suit with magic bolts, but they reformed almost as soon as they broke away. Bon-Bon decided for something a little bit different. She clambered up the walls of the fortress room, waiting until she was in position before allowing herself to fall away, directly onto the other mare, hooves crushing through skin, bone and clay all alike.
Within moments the mare began to reform herself, her body healing at a rate much faster than any of ours. I wasn't sure how we were going to take this one down.
Twilight had a more direct approach to the whole situation, having recovered enough from her beating to stand and fight again. Tapping into her blood reserve she lifted the mare up and simply crushed her with the full force of her augmented magic, her normally purple aura changing to a dark red, as more and more blood energy was fed into the spell. Telekinetic forces slammed into the mare from all sides, her body twisting and cracking. Eventually only a tiny ball remained, clearly beyond any hope of recovery. Twilight dumped the ball into one of the holes made by the removal of the clay earth, dumping the remnants of the armour over the top of it, and sealing the entire area with a stasis spell. Nothing would be able to get in or out for a very long time.
"No pony kills my friends," she said down to where the mares remains were now entombed, anger and grief beginning to over come her body.
"Uh, Twilight, you may want to see this," I called out, checking on Rarity's body. Her mouth was sporting a very distinctive pair of protrusions set into her upper jaw.
"It seems our trio is going to become a quartet," Bon-Bon commented.
We waited until Rarity arose, predictably worrying about the dirt on her body over anything else. That changed as soon as she felt her new dentures.
"Twilight, Lyra, Bon-Bon, what is going, where are we? why do my teeth feel funny?"
She trailed off as she caught sight of our appearances. Blood splatter was on all our coats, and none of us had bothered to hide our fangs again.
We explained the score as best as we could to her. She took it fairly well for a pony who had just had her life turned upside down, perking up noticeably when Twilight pointed out she could remain on the cutting edge of fashion for the rest of eternity. She even took to hunting animals well, something none of us had expected of her.
Bon-Bon and I accepted the positions the Celestia offered us, with Rarity occasionally moonlighting for us every now and then. Every now and then we would be called off to fight some terrible monster or rogue vampony. Other than that it was mostly just trying how to decline dinner or lunch offers without seeming rude.
It was nice being able to drop the façade whenever Rarity or Twilight came around. Maintaining an air of normality was hard work, and whenever they dropped over, we could all just be vamponies.
I understood that Twilight did eventually find a cure for the Vampyre condition, but none of us felt any need to use it. Becoming vamponies was the single best thing that had ever happened to any of us. Apparently, Twilight was even allowed to feed off of Celestia once, the princess having become intrigued by the tales of pleasure that awaited willing donors.
I had Bon-Bon, a semi respectable job, and the knowledge that I would have it all for as long as I wanted.
Undeath was sweet.
> Chapter 8: Epilogue
Tugging at my undead heartstrings
By: Fimbulvinter
Chapter 8: Epilogue
15 years later
Twilight, Bon-Bon, Rarity and myself crowded around the huddled form of the mare. From the weak light of her candle, the only things that could be seen of us were our mouths and fangs, the latter on full display. Our faces and bodies were hidden behind cloaks, dyed a dark crimson by Rarity. Behind us a gargoyle dripped blood into a fountain. Gothic columns and occult items lined the walls; crystals, pendants, books dedicated to the study and practice of the dark arts
Tonight was a special night for our group. It was the night that we entered a new member into the family. Rarity had done much of the decorating and designing for this event. The ritual itself however was all me. While Twilight may have had more experience at turning ponies than I did, tonight was my prerogative. It was my right as the eldest of the group, and I was going to do this my way, as a vampony would.
"Initiate, kneel before the flame," I commanded the mare. She obeyed carefully, her own brown robe not quite hiding the fact that she was shaking over her whole body.
"Initiate you have requested that we grant you our boon. The powers of immortality, the hunt and of pleasure. To this I ask: Do you swear to serve this coven from now until the day you leave this world?"
"I do," a tiny voice squeaked out from the hood.
"Do you swear to remain faithful to our lord, the regent of the Silver Sun, to whom we all owe our fealty?"
"I do," the voice was a little louder this time
"Do you swear to keep our secret secret, to hide what you are and will be from the prying world, that all of us might suffer".
"I do," replied the voice for a third time.
"Then stand, join me at the fountain. Merge your blood with that of the everlasting fount, as a sign of your commitment". I offered a ceremonial knife to the mare who raised a hoof and in one quick motion, nicked the other leg, allowing a stream of blood to trickle into the pool, joining with the other blood already swirling around in the basin.
"Initiate, I will ask you one last time. What is it you would seek here?"
The mare looked scared but pressed on. "I want... I want to be..." she choked off, unable to finish the sentence.
Rarity piped up at this point, "You don't need to go through with this, we can wait for as long as you need".
The mare shook her head. "No, Sis. I want this". Sweetie Belle, now a grown mare turned to look directly at her sister. "Ever since I found out what you all were 12 years ago, I have watched as you have saved this town from disaster time and time again. Now I want to be a part of that. I have always wanted to be just like you: a good sister, a fashion designer and now, I want to be a vampony".
Sweetie Belle turned back to me. "I want this now. I am the same age as my sister was when she was turned. I am ready to begin my new life".
I nodded back at her, the motion mostly covered up by my hood and cloak. "As you wish, so it shall be. Sweetie Belle, prepare yourself to be reborn". I moved in and brushed the curls away from her neck, the booming of her heart clear to my ears.
"This may sting a little bit" I whispered into her ear as I opened my mouth, fully exposing my fangs to her neck. With a sudden jab, I pierced her skin, drawing blood from the wounds. Sweetie Belle hissed slightly but did not recoil from me. She tasted like pure honey, smothered in sugar and cream. I pulled back and told her as much.
"Thanks, I think," she replied, slightly confused. Nopony had ever complimented her that her blood tasted good before.
"Soon, telling somepony that their blood is delicious will be the highest complement you can possibly give," I muttered into her ear, earning a blush from her.
My first draught was purely for me. The second one I spit back out into a container, and the last one I retained in my mouth. By this point, I had removed enough blood that the magic needed to turn her would work. Taking the knife myself I slashed it over my hoof, and Sweetie Belle latched on with no hesitation. She suckled at my wrist until the wound healed over.
I put her down gently on the ground, and walked over to the others, Sweetie's blood still in my mouth. Each of them obediently opened for me as I stood over and allowed a dribble of Sweetie blood to enter them, each in turn until all was gone. As one they all swallowed the last ever mortal blood contained within the newly turned vampony.
I returned to Sweetie, who had watched this exchange with fascination, albeit through slowly glazing eyes. "Now sleep Sweetie Belle. Come the morrow, you will be reborn with life everlasting. You shall rise...Vampyre". She slowly succumbed to the power of the blood, drifting off into the dark. The cut on her hoof closed over instantly, a sign that the process was taking.
With Sweetie now down for the count, I turned to the others and burst out laughing. "I can't believe I could keep a straight face through all of that."
"Yes Darling, some of the things you said, where did those come from? Did you plan this or just make it up as you went?" Rarity asked once I had calmed down slightly.
"Oh I just made it up as I went. I swear though, I though I would start laughing at some of the things I said. 'Everlasting fount,' Rarity you built that like a week ago".
Bon-Bon pulled back her hood, revealing her sparking blue eyes. Right now they shone with more than just laughter. "Oh, I don't know. I think that some of those things you said were most... provocative". Her hoof rose up and started stroking away at my flank.
"Enough of this charade," Twilight called out from the edge of the room. "Sweetie Belle really got me going, let's buck already". Twilight was an aggressive vampony in the bedroom department, never satisfied with playing games. She wanted it straight up and lots of it.
"Coming dear, just let me tuck Sweetie in," Rarity replied, moving the body of Sweetie Belle over to a specially prepared coffin we had ordered under the guise of needing it for nightmare night. Black velvet lined the inner walls, and Rarity had made sure that it was the perfect size for holding Sweetie.
Once Sweetie was secured in her final rest, we turned to see the Twilight had started without us, not content to wait the extra few moments. She was splayed on her back, pussy facing us, bloody secretions dripping out every few seconds and she slid a hoof back over it, her moaning punctuating the air. "See anything you like?" she called out.
"I most certainly do," I called out, slowly walking over to her, waggling my hips seductively on the way. Behind me I heard Bon-Bon and Rarity move over and begin kissing, each snaking down a hoof and rubbing the others jewel.
Normally Bon-Bon and I were a couple, as were Twilight and Rarity. The turning of Sweetie was a special occasion, and we all decided to get a special treat out of it. Twilight was ready for me and I dove right in, my tongue darting out and lapping at her juices. Twilight bucked and squirmed at my touch, every squeal followed by a new spurt of blood onto my tongue and muzzle. Living forever meant that we were going to become very good at the act of love, and I was determined to become the best at giving head.
While I was licking Twilight off, something began to tickle at my entrance. I looked up and saw Twilights horn glowing. A moment later I felt myself get filled up, as a force field conjured by Twilight entered my nether regions, sliding easily into my lubricated snatch.
"Oh, two can play at that game," I growled out, and pulled back, lining up my horn with Twilights now streaming pussy. A quick jab and in it went, my sensitive horn feeling every inch of her silky smooth love tunnel, a race to see who could last out the longest; a race that Twilight lost. Arching her back, she came hard around my horn, muscles clamping and twitching, almost bringing me to my own release.
Twilight left me covered in her rich, thick bloody ooze, something she was all to glad to help me clean up. She pulled herself off my horn and sat up, taking the blood soaked appendage into her mouth, giving me my first horn-job of the evening. Already on edge from her dildo fucking, the feel of her tongue swirling around the rivulets of my horn was more then enough to get me over. Sweet and gluggy, my splooge coated all the fur behind my legs, and dripped down onto the ground beneath us.
As Twilight finished cleaning me, we turned to see what Rarity and Bon-Bon were up to in the other corner of the room. They had proceeded from kissing and rubbing to a full fuck session. Each had a leg over the other and they were scissoring each other hard, a squishing noise could be heard every time their pussies made contact with each other. Rarity's horn was aglow and a blue shape could be seen disappearing into each of their holes.
We moved over and joined them, Twilight moving to kiss and lick over at Bon-Bon, myself, I lay down on top of Rarity, my dripping slit now just above her gasping mouth. I felt a sharp pinch as she latched on to me with her fangs, tongue slurping happily at my moist hole, as my blood seeped through her fangs and over into her mouth.
The ethereal dildo cast by Rarity flickered and vanished as she refocused on eating me out. I heard Bon-Bon pout but she quickly found her hole refilled by Twilight horn and hooves. With Rarity now free, I shoved in my head and filled up her pussy, revelling in her exotic and refined taste, so different to that of Twilight.
With her still attached to me like a leech, I followed suit, sinking my fangs in to her cool tender flesh, drawing blood out, watching it stain her pristine coat from white to red. We remained like that, each locked onto the others crotch until Twilight suggested something new. "How about a daisy chain?"
We all agreed and I released my hold on Rarity, her bite marks healing over instantly. With her still latched on to me, I twisted and found my way to my beloved Bon-Bon and the nestled treasure she kept. As I had with Rarity, my fangs sank down into her flesh and her unique taste spilled over my tongue for the first time that night.
We were all connected together, mouth to pussy, each drinking from one and passing it on to the next. It was heavenly, all notions of moderation and decency were abandoned as we became one single pulsing, thrusting pile of pony flesh covered in the slick sticky fruits of our labours.
The hours must have passed by as seconds, for it seemed that almost as soon as we began, Rarity noticed that Sweetie was beginning to rise.
We looked over from the pile and sure enough, Sweetie Belle was starting to stir, her legs moving around as if she was having a dream. For a moment, her upper lip pulled back and we were treated to a view of her nearly developed fang. She would have an excellent set once she finished the transformation in two months time.
"Quick, everybody back into character. Robes on, no talking," I called out, galloping over to where I had deposited the second mouthful of Sweetie's blood into a container, and poured it into a gilded carafe that had been stored out of sight.
Just as Sweetie's eyes fluttered open, we all got back into position, as if nothing had changed while she had been out, providing you didn't notice the smell of sex wafting through the air, and the abundant amount of secreted blood now pooling on the floor. I watched as Sweetie Belle clambered out of her coffin, and poke around her new teeth with her tongue and hooves.
Satisfied with what she found, she got back onto the ground and onto all fours.
"Rise, blood sister Sweetie Belle," I called out solemnly. "Step forward and embrace your new nature". With this I held out the carafe filled with her own blood. This was something I had wanted in the ritual from the very start. Sweetie Belle was the only one of us who had had a choice in becoming a vampony. We others had either had it forced on us, or it had been the last resort before death. Some perverse part of me wanted Sweetie's first meal to be the very last remanent of her mortal life; it was an experience that none of us would ever get.
Sweetie Belle took the golden jug and looked at the contents. This was it. The first time was always the most intense. She darted out her tongue and lapped at the crimson liquid, taking a moment to taste her former life-force. I sat back and watched as her eyes lit up and she upended the carafe, swallowing down her blood as fast as she could.
"Oh, Celestia. That was just incredible. It tasted better than anything I have ever had before," Sweetie exclaimed, holding the jug upside down, trying to catch the last drips out of it. "Who was this, is there any more?"
"There is no more, my childe. It was the last of a very select batch: Chateau de Belle, current vintage". Despite my face being covered by the robes hood, there was no disguising the mirth in my voice.
"That was me?" Sweetie asked. I nodded back at her. "Awwww, I tasted great. To think that once I dressed up as a vampony for Nightmare Night, and now I became one on the same night, many years later".
Rarity moved in and hugged her sister, the pair looking for all the world like twins now, their body shape and coat colours, minus the blood stains on Rarity, were almost identical. "We know you tasted amazing Sweetie, we all had some of you earlier, but now that you have been turned, it is time to move onto important matters".
"Sweetie, now that you are one of us, it is time for you and your sister to move on out of here," Twilight called out. She was right, none of us, except for Sweetie had aged a day in the last 15 years. Twilight was lucky, she could claim exposure to an unknown primal magic - the element of magic that she contained had rendered her immortal. The rest of us had no such excuse. Ponies were starting to talk about how young we still looked. Rarity's story about proper make-up and moisturising would not last for much longer, it was time to move onto another town.
"We have decided that we are going to move to Fillydelphia, and get established there. We are all going to Canterlot first, to oversee the initiation of new recruits, yourself included and then You and your sister and scheduled to leave in a week, so make any farewells you have to do now. We will not be able to come back here for at least a century, possibly two, not unless somehow we are able to out ourselves without causing mass panic".
We all agreed that such a situation was unlikely, but I moved the conversation on to more joyful topics. "For now, we are 5 damn sexy vamponies and its still nightmare night out there, lets paint the town red. Metaphorically of course". We had made sure that there would be enough time that Sweetie could go outside as a vampony, while being shielded by the idea that it was still just a costume, give her a chance to get used to the fangs. Come tomorrow she would have to start using the illusion spell I had found way back at the start of all this.
Tonight though, we were Vamponies and not afraid to show it off. |
Tugging at my undead heartstrings | Author Notes | Author Notes
Fimbulvinter Here, closing out my second published story, and my first foray into a mature fic with clop. Writing this story has taught me several things, but the biggest one is that writing good clop is hard. Writers like Bronystories or Applejinx make it look so easy, them when you try your own hand at it, it ends up as the same monotone 'oh baby, oh baby, oh baby' over and over again. Possibly trying to create such a niche subject story didn't help either.
Reading some of the popular vampire fiction available today, and some of the other stories available here, one theme is common. The main character is either at war with their vampire nature, or dominates it totally. This was most evident during Breaking Dawn book 2 when Bella was able to exert total control over her desire to feed on humans within days of having been turned. It felt like a cop-out, written in purely to allow her to remain a noble character, free from having ever killed anyone.
I wanted to have a story where the main character fully embraces their new nature, revels in it, allows their lust for blood to drive them to engage in perverse acts. I eventually decided that if I wanted that story I would have to write it myself, thus I originally started a story based around a vampire Vinyl Scratch, who was dating Octavia, secretly a vampire hunter, neither one knowing the others true identity, somewhat like Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
Then along came 'My roommate is a vampire' and I put the story on hold, eventually scrapping almost all of it. The response my first published story 'Interview with the Changeling' got convinced me to try again, so I salvaged the Octavia as an assassin idea and set about to find a new character to turn into a vampire. A search of the stories on here on FIMfiction indicated that Lyra had never spent any time as a Vamp, so that was that. Sexy romps with Ponyvilles cutest lesbian vampires.
For anyone who is interested, most of the vampire powers I used in this series hail from either Dracula or True blood. The ability to stand in the sun, not be seen in mirrors, climb walls like a lizard, inability to eat anything other than blood and terramancy all come from Dracula.
The need to be invited into a home and the sexual aspects of the blood come mostly from true blood, with a dash of Anne Rices Vampire chronicles thrown in.
I have some basic ideas for a sequel for this story, it would revolve around Sweetie Belle and revert to a traditional third person narrative. First person is hard, so easy to mix tenses from past to passive present, plus it restricts much of what you can do with other characters who are not the main character at the time.
Finally, I hope that you enjoyed this story. Thanks to everyone who favorited this, thumbed it up, commented or started following me as a result of this story. You guys are the reason we write.
Stay Frosty Everypony and watch this space. I will be back at some point.
Fimbulvinter |
Tugging at my undead heartstrings | The Final Word | This last chapter is to clarify a few points I have recieved a PM or two about regarding some of the unresolved or open plot points I have ended the story with.
Namely: -What happed to Octavia's Father?
-Who is the Master the rogue vampony mentioned?
-When did Sweetie Belle find out about Rarity and the others, and what made her decide to join them?
Currently I have a full sequel to this story in planning, centered around Sweetie rather than Lyra. the last two points will be covered in this story.
Before that is written though, I am planning to write a oneshot story based around Octavia and her life. This would cover what happend to her father, where she got her fanatical hatred for Vamps from and how she was recruited into the Silver Sun. Tentative title for this story is 'Octavia Philharmonica: Assassin, Spy, Cellist'
Alternative title ideas would be appreciated.
No idea on when these stories will be written by, just when I find the time to do them I guess.
Hopefully this clarifies some lingering questions.
Fimbulvinter |
Tugging at my undead heartstrings | New story posted | For those who have not yet heard, Octavia's back story has been uploaded
avaliable here
The Melody of Revenge is Bittersweet.
Answers exactly what happened to her father, and how she became a member of the Silver Sun. |
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic What If?: Volume 9 | pre | Pinkie Pie snatched up the paper in shock! "What?!" Sure enough, the image was of her with a lampshade on her head and standing in a punch bowl. "Oh no, it's true! I do have a problem! I'm a mess!" She admitted and the party pony started to bawl her eyes out.
"And get this," The unicorn drummed on. "Apparently, the Cakes are breaking up."
Mrs. Cake came rushing out of the kitchen upon hearing the news. "Wait, we are?! But how?!"
"Sugar plum, we're not breaking up. I don't know where Gabby Gums got such a ridiculous idea." Mr. Cake reassured his wife.
Just then, Rainbow Dash came rushing in with several copies of The Foal Free Press in her hooves. "Well, my life is officially over. It was nice knowing you all, but Gabby Gums has made it to Cloudsdale."
Twilight examined the headline attached to a rather suspicious looking photo of Rainbow Dash from when she had attempted to sit for a hooficure. "'Rainbow Dash: Speed Demon or Super Softy?' She didn't!"
Rainbow dramatically exclaimed. "She did! I tried to snatch up as many copies as I could, but there were too many of them! I'm a laughing stock!"
Now all eyes turned to Rarity, who simply remarked. "Well, Rainbow Dash, you did say you wanted Gabby Gums to do a story on you."
"I know, but not like this! This isn't the Gabby Gums I got hooked on!" Rainbow complained. "Now she's destroying reputations left and right!"
Nervously, Rarity commented. "Okay... so maybe Gabby Gums has gotten kind of malicious in the past few days, but surely if we just give her time she will..." But then Rarity gasped as she turned the page and saw that the next headline involved her on her fainting couch! "I'll destroy her! 'The Drama Queen's Diaries'! I... I don't believe it! Gabby Gums reprinted my diary! How could she do that?!"
"There's only one way I can think of, and you aren't gonna like it," Twilight suggested to Rarity. "You wouldn't leave your diary lying around where anypony could get at it. Somepony had to know where to look for it and give it to Gabby Gums. Sweetie Belle first introduced us to her, so maybe Sweetie Belle knows who this Gabby Gums is."
The fashionista let out another gasp, putting her hooves to her mouth! "Twilight, I can't believe you! My sister would never associate with anyone as beastly as Gabby Gums! I resent you even suggesting such a thing! Why, she's the most innocent, most lovely-"
But when Rarity inspected Sweetie Belle's saddlebag later, she was shocked to find her diary resting comfortably inside the carrying device. "-most evil pony in Equestria!" She exclaimed to herself as realization set in. "How could my own sister steal my private diary like that? How could my own sister be... Gabby Gums?"
A short time later, Rarity kicked in the door of her workshop where Sweetie Belle currently resided. She glared at her little sister and declared. "Et tu, Gabby Gums?!"
Sweetie stumbled back and jumped in shock as she gasped! "You know?!" She didn't realize until too late that she'd given herself away. "How'd you find out?!"
"The gilded pages of your betrayal, of course!" Rarity explained, holding up her diary. "Did you honestly think I wouldn't notice when you reprinted my diary?"
"Uh, if I say yes, will you be less upset with me?" Sweetie hopefully inquired, only to receive a glare that could've given Fluttershy's patented stare a run for its money.
Rarity simply sighed, adopting the best lecture face and voice that she could manage. "Gossip can be a very hurtful thing, Sweetie Belle. In some cases it is an invasion of privacy, just like when I snooped through your saddlebag. You didn't like that much, did you?"
Sweetie shook her head. "Well, no."
"Exactly," Rarity declared. "So what makes you think it's okay to do the same to others?"
The filly gulped as she confessed. "I didn't think I was really hurting anypony, it was all just supposed to be a harmless little thing. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were in on it too."
"Well, at least now you understand how other ponies feel, and how much you've been hurting them." The elder unicorn scolded quite sternfully.
"That's the thing, I do understand," Sweetie confessed to Rarity. "We've all been feeling guilty, but we just want our cutie marks so badly!"
It was then that the fashionista proposed an important question to her little sister. "Do you really think that writing nasty things and making everypony feel horrible is your destiny? What you're meant to do with your life?"
"Well, when you put it that way..." Sweetie began.
Diamond Tiara did not take the news of Gabby Gums' planned retirement well. In fact, she all but blew a fuse! "No! I won't let you quit! Not after we've come so far! You won't sabotage my success, blank flanks!"
"And now we're back to square one, guess the truce was nice while it lasted." Scootaloo commented.
Tiara growled. "I don't know what's gotten into you, Crusaders! Here I try to be nice and give you a chance, and you insist on betraying me the moment you get cold hooves!"
"But don't you see?" Sweetie Belle commented. "The gossip we've been writing is hurting everypony's feelings, we can't keep doing it."
At that Diamond became indigent, stomping her hooves down. "Feelings?! Since when did you three start caring about feelings?! After all the stories you've printed, suddenly now you think you've gone too far?!"
"We're sorry, Diamond Tiara, but we have no other choice," Apple Bloom declared. "Find somepony else to keep Gabby Gums goin' if it's that important to you."
"Besides, you can't force us to keep up the gossip," Scootaloo added with a smirk. "We're done fearing you!"
Diamond's cornflower blue eyes suddenly lit up as she spun around. "You shouldn't have said that, girls. Here I was hoping we could settle this peacefully, but you leave me no other choice. When you see these..." She ominously held up three envelopes. "You may not want to quit after all."
The envelopes' contents spilled out, revealing a series of embarrassing photos of each of the Crusaders from when they had been trying to find stories for the paper. Tiara explained. "I told that Featherweight to document everything, and that's just what he did. At least he was useful."
"Why you little... gimme those!" Scootaloo growled as she lunged at Diamond Tiara.
But Diamond moved to quickly snatch them all up. "Sorry, girls, but they're not yours. They're official property of The Foal Free Press, which means as editor in chief I can use them as I see fit."
"You can't do that!" Sweetie protested.
Tiara smirked. "I can, and I will! So if Gabby Gums really does go into early retirement tomorrow, I'll need something to fill that empty column space. If you don't wanna have your names and faces plastered all over town tomorrow, I suggest you bring me something I can use. And don't even think about giving me something that's not gossip, because I'll know! Good day, girls!"
"Well that's just great," Scootaloo remarked as the Crusaders left the basement printing press. "Now what are we supposed to do?"
"Don't worry, we'll... we'll think of something, I'm sure of it!" Sweetie Belle declared. "Diamond won't get away with this!"
"In the mean time, we'd better find somethin' to keep Diamond off our backs." Apple Bloom suggested.
But at that very moment, Rainbow Dash came flying past and frowned. "Don't even bother, girls."
Scootaloo tried to fight back a gulp. "Uh, h-hey Rainbow Dash. Got any... interesting stories to tell us?"
Rainbow shook her head. "Nice try, kid. Everypony in town knows who Gabby Gums is now, your little secret is no more! So don't even think about trying to get more stories out of them, you'll be lucky if anypony even talks to you three again."
"But Rainbow, you don't understand!" Scootaloo pleaded.
The brash pegasus simply sighed as she flew off. "Sorry, Scootaloo, but this is one mess I can't bail you out of. You and your friends dug yourselves into this ditch, now you're gonna have to dig yourselves out."
And indeed Rainbow was telling the truth. All throughout town, everypony either avoided the Crusaders or shooed them away. None were harsher though than Applejack and Big Macintosh, who ended up swapping roles.
"Ah c'mon, Applejack!" Apple Bloom pleaded with her big sister. "You're not mad at us too, are you?"
"Eeyup." Applejack bluntly replied.
Apple Bloom blinked in surprise. "You're not even gonna talk to us?"
"Eenope." Applejack answered and turned her head.
Big Macintosh then sternly spoke up with a glare in his eyes. "Y'all oughta be ashamed of yourself, Apple Bloom! Humiliatin' your sister 'n' me like that. Frankly, we don't really wanna talk to any o' y'all right now so kindly take your little gossip column and your embarrassin' photographs and just go away!"
"Well, this stinks," Apple Bloom commented as she and her friends left Sweet Apple Acres. "Our friendships are ruined, our families won't even talk to us, and worst of all we don't even have our cutie marks. Some idea this turned out to be."
"What are we going to do?" Sweetie Belle wondered. "Even our clubhouse isn't safe now, everypony's sure to be expecting that."
It was then that Scootaloo commented. "Well, there is one place where we can be safe while we think of a way out of this mess."
Said safe place turned out to be Scootaloo's house, marked by the Cloudsdale like pillars at the front entrance. And an amber coated pegasus mare was there to greet them, Dizzy Twister, Scootaloo's mom.
"Hey, Mom," Scootaloo nervously greeted her female parent. "Is it okay if my friends and I crash here for a few hours, maybe overnight? We really don't have anywhere else to go."
"As long as you promise to clean up after yourselves," Dizzy Twister commented as she ushered the fillies inside. "May I ask what brings you here? You don't seem to be very cheerful today. Has somepony been giving you three a hard time?"
Scootaloo gulped. "Well, kind of. It's really our fault," She proceeded to ask. "What do you know about Gabby Gums?"
Dizzy shook her head. "I was never into that sort of stuff, far too distasteful and exaggerated for my tastes. Call me old fashioned, but I much prefer Ponyville Express and I try to avoid gossip. Never does me any good," Then she questioned her daughter with her rose colored eyes. "What does that have to do with any of this?"
Sweetie Belle confessed. "Uh, because we are Gabby Gums. Or at least we were, now we're kind of in a bind."
Dizzy gasped as her wings (previously folded against her back) spread outward in shock! "My goodness! You three fillies have been causing so much of an uproar?!"
Apple Bloom nodded. "We didn't mean for it to get so out of control, Mrs. Twister. We're really sorry."
The amber coated pegasus just sighed and shook her head. "Well it's not enough to just say you're sorry, girls. When you're sorry, you have to mean it. And that usually means you have to fix the problem you caused."
"But how are we going to do that?" Scootaloo questioned. "The whole town's against us, and for good reason, we treated them pretty badly. We should've drawn the line much sooner, but we didn't and now we're in a real pickle."
Dizzy Twister simply commented. "Well, I can't say that it will work for your situation, but often I find that when a publisher or writer in a paper wants to apologize, they put out a note in the next paper. A letter, you might say."
"You mean, like the friendship reports Twilight and her friends always send to the princess?" Sweetie questioned.
"Something like that," Dizzy replied with a nod. "But I can't write that for you, you three need to figure out what you're going to say, and how you'll get out to the public."
Apple Bloom gulped. "We'd better be fast, we've only got until tomorrow before it's too late!"
The next morning dawned, and Diamond Tiara was waiting in the basement printing press for the Crusaders. But even as the birds sang, the three fillies did not show. Diamond grumbled. "That's it, they forced my hoof! Sorry, blank flanks, but Gabby Gums just ran out of time," She barked out orders to an ink covered colt manning the printing presses. "You there, run these photos instead!" She tossed over the envelopes. "And I want this paper on every street corner in Ponyville, ASAP!"
But before the envelopes could be set down, Sweetie Belle threw open the door and declared. "Stop the presses!"
"Uh, they haven't started yet." The ink covered colt responded.
"You're too late, Crusaders!" Tiara bitterly remarked. "I gave you time, and you blew it off!"
"Hold on a minute, Diamond," Scootaloo declared. "We've got a Gabby Gums article. It's our best column yet."
Diamond's eyes lit up like stars! "Really?!" But then the look faded as she thought about something. "Wait a minute, how do I know you're not trying to pull a fast one on me? Let me see that article."
Apple Bloom shook her head. "Ya want this paper to get out to the street corners in time for the mornin' rush, right? Well there's no time to read over it, 'cause it's a doozy! Either ya print it and all's well, or you run those embarrassin' photos and we rat you out to Miss. Cheerilee. I doubt she'll be pleased to hear what The Foal Free Press has gotten involved in."
The pink coated filly folded, any desire to check the story faded away. She didn't dare risk calling the Crusaders bluff now. "You're lucky I'm nice," She told them. "But don't test my patience like that again, or else you know what will happen!"
A little later, Tiara was strolling through the playground and admiring her leadership skills that she had displayed. "Ah, well done, Diamond Tiara," She gave herself a pep talk. "Mother would be so proud of you. You've averted yet another crisis with your amazing diplomatic skills," She giggled. "And any day now, Silver Spoon is gonna realize I was right and she was wrong. I told her I could pull it off!"
However, to the rich filly's surprise Silver Spoon came rushing up to her with a copy of The Foal Free Press in her hooves. "Diamond, you are never gonna believe what Gabby Gums just did!" The glasses wearing filly declared. "I never imagined you could stoop so low!"
"What do you mean?!" Tiara demanded as she snatched up the paper, and gasped at what she read! "'An Open Letter to Ponyville by Gabby Gums: Mysterious Gossip Columnist Reveals Shameful Secrets Behind Paper's Success'?!" She threw down the paper in fury, her face turning bright red as steam billowed out of her ears. "Ooh, those sneaky Crusaders! They're not gonna get away with this! I'll publish those photos first thing tomorrow! They messed with the wrong pony, and they're gonna be sorry!"
"Di, you're scaring me... I don't think I like it," Silver Spoon commented. "This definitely isn't you. I don't know what's gotten into you lately, but I'm putting a stop to it! Miss. Cheerilee has to know about this!"
While Silver Spoon rushed away to notify Cheerilee of the developments, the rest of Ponyville was waking up to Gabby Gums latest column, which read something like this:
To the citizens of Ponyville,
For some time now, you've been reading this column to get the latest dirt and the hottest buzz. But this will be my final piece. We want to apologize to you for all the pain and embarrassment that we've caused.
Yes, that's right. We. For in truth, I'm actually three little fillies, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo.
As the popularity of our column grew, we got swept up in the hype. We knew that what we were doing didn't feel quite right, but we ignored the guilt because everypony seemed to want to read what we were writing. And maybe they were, until we started making things up to lure readers in.
Don't worry, from now on, we promise to respect everypony else's privacy, and we won't engage in hurtful gossip any more.
All we can do now is ask for your forgiveness, Ponyville.
Signing off for the very last time,
XOXO, Gabby Gums
Cheerilee learned of the developments soon enough, and the very next day she was in the basement printing press and an unhappy looking Diamond Tiara stood beside her. "I guess I should've seen something like this coming," She commented to herself. "It's a pity, I guess I put a little too much trust into a first time editor, and gave her too much authority," With a growl she added. "Diamond Tiara, I'm afraid I have to strip you of your title. Be thankful I don't kick you off the paper all together."
Tiara said nothing, she just looked shamefully at the ground while deep in thought. Where had she gone wrong? Where had she slipped up and cost herself so much?
"And now, it gives me great pleasure to announce our next editor in chief," Cheerilee proudly declared. "I give you, Featherweight!"
Everypony clapped and cheered, except for Diamond Tiara. "But what about me?" She reluctantly asked. "What am I supposed to do now?"
"Here you go, you can have my job," The ink covered coat told her. "Our new editor in chief says I get to take his old job as head photographer. Mind the presses, they tend to get a bit messy."'
Sure enough, Diamond ended up covered in ink completely, much to everypony's else amusement. But poor Diamond wished nothing more than to disappear at that moment. "Father's not gonna be happy about this, and even Mother's probably going to have a few choice words for getting demoted like this," She thought. "And I can't even begin to think of how I'll win back Silver Spoon's friendship. If I ever even get the chance." |
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic What If?: Volume 9 | S4 E4: Daring Don't (What If?) (Bonus Chapter) | Fluttershy was taking advantage of a beautiful, peaceful day to teach some baby birds how to fly. Since their parents had gone off to fetch food, the pegasus with a lovely yellow coat had volunteered to do it. She had set up a small chart explaining how flight was achieved and was now in the process of trying to coax the baby birds out of their nest.
Unfortunately, Rainbow Dash decided that this was the perfect time to fly past. And she seemed to be even more excited than usual as she was heard exclaiming to herself! "Four more months, four more months, just four more months!" Then she turned to face Fluttershy. "I bet you're excited, huh? Tell me you're excited!"
"Oh, my. I, uh, I could be excited. I don't really know. I wasn't really think--" Fluttershy commented in bewilderment, she was at a complete loss as to what her friend was talking about.
Fortunately, she needn't have bothered. Rainbow was all too happy to fill Fluttershy in on her train of thought. "Come on, you gotta be excited! Everypony who's anypony is excited! It's something we look forward to all year round!"
Fluttershy still didn't quite understand what was being discussed. "Oh, well, I guess maybe I'm a little kinda sort of excited. I think."
Rainbow took that as a sign of confirmation. "Ha! See?! I thought so! I knew you'd be excited!"
"Yeah," Fluttershy began, before realizing she still had no clue. "So, um, why am I excited, again?"
Rainbow's light purple eyes lit up like stars in the night sky! "I'll tell you why! Because the next Daring Do book is coming out exactly four months from today! That's how exciting it is! So what amazing, incredible, awesome adventure do you think Daring Do will have in her next book, huh, Fluttershy?"
The animal loving pegasus mare simply replied. "I don't know, I don't really follow exciting stuff like that. But I'm glad you're excited about it."
The cyan coated speedster beamed. "Oh, just thinking about Daring Do's adventures has me all warm and tingly inside!" She began to imagine what kind of crazy, death defying adventures Daring Do might get into in the next book. And as such as she wasn't paying attention to anything else. "Will Daring Do at long last stalk the Fortress of Talacon? Only to be forced to contend with its dreaded and impenetrable arrow defense? And if so, could her skill, quick wits, and courage possibly carry the day against such odds?" She paused briefly in her thinking. "Ooh, or will her next adventure bring her face to face with the vast and horrible Ahuizotl himself?! Her arch nemesis?!"
Rainbow imagined Ahuizotl letting out a roar before she continued fantasizing about Daring Do. "Would she cower, turn tail and run? Or would she fly at him, full bore, knowing full well against all odds that the greatest challenge she ever faced was still surely no match for--"
But Rainbow's thoughts were suddenly interrupted as Fluttershy shouted! "Look out!" Alas, Fluttershy's warning came too late for Rainbow Dash to hear, or to react to what her friend was trying to warn her about. The brash speedster crashed right into the bird's nest, as the baby birds circled around her while her head spun.
Fluttershy commented with concern. "Oh, I'm not so sure she's gonna last another four months at this rate..." But she needn't have worried, Rainbow Dash wasn't going to have to wait that long for the next Daring Do book. An unexpected development was going to speed up the book's deadline in a way that even Rainbow would've never imagined.
A few days later, Rainbow Dash was still thinking nonstop about the Daring Do books, and when the next one was scheduled to come out. She was in such an excited state that nothing else really mattered to her, even as she was dropping by the Golden Oak Library to chat with Twilight (the only other pony who shared her love of Daring Do).
"Heya, Twilight! Aren't you excited that--" Rainbow began as she entered the library.
To the pegasus' surprise she was greeted by the sound of Pinkie Pie blowing a party horn, and party music blaring from a record player. Not to mention the sight of all her friends gathered in the library and wearing party hats.
Twilight smiled as she turned to greet Rainbow Dash. "Ah, Rainbow Dash, good. So glad you've finally made it! I was wondering when you'd show up."
"Uh, what's everypony doing here? Did I miss something?" Rainbow questioned.
"Nope," Pinkie Pie happily replied. "We're having a holiday party!"
The brash pegasus questioned further. "And what holiday would today be, exactly?"
Pinkie Pie stopped briefly and explained. "National Random Holiday Party Day! Woo-hoo! Come on, join the fun!"
Rarity trotted over, a glass of punch held in her magic. "Don't worry, Rainbow Dash. I've never heard of it either, but the punch is simply divine."
"Yeah," Pinkie declared. "You might even say the secret ingredient is," She whispered quite loudly into Rainbow's ear. "A secret!" Then she squeed with delight.
The cyan coated mare was puzzled, she'd never heard anything about any of this before. "And why am I the last pony to find out about this? Did nopony think to invite me?"
Applejack frowned as she trotted over. "It ain't like that, sugarcube. I came by your place to invite you personally, but it seems you were a speck too busy reading the last Daring Do book again, for the twelfth time."
Rainbow blushed and quickly defended herself by saying. "Yeah, well that's because in only three months and twenty six more days, I'll be able to read the next one. I wanna be all caught up by then."
But Twilight brought up some bad news. "Oh, haven't you heard, Rainbow Dash? The release of the next book got pushed back another two months. It was in all the papers."
Upon hearing that, Rainbow spat out her punch in shock! "What?! Two more months?! Are you kidding me?! I've been waiting so long already! I don't think I can take another two months! I'll never make it!"
Fluttershy spoke up. "I can personally vouch for that, I'm afraid."
Rainbow flew closer to Twilight, hoping for more information. "Uh, did they give a reason?"
Twilight shook her head. "The publisher just said author A.K. Yearling won't be able to finish the book for another two months. I actually found out first because my mom actually serves as Yearling's publisher. A.K. figured it takes a writer to know a writer. Plus, my mom's got lots of contacts in Canterlot, she knows all the best publishing companies."
"I can't believe it, you knew something like that before I did!" Rainbow growled. "I'm the series' biggest fan!"
The young alicorn scoffed at the suggestion. "I'm just as big a fan as you! In fact, I'm the one who first introduced you to the books, remember?" Rainbow blushed and nodded her head in realization, Twilight then went on speaking. "A.K. Yearling just might be my favorite author of all time. I know everything about her. Where she grew up, where she studied literature, where she wrote the first Daring Do book..."
"Even where she lives?" The brash pegasus inquired.
Twilight shook her head again. "Actually, no, but if I contact my mom I think she could provide a location. Why does that matter?"
Rainbow stomped her hoof down as she explained her argument. "Don't you get it? The new book is obviously delayed because A.K. needs help dealing with whatever everyday nonsense is distracting her from spending her every living breathing second writing! So I- I mean, fans like me, can get to read the new book ASAP! Think about it! We could help her with her laundry, buy her groceries, cooking her meals, whatever! Now, who wouldn't appreciate that?"
Twilight wasn't so convinced. "I don't know about that. I think what A.K. would want most is respect for her privacy."
The brash speedster simply added. "She can always say no."
"I... guess that's true," Twilight considered and sighed. "I suppose I'll write to my mom and see if she can give A.K.'s address. But no promises, A.K. tends to be a very reclusive author from what I hear."
"If it's all the same to you, sugarcube, I think the rest of us will take a pass on that adventure," Applejack commented. "We ain't as big a fans of Daring Do as you and Rainbow Dash are."
"Not to mention that some of us have rather important business projects to tend to, and we simply can't drop them for what may well be a wild goose chase." Rarity added.
Fluttershy also added. "Besides, somepony will need to house sit for you while you're away, and make sure Spike behaves himself."
"Yeah, gotta make sure he doesn't burn the house down or something." Pinkie Pie teased.
From upstairs came the reply. "I set the curtains on fire one time!"
Thanks to her mom, Twilight was indeed able to obtain the address of A.K. Yearling. It was for a rather worn down old shack in the middle of a dense forest where only the faintest rays of sunlight seeped through.
"You see what I mean? Why would she live in this remote part of Equestria except to keep folks from intruding on her privacy?" Twilight commented as she and Rainbow Dash approached the location. As the two drew closer they could see that the shack appeared rather beaten up and tarnished, as if there had been an attack there not too long ago. "Wait! Oh no. What happened? Somepony really trashed the place!"
"Or it could just be that A.K.'s a real slob," Rainbow commented as they trotted inside. "Maybe that's why she pushed the book back? So she could clean up? You'd be surprised how easy it is to forget to do basic household chores."
Twilight shook her head. "This doesn't look natural, not at all. I think somepony else has already been here and made a mess of the place. What if something terrible happened to A.K. Yearling?!"
Rainbow gasped in shock, putting her hooves to her face! "I know! There might be no more books!" When Twilight glared at her she quickly added. "Uh... But, of course, I'd be worried about her, too. Heh."
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice called out to the two ponies. "What are you doing here? What have you done to my house?" Both mares spun around to look, and they saw a mare with a light gold coat. They couldn't tell if she was a pegasus, unicorn, or an earth pony though, because she wore a reddish-purple robe that covered her body, a large gray hat with a light brown bow, and moderate rose eyes hidden behind a pair of thick, red glasses. Her mane seemed to be almost black. In short, she almost looked like Daring Do herself.
"Uh... A... K-K... Yearling...?" Rainbow remarked as she morphed her face into a most unusual expression.
"Yes, that's me," A.K. Yearling remarked. "But as you can clearly see I'm not in the mood for guests, go away!"
Twilight quickly protested. "We didn't do this to your house if that's what you're thinking, A.K. We thought something awful might have happened to you."
A.K. just grumbled. "Well I'm perfectly fine, thank you for caring. Now get out, and don't tell anypony about this!"
Rainbow Dash retorted. "But we came all the way out here to find you, A.K. Yearling. I've just gotta say how much Twilight and I really love your books..." A nervous laugh escaped her lips.
A.K. paid no attention, she was too busy inspecting a think, binded book that she had brought with her. She jammed her hoof into the horseshoe mark, undoing the binders and pulling out a golden ring as she breathed a sigh of relief. "It's safe, thank goodness."
"Great!" Rainbow declared. "So you can put that... whatever it is away, and then maybe we could talk about helping you move your next Daring Do book along, Miss Yearling. Chop chop!"
The author only grumbled. "Didn't you read the papers? I'm busy at the moment! I don't have time to be writing books!"
"But A.K.-" Rainbow began to plead.
A.K. grumbled. "I said leave me alone, both of you! I appreciate the concern, but my life is none of your business!"
Twilight proceeded to pull Rainbow Dash outside with her magic as she told A.K. Yearling. "That's fine, we were just leaving anyway. Seems you've got everything under control."
Once outside, Rainbow Dash immediately grumbled. "Twilight, why did you do that?! Can't you see A.K. needs help? Her place is a mess!"
Twilight simply growled. "A.K. Yearling has made it pretty clear that she wants to be left alone. We need to respect her wishes! Don't you remember the Gabby Gums incident and how everypony in town made a big deal about it? If A.K. doesn't want to see anypony, that's her business and not ours. We can't just upend her life like that."
However, Rainbow's attention was draw to the roof of the house. "Uh, maybe you oughta be telling it to those guys, Twilight?" She suggested.
The alicorn spun around and nearly gasped when she saw a trio of stallions go inside through a window! "Oh no, those guys look nasty! What are they doing here?!"
"I don't know, but we'd better warn A.K. before it's too late!" Rainbow vowed.
Meanwhile, inside her worn down cottage, A.K. Yearling was looking at her reflection in a mirror. It also alerted her to the presence of three rather bulky stallions, all three of which looked rather unhappy.
A.K. spun around to face them. "Can I help you with something, boys?"
"You know what we're here for, Miss Yearling!" One of the stallions growled. "Hoof it over!"
A.K. smirked. "Oh, so that's how it's gonna be, huh? Well okay. Just remember, you asked for this," She proceeded to remove her glasses and toss away both her hat and her robe. In the blink of an eye, she sported a pith helmet. And a few other features about her now stood out: Her mane and tail had several shades of dark and medium gray, she had wings, and her cutie mark was a compass rose.
There was only one pony who fit all that criteria. Twilight and Rainbow Dash could hardly believe their eyes! "A.K. Yearling is Daring Do!" They said together, as Daring Do prepared for a fight.
Daring backed away from the mirror, clutching the golden ring from earlier in her teeth as the stallions tried to corner her. Meanwhile, Twilight and Rainbow Dash could only watch with amazement. Any notion of joining in hadn't yet crossed their minds.
"Wow! A.K. Yearling and Daring Do are one and the same! Who'd have guessed?!" Twilight commented with delight. " My mind is officially blown!"
Rainbow simply ribbed Twilight with a hoof. "Aw, come on, Twilight! I knew it all along. It was so obvious."
Twilight and Rainbow proceeded to watch with amazement as Daring Do fended off her attackers with the greatest of ease, even tossing the ring into her fireplace when they tried to snatch it away from her! She quickly pulled it out with a lasso and knocked over a liquid that cooled the ring back down, as if she'd done it all before.
Eventually though, Daring seemed to slip and stumble, as if she'd misjudged her next move! Rainbow cried out in horror! "Daring Do!"
The unexpected cry caught the adventurer by surprise, and that moment of confusion was all it took for the ring to be knocked out of her possession and into the waiting hooves of an earth pony stallion that had managed to slip in during the scuffle. The stallion had a brownish gray coat, a very dark gray mane and tail, grayish green eyes, and a cutie mark depicting a gold skull with a red jewel in its right eye. He wore a light brown jacket with a red and white polka doted tie, and had a noticeable five o'clock shadow around his muzzle.
The stallion simply picked up the ring and twirled it around. "Many thanks, Daring Do," He declared with a smile. "As you've probably surmised, our earlier search for this treasure was... unsuccessful. So kind of you to find it for us."
Daring grunted, trying to break free of the hold of the stallion's henchponies. "Give it back, Caballeron!"
"That's Doctor Caballeron to you, Miss. Do!" Doctor Caballeron bitterly corrected.
Twilight was frightened, but that didn't stop her from reciting what she knew about Caballeron (though until now she'd assumed that he too was fictional). "Book four: Daring Do and the Razor of Dreams. He wanted to partner with Daring Do on her adventures, but she refused. I can't believe it! The real Daring Do and the real Caballeron!"
Meanwhile, Daring was arguing with Caballeron. "So let me guess: Ahuizotl has put you up to this, huh, Caballeron? You're stealing the ring to give to him so that his hold on the Fortress of Talacon will be good for eight centuries as foretold by prophecy! I never thought you could stoop so low!"
Doctor Caballeron snapped back. "Close, but... not quite. I'm simply going to sell the ring to him, make a quick bundle, and retire from archaeology in splendor. You really shouldn't have snubbed my offer, I told you I could be a valueable ally, but you turned me away."
"Because you only cared about the money, not about protecting the ancient civilizations and their treasures!" Daring growled. "Don't be a fool, Caballeron! You know what that ring will do if Ahuizotl gets his paws on it! You're dooming the whole valley to eight centuries of unrelenting heat! Even Princess Celestia won't be able to stop that!"
Doctor Caballeron simply laughed. "You worry too much, Daring Do. That's not my problem now is it?" He gave a whistle. "Come, my fellow stallions! To market! We must hurry!" He and his henchponies soon departed, passing right by Twilight and Rainbow Dash without even noticing them.
It was only after the fact that the two mares outside realized they should probably go in and make sure Daring Do wasn't hurt.
Indeed Daring wasn't. She slowly stumbled to her hooves, and despite a groan she was able to stand without trouble.
"Are you alright, Daring?" Twilight asked the pegasus. "Does anything hurt?"
Daring growled and gritted her teeth. "I'm just fine, a little soreness in the wings but I'll manage. No thanks to the likes of you." She narrowed her eyes at Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow quickly defended. "I was only trying to help, Daring. You could stand to not be such a grouch all the time."
"I appreciate the sentiment, but this isn't some game! This is real!" Daring retorted. "I'm Daring Do, I don't need help! I can handle my problems on my own, thank you very much. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a certain doctor to chase after before he gets away." She quickly departed her shack, leaving Twilight and Rainbow alone to discuss what had happened.
"She's in over her head, we've gotta help her! That's what we do!" Dash insisted.
Twilight shook her head. "You heard what Daring says, she prefers to solve things on her own. It's best if we leave her to it, for all we know we lead Caballeron right to her."
"We can't help that, we had no way to know he was looking for Daring Do," Rainbow protested. "And how can we stand by at a time like this? You know what's at stake here! Ahuizotl has sought control of the Tenochtitlan Basin since book three!"
Twilight nodded her head. "True, but in book four, Daring defeated Ahuizotl and secured control of the Amulet of Atonement, dispelling the dark magic of the Ketztwctl Empress, and thus protecting the basin with the Radiant Shield of Razdon!"
Rainbow shook her head. "But the Radiant Shield of Razdon is vulnerable to the dark enchantment of the Rings of Scorchero!"
Twilight argued back. "Are you forgetting that the Rings were scattered to the four corners of Tenochtitlan, thus rendering the dark enchantment powerless?"
Rainbow protested. "Only if you assume that the rings have yet to be retrieved, and that the ring Caballeron just stole isn't the last one needed to completely restore the dark tower and its cruel hold on Tenochtitlan! Did you ever think of that, Twilight?!"
The young alicorn gulped hard. "W-well, no, actually I hadn't. But that's still a very big if."
"Sounds like it's a reality from the way Daring was talking earlier!" Rainbow declared. "I'm not gonna sit around and let Ahuizotl win! We gotta help Daring Do retrieve the ring for safekeeping before it's too late!"
Twilight sighed. "Well, okay, but it sounds like we're in way, way, way over our heads. We're going to need a plan!"
"You come up with one then, and I'll scout ahead and look for Daring!" Rainbow declared. "Now's the time for action! Hold on, Daring Do, I'm coming!"
Twilight groaned as she watched her friend take off into the distance. "That's not an actual plan!" Under her breath she muttered. "And not all of us can fly like you, you know."
Rainbow Dash was soon high in the sky, looking for any trace of either Doctor Caballeron or Daring Do. After a great deal of searching, she found Daring by herself in a section of the forest. Rainbow swooped closer, ready to join the adventurer! "Here I come, Daring Do! Ready to join an adventure with the greatest, bravest, coolest, most incredible hero I could ever-"
But before she could land, Rainbow halted in mid-air and tried to collect her thoughts. She was starting to lose sight of what was important because of the excitement of working with Daring Do. "Okay, maybe I just need a sec... Just another adventure. No big deal. I can handle this," Then she smacked herself. "Come on, get a grip! Play it cool! You can do this. Although... the idea of doing it alongside Daring Do... Wow! Maybe I could get my picture taken with her afterward, or maybe an autograph, or-" She smacked herself again. "There you go again, letting your thoughts get the better of you. She's just a pony like any other pony. A pony who stops entire armies of bad guys with nothing more than her bare hooves, and an attitude, and--!"
Another smack stopped Rainbow's train of thought. "Ow... That's starting to hurt. Gotta stop doing that."
Meanwhile, Daring Do was walking by herself and did not seem to be aware of Rainbow's presence, that is until she heard a shout and found herself face to face with the pegasus who looked so much like her. "Oh, it's just you. What do you want?"
"Please, let me help you, just this once," Rainbow desperately pleaded. "I am suuuuuch a huge fan." And she gave a nervous chuckle.
Daring sighed. "I don't have time for this. I'll say it once and only once. I. Work. Alone. Got it?!"
Rainbow whimpered, crawling over to Daring Do. "But why won't you let me team up with you? I promise I won't get in the way."
The adventurer only shook her head. "They all say that, they all think they have what it takes to be a partner to me. But in the end, they always end up getting hurt or worse. Others, like Caballeron, they only care about themselves. In the end, trusting others only gets you into more trouble. And in my line of work I've come to learn a hard truth: Since you can't tell who you can trust, it's far better to trust no one, not even yourself."
The cyan coated speedster protested. "So you had a few bad experiences, who hasn't? Just because you can't trust some doesn't mean no one can be trusted. Having others you can count on isn't always a bad thing."
Daring wasn't convinced in the slightest, but she also sensed something that she was absolutely fearing. "You're not taking no for an answer, are you?"
"Nope, I'm sticking with you whether you like it or not," Rainbow Dash pleaded. "I've read all your books, I know all your tricks. And not that I mean to brag, but I've had a couple of life saving adventures myself. You need me."
Daring let out a long, painful sigh. "Alright, fine, if it'll get you off my back!"
"Yay!" Rainbow cheered and leaped into the air.
Daring quickly threw up a hoof. "But only on one condition: You do as I say. I'm in charge, and what I say goes. Is that gonna be a problem?"
"No, I'm used to taking orders. After all, I trained at the Wonderbolts Academy, and even Captain Spitfire said she was impressed." Rainbow Dash commented.
"I'm sure that's very interesting, but I don't really care about that. Now come on, I've wasted enough time here," Daring grumbled. "And remember what I told you."
Hours passed uneventfully for the two pegasi, and Twilight did not catch up to them at any point. Rainbow worried briefly about that, before assuming her friend was simply following their hoofsteps a ways back.
At last, as night came and Luna's moon rose high into the sky, they came upon a small camp set up by Caballeron and his henchponies. "As I figured," Daring whispered. "It's a long way to the market, Caballeron and his men decided to stop for dinner."
"Great, time for an ambush!" Rainbow declared as she put her hooves together. "I'm itching for action! Just say the word and I'll pounce!"
Daring Do shook her head. "No, we're going to play this safe. We're doing things my way, remember?"
"Oh, right," Rainbow realized. "But what are you gonna do?" Her question was soon answered as she saw Daring pick up some leafs from the ground, folding them into a beard before she put on her A.K. Yearling hat and a head band, pulling it down so her face was concealed.
Rainbow grinned with excitement. "Oh, I see. You're gonna ambush them like in book four at the Horavian caves! Or maybe, that neat trick you did in book three, where you swoop in and knock three guys down with one swing! Or maybe- "
Daring moved to silence Rainbow. "Just stay here, this won't take long," She produced a sack of bits before trotting forward in her disguise, plopping them down in front of Caballeron without looking at him. "Excuse me, good sir," She spoke in an exaggerated voice. "I have been led to believe that you have in your possession an item of significant importance that might be... for sale. I don't suppose you'd be willing to part with it? I can meet any price."
Caballeron eyed the sack of bits. The gold coins were sorely tempting him. "W-well..." He began, unable to take his mind off of the bits. "I... did have another potential buyer lined up, but... he's not here at the moment. And I always say 'My policy is: First come, first serve'."
But all of a sudden the ground began to shake and the trees started to sway! And then, who should emerge from some of the nearby trees but the mighty Ahuizotl himself?! "Caballeron, you fool!" He growled at the top of his lungs. "How dare you try to double cross me!"
Caballeron screamed and whimpered. "A... a thousand apologies, your badness. I didn't think you'd get here so soon."
"Spare me the lies, Caballeron! You are too easily tricked!" Ahuizotl growled again. "Leave my sight at once, I won't let you mess this up for me!" Caballeron and his henchponies reluctantly obeyed, and Ahuizotl saw through Daring Do's disguise in an instant. "So we meet again, Daring Do."
"For the last time, Ahuizotl! You're never getting your paws on the ring!" Daring Do vowed as she grit her teeth.
Ahuizotl just laughed. "Oh, but I always get what I want in the end, Daring Do. You're the only pony in my sights now, and this time you won't escape!" Then he crept closer to her as he pleaded. "The ring, Daring Do! Give it to me, now!"
Daring Do leapt backwards, fully shedding her disguise as she kept the ring around her neck. With a teasing smirk she replied. "Now Ahuizotl, you know I love you. But I'm afraid I can't give you the ring until I've properly proposed."
Ahuizotl snickered as he said with a grin. "Interesting, Daring Do. Because my little friends here have a proposal of their own," He snapped his paw like tail, and several cats surrounded him, all hissing and growling. "Get her! But bring the ring to me!" He instructed.
Daring narrowed her eyes and grit her teeth. "Bring it, Ahuizotl! You're going down!"
"It's your funeral, Daring Do." Ahuizotl replied as he sicked his army of cats on her.
Rainbow reluctantly watched as Daring Do tussled with the various cats Ahuizotl had brought forth. She would've jumped right into the fray already if not for Daring's insistence that Rainbow stay out of sight.
"Come on, Daring, you've got this!" Rainbow Dash nervously commented, observing the scuffle from a safe distance. A series of punches, kicks, growls, and even a scream or two could be heard as the fighting raged on.
Suddenly, the cyan coated mare noticed something that Daring didn't seem to be aware of due to the scuffle. It was the adventurer's famous pith helmet, which had apparently been knocked loose. "Daring Do! I've got your hat! You want me to toss it? Daring Do! Daring Do!" She shouted, a bit too loudly.
The shouting drew the attention of Ahuizotl, who decided to turn his attention to what he assumed was Daring Do's new partner. Without warning he lunged at Rainbow and snatched her up, holding her with his tail! "Oh Daring Do, look who I have!" He taunted, holding his captive up for Daring to see.
Rainbow growled and groaned, kicking about. "Coward, put me down! I could totally take you in a fair fight!"
Daring was horrified! "Rainbow Dash?! Let her go, Ahuizotl! It's me you want!"
"Ah, clearly you value this mare a lot. She must be important to you," Ahuizotl grinned. "I'll let her go, if you agree to give up the fight and turn the ring over to me!"
"Don't do it, Daring! You've got this! Show this clown who's boss!" Rainbow demanded of Daring.
But Daring dropped the ring and stopped fighting. "You've got me, Ahuizotl. You can have the ring, just don't hurt Rainbow Dash!"
Ahuizotl smiled. "Excellent! See what happens when you stop trying to fight me, Daring Do? We could've saved all this trouble, but you had to play the hero. Oh well." He dropped Rainbow Dash and moved to quickly tie up Daring, dangling her in a rug with his tail paw.
A horrified Rainbow could only watch as Ahuizotl carried his prisoner away! "Daring! Don't panic, I'll... I'll come and rescue you!" She insisted even though the tone of her voice betrayed her intentions.
Daring simply called back. "Don't even bother, kid. Ahuizotl's won. Forget about me, save yourself since that's all you care about!" And soon she and Ahuizotl were out of sight.
Distraught, Rainbow Dash looked down at the ground in shame. "What have I done?!" She thought out loud. "Of all the times to mess up, it had to be now."
It was morning when Twilight finally reached Rainbow Dash's location, panting up to the pegasus with every last breath she had. "There you are," She declared, pausing to catch her breath. "I've been trying to find you for ages! Quick, where's Daring Do?! What happened?! Are you hurt?!"
"Just in here," Rainbow motioned to her heart. "I thought maybe I could show Daring Do how awesome it was to have a partner, how cool it can be to have others backing you up. But I failed. Now, thanks to me, Daring Do has been captured by the evil Ahuizotl."
Twilight let out a gasp and struggled to regain her composure. "Rainbow, I'm sure that whatever you did was an honest mistake."
"No, Twilight, Daring Do made it perfectly clear from the start. She didn't want my help and she didn't need my help," Rainbow weakly muttered. "All I ever did was get in the way. You were right all along, we should've never come here. Let's just go home and wait for Daring Do to free herself. I'm sure she's got it all under control somehow."
"Have you lost your mind?! Just yesterday you were all but begging to help her, even before you knew Daring Do and A.K. Yearling were the same!" Twilight protested.
"But don't you see, trying to help was what got me into this mess in the first place," Rainbow whimpered. "If I'd just stayed in Ponyville and minded my own business, the ring would be safe, Daring Do would've prevailed, and her secret wouldn't have gotten out."
Twilight shook her head. "There's way more going on here than meets the eye, Rainbow Dash. There always is in every Daring Do book, and it's not over 'til it's over. But we can't turn our backs on her now, not when she needs our help the most!"
Rainbow wasn't convinced for a second. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, Twilight, I really do. But you can't cheer me up. Daring Do doesn't need or want my help. My hero's far better off without a partner like me around to hold her back."
At that, Twilight pulled Rainbow close with her magic so that the two were snout to snout. "Come on, Rainbow Dash, you've gotta pull yourself together! This isn't you! Where's the Rainbow Dash who would help anypony at the drop of a hat? Where's the Rainbow Dash who would rush off to adventure at the first sign of trouble? Where's the Rainbow Dash who never let anything rattle her?"
The cyan coated pegasus weakly replied. "She's out here, in the middle of nowhere, where she's got no business being. She should be at home. And you should too, Twilight."
Twilight sighed again. "Look, it's fine to look up to Daring Do, Rainbow Dash. But can't you see? You've put her so high up on a pedestal, you can't even see your own worth anymore!"
"No offense, Twi, but that sounds a lot like you and Princess Celestia. It's no secret you look up to her more than anypony else." Rainbow commented.
The young alicorn tried not to blush. "Okay, you're right about that. I do admire Princess Celestia a lot. I've been trying to work on it. Which is why I can't stand to see one of my friends fall into the same trap. Whatever happened before I got here, it's in the past. Daring Do's in that fortress, and we're out here," She firmly declared. "We wouldn't be who we are if we didn't go in after her! And neither would you! But this time, we're going to come up with a plan."
Rainbow paused, deep in thought. And while she was looking she could've sworn she saw the sun's rays catch Daring's pith helmet just right, causing a rainbow reflection in her eyes. She couldn't explain why, but suddenly she knew what she had to do. "You're right, Twilight! Daring Do is in danger, and we're going to save her no matter what it takes! Because that's what we do!"
"I knew you'd see it my way." Twilight smiled.
Ahuizotl had chained Daring Do to a wall in a deep chamber of the temple, preventing her from flying. Beneath her was a small pool of water, and Ahuizotl rested off to the left side with a pull chain nearby. "It's the end of the line for you, Daring Do!" He taunted.
Daring groaned, trying to fight back against the confines of her prison. "Surrender now, Ahuizotl, or I'll be forced to take you down! You'll be sorry!"
Ahuizotl simply laughed. "Oh, Daring Do, I shall so miss your jokes and laughter. But now I must leave to commence the ring-placing ceremony to unleash eight hundred years of unrelenting, sweltering heat!" He proceeded to pull the chain. "Goodbye, Daring Do!" Water began to rapidly fill up the pool below, the water level rising fast.
Daring Do groaned. "I can get out of that, you know."
Ahuizotl only snickered in reply. "I'm sure you can, but by the time you do it will be too late to stop me. Besides, if the water doesn't get you, those piranhas well." And then he departed as it was possible to see some piranhas leaping out of the water for a brief moment.
Not long after Ahuizotl's departure, Daring Do was able to pull out the stones holding the chains to her hooves. They weighed her down though, which made flying difficult.
Fortunately, Rainbow Dash quickly swooped in and carried Daring to safety! "I gotcha!" She exclaimed, before groaning. "Hey, you can flap too, y'know! You're not exactly a paperweight!"
The two pegasi quickly landed in the safety of a nearby tunnel within the temple. Daring looked across to Rainbow Dash. "What are you doing here? I didn't need your help, you know."
"Yes, you made that crystal clear," Rainbow commented. "But I wasn't gonna take any chances. Besides, I just figured you might need this." She slid over Daring's pith helmet while Daring Do was busy smashing the stones that bound her hooves captive.
The adventurer eyed the pith helmet and seemed to have an annoyed look on her face. "Have I mentioned yet that I work alone? How many times do I have to repeat myself?"
"And how many times do you need to hear that you're lucky I don't work alone?" Rainbow retorted. "Maybe sometimes it's better do things on your own, but other times you've got be able to trust others to help you out. And this looks like one of them."
Daring sighed. "Fine, I guess you can help me. I just hope you've got a good distraction for Ahuizotl while we slip the rings off the stand."
Rainbow snickered. "Don't worry, Twilight's got that covered. Ahuizotl's no match for her quick wit and brains. He's never met an egghead before."
And indeed, Twilight was giving Ahuizotl and the ponies he was working with a run for their money. She repeatedly kept the ring out of his paws, teleporting as needed to avoid his clutches.
Ahuizotl was growing steadily more frustrated. "You're making me angry, puny pony!"
"That's the idea!" Twilight taunted. "I gotta say, Ahuizotl. Meeting you up close and personal, you're nowhere near as threatening as the books make you out to be."
"Books?! What books?!" Ahuizotl growled.
Twilight only laughed and winked. "I'm not telling if you don't know. You really should though." Then she teleported again.
Ahuizotl gritted his teeth. "Where did she go?! Curse that pony!"
Ahuizotl worried so much about this that he failed to notice as Rainbow Dash and Daring Do were lifting the heavy rings off the stand one by one. Daring Do was explaining everything. "If we can remove that giant ring at the bottom, the whole fortress will collapse!"
"Wait, you mean you planned to be captured?!" Rainbow questioned in surprise.
Daring confessed. "Well, I had to find a way to bring down the fortress from the inside, and Ahuizotl's arrival gave me the opportunity I needed. I couldn't risk you sabotaging it."
"You didn't have to be nearly that convincing, Daring. A simple wink would've sufficed." Rainbow complained.
Daring tried to apologize. "Hey, in my defense, I'm new to this whole partner thing. But you know, maybe it's not as bad as I thought. I guess maybe you just need somepony on your level, somepony who knows you properly and knows what you need most."
"Glad to hear you're seeing it my way, Daring! Now come on, let's get that last ring removed!" Rainbow declared. But by now several of Ahuizotl's ponies had taken notice. They were poking and proading at the two pegasi with their spears!
"Hey, you can flap too, y'know!" Daring shouted at Rainbow as they strained and struggled. At last, the heavy ring rose all the way to the top, and tumbled off. The temple began to shake and rumble!
"Twilight! Run! This place is goin' down!" Rainbow called to Twilight. Twilight didn't need to be told twice.
The entire temple ended up collapsing not long after Twilight, Rainbow, and Daring had all made it to safety. But when the rubble cleared Ahuizotl poked his head up from the remaints of the temple and declared. "You haven't seen the last of me, Daring Do! You will rue the day you crossed paths with the great Ahuizotl!"
"Heard it all before, Ahuizotl!" Daring taunted and flew away, shattering the ring for good measure. "There, that should put an end to Ahuizotl's plans for this valley," She turned to Rainbow Dash. "I never could've accomplished this without your help, Rainbow Dash. Thanks a bunch."
"Just doing my job, Daring." Rainbow blushed.
Daring pulled something out from her hat. "Well still, I think I owe you something. I treated you horribly even though you were just trying to help me," She hoofed over a small trinket. "A little souvenir from one of my earliest adventures. Speaking of which, I've got a book to write!"
"Uh, about that," Twilight commented. "How exactly are you going to work around the fact that Rainbow and I were a part of it? Ponies are gonna know, and they're gonna start asking questions."
Daring winked. "I'll change some names, wouldn't be the first time I've had to do that," And to Twilight she added. "Be sure to tell your mom thanks for not ratting me out."
"Wait, my mom knew about your secret identity the whole time?!" Twilight gasped in surprise.
Daring nodded as she admitted. "Kind of had to have her in the know so she wouldn't get suspicious when stuff like this came up. But remember, this is top secret. No one else can know about this." And then she flew away.
When Twilight and Rainbow Dash returned to Ponyville the next day, Rainbow immediately took the friendship journal she and her friends had started keeping per Twilight's request. And the entry Rainbow wrote went a little something like this: Just had the coolest adventure with the coolest pony ever. Came this close to blowing it though because I got so wrapped up in how awesome she was, and so I almost forgot about how awesome I was. Good thing I didn't, 'cause it gave me a chance to show her how important it is to put your trust in somepony else. Plus, I taught her that sometimes it's not always a bad thing to put your trust in others. Just have to make sure they're the kind you can trust to back you up.
Shortly after she'd finished writing the entry, there came a knock at the door. A mail delivery pony arrived, clad in a blue uniform. "Package from a Miss A.K. Yearling." He declared.
Rainbow eagerly grabbed the aforementioned package, she knew what it was! "Sweet, the new Daring Do book a week before anypony else gets it!" She ripped open the package and her eyes were greeted by the cover of the book, which depicted Daring Do facing down the tower, with a pony looking suspiciously similar to Rainbow Dash standing besides her. Rainbow smiled.
Unknown to the pegasus, the trinket Daring had given her admitted a rainbow glow for a brief moment. |
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic What If?: Volume 9 | S6 18: Dungeons and Discords (What If?) | Fluttershy was busy packing up things for a trip, a trip she'd just found out about a short time ago. As such she was most surprised when Discord of all creatures happened to drop by for one of his unscheduled visits. "Tea?" He offered, producing a gasp from his oldest and closest friend.
Discord quickly scanned over the various objects strewn about the cottage. "Trendy coats? Bedrolls? Saddlebags? Oh! A surprise vacation just for the two of us? How thoughtful of you, Fluttershy. May I make a suggestion? I hear Puerto Caballo is lovely this time of year. Sand like powdered sugar." He picked up some sand while dressed in an outfit one might expect if you were going to the beach, complete with sunglasses. He then blew the sand, causing Fluttershy to cough.
Fluttershy tried to put what she was about to say as delicately as possible. "Um, it's not for the two of us, Discord. Princess Celestia's taking the six of us on an overnight goodwill tour of Yakyakistan. I actually just found out."
Discord frowned. "Really? You're not taking Spike with you? Or what about that new friend of yours? Starlight what's-her-face?"
"Starlight Glimmer, and she wasn't interested. Neither was Spike," Fluttershy explained. "I'm really sorry you had to find out like this, Discord."
The spirit frowned anew and shrank down briefly with a gasp. "So what you're saying is 'no tea'? Ugh," He cleared his throat and returned to normal. "Er, that's... fine. I wasn't really thirsty anyway."
As Fluttershy resumed packing she suggested to her friend. "If you're looking for something to do, you could spend the evening with Spike and Big Macintosh."
Discord laughed. "Oh, that's a good one! You had me going there for a moment!" When Fluttershy didn't laugh with him he slowly realized that she was being serious. "Oh, you're not kidding. You actually think I'd do that?"
"Why not, it would be a nice change," Fluttershy suggested. "Give you a chance to make some new friends. Heck, Spike and Big Mac, they've got their own 'top secret' thing they like to do whenever the rest of us leave Ponyville," Then she giggled. "Although if we're being honest, everyone knows about it so it's not really a secret. We just like to humor them."
The spirit only remarked. "So I see."
Fluttershy added as she finished packing. "You should give it a chance, I think you'd have fun."
At that Discord remarked quite stubbornly. "Fun? With sidekicks? Oh, you must think that we're in a dimension where everything is opposite," He proceeded to snap his paws, bringing about just such a dimension (which also had an echo to it). "Da-dee-la! I'm Opposite Discord, and I want to hang out with Spike and Big Mac! I'm sure I'd have fun!"
Fluttershy suddenly fluttered up and shouted. "Oh yeah?! Well, guess what, Sassafras?! I'm Opposite Fluttershy, and I'm sick of being nice and quiet all the time!"
Discord proceeded to snap his paws again and bring everything back to normal. Fluttershy seemed surprised by her sudden outburst. "Look, Fluttershy, I appreciate the gesture but it's all I can do just to be friends with the rest of your pony friends. I haven't even really gotten to know Starlight," He explained. "Spike and Big Mac? I don't even know the first thing about them, other than the fact that they're guys, and that one of them doesn't talk much, and the other is Twilight's adopted son."
Fluttershy smirked. "Seems like you already know a lot about them, Discord. I really do think you'd like their 'top secret' event," Then she added. "Unless you're afraid they won't like you?"
The spirit groaned. "Oh, please. Don't stoop to tedious reverse psychology. You're better than that."
"What can I say? I learned from the best." The pegasus replied with a giggle.
Discord simply sighed, his entire body starting to droop. "Oh, all right, if it'll make you happy. Consider it considered."
"Great!" Fluttershy declared. "I'll let them know. Make sure to show up at Twilight's castle at sundown, don't be late."
"'Twilight's castle, sundown'," Discord wrote down the details on a small sketch of paper. "Hm, interesting, I think I can make room in my schedule for... whatever it is." He proceeded to toss out a random book full of pages, on it was written the names of various ponies and included some unusual nicknames for the princess "'Little Lulu' for Luna and 'KK' for Celestia".
But no one could've imagined that Discord's personal invitation to Spike and Big Mac's 'secret' would not only add to it but also bring it to life in a way no one could've imagined. And by the time it was over, all three were going to be drawn closer together.
The six mares boarded the train for Yakyakistan and departed with little fanfare, despite a bit of not so subtle teasing from Twilight and Applejack about Spike and Big Mac's 'secret' get together.
"Well, guess we'd better get everything ready for tonight," Spike told Big Macintosh after the train left. "Just hope Discord doesn't mind the activities."
Hours quickly passed, and as the sun set off to the west Spike and Big Macintosh had gathered in Twilight's castle. Starlight yawned as she trotted past them. "Think I'll call it an early night, Twilight says my studies are suspended while she's in Yakyakistan." She commented. Of course, Spike and Big Macintosh knew that this was her not so secret cue for them to start holding their "secret" get together.
Spike rushed to a nearby window, watching as the last of the sun's rays disappeared into the gleaming twilight. "3, 2, 1, and... we have sundown. Repeat, we have sundown," He rushed back to the main hallway of the castle. "I hereby declare tonight's guys' night ceremonies officially open!"
"Eeyup!" Big Macintosh happily shouted. And he and Spike began to chant (or rather, Spike chanted and Big Mac just said "Eeyup."): "It's guys' night, oh yeah! Havin' fun now, oh yeah!"
But just as they had finished their chant, the sound of trumpets blaring in dramatic fanfare caught their attention. They ran to the front of the castle, where the sound was coming from. And they could not believe the sight that greeted their eyes. "Uh, what the hay?" Spike commented out loud. Big Mac said nothing.
As the trumpets ceased their playing, a miniature version of Discord came running up with a scroll in his paws. After taking a moment to catch his breath he declared. "Fillies and gentlecolts! Announcing the much anticipated arrival of the spirit of chaos and disharmony, the purveyor of pandemonium, lord of lawlessness, earl of turmoil, bringer of bedlam... etcetera etcetera. Dun, dun, a dun, a dun dun! Discord!"
The miniature Discord quickly vanished as a poster of Discord dressed in some kind of sports jersey appeared in its place. Music started playing and spotlights shown as Discord emerged from the poster, bouncing a basketball around and throwing it into the air where it exploded into confetti! "Tada!" He proudly declared. "See guys? That's how you make an entrance!" And then with a smile he declared. "So, guys' night is it? Well why didn't you just say so?! Shall we hop to it? I made a list of the rowdiest establishments in Ponyville to visit," He unfolded a small sheet of paper which showed only two names. "It's rather short. Maybe you can help me expand it."
Spike blushed. "Uh, we're staying here. I don't think Twilight would really approve of me sneaking out to clubs after dark. And even if she doesn't find out, I'm pretty sure Starlight will," A sigh of regret escaped his lips. "Having a big sister can really stink sometimes."
"Oh, I see, Twilight keeps you on a short leash doesn't she?" Discord commented.
"Hey, exny on the leashy!" Spike warned as he blew smoke from his mouth.
Big Macintosh promptly whispered to Discord. "He doesn't like to talk about it, won't even tell me why it gets him all riled up," Then he changed the subject. "We don't need to go out to have a good time. We've got an awesome game we like to play."
"A game? Ooh, I do like a good game!" Discord commented in amazement. "I still fondly remember the days of trapping best friend ponies in hedge mazes and turning them against each other. I wonder if I could turn it into some kind of game show?"
Spike quickly spoke up. "Uh, I'm talking a real game. I'll go get it! Trust me, you're gonna love it! It's awesome!" He rushed away to retrieve it.
Discord watched Spike disappear and called into the distance. "Whatever it is, it can only get better by adding me to the mix."
Only a few moments later Spike called out to Big Mac and Discord. "Okay! Ready!" Big Mac headed the call, leading Discord to a dark room in the corner of the castle.
Spike clicked on a flash light and began to announce. "In a world where evil reigns supreme, a small band of warriors stands tall against the darkness. This is... Ogres & Oubliettes!" The lights flicked on a moment later, revealing a game made of cardboard cutout figures, a paper map, and lots of dies. And it was all set up on the magic table throne that often sent Twilight and her friends off on friendship quests!
Discord locked eyes on the game and let out a gasp! Whatever he had been expecting, it was most definitely not something like this. "Oh my... this looks like..."
"-The best game ever?! Well, you're right!" Spike giddly replied. "This isn't just any tabletop game, oh no! This is the king of them all!"
"Yes, I can see," Discord remarked and under his breath he added. "A game that makes you build it all yourself, I guess that's one way to make a living."
Spike could sense that his new guest wasn't exactly thrilled with the game and quickly tried to cheer him up. "Oh come on, Discord! Ogres & Oubliettes is a fantasy role-playing adventure game," He fondly added. "Shining Armor taught me how to play it when I was but a hatchling, and sometimes Twilight would join in."
"We were gonna let Shining Armor join in," Big Macintosh commented. "But he's too busy takin' care of his daughter, and lots of other times he's had to take a rain check 'cause of his wife. A shame, I hear he's really good at this game."
Spike nodded, puffing out his chest. "He taught me all the ins and outs, all the best tricks and tips! But now, I think it's safe to say that I'm the Ogres & Oubliettes champion of the Sparkle family!" Then he sat down in Twilight's throne, explaining the basics of the game. "Our goal, defeat the evil Squid Wizard, or... " He stiffled his share laugh with Big Mac. "As we like to call him... the Squizard!"
Big Mac laughed, pounding the table. "Ya gotta admit, it's a clever play on words. And boy, doesn't it just crack ya up?"
"Ah yes, how very creative of you." Discord sarcastically grumbled.
Spike, unaware of Discord's comment, cleared his throat and regained his composure as he went on explaining the game. "The Squizard has laid siege to the last free city in Spiketopia. That's the name of the land. And he's kidnapped a beautiful unicorn princess named Shmarity," Realizing what that sounded like the dragon quickly added. "Er.. which is like a normal name in Spiketopia, so, you know, don't think about it too much. It means nothing."
Discord moved a zipper across his mouth. "Not to worry, I heard nothing. Your romantic 'fantasies' are safe with me," Then he remarked. "But why do you think I'd be interested in something like this? It doesn't sound very appealing."
"Come on, you haven't even tried the game yet," Spike insisted. "Trust me, it's tons of fun once you get the hang of it," He pulled out a book and a character sheet. "Okay, first thing's first, you've gotta make your own character. It can be anything you want, within reason of course."
"Oh, okay, what about... Discord?" The spirit immediately proposed.
Spike shook his head. "You can't play as yourself, that defeats the whole point of the game. The fun comes from creating your own custom character, and emersing yourself in the rich world you've created," Then he explained. "Take me, for example. In this game I'm not Spike the Brave and Glorious. I'm Garbunkle, a famous magician. Everyone treats me with the utmost respect. Oh, and don't get jealous but I happen to be a level 30 Enchanter with major skill points assigned to Intellect and Perception. After all I have been playing this game for a long time."
Discord tried his best to feign interest. "Yeah, sure, go ahead."
Spike gestured a claw over to Big Macintosh, seated in Applejack's throne. "Big Mac's character is Sir McBiggun, a level 27 Black Knight Unicorn from Castle Chadwick! His skill with a sword is without equal."
Discord still pretended to care about the game. He was convinced that if he just sat through Spike's long dribble he could kindly bow out and have some fun on his own. "I see. I suppose that counts for something."
"Oh it does!" Spike proudly explained. "For you see, when his king aligned himself with the Squizard, Sir McBiggun would not besmirch his honor. Thus he met Garbunkle, and the two formed an alliance of their own."
"Eeyup," Big Macintosh proudly nodded. "I'd sooner be buried with my sword than give myself to some evil wizard."
"And so it came to pass!" Spike declared in a dramatic tone of voice. "The magician and black knight vowed to rid Spiketopia of the evil Squizard. And today, it just so happens that a new traveler has joined their group. And his name is..."
Discord frowned. "Oh, we're still doing this? I already have the best name in the universe. Why would I change it for something like... I don't know... 'Captain Wuzz'?"
"Ah, Captain Wuzz it shall be," Spike wrote down the name on a character card. "You'll start at level 1, that's how it works for all newcomers. You'll level up the longer you play and the more battles you partake in, some on your own and some with your allies. Now, there's still the matter of class. Choose wisely, once you've chosen one there's no take backs. There's a whole bunch of classes, but for a beginner might I recommend something simple? Archers, Mages, Rogues..."
The spirit rolled his eyes out of his head, pulled them up from the ground, and put them back in as he groaned. "Honestly, those classes all sound lame. Can't I just leave? This really isn't my kind of game."
Spike shrugged off the complaint. "Come on, Discord. Give it a chance," And he settled on a character for Discord. "Well, how about an archer? They're great at ranged attacks, and we could certainly use that to cover our flanks. Magicians are support based and Black Knights fight up close and personal."
"Ugh, fine, I'll be an archer. But only for this game, after that I'm never playing again!" Discord vowed.
The little dragon laughed in his throat. "That's what they all say, but after one game they're hooked. I've got character sheets of all sorts of players to prove it. I've even played it with my dragon sitter, Princess Luna. And let me tell you, she sure knows how to get into character," After regaining his composure he turned to Big Macintosh and asked. "Sir McBiggun, are you prepared to enter the world of Ogres & Oubliettes?"
"Eeyup." Big Macintosh firmly nodded.
"Captain Wuzz," Spike turned to Discord. "Are you--"
"Yes, yes, just get on with it!" Discord impatiently declared. "The sooner this game ends, the better."
Spike rolled the dice and then picked up the game book, reading aloud from one of its passages. "Ah, what an interesting predicament. We find our heroes trapped in the dungeon of the evil Squizard. The bars are locked tight," When Discord noticed the lack of actual bars, Spike explained. "The bars exist in our imagination."
"Oh really? So we just pretend things are real now?" Discord complained.
"They are real, Discord, in our imagination," Spike quickly replied. "I'll let you take the first move since you're new to the game. So, Captain Wuzz, what do you want to do?"
Discord grumbled. "Does it matter? I'd like to curse myself for deciding to come to this meeting," Then he realized. "Oh, you meant the game. Well, what can I do, exactly?"
Spike told the spirit. "Almost anything you'd like, really. Then I just roll this twenty sided die and see if you're successful. However, certain things are harder for you as an Archer. And likewise, some things are ease. But more on that when we get to it."
Discord poofed up a set of bars and stuck his head out from them as he declared. "How's this? I stick my head through the bars and demand for the immediate release of the Lord of Chaos. Which Captain Wuzz just happens to be, just so we're clear."
"Not in this game he isn't, there's no class for Lord of Chaos," Spike replied. "Persuasion's not your strong suit as an Archer. You're taking a big risk, you'd have to roll a seventeen or higher. Better hope lady luck's on your side," He picked up the die and rolled it, looking down at the number. It was an eight. "Ooh, bad idea. The guard gets mad. Perhaps Captain Wuzz would like to have one of his teammates take over?"
But Discord growled. "No, Captain Wuzz has a trick up his sleeve!" He looked down at a book nearby, eyeing the things written on it and then declaring. "Ah, here we go! This spell here. I cast it and turn him into a parsnip. I can do that."
"Actually, you'd need eleven Intelligent points to cast a Transform Into Root Vegetable spell. Maybe you should've picked a Mage," Spike told Discord. "Mages are great at spell casting and healing. But maybe you'll get lucky?"
Discord scoffed at the notion. "Luck has nothing to do with it. How could I not be intelligent? This game makes no sense. I cast the spell anyway because this game is stupid."
Spike rolled the die again, watching as it landed on a nine. "Ooh, not quite, Captain Wuzz! The spell backfires. So," He had to pause due to fits of laughter that were erupting from him. "Your claws grow leaves and transform into parsnips!"
"What?! Are you for real?!" Discord growled.
Big Macintosh just started laughing hysterically. "Parsnips!"
The spirit found himself growing steadily more frustrated by the second as the fits of laughter grew into loud howls. "Don't you dare laugh at me! Do you even know who you're dealing with?!" But his angry remarks only fell on deaf ears, neither Spike or Big Mac acknowledged a word of what he'd said.
Suddenly, something inside Discord snapped! His eyes burned with a fire he had experienced only once before, when Fluttershy had invited Tree Hugger to the Grand Galloping Gala instead of him. "Ooh, that's it! I've had it up to here with this game, and I'm not gonna take it anymore!" He bellowed at the top of his lungs. "I seal Sir McBiggun in a magic bubble until he stops laughing!" And he did just that!
Big Macintosh found himself suspended in a bubble that he couldn't break out of it no matter what he did. Spike angrily turned to Discord. "Cut it out, Discord! You're ruining the fun!"
"What fun could be had in a game that says I'm not intelligent enough?!" Discord snorted. "I'm intelligent! With a snap of my paw I can turn the world upside down, and with another snap I can bring it right side up again! I know magic that even Celestia and Luna don't know! I'm capeable of bending the laws of time and space to my every whim if I so choose!" Then in a low, growling tone of voice he added. "And if the Tirek incident should've taught you anything, it's that you don't want me to be the bad guy."
"Look, Discord, you had your chance and you chose to be an Archer!" Spike retorted to Discord. "I told you the things you were trying to do were risky, it's your own fault they backfired! Maybe if you'd listen to me, I could've helped you pick a class better suited to your style of gameplay."
Discord scoffed at the very notion. "Please! You call this a guys' night? I can show you a real guys' night!"
"But we don't want a real guys' night, not your version anyway," Big Mac protested. "We much prefer Ogres & Oubliettes."
It was then that Discord got an idea, a rather sinister idea at that. "Oh, you really like that game, huh? Well what if I told you, I had a way to make the experience more 'lively'?"
"What do you mean by that?" Spike nervously questioned with a gulp.
Discord flashed a toothy smile. "Oh, you'll find out soon enough. Garbunkle! Sir McBiggun! Are you ready to enter the world of Ogres & Oubliettes?!" As he spoke dark clouds ominously gathered around him, and then he held out his paws and shot two bolts of magic at Spike and Big Macintosh, making them disappear!
When Spike and Big Mac came to, they found themselves looking around at an unfamiliar landscape. It looked almost like it was comprised of colored dies, cardboard cutouts, and paper figures. And it seemed they were dressed in the outfits that matched their characters from the game of Ogres & Oubliettes. Spike had a gray wizard's robe and hat, along with a beard and a wooden staff. And Big Mac had a horn, a black mask that concealed all but the eyes on his face, and a sword that could be tucked into a small holding on his back.
"Sir McBiggun?!" Spike exclaimed, hoping beyond hope that he wasn't imaging things.
Big Mac took one look at himself and nodded. "Eeyup."
"And I'm... Garbunkle?" Spike commented as realization slowly began to sink in. "Then that means that... Sweetness! We're in the game! Check this out! Ka-zam!" He fired off a beam of magic from his staff, shattering one of the nearby dies.
Delighted at this development, Spike and Big Mac began to chant again: "It's guys' night, oh yeah! In the game now, oh yeah!"
Spike then marveled at the real life game world Discord had created. "Oh man, if only Shining Armor could see this now. He'd be begging to join in!" The little dragon looked all around, but he didn't see any sign of Discord anywhere. Either as himself or as his character: Captain Wuzz the Archer. "Discord? Hey, Discord, you there?! I know you didn't like playing the game with us, but we still owe you for bringing it to laugh like this."
From afar, Discord's voice could be heard and it sounded like a laugh. "Oh, no need to thank me. Aren't games fun when you get to be a part of the action?"
At that, Spike let out a gulp as he looked at Big Mac. "Er, you think we should worry that he's using his scary voice?" But he needn't have bothered asking, for at that moment there came the sound of an army marching.
The horrified heroes turned around to look, and found themselves staring down a paper cutout of a giant squid with magic wands and a sorcerer's hat. The creature cackled as he declared. "Behold, I am the Squizard! Cower you fools, cower before my awesome power!" Then he added. "And look at the fine prize I picked up. Your precious Princess Shmarity is mine!"
A couple of paper skeleton warriors held a tied up Starlight Glimmer, who was dressed in a long, flowing princess robe and a crown. As she struggled in vain to break free she complained. "For the last time, I'm not Rarity!" And then she looked at Spike. "You've got a lot of explaining to do, mister!"
"Discord!" Spike growled.
Discord's voice only laughed. "You're welcome."
Spike and Big Mac immediately opted to flee from the Squizard, knowing they couldn't hope to take him head on with his army of skeletons. But they could only run so fast, and suddenly several arrows filled the sky!
But before the arrows could impact they stopped midair. Amidst the silence, Discord's voice narrated. "Oh my, what a predicament you're in, brave heroes. You find yourselves on the battlefield, right in the thick of it, as a barrage of arrows rains down on you. If you roll a fifteen or higher then the shield holds against the attack. Roll a fourteen or lower and, well..." The spirit paused in his narration to laugh. "You get the idea. Better hope lady luck is on your side."
From up above, a huge die came down and rolled around. It eventually stopped, landing right side up with the number seventeen showing. Discord continued his narration. "Ooh, seventeen! Lucky you! The shield holds and you manage to withstand the aerial bombardment, for now." Sure enough, the arrows bounced harmlessly off a magic bubble before they could touch either of the heroes.
Having been spared from what would've been a painful fate, Spike and Big Mac wasted no time and resumed fleeing. They tried to take shelter in a nearby cave to rest and hopefully find a way to survive.
Alas, it seemed Discord was already there. "Boo." He cried, before several skeleton warriors suddenly appeared.
"Discord, stop it!" Spike demanded. "This isn't fun anymore."
"Oh, but I thought you liked living the game. I thought I was doing you a favor," Discord remarked. "Isn't it more fun when I'm the game master? The one who determines whether you succeed or fail?" Then he looked down at the two heroes. "Speaking of which, I'd cover that entrance if I were you, Sir McBiggun. You don't want the Squizard's forces to get in and ambush you."
But Discord's warning came too late. The Squizard himself closed in on the heroes, and some of his skeleton warriors drew close enough to attack. Garbunkle and Sir McBiggun fought bravely, repelling many of the attackers. But the Squizard himself was too powerful, one blast from his magic wands was enough to bring them both to their knees.
And when the attacks connected, Spike and Big Mac felt a sharp, stinging pain. "That hurts! That actually hurts!" Spike realized. "Discord, are you crazy?!"
"Of course I am, Spike, it comes with the job," Discord retorted. "So maybe I forgot to mention that the game will be real in more ways than one. Can I help it if that detail slipped my mind?"
"Discord, what were you thinking?!" Spike snapped at the spirit. "This isn't fun! This is awful!"
The Squizard simply laughed in his throat. "Of course it's awful, foolish fools. Spiketopia will be mine! And Rarity shall be my bride!" After a second of silence he quickly corrected himself. "Er I mean, Shmarity."
Another zap connected, and Spike and Big Mac nearly crumpled to the floor from pain. "Why are you doing this, Discord? You're the worst!" Spike complained as the spirit finally appeared in the game world in full.
Discord simply retorted. "Really? I go out of my way to do something nice for you even after I didn't like your stupid game, and now you say I'm a horrible guy? If you really think that way, why did you even invite me to guys' night in the first place? I could've stayed in my dimension, doing whatever I felt like doing. But I decided I'd give your 'top secret' gathering a chance."
"Because we felt sorry for you, Discord! That's why!" Spike explained. "We thought maybe you'd appreciate the chance to try something new, make new friends."
The spirit stopped the game, snapping his paws and bringing everyone (including Starlight) back to the throne room. Starlight took a moment to catch her breath, then departed without saying a word.
As for Discord he just blinked his eyes but did nothing else. "You felt sorry for me?" He remarked, as if offended by the very notion. "That can't be! I'm supposed to feel sorry for you because I'm me and you're you."
"It's not always about you, Discord. Did you ever think of that?" Spike bitterly remarked. "We thought we'd be nice, Fluttershy kept mentioning how lonely you are whenever she and the girls are out of town. So Big Mac and I thought we'd invite you over out of the kindness of your hearts. Because we were trying to be nice to you, you... weirdo!"
Big Mac nodded his head in silent agreement.
Discord's mouth all but dropped open at the statement. "I ruined your night, and you don't even think I'm cool? Ugh, how embarrassing," Then he remarked. "Great, now I feel guilty. Why do you do this to me? Did Fluttershy tell you how much of a softie I can be at heart?"
"Come on, Discord, you need to lighten up a little," Spike insisted to the spirit. "You're reformed now, and just because you're Discord doesn't mean you have to always be so mean to everyone all the time. Even Starlight wasn't as defensive as you are now, and she had a hard time fitting in."
"Really? Seems like you've accepted her with open arms. I didn't even get an invitation or a heads up when Twilight took her on as a student." Discord complained.
"Because Starlight didn't want or need some big ceremony, she needed time to get used to her new life," Spike explained. "But now she's settled in, and she's become a part of the circle of friends. Heck, she's even made a few friends of her own. If she can do it, why can't you?"
Discord stuttered and twiddled his paws, a tell tale sign that something was troubling him and that he didn't want to admit it to it. "W-well..." After a moment of hesitation he sighed and confessed. "Oh, what the heck? I can't keep anything a secret from you, can I? I suppose I have to tell someone," He cleared his throat. "Ever since Tirek's defeat I started thinking. I tried to put it all out of my mind, but a part of me felt like he was right about one thing. About how I had to change who I was to fit in with ponies."
Spike shook his head. "Come on, Discord, that's just nonsense. Tirek was only trying to plant seeds of doubt in your mind so he could control you. Princess Celestia says he always prided himself on that silver tongue of his."
"But think about it, Spike, in a way he was kind of right," Discord commented. "When ponies see me they think 'Ah! Help! Run away! It's Discord, come to turn my life upside down for no good reason!'. Even Twilight still sometimes thinks I'm up to no good, like I'm a bad influence best kept to a minimum. I guess I just miss the days when I could cause chaos and not have to worry about cleaning up afterward. Not that I'd want to go back to those days, I wouldn't want to be without friends and be trapped in stone again."
Spike simply reached out a claw to the spirit. "Well you don't need to act like a jerk just because you're unhappy. Besides, even if you've changed you're still the same old Discord deep down. You're still the spirit of chaos and disharmony, and that doesn't magically change just because you made friends. For a creature who claims to have been around for eons, it's surprising how much there is that you don't know."
Discord found himself blushing for some reason. "Let it be known that age doesn't necessarily equal wisdom. I suppose even a creature like me is never too old to learn."
"Eeyup." Big Macintosh nodded his head.
Spike nodded too. "Couldn't have put it better myself," And then he turned to Discord. "So, whaddya say? Feel like giving Ogres & Oubliettes another chance? I'm kind of hoping you'll say yes, because I've got a little proposition for you."
"I'm all ears!" Discord said with a grin as he turned himself into a giant ear.
The little dragon grinned. "What if we forgot the board and the pieces for a minute? I mean, the whole game coming to life was completely terrifying, but also kind of the best thing ever! So, uh, Big Mac and I were wondering... What if you toned it down just a teensy bit? You know, maybe get rid of the whole 'the pain is real' thing."
The spirit grinned again. "Hm, I think I can make that work. It'll take some effort though and I can't exactly guarantee it'll be exactly the same as before."
"Hey, we're not asking for perfection," Spike declared. "So why don't you get it set up while I go check on a certain somepony?"
Spike raced out of the throne room and trotted down a couple of hallways to Starlight's bedroom. He knocked on it a few times but there was no reply.
That was until a sharp voice called out. "Go away! I'm trying to sleep!"
"Aw come on, big sis," Spike playfully pleaded. "I'm sorry Discord kidnapped you like that. I already made him promise not to do stuff like that again."
Starlight simply replied from the other side of the door. "I don't care. I don't want to be a princess. All I want to get a good night's sleep," And she groaned. "I swear, it seems like every time I'm with you something crazy happens."
"Alright, your loss." Spike replied and returned to the throne room, deciding that Starlight was a lost cause.
Discord had just finished setting up the real life game world, and had slipped into his character costume of Captain Wuzz. "Ah, there you are, Garbunkle. Are you ready to enter the world of Ogres & Oubliettes?"
Spike nodded as he rushed onto the game world, changing into his character costume. "I'm ready!"
"Sir McBiggun," Discord turned to Big Mac. "Are you ready to enter the world of Ogres & Oubliettes?"
"Eeyup!" Big Mac declared as he changed into his character costume too.
"Okay, let's begin!" Discord declared. "Our heroes decide to confront the Squizard directly, and so they go to his castle. But the Squizard's army is there to greet them." As he spoke, a massive paper castle rose out of the ground, and several cardboard cutout skeleton warriors appeared.
The voice of the Squizard taunted the heroes. "You will never defeat me, fools! My army will make mince meat out of you!"
"In your dreams, Squizard! You're going down!" Garbunkle taunted as he swung his staff, shooting out several blasts of magic that brought down many skeleton warriors.
Sir McBiggun swung his sword around, slicing apart many skeleton warriors as well. And Captain Wuzz's well aimed arrows brought down countless more. But it seemed like no matter how many were defeated, the skeleton warriors continued to pour in.
The heroes didn't care, they were having the time of their lives. The skeleton warriors fell easily against their weapons.
At last, the Squizard himself emerged from his castle just as the heroes reached the top of it. "You've made a foolish mistake! I'll defeat you all myself, and then I'll rule Spiketopia forever!"
Captain Wuzz aimed another arrow as he instructed. "Garbunkle! Follow my lead! We'll take him down together!" He shot off an arrow in a far off direction.
"Fool! Mere arrows can't harm me!" The Squizard declared. "And you missed by a mile!"
"Oh, it's no ordinary arrow, Squizard!" Garbunkle vowed as he aimed his staff at the arrow as it bounced off the castle walls, encasing it in ice. "Let's see how you like this!"
The ice arrow soon pierced the Squizard from behind, causing him to let out a squeak! "You'll pay for that! You haven't seen the last of me!" He vowed as he ran off, trying to get the arrow out of his rear.
"Bulls-eye!" Garbunkle declared.
Captain Wuzz nodded and smiled. "Nice one! Garbunkle! I knew I could count on you!"
Then all three heroes started to chant together: "It's guys' night, oh yeah! Havin' fun now, oh yeah!"
Suddenly, they were snapped out of their game by the sound of hoofs clapping. The heroes spun around to see Twilight and all of her friends had come back to the castle, still dressed in their attire for Yakyakistan.
"Mom!" Spike blushed. "H-how much of that... did you see?"
Twilight snickered, trying (and failing) to cover her look of amusement. "Only the last little bit, Spike. Looks like you're having fun."
"W-well, yeah... all thanks to Discord," Spike declared. "But uh... we should probably pack it up now, guys' night is over."
But Rainbow Dash protested. "What are you talking about? It doesn't have to end yet! I want in!" And she happily exclaimed. "Did you see Big Mac's sword? That's awesome!"
Pinkie Pie added. "Yeah! I don't know what it is, but it looks like super duper fun!" She chased after Rainbow Dash as they stepped into the gaming world, obtaining in game costumes (Rainbow was dressed in a dark gray hooded robe, and Pinkie had a multicolored vest and a purple band that made her look like a fortune teller). "Guys' night rules!" They both declared as they rushed to join in on the fun! |
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic What If?: Volume 9 | S7 E21: Once Upon a Zeppelin (What If?) (Bonus Chapter) | Twilight was hard at work in her study in her castle. Sometimes the life of Equestria's youngest and most popular princess could be quite demanding. Lots of ponies wanted her to sign things for a variety of reasons. And Twilight just never had the heart to turn anyone away, no matter what.
She only stopped signing when her quill broke, causing her to let out a groan. Fortunately, Spike was on the scene within seconds to deliver a new quill.
But then suddenly the little dragon felt an ominous rumbling in his stomach. Without warning he let out a huge belch, then promptly breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness. I thought I had too many deep fried gems for a moment."
"I told you not to eat those, Spike," Twilight lightly scolded and then read over the scroll that had been belched up from Spike. When she had finished reading it her eyes lit up and she started to happily prance in place. "Spike, great news! It's from my parents! They just won a free zeppelin cruise and get to take the whole family!"
"Whoa! Awesome!" Spike fondly exclaimed. "So when do we leave?"
But Twilight only frowned and sighed, before sitting down at her desk. "We can't go, Spike. I wish we could, but I'm far too busy. The first annual Friendship Festival will take place in just a few weeks, and I'm up to my neck in important responsibilities. There's just too many princess duties I need to take care of."
Spike groaned as he walked over to Twilight, trying to persuade her. "Come on, Twilight. Even Princess Celestia takes a break sometimes, and she raises the sun. Surely you can do the same. Heck, if anyone needs a vacation it's you!"
"But if I did, who would take over my responsibilities on such short notice?" Twilight commented. "Don't forget that Diamond Tiara's staying the weekend here again as part of her studies."
Spike rolled up his non-existent sleeves as he declared. "I'm not taking no for an answer, Twilight! You're gonna go on vacation and you're gonna like it! I can keep track of the friendship log, boost community morale, and answer fan mail for a few days. Okay?"
Twilight remarked. "But, Spike, you're as much a part of my family as anypony. I can't just leave you here to do all that work. You're my son, and this vacation is for the whole family!"
Starlight trotted into the room at that very moment. "Not to worry, Twilight, I'll take care of everything. I'm sure I can also keep Diamond Tiara under control until you get back."
"Yeah!" Diamond Tiara cheered. "You're lucky, you know. I can't remember the last time my whole family went on a vacation together, and liked it," She looked up at Twilight. "I promise I'll behave. I won't sneak treats from the pantry, I'll make sure to be in bed at my assigned time, and all that stuff."
"You and your son go on that zeppelin cruise and have a good time," Starlight declared. "If you need to reach me, we can just use the enchanted locket we used when you were in Canterlot."
Spike eagerly scooted close to Twilight as the young alicorn commented. "I guess I could use a little time off from being a princess. You're the best, Starlight!"
Starlight smiled. "Hey, what are friends for? Now get packing, that zeppelin's not gonna wait forever!"
"Okay," Twilight declared as she trotted away. "I'm gonna go pack everything neatly into one suitcase!"
As Twilight left to do just that, Spike looked across to Starlight and Diamond and told them. "Wait for it..."
Almost as if on cue, Twilight shouted out from the hallway. "Cruises have activities, right?! I should probably make a schedule?!"
Spike grinned. "And, there it is." Needless to say, he was looking forward to the cruise. But neither he or Twilight were prepared for what was to take place on it. The theme of the cruise especially was going to take them by surprise.
Twilight and Spike met up with the rest of the Sparkle family (including Cadence and Flurry Heart, the latter of whom was stored safely in a mobile basket that was held by Cadence's magic) at the zeppelin's dock in Canterlot. Lots of ponies waited to get onboard the moment the ramp was lowered.
Amidst the happy chatter of excited cruise ponies, Twilight Velvet fondly exclaimed. "Oh gee, it sure feels nice to get away from it all. Feels like it's been forever since I left my writing desk, even though I'm now semi-retired. I for one am just looking forward to a nice, relaxing vacation."
Night Light giggled as he whispered to Twilight (who happened to be within ear shot). "Better watch out. She'll never admit to it, but I know my darling Velvet better than anypony. And when she says 'relaxing vacation' what she really means is doing something completely crazy. On our last vacation she ended up bungee-jumping over Luna Bay! Oh well, you can't help who you marry. And Velvet's thrill seeking nature is just what I like about her."
"What was that, hon?" Velvet called, apparently not having heard (or maybe she had and she was just feigning ignorance).
Night Light quickly (and nervously) replied. "O-oh, nothing, dear. I was uh... just telling Twilight here about my new bingo strategy book! It's a, heh, real page-turner!" Then he gave a knowing wink to Twilight.
"Well I think it'll be nice to have the whole family together on this vacation," Velvet commented. "Having Spike along for the ride sure brings back memories. Oh, just thinking about it makes me feel old."
Night Light retorted. "What are you talking about, darling? You haven't aged a day since I met you, and you're still as beautiful as ever."
"Oh stop it, you. Not in front of Spike and the little one." Velvet playfully teased.
Spike just grinned. "I'm not that young anymore, Twilight says I'm a big boy," Then he looked at Flurry Heart. "Besides, I'm sure she's heard stuff like that all the time from her parents. Isn't that right, Flurry?" The infant alicorn just giggled, wiggling her tiny hooves.
Shining Armor proudly declared. "Well I can't wait to get onboard this zeppelin and fly like a pegasus!"
Twilight looked at her brother and teased. "Oh really? Because I seem to remember you getting airsick on Admiral Fairweather's Wild Ride at Pony Island."
Shining was quick to counter. "You must be imaging things, Twily. Besides, I outgrew airsickness a long time ago. And even if I did still suffer from it, which I don't, I could always just take medicine or use a magic spell."
Princess Cadence spoke next as the family boarded the zeppelin. "I just hope Flurry Heart behaves herself. She's only been outside the Crystal Empire once before."
"I'm sure she'll be fine, Cadence. Sunburst made sure to get her up to date on all her spells," Shining reassured his wife. "There'll be no magic outbursts here."
Then suddenly the loudspeakers on the zeppelin crackled to life. "Mares and gentlestallions, colts and fillies of all ages. On behalf of Royal Airlines, your captain would like to welcome you all aboard!" A moment later, the ramp was withdrawn and the ropes that held the zeppelin to the dock were pulled up. The zeppelin's engines whirred to life, and the mighty machine was soon cruising above the clouds as it departed Canterlot.
The Sparkle family decided to go straight to their assigned cabin so they could unpack. They were most surprised to find out that they had gotten a royal suite, and that it only cost them a bit to pay the bellhop who showed them the way.
"So this is what it feels like to be big-time contest prize winners," Night Light commented in amazement as he surveyed the room. "Color me impressed. But it's funny, I don't remember signing up for any contests with a zeppelin cruise involved. Do you, Velvet?"
Twilight Velvet shook her head. "I'm sure I'd remember something like that. Oh well, I'm not complaining. An opportunity like this doesn't come often."
Twilight blinked upon hearing the pair of statements from her parents. "Wait. You don't know where the prize comes from?"
Velvet eagerly replied. "This is a gift horse that's not worth looking in the mouth, Twilight. When somepony offers you a free vacation, you just sign the papers on the dotted line and don't ask questions!"
Spike then commented. "Seems like there's no catch so far, the tickets were valid and everything."
"Exactly, and now we all get to fly off together!" Night Light proudly declared. "Gosh, feels like it's been forever since the whole family was together like this. What should we do first?"
Twilight grinned. "Funny you should mention that. I did a little bit of research into the cruise and found a list of potential activities: So I took the liberty of organizing all the different things there are to do, creating a schedule organized by each of our interests. It's even colored coordinated," She pulled out a long sheet with various colored bars, each with a different name written on them, as well as a pointer that she directed to the first colored bar. "Dad, you're easy. Bingo tournament right here."
Night Light fondly declared. "You know your old stallion well. I never was into games like Dragon Pit or Ogres & Oubliettes. Give me a bingo sheet and I'm good to go," He let out a happy sigh. "Ah, bingo. I just love how the numbers and letters are organized in their little boxes. It's so satisfying."
Twilight directed the rest of the family to the next colored bar. "Shining Armor, they've got a tiny boat race in a tiny pool here. We can race each other."
Shining Armor briefly looked at his daughter, before he smiled at Twilight. "Aw, sis. Only you would remember I love tiny things. But don't think I'm gonna go easy on you because of that, that's not how I roll."
Flurry Heart babbled as Cadence smiled. That brought Twilight to her next item of importance, the next bar on her chart. "Cadence, there's a Peewee Princess Playtime here that Flurry's gonna love!"
"Oh, how wonderful!" Cadence exclaimed. "My daughter will finally have a chance to make some friends."
Twilight Velvet eyed the schedule next, and an unmarked colored bar caught her attention. "Hmm, this here barrel ride at Neighagra Falls sounds interesting. I don't suppose I could do that?"
"Figured you'd say that, Mom. Even when you were raising Shining Armor and I, you always had a love for adventure reflected in your stories. I still remember the ones you used to tell about Meghan and the Rainbow of Darkness," Twilight smiled, before pinning the schedule to a wall in the room. "Spike can spend time exploring the zeppelin, there's tons of other activities I couldn't squeeze in with our schedule. Though while I do want you all to have a good time, this actually works out perfectly because it means we'll have room for the one thing I wanna do!" She pointed to the last colored bar of the chart and happily explained. "Our ship passes the Frozen North at sunset, which is the only time you can see the astrological phenomenon known as the Northern Stars. It's like the stars are shooting out of the setting sun!"
The rest of the Sparkle family (except for Spike who had learned of Twilight's intentions earlier) all oohed in amazement. The Northern Stars were a rare phenomenon, something that only a few ponies had ever seen with their own two eyes.
Cadence simply commented. "Well, we definitely don't want to miss that. Better make a note of it now."
"No worries, I've got it covered. I'm pretty much used to taking notes for others by now, even on vacation." Spike explained as he jotted down the time the Northern Stars would be visible, attaching it next to the chart for all to see.
"Good, it's settled then," Twilight happily declared, before eyeing her schedule more closely. "Although it seems like we have anything to do right now. The bingo tournament isn't for another half hour or so. Anypony have any ideas on what we should do until then?"
As if in answer to that question the loudspeakers crackled to life again, and the voice from before announced. "Hey there, cruise ponies. Here's a friendly little travel tip for you all: Don't let this zeppelin cruise be a bore. Why not leave your rooms and try the tour? Satisfaction is one hundred percent guaranteed."
"Well, I guess it can't hurt to take up that suggestion," Spike commented to the others. "Wonder what'll be on the tour?" He and the rest of the Sparkle Family promptly left their room, even Flurry Heart came with them.
Once out on the deck, Shining Armor stuck his hooves out to feel the wind as it whistled past him. "Hey, look at me! I'm flying! I'm--" He began, only to suddenly feel his stomach lurch and his face turn at least two shades of green.
Cadence quickly approached her husband and gave him a knowing wink. "Hey, dear, I'm afraid Flurry might be airsick," She spoke with trained precision. "Since I know that isn't a problem for you, would you mind taking her below for me?"
Shining happily accepted his wife's "excuse" and after picking up Flurry Heart he quickly went below deck to recover. No one said a word.
Spike, meanwhile, was enjoying his time with Night Light and Twilight Velvet. He hadn't seen them in a long time, and neither had they truly seen him. The last time any of them could remember being together was during Twilight's coronation.
Velvet happily stroked the little dragon's chin as she cooed. "Oh, just look at you. You're definitely not the same little dragon who would crawl all over the place and make messes for me to clean up. I remember my husband and I would watch over you every day while Twilight was attending Celestia's school."
Night Light chuckled. "Don't forget the time he ate one of your necklaces, and Twilight tried to make him cough it back up. Or how he always kept calling her 'Mama' even though she'd insist she wasn't because she didn't lay his egg."
"Oh, it was just so adorable. It always melted my heart!" Velvet fondly exclaimed. "I just hope Flurry Heart doesn't grow up as fast as little Spikey-Wikey did."
Spike blushed, even though he adored the attention and affection he wasn't exactly thrilled with the embarrassing nature of it. "Come on, you guys. You're embarrassing me."
"All part of what parents do when their children have children," Velvet cooed. "If someday if you have kids of your own, you'll understand."
Cadence simply smiled as she trotted over. "You've definitely grown into a handsome young dragon, Spike. Sometimes I forget that the same Spike the Brave and Glorious who saved my empire, is the same Spike I'd help Twilight take care of whenever I foalsat her. Not that I minded, it gave me another 'excuse' to get close to Shining Armor," And she playfully ribbed Twilight. "And you always thought we were gross just for making out."
"I was just a little kid, I thought romance was mushy stuff that belonged in fairy tales." Twilight sheepishly replied as she threw up her wings to cover her blush.
But just then, Twilight overheard parts of a conversation going on between her and her parents. More specifically, her father.
Night Light was talking to a random cruise pony and appeared to be smiling as he told the pony. "Well, 'Royal Grandparents' sounds a little too fancy for my tastes, but of course you can take our picture." And that was exactly what happened as Twilight heard a camera click.
"Wait a minute, what was that all about?" Twilight questioned her parents. "Who said anything about 'Royal Grandparents'?"
Velvet chuckled. "It seems words got out that there's a princess on board, though some of the information is a bit... mixed up. Probably just some over eager tourists."
"But how could anypony know about that?" Twilight pondered aloud. "Something's not right here."
As if to confirm Twilight's fears, Cadence tapped a hoof to the shoulder of her fellow princess. "Uh, you might not wanna see this... but..."
Against her better judgement, the young alicorn spun around. To her shock and horror she saw several cruise ponies wearing tacky masks of her and Princess Cadence, which were defined by their hideous buck teeth that were supposed to resemble smiles! However, rather than freak out, Twilight took a deep breath and calmed herself. Still, she was anything but pleased with the sight. "Okay, that does it. Something funny's going on here, and I'm gonna get to the bottom of it. Does anypony where I can find the captain? He or she has a lot of explaining to do."
Twilight soon made her way up to the captain's deck and threw open the door. She couldn't quite make who was at the wheel though, the glare of the sun blocked her vision. Even so she wasn't going to leave without getting some answers. "Excuse me, captain," She commented in a stern tone of voice. "What's the big idea?"
The captain turned quite suddenly, as if not expecting to hear another voice. It was revealed to be a unicorn stallion of medium build. He sported a gleaming white coat, a dark blue mane and tail styled into waves, eyes that seemed an innocent ruby red in color, and a cutie mark depicting an anchor. He was decked out in a white captain's hat and matching uniform that had blue on the sleeves. "P-Princess Twilight!" The stallion nearly jumped in surprise. "What are you doing up here? Shouldn't you be with your family?"
"Well I was, until somepony let it slip that a princess was onboard," Twilight frowned. "Just what do you think you're doing selling a princess themed cruise to my parents without them knowing about it? Did you really think I wouldn't find out?"
The captain nervously replied. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Princess Twilight. Your family should've gotten a form in the mail telling them all about the new Cruise of the Princess Experience. We already run themed cruises based on Princess Celestia and Princess Luna," Then he added. "You can call me Captain Anchor, by the way."
"Well, Captain Anchor," Twilight frowned anew. "I'm afraid I'm gonna have to pull the plug on your little princess cruise scheme. My family was promised a free zeppelin cruise, and you 'conveniently' left out what it would involve."
But Captain Anchor gulped as he answered. "What do you mean? Your family should've known ahead of time about the cruise. A form was supposed to go to them to pass on to you and Cadence. Unless... oh dear!" He put his hooves to his face in horror! "I must've gotten the forms mixed up by accident, and sent the 'prize winner' form to them by mistake!"
"You're saying you didn't mean to trick my parents?" Twilight questioned the captain.
Captain Anchor firmly nodded as he used the soft golden glow of his magic to produce a long form. "This was the one I meant to send to your parents. But as you can see it uh... kind of looks similar to the form informing ponies they've won the free cruise. I am really sorry, princess. Royal Airlines has been going through some tough times lately, and as you might have guessed we're a bit short staffed at the moment," He set the form down as he sighed. "I think we'd better talk to your family and try to clear everything up. Oh, I'm going to be fired for this for sure!"
After setting the ship on auto-pilot (and instructing a crew member to stay by the wheel in case anything should come up) Captain Anchor followed Twilight back to her family, and then everyone went below deck to the royal suite where Shining Armor and Flurry Heart were waiting. They soon learned what had happened.
Captain Anchor was beside himself with grief. "Again, I'm really sorry about this, Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle. And you too, Shining Armor and Princess Cadence. I never meant for any of you to get mixed up in something like this."
"It's really our fault," Twilight Velvet reluctantly admitted. "But in my defense, as I always say: 'When somepony offers you a free vacation, who reads the fine print?'"
Captain Anchor put a hoof to his head. "Doesn't anypony read the fine print?!"
Night Light gulped. "I suppose that's a lesson we'll need to remember for next time. But what are we going to do now?"
"We'd better think of something, it looks like there's a lot of ponies out there eager for a chance to mingle with a princess. And I think I know which one they want." Spike nervously observed, looking out the suite windows to see the faces of several ponies pressed up against them.
One pony even shouted! "I love you, Princess Twilight! I'm your number one fan!"
Cadence reluctantly commented. "Well as much as I want and would enjoy a family vacation, I don't think I could entertain all these cruise ponies. My hooves are pretty full taking care of Flurry Heart. And I think Shining Armor feels the same way."
"Yeah. Nothing personal, but this just isn't for me. I need some quiet time, and I don't think I'm gonna get it on a vacation like this." Shining nodded his head in agreement. Although he'd gotten over his airsickness, he was still feeling a bit weak.
Velvet spoke next with a noticeable frown on her face. "I guess we were just so excited by the idea of a family cruise. We should've been paying attention to what we were getting into."
Captain Anchor simply hung his head. "I promise you'll be greatly compensated for this."
Night Light then sighed quite heavily. "There's no need for payment, this cruise was free. But all the same, I suppose we'd better get this ship turned around and head back home. So much for our vacation."
But Twilight quickly threw up a hoof and locked eyes with Captain Anchor! "Wait a moment! It's not fair that everypony should be denied a vacation over a misunderstanding!" And she suggested. "Captain Anchor, what if we made a deal?"
"A deal, princess? What are you proposing?" Captain Anchor questioned.
Twilight quickly explained her proposition. "It's me the cruise ponies came all this way to see, so why not give them what they want? If I agree to do whatever princess activities you want, will you promise that my family gets to do all the activities they want?"
Captain Anchor put a hoof to his chin. "Well... I suppose that could work. You sure that's what you want, though? I don't want to pressure you into bailing me out for my mistake."
Shining Armor quickly spoke up in protest. "Sis, you don't have to do that! Everyone wants you to be happy and enjoy yourself too. You should get to do the things you want to do too."
Spike nodded his head as added. "Come on, Twilight. I'm sure we can just do a smaller scale Sparkle Family get together at some point in the future. Maybe after the Festival of Friendship?"
Even Flurry Heart seemed to be concerned if the nervous babbles she was giving off were any indication.
But Twilight shook her head. "This whole thing is one giant misunderstanding, but I don't want the vacation to end now or let down all these ponies who were looking forward to seeing us. This way, everyone gets what they want. You all get to do your activities, the cruise ponies get to see me, and Captain Anchor doesn't have to lose his job."
"But what about what you want?" Spike protested. "It's not a bad thing to think about yourself for once. The cruise ponies will understand."
Alas, Twilight had made up her mind. "What I want isn't important, I didn't become a princess because I put myself before others. And I'm not about to change that now!" She looked at Captain Anchor as she asked him. "So, Captain Anchor? Do we have a deal?"
There was a moment of silence as all eyes fell upon the captain, waiting to see what he would do. The moment soon passed and everyone got their answer as he stuck out his hoof. "We do, princess! You have my word, your family's activities will not be disrupted and we'll make any and all accommodations necessary to ensure that."
"Great!" Twilight beamed. "So it looks like we have some time before Dad plays Bingo at the tournament."
"Which means there's just enough time for the first princess activity of the cruise," Captain Anchor declared. "The winner of the grand-prize raffle. Come on, everything should already be set up!"
Twilight was ushered away as she nervously commented to herself. "O-oh, well who doesn't like prizes?"
The raffle took place on the main deck of the zeppelin. Ponies of all sorts gathered as Twilight and Captain Anchor stood on the upper deck with a huge barrel full of slips of paper.
Captain Anchor proudly declared. "Alright, cruise ponies! It's the moment you've all been waiting for! As the zeppelin flies, it's time for somepony to win a prize!" The gathered crowd burst into thunderous applause and deafening cheers as Twilight approached the barrel.
"Thank you all so much for being so gracious and respectful to me and my family," Twilight briefly spoke to all the cruise ponies, before turning her attention to the barrel. "And now, without further ado, the winner is..." She pulled out a slip of paper, unfolded it, and read the name aloud. "Star Tracker! Congratulations, and I hope you enjoy your prize!" Then she turned away. "Okay, Dad! You've got a date with the bingo board!" But as she walked away she bumped straight into a grayish blue coated earth pony stallion. Said stallion had a light gold and very pale green mane and tail that seemed to be in a most unusual curl, brilliant light blue eyes, and a cutie mark involving a couple of upside down horseshoes beneath a star.
"Uh, hi, I'm Star Tracker. And... I'm here for my prize." The stallion introduced himself, getting a little too close to Twilight in the process.
Twilight blushed as she stepped back a bit. "O-oh. I'm sorry, but I don't actually have the prize on me."
Star Tracker just giggled. "Uh, you are the prize. Or rather, your family is."
"What?!" Twilight blinked in surprise.
Captain Anchor took hold of a microphone as he announced to the cruise ponies gathered below. "Congratulations to Star Tracker, who wins the grand prize - spending the day with Twilight as an honorary member of her family!" A series of fireworks shot off and several ponies cheered!
Twilight was speechless for a moment, before she found the words to express her shock! "That's the prize?! How that is even possible?!"
Star Tracker just laughed. "Hey, it's okay, I won't get in the way of you and your family. Although now I'm kind of part of your family." He said that last part with a nervous chuckle.
"I... see. Well... I guess you should come along with us then, honorary family member." The young alicorn reluctantly commented.
Night Light trotted up and put his hoof around Star Tracker. "Couldn't have put it better myself! Come on, there's always room at the bingo table! I've got a good feeling about this!"
As it turned out the bingo tournament was princess themed. That was to say, Twilight as princess was the bingo caller. "Is everypony ready?!" She called into a megaphone. She could just barely make out the presence of her dad and Star Tracker, even as Spike was close to her.
"You bet we are, sweetie!" Night Light eagerly called! "Go ahead and give that bingo cage a whirl!"
But Night Light was too far away for his daughter to hear him properly. "What did you say, Dad?" She asked through the megaphone.
Star Tracker suddenly appeared next to her. "He... He said to, uh, uh, give it a-a whirl. Heh. Just uh... just thought you should know that."
"Oh. Um, thanks. I think." Twilight blinked in surprise.
"Come on, Twilight, bingo is still bingo," Spike commented. "Even if you're the caller," Then he suggested. "Maybe you could get your dad a microphone so he can hear you?"
But a nearby cruise pony shouted in protest! "Hey, that's not fair! How come the princess' dad gets his own microphone and we don't?!" An uproar soon started.
Twilight simply sighed. "Well, Spike, why don't you see if you can find enough microphones for everypony. And in the meantime I'll... try to make do with what I've got."
"You sure you don't want me to go over to your dad and keep you informed?" Spike suggested to Twilight. "Maybe some kind of spell?"
But Twilight shook her head. "No, Spike, that would be cheating. I have to set a good example for all the cruise ponies, and that means not giving my dad special treatment," She shooed him away. "Just go fetch those mics."
Spike reluctantly obeyed, not one to disobey an order from Twilight.
As for Twilight, she occupied herself in the role of the caller. Unfortunately, without any mics it was impossible for her to determine if her dad was getting any of the numbers and letters she was calling out. And it didn't help that Star Tracker seemed to take it upon himself to inform her if he did. At one point he even told Twilight to her face. "Twilight is my favorite time of day. And it's also your name," He delivered each sentence with a laugh. "So I just thought that was cool."
The bingo tournament lasted for a while, and Twilight did feel a little bit better when she saw that her dad won the whole thing. She wasn't quite as thrilled with the prizes he got for doing so: A matching set of Princess Twilight and Princess Cadence calendars. It seemed like the princess theme even extended down to the prizes for the various events.
The young alicorn quickly tried to push those thoughts to the back of her mind as she headed off to the next activity she'd planned for her family: The tiny boat in the tiny pool, which took place near the rear of the zeppelin.
Shining Armor was already there, looking just the faintest bit queasy for a second before he seemed to light up his horn.
"Well, I'm here now," Twilight commented as she plopped down into the other tiny boat. "You ready to do this, B.B.B.F.F?"
Shining nodded his head very slowly. "Yeah, I am. I just hope you're ready to lose!"
Twilight snickered. "I don't plan to lose either. And it's a good thing Flurry Heart's not here to see my whip your sorry flank."
Twilight Velvet quickly came up to the two and politely but firmly told them. "Now now, you two. That's enough trash talk. It's not whether you win or lose, what matters most is having fun. This isn't like your sibling supreme contests, there's no crown waiting for the winner."
But Captain Anchor spoke up. "Actually, Mrs. Sparkle, Princess Twilight is only supposed to officiate the princess paddle boat races. Every last one of them."
Velvet didn't take kindly to that idea and she quickly voiced her disapproval. "I'm sorry, Captain Anchor, but I can't let you do that. Twilight will gladly officiate every other race held in this tiny pool, but she owes her brother a boat race. It shouldn't take long. And a demonstration might be just the thing to get the cruise ponies excited."
Captain Anchor sighed. "Very well, if that's what Princess Twilight wants she shall have it. But make it quick, we've got at least ten heats lined up!"
"Not to worry, I've got it!" Velvet declared as she took hold of a flag and excitedly declared! "Racers! On your mark, get set, go!" And she waved the flag!
The two boats quickly whirred to life, splashing through the pool! In a matter of seconds though it was all over, and Twilight won. "Haha! Looks like I win again, big brother." She couldn't resist flaunting her victory just a little.
"What are you talking about, Twily?" Shining commented as he slowly stepped out of his boat. "I... I let you win. I couldn't let the princess lose in front of all her fans, could I?"
Twilight couldn't help but rib him. "You sure you're not still airsick, even just a little bit?"
"Of course I'm not!" Shining protested. "Now I think I'm just gonna head back to the cabin and get some rest."
"Why don't I come along?" Spike suggested. "We can play Ogres & Oubliettes together, and I can finally show you all the new tricks my character's mastered."
Shining grinned. "It's like you can read my mind, Spike. Come on!" He and Spike promptly left the tiny pool.
Captain Anchor, meanwhile, approached Twilight. "Okay, princess. You had your fun. Now you need to keep your word and officiate all ten heats!"
Star Tracker giggled with excitement. "Ooh! I'm gonna write about this in my journal tonight! This is great!"
Cadence wasn't really aware of any of the developments that were occurring after Twilight made her deal. She did learn about a couple of things after the fact from the rest of the Sparkle family. But her biggest focus was on caring for Flurry Heart, until it was time to take her to the Peewee Princess Playtime.
However, Flurry Heart's idea of fun at the playtime seemed to involve stacking other foals on top of each other like blocks. This frightened Cadence a great deal, but none of the other parents seemed to share her concern. Not even when the pile of foals toppled over and Flurry tried to pick them up again with her magic.
Cadence moved to block Flurry's horn with a wing, just as Twilight arrived wearing a ten gallon hat. "Cadence, I'm so glad you got into the Peewee Princess Playtime!"
Cadence smiled. "Flurry is having a wonderful time. Although I do wish she'd play a little less... rough with the other foals."
"Oh, I'm sure she doesn't mean any harm, Cadence. Not with you around to keep an eye on her," Twilight reassured her fellow princess and sister-in-law. "Glad to hear you're having a good time as well. I'm just on my way to take some old-timey Appleloosan photos!"
Star Tracker appeared, wearing a ten gallon hat as well. "Themed photo shoots are the best!" He declared, unaware of the look Twilight seemed to be giving him.
Twilight waited for Star Tracker to disappear and then resumed talking. "I wish he'd stop doing that, it's getting annoying," Then she changed the subject. "Anyway, after the photo shoots I just need to do a quick question-and-answer session on becoming an alicorn, before Mom's barrel ride at Neighagra Falls! I really hope I don't miss that."
Cadence frowned upon noticing the distraught look on Twilight's face. "Twilight, are you sure you don't mind doing all of these princess activities? You're not invincible, you know. You can't make time in your schedule for everypony who might need or want you."
"Cadence, I already told you, what I want isn't important. Besides, everypony else is having fun and that's what counts, right?" Twilight asked with a nervous giggle. Then she sighed. "I have to make sure these cruise ponies are happy if I want to be a good princess. I promised them a princess themed vacation."
"No, Twilight, the cruise promised them a princess themed vacation," Cadence corrected. "You're already a good princess, Twilight. You don't need to prove it by throwing away your own happiness. I know how you feel, you tend to internalize these things a lot. But if there's one thing I've come to learn since Flurry Heart was born, it's that sometimes even a princess needs to take a little time for herself."
Twilight was quick to reply. "Which is why as long as I get to see the Northern Stars tonight with everypony, I'll be happy."
"Hey, Twilight, you'd better hurry up!" Spike called from afar. "I think Star Tracker's getting impatient."
The young alicorn sighed. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I gotta go take some pictures. See you later!" And she sped away without saying another word.
Cadence sighed and shook her head. "Twilight." She unhappily remarked despite knowing that her sister-in-law was too far away to hear her.
And the princess of love soon had her attention drawn to more urgent matters. One of the mothers in the playtime was pushing her foal close to Flurry Heart while suggesting. "Why don't you play and make a princess friend?" Several other parents proceeded to shove their foals directly into Flurry Heart's face.
Cadence quickly came over and picked Flurry Heart up with her magic. She'd had enough. "Uh... I am so sorry, everypony, but it looks like Flurry needs her nap. Pronto." She declared and trotted away with a most concerned look on her face. "Treating my own daughter like some kind of zoo animal. What's this world coming to?" She thought to herself, before her thoughts turned to Twilight. "Twilight, I don't think you realized just what you've gotten yourself into. You made a promise you couldn't keep."
The zeppelin had been docked at Neighagra Falls for quite a while when Twilight came rushing down the ramp! "Oh, why did that last question have to be a two-parter? I just hope I have time for one barrel ride with Mom!" She commented to herself as she made a mad dash to the barrel loading dock.
Alas, Twilight was too late. She arrived just in time to see the last barrel plunge over the falls and for her mom to poke her head up from said barrel a few seconds later. Velvet's mane flopped around due to all the water from the barrel, but her face reflected a look of sheer amazement! "Oh! Neighagra Falls was amazing!" She happily exclaimed while rocking back and forth in the barrel, causing her mane to flop into her face. "The endless open air, the water in my mane! Oh! The small confines of the barrel! What more could a mare ask for?!"
Night Light came trotting up, a camera clutched close to his chest as he gave his wife a knowing wink and laughed. "Another 'relaxing vacation' in the books, hon."
"Really? Look who's talking, Mister Bingo Tournament Winner," Velvet teased. "I still think we're gonna have to give those matching calendars away," Her barrel tumbled to its side and she spilled out a second later, coming face to face with her daughter. And she knew from experience just by looking at the face what was troubling her daughter. "Oh, honey, I know you're disappointed, but we waited as long as we could. This zeppelin can't stay docked here forever. You know, maybe you should take a break from all of these princess things. We've barely seen you all day."
Twilight tried to defend herself as best she could. "Me? Disappointed? No! I've just been answering some detailed questions about alicorns is all! You know how much I love details!"
Velvet stood up as she declared. "Well I just want you to remember, it's your vacation too. Even Spike seems to be having more fun than you are. And he's been playing Ogres & Oubliettes with Shining Armor."
"Which means it's a totally successful vacation for everyone, just as I planned." Twilight asserted even as her lips quivered ever so slightly.
Night Light reluctantly commented in response. "All right. Well, uh, we can't wait to see those Northern Stars tonight!" And then he and his wife went back up the ramp to the zeppelin.
Twilight came back onboard a moment later, and Captain Anchor was waiting for her when she did. "Okay, princess, this cruise has been going great so far. I kept up my end of the bargain and ensured your family got to do all the things they wanted to do," He declared. "Now all I need to ask of you is just one more favor, and then you're free for the rest of the cruise."
"And that would be what?" Twilight innocently questioned.
In response, Captain Anchor set down a booth and declared. "Okay, everypony, this is your last chance! Please, get in line if you want the princess to sign! Books, calendars, socks! You name it, she'll sign it!"
Twilight tried to get through the long line of ponies as quickly as possible, but it seemed to take forever for the line to shorten. Night was starting to encroach on the cruise as the last ponies left the line after getting their princess signature.
But Twilight was most indignant when she saw Star Tracker, who she could've sworn hadn't been in the line when it first opened! "How long have you been waiting in line? Couldn't you have just asked for my signature at any point before this?"
"Sorry, never crossed my mind," Star Tracker apologized. "Uh, might wanna make it quick though. I think the Northern Stars are about to start."
"Oh no!" Twilight gasped in horror as she rose from her desk, hastily signing Star Tracker's journal. She arrived just in time to see a distant flash of light, and a couple of stars whiz past the zeppelin! She had managed to catch only a faint glimpse of what she'd been looking forward to all day. "I missed them? I missed the Northern Stars?" She said to herself as the tears started to roll down her cheeks.
Her family was nearby and heard the sobs, so Twilight quickly spun around to avoid looking at them. She didn't want any of them to see her upset.
"Twilight, is everything okay?" Spike asked the pony he looked up to so much and felt so strong a connection to. "I'm sorry, we meant to check on you sooner but we were all having so much fun that we forgot."
Night Light spoke up next. "The Northern Stars sure were something. We really wish you'd been here to see it with us, sweet-pea. But we're sure you were busy making a whole bunch of cruise ponies happy."
With tears in his eyes Star Tracker commented. "I'm so happy, I could cry! This has been the best day of my life!"
That comment caused something to snap inside of Twilight as she dried her eyes and spun around, glaring at her family. "Oh, yeah," She bitterly remarked. "The cruise ponies are happy. My family is happy. Even the captain is happy."
Spike gulped. "Twilight, please don't get upset. You're scaring Flurry Heart."
But Twilight simply trotted forward as she declared. "Well you know who isn't happy? Me! That's who!" She turned around, stepping right onto Star Tracker's front right hoof by accident.
Star Tracker yelped as he held his reddened hoof. "Augh! My hoof!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, really," Twilight replied, still in her angry tone of voice. "But maybe that wouldn't have happened if you weren't practically standing on my tail! Not even my real family stands so close to me! It's been getting on my nerves!" Then she groaned and walked away.
No one knew quite what to say, but if they had been looking closely they might have seen Spike writing something down on a scroll. In his mind he was thinking. "There's only one pony I can think of who could help Twilight now. I just hope she's available on such short notice."
Twilight was alone on the top deck of the zeppelin, looking out over the night sky.
Suddenly, there came a brilliant flash, and the familiar form of Princess Luna descended from above. "Greetings to you, Twilight Sparkle." She warmly greeted as she flew close to the zeppelin (but did not land on it).
"Princess Luna!" Twilight gasped. "What are you doing here? Spike doesn't need his dragon sitter this time, he's been having the time of his life on this zeppelin cruise."
The princess of the night simply shook her head. "I'm not here for Spike, Twilight. His dragon sitter is here because his mom is the one in need of support. He told me everything."
Twilight sighed. "Of course he did, that's my son for you. I really raised him well, didn't I?"
Luna nodded her head. "Indeed you did, Twilight. He's a fine young dragon, and I couldn't be prouder of him if I tried," Then she changed the subject. "I know about the deal you and Captain Anchor made, about the... theme of the cruise. He wasn't kidding when he said they do cruises like this based around my sister and I. Which is news to us considering we never show up for them."
"Well, he had to have your permission somehow." Twilight commented.
"Oh, we always suspected such a thing, we just didn't feel it was right to drop our royal duties. Even for something like this," Luna explained. "But tell me, why did you make that deal even though it cost you your happiness?"
The young alicorn sighed, looking at the princess of the night. "What I wanted was for everypony to be happy, to enjoy their vacation. They didn't deserve to have it ended prematurely because of a mistake."
"But in trying to correct it, you made a much bigger mistake. You made a deal you couldn't commit to fully," Luna told Twilight. "This feels not unlike when you didn't want to say anything to my sister and I about our quarrel. And we all know how that turned out."
"Really, Luna? You know I can hear you, right?" The familiar voice of Princess Celestia commented.
Twilight looked around. "Princess Celestia?! Is that you?! I can't see you!"
The voice of Celestia just chuckled. "I'm not actually here, Twilight. I'm speaking to you telepathically, only you and Luna can hear me," Then she asked Luna. "So, what's this all about, exactly? I was just on my way to bed."
"Apparently, Twilight Sparkle got roped into a princess themed cruise vacation, and tried to please all the cruise ponies because of a misunderstanding. At least, that's what I got out of it." Luna explained to her older sister.
The voice of Celestia commented. "Twilight, it's nice that you wanted to please so many ponies. But sometimes, even as a princess, other ponies can ask too much of you. Asking more than you can hope to give. It can be hard to draw the line, it's something that takes time to learn."
"Even I've struggled with it from time to time," Princess Cadence spoke up as she came trotting up to Twilight. "Forgive me for intruding, Aunt Luna and Aunt Celestia, but this has been troubling me all day."
"Oh, hey Cadence," Twilight greeted. "Let me guess, you're here to offer your advice too."
Cadence nodded. "Advice I gained first hoof when Flurry Heart was born. I couldn't spend as much time as I used to be able to with my subjects, Flurry kept demanding more of mine and Shining Armor's attention, even after Sunburst more or less became our go to foalsitter. I had to learn the hard way that you will always have obligations as a princess, but you also have an obligation to yourself."
"Couldn't have put it better myself, Cadence," Luna commented. "Well, I think I'd better go now. I've been away from the dream realm long enough."
The voice of Celestia added. "And I'm heading off to bed. Twilight, I hope you and Cadence enjoy the rest of your vacation." Then Princess Luna disappeared as mysteriously as she'd come, and the voice of Princess Celestia could no longer be heard by Twilight.
Back in the suite, Velvet was tending to Star Tracker's injured hoof by levitating over an ice pack. "Aww, how's that, dearie?" She asked in a gentle tone.
"Much better. Thanks, Mrs. Sparkle," Star Tracker commented, before he heard the door open and into the room trotted Twilight. Star Tracker nervously gulped. "Uh, I think I should go! Bye!"
But Twilight quickly prevented Star Tracker's escape. "No, Star Tracker. You should stay. I have something to tell you. All of you," She paused to take in a deep breath. "Listen, I'm glad you all got to do the things that you wanted to do, but I should have stood up for myself so that I could do what I wanted to do, too," To Star Tracker she added. "It wasn't fair of me to lash out at you. Regardless of how felt about you standing so close, I didn't have any right to treat you so bad. I wasn't even really mad with you, I was mad with myself because of the deal I made with the captain."
"Hey, you were only doing what you thought was right." Spike told Twilight.
Twilight trotted over and nuzzled Spike. "But thanks to a certain dragon, I realized that I messed up," She turned to face her family as she apologized. "I'm sorry you all to had see that on the deck. What do you say we do something off the schedule for a change?"
Everyone in the room gasped, and Star Tracker commented. "Who are you? You're not Twilight Sparkle, she always does things by a schedule."
Twilight just giggled. "Don't worry, it's me. We're gonna do something I want us to do, as a family. Honorary members, too."
Star Tracker protested. "No, princess, you wanted a vacation with just you and your family. I've already intruded on that enough, I really should go. I'm glad I got to meet you though."
But Twilight firmly insisted. "You're part of my family until this cruise ends, Star Tracker. Now come on, we're going for ice cream. My treat."
However, when the family got to the front deck, they were shocked to find a mob of angry passengers all swarming around Captain Anchor! "Where's the princess?! We want the princess!" They demanded and shouted.
Captain Anchor nervously protested. "J-just hold on a second, folks. I-I'm sure the princess will be here any minute."
Twilight flew over to the distressed captain and grabbed his mic as she told him. "It's okay, I'll take care of this," Then into the mic she told all the gathered cruise ponies. "It's okay, everypony," She cleared her throat. "First of all, I want to thank all of you for coming. It means a lot that you'd spend your hard-earned bits just to be with a princess. I'm sorry that there was a mix up, and my family accidentally got drawn into something they didn't know about. But I honestly came on this cruise to take some time off from being a princess. I'm just a pony, too, after all. And even though I want everypony here to be happy, I'd really like to spend the rest of the cruise relaxing with my family. If that's okay with all of you."
"Of course, princess," A cruise pony declared. "We've already asked so much of you today. You deserve some time off."
Twilight then added. "Well if you ever want to see me, you don't need to go on a zeppelin cruise. You can always come to Ponyville, my door is always open. And it's the same for Cadence in the Crystal Empire."
Captain Anchor took back the mic and announced. "You heard it here, folks. This is the end of princess involvement on this princess cruise. On behalf of Royal Airlines, I wish to sincerely apologize for the abrupt cancellation. You're welcome to request refunds upon our return to Canterlot in the morning," He proceeded to turn to Twilight. "There, now we're even, princess. You did me a favor, and I did you one."
Twilight nodded. "Thank you, Captain Anchor." And she watched as he left to return to the captain's quarters. The crowd dispersed a short time later, which meant there was no line for ice cream. Everyone got their favorite flavors and sat down to enjoy the tasty frozen treats.
Velvet smiled as she took her husband's camera and snapped a picture of everyone huddled together on the front deck. "Now this is what I call a relaxing vacation." She said with a grin, as the zeppelin flew back towards Cantelort with the rising sun. |
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic What If?: Volume 9 | S8 E1: School Daze, Part 1 (What If?) | Despite a surprise invasion by an evil creature called the Storm King, the first ever Festival of Friendship was a roaring success! And the joint kingdoms of the hippogriffs and seaponies had been added to the list of Equestria's allies (after some tense negotiations between Princess Celestia and Queen Novo).
Afterward, Twilight's thoughts turned briefly to Tempest Shadow. The very pony to whom Equestria unknowingly owed a great deal of thanks for ultimately bringing down the Storm King for good. "It's probably for the best she doesn't come to Ponyville right now," Twilight thought to herself. "She needs time to get her life back on track and make amends for all the wrong she's done. Besides, I already have two students, I don't know if I can handle three all at once."
It was on the subject of students that Twilight started to think. True, she had dipped her hooves into the water with teaching a few times before. Twilight Time with the Cutie Mark Crusaders had been a success, but after a while she had ended the sessions as she sensed the fillies no longer had anything they could learn from her (and given that they had turned their club into a business per Diamond Tiara's suggestion, that seemed to be the case). And Diamond Tiara had been an enjoyable, eager student despite still sometimes getting into trouble.
And the recent journey outside of Equestria's borders to uncharted territory had given Twilight room to think. It seemed like friendship could do a lot for so many civilizations if they only knew of the magic behind it. The elements that went into making it work.
However, it wasn't until Twilight arrived home that she truly had a chance to consider her next step. She, Spike, and Starlight Glimmer were all amazed to discover that the throne room's table map had expanded considerable. A fact that did not go unnoticed by the others.
"I can't believe it! This happened while we were gone?!" Applejack remarked. "Just when I think I've seen it all, somethin' like this comes along and proves me wrong."
"But why would the map choose to expand now of all times? We've been outside Equestria several times before." Rarity pondered aloud.
"I guess maybe it decided that the Storm King's invasion was a wake up call," Rainbow Dash declared. "Which means we're gonna get called on even more adventures!"
Fluttershy shook her head. "I for one certainly hope not. After everything we went through during the invasion, I think we could all use a break."
Starlight sighed. "Ain't that the truth? I can't believe we survived that. I'm gonna have nightmares about the invasion for weeks."
Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie had picked up a hard hat and some measuring tape as she commented. "You know, it seems like the map gets bigger every so often because of what we do. At this rate, how many more friendship missions do you think we'll need to go on before we have to expand the throne room?"
"What are you talking about, Pinkie? And we're not expanding the throne room, it's in my castle after all." Twilight quickly shot down the idea.
Pinkie, undeterred, kept pressing. "Whaddya mean? Of course we can expand the throne room. It's easy! Just gotta knock this wall down, get some paint..." She brought over a jack hammer and a bucket of paint.
But Twilight shook her head. "No, no, no. What I mean is, it would be foolish to try and go all over Equestria and beyond to solve every friendship problem that comes our way. What if there was a way we could bring the friendship to the problems and fix them before they start?"
Spike looked at Twilight, observing the grin on her face. "I know that face, Twilight. Just what are you thinking about this time?"
Twilight gestured to a spot on the map not far from her castle. "I was thinking, we could open our very own School of Friendship, right here in Ponyville! After all, I've always wanted to be a teacher." Everyone reluctantly agreed to the idea of a school. Not one of them suspected that the school was going to become a magnet for trouble, as a foe long thought defeated would return to cause havoc.
Even though it was her dream, Twilight knew that she couldn't just open a school overnight and expect everything to work out. And as luck would have it there was already a pony with lots of teaching experience in Ponyville that Twilight could call on for free advice. A pony whose students Twilight had already tutored on a few occasions (at least a couple of them anyway). None than Cheerilee.
The mare was quite delighted to have a one on one audience with the alicorn, which took place the day after the Festival of Friendship. Cheerilee took the news of Twilight's planned school quite well. "A School of Friendship? I must say, that sounds like a promising idea, Twilight." She happily commented.
Twilight nodded her head. "I know, at long last my dream can come true! But there's so many things I never realized went into the planning of a school! Even to an organized pony like me it's a lot to take in! And I have so many questions! That's why I wanted to talk to you, Cheerilee. I figured if anypony could give me the advice I need on how to run a school properly, it'd be you."
Cheerilee blushed ever so faintly. "I'm flattered you think so highly of me, Twilight. I like to think I've been a great teacher in the time I've been at this schoolhouse," She took a moment to compose herself before she added in a serious tone of voice. "But if I'm being honest, it's really your teachings and your friends who've made such a big difference. Not to mention the Cutie Mark Crusaders, they were the ones who got through to Diamond Tiara and got her to change. I only regret that I didn't do more to stand up to Spoiled Rich, that I let her and her daughter gain so much control over me."
"You were only trying to keep them on your side for the sake of the school," Twilight replied to Cheerilee. "Besides, Diamond's a much better pony now and Spoiled's been kicked off the school board. Though I have to ask, do you think my school is going to end up competing with your school for students?"
Cheerilee shook her head. "Your school seems more specialized and advanced, a way for ponies to continue their education even after I've taught them all I'm allowed to teach."
"That's good to know, I really don't want to make you into an enemy." Twilight breathed a sigh of relief.
"Twilight, this schoolhouse was around long before I ever started teaching here. It's almost as old as Ponyville itself," Cheerilee commented. "It was already up and running for countless years when I became the next teacher. I'm afraid that I can't offer much advice on how to get a school up and running. There's an entire process that every school in Equestria has to go through, but I know nothing about it. Princess Celestia might know though, after all she has a school in her name."
Twilight's face morphed into a smile. "I'm already looking forward to going there!" She quickly regained her composure. "But I wanted to talk to you first since you're here in Ponyville, and you've got more hooves on experience as a teacher. Princess Celestia only taught a few classes whenever she could find the time, mostly on magic," Then she offered. "Would you be interested in working at my new school, once I get it up and running of course."
Cheerilee shook her head. "Oh no, I couldn't possibly find the time for it. Being a teacher is a very big responsibility, Twilight. Even bigger than being a princess. You're responsible for shaping hundreds if not thousands of young minds, and ensuring their safety and well being. And as I can personally tell you, sometimes it's a thankless job," Then she offered. "Still, if you should ever need my advice, I'm always available for a chat. And who knows? Maybe if I'm lucky I could find time in my schedule to be a substitute teacher?"
"I'll consider that. But right now, I need to focus on finding out what I need to do to make my dream a reality!" Twilight declared. "Thanks for the talk though, Cheerilee. You've been a big help."
"Don't mention it, Twilight. That's what friends are for." Cheerilee insisted.
The very next day, Twilight was in Canterlot to meet with Princess Celestia and get some more advice on her dream school. Princess Celestia was quite impressed by the idea and expressed her support in no uncertain terms. "A school of friendship sounds like a wonderful idea, Twilight! And if there's anypony who could it pull it off, I'm sure it would be you. I'll be glad to help you any way I can."
Twilight immediately gestured to Spike to start taking notes, and she began to fire off all sorts of questions. "What time does school start every day? What's the ideal length for class? Do you test regularly? What about class projects? How do you do seating? Are you involved with meal planning? Do you give hall and bathroom passes?"
Celestia couldn't help but giggle at her fellow alicorn's enthusiasm. "Twilight, relax. I know you're really excited about opening your own school, but these are all questions that I can't really give the answers to. Besides, you were my star pupil and in many ways you've learned more than I could've ever imagined you would learn. I'm confident you have what it takes to run a school and do it your way."
Twilight shook her head. "I may have attended your school, and I may have tutored students from another school, but that's not the same thing as running an actual school. And after I just got through an entire experience of learning I don't always know what's best for everyone, I don't wanna make that same mistake again if I can help it. Besides, it's not like there's a rule book I can follow," She gave a nervous laugh. "Because if there was it would probably help me a lot."
However, Princess Celestia chuckled a bit before she explained. "Actually, Twilight, there is a rule book. More specifically, the EEA guidebook. It has specific instructions on how to run a school successfully. I'd be happy to loan you a copy."
Twilight blinked. "Wait, there's an actual rule book? And more importantly, what is the EEA? I don't believe I've ever heard of that before," She gulped. "Should I have?"
Celestia lightly shook her head. "Of course not, you've never had to run a school before so you and the EEA have had no reason to cross paths," She displayed a symbol depicting three horseshoes inside a circle seal. "The Equestria Education Association is a board of learned ponies that oversee every school in Equestria. If you want to make your school a reality, it's the EEA you should focus on and not me."
"Really? Even your school is ruled by the EEA? But it's in your name, and I thought you were a princess." Spike commented in astonishment.
Princess Celestia simply replied. "Not even a princess can do whatever she wants, Spike. No one is ever to meant hold absolute power. And when it comes to things like shaping young minds, many ponies feel it's best if princesses like me stay out of decision making. The EEA ensures that whether it's unicorns studying magic, pegasi learning weather, or earth ponies researching agriculture, all schools are held to the same high standards. They'll need to approve your plan before you can move forward," She paused and seemed to hesitate as she nervously cautioned. "The EEA obtains a new head every so often, some are more... difficult to work with than others."
"And I'm guessing the current head is one of them?" Spike questioned.
The princess of the sun let out an unhappy sigh. "I'm afraid so, Spike. Currently, the EEA is headed by Chancellor Neighsay. And let's just say that he has a very 'specific' way in which he sees the world," She turned to Twilight. "Your school isn't going to be for ponies only, is it?"
"How did you know? I haven't even told my friends yet, I didn't want to get their hopes up or risk rumors spreading." Twilight commented in surprise.
"I suppose I've been thinking the same way you have since the Storm King's invasion," Princess Celestia explained. "We have gained many powerful allies, but there is much about the world that they don't know. And just as we can learn from them, so too can they learn from us. The magic of friendship is what brought us all together, and it shouldn't be something confined to us ponies. Even if some feel it should be that way."
"Then I guess we'll need to make some adjustments to the presentation." Twilight looked across to Spike.
Spike waved a claw and scoffed. "After everything we've been through, how hard can that be? Even Neighsay couldn't possibly say no to something like this, right?"
The presentation to the EEA took place a few days later, in a massive domed building in Canterlot. There were few lights, and all the board members sat high above in desks, looking down at all potential applicants.
A lone spotlight shone down on Twilight as she tried not to be intimidated. She cleared her throat, preparing to make the best pitch she could. "Hello, distinguished members of the EEA. My name is-"
"Princess Twilight Sparkle. Yes, we know," A voice spoke up and Twilight's attention was soon drawn to a tall, lanky unicorn stallion clad in a dark red robe. He had a very light grayish-white coat, a dark gray mane and tail, and stern moderate turquoise eyes. "Now please allow me to introduce myself. I am Chancellor Neighsay, head of the EEA. Equestria owes you and your friends a great debt of thanks for your many acts of heroism and bravery. Including the recent defeat of the wicked Storm King and his army."
"Well, I can't take all the credit," Twilight blushed. "We had help from some very unexpected allies. Which brings me to the reason for my visit."
Chancellor Neighsay spoke up. "There is no need to beat around the bush, princess. We all know the reason for your visit, Princess Celestia sent word this morning that you would be here," Then he cautioned. "But regardless of the reputation of you and your friends, the EEA does not do favorites. And princess or not, we here at the EEA expect you to do things by... the... book! No excuses, no exceptions!" He slammed down a heavy rule book to demonstrate his point.
Twilight was deterred but for a moment before she levitated over her own heavy book. "I think you'll find my curriculum meets all your requirements, Chancellor. Even if it is a School of Friendship and not a traditional school."
The board members examined the detailed notes within the pages of the book, and all nodded in approval. It seemed to have been thoroughly crafted and written by an expert on the subject material. "Seems to be in order," Chancellor Neighsay commented. "But can we trust you to follow through on this detailed plan of yours? Can we trust that you and your friends will be available to teach with your busy schedules? I hope you don't plan to leave the school unattended to go galloping off on your little... 'adventures' as it were. Because if so, I'm afraid I cannot grant approval."
"I'm well aware of those concerns, the thought definitely lingered in my mind as I considered the school," Twilight reassured the chancellor. "But I've already lined up several candidates to serve as substitute teachers for any and all classes. The map has been quiet and even if it should flare up again, I've got provisions in place to handle any emergencies. I even hired a vice headmare to take over for me if necessary."
Neighsay nodded his head. "Ah, you've clearly done your homework, princess. I like that. If there's one thing I despise, it's those who come here without a plan and expect me not to notice," Then he questioned. "But why, may I ask, are you so interested in opening a School of Friendship? Especially in Ponyville of all places considering there's already a suitable EEA certified school there?"
"The Storm King's invasion was a wake up call, Chancellor," Twilight warned him. "In order to repel him, my friends and I were forced to travel beyond Equestria's borders to recruit allies. The journey taught me many things, one of which is that the threats out there are greater than we imagined! Who knows how many other threats like the Storm King are lurking just beneath the surface?" Several members of the EEA started to speak in hushed and frightened tones of voices as Twilight continued. "If we want to keep our land safe and create a friendlier tomorrow, we need to teach the Magic of Friendship far and wide. Expand it, rather than keep it to ourselves."
Neighsay grinned. "Ah yes, a school for ponies to learn how to protect themselves. I like the way you think, princess."
But Twilight protested. "It's more about respecting differences and fostering healthy relationships, not to mention establishing communications with the outside world. We can't risk being caught off guard again, next time we may not be so lucky," She concluded her pitch by calmly but somberly stating. "My school is what is needed to ensure the future well being of Equestria. I know it's a risk, there's never been a school like it. But it's a risk I think is worth taking."
There was a long and uncomfortable pause as Neighsay let the words slowly sink in. After glancing around the room, the chancellor finally spoke up. "Very well, princess. You make a fine point, and the EEA concurs. Every pony should be prepared to defend our way of life. And what better way to do so than by teaching the very values that hold our society together? So, if your work is all in order, provisional EEA approval is hereby granted. We will need to observe your school up and running before it can be fully accredited, however. Note the date and time, and I shall come round to see the final product for myself."
Twilight bowed her head as she offered. "Then please, join us for Friends and Family Day. It'll be the perfect time to see our progress! And I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by what you see." And with that, the EEA gave its stamp of approval, allowing for construction of the school to commence.
But as Twilight and Spike left the building, Spike looked at Twilight and commented. "I don't think Chancellor Neighsay was pondering what you're pondering, Twilight. He had a very 'strange' appearance about him, and I don't like it."
"I know, Spike. And I feel guilty for tricking him like that, but he'd never approve of the school if he knew what it involved," Twilight confessed. "I can only hope that when he visits on Friends and Family Day, I can convince him to accept the school for what it is. Not what he wants it to be."
Construction of the school was started soon after Twilight returned from Canterlot. It actually took less time to build than Twilight had been expecting, within half a year the school was finished. It was built into a nearby mountain with a waterfall that cascaded down and split apart, gathering into a large pool. It consisted of two towers and an entire upper level, and hung high above was the symbol. It depicted the six gems that the Elements of Harmony had originally been, all inside of a shield. The inside was a relaxing bluish-green in color for the walls, and an earthly light brown for the floors.
The school was ready to open. But not everyone was excited about it. "It's too much! Too much!" Rainbow Dash complained.
"Ugh, you really think so?" Rarity replied. She wore a modest reddish-brown gown and a pair of dark blue glasses, making her look not unlike a teacher. "I had hoped that dressing the part would help me feel the part."
"No, not your dress, Rarity," Rainbow protested. "This! Us! Teaching?! The Wonderbolts are gonna think I'm an egghead!"
Applejack seemed to share Rainbow's concerns. "Ya know, this time I think you've got a point, Rainbow Dash," And she turned to Twilight. "Not that we aren't grateful, sugarcube, but are you sure you really want us to be teachers? We've never exactly been in a classroom before, well aside from you and Rainbow Dash."
"And I hated it! Teaching is not my forte!" Rainbow grumbled as everyone around her blinked. "What? Twilight's rubbed off on me, the more I hang around her the more I start copying her."
Pinkie Pie just grinned. "Hey, cheer up, Rainbow Dash! Teaching could be fun! In fact, you might say it's a blast!" A shower of confetti poured out of her party cannon.
But Twilight frowned, looking at Pinkie. "Sorry, Pinkie, but the EEA rule book is very clear. No party cannons in class!"
"Awww. Not even a teeny-tiny cannon?" Pinkie commented as she held up a miniature party cannon in her hoof.
"Not even that," Twilight insisted. "If we're to get this school EEA accredited, we need to make sure we follow their guidelines."
"Uh, but those guidelines don't sound like they're a lot of fun." Fluttershy nervously remarked.
Twilight sighed. "I know they aren't, but this isn't like one of our big, world saving adventures. We're not doing this for our sakes, we're doing it for the sake of every young mind that walks in through these doors. I promise, once the EEA signs off and makes the school accredited, we can make whatever changes are necessary. In the meantime, we need to do our best to follow the EEA's rules and guidelines."
Spike blinked as he looked at Twilight. "Really? You're gonna suggest that? And you're not the least bit worried? Okay, that does it, just who are you and what have you done with Twilight Sparkle?"
Twilight giggled. "Come on, Spike, you know it's me," She proceeded to tell her friends. "None of you have to teach if you want to, once the school is up and running we can hire ponies to take your place. I've got plenty of notes from Cheerilee and Princess Celestia, but I know they can't make up for hooves on experience. I don't want to pressure any of you into doing this, but it would mean a lot to me if you stayed on. I know it's not some big adventure against the forces of evil, but this could be the most important thing we've ever done. So, are you in?"
"Certainly, darling," Rarity declared. "Mother always said it's healthy to be open to new experiences. Who knows? I might come to like teaching even more than sewing."
Rainbow sighed. "Oh, what the heck? Call me Professor Egghead. I'm in!" Everyone else nodded their heads in agreement.
"Good," Twilight smiled and then started to pace the floor. "Now where is that photographer? It's not like her to be late."
"Photographer?" Starlight Glimmer questioned.
Twilight nodded her head. "I invited the Canterlot Historical Society to take pictures so the school's opening is well documented. I also needed somepony to take yearbook pictures," She glanced up at a clock. "They said they'd send somepony over, and they said the photographer would be here by now. I hope whoever it hasn't gotten lost, I gave them very specific directions to follow."
"Well until the photographer does get here, I suppose now would be a good time to ask why you chose me to be vice headmare?" Starlight asked her former teacher. "I thought I was just gonna be guidance counselor."
"I had planned to give the vice headmare job to Spike, but he refused. You were the next best candidate, Starlight," Twilight reassured her former student. "I know you'll make me proud. Even though you're not technically my student anymore, you never cease to surprise me with all the progress you've made."
Before Starlight had a chance to reply, the front doors to the school burst open and the familiar form of Photo Finish came panting up. "Ach, Princezz Twilight and her friendz. I, Photo Finish, have arrived!" She declared with dramatic fanfare.
"Photo Finish? I didn't know you were with the Canterlot Historical Society." Rarity blinked in surprise.
Photo Finish shook her head. "Ze Canterlot Historical Zociety wishes to apologize for ze absence of their head photographer. They zent me in her place so zat that I could create 'Da Magics'!"
Twilight wasn't concerned, she just motioned for her friends to come closer. "Okay, everyone, let's try to look our best. This is gonna be on record for all time."
But Photo Finish frowned as she stepped forward. "No no, nine! You are ruining 'Da Magics'!" She proceeded to push all the mares around, occasionally yanking on a strand of mane hair (in Fluttershy's case even causing her mane to briefly turn curly and poofy like Pinkie Pie's). "Zere we go!" She declared at last. "Not a hair out of place! Now, zay 'Cheese'!"
"Cheese!" The seven mares (and the dragon) all said at once as the camera flashed.
Photo Finish smiled and bowed her head. "I zhall be back later for ze yearbook photos. But for now, I go! These photos vill not develop themzelves!" She then left as quickly (and mysteriously) as she had arrived.
Rarity couldn't help but be perplexed slightly by this. "I don't know why, but Photo Finish didn't seem to be herself. I don't remember her being quite so... pushy."
"We can't worry about that right now, Rarity. It's the first day of school and we need to be ready to greet our new students!" Twilight firmly insisted.
Unknown to anyone inside the school, "Photo Finish" was actually just a disguise. A disguise that a certain former queen had used to get close to her sworn enemies. And now that she was safely out of harm's way, her eyes glowed green as she dropped her disguise. "Excellent! All too easy!" Chrysalis boasted with a cackle. "I've got everything I need! Soon and very soon, I will have my revenge! And I'll make Twilight Sparkle, Starlight Glimmer, and all their friends rue the day they ever crossed my path!"
Back at the school, the bell rang to signal the start of the school day. And countless ponies and other creatures poured through the doors. Excited chatter could be heard among the young and old alike. All amazed by what they saw.
Twilight quickly flew to the front and cleared her throat, speaking to the gathered crowd. "Welcome to the School of Friendship, students! I'm Twilight Sparkle, and I'll be your headmare," She gestured a hoof. "Please follow Guidance Counselor Starlight to sign in and get your class assignments. Then we can show you your living quarters. Please remember to work hard and not pick fights with other students. Together, we can make this environment a place to learn and a place to have fun."
It didn't take long for the students to get in line, but it also didn't take long for some of the foreign students to run into problems. The first of them was a blue feathered griffon with a light yellow underbelly, hints of green on the top of its head, moderate cerulean wings, and moderate azure eyes. "Can't believe I have to be here," He grumbled as ponies stared at him. "What? What are you looking at? You've never seen a griffon before?"
"Gallus? What do you think you're doin'? Stop slackin' off, sonny!" The familiar, raspy voice of Grandpa Gruff called as he walked up to the young griffon, a cane clutched in one of his claws. "These ponies wouldn't shut up until I let one of our own attend this here school, and this way I don't have to watch over ya. Ain't runnin' a daycare center, you know."
Rainbow Dash quickly flew over, greeting the griffon. "You must be Gallus."
Gallus remarked. "You call me that if you want, every griffon in Griffonstone does. I didn't really wanna be here, but Grandpa Gruff made it clear I don't have a choice," He looked up at Rainbow Dash as he commented. "So, you're Rainbow Dash, huh? Gilda told me about you. I gotta say, I kind of thought you'd be... cooler."
Rainbow just groaned. "Very funny, Gallus. Now come on, stop making a scene and get in line."
Just as that crisis was dissolved, the doors swung open with a loud slam! Prince Rutherford eagerly shouted! "Ponies! Prince Rutherford graces you with yak's presence!"
Pinkie Pie rushed up to meet Prince Rutherford. "Hiya, Prince Rutherford. Long time no see," Then she eyed a female yak with moderate olive eyes and pink bows in her long, flowing hair. "Ooh! Who's this?!"
Prince Rutherford smiled as he gestured a hoof. "The pride and joy of Yakyakistan! Prince Rutherford pleased to present, Yona Yak. She come to pony school, eager to make new friends and make school better."
Yona had a bright smile on her face as she stomped forward! "Oh boy! New place! Yak can't wait to meet ponies, and tell all about Yakyakistan! Yona have so much to talk about!" Unfortunately, her long hair proved to be a problem as she tripped over it and started to tumble, knocking a few statues loose. Fortunately, Pinkie was there to snatch them all up before they could fall and shatter.
Yona blushed as she stood up. "Yona need to work on that. But Yona not clumsy."
"Of course you're not," Pinkie grinned. "Now come on, Yona. Classes are about to start. Just watch your step, and try not to break anything."
Pinkie led Yona away just as Ember came by, dragging with her an orange scaled and winged dragon that looked to be the same size as teenage dragons like Garble. Said dragon had moderate orchid spines, and moderate cyan eyes. "But Ember, I don't want to go here! This school is lame!" The dragon frowned.
Ember just groaned as she tugged the dragon along. "For the last time, I'm Dragon Lord and you will do as I say! You're the only dragon I can trust not to burn the whole place down!"
"Don't give me any ideas. Besides, you're not my mom." The orange scaled dragon protested as she blew smoke out of her nostrils.
Ember just sighed. "I'm the closest thing you have to one and you know it," Then she called out. "Oh, hey Spike. Sorry you have to see this. I was hoping for you and Smolder here to meet on nicer terms, but Smolder just wants to be difficult."
"This place stinks of ponies! I don't like it!" Smolder complained.
Spike simply came over and offered a claw to the dragon. "Hey, don't be like that. I've been raised by ponies my whole life. Heck, the headmare of this school's my mom."
Smolder blinked in surprise. "Wait a second, how does a dragon have a pony for a mom? I thought ponies didn't lay eggs."
Spike just giggled as Ember blushed. "Smolder, you've got a lot to learn about ponies. No wonder you're coming here to this school. You're exactly the kind of creature who could benefit from our classes," He gestured a claw. "If you'll kindly step this way."
"Whatever, just don't get all 'touchy feely' with me. You're not my type." Smolder frowned.
"Great!" Spike spoke up, before he noticed what appeared to be another Smolder. "Uh, am I seeing double? Did you clone yourself somehow?"
But at that very moment an angry Thorax bellowed. "Ocellus, what did we talk about?!" A flash of magic caused the imposter Smolder to disappear, replaced by a grayish-green coated changeling with moderate cyan eyes, a glossy light pink mane, and wings a beautiful two shaded red that were currently tucked to the sides. "I told you to stay in your regular form, no copying other creatures!" Thorax arrived on the scene a moment later, introducing the changeling. "Sorry for the confusion. This is Ocellus, my new student. She's really shy."
"Why? Everyone knows the changelings are nice now, or at least most everyone." Spike questioned.
Thorax explained. "Ocellus was one of the few changelings who actually stood up to Chrysalis when she was our queen. Because of that, Chrysalis did... things to her, things no child her age should ever have to be subjected to," He stood beside Ocellus. "Still, give credit where credit is due, Ocellus didn't give in."
Ocellus nervously greeted. "Um... h-hi. I... uh... don't feed off of love if that's what you're worried about."
Just then, a shrill cry of joy split the air! "Oh my gosh! What is that?!" A light grayish-pink coated bird/pony hybrid creature with a light blue and light grayish-blue mane and tail, and moderate blue violet eyes flew towards Ocellus, prompting the changeling to transform and hide behind Thorax. "Ooh! I didn't know ponies could turn into... um... What are you?"
"A changeling." Thorax told the creature.
"Wow! I didn't know ponies could turn into changelings, I thought it was the other way around!" The bird/pony hybrid exclaimed! "The name's SIlverstream, Queen Novo's niece! Long story short, I'm a hippogriff who used to be a seapony but now I'm a hippogriff, and... oh my gosh, everything is so new and exciting! Are those stairs?!"
A creature similar to Silverstream came walking forward, except he was taller and had a pale, light grayish-indigo coat, a light and pale opal mane and tail, and light aquamarine eyes. "Silverstream, behave yourself! Your Aunt Novo wants you to be on your best behavior!" Then he put a paw up to his chest. "I am General Seaspray of Her Majesty Queen Novo's navy. And as you've just heard, that is Silverstream, the queen's niece. She has never left the confines of her coral reef home before and is quite curious to learn how the surface world works. Please do your best to ensure she stays out of trouble," He glanced at Silverstream. "Not that you ever get into trouble, Silverstream."
"Who me?! Nah, you've got it all wrong! My brother's the troublemaker." Silverstream insisted as she waved a paw.
Twilight simply smiled, watching all the students come forward. "Well I can assure you, they'll be all provided for here and we'll do our best to teach them," To the leaders she suggested. "I hope you'll all join us for Friends and Family Day to see the amazing progress your students are making. Looks like school's in session!"
A month and a half passed, but not at all quickly for the students. While Twilight and her friends tried to find a good middle ground between following the EEA's guidelines and doing their own thing, more often they found that friendship and its values weren't really something that could be taught in a traditional classroom setting. And when the teachers couldn't be bothered to get invested in what they were teaching, the students were all but falling asleep.
It didn't take long for complaints to start seeping out, and the five foreign students (who had more or less started bonding over their mutual distaste for the classes) did so in a way that was going to guarantee they'd be overheard. And not by someone they would've expected to ever run into.
Silverstream was the first one to speak out. "Is this some kind of punishment because I spilled squid ink on Aunt Novo's desk one time? This school is so boring!"
"You mean to tell me that these are the same ponies who defeated the Storm King? The heroes of Equestria?" Smolder questioned. "Color me not impressed."
"Given the choice I'd rather be back in Griffonstone, fending for myself on the streets all day. At least then I'd have something to do." Gallus grumbled.
Ocellus nervously commented. "Our teachers are a little bit... different than I expected. I mean, I like to learn, but I don't see how this is supposed to help me 'come out of my shell' as Thorax would say."
Yona loudly complained. "Ugh! Pony school is waste of time, Yona not belong here! Yona should be in traditional yak school! Yak school teach how to braid yak hair! Braiding yak hair is best!" But as soon as she finished speaking she lost her balance and tumbled forward, knocking into Smolder.
Smolder wasn't hurt, but she was annoyed. "Watch it, Yona! Are you always this clumsy?"
"What did dragon say to yak?!" Yona bellowed at the top of her lungs! "Dragon take back what she say about yak this instant!"
"Uh, guys, I don't think we're supposed to be fighting. Our professors wouldn't like it." Gallus nervously commented as he looked all around, afraid of being caught.
But Smolder pressed forward. "So, Yona. Can I ask you something: Is there anything in Yakyakistan that isn't the best?"
"Yes!" Yona shouted loudly, before realizing what she was implying and she quickly tried to correct. "Wait, yak mean no! Er, yak mean... yaks best!"
Smolder laughed. "Really? You got no wings, no claws, and no fire. So tell me, what exactly is it you're proud of again?"
"Whoa, dude, that's not cool," A male voice unfamiliar to the group spoke up. "No need to be harshing on Yona's love for he heritage. What's wrong with being proud of where you come from?"
"Ocellus? Was that you?" Smolder questioned. "Is this another one of your disguises?"
"Uh, I'm over here." Ocellus blushed, revealing that she had not transformed.
The rest of the group, meanwhile, turned to look as an earth pony colt who seemed to be roughly their age appeared before them. He had a pale grayish-yellow coat that looked like sand on the beach, light sea green eyes, a shaggy mane and tail that was a two shaded blueish-green in color, and a cutie mark depicting three turtles.
"You a new student or something? Or have I seen you somewhere before?" Gallus questioned the colt.
The colt blushed as he sheepishly admitted. "I've been here since day one. My name is Sandbar, this is actually the first time I've been to any kind of school."
Everyone else blinked in surprise as Yona commented. "But Sandbar pony, why Sandbar not go to pony schools before?"
Sandbar seemed to nervously massage the back of his neck with a hoof. "I've had a hard time fitting in, it's hard when you don't know anypony. I've mostly just been home schooled, but my parents felt this was the perfect opportunity for me to meet new faces and make some friends," He smiled a tiny bit. "I've been watching you all from afar. I gotta say, you're all quite interesting."
Smolder just frowned. "Well, Sandbar, no one asked you to intervene. Yona and I were just having a little talk. We're both tough creatures."
"Yaks tough, just not nasty. Not like certain other creatures." Yona snarled as she glared at Smolder.
Sandbar stepped forward. "Whoa, whoa, easy! I don't like seeing anyone fight, especially not creatures who are supposed to get along."
"And who says we want to get along?" Smolder snorted. "Maybe dragons and griffons are too tough for friendship? Maybe we're just not friendly enough for your tastes, pony."
The earth pony colt wasn't deterred by Smolder's behavior. "You like to act tough, Smolder, but the truth is you're actually a sweet gal underneath those thick scales. Why do you like to act the way you do? Is it really gonna hurt you to lower your guard?"
"I'm a dragon, it's in my nature to be tough. And since when did you know so much about me?" Smolder protested.
Sandbar grinned. "Like I said, I've been watching you and the others from afar. I think you'd all make good friends if you could learn to not always be so hostile and different to each other," He commented. "I especially think you and Gallus would get along pretty well, Smolder. Same goes for Yona and Silverstream, you're both so much alike. It's almost like looking in a mirror."
"Sandbar really think Yona could be friends with other creatures despite her clumsiness?" Yona questioned.
"They say friendship is one of the most magical things in all of Equestria, so I don't see why not," Sandbar declared with a faint blush. "Now come on, you're all gonna be late for Professor Dash's class. It's gym, the only class in this entire school that isn't boring! I heard we're gonna play buckball today!"
But as Sandbar was leading the other creatures along, they rounded a corner and happened to bump right into Starlight Glimmer. Or at least, it looked like Starlight Glimmer. Her coat color seemed dulled a bit, and her cutie mark appeared to be upside down. "Oh, there you are you..." Starlight paused. "Six?"
"Uh, Counselor Starlight?" Sandbar waved a hoof. "You okay? Did something happen to your cutie mark?"
Starlight nearly jumped back in surprise! "Er... uh, yes. A slight magical mishap, nothing any of you need to worry your little heads over," She spoke in what sounded almost like a condescending, sinister tone of voice. "Now why don't you all come with me?" She gestured a hoof down the hallway.
"Uh, classes are that way." Sandbar corrected as he pointed a hoof in the opposite direction.
Starlight snarled and grit her teeth for a few seconds, then her face slowly morphed into what seemed like a smile. "Yes, I know that. But what you don't know, is that there's a secret short cut that I happen to know about. You don't wanna be tardy for your next classes, do you?"
Ocellus shuddered and her wings bristled. "Guys, I think something's wrong. This doesn't feel right."
But before any of the students had a chance to react, they were suddenly surrounded by a wall of green flames that encircled and ensnared them! Then, who should step forward but Queen Chrysalis herself? "Well done, Starlight Glimmer. It seems I made the right choice cloning you first."
Ocellus let out a gasp! "Chrysalis! I should've known!"
"No! Not the Chrysalis!" Sandbar gulped! "I heard stories about her, but I thought Headmare Twilight and her friends defeated her. Twice no less."
Chrysalis snarled and grit her teeth. "They may have knocked me down, but I'm not out! And you six will play right into my plan to humiliate Twilight, Starlight, and everyone else who dared to humiliate me! You'll make fine prisoners!"
"And you think we'll just go along with you? Because if so you've got another thing coming, Queen Cheeselegs!" Smolder declared as she took a deep breath and unleashed a breath of fire! But although it made Chrysalis jump back, it didn't do anything to stop the green flames that held the six students and prevented them from escaping.
"I'd love to stay and chat, but I've wasted enough time here!" Chrysalis firmly insisted. "You six are coming with me whether you like it or not!" She proceeded to make the green flames envelope them, forcing them down through the ground before she sank into as well and disappeared. "Come and get me, Twilight Sparkle! I'm waiting for you!" She thought with a sinister grin.
But Twilight was currently facing her own problems. It was Friends and Family Day, and just as he had promised Chancellor Neighsay had shown up to conduct his inspection for EEA accreditation. His calling card was a magic portal of what appeared to be blue flames. And in the tangelo glow of his magic he held a clipboard and a quill.
Twilight nearly jumped in surprise. "Chancellor Neighsay! You're here! Er... I mean, of course you're here!"
The chancellor nodded. "Indeed I am, princess, as we previously agreed upon. And you seem rather unprepared, not a good first impression," He wrote a few things down on his clipboard. "I couldn't help but notice you were unusually vague about the nature of your school. That doesn't fit with your detail oriented nature. Is there something you're not telling me?"
"Who me? What would I have to hide? Everything is being done in accordance with EEA guidelines, I assure you." Twilight insisted with a nervous laugh.
"It had better be for your sake, princess," Neighsay cautioned. "I have no patience for those who waste my time."
Twilight waved a hoof. "Relax, Chancellor, everything is under control. I can't wait to show you around. If you'll kindly follow me," She led Neighsay along on a tour of the school, taking great care not to elaborate on who was attending. But she was surprised when Rainbow Dash suddenly came flying up to her. "Rainbow Dash! Why aren't you in class teaching?"
The brash pegasus spoke up! "Because some of my students are gone!" But when she saw Chancellor Neighsay, she quickly corrected herself. "Er I mean g-gone somewhere else. You know, loyalty lesson. A sort of field trip. And-and I was just going to grab, uh... this pencil! Because they need it. Wherever they are. Which I know, 'cause... I'm the teacher! Nothing to worry about."
"Yes, I see," Twilight nervously replied and turned to Chancellor Neighsay. "Well, Chancellor, we have lots of other classes on other aspects of friendship. So why don't we just-"
But Neighsay, sensing that something was up, simply protested. "By all means, let's follow the professor wherever she may be headed. I'm quite curious about this lesson in loyalty she spoke of."
"Right..." Twilight slowly commented and turned to Rainbow Dash. "Uh, lead the way."
Rainbow gulped (a detail that did not go unnoticed by Neighsay). "Uh... sure... this way, please."
Twilight, meanwhile, opted to explain more about the school to Neighsay. She didn't yet know about the missing students or where they were, but she knew that if one of her friends couldn't find them it was going to look bad in the eyes of Neighsay. "Of course, we want to instill a sense of loyalty towards others. We encourage acts of generosity and kindness, so that students can work together and learn to get along. Laughter and magic are key classes as well, a good learning environment needs to educate the students and make sure they enjoy their time here. And of course, we strive to teach them that it's important to be honest in any situation."
Neighsay looked up from his clipboard. "Yes, honesty is one of the most important virtues. So tell me, princess, are we going in circles? It feels like we are."
"Oh, would you look at the time?" Twilight quickly answered, avoiding the chancellor's question. "Let's just head out to the lake for Friends and Family Day. I'm sure all the students and faculty will be there."
But when Twilight arrived at the lake, she found all the leaders of Equestria's allies yelling and shouting all at once at her friends. Even Sandbar's parents did not look happy. And soon Twilight knew why. "Our student is gone!" They all said at once!
"What?!" Twilight gasped in horror.
"It's true," Starlight glumly confessed to Twilight. "I've looked all over the school and I can't find a trace of them anywhere. Those six students have vanished."
Twilight's eyes grew wide! "But, how?! How could that happen?! Who could've done such a thing?!"
Meanwhile, Neighsay's eyes fell upon the leaders of the other nations, and he was anything but pleased! "What is the meaning of this?!" He bellow at the top of his lungs. "What are you all doing here?! I thought school was for ponies only, as it should be!"
The young alicorn rushed up to the chancellor, hoping to calm him down. "I invited them, Chancellor Neighsay. My school never was just for ponies. A school of friendship should be open to everyone and anyone, not just those who share our thoughts."
"You lied to me!" Neighsay accusingly gestured a hoof.
Twilight stomped her hoof down and glared into Neighsay's eyes! "You're right, I did! Because I knew you would never sign off on the school if you knew from the start what it involved! I couldn't let you ruin my dream, my chance to make a lasting contribution to Equestria!"
"And yet you've invited these dangerous creatures here, to our very doorstep!" Neighsay snorted as steam billowed out of his nostrils.
"Dangerous?! Do you even hear yourself, Chancellor?!" Twilight questioned. "Have you forgotten all they did for us?! The hippogriffs came to our aid when the Storm King attacked, the yaks and the griffons are some of our best trading partners, and the dragons and the changelings have given us valuable information we never could've achieved on our own."
Neighsay wasn't convinced. "Yet it was the changelings who attacked us not once but twice! The yaks and dragons have threatened to go to war with us in the past! Even the griffons and the hippogriffs never lifted a paw to help us until we begged and pleaded for them to do so! You claim your school teaches friendship, so answer this, princess: How do you know that these creatures won't take what they have learned here and use it against us?"
"Because that's not how friendship works!" Twilight protested to the chancellor. "Friendship isn't just for ponies!"
Neighsay simply snorted. "It should be. If it were up to me, it most definitely would. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are fools to trust these nations, because I certainly don't."
The stallion's comments were, needless to say, not received well by the leaders. Prince Rutherford was the first to voice his displeasure. "Unicorn think yaks no need friendship? Well maybe yaks no need pony school! Maybe Yona better off without pony school, when ponies find her!"
"Then perhaps maybe you should return to your kind." Neighsay insisted as he pushed Prince Rutherford away.
Ember's eyes narrowed. "'Your kind'?! That's it, I'm officially pulling Smolder out of this school when you've found her! She's better off at home, at least the other dragons wouldn't tell her she doesn't belong here."
Grandpa Gruff walked away next. "Well this place seemed lame anyway. When you find Gallus, make sure to tell him he's to come right home to Griffonstone. No ifs, ands, or buts."
"Mark my words, ponies, Queen Novo will hear about this!" General Seaspray angrily cautioned. "And she'll be anything but pleased. We entrusted you with ensuring her niece's well being, but it seems you have again betrayed our trust."
Thorax was the last to depart. He said very little, but his look of shame and sorrow spoke volumes. "It's okay, it was probably asking too much for everyone to accept the changelings so soon," He sighed. "I hope you find Ocellus. But I think she's going to come home with me, that way I can make sure she's safe."
Twilight immediately spun around to face Neighsay when all the leaders had left (Sandbar's parents didn't speak a word, but it was clear from the looks on their faces that they were not pleased). "Princess Celestia helped me reach out to all of those kingdoms, Neighsay. And now you and your big mouth have ruined years of carefully crafted diplomacy. She won't be pleased."
"I simply stated what many ponies besides myself believe," Neighsay declared. "If Princess Celestia has a problem with that, she can take it up with me. The same goes for any other princess. I didn't get to where I was because I played nice and bent to the will of princesses," Then he added. "Besides, even if we put aside who was attending your school, the school itself was a disaster! I've seen some sorry excuses for public education in my time, but yours takes the cake!"
"Neighsay, I think you're being a little too harsh." Twilight pleaded.
Neighsay was not persuaded for even a second. "Am I? It occurs to me that even though you did talk with Cheerilee, you made little effort to consult with her after constructing this school, and the same goes for Princess Celestia. Your friends are not qualified in the least to be teachers, despite the experience you think they have. Even your former student is ill fitted to serve as a vice headmare, let alone a guidance counselor. And not only did six of your students vanish, one of whom happens to be a pony, but you did not know about this. Nothing is more important in the world of academia than ensuring the safety and well being of the students, which includes knowing where they are at all times!"
"But Neighsay-" Twilight protested.
The chancellor shook his head. "I've seen enough, princess. Not only will your school not receive EEA accreditation, it will not be allowed to continue to operate," He lit up his horn after touching a brouche on his robe. A series of magic, blue colored chains enveloped the school, with a magic padlock appearing on the front doors. "By the power invested in me as head of the EEA, I, Chancellor Neighsay, am shutting this school down!" He stomped his hoof down as he finished that sentence.
All Twilight could do was gasp and whimper, her dream had been shattered before her very eyes. And all she could think was. "Where did I go wrong?" |
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic What If?: Volume 9 | S8 E2: School Daze, Part 2 (What If?) | The last time we left Twilight Sparkle and her friends, they were facing a dilemma that was unlike anything they had ever encountered before. And it had all sprung up from a development that occurred after the Festival of Friendship.
"This happened while we were gone?!" Applejack had exclaimed upon seeing the table map in the throne room had expanded to include locations outside of Equestria.
That prompted Twilight to make an unusual suggestion. "It would be foolish to try and go all over Equestria and beyond to solve every friendship problem that comes our way. What if there was a way we could bring the friendship to the problems and fix them before they start? We could open our very own School of Friendship, right here in Ponyville!" And her friends had all agreed.
Unfortunately, getting the school up and running was a challenge. Twilight had to impress the EEA, headed by Chancellor Neighsay. "I am Chancellor Neighsay, head of the EEA. Equestria owes you and your friends a great debt of thanks for your many acts of heroism and bravery." The chancellor had introduced himself.
Twilight was able to get the chancellor to approve of the school's construction, even though she didn't tell him that the school would be open to creatures besides ponies.
However, Twilight and her friends were not the only ones with plans for the school. Queen Chrysalis, posing as Photo Finish, had slipped in and stolen mane hairs from each of the seven mares. "I will have my revenge! And I'll make Twilight Sparkle, Starlight Glimmer, and all their friends rue the day they ever crossed my path!" To that end, she created a clone of Starlight Glimmer to trap six students.
Those six students included Smolder the dragon, Gallus the griffon, Silverstream the hippogriff, Yona the yak, Ocellus the changeling, and an earth pony colt named Sandbar. "I think you'd all make good friends if you could learn to not always be so hostile and different to each other. They say friendship is one of the most magical things in all of Equestria." Sandbar had suggested, before Chrysalis sprang her trap.
"Come and get me, Twilight Sparkle! I'm waiting for you!" Chrysalis had thought to herself as she vanished alongside the students, intending to hold them as prisoners.
Meanwhile, an unaware Twilight Sparkle was facing her own problems dealing with Chancellor Neighsay. Who was anything but pleased to find out the true nature of the school. "You lied to me!" He'd bellowed at the top of his lungs, and then proceeded to insult the leaders of Equestria's allies.
When Twilight had pressed him on this, Neighsay simply retorted. "I simply stated what many ponies besides myself believe. Besides, even if we put aside who was attending your school, the school itself was a disaster!" And he listed several griveances, ending with calling her out on the missing students. "Nothing is more important in the world of academia than ensuring the safety and well being of the students, which includes knowing where they are at all times!"
"But Neighsay-" Twilight had pleaded.
Alas it was all in vain. Neighsay used his magic to surround the school with magical chains and a lock. "By the power invested in me as head of the EEA, I, Chancellor Neighsay, am shutting this school down!" And just like that, Twilight's dream had been crushed. And she had no idea what she could do to change Neighsay's mind.
It all felt like a bad dream to Twilight. A school of friendship that she had worked so hard to make a reality was now in chains, everyone bared from entering. Empty spots where the leaders of Equestria's allies had stood only moments prior highlighted the grave concern for the missing students, and the international turmoil that would erupt if they were not found.
Twilight's friends all huddled around her for support, many of them casting harsh glares at Chancellor Neighsay who remained unrepentant even in the face of so much hostility.
In fact, the lanky stallion simply snorted as he coldly remarked. "Well, princess, I wish I could say it's been an honor. But we both know better than that. Despite all you've done for Equestria, it seems you still have much to learn. And your leadership skills still pale in comparison to your fellow alicorns, who are much older and much wiser."
"Neighsay, this isn't about me! This is about the well being of Equestria!" Twilight retorted as she felt something boil over inside her. "Your thoughtless actions and words have put us all in danger!"
Neighsay only snapped back. "You already put the lives of six students in danger! How can you be trusted to run a school if your students could just up and disappear?! This is for the greater good of all."
"More like the greater good for you," Starlight protested with a glare. "What's your problem with the other nations anyway? What did they ever do to you?"
The chancellor only shook his head. "Don't try to change the subject, Miss. Glimmer. I already told you my reasons, they don't deserve to be our allies after the way they've treated us. Let them clean up their own messes instead of dragging us into conflicts we aren't prepared to deal with."
"But you don't see?" Spike pleaded with Neighsay. "That's exactly what this school was aimed at doing. The whole point of it was to inspire the other nations, cement our new alliances and encourage them to open up and make friends."
"Yet it was not my decision to bring them here when their safety could not be guaranteed. Now was it?" Neighsay corrected.
Twilight simply sighed. "Look, Chancellor, I get it. I messed up. You have every right to be mad with me for the things I said and did, regardless of whether they were right or wrong," Then she stood up as a fiery determination was reflected in her eyes. "But you owe it to me and to Equestria to give me another chance. Those students are still out there, and right now every moment we spend arguing is a moment we could spend trying to find them. Allow my friends and I to search for the missing students and bring them to safety."
Neighsay appeared skeptical of the proposal if his arched eyebrow was any indication. "Are you simply trying to trick me again, princess? I won't be fooled so easily a second time. Unlike you, I don't make mistakes."
"Wow, and I thought Cranky was a grouch. You really take the cake, Neighsay," Pinkie stuck out her tongue. "You and your rules are the whole reason this school wasn't working. We tried to do things your way, and the students hated every minute of it!"
"The EEA rules exist for a reason, Miss. Pie. And I would advise you to watch how you talk to me!" Neighsay snapped back, before turning his attention to Twilight. "You do make a good point about the students. Their safety should be a top priority, regardless of what kind of school you're running."
"So that's it, you'll give me a chance to fix the school?" Twilight hopefully pleaded.
The chancellor shook his head. "Not on your life, Princess Twilight! Your school is still a disaster and always will be as far as I'm concerned!" Then he paused, before he added. "But regardless of how I may feel about those... creatures it certainly won't look good if they were to remain missing, or worse. You and your friends may have time to look for those six students," Lighting up his horn, Neighsay brought forth a magical hourglass similar to the chains and the lock. "I will give you twenty four hours to locate the missing students. No more, no less. If time passes and they are not back here safe and sound, you'll leave me no choice but to go directly to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and have them call out the royal guard."
"Don't worry, Neighsay. That won't be necessary. We'll find those students, you can be sure of that!" Twilight declared. "My friends and I haven't met a problem yet that we couldn't solve."
"Then let's hope this is not the first such 'unsolveable problem' for your sakes," Neighsay cautioned. "But don't get any ideas. If you find the students, you are to return them to their leaders. It is for the greater good that they remain with their kind."
Applejack protested. "Uh, don't forget that one of them's a pony."
Neighsay replied. "You need not worry too much about him. He is free to return to his family and attend any EEA school of his choosing. He is still a child, in time he will understand why the other creatures had to be sent away," Then he conjured up a portal with the tangelo glow of his magic. "I'll return to Canterlot to make my official report to the EEA. See that you make the most of the time I've given you. And don't make me question my decision." He subsequently walked through the portal and disappeared.
Fluttershy was the first one to speak up after the chancellor had left. "No wonder he's called Neighsay. How could a pony like him ever become head of the EEA?"
"Who cares? We've got more important things to worry about!" Rainbow Dash spoke up. "Like how the hay we're supposed to find our missing students when we don't even know where they went!"
Miles and miles away from the school, Chrysalis held the six students within cocoons. It didn't take long for her to notice that one of them was a changeling, and she knew who that changeling was. "Ah, Ocellus. I didn't know Thorax had taken you under his wing," She commented with a fiendish cackle. "How fun, I can add him to the list of creatures I'm going to get my revenge on!"
Ocellus pounded on her cocoon. "Leave Thorax out of this! The only thing he did was get me away from you, free me from your control!"
"Only after he and that goody two-horseshoes Starlight Glimmer turned the hive against me!" The disgruntled former queen hissed. "But now, the foolish Princess Twilight Sparkle has given me the means by which I can have my revenge! I'll turn her own strength against her!"
"H-how are you gonna do that?" Sandbar gulped. "I don't think Headmare Twilight even knows you took us yet."
Chrysalis just grinned. "But she will in time. And her friends will surely come rushing to her aid, including that meddlesome Starlight Glimmer. And when they do, they'll play right into my hooves!"
Smolder rolled her eyes. "Big deal, Queen Cheeselegs. You don't scare me. I could totally take you! In fact, watch!" She took a deep breath and tried to burn her cocoon, but it didn't work.
"Those cocoons are indestructible," Chrysalis taunted in reply. "You really think I'd bother to take you all prisoner, just so you could escape? This time, I'll ensure I account for every potential threat!"
"And you think just holding us captive is gonna solve anything?" Gallus remarked as he too rolled his eyes. "Some of us have leaders who wouldn't take kindly to finding out we'd been kidnapped."
Yona eagerly declared. "Chrysalis wait until Prince Rutherford and yaks find out Yona missing! Yaks destroy anyone that threaten other yaks! Chrysalis not stand a chance!"
Chrysalis only snapped back. "Let them all come! Let them try to stop me!" She floated over the strands of hair she'd picked up from each of Twilight's friends (and Twilight herself). "I'll have an army at my disposal! And soon all will bow before me!"
Silverstream was the last one to speak up as she nervously questioned. "What are you gonna do with those hairs?"
"As if I'd tell the likes of you!" Chrysalis coldly hissed. "Though if you're really so curious to know, I suppose there's no harm in showing you. You won't be escaping to warn anyone anyways." She then walked away from the cocoons and over to some nearby trees, all lined with photos of the ponies whose hair strands she matched. Then she lit up her horn, casting its sickly green glow as it surrounded all the nearby trees. The six students watched with horror as one by one, duplicates of Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Starlight Glimmer, and finally Twilight Sparkle all took shape.
The duplicates did have a couple of details that did not match the ponies they were supposed to look like. Their coat colors were dulled a bit, some of their cutie marks were wrongly colored or upside down, and most noticeably their personalities were nowhere close to the ponies they were supposed to represent. "Ugh, why did we have to be created? This is so boring." The imposter Pinkie Pie complained.
The imposter Fluttershy just looked around as she grumbled. "There's nature everywhere... and I hate it! Everything's so nice and peaceful." She stuck out her tongue, pretending to gag.
"Ooh, so many valuable objects!" The imposter Rarity exclaimed, rushing all about. "It's mine! All mine!"
"Gosh, it sure has been a long time since we came into existence." The imposter Applejack lied.
"I'm just glad to be free again!" The imposter Starlight Glimmer declared and ominously warned. "The next creature who does anything to me is getting trapped in crystal!"
The imposter Rainbow Dash simply flapped her wings. "I don't care about the rest of you losers. I'm getting out of this dump."
But the imposter Twilight moved to pull the imposter Rainbow Dash close. "You're not getting away, fool!" She turned to Chrysalis with an evil gleam in her eyes. "Why have you created us, your majesty?" She delivered the last line with a noticeably sinister undertone. The venom in it was clearly registered.
"One of the downsides to mass cloning, some details have to be sacrificed to ensure success," Chrysalis thought to herself. "Although if I'm being honest, the Starlight clone is a marked improvement over the original counterpart." But she didn't bother to say such things out loud. Instead, she cleared her throat. "Listen, you seven. I created you for one purpose and one purpose only: To destroy Twilight Sparkle and her friends, forever!"
"Then do it yourself, this is so boring!" The fake Pinkie Pie complained.
Chrysalis shook her head. "I've tried twice to do so, and twice they have bested me. I believe it's because they stick together somehow. That's where you seven come in. I want you to infiltrate their circle of friends, discover the source of their power, and take possession of it so that I too might wield it."
"Not a problem! I'll do it myself!" The fake Rainbow Dash insisted.
But the fake Twilight protested. "No, her majesty wants us to work together. If the ponies we're clones of could defeat her, they could easily defeat us if we take them on one at a time."
The fake Starlight added. "Yeah, we need to be super sneaky about it. We'll replace them one by one until one of them tells us how to defeat them. And that's when we'll pounce!"
"Ooh, an ambush! Now that sounds positively fiendish!" The fake Fluttershy said with an evil grin. "Count me in!" And the other clones nodded in agreement one by one.
Chrysalis smirked, rubbing her hooves together with glee. "Excellent! Now go, my clones! Failure is not an option, and any who come back without results will answer to me! And don't forget that I brought you all into this world, I could easily destroy you all and start again! So don't make me have to do so."
The fake Twilight bowed her head. "Not to worry, your majesty. We won't let you down. You can depend on that." But in her mind she was thinking. "You may have created us, but I for one don't intend to keep taking orders from you. Once I discover what makes those ponies so powerful, I'll use it against you!"
Back at the still shuddered School of Friendship, Twilight and her friends began their search. Unfortunately, they had no real leads to go on.
That wouldn't be the case for long though, as suddenly a rather exhausted looking Photo Finish came running up. "Ach, Princess Twilight Sparkle. My zincerest apologies for ze delay."
"What delay? There's not going to be a yearbook, Chancellor Neighsay closed the school." Twilight glumly remarked.
Photo Finish seemed alarmed and surprised by this. "Vat?! Vat yearbook?! I do not recall accepting zuch an offer!"
Starlight blinked as she turned to the photographer. "Uh, you came by when we opened this school? Said you'd come back for the yearbook during Friends and Family Day celebrations. And you insisted on getting a strand of mane hair from everypony."
"Not to mention the fact that you were being rather pushy," Rarity commented. "Almost as if you couldn't stand to be in the same room as us."
Photo Finish shook her head. "Zat vas not me. Ze Canterlot Historical Society, zheir photographer she called in zick with ze flu. I had to fill in for her before zey could send me here to Ponyville," And she declared. "But now I am here, I vish to create 'Da Magics'!"
But Twilight seemed to be deep in thought. "Wait a minute, something's not right with this picture," She turned to Photo Finish. "Pardon the joke."
Photo Finish simply shrugged her shoulders while setting up her photography equipment.
Twilight took the time to think more, pacing about. "Two Photo Finishes, the first one was acting odd. The second doesn't remember anything about a yearbook. The first shows up just before the students go missing, the other arrives just after the school's been shut down."
"What are you thinking, Twilight?" Spike questioned as he reached out a claw toward her.
Suddenly, a look of realization flashed in Twilight's eyes as she let out a gasp! "Of course! Why didn't I think of it sooner?! There's only one creature that cause all of this: Chrysalis!"
Twilight's friends all gasped! "Chrysalis?!"
"But I thought she was driven away from her hive in shame!" Fluttershy exclaimed with fright.
Applejack just groaned, kicking at the dirt. "Yeah, but she still got away. Should've figured she'd rear her ugly head again at some point."
Rainbow simply waved a hoof. "No big deal! We've beaten her before, and we can do it again!"
The young alicorn shook her head at the notion. "Chrysalis has to be behind the students' disappearance. We'll need to rescue them before we do anything else."
"But what if the students manage to escape while we're out looking for them and come back here?" Fluttershy nervously inquired. "They don't know the school's closed."
Spike immediately rose to his feet and declared. "Leave it to me! Besides, I know how to contact some ponies who might wanna know what the not so friendly chancellor's been up to. It's better than having a bunch of angry leaders come storming in to confront them."
"Good idea, Spike. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna will know how to handle Neighsay." Twilight nodded her head.
"Which means the rest of us can focus on teaching that no good ex-queen a lesson!" Rainbow vowed as she pounded a hoof. But then she hovered close to Twilight and asked. "Uh, how are we gonna do that, exactly?"
"In a situation like this it's best not to take any chances. I know it's been a while since we've used them, but I think we're going to need the Elements of Harmony again." Twilight suggested.
Pinkie Pie leaped up and shouted. "Woohoo! Another world saving adventure! Now this is more like it!"
Meanwhile, Starlight nervously backed away. "Uh... I think I'll just... stay here with Spike. You know, since I can't use the Elements of Harmony."
"That didn't stop you with the Pony of Shadows. And we never would've freed Stygian without your help," Twilight reassured her former student. "We're all responsible for ensuring the safety of our students. And since you played a big role in defeating Chrysalis last time, you're exactly the kind of pony whose help we may need the most."
"Well, when you put it like that, I guess I really can't say no," Starlight commented. "Alright, I guess I'll tag along. Just give me a minute to get ready. This time I want to be prepared." She trotted away to the nearby castle to pack.
Unknown to the mares (and dragon) the evil clones Chrysalis had made of them lurked nearby, hiding in the bushes. "Now's our chance!" The fake Twilight grinned and shoved the fake Starlight forward.
The fake Starlight trotted up to Twilight and the others, who didn't seem to be any the wiser (though they did take notice of Starlight's changed appearance). "I'm here, let's go!" She declared in a rather impatient tone of voice.
"Wow! Already?! You're an awfully fast packer." Rainbow Dash commented in amazement.
The fake Starlight just grinned. "Well, my time is short. Er... I mean our time is short. Now come on! I know a shortcut!"
Applejack eyed the fake Starlight skeptically, her eyes gazing deep into the clone's. "Really? First time I've ever heard ya mention it."
The fake Starlight struggled to keep from breaking out into a nervous sweat. She knew the pony she was based on would come back at any minute. And if that happened she'd be exposed and likely destroyed. "W-well... it's a... shortcut I just found not too long ago. But we need to hurry if we're gonna take it and rescue the missing students!"
The imposter's argument was able to convince the others, particularly Twilight. "She makes a good point. It can't hurt to try this shortcut, we've already wasted a good deal of time." She gestured a hoof to the magic hourglass, a few strands of sand had already moved from the top half to the bottom half.
Reluctantly, the rest followed. But Applejack could be heard whispering to herself. "Somethin' ain't right about Starlight. She ain't actin' like herself."
Miles and miles away, Chrysalis had left with her clones to await any information about the weaknesses of her sworn and hated enemies.
As a result she had left the six cocoons with the captive students unattended, convinced that there was no way they could escape. She'd made the cocoons from the finest materials known to a changeling on the run, and if her cocoons could hold even alicorn princesses then what chance did considerably less powerful creatures have of breaking free?
Well, Smolder didn't know about those details. And if she had she wouldn't have cared. She continued to breath fire as best she could in her confined prison. But the best she could mention was a puff of smoke and several coughs.
"Give it up, Smolder. You'll never break the cocoon like that," Ocellus unhappily replied. "Face it, we're stuck here. Probably forever."
"What?! No, no, no! I can't be stuck here! There's so much I still want to see, so much I want to do!" Silverstream protested as she wiggled about in her cocoon.
And Gallus was shaking about. "Will you cut it out?! I can't stand small spaces, and your comments aren't helping!"
Sandbar, meanwhile, was just commenting. "Come on, guys. There's no need to worry. I'm sure Headmare Twilight and her friends will find us and rescue us soon."
"Yeah, and then what? We'll just all go back to our leaders, probably. There's no way I'm going back to that boring old school, and Ember can't make me!" Smolder protested. "The only thing I hate more than it, is being trapped in this stupid cocoon with no way out!"
Yona complained. "Cocoon too small, Yona can't move. Otherwise Yona could probably break free. Why this have to happen to Yona? Yona just want to tell others about Yakyakistan, share what make Yakyakistan great."
Ocellus simply hung her head, unable to even look at the other creatures. "At least you'll all come out of this with your reputations intact. Now I'm gonna have nightmares, and everyone's going to say that changelings can't be trusted. It took so long for Thorax to convince the other nations otherwise, and Chrysalis had to come along and ruin it."
"Hey, I don't have anything against you or any other changeling, Ocellus!" Smolder glared. "Right now the only changeling I don't like is that annoying Chrysalis. Her voice is so annoying, she never shuts up, and it looks like she has more holes in her than there are craters in the dragon lands. And if I could find a way out of here, I'd catch up to her and give her a piece of my mind!"
It was then that Sandbar suggested. "You know, maybe since Ocellus is a changeling herself, she could tell us how to get out of these cocoons?"
Ocellus nervously answered. "Well, I don't know if it'll work. But maybe if you use your sharp claws, Smolder, you could make an opening and crawl out."
The orange scaled dragon took Ocellus' advice. It took some effort, but eventually Smolder was able to free herself. "Ew!" She gagged, observing the slime that clung to her scales.
"Don't worry, it's easy to remove," Ocellus insisted to the dragon. "Now come on, you need to get the rest of us out."
"Maybe she doesn't want to," Gallus remarked in a noticeably unhappy tone. "Anyone else in this situation would get the heck out of here while they still could."
But Smolder instead set to work on freeing Gallus. "I'm not that kind of dragon, feathers for brains. You're gonna help me free the others."
"Yeah!" Sandbar eagerly declared. "We've gotta get back to our professors and warn them! They'll be charging right into a trap!"
Sandbar was right. The fake Starlight led the ponies she was supposed to be friends with on a long and winding path through the Everfree Forest. She didn't actually know where the Elements of Harmony were located.
"Starlight, is this some kind of joke?! If it is, it's not funny!" Twilight protested while panting. "Our students' lives could be in danger!"
"Trust me, I know where I'm going! This is a shortcut!" The fake Starlight insisted while looking around at the bushes, as if expecting something to emerge from it at any moment.
Rarity shook her head. "Darling, do you think we're so easily fooled? You've been acting just as weird as that fake Photo Finish. And is it a trick of the light, or have you done something with your cutie mark?"
Applejack stomped her hoof down. "I keep tellin' ya, somethin' ain't right with this girl. This ain't the Starlight we know!"
"I knew that too, Applejack," Twilight declared as she stopped in her tracks. "I didn't want to say anything at the school because I didn't want to alarm Spike and Photo Finish," She glared at the fake Starlight. "But nomore! You've been leading us on a wild goose chase! Who are you, and what have you done with the real Starlight?!"
At that very moment, an exhausted looking Starlight with a very frazzled mane and tail came panting up. "Twilight! Thank goodness! Spike told me you'd already gone ahead with a fake me!" She declared, before pausing to catch her breath.
The fake Starlight stepped back in horror when she saw the real Starlight! "You! You weren't supposed to follow me!" Then she snarled before turning to the bushes. "Oh well, now's as good a time as any for this," She gave a whistle. "Okay girls, let 'em have it!"
Suddenly, amidst a rustling of bushes came a series of screams and battle cries! The evil copies of Twilight, Pinkie, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack all emerged from hiding. The evil Starlight laughed wickedly. "That's right, you fools. I've got back-up! Now I know the source of your power!"
"Very well done, you played your part well," The fake Twilight said to the fake Starlight. Then an evil grin formed on her face as she added. "But I'm afraid your services are no longer required. After all, only six of us can actually wield those elements." Lighting up her horn, she directed a blast at magic at the fake Starlight.
The fake Starlight screamed! But before she could say anything in protest, she was turned into a pile of wood with Starlight's grayish-purple coat color and purple and white star with a gleaming stream of two-toned blue printed on it! The real Starlight and her friends were horrified!
The fake Twilight just laughed and brushed aside the display, blowing the smoke from her horn. "You six think you're so clever. But you're weak! This time, your friendship will be your demise!"
"Don't count on it, evil me!" Twilight declared. "If you're working for Chrysalis, my friends and I will show you no mercy!"
"Good," The evil Fluttershy remarked with narrowed eyes. "Because we won't either." And then the six clones and the seven real mares charged forward, each preparing to face off against the opposition.
Smolder and Gallus worked hard and fast, eventually managing to free all of the other entrapped students. Ocellus then showed them all the fastest way to remove the left over goo that clung to them.
"Okay, so we're free of those cocoons and that angry bug lady isn't here. Now what are we supposed to do?" Gallus questioned.
"We gotta find a way back to our professors of course!" Sandbar declared. "If only we knew where we were."
"Actually, I think I might have an idea," Ocellus commented. "I kind of paid attention during Headmare Twilight's class of pre-Equestrian friendships. If I'm right, we're somewhere within the heart of the Everfree Forest."
"Forest?" Yona gulped. "That mean spiders and other insects?"
Ocellus nodded. "Yeah, but I don't think we'll run into any dangerous creatures like that. It's not star spider season."
"Okay, but just how do we get out of here?" Smolder inquired of Ocellus. "In case you haven't noticed, we don't have a map!"
But Sandbar put a hoof to his ear. Closing his eyes, he tried to concentrate on what he was hearing. At last he declared to the others. "Actually, I think I have an idea of where we are. My parents used to take me camping out to the Everfree Forest, and they had a special place they'd love to go to. It was right by a stream that runs close to the Castle of the Two Sisters."
"That leads to the Tree of Harmony!" Ocellus realized with a gasp! "We could get there before the clones and stop them!"
"Ooh, that would be totally great!" Silverstream cheered in delight. "Just point me in the direction of that stream, Sandbar!"
Sandbar happily nodded. "Okay, just stay close to me. I can hear the stream from here." The colt proceeded to lead his friends through the forest, past thick, tall trees that all but blocked out the sunlight despite it being day.
Eventually, the rag tag group of self-liberated students pushed past some stray branches, and they came to a small clearing. Just as Sandbar had said, there was indeed a small stream.
Even so, the mere presence of it excited Silverstream and made Yona nervous. In contrast to her usual self-confident persona, she now seemed to shrink and step back. "Yak not like water. Yona can't swim."
"Don't worry, Yona, it's not that deep. You can practically wade through it," Sandbar insisted as he stepped into the stream to prove his point. "See? You'd barely even get your hooves wet."
Yona wasn't convinced. "Yona not want yak fur to get wet. Other creatures go on, leave Yona behind."
But Sandbar protested as he stepped out of the stream. "Yona, we're not gonna leave you behind. We're not leaving any creature behind," He sighed. "We'll just have to build a raft and ride it down the stream."
"Ooh, better yet!" Silverstream declared, clutching the necklace that hung around her neck and flying over the water. In a flash of light she transformed, her claws and wings being replaced with fins. "I can totally power that raft! Now I have a chance to show off my seapony side."
"You're a seapony? I thought you were a hippogriff." Gallus questioned.
Silverstream giggled. "I'm both you big silly goose," She gestured a fin to her necklace. "This is a fragment of the Pearl of Transformation. It was split up among our kingdoms when the Storm King was defeated."
"Wait? Kingdoms? I thought all the hippogriffs went home to Mount Aris," Sandbar pondered. "At least, I think that's what Headmare Twilight said. Probably should've been paying more attention to her class."
The seapony just giggled again. "It's okay, I get that a lot. Long story short, not every seapony chose to turn back into a hippogriff and go back to Mount Aris. Some, like my mom, decided they liked being seaponies and they decided to stay in Seaquestria. So we split up the Pearl of Transformation necklace and Seaquestria is ruled as a joint kingdom with Mount Aris, though my mom usually leads Seaquestria if Aunt Novo's not around."
Smolder snorted. "Well that's... very fascinating, Silverstream. But we need to focus on building a raft."
"Oh, that's easy! All you need is some logs and some vines to hold them all together." Sandbar declared.
As if on cue, Yona stomped about and brought down some trees. "Yak love to smash things!"
Gallus sighed. "I guess I'll get some vines. Am I the only one who thinks we should just stay here until everyone gives up looking for us? Seems like we're having more fun here than we ever did in school."
"You know, he makes a good point. I never thought I'd say this, but hanging out with other creatures is actually... not bad." Smolder commented.
"Our professors might be in danger because they went out to look for us!" Ocellus protested. "We owe it to them to warn them. They'd do the same for us. Now hurry up with those vines, it'll be night soon!"
The struggles between the six clones and the seven mares raged on, the six clones alternating between attempted attacks and retreating deeper into the Everfree Forest.
Even with the aid of Starlight, it was still a tough battle. The evil clones may not have had the same personality as the originals, but when it came to skills and abilities they were able to match the originals almost perfectly.
The passage of time became almost an afterthought as the clash continued.
Eventually though, the six mares found themselves nearing the site of the Tree of Harmony, the resting place of the Elements of Harmony. And the last gleams of twilight were giving way to the rising moon as the stars came out.
The clones reached the same location at about the same time. A fact that did not go unnoticed by the evil Twilight. "Excellent," She whispered to herself. "Now you just need those other five imbeciles, and your plan will be a success."
"Uh, what was that about 'your plan'?" The evil Applejack questioned.
The evil Twilight seemed to hesitate before she answered. "I mean 'The plan'. You know, the bidding of 'her majesty'."
"Oh, okay." The evil Applejack replied.
The evil Pinkie Pie simply complained. "Do we have to keep her in the dark? I'm so bored of pretending."
The evil Twilight just grinned. "Don't worry, soon we'll have everything we need. Once the elements are under our control, not even 'her majesty' can tell us what to do."
"You'll never get to the Elements of Harmony! This is as far as you go!" Twilight declared, swooping down in front of the clones.
"Yeah!" Pinkie Pie added as she and the rest of the mares surrounded the clones. "The party's over, you meanie pants!"
Applejack declared. "You made a mistake tryin' to outsmart us."
But at that moment the sound of an approaching raft caught everyone's attention. All turned to look, and saw that the students who were supposed to be missing were on it. Silverstream (as a seapony) and Ocellus (having transformed into a sea creature) were pulling it, and Sandbar, Yona, and even Gallus and Smolder were on it (the latter two resting their wings).
"Headmare Twilight! It's a trap! Chrysalis wants the Elements of Harmony!" Sandbar warned as he and the other students departed the raft (as it drifted ashore), and then Ocellus and Silverstream transformed and left the raft behind to join their friends.
Seeing an opportunity for a distraction, the evil Fluttershy just grinned before she gave a whistle. "You might wanna get to your students soon. Because otherwise, things are gonna get ugly for them."
Just a second later, a few stray hedgehog like creatures in various colors appeared. Sandbar yelped and stepped back just before his hoof would've landed right on one of them! "What is that thing?!" He questioned in fright.
"It's a puckwudgie!" Ocellus realized. When the other students looked at her she added. "Am I the only one who didn't sleep through Professor Fluttershy's 'Critters of Comfort and Conflict' class? Maybe I can make friends with them?" She turned herself into a puckwudgie that had the same pale green coat as her, approached the other puckwudiges, and garbled something.
The puckwudgies growled in response as Ocellus nervously transformed back to normal! "Oops!" She apologized.
"What did you do?! And should we be concerned?!" Gallus questioned the changeling.
"Well I either asked nicely if we could be friends, or said their mothers are ugly beasts," Ocellus explained. "Considering their reaction, I think it's not the first option. And yes, we should definitely be concerned."
"Puckwudgies' quills are sharp enough to pierce metal!" Fluttershy gasped. "We've got to protect those students, their lives are in danger!" She flew over as the puckwudiges prepared to fire off their quills!
"Uh? Guys? Not that I mean to panic, but they're getting closer!" Sandbar shouted in fright as he dove for cover behind a tree.
"Yona not scared, Yona have friends," Yona declared. "Yak fur will stand up to spikes!"
But Fluttershy swooped forward, pulling Yona down as quills rained down around them. "Yona, if those quills touch you you'll barely even notice the pain before it's too late! Even yak fur won't protect you!"
Reluctantly, the rest of the mares all rushed over to protect the students from the puckwudgies. Twilight and Starlight touched horns to generate a magical barrier to keep the puckwudiges and their sharp scales at bay.
"Don't hurt them!" Fluttershy pleaded. "Just ask them to leave nicely."
"No worries, I'll round 'em up!" Rainbow Dash declared. "Pinkie, you get your party cannon ready!" A short time later, all the puckwudgies were deposited into Pinkie's party cannon and launched into the sky. Fortunately, they were given parachutes.
While the seven mares were busy protecting the students, the clones seized their opportunity to approach the Tree of Harmony. The Elements of Harmony were finally within their reach.
However, the evil Rarity was drawn to the shiny nature of the elements. With a cackle she declared. "Ooh, that one there is mine! And that one too! I want them all! I'll add them to my collection!" The Element of Generosity flashed black as a result, but no one paid it any attention.
The evil Fluttershy tripped up the evil Rarity a moment later. "Oops. I'd say sorry, but I'm not!" She sarcastically declared, causing the Element of Kindness to flash black.
And the evil Rainbow Dash just yawned and lay down. "Call me when it's my turn." The Element of Loyalty flashed black.
"Stop it, you fools!" The evil Twilight protested to the others, watching as the evil Pinkie gave up and lay down too, and the evil Applejack just shook the tree over and over again. "You're going to ruin everything! We'll need those elements to take out Queen Chrysalis, she's the only one who stands in our way!"
At that moment, who should come upon the scene but Queen Chrysalis herself?! She'd been observing the behavior of her clone creations from afar, and had suspected something was up. Now she knew what that something was. "Of all the nerve! I created you six! I shouldn't have had to grubsit you to make you obey!"
"Well that's where you made your mistake, Chrysalis," The fake Twilight remarked with dripping venom in her tone of voice. "We were never going to be your obedient creations! You may have created us, but did you really think we'd let a two time failure like you lead us?"
"If you say yes, you're a bigger liar than I am. And I never lie." The fake Applejack declared.
Chrysalis just hissed. "It is you six who are the fools! From the moment you destroyed the Starlight Glimmer clone, I knew you were up to no good! Servants always fail you in the end." She shot out a beam from her horn, clashing with the fake Twilight.
The fake Twilight just laughed, effortlessly pushing back against Chrysalis. "Even you can't stop us anymore, your majesty. Soon, the Elements of Harmony will be under my control, and I will reign triumphant!"
However, at that moment, Twilight and her friends came up to join the fight. "Don't count on it! The Elements of Harmony will never work for creatures that don't understand how friendship works!" Twilight told her clone.
Chrysalis looked across to Twilight. "Much as I'd like to be rid of you and your pathetic friends, it seems we have a common enemy. If you help me dispatch these rebellious, ungrateful grubs, I'll leave your students alone."
"Why should we trust you, Chrysalis? How do we know you won't go back on your word?" Starlight Glimmer questioned. "This has your hoof prints all over it."
The ex-queen simply replied (while continuing to fight the Twilight clone). "You're right, you can't trust me. But if you'd rather not take my help and try to fend off these powerful clones on your own, be my guest."
"We'll deal with you later, Chrysalis," Twilight protested and then motioned to her friends. "Come on, let's show these imposters what happens to those who mess with the Tree of Harmony!"
Starlight joined Twilight and Chrysalis in the magic beam struggle, while the rest of the mares took advantage of the conflict to pin down their respective clones.
Suddenly, the Element of Magic flashed black, and the Tree of Harmony seemed to react. Pure white magical vines shot out from it, ensnaring all the clones one by one and pulling them close to its trunk!
One by one they were turned into colored pieces of wood. The evil Twilight was the last one to disappear. "Imbeciles, you've ruined everything!" She shouted, before a flash of magic made her disappear. Just like that, the changeling clones had vanished.
"Whoa!" Gallus commented in amazement, having watched the whole thing. "You know what? I take back all the things I said about our professors before."
Sandbar couldn't help but rib the griffon, as well as the other creatures. "And you all had your doubts. Is it any wonder why I look up to those girls? They sure are something."
"Okay, so they're awesome when they're out saving the world and fighting evil. Why can't they be like that all the time?" Smolder grumbled. "It'd sure make classes more interesting."
But Ocellus just gulped. "Um, it's not over yet. Chrysalis is still unaccounted for. Our professors will have to deal with her."
And that's exactly what the seven mares did as they eyed the colored logs that had previously been evil clones, created by an evil former queen.
"Alright, Chrysalis," Twilight sighed. "What are we gonna do with you? That's three times now you've threatened Equestria."
But the crafty ex-queen simply replied. "Princess, you saw what happened. I'm just as much a victim in this as you, your friends, and your students. My own creations turned against me. And I certainly didn't tell them to sic those nasty puckwudgies on the students. I assure you, my methods would've been far more direct."
"Even so, you can't be allowed to slip away again," Twilight declared with a glare. "After all the trouble you've caused, I have half a mind to blast your sorry hide halfway across Equestria."
"Uh, Twilight, not that I mean to interrupt but we've got bigger problems to worry about." Starlight gestured a hoof to the students nearby.
Starlight didn't need to speak a word. Twilight remembered the deadline Chancellor Neighsay had given, and much time had passed already. She reluctantly turned back toward Chrysalis. "Consider this your lucky night, Chrysalis. Since you did sort of help us, my friends and I won't use the Elements of Harmony against you."
"Oh thank you, Princess Twilight! And you too, Starlight Glimmer," Chrysalis delivered the lines with a noticeable hint of malice. "How can I make it up to you?"
Starlight glared into Chrysalis' eyes. "Run as far away from here as you can! And don't even think about showing your face anywhere near here, the school, or anywhere else in Equestria."
"After all, next time we may not be so generous." Rarity added.
Chrysalis gulped. "Very well, you win this time, ponies. But don't think this is over, we'll meet again someday." She proceeded to scoop up the log with the same color as Twilight's coat, and then took off.
With Chrysalis defeated, Twilight and the others trotted over to the six students. "Thank goodness you're all okay!" Twilight declared. "I thought for sure something awful had happened to you!"
"Ah, we were fine, Headmare Twilight," Sandbar replied as he waved a hoof. "I suppose you've come to ask us all to come back to school." His question was confirmed with a nod.
Smolder let out a sigh as she explained. "Look, Headmare Twilight. If it's all the same to you, we'd rather not go back to school. School was boring."
"Yona not really like school, but Yona like new friends!" Yona declared as she hugged the other students tightly!
Smolder choked out. "Smolder... like breathing."
Twilight felt pride well up inside her as she looked over the six students. They definitely seemed closer together. "I'm glad you're all safe, and that you've started learning friendship without your professors. But there's only so much you can learn on your own. We'd be happy to share all that we know about friendship... if you're willing to come back to school with us tomorrow."
"Wait, you're not going to send us back to our leaders?" Gallus questioned.
Twilight shook her head. "The school isn't going to be run like a traditional EEA school. We tried the EEA's way, and for a friendship based school those guidelines just weren't working. If you come back with us though, we can all show you how different the school will be. You'll like the changes."
Rainbow Dash added. "Trust me, with me teaching class my way, you'll all agree that classes are two hundred and twenty percent cooler!"
"Not to mention it'll be much friendlier and inviting." Fluttershy declared.
"But we don't want to force you back if you'd rather not attend," Twilight told the students. "It's your choice. And whatever you choose, we'll respect."
"You kidding?! We'll be more than happy to give your school another chance!" Sandbar happily declared as he kicked his legs. "I've already made several new friends, and we've all learned so much from each other. If school is like this, it'll be a blast!"
Pinkie Pie cheered! "Great! Now let's get you out of this forest! And then tomorrow, your leaders hopefully won't be angry with us anymore."
Everyone returned to the school the next morning, even the leaders of the other nations had been brought back. As it turned out, this was because of Princess Celestia. "Spike has told me everything," She told Twilight. "And I can assure you, I'll be having a long talk with Chancellor Neighsay about his conduct when this is all over," A sigh escaped her lips. "It's a pity, I had hoped he would be better than his reputation would have you believe."
"Well there won't be much he'll able to do," Twilight replied to the sun princess. "When he finds out this is no longer an EEA school, he'll have no real authority over it."
"And how are you even going to get inside?" Ember questioned to Twilight. "The door's locked."
Twilight grinned. "Just watch," She used her magic to remove the lock and chains that prevented anyone from accessing her school. "I'm proud to declare that school is now officially back in session!" She declared.
But the announcement was premature as the familiar form of Chancellor Neighsay emerged from a portal. "Who has dared remove my magic seal from this accursed school?!"
Twilight cleared her throat. "I did, Chancellor Neighsay. And now I'm going to have to ask you to stand aside, or else classes will start late. You don't want that, do you?"
Neighsay growled. "Classes will never start! I stand by what I said, this school is a disaster and cannot be allowed to operate! The EEA has spoken, and none shall pass!"
"Yaks pass if yaks says so! Pony no tell yak what to do!" Prince Rutherford declared.
But Princess Celestia threw up a wing. "Everyone, please, let's at least try to be civil about this. It might be best if we let Princess Twilight explain before someone says something they'll regret."
Neighsay wasn't deterred in the slightest by the presence of Princess Celestia. "Princess Celestia, you don't realize that you're on the wrong side. I'm simply using the power bestowed upon me as head of the EEA to ensure all schools in Equestria meet only the highest of standards."
"EEA standards, or your standards, Chancellor?" Celestia questioned. "It seems to me that you're opposed to this school because of what it dares to be, not because of any actual faults it has."
The chancellor only hissed. "Princess, this is exactly why the EEA was created in the first place. You haven't seen the things I've seen. Anypony in my situation would've said the same. How could I overlook disorganized classes, unqualified teachers, and students lives being put in danger?"
Twilight simply replied. "Chancellor, you're not even giving me a chance to make amends. I know my school isn't the greatest, but it's full of potential. I can make changes. I'll overhaul the lesson plans, modify class sizes, and line up better teachers to coach my friends and I."
"It doesn't matter. Your school will never be EEA accredited," Chancellor Neighsay stubbornly declared as he stomped a hoof. "And it will never be a school at all."
But Twilight smirked. "Maybe it won't be an EEA school, but in this case I'd say it's for 'the greater good' as you put it. A school of friendship is an experiment that has never been done before. Regardless of well I try to follow the EEA's guidelines, it will never be exactly what they or you want it to be," Then she gestured a hoof. "These students reminded me that every friendship is special, so the way we teach it has to be just as unique. My school is going to do things differently. And I hope you'll understand why."
Neighsay didn't, he snapped. "You can't possibly expect that to work! I can't even begin to count the number of ways it could go wrong! Changing the rules for these new creatures, shutting the EEA out of the classroom all together, running it your way, it simply won't work."
Princess Celestia couldn't help but smirk as she sarcastically remarked. "Oh really? I've never heard that one before," Then she adopted a sincere tone as she explained. "When you're as old as I am there's a lot of things you tend to remember. And one of the things I seem to remember, is a lot of opposition similar to yours when it came to the idea of teaching all three kinds of ponies together, under one roof. Heck, when I wanted to open my own school to teach students advanced magical spells and abilities, I remember an EEA head who told me it would never work. You wanna know what happened to that pony? They ultimately came around and admitted they were wrong."
Twilight proceeded to plop down her own rule book. "Chancellor Neighsay, I assure you that despite your concerns my school will help protect Equestria."
"Or destroy it!" Chancellor Neighsay hissed. "But it seems you're intent on defying me no matter what!"
Princess Celestia spoke up. "Chancellor, you've already caused enough of a scene here. And you're making a lot of these 'dangerous creatures' very unhappy with you," She cautioned him. "If I were you, I'd leave before I could no longer hold back these leaders and one of them decides to give you a lot more than just a piece of their mind."
If that comment was enough to unnerve the chancellor, he didn't show it. The stallion simply turned very slowly toward Twilight and told her. "It seems you've won this round, Princess Twilight. But as far as I'm concerned your school is still a disaster waiting to happen. You'll see me again, even if I have to come back tomorrow, or the day after that."
"And just what will you be doing tomorrow, oh Chancellor?" Twilight innocently questioned.
Neighsay growled. "The same thing I'll do every day from now on, princess. Try to get this school shut down for good!" Then he leaped through a portal and disappeared, to a chorus of cheers from all gathered.
Grandpa Gruff still had his doubts. "How is this school going to be any different from last time?"
Twilight grinned. "Oh, I'm sure you'll see." And it wasn't long before she, her friends, and their new students all began to sing.
The song lasted for quite a while, and by the time it had ended many of the leaders were convinced one way or another. Ember in particular had gotten quite fed up with the song. "Ugh, fine! You win!" She complained as she put her claws to her ears. "Smolder can stay here! Just please, nomore singing! I can't take any more of it!"
Smolder cheered! "Woohoo! Thank you, Ember!"
Prince Rutherford spoke next. "If dragon is staying, then yak stays too. It not right for prince to take young yak away from friends."
"Yona love friends!" Yona happily declared. "Yona can't wait to meet more friends!"
Thorax stroked Ocellus with a hoof. "You'll grow into a fine young changeling, Ocellus. I look forward to hearing you progress, my student."
"Thanks, Thorax," Ocellus smiled back. "I'll do my best, and try to come out of my shell a little."
General Seaspray didn't need much convincing. "Silverstream, your Aunt Novo says you can stay as well. Just be sure to stay safe and out of trouble."
Silverstream smiled, happily shaking Seaspray's paw. "Oh, thank you SO much, Seaspray! Now come on, there's a lot of things I gotta show you! Wait until you see this thing they call a sink, it'll totally blow your mind!"
Sandbar looked up at his parents, who gave him a confirming nod. "Okay, Mom and Dad. I'll stay here too. And I hope you'll let me bring my friends over to my house sometime."
"Oh we'd like that, honey," Mrs. Sandbar told her son. "But I think we'll need to prep the house a bit before that can happen."
Mr. Sandbar laughed. "Yeah, I don't think our house is exactly 'Yak proof' or 'Dragon proof'."
"Alright, well let me know when it is," Sandbar commented and then looked around. "Hey, where's Gallus?"
Gallus was trying to stay hidden, hoping to avoid being seen by Grandpa Gruff. It didn't work, the older griffon spotted Gallus from a mile away. "What? Why are you looking at me, sonny? It was a mistake to let ya come here. You belong at home with me, not halfway across the world. You'll make poor Gabby work herself to the bone with all the letters we'll have to share," Then he coldly added. "Besides, you think I care if you made new friends?"
Gallus adopted the best pleading face possible as he got down on his knees and held up his claws. "Please, Grandpa Gruff? I promise I won't write to you very much. And didn't you once say you weren't running a chicksitting service?"
Grandpa Gruff couldn't resist the pleading look Gallus gave him. "Ugh! Alright, alright, you can stay! But don't come crying to me if it doesn't work it. You're on your own, sonny!" And with that he flew away.
A joyous celebration soon erupted as Gallus' friends all rushed to surround him, glad to know that he was staying.
The seven mares and Spike smiled as they observed the whole thing. "You know, I have a feeling this school is going to work out just fine." Twilight commented.
Starlight nodded. "I think it's safe to say, with this you'll definitely leave your mark on the future of Equestria," Then she commented. "Now, about the staff..."
But unknown to everyone, the celebration was being watched from afar. By who, you may ask? Why, by none other than a still very revenge minded former queen. Chrysalis' eyes narrowed as she looked at the school. "Celebrate while you can, ponies! When you least expect it, Chrysalis will strike again!" |
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic What If?: Volume 9 | S8 E3: The Maud Couple (What If?) | A frantic Pinkie Pie was bouncing all over town, searching desperately for somepony. In this case that somepony was her older sister, Maud. Maud hadn't come to breakfast with Pinkie as had become the habit now that the elder Pie sister lived in Ponyville (or Ponyville adjacent to be precise).
"Maud?! Where are you, Maud?!" Pinkie loudly called. "Are we playing a game of hide and go seek?! You're supposed to tell me when it's my turn to be seeker!"
Pinkie kept on bouncing, not really paying attention to where she was going. As a result, she almost didn't notice when she bumped into a very familiar earth pony mare.
"Hello, Pinkie Pie." Maud Pie greeted in her usual flat tone.
"Hi, Maud. Can't talk right now," Pinkie answered her sister. "I have to go and find you!" But as she was about to bounce off again the pink coated earth pony realized what she had previously not noticed. She quickly spun around. "Maud, there you are! I've been trying to find you all morning!" Then she giggled. "I guess it's my turn to go hide! Start counting."
But Maud shook her head at her sister. "I'm not playing, Pinkie. I want to apologize for not being around this morning."
Pinkie simply waved a hoof. "Oh, pssh. What are you apologizing to me for? I'm not upset, you silly-willy. Though a little heads up would be nice."
"I'm sorry, I forgot to leave a note," Maud apologized. "I've been kind of busy lately."
The party pony nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, too busy. It seems like you're almost never around anymore, no matter when I drop by. Don't you like living in Ponyville?"
"It's great, lots of rocks to keep me busy," Maud answered. "The reason I've been so busy is that I have a boyfriend now."
At that, Pinkie blinked in surprise! "A whaaaaa...?!"
"A boyfriend, Pinkie," Maud answered. "We just met not that long ago. It just sort of happened."
Pinkie grinned! "Ooh, that's so exciting! My sister, in love with another pony! Now I totally understand you being busy these past few weeks. You can be with the pony you love, you just gotta let me throw a party to celebrate."
"I'm not sure if parties are really his thing, I never asked him," Maud commented even though her expression did not change. "But technically, we're in 'like'. Love is a little premature."
Pinkie waved a hoof. "Nonsense! If you say you're in love, you're in love! Now tell me everything!" She started happily bouncing all about. "Who is he? What's his favorite color? Does he like ice cream? Oh! I don't know, because you haven't told me anything yet!"
Maud's expression seemed to change ever so slightly into a smile as she answered. "Well you'll like him. We have a lot in common."
The pink party pony happily declared. "Well, I love you, so I know I'm gonna totally love your boyfriend! Oh, I can't wait to meet him!"
"Good, because you don't have to." Maud declared as her attention was drawn to a nearby rock.
Pinkie assumed the obvious as she gasped. "Of course! He's a rock! And you love rocks, so it's perfect!" Another gasp escaped her lips. "Is Boulder jealous?"
But Maud corrected. "No, he's not a rock. He's behind the rock," And she called out. "Mudbriar? Are you back there? Please come out if you are."
From behind the rock emerged an earth pony stallion with a grayish coat, moderate green eyes, a light and medium brown mane and tail, and a cutie mark depicting a stick in a mud puddle. "Technically, I was but not anymore."
As soon as Pinkie laid eyes on Mudbriar, she gasped loudly and jumped back in surprise! "A wha-whaaaaaaaaa?!" As it turned out she had already met her sister's boyfriend. And this unfortunate, unplanned meeting was going to make the task of getting along with him rather difficult for the party pony.
Despite her sister's shocked reaction, Maud decided to press forward with her planned introduction of her boyfriend. "Pinkie Pie, meet Mudbriar. Mudbriar, meet Pinkie Pie, my favorite little sister."
Mudbriar spoke up in a rather blunt manner. "Technically, we've already met. This formal introduction is not necessary."
"Yeah. It wasn't intentional or anything, Maud. You didn't even tell me you were seeing anypony." Pinkie Pie commented in what sounded like a hurt tone of voice.
"I did try to tell you a few times, Pinkie. But you were always busy with something else, so I didn't feel like speaking up." Maud explained.
Pinkie sighed. "It's not your fault, Maud. Twilight's new school has been keeping me awfully busy. Between that, baking, and saving the world, lots of little things slip through the cracks. I'm even starting to feel like a stranger to the Cake Twins, I can't believe they're almost old enough for kindergarten. Feels like only yesterday Mr. and Mrs. Cake were bringing them home for the first time."
Maud hated to see her sister so down in the dumps, she quickly trotted forward and lifted Pinkie's chin up. "It's alright, Pinkie. I know how important that school is to Twilight, and you make a good teacher. I probably should've introduced you to Mudbriar sooner."
"It could not be helped. Our prior meeting was a chance encounter, what you might say 'A fluke'," Mudbriar declared as he looked at Pinkie Pie. "I assume my manner of speaking needs no re-introduction." To which Pinkie nodded her head.
Maud immediately questioned the two. "So, how did you meet if I may ask?"
At that Pinkie started to massage the back of her neck with a hoof. "Well, it's kind of a long and funny story, Maud. I don't think you need to hear it."
"I always have time for you, sis," Maud commented as her expression seemed to morph ever so slightly into a smile. "But you could probably just give me a shortened version."
"That would be preferable. There's no need to repeat every detail." Mudbriar insisted.
The pink party pony sighed. "Well, okay, you asked for. It was actually earlier today, that's the funny part." And she began to flash back to the events that had led to her unexpectedly (and unknowingly) meeting her sister's boyfriend earlier than planned.
It was just after sunrise as Pinkie bounced happily into the beautiful little cave that Maud had made her own. It was always nice to have her amazing big sister living so close to Ponyville. And today was a special day, a day Pinkie had been looking forward to for weeks. "Who's ready for some fun times at Sugarcube Corner?" She called to her sister, assuming the earth pony was still in bed. "The answer is 'You'!" She declared as she trotted up to the bed. "I would also accept 'Maud.'"
But when Pinkie pulled back the covers she found that Maud was not in her bed. There wasn't a note, and neither was there any indication that the mare had wandered off or left to conduct a study on a rock formation. Naturally, Pinkie began to worry. "Maud?" She called. There was no reply. "Maud?!" Again there was no reply, only the sound of flowing water as it pooled into the small pond.
Panic took hold of the party pony as she rushed away! She had to find her sister! Without even thinking she dashed straight out of the gem caves and to the School of Friendship! Classes had yet to begin for the day, so the students were currently just huddled about in the hallways and talking to themselves.
Suddenly, Pinkie Pie came bursting through the front doors, almost out of breath! "Maud?!" She called, bouncing from place to place and checking every nook and cranny of the school!
"Professor Pinkie?" Sandbar questioned as he noticed the usually cheerful party pony looking rather concerned.
"No time to talk, students! I have to find my sister!" Pinkie Pie shouted back. "You haven't seen her anywhere, have you?!"
"Wait, you have a sister?" Gallus questioned.
"Three sisters, including a baby sister who's only a few seconds younger than me! But that's not important!" Pinkie protested with a shake of her head, displaying a picture of Maud. "This is Maud Pie, my big sister! She lives in Ponyville adjacent and looks like this! Have you seen her anywhere?! Please say yes, please say yes!"
Alas, the students all shook their heads and Sandbar reluctantly answered. "Uh, sorry. I guess your sister's somewhere in Ponyville."
"Oh, but she could be anywhere right now!" Pinkie groaned, before an idea struck her! "Hey, I know! You can all help me! You can form search parties!"
Ocellus seemed to shrink back a bit. "Headmare Twilight says we're not supposed to leave the school until classes are done for the day."
Pinkie quickly protested. "No worries, I'll just say it's a friendship emergency! Now come on, get yourselves organized and start searching! And if you find Maud, tell her that it was supposed to be my turn to hide!" Then she bounced away again, leaving the students bewildered.
A short time later, an unaware Starlight Glimmer was still sleeping as Pinkie bounced in. The unicorn was mumbling to herself in her sleep, not yet knowing of Pinkie's dilemma. "No, Dad, it's not a phase. I like flying kites and shredding guitars." Starlight murmured in her sleep.
Pinkie immediately hopped up on the bed, waking Starlight as shouting loudly! "Starlight, wake up!"
Starlight shot up in her bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she yawned. "What is it, Pinkie Pie?" She looked at a nearby alarm clock. "It's too early, classes don't start for at least another hour. I'm trying to get some sleep so I'm well rested for my work as a guidance counselor."
But the pink party pony protested. "There's no time! Maud is missing! I can't find her anywhere, Starlight! Unless... she came here! I've already checked everywhere else: The school, Discord's dimension, you name it."
Starlight yawned again. "Forgive me for asking but why's it so important you find Maud? I'm sure she just forgot to leave a note, and you'll probably bump into her."
Pinkie groaned. "But Starlight, I was gonna go birthday cake shopping with Maud today. Since she's living in Ponyville, I can't get it from Sugarcube Corner, the Cakes will blab for sure."
The unicorn suddenly remembered. "Oh yes, her surprise birthday party. But Pinkie, if you're shopping with her, how is it a surprise?"
The party pony giggled. "I'm not gonna tell her who the cake is for, silly. But now I can't even find Maud. And I didn't know we were playing hide and go seek."
Starlight stretched a bit before she got out of her bed and shook the cobwebs from her mind. "Tell you what, Pinkie. I'll look for Maud, you take care of the cake. It'll be easier for me since I can teleport."
"Thanks, Starlight! I owe you big time for this!" Pinkie declared. "Now I'm off! Oh... and if Twilight asks, the students are missing class because of a friendship emergency." But she left without explaining what that meant.
So it was that Pinkie made her way to a small cake shop in Ponyvile. There was a mare behind the counter, and Pinkie bounced right up to her. In a whisper she inquired. "Can you help a mare out? I've gotta get some very important ingredients for a very important pony's cake. And it's gotta be tippy-top super-duper secret. Okay?"
But a voice protested. "Technically, it's not your turn yet. I was here first."
Pinkie blushed as she took notice of an earth pony stallion with a grayish coat, moderate green eyes, a light and medium brown mane and tail, and a cutie mark depicting a stick in a mud puddle (at this moment in time she didn't know who he was). "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there. Well, don't mind me, go ahead."
The stallion didn't move or say a word, though. He just stared at the mare behind the counter, his eyes barely even blinked. Pinkie found this most odd. "Um, whatcha doin'? You gonna order something or not?"
The stallion simply replied. "Patience, please. What I'm doing is simple. I am currently speaking to a pony at this local cake shop two minutes before it closes for lunch."
Pinkie couldn't hear any traces of a conversation. "Really? Don't take this the wrong way, but if you haven't decided what to order then could you move aside? I'm trying to plan a party here, and the clock is ticking, while you, uh... What are you doing anyway if you're not ordering?"
"I told you," The stallion impatiently corrected. "I am currently speaking to a--"
Pinkie interrupted. "I mean, can I help you move this along? What are you looking for? Whadya wanna order?"
But the stallion only answered. "Goodbye." And then he turned and trotted away from the counter.
Needless to say, Pinkie was annoyed. "That's what you've been standing here all this time to say? What a waste of time!"
"It's not a waste. I was trying to decide how to end the conversation when you so rudely interrupted me," The stallion explained. "I was torn between whether I should say 'Goodbye' or 'See you later'."
At that the pink party pony blinked, more in annoyance than anything else. "But they're the same thing."
The stallion shook his head at the comment. "Technically, they're very different. You see 'See you later' implies an event in the near future wherein we see each other. Whereas 'Goodbye' expresses good wishes where parting or at the end of a conversation. Hope that clears it up for you."
But Pinkie only proceeded to shove the stallion towards the door while gritting her teeth. "Like I said, same thing. Now will you please leave?"
The stallion simply declared. "I know my manner of speaking is off putting, but I will not apologize for speaking with precision. You should try it sometime."
"Whatever, apology not accepted," The pink party pony snapped as she pushed the stallion out the door. "Goodbye, later, see ya--same thing!" She turned and trotted back inside the shop. "Can you believe that guy?" She was just in time to see the mare hang a notice on the counter. "'Out to lunch'?! Oh come on! That stallion didn't even order!"
A rather frustrated Pinkie bounced away a moment later, grumbling to herself. "No Maud, no cake, no anything! And how annoying was that pony? Who takes so long to say goodbye? Or was it 'See you later'? Ugh, great! Now he's even got me doing it!" And with that she resumed her search for Maud, which led Pinkie to where she now was at the present moment.
"Ugh! Maud!" Pinkie complained as she finished telling her story. "How could you like somepony who's so rude all the time?"
Maud simply turned to Mudbriar. "Mudbriar, I think you owe my sister an apology."
"I did not mean to offend her with my way of speaking." Mudbriar apologized.
Pinkie Pie simply gritted her teeth and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Mudbriar. We got off on the wrong hoof. Here, let's start over. Hi, I'm Maud's sister, Pinkie Pie."
Mudbriar corrected. "I know, as I said we technically already met."
Pinkie simply gritted in reply. "Yes, you know that and I know that. But let's pretend it never happened," She extended her hoof. "One more time: Hi, I'm Maud's sister, Pinkie Pie."
Mudbriar extended his hoof out and shook Pinkie's. "I'm Mudbriar, your sister's boyfriend. A pleasure to meet you," Though he couldn't resist adding. "Even though we technically already met."
The pink party pony was desperate to change the subject from Mudnriar's annoying way of speaking. "So, Maud," She questioned her sister (at least Maud didn't get on your nerves when you tried to talk to her). "How did you and Mud Briar meet, exactly? And how long have you two known each other?"
"It was a couple of weeks ago, maybe a month. And we met at a rock show." Maud answered in her usual flat tone.
"Oh! So you're into rocks too?" Pinkie eagerly asked Mudbriar.
Mudbriar shook his head. "No. I'm more of a stick pony. By that I mean I like sticks, not that I'm a pony made of sticks."
Pinkie blinked in surprise. "Then what were you doing at a rock show?"
Mudbriar gave the answer. "It was a petrified wood show, which technically makes it a stick show. Such was how I met your sister."
Maud's face morphed into a rare smile as she fondly recalled her experience. "Except that in the per-mineralization process of petrification, all organic material is replaced with silicates - i.e., rocks."
Mudbriar stroked Maud's mane while adding. "While retaining the original structural elements of wood - q.e.d., it was a stick show. I did not anticipate meeting the love of my life at it, though."
Maud lightly replied. "Stop it, you'll make me blush." But her actual expression didn't change.
Pinkie quickly spoke up. "Well you know what, Mudbriar? You seem like a nice pony. Hey, did you know I like sticks too? They're great for hitting pinatas! Watch!" She pulled out a stick and a pinata and prepared to hit said pianta!
That is, until Maud stopped her sister. "Pinkie..."
The pink party pony stopped mid-swing, turning to the couple as she offered to Mudbriar. "Oh, did you wanna go first?"
Mudbriar frowned and shook his head. "No. That is stick abuse."
A disappointed Pinkie put the stick away. "I'll bet this guy is a total party pooper. What does my sister even see in him?" She thought to herself. But she quickly dispelled the idea. This wasn't about her, it was about Maud. And besides, Mudbriar was a pony Pinkie had never met before. And that meant she'd have to get to know him if no other reason than because he was her sister's boyfriend (and also so she could throw a party for him). "I'm sorry, I'm not being a very good sister today," She apologized to Mudbriar. "Why don't we start over again?"
Maud then suggested to Mudbriar. "You should introduce Pinkie to your pet, Boulder has a new friend."
Mudbriar pulled out a stick, which got Pinkie excited! "Ooh! So your pet likes fetch?"
Mudbriar shook his head. "No, this is my pet. His name is Twiggy," He set the stick on the ground as Maud took out Boulder. "Twiggy, play nice with Boulder. No rough housing." Mudbriar instructed.
The rock and the stick just lay on the ground as the two ponies observed the scene. They didn't seem to care that neither object was alive. Maud even happily commented. "Aw. Look at Twiggy and Boulder playing together." Speaking in a tone one would expect to see from owners of a dog or a cat.
Mudbriar shared in the tone as he nodded. "They're adorable. It's as if they were meant to be."
Pinkie, however, just blinked while leaning close to Maud and whispering. "It's just a stick."
Maud only scolded. "Pinkie, don't be rude. You'll hurt Twiggy's feelings."
Mudbriar nodded as he added. "Twiggy is not just a stick. He comes from the finest species of trees in all of Equestria and has been carefully preserved and maintained. He is every bit as real as you and I."
Maud smiled, looking across to the stallion. "You complete me, Mudbriar."
Pinkie, however, just nervously backed away. "Well, I'm very happy for you, Maud. Now uh.... I um... need to go do something not top secret somewhere! Bye!" She sped away, only to come racing right back a second later as she whispered to Mudbriar. "Oh, and exny on the birthday cakeay."
Mudbriar just blinked and whispered back. "I don't know what you're talking about, but I shall honor your wish." He didn't even notice as Pinkie disappeared. He was far too observed in watching Boulder and Twiggy play, and occasionally glancing at Maud with a smile on his face.
Later that same day, Starlight was surprised to find Pinkie Pie visiting her in her office after classes had ended for the day and all the students had left. She was even more surprised by what her friend started venting about.
Pinkie put her hooves to her head as she seemed to struggle to hold back her emotions. At last, like a spring that had been wound too tight the party pony snapped and flailed her hooves in the air. "Daaah! I don't get this guy! I don't get him at all!"
Starlight took the news surprisingly well. "Wow. Maud has a boyfriend? Color me surprised."
Pinkie groaned again, flopping down onto the comfy couch Starlight provided. "I don't get it. How in the wide world of Equestria could Maud ever like a pony like Mudbriar? He's so weird, and he's not like Maud at all. Trust me, I know."
"Really? How so?" Starlight questioned.
Pinkie Pie groaned anew. "Oh, where to even begin? He has an inanimate object for a pet!"
Starlight just blinked. "Well so does Maud."
"Puh-lease!" Pinkie growled back. "Boulder has ten times the personality of some random stick from the woods, Mudbriar too for that matter. I swear, he's practically a literal stick in the mud. His way of speaking is off putting, and does he have to be so literal minded?"
But Starlight simply replied. "You know, that's kind of how most ponies see your sister. Even I still sometimes can't tell what Maud is thinking."
The pink party pony only growled further. "Maud and I are best sister friends, Starlight. How could we ever be that if we had nothing in common? Mudbriar is absolutely nothing like Maud!" She rose from the couch while explaining. "Maud is hilarious, friendly, caring, and easy to talk to! But this guy is awkward, quiet, and kind of... strange. I want to like him, but the more I try the more he gets on my nerves."
"Well, Maud obviously likes something about him," Starlight commented. "Look, Pinkie, I'm not much of an expert when it comes to a pony's love life. I didn't know Maud was seeing somepony either, I was just as in the dark as you were. Why are you talking to me about this instead of anypony else?"
Pinkie sighed, laying back on the couch. "All my friends are busy with classes or lesson plans, and Twilight's got a new student coming that requires a lot of extra paperwork for some reason. The Cakes are always busy, and I can't tell Maud I don't like her boyfriend. That's going to make me look bad."
A moment of silence fell over the office before the unicorn found the words she wanted to say. She wasn't used to this sort of thing despite being appointed a guidance counselor. "Look, Pinkie, you two got off on the wrong hoof. But from what I hear this isn't the first time that's happened. You're Pinkie Pie, you don't give up the first time you strike out. Maybe you just need to spend more time with him. Find out what you have in common."
"That's easy, Starlight, nothing! We have nothing in common!" Pinkie protested.
Starlight hesitated as she tried to explain. "Well... you both obviously care about Maud and value her happiness. At least, I'm pretty sure Mudbriar does if he's her boyfriend."
"He'd have to be as nasty as that no good Chancellor Neighsay to not care about Maud," Pinkie commented. "Never thought I'd say something like that."
Starlight proceeded to gently coax the conversation towards a suggestion. "Well you know what, since he's so close to your sister and he kind of knows about your surprise party, why not bring him onboard? He could help you plan."
Pinkie sighed as she sat up on the couch. "I guess it's worth a try."
Starlight beamed. "Excellent! So tomorrow you can do that, and I'll keep Maud busy while you two plan the best surprise birthday party ever. Sound good?"
Pinkie nodded her head. "That I can do!" Then she rose from the couch and departed Starlight's office, though not before saying. "You know, Starlight, you actually make a pretty good guidance counselor."
The very next day, Pinkie brought Mudbriar to Sugarcube Corner and led him upstairs to her bedroom. "Okay, Mudbriar, here's the deal. Maud's birthday is tomorrow, and there's no time to waste," She whispered to the stallion. "Starlight thinks you can help me plan for the party. But first, quick question: You're not afraid of slides, are you?"
"No," Mudbriar answered as Pinkie reached over to press a button on what looked like an ice cream cone. The floor gave away a few seconds later as a trap door opened up. "Whyyyyyyyyyyy??!" He screamed as the unexpecting stallion slid down a slide and into the darkness of the party cave.
Pinkie slid down behind him, landing right on top of the stallion. "Here, I'll get the lights," She told Mudbriar as she got off him and flicked on a switch. Light flooded the cave, illuminating several drawers and cabinets. "Welcome to my party planning cave, Mudbriar! This is where the magic happens!"
Mudbriar's eyes scanned his surroundings. He was quick to point out. "Technically, due to the speleothems growing from the ceiling, this is more of a cavern than a cave. Maud taught me that."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Pinkie replied, trying not to pay Mudbriar's remark any mind. "I call it a party planning cave, and I'm the party expert. So what I say goes. Now come on, are you gonna help me or just keep making technical comments all day?"
"I didn't wish to offend you. I only wished to correct what your sister says is a very common mistake." Mudbriar explained as he trotted over to Pinkie's location.
Pinkie just dove into one of the filing cabinets, rummaging around to the sound of squeaks. "No, no, no. Come on, where'd I put it?!" She complained to herself. It took a few seconds of searching to find what she wanted. "Ah, here it is! I really should re-organize these files. Guess I'll do that when I add you to the 'M's, Mudbriar," She pulled out the file and set it down on a table, reading it aloud. "Okay, tell me what you think. Here's what I'm thinking we do for her surprise party - edible rock candy plates, gem-shaped ice cubes, a pebble pinata," When she noticed Mudbriar wince she scribbled something out. "Okay, maybe we can skip that one."
Mudbriar didn't stay silent for long as he observed the file and all that Pinkie had described. "Might I make some suggestions?"
"Oh, sure. Go ahead and suggest away," Pinkie reluctantly nodded. "I mean, that's what you're here for. You and I, the two of us! Planning together as..." The last word was slow to leave her mouth. "Friends."
The stallion quickly pointed out. "If I may, I have a vision board of everything Maud that loves, and I'm afraid none of those things are on it."
The pink party pony spun around and glared at the stallion. "Really? Let me see this 'vision board'."
Mudbriar explained. "It's not a physical thing, you see. I call it a vision board because I'm envisioning it. Watch," He shut his eyes and began to murmur softly to himself. "I come in through the large door of my mind palace and enter to the back, where I keep all of my books and possessions, and what do I encounter? The Maud Room. None of those things are there," Then he opened his eyes. "Just as I expected, Maud doesn't like surprises."
"Ha! And you call yourself Maud's boyfriend!" Pinkie shouted as she pointed a hoof. "Maud's never told me that, and I've known her a lot longer than you have. So I know you're lying."
Mudbriar shook his head. "If she never told you, it's probably because she was trying to protect your feelings. She's very caring that way. I'm sorry you had to find out this way."
At that Pinkie growled. "You're lying, Mudbriar! Stop acting like you know my sister better than me, because you don't!"
"Technically, I never said that. You just assumed." Mudbriar innocently protested.
But an irritated Pinkie only growled and gritted her teeth. "Well, technically, I don't care! And since I've been best sister friends forever with Maud my entire life, I think I'm the expert here! So don't tell me how to do my job!"
"I thought you said you were a teacher?" Mudbriar questioned.
"I'm both, and I'm more than that! But if you really knew my sister like you say do, you'd know all there was to know about me!" Pinkie complained.
Mudbriar simply answered. "How do you know Maud likes surprises? Did she ever tell you otherwise?"
"And how do you know she doesn't?!" Pinkie stubbornly protested. "I've got half a mind to throw you out of this cave right this instant!" When Mudbriar opened his mouth to speak she added. "And I don't care what you wanna call it, if I say it's a cave then it's a cave."
"Perhaps we could ask Maud what she thinks? It's her party after all." Mudbriar suggested.
At that, Pinkie's eyes lit up. "Great idea, glad we finally agree on something!" But she proceeded to whisper. "But it's still a surprise party, so that means we have to be super-sneaky about asking."
"How sneaky, exactly? Could you be more specific?" Mudbriar asked.
"No!" Pinkie snapped and began to push him away. "Just leave the talking to me so you don't spill the beans, I'm not picking them up!"
They found Maud with Starlight on a hill near Ponyville, the two mares were currently flying kites.
Starlight was the first to spot the approaching duo, and she waved to them. "Oh, hello," She eyed the stallion. "You must be Mudbriar, Maud's told me a lot about you," Mudbriar remained silent. "I'm Starlight Glimmer, nice to meet you," Still, Mudbriar said nothing. So Starlight turned to Pinkie. "I'm so glad the two of you are spending time together. So... how's it going?"
Mudbriar looked like he was about to say something, but Pinkie spoke up first. "Oh, it's going great! Just great! Yup, nothing to worry about here! Mudbriar and I have just spent the best time bonding! And we're really starting to make some headway becoming besties, except for one teensy-weensy little disagreement that maybe you could help settle, Maud."
Maud turned to face her sister. "What would that be?"
Pinkie spoke up again. "Mudbriar here seems to think that you don't like surprise parties," She paused as a series of snickers escaped her lips. "Isn't it funny how wrong he is?!" The last part of her sentence sounded noticeably angry. "So go ahead, tell him what I told him. He's wrong."
Maud seemed to hesitate as she looked at the ground, before at last she founds the words she wanted to say. "Well, I do like surprise parties..." She began.
"See?! Told you so!" Pinkie glared at Mudbriar. Mudbriar said nothing.
But Maud threw up a hoof. "I'm not finished, Pinkie. I like surprise parties, because I know they make you happy when you throw them for me."
"Wait, what?!" Pinkie gasped in surprise. "Okay, Maud, that's very funny. You had me going there for a moment."
"I'm serious, Pinkie," Maud protested as her tone of voice shifted ever so slightly. "I'd rather just do something small with you, Starlight, Boulder, and Mudbriar for my birthday."
"What?! No party? No party?!" Pinkie growled before gesturing a hoof to Mudbriar. "Did he put you up to this?! Maybe you should consider, I don't know, taking things just a little less serious with Mudbriar because he's kinda sort of, completely impossible to like!" She shouted. "I've tried and I've tried, but I can't find anything to like about him, Maud! Tell her I'm right, Starlight. Even you have to admit Mudbriar's unlikeable."
However, Starlight simply turned to Mudbriar as she offered him the string of a kite. She didn't even acknowledge Pinkie's comment. "Hey, Mudbriar, have you ever flown a kite? Let me tell you all about it." And she motioned for him to come over.
Pinkie, meanwhile, was snout to snout with Maud. "How could you lie to me for so long, Maud?! Why didn't you ever tell me you didn't like surprise parties?! I though they made you happy!"
"They did make me happy, because you were happy." Maud explained.
Pinkie growled back. "That's not what I wanted, Maud! I wanted a party where we'd both be happy, not a party where we're happy for the other! You should've told me!"
Maud sighed. "I wanted to tell you, Pinkie. But you always seemed so happy planning and throwing those parties. I didn't want to make you unhappy. I'm sorry you had to find out like this."
The pink party pony only growled further. "I just can't believe it, Maud. What else have you been lying to me about? Do you not like my pies?" And then she added. "Well, now I guess I don't need to ask if you want to choose between sitting around with that boyfriend of yours, or having a party with your own sister. I know what you want."
"Pinkie, I never wanted to choose. I don't want to choose even now," Maud tried to explain. "Technically, I said I wanted to be with both of you. And Starlight too for that matter."
Hearing the same word Mudbriar was so fond of did nothing to soothe Pinkie's hurt feelings. "'Technically'? Ugh, you even like the way he talks?"
Maud looked to Mudbriar as she smiled. "Everything about him makes me happy. I'm sorry you and him don't get along, I was really hoping you would," Then she suggested. "You can still throw a surprise party for Mudbriar, his birthday's coming up in a few weeks. I can tell you what he likes, and I think that'll be the fastest way for you two to get to like each other."
But a downtrodden Pinkie just hung her head. "No, Maud. You seem happy with Mudbriar, too happy. I guess now that you have a boyfriend, you don't need a best sister friend forever anymore."
"Pinkie, wait..." Maud called as her sister turned to leave.
Starlight, having overheard, joined in as well. "Listen to your sister, Pinkie. I'm sure if we just talk about this, we can work something out."
Pinkie brushed Starlight's hoof away. "It's too late for that, Starlight! Maud's made it clear who she likes, I can't take away her happiness with Mudbriar. Especially not when I don't even know what makes my own sister happy anymore! It's like everything I've known is a lie!" And she ran away, sobbing to herself quite loudly.
"See you later!" Mudbriar yelled as Maud and Starlight turned to look at him. He didn't seem to be aware of anything that had just transpired.
Pinkie kept on running, not even bothering to look where she was going. She didn't stop until she had run fill tilt into Sugarcube Corner, up the stairs to her bedroom, and plopped down onto her bed. "I don't understand. How could this happen?" She thought out loud. "Have I really misjudged everypony? Do I actually not know anything about any of them? Are they only pretending to like me to make me happy?" She paused briefly in her thinking. "Well, maybe not that last part, but still." She buried her face into one of her pillows and started sobbing loudly.
"Pinkie, is everything alright up there?" Mrs. Cake called a short time later, knocking on the bedroom door.
"I'm fine, Mrs. Cake!" Pinkie yelled, not even lifting her head from the pillow. "Just leave me alone, I don't want you or anypony else to see me like this," She sniffled a bit. "Were all my years of throwing parties to spread laughter a waste?"
Mrs. Cake called back. "Pinkie, I don't know what would make you think that. You're the finest party pony Carrot Cake and I have ever known. Please, whatever it is that's bothering you, I just want to help. You're like family to me, and I can't stand seeing you so upset."
Pinkie only yelled. "Just go away, Mrs. Cake! I want to be alone!"
Mrs. Cake reluctantly sighed. "Alright, Pinkie, you win. But sooner or later, if you don't come out I'm coming in. And then you and I are going to have a little talk." Then the sound of hoofsteps signaled her departure, leaving Pinkie alone.
As the party pony sulked to herself, wondering just what she was going to do, she started to remember something from long ago. A memory from when she still lived on her family's rock farm.
The memory in particular she was recalling had occurred not long after she'd gotten her cutie mark. When she'd thrown that first party in the silo, and had made her whole family smile.
The four Pie sisters were hard at work in the fields, tending to the various rocks that lay scattered about the drab environment.
Suddenly, Limestone gave a whistle. "Hey, everypony," She called with a rare smile on her face. "I've got something I wanna show you. I found it just the other day in the mine."
The other sisters all trotted (or in Pinkie's case bounced) over to Limestone. She led them down the enbankment towards the crystal mine that the Choosing Stone was located in. But Limestone herself stopped a short distance from the mine entrance, gesturing a hoof to what looked like an ordinary rock. "I'm looking at a sparkling bright blue and white rock. See it?"
"That's just a lumpy grey rock," Maud flatly answered. "We have lots of those in the fields."
"And the rock gardens too, don't forget those!" Pinkie chimed in.
Limestone sighed, trying not to lose her temper. "Yes, I know it looks like an ordinary rock. But it's not an ordinary rock," She turned to Marble. "Show 'em!"
"Mm-hmm." Marble nodded and picked up a pickax. She tapped it against the rock, causing it to crack open. The fillies' eyes all fell upon the dazzling, sparkling gems that shone on the exposed interior.
Limestone proudly displayed it. "See?! It's a geode! I found one just like it in the mines, I bet there's a lot more of them buried around the farm! The outside looks like a regular rock, but the inside is filled with beautiful gems."
"Hey, we should totally crack open all the rocks in the mine, I bet they might be geodes!" Pinkie encouraged. "We could sell them for a fortune!"
But Maud questioned. "Why would you show us this, Limestone? Won't Mother and Father be mad if they find we're not in the fields?"
Limestone waved a hoof. "We're taking a work break, Ma and Pa will understand. Now tell me, does this geode remind you of anypony?"
Marble snickered and teased. "Is how you like to pretend you're always miserable, but on the inside you're a totally softy?"
Limestone growled as her face blushed bright red. "Marble, how could you?! Er... I mean... no, it's a metaphor! Just because you can't see past a pony's dull exterior, doesn't mean they don't have a shiny interior. You may see them as a plain old rock, but if you look closer you might realize why others see them as a gem," Then she added. "Now come on, break time's over!" Her yell put an end to any of the other fillies' ideas about continuing to make fun of her.
As the memory ended, Pinkie began to wonder. "Is Mudbriar who Limestone was referring to when she was explaining about the geodes?" She shook her head. "No, Limestone couldn't have known. And the only way I could ask her is if I went back to the rock farm. But that would take all day, and maybe half the night too."
Suddenly, Pinkie's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Pinkie?" Mrs. Cake called from the other side. "There's somepony here who wants to talk to you. Somepony very important."
"Technically, I'm not that important," The familiar voice of Mudbriar also called. "But I would still like to see you. If you'll allow me."
Surprised at this, Pinkie forgot all about being upset and unhappy. She sprang from her bed and opened the door as Mudbriar trotted in. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Maud, getting ready for her birthday tomorrow? There's not gonna be a party."
Mudbriar corrected. "Technically, there's not going to be a surprise party. But there will still be a party," He trotted closer to Pinkie, offering her what appeared to be an olive branch. "Here. I know it's technically not an olive branch, but it is a quercus. And I do love a good quercus."
"But, I don't understand, I treated you so horribly. I blamed you for stuff that wasn't even your fault." Pinkie blinked in surprise.
Mudbriar answered to Pinkie. "I never meant to take your place in your sister's heart as her best friend. There's room in her heart for a boyfriend and a best sister friend. And I think that should be more than enough for the two of us to get along. After all, I did say 'See you later' which if you'll recall implies that we see each other."
"Well, I accept your apology. But I think you're owed an apology too," Pinkie told Mudbriar as she accepted the olive branch. "I was really unfair to you, and I'm ready to listen to your ideas for Maud's birthday, if you still want to plan it together."
Mudbriar smiled. "That's good, because I think I'm going to need the help of a party pony. My birthday present for Maud is already prepared, but I need help wrapping it."
Pinkie grinned as she pulled Mudbriar close. "Well, you've come to the right place, Mudbriar. And while I help you wrap, you can tell me if you have any ideas for the party."
The next evening, many ponies (and even some of the students from Twilight's school) had gathered near town hall as the sun began to set. Suddenly, the doors swung open and a cardboard cut out of Maud appeared as everyone yelled out! "Surprise!" Spike even took the liberty of dancing with the cardboard cut out, which Starlight was holding aloft with her magic.
From a nearby hill, Pinkie Pie, Maud, and Mudbriar watched the fake surprise party while under the shade of a tree. Maud smiled. "This has to be my favorite party ever."
Pinkie simply gestured to Mudbriar. "It was all your amazing boyfriend's idea, Maud. He said the best present would be me throwing you a surprise party you didn't have to go to. And from now on, we can just do something smaller at your place for your birthday, and I promise I'll try to do a better job of listening to you."
Maud smiled again. "I'd like that very much, Pinkie. I'm glad you and Mudbriar are getting along."
The two sisters hugged each other for a moment, before Maud turned around to do the same with Mudbriar (and even kiss him). Then Pinkie Pie spoke up. "Hey, Maud, you know what this means, right? Now that you've introduced to Mudbriar, you need to introduce him to the rest of the family. After all, they're gonna be coming here to Ponyville for Hearth's Warming."
Mudbriar seemed to suddenly gulp. "What exactly are your parents like?" He asked Maud.
Maud just replied with another smile. "Don't worry, Mudbriar. If my sister could accept you for what you are, I don't think you'll have any problem with my parents," Then she added. "Though, I may have to explain why I didn't use the Choosing Stone to find you."
Pinkie Pie just grinned. "Hey, that's no problem. It's not like Limestone's in any hurry to use it," Then she looked down at the party. "Huh, I wonder where Twilight is. It's not like her to miss a party, even if it's a fake surprise party."
The answer was simple. Twilight was currently at her office in the school, looking over the files for a particular pony that she was considering whether or not to admit. It was a pegasus filly with a pinkish gray coat, eyes an moderate scarlet in color, a beautifully curly mane and tail that was a pale, light grayish arctic blue and light arctic bluish gray in color, and a cutie mark depicting a rook.
"So let me see if I get this," Twilight questioned the filly. "Your name is Cozy Glow, your cutie mark is in leadership, and you want to come to my school because you're convinced it's the best place for you?"
Cozy Glow nodded her head. "Golly, I still can't believe I'm actually talking with the real Princess Twilight Sparkle! This must be a dream come true!" Then she eagerly asked. "So when do I start classes?"
Twilight threw up a hoof. "Just a moment, Cozy Glow. I still have to decide whether to take you on. The school is already all but full as it is, and it's not like the semester just started either. You'd have to work really hard to catch up to where everyone else is."
"I know, I know," Cozy replied. "But I'm ready to learn! Just say the word!"
However, Twilight commented. "There's just one thing that worries me, Cozy Glow. You didn't mention any kind of parents or guardians on your entry form. But somepony had to sign off on this. Don't you have any kind of family or relatives?"
Cozy gulped and the pegasus struggled to hold back tears. "No, because the truth is, I'm not supposed to be here. They want me to attend a boring old, stuffy border school in Las Pegasus. So I ran away from home after tricking them into signing this form," She then pleaded. "Please, don't send me back! You don't know how mean my parents are, how mean my family is! I might as well be an orphan!"
"Well... I don't know," Twilight commented with a gulp. "I can't just bend the rules for you, it wouldn't be fair to the other students who came here fair and square."
"Please, princess?!" Cozy pleaded as the tears started to flow from her eyes. "I'll do whatever you want me to do, I'll take extra classes, do more homework, anything! I'll be the best student you've ever had! A role model for everyone else!"
Twilight looked deep into the filly's eyes, and something inside her melted. "Alright," She reluctantly told Cozy. "I suppose you can come here. But don't expect any kind of special treatment, you're going to have to work just as hard as your fellow students."
Cozy nodded her head and then hugged Twilight tightly. "Oh thank you, princess! You won't regret this! I'll go get my stuff so you can show me to my room!" She flew away a moment later, and only when she was certain that she was alone did the filly start to talk to herself. Her eyes glowed green as a similarly colored magical flame surrounded her.
Chrysalis cackled with glee. "Foolish, princess. You've led me right to your doorstep," She declared. "I'll find the source of your 'friendship' and use its power against you. Just you wait and see!" |
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic What If?: Volume 9 | S8 E25: School Raze, Part 1 (What If?) | The day started out like any other for the School of Friendship, with the delivery of mail. And it came courtesy of a very familiar, wall-eyed pegasus mare with bubbles for a cutie mark.
Despite her condition, the mare had little trouble finding the school. And aside from crashing into the front door, she landed without incident. She found it quite odd that she'd been delivering so much mail to this school lately, but then again there wasn't a place in Equestria quite like it.
The mare trotted past, not noticing as a certain pegasus filly snatched up one of the letters from the sack and smirked as she read it to herself. If anyone had been watching, they might have seen the filly's eyes glow green.
But the pegasus mare kept on trotting, finally reaching her destination as she knocked on the door to the headmare's office.
"Come in," Twilight called, using her magic to open the door. "Ah, Bubbles, so nice to see you again."
"Bubbles" set the mail sacks down on the floor as she groaned from the weight of them, breathing a sigh of relief once they were all set down. "Twilight, you know that's not my real name. Nopony calls me that."
Twilight simply replied. "Well I think your name is kind of mean. You're not really clumsy or stupid. You mean well."
"Bubbles" simply chuckled. "Oh, I know I do. But I learned long ago not to let what others ponies think of my name get me down. I've always been what I've always been, and that's not going to change," Then she cleared her throat. "Anyway, I got all the mail for you. Even Grandpa Gruff's letters to Gallus."
"Really? I thought that was Gabby's department." Twilight commented.
"Bubbles" just laughed. "She's the mail carrier for Griffonstone, silly," She booped Twilight's snout. "There's only one top mailmare for Ponyville, and that's me!" She proceeded to open the sacks. "You can make sure all the mail gets to whoever it's supposed to go to. I'd love to stay and help, but that post office isn't going to run itself you know," Then a thought came to her. "By the way, where are your students?"
Now it was Twilight's turn to smile. "Oh, Rainbow Dash is taking them on a field trip. Cozy Glow arranged for her to cover for me, wasn't that nice of Cozy?"
"Where is Rainbow Dash taking all the students? Maybe I could fly by on my way back and say 'hi'?" "Bubbles" suggested as she turned to leave.
Twilight simply replied. "I believe Rainbow Dash mentioned something about Cloudsdale. And if I know her like I think I do, she's probably taking the students on a sightseeing tour."
And that was just what Rainbow Dash was doing as she led the students along. "Ta-da! The Pegasus Weather Factory! Every drop of rain or flake of snow from Cloudsdale comes from there. And did I mention that yours truly used to work here before she became a Wonderbolt?" She told the students.
The students all awed in amazement. Even Sandbar (who had been to many Wonderbolts shows) and Gallus (who was the best flyer among his friends) were impressed.
Rainbow smiled. "I know, right? But we're just getting started, the coolest stuff's over there!" She gestured a hoof to a nearby stadium. "You're looking at the one and only Cloudiseum, it's the place to go if you wanna see the best sports and shows in all of Cloudsdale!"
Ocellus, meanwhile, was taking in the view of Cloudsdale as she felt her hooves touch the clouds. The cloud walking spell had sounded rather scary, but the feeling of the clouds underneath her took any worries she might have had away. "Wow! I've never stood on a cloud before!"
Rainbow simply commented. "Thank Counselor Starlight, it was her idea to cast the cloud walking spell on the lot of you."
Starlight nodded. "And be sure to thank Headmare Twilight for teaching it to me. I owe just about everything in my life to her."
Gallus, meanwhile, stood on the edge of a cloud as the wind whistled past. The griffon soon got a rather mischevious idea. It was no secret that Yona was easily goaded, and that she didn't like to admit to being afraid of anything. "Hey, Yona," He called in an innocent tone of voice, trying his best to hide a teasing smirk. "Why don't you come over here and check out the view? Unless you're too scared."
Through chattering teeth, Yona walked slowly towards Gallus. "Y-Yona not scared!" She protested. But then suddenly, Yona felt one of her hooves slip! Her body began to sink through the cloud! "Now Yona scared!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as several students turned to look, and gasped!
At the moment, no one knew that what they were witnessing was a warning sign that something was wrong in the world of Equestria. Something that would threaten its existence yet again, but not in a way anyone could've imagined!
Immediately, Rainbow Dash and Starlight leaped into action to try and catch Yona before she could plummet to the ground! And it seemed like several other students who couldn't fly were having the same problem!
Rainbow Dash barked out an order to all able bodied flyers. "Come on! We gotta catch 'em before it's too late!"
Working quickly, the flyers rounded up everyone and brought them all to the ground safely. Gallus and Ocellus were able to catch Yona. "It's okay, Yona. I gotcha," Gallus told the yak even as he groaned. "Although, would it kill you to lose some weight?"
"Yak not heavy, Gallus just out of shape," Yona snorted as her hooves touched solid ground. "Worst field trip ever."
"But I thought you liked flying, Yona?" Ocellus questioned.
Yona snorted again. "Flying, not falling. Yona no want to end up yak pancake." Then she started kissing the ground repeatedly, glad to be safe.
With all the students safe, attention immediately turned to Starlight. No one had to say a word for her to realize what they were all thinking. "I don't understand, that shouldn't have happened. It-It's like my spell just stopped working all of a sudden! But that's impossible, that's never happened before."
Rainbow Dash gulped. "Should we be worried?"
Starlight nodded. "I think so. We should probably tell Twilight before word of this gets out and ponies start to panic."
A short time later, a panic stricken Rainbow and Starlight came rushing into Twilight's office. They panted, nearly out of breath. "Twilight, we have an emergency on our hooves! I don't think we even have a code or a number for it!"
"The students... they just dropped out of the sky!" Starlight exclaimed with fright.
Twilight spun around. "Slow down, one at a time," And she motioned for the two mares to take some deep breaths. "Now tell me, what happened?"
Starlight spoke up first. "I'm not sure. We were on the field trip to Cloudsdale and I cast the cloud walking spell just like you taught me. But it failed. Or rather, my magic failed. It was the weirdest thing. It was fine one moment, and the next it just stopped working."
"The good news is, we were able to get everyone safely to the ground," Rainbow Dash added. "The bad news is, Yona's probably gonna have nightmares... again. Some professors we turned out to be."
Twilight threw up a hoof, she didn't want to hear such an argument. "If no one got hurt then that's the most important thing. I'm glad you're all safe, and I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."
"Really? And why is it not?" Starlight questioned. "If there was ever a time to freak out, this would be it."
"First of all, panicking won't solve anything," Twilight explained to her former student. "And second, maybe you just did your spell wrong, Starlight. It can happen more often than you think, even I still mess up sometimes. Why don't we take another look? Maybe your magic's just on the fritz today for some reason?"
But when Twilight lit up her horn to pick up a book, she only managed to surround it with a reddish-violet aura for a second before it hit the ground with a thud. Just like Starlight, Twilight's magic had inexplicably failed.
Starlight couldn't resist making a sarcastic remark. "Gee, maybe you just did your spell wrong, Twilight?"
Before Twilight had a chance to answer, there came a thud at the door. Followed by a cry of pain from Rarity before the door opened. The fashionista came bursting in with tears in her eyes! "Oh Twilight, it's horrible! My magic is go-o-o-one! I even had to use my hooves to coif my tail! Oh the shame of it all!"
"Still think this is nothing to be worried about?" Rainbow questioned Twilight. "Magic is disappearing from Equestria again."
"But that can't be!" Twilight protested. "Magic doesn't just vanish, and alicorn magic was the one thing that didn't fade the last time around. Something about this doesn't seem right."
Rainbow Dash suggested. "You don't suppose it's Tirek again, do you? This has his name written all over it."
Fluttershy (who had followed Rarity inside) spoke up. "Isn't he still trapped in Tartarus though?"
"Well, we never did find out how he escaped the first time. Even so, it seems odd Tirek would strike again now. Discord would surely sense his presence and track him down." Twilight nervously commented.
Just then, the door opened and in rushed Spike who seemed to be gagging on something! Twilight immediately rushed to the dragon, hoping to pin down the source of his distress! "Spike, what's wrong?! Spit it out!"
But Spike couldn't do so no matter how hard he tried. That is, until Rarity gently but firmly pressed on his back with a hoof. That made the dragon spit out the scroll that had gotten stuck in his mouth. He breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness. Looks like I owe you one, Rarity," Then he turned to Twilight. "I've never had a letter get stuck in my throat before. This is definitely a magic theft we're talking about. And Princess Celestia's already aware of it, she's calling us all to an emergency meeting in Canterlot."
"Pretty sure I know what it's about," Twilight commented as she looked at the scroll. "It looks like classes will have to be cancelled for today."
Sometime later, the seven mares and one not so small dragon had all gathered in the throne room of Canterlot. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were noticeably stricken with concern. That was a sure sign that something was wrong, the princesses usually remained calm even in situations when the well being of all of Equestria was at stake.
Yet as Spike looked around he saw that someone was not there. Someone who had been there the last time he'd come to Canterlot. "Where's Singe?" He questioned upon seeing no sign of his birth mother.
"She left for the dragon lands just yesterday," Princess Celestia explained. "A shame, we could use her help at a time like this," The sun princess gave a heavy sigh and paused for a moment. "By now you must've noticed that magic is failing. It's not just unicorn magic either, pegasi, earth ponies, and even alicorns like my sister and I have become afflicted."
"I'm afraid that this isn't just a problem in Ponyville or Canterlot," Princess Luna added. "Cadence has reported that even the Crystal Empire is feeling these effects. Though the good news is that the Crystal Heart is still functioning, for now."
Just then, a pony clad in a blue mail worker uniform came rushing in. The stallion held a letter in his hooves as he panted. "Letter for the princess from Starswirl the Bearded! It's urgent!"
Princess Celestia picked up the letter with her hooves and read it aloud. The words that were heard made everyone gasp as their hearts became filled with dread. The letter read as follows:
Princess Celestia,
By the time you receive this letter you'll probably already be aware of what is happening, but I can't take the risk that you might remain uniformed until it's too late. The same holds true for your fellow princesses, wherever they may be.
I can't explain it, but all of the magic in the land of Equestria is vanishing at an alarming rate! If my estimations are correct (and they usually are) then by sundown at the end of three days all of our magic will be lost forever!
On the first day, as is probably already happening, spells will fail along with unicorn magic. On the second day all creatures shall lose their magical abilities. Pegasi will be unable to walk on clouds, control the weather, or even fly. And earth ponies will no longer be able to tend to the soil or use their strength to move heavy objects. And on the third day, even magical artifacts will fail completely.
I'm well aware that some of my fellow pillars live close to a princess: Flash Magnus and Stygian in Canterlot, Mistmane in the Crystal Empire, and Rockhoof in Ponyville at Twilight's School of Friendship. But I must leave at once to recruit Somnambula and Mage Meadowbrook, for I sense our help may be needed to combat the evil force responsible for this magic theft. Alas, these old bones can only move so fast, and without the aid of teleportation it will take me a considerable amount of time to recruit all the pillars and deploy to wherever we are needed.
You must act quickly! Find the source of the magic theft and stop whoever or whatever is behind it within the three days I've mentioned! Otherwise, our magic will cease to exist, and Equestria will be left defenseless forever.
Sincerely,
Your very concerned former teacher,
Starswirl the Bearded
"Well, does anypony have any leads?" Princess Luna suggested once her sister had finished reading Starswirl's letter. "Time is already starting to run out, the first day will soon turn to night. We have but two days left to save Equestria from a terrible fate."
Twilight put a hoof to her chin, deep in thought. "Has anypony checked on Tirek lately? Are we sure he's still in Tartarus and not running loose?"
Princess Celestia reluctantly shook her head. "It's been a while since we conducted any sort of security sweep around Tartarus, or done a head count."
"And you think that big, scary, centaur might be roaming loose?" Pinkie Pie wondered.
"It's a possibility, he's the only one I can think of who knows how to drain magic. Even if he's not behind it, I'll bet he knows something about who or what is," Twilight explained and then declared. "I have to get to Tartarus! If Tirek is there, he might be able to tell me who the culprit is. And if he's not, at least I could try to track him down."
"We'll all go with you, Twilight," Rarity declared. "We weren't there for you the last time you faced Tirek, and we won't let history repeat itself."
But Twilight shook her head. "No, girls. It's too risky to go all the way to Tartarus with me. I'll go alone. The rest of you need to stay and keep an eye on the school."
Everyone gasped as Spike rushed forward and protested. "But Twilight, don't you see?! That's what Tirek wants you to do! He wants you to go alone to Tartarus so he can trap you there! Please, at least let me come along with you! I won't be much help without my fire breath, but I don't wanna be separated from you again!"
"I'm sorry, Spike, but even you must stay behind. We don't know for sure Tirek's in Tartarus, and if he isn't it won't do us any good to all go to Tartarus," Twilight explained. "Assuming it is a trap, the best option in this case may be to spring it. It might even be enough to lure Tirek or whoever the culprit is out of hiding."
"But Twilight!" Spike began.
Twilight shook her head again. "No buts, Spike. You're a big boy now, and I'm not always going to be there for you. You need to be brave and do whatever you can to help the others," Then she added. "And if worse comes to worse and I don't make it back, I want you to stay strong. You're a fighter, and the best thing you could do for me in that situation would be to keep fighting. To work to ensure my sacrifice isn't for nothing."
Starlight nervously gulped. "Twilight, you're not gonna do something drastic, are you? You're making it sound like you're already writing yourself off."
"I have to be prepared for any and all possibilities, Starlight," Twilight firmly replied. "As a princess, it's my responsibility to put myself out on the line if necessary, no matter what the risk might be. But I don't expect to be gone forever. I may not be able to see the future like Celestia or Luna, but I have a feeling that this isn't the last time we'll see each other."
"Okay, so I guess you want me to take over the school while you're away," Starlight reluctantly commented. "But how are you going to get to Tartarus in the first place? You can't teleport, and Tartarus is a long way away."
Twilight grinned. "Not to worry, I've already thought of a solution," She looked across to Fluttershy. "You know what to do."
Fluttershy put her hooves to her lips and gave a whistle. Suddenly, with a loud whooshing sound, Discord appeared! "You called?" The spirit spoke.
Fluttershy gestured a hoof to Twilight, and Twilight spoke up. "Yes I did, Discord. Magic is disappearing from all over Equestria, and I need your help to get to Tartarus to check on Lord Tirek."
"Oh my, how very brave of you, princess," Discord commented, dawning a cape. "But don't expect me to go into Tartarus with you. I don't think Tirek would be happy to see me after I kind of... well, you know."
Twilight nodded. "Just be careful, we don't know for sure Tirek's still there. He may have already escaped. So be ready to teleport anywhere else on my command. But for now, let's just get to Tartarus and see for ourselves if he's there or not."
Discord obeyed. "Very well then, one trip to Tartarus coming right up," Snapping his paws, he teleported towards Twilight and dawned the appearance of a flight attendant. "Thank you for flying Air Discord! Please enjoy your flight!" Another snap of his paws caused him and the alicorn to vanish.
After Twilight and Discord had departed for Tartarus, the others all returned to Ponyville and back to the School of Friendship.
"Do you think Twilight will be alright with just Discord?" Fluttershy nervously wondered. "Even his magic will eventually cease to exist by the end of the third day. It'll be just like the time he tried to be normal."
"Well, knowin' Discord I reckon we won't have too much to worry as long as he doesn't cross paths with Tirek," Applejack commented. "But if you ask me, somethin' about this doesn't feel right. Why'd Tirek choose now to strike, and yet not make sure we knew it was him?"
Starlight tried hard not to gulp. "Are you suggesting that Twilight and Discord are on the wrong path? What are we supposed to do about that?"
Applejack shook her head. "Honestly, I don't know. For now it's probably best if we don't say anythin' about what's goin' on. That way we won't risk potentially lettin' the culprit know we're onto 'em. We'll just have to keep an eye out for anythin' out of the ordinary. And hopefully, by the time Twilight comes back we'll at least have a better idea of what we're dealin' with."
"Wait, Headmare Twilight is gone?" Cozy Glow innocently questioned as she came walking up to the others. She didn't seem to be particularly concerned.
A reluctant Starlight confirmed the filly's question. "She had to leave for a matter of extreme importance. But I'm afraid I can't give away any details, Cozy."
Cozy frowned. "Well, golly, who's going to take her place as headmare of the school?"
"Who do you think?" Starlight commented in response. "Twilight already planned for this, and she made it very clear she wants me to be Acting Headmare in her absence."
Cozy Glow didn't seem to be thrilled by the news if the pronounced frown on her face was any indication. But she walked away without saying a word, she just glanced back to Starlight as if she suddenly viewed the mare with hostility.
But that evening, as Starlight was closing up the headmare's office for the night and preparing to leave, she was surprised to receive a visit from Rockhoof. The once proud pillar was all but out of breath. "I was sharpening my tools so I'd be ready for whatever danger the pillars and I will have to face, when I saw one of the wee ones sneakin' off by themselves. Looked like it was Cozy Glow, lassie was mumbling somethin' to herself."
"Did you see where she went?" Starlight inquired of Rockhoof.
"I think I saw her head off towards the library, not sure why she'd be there though." Rockhoof answered.
Starlight put a hoof to her face. "Oh, I knew I was forgetting something! She's supposed to be on book stacking duty! Guess I'll have to find something else for her to do until Twilight gets back."
The mare trotted away, making an immediate beeline for the school's library. Her blue eyes scanned the murky darkness for any trace of Cozy Glow.
But when she entered the library, she was surprised to find Cozy sneaking past all the bookshelves. It appeared that she was heading to the very back. Starlight called out to the filly. "Cozy Glow?!"
Cozy Glow stopped in her tracks and spun around, finally noticing Starlight's appearance. "Golly, Acting Headmare Starlight! What a... surprise to see you here."
"I could say the same about you, Cozy," Starlight commented as she trotted up to the filly. "What are you doing here? Classes are done and the school is closing for the night. You should be in your room, not wandering the school."
But Cozy Glow only cackled as her eyes glowed a sickly green in color. Her body was surrounded by similarly colored magic flames. "Oh Starlight, you weak, pathetic pony. You have no idea what you're up against."
Starlight nearly jumped back in surprise as the familiar form of Chrysalis appeared! "Chrysalis?! What have you done with the real Cozy Glow?! How did you get in here?!"
Chrysalis only laughed. "There is no Cozy Glow, Starlight! She's simply a disguise, a means to an end! You foolish ponies would never suspect one of your own. But I'm afraid I can't simply leave you to muck up my plans. And this time, no one is here to save you."
Starlight tried to fight back, but without magic she was no match for Chrysalis and the changeling easily overpowered the unicorn. Chrysalis smirked. "Oh, what I'm gonna do to you."
Meanwhile, thousands upon thousands of miles away, a loud popping sound could be heard in what was otherwise a remote and uninhabited part of Equestria. In the distance stood a massive gate of dark red and black, with a seal over the entrance and two guards (one clad in the armor for Celestia's royal guard and the other clad in the armor for Luna's night guard) kept a silent vigil over the landscape. Surrounding them were a series of pillars similar to those found in Canterlot or Cloudsdale. But judging by the marks, cracks, and vines, they were much older and very worn.
The popping announced the arrival of Twilight Sparkle and Discord to the front gate of Tartarus, the very place where the worst criminals in Equestria were confined for all their days. A place that few would dare to enter.
Even Discord seemed to be shaken with fright as he eyed the ominous gate and the guards that kept watch over it. "Well, here we are, princess. This is as far as we go, I'm afraid." He told Twilight.
"That's alright, Discord, I'll be fine on my own. If Tirek is in there, he won't get to me like he did you," Twilight reassured the spirit. "You just stay put out here and be ready to teleport to wherever I tell you to."
The spirit nervously questioned. "How are you going to get inside? It's not like we can just waltz up there and pretend we're delivering a pizza. The guards will surely pounce." He briefly dawned an outfit similar to ones worn by pizza delivery ponies, before throwing it (and a pizza box) away.
In response, Twilight pulled out what looked almost like a kaleidoscope except for the noticeable seal on the top that matched the seal of three upside horseshoes on Tartarus' front gate. "I made sure to plan ahead. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna keep the key to Tartarus heavily guarded. But after Tirek's rampage we agreed that if the need should ever rise one of us could take the key. The guards will make sure that no one gets in or out besides me."
"Couldn't we just ask the guards if they saw Tirek?" Discord hopefully inquired.
Twilight shook her head. "The guards themselves don't go into Tartarus unless a princes is accompanying them to deliver a new prisoner. And the last headcount was conducted weeks ago, Tirek could've slipped out while they were distracted," She proceeded to trot up to the front gate with a smile on her face. "Hopefully, I won't be long," As the guards looked down at her, the young alicorn simply informed them. "Permission to enter Tartarus."
The guards spoke not a word, they gave silent nods and let Twilight pass. She inserted the key into the gate and an audible click could be heard that echoed everywhere. It was a sound that could've unnerved even the bravest of hearts.
The gate swung open and without hesitation, Twilight trotted in. The key remained stuck in the gate all together. But unknown to the alicorn, as she walked past the opened gate and into Tartarus itself, a timer appeared on the key. As soon as she entered Tartarus itself, the timer started counting down.
Discord took notice and he did something he rarely did, he gulped and seemed to break out into a nervous sweat. "Uh-oh, I don't think that's a good sign. We may have less time than we hoped."
The next morning, Spike was the first to notice that the headmare's office was left vacant. There was no sign of Starlight Glimmer anywhere. "Starlight? Starlight?" He called while flying around the school. "Where are you? If this is one of your 'big sister pranks' it's not funny. With Twilight away, you're the one who's supposed to keep everything running smoothly."
Spike's flying and calling soon caught the attention of his friends, and the five mares immediately rushed to him. "Starlight is missing?" Rarity questioned the dragon, hoping beyond hope she was wrong.
"I don't know. I haven't seen her since last night when she went to lock up the school," Spike explained while flapping his wings. "I already checked the castle, her bedroom is untouched so she couldn't have gone back there at any point."
"Maybe she went to go help Twilight?" Pinkie Pie suggested. "I heard she didn't exactly enjoy her last romp as Acting Headmare, she got all super competitive with Discord."
"But wouldn't she leave a note or come to tell us if that was the case?" Rarity pondered. "This is starting to sound an awful lot like the time Rainbow Dash was framed for trying to poison Spitfire. Shadow Spade doesn't believe in coincidences, and neither do I."
Fluttershy then commented. "Um, not that I mean to interrupt, but has anypony noticed that Cozy Glow is absent too?"
"That's funny," Rainbow Dash remarked. "Rockhoof says he saw her last night, and told Starlight about it. But that was the last time he saw either of them. He was in the gym all night, preparing for battle. And he was still there this morning."
"I don't like the looks of this, y'all," Applejack glumly commented as she swallowed a lump in her throat. "First Twilight leaves for Tartarus and we don't hear from her. And now Starlight and Cozy Glow are missin'. And we've only got until sundown tomorrow to stop the magic theft."
"But what about the students?" Fluttershy spoke up with concern. "We can't just shut down the school and send them all away, with magic failing all over Equestria there'd be nowhere safe for them."
Spike then declared. "I do know one thing, someone's going to have to step in and be the new Acting Headmare," He quickly added. "And it won't be me!"
The dragon's declaration took all of his friends by surprise. Rarity was the first to ask. "Whyever not, Spikey Wikey? You've spent a lot of time with Twilight and Starlight, they're practically family to you."
Spike shook his head. "It just wouldn't feel right to take their place, even if it's just temporary. I tried filling in for Twilight once, and I hated the way it turned out. Why else do you think I gave the Bloodstone Scepter to Ember? I don't trust myself to be in charge without someone I trust to hold me back. And I want a position of power that I've earned, something that suits me. Taking somepony else's place wouldn't work," He sighed and came down to the ground, ceasing his wing flaps. "I know it sounds really stupid and childish. If Twilight were here she'd scold me for still thinking like that."
However, Rarity simply nudged the dragon with a hoof. "Darling, that is incredibly mature of you. Nopony should ever force you into something you're not ready for. There is nothing wrong with waiting until you're ready. In a time of crisis, we all have a duty to appoint the most capable creature to lead us."
"And would that be?" Pinkie Pie questioned. "Classes are going to start soon and it's going to look weird if there's nopony there to guide the students."
Applejack sighed, removing her hat from her head. "Well, I don't like it, but since Twilight and Starlight aren't around and Spike doesn't want the job, I reckon I'm the next best choice we've got. I'll lead us until we can figure out what the hay's goin' on around here," And stomping her hoof down she declared. "So all of y'all better stay alert! If ya see anythin' that don't look right, you bring it my way! And whatever ya do, don't go off by yourself! We ain't gonna lose anyone else!"
Back in Tartarus, Twilight's eyes took in the sights and sounds of the massive prison. It was a dimly lit place lined with prison cells and worn columns. All sorts of shadowy creatures could be heard but not seen, prowling around and lurking about in their cages.
The princess ignored all of them, even the likes of Verto and the scale traders (those who had survived Tempest's assault on their hideout had been turned over to Princess Celestia, who had seen fit to promptly banish them to Tartarus). She wasn't interested in any of them. There was only one prisoner who she needed to check up on. And as luck would have it, his cell rested at the far end of the complex.
The pathway to said cell was guarded by the three headed dog named Cerberus. His spiked collar made him easily identifiable. But all it took to distract him was a bone pulled out from Twilight's saddlebag.
Walking up the countless steps seemed to take an eternity to the young alicorn, who wished more than anything that she had the aid of her magic at the current moment. Alas, she had to make do with walking at a time when it was most inconvenient to her.
At last, however, she reached her destination. There stood the cell that was (hopefully) the resting place of the two time threat to all of Equestria, Lord Tirek.
Twilight carefully crept closer, unable to see into his cage fully from her current position. "Tirek, are you there?" She called into the darkness, hoping for a reply.
Her response was a pair of glowing yellow eyes that soon gave way to the familiar form of the centaur. Except he did not look at like the hulking beast with massive horns that Twilight had encountered all those years ago. He looked considerably weaker, and where his horns used to be there were only two little stubs. He clutched the bars of his cage, glaring at his visitor. "Princess Twilight? My my, how funny to see you in an accursed place like this," He spoke in a raspy voice. "So, what are you in for? What law did 'Little Miss Perfect' here break?"
Twilight frowned as she stomped a hoof down. "You know why I'm here, Tirek. Assuming that is you and not a well placed projection."
Tirek growled but it soon turned into a raspy cough. "Why, princess, where's your sense of humor? It's about the only thing I have left since you returned me to this horrible prison," He grinned a bit as he added. "I assure you, I'm quite real. You really think I would steal all of that delicious magic, and not make sure you knew it was me?" As he spoke he noticeably licked his lips.
"So you're saying you're not responsible for all the magic in Equestria disappearing?" The princess questioned the centaur further. Her questioned was answered by a nod. "But you're the only one who even knows how to drain magic."
Tirek just laughed. "I have ways of sharing my knowledge, Princess Twilight. As Discord will tell you, I am more than happy to make a new friend when one shares my thoughts. Of course, I also have a tendency not to trust anyone. When you've been betrayed as much as I have you'll understand."
Twilight blinked in surprise. "Wait? You'd actually tell me who is stealing the magic from Equestria?! Why would you do that?!"
Tirek just grinned as he rubbed his paws together. "Why not? You won't be able to use the information, you'll be stuck here in Tartarus with me! Or did you forget that the key to Tartarus operates on a time limit?!"
"What?!" Twilight gasped in surprise.
The centaur only laughed further. "This coming from the same pony who once nearly bested me. You are far too easily tricked, princess. And to think, you don't even realize the real culprit's been hiding under your nose this whole time!"
Night was falling in Ponyville as the second day drew to a close, the cause of the magic theft had still not been discovered and neither was there any clue as to the whereabouts of Starlight Glimmer or Cozy Glow. Things didn't look good for the ponies, or for Spike. Try as they might to pretend otherwise, they were deeply worried that this time things weren't going to work out.
Of course not everyone was upset about the fast approaching deadline. There was one creature who quite enjoyed it. Chrysalis. That night, she carefully poked her head up from beneath an air duct in the back of the library. A quick scan indicated that no one was around. So she emerged fully, quickly dawning her disguise of Cozy Glow. There was somepony she needed to meet with right away, somepony who she'd entered into a secret agreement with. And she knew that it was somepony who didn't like to be kept waiting.
So the disguised changeling snuck away, making sure not to be spotted. Unaware to her, however, six students happened to catch her leaving the library. Rather than call out to her though, they decided to follow her. They'd suspected something was off about the filly, though none knew what that might be.
Cozy Glow at last reached the headmare's office, which was supposed to be abandoned. She entered and shut the door tightly behind her, just as a tall, lanky unicorn stallion clad in a dark red robe spun around to greet her. It was Chancellor Neighsay, and his stern moderate turquoise eyes immediately locked onto Cozy. "Ah, you've arrived just in time," He commented, and then questioned. "So, is Twilight Sparkle... out of the picture as it were?"
Cozy Glow smirked as she rubbed her hooves together. "That pathetic princess took the bait, hook, line, and sinker! By the time she realizes the truth, it'll be too late!"
Neighsay simply nodded his head. "Good. And it seems you took care of all opposition, meaning I can now take over this school and run it my way. There will be changes, but for the greater good they must be imposed."
At that, Cozy Glow jumped back in surprise! "What?! I thought we had a deal, Neighsay?! I'd get rid of Headmare Twilight and Vice Headmare Starlight, and after you took over you'd let me run things!"
"Well things change," Neighsay coldly replied. "You're just a child, nopony in their right mind would be dumb enough to let you run a school. I don't care how smart you are. Besides, the magic thief is still on the loose. And if it's not in Tartarus then I have a hunch that whoever it is is somewhere within this school. Desperate times call for desperate measures," He proceeded to growl at Cozy. "Now out with it! What are you hiding?!"
Cozy was surprised to find herself on the defensive, she tried her best not to let the chancellor rattle her. A feat that was easier said than done. "W-who me? I-I'm not hiding anything," She stuttered. "I'm just an innocent little filly, what would I have to hide?"
Neighsay hissed. "I'm not stupid. I can smell the set-up a mile away. You've given me everything I could hope for on a silver platter. I've had far too many ponies try to butter me up like this not to grow wise. There is always a catch. And after Princess Twilight tricked me, I won't be taken by surprise ever again!" He gestured a hoof down to the filly. "Now out with it! You know something, and I wanna know what it is! What is your real reason for luring me here like this?! And just what did you do with Starlight Glimmer?!"
Before Cozy had a chance to answer, however, the doors to the headmare's office suddenly swung open! Sandbar, Gallus, Smolder, Ocellus, Silverstream, and Yona all came tumbling out and landed before Neighsay and Cozy! it didn't take a genius to figure out what they'd been up to!
Neighsay gasped! "This was a trap! You're planning to rat me out!" He shouted at Cozy Glow! "I knew you were up to no good!"
"Neighsay, what are you doing?!" Sandbar demanded of the chancellor. "What do you have against Headmare Twilight?! She didn't do anything to you to deserve getting trapped in Tartarus!"
The chancellor simply snapped back. "Young colt, you should learn to respect your elders! I won't be spoken to in such a manner! As for Princess Twilight, she will be fine. I simply needed her gone so that I could finally get this abomination of a school shuddered! I will find the magic thief and restore order to Equestria!"
Meanwhile, Cozy turned her attention to the six students as she suddenly shouted! "Neighsay, it's them! They're the ones responsible for the magic theft! You have to arrest them!"
"What?!" The six students all gasped at once! None of them even knew until just a moment ago that magic from Equestria was disappearing.
But Neighsay seemed to suddenly become paralyzed. "I-I can't!" He told Cozy. "Magic theft or not, I can't simply lock up these students! There are rules that have to be followed, guidelines that must be obeyed. If not, I'll get in trouble! I'll lose my title!"
The irritated filly simply growled as she flew up and snatched Neighsay's medallion off his robe. "Fine, I'll do it myself! Seems like I have to do everything around here!" She touched the center of the medallion, and a series of magical chains surrounded the six students, thus preventing them from moving.
Even Smolder's fire breath couldn't do a thing to the chains. And the dragon was quick to glare at Cozy. "You know what? From day one I had a feeling you were trouble. That sweet and innocent look was just a little too sweet for my taste."
"Well guess what, dragon?!" Cozy Glow taunted as she flew back down to make eye contact. "You just messed with the wrong filly. And you're gonna be sorry!"
Cozy Glow and Neighsay proceeded to lock the students away in one of the rooms on the upper level of the school. "Stop struggling, you'll never break free of the chains," Neighsay instructed. "You will remain here until your guardians can be contacted, and you can explain to them what you refuse to explain to me."
"For the last time, Chancellor, we didn't do it! You've got the wrong guys!" Gallus protested. "Let us go, we're innocent! Don't trust a word that pegasus says!"
But Cozy Glow snapped back. "Be quiet, griffon! You don't talk back to the chancellor like that!" And to Neighsay she encouraged. "Don't listen to them, I know they stole the magic! Don't forget, they're all dangerous creatures who would do anything to hurt Equestria!"
"But I'm a pony! Why would I betray Equestria?!" Sandbar protested to Cozy. "This is all a big misunderstanding!"
Neighsay refused to listen. "I'm sorry, but until I can figure out what's going on I refuse to take any chances. You will all remain here. And Sandbar, though you may be a pony, since you ally yourselves with those creatures I must assume you're part of their plan," He stomped a hoof down. "I will contact your parents, and I can imagine they won't be pleased. But perhaps it will teach you to be more careful about who you choose to befriend."
However, as the magical chains faded away, Sandbar stood up and declared. "Wait, Chancellor! I've changed my mind! You were right about them from the beginning, I see that now. I thought I was being kind and generous by befriending them, but all I was really doing was putting Equestria in danger."
Silverstream let out a gasp! "Sandbar?! How could you?!"
Ocellus pleaded. "Do you even realize what you're saying?! You can't leave us!"
"Yona no want Sandbar to leave! Yona thought Sandbar friend!" Yona desperately pleaded.
Sandbar only replied. "I'm sorry, guys, but this is for the greater good. If siding with you means I get into trouble, then I don't want any part of it. I don't want anything to do with creatures that could threaten Equestria!" He turned to Neighsay. "Let me out, and I promise to help you."
Against Cozy's protests, Neighsay accepted Sandbar's offer. "You've chosen wisely, young stallion. Everyone will come to their senses eventually. Now tell me, what do you know about the magic theft?"
Before Sandbar could say anything though, Applejack happened to come trotting up on the scene. "What in tarnation is goin' on here?!" Then she locked eyes with Neighsay. "What are you doin' here?! Twilight made it clear you ain't welcome around here!"
Neighsay only replied with a smirk. "But Princess Twilight isn't here, now is she?"
"Because she's off tryin' to solve the disappearance of our magic," Applejack insisted as she stomped a hoof down. "And I'll be darned if you think I'm gonna let you sabotage her legacy!"
"Who said anything about sabotage?" The crafty chancellor said with a smirk. "I'm trying to save her legacy and her reputation from a costly mistake. This school has been nothing but a disaster, and my only mistake was ever allowing it to open."
"You can't just come in here and take over!" Applejack stubbornly protested.
Neighsay just answered. "I can now. From this moment onward, this school is under EEA control. And as head of the EEA, that means what I say goes! If you have a problem with that, well you know who you can take it up with. But I doubt even you would want to interfere with my work at a time like this."
Sandbar finally spoke up. "Please, Professor Applejack. Neighsay's just trying to do what he thinks is best for Equestria. Headmare Twilight was wrong to fight against him. Let him take over the school, it's for the best."
"You see, Applejack?" Neighsay smirked anew. "Even your students support me. Now, are you going to back down and let me do my job?"
After a moment of staring at the chancellor, Applejack reluctantly conceded. "Fine, you win this time, Neighsay. But this won't be forgiven. Mark my words, you'll pay for this." Then the farm mare turned and angrily trotted away.
"Alright then, Sandbar," Neighsay commented as he turned to the colt. "Let's resume our previous conversa-" But it seemed that the colt had slipped away while the chancellor was distracted.
Cozy Glow growled. "I told you he was with them!"
But Neighsay shook his head. "Let him go, he's no danger to us. Earth pony magic has already all but faded away. In time he'll come to his senses and tell us what he knows."
Sandbar rushed straight to Sweet Apple Acres. He ran faster than he'd ever run before. All the while he was thinking to himself. "I hope my friends can forgive me for what I did. This was the only thing I could think of."
Apple Bloom awoke a short time later to the sound of thuds against the farmhouse windows. "What in tarnation?!" She wondered and leaned out her bedroom window to see what was going on.
Sandbar stood down below next to a series of objects he'd found around the farm. "Sorry, I ran out of apples," He apologized. "I was trying to get your attention."
"What's the matter, Sandbar? Why aren't ya with your friends?" The farm filly questioned.
Sandbar replied. "My friends are in trouble, Chancellor Neighsay locked them up. Cozy Glow made him believe they're responsible for the magic theft."
"Why'd you come to me, then? Why not get Applejack or one of her friends?" Apple Bloom questioned. "This sounds like somethin' right up their alley."
The colt shook his head. "They can't do a thing to Neighsay, not when they've got classes to teach. Besides, I don't think any of them even know Cozy's been working for Neighsay this whole time," He then pleaded. "You and your friends are the next best thing. If the Cutie Mark Crusaders can distract Neighsay, I can rescue my friends and we can all get to the bottom of this. Will you help me?"
Apple Bloom smiled. "Do mulberries have seeds?"
Sandbar blinked and said nothing.
The farm filly groaned as she explained. "That's a yes. You just wait there, and I'll get the Crusaders. Honorary members and everythin'!"
Miles and miles away, Discord was unaware of any of the developments occurring back in Ponyville. And he also wasn't aware of what was happening inside of Tartarus.
What the spirit did know though, was that the timer on the key was about to expire. He started to grow anxious. "Come on, Twilight. Of all the times to sight see, you had to pick the one time when it's not actually important."
He ran right past the guards, trying to reach the key to see if he could somehow prolong the time on it. But alas he was too late, the timer ran out. The key expired. And with a loud clang, the gates of Tartarus slammed shut! "Uh-oh! Equestria, we have a problem. Repeat, we have a problem!" Discord commented to herself.
Twilight heard the clang of the shutting gates from inside Tartarus! She ran right towards them, momentarily forgetting about her lack of magic! The gates slammed shut right in her face, leaving her trapped inside!
Tirek had seen the whole thing, and he laughed. "Just as planned, princess. All I had to do was stall you long enough for the key to expire. Congratulations, you're now stuck here with me, forever!"
Twilight growled. "So this whole thing was just a ruse to lure me down here?! Just when I thought you couldn't get more despicable, Tirek!"
"Guilty as charged, princess," The centaur smirked. "But now I suppose I should keep up my end of the bargain. I did promise you answers, after all. And it's not like you'll be escaping to warn anyone," A laugh formed in his throat. "It's funny, I never actually met her. But when she started writing to me, offering to be my pen pal. Well how could I say no?"
"Her?" Twilight wondered as she turned toward Tirek. "You don't mean..."
Tirek just laughed. "I do! The one responsible for the magic theft is none other than Chrysalis, former queen of the changelings. And the soon to be ruler of all of Equestria!"
Back at the school, Sandbar and the Cutie Mark Crusaders (including Diamond Tiara) were shocked to discover what looked like a series of crystal catacombs, hidden beneath a seemingly ordinary air duct in the floor at the back of the library.
"What is this place? It's like nothin' I've ever seen before!" Apple Bloom commented.
"There's no time for that!" Sandbar protested. "I swear I saw Cozy Glow come down here when she left the office. She was the one who got Neighsay to lock up my friends."
Suddenly, in the distance the ponies saw what appeared to be a small clearing. They rushed towards it, and as they drew close they swore they could see bright lights and strange sounds.
At last, the clearing came into view! What they saw shocked them to their very core!
There was Starlight Glimmer, suspended in a magic bubble over a huge vortex! The six artifacts on loan to the school had been placed in a circle around the vortex, each encased in its own magic bubble.
Before anypony could think to do anything, they heard the sound of approaching hoofsteps and dove for whatever cover they could find. They were just in time to see Cozy Glow come trotting in. "Well, golly, this is certainly unexpected," She cackled with glee, before a series of sickly green flames surrounded her and her true form was revealed. "Who would've ever guessed that a sweet, innocent little filly would actually be the true mastermind?"
Chrysalis smirked, talking to herself as she surveyed her work. And her attention quickly turned to her prisoner, Starlight Glimmer. "Enjoying yourself in there, Starlight Glimmer? At least this way I can make sure you won't escape and foil my plans again! I told you I'd have my revenge someday, and I meant it!" She paused briefly before adding. "You may get some company in there soon though. If I can't get that annoying Chancellor Neighsay to back off!" She paused again to catch her breath. "Sorry, I'm usually more composed than this. I just hate it when others come along and try to ruin my work."
The changeling queen then bent down to pick up a crown. "It won't be long, though. Just one more day and all the magic in Equestria will be gone, trapped forever in another dimension! And the best part is, you'll be trapped there too, Starlight Glimmer. Just like how your mentor is stuck in Tartarus for all eternity!" As she fixed the crown on her head she declared. "All the pieces are falling into place. Soon, all will bow to me, Chrysalis, the Empress of Equestria!" And she burst into fits of maniacal laughter. It truly seemed like this time she was going to succeed. |
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic What If?: Volume 9 | S8 E26: School Raze, Part 2 (What If?) | When last we left off the ponies were facing a crisis that seemed to get worse and worse with each passing minute. It had all started when a field trip to Cloudsdale ended with Starlight's cloud walking spell mysteriously failing. A dramatic rescue had been necessary to save the lives of the students who couldn't fly.
"Magic is disappearing from Equestria again." Rainbow had commented in alarm, bringing the news to Twilight.
It was confirmed a short time later by an emergency meeting in Canterlot. A letter from Starswirl the Bearded made it clear to all what was happening, for the wizard had written:
I can't explain it, but all of the magic in the land of Equestria is vanishing at an alarming rate! If my estimations are correct (and they usually are) then by sundown at the end of three days all of our magic will be lost forever!
You must act quickly! Find the source of the magic theft and stop whoever or whatever is behind it within the three days I've mentioned! Otherwise, our magic will cease to exist, and Equestria will be left defenseless forever.
Twilight's attention immediately went to Tirek, thinking he might still be in Tartarus. "Has anypony checked on Tirek lately?" She'd asked, to which she was told that nopony could be sure.
It was then that the young princess decided to take matters into her own hooves. "It's too risky to go all the way to Tartarus with me. I'll go alone. The rest of you need to stay and keep an eye on the school." She'd told her friends, before announcing her intent to travel to Tartarus with Discord.
Alas, Twilight's friends did not suspect that this was when Chrysalis would choose to reveal herself. She first did so to Starlight on the first night. "Oh, what I'm gonna do to you." The former queen had cackled after easily overpowering the unicorn.
The next night, it turned out that she had made a deal with Chancellor Neighsay while disguised as Cozy Glow. But Neighsay wasn't as easily fooled. "You've given me everything I could hope for on a silver platter. I've had far too many ponies try to butter me up like this not to grow wise. What is your real reason for luring me here like this?!"
Yet it was at that moment that Sandbar, Gallus, Smolder, Ocellus, Silverstream, and Yona accidentally revealed themselves to the two. And that caused them to be locked up and imprisoned.
"Until I can figure out what's going on I refuse to take any chances. You will all remain here." Neighsay told the six students.
But Sandbar managed to convince Neighsay to let him go, claiming in front of all his friends. "I don't want anything to do with creatures that could threaten Equestria!"
However, it was all a ruse so the colt could slip away and get help. Said help was in the form of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. "If the Cutie Mark Crusaders can distract Neighsay, I can rescue my friends and we can all get to the bottom of this." He'd explained to Apple Bloom, who quickly promised to help.
Meanwhile, Twilight made it all the way to Tartarus, only to realize too late that it was a trap! The gates slammed shut on her, leaving her stuck there with no way out!
Tirek delighted in the princess' dilemma. "All I had to do was stall you long enough for the key to expire. You're now stuck here with me, forever," He'd told her and then laughed while he explained. "It's funny, I never actually met her. But when she started writing to me, offering to be my pen pal. Well how could I say no? The one responsible for the magic theft is none other than Chrysalis, former queen of the changelings."
And that was the discovery that Sandbar and the Cutie Mark Crusaders had found out upon entering a series of crystal catacombs beneath the school.
"All the pieces are falling into place. Soon, all will bow to me, Chrysalis, the Empress of Equestria!" Chrysalis had vowed while placing a crown on her head. Meanwhile, above her rested the imprisoned Starlight Glimmer, suspended in a magic bubble over a magic vortex. And there was now only one day left before the magic would disappear from Equestria forever!
Chrysalis didn't stay in the catacombs for very long, the sun would be rising shortly and she still had a particularly nosy chancellor to take care of. "It won't be long now, Starlight Glimmer," She taunted her victim one last time. "Now I'd better make sure Chancellor Neighsay knows just who he's up against. See you soon." And she stuck out her tongue before morphing back into her disguise of Cozy Glow, departing the catacombs without further fanfare.
The silence in the catacombs was soon broken as Diamond Tiara found the courage to speak out only seconds after Chrysalis had left. "I should've known Cozy Glow was up to no good. She reminded me way too much of how I used to be," The headgear wearing filly shuddered at the image she conjured up. "It's like looking in a mirror. A really ugly mirror."
"How did Chrysalis even manage to get her slimy hooves on those artifacts? I thought Twilight kept them in a secure room in the school?" Sweetie Belle questioned.
Scootaloo groaned. "Chrysalis probably learned the combination, just like she learned how to conduct the spell to drain all the magic from Equestria. She's one persistent bug."
Apple Bloom, meanwhile, declared. "That's enough talk. We gotta get Starlight out of here before Chrysalis comes back! Starlight'll warn the others!"
But Sandbar eyed the six artifacts in the circle around the vortex and gulped. "Uh, I don't think that's a very good idea, Crusaders. Shouldn't we tell Professor Applejack or one of the grown-ups?"
"We can't wait around for them to find out they've been duped! This is a time for action, not words!" Apple Bloom declared. "Besides, if we free Starlight we're freein' the grown-up who can put a stop to Chrysalis' plans before it's too late!"
Taking Apple Bloom's advice, Sweetie Belle rushed forward to grab the first artifact within her reach: the Crown of Grover!
Suddenly, the voice of Starlight Glimmer cried out! "Sweetie Belle, don't!" But her warning came too late! A magical hand reached out from the bubble and grabbed hold of the filly, prompting a scream!
"Sweetie Belle!" Scootaloo cried in horror and rushed to try and grab her friend!
"Help! Save me, please!" Sweetie Belle pleaded.
Scootaloo reached out a hoof to grab Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara quickly grabbed onto Scootaloo's back hooves! All three pulled together, and with their combined strength they seemed to make some progress. But it wasn't until Sandbar joined in that they were all able to successfully yank Sweetie away from the bubble's grasp.
Starlight spoke up again once the fillies and Sandbar were all safe. "Listen to me, all of you!" She commanded. "It's taking everything I've got just to be able to speak to you like this! There's enough magic in the bubble for one low level spell, and a communication spell is the best I can do," She proceeded to explain. "You need to get out of here! Those artifacts aren't going to budge unless they're touched by someone worthy."
"You mean, like the bearers of the Elements of Harmony?" Sandbar questioned.
"Maybe," Starlight considered before she unhappily sighed. "But Twilight raced off to Tartarus, which is just what Chrysalis wanted. Without Twilight, the Elements of Harmony won't work."
Sandbar reluctantly spoke up. "Then what can we do, Counselor Starlight? We can't just leave you like this."
Starlight shook her head. "You don't have a choice! Get back to your friends, Sandbar! Find a way to stop Chrysalis before it's too late!"
"How are we gonna do that? There's no way to get word out to Princess Celestia, or anypony else. Especially not with Chancellor Neighsay in charge." Diamond Tiara protested.
"Please, Starlight, you have to help us. You and Twilight always seem to know just what to do." Scootaloo nervously whimpered.
Starlight only shook her head. "This time I'm afraid you're on your own. But if you can defeat Chrysalis, her imprisonment spell should break. That should give me a chance to at least buy us time. I'm sorry I can't help you anymore, but you can do this. Sandbar, you and your friends are special, even Twilight thinks so. And the Cutie Mark Crusaders, you've solved problems and done things even the best of ponies would've been stumped by. If anyponies can figure out how to save the day, it's all of you. Now go, quickly!"
And so the ponies reluctantly did just that. Though Sandbar was quick to insist. "We're not leaving you behind, Counselor Starlight! We'll be back for you, I swear!" Then he followed the Crusaders as they all left the catacombs.
Even once they were safely back in the library, the ponies had little time to rest. "I'm going to rescue my friends!" Sandbar told the Crusaders. "You need to find Chancellor Neighsay before Chrysalis does! He has to know what's going on, he might be our only hope."
"And you think you'll believe us?" Sweetie Belle asked in a hopeful tone of voice.
"Probably better if he hears it from you fillies rather than me. He probably still doesn't trust me even though I pretended to be on his side." Sandbar explained and then rushed away.
The other Crusaders gulped, but Diamond Tiara looked at them and declared. "You heard what Sandbar said! He's counting on us, and we're not gonna let him down!"
The other creatures weren't taking their imprisonment lying down. They'd been trying ever since Neighsay, Cozy Glow, and Sandbar had left them earlier in the night.
Gallus was now currently slamming his weight against the door, trying to make it budge. But despite his best efforts, the door rattled only slightly yet did not open.
"Still locked, huh? Figures." Smolder quipped in a defeated tone of voice.
"Come on, we have to at least try to escape!" Gallus protested. "After all we've been through, you really think I'm gonna let some arrogant chancellor tell me what to do? I think not."
Smolder sighed. "What's the point, Gallus? Even if we do escape it's our word against Cozy Glow and Neighsay."
Ocellus sighed too, looking down at the ground. "And if Sandbar's turned his back on us, then everypony else has probably done the same as well. Even our professors probably think we're guilty."
But Yona furiously stomped a hoof down in protest. "No! Sandbar not turn his back! Yona not care what others think, Yona have faith in Sandbar! Sandbar is our friend!"
Smolder rolled her eyes at Yona's statement. "Yona, why do you stick up for Sandbar so much? Can't you take a hint? He chose the winning side, and it's time we all did the same. He clearly said he wanted nothing to do with us."
Yona protested. "Yona not believe Sandbar mean that! Sandbar not betray us after all we go through as friends!"
Silverstream nervously suggested. "But why did he say what he said? If was just an act, why was it so convincing?" She began to wonder. "Maybe he only said that so one of us could be free to snoop around and figure out what's going on?"
Just then, a lock on the nearby window became unlatched. Sandbar grinned as he climbed in through a ladder and boasted. "I dunno. That sounds too clever for a pony to come up with."
Everyone in the room was glad to see Sandbar, but none more so than Yona! She rushed right up to him and tackled him into a big hug! "Yona knew Sandbar was still our friend! Yona knew Sandbar not betray us!" She laughed.
"O-okay, okay, Yona! Now can you get off me, please? You're crushing me!" Sandbar pleaded as he tried to escape the smothering hug. Yona obeyed, blushing a bit as she did so.
"So, I guess you're not slumming it up with Neighsay and Cozy Glow," Gallus commented to Sandbar. "For the record, the next time you decide to put on such an act, don't make it too convincing."
Now it was Sandbar's turn to blush. "Sorry, it was kind of a spur of the moment thing. Professor Rainbow Dash always taught us to think on our hooves or whatever we have. Always worked well for her," Then he commented. "Besides, I found out that Cozy Glow is not who we thought she was."
Smolder rolled her eyes again. "We already know that, Sandbar. We know she's in cahoots with Neighsay, she makes Headmare Twilight go away and Neighsay gets to take over the school and run it his way."
"Except there's no actual Cozy Glow," Sandbar explained. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders and I discovered that she's actually Chrysalis, and she's the one responsible for Counselor Starlight's disappearance and the magic theft."
Ocellus shuddered. "I should've known it was her! How could I not sense it?!"
"Hey, she sure had me fooled! I never would've guessed Cozy Glow was a ruse," Silverstream declared. "But what are we supposed to do now?"
Gallus grinned as he fluffed up his feathers. "What do you think we do? Since our headmare isn't here and Counselor Starlight's out of commission, it's up to us. We'll teach that former queen a lesson she won't forget!"
"Bring it on! I smell a barbecue!" Smolder roared as she blew flames out of her mouth.
However, at that very moment an echoy voice called out to the six. "I am afraid that will not be enough. You are not yet ready." Without warning, an ominous wind blew and a blinding flash lit up the room! The six students shielded their eyes!
When at last the flash faded and the six opened their eyes again, they saw a sight that they almost couldn't believe. There stood what appeared to be none other than their headmare, Twilight Sparkle. But she appeared to be glowing rather brightly, a fact that did not go unnoticed.
"Headmare Twilight? But I thought you were stuck in Tartarus." Sandbar questioned.
Silverstream, however, gulped. "Guys, should we be worried that our headmare is all glowy and sparkley? Is that a thing ponies do, Sandbar?"
Sandbar nervously shook his head. "No... a-at least, I don't think we do. But if that's not Headmare Twilight, then who is it?"
"And what does it mean by 'You are not yet ready'?!" Smolder demanded of the glowing projection.
The glowing projection of Twilight only vaguely replied. "You six are ill prepared to face Chrysalis. You have come far and learned much, yet there is still one lesson you have yet to master. You are not yet one. And until you are, victory will never come to you."
"Listen, Headmare Twilight," Gallus growled as he stepped forward. "If this is some kind of test, we're not buying it. After everything we've been through, do we really need another test to prove we're good?"
The projection simply answered. "A test? Yes, of course," The ominous wind from before began to blow. "You shall each be tested one by one. You must overcome your greatest fears. If you can pass the test before the sun sets on this coming day, you will be ready to face Chrysalis and save Equestria. Fail the test, and you will remain lost and forgotten. Let us begin."
Before anyone could say even a syllable in protest, they were all whisked away by the projection! The room they were in became empty, as if though the six had never been there to begin with.
Just a short time later, the sun rose on what was now the third day since magic had begun to disappear from Equestria. By sundown it would be gone forever unless the source of it could be located, and the one responsible for it defeated.
The third day dawned at the school as the Cutie Mark Crusaders were rushing to the headmare's office to warn Chancellor Neighsay. But they found themselves only halfway there when the stallion began to speak to a gathered crowd in the front hallway of the school.
Neighsay cleared his throat. "Students, by now there's no use in trying to conceal the truth from you all. Magic has begun to disappear from all over Equestria, and has been doing so for two days straight," Amidst the collective gasps of the crowd he added. "Today is the last day it can be stopped! By sundown this evening, all magic shall be gone forever unless we locate the creature responsible for this mess and put a stop to their evil plan!"
A voice called up from the crowd. "What are we going to do, Chancellor?" And all eyes fell upon Neighsay.
Neighsay didn't hesitate for a moment before he declared. "I want to assure you that this institution is safe, despite the absence of your headmare. As your guidance counselor is also unavailable and the rest of your professors have classes to teach, I hereby appoint myself to lead the school. As your new headstallion, let me be the first to say that the reign of Princess Twilight is now over! From now on until further notice, this school will adhere to EEA doctrine, as it should have from the start!" He threw down a massive book of rules. "There will be no more mistakes! Together, we will do what Princess Twilight failed to do! Bring safety and stability to Equestria, and ensure our values are protected!"
Several students began to murmur angrily to each other. But to the surprise of everyone it was the sound of clapping that got their attention. And the clapping was coming from none other than Cozy Glow, who appeared to have a smile on her face. "Thank you, Chancellor Neighsay, for that rousing speech. I know you're a stallion who truly believes what you say."
The chancellor suspected nothing as he eyed Cozy Glow. "Indeed I do, Cozy Glow. Though I hope you realize that there will be no more favors granted to you. Since you are here under false pretenses, I see little choice but to have you expelled!"
But Cozy Glow only replied. "Golly, you wouldn't do that. Not to a sweet, innocent little filly like me? Especially when I'm not one of those dangerous creatures you just locked up last night."
One student suddenly gasped! "He did what?!"
Cozy Glow smirked as she trotted closer to Neighsay. "Oh, didn't your chancellor tell you? He arrested six students who he believed were a danger to Equestria and responsible for the magic theft. And you should probably know, one of them was a pony. Just like you and I. A pony whose only crime was associating with those other creatures."
"What is she talking about?" Another student whispered to the first student.
Cozy trotted closer, now in front of the crowd. "It's time you told them the truth, Chancellor Neighsay. You wanted Headmare Twilight out of the way so you could take over. So that you could run the school the way you've always wanted. So when you say there won't be any more lessons from the Princess of Friendship at the School of Friendship, I guess you mean that, too."
Neighsay gulped, suddenly finding himself on the defensive. "That's not true. I never said that!" He insisted. "Students, pay this child no mind. She speaks nothing but lies!"
But the filly continued to press, continued to whip the crowd into a frenzy. "Really? You locked up a pony just because of who he was friends with. How can we be sure you won't do the same to any of us?" She turned to the students. "Are we going to give the pony who already tried to wreck Twilight's school once another chance to do it? Are we really going to let him rule over us with an iron hoof instead of a velvet glove like Headmare Twilight did? Or are we going to stand up to a pony who thinks he knows what best for us, as long as we agree with him and don't ask questions?"
Several of the students shouted back. "Down with Neighsay!"
The chancellor tried to reassure the students as he suddenly found himself surrounded. "This is an outrage! I won't stand for it! All I want is what's best for Equestria, and for young minds to have a safe place to learn!"
"So does Headmare Twilight, but I guess that wasn't good enough for you!" Cozy taunted. "You only wanted an excuse to get this school shut down! But I guess you forgot that Twilight had the backing of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Or were you planning to get rid of them too?"
"No! Never in a million years!" Neighsay protested, and pleaded with the students. "You must listen to me! The magic in Equestria is failing! We're all in terrible danger!"
"You bet we are, we're in terrible danger from you!" Cozy roared as she accusingly pointed a hoof. "How can we be sure you didn't set up this whole thing just so you could take over? You've already told so many lies, how can we be expected to believe anything you say?"
Try as he might, Neighsay was unable to say anything as he found himself overwhelmed by the angered students! They rushed toward him and carried him away, shouting and jeering the whole time!
Cozy snickered, rubbing her hooves together as her eyes glowed green. "Well, that's one less problem I have to deal with. Better luck next time, Chancellor. Assuming there is a next time."
Cozy trotted away a second later, feeling quite pleased with herself. She didn't realize that from the safety of a nearby closet, the Cutie Mark Crusaders had seen everything.
"So much for gettin' through to Neighsay," Apple Bloom commented. "Where the heck did Sandbar and his friends go?"
Sweetie Belle gulped. "I don't know, but now I think we're truly on our own! It'll take a miracle to save us now!"
Deep in the crystal catacombs beneath the school, the six students all came to their senses one by one. They quickly noticed that they were all separated from each other, with no sign of each other anywhere in sight.
Silverstream was the first one to spot what appeared to be a way out. In the distance she could see a waterfall, and it looked like there was something on the other side of it. The pink coated hippogriff rushed through. But when she came out on the other side she was surprised to find herself in very familiar territory. "Mount Aris? How did I end up back here?" She leaped over and perched on a rock. "Wait a minute! Headmare Twilight sent me home? But why? What did I do? Am I suspended?" She called, only to hear no reply. "Hello? Anygriff here? Mom? Dad? Terramar? Aunt Novo? Seaspray?"
There was no reply, and the hippogriff became the slightest bit unnerved. The silence was very uncomfortable, it felt like something was wrong. "Maybe they're all just topside?" She thought to herself, trying to hide how nervous she was. "I-I'll... I'll check."
But as Silverstream flew into a nearby cave, suddenly she heard a growl. "What was that?" She wondered and looked behind her. That was a mistake, her eyes caught sight of an ominous shadow. And it filled her with dread! She transformed into a seapony and dove for cover in a nearby pond, quickly cowering behind a rock!
The shadow grew in size, standing up on two legs. And a pair of brilliant opal eyes suddenly appeared. At once, Silverstream recognized who it was. "No, it can't be! You... you were destroyed! Shattered into a million pieces!"
The shadow only laughed and growled. "Oh foolish child, I cannot be destroyed so easily. And this time, there is nowhere you can hide. You and all the hippogriffs will bow to me!"
"Never!" Silverstream roared, trying not to cower. "We'll never let you rule over us, Aunt Novo will stop you!"
The shadow of the Storm King only laughed again. "Such bravado, but it can't hide your fear. And I see much fear in your eyes."
Gallus was the next one to find himself in a tough place. He was in what appeared to be a small cave made up of crystals, and several lights shone through the cracks in alternating hues of purple and white.
The griffon found himself a little bit unnerved, but he tried not to show it. "Okay, so I'm cut off from my friends and I'm in a room with no exit," He took a couple of breaths, inhaling deep. "No big deal. I'll just find the exit and get out."
But just after Gallus spoke he moved one of his paws, tripping one of the lights. The cave he was in rattled and contracted, the sharp crystals pressing closer!
Gallus backed up and began to hyperventilate! "Okay, big deal! Totally not cool!" He panted as he broke out into a nervous sweat. "I've gotta figure a way out of this mess before I become a griffon pancake!"
Yona was having problems of her own. She was alone in a dark cave that was only light periodically. And ominous creaking sounds could be heard.
Still, the yak stepped forward one hoof at a time. She tried her best not to look frightened. "No big deal, nothing for yak to be afraid of," She told herself. "It just empty cave. Yona is alone. Nothing here can ever hurt-"
But Yona's conversation to herself was suddenly interrupted as she heard a chittering sound coming from somewhere behind her. It sounded ominously close. She spun around, only to come face to face with her worst fear! An army of spiders that weren't even half her size! And they all appeared to be looking right at her!
Yona gulped and backed up as she began to stutter! "S-s-spiders!" Then she screamed in horror and began to run, the spiders following her as if she were their prey!
Compared to her friends, Smolder wasn't having a tough time. She'd quickly come to her senses and decided it was best to focus on getting out of the caves. Even so, the dragon couldn't help but comment to herself. "These past few days have been really strange! Things like this just don't happen in the Dragon Lands. Not with Ember around."
Suddenly, ahead Smolder could see a light. She flew towards it, hoping it was a way out.
It wasn't, instead two earth ponies in fancy dresses and incredibly girly shades of pink were talking to each other. They seemed to be having a tea part of some sort.
Smolder skidded to a halt. "What the-" She began, speaking a little too loudly. The dragon gave away her presence.
The two ponies turned to look at her with bright smiles (creepy smiles in Smolder's case). "Ohhh! Hello there!" The first pony spoke up. "Well aren't you just the cutest little thing I ever did see? Come join us. You must be thirsty, so how does tea sound? Don't worry, there's plenty to go around."
But Smolder rejected the offer, she wanted nothing to do with tea parties or pretty ponies. "No. On so many levels. No," She flew away, trying to get as far away from the ponies as possible. But no matter how many times she tried, she always ended up back in the same place. "You've gotta be kidding me. What are you ponies, anyway? Are you ghosts or something?"
"Ghosts? Us?" The other pony replied. "I don't think so. We're just here to hang out and enjoy this tea party," Then she motioned to a seat next to her. "Come on, dragon. Come sit by my side and let's compliment each other. It'd be a shame to let all this tea go to waste."
"Yeah," The first pony insisted. "Don't you want to be cute and pretty like us?"
"No, never!" Smolder roared. And in her mind she was thinking. "This is my worst nightmare come to life! What do I have to do to make these ponies go away?!"
Ocellus, much like Smolder, wasn't easily frightened. She was already walking around the cave she was in, trying to find a way out. But she found it odd that the surrounding landscape looked more and more like the changeling hive from when Chrysalis had been queen.
Suddenly, two black changelings appeared before her, which prompted Ocellus to gasp! "Why do you look like that?! King Thorax says that's not how we're supposed to look anymore."
The first changeling only replied. "What are you talking about? We don't have a king, and I don't know who this 'Thorax' is you speak of. We've always been this way. What's the matter, did you hit your head or something?"
Ocellus whimpered. "What's wrong with you two? What are you talking about? I don't look like you at all."
The other changeling simply nodded his head. "Well duh. Of course not you... your majesty."
Ocellus blinked in surprise! "Wait, what?! I'm... your queen?"
The second changeling happily confirmed with a nod. "Yup. Always have and always will be," Then he turned to the other changeling and added. "It's okay, some days you get like this. We'll go and drain the love from all of those pathetic, pipsqueak ponies in Ponyville just as you ordered. That'll make you feel like your old queeny self again."
Ocellus happened to turn around and saw a reflection of herself in a mirror! But to her horror, she only saw the form of Queen Chrysalis staring back at her! "Noooo!" She cried in horror! "I'm not Chrysalis! I'm NOT!" But try as she might, she found that she couldn't shed her transformation. She was stuck in Chrysalis' body!
As for Sandbar, he was alone. But not for long, he suddenly found himself greeted by two of his professors: Rarity and Rainbow Dash.
"Oh Sandbar, thank heavens we found you!" Rarity exclaimed as she rushed over to him. "We've been looking all over for you!"
"Well, I'm here. Sorry to make you worry," Sandbar apologized. "Uh, but what about my friends? Have you seen them?"
Rainbow Dash only replied. "There's no time for that, kid! The other students will just have to take care of themselves! With Twilight gone, we need somepony to take her place so we can use the Elements of Harmony!"
Sandbar gasped in astonishment, those words were like a dream come true to him! "You mean, it's my first friendship adventure?!"
Rarity nodded. "Absolutely, darling. Now come on, time is running out!"
Sandbar was about to take a step forward, before his thoughts turned to his friends. "But I can't just leave my friends. It was the strangest thing. We saw this glowing version of Headmare Twilight, and then we were all whisked away."
But Rainbow rolled her eyes. "That's quite the imagination you have, kid. But we don't have time to be playing games. This is serious! Are you in or out?!"
Reluctantly, Sandbar stepped forward again. "I'm in! I want to help!" He insisted, even as he couldn't stop thinking about his friends. "I'm sure we'll find them in due time. There's no way our professors would abandon them, right?"
Gallus wasn't having any luck on his end, especially now that the crystal walls of his cave were closing in. And they seemed to be reflecting the face of Chrysalis, as the changeling taunted him. "A mere griffon is going to challenge me? That's a joke if I ever heard one. A puny little chick like you could never hope to defeat me. And now you'll pay the price!"
"Stop mocking me!" Gallus roared. "How do I get into these situations?! Come on, Gallus! Think, think, think!"
But all that accomplished was kicking up dust, causing Gallus to sneeze and fly backward! He blew past several lights, causing the crystals to further contract!
The griffon immediately began to panic, breaking out in a sweat! "I'm too young to die!" He whimpered. "I've gotta out of here!" But he then brought a paw to his face and slapped himself. "Come on, man! Keep it together! You've got this!" he started thinking to himself. "There's got to be some way out of here. What would the others do if they were in this situation?"
Gallus started thinking about his friends, but none of them would be particularly helpful. Smolder would just start eating her way out, Ocellus would probably transform into something that could crawl out, Yona would probably smash the crystals and free herself, and Silverstream would've probably discovered the solution by accident while flying around. The only one he could think of who might actually be helpful at this moment in time was Sandbar. "Sandbar always plays it cool," The griffon thought to himself. "If he were here, he'd probably tell me to stay calm and find out the solution. If he can do it, so can I!"
It was then that Gallus noticed something he hadn't before. The white lights hadn't been touched, only the purple ones. And it seemed the purple ones made the crystal wall contract. So maybe the white lights would do the opposite? Well there was only one way to find out.
Curiously, the blue feathered griffon reached out a paw to touch one of the white lights. Just as he thought, the moment his paw touched the light the walls expanded a little. Now his tight spot didn't seem nearly so tight. And that gave him a chance to pause and take a deep breath. "Okay, no big deal. You can handle this, Gallus. It's a puzzle... a puzzle that can squash you if you get it wrong," He told himself. "But you know what to do, right?"
He proceeded to touch several more white lights, creating an opening that grew wider and wider. But every so often he would slip up as his tail would touch one of the purple lights and the walls would contract again. He just barely managed to crawl out through the small opening he'd given himself, and pulled his tail free just before the crystals closed in so tight that the opening ceased to exist. Then Gallus flew away, breathing a sigh of relief. "That was close!"
Smolder tried in vain to get away from the pretty ponies for a little bit longer. But at last her frustration reached its peak. She snorted and blew smoke from her nostrils. "Okay, ladies, you win. I know you're part of that test Headmare Twilight set up for me. So tell me what I have to do, and I'll do it. I'm not afraid of anything."
The first mare simply eyed Smolder and commented. "You sure about that, cutie? Everyone's got something they're afraid of," She turned to the other mare. "It sounds to me like someone here is afraid to ever be seen as cute and adorable. Am I right?"
The second mare only declared. "Or maybe, she's just afraid to admit to herself that she actually likes being cute and adorable."
"She may be a dragon, but she sure is a tomboy," The first mare commented in observation. "A girl who's too afraid to let her girly side show, because she's afraid of what others might think."
"Well that's okay, I'm sure her true friends won't judge her for who she is or what she likes. We certainly won't tell." The second mare said with a wink.
Smolder reluctantly sighed. "Oh, alright, if it's for the test. But let's keep this between ourselves, okay?" Then she cleared her throat, adopting the most polite tone of voice she could muster up under the circumstances. "Ladies, may I have some tea, please?"
"Aw, of course you can, cutie," The first mare replied with a smile. "But not until you're dressed for it. You know what that means."
A short time later, Smolder was dressed up in a fancy dress and even had some make-up over her eyes. She sat at the table with the two mares, sipping tea and giggling to herself. "You know what? This isn't the worst thing that's ever happened to me." She commented to herself.
Poor Yona tried her best not to show how frightened she was of the spiders. After all, she was bigger than them. Though it seemed like the spiders didn't care. "O-okay, spiders," Yona nervously declared while stepping back. "You making Yona angry, and you not want to see yak when yak get angry. Spiders leave Yona alone, right?"
The spiders didn't care, more of them descended in front of Yona who let out a yelp and ran away! "Get away, scary spiders!" She screamed at the top of her lungs! But the spiders won't go away, they kept on chasing her!
"Why spiders? Why it have to be animal Yona no like?" Yona whimpered. "Why can't spiders leave yak alone?"
The spiders only kept on coming, closing in all around Yona. "Ah! Yona need help!" The yak screamed. "Where Yona's friends when Yona need them?! Yona not afraid when friends by her side! Yak not like being alone!"
But then suddenly the spiders stopped in their tracks, they didn't come any closer to Yona. It was as if they were afraid of her. One of them started to chitter, and Yona was somehow able to hear what it was saying. It said something about how Yona's screams frightened it and its kind.
Yona blinked. She couldn't believe this was happening. "Y-Yona no mean to scream so loud," She apologized to the spiders. "Yona love to make new friends. Spiders friends?" She proceed to hold out her hoof.
One of the spiders crawled right up to it as Yona carefully pulled her hoof back, bringing the spider close. "Yona call you Spindle!" She told the spider. "Maybe Yona come back and take Spindle home as pet?"
Then Spindle began to chatter, prompting Yona to pull the spider close. "Wait? What little spider say? Little spider and friends know the way out? Spindle show Yona if Yona follow? Very well, Spindle lead the way!"
Smolder wasn't alone for very long before she found herself in a change of scenery. It looked like the changeling hive the way Ocellus had described it, to an extent anyway. Some details were clearly different.
Suddenly, the dragon's ears heard the distant but growing sound of sobbing. And the sobbing sounded familiar. "Ocellus?" She called. "Are you there?"
"Go away!" Ocellus cried from the distance! "I don't want you or anyone else to see me like this! I'm hideous!"
Smolder wasn't convinced, she continued to fly forward. "Come on, Ocellus. It can't be that bad. I just wanna talk to you so we can get out of here," But as she rounded a corner she was shocked to come face to face with Chrysalis! "Chrysalis?! How did you end up here?! Where's Ocellus?! What have you done with my friend?!"
But the voice of Ocellus cried out from Chrysalis' body! "It's me, Smolder! I told you, I'm hideous!"
"What in the world are you talking about?" Smolder questioned. "How come you look like Chrysalis but sound like yourself? When Chrysalis disguised herself, we couldn't hear her voice at all."
Ocellus explained. "I guess it's a part of what made me feel different from the other changelings. Besides, if we're really stressed or upset, our true voice can slip out," She broke down into tears. "Now I understand what Chrysalis was doing to me all those years ago. She was creating a link, a way to transfer herself to me so that I could continue her legacy."
"So? Just change back," Smolder demanded of her friend. "You've always been able to do that before. Why can't you do it now?"
Ocellus tried to do so right before Smolder's eyes, but her form didn't change at all, it remained Chrysalis. "It's hopeless, Smolder! I'm stuck like this forever!" And she sobbed louder. "Maybe Neighsay was right after all. Maybe the changelings really haven't changed all that much. Maybe my past was so horrible that it's still inside me just waiting to come out again."
Smolder shook her head. "That's just nonsense, Smolder. You've changed! I know you have, and so do you! Besides, when did you care what some blockhead like Neighsay thinks? He doesn't know the changelings more than you do."
But Ocellus just whimpered. "Maybe we really can't change that much, though. Maybe our past always haunts us no matter what we do."
"No, that's not true!" Smolder protested, and then her voice trailed off as she started to say. "I... I sort of..."
Ocellus put a hoof to her ear. "What was that?"
A raging blush broke out across Smolder's cheeks as she loudly proclaimed! "Ugh, this is so lame! I like cute, silly stuff!" Then she explained. "So you see, Ocellus? If even a dragon like me can admit to... that, then that's proof that we can change. Ever since I met you and the others, I've come to realize that I don't necessarily mind being cute sometimes. You know, I was thinking about inviting you to a top secret tea party with me. But if you'd rather stay down here..."
"N-no no!" Ocellus insisted. "I... want to come!" A moment later, the changeling finally morphed back to her original self. "Thanks, Smolder."
The dragon smiled. "Hey, what are friends for? Now come on, we're getting out of here!"
Gallus was flying along through a cave, when suddenly he found himself being tackled in mid-air by Silverstream! He felt a fin be put in front of his face as he was brought to sea level behind a rock!
"What's going on?! What's the big idea, Silverstream?" Gallus questioned the seapony.
But Silverstream only shushed Gallus again. "Not so loudly, the Storm King will hear you. He hears everything!"
"What are you talking about?" Gallus questioned further. "The Storm King's long gone and he's never coming back! It's probably just your imagination, Silverstream."
Silverstream was anything but convinced. "It's not, I know it's not! I know he's real, I can feel it! We thought we were rid of him, but we were wrong!" She whimpered as she clutched a fin close to her heart. "I'm never gonna see another sunset or fly through a cloud bank or study plumbing or do anything of those cool things! He's gonna take away everything that I love! I'm gonna be trapped down here forever!"
The griffon immediately confessed. "I know what that feels like. I'm afraid of being trapped too."
"Really? You're afraid?" The seapony replied. "But I thought griffons were always fearless."
Gallus shook his head. "It's just an act, there's a lot that scares me. But nothing scares me more than being trapped in tight spaces," Then he explained to his friend. "I was stuck in a room that kept shrinking. But I realized I had to face my fear, and I found the way out," He promptly deduced. "I'll bet this is your test, Silverstream. You've got to face your fear if you wanna get out of here!"
Silverstream gulped. "But the Storm King might hurt me, just like he'll hurt anyone who opposes him."
"He can't hurt you on my watch! I'll make him regret it in an instant!" Gallus vowed. "Now go on, tell that overgrown beast what you really think of him."
Silverstream gulped as she turned into a hippogriff. "H-hey, Storm King!" She called out.
The shadow of the Storm King turned to look at Silverstream. "Ah, so you've finally stopped hiding."
"Y-yeah," Silverstream tried not to whimper. "Because... we're done fearing you! We'll never let you control us again, Storm King! And do you know why?"
"Not really, but I could use a good laugh." The Storm King's shadow shrugged its shoulders.
Silverstream plucked up courage, swallowing a lump in her throat. "Because you're just a big, ugly... bully! There, I said it! You're a bully! You're not even a real king, you just pretend to be one because you think it makes you sound important! But it doesn't! Together, we hippogriffs learned that we're stronger than you, and try as you might you can't get rid of us! And guess what, your phoniness? Now I've got friends, something you'll never have! And unlike you, I don't need to control them with fear! You don't even deserve to linger in my mind, you're a bad memory that I don't need anymore!"
"Insolent child!" The Storm King's shadow snapped. "How dare you defy me like this! Maybe I need to teach you a lesson!"
But Silverstream only roared! "No, Storm King! It's you who needs to learn the lesson! You can rule with fear all you want, but when others stop fearing you you'll lose power much faster than you would've otherwise!" And just like, the Storm King's shadow vanished, never to be seen again.
Gallus had watched the whole thing, and he clapped his paws in approval. "Very well done, Silverstream."
Silverstream rushed over and tackled Gallus into a hug. "Ooh! I sure told him, didn't I?!"
Gallus nodded and tried not to blush. "Y-yeah, you sure did. But let's focus on getting out of this cave, shall we?"
Sandbar still hadn't seen any of his friends as Rarity and Rainbow Dash led him along. And as time passed he grew more and more worried about the whereabouts of said friends. "Professors," He finally spoke up. "We need to stop. I have to find my friends!"
"Look, Sandbar, the other creatures can take care of themselves," Rainbow insisted. "We didn't come all this way just to be told you didn't want to be rescued."
Rarity added. "It was certainly nice of you to try and befriend those other creatures, but for once you need to think about yourself. This is your big chance. Do you really wanna blow it to play the hero for your friends?"
Rainbow chimed in. "Where are your loyalties, Sandbar? It's us or your friends. And it's time you decided who matters most!"
That caused Sandbar to stop in his tracks, he couldn't believe what he'd just heard! "How could you?! How could you say such horrible things?! All my life I've looked up to you girls, wanted to be just like you! And now that I finally made friends, you want me to throw them all away to please you?"
Rarity simply scoffed. "Really, darling? You're going to insist on siding with your friends at a time like this? Such a disappointment."
But Sandbar felt something rise inside of him as he stomped a hoof down. "Well it doesn't matter to me. I didn't get to where I am by turning my back on my friends when they needed me most. So it doesn't matter if you say I'm a disappointment, because I know you're not the real Rarity and Rainbow Dash. And you disappoint me!" Just as he spoke those words, Rarity and Rainbow Dash disappeared completely.
Unbeknownst to Sandbar, his friends had all gathered and caught up to him. And they had heard everything. "Did you actually just tell our professors you were disappointed in them?" Silverstream questioned the colt.
Sandbar shook his head. "They weren't actually our professors. Besides, I'd never let them or anypony get between my friends and I!"
Smolder simply commented. "Well that's nice and all, but can we please get out of here?"
The six students, now reunited, raced back to the cave entrance. They saw what appeared to be some kind of vent, but it was blocked off by a series of crystal branches.
Suddenly, the ominous wind from before blew once again. And the glowing projection of Twilight Sparkle appeared before them in all its glory. "You have all passed your tests. Good. I believed you would." It told them.
"Enough talk! Who are you?!" Sandbar questioned. "You're not Headmare Twilight, are you?!" To which the projection shook its head.
Ocellus let out a gasp! "You're the Tree of Harmony! You took on this form so you could speak to us!"
The Tree of Harmony nodded. "Correct. I knew that you six possessed the power to defeat Chrysalis. But not until you learned how to act one. In order to do so, your bonds of friendship had to be tested. I wanted to see how you would fare if push came to shove, and each of you passed with flying colors."
Gallus gulped. "Uh, so what if one of us had failed? What would've happened then?"
The Tree of Harmony explained. "I would not allow harm to come to any innocent creatures. Had you failed you would have been returned to the school with no memory of this encounter. It would be as if you went to sleep and suddenly woke up," Then it added. "However, had I told you from the start you would not have had the courage to overcome your struggles and help each other out."
"So, we're ready to take on Chrysalis, then?" Smolder asked, hopefully.
The Tree of Harmony shook its head. "Not quite, there is still one thing you have yet to do. One pony who could help you is currently at Chrysalis' mercy. You must free him and show him that he is wrong."
"Chancellor Neighsay?" Sandbar questioned. "You really think he'll listen?"
"He has already been deposed by Chrysalis. If you do not hurry, it will be too late," The Tree of Harmony warned. "His help will be needed to ensure Chrysalis does not escape again," Then it began to shudder violently. "My time grows short. As promised, I will let you all pass back to the school. Hurry and rescue the chancellor! Then you can take down Chrysalis." And just like that, another blinding flash came and the students were whisked away again!
The Cutie Mark Crusaders were just wondering what they were going to do now that Neighsay had been deposed, when a blinding flash made them all shield their eyes!
The flash faded as quickly as it had arrived, and the four fillies were greeted by the presence of the six students all together!
"What the hay was with that flash?" Apple Bloom questioned. "And where in tarnation did you all disappear to?"
"There's no time to explain, where's Chancellor Neighsay?!" Sandbar frantically insisted.
Diamond Tiara gulped. "I'm sorry, we were too late. Chrysalis got to him first. He's been deposed."
"Yeah, we know," Smolder grumbled. "Long story, don't really have time to explain. But we need to talk to Neighsay, he's our only option."
Scootaloo blinked and rubbed her eyes. "Are you out of your mind?! You think Neighsay will listen to anything you have to say?!"
Sandbar reluctantly confessed. "Maybe not, but he's the only one who contact the princesses and get help. We at least need to get that magical medallion he has around his neck."
"Good luck getting it with Chrysalis around," Sweetie Belle commented. "She's used Cozy Glow to get the entire school to rally around her. They think she should be in charge."
"Then it looks like we need a new plan." Ocellus suggested.
Sandbar shook his head. "No, the old plan will still work. We just need to keep Chrysalis distracted until Neighsay is freed."
Apple Bloom reluctantly spoke up. "Well, if it's a distraction y'all want I guess the Cutie Mark Crusaders can fill the role."
Chrysalis (as Cozy Glow) had decided to keep Neighsay locked up in the headmare's office. It seemed like a fitting place for the chancellor to be held.
Cozy Glow couldn't help but smirk the whole time. "Tight enough for you, Chancellor? Wouldn't want you to break free and spoil all my fun."
Neighsay groaned, struggling in vain to break free of the chains. He suddenly had a new perspective on the very students he'd treated so poorly the night before. "Why are you doing this?" He demanded of the filly, unaware of her true nature. "I thought you just wanted someone to take over the school? Someone like me."
Cozy looked around, scanning to see if anyone was around. When she was certain there wasn't her eyes glowed a sickly green as she dropped her disguise. "Because you see, Chancellor, you're not dealing with an ordinary little filly. You're not even dealing with a pony."
Neighsay gasped! "I should've known! No wonder you were so secretive about your family, you had none! Cozy Glow was your disguise!"
Chrysalis smirked as she trotted close to Neighsay, poking at his robe with a hoof. "Ooh! Look at the big brain on you, oh Chancellor!" The last part of her sentence was dripping with venom and malice. "You're not the only one who can change the terms of the deal. I should've known you wouldn't be content just having Twilight Sparkle out of the way."
"If I'd known your true nature, I never would've accepted your offer, fiend!" Neighsay growled. "You're the real culprit behind all of this, aren't you?!"
"And what if I am?" Chrysalis teased. "What are you going to do about it? You have no magic, and nopony is going to believe you now. For you see, when you decided to make yourself the new headstallion, you made one fatal mistake: You took away what was rightfully mine! And if there's one thing I can't stand, it's those who dare to betray me!" A maniacal laugh could be heard in her echoy tone as she continued to taunt the powerless chancellor. "You ponies will soon learn the hard way what I learned long ago. Friendship is meaningless: It's better to be feared than to be loved. And once I've taken away all the magic of Equestria, not even your precious 'friendship' will be able to save you. Then I'll crush all who dare to oppose me. And all will learn to rue the name, Chrysalis!"
Neighsay just gulped, unable to say anything else.
Chrysalis just laughed, before she transformed back into Cozy Glow. "Well, I've got to go now. It's almost time for my coronation. But I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of each other. You can just stay there until I think about what to do with you." And she left the headmare office's seconds later, giggling to herself at how easy everything seemed to be.
That was when the Crusaders made their move. They approached the disguised filly, innocently striking up a conversation as if they had no idea of who she really was. "Hey, Cozy, what's so funny?"
"Huh? Oh... uh, nothing... nothing," Cozy quickly insisted and eyed the approaching Crusaders. "What do you want?"
Diamond Tiara stepped forward. "Well, Mother always taught me the importance of making the right connections. And you seem like a pony who's on her way to bigger and better things. If she were here, I'm sure my mother would want me to befriend you. And as much as I may hate my mother's influence, I won't deny she has a point."
"And since Diamond Tiara's one of us, we figured that if she's gonna be your friend the three of us might as well do the same." Apple Bloom explained, pointing a hoof in turn to herself, Sweetie Belle, and finally Scootaloo.
"Is there anything we can do to help you? You know, as a way of thanks for getting rid of that no good Neighsay?" Sweetie Belle offered. "Or we could just hang out together."
Cozy reluctantly replied. "Oh, very well. I guess it can't hurt to make more friends. I don't suppose any of you know about the magic theft or who's behind it, do you?"
Apple Bloom shook her head, as did the other fillies. "Sorry, ain't see hide or hair of the culprit. But I'm sure they'll reveal themselves, and Twilight and her friends will save the day."
"They always do, even when things look their bleakest." Scootaloo innocently commented.
Under her breath, Cozy muttered to herself. "Not this time."
Meanwhile, the six students took advantage of Cozy's distraction to slip into the headmare's office undetected. They quickly spotted Chancellor Neighsay, tied up in the chair usually reserved for the headmare of the school.
Neighsay spun around to eye the six creatures. His mood sank. "Oh, it's you," He unhappily commented. "I'm not even going to bother asking how you escaped, it won't do me any good at this point. Surely, you've come to gloat. To mock me and get your laughs in while you still can. Go ahead, do whatever you want to me. I don't care."
"Well actually, Chancellor," Silverstream commented with a smile. "We didn't come here to gloat. We came here to free you from those chains."
"Really? But... but why? After how horrible I treated you six?" Neighsay questioned.
"Chancellor rotten, nasty pony. But now that he meet even nastier creature, maybe pony learn not to be so nasty," Yona explained. "Now pony hold still, let yak free pony."
"Besides," Smolder chimed in. "As Dragon Lord Ember would say: 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend'."
Neighsay found it hard not to wiggle as Yona trotted right up to him with her sharp horns. She could've easily gored him with them if she wanted to. But instead she used them as a lock pick, finally producing a clicking sound as the chains fell from the stallion's waist.
Sandbar spoke up once the chancellor was freed. "Neighsay, you've got to help us stop Chrysalis! She's draining all the magic in Equestria, and if we don't stop her by sundown it'll be too late!"
Neighsay only sighed. "I wish I had known sooner. Alas, I fear it is too late even for me."
"No way!" Gallus insisted as he put his paws together! "We're not giving up without a fight! We'll put that overgrown bug in her place!"
But the stallion shook his head as he looked down at the floor towards his medallion. "No. You six are powerful, I'll give you that. But even with your combined strength it won't be enough. Chrysalis has already eluded capture twice, and she'll do so again. You'd need an army to stop her for good."
"But without magic it'll take forever to get the word out to anypony." Sandbar commented with concern.
Neighsay picked up his medallion, putting it back on his robe near his chest. "It's true that unicorns have lost their ability to cast spells, but the most potent magic in Equestria is housed in our... artifacts. The EEA medallion allows me to travel throughout all of Equestria at a moment's notice. Its magic worked when Chrysalis chained you up last night. Perhaps it still has enough to send me to the princesses."
And indeed it did. The medallion was able to conjure up a portal to Canterlot, which Neighsay proceeded to trot through. "Don't wait for me to show up. Even if I alert the princesses it will take hours to reach you. Do whatever you can to prevent our magic from disappearing forever. You six are our last hope, much as it pains me to say it." Then he disappeared and the portal vanished behind him.
"Well, now what?" Gallus questioned.
Smolder growled. "What do you think, feathers for brains? We're not gonna sit here and hold claws and hooves while we think happy thoughts. We've got to warn our professors while we still can!"
The six students didn't have to wait long to run into their professors. Pinkie Pie happened to bump into them just as they left the headmare's office. "Hey! Have you all been playing hide and go seek today?! We've been trying to find you for hours!"
"Professor Pinkie Pie, we weren't playing," Silverstream protested. "Please, you have to believe us. Cozy Glow isn't who she says she is. She's really the evil Chrysalis, and we have to stop her before it's too late!"
Pinkie didn't giggle like the students expected her to do. She was surprisingly serious for once. "I like to laugh as much as anyone else. But there comes a time when the laughter has to stop," She told them. "For once, even I'm stuck without a joke to crack."
"But Professor, we're serious! You have to believe us!" Sandbar desperately pleaded! "We don't have much time left! You need to notify the other professors so we can stop Chrysalis!"
Pinkie shook her head. "I don't know why you brought up Chrysalis. It's not like she's Cozy Glow in disguise, because that would mean there's a real Cozy Glow imprisoned somewhere."
"There is no Cozy Glow," Ocellus commented. "Please, you have to believe us! We're not making this up!" Then she got an idea! "The library! There's a vent in the library that leads to some catacombs! That's where Chrysalis is holding Counselor Starlight captive, and where she's keeping all the magic!"
"Gee, that was awfully specific," Pinkie pondered. "How do I know you're not making this up?"
"Please, just round up the other professors and tell them to meet us in the library! I promise, everything will make sense!" Sandbar pleaded. "With Headmare Twilight gone, we're the only ones left who can stop Chrysalis!"
The pink party pony paused for but a moment. "Well... I guess I can try to talk to the others. But this better be good. I'll try to laugh along with you either way, but it won't look good if you're playing games at a time like this." She bounced away to warn her friends.
Unfortunately, that bouncing caught the attention of Chrysalis. When she saw Pinkie bouncing away, she quickly looked back at the Crusaders and realized that she'd been had! "No! I won't be cheated out of what's rightfully mine!" She vowed, shedding her disguise! Then she used her magic to throw the fillies into a nearby broom closet! "Since you're allying yourselves with those students, you can just stay in here! Be thankful I don't make you suffer the same fate as Starlight or Neighsay." She slammed the door shut on them and quickly departed!
Apple Bloom sighed, kicking a bucket. "Well, I guess that's that then. We did our best, but it's up to those six students now."
But Diamond Tiara shook her head, rushing over to the nearby window. "No way! We're the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders don't give in!"
"Face it, Diamond Tiara. It's hopeless, there's no way out of here." Scootaloo commented.
Diamond just grinned. "Not if I can help it. I'll be darned if I didn't pick up a thing or two in the art of escape after Mother kept grounding me for hanging with you girls all the time. We're not beaten yet, we're just getting started!"
Twilight wasn't aware of anything that was going on back in Ponyville, but she did know that she had been trapped in Tartarus for a very long time. She'd tried everything to get the gates to open, but nothing worked.
"Come on, come on! There's got to be a way out!" Twilight said to herself, all but pounding on the door that refused to open.
Tirek simply called back. "It's hopeless, princess. Just give up already! If Chrysalis has followed my instructions to the letter, then by sunset tonight, every last vestige of Equestrian magic will disappear forever!"
It was then that Twilight got an idea. She'd been observing all the strange creatures within Tartarus, and how they didn't seem to be affected by the magic drain that was going on. In between her many escape attempts (which had all failed) the princess had begun to wonder about something. What if there was some way to get the magic from those creatures, temporarily? Would it be enough to power up her horn and open the gates?
Well, in order for her plan to work she would need the magic of every creature in Tartarus. And there was one creature she knew would need convincing. Fortunately, a smirk formed on her face as she started to realize just how that might be possible. "That's an excellent plan, Tirek. Or rather it would be, if you hadn't overlooked one not so small detail."
Tirek spun around, glaring at the princess. "And what would that be? What could I have possibly failed to consider?"
Twilight's smirk grew wider. "Well, think about it, Tirek. If all the magic from Equestria disappears, then that means I'm stuck here with you."
"Exactly, just as I planned from the beginning!" Tirek gloated. "My most hated enemy is trapped in the one place she can't escape, so she gets to experience exactly the same torment she's put me through!"
"Except I'll be stuck here forever," Twilight went on. "Everyday for all eternity!"
Tirek gulped. "Uhhhh... I hadn't thought of it like that," He quickly tried to save face. "But it'll be worth it to see you slowly driven mad."
"Assuming I don't drive you mad first," The alicorn grinned as she trotted up to Tirek. "I haven't been hanging around Pinkie Pie all those years for nothing, you know. And I've learned a few of her methods. Would you like me to demonstrate?"
But the centaur growled and threw up his arms. "No, NO! Please, anything but that!" He started banging his arms against the bars of his cage! "Curses! I can't win against you ponies no matter what I do! Fine, you win! Get out of this accursed place, if you can!"
"Then you won't mind if I borrow some of your magic?" Twilight questioned. "Much as I might like to hold onto it, I'm not a hoarder like you."
Tirek reluctantly consented. "Oh fine, take my magic for the good it'll do you! You're still too late to stop Chrysalis!"
Twilight simply turned back to Tirek. "We'll see about that," She told him, before she gave a whistle. "Okay, everyone. Now's your chance to potentially have your sentences reduced. You know what I want." As soon as she'd finished speaking, huge amounts of magic surged into her horn, almost overwhelming her!
The alicorn shot the powerful magic coursing through her veins into the door, prompting it swing wide open! She quickly rushed through it, not wanting to wait! The door slammed shut the moment she was on the other side of it!
Discord was waiting outside, and he couldn't believe it when he saw Twilight come running up to him! "No time to explain!" She told him as she shot a beam of magic at him! "Take this! Do you think you can get me back to the school before sundown?"
"The School of Friendship? It's a pretty big jump, and even with the power boost it'll take everything I've got," Discord warned. "You sure picked a heck of a time to take a vacation."
"I didn't plan to get stuck there for so long. But Tirek was more of a help than we might have realized," Twilight declared. "Now come on, time's almost up!"
The spirit pulled Twilight close. "Alright, princess. But this is gonna be dicey, no guarantees." A loud pop and a flash signified the departure of the two from the entrance to Tartarus.
Despite Chrysalis catching on to the ruse, the six students were able to get enough of a head start on her to elude her as they ducked into the library! Their professors were already there, waiting for them.
"This better be good, we're talkin' about a crisis even bigger than anythin' we've faced before!" Applejack warned.
"You know where Starlight Glimmer is?" Fluttershy questioned the students.
Sandbar nodded. "Just follow us, hurry!"
The students led their professors to the back of the library, through the air duct, and deep into the crystal catacombs. They soon reached the clearing where Starlight was held prisoner inside the magic bubble. The vortex seemed to be swirling more ominously than it had before, a reflection of how little time there was left to stop what was happening!
"Well fancy that, they were tellin' the truth after all." Applejack commented in amazement.
"Okay, so we found the source of the magic drain. Now how do we stop it?" Rainbow Dash questioned. "Anyone got any ideas?"
Starlight spoke up. "You'll have to pull the objects out, it's the only thing I can think of that'll cancel the spell! Please, you must hurry, Chrysalis will be here any minute!"
But as Ocellus eyed the objects she commented. "But if we take away the objects, we could create a magical feedback loop that could destroy the entire school!"
"We don't have any other choice, there's no time to come up with another plan!" Starlight insisted. "Quickly, before Chrysalis comes back!"
"You fools!" The voice of Chrysalis hissed, quickly revealing the changeling in all her evil glory. "It's already too late! The magic is almost gone for good! I didn't come all this way just to be defeated by the likes of you."
Rainbow Dash only growled. "You and what army, Chrysalis? You don't have any servants left to do your bidding."
But Chrysalis smirked. "Oh, I don't know about that," She lit up her horn, revealing a mass of brainwashed ponies that were pushing back against the Cutie Mark Crusaders. "Boy were you dumb to let your most hated enemy in on the secrets of your success."
"Don't worry about us!" Diamond Tiara called as she tried in vain to hold back the crowd! "Stop Chrysalis no matter what it takes! You can't let her win!"
"Hurry, big sis!" Apple Bloom pleaded. "Before it's too late!"
"But without Twilight, we're not gonna be able to do anything." Fluttershy nervously commented.
Rarity concured. "It'll be up to our students, they'll have to use the artifacts that are tied to their species."
Just then, however, Twilight appeared with a loud pop. "Looks like I got here just in time!" She declared, briefly eyeing Chrysalis as she told the changeling. "I won't allow you to defile my school with your presence!"
"It's too late, princess!" Chrysalis hissed again and gave the order to her mind controlled ponies. "Stop them all costs!"
Thinking quickly, Twilight used what magic she had left in her to throw up a shield. Then she turned to her friends and her students. "Quickly, we must use them in pairs! Each student take the artifact from your tribe!"
The students did so, and one by one as they grabbed them they began to glow. The glows took on particularly noticeable colors. Gallus glowed pink, Silverstream glowed blue, Sandbar glowed red, Smolder glowed purple, Ocellus glowed orange, and Yona glowed yellow. It didn't take a genius to figure out what the colors meant.
So Twilight rushed to help Gallus wield the Crown of Grover. Pinkie Pie aided Silverstream with the the Amulet of Aurora. Rainbow Dash flew over to aid Sandbar with Clover the Clever's Cloak. Rarity joined Smolder in wielding Knuckerbocker's Shell. Applejack and Ocellus worked together to use the Talisman of Mirage. And Fluttershy and Yona teamed up to control the Helm of Yksler. "Ready?!" Twilight called, and her friends and students nodded. "Now!" They all said together!
Magic began to surge ominously as the twelve were lifted into the air! Chrysalis realized at once what was happening! "Nooooooo!" She bellowed at the top of her lungs! "This can't be happening! I was so close to finally ruling all!"
A deafening boom shook the ground beneath the school as the colors of the rainbow started to flash in the catacombs! There was indeed a magical feedback loop, but the school was thankfully not destroyed completely (though the top half of it was blown off!).
All over Equestria, ponies suddenly felt something wash over them and the next thing they knew their magic was fully restored. Neighsay and the princesses, along with the royal guards, took advantage of the opportunity to teleport to Ponyville!
When the dust settled, Starlight was freed from her bubble and the glow surrounding the students had faded completely. Yona was the first one to bounce over to the liberated unicorn. "Counselor Starlight!" She happily cheered.
Starlight quickly used her magic to halt Yona in her tracks, before she would've become the next victim of the yak's crushing hugs. "It's good to see you again too, Yona. Thanks for all you and your friends did."
Spike flew close to Twilight, hugging her! "Oh, I'm so glad you're okay! I thought for sure I'd never see you again!" He buried his face into her chest, sobbing heavily.
Twilight just lightly stroked Spike's scales. "Sorry to make you worry, Spike. Thanks for being such a big boy for your mom. I promise, the next time I embark on a life threatening adventure, I'm taking you with me."
Meanwhile, Fluttershy commented. "Does anyone know what happened to Chrysalis? Do you think she survived?"
"I have a feeling she did, and that we haven't seen the last of her," Starlight nervously commented. "And if my hunch is right, she should be popping right about... now."
As if on cue, Chrysalis poked her head up from beneath some of the rubble from the destruction of the school's upper half! Her hold over the ponies had faded completely! "You pathetic fools! I'm still standing!" She hissed again. "You may have won this time, but I will have my revenge one of these days!"
But as Chrysalis turned to flee, she suddenly found her path blocked off by Celestia, Luna, and Cadence. Then Shining Armor. And then even the royal guards and the pillars. Every possible escape route was blocked off. And when she tried to light up her horn, she found that she had no magic left to call upon. "This is... this is impossible!"
Twilight simply declared. "Face it, Chrysalis. It's all over! You're not getting away again!"
The beaten changeling growled as she looked around. "Curses! To come so close, only to fail! Why couldn't you ever let me win?!"
"Because as long as evil forces like you exist, there will always be those who stand ready to oppose you!" Starswirl the Bearded declared. "That is the true power of harmony that you have long denied!"
"Darn it! Darn it all!" Chrysalis roared in defiance, slamming her hooves into the ground. "Well, that's it then," She turned to Twilight. "Go ahead, finish me! You know you wanna."
All eyes fell upon Twilight as the alicorn approached the disgraced former queen, now beaten and at the mercy of Equestria's youngest princess. She took a good long look at Chrysalis, and told the changeling. "No, Chrysalis. I won't do it. That would be the easy way out. Even a monster like you doesn't deserve that."
"Ha, you weak minded fool!" Chrysalis sneered. "I knew you didn't have the guts!"
Twilight threw up a hoof. "I'm not done, Chrysalis. You're still going to be punished for what you've done," She then added. "There's a place in Equestria, even for irredeemable monsters like you," With a smile she turned to Princess Luna. "I believe you can take it from here, Luna."
The night princess grinned as she approached Chrysalis. "Thank you, Twilight," Then with a smirk she declared. "Guards, take this prisoner away! Ensure there is a cell within Tartarus for her and see to it that her key is thrown away."
Twilight was quick to add. "And Chrysalis, when you get to Tartarus, be sure to say hello to Tirek for me."
"No! Not Tartarus! I don't belong in that horrid place!" Chrysalis insisted as she was carried away.
A few weeks later, the School of Friendship was repaired and classes resumed with little fanfare. But miles away in Canterlot, a new development was unfolding for a pony who had brought Equestria to the brink of collapse, albeit without knowing the role he was playing.
Chancellor Neighsay stood before members of the EEA with a glum and somber look upon his face. The words he spoke next had been on his mind for a long time. "I know that nothing I say or do can even begin to make up for my actions. I know that I've caused considerable, perhaps irreparable damage to the EEA's reputation. I treated creatures... no, non-ponies like they were inferior and beneath notice. I even assumed I knew better than the Princess of Friendship herself and tried to send her away forever. As such, I allowed myself to be mislead by an enemy bent on bringing Equestria to its knees. And while I did play a role in ensuring her capture, I know it does not make up for the horrible things I did while claiming to be part of the EEA," He paused considerably, before finally continuing. "That is why, effective immediately, I hereby resign my post as head of the EEA. I'm Chancellor no longer, simply Neighsay." And with that he took off his medallion, setting it down on a desk as he turned and trotted away, rather than wait for any kind of reply.
Needing some time to think, Neighsay went out for a walk. It wasn't long before his thoughts turned to the repaired School of Friendship. And the six students who had given him a second chance that in his mind was not deserved. "Have they already graduated? Or are they still taking classes?" He thought to himself. His curiosity getting the better of him, he decided to teleport to the school.
But upon arriving, Neighsay was overcome with guilt for the role he'd played in nearly destroying it and Equestria. He couldn't bear to look anyone there in the eye. So he retreated to a rock on a hill overlooking the nearby pond.
The stallion was not alone for long. "Chancellor Neighsay?" A voice called. Neighsay turned to see the six students he'd once despised looking at him.
Gallus was the first one to speak up. "What are you doing here, Chancellor? Don't you have to be inspecting schools in Equestria or something?"
"Or maybe you're here to enroll in classes?" Sandbar suggested. "I think Headmare Twilight could make an exception just this once."
But Neighsay shook his head as he confessed. "I'm no longer a chancellor. That title belongs to my inevitable successor. I couldn't live with the guilt over how I'd treated you six, how badly I mismanaged Princess Twilight's school in her absence. So rather than inevitably be fired, I chose to resign. From this moment onward, I am simply Neighsay."
A series of collective gasps escaped the six students' mouths! It was Yona who first spoke up afterward. "Chancellor pony quit being chancellor?"
Neighsay reluctantly nodded his head. "It's what I deserved. Resigning at least means the EEA can move on without me, as can the rest of Equestria," He sighed and turned his head. "I know I can't hope to ask you six to forgive me, especially not so soon after everything that happened. Just forget you ever saw me and go back to your classes. I just want to be alone with my thoughts."
However, Sandbar trotted up to the ex-chancellor as he told the stallion. "Well I don't know if I can vouch for everyone here, but Headmare Twilight always told us that everyone deserves at least a second chance. No matter how vile they might be. Because that's what friendship is all about."
Smolder sighed. "Yeah, what Sandbar said. I mean, sure. You were kind of rotten, and you wrongfully imprisoned us for something we didn't do."
"Smolder, you're not helping!" Ocellus scolded.
Smolder massaged the back of her neck with a claw. "Sorry, I'm not the greatest at these kind of sappy speeches. That's not really a dragon thing. I mean, I'm trying to work on it and I think I'm getting better. But it hasn't been nearly that long since we all started coming here."
Ocellus was quick to change the subject. "You were a big help in ensuring Chrysalis didn't get away. It's not just ponies who owe you a great debt of thanks. Even Thorax thinks you're worth praising."
"Chancellor pony help to catch nasty changeling pretending to be pony!" Yona eagerly commented. "And because of that, chancellor pony become better pony than he was before!"
Neighsay seemed to be moved ever so slightly by the display of warm affection from the students. "You... really think that? Even after all I said and did?"
"Well, yeah! No one's perfect," Gallus replied to Neighsay. "Now stop looking so glum, dude. So you messed up, it happens all the time. If you're truly sorry for what you've done, you've just gotta work extra hard to make up for it."
Silverstream then commented. "And maybe you need a couple of new friends to help you out. It's never too late to start over. We're living proof of that."
Neighsay was silent for several minutes as his eyes gazed down at his own reflection. But just before the students prepared to leave he broke the silence and said to them. "I... would appreciate that. Friends?"
"Friends!" The other students cheered.
And Silverstream then cried out! "You know what this calls for, right?! Hugs!"
Neighsay suddenly flinched and tensed up as the students all huddled close to him. "N-no! There's really no need for any of that, please..." He pleaded. But after a moment he found that any will to leave the hug had left him completely. It felt warm, inviting, and most of all forgiving.
Unknown to either the ex-chancellor or the students, Twilight and the others were watching the whole thing from afar. "Aw, how sweet!" Pinkie Pie cheerfully commented. "They've really learned a lot since they came here, haven't they?"
Twilight nodded. "And that's partially because we've been such good teachers. I know this school had its problems, but I think we've really made a difference. Not just in the lives of those six, but in the lives of countless others." And everyone nodded in agreement. |
Fallout Equestria: Return of the Guardian of Equis | pre | "He's where we're headin'." Calamity answers as we round a corner. I nodded as we then entered a room that Steel Hooves was waiting in.
"Good, You're here." The armored ghoul says as the four of us entered the room.
"Yes, and we have good news. We're moving out now." I say as I look over my new armor.
"Guard, get word to General Night Feather that we are to be heading to..." I say as I look to Little Pip.
"Canterlot." She says with a nod.
"Get word to General Night Feather to make way to Canterlot as swiftly as possible." I tell the Pegasus that followed us.
"As you say Prince." He says
"All righty then, since ya didn't specify on the type of armor that ya wanted, we made ya a set of medium enclave armor that match your natural colors rather well. Steel Hooves here will teach ya how to use power armor, as ah doubt that ya'll have ever worn it before.
"It looks rather flimsy. What is it made from?" I ask them as I look over the set of armor that they had made me.
The armor that was in front of me had a partial helmet that has a sliding visor. The weapons that were hooked to the sides were constantly glowing with magic, telling me that they are energy weapons.
The entire set was white with dark blue accents, the colors that Night Feather had chosen for the Revived Equestrian Crown.
"It is made from Obstinatium, and will take more than three hits from the main guns of a Pegasus enclave raptor. But just because it can, doesn't mean you should go looking to get hit." Steel Hooves says as I circle the armor, and see that there was a place for my crown to be locked onto the helmet, and that it still has elements of royal armor regalia.
"All right, how am I to use this Steel Hooves?" I ask the armor ghoul that helped make the armor.
"Okay, you may what to sit down, for this may take a while." He starts before sitting his steel haunches down on the floor.
"When using any kind of power armor you let the armor bear the weight of your equipment..." Steel Hooves says as he explains to me how to use magic enhanced power armor.
"... and that is how you use power armor without injuring or killing yourself." He finishes about twenty minutes later.
"I see, and I can also see why this was important, but now is it time to adorn my new regalia?" I ask the steel covered ghoul pony.
"Yea, that seems like a waste of time since the enclave armor has a few more safety features, but I think the prince is right. Its time to suit 'im up." Calamity says as we feel the thunderhead's main engines, the black thunderclouds, rumble to life once more.
"Well, we're on our way to Canterlot, and we're finally moving to heal Equestria again." I say as my magic takes a hold of the armor before me, and I start to put it on with the help of the three ponies in the room. The whole process took ten minutes to finish, but after my armor was finally on my form, I smiled like a grizzly bear that had caught a fish.
"Thank you for making me new improved armor you two. Maybe now I can finally keep the promises I made so long ago." I say to the two soldier like stallions.
"Ah shucks, wasn't a problem Prince." Calamity answers before I exit the room, making my way back up to the bridge. I noticed that Little Pip was following me.
"Prince, can I ask you something?" The young mare asks me.
"Yes, you can." I answer her. We enter the elevator, and I press the button for the bridge.
"Is there a way to bring a pony back to life?" She asks me. I look down to the young unicorn with my brow furrowed.
"Yes, there is a way to do such a thing, but I am curious as to why you wish to know." I answer her as the elevator lifts us up through the levels of the Alicorn Blade.
"Well, it's just that the last time I was in Canterlot, I found the bones of Princess Luna." She tells me. I didn't hear the next part of her reasoning as my anger blocked out all of my senses.
"What happened to her remains?" I ask in a quiet low growl.
"I-I b-b-burned them." She answers in fear. I smile lightly before sighing in relief.
"Good, that makes my job easier." I say to her as my body starts to shift.
"W-w-what are you g-g-going to d-do?" She asks me.
"I'm going to need three dead foals and the ashes of Luna's bones so I can bring her back." I say before the doors to the elevator open to the bridge. My body was normal again, but I was enraged on the inside.
"Night Feather, I need a high speed vehicle, and I need it for a few hours." I say to the General that was sitting in my chair.
"Of course Prince." She answers before speaking into her headset.
"Hangar Crew, ready one of the Thundernovas for the Prince." After a few seconds Night Feather nods to me before looking to the guard that had escorted me before, and nodding again.
"Right this way Prince." The guard says before opening the other elevator to the bridge, and letting me and Little Pip on.
"Um, Prince..." Little Pip starts before trailing off.
"No, I will be going in alone." I tell her as the doors opened.
"But what about-" I cut her off with a stomp of my front hoof.
"I will be going alone this time. This is not up for discussion Little Pip. The magic I am going to use may very well bring Luna back, but it may also destroy half of Canterlot." I tell her as the guard leads us to a rather intriguing machine.
"Alright Prince, there is a training program on the computer inside of this lovely aircraft, so It shouldn't be too hard for you to learn. It may be a tight fit because of your size, but you should be fine." The guard says as the pilot's spot in the machine opens to show the inside.
It looks rather cramped inside, but seems easy enough to fly.
"Thank you, and tell General Feather that she is to guard Canterlot from any outside threats." I say as I slowly climb into the very sharp advanced flying vehicle.
"Yes your majesty." The Pegasus says before I press a button to close the cockpit.
"New username input." Says a simulated voice softly in my ears. This simulated voice was also very familiar, but I can't remember why or who it reminds me of.
The voice repeats it's previous statement. The screen in front of me is displaying a microphone symbol. It's a feminine voice, and sounds almost like a mentor or teacher.
"Prince Artermis." I say aloud in my normal voice before it could repeat the request again.
"Welcome, Prince Artermis. Initiate first flight training program?" The machine asks me.
"Yes." I answered. I see a few lines of text appear on the screen.
[Strap in.] I did so and let my mind wander to who I knew that was very studious, knowledgeable, and kind. As I did this I read the new line of text.
[Place hooves, and wings on control surfaces designated by your EFS glow.] I placed my limbs onto the various glowing surfaces that my eyes forward sparkle designated as controls to the aircraft.
"Please sit still while this Thundernova synchronizes with your power armor to be able to control the craft efficiently." The machine tells me. I do as it says as feel a few things plug into my armor.
My E.F.S. places a 'heads up display' that shows what was around the Thundernova.
"Please go through the pre-flight checklist." The computer tells me. My EFS blinks the screen in front of me, and I read the new text on it.
[Flaps: controlled by placement.] I looked over to each of my wings, and pivot them around. The Thundernova's flaps twitched and moved in different directions.
My EFS pulls my attention back to the screen. The flaps text line was checked off to the left of it before the text slides upwards, and is replaced with: [Engines: controlled by forward position of pilot's head.]
I blink before moving my head to point slightly down, and hear the engines on the aircraft rumble to life.
"Pre-flight check complete, please use your hooves to taxi out onto the runway. Front right hoof controls the brakes, and forward movement by pushing forward or back on the right forward control surface. The front left hoof controls landing gear steering while on the ground, and the rudder while in the air." The computer voice tells me. I push my left hoof to the left a bit, and move my right forward a tad.
This makes the Thundernova slowly move forward for a second before it starts to turn left.
"This is Thunderhead Alicorn Blade to Thundernova Eclipse, you are clear for takeoff." I hear over the radio channels. I press the button on the side of my helmet with my magic to reply.
"Thunderhead Alicorn Blade, proceeding to takeoff." I reply before stopping my aircraft on the short runway that the HMT Alicorn Blade had in its hangar.
My EFS highlights the runway before blinking the screen again.
[For takeoff: position wings for a gliding position before a landing before increasing thrust to full.] I moved my wings to do so before looking back at the screen.
"Rewrite throttle control." I say aloud.
"New throttle control?" The computer asks.
"Use right front fore hoof to control the throttle during flight, and take off." I answer the machine.
"Control rewrote, save configuration to your armor's spell matrix?" It asks me.
"Yes." I answer. The Thundernova beeps a couple times in confirmation before I return my gaze to the runway. I push my radio button again before saying.
"Thunderhead Alicorn Blade, this is Thundernova Eclipse taking off." I report to the hangar air traffic radio.
"Thunderhead Alicorn Blade to Thundernova Eclipse, have a safe trip." The radio operator replies.
I smile as the hangar bay doors open letting a strong wind inside before I push my right front hoof forward until it clicked against the cockpit's hull.
The twin engines burst to life and roar as they push my aircraft into the blue green skies.
"Please kick your rear left hoof to raise the landing gear." The computer tells me as I slowly bank away from the Alicorn Blade. I do as it asks, and feel the gear lock into the hull.
"Set course to Canterlot Castle gardens." I say as I circle my thunderhead, and level out facing Canterlot.
My EFS places a waypoint to where I wanted to go before I scream past the Alicorn Blade.
"Computer, does this aircraft have vertical landing options?" I ask as Canterlot slowly gets bigger.
"Yes, when wanting to land vertically please slow the craft down to seventy miles an hour before lowering the landing gear, and looking to where you wish to land. Once you are over the landing point the aircraft will descend and land itself." The synthesized voice answers as I near the ancient capital of Equestria.
I slide the throttle back to about half power as I enter the city limits. I slow down, and hear the machine move around to compensate for the slow speed.
As I neared the gardens I slow even further before kicking the landing gear down, and looking at the spot I wish to land in.
"Landing site locked, please wait for this Thundernova to come to a complete rest in the designated landing zone." The aircraft tells me. I feel my armor shift a bit as the Thundernova unhooks itself from me.
I bring my wings back to my sides, and rest my hooves on the steeping spots as the craft slows, and descends down onto the ground.
Once it was stopped the machine turns off, and the cockpit opens.
I make my way out of it, and step down onto the garden grounds. The city was empty, and quite, but it was clear of the pink cloud that was in it when Little Pip and her group came here previously.
I step away from the aircraft, and its cockpit closes. I then look up at the tower that should hold Luna's bed chambers, and take off for it.
I can only hope that what I need is there. |
Fallout Equestria: Return of the Guardian of Equis | Finding Ingredients | I land on the balcony that connected to Luna's room.
Entering the young alicorn's room I see a dead green coated alicorn, and a pile of wet ashes where Luna's bed was.
I sigh before tapping my horn with my hoof, and nodding as it didn't hurt anymore.
The book shelf creaks, and I look at it to see why.
It was a feral ghoul pony, and it was blind. I shed a tear at the horrible fate that befell the pony before me.
CRACK-THUUM!
I look away from it as it was now a pile of pink goo.
Facing the ash pile that was Luna, and her bed, I light my horn.
"Please let this work." I whisper as trillions of particles are grasped in my magic before bringing them up in front of me.
"Why didn't you escape while you could?" I ask quietly as the ash ball slowly grows bigger as more of Luna's remains gather. Some particles are floating in through the open doors, and from off the ceiling.
It takes me five minutes to have all of Luna's remains gathered before me.
Keeping the ball of ash in the air, I grasp a nearby urn that was relatively unharmed by the pink cloud's affects, and slowly stream the ashes into it before I close the urn, and place it on my back.
My armor shifts a bit, and I look back to see that a couple straps had moved around the urn to anchor it to my back.
"Interesting and useful." I mutter under my breath before taking off out the balcony doors.
I scan over the city to look for the hospital that most likely held the bodies that I would need to revive Luna.
My EFS notifies me of the important buildings that I spot, and I find the Hospital after a few seconds.
"Canterlot Royal Hospital" is what my EFS tagged the building as, so I bank, and start on my way there.
As I flew I see that there are a few Canterlot ghouls that Little Pip had found, out and about now that the cloud was gone.
I am halfway to the hospital before a bat pony ghoul stops right in front of me.
"HALT FALSE GOD!" The ghoul shouts at me. I blink before slowing to a hover a few feet away from him. The bat pony ghoul is wearing old lunar royal guard armor, and has the included enchantments. The armor had melded into his body.
"We were not aware that any of the old royal guards were still alive." I say to him before lighting my horn, and removing my helmet to let my ethereal mane flow from my head, and neck.
His eyes widen as he looks upon my star ridden mane.
"What art thou!?" He shouts at me. I blink again as I see a small rodent scamper up to his shoulder.
"We are the last male alicorn, Prince Artermis Eclipse." I answer him. His jaw drops before he hangs his head in a flying bow.
"Forgive me your majesty; I was unaware of your return." He replies before raising his head.
"You're forgiven for now, but what is your name?" I ask him as I start on my way to the hospital once again.
"I am Lionheart, the last surviving lunar royal guard on Equis. Oh, and this is Mouse." He tells me as we land on the roof of the hospital.
"Well then Lionheart, Mouse, I may need some assistance in the task I am hoping to complete. Would you be willing to help?" I ask them.
"I was born to serve the royal family." Lionheart says with a low bow to me. I smile at this.
"Good, then let us be on our way. What I need you to do is help me gather three dead foals that have barely decayed. I need their bodies intact so that I can use them to revive my niece." I tell the guard. His jaw drops, and I chuckle at this.
"Re-revive Princess L-L-Luna?" He asks in shock. I simply nod before we entered the roof access of the hospital.
Before much more could be said Mouse jumps down, and puffs a small cloud of pink. My eyes narrow at this.
"Mouse, are you really a mouse?" I ask the rodent.
It shakes her head. I blink a few times before scanning her with magic. She's the dragon that was fueling the pink cloud.
"Ah, you are the dragoness that Celestia made a boon with." I say as my magic reports its findings.
"Would you like to be a dragoness once more? If so you will still be similar to your current size, but you will be a dragon again." I ask the dragon turned mouse.
She seems to think for a few moments before nodding.
"Very well then, hold still this will only take a few seconds." I say as I gently levitate her with my magic. I feel the transformation spell on her, as well as the size spell. I tear the two away from each other, isolating the forms so that they don't rely on each other before undoing the transformation spell, and leaving the size spell intact.
As the magic keeping her as a mouse fails, I am forced to place her back on the ground before she slowly starts to morph back into her original form.
Her fur poofs away from her skin before her scales replace it. Her small beady eyes return to slits, and her back explodes with blood as her wings regrow from it.
Once her un-transformation was complete, I sooth her with a simple healing spell.
"Better?" I ask the small dark emerald green dragon that has pink spines and eyes.
"Yes... is that really what I sound like?" She asks in a high squeaky voice. She looks annoyed as all Tartarus, and Lion and I burst into laughter.
"If you don't stop, I'll cloud you both!" She shouts at us in anger, but it only makes us laugh even harder.
"Oh-ho-ho-ho... Alright, now we need -*chuckle*- to get moving on my tasks." I say as Lion and I get over the ridiculous voice that Mouse has.
"Heh-heh-heh, of course Prince." Lion says as Mouse climbs her way back up onto the guard.
We move farther into the hospital, and I see my EFS light up with hundreds of red dots. Eventually I have to stop, and manually tune my EFS so that it only shows the threats on the same floor.
"So, three dead foals?" Lion asks quietly.
"Yes, one of each pony and Luna's remains, which are on my back in the urn." I say as we look over a directory that was near a nurse's desk.
"You already went to the castle?" He asks me as I spot the infant/small foal nursery on the directory. The area we would most likely find what I needed would be on the second floor of the hospital.
"Lion, Mouse, come here, and be as still as you can be. I'm going to teleport us to the room we need." I tell the two others.
Lion steps up next to me, and I let out my magic in a pulse with my eyes closed. As my pulse got farther and farther away I could sense, or see where I needed to pull us to.
I did just that. The room I needed was fairly close, and relatively empty of living bodies, ghoul or otherwise.
With a snap followed by a brief flash we teleported into the nursery.
"Let's be quick." I say to Mouse and Lion. We both move, and start searching the small beds for any remains that were preserved.
"Prince, I found one that is still relatively fresh." Lionheart calls for me. I blink and quickly walk over to him to see he had found a young filly unicorn that is perfectly preserved within a foal survival bed.
"Good work, but please keep searching while I free the body from this shelter. One more thing, make sure they are all fillies." I whisper to the guard. He nods, and moves to search more of the beds. I return my attention to the dead newborn inside the survival pod-like bed.
Pushing magic into my horn, I slowly tear the protective shielding away from the dead foal before pulling the body up and out of the shelter. I push magic into the dead foal to restore its physical form.
My sense for living beings tells me that this body is reanimating because of my restoration magic, so before the unborn foal could be re-born, I sap its life energy into Luna's ashes. The body stops reanimating, and I place it on my back. My armor throws a few straps over it, and I move on.
Lion and Mouse lead me to two other foals, one a Pegasus filly and the other an earth pony, and I had to sap the life energy from these as well.
"Lionheart, I have an offer for you." I say as the three of us fly out of one of the many broken windows of the hospital.
"And what is your offer?" He asks me.
"First, I offer you a place beside me while I travel, and if you want it, I offer to restore your physical form to what it was before." I say as I see my thunderhead nearing Canterlot.
"I am honored to have a place at your side, and I would be ever so thankful to you if you restored my body." He says as I change our course to the castle gardens so that I could use the Thundernova again.
"Well, I am happy that you would like to join me, but I have another task for you." I say as we land in the gardens.
"Whatever you need Prince." He says with a bow.
"I need you to go and Prepare Lady Starlight Sparkle for her move to a safer location." I say as we near my aircraft. My EFS blinks a couple times before the cockpit opens for me.
"Where should I take her?" He asks me before Mouse hops onto my shoulders.
"Anywhere in the open that you can land a large sky chariot in. Now, I must return to my thunderhead. I will return with other ponies to retrieve Lady Sparkle, so move with haste my guard." I order the ghoul bat pony.
He bows for a couple moments before launching into the sky.
"So Mouse, is there a reason you didn't go with him?" I ask as I enter my Thundernova with the tiny dragon on my shoulders.
"I owe you my company for restoring my dragoness form. I also wish to meet these ponies." She tells me before I settle into the cockpit.
"Well, let's go then." I say as the cockpit closes.
"Welcome back Prince Artermis." The computer says before the machine hooks into my armor. The familiarity of the voice finally reminds me of who it belongs to.
"Computer, is your voice that of Twilight Sparkle?" I ask as the aircraft straps me in, and places the controls over my wings.
"Yes, this model of the Thundernova assembly line was installed with an A.I. with the voice of the Ministry Mare Twilight Sparkle in honor of her achievements." It replies.
"Okay, please set a course back to the HMT Alicorn Blade." I say to the A.I.
I see a holographic path on my EFS, and feel the engines rumble to life before my Thundernova lifts itself off of the ground, and starts towards the thunderhead.
"Please be ready to take control." The A.I. tells me before a small number in the corner of the screen starts to count down. I place my hooves in the control slats before the number reaches zero.
I take control, and burst towards my thunderhead with the throttle 75% forward.
"This is Thundernova Alpha, asking for permission to land." I say over the radio as I circle my thunderhead.
"Thundernova Alpha, you are cleared to land on runway delta." The air traffic control pony replies.
"Thunderhead, copy that, coming in for landing." I say before slowing down to one fourth of full speed, and kicking the landing gear down.
I gently land on the outer runway before pulling the throttle down all the way into idle before letting the control switch over to land controls, and pulling back with my right front hoof to engage the brakes.
"Welcome back Thunderhead Alpha, please taxi over to the lift before leaving the aircraft." Says air traffic control.
"Understood, and please send a message to General Feather, and Little Pip that I wish to see them in my chambers." I say before stopping on the specified lift.
I power down the Thundernova, and let the machine unhook itself from my armor, and wings. |
Hearth’s Warming Eve Is Here Once Again | pre | "Applejack?" A voice calls from the walkway.
"Come on in!" I say.
"You want to join us for a morning walk?" Granny Smith asks.
"Oh, yeah. Let's go. You wanna come, sugar cube?"
"I'll pass. I have to move airplanes around."
Applejack only chuckles as we head out to the ramp. Rainbow and Scootaloo are throwing a football outside as all four Apples head outside with me. Before I reach the Tug, I call my restaurant in town to cater for us, since I'm a terrible cook, and I could never cook for such a large party.
N318AS is staying here, and instead N925VA will make the journey back. As I push the former plane back, the game of catch outside is directed my way. As soon as I see the ball thrown, with clear intent to include me, I'm left with no choice but to stop the tow and watch the outcome. You can imagine how terrified I am of causing a nasty accident, especially with an airplane under tow.
Rainbow Dash catches the pass and jumps onto the passenger seat in one fluid motion, crashing into me and almost knocking me off my seat as Scootaloo excitedly runs towards us, high on excitement from having witnessed an epic play.
"You wouldn't mind if I, uh, joined you for a joyride in one of your rigs, would ya?" Dash asks high on adrenaline with the blush and heavy breaths to show for it.
"Don't you fly F-18's?" I respond, silently wishing I had an enclosed Super Tug with me.
"Yeah?"
"Prepare to be disappointed then." I respond taking the tug out of gear, which makes her face drop. "Hehe, I'm just kidding. One of these days, definitely."
She then squishes her cheeks and squeals out, "so. Awesome!"
After I make the switch, I head back to the terminal. The Apples are having a conversation with Dash and Scootaloo, Fluttershy and Rarity are both on their phones. Sunset? Where's she? A quick check of rooms leads me to assume that she's asleep. As if she hasn't established herself as a late riser already. Once I figure out what to hit and when, I count my money and decide to tackle MSI, since it's the farthest out of downtown.
When the last of us are ready for the day, I call everyone to the ramp and make an announcement to kick off the festivities.
"Good morning everyone. Thank you for joining us. Credit is due to Miss Rarity for getting me in touch with all of you." I pause as Rarity acknowledges my comment. "My name is Split Scimitar. You may know me as "The Captain," but you can just call me Max. I admit I don't have a firm itinerary planned, since I don't know how many of you have been to Chicago. However, we can remain flexible by choosing our stops around how the day plays out, rather than stick to a rigid schedule. There are three cars for the fourteen of us. We will need a driver for the third one. Any takers?"
None. Most of them kind of shy away, so I then introduce some counterpoint.
"You know, the four Apples can take one car."
Applejack speaks up with, "well, I guess we can."
Rosalina offers them the keys but Applejack declines and says, "why don't you drive us?"
Rosalina nods as Rarity then steps up and says, "I'll drive the third car then."
That settled, the others now begin to choose who they want to ride with. Rosalina and the Apples take DJABBIC, leaving Rarity and Sweetie Belle to choose their companions as I give them the keys to LANGKA.
After about 2 minutes, I end up with my two original passengers from Seattle plus Twilight and Pinkie, as the two duos - Rarity/Sweetie Belle and Rainbow Dash/Scootaloo, elect to travel together.
"Alright! Looks like we're ready to go. I catered dinner tonight, which we'll have around 18:00. Best we beat the evening rush on the way back here."
Right before Pinkie climbs in, Rarity stops and says, "Pinkie, why don't you drive? You're more of a local than me."
"Okie dokie, Loki!" She says as she jumps right out, leaving me with Sunset, Fluttershy, and Twilight. They hop in and I tell them, "first stop, MSI."
When we reach our destination, I head for parking and check out lines. About a 20 minute queue, I group text the drivers to meet at the front entrance while I grab the tickets. Only three spots ahead of me, I make a group purchase and give everyone their ticket.
"Alright, this is the Museum of Science and and Industry, easily one of if not my favorite museum out there, but I'm also a technology person, so that's probably why. Some of my favorites include the transportation exhibit featuring a Boeing 727 in the ceiling and The Great Train Story, if you grew up with Thomas the Tank Engine like me. Let's meet back here in about 3 hours. Beware of some exhibits that charge extra for entry. Just request a receipt if you want to see it so I can reimburse you. Have fun!"
Rosalina decides to stay with me as I in a complete surprise stay in the Boeing ship and listen to some chatter about airplanes. I laugh as some of the youth chat about being a glorious pilot. News flash kid, it ain't all it's cracked up to be.
Even though the cockpit is sealed off, I admire the flight engineer's panel just as a small crowd comes aboard. I quickly escape to rejoin my childhood staple: The Great Train Story. As I interact with the exhibit, I smile contentedly but am stumbled by yet more heart palpitations. Deep breathing doesn't work, and a trip to the watering hole doesn't help either.
When Rosalina leaves to explore other exhibits, heart palpitations give way to an overall tingly feeling that fades into acute numbness. In fact, by the time I circumnavigate the museum floor, I take a seat shivering in terror. As I try to clear my mind, I head for the bathroom and clutch my chest as I reach a handicapped stall because the tingling has spread beyond my chest. Eventually, I start to convulse and collapse onto the bathroom floor, struggling for air as my vision starts to go.
As my vision goes white, I punch the throttle and climb above the cloud tops. When I fully recover, a few people are crowding the stall, so I get up as quick as I can. Some people give me dirty looks, but as soon as I exit the bathroom, I literally run into Fluttershy, who blushes heavily and apologizes as I do.
As I insist it wasn't her fault, a shooting pain of skin-tearing proportions shoots up from beneath my sternum. I writhe in agony and collapse to the floor again as Fluttershy squeals. The sound of my thud surely attracts a crowd as Fluttershy tries to help me.
"Max! What's wrong?!"
"Don't know." I slur out. "I've got a shooting pain in my chest. Out of nowhere. Get me some water and a cola."
"Okay..." she responds as she runs off.
A security guard soon helps me up and asks what happened. I half-heartedly explain that I tripped over my shoelaces, which he somehow buys, since my shoelaces are loose but far from undone. He soon leaves and reminds me to be careful just as Fluttershy returns.
"Here's your water, and your coke."
"The coke is for me. The water is for you." I say as I present her with a $20.
"Oh, thank you." She says blushing.
"We've only been here... 2 hours?" I say taking a sip. "Anything else you want to see or do?"
"Um, no. Unless you do." She responds timidly.
"I've seen most of these exhibits a handful of times already. What'd you see?"
"I stayed mostly in the genetics lab because of the baby chicks." She says with a blush.
"They are cute aren't they?"
She nods brightly in response.
"Have you seen the others?"
"No. Not since we got our tickets."
"Oh well. If you'd like, we can head back to the meeting point anyway."
"Okay."
Sure enough, Rosalina is there waiting for us with Scootaloo.
"Hey! Finished early?"
"Yeah!" Scootaloo responds. "The jet engine was so cool!"
"Yeah?" I respond.
"When are you gonna take us up?"
"One of these days." I respond as Twilight and Rainbow return. I ask what they did: while Dash had a Ball at Science Storms, Twilight excitedly gives a brief synopsis about Numbers In Nature.
A few minutes later, Pinkie shows up with a toy made in the Fab Lab as well as a top. I reimburse her with a $20 as Rarity and Sweetie Belle tell us about their pursuits in U-505, both mild history buffs. The Apples soon join us and talk about farming tactics vs their choice exhibit on agriculture as Sunset explains her fascination with tornadoes to beat my budgeted 3 hours by about 25 minutes.
After we head up Lake Shore Drive, I point out Soldier Field and Museum Campus for later as we continue up to Navy Pier for a spot of lunch at Billy Goat's Tavern. Apple Bloom, the only Cubs fan amongst us, gets excited as she bursts out "fries and a Coke!"
Only I roll my eyes having understood the joke.
A fantastic lunch despite some resistance from Sunset leaves us very satisfied. I apologize to Sunset and Fluttershy, our vegetarians, but insist that it is one of my all time favorites in town.
Our next stop is Sears Tower's Floor 103. Most of the young'uns are pretty put off by the glass balconies, but Rosalina and I have nothing more than a laugh as I point out views from the Lake and to the rest of the city. My city. The greatest city in the world.
To take advantage of free parking on the other side of town, we head to my personal underground garage at the Chicago Spire. Conveniently located just a few blocks from Hancock and Water Tower Place, I lead a charge to Garrett's before I show the others my monster penthouse.
As I give them The Grand Tour, who but Rainbow Dash should suggest we just stay here instead, what with there being "more than enough living space for all of us." I present the idea to the rest of the group, who all approve, unanimously.
After everyone "bids" for a bedroom, I bring everybody to my piece de resistance, the world's highest indoor pool. Located on the 300th floor enclosed with greenhouse glass, the place is truly a masterpiece. 2/3 Olympic size, depths of 5 to 15 feet. At the deep end is a 4-tiered diving board with two springboards at 1 m and 3 m, plus two static platforms at heights of 5 m and 7.5 m.
The pool is currently covered and drained, so I ask if anyone would want to swim largely as a joke but on the off-chance someone does. The choice to turn fill the pool rests on our guests.
"Well, I don't know about any of you, but I can improvise." Sunset says.
"Whoa there, Sunset!" Exclaims Rainbow with a smug look on her face. "Eager to impress?"
"Shut up, Rainbow!" Sunset snaps back. "You're just jealous!"
"Alright everyone." Applejack intervenes. "Let's not get too excited before the holiday even starts."
Rainbow then claps back, "you just wanna show off!"
"No I don't!"
"Never mind." I quickly say to calm everyone down. "It was a joke. I don't need a dimmer station."
"Demonstration." Rosalina instinctively corrects, which makes me chuckle.
"I wouldn't mind swimming though." Pinkie says.
"No, Pinkie. You can't skinny dip." Sunset quips back as if by instinct, to which everyone, even Pinkie, breaks down laughing.
Rosalina chuckles as I facepalm. I then say to the group, "Well, what's your verdict? If yes, it'll take a whole day to fill up."
"Just fill it then." Pinkie calls back. "Whether we do or not, at least it'll be available."
"Oh alright then. Fresh from the Lake, coming right up." I say as I pull the big lever that initiates the auto fill and retract the cover.
Rosalina then surprises Twilight by inviting her to her condo to show her her library. Twilight's eyes gleam like a kid in a candy store as she gleefully leaves with her.
Now that we've solidified our move to Spire, now comes the fun part, moving out of the airport.
At SMG, everyone cleans out their space at the terminal. In the case of the two cars that drove in, they decide to take their own cars into the city with us. Despite her best efforts, before Rarity can close the back, two suitcases tumble out of LANGKA's boot. Seeing this as I start EVRFREE, I immediately shut it off after the gauges come alive. I then whisper, "god... damnit" as an enraged Rarity screams, so I go help them out.
Applejack then comes to my aid and pulls all the suitcases out so I can rearrange them. When we finish, Rarity blushes as Applejack and I high five, then Rosalina starts DJABBIC to say she's ready. After Rarity jumps in and starts LANGKA, I start EVRFREE up again and lead the 5-car convoy to Chicago.
Just as everyone gets settled in their room, I get the delivery call. I meet the delivery man at ground level and make multiple trips for the various trays. Once I tip him and send him on his way, I group text "soup's on everybody!"
Sure enough, the Apples make their way down first as I open the first few dishes up.
Sure, it's from a restaurant I own, but nevertheless, it's a spot on 9.5/10, only because some items have fallen victim to steam soak, or more accurately, condensation sogginess. Nevertheless, I open the food for the taking after I pull out some dishes and silverware.
As we all enjoy our first meal together, I take a step back after everyone starts conversation. I take in the sight before me and join the rest. One who takes a particular interest in me is Pinkie, having saved a seat for me. As she and her group start to pick up speed in a conversation, she grabs my hand and rests her head on my arm. Rosalina sees this and smirks. I flash my wife a look of "help," but she nods and lets me have this one.
At meal's end, I bus dishes and load the dishwasher as the city lights take prominence at civil twilight. I let out a small smile as Sunset joins me at my side opposite Rosalina.
"Thank you for hosting us for this trip, Max!"
"You're so generous for offering your insanely spacious penthouse to all of us!" Rarity chimes in as she searches for a bottle of wine for the evening. After grabbing a chalet for everyone, she selects a Chardonnay perfect from the wine closet for the steak dinner that some of us had, and by some, I mean not Sunset or Fluttershy.
"Speech from Captain Max!" Pinkie exclaims as the last person fills their glass.
I chuckle as the others raise their glasses, so I speak up.
"I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to spend your holiday with us. Credit is due to Rarity, who helped organize this. We still have a few tourist attractions left to visit as well as my own personal favorite eats. I hope that after showing you the tourist traps and some of my favorite local eats, you can see why I love my hometown. Here's to a great one!"
A chorus of "Cheers!" rings throughout the penthouse as I down my glass like a shot, followed by a swift grab for a second. Rosalina peers over as I gently sip this second one. I let out a sigh as she puts her hand on my shoulder.
"I know you don't like to admit it, but something's been up with you."
"Is it that obvious?"
"Yes. Is something bothering you?"
"I don't know, that's the thing. I shouldn't be. I've met new people. Great people. I have no reason whatsoever for anything to bother me. I have no fears for the future beyond what I would deem a healthy amount, my past has no reason to haunt me, and I have you."
"Hmm." She responds. "I know I haven't been everything you've wanted me to, but being married to you is the best thing I've ever done."
"You have been everything I could ever want. Please don't think otherwise."
"No I haven't, and you know it."
"Fine, I admit it." I respond rather facetiously, downing the last of my glass. "In all seriousness though," I quickly continue, "You would know if I felt an issue in that department, because I would've said something. There is absolutely nothing else I would want from you. You're there for me when I need you. You understand that I value my alone time, and are more than willing to respect it. I haven't seen that in many others. I can't begin to describe how much you've meant to me over the years we've been together."
She eventually walks away, having been rendered speechless and blushing bright red. After the bottle goes empty, courtesy of Rainbow and me, I start the dishwasher as Rosalina kicks me off the sink and does the rest of the dishes. In response, I decide to head to bed early. |
Hearth’s Warming Eve Is Here Once Again | Big Shoulders Bear Down | Early to rise the next morning, I head for the shower and mentally map out today's plan. With Lockie, my brother-in-law, coming in to town for this evening's Bears-Saints game, it only makes sense for the three of us to go together. Unfortunately, for obvious reasons, Lockie has one extra ticket.
"Howdy, Sugarcube!" Applejack greets after I enter the kitchen. "What would you like for breakfast?"
"Looks like pancakes. Thanks for offering!" I respond as I take in the scent of fresh batter.
"Think nothing of it!" Apple Bloom responds. "What would you like with them?"
"Caramel Syrup?" Applejack suggests.
"Praline?" Granny Smith adds.
"Pear Jam?" Apple Bloom finishes, to the apparent disdain of her kinfolk, who immediately all start laughing, AB herself included. Must be an inside joke.
"Take 'yer pick, Cap'n Max." Big Mac asks just as the first few hit the griddle.
"Eh, surprise me. Is that a bad idea?"
"Eeyup."
"Eh? Well... I'll just grin and Bear it."
Lockie doesn't arrive for another couple hours, so the joke came a little earlier than it should've. Unfortunately though, that joke is over their heads. Not that it was an easy grab anyway.
Chuckling at my own joke, I then pop some DayQuil for my sinuses and Advil for muscle soreness, having fallen asleep in a funky position last night. A swift shot of whiskey to wash them down is immediately met with a hostile reaction from the kitchen.
"You're gonna get yourself killed one of these days." Applejack says disdainfully.
"I'd say something back, but you've been through a lot worse than me." I snap back under the buzz of my first drink.
"You said so yourself: grin and bear it."
"And I am. Like so." I say as I down some more pills with another shot, further enraging the middle Apple.
As I pour another shot to finish off the bottle, Rosalina emerges from the bedroom ready for the day. I quickly down the glass before Applejack goes redder than her family name and strips the the glass from my hand, downing the rest of it angrily. Unfortunately for her, it's Fireball. As soon as she downs it, she audibly objects, slamming the glass back on the countertop, to which I respond with a smirk as I get the text that Lockie has landed.
"I'm here, I'm waiting."
"Checked bags?"
"No, just a large carry-on."
"Awesome! We've got some new friends with us, so be prepared for an adventure."
When I send the text, I grab the keys to EVRFREE and head for Stevenson.
At Midway, plenty of luxury limos and rideshare providers are picking up passengers, but there's no sign of Lockie.
"Upper level now. Arrivals is at a standstill." He texts.
"I'm stuck down here, but stay where you are."
10 minutes later, I pull up curbside, he tosses his bag into the back seat, and hops in.
"Lockie, my man! What's up?!"
"Not much, just the game later this evening."
"What'd'ya think? NFC Championship preview?"
"Eh, not really? I've got good eyes on a Bears-Eagles NFC championship game."
"Are you kidding, I really don't think the Bears are gonna qualify this year. 9-7 will miss the playoffs easily."
"Oh please. 7-9 can clinch a division."
"In the AFC! Detroit's out at 7-5. Doubt Minnesota will leave second."
"Could be worse. You could be Green Bay."
"We do not speak ill of the dead."
We reach Spire in about 90 minutes. With the whole morning ahead, Lockie and his sister head up to their condo to catch up. I return to my condo and dig out another bottle of fireball from my bag, filling a glass next to the flapjacks touting a dab of butter, some caramel syrup, a healthy dose of pear jam, and a heapin' helpin' of praline.
"Those are yours, sugar cube, and for the love of your life, please put the drink away!"
"Why do you protest so?" I say sounding like Rarity. "You've already got me for mental instability, the least I can do is enjoy a few drinks." I say as I take a shot.
"I don't know what's going on in your life, and I know you don't want to hear this right now, but the honest truth is, it's the holiday. You're in great company, as are we. A drink or two is fine, but 1. Not this early in the day. And 2. Not when you have a fun day planned for us."
"I do?"
"Yeah, I heard you talking to yourself."
"Great, more of a mental case for you."
"Aw, lighten up, sugarcube. I know you're eager to impress. This is your hometown!"
My face changes slightly as Applejack knows she found what it took to brighten up my day.
"Thanks for the support." I reply stoically.
"Yer' welcome, sugar cube. Though normally, I'd expect Pinkie Pie to be the one to cheer you up."
Just then, a voice calls from across the room.
"Cheering up?! Who's sad??!"
"Not me, I'm dead inside." I reply monotonously.
"Hahaha, you're not a robot, silly!"
"What?"
"Where's the nearest sweet shop?"
"Two blocks north."
"Want anything?"
"Uh," Applejack mentions, "I made flapjacks for us already."
"I can get you a coffee! Or a tea, or juice, or something else."
"I'm alright," I respond, "thanks Pinkie."
"Applejack?"
"Nah. I'm good."
"Okie dokie, Loki! Be back soon!" She says as she steps into the lift.
"People that chipper make me nervous." I think to myself.
"Morning, Twilight." AJ calls out as I dig into my breakfast.
"Good morning to you two too!"
"Did you want anything from the coffee shop? Pinkie's on her way, if you want to text her."
"Eh, do you have coffee here?"
"K-Cups and the coffee maker are next to the toaster and ovens."
"Cool, but I'm trying to cut back on coffee."
"Anything you want, sugar cube? We ain't got much. I was hoping we could go grocery shopping today."
"What time is it?" I ask checking my watch. "If you want, you can go grocery shopping now, since I imagine most of the others are still asleep. $400 should cover it?"
"Thank you kindly for your generosity."
"Hey! That's my bit!" Rarity says as she bursts out of the lift.
"Flapjacks sound good this mornin', Rarity?"
"Sure. But keep it light on the toppings."
"On it!" Applejack shouts as she pours more batter onto the griddle.
As I eat, Dash and Scoots roll in with Sunset, leaving Sweetie Belle as the last one out. When Sweetie Belle does join us, the last of the batter goes, and to wash down breakfast, some more fireball. A blow of 0.04% prompts Applejack to exclaim,
"Heavens to Betsy, Max! How much did you drink?"
"Everything you saw, and then some." I say feeling hot in the face.
"I'm amazed it isn't higher."
"Maybe it is. Don't know how accurate these things are. Besides, at .04%, I'll likely experience nothing more than glare sensitivity and slower reaction times."
"You can't drive then."
"I know. Now that everyone's here," I say redirecting my voice to the crowd, "who wants to drive the big green Mercedes?"
"Why can't you?" Twilight asks after a short silence.
"Day drunk on fireball."
"What?!"
"Oh! My." Fluttershy utters.
"At least I can be fun now." I say under my breath.
"No you're not." Applejack asserts back. "This may come as a shock to you, but you become even more unfunny when you're drunk. Your decision to get drunk this early in the day forces me to take some steps to make sure you stay safe and out of jail."
"What else besides not driving then?"
"You are to be accompanied by one of us at all times, and only when you need to use the bathroom can you leave."
"Fine, fine."
"Hey, gates open in a few hours. When do you want to go see the museums?" Rosalina texts.
"We can go now."
"Meet us at ground level then. 20 minutes."
"Yay." "Alright everyone," I then call to the crowd, "leaving in 20 minutes."
"Where?" Pinkie says as she emerges from the lift with 3 cups of coffee and a bag of donuts.
"Museum Campus. Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium."
"Cool! Who ordered coffee?" She says as those who requested orders grab them.
"Pinkie," Applejack says to her, "Max is drunk and can't drive. Can you?"
"I should ask first," I chip in, "how familiar are you with the city?"
"A fair amount. It's just been a few years."
"Good enough."
"Okie dokie, Loki!"
"Wow Max! You wanna party already?!" Rainbow shouts from across the room.
"Hell yeah!" I respond, which further enrages Applejack but makes the others laugh. In response, I say, "see, I DO become funnier when I'm drunk."
"Ha ha, sugar cube. You're stayin' with me."
"Fine. Fine."
"Hey, no fair! I wanted him to show me around!" Dash shouts back.
"He's just gonna take you up in his airplane and expect some "favors" in return." Applejack retorts.
"I'm sorry." I respond sorrowfully, obliging to AJ out of spite. "I hope we can still be friends."
Both Dash and AJ wince at my comment as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo start tittering.
"Don't you dare egg him on!" The blonde says to her sister.
"Gotta admit though," Apple Bloom responds defensively, "that was pretty funny."
I smile innocently as Applejack goes red again.
"Okay, let's get downstairs." I say as I acknowledge her fury. "I think the high(-rise) life is starting to get to some of us."
"Not. Cool." She snaps back at me as I call the lift.
On the ground, I introduce Lockie to the crowd by his real name, Lachlan. The convenience of living right next to Soldier Field is revealed in the game day parking: $65, add $15 if tailgating,
Nevertheless, as I share a few cheers with fans, Lockie reveals his Saints jersey under his jacket. I smile as we stop in front of Soldier Field on the Museum Campus side to brief the day to everyone.
"Alright, this is Soldier Field, home of the Bears and a Veterans Memorial. There are three museums here that we'll explore. Field Museum, Adler Planetarium, and Shedd Aquarium, in that order."
After I grab the tickets, I repeat the MSI spiel. "For exhibits requiring additional admission, request a receipt and I'll reimburse you. Meet back here in an hour."
Applejack comes good on her promise and stays with me, as do the rest of her family. As I show them around the fossils in the foyer, I admit that I'm not much of a fan of archaeology. Fortunately, a docent by the name of Petunia picks us up with the small group she's currently leading.
When the tour ends, we have half our time slot left over, but Apple Bloom spends some extra time with the fossils and Granny Smith trudges back to the precious stones with her elder granddaughter, where we meet Rarity.
No surprise seeing her here, Rarity begs Applejack to take me, and she does. She excitedly takes me by the arm as she takes pictures of many of the stones on display. This activity spares us 15 minutes, so after she does some stone shopping herself at the gift shop, we meet the others and continue on to Adler.
While the others wait at Man Enters the Cosmos, I purchase the tickets, where Twilight decides to stick with me.
Here, we share a few intellectual laughs as she geeks out about the maths of astronomy, since astronomy is the reason she got into math as a kid. Over time, that love became a marriage of career and passion, appropriate for the head of astronomy at Butler, due to become chair of the Physics department, and tenure shortly after that.
As she starts talking about more than simply the exhibits themselves, I can't help but feel a sense of admiration-based attraction to Twilight for her intelligence, her intellect, slight innocence and relative naïvete, but most of all, her drive for her career, fueled by a passion for what she loves.
After we return to the lobby having exchanged a few more jokes and laughs along the way, the others meet us having been a little unimpressed by this museum, except for Applejack, who displays a sense of renewed hope. Inquiring minds, she was moved by a bit on shooting stars. Gladly, this trip was pretty good for some, but my shining moment is to come, onward to Aquarius!
After I issue the tickets, I give each of them to me, and guess who shows up after a docent brings her to the front? Melody!!!
We share a tight hug and tear-filled reunion as I tell her, "so, putting Marine Bio to good use, huh?"
"Spot got really sick, but we've nursed him back to health, and everyone loves him!"
"Fantastic! What are you doing specifically now?"
"I'm Spot's trainer! He remembers mom, so I guess he really likes me for that reason."
"I'm so proud to see you here! I thought you would've gone into medicine after your residency in Kauai."
"I was, but when I heard the news about Spot, I just had to come take care of him."
"I am so proud of you!"
"Thank you dad!"
I then introduce Melody to everyone, including Lockie, who has not met her despite knowing about her for quite some time.
Since Melody does want to show me her workplace, Applejack lets me be. As she gets me up close and personal with Spot, I share a petting, because I was there with Ariel assisting in his marine recovery efforts, and I personally transported him here to Shedd*. Fortunately, he does remember me.
After he and I share a heartfelt reunion of our own, I leave them to prepare for the day's show, meeting Apple Bloom.
"Max, I have to ask: why did you decide to get drunk this early?"
"Eh?"
"And another thing, why Fireball?"
"It's virtually the only thing I can drink that doesn't make me vomit immediately. Surprising as it is, I have a high tolerance, but I'm still as featherweight as you can get. That's because I get Asian flush."
"What's that?"
"Basically, my body lacks the enzyme to digest alcohol."
"You look fine though."
"Sometimes it shows, sometimes it doesn't. I know I have a high tolerance, but I've been told I turn red after one hard cider, which is ironic, because those things are like 10 proof."
"You know, Max, I'm not the best person to tell you this, but if you're having trouble, why not talk to somebody?"
"I refuse to seek professional help, because I did once, and it actually accelerated my suicidal thoughts."
"Ouch. I'm sorry."
"I'm the one who should be sorry. I didn't ask you to come here to Chicago just so I could bum you out."
"It's alright. I wouldn't've asked if I didn't expect it."
"You know, I like you, Apple Bloom, and your sister I deeply admire. Your family has gone through more hardships than I could ever imagine, and you did it all together."
"I was really young when our parents passed, so I don't have as strong a connection as AJ or Big Mac."
"Still valid though."
"If you want to talk about it, I wouldn't mind hearing your stories."
"I appreciate that, thank you. Maybe later, when I'm not showing you my city or eating the greatest pizza in the world." I respond with a wink and nudge, which she giggles at.
"Apple Bloom! There you are!" Her older sister calls.
"Yeah. I found Max and we started talking."
"Did he give you his sob story to gain sympathy??"
"No!" She insists. "If you would get over his overreacting to things, you would understand."
"Ok, fine. What's on 'yer mind?"
"Later, when we're not so, public, or in a place where we should be having fun."
"Fine, but we need to tackle this problem at its source."
"Obligation to say "been fighting this since high school. No end in sight.""
"Suck it up, buttercup and make some lemonade."**
"Wouldn't be the first time I've heard that." I respond covering up a flare of anger.
"Good, now smile, It's a Beautiful Day, and you're with us. You're a part of the family."
"I'm honored." I say as we group hug.
"Showtime's at 15:30, meet at the amphitheater entrance 15 minutes before."
"Cool."
"Awesome!"
"Yay."
That gives us about 45 minutes to explore until then, so the three of us continue to walk around.
When showtime rolls around, all 15 of us take a seat in center house, just outside the splash zone. Once we all get seated, Fluttershy sits next to me as Melody introduces herself as Spot's trainer. I beam with fatherly pride as Fluttershy eagerly waits for the show to begin.
A beautiful show complemented by a compliment from the star of the show splashing me in particular, to the laughter of my company, I shed some liquid pride as the show wraps up. Fluttershy, having been enamored throughout the whole show, begs me to go backstage to meet him.
A few strings, Melody's approval, and the three of us go back to meet Spot. Immediately, Fluttershy has a bit of a cute attack. I make sure he knows she's friendly, but to my relief, the two of them get along rather nicely, probably more than us two, but I chalk it up to Fluttershy being Fluttershy.
As Melody and Fluttershy bond with Spot, I get texts asking where everybody is. I ask if everyone can come in, and after Melody checks with her coworkers, she approves. I give them directions, and after we all squeeze in, Melody's coworkers leave to clean the show tank, as per schedule.
As all of us have some fun, Rosalina pulls me aside. With about an hour until the gates open, Rosalina and her brother are gonna leave now. I give them $200 in $20's as Lockie gives me some $100's.
"Thanks for breaking those," he says, trying to avoid accepting money from me. I give my wife some more, to which she winks at me as they leave for Soldier Field.
After about a half hour with Spot, Melody decides to put him to bed, so once we leave, she asks where we're going for dinner. No surprises as to what peoples' sentiments are, I decide to be brave and go for Uno.
Pointless to walk, we pile in and head for the restaurant. I ask Rarity to check on the wait for Due after we park on the roof at the closest garage. I text "45 minutes" for Uno, and two minutes later comes "30 minutes" for Due. I decide to just wait for the original after asking how hungry everyone is. As all of us wait outside in quickly chilling weather, I gather everyone close and channel my inner docent.
"This is Pizzeria Uno, the birthplace of Chicago-Style Pizza. Due, where Rarity came from, is the second location, but exact same otherwise, opening 12 years after this location in 1943," I say pointing to Uno, "and 1955." I finish pointing back down Wabash. "Ironically, the original intention of Pizzeria Uno was not pizza, but rather, Mexican, just for some variety, as they would've been one of very few Mexican restaurants in Chicago at the time. If you like deep dish pizza, this is where it all began!"
Pinkie, the Illinois native, then chimes in, "Eh, I prefer Gino's."
"I hope we can get to them. If you still would like to do a city tour, I can arrange that. Tour bus or directed by me, it's up to you."
"Why would we pay for a city tour when we can get one from you?!" A voice shouts from the back, sounding like either Scootaloo or Rainbow Dash.
"Because sometimes, it's better for someone whose job it is to point out the best parts of the city do it than someone who is from the city but been far removed for many, many years."
"No way! You wanted to show us the city, you're showing us the city!"
"I won't argue."
"Max, party of 13!" The host shouts from the front door.
"Wow!" I shout to myself as many a waiting customer give me dirty looks. "That was fast!"
Given the size of the establishment, our tables are no surprise spread out. Nevertheless, after everyone looks over the menu, I move between tables strategizing what pizzas should go to which tables, and as a result, make seating arrangements as appropriate. The final arrangements are as follows:
At one table is Fluttershy, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Scootaloo. With me at the other are Twilight, Sunset, and the Apples.
Each table will receive the same set of the following pizzas:
- Cheese and Tomato
- Chicago Classic: sausage, cheese and tomato
- Numero Uno: sausage, pepperoni, onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms.
Two rounds of refills later, the first pizzas roll out. One by one, each of us except for me go beady-eyed as we dig in.
Having dinner this late works to our advantage, as there is only one piece left collectively, which I ultimately eat to avoid leftovers. After the bill, despite insistence for proration from Rarity, we head back to Spire, where I outline tomorrow's expected itinerary of a city tour, weather dependent, and Oven Grinder for dinner.
All good for the night, Rosalina and Lockie report their return to her condo, a 35-35 tie game, and dinner at Au Cheval "so [Lockie] could have the best burger in America." |
Hearth’s Warming Eve Is Here Once Again | One More Day | Next morning, as I wake up to cloudy skies blanketing the city, I check weather and time. It's gonna be a cold one, with a maximum temperature of just 1°C. Nevertheless, I'm ready before 8:00, so I head downstairs.
"Morning, sugar cube! You're up early this morning." Applejack calls as I step into the kitchen.
"Morning. Flapjacks again?"
"They're a regular in the Apple family! Apple Bloom wanted to try and experiment with different flavors."
"Potato and chocolate chip! Found the recipe online!"
"Ooh. Sweet and savory. I'm game."
"I'll warn ya now, Max," Apple Bloom says bringing a plate of her own to the table, "I'm a horrible cook, and an even worse baker."
I respond with, "oh, now" and take my first bite. The first thing to hit my mouth is a lot of salt with only a dash of sweet, then a unicorn hits me.
I wince at the sudden and intensely concentrated bursts of taste as Twilight pats my shoulder, sitting down next to me.
"Whoa. A bit of excess on the sweet." I say as I reach for my glass of OJ and acknowledging Twilight with a nod.
"Awh." Apple Bloom pouts, cutting into her own stack.
"Still, I love this! Did you use full sweet?"
"Huh?"
"Full sweet chocolate chips?"
"No. I always use semi-sweet."
"Hmm. Must've just been an unlucky bite." I say as I continue eating. "Great job though Apple Bloom. I could never match this. My compliments to the chef."
"Thank you Max! it really means a lot." She says, to which I smile brightly in response.
"Twilight," Apple Bloom asks, "potato chip and chocolate chip pancakes?"
"Ooh. Sweet and savory," Twilight responds, "sounds delicious."
"Let me know what you think."
As the two of them carry conversation, I get the door, revealing Rosalina and Lockie all ready for the day. They ask what do, and I reply with,
"City tour and Oven Grinder."
"Perfect."
"I just hope the queue isn't too bad."
"Shouldn't be. Besides, it's the perfect place to wrap up the tour."
"Yes indeed. How many are here?" She asks conducting a head count. "5 missing."
"Sunset, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Rainbow Dash?"
*ding*
Out of the lift come all but Dash.
"Rainbow Dash is just stepping out of the shower." Scootaloo says with a chuckle.
"Great... How long does she usually take?"
"Anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes."
With city traffic just approaching the end of morning rush, this is the perfect time for the city tour.
When we pile in to the cars, and volunteers give their phones, I launch the conference call after hooking up Bluetooth.
"Can everybody hear me okay?" I ask over the line.
"All good in the jackfruit!" Pinkie calls.
"And you've got ears from the orange!" Says Applejack to get us going.
"Yay. Let's start our tour at the obvious: our residence. The Chicago Spire has a rather interesting history. Originally broken ground when I was a wee, the country's hardest recession hit especially hard, in fact cancelling the original project by the time I started high school. The site stood dormant for years with a hole in the ground that would've served as the base. That hole has since been filled by this here garage of mine." I finish as we exit Spire and head north to catch LSD.
As the convoy catches up, I continue. "Standing at 4,096 feet from street level to the tip of the mast/lightning rod, this building boasts the highest residences in the world, the highest indoor swimming pool, the largest floor count at 300, highest sky lobby, the world's highest restaurant space, which currently sits vacant as we look for future tenants, and of course, the obvious: the tallest building in the world, 1.5 times taller than the next tallest, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. But enough about the pride and joy of my city, let's head to the next point of interest, for those of you that are fans of architecture, the Robie House."
Just as we jump onto LSD, I take a breath and continue, "on the way down, let me introduce you to the southern extension of Lake Shore Drive, or as Illinois natives like to call it, LSD. No, this is not a euphemism or a code word. Just the initials. Famous for its 3-level concurrency with Wacker Drive in the financial district, this is the place to cruise on a beautiful summer day with the windows and/or top down. Of course, let's not forget about the many beaches the city has to offer along beautiful Lake Michigan. Our next point of interest will be Grant Park, highlighted by Buckingham Fountain, which was donated by the daughter of a grain magnate in honor of her brother in 1927. Often called the front door to Chicago due to its southerly location from the rest of the city, the fountain itself is surrounded by four sea horses, which represent the four states that border Lake Michigan: Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. From spring to fall, the fountain features water shows 3 times an hour from 0800 to 2300, the night shows complete with choreographed lighting effects. Quite a pretty display if I say so myself." "Approaching on the left is Museum Campus and Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears, as well as the three museums we visited yesterday. Soldier Field is a "living, breathing memorial" to those in service past and present, despite controversy surrounding its major remodel back in 2003. If you'd like more information, I can discuss that later. On the right for those of you motoring enthusiasts, is the eastern terminus of I-55, the Adlai Stevenson Expressway. That is the modern supplantation of Route 66. If you were interested in driving along the Mother Road, this is where she began. Aviation enthusiasts will also note Northerly Island Park, the former site of Meigs Field, closed in 2006 for security reasons, and McCormick Place, the largest convention center in North America. We have a bit of a ways still to the Robie House, but if there are any questions, please don't hesitate to speak up."
No questions as we leave LSD and roll into University of Chicago. "Welcome to the University of Chicago, and the Robie House here on the right." I finish pulling up to some open parking spots right in front of it. "Built by Frank Lloyd Wright for its namesake, this is the last of his houses designed in his studio in Oak Park and the last of the Prairie School architectural style that soon went out of style after this house was completed. Unfortunately, after a residence of about 14 months, the house had to be sold due to the owner's financial and marital misfortunes. The death of his father and collapse of his marriage forced the sale of the house, which was almost torn down, much to the protest of Wright himself, who demonstrated with many Uni students to preserve it, which today continues to stand and is a US Historical Landmark for its design and construction."
As the group take pictures, I hang around and check for police or other cars. Once ready, we continue up, taking Dan Ryan past U.S. Cellular. At the city's worst interchange, Jane Byrne, we take Stevenson for United Center, where I quip, "welcome to Chicagoland's worst interchange, en route to United Center, home of the Bulls and Blackhawks."
When we reach UC, I ask if anyone wants to step out and stretch. None accept, so I instead park and double check the route, during which time a question pops up.
"Did Mrs. O'Leary's cow knock over a lamp?" I hear over the line, sounding like Apple Bloom.
"Actually, no. That was a myth fabricated by political machines to bash Irish immigrants. Believe it or not, anti-immigration sentiments are not exclusive to our neighbors to the south. Anyway, while the fire did in fact start in a barn, there is no conclusive evidence as to what started it. The only reason the fire spread so catastrophically is because that year was especially dry, and it was a particularly blustery day, so embers could travel for miles and start new fires, and they did. It also didn't help that most of the city was built upon wood. That's why there are so many brick buildings in Chicago today."
"Oh. My." I hear Fluttershy from behind me.
"Are we ready to continue?" I ask chuckling at her remark.
After unanimous approval, we catch Eisenhower E for Franklin/Wacker to [Upper] Wacker. "Up next is a pride and joy of the city, Sears Tower. Built in 1973 by Sears Roebuck & Co, the design for the building came about by use of a cigarette box. if you remember from the history video when we were there, the shape of the building came from pulling individual cigarettes in the box to different heights, forming a bundled tube structure, which explains its odd ends. Standing at 1,453 feet, it was at its completion in 1973 the tallest building in the world until 1998, when the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur surpassed it. The Sears Tower could've been the tallest building in the world by leaps and bounds, rivaling Spire, but the FAA had to limit the height of the building to protect air traffic, as two runways at O'Hare at the time were NW-SE, which meant the approach path took them virtually right over downtown. Even so, the building is virtually all office space, with the largest tenant being United Airlines. There are actually two observation decks, weather dependent, one on floor 99, and the one we visited, on floor 103. SkyDeck's glass balconies are a staple of the tower, allowing for a straight view down to the surface below." I pause as my heart rate climbs slightly thinking about a visit long ago when I planked on one in a stupid attempt to get likes.
"Our next stop," I say as I fight to catch Monroe St, "is the Art Institute of Chicago. Home to many famous artworks including Picasso's The Old Guitarist, Georges Seurat's Sunday afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jette, The Child's Bath by Mary Cassatt, Edward Hopper's Nighthawks, and most famously, Grant Wood's American Gothic."
As we stop outside the entrance, traffic builds up just as a few motorists block the intersection. Horns blare, tingles go up my spine, and my hands start shaking, afraid of not being able to move and incurring the wrath of those behind us. Since we've come from the south, our next stop is Cloud Gate. "In a few blocks, we'll pass by Cloud Gate, aka The Bean. If you'd like to take pictures here, let me know and we'll go, because we have two days of trip left, and one of them is free as air."
"Can we go to Au Cheval?" Pinkie asks over the line.
"I'm game, except it can't be tonight."
"Tomorrow then?"
"Why not? I also planned on Michael Jordan's Steakhouse. Sorry to you vegetarians out there."
"It's fine." Sunset says behind me, since the only vegetarians are both with me.
"Our last few stops will be Magnificent Mile, John Hancock Center, Wrigley Field, and Oven Grinder. John Hancock is a multi-use, mostly residential mark of the Chicago skyline. Opened in 1969, much like Sears, Hancock features a tubular architecture as part of a late modern structural expressionism which features X-bracing to protect the building against high winds, the lake effect of which the city earns its endearing nickname. 5 years older than Sears, its own completion made it the 2nd tallest in the world after the Empire State Building, but before we reach Hancock, Michigan Ave and Chicago's Magnificent Mile!" I exclaim as we cross DuSable. "Simply put, the 5th Avenue of Chicago. Nike, Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, Saks Fifth, Neiman Marcus, and more. Some of you have already made yourselves familiar with this stretch of road. On the immediate right is Hotel Intercontinental, home of Michael Jordan's Steakhouse. Also here just east of the corner of Michigan and Ontario is Garrett Popcorn, yet another Chicago staple that we've already visited. Again, if any of these points interest you, please don't hesitate to let me know and we'll make time for it. Also, as we approach John Hancock, one more bit about the Great Fire. Seven buildings in the burn area survived. Two of those buildings are the Water Tower and Pumping Station, both of which we'll pass shortly."
When we pass Chicago Ave, I call out, "Pumping Station on the right, Water Tower on your left."
At the end of the road, we enter LSD, where Rosalina pitches in that this is her favorite part of the city for the beaches and shoreline. As traffic worsens, I take a look beyond the lake. Just as forecast, with the clock approaching 16:00, the weather has changed. By that, the sun is approaching Twilight and there's a thick layer of fog on its way in.
Before it gets too dark, I wrap up our city tour with a seasonally derelict Wrigley marquee. "This, is, Wrigley Field. The Friendly Confines. Home of the Chicago Cubs, and the Bears from 1921 to 1970; famous for its refusal to install lights for night games until 1988, the rooftop bleachers across Sheffield Ave in right field as well as the Ivy-covered outfield brick wall. Opened in 1914, Wrigley Field is the second oldest ballpark in the major leagues, trailing Boston's Fenway Park, which opened in 1912. Coincidentally, the Ivy of choice for the outfield wall is known as Japanese or Boston Ivy, which is very well-suited to Chicago winters compared to the common English or European Ivy it once bore. Chicago is a city steeped in tradition, and Wrigley Field is a perfect manifestation of that."
We leave LSD at IL-64, where once we turn onto Clark, I search for parking. "Our final stop on this tour is Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Company, a restaurant located right across the street from the site of the famous Valentines Day massacre of Al Capone fame. The restaurant didn't actually open until 1972, but the original building, according to theory, is where Al Capone stationed lookout men for said massacre. There is however no evidence to support this theory. However, onto the restaurant. This location is famous for their "pizza pot pie" and "Mediterranean Bread." For our large party, we'll split into two parties. One of 8 and one of 7. And on that, bombshell, that concludes this city tour. If there are other questions about the city, please direct those to either Rosalina or me, or the internet. I'd just like to say that it has been more than an absolute pleasure to be able to show you all my city, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I have." And with that, I hang up, marking a total call time of 3 hours, 42 minutes, 37 seconds.
After heading two blocks north of Oven Grinder, I circle back down Clark and grab three spots at the Lincoln & Clark Y intersection. Much to my surprise, the man who comes out to take names recognizes me from the last time I went to the restaurant a while back. Same with Rosalina. Since this is a popular place, no one signs in with a host. Instead, the host remembers you by face, and will personally call you without needing to take a name. Pretty cool system if you ask me.
I tell him we're a party of 15, expecting an 8 and 7 split. Queue time is in excess of 45 minutes, but no one really seems to mind.
As we continue queueing, a few fancy guests in their fancy cars show up and conversations erupt as Rosalina and Lockie wait beside me. We get called at the same time, but the most hungry ones go with Rosalina and Lockie - Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, Pinkie, Sunset, and Twilight. That leaves me with Fluttershy, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and the Apples. Sat at tables on opposite corners of the floor, I remind Rosalina that the order is 2 Mediterranean Bread and 2 1-lb pot pies each for the table. Drinks here are all water, except for an iced tea from Fluttershy.
As conversation carries on, I have a few sips of water as shooting pains bloom out of my ribs, again. As I clutch my chest and consciously breathe, my ears start to ring, my eyes widen, my vision starts to go, and a voice shouts, "you've failed. You've let everybody down: family, friends, colleagues. But most importantly, you failed yourself."
I ask for some more water, but the juddering and buffeting continues, evidenced by a difficulty to hold the glass firmly, trying with all my might to suppress the voices inside my head. Fluttershy's eyes widen nervously, so she nudges Applejack. The two of them look at me then get Rosalina. When she comes over, I show her my 'rock steady' hands.
"What's wrong?"
"I-I-I don't kn-n-n-now. I've never felt better, and yet the v-v-v-vvoices in my h-h-h-head are trying to tell me I failed, that I let everybody down." I say with breath shakier than San Francisco.
"Remember what I told you. Those words are not true."
"I don't know what's causing it. For all I know..." I pause, "I could just be nervouscited about this trip. I mean yeah, I had a couple of mild outbursts on the way here, and a couple while we were exploring museums, but I just did a city tour! I got to show off Chicago! I'm sure you know how eager I was to do that, especially with everyone else. I'm so proud of myself for that."
"Me too. I forgot how happy Chicago makes you."
"I'm glad." I say glad that the conversation is at least dampening my panic. I take a deep breath and then say, "I'll be fine."
"Please don't hesitate to let me know what you need."
"Of course."
"Oh, and by the way," Rosalina says to me before she heads back to her table, "when you ended the tour, I had never heard you so happy since we got married."
Shocked by her revelation, I completely overlook the fact that the shooting pains are gone and the voice has been silenced.
"This is unbelievable, Max. What's gotten into you?" Applejack says.
"I honestly don't know. I'm not in dire straits nor do I have a reason to be. I'm going to take a punt that I'm stuck in a mental rut of 'if nothing's wrong, then something's up.'"
"Where did 'ya learn that?" Granny Smith asks just as confused as her granddaughter.
"Well, I guess that's due to me feeling a need to prove myself even when I don't need to. I mean hell, the whole reason I wanted to do a city tour is to show you how much I love Chicago."
"That doesn't answer the question." Applejack responds. "Why would you feel a need to prove yourself?"
"Eagerness to impress, I guess? I don't know really."
"Then what?" Applejack asks back, an assertive seriousness leaving her mouth.
"I guess the best way to put it is, "having grown up needing to shout just to be heard has manifested itself to where I subconsciously show myself off, often rather loudly, to prove, mostly to myself, that I've made it. I'm everything I wanted to be and was expected to be. A pilot as per me' own wishes, and financially secure with millions, per the family."
"So, you're compensating?" Apple Bloom asks rather naïvely.
"If you want to call it that. I guess I project my own perceived insufficiency onto others, and for that if it's off-putting, I can only apologize."
"It's alright, sugar cube." Her older sister then responds with the voice of a mother. "If I may be honest with you, when you look past all this," she says pointing to me, implying some kind of façade, "at your core, you're a really nice and genuinely all around good person. You just have a troubled past that you're letting define and control you."
"Thank you, I appreciate that." I say just as the Mediterranean Bread for both our tables arrives. "This is Mediterranean Bread. As you can see, it's pizza dough brushed with butter, olive oil and Mediterranean herbs."
As each of us dig away at it, one piece is left. None oblige until Apple Bloom finishes hers, to which I encourage her to take the last piece. She declines, saving room for the pie, but no one else takes, so I send it to the other table, where Pinkie goes for it. The waiters quickly bus our dishes as conversation from Applejack and Rarity takes hold.
Apple Bloom and her grandmother then start talking as Sweetie Belle surfs her phone. Oh how I wish I could have a cigarette to soothe my nerves.
Before too long, our pies arrive, and immediately we all dig in after the all-clear has been given, that is to say, after certain people decide to snap pics and upload. Suddenly, my phone blows up with tags in social media posts. Apparently, because it's the day before the holiday, the optimal algorithm time to upload is now, or something like that. Whatever the case, plenty of posts from various accounts tag me in them along with a wave of follow and friend requests. All accepted and followed back, we dig in happy, hungry, and content.
As we dig in and chat between tables, I enjoy myself watching the others enjoy themselves. As I sip away, that voice in the back of my head still faintly shouts, "you've failed yourself! You're not good enough."
As that voice rises in volume, I listen in on some conversations and check my phone. Some family group chats go off with holiday well wishes, but for obvious reasons, I can't say anything. Nevertheless, I smile knowing that the family still has some semblance of togetherness, even though I was the only one who ever really reached out to them. I don't regret that decision, but it does kind of pain me to see that my own siblings give the cold shoulder to blood relatives, especially because I got so much stink from my siblings and parents for even associating with that part of the family.
Before I rant on too much about that, I get the bill. A total of just over $350, which includes a hearty tip for large party outside of normal gratuities. Rosalina's is exactly the same, so after she covers, I reimburse her, which she refuses, so I give the money to Lockie, who promises to get it to her. As thanks, and for his airfare, I give him money of his too. He also refuses despite my insistence, which he finally obliges to, mostly to shut me up.
When we leave, the restaurant noticeably emptier now, but the queue breathing some sighs of relief, we pile in and head for home. Tomorrow, my favorite pizza place is holding a special for us at the holiday, by my gracious request and a handful of opportunistic staff who would love overtime pay at a considerable premium for working on a holiday.
That night, as everyone slowly retires for the night, Lockie and Rosalina go to their condo, so I get ready for bed now. Doing everything in my power to silence the voices in my head for good, I end up one of the last to retire. After routine maintenance and a hearty amount of sleep aid, I pass the heck out, knowing that tomorrow will be a good one. |
Hearth’s Warming Eve Is Here Once Again | It’s All Worth It In The End | ZzzQuil done good, I wake up with enough energy to jump into the shower. Unfortunately, that energy wears off by the time I reach the kitchen. Enjoying fresh tap water, sourced from the only All-American Great Lake, I beat the Apples to the up, but only by a few seconds, as when I finish my first glass, the lift dings, revealing the core four ready for the day.
"I win." I say. "Good morning and happy holidays!"
"Morning, sugar cube."
"Happy holidays!" Granny Smith adds. "The night treat you well?"
"Uh, okay I guess. I'm a little excited right now. I have the best Chicago pizza many years running for dinner."
"I'm still full from last night." Apple Bloom whines.
"Eeyup." Big Mac cracks back in agreement.
"Well, then be mindful of tonight. I've got plenty of fun in store, mostly food. I get really excited about Chicago pizza, and I'm showing you my favorites. I won't get to show you the lower end of the pizza spectrum."
"The lower end of the what now?" Applejack asks more confused than the others.
"Of the four major Chicago pizza chains, I rank them as Giordano's, followed by Gino's East and Uno/Due in a close tie for second, then Lou Malnati's as the best. It also just hit me that Sunset can visit both Lou's and Gino's, as there are locations in Phoenix."
"Oh that's alright." Sunset chimes in, appearing behind the Apples.
"Hello Sunset. You're up early this morning."
"I know. I just woke up and couldn't go back to sleep."
"I hope that's not a bad thing."
"Thanks." She says jabbing her fist into my arm and peeking into the fridge.
"What? I'm just concerned that you might crash in the middle of the day."
"Maybe."
Before the next person comes down, I get a call from the restaurant.
"Hello?"
"Hi, is this Max?"
"It is."
"Hi, this is Lou Malnati's Lincolnwood calling, how are you today?"
"Very well, yourself?"
"Not too bad. I have you with an expected party of... 15 for tonight's private event?"
"That is correct."
"Excellent. Would you like to pre-order your pizzas so that they'll be ready when you all get here?"
"Um, sure. That way, as soon as everyone is seated, we can grab drink orders and then roll them out."
"Excellent, one moment please... go ahead."
"Okay, um. First off, all pizzas will be large. Just to keep things simple."
"Sure."
"And to keep things simpler still, two of each deep dish pie."
"Two Lou's, Two Chicago Classic, and Two Cheese?"
"Yes. Six pizzas in total."
"You want to throw in anything else?"
"Um, a few orders of the garlic cheese bread."
"You got it."
"And that should complete the order."
"Alright, 2 Lou, 2 Chicago Classic, 2 Cheese; and is 3 good for the Garlic Cheese Bread?"
"That's all correct. Can you hold for one second?"
"Yeah, no problem."
"Thank you. One moment please."
Placed on hold, I wait patiently for the other end of the line.
About three minutes later, the music cuts.
"Hello Max, you still there?"
"Yes, I'm here."
"Would you like to do an open bar? I have my manager here with me. He can talk to you about that."
"Sure."
"No problem, one moment please."
"Hello?" Another voice responds. "Is this Max?"
"Yes sir."
"Okay. Um, you want to do an open bar?"
"I'd like to just in case, but I don't know if they'd want to or whether they'd actually use it."
"It won't be a problem either way."
"What cancellation rate is there if we decide not to?"
"Nothing extra. We'll only charge what you buy."
"Okay, then we'll go ahead and do that."
"You got it!"
"Thank you so much!"
"No problem. Now, let's just make sure everything is correct. You're set for 19:10, 2 Lou, 2 Classic, 2 Cheese, 3 Garlic Cheese Bread, and open bar."
"Uh, yes."
"Sounds good. You're all set."
"Will this interfere with company picnics or family times?"
"Actually, no. The staff on duty tonight volunteered for it."
"Well, I wouldn't want to intrude on their time. If I may ask, what's the overtime pay for this shift?"
"Time and 3/4."
"I'll raise you to 2. Consider it extra gratuity."
"You've got yourself a deal. My staff will be very grateful."
"Perfect. Will I be seeing you tonight?"
"Not me, sir. My parents have invited us to their house in Palatine."
"No problem. Safe travels and happy holidays to you!"
"Thank you sir, same to you."
"Thank you. Bye now."
"Bye."
Since our only plan is Lincolnwood at 19:10, out of the city at 18:05. Until then, breakfast, ideas, and see where we go from here.
Dishwasher loaded and on a delayed start, I propose, "anywhere you want to go? I know Au Cheval was a request."
"They open on the holiday?"
"It's a bar. I don't see why not."
"Let's go then."
"Dinner isn't until 19:00, so we can eat there at around 14:00. Is there anywhere or anything you want to do in the meantime?"
"Uh, do you want to walk around Magnificent Mile?" Pinkie suggests.
"Anyone want to go shopping?" I ask everyone.
"Same place as last?" Sunset asks.
"Pretty much. It'll be on Magnificent Mile, of which Water Tower is a part."
"Why not?" A few respond with uncertainty.
"There's Zara, Saks Fifth, Nike, Cubs store, Neiman Marcus, Tiffany, Rolex, Cartier... uh, that's all I can think of off the top of my head."
"Works for me!" Pinkie exclaims.
"And I must simply NOT let a trip to a place such as this one go without a trip to Tiffany!"
"Never took you for a Tiffany girl, Rares." Applejack quips with clear intent of provocation.
"Oh, pfft, Applejack, don't be absurd!" Rarity scoffs back, which makes the blonde chuckle.
"Any takers for Magnificent Mile?" I ask one more time.
Sunset, Rarity, Pinkie, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Fluttershy all oblige. The rest of the group eventually concurs, and seeing it as an opportunity to at least, in the words of Granny Smith, take a walk to get out of the condo, we pile into the lift.
When we get to Michigan Ave, I stop at Intercontinental, designating Michael Jordan's Steakhouse the rendezvous point at 13:00. Rarity, Sunset, Pinkie and Fluttershy make for the shops as Rosalina decides to take Lockie to MJ's for lunch. Granny Smith takes her grandchildren for a walk, and Apple Bloom convinces her two besties to join them, so Pinkie, Rainbow Dash and Twilight join the 3 of us for a light meal.
Being Michael Jordan's Steakhouse, I tout the Delmonico but highly recommend pretty much everything else on the menu. I admit, we should've made a reservation, so after consulting with our waiter, I warn that we have many others coming in from Magnificent Mile. After talking with the hostess, we get moved to a bigger table that'll fit us all, with the same waitress.
Not 15 minutes after we order, the first shoppers return. A quick peek at the hair reveals our trend-setting fashionista. In one hand is a single midsize bag, bearing the likes of Tiffany. No surprises there, I try and peek inside the bag, but instead of snatching it away from prying eyes, she reaches into her top and pulls out a beautiful necklace she's wearing that complements her decidedly wintery outfit.
I give her beady eyes as a joke, to which she immediately reacts with, "stop staring! That's not very becoming of either of us, especially for you!"
"Pardon me for admiring a very pretty design." I say in my defense as she blushes.
When a few more join us, I pass the Delmonico steak I ordered around. Each of the others takes a bite except for the obvious, leaving two more bites for me, which I finish easily.
After I close the tab, we return to Spire, swap some things, then pile into cars for Au Cheval. North Water-McClurg-Grand-State, across Bataan-Corregidor, to Randolph. Scattered parking for the three cars, I grab the table as soon as I park. Largely open seating, 3 booths of 5 apiece should fare well here. The service is surprisingly slow, even for a holiday.
A waitress/waiter team, the latter in training, handle us for the afternoon. After plenty of suggestions, each table will split a burger, to be sensible. With only one other party here, we go through drinks, glad that Applejack is at another table, so I have a single shot of Chocolate Martini and nothing else besides water and coffee. When the last bits of burger are whittled down, I close the tab amidst a few lively conversations from our other tables. With still a few hours before Lou's, we return to Spire and ready our stomachs.
When we roll onto Kennedy, traffic is pretty heavy, especially because winter is coming late this year. Nevertheless, I play it aggressive and maintain an average of 86 until we reach Edens, where the speed of our convoy matches the highway number - 94.
Hot brakes at the Touhy off-ramp, we grab good spots due to being the only ones here besides employees.
The pizzas and garlic bread are already there, and so after the whole group plays dibs, we all gather round for the pizza. Each person grabs a slice to kick things off. Just as I expected, a few keep their dinner light. In fact, the heaviest eaters are Rainbow Dash and Applejack. No surprises there, I spend most of the evening joining in the occasional conversation, watching the drinks tab rack up all the while.
The dinner itself kind of goes late, with plenty of leftovers. At this point, I ask for the check. A hefty tip and gratuity for the 2 times overtime bonus yields a total dinner cost of $405.91.
After the last of the food gets boxed up, I carry plenty of leftovers back with me for the night. Back at Spire, I decide to dip my feet in the hot tub, where I'm joined by my wife. I chat with her for the brief time she stays, but after a goodnight hug and kiss, she quickly leaves to take Lockie to her place.
A few minutes later, I call the lift back to get me. When the doors open, Apple Bloom is standing inside the car.
"Hi Max!"
"Howdy Apple Bloom. You look unusually energetic for thanksgiving... midnight."
"I'm not a Black Friday type, and I still have some energy left. Figured I may as well hang out up here."
"You have swimwear?"
"No, but a few laps won't hurt."
"Fair enough. Have fun, but no skinny dipping."
"Thanks!" She responds as she takes off her clothes, jumping in the pool as the lift doors close.
Back at the lobby, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are comfortable in front of the tv, watching a movie. I smile at the two of them as I head for the master. My evening routine exhausts me perfectly to bed, so I declare this holiday gathering a success!
Next morning, I pour some cereal to finish the milk, joined by Rosalina, Lockie, Twilight, and the Apples.
"Lockie, when do you leave?"
"16:45."
"Cool. No one else is leaving today, right?"
"We weren't planning on driving back until tomorrow." Applejack answers.
"Same here." Twilight says.
To my surprise, Rosalina pulls me aside and says, "I know it's such short notice, but Lockie needs me to go with him."
"Do you need me with you?"
"Not really. We need to go through our parents' stuff since he needs to free space at his house."
"Oh. How long will you be gone?"
"I can't say. There's supposedly a lot of stuff to go through."
"Would you care if I was with you?"
"It's fine if you do, but you don't need to."
"No problem if you don't."
"I don't think you'll need to be there actually. I will however let you know if I do need you."
"Yes, please do. Same flight as Lockie then?"
"Yes."
"No problem."
Soon, everyone is ready, and as a treat from my own Chicago trips, I set course for Affy Tapple. A real treat for our farmers, featuring, nutty, plain, M&M, you name it. One of everything? Sure.
While the others enjoy their Caramel Apples & Apple Sweets, I make a quick stop at Oberweis because I'm the only one crazy enough to get ice cream in a Midwestern winter.
Once we return to Spire, I delay the drive to Midway by 25 minutes since we have some extra time. I ask if anyone wants to join, but only Applejack accepts.
Once we pile in, everyone wishes each other well, and bags loaded, I head for MDW. Stevenson gives us some trouble, but Cicero really gives it to us. No surprises there, I soon reach the departures loop, finding just enough space behind a departing car to drop them off.
I make quick work of unloading, and as soon as I close the boot, I give hugs and kisses as they head in to check their bags. After they join the long queue for baggage check-in, I climb back in and traffic check, to which a guard clears me in to a line of slow-moving traffic out of terminal loop.
As soon as I get onto Stevenson, I get a text from Rosalina. I open it to see what she says, and CarPlay announces,
"I want a divorce." |
Between Sun and Moon | pre | Luna landed on front of the castle, heart still beating.
Someone had looked up to her. Someone other than Celestia loved her.
She pushed the door to her sister's bedroom. Celestia was sleeping tight.
Luna hesitated, stepped back, and closed the door.
Ponies only hate you if they have a reason to hate you.
Those ponies hadn't heard the rumours. They hadn't started to see Celestia and her as witched, devils. Yet.
Quick hoofsteps sounded behind her, stopped, and started going away. She turned, and her heart dipped when she saw who it had been.
"Dust Swirl!" Luna whisper-shouted, galloping to catch up to the maid.
Dust Swirl froze in her steps.
"Dust Swirl, I want to talk."
The maid turned to Luna and stood still, head low. Luna took a deep breath to steady her voice.
"What did you really see the other day?"
"N-nothing."
Luna shook her head. "I want the truth. Please, I won't do anything to you. I just need the truth."
Dust Swirl hesitated. "I... saw you and Lady Celestia... together."
"Together?"
Dust Swirl trembled. "Yes."
"And what were we doing?"
Dust Swirl opened and closed her mouth, shaking from limb to limb. "I-- I-- I don't know."
Luna looked at her with pleading eyes. "Please."
Tears streamed down the maid's face. "I-- I saw you kissing, and touching each other, and-- please, please I have a family to feed, I can't--"
"Enough." Luna's heart drummed against her chest. "Thank you, Dust Swirl."
Dust Swirl made to leave, but Luna stopped her with a wing. "One last thing, please."
The maid was shaking, but she managed to nod.
"What do you think of me and Celestia now?"
"I-- I don't know."
"Truthfully. Then you can go."
Dust Swirl stayed silent for a moment. "At first I loved working here, it was an honour. And I looked up to you two so much. But now..." She shook her head. "I don't know what to think. Part of me is disgusted, but part of me is still thankful that you kept me here, and that you treat us well."
Part of me is disgusted.
"Thank you." Luna removed her wing from the maid. "And... if you want to quit, go ahead. We'll compensate you."
Luna would have given everything for Dust Swirl to refuse, to say that even though she didn't understand, she found their love beautiful, and wanted to keep helping as much as she could around the castle.
"Thank you," the maid said with a sigh of relief. "I think that'd be best."
Luna closed her eyes and breathed in. "And of course, you are forbidden from speaking of what you saw to anyone, as well as of the conversation you had with me tonight."
"Of course."
Dust Swirl left the castle with a heavy pouch in her bag. Enough to live well for a few years. Luna could only trust her to keep the secret she had seen.
"You WHAT?"
Luna winced at Celestia's outburst. She had pulled her sister aside as soon as she woke up to tell her of what had happened the previous night.
"I had to, she didn't want to be here anymore, and I feared she might have ended talking to the other servants."
Celestia stayed silent for a second, thinking. "I can see why you would fear that."
"Two sisters loving each other that much... ponies don't like it."
They were rulers now, powerful Alicorns who raised and lower the Sun and Moon. Yet, they were but ants in the face of their secret. If it were revealed again...
"I want to rule the night." Luna said at last.
Celestia looked at her, surprised. "What?"
"When I went to help that colt I told you about, I was able to enter his nightmare and end it. I think I can use this power to watch over our subjects."
"But Lulu, you know what that means, right?"
Luna nodded. "It's for the best."
Celestia shook her head. "This isn't like you. You're scared, and--"
"I'm scared because I love you, and that means I don't want my love for you to put you in danger."
Celestia looked down at her hooves "...I feel the same."
A year apart was harsh.
Luna only saw Celestia briefly anymore. At breakfast, when she lowered the Moon and went to bed, and at dinner, when Celestia lowered the Sun and went to bed.
Every night, Luna soared through the sky, answering the calls of anxious minds and nightmare-stricken ponies.
Then, she ate with her sister and went to bed, cold and alone.
It was like living in an empty world. Everypony slept while she worked, their sleeping selves unaware of her presence.
In the day, the castle was filled with noise, with the going and coming of their subject. They all loved Celestia so much...
"Good morning, Tia." Luna gave Celestia a quick nuzzle, gone too fast as they settled at their table to eat.
"We're alone, you know," Celestia said. "I understand not wanting to do anything too egregious, but..."
The doors to the kitchen opened, and a cook brought a plate of eggs before them before leaving with a bow.
"See?" Luna gestured at the leaving cook. "If he had come in--"
"Luna, you're being paranoid."
Luna fell silent, and shoved a forkful of eggs in her mouth. "I just want--"
"To keep me safe, I know."
They stayed in uncomfortable silence for a moment.
"I still love them, you know?"
Celestia looked at her. "Who?"
"Our subjects." Luna made a vague gesture around them in the empty kitchen. "I watch over them, make sure their nights are good and peaceful."
"And they're thankful for that."
Luna finished a slice of toast. "How many times did you get asked where I was?"
"Lulu..."
Luna sighed. "That's what I thought."
Celestia wiped her mouth with a towel. "I'm the one they see during the day, and they already trust you with the night."
"You're right..."
Luna looked out of the window. The morning Sun shone over them, over every pony below.
A darkness seemed to peer from the sunlight, but when Luna looked at it, it vanished.
"Good night, Lulu."
Celestia came to press herself against Luna, but the youngest avoided her touch, looking nervously at a pair of guards near them.
"Lulu, there's nothing weird with just hugging." Celestia snorted in irritation.
"I know, it's just..."
"Well, good night, I need to go."
Celestia went away to her room. A pang of guilt touched Luna's heart. She wanted so hard to be able to hug Celestia like before, kiss her and touch her. But everytime she even thought of it, her flaming house came back to her mind.
She had checked on Dust Swirl. She was now living in a beautiful house, taking care of her foals. She had welcomed Luna with a bright smile when she had arrived.
"It was the shock, but I hope you don't believe I think bad of you at all."
Luna drank tea with Dust Swirl near the hearth. The family had gone to bed, but she often stayed up late. "You don't?"
Dust Swirl shook her head. "You'd be surprised what ponies can think when they're shocked."
But I wouldn't be surprised.
A house in flame appeared in her mind. A darkness swirled around it, crushing the fragile home.
"I'm sorry, Luna, but I don't think that'd be wise."
Luna looked down at her steaming cup of tea. "Why not?"
Celestia took a deep breath. "If I were to suddenly have you back on the day throne, ponies would ask why you abandoned your duties."
"But I want to be by your side again."
Celestia hesitated, her gaze hardening. "Why?"
Celestia's look took Luna aback. "W-why? Well, because I miss you, that's why!"
Celestia looked down and chuckled. "Oh. Right. I guess that'd make sense."
Luna's heart sunk. "What do you mean?"
Celestia sighed. "Lulu, listen, I'm too tired to fight with you tonight.
"Tell me! Please!" Luna pleaded.
"Very well. Our subjects are very much pleased with the arrangement we have. They can sleep well during your night, and live during my day with the assurance that I will guide them well."
"You... don't think I'd guide them well?"
Celestia shook her head. "Luna, you're good at what you do, and I'm good at what I do. We have something good going on here. Ponies are happy."
"I'm not happy."
Celestia stared at Luna, and for a moment, something changed in her expression. "Lulu... I need to think. We'll talk about it tomorrow, after I get some rest."
Celestia walked away, leaving only a darkness in the empty space where she used to be.
Luna started as Celestia draped a blanket over her. Her sister stood by her side for a moment, before her hoofsteps receded, became faint and distant.
Please, come back...
The hearth only cast a feeble light on Luna, the embers already dying. The fabric felt sterile, washed and handled by their servants.
"I'm sorry I'm not as good as you."
Tears hit the floor under Luna with a gentle drip. She gripped the blanket and pulled it closer around her.
"I'm sorry I don't know how to rule." Her shaky whispers echoed in the empty room. "I'm sorry..."
Under her blanket, the darkness spread again, wrapped around her in a soft embrace, like a white wing draped over her.
Silence fell once again on her. Heavy, uncomfortable silence. The embers gave their last light, the wind howled outside. The sun was obscured by clouds.
A storm was coming.
Luna stood under a darkened sky. The Moon shone by her absence in the sky, hidden under a cover of clouds.
I rule the night.
She ruled a kingdom of sleep and absence. A world where ponies locked themselves away, waiting for her sister to return so they could greet her again and again.
She took flight and surveyed the city below her. Like a shadow passing over the land, her gliding took her to the central square. She landed on the paved street without as much as the sound of a pin dropping down.
Their city was no Mirum. However, what it lacked in size, it made for in devotion. And its inhabitants made no effort to hide their love for the two sisters.
In the middle of the square, a gigantic stone statue towered over her. A grey Celestia looked down on her with a frozen face, her solar disk held aloft by the tip of two spread wings.
At her side, almost forgotten, her sister stood. She did strike an admirable pose, and the work had been careful, but for all the care this artist put into his work, the pavement was worn and cracked in front of Celestia's statue, with nary a hoofprint in front of hers.
Of course, how could they love and worship her when she was hidden during the day, only active at night, when no one but a hoofful of ponies were awake?
Ponies only hate you if they have a reason to hate you.
Ponies only love you if they have a reason to love you.
Her calm wavered, a scowl breaking its way on her face.
So is this it then? I wouldn't love her, and so she found love somewhere else.
No, I'm the one who refused her love.
But she didn't stop me.
They don't see me, and so they don't love me.
They only see her so they love her. They hate me because I'm away, they'd spit on my statue if they could.
She would too, she hates me.
She was aware something wasn't quite right. A darkness was pressing against her, seeping inside her mind. But she ignored it.
She spread her wings again, the delicate feathers catching in the stormwind. With a flap, she shot upward, up through the clouds and into the sky above.
The storm rumbled below her, the clouds like rolling waves. Above, always there, always watching over her, the Moon shone.
She was cold, so cold.
But even the chill in her soul was forgotten in face of the astral orb. Unlike the Sun, so harsh and brutal, the Moon shone so soft, so gentle.
"Why don't they love you?"
The Moon didn't answer.
"You're so beautiful, why don't they see it?"
Luna stayed there, suspended between ground and space, waiting for the answer of the silent watcher. Darkness filled the sky, and the Moon was the only solution.
"If they can't see your beauty," she decided at last, "if they're too blinded by the Sun to see, I will show them myself."
Darkness closed in from around her. Darkness from within. Darkness spreading from limb to limb, surging with power, fueled by the turmoil in her heart.
A nightmare enveloped Luna.
I will show them myself.
My moon will not soothe their nights anymore.
They will learn to fear it.
My nightmare moon.
Does the Moon speak sweetly tonight?
In the soft darkness of the night, her burning rays vanish.
The night is cold. The night is calm.
And who's the fool who wears the crown?
Who thinks she stands on top of the world.
Who thinks she stands on top of me.
Who rejects me.
"Luna?!"
Here she is in her glory.
Round and soft, so soft.
If warmth won't welcome me anymore, then no one shall know warmth.
"Luna, you need to lower the Moon!"
What's the haze that envelops me?
It sings sweetly to me.
It numbs me to the pains and the cold.
How I want this to last forever.
How I want my night to last forever.
Alone.
So alone.
Why am I alone?
A fierce battle. A decisive blow directed at the sister she had once loved. A blow guided by rage, intent on ending her life.
What did I do?
Alone.
So, so alone...
She opened her eyes to a field of barren rock, of craters and stars.
And through years, and decades, Luna thought. Until eventually, she stopped thinking altogether.
A shock.
A shift in cosmic energy.
Her bindings loosening around her.
The darkness rising once more.
A descent through the cosmos.
A vengeance manifested.
And nothing. ...
What... happened?
"... I reckon, we do represent the elements of friendship."
Where... am I?
"Indeed you do."
Tia?
"Princess Luna!"
Luna started with a gasp. Celestia loomed over her, grave.
"It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this. Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister."
Tears welled up in Luna's eyes. Tears of disbelief. Tears of regrets. Tears of relief that everything was over.
"Will you accept my friendship?"
A radiant warmth blossomed inside Luna. Celestia was there. Finally there, after all those years.
And she had forgiven her.
"I'm so sorry!" She bounded at Celestia, pressed herself against her. A softness, a warmth that had been absent for so, so long. She rested her head on Celestia's shoulder, like she used to do so, so long ago. "I missed you so much, big sister!"
Hot tears fell on her back as Celestia returned her embrace. "I missed you too."
The day passed in a hurricane of colours and parties. Scenes of a new world flashed before Luna. Unknown faces, unknown places, a speech she wasn't familiar with.
How long has it been?
The images of the day slipped out of her mind. The magic that had drained her weighed heavily on her. She felt weak, barely able to stand straight.
Soon, the day led to the evening. The Sun kept on its course, lowering on the horizon. Mercifully, after Celestia had talked to some ponies for a few minutes, they had left early aboard a golden carriage pulled by six Pegasi guards.
"We're almost there, Lulu." Celestia held her in her warmth. Trickles of magic washed over Luna, her sister sharing hers to keep her awake.
"Tia..."
"Sssssh. Don't talk."
So she kept quiet, enjoying her sister stroking her mane gently.
They landed near a great castle.
Her mind was becoming blurry. The magic of the elements had worked too well. Her magic-starved body wouldn't be able to hold her up much longer.
She was sleepy. So, so sleepy...
Celestia brought her down a corridor, then another, then down a flight of stairs. A great basin shimmered before them.
She felt herself get submerged in water. A pool of magic. She went down, down, down...
She floated in silence. Pinpricks of magic coursed through her, revitalizing her. The numbness left her limbs, her mind awoke.
A hoof wrapped around her own and pulled her up.
"I got you."
Luna breached the surface with a gasp, air rushing to fill her lungs. Her mane stuck to her face, heavy with water. Something pulled her close. Something warm. Luna panted breathlessly, welcoming back the sweet air of the surface.
A hoof brushed her mane away from her face. A soft touch. A familiar scent.
"I call it the moonwell. Pretty fitting, don't you think?"
"Celestia?" Luna turned to her sister. A bright tear-filled smile lightened Celestia's face, and she pulled Luna against her chest. "You're... different."
That became evident now that her mind was properly working. In all reason, she shouldn't have been able to recognize her sister. The Celestia holding her towered over her, at least half again as big as the one she knew. Her face had taken a more powerful aspect of almost primal regality, far from the delicate, composed visage she once wore. The biggest change, however, had to be her mane. The once well-cared-for pink mane now flowed in an ethereal way around her neck, and bore the colours of a midsummer aurora, all in soft pinks, blues, and greens.
But one thing didn't change. Her sister's gentle touch, her warmth as she passed a hoof across her back, stroking Luna's mane like she used to do before everything went so wrong.
"I am, but I don't think it's a bad thing. Ponies need to change sometimes."
Luna stayed silent, afraid to break the comfort that had wrapped itself around the two of them. The water licked her barrel softly.
"I want to change too."
Celestia's start of surprise made Luna smile. She pressed herself deeper in her sister's warmth. "I had a lot to think about on the moon. I want to change. I don't want to be the jealous, petty, paranoid sister anymore."
She looked up. Celestia looked down at her. Their gazes locked.
"I want to change, for you."
Celestia lowered her head, nuzzled her. They stayed that way for a moment that seemed to stretch into infinity, cheeks pressed together, breath on each other's neck.
Celestia started to pull away, but Luna moved her head as well, and when her sister broke the nuzzle, their lips brushed against each other.
The air stood still. Celestia's eyes glimmered in the moonlight.
"There is no Council. No jealousy. No shaky kingdom," Luna whispered.
"I know." Celestia's breath smelled of flowers, of sugar and sunshine.
"Then kiss me."
And she did.
Luna welcomed Celestia's lips like a pony dying of thirst in the desert. She drank the sweetness of her sister's warmth slowly at first, then more insistently. She propped herself up, steadied herself with a hoof of Celestia's chest, pressed deeper into the kiss. When they broke away from each other, it was for the space of a hitched breath, of a blink. Soon, the Sun had the Moon in its embrace, feeding her the love she had always desired. Lips pressed, separated themselves for a fraction of a moment, before coming back together again, opened for a whisper, a fragment of love given shape. Breaths became breathless, the steam of the moonwell paled next to the heat of the love blooming from the two sisters. And when a tongue pressed against Luna's lips, she let it in easily, to let it mingle with her own, connecting herself to Celestia as she never could before.
They stayed in their embrace for what seemed like forever. The water rippled around them, licked at them gently, warm and soft. Celestia's larger body all but enveloped Luna, who stayed nestled her chest, listening to the older Alicorn's racing heartbeat, her controlled breathing. She smelled of the sun and a summer breeze. She smelled like her sister, like she remembered.
They didn't need to say anything. Their presence did all the talking for them, filled the air with an understanding only they shared.
Celestia stirred, breaking the silence. The water rustled around them as she rose to her hooves and offered one to Luna to help her rise in turn. The youngest accepted the offered hoof and followed her sister up the short steps of the basin and out of the water. Despite the moonwell's restorative magic, she shook and trembled, but not from weakness.
A soft golden glow surrounded her, accompanied by a pressing heat, and a sensation of dryness. Celestia turned her magic to herself and dried her own coat, leaving behind a slightly fluffed fur that Luna couldn't help but snicker at.
"Let's get you to bed, you must be exhausted."
Luna nodded, a yawn nearly escaping her mouth. Although part of her was miffed. That was just like Celestia, all right. Get your sister back from her exile, share a passionate kiss with her -- she couldn't help but blush as she remembered Celestia's embrace -- and send her to bed like a child.
"This might be a bit destabilizing." Celestia opened a door to a darkened hall. "This isn't the old castle, I built a new one in Canterlot."
Their walk through the castle proved itself to be mercifully short, as Luna's legs started to waver again. They exited through another magically-reinforced door to a dark corridor several times the width of their old castle's main alley. Gleams of metal and glass shone faintly in the dark, but Luna couldn't make out what they were. She simply followed her sister through the castle, listening to their hoofsteps echoing in the hall, in the peace and quiet of the night.
"Here we are."
With a golden glow and a push, a pair of double doors slid open. The sisters entered the newly opened room, and Luna's eyes went wide.
"Is this my own old room?"
Diaphanous curtains filled the room, swaying in the breeze, carrying with them streams of moonlight that fell lightly upon the marble floor. A large bed occupied the centre of the room, covered in dark blue covers. She had not seen it in aeons, but looking at it, she could still feel the warmth of the heavy eiderdown blankets wrapped around her, like she had never left it in the first place. Silver globes representing the night sky, and star models rested on top of a few tables set against the walls. Glancing outside, Luna could tell the globes were outdated, the stars having moved so much in a millenium. This left little doubt in her mind: Celestia had kept her old stuff, her creations and decorations, and had imported them quietly into her new castle, waiting for her return.
Celestia stayed a few paces behind a stunned Luna. "I tried making it just like I remembered your old room being like. I know it's not perfect, but..."
Luna couldn't stop tears from wetting her cheeks. All of this, for her. And after all the trouble she had caused, all the resentment she thought she had created. Celestia had never given up on her.
"Go on." Celestia nudged her forward, a gentle acceptance.
Luna stepped forward, still in disbelief. Upon closer inspection, the room wasn't the same as her old one. It was too big, the windows too high, some of furniture she ha d placed according to the stars askew. If anything, it was a clumsy, loving replica born of her sister's best intentions.
She couldn't have asked for more precious a welcome gift.
"I'll leave you to rest," Celestia said, stepping backward. "I'll--"
"Tia?"
"Yes?"
A heat flushed Luna's cheeks. "Could you... stay with me tonight?"
She didn't need to see Celestia to feel her grin. The double doors of her room closed behind her. The bed creaked under the sisters' combined weight.
"You know," Celestia whispered to Luna, "we should celebrate with some cake."
Luna laughed, giggled, and fell silent. She huddled against her sister. White wings closed around her, pulling her close, and not letting go.
Warmth welcomed Luna back to a familiar place. |
My little pony: Heirs of Chaos | pre | «Are we this kind with ponies after winning the war?» She ignored Rainbow Dash with a disgusted expression in her face.
«But we stopped Garble. The war never started.» Spike said, but the dragon was clearly confused and upset.
«Garble? Who the hell is Garble? Agh... you know what? Forget it. My sister Scyntilla may be kind, but this is ridiciulous.» The dragoness caressed her temples.
«Wait, are you talking about that Scyntilla?» Ember remarked, but no one else knew who they were talking about.
«Who is Scyntilla?» Spike asked, to wich the dragoness replied outraged that Scyntilla was none other than the Dragon Lord. «That's not true. Ember is the Dragon Lord.»
«I don't know who the hell are you, but passing off as the Dragon Lord is a very serious crime.» She warned, but everypony replied the same as Spike and remarked how he was Dragon Lord once, even if it was jut for a moment.
«Ridiculous! Even if my sister called for a Gauntlet of fire, only juvenile dragons can answer!»
«Spike, come here for a moment.» Ember took Spike aside while his friends were arguing with the dragoness. «There was a Dragon Lord called Scyntilla and she was my grandma. If what this dragon say is true, then she would be technically my grandaunt.»
«Your GRANDAUNT?!» Spike exclaimed, draw every creature attention to them. «Sorry.» Ember rolled her eyes and then got closer to the dragoness.
«We haven't introduced ourselves. My name is Ember, daughter of Torch.» Ember did a half bow, extending her wings. It was an old formality, so old that nodragon but royals like her and her father knew how to perform. The dragoness gave her a intrigue look, but acted just like Ember thought.
«My name is Agnis, Daughter of Adralin, great general of Dragon Lord Scyntilla's army.» As a full grown dragon, her answer was sitting straight and half opened her wings. They could spot a big scar in her left wing.
«I'm sorry to tell you this, but it has been a thousand years since the last war between us and ponies and at last five hundred years since Scyntilla reign.»
«That's the funniest thing I have ever heard! A thousand years?! You must be kidding!» Agnis laughed hard, but there was no trace of joking or lies in Ember eyes or words. «No... You are lying... It's impossible! We were at the door of Cloudsdale! Right about to conquer the skies! The world shall be ours. » Suddenly, she felt dizzy and too weak to keep standing. She sat, trembling the earth before her weight. «Every diamond dog can leave now... just... get out here.»
«Can we take our treasure?» Asked the leader, revealing himself from his hide out. However, the dragon was not in the mood to deal anymore with them.
«I won't say it twice.» All the diamond dogs trembled in fear and ran away into the tunnels as fast as they could, stumbling over each other in their panic. «Asleep for a thousand years... it's really hard to believe.» Agnis said before they could recover from the impression caused by that voice full with hate and murderous gaze. She was, with no doubt, a dragon forged and molded at war. «Live in a world reign by colorful ponies... how pathetic.»
«It's not that bad. Technically I've raised by ponies, so I can tell.» Spike said. «I have never lacked anything I needed in this world. Food, shelter and plenty of friends... actually, I have much more than I really need.»
«Raised by ponies you say? Well, that explains why you are such a runt.» Agnis then noticed his wings and felt curious, because the molting was the treat of every dragon reaching puberty. However, Spike looked like he cracked his eggs just a couple of years ago. «A dragon raised by ponies and who also became Dragon Lord... that's even harder to believe.» She added, despite it was just as impossible as her sleeping for a thousand years and wake up young anyway.
«What's your secret? I know dragons live a lot longer than us, but there is not a single wrinkle or pale scale.» Rarity asked, aiming to get any clue to preserve her own beauty through time. However, the dragoness wasn't sure.
«I was recovering from injury at the mountains. I never thought it would take a thousand years to heal.» Agnis extender her left wing, showing an enormous scar that crossed it side to side. It sure was a serious injury.
«And you recovered from a wound like that? Awesome!» Rainbow Dash felt respect for that petulant dragoness.
«That's what a I call a true battle scar! Is so cool! And the story behind it sure is even cooler!» Agnis has shown herself as cocky and proud, but in that moment she was far from the warrior that Rainbow Dash hoped to see. The dragoness gave a sad looking to her scar.
«Don't ya know the expression don't open old wounds, Rainbow?» Applejack pointed out and the pegasi understood. «Are you all right?»
«No... the world I used to know is gone. Everything has change, but I remain the same... at least gems taste good as always.» She swallowed a clawful of gems just like potato chips. «We lost the war and became pets.»
«Hey! I'm not a pet!» Spike replied angry.
«Oh, really? Your whole life between ponies and you stay cute and little even in your puberty. How convenient. They just have to give you a collar and a dress.» Agnis had a good point and Spike would skipt the fact he used to help Rarity with her dresses sometimes. However, he was proud of being at princess Twilight's service. He was liker her personal assistant. «And how much does the princess pay you? I mean, if you work for her, she should pay you... or are you a slave?»
«Dragons are not pet or slaves neither.» Ember intervened, even if she agreed with Agnis at some point. Spike technically was a not remunerated worker and a helpful companion. In other words, a slave and a pet.
«Before my millenary sleep I buried my treasure in these lands. These gems are rightfully mine. So, if I offer you a thousand gems per month to serve my dear grandniece... Emmm... Ember. Would you work as her personal assistant?» Everypony was surprised before that sudden job offer. They came to rescue the diamond dogs and now Spike could get a big salary by leaving Ponyville and work for Ember. Suddenly, all the attention centered at Ember.
«Well... Spike have experience dealing with royalty, so he would be more than qualified.» Honestly, the idea of coming back to the Dragon Lands with Spike to help her was nice. However, the little dragon refused the offer without thinking it twice.
«I'm sorry, these ponies are more than my friends. They are my family. Thank you, but I could never leave them for any offer.»
«That's my Spikey Wikey!» Rarity hugged him, followed by Applejack and Rainbow Dash, but none noticed the sad look in Ember's eyes. She knew the answer from the beginning, but it did not make it hurt less.
«In the light of the circumstances, I shall assume they took the Dragon Lord's scepter away just like they did with our pride.» The scepter was the symbol of the Dragon Lord sovereign authority and the only relic powerful enough to exert their will among them. Ember felt even worse as the scepter was destroyed at her reign.
«No, a sorcerer destroyed the scepter a few days ago.» Ember clenched her fist.
«Oh, so not everything is lost yet.» Agnis said like it was nothing, enraging Ember. ¿Where was her dragon pride? ¿Was not the scepter the most precious treasure of their people? ¿How she could take its destruction so easily? Ember was about to explode, but then Agnis silenced her thoughts with a single sentence. «We can make a new one.»
«A new scepter?!» Ember exclaimed as Agnis showed a perplexed expression.
«You didn't know?» Agnis blinked naively.
«OF COURSE I DIDN'T KNOW!» Ember flew at her eyes level.
«There no need to yell. I may be a thousand years old, but I'm not deaf.» Agnis cleaned her ear with the claw of her pinkie. «I can show you how and where, but only the Dragon Lord can open the doors. If we are lucky, the will of the Dragon Lord is still inside you and that wouldn't be a problem.» She devoured a last clawful of gems and layed down before Ember. «You are lucky of having such a good auntie like me. I'll take you there in the blink of an eye.» Agnis extended her left wing like a ramp, inviting her to ride on her back. However, Ember felt suspicious. It was such a fortunate coincidence, just too good to be real. And she didn't believed in coincidences and good luck.
«Don't worry, we are goin' with ya.» Applejack came at her side, despite of Agnis disavowal. She did not want to give a ride to a bunch of colorful ponies. «We just meet ya', don't blame us for bein' careful.»
«Ugh... fine, but better hold on tight, cause I'm not going to slow down just for you.»
«Ha! You don't need to slow down for me! In fact, I could beat you in a flying race anytime!» Rainbow Dash said, provoking Agnis.
«Oh, please forgive my bold friend, she didn't meant to...» Rarity tried to intervene, but the challenge was already set.
«Is that so, you bigheaded pegasi? We are going to a volcano at the southwestern limits of Yakyakistan, you couldn't miss it even in a blizzard... if Yakyakistan still exists, of course.» Everyone hold tight to her back, praying to whatever they believed in. «As an act of good faith, I'll give you the head start.»
«Pff... Easy peasy.» Rainbow Dash said, starting the racing at full speed, heading to the lands of prince Rutherford and his subjects.
«I could not be more agree.» Agnis giggled malicious, spreading her wings majestically and sending up a dust cloud.
Finally, free from the menacing figure of Agnis, the diamond dogs crawled up from the tunnels to claim their treasure. However, as soon as the dust dissipated, the treasure was already gone. There were nothing but rocks and dirt.
«No!» The leader of the diamond dogs exclaimed long and dramatically.
«At least they took the dragon away.» The little one said and returned to the tunnels to seek more gems to gather for another life spawn. None realized the presence of another Diamond dog, a stranger among their people.
«Sometimes I think this is just too easy.» The weird looking diamond said. His voice was absurdly eloquent and his vestments were similar to any other diamond dog, but they were more refined and cleaner with no doubt. He tightened the bow tie of his diamond dog collar and prepared to leave with the copious treasure conveniently gathered by Agnis, storing the last gem inside an old medical-like briefcase. The interior shined bright and the treasure reflected in a pair of thick trifocal glasses. «Blessed be magic and all its applications.» He then rose the head and contemplated the sky, calculating how much it would take them to Yakyakistan. He had more than enough time to go ahead with the next part of the plan and pulled out an advertising leaflet of a pocket. The image of the Flim & Flam brothers replaced the reflection of the treasure in his glasses and smiled widely. «I'm back in business.»
Agnis was getting closer to Rainbow Dash with each flutter of her enormous wings. The pegasi was the incarnation of speed but was not rival for the dragoness' wingspan. The same distance Rainbow Dash rushed with all her might, Agnis was able to do it as well with a minimum effort. Soon enough, Rainbow Dash was struggling to keep up.
«What's the matter? Tired already?» The dragoness mocked the pegasi, bursting out laughing as she left Rainbow Dash behind.
«Wait! What about Rainbow Dash?!» Applejack said, but Agnis was not interested in the safety of an insolent pegasi.
«She will catch up eventually.» Agnis answered with a wide smile. «Or maybe not, I don't care.» By that point they had lost Rainbow Dash of sight and try to convince the dragoness to change her mind was a in vain. It was hard to hold on already and so was trying to speak without getting out of breath. Fortunately, Spike and Ember helped them to not fall from the back of that inconsiderate dragoness.
«If this ruins my mane, I'm going to be really upset!» Rarity exclaimed as they went into the blizzard clouds of the north.
Yakyakistan had not changed much since the times Agnis used to fly over those lands and she could say thank to the stubbornness of those wooly creatures for preserving their style of life for so long. Even if the city was bigger then, it was essentially the same. The ominous shadow of the dragon projected over the city spreading fear in yaks' hearts, triggering ancient instincts. However, they were not there to visit prince Rutherford and his kin. Not so far from there, one of the ice peaks was not just rock and snow but a long forgotten extinct volcano. Agnis landing was a blizzard, revealing the ruins they were looking for.
«Here we are, my dear grandniece and little pests.» As the snow rose whirling, the entrance emerged from its white prison. It was a stone made door big enough to welcomed Torch, flanked by two guardian statues carved right from the mountain's rock. They barely were seeing those eternal titans, made to inspire fear to everycreature which gazed on them, but was enough to accomplish their purpose even half covered in snow. Spike felt very uncomfortable, just like everypony else. However, Ember was remarkably stoic and went right to the entrance.
«What now? Should I say open door or something?» Ember did not trust in Agnis, but then the peak trembled and the monumental doors slid heavily at the very moment she pronounced those words. There was nothing but darkness in the other side.
«We dragons are not very creative as you shall know. Hmp... the light doesn't work.» There were supposed to be a luminous crystal trail, but maybe she was asking to much for a millenary building. It was already ancient the first time she set a foot there. «Bringing these little pests was not a bad idea after all. You, the unicorn, do something useful with your magic and light up the way.»
«My name is Rarity. If you want respect, you should make an effort and respect others first.»
«I don't need your respect, but if calling you by name will save me the trouble of having breath fire all the way, then please, miss Rarity, I would appreciate if you light our path before I set your mane in fire and use it as torch.» Agnis menaced but, before a very offended Rarity could add anything about, Spike intervened.
«We will lead then!» The little dragon said, taking Rarity away before she could roast that petulant dragon with words and end incinerated.
«Go ahead, I'll wait for Rainbow.» Applejack was worried, despite it was very unlikely for the bold pegasi to get lost in the cold clouds of the north and even more unlikely for her to give up. «I'll catch ya later.»
«Let us know if anything happen.» Ember said before they went through the monumental doors a leave its horrific guardians behind, entering what used to be the most sacred place for her ancestors.
The walls were carved with low reliefs as ancient as the world, older than any book known by ponykind. It was the long-forgotten dragon history from the very beginning.
«When the world was new, there were no kingdoms, no rules... anything, but dragons.» Agnis started to interpretate the low reliefs for them as Rarity lighted them up in their way. «Stronger than any other creature, dragons took the world for their own in a reign of fire. However, peace was never an option and then the first war ever known started. Dragons against dragons, scorching the world and reducing it to ashes. Soon, there were less and less dragons until the very edge of extinction. Dragons were facing their worst and last moments, but then something beyond our world happened. It came from above, as a bright red light igniting the night. Dragons never faced stronger enemies than other dragons, but what fell from the sky was the exception.» The low reliefs showed then a horror beyond understanding, so evil than the ones who carved the stones struggled to do their best and capture the image the creature. They could tell, because the engraving was deeper in the rock than any other, like it was carved not once but a hundred times until they finally captured the essence of their nightmare. The result was a creature of pure darkness and many eyes. «It destroyed woods, valleys and mountains, feeding of the very world. Some dragons tried to fight it, perishing in the act. Finally, after centuries of nonsense war, dragons understood that the only way to save themselves was fight together and so they did. Fighting as one, the dragons defeated the creature and saved the world, but the price of victory was high. Less than a hundred dragons survived and every single one of them was afraid of when other of these horrors could fall from the skies again. Those last dragons bonded by fear and swore to protect the future generations from themselves and unknown. They went to the top of the world, here, to make that bond real and unify all dragons under the authority of one and only lord.» As the story reached its conclusion, the galleries led to an enormous chamber and the path under their hooves turned into a narrow rock bridge over a sea of shadows.
They could not see top or bottom. It was a true abyss.
«May...maybe can you take us to the other side?» Spike swallowed loudly but flying there was no option, even for a dragon general.
«This bridge was built to bare dragons even bigger than me but look out and watch your step. Falling will be you doom.» Agnis warned them, enjoying the fear of the ponies and their little dragon pet. However, even she was afraid deep down.
«Keep close to me, Spike.» Rarity begged as they were the ones leading.
«D... don't be afraid. I'll be always at your side.» Spike tried to be brave, but the abyss was just too overwhelming.
Ember didn't need anyone to make her feel safe, but seeing them was heart-wrenching. She could not understand that weird feeling, but as they walked into the abyss, a terrible though crossed her mind.
«So vulnerable.» Agnis whispered in her ear with a malicious smile in her face. «I could say it was an accident and none would ever know the truth.» Ember's heartbeat rose.
«What?!» Ember exclaimed quietly, but she could not fool the dragoness. Agnis was saying exactly what was in her mind.
«Poor little dragon, he would need his friends more than ever and there you will be to comfort him... ready to fill that gap in his heart.» Agnis voice felt like a hypnotic melody taking over her mind, leading her to a path with no return. Ember's armed flinched and her vision got narrower. However, at the very last moment, her will overcame that malevolent influence and shook her head before make a unforgivable mistake. «Uhmm... We may be family after all.»
«What's happening back there?» Rarity said. «It's everything all right?»
«Everything is fine, Ember didn't like my joke about your shiny and big white flank... but nothing of your business.» Agnis answered and fortunately Spike was there to calm down the unicorn before losing her temper.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they reached the end of the chamber. There was a hall-like platform before a second door, just as big as the main entrance, flanked by two stone guardians. There they could feel safe from falling into the abyss as long as they didn't try to find the tail of those stone guardians.
«Now, you have to read the door's inscriptions.» Agnis said, bringing Ember back from the mess inside her head. She distrusted Agnis more than ever but follow her game at least could help her forget those terrible thoughts.
«This is the heart of all dragons, our treasure and legacy.» Ember read, translating that scripture only known by the highest dragons and taught to her by Torch. She never thought it would be useful someday, just like the dragon law. «Long live the Dragon Lord.» She expected something similar to what happened at the entrance, but the doors didn't open. Her words were only answered by their own eco. «I knew we couldn't trust you! You just wasted our time!» Ember exclaimed, but Agnis was truly confused.
«I can't understand, It should react to the commands of the Dragon Lord... unless.» Agnis remembered what the ponies said at the diamond dog's lair. «Runt, try. It may be a problem caused for rejecting the Dragon Lord tittle prematurely.»
«My name is Spike.» He grunted before repeating what Ember said. Nothing happened.
«A thousand years is a long time. Maybe it stopped working like the lights.» Rarity said, but Agnis discarded that idea as the magic of that door was meant to be eternal. «Well... what about trying at the same time?»
«I don't think that would work.»
«Come on Ember, one more time.» Spike invited her to repeat the words together, extending his claw to her.
Ember doubted, but she then took his claw and both said the words.
«This is the heart of all dragons, our treasure and legacy. Long live the Dragon Lord.» They said as one and finally, after a dramatic eco, the eyes of the stone guardians shined and a magic seal ignited on the door as a trace of gunpowder. The heavy doors finally opened and revealed the treasure of their ancestors. The chamber that appeared before them was covered entirely by red crystals, just like a monumental geode in whose center hanged the biggest bloodstone of the world.
«The heart of all dragons.» Ember mumbled, honoring the name given by their ancestors.
Its shape was not as well defined as the crystal heart or Rarity's fire ruby but was just as magnificent. Rarity was astonished just like them, hypnotized by its solemnity and natural beauty. However, Agnis was not impressed at all. She was concerned.
«It's worse than I imagined.» The dragoness said, giving a look into the pit under the heart of all dragons. «The heat of the volcano had to keep the heart alive, but there nothing left. The heart is dead just like the volcano itself.»
«What?! No! We were so close! What we would do now?!» Spike cursed their bad luck, but then the dragoness breathed in deeply and exhaled the most powerful fire blast that Spike or Ember had ever seen.
«What are you waiting for? We gotta fire this boiler up!» Agnis urged and then the three dragons their flaming breaths with all their might. Rarity had to step aside to keep her main safe from the heat and doing so she could see how the crystal shimmered from its center and spread through the stem to the whole cave. They were surrounded by a sparkling red glow and, finally, a heartbeat began, first it was a soft light pulse and then strong and warm. Magma springs surged from the jaws of dragons sculpted from rock and bloodstone, flooding the chamber at each pulse. Rarity feared that the magma could soon reach the platform they were standing on, but the excess flowed away through drainage openings.
«Where does that lava go.» Rarity asked but no answer from Agnis was necessary as they heard galloping hooves into the chamber. Applejack came as fast as she could.
«Stop! Ther... wow.» Applejack was astonished before the bloodstone chamber and the heart of all dragons, but she could stay there with an open mouth all day. She shook her head and focused. «There is lava flowing from the volcano! The yak village is right in the way!»
«Oh no, it's our fault... we have to save them!» Ember said and everyone agreed. Everyone but Agnis.
«We cannot stop now! This may be our only chance! Isn't recovering the Dragon Lord scepter important to you?!»
«Yes, it is! But destroying a village in the process?!»
«Only fools would build their home at the foothills of a volcano! It's not our problem!» Agis tried to stop her, but Ember already took a decision.
«We may be family, but we are nothing alike.» Ember had nothing to add and they followed Applejack outside. The abyss turned into a magma chamber and the crystals lighted up the path just like it did eras ago.
«Don't say I didn't try.» Agnis smiled and shrugged her shoulders before turning back to the throbbing bloodstone. It was ironic. Before grasp this heart, they had to bringing it back to life just like young and stupid love. It would take just a little more and then she could accomplish her mission. Meanwhile, her grandniece and her pony friends were fighting against a lava river.
Applejack was digging a ditch with yaks' help, just like Rockhoof legend a thousand years ago at his own village. Ember and spike used their fire breaths to melt snow and solidify the lava front, buying some time for the ditch to be done. However, if their plan failed, Rarity was leading the evacuation to higher grounds. Fortunately, the plan worked, and the lava flowed around the village through the ditch.
«We did it!» Spike celebrated as everycreature. The village was saved, but there was no time for celebration. Suddenly, the earth trembled, and a bright light beam rose from the volcano. «What now?!» He exclaimed and then they could see the Agnis silhouette over the smoking crater. The heart of all dragons was in her grasp.
«She did it... the heart has awaken.» Ember mumbled, but Agnis had no intention of retrieving their kind most sacred treasure. She grinded and flew away. «Oh no you won't!» Not even Rainbow Dash was able to catch the dragoness, but she had to try.
«Ember!» Spike tried to stop her, but it was useless. Ember hear nothing and got loss into the freezing clouds of the north. He was about to do the same, but Rarity held him. «Let me go!»
«There's nothin' we can do, Spike, but wish her good luck.» Applejack said, understanding what Rarity was doing. For now, they had to explain a lot to prince Rutherford and ask him help to get back home.
Even when they were the cause of the crisis, prince Rutherford was thankful for their help at saving the village and swore to find that evil dragoness and punish her for all the damage she caused to yaks and dragons. They were gathering the supplies for a safe travel to the Crystal Empire when Rainbow Dash finally landed at the village. However, she had to pay the price of flying through such low temperatures with no equipment. Once they arrived at the Crystal Empire, the medical diagnosis was clear. She caught a cold.
«You don't know how lucky you are of not getting hypothermia after such stup... I mean, bold race. You shall stay at bed and drink this syrup every morning.» The doctor prescribed, giving her a taste of the medicine.
«Iugh! It's awful!... ah... ah-choo!» It was well deserved for being so big-headed.
They thanked the doctor and had an audience with princess Cadance to tell her everything they knew about the incident. However, by the moment there was no evidence to connect the Heralds with Agnis but the fact that she came back after a millennium.
«Who could know about such place? Sunburst would love the idea of give those engravings a good look.» Cadance took the chance to let them know about Starlight vacations along Sunburst at Coltifornia.
«Dream vacations with a stallion. I'm so jealous right now.» Rarity said, beating in mind the option of doing the same and enjoy their last days of summer before the return to classes. «What about those days when we defeated the villain right after they appeared?»
«Maybe we are getting o...» Applejack was about to say, but the unicorn shut her mouth in the act. They were too young to think about throwing in the towel and talk like tired old mares.
«I hope Ember is fine.» Spike said, gazing into the sunset from one of the very windows of the palace. The summer vacations were about to end and his fears were coming true. What they would do once the classes start? First the Heralds appeared and now Agnis stole the heart of all dragons, the last hope to retrieve the Dragon Lord scepter and heal Ember's wounded pride. However, the sunset was still beautiful.
Spike was not the only one looking at the horizon colored by the setting sun. Curled inside at a mountain hide out, Agnis was calming her melancholy with the view. It had not changed in a thousand years. Those lands were still magical and beautiful. However, a fleeting memory crossed her mind and an unpleasant grimace took over her face.
«It has been so long and I can't forget it.» Agnis mumbled, realizing about the heart she was drawing in the ground with her claw. Angry for that childish habit, she erased the trace with unnecessary fury.
«Old wounds can heal. You are the living proof.» The voice came from the dark, but she didn't needed to turn back to know who was there. A grey unicorn was at his side.
«It was easier than I expected, but I feel pity for my grandniece. She don't know how a broken heart feel like and yet she suffer for the friendship of that weakling.»
«It reminds me somedragoness I know.» Mortymer inspected the throbbing relic that shimmered with a warm pulse. The magic of the old dragons was there. «Who knows if she could become an excellent prophet.»
«A whole new generation of Heralds. It doesn't sound half bad. What do you think, Last Flame? Would you like your own band to mess around?»
«Eh... sure.» Last Flame was not used to how familiar Agnis treated her, but suddenly Mortymer staggered and leant on the bloodstone heart. «Are you all right?» She was worried.
«They know.» Mortymer said but neither Agnis nor Last Flame understood the meaning of his words, ignoring about the meeting celebrated at that very moment.
«It is impossible. This abbisinyan is an impostor for sure.» Flash Magnus thumped the round table, but Mistmane was categoric in her suspicions. «We defeated the Heralds a thousand years ago, there no way for them to come back.»
«Impossible as our own return. But yet, here we are.» Somnambula added calmly.
«We were there when the dark bastion fell! Starswirl defeated Mortymer as Meadow Brook and I did with Famine!» Rock Hoof rose his voice, but the wizard kept silence. «You did defeated Mortymer, didn't you?»
«Mortymer fell into the corrupted portal and nopony ever heard about him or his heralds again... until now. We can not stay idle, even if it was an impostor.» Stygian concluded before Starswirl's silence.
«Let's start with their old hide outs.» Meadow Brook proposed and everypony agreed.
«I can mobilize the guard to assist the searching.» Flash Magnus needed princess Celestia's permission first, but he was sure about a good answer.
«We also could ask help to the draconequus.» Rock Hoof said, provoking worried glances. «What was his name again? Mmm... Ah! Of course! Dis...» Flash Magnus and Somnambula shut his mouth before pronouncing that name. «What?»
«We shall avoid saying that name out loud.» Starswirl finally broke his silence. Mistmane was looking at him from the very beginning of the meeting. «I will inform Celestia about what we have agreed and discuss here.» He stood up from his seat. «The Heralds have returned, and the Pillars are here to stop them once again. It's all that matters now.» |
Good, bad, and why me? | pre | " To bake you something of course." I lie.
" Well you can't, because you need to go back to ponyville."
" But don't you want something to eat? Something fresh, something moist, and maybe something with frosting." I motion my hands at each word to emphasize what could happen. She replies with.
" Ye-no. No, Sorry but you're going back."
" Its fine because, HANGLIDER NOW!!" I run towards the open window and jump through. Bright flash appears and an hanglider appears around me. I grab the bar and bed the air around me to go upwards. Discord appears next to me and asks.
" So what now?"
" Don't know, Don't care, and whats this place called?"
" Canterlot."
" Oh, Lets explore around here and then let see what happens." I tilt to the right and we glide around for a little bit. It takes a couple hours to see the whole castle but we got most of it. We both get board and the sun is going down . I ask Discord if he can teleport us to the courtroom and he does. We end up seeing Celestia and a blue pony there too but before I could speak she does.
" WHO ART THOU!!!" Man my ears hurt but the sun is going down but i'm bored and speak up.
" I AM THE NEW ONE, AND HERE TO SPEAK TO SU-*hack, cough cough* hey Discord remind me never to do that again." Discord pulls out an scroll and quill and says
"Noted." I re-speak but in an quieter voice.
" Ahem I am to speak with sunshine here." I point to Celestia and finish. Now getting an chance to look at the blue one she has an cobalt blue coat, with wings and horn, her regalia appears smaller with a darker color looks black with what looks like an moon ,and an darker mane that looks to be the night sky.
The blue mare looks befuddled with the name and turns to Celestia and speaks, but I can't hear them. Then again I don't care, I just want a place to sleep, I speak up because i'm tired of waiting.
" Hey Sunshine!" The two of them look towards me " Where do I get to sleep?" She looks towards me and speaks.
" You would of had an place to sleep if you didn't tackle me." she says. I actually thought of that for a moment and she is right. I came back an retort.
" Well I wouldn't get my answers and my backpack wouldn't I ." I state " Question. What do you do as an ruler sunshine?"
Celestia was about to speak but before that could happen Discord spoke up.
" Well Jon these two raise the sun and the moon every day and they keep peace in Equestria."
" So Sunshine here raises the sun" I get three nods and one confused look . " Who here raises the moon?" The blue one raises her hoof.
"Whats your name?"I ask while pointing at her.
"Our name is Luna, creature."
" My name is Jon. Anyway can I sleep somewhere in the castle?"
Next thing I see I a bunch of bars and an stone floor. Am I in the dungeons or something? Well I did ask for a place to sleep. I look around to see if I could escape. There is none but I found a small cot thing, a pillow, and blanket. Theres one day down I think its only been one day since I got here. Right? |
Good, bad, and why me? | Great escape and chase | Great escape and chase
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Dungeons or something)
I wake up and see some sunlight come through but its kinda pointless being in an cell. I look for an way out cause now I can see the cell. The cell i'm in appears rust and unused, fairly clean but definitely not the cleanest, I notice the cell doo to have a lock on it like an normal cell. The bars are rusted but show no sign of breaking whatsoever. I talk to Iris to see if she can do anything to help.
" Hey Iris."
" Zzzzz Huh- what i'm sleeping." She replies with an groggy voice.
" Can you help me get out of here?"
" Hmm, not really if I was an earth elemental I could but i'm not, sorry. Now you think of something like you always do and i'm gonna sleep."
" Iris..."
" Zzzz.."
" Screw you."
I look at the lock to see if I could pick it, but I don't have a paperclip. Taking inventory I have my soon to be ruined clothes, pocket stuff, and my bag. Thats it, my bag has things inside. I look in my bag to find anything useful but all I have is school crap, binoculars, machete, book thing and that dagger thing I found. Hey the dagger! I grab the dagger out and it looks beautiful I stupidly wonder if the dagger could do anything and I yell .
" Dagger of the day, dagger of the night lend me your might and transform to my will!"
I Hold the dagger to the ceiling but nothing happens. " useless dagger can't even be magical in a magical world." I throw the dagger to the side and turn back to my bag and take out the machete. I notice a bright light and turn to see it. The dagger that was once there has turned into an sword of epic proportions. The pommel is golden with ornate carvings of wings and adorned with gems that shine bright as an rainbow. The blade seems as if its pure silver shining in the light yet it has a tint of white. the handle is gold wrapped in engravings of vines that cross over multiple times. I stare at it for a moment thinking of what would make it transform now? I notice in the midst of this that it seems to glow in the light, thats it light!. It can transform in the light. To test th I take the sword to the sunlight and think of the dagger, a bright flash appears and now I have the dagger in hand
I grab the sword and make a few swings . For what a sword is made of , this one is particularly light. I look at the sword and to the bars and swing at the bars. The full swing cleaves through without a sound. The one swing leaves a clean cut on the top but the bottom has to go to. I swing once again towards the bottom and when i'm finished multiple clinking sounds indicate that its an clean cut and success of, where to escape.
I go through the makeshift hole but I forgot my bag. I go back for my bag and grab it. Taking the chance of transforming the sword to something compact the first thing comes to mind is a gauntlet. I put the sword in the light and think of the gauntlet. A flash comes and go's just as fast it appears and in my hand is an golden gauntlet for my fight hand, the gauntlet looks as if for royalty and imbued with an purple gem on the hand. I fit it on my hand and it fits perfectly. Knowing that gold is soft on impact I smash my fist into the wall but the gauntlet doesn't even dent and my hand doesn't feel anything as if the impact didn't happen.
I'm pleased with the result and get my bag and leave only for the door to the outside of the dungeons is locked. The material looks ok, sturdy but weak. You know how things can't be solved by brute force? I call bullshit on that. Everything can be solved by an punch, locked door? Punch it! Anyways I rear up a straight right punch and bingo! I'm out!
There was a little dust around but I walked right through it. As i'm walking through I step on something, the dust clears and I look to see what I stepped on. What surprised me was the fact that I stepped on the pony and knocked him out cold. I try to wake him up but he just mumbles things like: " Yes momma I love to have cookies."
I was gonna leave him there, but all of a sudden I see spears all around me. I look around and all the guards I assume are a white coat but each have different eye color.
One in particular comes up in front of me and speaks up.
"Creature, what are you, and why are you coming out of the dungeons?" I look at him and hes different from the rest of them, with an two tone blue mane of one dark and one lighter. His armor is purplish with a star that seems oh so familiar, but I can't put my finger on it his coat is an bright white. I was either gonna give him an answer but I need to find Sunshine and get out!
" Well i'll tell you if you." I point at him " Take me to your princess."
" Why do you want to speak to her?"
" So I can find a better place to sleep. Whats your name?"
" I am captain Shining Armor of Princess Celestia."
" Which way is the princess?"
" Why should we-" He kept talking till someone interrupted him.
" The princess is down this hallway and to the right until your see the doors."
"Thanks, now y'all ready for this." I say with a somewhat sinister smile. Some look confuse and the one called 'Shining Armor' was about to charge me but before he could I slam my palms into the ground, the area around me erupts in an whirlwind and I make my escape. All the guards are knocked away but are getting up quickly,but I make a ball of air, jump on it, and 'board' away with guards chasing after.
I dodge the occasional vase but an crash makes up for it. I look behind me to see a stampede of guards rushing at me. I go down and few hallways and turn right. I look down the hallway and see two large doors ahead of me. With the occasional gaud coming close I blast him away with air and power through. The doors are coming closer but I can't stop now. Can't open a door? Punch through!
I get off my ball by jumping off and rolling forward instead of landing, as i'm rolling I use the momentum of get back on my feet and jump towards the door and rear my fist back and punch through the door.
The doors burst open and I tumble in on my face. I Look up to see Celestia giving me a hard stare, but i just say my greetings.
" Good morning Sunshine." I say on the floor " Can I go home?" I ask in an exasperated voice, " Or maybe eat, i'm starving." I can feel everyone staring but I don't give a damn.
" Well Jon could you explain what happened first?"
" Umm well as you can see I came through the door with using my fist to open it."
" Please tell me, Why did you use your 'fist' to open the door."
" To admit it seemed like a good idea at the time."
" How did you think its a good idea?"
" Well your guards were chasing me, so in my head that equals good idea. I can tell you my side over breakfast."
" *sigh* Very well let us go to the dining hall."
" WOO HOO, breakfast."I say as I fist pump. " Wheres the dining hall?"
"*sigh* Just follow me."
We both walk through the door, not without passing every guard with their jaw hitting the floor at seeing what just happend. One of the guards snap out of what happens and trots up to us, Shining Armor I think , Who cares but apparently he does. Hes speaking to the princess bout me or politics or something but I don't hear a word. I just daydream thinkin about life and weapons and whatnot.
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We get to the dining room and its quite regal with all the marble and decorations/banners, the table is quite long being longer than ten meters. The first thing I notice is there are no chairs.
"Hey Sunshine."
" What is it?" She replies.
" Could I have a chair, or something to sit on when we eat?"
" Yes we do have an chair." She turns her head to talk to one of the maids to go get an chair. The maid comes back with a chair, and I take it to the table. We all sit down around the table and get menus from an chef. While looking at the menu I couldn't read it, it looks like scribbles. I ask some questions really quick before the person who takes are orders comes back.
"Hey Sunshine."
"Yes?" she says as she looks over to me.
" Do you have meat here?" I think Shining over there looked shocked at that.Meh.
The princess nodded and gave the ok signal for me to eat some but I didn't feel like it. Others joined at the table for breakfast, such as, Luna, Discord, and another alicorn thats pink. I said my salutations to everybody then the pink one came up.
"Who are you?" I ask while pointing at her.
" I'm princess Cadence, now who are you."
" I'll tell you after we order breakfast, K?"
She raises an eyebrow and nods. We all order breakfast, with me getting a omelet with cheese. While waiting Cadence ask about me. It seems like everybody wanted to know so I asked which part, the time I awoke and fought the Diamond Dogs or the this morning how I got out of the dungeons. Most wanted to hear of how I fought the diamond dogs. I tell the story with great detail emphasizing the cool parts by waving my arms in the air. some seem to laugh and they remind me of my friends back home at how I would tell stories and they would laugh, but I digress. I get to the ending of the fight, and now they wonder why i'm here. I was gonna tell them how but breakfast came in.
We all eat and finish as quick, as i'm eating Celestia notices the gauntlet on my right hand and asks about it.
" Jon, Where did you get the gauntlet?"
" I'll tell when I talk about the story of how I got out of the dungeons. So whats the plan today?"
"Well we were gonna initiate the research to send you home, And we need to get you back to Twilight's too." I hear someone spit something out and couch a couple times. I turn my head to see Shining over there choking on an drink or something. I was gonna talk to her but got interrupted by Shining over there.
" You want to put this creature in the same area as my sister?" He asks in disbelief. The only thing I could see is something happening in the future and I don't like it.
" Why yes Captain he need to go over there to find a place to live, he can't live here the whole time." Shining glares at me and I don't get why though. We finish breakfast and I wanted to go back to ponyville I suppose. Everyone starts to leave and Celestia was about to leave but I grabbed her attention to ask her something.
" Hey Celestia?" I ask in a different tone than usual. She seemed surprised at this but answers.
"Yes Jon?"
"Can you help me with something?"
" I will try to, What is it that you need help with?"
" Can you help me send a letter home?"
" I'm sorry but that will take time to figure out a spell for that." I get a sad face from that. "But It will take a shorter time than to send you home I assure you."
"Ok, am I gonna go back to ponyville now?"
" Soon, but yes."
"Ok." I feel kinda sad that I can't talk to my people back home and tell them i'm fine. The princess see my sadness and gives me a hug, I return the gesture by hugging back. She seems happy at this and I feel relieved. We both release and chat for ways to get me to ponyville. We both decided to use teleportation again. While preparing I just sit there waiting for the princess of the day. When she come in I stare at her and she stares at me. I walk over to her and raise my arm up and scratch her behind the ear. What really surprised me is that she started sighing relieved and started kicking like a dog would. I stop and she glares at me I raise my arms to defend my self, but her way of revenge was mean. When she teleported me without warning I fell on my side at the destination, on top of some books. pain...oh the pain.
I look up to see an very surprised Twilight and friends staring at me with anger and relief. I speak up to snap them out of staring.
" Hey Twilight can you heal me? I'm hurt and I needs heals please." Everyone there
face hoofs(?) except Fluttershy, who seems more worried about me than anything right now. |
Good, bad, and why me? | Lunch tricks | Ponyville Exploration
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Twilight's place or something)
" Hey Twilight can I has heals please?" I ask while on the floor in pain.
" What are 'heals'." She asks.
" It means that i'm in pain and need to be healed." Her horn glows for a couple of seconds and some of the pain goes away. Sleeping in the dungeons and getting chased are not good for the muscles. Anyway I get off the floor and look to see all of Twilights friends giving me looks. Twilight self seems disturbed. The orange one which I think is Applejack haves a stern look as if I was in trouble, i'm not in trouble, Right? Anyway Rarity I think has a rather disturbed face. The pink one is bouncing up and down. And Fluttershy is giving a worried look, I wouldn't blame her.
" Hey, what happened to the pony that was grey and the little one to?" Twilight tell me that she is very grateful but confused to what happened and who to thank. Hearing this gave me relief.
Twilight changes the subject.
" So what happened after the teleport?"
" Well I made friends." She seems to facehoof at this.
" No, tell me all of what happened." She says in a stern voice. I was about to say something but. "NOW."
I tell them what happened, such as how I tackled the princess. I was gonna keep going but Twilight went on a rant for ten minuets or so, all the others seem to be in a short form of shock of some kind. I wait for the rant to end and continue on the point of the story of the history of humans and how I got my bag back. Some seemed to facehoof at this and I ask whats wrong. They soon tell me that it was Twilight who was gonna give me my bag. Huh.
I keep telling the story of how someone named Discord came in and we soon became friends. all of them look at me in disbelief, but I pulled out my IPod and showed them the selfie of me and Discord. Twilight seemed look at my IPod with great interest but before she could ask I put it away and continue the story of the chase with the princess. While telling the story I get to the part where were at standstill, and how I escape. Some were genuinely surprised at this. I quickly tell the part where I go back into the throne room and ask for a place to sleep and end up in the dungeons. All seemed worried at this giving each other looks of worry. Having a eye for detail I notice this but put it off. I was gonna tell them how I woke up and escaped but all of a sudden my stomach growls with great noise. I ask Twilight
" I'm hungry got lunch?"
Twilight walks into the kitchen I presume and walks out with troubled face and says.
" Were out of food." She seems to be mumbling to herself at what to do about the food problem but I make a better solution I think. I walk to the front door, and as I was about to open it a great force pushes me face first to the door and black out.
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3rd person view at Twilight's)
" So what now?" Rainbow dash asks.
" We should send a letter to the princess." Says Twilight.
" But then why is he here? Wouldn't the princess do something?" Says Applejack.
" Well I have to know what to do with him, so i'm gonna send a letter to the princess. SPIKE!!"
While the three discuss on what to do Rarity and Fluttershy inspect Jon.
" Why is his clothes so raggedy? Its quite dreadful." Says Rarity,
" Do you think he's ok?" Says Fluttershy.
While the other were talking no one notices the pink mare slip away " Mwahahahah..."
=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=---=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-
Jon's head or something)
I Awake in a black void, typical. I see a light, typical. I go towards the light, because theirs nothing but black. I get to the light and the light envelops me. My vision clears and I see a landscape of a grassy plain with assorted flowers that go as far as the eye can see, in the clear blue sky is a sunny day with just enough clouds, in the background I see mountain ranges with the whitest snow. in the middle of this is a lady with tan skin long flowing hair and bright eyes of brown. She seemed to be around the ages of 25-30s but who am Ito judge. She's wearing white gown that goes from top too bottom.
I know its rude to stare but who is she. Before I could ask she talks first.
" Hey Jon." She says
" Who are you?" I ask while pointing at her
" Aww don't you know me?" She says while making a pouty face and crossing of the arms.
Oh god its the voice in my head." Iris?" I ask somewhat confused.
" That's what you named me, Right?"
" Yes I did, but why do you look like this?" I say while holding both my arms out and move them up and down gesturing at her body.
" Well I wanted to look pretty."
" Oh where am I, just wanna know."
" In your head."
" Oh... Always thought it be a bunch of me's in my head at some kind of NASA control panel of sorts keeping up with my body. Or could you augment my body to have super strength?
" No, you don't have that." I felt slightly sad and by slightly sad I mean I curled up into a ball and rocked back and forth thinking about Asian things. " But, you do have stats like a RPG in a form of a hologram ." She said. This made me get up and look interested. She pulled up a hologram and it had my stats.
Name: Jon LEVEL:1
Race: Human
Health:89/100
STR:6
DEF:5
DEX:5
CON:4
INT:3
S-INT:5
WIS:2
CHA:1
MAG:000
" What's with my stats, why am I level one, what's with the magic, why are they so low, and what is the S-INT?"
" Well one your human, same for two, you don't have magic, average for a human is 3, and S-INT is basically street smarts."
" Can I level up?"
" Maybe? I wouldn't try it."
" Why is my health not at full?"
" How did you get here?"
" I got -, ooh yeah I remember now."
" Anything else?"
" How do I get out?"
" About now."
" What do you mea-" That's all I got before everything went black.
=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=--==-=-=--==-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=---=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--==-=-=-=--===-=-=-==-====-=-=-==-=-=-
Twilight's door)
I wake up to the very nice floor, think its oak. Any way I get up and see the other ponies talking, me being the anti social person I am I walk out the door slowly until the stupid door had to creak. All the ponies look at me. I stare back and while doing so I step out of the door. Soon after I hear multiple hooves clop against the wood floor. Thinking quickly Irun to the back of the... tree. And that's why the wooden floors are high quality. Anyway I run to the back of the house tree library thing and wait for the rush to pass.
Seeing that everything is turning up Jonathan. I go to I think the back door, but its locked. Ok how can I get in through this door without punching it? I knowpunch it! pick it! Wait I don't have a pick of sorts. Seeing the gauntlet on my hand I think for it to be come a key. But it doesn't work this must mean that the item is either a defense or offense. Testing this I think of a kite shield, ask and you shall receive. The shield is golden in metal that shines brighter then the sun with a royal purple gem in the middle with engravings around it too make it look like a sun. The shield is quite normal being the size around my torso. Handy.
Thinking of a way to get back to the door I think of something I can pick at it something long and thin that's a weapon. Got it a rapier, the lock is big enough it'll fit. I make image in my head and boom or flash a rapier appears. The rapier is a elegant sword with a silver blade and a intricate golden hand guard at the pommel is a pointy purple gem, neat. I inspect the weapon to admire it neat for speed, precision and stabbing something feature Jon will need. Any way seeing that the blade is thin enough I slip the tip in and jiggle around, and bingo! If you know what I mean, heh heh.
The door opens and I was gonna walk in but I still have the sword in hand. I quickly change it back into a gauntlet and go inside. I walk in through the kitchen seeing all dem pots and pans. I walk through and enter the min room being the living room. Going in I see a purple lizard thing. OMG Barney will get his revenge for what I did. Looking at the lizard he sees me and stares back everything is silent but he breaks it first.
" Whoa, who are you?"
" Jon, What and who are you?"
" I'm a Spike the dragon. What are you?" He says while pointing.
" I'm a human." This talk is tense but it seems to be easing. " What do you do around here?"
" Well i'm an assistant of Twilight and do stuff around her like, organize the books or send letters to the princess."
Wait if he can send letters to the princess then maybe I can get lunch.
" Hey Spike can you send a letter to the princess for me i'll write it, ok?"
" I guess so..."
" Great, so where's the paper?" Spike walks out of the room and soon comes back wit a quill and scroll. I take the items and look at the quill, I cant write with a quill. I give the quill back to Spike and he looks at me questionably . I grab my bag off my bag and pull out a pen. Spike still looks at me with a still befuddled look on his face. I click the pen, take the scroll and write something down. This is what it said.
Dear princess Sunshine
Hello there it's me Jon. When I got here Twilight wanted to know what we talked about and stuff. Anyways your probably busy with your princess crap stuff. Also its lunch and Twilight wouldn't let me in to the outside world, what's up with that? Can you do me a favor and teleport me lunch at Twilight's. I'd like a PB&J sandwich, please. I don't know what i'm supposed to do but Twilight went after me supposedly in town.
- Your friend Jon <3
P.S: I always return the favors, no matter what. I'll do everything in my power to get whatever you need from that favor. Bye!
I curled it up without a thought and gave it to Spike. Spike then blew on the scroll and went up in flames.
" Why did you set it on fire?" I ask while rushing the purple dragon.
" Whoa, whoa, chill out. That's how I send messages to the princesses. My flames do that." He says in a hurried tone.
" Oh, ok." I wait for something to happen. Hey look interesting thing! Anyway Spike burped a scroll and gave a quick glance without opening it and gave it to me. I unfurled the scroll and read what it said.
Dear Jon
Your sandwich will arrive shortly and I take your word on that favor and maybe need it soon.
- Your friend Princess Celestia
Soon after reading this I felt something drop in my stomach. I just realized I just gave a princess a favor oh god why didn't you think past Jon?
"Good job Jon giving a princess of the sun a favor with out thinking." Iris says
" Shut up Iris your not helping." I thought back.
A flash later and a medium sandwich appeared out of nowhere. That's neat. I was about to eat but my gut has this feeling. probably missing something, got it missing a drink, what could that drink be? Milk.
" Hey Spike got milk?"
" Uh yeeaah just let me get it." Spike soon came out with a glass jug of milk and a glass cup.
" Thanks let me pour it and you put it back." he nods and I quickly pour the milk and give the jug back to him. He takes the jug and walks away to put it back. I'm all set up. Milk, check. Food, check. Ready to eat face? Check. Me having the bad luck I am someone walks through the door. That someone is the five mares looking exhausted. most giving either a glare or look of relief.
" What's wrong?" I ask while putting the sandwich in my mouth, taking a bite and chewing.
" WHERE WERE YOU!" Twilight yells. Gauging the situation I thought of what to say carefully.
I hold up my hand and chew a couple times before swallowing. Don't speak with your mouth full, das nasty.
" I was here the whole time." I calmly say.
" HOW DID YOU GET IN?"
" I went through the back."
" IT'S LOCKED, EXPLAIN NOW!"
" Simple, I picked the lock or maybe destroyed it giving it a thought now."
" YOU PICKED THE LOCK TO MY BACK DOOR?"
" Yea." She seemed to be calming down but still angry.
" Oh my Celestia, what am I gonna do with you?"
" I don know. Your choice really."She seemed to notice the sandwich next and decided to ask about that.
" Where did you get food? Did you steal it?"
" Well I got it from the princess of the day you could say, heh I rhymed."
" What do you mean got it from the princess?"
" Exactly what it means, I got it from the princess." This seemed to make the other four ponies worry, and Twilight a little angry.
" Tell me how you got the sandwich. NOW."
I tell them the story of what I did and some seemed to have a 'really?' face after. I quickly ate the food and waited for something to happen.
" So what now?" asked the rainbow one. Not knowing all their names I threw out a suggestion.
" How about we do full introductions? I don know all of you and may be you can ask me questions after." They all seemed to agree. We all sat in a circle and Started from left to right.
" Hello i'm Twilight Sparkle and as you can see i'm a unicorn which means I can do magic. I'm the prized student of princess Celestia, and I moved here to study the magic of friendship." I nod to confirm and move on.
" Hi there i'm am Rarity and I own a fashion business with clothes. If you come by and need clothes i'll make some for you if needed." Nods.
" Well howdy there, i'm Applejack and I live and work at Sweet Apple Acres bucking apples and bringing them in and sell them to everypony in town." Nods.
" I'm Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in Equestria , i'm also a weather pony so that means I help the weather change every now and then. Don't for get i'm watching you bub."
the last pony did not seem like she wanted to talk seeing that she was tiptoeing away until I looked at her.
" You don't have to talk if you don't want to I think your name is Fluttershy right?" She nods at this and bury her face in her hooves, aww that's cute. Twilight spoke up soon after.
" Fluttershy here is the local care taker of all the animals in Ponyville. She's also the kindest pony you'll ever meet." Chimes in Twilight.
" Ok so who wants to ask me first?" all of hem raise there hooves. " New system we go from left to right and if you have a question for me i'll do my best to answer and if you don't say pass, got it?" all of them nod. Twilight first, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, And lastly Fluttershy.
" What are you gonna do around here?"
" I don't really know, only the feature will tell."
" Whats that red stuff on your clothes?" Rarity asks.
" What red stuff?" I look on my clothes and find some splotches of red on my back. " Ketchup guess i'll have to get a new shirt. Wait you said you'll make me new clothes right?" She nods. " Ok guess i'll be coming soon, I guess."
" When do you think your gonna go home?" Applejack asks.
" I don't know only time will tell."
" I challenge you to a spar!" Says Rainbow Dash.
" No."
" But wh-"
" No I will not fight without good reason."
" But why?"
" Reasons. That's all I will say."
" Fine... You owe me a spar later." She says while crossing her forelegs.
" Heh heh, no I don't. Next."
"..............." Fluttershy um speaks
" Can you speak louder?"
" Can you tell us why you wont fight without reason?"
I heard her this time and I think Rainbow Dash too while i'm thinking of how to answer this Rainbow tells everyone else what Fluttershy said. This is how I worded it.
" Do you want answer one or answer two?" I say with a soft smile hiding my feels.
" Can I have both?" She asks
" You know what, for you i'll tell. One, i'm a bad friend." They all seem to gasp at that but I continue." Two, two words never again." I say with my soft smile turning into a flat emotionless face. Trying to keep the mood up I change the subject.
" So what now? Can we explore the town? I'd really like to see it." This gets them thinking. Twilight is the first to speak.
" I guess we can take you around and show you some highlights."
All of us went to the door and went outside. wonder how they'll react to the thing that was running away from Sunshine. |
Good, bad, and why me? | Ponyville | Ponyville
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We all went outside of Twilight's tree place. While walking some, meaning all said they have something to do. Rarity said she has business to take care of. Applejack said she has to go back to check on her family. Rainbow Dash said she has to go be awesome somewhere else, and Fluttershy said she has to check her animals. Twilight was left with me. Twilight seem to wanted to get away from me. Maybe because I stink? Maybe... I haven't showered in a while and would really like too. I confronted Twilight on this.
"Twilight, what's wrong? "
"No- nothing." It seems I caught her off guard with this she seems scared.
" Are you scared of me?"
" N-no, why would I be scared."
" Because, I tackled the princess, escaped the dungeon, and fought your brother, kinda, etcetera. "
She looked sad at this. She asked something that made me wonder also.
" How did you get away from doing all of that?" She says while looking up to me with a sad face.
" Because i'm stupid." I say with a chuckle. Her sad face turned into confusion. Since i'm new here she doesn't know me well. "You'll learn what to do with me later."
We both kept walking and Twilight showed me around. It being around 5:00 pm all the shops are closing and ponies are leaving. Some ponies are still walking around catching the rest of the day. Those ponies walking around saw me and freaked out. Being all like "The horror!" Wonder what's wrong. She showed me her friend's houses. All of the places were interesting maybe being from a city it's all new and different.
The last place we went to is a place called Sugar cube corner. From the outside I could see the inside but the windows are covered in cloth drapes obscuring my vision. Something tells me to run away and go inside. That's not good.
"Hey let's go in. They make lots of snacks considering its a bakery." Chimes Twilight.
" Hey Twilight." She turns around to face me. " I have a feeling something is gonna happen and my gut says 'go in there!' and 'run away!'." She looks at me somewhat surprised. She replies to me.
"What do you mean don't go in? Just come in with me and it will be fine."
" Ok, but if anything happens its your fault." She seems to make a face at this but I can't tell the emotion that well.
We walked in and it's as dark as the night in a box. Yeah that dark. As we walked deeper the dark is still there. All of a sudden a click went off and the lights went on. I cringed at the light. Someone yelled 'surprise!' Directly in my face. It definitely surprised me that's for sure but instead of talking back or freaking out I turned around and ran for the door while saying nope.
I ran as fast as legs would take me. One, I don't like party's that much. Two, i'm not very social. Three I feel like I should run and get some fresh air. I kept running passing houses and houses until I hit a open field. The field is grassy with a range of short grass. There isn't much to say about a field of grass. It's really windy, that's keeping me cool in this fresh night.
I sit down and look around and review my day. Got a awesome weapon, made some friends with a princess, learned the town layout if I need to escape, and ran to this field. It's night time and the breeze is fresh I look around and see a forest nearby. I walk to the edge and lay down under a tree. I think about the new item I have, the gauntlet. Seeing it makes me think of the future and how it's gonna suck, but maybe the ponies will make it better. I take a quick inventory check to make sure everything is there the only thing that missing is my pen must of left it Twilight's. I soon fall asleep and delve into the realm of dreams. |
Good, bad, and why me? | Dreamland | Dreamland
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I Can't describe where he is)
When I went to sleep I didn't expect to go back to the field.
I get up surprised to be in the field. I look around and see that instead of daytime in my head it's nighttime. So this is what it means by internal clock...
I keep looking for Iris to talk about random stuff and other plans. Something catches my eye off in the distance, a cabin made of logs. Maybe Iris is over there. I get up from the ground and make my way over. While trekking I take in the scenery that was beautiful in the day but as beautiful in the night.
I make it to the cabin and inspect it up close. The logs are in a linking pattern, being one on top of the other. Seeing the cabin believes its a one room cabin. I knock on the door expecting something to happen. While waiting I realize that its a dream and it's in my head. Thinking that there are no consequences whatsoever, I walk in like I own the place, with my swagtastic walk, I am such a dick.
Getting tired of walking like that I stop and look around on the inside. The inside looks like the outside but with a bed and furniture. looking at the bed I think 'what happens if I sleep in a dream?'. I walk over to the bed and get in under the covers. Next thing I know is that I see stars in the sky and then pain.
" Oww~~." Wait a minuet, if this is a dream why do I have pain? Realizing this I get up and look around for the cabin. I spot the cabin and it seems to be a block away to my right, Thinking about what just happened I wonder what made me fly.
I make it back to the cabin's door and open it once again. I poke my head in to see Iris again but breathing really fast, wonder why she needs a lot of air? Isn't she a air elemental? Seeing where she is makes me realize what happened. She was in the bed when I slipped in. Oops. Well time to confess.
" Hey Iris." I say while making a entry through the front.
" Oh hey Jon." She says in a irritated voice. " Why were you in MY bed?"
Thinking how to get away from this I give my reply.
" Weelll I wanted to see if I could sleep here." She seems to face palm at this.
" And?"
" That's it really, other then how this place got here?"
"*sigh* I made it. Anything else."
" HOW did you make it." I ask while thinking if I could make my own cabin.
" It's your mind you can do anything..." She seemed to slow down at the end realizing what she just done. She just gave me the keys to the tank of murica. Not really but I can make one.
I turn around and walk outside. Thinking of something to make nothing comes to mind. It's that damn moment when you can have anything you want but nothing comes to mind. While thinking my mind drifts away and goes to food. Thinking of food one thing comes to mind. Bacon...
I quickly try to summon a piece of bacon but only one strip pops in front of me: half eaten. I make a sad face at this and lay down on the field thinking of ways to get back to being awake. Soon after i'm joined by Iris by my side.
" Hey." I say
" Hey..." She replies
Things go silent between us for a couple of minuets. Until I beak the silence.
" Sorry about going into your bed."
" It's fine. Sorry about coming into your head."
" Meh, tell me about you I don't know much other than your a spirit and a air elemental."
" Can't remember much, it all seems like a blur."
" Oh, um, sorry I asked. Uh how about this, why were you sleeping."
" Cause I wanted to sleep, Got a problem with that?" She says with sass.
" Kinda, but not really. It just seems like when I need help or advice your asleep."
" Oh, well uh when I get bored I sleep."
" Isn't seeing a life a of a 15 year old in a different world not boring."
" It kinda does."
She suddenly stands up and has a look of fear. I notice this and ask.
" Hey. What's wrong?"
" Someone else is trying to get in." She says in a fast pace.
I think of the situation and come up with a plan.
" What's keeping tem out?" I ask?
" Your head and mind."
" What do you mean by that?"
" Assuming a pony is trying to get in, let me say this, um... Since a pony is used to pony minds this pony cant get into yours because your different yet somewhat the same. Do you get it?"
" Yeah how do I let them in?" She looks at me with a surprised face but answers quickly.
" Well this pony seems to cant find a entrance, so make a door and let them in I guess."
" Ok, i'm gonna let them in. Should you let them know about you or you gonna hide or something." She puts on a quick thinking face but it disappears as quickly as it comes . she give me the answer.
" I'll hide. Just don't try or do mention me whatsoever. Got it?"
" Okay. Talk to you later I guess." I got up and walked deeper into the field. Wen I got to a good point I imagined a door in front of me. The door in front is like my home front door. The door has a solid dark brown color with wooden gains in it the only thing missing is the stupid glass panel at head height. I opened a the door to not really expect any one but instead I got a pony.
The pony in front of me is princess Luna. Now seeing who it is I try to close the door but her regalia covered hoof stops it uhhhg. Now I have to talk to the other princess. She speaks up and asks me.
" Will though let us in?"
I just opened the door and walk away. She came in and closed the door behind her. I have a feeling she wants to 'ask' me questions.
" What made you come here Luna?" I ask.
" We felt the dreamscape change, so we investigated it."
"Oh that's it? Guess you didn't expect me didn't ya?" I say.
" We definitely did expect this."
" Oh need anything?"
" No."
" Well then why are you still here? Wanna leave?" I say while imagining another door next to me.
" Why is thou in such a rush to get rid of a princess? Thou shall be grateful we have given our presence to thee." She says with her head tilted up in pride.
" Well my mind is like my room, I don't like anybody in here. And when ANYBODY comes in I naturally try to get them out of my room A.S.A.P."
" Doesn't thou like a friends company?" You know I kinda don't consider her a friend yet, maybe we can be friends.
" Yes, but not in my room. Do you need anything else?"
" Not really.." She seems sad at this. Thinking of something to change the subject I thought this. ' What does she not have that I gave her sister? Answer: A nickname.'
" Hey Luna." She looks at me with a flat face. " How would like a nickname?" This seems to make her speechless as her sister. " Can't be Moonshine cause uh... It's too long. Yup." " The only thing I can think of is Lulu, your name cant have many nicknames you know that." She wanted to reply but I kept going. " Lou could work but, eh.. Got it! I'll call you either Luna or Lulu or something night related." Luna seemed to just accept it and ask one question.
" May we go?"
" Oh yeah just let me get the door." I make a door and open it for the princess of the night. Soon after she left I layed on the ground, and after that Iris appears out of nowhere. She talks to me.
" So how was talking to her?"
" It was nice. So you saw it all?"
" Yeah nice deception of giving her a nickname."
" Heh, being random is fun and confusing. Helps in life for me." She just giggled at this. " So how do I wake up?"
" It'll be just like last time, So don't worry about it."
I soon figured out what she meant by that, I felt a force pull me and black out. |
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