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Finding Your Family | Chapter the Forty-Fourth: The Feast | There was a brief interlude after the first dances where everypony just sat at the tables, just talking to each other. Rainbow Dash had just come back from a quick shower, and had skipped dressing up any further, as the Wonderbolt's jumpsuit was the centerpiece of her ensemble, and it was sticky and a little bit torn. She and Applejack were pushing long trolleys into the room that would act as buffet tables, and when they finished, everypony could dig in.
The very last thing to come in took both mares to move, as it was covered by a sheet and rather tall. It was set in an area separate from the rest, and then off came the cover. The crowd was in awe of the reveal, as was the wedding party. Pinkie and the Cakes had worked together to make this on their own, as a surprise.
The wedding cake was five tiers tall, decorated with rice paper lace acting as ribbons. There was piped-on filigree that read "Spike and Scootaloo, Together Forever" on the bottom two layers. Fondant and gum paste flowers covered any imperfections, adding a splash of orange or purple wherever they went. At the very top, some hoof-formed sugar sculptures stood, showing Spike and Scootaloo. Sadly, their outfits were just a standard wedding dress and tuxedo, meaning they didn't quite match up with what they were really wearing, but that was a very minor gripe.
The lead table went first, and then every table after that went in numerical order. The kids weren't at the head table, as they'd opted to sit with their friends, instead. As a result, they'd be served by the ponies right in front of them in line, with those ponies being Scootaloo's aunts.
Once everypony had been served, and the main table had just finished, Thorax and Twilight stood up, ringing their glasses with forks to draw everypony's attention. "Good day, everyone," started Twilight.
"Great day, actually," continued Thorax. "Today was truly fantastic; let's hear a round of applause for the happy couple, huh?"
The crowd of ponies stomped their hooves against the ground in approval.
"Yes, it's great to see them finally married after all the trials and tribulations that led them here. We're not going to be the first to wish you many years of wedded bliss, but we're content to wish it on you now, regardless."
As another round of applause rang out, Thorax pulled a selection of cards from his pocket. It was time for his speech.
"In our wishes for the both of you, I'd like to start with Spike. When nopony else would help me, when the Crystal Empire was calling for my head..."
Shining Armor shrank down in his seat.
"I thought I was going to be slaughtered. Without you there to speak in my defense, I never would have survived long enough to go back to my hive. And if I hadn't done that, it would still be a threat to Equestria.
"That kind of love; the kind that can forge peace and harmony in the midst of a sea of hatred, is a powerful thing. As a changeling, everypony here knows that I can detect love and feed off of it. So you know I can say with certainty how powerful the love in this room is. And while this love is fresh, young, and not yet fully matured, it's clear to me that it's growing stronger every day.
"That's not to say that it's too young. Consider, if you will, that the two of you spent ten years separated from each other. For most couples I've seen, this would result in your growing apart, but you've stayed loyal to each other, even in the face of adversity."
Twilight took his cards next. "Scootaloo, though we have been apart for most of these last ten years, I have kept track of your progress as you went from being just a filly to an adult dragoness. At every turn, your thoughts went to your family. From just focusing on the kids to coming back to be with Spike, your sense of duty is truly something to behold.
"The effort you placed into joining the cultures of dragons and ponies is another thing that should not go unnoticed. You've never given up on the task set before you, a trait that is most admirable. That's how I knew that, once you'd decided you were going to be married, I should help you make it happen. Now that the two of you are as one, there's nothing you can't accomplish together."
Thorax took her hoof, and they spoke the rest of the speech together. "The two of you stand as a testament to what can be done with loyalty and tenacity," started Thorax.
"With your love fueling your choices, there is little that can overcome you."
"Standing side-by-side, you are an immovable object."
"Claw-in-claw, you are an unstoppable force."
"May you be as such now and forever."
"In poverty or wealth."
"In sickness or health."
"Through the good times and the bad,"
"The happy times and the sad."
"Fighting off every tragedy that comes your way."
"This is how it shall be to your dying day."
They looked at each other and said the last line in unison. "May this union last an eternity."
A thunderous uproar reminded them that there was a crowd watching, as in practising this speech, they always ended up a little too into it, especially at the end. They usually ended this speech with a kiss, but here and now were neither the place nor the time.
Pinkie Pie popped in just then, whispering something to the string quartet, to which they nodded and stopped playing. "Alright, everypony, time to cut the cake! And then we can start the party for real!"
Spike and Scootaloo stood up once more and walked over to where the cake was being kept. Before they would cut into it, though, Spike waved Pinkie over.
"Do I have to smash the cake in her face?" he whispered. "Can't I just feed it to her?"
"Sure," answered Pinkie. "I think cake is better used to fill a belly than to cover a face. Do you mind if I mash my face into my own slice, though?"
Scootaloo chuckled. "Go ahead. Just let us cut it first..."
Scootaloo wrapped her claw around the knife handle, and Spike wrapped his claw around hers. Together, they plunged the knife into the cake, pulling it apart to reveal a yellow cake with strawberry jam in the middle. They cut two pieces; one for each of them, and fed each other a forkful. As they bit down, an upright bass thrummed out a few notes, was joined by a piano and some drums, and just as Scootaloo turned to look at the band that had replaced the string quartet, a saxophone belted out a jazzy tune. |
Finding Your Family | Chapter the Forty-Fifth: Warm Reception | Alto trumpeted out a smooth, warbling tune, letting it wash over the crowd slowly. "That's him," whispered Scootaloo to Spike. "Still feeling jealous?"
"Moreso," whispered Spike back. "He's smooth."
Scootaloo chuckled. "Come on, let's go back to the table."
As Pinkie chopped up the rest of the cake, preserving the toppers in case the couple wanted them, Rainbow Dash moved a table full of presents over near the main table. "Okay, Pinkie Pie wants your guests to deliver your gifts themselves, to make it more personal," she explained. "That way, they can offer you your congratulations at the same time, giving you a more in-depth discussion. It'll also hold them accountable for their gifts, so if the same thing that happened at Spike's Bachelor Party happens here, we can immediately know who wasn't paying attention."
First to come up were the Cakes, and Spike already knew what they'd given him. Scootaloo was a bit shocked, at first, that Spike could guess it without looking, but then she remembered that there was an attachment that they'd given him for his Bachelor Party. It was a pretty sweet stand mixer, either way.
Twilight and Thorax had thought about it a bit harder than they had the first time, and while it was still two books that they received, this was a scrapbook of all the pictures Spike and Scootaloo had been together for, along with a second one that was blank. "For all the memories you've made together," smiled Twilight.
"And for all the memories you're about to make," finished Thorax.
Applejack and Big Mac didn't bring a gift, as their donation was in the form of shutting down the farm and opening their home for the day, free of charge. Rainbow had, of course, gifted a Sonic Rainboom. Pinkie had paid for the cake, and Rarity and Fluttershy had made the outfits, giving their gifts before the wedding.
Shining Armor apologised for Cadance's Absence, as well as Flurry Heart's, but royal duties came first, and Spike understood that. They had, at least, sent their love in the form of several jewels, to be enjoyed at the family's leisure, though Scootaloo was pretty intent on keeping some of them.
There were several gifts that were just decorations, which were very welcome. A few vases around the house could provide a splash of colour or at least hold flowers for the same purpose. There were some paintings, too, the most notable being a portrait done by Fanbrush. It wasn't a commissioned painting, so they hadn't sat down to have it painted, and Fanbrush had just done it from memory. As a result, there were a few inaccuracies that were fairly obvious. Scootaloo's horns, for example, were short and black in reality, but were painted as long and light grey. Her spines had also been replaced by Smolder's; an understandable mix-up, as they did look very similar. Still, it was a nice gift that would just have to be replaced with a more accurate rendition. Of course, that one would be paid for, rather than a free gift.
Then there were some other gifts that weren't quite as appreciated as much as the thoughts that went into them. Being able to breathe fire, dragons didn't have a need for toasters, but Spike had bought one, anyway. Now they had five. Also in the mix were two complete sets of flatware, a collection of pots and pans, and three knife blocks, only one of which was actually any good.
A lot of the guests went from giving gifts straight to the dance floor. While the guests seemed to be bobbing at different rates, there were ripples within ripples that aligned exactly at the center of the room.
Suddenly, Scootaloo realized that there hadn't been any saxophone for the last few minutes. She looked up, and Alto had left the stage. She looked around, and couldn't see him amongst the ponies of the crowd. She wasn't sure where he'd gone.
At any rate, the presents had all been opened, and each of the guests thanked for attending. It was almost sunset, and soon, they would be headed home for the night.
Scootaloo stood up and took Spike's claw. "Come with me."
"Are we going to dance again?" he asked.
"No, I'm going to the lavatory, and I need you to help me out of the dress, and then back into it."
With a nod, Spike followed her out of the barn, taking note of the carriage he probably wasn't supposed to see yet, as it said "Just Marr" and had nothing trailing behind it. With a shrug, he went into the house with Scootaloo and then up the stairs to the bathroom.
As they were up there, however, they noticed a peculiar sound coming from Big Mac's room. A pair of voices that Scootaloo knew right away. Spike could only place one, but he knew that Big Mac was down in front of the barn, dressing up the carriage that would take them home. Being close with him, he had a standing invitation to enter his room, as he was guaranteed trustworthy.
The door swung open quickly, and Scootaloo chuckled at the sight. Ember, ruler of the dragons, had slipped away from her guards and made her way upstairs with a stallion, Alto the saxophonist. "Well, would you look at that..."
"It's not what you think!" shouted Ember, tossing Alto into the air with ease. "I was... eating him! That's right! Look, he has bite marks and everything!"
Alto landed on the floor with a loud thud. Indeed, he did have bite marks on his shoulder, and claw marks on his arse pulling him in. He hadn't flown too far, though, as Ember's tail was still wrapped several times around his leg. "H-hi, Scootaloo..." he blushed. "How w-was your wedding?"
"Very memorable," answered Scootaloo.
"You shouldn't be in here," said Spike. "While I appreciate that you were looking for some privacy, and I'm not going to chastise either of you for sleeping together, this is someone's home, and their own personal bedroom. Dragon Lord Ember has a room back at the castle you can use."
Alto's eyes went wide. He turned to Ember. "You're the Dragon Lord?!"
"Thanks, Spike," scowled Ember. "Now he's going to be too scared to make a move for fear that I'll actually eat him..."
She brushed herself off and stormed out of the room, Alto squealing with delight and trying to hide his dripping boner as he trailed after her.
With Big Mac's door closed once more, Spike brought Scootaloo into the bathroom and helped her out of her dress. At first, he turned around to allow her some privacy, but not for long, as she grabbed ahold of his tail. "You know we're married now, right? Plus, how many times have you seen me without clothes?"
"Force of habit," he chuckled. "Besides, I don't want to stare..." |
Finding Your Family | Chapter the Forty-Sixth: Happily Ever After | Once Scootaloo was zipped up properly, she turned around to adjust Spike's outfit. "You know, these outfits are coming off as soon as we arrive back at the house. I owe you a romp."
"I don't know about owing it to me," smiled Spike, "But I'll join you, anyway."
They shared a kiss and left the bathroom. They'd already flushed and washed their claws, and now it was time to return to the party.
The carriage was coming along splendidly. There were two of them, now, though. The first was decorated completely, with the train of bells and the words "Just Married" printed on the back and sides. The second was not decorated, as it was just stuffed full of wedding gifts so they could all be transported back.
Barb found them as they entered through the door, rubbing her eyes. "Can we go home, soon?" she groaned. "I'm tired..."
Scootaloo smiled and picked her up, situating her on her hip. "We'll go soon, sweetie. All we have to do is find your siblings and tell everypony goodnight."
As Big Mac walked in behind them, Spike placed a claw on his shoulder. "Thanks for doin' this for us, Big Mac."
"Eeyup."
"Are you sure it's not been too much trouble?"
"Nope."
Looking around, neither Ember nor Alto had made it back to the barn. Cudgel was in the back corner, trying to organise something with Gridline. Gridline's parents had not been invited, because when Scootaloo had gone to ask them, all they wanted to do was complain about marriage being a trap and to not fall into it, which would only lead to a big fight with their ex if they had showed up. Rainbow Slash was riding on Rainbow Dash's shoulders, having also been pretty tired by the day's events.
Spike picked up Barb from Scootaloo's arms and gave her to Big Mac. "I think it's time we head home," he said. "Would you mind putting her in the carriage for us?"
Without a word, Big Mac hoisted her up onto his shoulders and carried her out the door.
Scootaloo made her way over to Rainbow Dash, who had been joined by Soarin now that he'd had time to return. But on his way to pick up Cudgel, Spike was stopped by Twilight and Thorax. "Have you seen Ember?" they asked in a whisper.
"I told her to go back to the castle," he whispered back. Careful if you go see her, though, she has a stallion caller with her, last I checked."
"You mean a dragon?" asked Thorax.
"No, the missing saxophonist."
Twilight and Thorax exchanged surprised looks, then chuckles. "We're going to head back to the castle, ourselves. Don't stay up too late."
"Oh, we're about to head home," smiled Spike. "Kids need to go to bed, and Scoots is really happy that the day went so well. Have a good night."
Giving both of them a big hug, Spike let them move along as he went to pick up Cudgel. It turns out that he was organising a new campaign, and Gridline was trying to do the numbers with his hoof and from memory.
"Time to go, Cudgel," said Spike, dropping down to one knee. "Wrap it up."
"Okay," said Cudgel. "Anyway, the short version is, we find the lost prince and he's actually a Jormungandr in disguise. Then we fight him."
"Cool," smiled Gridline. "We should probably play up his fake armor a bit, though. Really dig into that scalemail."
"Right. See you later, Grid."
Climbing up onto his dad's shoulders, Cudgel was taken out of the barn and situated in the carriage, and Rainbow Slash wasn't far behind. Spike and Scootaloo hopped in, as well, and with Big Mac pulling the carriage full of dragons and Rainbow Dash and Soarin pulling the wagonload of gifts, they were on their way home right away.
"So, where do we want to go on our honeymoon?" asked Spike. "I know we were mostly focused on the wedding, but I haven't really given it any thought."
"Neither have I," answered Scootaloo. "Honestly, I think we need a vacation after all of this. But I think it might be best if we kept it simple. Something easy."
"Something we can travel to in less than a day and not have to bring a lot of stuff," agreed Spike.
"And most importantly, family friendly." Scootaloo looked across the carriage at their kids, two of which were asleep, with Cudgel still trying to stay awake. "The Crystal Empire?"
"If you want ponies mobbing me all day, sure," snorted Spike. "Appleloosa?"
"Isn't it stampede season?"
Spike thought about it for a moment. "Why don't we just stay in? It doesn't matter to me where we go, as long as we're together. And there's no place nicer to be than right here in Ponyville!"
Scootaloo smiled. "It'd be nice to be able to stay in the house without anything needing to be done."
"Plus, I'm pretty sure Cudgel wouldn't mind sticking around to finish his campaign planning."
They both turned to Cudgel, who had fallen asleep since they'd last checked.
"It's decided, then," smiled Scootaloo, snuggling up under Spike's chin. "A staycation, it shall be."
After arriving home, Big Mac carried Cudgel inside, while Rainbow moved the girls. This freed up Spike's arms so he could carry his bride through the door and up the stairs, lowering her into the bed. He unzipped her dress once again, and their clothes were swiftly discarded and tossed onto the floor and their bodies entangled on the bed.
While it started with Spike climbing on top of Scootaloo, it was mere seconds before she grabbed his wrists and flipped him onto his back, pinning him to the bed. They didn't stop until after midnight, and fell asleep in a crumpled mess on the bed.
But it wasn't just a happy ending for them. Once they made it back to Rainbow's place, she and Soarin took another shower together. Soarin didn't even have a chance to grab a towel before being dragged into bed, and they went to bed dripping. Twilight and Thorax likewise had a romantic evening, and while their lovemaking was slow and sensual, they still went to bed at a reasonable hour.
It was Alto and Ember that were up all night. When Alto snuck out the next morning, he arrived to breakfast with the rest of his band with bites all over his shoulders and hips, scratches all down his back, burns on his chest and a great big smile on his face. He'd had perhaps the best night out of all of them, as he'd finally bedded a dragon, and a royal one, at that. |
Love in a Flash | pre | So what if, then, she would come back? Would there be an opportunity for her, perhaps much, much bigger than anyone else? Sunset's imagination grew wild as she imagined Flash and her dating; them watching a movie together; them talking over a cup of coffee at the Sweet Shoppe; them walking around a school fair, enjoying the sights, hand in hand. She imagined their smiles, especially Flash's, and although it made Sunset feel warm inside, it also felt strange to her that the heat inside slowly grew uncomfortably hotter, becoming an all too familiar feeling she felt in her dream a few nights before. And stranger still, it didn't feel wrong.
"Sunshim, are you okay?" Pinkie Pie called Sunset back to the surface from her imagination, the tone of the party girl's voice sounding worried, and that was a tone of voice rarely anyone hears.
"H-huh? Oh, sorry." Sunset apologized. With her thoughts now clear from wild imaginations, she looked at her friends, who looked back at her with worry. With a sigh, (gosh has she been sighing a lot today), she spoke up to her friends.
"I don't know, girls. I mean, I was the one who hurt Flash, so us going back together would most likely be the last thing on his mind right now."
The two looked at each other. She's got a point.
"Also," she continued, "I'm finally friends again with Flash--like, honest-to-good, official friends. I just... I don't want to ruin our friendship like I did before."
Rarity and Pinkie looked at their redhead friend with sympathy. Out of everyone in their group--or in the whole school for that matter--no one cherishes friendship more than Sunset Shimmer.
"We understand, Sunset darling. We're sorry for pushing this silly thing on you."
"Yeah, we're sorry, Sunset."
"Thanks, girls." Sunset smiled. She was of course grateful for her understanding friends, but she also felt quite relieved. Glad that's over.
"Alright then," Rarity began, "since I've had you share your troubles with me, darling, it is only fair that I share you mine as well. You would not believe the day I've had yesterday at the mall!"
And so the three continued their friendly chat in the gym. Soon the other groups of teens picked up their bags and ready for home, while the basketball players on the court are finishing up the day's practice. The team with the player who tripped won by a miraculous shot on the last few seconds, astonishingly enough. After a couple more shared laughs, the girls readied their belongings and made their way to the hallways.
_________________________________________________
As the sun lowered deeper into the horizon, more and more students flowed out of the school, with fewer groups each time, until finally the trio stepped out as well. Sunset told her friends to go on ahead, as she wanted to chill by the school statue for a bit longer. As they said their goodbyes, Sunset watched her friends go, and sat at a comfortable position on the cool, stone floor by the statue. She thought about maybe writing to her when she noticed another group stepping out of the school. She recognized that messy blue hair, slung guitar and hooded jacket anywhere; Flash Sentry, walking out together with his band, Flash Drive.
She watched them say their own goodbyes to each other, the other members heading home while Flash turned to the other direction to the parking lot. But in the midst of that turn, he caught the attention of Sunset, and Sunset caught his. They stared at each other for what Sunset felt like hours, with the time reverting back to normal speed when she noticed Flash giving her a small smile and wave. Upon realizing that she had been in fact staring at him for what she felt like hours did she made an awkward attempt to smile and wave back.
Oh gosh that was so awkward. Now I feel obligated to say hi.
No you don't, Sunset. That was just a normal, friendly greeting. We smile and wave at each other and go our separate ways. Just look away and you'll be fine.
Why is it so hard to look away? And oh my gosh why are you walking towards him?!
OK, fine. Nothing I can do about that now. Just gonna say hi, no big deal.
But we just did! Silently! Through nonverbal gesture! This is a big deal, Sun--
"Hey, Sunset."
AAAAAAAAHHHHHH
"H-hi Flash, just finished practice?"
"Yeah, it took a little longer than we expected. I kept feeling the lyrics to the song is missing something, but I'm not sure what."
"Oh? What's it about?"
Flash then shifted his eyes away from Sunset. "It's uhhh... I can't actually tell you since it's not finished yet."
Sunset raised her eyebrow. This got her curious, and Flash knows that look she's giving him, so he gave out a nervous chuckle.
"I'll tell you about it once it's done. Wait no, even better--I'll let you be the first to hear it once it's done."
This earned a Sunset a smile. "I'm looking forward to it." She then saw Flash blush a little, "Y-yeah, thanks."
Flash blushed just now, didn't he. He totally did.
He blushed. To me.
I'm really curious to the song he wrote now.
Oh great, now I'm blushing too.
SUNSET COULD YOU JUST STOP
"Anyways, enough about me. What are you still doing here? Waiting for someone?"
"Oh, no. Sometimes I just like to chill by the statue before I head home. It's actually quite soothing, if you try it."
"Really?" Sunset watched him look over to the statue. "Huh. Guess I'll give it a shot next time."
They stood there quietly. Flash looking to the statue and Sunset looking to him. She saw the expression on his eyes looking somewhat reminiscent as he continued to look at the statue; more specifically, at the base of the statue.
Sunset suddenly felt heat welling up in her chest once more. At that moment, she couldn't tell exactly what kind of heat she was feeling, but she does know what he's thinking, or rather, who he's thinking of. And she doesn't want him to think of that. Of her. She knows it's wrong to think that--she feels ashamed for even thinking of that. But the thought was still there, and she needed to get it out of her head.
She called to him.
"Hey, Flash?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you drive me home?"
What.
"Oh, uhh, sure thing."
WHAT.
"Thanks."
FOR THE LOVE OF CELESTIA AND ALL OF EQUESTRIA SUNSET WHAT ARE YOU-- |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | pre | "Talk to the hand," Turquoise said before reaching her first class and going inside. As soon as she went inside the other students were trying very hard not to make eye contact since they wanted to avoid pissing Mr. Drake off.
"Ah Turquoise you seem different than yesterday," Mr. Drake said.
"Can't let a bunch of haters bring me down," Turquoise said.
"We don't necessarily hate you Turquoise, we just don't want any trouble like yesterday," One of the students said.
"Yeah I don't want my mom biting my head off over failing math because of this issue," Another student said.
"Or my dad," A third student said.
"Ok class settle down, I know Turquoise was a big surprise for everyone and to be honest even i'm still not used to her, but let's not let it distract us from the lesson," Mr. Drake said calmly this time. Suddenly lance came in and mr. Drake did not look happy. "You are late mr. Striker.
"Apologies, I was busy with something special for Turquoise," Lance said.
"Whatever the reason, you're tardy, that's 2 hours of detention for you," mr. Drake said.
"Whatever, " Lance said before taking his seat. Class began and this time everyone focused on the board and not Turquoise. The only one not paying attention was Lance who was thinking about what he had planned for Turquoise. Sometime later class ended and it was time for Turquoise to get the books for her next class. She arrived at her locker and noticed her lock was forced open.
"Did someone just break into my locker," Turquoise said before opening it. Suddenly a bucket full of something blue spilled all over her thus ruining her hair, uniform and complexion. Suddenly Lance and his buddies began laughing along with most of the students in the hallway.
"Aw why so blue? Is it because you're covered in blue cheese," Lance said while laughing hard.
"Ew disgusting, this stuff is rotten," Turquoise shouted.
"Well yeah, that stuff's been in the cafeteria since the school was built and they were going to throw it out," Lance said. Suddenly one of the girls from Turquoise's next class spoke up.
"Not cool Lance," she said.
"Oh please we all hate this bitch so why should he just keep going around like some princess when he is nothing," Lance said.
"Not all of us," Fluer said as she approached Turquoise and offered her a towel.
"Fleur de lis?" The other girl said in shock seeing her help someone.
"You're in Turquoise's next class, right?" Fluer asked.
"Yes," The other girl said.
"Can you inform your teacher of Turquoise's situation," Fleur asked.
"Got it," The other girl said.
"Turquoise come with me to the showers," Fluer said.
"You don't mean the girl's showers do you?" One of the girls in the crowd said clearly not a fan of the idea of Turquoise being in there.
"Got a problem with it?" Fluer asked while using some of the intimidation tactics she picked up from Suri which scared her.
"Go ahead," She said. Fluer escorted Turquoise to the girl's locker room which had showers. Before Turquoise would get in she asked why Fleur is doing this for her.
"We are friends right? And friends help each other in need," Fluer said before pulling out her spare uniform along with bottles of her soaps. "Go get yourself cleaned up and I will keep watch for you.
"Thank you Fleur," Turquoise said as she got undressed behind the shower curtain. Fortunately her underwear was not soaked in the disgusting sludge that drenched her. After taking all of her clothes off and handing them to Fleur a woman entered and saw Fluer by the showers but what she noticed more was the smell wafting in the air.
"Hey Fleur, what reeks of year old cheese?" She asked before notices Turquoise's uniform in her arms. "Mystery solved.
"That jerk Lance spilled the entire pot of the cafeteria's old lunch special all over the new girl and," Fleur said before the woman stopped her.
'Say no more," the woman said before leaving.
"Who was that?" Turquoise asked.
"Coach Julia, she coaches the girl's gym class," Fleur said as Turquoise started the water. "By the way how is it your boobs are not coming off in there?
"Everglue, long lasting and waterproof," Turquoise said while scrubbing her hair which washed out the dye along with the cheese. Once Turquoise finished cleaning herself off she wrapped a towel around herself and dried off. Once she was dry she reached her hand out. "Underwear," Fleur put Turquoise's bra and panties in her hand before she retracted it. After putting them on she came out of the shower.
"Uh Turquoise your hair," Fleur said.
"Yes I know," Turquoise said referring to how her hair dye washed out which looked weird with the extensions.
"Anyway my spare uniform should fit you," Fleur said as turquoise began getting changed into it.
"Once again thank you for helping me," Turquoise said.
"No problem, come over to my place and I will have your uniform cleaned," Fleur said as she put Turquoise's dirty uniform in her locker. "Now hurry off to class and I will see you in fourth period. As Turquoise was walking she noticed how the janitor looked really upset that he had to clean and wax the hallway floor all over again because of Lance's prank that he was not being punished for yet. As soon as Turquoise got to class she was expecting to be yelled at for being late but surprisingly her teacher was understanding.
"I heard what happened and I'm glad to see you are not hurt or sick," The Teacher said.
"Luckily Fleur's scented soaps were able to counter the cheese stench," Turquoise said while noting she should ask her where she can get some.
"Where luckily you're just in time for today's quiz," the Teacher said as Turquoise took her seat. While class was going on the investigation into the whole prank on Turquoise was still ongoing even though it was obvious who the culprit was. Normally they would check the security tapes but Cadence believed in honesty and fairness above all else. As the day went on each of the students who saw the incident were questioned but none of them were cracking as if they were unwilling to talk, that is until the girl from Turquoise's second period was up.
"Tell us Melody, who was responsible for the incident that has Mr. Slate so furious after how hard he worked on that hallway floor?" The vice principal asked.
"It was that jerk Lance Striker," Melody said.
"And what makes you so certain of it?" The vice principal asked.
"I saw him carrying a big pot of something and putting it inside one of the lockers he forced open," Melody said. The Vice principal asked the security guard and he said that what Medley said matches up with the footage on the tape.
"Thank you Melody, you were a big help," The Vice principal said before dismissing her. Soon it was lunch time and Turquoise was with her friends who all looked worried about her.
"Hey don't worry, I'm sure Principal Cadence will find out it was Lance and punish him," Indigo said.
"Then why hasn't she done it yet?" Turquoise asked.
"She likes to give people chances to do the right thing and nine times out of ten people live up to her expectations, "Lemon explained. Just as they were talking the PA system sounded.
"Will Lance Striker please report to the Principal's office," Cadence said over the speaker.
"See justice is about to be served with a side of cheese chowder," Indigo said while joking about it.
Meanwhile Lance was heading to the office and on his way there he noticed the huge spill was still there and the janitor was not cleaning it which was an ominous sign to him since that old janitor was very dedicated to his work since he started forty-five years ago. As soon as he entered Cadence's office she told him to sit down. The look on her face was not a good one.
"Lance, what you did was not cool and down right hurtful," Cadence said.
"So who cares about that slut Turquoise anyway? That gay bimbo does not belong here," Lance said.
"No lance, what does not belong here is your bad attitude and bullying of our new girl," Cadence said.
"Why are you going after just me? The rest of the students feel the same way," Lance said in a fruitless attempt to save himself.
"Because you're also guilty of another crime," Cadence said before the janitor came in. "Your prank ruined the hallway floor that Clean Slate worked so hard to clean before his retirement.
"That's right sunny, I spent forty-five years cleaning up after you kids without so much as a thank you and now you do this to me before I move to Boca," Clean Slate said before Cadence gave him the sign to stop.
"Clean slate has been Crystal Prep's janitor long before even Abacus Cinch was Principal," Cadence said before getting to the point. "That said I think he has earned a much needed break so in lue of suspension you are going to clean every single inch of that hallway you covered in rotten blue cheese under Clean Slate's supervision.
"You can't be serious, I have football practice after school," Lance said.
"Not anymore you don't because I'm removing you from the team," Cadence said. Clean slate wasted no time dragging Lance out the door and to the janitor's closet.
Back with Turquoise and the girls, they were wrapping up their conversation when the bell rang and it was time for class again. As they were walking through the hallway turquoise and the girls stopped to see lance with a mop trying to clean the mess in the hallway.
"Scrub harder you punk, I want to see that floor shine before I say goodbye to Crystal Prep," Clean slate shouted at Lance.
"Yes sir," Lance said, feeling afraid.
"See Turquoise I told you Lance would get his comeuppance," Indigo said.
"You were right, justice has been served with a big heaping side of blue cheese chowder," Turquoise said.
"Laugh it up while you can bitch because you and I are not done with each other, "Lance said before Clean Slate banged the lockers.
"Leave the pretty lady alone and get back to work, unless you want to clean the bathrooms too," Clean Slate said. Lance returned to his punishment as Turquoise and the group went another way. As the day went on More students were watching Lance work his ass off. Once classes ended for the day Turquoise was off to the photography clubroom for her first shoot.
"Room 312," Turquoise said before she found it. As soon as she entered Vivid approached her.
"We heard what happened. I hope you're doing alright," Vivid said.
"I am now thanks to my friends," Turquoise said.
"Well I hope you are still up for our shoot," Vivid said.
"I've been looking forward to it all day," Turquoise said.
"Good, now allow me to show you the character you will be doing," Vivid said before showing her a picture of a white woman with long purple hair styled in a braid, wearing a lavender kimono pulling something out from between her boobs.
"Is that the Raiden Shogun from Genshin?" Turquoise asked.
"Yep and we have her cosplay and weapon all ready," Vivid said before a girl with short blue hair took Turquoise behind a curtain to change.
"Tell me Turquoise, do you play Genshin impact too?" The girl asked while helping with the kimono.
"I do," Turquoise said before feeling the tightness of the obi.
"Who is your favorite character?" she asked while making sure everything was on right.
"Navia from Fountaine, I see a lot of myself in her," Turquoise said as they stepped out. Next they had Turquoise sit at a vanity while another girl did her makeup and even had some special contacts ready for her.
"Have you ever worn contacts before?" The girl asked.
"I never thought about wearing them since my eyesight is fine," Turquoise said.
"These are purely cosmetic, not correctional," Vivid said. Vivid helped with applying the lenses since Turquoise did not know how. After gathering all of turquoise's hair into a wig cap and putting the wig on it was time to take some photos. Turquoise did many of the shogun's poses and almost looked like a natural in front of the camera. As soon as the shoot was over Turquoise changed back into Fleur's uniform.
"That was fun," Turquoise said.
"So does that mean you want to be our model?" Vivid asked.
"Of course," Turquoise said.
"Then welcome to our club," Vivid said. As Turquoise was leaving she saw Lance had finished cleaning the mess he made and even saw her reflection in the floor.
"Pretty neat isn't it, young lady?" Clean Slate said.
"I'll say, the floors of my mansion could not compare," Turquoise said.
"Glad someone appreciated all my hard work even if I had some young whippersnapper do it for me," Clean slate said. Suddenly Cadence walked by.
"I see you met our old janitor Clean Slate," Cadence said to Turquoise.
"I'm sure going to miss this school," Clean slate said.
"And we are going to miss you too, which is why I came to deliver your pension along with this," Cadence said before handing him two envelopes. Clean slate opened the first one and saw a very heartfelt letter from all the teacher's and faculty thanking him for his many years of service and wishing him a happy retirement.
"Aw thank you Principal Cadence," Clean slate said before he got going. Turquoise did the same but this time was heading for Fleur's place to pick up her uniform. Today was quite a day for Turquoise but seeing Lance worked hard by an old man was totally worth it. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | Making A Breakthought | A few days went by and despite some mixed reactions Silver survived his first week at his new school. He awakened refreshed the best he has ever been in his life. Silver thought on what the plan for today was going to be and then suddenly it hit him he finally figured out the missing piece to his nerve gear. Silver pulled out some paper and a pen then wrote down the equation and code for the microwave element before getting dressed. Silver went downstairs and greeted his parents.
"Someone is in a good mood this morning," Ruby said, knowing why.
"Had the best sleep I had in years," Silver said.
"So what's the plan for today going to hang with your fellow girls today," Ruby asked.
"Actually mom I finally got the final component for my Nerve Gear down and I figured after installing it I would test it but I will invite Lemon and Twilight over to see it in action," Silver replied.
"Are you sure you aren't worried about your clothes or hair?" Ruby asked.
"Mom, it's a game console, not a bomb," Silver said. Silver ate breakfast with his family but he and his dad were still not on talking terms and the tension was getting to Ruby.
"Ok you two need to at least talk, this is getting quite stressful," Ruby said.
"I will when this sissy gives my son back to me," Bullet said.
"Well maybe your son wants to feel joy and happiness for once, did you ever think of that?" Silver said. He finished eating and excused himself to get to work on that project of his. Before Silver began working he called Lemon. The phone rang for a bit before Lemon answered.
"Hello Silver," Lemon said.
"Hi Lemon I'm about to add the finishing touches to my nerve gear and then test it, wanna come to see it in action?" Silver asked.
"I am so there," Lemon replied.
"Awesome, bring Twilight along too. I know she will definitely want to see this," Silver said before hanging up. Silver began working on the microwave part that has eluded him for so long. Ten minutes later Lemon and Twilight arrived at Silver's place and rang the doorbell. Ruby answered the door.
"Lemon good to see you again and you must be Twilight come Silver is about to finish his invention," Ruby said as she showed the girls to Silver's Room. Silver added the finishing touches and then plugged it into his computer and then brought up the virtual world he created on his monitor. As Silver finished setting everything up Lemon and Twilight arrived. Twilight was impressed with Silver's setup.
"Glad you two could arrive, you're about to witness science fiction become science fact," Silver said.
"How exactly will we know if it works?" Lemon asked.
"See that monitor with the visual of an open field? well if the Nerve Gear works successfully then my consciousness should manifest into avatar form and appear there," Silver explained. Silver placed the Nerve Gear on his head and the collaboration process started. Silver touched himself in the spots the Nerve Gear specified and generated a virtual blueprint of Silver's body. Due to Silver's breast forms and hair extensions and everything else Silver had on the Nerve Gear registered him as female which he did not mind but will work on in the future. Silver then laid on his bed to begin the real test. "LINK START. suddenly a visual of many colors appeared before him. A system check began and everything read all green and then Silver was falling from the sky. As the ground came closer Silver accessed a controller and generated wings just in time to land safely. "Looks like I need to adjust the positioning but at least the controls work. Silver swiped his finger and a small display appeared. He looked through the menu and opened his inventory and caused a full-length mirror to appear in front of him. Reflected in that mirror was a girl with long light green hair wearing a simple white dress. "Not too bad for a default. Silver opened the voice chat channel which was connected to his mic. "Lemon, can you hear me? Lemon grabbed the headset and put it on before responding.
"We hear you, Silver," Lemon replied.
"I have some improvements to make but I can say that full dive test number one was a success," Silver said. Silver scrolled to the log-out button and then disappeared after hitting it. Silver regained consciousness and took the Nerve Gear off.
"How did it feel in there, Silver," Twilight asked.
"It felt like I was the same but somehow different," Silver tried to explain.
"Basically like your soul was in a different body," Lemon asked.
"More or less," Silver replied.
"So is it ready yet," Lemon asked.
"Not yet I still need to install the safeguards so the Microwaves don't damage the brain," Silver said.
"Wait, you were using microwaves? isn't that dangerous?" Twilight asked.
"Normally yes but when kept at a safe level they can be good to work with," Silver explained. Silver explained that the parts for the safeguards would take a while to get here so, for now, he is finished with the prototype. Silver put his prototype in his safe for now. "So what do you girls want to do now?
"I suppose we could just hang here, everyone else is busy today," Lemon suggested.
"My friends are busy too," Twilight said.
"Then I guess it's just the three of us so what do you want to do?" Silver asked.
"We could go downtown and see if anything is happening?" Lemon suggested.
"Sounds good, give me a minute to change," Silver said before Lemon and Twilight left the room. A few minutes later Turquoise came out dressed in a black bib button top with a gray plaid skirt with some patches on it and a petticoat under it along with some kitten tights and black boots. "Ready to go.
"Wow Turquoise, that is a cute outfit," Lemon said.
"Thanks, my mom helped me pick it out," Turquoise said.
"But is the petticoat really necessary?" Twilight asked.
"Adds that layer of fluff under the skirt plus keeps the boys from seeing my panties,' Turquoise said.
"In any case let's get going," Lemon said. The girls went downstairs and as soon as they did they ran into Bullet.
"And just where exactly do you think you're going dressed like that?" Bullet asked assertively.
"Downtown," Turquoise said.
"Not like that, you are not," Bullet said. Suddenly ruby came in and heard the commotion.
"And just what is wrong with her outfit?" Ruby asked.
"The fact he looks too feminine in that getup and not to mention he looks like a prime target for kidnappers, And there is no way in hell i'm paying ransom money for him," Bullet said which really struck a chord with Turquoise.
"Geez dad, why not just disown me while you're at it," Turquoise said, feeling hurt by that statement.
"Don't tempt me Silver," Bullet said. Ruby did not like where this was heading.
"Turquoise, you and your friends go on ahead, I need to have some words with your father in private," Ruby said. Turquoise and her two friends proceeded to the garage where the family kept their vehicles. Luckily Turquoise still had her 2022 Toyota Corolla which was customized with anime waifu decels of Raptalia including her racing number 33.
"You must really love your raccoon waifu," Lemon said, noting the decals on Turquoise's car.
"Well I did like her in Rising Of The Shield Hero and if i'm being honest I hope to wear that kind of outfit someday," Turquoise said.
"Oh so you have a thing for boys who love cars?" Twilight asked.
"Maybe," Turquoise said teasingly as she got in the driver's seat of her car. As soon as all three of them were in, they took off. As soon as Ruby saw the girls were gone it was now time for a serious discussion.
"Ok Bullet now that our girl is out it's time we discussed somethings," Ruby said.
"Please tell me you also hate what Silver has become, "Bullet begged.
"Oh no I love our daughter and I think you should too," She said.
"Silver was the only child we were lucky enough to have and I'm sure you remember why?" He said.
"We are not talking about your narrow urethra, we are talking about how you should be more respectful of Turquoise and her decision," She said.
"And let my own son vanish forever, never," He said.
"You're going to lose him either way, with how you two have been lately he will most likely want to leave and never come back," She said.
"Have you not seen his car?" He asked.
"What about it?" She asked.
"That animal girl in the racing outfit he has all over it, what if he wants to go around dressed in that next?" He asked.
"You know I would not let her wear that in public," She said.
"And what if he brings back a boy who will have him do it anyway?" he asked.
"Turquoise is not ready for boys yet and based on how things at her school are going I would say dating is not going to happen anytime soon," She said.
"Well what about that Lance guy? What's to stop him from making a move on our son huh," He asked.
"Cadence assured me that Lance Striker is on his last leg since he now has two strikes, one more and he is expelled, "She said.
"Well maybe in School, but what about out there?" He asked.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"The streets of LA can be a dangerous place for a teenager," He said.
"But we are not in LA, we are in Canterlot City, "She said.
"Same thing," he said.
"Ok I feel like this is getting us nowhere, Why are you against Silver becoming the girl he wants to be," she demanded, wanting to put an end to this once and for all. Suddenly Bullet looked ready to break down.
"Because I don't want him getting used for sex and dominance like most horny men do to sissies," he cracked revealing the truth.
"I know it, you do still care about him," She said.
"Of course I do, but mostly I just want my son back," He said.
"Tell me when was the last time you ever saw your son feel this happy?" She asked.
"Never," He said.
"And when have you ever seen him hang with friends and not locked up in his room getting frustrated over that project of his?" She asked.
"He barely interacts with anyone, not even us, "He said.
"Then wouldn't you say being Turquoise has done a lot for him in terms of social interaction?" She asked.
"You're right, but why did it have to be this and nothing else?" He asked.
"I don't know but it's working and she even made a breakthrough with her project," She said.
"I don't think Sil, I mean Turquoise ever mentioned what she was trying to make," He said.
"I think we need to do some research of our own," she said.
"What are you suggesting?" He asked.
"I mean let's watch some anime, more specifically the one this invention came from," she said.
"And which one would that be? There are over a thousand different ones," he said. Suddenly a maid came in with some box sets from Turquoise's game room/home theater.
"I believe this is the one you're talking about," The maid said.
"Sword art online? What is that?" Bullet asked.
"That is the anime you two were talking about, I heard your conversation and retrieved it from Miss Turquosie's collection," The maid said.
"Thank you Claire," Ruby said before Claire took her leave. While Bullet cued the dvd player in the living room Ruby made some popcorn. They spent a few hours getting halfway through the first season. Soon Turquoise and her two friends returned.
"Hello, we are back," Turquoise shouted. Suddenly she heard the sound of something familiar and the girls followed it to the living room where Turquoise was quite surprised. "Are you two watching Sword Art Online?
"We sure are," Ruby said.
"Come join us," Bullet said in a friendly tone. Lemon and Twilight took this as their cue to go since they did not want to ruin the moment. Turquoise got in between her parents and they started the ninth episode. Once the doors opened Bullet asked Turquoise what the goat-looking creature was.
"That is the gleam eyes, the boss of floor 74," Turquoise explained. They kept watching and as soon as the scene where the army showed up came Bullet began to criticize it.
"Those guys call themselves soldiers, back in my days at boot camp we showed more hustle than that and still had energy to spare," Bullet said.
"Now honey they did say they barely made it past floor 25 so this must be a long way for them," Ruby said. Turquoise stated how much she hated Corvatz because of how he treated his men.
"He is their commander, he needs to be tough on them," Bullet said.
"But sending them to the boss at half strength, even in a real world battle, that is the dumbest thing anyone has done," Turquoise said.
"This coming from the valley girl who told me military companies have no place in our world," Bullet said.
"Hey you two just keep watching the episode," Ruby said. They kept watching and Ruby saw what Turquosie sees in these female characters she loved so much. "I think I see now why you relate to girls like Asuna more than the hero.
"You do?" Turquoise asked.
"You're not crazy strong or fast like Kirito and you always felt like you needed saving since you feel weak in comparison," Ruby said.
"Exactly, I'm nothing like dad and I accepted the fact I never will be," Turquoise said.
"You don't have to be like me," Bullet said.
"I don't?" Turquoise asked.
"You don't need to, You're smart, "You're focused on your goals, and despite all the hazing from most of the students at Crystal Prep and the hazing from me, you never gave up," Bullet said.
"What your father is trying to say is, he loves you for who you are, not what he can mold you into," Ruby said.
"Exactly, now let's get back to watching this, I'm quite invested," Bullet said. They kept watching and for the first time in a while turquoise felt close to her parents. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | Deeper Understanding | The next day silver was working on installing the new parts he ordered for his nerve gear prototype. Once he was done he tested it again and this time managed to get the landing coordinates right. Now that the system was built it was time to begin development of the game itself. Silver logged out and as soon as he regained consciousness he waited no time in typing away at his computer which was open to the server he made for his game. Bullet entered and noticed Silver was busy working.
"I thought you would be out cold," Bullet said.
"The nerve gear works and now it's time for the next step, developing the world of the game," Silver said.
"What kind of game is it? Don't tell me it's going to be one of those girly ones," Bullet said.
"Relax, it's nothing of the sort, it's a fantasy MMORPG which is suitable for all ages and genders," Silver said as a town was beginning to form on the screen.
"And the characters?" Bullet asked.
"The player characters will be customizable, but right now my main focus is on world building," Silver said as the town began to expand and grow. Bullet was relieved to see some semblance of his son remaining even though he now looks like a valley girl. Suddenly Ruby came in.
"Glad to see you two are not at each other's throats anymore," Ruby said.
"Now hold on, I never actually said I agreed with Silver changing genders on us, I'm hoping he will come to his senses and go back to being our son," Bullet said.
"I prefer being Turquoise and I'm sorry dad but I'm not turning back," Silver said.
"Don't tell me you're going to start dating boys at some point too," Bullet said, not too thrilled about the potential muscular meathead Turquoise might bring home.
"Maybe I will, maybe I won't, I'm not sure yet," Turquoise said.
"Turquoise dear, if you do find someone, make sure they treat you right, despite what names the students at school call you, you are not a slut or a whore," Ruby said.
"I know, and I can assure you I'm no Malty Melromarc," Silver said.
"Who is that?" Ruby said.
"The one female character I will never be under any circumstances because she is a liar, a thief, and a downright horrible person who most certainly deserved the death penalty," Silver said.
"What has she done that makes you hate her so much?" Bullet asked.
"She played all four of the cardinal heroes like fools and stabbed all four of them in the back before robbing them and worst of all she ruined Nafumi's good name and completely shattered his trust in people," Silver said. Ruby looked it up and found the Wikia page about her and what she looked like.
"Is she also the reason why you rather dye that beautiful red hair of yours?" Ruby said.
"Of course not," Silver said.
"Silver, don't let those bullies compare you to this monster," Ruby said.
"They don't, as far as I've seen a lot of them could care less about anime," Silver said. Suddenly Lemon and Fleur came in which by this point got on Silver's nerves since they challenged his room's sanctity. "Ok, does anyone else want to come in?
"Bad time?" Lemon asked.
"Not at all we were just having a discussion about Malty Melromarc," Ruby said.
"That conniving bitch from Rising Of The Shield Hero?" Lemon asked.
"The very same," Silver said.
"Why talk about her?" Lemon asked.
"Because Silver brought her up when we talked about boys," Ruby said. "He worries everyone will compare him to her if he embraces his natural hair color.
"Listen, we don't care about the color of your hair. Malty may be a redhead but that's not why we all hate her," Lemon said.
"Ok i'm feeling very confused by this conversation," Bullet said.
"Silver, do you have the anime in your collection?" Ruby asked.
"I have the first season," Silver said.
"Then let's go watch it," Ruby said before adding that Lemon and Fleur could join this time. Silver closed his program and went straight to his game room to set it up. Sometime later all five of them were watching the first episode. Bullet and Ruby's impressions of malty were good for now but once the scene where Malty sets Nafumi up as the bad guy that's when they saw what silver was talking about.
"You were right, Malty is a bitch," Bullet said.
"Oh it gets worse further into the anime," Silver said. They binged through the first episode until they reached the part where Nafumi meets the slave trader.
"Who is this guy?" Ruby asked.
"The slave trader, which means we are getting close to the part where my favorite character gets introduced," Silver said. They keep watching as soon as Nafumi reveals Raphtalia, Bullet and Ruby begin to look confused.
"That's the girl you have plastered all over your car? She looks like a child?" Bullet asked.
"Not to mention quite sickly," Ruby said.
"Right now she is but further into the anime she is all grown up," Silver said.
"What do you see in girls like her?" Bullet said.
"If you mean beast people or demi humans, than its simple, they have better affinity for power and magic than humans do, plus to be honest the ears and tails make them look cuter and more attractive," Silver said They moved on to the next episode which picked up where it left off on Raphtalia . After the opening the episode began with Nafumi cutting his finger.
"Why is Nafumi cutting his finger and what is that ink for?" Fleur asked.
"They are setting up the contract," Silver explained. He went into detail about how the slave owner's blood is mixed into the ink before it is used to bind the slave to them which marks them with a crest. Ruby was a bit concerned with how Raphtalia was in pain and how cold Nafumi was being to her.
"Relax, Nafumi cares about her, keep watching and you will see," Lemon said. They binged through many episodes. Bullet and Ruby saw exactly what Silver meant when he said malty destroyed Nafumi's trust in people and when they got to the part where malty tries to murder her own sister they saw more reason to hate her as much as Silver did. They kept watching until they reached silver's favorite part which was the trial of Malty and King Aultcray.
"Malty I get but why the king as well?" Fleur asked.
"Because Aultcray went behind the queen's back and conspired with the three heroes' church along with summoning the four heroes," Silver said. Suddenly they reached the scene where the queen pulled out the slave crest set.
"Malty's words alone can't be trusted so the queen is binding her with a slave crest to ensure the truth is known, " Lemon said, tagging in for silver on the explanations.
"And how exactly will that work?" Bullet said.
"Think of the crests as the magic version of a lie detector," Silver said as the guards pulled down Malty's breastplate exposing more of her boobs which were plastered with the crest..
"Silver, if you ever take the plunge and decide to become a real female, please don't do that to your boobs even if you want a boy's attention," Ruby said.
"Relax, I won't, I don't want to be someone's slut or slave," Silver said. They watched the entire trail scene and Silver laughed every time Malty got zapped.
"I don't get the joke," Fleur said.
"It's funny because Bitch is getting zapped and is so stupid because she keeps lying knowing full well it will only keep the pain coming," Silver said.
"I don't find it funny, I think people deserve second chances," Ruby said.
"No mom you don't know Malty like I do, she is completely unredeemable and what happens next infuriates me," Silver said. Soon they reached the scene where Aultcray and Malty were about to be executed via guillotine. Suddenly Silver's parents saw why this scene upset him because of how the two of them avoided death and renaming them was not punishment enough. Once the first season ended everyone went back to what they were doing. Silver showed lemon and Fleur to his room where he got back to work on expanding his world.
"Just what kind of game are you making anyway?" Lemon asked.
"It's a fantasy MMORPG," Silver said not ready to spoil anything more than that.
"What's it called?" Fleur asked.
"It has no official name yet, "Silver said as he finished the first town.
"Can you at least tell us more?" Lemon asked.
"Not at this moment but once the game reaches the testing phase I will invite you to test it with me," Silver said as he closed the server after saving his progress. "Now what say we do something fun.
Meanwhile in a japanese-style mansion a girl with small breasts and short light blonde hair was sitting with her parents.
"Now let's discuss your new school young lady," The father said.
"If you are going to tell me to not fight, save it, you two may not care about your friends but I do," The girl said.
"Haruka, listen we have friends too and we do care, it's just we use our words not our fists," The mother said.
"Well words mean nothing to anyone, do words stop bullies from attacking? Do words compel people to magically change?" Haruka asked.
"Well look at what fighting has got you, Expelled from four different schools," Haruka's dad said.
"Well those schools should have done a better job when it comes to handling prejudice and hatred," Haruka said.
"We know but listen, This next school is your very last chance before the courts take you away and send you off to Juvie," Haruka's mom said.
"And let me guess you want me to fall in line and submit to the rule of another tyrannical principal who only cares about their ego and bank account," Haruka said, already hearing it three times now.
"I can assure you principal Cadence is different, she sounded quite nice over the phone and was even willing to accept your terms regarding the uniform," Haruka's dad said.
"So I don't have to wear some frou-frou skirt this time?" Haruka asked.
"Nope," Haruka's mom said, knowing how her daughter feels about feminine clothes.
"That's a good start," Haruka said.
"Good, but remember if you get expelled, not even we can save you even if we wanted to," Haruka's dad said. Haruka went back to her room somewhat looking forward to her new school but most of all she was looking for someone.
"Please let this be the school he is at," Haruka said while looking at a picture of her and what appeared to be Silver in Elementary school.
Back with Silver he and his friends were just about done for the day and decided to call it.
"Well Silver, see you at school tomorrow, " Lemon said.
"And don't worry we will have your back should someone try anything," Fleur said before the two of them left. Silver changed and for some reason he felt like something was about to happen at school tomorrow and not in a bad way. He went to bed feeling somewhat excited. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | Return Of An Old Friend | Silver woke up and did his routine of becoming Turquoise. She went downstairs and noticed both of his parents were waiting for him.
"You know what I don't get? How can you keep doing this despite how much the other students haze you?" Bullet asked.
"Because I refuse to give up," Turquoise said. "If there's one major lesson I learned from Anime it's to never give up no matter the odds.
"You really think those kids will just magically change their opinions just like that?" Bullet asked.
"Maybe not all at once but I will get there at some point," Turquoise said.
"That's the spirit, don't let them drag you down," Ruby said.
"Are you really hellbent on going down this path? Do you really despise your gender that much?" Bullet asked.
"Dad, I'm not the hero, I can't save anyone," Turquoise said.
"Well you're going to have to be, because no one is going to save you," Bullet said, trying to use Turquoise's anime logic against her.
"Now bullet, don't say that, I'm sure our girl will find someone," Ruby said.
"Yeah right, everyone at her school hates her so much the only way she can get a man is if they lose a bet and are forced to date her," Bullet said.
"As stimulating as this conversation was, I need to get going now," Turquoise said.
"You can't go yet, the limo driver is not here yet," Bullet said.
"About that, I decided to drive myself to school from now on," Turquoise said.
"No, I refuse to let people see that smut you call a car," Bullet said.
"Racing Waifus is not smut, it's the anime version of Nascar," Turquoise said.
"Either way that smut stays in our garage," Bullet said.
"How can you call it that? You like Nascar as well," Ruby said.
"Well they don't have anime girls in slutty outfits plastered all over them," Bullet said.
"Yeah because the real sluts are much more attractive right?" Ruby asked.
"Don't bring them into this," Bullet demanded.
"Turquoise dear you go ahead this might get heated," Ruby said. Turquoise got in her car and drove off. Sometime later she arrived at crystal prep and parked. As soon as she got out one of the girls saw his car.
"Like, nice car loser," The girl said sarcastically before walking off. Turquoise ignored that and kept going. As soon as she went inside she noticed most of the female students were not noticing her because in the hall was another boy with short light blonde hair who looked quite handsome. Something inside Turquoise told her this guy looked familiar to her for some reason. Soon the male students took notice of Turquoise.
"Oh look its that fag Silver," One of them said which got the new boy's attention.
"Silver? Where?" He asked before noticing Turquoise. He looked at her for a moment before continuing. Turquoise continued on to class and took her seat. A bit later the new student walked in.
"Class this is our new student," Mr. Drake said before the new boy wrote their name on the board.
"I'm Haruka and it's a pleasure to meet all of you," Haruka said. Suddenly it dawned on Turquoise why Haruka was familiar to her.
"Very nice now go take a seat, I believe there's one next to Turquoise, " Mr. Drake said as Haruka took it. The girls all looked bitter and spiteful since the new hunk in the class was sitting next to the queer they currently despise.
"He better not try and seduce our man," One of them said.
"Yeah, that handsome piece of heaven is ours," Another girl said. As much as Turquoise wanted to set the record straight about what Haruka really is, she kept quiet out of fear of getting punished by Mr. Drake. Despite all the spite she was getting, Turquoise remained focused. Once class was over Turquoise was on her way to her next class when Haruka approached her.
"Can we talk in private for a moment?" Haruka asked.
"Sure i guess," Turquoise said. The two of them found a secluded spot where it was safe to talk away from the other students.
"Is that really you, Silver?" Haruka asked.
"Yes it's me," Turquoise said.
"Why are you dressed like a girl and acting like one?" Haruka asked.
"Because this is who i want to be, I'm not the hero who saves anyone, i'm the female love interest that is always being saved," Turquoise said.
"Wow, I never knew," Haruka said.
"Anyway, what are you doing here, I thought your parents would have you sent to some private school or something?" Turquoise asked.
"I'm here because I transferred here, this is my fifth high school actually," Haruka said.
"Fifth? What happened with the other four?" Turquoise asked.
"Expulsion, plus to be honest I hated them because the principals were all tyrants," Haruka said.
"So you went against them because you felt they were wrong," Turquoise guessed.
"Well that and because none of those schools had you," Haruka said.
"Me?" Turquoise asked.
"I have been looking for you for a long time, You and your family left without so much as a good-bye after fifth grade," Haruka said.
"Dad moved his company headquarters to Canterlot City, so he had us pack up and move without so much as an explanation until we got to our new home," Turquoise said. The warning bell went off which meant the two of them would have to pick up their conversation another time and head to class. Classes went by and Haruka noticed how badly the other students treated Turquoise. She wanted to do something but she remembered what her parents told her and did nothing for now. Soon lunch time rolled around and Turquoise decided to introduce Haruka to her friends. They entered the cafeteria and approached the group. "Hey girls, meet my old friend Haruka.
"Aren't you the new boy all the girls are fawning over?" Sunny asked.
"Actually Haruka is a girl," Turquoise corrected, which really took the group by surprise.
"You can't be serious," Sour said.
"No Turquoise is right," Haruka said nonchalantly.
"She said it like it was no big deal," Everyone in the group said out loud together as if it was quite shocking.
"But enough about me, tell me your names, "Haruka said as she and Turquoise sat down.
"I'm lemon zest," Lemon said.
"I'm sunny flare," Sunny said.
"I'm Sugarcoat, nice to meet you," Sugarcoat said.
"I'm sour sweet, "Sour said.
"And lastly, I'm Indigo Zap," Indigo said.
"There is one more person but she is not in today," Turquoise said.
"Now that introductions are out of the way, I must ask, why are you wearing the boy's uniform?" Indigo asked.
"I'm not really into all that frou-frou girl stuff, my hobbies include racing and anime," Haruka said.
"So in other words you're a tomboy," Sunny said.
"Exactly," Haruka said.
"In any case I'm happy to see you again, Haruka," Turquoise said. Suddenly some girls came up to them and shoved Turquoise to the floor.
"Stay away from our man you disgusting freak," one of them said which made Haruka look displeased.
"Hey, don't treat my girl like that, " Haruka said.
"Trust us Haruka, you don't want that one, she is really a boy," Another girl said.
"So I'm a girl too, so what's the big deal?" Haruka asked.
"Ok, haha, very funny," one of the girls said, hoping Haruka was joking only to see the expression on her face proving she wasn't.
"OMG you're serious," Another girl said, feeling her vision of Haruka shatter right before her.
"I am and Turquoise is my girl and I would appreciate it if all of you would stop attacking her," Haruka said.
"No we won't," one of the girls said.
"Yeah, this slut has no place being here," Lance said before getting ready to attack. Just when Turquoise thought she was about to get hurt, Haruka stepped in and sent him flying into the wall with a single roundhouse kick.
"Well damn looks like that's strike five for me," Haruka said before helping Turquoise up. "Are you ok?
"I am now, but why did you do that?" Turquoise asked, knowing what this could mean for Haruka once the administrators got involved.
"I wasn't going to let this meat head hurt my dearest friend, plus now that I finally found you I can go to juvie knowing I got to see you again even if it is for the last time," Haruka said as the administrators came for her and escorted her to Cadence's Office.
"Well i say good riddance to the dike," One of the girls said. Turquoise ran out of the cafeteria knowing what she had to do.
"Where is Turquoise going?" Lemon asked.
"And why does she look worried?" Sunny asked.
"I think I know why," Sugarcoat said before explaining. "Haruka mentioned something about a fifth strike and going to juvie so Turquoise is worried that Principal Cadence is going to expel Haruka for saving her.
"But why would she when Haruka just got here?" Indigo asked.
Several minutes later Haruka was now in Cadence's Office face to face with her.
"Given your previous history, I think you know what comes next don't you?" Cadence asked.
"Go ahead and do it, it's not like anything is going to change the outcome anyway," Haruka said. Before Cadence could get a word out Turquoise barged in looking upset.
"PLEASE DON'T EXPEL HARUKA FOR SAVING ME," Turquoise shouted before falling.
"Turquoise? What are you doing here?" Cadence asked.
"Please don't expel Haruka, she saved me from that jerk Lance who was about to strike me hard," Turquoise begged.
"Turquoise, it's ok, you don't need to degrade yourself for my sake, I won't run from my punishment," Haruka said.
"Relax you two, Turquoise, I'm not going to expel Haruka," Cadence said.
"You're not?" Turquoise asked.
"Of course not, I'm a fair person who gives second chances," Cadence said before getting to Haruka. "However, I can't ignore what Haruka did to Lance so Haruka will be serving four hours detention for assault, and as for Lance that will be my next issue to tackle but let me assure you he will not be bothering you or anyone ever again. The two of them left and just in time for lunch to be over. As soon as fifth period began an announcement played over the PA system.
"Will Lance Striker please report to the Principal's Office," The announcement said. A lot of the students looked quite concerned for Lance since this could mean something major while a few were actually looking forward to Lance's punishment including Turquoise.
Inside Cadence's office she did not look pleased in the slightest
"I warned you what would happen, but you did not listen," Cadence said in a disappointed tone.
"Why are you being so protective of that slut Silver? Is he your son or something?" Lance asked wanting to find out why he keeps ending up in trouble every time he attacks him.
"Nothing of the sort, I'm trying to undo all the hatred left behind by my predecessor and what students like you are doing is making that difficult," Cadence said.
"What the hell do you expect, this is a school, and in every school, there is a hierarchy where the strong bully the weak, it's as simple as that," Lance said.
"Well, I'm putting an end to that hierarchy right here and now, and here is my first act towards that, Lance striker, you are hereby expelled, and if you ever set foot on my campus again, my husband will have a cell waiting for you downtown, "Cadence said.
"Expelled? You can't do that, "Lance said.
"I gave you a fair chance and you blew it so yes I can and just did," Cadence said before Lance's parents who were not so happy came in and took him away. Once fifth period ended all the students began talking amongst themselves.
"Did you hear? Lance was expelled," One of the students said.
"I know and it's all because of Turquoise," Another student said.
"But wasn't it Haruka who attacked him?" A third student asked.
"It was but Lance was about to attack first so it's no surprise that Cadence gave him the boot," The first student said. Turquoise and Haruka were also listening in on the gossip going around.
"So, what will happen to Lance?" Turquoise asked before another student decided to answer that question.
"Lance's parents are quite strict, and he told me if he ever got expelled his parents would send him to Volka's military school in Alaska," The student answered.
"So, I basically condemned him to life in prison," Turquoise said.
"That is one way to put it," Haruka said.
"How do you know this?" Turquoise asked.
"Because we used to be friends till, we drifted apart," The student said before continuing on to class. The rest of the day went by fast, and the student's hazing began to lessen after hearing about Lance's expulsion. Soon it was time for Turquoise to go home and her Haruka to serve her detention.
"Hope to see you again Haruka," Turquoise said.
"Oh, you will be seeing a lot of me, "Haruka said. Turquoise went to her car and drove straight home since she did not have any club activities today. As soon as she got their Turquoise was expecting both of her parents to be home, but it was just her mom.
"Where Is dad?" Turquoise asked.
"The two of us decided we needed some time apart," Ruby said.
"You don't mean a divorce, do you?" Turquoise asked.
"Of course not, I mean he went to visit his family in Manhattan to cool off for a bit, "Ruby said.
"This is all my fault, I should never have told you guys, "Turquoise said, feeling like she was responsible for the rift forming between her parents.
"Don't blame yourself, you had to get it off your chest, your father is just not used to the idea of his son being a girl," Ruby said.
"So, when will he be back?" Turquoise asked.
"Hard to say," Ruby said before hugging Turquoise. After the embrace turquoise went to her room to rest for the night. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | Reforged Bonds and Romance | he next day all the students were keeping the insults to a minimum since a lot of them wanted to make it to graduation while others wanted to make it to the next grade.
"Seems like Lance's expulsion managed to make quite an impact on the students," Turquoise said.
"Was he that big a deal?" Haruka asked.
"I have only been here for over a week now but from what I gathered he was Crystal Prep's star quarterback but now he is trading in his cleats for army boots," Turquoise said, trying not to focus on her situation at home.
"You're right he was the Star Quarterback but there was more to him than football, at least there used to be," The same boy from yesterday said.
"What was he like before?" Turquoise asked.
"Before he became obsessed with football we used to play video games together all the time but then the popularity and girls changed him," He said.
"Wow I never knew, if he wasn't always trying to bring me down we could have been friends," Turquoise said.
"How so?" He asked.
"I'm working on my own game and my own gaming console," Turquoise said.
"You? a gamer? There's no way," he said.
"Yes way, "Turquoise said.
"Ok Turquoise if you really are a gamer then answer this, "He said before asking his question. "What's the name of the female traveler in genshin impact?
"Lumine," Turquoise said.
"What's the real name of the Animo archon?" He asked.
"Barbados," Turquoise said.
"What's the name of the machine used by the Court of Fountaine to announce the verdict and harness the hydro archon's power?" He asked.
"The oratrice mecanique d'analyse cardinale," Turquoise said while also doing the dance that was associated with it on tiktok.
"Ok I believe you but was the dance really necessary?" He asked.
"Hey, it's a popular meme so why not?" Turquoise said. "But now it's my turn to ask a question. Who are you?
"Right how rude of me, I'm Connor Joystrum but most people call me Joycon," He said.
Well Joycon, have you happened to visit Lance since his expulsion?" Turquoise asked.
"Not really, we stopped talking since he left me for the world of real sports," Joycon said.
"Why do you care about him all of a sudden?" Haruka asked.
"Because I just learned something about him I never knew and I at least want to try to see if I can get through to him before he leaves for good," Turquoise said.
"I still know where he lives but I would not hold my breath for his parents letting you see him," Joycon said.
"I should at least try, we will go after school," Turquoise said before the three of them left for their first period classes.
Meanwhile inside Lance's house. He was in what was left of his room reflecting on everything that had happened. He had three days before his parents sent him away to Alaska but no way to enjoy his final moments with all his possessions confiscated and most likely to be donated or sold once he was gone.
"I can't believe i'm about to lose everything because of that fag, "Lance said while making sure to keep his voice down so his parents did not hear him. He looked over a picture of him and Joycon during their freshman year where the two of them looked happy. "I will miss you most of all Joycon, I just wish we could play one last game together like old times.
Sometime later at school. The other students were not hazing turquoise as severely but that did not mean it was over.
"Hey queer where is your dike boyfriend?" One of the girls said.
"Not with me right now and I am not in the mood for this right now," Turquoise said.
"Get back here you freak," The girl said before trying to hit her only for Turquoise to grab her arm and look back at her with the most intimidating expression she could muster. It was like looking into the face of the devil which scared her off. While the other students kept their distance Turquosie's friends could tell something was wrong, especially Haruka who noticed she was trying to use Lance's expulsion as a way to hide her feelings. It was now lunchtime and time for Turquoise's friends to confront her. As soon as Turquoise sat down the group was silent.
"Why is everyone quiet all of a sudden?" Turquoise asked.
"Turquoise is everything ok because you seem to be giving off a quite menacing aura," Lemon asked.
"Of course I'm alright, why wouldn't I be?" Turquoise said.
"Be honest with us, we are your friends, you can tell us anything," Sunny said.
"No really I'm ok," Turquoise said, feeling her mask begin to crack.
"No you're not, something must be wrong if the other students are pissing their britches over seeing you," Indigo said.
"Can we not talk about this anymore?" Turquoise asked, feeling her mask crack some more.
"Not until you tell us what's wrong because you know full well you can't fool me or my ability to read emotional cues," Haruka said which completely shattered the mask turquoise was using to hide her feelings.
"Ok fine, it's my dad," Turquoise said.
"Did he hurt you in any way?" Sunny asked.
"No he left us without saying anything to me," Turquoise said.
"A divorce?" Indigo asked.
"No that is not it, because if it was my mom and I would be living on the streets by now," Turquoise said. "It's the fact he is gone and will most likely never be coming back because I caused this rift to form by revealing my feelings about my gender.
"So in other words you're afraid that a divorce will happen and it's all your fault," Haruka said.
"Exactly, I never wanted all of this drama, I just wanted acceptance," Turquoise said before breaking down.
"Listen you should not blame yourself, who said it was your fault? You don't know what is going through his mind right now," Lemon said.
"Yeah but," Turquoise said before being interrupted.
"No buts, If your dad never comes back then he is not worth keeping in your life," Haruka said. Turquoise gave it some thought and their words sank in.
"You're right," Turquoise said.
"Good, now I believe we have something we need to do after school, "Haruka said.
"Oh what are you doing?" Lemon asked. Turquoise explained everything Joycon told her and about what she was planning to do.
"You want to see Lance after everything he has done to you?" the girls said in shock.
"It's called closure and I think he and Joycon need it more than I do," Turquoise said.
"And what makes you think he is even still here?" Sour asked.
"I need to at least try," Turquoise said.
"And another thing, why the sudden change of heart?" Sugarcoat asked.
"Because Joycon told me what Lance was like before football claimed him," Turquoise said. Lunch ended and it was time to get back to classes. Once school ended Turquoise and Haruka followed Joycon to Lance's house. It looked just like an ordinary house.
"This is where lance lives? it's kind of small," Turquoise said.
"Well we all can't be spoiled rich girls who live in mansions can we?" Joycon said. Joycon approached the door and knocked. Suddenly a woman with mid length blonde hair answered it.
"Haven't seen you around in a long time, Joycon, what brings you here?" The woman asked.
"Is Lance still here?" Joycon asked.
"He is but he is grounded so he's not allowed to have visitors," The woman said.
"He told me what you plan to do with him," Joycon said, which shocked her.
"How can that be? we completely cut off his line of communication when we took his phone away," The woman asked.
"Because he told me what would happen in the event of his expulsion," Joycon said.
"Fine you have one hour but then we want you three to go away," The woman said before inviting them inside. The woman showed them to Lance's room before she knocked. "Hey, you worthless reject you have visitors so be grateful i'm allowing this. She opened the door and the three of them entered. Lance did not look happy to see Turquoise and Haruka.
"What do you two want? Did you come to rub salt in my wounds?" Lance said.
"No lance we came to talk before you ship out," Turquoise said.
"What is there to talk about? You won so you should be happy to see the big bad meathead ousted from your life," Lance said.
"You three talk, I'm going to see if Ms. striker will allow us to do something," Joycon said before leaving them to talk.
"Your friend told us about how you two loved video games before football tore you two apart," Haruka said.
"You think I wanted to play football? my parents were both from the army and expect me to follow in their footsteps," Lance said.
"And is that why you hate people like me who want to be the opposite gender?" Turquoise asked, knowing full well what kind of people the army has since they made up almost all of her dad's clientele.
"That's part of it," Lance said.
"If you did not want to play football, then why do it at all?" Haruka asked.
"To get into college," Lance said. "My parents have been forcing their military lifestyle onto me and planned to have me join the same military academy they went to after high school.
"But that is not what you want, is it?" Turquoise guessed.
"Not at all, my coach treated me with more respect than any of those drill sergeants will," Lance said.
"I see now, you took up football to land a scholarship and be free," Haruka said.
"Exactly, my parents told me if I could afford to go to college on my own, they would allow it, "Lance said, but now I'm expelled and waiting for the elevator to hell.
"I wish there was something I could do but there isn't," Turquoise said as Joycon came back in with Lance's PS5.
"Good news, I managed to convince Mr. and Mrs. Striker to let us play one last game together," Joycon said.
"That's amazing, how did you swing that?" Turquoise asked.
"I told them how important it was to get our closure before we never see Lance again," Joycon said while setting it up. "So, what shall we play?
"Well Lance, I wish you the best of luck, but we must be going now," Turquoise said before she and Haruka left the two to play their final game together. Lance chose Blazing Strike to be their last game.
"You know I think I had Turquoise all wrong, she is a very good person," Lance said.
"How so?" Joycon asked.
"She could have just waited for me to disappear and never see me again, but she and her friend took the time to come here and talk, "Lance said.
"After I told them about us," Joycon said. The game reached the selection menu which meant it was time to choose the fighters. The two played together and Lance felt something he hadn't felt in a long time.
"Hey Joycon, as my friend, can you do me one last favor?" Lance asked.
"What is it?" Joycon asked.
"If you see Turquoise again, tell her I said thanks for taking the time to talk and restore our friendship, "Lance said.
"I will," Joycon said.
Meanwhile Turquoise and Haruka were at a local burger place talking.
"You think we will see him again?" Haruka asked.
"Maybe sometime in the future," Turquoise said.
"Now let's focus on your problem, how do you feel about your father?" Haruka asked.
"Well before all of this he always cared about my mom and I. What I want is for him to be there for me when I eventually decide to take the next step to becoming a real girl," Turquoise said.
"Why do you care about him even after he left you without saying anything? "Haruka asked.
"Because he is my dad and the only one, I will have," Turquoise said.
"Just give it some time, I know he will come around," Haruka said before kissing her which caused her to blush lightly. "Oh sorry, it's just you look really attractive to me.
"Do you really think so?" Turquoise asked feeling a bit nervous.
"Of course, "Haruka said.
"I, I don't know what to say," Turquoise said.
"Please say you will be my girlfriend, " Haruka said.
"I, i will," Turquoise said, feeling like Hinata from Naruto.
"Relax love, I'm not trying to be forceful," Haruka said.
"I know it's just; no one has asked me to be theirs until now," Turquoise said, regaining her nerves.
"That's because you haven't met someone who is accepting of you like I am," Haruka said.
"This will be quite another bombshell to drop on my parents," Turquoise said.
"Let's not worry about that now, "Haruka said. And with that the day went on and Turquoise went to bed feeling loved for the first time since becoming her girl self. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | First Date | A few days went by since Haruka confessed her love to Turquoise and while Turquoise felt happy about it she also felt odd. Today She was working on further developing the first floor of her game. So far she managed to create the central capital and the northern town. As soon as she finished up the northern town Haruka showed up.
"So this is that project you mentioned?" Haruka asked.
"Sure is and the first floor is not entirely done yet," Turquoise said. " But anyway, what brings you here?
"I came to check on you. Your mom told me everything that happened over the past week, "Haruka said. "Listen, don't worry about your dad, he will come around eventually, I know how it feels since it took my parents until I started high school to come around to me being a tomboy and bisexual.
"I know but I still worry about what will happen if my parents do get a divorce," Turquoise said imagining the worst case scenario where she ends up in a strip club.
"Hey, don't think like that, "Haruka said.
"In any case this project is my only form of distraction from all of this," Turquoise said as she kept typing away on her keyboard.
"It does not need to be the only one," Haruka said.
"What are you suggesting?" Turquoise asked.
"I got us tickets for that new movie that I know you will love," Haruka said.
"Bladelolies?" Turquoise asked excitedly.
"Yep, your friend Fleur told me how you love anime," Haruka said.
"In that case let me get ready real quick," Turquoise said before Haruka left the room. Suddenly Ruby walked by.
"How is Turquoise doing?" Ruby asked.
"I convinced her to go out with me," Haruka said.
"Thank you for doing this, it means a lot to me to see my girl happy," Ruby said.
"No need to thank me, I would have dated Turquoise anyway since we have history, plus with silver as the girl in our relationship we look better together," Haruka said. Suddenly Turquoise came out wearing a leopard print skirt and jacket with a pink lace top and wedges along with what looked like a diamond choker and a couple of bangles.
"Ready to go love," Turquoise said.
"Then let's go kitty, "Haruka said.
"Whose ride are we taking?" Turquoise asked.
"We will take mine," Haruka said.
"Are you sure? Because your hayabusa looks like it only seats one," Turquoise asked.
"Trust me love, it's not gonna be an issue," Haruka said as they walked to the front where Haruka's bike was parked. She threw a spare helmet at Turquoise. "Get behind me and hang on tight. Turquoise got on behind Haruka and they took off real fast which at first caused Turquoise to scream a bit but she soon got used to the feel of riding behind Haruka.
"This certainly feels new," Turquoise said.
"You know me, I always had the need for speed," Haruka said.
"I know, I still remember how you managed to jump that sandhill with an ordinary bicycle by using an entire street as your track," Turquoise said while also remembering the sick wheelie she pulled off before landing.
"That was the one time math actually came in handy," Haruka said remembering how she used it to calculate the speed and distance needed to pull it off. They soon arrived downtown and got off. The two quickly got to the theater. After showing their tickets they went in and went to the concession stand. After buying their food they went to theater 8. One thing Turquoise noticed was a lot of girls in lolita dresses.
"I think I picked the wrong outfit for this," Turquoise said.
"Nonsense, you look fine," Haruka said.
"You think so?" Turquoise asked.
"Of course, I think lolita would look good on you as well," Haruka said. Suddenly one of the girls behind them chimed in.
"Sorry for eavesdropping but if you're interested in lolita dresses I can show you a good boutique that sells them, "The girl said.
"Thank you," Turquoise said.
"I'm Isabelle by the way," Isabelle said.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Turquoise," Turquoise said trying to maintain her girl voice since she felt like a mouse in a lion's den with all these girls around her and how they might react to her secret.
"And I'm Haruka," Haruka said.
"You two seem different from any normal couple, "Isabelle pointed out.
"That's because I'm a girl and my friend is trans," Haruka said.
"Wait Turquoise is really a boy?" Isabelle asked.
"Yes, sorry love but it's better to get it out now rather than later," Haruka said. Turquoise was bracing herself for the hateful words she was expecting but what Isabelle said surprised her.
"What's your secret?" Isabelle asked, impressed with what she saw.
"Hold on, you actually don't mind that I'm a boy in girls' clothing?" Turquoise asked using her real voice.
"Not at all you look quite convincing," Isabelle said.
"See Silver, not everyone is against you," Haruka said.
"But anyway, let's continue the chat after the movie, " Isabelle said as the preview started. Soon the movie began and the first thing to come up was a black fox spreading its many tails before turning into the logo for dark kitsune studios which was the production company that made the movie. Suddenly the scene of a futuristic city appeared and above that city was a battle between a Lolita girl wearing a khaki dress with a green hood-like cloak and a mech that looked like a phoenix. The girl dodged the fire balls the mech was shooting before using her jetpack to fly at the mech with her katana pointed forward as she stabbed through it and caused it to explode.
"That takes care of that," The girl said as she sheathed her sword. Suddenly the voice of someone spoke through the com in her ear.
"You can be quite reckless sometimes, Scarlet, you know that?" the voice of another girl said.
"Well, if these dang mechanites were not constantly popping up and attacking then maybe we could all relax," Scarlet said as she landed before her equipment suddenly vanished and another girl approached her.
"Big sis and I took care of the ground forces," The girl said.
"That's good Alice, now let's return to base, "Scarlet said as a military transport arrived for them. The scene shifted to the vehicle driving through a tunnel and soon coming out the other end with a big futuristic-looking castle on the horizon. The actual building appeared to be twice as big as the famous one from Disney. Soon the vehicle drove into a massive garage inside the base of one of the towers. Once the van was parked, Scarlet, Alice and three other girls came out in front of a well-dressed woman who appeared to be the leader of this whole operation based on the military outfit she was wearing and all the metals she had on.
"Well done Bloodrose Squad, you managed to save the city from another mechanite boss," The woman said.
"Thanks' Commander Lilac," Scarlet said.
"The cleanup crew should have the remains of that boss soon for now you girls relax, "Lilac said before the girls headed towards what looked like a large courtyard. They approached what looked like a medium-sized dormitory which had a rose-like emblem on the front which was the insignia for their squad. The girls all went to their individual rooms to rest after a long fight.
"I don't understand the point of this," Haruka said.
"I will explain all of it later, "Turquoise said. A couple hours later the movie was finished, and Turquoise was walking down the steps still reeling over the ending.
"Can't believe it ended that way, "Haruka said, referring to how the villain died in the end.
"Well, you know how a lot of anime are, it's not exciting unless it pulls at the heart," Turquoise said as they exited the theater where Isabelle was waiting for them.
"Let's go dress shopping," Isabelle said. Turquoise and Haruka followed her to a store called Sweet Devil which was the boutique Isabelle was talking about.
"Wow this place is awesome," Turquoise said.
"I know, now what type of Lolita would you say you are?" Isabelle asked.
"There are different types?" Turquoise asked.
"Of course, you did not think we are all just kawaii, did you?" Isabelle said.
"To be honest I'm not sure," Turquoise said.
"Well look around and see what you like, "Isabelle said. Turquoise looked around and a bit later her attention was drawn to a black and red dress that looked like something an anime girl in the military would wear. "Military Lolita, interesting choice.
"Is that what it's called?" Turquoise asked.
"You should go try it on and show us," Isabelle said. Turquoise found the fitting room and changed into it. Sometime later she came out and Isabelle was impressed with how it looked on its own.
"I love it, it makes you look like a powerful leader," Haruka said.
"I agree you should go with it," Isabelle said.
"You know what, I will," Turquoise said. Isabelle helped Turquoise find some stuff to coordinate with the dress which included a hat, some cute black socks and red heeled shoes.
"I would suggest adding a weapon too if you are going to post on social media," Isabelle suggested.
"I think a katana would be perfect," Haruka said.
"I don't know if anyone sells those here in America," Turquoise said.
"And even if they did, I would imagine a lot of legal issues with the cops if you were just carrying one around so casually," Isabelle said.
"That's true but I can make her one, "Haruka said.
"Really?" Turquoise asked.
"Of course, my great grandfather was a legendary swordsmith in Japan, and I just so happen to have inherited his skills in the art of Orikaeshi Tanren," Haruka said.
"Don't you need specialized equipment for that?" Turquoise asked.
"I have that at home," Haruka said. As they were talking about home turquoise realized it was time for her to return to hers.
"Before you two leave, Turquoise please take this, "Isabelle said before handing her a card. "That is a club me and my friends have, you should consider joining if you're interested in Lolita culture.
"I will give it some thought," Turquoise said. Sometime later the girls were now back at Turquosie's place where her mom was waiting.
"Welcome back girls, how was the movie?" Ruby asked.
"It was amazing, and I even made a new friend," Turquoise said.
"That's nice and what's that you got there?" Ruby asked. Turquoise showed her the dress and ruby loved it. "Go get changed into that, I want to take a picture.
"Sure," Turquoise said. Sometime later turquoise came back down wearing the whole outfit which made her look like a member of some Lolita army. Ruby pulled out her phone and had turquoise do the salute she saw her uncle do a lot. Ruby took a picture and sent a copy to her dad. Do you think dad will be ok with you sharing this?
"I hope so," Ruby said.
In Manhattan, Bullet was chilling in the living room of his mom's house when suddenly his phone notified him, he received a text message. He opened it and saw the picture of Turquoise in her new outfit and everyone who lived in the house also saw it.
"Who is the girl Bullet?" An old woman who was actually Turquosie's grandmother on her dad's side asked.
"That girl is your grandson, mom," Bullet said.
"That Fraulein is Silver? You must be joking," A man who was a few years older than Bullet said.
"First off, that is not a nazi uniform, and second that is Silver, "Bullet said. A woman who was a bit younger than Bullet soon saw it and confirmed.
"You're right, that is Silver, but why is he dressed as a girl?" the woman asked.
"He mentioned something about not being the hero and how he can never be anything like me, I don't know and to be honest I'm not happy about this in the least, "Bullet said.
"Is that why you came here? Because you wanted to run away from your own child instead of being supportive of them?" A man who was a bit older than Bullet's mom and was Turquoise's grandpa on her dad's side.
"Dad, you have no idea how scary changes like this can be," Bullet said.
"You're right, change can be scary, but it's not all bad," Grandpa said.
"But Silver is constantly being bullied because of it," Bullet said.
"Well, it looks like Silver or rather Sylvia is not giving up on it and looks ready to go to war," Bullet's brother said.
"He goes by Turquoise but the reason he hasn't given up is because he has some people who have his back," Bullet said.
"Then why don't you?" Bullet's sister asked.
"Because Silver matters to me and I don't want him joining some strip club or worse, "Bullet said before the image of Turquoise with her ass being penetrated by a big strong meathead's smoked meat log filled his mind.
"Slow down Bullet, you know your son would never resign himself to that," Bullet's brother said.
"Rusty, He is a teenager who knows what he might be thinking, besides have you seen the smut he put all over his car?" Bullet said.
"You mean that racing stuff and the raccoon girl in the racing outfit?" Bullet's sister asked.
"Yes that," Bullet said.
"I think it makes his car look cooler," Rusty said.
"And as for Turquoise I feel like she still wants you in her life," Grandma said.
"Why are all of you ok with this?" Bullet asked feeling outvoted in the one place he thought would side with him on this matter.
"Because no matter what form our grandchild takes, that won't stop us from loving them," grandma said.
"Besides from what Ruby told me your son is much happier and has made friends," Silver's sister said.
"Now are you going to sit on our couch or get your butt straight back to California and tell your daughter you care about her and want to be supportive?" Grandpa asked seriously. Bullet let it sink in for a bit before giving his answer.
"You're right, I need to tell Turquoise I'm sorry and start being there when she needs me, otherwise I may lose her to some meathead who will ruin her," Bullet said.
"Then get moving on the double," Grandpa said before Bullet ran to the room he was in and quickly packed his suitcase and had his brother drive him down to the airport in New York City which would take hours due to the traffic. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | One Truth Prevails | Turquoise got ready for school and went downstairs where her mom was waiting with some news regarding Bullet.
"Good news Turquoise, your dad is coming home," Ruby said.
"He is?" Turquoise said quite surprised by this news.
"He is and will be here when you get back from school," Ruby said. Turquoise got going since she did not want to be late. Sometime later she arrived at Crystal Prep where she noticed someone a lot of the students gathered by what looked like a massive piece of graffiti. It was a giant picture of Turquoise wearing a slutty outfit in a suggestive pose with the world slut under it.
"What's going on here?" Turquoise asked.
"Why don't you tell us Slut," One of the girl students asked.
"Yeah, we already hate you enough, don't go giving us another reason to hate you more, "One of the boys said.
"I did not do this, I would never do this," Turquoise said.
"Quit lying you whore, you did this just to spite all of us," Raven said while trying to instigate a witch hunt against Turquoise. Soon the administrators and principal cadence arrived to see what all the commotion was and when they saw the graffiti they did not look happy.
"Who is responsible for this?" Cadence demanded which caused all of the students to point their fingers at Turquoise who at the moment had none of her friends to back her up. The administrator had everyone get to class while Turquoise, who was all alone, was escorted to Cadence's office. Meanwhile, within the crowd of students Raven was smiling wickedly as if she planned this.
"Good thing that little accident was right by where all of Turquoise's friends lived," Raven said to herself referring to the incident on Starswirl Ave where a multi car pile-up was. Soon all of Turquoise's friends arrived and saw the porn piece painted on the side of the school.
"I got a bad feeling about this," Fleur said.
"I know, Turquoise might be in great danger as we speak," Haruka said.
"She could be blamed for this unless we do something," Lemon said.
"Are all of you friends with Turquoise?" A boy asked.
"We are, we were a bit late because the accident on Starswirl Ave forced us to take the long way to get here," Haruka said.
"Well I hate to tell you this but you're too late, she is in Cadence's office already," The boy said.
"Damn it if only we were a little bit faster," Haruka said.
"By the way, who are you and why are you still lingering around here?" Lemon asked.
"I'm Ein Doyle, teen detective," Ein said.
"Detective?" Lemon asked.
"Yes, And to answer your second question, I'm looking for clues because I feel your friend is innocent," Ein said.
"Why are you helping her? I thought you would be among the majority of students who hate her," Fleur asked.
"Because I believe finding the whole truth is more important than personal feelings or grudges, plus the cops in this city are dimwits who could not solve their way out of a paper bag even if they tried," Ein said while strongly referring to his own adoptive father who is a detective himself but not a good one since he is always belittling his attempts to help and stealing all the credit.
"You really think our friend is innocent?" Sunny asked.
"I do but I fear we may not have much time to figure it out since Cadence may get her husband down here within the hour, "Ein said.
"Then let's get to looking,'' Lemon said.
Meanwhile in Cadence's office turquoise was looking quite shaken up by the whole thing as indicated by the fearful look on her face and by how much her body was shaking.
"This is some serious trouble you are in Turquoise," Cadence said in a serious tone rather than her empathetic one.
"I didn't do it Principal Cadence, I would never do something like this," Turquoise said in an attempt to try and save herself. Cadence could tell by the tone of her voice and the look in her eyes that she was not lying and was truly afraid right now.
"Listen, I want to believe you I truly do, but we have multiple students saying you did," Cadence said.
"That's because all of them hate me and want to see me gone," Turquoise said. Even though Turquoise was right about that part with no evidence to back up her claims she was dead even if she didn't do the crime.
"Ok here is the deal, I will give you until the end of the day to prove your innocence, but if you can't do so then I will have no choice but to let my husband and his boys downtown arrest you for vandalism," Cadence said.
"Isn't that going too far even for you?" Turquoise asked.
"This is no minor offense, we are talking about Turquoise, this is something dead serious," Cadence said. Turquoise was dismissed and when she left the office she saw her friends waiting for her.
"Sorry we were late, that accident on Starswirl Ave forced us to take the long way here," Lemon said.
"What does it matter, I'm going to jail over something I did not do, "Turquoise said, already losing hope.
"You're joking right?" Haruka said.
"Ask principal Cadence because she said unless the real culprit comes to light her husband will arrest me and not even my parents will be willing to save me," Turquoise said.
"Now don't lose hope, there is already a detective looking into this whole mess," Haruka said.
"Why bother, they are going to nail me anyway," Turquoise said.
"Actually, Ein is convinced you are innocent," Lemon said. Just as she said that Ein showed up to report his findings.
"You must be Turquoise," Ein said.
"I am," Turquoise said.
"I'm sorry you got roped into this but I promise you I will find the truth," Ein said.
"Why are you sticking your neck out for me? "Turquoise asked, feeling confused as to why a complete stranger would go so far as to cut classes for her sake.
"Because I believe in Cadence's mission as Principal and like her, I also want to see change. Solving this case is the first step towards that because if you get arrested and expelled it will send the wrong message, "Ein said.
"Speaking of which, did you find anything?" Fleur asked.
"Other than an odd scent coming from one of the cans that was left behind at the crime scene, not much else, "Ein said.
"Can you describe this scent?" Lemon asked.
"It smelled overly sweet with a hint of what I'm assuming is Damask Rose," Ein said.
"Most likely some kind of perfume," Fleur guessed.
"Well in any case keep us informed, meanwhile we will make sure Turquoise survives the day since it may be her last," Haruka said. The girls left for their classes while Ein got back to investigating. As he was walking through the halls, he overheard one of the security guards talking.
"I can't believe the tranny would do this," The guard said, referring to the security footage of a masked person in black clothes doing the deed but what gave them away was the hair color which matches Turquoise's hair to a T. A bit later the culprit used black spray paint to cover the camera lenses. Ein was slowly beginning to believe Turquoise did it, that is until he suddenly picked up the same scent from the crime scene coming from one of the lockers. Unfortunately, Ein could not open it since it was locked. Suddenly the janitor who was hired recently came out to do his job of cleaning the hallways.
"Excuse me young man but shouldn't you be in class right now?" the Janitor asked.
"I'm investigating a crime; did you hear about the vandalism discovered this morning?" Ein asked.
"How could I forget? that porn piece is a blemish on this institution and whoever did it should be forced to clean it up before leaving for good, "The janitor said. "But as for your little investigation, did you find any leads?
"I have one, but it requires opening one of the lockers to confirm my suspicions," Ein said.
"Well, I would love to help but to search the lockers you will need the faculty's permission since those lockers are school property," The janitor said before emptying one of the trash cans which had what looked like a tarp with paint stains on it.
"Hold on, let me see that tarp, "Ein said before taking it. He examined it and noticed it had the same smell while also the lingering smell of the garbage it was covered by. He also noticed some strands of black hair on it that were most lightly pulled out when the culprit got some paint stuck to them. Soon one of the administrators was passing by and noticed Ein.
"Why are you not in class?" The administrator asked Ein.
"I'm investigating the crime and I think I managed to uncover an important clue thanks to the janitor, "Ein said.
"Listen kid, I know you just want to protect your friend but when people do bad things they must be punished," The administrator said.
"I'm being serious, do you really have no qualms with ruining an innocent girl's future like it's no big deal?" Ein asked. The administrator was going to most likely regret doing this, but he agreed to play along.
"Fine, let's see it," he said before Ein presented the tarp with the paint stains and hair on it. "where did you find this?
"It was in the trash, "The janitor said.
"Any other leads?" The administrator asked.
"I noticed a powerful scent coming from the spray can at the crime scene and traced it to one of the lockers. If we can search it, we may find the true culprit, "Ein said.
"I'll go get the bolt cutters," The janitor said.
"You go do that, Meanwhile, Mr. Doyle, show me the locker," the administrator said. Ein showed him the locker and once the janitor came back with the bolt cutters, he cut the lock and opened the locker. Inside was some books, cans of spray paint, a bluish-green long-haired wig, some black paint-stained clothes, and lastly a black mask with a floral print design on it. Ein smelled the cans and clothes and noticed the same scent from the one he compared them to.
"We found our evidence, now all that is left to do is find out who's locker this is," Ein said.
"Locker 355, I believe that one belongs to Raven Stone," The administrator said.
"Looks like we have our culprit," Ein said.
"Ms. Stone is definitely getting the boot for this," The administrator said before Ein stopped him.
"Hold on, first we must prove Turquoise is innocent and that means having Raven confess to it herself," Ein said.
"So, what are you suggesting?" The administrator asked. Suddenly Ein struck a dramatic pose before snapping his fingers.
"It's showtime, " Ein said. Ein told the administrator to make an announcement while he gathered the clues. Once everything was acquired Ein was off to the auditorium to set up for what he called Ein's Deduction Spectacular. It was now fourth period and the administrator informed Principal Cadence of the recent developments regarding the incident and agreed to Ein's plan, mostly because she wanted to see where this went. Soon an announcement played.
"Will all students please report to the Auditorium for an emergency assembly," The announcement said. Five minutes later all the students including turquoise, and raven were gathered. Now it was time to start the show. Suddenly the room went dark and then a spotlight shined on Ein who was wearing his Sherlock Holmes hat since it was part of his character when doing this part of his investigations.
"All of you are probably wondering why I gathered you here and why I'm up on this stage," Ein said before getting straight to business. "I'm here to reveal the truth behind the case of the deflowered gem which involves our school's image and the fate of our beloved Turquoise.
"Maybe you care about that whore but the rest of us don't," One of the students said before being silenced by an administrator.
"Well like it or not I'm solving this case," Ein said before continuing. "And the true culprit is you. Suddenly Ein raised his hand up and snapped his fingers before a spotlight shined on Raven. "Raven Stone, you are the true culprit.
"Your hat must be on too tight because I did no such thing, "Raven said, denying his claims.
"That's right, play the part of the villainess who refuses to admit to her crime, now let's start the show," Ein said before some music began to play as Ein paced back and forth. "First off, the graffiti, why chose Turquoise of all people to pin it on, the obvious answer would be because the majority of our school hates her because of her true gender and refusing to stick with it but to go this far insinuates there is a lot more to it than just mere hatred. Ein then shifted everyone's attention to the screen where he pulled out the first clue which was the paint-stained cloth. "I will admit Ms. Stone you had all of your angles covered, you even made sure to avoid getting paint on you, but these stains are not what clued me in, this was. The screen zoomed in on the strands of hair which were black. "These hair strands belong to the true culprit and came out when the paint dried, and her hair rubbed against it.
"So those could be anyone's, I would bet that was actually Silver's real hair color, "Raven said, still playing innocent.
"I don't have black hair you witch, "Turquoise shouted.
"It's as Ms. Dusk said, "she does not have black hair, in fact her true hair color is red," Ein said.
"Even so, those strands don't prove it was me, a lot of girls have black hair," Raven said.
"OK kid, answer this," The security guard said before getting to his question. "How can it possibly be this girl when the camera footage shows Turquoise's hair behind that mask?
"I'm glad you asked sir, that brings me to my next piece of evidence, "Ein said before a spotlight shined on a wig head that had the wig found inside Raven's locker on it. "This wig was found inside Raven's locker along with other stuff but let's focus on this first. "Raven knew about the security cameras and how they would pick her up upon entering school grounds late at night, so she donned this wig to make it look like Turquoise did it.
"That's ridiculous, I would never cover my hair in such a tacky color like that," Raven said before getting to the part that really made her angry. "And who gave you permission to ransack my locker?
"Your locker is school property, so we don't need permission to search it," Principal Cadence pointed out.
"I also found the clothes you wore under that cloth that were also stained in paint, "Ein pointed out along with the rest of the cans of spray paint used.
"You can't prove any of those are mine, "Raven shouted.
"Want a bet, because here is the piece of evidence that links everything together," Ein said before pulling out a glass bottle. "This is a bottle of perfume that is soaked into everything that was used. It's damask no5 and Raven's perfume of choice. In fact, she reeks of it right now. Everyone confirmed it. "Now confess Raven because you have nowhere left to run. raven looked defeated and as Ein pointed out she literally had nowhere to run as the other students had her boxed in.
"Ok fine it's true I did it, I painted that porn piece," Raven confessed.
"And now for the important part, Motive, and by that why?" Ein asked.
"You're right the majority of us hate Turquoise for being transgender and a crossdresser. But the reason I wanted her gone was because she got my boyfriend expelled," Raven said.
"Who was your boyfriend?" One of the students asked.
"That brings us to my final piece of evidence, "Ein said before he snapped his fingers which caused a spotlight to shine on a display with the mask Raven used to hide her face. "This was the mask used to hide Raven's face but notice the inscription inside. The camera zoomed in and saw a love confession written by someone with the initials LS.
"LS? who could that be?" One of the girls asked.
"Lance Striker," Turquoise answered.
"Exactly, we were in love and could have lived happily together until this skank came to our school, "Raven said.
"That will be enough out of you Raven and all of you as well, "Cadence said, putting her foot down on everyone. "It's about time I ended this segregation once and for all, Turquoise is not a bringer of misfortune, she is not the trickster that sow's chaos, all of you only treat her that way because all of you are afraid of what's different, while she keeps going despite all everyone put her through.
"Cadence is Right, let's end this already," One of the boys said.
"I'm with you, Turquoise has done no wrong," Another boy said. A good amount of the students was with cadence, but the majority still wanted to hate Turquoise which meant it was still going to be an uphill battle. As for Raven the police came in and arrested Raven on the charges of trespassing after hours and vandalism.
"At least Lance will be waiting for me, "Raven said, trying to find a positive only for Turquoise to take that away from her.
"Sorry Raven but you won't find Lance in prison, Unless Volka's Military School in Alaska counts," Turquoise said.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," Raven shouted as the cops hauled her away. Cadence and the students who sided with her apologized to Turquoise and things returned to normal.
"Thank you for saving me from being some meathead's bitch," Turquoise said to Ein.
"Think nothing of it, "Ein said.
"By the way, why all the theatrics?" Haruka asked.
"I like to show some flair when presenting my deductions, it makes things more fun," Ein said. The day continued once school was out Turquoise went straight home on account of today's events being draining on her. As soon as she entered, she was expecting her mom.
"Hey mom you're not going to believe the kind of day I had," Turquoise said.
"Then let's hear all about it," Bullet said.
"Dad? Is that really you?" Turquoise asked before getting close to tearing up.
"Yes, Turquoise it's me and I owe you a huge apology," Bullet said.
"Before you tell us about your day, Bullet, is there something you wish to say?" Ruby asked.
"Turquoise, I had some time to reflect, and your uncle, aunt, and grandparents convinced me to be more supportive of your life choice," Bullet said.
"So does that mean?" Turquoise asked, hoping this was going where she thought it was.
"You can be our daughter, and I promise if whatever boy you date forces you to do something you're not comfortable with, I will personally deal with them," Bullet said.
"That's good and I have met someone who I think you will like," Turquoise said. She told him about Haruka.
"I never knew the Goldenburns were living in Canterlot too, "Bullet said, remembering them from when Turquoise was in elementary school.
"I'm just glad she is dating Haruka and not some musclehead," Ruby said.
"Anyway, tell us about your day," Bullet said. Turquoise told them everything and looked quite surprised.
"That sounded horrible," Ruby said, feeling very concerned.
"Indeed, we could have lost you forever if you were found guilty," Bullet said.
"Well, I'm just glad it is over," Turquoise said before heading upstairs to her room to relax for the day. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | Next Steps Towards Change | The next day Turquoise arrived at school and what she saw was Raven wearing an orange prison jumpsuit with a paint roller under supervision by a police officer with blue hair.
"My wife wants to see that smut completely gone, and once you finish that you have a date with a highway and several other inmates, "The officer shouted as Raven got to work painting over the porn piece she painted.
"That must be Principal Cadence's husband," Turquoise said.
"He is," Joycon said. "That is Sergeant Shining Armor of the Equine County Police Department.
"That answers one question but my next one is why is Raven here?" Turquoise asked.
"I'm guessing you missed the trial, "Joycon said before continuing. "The judge sentenced Raven to five years in prison along with 100 hours of community service starting with painting over every inch of graffiti outside the school which luckily for her is just that porn piece she painted.
"That's all?" Turquoise said.
"Well yeah, none of us are stupid enough to do what she did so Crystal Prep is basically a blank canvas," Joycon said. Suddenly Raven noticed them and was not happy.
"You, you're going to pay for what you did to me, "Raven said, getting ready to strike only for Shining Armor to taser her.
"Get back to work, unless you want me to convince the judge to double your sentence, "Shining said, which really scared Raven into getting back to work. Turquoise found this quite amusing but continued on her way since she had class to get to. The other students were not mean to her this time at least most of them were. The majority on the other hand which included 85% of the senior class of 2023 were still going to give her a hard time. Two such students were Suri Polomare and Upper Crust.
"Ok freak, listen up, Just because the principal wants the school to treat you with respect does not mean we are automatically going to do so," Suri said.
"I'm not expecting you to, I know I can't force people to change and Principal Cadence knows that as well," Turquoise said.
"Whatever, just stay away from us because we want to leave and actually make it to college," Upper Crust said.
"You already wrecked two lives, we won't let you make it four," Suri said. Turquoise was already feeling hurt by that remark. Luckily Haruka was there to comfort her.
"Turquoise wrecked nobody's life, if anything the blame lies with the victims, "Haruka said.
"All because this harlot refused to stay in his lane and disrespected our sanctum by dressing like that," Suri said not wanting to lose this argument.
"You two have no respect for trans people do you?" Haruka said.
"No we don't and why should we care about hurting their feelings, "Upper crust said before someone spoke behind them.
"Because if you don't there will be two empty desks waiting for you two in detention," one of the teachers said in an intimidating tone.
"Mr. Drake? What a surprise," Suri said, feeling quite afraid.
"We were just," Upper crust tried to say before being interrupted by Mr. Drake.
"Oh save it you two, I know about your constant bullying and harassment of people like Turquoise," Mr. Drake said, cutting them off from using their manipulation tactics on him.
"Why are you defending this freak after he ruined the lives of two students now?" Upper crust asked.
"Because A, Those two students ruined their own lives not Turquoise, And B, I believe in our principal's mission and want to make it a reality, I believe Crystal Prep has seen enough hatred for one lifetime," Mr. Drake said.
"I swear ever since Principal Cinch was fired all the teachers and faculty have completely lost their minds, "Suri said.
"FYI you don't have to keep coming here, I have no qualms with recommending the two of you be expelled, In fact that's exactly what I will do if you ever speak that way to Turquoise or any other student like her again," Mr. Drake said. The look in his eyes told them he was being dead serious and that this was no empty threat but a promise.
"Fine, we are leaving, Upper crust lets go, "Suri said with Upper crust following her. Mr. Drake apologized for them and assured Turquoise they will get their comeuppance someday. She and Haruka took their seats and class started. Things were going smoothly now that some of the other students were being respectful towards Turquoise.
Meanwhile, Suri and Upper crust, they were on their way to class infuriated with how the school has changed.
"I can't believe this, ever since Cadence took over all the teachers have gone nuts with all this nonsense about respect towards freaks like Silver," Suri said.
"I know, but what can we do against the teachers?" Upper crust asked.
"And even if we take matters into our own hands, that old salamander Mr.Drake will have us expelled, "Suri said, taking into account the sudden expulsions that occurred ever since Turquoise got here.
"Guess we can't get rid of him, and unless Cadence and all the teachers who side with her are gone we can't touch Silver, "Upper crust said as the two reached their class. The day went on and soon Lunch time came and turquoise and her friends were talking among themselves.
"So Turquoise, how is your home life holding up?" Indigo asked.
"Better now that dad is back and willing to accept me," Turquoise said.
"On that note have you considered taking the plunge into being a real girl yet?" Lemon asked.
"I do enjoy being Turquoise a lot and maybe if I do, everyone will stop hating me," Turquoise said.
"Slow down Turquoise," Haruka said before continuing. "You shouldn't rush into this kind of decision just to win everyone's approval and love, You should only agree to it if it's what you truly want.
"I would suggest listening to Haruka because once the process begins you cannot stop or turn back," Fleur said.
"Plus you will need your parent's consent since you're only 16," Lemon said.
"I will discuss it with them when I get home," Turquoise said.
"We suggest you do, it's not that we don't want you officially joining our sisterhood, we just want to make sure this is truly what you want," Sunny said.
"Let's put a pin in it for now and talk about something else," Fleur said. Soon lunch ended and it was back to class. As for suri and Upper crust, they were plotting something in what looked like an old lab.
"I can't believe this is still here," Upper Crust said.
"I know and I also can't believe either Cinch or Cadence had the foresight to not install cameras in here," Suri said. The lab in question was Twilight's old lab at Crystal Prep. While all of Twilight's science equipment was moved out of it, the chalkboards with her equations and the school computer inside were still there.
"So tell me again why we are inside this broom closet?" Upper crust asked.
"It's the only place we can scheme without any of the teachers and faculty hearing us since that science geek Twilight soundproofed this room," Suri said before getting to the planning part. " Ok we know we can't physically or verbally attack Turquoise since most likely all the teachers and faculty are under cadence's spell.
"And we can't do anything drastic like commit a felony like Raven did," Upper Crust pointed out.
"There must be a way to get to him without anyone knowing," Suri said. She decided to try rummaging through the desk to see if twilight left anything useful behind and as she looked she threw what looked like an odd disk-like device behind her and when it made contact with the wall it activated and unleashed a silent alarm.
Meanwhile at Canterlot High Twilight and her friends were having lunch when suddenly Twilight heard her phone's notification ring and checked it.
"Intruder alert in the lab? What does that mean?" Rainbow asked. After pressing it a video screen opened up and revealed Suri and Upper Crust inside Twilight's old lab.
"Looks like a couple of the students at Crystal Prep found my old lab," Twilight said.
"Wait, I recognize her, That's Suri Polomare, "Rarity said. They also saw them writing stuff on Twilight's old chalkboard that they erased. The words revenge on Turquoise were written on it.
"How exactly are we seeing this?" Applejack asked.
"My silent Alarm disk must have activated, "Twilight said.
"Silent Alarm Disk?" Rainbow asked.
"You see, I was very cautious of leaving my lab vulnerable to students who would want to use my resources to cheat so I invented an alarm system that would send a notification to my phone and activate a hidden camera upon touching the message. Unfortunately it did not work so I left it and some of my other failed inventions at crystal prep thinking they would be of no use since they did not work, "Twilight said.
"Then why is this one working?" Sunset asked.
"My guess is that when it hit the wall it must have corrected something inside," Twilight said.
"Well we must do something before these two hurt Turquoise," Sunset said.
"Rarity, do you have Turquoise's number?" Twilight asked.
"Sapphy sent it to me when she joined my club," Rarity said.
"Any reason you have that information?" Applejack asked.
"All members of the Jewelry Box share their numbers for our group chat," Rarity said.
"Then call Turquoise so we can warn her," Twilight said. She dialed the number but unfortunately she did not answer most likely because she had her phone turned off or on silent mode.
"She is not answering," Rarity said.
"Darn it, she must be in class, "Twilight said. Suddenly Twilight had another idea. "Good thing Cadence is my in law otherwise I would not have her number. Twilight dialed the number and waited.
Meanwhile in Cadence's office she was going over some paperwork when her personal smartphone rang. She saw the caller ID was Twilight she answered.
"Hello Twilight," Cadence said.
"Cadence you need to check my old lab, two students have broken in and are plotting something," Twilight said urgently.
"How do you know this?" Cadence asked.
"I will explain later, please hurry," Twilight said. Cadence dropped what she was doing and rushed over to the old lab. As soon as she opened the door she saw Suri and Upper Crust inside along with one of the chalkboards with various plans to hurt Turquoise.
"Principal Cadence? What are you doing here?" Suri asked.
"This room is off limits, what are you two doing in here?" cadence asked.
"We were just," Upper crust was about to say until Twilight spoke.
"Erasing Ivankov's conundrum from one of my chalkboards and replacing it with revenge plans on one of my friends," Twilight said through the phone.
"How did you know all of that? Are you in the hall right now?" Suri asked.
"Look behind you, gormless, "Twilight said, which caused Suri to look at the device she carelessly tossed. "That's right it's a silent alarm I invented and it alerted me to you two intruding in my old lab and is showing me everything.
"How can that be?" Upper crust asked.
"It also has a built-in camera that is set to activate upon pushing the notification on my phone," Twilight said.
"I think I've seen enough, You two, to my office, now," Cadence said. She personally escorted the two out of Twilight's old lab after deactivating the alarm disk. Some of the students in the hall witnessed what was going on and a few saw the chalkboard in the old lab.
"Do you think we should tell Turquoise about this?" One of them asked their friend.
"Nah, she has been through enough already, let's let Principal Cadence handle it, "The friend said.
"We can't hide this from her, what if someone stumbles across it?" The third student asked.
"What are you getting at?" The second student asked.
"Even if Suri and Upper Crust get expelled, someone else will go after her and each student will be more crafty or daring than the last. It just goes to show that we need to put an end to this hatred and soon," The third student said.
"You're right we need to put an end to this before she really gets hurt," The first student said.
Meanwhile inside Cadence's office the atmosphere was very tense with Cadence looking at Suri and Upper Crust with contempt before speaking.
"Where to begin? First off, how did you girls find that room?" Cadence asked.
"You did not exactly hide it from plain sight, it was there," Suri said.
"And I specifically wrote in the newly updated student planner that Twilight's old lab was off limits," Cadence said.
"Well with you and all the teachers and faculty you brainwashed constantly harassing us, what choice did we have?" Upper crust said.
"I did not brainwash anyone, Those teachers and faculty share my views and with me at the helm are now free to express them, and I also had the same hope for the students," Cadence said.
"So what's next? Are you going to expel us like you did Lance and Raven?" Suri asked, sensing where this conversation would lead.
"No, I'm not going to expel you two, at least not yet," Cadence said.
"Then why are we even here?" Upper Crust asked.
"I am not expelling you two but I am suspending you two for two weeks, "Cadence said.
"You can't be serious, two weeks just for being inside that dusty old broom closet?" Suri said.
"It's not just about that, it's also because you were plotting revenge on Turquoise for things that were not even her fault," Cadence said.
"Well if Silver stayed out of our skirts maybe none of those expulsions would have happened in the first place," Suri said which really annoyed Cadence since she was dealing with a couple of thick skulled brats.
"As much as I wish I could just expel or fire anyone who does not follow my vision for this school, I can't since that would make me no different than the monster that came before me," Cadence said, referring to Cinch.
"We want Cinch back; she was a better principal and more sane," Upper Crust said.
"Oh and would you girls rather live in a musty old cardboard box in some alleyway like she does?" Cadence asked.
"You are lying, Cinch is not living that way," Suri said in defiance.
"Wanna bet, she now lives in a musty old box on Blueblood Dr and gets all her meals from either a dumpster or a soup kitchen, does that sound like the kind of future you girls want?" Cadence asked.
"Stop lying to us, you are only saying those things because you are insane," Suri said.
"If caring about others and wanting others to be respectful to each other is insane, then call the looney bin and lock me away," Cadence said. Suddenly Suri and Upper crust's parents came in and they were not happy.
"You girls are in so much trouble," Suri's dad said.
"We thought we raised you better than this, Upper Crust the 3rd," Upper Crust's mom said.
"You girls better savor these last few moments because you two will never meet again," Upper crust's dad said.
"Now hold on, I not expelling them, just suspending them," Cadence said.
"We know but we are teaching these girls a permanent lesson by separating them for good," Suri's dad said.
"And how do you intend to do that? We both go to this school so we will be seeing each other again in two weeks," Suri asked.
"No you won't because in a few days we are moving and spoiler alert it's not going to be fun for you, because we are taking over your life, Upper Crust," Upper crust's mom said.
"Mom, dad, don't let this happen, "Suri pleaded.
"Sorry Suri but you two did this to yourselves so now it's time to face the consequences," Suri's dad said before Suri and her parents left while Upper Crust was told to wait outside the office while her parents got the paperwork for her removal from Crystal prep out of the way. Once the paperwork was done Upper Crust and her parents left so they could begin packing and selling or donating Upper Crust's stuff. The rest of the day went on and after club activities concluded Turquoise went home to discuss something very important with her parents. She arrived home and luckily found her parents waiting for her.
"We been waiting for you Turquoise, We were doing some thinking and we have something important to ask you," Ruby said.
"Same with me," Turquoise said.
"Hear us out first," Bullet said.
"Ok let's hear it," Turquoise said.
"I know this might sound like a lot to take in, but would you like to undergo hormone therapy to become a real girl?" Ruby asked which took Turquoise by surprise since she was thinking of asking them first.
"Of course, I would love to," Turquoise said.
"Now hold on, before you agree to this, just know once you start there is no turning back or stopping and we don't want to hear any complaints since we gave you this choice and you made it," Bullet said.
"I know, my friends and I discussed it too, i was going to ask if i could do it, "Turquoise said.
"Well i hope you realize that means you're going to have to change back to boy mode for a while since we need to monitor the changes overtime," Ruby said.
"Can I still wear my uniform and wig?" Turquoise asked.
"Yes, you can still wear the uniform and wig but your boobs will need to come off so we can monitor your real ones coming in," Ruby said. The three of them hugged before Turquosie retreated to her room for the day. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | Upper Crust's Farewell | The next morning Turquoise woke up like usual, but this time did not put her boobs on since she had an appointment today after school which meant her mom would be driving her today. After putting her wig on over her real hair which had the extensions removed, she went downstairs where her mom was waiting for her.
"I know you're worried about what everyone at school is going to think but I'm sure your friends will still have your back," Ruby said.
"How long do you think it will be before I look somewhat close to the girl I wish to be?" Turquoise asked.
"Let's save that question for the doctor to answer," Ruby said. Suddenly Bullet entered the foyer.
"You kind of look different without your big boobs, "Bullet said.
"I hope real ones grow in and hope they come close to the size as the ones Lemon gave me," Turquoise said, feeling used to the weight especially since not having them altered her center of gravity.
"If you want my opinion, I think slightly smaller ones would look better for a girl your age," Ruby said.
"I have grown used to being 40D, it's going to feel odd not having them," Turquoise said.
"Look at it this way, after the transitioning process you will have ones that feel real and not silicone," Ruby said.
"Also, if the boys try anything with you, don't hesitate to call me, I know this is normally an empty threat spoiled rich girls use to get their way, but I know I can trust you to use it, when necessary," Bullet said.
"How do you know that?" Ruby asked.
"I might have been watching some cartoons while in New York, Addie loves her miraculous ladybug," Bullet said.
"Are you talking about Chloe Bourgeois?" Turquoise asked.
"I am and let me tell you I hope you don't turn into her," Bullet said.
"I hate her, so why would I want to be her?" Turquoise asked.
"Ok we need to get going now," Ruby said before she and Turquoise went to the garage. Sometime later Turquoise was in front of the school. "I will be back for you after school, stay safe. Ruby drove off and as turquoise was going up to the entrance, she was surprised to see no sign of either Suri or Upper crust.
"No sign of Suri or Upper crust today? That's a first," Turquoise said.
"I know right," Sapphire said from next to her.
"Sapphire, good to see you," Turquoise said.
"You too, you look different," Sapphire said.
"Mom had me take my boobs off since I'm about to take the next step on my path to femininity," Turquoise said.
"Are you sure you are ready for it?" Sapphire asked.
"Tell me, do you love having Turquoise around?" Turquoise asked.
"Of course, Me, Amber, Moonstone, even Petalite, we love having you around and I'm sure we are not the only ones," Sapphire said.
"Do you think we should be concerned that Suri and Upper Crust have not approached us yet?" Turquoise asked.
"Didn't you hear? "Suri has been suspended and Upper Crust was pulled from Crystal Prep by her parents," Ein said.
"Ein?" Turquoise asked.
"I heard it from Fleur, she told me Upper crust reached out to her hoping she could convince her parents to change their mind but no luck," Ein said.
"Ok but why would they pull her out to begin with?" Turquoise asked.
"To teach both of them a permanent lesson by separating them for good," Ein said.
"Ok but Upper Crust is just moving to another school, right?" Sapphire asked.
"No, her parents are moving to Milfard," Ein said.
"Milfard? as in Milfard Maine?" Turquoise asked.
"Exactly, from my experience, Milfard has no points of interest for teenagers so for Upper crust it's like her own personal hell," Ein said.
"From your experience? So, you've been to Maine before?" Turquoise asked.
"I haven't been there, I came from there to begin with," Ein said.
"Ok this conversation has been fun, but we must get to class," Sapphire said before the three went their separate ways. Class went by with very little incident although some of the students did notice Turquoise's lack of boobs.
"Hey slut where are your hooters?" One of the girls asked.
"In my closet but soon I will have real ones that will rival yours," Turquoise said using the sass she learned.
"Unlikely, a weak boy like you matching these, don't make me laugh," The girl said while cupping her own boobs which were around the same size as Lemon's.
"Maybe not now but before the school year is over I will," Turquoise said before continuing on to her next class. The day went on and although a good number of students were poking fun of Turquoise for forgetting her boobs today, she ignored them. Lunch came and she was excited to share the news with her friends. She sat with them, and Indigo spoke first.
"Hey Turquoise, where are your boobs?" Indigo asked before Lemon bumped her as if she said something out of line.
"My boobs aside, I have exciting news," Turquoise said before continuing. "My parents agreed to let me undergo hormone therapy to become a real girl.
"Awesome, how did you sweet talk them into accepting?" Lemon asked.
"That's the thing, I didn't, they approached me about it first," Turquoise said.
"Really? I thought your dad would have been furious if you even suggested it," Sunny said.
"Well, something must have changed him while he was in New York," Turquoise said.
"While I am happy for you, I must ask one last time, are you ten billion percent sure you want to do this?" Haruka asked giving Turquoise one final chance to back out before it's too late.
"Tell me, do you girls love having Turquoise around or boring old Silver?" Turquoise asked.
"We love having Turquoise around more than you know," Lemon said.
"Your caring, your compassionate, and despite what people call you, you never give up," Sunny said.
"You're like a ray of light shining brightly in our school," Indigo said.
"We want you to feel happy no matter what challenges you may face," Sour said.
"We all care about you," Sugarcoat said.
"Me most of all, Silver or Turquoise, you will always be my friend and my lover," Haruka said.
"Well then, that decides it, I'm going to proceed as planned," Turquoise said.
"Your conviction speaks volumes, very well, I won't stop you but promise me, if you ever reach a point where you feel like giving up, let us know, we want to help you through this," Haruka said.
"We are friends, right? And real friends are always there for each other," Fleur said.
"You got it and thank you everyone," Turquoise said before tearing up.
"No need for the waterworks," Haruka said.
"Sorry, it's just aside from Haruka I never really had any other friends," Turquoise said.
"Well, you do now, and the list will keep growing over time," Lemon said. Lunch ended and everyone returned to classes. Once school let out Ruby was waiting up front. While the other students were mocking Turquoise for having her mom pick her up, she ignored them.
"Aren't you a least bit upset at them for mocking you?" Ruby asked.
"Very, but I can't let them bring me down, not when the real challenge is about to start," Turquoise said.
"How did your friends take the news?" Ruby asked.
"Haruka asked if I was sure about this, but I managed to convince her and the girls agreed to have my back," Turquoise said.
"I look forward to seeing how you turn out," Ruby said. They soon arrived at the medical clinic and ten minutes later it was now Turquoise and Ruby's turn. The doctor had turquoise do the usual weight and height part. She stepped onto the scale and weighed her.
"155 pounds, not bad," The doctor said. Next came the height part. "5 '6 you shrunk an inch since last time. Once the formalities were done it was time to get down to business. "So, what brings you two in here today?
"My son decided he wants to undergo hormone therapy to become a girl," Ruby said.
"Is that so? Well Silver, I must warn you, this is a very long road you are looking at with a lot of turbulent bumps along the way.
"I know, my friends warned me," Turquoise said.
"Did they also tell you once we begin, you can't turn back or stop because any changes that are made will be irreversible?" The Doctor said.
"They did and promised to help me through it," Turquoise said.
"Very well, then let's discuss how this will work," The doctor said before continuing. "You will be required to come in every day for a daily dose of estrogen, overtime the estrogen will rewrite your testosterone and reshape your body which will hurt like hell, you may also experience some mood swings and suicidal thoughts. Once you reach the final stage it will be time for sex reassignment surgery to complete the process.
"And how long will this whole process take exactly?" Turquoise asked.
"That depends on the individual, some take months, others take years," The doctor said.
"However long it takes, I won't give up until i reach the goal," Turquoise said.
"Very well, then begin with a physical and see if you're healthy enough to do this," The doctor said. The doctor administered every other test on turquoise and luckily for her everything came up good, so she was ready for the MtF transition. "Return here tomorrow at exactly 4 pm and I will have your first dose ready and waiting. Turquoise and Ruby left with turquoise excited but first she had one last piece of business to take care of today.
"Mom, can we swing by Upper Crust's place before we go home?" Turquoise asked.
"Why do you want to go there?" Ruby asked.
"Fleur told me Upper Crust was moving to the north-east coast and I want to try and see if we can end things on good terms like I did with Lance," Turquoise said.
"What you're saying is you need closure before it's too late, is that right?" Ruby asked.
"That's right," Turquoise said.
"Well, I suppose that's fair enough, but I thought you would be glad to see her gone," Ruby said. Turquoise gave ruby the address and sometime later they were in front of a house that had a pile of perfectly good stuff on the front lawn. "Why are they throwing away perfectly good clothes and stuff?
"Fleur told me Suri and Upper crust landed in some serious trouble that got them suspended, well technically Suri suspended, and Upper crust expelled by her own parents," Turquoise said. The two of them approached the door and rang the doorbell. A few moments later Upper Crust's mom answered the door.
"Who are you two?" Upper Crust's mom asked.
"I'm Turquoise and this is my mom, Is Upper crust home?" Turquoise asked.
"She is but aren't you the girl she and Suri were constantly bullying, why are you here?" Upper Crust's mom asked.
"I heard she was moving, and I wanted to try and get some closure before she leaves," Turquoise said.
"These things are important, know what I mean?" Ruby asked.
"Well since we leave tomorrow morning, very well I will allow it since you will be the last visitor she will have," Upper Crust's mom said before inviting them inside. Turquoise found Upper Crust's room which was basically just the bare essentials since all of Upper Crust's stuff was on the front lawn.
"What are you doing here?" Upper crust said not in the mood to talk.
"I came to talk," Turquoise said.
"What is there to talk about? You won, I'm being dragged to boring old Milfard and will never see Suri ever again," Upper Crust said.
"First off, let's talk about you two. Why did you girls keep attacking me even though I did nothing to you two?" Turquoise asked.
"Because you are a boy and you have no idea how hard it is being a girl, you have no idea how long it takes for us to look presentable for the day or how it feels to be rejected by a male dominated society, a society where women are treated poorly and are constantly being forced to put up with harassment with no justice," Upper Crust said.
"You're wrong, I do know, I've seen it a lot in anime. The men are perverted and can be very lustful, but the difference is those girls fight back because they are not afraid to stand up for themselves or their comrades. It's what I admire about them and what I want to be like," Turquoise said.
"Get real, this is not one of your dumb anime, this is real life and here fighting back lands you either in a prison cell or a homeless shelter," Upper Crust said.
"Who said women can't fight back? Nothing will change unless you make it," Turquoise said.
"Ok, but do you know how long it takes for a woman to look beautiful or understand all the hoops we go through?" Upper crust asked.
"I do, it takes me about thirty minutes to get ready and that includes the time for me to apply the glue to my boobs and let it set. I even wax which I'm sure you know hurts like a bitch," Turquoise said.
"Why would you willingly go that far? A lot of men would rather not go through that much pain," Upper crust asked.
"Because I follow the same standards you girls set yourselves to as a sign of my dedication to what I'm doing," Turquoise said. "If you two did not keep attacking me we could have been friends, I would have even loved to learn from you two.
"Now I see why Fleur left us for you, she saw your level of dedication, hold on I have something for you," Upper crust said before going into her closet and a few seconds later came out with a pink box of some sort. "The three of us, Fleur, Suri, and I always loved doing each other's nails, this is my nail kit, it contains many shades of nail polish, some press-Ons, and everything else you will need.
"Any reason you are giving it to me?" Turquoise asked.
"I noticed you have not gotten to doing your nails yet and since I won't be needing this where I'm going, I figured you and Fleur can use it, as for Suri I know she will be giving you a hard time once she comes back but please don't give up on her," Upper Crust said.
"I promise, thank you for the nail kit," Turquoise said.
"Thank you for showing kindness to me even though I did not deserve it," Upper crust said.
"I wish you luck on your new life in Milfard," Turquoise said before leaving. As soon as she went back to the living room Ruby was surprised to see turquoise with the box.
"What is that you got there?" Ruby asked.
"A Memento from Upper Crust, she gave it to me to remember her by," Turquoise said.
"Well, you girls have a good evening and may our paths cross again in the future," Upper Crust's dad said before Ruby and Turquoise left. As soon as turquoise got home, she returned to her room and placed the nail kit inside the empty drawer of her vanity.
"Upper Crust is not so bad after all, I wish we could have had more time but maybe I can find a way to reunite her and Suri someday," Turquoise said. With the day now over, Turquoise called it a night. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | The Ultimate Sacrifice | A few weeks have gone by since Turquoise began her hormone therapy and by this point her real hair grew slightly longer than usual close to a pixie cut and her chest grew a little. It might not be much now, but it was a good start. She got dressed in her uniform and went downstairs where her parents were waiting.
"Not bad for just a few weeks," Ruby said.
"You sure?" Turquoise asked.
"Hey, its progress, all good things take time, your great grandfather started from humble beginnings before he started Silver Corp," Bullet said.
"I know but I still look like my male self in a girl's uniform," Turquoise said.
"Let me show you something," Ruby said before pulling her phone out. She looked up images of popular models and showed Turquoise one with the same short hairstyle she had now. "It's called a pixie cut and it's popular among some women, so if they can rock it, so can you.
"I guess you are right, but how long do you think it will be before I have boobs again?" Turquoise asked.
"Give it time, the girls don't usually come in until around 13 or 14 for biological girls but in your case it might be a couple months at the earliest before they become noticeable," Ruby said.
"Guess that's fair," Turquoise said.
"Anyway, be careful out there," Bullet said before Turquoise left for the garage and drove off. Sometime later she arrived at school safely. As soon as she entered a lot of the students were a bit surprised to see Turquoise without her long hair.
"Are you even trying anymore?" One of the girl students said.
"Yeah, you look like a boy in drag, oh wait that's what you are," Another student said. The hurtful comments kept coming and Turquoise was already feeling hurt by them due to the mood swings brought on by the hormones.
"Shut up all of you, I'm trying my best and all your hate and negativity is not helping," Turquoise shouted before retreating to the girl's bathroom to cry.
"Geez, what's her problem?" One of the students said not caring about what they all just did. Suddenly Haruka arrived and saw the students all speaking amongst themselves.
"Did I miss something?" Haruka said before Fleur showed up.
"These jerks decided to gang up on Turquoise because she lacked her usual feminine charm and had a bit of a breakdown," Fleur said.
"I knew this might happen, one of the side effects of hormone therapy is mood swings," Haruka said.
"We should go find her before she tries to hurt herself or worse," Fleur said.
"Leave Turquoise to me, Fleur you go inform Cadence of the situation, I trust she knows what's needed now," Haruka said.
"She is in the girl's bathroom," Fleur said before going. Haruka entered and found Turquoise curled in the corner crying.
"Don't listen to them, you look fine," Haruka said.
"You don't have to lie, without my boobs and long hair, I'm nothing," Turquoise said.
"Listen, you need to be patient, you will get back to where you were before, just give it time," Haruka said.
"How long? I'm not sure how long I can take the verbal abuse, "Turquoise said.
"I can assure you principal Cadence will end that soon," Haruka said.
"How so?" Turquoise asked as she stopped crying which ruined her makeup.
"Fleur should be informing her of the situation, and I have a feeling Principal Cadence is at her breaking point over this whole mess which means we may be in for a mandatory assembly," Haruka said.
"But won't this cause everyone to gun for me faster?" Turquoise asked.
"How so?" Haruka asked.
"Because even if she does not mention names, it's still a hundred percent obvious who she will be referring to," Turquoise said.
"Let them try," Haruka said while pounding her fists together.
Meanwhile with Fleur she was in Cadence's office informing her of the incident in the halls and how Turquoise took it. The look on her face showed that she was completely fed up with it.
"Ok I had enough of this, Time to put an end to this whole mess," cadence said before turning her PA System on. "Attention all students, mandatory assembly in the auditorium in ten minutes. Fleur took this as her cue to leave but not before cadence spoke to her. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, now go check on Turquoise, she needs her friends more than ever. Fleur left and Cadence looked at the picture of Cinch she had in her office. "All of this is your fault Abacus, now I'm cleaning up your mess for good.
A few minutes later everyone was gathered in the Auditorium and talking amongst themselves.
"Why do you think the principal called all of us here?" One of the boys asked his classmate who was next to him.
"My guess this is going to be another Ein Deduction Spectacular," The student said.
"Or maybe she is announcing a fundraiser," A girl said.
"No if that was the case her tone would have sounded more pleasant, my guess we are all here because someone did something messed up and all of us will be punished for it," One of the boys said.
"What makes you think that?" Another student asked.
"Think about it, what is the biggest issue among the students?" He asked.
"Would it be her over there?" One of the girls said pointing to Turquoise who was conveniently in the row in front of her.
"Exactly, three students have been expelled because of her existence in our school," The boy said.
"You know I can hear you right?" Turquoise asked.
"Oh, shut it whore, our lives would be a lot better if Cadence just got rid of you already," one of the girls said.
"She has been nothing less than supportive of me, why can't all of you be the same?" Turquoise asked.
"Because we think freaks like you should be either locked up or dead," The girl said. That comment really hurt and Turquoise felt close to crying until Haruka comforted her.
"I think all of you deserve to be locked up instead, my friend here has done nothing wrong and all of you keep attacking her," Haruka said. Suddenly Cadence walked onto the stage and took the mic.
"Ok everyone it's time we had a very serious discussion about respect," Cadence said which got everyone's attention. "Now the reason for this assembly is to discuss the recent events over the past month, so far three students have been expelled, several have been suspended and over half have been thrown in detention, and why? Because they keep hazing one student in particular. You all know him as Silver Chance, but she prefers going by her girl's name Turquoise Dusk, Speaking of Turquoise would you mind coming up here for me. Turquoise came on stage and stood before all of the students who were looking at her with anger and hate. "When I took over as Principal I made it my mission to make Crystal Prep a much better school, not just for academics or sports, but for students like Turquoise who are different, I know undoing years of what abacus cinch taught all of you is not easy and I tried being patient with all of you but now I'm putting my foot down before things escalate to the point where someone could get hurt physically. Turquoise, I want you to share your story with everyone. Turquoise took the mic and looked quite nervous in front of everyone.
"Come on Love you got this," Haruka shouted which gave Turquoise the boost she needed.
"I'm going to skip the introductions since you all already know my name and don't care to use it, but what all of you don't know is my backstory, I transferred here from Cloudsdale High because students like you were constantly bullying me and some even took advantage of me because I come from a wealthy family while a huge majority of them came from middle class or broken families. And you know what the worst part of all that was? I was just Silverton Von Chance and not the girl I'm trying to be now. I know I am weak, I know I am not indestructible, I know I'm no anime protagonist with crazy strong stats or skills, But a good friend showed me I don't need to be those things and was even kind enough to show me the path to something better, something where I'm safe and don't need to feel ashamed for my lack of masculinity," Turquoise said before one of the students interrupted her.
"We don't give a damn about your stupid sob story whore," One of the students shouted.
"Yeah freaks like you don't belong in our school," A girl in the crowd said. Suddenly Cadence took the mic.
"Ok that will be enough of that, the next person who speaks ill of Turquoise shall be expelled on the spot, I tried being patient, I tried being magnanimous, but it seems I need to be more forceful if I want this whole issue to end," Cadence said.
"We will stop when this freak gets the boot," One of the students said only to be apprehended by one of the administrators.
"Anyone else have something to say or do you need more examples of what punishment awaits you all the next time you hurt Turquoise?" Cadence asked. The students all clammed up before Cadence gave the mic back to Turquoise.
"As I was saying, I Don't know why all of you hate me so much, I did nothing wrong, yet you keep blaming me for your own misfortune, and unless all of you stop attacking me, you're going to lose the kind and caring Principal who was kind enough to take the helm," Turquoise said.
"What exactly are you implying?" One of the students asked before covering their mouth. Luckily the administrators were willing to let it slide since it was not a hurtful slur.
"What I'm saying is Principal Cadence is almost at the point where she turns into a tyrant all because of me, is that what all of you want to hear? The truth is it's because of most of you, all you had to do was leave me alone but that was too much for you to comprehend so if you want me to go then fine, I will leave," Turquoise said before some of the students in the crowd spoke.
"Please don't go, we want you here, "Lemon shouted.
"And so do I," Fleur said.
"I sacrificed a lot to find you, I don't want to lose you again," Haruka said.
"Speak for yourselves I say we let the whore go, good riddance," one of the students said before the majority backed them up. Suddenly Cadence began to feel her rage build up which suddenly caused her pink skin to turn red.
"SILENCE ALL OF YOU, IT'S CLEAR TO ME NOW THAT I'M NEVER GOING TO GET THROUGH TO EVERYONE SO I'M ADDING A NEW RULE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY," Cadence shouted which caused her voice to echo throughout the auditorium. "ANYONE WHO SAIDS ANYTHING NEGITIVE ABOUT THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY OR PSYCICALLY HARMS THEM SHALL BE EXPELLED ON THE SPOT, AND TO MAKE SURE IT STICKS ALL TEACHERS AND FACULTY WILL BE MONITORING THE HALLS AND ANY OTHER PLACE STUDENTS GATHER, I WISH IT DID NOT HAVE TO COME TO THIS BUT ALL OF YOU FORCED MY HAND.
"No need to go that far, I will leave Crystal Prep. I'm clearly not welcome here, but in exchange, Principal Cadence I want you to retract that rule. I really do appreciate all you have done for me, but acceptance is not worth the price of everyone's freedom," Turquoise said.
"Think about what you are doing Turquoise, if you go, we may never see you again," Sunny said.
"No, it's ok, I will leave if it means returning peace to Crystal Prep. It's just a real shame I won't be part of it anymore," Turquoise said. Her friends kept trying to stop her from leaving but Turquoise's mine was made up. The assembly ended and all the students returned to their classes except for Turquoise who went to Cadence back to her office to wait for her parents to discuss what to do next. Sometime later Ruby and Bullet arrived and took their seats by Turquoise.
"Did Turquoise do something wrong?" Bullet asked.
"Turquoise did nothing wrong, in fact what she did was quite brave," Cadence said.
"What exactly did she do?" Ruby asked.
"This whole mess centered around her got so out of control I had to call for an assembly to address it, I even had Turquoise come up and share her story but as you can imagine that failed to accomplish anything," Cadence said.
"Ok but what does that have to do with Turquoise being brave?" Ruby asked.
"When that failed, I lost my temper and was about to implement a new rule that would have destroyed Crystal Prep until Turquoise agreed to sacrifice her enrollment here to restore peace," Cadence said.
"Turquoise dear, you don't have to do that, Principal Cadence isn't there another way?" Ruby asked.
"I told Turquoise that, but she feels this is the only way even though she also mentioned her sacrifice would amount to nothing," Cadence said.
"Tell me Turquoise, do you really feel this is the only way?" Bullet asked.
"Most of the students are unwilling to accept me and leaving is the only way to restore peace," Turquoise said.
"What about your friends? Don't you care about them?" Ruby asked.
"I do but I can't be with them in a toxic environment where I am not welcome," Turquoise said.
"Listen Turquoise even if you do leave, another student like you will enroll and this whole mess will begin again and this time the students will lose their freedom," Cadence said.
"Well, what else can I do? If I stay here everyone gets expelled and their destroyed futures will be on my head," Turquoise said.
"Why don't you take the rest of the week off, I want you to think very carefully on this, I will just tell the students you left," Cadence said.
"Ok but unless they want me here, I cannot stay," Turquoise said.
"Let's go Turquoise," Bullet said as the three of them left. two days later Turquoise was in her room thinking about everything that happened. As she was thinking, Haruka, Fleur and the rest of her friends came in.
"Girls? What are you doing here?" Turquoise asked.
"We came to check on you," Fleur said.
"If you are going to ask if I'm ok, I am far from it," Turquoise said.
"What came over you to make you leave Crystal Prep?" Lemon asked.
"Cadence was going to take away everyone's freedom and I needed to do something, so leaving was the only option," Turquoise said.
"Dummy, you did not have to go that far," Sour said.
"At least the students will stop whining and complaining about me now," Turquoise said.
"About that, it seems your sudden departure has left an impact," Haruka said.
"How so, I thought no one would care?" Turquoise asked.
"Look outside your window, I think you are going to be quite surprised," Indigo said. Turquoise looked outside her window and saw about 300 of the 500 students from Crystal Prep standing outside with a huge banner that said We miss you Turquoise, please come back.
"I don't understand?" Turquoise said.
"When Cadence was about to implement that rule and you offered to sacrifice yourself to stop it, you showed them what was in your heart which won them over, so please come back to Crystal Prep," Haruka said.
"What about the other 187 students who hate me?" Turquoise asked.
"Not going to be an issue," Sunny said. "When the parents of those students got wind of what was going on a good majority of them withdrew them from Crystal Prep in order to take their punishments into their own hands.
"I counted, the number of students withdrawn was 157 so that brings the number of haters down to just thirty," Sugarcoat said.
"This can't all be true," Turquoise said.
"See for yourself," Fleur said before bringing up the news on her phone.
"In other news Crystal Prep has set an all-time record for number of students withdrawn within the first few months of the first semester. Our sources say the reason has to do with one student in particular," the news anchor said as Turquoise's picture appeared.
"Wait a sec I thought something like this would not be worth the news," Turquoise said.
"Well, someone was secretly recording all the abuse you were taking and sharing it with the news," Haruka said.
"And Cadence?" Turquoise asked.
"Don't worry, the school board did not fire her, in fact she was commended for all her efforts in trying to turn Crystal Prep around, so we still have a kind and caring principal at the helm," Lemon said.
"Ok you convinced me, tell her I'm coming back," Turquoise said.
"Great, and we promise things will be different this time," Sunny said. Everyone left and Turquoise decided to call it a night. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | Return Of An Old Enemy | 11/8/24
Turquoise woke up and this time her chest was at the start of a B-cup, her hair reached shoulder length and some of the fat around her abdomen moved to her hips making them slightly bigger which allowed her to fill her uniform better which meant she was now beginning to look like a real girl. As soon as she went downstairs her parents were waiting for her like always.
"Now you're starting to look like our daughter," Bullet said.
"You really think so?" Turquoise asked.
"Of course, and your hourglass figure is starting to form which is also a good sign, "Ruby said.
"I noticed that as well," Turquoise said.
"By the way, how are things at school going?" Bullet asked after that whole fiasco that occurred last month.
"Now that a huge chunk of the students who hate me are gone, things are beginning to look up and the students I won over are actually treating me with respect," Turquoise said.
"And the 30 who still hate you?" Ruby asked.
"I will worry about them when the time comes but 30 out of 343 is not that big a deal," Turquoise said.
"All the same just be careful," Bullet said before Turquoise left for school. As soon as she pulled into the student parking lot she noticed two new vehicles she had not seen which could mean one of two things. Either someone got a new car or new students. As soon as she entered the school some of the students noticed her improvement. Turquoise went to her locker to get her books. As she was doing that a voice spoke from behind her.
"Well, hello there sexy, you come here often. "The voice said in a quite macho way. Turquoise turned around and was quite shocked to see who it was. It was a red boy with black and red hair wearing a top hat with goggles on it.
"Toon?" Turquoise said in shock.
"Silver?" Toon said in shock.
"What are you doing here?" The two of them asked in unison.
"I have been going to this school for three months now," Turquoise said.
"Well, I just transferred here, now my second question, why are you dressed like the kind of girl I would bang?" Toon asked.
"Not that it's any of your business, but I started hormone therapy and if you're going to bully me for it then get in line because there are thirty people ahead of you," Turquoise said. Suddenly Toon began laughing.
"You couldn't hack it with the big boys so now you demoted yourself to being their slut, "Toon said.
"I am no one's slut," Turquoise said. Suddenly another boy approached them. This boy had orange skin with orange hair of a darker shade approached them.
"Hey Toon, what's taking you," He asked before noticing Turquoise. "You look familiar, have we met before?
"Golden, this is Silver, he threw away what little masculinity he had left," Toon said, which did not amuse Golden.
"I don't see the issue, I cross-dress a lot," Golden said.
"Yeah, well you're not wearing the girl's uniform are you," Toon said.
"I might," Golden said.
"You cross-dress too?" Turquoise asked.
"Yep, I even custom ordered my own maid outfit," Golden said.
"Oh, so you're into maids? That's quite cool, "Turquoise said.
"I mostly do it for my girlfriend Key, "Golden said.
"Hey, you know I'm still here, right?" Toon asked, interrupting their conversation.
"You stay out of this, I despise you more than I do the thirty students who hate me," Turquoise said to Toon.
"As if I care," Toon said. Suddenly a girl with orange skin and ginger hair and was on the tall side approached them.
"Hey boys, what are you talking about?" The girl asked.
"Hey babe, Turquoise and I were discussing crossdressing, "Golden said.
"You must be Key," Turquoise said.
"Yep, but how do you know Goldie? He never mentioned you," Key asked.
"That's because this girl used to be a boy we knew named Silver, such a geek with little masculinity and now he threw all of it away," Toon said.
"Well, I like this new me and nothing you do will make me regret it," Turquoise said. Toon suddenly shoved her to the ground and luckily Haruka was there to help her up.
"Are you ok, love?" Haruka asked.
"Nothing serious," Turquoise said before Haruka stared daggers at Toon.
"And exactly who is this amazon?" Toon asked, which also struck a nerve with Key.
"I'm Haruka, Turquoise's girlfriend and as of this moment, your worst nightmare," Haruka said as she pounded her fists together.
"Uh guys some help?" Toon asked while sweating.
"Oh no Toon, you dug your own grave," Key said before she and Golden left. As soon as they left, Haruka unleashed a flurry of punches on Toon like something out of an anime.
"Whoa, what was that?" Turquoise asked as Toon was now lying against the lockers battered.
"That my dear Turquoise is me going Star Platinum on this jerk," Haruka said.
"Star Platinum?" Turquoise asked.
"From Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, you haven't heard of it?" Haruka asked.
"To be honest I'm very behind on anime right now since the whole transition started," Turquoise said.
"I have the whole box set of Stardust Crusade back home, I can bring it over to your place and we can watch it together," Haruka said.
"I would love that, but what do we do about him?" Turquoise asked, referring to Toon.
"Leave him, I'm sure the other students who witnessed what happened will have our backs," Haruka said.
"But what about the teachers and faculty? They won't let that slide," Turquoise asked.
"Let's worry about that later right now we need to get to class, " Haruka said.
"Oh yeah almost forgot," Turquoise said before they continued onward. The day went on and surprisingly Principal Cadence did not make any announcements involving summoning Haruka, Toon, Turquoise, or anyone else involved. Something felt off to Turquoise since she thought campus security would have at least noticed since they have all the halls on camera and would have most likely reported this to the principal.
"You alright, love? You seem troubled," Haruka asked.
"It's the fact that Principal Cadence has not made any announcements, I would have thought at least a security guard would have approached us considering that Star Platinum thing you did to Toon would have caught their attention," Turquoise said. Luckily a security guard was nearby so Turquoise decided to ask just to calm her nerves. "Excuse me sir? Can I ask you something?
"Sure, what is it?" the guard asked.
"You would not have happened to see an altercation between a tall female student and a red male student that involved said female student using a barrage of rabbit punches to beat said student, did you?" Turquoise asked.
"We saw the whole thing and we saw nothing wrong," The guard said before explaining. "Mr. Kritic pushed you to the ground on purpose and Ms.Goldenburn helped you up, she then administered justice on him.
"I know but don't you usually report any kind of assault to Principal Cadence?" Turquoise asked.
"Considering everything that has happened in the past few months i say it's best to just leave her alone," The guard said feeling quite afraid after how she lost her temper at him the last time he spoke to her. Turquoise figured it was best not to look a gift horse in the mouth and just accept that the incident has not been reported for now. Soon lunch came around and turquoise was with her friends who were all impressed with how far Turquoise has come with her hormone therapy.
"Not bad, can't wait to see the full result at the end, "Lemon said.
"Yeah," Turquoise said not so enthusiastically.
"Is something wrong?" Sunny asked.
"It's the fact that the Principal Cadence has not made any announcements regarding the incident in the hall this morning," Turquoise said.
"What incident?" Indigo asked. Turquoise filled them in on everything that happened, and they shared their opinion on the matter.
"I say Toon deserved the ass whooping he got from Haruka," Sour said.
"I agree, but the fact no one reported it has me very worried, like pride before the fall," Turquoise said.
"You should be grateful no one reported it," Indigo said.
"I know but do you honestly think Toon is going to keep quiet about this?" Turquoise said.
"I would not worry about him," Golden said.
"Golden? "Turquoise said.
"So, these are your friends, Nice to meet you ladies, "Golden said.
"Us aside, what do you mean there is no need to worry about him?" Sunny asked.
"Principal Cadence already took care of it, Toon is serving ISS for the next few weeks after Key and I reported it to her," Golden said.
"And my actions?" Haruka asked.
"We omitted that since you were just defending your friend and lover," Key said.
"That's a relief," Turquoise said.
"Anyway, we must go sit with our friends, see you around," Golden said before he and Key left. The day continued and once school let out Turquoise went to the parking lot to drive to the clinic for her daily dose of estrogen. Before she could get in her car, she saw Toon approaching.
"YOU," Toon shouted. "Thanks to you I'm serving in school suspension for the next few weeks, and no one seems to care if your girlfriend did this to me.
"Well maybe if you did not shove me with ill intent that would not have happened," Turquoise said.
"You want to be a girl so badly then let's see how you like having your cherry popped like one," Toon said before attempting to reach under Turquoise's skirt. Turquoise ran but unfortunately a few of the other students who hated her were waiting and grabbed her. "Oh, and I also met some of the students who do hate you while I was inside the room where ISS is held. They held Turquoise in a very seductive position with one of them recording on their phone. Turquoise was beginning to freak out until Haruka and Indigo showed up.
"Let my girl go," Haruka demanded.
"Not a chance, I'm about to steal her maidenhood and ruin her," Toon said before Indigo administered a powerful punch that nearly shattered one of the male student's skulls as it made contact with the asphalt of the parking lot. Haruka did the same to the other student thus freeing Turquoise from their grasp. The third student was about to run until another male student who was on Turquoise's side grabbed his face with his gorilla grip and slammed him into the pavement. "Where are all of these thugs coming from?
"We came to stop you from ruining our friend and Boris was even willing to offer his muscle for it," Indigo said as Boris left as if he fulfilled his end of the bargain.
"Well Toon you're all alone now, shall I add in the world to your pummeling?" Haruka asked. Toon took this as his cue to leave feeling very afraid about what the world meant. Turquoise was grateful for the save.
"Just curious what does the world mean?" Turquoise asked.
"It's where they stop time for a set number of seconds and adding the gatling punches to it would make a lethal combo," Haruka explained. "Of course, I was bluffing about it since we all know no one has that kind of power in real life.
"Well, I got to get going, see you at my place," Turquoise said. Turquoise drove off and so did Haruka. As for Toon and the other students who aided him in his attempted rape of Turquoise Officer Shining Armor arrived just in time to arrest them.
"You four are under arrest for the attempted rape of a minor, and pornography," shining said before cuffing them and shoving them in the back of his squad car which was a tight squeeze.
"You think we are afraid, my dad's a lawyer and he will have us out in a second," one of the boys said.
"Yes, but not until your appointed court date which will be some time which means you four will be spending time in a jail cell until then," Shining said. Before they drove, Shining texted his wife that he would be late for their dinner plans since he had some extra work to take care of first. Cadence texted back and said she would be waiting along with a heart emoji.
Sometime later inside Turquoise's Gameroom/home theater she and Haruka were sitting on the couch watching the anime Haruka brought over. Currently they were on the part where they met Polnareff.
"So, if I'm following this correctly these spirits are actually a manifestation of a person's fighting spirit?" Turquoise asked.
"More or less," Haruka said.
"Are all of them just brute force?" Turquoise asked.
"Oh, trust me Turquoise, the powers get much more absurd further in and in the later seasons," Haruka said. The two kept watching for the rest of the day. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | Overdue Justice | 12/2/24
A few more weeks went by and by this point Turquosie's hair reached its optimal length and her breasts now reached the start of a C-Cup which made her happy since she was not expecting such results this soon. After getting dressed for school she decided to try something now that her hair was long enough. Her mom came in and noticed Turquoise at her vanity fiddling with her hair.
"I see you're trying to style your hair now, "Ruby said.
"Now that it's long enough, there is a certain style I am trying to do," Turquoise said.
"And which one would that be?" Ruby asked interested in helping.
"This," Turquoise said while showing her a picture of Weiss Schnee in her volume seven outfit.
"Very regal," Ruby said before showing Turquoise how to do the braiding part. Five minutes later turquoise now had the same hairstyle as Weiss but with a blue bow added to the end. "Now you look like a real heiress.
"You think so?" Turquoise asked.
"I do and I bet your friends will love it," Ruby said before the two of them went downstairs. As soon as they did they saw Bullet waiting for them.
"So Turquoise, have you decided what you wanted for your birthday yet?" Bullet asked since her birthday was in fifteen days.
"To be honest I'm not sure, I'm still trying to decide what I want to do for it," Turquoise said.
"No need to rush darling," Ruby said. Turquoise went to her car and drove off to school which left Bullet and Ruby alone. "Did you book that band Turquoise likes yet?
"Working on it but you do realize we are talking about a band from Japan right?" Bullet asked.
"We can afford the long distance charges, this is for Turquoise after all," Ruby said.
"I know but what if no one comes like the previous years?" Bullet said.
"Turquoise made some pretty good friends, plus Haruka is back so you know she will be coming," Ruby said.
"And what about you? Did you get the stuff for the decorations?" Bullet asked.
"I did but you do know, we have fifteen days to set all of this up right?" Ruby asked.
"I know but it's best to prepare ahead of time," Bullet said.
Meanwhile with Turquoise, she pulled in and noticed Toon's car was in the parking lot which was an ominous sign for her since she thought Toon would be rotting in Prison after he and his three new friends were arrested weeks ago. As soon as she went inside, she saw Fleur.
"Hey Fleur, have you seen Toon? Because if his car is here, he must be as well," Turquoise asked.
"Unfortunately, he is here, turns out Jimmy was not kidding about his dad being a lawyer and a pretty damn good one at that, "Fleur said still not believing how Jimmy's dad was able to get Toon and his lackeys off the hook for attempted rape in public.
"Not good, Am I going to have to let this jerk rape me knowing that he will not be punished for it?" Turquoise asked, feeling quite scared.
"Calm down, I promise you we won't let that happen," Fleur said while trying to keep Turquoise calm. As they were talking about him, Toon arrived. "Leave us alone pervert, you already traumatized my friend enough.
"The only mistake I made was doing it out in the open, "Toon said.
"Well, you won't be doing it again, not as long as we are here, "Fleur said.
"You mean you, right? because I don't see this slut's amazon girlfriend here right now," Toon pointed out.
"You watch what you say about Haruka, she is my friend and the only person who I will permit to do that stuff with once we get married someday," Turquoise said.
"Oh, please as if you two will ever get that far, once you go full woman, she is just going to dump you for a real man," Toon said before Haruka walked up behind him.
"And just what exactly would you say a real man looks like?" Haruka said, which got Toon's attention.
"I don't know, perhaps another gorilla like yourself," Toon said which earned him a punch to the face.
"Say that again and I will have that disgusting thing between your legs chopped off and feed it to my dog, "Haruka said.
"As if you can do that," Toon said, not realizing Haruka was not joking since she was not going to let this snake deflower her lover.
"Don't tempt me," Haruka said.
"Whatever," Toon said before leaving. The day went on and Toon was beginning to wear on Turquoise's nerves after what he tried to do to her.
"Listen, I'm sure Cadence will do something about Toon since her husband most likely told her about him," Fleur said assumingly.
"One, I doubt a police officer would openly share information on a case with civilians and two if that was the case then why is Toon still here?" Turquoise asked. Suddenly Golden and Key arrived.
"Hey Turquoise, how are you feeling?" Golden asked.
"Right now, on edge since Toon is still here," Turquoise said.
"I heard, Johnson Gladstone is one good attorney if he can convince a jury that a trans girl would consent to sex," Golden said.
"Is that what they told the court?" Turquoise asked, feeling more afraid since she can't even trust the US legal system anymore.
"You don't keep up to date with trials, do you? "Golden asked.
"I assumed you had to be at least eighteen to even set foot in a courtroom," Turquoise said.
"As a member of the jury, yes, but if you're a witness, defendant, or just sitting in the gallery, age does not matter," Golden said.
"Ok but how am I able to convince them I did not consent to it? "Turquoise asked. Suddenly a boy approached them.
"Sorry for eavesdropping but if you need an attorney I can recommend you to my mom, she is among the best, "The Boy said.
"And you're positive she will take my case?" Turquoise asked.
"Of course, she will, when it comes to women's rights, she will fight tooth and nail," The boy said before giving her one of her mom's business cards. "I have these on hand since even teenagers need a legal expert when things get dicey. Turquoise pulled out her phone and dialed the number on the card. A few seconds later a woman picked up.
"Dysonstein Law Offices, how can I help you?" The woman asked.
"Are you Xandra Dysonstein?" Turquoise asked.
"I am," Xandra said.
"I need your help, A boy and his friends raped me and somehow got away with it," Turquosie said. Xandra was surprised to hear this.
"By any chance was this boy's name Toon Kritic?" Xandra asked.
"How did you know?" Turquoise asked.
"I saw that case and noticed a lot of wrongdoings that day, when is a good time to meet?" Xandra asked.
"Let's see, school lets out at around two and I'm at the doctor's at around two thirty for my treatment, so let's say three, sound good?" Turquoise asked.
"Three sounds good, let's meet in my office to discuss the case in private, my firm is located on Tabitha st, above the Noir Cafe," Xandra said.
"Got it," Turquoise said. As soon as Xandra hung up Turquoise felt hopeful that this whole mess would be over soon. The day continued and while Toon was looking smug still feeling like he was invisible after walking out of a courtroom as a freeman. Unfortunately for him that invincibility would soon shatter once the truth comes to light and not even Jimmy's dad can stop it. Once Turquoise finished her appointment, she drove to the address Xandra gave her which led her to a building with multiple businesses. Turquoise went to the second floor and found the door leading to the Dysonstein Law Offices. Turquoise went inside and waiting inside was a woman with long brown hair wearing a black blouse under lavender women's blazer with a matching pencil skirt and heels.
"You must be Turquoise, come sit," the woman who was Xandra said before inviting her into her office. The two sat and Xandra's assistant brought them some coffee. "Ok Turquoise let's start from the beginning, when would you say the incident took place?
"I believe it was around 2:05 pm in the student parking lot," Turquoise said. Turquoise filled Xandra in on everything that happened from her perspective which would be very important for the retrial.
"Now let's discuss payment, "Xandra said.
"Name your price," Turquoise said while checking her bank account.
"Normally I charge $2500 when we win, but for a case like this and for someone like you, I'm willing to shave 1000 off," Xandra said.
"Perfect, thank you," Turquoise said.
"Now the reason Toon and his friends were left off the hook was because Mr. Gladstone opted not to summon you to testify since you would have ruined his case," Xandra said.
"So, If I do testify?" Turquoise asked.
"The judge will rule in your favor, as for the sentencing, don't expect anything major since you and the accused are still minors," Xandra said.
"As long as Toon is out of my hair, I will accept anything," Turquoise said. Luckily Xandra was able to convince a judge to reopen the case since she was able to get the victim to agree to testify.
A few days later Turquoise and Toon were now in a courtroom with their respective attorneys.
"I can't believe I'm back here again; I thought you told me this case was dismissed, "Toon said to Mr. Gladstone.
"Well, I did not think this freak would know anything about this or even have an attorney of their own," Mr. Gladstone said. Soon the judge came in and took his place behind the podium.
"All rise," The judge said as everyone stood up and then sat down again. The retrial of Toon Kritic and his party will now begin. Is the defense ready?
"The defense is ready your honor," Gladstone said.
"The prosecution is also ready your honor," Xandra said.
"Good now that everyone is here, let's hope for a proper trial, Ms. Dysonstein the opening statement if you please," The judge said.
"Certainly," Xandra said before beginning. "On Friday November 8th my client was close to being raped against her will by the Mr. Kritic in the student parking lot of Crystal Prep Academy at around 2:05 pm,
"Yes, that lines up with what was said in the previous trial," The judge pointed out.
"But the difference is this time I convinced my client, Ms. Dusk who is the victim of this whole mess to testify," Xandra said.
"Objection," Gladstone shouted.
"On what grounds?" The Judge asked.
"She should not be allowed to testify your honor," Gladstone said.
"And why not?" The Judge asked.
"Because the fact these two know each other would make this girl's words biased meaning anything she says cannot be trusted," Gladstone said lying through his teeth clearly not wanting Turquoise to testify on account she will not only cost him the case but his ability to practice law too.
"Hey, you're only saying that because you care more about winning than the whole truth," Xandra said.
"Oh, and how do we know this harlot won't lie just to see my client get locked up again?" Gladstone asked.
"We already heard Mr. Kritic's side, so we need to hear Ms. dusk's side too, objection overruled," The judge said while banging his gavel.
"If there are no more interruptions, the prosecution would like to call Turquoise Dusk to the stand," Xandra said. Turquoise took the stand and after taking the oath was ready to testify.
"I was on my way to the parking lot to head somewhere important," Turquoise said before Xandra stopped her.
"Where were you going?" Xandra asked.
"To the Red Heart Medical Clinic for my daily dose of estrogen, I was and still am in the middle of hormone therapy," Turquoise said.
"The doctor at the clinic confirmed that what ms .Dusk said is true," Xandra said before having Turquoise continue.
"Before I could get in my car Toon approached me in a fit of rage," Turquoise said before Xandra asked the next question.
"You said Mr. Kritic looked angry, why would he be angry?" Xandra asked.
"Because he blamed me for Principal Cadence putting him in ISS and for the ass kicking my girlfriend gave him," Turquoise said.
"The principal confirmed this as well and aside from the ass kicking as my client put it everything Ms. Dusk said so far lines up nicely," Xandra said before Turquoise continued.
"I pointed out that his misfortune was his own fault and he tried to reach for my skirt. I tried to make a run for it but then three other students ambushed me and aided Toon in his attempt to rob me of my virtue," Turquoise said before Xandra asked her next question.
"Can you identify the other three students for the court?" Xandra asked.
"Certainly, their names were Jack, Testiburger, Felix Marsh, and Jimmy Gladstone," Turquoise said.
"Objection," Gladstone shouted. "That last name should be stricken from the record.
"And why should it, maybe because that is your son and you refuse to take responsibility for his part in my client's traumatizing experience," Xandra said.
"Objection overruled," The judge said.
"Luckily my friends were able to save me and even had the foresight to call the police," Turquoise said, which wrapped her testimony up.
"There you have it your honor, we now heard Ms. Dusk's side of the story," Xandra said.
"Yes, everything she said lines up with everything from the previous trial and now let's move on to the evidence," the judge said. Luckily for Turquoise Xandra was able to get the feed for the security camera that was trained on the student parking lot.
"Where did you get that? I thought I destroyed that?" Gladstone said not realizing everyone in the court heard him.
"Mr. Gladstone? Did you just confess to tampering with evidence?" The judge asked. Gladstone was now sweating bullets since he could not talk his way out of this one and once the footage played the noose around his neck became tighter.
"As you can see your honor, my client was indeed in danger because of Mr. Kritic and his friends and the defense knowingly withheld vital evidence," Xandra said.
"I think we have everything we need for a proper verdict; I hereby find Toon Krictic guilty of attempted rape in a public area and herby sentence him to one year in Juvenile Hall," The Judge said before moving on to Mr. Gladstone. "And as for you Mr. Gladstone, I'm placing you under arrest for the crime of obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence, I can promise you this, I will see to it you never practice law ever again. The bailiff slapped the cuffs on both Toon and Mr. Gladstone before dragging them out of the courtroom. "Court is adjourned. Once the judge banged his gavel everyone left. Turquoise paid Xandra as agreed and the nightmare that was Toon Kritic was over for now. As for the other three involved the police were dispatched to investigate them and their trials would be decided at a later date. Turquoise went home to rest since this trial took a lot out of her. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | Seventeen candles | 12/16/24
Two more weeks went by and so far the hormones have not made any more changes to Turquoise's body. After getting dressed for school she loaded some black envelopes with a custom wax seal she created which consisted of a crescent moon with a die on the number six. Once she finished packing her bag she went downstairs where her parents were waiting.
"Are you excited about tomorrow?" Ruby asked.
"Very much so, I have the invites ready and packed," Turquoise said.
"How many did you make?" Bullet asked.
"At least 313," Turquoise said.
"Enough for the students who love you right?" Bullet asked.
"Exactly, Suri and the other 26 are not invited," Turquoise said.
"Look I know it's your party and you are free to invite whoever you want but this whole thing with Suri has to stop and I think you should invite her, "Ruby said.
"Why should I invite her? So she can steal your designs and materials? So she can try and make my special day all about her?" Turquoise asked.
"Why are you convinced she will rob us?" Bullet asked.
"Because Rarity told me about how she did the same to her and even tried cheating her out of the trophy she rightfully won," Turquoise said.
"Regardless I feel like your girl self has caused a lot of damage after seeing how many lives have been ruined," Ruby said.
"Don't tell me you're going against me now after I come this far?" Turquoise asked.
"I'm not against you, I just want the damage to stop," Ruby said.
"I don't know what you want me to do about it? I can't control how people feel, rather they like me or hate me is up to them and Suri along with the other students who remained absolute in their choice won't back down even if someone held a gun to their heads," Turquoise said.
"She is right, back in my days in the army I saw many of the enemy soldiers we interrogated chose death over selling out their comrades," Bullet said.
"I know you two are right but it's Cadence I'm worried about," Ruby said. "She has been quite kind and patient with us but given everything that has happened since Turquoise transferred to Crystal Prep, She might be very close to expelling Turquoise just to put an end to all of it. Before the conversation could continue Turquoise had to go since she could not afford to be late for school.
Turquoise arrived at school safely and as soon as she entered she noticed that Jimmy and his two friends were not here today.
"I'm guessing Jimmy and his two pals were punished by our legal system," Turquoise said before Golden approached her to answer her question.
"Jack and Felix were but Jimmy disappeared before his court date," Golden said.
"Disappeared? How can that be? I thought the police would have kept a strict watch on him," Turquoise asked.
"I don't know all the details but the last time I saw him was in front of a bus station, I called the police but by the time they showed up, he was gone," Golden said.
"My theory, he must have boarded a bus heading out of state," Turquoise said.
"You may be right, but the police checked every bus leaving the state of California but did not find him," Golden said. Suddenly, Ein walked by and picked up on their conversation.
"Are you two discussing the disappearance of Jimmy Gladstone?" Ein asked.
"We are," Golden said.
"As a detective, what are your thoughts on this matter, Ein?" Turquoise asked.
"My theory is Jimmy must have disguised himself and managed to slip under the radar," Ein said.
"Now that you mention it, I noticed someone with black hair and green eyes come out of the bathroom at the station that Jimmy went into," Golden said.
"Tell me Golden what time was it when you witnessed this?" Ein asked.
"Around 2:15 pm on the 4th," Golden said.
"Now it makes sense," Ein said before sharing his deduction."Jimmy left for the bus station with the intention of splitting town before the cops came after him, the next bus would leave at 3 pm so he had forty-five minutes to wait and don his disguise. Luckily for him there was another major crime in progress.
"You're talking about the shootout and robbery at the Thorndale Mall, "Turquoise said, remembering that incident from the news.
"Exactly, the incident was so major that all units were called to deal with it," Ein said.
"That explains why they said it would be an hour at the earliest before they could dispatch someone," Golden said.
"And while that was happening Jimmy was able to board the bus out of California," Ein said.
"Why take the bus? Wouldn't it be faster to just fly out of the state?" Golden asked.
"Because an airport would have iron clad security which makes boarding the planes a bigger hassle than it should be," Turquoise said.
"Exactly," Ein said.
"But where does the bus Jimmy took go?" Golden asked.
"According to the schedule, the bus that left at three was heading to Salem," Ein said.
"Salem, Massachusetts?" Turquoise asked.
"Salem, Oregon," Ein said.
"Oh, that makes much more sense," Turquoise said.
"Well wherever he is, he is Oregon's problem now," Golden said.
"Enough about him, I have something for you two," Turquoise said before reaching into her backpack and pulling out three of the envelopes she packed, one for Ein and two for Golden.
"What are these?" Golden asked.
"Invites for my birthday tomorrow, I gave you two in case you wanted to invite Key," Turquoise said.
"Aw thanks for inviting us," Golden said.
"I plan to distribute the rest at lunch," Turquoise said.
"How many people do you intend to invite?" Golden asked.
"Whoever wants to come excluding the twenty-seven students who still hate me," Turquoise said. Turquoise continued on to class. The day continued with little incident which for Turquoise was a good sign. Even though Suri might try something, the other twenty-six had the brains to keep their opinions to themselves and focus on graduation instead of Turquoise. That made Turquoise think of inviting some of them should some of the other students decide not to come. Soon lunch rolled around, and Turquoise sat with her friends.
"Hey Turquoise, are you excited for your birthday tomorrow?" Haruka asked.
"Tomorrow is your birthday?" Lemon asked.
"It sure is and I am," Turquoise said before handing her friends their invites.
"Invite only, not bad," Sunny said.
"Well, you know, I want to make sure only those I trust can come," Turquoise said. "On that note do you girls think I should invite Suri?
"Heck no," Lemon said.
"Why would you even think about her?" Haruka asked.
"It's my mom, she is worried Principal Cadence is a single thread away from expelling me because of all the discord and damage my desire to become Turquoise has brought to her school," Turquoise said.
"I know things have not been easy for you and it's the same for Principal Cadence, but look at it this way, when this started a huge majority of the school hated you but over time, they learned to at least be respectful to you, Sure Cadence had to do some culling with the student population, but things have stabilized now," Sunny said.
"That aside, would you girls mind helping me pass these out?" Turquoise said as she poured all her invites onto the table.
"Do you intend to invite the whole school?" Indigo asked in shock by the huge pile of invites that were on the table.
"That was my intention, but rather they wish to come is up to them, but I am hoping at least the people I befriended the most will be there," Turquoise said.
"You know we would not miss it," Lemon said.
"Well let's get to distributing these," Indigo said. The girls all went around the cafeteria asking students if they were interested in coming to Turquoise's party. While some accepted more than half had to decline on account of either having prior engagements or more important things to do. Turquoise was at least glad the ones she hoped would come accepted especially since Sapphy was there to share them with the other members of the Jewelry Box.
"So, what do you plan to do with all the extras?" Haruka asked as Turquoise was going over the list of students who still hate her.
"What is that?" Sunny asked.
"The list of students who still hate me," Turquoise said. "I made this list because I don't want to give up on them except for Suri who I may need to deal with sometime in the future.
"What do you mean?" Sunny asked.
"I mean mere words alone won't convince her to change, and even if I try confronting her directly, she will most likely retaliate," Turquoise said.
"Don't tell me you are planning to stoop to Raven's level?" Haruka said.
"Hell no, we all know how that ended, I don't know how or when, but I have a feeling the answer will present itself when the time comes," Turquoise said. The day went on and after her appointment Turquoise was on her way home when she decided to stop by a cafe that just opened up for a quick drink. As soon as she went inside, she noticed the workers were all dressed as maids. Soon a few of them approached Turquoise.
"Welcome home princess," they said in unison.
"Thank you, "Turquoise said.
"Is this your first time at maid cafe Kitsune?" One of them asked.
"It is, I did not think they had maid cafes here in America," Turquoise said.
"We are one of the few ones with a physical location, usually maid cafes in America are convention based," The maid with long blonde hair wearing matching fox ears and a single tail said.
"Cool," Turquoise said.
"But enough about us, let me show you to a table," she said before showing Turquoise to an empty table and showing Turquoise the menu. "My name is maid Vee, let me know when you decide on something. Turquoise noticed a lot of cute and creative menu items and decided on the special which was a peppermint coffee with chunks of candy cane and red and green sprinkles topped on the whip cream. The place looked a bit dead with Turquoise being the only customer so far. Sometime later Vee came back with Turquosie's order which looked captivating. Once she took a sip turquoise was on cloud nine with the flavor.
"That was amazing," Turquoise said.
"Glad you like it; will that be all?" Vee asked.
"That will be it," Turquoise said. Vee then gave turquoise her bill which was not a lot. Turquoise not only paid but tipped quite generously since she plans to come to this cafe more often and wants to make sure it stays for the foreseeable future.
"Oh, wow thank you for the tip," Vee said.
"Thank you for the excellent service, "Turquoise said before getting up and leaving.
"Come again princess," The maids said as Turquoise exited. Turquoise drove home happy.
The next day after school ended, Turquoise was in her room getting ready. Her mom made her a special dress since this was meant to be her day. Meanwhile in the foyer everyone gathered and some of them were surprised by Turquoise's home.
"There is no way Turquoise lives here," one of the students who hated Turquoise said.
"No, she does, you would have known that if you got to know her," Lemon said.
"I think we should become close to her now, "Another student said which made Haruka a bit annoyed since she could tell this sudden change was not for good reasons.
"So suddenly you like Turquoise now that you know she is rich?" Haruka asked.
"Of course not," One of them said defensively, which was not following Haruka. Lemon saw what Haruka was doing and pulled her to the side to talk privately.
"Look I know you are looking out for Turquoise but please for the sake of her special day, let's not cause any drama, "Lemon said.
"Alright, but if these jerks try anything, all bets are off, "Haruka said. They rejoined the crowd and soon Turquoise made her grand entrance wearing a red and black Lolita-style gown with her hair styled in a Lolita style.
"That's Turquoise? She looks like some princess from an old kingdom," A third student said.
"I like it, it looks good on her," A female student said. The night began with a performance by the band Foxdivas who wrote the opening theme for the bladelolies anime.
"No way it's Foxdivas, how did she manage to book them?" A male student asked.
"No way you actually booked them?" Turquoise asked her dad.
"It was not easy but after some tough negotiations I convinced them to make a brief stop here just for you and your friends," Bullet said. After a few songs it was time for cake. The chefs prepared a huge chocolate cake with black frosting rosettes topped with two candles that made the number 17. After the song and blowing the candles out the staff began cutting and serving. The many students who ate the cake were amazed by how it tasted like nothing they had before. Now came the important part.
"Start with mine love," Haruka said before handing Turquoise her present. Turquoise opened it and it was revealed to be a black kimono with red crescent moons on it. "I had that special order from my hometown in Tokyo and it's my way of saying welcome to my family.
"I love it, thank you Haruka," Turquoise said. The night continued and Turquoise was very happy to share her special day with her friends. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | Suri's Last Stand | 2/5/25
A couple more months went by and by this point Turquosie's boobs were now close to the same size she had with the breast forms and her curves were now close to perfect. However now she reached the part where the mood swings and dangerous stuff would happen. Fortunately, she survived her first mood swing a few days ago. As she was walking through the halls of Crystal Prep her eyes were suddenly drawn to a flier.
"Fashion design contest?" Turquoise said. Suddenly Suri appeared right behind her.
"Don't bother entering because a noob like you probably does not know the first thing about fashion or sewing, "Suri said.
"I do know about those and if that is a challenge then I accept," Turquoise said.
"Fine, but I warn you, I never lost at this kind of thing," Suri said.
"There is a first time for everything, or second time in your case," Turquoise said.
"What was that you freak?" Suri said.
"You heard me, I heard how Rarity beat you and how you tried to convince her she lost when she actually won," Turquoise said.
"Who told you that?" Suri snapped after hearing that.
"Rarity herself," Turquoise said.
"You are lying, there is no way she would associate with someone like you, "Suri said.
"Wanna bet, she actually helped me down this road," Turquoise said before continuing onward to class since Suri wasted enough of her time. As the day went on Turquoise was more cautious of Suri. Soon Lunch rolled around, and Turquoise decided to tell her friends about the contest.
"Do you really think you can beat Suri in her own domain?" Lemon asked, referring to how fashion design was Suri's specialty.
"I won't know until I try," Turquoise said.
"Ok but do you even know the first thing about sewing or making clothes in general?" Sunny asked.
"My mom showed me some things so I'm sure I can do it," Turquoise said.
"I know I can't stop you from entering but I must warn you, Suri won't exactly give you a fair fight and will most likely steal your fabric and designs, " Fleur said.
"That's why I have a plan for that," Turquoise said. She whispered it to her friends in case Suri was trying to eavesdrop. Everyone agreed to her plan since it was not only harmless but perfect for putting Suri in her place. Once school was done for the day and Turquoise finished up at her appointment, she went to the crafts store to buy some supplies. Suri tailed her and saw what she was buying. She bought some normal fabric along with some other stuff. Suri kept tailing her and when she followed her to her mansion the trail was cold.
The next day Turquoise came to school with a special fabric she created. Suri planned on stealing it for her own designs which of course she stole from someone else. Little did she know Turquoise was counting on it since the fabric was just bait to ensnare Suri in a bigger trap. As for the designs, those were drawn by Rarity since like Turquoise she wanted to put Suri in her place too since she needs to be stopped for the real designers who were suffering because of her. While Turquoise was in class Suri made her move. She broke into Turquosie's locker and stole the fabric which had a good sheen and glitter texture.
"I can make something really good with this and that freak will be going down," Suri said before putting the lock back on the locker. The day continued and as soon as school ended Suri wasted no time going home to work on her design for the contest. Suri of course took extra precautions to make sure there was nothing to incriminate her should someone call her out. As for Turquoise she already had a head start with her entry which unlike Suri is something original and her own. The contest was tomorrow, and Turquoise was focused. Ruby was watching from a distance.
"I taught her well," Ruby said before Bullet arrived.
"What is Turquoise doing?" Bullet asked.
"Working on her entry for the fashion contest at the mall tomorrow," Ruby said.
"Any reason she is entering something like that?" Bullet asked, surprised to see his new daughter had an interest in fashion.
"She told me it was to put a certain no-good cheater in her place," Ruby said.
"Let me guess who that would be," Bullet said.
"Suri Polomare," Ruby and Bullet said in unison.
"I am with Turquoise on this since as a fashion designer myself I can understand the severity of the crime Suri is committing," Ruby said. Turquoise managed to finish on time and noticed Ruby and bullet watching her.
"What?" Turquoise asked.
"We did not mean to stare, it's just that it looks amazing, "Ruby said.
"Thanks mom let's just hope it's enough to at least beat Suri," Turquoise said.
"Don't sell yourself short Turquoise, you have just as much a chance to win as anyone, boy or girl," Ruby said.
"She is right, there are male designers too, I should know since your mom introduced me to some when we traveled together," Bullet said.
The next day at school Suri was strutting around acting like she already won.
"Might as well just withdraw, loser, because there is no way you can beat me, especially once you see my secret weapon," Suri said boastfully.
"Don't count me out just yet because I am not losing either," Turquoise said.
"Like you can beat me," Suri said.
"Ok save it for the competition you two," Lemon said.
"We will settle this then," Turquoise said before she and her friends left. Time went by and soon it was time to hit the mall for the competition. The competition was in the center area where a stage was set up. Many students gathered to watch. Backstage the models who would be wearing the outfits designed by the contestants were getting ready. Turquoise was waiting outside for Fleur who she chose to wear her design. "Need any help in there?
"No, I got it, "Fleur said while making sure the dress was on right. A bit later Fleur came out wearing what looked like a cyan Lolita dress with teal lace and a bluish green cape-like hood but what was most noticeable was the insignia on the back of the hood which was a red crescent moon with a gold die that had six dots. "I must say this feels quite lovely.
"Thank you I feel it shows the face of the designer," Turquoise said.
"You mean you right?" Fleur said.
"Exactly, when we create it's always important to put a bit of our own unique selves into it," Turquoise said.
"And you are sure that will beat Suri?" Fleur asked.
"Hopefully but let's let the judges decide," Turquoise said. The competition was about to start and the MC for the contest took the mic.
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen to this year's fashion design competition, hosted by the famous designer, Claire Hemline," The mc said before the audience erupted in applause. "And now let me introduce the judges for our competition, first up, a legend in the fashion world who isn't afraid to say it like it is, Hoity Toity. The spotlight focused on a well-dressed man. "Next up, a young photographer who made quite the name for herself, Photo Finish. The spotlight shifted towards a girl with white hair and pink shades. "And finally, our third judge will be Ms. Hemline herself. The spotlight shifted towards a woman who looked to be in her early thirties with blonde hair wearing a nice ivory dress.
"I look forward to seeing what these young designers have to show us," Ms. Hemline said.
"And now here is how the competition works, each designer will have a model wearing their designs so everyone can get a good look at them from all angles, points are scored on a scale of one to ten and the judges will also be adding their own critiques. So, without further ado let's get this show on the road, first up is Vapor trail wearing a nice wonder colt inspired dress designed by none other than Coco Pommel. Vapor strutted down the runway looking quite nervous which the judges could sense.
"I see a lot of school spirit in that dress," Hoity said.
"Simply stunning," Photo Finish said.
"I will admit it is a good dress but in my opinion it's a bit simplistic," Hemline said. Coco's design got a score of 7, 7, and 6 which set the bar at 20 points.
"Now let's move onto our next design shall we," The mc said before the next model came out as soon as Vapor returned backstage. Several more models went up and the outfit they wore scored lower than Coco's which showed how tough this competition was.
"These amateurs don't stand a chance against us," Suri said to her model who was wearing a shimmering midnight blue gown with lots of glitter and gems. Soon the Mc called Suri's model up.
"Next up is Estelle wearing a quite dazzling number made by Suri Polomare. Estelle strutted down the runway as the lights refracted off the gems and glitter of the gown. Fortunately, the judges were already wearing shades, so they were able to see it.
"Now that's what I call a gorgeous gown," Hoity said.
"It has Da magics," Photo finished said.
"All that glitz and shine is nice, but it is a tad too much," Hemline said. Suri's score was 10, 10, and 8. Hemline deducted points for going overboard with all the glitter and gems which obstructed Estelle from view slightly. Currently Suri had the highest score, and Turquoise was the last contestant up.
"Top that freak, oh wait you can't because you got nothing, "Suri said.
"Oh really," Turquoise said as Fleur got ready for her turn.
"And last but not least, we have Fleur De Lis wearing what looks like a very kawaii Lolita outfit designed by Turquoise Dusk. Fleur strutted down the runway which got the crowd excited. The judges also looked quite pleased.
"I must say this outfit looks quite cute and stylish," Hoity said.
"I agree it has more of da magics," Photo finish said.
"I really love the unique design and the cape-like hood certainly adds to the charm, like a modern-day red riding hood," Hemline said. Turquoise crossed her fingers as she waited for the judge's scores. Hoity gave her a ten, Photo finish gave her a ten, and the tension was rising as Turquoise waited for hemline's score. A few seconds later, Hemline gave Turquoise a ten which was a perfect thirty which shocked Suri a lot.
"And there you have it folks, the winning designer is Turquoise Dusk," The Mc said which caused the crowd to erupt with applause as Turquoise came out. Suri also came out outraged that she lost.
"No fair, how come this transgender freak got a perfect score while I did not? "Suri shouted while also pointing out how Turquosie's Lolita outfit had no shine to it.
"The answer Ms. Polomare is obvious," Hemline said before continuing. "Ms. Dusk showed us a dress that was not just her own design but showed us the face of the designer, her own personal style, as for your gown, while it was indeed dazzling, when we strip away all the glitter and glam all we see is emptiness, someone who lacks their own ideas or style, And if I must explain further we saw the faces of other designers instead of yours, Did you even make the fabric you used?
"Of course I did, "Suri said.
"Then why don't you explain your process," Hemline said. Suri was sweating now that she was on the spot. Suri stuttered for a minute before Turquoise spoke.
"It's a special fabric that was splashed in a special compound that makes the fabric shine before having it coated in glitter," Turquoise explained.
"And how do you know that?" Hoity asked.
"Because my mom helped me make that fabric and Suri stole it from my locker at school," Turquoise said.
"This is quite the serious accusation," Hoity said.
"But it's all true," Rarity said before approaching the stage. I competed against Suri in the past and she did the same thing to me and also did it again today. That dress was my design and here is the proof. Rarity showed the judges her sketch of it. Suddenly the judges looked at Suri as if they were angry with her.
"You, Ms. Polomare, are the absolute worst cheat I ever had the displeasure of seeing, "Hoity said.
"Einverstanden," Photo finish said in her native language.
"You are an absolute disgrace to the world of fashion, piggybacking off of others instead of having your own ideas," Hemline said.
"As if none of you ever had creative blocks in your life?" Suri said.
"You're wrong, everyone has one every now and then," Rarity said.
"Don't lie, you always have an idea, always able to come up with something, and always beating me," Suri said.
"You're right I do have ideas, but even I have a creative block every once in a while, that day when you stabbed me in the back by stealing my fabric and using it, I was going in circles until inspiration struck, I know I put the competition before my friends but without them I would not have even had the strength to bounce back," Rarity said.
"It's over Suri, you lost," Turquoise said.
"You may have won this competition, Turquoise Dusk, but next time I will beat you," Suri said before Ms. Hemline cut her off.
"This will be no next time for you Ms. Polomare, because for violating the rules of this competition and for every other act of foul play you committed in previous competitions, you are hereby banned from participating in any and all future design competitions," Hemline said. Before Suri could do the part where the villainess shouts no to the heavens her mom showed up and she was not happy.
"Suri Paulina Polomare, you are in so much trouble," Suri's mom said.
"Paulina?" Turquoise said.
"No wait Mom I can explain," Suri tried to say only for her mom to cut her off.
"Oh, save it young lady, because getting barred from competitions like these is not the only reason, we are very angry with you," Suri's mom said.
"Did you say we?" Suri asked. Suddenly a man approached them. "Dad? You're back from the army?
"That's right, young lady I got back from Afghanistan and what did I find out? That my own daughter is a bully and a cheater," Suri's dad said.
"But dad, that girl over there is some sissy boy who has no right being on equal footing with the real girls," Suri said, not realizing she was digging a deeper hole for herself.
"So, we don't care, and neither should you," Suri's mom said.
"I think it's time for some extreme measures, don't you think Marianne?" Suri's dad asked.
"Agreed Stanford," Suri's mom said.
"Extreme measures? You don't mean?" Suri asked before her dad confirmed it.
"That's right, St. Olga's military school for girls in good old Alaska, since the public school system failed to discipline you it's time to let the military take a crack at you," Suri's dad said before both he and Suri's mom dragged her away. As for Turquoise she won the cash prize and a spot on the cover of Fashion Titans magazine.
The next day Haruka and Turquoise were having lunch at Maid Cafe Kitsune.
"It's safe to say we have officially heard the last of Suri Polomare," Haruka said.
"You said it and now things are looking bright for the second half of the school year," Turquoise said.
"By the way, what are you planning to do with the prize money?" Haruka asked.
"I put it all into our convention fund, love," Turquoise said.
"You seriously put all $250,000 into the savings for our trip to Anime fest? Aren't you rich and able to afford it regardless?" Haruka asked.
"I could but I'm seventeen now it's time I considered earning my own money especially since once we start college we will be on our own," Turquoise said.
"Slow down love, it's great you want to earn it, but let's not worry about college until next school year," Haruka said.
"Ok love," by the way? I was thinking of applying for a job here this summer, do you think I should do it?" Turquoise asked. Suddenly the thought of Turquoise in a maid outfit acting like the maids here crossed her mind.
"Go for it but first finish your transition, I want to see my maid acting cute not sad or angry," Haruka said.
"That's the plan," Turquoise said. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | The Bright Side of Things | A few days went by since Suri was defeated. Within that time her parents had her stuff donated to the thrift store and arranged a meeting with Principal Cadence for Suri's removal from Crystal Prep. As for Turquoise things were now looking bright now that the last major obstacle in her life has been removed. As soon as she arrived and entered the school, she saw Suri with her parents looking quite upset.
"I bet you are loving this, aren't you freak?" Suri said.
"A little," Turquoise said, knowing that Suri can't do anything.
"Why you little," Suri said while trying to attack her only for her parents to pull on her arms.
"Let's go young lady, you have a flight to catch in five hours," Suri's mom said.
"And you better enjoy the sunshine and warmth while you can because this will be the very last time you are going to see or feel it," Suri's dad said. The two dragged her into Cadence's office. The atmosphere was quite tense before Cadence broke the ice.
"Are you absolutely sure you want to do this, Mr. and Mrs., Polomare?" Cadence asked.
"We are," Suri's mom said.
"Your school constantly failed to administer proper punishment for all the bad things Suri has done," Suri's dad said.
"While I agree Suri deserves punishment, I have been forced to use the power to expel students one too many times now and I don't want to use it again, "Cadence said.
"And what makes Suri any different than all the other students who were expelled?" Suri's mom asked.
"Nothing, I am just done with expulsions for the rest of the school year," Cadence said.
"And that's why we want to remove Suri from your school. Since you're not going to do what's necessary to punish her then it's up to us to do it," Suri's dad said.
"Come on, Don't I have a say in this?" Suri asked before her parents gave her the death stare.
"You forfeited your say when you decided to be the things, we most certainly did not raise you to be, "Suri's mom said.
"Besides our decision is final, you are no longer our daughter, and that plane ticket will be the last thing we ever give you," Suri's dad said.
"You can't really mean that?" Suri pleaded.
"We do, you're not worth keeping around anymore and there is no room in our home for cheating monsters," Suri's dad said.
"I don't know where we went wrong but now, we are doing what needs to be done so you don't embarrass us anymore," Suri's mom said. Principal Cadence was quite patient with them until she caught their attention.
"Suri, would you mind waiting outside while I speak to Marianne and Stanford," Principal Cadence said in her sweet voice.
"Oh no I'm not going anywhere, I know what this is about already," Suri said.
"She said get lost, you worthless piece of excrement, "Suri's dad said before she left crying. Once it was just the three of them, Cadence began speaking.
"Now I know I have no right to butt into your family drama, but is all this hostility really necessary?" Cadence asked.
"Why not? She is no longer our daughter, and we are done wasting our time on her," Suri's mom said.
"Even so, the rude remarks and insults are quite unnecessary," Cadence said.
"Why should we care, we already disowned her and frankly we are no longer under any obligation to care for her or take responsibility for her bad behavior," Suri's dad said.
"Listen I'm just saying this because I've seen this happen one too many times already. If you keep doing this to her, she will come back for revenge and in a case like yours it will be fatal, "Cadence warned.
"And how exactly will she be coming back? The flight to Juno is a one-way trip and with no money or phone she won't get too far," Suri's dad said.
"Plus, Alaska is freezing cold year-round so she will most likely die before we do," Suri's mom said. "Now enough of this can we just sign the papers and get out of here. Cadence reluctantly agreed to Suri's removal from her school and placed the paperwork for it on her desk.
Meanwhile outside the office Suri was sitting and crying her eyes out. Fleur was passing by when she saw her and decided to speak with her since this was going to be the very last chance to do so. Suddenly Suri noticed her.
"Are you here to rub salt in my already open wounds? "Suri asked.
"No, I'm here to talk since I know it's going to be the very last time we do," Fleur said.
"What's there to talk about? My parents disowned me, the student population is practically celebrating me leaving, and to top it off, I'm being deported to a frozen wasteland with nothing but the clothes on my back which won't be providing much warmth for me," Suri said.
"And who's fault is that?" Fleur asked.
"That freak Turquoise obviously," Suri said, which caused Fleur to slap her own forehead with how dumb Suri's incorrect answer was.
"No, it's yours, you had plenty of chances to try and get to know her but instead you constantly belittled her and bullied her," Fleur said.
"What's there to know? She is a disgusting boy who thinks dressing like a girl will grant him the same privileges and rights as us," Suri said.
"You are absolutely wrong, Turquoise is very kind and caring, not to mention generous. Did you know she was considering inviting you to her mansion for her party despite everything you put her through," Fleur said.
"I bet that's because her parents were forcing her to do so," Suri said.
"They had asked her to consider it, but they were quite respectful of her reason why she didn't when she told them about how you declined in the rude way that you did," Fleur said.
"My only regret is how I can't do anything else to her now," Suri said, which showed Fleur that Suri was completely unredeemable.
"That's your only regret? That you can't hurt my friend anymore, Suri Polomare. I hope you freeze to death in that frozen hell known as Alaska," Fleur said before leaving. Soon Suri's parents came out and took her to the car for her final drive in California and her last glimpse at the sun. The drive lasted forty-five minutes and soon they were at the airport. Unfortunately for Suri things were slow so getting through TSA was a lot quicker than normal especially with no luggage or carry ons. Suri's parents were there to personally escort her to the gate and stayed with her so she could not make a run for it. Once the boarding call had been announced her parents escorted her to her seat.
"Are you two on the flight?" The stewardess asked.
"No, we are just making sure our worthless ex daughter does not try to run from her punishment," Suri's dad said.
"Don't worry she won't be going anywhere, "The Stewardess assured as they left. Once they were off the plane and the other passengers boarded. It was time to take off. After the safety demonstration the plane began moving and once it took off Suri got one last look at California from the air before the plane went above the clouds which blocked out the view of the land beneath her.
Meanwhile back at Crystal Prep it was lunchtime and most of the students were celebrating Suri's removal from the school. Turquoise was not sure if she would be happy about this or not.
"Come on love, this is meant to be a celebration," Haruka said.
"Is this even, right?" Turquoise asked.
"Normally I would be with you, but I spoke to Suri myself before she left. She did not learn a thing and prove to me she was completely unredeemable so it's more like good riddance," Fleur said.
"Ok I guess it's too late now," Turquoise said. The day continued and things were looking up. Lunch ended and As Turquoise was on her way to her next class the remaining twenty-six students approached Turquoise. Naturally she assumed it was going to be them ripping on her like Suri did. "What do you all want?
"Listen Turquoise, we came to apologize for the way we treated you, "One of them said.
"Why the sudden change of heart?" Turquoise asked.
"Because before you came, Suri and her two underlings ran this place," Another student said.
"So, you never hated me to begin with?" Turquoise asked.
"No of course not, Suri had us under her thumb," Another student said.
"Now that she is gone, we thought it would be right to at least apologize for our actions," The first student said.
"You don't have to forgive us right away, we just wanted to try and make things right," Another student said before the group tried to leave.
"Wait, I accept your apology, all of you," Turquoise said.
"But why?" They asked.
"When someone wronged me, they often had no regret or even cared to say sorry, but you all came forward without me needing to, so if you are being sincere right now then I accept, to be honest I want all this hatred to end because despite all the negativities thrown at me, I grew to love this school and the friends I made in it," Turquoise said.
"Well, we hope to see more of you in the future," they said before leaving. With that the last of the students who hated Turquoise were taken care of meaning the whole school has now accepted her as a part of it. The day continued and for the first time in a long while she felt peace of mind. Once school ended for the day Turquoise was off to her appointment as usual and today Turquoise was about to receive some surprising news.
"Good news Turquoise, the estrogen has reshaped your body so much we can proceed to the final step soon," The doctor said.
"And how much longer would you say that will be?" Turquoise asked.
"By my estimate, I would say about early June," The doctor said.
"I can't wait, "Turquoise said.
"Before you go, have you been experiencing any mood swings or suicidal thoughts? "The doctor asked.
"I have had a few mood swings here and there, but I survived," Turquoise said.
"Any suicidal thoughts?" The Doctor asked.
"None so far, to be honest, things have been looking up lately," Turquoise said.
"How so?" The doctor asked.
"The last major threat to my transition has been purged and things at school have taken a turn for the best because of it," Turquoise said.
"That's good to hear, "The doctor said before dismissing Turquoise. Turquoise left and was on her way home for the day. As soon as she got home her parents were waiting for her.
"So, what did Dr. Smith have to say?" Bullet asked.
"She said I should be ready for sex reassignment surgery by early June," Turquoise said.
"That soon? It has only been months," Ruby said.
"Well, she did say the amount of time varies between patients," Turquoise said. "Personally, I feel ready for it now but who am I to argue with a medical expert?
"Doctor aside, you have a letter from someone," Ruby said before handing it to Turquoise. Turquoise opened it and was quite surprised to see what it was.
"It's from some company called Stardust modeling," Turquoise said.
"Must be one of those new agencies I heard about, but why would they be sending you a letter? "Ruby asked.
"It says they saw me at the fashion design contest a few days ago and want to bring me on as a new designer for their company," Turquoise said.
"Wow, that's quite an opportunity, are you going to take it?" Ruby asked.
"Of course not, I'm nowhere near ready for that," Turquoise said.
"Are you sure you want to turn them down?" Bullet asked.
"No, she is right to do so, I know from personal experience that working for someone like that involves a lot of work and deadlines, Turquoise just started doing this kind of thing, so it's better to practice more rather than dive in unprepared," Ruby said.
"Exactly, I don't want to burn out so quickly," Turquoise said. Turquoise went to her room for the day to focus on her homework and her nerve gear project. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | The Journey's end and new beginning | 6/7/24
Today was the last day of school and for Turquoise it was also the day she officially became a woman but first she had to make it through the day. The student population was smaller today since 120 of the students were graduating today. The original class of 2024 was bigger but since Principal Cadence was forced to do some culling, that number was reduced. Some students were given special permission to clear out their stuff from the spaces they were rented for their clubs. The day started out with students commenting on how Turquoise looked so real that it was hard to tell she was really a boy. Suddenly Haruka arrived.
"So, love you excited to take the final step on the road?" Haruka asked.
"More like, nervous," Turquoise said.
"You know the girls and I will be there waiting, so you won't be alone," Haruka said. The day continued and some students bid farewell to Turquoise on account some were transferring to other schools once the day was over. With no more schoolwork or tests the day went by quite fast. Soon it was time for turquoise to drive down to the hospital for the final step on her journey. Her friends followed behind her and waited in the waiting area. Soon Turquoise came out in a hospital gown and wheelchair.
"See you girls on the other side," Turquoise said before the doctors wheeled her in and placed her on the operating table where she lost consciousness. Once the anesthesia did its job the doctors began operating. Outside the OR the girls were talking among themselves.
"So, Haruka, what is your relationship with Turquoise?" Lemon asked.
"I would say we are lovers," Haruka said.
"Are you two planning on marriage sometime?" Sunny asked.
"We are but not until after we Graduate," Haruka said.
"And how will you have kids without you know?" Indigo asked, referring to the last piece of masculinity Turquoise had and was about to be removed.
"She donated sperm while she was still able to, so we have that covered," Haruka said.
"So, you think she will be the same after this?" Sour asked.
"If you mean, will she be the same girl we got to know then yes," Sunny said. Suddenly Ruby came in.
"Has my girl come out yet?" Ruby asked.
"It's only been fifteen minutes, so she is still in there," Sunny said.
"Good because unlike Bullet I don't want to miss this," Ruby said.
"Where is Turquosie's dad anyway?" Indigo asked.
"He had some urgent business with his company so he could not make it, "Ruby said. The girls and Ruby continued talking until the doctor came out covered in blood.
"There were a few close calls, but she is now a 100% girl," The doctor said as turquoise came out wearing her school uniform which looked good with her new body.
"Did you all miss me?" Turquoise asked with her new natural voice which sounded slightly higher than the falsetto she used. The doctor explained everything they did to Turquoise and mentioned how they even did a uterus transplant as requested by Ruby.
"I figured if you were going to be a real girl then you must be willing to go all the way," Ruby said.
"I thought there was a long waiting list for stuff like this?" Turquoise asked.
"Usually there is but luckily for you we found a doner yesterday and she was a perfect match," The doctor said. The doner came into the room and Turquoise was very surprised to see who it was.
"Raven? You're the doner?" Turquoise asked, surprised to see raven out of juvie.
"Yes, my mom paid my bail and said if I agreed to this, she would at least not disown me," Raven said. Turquoise drove back home and went to sleep excited to get back to work on her first-ever VRMMO game for her Nerve Gear.
The next day Turquoise woke up feeling like she had just woken up from a dream. She got dressed and went downstairs for breakfast. Turquoise was greeted by her parents along with Lemon and Haruka.
"How are you feeling sweetie?" Ruby asked.
"A bit odd but good," Turquoise said.
"The doctor did mention it would be a while before you are used to your new body," Ruby said.
"So now that you're a complete girl what's next?" Lemon asked.
"Now that it's safe for me to use my prototype again I have a lot of data and code to transfer into the virtual world and with the help of my dad's chief technician I managed to create two more prototypes so I can test the multiplayer functions and I was wondering do you two want to join me on Fenos to do that?" Turquoise said.
"Sure," Lemon said.
"You know I am in," Haruka said. As soon as they finished breakfast the girls all went to Turquoise's room to see the world Turquoise created. Turquoise copied and pasted the code she had been working on for months into the virtual world and suddenly the world on the screen began to flesh out more with a beach to the south, a frozen tundra to the north, A vast desert to the west, A forest to the east and a massive kingdom in the center.
"That is just the tip of the iceberg, there is a lot more to see once we are inside the game," Turquoise said as she pulled out the prototypes.
"By the way, what do you call this game?" Lemon asked.
"It has no official name yet because it's still in the development phase," Turquoise replied. The girls all put their nerve gear on and dived into the game world. Turquoise arrived first while Lemon and Haruka were on a character creation screen. A few minutes later Lemon and Haruka appeared and were surprised by their appearance. Lemon was a Cat girl wearing a lime green sorceress outfit with yellow accents While Haruka was a fox girl wearing a red sleeveless kimono with long sleeves on her arm and crimson armor in certain places. "You two look good.
"So do you, love," Haruka said, referring to Turquoise who was a Fox girl wearing a blue anime-style dress with armor in certain places. "Which class did you pick?
"Swordsman and as for why I am different from you it's because I chose the knight category instead of samurai," Turquoise replied while further explaining how certain classes have alternative paths. Turquoise explained that right now they were in Fenexia which was the capital city of Fenos and how the goal of this game was to reach the Sword of Naturia which rests at the top of the world tree and how those that possess the sword will be the true ruler of Fenos.
"Sounds like a real challenge so where is this World Tree?" Lemon asked.
"That is a secret, it would not be fun if I told you too much," Turquoise said before she suggested they head to the field north of Fenexia to show them how the combat system works. Finding a pack of wild boars to test out the combat proved more difficult than expected. "I may need to increase the spawn rate of the animals some. Soon they left the plains and went into some woods.
"No kidding we haven't seen anything more than birds for about thirty minutes." Lemon chipped in. Suddenly what looked like a raven appeared and suddenly turned into an anthropomorphic birdman with an ax.
"Ah there's the enemies I guess entering so much data at once must have slowed the download rate now time to demonstrate the combat controls," Turquoise said as she summoned an ordinary knight's sword. "First to summon your weapons, The nerve gear intercepts the brain's senses so to summon your weapon pretend like you're drawing it the motion will generate it for now but in the official release the weapons will be equipped.
"This seems like something to tell us before we look for a fight," Lemon said as she just dodged an attack from the raven man. The enemy didn't give Lemon a chance to summon her weapon as it viciously chased her down. Turquoise and Haruka crossed their blades while blocking the Ax giving Lemon time to call her weapon which was a yellow sorcerer's staff. The raven then kicked Haruka in the gut, doing ninety percent of her health. "I don't think he's balanced.
"Sorry." Turquoise ran over and quickly helped her love. "This can't be right; the Raven Berserker should be waiting inside the Phoenix Sanctuary temple in this forest unless someone is messing with my code.
"It could simply be a bug. Remember that Warcraft bug that spread a boss debuff across the servers?" Lemon shouted as she cast a fireball spell. Before Turquoise could finish her thought the raven Berserker was preparing to unleash its ultimate attack even though they hardly left a scratch on it.
"Definitely a bug," Haruka said as all three of them were hit simultaneously and then were devirtualized. Just when they thought they were dead they woke up inside an inn.
"At least the respawn generator kicked in just in time," Turquoise said before opening her menu.
"Thank all the gods for that." Lemon got up from the bed. "I think it still needs some work, Turquoise.
"Agreed, let's get back to the real world so I can see what is causing this," Turquoise said before hitting the logout button with her friends doing the same. As soon as the girls regained consciousness Turquoise checked her program and noticed some of the lines were misspelled.
"No wonder something went wrong. I accidentally messed up some of the code," Turquoise said, showing the area where some of the ones and zeros were in the wrong order. "Sorry guys."
"I knew this would happen, Turquoise. I told you to take a break once in a while," Bullet said as he came in.
"That you did dad. That you did." She said with a small blush on her face.
"So other than your boss monster appearing outside its intended place, how was the rest of it?" Bullet asked.
"I liked it but the whole dying part was a little terrifying," Lemon admitted.
"That's what the safeguards are for when I was making this, I wanted to prevent the part Kiaba neglected to tackle in his invention," Turquoise said.
"Makes sense to me so why don't we get some food I'm starving," Haruka said as she walked out of the room and headed for the kitchen.
Meanwhile inside the boardroom of Silver Corp, Bullet's five board of Directors were holding a private meeting with just the five of them.
"We cannot let that brat take over this company," An old man with a slightly large build said.
"Agreed, she plans to take away everything we worked so hard to make," A man with brown hair said.
"Well, what can we do, the company bylaws state only the son can gain ownership of the company once the current CEO steps down," A sharply dressed man with black hair said.
"Does that even still apply after sex reassignment?" A big man with brown hair and a mustache asked.
"Mr. Bullet has not revised his bylaws yet and most likely will sometime soon," a man with tan skin and brown hair with a beard said.
"So, what's the plan for dealing with that brat?" The well-dressed man asked.
"Well Jackson, while she was at the hospital I looked at her code and managed to rewrite it, so the boss monster kills her before her generator kicks in," the brown-haired man said.
"You really think that will work Nathan?" the old man asked.
"You are aware technology is my field of expertise, right Gary?" Nathan asked.
"Yes, but won't she take notice if she survives?" Gary asked.
"I did the numbers, the odds of that brat surviving are about 15%, "the big mustached man said.
"But isn't that also a small chance of survival, Charles?" The tan man asked.
"Yes Lowrance, but that girl has no physical fighting skills to speak of, especially now that she is weak like all women," Charles said. Suddenly Bullet walked in and the nefarious five as they are known as acted like everything was normal. They were a bit surprised to see Turquoise with him in a well-dressed business outfit.
"Glad I found you gentlemen; this is Turquoise. She is my daughter and I'm introducing her to you because now that she has fully transitioned, reintroductions are in order.
"Nice to meet you gentlemen, "Turquoise said in a normal tone completely oblivious to their scheme.
"Turquoise, these are my board of directors. We have my VP of business strategies, Gary, my head of accounting, Charles, My legal expert, Jackson, The head of my tech division, Nathan, and my assistant, Lowrance.
Any reason why you brought your daughter with you Mr. Bullet?" Lowrance asked.
"We have some security issues with our network and my daughter is looking it over," Bullet said before they left.
"Darn it, I thought that birdman would have killed her before that blasted respawn generator activated," Nathan said.
"You did have a backup plan, right?" Gary asked.
"I sure do," Nathan said before pulling out what looked like a flash drive of some kind. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | Welcome To Fenos Online | The next day Turquoise went downstairs to see her father speaking on the phone and was surprised to hear him shout.
"What do you mean the numbers on last night's Shipment aren't balanced," Bullet shouted.
"I mean there is a problem with the number of crates we ordered," Turquoise could slightly make out on the other end of the phone.
"Don't tell me those guys in Siberia tried to cheat us with less than what we paid for," Bullet said.
"Quite the opposite we received an extra crate but for some reason, it was completely empty," The guy on the other end said.
"Look into it and report back to me," Bullet said before hanging up.
"Morning Turquoise," Bullet said, returning to his cheerful self.
"What was that all about?" Turquoise asked.
"Just my accountant telling me about an inconsistency in our last material shipment, for some reason we ended up with an extra crate," Bullet said.
"That's not too bad, more material to work with," Turquoise said.
"Normally you would be right, but the strangest thing was that the crate was completely empty," Bullet said as he gave his daughter a quick hug. " Anyway, enough about my business how are you coming along with that game of yours?"
"I managed to not only fix all the mistakes I made but also managed to finish the next two floors so right now I am developing the fourth floor," Turquoise replied.
"Fourth Floor?" Bullet asked.
"Yes, the land of Fenos is divided into nine floors which are all connected by the World Tree. After fixing the glitches and stuff from last week I managed to complete the first three levels and developed the fourth one close enough for exploration," Turquoise replied.
As Turquoise and Bullet were talking Ruby along with Lemon and Haruka joined them. Turquoise explained how she managed to finish the first three floors and the planning process with the fourth floor.
"I had to put in an emergency exit in it to ensure I can get out after testing." Turquoise wrapped up.
"That's amazing, princess." Haruka rewards her future wife-to-be with a kiss.
"So.... How many floors does Fenos have?" Lemon asked.
"Nine and they are all connected by the World Tree," Turquoise explained.
"By any chance is the world tree based on Norse mythology?" Haruka asked.
"Yes, each floor is themed around one of the nine realms connected by Yggdrasil," Turquoise explained.
"And the human-animal hybrids?" Haruka asked.
"I wanted my game to stand out and other than physical changes with Characters when equipment is changed, I wanted something that sets my game apart from others and I don't think anyone tackled this idea yet," Turquoise explained further.
"So may we see the other floors?" Lemon asked.
"Now that I got the issues from last time fixed, it also gives me time to show you the main quest line needed to reach each floor," Turquoise replied. The girls went upstairs and dove on it. Little did they know one of the maids was waiting outside of Turquoise's room with a flash drive. Once she confirmed that the girls were not conscious, she went towards Turquosie's computer and plugged the drive in before leaving.
Meanwhile outside of the mansion Nathan was on his laptop which had his flash drive plugged into it. Soon he saw that he was now connected to Turquosie's computer.
"Looks like Vicky came through, "Nathan said as he went through to code for Turquosie's game.
"What did you do?" Gary asked.
"That flash drive I gave her is a wireless transceiver for the hacking program I created, the one Vicky plugged into turquoise's computer is a back door that allows me to look through her files and alter them as I see fit.
"Ok but won't she notice you are messing with her code again?" Jackson asked.
"Not this time because while she is in the game, she can't see it and once I delete this she won't be coming out, " Nathan said as he removed a certain piece of code which was for the logout button.
Back inside the mansion Ruby noticed Vicky exiting Turquosie's room.,
"What were you doing in Turquoise's room Vicky?" Ruby asked.
"I was cleaning it mam," Vicky said which made her suspicious mainly because Vicky just blew her cover by not addressing Ruby correctly.
"Let me in," Ruby said before going in. She checked and nothing seemed out of the ordinary until she saw the flash drive in Turquoise's computer. "Ah ha I knew it, You're not a maid, you're a thief.
"What makes you think I'm not one of your maids?" Vicky asked.
"Because any maid of ours would know to address us as master or miss, not mam," Ruby explained. Suddenly security came and put Vicky in handcuffs. Bullet also came rushing after seeing security running over to Turquoise's room.
"What's all the ruckuses?" Bullet asked.
"I caught this thief trying to steal Turquoise's data," Ruby said, referring to Vicky who was being manhandled by the big, muscled guards. Bullet took a look at the flash drive and noticed what it was.
"You're wrong Ruby, that's not a storage device, it's a back door," Bullet said.
"A back door?" Ruby asked.
"Precisely, someone was trying to hack into Turquoise's computer which means Vicky is not in this alone, either she has an accomplice, or someone put her up to it," Bullet said.
"Ok Vicky start talking, who are you working for?" Ruby said in a threatening way.
"You can't break me, I will not crack," Vicky said before the guards had Vicky hauled off to the guard's station for a proper interrogation.
Meanwhile, inside the game, the girls were enjoying some pie and cider after a long thought battle in the fields east of Fenexia.
"I don't know how but this is the best pie I ever tasted," Lemon said.
"Thanks, it's one of my mom's recipes," Turquoise said.
"Anyway, you mentioned there were nine floors in this game?" Haruka asked.
"Yes, and to reach each floor you need to gather the four Celestial keys to unlock one of the nine gems that give the Sword of Naturia its power," Turquoise explained. As they kept talking Turquoise received a notice that someone was on the voice chat channel. Turquoise answered it and noticed her father was on the line.
"Turquoise, are you and your friends, ok?" Bullet asked.
"We just got back from training, but we are fine," Turquoise replied.
"You three need to log out, we have a crisis," Bullet said. Turquoise pulled up her menu and noticed the log-out button was missing. Lemon and Haruka noticed the same thing.
"Dad, we have a crisis on our end too. We can't log out because the button is missing," Turquoise said.
"So that's what that back door was for," Bullet said.
"Back door?" Turquoise asked.
"Your mom discovered one of the maids put a flash drive containing a backdoor program into her computer, we are interrogating her now to find out who she is working for" Bullet said.
"We will worry about that later but for now get Twilight she may be able to help on your end," Turquoise said.
"What are you three going to do?" Bullet asked.
"Remember earlier I said I added a temporary emergency escape on the fourth floor for just such an emergency? So, the girls and I will try and get there," Turquoise said. A half-hour later Bullet comes back with Twilight. Twilight looked through Turquoise's desktop and found something. She and her friends weren't just sitting around with their thumbs up their asses no they were pushing to the emergency exit.
"Bad news Turquoise someone installed a back door on your computer thus granting them access to your game. The good news is I can remove it, but I can't bring back the log-out button," Twilight said.
"It's okay Twilight, I will bring it back once we return," Turquoise said before she and the girls resumed their quest after Twilight had informed them of the situation. Haruka asked where they should go first, and Turquoise suggested the Phoenix Sanctuary Temple. Lemon and Haruka were a bit skeptical at first until Turquoise assured them that everything is fine now. The girls set off for the Forest of Shadows to find the Key of Wind. As soon as they entered the forest a bunch of birdmen with spears jumped them and the fight began. After wiping out the army of birdmen the girls felt like they gained a level.
"What is this feeling?" Lemon asked.
"Like most MMOs, we just leveled up, need I explain more?" Turquoise explained. After more walking, the girls reached an ancient-looking building with a phoenix emblem above the entrance.
"I assume this is the Phoenix Sanctuary Temple?" Haruka asked.
"Yep, quick warning the Raven Berserker has been balanced and may not be so easy to beat," Turquoise replied.
"It was not easy the first time. That thing is ruthless," Lemon said. As soon as they entered, they were greeted by a huge room with three hallways.
"Well, Turquoise, since you made the place, which way do we go?" Haruka asked.
"I will guide us but please promise me you won't tell anyone about this. I want the players to figure it out on their own," Turquoise said.
"You have our word not a single detail will be leaked," Lemon said.
"Good, now if we go left or right an entire army of crow soldiers will ambush us so we need to go through the center hall to get to the next room," Turquoise said as they went straight. The girls reached a room full of bats and noticed a locked door ahead. Turquoise pointed to a gem above the door and told Lemon to try hitting it with a fireball. Lemon did so and suddenly a new passage opened leading to a new room. As soon as they entered, they noticed a chest being guarded by a couple of Crow Archers.
"Ok, Turquoise, any ideas?" Haruka asked.
"Normally we would need a class with a shield to defend against them so since neither of us is a Shield wielder we are going to have to be careful," Turquoise said as she drew her sword. Haruka followed Turquoise and sliced most of the arrows while Turquoise delivered the killing blow to the archers. Lemon opened the chest and pulled out a silver key.
"Let me guess you programmed these dungeons like the ones from the legend of Zelda?" Haruka asked.
"Not exactly these dungeons are my own design; the locked doors and keys are a standard part of any dungeon; it makes the players use their brains," Turquoise said. The girls thought their way through many monsters and eventually found the key to the boss chamber which was a golden key with a phoenix motif with rubies embedded in it. The girls reached a spiral staircase that led to a huge door with the same emblem as by the entrance. As soon as the girls put the boss key in the door automatically opened and revealed a huge room with stained glass windows. As soon as they entered the room the door closed, and the Raven Berserker swooped down and drew his mighty ax after unleashing a loud screech. As soon as the battle began a very ominous tune began to play. Haruka unleashed her Flash Blade attack which put her behind the Raven and as she sheathed her sword a quarter of the boss's health bar was reduced. Lemon unleashed her fire magic while Turquoise performed a four-hit combo attack. As soon as the Berserker's health bar reached half its amount, he unleashed a much louder screech and prepared to use his ultimate attack.
"Ok ladies, are you ready for our Team attack?" Turquoise asked.
"As ready as I'll ever be," Lemon said.
"All set to go, love," Haruka said. The Raven Berserker unleashed its ultimate slash attack but this time he missed. While Turquoise and Haruka slashed him by the sides Lemon summoned a pentagram of fire beneath him and caught him in a pillar of fire thus finishing him. As soon as the boss got devirtualized a winner icon appeared and a green key with an emerald shaped like a bird embedded into it appeared.
"Ladies we just got the Celestial Key of Wind," Turquoise said as she grabbed it and placed it in her key items spot in her inventory. As the girls were leaving the Temple Turquoise got a notification that Twilight was on the voice chat channel. She answered it and was glad to hear Twilight.
"Good news and bad news girls," Twilight said.
"Let's hear the good news first," Turquoise said.
"Good news is I managed to remove the back door so no one else should cause any more problems," Twilight said.
"And the Bad News?" Turquoise asked.
"When I looked over the code for your game, I noticed they did not just remove the log-out button, but they also added some extra stuff on the fourth floor," Twilight replied.
"Great so whoever is messing with my code just left us a potentially deadly boss monster of their own to guard the exit" Turquoise said in frustration.
"Don't worry love whatever they left will be no match for us by the time we get there," Haruka said assumingly.
"But we don't know what is up there or what it can do," Lemon said.
"No matter what it is we three shall not yield," Turquoise said before she and her friends continued on their way back to Fenexia.
Meanwhile inside an abandoned Warehouse Nathan saw that his connection to turquoise's computer was cut off.
"Dang it, they must have found it, " Nathan said.
"You remembered to put it in place, right?" Gary asked.
"The hydra is in place," Nathan said.
"Good, hopefully we won't need it," Lowrance said. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | Crossing The Desert | 6/9/24 Floor 1: Vanaheim. Location: Fenrir Beach
The girls were relaxing on the beach south of Fenexia after fighting the Kraken that guarded the Celestial Key of Water.
"This may not be the beach day I had in mind but it's better than nothing," Lemon said.
"You said it, after fighting that Kraken it may be best to rest up for a day or two," Turquoise said.
"But what about getting home? What if someone tries anything before we reach the exit?" Haruka asked.
"Don't worry my dad has our entire security team guarding my room so no one will get to us," Turquoise said. As soon as the girls were done sunbathing they put their clothes back on and went back to Fenexia.
"Have you ever thought of adding clothing stores that sold actual clothes like swimsuits?" Lemon asked.
"There is a clothing store in Fenexia, we could have gone there first but you insisted we kept going. I will work on adding more in the next update but first, when we get back I am taking a break from this project," Turquoise replied.
"Sounds like a good idea," Haruka said.
"And on the subject of getting home, we have two options: we can either go to the Kitsune Temple in the Jagged Fjords or the Sand Temple in the Dessert of Demise," Turquoise said. The girls weighed their options and decided to go to the Sand Temple since they are already dressed for the weather there and could save their kroner. The girls returned to Fenexia to rest up at the inn to restore their HP.
The next day the Girls set off for the Dessert of Demise ready to go for the next Celestial Key. As soon as they crossed the border into the desert a sandstorm suddenly blew.
"This is bad," Lemon said.
"Tell me about it if we lose all our HP in this storm before reaching the temple we will have to walk back here all over again," Turquoise pointed out.
"Haven't you ever thought of putting some kind of shortcut or warp points in this game?" Lemon asked.
"Like I keep telling you this is just the development phase and besides I need to learn a lot more before I can properly release this game to the public," Turquoise replied.
"What more is there to learn? you pretty much have the technical skills no ordinary teenager would have," Lemon pointed out.
"True but that's not what I meant. I still need to learn about stuff like marketing and other business stuff if I want to make this Silver Corps new focus," Turquoise said as they made it out of the sand storm. The girls arrived at an area sheltered from the sandstorm by a bunch of tall rocks and inside that area were some ruins with a scorpion emblem.
"I assume this is the Sand Temple?" Haruka asked.
"Yep before we enter, are you girls familiar with debuffs?" Turquoise asked.
"You mean those status conditions like sleep, burn, and paralysis?" Lemon asked.
"Exactly, we will be dealing with one of those but unfortunately I forgot to supply the shop with the proper potions to deal with them," Turquoise replied.
"Are you saying we are going in there with no way of healing ourselves?" Lemon asked.
"I didn't say that, Lemon, check your skill tree there should be some healing arts unlocked by now," Turquoise replied. Lemon checked her skills and found a spell that heals debuffs. Lemon added it to her attack menu and then readied her staff. As soon as the girls entered they were suddenly ambushed by a swarm of desert wasps.
"Uh, Turquoise, why did you put wasps in the desert?" Lemon asked.
"I thought it went well with the whole poison theme which reminds me, watch out for the stingers, they will poison you if they hit you," Turquoise said.
"No duh miss entomologist," Lemon said as she shot one of them down with a fireball. As they kept cutting and blasting the wasps down more and more kept coming.
"Is there no end to these bugs?" Lemon shouted.
"We need to destroy the hive to stop the queen from reproducing them," Turquoise shouted.
"What does it look like?" Haruka asked.
"Look for an amber-colored object that looks out of place, Wasps always build their nests in the most inconvenient places," Turquoise replied. Lemon looked around and noticed the wasps were coming from the hall ahead of them then deduced that the hive was on the wall at the end of the hall.
"I think I found the hive. It must be on the wall at the end of the hallway but I need a clear shot so while you two keep the wasps off my back I will torch the hive," Lemon said. Turquoise and Haruka kept slashing the wasps giving Lemon a clear view of the hive. Lemon prepared her fire spell and then shot a barrage of fireballs into the hallway. Most of the fireballs missed while the last one slightly grazed the hive. Lemon was sure her spell failed until the hive began to burn from the fireball that grazed it. As the hive vanished the flow of wasps stopped. With the last of the Wasps defeated the girls proceeded to the door at the end of the hall. As soon as they entered the next room which was a central area with four stone statues of four different kinds of snakes.
"Snakes, why did it have to be snakes?" Haruka asked shakingly. The girls investigated the room and noticed the hollow chambers with dim torches inside the statue. Lemon came across a stone tablet with writing on it.
"Hey girls check this out, it might be a clue," Lemon said as Turquoise and Haruka came quickly. Lemon noticed the writing looked like some kind of hieroglyphics until she touched the tablet and a screen popped up with a translation of what was written. "Seek out the four serpent deities and relight the flames of hope only then shall the path to the great evil be revealed," Lemon read.
"Well, Turquoise, you made this game, any idea what that means?" Haruka asked.
"Simple we need to find the four mini-bosses and defeat them to relight the torches inside the statues and the way to the main boss will open up," Turquoise replied.
"So where do we start looking, love?" Haruka asked.
"Let's start with that one," Turquoise said, pointing to a door with a storm symbol above it. The girls entered the next room which turned out to be a room with a puzzle. Turquoise threw a stone and as soon as it landed on one of the tiles the walls slammed together and then returned to their original position.
"Well, Turquoise, what's the answer to this one?" Lemon asked.
"Now Lemon we can't keep asking for the answer, puzzles like these are part of the fun of games like this," Haruka said.
"Exactly, it's more fun and enjoyable to solve these things yourself instead of asking for the answer," Turquoise said. Lemon took a look at the tiles ahead and noticed there were images of snakes, frogs, spiders, scorpions, and armadillos carved into them. Lemon started thinking hard and then it dawned on her.
"I think I got it, all these creatures, what's the one thing most of them have in common?" Lemon asked.
"They all look scary and nasty?" Haruka replied.
"No, they are all poisonous creatures except for armadillos," Lemon said, feeling like she just did something cool.
"See Lemon, it's not so bad using your brain every once in a while," Haruka said. The girls jumped from one armadillo tile to another and made it to the other side safely. As soon as they entered the next room the door suddenly locked and a green Boomslang wearing a headdress with an emerald on it slithered into the room and unleashed a mighty hiss. As soon as the health bar appeared the first fight began. The Boomslang unleashed a mighty whirlwind that sent the girls into the wall damaging them a little.
"Can we even get close enough to hit the damn thing?" Lemon asked.
" We can if we work together, Lemon, remember that spell that won us the first key?" Turquoise asked.
"Yes, but for it to work the snake needs to be close to the blast radius," Lemon said.
"Leave that to me and Turquoise, you just focus on preparing that spell," Haruka said before she and Turquoise charged in and slashed the snake by the sides. As soon as the pentagram appeared Turquoise and Haruka retreated, and Lemon unleashed her fire pillar which burned through most of the Boomslang's HP. Haruka charged in and delivered the final blow which caused the snake to devirtualize and the headdress to fall which shattered the emerald and revealed a green flame that disappeared. Another door appeared and as soon as they went through it they were back inside the central room just in time to see the green flame appear and light the torch inside the Boomslang statue causing its eyes to glow green.
"One down three to go," Lemon said.
Meanwhile back in the real world, Lemon and Haruka's parents arrived after hearing about the situation. They were shocked to see all three girls unconscious on Turquoise's bed.
"Bullet why are the girls hooked up to some strange device?" Haruka's Mom asked.
"That would be Turquoise's nerve gear. She invited Lemon and Haruka to see the world she made and due to some intruders messing with her program they can't get out," Bullet explained.
"I knew I could not trust your daughter now look what she did," Michael said as he was about to try and remove the nerve gear by force only for Bullet and Haruka's Dad to hold him back.
"Are you crazy? if you try to remove it by force our little girls will end up getting their brains fried," Haruka's Dad shouted.
"Wow, I did not know you knew about tech like this?" Bullet said.
"We Japanese can make stuff like this in our sleep, I'm actually amazed your daughter actually made what we thought was just fictional," Haruka's Dad said.
"Our Turquoise always had a way with computers since she was little, one time she dismantled her grandfather's Telegraph to see how it worked and reassembled it good as new," Ruby said as she entered the room.
"How long have our daughters been in there?" Haruka's Mom asked.
"About eighteen hours now," Bullet said.
"Is there another way for them to get out of there?" Haruka's Dad asked.
"Turquoise said she put a temporary Emergency exit on the fourth floor of her game, and they are working towards getting there," Bullet replied.
"Well, how far are they from the exit?" Michael asked.
"So far they are on the third temple on the first floor, and they are making progress," Bullet replied while pointing to the screen showing the girls in action fighting a king cobra with a ruby embedded in its forehead.
Back in the game the girls were putting up a good fight, but this snake proved slightly more difficult since it had immunity to fire on account of the Ruby that was embedded into its body. Fortunately, Fire was not the only element Lemon had. Turquoise and Haruka gave lemon some time to change her element from fire to water which automatically changed her skills to ones of the corresponding element. Soon Lemon summoned a raging torrent of water that extinguished the king cobra's flame protection and allowed Turquoise and Haruka to deliver the final blow which resulted in the King cobra's devirtualization and for the Ruby to fall and shatter thus releasing the flame inside. After following the doorway back to the maid room, the girls saw the red flame light the torch inside the king cobra statue and caused its eyes to glow red.
"Ok Turquoise, What Attribute will the next mini boss be?" Lemon asked.
"Water," Turquoise said.
"In that case, let's try lightning," Lemon said while changing her element once again. The girls entered the next room which had a symbol of a raging flood over it. As soon as they entered, they noticed the layout of the room looked all distorted. "Who designed this room, Esher?
"I did and the answer to this one is to find the switch that will make this room look normal but will twist the next room," Turquoise said. The girls looked around and Haruka noticed a gem above a door and threw her katana at it. The successful hit caused the room to shake before everything began to move. Soon the room looked normal, and the door was easier to get to. The next room was a twisted corridor which was a straight shot with no hidden mechanism. As soon as they entered the next room a giant Cottonmouth with a Sapphire on its forehead slithered in ready to attack. Unfortunately, the girls did not have much room to dodge with all the water that was filling the room. The cotton mouth was also capable of shooting projectile blobs of poison which would cause poison status upon contact. Fortunately, the girls had enough room to stand.
"Ok girls stay by me, I'm going to try and zap this snake," Lemon said. Lemon unleashed a powerful lightning spell and while it may have failed to hit the snake it did hit the water which conducted it and electrocuted the snake enough to weaken its defenses. Turquoise used this opportunity to slice the snake's head off which resulted in its defeat. The snake vanished along with the water which caused the sapphire to fall and shatter. The girls returned to the center room where they saw the flame light the torch inside the cotton mouth statue which caused its eyes to glow blue. Before the girls could move on the sound of loud hissing was heard and a giant black mamba with an amethyst in its chest slithered in from the ceiling and landed on the floor.
Back in the real world, Bullet was surprised to see Turquoise programmed the fourth mini boss to appear inside the central room instead of its own room like the other three.
"Why would your daughter program such dangerous creatures to appear in her game?" Haruka's mom asked.
"She is a perfectionist, she always likes to make sure everything is on point, in this case, the theme of the dungeon is poison so what better creatures to fight then the king of all venomous creatures," Bullet said.
"But why did she have to make this one tougher than the others," Micheal asked.
"It's a video game, it has to be challenging or it won't be any fun," Ruby said.
"Let's just hope the girls can beat that thing," Haruka's dad said.
Back in the game, the girls were all confused by the afterimages the snake created. Lemon suddenly had an idea.
"Shield your eyes ladies because I am about to light things up," Lemon said as she sent a ball of light flying upwards while Turquoise and Haruka covered their eyes. As soon as the light filled the room Lemon kept her eyes on the snakes and noticed the one by the center cast a shadow. "Ok girls attack the one in the center, that's the real one," Lemon shouted before Turquoise and Haruka delivered the final blow. As soon as the final snake vanished the final torch was lit, and the center of the altar opened revealing a staircase leading deeper beneath the temple.
"How did you know that trick would work?" Haruka asked Lemon.
"Everyone knows solid objects cast a shadow when they are in front of a light. When I realized this was an illusion, I knew the real one must have been hiding somewhere," Lemon explained.
"So, you used an illumination spell to flush him out, very clever," Haruka said. The girls went down the passageway and noticed the chest containing the boss key was in a room with bars on it. After Lemon leaned against one of the sides the room began to spin. Haruka suddenly figured it out. After spinning the room enough, the girls got the boss key and proceeded to the boss chamber. As soon as they entered, they noticed the room was full of sand, and in the middle of it was what looked like a giant stinger. The stinger started to twitch, and a giant scorpion monster came out of the sand ready to fight. As soon as the fight started the girls charged in only to get stung. They each noticed a purple icon with a skull and crossbones appear by their HP meters and felt like they were losing health gradually.
"Lemon, do you still have that spell I told you about?" Turquoise asked.
"Yes, and it's ready to go," Lemon replied before casting it and healing everyone. After they were healed, they focused on dodging the stinger while attacking. As soon as they reached the halfway mark the Scorpion unleashed a roar that caused the room to fill with more sand. The girls kept fighting and Haruka delivered the final blow. As soon as the Scorpion vanished the sand in the room began to drain and the ceiling opened up before the platform began to rise leading the girls back outside with the Celestial key of Earth. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | Heading North | After returning from the Desert of Demise Turquoise shows Lemon and Haruka the clothing store she was talking about. Lemon was impressed with the selection Turquoise programmed.
"How did you manage to create some amazing outfits?" Lemon asked.
"Just some ideas that came to me while I was brainstorming ideas for the fashion design contest," Turquoise replied. Turquoise told the girls that the next dungeon was in the Jagged Fjords and that it was twenty below up there. Turquoise bought a gray fox fur cloak that went over her dress while Haruka went with a kimono with fur trim which caused Turquoise to smile a little.
"Are you sure I can still fight in this? Kimonos aren't usually designed for combat." Haruka asked.
"This one was and the fur that was sewn into these comes from the tails of the kitsune spirit that watches over the Kitsune Temple in the north so we should be safe from the weather damage," Turquoise replied. As they were talking Lemon comes out wearing a white witches' dress with fur. "Impressive choice.
"Thank you I thought it was," Lemon said. With their clothing now prepared for the frozen north, the girls left Fenexia and began the long Journey to the city of Glacia.
Meanwhile back in the real world, the interrogation of Vicky was still in progress with Vicky refusing to crack.
"We have been at this for over a day now, she refuses to talk, "One of the guards said.
"You are right, everything we tried yielded no results," The other guard said.
"What else can we do?" The first guard asked.
"Turn it over to the police, hopefully they can get somewhere," The other guard said before dialing the number. Sometime later officer Shining Armor came to the mansion along with a few other officers. The guards explained everything to them and they took Vicky into their custody.
"We will inform you of any details when we get them," Shining armor said as he and his men took Vicky with them.
Meanwhile back in Fenos Turquoise, Lemon, and Haruka left the inn ready to take on the next temple. Before leaving Glacia they stopped by a weapon shop to buy better equipment since the starter set is not strong enough to take on the next wave of enemies they may face. Turquoise bought a broadsword with a fire gem embedded in it while Haruka bought a nodachi also with a fire gem and Lemon bought a staff with a fox motif that also had a fire gem.
"I know I mentioned this back at the water temple but the creatures all have elements. but what I neglected to mention is that you can inflict more damage if your element is superior to your enemy's element," Turquoise explained.
"You mean like a type advantage?" Lemon asked.
"We could not take advantage of that since our levels were not high enough to get some better gear back then," Turquoise replied. The girls set off for the Jagged Fjords and just as they left Glacia another blizzard blows.
"Why did you program this area to have frequent blizzards?" Lemon asked.
"I wanted to make this area challenging and it's twenty below zero so naturally there will be snowstorms and blizzards," Turquoise replied.
"In any case is it safe to cross in these conditions?" Haruka asked.
"Of course it is, do you see those poles up ahead," Turquoise replied pointing to a silhouette of a pole.
"I do," Haruka said.
"Those are guide markers. If we follow them we will reach the temple without falling into the frozen lake we are standing on," Turquoise said while tying the three of them together. "This is to make sure we don't lose each other in the blizzard. The girls began following the poles while treading carefully. The last pole was in sight but just before they could reach it the ice gave way beneath Haruka and caused her to fall into the frozen lake causing her hp to drop gradually. Lemon was about to use her magic until Turquoise stopped her. "Bad idea Lemon if you use your power here you will cause the ice to break more and sink us as well.
"Well, what are we supposed to do?" Lemon asked.
"Hang on to the rope I'm going to save Haruka," Turquoise said before jumping in to save her fiance. Turquoise swam as fast as she could to reach Haruka in time and managed to reach her in time. Both of their hp were down to half and Turquoise while carrying Haruka swam back to solid ground with only twenty hp left while Haruka had five left. After the girls made it out of the blizzard Lemon spotted a cave nearby and went ahead to check for enemies. After five minutes of fighting a pack of Snow Wolves by herself, Lemon looked just as damaged as her friends. The girls decided to set up camp inside the cave while they restored their health. Turquoise pulled out some wood and had Lemon blast it with her fire magic to start a campfire.
"Thanks for saving me love," Haruka said, feeling a bit warmer now.
"You're always saving me so I guess it was my turn to be the rescuer," Turquoise replied.
"You two stay here, I'm going to gather some ingredients for some food," Lemon said before leaving the cave.
"Dare we ask what she is cooking?" Haruka said sarcastically, trying to stay awake.
"Stay with me love," Turquoise said, also trying to stay awake. Turquoise and Haruka huddled together and wrapped Turquoise's fox cloak around themselves to keep warm. A few minutes later Lemon comes back to see Turquoise and Haruka bundled together lovingly in front of the fire. Lemon quietly places a stew pot over the fire so as to not disturb her friends. She then tosses in a combination of an apple, Sugarcane, goat butter, and fenexian wheat then watches as the ingredients bounce around in the pot before turning into an apple pie. Lemon repeated the process several times until she made enough to get them through the next temple. Turquoise and Haruka woke up to the smell of something sweet and noticed Lemon by the fire warming herself up.
"Glad to see you lovebirds are finally awake," Lemon said.
"What smells so good?" Haruka asked.
"While you two were sleeping I decided to whip up some food for the next temple and something to restore your health," Lemon said while giving them each some pie.
"I see you found the skill system without me mentioning it," Turquoise said while eating.
"When I used my share of our money to get supplies I noticed a part in the description that mentioned using some of them as ingredients for cooking so I also bought this stew pot for us to use," Lemon said.
"Way to think ahead Lemon and very good pie," Haruka said.
Sometime later at the Equine County Police Station, Vicky was now in a real interrogation room when suddenly two police officers came into the room.
"Ok lady, start talking, who are you working for?" The first officer asked.
"My lips are sealed," Vicky said.
"You know by refusing to talk, your just going to make things worse for yourself," The second officer said.
"Yeah well I will not break since I know you can't hurt me," Vicky said feeling invincible because of the fact she was a woman and the two officers were men. Suddenly the second officer grabbed Vicky by the throat and slammed her into the wall real hard which caused her to bleed and cough up blood.
"Ok bitch either you start talking or else we will resort to more painful methods than just physical violence," The second officer said before his partner tried to stop him.
"What the hell Sanchez? We are supposed to be getting information from her, not rough her up like that," the first officer said.
"You heard what she said, if we want answers then we need to show this bitch she is not safe and she can't get away with saying something like that," Sanchez said.
"We will get answers, but beating her up won't accomplish that," The first officer said.
"What exactly are you suggesting? "Sanchez asked.
"Go take a coffee break, I will handle this," The first officer said before Sanchez left. The first officer then left to find a first aid kit since letting Vicky bleed out would kill her and letting her die would mean losing leads on the case. After he patched her up he spoke. Please forgive my partner, he can be a loose cannon most of the time.
"He should have his badge revoked for hurting me," Vicky said. The first officer decided to change strategies to see if asking different questions might trick her into giving him the answers he needs.
"Sanchez aside, let's talk," The first officer said.
"I told you, I'm not talking, "Vicky said.
"I'm not talking about the case, let's talk about you, do you have family?" The first officer asked.
"I have a brother," Vicky said.
"And what does he do for a living?" the first officer asked.
"He is the head of Silver Corp's Tech Division," Vicky said not realizing that the officer just tricked her into giving him a potential suspect.
"And when was the last time you spoke to him?" The officer asked.
"About two days ago," Vicky said.
"What did you discuss?" The officer asked.
"We caught up and mostly talked about the direction of our lives since our parents passed away," Vicky said.
"Anything else?" The officer asked.
"That's it, although he did complain about how he was not happy about the changes that were approaching," Vicky said which really got the officer interested since this could lead towards a motive.
"Changes?" The officer asked.
"At his job, He was upset that once the current CEO of Silver Corp steps down, his daughter will take over and change the direction of Silver Corp," Vicky said.
"Thank you for the chat," The officer said before leaving.
"Wait, what about me?" Vicky asked.
"I will have Sanchez take you back to your cell when he is done with his break, you are not in the clear yet," The officer said. As soon as he left the room, shining Armor was waiting for him.
"How is the interrogation going?" Shining asked.
"A bit dark, but thankfully I managed to get some useful info out of it," The officer said.
"Let's hear it, "Shining said.
"Vicky mentioned her brother who is the head of Silver Corp's Tech Division," The officer said.
"What does that have to do with the case?" Shining asked.
"Plenty, especially since her brother has a motive for imprisoning the CEO's daughter and her two friends in that virtual world," The officer said. The officer filled in Shining on his findings which meant it was back to the Silver Mansion to talk with Bullet.
Meanwhile inside the game, the girls were camping out inside the cave since it was nighttime and the temperature outside was too cold for them to continue.
"Are you sure we will be safe here?" Lemon asked.
"This cave is a sheltered area, so as long as we stay in here, the blizzard outside cannot hurt us," Turquoise said.
"I was meaning to ask, but aside from the inns and the campfires, what other options do you have for save points?" Haruka asked.
"I do have this idea for items that allow players to construct instant rooms while traveling," Turquoise said.
"And these rooms, are they pre furnished or do the players furnish them themselves?" Haruka asked.
"They furnish the room themselves. My goal is to create a game that provides the players with as much freedom as possible. I noticed a lot of games on the market tend to have only ready-made content and characters and not much customization.
"Right and where can we find these items for this instant room?" Lemon asked, quite intrigued.
"That has not been programmed into the game yet since I'm still in the development phase," Turquoise said.
"What else do you intend to include?" Haruka asked.
"That is all for now," Turquoise said. The girls decided to rest up and tackle the fourth dungeon in the morning when the blizzard has died down and the weather is more favorable. Despite how cold and hard the ground felt the girls were able to sleep peacefully thanks to the fire inside the cave. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | Climbing to New Heights | After resting for a night, Turquoise and her party were ready for the Kitsune Temple.
"How much further do we have to go?" Lemon asked.
"Based on our current position it's not far just up that mountain," Turquoise said, pointing to a mountain.
"What do you call that mountain?" Haruka asked.
"That is Mt. Sora, named after the Kitsune Goddess who guided the Fennecs back in ancient times," Turquoise said before they reached the beginning of the path up the mountain. Turquoise explained that the higher they went the colder things would get and that the enemies ahead specialize in Ice based attacks. Despite the danger, they kept going. After fighting their way through Wolves and Ice Golems the girls arrive in front of a Japanese-style temple with a red gate of the same origin. As soon as they went through the gate a woman with white skin, long white hair with matching fox ears and nine tails of the same color wearing a long white kimono with snowflakes on it appeared before them.
"Welcome travelers I've been expecting you," The woman said.
"I did not know there were other players in the game?" Lemon said.
"There isn't, this is an NPC just like the shopkeepers and Inn staff," Turquoise said.
"I sense you are looking for something, might it be the Celestial Key of Ice?" The NPC asked.
"We are," Turquoise replied.
"Then I'm afraid I can't give it to you because the Temple has been overrun by an evil presence and I can't fight it," The NPC Said.
"Then we will fight it and get that key," Haruka said.
"Thank you, brave travelers, best of luck, and be careful," The NPC said Before vanishing. The girls entered the Temple and suddenly felt immense pressure after seeing a ton of black gunk everywhere.
"What the heck is this stuff?" Lemon asked.
"Liquid Darkness, it has a mind of its own, and even though I feel I don't need to say this but don't touch it or it will damage you," Turquoise explained.
"How do we get rid of it?" Haruka asked.
"Once the boss of this temple is defeated it will all go away but for now if you hit its weak points the areas connected will vanish," Turquoise demonstrated as she stabbed a green eyeball that was attached to the Darkness thus clearing the way forward. As soon as they reached the next room A bunch of Ice creatures attacked them. After fighting off all the creatures the Girls arrive in the next room. Before continuing the girls took a break to replenish their health. After everyone was back to full health the Girls kept going and arrived at two doors, a red one and a white one. Between the doors was a sign with a clue of which way to go.
"Follow the path of the Kitsune Goddess and you will find your prize," Lemon read. Haruka figured that the doors were referring to her element so they thought about what she looked like.
"I remember she was white-skinned and had white fur and hair," Lemon said.
"That is not enough, it could be either element," Haruka said until it suddenly hit her. "That's it, her kimono. It had snowflake patterns so the answer must be the door of ice. Haruka opened the door and found a path leading to a hallway. The girls entered and arrived in front of the boss's room. As soon as they entered the doors behind them closed and a black dragon covered in Liquid Darkness appeared and unleashed a loud roar.
Meanwhile, back in the real world, everyone was watching the boss fight on screen.
"Come on Turquoise I know you can do better than that," Bullet shouted after seeing her get hit by a blast of darkness.
"Whoa easy Bullet I'm worried about our daughter as much as you are but you don't have to yell," Ruby said.
"Sorry force of habit," Bullet said.
"In any case, all we can do is hope for the best," Haruka's dad said. Everyone was on edge after seeing the girls and the dragon trade blows. Despite how close to defeat they were, the Girls unleashed their team attack and finished the dragon off.
After they beat the Dragon all the Liquid Darkness inside the temple vanished. Suddenly a light appeared and the lady from earlier appeared.
"Well done brave Travelers you saved my beloved Temple," The woman said as she landed on the ground elegantly.
"Your Temple?" Lemon asked.
"I forgot to introduce myself earlier. I'm Sora, The Kitsune Goddess of this temple and the first queen of the Fennecs," Sora said as she summoned a ball of light in her hand. "I believe this is what you came here for. The ball of light transformed into the Celestial Key of Ice. Turquoise grabbed the key and placed it in her inventory. Suddenly Sora approached Turquoise and looked intrigued by her. "I sense the royal bloodline in you Fennec Knight tell me what is your name?
"It's Turquoise," Turquoise replied.
"Well, Turquoise I can tell you have what it takes to be the next Queen of the Fennecs so please take this as well I believe it will help you on your quest," Sora said as a little white Nine-Tailed Fox appeared. Sora Told Turquoise to put her hand on the fox's head to bond with it. After a few seconds of bonding Turquoise now had a pet to aid her in combat. "Well done Turquoise now to complete the contract you must name your Spirit Pet. A screen appeared in front of Turquoise. Turquoise typed the name Brigid and after hitting the confirm button Sora spoke again. "I wish you and Bridig the best of luck in your quest Princess Turquoise of the Fennecs. Before they could go, Sora stopped them. "And one last thing, before you go I noticed you now have all four Celestial Keys for this realm.
"We do," Turquoise said.
"Then you must head to the stairway to the next realm which is located between the capital and the beach. I will send you back to the Capital if you want," Sora said. The girls accepted Sora's offer and were encased in a sphere of light before vanishing. Minutes later they appeared in front of the Inn in Fenexia. The girls went into the Inn to rest up and change out of their winter wear. As soon as they settled in, Lemon asked Turquoise something.
"What was that thing with the fox?" Lemon asked.
"That is the pet system you see players have the option to assign creatures I call Spirit Pets to their side. These pets have unique abilities, some restore health during battle some have elemental or special attacks and many other abilities you will learn about later," Turquoise replied.
"So what does Brigid do?" Haruka asked.
"She is an Ice Elemental so her abilities are offensive and defensive Ice Attacks and one last thing you may find useful, Spirit Pets also gain Experience and Levels and the higher the level the more powerful attacks they unlock," Turquoise said. With the explanation of Spirit Pets finished, the Girls all turned in.
Meanwhile back in the real world Bullet was talking with Shining Armor about the new information regarding Vicky's involvement in what trapped turquoise and her friends inside the game. What shining told Bullet was quite a shock to him.
"It can't be him, Nathan told me his parents were dead and he had no other living relatives," Bullet said.
"Well Vicky told us she was his sister and that they spoke a couple of days ago," Shining said.
"I need to call him and get to the bottom of this," Bullet said before calling him. Unfortunately, Bullet got his voice mail which meant Nathan either had his phone off or on silent.
Meanwhile in a resort in Osaka. Nathan noticed Bullet was trying to call him and ignored it before turning his phone off.
"Do you think your sister ratted us out?" Gary asked.
"There is no way that can be the case, the guards at the mansion are not equipped to handle interrogations," Nathan said.
"Yes but the police are and they are not gentle especially with women," Jackson said.
"Even if she did, what can they do about it? We are all the way in Japan, they can't arrest us since they have no proof it was us," Nathan said.
"Especially since we destroyed the evidence," Jackson said. The Nefarious Five were definitely going to enjoy the next few months of vacation time they had since legally they are entitled to using their vacation days whenever they wanted.
Meanwhile back in the states, Bullet kept trying but was not getting through.
"Ugh, where is he? The center of the earth?" Bullet said in frustration.
"Is there someone else you can try?" Shining asked. Bullet thought for a moment and decided to try calling his company's HR guy. Luckily he did pick up.
"Hello?" The HR guy said.
"Yes Matt, this is Bullet calling, Is Nathan there?" Bullet asked.
"I'm afraid he is not," Matt said.
"Where Is he then?" Bullet asked.
"He and the other four members of your board of directors decided to use some of their vacation days which they have a lot of," Matt said.
"Did they at least tell you where they were going?" Bullet asked.
"No, they were quite vague on that," Matt said. Bullet hung up in frustration.
"Anything? "Shining asked.
"Other than Nathan and the other four members of my board deciding to take their vacation now of all times, not much else.
"Damn it, He must have known his sister would squeal on him so he fled the country, "Shining said.
"Now hold on, how are we certain they did it?" Bullet asked.
We can't be certain, For all we know Vicky could have been lying to us," Shining said. Shining and his men decided that since Nathan was unreachable they were going to charge the whole crime on Vicky since no other suspects were around. The police left and Bullet returned to Turquoise's room to tell them the news.
"So what did the police have to say?" Ruby asked.
"Well Vicky tried to throw Nathan under the bus but since he and my board of directors have decided to take some vacation time she alone will be charged for imprisoning our girls," Bullet said.
Back in Fenexia, the girls woke up ready to continue their journey. After getting everything they needed the Girls went south and then turned right. After fighting the low-level monsters along the path they reached a white tower that went into the sky.
" Since when was this here?" Lemon asked.
"It has always been here you see Lemon. Each floor has a tower just like this one that is placed under a four-prong seal that can only be broken once you gather all four Celestial Keys," Turquoise explained.
"And the four locks on the tower?" Haruka asked.
"Remember when I said the main quest was to gather the gems that give the Sword of Naturia its power well those gems are locked inside the base of the towers," Turquoise said while placing the four keys inside the locks and then turning them in a specific pattern. A secret compartment on the tower opened and inside was a sapphire with a symbol for water on it. Turquoise took it and slid it into the indent on the tower causing a door leading to a spiral staircase to open. After the door opened Turquoise put the Sapphire in her inventory and she and her friends climbed the stairs.
" So love, how far did you program these stairs to go?" Haruka asked.
"Above the cloud layer is an invisible barrier that separates this floor and the next one and this tower goes through a hole in that barrier," Turquoise replied.
"Why put a barrier when no one can fly?" Lemon asked.
"Because one of the nine races I programmed into the game is a species of bird-people with the power of flight and since I know someone is going to try to cheat their way through the game with that power I needed an iron-clad security measure thus the need for a barrier," Turquoise replied. After what felt like hours of walking the girls reached the top of the tower. As soon as they opened the door they were greeted by the sight of an open field with a small town off on the horizon. "Ladies, welcome to Svartalfheim. Turquoise explained that Svartaifhiem was the realm of the Wolf People who were skilled craftsmen and blacksmiths. After hearing everything about Floor Two Lemon asked what was in the town up ahead. "That town is called Lycan and it's the starting point of the floor so far it only consists of an inn and a few shops and homes. After arriving in Lycan the girls went straight to the Inn the rest up for the night. This inn felt different then the one back on the first floor. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | welcome to Floor Two | Turquoise and Haruka woke up ready to continue the quest while Lemon was still asleep. Haruka tried to wake up Lemon but she did not budge.
"Who knew Lemon was a heavy sleeper," Haruka said.
"She isn't, I think climbing all those stairs tired her out," Turquoise said. While Lemon was tossing and turning she grabbed onto Brigid's tails and cuddled with them calling them fluffy fluff. Brigid did not like having her tails touched and unleashed some very cold air from her body causing Lemon to jolt right out of bed.
"Jesus Criest what was that for Brigid were you trying to put me into cryogenic sleep?" Lemon asked.
"You tried to cuddle with her fluffy fluff and she did not like it but glad to see you awake," Turquoise replied while quoting the fluffy fluff part. The girls all left the Inn and went to explore Lycan. Haruka found a blacksmith shop that sold armor which the girls were glad to find. As soon as they entered they were greeted by a pink haired wolf girl wearing a blacksmith's apron with her shop's logo on it.
"Welcome to my humble shop ladies here for some armor?" The wolf girl asked.
"We sure are," Lemon said.
"You girls are in luck. I just finished making some armor from my latest batch of Earth Dragon Excrement," The Wolf Girl said before the armor appeared before them. Turquoise and Haruka bought some and equipped it, transforming the armored parts of their outfits into black metal that was slightly heavier. "You girls have a nice day and may the goddess bless you.
Meanwhile back in the real world. Bullet and the other parents were quite worried since it's already been two days now.
"Hey Bullet? Where did you say Turquoise put that exit?" Michael asked.
"Floor four," Bullet asked.
"Ok but they are on floor two now, is there a faster way to get there?" Michael asked.
"I wish I knew but Turquoise designed this world so you are going to have to ask her," Bullet said.
"They need to hurry, look at their bodies," Ruby said, referring to how the girls looked slightly skinnier than two days ago.
"What is happening to them?" Micheal asked.
"Fasting, Haruka's mom said.
"What is that?" Bullet asked.
"It's when the body becomes devoid of nutrients from lack of consumption and as a result begins eating away at itself to maintain energy," Haruka's mom said.
"Ok but is it a bad thing?" Bullet asked.
"Not really but it is unhealthy and often leads to vomiting," Haruka's mom said.
"But that's not our only concern, " Haruka's dad said.
"What else is there?" Bullet asked.
"It has to do with the power supply for the nerve gear, if it runs out our girls might die," Haruka's Dad said.
"Let's just hope they can make it out before then," Ruby said.
Meanwhile back in the game Turquoise and her group arrived in front of a stairway leading up a tall mountain.
"Are you kidding me more stairs?" Lemon whined.
"Quit whining Lemon," Haruka said.
I'm not whining, I'm complaining," Lemon retorted.
"Either way we need to keep moving. It's already been two days and I fear if we don't get to the exit before the power runs out we may die," Turquoise said. After hearing the urgency of the situation the group started climbing the stairs. After what felt like an hour of climbing stairs the girls arrived at a Japanese temple with the kanji for fire above the gate. As soon as the girls entered the temple the temperature rose by thirty degrees. Despite the rise in heat, the girls were just fine.
"How are we not burning up from this sweltering climate?" Lemon asked.
"It's the armor we just bought it was made to withstand temperatures below 2000 degrees so as long as we keep it on we should be fine but we must hurry right now the temperature is at 130 degrees and if it exceeds 2000 our armor will melt and we will lose all our health instantly," Turquoise pointed out. The girls fought their way through many fire monsters and as soon as they reached the halfway point inside the temple a giant phoenix appeared and unleashed a mighty screech before firing flaming feathers at them like they were knives. After dodging them Lemon fired a water spell at the Phoenix causing a small amount of damage.
"That was a water attack it should have done more damage than that," Lemon said frantically.
"It's this intense heat, the room is built like a giant oven designed to trap the heat inside. As long as we are in this room all damage from water attacks is cut in half," Turquoise pointed out.
"Let me guess because of the air being too hot to gather moisture from it?" Haruka asked.
"Exactly, normally water beats fire but if the air is too hot the water just fizzles out," Turquoise further explained. As soon as the girls reached the halfway mark on the Phoenix's health bar it switched from its wing attack to a fireball attack. The girls dodged most of the fireballs but some of them landed and reduced them to ten percent health except for Haruka who was focusing her energy. The Phoenix unleashed a massive fireball and launched it at the girls. Just when it looked like it was about to be over Haruka unleashed her power and sent the fireball back at the Phoenix causing it to reduce to ash.
"You did it Haruka, you beat the mini boss," Lemon said joyfully. Just as the girls were about to leave the ashes began to form into a ball and out of the ball came a red and orange bird the size of a hawk wearing a ruby necklace. Haruka then got a notification asking if she wanted to bond with the bird.
"Should I do it, love?" Haruka asked Turquoise.
"It was you who delivered the decisive blow so it's all yours," Turquoise said. Haruka hit yes and placed her hand on the bird's head thus bonding with it. As soon as the name screen appeared Haruka typed the name Taka and completed the contract now giving Haruka a Spirit Pet of her own.
"What does your new friend do?" Lemon asked. Haruka pulled out her menu and looked at Taka's stats.
"Taka is a Fire Elemental with some impressive attack stats," Haruka said. The girls pressed on and after many monsters arrived in a room where the boss key was but the catch for this one was it was in pieces and needed to be reassembled.
"You couldn't just leave the key in one piece? "Lemon asked.
"This is the fire temple plus this kind of puzzle makes it more challenging," Turquoise said as she picked up the first piece which was the back part. The girls searched the room and as soon as they found the other two pieces placed them in the mold. Haruka instantly picked up on what they had to do.
"I see now, we have to reforge the key," Haruka said.
"How do you know that?" Lemon asked.
"My great grandfather was a blacksmith, so I recognize the tools of his trade," Haruka said before pouring magma into the mold. Sometime later the magma drained, and a new boss key was forged. Once the girls had the key it was time to keep moving. They arrived back in the main room of the temple but this time a new passageway opened up for them. Once they reached the end of it, they arrived at the boss door. Haruka used this opportunity to equip Taka before they unlocked the door. Once they entered the boss room the door closed. The inside looked like decayed ruins littered with bones and a huge pile of gold and diamonds in the center. Suddenly the sound of wings flapping echoed through the room and descending from the opening above was a dragon with red scales and green eyes who unleashed a mighty roar. The girls began by attacking it but its thick scales lessened the damage. Turquoise decided to try one of Brigid's elemental attacks.
"Bridgid, unleash Diamond Blizzard," Turquoise commanded. Bridgid began channeling her power before the room was suddenly filled with a powerful blizzard that managed to affect the dragon. Unfortunately, Bridgid's power was not powerful enough to do much damage as indicated by the scales being cracked instead of shattering.
"Now's our chance, "Haruka said before the girls focused their attacks on the cracked areas. This time the dragon took more damage. The fight continued until Haruka and Taka delivered the final blow which resulted in the dragon crashing into the mountain of gold before exploding. The gold began to come tumbling down before revealing the Celestial Key of Fire.
"The dragon had the key buried under there the whole time?" Lemon asked in shock.
"Exactly, you know you can't have it until you defeat the boss," Turquoise said.
"Well, we got the first key for this floor, What's next?" Haruka asked.
"We return to the village and decide on the next dungeon," Turquoise said.
"Don't tell me we have to go back down those stairs again?" Lemon asked.
"I'm afraid so," Turquoise said, which Lemon was not looking forward to.
Meanwhile back in the real world. Twilight was typing away on her laptop working on something when Rainbow Dash spoke to her.
"So, what's the resident egghead working on this time?" Rainbow asked.
"Tracking software," Twilight said nonchalantly.
"What far?" Rainbow asked.
"To help my brother, "Twilight said. "He told me the case involving Turquoise and her friend went cold due to the prime suspect fleeing the country so I'm working on something that will help track them down.
"Ok but even if you find them how will you bring them here, you're not going to just reach out and pull them into the computer are you?" Rainbow asked.
"Of course not, that is scientifically impossible and unrealistic," Twilight said.
"I was kidding, sheesh you eggheads really need to learn how to take a joke," Rainbow said. Suddenly the rest of their friends came into the room.
"What are you working on Twilight?" Sunset asked.
"Tracking software to help my brother find this Nathan guy," Twilight said.
"And just how in tarnation will you accomplish that?" Applejack asked.
"By tracking the source of that backdoor Vicky installed, Nathan has to have the file for it in his laptop or something, "Twilight said as she finished her program.
"Even if you find them, how are you going to bring them here?" Sunset asked.
"I'm not, that is the police department's job, I'm just the tracker," Twilight said as she plugged the flash drive that was confiscated from Vicky into her laptop.
"Uh are you sure that's a wise idea? Won't someone access your computer?" Fluttershy asked.
"A door in is also a door out so I'm using my program to follow that door back to its source," Twilight said. Sometime later the program managed to find Nathan's location and when it came up, she was shocked. "Big brother, come quick. Shining ran into the room fast.
"What is it Twily? You sound like you found something huge, "Shining said.
"You're not far off," Twilight said before showing Shining her results.
"Nice work Twily, unfortunately we still can't do anything," Shining said.
"And why not?" Rainbow asked.
"The Nefarious Five are now in a foreign country which means they are now out of our jurisdiction," Shining said.
"Nefarious five?" Fluttershy asked.
"That's the nickname Bullet gave his board of directors," Shining said.
"There has to be something we can do?" Rainbow said.
"Unless those five are either deported back here or come back willingly, it's out of our hands, "Shining said before he left.
"There must be something we can do?" Sunset asked.
"Maybe not here but luckily I know someone in Japan," Twilight said.
"Who?" Sunset asked.
"My pen pal Kimiko, "Twilight said.
"Did you say Pen pal?" Sunset asked.
"For my international studies class back at Crystal Prep, we hit it off quite nicely over zoom, Luckily I can still reach her," Twilight said before doing so. A bit later a girl dressed in a school uniform appeared on Twilight's screen.
"Konichiwa Twilight-Chan," The girl said.
"Long time no see Kimiko," Twilight said.
"What have you been up to lately?" Kimiko asked.
"Right now, helping my brother with a cold case involving five gentlemen and another friend of mine, "Twilight said. She showed Kimiko the pictures of the nefarious five which caught Kimiko's attention.
"I saw those five at my parents' resort," Kimiko said.
"That's great, now we need to bring them back to our country to face justice," Twilight said.
"I will see what I can do and inform you should something happen, it was nice seeing you again Twilight, Sayonara, "Kimiko said before ending the video call.
"Hopefully we can end this nightmare soon," Twilight said. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | A howling Good Time | Turquoise and the girls were now discussing their options for the next dungeon to take on.
"Ok ladies, we have three options," Turquoise said before pulling out a map of the floor. "One: The Fang Catacombs in Fenrir's Rest, Two: The Howling Caverns to the east, Three: Black fang's Stronghold on Malamute Island. The girls weighed their options.
"Are there any more stairs involved in any of them?" Lemon asked, clearly expressing her stair induced trauma.
"The catacombs will involve going underground so there will be stairs there," Turquoise said.
"Then scratch that off the list because I have had enough stairs for a while," Lemon said.
"Wait underground? I thought we were on the second floor. "Haruka asked.
"We are but think of the floors as different worlds," Turquoise said.
"What do you mean?" Lemon asked.
"I mean the structure of each floor is its own space with an underground and everything," Turquoise said.
"Oh, that makes sense," Lemon said.
"Anyway, since the catacombs are a no go for now, that leaves the cavern or the stronghold, "Turquoise said.
"I say we go for the cavern," Lemon said.
"Me too," Haruka said.
"Then the Howling Caverns it is then," Turquoise said.
"This one does not involve stairs, right?" Lemon asked.
"Relax, it's just an elevator ride down, "Turquoise said. The girl went east of the village and fought many mid-level monsters. Lemon looked quite jealous of Turquoise and Haruka since they had animal companions, and she did not.
"Hey Turquoise? How does the spirit pet system work or more specifically how do you acquire them?" Lemon asked.
"The way it works is with some monsters, when you defeat them, they will want to form a contract with you," Turquoise explained.
"But you did not acquire Bridgid that way, "Lemon said.
"She was a special case since I programmed Sora to give the Glacis Vulpis to any female Fennec knight that beats her dungeon, "Turquoise said.
"So, in other words, Bridgid is a special item acquired through meeting certain conditions," Lemon said.
"Exactly," Turquoise said.
"What about Taka? "Haruka asked.
"The Ignis Avian is a creature that has a 50% chance of bonding when defeated," Turquoise explained.
"Where are you getting these names from?" Haruka asked.
"Mostly from combining names of elements with scientific names of species," Turquoise said.
"And what are the odds of finding one of these creatures where we are going?" Lemon asked.
"Pretty good, why? Do you want your own pet?" Turquoise asked.
"You have your fox, Haruka has her hawk, and I have nothing, so yes, " Lemon said.
"Then if we ever find a boss monster that can bond then we leave the finishing blow to you," Turquoise said. Soon the sound of whistling was heard.
"What's that whistling sound? "Lemon asked.
"That lemon would be our destination, The howling caverns, "Turquoise said as they reached a giant cave that looked like three wolves' heads facing three directions. "The reason for the name is because of the sound the caves make when the wind blows through the holes in the rock.
"Anything special about this dungeon?" Haruka asked.
"One thing, a special melody is needed to complete this dungeon," Turquoise said.
"Oh, a music challenge, now that sounds like my area of expertise," Lemon said.
"Glad you're excited," Turquoise said as they entered the cave. The first thing the girls noticed was a music score etched into the wall of the cave.
"Is this the song?" Lemon asked.
"You're the music expert you tell me," Turquoise said, testing Lemon's knowledge of music. Lemon sounded the notes out and when she reached the end, she caught on to what Turquoise intended for this dungeon.
"This is only part of a song," Lemon said.
"Where is the rest of it?" Haruka asked.
"That is the objective for this dungeon, to find the four parts of the song and play it through the whole cave," Turquoise said.
"And how do we do that? "Lemon asked.
"You will see once we get to that part," Turquoise said before using a device that looked like a camera of some kind to take a picture of the score.
"What is that device?" Haruka asked.
"It's called a holo-cap. It's a camera that can display the pictures it takes in 3D holograms which allows you to see the image from all angles," Turquoise explained.
"Looks kind of sci-fi for a fantasy game," Haruka pointed out.
"The next floor will have more stuff like this, I got this one from the merchant back in the village," Turquoise said.
"In any case, let's get this dungeon started, "Lemon said, full of excitement.
Back in the real world, Lemon and Haruka's parents arrived just in time to see the girls enter the next dungeon.
"How are the girls doing?" Lemon's mom asked.
"They just started the second dungeon on the second floor.," Bullet said.
"What kind of horrors did your daughter fill this one with?" Micheal asked.
"She called this one the Howling Caverns and mentioned how it's like a natural instrument played by the wind blowing through the holes in it," Ruby said.
"Do you think she drew inspiration from that cavern tour we went on a few years ago?" Bullet asked.
"Howl's caverns? I think so," Ruby said remembering the rock formation known as the pipe organ.
"Well let's hope she did not program anything too dangerous in there," Lemon's mom said.
"It's a video game, of course there will be monsters to fight," Haruka's dad said.
"How can you not be worried about your own daughter?" Micheal asked.
"Because Haruka is not someone to take so lightly," Haruka's mom said.
"She has always had this habit of starting fights and flying off the handle when someone insults someone she cares about and when she gets violent, let's just say the other guy better have damn good insurance or a good Cemetary plot," Haruka's dad said.
"Your daughter actually kills people?" Lemon's mom said in surprise.
"Not on purpose, sometimes the beatings get so rough the other guy is lucky to even make it to the hospital before dying," Haruka's mom said.
"How is she not in prison yet?" Ruby asked.
"Because our attorney was able to turn the tables by convincing the jury those people, she beat up deserved it and nine times out of ten it lands Haruka off the hook," Haruka's dad said.
"Ok let's focus on the girls," Bullet said as everyone went back to watching the screen which had the girls fighting a bunch of lizard-like creatures with armor and clubs.
Back in the game Turquoise and her two companions just finished off the hoard of Reptilnoids as Turquoise called them. As soon as they did, they noticed another music score etched into the wall of their current position. Lemon sounded the notes and made a mental note of them for later. After taking a picture of the score the girls proceeded to the next room. Once they entered the doors suddenly slammed shut which meant it was mini boss time. For this one the boss was a giant wolf with pitch black fur and glowing purple eyes. The wolf unleashed a powerful howl that echoed through the medium-sized tunnels. Suddenly the wolf faded into the ground like a shadow before going inside one of the tunnels.
"What's going on with this mutt?" Haruka shouted due to the loud howling filling the room.
"It's trying to use the sound to confuse us, it's planning to strike at us from one of the tunnels," Turquoise shouted. Lemon was not moving during all of this and had her eyes closed as if she was trying to use her other senses.
"Lemon? What are you doing?" Haruka asked.
"Using my ears instead of my eyes," Lemon said. "I am a musical prodigy so when it comes to sound, I am queen. The wolf was ready to attack and as soon as it did Lemon fired a fireball at the tunnel the wolf was coming from before it could succeed. The wolf took damage and Turquoise and Haruka tried to attack but the wolf was too quick for them and fled back into the tunnels to strike again. The way it stood this was a battle only lemon could win. Lemon delivered successful fireball after fireball and when the wolf was out in the open, she unleashed one last spell which resulted in the final blow which knocked the wolf out. Soon the wolf shrunk and was now the size of a normal wolf with cute purple eyes. The wolf looked calmer and even sat in front of Lemon. "Is this what I think it is?
"Sure is, go for it," Turquoise said. Lemon put her hand on the wolf's head and soon a name menu popped up in front of her. She entered the name Mozart and now Lemon had a spirit pet of her own.
"What do you call this one?" Haruka asked.
"It's called an Umbral Fenrir. They are not just known for their speed and strength, but also have a unique ability called Shadow Dive which as we all saw allows them to dive into their shadows and move along walls and floors and also faze through solid objects, "Turquoise explained.
"Those sound cool, but do they have any offensive power?" Lemon asked.
"Actually, there are multiple types of Fenrir species, and each one has an affinity for a single type of elemental magic, "Turquoise explained.
"Oh cool, what kind can Mozart use? "Lemon asked.
"He can use dark elemental magic which has a lot of different effects depending on how it's used," Turquoise said.
"Awesome, "Lemon said before the girls decided to keep going. They continued onward and soon found the third score. After getting the picture and having Lemon sound it out they resumed and soon found themselves in a big room that looked like someone carved away at the inside and even set up some kind of apparatus that was connected to what looked like a pipe organ.
"Where are we now?" Haruka asked.
"We are in the center of the cavern, where the song of the Lycan hero must be played in order to unlock the way to the boss door," Turquoise said.
"Hold on, you said there were four parts to this song, but we only found three so far, " Lemon said.
"True but take a look at the music sheet on the organ," Turquoise said. Lemon took a seat at the organ and soon noticed the torn sheet which had a huge chunk torn off. "That is the fourth piece of the song.
"Ok we got the parts, now what? "Haruka asked.
"We need to play them in the correct order," Turquoise said.
"Leave that to me, " Lemon said. She started by humming the notes in the order they found them which to lemon sounded very off. She rearranged them a few times before she suddenly got it. As she played the metal plates that were above moved around and blocked the holes which blocked the flow of wind from entering. Soon the caves began playing the song that Lemon learned. As soon Lemon got up a chest appeared, and she opened it pulling out the boss key. The girls proceeded to the next room and were now in front of the boss door.
"So, what will we be facing this time?" Haruka asked.
"Not another wolf or dragon," Turquoise said as she opened the door. As soon as they went inside the doors slammed shut which caused a bunch of rocks to fall and a huge bat-like creature to fly down and unleash a powerful screech.
"Oh, a big bat, now it makes sense," Lemon said. The bat had the advantage in this case since the room was barely lit which meant the girls could not see it. The bat swapped down and attacked them causing significant damage.
"How do we even beat the damn thing if we can't see it?" Haruka shouted. Suddenly the bat swooped down at her like she was a beacon.
"For one I suggest not shouting, bats pick up on sound waves which is how they see everything around them," Turquoise said.
"Wait, that's it, " Lemon said as she called out Mozart.
"What are you doing?" Haruka asked.
"Luring the bat, Mozart Howl, " Lemon said as Mozart unleashed a loud howl that drew the bat's attention. As soon as Lemon gave the signal the girls all attacked at once which resulted in the bat taking their attacks and inflicting a metric ton of damage which resulted in the bat exploding and the light returning to the room. Soon an orb of light containing the Celestial key of Darkness appeared. The girls claimed it and proceeded back to the entrance. Once they left the caverns, they noticed the sound they made was a lot different from when they entered.
"This that the song we played to get to the boss?" Haruka asked.
"You know it, that's Fenrir's Requiem," Turquoise said.
"Well, I'm pumped now, so where shall we go next?" Lemon asked.
"Let's put it up to a coin toss, heads we go to the catacombs, tails we go to the stronghold," Turquoise said before pulling out a single coin from her money pouch. She flipped it into the air and as soon as it came down it was on the side with a Fox head on it which was heads. "Looks like we are going underground.
"Is that ok Lemon?" Haruka asked.
"You know what, I'm too excited to care about the number of stairs this time, " Lemon said, giving them the green light to do it.
"Then let's go, "Turquoise said as the girls set out for the village. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | Setting Sail For Malamute Island | The girls were walking out of the catacombs now successfully possessing the celestial key of Spirit.
"Well, that was quite challenging," Lemon said.
"Are you kidding, the bone reaper nearly had us on the ropes," Haruka said.
"Yeah, even I was not expecting that, and I was the one who made this game," Turquoise said.
"Wait, you did not design that thing to be that op?" Lemon asked.
"Of course not, this is only the second floor, the tough stuff is not until floor six and I have not even gotten that far yet," Turquoise said. "Whoever trapped us in here must have modified the boss monsters.
"So, you're saying there is no way we will make it out at this rate," Lemon said.
"Now hold on I did not say that I'm just saying we should not skimp on the quality and level of our gear going forward since there is no telling how powerful our foes will be," Turquoise said. The girls returned to the village and rested for the day for tomorrow in game time, they were setting off for Black Fang's Stronghold.
Meanwhile back in the real world the nefarious Five were in Kyoto. Unfortunately for them their vacation was about to end a lot sooner than they wanted since they failed to know that foreigners were prohibited from setting foot in Kyoto. Charles being the perv that he was ended up getting them arrested.
"You just had to touch that geisha didn't you Charles?" Gary said.
"How was I supposed to know we could not do that?" Charles asked.
"You five are in more trouble for more than just that, a foreigner setting foot in Kyoto alone is a serious felony in our country," The officer said in English.
"Since when?" Jackson asked.
"Since recently, we are fed up with you American pigs treating our country like some tourist spot and disrespecting the sanctity and lives of our citizens," The officer said.
"I told you guys we should have gone to Akihabara like I wanted," Nathan said.
"Well, no matter, at least we get a longer vacation," Lowrance said, only for the officer to burst his bubble.
"Who said you five are staying in Japan? The punishment for what you did is deportation," the officer said.
"Really you're kicking us out of the country just for two minor crimes," Jackson said clearly not understanding the fact the rules of the legal system he is used to don't apply in Japan.
"What you did was no minor offense. How would you five like it if some stranger from a foreign country just barged into your home and started doing inappropriate things? "The officer said.
"Fine we won't go to Kyoto ever again, just don't send us back to the US," Nathan said.
"Oh, it's not up to me, apparently Interpol wants a word with you five as well," The officer said before they reached the station in Osaka. Soon a man dressed as an Interpol agent approached them.
"Is one of you Nathan Sprocket?" The agent asked.
"I am," Nathan said.
"We received an anonymous tip you were here and there is a warrant for your arrest back in california, all five of you are under arrest in fact, "The agent said before the officer turned them over to the agent who hauled them to the car to head to the airport where the plane was waiting.
Back in the game the girls were now at the docks near the village. Turquoise paid one of the NPCs for a ship that looked almost like a pirate ship.
"Well girls, time to set sail," Turquoise said.
"Are we really sailing in that?" Lemon asked.
"We are, and it's the only way to reach Malamute Island," Turquoise said.
"Well then let's quit talking and raise the anchor already," Haruka said before she got on with Turquoise and Lemon following. The ship set off and Haruka was at the helm while Turquoise was standing on the bow of the ship looking over the horizon.
"Hey Haruka, do you think Turquoise picked this vessel because she is secretly some pirate?" Lemon asked.
"Turquoise, A pirate, no way," Haruka said. Unfortunately, they saw Turquoise don an outfit that made her look like a pirate captain.
"Arg, keep heading straight miss goldenburn," Turquoise said in a voice that sounded very pirate-like.
"I'm sure she is just playing around, you know, like in One Piece," Haruka said.
"Yes, but they don't speak like she is, not even black beard," Lemon said.
"What did you say miss zest? did you just mention that piece of trash black beard? " Turquoise said with the fury of a real pirate captain.
"Sorry captain," Lemon said.
"First rule on me ship, never mention that gluttonous-ugly piece of garbage Marshall D Teach or black beard as he is called," Turquoise said. For some reason it was clear Turquoise hated Black Beard for more than just being a villain.
"Who knew Turquoise had such a sore spot, " Lemon said.
"I know, normally when we talk about villains, she never gets this upset," Haruka said as she kept steering the ship.
In the real world everyone watching saw how Turquoise acted just now.
"Why is Turquoise acting like some pirate captain?" Micheal asked.
"I think it's to match the whole theme," Ruby said.
"You could be right, or she must have my ancestor's blood in her," Bullet said.
"What ancestor?" Ruby asked.
"Captain Jack D Silver, an infamous pirate who racked up the biggest bounty in recorded history by killing everyone who wronged him from the north blue all the way to right here in the new world," Bullet said.
"How big was his bounty?" Haruka's dad asked.
"8 billion 62 million," Bullet said.
"For just murdering people?" Micheal asked since normal serial killers don't accrue a bounty that large even if they killed the entire population of a single state.
"He also was the only pirate dumb enough to nuke the holy land of Mariejois and kill everyone who resided there," Bullet said.
"You got to be making all of this up, there is no such thing as Mariejois ," Micheal said.
"Not anymore there isn't, nor is there a north, east, west, or south blue, because the geography of the world changed quite drastically since those days," Bullet said.
"Let's just hope she snaps out of it before her friends abandon her, because one thing pirates are known for is not being kind or polite," Ruby said.
Back in the game Turquoise and her friends made it out of a huge storm and back to sunny skies. Suddenly lemon spotted a big building on an island on the portside of the ship.
"Land hoe," Lemon shouted, which got Turquoise's attention. She saw the building and knew what to say next.
"Miss goldenburn set a course for ninety degrees portside," Turquoise said as Haruka spun the wheel which turned the ship in the direction Turquoise specified. Soon the ship reached the island and Lemon dropped anchor. As soon as the girls disembarked Turquoise switched back to her normal outfit. "Sorry about the whole pirate thing, I hope I did not hurt either of your feelings.
"Not at all, I think it was quite fun," Lemon said.
"Yeah, like one piece," Haruka said.
"Now then let's get the final key and move on," Turquoise said as the girls reached the front door of the stronghold. Turquoise revealed the secret switch to open the doors and as soon as they went inside, they noticed a lot of skeletons dressed as pirates but the one that got their attention was the one on a throne dressed as a pirate caption with a unique looking jolly roger on the hat.
"Who was this?" Lemon asked.
"This Lemon is Captain black fang of the malamute pirates," Turquoise said.
"That's another thing? Why did you name them after a dog breed?" Haruka asked.
"Because the Alaskan Malamute is a powerful dog," Turquoise said.
"Anyway, what's the objective for this dungeon?" Haruka asked.
"To find Black Fang's Treasure, which also includes the celestial Key of Storms," Turquoise said.
"So, in other words, it's a treasure hunt," Lemon said.
"Exactly, the dungeon is all of Malamute Island," Turquoise said.
"Then let's get searching," Lemon said. The first clue was in Black Fang's boney old paw. Turquoise took it and read it.
"To begin your search, exit the stronghold and look for Fenrir's tooth," the clue said.
"What the heck does that mean?" Lemon asked.
"We will know once we find it," Turquoise said. The girls exited the stronghold and began searching the island. All they found so far were trees and rocks. Just when they were about to give up, Lemon spotted a curved rock.
"Hey girls, Fenrir is a wolf, right?" Lemon asked.
"Well yeah, I mean it's how it is depicted in Norse mythology," Turquoise said.
"And dog fangs are usually curved right?" Lemon asked.
"Wait, did you find what we are looking for?" Haruka asked.
"Yep, look at that rock over there," Lemon said while pointing to a big rock that looked like a giant fang.
"Yep, that's Fenrir's tooth," Turquoise said before seeing the next clue etched into it. "It's not the treasure but it's buried, to find it. walk 200 paces towards the flag we fight under.
"Any idea what that means?" Haruka asked.
"Pirates sail under the skull and crossbones known as a jolly roger, which means we need to find the jolly roger of the Malamute Pirates," Turquoise said.
"So just look for a skull and crossbones, right? "Lemon asked.
"No, a jolly roger is more than just that, it's the symbol of a pirate crew and a vow to fight for what you believe in," Turquoise said.
"I thought it was just a flag," Lemon said.
"Well in any case we must find that flag so we can continue the quest," Haruka said. The girls noticed a flag north- northeast of the fang and walked towards it. Under the flag was a rope attached to a door. After opening the door, it revealed a secret passageway beneath the island. After going down the stairs they arrived in a huge room with a huge galleon that was covered in moss with a good amount of damage.
"What is this place?" Lemon asked.
"This was where the pirates docked their ship, the reason why no one found it is because of that, "Turquoise said while pointing to a big pile of rocks blocking the mouth of the cave. Many years ago, the island was a lot bigger until the tides washed a huge amount of it away and buried it.
"So, you're saying we are under the stronghold now? "Haruka asked.
"Yep, and our next stop is aboard that ship," Turquoise said before running up the gangplank and onto the ship. The inside of the ship was full of skeletons which were actually the remains of the crew.
"These piles of bones are not going to just up and attack us, are they?" Lemon asked.
"Relax right now this part of the game has no enemies to fight so we are fine, in fact there is no boss to fight either, we just grab the key and set sail, "Turquoise said as they kept exploring the ship. Soon their search led them to the captain's quarters and once inside they found a gilded treasure chest but what was more surprising was how the room looked almost untouched and even had a picture of black Fang that was intact. Turquoise opened the chest and pulled out the final key they needed to make it to floor 3. As soon as the girls returned to the surface the clouds turned into storm clouds which meant some rough weather was coming. The girls hightailed it back to their vessel and raised anchor. As soon as they did the violent winds caught their sails and pushed them back to the open sea.
Meanwhile back in the real world the parents were happy to see their girls alive and, on their way, to reaching the third floor.
"Ok they made it back to the mainland," Ruby said.
"Now let's hope your daughter did not program anything too extreme on the third floor," Lemon's mom said.
"To be fair Turquoise was not expecting anyone to trap her inside her own game," Ruby said.
"Looks like they made it to the tower and have now unlocked it," Bullet said.
Turquoise pulled out the Ruby that was inside the hidden compartment and pulled the switch that opened the door. Lemon was expecting another spiral staircase, but this time saw nothing inside.
"There is nothing here?" Lemon said.
"Step inside and you will be surprised," Turquoise said. The girls stepped inside the tower and once the door closed behind them a bunch of lights turned on which made the interior look like an elevator shaft.
"Is this what I think it is?" Haruka asked.
"Yep, it's an elevator, I told you the next floor would have some incredible things," turquoise said as the platform beneath them began to rise.
"Next stop, floor 3," Lemon said. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | The Final Boss | The Elevator soon reached the third floor, and the girls were now standing on the outskirts of what looked like some steampunk city with gears and everything.
"Ladies, welcome to Midgard," Turquoise said.
"Wow, it looks so futuristic," Lemon said.
"Thanks to the Nekomatas and their crazy intelligence," Turquoise said.
"I'm assuming that's what I am? "Lemon asked.
"Exactly," Turquoise said.
"Enough talk let's enter the city and plan our next move," Haruka said. The girls entered the city and to their surprise it looked a lot like a modern-day city except for the flying machines and various mechs. They found the inn and as soon as they entered a cat girl with blonde hair with matching cat ears and a tail wearing a maid outfit greeted them.
"Welcome, how meow we serve you?" The cat girl asked.
"You got to be kidding me, "Haruka said, not believing what she just saw.
"What?" Turquoise asked.
"Is this what you think cat girls are like?" Haruka asked.
"You don't like maid outfits?" Turquoise asked.
"It's not that, the whole cutesy cat thing," Haruka said, expecting this from the mind of some perverted sicko rather than her own lover.
"Too much?" Turquoise asked.
"Exactly, " Haruka said. "Look I know this is your game and I have no right to tell you how to design it, but these are human beings too and should be treated as such," Haruka said.
"I don't mind one bit," Lemon said.
"Lemon, you of all people should be offended since you're a Nekomata too," Haruka said.
"You are aware none of this is real right so who cares, "Lemon said.
"And I suppose you think Turquoise and I should end our sentences with the word Kun like a real fox?" Haruka asked.
"I did not say that" Lemon said.
"Well, you don't seem to care about your race getting belittled," Haruka said. Turquoise was beginning to notice that they were starting to lose sight of who they really are and discovered the longer they stay the more they will feel like caving into being animals.
"Enough, both of you, the three of us are still humans, Haruka, I do appreciate your input, but I don't see the harm in having real cat girls act this way for the players, and lemon you are right, none of this is real but we need to focus, or this will be real to us," Turquoise said.
"What do you mean?" Lemon asked.
"I mean the longer we stay in this game, the more our animal sides take hold, and we lose our grasp on reality," Turquoise said.
"You mean if we don't hurry, even if we do escape, the real world will be fake to us?" Haruka asked.
"Exactly, so let's hurry before we all feel like eating fish and lemon feels like pooping in a box," Turquoise said. The girls spent the next couple of days clearing the four dungeons nonstop since the clock was now ticking on their humanity. Soon they gathered the four keys and unlocked the tower to the fourth floor which was another elevator.
Back in the real world the nefarious five were now standing trial for not just what happened in Japan but for leaving the state during an investigation. This trial did not last very long since they were guilty of the crime and were sentenced to twenty years in prison. Unfortunately, before the five could leave the courtroom Nathan had one last trick up his sleeve. He and the rest of the nefarious five attached some strange looking device to their heads.
"What are those things?" the judge asked.
"Wireless Relays, you may take our bodies, but our minds will be elsewhere enacting revenge on the girl who started all this trouble for us, "Nathan said before pressing a button. A few seconds later the bodies of the nefarious five were now comatose just like Turquoise, Haruka, and Lemon. The bailiff tried to remove the devices but was electrocuted upon touching them.
"Are they dead?" The judge asked. The bailiff confirmed that they were still alive after feeling a pulse from all five of them. "Well let's move them to a prison cell in the meantime.
Back inside the game the girls finally made it to Floor four which was just a massive plain of grass with no building or foliage or anything.
"Well girls we finally made it," Turquoise said.
"Great, where is the exit?" Lemon said.
"Over there behind that five headed dragon statue," Turquoise said before looking shocked by what she saw.
"Are you ok, love?" Haruka asked.
"No, I'm not and soon we won't be," Turquoise said.
"What's the problem? "Lemon asked.
"That dragon, I did not make that or even program that, which means that must be the final boss Twilight warned us about," Turquoise said. Suddenly the dragon broke out of its stone casing and now looked real.
"Turquoise Dusk you are going to pay for everything," One of the heads said in a voice turquoise recognized.
"Wait, can this thing talk?" Lemon asked since none of the boss monsters they thought were capable of communicating.
"That voice, it's Nathan's," Turquoise said.
"How observant of you," the head that belonged to Charlse said.
"We will destroy you three as payback," the head that belonged to Jackson said.
"And once we are done, there won't be anything left," The head that belonged to Gary said.
"You really think you can beat us? I designed this game, so I am in control," Turquoise said.
"Oh really, look beneath you," the head that belonged to Lowrance said. The girls looked down and saw that they were now standing on a giant red pentagram. "What you're looking at is the seal of hades, now when someone dies the safeguards will be overwritten and their brain will be fried. The fight began and despite the girl's best efforts the dragon was still fighting with lots of strength as if their attacks did not leave a dent.
"We can't beat this thing, they are too strong, "Haruka said.
"I was hoping not to do this but it's an emergency," Turquoise said before preparing to speak. "System login, ID Stellarton. Suddenly a bunch of screens appeared in front of Turquoise.
"What is she up to?" Lowrance asked.
"System command, Set Nefarious Hydra to level one," Turquoise said before the level and health bar on the dragon changed to that of a low-level monster.
"How is this possible? our ace in the hole has been weakened," Nathan asked in shock.
"I switched over to my admin account which by the way outranks all other accounts including yours, basically I'm the goddess of this world," Turquoise said coldly since she was really angry that these five had the nerve to fuck around with her invention and her game. "System Command, generate Object, ID Awakened Sword of Naturia. Suddenly a powerful sword with nine gems embedded into the blade appeared before Turquoise grabbed it. She lunged at the dragon and unleashed a powerful slash that decapitated all five heads and caused the dragon to explode and the seal to vanish.
"You could have done that the whole time?" Lemon asked.
"Why didn't you use that before?" Haruka asked.
"Because up till now I did not need to, besides admin privileges does not mean an instant jump to a floor we have not reached yet," Turquoise said.
"But you could have saved us the trouble and just brought the keys to us, right?" Lemon said.
"Also not possible, those five wrecked my code so much I could only access what I have not put in yet," Turquoise said. "Besides, did you not enjoy our adventure?
"We did have fun, more than anything," Haruka said.
"Too bad it's over now," Lemon said.
"For now, it is but once the complete version comes out, I promise I will show you the whole game," Turquoise said. "Now let's go home. The girls entered the portal which closed behind them as the screen went blank.
Meanwhile in the prison cell, the relays on the nefarious five heads began to short circuit and turned them into vegetables due to Nathan not including the safeguards Turquoise did in her prototypes. Apparently, Nathan really meant to kill Turquoise and her friends, but his plan backfired.
Back in Turquosie's room the girls suddenly came to and tried to get up but could barely stand.
"Easy girls, you've been in there for almost five days now so your bodies are weak," Haruka's mom said. Suddenly bullet hugged Turquoise
"I'm sorry for everything, I promise you those five are so fired," Bullet said while crying.
"It's ok dad, none of this was your fault, but as for their fate, I have a feeling we are about to learn about it soon," Turquoise said. Just as turquoise said that a news report came on the tv in Turquosie's room.
"The Nefarious Five were found dead in their cell a few moments ago, the police managed to retrieve the devices and have no idea what they are, "The reporter said. As soon as Turquoise saw them, she knew what happened.
"Nathan you stupid moron, you downloaded the consciousness of you and her cohorts into that dragon without implementing the safeguards," Turquoise shouted.
"Love, are you ok?" Haruka asked.
"I'm fine, just a bit upset that Nathan tried to copy my invention and did a very poor job I might add," Turquoise said.
"Well in any case you girls should work on regaining your strength before doing anything else," Micheal said as all of them went to the dining room to eat.
Suddenly the Nefarious five came to, inside what looked like some kind of void. They noticed their minds were still inside the dragon they made.
"Where are we?" Gary asked. Suddenly they saw some files that looked like rejected monsters along with other deleted files.
"The trash bin, where deleted files end up before being permanently deleted," Nathan said.
"Well, how do we get out?" Lowrance asked.
"We can't, when we were deleted from the game our admin privileges were also deleted so we are trapped," Nathan said.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," All five of them shouted through the void with no one to hear them.
Meanwhile in the real world, the girls were eating up a storm.
"Wow, I have never seen Turquoise eat so much," Ruby said.
"Well five days with no food or drink will make you hungry enough to eat a mountain," Haruka's mom said.
"So what do you plan to do with that game of yours?" Haruka's dad asked Turquoise.
"Once I fix the damage those five have done, I'm putting development on hold since I think the three of us have had enough VR for one lifetime, Kun," Turquoise said before noticing what she said at the end.
"What did you say?" Ruby asked.
"Love, are you feeling alright?" Haruka asked.
"Oh no I think my fennexian side must have come back with me," Turquoise said.
"Does that mean we will,'' Lemon asked before Turquoise smiled a bit.
"Just kidding," Turquoise said, which got a light punch to the arm from Haruka.
"Don't scare us like that, " Lemon said. Everyone went home and turquoise went back to her computer to begin work on repairing the damage and erasing the files the nefarious five left on her computer. Twenty minutes later her code was completely fixed, and she moved on to her trash can which had a lot of files in it. She hit the empty trash button and as soon as she did, she could hear the faint sound of the dragon's screams as they were permanently deleted. With everything now fixed she locked away her nerve gears and went to sleep in her actual bed for the first time.
In Haruka's room she was very glad to see it again. She quickly changed for bed and went to sleep.
"Look forward to our date love," Haruka said to a picture of Turquoise she had next to her.
Meanwhile with Lemon as soon as she returned to her room, she noticed she had a lot of missed messages from her friends and so many missed calls. Lemon decided to call Sunny first. After a few rings She picked up.
"Finally, we were worried sick, "Sunny said.
"Sorry for worrying you girls, Turquoise, Haruka, and I were trapped in Turquoise's new game by five creepy old dudes," Lemon said.
"Are you hurt in any way?" Sunny asked.
"No I'm ok, although we did fast after being trapped for five days," Lemon said.
"As long as you are ok," Sunny said. The two caught up and after a while Sunny hung up to inform the others.
"Hopefully the rest of the summer will be less chaotic," Lemon said before going to bed. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | LA vacation time | A couple weeks went by since the girls made it back to the real world and since then Turquoise was focused on making sure her and Haruka's cosplays were ready. Luckily, she finished them yesterday. Currently she was packing her regular suitcase along with the one for her costume and stuff. Soon Ruby came in to check on her.
"How is the packing going?" Ruby asked.
"Pretty good, just need to wait for Haruka to get here so we can change," Turquoise said.
"What characters are you two doing?" Ruby asked.
"I'm doing Navia from Genshin and Haruka is doing Yelan also from Genshin," Turquoise said.
"Navia is the one with the parasol gun, right?" Ruby asked, wanting to make sure she remembered.
"Exactly," Turquoise said. Soon Haruka arrived and entered the room.
"Am I interrupting something?" Haruka asked.
"Not at all," Turquoise said before getting her Navia cosplay off the mannequin.
"I will leave you girls to change, but let me get a picture before you go, "Ruby said.
"We will," Turquoise said. The girls used the changing stalls in Ruby's sewing room to get changed. Sometime later Turquoise came out and loved the way her cosplay felt. Soon Haruka came out and posed like the real Yelan. As soon as they came into the Foyer both Bullet and Ruby were waiting for them.
"Are you going to an anime convention or the titanic?" Bullet asked, confused by Turquoise's costume.
"An anime convention dad, I'm Navia from the game Genshin impact," Turquoise said.
"Before you two go anywhere let me get a picture of you two, "Ruby said. Turquoise and Haruka posed for ruby, and she got her picture.
"Have fun you two, "Bullet said as Turquoise and Haruka went to the garage since they were taking Turquoise's car. They packed their stuff and got in. As soon as they were on the road they began talking.
"So, love what shall we do first since it's just the two of us?" Turquoise asked.
"First let's focus on getting to the hotel and getting our badges, we can figure out the rest from there," Haruka said. Turquoise kept driving until they reached Los Angeles which was where the convention was. Once they reached the hotel they parked and unloaded the trunk. As they were walking to the hotel other cosplayers took notice of them.
"Love your cosplays," A girl dressed as volume four Blake from RWBY said.
"Ty I love yours as well, "Turquoise said before all three of them entered the hotel which was connected to the convention center. Turquoise and Haruka checked in and were assigned room 2114. After five minutes of riding the elevator, they arrived on the twenty-first floor and their room was the second door on the right. The girls were surprised by the size of the room which was a luxury suite.
"Now that we have our room, what do you want to do first once we claim our badges?" Turquoise asked before her stomach growled.
"I would say lunch," Haruka said feeling the same way.
"Sounds good," Turquoise said. Once the girls were back on the ground floor, they wasted no time reaching the registration desk to claim their badges which were secured to a special lanyard. Fortunately, the convention center had some decent options for food.
"What do you feel like Turquoise?" Haruka asked.
"Let's try that place, "Turquoise said, referring to the ritzy place inside the convention center.
"Anything for you heiress," Haruka said. The two entered and the host showed them to a table. Interestingly out of all the cosplayers that were dining inside the restaurant Turquoise looked the part of their usual clientele. The two looked over the menu and decided on something light.
"You know this feels quite romantic," Turquoise said.
"I know right, the only difference is you are not Shenhe," Haruka said.
"Don't look now but look over there, "Turquoise said, referring to a trio of cosplayers dressed as Kokomi, Kirara, and Lynnette.
"I did not know fish was on the menu," Haruka said jokingly knowing the bit with those three.
"Where is Shenhe?" The girl dressed as Kokomi asked jokingly.
"Ok I think that should be enough of that," Turquoise said.
"You are right," Haruka said.
"Hey, can we get a picture with you two after our meal?" the girl dressed as Kirara asked.
"Of course, just don't eat Kokomi before that," Turquoise said as the five of them shared a light laugh about it. Turquoise and Haruka were enjoying the first romantic meal they had since dating each other and the real fun had not begun yet. Once both parties paid their bills, they found a nice spot outside to take a group photo with Turquoise posing with her parasol opened behind her. They found someone dressed as Charlotte from the same game as the five of them to take the picture with Kokomi's phone. Once she finished, Kokomi thanked them for it and resumed their day.
"So, love what shall we do next? "Haruka asked. Turquoise decided to check out the artist alley first before doing panels and workshops. They bought many things and did a few panels. Soon it was time for the event Turquoise was waiting for, the cosplay competition. Turquoise arrived in time to claim her spot and was shown backstage with the other contestants who, like her, were also quite skilled especially when crafting their weapons. The Mc took the stage and began introducing each contestant one by one until it was Turquoise's turn.
"And now for our next entry, she is the president of Spina Di Rosa, give it up for Navia. Turquoise strutted down the stage with some shades on while twirling her umbrella around and posing for everyone. The judges looked like they loved it and so did the crowd. As soon as Turquoise returned backstage, she saw someone she was not expecting.
"Clair? What are you doing here?" Turquoise asked.
"You are not the only one who loves anime, you know, "Clair said.
"I know but i was not expecting you to be here and dressed as Miss all Sunday," Turquoise said referring to how she was dressed in Nico Robin's all Sunday outfit.
"My boyfriend bought this for me, where did you get your outfit?" Clair asked.
"I made this all myself, umbrella and all," Turquoise said.
"You know how to sew? You must be pulling my leg," Clair said.
"My mom taught me how," Turquoise said. Before the conversation could continue the mc announced that it was time for the awards.
"Well, everyone, we have had some great entries but only a few can win," The Mc said before moving on. "First up the award for best in show goes to Clair dressed as Nico Robin. The mc awarded several people until he reached the moment of truth. "And the winner of the 2024 Cosplay Extranza is, the Mc paused for dramatic effect which really built the tension before speaking. "Turquoise as Navia from Genshin Impact. Turquoise came up and loved the applause along with the trophy and cash prize. The contest was now over and as Turquoise was walking, she bumped into someone dressed as Crocodile.
"How can something like this possibly beat my girlfriend's outfit?" Crocodile asked in disbelief.
"Did it ever occur to you that cosplay competitions are about craftsmanship not just fashion," Turquoise said.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Crocodile asked.
"Everything, the judges base their decision on it," Turquoise said. Suddenly Clair came out.
"I see you met my boyfriend Josh," Clair said.
"Now I see why you chose this version of Robin," Turquoise said.
"I wanted to do Raphtalia from Rising of the shield hero, but josh wanted us to match, I don't really like this outfit," Clair said. Josh looked Turquoise up and down before he asked her to join his harem.
"I'm flattered but I am already spoken for," Turquoise said.
"That wasn't a request, that's an order," Josh said. Haruka saw what was happening and decided to intervene.
"Leave my girlfriend alone before I kick your ass, Sandy boy," Haruka said. Suddenly Josh swiped his hook at her trying to harm her. Haruka retaliated with her signature roundhouse kick which sent him flying. The convention staff noticed him on the floor.
"What happened here?" One of them asked.
"This jerk just tried to sexually rape my friend and even tried to assault me with that hook of his," Haruka said with Clair in agreement. The staff noticed the hook was made of metal instead of any of the approved materials for props.
"Sorry crocodile but it's off to impel down for you," one of the convention staff said hinting that they were going to get the police involved as they escorted him out of the convention center.
"Sorry about your boyfriend," Turquoise said.
"It's ok, I was going to dump him anyway since he clearly does not care about my feelings or me," Clair said. She noticed that Turquoise was around the same size as her. "Say, do you want this cosplay?
"Well, the all sunday version of Nico Robin was on my list of characters to cosplay, but what will you wear?" Turquoise asked.
"Remember when I said I wanted to be Raphtalia? I have the cosplay in the hotel room," Clair said.
"I would be more than happy to take it off your hands," Turquoise said before telling her the room number of her and Haruka's room. Meanwhile the girls Clair included explored the rest of the convention. The girls were currently checking the vendor hall and Turquoise was looking at a booth that sold various swords from anime. What drew her attention was a replica of myrtenaster which was Weiss Schnee's dust rapier. Haruka could tell Turquoise was intrigued by something.
"Which sword has your attention? "Haruka asked.
"That one," Turquoise said, pointing to myrtenaster.
"I see you're a fan of RWBY or more specifically Weiss Schnee," Clair said.
"I am, "Turquoise said before elaborating. "Back when I was male, I used to imagine having Weiss as my waifu but now I want to be her.
"I'm hopeful that there will be a volume ten," Haruka said.
"Me too but what I'm mostly curious about is how the return to beacon will go especially since the key to opening the vault in vale literally lies in the hands of the enemy," Turquoise said. Before the conversation could continue the owner of the booth got their attention.
"Can I help you ladies?" He asked.
"Yes, I would like to buy myrtenaster if possible, "Turquoise said.
"You got it," he said before going in the back and looking through the packages for the serial number retaining the sword. "That will be $107. Turquoise paid with her debit card and a few moments later the transaction was approved, and Turquoise now owned the sword of her anime idol. Unfortunately, all the normal events ended for the day and all that was left was the late-night stuff which was reserved for attendees who were eighteen and older.
"Guess that's our cue to go to our rooms and change since i don't feel like walking around downtown like some pimp wife," Clair said.
"Where would you girls like to go?" Haruka asked.
"I think I saw a blue phoenix a couple blocks from the hotel," Turquoise said.
"Dinner sounds good," Clair said.
"Agreed," Haruka said. The girls went to their hotel rooms to change into regular clothes. Sometime later Turquoise was wearing her standard outfit which consisted of her black button up shirt and plaid skirt. As for Haruka, she went with some simple shorts and the new shirt she bought from the vendor hall that had a graphic of Zoro from One piece. Once they were ready Clair was waiting outside carrying her Nico robin cosplay in her arms.
"As promised you can have it, I feel you would love it more than I did, "Clair said.
"Thank you," Turquoise said. And so, the girls left to explore the city. |
Awakening Of The Turquoise Heiress | Turquoise Maid | A couple weeks went by since the convention and today Turquoise was in the middle of a job interview with the head maid of maid cafe kitsune.
"So Turquoise, how do you feel about customer service?" The maid asked.
"The customer is everything and I feel it's always important to make sure they have a good time," Turquoise said genuinely, which won the maid over.
"Very good, next question are you comfortable wearing a maid outfit in front of people?" the maid asked.
"I am," Turquoise said.
"Good, now I believe we covered the important questions and so far, I like what I am seeing, "the maid said before pulling out some papers. "Since you're the only applicant we got, I'm just going to get right to the important part. The papers were the maid application sheet and other important forms.
"Do I need to use my real name?" Turquoise asked, referring to the section that said maid name.
"Not if you don't want to, this is what the guests will know you as," The maid said. Turquoise gave it some thought and decided to go with Rui for her maid name. After going through all of the important things Turquoise was hired as a maid at the cafe. Next was getting measured for her uniform and creating her character. A minute later she was now wearing the same cute maid outfit as the other maids.
"Now let's see if we have some ears and tail that match that lovely red hair of yours," Maid Vee said as she looked and luckily found some. After putting them on Turquoise was ready to work. Fortunately, things were slow right now, so she had time to get to know the girls.
"So, Rui, what made you want to work here?" Vee asked.
"I always saw maid cafes as fun and exciting, and wanted to join one but sadly none of the ones here wanted me," Turquoise said.
"Well, you are one of us now and that's what matters," Another maid named Miko said.
"Thank you," Turquoise said.
"Come to think of it, I believe you go to crystal prep, right?" Vee asked.
"I do," Turquoise said.
"Thought so, Vee said before elaborating on why she asked. "I remember seeing the uniform you wore when you first visited, and I believe Melody goes to the same school as you.
"How many of us are there?" Turquoise asked.
"Including you we have a total of six maids working here now," Miko said.
"That's it?" Turquoise asked, quite surprised.
"Well maid cafes are not as popular here in America as they are in Japan," Vee said. Suddenly the sound of the door opening drew their attention.
"Hey girls sorry I'm late my dad was lecturing me about," The girl said before noticing Turquoise. "Who is the new maid?
"Melody, this is Rui," Vee said.
"Claire? You work here?" Turquoise asked.
"Since last year, yes, this is actually our new location which beats that cramped broom closet we were working in," Claire said. "What are you doing here Turquoise?
"I just got hired as a maid here," Turquoise said.
"Ok girls you know the rules, no using our real names," the head maid said and was willing to let it slide this time since Turquoise just started. Soon business began to pick up and Turquoise was becoming a hit with the customers due to her somewhat shy personality which they loved. Once a break in the customers arrived the girls decided to take a break before cleaning.
"You are a natural Rui," Melody said.
"Yeah, where did you learn to use shyness like that?" Vee asked.
"From Aries in the anime Fairy tail, plus I kind of have experience with it," Turquoise said.
"Well keep it up because the customers love it," Melody said. After cleaning the place, it was quitting time which meant it was time to change back to regular clothes Turquoise drove home and once she got there her parents were waiting.
"So how did the interview go?" Bullet asked.
"I got the job, "Turquoise said while also showing them her maid outfit.
"Congrats Turquoise, we are proud of you," Ruby said.
"Granted I was hoping your first job would have been something more manly, but a job is a job," Bullet said. Weeks went by and Turquoise has now become part of maid cafe kitsune's main roster especially since the owner was planning on doing conventions to drum up more business. As the girls were cleaning, they began to chat amongst themselves.
"So, Rui, what do you plan to do once school starts again?" Melody asked.
"Who knows, but one thing I do know, things will be different than last year," Turquoise said.
"Because all the people who hate you are gone now?" Melody asked.
"That and now that I finished my transition, no one will make fun of me again," Turquoise said.
"Plus, now you won't look out of place among us girls," Melody said.
The first day of the new school year came and Turquoise was excited and looking forward to a hate free school. As soon as she got dressed and went downstairs her parents were waiting for her.
"Have fun," Ruby said before Turquoise left. Sometime later She was now at crystal prep where a huge influx of students both old and new were entering. As soon as she entered the building Sapphire was waiting for her.
"You made it," Sapphire said with joy.
"So glad to be back after such a turbulent year," Turquoise said. They got in line to collect their class schedules. Sometime later they were outside the gym.
"So which classes did you get?" Sapphire asked.
"Aside from math and science, it looks like I'm taking home ec and gym too, "Turquoise said before realizing what she just said. "Wait, gym?
"Something the matter?" Sapphire asked.
"Yes, gym is my worst subject but I'm even more surprised considering how the fact I was originally male now turned female should have barred me from this subject," Turquoise said.
"You should bring it up with the principal, but the good news is we share a couple classes this year," Sapphire said. Turquoise proceeded to her first class of the day which was Science. As soon as Turquoise entered, she was surprised to see Fleur and Haruka were there too.
"Good to see you girls again," Turquoise said.
"You too Turquoise, you look different today," Fleur said referring to how she styled her hair in a twin drill style.
"Clair showed me how to do twin drills," Turquoise said as she took her seat. Soon it was time for class to start and instead of the usual science teacher an old man in a lab coat came in and addressed the class.
"Mr. Stein won't be teaching here anymore so I'm your new science teacher," The man said before writing his name on the board. "I'm Mr. Vegapunk and I believe that nothing is impossible. The new students introduced themselves to the class and Vegapunk began by asking the class what their goals were starting with Turquoise.
"My goal is to change the direction of my dad's company with my invention," Turquoise said.
"Oh, and what is this invention of yours?" Vegapunk asked.
"A full dive gaming system," Turquoise said, which really got vegapunk intrigued.
"I see, and how far have you gotten with the microwaves and how are you testing it?" Vegapunk asked which surprised Turquoise since she was under the impression an old man like him would not know about anime.
"So far I finished the prototype and tested it myself, full dive test number one was a success," Turquoise said. "As for where my consciousness is going, it's placed inside the world of my own game that I am working on.
"You're a game designer?" A boy in the class asked.
"Among other things," Turquoise said.
"May we see this game you made?" the boy asked.
"I'm afraid it's still in the development phase and not even close to the beta testing phase yet, plus I said enough already, I don't want someone stealing my idea," Turquoise said. The class continued and as the day went on the whole school was peaceful for the moment. Soon it was lunch time and Turquoise sat with her friends.
"How is your day going Turquoise?" Lemon asked.
"Pretty good, so far no one tried to hurt me," Turquoise said.
"Enjoy it while it lasts, because you never know when the tides will turn, "Sugarcoat said.
"And what does that mean?" Fleur asked.
"It means more students are bound to enroll here and those students may be as nasty as some of the ones we had to deal with last year, "Sugarcoat said.
"Let's cross that bridge when we get to it," Turquoise said, not wanting to ruin the mood.
"By the way, have you decided what after school activities you wanted to do yet?" Sunny asked.
"Not yet but I might join the cheer squad," Turquoise said.
"That's quite ambitious for a girl, what brought this on?" Haruka asked.
"The fact I have gym fifth period and that nothing else seems to be interesting to me," Turquoise said.
"You are aware that cheer tryouts won't be for a few weeks, plus I heard that new girl Ursula is in charge of judging it," Lemon said.
"I should at least try," Turquoise said.
"You're right but have you even done anything remotely close to this?" Indigo asked.
"Other than in the world of my game, not really," Turquoise said. The girls kept talking until lunch ended. Turquoise just finished her fourth period and now it was time for her worst subject. Once she got changed, she reported to the gym where a familiar face was waiting for her.
"I remember you, Turquoise, right?" the coach who was the one from last year asked.
"Yes mam," Turquoise said.
"Well let's see what you got," Coach Julia said before having the girls run some laps around the gym. To Turquosie's surprise she was not feeling tired like she normally would. Next came the real workout which was just volleyball. The girls were quite surprised by Turquosie's reaction speed more so than she was herself. She theorized that her brain must be using the muscle memory from the game since before then her reaction speed was not nearly this good considering her lack of physical ability.
"Damn girl, where have you been hiding all that skill?" one of the girls asked.
"To be honest, I'm quite surprised as well," Turquoise said. Naturally one of the new girls, a girl with long blonde hair and red eyes looked intrigued with Turquoise.
"I must have her for the team," she said to herself. Once the workouts were over the girls hit the locker rooms to shower and change. Turquoise was a bit reluctant at first since she would be almost naked in front of real girls.
"Don't look so nervous, you have a lovely body," One of them said.
"Thank you," Turquoise said while blushing.
"Listen, I know some of us gave you a hard time last year but now that you finished your transition, you are one of us so relax," A girl from last year said while she and Turquoise were changing.
"Thank you for telling me that, When I was assigned to gym class, I thought it was going to be problematic after everything that happened last year," Turquoise said.
"Well to be fair, we assumed you were just a pretender trying to work the system to sexually assault us," The girl known as RaI said.
"I understand why, a lot of men are perverts, but I saw myself as the love interest rather than the protagonist," Turquoise said while putting her shoes on.
"You mean like Asuna or Raphtalia?" Rai asked.
"I do," Turquoise said. Once everyone was completely dressed in their uniforms it was off to sixth period. Once school ended for the day Turquoise was off to her job at Maid Cafe Kitsune. Once she got there the maids were waiting for her.
"Good news Rui, we got the gig at Cloudcon," Vee said.
"Awesome, so when do we go?" Turquoise asked.
"It's in October and Kira is having us do singing, dancing, and stuff," Vee said.
"I'm excited to learn," Turquoise said.
"Good because practice starts Friday afternoon which means the cafe will be closed, as for where we are practicing, I converted the unit above us into a practice room for our dance routines," Kira said. Turquoise went in the back to change and as soon as she came out it was time to get into character. Soon the first customer of the afternoon came in.
"Welcome home master," Turquoise said with as much energy as she could along with Clair and Vee.
> Autumn Engagement
9/2/24
A few weeks went by and today Turquoise was excited since cheer tryouts were today.
"You really intend on doing this aren't you," Haruka said
"I know the odds may be slim but the only thing worse than failing is not trying at all," Turquoise said.
"Either way if you do make the team promise me you will be careful because I don't want any of those meatheads on the football team to ruin my waifu," Haruka said.
"If Lance did not want me why would any of these guys want me?" Turquoise asked.
"Please don't take this so lightly, the last thing I want is to see your parents disown you should someone impregnate you," Haruka said.
"You really think my mom and dad would do that to me?" Turquoise asked, feeling somewhat afraid now.
"Yes, teenage pregnancy is no joke, it has destroyed the lives of many girls, especially when their parents tell them to either get rid of the baby or get disowned and evicted from their house," Haruka said.
"How do you know this?" Turquoise asked.
"Someone I knew at the first High School I went to was the head cheerleader of the school's cheerleading squad and she was impregnated by the quarterback who was quite boastful and damn proud of it," Haruka said before continuing. "When her parents found out they not only disowned her when she refused to get a abortion but even murdered the boy who was responsible and his arrogant tone towards them only made it more painful.
"What happened to the girl?" Turquoise asked.
"After her parents were arrested she took her belongings and moved to Indianapolis to live with her Aunt, I have not heard much from her ever since," Haruka said. The girls went to class but Turquoise was now full of concerns. She did not want to believe her own mom and dad would up and abandon her should someone make her pregnant. The day went on and as soon as lunch came her friends could tell something was on her mind.
"What's on your mind Turquoise?" Fleur asked.
"Just something Haruka told me about pregnancy and how it can destroy lives," Turquoise said.
"Slow down girl, You're not thinking about cheating on Haruka are you?" Lemon asked.
"Hell no, I would never stab the only person who wants me romantically in the back like that, I'm just worried that what she said is true or not," Turquoise said.
"Teenage pregnancy is no joke, and nine times out of ten it's not voluntary since men are perverted pigs that will force themselves onto you," Sugarcoat said, which really scared Turquoise.
"Too blunt Sugarcoat," Sunny said.
"Don't focus on this stuff too much, this is your body and what you do with it is your choice," Fleur said. The day continued and Turquoise was slowly losing the drive to go through with cheer tryouts since all this talk about life and how it can be destroyed had her on edge. Turquoise was now standing in front of the entrance to the Gym with cold feet until Haruka showed up.
"I came to see you in action and to give emotional support should you fail," Haruka said.
"I'm not sure about this anymore, what if all that stuff you said is true?" Turquoise said.
"You know I worry about you and what you said earlier about how not trying is worse than failing is right," Haruka said. Turquoise was glad to have Haruka by her side as they entered the gym. Haruka took her seat in the stands while turquoise waited her turn. The girl before her had some decent moves but it was not enough to impress the judges.
"Next," The blonde girl from Turquoise's gym class said. Turquoise stood before them.
"Name?" the girl next to the blonde one asked.
"Turquoise," Turquoise said.
"Show us what you got," The blonde girl said. Turquoise played her music and started her routine which surprisingly was amazing especially since Haruka did not not know she was this flexible. "You got moves.
"I'll say, I did not know you could do splits," Another girl said.
"I think we found our first member, wouldn't you say Ursula?," A third girl asked.
"Indeed we have," Ursula said. "Welcome to the team Turquoise.
"Looks like we have a grade A hottie joining the team this year," One of the football players said.
"Who gets dibs on the red head? "Another one asked before Haruka interrupted them.
"None of you, that red head is mine and I won't let any of you deflower her," Haruka said.
"Yeah? Well what are you going to do about it you pansy?" The quarterback asked in a taunting way. Suddenly Haruka slammed the quarterback into the wall almost hard enough to break his helmet.
"Turquoise is my girlfriend and unless you value your lives you will not try anything, she is not a slut or a baby factory for you to exploit, "Haruka said.
"Ok we promise to not do anything just chill out dude," The Quarterback said.
"Who knew that red head had such a guard dog for a lover," One of the football players said feeling intimidated.
"Uh guys I think we should get away from here," Another football player said.
"What are you so afraid of, Bronze?" The Quarterback asked.
"That's Haruka Goldenburn, she is a dangerous woman to be around," Bronze said.
"Wait, that guy is a girl? And more importantly, how do you know her?" One of the football players asked.
"We went to the same school before coming here. After Keith got one of her friends pregnant against her will she bashed him up bigtime for destroying her friend's life.
"Didn't you say it was the ebony's who killed Keith?" The quarterback asked.
"They did but Haruka was the one who left all those bruises on his body," Bronze said.
"Then why are we still here? Let's get going," The quarterback said before the whole team left. Cheer tryouts ended and along with Turquoise several other girls made it onto the team.
"Congrats ladies you all made the team," Ursula said before everyone was dismissed. Turquoise was not scheduled to work today so she went straight home since she had a very serious question to ask her parents. As soon as she got home her parents were already in the foyer as always. They noticed she looked like something was wrong.
"You didn't make the team?" Ruby asked.
"No I made it, in fact the head cheerleader had nothing but praise for me," Turquoise said.
"Then what seems to be the matter?" Bullet asked. Turquoise took a deep breath before speaking.
"Mom, Dad, you would never abandon me, would you?" Turquoise asked.
"Of course not," Bullet said.
"Why in the world would you think something like that?" Ruby asked.
"Even if I ended up getting pregnant and did not want to have an abortion, you will not kick me out or worse?" Turquoise asked which took them by surprise.
"Are you pregnant now?" Ruby asked.
"Of course not, The reason I asked is because Haruka told me some very scary things involving an old friend of hers at one of her former schools," Turquoise said.
"What did she tell you?" Bullet asked. Turquoise told them about the story Haruka told her in exact detail as she described it which caused the two to hug her.
"We promise not to abandon you should some dirtbag knock you up," Ruby said.
"And I will personally have my security team murder them if you ask," Bullet said.
"They can do that?" Turquoise asked.
"They are former marines so killing is a part of their training and they know how to do so from far away," Bullet said.
"That said, I think a discussion with Haruka and her parents is in order," Ruby said. Sometime later all six of them were sitting in the living room ready to discuss the future of Turquoise and Haruka's relationship.
"Haruka, why did you tell turquoise those things that had her spooked?" Bullet asked.
"Because I was worried about her," Haruka said. "When Turquoise told me she wanted to join the cheerleading team I remembered what happened to Violet and did not want the same thing to happen again.
"She is not lying, We never heard from Violet Ebony after her parents were arrested and she moved away," Haruka's Dad said.
"We don't want Turquoise being targeted or forced into a situation where sex is enumerable, so what should we do?" Ruby asked.
"I think it's about time Turquoise and Haruka took the next step in their relationship," Haruka's mom suggested.
"You don't mean?" Ruby asked before Haruka's mom interrupted her.
"That's right, engagement," Haruka's mom said.
"You mean marriage? But isn't it too soon for that?" Turquoise asked.
"Relax, an engagement is just a trial period before tying the knot," Ruby explained.
"Besides it shows that you're off the market that way no boy will dare try anything," Bullet said.
"I know but we are still in high school, is it even legal for two minors to be engaged, let alone married?" Turquoise asked.
"This is California, there is no age limit for minors to be married, as long as both parents consent to it," Ruby said.
"Which by the way we do," Bullet said.
"As do we," Haruka's mom said.
"Haruka spent all of middle school and half of high school looking for you, not just because you're her friend but also because you're the one she loves even now," Haruka's dad said.
"It's true, you're the one I want to be with, you're the one who matters to me more than anyone," Haruka said.
"Then I accept," Turquoise said.
"Good now I believe a trip to the jewelry store is needed," Ruby said.
"Indeed, rings are needed for an engagement," Bullet said.
"Already got that covered, "Haruka said before pulling a ring box out of her backpack.
"You mean to tell us you already planned to propose to her?" Bullet asked in surprise.
"I did, i bought the ring a long time ago but with all that transpired last year could never find a good time," Haruka said.
"Well what are you waiting for? Do it,"Haruka's mom said.
"Not here, an occasion like this requires the right setting," Haruka said.
"Then where do you suggest?" Ruby asked.
"I have a special place in mind, Turquoise. I would like for you to meet me there after school tomorrow, "Haruka said. With the plans now arranged turquoise went to bed excited.
The next day at school everyone could tell turquoise was happy about something.
"What has got you in such a good mood today?" Fleur asked.
"Its, A sec, ret," Turquoise said cutely. The day went on and while many of Turquosie's friends tried to get it out of her neither Turquoise nor Haruka spilled a single thing about it. School ended for the day and while Turquoise was busy with cheer practice Haruka drove off to what looked like a replica of a Japanese shrine that looked abandoned. Haruka was secretly maintaining it since this was like a piece of her homeland to her.
"I am so excited to share this place with Turquoise, I hope she likes it, "Haruka said while making sure everything was perfect.
Back with Turquoise cheer practice ended for the day and while the girls were changing turquoise got a text from Haruka asking her to come to the Autumn trail which confused Turquoise since there was nothing there but a huge pile of leaves.
"Something wrong Turq?" Ursula asked.
"Nothing, just my girlfriend asking me to meet her by the Autumn Trail for some reason?" Turquoise said while pulling her school skirt up.
"Why there? All you will find there is a bunch of dead leaves and broken statues," Sylvia said.
"I even heard rumors of a ghost who haunts the place," Serena said.
"What evidence do you have of that?" Turquoise asked.
"Normally an abandoned site would be neglected and in decay but it's been clean and well maintained," Serena said.
"Maybe it's that way because some good samaritan wanted to do something nice such as cleaning it for free," Turquoise said while also adding how she saw videos of people on youtube cleaning graves for free.
"Either way be careful," Ursula said before Turquoise left. Sometime later turquoise was now in front of the abandoned Autumn Trail which looked like someone cleared the dead leaves and replaced them with freshly fallen ones which gave the place a nice vibrant contrast of oranges and yellows. She followed the path which led to some stone stairs lined by what looked like paper lanterns. The amount of stairs was quite surprisingly long but after ten minutes of climbing she reached what looked like an old Japanese shrine.
"I did not know this was here," Turquoise said.
"You made it love, " Haruka said.
"What is this place?" Turquoise asked.
"It used to be part of an old theme park that went bankrupt ten years ago but now it's my own personal shrine," Haruka said.
"Are we even allowed up here?" Turquoise asked, remembering how this land belonged to the city.
"Relax, my dad bought this plot of land so we are fine, "Haruka said.
""Ok i'm here now, so why did you ask me to come here?" Turquoise asked.
"Wait for it," Haruka said before the sun began to set just right with the cherry blossoms blowing in the wind. Suddenly Haruka got on one knee and opened the ring box she showed Turquoise which had a silver ring with what looked like a Turquoise gemstone on it. "We have been friends for a long time and while it took five and a half years to reunite we still found each other again. Sure this was not how I was expecting this day to go but i'm not complaining, Turquoise Dusk will you do me the honor of marrying me? Suddenly turquoise felt more excited than she was this morning.
"Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes YES!" Turquoise said repeatedly like from Jojo's bizarre adventures before hugging Haruka lovingly. After putting the ring on Turquosie's finger the engagement was now official. Little did either of them know Lemon was watching from a distance.
"So that's why Turquoise was so excited, congratulation girl," Lemon said before leaving. Turquoise and Haruka were enjoying the night sky for a bit.
The next day at lunch the girls were surprised to see Turquoise wearing her new engagement ring except for Lemon who already knew and decided it was best to let Turquoise and Haruka break the news.
"What's with the ring Turquoise?" Fleur asked.
"Haruka and I are now engaged and I could not be any happier," Turquoise said.
"We are so happy for you two," Sunny said.
"And now those meatheads can't touch her," Haruka said.
"Let's hope so because the only child I want to bear is yours," Turquoise said to Haruka. The news spread throughout Crystal Prep and while the boys were disappointed that Turquoise was off the market they still hoped for the best for her and Haruka. Principal Cadence was also happy about this news.
"You did Turquoise, you found true love," Cadence said with joy.
> First Period Pains
12/6/24
Turquoise woke up and got ready for school. After changing into her uniform she grabbed her peacoat and ran downstairs. After eating breakfast she saw Haruka outside waiting for her and got on behind Haruka. After arriving at school Turquoise and Haruka were on their way to class when Autumn approached them.
"Hey Turquoise, we have a crisis," Autumn said frantically.
"What is it?" Turquoise asked.
"Sylvia is out sick so she can't do tonight's game with us," Autumn said.
"Don't we have subs that could fill in for her?'" Turquoise asked.
"Normally we do but unfortunately they got caught trying to deface Canterlot High and got suspended until after winter break so we are in a bit of a bind," Autumn said.
"I will see if anyone I know wants to fill in, "Turquoise said.
"Thank you, you're a lifesaver. Meet us in the gym after school so we can go over everything," Autumn said before continuing on to class. After the conversation Turquoise ran into Sapphire in the hall.
"Hey, Turquoise, how are you today?" Sapphire asked.
"At the moment, in deep thought," Turquoise replied.
"About what?" Sapphire asked.
"Sylvia is out sick and all of our substitutes are suspended and will most likely get cut from the team when they get back, so we are a girl short for tonight's big game," Turquoise said.
"I can do it, I always wanted to join the cheer squad," Sapphire said.
"I will have to discuss it with Ursula but I will keep you in mind," Turquoise said. As the day went on Turquoise asked all her female friends and other girls she knew but they were either busy with prior engagements or were not interested. As soon as lunch rolled around Turquoise joined her friends and was feeling nervous. .
"Hey Turquoise have you had any luck finding a fill in for Sylvia?" Fleur asked.
"Other than Sapphy no one else seems interested," Turquoise said.
"You do know she is still a boy right?" Lemon asked.
"I know but right now she is all I got, and besides I believe she can do it," Turquoise said. Turquoise was feeling less nervous and was looking forward to the big game. As soon as the final bell rang Turquoise made her way to the gym to meet the rest of the Cheerleaders and was surprised to see them waiting for her.
"Well Turq, did you find us a replacement? "Ursala said..
"I found someone but quick warning they are a crossdresser, What is your stance on that, Girls?" Turquoise asked.
"If you are vouching for them then I will accept them," Ursula said.
"Now is not the time to be picky so whoever they are bring them in," Autumn said.
"Very well, Sapphire, are you ready?" Turquoise asked.
"I've been ready since last year," Sapphire said, coming out in one of the cheerleader uniforms from the school.
"Where did you get that?" Ursula asked.
"This was my big sister's uniform when she attended crystal prep," Sapphire said.
"Well it looks good on you but now comes the important part, practice," Autumn said. The girls got into it and after an hour it was time for the big football game against Canterlot High which was taking place on Crystal Prep's field. The girls were now getting changed and turquoise was beginning to feel strange. As soon as she finished changing she began to feel a kind of pain she never felt before.
" Are you feeling ok Turquoise?" Autumn asked.
" MOTHER OF PEARL THIS HURTS SO MUCH WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?" Turquoise shouted like she was in great pain.
"I was afraid of this Turquoise you're having your first period," Haruka said surprising everyone.
"Haruka? Where did you come from?" Ursala asked.
"I came to wish my love luck out there but I'm not sure it's a good idea for her to go out there in this state," Haruka said.
"Why is this happening now, shouldn't it have happened long ago?" Alex asked.
"I'm guessing you must be new here. You see Turquoise was not always the girl you see before you. She was originally male and had surgery before summer vacation started so the fact it started now doesn't surprise me," Autumn said.
"Turquoise babe, listen you're going to be fine, this is natural just ride it out and in a few days it will be over," Haruka said trying to keep Turquoise calm.
"Yeah we all went through it so don't worry we will all be here for you," Alex said. The game was about to start and Turquoise along with the rest of the cheerleaders went to the field to watch. Meanwhile in the stands, Bullet and Ruby were watching the game along with Minako and Toshiro. Ruby noticed Turquoise was looking a bit off. She tried to tell Bullet but he was more focused on the game.
"Come on Shadowbolts you can do better than this, "Bullet shouted. Haruka returned to her seat and Ruby pulled her to the side to ask about Turquoise. Haruka whispered something in her ear and Ruby looked like she witnessed something gruesome. As soon as halftime began Turquoise and the rest of the Cheerleaders took the field and performed.
" Give us an SHA," Alex shouted prompting the crowd to follow.
" Give us a DOW," Turquoise shouted before the pain kicked in again.
" DOW," The crowd shouted.
" Give us a BOLTS," Ursula shouted prompting the crowd to do the same.
" What does that spell?" All the girls shouted.
" SHADOWBOLTS," The crowd shouted before Canterlot High's Cheer Team took their turn. After half-time ended, Ruby decided to go to the locker room to check on Turquoise. As soon as she got there she saw Turquoise looking like she was in great pain.
"Turquoise dear I know you're scared and confused right now but let me assure you this is natural," Ruby said.
"Easy for you to say this never happened to you," Turquoise said.
"It happens with all women I remember my first menstrual cycle I was so furious and angry my classmates practically barricaded themselves in their classrooms just to stay out of my way," Ruby said.
"Wow that sounds scary, mine was sad when people insulted my music," Serena said.
"And don't get me started on how I was so damn happy I could not feel pain when I fell down," Autumn said.
"What kind of feelings are you having now Turquoise?" Ursala asked.
"Mosty fear and nervousness," Turquoise replied.
"So basically the kind of feelings you had when you first came to crystal prep?" Autumn said.
"Feels like it," Turquoise said.
"Well you don't have to worry, we are here for you now let's watch the game and cheer our boys on," Sapphire said. The girls arrived on the field to watch and suddenly Turquoise began to feel cold.
"Did the temperature just drop suddenly," Turquoise asked. Alex checked her phone and confirmed Turquoise's question.
"You're right it was fifty-two awhile ago and now it's forty-five," Alex said. Turquoise was on her way back to the locker room with the others to get their coats. Just as Turquoise was about to catch up with the others a boy with red skin, an orange buzz cut and an outfit similar to Sunset's original outfit came and punched her so hard she lost consciousness.
"I'm not letting Crystal Prep beat us again so let's see them keep fighting without their princess," The boy said before he picked Turquoise up and carried her away. The acoustics in the hall alerted the others and they saw what was happening. The girls ran to the stands to try and find help. As they ran they bumped into the Canterlot High Cheer Squad who looked concerned for others.
"You girls look like you saw something bad happen," Rainbow said.
"That's because something bad did happen. Some guy with a buzz cut and leather jacket kidnapped Turquoise and in her fragile state we don't know what will happen," Lemon said.
"Did you say buzz cut and leather jacket?" Sunset asked.
"We did," Sunny said.
"Sounds like Blaze, he must be sore about us losing to you guys," Rainbow said.
"But why kidnap Turquoise? She has nothing to do with it?" Alex asked.
"Blaze is a strategist who analyzes his opponents and then exploits their weaknesses, in this case, he must have kidnapped Turquoise thinking the Shadowbolts would lose focus and lose," Sunset said.
"What are we going to do? We can't just leave and go after him we are in the middle of a game," Ursala said.
"I will go after him, you girls try and keep our team going," Haruka said.
"Thank you, Haruka, we could really use her," Alex said. Meanwhile in front of the remains of the wonder colt statue Blaze reached his hand in to make sure the portal was open and it was.
"So long and good riddance Princess," Blaze said before throwing Turquoise into the portal. As soon as Blaze disposed of Turquoise he drove back to the game to try and fabricate his alibi even though there were witnesses.
Meanwhile inside the Castle of Friendship Twilight was busy reading when suddenly the portal began to activate. Twilight was expecting either Sunset or some hostile force but was surprised to see a blue pegasus with long red hair, a red tail styled like a lightning bolt and a cutie mark of a red crescent moon with a gold die get flung out unconscious and crashed into one of the bookshelves which caused an avalanche of books to rain down and the heavier ones to break some parts of the portal.
"Spike, come quick and help me get this pony to one of the bedrooms," Twilight said before Twilight levitated Turquoise onto her back. Spike arrived just in time to help Twilight get Turquoise in bed so she could question her when she wakes up. Minutes later Turquoise began to regain consciousness and noticed she was not at Crystal Prep anymore.
"Glad to see your finally awake," Twilight said.
"A talking pony, how is that possible?" Turquoise asked.
"Calm down, miss. I will explain everything but first you may want to see yourself before things get more awkward," Twilight said. Twilight levitated a full length mirror so Turquoise could see what happened to her. Turquoise started to look freaked out by turning into a pony until Twilight calmed her down.
"Your in Equestria and you were sent through the mirror," Twilight explained.
"Is there a way for me to go back to my world?" Turquoise asked.
"You could just go back through the portal but unfortunately when you crashed into one of the shelves in my library an avalanche of books bury it and the atlases of other countries I had smashed some of the parts of the portal so I'm afraid you're stuck here until I can fix it," Twilight said.
"Well what am I supposed to do until then?" Turquoise asked.
"You could have a look around Ponyville," Twilight suggested. Turquoise tried to move but due to her new form she fell down instantly. But first try standing on all fours. We ponies are quadrupeds so we don't walk on two legs like you humans do," Turquoise tried what Twilight told her to and she suddenly got used to moving. We can cover flying later but first introduction, My Name Is Twilight Sparkle,"
"I'm Turquoise Dusk and you look a lot like one of my friends from back home," Turquoise said.
"I assume you go to Canterlot High?" Twilight asked.
"Crystal Prep actually but I do have friends there who I can guess are also worried about me," Turquoise explained. Turquoise explained everything she remembered before waking up in her castle.
"This guy must have thought without you there the Shadowbolts would be forced to forfeit the game to look for you," Twilight theorized.
Meanwhile back in the human world Haruka found Blaze and questioned him.
"All right you Sunset wannabe what did you do to my Girlfriend?" Haruka shouted.
"I have no idea what you're talking about I was right here the whole time," Blaze said trying to look innocent.
"Liar you took Turquoise, we saw you do it," Alex said as she came with Sunset.
"Even if I did do it, where would I possibly hide her?" Blaze asked only for Sunset to grab his arm and use her power. Sunset saw Blaze throwing Turquoise into the back of his car and driving toward CHS. After pulling over in front of the school he dragged Turquoise in front of the portal and threw her in.
"You monster that portal was to be left alone, no one is allowed in there without permission," Sunset shouted.
"Well it's too late for you to do anything. I threw her so hard I wouldn't be surprised if she is dead," Blaze said. Suddenly Sunset's journal began to glow, and she opened it.
"Dear Sunset, I have your friend Turquoise Dusk with me. Don't worry she is just fine but it will be a while before she can come home because the portal was damaged, and it will be a few days before I can fix it so please don't worry. Your Friend Twilight. Sunset shared the good news, and everyone was relieved. As for Blaze, Alex came back with the principles of both schools and security, the latter escorting Blaze off the premises. As soon as the drama was over everyone went back to watching the game just in time to watch the quarterback from Crystal Prep make the winning play.
"And that's it folks after an intense match between both teams our boys from Crystal Prep won the chance to go to state," The announcer said. The team was celebrating and somehow did not get into it much knowing that Turquoise was missing.
"Don't worry boys, Turquoise is safe and will be ready to cheer you on for state," Principal Cadence said.
"Principal Cadence, where did you come from?" Autumn asked.
"I was watching the game the whole time and Sunset filled me in on everything," Cadence said.
"So, you knew about the kidnapping?" Alex asked.
"Sadly, yes and after asking Blaze about his role in this he confessed to the cheerleaders who were currently suspended putting him up to this since they felt like ruining the big game as payback, so we have some open spots on our team since I removed them from the team," Cadence said.
> Equestrian Getaway
As soon as Twilight finished writing her message to Sunset she instantly received a reply.
"Dear Twilight, thank you for telling us that Turquoise is ok. Please look after her. She may be smart but I'm worried that some of the things in Equestria might overwhelm her and she may feel alone in a world of strangers. Your friend Sunset. After closing the journal Twilight was about to begin reshelving her books when Rainbow Dash came in.
"Hey, Twilight I heard there is a pony who came through the portal?" Rainbow said.
"Rainbow Dash glad you are here, Yes, this is Turquoise she was sent here against her will and I need you to show her around Ponyville while I fix the portal," Twilight said referring to Turquoise who somehow piqued Rainbow's curiosity.
"You look familiar," Rainbow said before she got a look at Turquoise's cutie mark. By any chance are you related to Silver Chance the three-time Equestrian 500 champion? Turquoise looked like she was in shock after hearing her former name.
"I was Silver and that's all I am willing to go into on the subject," Turquoise said still remembering all the beatings and hate she had to endure most of her life.
"That's not enough for me," Rainbow said, practically trying to drag more out of Turquoise until Twilight stopped her.
"Rainbow Dash be nice if she doesn't want to talk about her past then leave it be. Now I have a lot of work to do replacing some of these parts and reshelving my books, so please just show Turquoise around," Twilight said.
"Anywhere in particular?" Rainbow asked.
"Anywhere you want, take her to your favorite spots. Feel free to show her Cloudsdale if you wish, But try to have her back here in three days. If my theory about time in Equestria moving faster relative to the human world is correct then by the time Turquoise goes home it should be tomorrow by then," Twilight said. As soon as they were outside Rainbow noticed Turquoise's wings and had an idea of what they should do first.
"Say Turquoise has Twilight taught you about flying yet?" Rainbow asked.
"So far just how to walk in this world we haven't covered flying yet. Is that something all ponies can do?" Turquoise asked.
"Just Pegasi and the princesses, There was the time Starlight used her levitation spell to fly around but that's not real flight," Rainbow explained. Rainbow told Turquoise about how the pegasi control the weather and can walk on clouds which really intrigues Turquoise.
"So do you think I can do those things as well?" Turquoise asked.
"In due time first let's focus on getting you airborne," Rainbow said. Rainbow explained that the key to moving Turquoise's wings was to think of them as a part of her and to pretend there were bones on the left and right sides of her mid-back. Turquoise managed to unfold her wings and even though she had a bit of trouble tucking them she managed to get it. Rainbow was impressed with how fast Turquoise learned to use her wings and decided they should visit Cloudsdale first. Before Rainbow and Turquoise could take off Turquoise saw something that piqued her interest.
"Can we go there first?" Turquoise asked, pointing to a carousel-like building.
"I guess we can stop by Carousel Boutique first, sure we have plenty of time," Rainbow said. Turquoise and Rainbow raced each other and it was no surprise that Rainbow won. As soon as they entered Rarity greeted them.
"Welcome to Carousel Boutique," Rarity said before noticing Turquoise. Who is your new friend Rainbow?
"This is Turquoise Dusk Twilight asked me to show her around Equestria and she is from that other place," Rainbow said. As they were talking a blue Unicorn mare with blonde hair and a cutie mark of a male symbol on top of a book wearing a pink bikini walked in.
"Hey Rarity I was wondering if you finished that dress I asked for?" The mare said, catching Turquoise's attention.
"Sapphire? You're here too?" Turquoise said.
"Sorry, miss, do I know you?" Sapphire asked before seeing Turquoise's cutie mark. Oh, Silver almost didn't recognize you with that long red wig of yours.
"First off I am not Silver anymore and second this is my natural hair. After saying that Turquoise filled Sapphire in on everything and Sapphire understood.
"Were you hit by that same spell Rockout's sister used on him?" Sapphire asked.
"No magic just a long and painful road called hormone therapy and don't get me started on how scary the home stretch was," Turquoise said.
"By any chance did the me from your world do the same thing?" Sapphire asked.
"No she is still male but it's mostly Sapphire who is around instead of Azure," Turquoise replied.
"What made you take the plunge into being a full mare if you don't mind me asking darling?" Rarity asked while levitating a red princess-style dress with rubies sewn into it. Turquoise figured now would be a good time to tell them since bottling it up would hurt more than her period. Turquoise explained everything that happened all the way to the present.
"Wow, to actually have to go through so much pain and suffering must have been awful," Rainbow said.
"You don't know the half of it and when I transferred to Crystal Prep The first day was fine by once i started dressing as turquoise things became dark both at school and home, but luckily i had true friends who kept me going till the end," Turquoise said.
"Well you're not alone on this side either because we are your friends too," Rarity said before inspiration struck. IDEA, the Grand Galloping Gala is tonight and seeing as you're going to be here for a while why not join us I'm sure Twilight would be happy to let you come. Turquoise considered her options and decided to take rarity up on her offer. Excellent Rainbow I'm going to borrow Turquoise for a while. Can you ask Twilight if she has an extra invite?.
"No problem," Rainbow said before taking off.
Meanwhile at the local Scrap Yard Twilight was looking for some replacement parts for the portal. Hmm maybe this could be a suitable replacement for the generator. As Twilight was browsing a Diamond Dog snuck up behind her.
"What does princess pony think she doing to Axle's junk," The Diamond Dog known as Axle demanded.
"I didn't mean to intrude I was looking for some new parts for a machine of mine that was damaged," Twilight said.
"Oh well why didn't princess pony say so? Axle be glad to take look and see if anything Axle can do to help," Axle said. Minutes later they arrive at the castle and Axle was already impressed with the apparatus Twilight built to keep the portal open. Suddenly Rainbow arrived and looked a bit startled by Axle.
"Where did this Diamond Dog come from?" Rainbow asked.
"This is Axle, he will be helping me fix the portal. Aren't you supposed to be with Turquoise?" Twilight asked.
"Rarity is with her now which reminds me Rarity wants to know if she may attend the Grand Galloping Gala with us?" Rainbow asked.
"Sure this could be a good experience for her," Twilight said.
"Good news and bad news. Good news I have most of what we need in Scrap yard, bad news parts buried deep in piles so make take a couple of days to find," Axle said.
"No rush Axle this gives us more time to get to know Turquoise," Twilight said. As Axle was tinkering with the apparatus it suddenly sparked and caused the portal to open.
Meanwhile back in the Human World Haruka was getting bored with waiting and leaned against the base of the former statue only to fall through it. Haruka was spinning and as soon as she came out the other side looked shocked to see a couple of ponies. As soon as Haruka exited the portal it went down again.
"What just happened?" Axle asked.
"My guess is A magical surge powerful enough to keep the portal open for a minute or two," Twilight speculated before noticing a creme-colored Pegasus mare with a short blonde mane and tail with a cutie mark of twin katanas crossed beneath a samurai helmet in the room. Who are you and what are you doing here?
"I'm Haruka and I was leaning against the base of the former Wondercolt statue when I fell through," Haruka said. Haruka asked if either Twilight or Rainbow had seen a blue girl with long red hair come through and they told her where Turquoise was now.
"Slow down Haruka Turquoise is just fine first you might want to try putting her front hooves down before you lose your balance," Twilight said before Haruka fell forward.
"How can ponies move like this?" Haruka asked.
"We are quadrupedal creatures so this is just second nature to us," Twilight said.
"Now will you take me to Turquoise?" Haruka asked.
"I'm assuming you are the soulmate she was talking about?" Rainbow asked.
"I am and I am very worried about her. What if she was kidnapped by dragons or worse?" Haruka said worriedly.
"Since you're going back to see Rarity, take these with you," Twilight said, giving Rainbow Two tickets for the Grand Galloping Gala.
Meanwhile back at Carousel Boutique Rarity was using her magic to sew a bunch of Emeralds and Sapphires onto a light green dress with care not to damage the petticoat inside the hem of the dress. As soon as she finished it she told Turquoise to try it on and stand on the platform in the center of the room. After Turquoise came out wearing her new dress she stood on the platform where the lights caused the gems on the dress to sparkle.
"Looking fabulous now to work on that mane of yours," Rarity said before levitating a bunch of mane accessories. After styling Turquosie's hair into a formal style she sprinkled it with what looked like some kind of red dust. This is a new technique I developed for simulating a crystal mane. I grind some gemstones into a fine powder and sprinkle it into a pony's mane. That particular one is made from rubies and now for the final touch. Rarity levitated a crescent shaped mane accessory and placed it in Turquosie's mane completing the look. As soon as they finished Haruka came in with Rainbow Dash.
"I'm back and Twilight thinks its a good idea," Rainbow said before she and Haruka looked at Turquoise with amazement.
"Is that you Turquoise?" Haruka asked.
"Haruka, how did you get here?" Turquoise asked while flying towards her and embracing her.
"I believe Twilight mentioned a magical surge that opened the portal for a couple of minutes which must have happened before I leaned against it," Haruka said. And before you ask don,t worry we won the big game and everyone is waiting for you to come home safely. After getting Turquoise up to speed Haruka asked why Turquoise looked like she was going to a dance.
"It's called the Grand Galloping Gala. Rarity mentioned it was a night of elegance and fun she was even generous enough to help me get ready for it," Turquoise explained.
"Almost forgot Twilight said to give this to you, "Rainbow said before giving Turquoise her ticket.
"Rainbow, who is this with you?" Rarity asked.
"I'm Haruka Turquosie's soulmate and of course her date for this Gala of which you speak," Haruka said.
"You,re this Soulmate Turquoise was talking about I thought you would be a male," Rarity said.
"I dated a man once, he toyed with my heart and feelings which caused me to hate men" Turquoise said.
"I know how that feels. I once dated a stallion who was Princess Celestia's nephew and I thought he would be a true gentle colt until it turned out he was just a royal pain and don't get me started on what the last straw was," Rarity said. Rarity offered to make Haruka something for the Gala as well and she accepted with the condition that it was not too girly. Rarity complied and within minutes created a mare's suit and had Haruka try it on. As soon as she did Twilight along with Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy came in wearing their dresses for the gala.
"We need to hurry girls, the gala is in four hours," Twilight said prompting Rarity to look at her clock and gasp.
"Your right come on ladies we still need to get ready," Rarity said before she and Rainbow went into another room to change.
"I should get going too. I have a special stallion waiting to take me to the gala, see you girls there soon," Sapphire said before taking her leave.
Later the carriage everypony was riding in was parked in front of the castle and everyone got onto the red carpet. Turquoise looked amazed by what she was looking at.
"Turquoise, Haruka, Welcome to Canterlot, the capital of Equestria," Twilight said.
> Looking Back And Moving Forward
The group trotted down the red carpet and entered the main ballroom where the festivities were being held. Turquoise noticed that most of the ponies gathered looked a lot like some of her friends and acquaintances back home. A few of them made Turquoise feel nervous until she spotted Sapphire and her date.
"Turquoise glad you and the others made it here safely," Sapphire said.
"Why wouldn't we?" Turquoise asked.
"Because lately there have been reports of dragons attacking carriages and robbing them," Sapphire said.
"And not the teenage ones," The pegasus mare next to Sapphire said.
"This is my mare friend Zaria," Sapphire said.
"A pleasure to meet you two," Zaria said.
"So about these dragons what exactly do they do," Haruka asked.
"Dragons are known for eating gems and sleeping on hoards of treasure but other than that we don,t know much else," Twilight said. As they were talking a white unicorn stallion with a blond mane with blue eyes approached the group and began to hit on Turquoise.
"Well, you look like a mare of refined taste care to join me in the Canterlot Gardens?" The stallion said before Haruka cut in.
"Back off pal, This lady is spoken for," Haruka said.
"How dare you speak to me that way you lowly commoner, Do you know who I am?" The stallion said.
"Don,t know and to be honest I really don't care," Haruka said.
"I'm Prince Blueblood the nephew of Princess Celestia and clearly more superior to some lowly street urchin who could not afford a proper dress for this gala," Blueblood said mockingly thus making Haruka's blood boil.
"That's it if it's a fight you want then bring it, pretty boy," Haruka said about to attack Blueblood only for Turquoise to stop her.
"Haruka don,t do it let's just go somewhere else," Turquoise said.
"You're right he is not worth it," Haruka said. As soon as Princess Celestia heard the commotion she came down to see what was going on.
"What is going on here? It sounded like somepony was about to start a fight," Celestia asked.
"There was, Prince Blueblood tried hitting on one of our new friends and tried to eg her date into a fight," Twilight said.
"Is that so, Blueblood I thought I told you not to mess with Twilight and her friends," Celestia said in a disappointed tone.
"How was I supposed to know those two were her friends, especially that regal-looking pegasus mare whose mane glistens brighter than the blood moon?" Blueblood asked.
"Either way I think you owe them an apology," Twilight said.
"Fine, where are they?" Blueblood asked.
"I believe they left for the garden for some alone time," Rarity said.
Meanwhile, in the Royal Canterlot Garden, Turquoise and Haruka were sitting on a bench together admiring Luna's beautiful night sky reflected off of the pond in front of them.
"You know this may be the most beautiful thing we ever saw," Turquoise said.
"Agreed, it's like Vincent Vengo's painting of the Night Sky but much better," Haruka said.
"My sister would be extremely overjoyed to hear you two say that" Celestia said as she and Blueblood approached them.
"What is he doing here?" Haruka said.
"Calm down miss we did not come to cause more conflict, Blueblood is there something you wish to say," Celestia said before bumping Blueblood.
"Sorry for hitting on your mare friend," Blueblood said.
"And?" Celestia added.
"Sorry for calling you a lowly commoner, now can I go back to the Gala now?" Blueblood said. As they were about to wrap things up a dragon with shining white scales and piercing yellow eyes snatched Turquoise up.
"Help someone get this overgrown lizard to release me," Turquoise shouted desperately. Everyone heard Turquoise's shout for help and arrived to see the dragon fly away with Turquoise.
"Any idea where that overgrown lizard took her?" Haruka asked.
"Based on the direction it is going I would have to say, Mt Glacia," Twilight speculated.
"Is it dangerous," Haruka asked.
"Not really but it does get extremely cold the higher up you go," Fluttershy said, still remembering the time Twilight accidentally teleported her there when she was sick.
"This is bad if we don't hurry. Turquoise might freeze to death," Haruka said.
After a long flight, the dragon that captured Turquoise dropped her on top of a gigantic pile of gold, gems, and various other treasures like the angel on top of a Christmas tree. The dragon looked like he was about to unleash his fire breath on her only for it to light a bunch of torches that were inside the cave.
"That's better, don't you think my precious?" The dragon asked. Turquoise looked very confused by what was going on until the dragon explained himself. You're going to be my bride and provide me with many offspring.
"Uh no offense but I'm a Pegasus pony, not a dragon," Turquoise said.
"Who cares what species you are, you're the mare I choose to mate with now take that dress off before I burn it off," The dragon said. Turquoise was about to comply until a creme colored blur blasted into the cave and sent the dragon crashing into the wall. Turquoise was relieved to see Haruka come to save her from interspecies breeding.
"No one tries to mate with my mare but me," Haruka said while getting Turquoise off the pile of treasure carefully. As soon as they were on the ground Haruka began to feel the ground shaking.
"No one busts into my cave and steals my bride-to-be, prepared to burn," The dragon said. Right before the dragon could unleash its fire the cave suddenly began to collapse. Turquoise and Haruka hurried to the exit and as soon as they made it out the entrance to the cave was completely buried by the rocks and snow.
"Shall we head back to the Gala my lady," Haruka said.
"Let's go," Turquoise said. Before Twilight teleported them back.
The rest of the night went smoothly and as soon as the Gala ended Twilight teleported Turquoise and Haruka back to the Castle of Friendship with her to check on the status of the portal. As soon as they arrived, they were surprised to see the apparatus looking good as new and functioning again.
"Turns out parts were not buried as deep as Axle thought," Axle said.
"Thank you, Axle," Twilight said before opening the portal again. Turquoise and Haruka changed out of their gala outfits before coming back to the library.
"Ready to go home love?" Haruka asked.
"I sure am," Turquoise said.
"You two are free to visit anytime, just let Sunset know ahead of time please," Twilight said. Turquoise and Haruka went through the portal and hoped they would make it out safely.
Meanwhile, by the other side of the portal, everyone was waiting for Turquoise and Haruka to return. Suddenly they came out of the portal wearing the exact clothes they had on before entering.
"How long were we gone for?" Turquoise asked.
"Almost twelve hours for you and about six for Haruka," Twilight said.
"Strange it felt like an entire day in Equestria," Turquoise said.
"In any case, glad your home now," Lemon said before hugging them. As soon as the reunion was over everyone went their separate ways.
12/9/24
A few days went by and by this point Sapphire was now made a part of the team as an alternate.
"Thank you for filling in for me, and welcome to the team Sapphire, "Sylvia said.
"It was a lot of fun," Sapphire said.
"So, what do we do about the spots our former subs left vacant?" Turquoise asked.
"We leave them that way for now," Ursula said. Weeks went by and soon it was New Year's Eve. Turquoise and Haruka decided to spend the day together just the two of them.
"So where to first love? "Haruka asked.
"Let's go to our favorite restaurant first," Turquoise said.
"You got it, " Haruka said. The two of them spent the whole day going places and soon the sun was beginning to set. They decided to head to their special spot to watch the sun set and see the fireworks that were set to go off at precisely midnight. Once they were at the shrine they laid back and watched the sky.
"Hey Haruka, what plans do you have for the future?" Turquoise asked.
"What brought this on?" Haruka asked.
"Well, I just remembered that High school is the time when people decide what kind of career they want, I'm sure you already know what my path is," Turquoise said.
"Of course, you're going to become the new CEO of Silver Corp and take the gaming industry with your nerve gear," Haruka said.
"That's my path, but with all that has happened, I forgot to ask, what are your goals for the future?" Turquoise asked.
"Besides marrying you, my dream is to open my own restaurant someday," Haruka said.
"So, you want to become a chef?" Turquoise asked.
"Exactly," Haruka said.
"I believe you can do it," Turquoise said.
"Thank you, love," Haruka said. "How long has it been since we were able to just lay back like this?
"Six years, and despite all the chaos and how many lives were ruined, I'm glad we made it here," Turquoise said. "Say, do you think those people are looking back on it like we are?
"You may be right, but in all honesty, them coming back worries me," Haruka said.
"Not all of them, Lance and Upper crust didn't seem to bear any ill will when I visited them for the last time.
"But that's because you took the time to see them whereas for the others you could not see them since either the police or their parents made that impossible," Haruka said.
"Well either way I hope the new year will bring them a new beginning," Turquoise said. Soon the countdown began and once it reached zero the night sky was full of fireworks. "This is the best place to view fireworks.
"It sure is and we have it all to ourselves," Haruka said.
"So, what plans do you have for this land?" Turquoise asked.
"My dad plans to build us our own mansion on it with the shrine behind it, "Haruka said.
"Us?" Turquoise asked.
"That's right, he plans to begin once we are married," Haruka said.
"I can't wait to see it," Turquoise said. Soon the two of them returned home for the night.
> Final Obstacle
4/18/25
The Crystal Prep Shadowbolts have been on a massive winning streak ever since Turquoise joined the Cheer Squad and were looking forward to her cheering them on tonight against their final opponent. Ursala gathered the team at the gym to discuss who their final opponent will be.
"Listen up girls, our final opponent is the Cloudsdale High Stallions," Ursala said making Turquoise a bit shocked.
"Did you say Cloudsdale High?" Turquoise asked.
"I did," Ursala said.
"Turquoise, are you feeling alright you look like you saw a ghost," Sapphire asked.
"You're not far off you see Cloudsdale High was where Turquoise transferred from last year because of how the entire student population bullied her for not being like everyone else," Autumn said.
"In any case, there is no need to worry. I'm sure most of the students who tormented you have graduated already and have more pressing things to deal with than bullying, "Alex said.
"You're right and who knows maybe they forgot about me by now," Turquoise said. As soon as they were finished discussing things they began practicing for tonight. After nailing their routine perfectly everyone went home to get ready for the final game of the season. As Turquoise was leaving Haruka was waiting for her to drive her home. As soon as Turquoise got on behind her Haruka decided to break the ice.
"You feeling ok Turquoise you look like you heard something bad?" Haruka asked.
"The final match is at Cloudsdale High and I'm feeling scared and nervous," Turquoise said.
"What are you afraid of your 100% female now even with your red hair they can't tell you're the same boy they constantly attacked," Haruka assured her.
"Maybe you're right but still what if they do?" Turquoise asked.
"Whatever happens, happens, let's just leave it at that, besides this feels more like fate rather than a coincidence," Haruka said.
"Fate?" Turquoise said.
"You know, maybe it's time to stop letting your past hold you back and confront it," Haruka said. As soon as they arrived at the Silver Mansion Haruka gave Turquoise a kiss for luck. As soon as Turquoise entered the Foyer Bullet and Ruby were waiting for her.
"We heard that the State Final is being held at Cloudsdale High and considering your past with that place are you sure you want to do this?" Bullet asked.
"I have to I made a commitment to my team and my school besides something tells me I have to do this," Turquoise replied.
"Ok but just know we will be watching in the stands if you need us," Ruby said. Turquoise went up to her room to get dressed for the big game. After getting dressed she went downstairs to head off to Cloudsdale high.
Meanwhile, at Cloudsdale High one of the students who personally held a grudge against Turquoise was looking over his data when Toon came up to him.
"Long time no see Storm," Toon said to a light green boy with blue hair.
"What are you doing here, Toon? I thought they expelled you," Storm said.
"I was but the headmistress of my last school pulled some strings to get me back in after I passed her final test," Toon said before noticing Storms' little file on Silver. If you're still hoping to get revenge on Silver don't even try because he is gone now and will never be coming back.
"Don,t try hiding anything from me I know you know something you two were at the same school for a while," Storm said.
"I'm not telling you anything," Toon said before taking off.
Later in the locker room, Turquoise and the rest of the cheer squad were getting ready.
"Ok girls this is the final match let's do this," Ursala said. As soon as the girls took their positions on the sidelines and both teams got into position the game began. Cloudsdale took an early lead but Crystal Prep bounced back. The first quarter ended with both teams tied at twelve points each. The second quarter began and The Stallions were picking up momentum but the Shadowbolts managed to take the lead with a come-from-behind touchdown before the end of the quarter. Once halftime started Storm made his move. Storm unwrapped a Type 54 Black Star from some tin foil and then took Bullet and Ruby hostage. After taking the announcer's box Storm hijacked the PA system.
"I am tired of waiting, show yourself Silver or I will kill your beloved parents," Storm shouted through the mic. Turquoise was in a very panicked state since her parents were being held hostage and Haruka was not around this time. After Haruka's words echo through her mind Turquoise decided now was the time to stand up and confront her past. Turquoise walked up to center field.
"You monsters want Silver so badly, well I'm right here so let my parents go," Turquoise shouted at the top of her longs. The entire student population of Cloudsdale High that was present in the stands laughed their hearts out but Turquoise was not showing any signs of reacting to it. Go ahead laugh and why not say Silver is a weak little girl like you always did cause you to know that I like being a girl but I am not weak. I found a place where I truly belong with people who see me as a brave person because I am not afraid of who or what I am. So go ahead and do your worst cause I am done running away. Turquoise was expecting a lot of hate to come her way but instead, the crowd cheered with applause Cloudsdale High included.
"Wow, I never thought I would hear some stupid Shadowbolt bimbo try to claim to be that backstabbing traitor who almost destroyed our school," Storm said as he cocked his gun. Right before Storm pulls the trigger Toon rushed in and tackled Storm causing him to drop his gun and causing it to shoot Storm in the knee.
"Turquoise didn't stab us in the back, we stabbed her countless times and because of that, we drove her away. After seeing a glimpse into her world I realized that being different is not so bad. So if Cloudsdale High falls don't blame her, blame yourselves for attacking an innocent soul instead of preparing for the Standardized Test that the school system is built upon," Toon said to Storm knowing his words were being broadcasted through the stadium. The whole Stadium took Toon's message to heart. Security came in and slapped the cuffs on Storm before escorting him out of the stadium for the cops to take in. After Bullet and Ruby took their seats The halftime show began and Turquoise rocked it along with the others. The game continued and at the last second, the Shadowbolts won with the most epic touchdown in history.
"The winners of this year's Football championships are the Crystal Prep Shadowbolts. The team really celebrated and even included Turquoise and the rest of the cheerleaders. The photographer took a picture of the team for the school newspaper and Turquoise proposed they hold a celebration at her place which everyone agreed on.
Sometime later in one of the ballrooms at the Silver Mansion, everyone was celebrating the shadow bolts big win except for Turquoise who was in her room working on something. Haruka went to check on her and as soon as she entered her room she saw her at her desk working on something.
"Hey love, why aren't you at the party with the others?" Haruka asked.
" I will be there soon. I just need to paste this last thing," Turquoise said as she pasted something in a book.
" What are you working on?" Haruka asked.
" It's a scrapbook of all the fond memories of all my friends since graduation is in less than two months I'm worried this may be last time we will see them again," Turquoise replied.
"You know you will still have me cause after we get married wherever you go I'm coming with," Haruka said, causing Turquoise to hug her. After she finished Turquoise joined the others feeling unhindered by anything after her little display of courage.
6/6/25
The last day of school was about to end and everyone in the Senior Class of 2025 gathered in the auditorium in their caps and gowns ready to take one last look at their fellow students as they walked across that stage. Principal Cadence took the podium and spoke.
"Today I see a lot of young adults about to take the next step in their lives and before you all take that step I just want to say it has been quite an honored to have you at my school because it wasn't my actions alone that changed it you all helped by being kind and loving to one another," Cadence said before the ceremony began. All 100 students stood up and slowly walked towards the stage in a single file line one by one walking across the stage as they claimed their diplomas. As they were walking it then became Turquoise's turn. "Turquoise Silver Dusk. Turquoise claimed her diploma and went back to her seat. After watching everyone who's last names were E and F it was finally Haruka's turn. "Haruka Junko Goldenburn. After Haruka took her seat they waited for the rest of the class to get their diplomas. As soon as the ceremony was finished Turquoise gathered her closest friends to ask them a serious question.
"Do you girls want to be my bridesmaids?" Turquoise asked.
"We would be honored," Sapphire said along with Amber and Disty.
"You have been our friend since our junior year so of course we will," Lemon said with the others agreeing with her.
" Count me in too," Fleur said.
" Thank you. It makes me feel good to have my friends there for one last get together," Turquoise said.
The next day Turquoise and Haruka along with their parents were discussing the plans for the wedding.
"So how do we want to do this?" Bullet asked.
"I was thinking we would have a traditional Japanese style wedding," Toshiro said.
"Or how about a classic American one," Bullet said.
"I like my idea better," Toshiro said.
"No mine is better," Bullet said.
"Now boys this is not your wedding it's our daughters' wedding so let's let them decide," Minako said.
"Agreed Turquoise, Haruka, which one do you want?" Ruby asked.
"I am on board with traditional Japanese. How about you Turquoise?" Haruka asked.
"I want to agree but I'm not sure I know how to do it," Turquoise said.
"Don,t worry if you want to do it I can help and I'm sure Ruby will as well," Minako said.
"Yes, so Turquoise do you want to do it?" Ruby asked.
"I do," Turquoise said.
"Now that we have the theme down, let's pick a date," Bullet said. As they were discussing the details a news bulletin came up.
"Good news for all you astronomers out there, there will be a rare blood moon coming out on the eighteenth so be prepared for this once-in-a-lifetime event," The reporter said which gave everyone an idea.
"Sounds like the perfect time for a wedding would you agree?" Bullet said.
"Sure does and our shrine is the perfect place to view it from," Toshiro said. With the date and place decided they began discussing the rest of the details.
> To The Future
6/18/25
The big day has finally arrived and Turquoise was looking nervous like most brides do on their special day. Turquoise heard a knock on her door and Ruby came in.
"Are you excited, Turquoise?" Ruby asked.
"To be honest I feel like I have butterflies in my stomach," Turquoise replied.
"I felt the same way when I married your father, only much worse since I had to handle the icy stare of your grandfather," Ruby said while reminiscing about her own wedding. While they were talking Bullet came in to tell them the rest of the family on their side had arrived. Turquoise left her room and as soon as she entered the Foyer Rusty along with a white boy and blue girl both around the same age as Turquoise were there.
"How are you feeling, cushion?" The boy asked.
"To be honest Chris, as nervous as most brides are on a day like this," Turquoise replied.
"That's normal, To be honest when dad said you became a full woman we thought he meant like a weakling, not a sexy vixen most boys would line up to date in a heartbeat," The girl said.
"Well Fawn It hasn't been easy but I survived," Turquoise said.
"In any case, Turquoise and I need to head down to the venue Minako has something for Turquoise and I'm sure you all know what it is," Ruby said.
Minutes later Turquoise and Ruby arrived in front of Haruka's estate and noticed a bunch of people she hadn't met before and assumed they must be Haruka's relatives. Minako gestured for Turquoise to follow her to the room she set up for Turquoise to get changed in. As soon as Turquoise and Ruby were inside Minako closed the door so no one would see Turquoise.
"This was my grandma's wedding kimono and then my mom's and then mine and now I pass it on to you Turquoise, I was hoping to pass it on to Haruka but my daughter-in-law is just as good too," Minako said referring to the white kimono that was on the mannequin.
"I will take good care of it," Turquoise said.
"I know you will and I know Haruka is in good hands," Minako said. Ruby had Turquoise strip so Minako could help her with the kimono. After Minako finished with the kimono she and Ruby styled Turquoise's long red hair into a traditional Japanese bridal style before putting the headdress on her. After her makeup was done Turquoise wanted to head out and see how Haruka was doing until Minako and Ruby stopped her.
"You can't leave this room yet we still need to set things up," Ruby said.
"Also no one especially the groom is allowed to see the bride in her wedding dress until the ceremony starts," Minako said.
"So how long till the ceremony?" Turquoise asked.
"If we time it right about five hours," Ruby said to Turquoise's annoyance.
Meanwhile, in the courtyard leading to the Goldenburn Family Shrine, the groundskeeper was sweeping away the green summer leaves on the path while Sapphire and the rest of the bridesmaids were discussing their future plans for after the wedding.
"Sapphire, Amber, Disty? What do the three of you plan to do now that high school is over?" Lemon asked.
"I will be at Mali University and Pettilite will be living with me since it would not feel right to leave her all by herself, especially with Rarity traveling abroad," Sapphire said.
"As for us, we will go wherever Sapphire goes since we are gal pals forever," Amber said.
"Do you think Turquoise will be sad to see us leave?" Alex asked.
"Of course, she will but that's why she chose all of us specifically to be her bridesmaids because she wants to create one last memory with all of us together," Sunny said.
"I heard she is going to one of the most elite colleges in the country to earn her business degree and she is scared of losing herself," Sugarcoat said.
"There is no way that will happen, Haruka will be there to make sure of it," Sour said.
"Yeah, Haruka's strength and Turquoise's kindness balance each other so there is nothing to worry about," Indigo said.
"That's just it, in the world of business there is no room for kindness or compassion its survival of the fittest," Fleur said.
"How do you know that?" Lemon asked.
"My father used to be a businessman until he got sacked as part of a company downsizing," Fleur said.
"Well, you girls have nothing to worry about, Turquoise once said when we were kids that she would treat Silver Corp like her family," Fawn said.
"Do you think she will keep that promise?" Lemon asked.
"I know she will now. I believe Ruby said your dresses are done being tailored," Fawn said prompting the girls to follow her. Minutes later all the girls came out wearing long aquamarine dresses. As soon as the ground was cleared of leaves and everything was set up the sun was about to set on the horizon creating an orange sky contrasting behind the shrine meaning it was time to begin. When Turquoise entered the Courtyard everyone was in sheer awe at her beauty. After taking her spot next to Haruka who was dressed in a female version of what the groom wears in a Japanese wedding they were led up the stairs to the shrine as the sky began to darken. As soon as everyone took their seats and Turquoise and Haruka stood before each other the priest began chanting his blessing to the gods.
"May the gods shine upon this holy union," The priest said. The priest then began pouring something into three special cups.
"As per customs the bride and groom each take three sips from each of these cups along with their parents, Normally this is done with sake but since the two of you are underage we are going with Amazake which is a non-alcoholic substitute," Toshiro said. After taking the first sip Turquoise savored the sweet and milky flavor as did the others. Once they finished taking sips the main part everyone was waiting for began with the blood moon about to rise.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here tonight to bear witness to the union of Lady Turquoise and Lady Haruka in holy matrimony. If anyone should object to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace," The priest said before Haruka's little cousin brought the rings. "Do you Haruka Goldenburn take Turquoise to be your beloved wife to care for in sickness and in health till death till you part?
"I do," Haruka said.
"And do you Turquoise take Haruka to be your lawfully wedded partner to care for you in sickness and in health till death till you part?," The priest asked.
"I do," Turquoise said.
"Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you Wife and Wife you may now kiss the bride," The priest said as the rays of the Blood Moon bathed the shrine creating a good picture for the photographer to take as Haruka kissed Turquoise passionately. After the ceremony, everyone moved to the banquet hall which was an ornate style room with a bunch of tables with many dishes from Japan and the US on tables but what was most noticeable was a big white cake with two figurines that looked exactly like Turquoise and Haruka. Turquoise made the first speech.
"This has been quite a journey for me. There have been many good times and bad times but they were all worth it to be here with my friends and family. To my friends, even if this ends up being the last time we ever see each other, just know I am grateful to you for sharing this important day with me," Turquoise said before shedding a tear of joy. Everyone was touched by Turquoise's words, her friends more than the others.
"We are glad you chose us to be your bridesmaids and we want you and Haruka to do something with us after this," Lemon said. After everyone finished giving their speeches it was time for the cutting of the cake which Turquoise and Haruka did together and playing smeared some of it on each other's faces. After everyone had a slice Bullet proposed a toast to the wedded couple and to whatever the future may hold. As soon as everyone finished eating the DJ began playing the first song Turquoise requested which was (My dearest) by SuperCell.
"You always know what to choose for the occasion," Haruka said.
"Shall we dance?" Turquoise asked.
"Lets," Haruka said. Everyone danced the night away and as soon as the final song ended Turquoise and Haruka went outside to see their friends gathered in front of the steps to the shrine.
" Come on, you two get in between us," Amber said. Turquoise and Haruka did what they were told and the photographer prepared his camera.
"Say Happy Endings, everyone," The photographer said before taking the picture.
"This is so you two can remember us even if we are millions of miles apart," Lemon said.
"Friends may come and go but their bonds will last a lifetime, Sunset taught us that," Sunny said.
"By the way, where are you two planning on going now that High School is over and you're married?" Indigo asked.
"Haruka and I are going to Elysium University in New York City," Turquoise said.
"It's one of the most prestigious Colleges in the country. A degree from there can land you whatever job you want," Haruka added.
"In any case, we still have Summer Vacation so let's enjoy it before everyone starts packing," Sapphire said. The days went by before everyone knew it and then the day where everyone parted ways arrived. Everyone gathered by the newly rebuilt WonderColts statue to take one final group photo this time with all their friends from Canterlot High included. Rarity hugged Pettilite lovingly.
"Be good for Sapphire darling. I know she will take good care of you," Rarity said.
"I will, cousin Rarity," Pettilite said.
"I'm going to miss this world but not as much as I will miss all of you," Sunset said.
"Do you really have to go back to Equestria Sunset?" Pinkie asked.
"Sorry Pinkie now that High School is over I no longer have a place here so it's time for me to return to my true home but I will come back and visit whenever I can," Sunset said. After everyone finished with the tearful stuff Sunset went through the portal and everyone else went to their cars to reach the city limits and each of them took one last look at Canterlot City.
Twenty years later Turquoise was at her desk in her office looking over the charts and profits Silver Corp was making and looked pleased to see that her latest game was a huge hit while looking at the news article on her wall about Fenos Online and the Nerve Gear taking the gaming industry by storm. Even though her hair turned a slightly lighter shade of red and now wore glasses she still looked as youthful as she did before. As Turquoise was reminiscing about the past her intercom buzzed and got her attention.
"Miss Turquoise, your partner and daughter are here to see you," A lady said on the other side.
"Thank you, Krystal, please send them in," Turquoise said. After the elevator arrived on the top floor Haruka opened the door to Turquoise's office and a little girl with creme skin with long red hair tied in twin tails wearing a lolita style dress ran up and hugged Turquoise.
"Come on Mommy let's go before it's too late?" The girl said.
"Slow down Junko, I will be ready soon," Turquoise said before hitting the intercom. Krystal, please hold all my calls. I have a very important engagement to attend to. After turning off her computer the three of them left to spend the day together like a family. |
Fallout Equestria: Syndication | pre | "Wow, just wow." That coming from Mango who was levitating one of the many bottles up to read the label, though it was so smudged that she couldn't. "Filly just drank herself to death in the end."
I just slowly shook my head as I closed out the files before going to connect my PipBuck to the terminal. Once said device had acknowledged the connection, I went about attempting to retrace the transmission back through the network, only to come into a problem.
Network Issue: Unable to Determine Source, Station to far from main network
"Well, that's just fucking great." I let out a groan before planting my head down on the table.
Mango had come over and read what was on the screen, letting out an annoyed groan of her own. "Well, that doesn't help."
"No shit sherlock." I went to lift my head up and rub my temples. There had to be another way of doing this. Looking back at the terminal screen, I backed out and went searching again. That was when I found the last recording. I went ahead and played it.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! I just lost connection with home base! The sky is closing up outside, what is going on?! *boooooooooom* What was that?!"
There was the sound of crying in the background before Call's voice returned.
"It's over. It's all over... Equestria is gone... I... I can't take this anymore... My mane is falling out... I'm.. I'm so tired.... Fuck this, I'm gonna drink........."
With that, the recording picked up more crying followed by the sounds of choking, before just silence. I reached up to clear a tear from my eye as the recording finally came to an end. "Poor thing..."
"Yeah, couldn't imagine what happened that day." Mango gently shook her head before looking over at the skeleton. "We should burry her. I found a shovel in the closest."
I just simply nodded as I unhooked my PipBuck from the terminal. This had been a complete waste of time, but at least we could finally give the poor filly who had died here a final resting place. Walking over to the cot, I wrapped the bones gently in a levitation field and headed for the door.
*****
An hour later, Mango stuck the shovel into the ground next to the newly disturbed soil where we had buried the remains of Call Letter. It had been done in silence, there really wasn't anything to say in the moment.
Once we were done, we headed back inside to collect the things that Mango had discovered which, quite honestly, was virtually nothing. A couple of bottle caps and some still good healing potions and bandages, but that was about it. Once those had found a home in Mango's saddlebags, we exited the door and closed it once again before heading back down to the road. A quick check of the time showed it to be coming up on midafternoon.
I flipped back to the map and looked, trying to find somewhere we could get too before it got too dark out again. That's when I found one of the map markers that Coffee had placed for us, figuring it would be helpful to us.
"Okay, I think one of Coffee's markers should be a good place for us to bed down for the night. Does look like it's a couple of hours out still." Which is when I showed my map to Mango who, after taking a look, gave a nod in response.
I wasn't looking forward to more walking, but it had to be done. Just hope we get there before night. I put the map away and went back to the radio, catching in on a Sapphire Shores rocker as we proceeded back down the road.
*****
The hours seemed to just drag on by as we trotted, keeping a vigilant eye on both the horizon and the E.F.S, but nothing ever popped up. We trudged along to the map marker, as the sun started descending in the sky. Just as we crested the hill above our destination, the world was growing darker by the second. Soon enough, it would be as dark as it was the previous night when we had found the trading post.
Down below, we could see the battered remains of a road side convenience store. There were lights coming from within, so that gave us hope as we quickly made our way down the slop towards it. The flashing light from a still functioning Sparkle Cola machine could be seen on the side of the building. That would be something for later as, once we reached the door, I magicked it open and got inside.
Though, not being on the same level of warmth as the trading post the previous night, it was still better than it was outside.
The inside definitely looked like it was already set up as a camp, but my E.F.S didn't bring up any other bars aside from Mango, indicating we were the only ones. The lights I had seen coming from within were coming from old lanterns, but weren't doing a good job at lighting the rest of the interior. Turning on my PipBuck's lamp unveiled a spot where a small fire could be set.
"I'm on it." Seeing that, Mango shucked her saddlebags off to the side before finding a way to get a fire going. While she was doing that, I set my own saddlebag down next to hers and stretched a little. My hooves were killing me and, according, to Coffee, there was still at least three more days of this.
"Joy. Hope we get to Denmare before my hooves fall off."
Soon enough, Mango had a small fire going, which had the duel effect of giving more light and a small bit of warmth. The extra light showed off that the still somewhat intact building was still being used for something, which was when my PipBuck finally decided to catch up with us in giving a name.
Location Discovered: Coltorado Trading Company Pitstop #58
"Coltorado Trading Company Pitstop #58? Huh, guess that explains everything sitting here?"
"Yeah, it does." Mango, after she was done lighting the fire, was digging through her saddlebags to see what we could eat that night. I sat down across from her, holding my hooves out towards the fire in an attempt to warm them up. I couldn't help but let out another sigh as it started taking its affect.
"Well, take your pick. Canned peaches or canned corn." Mango held the two different cans up, allowing me to take first choice. After thinking it over, I took the canned peaches in my levitation field and floated them over, leaving the corn for Mango.
Once popping the can open, I dove in. Peaches were definitely some of my favorites. Mango wasn't far behind in diving into her corn. While I kept the can levitating in my magic, I pulled my PipBuck up to scan through my inventory. From what I could gather, and if we could keep up the pace we needed, we should hopefully have enough to make it to Denmare, and hopefully the first true settlement there. Only time would tell there.
Coffee had been the only pony we had met outside the Stable up till this point, though I highly doubted that would change, given what both she had told us about, and what was written in the book under the 'Raiders' section.
Opting for a bit more, I pulled the book out of my saddlebag and levitated it in front of me, picking up where I had left off previously. Doing some reading was going to help pass the time. Mango, for her part, was looking over her newly acquired hunting rifle. She hadn't had a chance to use it that day. Which, in my opinion, was probably a good thing.
Flipping through the book, the author definitely knew a thing or two about the goings on around this apparent part of the wasteland. Just how this mare knew about it all still boggled me though. Though, what did worry me the most was the previously mentioned section about raiders, specifically a gang called The Syndicate.
According to Ditzy, it was the largest group in this part of the wasteland, and had virtually came out of nowhere just over twenty years ago, and there still isn't a lot known about them.
It was then that I started to wonder if this was why my mother had sent a distress message, but still didn't quite understand why she would ask for me. She didn't even KNOW me! This was just completely insane! I highly doubt I would get an answer till I actually found her.
I just let out a long sigh as I flipped the book closed and set it back inside my saddlebag, soon finishing off the rest of the peaches in the can before opting to just tossing it in the corner, having it land on top of a pile of similar kinds of empty cans, so it was totally okay to do!
"You good there?" Mango looked over at me after hearing my sigh, dropping the rifle back down onto her own bags. She had finished off her corn, and proceeded to add her can to the same pile.
I looked back over at my lifelong best friend and just gave a slow nod. "I... I really don't know Mango. It just now hit me that I honestly have no clue in all of Equestria why my mother would have sent a distress call to me when she doesn't even fucking know me."
I then looked down and gazed into the fire. The crackling flames bouncing and flickering in the darkness of the night. I just shook my head.
"Well, I wish I had an answer for you Mystic, but no matter what happens, I'll be right here with you."
Hearing that did get me smiling. Having her with me definitely gave me hope for the future.
*****
We had packed up our stuff the following morning after we had each took turns keeping watch overnight. It was better to be safe than sorry, after all.
Before we headed off, I discovered the Sparkle Cola machine had previously been opened, and did actually have a couple of bottles left. While lukewarm, it was still great to have something other than slightly irradiated water.
After popping the tops, both bottle caps made their way into my pouch, which my PipBuck instantly counted towards our new total.
Taking a quick swig from it, we proceeded back along the road to the west. It wasn't long before I went to turn the radio on, and once again catching a song that we had heard many times before, but was still good to hear again.
Once the song came to an end, the dulcet tones of the radio DJ returned. "GOOOOOOOOOOOOD MOOOOOOOOOORNING WASTELAND!! DJ Denmare back at with the morning roundup!" Following that was some pretty mediocre sound effects, but I digress.
His tone did take on a rather serious tone. "Now, unlike yesterday, I do have some unfortunate news to deliver. One of my trusted sources to the south have informed me of some increased slaver activity centered around Castle Rock, so if you're heading that way, you'd be best to enlist the help of the local Steel Ranger's to get you through safely. Thank Celestia those guys aren't like the pompous asshats up north."
I simply blinked at that. Ditzy's book did talk about that group called the 'Steel Rangers' and how she described just how different they were down here compared to the ones up by Manehatten and Fillydelphia.
"With that, be safe out there My Little Ponies, and keep on riding and striving to be the best you can be! Here's some upbeat tones from the OG DJ Pon-3!"
With that, an upbeat tune started off as the DJ finished, and it instantly had Mango bobbing her head along. I did have to admit, it was pretty catchy.
As we walked along, and for the first time since encountering Coffee the previous day, a blue bar popped up on my E.F.S, which instantly got my attention. Though, looking in the direction revealed... A flying metal ball. A sprite bot, according to the book.
Mango also seemed to be confused by the sight of the ball, which was playing its own music (quite heavy on the tuba, I might add) which suddenly cut out with a pop as the sprite bot turned and floated towards us.
Mango instantly had her rifle levitated up and aimed at it in the blink of an eye. She was just about to magically pull the trigger and send a bullet right at it.
"Whoa! Easy there! I come in peace!"
... Did that thing just talk?
"Uh... what are you?" Was quite literally all I could muster as the ball floated back a bit before Mango lowered the gun.
"A friend." We both gave it a deadpanned stare. "Seriously, I don't mean you both any harm." I still didn't buy it, but at least it hadn't attacked us yet. "Just call me Watcher."
"Watcher?" The sprite bot bobbed up and down, so I took that as it was nodding. "So, what exactly are you doing?"
"That's a long and complicated story. Let's just say I look for those wanting to do good. I provide advice. You both seem to have a bit already covered though. What are your names?"
"I'm Mango Sunrise, and this is Mystic Sapphire." Of course Mango was the one to respond to that.
The sprite bot was silent for a moment, almost leading me to believe we had lost the mysterious being, before the voice returned.
"Do you both want to do good?" Mango and I looked at each other before giving a nod. "Then I need your help."
I was still very skeptical about what their true intentions were, but I figured we may as well go along with it. "Go on."
"Further up the road is a raider camp that have been tormenting caravans going between Denmare and the Wild Plains. I want you both to take them out."
Okay, it was official, mister floating robot ball was completely insane. There was no way in the name of Luna we were going to- "We'll do it." Aaaaaaand of course Mango spoke for us both. I proceeded to facehoof.
"Great!" It bobbed a few more seconds before a ping alerted me to my PipBuck. "I've sent you both the coordinates. Stay safe!" And before I could ask it any more questions, a popping sound brought the heavy tuba music back, and the sprite bot proceeded to float away.
I then just glared at my companion, who just smirked back before going to take lead and headed off.
I swear, that filly was going to get us killed at some point.
*****
"Mango, I'm going to kill you."
We were standing on top of a hill overlooking the encampment, and I had no fucking clue how we were going to take care of this. Though, the amount of ponies we were seeing was not what was freaking me out the most.
Bodies.
Decapitated, mutilated bodies of numerous ponies were nailed to the walls, impaled on spikes along with the decaying remains of heads. Bodily entrails strung up like macabre party decorations. The mere sight sent a shiver through my spine.
"So, what do you think? Sneak in and take them out quietly, or do the fun way and go in guns blazing?"
"What I think is that you're a fucking idiot. But I really don't want to die, and I'm stuck on this crazy train, so let's take the silent approach."
"You're no fun, but I also see where you are coming from." Mango shrugged as we proceeded to carefully make our way down the hill. The closer we got, the more my E.F.S filled with red.
I gulped as we somehow made it to a back door without being spotted. Unlike the door the previous day, this one was open. It swung open, and we were both assaulted by the most revolting smell ever. I nearly threw up right there and then, but I swallowed it back as we slowly made our way inside, closing the door just before an emaciated, dirty brown mare whose mane was done up in blood red spikes looked over towards it.
We had luckily gotten out of sight behind a countertop before she could spot us, though it was too close for comfort. After a moment, the mare turned and headed off again. I was still trying to figure out how we were going to go about this, when Mango peaked her head up and came face to face with a decapitated head, and let out a way too loud squeak.
"What the fuck was that?" A stallion's voice echoed from the other room as I had quickly clamped my hooves down around Mango's muzzle to shut her up. Hoofsteps trotting on the rotting wood floor indicated we had another visitor. We could hear someone sniffing at the air.
"Weeeeeeeell, something smells a little too... different. Perhaps we have some... fresh meat crawling into our laps~"
I did not, in any way whatsoever, like how he said that. The hoofsteps were getting closer, and they were joined by the cocking of what sounded like a shotgun. I shivered more as Mango shoved my hooves away and rolled out in front of the stallion, completely catching them off guard.
"What the fuck?!" Was all they got off as Mango took aim with her rifle and fired. From that range, there was absolutely no missing. The gunshot echoed through the ramshackled building as the wall directly behind the stallion was soon painted in blood and brain matter. The body soon toppled over and laid in a crumpled heap.
Unfortunately for us both, the echoing of her gunshot had alerted the whole place, and a thundering of hooves were coming right for us. Mango rolled over to the other side of the door just as the mare from before came into view. Seeing no way out other than blasting, I hopped up and used yet another feature on my PipBuck that I hadn't had any need for before.
I activated S.A.T.S, or Stable-Tech Assisted Targeting Spell, and the world around me came to a stop. The interface popped up, highlighting each of the mares' body parts and my chances of hitting that part. Luckily, it gave me a 95% chance of hitting her head. Queuing up the spell to aim there, I felt S.A.T.S slip away, and my laser rifle firing.
The mare was hit right between the eyes, and in an instant, her body glowed a soft pink before vaporizing right in front of our eyes, ending up as a glowing pile of ash on the floor.
I blinked... I blinked again. Not only had I killed a pony, but there was literally nothing left of her! I didn't have much more time to process it though as more gunshots headed our way.
We had been lucky to catch the first two raiders off guard, but we were now in for a harder fight.
I soon joined Mango on the other side of the door as more bullets flew through the air, most missing us. Some impacted against the door frame, splintering off good chunks of wood. Our pathetic defense wasn't going to last long.
"Fucking wish we had some grenades or something!" I called out over the roar of the bulletstorm. Mango then blinked as she reached back to her saddlebag, and levitated out two metal apples.
I blinked at the sight, before deciding to question it later when we weren't facing eminent death. Mango didn't give an answer either, instead just pulling the steams and lopping them through the door.
"Fucking shit! Run!" Before anything else could be said, an explosion ripped through the building and completely silenced the other room. In an instant, my E.F.S was cleared of all red bars.
I slowly looked out from around the door and looked into the room, and discovered the extent. The force of the explosion absolutely obliterated any raiders. Blood had been splattered all over the wall, ceiling and floor. Intestines and liquefied matter covered everything else.
Finally, my stomach decided to eject its contents, having my breakfast joining the rest of the bloody mess. I really hated the wasteland.
*****
We had left the now vacant raider encampment an hour prior after Mango did the bulk of the scavenging. I had ran outside to finish evicting my stomach contents. After washing out my mouth of the foul taste, we had gone over what Mango had found. A good number of bottle caps, guns that had seen much better days and weren't even worth the trouble of bringing, and a book titled 'Today's Locksmith' . That I definitely took.
It was once again getting to the point were the cold was starting to get to us, and it was definitely getting old by this point, but we had to trudge along. It was a little further along before we heard the same tuba music echoing before we saw another sprite bot floating along.
Before Mango could react, I bolted over towards it. "Hey, Watcher!" The bot hadn't reacted. "Watcher!"
The music popped before it turned to face me. "Hey Mystic! Great job with those raiders back there. Trust me, you both certainty helped out a bunch of ponies by doing that."
"Yeah, sure. I'm still not happy about getting sent in to nearly get killed, but you're welcome. You wouldn't happen to know of anywhere we could warm up, do you?"
"Well, unfortunately, nothing like the trading stop you were at last night, but there are some still somewhat intact buildings up ahead. That's the best you're gonna get."
"Wait how did you-" And before I could finish that sentence, the sprite bot popped, and the music was back as it floated off once again. "... Damn it."
"How did he know where we were last night?"
"I have no fucking clue Mango, and I honestly don't want to know." I just shook my head and, to get my mind off of it, I opted to turn the radio back on, just in time for the DJ to hope back on.
"GOOOOOOOOOD AFTERNOON WASTELANDERS! This is DJ Denmare, spinning disks and telling the news, and boy do I have something for you all today! Y'all remember that nasty, nasty raider camp parked right beside the highway just outside of Lemon?"
No. Fucking. Way.
"Well! Reports are coming in that a couple of Stable Dwellers were seen entering the camp, shots were fired, explosions were had. Long story short, they took out the raiders, opening up the trading route one again!"
Mango and I looked at each other, jaws hanging open, as the report finished.
"So thank ya kindly ladies! Keep up the good work! This next song's for you!" The music started playing, but all I could do was fall back onto my haunches and put my head in my hooves.
Fuck me, hard, with Luna's horn.
*****
Footnote: Level Up!
Character Level: 2
875 EXP to next level
One Point added to Intelligence: Now 9 |
Roll for Friendship | pre | "Really? REALLY? You're kidding right?" Nightmare gives the purple unicorn a deadpan stare as she begins to wonder what caused the sudden motivation for the young mare. However, Nightmare doesn't get another second to ponder the situation as suddenly a blast of magic fires from the unicorn.
Nightmare responds with a blast of her own and as the beams clash they explode into a plume of smoke. "You seriously mean to challenge me on your own?! You've gone mad" Nightmare taunts.
The smoke clears and the alicorn discovers Twilight has disappeared, she starts scanning left and right looking for her when she hears POP behind her. Quickly turning around she spots the unicorn teleport in and fire off another beam directly at her. This time she's too close for Nightmare to respond with a beam of her own so she opts to conjure a shield this time. "Don't you see there's no hope! Why don't you just join me instead of continuing with this pointless resistance?! I can see you're quite gifted magically and I could teach you much."
Twilight continues to ignore the mare and begins rapidly teleporting over and over, landing all around the alicorn. Every time she pops into existence she fires off another blast of magic.
Nightmare has no trouble responding to each blast with a blast of her own before she finally becomes annoyed and shouts, "ENOUGH!" The alicorn seizes Twilight in her magic, completely stopping her from teleporting again, and uses her telekinesis to throw the unicorn as hard as she can into the wall on the other side of the ruin.
"Gah!" Twilight shouts in pain as she bounces off the wall and lands next to the unconscious elf. She slowly rises back up with her legs shaking under her, panting hard as she considers her next move. Before any of them can do something however, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie come screaming into the ruin at full speed and Pinkie yells out, "Leave her alone you big meanie!"
Rainbow flies in from a broken window on the side landing beside Twilight and chimes in, "Yeah Nightmare Moon, if you want her you'll have to get through all of us!" All five of the ponies stand in front of Twilight and the downed elf.
"Oh is that all? Easy enough." Nightmare casually responds before blasting a powerful beam at what's left of the roof directly above the 6 ponies.
All six of them look up in panic as the huge chunks of stone start to crumble and fall towards them. "Everypony move!" All 6 of them start to scatter before they all instantly realize at the same time. Somepony has to protect Ignis!
They all dive towards each other and try to cover the elf with their bodies, hoping that if they stand together they can withstand the debris.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ignis POV
2. The third box turns red.
Everything starts to fade away and I feel a numbing chillness begin to spread throughout my body.
You are dead.
System shutting dow-
SYSTEM ERROR. ERROR. ERROR.
What? What's happening? I feel a warmth on my back and turn around. I see the sun. It's right in front of me.... And there's another alicorn inside of it, this one pure white. She looks.. Shackled? Is this Celestia? I try to speak but nothing comes out.
ERROR. Class incompatibility. ERROR.
//////////////// DIVINE INTERVENTION ////////////////
M̴̦̖͌̏a̷͕̙͗̀i̸̩͗n̷̖̝̏͘ ̵̢̚q̶̟̙̓͋ṷ̶̐̕è̶̖͉͐s̸̼̤͆̎t̶̳͛:̴̡͔͝ ̵͉͓̈́͗S̵̗̔̇ư̴̯͉̊ȑ̴̺̫͘v̴̧͙̍ḯ̷͚͘v̵̞̓e̵͖̖̿
Ḿ̴̠̣͕̱͙̭͉a̵̖͚͛͆̐i̶̪͛͗͊̈́̈́̅̾n̵̫̦͚̒̆͊̌ ̵̜̯̬͎͔͌q̶̊͆͜u̵͉̱̻̪͚͐͑͘é̸̻͓͓̮͊̆̚s̵͉̭͉̅̌̄̆͘͜ṭ̷̝͖́:̶͎̃͋̌͊̕͝ ̶̳̱̗̒̀͐̿͜͜G̷͚̯͇̗̿̋̕ę̴̤̫̤̘́͘t̷̡̗̱̔͂̑̌̄͛̽ ̷̻̺̝̬͓͕̙̐͋̋͗̆̔͊H̸̳̅͆́͘͘̕͠ơ̸͔̠̗̻͐̋́͐̚͜m̸̧̹̦̲͕̻̺̌̏̐͝ȩ̴͇̳͚͇̲͆̀̌͘
"Please bladesinger, I beg of you to allow me one favor."
Yes?
"Please. Save my sister."
Quest Override.
Main Quest: Save Princess Luna.
Hit Points: 1/21.
New Class Feature: Songblade Harmony (True Bladesong)
Harnessing the power of an Equestrian Heartsong, you unlock the true power of a bladesong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Song, it should skip to the timestamp, but if not skip to 2:43
All 6 ponies open their eyes to see all the debris has landed around them instead of on them, and they suddenly hear a serene set of notes fall on their ears. They look up to see Ignis standing, looking down at them. Instead of motes of mana fluttering from the ground, he has a small golden glow emitting from his body with golden lightning coursing through his eyes. Dried blood on his face and running down the corner of his mouth as he smiles down at them.
He reaches out with a hand and helps Twilight up and as he does he sings, "There's a moment that changes a life when, we do something that no one else can." The other 5 also begin to rise to their hooves and he continues, "And the path that we've taken will lead us. One final stand."
All 6 realize their fur is standing straight as a chill runs down their spines. The power in the room has shifted, everyone feels an eerie calmness. Everyone except for Nightmare Moon who now has beads of sweat on her face as she slowly takes a few steps backwards. "No, I know you stopped breathing, this can't be happening!"
Ignis turns and faces Nightmare, "There's a moment we make a decision,"
Fluttershy rises fully and faces Nightmare as well, joining in "Not to cower and crash to the ground."
Twilight watches as all of her new friends turn and face Nightmare as Pinkie also starts singing, "The moment we laugh at our demons, our courage found!~"
There's a light in Twilights eye as it clicks into place for her and she rises as well, now all 7 are singing, "When we stand with friends and we won't retreat. As we stare down death, and the taste is sweet!"
The broken pieces of the elements begin to vibrate violently before reforming into 5 gems resembling the cutie marks of Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy embedded into amulets as they fly to their respective owners.
They watch as Ignis takes one step forward and when his foot hits the ground, he vanishes completely. They look ahead and realize he instantly appeared behind Nightmare. After they see him a huge burst of wind blows their manes back from where he was previously standing and they realize, he didn't teleport. Before anything else happens though Twilight yells out, "That's it, the spark for the 6th element wasn't a literal spark, it's the spark of harmony created when the other 5 elements are present. Each of you represent one of the tenets of harmony!" As she says that they all begin floating into the air and a crown with a gem in the shape of Twilights cutie mark appears and lands on her head. Their eyes all glow white.
"No! What is going on?!" Nightmare is in a pure panic now until she realizes the elf has appeared behind her, she instantly summons 2 of her own shadow blades as she turns to face Ignis.
Ignis slams his rapier towards her and the blade is caught between the two shadow blades as he yells out, "I may fall!"
He disappears again, reappearing to her right. She blocks his blade again as he continues to sing, "But not like this! It won't be by your hand!"
Ignis and Nightmare fall into a beautiful dance of swordplay as he moves around her striking at nearly unobservable speed. "I may fall, but not this place. Not today!"
She starts to lose to him in speed and starts slowly accumulating slashes and cuts all over her body, "I MAY FALL!" he screams out again.
His slashes are piling up but she knows she can take hundreds more of his strikes if they're this weak, so she decides to give up on him and puts all her effort into eliminating the element bearers before they can fully attune to the artifacts, she puts everything she can muster into a huge blast aimed directly at the floating mares.
Ignis appears directly in front of the blast and slams into it with his blade, after a few seconds he conjures his own shield and screams against the blast, "Bring it all, it's not enough TO TAKE ME DOWN!"
"DAMN YOU, YOU FURLESS MONKEY. I THOUGHT YOU UNDERSTOOD MY PAIN. Why even apologize if you're going to do this to me?!" Nightmares magic beam falls and as Ignis lands on the ground he continues to sing out "I may fall!" before suddenly the music in the air stops, the glow leaves his body, and a rainbow shockwave explodes out from the element bearers signifying they've finished their attunement.
Ignis speaks calmly to the mare, knowing this might be the last chance he gets to speak to her. He has no clue what these elements will do after all.
"I realized something while I was unconscious that I thought I should tell you, Luna."
Nightmare freezes at that name, the teleport spell she was channeling fails at her lapse in concentration.
"In your story the celebration took place the afternoon of your birthday, during the day. Today however the celebration started at night, in fact the ponies stayed up and partied ALL night. The rising of the sun was going to mark the end of the celebration. She made the "summer sun celebration" take place at night? I mean that doesn't sound right does it? I think Celestia was trying to show you that this holiday isn't about her sun anymore Luna. After your banishment it was never about her sun."
Nightmares eyes were blinking quickly as they became foggy again, and she dropped onto her barrel. Her eyes opened wide as tears slowly started to run down her face.
"Happy Birthday Luna." Ignis smiled at her before his eyes roll back into his head and he unceremoniously drops onto the ground completely passed out. A wave of pure harmonic energy cascades forth from the floating mares and slams into Nightmare Moon she mutters out.
"Celestia... sister... We are sorry."
> Level Up!
Hello darkness my old friend.... I'm sure the ponies managed to take care of everything. Hopefully I'm not passed out for too long, I'd really like to talk to Celestia.
Defeated CR24 Nightmare Moon
+62,000 XP / 7 = 8,857 XP
LEVEL UP!
Level 3 -> Level 5
Level 4: Ability Score Improvement, New Cantrip, Two New Spells
Ability Score Improvement: Improve one stat by 2, two stats by 1, or choose a Feat!
Hmmm, I could get DEX to 20 and CON to 16, but I think I'm pretty alright with keep CON as an odd number. Let's go with a half feat and pickup something that gets me to 20 DEX.
"Feat."
Select your feat.
"Elven Accuracy, Assign +1 to DEX."
New Cantrip Unlocked! Please select a new cantrip to add to your existing cantrips.
"Shocking Grasp."
Please select 2 new spells to add to your spellbook.
This is gunna be a tough one. I'd really like to add Misty step to my defensive options, but I also really want Scorching Ray.... Shadow Blade is a must for sure though so lets go ahead and select that one. "Shadow Blade."
On one hand I am trying to be a fire focused bladesinger, so scorching ray would fit more thematically, but misty step is super good for those "oh shit" moments. I'll just roll a d4, 1-2 Misty Step, 3-4 Scorching Ray. Roll 1d4.
3. Scorching Ray it is. "Scorching Ray."
Level 5: Two new spells.
Please select 2 new spells to add to your spellbook.
Alright it's not even up for discussion, I'm taking Sending to see if I can contact my family, and Fireball because I wanna cast Fireball. Who needs a better reason?
"Fireball, Sending."
New hit point maximum total: 32.
Alright and then lets setup our new prepared spells... Dragon's breath is out for sure, so is Sleep. Without being able to see hit points I don't really know when I can cast Sleep. Let's add in our new spells and here's my new prepared spells.
Cantrips:
Booming Blade
Control Flames
Mage Hand
Shocking Grasp
Firebolt (Elf Racial Trait)
1st Level:
Absorb Elements
Burning Hands
Feather Fall
Magic Missile
Shield
2nd Level:
Invisibility
Scorching Ray
Shadow Blade
3rd Level:
Fireball
Sending
I'm pretty happy with this, we can use Shadow Blade to generate advantage for elven accuracy and we've got our 2 main stats maxed to 20 now.
Level Up Completed!
Quest: Save Princess Luna. Completed!
+3000 XP.
Level 5: 12,757/14,000
Due to level up, body will receive a simulated Long Rest.
Hit Points: 32/32
Spell Slots Restored!
Class Features Restored!
New spellbook configuration confirmed!
"And then he was all like woosh and was moving super fast, he completely overwhelmed Nightmare! I'm telling you Princess it was so cool!" Sounds like Rainbow Dash is talking about me, I think I'll just keep laying here with my eyes closed. Nothing wrong with a little snooping.
"While that does sound like quite the riveting tale, it's not what I asked young Rainbow Dash. I need you to specifically recount both instances of the bladesong. While I'm thankful for his assistance in curing Luna, if he truly has the same bladesong as the ones in the long forgotten past then he will need to come back to Canterlot with me for now. That hospital is likely better suited to treat him anyhow." That's the same voice I heard when I was dying. That must be Princess Celestia! Let's go ahead and chime in.
Sitting up slowly I interrupt the ponies, "I have no objections to going with you Celestia, but I don't need a hospital. In fact I feel better now than I did a few hours ago." I roll my right shoulder, then my left, and reach down to touch my feet to emphasize that I have full mobility.
All 8 ponies just kinda stare at me a little stunned, so I opt to just keep talking. "I'm also happy to explain the bladesong. What happened at the very end there was called Songblade Harmony, something about harnessing a heartsong to unleash the true power of a bladesong? It felt much different compared to my typical bladesong, exponentially more powerful. I don't think I could do it again though, I can't recall the feeling that led to it. Also, shouldn't you know what that bladesong is? I was only able to use that power because of you. I was unconscious and I saw you shackled inside the sun and you told me to save your sister, remember?"
The princess seems to have overcome her initial shock, finally replying, "Although it was for only a short period of time everything that happened while I was sealed is a blur. I think I vaguely recall something like that happening, but all I did was bring you back from the brink of death. Harmony herself must've intervened and forced a heartsong to occur. What you're describing is slightly different than the ancient art of bladesinging that we know, but it's close enough that I'm still going to ask you to accompany my sister and I back to the capital. We'll have a room prepared for you in the castle."
"Perfect let's get going then, I've been trying to have a conversation with you since I got here. Are you able to perform magic capable of traveling dimensions or planes? I would very much like to go home, nothing personal against all of you. I just have a lot of things left unfinished and people waiting for me back home."
Celestia's face scrunches up for a second before she tells me, "I'm afraid I've never heard of something like that. We do have an artifact that allows for dimensional traveling but its bound to a specific parallel of this world. It'd only be useful if that's the one you're trying to return to, but I can't imagine it is."
It feels like my throat is closing up, and I can feel my heart pounding in my ears. "And what are the odds there exists a spell or magic that you've never heard of?" Trying to hold on to a glimmer of hope.
"I consider myself quite versed in all the magic Equestria has to offer, but it's not impossible that something like that exists. It'd have to be quite ancient though, and there's also the fact that I could be forgetting a spell." I'm not sure if she could hear the desperation in my voice and gave me this answer out of pity, but this is good enough for me. I still have some hope.
"Oh, let me try and send a message home. I can at least assuage their worries." I said that, but I actually have no clue if this will even work. There's a few different problems here, number 1, I'm not from the feywild, I'm from earth. This could cause problems as Sending requires me to be familiar with the creature I'm targeting. Another problem though I don't even know what plane Earth is on, as far as I'm concerned the Feywild isn't even fucking real. This doesn't necessarily matter for Sending, but if they can even send me "home" where the hell am I going to end up.
Enough panicking, I pull out a copper wire from my pouch and sit down on the ground. Holding the wire in both hands I pull it taut and bring it up to my mouth. Alright I'm gunna cast this and target Matt, I was going to target my mom but if I tell Matt this is Sending he'll know he can respond to me. "Matt, sorry I never showed up with your dice, but I got isekai'd into a land of talking ponies, this is Sending so respond please." Boom, 25 words exactly. I know I didn't really convey anything important, but the most important thing here is that he can respond. If he responds then I know I can make it back somehow.
I sit there in silence for a few seconds with the ponies just staring at me. The seconds drag on more and more. Pinkie Pie decides she's waited long enough, "Well? Is something supposed to happen?"
I release a huge exhale I didn't realize I was holding and stand up. "Yes, something was supposed to happen, but it didn't. Guess it doesn't matter if that spell exists here or not. I probably can't go home."
My voice is probably the most monotone it's been since I arrived here, but I continue, "Even if the spell doesn't exist here I know there is a spell that allows one to Plane Shift, so I was just going to study night and day until I could cast it myself. Guess I don't need to do that anymore either. Alright princess, I'm ready to go whenever you are."
This time I know for certain I'm being pitied, I can see it in their eyes and the way their ears are pressed against their heads. I'm not sure why but being pitied is pissing me off so I decide to turn away and start walking towards the exit of the ruins. "I'm going back into to town, come find me when it's time to go."
One of them must've tried to chase after me cause I hear Applejack, "Let him go, he just needs some time alone right now."
Should I try Sending again and see if I can communicate with someone familiar to the original owner of this body? No, there's no point. Also holy shit I'm starving. I slow down to a walk as I swing my backpack around to my front, let's see if I've got some rations in here. Perfect looks I've got 10 just like I'm supposed to.
I arrive at the edge of the forest right as I finish my food and decide to wander around while I wait for the others to return. Pretty much all the ponies give me a wide berth as I wander around, which I don't really blame them. I'd probably be the same way if the roles were reversed.
I decide to just head back over to the library where Twilight told us about the artifacts. Upon opening the door I hear what sounds like a little kid call out from upstairs, "Twilight! I finished cleaning the kitchen, I'm just reading upstairs if you need me."
It'd probably be awkward if I just didn't respond so I yell back, "I'm not Twilight just here to grab a couple books, Twilight should be back soon though." After a few seconds of silence I shrug and start scanning the book shelves. Let's see if I can make heads or tails of whatever magic system they use here. Neither Twilight or Nightmare used incantations for their spells, and Nightmare seemed really confused when I cast magic missile so it's probably a different system entirely. It'd be cool if I could utilize it as well though. Really just anything to keep my mind occupied on something else. I spot a book titled "Your Magic and You, an Aide for Magic Kindergarten" and crack it open.
It feels like it's been at least an hour or so since I started reading this, and I worked through it pretty quick. There's a 40 character alphabet for a runic language and unicorns can use their thoughts and their internal mana supply to channel the runes through their horn similar to a spellcasting focus. I got all of that in around 20 minutes, but the rest of my time has been spent trying to recreate this Light spell it describes in the book. The instructions were pretty basic I just need to channel a single rune and I'll create an orb of light for as long as I supply it with mana.
I'm not sure what the problem is though, I can feel mana being pulled and accumulated into my hand but I have no clue how to channel the rune. So far I've just been picturing the rune in my head as clearly as I can and I think I almost had it once. I hear the door open and then Twilights voice, "Having trouble? That's a lot of mana you're storing in your.... Hoof? What are you trying to do?"
"Hand, I'm trying to do the Light spell it says in this book, but I can't channel the rune." I reply not bothering to look up.
"There's a reason our horns are on our head. You're visualizing the rune in your head, but the mana is in your hand." She says like it's the most obvious thing in the world. As she sits down next to me she continues, "If your hands are how your magic works you probably won't be able to use our magic."
"Oh, is that it? Hang on." If that's the case I just need to form the rune in my brain then move the already shaped mana to my hand instead of trying to shape it after it's in my hand. This time the mana forms into the rune instantly, but it takes a second or two to move to my hand. Probably not practical in combat, for now. Once it does reach my hand though I start pushing mana through it and out of my palm as an orb of light plops into existence right over my hand.
"Well it's a little too slow. If a spell uses more than 1 rune it'll definitely be too slow." I ponder aloud.
"Ignis, it took me 3 days to cast that spell for the first time." I glance over and she looks stunned.
"Well, moving the mana felt natural to my body. My current theory is that my incantations shape and channel mana the same way your runes do. If that's the case then this isn't really impressive the only thing I had to learn was the rune, all of the mana manipulation came to me like muscle memory."
A completely new voice chimes in right next to my head, "Personally we still find it moderately impressive."
"Holy shit!" The light orb vanishes and I lean away from the voice as fast as I can, almost head butting Twilight. Looking over I see what I assume to be Princess Luna. She somewhat resembles Nightmare, but she's smaller. The moon on her backside is what gives it away though, "When did you get here?!"
"We all arrived at the same time, you just never bothered looking up." She replies with a smirk. How the hell can a horse walk that quietly? Looking around I see Celestia is here as well.
"Time to go then?" I ask while looking at Celestia.
"It would seem so, unfortunately. As much as I'd like to spend some more time with my student I'm afraid I'm needed in Canterlot. Normally we'd use a carriage but due to the circumstances we're going to have to teleport." She says as she begins walking outside.
"Is Twilight not coming with us?" I ask.
"Ah you must've still been unconscious, no. She's going to stay here and send me weekly reports. It seems she doesn't want to leave her new friends, and to be honest she has desperately needed some. So, I've allowed her to stay. Come a little closer for the spell."
I oblige and take a few steps closer to her, Luna huddles in as well as Celestia's horn lights up. I hear a loud pop and my vision goes white as we teleport to Canterlot.
> Side Quest - Prove Yourself
An alicorn, a princess, and an elf teleport into a castle courtyard. There is no punchline.
Seriously though, this place is in chaos compared to Ponyville. As soon as we arrived there were ponies running around in every direction all of them yelling over each other, but Celestia quickly went to work explaining what happened, who Luna was, who I was, what their public statement about the nights events would be. Meanwhile Luna and I ended up just slowly shuffling to the side where we're now both sitting in the grass watching Celestia reign in all the anarchy in complete silence.
Finally I decided to break the silence, "I wonder why everyone was so calm back in Ponyville?"
"We were beginning to wonder the same thing. Perhaps the castle is just more aware of Tia's schedule and more dependent on her for the day to day functions? I imagine the guards and staff were in quite the panic when the sun didn't rise on time and none of the guards in Ponyville responded to the Sending crystal.", Luna quickly answers.
Her mention of the Ponyville guards reminds me of something. With a frown I ask, "Speaking of those guards....... Are they alive? I remember watching them get hit by lightning, but didn't stick around long enough to see if they were okay."
"Yes, thankfully. It was the first thing we checked on before we came to retrieve you. Those guards were all pegasus which are especially resistant to lightning."
"That's good then. In the grand scheme of things that just means the only suffering caused was... everyone sleeping in for a few hours. I can think of worse crimes." Foot, meet mouth. What in the absolute hell possessed me to say that? I'm almost scared to look over to Luna for her reaction.
Sure enough, I look over and she's looking at the ground with a frown on her face. Before the silence gets awkward I let out a yawn and ask, "Are we supposed to be doing anything right now? Physically I feel fine, but mentally I am exhausted. Celestia mentioned there'd be a room for me here, but I don't know if she wanted to discuss anything before I skedaddled."
"You will definitely need to talk to her before you retire to your chambers. If you're in a hurry to do so you can just go ask her. Things seem to have mostly calmed down for now."
"Then I think I'll do just that." Standing up and awkwardly straightening out my cloak I turn to Luna and continue, "And uh, sorry for making that comment. It was thoughtless of me to bring that up so soon, and I imagine you're already feeling enough guilt for what happened."
"Think nothing of it. We deserve a fate worse than just feeling guilty." I have some thoughts in response to that, but I really am tired.
"I'm not qualified enough to tell you otherwise, but either way it was nice to meet you. Happy birthday again." Luna's mood seems to improve a little. I give her a small wave and make my way over to Celestia.
"Sorry to interrupt, but I'm exhausted. Luna said I need to talk to you before I hit the sack, so I was just wondering how much longer I'll need to be on standby? And, if it's gonna be a while I was hoping you could point me towards my room and I'll just wait there instead." I quickly ask when I hear a pause in Celestia's current conversation.
The guard she was talking to just squints her eyes at me and glances at my blade while Celestia hums in consideration. "It shouldn't be more than another hour, but if you're tired we can just delay our conversation until dinner. Lieutenant if you could have someone escort my friend here to one of the guest rooms in the "Visiting Dignitaries" wing. Ignis I'll have somepony come wake you when it's time." I give her a nod and the LT walks over to grab a volunteer for my escort. Once she's out of earshot Celestia continues, "I will need your rapier though. Only guards are permitted to have weapons on castle grounds."
That explains why the guard was giving me the stink eye. Celestia's demand isn't unreasonable, but it doesn't sit right with me for some reason. The thought of giving away my rapier makes me uncomfortable, "I'd rather not. Forgive me for being argumentative, but I'm in a completely foreign world and you're asking for one of the few things that brings me some level of comfort and security."
Time stops and I realize it's been a long time since I had to roll for something as a single d20 rolls into view.
8, +1 Persuasion. 9.
Time resumes and Celestia instantly replies with a stern look, "I'm afraid I must insist. This is non-negotiable. I can give you my word that you are safe in this castle, but I have no guarantee about the safety of my ponies in your presence."
I decide to do a manual insight check.
INSIGHT.
20, +5 Insight. Natural 20, Critical Success.
She can't really give me a 100% guarantee of my safety, but at the very least she truly has no malicious intentions. Just a ruler worried about her subjects. That's what my gut is telling me. I still have the dagger hidden on my thigh and in the worst case scenario I have Shadow Blade.
I sigh and unclip the sheath strapped to my hip before grabbing the blade and pointing the hilt towards her. "I hope you can at least appreciate the amount of trust I'm giving you right now. Regardless of my comfort, that blade is from before I was brought here. One of the few possessions I still own." This isn't technically a lie, but she doesn't need to know that this body isn't mine.
A golden aura engulfs the rapier and it floats out of my grasp. "Of course Ignis, thank you for cooperating."
After that a different guard approached us and led me to my new room. An uneventful walk, the guard kept glancing back and he looked a bit scared to be honest. I grab a key from him and thank him before going inside and laying down to meditate.
A knock at the door stirs me from the meditation. I look out the window and see the sun is still up, but it's not far from the horizon. Glancing at my status I see my 3rd level spell slot is refreshed, so it was enough hours for a long rest. Someone knocks on my door again but louder this time.
Opening the door I see a maid and a guard, looking between the two for a few seconds before finally the maid speaks, "Your p-presence is requested in the dining hall."
Stepping out fully so I can close the door I turn around and look at the maid inquisitively, is she really that scared? Let's test it. I suddenly lean my head forward a bit and go, "Boo!"
18, +1 Intimidation. 19.
Ah shit, I didn't want to actually intimidate anyone! Why are you making me roll?!
To my surprise the guard is the one that startles, he jumps back a foot or so and takes a deep breath before finally relaxing. "Not funny." he finally says before slowly approaching me again.
"Says you, by the way I think the uh maid needs some assistance." I reply while pointing at the maid. The guard looks over at the maid and realizes she's frozen completely stiff with wide eyes. He waves his hoof in front of her face.
"Feather~, oh Feather~ come back to Equestria." He finally gives her a little shake and she twitches before looking around.
"Oh. Oh! Sorry, what were we doing?" She asks, still a little dazed.
"Going to the dining hall." Me and the guard reply at the same time.
"Right! Follow me sir." They both turn around and start leading me down the hall. I feel a little bad now, I didn't think she'd completely shut down like that. In hindsight it makes sense I guess, most of these ponies only reach the middle of my torso in height.
After we turn a few corners it bothers me enough that I speak up, "Sorry. I uh, I went too far there. I saw you were uncomfortable and thought that would ease the tension."
She looks back to see me with a sheepish grin while scratching my cheek. "You're forgiven. I suppose in the end it did help a little, I apologize for being frightened to begin with, it was unprofessional. Your stature just caught me off guard."
We come up to a large archway with a pair of wooden double doors that are currently open when the guard takes 1 step in and turns to face the center of the archway before saying, "Your majesty," he looks at me and gestures into the room as I walk past him he finishes "Ignis Ferrum." After that he steps out and the doors close behind me.
Celestia must have recognized my look of perplexity because she spoke out to me, "Apologies for the formality, we typically announce nobles and dignitaries. With you being in that wing of the guest rooms he just followed protocol."
"Ah." Smooth response bro. I'm dumbly looking around at the fancy dining hall. It definitely meets my expectations, one unnecessarily long table with junk in the middle of it and a fancy chandelier hanging overhead.
At the other end of the room I see Celestia sat at the very end and Luna sat to her left with salads in front of them with a third salad placed to Celestia's right with an unoccupied seat. I pop a squat and look at the food, it's just a standard salad but with a few flowers mixed in? Welp, I start taking the flowers out of the bowl while I ask, "So what's the plan?"
Celestia takes a moment to swallow her food before replying, "Well I have a few ideas I'd like to run by you, but before that I'd like to get to know you a bit more. Just so you know I am currently channeling a lie detection spell. If you don't feel comfortable answering a question just verbally inform me and we'll move on. After that I'll have one of my top officers lead you to our training grounds and we'll test your full capabilities in terms of spellcasting and sword play to determine your threat level."
What? "That all seems a bit much. If I truly end up unable to return home I intend to live quietly and study the arcane. I can understand a bit of apprehension, but that's ridiculous." I state before shoving a fork full of leafy green in my mouth. Oh wow, this is super fresh.
"Then let me ask you this, Ignis. Are you willing to have your bladesong sealed off permanently and agree to never perform one again?" She asks me with a raised eyebrow.
I mean... realistically I could agree to that, but I don't want to purely on principle. Plus, I just got all this cool magic. If I'm stuck here forever I atleast want to use it! "Absolutely not. It's part of me, I can't just give it up."
"Exactly, and I don't want to ask that of you. However, you have to understand that means eventually the world at large will find out that there is a bladesinger. You might not be as powerful as the ones in legends of old, but that will still cause issues politically. Especially now that Luna has returned. From the outside looking in, that's too much power tipping the scales in our favor. In fact, just Luna's return will likely spark the invitation of a global summit to discuss treaty re-negotiations. So, when the world finds out you exist I want there to be a public record of your interview and threat level measurements."
Okay, I think I see what she's getting at. She wants a paper trail to prove I'm not a threat. "Fine, I agree with your reasoning. What's your first question?"
"We'll start with an easy one, what is your name?" Celestia starts.
"Ignis Ferrum."
"How old are you?"
"108."
I stop myself from taking my next bite of food when I notice the complete silence. Looking over I see both princesses looking stunned. Then they both look to Celestia's horn, I guess to see if I'm lying. Nothing happens though. I decide to expand.
"I'm an elf. Specifically a High Elf, we perform the celebration to mark adulthood at the age of 100, and it's not too uncommon for us to live up to 2000 years." I just nonchalantly throw it out there and take another bite of food. I'm just going to continue answering in character since the lie detecting spell didn't go off when I said my name. I can only conclude that means my real name will make it go off.
Luna and Celestia look at each other then back to me, "How long have you been learning the art of bladesinging?"
"I'm going to lie." I pause for a second then say, "The first bladesong I used against Nightmare Moon was my first time ever using a bladesong." Celestia's horn illuminated a bright red light. Just as I thought then, this is going to be tricky because I didn't completely flesh out this character's backstory, so I'm not going to know the answer to some of these.
"The truth is that I'm not sure. I don't remember when I started." No reaction. I can work with that.
Wait, I'm thinking about this all wrong I can use the lie detection to learn more about this body!
"Do you have any plans to take over, conquer, or bring ruin to Equestria?" Celestia calmly asks like this is something that happens enough to be a common concern. I just raise my eyebrows at her.
"No?"
"Please, answer as a statement."
"I have no plans nor do I want to rule over, conquer, or bring ruin to Equestria. Or anything else for that matter."
Celestia hums in thought, is she making these questions up on the fly?! After another bite of salad she asks, "Let's say there's two sets of train tracks and next to the tracks is a switch that determines which track the oncoming train will take. Currently there's a train approaching and if nothing is done, it will run over 5 ponies. You can flip the switch to make it take the alternate track but doing so will kill 1 pony. What do you do?"
There's no way this horse is hitting me with the trolley problem right now. Well whenever I normally answer this question I give the logical answer, but that's never been my real answer. "I'd free the ponies from the tracks."
"Suppose doing so is impossible, you're also magically bound and all you can do is flip the lever."
"Does the train have anyone on it?"
"Hm? No it's a runaway train with no conductor and no passengers."
"Then I'd stop the train."
"Okay you are clearly not understanding the point of this question. There are only 2 options, you either do nothing and indirectly let 5 ponies die or you take action and directly kill 1 pony! You can't stop the train!"
"I'd flip the lever when the train is halfway across causing it to derail."
"That would kill all 6 ponies!"
"I know what you want me to say, logically I should flip the lever and kill 1 pony, because 1 life lost is better than 5. But that isn't my answer! Every life has an immeasurable value, and I refuse to accept that I can't save all 6 of them!" At this point I'm standing and leaning over the table looking Celestia directly in her eyes, almost yelling.
"Even if it kills you?"
"Even if it kills me."
Celestia looks to her horn for any sign of deceit, before finally softening her gaze and laughing out loud. "Well, thank you for your honesty. That concludes the interview, but you've completely ruined my plan of submitting it to the public record."
I'm once again confused, "What do you mean?"
"There's no way I can convince any of the other countries you're not a threat if I give them that interview. You displayed far too much determination and worst of all if any of them were to go to war with us your attitude is one they'd all fear. You want to be a Hero."
"It's not like I had an option! The logical answer would've triggered your spell!" I retorted.
"You're right, it's my fault for continuing to push for an answer. Your answer was just very interesting, it's an answer I haven't heard in a long time and I just had to test your resolve."
After that the rest of dinner was mostly silent, the sisters had their own small talk, but I barely paid attention to it. Celestia levitated a cloth up to wipe her mouth as the doors to the hall opened and a white unicorn with blue hair walked in. "Luna, Ignis, this is Shining Armor the current Captain of the Guard. He'll be the one overseeing your magical and physical tests. I'm going to go lower the sun and retire for the night. Luna, will you join me?"
Luna pauses and looks between me and Celestia, "Nay Tia, we are still too weak to participate in the ritual and would like to see his results first hand."
Celestia smiles and nods, "Alright, just be careful. All three of you."
During the walk to the training grounds I found out Shining is actually Twilight's brother. He was very worried when he first heard something had gone awry with the celebration in Ponyville, but was elated to hear that she had saved Equestria and made some friends.
As we approach what looks like a firing range I see a few guards firing thin bolts of magic at small targets at least 100ft away. It looks shockingly similar to a gun range. Shining speaks up, "Just pick an empty stall and use your strongest magic to hit a target, preferably aim for as far back as you can."
"Do you have a different field we can use? My strongest magic isn't really meant for a precise shot from far away." I ask looking over to Shining. I mean I can use it here, but it'd look cooler if they had a target range for area of effect spells.
"No? The guard firmly believes in precision. The worst thing that can happen is us hitting an innocent because of careless magic. My old mentor used to say "Combat magic is like a letter. It should only be sent to and received by the specific pony that it was addressed to."" He says with a proud smile.
Oh man I've always wanted to say this. "You know it's actually quite funny. Back in my lands there was an old elf who said almost the exact same thing, but my mentor and I both disagreed." I reach into my pouch and pull out a tiny ball that looks like it's made of black tar and place it between my thumb and index finger before finishing my statement.
"Not all letters need to be read by just one person, sometimes you want 10 maybe 20 people to read your letter. Are you gunna write out 20 letters each titled and tailored to that specific person?"
"Yes. In your scenario it's not the most efficient, but it's the most secure." Shining retorts.
The black ball sparks and turns into a small fire, "See that's where you're wrong. That's completely unnecessary. Sometimes it's perfectly acceptable to write a letter and just title it, TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, FIREBALL!"
The small spark of flame gets shot out and starts speeding down the range, by this point in our conversation the few other ponies present have stopped firing just to observe. They all silently watch as that small spark goes 30ft, 60ft, 120ft growing bigger and bigger as it speeds down range until at 150ft out the inferno expands fully as a huge 40ft wide explosion shakes the ground.
I turn around with a huge smile plastered on my face, to find a stunned Shining Armor with his mouth hanging open and Luna looks at me with a face that screams, "Not bad."
"Cmon now Shining, you're captain of the guard, surely this isn't actually that impressive?" I ask him as I walk up and pat him on the back.
"No, you're right there are definitely unicorns capable of that, myself included, but it's not a lot. It's certainly not what I expected from you. The reports based on the statements from the element bearers made it seem that your magical capability was just small bursts of fire and the ability to let out a short flame breath like a young dragon. It emphasized that your physical abilities were the more impressive of the two." He writes down on his clipboard "Was holding back against Nightmare Moon??" and underlines it. I don't really feel like correcting him, it'll probably just bring up more questions that I'm not sure how to answer.
So, I don't push it. I opt to move along instead, "So... how are we doing this swordsmanship test? Am I gunna spar with someone?"
"Yes actually. You'll be sparring with me." I look over and see Shining is wearing his full guard armor now as he floats the clipboard and quill over to Luna. He then floats over my rapier and I snatch it out of the air. Quickly pulling it out of its case and looking over it for knicks or any other blemishes they might have caused if they decided to study it. But, it looks just like it did when I surrendered it.
I follow him out on a flat field of dirt and the same ponies that were watching my fireball have wandered over to spectate the spar as well it seems. I guess I don't mind, but I might get some performance anxiety.
"Shining, do i need to keep my rapier in its sheath or are you going to cast some kind of magic that dulls the blade for the duration of the spar." I decide to ask, I don't wanna accidentally kill the guy.
"I'm not casting any magic like that, but it's a rapier so just don't stab me and we should be fine."
"Welp. I'm not really comfortable with that, but okay let's do this." I call out as I assume my stance and focus on Shining.
Roll For Initiative.
> Side Quest - Prove Yourself pt. 2
17, +5 Initiative. 22.
Perfect. I start off by sprinting towards Shining with my rapier held out to the side. Let's start this nice and simple. I can work my way up depending on how strong he actually is. I see his eyes following me as I start to turn left, so I shift the momentum onto the back of my foot and spin around to quickly go after his right side. We agreed I wouldn't stab him so I just aim to slash down the right side of his barrel.
14, +9. 23.
Right as the blade is about to start sliding over his coat a flash of magenta appears and forms a sphere around the unicorn. It causes my rapier to violently recoil away and I jump back. Okay so even with a 23 I can't get through that shield. That shield felt.... different though I wonder if it's more so like a wall of force or something that has its own hit points. It felt unusually solid.
I don't get much more time to focus on that as a longsword the same shade as his shield suddenly pops into existence next to me. Spiritual weapon? The sword does a few spins before it attempts to slice me in half vertically. I wait until it's about half way down before I attempt to swipe at it with the rapier in an attempt to parry it.
The longsword is deflected backwards a couple feet before it spins around again and makes a slash at my side. Because I just swung my rapier to the right and I have nothing in my left hand I'm wide open to the attack. I try to jump away from it, but that only helps prevent it from cutting deeply.
Hit points: 24/32.
I almost used my shield but they said they wanted to test my swordsmanship so I assume I'm not allowed to use magic. I'll ask, "Hey am I allowed to use magic that supports my swordsmanship? You used your shield but I wasn't sure if I could use mine."
Shining and Luna share a look for a second before Luna answers, "Of course, we should've been more clear before we started. Feel free to use all of your capabilities that you determine are related to your sword play."
"All of them? How good are your healers?" I respond with an eyebrow raised.
"I doubt they will be needed but they were quite capable 1000 years ago, so I can only imagine they've improved somewhat since then."
"Alright, well don't say I didn't warn you." I smirk and sheathe the rapier.
Let's upcast this to 3rd level. "Edalb wodahs" I hold out my hand in front of me and my body begins chanting. It sounds like 10-15 different people's voices are coming out of my throat all at the same time and whispering over each other. A cloud of black begins to form from all the nearby shadows of the tree's, the fence, a few of the spectating guards, and starts to swirl around in my hand before solidifying in my grasp in the vague shape of a short sword.
Alright that's my last 3rd level slot, but I didn't want to hold back. Hopefully this doesn't kill Shining, if I can just get through that shield I'm sure I'll only need to hit him once. I finally notice the looks I'm getting from my opponent and the spectators. I glance around and notice some of the spectators are looking slightly afraid as they whisper between each other, and even Shining has his brows furrowed as he glares at me. Luna's reaction is unreadable, but if I had to give it my best guess I'd say she finds this interesting.
I don't want to waste anymore time, so I begin to channel booming blade through the shadow sword and blast straight at Shining. Aiming at his neck the blade hits the still present shield.
19, +8 to hit. 27.
This time my attack doesn't violently bounce off the shield but I don't break through it either.
7. 1. 6.
14, +5. 19 Psychic damage. 6 Thunder damage.
My attack slightly bounces off the shield, but as it does the shield begins to form several cracks, large and small. Shining winces a bit before giving me a serious look and I turn around to see his floating longsword making a stab at my chest. Two can play at this game.
Shield!
My own mostly transparent shield erupts from my offhand and the spiritual weapon bounces off it. I would've liked to bladesong and increased my AC, but I decided to gamble on the shadow blade being strong enough to end this in one go. Hopefully my shield holds up to his assault.
The longsword quickly recovers and slashes violently at the shield.
Hit points: 13/32.
Concentration Check.
18, +2. 20.
His spiritual weapon passes through my shield this time and gives me deep gash across my chest. This time stinging enough to make me drop to 1 knee and grasp at my chest.
"That's enough for now, I'll get this documented while Princess Luna escorts you to the medical wing. I'll be by shortly to ask you some questions.... mostly about that dark magic you're using." Shining says as he looks down at me. The cracks in his shield have slightly closed up.
"We're not done yet. How can this be the conclusion of the test when I haven't even used my bladesong?" I ask him, genuinely curious. Is he that concerned about my shadow blade that he's ending this early? Or is he looking down on me thinking I can't take another attack.
After a small pause Luna chimes in, "Agreed Captain. Continue." Shining looks over at her and she gives a small nod and he looks back towards me.
I close my eyes and flourish the shadow blade once more.
Bladesong.
When I open them again I see the familiar motes of light rising from the ground around my feet, carrying soft notes from a violin and chords of a piano. It's not the True Bladesong, but this should still be enough.
AC: 17 , +5. 22.
Wasting no further time I charge directly at Shining once again, this time making use of my increased speed I jump straight up, coating my blade in purple wisps of thunder, and try to use gravity to add to the force of my slash on his shield.
Wait, 3d8 + 1d8 + 5, if I crit I'm potentially doing 74 damage here. Will that kill him? I freeze in mid-air and see the 20 sided die start to roll.
Natural 20. Oh shit. I just had to say something, huh?
Time resumes and I instantly shout with my voice full of panic, wide eyed. "DODGE!"
I crash through his shield and as he registers what's happening it's too late. The shadow blade phases through his head. Luckily it's not a real physical blade and is just an illusion. Hopefully this doesn't hit him too bad.
6, 6, 3. 15, +24 Crit +5. 44 Psychic damage.
10 Thunder damage.
Blood leaks from Shining's ears as he falls to the ground holding his head with his forehooves while hissing in pain with his eyes screwed shut. I instantly cancel the shadow blade and drop to my knees and catch him before he falls completely. "Don't move, don't move! If we move him right now he'll suffer the secondary effect from my booming blade. It's the thunder energy you see my attacks give off."
The spectating guards all jump the fence and run straight at us, and luckily by the time they reach us the booming blade has worn off. I say luckily because they didn't heed my warning at all and just instantly pulled me off of him while two of them helped Shining to his hooves and they helped him start walking towards the castle.
I stare up at the sky while the guards pin me down and they start asking for restraints, but Luna interrupts them. "That will not be necessary. We instructed him to go all out did we not? He was a bit stronger than we anticipated, but we shant hold ill will towards him for following our demands."
"Of course your majesty, but that dark magic-!" The guard tries to retort, but she doesn't get to finish her complaint.
"Release him. We will not say it a third time." Luna orders with somewhat of a glare this time. Wow, that pure authority was.... nice.
With a few grumbles the guards stop holding me down and I stand up, brushing off my cloak and pants. I look over to Luna and she continues, "Come, you did not escape unscathed either. We will have your slashes treated in the medical bay."
She turns and begins moving towards the castle as I jog and catch up to her before replying, "Thanks for not throwing me in the dungeons back there. I didn't realize there would be such a negative reaction to my magic."
"Yes, our subjects have always had problems with dark magic users. Mainly because Celestia dislikes it, but we are proficient enough with the school to know that your spell is not dark magic. We are curious as to the details of it though. After the both of you are treated we will reconvene with 'Tia and discuss our observations."
The rest of the short walk was in relative silence as I contemplated the consequences of what happened today. Luna and I turn a corner and walk into what looks to be a medical area. It's a somewhat large and open room with around 30 beds, 15 spaced out on each side. Across the room I spot Shining laying down like a loaf of bread as he talks to a nurse and one of the guards that brought him in here.
As we approach their conversation stops and the guard next to the bed glares at me while Shining speaks up, "Phew, dude that shadowy sword thing is brutal. If I knew it attacked the mind I'd have cast mental reinforcement."
Another nurse comes over and guides me to the bed opposite of Shining and starts channeling her magic. I see a green light begin to shine on the gashes on my torso as I respond to the Captain, "Yeah... my apologies in my defense I did double check what I was allowed to do, but I guess I still could've given you a warning. Now that I think about it I really should've said something because I know that spell wasn't on the reports from the Nightmare Moon encounter."
Luna decides to join the conversation, "Yes, while we take a majority of the blame here you are correct to acknowledge your own faults. That actually brings us to the first question we have, why didn't you use either of the spells you showcased today? Surely you were not holding back for us? You'd be foolish if you held back despite how close to death you came."
Well shit. How do I even explain this? Yeah so I have this ability that lets me accumulate experience in a quantified number form and after acquiring enough experience I can level up. When I leveled up I learned both of those spells as well as a couple others. Yea, no that just makes me sound like a lunatic. Time to perform some bullshittery!
"I had been studying those spells, and while I understood them I lacked the capacity to actually cast them. After the whole Nightmare Moon thing I noticed my mana pool had increased exponentially, and my body became sturdier."
19, +1 Deception. 20.
Shining made some notes after my explanation, but Luna just squinted at me. "You are not telling us everything."
I sigh. "I was trying to explain it in a way you'd all understand, I think if I gave you the full truth you'd either not believe me or you'd become confused at what I describe. I'll try to explain it fully, but I'm not doing it until Celestia is here. I don't want to explain it more than once, and I must also request that it's in a more private area."
Everything I said is true, but I'm mostly making these demands to give me time to think. Should I really do this? I can just cast invisibility and get out of here. No, I can do that if things go south, but for now I still want to explore their magical archives and spell libraries.
Whatever pro or con I was about to come up with next is interrupted by the guard that accompanied Shining here. "First of all, it's Princess. Celestia. You continue to disrespect her majesty and I'm sick of allowing it! Secondly, who do you think you are to make demands here? You will answer the Princess, now."
Before I can even respond Luna turns to the mare, "While the Sergeant is somewhat correct, I will agree to waiting for mine sister. We assumed Tia had allowed you to forgo her title, but if she has not then you would do well to address us properly."
"Nuh uh." I reply with a deadpan look.
"W-What?!" Luna is utterly flabbergasted.
"I said nuh uh, I don't wanna. The only beings above me are the Archfey and the Dark Maiden herself, Eilistraee. Respectfully of course, I don't believe all of you to be below me, but at best you are only my equals."
When I mention Eilistraee I see Luna's eyebrows furrow in confusion. Has she heard of my goddess?
The random guard looks like she's about to pop a blood vessel when a familiar serene voice chimes in from the doorway, "I also don't think you are below me Ignis, but if you had a preferred title I would still address you as such. However, I can't say I dislike being referred to so casually. Now why don't you follow me to one of my sitting rooms and I'll read the Captains report to catch up while we walk."
Celestia floats the report away from Shining and turns around. As a sign of good faith I give Luna a half bow and make an "after you" gesture with my arms and after she passes me I look over to the nurse and give her my thanks before following them out of the room.
> Side Quest - Prove Yourself pt. 3
Wow is it hot in here or is it just me? Seriously, I feel sweat on the back of my neck and my hands. The answer is that it's just me though, honestly I'm so nervous right now I feel sick. Celestia wasn't finished reading the report when we got to this small meeting room, so we've just been quietly drinking tea while waiting for her to finish the report. My main concern right now is that I've seen her brows go up and furrow in confusion about 3 times now and she muttered "dark magic?" After that she put up a bubble around herself and Luna and they've been talking for a few minutes now. If they were a more humanoid form I could at least read their lips but right now I'm just trying to think of a solid enough explanation to not get tossed in the pony equivalent of a loony bin.
Do they even have those here? Ok no, focus. How do I explain leveling up? Should I try and I mean really try to explain my actual situation here? I've never really tried to fight or resist the compulsion to stay in character, but maybe it's easier if I just start from the beginning. It'd be really helpful if they had some D&D equivalent here, maybe they do, I'll ask and if they do I'll start from there.
Celestia's horn lights up again and a minute or so later Shining Armor joins us in the room and sits next to me, with the sisters across from us. Once he sits down Celestia lowers the sound bubble, "First things first, what exactly is that sword of yours? The report mentions dark magic, but Luna insists it's not and I trust her knowledge of the arcane even if it might be slightly outdated. However, both of us still want a full explanation on the true nature of that shadow sword."
Well hopefully they don't want the nitty gritty details cause I have no fucking clue how magic works. "It could be dark magic, truthfully I have no clue. Where I'm from we didn't have such things as "dark" magic. Our spells are broken up into several Schools. Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, and Transmutation. That shadow blade spell falls under the Illusion category. I say we don't have dark magic because although necromancy, for example, used to be widely looked down on as inherently evil nowadays we acknowledge that no spell is good or evil. Any magic can be used for good and any magic can be used for evil regardless of the school or nature of the magic."
Shining looks a little dizzy, I think I dumped a bit too much information onto him at once, but Luna is looking at me with a small smile and Celestia has a very neutral face on. Hard to read but she responds, "I see. In that case could you show me the runic makeup of the spell? For us, dark magic is akin to one of your "schools" it'd be very easy to tell just from seeing if it contains 1 or 2 runes in particular."
Well I'm fucked. I start scratching the back of my head as I look up at the ceiling and quietly mutter aloud to myself, "Ah, how do I explain this? None of my magic uses runes."
I look back down and see the reaction I was expecting to see. Mixture between shock and confusion. Celestia quickly lights her horn, "I'm going to use that same truth spell from before. Can you please repeat that line?"
I feel my face contort into a look of resignation. Yeah let's just tell them everything after I answer this. "None of my magic uses runes."
All 3 ponies look at the sun princess' horn for a few seconds as if they know for sure it's going to light up. But, it never does. Finally Luna just quietly goes, "Huh. That's a new one. Are you sure this spell works sister?"
"I have never once seen someone lie successfully under this spell. The fact that it only lets me activate the spell after I inform the target that the spell is being channeled makes it uniquely powerful. Harsh restriction in exchange for more power."
I decide to just chime in here and start my story. "Do you all have a game called Dungeons and Dragons? It's a game played in the theater of the mind where one person out of the group is the Dungeon Master and they explain the setting and scenario while the other players act out their own fictional characters. Typically the actions and attacks of all the characters in the game are based on the result of a 20 sided dice."
Celestia hums in thought, but to my surprise Shining is the one that answers me, "It's not called Dungeons and Dragons but we have a game called Ogres & Oubliettes. The description almost exactly matches up though."
"Perfect that makes this easy then. I've been only halfway honest with you all, and for that I apologize. I've only withheld this information because I wasn't sure I could explain it in a way that didn't sound crazy. Originally I'm a race known as Human, and I come from the planet Earth not the Fey Wild. Ignis Ferrum is my Dungeons & Dragons character. Visually I didn't originally look much different from this, I just had rounder ears, an uglier face and shorter hair that fits closer to black than silver. Also humans only live for around 100 years." I pause and take a sip of tea. All this talking has my throat dry.
Luna is about to ask a question when I just hold up my hand as if to say Hang On. Putting down the tea I continue. "All the information I provided about Ignis Ferrum is true though. However as far I knew Ignis was a fictional character that I created and wrote a backstory for. The reason I'm telling you all this is because this is the reason my magic has no runes. To be honest I'm not really even sure how my spells work at all. In my original human world magic isn't even real. All of my spells are from the game and my body responds to my will. When I want to cast a spell I just will it in my head and my body speaks the incantation and performs the movements for the spell on its own. Kinda like muscle memory I guess."
Taking a deep breath I finish my rant, "This is also why I was able to show off magic that I was unable to show off in those castle ruins. After the struggle against Nightmare Moon I "leveled up" which allowed me to learn a set number of spells for each level. Just for your information I went from Level 3 to Level 5."
Luna and Celestia both just have a far off look in their eyes, I can tell they were not mentally prepared to get mind fucked today. Luna mutters, "Tia. I don't care what you say. That spell is broken."
"I'm starting to agree." Celestia quietly responds.
Shining on the other hand looks super excited for some reason? "How did you know you leveled up?"
"When I was unconscious the information kinda just flowed into my mind. Like words floating in a void then it told me what I unlocked at level 4 and had me choose my new spells and feats, and the same thing for level 5. Oh! That's also why I was perfectly fine, it said that because I leveled up it would simulate a long rest for my body which in the game heals you to full health and restores your spells."
"Does your D&D version use the spell slot system as well?!" Shining is fully nerding out right now. Both princesses just look completely done with this entire situation.
"It does yes, and before you ask, yes when I swing my sword and cast certain spells I also see a dice roll right before the attack. I see the dice rolls for the damage as well." I think I've talked more in this conversation than I have in my entire life leading up to this.
"That's so cool! Aw dude I can't say I haven't fantasized about being my O&O character forreal and go on an actual adventure!"
I give him a sad smile and remind him, "Would you still do it if it meant leaving this planet forever with no possibility of return? With nothing or no one to accompany you?"
At this his face twists up into a look of regret, kinda like he just bit into a lemon. "No. Definitely not, I'm sorry- wait so what's your real name?"
I open my mouth to respond but nothing comes out. I close my mouth and furrow my brows in confusion before opening my mouth again. This time I try to scream my name out as loud as possible, but nothing happens. I decide to try one more time, but this time I don't scream I just flex my neck and try to squeeze the words out, "Lucas." It finally comes out I take a deep breath and continue. "Sorry, it's Lucas. However, if I'm going to stay in this body and I really have no way of returning that we know of. I think I'd prefer to go by Ignis still, symbolically Lucas is dead. I wonder why it was such a struggle to say my name."
Celestia chimes in this time finally looking a bit more composed, "A long long time ago there was a case where a pony's body was possessed by the ghost of his neighbor, and I remember in the report it was mentioned that the possession also struggled to speak their real name. It might be that instead of being transformed into Ignis Ferrum you instead possessed his body."
I don't respond to her theory right away. In fact I'm silent for several seconds in deep thought. "But, Ignis is a fictional character. Not only that he's one I created."
"It could be that you subconsciously created the character from a metaphysical link you share with the original body. Perhaps the both of you share the same soul for your respective dimensions? Multi-dimensional theory has always speculated subconscious recollections and retellings of nearby dimensions." Celestia just nonchalantly throws that out there in between sips of tea.
"Maybe, but more importantly does that answer all your questions?" I ask.
"Hmmmm, for now I believe that's fine. I can't think of anything else at the moment. Quickly changing topics because I want to wrap this up and go get dinner before it's too late. I have a few ideas I wanted to get your feedback on."
"Shoot."
"So, with your current capabilities and skill set I have two offers for you. Feel free to say no to both if neither of them sound appealing to you. One, I'd like to send you back to Ponyville to accompany my student Twilight and the other Element bearers as an extra layer of security. Two, if you'd rather stay in Canterlot my sister and I would both like to offer you the position of Luna's personal attendant. You'd also be extra security for her, but the reason you'd be doing both is because in a few weeks time Luna needs to travel to the north and gather up her thestrals to start building up the Night Watch branch of the guard that she used to have in the past."
She continues, "And we don't really have any maids that feel comfortable going to the thestrals territory alone with Luna. We were going to have the second in command for the guard to accompany her, but after talking it over while waiting on Shining Armor to get here we both decided to offer it to you instead. You can also choose to live wherever you want and explore finding a purpose in our lands, but both of these options seemed like good fits for you."
That feels like a concerning amount of trust for a stranger who just arrived on this planet two days ago, but I guess helping save the world from eternal night earns you some trust. "Can I think on it for a bit? I'm still settling in metaphorically speaking and don't really know enough to decide where I think I fit in right now. I am curious though, what would I do once we return from the thestrals territory?"
Luna answers this time, "That would depend on how we feel after the excursion. You could continue to serve as my personal attendant or assistant, you could perform only personal knight duties, you could even join the Night Watch or just be a civilian and wander the library. Maybe go to Ponyville? It would all depend on how both of us feel when we get back."
"And how long would the trip be?"
"Two weeks minimum, but it could take as long as a month. You would be compensated obviously."
"I'm going to say a soft yes on accompanying Lu- Princess Luna," I give her a small nod as I say her title and she responds with a smile. "But give me a few days to make sure that's what I want. Anything else?"
Celestia finishes her tea and stands up before answering me, "Yes, while you were out my prediction came true. Word of Lunas return has spread to the neighboring kingdoms already and they've requested a global summit. It'll be in two weeks and last for 5 days, after that we'll return here and after a few days of rest is when Luna plans to depart for her thestrals. If you decide to start filling the role as her personal attendant I'd like for you to accompany us to the summit as well."
"Sure, I'd probably ask to go regardless since you mentioned I might come up as a topic for discussion."
"Excellent, in that case feel free to join us in the dining hall again for dinner and if not we'll see you around some other time." Celestia says as she trots out of the room.
I follow the 3 ponies out of the room but instead of going right and following them I go left and speak up, "Thanks for the offer, but I'm going to explore for the rest of the night I think. Am I allowed to go down to the city?"
"Of course, you're not a prisoner!" Celestia responds with a laugh. "Enjoy your exploration."
Oh! I just thought of something I turn around and run around the corner to catch up to them, "I actually want to do some shopping, could I maybe get a small loan or stipend? I need some ink and ideally some more clothes but I'll probably need to custom order those."
A small pouch pops into existence right in front of me and I reach out to catch it, I hear what sounds like coins jingling in the pouch. "Thanks!"
I'm walking away now, but I hear Celestia in my mind, "The pouch also has the card you'll need to gain access back into the castle when you return. Try not to lose it please."
Perfect, I was actually wondering about that. I figured worst case scenario I'd remind the guards I'm the only bipedal furless creature walking around that's as tall as their reigning monarch. And that they saw me leave an hour earlier, but this solves that problem I was leaving for future me.
Now let's go into the city and see if I can find some charcoal, incense, and herbs. I'm pretty sure I saw a brass brazier somewhere around here earlier, but just in case I can't find it again I'll check if any of the stores I go to sell one. Hopefully all the stores I need are still open? I've got daylight but not for much longer, seems like it'll be sunset soon.
> Side Quest - Don't Spend the Entire Session Shopping
"Hey, do you know if these coins are made out of gold? Or are they just gold plated?" I'm about to go into an office supply store when I notice a pony sitting on a bench that hasn't noticed me yet. Since everyone else slowly drifts away when I try to approach them I decide to ask this unfortunate soul the question I forgot to ask the guards when I was leaving the castle.
"Coins? You mean bits?" He starts to answer me but when he turns to look at me he gets properly startled, "By Celestia's mane, what the buck are you?" He jumped so hard he fell off the bench, haha.
I resist the urge to laugh at the poor stallion and give him a deadpan stare, "Elf. Before you run off screaming can I please get the answer to my original question? It'd be immensely helpful and all you ponies keep avoiding me."
The guy slowly gets up and stammers out, "Y-yes they are solid gold." Wow he actually answered me, and there he goes. For some reason I'm not offended, but I really didn't expect an answer. This is good for me though as now I should be able to easily fulfill the conditions for the ritual I want to do before I go to sleep tonight.
I keep walking in my original direction towards a store with a quill on it's sign, apparently they should sell charcoal. The 2 guards at the castle entrance mentioned looking for a quill store because charcoal is mostly only used for rubbings. They didn't know where to buy incense though, so I'll ask this shopkeeper and with any luck, they'll know.
There's a bell chime when I walk through the door and I hear someone yell from the other side of the store, "Welcome to Drill's Quills! Be right with you!"
I start making my way towards the back where I believe the mare's voice is coming from and reply as I walk, "Ah don't worry about it, I'm coming to you." I'm in a small hurry so I'm just going to approach her and save myself a minute or two. At least that was the plan, but right after I finish talking the universe decided it was time for me to make a roll.
Perception Check
19, +5. 24.
Out of the corner of my eye all the way at the end of the aisle I see some charcoal. "Oh, never mind I actually just found what I was looking for!"
After a brief period of silence the mare replies, "Wonderful! Just ring the bell at the front when you're ready to check out."
"Will do." I start making my way down the aisle when I notice something, there's no prices on any of the products in this store. That's.... Weird? Is that normal around here? Wait, the castle is in this city and I bet if they have royalty they have nobles as well! They must leave the products unmarked so they can upcharge rich schmucks that come in here. I wonder....
Manual Insight Check
12, +5. 17.
I'm pretty sure I should only have to pay 3 "bits" for this charcoal. Let's go see if my price gouging theory is correct.
I ring the little bell on the counter and quickly an orange unicorn mare comes around the corner, she's got silver hair like me! Nice to put a face to the voice. "Heya! You find everything okay? Name's Drill Bit by the way." I'm surprised she is showing zero reaction to my alien form. This feels nice.
"Oh yeah found it pretty much instantly, just gettin the charcoal today. I didn't happen to see any price markers on your shelves, so what's the damage?"
"Damage? No, there's no damage. Our prices are just always shifting so much cause the importing is inconsistent so we try to match the price for our supply. We figured no point in putting up price tags if we just gotta change them every week." Ah, guess that slang doesn't work here.
"No sorry I meant what's the damage to my bank account, haha. I'm uhh not from around here so I'm unfamiliar with prices."
She squints with one eye and moves her mouth to one side of her face while looking me up and down a couple times before finally speaking, "That'll be 12 bits!"
Oh this bitch. She must think I'm some foreign diplomat using a government funded- wait I am government funded. No, that's besides the point! It's the principle of the matter! She didn't even try to hide that she was eyeing up my net worth from face value. "That seems a bit high, I was thinking more like 3."
Persuasion Check
9, +1. 10.
She looks a bit shocked but I'm not sure if it's because I accurately guessed the price or because she's genuinely offended and I just gave her a huge low ball. She responds quickly though, "Alright, alright I'll admit 12 was a bit high, but I'm barely making any profit at 3. My real price is 5."
Ah, my insight check must've given me the price for her to buy them. That or my persuasion roll was too low for her to give me the real price. Either way, I'm happy with 5. I drop the coins on the counter and as I'm dropping the charcoal into my bag I ask her, "By the way, would you happen to know where I can get some incense and herbs?"
"You a shaman or something? If you take a right out of here and go down to the fountain and make a left you should see the natural remedies store. It'll have a pestle and mortar on the sign. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you've been enjoying Equestria so far!" She seems nice. I'll probably make this place my regular shop for ink when I start scribing spell scrolls. Oh shit wait I need magical ink for that.
I quickly speak up before she gets out of my line of sight, "Oh wait, miss, do you happen to have magical ink? Perhaps imbued with mana or one that you ponies use specifically for writing runes?"
"Yes sir, but we keep that in the back. If 12 bit charcoal had you worried you don't wanna know how much the ink is." My face twists up in annoyance. I guess that's to be expected. I'm pretty sure even in the game the ink for spell scrolls was expensive as all hell.
My trip to the natural remedy shop is unfortunately not quite as smooth as the quill store. I had to calm down the clerk and convince them that I'm a guest of the princess. Ended up showing him the card Celestia gave me for when I come back to the castle later. After that though it was very smooth. I got a couple of incense and some herbs for 9 bits. Now I'm just about back at the castle, and I didn't see any places that sell braziers. Hopefully there's one sitting around here in the castle, I'll probably ask the guards.
I walk up to the entry gate for the castle and ask the unicorn guard to my left, "Hey do you know if there's any brass braziers sitting around the castle grounds?"
"There is but why are you asking, day court has been closed for a few hours now so public access is restricted until tomorrow morning. Please return then." Oh it's a mare this time, guess the shift changed while I was out?
I reach into the bit bag and pull out the access card Celestia gave me, it's a small black rectangle with a crescent moon raised up 3D style in the middle with a few golden stars. On the back it has my name in pretty cursive silver letters. "Sorry I should've shown you this first, but I didn't realize the shift had changed since I left. Figured if you were the same guard that I talked to when I was leaving a few hours ago I'd just be let in hassle free."
The unicorn mare grabs the card out of my grasp with her telekinesis and squints at it suspiciously. She flips it over and looks over it quickly before floating it back to me. "What's this supposed to be? You think I'll let you in cause of this? I've never seen this in my 8 years of experience."
The normal pony next to her gives her a nudge with his forehoof and points at the card, "Weren't you listening at the shift brief? Her Majesty's sister has returned and with her return the night guard is going to be stood up again for the first time in 1000 years. They showed us the Badges for the lunar guards and it looks just like that one! Anyways sorry about that sir." He steps to the side and opens the gate.
I just offer a wave of my hand and reply with, "Don't worry about it, if it's brand new then it's an understandable mistake. But, back to my original question! Is there a brass brazier somewhere on the castle grounds? I swear I saw one earlier when Shining Armor was testing me, but I don't remember where I saw it."
The mare decides to rejoin the conversation, she gives a small cough in embarrassment, "Apologies sir, yes the training ground is littered with the braziers, we use them for lighting and to mark off the different areas. Just go through the front door and take a left, go way way down and you'll see an exit door on the right that should put you out near the barracks and training ground."
The gate closes behind me after I walk through and I call out, "Thanks for the help! Stay safe, both of you."
Let's go perform my first ritual.
After about an hour I've finally got the summoning circle drawn on the ground using the charcoal. The leftover charcoal is sitting in the brazier with the herbs, 3 incense are lit on different areas of the circle. I sit down and hold my palms out towards the brazier and begin to chant. It sounds like nonsense, definitely not English, but I think I get the jist of it. After 10 minutes of chanting the incense reach the end of their sticks and go out, the fire also magically extinguishes.
I look around a bit in confusion wondering if my autopilot muscle memory magic thing messed up the ritual. I don't have to wonder for too long though as a bat flies out of the brazier and begins to fly in circles around my head. I can't help but crack a huge smile in excitement as I hold out my hand and extend my index finger for the bat to hang on to.
It does 1 more lap around my head before hanging upside down on my finger while staring at me. Oh no I have to name it, I'm terrible at naming things. Dracula? No, too lame. Alucard? That's a little better but still no.
My struggle is interrupted when I hear a deep voice in my head, "Master, please just stop. I already have a name, it's Callisid." Oh right I can communicate telepathically with the familiar.
"Nice to meet you Callisid! I'm Ignis Ferrum and I'll be honest I'm surprised this worked. As far as I can tell this plane isn't connected to the standard planes of Faerun."
I'm not sure how he pulled it off but somehow a bat manages to look confused he responds, "If you had tried summoning a new familiar that would likely be the case, but master I've been your familiar for well over 50 years. Has something happened to your mind Ignis?"
......Huh?
> A Mother's Love
"Ignis, you know before you were born they told us that on the outside you'd either be pure royalty in appearance or pure drow. Unlike the half breeds with other races the product of two different elven tribes is supposed to be all or nothing." The silky smooth voice of a drow priestess calls out to a young boy while brushing his hair. The boy is sitting in her lap on a stool, the both of them facing an ornate mirror. To their left is a big stained glass window with shades of blue and green diamonds scattered across the glass. The room lit by the large full moon set out on the horizon.
"But then why do I have silver hair like you used to, mother?" Ignis stops looking at the mirror and glances up at the woman brushing his hair. Her long hair spilling over her shoulders is dull gray, she has bags and wrinkles under her bright red eyes as she smiles down at her son. Her almost obsidian purple skin seemingly glows in the moonlight.
"Like I told your father, it's a blessing from the Dark Maiden. Every time you find yourself in a strong wind or an enthralling dance you can catch a glimpse of that silver hair and be reminded that She is always with you, and so am I. Come now it's time for the ritual little starshine." Ignis climbs off his mothers lap and looks up at her as she stands up and straightens her long white dress that hangs from her shoulders by 2 straps and runs down to just above her knees.
The woman grabs an emerald green elegant longsword with swirling runes running along the blade leaning up against the wall next to the door frame and sheathes it on her waist before grabbing Ignis by the hand and exiting the temple with him. As they stroll across the field and into the nearby forest Ignis looks at the back of his hand and flips it over to his palm, just simply observing his pale light skin tone, a stark contrast to his mothers. "Is father going to be at the ritual? He looked upset this morning before we left the manor."
She gave him a comforting smile as she looked down at him, "Of course he'll be there. He had a few meetings this morning, but he'd never forgive himself if he missed this."
The two slowly walked through the forest as the moon continued to rise further up into the night sky. Eventually, they come across a small circular clearing that seems almost unnaturally bright compared to the rest of the dark woods. There are 6 elves at the edge of the clearing waiting for them. Two of them are also drow women in similar white dresses, next to them is a shorter drow girl, Ignis' older half sister. The one that stands out is the tall elven man flanked by two slightly shorter men in butler uniforms. The tall man has piercing green eyes and long red hair that almost looks like it's on fire. He has a look on his face that Ignis can't quite place. Almost like he's in pain, he offers a sad smile to Ignis and holds out his hand.
"There you are Zarra." The flame haired elf embraces his wife and gives her a small kiss before looking down and grabbing the boy's hand. "Did you behave for your mother?"
Ignis nods but doesn't say anything. His eyes furrow in confusion as he tries to figure out what's happening. His father is being more gentle than normal and the assistants look somber, but the drow women are smiling as they offer their greetings and talk to his mother.
After giving the fellow priestesses hugs and greetings Zarra turns around and squats in front of Ignis. "You're going to be an excellent bladesinger in the future Ignis." She purses her lips and with glassy eyes she offers another smile to the boy. "My little miracle...." with a pause she runs her hand along his cheek and gives him a kiss on the forehead, "I love you. I always will."
Zarra then slowly walks out into the clearing and as she approaches the center she holds out her hand and thinks how beautiful the moonlight is tonight. She unsheathes her emerald longsword and throws the sheath out of the clearing towards the group of elves before grabbing the blade and planting the hilt firmly in the ground. The tip of the blade pointing straight up at the moon.
The other two nameless priestesses, and Ignis sister, walk out into the clearing, each holding 1 candle. As they cross the border of the clearing and enter the bright magical moonlight the candles catch fire and begin to burn. The 3 women crouch and place the candles down forming a triangle around the buried sword. By the time they stand back up a beautiful voice starts to sing in elven. Ignis looks around for the source of the voice but it's like it's coming from everywhere all around him.
He looks back towards his mother and sees all 4 women looking up at the moon. After a few seconds the two priestesses each grab a strap off of Zarras shoulder and as she lifts her arms up into the air the two pull up and remove the dress from her. They hand the dress to Ignis's sister and she neatly folds it up as the three of them walk back towards the main group at the edge of the clearing. Zarra stands fully bare in the clearing, alone.
She holds out her arms and looks up again at the moon with her eyes closed, completely entranced by the song. The singing gets louder and as it does Zarra begins to slowly dance around the blade. Delicately stepping between the candles as she twirls and jumps around. The moonlight seems to narrow, stopping just a few inches from the circle Zarra is dancing.
After a few seconds the swirling runes on the blade of the sword light up bright white as they start to bleed. The blood runs down the sword before suddenly turning and floating off the single edge of the blade. The scars along the naked limbs of Zarra glow a similar white and the blood begins to spread out in the air and slowly float into the glowing scars.
Slowly with each lap she dances her skin begins to tighten up, wrinkles disappearing. More laps and her dull gray hair starts to shine again, a bright silver now. A few more laps and the singing voice is suddenly joined by 3 more and they begin to harmonize beautifully. Zarras husband is wearing a face of pure shock as he gazes upon her. The sword stops bleeding and where once an older looking woman was slowly twirling and stepping there is now a stunning young woman skipping and jumping. Her eyes cleared of bags and crow's feet, her breasts regaining their old perky appearance. Her smile brighter than the religious light she is dancing in.
Ignis doesn't notice but tears are silently flowing down his fathers face as he tightens his grip on the boy's hand. Suddenly, a 4th voice joins the harmony but this voice is slightly louder and much more familiar to both of them, it's Zarra. She sings and her entire body begins to shine the same bright white light.
She continues to dance and sing, but slowly her feet and lower legs become translucent. As the dancing continues more of his mothers body becomes translucent and starting from her legs up she begins to scatter like dust, shooting off beams of moonlight in every direction.
Ignis starts to panic, his eyes wide. What's happening to her? He yells out to her but nothing escapes his mouth, he's silenced by the overwhelming song. He starts to run out into the clearing but after two steps he's snatched up by his father who pulls him up into his chest and holds him. He keeps trying to scream at his mother to stop dancing but he can do nothing. His face is covered in tears and his throat is sore, but he continues sobbing as he watches his mother disappear before his eyes.
In her final moments she notices her son being held by her husband. The boy is reaching out towards her with both hands as he silently sobs. Her heart starts to shatter as she watches him try to speak to her. The last thing Ignis sees of his mother is her eyes squeezing shut as they begin to leak tears as well.
But, after she's completely gone and the light begins to narrow and dim and the song is quietly ending he feels a pair of familiar, invisible, soft hands wrap around his head. He once again feels his mothers lips against his forehead and as the feeling begins to leave him he hears a whisper right up against his ear,
"Ai armiel telere maenen hir."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I open my eyes to a blurry night sky, I hear someone sniffling to my left and I sit up to face the source of the sound. I see Luna laying on the ground a few feet from me wiping her eyes and I wipe my own eyes with the back of my hand, but the tears keep flowing against my will.
"At the end, what did that phrase mean Ignis?"
With a bitter smile I look down at the ground and pull my knees into my chest, "You hold my heart forever."
> Ignis Ferrum
"How much of that did you see, Luna? I'll be honest, I'm a bit offended, feels like an invasion of privacy." I ask Luna. We're both still sitting in the grass at the castle training grounds, and from the looks of it I'd wager I was out of it for a few hours. It was barely sunset when I started the ritual, but the moon is already half way through its orbit across the sky.
"All of it. We were informed someone used the night watch identification badge to enter the castle grounds. They were under the impression none had been issued yet and informed us just in case. They told us you were looking for a brazier and should be on the training grounds. Originally we were just going to ignore it, but after some consideration we decided to come find you to ask if you'd like to observe the raising of the moon. Alas, you were unconscious by the time we got here." Oh so I'm just not gunna get an apology for the NSA behavior? That's fine, I guess.
"Well, I would like to see that next time for what it's worth. Did you have any other questions about what you saw? Might as well get this out of the way now. That dream, no.... that memory leaves me with my own questions, so let's make this quick." I wipe my eyes again and rapidly blink them to clear out the blurry vision. Stupid emotions.
"Are you sure? It's clearly upsetting you." I glance at her and give her a quick nod. "Very well. Since you seem to be in a rush, we will just ask them all at once. Who is the Dark Maiden? What was that dance? What was going on with that sword, why did it seem to.... Bleed? Most importantly, if that was a memory and not a dream then... are you possessing that body?" Ah, that last one is definitely the most important.
Before I begin I reach into my backpack and take a few gulps of water. I know I'm about to talk alot, and I hate how dry it makes my throat. "The Dark Maiden is Eilistraee. That woman, my mother apparently, was a faithful cleric. The dance that we watched is called the Last Dance, appropriately named, when worshipers of Eilistraee reach the end of their natural life without perishing in battle they are rewarded with a song from the Dark Maiden herself. The singing we heard was that Goddess. The faithful worshiper begins to dance to the song and their age regresses to their peak and they disappear to join Her in Her realm. That sword... I'm fairly certain I know exactly what it was but I need to confirm something before I feel comfortable talking about it. What I can say for sure is that the blood we saw was originally my mothers blood."
Nope, couldn't make it all the way through, need more water. "Apologies, dry throat. For context, there's another ritual for the Dark Maiden where a new sword is blessed by Eilistraee. To acquire that blessing the owner of the new sword will plant it in the ground with the tip facing down, and they will dance around the blade. As they perform the dance they're meant to move against the blade and draw blood from each limb onto the sword. If She gives Her blessing the sword will glow silver and absorb the blood. For the next 3 months it won't rust or dirty and it can even harm creatures that typically are immune to physical damage. The strange part is that her Last Dance included her blessed blade. Let me meditate for a few minutes and confirm my theory." I close my eyes.
"It was a beautiful art. If we had not cried at the tragedy of a child losing his mother we surely would have shed tears purely in awe for the ritual. To see a group of creatures that cherished and worshiped the night.... I am happy to know that such a thing exists. Even if it is not our night. You also worship that goddess, yes?"
Sigh. What part of meditate did Luna not understand? I crack open one eye and look at her, "I heard you but I'm afraid I need full concentration right now. Give me a few minutes of silence please."
"Callisid are you there? I have some questions about my past." I ask internally, hoping to reach my familiar.
"Yes master, shall I come to you?"
"No that's fine. Listen, did my mother own a Moonblade? Also what was I doing before I was whisked away to this place?" I really hope he gives me the answer I want to hear for both of these questions.
"Yes! That was indeed a Moonblade. Your father was supposed to own one as well, but it was lost 4 generations ago. Your great great great grandfather was asked to help with some grand task in the nine hells, but he and the sword never returned. You were preparing for the ceremony to test if you were worthy to inherit your mothers Moonblade, but you fell ill one day and never woke up." He sounds a little somber at the end.
"Callisid listen to me. With the most accurate measurement you can give me, how long was I in a coma?"
"Twenty years Ignis. Although it wasn't a coma, the healers described your condition as something akin to braindead. They said you were spiritually absent, nothing in your body or mind was wrong from what they could tell. They said it was similar to cases they'd seen where someone was using astral projection and they lost the tether to their bodies."
I open my eyes wide. I can feel my heartbeat in my ears. I try to take another sip of water but my hands are shaking so bad I barely get a drop. Most of it just spills on the ground. All our theories were wrong, I'm not in a new body based on my own creation, I'm not possessing the body of Ignis. I am twenty years old. I.... I am Ignis Ferrum.
I look around and see Luna looking at me with a concerned look on her face. She's definitely saying something to me, but I can't hear it. I try blinking several times and give myself a couple of soft slaps to my face with both hands.
"Ignis....Ignis....Ignis! LUCAS!" She finally shifts from concern to panic and has now grabbed me by the shoulder. By the time I finally calm myself down enough to hear her over my own heart she's calling me by my human name.
"Sorry. I just.... I just got the answers I was looking for, but I have even more questions now. Let me answer your last two questions and then I need to go. The reason she had the blade in her Last Dance is because that blade was special. It's known as a Moonblade, a legendary weapon that is passed down through certain Elven bloodlines, although most have been lost to time. Since that sword was one of a kind and needed to be passed on to the heir she needed to undo the Sword Dance that bound it to her. By placing the blade in the ground hilt first instead of tip first she reversed the flow and reclaimed the blood she placed in it from the original dance." I pause for a second to catch my breath before continuing.
"And as for your last question. That exact question is the reason I'm in a hurry and also quite shook to be honest. The ritual I performed with this brazier was to summon a familiar, but the familiar that I summoned has apparently been my familiar for half a century. I just found out from him that apparently the last thing Ignis did before ending up in Equestria was fall unconscious for 20 years. They said nothing was wrong with him physically, but he had lost his soul. I'm 20 years old, Luna. I don't think I'm possessing this body, I think this is my body."
Luna looks at me for a few seconds, and I frown at her. She's giving me pity. "What are you going to do now Ignis?"
What am I going to do? I wanted to go find out more about myself. How was my relationship with my father, what happened to my sister? If I was going to have a ceremony to test my worthiness for the Moonblade that implies my sister either wasn't worthy or something happened to her.
Let me answer Luna before she tries shaking me again for being unresponsive, "I'm not sure. I have an idea, but I can't do it here. Can I borrow a chariot and go to Ponyville? I'd like to go tonight, I need to go into those woods where we fought you."
"We are still not quite at 100% magical capacity, but we should be able to teleport you there. Just take the train back or have my sisters pupil send us a dragonfire letter when you're ready to come back. How long do you expect to be gone and why are you going? We have the summit in 13 days."
"I'm not sure how long I need. Maybe 3 days, maybe a week? I'll make sure to come back 2 days before the summit at the latest to have time to discuss any concerns or plans. I'm ready to go."
"But why go into that monster infested forest?"
"Oh I forgot to answer you, my apologies. I'm going back because there are monsters. I need to level up."
"Hm. You mean get stronger? Very well. Good luck, Ignis." With that she dips her head a bit and with a flash I find myself at the border between the Everfree and Ponyville.
"Quests."
I command outloud and I'm greeted by this strange power once again, there are more quests than I thought. How long have these been here?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
QUESTS:
Active Quest - Prove Yourself: Gain the approval from the royal sisters and pass their tests. - QUEST COMPLETED. Claim Rewards?
Main Quest - Get Home: Find out the truth about your appearance in Equestria and work with the inhabitants to return home. IN PROGRESS.
NEW! Main Quest - Recover your memories: You've discovered the truth of your identity, but still know very little about yourself. Find a way to recover your memories. IN PROGRESS.
Main Quest - Tutorial: Complete the tutorial. QUEST COMPLETED. Claim Rewards?
Side Quest - Summon Your Familiar: Acquire the materials needed to perform the Find Familiar ritual and summon your familiar. QUEST COMPLETED. Claim Rewards?
Side Quest - Make Your Choice: You've successfully proved yourself, but now you must decide. Will you become Luna's personal attendant, join the element bearers on their adventures, or go your own way entirely. IN PROGRESS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well this is unexpected. I don't even recall half of these quests but whats more is apparently 3 of them have been completed and I have to manually claim the rewards? That's kinda dumb.
"Claim all pending Quest rewards."
Prove Yourself, COMPLETED. Rewarded: +3,000 Experience. CHOOSE: One random level 3 spell scroll, two random level 2 spell scrolls, or 3 random level 1 spell scrolls.
Oh shit this is actually a tough choice.... Let me look mentally go over all the level 1, 2, and 3 spells and see if any of the levels have a spell I just need to have. Hmm alarm would be nice, especially out here in the woods alone. Distort Value maybe.... But I'd feel bad, Identify could be huge. I can't really think of anything else for level 1 spells but I'm probably forgetting something.
Alter Self would be nice as well, I could actually disguise myself as a pony that way if I wanted to. Borrowed Knowledge could be useful, Blur as well. Oh the correct choice has to be level 2 right? Hold Person, Misty Step, Mirror Image, Knock there are so many nice utility level 2 spells that I'd like to have, but couldn't justify taking them when I leveled up. There's definitely a few level 3's I want as well but I can just get those when I get level 6 which should be right now, I'm at 12 thousand and some change and only need 14 thousand for level 6. If I'm getting 3,000 right now that'll put me over.
"Two random level 2 spell scrolls."
Awarded: 3,000 Experience, Magic Mouth and Aganazzar's Scorcher spell scrolls.
Tutorial, COMPLETED. Awarded: +1,000 Experience.
Summon Your Familiar, COMPLETED. Awarded: +1,500 Experience. See Luna for the secondary reward.
What? Luna? What the fu-
LEVEL UP! Simulated Long Rest completed. HP, spell slots, and class features restored.
Experience: 18,257/23,000 Level 6
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wizard - Bladesinger: Level 6.
New Features: Extra Attack, 2 New Spells.
Extra Attack: When you take the attack action you may now attack twice instead of once. In addition, one of these attacks may be substituted for a cantrip.
Choose two new spells:
"Misty Step and Haste"
Misty Step and Haste added to spellbook, please choose and configure which spells in your spellbook will be prepared.
Well, I still don't need to prepare any Ritual spells. Preparing a spell means I can actually cast it, but rituals are different. I can perform ritual casting by reading the spell book; the only difference is that it adds significant casting time to the spell, usually 10 minutes. So, what am I not really using very often? Burning Hands can go, I'll replace Burning Hands with Misty Step and then I'll just add Haste to the list. Since I leveled up I can prepare 1 new spell for free, my maximum amount of prepared spells now is 11 + cantrips.
Configuration confirmed. Current Spellbook is as follows. (Prepared spells will have a *, cantrips don't need to be prepared.)
Cantrips:
Booming Blade
Control Flames
Fire Bolt
Mage Hand
Shocking Grasp
Level 1:
Absorb Elements*
Burning Hands
Comprehend Languages (Ritual)
Feather Fall*
Find Familiar (Ritual)
Magic Missile*
Shield*
Sleep
Level 2:
Dragon's Breath
Invisibility*
Misty Step*
Scorching Ray*
Shadow Blade*
Level 3:
Fireball*
Haste*
Sending*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Time finally resumes. I got so caught up in the quest rewards, I forgot I was supposed to learn Remove Curse instead of Misty Step or Haste. Fuck! I know Remove Curse is how you reverse someone who had Modify Memory casted on them, but there's no guarantee it would've fixed my memories. Level 7 I'll have to take it though.
Well, I only need 4,750 or so experience for level 7 so let's start hunting. I barely did anything during the tutorial and that got me 1,000 experience so I reckon the wooden wolves have to worth like 500 maybe 700? I didn't DM very often but I know creatures with a challenge rating 3 were worth 700. I was level 3 so I could see that being a CR3. Let's look around.
Perception.
1, +5. 6.
This is definitely a forest. There are some trees. Great well maybe I can find some tracks or something.
Nature.
17, +5. 22.
There's a snapped branch here and the ground to the west of the branch all the leaves are shifted in such a way that it looks like something went west. A few feet away from the branch I see some weird looking paw prints in the ground. I bet that's what I'm looking for! These are also going west though... are the paw prints stalking whatever stepped on that branch?
It's been an uneventful few hours. I ran into two of those wolves about 30 minutes apart but now that I have extra attack the fights were trivial. I can attack once, attack again with booming blade, then use my bonus action to cast booming blade a second time thanks to my illusionists bracers. So, overall I'm doing 5d8 + 18 damage every turn assuming I land every blow and if I recall correctly the wolves only had 20 Hit Points in the tutorial. Basically what I'm saying is, I killed them both times in 1 turn.
On the not so bright side they were only worth 450xp a piece, so I'm at 19,157/23,000 now. On the super extra not so bright side, after taking down the most recent wooden wolf I found a different track in the ground. This one I don't recognize at all, but it's bigger than the wolf marks. Maybe a bear? I rolled a 7 on my nature check so I have no fucking clue. Honestly my gut says its most similar to a cat paw, but it's too big. Perhaps a panther? I'm going to follow it though, we've shifted somewhat and now we're heading slightly more towards Ponyville.
It'd take a while to get back if I went in this exact direction, so it's basically almost perfectly parallel with the border of the forest, but slightly angled towards Ponyville. I wonder how deep I am. I've still got a couple hours before sunrise, so let's keep marching on for now. I assume the monsters aren't as active in the day so I'll likely make camp at sunrise. I might also just go to Ponyville at sunrise. I don't really want to sleep in the woods if I can help it. I march on.
Okay it's only been 30 minutes but I found the source of big paw print. It's a fucking Manticore! WHY DO THEY HAVE MANTICORES HERE? It's not exactly like the manticores I'm used to, but its very similar. The only difference is that these manticores have a scorpion tail instead of a flat-ish tail with several spikes. The scorpion tail implies it has poison, so I wonder if it also classifies as a CR3 creature? Stop rambling! The real problem here is that the manticore is chasing a Zebra!
I quietly recite the incantation for Shadow Blade and think as hard as possible that I want to upcast it to a 3rd level spell slot. That'll make the damage 3d8 per hit instead of 2d8. Next I shout, "Inveniam Viam" (Shortened phrase in Latin that translates to "I will either find a way/path or make one) and misty step in front of the zebra.
I look at the zebra in their eyes and shout "Keep running! I've got this." The zebra's eyes widen a bit before they nod at me and continue to run past me. Right as they do, I get to see the all too familiar phrase.
ROLL FOR INITATIVE.
18, +5. 23.
"Sorry big guy, but I need you gone." I lean forward and pull my shadow blade back and then run straight at the manticore. Before it can even do anything I'm already half way through my swing at it's head.
10, +8. 18. Hit.
The swing strikes true and the shadow blade quickly passes through the manticore.
6 + 8 + 4 + 5 = 23 Psychic damage.
If this thing has a similar stat block to the normal D&D manticores I just did 1/3rd of its HP. I quickly flick my wrist and bring the shadow blade closer to me before quickly waving my hand over the blade and casting Booming Blade. I then quickly swing for the manticore again with the shadow blade that now has streaks of purple lightning.
20, +8. 28. CRITICAL HIT.
Well I'll be damned, today is my lucky day! The beast is just roaring in pain and this time instead of slashing through the manticore with the illusionary blade I stab straight forward plunging the blade in between its eyes before twisting it and slashing sideways.
5 + 3 + 5 + 5 (Dex) + 24 (Crit) = 42 Psychic Damage
5 + 8 (Crit) = 13 Thunder Damage
The manticore staggers back a few steps as its roars of pain quiet down some. Suddenly blood starts pouring out of its nose and eyes, and its front left leg collapses as it drops down to its knee. Brutal, I was hoping that would kill it so it didn't have to suffer after having it's mind shattered but it looks like it's still barely hanging on. If it was a D&D Manticore it'd have died from that, they only have 68 HP and I've done 78 damage. Well, my bracers are glowing which means they're ready to cast Booming Blade again for my bonus action.
I pull up my blade ready to finish the beast off, but I freeze. Why can't I move? Oh I used Shadow Blade then waited a few seconds and used Misty Step, but combat started basically right after I misty stepped. Put simply, Misty Step was my bonus action. I can't finish the beast off this turn.
I keep my blade up in a somewhat defensive stance as I glare at the manticore. It gets back up and charges at me, and almost immediately after I see the purple sparks crackle all over it's body before a loud crack of thunder booms out. Booming Blades secondary effect, if the target moves 5ft within 1 turn of being hit by booming blade it suffers a secondary crack of thunder. Ever since I hit level 5 the secondary effect went from 1d8 to 2d8.
8 + 3 = 11 Thunder Damage.
The beast pauses for a fraction of a second before roaring loudly in pain and continuing to charge at me. Wow that's 89 damage, how much more gas does this thing have in the tank?! I squint my eyes and focus, it's tail hasn't reared back yet so it'll go for a bite or a claw first. Sure enough right as it gets within striking distance it swipes at me with a paw.
But I'm quick enough to react I suck in my gut and form a big C shape with my body and the paw just barely misses me. I'm a bit surprised because I'm not bladesinging right now so my AC is still just the regular 17.
Suddenly without warning, before the manticore has even put its paw back on the ground after swinging at me, its scorpion tail flies forward. I try to lean back and dodge it like Neo in The Matrix, but I can tell it's still going to hit me.
SHIELD! AC +5.
Holding my empty left hand out I throw up my trusty barrier and the tail deflects off of it. I assume its turn is over now until I see it rear back onto it's hind legs before slamming forward with its mouth wide open. Holy shit it's trying to eat me!
I still have the barrier up but this attack is so telegraphed and slow that I just turn sideways and side step it. When the manticore brings its front 2 paws back down to the ground I'm already beside it and I can tell now that it really is my turn this time.
"Alright big guy, sorry you had to suffer a bit longer than I wanted, but let's end this now."
I pull the shadow blade back and get ready to stab it straight into it's ribs.
16, +8. 24. Hit.
I stab the blade straight into its broad side and then rip it sideways, running it across the entire side of its body.
7 + 8 + 1 + 5 = 21 Psychic Damage
When I pull the blade out this time the monster falls onto its side and roars in pain again, but this time immediately after the roar its completely silent. It goes limp as blood absolutely erupts out of its nose at a much higher velocity this time. It's ears also begin to slowly leak out blood. It's finally dead.
I dismiss the shadow blade and crash on to the ground on my ass. I put both palms on the ground slightly behind me and lean back putting some of my weight onto my hands as I catch my breath.
+1,800 XP. 20,957/23,000.
Hey that's good news it must've been a CR 5. I've very close to level 7 now! One more manticore and a quest or maybe just the quest and I can be level 7. I look around to see if I can spot the zebra, but I don't see anything.
Perception.
12, +5. 17.
I don't see the zebra, and I don't see anything to be honest. Not even a bird. That's a bit eerie especially now that the sun has peaked out over the horizon. I'm surprisingly not tired, so I'm definitely not setting up camp yet. Let's go see if I can track that zebra down, it was wearing golden loops on its neck and ears so I'm 99% sure its sapient. I know it for sure wasn't heading towards Ponyville for some reason, probably lost. I'll go find it and help it get out of here.
Let's see if it got added to my quests.
"Quests."
The same list as last time pops up, and sure enough this time there's a new side quest, find the zebra. The zebra went further into the Everfree, find her and confirm her safety and escort her out if needed. Well I guess my power somehow knows it's a she. I guess I'll take its word for it.
"Zebra! Where did you go!" I start walking in the last direction I saw her go, hopefully I can find her quickly.
> Early Ending to Everfree Expedition
Nature.
5, +5. 10.
I'm gonna lose it.
Nature.
3, +5. 8.
You know some people would say that I should be happy I'm using up all my bad luck here, but you know what I say? Fuck that, I have done this nature check 5 times and that 10 was the highest result so far! I need to track the zebra down! WHY IS THIS BEING DIFFICULT?!
Fuck it.
Perception.
1, +5. 6.
Fine you know what, just fine. I'm over it! I'm gunna spin around with my eyes closed and when I open them I'm just gunna walk in whatever direction I'm facing.
I just wanted to go into the woods, kill some monsters, forget about my existential identity crisis, but noooo! Instead I get to wander around for 3 hours looking for a zebra with no monsters in sight. Perfect.
Wait.... My passive perception is 15. I shouldn't even be mad then, that means none of those rolls mattered! Wait, what is that? I put my hand above my eyes to block out the sun as I look up into the sky. It's smoke, but that isn't towards Ponyville. Either I just found my zebra or Smokey the Bear is going to be really proud of me in about 30 minutes.
"Callisid, go check out the source of that smoke and report back. Mainly I just need to know if you see any creatures or structures." I send out a thought to my new trusty bat while I start running towards the smoke.
"As you command, but be warned master that smoke is outside of our communication range. Shall I report back once I check it out or do you just want a report once you get within range?"
"Report back."
I hear no response from the bat, which I assume means an affirmative response. After about 3 minutes I hear back from the celestial. "It appears to be a small hut. I didn't approach the hut to see what was inside though, would you like me to?"
"No that's alright, I'm pretty sure I know what's inside. Thanks buddy."
After another 6 or 7 minutes I arrive at the hut and knock on the door. The small door swings open and sure enough there's my zebra! "Heya! I noticed you weren't going towards Ponyville so I figured I'd try and catch up. Ya know, just wanted to make sure you weren't lost in the woods."
The zebra's eyes widened as soon as she opened the door, but after hearing me speak they went back to a neutral position as she looks me up and down a few times before finally responding. "For your assistance with the manitcore you have my thank. Had you been any later it'd surely had my flank. You have concern that I'm lost but let me ease your doubts. For as you can see this is my house."
"Why are you talking like that? Ya know what, nevermind. I'm glad you're safe, hope you enjoy the rest of the day." I respond and immediately turn and walk away. She says something as I'm leaving but I cannot be asked to deal with that right now. That should be enough to satisfy the quest anyways.
"Quests." Sure enough the quest is completed. "Claim rewards." Honestly tracking her down was more annoying than the manticore, so it'd be great if this gave a lot of experience.
+250 XP. 21,207/23,000
Yeah okay, fuck you too universe. I wanna go check out that dilapidated old castle we fought Nightmare Moon in. If I remember correctly it should be to the.... East? That sounds right.
I've been walking for at least an hour now and I have seen nothing that looks even remotely familiar. I'm also starting to wonder if the monsters of the forest are intentionally avoiding me? I admitted that during the day their activity would be low, but I should've seen something by now. Honestly this entire trip is officially a shit show. I think I'm just going to hit level 7 and use Sending to Luna or Celestia and request a teleport back.
Another uneventful 30 minutes pass before I come upon a rickety old wooden bridge. I remember walking under this bridge! I'm close to the ruins now, but I don't really want to walk across this thing. It looks like an OSHA violation.
Investigation.
15, +5. 20.
Looking at the rope and the wooden posts on this side of the bridge it actually looks like this bridge collapsed at some point in the last few days. The way this thing is tied down now is completely different than the knots I see on the other side. Well atleast that means the rope should be fine... right? I slowly and very carefully start walking across the bridge.
About halfway across right as I put my foot down, the wood snaps and my foot goes straight through.
17, +8 Acrobatics. 25.
I very cleanly catch myself and make sure to disperse the rest of my weight evenly and as far spread as possible. Then I very quickly pull my foot up and sprint across the rest of the bridge. Phew. Now let's explore this castle.
Even though the sun is up this time around the feeling is super ominous. If I didn't know better I'd think Nightmare was still here somewhere. This place has no business being this creepy. I walk through the room where we saved the world and look at my own blood stains on the stone floor. Ah good times. There's not really anything else in this area, but I know there's a few other rooms spread out, so let's go check those out.
The 2nd room I went into was also pretty empty, but this 3rd section of the ruin? This is where the juicy bits are I can tell. It looks like this used to be the throne room, I see what looks to be two thrones but one of them is a lot more destroyed than the other. There's also a large banner with a sun on it covered in dust on the floor behind the destroyed throne.
When I walk past the thrones to take a closer look at the banner I see a small cutout in the wall and floor that looks like a staircase leading down? Disregarding the banner I head into the stairwell and descend around 15 stairs in a half helix shape. The bottom of the staircase spits me out into a long empty hallway with a couple of suits of armor? I didn't know these ponies had full on platemail! They have full helmets that cover their face and everything. Why don't they wear these anymore? This is so badass.
Before I even take a single step down this hallway though I decide to roll for perception. I can feel it in my bones, there's a trap in this hallway.
Perception.
13, +5. 18.
I don't see any traps, but I swear I just saw two yellow eyes through the slitted visor of that armor. What the fuck? I decide to use my trusty finger gun and point it at the armor on the left. "Firebolt!"
5, +8. 13.
The small bolt of fire is let loose from my hand as it pelts into the side of the armor. A loud Chachink sounds out down the hallway and I roll 15 fire damage, but nothing happens. I give a small shrug but pull out my rapier anyways as I begin walking down the hallway.
I don't make it very far though, as soon as I walk past the two sets of armor on both sides of the hallway I see yellow eyes pop up in BOTH sets of armor and instantly jump back 10 feet. I put up the rapier and call out the incantation for Shadow Blade, keeping it at level 2 this time though. As soon as the shadow blade appears in my hand I watch as the yellow eyes float through the armor and into the air as a plume of shadow and smoke rises out of both sets of armor and form around the eyes. It's 2 Wraiths!
9, +5 Initiative. 14.
The wraith on the left sinks down into the ground before popping up behind me, I spin around and hold my shadow blade in an attempt to block whatever it's trying. It just points both of its shadowy hands at me and I see two wisps of black inky shade start coming off my body. Oh shit this is that drain mov- AHH!
I can't even finish my thought as the shadows connect with the wraiths hand and suddenly it feels like something is snapped off of me. I feel something similar to a cold numbing feeling that starts at my shoulders and sinks down right into the middle of my chest. It's a sickening feeling, this is my first taste of necrotic damage and I hate it.
-20. Hit Points: 19/39.
Constitution Saving Throw: 14, +2. 16. Pass.
Concentration Check: 9, +2. 11. Pass.
My teeth are chattering against themselves now as I have a slight shiver. That thing just did over half my HP in one hit. If I didn't pass that constitution saving throw it would've reduced my max HP from 39 to 19 as well until I long rested. I need to end this now. I pull back and get ready to slash through the wraith 3 times in quick succession. Since I'm in non-magical darkness I actually get advantage with shadow blade.
Two dice roll out for the first attack. 12 and Natural 20. CRITICAL HIT.
8 + 8 + 16 (Crit) + 5 = 37 Psychic damage.
(A/N: I'm actually astounded that I get the luckiest series of rolls in my life during a made-up encounter for a fanfiction. I legitimately rolled a nat 20 into double 8's on my 2d8 roll for a max damage critical.)
As I use the momentum to twist the blade and get ready to slash through the wraith a second time I channel Booming Blade.
2 and 12. 12 + 8 = 20.
The second slash also connects and slides through the wraith like butter.
7 + 2 + 5 = 14 Psychic Damage
5 * 0.5 (Resistance to Thunder) = 2 Thunder Damage.
Ok, thing is looking pretty rough. Let's use our bonus action booming blade again and see if we can finish it off. This time I try to slash it vertically in half from the head down.
3 and 15. 15 + 8 = 23.
Just like before the blade connects and tears through the shade.
7 + 8 + 5 = 20 Psychic Damage.
4 * 0.5 (Resistance) = 2 Thunder Damage.
The wraith lets out a ghastly wail that sounds like nails on a chalkboard as it starts to spasm in the air, unable to put itself back together before it finally bursts and the shadowy wisps dissipate into the air.
Panting slightly I turn towards the second wraith. I just need to survive this one attack and I'll very likely be fine. The wraith lets out a screech before it flies straight at me channeling it's life drain attack. I can't tell if this one is also going to hit me or not so I decide to be as cautious as possible.
SHIELD!
I see the shadowy trails that connected my body to its hands get snapped at the middle and the wraith recoils a little as it staggers back a step. Phew, ok now unless I get monumentally unlucky I should be fine here.
Just like before I slash through the undead 3 times, using booming blade for 2 of the attacks and all 3 land. This time however I wasn't lucky enough to land a crit and I only did 50 damage total. I never went against too many wraiths in my time and as a DM I never used them, so I can't metagame the HP this around. I think it's almost dead but I'm out of actions and 50 damage wasn't enough.
I sigh and prepare myself for the worst. Gotta tank one more attack.
I watch as the wraith holds up it's wispy hands but there's no tendrils this time. I wait for a few seconds and get the feeling in my gut that it's my turn. It missed! Oh thank the Maiden, alright let's finish this. I ready myself and start my 3 slash combo, but after just two slashes the wraith releases it's death cry and harmlessly explodes into a bunch of small shadow wisps.
+3600 XP. 24,807/23,000. Level Up!
Time freezes and I see the same level up information I saw last time, but instead of doing anything like picking spells I just try to exert my intent to ignore the level up for now and leave it for later. If possible I want to save this level up, now that I've leveled up two times I've confirmed that it gives me a free long rest everytime I finalize the level up information. If I can get a free long rest on demand I'm going to hold onto this level up until I think it's the best time to use it.
The level up information disappears and time resumes. I lean up against the wall and slide down and sit on the dusty floor. Wow, to think a couple of wraiths could actually put that much fear into me. I might be able to pump out some decent damage now, but I'm a glass cannon through and through. I need to see if the castle armory has anything like a ring of protection or a cloak of protection. The higher my AC the better. For now though, fuck this.
I reach into my component pouch and pull out a copper wire. I pull the copper wire taught and talk into the wire casting Sending and directing it towards Celestia.
"Hey "Tia" it's Ignis, went to the everfree for some training, things went south, figured Luna's asleep wondering if you can teleport me to canterlot?" I put the copper wire back and lean my head against the dusty wall. Please have mercy on me sun horse.
"Hmm, I don't know Ignis, I mean if I were teleporting someone like... a Lunar Knight after official training that'd be normal. Teleporting random civilians just cause they use long distance messaging magic without prior consent would set a bad precedent. It's a slippery slope after that, you know?" Okay that's way more than 25 words. She must be using her own version of a Sending spell instead of using the residual magic to use the built in response.
Is she really going to play dirty like this? I underestimated you Celestia. This is my last third level spell slot. Do I really want to use it just to argue with this lady? Yeah fuck her, I pull out the copper wire again, but before I can cast the spell I hear her voice again. "Just kidding! Teleporting you back now."
I start to voice my complaints while rubbing my eyes to get rid of the blinding white light that always accompanies teleports from these ponies, "You're lucky you teleported me before I could respond Celestia, cause if I had to cast another instance of Sending I was gunna be ready to throw hands wh-" I instantly stop in the middle of my rant because the white light fades and I realize, I'm in the middle of the throne room. A very full throne room, I'm talking like 100 ponies at least. Most of them don't even seem to be in the guard, what's going on here? Worst of all, they're all staring at me.
I hear Celestia chuckle and I look up at her as she responds, "I realized your morale might still be in trouble from recent events and decided to end my prank early. I am curious if you have an answer to the offer yet though?"
"I have thought it through, and I've come to a conclusion. I need to discuss it with Luna herself though I'm afraid. I want a slightly different arrangement than what you originally offered." I am getting a few nasty side eyes and slack jaws so I decide to add on to the end, "...your majesty?"
At that, a few of the side eyes disappear as the ponies giving them to me turn their noses up in snotty satisfaction. Celestia meanwhile just has this dumb smug smirk, "Very well, as you predicted my sister is asleep right now. If you come by the dining hall for dinner though we can all talk about it together.
"Yeah that's fine. I'm going to bed as well. I think I'd like to get my sleep schedule set to also sleep during the day." I decide to take a metaphorical shit on the floor as I'm walking out, I look over my shoulder and smirk at the princess, "Enjoy the rest of the day, Tia."
I hear a small uproar in the audience as the doors close behind me and can't help but laugh. I'm pretty sure I even heard one of them yell "YOU DARE?!" Oh man, that's a good reaction. I'm surprised, that's twice now she's let me keep my rapier. I'm starting to think it's not an accident and she's doing it intentionally as a show of good faith so I'll be more open to her offer.
Little does she know however, I've decided to join Luna. I'm not going to be her attendant though. I mean I might still begrudgingly carry out those duties if I have no choice, but I'd rather be her Chosen.
I wonder if they even have the concept of a Chosen here. Maybe they call it an Avatar here? Who knows. Regardless of how it plays out I'm excited to see what this other quest reward is that I need to get from Luna. I hope it's cool or useful.
I get back to my room in the dignitary wing of the castle and jump onto the bed. Laying on my back I begin meditating.
> What is this feeling?
Knock, knock, knock, knock.
Slowly but surely I rise out of my trance and right before I open my eyes I see the System popup.
Cantrip Formulas - After a long rest you can replace one wizard cantrip with another cantrip from the wizard spell list. Would you like to use Cantrip Formulas? "Yes."
Gods above I forgot this existed, why hasn't it asked me about this until now?! "Replace Control Flames with Prestidigitation."
Spellbook configuration updated.
I roll my neck and walk over to the door. "You can go on ahead, tell the princesses I'll be a few minutes late." I call out loudly hoping whoever is on the other side can hear me.
I see a blue glow of magic envelope the doorknob as it turns in place and the door cracks open. "Ignis you already missed dinner, the maid said she knocked several times but got no answer from you." Oh that's not one of the castle staff, that's Luna. I open the door all the way and greet her.
"Wow, so in Equestria you all just open peoples doors without a care in the world, huh? I guess I was more tired than I thought I'd be. I did take down a few monsters in the everfree, but honestly I thought I'd gotten enough rest lately. Maybe this body still can't handle the physical exertion? It was bedridden for 20 years, after all. Anyways Luna, is your reason for stopping by urgent? I forgot to clean myself before retiring for the day and to be honest I smell like dirt and sweat."
"We had noticed an odor but Sister warned us that apparently it is considered rude in todays age to point out that somepony stinks. Also, we are one of the sovereign rulers of this kingdom, so of course we can open your door if we feel like it." She offers a small smirk before walking past me and inside the room. "It's not terribly urgent, mainly we just wanted to check on your wellbeing as we couldn't locate you in the dream realm despite reports of you being unresponsive."
"Right, well elves don't usually sleep. We typically go into a trance and review our memories and thoughts. We can sleep and dream, we just choose to avoid it most of the time. You were able to barge in on my memory in the form of a dream last time because I was unconscious. Anyways, would you prefer to wait here for a few minutes or do you want me to come find you when I finish bathing?"
"We can wait. The moonrise isn't for another hour or so and we have no plans until then." Remind me to ask about this royal We thing she does. I wasn't gunna bring it up but I realized after yesterday that Celestia doesn't talk like that. Poor girl's been on the moon for 1000 years. We gotta get her caught up on modern language.
"Alright, don't go through my backpack or I'll- no you know what nevermind. Voco." I summon my mage hand which grabs my backpack and follows me into the bathroom as I close the door. Luna just seems confused as she watches the spectral hand float behind me.
After a quick shower I fold up my cloak and other clothes and cast Prestidigitation a few times to clean them up. Then cast it two more times on different parts of my studded leather before donning it as well. I walk out of the bathroom and drop the backpack at the foot of the bed before looking at Luna. "So, do you have something for me?"
Luna once again looks a bit confused, "What do you mean? Tia said you wish to speak with us regarding our offer of employment. Beyond that we have nothing for you."
For the first time since I got here it seems like the omnipotent system has made an error. I could roll insight and see if she's lying but I don't really think she is. Also, she has no reason to do so. I'll just ignore it for now. "Hm, alright. Anyways, yes I did want to talk to you. I did some thinking while I was hunting in the forest and I realized that from now on I'm not really going to have a purpose in life. I mean sure I could keep hunting in the Everfree or look through the library for magical tomes, but I can't see myself spending all my time during the days and nights doing that. I'd rather have some real work to keep me occupied and do those things in my free time."
"Marvelous! So, you accept the position to be our attendant?" Luna responds with a bit more enthusiasm than I was expecting.
"Well, about that. We need to define exactly what the responsibilities of this job are, because I don't really want to be on call 24/7 ready to run to your room and cater to your every need. That personally is a bit too demeaning for me. However, things like assisting you in the office or escorting you for events and expeditions I can do."
"Hm. Essentially you would rather be something like a personal guard or assistant rather than a personal butler?"
"Exactly! Well truthfully I'm not sure if any of that is what I'd describe as my dream job, but the element bearers in Ponyville have a bit more... energy than I can put up with on a long term basis. Which means it's either you or I try to find a business on this mountain willing to hire the giant alien that spreads out a crowd like the red sea. Doesn't really seem like a viable option."
"Truly? If that's your attitude about it then we're not sure we'd like to maintain the offer."
Oh shit. "Woah woah, listen I mean it's not like I hate the idea of working for you! You're actually rather interesting and I think we get along well. I just thought you might be curious about why I chose to accept the offer."
"Well. This is acceptable to us then. Come, let us go to the armory. We have just enough time that you should be able to be able to attend the raising of the moon fully equipped. After that we can discuss your hours of responsibility and what you will be handling during those hours."
I follow Luna out the door and down the hallway but still voice my confusion, "Armory? I've already got my armor and weapon of preference. There's no way you even have armor that can fit someone of my form, you're all quadrupeds."
She looks back at me but keeps walking forward as she informs me "Nay, but we do have enchanters who can take a look at what you currently have. They should be able to improve upon it for you." Wait really? Holy shit let's go.
"Oh, cool. By the way just wondering, why do you speak like that? I thought maybe you were just more strict than your sister and chose to speak formally at all times, but when she brought me into the castle earlier she seemed to be in the middle of some pretty official business and she was still speaking quite informally. Which makes me think it's something unique to you."
"Does Celestia truly speak informally even when hosting day court? We, no, I hadn't attended her court yet and was under the assumption I had to speak to this. It's actually much more relaxing if I can speak candidly." I figured it was something like that, because Nightmare Moon wasn't speaking formally with royal we's and whatnot.
"Another question I had was about the markings on your rear. I've noticed damn near every single pony has a unique marking, and thought it was just something native to everyone on this plane. Then I met a zebra in the Everfree and she didn't have such markings. So, what exactly are they?"
"These are indeed something unique to us ponies. Likely in part due to our closer connection to Harmony we've been blessed with these Destiny markings. Nowadays they're apparently referred to as Cutie Marks, but they truly do identify the pony's destiny. We're born with no markings and at some point during adolescence we gain the mark once we've found our true calling in life. My sister and I got ours when we moved the sun and moon for the first time. I couldn't tell because of your constant need of clothing, but based on your confusion I assume your species doesn't have something similar?"
"Nah, most people are either strong-armed into following whatever talent the bloodline has specialized in for generations or they spend decades sometimes their entire lives trying to find their true calling. Honestly though, we are good at anything if you give us a year or two. Are we almost there? I didn't realize the castle was this big."
"Truthfully I was lost for a few minutes there, but I found the right passageway eventually. We're just about there though, should be right around the corner." Right, I guess this is also only her 2nd day in the castle too.
We walk into a dim room and spy a single blue unicorn eyeing up a plain short sword and right as he jerks his head and flips the lenses down onto his goggles he spots us and sets the sword down. He quickly rises off of his workbench and does a full bow, "Welcome back your majesty! You came just in time! I was just about to put on the finishing touches for this sword and then head home for the night." He rises out of the bow and looks at me, "I assume this is the fella the other princess mentioned when y'all were in here earlier? Pass me that nasty thing you call armor and give me the rapier."
I unstrap and remove the studded leather before laying it down on the unicorn's workbench. "I'm keeping the rapier though, to be honest I don't want you to waste your time on it. I don't think I'll be using the thing for too much longer."
"Suit yourself, why don't you wear something sturdier than this, anyways? You look like you've got the build to handle heavier material and it'd definitely protect you better than this."
"My defensive capabilities come from my reflexes and speed. The armor honestly does very little, also when I wear heavier armor I seem to lose the ability to perform the bladesong."
"Got it, well this should be ready to pick up around lunch time tomorrow. I don't really have time to do anything with it tonight but since it's an order from the princess it'll be the first and only thing I work on tomorrow morning. One last thing your majesty, I got an inventory discrepancy to report."
I bow out of the conversation and start looking around at all the armors and shields hanging up on the wall. They must keep their weapons in a different room. While I'm looking around I listen to their conversation. "Ah, what's gone missing this time. I swear 1000 years later and it's the same problems."
"No no your majesty, that's the weird thing. We found a sword that isn't in our inventory roster. In fact it doesn't even have a serial number enchanted onto it like the rest of our gear. It wasn't on yesterday's inventory check either, so it's like it just appeared in here in the middle of the night or something. I tried to add it to our system but it won't accept my magic at all, it's a weird blade your majesty."
"Well, as interesting as that is, I don't think it's something for me to handle. I'll leave it up to my sister and her day guard to do something with it. Maybe if tonight wasn't so busy, but I've got to raise the moon and then get to work on standing up the Night Watch. Thank you for the work Emerald."
"No problem princess! Have a good night."
"You as well. Let's go Ignis, it's time to raise the moon."
I give a casual wave to the armory worker as I follow Luna out of the room with my hands in my pocket. "Feels weird walking around without my leather on. I feel... exposed."
Luna just rolls her eyes at me, "You'll be fine."
"You're the one that said I'd be able to attend the moon raising "fully equipped"." I give finger quotes in the air when I say fully equipped.
This time she lets out a resigned sigh, "Yes well, I forgot that many of the castle services close at the end of the day. I know it'll take time to find ponies to fill in the new job openings but it still stings a bit. Last night I had to make my own sandwich I mean can you believe it?!"
"Wow. I cannot believe how hard your life is right now princess, you mean to tell me you had to make your own food in YOUR castle? The absolute tragedy that has befallen you my liege. Shall I prepare your midnight snack for you tonight?"
"You're mocking me."
"I am."
She looks like she is absolutely done with my shit as we go through a fancy set of dark blue double doors into a bedroom. "Well Luna at least you're living in luxury. This room is way nicer than my setup. I bet I could lay down on that bed and my feet wouldn't hang off the edge."
"Shall I arrange for you to sleep here then? I wouldn't want my only knight suffering from poor sleeping conditions."
We step out onto the balcony right as she begins that statement and straight across the courtyard I see Celestia standing on a similar balcony. I guess their rooms are parallel to each other but on the opposite side of the castle? Weird setup, I'd just put them next to each other. It seems like Celestia heard Luna though cause she's offering us a small smile with 1 eyebrow raised inquisitively.
"That seems like the only logical answer I can find as well, your grace. It's two birds with one stone really, it's also the most efficient way to guard you." I don't know if she's trying to fluster me or what but I refuse! I'll just pretend to be clueless and lean into it.
"Be careful Lulu, I'd hate for rumors to spread after only 3 days back in Equestria. We wouldn't want ponies lining up to apply for the Night Watch for all the wrong reasons now, would we?" Celestia decides to join in on the conversation with some playful advice.
Luna wasn't flustered at my response but when she hears her sister's advice she starts to blush a bit, "Sister please!"
"Oh no, are you embarrassed at my insinuation or because I called you by your nickname in front of somepony else? Don't worry Lulu I know you'll run your guards with the utmost decorum and professionalism."
"Ugh! Please stop!" Luna's looking at the floor now with her ears pinned back. Oof that's actually quite adorable.
"I just thought it was only fair since Sir Ignis called me Tia in front of the entire day court today. And I wonder just how he came up with that nickname, surely he didn't come up with it on his own?"
"I truly did not mean to say it in front of him if I did indeed do that. Forgive me sister. May we please perform the ceremony now?" Luna begs.
I almost feel bad for Luna now. No scratch that, I do feel a little bad. It's partially my fault this is happening right now.
"Alright dear sister, let's begin."
I sit down on a bench and watch as Celestia's horn lights up, much brighter than usual, and at first nothing happens. After a few seconds though I can feel it, a powerful and dense wave of mana pulses out and I watch as the sun moves toward the horizon at an unnaturally quick speed. Once it settles over the horizon I realize my mouth is slightly open from the display so I close it shut and look at the alicorn next to me.
I watch as the light from across the courtyard dims and is slowly replaced by a bright dark blue light. This time I feel an equally dense wave of mana but the feeling that accompanies it is just a serene calmness. I feel my body relax as this cold wave of magic pours over me and the moon rises into the sky. I find myself slightly impressed at the beauty of the ritual when I feel something much more powerful.
I look over at Luna and watch as her closed eyelids squeeze shut even tighter and a bead of sweat runs down her face and the light from her horn increases to an almost blinding level of brightness. When suddenly her light blue mane turns multiple shades darker and begins to lift off of her neck and flow in the air. She opens her eyes which are glowing with pure white light and her mane morphs into something else entirely. It's like Celestia's mane but instead of a pastel rainbow it just likes an empty night sky.
Just when I think it's over another wave of magic pulses out into the night and this one causes something to stir in my chest. A feeling of nostalgia creeps it way up from my chest to the back of my neck down my arms giving me goosebumps all over. "Eilistraee.." I quietly mutter as I realize the familiarity of the presence I feel.
The empty night sky suddenly becomes flooded with stars, I watch as they appear in the sky from west to east in a beautiful display. I look over to Luna and her mane which previously appeared as an empty night sky is now mirrored with little stars all over.
The stars start to shift and maneuver throughout the sky and I realize they're forming constellations and little galaxies. I keep looking between the sky and her hair in amazement as I can make out the same constellations forming in both. After a few seconds the light from her horn dies down and her eyes return to normal and after a few more seconds her mane returns to normal light blue hair before settling in it's original position.
Luna looks over to find me staring at her in awe and she just looks concerned and asks me, "Ignis are you okay?"
I blink my eyes rapidly and realize at some point I had shed a single tear down the left side of my face. "Yeah sorry, when you decorated your night with the stars and your mane transformed the mana and presence I felt... it was just like the Dark Maiden. I think I just wasn't prepared for such a sudden reminder of the past. Thank you for inviting me to this, it was beautiful."
I find myself much more embarrassed than I thought I would be and decide to be immature, I grab the railing of the balcony and fling myself over it. Falling at an alarming rate several stories down into the courtyard below. I hear both sisters yell something in alarm but when I'm about 8-10 ft away from the ground I cast feather falling and gently land on both feet. As soon as I land I start fast walking towards the gate and decide to go collect myself in the city proper.
> Main Quest - First Night on the Job
"Ignis you can't just run away because you're embarrassed. Maybe if you were my sisters guard, but if you're going to be my knight I absolutely will not tolerate that behavior in the future." Luna stopped me from leaving the castle grounds and is lecturing me as we walk the empty hallways.
"You're just saying that cause you wanted to watch me suffer." I pout with my arms cross as I walk next to her.
".....Perhaps. Regardless you actually can't leave because I need to open my first session of Night Court. We were holding off on starting up the sessions until I had somepony present to stand guard." As she says that we walk through a grand set of double doors into the same throne room I found myself in earlier today, only now it's empty.
It's a bit surreal to be honest, almost unsettling how large this room is with all this seating and decoration only for it to be empty and dead silent. I realize Luna has stopped walking and promptly also stop and turn to face her. "Alright so what do I need to do here?"
"First I need you to strip."
I break out into a coughing fit, nearly choking on my own breath from how unprepared I was for her words. "What?!"
"Hm? I need you to remove your cloak. Well I guess I can just do this while you're wearing it." Before I can continue to question her she ignites her horn and I'm covered in a bright flash.
When the light settles I look down and realize she's changed the color of my outfit entirely. My shirt is now a very dark shade of blue-purple, not too dissimilar to Luna's coat color, with shining white lines in an intricate pattern along the collar, extending from the pattern is the fancy white puffy bit that sits in the middle of my chest.
My half-circle cloak is a deep black but along the outer edges of the entire cape is a similar pattern of white lines. Grabbing the cloak and pulling the back side around into my field of view I see that the entire cloak is littered with small white stars and in the spot that normally covers the middle of my back is a large crescent moon.
"Wow Luna, this is beautiful. Kinda wish you had asked for permission before permanently changing the only set of clothing I had from my homeland, but it's good enough that I'll overlook it." She offers me a sheepish grin and avoids my gaze.
"We are quite pleased you enjoy it. You will find that's not quite everything though! Wear your hood as well, the exterior of it is the same as the rest of the cloak but pull it up and look at the inside."
I give her a confused side eye as I raise my eyebrows before flipping the hood up onto my head. Very quickly I realize what she's done here. For reference, the hood is on the slightly larger side and all of the interior parts that I can see in my field of view look just like the night sky I saw earlier. I even see a comet at the edge of my vision that streaks past quickly. Luna senses my amazement and continues explaining.
"I've given it an enchantment to mirror the night sky the same way my mane did when you saw it earlier. Once I'm fully recovered from my banishment it'll look like that all the time. Back to the point though, every night I try to make the arrangements unique, only keeping a few different constellations consistent, this will always accurately mirror the current night sky. If you run your hoof along the inner edge at the top of the hood it'll turn off the enchantment if you're trying to be stealthy. That same motion actually turns off all of the dim white lines and turns your full outfit pitch black. You'll need a mask if you want to cover your face though. Also, you mentioned this being your only clothing from home. During the day it'll look how it originally looked. This is just going to be your uniform while on duty."
"What about the studded leather I wear over the shirt normally? It's more of a dark brown and the metal studs will stand out as well."
"Your armor, once equipped, will become invisible. That's one of the enchantments we ordered to be added to it. A mask will also be part of this uniform as well, we'll need to get one in the morning when the shops open before we go to sleep. I want it to cover your entire neck and face all the way up to your eyes." Luna walks past me and ascends the stairs up to the throne before continuing to speak.
"You'll stand there at the bottom of the steps and face away from me. For the most part you won't have to do anything, but if a petitioner refuses to leave once I've concluded their complaint then you'll need to verbally order them out and if that fails, escort them. Court will run Monday through Thursday nights from 10 PM to 2 AM with a single 30 minute break somewhere in between. Once the castle's night staff is filled that'll be when we eat. After court concludes you'll escort me around for any other duties I need to attend to before sunrise, but typically it'll just be you keeping watch in my office while I do paperwork or my bedroom while I patrol dreams. Once I lower the moon you'll be off duty until 7 PM which is when you'll report to the dining hall."
I walk over and stand at the bottom of the stairs as directed with my hands behind my back. "When do you typically lower the moon?"
"6 AM."
"So I have to work an 11 hour shift every day?"
"Well yes and no, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday there's no court. You'll still report to the dining hall at 7 like normal, but if there's nothing officially planned for the night then you'll likely be offered a night off. This is purely a probationary period though, you've taken no oath and haven't been appointed any title. We'll use this schedule until a few nights before the summit and see how both of us feel about appointing you officially."
We spend the next few hours in relative silence, sometimes one of us has a random question and we talk for 20 minutes. However, the first official Night Court had 0 petitioners. I pull my hood down and follow Luna out of the throne room. While we're walking I can tell she seems somewhat down about the lack of ponies for her night court so I decide to speak up, "Was it even advertised that there would be a night court tonight?"
She stops walking and looks at me, "Should we have spread word? I thought it'd be obvious that night court would resume now that I've returned."
We stare at each other for like 15 seconds in pure silence, I'm utterly astonished. I think this might be the dumbest thing she's said since I met her. "Luna, there are 2 major problems with your thought process here. One, no one currently alive in this country even knew that there used to be a night court aside from your sister. Which by extension means they couldn't know that it would resume. Two, you yourself said right before court that you had decided to delay court until you had a guard. We just made that agreement a few hours before court. How could anyone have found out?"
She drops down onto her barrel and puts her forehooves on her muzzle, covering her eyes. "Oh I'm so stupid." Well now I just feel bad. I mean she did waste both of our time tonight, but this is just pitiful. At least she isn't crying, I think she's just embarrassed like I was earlier. She didn't give me any shit for being embarrassed so I'll return the favor.
I crouch down and speak softly, "It's definitely a mistake, but I don't think you're stupid. We can just say it was a practice run. By the way, if someone walks around the corner and see's this, which one of us is more negatively affected by it? Because, if it's me then I need you to get up Princess."
"Just don't tell my sister, please? She'd never let me live this down."
"I had no intention of doing so, c'mon now, up up." I hold out my hand and help her rise back up.
Luna coughs and looks around for a second before speaking quietly, "Well, let me show you where my office is."
"Do you actually have paperwork to do yet? I was actually hoping to learn more about your dream walking."
"Nay, but it'll still be good for you to know where the office is. I might need to summon you during your off hours at some point. Unfortunately, dream walking is something I'm entirely unable to do without my full capabilities. Essentially, if my mane doesn't look the way it did during the raising of the moon then I'm not in my peak condition. I was only able to observe your dream previously because it's a different type of magic entirely to observe a dream from a creature that's right in front of me versus the ancient magic I use to traverse the dreamscape. Plus, in the dreamscape I can interact with and change the contents of the dream while conversing with the dreamer, but the spell I used for you was just an observation spell."
"Hm.... then how about we do some sparring after you show me the office? I'm pretty familiar with how Nightmare fights, but I haven't gotten a chance to see you in action yet. I know you're not at 100%, but I think you're in good enough shape to still beat me, easily."
Luna actually hums in thought at my suggestion, I expected her to say no without giving it a second thought. "That sounds acceptable. I need to get back in shape, and your form could use some coaching."
After a quick stop by the office, which is just a few turns away from her bedroom, we find ourselves in the same field where I fought Shining Armor. I'm pretty excited to get into this, I'm not sure why but her saying that my form could use some coaching has irritated me more than I thought it would. I wonder if that's the repressed Ignis who trained for decades getting upset?
Luna ignites her horn in aura as she calls out to me, "Unlike your bout with Shining Armor this is just a light spar, so don't use that shadow blade. I'm going to conjure us some wooden swords as well."
Should I use real time combat for this? If I'm getting free coaching from a warrior that's over 2000 years old, maybe it'd be beneficial for me to actually learn something instead of leaning on the system as a crutch. Yeah fuck it. "Enable real time combat." I internally think the command in my head.
Two wooden swords pop into existence in front of Luna and she floats one over to me. "I'll let you have the first blow, Ignis, just come at me when you're ready."
"Just so you know Luna, I'm planning to take full advantage of your willingness to train me. I'm not going to use any of my weird metaphysical powers I explained to you, your sister, and Shining earlier. So, this will be my real swordsmanship and not the muscle memory built into this body based on the roll of a dice."
"I'm still not entirely sure I understand what you mean by that, but you're essentially telling me that you cheated versus Shining and are not going to cheat now."
"That's.... Close enough. Once you get your full dream walking powers back can you come into a dream and make the dreamer lucid? If you can do that I can use the dream to show you what my powers look like from my point of view when I'm fighting."
"I can do that, a wonderful idea. Now let's do this!"
I stand there for a few seconds waiting on the "Roll for initiative" to pop up until I realize that I'm using real time combat right now. Once I make the realization I decide to start this spar with misty step. I quietly whisper the incantation as I take 1 step forward and finish the spell right as my foot hits the ground, teleporting behind Luna. As soon as I appear behind her I start swinging my wooden sword towards the back of her neck, only to be caught by her own wooden sword as it swiftly floats into the path of my swing.
She looks back at me with a smirk, "Too obvious, plus you used that same idea versus Nightmare. Something like that won't work on anypony that's seen you do it before."
I pull my blade back and prepare to swing again, but before I even finish pulling my sword all the way back Luna has already spun around and her floating wooden sword is moving straight for my throat.
I duck down and to the left and decide to do several quick swings in succession, curious if the speed of her telekinesis can keep up with a barrage. I swing for the left side of her head, only to get deflected sending my hand towards the ground. Using the momentum of the sword heading towards the dirt I flip my wrist around and swing straight towards her chin. I'm half a second away from hitting her jaw when I realize her sword is up against my own throat.
"You'll have to be much faster than that if you think you can swing at me after being deflected. It was good to retain and shift the momentum of your sword, but you didn't consider that after deflecting your blade my sword was already headed in your direction. There was no need for me to shift or turn. It was one fluid motion for me, so you either just didn't consider the position and momentum of your opponent's blade or you naively thought you could shift and completely flip your own momentum faster than my blade that needed no shifting at all. I'm not sure which is worse. Back to where you started last time and let's go again."
And so we continued, for the next 4 hours we sparred again and again. Neither of us realizing just how fast time was passing by. Before either of us knew it, it was time to lower the moon.
"Well Ignis, you only lost to me 190 times in 4 hours. That's not the worst result I've ever seen! For this last spar though I want you to use whatever cheat power thing you mentioned before. Still no bladesong or shadow blade though."
"H-how are you not, out of breath? I'm pretty sure even in my original life I never fought for 4 hours straight." I'm panting as I respond. "Fine, last one, I'll use everything I've got this time. I need to win at least one time for my pride."
"Disable real time combat."
Roll For Initiative.
9, +5. 14.
"I'll allow you to have the first blow again, Ignis."
"Gee, thanks for your infinite mercy my liege. Provolo!" I cast Haste.
Luna can tell I've casted a somewhat powerful spell this time, I think, cause after I cast haste I see her slightly squint her eyes at me and her stance widens a bit.
Then I misty step again, but this time I aim the teleportation to land directly in front of her. This time I also start swinging my sword before the spell even finishes. This way as soon as I appear directly in front of her my sword is already 70% of the way through its swing.
19, +8. 27. Hit.
Somehow Luna gets her wooden sword in the perfect position to block me again, but this time both of us are suddenly shocked as the sword and my arm shift in an impossible direction. I was originally swinging from over my head down towards her head but now with the unnatural shift I'm suddenly swinging at her neck from the side as if I had started my swing from my waist in a horizontal movement. There's nowhere near enough time for her to react to the completely different nature of the strike and right before she can move to block me again the wooden sword slams into her neck.
2, +5. 7 Bludgeoning Damage.
Once I make contact I just leave the sword pressed up against her neck as she stares at me in shock. "Well hey would you look at that I finally won one. 1 for 190 baby, woo!"
Luna looks at me with an expression I can't quite figure out and responds, "I think I see the difference now. When you're using your power it's almost like there are small gaps, less than a second, where you move at impossible speeds. I don't mean that weird thing you did with your sword just now, I mean like even before you Blinked towards me it was like you were standing there in your starting position and then in a fraction of second your entire body shifted forward and your arm moved like a blur into the position you take right before you swing, then you moved normally for a second. Then, you Blinked and instead of you moving unnaturally fast it felt like for 10 milliseconds, maybe less, I was unable to move. I know how fast my sword takes to respond to my telekinetic will and it was like my entire being was suddenly paused for an instant. You indeed have a strange power, before I go to sleep this morning I'll focus on stabilizing my mana pool so I can dream walk."
"I was always curious what it looked like from someone else's point of view whenever time stopped for my dice to roll. Now that I know how big of a gap there is in our sword techniques I realize just how insane it is that once my dice roll says I hit you, I WILL hit you. This is a strange power indeed..."
"I know I said you don't have to report until 7 PM at the dining hall, but I'd like for you to meet me at my bedroom at noon so we can go get your armor from the enchanter. Perhaps we can get breakfast after?"
"Sure, that sounds nice. You gotta go though, it's 6:02 AM and I'm not sure how big of a deal it is if you're late lowering the moon? I'll see you in a few hours..... Lulu."
For once I finally get to see her blush as she stops and turns to face me with a completely red face. She blinks her eyes fast a few times and then yells out so loudly the force of her voice causes my hair to be pushed backwards, "YOU DARE INVOKE MINE WRATH, YE KNAVE? THOU SHALT KNOW TRUE PAIN!"
She then immediately puts a forehoof on her muzzle, shutting it closed in regret before lighting her horn and teleporting away. Wow, so ye olden english is her default accent when she's upset. I'm so dead the next time I see her.
Worth it.
> The Dark Maiden
It's been a little over a week since my first night, it's currently Monday morning and I'm in the dining hall having dinner/breakfast with Celestia and Luna. "So Ignis, how have you been settling into your new position? I've noticed you and Luna in the training area a few different mornings now, and I've received no reports of mishaps during Night Court." Celestia asks.
"Honestly yeah it's been more fun than I thought it'd be. I'm still a bit surprised that so few ponies show up during Night Court. You'd think that ponies would realize they can get their issues seen to much faster than the busy Day Court. We did come pretty close to having 1 mishap though. I can't believe the nerve of that unicorn that came in screaming about Nightmare Moon usurping the throne and living among us. He was about 3 seconds away from being my first "escalation of force" since I started. Switching topics though, the reason I'm here is because I think we should open up applications for the Night Watch to any current guards that would like to switch." I respond
"Luna did mention something like that Friday morning, but I thought we had decided to wait until a solid foundation was laid by the thestrals before expanding?"
Luna chimes in now, "Yes, but Ignis seems to insist that we need more ponies now rather than later, so I invited him to the dining hall this morning to let him pitch the idea himself."
Now I take over. "So, I firmly believe that we need at least 3 but preferably around 6 guards to switch over to the night watch now. My reasons are simple, we don't need them to actually switch to the same sleep schedule as Luna and I. We just need a few guards to start their shift at say... 4 AM instead of 6 AM, and then one or two different guards would end their shifts at midnight instead of 8 PM. The guards that would be starting their shift early would act as liaisons between the night and day branches, right now if something happens during our shift it's only really being reported and acted upon by you. I want more integration and communication at the bottom and middle of the chain."
Taking a sip of water I continue, "The guards that would be ending their shifts later would act in a similar capacity. There are numerous times where we realize we need something, but the only way we can do it is if one of us stays up later than usual to wait for the shops to open. We can instead tell the 4 AM Night Guards that we need, 2 rolls of purple cloth for example, then the Night Guards that end their shift at midnight can pass us the supplies and messages from our requests. I don't mind staying up late to go visit the shops, but your ponies aren't exactly thrilled to see me whenever I stop by."
"Hm, any other reasons?" Celestia asks after pondering for a few seconds. I get the feeling she's decided to agree but is probing to see if there's any underlying reasons I didn't want to vocalize unless I had to.
"Those ponies would also, hopefully, spread word to the other castle staff and ponies around Canterlot that Luna is not Nightmare Moon and I'm not a pony eating monster. Also working these hours with just the two of us makes it quite hard for either of us to... make friends."
Celestia's face softens into a small smile as she hears the real reason why I want more guards now instead of waiting 2 or 3 more weeks for the thestrals. "Very well, I'll have all the shift leaders put out the call for applicants during their mid-day announcements. Did either of you have any other burning topics you wished to discuss?"
"Yes, we start our journey to the edge of the badlands for the global summit on Friday. I'd like to have Ignis take his oath and be anointed with an official ceremony immediately following Day Court on Wednesday."
"Ouch, that's pretty short notice, but I think we can make that work. I'll invite the element bearers right now actually." She pauses as a parchment and quill materializes in the air and she writes a few lines before the parchment goes up in green flames and its ashes float out of the dining hall. She continues, "Will you be fully recovered from your banishment by then?"
"I should be, in fact I think I'll likely be back to normal before I raise the moon tonight. Ignis," I look up from my food when I hear Luna call out my name "we'll be doing a few rehearsals tonight after court, but once those are done you can end your shift early. I'll be in my room after that to focus on finishing my recovery."
"Sounds good. Well, if that's everything I'm going to retire to my room now. See you tonight Luna."
I make my way down the halls as I march towards Luna's room. On my second shift Luna informed me I'd be taking the room next to hers as is customary for personal knights. She explained that Celestia doesn't have any personal knights but that Shining Armor occupies the room next to hers. Another new update is that I got my armor back from the enchanter, the system actually registered it as Glamoured Studded Leather, which is just Studded Leather +1 with some illusion magic layered in.
My AC is now 18 without bladesong thanks to the new enchantments, and I use the illusion magic to make it seem like I'm not wearing any armor at all. After a few nights of light sparring Luna decided we'd move into full contact spars until one surrenders or is incapacitated. I thought she had forgotten about the whole Lulu incident but I quickly learned she was just bottling in her rage until we started the full spars. I think that first night was the most bruised I've ever been in either of my lives.
On the bright side though once we moved into full on fights I started actually gaining small amounts of XP every night. I was at 24,807 after my trek into the Everfree and I'm currently sitting at 32,000/23,000 XP. I'm only 2,000 XP away from level 8, but I still haven't actually used my level up yet from hitting level 7.
The reason I've been holding off is two-fold, firstly since it fully restores my body and magic it's essentially a get out of jail free card if I find myself in deep shit. Secondly, the run-in I had with those two wraiths made me realize how lacking I am in defense and healing. I've been bouncing around a few ideas in my head for how I can cover up these failings and I think no matter what I decide on, I'm going to have to multiclass.
I could just put the 7th level in Wizard right now, learn Banishment and see what happens when I banish myself. Theoretically the spell should send me back to the plane of existence I originated from, whether that's Earth or the Forgotten Realms, I'm not sure. I think I'd rather just get the multiclass level dip or dips over and done with as soon as possible though.
I go into my bedroom and lay down, Luna mentioned that since she'll almost certainly regain her full strength today I should go to sleep instead of entering a trance. I'm in no position to disobey my boss so I close my eyes and drift away.
I find myself back in the ruins of the old castle in the Everfree. Nightmare Moon is standing in front of me several feet away laughing maniacally and when I look around I don't see Twilight anywhere. I'm confused though, the elements aren't here either... this dream doesn't make any sense. I look down in my right hand and see my mothers sword. My eyes widen in shock, why do I have this?
I look up and find a familiar beam of pure magic hurtling towards me, but my body dodges to the left and sprints towards Nightmare. I'm not in control right now, I'm trying to ask Luna what's going on but I can't speak. I'm just along for the ride now. Nightmare fires another beam of magic at me but this time I raise the moonblade and deflect the beam sideways into the far wall as I don't even slow down.
My body jumps high into the air and begins falling towards Nightmare with his moonblade ready and now he finally speaks. "Please don't make me do this Luna. Please."
"The only thing you'll be doing tonight is dying, BETRAYER!" She fire's off 3 separate beams simultaneously. I quickly deflect two and then swing my sword directly into the beam coming straight at me. The beam splits in half and goes around me as I fall through the air pushing against the beam.
The moonblade is mere centimeters away from inflicting a grievous wound on Nightmare when I finally manage to break free and control my body. I direct the blade away from Nightmare and land on the ground. I slam my eyes closed and will everything to disappear. When I open my eyes I look around and find myself in a pure white void now, I put the moonblade in the sheath and sit down on the floor of the void.
It feels like I'm sitting in the void for hours when finally I see a door just appear and open in the air and Luna comes through. She's taller than normal and her tail and mane are just like they were on that first night. A flowing cloud of the night sky. She glides down and lands in front of me, now she's tall enough that her eyes are just about at the same height as my neck. "Believe it or not this is the first time I've entered someone's dream and they were just patiently waiting in a void for me to show up. Typically the ones that can lucid dream are acting out some fantasy."
"Well I suspect those ponies also weren't expecting you. I would be having a normal dream, but it was one I didn't really enjoy and had to struggle for a few minutes to gain control of it."
She frowns at me in concern, "I'm glad you handled your nightmare on your own, but those things usually have a deeper meaning for something going on in your life. What was the dream about?"
"I was back in the Everfree, facing down against Nightmare Moon again. This time everything was different though. Twilight and the others weren't there, and the elements themselves also weren't there. Nightmare Moon also wasn't wearing her usual armor, she actually had the same mane you do right now. I was about to kill you." I almost spit out the last sentence with a scowl on my face. Over the last week I'd like to think me and Luna are good friends now, and witnessing my own body almost decapitating her has me a bit upset.
"Ha, well that's how you know it truly was just a dream. If it was Nightmare at full strength you alone would not be enough to kill her. Not even close. Now how about you give me that demonstration we talked about."
I construct a large cavern around us and conjure up a Young Black Dragon. I then point with my finger and conjure up a floating hologram that displays the exact thing I see when the system shows me my character sheet. I spend the next few minutes explaining what the stats mean, what AC is, I show her all my spells and explain the differences between the different dice.
"So, now that I've explained all that, let me show you exactly what I see when I fight something. Fire Bolt!" I shoot off a firebolt and right before the firebolt leaves me hand I once again conjure a hologram that shows the 20 sided die roll and land in the middle of my vision.
"This is astounding." She watches as the dice comes to a stop on 13. Then she watches as it lists out my Spellcasting Modifier (Intelligence) of +5 and proficiency bonus of +3 and the 13 turns into a 21. Time resumes and the fire bolt slams into the face of the dragon. Once it makes contact I freeze time again and show her the 2d10's rolling. They lang on 7 and 5 and combine into the number 12 and spells out "Fire Damage" next to the number.
"Now if that first die had landed on something like 4 for example, after the +8 it would've been 12 and when time resumed the fire bolt would've missed. I was explaining what AC is earlier and I can tell you for a fact that dragon has an AC of 18. Which means any roll below a 10 would result in a miss, so I essentially have a 55% chance to hit the dragon." I explain.
"What is my AC?"
"I'm not entirely sure now that you're fully recovered. I can tell you that I was able to determine Nightmares AC was 24 and your AC in our spars was 22. I'd wager that your AC now is probably back up to 24, and would be 27 or higher if you were to put on the armor Nightmare was wearing."
"Hm, so your princess is quite powerful then. Is that what you're saying?" Luna is holding up her forehoof and staring at it like a girl stares at her hand after getting her nails done, and she has a smug smirk while she says it.
"Uh huh, yeah. You're clearly best princess."
"I'm aware. On a more serious note, is that truly all the power is? That is shockingly simple for how powerful it is."
"Pretty much, yeah. By the way, I won't have to give a speech or say anything besides my oath at the ceremony on Wednesday, yeah?"
"You say that as if the oath is a trivial matter, but you are correct that's the only speaking you'll have to do."
The way she says that causes me great concern so I decide to probe further, "Wait the oath is just you saying something and then me repeating after you right?"
"What? No! Every knight writes their own unique oath. I had one knight that swore his life upon my moon instead of me. He had the spirit but he was a little confused. It doesn't have to be anything grandiose, the only requirement is that you pledge your loyalty to me. It is strongly recommended that you include Equestria in your oath though. Ah, our time is up, it seems like you're about to wake up. Bring paper and a quill to court tonight, I'll have a desk prepared for you at your normal position so you can start preparing drafts."
"Aye, see you then, Princess."
Luna disappears and I stand there for a few seconds tapping my foot on the ground. Am I not going to wake up? I mean it's her first time dream walking since the banishment, maybe she's just still rusty.
"You aren't waking up just yet, I needed to talk to you alone and made it seem like you were about to wake up to get her to leave." I hear a somewhat older woman's voice beyond me and a hand grabs my shoulder.
I spin around to find the source of the voice is a mature elven woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. Her face has a few wrinkles here and there, but if I had to estimate her age in human years I'd say she looks to be late 50s. "Who are you? Why are you in my dream?"
"I've been here for a few days now actually, but every time I tried to reach out to someone there was no connection to the Dark Maiden. Tonight I was finally able to feel the connection and use it to reach you here. Can you believe how shocked I was to find out that she Herself was visiting you? I've never seen Her in a form like that though."
"Wait, you're a follower of Eilistraee?"
"A follower? No young elf, I am her blade. You are Zarra's son, yes? You are the heir."
I grab my head in confusion. "You're the Moonblade? That's why I was wielding it in my nightmare earlier. I'm sorry but that isn't Eilistraee. Her name is Princess Luna and I am her knight. We're not even in the forgotten realms, I'm not entirely sure we can even reach that dimension. I will admit that her mana and presence evoke the same feeling I had the last time I was in the Dark Maidens presence though."
"Lad, I don't know what to tell you. As far as I'm concerned that was Her Grace. Everything in me was screaming to show Her the proper reverence. Even the connection to the realm of the dreams was the exact same. I gotta say though, I was wondering if you were worthy and I was leaning towards no. You're a bit too chaotic for my tastes, truthfully speaking, but if you are the right hand of Her Grace and act as her personal knight? Well, in that case, I'd be honored to be wielded by you every night."
"Where even are you in the waking world? Am I gunna have to go back to Ponyville to find you?"
"I'm not sure where Ponyville is, but I'm in an armory of some kind. I was almost certain it's in the same town as you though, I saw one of those ponies casting magic on your studded leather."
"OH! You're in the Canterlot armory! Are you still there now? I'll come get you as soon as I wake up."
"Aye, now that I've formed a minor connection to you through Her Grace I'll be able to call out to you when you're nearby."
"Okay I'm heading there right away, see you in a few minutes!"
"I like your enthusiasm! Once we're in the waking world I'll only be able to communicate with you through tremors and tingles, very light sensations. So, while I am able to speak to you I just want you to know, Zarra wanted me to tell you that she's proud of you."
I'm caught off guard by her words and quickly take a few steps forward and wrap the personified representation of the moonblade in a tight hug, "Thank you."
My eyes slam open, looking out the window I can tell the sun is still up but it'll probably be night in an hour or so. I quickly get dressed and sprint out of my room towards the armory. While I'm running I repeatedly cast prestidigitation on different parts of my uniform to give it its daily cleaning. I even sprint past a sleepy looking Luna who is groggily making her way towards the dining hall. Until I startle her as I pass by anyways. Once she realizes who or what just sped past her she yells out to me, "Ignis what's wrong?!"
"No time to explain! Just go get breakfast and I'll meet you there. It's good news though!" I turn the corner and continue running. Weaving around servants and guards in the hall as I run is actually a pretty decent cardio warmup. Luckily after being here for a little over a week the castle staff don't react too negatively to my appearances anymore. I can still tell they're a bit apprehensive but they're at least polite and cordial now.
I finally make it to the armory only to see the door closed and locked. I bang on the door hoping someone is inside when a passing guard calls out to me, "Last pony went home like 30 minutes ago, you'll have to come back tomorrow."
"Oh is that so? Alright thanks."
Deception.
18, +1. 19.
"No problem, hope you have a quiet shift Ignis." Wow I feel bad now, I have no clue what that guard's name is. I'm happy he buys my lie and continues walking though. Once he turns the corner I double check that no one is around and start attempting to pick the lock.
Thieves Tools check.
Natural 20, +5 (Dex) +3 (Proficient with Thieves Tools). 28.
After fiddling with it for a few seconds I feel the last pin in the tumbler click into place and the pressure I'm applying to the lock gives as it rotates around and unlocks.
I close the door behind me and start walking around looking for my sword. I turn a corner and find myself in a corridor with hundreds of swords hanging from the walls and buried in shelves and scabbards. I feel a pull towards an open barrel in the back corner of the room and walk over there.
Once I get close to the barrel I see a beautiful emerald hilt poking out of the barrel, and I know right away, that's my Moonblade. I pull the sword and scabbard from the barrel and go find the inventory sheet where I sign out the newest addition to the list and write next to my name (permanently signed out, this is my sword and it was misplaced here upon my arrival to the castle.)
I exit the armory and lock the door behind me and make my way towards the dining hall. Once I arrive I skip past all the guards eating dinner and sit down next to Luna eating her pancakes with a cup of coffee. "Luna, can you cancel court tonight? We need to go to the more peaceful forest in Ponyville. Not the one with the old castle but the more normal one."
"Why, Ignis? I can give you the night off, I'd say don't make a habit of it, but canceling Night Court is not a decision to be made lightly. What's going on?"
I pull the Moonblade from the scabbard and hold it up for Luna, Celestia, and anyone nearby to see. "I found my mothers sword! The Moonblade spoke to me in my dream after you left and told me where to find it! It was the random sword that showed up in the armory inventory and no one knew where it came from. I want you to cancel court because I want to go in the forest and perform the Sword Dance to attune the blade to me. Once the ritual is complete, if I'm accepted as the heir this rune pattern on the blade will extend and my own personal rune will be added to the pattern. Each rune from each generation of my bloodline has its own enchantment in it. This sword is quite old so it already has 4 runes inlaid on the blade."
"Ah, that's amazing Ignis! In that case I'm happy to give you the night off. I'll even teleport you to Ponyville again."
"Luna, I want you to be there. Please? Normally the immediate family attends as well as one or more high ranking priestesses, but right now you're the closest thing I have to a family. It'd mean alot to me."
She chews on her lip as she internally struggles to decide, she wants to be there and observe the ritual, but she also feels like it'd reflect poorly to cancel Night Court within it's first week of being back in regular session. Luckily Celestia senses her internal struggle and puts her at peace, "Lulu, I cancel court all the time for things less important than this. Go with him, if any of the nobles complain I'll take the blame and say I ordered you to take a night off out of concern for your health. You've only been back for a week after all."
Luna smiles at her sister, "Thank you, Tia. Alright my faithful probationary knight, we leave right after I raise the moon."
> In Her Name
"Luna, are you and your sister.... Gods?" I ask the night princess as we wander through what I now know is Whitetail Woods. We're looking for a clearing to host the Sword Dance.
"That is," She pauses for several seconds before sighing, "a difficult question. Our old mentor Starswirl theorized we weren't quite Gods, but quite close. The term he used was demigod I believe. We've always been too uncomfortable about the prospect to look into it on our own, so after he disappeared neither of us pursued it any further."
"I see. Have either of you ever had worshipers or official churches in your name?"
"Before my banishment, yes. Celestia had a moderately sized church actually. Since my return I've seen no trace of that cult however. I didn't think much of it at the time, but now you have me curious. Should I ask her about it?"
"I don't know, maybe? In my homeland we theorized the only thing that separated demigods and gods was their level of divinity, which was often derived from the amount of faith and reverence they received from their followers. Let me ask you a somewhat related follow-up question then. Have you ever seen two creatures share an identical mana signature?"
"Nay, not while alive anyways. I've met ponies that have identical mana signatures as ponies I met long, long before. How is that somewhat related?"
"Your mana signature is identical to Eilistraee's. I was brought here the same day your banishment ended. It's all too much to be a coincidence in my opinion. Something very strange is going on here. I see an opening over there to the left, I think that'll do." I point to a roughly circle shaped clearing in the canopy and we stroll over.
"Do you sing Luna?"
"W-what? I... I mean everyone sings when they're alone right?"
I laugh a bit, "Of course of course, but Luna, the reason I ask is because neither the moonblade or myself can feel our usual connection to Her here in Equestria. We can sense something familiar in the dream world, but not out here. With your identical mana signature however, both of us agree that you might be able to stand-in for Her for this ritual. Do you remember the song you heard in my memory?"
"Yes."
"Alright here's my idea then, I need you to position the moon so that the clearing is flooded with moonlight like in the memory. Then, I'll start the ritual and if we don't hear anything after a few seconds then I was really hoping you could try singing. Especially if something in your gut tells you that you should, in fact if you get that feeling in any capacity during the ritual then I humbly request you follow it."
"W-well it's just us two out here right, so I supposed there's no harm in assisting you with this." With that she ignites her horn and I watch as the clearing is flooded with moonlight, leaving a white circle on the ground.
"If it makes you feel better, what I'm about to do causes me slight discomfort as well." I strip off my clothing and with as much confidence as I can muster I walk fully bare into the moonlight holding 3 candles with my mage hand and my unsheathed Moonblade in my right hand.
As I cross the edge of the clearing and into the moonlight the candles suddenly become lit with a white-silvery flame. That's a good indicator. I reach what I approximate is the center of the clearing and firmly plant the blade into the ground, tip first. Then, I set the lit candles down in a triangle formation around the candles and stand up. I stand for a few seconds with my eyes closed and feel myself washed over with a serene calming sensation.
All my uncomfortability and embarrassment wash away as I open my eyes and stare at the full moon above. This is going to work, I can feel it. Everything just feels.... Right.
I don't even need to use the few memories I have from Ignis, the correct steps and moves are flowing into my mind. I take a deep breath in and begin to dance around the blade.
Religion.
Natural 20, +8. 28.
I know exactly what I must do and the order in which I must do it. I perform a series of skips back and forth in diagonal lines slowly forming a pentagram with the sword as the center.
Performance with Advantage.
14 and 2. 14, +4. 18.
After the first two lines are formed I hear the start of a similar, but not quite the same song as the one in my memory. I can't afford to slip up so I only spare a single glance towards the source of the voice and I see Luna high, very high in the air. She's transposed between the sword and the center of the moon, interestingly though she is producing no shadow anywhere. Her eyes are also producing a bright white light, I can't see her irises at all. Once the imaginary lines of the pentagram are formed I begin to do twirls while balancing on the toes of 1 foot and I draw a circle around the points of the pentagram. Once the circle is formed I stop on the western tip of the pentagram and quickly strike a pose that causes my left leg to brush along the edge of the Moonblade drawing blood as it runs down the shining emerald.
I pivot from point to point and strike similar poses that cause each of my other 3 limbs to bleed upon the blade, before coming to a stop on the northernmost point of the pentagram. Once I come to a stop I drop to the ground on my knees and sit and on the balls of my feet. Then I lean forward and place my palms and my forehead on the ground towards the blade and quietly recite a prayer towards Her Grace. I'm controlling my mouth and could stop if I wanted to, but I've never heard the words coming out of my mouth before.
It's like I'm just reciting purely on autopilot, but I'm in control. The entire time I'm praying I just have a clear image of Luna in my head. Once I finish the prayer I pull my head and hands off the ground and return to sitting on the balls of my feet. I put my palms together and interlock my fingers and watch as the pillar of moonlight narrows to only encompass me and the sword. I watch as the blood is absorbed into the sword and the swirling patterns of runes glow bright white and extend the pattern down towards the tip of the blade. I sense the ritual is at its end and open my mouth to speak the final words of the ritual.
"In Her Name." There's a loud and unfamiliar resonance with the words, as if 4 other people just spoke the same words out of my mouth. I recognize one of the voices is Zarra. The moonlight completely vanishes out of the clearing and I stand up with a small smile and grab the hilt of the Moonblade.
When I pull out of the ground I can't help but stare in awe at the swirling rune pattern on the blade that is still glowing a dim white. Will this glow stay for the entire 3 months?
Before I can think any further about the sword, time freezes and I see and hear "You have succeeded in attuning to the Dark Maidens Moonblade!"
Dark Maidens Moonblade:
+2 to hit and damage rolls.
Finesse
All attacks with this weapon deal an extra 1-6 Slashing Damage.
All attacks with this weapon against dragons deal an extra 1-6 Radiant Damage.
The Moonblade acts as a Ring of Spell Storing. The sword is sentient and has 12 Intelligence, 10 Wisdom, and 12 Charisma, in its original life the soul of this blade was a spellcaster and thus any spells stored in this blade will be treated as if the sword casted the spells, not the user.
Rolling to determine the enchantment of the newest rune added to the blade.
1d100. 48. One property from the Minor Property table of generic Special Features.
Rolling to determine the Minor Property.
1d20. 16. War Leader, The bearer can use an action to cause his or her voice to carry clearly for up to 300 feet until the end of the bearer's next turn.
The Moonblade has reached the maximum number of enchantments. No future heirs will be able to add their own rune.
Wait what? I thought I was the 5th user? The enchantment I just rolled was the 7th not its 5th. I'll have to ask the sword about that next time I sleep. I'm slightly disappointed with the enchantment I rolled but it definitely could've been worse. I'm sure I'll find a use for being able to talk loudly.
That ring of spell storing is insane though. If I'm interpreting this correctly it's essentially saying that depending on the spell stored it'll use its own ability scores for the On Hit Bonus and the Spell Save DC, but in exchange for that downside it has the ability to concentrate on its own. If I prepare properly I can use two concentration spells at once!
Anyways, enough thinking I need to put my clothes on, it's a bit nippy out here. I run over to the edge of the clearing and as I'm getting dressed Luna lands next to me. "It was just as you said, Ignis. As soon as you started dancing I felt a pull and just allowed my existence to go with the flow. It was..... A strange experience. When you bowed and prostrated yourself against the ground I could feel a connection between us and a small surge of power I've never felt before."
"I bet that was divinity. After the ceremony I have some experiments we can try to see if we can recreate and perhaps even bolster that power."
"Sounds interesting. By the way, we didn't need to cancel court for this. We can teleport back right now and we'd still have 10 minutes to spare. Since you're the one that resulted in this slot of free time, how do you suggest we use it in a meaningful way?"
I brandish the Moonblade with a smirk on my face as I lock eyes with her. "Well we're already in Ponyville and it's the dead of night. Why don't we go monster hunting together? We've sparred plenty of times by now so we should use this opportunity to practice our teamwork."
She offers a short but hearty laugh before responding, "Very well. I'll carry you in my telekinesis and we can go fly over the Everfree. There's actually been a few reports over the weekend of a particularly nasty specimen that's been expanding its territory and is now concerningly close enough to Ponyville to start causing problems. Celestia was curious on how she should relocate it, but I doubt she'd be too bothered if we took care of it on our own."
With a spark of her horn Luna is suddenly adorned in silver armor around her barrel and helmet on her head. This helmet actually allows her starry mane to flow freely instead of trapping it under the helmet like Nightmares though. She then quickly spreads her wings and I feel myself wrapped in a blue aura as she takes off into the sky.
I start to ask Luna a question but the wind is a bit too loud, and I don't feel like yelling right now so I just enjoy the view as we fly over the Everfree for several minutes. Finally I get bored enough and yell out, "So Luna what monster are we going after? You mentioned it being nasty but didn't give me a name."
She doesn't verbally respond but simply points down into a large clearing in the Everfree canopy the solid forest ground turns into a large swamp. I'm about to tell her that that doesn't explain anything, but right as I'm about to speak I hear a ear splitting roar and look back down at the swamp and watch as one.. two... three, no, five heads emerge from the water and the huge body of this creature slowly rises before taking a loud stomp out of the water and roaring once again.
It's a bloody hydra.
Luna begins to dive bomb the hydra with me in tow and once we're within about 20 feet of the creature a giant scythe with a jagged blade appears next to her, grasped in her telekinesis. Right after that, time stops and I see my favorite phrase.
Roll for Initiative.
7, +5. 12.
Well that could've been better.
It seems like Luna has rolled highest. I'm still held in the air in her aura but she has stopped bringing me closer to the Hydra as she continues to fly straight at it. She flies into the hydra like a kamikaze pilot and rapidly spins the scythe in the air right before it slams into the hydra. Once it makes contact it cleaves straight through its leftmost neck before stopping as Luna evens out and flies in a circle around the beast. Once she's given it a once over she begins controlling the scythe again and has it flip upside down before carving into the belly of the Hydra in an upward arc.
The hydra then sends all 4 of its heads at the lunar menace each attempting to bite her. The first two heads miss entirely as she effortlessly evades them with aerial maneuvers, but the 3rd one looks like it's about to fully eat the alicorn. I feel my heart rate skyrocket and right before I yell out to her she surrounds herself in an orb shaped shield that keeps the hydra's mouth from closing around her. The 4th head seems like it was expecting her to dodge and lunged at where it predicted she would be, but doesn't seem to react to the fact that she isn't there. It just chomps at the air and keeps its momentum before slamming into the ground face first.
That must've been a natural 1, there's no other explanation. The 4th head raises up off the ground and it's eyes are looking in different directions while its tongue is hanging out of it's mouth and there's a large bump on the top of the head. What the fuck is this, looney toons?
The neck that Luna cleaved through suddenly sprouts 2 heads that roar and I get the subconscious feeling that it's my turn. "Luna, drop me!" I yell out to her.
The aura disappears from around me and as I plummet towards the hydra I pull the Moonblade over and behind my head ready to swing with both hands. If I was bladesinging this would end the song early, and technically it's probably a lore inaccurate move, but I'm not sure if I can get enough power to swing properly with how long this sword is with all this wind if I only use 1 hand.
I get within range to start slashing into this things newest neck when I see the dice roll.
18, +5 (Dex) +3 (Proficiency) +2 (Enchanted Weapon). 28. Hit
I let out a roar of my own as I swing the blade down with all the force of my body plus gravity and it cleanly slices into the creature's scales.
1d10 (2 Handed) + 1d6 Slashing (Enchanted Weapon) + 2d6 Fall Damage + 5 (Dex) + 2 (Enchanted Weapon), I see 4 different dice roll chaotically in my vision.
(7) + (5) + (3 + 2) + 5 + 2 = 24 Slashing Damage.
My blade almost completely cuts clean through the creatures neck, but I stopped just short and now I'm dangling in the air holding onto my sword. After my body comes to a complete stop in the air I feel a slight bit of recoil as I also take the same Fall Damage as the hydra, but the damage is halved for me.
36/39 Hit Points.
I take my left hand and while still dangling from the I point my finger at the neck and call out, "FIRE BOLT!"
Disadvantage: 9 and 19. 9 + 8 = 17. Hit.
The point blank firebolt shoots out and instantly slams into the thin layer of scales and meat keeping the head attached to the body.
7 + 6 = 13 Fire Damage.
The scales seem to turn to ash and the flesh quickly melts away causing the head to fully detach from the body and as a consequence, I also plummet another 10 feet into the swamp. I swim the 5 or so feet to the shore and climb up onto the muddy soil before twisting my body and pointing my finger at the 2nd head that sprouted up at the same time as the first. "Fire Bolt!"
8, +8. 16. Hit.
The firebolt roars into the chin of the head I was aiming at and the head recoils back from the force as it lets out a yelp.
10 + 7 = 17 Fire Damage.
To everyone's shock the scales seem to droop and fall off the head in globs before the entire head itself seems to just pop splattering gore onto the hydra's body and other heads.
I quickly do some mental math and realize I did 54 damage, for every 25 damage the hydra loses a head, so my firebolt just completely exploded that head as a result. Badass. Now that I've done fire damage when it comes back around to the hydras turn it won't regenerate any heads.
The creature is back down to 4 heads and if my gut is right I'd wager the thing has somewhere between 95-110 Hit Points. If we cut off all of its head though it won't matter how much HP it has, it instantly dies if it loses all of its heads.
Luna quickly recovers from the surprise of the hydra's head exploding and charges up a powerful spell, I've never seen her horn shine this bright before. She fires off a small burst of magic at the moon and about 2 seconds later a giant pillar of light encompasses a large portion of the hydra's body. It's a fucking moonbeam!
She flashes me a proud smile as the hydra roars in pain and it flails wildly as it runs out of the moonbeam with only 2 heads remaining. Both heads open their mouths and swing at Luna, but they seem to be blinded or something as both of them completely miss. Luna doesn't even have to dodge, they just go wide. I feel the tingle in my brain letting me know it's my turn and give a wild smile in happiness. I'm glad I remembered to use fire damage.
In an effort to not be shown up by the princess I simply hold my hand, palm up, in the air and swing it from left to right above my head. As my hand arcs from left to right 4 small balls of fire are left the path of my hand.
"Pierce, Spears of Flame. SCORCHING RAY!"
The 4 balls turn into lances of fire and from left to right start screaming towards the hydra. All 4 lances will have their own rolls to decide if they hit or miss.
8 + 8 = 16. Hit.
19 + 8 = 27. Hit.
15 + 8 = 23. Hit.
14 + 8 = 22. Hit.
One lance impacts the body of the hydra, one roars into one of the two remaining necks, the third lance hits the hydra between the eyes, and the last lance hits the chin of other remaining head.
6 + 2 = 8
4 + 5 = 9
1 + 4 = 5
3 + 6 = 9
31 Fire Damage.
The hydra clutches at the gaping wound left in its body as one of its heads explodes into a ball of fire and the other head flails in pain. I look up at Luna and call out, "It's only polite to let my Lady have the finishing blow."
16, +1 Deception. 17.
I finish my statement with an over exaggerated bow, but Luna just snorts and rolls her eyes easily seeing through my lie. "Yes, you surely intended to allow me the honor of slaying this foul creature. What a loyal knight I have under me." She calls out as she barrels into the neck of the last head while actually holding her scythe with both forehooves as she severs the last head from the creature's body and reaps its soul.
She fires a beam of magic at the creature's corpse causing it to disintegrate and flies down landing next to me, "This was a wonderful idea Ignis. I must admit though, we didn't really do much teamwork."
I give her a small chuckle, "What do you mean Luna, you expertly dropped me onto the creature. I'd say that qualifies as teamwork. Seriously though, this creature was a bit weaker than I was expecting. I think either of us could've taken that on alone and we'd have been fine. We'll need something tougher than that to truly challenge us."
"I'm not so sure about that. It was definitely too weak to be a challenge for both our forces combined, but had you been alone I think you'd have acquired some serious wounds. Assuming you were even able to kill it."
I hum in consideration, I know she isn't saying this to insult me. She legitimately wants to make sure I don't get myself killed with overconfidence. After thinking it over I realize she isn't completely wrong, if I were to get extremely unlucky and all 5 heads were able to take a bite out of me they'd be capable of doing over double my Hit Points in 1 go. Although once I reach level 8 I think I know what path I'm going to take, and if I had been that version of myself instead of my current version. I'd have trounced this thing no problem.
Hydra Defeated! 3,900 XP divided between a party of two.
+1,950 XP. 33,950/23,000 XP.
Wow I'm really 50 XP away from level 8? That's annoying.
"Yeah you have a point. By the time we leave for the summit I'll be strong enough to take down two of those at the same time."
"You truly think you can grow that much in 3 nights?"
"Oh I know I can. Let's just head back for now though, I need to work on this oath."
"Ah, yes. Very well." With a flash of her horn we're in the throne room of the castle once again. "So, do you have any ideas for your oath yet or are you really starting from scratch?"
"Well I do have an oath of sorts I remember from my previous world that I think is pretty solid. I'll just tweak it to be more inline with my own personal wishes."
"In that case I'll leave you to it, you're dismissed for the night. If I keep you around I'll end up reading your drafts and I don't want to ruin the surprise for myself. I'll see you tomorrow night, Ignis."
I offer her a small bow, "May Equestria's dreams be peaceful and calm for you tonight, your majesty." Before promptly making my way towards my bedroom.
Celestia had writing supplies delivered to my room a few hours ago when I woke up, so I'll just start on my drafts there. Let's see... now what if I word it like this... no that's too vague. If I put this part before this line there can be no room for doubt. Now if I word this bit like this I'm implying some pretty heavy things. I'm sure if I word it like that it'll be controversial.... I think that's okay though. She might be a little annoyed at me for this, but I want to send a message to everyone. And, on the 1 in a billion longshot chance that I can somehow find my way home, I'll add this small tidbit at the very end and word it in such a way that I'm free of service if this comes to pass.
I ended up spending a few hours working on the Oath and I'm quite pleased with the outcome. There is potentially some drama around one part of the oath if I leave it as is, but I need to be very clear in my purpose. It's still a couple hours until morning so I'm going to go check in with Luna and see if there's any applications for the Night Watch and if so can I review them.
The next 36 hours are a blur between reviewing applications, performing rehearsals, going over plans for the 3 day expedition to the land where the summit will be held. However, it's now time. I peek out the window into the castle garden where there are around 150 ponies sitting and standing between the hedge maze and the statue displays. Surprisingly enough, there's a bit of a pit in my stomach. I didn't really think I'd be this nervous. I think I'm more nervous about the content and the meaning of my Oath, but hopefully Luna appreciates it?
I walk out in my full uniform, with my hood down, but since it's daytime it just looks like the full outfit of what I was wearing the day I arrived here. I, slowly and with deliberate steps, march down the aisle between the two large groups of attendees. Celestia has been droning on about how happy she is that her sister has returned and all the great things the two will do together, and as I started slowly approaching the center stage she shifted the focus onto the historical Night Watch. As I get closer she begins detailing the intention to re-establish her sisters army and today was to introduce and anoint her personal Knight.
I climb the steps onto the stage and Luna rises and meets me in the middle of the stage. She's wearing a silver crown with hundreds of tiny diamonds embedded in it, her petryal is larger than her normal one and also shining brightly with tiny gems. The petryal has a long black cape, with fluffy white clouds along the entire edge, running off of it that drapes down the sides of her barrel and covers her rear legs almost entirely. Each hoof is adorned with Sabatons that match her crown and petryal. Honestly right now she truly looks like a being that does not belong down here with us mortal creatures. She's radiating an absolute presence.
I drop to one knee in front of her and present my Moonblade to her with both hands. She grabs the hilt with her forehoof and slowly lowers it down onto my left shoulder and then hovers it in the air over my head as she states, loud enough for everyone to hear, "Dost thou vow to serve me dutifully in spreading and maintaining the tenets of harmony?"
I raise my head slightly and look up into her eyes.
"No, Your Grace. I, Ghaele Ignis Ferrum of the Natsume Clan, swear upon my very soul that I will support and protect the Princess of the Night, I will bear true faith and allegiance to the very same, and I will defend against all who oppose her, be they friend or foe, I will bare my blade against this entire realm in her name. Hear ye all gathered here today, as I declare myself to exist purely as the sword and shield of Her Grace, Princess Luna Concordia, my Dark Maiden until the day I no longer exist in this realm."
Her mouth is slightly gaping as she looks at me with shock. Once she sees my conviction her eyes become a bit glassy and she offers a small, yet bright smile. I see Celestia out of the corner of my eye staring at me with her brows furrowed. I can't tell if it's confusion or anger. There's murmurs and whispers behind me and I can just barely make out one pony directly behind me whisper, "Doesn't that mean he'd even take on Equestria for her? What if she becomes Nightmare Moon again?"
I do mean that I'd take on this entire kingdom if I have to, but I was hoping to not be misconstrued about Nightmare Moon. During one of our conversations while we were taking a break from rehearsing or sparring, the topic of my dream came up where I was about to kill Nightmare. I was explaining to Luna how I'm not sure if I could do that anymore and Luna got very close to my face and while staring straight into my eyes. She told me if she ever falls and becomes the Nightmare again, and if the elements fail or if I'm left with no choice, I absolutely must kill her. She ended up making it a direct standing order.
Anyhow, once Luna reigns in her emotions she brings the sword down softly over my right shoulder and announces, "Then arise, Ignis Ferrum. Connect your mana to mine and be reborn..."
There's a slight pause after she says reborn and during that pause I pull the hood over my head and activate the enchantment donning my full uniform. As I stand I pull an elastic, black, cloth material from the collar of my shirt and pull it up over my neck and over my mouth and nose masking my face. There's a small gasp in the crowd at my transformation. As soon as I finish the fluid motion and look down into her eyes she finishes her statement.
"...as my..."
Time freezes.
Quest Complete! Make Your Choice: You've sworn your loyalty and service to Princess Luna. Congratulations! Claim rewards? "Yes."
+ 1,050 XP. 35,000/23,000 XP. Level up! (2).
"Multiclass. Allocate two levels into..."
Time Resumes.
"...and be reborn as my Paladin!"
35,000/48,000 XP.
Ignis Ferrum: Bladesinger 6/Paladin 2.
> Ceremony Aftermath
Instantly the sky becomes a dark black as the sun is blocked out by the moon. Ignis grabs the Moonblade floating in the air and points the tip into the air as a pillar of moonlight shoots into the air around Luna. Seconds after, the moonlight pillar crashes back into the earth surrounding the paladin. The murmurs and whispers among the crowd are silenced as they stare in awe at the princess and elf currently illuminating half of Canterlot with their two pillars of moonlight.
As quickly as the scene arrived, it ends. The bright blue sky returns as the beams of moonlight narrow and dimly fade away. Everyone gathered continues to sit in stunned silence as Luna turns to the crowd and announces, "Now let us partake in the reception! Food and drinks aplenty!" The crowd offers a short and muted applause before warily rising and moving towards the dining area.
Ignis and Luna had both expected some push back and reserved reactions to the decision of naming him a Paladin, but not to this extent. They exchange some sideways glances at each other as they slightly wonder what they've overlooked. It's only when Celestia steps between the two while radiating an intense heat that they realize they have, in fact, fucked up.
Celestia lowers her head and softly questions Luna, "What have you done sister? I worked very hard to pick apart and abolish the religions towards us while you were gone. It was imperative to do so if we ever wanted to be treated somewhat normally by our subjects."
"Oh is that all, Tia? Then we can just continue to oppose formal religions in worship of us! If ponies want to offer their prayers privately though, who are we to stop them?"
"No Luna you don't understand, the cults became so fanatical that they were bringing harm to ponies all over the country! In the end we had to make any form of worship towards alicorns illegal in its entirety. You've committed a legitimate crime, Luna!"
Ignis breaks up the two and chimes in, "Wow Celestia, freedom of religion is a basic human, err, pony right! You can't tell creatures what they can and cannot worship."
Celestia whips her head around and stares down the elf, "I can when the figure they're worshiping is me! Just as they have the freedom of religion I have the freedom to not be worshiped!"
"See it's fine then, they'd be praising Luna, not you."
"You're both being unreasonable here. This will not help the Nightmare Moon rumors at all. You've just given every newspaper publisher their next headline, "BREAKING: Nightmare Moon establishes religion to gather zealots for her next coup attempt!" oh maker above help me, I might have to have a drink for the first time in several centuries. It'd have been exponentially easier for all of us if you had at least waited until after the summit to pull this stunt."
Both Ignis and the lunar princess finally start to feel guilty as they look at the ground, Luna's ears splayed back. For several seconds no one says anything, but Ignis suddenly widens his eyes and looks up before announcing, "I have an idea!"
"Is it a good one this time?" Celestia questions with a scoff.
"Well hang on now, I didn't say that. Tomorrow let us join Day Court. We can bring out both thrones and have you sit next to each other and I'll replace one of the guards at the bottom of the steps. We can resolve petitioner complaints the way you always have, but on complaints that you know will have an outcome that would look good for the press you can ask Luna for her inputs and we can garner goodwill by having Her hand out the merciful rulings! If it goes well we can continue to do it for a week or so after the summit as well."
"Hm, that's not the worst idea. I would genuinely ask for Luna's input on any of the complaints that have a level of complexity to them, but I'll make sure to apply emphasis on Luna's involvement in the outcome of cases that are favorable to us. That will definitely help on the PR side of things, but I have no clue where to even begin with this religious nonsense. What do you think about holding court alongside me, sister?"
"It would be a lie if I said I hated it. I actually wanted to do this exact thing before starting my own court again, but was afraid if I asked you'd doubt my abilities in other aspects as well. I must ask though, did you never feel any bolstering or surges to your mana pool when they had churches in your name?" Luna replies as she softly chews on the inside corner of her mouth.
Celestia sighs before answering, "I did. In the beginning it was almost addicting, I was chasing that feeling and appeasing the zealots to continue receiving their reverence. Until, they had me establish a certain holiday on somepony's birthday. After your banishment everytime they held a service, performed a ritual, or even offered prayer en masse, the feeling of power swelling up just brought me disgust. I can never forgive them or myself for that sin, any worship I receive just leaves me with resentment."
Ignis' face dawns with realization, "That explains...a lot. It seemed uncharacteristic of her to react so strongly as to ban an entire category of religion. I've also never seen her as angry as she was when she initially approached us." He thinks to himself.
Ignis POV
After receiving the scolding of the century from Celestia I decided to uncover my face and lower my hood and mingle with the ponies, mainly the 6 ponies I remember from the Everfree. "Hey Twilight, glad to see you and your friends could make it. What'd you think of the ceremony?"
"Ah, hello Ignis. The ceremony... was not entirely what I expected. Oh! What was that magic after you finished your vow?! The presence it cast over the entire area felt so different from normal mana. Like, it felt similar but there was something extra in it, I'd love to recreate that and do some tests on the thaumatology output. Unfortunately I didn't bring most of my lab equipment from the library.... Also who enchanted your uniform?? For an almost entirely cosmetic series of enchantments it's surprisingly complex. Especially around the hood, I'm not even entirely sure what those series of enchantments are doing on the inside, it's so densely layered. What kind of ru-"
"Woah there friendo. I'm starting to realize you must be much more comfortable now than when we first met, because you never showed this much excitement or socialization. Before you drop another 20 questions on me let me answer the ones you already asked, in order. We theorize that the "extra" bit you feel in the mana is divinity. I had performed a ritual from my homeland and had Princess Luna perform parts that are typically done by my Goddess. During the ritual some type of metaphysical connection was formed and Luna could feel a surge of foreign power whenever I prayed to her or thought of her while performing actions in the ritual. Luna herself did the uniform enchantments, ask her whatever questions you have about it. Next."
"Sorry, haha. Um, yes, I only have one last question. What are the enchantments on your sword? I got to look through the armory when I was learning enchanting but I've never seen anything like that before. Even the runes are completely foreign. Did Princess Luna enchant that as well?"
"No, well.... Kinda? The ritual I was talking about involved this sword. This sword has been in my bloodline for multiple generations and every time it's passed on to the next generation an enchantment is added through an attunement ritual. The earlier parts of the pattern were done in my homeland, but the most recent rune was established during the ritual with Luna."
I realize midway through my last answer that ponies have started pointing at Twilight and murmuring, no doubt starting to form rumors, "It was nice meeting you again Twilight, but I should probably retire for the day. This is way past my normal bed time, haha."
I atleast make sure to not completely lie. That's not the true reason I'm leaving, but it is still factual. I need to go to bed and prepare for the joint Day Court tomorrow. I can only imagine how much of a shitshow this will end up being.
Once I get into bed I decide to open up the system and double check all the Paladin features I configured today.
Paladin -
Level 1: Divine Sense and Lay on Hands.
Divine Sense - As an action you can open your senses and detect the presence of any Celestial, Fiend, or Undead within 60 feet. You know which type the creature is, but not the exact identity of the creature. (You can detect a celestial is 30 feet away, but you wouldn't be able to tell that its specifically Princess Celestia.)
Lay on Hands - With your blessed touch you can invoke healing on a target (including yourself.) The amount of hit points you can restore per long rest is equivalent to your paladin level multiplied by 5. (2 * 5 = 10 Hit Points)
Level 2: Fighting Style, Spellcasting, and Divine Smite.
Fighting Style: Blessed Warrior - Learn two cantrips from the Cleric spell list. They are treated as Paladin spells and Charisma is the spellcasting modifier.
Guidance: Touch a creature and for 1 minute they can add 1-4 onto the next ability check they make.
Thaumaturgy: You manifest a small wonder, an act of supernatural power. Can have 3 instances of Thaumaturgy active at one time, the spell lasts for 1 minute.
Spellcasting: Learn a number of spells from the Paladin spell list equal to your charisma modifier + half of your Paladin level (1 + 1 = 2 spells.)
Cure Wounds (Level 1 Spell) - A creature you touch is healed for 1-8 + Charisma modifier Hit Points. When cast using higher level spell slots add an additional d8 for each level above 1st.
Detect Poison and Disease (Level 1 Spell) - For up to 10 minutes, you can sense the presence and location of poisons, poisonous creatures, and diseases within 30 feet of you. You also identify the kind of poison, poisonous creature, or disease in each case.
Divine Smite: Whenever you land a melee weapon attack you can expend a spell slot to deal 2d8 radiant damage in addition to the weapons damage. For each level above 1st level, add 1d8 to the damage dice up to maximum of 5d8 (4th level spell slot.) The damage increases by 1d8 if the target is an undead or fiend, to a maximum of 6d8.
Hit Points: 57/57
All in all this is pretty solid, I can use Guidance to assist with the skills I currently lack. Persuasion for example, I only have a +1 to my rolls for persuasion, as opposed to arcana where I have a +11. Thaumaturgy is just because I love my dramatic and cinematic flares.
Cure wounds should do a pretty good job at keeping me alive between fights and detect poison should be immensely helpful for any public events I attend with Luna. The real star of the show here, the main reason I opted for Paladin is Divine Smite. Divine Smite has no limitation to how many times I can use it per turn, if I hit someone with my sword I can smite. That means that without Haste I can smite 3 times per turn, if I were to use one 4th level spell slot and two 3rd level spell slots, that's an extra 13d8 radiant damage. 104 potential damage from just smiting, don't even get me started on if I manage to land a critical.
With damage output like that, I could easily take on something like that hydra alone. Of course I don't have infinite spell slots so I can't just let loose a smite everytime I swing my sword, but if worst comes to worst I can at least nuke the hell out of something.
Well, I should enter my trance now, we've got a long day tomorrow.
Since night court is canceled in favor of joint court, the night progressed a bit slower than it usually does. Luna decided to do some dream walking early and gave me 3 hours of free time. After bumming around the library for books on dimensional theory and ultimately finding nothing for a few hours I return to the office.
"Knock knock Princess, what's on the schedule that you needed me to come back for?"
"Well it's the strangest thing. The next 2 hours are blocked off on the calendar to conduct 3 interviews of solar guards that wished to crossbranch into the Night Watch, but looking through my sorted application piles I don't have applicants marked for the next step in the decision process. There's no names written in the calendar block as well."
"Did you allocate time in the schedule intending to add names once you reviewed the applications and then just never got around to actually reviewing them?"
"I must have.... We have been a bit busier the last 2 days."
"Well if we have some free time let's talk about tomorrow. I think I should leave my hood down and mask off tomorrow, at the very least I should keep the mask off. Ponies already show discomfort around me and the uniform must be intimidating for them, I think it'd be a hindrance towards our effort."
"Your reasoning is sound, I'll allow it."
"Perfect, do you need me for anything else tonight? I've been waiting for a good opportunity to run an experiment and I should have enough free time tonight."
"No, you're dismissed." Luna closes the folder she's been flipping through and stands up. I open the door to the office and hold it open for her.
"I hope the dream realm is kind to you tonight, your Grace."
"Hm? Are we not doing the experiment?"
Oh there's been a miscommunication here. "Oh no I was intending to do it alone, but you can come if you want. It won't really look like anything is happening from your point of view though. I'm just going to be meditating. I want to see if I can recover the rest of my memories."
"In that case come do it in my chambers, I can keep an eye on you while I patrol the dream realm."
"I think that's the opposite of what our roles are supposed to be... you just want to watch my memories again don't you?"
"If you don't want me to look then I won't, but yes that is part of the reason. It's still a good idea to have me present incase something does go wrong though." Wow she just shamelessly admits that. Ponies really must not have an expectation of privacy.
"I think I would prefer if you didn't look then, assuming I'm able to even recover them."
"Very well. Let's go."
"Callisid are you nearby?" I think to myself, hoping the bat is within 100 feet.
"Yes master, what is it?"
"Good, you're aware that I only have memories of my life as a human during the 20 year gap of my illness right?" I ask.
"Roughly, honestly it was quite a shock to discover that."
"Well, I recovered a single memory after summoning you, so I was wondering if you know of any way to return the rest of my memories?" Please say yes....
"Of course not! I am only a familiar, I can't perform any magic or manipulate your memories, master."
I sigh, I was mostly expecting that response but that's fine I have a backup plan. "I'm going to sleep Luna, don't wake me up no matter how much I'm tossing or turning."
"Aye, good luck my paladin."
I pull the Moonblade from its scabbard and channel my mana into the hilt as I lie down at the foot of Luna's enormous bed.
Almost instantly I find myself in a beautiful and densely packed forest. Tree's and brightly colored fauna are scattered about everywhere. Sitting on a boulder a few feet away watching the sky is the original Sword Saint of Eilistraee. She turns around and flashes a big smile at me, "Ah! There you are, you brat! You haven't slept since I told you to go find me, what's the big idea huh asshole?!" She suddenly vanishes from the boulder and appears beside me startling me as she slaps me on the back of the head.
"Ow, what the fuck?! You should know the answer to that, ya old witch! Are you going senile or something? We're elves we don't fucking sleep." Ah it feels good to talk like this again, I speak informally around almost all of the ponies, but even with Luna I don't talk like this. It's not that I'm uncomfortable or too unfamiliar. I just simply want to maintain a certain level of elegance in her eyes.
The lady suddenly grabs both of my ears and starts yanking them while yelling at me, "WHO ARE YOU CALLIN' SENILE?! I should go find the eternal dancing grounds and tell Zarra how rude her son is."
At the mention of Zarra I stop being overly dramatic and settle down, even though she's still yanking my ears. "That's actually why I'm here. Apparently when I was originally preparing for the ritual with you I lost my soul for 2 decades."
She finally lets go of my ears and walks out from behind me to face me, "I do remember hearing something about that, your father was quite distressed."
"Well, during those 20 years, I believe my soul was in another realm. I was living as a human in a magicless world. The problem is that I only have memories of my life as a human, the only memory I have as Ignis is watching my mothers Last Dance. I was hoping you could maybe restore them, or if you knew of a method to do so."
"Hm, what day of the week is it on the outside?"
"Uhh, it's Wednesday night. Why?"
"Come back on Saturday night, and bring Our Lady with you. I need time to prepare." Before I can even respond to her she waves her hand in front me as if to say "Shoo, shoo" and I find myself staring at the ceiling of Luna's bedroom.
"Did you get your memories?" Luna asks, I look over and see her horn is just barely glowing and her eyes are closed.
"No and how did you know I was awake?"
"I wasn't peeking inside the dream, but I was keeping an eye on the state of the dream while I worked. I saw the bubble pop." She explains.
"I was talking to the soul inside the blade, she wants me to return on Saturday and she requested you come along with me."
"Perfect! Now I don't have to think of an excuse for next time." Luna replies with a beaming smile.
"Also, I was hoping we could pivot our training, I'd like to learn equestrian spellcasting." After thinking it over I decided this would be a good idea, when I get my memories back I'll likely have my family's swordsmanship training. Which means training my swordsmanship is just redundant.
With this request Luna's face practically crumples into a large frown. "I'll talk to my sister and see if I can get some of her training materials she used for the element of magic. I'd hate to teach you some that's entirely archaic and already improved upon." I mean her reason for needing to talk to Celestia makes sense, but I'm not sure why she'd make such a pained expression.
I was going to roll insight, but I realized I don't even need to. Her expression was bad enough that I nailed it with my passive insight of 15. She's clearly not giving me the real reason she needs to talk to Celestia. I decide to indirectly press her on it. "Perfect! We'll have a lot of free time on our journey to the badlands, so this'll be a great way to pass the time. I'll go read some of those basic magic books like that one I was reading in Ponyville so I can be better prepared." I get off the bed and start walking towards the door.
For the first time since we entered the room Luna finally opens her eyes, "Wait!"
I pause and turn around, "Yes?"
".....I'd prefer to have a direct involvement in your foundational training. Foals can afford to have the sloppy foundation that those books provide because they have time to sharpen their basics as they grow, but you're already an adult. You need foundational training tailored uniquely to you."
"Okay, I know you're lying now, but that lie was so believable for something you just made up on the spot that I'm impressed. I won't press you further, but can you promise me you'll give me a straight answer after you talk to your sister?"
She sighs and lays her head down on the bed in defeat, "Yes, you have my word. There is truth in my statement though, in the long run you will be better off if you learn everything from one of us instead of that book. Some mana foundation techniques can only be taught to somepony that knows nothing."
"Really? Alright in that case I won't go read the books behind your back like I originally intended to do." Before she can respond I close the door, she should know that I'm joking. I'm not sure if that would break the oath, but it's something I don't wanna do even without the oath.
I know one thing I can do though. Instead of turning right out of Luna's bed chambers towards my room I turn left and start heading to the other side of the castle. After walking for a few minutes I make one final turn and spot 2 guards in the hall making small talk with each other. I wonder what the odds are that they'll let me in. I mean I'm officially sworn in now so it shouldn't be a problem for me to go into Celestia's room. Should I even do this?
On one hand I'm frustrated that there's clearly some type of order to prevent me from learning, but I need to know the reason before I fly off the handle. Surely it can't be a trust issue, right? I mean help save the world, you allow me to become a personal guard for your sister. Those aren't things that indicate a lack of trust, so I'm clearly missing something. Unless.... To them this whole knight business means nothing and it's the other way around. I'm not guarding Luna, she's supervising me. No.... I'm being paranoid. Let's just go get some extra sleep, I need to flip my sleep schedule back to the day shift for the summit next week.
"Invisibilia." I cast invisibility and sneak into the dining hall, Luna and Celestia are talking and I want to get answers. This should last me an hour, plenty of time to listen and get out. I silently walk past the sisters table and stand off to the side, against a wall, and listen closely.
"Tia, I can't just lie to him. Why are you still insisting that he cannot be allowed to learn magic? He can already cast plenty of spells!" Luna questions her sister.
"Don't you "Tia" me, you know exactly why! The spells he casts don't pull from his own mana, it's like he just interacts with some external force and commands it to produce his spells. Whatever system he is using has him extremely restricted and limited. He can only cast so many spells in an entire day and the requirements for him to learn and cast spells is excessive. That system is clearly designed to restrict the spellcasters of his homeland." Celestia responds.
"Exactly! He's learning so quickly and already so strong even with those limitations! If we taught him how to use his own mana he could be so much more. It's a complete waste of talent!"
"I refuse to budge on this, Luna. I know he has a good heart, but objectively speaking, we've brought a monster into this capital. Even if we ignore the fact that he learned the runic language and cast his first spell several times faster than the most prodigal unicorn to ever exist. Even if we ignore that, just the sheer size of his mana pool is absurd! I have to intentionally reduce my truesight just to clearly look at him!" Truesight??
"Then what would you have me do Celestia?" The alicorn in question widens her eyes at Luna's usage of her full name. "You want me to just continue to make excuses, lie, and avoid his questions about magic for the next TWO THOUSAND YEARS?! No, I refuse. If you won't allow him to learn magic then you'll have to tell him yourself." Luna wipes her mouth with a tablecloth and quickly stands and leaves the dining hall.
"Well Ignis, now you know the truth, why don't you come sit down." Shit, so she did see me.
"What did you mean when you said you have to reduce your truesight to look at me?" I stop concentrating on the invisibility spell and sit down across from Luna's empty seat.
Instead of verbally responding, she just lights her horn. "Look at me. Do you see the golden aura surrounding me?" Wow she can even bestow that true sight onto others? I mean I guess I shouldn't be surprised, she is a demigod.
"Yes it's almost like a barrier that is completely surrounding you, there's several inches between the edge of the aura and you. It's almost touching the ceiling as well, what is that, 35, no 40 feet?"
"Good, I want you to make note of how inert and calm it is. Now look here." She conjures a tall and wide mirror and rotates it toward me. "Now look at yourself."
Celestia looked like she was encased in a solid chunk of golden jello, it barely flickered in it's natural flow at all. Looking in the mirror I'm dumbfounded. The best way I can describe it is that it looks like someone is holding a giant vacuum cleaner tube several feet over my head, and that vacuum is sucking up a violent blue fire from me.
It looks like jagged blue flames, they start about 4 feet away from me and it looks like the flames are rushing towards me before they enter the range of the vacuum tube and get sucked up into the air. Like a giant blue pyramid, but the lines look more like an exponential curve instead of a straight line.
The aura is slightly obscuring my own reflection, I can only see parts of my face at any given moment. "I can see... your apprehension. I assume the aura's around both of us are mana? What does it look like when you reduce the truesight, can you see my entire face then?"
Celestia doesn't respond for a few seconds so I stop staring at the mirror and turn to face her. She's leaning over the table looking straight into my eyes, "Ignis, this is reduced." She leans back and softens her expression, "Now don't get me wrong. Your mana pool is truly absurd, but that's not to say you have more than me or even Luna for that matter." As she says this the solid jello aura begins to wobble and vibrate before the solid lines start to flicker and the solid cylinder around her expands to about an 8 foot radius. Unlike mine it maintains its cylinder shape completely filling the area it occupies.
"The problem is that I've trained my magic for nearly 4,000 years, and you've only been alive for 100. To top it off you're not even aware of mana it seems. That can only mean you've done no training or exercises to expand and solidify your mana's shape. Considering all of those facts, and then confronting the reality that your mana already looks like that? I'm sorry Ignis, I have a respectable level of trust in you, and I will be forever grateful that you assisted Twilight and have befriended my sister, but I cannot allow you to train your mana as it stands. I need more time, I need to see your will and your morals when you're at your lowest point. That's when you truly learn what kind of pony someone is."
I don't respond, I'm just resting my elbows on the table with my fingers interlocked as they hover right under my nose. I mean I think I can see where she's coming from, I'd perhaps make the same choices in her shoes. But, I swore on my soul when I took my oath. What more could she possibly need from me? Is she worried I might be susceptible to corruption or control?
"It's time for court, come." Celestia apparently got tired of waiting on a response from me. She goes through the open dining hall doors and turns the corner.
I let out a massive sigh. I knew things were going too smoothly. "Callisid."
"Yes, master?"
"That pony I was just talking to, her name is Celestia. I want you to shadow her from now on until we leave for the global summit on friday. She has truesight so you'll need to be extremely careful."
"I can do that, but what are you hoping to gain from this?"
"Inform me anytime she speaks to someone working in this castle about me, I want to know if she has any other standing orders in regards to me."
"Very well, do you wish for me to inform you as I see it or would you just like a daily report?"
"Inform me in real time, if possible I want to use your senses and listen to the conversation myself." I order.
"As you command."
I'm not sure why but something about all this spying and politics is oddly familiar. I know Ignis was a noble, so perhaps he... I had to deal with things like this all the time.
I stroll into the throne room from the side entrance, and it appears I was lost in my own thoughts for too long because they've already started. "....your majesty, I implore you it's only 5 feet over the property line! It'll cost me a fortune to redo that separation wall."
"Yes, but you already had the property line adjusted 5 feet in your favor a little over 10 years ago. I have half a mind to say you intentionally did this when it was time to rebuild your wall in an effort to slowly expand your plot of land. The decision stands, next petitioner." Luna ends the disagreement.
The unicorn stallion ignores the order, "But your majesty-"
"Hey buddy, Her Grace has given her decision on the matter and she will not repeat herself." The stallion glares at the elf that suddenly appeared next to him and looks like he's about to say something, but I interrupt him, "I will throw you out of this room. And I don't mean that metaphorically."
Intimidation. (Advantage)
3 and 18. 18 + 1 = 19.
"Y-yes of course, thank you for taking time to hear me out your majesty." He does a quick head bow before turning and speed walking out of the throne room.
I turn around and start walking towards my position at the bottom of the throne steps and look up at both princesses. Celestia looks back with a perfect neutral expression, "Glad you could join us Sir Ignis. I'm afraid we've already assigned the positions for court today, it's unfortunate but you should've been on time." She says quietly enough that it's likely only Luna, the two guards at the bottom of the stairs, and myself heard her.
I look at the guard standing in my spot and clench my jaw and I slowly walk towards him while maintaining eye contact. I'd prefer if he moves without me needing to say something. I'm about 2 steps away from him and I can tell he isn't going to move so I whisper the incantation for Misty Step and teleport to the top of the stairs right next to Luna's throne. I about face so I can properly face the ponies below and stand straight.
I can hear Luna audibly gulp as she looks at me with a pained face. I meet her gaze and offer her a smile, "It's okay."
"Ignis this isn't helping your case, she wants you to display at least a reasonable level of obedience." Luna telepathically responds to me as we both look forward and pretend nothing is happening.
"That's okay, I swore my soul to you, not Equestria, and definitely not to Celestia." I respond.
The rest of court was uneventful, our plan seems to have worked for the most part, the ponies gradually warmed up to Luna as the day went on and none of them protested enough for me to get involved.
It's about noon when court ends for the day, I was about to make my way out with the guards, but Luna asked me to stay back. Looks like I'm due for another scolding. Great.
"I understand you're angry right now, so I'm willing to overlook your unwillingness to follow court protocol. However, I do have an unrelated request for you. At some point during the night a dragon took up residence in a mountain about 13 miles from Ponyville, and it's causing unwanted changes to the surrounding fauna. It's also creating dark black clouds, likely due to its snoring."
Celestia continues, "Luckily the element bearers were already here thanks to your ceremony so I had them depart for the mountain first thing this morning, they should be arriving at the cave opening in a few minutes. I'd feel much more comfortable with this if you would be willing to stealthily observe them and step in if the dragon becomes aggressive. This is a request not an order, you've made it abundantly clear that you are my sister's paladin and not an equestrian knight. That said, I'd appreciate it very much if you'd keep watch over my student and her friends."
"You think the timing of this with the summit is a coincidence?" I reply, not answering her request yet.
"Oh it almost assuredly is on purpose. They're likely fishing for more things they can use against us at the summit based on our response. That's why it's imperative that you don't step in unless absolutely necessary and even then try to avoid combat. If you do end up engaging the creature just contact me with your sending spell or have Twilight send an emergency ping, and I'll go personally and settle the matter.
I almost ask outloud why isn't she just solving this herself to begin with if she's capable, but it's likely she wants the elements to start building up some more real world experience. Still.... A dragon is a bit extreme. "Is the dragon ancient or just an adult?"
"Hm? He's definitely an adult, but I'm not sure what classifies a dragon as ancient. He's a formidable opponent though, that much I can say for certain. So, will you do it?"
"Your Grace, what are your thoughts on this?" I turn to Luna.
"I owe a lot to the element bearers, I think this would be a good opportunity to work on that debt." Luna responds almost instantly.
"Then it's settled, I'll do it. Ho-" I was going to ask how much time I had to spare before I needed to leave, but I'm interrupted by a sudden flash of teleportation. I have to pee.....
I look around the area where I landed and realize she teleported me directly to the entrance to the dragons lair. I look around and spot the 6 ponies I'm supposed to be looking after. How did she expect to do this stealthily if she was going to teleport me 15 feet away from them on an exposed mountain cliff with no cover? Did she want me to cast Invisibility, cause I'm not wasting another 2nd level spell slot. After using Invis this morning and Misty Step in court, I'm down to only 1 more 2nd level spell slot remaining.
"Top of the morning ladies." I decide to turn my uniform back into my regular outfit and call out to the girls. They turn towards me and I offer them a wave.
"Well I'll be, what are you doin' out here Ignis? Did Princess Luna send you not realizing we were already here?" Applejack is the first to respond to me.
"Nah, I was requested to come out here and provide any assistance if something unexpected pops up. It's your first mission as element bearers so they just wanted an extra set of eyes." I respond.
Rainbow responds this time, "I'm glad you're here dude, I'm not gunna lie I might have gotten just a tiny, tiny bit nervous when I peeked inside and saw how huge this guy is."
Before I can ask for clarification on exactly how big he is, the cotton candy one chimes in, "Ooooh why don't we just throw him a "Please Sleep Somewhere Else Because YourSnoringIsRuiningOurClimate" party?! Then there's no way he could be grumpy cause I mean who could be grumpy at a party? I'll have to go get some cupcakes and other supplies from town but I can probably be back lickity split so what do you guys think?!"
Twilight sighs, "I appreciate your enthusiasm Pinkie, but there's no way we're throwing him a party."
"Awww."
Twilight continues, "Listen I think we just go in there, gently wake him up and explain the harm he's causing if he continues to sleep here. Dragons are intelligent creatures just like us, so I'm sure he's reasonable."
Fluttershy chimes in, "I-If it's alright with everypony else I'm going to wait out here... if we need to use the elements then I'm sure I'll be able to go inside, but I really hope I don't have to..." I cannot imagine being a national hero with a personality like that. This must be a nightmare for her.
"Oh of course Fluttershy, dear. What kind of friends would we be if we forced you to go in there knowing how terrified of dragons you are?" I don't remember this one's name either, she's a white unicorn with a stylized purple mane.
I find myself offering a genuine smile as I silently watch them interact with each other. I'm not sure which ones were already friends before the whole Nightmare Moon fiasco, but it's sweet seeing how close they all are now.
Twilight and the others begin to march in when Rainbow looks back at me, "Aw dude don't tell me you're wimping out too?!"
"Nono I'm ready to go at the drop of a hat, but I figured I should stay out here with Fluttershy, if you guys need her for the elements I can teleport her in there for a faster response time." That's not the full reason I'm staying out here, but that's pretty much it.
It's nice seeing them respect her boundaries, but if she's going to keep doing this she needs to confront her fears. I won't make her go in, but she needs to show at least some level of progress. Once the others are out of earshot I turn to Fluttershy and strike up conversation.
"You know if you're going to be an element bearer you'll need to eventually be able to confront things like this, right?"
"Ohh, I know, but I when I think about going in there I just start shaking so badly I can't move. I feel terrible knowing my friends are in there and potentially in danger, yet I'm stuck out here unable to do anything. I know more than anypony that I can't stay like this forever, but I just don't know what to do." Her eyes start to become glassy and she sniffles her nose. Oh fuck, my heart, what have I done?
"Want some help?" I reply.
"W-what did you have in mind?"
"Get on my back and I'll carry you inside. Not all the way in, but maybe just to end of the entrance tunnel. That way you can get some experience, and you don't need to move, I'll be your legs."
She looks like she's about to say something but stops and thinks for a few seconds, "Okay. Please turn around if I say I can't do it anymore though."
"Of course. Alright hop on." I squat down and hunch my back so the pegasus can climb up easier. Once she gets most of the way up my back she hangs her forelegs over my shoulders and hangs on. We do some shifting so it's more comfortable for both of us and I start slowly walking down the entrance tunnel.
We're about ¾ of the way down the tunnel when I hear panicked whispers up ahead. I can continue until I can make out what they're saying. "I thought you said he'd be reasonable, Twilight?" I think Rainbow Dash is questioning.
"I don't understand why he's being so unreasonable! Nothing he's doing matches the behavior patterns notated in the interactions ponies in the past had with dragons. What do we do now, I don't want to summon the princess on our first assignment! That'd be a complete failure." Twilight replies.
I decide that I'm going to just go ahead and step in. It's clear this dragon has no intention of leaving peacefully and just wants to cause problems the day before we leave for the summit. "Okay Flutters, I need to go talk to this dragon. Do you want me to drop you off with your friends just up ahead or should I take you back out the entrance?"
"Um, you can just drop me off here. I'm going to try my best to take the steps forward to meet up with my friends." That is the most adorable display of determination I've ever seen or heard.
"Alright, here you go." I squat again and she climbs off. "Everything is gunna be just fine, alright?"
I can't resist the urge and I reach out and give the pegasus a head pat. I hope this isn't demeaning. I quickly remove my hand. "Sorry, I just realized that could be demeaning depending on how you look at it."
"Some ponies probably wouldn't appreciate it, but it did give me some comfort. Thank you, Ignis."
I offer her a salute with my index finger and middle finger against my forehead and start dashing ahead. I quickly reach the other 5 and stop for a second. "Listen, I'm going to go talk to him. This is all just an annoying political move, so I'm just gunna go give him a scolding real quick."
"A scolding?! Partner, have you lost your damn mind?" Applejack questions me like I'm insane.
"Been a while since I heard that line, haha, thanks for the nostalgia Applejack." I continue dashing forward and finally reach the expansive cavern inside the mountain.
"I've never seen a creature like you before..... Are you with the ponies?" The Red Dragon asks out loud. Holy shit it's bigger than the hydra.
"I am with the ponies. Listen, this is ridiculous. What kind of stunt are you trying to pull just a few days before the summit, huh? You literally couldn't be more obvious about your intentions. Why don't we just call it here and you head on back to wherever you dragons live and I'll report to Celestia that you were cooperative."
Wisdom Saving Throw.
4 + 5 = 9.
You are Frightened.
As soon as I finish my sentence a wave of pressure slams into me and I realize this must be Dragon Fear. Even though I'm screaming in anger against the pressure, my body is shaking like Fluttershy's and I can't move towards the dragon at all.
The dragon offers a deep guttural laugh, "You cannot even resist my presence, yet you try to order me around? Are you a fool? I could eat you right now and there's nothing your Sun princess can do."
"Oh it's not her you'd have be worried about. I don't work for Celestia, I'm just here as a favor."
Repeat Wisdom Saving Throw.
13, +5. 18.
You are Frightened.
The dragon unfurls itself and brings its head within striking distance as it eyes me closely, "Oh you must be what all the news was about. You're the paladin for that moon bitch right? I was told you'd be wearing all dark clothing with a night sky cloak, so I didn't recognize you. I heard you're a bladesinger too, but that must have been exaggerated rumors. No bladesinger would fall to my presence alone."
"What did you just say?"
Repeat Wisdom Saving Throw.
15, +5. 20.
You are no longer Frightened.
Moonblade. Haste. Now.
I feel a powerful tremor and I can tell the blade is wondering why I haven't already clobbered this fucking lizard. I grab the hilt of my sword as my hair begins to whip around as if there's a strong wind in the cave. I feel the burst of speed from Haste. +2 AC. 20 AC.
Activate Bladesong.
The usually calm and serene motes of light that rise out of the ground and surround me are the exact opposite right now. They look like bright red embers aggressively darting throughout the air as a deep chord is struck on a piano. +5 AC. 25 AC.
"Oh did I make you angry? She tried to ruin the world with an eternal night, do you expect the rest of the world to just forgive her and give her a pat on the back and a crown? That whore deserves more than just a banishm-"
Thanks to haste I'm on him in less than an instant, my Moonblade slashing straight towards his skull.
13, +10. 23. Hit
Level 3 Smite.
1d8 + 1d6 Slashing + 1d6 Lightning (Moonblade Enchantment) + 4d8 Radiant + 7
5 + 3 + 4 + 20 + 7 = 39 Variant Damage. The dragon is not resistant to anything I'm hitting him with so no point in differentiating it.
Right before the blade makes contact with the top of the dragon's head a surge of silver light envelopes my body before converging onto the Moonblade. Causing it and my eyes to shine a brilliant silver light.
The blade crashes down onto the top of its head and a loud pop can be heard that sounds like air getting turned into plasma as all the divine light leaves my eyes and the sword and crashes into the beast like a moonbeam the same instant the sword does.
Roll For Initiative.
19, +5. 25.
I'm guessing the dragon thought I was still frozen in fear and had no idea I was capable of launching an attack from that position. Anyways it's still my turn and I've got 3 more attacks to hit him with.
Once time resumes the dragon grabs its head and lets out a roar as it recoils backwards. "You dare?!"
I don't say anything as I just run at the creature and make a slash at its left leg.
10, +10. 20. Hit.
Level 3 Smite.
42 Damage.
The process with the divine light repeats itself and this time the sword manages to get about ¼ of the way through the leg as scales and blood scatter across the floor.
At this point the dragon feels a small bit of fear for the first time in centuries. What the fuck is this creature? There were no reports indicating this level of strength. The dragon suddenly unable to keep weight on his left foot roars in surprise as his left side buckles and drops to his knee. Now his stomach is close enough for me to hack into without jumping.
This time when I swing the sword behind me to wind up the slash I run my hand over it and cast Booming Blade, adding an additional d8 to the damage.
12, +10. 22. Hit.
Yes, just keep hitting, don't fail me dice.
Level 3 Smite, last level 3 spell slot.
46 Damage.
With a loud deep thunderous crack the sword slices deep into the dragon's belly, as it proceeds to continue its previous roar.
30 seconds earlier.
Twilight Sparkle 3rd Person POV
Twilight watched with nervousness as Ignis approached the red dragon and after 5 seconds felt an unfathomable pressure on herself. She was completely frozen in fear of the dragon. She can't make out what they're saying to each other, but can see they're talking. Suddenly Ignis just vanishes and half a second later appears standing on top of the dragon's mouth and he just swings his blade into the creature's head.
Twilight feels the pressure lift off of her almost instantly and she begins to panic thinking if she should summon her mentor, but in the 2 seconds it takes her to even begin to process the decision, Ignis has sliced into the creature's leg and is now just about to hit its belly. All the hesitation leaves her and she instantly sends out a ping with her horn. The exact millisecond the ping leaves her horn the sword hacks into the dragon's belly with a sickening thunder sound. She starts to wonder if her hesitation is going to cost this dragon its life, which would be one of the worst case scenarios.
After the strike to its belly the dragon clutches at the wound and finally collapses onto both knees with its head drooping just barely above the ground as it roars. "IGNIS STOP YOU CAN'T DO THIS!"
Twilight and her 4 other friends all turn in shock as Fluttershy comes roaring out of the tunnel and flies past all of them. Barreling straight towards Ignis.
Ignis looks back with a bewildered look as he raises his sword once again, this time aiming for the creature's neck. He shouts "Stay Back!"
Suddenly there's a loud pop right next to Twilight almost instantly followed by a 2nd pop. All the ponies except Fluttershy shout, "Princess!"
"STOP RIGHT NOW IGNIS!" Celestia shouts with the royal canterlot voice.
Her horn lights up but its too late, the sword once again glows with that strange silver light but it's so much brighter this time it's not even comparable.
Ignis 1st Person POV
"STOP RIGHT NOW IGNIS!" I hear Celestia screaming at me, but I refuse. He can take one more attack and I'm still pissed.
Bonus Action, Illusionist's Bracers, Booming Blade once more.
Natural 20. Critical Hit.
Level 4 Divine Smite.
44 + 7 = 51. 51 + 68 (Critical) = 119 Damage.
The sword shines almost as bright as the moon itself as the blade slashes into the dragon's neck and I rip it upwards creating a 3 foot deep dash on the creature's neck as even more scales are thrown onto the floor.
I'm suddenly slammed into by a speeding yellow mass that tackles me to the ground, "HOW DARE YOU?! That dragon does not deserve death and you have no right to do what you've done."
I look up and past Fluttershy at the dragon and see Celestia pointing her horn with a green light at the dragon. Guess that means I didn't kill it, but I bet I came damn close. Luna is looking at me with an expression I can't figure out. She must be conflicted right now.
Fluttershy moves her face back into your field of view, "What do you have to say for yourself mister?"
"Get off of me I need to speak to him, you can scold me later." I don't wait for her respond, she weighs practically nothing so I just get up and walk over to him.
"Hey you overgrown lizard, wake up." I pat him on the head a few times. "C'mon I know you're awake, quit faking it."
Celestia glares at me and with venom in her voice, "What is wrong with you?"
"Just give me a second. Hey lizard, you know what you have to do now right?" I give my own glare into the dragon's eye.
"You've already driven me to the brink of death, what more do you dare ask of me?"
"I want you to tell my Princess what you called her and then I demand an apology."
"I didn't call Celestia anything, you whelp!"
"And I told you, I don't work for her!" I grab his head and pull with all my might to make him look 5 degrees to the left at Luna. "That's my princess you stupid reptile."
The dragon closes its eye again as if considering its options before finally opening both eyes. "Princess Luna, your majesty, during our heated disagreement about the location for my slumber, I got lost in the moment and called your majesty a bitch."
Celestia finally has a look on her face that isn't anger or contempt, she looks shocked. I look over to Luna and see her glaring at the dragon. "And? C'mon what else did you call her, you know the reason I laid into you."
"I also called your majesty a whore, and I don't take it back. Your idiotic plan would've doomed the planet and yet you get a 1000 year nap and a warm welcome home with a crown and a title? You deserve much worse and next week I will personally make sure you receive it!"
I feel the temperature in the cavern rise about 10 degrees and I ask out loud, "Celestia can I please ki-"
An overwhelming high pitched screaming sound coming from Celestia's horn interrupts me and I watch in shock as the green light from her horn turns into a bright orange dot that suddenly expands into a beam of pure sun plasma that blasts straight through the dragon's neck, decapitating the beast.
"I apologize, Sir Ignis. I judged the situation too hastily, but in this scenario..." she looks at me with a somewhat satisfied smirk, "You made the right call."
Twilight and her friends are just staring straight ahead with slack jawed expressions. I don't think they were ready for Celestia to just instantly deep six that fucker. Shit, even I wasn't ready for that.
I walk over to Luna and stare at the ground as I stand silently next to her, "I'm sorry, Luna. I held it together for his first insult, but after that second insult I just snapped. I'll have better self control by the time the summ-"
"Stop. Ignis..... Thank you for getting angry on my behalf. I won't lie, it gives me immense satisfaction, but it's as you said. Let's not make a habit out of this. Now come with me, let's go back to the castle."
"As you wish, your Grace."
"Why do you switch between Grace and Luna, you don't even refer to me with the Princess title you just flip between the most formal way you can reference me to the 2nd most informal way possible. At this point I don't particularly care, I consider you a friend, but I have to know why you keep flipping between the 2." Luna asks with her horn lit but is holding off on teleporting us until I answer her.
"You haven't figured it out? I call you Your Grace whenever you actually command me or order me like you're supposed to, and I call you Luna when we're having casual conversation."
"You are a strange creature, Ignis."
In the wake of the dragon incident the sisters decided to bring 50 guards instead of the original 10 and they elected to bring 3 carriages instead of 1. Both of them are still in the same carriage, but the other 2 are empty decoys. I'm currently sitting on top of an empty one and rolling Perception checks every 10 minutes, so far nothing.
I wonder how this summit is going to go....
> 3 Days and 3 Nights at a Tent in the Badlands
XP: 41,000/48,000 Level 8 (Bladesinger 6/Paladin 2)
I knew I wouldn't get all of the experience from the dragon. Worst case it would be divided up 7 ways between the element bearers, Celestia, and myself. The best case scenario was that it'd be split between me and Celestia, but why did it divide it by 3? Did one of the girls actually hit that fucking thing? There's no way, right?
Well, anyways, it's Saturday now. The first day of the journey was uneventful. We stopped just after sunset on the outskirts of some small town. It was a little smaller than Ponyville, so there was nowhere for us to sleep. We did manage to find an old widowed mare who offered to let the Princesses sleep in the room that used to be for her son before he moved out. The rest of us setup camp near the dirt path into town.
Celestia's guards wanted to just have 1 pony stand guard outside the shared bedroom and rotate every hour since we have so many ponies. To my utter shock most people murmured agreements, so I decided to step in. The least I would accept is 2 ponies outside the door, purely because you need an extra there so they can hold each other accountable. I mean seriously Celestia has 2 guards stand outside her chamber in the castle every night, why would we switch to 1 in a less secure area.
I told them that ideally having 2 outside the bedroom and 2 patrolling the outside of the house, so we can keep eyes on the windows as well. I only rolled a 12 in persuasion so I thought surely they'd shoot down my 4 pony suggestion and maybe accept the 2 pony suggestion. Which is why I was pleasantly surprised when they accepted the plan to use 4 ponies with 2 hour shifts.
I say all of that because that was our first night. Now? We officially entered the badlands about an hour before nightfall. During that 1 hour we've already had 4 ponies pass out from overheating. We have literally infinite water and are constantly reminding everyone they need to hydrate, but I guess that still isn't enough.
Once we stopped and started setting up camp Celestia conjured a metric fuck ton of logs. Apparently they were prepared before the trip and she was just pulling them from a teleportation circle in storage. We set up multiple campfires around the site with one large bonfire in the middle. For the most part you can go anywhere in camp without being too cold, but outside the comfort of our campsite it's around 30F.
That brings us to now, I'm on my way to the royal tent to go grab Luna. Tonight is when the Moonblade told me to return to her in the dreamscape with Luna. "Stop. Once the Princess retires for the night we are to only allow interruptions for emergencies."
"First of all, the sun has been down for like an hour. There's no way she's in bed already. Secondly, you seem to forget there's more than 1 Princess in there. Circling back to the first point, the sun is down, period. As far as I'm concerned, not even Shining Armor himself can give me an order as long as there is more than 1 star in the sky." Technically he can't give me orders at any time, but it sounds better if I word it like this.
As I explain my final bit of my counter argument, I use Thaumaturgy 3 times in quick succession. I dim down the campfire illuminating this section of camp, creating almost pure darkness. Then I put my hand on his barrel just behind his neck and use the 2nd instance to cause the ground to shake. To put the cherry on top I use the 3rd instance to cause the loosely secured tent flaps to burst open with wind, right as I speak the last word.
Intimidation. (Advantage)
2 and 17. 17 + 1 = 18.
The guard I'm resting my hand on replies with wide eyes. "Ap-apologies, I'm still getting used to having a 2nd guard branch."
I instantly cancel all of the Thaumaturgy instances early, flash him a big smile with my eyes closed, give him a couple firm pats and reassure him, "Is that so? I suppose that's understandable. Hope the rest of your shift is uneventful"
I walk through the tent and the first thing I hear is a soft sigh, "While I appreciate you actually using your words like an adult this time, I would prefer if you could learn to resolve conflict without intimidation." Celestia nags me while laying on a large pillow and reviewing some papers.
I take a deep breath in through my nose, be strong Ignis, be strong for Her Grace. "I'm working on it, can't turn coal into diamond in a week. Luna, are you ready to get started?"
"Ignis, diamonds aren't made out of coal." I look back to Celestia and see her giving me by far the most judgemental look I've seen since I got her.
"Oh? Well they were where I'm from." I just give her a shrug and go lay down on a large rug on the ground.
"Aye, had a particularly nasty nightmare to sort through, but I'm ready now. Just go to sleep and I'll find you." Luna offers her delayed response.
I close my eyes and a few minutes later I open them again to find myself a familiar looking forest. "There you are, child of Zarra! Where's our Maiden?"
"She should be here any minute now...." Right as I finish my sentence I see a ripple in the sky as Luna just seemingly appears as if the sky was an ocean. "So, how are we doing this?"
"Right, so I have two theories. One is that the memories are located in your soul and they have merely been repressed. Long ago, a few centuries after the first sundering, there was a God that had his followers reincarnate after death. Thanks to that we were able to discover that natural reincarnation suppresses the memories of the soul. Why? Who knows. This is important to note though, because Druids are known to perform reincarnation magic. When the druids perform it however, the soul retains a majority of its memories. If your memories are indeed locked away in your soul I can repurpose the reincarnation spell and that would hopefully unlock those memories in a similar way."
"You can repurpose a spell?" I ask with an eyebrow raised.
"Child, I've existed since the first sundering. That was well over 18,000 years ago, in that time period us mere mortals had more freedom in how we interacted with the weave. The real problem is that I can't cast spells in that way anymore. I can only cast the spells that are stored in me."
"Well then why bring it up at all?! I don't know if you're aware, but there are no fucking Druids here."
"Yes, but Our Lady is quite powerful. She can perhaps use her own magic to probe your soul in a similar way?" We both look at Luna.
"Perhaps. I would rather not use magic that interacts with an individual's soul, however. I recognize the importance of this, so I'm willing to do it, but I need to brush up on the specifics of the spell. I can't do that until we return from the summit. I refuse to perform such powerful magic without 100% confidence in my ability to perform it without incident."
I reply, "I completely agree. I'd be more than uncomfortable if you were "probing" my soul while only being half sure of yourself. What's the 2nd theory then?"
The mature elf points at my forehead, "If that body is truly your body then your memories should still be in your head. If that is the case I am significantly more confident that Her Grace can retrieve them."
"Prior to my banishment there was no such magic that allowed memory manipulation. However, 1000 years is a long time. There's a chance such magic was discovered or created in that time. I'd have to ask my sister though."
My fellow elf glances at me and we both look confused. I decide to voice the confusion, "Luna, can you not just access the memories via the dream? Dreams and memories are heavily connected to each other."
"Now that you mention it, I believe I did manipulate the dream of a spy at some point to determine what she knew. I can give it a try." She instantly ignites her horn and everything around us fades to black.
I look around to find I'm completely alone now. I feel a pulsating sensation in my head and squeeze my eyes shut. When I open them again I'm somewhere unfamiliar. It's a large and ornate temple. My body is entering the main hall of the temple when I hear a sniffle to my left. My body turns its head to the left slightly and I see an adult drow on her knees with her head in her hands quietly sobbing. "Oh no..."
I start running over to the drow and once I'm closer hear my own voice call out, "Tala, what happened?" Tala?
In between sniffles the girl slowly replies, "I'm ashamed brother, what would mom think of me if she was here?" Oh Tala is the sister from my previous memory.
"I don't understand, you've been a devout follower your whole life. There must've been a mistake in the ritual. I cannot comprehend why you'd be unworthy of the Moonblade." As I respond I sit down on the floor next to her.
"NO! There was no mistake, I'm a failure Ignis." Memories begin to flood in, filling in the 20 year gap between mothers Last Dance and now. In quick flashes I see myself chasing Tala with a wooden sword, the first time I casted fire bolt and started a fire in the garden, as more and more memories begin to process I notice something. I'm seeing Tala less and less, ah I understand, I see her fencing with a much older drow, flashes of her constantly being surrounded by priestesses.
Everyone just assumed she was the heir, I mean she was the oldest and on top of that she was a drow. It was a fair assumption. I see people referring to her as the future Chosen and Sword Saint. One memory I'm looking out my bedroom window in the middle of the night and I see candle lights in the distance with a single shadow moving back and forth and twirling around, fast forward I exit my trance and see Tala walking out of the forest the morning after with completely empty candle holders. I see that memory hundreds of times, she was constantly practicing the attunement ritual all night every night, but I'd still see memories of her walking around during the day casting spells and training her blade. She looks so tired.
I understand now, a little while after mom died they began placing this weight on her shoulders. The curse of expectations. Everything since then was leading to this moment that would start the rest of her life.
"Talabrina, look at me. You are not a failure. If mother were here she wouldn't be disappointed in you, she'd laugh and say "Well what does she know, she's just a sword." None of us think any less of you."
She grasps the sides of my cloak and pushes her face into my chest as she finally loses the battle of holding back her grief. "I'm so sorry, brother." She lets out with a choked voice. I wrap her up in a hug.
"What are you sorry for, everything's gunna be okay sis." I reply with a small chuckle.
"No you don't understand Ignis! If I'm not the heir, then they're going to make you go through the same hell I've been living everyday since she died! In the beginning I wanted to be worthy to carry on mothers legacy, but as more and more time passed and I caught glimpses of you smiling and laughing, you were so happy when you got your first spellbook.... I knew that I had to be worthy. Because, if I wasn't then.... then you'd...." She can't finish her sentence as she starts wailing.
I rubbed the back of her head to try and comfort her, but in my mind I knew she was right. As the rest of the memories streamed in there were less and less memories of happy sword fights with friends, climbing trees, the kind mentor pointing out errors in my spellbook, training my bladesong with father. My life became more rigid and structured, practicing the attunement ritual all night, meeting with high ranking figures in the religion, getting dragged into political nonsense as a pawn. I could barely find time to catch up with my friends or study magic. Being strong armed into a cleric lifestyle by night and training my bladesong while taking on more responsibilities of the son of a noble.
The human side of me says this is just growing up, but now that I've got my memories I feel so much resentment. Since my sister wasn't worthy they made sure to go twice as hard on me, but I was only 30 years old! Sure I was physically grown, but none of my friends started taking on responsibilities until they were in their late 70s! There was one bright side though. After the first few years Tala looked much happier.
Then the final memory plays. I'm sitting at a desk working on scribing the Shadow Blade spell into my spellbook when I feel dizzy and my chest hurts. I start feeling a cold numbness spread through my body as I collapse and my forehead slams into my spellbook. Suddenly I'm flying up into the air looking at my own body and everything goes black.
My eyes snap open and I'm in a carriage with my head leaning against the wall. "Not many get to say they slept in a tent with two princesses all night and got personally carried into the royal carriage with them as well. Honestly quite bold of you to pull a stunt like that."
"Ah, I apologize Princess. Did Her Grace not explain what was going on?" I respond with a soft voice.
Celestia looks at me suspiciously, "No, she mentioned that she had done an experiment with some new dream magic. Are you feeling okay?" She then looks at Luna, who's sat next to me.
"I used his dreams to recall and replay the memories from his original life as Ignis. I didn't expect it to take so long though. I do agree though, are you well?"
"I feel fine. Why? Is there something wrong with me?" As I ask I begin looking for a mirror that doesn't exist.
Celestia responds, "You just aren't speaking how I'd expect you to. I think that was the first non-hostile thing you've said to me since you found out I prohibited you from learning Equestrian magic."
"Oh, I'm supremely frustrated at your lack of trust, but I still have basic respect and decorum."
"The past 3 days you haven't had either of those. Your tone is even softer than it used to be."
"Well, I learned etiquette from my attendant and had plenty of practice from following my father to events. Noble life was quite boring."
Both of them respond at the same time, quite surprised, "You were a noble?!"
I respond, "Yes, I was the successor of the Natsume family. Natsume meaning Summer Dreams. The family line on my fathers side presided over Summer for several generations, but when he married my mother who was called the Chosen or the Sword Saint for her goddess whose domain was the night. They honored her goddess by changing the family name to Summer Dreams. Luna I thought you knew, you saw the memory where my father had his attendants with him."
"Oh so you'll address my sister properly now that you remember your etiquette lessons, but I'm still just "Luna". Also, you're right I just didn't put much thought into it."
"Just because I'm apparently acting a bit different doesn't mean I've completely changed as a person. You said it yourself, I consider us friends."
For the first time since our confrontation I see a genuine smile on Celestia's face. Luna speaks up again looking a little flustered at the sudden declaration, "Now that you've fully woken up you should go back onto the top of the lead carriage and help keep lookout. We should be at the summit before I raise the moon tonight."
"As you command, Your Grace."
I open the door to the moving carriage and pull myself up before running and jumping onto the carriage in front of this one.
Acrobatics
13 + 8 = 21.
I land on the carriage and promptly sit down before putting my hand over my eyes and slowly scanning the horizon and the sky above.
Perception.
10 + 5 = 15.
Just like the first 2 days, I see nothing but wasteland.
Honestly I'm a bit disappointed with my memories. I thought for sure I'd learn at least a hint as to how I ended up getting my soul snatched and sent to earth.
Oh well, let's just make it through today and when we wake up tomorrow it'll be time to play politics. Well I'll be playing stand there and cut any idiot that tries to pick a fight with Luna. They are the ones playing politics.
> Main Quest - Global Summit pt. 1
"So who are all the key players going to be?" Ignis asks while eating an apple in the royal sisters tent.
"We have Dragon Lord Tormura from the Dragon Lands, King Silverwing from Griffonia, King Haakim and Princess Amira from Saddle Arabia, Chieftess Winara Steelheart and her husband Chief Faslen from Minos, Prime Minister Willow of Ciervana, and Queen Aurora of the Changelings." Replies a white unicorn with a quill and ink on her butt.
"Alright the first two are obvious, but what race lives in Saddle Arabia? I assume minotaurs are Minos, but I'm not sure about Ciervana. Lastly, I have a feeling your changelings and my changelings are slightly different so if I could get a description on those that'd be great Miss....?"
"Inkwell, Raven Inkwell, Sir Ferrum. The ponies in Saddle Arabia are much like our earth ponies, but they're moderately larger. Your assumption about Minos is correct, and Ciervana is an exceptionally large forest that is home to predominantly deer. Changelings are most accurately described as insect ponies. They have an exoskeleton that ranges for an assortment of colors mostly consisting of shades of gray, black, and white with wings and a horn, and their main feature is being able to take on the features of any pony. Anything else, sir?"
"That should be it. If anything else comes up I'm sure Princess Celestia wouldn't mind answering me. Thank you, Raven." Although he isn't entirely sure, he's fairly confident that an annoyed set of magenta eyes just bored a hole in the back of his head.
Raven nods her head before returning to the corner of the tent where Celestia and Luna are currently having a private discussion in a sound bubble. Must be a unidirectional sound bubble, good to note. Ignis thinks to himself as he stands up and walks out of the tent. "Good Morning my solar counterparts, are we ready to depart?"
There's a few seconds of silence and just as Ignis thinks he's about to be ignored by Celestia's guards again, one of them speaks up. "Just about............ Sir. We've got everything but the royal tent packed up. The other guards are formed up and mustering to make sure we didn't lose anypony overnight. After that they'll get a rundown on what to expect for today. Should be ready to head out in 15."
Ignis decides that he likes this guard. "What's your name?"
"Lieutenant Force."
"Thanks for the information LT. I'll go inform the Sisters." Ignis turns and stops just before going back inside the tent. "Did you happen to submit a request to cross branch over to the Night Watch?"
"Me? No sir. I'd considered it, but after thinking about it I decided the schedule would make it hard for me to participate in social activities."
"....that's a shame." Ignis doesn't wait to see if the mare has a response before heading back inside the tent. Once he's a few steps away from the Princesses the sound bubble drops and they turn to look at him. "Guards'll be ready to roll in 15 minutes. Figured I'd come let both of you know so we can start packing up this tent, it's the last one."
"Oh? Thank you, but we usually wait until they are ready to go before leaving the tent." Luna replies.
"Yes and I'm strongly suggesting we don't do that from now on. If your guards are anything like my soldiers, they probably get annoyed constantly being rushed through tasks, showing up to something by a specific time, all just so they can stand there and wait on leadership to show up. It'd be a small but significant gesture if you were ready to depart earlier than or at the same time as the guards."
Celestia chimes in before Luna can give a proper response, "Why haven't any of my officers given me that feedback before if it's an issue?"
"There could be any number of reasons for that. If a guard has ever told you "I can't think of anything" or "I don't know" when you asked for feedback it's generally because it's much harder to remember complaints or criticisms if asked randomly. Especially for small gestures like what I'm suggesting, it'll cause a tiny amount of annoyance in the moment but it's not worth remembering for later. All the tiny annoyances can pile up to general bitterness or resentfulness. The second most likely reason is because if they do have complaints about something it's generally a much bigger problem than something like this. Which leads to this never getting brought up, but I guarantee if you went out there and asked that formation "Is it annoying when you form up at 0745 for an all-call with some officer at 0800, and said officer shows up at 0815 or 0830?" they'd respond with a resounding yes."
Both sisters look at each other before giving the paladin a small smile as Celestia responds, "Very well. Let's pack up."
The sisters start magicking away their bedrolls, rugs, and other furniture before all four creatures exit the tent. Once they exit Celestia looks at the LT, "We're ready to go."
One of the two guards starts pulling up the pegs holding the tent down as the lieutenant looks up at Ignis. "I think I speak for a few of us when I say this. Thank you, sir."
The elf waves his hand in a dismissive motion, "Bah it's not a big deal. After two days of watching you guards murmur "Why didn't they do that while we were mustering?" I figured I'd bring it up. Inefficiency and poor time management annoy me."
A few hours later the convoy arrives at an absolutely enormous structure resembling a colosseum. It's big enough that it could likely fit an entire city inside it. The carriages pass through an archway and reach the inner field of the structure. In the center of the field is a massive circular table with fist sized pink crystals spread out in precise increments along the edge of the table. Spread out through the rest of the inner area are different stylized tents and camps for the other nations present, each camp is separated with rope and markings on the ground. The Equestrians turn right and head towards the south east where there's still a decently sized plot that has a sign in front of it that reads "Equestria". Ignis initially thought they were the last country to arrive, but upon looking around he realizes there's no dragons to be seen.
Once camp is setup the sisters, Ignis, and Shining Armor make their way towards the round table where most of the other races are already gathered. There are 2 large seating arrangements with a folded piece of paper in each seat that has Equestria written on them. The two Princesses take their place on their bench as Ignis stands to the right of Luna and Shining to the left of Celestia. If Shining were a humanoid they'd be standing shoulder to shoulder.
Positioned on the edge of the table the pink crystal lies perfectly in the middle of the two benches. Equidistant from the alicorns. Ignis looks at the crystal for a moment.
Arcana
15 + 11 = 26.
Ignis realizes there's a resonance in the crystal that matches all the other crystals, presumably linking them together. Once he considers how they're positioned in front of every seat he surmises that they are likely acting as a microphone/speaker. The table is definitely large enough to require something like that, it easily has a 40ft radius, maybe larger.
After a few minutes of the leaders talking amongst themselves and fanning themselves to alleviate some of the desert heat a huge burst of wind can be felt spreading over the entire field. Looking up they spot three massive dragons slowly descending through the open roof of the colosseum. One is white and the other two are red.
Once they land the bigger of the two red dragons approaches the table and lays down on the ground on his belly before resting his head just a few inches from the edge of the table. Guess that explains why the table needs to be so excessively large. Ignis thinks to himself.
The dull white pony shaped creature that is most likely Queen Aurora ignites her horn in a sickly green aura. Suddenly there's a loud rumbling and the ground begins to shake lightly as Ignis stares up to the sky with wide eyes and a slack jaw. The edges of the massive open circular roof start to rotate and extend towards the center, the motion reminds him of a camera aperture closing when a picture is taken. Once closed bright white light is emitted from hundreds of crystals along the supporting pillars and the now closed roof of the structure, completely illuminating the inside.
The changeling queen then ignites her horn again and hundreds of mesh grated holes begin to appear in the ground. Almost immediately the temperature in the inner field drops 10 degrees to a much more tolerable level, the ground vents are somehow acting as a giant air conditioner.
The changeling queen then speaks, her voice is heard clearly coming from the pink crystal. "As the host of the Global Summit this time around, I am happy to welcome all of you to our little corner of the badlands! I'm sure no creature wants their time wasted so let's get right into the agenda. Our first item for discussion is concerning the attempted global domination committed by Princess Luna Concordia of Equestria. It's noted that in the past the same princess allegedly committed the same crime, and that she was never given a proper trial in international court. As such, the nations of Draconia, Griffonia, and Minos propose that Princess Luna be arrested and tried for two counts of attempted global domination. As the initial nation to submit the topic to the agenda, the representative for Draconia will be the first to speak on the topic."
Ignis 1st Person POV
So we're just getting right fucking to it, huh? I'm gripping the armrest of Luna's bench so tightly that it begins to crack. Celestia predicted this is how it would go, but I'm still pissed. Her proposed strategy is that we let all the nations that proposed the trial speak first without interruption. Depending on what they say she has several speeches prepared. I gave my word to her and Luna that I would not speak out of turn. They initially wanted me to agree not to speak at all as it's not my place as someone that isn't sitting at the table, but I talked them down.
I actually have my own plan if things take an absolute turn for the worst, but it'll take a minor amount of deception.
A deep gravelly voice from the Dragon Lord projects itself over the entire inside of the colosseum, without the use of the pink crystal. "It is a simple matter. The lunar princess of Equestria caused thousands of crops across the globe to wither and die in a matter of days over 1,000 years ago. Indirectly she caused the deaths of hundreds of creatures throughout every nation. The first thing she does when she returns? Apologize? Pay restitutions to the nations involved? No. The first thing she does when she returns is to try again. It is an absolute spit in the face, a complete disrespect to all those affected. I propose we hold the trial two days from now with a jury comprised of every race present except ponies, equally."
The changeling queen then spoke up, "Do the representatives from Griffonia or Minos have any remarks to add?"
No one else speaks for a few seconds, so the changeling continues, "Very Well. Do the representatives from Equestria have any counter arguments?"
Celestia, with venom in her tone, spoke. "Queen Aurora, as an unbiased 3rd party, do you know how many Griffons died during the 7 dark days from 1,000 years ago?"
"Zero."
"And, how many minotaurs?"
"Zero."
"Lastly, how many dragons?"
"Zero."
"Of the reported number of deaths, what percentage of the total deaths were from Equestria?"
"Of the 726 deaths, 100% of those were Equestrians." The changeling queen gave her final reply.
"Thank you. On the topic of restitutions, over 1.2 million bits and 1.8 tons of produce, to include medicinal herbs, has been paid and delivered to every nation that would accept payment. Since the incident 1,000 years ago no nation has requested another payment of restitutions. That tells me that every nation was quite satisfied with what they received. Not to mention that Princess Luna was tried and convicted for her crimes 1,000 years ago. On the 7th day of darkness Harmony herself found Luna guilty and sentenced her to 1,000 years exile, on the moon. Once she returned she extended the night for an extra 3 hours. A whole 3 hours. With no deaths, no consequences anywhere in the world. The only result was some creatures waking up later than they normally would have. With all these facts taken into consideration it is a complete and utter joke to have the audacity to suggest that any nation outside of Equestria has a right to demand or sentence my sister to anything." Celestia finishes her rebuttal much angrier than she started it.
Queen Aurora steps up, "Would any representative from any nation present like to continue discussion on the topic?"
Four different creatures spoke up, "Aye."
"Very well. In that case the floor is now open for free debate. Please keep things civil and peaceful."
Instantly, at least five different people start talking over one another yelling incoherently.
It's gunna be a long day.
> Main Quest - Global Summit pt. 2
"This is completely ridiculous, why did we agree to even entertain the idea of this event?" I ask Luna. Everyone was just talking in circles and shouting over each other for at least 2 hours and I could tell it was starting to weigh her down, so I suggested we take a walk. We're currently a hundred or so feet away from the colosseum. Luna has a nifty little shield spell around us that also regulates temperature. Good thing too cause this all black night uniform in the desert sun is fucking brutal.
"...." Luna glances at me before returning her gaze down to the ground as we continue to walk.
"I mean seriously this is all because they believe your return to Equestria upsets the balance of the global powers. They weren't impacted by anything you did, and I know they don't really care. Why don't we just go back an-"
"Ignis, stop. Just stop. Even if their true motivations are wrong, the suggestion is still valid. Hundreds of ponies died because of Us. Ponies in Equestria would be demanding the same thing if they didn't revere Celestia so much. Condemning Us outright would mean she was "wrong" and they can't imagine something like that. We, I, truly deserve this." As she started talking she stopped moving forward and turned to face me.
Now it's my turn for conflicted silence. I don't know what to say to that. "....1000 years in complete isolation is punishment enough. If you want to make true amends then we should go back to Canterlot, find the record detailing every loss of life, and go door to door meeting with their descendants. That wasn't even you! You were possessed!"
"All the corruption did was act out my inner desires while turning my emotions up to 11. It'd be like saying I'm innocent because I was drunk. I still remember everything, my entire time as Nightmare Moon. Let's go back to the summit, I'll confer with Tia and see what the maximum sentence could be." She replies solemnly as she turns around and begins marching back.
"I'm not letting a trial happen."
"It won't be up to either of us, my paladin. Regardless of how their debate goes it will be voted on. All the leaders are trying to do is persuade the other leaders to vote in favor of their opinion. Although the only party that we are unsure of is the deer. The 3 nations that filed the complaint will almost surely vote in favor of the trial. Celestia will likely vote no, as will the Saddle Arabians and the Changelings. The deer will be the tie breakers."
Hmmm, I might have an idea but I need more details, "What happens if the deer abstain and the vote is a tie?"
"Since they are a tiebreaker they cannot abstain, but if an even number of nations had attended then the nation that filed the initial complaint, Draconia, and the defendant, Equestria would agree to some form of competition, game, or contest to decide the tie break." Luna answers.
"Understood. For what it's worth, your sister was right."
"Hm?"
"If Harmony judged you deserved death you wouldn't have been sent to the moon. There would be no second chance. If Harmony thought you had not suffered enough it would not have cleansed you of corruption and returned your magic to you. The fact that you are here with all your magic and talking to me proves that you have done enough, in the eyes of Harmony, at least."
"I cannot help how I feel, Ignis. Let's just shelf this topic for a while, okay?"
"Fine, my liege."
With a sigh from Luna at my response, we emerge from the entry archway back into the colosseum. As we approach the table we hear Queen Aurora call out, "King Silverwing of Griffonia, what is your vote?"
The griffon's voice is not at all what I expected, it sounds like the dude has been chain smoking 6 packs a day for 90 years. "Griffonia votes aye. Her victims deserve real justice."
Oh fuck they're already voting. How many have voted? Aurora responds, "Very well. 2 Ayes and 2 Nays. The Changelings vote Nay, we are not arrogant enough to question the judgment of Harmony. Leaving us with 2 Ayes and 3 Nays. Prime Minister Willow of Ciervana, what is your vote?"
Well it's 2-3 in our favor right now, but I'm not sure who all has voted. If everyone so far as voted as we predicted they would then this is the deciding vote. If th- wait.... I can maybe do this, I'll just have to break my promise to Celestia... oh well."
"Prime Minister, you know in your heart that this is wrong. Please spare Her Grace from further persecution." I don't give a fuck dude, I will shamelessly speak out of turn here. Why? Because it doesn't matter if what I said was truly convincing. It's all based on the dice motherfucker!
Persuasion.
19 + 1 = 20. That... should be enough right?
The female deer with gold plated and ornate horns wearing a veil looks in my direction, as does everyone else sitting at the table. The minotaur chieftess stands up from her chair, slamming her fist on the table and is about to shout something.
But the deer speaks first, "Ciervana votes aye." What? Was I too vague on which outcome I was trying to argue for? No, the only explanation is that it had to have been a DC 25 or maybe even 30. But, that could only be the case if.... If she had already made up her mind. Damn it all.
Aurora calls out the new vote count to be 3 Ayes and 3 Nays, then the minotaur finally gets to verbalize their outrage.
"How dare you speak out of turn, creature! You, who doesn't even have a seat at this table. A mere knight. Princess reel in your underling or send it back to your encampment."
Time for plan B, I hold out a hand signaling Luna to hold off for a second. She gives me a look of concern, likely not for my safety, but because she isn't sure what I plan on doing here. Regardless, she nods at me.
"Queen Aurora, do you have any spare chairs? I'm going to request one be brought to the table here between Luna and the Saddle Arabians. I'll need my own crystal as well. The prince of the Summer Feywild has declared his participation in this meeting." I mean my title doesn't really translate to prince, but the influence fathers side of the family held was equal to a small nation, and I was his heir. If you look carefully you'll notice my father isn't here, so I'd say I've succeeded him. Wait, I feel like I'm forgetting something critical here.... OH! I never had my naming ceremony. That can wait, I need to think about it still anyways. Before I passed out and became a human I hadn't put much thought into my true name because I still had plenty of time, but now I'm regretting it.
Deception. (Advantage) (A/N: Because it's like basically true, it's only deception if you focus on semantics really....)
17 and 1. Yikes, the 1 was the second result so I guess it would've been fine if I didn't have advantage, but that's still spooky.
17 + 1 = 18.
There's more overlapping shouts of surprise and outrage but Queen Aurora suppresses them all, "I detect no lies. There was not even the faintest shift of his emotions, no spike in heart rate. It's in our original agreement made eons ago, any nation no matter how small has the right to seek representation in the meetings between leaders on a global scale. Our ancestors swore on those words in the name of Harmony, and on that oath I welcome you to a seat at the table."
As she says that a giant lump of dirt rises out of the ground before forming into a chair and transmuting into stone. Once that is done a smaller changeling buzzes out from one of the walls of the colosseum carrying a pink crystal. It places the crystal right in front of me.
"I think it goes without saying, the Feywild votes nay." I dare not even look in the direction of Luna or Celestia. They might even be giving me positive reactions right now, but I cannot find the courage to glance over.
"Very well. The vote is 3 Ayes and 4 Nays. The last vote belongs to Minos. Chieftess Steelheart of Minos, what is your vote?"
If looks could kill this cow would've nat 20'd me about 3 times already. She spits on the ground and coldly speaks out, "Minos votes Aye. Tie."
"Indeed, it's a tie. As is tradition, Equestria and Draconia will determine the method of resolution."
Celestia and Tormura are just staring at each other. Likely having a telepathic conversation if I had to guess.
Perception.
11 + 5 = 16. Hm? What am I even rolling for right now?
I look behind Tormura at the white and red dragons that descended with him. The red one is speaking to the white one in Draconic. I can just barely make out what they're discussing. "Have you heard back from my brother yet? He was supposed to return from Equestria hours ago!"
The white one responds, "There has been no update from Tormura and I do not sense any large scale shifts in the wind patterns outside. Do you think he may have been killed?"
"He's not that much of a failure, besides this mission was merely to measure their response to the provocation and get a gauge on their current power. He'd need to have made an egregious mistake to get himself killed. I bet he just actually fell asleep instead of blowing smoke!" The red dragon finishes his statement with a small chuckle.
"That does sound like something Kiln would do."
Interesting. So the dragon Celestia finished off was Kiln. Suddenly my vision is occupied by Luna's face. "Ah, the Goddess truly does bestow miracles to those worthy!" I try to lighten the mood.
"What?"
"I called your face a miracle."
That gets the reaction I was looking for, she freezes for a moment before smiling and letting out a quiet puff of air from her nose before regaining her serious face. "What are you doing? You can't just declare yourself royalty of a place that doesn't exist!"
"But I am the current patriarch of the Natsume clan residing over nature's Summer. Sure I might be the only elf on the entire planet, but technicalities are technicalities. It worked didn't it?"
"It is decided." The deep overbearing draconic voice suddenly announces out loud.
"It is decided." Celestia repeats as she stands up.
Then Queen Aurora stands up, "All parties please rise and move away from the table. Equestria will send its sword and shield against the Draconia's Fire and Ice in a 1 on 1 duel. The duel ends when 1 party is unable to continue or they surrender, deaths are not encouraged but will also not result in a disqualification. If the final score of the duels is 1-1 then Princess Luna will engage with Tormura in a duel with the same rules."
Everyone backs away from the circular table as more solid stone emerges from the edge of the table and the entire structure begins rotating and twisting until it becomes a 120'x120' square.
The sisters, shining, and I huddle up near the new arena and Celestia quietly addresses the group, "I had a few choice words for you about that stunt with the deer, but you recovered well. That was good improvisation to make the best out of a bad situation. I'm not sure what we would've done if they had moved forward with a trial. Now which of you is going first?"
"I want the red one, so can we figure out who they're sending and then respond? If not, can one of you unicorns use your fancy magic to listen in and see if they say who's going first?" I ask.
"Way ahead of you, Ignis. The white one is coming out first, I guess I don't mind letting you have the red one. Can I ask why though?" Shining responds.
"I'm fairly certain I can get him rattled during the fight, enough to throw him off anyways. Sorry I don't want to explain further in case they are listening to us the same way we listened to them."
One interesting thing to note, ever since the table expanded into an arena the crystals lighting up the inside of the colosseum have dimmed considerably. It's definitely not dark, but if I didn't have darkvision I'm fairly confident it'd be dim enough for me to not be able to make out colors. If that's true then I should use Shadow Blade for this fight. Forgive me Moonblade. If I use Shadow Blade in this dim light my odds of hitting him are exponentially improved. Mainly because of my Elven Accuracy feat. Everytime I make an attack roll with advantage I can reroll one of the dice. This basically means I have 3 chances to score a nat 20. If I can crit this guy more than once I can make quick work of him. The real question is how the fuck do I keep him from flying?
That's where my first plan is gunna come into play if that doesn't work out then I might just have to misty step into the fucking air and ride his back like a maniac.
Chieftain Steelheart is now standing in front of a small table with Queen Aurora and he yells into the familiar pink crystal, "Looks like our first duel will be between Equestria's Shield, Shining Armor! His opponent will be Draconia's Winter, Frostbite!"
As Shining gets his epitaph and name announced, all the ponies gathered in our camp on the South East side of the colosseum plus the 20 or so Saddle Arabians let out a roar of applause. That sound is immediately crushed by the much louder war cries and actual roars from the Minotaurs and Griffons when Frostbite is announced.
Queen Aurora announces, "Are both fighters ready?" After a quick nod from the pony and dragon she sounds off the call to begin.
Frostbite wastes no time and instantly soars into the sky, almost touching the closed roof of the colosseum. He twists himself in the air to aim his mouth towards the unicorn, but before he can release his breath the dragon is encased in a massive pink shield. Big enough to easily fit 4 dragons the same size as Frostbite, inside. The dragon releases his breath anyways but all it does is fog up the spherical shield starting from the bottom.
Slowly the sphere begins to fall towards the ground and as it falls, it shrinks. Okay that is way more terrifying than I thought he could be. Good to know he was 100% holding back when we fought. The sphere reaches the arena and is now small enough that the dragon has barely any room to move around. The dragon starts thrashing about much more fiercely and the shield finally starts to show some small cracks. The cracks slowly grow as the shield shrinks; it's a race to see what gives first. The dragon's bones or the shield.
The shield looks like it's going to shatter at any moment, it's now completely covered in cracks as Shining has multiple bullets of sweat running down his head. Finally it's too much and the dragon can no longer move. It's still flexing and pushing against the shield but it's much less force than he was able to apply when he could still twist around and fling that tail of his. We all watch in stunned silence as the cracks slowly mend around the shield and the dragon lets out an ear piercing roar that's instantly followed by several loud cracks.
The dragon's roar turns into a screech, "I SURRENDER! YOU"RE GOING TO CRUSH ME!"
The shield immediately disappears as the dragon falls onto the ground. It seems unable to fully close its wings as it grabs at its own left arm with its right hand. Frostbite limps off the arena and past Tormura before collapsing onto the ground to rest.
"Equestria is ahead 1-0. Next we have Equestria's Sword, Prince of the Summer Feywild, Lunar Paladin, Ignis Ferrum. His opponent will be the Leader of the Fire Dragons, Right Arm of the Dragon Lord, Inferno."
Compared to Shining the applause I get is quiet, but if I don't take his into consideration it's actually much louder than I was expecting. I can't contain the small smile from dawning on my face at the reaction. Inferno uncoils himself from behind Tormura and it's at this moment I realize I have made a critical error. I have fucked around and now I am about find out. I have now fucked up. He's only like an inch smaller than Tormura, he's at least 10 feet larger than his brother I fought previously. This fucker is an Ancient Red Dragon.
Welp. "Luna prepare yourself."
"Oh? You usually show much more confidence, is my mighty paladin...scared?"
"I'm not scared, there's nothing to be scared of. It is a fact, a 100% certainty that I cannot win against this creature. I'm not foolish enough to think I can beat an Ancient dragon just because I fought an adult."
"Ah you're able to recognize that he's an Elder? That's good. Just yell out my name and I'll teleport you to safety and surrender on your behalf."
I step up onto the arena and stare down the big bastard.
"Are you not going to draw your sword, tiny creature?" He asks mockingly.
"Nah, I've got something different prepared for you." I reply.
Before the match begins I hear Celestia in my head, "Don't use your bladesong. I've yet to hear any murmurs about it, so there's a chance the information hasn't been leaked outside of Equestria yet. If that's the case I'd rather avoid having to deal with the topic during this summit, and we can push it off until the next one. There's a minimum of 1 year between summits."
"You realize you're basically just telling me to kill myself right? I have such demanding bosses."
I place my left hand on the hilt of my Moonblade and hold my right hand in front me as if I'm holding an invisible sword. Once Queen Aurora calls out to ask if we're ready I wait until I see Inferno nod his head. Once he does I use my left hand on Moonblade to command it to cast the stored Haste spell on me. At the same time I recite the incantation and conjure my Shadow Blade into my right hand. I feel a familiar flow of wind making my hair whip and flutter up into the air as my speed is doubled and my AC rises to 20.
Once the Shadow Blade appears in my hand I hear a wave of whispers throughout the crowd and nod my head. As soon as the words "Begin" leave the changeling's mouth I see the dice.
Roll for Initiative.
10 + 5 = 15.
By some miracle I'm able to move first. This means I can hit this lizard with everything I've got before he takes off. This blade is illusionary and does psychic damage so it doesn't matter where I hit him. Might as well avoid fancy shit and just start hitting the guy in his legs.
That's exactly what I do, I sprint from the middle of the arena into his corner and can just barely reach his left leg before my movement runs out.
14 and 12. Elven Accuracy, 12 is rerolled into an 18.
18 + 8 = 26. Level 2 Divine Smite.
3d8 + 3d8 + 5 = 39 Damage.
The first slash is clean through the front of his leg. The path following the blade turns all of his red scales into gray scales as the dragon flinches from the surprising amount of pain.
Extra Attack, I swing from left to right this time through the same leg.
17 and 14. Elven Accuracy, 14 is rerolled into a 6.
17 + 8 = 25. Level 2 Divine Smite.
6d8 + 5 = 35 Damage.
I can hear Inferno make a slight noise that sounds frustrated. I wind up for the Hasted extra one weapon attack. Transferring the left to right momentum of the 2nd slash into bottom right to top left diagonal slash.
1 and 8. Elven Accuracy, 1 rerolls into 16.
16 + 8 = 24. Level 3 Divine Smite. Booming Blade.
8d8 + 5 = 46 Damage.
The dragon and I think most of the creatures watching have been stunned into silence by the rapid near-instant barrage of slashes before the dragon can even react. On top of that every hit is accompanied by a flash of intense moonlight that sounds like a brick hitting concrete after falling off a 10th story balcony. I'm not done yet though. Now that I've used booming blade the bracers activate and I can get 1 more attack off as a bonus action. I finish my turn by attempting to stab and twist into the dragon's leg.
6 and 17. Elven Accuracy, 6 rerolls into 18.
18 + 8 = 26. Level 3 Smite. Booming Blade. No level 3 slots remaining.
8d8 + 5 = 51 Damage.
The blade slips through his tough leg and as I remove it he finally lets out his first real groan of pain. Alas, that is the end of my turn and it's fairly likely I do not get to take another turn. Pretty sure he's still over 100hp away from half hp. Ancient dragons are so busted.
As soon as I end my turn Inferno gives two mighty flaps of his wings and I'm almost instantly sent flying away from the wind.
Dexterity Saving Throw.
4 + 5 = 9.
Scratch that, I AM sent flying across the arena. I land on my back and bounce and roll 10 feet back landing prone with my face down on the arena.
-20 Hit Points: 37/57 Concentration Check: 14 + 2, Maintains Concentration.
Fuck now I'm prone and already half dead. As soon as I pick my face off the ground I look up and see Inferno almost touching the roof of the colosseum. He suddenly gets assaulted with a loud thunder clap as the secondary Booming Blade effect hits him for 9 more Thunder damage. I need to use my plan now before he takes any real actions.
In Draconic I call out, "Where are you going you overgrown lizard? Kiln didn't run and hide in the air like this before I killed him."
I see no dice, and apparently I don't need to because I hear both dragons from the sideline yell out, "What?!" and Inferno says nothing but just roars in a rage before dive bombing back down onto the arena with his mouth 10 feet away from me. I watch as his cheeks puff up and realize this is his breath weapon.... There's a very real chance this kills me outright.
I wait until the exact moment I see his mouth open to run and dive to the right.
Dexterity Saving Throw.
Natural 20. +5, 25.
The massive wave of fire barely misses me, but its still so much hotter than I could've expected. Time to take 26d6 divided by 2.
81 Fire Damage divided by 2 = 41 Fire Damage
ABSORB ELEMENTS!
41 Fire Damage divided by 2, again = 20 Fire damage.
-20 Hit Points: 17/57. Concentration Check: 17 + 2 = 19. Maintains Concentration.
Holy shit I'm alive.
If I don't land any crits this turn I'm done, I'm not letting him have another turn. I'm gunna hit him with my last hit and then instantly surrender, haha.
I charge at the ancient creature and start rapidly slashing at it's head.
9 and 13. Elven Accuracy, 9 rerolls into Natural 20.
Critical Hit! Level 4 Divine Smite. Booming Blade.
3d8 + 24 + 5d8 + 40 + 1d8 + 8 + 5
9d8 + 77 = 126 Damage.
My illusionary blade slashes down straight into his eye as I land a critical hit with my highest level smite. If I can just do that like 2 more times I might actually win. As soon as the shadow blade makes contact and the loud explosion of divine energy is heard, it is immediately overwhelmed by an actual scream in pain from the ancient red dragon.
Let me just hit you a few more times buddy.
2 and 12. Elven Accuracy, 2 rerolls into 5.
12 + 8 = 20.
The thrashing in pain from the dragon causes my 2nd attack to miss completely, "Fuck, quit moving you overgrown lizard." I quietly whisper to myself. Haste attack now, 3rd times the charm.
7 and 14. Elven Accuracy, 7 rerolls into 16.
16 + 8 = 24. Level 2 Divine Smite. No level 2 slots remaining..
6d8 + 5 = 39 Damage.
Time to use my bracers one last time and go for the hail mary. It doesn't matter now though, even if I land another crit I'm all out level 2, 3, and 4 spell slots. I decide to go for the same eye.
1 and 1. Elven Accuracy, 1 rerolls into 10.
10 + 8 = 18.
I slip up a little as I step forward to stab the dragon again and it causes my shadow blade to miss completely. Well I got him from 546 to 201. I'd say that's not bad. Maybe if I use Shield I can make it one more turn? Just gotta hope I get lucky and he can't use fire breath again yet.
As soon as the feeling of my turn fades away the dragon instantly whips his body 180 degrees and attempts to slam his tail into me. I hold up my empty left hand and chant out quickly, "SHIELD!"
The tail slams into the shield and it's almost like the shield never existed in the first place as I watch it instantly shatter and feel all the breath get knocked out of me as the tail whips into my gut.
-14 Hit Points: 3/57
My shield lasts for 1 turn so it instantly regenerates as the dragon finishes rotating and swings a claw down at me. I hold up both arms to protect my head in case the claws pierce through the shield again. This would prove to be a costly mistake as it blocked his claw from my vision.
An instant later I hear Luna scream out something as I feel a claw go straight into my gut. Apparently in the fraction of a second I couldn't see the dragon redirected its claw down and swung for my body instead of swinging down at my head. He also instantly destroyed my shield and my shadow blade. I saw one last pop up from the system in my vision and realized how badly I fucked up.
Critical Hit.
-32 Hit Points: 0/57.
The system flashes away for one second and I'm about 7 feet in the air flying backwards. I can taste blood in my mouth and the edges of my vision are red as I notice a 2nd claw coming down to swipe me out of the air... "Lu...na......."
You are unconscious.
Death Saving Throws:
> Main Quest - Global Summit pt. 3
You know in hindsight maybe I should've called out to Luna earlier. I wonder if bladesong would've made a difference there? Probably not, I mean that thing has like a +17 to hit or something, completely ridiculous. Well let's get the death saves over with.
(A/N: Retconning death saves, misremembered how mechanic works in previous chapter) 11.
Failures: 0/3 Success: 1/3
A few seconds pass I feel some vibrations ringing throughout the void, Luna must be fighting the Dragon Lord. The second dice comes into view. 20.
Hit Points: 1/57
My eyes snap open and I take a sharp gasp of air in. Lifting my head off the ground I see my feet dragging along the ground kicking up dust with a trail of blood following me. Within a second or two of lifting my head whoever was dragging me promptly stops and drops my arms to the ground, "Sir! Sweet Celestia I thought we'd lost you!" I recognize that voice...
"Lieutenant Force? What happened?" Observing the situation it looks like pure chaos was unleashed in the few seconds I was knocked out. Creatures from all nations are running around in a panic, some on fire and screaming. Looking far beyond the crowd and past the arena I see a white dragon head lying on the ground with its eyes rolled back and blood trails coming from its slack jawed mouth and nose. Across the entire colosseum I see the rest of the white dragon, its body is embedded into the wall of the structure, upside down.
Quickly scanning I don't see either of the red dragons. Force replies to me, "Luna announced your surrender and teleported you out of the arena just in time to prevent any further damage. Whatever you said to Inferno at the beginning of the fight pissed him off something fierce though, he didn't stop after the fight was concluded. He yelled something in his native tongue to the other two dragons and then barreled straight at you while unleashing a massive fireball."
Taking a breath the LT continued, "Shining blocked the fire with a shield but it redirected the fire all over the area and decimated half the camps. Right after that Frostbite burrowed out of the ground right next to you and tried to devour you, but Princess Celestia unleashed a lance of pure sun into the beast leaving him in the state you've observed."
"I assume there's more cause I don't see either of the red dragons or the princesses."
"Right. Tormura launched into the air and attempted to unleash a wave of his own fire but Princess Luna donned her armor and moved faster than any pegasus I've ever seen as she barreled straight into his gut. The last thing any of us were able to observe was Luna pushing the dragon lord straight into the air, through the roof, until they were so high we couldn't see them anymore. Right after that, Princess Celestia turned her horn towards the dragon that was still trying to hunt you down. Before she could threaten him or fire off another spell Inferno fell out of air and grasped his head as blood shot out of his nose. Whatever you did to him with that shadow sword damaged him more than any of us realized. Realizing he wasn't in a state to continue the skirmish he took off."
Processing all the information Force just gave me I look at my stomach and realize just how gnarly of a wound Inferno gave me. It's a miracle I haven't bled to death to be honest. I hover both palms over the gaping wound in my gut and mutter out a new incantation.
"Remedium." My hands glow green as I cast Cure Wounds.
4 + 1 = 5. Hit Points: 6/57.
Repeating the spell two more times I dump all my remaining spell slots into recovering.
7 and 4, 13 Total. Hit Points: 19/57.
Then I lower my hands and touch them against what remains of the wound. Lay on Hands, use all 10 points. Hit Points: 29/57.
The wound has almost fully closed now, it went from a gaping hole to a deep gash. Can't believe my shirt is ruined. I'm about to see if I can stand to walk with Force over to the medical tent when I hear a chorus of gasping noises and see dozens of creatures point to the sky while covering their mouths with surprise.
I follow their pointing with my gaze and spot a large red spot rapidly growing bigger as it falls closer to us. After a few seconds I realize it's Tormura in a free fall, he's either dead or unconscious. Another small period of time passes and I can make out a streak of fire following behind him, almost like a meteor or something.
Perception.
20 + 5. 25.
Squinting, I can make out a starry mane behind the streaks of fire, as she comes closer I realize she's covered in gore as she flies straight towards us. The blood on her fur turns black and slowly chips and crumbles to dust, peeling off of her as she continues to heat up during her re-entry. After several more seconds of waiting while listening to the whispers and murmurs of concern and surprise around me. Tormura crashes into the arena shattering it instantly and unleashing a huge cloud of dust that obscures everyone's vision.
I spot Luna as she slows down and glides into the arena landing next to me and at the same time the dust mostly settles. Looking at the massive red dragon lord I'm able to pretty quickly discern what killed him. His eye sockets are empty and there's massive trails of blood all over his neck that originate from his maw. He died getting turned inside out in the vacuum of space.
"Strange, for a being that compared himself to Us quite often and boasts about how a 1000 year banishment to the moon isn't a real punishment. He sure did succumb quickly to the cruelty of space. I need to make sure I don't make a habit of doing that though. While I was actually on the moon the magic keeping me there protected me from the vacuum and the cold, but once I was freed I had to use my own magic. Flying from the moon to here while maintaining that protection is the real reason I was almost completely drained of mana upon my return. I could probably only pull that trick off twice without completely draining myself again. Where is my sister?"
"Right here, Lulu." With impeccable timing the solar alicorn suddenly reappears before us. "I gave chase to Inferno but unfortunately my flying skills have gotten a bit rusty from a lack of practice. He was able to give me the slip quite quickly. Ignis, what did you say to him that caused all of this?"
"Well, while you were doing that weird telepathic negotiation with the Dragon Lord I overheard Inferno ask Frostbite if there was any news on his brother Kiln. Apparently he was supposed to be back from Equestria before the summit started. Once the fight started and he took to the air, I realized I had no way of dealing with him if he stayed in the air. So, I made use of the information I learned and called out to him in Draconic. I taunted him asking why he was hiding in the air like a coward, and even his baby brother Kiln didn't resort to such tactics before I killed him."
"You speak Draconic?!" All 3 of the ponies asked in unison.
"Yeah, I speak a few languages but wasn't sure if any of them would be applicable here. Once I heard them though I knew it was the same. I didn't think it'd lead to.... this much destruction. Was anyone killed?"
Both alicorns looked over to LT Force. "Thankfully no, our medics were able to jump in quickly. Unicorns used their create water spells to put out any creature that needed it. The last rough estimate I'd heard so far was 70 injured but we aren't sure what percentage of that belongs to each nation."
Slowly I rise up onto my feet, "That's fortunate at least. Well, this is my mess so I'll go help transport the injured to the medical tents and see where else I can lend a hand."
Luna puts a hoof on my chest, "Absolutely not. You can't help the injured, Ignis, you ARE the injured. Lieutenant, make sure my paladin makes it to the medical tents. His injury isn't as bad as it initially seemed, but that's still quite deep. Get some rest Ignis, Tia and I need to speak with you once we sort out all this chaos."
After a few seconds of silence Luna speaks up again, "Ignis?"
"As you command, my liege." Honestly I might disobey this order. I've made it my top priority to stay busy as much as possible. I still haven't really internally acknowledged the fact that I'm never going home, to either home.
Force and I start slowly making our way back towards the Equestrian encampment. After around 30 seconds or so I guess Force was uncomfortable with the silence. "Sir, are you okay? You look pretty out of it."
"We got lucky Lieutenant. No one died today, but at the end of the day I am almost solely responsible for what happened. This is kind of like a... a wake up call for me. On some level I think I believed this was just all a dream or a game of sorts. But I literally played with other people's lives, my actions have consequences."
I'm not sure if I was able to properly explain my thoughts but Force seemed to understand well enough, she gave a small nod before responding. "That's one of the first things we end up learning when we join the guard. Ponies are pretty good natured and happy go lucky, but during training they intentionally give us a massive shock while we're goofing off during one of the first training exercises. It's a pretty common phrase they throw around, "This isn't a game, if we mess up, ponies die.""
In the middle of her response we arrive at one of the medical tents and head inside. I grab a roll of gauze and take a seat in the corner of the tent. Lieutenant removes her helmet and takes a seat next to me and watches curiously as I remove my cloak and shirt. "Wow, I don't know what I was expecting, but I know it wasn't bright red hair. Is that natural?"
"Yeah it's natural. You seem like you're doing fine, so I'm heading back out there to help out. Don't leave the tent and make me get in trouble please."
"I'll be out there in an hour or so. I should be mostly recovered by then so I can help out if they still need it." At this point I've finished wrapping the gauze around my lower torso.
"An hour? Sir that wound will take at least a week. You'll be lucky if you can leave the tent before we start packing up to head back to Equestria." I just offer the mare a shrug and she puts her helmet back on and leaves me to my thoughts in the tent.
Honestly I was hoping I'd have a level up by the time the dust settled, but I guess since I never interacted with Frostbite or Tormura I didn't get any experience for their deaths. What's going to happen with the dragons now? Three important dragons died within a week, including the Dragon Lord, this could lead to war. Technically Tormuras duel with Luna started as soon as I was defeated, so legally speaking there shouldn't be any problems with his death. Frostbite was the aggressor as well. The only one that could really be argued as problematic is Kiln, but even then he committed a pretty egregious crime by threatening a princess.
I guess that'll be one of the topics I bring up with the sisters. I also need to clarify how much power this coalition of leaders has as well. If they can demand Luna stand trial, what can they demand of me once my status as a bladesinger comes out?
I need to stop worrying for now, so let's think about something else. Seeing the Lieutenant's bright red mane without her helmet reminded me of a girl from my fathers territory. I can't remember her name, but we interacted a few times during some banquets. I wish I could remember more... she had that fiery red hair with blond streaks that almost all of the Summer elves had. Teal eyes, she was quite striking. I had planned on inviting her to my naming ceremony so I could attempt to court her.
Ember. That was her name, I wonder how she's doing now?
Before I can go too far down the past life rabbit hole and end up emotional I get a notification that I've completed my Short Rest with a prompt for how many hit dice I want to consume.
Let's use both paladin d10's and 3 wizard d6's.
8 + 8 + 3 + 6 + 3 = 28 Hit Points: 57/57.
Wow, that's crazy luck. Not only did I roll high on the two d10's but I rolled the exact amount of HP I needed to get back to full. Next up is Arcane Recovery, at the end of a short rest I can use Arcane Recovery to recover spell slots that add up to 3. I elect to take three level 1 spell slots.
I remove the gauze and inspect my perfectly healed torso. It did end up leaving a pretty wicked scar running down the middle of my stomach, but otherwise everything is good as new! I throw my uniform back on and make my way out of the tent. As I pass through I give a quick look at all the ponies currently laid up on cots. Most of them seem to just have minor burns, so I continue on. If any of them were in a critical state I was going to use Cure Wounds on them, but luckily it's not needed.
Since an hour has passed the scene outside of the medical tent is much more subdued this time around. Everyone currently out and about is focused on clearing up debris and re-setting up camp. Looking up towards the retractable roof of the colosseum I see hundreds of changelings currently working on repairing the hole so they can work on cooling the inside back down to a reasonable temperature. I opt to leave my visual enchantment disabled with my uniform as I wander around looking for either Princess. Wearing all black while the sun is out and its 115F sounds like a bad idea.
Eventually I find out that all the remaining leaders have decided to continue the summit and are located in a giant tent on the far northern end of the field. As I pass through the opening of the tent I realize I just went through a sound bubble. The first thing I hear is the changeling queen asking a question, "Celestia you're beating around the bush, is he a Bladesinger or not?"
Celestia is about to respond when she notices everyone else at the table is now looking behind her, at me. I decide to speak up since I already have their attention. "Sup? Did I miss anything important? I'll be honest, I assumed we'd call it a day and resume tomorrow."
Luna rises to her hooves and gives me the stink eye, "You haven't missed much, we only started back up 5 or so minutes ago. The real question is why are you here against my order? You need to go back and recover."
"Technically you ordered LT Force to escort me to the tent, you didn't order me to do anything. Also," I lift up my cloak and shirt. "I am fully recovered."
I can tell Luna and Celestia had several questions, but it would seem they want to maintain an image of knowing everything about me. Granted, the fact that she even asked about my recovery in the first place is telling enough. Luna clears her throat and responds, "Very well. Some of us proposed putting a pause on things until repairs were finished, but it went to a vote and the majority decided we'd continue immediately."
Luna returns to her mat on the ground and I take a seat between her and Shining. Since there's no table or crystals now I guess it's not too important where I sit. I nod to Queen Aurora and she reiterates her inquiry to Celestia. I'm curious what approach she'll take here. I know she hasn't been super happy with me lately but I think she still appreciates what I'm doing.
She decides to tell most of the truth. "His art of bladesinging is very similar to the extinct art in our history, but it is not the same. It's significantly weaker, he was unable to even defeat a severely mana starved Nightmare Moon. I think that says enough, no?"
Everyone quietly ponders her words for a few minutes before the lead cow from Minos speaks up. "Can we have a demonstration?"
Celestia looks to me as if telling me it's my decision, "Not today. My wounds are healed but it used just about all the mana I had. I don't mind giving a demonstration tomorrow or later this week. I am curious though, what if Celestia said yes? Would it really make me some kind of boogeyman? Even more curiously, what do you all even plan on doing if it turns out that I am a true Bladesinger?" I lean forward and give each individual a very brief stare down.
I don't put my hand to my hilt or anything too aggressive. I'm just genuinely shocked that they're actually bringing this up. Surely, they don't plan on attempting to make demands of me? King Silverwing gives me the answer I'm looking for, "I wouldn't call you a boogeyman, but it would definitely make every nation uncomfortable to know that a Bladesinger has not only re-emerged into the world, but they've even aligned themself to a particular country. In our texts the old singers are described as a neutral party that only stepped in if disputes were beginning to destabilize the balance of the world. It's a shame that they fell to Discord. Even their libraries and training halls were destroyed, leaving no way to pass on their art."
I raise my eyebrow at him and make a gesture with my hand telling him to go on. He hasn't answered the final part of my question. Queen Aurora chimes in before the griffon can continue, "We can't demand you to do anything, but we would likely introduce a vote to have your oath abolished. After that we would request you step away from Equestria and act as a neutral force of balance the same way your predecessors did. This is all hypothetical though, I have no reason to believe Celestia lied to us and if what she said is true then there will likely be no follow up votes for this agenda topic."
I have some thoughts on the matter, but I elect to hold my tongue for now. "Alright. Let's move on for today then, what's the next topic for discussion?"
"For the day 1 agenda there are no more topics for public discussion. The second half of every day is slotted out for private meetings between specific nations that requested or agreed to a discussion. Equestria and the Changelings have a meeting booked, and Ciervana has a meeting with Griffonia. Draconia had a meeting scheduled with Minos, but it would seem that is currently impossible. I'll see you all here bright and early tomorrow for day 2!" The changeling queen stands up and walks over to Celestia.
Luna and I rise and begin to follow the two to wherever the meeting is being held, but Celestia turns around and faces us. "Neither of you have to be here for this meeting if you don't want to. Aurora and I just wanted to catch up and make some small tweaks to our alliance agreement.
"Do you not want us there? Cause it's like 4PM and there's literally nothing else for us to do. I know you and Luna wanted to talk to me as well so why don't we come along and just knock it all out in 1 go. Unless, did you have something else you'd rather do Luna?" I Inquire.
"It is as you say. However sister, if you simply wish to attend this meeting alone then that's fine but if we had to choose we'd like to accompany you."
Once again, Celestia wasn't lying. I think we've been in this tent for atleast an hour and they've just been talking like a couple of friends catching up. I wish I had added Message to my cantrip list last time I long rested. Atleast that way I could have my own side bar with Luna. Almost as if she could detect my growing boredom Celestia taps Luna on the barrel and all 3 of them look over to me. "So Ignis, what is that glowing light that came down on Inferno during your fight. When I saw it for the first time in the mountain I assumed it was a feature of your legendary sword, but seeing it again with that illusionary blade piqued my curiosity."
"That is eloquently known as Divine Smite. When I land any melee blow I can imbue the attack with divine energy. Ever since I performed the ritual with Luna and took an oath as her paladin I've been able to perform such feats. Pulling from that same source of energy is also how I acquired my new healing capabilities." I look over at the changeling queen with a minor amount of suspicion, "Are you sure we should be discussing my capabilities with her in the room though?"
The queen just gives me a soft smile as Celestia responds, "Oh it's fine Aurora and I have been friends for eons now. We just don't get many opportunities to sit down with each other since she lives all the way out here in the desert. I trust her. With that out of the way though let's get a bit serious here. I overheard your conversation with Miss Force, I'm glad you're aware that you are atleast somewhat to blame for what happened today. However, the more pressing matter is what we should do with Draconia. We'll almost certainly need to have a discussion with them, but I'd say it's quite likely that this devolves into a real conflict. Aurora, what side do you think the summit will take?"
She hums in consideration for a moment, "Well that's tough to say. If we assume no creature understood what your cute paladin said in his taunt then I think it'd be easy to convince the others that Draconia was the aggressor and your response was proportionate. Even if we do that though, the dragons are proud to an idiotic degree. I wouldn't be surprised if they left the coalition and declared war on all of us if we took your side here." Cute?!
It's the first time I've been called cute in either of my lives and I find myself looking at the floor in response to the compliment. "Don't be fooled by this harlot, Ignis. She just wants your bloodline for the possibility of bringing Bladesingers into her hive." Luna unexpectedly jumps in.
Aurora holds up a chitin hoof to her chest pretending to be offended. "Harlot?! I guess I should've known better than to go after your paladin. You have always been the jealous type."
What is she implying?
"What are you implying?" It would appear Luna had the same thought as me.
"Oh nothing. I'm just glad your return has been going well Luna. So Ignis, what else can you do? Apparently you can significantly injure a dragon all by yourself, conjure illusionary blades that inflict wounds on the mind, channel the power of the moon into a smite, and even perform healing magic that is unheard of in this realm. Oh and you're a bladesinger, can't forget that one."
"Is my healing that impressive? It didn't seem any different from the healing I received at the castle after my duel with Shining."
"No no, Equestrian healing is only capable of performing similar feats if the wound is merely skin deep. Anything beyond that and all the spell would do is prevent things from getting worse. You healed your intestines, abdominal muscles, and skin. Interesting that it left a scar though. Don't think you can dodge my question though, what else can you do?"
I look to Luna and she gives me a nod of approval to divulge further details. I end up walking the queen through most of my spellbook before putting my inquiry out for the group. "I think we should poach Lieutenant Force to the Night Watch." Okay that wasn't really an inquiry, but you get my point.
"Any reason why her in particular?" Celestia asks.
"She's the first guard to go beyond tolerating me. Actually, she doesn't even really seem to care that I'm a freaky alien. She has a fire in her eyes though, that look that ambitious people have. It's something I've basically never seen in ponies before, almost like your entire species lacks ambition. She has it though, I can feel it."
Luna speaks up this time, "Aye, cutie marks and a long standing era of peace have caused our ponies to become complacent. They're all just happy to do what their cutie mark says to do and have fun with their friends and family. Even before my banishment ambition was a rare trait to find in a pony, but I daresay it's worse in this era. Did she apply right before we left for this event though? I'm quite confident I'm caught up on all the applications so far and I didn't see a file with her name on it."
"No, she was going to apply but she said that after thinking about she decided the working hours would impact her social life too much. I think if we both talk to her though we can probably win her over."
Luna just gives a deep sigh, "I'd rather not badger somepony into joining my guard, but if you really think she'd be a good fit then we can talk to her at some point tonight or tomorrow."
I stand up and give a small yawn as I notice how hungry I am. I offer a polite goodbye to Aurora and tell the sisters I'm going to find food. I half expected atleast one of them to leave with me considering this is also their normal dinner time, but they both appear to be staying behind so I take my leave.
Let's make sure I'm keeping track of everything. Potential war with dragons, demonstrating my bladesong tomorrow, and I need to mentally prepare for a major shitshow if they try to demand I abolish my oath and become a third party. I feel like that's everything so far? Ah well it can't be too important if I'm forgetting it. Time for food then some light training before bed, got another long day ahead of us tomorrow.
> Main Quest - Global Summit pt. 4
I wake up with a big stretch and yawn. The rest of the evening was uneventful, but I did get a few guards who decided to join me for training. That was surprising. Now that I'm fully rested first things first, I grab the Moonblade and cast Haste, storing it into the blade for later. Walking outside I'm surprised to see the roof and table is fully repaired. I assume the demonstration they asked for will be the first thing we do today.
Once I'm fully awake I'm reminded of what Luna and I talked about before I retired for the night. If their demands aren't too outlandish then we should just temporarily bend the knee. Once she gave me a proper breakdown of our current position I realized how precarious of a spot we're in. If I were to be expelled from the group for refusing their demands then they can just redo the vote for Luna's trial. Since Draconia was listed on the original complaint their vote would still count despite not having a representative here, because they still had a seat at the table.
If this had been a week ago I'd give them the middle figure and tell them to eat shit, but now I can't help but think of the cascading consequences. Luna going to trial could cause this entire alliance to fall apart, the hypothetical conflict with the dragons would evolve into a full on world war. That would be an absolute waste of lives for no good reason. At the end of the day it's not even up to me, Luna would be the one to nullify the oath. Ah well that's enough worrying for one morning, let's go get breakfast.
One nutritional start to the day later and we're all gathered around the table once again. As expected the demonstration is the first thing on the agenda. "Before I start I just want you all to understand yesterday I wasn't using the bladesong and was instead affected by a Haste spell. You all have Haste here right?" After a quick explanation of the spell Celestia gives me a nod. "Cool, so I'm not using Haste today because it's a taxing spell and this is meant to be a demonstration for the bladesong alone. All the bladesong is going to do is make me slightly faster, increase my evasiveness, and solidify my concentration. I'd honestly say it's weaker than Haste."
For the first time since the vote against Luna yesterday, the lead Doe from Ciervana speaks up. "However, you can perform the bladesong while hastened, yes?"
"Correct. I'm just giving you all clear expectations cause I suspect atleast one of you is going to accuse me of sandbagging the demonstration. How am I doing this? Do we have a wooden dummy or am I sparring against someone?"
To my utter astonishment, Celestia rises fully decked out in golden armor with a massive battle axe in her telekinesis field. "You'll be sparring against me. I do recommend using everything you have though."
"My spellcasting resources are quite limited and I don't want to end up in a situation like yesterday where I'm completely drained for the entire day. If more representatives from Draconia arrive today I'd rather be fully capable."
"Oh, Ignis, I'm not ordering you to do anything. Only Luna can do that, but I'm just warning you that it's in your best interest to not hold back."
Wisdom Saving Throw.
12 + 5 = 17.
The presence she's releasing now is so much different than anything I've felt so far. It feels like the entire sky is weighing down on my shoulders, even with the roof in place it feels like I'm back out in the desert. Judging by the looks on everyone else's face they're certainly feeling it just as much as I am. I guess no one will think she's going easy on me this way.
Honestly I hate that I'm wasting spell slots on this. I refuse to use anything other than Shield though. Wasting my high level smites here would be a waste of time, I'm not even sure if Radiant damage does anything to her. Something in my gut tells me that she's resistant at the very least.
I unsheathe the Moonblade and hold it in front of me. I close my eyes and begin channeling the Bladesong. Once I open my eyes I'm greeted to the familiar motes of light wisping around me, but the song is a new one. It's slow and sad sounding notes being played individually on a piano. It's very reminiscent of something I heard in my life as a human but I can't quite place it.
Next I decide to go ahead and use the Haste I put in the sword this morning, I verbally shout out "Festinatio!" As the haste and bladesong begin to intermingle the slow flowing motes of light speed up significantly.
AC: 25. Speed: 80ft.
Roll for Initiative.
4 + 5 = 9. Well that blows.
Instantly her battle axe disappears. After a quick scan around and behind me I don't see it, but I look up just in time to jump backwards and avoid the thing trying to cleave me in two. Before I can even land on the ground the axe has rotated and is making a swing for my torso, at the same time Celestia herself is sprinting at me.
I try to twist my body around in the air to avoid the axe a second time, but I can tell I'm too slow. "Shield!" AC: 30.
The golden battle axe bounces off my shield and I realize Celestia is nowhere to be seen. As I land on the ground I spin around just in time to see two rear hooves rapidly approaching my head. I start to lean back trying to duck under them as they completely shatter the shield. Right as I think I've dodged it her hooves speed up just a bit more and just barely nick the top of my forehead with her horseshoe.
Strength Saving Throw.
7 + 1 = 8.
Even though she just barely scraped my head at the end of her kick it's still enough force to suddenly launch me back 10ft sliding into the wasteland soil.
-21, Glancing blow, -11. Hit Points: 46/57.
As I right myself into a proper stance I feel something dripping off my chin. It would seem I'm bleeding. I take off towards Celestia and prepare myself to go for a flurry of strikes. I'm hoping I can just simply overwhelm the speed of her telekinesis controlled weapon.
14 + 10 = 24.
My first slash is pushed to the side by her axe and I'm almost too stunned to launch my follow up swings. That missed? Holy shit, she must've let herself lose to Nightmare. Before I give up too much time I instantly chain together another slash from the opposite side.
18 + 10 = 28. Shit I should've used booming blade here instead of saving it.
The golden battle axe attempts to intercept my blade again, but the attack has come too quickly. I slip right under the axe and give her a slash right beside the golden petryal.
7 + 6 + 7 = 20 Slashing damage.
The vertical slash begins right next to the petryal and ends a couple of inches into her foreleg. Maintaining my momentum I go from diagonally in front of her to completely beside her as I let loose another slash, with Booming Blade added on.
15 + 10 = 25.
She lowers herself just a bit and causes my blade to hit her armor running along the top half of her barrel. After I'm about 60% through the swing I manage to lower the blade just enough to give a shallow cut along her side.
2 + 2 + 5 + 7 = 16 Damage, glancing blow, 8 Damage.
Clicking my tongue in annoyance I go for my final slash, it's a vertical slash going up.
9 + 10 = 19.
Her legs were already slightly bent from attempting to deflect my last attack allowing her to quickly jump to the side, dodging the final slash completely. She rotates in the air with a half flap of her wing and is facing me again.
Her axe starts rotating in the air as she charges her horn. The weapon is spinning straight towards me as the alicorn lowers her head and points her horn at me, is she about to hit me with a beam of magic the same instant the axe hits me? My face lights up in panic as I quickly raise my sword in an attempt to push back against the battle axe, but just before anything makes contact we're interrupted. "Stop! We've seen enough!"
The axe disappears from thin air and Celestia gives me a soft smile, "Honestly you did better than I expected. Superb maneuvers, Ignis."
I put the Moonblade back in its scabbard and stop the Bladesong. I also instruct the blade to stop concentrating on the Haste spell. As soon as the Haste ends I'm suddenly very dizzy as I drop down to 1 knee while clutching my head with my hands. Usually the lethargy aftereffect from Haste doesn't hit me this hard. Did that horse give me a concussion?!
Celestia stops and turns around when she hears me partially collapse, "Are you okay?" Wow she sounds genuinely concerned.
"Yes, the wave of lethargy that usually follows haste combined with the absolute rattle you gave my head just made me dizzy." I put my hand on my chest and drop 5 points from Lay on Hands back into my health pool.
Hit Points: 51/57. Good enough.
Rising to my feet I take my assigned seat at the table in front of a pink crystal. I motion for a guard that's watching us from afar to bring me some water. As I wait for him to return I listen to the other leaders. "It gave me quite the shock when I first heard the notes in tune with the motes of light, but it's as you both said. That is much weaker than what we all feared. Does any creature still want to open further discussion on this topic?" Queen Aurora questions the leaders.
The chieftess from Minos raises a hand, "It was weaker but it was still strikingly similar. Are we not concerned that he could develop the art into the real thing? Also, how can any of us truly know he wasn't holding back?"
Celestia makes an offer, "I can cast my truth spell if you'd like?"
"You know what, yes I would like that."
Celestia ignites her horn and after asking a few baseline questions to the minotaur to prove the spell is functional she turns to me. "Ignis, were you holding back in our spar just now?"
"I was holding back on utilizing my Divine Smite, but all it would've done is made my attacks hurt more. The bladesong and my actual swordsmanship was everything I had."
After no reaction from the spell I turn to Chieftess Steelheart, "Is this sufficient? Also while we still have the spell going. My people have never documented or practiced an improved version of my bladesinging." Once again no reaction.
"I supposed that's fine then. I'm done, Aurora." The cow finally relents.
"Any creature else?" I can tell that the Griffons, Deer, and Minotaurs do still have complaints, but I guess my bladesong is so underwhelming that they don't even think they can justify further arguments.
After a few seconds of silence the Changeling moves on. "Alright the next topic was originally going to be treaty re-negotiation between all of the nations present for the purpose of adding Ciervana. Draconia also wished to tweak some of the tariffs, but I believe there's no point in discussing this topic without discussing a new point of contention. Therefore, the next item up on the agenda is the potential conflict between Draconia and Equestria. After having some of my smartest drones tackle the issue we were able to determine that Ignis taunted Inferno about killing his brother. When we investigated this further we did find evidence that Kiln was in Equestria and was causing a large disturbance. If Equestria is truly responsible for killing Kiln without proper justification then I'm afraid we'll likely rule that the Draconia response to Ignis taunt was understandable. If that ends up being the case I suspect a majority of the creatures at this table will not support you should things come to blows. What is your side of the story, Equestria?"
Luna decides she'll be the one to respond to this issue. "That creature had the nerve to come into our borders, intentionally created ecological problems to gauge our response, and offered several insults towards myself. To top it all off the last thing he said before we ended his miserable life was a very serious threat towards me. He implied that he would personally make sure I do not survive this summit. Also, while Tormura's death is regrettable, I started the duel with him as soon as the previous combatants had exited the arena. Frostbite was slaughtered in self defense and Inferno received no injuries outside of the ones he sustained during his duel with Ignis. It would be foolish to find us entirely at fault no matter the result of Kiln's death."
"So you do admit to being responsible for Kiln's death. We still need to hear Draconia's argument for their side, but as things stand I'm willing to agree that war is not justified in this situation. How do you all vote? Minos?"
"Minos agrees with the Changelings, not justified."
"Ciervana?"
"Ciervana agrees, not justified."
"Griffonia?"
"Griffonia abstains until all the facts are presented."
"Saddle Arabia?"
"Not justified."
"Well, we'll likely do a final vote once the new representatives from Draconia arrive, but as things stand this is good enough to move on." As Aurora finishes her statement a small changeling rushes up to the queen and whispers something in her ear. After they go back and forth a few times the two-toned light blue and pink maned Aurora proposes a lunch break which everyone else agrees to.
"I wonder what that was about, Queen Aurora looked quite shaken up." I decide to say what we're all thinking as I bite into a grilled cheese sandwich, can't beat the classics. I'm currently in the royal tent with Celestia, Luna, Shining, and Raven.
"From what I was able to hear, it seems like there was some commotion going on in the love storage rooms. Didn't seem too serious though." Luna enlightens us.
"You could hear any of that? I only knew they were talking cause their mouths were moving but I couldn't even hear a whisper."
"Aye, thestral blood allows me superior hearing. It's good enough that I can even navigate with my eyes closed." She says that with her chest fluff puffed out, she's apparently quite proud of that. It is interesting though, so Celestia has truesight and Luna has blindsight. Very Interesting.
Once lunch ended the rest of the day was quite boring. They did let me officially add the Summer Feywild to the list of nations in the treaty, which just absolutely tickles me. After that topic was over we broke off into individual meetings again, but Equestria had none. Suspiciously though there was a private meeting that included every nation except Equestria and Saddle Arabia. I tried to get Callisid to go observe the meeting and report back anything interesting but I couldn't get a response from him. That actually does cause me a small bit of concern.
Around sunset I meet up with Luna and Celestia to ask them some questions. "This was supposed to last all week, but it feels like all the major issues have already been addressed, no? What's on the agenda for tomorrow?"
"It was scheduled to potentially last all week, but we did go through the topics a bit quicker than anticipated. Assuming nopony arrives from Draconia tomorrow we will likely announce the end of the summit and tomorrow will be the friendship festival." Celestia answers with a bright smile.
"Friendship festival? Seriously?"
"Of course, Ignis. It's tradition that we end the summit with a festival to prove our friendship is true and no ill will harbors in any of our hearts. It's essentially just one big party but with exposure to all the different cultures at once. It should be quite the fun time!"
I can't help but scoff at how naive the idea sounds, but I choose to not voice that opinion. "Well I'm glad to see your mood has improved atleast. I was starting to get worried we were gunna be at each other's throat for the rest of my time here."
"Well, most of the things that were causing me stress have been resolved now. I still refuse to allow you to learn Equestria magic, for now."
I quietly whisper the incantation for the Guidance cantrip and cast it on myself.
"That's fine I don't need anyone to teach me, I don't even need your stupid books. I already learned your runic alphabet and was able to perform a single rune spell. I'm sure I'm perfectly capable of teaching myself from that starting point. But, if you'd rather I learn powerful magic all on my own, in the castle, with no oversight. Then be my guest, I just thought you'd rather have someone teach me so you can atleast monitor what spells I'm learning and make sure I'm not doing an experiment that'll blow up the entire Canterlot mountain." Shining is struggling to hold back a laugh and Raven looks at me with curiosity.
Persuasion.
16 + 1 = 17. Guidance +1d4. 17 + 4 = 21.
I see Celestia's smile falter and one of her eyebrows starts to twitch. Glancing at Luna she's giving me a rather impressed look, so I guess that means I made a pretty good point. Eventually Celestia replies, "Once we get back to the castle and the Draconia matter is fully resolved I will allow you to learn our magic. You'll spend two weeks with Luna then two weeks with me. Since Twilight has moved to Ponyville I can slot you into the timeslot she used to occupy on my schedule." Oh I get to learn from her as well? She probably just plans to use those two weeks to observe and adjust.
"Perfect! I'm glad we could come to an agreement. This has been an enlightening conversation, but I think I'm going to go get some cardio in before I retire for the night. Sleep well, all of you."
After my 30 minutes of cardio I clean myself off in one of the stalls with a bucket of water and some soap. Then I store another Haste spell in my Moonblade and retire for the evening. As I lay down and start to meditate I offer up a prayer that tomorrow everything goes smoothly and we can get the hell out of this desert.
> Main Quest - Global Summit pt. 5
I elected to actually sleep last night instead of meditating, but it seems like Luna had a busy night because I'm fairly certain I had a dreamless sleep. Walking out of the tent I'm somewhat surprised to see the festival is pretty much in full swing already. Doing a quick scan I don't see Luna, Celestia, or LT Force so I put my hands behind my head and decide to casually look around.
"Can I get 2 skewers?" I smelled a smelly smell that smelled....smelly, it was meat. Walking over to the griffon's food stand I grabbed a couple roasted meat skewers. Honestly I wasn't particularly missing meat since I had jerky in my rations, but this beats jerky all day every day. I feel like I should've gotten ale to go with this, but it's not even noon yet. Honestly I laughed at the idea of this festival when I initially heard about it from Celly yesterday, but if the griffons brought meat I wonder what the minotaurs brought?
On my way to the minotaur section of the field I spot 3 or 4 of our guards lined up next to a large tent. There's a wooden sign in front of the tent that says Changeling Food Drive, Please Donate. I don't have anything going on so I decide to go check it out. Walking up to the end of the line I tap the guard on the back of her neck. "Hey the sign says food drive but none of you are carrying anything. That seemed odd to me, so figured I'd come ask what's up?"
The armored unicorn mare turns her head to face me, "Yeah apparently something went wrong yesterday and the changelings lost all of their long term storage of love. We'd hate to see them starve so we're going to donate as much as we safely can."
"Oh, I heard something about that love storage yesterday from the princess, but I didn't know why it was noteworthy that they lost stored love. You're telling me they eat love? How does that work?"
"Why don't you take a look for yourself?" As she suggests that to me the line moves and we slip into the tent. Looking over I see a big comfy looking set of benches and there's two guards staring at two unarmored ponies. I notice there's some pink mist very slowly rising from the guards and floating towards the unarmored ponies. So the changelings are currently disguised as the guards' significant other and then they can just slowly siphon the literal love from them. What in the fuck did they evolve from to develop that trait?
"I assume that's safe since you're all willingly doing this?"
"Oh of course as long as they just feed off the passive love that's being generated it's harmless. They're capable of forcibly draining love from a pony though, and that is not harmless. It can quickly leave them unresponsive."
As the guard finishes her explanation the line moves up again and now it's time for me and her to donate. I decide to ask the insect pony a question before we start, "Can you change into something that isn't pony shaped?"
"Yesss, not all of us can but we were selected for this donation shift specifically because we can. There are a lot of non-ponies present if you haven't noticed."
"I did notice, but in the 10 or so minutes I've been here I've only seen ponies come and go. Figured it was worth asking. So, how does this work? Specifically, how do you manage to disguise yourself as someone's love?"
"Well transformations cost us love, so we typically try to ask the subject to first close their eyes and visualize a loved one. If they're able to do that then we ask them things like what's their favorite thing about them, if they have any quirky behaviors. Things like that will usually trigger the brain to produce the chemicals for love. For some that process just doesn't generate enough so at that point we, with consent, have a spell that can allow us to pull the perfect transformation from the food source's mind."
That's freaky. "Alright well let me get started on this visualization thing. Does familial love work or does it have to be romantic love?"
"They are functionally the same, but romantic love typically has a higher yield so that's the preferred method."
Unfortunately for them all I've ever had romantically is a couple of crushes. As a human I did have a couple of girlfriends but I wouldn't produce any love if I pictured them right now, so I elect to think of my drow mother. The first memory that comes to mind is one early morning when I managed to sneak away from my attendant. I remember crawling through a bush and coming across Zarra performing some training for Talabrina and two other clerics in training. Tala is performing some basic motions with a wooden sword. The other two youngsters seem to be attempting spellcasting through the channeling of their faith. One of them finds success as her hands begin to glow a bright silver. Mom has a big smile and gives her a hug in celebration before turning to the other one and telling her that she's doing well and should succeed soon.
She was always so kind and patient. Tiny me must've felt a tinge of jealousy because I quickly walked over to the training group and grabbed onto my mothers long gown. "Oh and how did you sneak out here, huh? Did you want to start training already? It's hard work, you know, you'll have to be very devout and work every day." She picks me up mid sentence.
I put my hands together mimicking the actions of the cleric who managed to make her hands glow. After a few seconds I push my palms outward like there was a little explosion and go "Bwahhhh."
"Ahhhh, you're too much!" She pulls me close and ruffles my hair as she goes on about how she wants to see me walking around in a priest robe that's too big for me. "You wouldn't even need to use divine spells, anyone would be cured on the spot if they saw you."
With a soft smile I stop reminiscing and open my eyes, honestly I got so immersed in the memory I think I ended up going into a small trance. The first thing I see when I open my eyes is that where there was once a small insect pony, now sits a large Queen Aurora staring at me intensely. Peeking around her I notice the smaller changeling is vomiting up some pink gel into a slightly green jar. The other changeling that was feeding on the guard I came in with is patting him on the back as he throws up the pink gel. He keeps telling him that he's almost done and he did a good job.
"Good Morning madam. I didn't know my donation would be personally handled by royalty?" I jokingly say with a tinge of curiosity.
"Well at first you were producing below average love, but right when my drone was about to interrupt you and ask for permission to use the True Hearts Desire spell you suddenly completely overwhelmed him with love. I'm not sure what happened but about a minute or so after you closed your eyes you produced an enormous amount of love. It's very strange, I had to step in personally as they couldn't handle your output. What did you do, if I may ask?" Queen Aurora gives me a pretty detailed rundown on the situation.
"Ah I was thinking of a memory of my mother and ended up getting so immersed I entered into my trance state. I don't typically sleep, I instead meditate or go into a trance to reflect on the day's events or old memories. The timing seems to line up so I'm guessing entering my trance state is what triggered the anomaly."
"More importantly, are you feeling well? Do you need something to eat or drink? Obviously you're a new species for us so we have no baseline, but if you were a pony you'd be a vegetable after producing that much love." Aw, she's actually caring about my well being. Oh wait, I'm a potential new wellspring of food of course she cares about my health.
"Yeah I feel fine, a little tired maybe? I only woke up 35 or 40 minutes ago though, so that could also be why I'm tired. Have you seen Luna by the way? It's not particularly pressing, but I was hoping to keep an eye on her today as she wanders around."
She gives me a smirk, "Aw look at the cute paladin, he wants to know where his Princess is. It is adorable that you think she needs extra protection, but yes I have seen her. She was just over by the deers' camp and I saw her start walking back towards the pony area before I came in here."
"Great, thanks. Also, I know she's more powerful than me right now, but if I can't help her in a troubling situation. I know I can at least buy her time to escape or regroup. Since I guess I can make a lot of food for you and your people I'll stop by again to donate at some point today."
"I would very much appreciate that. Thank you." With a very light head bow I walk out of the tent and make my way back towards the royal tent.
"Ah there you are Ignis, I was coming to see if you were awake yet. Have you been enjoying the festivities so far?" Luna finds me before I can even make it to the tent.
"Yeah the griffons had some extremely juicy meat skewers. Honestly, the highlight of the trip so far. I also donated some love to the changelings. Do we have any plans for today?"
"Yes! I came to retrieve you to ask that you assist us at our festival event."
"Oh sure, lead the way."
We walk for a few minutes and as soon as I see the "event" I turn around and start walking back. Before I can make it more than a few steps I feel a tug on my hood and Luna starts to plead with me. "Ignis please! It'll help improve the guards' perception of us if you participate!"
In front of me a classic carnival style dunk tank. There's a small target that is floating around randomly next to a large pool of water with a platform above it. I guess allowing the guards to attempt to drop me into the water repeatedly is a pretty good idea. I can maybe throw out some playful banter and get them to lighten up a little when I'm around. "Fine! I'll do it. How long do I need to stay up there?"
"Oh thank you! It'll just be for a couple of hours. After that Shining Armor should show up to replace you."
Well shit. I am curious as to how that target is connected to the platform that drops me in. Unlike the ones I remember from earth this target has no backdrop and is literally just moving in a 2 dimensional pattern randomly in the air. I can't see any type of aura like I usually see with unicorn magic. I climb on up and plop my ass down on the diving board holding me above the water. I hope it's not cold.
"Sergeant, if I knew you throw like that beforehand I would've told you it's fine for you to use telekinesis. I mean seriously it's been 45 minutes and I am bone dry, and this is the best of the best? The ponies that personally guard her majesty? Maybe the night guard is better off with just me." Some of the guards are quite miffed at my constant ribbing, but I am legitimately shocked none of them have sunk me yet. I should step up my game. I whisper the incantation for mage hand and summon it into the pool of water.
An unfamiliar pegasus steps up to the plate and begins to take aim. She misses the first shot by a mile and the 2nd shot is closer but still pretty bad. I speak up before she throws a third one, "Hold up don't throw your last ball yet, let me help you out." Some of the guards watch with a hint of surprise as my blue corporeal mage hand floats out of the water and grabs the target. Bringing it to a complete stop in mid air I turn towards the guard. "Alright, you can go ahead now."
Time seems to slow down as I watch the ball arc through the air. It's gunna be close, I might be going down! Ohhh, and it just barely misses, phew.
I let go of the target with the mage hand and let out a yawn. This is getting boring fast. A few more flunkies come and go before something interesting happens. Luna and Celestia end up walking up to the side during some random unicorns' attempt to drown me.
"Have you been using magic to dry yourself off? You don't look like you've gotten wet at all." Luna asks.
"Nah, these guards just can't throw even if their life depends on it. Or, perhaps they just can't handle my presence. I'm motivated, determined, resilient, confident, mentally untouchabl-" I'm cut off as I hear a loud ringing noise and am suddenly surrounded by water. Oh fuck me it's cold. How is it cold?! I resurface and decide to brood for a couple of minutes with just my eyes and nose poking over the surface. I give a deadpan stare at the sisters.
"Perhaps you should've been physically untouchable instead, hm?" Celestia taunts with a small smirk.
"I didn't say physical because no man is." I'm not sure why I'm even committing to a Low Tier God bit in Equestria. There is no chance anyone on this planet gets the reference.
"That is strangely wise. I didn't expect that response." Celestia hums as she takes a bite of cotton candy and turns to walk away. Luna starts to follow behind her sister but looks at me and quickly lets me know.
"Keep it up, Ignis. You're doing great!" Well, I can't just hide in the water for the next hour like I planned to if she's going to say something like that to me. As they leave I climb back up and look out where the guards were to find there's now around 25-30 of them just giving me varying levels of smugness.
"I guess even a broken clock is right twice a day, huh? Good job. Anyone else think they can knock me down?"
After that first dunk the guards apparently got a little more dialed in. They seemed to knock me in around once every 20 or so minutes? After a while though I start looking around, I swear it's been two hours. Where is Shining?
At this point I feel like it's beginning to get dark outside. I told Aurora I would donate one more time before today ended, so I'll call it here and go see if I can find Shining Armor. "Alright everyone I'm sorry but I was supposed to be done like 4 hours ago. I'm going to find my replacement so just hang out if you want, someone should take my place in a few minutes." As I climb down and walk away I just laugh at the chorus of "Boo".
Perception.
14 + 5 = 19.
I feel like I've been walking around scanning for 30 minutes now and I don't see this unicorn anywhere. I spot the sisters walking into their tent and decide to follow after them and ask if they've seen the Captain.
However, right before I enter the tent I hear a familiar voice telepathically speaking to me. "Ignis, can you come outside? I was following up on some rumors I heard that a new set of dragons would be here around sunset, and I think I see something, but it's far off. I was hoping for a second set of eyes."
"Oh that's where you've been? I've been getting dunked at the water tank for like 6 hours! I'm on my way though, just outside the front archway?"
"Aww dude I'm so sorry. I completely forgot, if I had remembered I would've gotten somepony to go relieve you in my place. But, yeah go out the main archway and come around the right side, it seems like they're 1000-2000 feet out."
It's basically night time by the time I make my way out and around, but I spot Shining standing on top of a rock staring out to the East. "Where am I looking here?" I ask him as I walk up and stand beside him.
"Yeah so look right over there, I'm pretty sure I see Inferno and then a purple dragon and a black dragon." I follow the direction he's pointing his hoof in.
Perception.
20 + 5 = 25.
"Are you sure man? I really don't see anything, which direction were they flying in?" I stop looking out and start to turn towards the unicorn, but I never finish my rotation.
-12 Hit Points: 45/57.
Constitution Saving Throw.
11 + 2 = 13. Poisoned.
Time unfreezes and I finish turning my head to look at Shining, but what I see instead has me screaming internally. Green flames quickly spread out over the unicorns body to reveal a changeling biting into the side of my gut.
You Are Paralyzed.
The changeling releases me from its bite and I fall onto the ground face force with my hands between my chest and the ground. As I fall and roll off of the rock I land facing the colosseum and feel my heartbeat in my ears. The changeling is laughing as it walks away from me and the last thing it says to me is, "You just stay here and imagine what's going to happen to every creature in there. Once the true queen has claimed her rightful place in the hive one of us will come to retrieve you. Worry not though, you were noted as being a potent source of food so we will not kill you."
I start to hyperventilate as I scream at myself in my head to get up and move. After a few seconds my thoughts settle down just enough to remember the secondary effect of Lay on Hands. I can use 5 HP from my Lay on Hands pool to cure a creature of a disease or poison. Closing my eyes I channel the divine power and start to pull myself up as feeling returns to my body.
I rise to my feet and pull out my Moonblade. I start sprinting back towards the entrance and as I'm running I pull out a copper wire and prepare to cast Sending. Right before I can cast it though I hear Celestia's voice in my head, "Ignis something is wrong! Luna is gone and I can't move my body, where ar-" something stops her from finishing the communication.
I let out a scream in frustration and the changeling I caught up to yelps in fear as it spins around yelling out something to me. Whatever it said I can't hear over the ringing in my ears as I let out a roar at the bug and swing the Moonblade at its head.
> Main Quest - Global Summit pt. 6
3rd Person POV
"How are you already standing again?!" The changeling drone outside of the colosseum cries out the last question it'll ever ask as a silver haired elf quickly gives it two slashes. Ignis hastily proceeds around the outer edge of the colosseum and enters through the archway. The changeling on deaths door behind him stumbles forward a few steps and is suddenly engulfed with purple lightning as a crack of thunder sounds out and the changeling drops to the ground dead. +450 XP.
The first thing the elf sees when he re-enters the colosseum is chaos. Stalls from every nation are shattered with wood everywhere, tents on fire. There's not a single changeling in sight, it's just every race fighting every race including members of their own race. There's no way to tell who is who with ponies fighting ponies or any other way around. Ignis holds the hilt of his Moonblade in both hands and activates the minor feature of the sword, projecting his voice to be clearly audible over 300ft.
"If you're a changeling and you don't wanna die then get to the north east of the field undisguised or get back in your hive, I don't care which." After the announcement he does surprisingly see several previously unseen undisguised changelings suddenly take to the air and begin flying as quickly as possible to the north east. A few seconds pass as thousands of thoughts fly through the elfs mind about how to handle this situation, but suddenly his eyes open wide as an idea hits him. He reaches into a pouch on his waist and pulls out a leaf from a yew tree. Closing the yew leaf into his hand he begins to mutter a short incantation.
Once the spell is finished casting he's elated to find the idea worked. While he's concentrating on Detect Poison he can differentiate between the true members of each race and the disguised changelings. Time to do as much damage as possible in the next 10 minutes. Turning and sprinting towards the Equestrian camp he gives occasional slashes to any changeling he passes and interrupts any fights if none of the combatants are changelings. No sense wasting time killing each other over paranoia.
As he sprints through and jumps over corpses he gives quick scans to see if he recognizes any of the downed ponies. For a split second he considers stopping to cast cure wounds on the ones that are mortally wounded but not yet dead. However, he instantly makes the decision that finding Luna is the top priority right now. He wonders why none of the changelings are disguised as himself, but quickly realizes they have no way to duplicate his sword or shadowblade.
Rapidly approaching the entrance to the royal tent he enters the densest area of fighting. It's dense enough that it actually starts to slow him down, forcing Ignis to start twisting and weaving through the crowd. Any ponies that are fighting genuine ponies he taps them both as he passes and yells out "Neither of you are changelings, help the others." Some of the guards actually follow the command, but some are too caught up in the paranoia to trust anything told to them.
Once he's close enough to the tent he shouts the magic words to misty step straight through the slightly open entrance of the tent. The first thing he sees is Celestia laying on the ground on her side with her eyes wide open looking around in panic. Unlike the creatures outside he can't discern her true nature with just detect poison. The creatures outside couldn't have been poisoned victims because they were moving but that's not the case here, he has to figure out a way to prove it's her.
He decides to try Divine Sense. Divine Sense will allow him to know the location of any Celestial, Fiend, or Undead within 60 feet. He has no clue if Celestia is truly a celestial but she fits the qualities in his mind. If she pops as a Celestial he will be 99% sure that this is the real princess, but if nothing happens he is still completely unsure because he has no idea if the real Celestia is, in fact, a Celestial.
He kneels down next to the alicorn, closes his eyes, and begins to channel the divine power. Within seconds he feels a calming presence that turns into a tingling feeling that attempts to tug his vision downwards. He opens his eyes and follows the instinct and his eyes land on Celestia, she is a Celestial. Putting both hands on her barrel he uses the last 5 remaining Hit Points in his Lay on Hands pool to cure her of the poison. "You should be able to move now."
Celestia rapidly blinks before jumping to her hooves. "It's a rogue queen, Ignis! She was disguised as Luna and got the drop on me. I'll infiltrate the hive and find Luna, you just need to settle down the chaos out there."
Objectively speaking, keeping him out here is the right call, Ignis is likely the only non-changeling that can reliably tell apart who is fake or not. However, something in his gut tells him this is the wrong call, but he chalks that up to ego and responds to Celestia. "Fine, but contact me when you find her. The codeword is Selene. If you don't say that I'm attacking you on site."
Thankfully once Ignis cured her she was no longer signaling the detect poison spell so he relaxes knowing with full confidence that's the real her. She has a conflicted look on her face, likely doesn't enjoy the fact that Ignis accidentally made a demand of her, but really he just wanted to use as few words as possible. Time is of the essence. She gives him a nod and with a flash of her horn she's in full battle gear and the entire tent disintegrates as she launches herself into the fray.
Ignis gives a slow look around at the carnage surrounding him, and spots two genuine guards sprinting towards him with hostile intent all over their faces. He holds out his left hand, palm out, signaling them to stop but they obviously refuse. After a split second he decides that it'll be a trivial matter to prove to everyone in this field that he is not an imposter. In the dimly lit massive area a small pillar of silver light appears briefly illuminating a quarter of the area before dying back down into a small aura of light around the elf.
As blue wisps of light begin to rapidly orbit the man in random patterns a rapid set of notes from a piano ring out.
Electing to preserve the Haste stored in his Moonblade he quickly launches himself into the densest area of fighting in the Equestrian camp. As he arrives in the middle of the chaotic pit of fighting a chorus of foreign instruments begin to play as the blue wisps turn red and increase their speed. Everything that happens next is a blur to any outside observers, for the unaware it looks like he just begins indiscriminately killing every creature on the battlefield.
Two changelings are passing a battered guard back and forth inflicting small cuts in his blind spots every time he adjusts to their movements. The guard stumbles back and braces himself for the next slash across his body, but instead watches as one of the ponies he's fighting is swiftly run through by an emerald longsword. Before the injured changeling can even cry out that he isn't the imposter in this situation the sword is pulled from its body and swiftly slammed into the back of its neck. The blade sinks in 6-7 inches severing the creature's nervous system and as its eyes roll into the back of its head the disguise falls off the changeling in a burst of green flame. With a sickening crunch the sword is twisted and pulled away from the insect as it drops to the ground, lifeless.
The other changeling thrust forward with a spear but the elf just looks at the changeling with disgust as he pivots to the side, dodging the spear. Ignis then quickly slashes the insect across the throat and it drops to the ground, undisguised, while attempting to put pressure on its rapidly bleeding wound. The elf turns to the battered guard sporting a swollen eye and tens of small cuts, and notices the guard is just staring at him with awe.
The guard mutters a thank you and Ignis just gives him a small nod before continuing onto the next encounter. The next 3 encounters are handled in a similar fashion but before the 4th one can start all the changelings in the immediate vicinity seem to stiffen up and turn their heads toward the elf. Seems somehow they were all just made aware of the fact that he can discern their true identity.
"For the true queen!" The one closest to Ignis screams out, and with a roar they all start attempting to charge at the elf.
"Oh for fucks sake! Hey dipshits, every single creature charging at me right now is a changeling. They're aware I can tell them apart. If you don't believe me ask the tired ponies behind me. Every single one that I struck and killed was a changeling." With several small nods from the guards attempting to catch their breath Ignis continues. "If you're not a changeling get the fuck away from here, no offense but you're mostly just in the way."
The ponies that were slowing the oncoming mob of changelings look back and forth at each other in confusion before breaking away and retreating into the other nations' camps to attempt to help out. With the closest changeling being about 7 feet away and rapidly approaching, Ignis points his left index finger into the middle of the group and offers a small chuckle as a tiny mote of fire appears. It begins to rotate and grow and grow until it's about the size of a fist and the elf announces at a normal speaking volume. "To whom it may concern..." He flicks his index finger and the rotating ball of fire zips into and disappears in the mob of imposters.
A split second passes and right as the closest changeling, disguised as a minotaur, starts to wind back a swing of its greatsword, the world flashes white for an instant. With a roaring explosion the fireball engulfs 70% of the mob, including half of the minotaur. A chorus of hissing and screams follows the explosion as the echoes of its initial blast taper off.
A large majority of the creatures caught in the blast, including the minotaur, now lay on the ground motionless as charred changelings. The ones currently alive have minor burns as it appears they were able to just barely escape the explosion in time. Those are still looking around in a state of shellshock, however. The changelings that weren't caught in the blast have ceased their charge as they stare at the elf that is now walking towards them. The ones that were able to quickly move on and begin processing information again find themselves slowly leaning backwards, as if they intend to flee. They're all unsure why, but it quickly becomes apparent.
All changelings have the instinct to flee from an enemy that is emitting zero emotions.
With a quick shake of their heads they overcome the instinct and manage to begin charging at the bladesinger again. Their sudden charge snapping the other changelings out of their stupor.
Ignis quickly gets a headcount and estimates there to be around 19-20 changeling corpses in the small crater from the fireball. Including the shell-shocked changelings that seemed to barely survive the explosion, there's another 10 or so charging at him. He decides to hold off on another fireball for now as there's still plenty of enemies remaining and he wants to conserve his spell slots unless absolutely necessary. He does a quick recap of how many rounds of combat have passed since he started the bladesong and realizes it's been 8. He has 12 seconds left.
Leaning forward he lets out a sigh and begins to sprint towards the changelings charging at him. He quickly slashes along the side of one of the burnt creatures and continues running as it drops its disguise and collapses. His next obstacle is a minotaur charging at him with its head down in perfect tandem with a griffon dive bombing him.
Ignis drops and does a baseball slide under the minotaur and then uses his empty hand to push himself horizontally to attempt to roll out of the way of the griffon. The griffon is about 6 inches away when Ignis realizes he won't be able to dodge it, so he misty steps into the air directly above the griffon. Maintaining his rotational momentum he spins in the air and slashes a deep wound across the back of the flying creature. Out of actions he ceases his spin and twists his body so that he can put both feet down on the griffon's back.
The disguised griffon lets out an undignified squawk as it slams into the ground with 160lbs of unexpected weight on its back. The minotaur that missed its charge quickly spins around and starts another charge at the elf. Ignis looks to the right at the minotaur charging towards him and to the left at the two ponies beginning to thrust their spears. He jumps backwards towards the charred circle and dodges the two spears but gets a blunt impact to his ribs from the side of the minotaurs horns. With no time to recover 3 more changelings are on him. With absolute focus on his face he tilts his head to the side and dodges a set of sharp talons and curves his torso to dodge a spear. However, he's unable to dodge everything this time as one spear impales him completely on the right side just above the hip.
The last two changelings still have a small bit of distance to close. Ignis continues backpedaling when he notices from his detect poison that something is right behind him, but when he glances back all he sees is a unicorn with black singed fur weakly wheezing on the ground. The elf turns around and drops to his knees next to the unicorn, and the oncoming changelings recoil a bit from the sudden wave of despair that hits them. "N-no.... I could've sworn there weren't any bystanders in the way of the blast. Oh fuck what.... have I done...?" The changelings decide to take advantage of the elf that is now seemingly stunned in shock.
As they all swarm and descend on the elf he quietly mutters a single word and a shield pops up around him. Most of the attacks are deflected away but one spear lodges into the elfs back, just below his shoulder. With two spears sticking out of his torso Ignis puts one hand on the unicorn and speaks an incantation as his hand begins to glow in a silver light. After casting Cure Wounds at second level the unicorn appears to be more stable. His breaths are stronger and less labored, his face muscles are no longer pulled taut in silent agony.
Ignis knows if he just leaves him here the unicorn will likely still die or disappear, but he has no other way to cure the poison now. He glances into the air at seemingly nothing before whispering, "46,500.... Just need 1,500 more." The elf looks back down at the still clearly terrified guard and reassures him. "Just sit tight for a bit, I'll fix this I swear." As he stands back up and turns to face the changelings he coughs and then spits a wad of blood onto the ground. The light and wisps flowing around him die down as his bladesong comes to an end.
The changelings have renewed vigor as smiles crack their faces, realizing their chances have gone up now that the bladesong is over. Ignis flicks his longsword and all the blood coating it is flung onto the ground, and he sheathes the Moonblade.
The creatures all begin to start their next barrage of attacks when they notice the elf pointing his finger at them again. They all know what it means, but none of them can respond in time as the fireball roars past all of them and detonates. The edge of the explosion stops just short of Ignis and when it dies down all the changelings except 1 are dead. The last one remaining staggers over to the elf and makes a haphazard swing of with its spear as it remains barely standing.
Ignis just takes a step forward and reaches up to grab the back of the imposter guards' helmet. With a cast of Shocking Grasp the disguise drops and the changeling collapses. The elf then takes a slow look around and notices a few onlookers from different reaches of the colosseum have paused their fight and stare at him with mixtures of horror and awe.
He knows what he's about to do next is by far one of the stupidest things he's ever done but as he looks back down at the charred unicorn guard, he reaffirms himself and whispers.
"Level Up."
> Main Quest - Global Summit pt. 7
Anyone who is looking at Ignis has to shake their heads and rub their eyes to make sure they're seeing things right. One moment he was standing there with two spears sticking out of his body looking like he could collapse at any moment and the next moment he's completely healed. He looks like he just woke up from the best sleep he's ever had.
The first thing he does is spin around back towards the unicorn guard on the ground, reaching down he places both hands on the guard. His palms are engulfed in a dull silver light and when he pulls his hands away the guard rises to his hooves. "I can never apologize enough for what I did to you. I really thought there was nothing but changelings in the blast radius. I know you're not fully recovered but this is the best I can do for right now, I have to go clear out the rest of these insects and then go find both Princesses."
The guard kinda has a far off look as he stands silently. After a few seconds the guard just gives a small nod and begins slowly making his way over to where one of the guard tents used to be. The Equestrian encampment has been cleared of changelings. Ignis decides to use the last 2 minutes of his detect poison to clear up as much of the remaining field as he can. After that he has a different use for his concentration.
Now that he's reached level 9 his proficiency bonus has gone up, this makes everything more potent. For example, when attacking with his Moonblade he now adds 11 onto whatever he rolled instead of 10. Some people would scoff at the idea of a single number improvement, but this is all based on a 20 sided die. Every +1 is +5%, when you think about it like that these +1's can add up fast. On most of these fodder changeling drones Ignis only needs to roll a 3 or higher to hit the bugs. That's a 90% chance to hit and if he has advantage? 99%.
The next two minutes pass in a blur of steel and blood. At the end of the detect poison spell Ignis points out the last remnants of the hostile changelings to the Equestrian guards. After that he heads over to where the innocent insects are and asks one of them to show him how to get in the hive. Over a chorus of "Help us!" and "Please help the queen!" One drone raises a foreleg and begins walking the elf towards a random part of the colosseum wall. The changeling lowers its head and with a dim, sickly green light the bricks on the wall start to shift and recede into the structure. Eventually a large staircase leading down is revealed.
"Do you know roughly how many of the changelings down there are aligned with the rogue queen?" Ignis questions the drone as he cracks his fingers and does some light stretching.
"There shouldn't be many, all of her drones are jet black with blue eyes unlike us that have a range of dull colors. You should be careful though, royal drone Chrysalis devoured the entire stock of our love storage. It was enough for the entire hive for 4 or 5 years, so she wouldn't need any help deposing Queen Aurora. I'm not sure if any of you can stop her as she is...." Well that's encouraging.
Ignis pulls out a tuft of red fur from his component pouch and rapidly speaks the incantation for a new spell. At the very end of the incantation there's a slight pause before he says, "Luna Concordia." After that the tuft of bloodhound fur glows silver before zipping down into the hive. The 4th level spell, Locate Creature, starts to ping in the elf's head. With a burst of wind the paladin disappears from the entrance and descends into the dark.
Ignis scans his surroundings as he sprints towards the sensation of the spell, with how dark it is he basically can only see the outlines of objects and creatures. It's enough that he can navigate and probably even fight with full confidence, but he can't make out any colors. He takes note of the different shapes of changelings that are skittering about in the dark corners of the fortress. There's different types down here than what he saw on the surface, some of these are bulkier with light armor on, some have oddly shaped hooves. Their hooves are more concave with sharper edges, those must be burrowers.
The bulkier ones are almost certainly guards, quite loyal too judging by how many of them are currently littering the ground, lifeless. After turning and twisting his way through a seemingly endless maze of tunnels and drones he reaches a massive opening with dim blue lights scattered about the room. On the left and right side there are massive ornate pillars with embedded spirals that bring emphasis on the center of the room. The center has a dimly glowing purple moss that leads from the entryway Ignis is standing in, to a large set of steps at the opposite end with a shattered marble throne. The back of the throne looks like it was split in half by a boulder, the jagged and bumpy top edge seems to only be halfway as tall as it normally is.
The piece of the throne that was separated has parts of it embedded into the cave wall behind the fancy seat and more parts are scattered into small marble pebbles along the ground. The rest of the throne is littered with a web of cracks and chunks missing. The final detail of note is a large splatter of blood where the back of the throne was broken that trails down the steps and off into a door on the side. The same direction Locate Creature is tugging Ignis towards.
Suddenly the passage to the side has its door sent flying across the throne room, knocking down the closest pillar as a massive plume of fire and smoke roars out behind it. Tightening his grip on the Moonblade, Ignis sprints through the leftover smoke and into the passageway. As he sprints further in the sound of 2 more explosions ring out in the distance followed by a pained scream.
Speeding up the elf reaches the end of the tunnel and slides to a stop into a mostly dark, dead end room illuminated by dark green lights. The first thing he sees is the blue and pink fluffy mane of Queen Aurora. After adjusting to the light he starts processing the full scene before him. Queen Aurora is being held in the air with a green aura telekinesis by her neck. She's facing Ignis and between the elf and the queen is jet black changeling with a dark blue-green mane that stands as tall as Aurora. The pale white, almost gray colored exoskeleton of the current changeling queen is covered in splatters of bright red. Her pink eyes seem dull and out of focus as they stare over and beyond the usurper into the eyes of the paladin that just arrived.
"R...Run." Aurora weakly whispers into the air as she stares into the elfs eyes. Chrysalis realizes that the current queen isn't speaking to her as she drops Aurora onto the ground and turns to face the bladesinger.
Now that she's facing him, he can see that Chrysalis's form is much more slender and defined. Her entire body almost seems to be surrounded by a pulsating glow of power. She narrows her green eyes at Ignis and gives him a menacing smile. "You're earlier than I expected! That was a neat trick you showed off up there, accurately revealing all of my children and slaughtering them. Once I put you in a pod like your pony princess you'll help me replace all of the drones you efficiently dispatched. You know, originally I was planning to do all of this after all the nations had left, but once the reports came in about you from the food drive... I knew the plan had to be accelerated, you couldn't be allowed to leave."
Ignis was just looking behind the insect at Queen Aurora barely breathing on the ground. Once he heard one of the princesses had been put in a "pod" questions and thoughts began racing through his mind as his own heartbeat got louder once again. After a couple seconds of silence Chrysalis elected to continue monologuing.
"Don't get too angry over there little bladesinger, this hive is mine now I can let you live the life of a king down here! You just ensure my kingdom has the nutrients to thrive for eons and you'll want for nothing. I know you're a zealot for your princess so I haven't harmed her in the slightest, I just needed her for a bit of extra.... leverage." The new queen began slowly walking towards the unresponsive elf. She halts suddenly when the emitting rage spikes.
"In every plane, every world, every timeline all of you are the same. You blindly move forward in search of power as you destroy and take everything available to you. Changeling, you have killed my fellow guards, taken my princess, slaughtered your own people, and now you have the audacity to think I would willingly do anything to help you." Before he can continue his speech he realizes that the tugging from Locate Creature is much stronger in this room. Ignis glances to the right and see's a bloodied and unconscious Celestia lying on the ground against the far wall.
The sight above her is what made him stop speaking, however. It's a semi-translucent "pod" embedded into the wall and inside of it curled up into a ball is Luna. A few bubbles emerge from her sleeping face and float up into the wall, indicating that she is at least able to breathe in there. Ignis tightens the grip on his sword to such an extent that a thin trail of blood runs down the hilt and onto the blade.
As he turns back towards Chrysalis she smirks and covers herself in green flame. "Relax you don't need them.....Ignis." The voice changes midway through the sentence and he recognizes the voice as it says his name.The flames disperse and the rogue queen reveals herself in the spitting image of Luna.
The elf begins slowly walking towards the disguised queen and she tenses up ready to defend herself. The moment never arrives however, her features shift into one of confusion as Ignis walks right past her and squats next to Aurora. The battered changeling slowly moves her eyes towards him and she looks at him with one of the most defeated expressions he's seen in a long time. "Remedium." He places his palm on her carapace and with a bright glow some life returns to her eyes. She looks at him questioningly and the elf gives her an inquiry. "As you are now, can you free Luna from that pod, cure her of the paralysis if she's affected and escort both ponies out of the hive?"
Aurora looks beyond Ignis at the false Luna standing there with a befuddled expression. "Not with her still here. I can't give up the hive, Ignis."
"I'll take care of her, just wake those two up."
Chrysalis begins laughing maniacally, "Oh you really are the best! It's decided. I have to have you. The confidence to think you can stop me long enough to save the alicorns is so cute. You realize with this much love I'm basically a God right? Even Celestia and my dear mother fighting together couldn't beat me."
Ignis bends his knees slightly and lowers himself into a striking stance as he begins to apply his pre-fight buffs. "You're not a God, but I'll help you meet one."
Ashardalon's Stride Level 3 spell: the billowing flames of a dragon blast from your feet granting explosive speed. For the next minute your speed is increased by 20ft and moving doesn't provoke opportunity attacks. When you move within 5ft of a creature or object, it takes 1d6 fire damage.
+20ft, 50ft Movement Speed.
Bladesong, +5 AC, +10ft. 23 AC and 60ft Movement Speed.
Moonblade applies Haste. +2 AC, Movement doubled. 25 AC and 120ft Movement Speed.
The elfs mouth is moving rapidly, but it sounds like multiple voices speaking from it at the same time as foreign and strange words overlay on top of each other. Suddenly two streaks of fire explode backwards from both of his feet, a silver aura with sparks of fire engulfs him as his eyes begin to emit a white light. Then his body emits a burst of wind as his clothes and hair begin to flap and lift wildly.
The current situation is the culmination of multiple stars that have aligned. The global balance is at risk of being upset, two champions of Harmony are under direct threat, and multiple buffing effects have been overlaid with the elfs bladesong. The spike of adrenaline and Ignis internally declaring that he must use everything he has right now, every ounce of strength, as he is prepared to die in this fight to buy as much time as possible. With all of these exact variables aligned in this exact way it has created the opportunity for Ignis to shine. There's no notification that he has activated the True Bladesong, but this feeling is very similar. All of these buffs combined have managed to elevate the bladesong into something resembling it, heartsong included. Chrysalis and Aurora can both feel that something is different this time. The pressure in the room is much heavier than when he sparred with Celestia.
Aurora starts to run towards the downed Celestia with her curved horn ignited, and as Chrysalis leans forward to begin intercepting her a high pitched chime rings out 5 times. The pressure around Chrysalis increases and she realizes she cannot afford to ignore the elf right now. She makes a mental note to keep an eye out for an opening to blast Aurora and as she looks over to Ignis he quietly says something out loud.
"3. 2. 1."
He launches towards Chrysalis right after the 1 as multiple instruments ring out, closing the 30ft of distance in half a second with a trail of fire behind him. The elf continues to sing but the changeling is too busy defending to listen to the words. Chrysalis drops her disguise as Luna and puts full focus onto dodging and shielding the oncoming flurry of slashes. There's a pulsing bass note with a steady rhythm in the bladesong that seems to match the timing of his swings.
She projects a sickly green shield that deflects the first two slashes but on the third he breaks through. Chrysalis still manages to dodge it just in time, but the 4th swing is on her with a speed completely incomparable to the first 3. The blade makes contact with the front of her carapace, if she was a pony it'd be where her fluff is located, and Chrysalis is beyond shocked at the level of impact it makes.
As the edge of the blade makes contact she feels a deep scratch etch itself onto her exoskeleton. As soon as the impact registers she's assaulted with a wave of purple electricity that surrounds her and then floods into her. Less than an instant later an ear ringing explosion rings out as divine power floods into the scratch and makes it a full web of small cracks in her exoskeleton. There's no blood so the changeling quickly regains her confidence knowing even a full power swing with that mysterious "smite" can't fully penetrate her carapace.
He steps back while still singing and says "Shall we start?"
The changeling conjures 3 sickly green daggers and beings slashing and stabbing at Ignis with her telekinesis. He bats one away with his sword and jumps to the left to dodge the second one. Ignis starts running a circle around the changeling as he hits the 3rd dagger with his Moonblade but it's still able to graze his arm. His right eye narrows a bit as he gives a slight wince before jumping into the air towards Chrysalis. She launches a solid beam of green energy at the airborne elf, but he sticks out his empty left hand and conjures a shield.
The shield splits the beam as he continues to descend towards the rogue queen, all while singing something in a completely foreign language to any creature present. She stops channeling the beam right as the elf is about to swing his blade against her head and she jumps back avoiding the swing. Ignis speeds forward and while the changeling is still in the air sends a vertical slash under her barrel. It connects with a resonating explosion sound as the cave is filled with bright light for a moment, this time only leaving a large scratch embedded into the chitin.
Chrysalis lands on the ground and spins around to face the elf but is rapidly hit with 2 Booming Blade slashes imbued with Smite. Chrysalis clicks her tongue in annoyance at all the scratches and electric scorch markings decorating her body. She responds with another barrage of her incorporeal daggers. Ignis deflects the first one and as the second one slips past his defense and embeds itself in his gut there's a loud tearing sound behind the changeling. Accompanying the tearing sound is a torrent of liquid splashing on the ground followed by a few coughs. Chrysalis wants to turn around and deal with the now free Lunar alicorn but she's too confused to turn around. The third dagger dug itself into the elf's shoulder but he put his free hand against his chest at the exact same instant the dagger went in. What is he doing? She thinks to herself.
From Ignis point of view he knew there was a constitution saving throw the first time he was cut by those daggers, which means they likely have the same paralyzing poison as changeling bites. Ever since then anytime a dagger has come close to hitting him he has always made sure to have his open off hand pressed against him in some way so that he can instantly cure the poison if he fails the saving throw. He'd been lucky for the first two but he failed the third one. In an effort to keep his concentration up for Ashardalon's Stride he made sure he was in a position to use his last 5 hit points from Lay on Hands to cure the poison the same instant he failed the saving throw. He hoped that would be good enough to prevent the paralysis from disrupting his concentration.
As the magical daggers fade out of existence and reappear next to Chrysalis the elf smirks, his plan worked. Unfortunately that was the only time he could use that trick, the next time he got poisoned it was lights out. Ignis sings out "Warning Warning." As the changeling fires another beam at him, but this time the beam breaks apart into 5 smaller beams.
A new feminine voice starts singing in the same foreign language behind Chrysalis as she watches the elf spin, jump, twist, and slide around all the attempts to hit him with the blast. The elf dashes to the left out of her vision and as she turns to the right to keep track of the bastard the air is blasted out of her lungs as it feels like a train just hit her barrel. She glances over in shock to see Luna has landed a full force double leg buck onto her body. As the impact hits the alicorn sings out, "Left side!"
Recovering her breath she twists her body in mid air only to realize too late the alicorn kicked her straight into Ignis. He has his sword arm wound back as far as it can go. He belts out a guttural scream, "RIGHT SIDE!" as he steps forward and puts his whole body into this slash. It connects straight into her midsection and although the blade is still unable to cut all the way through the chitin, the impact is incomparable to the last few hits. Unbeknownst to her, that hit and the very first one were critical hits. This hit blasts out another web of cracks.
As the rogue queen begins to roll and bounce like a ragdoll across the room she closes her eyes and reaches deep into her internal reservoir. I wanted to make sure I kept enough love for the hive to survive a few months after this takeover, but the situation has changed now. I can't hold back.
Luna and Ignis are unaware of what the changeling is planning as both of them dash after the ragdoll changeling while both are still singing a quite catchy, but foreign chorus. They catch up to her and Luna flits her wings and goes a few feet in the air before performing an aerial flip and kicking the changeling into ground, "Left side!" She sings out with a laugh after her part and watches as her paladin follows up the blow with his own.
Ignis swings at the prone and stationary target, making use of his elven accuracy as he smirks and belts out, "Right side!" Leaving another web of cracks across the changelings chitin. Suddenly said exoskeleton is covered in pulsing pink veins as Chrysalis taps into the full power of the love she stole from the storage. All the cracks in her carapace fully heal in an instant as the changeling looks up at Ignis. The sudden dump of such a large amount of love leaves her in a state comparable to intoxication, the thirst for battle she was displaying earlier is turned up to eleven as she eyes him down with a crazed look in her eyes.
"You really are the best, Ignis Ferrum!" Her frenzied speaking turns into singing as she unknowingly joins the heartsong and finishes the chorus, "BE MY KING!"
With a speed no one was expecting she charges forward and rams the elf directly into the cave wall leaving him embedded into the stone as he coughs up a bit of blood and loses consciousness instantly. She then returns the buck she received earlier to Luna as the alicorn was charging at her to separate Ignis from the changeling. Luna slides across the floor into the wall opposite of Ignis and she slowly tries to stagger back up onto her hooves.
Now that she has a second to breathe, Chrysalis turns towards Aurora on the far side of the room. "No matter what else happens today, the most important thing is killing you, dear mother." Aurora is hovering over the downed Celestia trying to give her what little mana she has left in the form of a healing spell, but as she looks across the room and sees the elf and the lunar alicorn currently attempting to stand her eyes begin to well up with tears from pure terror. Buzzing wings launch the love drunk Chrysalis directly at Aurora.
"Please, no! Stay away! HELP!" The Queen screams out as a green beam of magic impacts her barrel launching her into the wall on her side of the room. Ignis watches as the queen is launched into the wall and her eyes roll up into the back of her head. She might still be alive, but with Chrysalis still flying at full speed towards her she definitely won't survive the second impact.
He still has the Haste effect because the sword didn't lose concentration, but the bladesong and Stride spell both ended early when he lost consciousness for a second. He had gotten himself back up to 11 Hit Points with a natural 20 on his death save plus a level 2 Cure Wounds right before he watched the initial magic beam impact Aurora.
Time seems to slow down as he lowers himself back down into his stance and as he re-activates Ashardalon's Stride and Bladesong he screams out inside his head, "Harmony, PLEASE!" He's calculated that if he misty steps he can hit Chrysalis in time but there's no guarantee that will actually stop the changeling. He needs to move faster than he ever has before, the same way he did versus Nightmare Moon. Then with that momentum he can throw Chrysalis off course. Ignis needs the real True Bladesong.
Chrysalis is milliseconds away from ramming herself into Aurora at full speed when the room lights up with blue mana and Ignis disappears in a blur that moves towards the changeling. Less than instant later the elf appears in the air to the right of the changeling as he lowers his shoulder and rams directly into the rogue queen. The room is filled with dust from the huge crater Ignis and Chrysalis made, preventing anyone from knowing what has truly happened. Luna feels like a rock is in her stomach as she realizes that the brief instance of music from that second bladesong is no longer present.
She yells out, "Ignis! Answer me!" A golden aura is barely visible in the brown dust cloud currently occupying the room. A bipedal body is gently laid down next to Luna wrapped in that same golden aura. Suddenly a magical wind spirals into the room and carries the dust out of the only exit the room has. Luna sees Celestia standing up and staring at the deep crater in the wall where Chrysalis is currently embedded with a shocked look on the changeling's face.
The next thing Luna see's is Aurora lying motionless on the ground next to Celestia. Only the whites of her eyes are visible as 3 incorporeal green daggers are embedded in her body. One of them in her neck. She must've launched those the instant she felt the explosion of mana from Ignis. All of his effort was for nothing....
Chrysalis, laughing like an insane person, dislodges herself from the wall and Celestia jumps backwards landing next to the unconscious elf and Luna. "Lulu, we cannot defeat her as she is right now. We need to get ourselves and our ponies out of here. Do you have enough mana to teleport yourself and Ignis back up to the surface?"
"Aye, I have plenty of mana. Are you sure though sister? I know Aurora was an old friend of yours. If we coordinate perfectly we can likely outlast her supply of love."
"Yes, but then we'd doom the entire hive to death. The love she holds within herself is all the hive currently has." The solar alicorns' mask cracks as a few tears begin to stain her coat. "You will pay for this, Chrysalis. I'll make sure of it."
The new official queen sneers at Celestia, "Bold of you to think I'll let either of you leave, but if you give up that creature on the floor..... I'll let every single other creature walk out of this colosseum, unharmed."
Without warning both alicorns go airborne and ignite their horns. Chrysalis quickly makes a mad dash towards the elf as Luna positions herself in front of Celestia. Both of the sisters' eyes begin shining light from an influx of mana as both sisters yell out at the same time.
"ECLIPSE"
"ECLIPSE"
A large golden beam flies over the tip of Luna's horn and suddenly the entire room is plunged into darkness until a silver beam appears and expands. The room is lit up once again with a beam made up of gold and silver light swirling together. The combined magical attack crashes into the changeling and continues forward pushing her into the same crater Chrysalis had just dislodged herself from. After the initial explosion from the first impact, the beam just roars louder as it pushes her further and further into the bedrock.
Finally the beam begins to grow smaller until it eventually dissipates. Celestia looks over to Luna and tells her, "Take him and meet me in the center of the colosseum, we'll double check and make sure the other nations are stable and their leaders are alive. Once that's done we evacuate as fast as possible."
As the 3 creatures glow and begin to teleport there's a loud scream of rage heard from deep within the cave wall. Chrysalis re-emerges from the wall but it's too late, she's alone in the room.
Ignis 1st Person POV
Oh man, I succeeded in my death saving throws but I'm still unconscious. I trust Luna was able to do something after my kamikaze charge to save Aurora and get everyone out of that hive. My only concern is that I haven't gotten any XP which means we for sure didn't defeat her, but we still likely escaped. I hope so at least. Fuck me I used just about everything I had there. Completely out of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th level spell slots. I have 2 first level spell slots and that's it.
Reviewing the fight in my head I try to hold onto the feeling I had at the very end of the fight. The first bladesong felt so similar to the True Bladesong, but it's pretty obvious I still have a long way to go. When I activated that second bladesong though, that feeling is the one I'm desperately trying to hold onto. I activated everything and then I reached into my mana pool the same way I did my 2nd night here when I managed to use the Light spell. I forced my mana to violently expand and embed itself deeper into my body than it usually does. It felt like someone was squeezing me like a super empty tube of toothpaste. There was so much... pressure throughout all my limbs, to the tips of my fingers and toes.
Once that happened, I could feel it. My entire perception of reality slowed down to a crawl and I could feel every muscle twitch, every individual hair on my body brushing against the air. I looked at Chrysalis and decided that's where I wanted to be and it felt like I kicked the ground several times in an instant. After that I remember everything just blurred and my entire vision just stretched and tunneled onto that bitch. Then suddenly I was just there. It's a miracle I didn't miss her entirely.
Honestly compared to what I felt when I fought Nightmare this was completely different. I'm 99% sure that this had nothing to do with my bladesong and instead was just a metric fuck ton of adrenaline dumping into my system. That combined with my muscles and veins getting forcibly expanded with imbued mana allowed me to not only perceive everything in slow motion, but move fast enough to actually act on it.
After coming to that conclusion I let go of the feeling, I am much more confident now that the Equestrian bladesong does require mana, but I'm also confident that what I experienced had nothing to do with the bladesong. Whatever it was didn't even register with the system, it just gave me a system error as soon as I forcibly circulated and expanded the mana.
+1 Hit Point: 1/32.
+1 Hit Point: 2/32.
My eyes snap open to the sight of a random guard pointing their lit horn at me. Ah they're healing me. Wait, why is my Hit Point maximum 32? It should be 63.
I attempt to sit up when it feels like my entire body is suddenly electrocuted. I start writhing in pain as the guard tells me to take it easy and don't move. What the fuck is this? Ever since coming here it was like the system was dulling my pain and preventing fatigue. I've never been unable to move after a fight.... Is it because of what I did with my mana?
Exhaustion Level: 5. Movement Speed: 0ft.
Holy shit. I'm really at my limit then, huh? The guard stops healing me and my Hit Points are sitting at 7 out of 32. If I had gained 1 more level of Exhaustion my heart would've stopped on the spot. Exhaustion is a super nasty mechanic, at Exhaustion level 1 you get disadvantage on all ability checks. Level 2 your movement speed is cut in half, level 3 you gain disadvantage on all attacks and saving throws. Level 4 your hit point maximum is halved and at level 5 your movement speed is reduced to 0. Level 6 you legitimately just straight up die, no rolls, no checks.
So, never doing that move again then. "Can one of you ponies help me sit up please?"
One of them ignites their horn and I feel an invisible force start pushing on my back. Once I sit up I realize I'm in the royal carriage. Looking around I spot both princesses across from me. Celestia is staring out the window with an absent look on her face. Has she been crying? Luna is just staring at me with the most exhausted look I've ever seen from her. "Why are we in the carriage? Have I been asleep for days and missed the meeting to discuss this incident? Did we already help the changelings repair the damages and healed all the injured? Where's Queen Auro-"
"Ignis. We are retreating for now, Chrysalis was too powerful for us to defeat and we didn't want to risk adding more numbers to our loss count. You've only been knocked out for an hour or so. We did make sure all the other nations leaders were safe and able to evacuate, but I have no clue how many of their soldiers were lost. You were commendable out there though, Equestria and even myself are proud to call you the Lunar Paladin." Celestia interrupts me and gives me most of my answers.
"Okay so is Aurora being treated in one of the other carriages?" Celestia's face scrunches up and falls as she returns to looking out the window. Luna answers instead.
"No. Chrysalis launched multiple daggers the exact instant you made contact with her. Queen Aurora is dead. To be completely honest none of us are sure if she was even alive after the first hit she took from the raw magic."
I feel my eyes glaze over as grief pounds at my chest. "No....no I-I stopped her. We just left her there?! Chrysalis still draws breath and WE LEFT?!" I try to stand only to fall onto the floor of the carriage between the 2 rows of seats. Images of the changeling queen smiling at me during the meetings and in the donation tent. The embarrassment from being called cute. I told her I would handle Chrysalis, and she trusted me to save her and her hive. I failed.
The grief begins to turn into blinding rage and everything goes black.
3rd Person POV
Luna and the medic both yell out in panic as the elf stands and falls onto the floor. The medical guard slides off the flat seat onto the floor and begins trying to help Ignis back to the seat for him to lay back down. But when Luna tries to grasp onto the elf with telekinesis there's a sudden shockwave of mana from the elf as he starts screaming and writhing in her magical grasp.
He breaks out of the telekinesis and while kneeling on the floor he reaches towards the door of the carriage when Luna steps in and wraps him up in her wings and forelegs. "Ignis please your body is already shattered you need to rest, I'm sorry we couldn't save her but you're not going to accomplish anything like this!"
"CHRYSALIS!" He shouts rivaling the Royal Canterlot voice.
The changeling queen standing on top of the Colosseum directing her new subjects in repair efforts actually manages to hear her name. She looks towards the pony formation marching away in the distance and points a scrying spell at them. Once the spell activates she bites her lip and smiles as she watches the elf somehow manage to stand and expel mana from a body that is clearly beyond its limit. Celestia detects the spell and instantly dispels the magic out of the air.
Ignis and Chrysalis then both make declarations at the same time, unbeknownst to each other.
"I WILL NEVER LET YOU GO! I WILL HUNT YOU TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH AND I WILL KILL YOU!"
"Ahh my wonderful food source, I will find you again and I won't let you go next time. You will be mine!"
Luna tries to force Ignis to sleep with magic but it seems to just keep failing. Like he just has an inherent resistance to sleep or something. After a few seconds Celestia radiates a calming light that illuminates the entire guard formation. The elf rapidly becomes more and more quiet before finally collapsing back down onto the floor of the carriage. He chants the word Remedium two times and then very slowly crawls towards and onto the seat in-between Luna and Celestia. Leaving the medical guard alone on the other side of the carriage.
Ignis leans against Luna and just silently sheds tears. "I'm so sorry Ignis. You barely knew Aurora, I didn't think you'd be in this much despair over her loss." She does her best to replicate the uncomfortable bipedal sitting posture that the elf uses and wraps a wing around him.
"Luna..." After a few seconds he continues, "I've been here for nearly a month, and in that time I can count on both hands how many creatures, not just ponies, have actually treated me like they treat anyone else. Even fewer are the number of creatures that have actually shown me kindness, given me a compliment, or actually made me smile. Aurora was one of those creatures. I had promised myself that if it was possible to save you and help her then I would do both. If I had just spent less time on the surface or given her more healing before engaging with Chrysalis... It's just so frustrating, Luna. I've never suffered such a loss, felt so hopeless against an opponent before. I told you during my first day in the castle, I would save all 6 ponies from the train even if it kills me. So, why am I still alive when ponies are dead? Aurora is dead. I almost killed a guard with my fireball because of my own recklessness!"
Choking up a bit the elf sniffles and continues, "When she slammed me into that wall, it was truly the first time I felt that level of hopelessness, if I hadn't had that explosion of mana I would've been insignificant. I just.... "
"Shh. Ignis you saved so many lives on the surface. Nopony blames you for making an inaccuracy in a split second decision. I can definitely say nopony expected you to subdue a jumped up changeling queen that was running on more love than any other changeling in history. An enemy that even Tia and I couldn't subdue. I'm sorry that your first true defeat had to be one so overwhelming and crushing, but I promise you everypony feels the same way you do right now. Resent and disgust at ourselves for our weakness. Just rest for now my paladin and I will give you pleasant dreams."
The elf shamelessly grabbed the edge of Luna's wing and pulled it closer as he gave the alicorn a nod and closed his eyes.
"Well, I will say I didn't expect you to do this. Especially with how embarrassed you were the night you saw me raise the moon."
Ignis opened his eyes with a blush and he wordlessly tried to shimmy out of her grasp, but she just kept him in place and whispered, "I didn't say I hated it though. Rest easy, Ignis."
> Productive Conversations
All I see is an empty white void.
"Greetings, human." Turning to the right I see...myself sitting in a chair wearing some pompous fancy clothing with a tea cup.
"Uh, hi, why do you look like me?" The elf holds out a hand and a small mirror appears that points towards me. Oh. I'm in my human form at the moment.
"I'm not sure why we're able to speak to each other, but I'm glad you're able to finally visit. We need to talk." A chair appears opposite of the elf and I slowly approach and take a seat.
"Why are you acting like we're two separate entities? We share the same soul, I am you and you are me."
"That is correct, but the personality known as Lucas appears to be the dominant force for our soul now. You've managed to link the memories together, but we haven't truly integrated."
"Integrated?" I ask with a pretty confused look.
"Yes, you have my memories and your personality slightly shifted, for example you are ever so slightly more polite now. However, even though you have all the memories of all the endless hours of swordplay and training you still can't replicate my skills. When you aren't using this blasted dice system as a crutch your swordsmanship is pitiful. Theoretically you should have all the skills and memories from both of our lives, yet you only seem to retain the human skills. When we were finally able to meet I had originally planned on convincing you to find a way to fully integrate both persona's into the soul, but I recently came to a different conclusion."
I wait for him to explain his new conclusion but he just takes a sip of tea and stares at me. Glad to know the elf me prefers to make people ask for his thoughts. "I agree with your initial thoughts though. If we were fully integrated I probably wouldn't have almost died 3 or 4 times. Why shouldn't we do it?"
"It would be ideal if you could use all of the memories to integrate the skills I have, but I've come to realize our personalities should not be combined. Do you know how long it takes a typical elf to perform the highest class of magic?"
"Uhh 80 years, maybe 35 to 40 if they're talented?"
"No. 600 to 900 years. If you decided to investigate a rumor about a legendary magic artifact, but you continually found nothing and made no progress towards verifying or finding said artifact, how long would it take you to decide it's not worth it and move on?"
"Depends on how useful the item is, I suppose. 1 to 4 years? I can't waste that much time on something..... I think I see what you're getting at here."
Ignis gives me a small smirk while also looking quite resigned. "Exactly. Your personality retains your perception of time. It is a core fundamental difference between the two of us. I cannot fathom giving up on something that interests me after only 1 year simply because I've made no progress on it. I'd spend 150 or 200 years on it. A majority of my kin would not like to admit it, but the average human mage would all be considered prodigies from the speed they develop skills. If our personalities were to be merged I am almost certain you would lose that advantage."
"There's no way that could be true though, you're all just as if not more intelligent than us! I can see your intelligence from the memories."
"Yes and I'll admit I worked quite diligently once I became the prime candidate for the Dark Ladies blade. However, I hated it. I knew that once it was over I would never have to work that hard again. When we learn things or pursue goals we take our time, get sidetracked, and spend a majority of time with activities of leisure. On the other hand, you and your kind understand and have an instinctual urge to pursue something with everything you have, sacrificing meals, sleep and even your health to achieve it. You understand that you don't have time to waste. Do you understand the implications of our situation now?"
"Yes, we're both considered prodigies, but now we have the opportunity to find out what happens when a prodigy that contains the determination and efficiency of a human-"
"Is placed within a vessel that is essentially ageless." Ignis finishes the thought for me.
"We already know what happens though, liches or beings like Vecna are perfect examples of this concept."
"No, it's fundamentally different. They spend an overwhelming percentage of their time and efforts on ways to extend their lives. Immortality and godhood is all they work towards with their ambitions. You get a 2000 year buffer before you need to worry about such things."
"If you exist as an entity though, I'm not sure I feel comfortable with you just.... existing in this void. This seems like a fate worse than death."
"Ah don't concern yourself with that. Like I said before your personality was slightly altered by my presence. Up until this point it felt like I was also you. It's hard to explain but it's almost like we are both living and controlling this body. I'm not aware of the fact that my actions and words are not my own until you sleep, truly sleep not trance."
"Well that doesn't seem so bad then...."
The elf suddenly has a devious look, "Onto more casual topics, when are you going to become a real prince?"
"What do you mean? I wasn't being serious at the summit, I just needed a way to swing the vote."
"You know what I mean, when are you going to court the pretty princess currently acting as our blanket?"
"WHA- I don't know what you mean. It's completely impossible. I don't even like her like that. All I have is admiration and respect. She returns to a completely foreign culture and kingdom after 1000 years and just jumps right back into ruling. She's an extremely capable fighter and mage. I'm proud to serve her and happy I can call her my friend." What a ridiculous situation, I have to get teased by a fragment of my own soul.
"Oh so you when you were completely dumbfounded the first time you saw her true state and she noticed you staring at her with an awestruck face. You jumped off the balcony in embarrassment purely because of your admiration and respect right? You definitely weren't blushing."
"This is fucking unbelievable, how do I wake up?" I tap my foot and pinch myself. Nothing happens so after a few seconds I continue. "She's an immortal horse goddess who rules a country and I am a long living hairless monkey mortal. The idea of that alone is outrageous."
"Oh please, it's not unheard of for the deities to court and even love their Chosen."
"I'm not her Chosen. I am simply a devout follower."
"For now. She doesn't even know what a Chosen is, nor has she accumulated enough Divine Power to even be called a true Goddess yet. I won't make you continue this conversation, but we both know you can't keep repressing and denying your crush on her. It isn't healthy."
I pinch the bridge of my nose, "Listen, I won't deny that at some point my admiration evolved into something more romantically inclined. A crush is all it is though, it can be easily explained by prolonged isolation combined with trauma. Who wouldn't develop some type of feelings for the only creature that helps them through a situation like that. I'm going to sit on it for a while, once I have more people in my life and I'm more confident in why I feel this way then I'll consider saying something. Right now is just not a good time and I don't want to ruin what we have going at the moment. Plus I know for a fact she doesn't feel the same way in the slightest."
"Fine. You at least acknowledged it. I guess that's really all I can ask."
"Can I wake up or go back to normal dreams now? I really want to be anywhere but here right now."
"Sure, I do have one last request though."
"Shoot."
"Please take better care of OUR body from now on. This system of mana they have is quite astounding and it's a miracle you didn't render us completely unable to use it anymore after almost killing us." The amount of sass this elf is giving me with his posh accent is so unbearable, I cannot believe we're the same person.
"Yeah yeah I'll tell the next power hungry super villian to just chill out next time so I don't have to push our body."
"Oh! One more thing, can you stop using that damn thunder spell on the sword?!"
"Why? It's extremely effective in 1 on 1 matchups."
"Yes, but what is our name? Ignis Ferrum, Fire Steel. Why do you think I was called that? Use the damn flame blade."
3rd Person POV
"Luna, you really shouldn't give him such treatment in front of other ponies." Celestia goes from glancing at her sister to the medic sitting across from them in a carriage. The medic just has a soft smile as she stares at the scene.
"He's my knight, I'll treat him however I want. He deserves it and it broke my heart seeing him so defeated. You know how confident he normally is."
"You just don't want to start rumors, sister. I'm also devastated but I don't see you giving me any reassurance."
"Do my ears deceive me? Did the perfect princess, the avatar of the sun, just admit she's jealous? Tia, you know I have two wings, right?"
Celestia just rises and Luna takes the opportunity to move herself and Ignis to the side allowing room for the solar alicorn to cuddle up to her sister. Once she settles in and gets comfortable, Celestia looks over to the guard that was previously healing Ignis. "Corporal, this is official treatment for the elf and I so this falls under patient confidentiality."
The medic just giggles, "Of course, your majesty."
Long rest completed! Exhaustion Level: 4. Movement speed: 15ft.
[Hit Points: 32/32]
[Experience: 53,000/64,000] Quest rewards available!
"Quests."
QUEST LOG:
Active Quest: No quest currently active.
Main Quest - Get Home: Find out the truth about your appearance in Equestria and work with the inhabitants to return home. IN PROGRESS.
Main Quest - Recover Your Memories: You successfully recovered your memories! QUEST COMPLETED. Claim Rewards?
Main Quest - Global Summit: You successfully avoided further persecution for Princess Luna. You escalated tension with Draconia. PARTIAL COMPLETION. Claim Rewards?
Main Quest - Save Queen Aurora: You failed to save the changeling queen. QUEST FAILED. No rewards.
Side Quest - Positive PR: You caused a large portion of the guard to improve their opinion on yourself and Princess Luna. QUEST COMPLETED. Claim Rewards?
Side Quest - Spread the Good Word: Increase the influence and divine power of your Goddess. IN PROGRESS.
New Followers: 4/25.
Side Quest - Recruitment Efforts: Successfully recruit Royal Guard Lieutenant, Unstoppable Force, to the Lunar Guard. IN PROGRESS.
Quest failed, huh? Fuck that's brutal. Thanks for the reminder I guess.... "Claim all rewards."
+4,500 XP: 57,500/64,000. Level 9.
+2 Level 1 Spell Scrolls, +1 Level 2, 3, and 4 Spell Scrolls.
Choose any spell from the Wizard Spell List for your Spell Scroll rewards:
1st Level: Alarm and Identify.
2nd Level: Knock.
3rd Level: Counterspell.
4th Level: Dimension Door.
Ignis 1st Person POV
When I wake up the first thing I do is close my hands into fists as I attempt to stretch out my arms and yawn. I say attempt because all I successfully did was close my fists, only to find myself now squeezing something very soft. Instantly I remember where I was when I went to sleep and immediately open my eyes and lean myself in the opposite direction of my former pillow. Leaning away from the blue fur I hit my head on the interior panel of the carriage and I looked around in confusion. Why am I between Luna and the wall? Wasn't Celestia on the other side of me? Leaning forward a bit I see Celestia laying down in the classic "loaf" position with the side of her head against Luna's barrel and Luna's other wing is draped down over the back of her neck.
"Good night, Ignis. Did you sleep well? The guards are currently setting up camp for the night, but since both of you were sleeping so peacefully I decided to just let us stay here until both of you woke up." I feel the wing pull away from me as she folds it up.
"Yeah it was fine. Did we get a final casualty count?"
"Straight to business then, yes. Of the 57 ponies we brought there are 9 dead, 32 injured, and 2 missing. The 2 missing are more than likely in a pod similar to the one you found me in, it's where captives are placed in between love harvesting sessions. Shining has all the details if you want to go find him."
As Luna finishes her sentence we hear a low groan, "Why do you two insist on speaking at a normal volume despite somepony in here trying to sleep?"
"Because sister you're 30 minutes overdue on lowering the sun."
The alicorn shoots up instantly, "WHAT?! Why didn't you wake me earlier?!"
Luna just tucks her forelegs against her belly and lets out a hearty laugh, "I jest, Tia. You have 10 more minutes before sundown."
Now I can't help but laugh as the multi-thousand year old co-ruler of a massive nation begins to full on pout. "It isn't funny."
Quieting down to a giggle I offer an explanation, "I was laughing at your childish pouting, the gap moe was too powerful for me."
"What is a gap mo-ay?" Celestia replies.
"It's an affection born from an inconsistent behavior. I never in a million years expected to see you poke out your bottom lip and pout. It was unexpectedly adorable."
"Adorable? Me?" She looks up at Luna causing her to laugh again, but their conversation is cut short as I try to stand up and end making a very undignified sound as I stagger and end up leaning against the wall of the carriage.
Luna immediately stands up, "Ignis! You seriously shouldn't be moving. It's a miracle that you can even stand right now, but don't push it!"
Hissing in pain I don't even respond. It feels like I just got a massive cramp, but in every muscle in my body 10 times over. Everything has gone stiff and I can't even try to sit back down.
After a few seconds I manage to start slowly walking off the carriage, "I'm good, I'm good. I just forgot the state my body was in. I'm going to go find Shining and LT Force."
Celestia and Luna look at each other before both of them give me a somber look. Luna ends up being the one to break the news to me. "Ignis, the Lieutenant is one of the two missing ponies."
I always wondered what people meant when they said they felt their blood run cold, but I get it now. It's the first time in a while that my mind is truly empty and it feels like I can't breathe, my entire being is frozen. "Th-..... This is another joke right?"
"No, Ignis. She was last seen performing an aerial dive into a group of imposter ponies that were ganging up on a fellow guard. We believe she was paralyzed during the ensuing scuffle and was brought down into the hive."
"Am I correct in assuming that our travel speed has been negatively impacted due to the high number of injured ponies?"
"Aye. If you were to run at full speed you could likely make it back to the colosseum in 3 maybe 3 and half hours. You're not going to do that of course, but that's how far we are."
I look down at the two alicorns, "You're right, I'm not going. Not like this. When we leave in the morning I'm going to stay here. I'll slowly make my way towards the colosseum and get another full day of rest. After that I should be recovered enough to go back in there and get both of our guards out. From there we'll make our way back to Equestria. It's currently Thursday night so we should be able to return by Monday morning."
"Absolutely not. I will not let you march into a changeling hive, that is now fully hostile by the way thanks to the new leader of the hivemind, alone. You can barely move there is no way you will be completely fine to do any of that in 48 hours. We will negotiate with Chrysalis and arrange their release, end of discussion."
We both send a stern glare into each other's eyes. "I make myself invisible for up to 4 hours, find both of them, make all 3 of us invisible for 2 hours, and walk out with them none the wiser. It'd be a complete stealth operation."
"They detect emotions, you stubborn ass! You'll be emitting anger and despair to the point that the entire hive is alerted the second you walk into that colosseum."
I close my eyes and try to remember the empty feeling I had during the fight on the surface. Right after that fireball, it was like I was completely out of my own body. Almost like a dream where I'm looking through my own eyes but I'm not in control. It was after the fire cleared and everything just hit me all at once. The screams from creatures in their last moments, the smell of the burning changelings, all the blood on my own hands. It was like everything just shut down. I remember turning to look at the rest of them and just wishing they'd run away. Some of them even started to back up, but eventually a few of them mustered up the courage to continue the fight and I remember just calmly thinking "So be it."
My swordsmanship in the following moments was completely different than what I've shown before too. My body just moved exactly how I wanted it to, and I could see every movement they were making.
Trying to recreate that feeling I attempt to put myself back in that exact spot in the colosseum again with all the same sensations. One by one they hit me again, but at the very end a flash of Aurora hitting the wall and LT Force helping me bandage up after the fight with Inferno.
I feel it again. The most basic description I have is that it feels like giving up. I feel all my muscles relax and all my thoughts go silent. I slowly open my eyes again and see Luna go from the same stern glare she had moments ago to a look of confusion with the slightest hint of unease.
"I'll be fine. If I had known all this the first time I woke up in this carriage, I might feel differently, but during that sleep I had internalized that all of today's events were in the past and couldn't be changed. The only way I could even think of how to move on was to make a promise to myself that I would never fail so spectacularly again. But this? This can be undone, I can fix this. I'm going to fix this." I grab the door frame to the carriage and use it to help myself slowly walk out of the carriage.
As soon as I walk out of the carriage all the chatter and commotion in the camp drops to a dull silence. I can even hear the crackles of the small campfires scattered around the encampment. Looking around I note that a majority of the guards are now looking at me. Some seem shocked, others look... impressed? "What, is something on my face?"
In response a majority of the guards start to run over and crowd around me. I just look around at all of them in shock as some begin thanking me, asking questions about how I could tell the changelings apart, apologizing for treating me so coldly, or some other form of adoration. My look of shock quickly turns into a scowl. I hear the carriage door behind me open and close as another set of hooves begin to approach me as I start to vent my frustration at this crowd. "What's wrong with all of you?! We lost 11 ponies today and you're all smiles and applause?"
Most of the crowd falls silent as they start to look away or at the ground. The pony behind me speaks up, "Of course not Ignis. All of us are saddened and upset about the loss of life we suffered today, but we try to celebrate their lives and rely on our friendship to maintain morale and mission readiness. We only bring our most veteran guards to events like this, so this group is especially familiar with loss. Don't take it personally my little ponies, I'm sure we can all remember our first time out in the field." It would appear Celestia is the one that decided to chase after me. She tends to scold me more than Luna so this isn't a good sign.
A few of the guards closest to me reach a foreleg around and give me a pat on the back as the crowd disperses. "I came out here to find Shining, where is he?"
The familiar masculine voice of the unicorn rings out several feet away, "Over here!" I look over and find the stallion making his way towards the princess and I.
"Can we spare enough food and water to last two ponies 6 days?" I ask once he gets closer.
"Yeah? We always bring far more than we need for missions like these, but can I ask why?"
"In the morning I'm heading back towards the colosseum. I'm going to get two more days of rest and then infiltrate the hive on the 2nd night and rescue our two missing guards. Then we're going to walk back to Canterlot."
"Wha..?" He just sighs and looks to Celestia.
The princess also sighs, "He has a plan and while I still think it's a bad idea, I'm willing to let him try. I came out here to give you this, Ignis." She levitates over a small cloth pouch. "Inside are two gems. The blue one is a Sending crystal linked directly to Luna. You'll only be able to send and receive around 3 messages before it dies, but as long as there is ambient mana it should recharge within an hour or so. The large purple gem will teleport you directly to the castle courtyard. It's one use and will only teleport 1 creature. If you even think you've been detected, simply channel mana into it and get out of there. Lastly, you and I need to talk. Privately." Yup I'm getting scolded, called it.
Shining offers me a chuckle and tells me, "Well, good luck with that. I'll have the supplies put into your backpack and I'll also leave you a tent and enough firewood for a few nights next to it."
I plead with him in my head to stay, but he obviously can't hear my thoughts and walks away. I turn and follow Celestia into the royal tent. We walk in and sit down across from each other. "Ignis, in your previous life's culture, which gender was traditionally expected to be the protector and provider?"
"Huh? In the modern times we pretty much stopped having gender roles like that, but in the old days it was the males."
"I see, so did your population have more males than females?"
"No it was pretty dead even, 50/50. What is this all about?"
"In Equestria the population is 70% mares. As such, mares are expected to be the protectors and providers. We're supposed to be the decision makers, so much so that all 3 of the royalty in Equestria are alicorn mares. I had a feeling your previous culture was opposite of ours based on your behavior but I just needed to confirm it."
"Why?"
"As you know prior to Nightmare Moon, Luna began to feel more and more ignored and forgotten. She often spoke about how it felt like nopony would listen to her. Now, although Nightmare Moon is no more, these are still feelings that she is quite vulnerable too."
I interrupt Celestia, "So by disobeying her and telling her that I'm going to do this mission regardless of the fact that she said it isn't up to discussion...."
"You've upset her a bit, yes. She knows logically that your culture is likely different, it was something we discussed previously. She also knows, logically, that you're in a very emotional state and it would heavily weigh on you everyday until your friend was saved, but this isn't necessarily just that. You're her knight and she assumed that you would follow her orders, now that you seem dead set on ignoring them you've triggered her deepest insecurity. She's right back to being the ignored and lesser princess. So, I'm asking you not as Princess Celestia, but as Celestia Concordia, can you please go back into the carriage and talk to her?"
I'm silent for a minute or so before I stand up and start walking out of the tent. "Thank you for telling me this, Celestia."
I close the door behind me as I enter the carriage and see Luna laying across her seat staring at the ground with a defeated expression. "I'm sorry Luna."
"You're just saying that because my sister made you come back."
"I'm not. She just talked to me about some things and even gave me some magic items to help on my journey. Our conversation, though, made me realize that if I were to leave tomorrow morning and head to that colosseum, I'd be breaking my oath. I just got so consumed by my emotions I wasn't thinking. I not only lost to Inferno, but lost to him because of a foolish decision that could lead to an even more serious conflict. Then I fail to save 9 guards, then I fail to save Aurora, and then I wake up just to find out that one of my only friends was taken. It's just all piling on Luna."
"You think you're the only one?! I come back and deal with 3 weeks of a barely active night court, find out I'm the sole reason several treaties have to be renegotiated, watch you get nearly killed, get tricked and pony napped by an insect, suffer all the same losses. At least when it came to night court and all of the initial problems in Canterlot it was okay because I had Celestia and you. I have to sit here and know that I either let you do this insanely risky plan and worry about you, my ONLY other friend by the way, everyday until you come back. Or, or! I don't let you go and know that it'll eat away at you for days and probably just lead to you resenting me. It's an impossible choice for me, Ignis."
I drop down onto my knees in front of her seat and wrap my arms around her neck. "I can't believe how fucking selfish I'm being. I swear I'm not normally this stupid. You don't have to make this decision, Luna. I have one compromise to offer and if you don't want to do it just say the word and I will stay here."
I feel two wings wrap around me, "As long as you know you're being stupid! I'm your princess, Ignis! You're supposed to spoil me!" She pokes me in the chest with a forehoof and it sounds like she started crying a little midway through her response, but she ends it with a laugh. "What do you propose?"
"Come with me. Celestia gave me this crystal that will teleport one creature to Canterlot. We can use that for whichever guard is the most injured and then that'll still leave with a 3 person group. As long as it's only 3 of us I can make us invisible for 2 hours. I can't spread the spell out to more than 3 though until I get stronger."
"That was an idea I had considered too, but I have no magic to mask my emotions. Once we get the captives I can just teleport us thousands of feet away from the colosseum, but I'm not sure how we'd get to them in the first place."
"Ugh, I wish I knew the Calm Emotions spell. It's a spell that I know exists in my world, but I never bothered to learn it." I pull away from the hug and look at her. "Okay what if, we go together as originally planned, but you stay a couple thousand feet away from the hive. I can contact you with the Sending crystal and let you know that I've got both guards and I'll grab both of them and you teleport all 3 of us to your location!"
She smiles and replies, "I would be much more comfortable with that plan. Are you confident you can maintain that emotionless state you displayed earlier?"
"Fairly confident. It'd require some type of external stimulus to take me out of that state."
"Alright, let's go to the tent. We need to convey the new plan to Tia and I need to get out of this carriage. I've been in here for far too long and it's cramped."
Active Quest - Saving Private Ryan: Rescue ALL the captives in the changeling hive.
Progress:
0/2 Ponies
0/1 Minotaur
0/3 Griffons
> Planning Stages
Active Quest - Saving Private Ryan: Rescue ALL the captives in the changeling hive.
Progress:
0/2 Ponies
0/1 Minotaur
0/3 Griffons
"I see you two are in much brighter spirits! I'm glad the both of you were able to come to an agreement, and don't worry Ignis the negotiation to get our guards back is the top of my priority list once we return. We should expect them back within a week or two." Celestia beams at Luna and I when we enter the tent.
"No, they'll be free within the next 72 hours. We did come to an agreement though, you are right about that." You can hear a certain level of smugness in my voice as I respond to her.
She looks like she just bit into a lemon as she looks at me. "Excuse me?"
"It's as he says, Tia. I will be accompanying him until we're a thousand or so feet away from the colosseum. At that point he will infiltrate by himself and alert me once he has our guards, from there I will teleport them to my location and we will quietly withdraw before anypony notices we were there." Luna's mood is a complete 180 from earlier, I didn't realize how much it'd mean to her just to be included in the operation.
Celestia tries to pinch the bridge of her nose, but since it's a hoof it just looks a bit silly. Interesting that they have a similar motion to convey annoyance though. "I knew this was a possibility, but the chances of both of you agreeing to it seemed so small I hadn't even seriously considered it. At this rate you two will kill me with high blood pressure well before I have a successor."
Ignoring her complaints I turn to Luna. "By the way, I need to confess something. I haven't been intentionally holding back this information, but it's more like I just hadn't even thought about it until now."
"Go on." She replies with her head tilted in thought.
"The strange power I possess with the dice and what not will sometimes give me Quests or Tasks to complete. When I complete those tasks it'll reward me with a negligible increase in strength or with some magic items. I bring this up because once we decided on the new plan for the infiltration I was given a quest to rescue all of the captives currently held in the changeling hive. The quest specifies that I need to save two ponies, one minotaur, and three griffons. Is there any way we can alter the plan and have you teleport out the captives as I free them? They could all be in the same location and we can all come out in one sweep, but if they're located in different areas I won't be able to navigate around the hive with all of them in tow. However, I also don't want to get teleported out with one batch just to go all the way back in and start over."
"Mmmm, that is considerably more difficult. I'm using your mana signature as the anchor and then pulling along whatever other mana signatures you're in contact with. I'm not sure if there's a way for me to teleport them through you, but without actually pulling you. There's also no way for me to get their mana signatures to teleport them directly. Sister, do you have any ideas?"
"You can gather up our guards and anypony else that's close enough to safely extract and have one of the guards use something similar to the teleportation crystal I gave you. That one in particular couldn't be used in such a way but I can try to modify it and have it target any creature in contact with the user. That'll require much more mana though, depending on the number of extra creatures the gem might not have enough mana to properly function. It's quite a tricky situation."
Okay this is turning into quite the conundrum. "Okay. New plan. First I locate every prisoner, then route out the shortest path between all of them. Get all of us in one place and we just all teleport out." I decided to make up something on the spot.
"Ignis, I feel as though I'm obligated to remind you that the minotaurs and griffons are allied with the dragons. I respect that you're trying to do the right thing regardless of this fact, but we aren't obligated to save them. Especially after that stunt they pulled on the first day of the summit." Celestia does bring up a pretty valid point.
"You're right. If it seems too risky to go after the other species then I'll just grab our ponies and get out." I can still get partial rewards, and honestly I forgot about that whole Luna trial thing they tried to pull. Fuck 'em honestly.
Wait, I have the Moonblade! "Hang on, I've got it! I can store spells in my sword! I can only make 3 people including myself invisible, but if I store another cast of the invisibility spell in the sword I can make 5 other people invisible. I can have one of the ponies use the teleportation crystal and then I'll make the other 5 invisible and we can just walk out. We still have to figure out the whole emotions thing, but I think this is our best shot."
Luna perks up at the revelation and gives a brilliant suggestion. "Do you think the sword can store Equestrian magic?"
"Honestly I'm not sure. I know it can only store up to 5 levels of spell. So, one 5th level or five 1st level or some other combination to add up to 5. So, your spell would need to be equivalent to a 5th level or lower. For some perspective I can teleport myself and one other creature up to 500ft in any direction with a 4th level spell. I'm not sure if you have something like this but my polymorph spell can transform a creature into a frog or a sheep or a bear, that's also 4th level. I'm currently unable to perform 5th level spells. Theoretically this means any spell that you think is less complicated or powerful than anything you've ever seen me perform, should be able to work in this sword."
"Well let's just test it then! If you are able to cast the spell yourself then I have something much simpler for this, can you hold out your Moonblade for me?" Luna stands and eyes the sword.
I grab the scabbard and remove the entire piece from my waist, pointing the hilt towards Luna. She ignites her horn and places it directly against the hilt, and once she does her horn and the hilt begin to glow brightly. After a few seconds the alicorn pulls away with a pensive look on her face. "I didn't get any recoil as if the spell failed and the spell definitely didn't activate so by all means it should be in there, but it felt very strange."
"Ah, I bet you are the only pony that could store spells in this sword. This sword actually recognizes you as Eilistraee, so there's no way it would reject a gift from you." In response I feel a tingle shoot up my arm which makes me smile down at the sword. "Clever little sword. Now Luna, if I were to cast this now to test it, how many more times can you perform the spell to store it into the sword again?"
"Over 100, easily. Not to sound full of myself, but an alicorn's mana well is effectively infinite. Feel free to cast it right now and I'll happily store another copy. All you need to do is point it towards a flat surface, usually the ground, and activate it."
Following her simple advice I point the hilt towards a large empty space on the ground and activate the Moonblade. After a few seconds there's a bright flash that blinds me for a second and when I blink away the spots in my vision I see a 10ft wide white circle with a star in the middle and runes placed randomly inside the circle. "Is this a teleportation circle?!"
"Indeed it is! Now when I store the spell in there again I'll encode it with the runic signature for this circle. If everything works correctly you should be able to just activate the spell and the two will be linked!"
We repeat the process and after walking outside the tent and 100ft or so away I channel the Moonblade again. Another circle appears and I watch in awe as the star in the center begins to shrink and twist as the lines making up the star form into a circle-esque polygon. That polygon then begins to glow white and expand until it's about the same size as the circle it's being held within. Once the polygon finishes expanding the white light dims and I can see the tent and the cot I was sitting on through the circle. I'm so excited at witnessing this cool magic that I don't notice when the portal brightens up and then the entire teleportation circle disappears in a flash. "Huh? Where did it go?"
Celestia decides to give me the explanation, "The teleportation circle is only good for around 10 seconds unless it's a permanent circle. We used to have one at the castle in the Everfree but once we moved to Canterlot I abandoned the idea. If the runic signature was ever found the security risk was too large. So, you'll only get 1 shot at this. If that fails then whoever is left behind is on their own. Although if somepony at both ends of the portal are supplying the connection with a stream of mana you should be able to extend the duration. It'll be quite draining for mortals though. With your expansive mana well you should be able to double the duration, maybe a bit more. It's hard to say exactly."
Finally finding a glimmer of hope after taking a streak of losses is almost enough to make my eyes well up. "This is enough. I can feel it in my gut now, with this new strategy I know I can do this." I look down at the ground where the circle was just a few seconds ago and can't help but give a big smile.
It seems Luna was even more elated than me because after I smiled at the ground she suddenly hopped up a few inches and wrapped her forelegs around my neck, pulling me into a hug. After a few seconds of both of us just letting out happy celebratory noises Celestia clears her throat and quietly says, "We are not inside the tent, sister."
Luna quickly drops back down to all 4's and gives her sister a sheepish grin. "Forgive me, I was just happy that I could be useful!"
Oh. Well that saps my mood a bit. She seemed to be doing fine before we came out here for the summit. Sure, night court was extremely slow most nights, but it never appeared to me that it was getting to her. "You aren't useless, Luna. You raise and lower the moon, align the constellations and make every starry night unique. Without you I would've been unable to even attune to this sword! You protect every single pony in the entire nation from nightmares. I know it must be a thankless job, and you might wonder why you even bother doing it every day. I promise you though, you positively affect the lives of thousands of ponies daily. Hell, if you were useless then I would be dead right now. A useless Luna would've fled from that room as soon as she was freed from the pod. Your assistance during the fight and efforts after the fight are the only reason I'm alive."
Celestia has a soft smile on her face as I start lecturing the lunar alicorn, and she even offers an occasional nod of her head. Somehow I'm able to see the slightest hint of a blush under Luna's blue coat as she receives the mountain of praise. "Aye, we get it thou needest not continue. Thank ye." Oh she's really flustered she even went back into ye olden speak.
"Now I just have to decide what I want to do for the rest of the night since I ended up getting a full rest during the day." Right as I say that Luna lets out a big yawn.
"Good luck figuring that out, unlike the two of you I was unable to get even the slightest bit of sleep during the ride today. I haven't slept since I got out of the pod and I intend to rectify that right now." Luna looks at Celestia then at me before continuing, "This is the perfect opportunity for you two to get to know each other better! Please don't kill each other."
Luna heads into the tent and as I look around I realize she's right. Most of the guards turned in already, so it's just me, Celestia, and two or three guards I haven't interacted with before.
I look at Celestia and sigh as I walk past her and sit down next to one of the camp fires, "So Celly, you got any hobbies?"
"Celly?"
"Yeah you know, short for Celestia!"
"I know what it means, why are you addressing me that way?"
"Oh, I don't know, it just felt right. Are you avoiding the question? Does that mean you don't have any hobbies? Because that would be quite sad."
She assumes the loaf position across from me and gives her own sigh. "It's not like I've never had hobbies, but once you live long enough you mostly get to try everything you think you'd enjoy. On top of that I became so busy once Luna was banished I just didn't have time. I've been going on like that for a 1000 years, so I guess I'm just used to working non-stop now. Taking on personal students to test them and prepare them to be my successor is probably the closest thing I've had to a hobby in 1000 years."
"Does that mean you had one before Twilight?"
"Yes.... that story did not end well though, I'm afraid." I wait several seconds to see if she's going to expand on that, but eventually she just looks at me questioningly.
"Ok I guess you don't wanna talk about it, so that means Twilight is in the process of becoming your successor right? Is she doing well? Also how does that even work, you're ageless and she's mortal. How could she even succeed you?"
"She's surpassed her predecessor, that's for sure. As for the 2nd half of your question.... you're effectively going to be the head of the Lunar Guard so I guess it's fine to tell you, but this is Top Secret information. You must never spread this information, okay?"
"I swear I will not reveal or expose the information you're about to give me, Princess Celestia."
"Alicorns are almost never born as alicorns. Luna and I were both originally born as unicorns. You haven't met her yet, but I imagine she'll be at the castle by the time we return, Princess Cadence. She was born a pegasus. We all ascended into alicorns through one way or another. Twilight will be the same, assuming she does not get led astray from the path she's on." She drops an absolute bombshell on me.
"That sounds crazy to me. You can just become a demigod," I snap my fingers, "like that?"
"That is why it's Top Secret. How were you able to reliably tell who was changelings and who was not? It's written in the report that you had 100% accuracy in detecting them, but it's not explained."
"I have a spell that lets you detect poison as long as it's not behind 3ft of stone and it's within a certain radius. Once I got bit by one of the small insects I realized they were poisonous creatures so I used that spell and any creature that moved while allegedly being poisoned was attacked on sight. In cases like yours once I cured the poison, if my detect poison spell had kept marking you as poisoned then you'd have been attacked on sight as well."
"That is extremely useful! We used to have a spell meant for changeling detection, but the changelings have been our allies for so long the composition of the spell seems to have been lost to time. Can you give me a demonstration of the spell, please?"
"Yeah sure." I reach into my component pouch and pull out a yew leaf. Mimicking the actions I used in the past I activate my Detect Poison spell. As soon as it activates my blood runs cold. "Celestia, don't freak out, but there's at least two changelings in this camp right now."
> Ignis the Wiza-corn.... the Uni-wizard? Ignis learns more magic.
"Well, I certainly hope there's more than two. How limited is your detection radius?" Celestia just gives me the kind of a look a teacher gives a student when they ask an absurd question.
"Uh.... what? I can only detect out to 30ft but it moves with me. Can we circle back to that more than two?"
"We didn't just leave all of Aurora's children down there to die or be converted, Ignis. It's not a large number, but we were able to bring 10 of them with us. They're under orders to only use a disguise if their life is in imminent danger or under direct orders from a superior. Even then they need to create their identities themselves, no duplicating existing ponies allowed."
"Wow, that's surprisingly competent. Good move sunbutt."
"First of all, almost every action I take is competent. Secondly, if you ever call me that again I will turn you into glass." She gives me a smug smirk.
"Brutal. Hey, since no one else is out here and we have seemingly nothing to talk about....why don't you give me a little lesson on magic?" I ask her with my eyes shifted to the side, nervously.
She has a look of deep contemplation as she shifts her lips left and right, tilting her head. "Very well. That book you read likely stated that the runic alphabet contains 40 letters, that is incorrect. There are a near infinite number of characters, but with the core 40 you can cast around 95% of all magic."
"But how do you use spells that require multiple runes? The book didn't really cover that..."
"Well for us it is quite simple. You see the spiraling line that goes up my horn?" I give her a small nod. "Each solid section of horn between the lines represents a different layer for us. I could cast a spell that requires 21 runes for example, but someone like Rarity could only do 7. This is where you are likely going to have the bulk of your struggles. You're already an irregularity to our known magic fundamentals, you're the only non-unicorn, besides alicorns of course, that can perform magic. Even I'm unsure how you'll overcome this multi-rune problem, though."
"But I thought pegasi and even earth ponies could all use magic?"
She shakes her head at me, "No. They can use mana, but only when mana is shaped through a rune or incantation can it be called magic and they are simply incapable. Also, don't misunderstand. I said unicorns can utilize as many runes as they have layers, but it's not quite so simple. For every layer they add the amount of mana needed for the spell is exponentially increased. They also need to have an increased mastery of moving the mana, even if Rarity had the mana to perform a 7-rune spell it's unlikely she has the ability to force the mana through all of the layers."
"How can you hold the mental image of multiple runes at once while moving the mana through them?"
"That's another advantage the horn gives us, once a rune is applied to a layer it can be maintained with no effort or attention. When we're born the connection to our horn is intuitively ingrained into us."
"So basically you're all a bunch of cheaters." I summarize with an annoyed look on my face.
"It's not the first time I've heard that. Would you like to give a multi-rune spell a try?" She summons a piece of paper and draws 3 runes on it. "You'll want to set them up in this order, but keep in mind the mana needs to go through all of them in an instant. Using 1 rune and rapidly morphing it will never be fast enough to satisfy the spell, it'll collapse before you get the next rune ready. Once you're able to perform this spell I'll teach you the meanings of each rune and how the meaning can change if used with another rune."
She thinks to herself that if she's lucky he'll never overcome this wall, but Celestia acknowledges it'll likely only take him a couple of months.
After 30 minutes or so of me failing the alicorn eventually stops giggling at my frustration and summons a book to read. I've managed to perform two runes, but the problem I'm running into isn't even the ability to maintain the shape of 3 runes. The problem is that I'm forcing the mana through the layers in my head and then sending it straight to my hand, but the amount of time it takes for the spell to travel down is too long and the shape of the mana collapses. It was so easy with just 1 rune for the light spell that I didn't even think this was a potential issue.
6 hours later. 4:40AM.
I've given up on multiple runes. I need to put all my focus on figuring out how to shape the mana in my hand instead of my head. It took everything I had and even made my break out in a sweat but I was able to maintain 3 runes at once. The time it takes for the mana to traverse down to my hands once shaped is simply too long. It'll never be possible. I spent a couple of hours trying to eject the mana from anywhere else, and although it seems like the mouth can work it caused me a great amount of pain.
2 hours later. 6:40AM
The sun rises and Celestia walks over to me and watches as my face wrinkle from pure strain as I continue to attempt brute forcing this spell. But, it finally hits me, I think I know how I can do this. I imagine circles in my forearm. Then I divide up the outer edge of each circle and imprint all 40 characters into its own box along the edge. It's easy for me to do this because I drew a physical representation of the design on a piece of paper in front of me.
With this I can theoretically recreate a unicorn horn, but with slight differences. I can't just embed the rune into each circle and let it stick, but I can imagine a notch on the top of my forearm. Then I picture each wheel turning until each wheel is rotated in such a way that the correct runes are lined up together in sync on the notch. Now I just need to imagine each circle has a screen in the center of it. This is an imaginary magical item in my head, and I'm really not sure why this works but for some reason assigning everything to a fixed place like this makes it much easier on my concentration. The screen on the first wheel displays the rune aligned to the notch, then the 2nd and 3rd wheels also light up in the middle with their own screens. Now all 3 runes are sitting on this magic item inside my forearm. As I turn the wheel I watch the rune on the screen change to match.
Once I play with it enough I turn the wheels so that the runes fall into the correct characters in the correct order for the spell Celestia wants me to cast. Once that's done I open my eyes and jump up onto my feet. The actions are done so quickly that Celly jumps back a little in surprise. I turn and look her straight into the eyes, "I've done it."
She looks left then right and sees nothing different. "Are you sure you've done it? Because to everypony else out here it looked like you were trying to give yourself a hernia."
I point the palm of my hand at her and she steps to the side. "Woah there Ignis, don't point that thing at any of us. Aim it towards the ground away from camp, you don't even know what the spell is!"
"So, what's the spell?" I cock up an eyebrow as I stare at her.
"Well I'm not going to ruin the surprise now, you've apparently done it so just cast the spell and find out for yourself."
I close my eyes and re-picture the magic item. It takes a few seconds but it reappears. I turn each wheel again to the correct runes. Next I put my attention on the core of my mana in my chest and with as much force as possible I ram the mana down my arm into the palm of my hand. I watch the mana go through all 3 rings and then gasp in surprise as the mana shifts from its typical blue color into a bright red and orange. Opening my eyes I watch as a line of fire jets out from the palm of my hand and impacts the ground several feet away with a loud crash.
I quickly shift my hand from a flat palm into a finger gun and yell out "Fire Bolt!" as I point my finger a few feet to the left of the Equestrian version of the spell. After the dust and smoke clears it seems as though the damage to the ground and the size of the scorch mark for MY fire bolt is more than the Equestrian version. That could be because I was so surprised by the result of the spell that the mental image of the magic machine shattered. I'll need to work on a way to use that method while keeping my eyes open. I can't exactly run around fighting while blind.
I turn to my right and look back at Celestia only to find that Luna has joined us now as well. Luna looks quite proud but Celestia looks like she's currently knee deep in Vietnam flashbacks.
Before I can comment on Celestia's condition Luna walks further up to me. "I can't believe you managed it! When Tia told me she had sent you on an impossible path I prepared a speech to bring up your spirits, but to think you've casted a triple rune spell after 1 night is truly outstanding! You know if you wanted to make that spell equivalent to the one you fired afterwards you would just need to add this rune to the end of the formula. This rune is a static rune, no matter where you place it in a formula or what you combine it with it will always mean "Strengthen." Why not try adding a few and see what happens?" She projects an image of a rune into the air with her horn.
I decide to instantly try and adapt this new information to the configuration. I add 3 more wheels into my mental image and start turning them to set the rune, but after the 4th wheel is turned I instantly feel a wave of fatigue. Pushing on I turn the 5th wheel only to watch as the first wheel begins to blur and I'm unable to make out the image of the rune that's displayed in the center of the wheel. At the same time I fall on my ass and struggle to catch my breath. Why did it suddenly sap so much energy from me....?
"Very interesting, so was it the 5th rune or the 6th?" Luna's head pops into the edge of my upper vision as she questions me.
I look directly up into her eyes and after a moment of silence I reply. "It was the 5th one. The 4th one actually caused me to feel quite fatigued but the 5th one is when everything fell apart and I got knocked on my ass."
She giggles a bit and offers me an explanation when I give her a questioning look. "I intentionally didn't tell you, but that strengthen rune adds a 10 times multiplier to the mana cost. If you add 2 it becomes 100 times more costly. For those of us with horns we don't have to concentrate on maintaining the shape of the rune but for you it seems like that rune also ended up increasing the mental power needed to maintain it times 100. If that's the case then I'm impressed you're even conscious." Lifting her head and turning to look at Celestia she continues. "Sister, would you please quit acting like Ignis just murdered your bird? You're overreacting."
Sure enough I look over and she still has that astonished look on her face as she stares at the scorch marks on the ground. I stand up and walk over to the stunned alicorn and throw my arm around the back of her neck. "So, you sent me down an impossible path, huh? Was that supposed to be payback for the incompetent comment? Did you truly wish to watch me struggle for an indefinite amount of time? Luna is right though you should gather your thoughts and prepare to depart. The guards are already just about done tearing down camp."
An hour or so passes and Luna and I wave goodbye to the guard formation as they continue on their march back to Equestria. The two of us then look at each other and after a quick nod we begin walking in the opposite direction, back towards the colosseum. I glance at my 15ft of movement speed and fight the urge to hiss in pain with every step. Our progress is going to be quite slow with the way I'm shuffling forward with my half shattered body.
After two hours of stop and go walking Luna finally lets out a frustrated "Ugh!" I sheepishly look down at the ground in embarrassment, knowing I'm the sole reason for our unreasonably slow pace. "Just climb on, Ignis. We'll get to our camping spot much quicker and it'll allow us for more resting time."
"Absolutely not. You're already carrying the firewood and a majority of our supplies. I refuse to make you carry everything including my own body. It goes against my pride and everything I stand for if I am to burden you like that."
"That's sweet and I appreciate the sentiment, but Ignis forcing me to walk at this agonizing pace in the hot desert sun is much more of a burden than me just flying ahead while carrying you. Please just climb on. I insist." She bends all 4 legs and lowers herself while staring at me with a pleading look.
"Please forgive me." I quietly mutter out loud before throwing one leg over her and sitting down on her back.
She stands back up to her full height and spreads her wings, forcing my legs back. As my legs get pushed back it causes my upper half to lean forward. I wrap my arms around her neck and after asking me if I'm secure, she takes off.
We don't want to be spotted from afar during our approach so Luna rockets through the air just a foot or so above the ground. As my hair whips around from the wind I can't help but look at the princess and remember the last two days. It feels like ever since we escaped she's been more.... physical? The wing blanket, the hug, and now insisting we travel like this. It's nothing concerning and it's a very small change in behavior, but still interesting. I can't help but wonder what happened or what thought she had during the event that led to this. I can't say I dislike it though, and right as I finish that thought my eyelids get heavy and I fall asleep.
Exhaustion Level: 3. Hit Points: 63/63. Movement Speed: 15ft.
I wake up to the sounds of a crackling fire and the sun setting in the distance. Looking over I spot Luna meditating with her horn lit. It seems like she's preparing herself to raise the moon soon. Without opening her eyes she calls out to me, "You know, if you were truly considerate of me you'd have kept me company during the flight instead of falling asleep. Now if I want our sleep schedules to match I need to stay up all night. Good news though, we won't need to move at all tomorrow. I was able to get us into position."
I sit up and offer her a sympathetic look, "Unfortunately the plan is to infiltrate the hive at night tomorrow, so I'll need to maintain this sleep schedule so I'm wide awake during the op."
She points her nose up to the sky and makes a very undignified "hmph" noise. "Then as your princess, no, your goddess I demand you entertain me so that I may more easily stay awake."
I can't help but to chuckle at her silliness, "Of course, Your Grace. This lowly knight will do his very best. You know so much about my mother and her Moonblade and my relationship with her, so how about I give you a few stories involving my father?"
As I near the end of my sentence her horn glows bright and I watch as the night sky slowly spreads across the sky. Once Luna is done she lowers her head from her pouting pose and opens her eyes, giving me a soft smile. "I think I would enjoy that."
> Story Time
"It was near the end of a particularly uneventful summer. Father decided to let me spend a decade or so at an actual magic academy of sorts when I turned 65. Up until that point I was just working with tutors and mentors as they came and went throughout our territory. I remember being quite excited, I was going to study under a powerful Archfey, not directly ofcourse, but she oversaw the academy. Part of the admission process involved a direct interview with the Overseer, so I was extremely nervous to be questioned by Zybilna the Archfey. It was also the first and only time I got to see my father also nervous." I start telling Luna about a long trip I took with my father.
"What kind of pony, err, creature was your father? Was he kind?" Luna decides to get some questions in before I even get really started on the story, haha.
"Well it's a bit complicated. To understand why he was the way he was I need to first explain who he was. He, and technically I, were considered Summer elves. One interesting quality for us is that whenever our emotions run wild or we find ourselves in a particularly dense area of the feywild our hair emulates fire. Some even have their eyes turn red. My father on the other hand, as the ruler for the Summer domain, always had his hair ignited. Most people thought that was just a quality of our bloodline, but it requires almost completely mastery of one's emotions. To constantly maintain that form he was subconsciously always keeping his anger elevated. This led to some people thinking that he was just a very intense and strict man."
"I take it that is not the case?"
"Correct. He was firm, but he never did anything that I resent him for. In conversation he was very direct, and he had no patience for nonsense. Actually, now that you've made me recall that I am, in fact, a summer elf that reminds of a conversation we had during our trek to Prismeer, Zybilna's domain. I actually asked him during that trip why I had never undergone the Summer transformation. As you know my hair being silver was a biological impossibility, so we theorized that it was because of the traces of drow in my blood. By all rights I should've been born with red or blonde hair, but Eilistraee blessed me with silver. Eventually my father confessed that he believed it was possible for me to achieve the form, but he had never seen me in the emotional state necessary for it to happen. He said I was too kind and too forgiving. Apparently the key to achieving the form is not just pure anger, it requires a drop of pure hatred. He believed I was too kind to ever hate someone."
"I'm not sure I agree with his statement.... You have quite a twisted side to you if I'm being honest and quite the nasty temper." Luna admits her true feelings with a chuckle.
"Well, Ignis was a kind child. However, even after acquiring all of my previous memories my dominant personality is still Lucas. Lucas was an absolute menace. I like to think I'm actually a bit more tame compared to how I was on earth. Up until this summit I had been driven to the point of pure rage a few times, but I never truly wanted to kill someone. Even with Kiln I only struck him again because I was confident he would survive. Luckily nothing I've had to fight in this world is even remotely humanoid because if all of those changeling drones looked like humans or elves I'd probably be in an even worse mental state right now. However, they do just look like monsters to me; it doesn't even feel like murder. Maybe once I'm here for longer and my moral compass dials into you four legged creatures I'll start seeing those changelings in my dreams."
Pausing to gather my thoughts and get back on topic, "Until Chrysalis. When you all told me that Aurora was dead and I blacked out, that was the first time this body has felt true hate. She's the first being that I have actively set out in my mind as a target that I will kill. If my fathers theory is true I'm guessing the only reason I didn't catch on fire in the carriage is because of the state my body was in."
"Hmm, a reasonable theory. Anyways, sorry for distracting you, please continue your story."
"Right, we showed up at her domain and it was truly magical. To enter into her territory it required us to pass through an immense cloudy barrier that surrounded the entire domain. She had somehow managed to have all 4 seasons at the same time but they were spread out between 3 different areas. Yon was a wintery area, Hither was a mix of Spring and Summer, and Tither was Autumn. We went across a massive bridge that stretched for miles all the way up to her castle. It was bigger than Canterlot. Once we arrived there was a huge wooden gate with a big decorative door knocker on it and no guards or other people in sight. So, we knocked on the gate and a few seconds later were both teleported straight into Zybilnas office."
Taking a sip of water I looked over to Luna with an eyebrow raised inquisitively trying to see if she had any questions while I was pausing to drink. She shook her head no and I continued.
"She actually appeared shockingly human for a supposed Archfey, but she was just as chaotic and playful as I'd expect an Archfey to be. The interview ended within 10 minutes. I was too young and she was also quite displeased to find out I was a bladesinger. Under normal circumstances she wouldn't have even bothered setting up the interview due to my age, but because my father convinced her I was an unmatched prodigy combined with his Title and reputation, she entertained him."
"Why would being a bladesinger be a bad thing?"
"Well it was an academy for studying magic. All sorts of talented wizards from all sorts of realms were there to study, and although bladesinging in my world was considered something only wizards could do, it meant I had to forgo specializing in a school of magic. She preferred Divination or Evocation wizards but since I was a bladesinger I had no school of magic. She didn't even think bladesingers should be considered wizards. Something about spellcasters shouldn't be in the thick of things playing around with swords. She believed that one could either be a master in physical combat or a master spellcaster, never both."
"I would agree with her if you had a typical mortal lifespan, but if you can live up to 2000 years then you could definitely master both." Luna tries to sympathize with me.
"No she was right. Elves took advantage of their long lifespans. They would spend years over any meaningful decision in life, they'd spend a majority of their time in leisure or personal activities. We have all the time in the world. Why would we rush through everything in life? It's one of the reasons I'm glad I retained my personality and perspective of my human life and not my elf life. I can't stand to waste even a second."
"You must've been pretty disappointed at your rejection then? How did your father take it?"
"He took it worse than me. It was the one and only time I ever saw his fire go out besides when mom died. He was distraught because the only reason I'm a bladesinger is because the patriarchs of our family are all expected to be bladesingers. In his mind he was the reason I didn't get accepted. Now that I have my memories from my time as a human, though? I am very sad I didn't get accepted. Zybilna was actually a human mage named Natasha. She was one of the most powerful wizards ever seen in the post-Karsus era. She had like 7 spells named after her, which is quite an impressive number. I can't believe I actually got to meet her, THE Tasha! I'm only just now realizing how cool that is!"
"Was she truly so impressive?"
"She could bend reality to her will. With a simple utterance of a few words she could revive anyone, no matter how long they had been dead or if they even had a body." I reply with a certain level of awe in my voice.
"Hmph, I guess that is impressive."
"Did you just hmph?! Aurora was right, you get jealous so easily!"
Suddenly a pillow from seemingly nowhere is thrown into my head, "SILENCE!"
After a few seconds of silence we both start to laugh. We continued to share stories all night and once the sun came up we built the tent and started getting ready for sleep. It was actually a bit harder than I thought it'd be for me to sleep because I knew when I woke up I'd be marching into a hostile hornets nest alone. Eventually sleep did find me though, I have to admit I really do prefer sleeping over meditating. Even if I only need to meditate for half the time.
Exhaustion Level: 2. Movement Speed: 15ft. Hit Points: 63/63.
Spellbook configuration confirmed!
Shocking Grasp replaced with Green-Flame Blade.
"Alright let's go over everything. I got your teleportation circle stored in the Moonblade, I have 8 hours of invisibility, Sending Crystal, Emergency teleport crystal. Am I forgetting anything?" I ask Luna.
"No but it's only around 2PM I thought you were going to go when it gets dark?"
"My body is still in rough shape. It'll probably take me like 6 hours to walk over there, Luna."
"Let's just rest one more day then, Chrysalis won't kill them, she needs them for food."
"No, I don't want to just waste an entire day doing nothing. I'll stay here for an extra 2 hours though, how about that?"
"I supposed that's fine, let's eat breakfast."
I'm chowing down on something when I remember a question I've been meaning to ask Luna. "Hey Luna." She looks over at me, "Feel free to not answer this question, but just know my opinion of you won't change no matter what you say. Is Nightmare Moon truly a different pony than you?" I've been wondering this ever since I had that dream forever ago where I was fighting Nightmare in the everfree again but she had Luna's mane this time.
"As much as my sister would like to think it's not, it essentially is. I'd say the corruption only changed me around 10% and even that's being generous. All it did was take all the things I was wishing I could do and push me towards that direction."
"I see, but what exactly is the corruption? Like why did it get you and not... any other pony? Is it an alicorn thing or did it just choose to go after the most powerful being that was susceptible? Cause if it's an alicorn thing then I have to ask if Celestia has ever had a Nightmare moment?"
"None of us are sure. Tia has had a similar incident but it didn't require the Elements to bring her back. The griffons went after our parents once we ascended because they were worried if our parents had any more foals they would also grow into alicorns. Tia was so enraged it was like she became the sun. Within 2 days a war had been declared and surrendered. She single handedly decimated the monarch's castle and caused it to be relocated to Griffonstone, but once their king was dead she went right back to normal Celestia and grieved with me. From that day onward there was a whisper among the other nations, "Beware the alicorn of fire and destruction, she is the Daybreaker.""
"Damn. Remind me to stop bantering with her so much. Let's kick this thing off!"
I start to slowly walk in the direction of the colosseum when Luna calls out to me, "Just let me teleport you closer. If I put you a few hundred feet away it should be far enough to avoid magic detection. You'll still have to walk a decent bit, but it'll be much less than the distance you're about to walk without the teleport."
"Fine fine, will I be within line of sight when you teleport me in?" She thinks it over for a bit then gives me a small nod. "Okay let me apply my Invisibility and then you can drop me in."
Once I apply the spell and close my eyes I feel a rush of wind and a sudden increase in heat, likely because I'm in the sun right now. Once I open my eyes I see the familiar colosseum off in the distance and start slowly walking towards it.
Perception.
5 + 6 = 11.
Looks like they have a few bugs patrolling from the top of the structure, but they all seem low level enough to not detect me. I wish I had asked either of the princesses for magical ink so I could learn Counterspell and Dimension Door. It'd be so much easier on my poor body if I could just Dimension Door all the way into their base.
Holding up the crystal to my mouth I run some mana through it. "Test test one two three, can you hear me Luna?"
"Aye, crystal appears to be fully functional."
"Good, I'm heading in now."
> Main Quest - Invisible Hand pt. 1
Maintaining this emotionless state is quite a bit more draining that I thought it'd be. I've managed to make it inside the hive with no problems, but every tick of soreness or shock of pain I encounter every few steps is enough to make me pause. Also one thing I completely overlooked is that I cannot cast Locate Creature to find Force. The only way I can use two concentration spells at once is to offload one of them to the Moonblade, but the blade is currently completely full while it's holding the teleportation circle. Since I'm currently concentrating on Invisibility that has me in a bit of a pinch.
If I wasn't on a timer it wouldn't be a problem, but I am on a time limit. I only have so many spell slots to maintain my stealth. Not to mention the pace I'm exploring this hive is agonizingly slow. I'm not completely blind though. Currently I'm making my way to the throne room since that room eventually led to the room where Luna was held in a pod. If the others are held in similar pods then my educated guess is that they will be close to the same area.
"Have you found any of the hostages yet my paladin?" A familiar voice speaks into my mind.
"I haven't. I'm moving at quite the slow pace to be honest, I think waiting 1 more day might've been the right call."
"It's not too late, I can teleport you back now and we can tell more stories to pass the time. In the near future we won't have many opportunities like this, you know."
"Shh. I'm curious what you mean by that but please don't steer the conversation towards things likely to evoke any kind of emotion. It's hard enough to keep my focus as is." I reply coldly.
"Ah, I hadn't considered that. I apologize, Ignis. Keep me updated on your progress."
Turning the corner I spot a line of changelings chained together being led down the corridor. As they slowly trudge forward the only sound I can hear is the clinking of their chains. They're heading in the same direction that I need to go, towards the throne room. What does Chrysalis have planned for Aurora's children?
I stop that line of thinking before it leads me into a potential spiral of despair or rage. We're both heading there anyways, I can stop thinking about it and just silently follow behind them. I need to mentally prepare myself to see that whore again. I can't have an outburst this deep into the hive.
Luckily for me when I make my way into the throne room Chrysalis is nowhere to be seen. One of the jet black changelings looks over the chained drones and speaks up. "Kneel and wait for the Queen to arrive. We will find out where your true loyalties lie."
Perception. (Disadvantage)
18 and 7. 7 + 6 = 13.
Towards the back of the room, behind a pillar moving to the left into a hallway I make out the feathers of a griffon. Looking between the chained up drones and the hallway I decide to follow the griffon. Once I get all the hostages out I can come back and see what she has planned for these changelings.
Unfortunately I'm unable to move at my normal speed so by the time I make it across the room and into the hallway I can't see where the griffon went. Thankfully the hallway appears to only go to a singular place. There are turns and bends but whenever they appear there's no other paths to take other than the turn. Eventually I turn one final corner and the hallway finally opens up into a room.
Glancing around I see at least 20 pods decorating the walls of the room. Some of them are dark and I'm unable to see inside, but I'm assuming those are empty because I'm able to quickly count every single creature I'm here for is in this room.
Stealth. (Advantage)
14 and 1. 14 + 9 = 23.
I find myself feeling relieved for only a moment before instantly reigning myself back in. I'm relieved that all of our back up planning was for nothing, but I can't let myself actually feel that. Glancing at the two changelings currently putting the griffon back into one of the pods and then at the two drones standing near the entryway into the room I watch to see if any of their faces change to acknowledge the momentary lapse in my emotions. Luckily nothing seems to happen as they all continue as normal.
Slowly walking over to a corner of the room I wait and see if any of these drones will leave the room. I know the two by the door are guards for this room so I'll have to very quickly kill them, but I'm hoping the other two will leave.
The 4 changelings have been talking for what feels like hours, but I know it's only been 30 minutes or so. The invisibility spell I'm currently concentrating on is my 3rd cast, and it currently only has 5 minutes left, but unlike the other two times I can't re-apply this one when it runs out. Technically I can re-apply the status without becoming visible, but they would almost certainly be able to tell that something has occurred over here. I can't silently cast this spell after all. If these other two changelings don't leave before this spell runs out I'll have to just blitz them all down.
Luckily using the sending crystal doesn't seem to count as casting a spell otherwise I would've been caught ages ago when Luna randomly called me. Knowing this I grasp the gem and begin to give it a trickle of mana. "Alright Luna I've found all of the hostages, but there's 4 drones in this room and unfortunately I'm just about out of time to continue waiting on them to leave. In two minutes I'm going loud."
"Understood. Just remember that you can call out to me and I'll be able to teleport you out in an instant."
I wait another minute and silently curse in my head as the other two changelings seem to be insistent on staying in here. This is annoying because now I'm going to be forced to use Haste if I want to give myself the best chance to clear these guys out in one turn.
Silently walking up to the conversing drones I grasp the hilt of the Moonblade and prepare to swing. Right before I swing I mutter out the incantation for Haste and then as the drones turn to look at the source of the sound I ignite the emerald blade with a fire of the same color and bring the blade down onto the closest surprised changeling.
Initiative: 13 + 5 = 18.
Roll to hit:
18 and 10. 10 rerolls into 7. 18 + 11 = 29.
5 + 7 + 4 = 16 Slashing Damage. +5 Fire Damage. 21 Damage.
The blade cleanly slices through the drones chitin and a few inches into the body of the changeling. As the blade is pulled out of the wound a bright emerald fire flashes into the wound as the Green-Flame Blade extra damage kicks in. That same flash of emerald fire then jumps from the drones wound on the changeling next to it.
+5 + 5 = 10 Fire Damage.
The adjacent drone is shrouded in emerald flames for a second before they disappear in a flash and leave a trail of smoke emitting from the creature. Immediately following that attack I step to the side of the changeling I cut and bring down my Moonblade onto the adjacent drone that was hit by the emerald flame. This time I swing the blade with no fire.
16 and 19 16 rerolls into 18.. 19 + 11 = 30.
4 + 7 + 6 = 17 Slashing Damage.
The burned changeling hasn't even had time to scream or react to being burnt before the Moonblade finds itself slicing clean through the drone finishing it off. Casting Haste took one of my Actions so now that I've used my regular Attack action all I have left is my bonus action. Channeling my bracers I re-ignite the Moonblade in an emerald flame as I strike one of the unharmed drones. This time if I hit I intend to send the flames toward the first drone I struck that took 21 damage.
18 and 17. 17 rerolls into 2. 18 + 11 = 29.
7 + 7 + 4 = 18 Slashing Damage. +8 Fire Damage. 26 Damage.
The blade makes its way through 90% of the changeling's neck until it finally catches and is unable to proceed. As soon as it stops a burst of flame erupts and the blade propels forward cleanly severing the third changelings head.
3 + 5 = 8 Fire Damage.
The fire then leaps from the bare neck of the dead drone onto the first changeling I struck that is barely clinging onto life. As soon as the emerald flame jumps from the dead drone onto the first drone it hisses in pain before collapsing into a pile of ash.
That's 3 of the 4 down, but I'm out of actions. Luckily for me they were all surprised so assuming I beat this final drone in initiative I get to go again instantly. Everything works out perfectly as I can tell within a second that it's back to being my turn. I cleave into the drone with 4 quick slashes in succession. The first one misses but the second one gives the changeling a deep gash and the third one combined with the Green-Flame Blade finishes the drone off. Combat ends with my last slash left unused.
Only one of the drones made any sounds and it was just a quiet hiss so I assume I'm fine, but just in case I waste no time and start cutting out the hostages from their pods. All of the creature slowly rise with a collection of groans and squawks and as I cut open the last pod I can't help but finally smile as I watch my favorite guard slide out of the pod onto the ground. Holding out a hand I wait until the pegasus regains full awareness before speaking to her.
"Weird, I don't recall hearing Celestia order you to get captured, Lieutenant Force." I laugh as she looks at me and I help her up.
"Oh buck off......sir."
"Wow I don't even get a thanks?"
The guard clicks her tongue and rolls her eyes, "Thank you Ignis. How are we getting out of here?"
Looking around to make sure everyone else is ready to go I call out a little more loudly. "I'm going to open a teleportation circle directly to Princess Luna. I won't be able to keep it open for very long so all of you need to go through it very quickly once it's open. Everyone gather around me."
Once they gather up I hold the Sending gem and reach out to my princess. "Alright Luna I've got everyone I'm getting ready to place the circle down."
"I'm so glad to hear that Ignis. Send them over!"
Pointing the hilt of my Moonblade towards the ground I fire off the spell stored in the hilt and watch as the teleportation circle appears on the ground and opens itself up. Once it opens I place a hand next to it and feed it mana as I start motioning for everyone to go through it. All the hostages go through the circle with LT Force being the last one. After Force goes through I release my hands and watch as the portal closes.
"Ignis, why didn't you come through?" Luna calls out to me with a very slight panic in her voice.
"I saw some of Aurora's changelings get brought into the throne room chained up. I want to see what Chrysalis is planning to do with the drones that served Aurora before I leave. The safeword is "Toast" if I randomly say that it means to teleport me that instant."
"This is a horrendous idea, my paladin. You can't save them now that the circle is closed so why even burden yourself with learning their fate? Just let me bring you back now."
"You know I can't do that Luna. I need to make sure she isn't just going to kill them all outright. Just be ready to teleport me out, okay?"
"Fine. I'm not happy about this, though."
"I'll make it up to you when we get back to Canterlot." I reassure her.
"I'll hold you to that." She finally has a bit of that familiar playfulness to her tone. Now that that's settled I re-suppress my emotions and start heading back to the throne room.
> Main Quest - Invisible Hand pt. 2
Reapplying my invisibility I start making my way back towards the throne room when Luna speaks to me again. "Are you sure you got everypony out? Sister and the rest of the guard returned to Canterlot this morning and apparently there were a few ponies wondering why their special somepony wasn't with the convoy."
"Haven't we done musters every morning and night to ensure our headcount? Celestia should know if anyone is missing or not, did they check the names of the supposed missing against our roster?"
"I'm not sure.... It sounds like chaos over there. Tia says she can't even get the names from the spouses at the moment, they must be inconsolable."
Raw Intelligence Check.
9 + 5 = 14.
Something about this isn't right. I'm extremely unsettled right now, but why? "Luna, some-"
"It would seem there was just some kind of miscommunication. Tia says the situation is resolved."
"Is she sure? Something seems really off with the whole situation."
"I agree. We can investigate when we return, you need to focus on your own situation for now. As long as Chrysalis is down there you are not safe." Luna is right.
"Alright, I'm just about in the throne room. Can you throw down a scry and watch my back?"
"I did that as soon as I established the communication link. Currently this isn't a series of Sending spells I'm directly linked to you."
"No pressure, huh? I can't disappoint my Goddess, haha."
"You say that like you're going to fight her. We agreed on this, you are just observing."
Whatever I was going to say to Luna died in my throat as I entered the throne room. Chrysalis is sitting on her throne and to the right of her is Aurora's corpse dangling in the air. A jet black spear is coming out of the ground and the tip of the spear is through her neck. She's just hanging there with her lifeless eyes staring at one of her drones cowering on the ground in the middle of the room.
Stealth Check.
14 + 9 = 23.
Why didn't I have advantage? Does Chrysalis have true sight? Can she see mana?
"It's your choice, drone. Will you be exiled from the hive and go seek refuge with the ponies, or will you renounce your birth mother and serve your new queen?" Chrysalis gives her ultimatum to the changeling.
The drone looks between Chrysalis and the lifeless Aurora with tears in its eyes for several quiet seconds before finally giving its answer. "I... will receive the exile, Queen Chrysalis." It barely manages to speak, just barely above a whisper.
A tiny glass bottle of raging red and blue fire begins to lightly vibrate as a small crack dashes across the surface.
It's taking everything I have to suppress the whirlpool of feelings as they rampage in my gut. It's becoming more clear that I'm not suppressing my emotions, I'm merely bottling them up. Within an instant of the drone giving its answer the guard standing next to it stomps and crushes the neck of changeling on the ground. Killing it instantly.
Why? It wasn't even disrespectful with its answer. What just happened?
"My queen, why are we deceiving them with the illusion of exile? This feels....cruel." The guard to the left of Chrysalis seems to mirror my thoughts.
Crack.
"If they knew the only other choice was death then I would not be able to trust that they have true loyalty to me. Noling would choose to die. I agree it's not the most elegant solution, but with our love supply being cut off from the rest of the world we need to thin the hive and ration what we have. Until I can formulate a plan to bring us more captives, this is the only choice right now." The queen replies.
Crack.
I can't do this. I can feel it slipping.
Stealth Check (Disadvantage)
9 and 11. 9 + 9 = 18.
"Ignis.... Ignis! You have to leave, now!"
"Bring in the next drone. Also someling needs to go check on the pods, there's glimpses of rage coming from that direction. Subdue it before they break out of their cocoon."
A rapid flash of images of Tala, Father, scenes of elven children playing games in a brightly colored forest.
Crack. Crack.
"That's it I'm teleporting you."
Intelligence Saving Throw. Do you choose to willingly fail the save? No.
19 + 9 = 28.
"LUCA-"
Another drone is brought in and after a chitin hoof crashes into the back of its head it drops onto the ground, shaking like a leaf. After being pummeled a few more times while instructions are barked at it, the drone finally manages to position itself into a formal bow. Chrysalis presents the drone with the same two choices the previous drone had, convert or exile.
The drone looks between the two queens while silently crying before it starts to mutter to itself. "Mom. My queen, t-the hive. M-mom please help me." The feminine sounding drone devolves into full on wailing before being assaulted by the guard again.
"You dare put on such a pathetic display before the Queen?! Queen Chrysalis has ordered you to make a decision, you will announce your choice. Now!" The guard barks out over the dull thuds of chitin striking chitin.
Crack.
On complete autopilot my feet start slowly moving forward towards the scene of tragedy in front of me. A series of tingles and shocks shoot up my body from where the Moonblade is connected to my waist. A reminder of the state my body is in flashes in front of my eyes as I slowly put one foot in front of another.
Exhaustion Level: 2.
Exhaustion Level: 2.
Exhaustion Level: 2.
The onslaught of the changeling guard is silenced by Chrysalis. "Enough! Drone, you must give me your decision."
More images flash of Lucas' parents, an office full of humans smiling towards a camera as they all collectively hold up a trophy, and teenagers laughing in a dimly lit room as they surround a set of TVs with controllers in their hands.
With both of its forelegs tucked behind its head from where it was attempting to soften the guards blows, the drone replies. "Please Queen Chrysalis! Separating from the hive is an impossible choice, it pains me to make such a decision. I wish to continue to serve the hive, for the betterment of the hive, but please I cannot renounce my dead mother! What you ask is too cruel!"
Hearing the changeling cry out in grief for her mother sends a shiver down my spine. My eyes open wide and my breath catches in my throat as my feet stop moving just a few steps from the grieving drone. The scenery shifts and the drone is replaced with a young Ignis getting snatched up by his father in a moonlit forest.
Crrrrrrack.
The scenes shift again and I'm looking at Zarra's eyes as she holds me. "Don't cry my sweet boy." She smiles down at me. "I'll only be gone for a few weeks. You know what your mother does is very important. Of course the main teachings of the Dark Lady are to treat all creatures as equals and always put your best foot forward. However, it is also our responsibility sometimes to go and vanquish evil. There are thousands of lives at stake just a few towns over and it is our responsibility to help them and protect them. One day it'll be your responsibility too. That is why we are given our blessings and strength from Eilistraee. We are born strong to help the weak. You're such a kind child, so I know you'll naturally understand and reciprocate these feelings when you're old enough. Since you are going to walk the path of the bladesinger you won't be able to heal or cure like I can, but you will strike at evil and protect the weak just the same."
She holds up her Moonblade. "That's what this sword represents, Ignis. If you wield this sword you must only wield it to protect. Never forget that." I watch as my mother closes her eyes and leans her head down to kiss me on the forehead.
The glass bottle shatters.
Changeling Throne Room 3rd Person POV
This whelp has tested my patience and insulted my mercy for long enough. Chrysalis thinks to herself as she looks toward the guard standing over the drone in question. She gives the guard a nod and watches as it raises its foreleg up one last time to kill the insolent drone.
Suddenly the center of the room erupts in a bright flash of fire causing everyone, including Chrysalis to shield their eyes and glance away. A loud booming sound erupts from the center of the flash and a wave of murderous intent washes over the room. The feeling is so intense that every changeling guard in the room that was beginning to charge towards the fire freezes in places. Millions of neurons begin firing off in the changeling queen's brain that give her an unsettled feeling. If she was a human all the hair on her body would be standing straight.
That feeling combined with the killing intent, familiar sinister presence, and bright wall of flames cause the changeling queen to mutter out a single word. "D....Daybreaker?!"
Much to her shock though, when the light dims down what she sees is not an alicorn, but a familiar bipedal man. Only now his silver hair is replaced with golden blonde hair streaked with orange wavy lines and red tips. In one hand is a familiar emerald longsword and in the other is a dismembered changeling head that is still wearing a fresh look of shock on its face.
The room is in complete silence as the elf drops the changeling head and crouches down next to the crying gray colored drone. The queen can only question where he came from as she watches the elf start to gently rub the drones head. "I'm so sorry little one. I truly am sorry. I tried with everything I had to save your mother and I failed. I failed to save your sibling as well just a few moments ago. Your devotion to your people is respectable. If you had chosen exile you would've been killed. You're going to be okay now, though. Once this is over I'm going to take you and all your siblings back to Equestria with me, okay?"
Every changeling in the room watches as the elfs face contorts into one of pure rage as the trails of tears on his face turn into steam and rise into the air. He rises back up to his feet and faces the throne.
6 seconds prior.
Ignis 1st Person POV
Emerging from the memory of my mother I feel every emotion I've been bottling up since I got to this planet surge within me. As I stare at the changeling queen's face I remember the scene from when I woke up in the carriage.
CHRYSALIS! I WILL NEVER LET YOU GO! I WILL HUNT YOU TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH AND I WILL KILL YOU!
Everything in me is screaming with the purest hate to kill her. I want to kill her. Pure hate is running rampant in my mind as I feel a tingle in the back of my head and a system pop up appears.
Error. Error. Conditions not met. Error.
Subclass Acquired. Oath of Vengeance.
Error. Due to insufficient level: No subclass features have been unlocked.
We meet again, bladesinger. To think you'd become dearest Luna's plaything, pathetic. Your rage and hate and intent to kill are so much purer than hers, though. So much so that you've even caused me to awaken. I was wondering why she was tinkering around with her connection to the moon so much, but it seems she was trying to give you a true connection to her source of divinity. I understand now. If it was anypony but you I'd just laugh at her, but if you're willing to feed me so much delicious hate I will indulge the both of you.
I, Nightmare Moon, the dark side of the moon, acknowledge you as the true Chosen of the night.
Error. Subclass evolution.
Oath of Vengeance - The Nights' Chosen.
Wisdom Saving Throw.
14 + 6 = 20. Corruption resisted.
You can even resist my control, hah. Truly extraordinary. We'll see how long that lasts, bladesinger.
Time unfreezes and all of the surging emotions finally explode as the changeling guard aims for the grieving drones neck. My mana surges and ignites as my body moves on instinct. In a flash of fire I'm suddenly next to the guard and my blade is slicing through his neck. After giving a quick apology to the drone I just saved I stand back up and stare at Chrysalis. Once her look of shock fades into a neutral stare. I speak.
"Chrysalis." Even I'm a bit surprised by how cold and dead my tone of voice is, but after a brief pause I continue.
"I'm going to kill you now."
> Main Quest - Invisible Hand pt. 3
Celestia 3rd Person POV
Celestia's eyes snap open in frustration, knowing she's only been asleep for 30 minutes or so. They decided to push on and arrive at Canterlot tonight instead of midday tomorrow, and after dealing with some confused spouses she went straight to bed. Her frustration of interrupted sleep quickly turns into a blind panic when she realizes what has caused her to awaken.
A massive surge of mana towards the badlands. If it was just the mana it might not have stirred her from her slumber but this mana. This sinister mana. She is intimately familiar with this presence. "Nightmare and......Ignis?"
The mana it was mixing with was not her sister but the elf. Igniting her horn she calls out to Luna. "Sister, what's happened?"
"I stupidly allowed this paladin of mine to go investigate a situation that I knew he wouldn't be able to handle. I really wanted to think he'd be fine. He saw Aurora's children being led in chains to the throne room and wanted to see how Chrysalis was handling the old breed of changelings. The situation is cruel sister. She's allowing them to convert to her rule and renounce Aurora or be exiled. When they choose exile she swiftly has them executed. I watched him fight his emotions for several seconds but when I tried to teleport him out he resisted it. Shortly after that our telepathic connection was severed. I want to feel proud of him, his unwillingness to allow this to happen despite the condition of his body, but at the same time I'm so frustrated he's throwing his life away for something he cannot change."
"Luna. Why is the Nightmare there?"
"He exploded with such rage and hatred I would not be surprised if she was able to feed off of his emotions through the indirect connection he has with my moon. She currently has no control over him though. Just as he resisted my teleportation, he seems to have resisted her will. He's revealed himself now, he announced to Chrysalis that he will kill her. Right here and now."
"You need to teleport in there and grab him, now. We cannot risk him losing control and allowing that demon back into our realm. It's also very unlikely he will survive a confrontation with Chrysalis in his condition. She should be significantly weaker without the stockpile of love in her system, but she's still a Queen. As she is now she should still be fairly even in a confrontation with one of us, without pulling power from our source."
"I cannot, Tia. The Nightmare is preventing me from appearing. I could probably appear a few hundred feet from the hive, but by the time I get to him this fight will be over. It's strange though. My divine connection to him isn't severed, if anything it's improved. It feels like the most pure and direct connection I've ever had to anything, the exact same as the moon. It's almost like a connection to Nightmare is what he needed for the true connection to form...."
"We can worry about that later, Lulu. You need to move. I agree the fight will likely be over but she won't kill him, she can't. You can still move to recover him from a pod. What of the hostages? Are they going to return to their homes alone or will they return to Canterlot with you and allow for a transport?"
"The minotaur left, but the griffons will return to Equestria with us. I'm teleporting over now, catch my ping and scry on that location. You can keep an eye on him in the throne room while I make my way into the hive."
Closing her eyes she faintly catches the mana ping hundreds of miles away and summons a scrying orb in the location. When she opens her eyes and looks into the spell her jaw clenches and her eyes squint in anger. "Luna, why does he look like that?"
Ignis 1st Person POV (A/N: Woah a major boss fight that's finally from 1st person POV? O:)
"I'm going to kill you now."
Green flames engulf the changeling queen and the result is a little disturbing. She walks out of her own fire on two feet. A jet black humanoid with two long elf ears, her sickly blue hair now draping over both of her shoulders covers two round mounds on her chest. She gives me a toothy grin exposing her oversized fangs as her green eyes shimmer a bit and she stares at me. Four translucent wings that look similar to her original ones unfurl from behind her, the bottom two are shorter and point down, diagonally. The two upper wings are much longer and point diagonally up. Her jagged horn parts her hair as it points out of her forehead and becomes enshrouded in a pale green aura, two daggers appear in her hands.
"After our last encounter I realized how useful your form is in a fight. The dexterous abilities of these hands combined with the flexibility of your body. Every inch of you is optimized for killing." She puts her left hand against her chest and continues. "I was also quite hoping you'd be more enticed by this form. Imagine my surprise when I did detect a momentary spike in lust, hehe. What do you think, dear?"
Imagining my magical runic device inside my left arm I start to twist two cogs. Strengthen. Strengthen. Next I point a finger at Chrysalis. "You know what I think?" I channel mana through my body and as the magic approaches the runes I lift my thumb and turn my pointing hand into a finger gun. "You talk too much. Firebolt!" The same instant the mana hits the first rune I call out the incantation for my cantrip and feel the connection to the weave mix with the mana as both of them explode through the imaginary runic device.
Chrysalis watches with amusement as the mote of fire appears and her look turns to panic as the mote rapidly expands and hurls furth significantly faster than it normally does.
15 + 9 = 24.
Error. Fire Bolt incompatibility. Error.
The roaring ball of fire slams into the changeling queen and explodes into a tornado of fire. I'm a bit confused when no damage dice appear, but the fire is suddenly suppressed with a burst of wind and I'm shocked to see the insect with scorch lines on her body and a supremely annoyed look on her face.
She barks out, "Evacuate the hive. Looks like I'll have to be a bit rough with this one. I hope you're into that kind of thing, bladesinger."
"I SAID SHUT UP! FIREBOLT!" I fire off another empowered firebolt, but before it leaves my body I see another dice appear.
Roll for Initiative.
7 + 5 = 12.
I don't even get a roll to see if the firebolt hits, but it doesn't matter. As soon as the spell left my hand Chrysalis shot into the air and unleashed her own green ball of flame. "Shield!" I turn my finger gun into an open palm and thrust my hand forward projecting a shield and panic as the shield instantly shatters. I form an "X" with my arms in front of my face and wince as I'm thrown backwards into the cave wall. Hitting the wall my body tries to release a yelp of pain, but instead all I get a gasp as all the air is knocked out of my lungs.
-22 HP. Hitpoints: 41/63. Prone.
I try to stand, but wince as my body is shocked from the pain still lingering around from my last encounter with this demon. My reduced movement speed. I'm able to just barely get to my feet as a jet black human foot slams into my gut, cracking the wall behind me.
-19 HP. Hitpoints: 22/63.
This time a brief scream erupts from my mouth along with a bit of stomach acid as I crumple and slide down the wall, back onto my ass. Chrysalis says something but I can't understand it. All I hear is ringing. Placing my hand against my ribs I wheeze a breath in and out as my eyes vibrate and I try to gather myself.
Why do you use mana so inefficiently? I can't have my future host dying, so let me give you a tip. Your body is already magical, and your hands can already project spells. You don't even need an air rune. Just use that same feeling to project runes into the air. It'll be a physical thing at that point and shouldn't even use your concentration to maintain its form. It'll only last for a few seconds but that's plenty of time for you to project mana through it.
"Shut up."
Chrysalis crouches down in front of me and takes a handful of my own hair as she starts shaking my head back and forth, laughing at me. Sadistic bitch.
Bladesong. As the lights and aura start to form I channel all my mana into my heart and send it to every limb I have. Please just let me use the True Bladesong one more time. Please. The motes of light and silver aura start to flicker, ripple, speed up, and go wild like flames.
Chrysalis keeps shaking my head but stops laughing to speak again. "Hey. Answer me, whelp. You imbecile, sad sack, coward, good for nothing!"
I have no clue what she even said before so I just keep quiet and focus on spreading the mana.
The changeling starts to laugh. "It's just as I thought then, you really are a disgrace! Just like me." She starts thumping her hand against my head, forehand, backhand. "What are you attempting with this pitiful bladesong? I'd love to see you try and cut off my head with that useless, battered, disgraceful, pitiful body of yours. COME ON!"
I look up at her with the meanest glare I can muster before slamming my foot into her chest.
19 + 5 = 24.
2 Bludgeoning Damage.
The queen is sent staggering back a few steps, and she quickly dashes backwards as I stand up and face her. Fighting my own body with everything I have I force it to start running after her.
"I have to ignore all the pain in my body. Endure!"
As I get closer to her and start to swing my Moonblade I remember our last encounter, and how her hard exoskeleton was able to repel my sword.
"I can't just use my arms. I have to use everything, summon EVERY OUNCE OF STRENGTH LEFT!"
Exhaustion Level: Error, +1. 3. Movement Speed: 15ft Unknown.
Focusing all the mana into my feet I jump, shattering the ground. In an instant I'm right in front of her as all my grief, rage, and despair surge within me again. I feel an intense heat on the back of my head and watch as my sword ignites in a bright blue blaze. Belting out a scream, venting all my emotions I tighten the grip on my hilt and swing at the changeling with everything I have.
"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Two dice appear but all of the numbers just look like scribbles and they seem to roll endlessly. Eventually they just disappear and time resumes and I transfer all the mana from my feet and heart into my right arm. My right arm leaves a trail of silver light and the blade a trail of blue fire in the air as they shoot forward.
Chrysalis looks extremely unsettled as she leans backwards, causing the blade to miss her entirely. I can't stop the mana fuelled momentum and the blade slams against the hard floor of the cave.
A bright flash of light erupts and it sounds like a bomb went off. I watch as one of my level 4 spell slots disappear and the ground turns into a deep crater. I land on my feet and watch as cracks quickly shoot out in all directions from the edge of the crater and the entire surroundings begin to shake. Pebbles and dust fall from the roof as the pillars in the throne room also begin to crack at the base and top of their structures.
I look towards Chrysalis, who is now 20ft or so away, and am surprised to see that for the first time she looks genuinely scared as she looks at the ground where she once stood. Before I can even think of my next move I drop to one knee and stick the Moonblade into the ground to lean against it. I cough and watch as blood spatters onto the floor of the cave. The next thing I feel is an intense explosion of pain that threatens to knock me out as darkness creeps into the edge of my vision.
Exhaustion Level: Error. +1. 4. Movement Speed: 15ft Unknown.
Hitpoints: 11/32.
Looking up at the ceiling I start desperately gasping for air. Stabilize the mana. Breathe. Slow down, calm down.
"Ignis, you have to escape!" Celestia?
You can't continue. Run. Nightmare Moon?
My own voice, in a posh accent, speaks into my head. "We cannot survive this, you have to run." Even my own soul?
Chrysalis with her voice that sounds like nails on a chalkboard speaks. "If you keep going you'll really kill yourself."
Down the hallway I hear my favorite voice quietly echo into the room from a distance. "Ignis, please?! You have to RUN!"
Staggering to my feet with blood dripping onto the floor, I gather my focus. Precisely spread the mana to every fiber of my muscles. Through every vein in my body.
Off in the distance I can hear crashing and rumbling, the entire hive is collapsing. Suddenly the scene shifts and I'm in an unfamiliar courtyard with my father squatting in front of me, looking me in the eyes. "If you are ever feeling defeated and that you are not enough... set your heart ablaze."
I look at the terrified changeling queen and clench my fist. As I start to scream I feel the intense heat on the back of my head rise up once again, even hotter this time. Smoke and flames appear at the edge of my vision.
"Shut up, all of you! Changeling, Luna, Celestia, and even you, elf. Today you'll all learn a lesson. I'll show you THE INDOMITABLE. HUMAN. SPIRIT." In a flash I cover the distance between me and Chrysalis. I watch as flames spread onto the floor of the cave and the blue blaze engulfs my sword once more. "I'M GOING TO WIN!"
Use every ounce of strength left!
I wave my left hand over the blade of my sword and three Strengthen rune circles appear. It looks like the blade is piercing through the 3 glowing circles. I send every molecule of mana into the hilt of my sword as I hear the feminine voice inside the sword start screaming in pain. I belt out my own scream as I swing the blade towards Chrysalis and channel my last level 4 smite.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
The cave begins shaking and rumbling once more as I listen to what sounds like large rocks falling all around me. The entire cave is illuminated by a fire that seems to be coming from my body.
I watch as the blade zips through the air and Chrysalis ignites her horn. I hear more crashing sounds as the blade is centimeters from her neck. The same instant the blade makes contact with her neck I feel a hoof touch my back. My entire vision is filled with a bright white light. I hear something crack followed by a pained scream from the changeling queen, and everything ends as darkness creeps into my vision and I black out.
> Week Long Vacation and All I Got Was These Bandages
Luna 1st Pony POV
"Lieutenant Force, you're in charge of getting this small party back to Equestria. Ignis will likely be in bad shape when I get to him and I'll need to take him directly to Canterlot. I apologize deeply for this circumstance but I trust you can get it done." I order the pegasus mare.
She snaps into a crisp salute, despite having no guard gear on, and barks out, "Of course, ma'am! No apology needed. Bring him home." She gives me a smirk and I cast my teleport.
Popping into existence I look upon the changeling colosseum with fear plastered across my features. Idiot. Stupid. Numbskull. You knew this would happen as soon as he described changelings in chains, but nooo let's just wait at camp and see what happens! Now I'll be lucky if he hasn't killed himself through over exertion. Please be okay, Ignis.
Blitzing through the entryway into the colosseum I'm confused at the sight before me, changelings are pouring out of the hive and sprinting for the exit en masse. Did she evacuate the hive? Why?
Glancing into my scrying spell I see Chrysalis has assumed an elven form. That harlot! Seeing her naked form momentarily takes me back to the moment when I was tricked and captured during the summit. An innocent letter from Ignis asking me to meet him outside the colosseum to discuss something private. Only to discover a mostly naked Ignis standing there confessing his development of feelings for me.
I hadn't even realized what my own feelings on the matter were until I heard the words leave that imposters lips. The happiness welling up caught me by complete surprise. We closed the distance for an embrace when I felt something stinging into my neck followed by complete darkness. Now I don't even know what to do with myself, I've told nopony what happened but even Tia commented that I've apparently been more touchy with him since the incident.
Sprinting through the narrow hallways of the hive I'm brought out of my thoughts by a loud explosion that is shortly followed by small vibrations and rumblings throughout the entire hive. Glancing into the scrying spell again I see my paladin barely holding himself up on 1 knee with his body leaning against his Moonblade. Abandoning my priority over stealth I scream out for Ignis to run and escape, hoping to meet him halfway and teleport him out of there.
Now that my Umbral Cloak has faded due to my outburst I throw caution to the wind and transform into a cloud of stars as I speed through the cave system. Forcing my incorporeal form through the cracks in the debris blocking my path I arrive at the throne room just in time to watch as the elfs now blonde hair ignites into actual fire. Smoke is pooling at his feet as lines of fire shoot out from his feet standing in the center of a crater.
I pause in pure awe as he shouts for everypony to shut up and declares that we will witness "the indomitable human spirit." He dashes forward at an impossible speed leaving a trail of fire in the air down the path he took to reach the changeling queen, and as I ignite my horn to blink next to him I'm caught in awe again as he creates three Strengthen runes along the blade of his sword. He's going to use Equestrian magic to empower his own smite. Frighteningly genius. I'll have to teleport him somewhere uninhabited or else this sword strike will likely kill somepony.
I blink right behind him and reach out of my hoof as he begins swinging his sword towards Chrysalis. He lets out a heart wrenching scream as his fiery hair burns even brighter, turning a dark shade of red. His moonblade begins glowing brightly and.... Vibrating? That can't be good. It's almost like the sword is crying out from abuse. It can't handle that much mana.
I push my hoof through the fire on his back, surprised that it doesn't burn me in any way, and I touch his back right as his sword is about to strike down the changeling queen. Glancing up I spot a large chunk of the roof falling rapidly towards us, it'll crush all 3 of us. I wait until the last possible moment and as a web of cracks appear on the changeling queens chitin I begin channeling my teleport.
We appear in the old castle located in the everfree as I wrap him up in my wings as my vision is filled with bright light and my ear drums are assaulted by what sounds like tens of lightning bolts striking at once.
Opening my eyes I gently place his unconscious body on the group, after checking that he's still breathing. Glancing at my wings and legs I let out a scoff at the absurdity of my own body. Spots of singed fur, dozens of scrapes and cuts, misaligned feathers, if I took that hit directly without defending myself it could even threaten my own life. With one lesson in runes he's grown this much... his body nor his sword can handle it though. I glance at the Moonblade laying on the ground next to his sleeping body. The previously glowing swirls along the blade are completely extinguished, it doesn't even look like a magical weapon anymore, just a heavily decorated fancy blade.
I grab the sword with my telekinesis and slide it into the scabbard around his waist before teleporting both of us back to Canterlot.
Ignis 1st Person POV
Exhaustion Level: 0
Movement Speed: 30ft
Hit Points: 63/63
Experience: 79,500/64,000
Level Up!
Exhaustion level zero? How long was I out? Also that puts me like 5,500 XP from level 11. Does that mean I killed Chrysalis?
"Quests."
Glancing at my quests to see if one appeared that involved Chrysalis I see a quest titled Oath of Vengeance. Looks like a subclass quest appeared since I vowed revenge against Chrysalis, but to my absolute dread it's still in progress. So I got awarded experience for defeating her, then? If the quest isn't completed then she's definitely still alive, but with this much XP it's the only explanation.
Well let's not waste any time then, "Add 1 level to Wizard."
Instantly a 6 sided die appears and lands on 5.
Hit Points: 70/70.
Now that wizard is level 8 I need to come up with what I want to do with my Ability Score Improvement. I could round out my odd stats, 16 Constitution and then either 16 Wisdom or 14 Charisma. Nah, let's just take a feat. What do I choose though? I could do Defensive Duelist and get more AC, that's always useful. I could take Dual Wielder and use my Shadow Blade and my Moonblade at the same time, that also adds +1 AC. Both are very tempting. What's this?
Strike of the Giants (Fire Strike) once per turn add 1d10 to a melee weapon attack. Oooo, that's tempting as well.
It's only once per turn, meh. I would've taken Dual Wielder without a second thought but my off-hand weapon can only be used with my bonus action. Summoning the shadowblade and activating my bladesong are both bonus actions. I also can already attack with booming blade or green-flame blade with my bonus action thanks to my bracers. Defensive duelist also uses my reaction so I can't combine it with the shield spell. Maybe I should just take fighting initiate and take the Defense fighting style. That gives me a +1 AC as well, and it's unconditional.
Wisdom Saving Throw.
4 + 6 = 10.
Suddenly the feat options automatically selects Eldritch Adept. Then Devil's Sight.
Ah that's much better. I truly thought you were dead, I was unable to even feel your presence to attempt my influence. Now I've got my hooks in you and I fully intend to never let go, bladesinger.
Ah fuck. What the fuck is this? She can exert influence over the system? How is she even talking to me while time is frozen?
I'm directly inside your psyche, of course I can even interact with you in this interesting state. Seeing this, though... what are you?
Hell if I know. I woke up in this body with this strange reality warping system already attached to me.
"Choose spells, Greater Invisibility and Resilient Sphere. Unprepare Locate Creature and prepare Greater Invisibility and Resilient Sphere."
Spellbook configuration confirmed! Level up complete! 5th Level Spell Slot unlocked! Simulating Long Rest.
Time unfreezes and I open my eyes. Judging by the soft feeling of a pillow behind my head and this plain white ceiling I'd wager I'm back in the Canterlot castle medical wing. Before I give any indication that I'm awake I ponder on my situation with Nightmare Moon. I thought Luna said she wasn't her own entity? Did the elements split them? Did Nightmare just make Luna think she was responsible for everything to increase her suffering? I wouldn't doubt that last option, the villains here are all quite sadistic.
Hearing a snore to my left I look over and see Luna's sleeping head resting on the edge of my hospital bed. Even though her mane is a cloud of stars it still somehow looks quite messy and unkempt, has she stayed by my side this entire time?! I start to reach out towards her to pet the top of her head but pause when I hear a murmur to my right. Looking that way I see Force ungracefully sprawled out on a couch on her back with her wings unfurled. She murmurs something again in her sleep as her back right leg twitches. Glad to see she made it back, too.
With a much softer expression on my face I turn back to Luna and place my hand on top of her head. After rubbing my thumb along her forehead, near the base of her horn, her snoring stops and her eyes flutter open.
"You're awake!" Luna practically screams before ramming into me at full force and wrapping her forelegs around my neck. She then quickly pulls away and gives me a hard glare before scolding me. "You absolutely idiotic hero! What were you thinking?! OH LOOK AT ME I'M A BLADESINGER I'LL JUST FIGHT THE QUEEN OF CHANGELINGS WITH A BODY THAT CAN BARELY MOVE! Who am I, Ignis?! I'm you! Seriously, why?! No, wait I get why and I'm proud of you, but why not wait for me to show up or ask for help?!"
I just give her a soft smile and resume petting her head before answering. "I knew you were watching over me. I trusted you, and you came through."
She looks slightly embarrassed as she jerks her head to knock my hand off. Then she stares at the ground, "Isn't it supposed to be the other way around? Either I'm supposed to be the one in danger, or we're supposed to be in danger together. Don't make your princess save you."
I just give a quiet chuckle, "You're right. It won't happen again, my Goddess."
"Oh hush, you." She then looks up into my eyes and gasps. Uh oh. "What happened to your eyes?!"
It's my turn to flash a face of concern. "What do you mean what happened to my eyes?!"
She ignites her horn and a small mirror appears in the air before floating in front of my face.
My eyes are a solid deep red now, with a white vertical slit down the middle. They resemble dragon eyes or....Nightmare Moons... oh. My hair looks like dads. Before I can even offer an explanation to Luna about my eyes I can't help but to grab my hair in my hands as I stare down at it. I feel tears welling up as I remember my mother. I knew it caught on fire during my outburst but... you were supposed to go back to silver... da-damnit.
I squeeze my hair in my hands and clench my eyes closed. I've cried more times since I came here than I ever did during my short life as a human, but this is the first time it's been from pure grief.
After some reassuring words and another round of hugs I wipe my eyes and look back up at Luna. "I imagine they'd be red regardless, but my pupils are like this because of Nightmare Moon. I was able to resist her during the fight against Chrysalis but she caught me by surprise right as I woke up. It seems I'm now able to see perfectly normal in complete and total darkness, even if it's magical darkness. I don't feel any different right now though, so her corruption must be pretty weak as it stands." I'm lucky the system didn't force me to take a level in Warlock, all things considered.
"By the way, how long have I been unconscious?" I ask.
"A full week if my math is correct. It took us 3 days to make it back to Canterlot and you've been asleep for 4 days since then. It's currently 0830 making today day 8." LT Force decided now was a good time to chime in.
Luna looks at the pegasus then back at me as she realizes she's still basically laying on top of me. With a squeak she flails for a bit before clumsily falling off the bed, landing on all fours. With a quick cough she speaks up, "Indeed. You were asleep for just over a week."
The guard just laughs, "No need to be embarrassed just because I'm here, your Majesty. I know he's the only guard you have right now and the two of you have grown close. It's no secret to anypony working in the castle."
I catch a specific wording she used and butt in, "If I'm her only guard does that mean you're still choosing to stay with the day guard?"
Luna answers for her, "Not quite. She submitted her request up the chain on her side, but she was presented with an offer to be the personal knight for Princess Cadence."
"And I'd rather be the direct #2 for a Princess than just another officer in a guard, no offense to either of you."
"Hey, no need to apologize for doing what's best for your career. I get it. Congratulations, Force." I offer the pegasus my congrats.
Said pegasus then stands up and makes her way towards the door, "And now to carry out my final order as Day Guard Lieutenant Unstoppable Force. Princess Celestia wanted to be alerted when you woke up. I imagine she'll be here shortly..... Glad to see you back on your feet, sir." With that she makes her exit and closes the door behind her.
"Such a shame, I really like her. Unfortunate that this other random princess recognized her worth before she could switch over." I state with a slightly disappointed tone.
"Oh shush. This is a big moment for her, you should just be happy for her." Luna scolds.
"I am! Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for her, but I'm still allowed to be disappointed. Until we gather up the thestrals we are in desperate need of help."
With a sigh Luna replies, "I know. I will admit if we had more guards we likely wouldn't spend as much time together, though."
"I'm your personal knight though?"
"Yes, but Equestria firmly believes in a healthy work life balance. You don't even really get to take advantage of your down time."
"Oh unless you're a princess, I suppose? Your sister especially, but even you to an extent have some of the worst work life balance I've ever seen."
"Touche."
Moving on to a different topic I ask Luna to catch me up on any current events. "So, what have I missed? Any new global problems pop up during my beauty sleep?"
"Thankfully no. We still haven't heard from the dragons, but we've received letters of thanks from the other leaders around the globe. Many of them mentioned you specifically. Your quick thinking to figure out a way to root out the imposter changelings saved many lives that night, Ignis. There's only two things of note, for some reason we've had a few different instances this week of guards showing up to their duty station for the day only to have no partner. The first time we thought somepony was just hungover in their bunk, but turns out the schedule only had 1 guard. It's only happened 3 times, but the fact it happened at all is quite strange. The officers in charge of that are known to be quite consistent in the performance of their duties. There's an investigation going on to see what's causing these problem schedules. On my side of things there's been 1 particularly nasty recurring nightmare I've been trying to solve, but have made no progress."
"That sounds weird, but the nightmare is more interesting to me. What's happening in the dream?"
"It's a small unicorn filly in a completely dark void space and they're always crying to themselves while covering their eyes with their forehoofs but when I show up to comfort them they always wake up. I haven't been able to make any progress in figuring out what she's so scared of."
"That's quite concerning. Do you know where she's located? We can pay her a visit today once Celestia stops by and I get discharged."
"I gave her appearance and cutie mark to one of the ponies in the census department and they tracked her down for me. Apparently she's actually here in Canterlot at one of four orphanages in all of Equestria. I was actually planning to visit her as soon as you woke up."
"You didn't have to stay by my side this entire time, Luna. My condition would've improved or not regardless of your presence."
"Yes, but I wanted to be here when you woke up." She gives me a soft smile.
Suddenly the door clicks open and two alicorns walk in. One of them is Celestia and the other is a pink Alicorn with a heart on her ass. Celestia looks at me and then speaks. "Glad to see you're in good health, Ignis. Allow me to introduce you to the only Princess you haven't met yet! Ignis, Luna, this is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, she acts as our outward facing diplomat and is often away from the castle visiting foreign lands. She is also my niece."
The new alicorn then looks at me with a bright smile and waves, "Hi! You can just call me Cadence, by the way. I've been so looking forward to meeting both of you! Auntie talks about both of you all the time in her letters! I heard you gave my coltfriend a run for his bits during your initial physical examination." Looking from me to Luna her smile grows even bigger and she trots over and gives Luna a hug. "Auntie Luna! Can I call you Auntie? I'm so happy you're back, I never got to meet you before the incident but Celestia has been so much happier since you came back. I'm glad you're both ok!"
Luna responds before I do, "How about you just call me Lulu or Luna? That way you can just call Tia auntie without adding her name. I take it your domain is Love? That's quite interesting, I always assumed our domains had to be a physical thing, but yours is a feeling or rather an emotion. I hope Tia doesn't work you too hard, traveling is much too tiring for me, I'd hate for it to be my entire job."
"Oh I love it! I get to meet all sorts of creatures and absorb their cultures. I get to spread love to all the corners of our plane! We should have dinner sometime, I'd love to hear any advice or wisdom you have for me as a newer Princess. Auntie just gives me vague answers and tells me to keep forging my own path." She looks over to Celestia and gives her a pouting face.
Luna just chuckles as Cadence walks back over to Celestia and then gives her reply. "There is merit to my sister's words. I wouldn't mind answering any specific questions you have, I think you could also give me some help with the more modern trends and customs. Will you be in the royal dining hall tonight?"
"I will! I'm looking forward to it." Cadence then looks at me then back at Luna then back at me before tilting her head ever so slightly. She then leans over to Celestia and whispers something in her ear. The solar alicorn simply shakes her head in response to whatever Cadence said. The love princess then looks back to Luna, "I can definitely give you some pointers!"
Cadence's horn then lights up for a second before she looks at me, "Looks like duty calls, sorry we couldn't talk, Ignis. You should come by the dining hall for breakfast tomorrow morning, I have some questions I was hoping you could answer for me. Nothing serious, I promise!" She then teleports out of the room.
"That one has far too much energy for me. Is she always like that?" I ask looking towards Celly.
"No, but she was excited to meet both of you. I mainly just wanted to stop by and check on your condition but it looks like you're completely healed..... Absurd. I would like an explanation on your appearance though. I was watching your fight with Chrysalis and your new look causes me some concern. At first I thought you'd been possessed by Daybreaker."
After explaining the intricacies of my race to Celestia and explaining the Nightmare Moon debacle she promises to have Twilight look into ways to combat the corruption without the elements. She says that she would prefer to not use them unless the corruption enters a more advanced stage, since the outcome of the elements is often unpredictable. After that she told me I was free to leave the medical wing whenever I felt like it, and she promptly left.
Once I got dressed Luna and I stopped by the dining hall so I could grab a bite to eat and then we set out for the Canterlot orphanage. After knocking on the door an elderly looking unicorn mare opened the door. After quickly panicking and dropping into a bow Luna gently told her she didn't have to do that right now. "This is an unannounced visit, miss. No need to panic, we're just here to visit a pale yellow unicorn with a pattern of dots for a cutie mark. She's been having some troubling nightmares and I wanted to stop by and check on her."
The elderly mare stood up before replying. "Oh thank goodness. The poor dear wandered in here sometime last week apparently nopony knows who her parents are. I can't believe somepony would just abandon their foal like that. Please follow me, if you could get her to tell you her name that'd be lovely. We haven't been able to get a word out of her."
While we're following the mare Luna speaks up, "Her name is Cursive Hoof. I had some ponies in the census department figure out her name from my description of her appearance, they also correlated it to the report our foal services department received from you all when you took her in. Once they connected the dots, getting over here was one of my top priorities."
We walk into a room with several beds and spot the filly drawing something while sitting on her bed. Luna calls out her name but receives no reaction. Once Luna gently prods her with her hoof the filly jumps and turns with a look of pure fear. I see Luna ignite her horn and they just stare at each other for a while. Every now and then the filly nods or shakes her head.
Getting bored of watching them have a telepathic conversation I look around at the pieces of paper scattered around her bed. One of them catches my eye and I pick it up. My face contorts to a look of confusion at the drawing, it's some strange creature... it has two heads, one of them a unicorn the other a plain pony head. It has eyes and mouths down both of its necks and they connect to just a blob of mass at the bottom.
After staring at it in confusion for a few seconds I decide to ask the filly about the drawing. It's quite unsettling to be honest. It almost looks like a hydra but with pony features, and I really want to confirm if this is what I think it is and why she drew it.
"Hey Cursive, what is this drawing of? Did you see something like this?" The filly just keeps staring at Luna, and I can feel my heartbeat quickening as a feeling of dread sets in. "HEY! Filly! Why did you draw this?!"
"Ignis!" Luna puts a hoof on my shoulder as I raise my voice towards the filly.
"What, Luna? I need to know why she drew this!"
"That's fine, but you don't need to yell."
"She isn't answering me?!"
Luna's reply makes my blood run cold.
"Ignis, she's deaf."
> Main Quest - Kill The Monster
In an instant I stick my fingers in my ears, "Luna, can you cause temporary deafness? Both of us need to be deaf. NOW."
I'm lucky I didn't already forget everything. I have no clue how these things actually work, I never encountered one as a player or a DM, but I watched some videos on it. Luna moves her mouth but I obviously can't hear her. After a second or two it seems she finally understands the gravity of the situation and I see her horn ignite. Another few seconds pass and she nods towards me. Removing my fingers I talk and don't hear anything, then I point a finger at her head and then point at my own head, rapidly switching between which head I'm pointing at.
She gets the message and an instant later I hear her voice in my head. "Will you please explain what's going on now?"
"It's called a False Hydra. It feasts on living creatures in plain sight and relies on its secret weapon to stay hidden. It's constantly singing a silent lullaby that charms any creature within 5 miles and basically causes them to forget they saw or even know about the false hydra's existence. As it consumes it grows more heads and once it reaches 7 it matures and is capable of wiping out entire countries. When it consumes a creature it wipes out all memories of that creature from anyone that remembers it. When you had those interviews scheduled and then it turned out that you forgot to actually pick the applicants to interview? They were likely the first victims. The spouses that had their loved ones eaten must've woken up and wondered why there was guard equipment in their house, but their brain just put together pieces of information and decided their spouse MUST be a guard but since they aren't around they MUST'VE gone on the expedition to the badlands with the Princess. Your interviews like 2 weeks ago there's no telling how much damage this thing has done. We need to find it and kill it, right now."
As I speak I watch her expression darken until I'm finally done. "Then this filly wasn't abandoned by her parents..."
"No, she likely watched them die. You probably couldn't even see the hydra in her dream because of its influence. We should gather a squad of guards, get them deafened, and go hunt this fucker down."
"Take my hoof. I'm teleporting us to the throne room."
Doing as she says I grasp the hoof being held out towards me and with a flash we're in the throne room.
Looking around I don't see Celestia, but I see several guards and at least thirty civilians. I see Luna's horn engulf itself with a blue aura and instantly every guard in the chamber turns their head towards her. An instant later I hear a cacophony of voices talking over each other in my head before Luna silences them all. "Silence. As of this instant I have dulled your ability to hear and placed you in a telepathic connection with myself and my paladin. Where is my sister?"
Once again several voices begin talking over each other in my head before Luna raises her mental voice again. "One at a time. Please!"
"Princess Celestia just stepped out for lunch, Ma'am! What's going on?!"
"Our capital is under grave threat from a deadly creature hiding among us. My paladin, Ignis, will explain while we move to the dining hall. Follow me, everypony."
As we march out of the throne room I explain all of the same details to the guards following us. As I finish up the details of what's happening we enter the dining hall. Something is wrong though. When we enter the dining hall there are 4 royal guards that I recognize as being part of Celestia's personal squadron, Shining Armor is with the 4 of them and all 5 of them are standing at the end of the room facing us. Celestia herself is also there, standing behind them. They all look....hostile? Did the hydra finally figure out that it's been outed and somehow issue commands to Celestia? This is so much worse now...
Luna attempts to cast her deafening spell but Celestia's horn flashes and Luna winces in pain. Was that a counterspell?! It seems she was only able to prevent Luna's spell from targeting herself and her royal guards because Cadence and LT Force look over towards us in concern and slowly back away from the table. I hear Luna in my head again and she gives a brief explanation to Cadence and her new personal knight. From her explanation it would seem she's also gathered that Celestia and the guards are under some deeper level of mental compulsion from the hydra.
Luna looks over to me. "Take Force and most of the guards behind you to the sewer. I've been sending echo spells out over the city and something massive is sitting in the central sewer chamber under the city. I'll stay here with a few guards plus Cadence and we'll hold my sister at bay so she doesn't hurt anypony. Be quick Ignis, I'm not sure how long I can hold her back without also causing injuries to her."
After a quick nod from the former Lieutenant I point out 7 guards to stay behind and quickly start sprinting towards the exit of the castle. While we run I attempt to store a Haste spell in my Moonblade so I can stack my normal buff spells once we get to the Hydras domain, but nothing happens. I remember the scream I heard from the blade when I channeled that strengthened smite into the sword and realize I must have damaged the ancient soul residing within.
"I haven't had a chance to mention this yet, Ignis. You absolutely must not use mana. You strained your inner mana channels quite severely during your stunt with Chrysalis, and continuing to use mana when they're in this state will likely lead to you being unable to use magic for the rest of your life. It'll likely be months before you can continue practicing magic. Please be careful, my paladin." Luna randomly informs me over the telepathic link as I make it out of the castle and into Canterlot proper. Well. That blows.
Our group of 26 made our way through the busy streets of the city and once we're a few blocks away from the manhole we were planning to use as our entry point, the entire mountain began to rumble and shake.
"Look alive, it's coming to us!" I call out over the group mind link.
3rd Person POV (A/N: Seriously, there's way too many fuckin people to use initiative order)
Just as the elf predicted, seconds later cracks and fissures erupted all over the ground as stark white tendrils protruded through the gravel roads. An instant later a massive sinkhole opened and seven white stalks erupted from it. Each neck was wider than a pony and decorated with mouths and eyes. Although the combatants couldn't hear it, each mouth on the neck was muttering out distorted mimicry of somepony's final words. The beast let out an ear piercing screech as the seven pony heads atop each neck flailed around trying to determine which creature would be its next meal.
The all too familiar aura of a bladesong engulfs Ignis as he stacks the haste buff on top of it. Every guard present except for the new Knight of Love freezes in fear the sheer size of the beast. Force takes to the sky and with a flick of her wings both limbs are covered in razor sharp blades. She flies off to the left before turning and flying towards the hydra, Ignis runs to the right for a few steps before sprinting towards the creature from the opposite side. The far left head of the hydra cocks its head towards the incoming living projectile and attempts to bite at her, but she reacts far too quickly. Performing a barrel roll to the side, the head whiz's past her as her rapidly rotating form slightly angles her wings to the right and leaves a series of lacerations along the length of the neck she flies next to.
At the same time the far right head arches its neck up into the air before launching itself, with its mouth open, directly towards the elf currently sprinting towards it. Ignis skids a stop and does a small jump backwards as the head crashes into the road, burying itself slightly. The bladesinger then leaps up onto the neck and he runs up the hydra. Once he's a few steps up the neck the beast pulls its head out of the ground causing the elf to stumble a bit. After passing an athletics check Ignis steadies him before pulling back the Moonblade and stabbing directly at the neck under his feet. With a loud chink noise the point of sword veers off to the side, unable to pierce the creatures neck. Whether he just didn't put enough force into it or he lacked the force due to his unstable footing, it's anyone's guess.
Gritting his teeth he jumps into the air and lets out a roar as he aims to deliver a horizontal slash longways across the neck. The blade connects and right as it makes contact a bright flash of silver light erupts across the blade and the cut erupts with the sound of an explosion. The blade cuts right through and decapitates the head as Ignis connects with level 4 smite Critical Hit. With a reactionary Feather Fall the elf lands gracefully on the ground at the same time as the decapitated head.
Both of these wounds happen at the same time and the result is instant. All of the remaining heads let out a cry of pain before instantly launching themselves into the non-moving crowd of guards. They arch down towards the ground as if they're going to bury themselves the same way the far right head did, but right before they hit the ground they turn all of their momentum horizontal. Looking like a bunch of pure white bullets the head fly towards the crowd just above the ground and although all of the guards at the front of the formations are quick enough to dodge, the ones in the 2nd and 3rd ranks are not so lucky.
In an instant the 26 creature entourage is reduced to 20. One of the heads was quick enough to snatch up two guards in the same bite. Everyone present watches with horror as lumps appear in five of the necks that seem to slowly move back towards the sinkhole all of the heads erupted from. They can do nothing but watch in real time as 6 of their comrades are swallowed, slowly.
Quickly getting over the initial shock the frozen guards finally begin to run and spread out, firing off magical bolts, throwing spears. Suddenly a loud crack sounds off in the air and everyone looks up to see Force blitzing down towards the sinkhole. She hasn't quite broken the sound barrier but there's a pulsing red cone in front of her. Her irises flashing pink as a glowing light can be seen exuding out from under her armor where her cutie mark would be.
One of the guards calls out over the telepathic link, "It's her special talent! I never thought I'd get to see it in the flesh!" Her special talent? Ignis' mind flashes back to when he recovered her unarmored form from the changeling pod, her cutie mark looked similar to a magic missile but larger. "Does she become the missile?! Unstoppable Force, duh." He can't help but let out a soft chuckle as he puts the pieces together. He watches as her form disappears into the sinkhole.
An instant later a bright red light flashes and the entire body of the hydra slowly emerges out of the sinkhole. A second later and the entire hydra is above ground, with a red missile pushing into the belly of the beast, lifting it even higher. She lets out a motivating roar as she continues to lift the entire hydra into the air above Canterlot, but of course none of the combatants can hear it.
Eventually the light fades out and they all watch in awe as the colossal amalgamation picks up speed and starts to fall back down to earth. When the hydra impacts with the ground dust and dirt kicks up into a massive cloud, and although unheard by everyone around, the beast releases a loud squelch of pain the contents of its stomach was unleashed onto the ground.
Once the dust fades everyone lets out a mental cheer as they see the 6 guards that were devoured slowly rise to their feet, covered in icky goop. "Everypony focus up. I can only do that once." Her mental speech is clear but Force is panting for breath as she hovers in the air where she dropped the hydra. Drops of sweat all over her head and body.
With renewed vigor the guards all send out another volley, when suddenly Luna calls out over the link. "Ignis, my sister and her guards are back to normal. We're headed over now but be careful! If it released control on her it must be planning something."
Ignis cannot respond as he watches in horror. Six civilians appear from nowhere and jump in front of the oncoming barrage of magic bolts. Thinking quickly he upcasts Scorching Ray to 5th level and sends a spear of fire to intercept all bolts. "No one else will die to this monster!" Each spear of fire connects with the magical bolts and they explode inches from the mind controlled civilians. They all land on the ground with some minor injuries, but seem to be okay as they look around confused.
The bladesong aura intensifies as he sprints over to the currently prone form of the hydra. The heads all flail about as it tries to turn its body back into an upright position. Ignis quickly unleashes two slashes into the neck that was already left with several cuts from the pegasus' barrel roll. They both leave deep gashes that let out claps of thunderous roar from smite. The second gash causes a bright green fire to explode out and creep up the neck of the monster as the flame jumps over and starts to consume a 2nd neck. It would seem each head counts as a separate creature for Green-Flame Blade. After a couple seconds of the burning the first neck seems to turn to ash as the head falls away from the body and disintegrates.
Two down. Ignis thinks to himself.
Even more civilians start running into the fray as Ignis pivots and turns his body towards the head still covered in green flame. With a slash that's almost too fast to see a wave of light erupts as a long and deep slicing wound appears on the neck.
3 level one spell slots, 1 level two slot, 1 level three slot, and 2 level four slots left. Should be plenty.
Suddenly two beams of blinding light shoot down from the sky and instantly cut off two more heads. One of the beams is a pure silver and the other is a bright orange. Two alicorns land behind the elf. Ignis looks to the left and see's over 50 small blue shields surrounding all the civilians in sight. They look confused as the shields start to slowly move and push all of the ponies away from the fight.
Suddenly a smaller but equally bright beam of pink light erupts as another head is blasted off of the beast. All the remaining heads let out a scream of pain before going limp on the ground, and Cadence lands a few feet away from the trio with her knight next to her. A few seconds later the gift of hearing is returned to everyone that was just locked in combat.
"Glad you all showed up when you did. We were just barely managing but things were close to going sideways." Ignis calls out to the new arrivals.
"Were there any casualties?" Celestia questions the Lunar Knight.
"Almost, but Cadence's knight pulled off a spectacular move and saved six guards. How about on your end?"
Force interrupts, "Hey, don't sell yourself short! That was some quick thinking to save those civilians. I would've never thought anypony could intercept magic like that!"
Luna smiles at the elf when she hears the pegasus and answers his original question. "A few bruises but we held our own pretty well." She looks around at all the damage to the nearby buildings and the road before sighing. "Let's take a few hours to recuperate and get started on fixing all of this."
Before anyone can reply the ground starts to violently shake. Everyone turns to look at the deceased hydra in shock as Celestia yells out, "What's going on?! I confirmed that it was dead!"
Even Ignis is a bit confused because he was awarded XP when all the heads went limp. His face crumples in thought for a second before the realization hits. "Death Throes! Everyone back up, this isn't ov-"
All the severed heads on that hydra instantly regrow and before he can finish his warning all the heads whip around and scream as pure destruction is unleashed on the city. A cloud of dust obscures everyone's vision as anything close to the hydra is knocked back with a massive blow. Wood can be heard splintering and cracking as all the buildings on this block are destroyed and whipped by the frantic flailing of the dying hydra.
Ignis raises his head and sees that he's over 30 feet away from where was previously standing. Looking around he sees Luna and Celestia slowly stagger to their feet, just to the left of them Cadence is still lying on the ground. Where buildings once stood there's now just piles of rubble as prone and unconscious ponies litter the ground. He tries to stand but with a quick shock he drops down onto his back.
I failed the concentration check on Haste. Getting stunned for 1 turn is so brutal for one bad dice roll. Wait. I saw Luna, Celestia, and Cadence, but where's Lieuten... Knight.. For...? Who?
A deep look of panic and confusion strikes his face. He knows someone else important was with them, but can't remember their name... He looks at the colossal monster and sees a lump slowly moving down one of the necks of the creature. NO!
Ignis calls out the alicorns as he rises to his feet, applying Haste to himself one more time. "You three get everyone out of harm's way. I'm going to end this."
As they attempt to question what he plans they're interrupted by two screeching heads launching straight towards the elf. He lowers himself down into a stance as he readies himself to meet the hydra head-on. A silver light erupts from the elf as all the wounds on his body glow and close themselves shut.
For the second time today. Ignis levels up.
He sprints straight towards the heads and jumps into the air, watching as they both speed under him. Quicker than sound he unleashes two slashes and two level 4 smites. Both heads are instantly severed.
Ignis lands on the limp necks and continues to run towards the hydra, the quick act of brutality has caused everyone present to stare at the elf, they all can't help but wonder what they're about to see.
He flourishes his blade once more and then with a flash of light he's gone. Suddenly like a blur it appears like he's in five places at once. Five quick flashes of light appear and to the naked eye it seems like he's teleporting between the five heads, bright silver lines appear on each neck.
Suddenly he appears on the ground just a few feet away from the hydra and he slides his Moonblade back into its scabbard. As soon as the blade clicks into place all five remaining heads on the hydra disconnect from the body.
The elf then quickly runs over to the disembodied neck that contained the lump of his friend and he watches as a white pegasus rolls out of the limb and onto the ground, covered in mucus. Disregarding the sticky substance he immediately lunges onto the guard and wraps his arms around her. "Knight of Love, Unstoppable Force! Lieutenant Force! That's your name!"
She just looks confused as she lets out a laugh, wiping her eyes clear.
"Yes sir, that's me!"
> Main Quest - Dinner with a Friend
"Ignis what was that attack just now?!" I pull away from the nasty and sticky embrace with Force to look at Luna as she asks about my latest spell.
Casting prestidigitation several times several times to clean off myself and the pegasus, I respond. "Steel Wind Strike. I leveled up when the false hydra died and learned that spell. It's a 5th level spell that lets me disappear into the wind and cut up to 5 different enemies within 30ft of me, after I finish all the slashes I can choose to teleport 5ft away from any of the targets I attacked. Even if I miss. So how many did we lose?"
Celestia steps up, "None. Not a single pony lost their life here. The efforts you and Miss Force provided combined with the shields from Shining Armor minimized our losses to just mere injuries. I'm proud of all of you." She gives us all a motherly smile.
I reply, "Perfect. Then we should get started on putting everything back together?"
This time Luna responds, "I admire your spirit, but no Ignis. We will not be assisting with the reconstruction. I have no knowledge of modern architecture and you lack the proper telekinesis. No, I'll be going to dinner with Cadence like we originally planned and you'll be RESTING like you're supposed to be. You'll have breakfast with us in the dining hall and from there we'll be going to Ponyville. Generosity has offered to create a dress for me for the upcoming Gala. After that we'll be going to gather up my thestrals."
"Like, we're going straight from Ponyville? With my sword barely functioning and my mana channels handicapped?"
"Aye. It should be a safe trip, I'm not expecting us to even need your sword. Now go rest up and grab some food. I'd invite you for dinner with us, but Cadence seems to want some private time. I believe the words she used was "mare talk.""
"Welp, that's all I needed to hear. If it's anything like girl talk back on Earth then I am A-Okay missing out on that dinner." I look over to Cadence and Force. "Hey former LT, you joining these two for their mare talk or are you free to grab something with me? I haven't eaten outside of the castle.... Ever? I can't remember eating anything that wasn't served at the castle."
She gives a brief shake of her head. "No, it seems like my Princess is giving me the boot as well. I'll swing by your room at 1900 and take you to one of my favorite spots. Sound good?"
"You'll swing by my room? I'll never get used to the culture here. Yeah that sounds good. Just remember I can't eat flowers or hay."
I stand up and look back to Luna to find her with a strange expression on her face. "You good? We still got several hours before dinner did you have anything else we should take care of today?" Suddenly I'm hit by a wicked yawn. I just woke up from a weeklong nap like 5 hours ago, why am I tired?
She replies with a yawn of her own. "The only thing I need is my bed chambers. There is absolutely no reason the Princess of the Night should be awake at noon and it seems like your body agrees. I know you were unconscious for a while, but that was a lot of exertion for someone who just got out of the hospital. Good Afternoon, Ignis."
"Luna, wait. In my homeland we say good night to each other when we're going to bed. Regardless of what time it is outside, it's always good night. This is the second time you've given me a time accurate message. I'm just curious, do you have a reason for doing so or is that just the norm here?"
She gives me a smirk, "What your people practiced is in fact the custom here as well, but I refuse to associate my night with an obligation to sleep. We're going to sleep, but it's the afternoon, so I say again. Good afternoon, Ignis."
If I had taken a moment to actually think about it instead of just immediately asking that question I probably would've come to that realization. Makes me feel a bit silly now. "Good Afternoon, Luna."
I plop down onto my bed and the realization hits me. That crafty horse dodged my question. What was that look for?
The first thing I see is a beautiful night sky. Looking down I see that I'm sitting on some pitch black rocky surface. Looking around I realize I'm in space.
"Well, well, well. Look who decided to show up." I hear an all too familiar voice and my neck snaps in her direction. The only thing I see is a pair of blue dragon eyes staring back at me in the darkness. Nightmare Moon.
"It's not like I asked to be here. I just closed my eyes and the next thing I know I'm sitting here." I reply.
"It's not like I asked to be here, either."
"Touche, but you were kind of being a bitch. I've actually been wondering about that. Did the elements split you from Luna down there in the Everfree and send you here, or have you two always been separate?"
"Now, why should I answer that? It sounds much more fun to just let you guess and theorize." We both just stare at each other for several seconds. "Oh fine, be that way. We've always been separate ponies, but I never had a physical form like this until that night in the Everfree. My first memories are from inside dearest Luna's mind. I'll have to thank Harmony at some point, though. Not having to fight for control and being allowed my own form is actually quite the gift. Whenever I get off this blasted rock, anyways."
"If you get off this rock will you try and bring about eternal night again?"
"Who knows?" She flashes me another grin. "I can't really say I feel any urges to do something like that. Now that I'm fully separated from Luna I've been trying to organize my thoughts. Separating her desires from my own." She quiets down to almost a whisper. "It really feels like I don't even know who I am."
Insight Check.
9 + 6 = 15.
That surprises me. I hadn't expected her to be so... lost? "Why even try to corrupt me then?"
"To replenish my power. It'll take everything I have and then some to escape this prison. I know one thing for sure, I want to be free."
"So do you want revenge on the element bearers? Luna? Celestia?"
"Tch. I do greatly dislike every pony you just listed. My wardens, my prison, and the "sister" that just refused to even acknowledge my existence until I forced her to confront me."
"Okay but like you do realize you literally wanted to plunge half the planet into eternal night and kill all their crops right? That isn't really a nice thing to do. We either had to stop you or live miserable lives."
"Again, I don't want to do that anymore! Luna and my own feelings were combining and amplifying each other. We weren't too dissimilar to a filly going through hormonal puberty, but cranked up to 100."
"Nightmare. I can free you from this prison, but I refuse to do so until I know it won't just lead to another conflict. Will you seek revenge on my friends?"
"Just friends? I think we both know that's a bit inaccurate, but no I currently have no plans to seek revenge. I just..... I need to talk to Luna. Celestia too."
"That can likely be arranged. Just know I probably won't be able to help you until I can use mana again."
"Don't get too confident, elf. I can just keep battering away at your mind until you have no choice but to help me."
"See that right there! That's why I'm even hesitant to offer my help! You're too hostile. I get it, you're angry and confused... but Harmony was right to lock you up here for a while. Take some time to cool off and figure out who you are. I'm outta here." With a flick of my fingers I wake up.
Just in time to hear someone knocking at my door. Completely forgetting any arrangements I made for the day I open the door to find Force standing there. Instead of her usual guard armor she's wearing a white dress with red accents that compliment her eyes. I pull myself behind the door and look at myself in the mirror. I'm in the same clothes I've been wearing since I got here, with mended tatters and tears. My hair looks like one would expect for someone that just got out of bed. I lean forward through the door and look at her again. "I uh. Wow. Why are you all dressed up? Is the place we're going to a fancy place? I think I still need a minute to freshen up... I just got out of bed."
With the usual confidence I expect from her she just stands up onto her hind legs and uses a wing to brush and fix my hair. "It's a somewhat formal place, yeah. I discovered it when I was on escort duty for a griffon dignitary. I'm not sure why you're so flustered though, I mean you asked me to grab dinner and I said I'd pick you up. I don't know about where you're from but here that's called a date. Now come on, you look fine just activate your uniform enchantment but keep the mask and hood down. I was aiming for a black and white kinda theme between the two of us."
"Date?! I was just asking a friend to grab some food with me!" I wasn't even that flustered before but now I am. "Where did this even come from? I know I can be a bit dense but I wasn't picking up any signs that you thought about me like this."
"Well a mare always has to have a good poker face. I always keep things professional when I'm in uniform, but really I think I've always been a bit curious about you. Then I watched you fight and couldn't help but get caught up in your finesse and strength. Plus, you've saved me twice now. I think it'd be more weird if I didn't have a small crush on you at this point. Listen, I understand. The only thing is, I don't know what you like, what hobbies you have, what your favorite music is, that's what a first date is supposed to be. A chance to learn all of that about each other. This doesn't have to be a date if you really are opposed to the idea, but I saw your face when you opened the door. You have at least some level of attraction for me, so why don't we just take this opportunity to see if it's something real, and I'm already all dressed up, why waste the chance?"
I lean back into my room and grab a bag of bits before stepping back into the hallway and closing the door behind me. "Alright. Can we stop by a magical supplies shop on the way though? I need to get some ink."
For the first time I see the pegasus give me a bright smile. "Of course!"
As we walk through the castle several different servants and guards give us a wide range of looks. Some look confused, others give us smiles and nods, and some give me in particular a strange pensive look that borders on disgust. One thing that most of them have in common is that anyone that wasn't walking by themself ended up whispering things between them. "Do all of these ponies somehow know we're going on a date? These reactions are quite different from what I usually receive in these halls."
"Well, the two guards that smiled at us are my friends. I told them I was going on a date tonight, but the others probably have a fairly decent idea of what's happening. After all, it's not very common for us ponies to get dressed up like I am. I can't say I appreciate those judgemental looks we got thrown our way." Well I've been getting those since I got here, regardless of who is with me. Maybe I should warn her that those'll be common if things continue between us. "Don't go feeling down and blame yourself. Canterlot is a majority unicorn city, I get those sidelong glances even if you're not here. Even my own parents wish I was a unicorn."
"Brutal. I won't lie, I had noticed there seemed to be a slightly larger unicorn presence around us, but I thought ponies were too "harmonious" to have something petty like racism."
As we rounded one of the last corners before reaching the castle exit we run into two ponies I did not expect to see. Luna and Cadence. The Princess of Love spots us and calls out with a big smile. "Wow wow wow! Look at you two! I hope the both of you have an amazing time." She looks over to Luna who once again has that strange but subtle look on her face that I can't quite place.
I watch with surprise as Force trots over to Luna and rears up to whisper something in her ear. The two whisper back and forth a few times before Luna finally relaxes and gives a small smile. "Enjoy your date, Ignis." My princess softly orders me as she walks past me and when Force comes back over to me I question her as we continue to walk out of the castle and into Canterlot.
"What'd you two talk about?"
"Oh nothing much, I just told her I'd have you home before midnight." Her left ear folds in a bit and twitches as she flashes a confident grin.
I don't need an insight check to tell she's lying, but if she was going to tell me she would've done so. Knowing that I don't push the subject. "Uh huh. Sure."
The pegasus rotates around and faces me as she walks backwards. "So which direction is this magic shop?"
I point to the right as we go through the castle gate and the two guards on duty salute us as we pass. "It's just a few blocks that way. Hopefully I have enough bits, I hear magical ink can be quite expensive."
Turning back around to walk normally she cocks her head and gives me a confused look. "Ignis, we're both the highest paid officers in the guard. Even though you've only been employed for a few weeks you should have a couple thousand bits, easily."
I pull out the small bag of bits I grabbed before left. "This bag is what I was given on my first night in Canterlot. I already spent most of it. How often do we get paid and was I supposed to go somewhere to get it?"
Now she's really looking at me like I'm an idiot. "Do you not have a bank account? We get a direct deposit every two weeks."
I pause my forward motion and look at her. "No... I never really thought about it?"
"You seriously need to do that before you leave tomorrow. I'm actually stunned nopony explained any of this to you."
"Force, you do realize that the only pony I interacted with on a consistent basis is Luna. The same Luna that also hasn't been here in a thousand years. The lunar guard literally has no other personnel besides me and her."
Her mouth forms into an O shape as everything clicks into place for her. She gains an ever so slight blush as she looks away in embarrassment. "That... makes sense. You should just ask Luna for your paycheck then, we're only a few steps from the castle let's head back."
I hold up my palm signaling for her to stop as I pull out the same gem I used in the changeling hive to contact Luna. "Hey Lulu.... Can you pay me?" The pegasus gives a shocked look to hear me use Luna's nickname.
You haven't been paid?
"No, apparently I was supposed to set up a bank account and talk to the finance department to have my paychecks deposited automatically."
I haven't heard of such a system... hold out your hand and get ready to catch something. I'll teleport a bag over to you shortly.
"Thank you, O merciful Goddess."
What are you even buying anyways?
"Some magical ink so I can copy some spell scrolls over into my spellbook. I was gunna use the down time on our journey to expand my spell list. I've got like 7 new spells I can learn once I get that ink."
Oh. In that case save your bits. I'll still send you what you're owed but you can just use my personal supply of ink.
"You truly are the best, Luna. I appreciate it."
Oh hush, you. Give me a minute or two.
I slide the gem back into my pocket and stand there with my hand held out as I stare at Force. "Good news, we don't need to go to the store. Luna has a stockpile of ink I can use, but she's still going to teleport over my payment so we gotta wait here for a bit."
".....Lulu?"
I look away from the pegasus and scratch my cheek. "It's what Celestia calls her when we're in private, I just end up using it by accident every now and then."
A much more sizable bag of bits appears in the air and I quickly shift my hand and grasp it. After tying it around my waist I turn towards Force. "Lead the way! Onwards to food!"
She turns around and starts walking in the opposite direction. I pivot and fall in next to her, a few steps behind. She looks back and smiles at me. "I expect you to come up with a nickname for me too, you know."
"How the hell do I come up with a shortened nickname for Unstoppable Force? Can I just call you LT?"
Her face contorts into a look like she just bit a lemon. "Absolutely not. I don't wanna think of work every time you call out to me."
"Right. Right. Well you'll need to give me a bit of time, I'll have to get creative."
"You better." She sticks her tongue out at me in a joking manner before turning back to look ahead as we continue towards the restaurant.
> Main Quest - Dinner (Date) with a Friend
Our walk is interrupted by a very familiar sinkhole. Looking around I'm shocked to see all the buildings and cracks have been completely repaired. The only evidence that something happened here is the gaping hole in the middle of the street. Sensing my confusion, Force speaks up. "Magic speeds up reconstruction pretty quick. To be honest I'm more surprised the sinkhole is still there, but I guess they ran out of material or need a specialist or something."
"Have they announced a memorial for those who were lost before we realized what was happening?"
Her voice becomes quite somber, "Yeah. Once the hydra was down for good everypony got their memories back, the current death toll is over 150. The memorial is in a few days on Saturday. They even plan on putting a statue of the heroes who slayed the beast where the sinkhole is."
"Who is organizing the statue? I won't be able to attend the memorial, but I need to give some instructions to whoever is making the statue."
She gives me a very judgmental look, "Oh you wanna make sure they capture your good side? Surely that can't be what your first thought was."
I let out a small chuckle, "No. That statue shouldn't even have me on it. That statue should be a single filly. Her name is Cursive Hoof and she's the only reason we even discovered the monster. She was born deaf which made her immune to the monster's mind altering lullaby, and she watched it eat her parents. If it hadn't been for her the death toll would likely be several times higher."
Her eyes actually well up and she stares at the ground. "Th-that poor foal. I don't know who's making the statue but Princess Luna should."
I reach out and ruffle up her mane a bit, feeling bad that I brought the mood down even further. I decide to just move on from the topic entirely. "C'mon let's hurry up, I'm starving."
"H-Hey! I spent 30 minutes trying to style this!" She forgets her sadness in an instant and gives me a glare. After spending a few seconds trying to fix her mane with a wing she starts walking. "Ugh, don't do that again."
"No promises~" I should probably bring this up before we get to the place. "Hey actually can we stop for a second, sorry I just remembered something."
She stops and turns to me. "What is it?"
"I feel obligated to explain why I was so apprehensive to this idea to begin with. You know I'm not from this realm or plane, right?" She gives me a nod with a confused look. "I'm not going to be here forever, Force. I'm still actively trying to figure out a way home. I'll admit that as of right now it's not looking all that possible, but it is still possible. Part of my magic gives me quests to accomplish and it awards me with magic items and strength, one of my quests is to find my way back home and it's still showing as "In Progress" if it wasn't possible it would've changed to "Completed." Basically, I'm not looking for love because I don't see a point in it if it just means I'm going to leave in a few years. If you wanna call this whole thing off then I understand."
She looks even more confused now and...angry? "WHAT?!" She rears up and gets in my face. "You're just going to get up and leave one day? You became Luna's paladin and swore an oath against your soul just to one day leave her? Why do you draw the line at love? You think your friends won't miss you? You think Princess Luna wouldn't miss you? Why not just live in solitude in the Everfree if you're still planning to leave? Would that just be too miserable for you? I mean seriously how selfish can you be to just draw some arbitrary line in the feelings sand and say Love is too far-"
"Luna knows! Luna and Celestia, they both know I'm still researching how to leave!"
"Oh so if I told you that in 30 seconds I'm going to kick you in the balls then it won't hurt anymore right? Since I told you I'm going to do it that makes it painless right?! I can guarantee Princess Cadence doesn't know about this because if she did she'd be more furious than me! I can't imagine how Princess Luna feels. The guilt she feels every time she catches herself thinking "I hope he never finds a way home."" She drops back onto all fours and takes a deep breath. "I just didn't realize how much of a coward you are."
"Coward?! Oh pl-"
"Yeah you're a coward. If you weren't a coward you'd either be completely selfish and let yourself fall in love or you would live in misery alone in the woods. You're scared to fall in love because you know you won't be able to go home anymore. Even if you find a way you wouldn't take it if you're in love. Either that or you're scared of how broken you'd be when you do go home. Either way don't just sit here and lie and hide behind this notion that you can't possibly bear to place that pain on somepony else."
I run a hand through my hair as I stare at the ground with a scowl on my face. Finally I click my tongue in annoyance and look at the pegasus. "I'm just being realistic. Why the fuck would I get into a relationship with someone if I know it's not going to last? Why put them and myself through that?! I should've just put my foot down at the castle and went back to bed, this was a stupid idea." I turn and start to walk away.
"Or you can just stop being a coward."
I stop and glare at the knight.
"Anything but a coward Ignis. I actually admire selfish ponies. Being able to just throw away the expectations and desires of everypony around you to chase after what YOU want. That's a rare thing to find in this kingdom. I think it takes a lot of guts. If you were a selfish bastard I'd still want to date you. As long as you don't hate me for also being selfish and hoping every night that you don't find a way home. I can accept you as you are with any flaws you have, except being a coward. I hate cowards. So, what's it gunna be?"
I turn and start stomping towards her. Once I reach her I just scoff out loud. "You're unbelievable, you know that? Fine, I'll be selfish. Let's go." She finally adopts a smug grin on her face as she starts leading me down the road again. "But Force, if this somehow works out and we end up dating. When the time comes, and I leave forever I just want you to remember. You asked for this."
"Yup! Cause I'm selfish too."
This place is way nicer than I thought it'd be. The inside is a mostly white completely open banquet hall. It reminds me of my fathers but smaller. The dim light also gives a romantic vibe. The only confusing part is that it's damn near empty, even though it's peak dinner time right now. A griffon in a cheap tux approaches us. "Ah, tonight we are graced by the knight and the knight to be. Will it just be you two dining with us tonight?"
Force answers for us, smiling towards me. "Yep, just the two of us."
We start following the griffon towards our table when I lean towards the pegasus. "Him saying soon to be knight reminded me, you haven't completed your oath yet have you? When's the ceremony?"
"No, we were going to do it the day before you woke up, but all three princesses agreed that symbolically it'd be better if the only other living knight was at the ceremony. So, we agreed to do it after you woke up."
I slide her chair out for her but it just results in a strange look from the griffon and the pegasus. I slap my forehead. "Sorry, keep forgetting the things I would normally do for girls are reversed in this horse kingdom." I take a few steps over to my chair and roll my eyes as Force pulls it out for me to sit down. "Anyways. Why wait for me to wake up? Apparently Lunas plan was for us to go on the multi-week long adventure as soon as I woke up. Are you all going to delay the ceremony until we come back? That seems like such a long delay..."
She sits down across from me. "Nah it's okay. I'm still getting paid as a knight and I'm honestly struggling to come up with my oath. The only reason I even knew about the details of your oath is because I asked Luna what you used to see if I could steal some of it for my own." She looks at the waiter who has just been staring at us with a bored expression. "Sorry." She looks back at me. "Do you drink? I was going to get us a bottle of champagne."
"Not often, but I'll indulge tonight." I turn towards the griffon, "Can I also get some water, though?"
"Certainly sir, and which bottle were you thinking for this occasion ma'am?"
She picks up the menu and holds it toward the waiter. "I don't feel like embarrassing myself trying to pronounce it, can we get this one?" She points her hoof somewhere towards the middle of the menu. It's facing away from me so I can't really tell which one she's picked out.
"And do you two already know what you'd like to eat or do you need some time?"
I glance down at the menu and realize I haven't even looked at the bloody thing yet. "Oh yeah I probably should've been reading this, huh? I definitely need a few minutes."
The waiter just gives a slight bow and walks off. "Woah this place serves meat? I guess I should've figured that out when you said you found this place on escort duty for a griffon. Well, that and the waiter being a griffon."
"We actually probably only got the griffon waiter because you were with me. The few times I've been able to splurge and come here alone I always get an Equestrian waiter until I order meat. Then the Griffon usually brings it out and becomes my waiter. See anything in particular? It's my treat so feel free to get whatever you want."
"No. Listen, I'm willing to adapt to this culture to a certain extent, but I won't budge on this one. You've only been on a knight's pay for like a week at most and you already admitted this place is pretty expensive. Also, I don't even pay for things, like it's kind of ridiculous actually. Everything in the castle is just provided for me and I haven't had a reason to really go out and spend bits, so I'm either splitting the bill or I'm paying for the whole thing."
"Okay! Okay. I get it. Honestly if you're offering then buck it, you can pay for the whole thing." She gives me a small laugh. "Honestly the change of pace feels pretty nice."
"I'm noticing a distinct lack of beef on this menu. Does Equestria not have cows?"
"Oh we do, but they're sapient creatures. If we were actually in Griffonstone you could probably get some, but it'd be even more expensive than half of this menu combined. They don't have their own nation but they have a business union here in Equestria. The reason it'd be so expensive is because of how impossible it is to even find cows outside of Equestria, and of course killing them here is illegal, so is the sale or consumption of any beef products."
"Yeah I kinda lost my appetite for them as soon as you said they could talk."
The waiter returns and sets down two glasses of water and a bucket filled with ice and our bottle poking out of the top. "Do the two of you still need a minute?"
I shake my head and Force grabs my menu and stacks it on top of hers before passing them both to the griffon. "Nope, I think we're all set. I'll have the salmon with a salad."
He looks over to me, "And you sir?"
"I'll have some chicken parmesan and.... Do you guys have bacon here?" He gives me a nod. "Oh hell yeah, I'll take some bacon as well." He walks away as I look back towards Force. "Honestly not two foods I'd normally order together but I haven't had bacon in months. Even before I was sent here I had been craving it but hadn't gotten around to actually buying some to cook up. Also you ordered salmon?"
"Yep! This place wouldn't be one of my favorites if I wasn't coming here for some kind of meat. There's a few places around here that serve fish for pegasi like myself, but griffons will always cook meat better than a pony."
Force grabs the bottle of champagne from the bucket and pours two glasses. I grab mine and start to take a sip when she clears her throat. Pausing, I look over and see her giving me a look that screams "Duh" while holding her glass towards the center of the table. "We gotta toast to something, doofus." I just snorted and hold my glass in the air a few centimeters from hers. After flashing a smile she announces, "To your health!"
As we clink the glasses I decide I hate that toast and offer my own. "To your promotion!" I take a sip and let out a sigh. "Woah, that's sweet. Sweeter than anything from Earth for sure."
Constitution Saving Throw (Advantage).
1 and 4. 4 + 2 = 6. You are drunk.
"I know! Isn't it great?"
Wow this got awkward fast. It's been like 30 seconds of pure silence. "So do your parents actually hate you just because you were born with wings? They realize you didn't really get any say in the matter, right?"
"Ugh, I know right. Honestly I think the main problem is that for years my sire was convinced that I wasn't his. Both of my parents are unicorns so he assumed she must've been fooling around, but the mana signature test confirmed it as soon as I was old enough to take the test. I remember hoping that everything would get better after the test, but it didn't. His entire family started rioting and claiming that the bloodline is impure. Things only finally calmed down when my little brother was born. They finally got the unicorn they wanted. Once he was born I just quietly existed until I was old enough to move out. Got selected for the Wonderbolts Academy, wasn't good enough to make the main squad but still got an officer recommendation with a specialization in maneuvers. I actually plan to invite them to the knighting ceremony, but who knows if they'll show."
"Ha, if they do, you should have Cadence tell them about how she was born a pegasus too. Seems like Harmony or whoever is in charge doesn't care what appendages you're born with."
"She, WHAT?!"
"Oh... was that confidential information? Listen, you didn't hear that from me. I'm sure you would've found out anyways....eventually. Sorry I'm kind of a lightweight when it comes to alcohol."
"Lightweight?! You've had like half a glass that's more like a featherweight!"
I'm not gunna tell her that I'm only drunk cause I got insanely unlucky on a dice roll. "Its fineee~. I'm like 108 years old or something I can handle myself."
"So the rumors are true.... I thought there was no way you could be that old."
"Oh please, my kind aren't even considered adults until we're 100. The really old one lives in my sword, she's like 30,000 years old. That reminds me I should check on her at some point tonight..."
"Your homeland sounds so different and interesting. Do you have any stories? If it's not too painful to talk about... I mean."
"No, I don't mind. Let me tell you about my family...." I tell her everything. Tala, Mom, Dad, the Final Dance ritual, the Moonblade, all the events and banquets, the system, everything. Everything except Earth. Just like with Luna all I did was mention it in a passing comment.
In the middle of my stories the food comes out and it's delightful. In between my own tales she tells me how she got her cutie mark, stories from when she was escorting dignitaries. Eventually the only thing on the table is an empty bottle and a griffon is kindly asking us to leave so they can close up shop.
Standing outside looking at the sky, Luna's outdone herself tonight. I glance back down to Force when I hear speak up. "If only you had wings! That'd be the perfect ending to tonight, a romantic flight over the city and we can lay down on a cloud and stare at the stars. Wait no, we can't stargaze. I don't want you thinking about another mare! Look at me!" She flies up and gets in my face. Seems like I'm not the only drunk one now.
"I'm looking at you! Listen no stargazing, but give me a minute I might be able to do something about the whole no wings thing." If I'm a bonafide Chosen for a deity surely I have wings now, right? Double checking over my racial features and my paladin features I don't see anything...
"What are you doing~? Is it that weird system thing you were talking about?"
"Shhh. I'm making a deal with the devil."
Hello!!!~~ Oh Nightmare~, Wherefore art thou my Nightmare?
You keep talking like that and I'll recreate the ending to that play. What do you want? Also... are you drunk?!
I want wings!
..... Okay? You aren't going to expand on that at all?
I'm the Chosen of the moon, every Chosen gets wings. It's like.... a law.
No, it's not. I can give you wings, bladesinger, but nothing comes without a price.
Wait, I can just ask Luna. Silly me. Have a good night.... Nightmare. That sounds awkward.
W-wait, no!
Pulling out the gem from the changeling hive I grasp firmly.
Oh Luna~.
I'm glad to see you seem to be enjoying your night, what is it Ignis.
Can you give me wings? Nightmare supposedly fixed my connection to your divinity and I was really hoping that meant I could get a nice set of wings.
...What? No, I can't give you wings. I mean I can, there's a spell for it, but it has nothing to do with our connection. Why do you-
"Hurry up!" I receive two hooves straight to the chest as Force throws a mild tantrum.
"Shush, the grown ups are talking."
Excuse me?
Oh shit sorry I thought I only said that part outloud, Force is being impatient.
Tch. So that's why you want wings, huh?
At this exact moment.... Yes, but I've always been jealous of creatures that can fly. It seems so freeing and relaxing.
Whatever, just don't fly into something and hurt yourself. The last thing any of us needs is a drinking and flying scandal.
As she says that two giant wings appear on my back, "Woah!!" You're the best Luna! Thank you!
Uh huh. Tell Cadence's knight that she only has 45 minutes left.
"Luna says you only have 45 minutes left. Whatever that means."
"Oh buck it's already 2315! Did those wings come with instructions?"
"Instructions? No?"
"Do you instinctively know how to fly, is what I'm asking."
I jump into the air and feel the wings behind me flap on their own as I hover in the air. "Yeah, it seems pretty automatic."
"Good, follow me." She zips off into the open air and I slowly trail behind her. Looking back I watch as the castle gets smaller and smaller. How high are we going? "Oh my gosh you're so slow! C'mon!" She banks around and flies down to me and after grabbing my hand with her hoof she zips up again.
"Woah! How high up are we going?!" I yell over the sound of wind.
"We're going to my house, silly!"
I'm so confused. But, sure enough as we pass a particularly dense cloud I see it. A two story house made entirely out of clouds. "What the fuck?" I can't help but mutter out loud. "You live in a cloud?"
"Yep! Most pegasus do, it's basically free, we just have to do the maintenance to make sure the clouds don't dissipate. Let's go to the roof, oh I can't believe I get to see your reaction to your first time laying on a cloud!"
"I thought you said no stargazing?"
"Oh shoot that's right. Well either way you should still lay down, laying on a cloud for the first time will literally change your life. After that we could always take things inside.... 30 minutes should be plenty of time for... something or two."
"Sorry, Force. I had a great time, and I definitely wouldn't mind doing something like this again, but I don't quite think I'm ready to take things that far yet. With anyone."
"Ah that's fine I was like... half joking." She says that but she looks pretty disappointed.
I lay down on the cloud and let out a huge sigh. "Oh wow you weren't kidding. It's like all the tension in my body just melted away. It literally feels like I'm just floating on nothing."
She lays down on her side an arm length away from me. "I know right, honestly just the ability to sleep on one of these babies is almost worth all the trouble these wings caused me. Almost."
I roll over and grab the pegasus. Laying back down on my back I plop her down next to me, with her head resting on the area where my left pectoral meets my shoulder, both of her forehooves laying across my chest. I glance at her face to find her eyes opened wide, pupils like saucer plates, and a bright blush under her eyes. "...I never realized how big you are. I'm only a bit longer than your torso, and you just tossed me around like it was nothing." Her forelegs fold up a bit and she nestles her head closer to me. "Feels.... safe."
"Sorry for not saying anything, you just looked so dejected and I really did have a great time. FIgured this should be good enough."
All I get in response is a quiet "Mhmm."
"Hey don't fall asleep! I gotta leave in like 10 minutes or something."
"Nuh uh. She'll get over it and she's not my princess. I didn't vote for her!"
"None of you voted for any of the princesses!" I can't help but let out a chuckle. "I never expected you to have such a childish side. It's pretty cute."
She looks up at me with a pout. "Shut it. I'm tired and drunk. I don't have the energy to talk like a proper grown up."
"Uh huh. Alright upsy daisy!" I stand up and hold her against my chest. "Let's get the cute pony to bed."
"Stop calling me cute! I'm a knight! Knights aren't cute!" She continues to protest as I walk down her cloudy hallway and stop at the only decorated door I see. Pushing it open I can confirm it is at the very least a bedroom. Hopefully it's hers.
"Fine fine, O brave and mighty knight!" I announce as I drop her onto the bed. I watch as she curls up into a ball and pulls a puffy blanket over herself with her wings. "Good night, Force. Cya at breakfast."
"Mhmm."
Landing on Luna's balcony I knock on the glass door a few times before opening it. "You in here, Luna?"
"Yes, just patrolling the dreamscape." I watch as her eyes open and stare at me with a neutral expression.
Closing the balcony door I take a seat next to her bed. With a sigh I mutter to myself, "Be selfish. You can do this." Looking at Luna I see her staring at me with her head cocked to the side and a confused look on her face. I call out to her.
"We need to talk, Luna."
> Onto the Next Adventure!
Ka-Thunk Ka-Thunk
My head is pounding as I slowly open my eyes to the sound of the train moving along the tracks. What the fuck happened last night? The last thing I remember is flying back to the castle... did I blackout? Wait, why am I on a train?! I was supposed to get breakfast in the dining hall then go to Ponyville with... "Luna." Sitting up midway through my panic I realize Luna is lounging across from me in our private suite.
"Oh look who slept through breakfast. I must say it was quite amusing to watch you stumble into my room and declare that we need to talk with such a serious expression, only to fall face first onto my bed completely passed out. I talked to Force and she informed me it was just 1 bottle shared between the two of you, so I've noted that you can't handle alcohol. Good thing we didn't wait until the gala to find out."
"UGH! Luna, I got unlucky! As soon as I took my first sip I was forced to roll a dice to see if I would get drunk and I rolled horrendously. That's so anno-" I'm interrupted by a gnarly hangover as I clutch my head in pain.
"So, what did you want to talk about last night that made you so serious?" Luna asks while giving me a look of amused curiosity.
"Let's kick that can down the road for now. It was a lot easier to bring up that topic while under the influence, but now I'm sober and this hangover is making it ten times worse. Did I already miss our stop in Ponyville?"
"Nay, the train only departed from Canterlot maybe ten minutes ago. We've still got another hour and a half." She ignites her horn and a few seconds later a pony comes through the door with a glass of orange juice. "Thank you."
The drink floats over to me and I grab it out of the air. "Why are we taking the train anyways? Flying or teleporting would've been more convenient."
"I haven't gotten a chance to ride one of these yet, they didn't exist before my banishment. This seemed like a good opportunity to see how I feel about them, so far I'm impressed. It's not as fast as flying if you consider it as 1 trip versus 1 trip, but if you think about how many flying carriages it would take to bring the same amount of ponies and luggage... it's not even a competition at that point. This invention is marvelous."
I take a deep chug of the OJ before pressing the cold glass against my forehead. "They know we're visiting today right?"
"Hm? Yes, Generosity knows we're stopping by."
"Of course she knows, I'm saying did you tell anyone else? The local officials will likely shit themselves if you or your sister shows up unannounced. Surprise visits never go well."
"Oh surely you jest. If it were Tia I could see that happening, but I doubt we'll receive any such reception. The most we'll get is somepony screaming that Nightmare Moon has returned as they run off to alert the town.... I guess that could still be problematic. I see what you mean now."
I just give her a deadpan stare. "Am I getting anything made as well? Or is it just expected for me to wear my uniform?"
"Awh, you ruined the surprise." She flashes an adorable pouting face for a second. "Yes you'll be having something made as well. Apparently she's turning this endeavor into a fashion show. She's already mostly finished dresses for the other elements, and she's designed something for both of us but she didn't want to finalize everything without having our measurements."
"Is it bad that I'm slightly terrified to see what she's made for me? She's only seen 1 outfit to use as a base for my entire species' fashion. What are the odds I end up in some weird outfit..."
"Oh please, if it's bad we can just request changes or reject it all together. Now, pay attention. I'm going to cover our plan once we're done here in Ponyville." Luna conjures up a pseudo hologram map of the world. Directly in the center is Canterlot. "Once we finish up here we're going to take the train again and ride West, through Whitetail Woods, until we reach the end of the line. From there the trains only go North or South, but we need to continue West so we'll be on hoof from there. This entire mass of land after we get off the train is the Undiscovered West so who knows what we'll run into there. From there all I was told is to follow the mountain peaks until we see the North Luna Ocean. At that point we should see a cave and that'll be where the thestrals have been hibernating."
"North Luna Ocean? You've had an entire ocean named after you and ponies still didn't know who you are? Luna, don't take this the wrong way, but are ponies just kinda.... dumb?"
"No! They're simply uneducated. Cutie marks drastically reduce the need for generalized basic education, we only mandate that foals take 6 years of broad generic education. After that they can go to a trade school, university, or just follow their cutie mark and naturally find success. During those 6 years apparently history is not one of the prioritized subjects."
"That's a mistake, those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it. Sorry, we got off topic. You're not expecting any problems or hostility from the thestrals right?" I decided to ask the important question.
"We're not actually sure if they've sworn loyalty to Nightmare Moon or me. They were my thestrals before the corruption, but they did swear loyalty to her after the corruption. So technically speaking, their oath to Nightmare is the most recent one. I've been speaking with their leaders in their dreams though, and I think we should be fine. I told you yesterday, didn't I? I don't expect you to use your blade a single time this entire trip."
I let the conversation die as Luna goes back to her reading material. Now that we know Nightmare is still alive and active it actually makes me severely uneasy to hear that they have an oath with her. Hopefully Luna's feeling is correct, though. I wonder if I should try being more friendly with the element bearers? If they're seen as heroes to Equestria then it would be good for Luna's image to be friends with them, and they seem reliable.
Let's make a mental note, a lot of things have happened over the past couple weeks. I need to keep track of my threads.
Callisid is still MIA. Likely got dismissed in the chaos at the colosseum, need to resummon him. Twilight likely has magical supplies for this.
I need to communicate to Celestia my thoughts about the memorial statue. I sincerely think Cursive Hoof and her parents are the ones who should be depicted.
Need to transcribe all the spell scrolls into my spellbook.
See if I can make contact with the ancient elf in the Moonblade, I will likely need to perform some ritual with Luna to fix the damage I caused.
Circling back to number 1 that needs to be top priority. I can send him to the dragon lands and have him inform me on their plans.
Lastly.... I swear I'm forgetting something. Eh, probably not important.
"Ignis are you coming? We've been at the station for over 5 minutes and the conductor needs to leave or he'll fall behind schedule." Luna grabs my attention as she pokes her head into the suite.
"Oh sorry, guess I got a little lost in my thoughts."
I follow Luna off the train and look around. Honestly I think I would've preferred to live here over Canterlot. It's a shame that Luna is tied to the castle, although maybe a vacation home? I should see how much real estate costs in this world and figure out if I can afford it. My inner rambling is interrupted by Luna. "Has anypony told you that something seems different about you?"
"No? I mean I've only talked to you, your sister, Cadence, and Force. None of them mentioned anything like that."
"Right before you performed that new spell that lets you zip around and attack multiple creatures, and every moment since then, your presence feels.... what's a good descriptor here? Heavier. Even ponies that aren't as attuned to mana can feel when you've entered a room. Did your "level up" have any significant meaning other than new spells?"
"Oh yeah, all of my offensive based cantrips like Fire Bolt or Booming Blade gained more power. Fire Bolt in particular is quite potent now. Other than that though, no nothing really significant."
"Interesting. I'll likely ask for a demonstration once we depart from here. You'll need to work on learning to suppress your presence now, though. It's something you'll now need to do passively at all times, or you'll unsettle anypony that can feel mana. I'll suppress it for you for now, but it'll likely be the first thing you work on when you are able to return to training your mana."
"I assume this is something you and your sister do?" She gives me a nod as we continue to walk. "Can I feel your unsuppressed aura?"
"Ha! No, not in the middle of a populated town, Ignis. If you were worried about any panic or unpleasant situations before, it'd be much worse if I did that here. I can simulate what your presence currently does though, I assume you wanted to see what it feels like so you'd know how seriously to treat the suppression training."
"Something like tha-" I'm interrupted as it feels like someone places a heavy hand on my shoulder. A shiver creeps up my neck and I feel my instincts telling me to turn around. Turning around I just see a floating dark purple orb enshrouded in Luna's magic.
"That's what you would've been doing to everypony here in Ponyville. Although my simulation at the end of the night is still my mana, so it was likely a bit more sinister than yours. Yours just feels like I should be on alert and my instincts point my eyes toward your location." The orb disappears into nothingness.
"Got it. Yeah that's surprisingly annoying. Nothing like that happens in my world as we get more powerful. You'd have to be something like an Archmage or a dragon to have an aura strong enough to command attention from a room when you enter. I'm guessing it's because no one is even aware mana exists and the mana is what causes the presence?"
"Correct. There was a mage in the long forgotten past that used to mentor me and Tia, he speculated that the presence was due to the increase in density of the mana. Anypony can increase how large their mana pool is, but increasing the density of your mana pool is something that can only be done by ponies that have increased the size of their pool to its limit. It's not intuitive either, it took years for that same mentor to grasp the concept and apply it to his stagnated magic."
"If that's the case then why has it happened to me? Surely just that level up can't be the cause, maybe if it was level 17 or 20, but not 11?"
"It's likely due to Nightmare Moon bolstering your connection to the moon combined with the level up. One of those on its own likely pushed your mana pool to its limit, but when added onto by the other your body had no choice but to condense the mana. On the bright side, this means your mana channels shouldn't take as long to fully recover. I'd even go so far as to say you might be cleared to train by the time we get back." She gives me a smile as she drops the good news on me. "Now, let's go greet Generosity." We arrive at some frilly building that seems to have a carousel design towards the top of it. As we enter through the front door a bell chimes off.
"Terribly sorry, darling, but I'm afraid we're closed today. I've got to focus on my last minute touch ups and finalize these designs before they go down the catwalk tonight." A familiar voice calls out from another room.
I'm about to speak up and inform the unicorn who we are when Luna beats me to the punch. "I believe I have an appointment. It should be under, "Princess Luna." I've brought Ignis with me as well."
The unicorn suddenly slides across the floor as she runs into the room. Around her neck is a tape measure and she's holding several pieces of fabric in the air. She drops into a formal bow and speaks. "Apologies, your highness, I lost track of time and didn't realize it was already time for your appointment."
"Rise Generosity, you are a hero to this kingdom and a savior of myself. You do not need to bow to anypony. Feel free to call me Luna or just Princess is fine. Plus, if we keep up with formalities it'll take hours to finish this dress."
Rarity rises and offers a smile to Luna. "Oh of course Princess, but only if you also agree to call me Rarity. You're the first pony to address me by my element and frankly it makes me uncomfortable." She looks over at me and glances up and down my form. Right now my enchanted armor is currently appearing as my standard uniform for when I'm on duty. I have my hood down and mask off though. It really is a bit too intimidating to just walk around like that. After giving me a once over she circles behind me and gives me a full inspection, I won't lie it has me a bit flustered. "This is the first time I've had a chance to really look at your uniform in detail from up close. This design really is something else, especially the inside of your cowl." As she mentions it she grasps the hood in her magic and lifts it up onto my head. Inspecting the inside of the hood she clicks her tongue. "Tch, to waste something so intricate and beautiful on the inside of the cowl is a crime against fashion. Honestly I have half a mind to incorporate it into your tuxedo, but the thing is I cannot figure out how this projection is being done. It's not static every time you move your head or turn the night sky shifts in the same way. As if the illusion is just a.... scrying spell pointed into the night sky."
Luna has a look I don't see on her face very often, smug. "That is exactly what it is, Rarity. I placed a permanent scrying anchor in space and connected it to the illusionary enchantment. The reason it's on the inside is because it isn't meant for everypony else to see it. He and he alone can look at my night from anywhere at any time. It's for him and him alone. I forbid you from using the same enchantment for his gala attire."
Wow when she says it like that it almost feels like an intimate gesture. I can tell both of them can see I'm somewhat embarrassed right now. Pulling the hood even further, obscuring my face, I look around the inside. This is only for me, I should treasure it a bit more.
Rarity giggles at my reaction before responding to Luna's command. "Something like that is beyond my ability anyways, Princess. It seems I'll have to throw out his entire design too, I was not expecting such a drastic change in his hair and eye colors since the last time I saw him."
"Ah, that is an oversight on my part. I failed to mention it when we were discus-" Luna is speaking but I decide to interrupt her.
"Let's continue the design as if my hair is still silver. My intuition tells me it won't stay like this forever and to be quite honest I'll just bleach the fucker if it refuses to turn back. If it hasn't returned to silver by the night of the Gala we can just use an illusion for it. My eyes on the other hand... they will likely look like this for the foreseeable future." I could cast Protection from Good and Evil, but even if it works what is that going to do to my Feat? Would I just lose my Devil Sight? Also it'd likely sever my true connection to the moon. Although secretly... I don't hate the look. If teenager Lucas could see me right now he'd be freaking out. It's the perfect amount of edginess.
"Darling, the eyes are a big problem too. If it's just the eyes I can still use the design, but the colors will need to change for sure. Let's go get measurements for both of you and you can review the designs on paper while I work."
Ah I'm hoping I can avoid getting measured. "Rarity, just so you know I refuse to go to the Gala unarmored. You can just show me whatever design you have and I'll shift the illusion enchantment to match your design. You can just tweak and adjust it on the fly."
"Oh, I didn't realize you had full control over the illusion. I assumed it was just an on and off thing. I'd still like your measurements anyways though, it'll make any future orders for you much easier." Seems she intends on getting these measurements. I won't hold it against her though, she likely doesn't understand why I'm apprehensive or embarrassed to take off my outer garments. Since most of these ponies are always naked.
"I agree, Ignis. Honestly I know you keep your uniform clean through magic, but if you were to disable the enchantment completely it'd be obvious how tattered the clothing is. You really need other clothes to change into, if not just to have something to wear when your uniform is being repaired." Luna agreeing with Rarity seals my fate.
"How much of my clothing do I need to remove for you to take the measurements?" I ask Rarity as she frantically looks around for the papers containing the designs.
"Oh you don't have to remove anything if you're shy about it. I can just slide your clothing around to expose the parts I need to measure as I get around to them. I admit it would speed the process up though. Really whatever you're willing to part with would be helpful."
Oh so I don't need to get naked at least. That's good. I probably would've refused anyway, but that's nice. I'm wearing somewhat tight underwear that goes down to the middle of my thigh, and honestly if I'm wearing that it won't feel too different from being in a bathing suit. Definitely less embarrassing than the short shorts I was forced to wear for track.
Stripping down I take a moment to actually look at myself. I've been cleaning myself and my uniform with magic since I got here so I haven't actually taken off these clothes like ever I think. For a body that was supposedly bedridden for two decades I'm surprisingly toned. I don't look like a bodybuilder by any means, I only have 13 strength after all, but I look like someone that does intense calisthenics everyday. Abs are defined and toned, pecs are respectable, even my arms don't look too bad. The arms are definitely the biggest weak point though, if I was wearing a short sleeved t-shirt you would not think I had any strength.
Looking up I find Rarity and Luna both looking away. One of them is looking at the floor and the other one is glancing at the ceiling. "Why are the two of you more embarrassed than me when I'm the one that didn't even want to do this to begin with?!"
Luna looks me in the eyes with a flustered look. "I will admit I was a bit curious what you looked like underneath all of that cloth, but I didn't expect the feeling it would invoke. We're so used to seeing you clothed that looking at you like this almost feels... forbidden. It feels like we shouldn't look."
Insight Check.
16 + 6 = 22.
Something seems off, she's definitely hiding something. She looked away for a brief instant when mentioning that she didn't expect how it made her feel. Why would she lie about that though, moreso how could she have known this is what her reaction would be? I woke up wearing my uniform but I was thoroughly bandaged under the uniform so I must've been stripped. Did she do that herself? I wouldn't even particularly mind if it was something to do with my health, and it doesn't seem like something she would go out of her way to cover up. It has to be something else but what? There's no way she's stripped me in my sleep.... right? No, that's crazy she wouldn't do that. I'll just make a note to ask her about this later.
"What she said." Rarity quietly gives her eloquent explanation as she continues to look away. With a quick cough the unicorn shakes her head and looks at me as the small blush disappears from her face. "I apologize for my failure to maintain professionalism. Here are the designs for both of you, let me know what you think while I get these measurements." She floats over a couple pieces of paper to both of us. Does she want me to provide feedback for Luna's dress as well and vice versa for Luna to provide feedback for my tuxedo? I could understand why Luna would need to review both designs but why do I get to review both?
Rarity notices my confusion as she uses her magic to hold my arms out flat as she measures my shoulders and arm length. "The reason you're both reviewing both designs is because they are intended to be a set. Ignis' tux will compliment the Princesses dress." Ah so that's why.
Well, let's look at my tux first. The base color is dark blue and along the bottom edge of the jacket, all the way around, there's a mural that at first looks like waves of an ocean, but colored solid silver all throughout. Looking at it a bit closer though I realize these aren't waves, they're outlines that create several small silhouettes. The design is just big enough that I can tell these are silhouettes of elves. They're all perfectly recreated from my memories, the first ones starting at the front are my childhood friends and they're all positioned as if they're running from the front of the jacket to the back.
Continuing around the bottom edge the next silhouettes are Callisid and my personal attendant that looked after me when my parents were busy when I was extremely young. For Callisid a line of solid silver comes out from the bottom and then narrows to a pinpoint before exploding back out into the shape of a bat. The attendant is standing straight with both of her arms held up in the air as the outline of a toddler sits in her grasp. Reaching the center of the back of the jacket the final outlines are recreating a scene that flashed in my mind back in the changeling hive right before I lost my shit. Mother and Father are facing forward and instead of the small child me, the current me is outlined in between them. I'm holding the Moonblade and pointing its tip straight up as a thin silver line shoots up the back of the jacket before expanding into Luna's cutie mark in the center of my back, between my shoulders.
If the silhouettes have no detailing to be clear, it's just blobs of solid silver that are creating outlines, but these are just big enough that it's clear to me what each outline is. If they had been even an inch bigger it'd be tacky, but they're just small enough that from a medium distance it just looks like small intricate silver patterns along the bottom edge of the jacket. The rest of the jacket is just plain dark dark blue. I thought there'd be a few stars here and there but picturing it with the silver design at the bottom and adding stars makes it a bit too much. The lapels are black and the inner shirt is a white button up. Each button is a different phase of the moon.
"It's perfect Rarity. Luna, did you help her with these outlines? You must've they're too accurate otherwise."
"I did. Between patrolling the dream realm and doing some light paperwork there wasn't much else I could do from your hospital room. I ended up passing letters back and forth with Rarity and when I mentioned your homeland she pitched the idea. All I did was send her some sketches for the outlines."
My measurements are done by now so I start putting my clothes and armor back on while looking at Luna's dress. It starts off with a very light see through black material that puffs up and around the back of her neck. Once it reaches her body it turns into a solid black, no longer see through. That covers up her chest fluff and covers her entire barrel. The black see through material returns in the form of tight sleeves that cover roughly 1/3rd of her forelegs. Starting right above her wings another fabric appears and fans out, dropping down over the rear half of her barrel and covering her cutie mark and her rear legs, this fabric is what classifies this as a dress. It's a puffier wavy fabric that is the same shade of dark dark blue as my tux. Embedded all along the edges of this wavy fabric is a massive silver fire that seems to be moving up the fabric and forward towards the center.
There's little stars drawn on the silver fire and above the design it states "Silver fire design will actually be thousands of tiny diamonds that make the fire design glitter and reflect light like a real fire."
I really don't have anything to say about Luna's dress either. If you can really make that effect with the diamonds it'll be beautiful. What makes these two a set though? The colors match but that's all I see."
Rarity gives me a look of disappointment before looking at Luna with a questioning gaze. Finally she turns back to me and answers. "The centerpiece of your tux is right here in the middle of your back, it's Luna's cutie mark. Now look at the silver fire on her dress. Are you really not getting it?"
"It's a reference to your name, Ignis. You have my symbol on your back and I have your symbol on mine. The fire represents Ignis." Luna decides to help me out.
I form an O shape with my mouth. "Oh wow yeah I guess I am a little slow. Won't something like this make people think we're in a relationship though? The symbolism almost feels like a claim or a marking of territory."
Luna rolls her eyes. "Oh ponies will always interpret things to whatever suits their narrative. Besides....maybe it's not a bad thing if that misinterpretation helps prevent more Lieutenant Forces from showing up."
Before I can follow up on that train of thought the bell at the front door rings again and the voices of the other element bearers can be heard. "Oh perfect timing I can start actually making the Princesses dress while they all try on their own!"
Rarity walks out of the room to go greet her friends and I look at Luna. "Do we really need to stay here and do the fashion show with all of them? Honestly her designs are good enough I think we can just trust her to finalize your dress and we can just head out of here?"
"Oh nonsense! The element bearers seem like nice ponies and I want to get to know them. Come, let's go greet them as well." She stands up and begins to walk out.
Ugh, I thought they wouldn't be here until much later, closer to the actual fashion show. I don't have the patience or the social battery to hang out with all 6 of them for several hours. Oh I can ask Twilight if she has the materials I need to re-summon Callisid! I can use his resummoning as an excuse to bail out of here for a few hours, perfect.
> Side Quest - Dressed for Success pt. 1
"Princess Luna?! What are you doing here?" Twilight is the first one to spot us as we walk out of the side room to greet them. Everyone but Rarity drops down into a bow, but Luna just gives them the same "you bow to no one" spiel that she gave to Rarity.
"I'm surprised Rarity did not tell you. We're both here for our Gala outfits, I had several offers from supposedly prestigious establishments in Canterlot, but Rarity was the only one to also offer to make something for Ignis." Luna continues after they all rise from their bows.
"You literally cannot say anything. Miss "I'm not gunna tell the local guards or the mayor that I'm coming, good luck everybody."" I shift my gaze over to the purple unicorn, "Hey Twilight do you have charcoal, incense, herbs, and a brazier at the library? I need to resummon my familiar but forgot to do it before we left Canterlot."
Her ears twitch and her eyes widen. "Familiar? I thought those weren't real?! I have everything but the brazier, the library is a tree after all, but there should be several along the border between Sweet Apple Acres and the Everfree. They use them to keep the treeline well lit and deter any predators from leaving. Just head over to the library and ask Spike for those ingredients."
"Sick nasty, thanks. Luna you're staying here I assume?" She gives me a nod. "Alrighty, well it'll take me well over an hour to perform the ritual so I won't be back for a while." I start to leave but notice Twilight looking at her group of friends then at me then back to her friends. "You good Sparkle?"
"I don't wanna ditch my friends that I've already made plans with, but I really want to learn more about your world's magic... I still need to try on my dress too."
"Like I said it'll take me over an hour, and I'm coming back here afterwards. Just try on your dress or whatever and I'm sure your friends won't mind you stepping out for a few minutes. But, it's up to you. I could always show you the ritual some other time, but it's pretty time consuming so I don't know when the next time will be...Eh whatever. Be back later!" I give the ladies a wave as I walk out of the shop.
I'm surprised none of them mentioned my eyes, but maybe it's not as noticeable as I originally thought. That'd be ideal. Walking through Ponyville I notice something about the town that's much different since the last time I was here. Most of the ponies that I walk past either have no reaction, as if they don't even care that I'm here, or they smile and wave. Did the entire city just suddenly start being accepting of other species since the last time I was here? I can feel my body relax as a soft smile finds its way onto my face, this is a nice change of pace.
Opening the door to the library I find a... small purple reptile? Oh it's the big lizard I saw sitting on Twilights back the first day I showed up here. Is he Spike? Either way it turns around from the bookshelf it's organizing and speaks with a childish voice. "Hey didn't anypony teach you to knoc- woah are you the elf creature Twilight was talking about a few weeks ago?"
"Knock? Isn't this a public library?"
"Oh yeah..."
"But, yes I am an elf." Suddenly my smile becomes bittersweet. "Well I guess you're not technically wrong. In this world I am THE elf, not an elf. Anyways, I need some charcoal, incense, and herbs. I was over at Rarity's shop with Luna when Twilight popped in and told me I could get that stuff from here."
"Oh yeah we keep all the magic stuff in the basement, follow me." As we walk down the dimly lit stairs he continues. "Are you guys gunna be in Ponyville for a while? Big Mac and I could use another bro to hang out with. Too many mares around here..."
"Nah, we're just here to have our Gala outfits made then we're heading West for a couple of weeks. After that it's back to Canterlot. I wouldn't mind coming by here more often though. If you guys wanna get up to something you can just mention it in one of those letters you send to Celestia. She'll.... probably pass it on. Yeah she would." He seems pretty young, but I'm pretty sure Big Mac is an adult... I think I remember him being the big red pony at Applejacks place. I could use more dude friends.
We arrive in the basement and as Spike walks over to the shelves and desk with multiple containers of different magical items he asks me a question I wasn't expecting. "Do you read any comics? How many of each did you need by the way?"
"You guys have comics here?! What the fuck, how have I not seen any? I need 10 bits worth of each ingredient. Don't ask me for a better measurement cause I have no clue, my spellbook just says the ingredients need to be worth 10 gold pieces. It's a very strange spell."
"Woah you cursed dude. Twilight would be so mad if she was here. That isn't the strangest way to measure these, but I'll kinda have to guess. I got an issue of Power Ponies upstairs if you wanna see one." As he talks he hands me handfuls of each ingredient. Woah someone else has hands here!
"I'll check it out before I leave Ponyville, but I'm kinda in a hurry right now. I need to get this ritual finished as soon as possible." I really need to know what happened to Callisid in the colosseum and if he saw anything before he got dismissed.
"Oh. I mean yeah for sure, no biggie. Whenever you've got time. What's all this stuff for?"
"Oh I'm summoning my familiar. I brought him with me to the badlands and something happened to him while we were there, so I've gotta resummon him."
"Woah like in the fairy tales?! Can I watch?"
"I don't mind but the ritual takes over an hour and it's pretty mind numbing. You'd probably be better off just doing whatever you were doing here for like 45 minutes then come find me. I'll be where Sweet Apple Acres meets the Everfree, gotta use all this stuff in a brazier." I go to put the ingredients in my backpack when I realize.. I don't have it. Luna didn't grab it from my room and I was blacked out. Fuck that's annoying. Not for this specifically, but because that's where my spell scrolls are! AH! "Thanks for the help, Spike."
"Yeah, no problem. Cya dude."
Okay, summon Callisid then have Luna teleport me back to Canterlot. That bag has my jerky.. Which maybe I should throw away now that I know the jerky is illegal since it's beef. It also has my water pouch and my bedroll. So I can grab that then come back here. Easy day.
Eventually I find my way to the tree line of the Everfree and take a seat in the grass at the first brazier I happen upon. I have an important choice to make here, I could keep him as a bat or I can change his form. I have to think about this strategically, half the reason he probably got caught back at the summit is because he was a bat in the desert. If I want to send him to the dragon lands and report back would a bat be okay there? Probably not, but if I choose something like a lizard or a weasel it'll take him ages to get there.
"Oh perfect you haven't even started yet. Is there a problem with the ingredients?" I'm interrupted from my internal decision making by purple unicorn.
"Huh? Oh, maybe. I'm not sure if this will satisfy the 10 gold pieces condition for the spell, but that's not why I haven't started yet. I'm having trouble deciding what form I want him to take. Last time he was a bat, but I think for most situations a bat sticks out too much. It's a tough decision."
"Can it be in any form or are there restrictions? Does he have a preference for his form?"
"I honestly have no clue if he has a preference, I've never asked. There's a list of different animals he can be. It's either a bat, cat, crab, frog, hawk, lizard, octopus, owl, snake, fish, rat, raven, sea horse, spider, or weasel." Honestly if I wasn't planning to use him for recon and scouting I'd just make him a cat or a weasel and call it a day.
"Hmm," she brings a hoof up to her mouth as she hums in thought. "If you want something that doesn't stand out I think it has to be a lizard or a rat, but that's assuming it'll be indoors. If it's not restricted in that way then a hawk or a raven would be best. What exactly are you planning to have the familiar do that requires him to be hidden?"
"I'm planning to send him to the dragons. There was an incident at the Global Summit and I'd like to know what they're planning. Plan is to send him there to lurk around in whatever their version of Canterlot Castle is for 3 weeks and then return to Canterlot. Although that assumes he can get there just from looking at a map... maybe Luna can teleport him? Ah fuck it, he's gunna be a raven this time around. Ravens are dope and he should be able to hide in any shadows. Alright Twilight, once I start I'm going to be locked into the chant for the ritual for over an hour. All your questions need to be yes or no and my answers will only be through head nods or shakes. Got it?"
She flashes her horn and a notepad and quill appears in the air. "Got it."
I perform the ritual the exact same way as I did in Canterlot. Every 2-5 minutes Twilight asks some question about the weave or the intricacies of the familiar contract. Honestly being limited to yes or no questions makes some of this quite impressive, she basically just asks the same point over and over but with different methods or definitions and uses my no answers as a process of elimination. She tries to figure out why verbal and somatic components are so important for our spells and attempts to figure out if there's any method to the madness for why certain spells need specific materials.
An hour and 100 questions later and the fire in the brazier goes out. The ashes laying at the bottom begin to swirl and rise into the air before compressing together into a tight ball that morphs into a raven. "Callisid, that's you right? Hope you don't mind the new form." I call out the bird telepathically.
"Woah! What can he do? Does he talk? He must be able to if he's able carry out orders like spying on foreign leaders, right?" Twilight immediately fires off another barrage before the familiar can answer me.
"Shh, yes he can talk, but only telepathically and only with me. I need to ask him some questions though so gimmie a few minutes."
The bird stops staring at the purple unicorn and lands on my shoulder. "It is indeed I, sir. I was beginning to believe you'd forgotten about me again."
I don't have the heart to tell him that I kinda did forget about him. I didn't try to contact him until after the Summit, just before I went back into the hive to rescue Force. "What... no. I've just been very busy. Being unconscious for a week didn't help, but Callisid what happened to you? I tried to call on you to observe a meeting during the summit and you were MIA. I assume you weren't out of range and something caused you to dispel?"
"I am afraid I was collateral damage during the scuffle with the dragons. One of them got launched through the roof and I had just happened to be hanging upside down on the spot it went through. Quite unfortunate. I am pleased to see you survived that encounter, however. It wasn't looking very good before I got caught between a rock and a dragon."
"Did you overhear anything interesting before you went back to the Celestial plane?"
"I did see something a bit suspicious, but I wasn't entirely sure if it was worth reporting so I was just going to wait and report about it with something else. I saw a pitch black changeling that was almost the same size as their queen and she was lurking in the shadows at the edge of the colosseum. Just a few minutes before your duel that changeling was speaking to the leader of the dragons. I was too far to hear any details though."
"No, that's actually really good information. Chrysalis was conspiring with the dragons... now I'm even more certain they're up to something. Okay just stay on my shoulder for now, we're going to go back into town and talk to Luna, but I'm likely going to send you off on a scouting mission." I look over to the patiently waiting purple unicorn. "Alright, sorry I just had a lot of catching up to do. You had some questions?"
She looks at the notepad for a second then back up. "Yes. Since your relationship seems purely magical, I was wondering what all he could do besides talking and flying around."
"Yes so Callisid here can do many things. The most useful thing is that as long as he's within 100ft of me I can communicate with him telepathically, which you already knew, and I can see through his eyes and hear what he hears. Another very useful trick we can do is that any spell I have that has a casting range of "Touch" , like my Cure Wounds healing spell, I can channel the spell to be casted through him. So if you were 90ft away and wounded, time is of the essence, I'm caught up in my own life or death situation, but if I don't heal you in the next 5 seconds you're dead. Callisid can fly over to you and I can cast the Cure Wounds spell. It's extremely useful. I mostly just use him for recon and scouting though."
Her quill is moving faster than a blur as she scribbles while I talk. "One thing I'm still really confused about is that you mentioned a theory about how your incantations and hand movements likely served the same purpose as our runes and that's why you were able to learn Light so quickly. But, when you use magic there is no mana. It's almost like you're manipulating some invisible force and then when you finish all of your preparation actions some dense energy just appears in the air. It was gathering all around you during that ritual, I could barely make it out at first, but whatever it is, it's unique to you and it's different than mana."
"Yeah it's called the Weave. I've actually been wondering why I even have access to it at all... I have a couple of theories on it, but haven't had time to really investigate it. I didn't have all my memories back when I gave you that theory, but now that I do I can say that you pretty much nailed it. Off topic, but did Spike show up at some point? He said he wanted to watch, but after I told him it'd be boring he said he'd show up later. I don't think I ever saw him though. Let's go meet up with everyone else."
We start the long walk back into Ponyville as Twilight continues with her inquiries. "No, he never showed up. Probably just forgot. Hey, I wasn't able to come to a conclusion about your spell ingredients, why do some spells need certain materials?"
"Honestly, I have no clue. The materials honestly just seem like a joke cooked up by the universe. See Invisibility requires powdered silver, Alarm needs a bell and silver wire, Grease needs either pork rind or butter, Dragon's Breath needs a hot pepper, oh and my personal favorite Darkvision needs dried carrot. You know, cause carrots improve eyesight? Honestly when you lay it all out like that it doesn't even seem like magic. I could just throw powdered silver in the air and the invisible people would be covered in it, I can set a perimeter alarm with the same items as Alarm, eating a hot pepper lets you spit fire? I mean the jokes just write themselves. My entire world's magic system is a big joke. Some spells are exceptionally potent though. How did things go with your dress? You tried it on before you came here right?"
She stops writing for a second to answer me. "It fit perfectly, I mean Rarity had my measurements so I didn't doubt that it'd fit. Personally though I did want to make some tweaks to the design, but I was in a rush to watch the ritual so I decided the dress was good enough as is. All my suggestions were just nit-picks anyways."
The rest of the walk is in relative silence and a short time later we're back at the boutique. I spot Luna, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Applejack talking about something but the conversation dies once Twilight and I approach the group. Luna spots the bird on my shoulder, "Is that your familiar? I thought he was a bat? Did something go wrong?"
"Nah, I can pick his form when I summon him." I hold out my palm and gesture towards the bird on my shoulder. "Ladies this my familiar his name is-," but when I look over I see he's gone. I turn my head to the right and find the raven perched on Fluttershy's head.
The pegasus then says something that surprises me. "Wow, Callisid, that's such a pretty name. Oh you're such a good bird."
"Luna, did you tell her his name?"
"Nay."
Pinkie Pie bounces into view, "That's her specialty! Fluttershy can talk to all sorts of animals, you should've seen her calm down the manticore in the Everfree. It was all like ROAAR, and she just walked up to him like it was nothing!"
"Huh, well that's neat. Sorry to break up the party for a bit but Luna can we talk outside?" I point towards the door as I look at the princess.
"What is it? Did Callisid give you any important information from the Summit?" She asks with a slight tone of concern as soon as we leave earshot of the others.
"Sort of, he spotted Chrysalis talking to the dragon lord before my duel. They were conspiring together. Unfortunately he didn't get to hear any of their conversation and shortly after that he was crushed by a dragon being sent through the ceiling. The other reason I wanted to talk to you is because I need my backpack, it has all my traveling supplies and my spell scrolls, and it appears it was left in my bedroom at the castle. I was gunna see if you could just teleport me back to the castle and I'll let you know via the Sending crystal when I'm ready to come back?"
"Ah I knew I was forgetting something. I had that nagging feeling in the back of my head, but I couldn't quite place it. You'll need my magic quill for the ink I promised as well. It should be on the desk in my bed chambers. Are you ready to go now or do you want to go grab your familiar to bring him along?"
Yo, Callisid I'm going to Canterlot for a bit so I'll be out of range. Keep out of trouble and keep an eye on Luna.
Understood, sir.
"Alright I'm ready to go, I just let him know I'd be out of range for a bit."
With a flash of light I'm back in the familiar courtyard of Canterlot Castle. Alright, grab the backpack, grab the quill, talk to Celestia. That's it, in and out 10 minute adventure.
> Side Quest - Dressed for Success pt. 2
Closing my bedroom door behind me I make my way towards Luna's room, just a few steps away. Putting my hand against the door the defensive enchantments detect my mana and I hear the door click. Pushing it open I stride across the room, it's changed a lot from the first time I was in here. Originally the room didn't look much different than my own, but now the gem embedded lighting fixtures and presence detecting candles emit a blue light instead of natural pure light. Black pillows and a deep blue blanket on the bed. She could use more decorations if I'm being honest, but the tone fits her much more now.
Approaching the mostly empty desk I find the left side of the desk has a small cup of gems, paper, and two inkwells with a quill in each one. How am I supposed to be able to tell which one of these is her magical quill?
Investigation.
16 +5 = 21.
My gut tells me it's the one on the left, closest to the cup of gems. She likely scribes something on the paper with the quill and embeds it into the gem. I bet that's why all of the light in here is blue now. Picking up the quill I notice the ink underneath it is very strange looking, it's like a swirl of black, purple, and blue with specks of glitter. Well there's no way she's using that ink on official paperwork, so I'd say this quill is the safe bet. Regardless I pull out the sending gem and squeeze it.
"Hey Luna, got the quill and my backpack. I'm going to see if I can find your sister though, I need to talk to her about something. Figured I'd give you a small update." I close the door to her room and start making my way towards the lower floors.
"I appreciate it. She should still be in the throne room, but court will break for lunch soon. It will likely be easier for you to just wait near her office, she typically has lunch there as opposed to the dining hall."
Hmm not the worst idea, I'd like to be a bit more efficient though. "I think I'll just wait outside the private exit. I can just talk to her while we're walking and it'll let me get outta here faster. Wait... I just saw a handful of guards running that direction, something's happening."
"Tia hasn't called out to me, so it likely isn't too serious. Keep me updated."
I slide the gem into one of my pockets as I reach the stairwell. Jumping over the railings I make my way down to the first floor and start bounding for the first floor. Reaching the public entrance for the throne room I spot a wall of guards explaining to a group of ponies that court has unexpectedly closed early for the day, and to come back tomorrow. I don't even bother trying to make my way through that crowd, a light cloud of fog disperses from around my feet as I misty step right up to the door.
I don't know what exactly I was expecting to find when I stepped into the throne room, but it wasn't this. I could've guessed like 10 times and it wouldn't have been this. Celestia and Cadence are quietly talking to each other on the throne and Force, along with 30 or so guards, is standing spread out along the edge of the room. In the center of the room there is a large group of changelings, at least 100, bowing towards the throne. All of the changelings are different shades of gray and very light black. Aurora's changelings managed to get away from Chrysalis?
As soon as the door clicks closed behind me several eyes and heads turn. Force gives me a big smile and waves her foreleg in the air, Cadence and Celestia pause their conversation and look at me with confusion. A few of the changelings rise and turn to look towards me. As soon as they see me they gasp, "It's the savior!" "The devil of fire is here." "It's him, the one that challenged the usurper."
After that they all rise to turn and look. I recognize one towards the front, it's the one who was being executed when I lost it. They all start quietly murmuring and looking at each other but that drone just stares at me. The drone buzzes her wings and flies over the crowd, eliciting a few shouts from the guards in the room, telling her to stop. She quickly drops back to the ground in front of me, lowers her head, and quietly speaks, "Thank you. The cave-in you caused trapped the usurper in the rubble and allowed for some of us to escape. You saved us."
The rest of the group lowers their heads as well, causing me to awkwardly rub the back of my head. "My original intention was to save my own friends, and the cave-in was completely unintentional.. If Chrysalis hadn't ordered an evacuation then I would've killed all of you. So, you can raise your heads."
Celestia speaks up, "You could've left after you completed your mission, but you chose to let the portal close. You chose to stay and investigate their situation. Too much modesty can lead to resentment, you should be proud, Ignis."
It's not like I saved all of them. This has to be a fraction of the original numbers. I don't say it out loud but the thought does cause my face to shift into a somber stare. I walk towards the throne and the group of changelings part to let me through. "Sorry I missed breakfast." I flash Force a small smile as I walk past her.
"It's fine, I missed it too. Guess we're both lightweights." She releases a small giggle after her statement.
Climbing the stairs I exhale a big sigh as I reach the two alicorns. "So what exactly is going on here?"
Celestia responds, "Court was moving along the same as always when suddenly the next petitioner was called and over 100 ponies stood up. They grouped up in the middle of the room, bowed, and all dropped their disguises. They're requesting asylum and integration into Equestria. I called Cadence here to see what we can do for their dietary needs in the short term and after that I was going to reach out to Luna for her thoughts on what we should do with them."
I look at Cadence, "Oh yeah your domain is love right? You must be like an infinite source of food for them."
She shakes her head, "Not quite. I can increase the potency of the love as they extract it from a source, but I can't just produce it infinitely."
"How dire is the food situation?"
"I'd say most of them are starved to some degree. You can tell because their carapace is starting to develop holes." Cadence points to a drone towards the front and I notice what she's talking about. They literally have small holes all the way through on their legs.
I look at Celestia, "Well my opinion depends on if they'll be attacked randomly in public, how much did we release to the public about what happened at the summit?"
"All they know is that there was a conflict between us and the dragons and the unrelated news that the changeling queen perished."
"Then I say we just let them loose? Probably worth checking if any of them are still in disguise and are actually one of Chrysalis' drones, if there's a way to do that."
Celestia sighs, "That was the original intent but they do wish for that. They want to create a new hive inside the mountain, but we have active mines in the mountain that give us a constant supply of magic crystals. There is a large chunk of the mine that is depleted, so we were thinking of allowing them to set up there. When, not if, they expand is when the true problem will come into play."
"I say we cross that bridge when we get there and let them move in, but that's just the opinion of a lowly knight." Looking towards Cadence I continue, "You ready to increase some potency, Princess?" I start walking down the stairs and pause a few steps away from the still quietly murmuring group.
A few seconds later Cadence steps up beside me, looking slightly confused. "We sent for volunteers to come by and offer love, it'll probably be another hour or so before they arrive."
"That's fine, I assume Celestia forgot to mention it to you but apparently my love output is quite abnormal. As far as I know I can probably feed all of them in one go, especially if you're helping with the output."
"It was in the reports but even so you cannot feed this many changelings at once. It would literally kill you!"
I pause for a second. "Nah, I'll be fine. Get ready." Speaking louder so the entire group can hear me, I continue. "Alright changelings, get ready to feed."
I hear Cadence call out, but her voice gets tuned out along with everything else as I enter my trance state. I start to recall the same scene with my mother that came to me when I was donating love at the colosseum, but the scene blurs. My subconscious replays that drones words, romantic love is more efficient and potent than familial love. That train of thought railroads my trance into flashing the same scenes from both my previous lives of crushes or dates that led to nothing, and just I try to reign my subconscious back in the scene changes again.
It's from last night. The scene of Force and I laying on the roof of the cloud house staring up at the sky. It's a romantic scene but I hardly think that qualifies as love, even if I wouldn't mind replaying the scene a few times.
Constitution Saving Throw. (A/N: DC 10)
19 + 2 = 21.
The scene flashes again, but this time to the night when I watched Luna raise the moon for the first time. Her mane transforming into the ethereal form it is now. I will admit that did fluster me much more than I anticipated, but again I wouldn't go so far as to call that... love. Maybe their definition is much more loose than I originally thought?
Constitution Saving Throw. (A/N: DC 15)
10 + 2 = 12.
Exhaustion Level: 1.
Everything in the trance state blurs as I find myself back in the throne room. "-diot, stubborn, foolish colt. Luna's gunna kill me." I'm laying on my back watching Cadence rant as she pinches the bride of her nose with a forehoof.
I sit up and roll my shoulders, letting out a gasp as they crack and pop. "Relax, I'm fine." Looking ahead I see all the changelings no longer have holes, and I smile as they all lower their heads toward me again.
-2 Hit Points: 73/75.
I let out a yelp as something hits me in the back of the head. I turn and find a furious Cadence glaring at me, "That's for my knight, you deserve it." Looking back towards the throne I see Force at the bottom of the stairs. She's chewing the inside of her mouth with worry in her eyes.
Ah. Yeah I won't argue with the princess on that one. I stand up and use my hands to straighten out my wrinkled clothes as I approach the pegasus. "Sorry Em, didn't mean to make you worry."
"Em?"
"Yeah if you were to write it down it'd just be "MM" it's Magic Missile. Your cutie mark looks like a bolt of my Magic Missile and you resemble it a bit too when you perform your special talent. I told you it's hard to come up with nicknames for you. It was either that or Pablo and I don't think you'd have liked Pablo. Unstoppablo."
"Nope, come up with another one. You've got a few weeks to think about it. Reckless fool."
"Ah come on, you like reckless. I knew I'd be fine, gotta have a little more faith in me."
She rolls her eyes. "I wasn't worried at all until you collapsed. You were out for several minutes, you know?"
"I was? Huh. Listen, I'll try to come up with some more ideas, but I think Em will grow on you. Nice and short." I stand up and look up the stairs towards Celestia on the throne. "I gotta go talk to the sun and head back to Ponyville, take it easy."
"Stay safe." As I start up the stairs, Force walks over to Cadence.
Once I'm a few steps away Celestia speaks. "Shouldn't you be in Ponyville right now?"
"Yeah, but I needed my backpack and Luna's quill. The reason I came by was to talk to you about the statue you're building in the middle of the street where we killed the hydra."
"What about it?"
"I heard it's going to depict all of us that fought?" She nods. "It should depict a filly named Cursive Hoof and her parents. She's a deaf filly that was orphaned when her parents were consumed by the Hydra. Her deafness prevented her from the mental influence of the hydra and it's only because of her and the loss of her parents that we were able to even discover the hydra. There's no telling how long that thing would've continued unchecked if it weren't for her."
A pained expression forms on the alicorn's face. "The original idea was to put Luna in a positive spotlight, but I was unaware of that filly. I'll speak with the sculptor. Was that all you wanted to talk about?"
"Yeah."
"Very well. Try not to be so reckless while protecting my sister." With that she makes her way down the steps and starts speaking with the group of changelings.
I squeeze the gem in my pocket, "Alright Luna, I'm ready for the teleport."
With a flash and a pop I open my eyes and I'm in.... a bakery?
> Side Quest - Dressed for Success pt. 3
"This is not quite where I expected to end up..." looking around at the brightly colored interior of what must be a bakery. Eventually my eyes settle on the group of mares munching on cupcakes in front of me. Someone is missing, though. "Where's Rarity?"
"She's making all the alterations to their dresses at the moment. We saved some for her though." Luna floats a little container with 2 cupcakes in it in front of me.
I look over at the element bearers, "How many changes did you guys even need? Our outfits were perfect, I can't imagine she messed up on all of your dresses."
"I mean mine was pretty cool, but it didn't exactly scream "Rainbow Dash" ya know? I just asked for a few things to really make it my own." Rainbow explains and everyone else nods and murmurs in agreement.
"Well hey it's your dress, I guess as long as it's what you want."
"Oh yeah, especially since Hooty Tooty is coming to the show! He's some important pony in the fashion industry in Canterlot. As soon as Rarity found out he was coming she got all frazzled and said she had to skip lunch." Pinkie explains, as soon as she finishes speaking she opens her mouth wide and somehow all the cupcakes on the plate in front of her get sucked through the air and into her maw. I don't know if I should be impressed or disturbed. Probably both.
Twilight quickly corrects Pinkie, "It's Hoity Toity, Pinkie. The rest of her description was accurate though. This could be a big boost for Rarity's career if he's impressed by her outfits."
Guess the stakes have gone up for her, then. "Speaking of, how much longer until we actually start the show?" I ask, still standing next to the booth they're all eating at.
"It should only be three or so more hours, we should probably return to the boutique." Luna says as she rises out of the booth. Everyone else rises as well and we head back out towards the shop. After a minute or so of walking I see Luna suddenly flick her eyes over to me before clicking her tongue in annoyance. "And what made you think that was a good idea?" Oh it would seem Celestia or Cadence has snitched on me. Snitches get stitches.
"Think what was a good idea?" I put both my hands behind my head and interlock my fingers as we continue to move through town.
Deception. (Disadvantage due to level 1 Exhaustion.)
20 and 16. 16 + 1 = 17.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about. I think it is commendable you wanted to help them even at risk to yourself, but there were volunteers en route. It was a completely unnecessary risk." She's right of course, but I had to help them.
"I couldn't save Aurora, so I guess I just feel compelled to help them." I see her eyes widen for a brief moment in realization.
"My knight and I need to make a slight detour, you all can continue without us." Oh boy here we go. I shouldn't have said anything. The girls look a bit confused but after saying they'll see us later they walk off. Luna leads me a few feet away in a quieter area. "Be honest with me, Ignis. How often do thoughts about the former changeling queen enter your mind?"
"I've only been awake for what, 3 days? I've been much too busy to have distracting thoughts like that. Every now and then I try to replay that battle in my mind. What could I have done better? What if I had expended more resources to properly heal her? Why didn't I use Shadow Blade, with its psychic damage it would've been more effective than just cracking her chitin. I just can't help but feel that I could've done better. Don't try and tell me that I can't blame myself or that there's nothing I could've done. I'm not being emotional when I say this, I regret the decisions I made in the moment and I know with 100% certainty that I could've saved her." I vent out everything in a completely flat tone.
Luna just stares at me for a few seconds before sighing. "I just wanted to make sure this isn't something eating away at you. If this isn't coming from a place of trauma or from survivor's guilt then all I can say is that you'll have to live with that regret. Don't make the same mistakes again. If you're wrong though, and this becomes too heavy of a burden for you just remember that I'll always be here for you. I've got my fair share of regrets as well..."
The silence lingers for a few seconds. "I appreciate it. We should probably catch up to the others now, yeah?"
"Hm, I was actually hoping you could demonstrate this scribing process you speak of. I've never actually taken a look at your spellbook before. Does it take very long to transcribe something from a scroll into the book?"
"Oh? It depends on the level, sorry complexity of the spell. Something like Alarm would take me 2 hours, but something like Counterspell would take me 6 hours. I think we should have just enough time." We walk even further away from town and we both come to rest in the grass. Rummaging through my backpack I pull out all the spell scrolls and look through them.
Arcana. (Disadvantage)
5 and 12. 5 + 13 = 18.
Picking out the Alarm scroll I put the rest away. Reaching behind my back and under my cloak I unclasp the spellbook from the sleek mount that keeps it against my back. I spend a few minutes going over the scroll before I start pointing out details to Luna. "So this part in the center, this basically translates to the bare necessities of the spell. Bell, silver wire, message. I know that this is Alarm so the spell requires a bell and silver wire and you can designate a 20ft cube as your area and if anyone enters that area it'll mentally ping you as long as you're within 1 mile. I'm guessing the "message" part is referencing a lower tier spell Message that allows basic short distance telepathic communication. All of this gibberish and math around this center bit is the actual spell. Every wizard has their own unique way of writing down their spells, mostly to prevent spell theft."
"Ah so if somepony stole your spellbook it would take a considerable amount of time to learn new spells from your work?" Luna inquires as she tilts her head in a few different directions to get a good look at the scroll.
"Exactly. Scrolls are a bit different though, they're designed to be used by anyone with a secondary purpose of learning. They didn't have to write these basic components in plain text, but since it's a scroll they did. The challenging part will be decoding this wizards notation, I'm basically just going to sit here and slowly work through how I think the spell is cast. Then I'll compare my plain text notation to the coded notation and see if it bears any similarities, if it does then I'll transcribe it with my own notation. Trial and error until I'm confident I can understand this spell, then I just write it into the book."
3rd Person POV
Luna is lounging in the grass with the side of her face resting against her forehoof. She's watching the elf with a soft smile on her face as he rambles and talks to himself as he works through this spell, several parchments around him with different attempts at decoding. The scroll has lost some of its glow as he works his way through the spell. She is mildly interested in such a foreign concept of magic, but she's mostly just quietly enjoying seeing this side of the elf for the first time. It's clear that he's passionate about his magic.
Finally after an hour and a half or so Ignis throws his arms up and shouts, "Yes! I knew it, god what idiot would describe that part in such a convoluted way. Luna, do you see it? The thin almost imperceptible line, that's the marker for the area! This is gunna be so useful when we're out camping." Luna can't help but giggle at the enthusiasm before telling him that she can see it.
The elf starts to pick up a few sheets of parchment as he turns the pages and tears off sections of other pages. Eventually he gets everything written cleanly onto a single sheet. He goes over it one more time to make sure it's perfect and then pulls out the quill he retrieved from Luna's room. Ignis very carefully notates everything into a single page of the spell book and then they both watch as the spell scrolls floats into the air and turns to ash that scatters in the wind.
"What was that about? Why did the scroll just destroy itself?" Luna looks concerned as she stares at the spot in the air where the scroll once was.
"As I got more confident about different sections of the spell I had to... what's the right word here? I had to simulate partial casting of that section to compare to my own result which resulted in the scroll losing some of its power. By the time I finished with it the scroll was completely depowered." He takes all the leftover notes and failed attempts and holds them in the air with his left hand. With his right hand he casts a firebolt at the stack and watches it scatter in the wind. "Alright let's head back over to the boutique." He stands up and offers his hand to assist Luna in rising up from the grass.
Ignis 1st Person POV
Holy fuck that was a pain in the ass. Glad I figured it out, but I am not looking forward to scribing these other scrolls. We head inside the boutique and Luna branches off from me to go to the dressing room and I head off towards the room where we were measured. As soon as I walk into the room I can feel every active neuron in my brain misfire. These outfits are horrendously tacky. Fluttershy has a nest ON HER HEAD?!
"Whatcha think, Ignis? Look at that girls, he's speechless." Applejack laughs and after a few more seconds of silence the laugh awkwardly dies down.
"I need a minute." I announce and instantly about face to go find Rarity. I need to confirm that these outfits are as bad as I think they are. If they want to tank their friend's career so they can have the dress they want, that's fine by me, but Luna is involved. I'm not letting her be associated with the train wreck that's about to happen.
Opening the door into the dressing room, I spot Rarity. Her mane is disheveled and she looks like she's going to drop dead any minute now. "Hey Rarity. All of their outfits are like really tacky now right? I wanted to ask to make sure cause I'm not familiar with pony stuff." Glancing to the right I see Luna in her dress. "Damn. Perfect."
Rarity sighs and hesitates to answer. "It is... unique. It might be to everypony's tastes, but I'm sure an elite like Hoity Toity can recognize.... the individualism of each dress."
"So it's really bad?"
".....I'm afraid so. It's so dreadful, I wanted them to be happy with their outfits, but I know it's going to ruin me." She drops onto her haunches with a defeated look in her eyes.
"How long would it take you to undo all of the changes?"
"Removing things is typically faster than adding them, maybe an hour? We only have 30 minutes until show time, though. It's too late, darling."
"Nope, Luna take off the dress. When it's time to start, go out there and stall. If he's some canterlot fancy guy he'll probably be thrilled to talk to you. Once we start you can come back in here and get dressed and we'll go out last. In the meantime though, can you come with me to scold these children?" Rarity and Luna both widen their eyes a bit. I guess I did just bark orders at my goddess. "Please?" There we go, totally fixed it.
Rarity runs surprisingly fast and blocks me from leaving the room. "Scold?! They've done no wrong, they are the customer and they are entitled to any changes they want."
"And they can have those changes. At the gala. Not at a fashion show with the future of your career on the line! Did they even pay for these?"
"....well no, but-"
"No buts! Let me out!" The unicorn side steps and I exit the room with Luna in tow.
"You know, not even my sister has ordered me around like that." Luna quietly informs me during the short walk to the measuring room.
"Yeah, sorry. We're just in a rush and it's faster to just tell people to do things."
"Don't apologize, yet. I'm still trying to decide if I hated it or not." I don't know how to respond to that. Luckily we're in the room.
I stop and look at the mares with the most neutral face I can muster. "So between the 6 of you, you all have something that you excel at right? Twilight is magic, Applejack is apples, etc etc."
Twilight steps in, "Yes! Our skills and weaknesses are diversified so we can cover for each other in what we lack as individuals."
"Right, and does one of you have a particular talent for fashion?"
"Yep, that's Rarity!" Pinkie replies.
Applejack frowns and I think she's starting to see what I'm getting at here. I don't let her interrupt the flow I have going right now, though. "So how about all of you go take those dresses back in there and let the fashionista fix those outfits?"
"Now look here, ain't nothin wrong with our dresses! This is what we all wanted." Now AJ butts in.
"Twilight, if I told you there's a friendship lesson to be learned here, what do you think the issue is?" The group is silent for at least a minute until some of them start to look at the ground awkwardly, I think some of them are starting to figure it out.
Luna apparently decided to spell it out for them all, though. "What my knight is trying to get at here is that you all pressured your friend into choosing between her career and letting you all down. True to her element she made a choice that I don't think many ponies in her situation would. Applejack is correct that you all are entitled to have your dresses look any way you want them to, but I implore you to perhaps discard these alterations for tonight. After tonight you can make all of the changes you want."
"Oh! I get it! Because the stallion from Canterlot is going to be here! If we went out there like this he would probably spread all kinds of bad reviews to everyone up there- wait.... Oh no." Pinkie bounces as she explains her thought process out loud only to deflate and fall onto her face as she realizes what the issue is here. "Are we bad ponies?"
"No you're not bad ponies. It's clear you all just didn't realize the implications or the stakes of what is happening tonight. Please get those dresses back to Rarity, right now. She said it'll take an hour to remove all the changes, so Luna and I will stall until everything is ready." The group collectively runs down the hall and I just shake my head and look at Luna as we hear a loud collective apology from the group. "Where are we sleeping tonight? You said we're taking the train again for the first leg of our journey but those don't run this late."
"Does this village not have an inn?"
"Not that I've seen, no."
"Well, we can probably stay with my sister's student. Worst case scenario we can just camp on the outskirts of town, a vast majority of this trip is going to be spent sleeping outside." She makes a valid point.
"True. Shall we go get this over with?"
Luna gives me a smirk that I'm not sure if I like. What's she up to? "Nay, we still have a few minutes, and there's one topic I've been meaning to bring up." She ignites her horn and a newspaper appears in the air. I watch as it unfolds and quickly realize what's happening here. "I thought you'd like to see that you and the pegasus made the front page. "Future Knight of Love in love with the Lunar Knight? The real reason this Lieutenant was fast track promoted to Knight exposed!" Granted this is a tabloid, but you made page 2 of Canterlot Daily. Thankfully that article is much less.... wrong."
If I'm ever in a position to accidentally blow up the office of that newspaper, I'm going to do it. "They're allowed to just print pure slander like this? This is ridiculous!"
"Trust me, Tia and Cadence have likely already taken care of the issue. The real reason I'm bringing this up is because I wanted to show you that you are in the public's eye now. I didn't want you to be surprised if any of these strangers from Canterlot asked you about the date."
"Just morbid curiosity, what was the front page for Canterlot Daily? You said we were page 2."
"Oh that article features you as well, but only briefly. It's about the hydra and the heroes that vanquished it. You're mentioned as the leader of the squad with a passing comment about your unique magic."
"Oh, duh. Yeah I guess that makes sense, my sense of time is so skewed it feels like that hydra fight was so long ago." I crack my knuckles and activate the enchantment so that my armor is back to my standard night court uniform. "Alright, let's get this over with."
> Side Quest - Dressed for Success pt. 4
"What the hell kinda name even is Hoity Toity? Where I'm from, that literally means a snob." I quietly comment as I peek at the small crowd formed in front of the boutique.
"From what I've gathered it seems to have a similar meaning here. Definitely an odd choice for a name. Why aren't we going out there?" Luna asks behind me.
"We only need to start stalling once they start getting restless and frustrated. I'd honestly prefer to interact with them as little as possible. Unless you actually want to go out there?"
"No no, that's quite alright."
The show is officially 15 minutes late and the grumbles from the crowd are starting to get noticeable. Seems like we only need to buy 30 minutes, probably the best we could've asked for. I take the back exit from the stage and approach the crowd with Luna beside me.
"Oh your majesty, what are you doing out here? Aren't you taking part in the show? Or, was it canceled? We've been waiting for quite a while now with no announcements from anypony." Some earth pony stallion with purple sunglasses does a quick and shallow bow as we approach. Is this the guy? With him being from Canterlot I imagined it'd be a unicorn.
"The show is not canceled but I will admit it's suffering from a small delay. My knight and I are the last two to go out so it was suggested I come out to mingle with all of you to ease the tension." Luna replies with a flatter tone than usual.
"Ah yes, and this thing," He gestures his front left hoof in my direction. "Is the knight you speak of, yes? I'm surprised to hear it will also have an ensemble to parade for us, I wasn't aware this boutique made accessories for pets." Well hot damn that might be the first time I've been called a pet. Not sure if i prefer that over monster though? What exactly is this douchebag's plan here, surely he isn't stupid enough to just meet a princess and instantly get himself thrown on the shit list, right?
I feel the temperature in the air drop a few degrees. I quickly squeeze the sending stone in my pocket. "It's fine Luna, it'd be a shame to have gone through all of this just for you to kill the guy we're trying to impress. You can just give him nightmares later." I telepathically call out to her, hoping to prevent an outburst.
"I wasn't going to kill him. I understand your point, though." She replies in my mind, after a brief pause she replies to the earth pony out loud. "I would appreciate it if you did not refer to my knight as a pet. In the short time he's been under my command he has done more good for this kingdom than you will likely ever do in your entire life."
"I deeply apologize, your majesty. I was just going off of the rumors I'd heard whispering around the vine. Well uhm, right, sir knight may I know your name so I can properly apologize to you as well?" Wait he really wasn't making some elaborate political play trying to rile her up? Is he actually just stupid?
"Ignis. You can keep your apology though, it's not the worst thing I've been called by a pony. I'm surprised to see such a brazen display of discrimination from an earth pony, though. I know non-unicorns can run into some issues in Canterlot, so it's a bit shocking."
"That's why I want to apologize! It's precisely because I'm an earth pony that I feel ashamed to have been misled by rumors. I don't read things like the paper, I haven't got the time for it. All my news comes through what I hear around me, and the impression I had was that you were... a servant of sorts."
Insight (Disadvantage)
15 and 17. 15 + 6 = 21.
His voice is an octave higher. His left ear folded while he was talking. He keeps shifting his eyes around. He's nervous, but about what?
"Interesting. You know I thought it was weird none of the shops in Canterlot had offered to tailor something for me when they sought Luna's patronage. Sure some of them just likely hadn't considered it and sure I thought a few were intentionally snubbing me, but ALL of the shops in Canterlot? I mean that's just crazy, not a single one? You'd almost think that it was an organized effort. You wouldn't know anything about that right?"
"Wh-what? I'm sure it was just something that hadn't crossed their minds. I mean.. What would I even gain from doing something like that?" He brings up a valid point. He'd stand to gain nothing from having all of Canterlot fashion snub me. Could he be jealous of the attention Luna gives me? No, surely not.
"Hm, I suppose that's true. There'd be no logical reason to do something like that. I guess I'll offer an apology of my own and we can call it even then." He holds out a hoof towards me and I'm a bit taken aback. Do I grab it and shake it? Do I just fist bump it? I decide to just give him a fist bump. "Did I do that right?"
He lets out a loud laugh, "Yes. That was perfect."
I see Rarity poke her head through the stage curtain and mouth something to me, looks like she's ready to get this thing started. I look back towards Hoity, "Looks like the delay is over and we'll be starting momentarily, it was nice meeting you."
As we walk away and go back into the boutique so Luna can put her dress on she quietly mutters. "So he was completely lying right?"
"Oh almost certainly. I'm sure he had involvement, but I really don't see why. Unless he fancies you and he's jealous of me. That's really the only thing I can think of. I bet he was going to show up to whichever shop you decided to go with and personally measure you." I channel the enchantment on my armor and have it take on the appearance of the tuxedo Rarity showed me earlier. "Also Luna, can you use an illusion to make my hair silver? I told Rarity not to change the colors because I was hoping to have solved this whole hair color issue by now."
She ignites her horn and I watch as my hair shimmers and turns from its fiery look back to the original silver. "Done. It'll stay for 24 hours."
"Thanks. That dress really does suit you by the way."
She gives me a soft smile and we make our way to the backstage of the catwalk. Luna asks Rarity a question I was about to ask. "So what exactly do we need to do here? Just walk to the end of the platform and walk back?"
"Oh look at the two of you! It's even better than I imagined! Yes, you'll both just slowly strut to the end of the platform, do a quick spin and slowly strut back. Ideally the two of you could lock your arm and wing together, or just lean against each other."
I can't help but raise my eyebrow in suspicion. Is that Equestria's version of holding hands? I'll let Luna decide what we're doing, she's more familiar with whatever Rarity is asking. I just look at Luna and shrug my shoulders. "Nay, Ignis will lead the way down and then stand aside as I reach the end. Then I'll lead us back in."
And that's exactly what we did. After waiting a few minutes for all of the girls to have their turns going out I led the princess out.
Performance (Disadvantage)
Oh fuck.
16 and 8. 8 + 5 = 13.
Nothing went spectacularly wrong, but there wasn't any grand reaction for us either. Once we turned around to head back in there were some murmurs among the crowd. Oh... her cutie mark is on my back. Ah it's fine.
The evening ends with all of us spread out in Rarity's living room. Apparently Spike showed up at some point, no clue what he was doing the rest of the day. "Take a letter Spike. Dear Princess Celestia, today I learned..." I tuned out after that. Something about pressuring friends. Why does Celestia have her do these reports?
Once she's finished speaking Spike lights the letter on fire. It'd be so funny if Celestia was just lying and all he does is legitimately just light them on fire. "Yo Twilight, me and Luna need a place to crash for the night, you got a space at the library?"
"There's a spare bed in the basement that I use for when I'm immersed in my experiments or magic studies. It's just the one though..."
"That shouldn't be a problem, Twilight Sparkle. You won't even notice we're there." Luna responds before I can. Guess I'm sleeping on the floor tonight.
I'm just glad this whole ordeal is over now. It's just relaxing travels with the princess for the next couple of weeks.
I'm interrupted from my thoughts by Luna as I lay down my bedroll on the ground a few feet away from the bed. "Ignis what are you doing?"
"Going to sleep? Did you have something you wanted to discuss?"
"This is the last night we'll have a proper residence for a few weeks and you're going to forgo sleeping in a real bed?"
"Well yeah, there's only one bed and I'm not letting you sleep on the floor." I look at her confused.
"Neither of us will sleep on the floor. This bed is just big enough for both of us, surely you're not too shy to simply share a bed? We're only going to have 1 tent once we're out in the unexplored west, so you'll be sleeping next to me anyways."
"....Have you been planning for this all along? You could've just left me in Canterlot and flew to the Thestral cave in a day."
She glances away and paws at the bed. "I don't know what you're talking about. This seemed like a good opportunity for a vacation, we've had a very stressful few weeks. Plus you've already slept under my wing once..."
Standing up I stare at the bed for a few seconds. It's just barely wide enough for both of us. After a brief sigh I look at Luna. "Fine... scoot over."
> Main Quest - Journey to the West pt. 1
Level 11: 93,000/100,000 XP.
Choose any magic item considered "Rare" or lower:
.... I was going through my quests while waiting on sleep to claim me and this was the last one. I had not been expecting a reward this good, but I suppose the False Hydra was quite a monster. There's so many items from the Rare category or lower though. Shame it wasn't Very Rare, I'd have picked a Staff of Power in an instant. Amulet of Health was the first thing that came to mind, but I'm trying to remember all of my options before I choose. The Amulet of Health would boost my Constitution up to 19 which would give me more hit points and would make it easier to keep my concentration, but a +2 Grimoire isn't a bad option either... what rarity is the Cloak of Displacement? I'm fairly certain that is Rare, would I rather have more Hit Points or higher evasion?
Wait.... Mizzium Apparatus. If the system let's be do some "Rules as Written" shenanigans I can use it to attempt to cast spells from the Paladin spell list, provided I have the materials and the spell slots. Meaning that although I can only prepare 1st level Paladin spells I could use the apparatus to attempt to cast Revivify. Even then though, just having full unfettered access to the Wizard spell list would be game changing. I have a +13 to Arcana checks so I can cast any 1st or 2nd level spell and I literally cannot fail the check. I mean just the option of having Revivify as an option seems too strong to pass up.
"Mizzium Apparatus."
Mizzium Apparatus - You can attempt to cast a spell that you do not know or have prepared. The spell you choose must be on your class's spell list and of a level for which you have a spell slot, and you must provide the spell's components. You expend the spell slot to cast the spell as normal, but before resolving the spell you must make an Arcana check. The DC for the save is 10 + 2 times the level of the spell slot expended. Revivify is a 3rd level spell so the DC would be 10 + 6 = 16. Cantrips have a DC of 10. The only downside is that if I do fail the Arcana check the spell I cast is a random spell from the same level, so if I failed the check while casting Revivfy I could end up casting Fireball instead. Which would be pretty bad.
Time resumes and a giant brass looking contraption pops into existence 2 inches in the air above my chest. It's a big metal cylinder with glass tubes filled with lightning, and attached to the front of the cylinder is three leather straps allowing you to place the device on your back. There's a tube coming out of the bottom that loops around into a large metal piece that you insert your forearm into and it rests around your wrist like a magic Pip-Boy from fallout, but bulkier and colored like brass. The wrist piece also has two glass tubes filled with lightning.
The contraption falls onto my chest and I let out a grunt in response. It's not that heavy but I wasn't expecting it to literally drop onto my body while laying in bed. As soon as it lands on me the wrist piece clatters against the metal backpack, and that combined with my grunt sends Luna into a small panic. "Harmony above, what is that thing?!"
"It's called a Mizzium Apparatus, it's a spellcasting focus made of a rare metal called Mizzium. It allows me to attempt to cast spells that I don't know or have prepared. I was clearing out my quest rewards from the summit and the last couple of days and this was one of the rewards. I also got a few more spell scrolls. Glyph of Warding, Shatter, and Blur. I also got 4 Potions of Healing and a Potion of Flying, and finally I got a few thousand experience, but I know that doesn't really mean anything to you." I was at 85,500 XP before all the quest rewards, and now I'm at 93,000. Just need another 7,000 for level 12.
"A potion... of flying?"
"Really out of everything I said that's the one that catches you off guard? If I drink it I gain the ability to fly the same speed as my walking speed for 1 hour. Anyways sorry if I woke you up, but I need to attune to this Apparatus so it'll be ready for use anytime afterwards."
"Just do it on the train, Ignis. Go to sleep."
"As you command, Your Grace." I really just wanted to play around with it, but I guess it's fine.
"When exactly are you going to get the royal sisters to communicate with me?" I open my eyes to find I'm on the moon. After a few seconds the question asked by the familiar voice finally registers.
"Is it really too much to ask that I just go one night with normal dreams? I swear between you, the original personality of this body, and the old lady inside my sword I hardly ever just get a normal night of sleep." I turn my head and Nightmare is just staring at me with a deadpan expression. "Listen I forgot, okay? There was a lot going on and it just slipped my mind. I'll mention it to Luna first thing in the morning. Honestly you've been so quiet lately I almost forgot you've been trying to possess me."
"I'd ceased my activities once I finally managed to take hold. As a show of good faith, but I can start exerting my corruption once more if you want?" She gives me a toothy grin, flashing her canines.
"No, I'm okay. Thanks though. For another show of good faith, why don't you tell me if you've been in communication with the thestrals? Apparently you formed an oath with them before the banishment, and Luna has assured me that they are not hostile towards us. However, just because they're not hostile doesn't mean they aren't still covertly loyal to you."
"Oh. I was able to contact them the night of my return, but I told them to wait at their colony for my arrival. If Luna were to show up instead of me... I'm not sure how they'd react. They know Luna is the one arriving, correct?"
"Well, she implied that they know it's her. I have no way of knowing if she physically appeared in their dreams and they were able to see her form, or if she just spoke to them. Shit it's been so long I wonder if they even know the difference between you two? They might've just assumed she's you." I start contemplating if we should change our approach to the colony.
"Out of all the possible outcomes that one is the most likely to be true. As far as I know there wasn't enough time during the conflict 1,000 years ago for me to allocate a few hours to have my portrait painted. If there was one it's likely to have been lost during their migration out of Equestria. You should have her contact the thestrals again and be as precise as possible about her identity and where they stand. I was only able to interact with the world because of how strong your hate and anger were, but even now my reach only goes as far as you. I have no way to contact anypony else."
"Have you figured out who you are? What you want to do if you get freed from this prison? They're likely going to ask you the same question."
"I want to rebuild my castle in the Everfree and start my own magical academy. I can use the students to cleanse the Everfree while expanding the amount of battlemages for Equestria."
I squint my eyes at the alicorn suspiciously. "Can you see my memories?"
".....no."
I don't need to roll for insight this time, that pause told me all I need to know. "You just stole that from anime!"
"It's not false, though! I was inspired! I can rule over the academy like my own kingdom, have an outlet for my violence, progress my own magic capabilities, and it benefits Equestria! So what if I didn't come up with the idea on my own. If they have their suspicions about me the element bearers are just a few minutes away, so it shouldn't be a problem."
Honestly she's not wrong. I don't know if Equestria really needs a battlemage academy, or if Celestia will even approve of it... probably not. "Alrigh-" I'm interrupted by a flash of white light.
"Sorry for the early awakening, but we're on the first train out this morning. As my sister would say, rise and shine sleepyhead." Blinking the sleep out of my eyes I can't help but squint at how bright the room is. I move my arm to try and block out some of the light, but stop when I notice the light is being blocked by something else. Finally able to clearly see I realize Luna is using her wing to shield me from the light. Glancing next to me I find the alicorn loafing next to me with a soft grin on her face.
"Thanks, I'm adjusted well enough now so you can probably pull your wing back in." One thing that worried me about devil sight was if sunlight or bright lights would hurt my eyes, but that's not the case. It just takes me a few seconds longer than it used to for my eyes to adjust, I am probably more susceptible to flashbangs now, though. "We getting breakfast here or just gunna eat on the train?"
"Twilight seemed quite hesitant to cook. Apparently the young drake is typically the chef of the house, but he's not quite awake yet. I decided we should just let him sleep in and grab something either on the way or on the train. Did you want anything in particular?"
"Bacon. I assume I can't have that, though. Honestly I'm fine with whatever, just no hay or flowers."
"If we were in Canterlot perhaps, but not here. If you're lucky there might be meat of some kind on the train."
"Do I have time to take a shower? I can clean with prestidigitation, but this will probably be the last opportunity for a nice hot shower for a few weeks."
"Since we're eating on the train, yes you have time."
I half expected Miss "there's only one bed" to try and convince me that ponies bathe together all the time, but there were no shenanigans. After a quick shower in a weird horse bath, I got dressed and threw on my new 8 lb magic device. I'm glad it's only 8 lbs to be honest, it's bulky enough to be an inconvenience if it was heavy as well I'd be filled with a lot of regret at my choice of item.
According to Twilight the reason the ponies around town are more friendly and less scared is because the zebra that lives in the Everfree came into town and everyone realized being racist is bad. If only it was that easy everywhere else, haha. I only bring up this up because now the friendly faces of Ponyville are more... concerned, it seems they're more uncomfortable about the Mizzium Apparatus than me.
"Hey Luna."
"Hm?"
"Nightmare wants a meeting with you and your sister. Apparently since the Elements separated the two of you she's been able to clear her head and wants to make a peaceful return to Equestria. I told her I'd try and get a meeting between the 3 of you to happen."
She stops walking and looks at me with concern. "When did you two talk?"
"Last night while I was asleep, but I can talk to her anytime it seems. Side effect of these eyes." We resume walking towards the train station, but she still has a concerned look on her face. After a few minutes of silence, while we're standing on the platform waiting for the train she finally replies.
"Tia has agreed. We'll speak with her tonight."
"Are you guys gunna use my dream or do you have a way to talk to her without it? We can just do the same thing we did when you talked to the soul inside my sword. We need to do that again soon by the way. The sword still can't store any spells and I'm a bit worried about her at this point." While I'm speaking the train arrives at the station and we move into a private suite at the front of the train.
"We could use your dream, but it's more dangerous that way. Since she has corruption in you she likely has more power in your dream space than she does in reality. We'll meet with her through a different method. I'd be glad to assist in restoring your blade, but I don't know where to begin. You'll have to guide me through it."
As she's finishing up her response a pony pokes her head into the suite and asks if we'd like breakfast. We both ended up getting waffles. "I had one last important topic. Did you actually tell the thestrals you are Princess Luna? Did they address you as Luna? As a show of good faith Nightmare informed me that there could be a negative reaction if you were to show up instead of her. So, I just want to make sure they are 100% aware that you are not Nightmare Moon."
"Aye. There was an initial break in communications when I revealed that Nightmare was gone, but after two or three nights we resumed speaking. For the third time, I am confident we will not receive issues from the thestrals. Now, can you please, what's the word, attune to that invention? I'd like to see a demonstration of it."
"Oh sure but it'll take me like an hour."
Some waffles and an hour later, the Mizzium Apparatus hums to life as I slide my arm into the machine. "Since we're on a train I'm not going to try and cast a high level spell and risk accidentally blowing the entire train up. So, this let's me cast any wizard or paladin spell even if I don't have the spell in my spellbook or have the spell prepared. For example I'm going to cast a spell that changes my size, and it's one that I don't even have a scroll for."
Reaching into my component pouch I sprinkle a bit of powdered iron into the air as I mutter words of power. The DC is going to be 14 and my Aracana modifier is +13, so theoretically this is perfectly safe.
Arcana Check.
20 + 13 = 33.
I love getting a natural 20 on a roll where literally any roll would've resulted in success. After time resumes lightning starts to jump between the tubes as the device hums for a few seconds. "Reduce." I watch Luna's eyes widen into dinner plates as I shrink down to half my normal size. I'm immediately seized in a telekinetic aura and floated over to the princess as she makes some high pitched noise.
"As your princess I demand you stay like this until I deem fit." She floats me over as she has me sit down on her bench and puts my back against her floof and wraps her two forelegs around me.
"Luna I can only stay like this for a minute. You have 42 seconds left, and I mean it. I literally cannot maintain this for longer than a minute." I guess 3ft tall Ignis is adorable. Add weaponized cuteness to my list of tools.
"As soon as we get back I'm researching how to cast this spell via Equestrian magic. You are absolutely adorable."
I just let out a resigned sigh and roll my eyes. I guess this is what I get for picking this spell, I just wanted to pick something that had a clear demonstrable effect. Overall I am extremely pleased with this contraption, I still need to test if the system will interpret the items wording the same way I am and let me cast Paladin spells. Either way this has been an eventful start to our journey to the thestral colony.
> Main Quest - Journey to the West pt. 2
"What are you working on now?"
"I'm currently trying to add Counterspell to my spellbook, but it's proving to be a bit of a troublesome one. I was hoping it wouldn't actually take me 6 hours to figure one this out, but it's starting to look like it will." After my diminutive size wore off I sat quietly with Luna for a while, but decided I should be productive.
"Is that some type of dispelling spell for your kind?"
"No, that's Dispel Magic, Counterspell lets me stop a spell right at the instant it's being cast. Assuming I can identify that the opponent is casting a spell. In my world it's a must have spell and skill for any respectable mage to have, but I was hesitant to learn it here because I'm not actually sure if it'll work against unicorns."
"Why not just use your new device and we can test if it works before you bother learning it?" She asks, taking a sip of coffee.
"Because, it's a 90% chance to succeed but that still means there's a 10% chance of unleashing a fireball inside of a populated train. I'm not taking that chance." I matter of factly state while continuing to write notes on my scratch paper.
"If the device fails I can just negate whatever spell you end up casting, I'm confident there'll be no danger."
That's.... not a bad idea. Setting down my pen I hold up my hand and give Luna a nod. "Try casting something weak, like a low power beam attack or really just any spell that has a visual effect so we can tell if it was truly canceled." The device begins to hum.
Luna closes her eyes and ignites her horn. One second later she opens her eyes and the glow around her horn gets brighter. I snap my fingers.
Counterspell (Intelligence) Check.
15 + 5 = 20.
Time resumes and a spark pops out of the tip of Luna's horn and she recoils a bit with a wince. "Well, Ignis, I can say that definitely worked." That's good but I'm a bit concerned with why there was a DC check. I asked her to do a weak spell, and I assume she listened to me. Yet, I still had to roll to succeed, this needs further testing, but for now I'm happy to keep investing the time to add the spell to my repertoire.
"Excellent. Also how long are we on this train for, again? I feel like you mentioned it when you showed me the map on the way to Ponyville, but I don't remember."
"We'll be departing the train in the middle of the night, tonight. I was going to mention that it might be worth having an early dinner and get some rest before the sun goes down."
"Yeah, I'll probably grab a bite around 4 or 5pm and hit the sack after. That should give me enough time to finish scribing Counterspell and one other spell before it's time."
Another few quiet hours pass when suddenly something starts tapping on the window of our suite. Looking over I'm shocked to see a raven pecking on the glass as it flies parallel to the train.
Sir, would you please let me in?
With a snap of my fingers I temporarily dismiss the raven into a pocket dimension before quickly flicking my wrist and pointing up. Following the hand gesture Callisid is recalled to this dimension, inside the train. Honestly I forgot I can just dismiss him and recall him to my side whenever I want.
"Sorry bud, you just seemed like you were having so much fun with Fluttershy that I thought I'd let you hang out with her for a while." I speak aloud so Luna can have some idea of what we're talking about.
"Ah, I was wondering where your familiar had gone off to, but didn't deem it important enough to ask." She eyes the bird curiously. Callisid immediately flaps his wings and does a few circles in the air around her head. Luna giggles in amusement and the bird lands on her barrel, settling down and resting between her wings.
That pegasus is a delight to be around, but my place will always be by your side, master Ignis.
"Luna, do you think it'd be a good idea to have him go and embed himself in the capital of the dragon lands and report back any significant signs or warnings of an impending retaliation?" I ask her as I give the bird a stink eye that he ignores.
"There's no need. Apparently Tia reached out to them via dragon fire and received no response. According to her no response is all the warning we need. They are going to retaliate in some way, it's just a matter of when at this point. We'll likely need to bolster the number of guards on duty for the Gala, having all of the nobles and military leadership in one spot is a giant target."
"Ah, that's unfortunate. Luckily I'll still be fully geared during the gala since my armor will just have the illusion of a tuxedo, but I doubt I'll have the Mizzium Apparatus on me. I'll need to find a nearby spot to stash it for the night so I can quickly equip it if something happens. Also, just let me know if Callisid is disturbing you and I'll recall him."
"Oh he's no bother, once he settled down I can hardly even tell he's there. You know, it's actually quite interesting, in this book Twilight recommended to me there's a passage about the heroine's familiar giving heaps of attention to her love interest. The narrator goes out of their way to note that although somepony may hide their feelings all they want, their familiar's will always reveal their masters true intentions. Is the same true for real familiars, I wonder?"
"Who knows? There was a similar theory about familiar backs on earth, but I'm not sure if the same applies for Callisid."
Deception.
12 + 1 = 13.
She just gives me a small smirk and goes back to reading her book. "Is that so? Hm."
Silence takes over the suite as I find myself distracted just staring at her starry mane. As if to taunt me the raven begins to fly through and play with her mane. She just continues to smile in silence as she reads. I snap my fingers and temporarily dismiss the familiar.
She looks up from the book. "Oh? Where did he go?"
I just close my eyes and smile, hopefully concealing how annoyed I am at the little bastard. "I just sent him on an errand, that's all."
A few more hours pass and I close my spell book as I stretch and let out a big yawn. I managed to learn Counterspell and Knock. I still need to learn Magic Mouth, Aganazzar's Scorcher, Identify, Dimension Door, Glyph of Warding, Shatter, and Blur. 32 Hours worth of scribing to get all of that in my spellbook. At least I'll have plenty of free time during our journey, I suppose.
As I stand up to go to the dining car I recall the raven onto my shoulder.
I apologize, sir. I was just being your wingman.
"I don't need a wingman. Honestly, ever since Luna hung out with Cadence that one night she's been acting different. More confident, if I didn't know any better I'd almost think she was teasing me sometimes. Like that smirk earlier, she must've known I was lying but chose to act oblivious. She's made possessive comments every now and then, but I figured if she actually had any feelings for me she would've made a move by now, right? If mares are supposed to be the protectors and pay for the meals then surely they're expected to also make the first move, no? That's why her behavior recently is so perplexing. Regardless, please don't shower her with your attention. We're playing it cool, alright?" I rant to the familiar silently, through our telepathic link.
Why not just confront her about it? You were never shy with potential paramours in your homeland.
"Well unfortunately that personality isn't the one you're dealing with. I was planning to make a move during the Gala if she hasn't made one first before then."
Bladesinger... this overthinking isn't like you. It's almost pathetic. I know that pony better than any other creature alive, if she truly wished for something like that she'd have said something by now.
"Shut it. I could cleanse you from my body any time I wish, by the way. The only reason I haven't done so is the same reason you stopped attempting to further your corruption, a show of good faith." I can cast Protection from Good and Evil anytime even without the Mizzium Apparatus, but now that I have the device I could even cast Dispel Evil and Good.
The truth hurts, huh? If you don't believe me, why not follow the bird's advice? Go confront her about it.
I sigh as I sit back down in the suite with my plate of food. She's just trying to get under my skin, ignore it. "Hey Luna is there a way for you to tell how close I am to being able to practice mana again? Something felt wrong for the first couple of days, but honestly I feel perfectly fine now."
"Sure." Her horn is engulfed in a dim aura. "Very slowly and gently channel mana to both of your palms."
I do as she says, and after a few seconds of humming inquisitively she speaks again. "Technically speaking it would be safe to practice in your current state, but there's still a lot of instability. I'd prefer it if you waited one or two more days. I will say though, your recovery was much quicker than it should've been. It seems your inherent power that heals your wounds when you rest impacts more than just your physical body. An ordinary unicorn would've been out of commission for at least a month."
"Got it. I don't mind waiting a few days to be honest. It's going to take me so long to learn and copy all of these scrolls..." I give a big stretch and yawn. "I think I'm going to trance tonight instead of sleep. I haven't had a normal night of sleep since the colosseum, and I can't dream while trancing."
"I was actually going to mention that. It'd be best if you could avoid dreaming while Tia and I are visiting Nightmare. I don't think she'd be able to forcefully pull us into your dream where she has power, but just to be safe. I'll wake you up when it's time to deboard the train, we need to be quick while leaving because the train doesn't normally stop where we're getting out. I don't want to throw off the conductor's schedule more than we need to."
"Sounds good." I lay down across the bench style seat and start to meditate.
I open my eyes to something lightly shaking me.
"It's time to go." Luna softly speaks and leaves the suite.
I make sure I have everything and quickly follow after her. Once I catch up and we jump off the train into a field of grass I probe her on the meeting. "How did the meeting with Nightmare go?"
She lets out a sigh as we transition from the grassy field to a somewhat dense forest. "It did not go well. Even getting Tia to agree to the meeting was an ordeal. We heard her out and had an argument that lasted a few hours, in fact we only finished the meeting about 10 minutes before I woke you up. The decision we came to was that sister will speak to the elements and make a final decision after hearing their input."
"Okay, but what did you make of her situation?"
"I didn't even really need to hear her out, once you explained what she told you about clearing her head after the separation of our beings... I understood immediately what had happened. If I am allowed another chance to redeem myself then she should be offered the same choice. Tia on the other hoof, vehemently disagrees. She has more contempt and hatred in her heart for Nightmare than any other creature in existence combined. Purely because she blames Nightmare for my banishment, but I believe the blame is equally shared between the two of us. In the end getting her students' opinion on the matter was the only compromise I could get her to agree to. We should have a final answer on how to move forward around the same time as the gala, probably immediately afterwards."
Perception.
4 + 6 = 10.
"My opinion lies somewhere between the two of you. I think Nightmare's share of the blame is more than yours, but she has manipulated you into thinking you were in control of your actions the entire time. I don't believe she's a completely lost cause but she is definitely devious. By the way, is there anything we should be on the lookout for in these woods?" Honestly I'm so glad to have a devil's sight right now. The moon is well into the sky but I can see as if it were daytime.
"Not yet, we're still technically in Whitetail Woods for now. After an hour or so the view should open back up into a field and we'll need to keep our eyes peeled from that point on. Although this far western section of these woods is in Deer territory, but I doubt they'd give us any trouble even if we did run into some."
"Once we're out of Whitetail Woods though, what are we looking for then?"
"Anything. It's called the undiscovered west for a reason. The only rumors I've heard about the lands we're venturing into is that the wooded areas host some type of large bipedal furry creatures, and there was one documented interview with a deer that mentioned the forest contains all the same types of insects, bugs, and reptiles as our normal woods, but that they're much larger."
"Well that's unsettling. Can you just wipe my memory of the last 30 seconds so I can forget this conversation?"
Luna glances at me with a smirk. "Oh? Is the mighty knight afraid of bugs?"
"Just spiders. If we run into a giant spider I am literally going to burn the entire forest to the ground."
Her face actually shifts into a look of surprise. "Truly? I did not expect that... well please do not burn the forest down, and if we run into any giant arachnids, I'll take care of them for you." Her features harden a bit and the aura in the air shifts into feeling more.. Protective? Luna also slowly closes the distance and walks right next to me.
"Okay listen it's not that bad. I'm not going to just freeze up and cry if we run into a spider, I don't need you going full mama bear on me. They just freak me out, that's all."
"Of course my big strong paladin. Don't worry, I'll keep you safe from the scary forest."
I know if I reply it's just going to make it worse so I just stare ahead with the most deadpan and annoyed look I can muster.
Eventually we passed through the field she mentioned and entered a different forest. The tree trunks aren't as dense here, but the branches on these are creating some type of massive canopy that blocks the sky. Sometime around noon we stopped and set up camp. "Alright Luna, do you want to take turns keeping watch and we switch every 4 hours or do you want to just trust in my Alarm spells to keep us informed?"
"Neither. Feel free to set up your Alarms, but I'm going to place an illusion around us that makes it seem like our camp isn't even here. The only creatures that should stumble across us are creatures that end up passing right by us inadvertently."
44 minutes and 4 Alarm spells later I'm inside a tent sitting on my bedroll with Luna laying on her side next to me. "Are you going to work on your spell scrolls more? Because if so I'm afraid I must ask that you do it outside the tent. Once you start really getting into it your parchment crinkling and quill noises end up being quite loud."
"I was going to, but it sounds like it'll be easier if I just do it when I wake up." I lean back and lay down on my bed roll and stare at the interior of the tent. She definitely planned this, this tent is just barely big enough for the two of us and I know for a fact we could've used the same extravagant tent the sisters used on our trek to the Colosseum.
"Perfect. Sweet dreams, Ignis."
"How could they be anything but when I have the queen of dreams herself with me?"
Her only response is a snort of amusement. I can't help but give a small smile before turning onto my side, facing away from the alicorn, ready to sleep. Right as I close my eyes I feel a soft blanket go over my shoulder and across my chest. Cracking open an eye I'm surprised to see that she's decided to cover me with her wing. Considering how comfortable it was when I woke up in the carriage a week or so ago, I can't say I dislike the gesture. Sleep takes hold of me fairly quickly after that.
> Main Quest - Journey to the West pt. 3
1st Person POV, Luna
Watching the elf fall asleep under my wing, I can't help but wonder if all of his kind are this dense. After speaking with Cadence a few nights ago we decided it'd be better to either let things progress naturally or let him make the first move. Based purely on the tales of his culture and the fact that he made the first move and asked out the pegasus. Yet, he seems to lack the confidence to do so again for me. I can tell that he does harbor at least some romantic feelings for me, so I don't mind waiting a little longer. I'll give him until the gala, but if there's been no progress by then I'm going to take the initiative.
I should rest as well, I was unable to relax at all while speaking with Nightmare so I've been up for around 36 hours. Thankfully Tia agreed to raise and lower the moon for me for the duration of this trip. Otherwise I would've been forced to interrupt my sleep after a few hours to perform the ritual. The new magical contraption Ignis conjured catches my eye as I lay down my head, and it makes me remember his shrunken form. Closing my eyes with a smile I start to think of the runes I'd need to recreate that spell, even though I'm sure it already exists.
Opening my eyes I find myself alone in the tent. Frowning, I rise up to my hooves and exit the tent. As soon as I leave the tent I see the elf sitting in the grass with parchment spread out all around him, playing with his spellbook. A few feet away there's a decapitated giant praying mantis littering the ground. "I assume the bug didn't give you any trouble then?"
He startles a bit from my voice, he must've been extremely immersed in his work. Looking back down at the spellbook he replies without facing me. "No, I was already awake when it set off my alarm. Although, I was planning to stay in bed for a few more minutes, so his arrival did annoy me quite a bit. When did you raise the moon, by the way? I was sure the surge of mana from that would wake me up, but the moon was already in the sky when I left the tent."
Since he's choosing to continue facing away from me, I decide to approach. I walk up behind him and lower my head so that it's resting in the air a few inches away from his cheek. "Tia raised the moon. She'll be assuming those duties for the duration of our trip. What spell are you working on now?"
He ever so slightly turns his head and I watch his eyes glance up and meet my own. He quickly looks back down and continues writing in his book, looking slightly flustered. "I learned a rudimentary spell called Identify. It lets me discern the properties of a magic item and how to use it, it also shows me what spells are affecting an object or a creature. Now I'm working on a very powerful spell called Glyph of Warding. It lets me inscribe a glyph up to 10ft in diameter to a surface or within an object. I can then establish a custom action or sequence that will cause the glyph to activate. Once it activates it'll either explode, dealing a not insignificant amount of damage or it'll activate a spell that I stored in the glyph at the time of casting."
Ah, this is actually quite similar to a spell we use for the armory and vaults. "It seems a bit redundant considering you already have the Alarm spells, no?"
"Although that is a common use for the glyph it's not what I intend to utilize it for. The important thing about the glyph is that if the spell you store in it is a spell that requires full concentration, the spell will last for its full duration without actually using my concentration. This is extremely powerful because concentration spells are some of the best spells in my arsenal, but I can only use them one at a time, never overlapping. The Moonblade circumvents that and lets me use two, but it's currently out of commission. Once we get it repaired though, I can theoretically set up the glyph somewhere and imbue it with a spell like Haste. Then I can make the condition for the glyph be the activation of a bladesong, and I can store another spell like Greater Invisibility in the Moonblade. In this ideal scenario I can activate the Invisibility and then activate the bladesong, and that bladesong will activate the glyph giving me the Haste buff. Then I can use my own concentration to use something like the striding spell that leaves trails of fire at my feet, or I can even use a high level version of the Shadow Blade."
I give a non-responsive slow blink at the onslaught of words he just poured out. "So essentially you want to use the Glyph in an ambush scenario so that you can apply multiple buffs onto yourself at the same time?"
"Yes, exactly! The only downside is that the glyph takes an hour to inscribe, so it truly does have to be set up well in advance. My plan is to leave several of them around the castle on different floors and areas, so that I'm prepared to activate the plan at a moment's notice."
"Impressive, although a bit paranoid. There's no risk of them being accidentally triggered, right?"
"No, the condition for all of the glyphs in the castle will likely be the activation of a bladesong while standing on it. Even if they were to be accidentally triggered the only thing the glyph will do is give whoever is standing on it a surge of energy. Nothing dangerous like a fireball or an explosion of sorts."
"I see. I like the utility of that spell, how much longer do you need to have it mastered?"
He grabs the spell scroll and rotates it around a few times. "Probably another 4 or 5 hours, but I don't have to do it all at once. I was planning to stop once you were ready to continue on."
"What did you have planned for breakfast?"
He stops writing and his back stiffens up quite a bit. "I thought you'd just magic us food the same way we did during the journey through the desert? Was I supposed to bring the food?!"
I raise my head back up, away from his and can't help but laugh. "Nay, but for the Summit Tia had already arranged for the staff to prepare us meals that she teleported in. In our case, I was unaware of what our exact schedule would be, and there's still no dedicated night staff for the kitchen so we're out of luck. I do have a number of meals prepared but they're all quite bland. It might be better for you to hunt something, perhaps we could find something together? I wouldn't be opposed to some fish."
He stands up and goes into the tent, a few seconds later emerging with his backpack. "How do ponies even fish? Do you just use your telekinesis and snatch them out of the water?"
I shake my head, "no the fish are very sensitive to mana. As soon as they feel that something is attempting to grasp them they zip away in a burst of speed. Very rarely do ponies fish individual prey, I believe most of the industry uses large nets. I've heard of some earth ponies using spears, though. How did your kind do it?"
"We used a rod with strong string-like material with a hook on the end of it. You'd fling your arm forward and launch the string into the water, often with bait of some kind on the hook. Then you'd wait until you felt a fish go for the bait and yank the rod, sinking the hook into them. After that you just reel the string back in. We also used nets, but like you said that was moreso for commercial markets. My reflexes are probably fast enough that if we find a river I can just stand in the middle of the stream and grab a fish out of the water."
"There's a river a few minutes north, it feeds into the North Luna Sea. I highly doubt you'll be able to just simply reach in and grab a fish. The only creatures capable of something like that are griffons, and they have the benefit of increased speed from diving through the air at the water." I'd truly be impressed if he could pull off something like that.
"Wanna race there? Between the fashion show and being cooped up on the train we've been slacking on our nightly training." I haven't even answered yet and he's already stretching. Seems he's going to run there regardless of if I agree.
"That sounds fun, I assume interference is allowed?"
"It's encouraged, wouldn't really be training without it, haha."
Ignis puts on his new magical device, unsheathes his blade and crouches down, ready to launch himself. I think we should add some stakes to this. "Shall we make this more interesting?"
He relaxes his pose and glances at me, "How so?"
"Let's add some stakes. You know something like the loser has to cook what we catch? Not necessarily that, but something like that."
"Something like the loser has to do whatever one command the winner gives?" He asks with an eyebrow arched.
"Well there'd be nothing to gain for me in that scenario, you already have to do whatever I command of you."
"There's nothing for me to gain with the cooking prize either, I'm already gunna have to cook it, but if I lose that means you have to cook it and I'm not sure if I trust your culinary skills with raw meat. Listen, it's true that I already listen to your commands, but I'm sure there's plenty of things you'd never command me to do under normal circumstances. It doesn't matter anyways, I'm going to win." Ah there's his usual confidence.
"Fine, I suppose you have a point. It'll be the first one to touch the water, is the winner. Ready?"
He leans over and places most of his fingertips on the ground, such a peculiar launch stance. While still looking straight ahead he nods his head a single time. "Ready."
"Go!"
Like an arrow we both take off. Not even 10 paces into the race I hear Ignis yell out a phrase in a foreign language. Glancing over I'm surprised to see a bolt of ice flying towards my hooves. Quickly jumping into the air I watch as the grass and dirt freezes where the bolt hit. Crafty elf.
While still mid-air from dodging his bolt I launch to beams of my own at 4 trees further ahead of his path. I should've aimed a little further ahead as the first tree has barely started to fall as he passes it. With a slight lean to the left the tree falls behind him, he leans forward and ducks under the 2nd tree as it falls. For the third tree he drops onto one knee and sticks his other leg straight out in front of him sliding just under the thick trunk. Without losing any momentum he pulls his front leg back in and springs into the air, it looks like he's about to face plant into the 4th and final tree. At the last second however, he reaches out with both arms and pulls himself over the log. He hits the ground running as the last tree impacts the ground behind him.
Ignis managed to retain most of his momentum, but it slowed him down just enough to put me in the lead. I hear him yell out behind me "Impediendum!" Glancing back I watch as he points his palm towards me before quickly clenching his open hand into a fist. I'm left a bit confused as I wait for his magic to activate, but an instant later I'm stopped dead in my tracks. Some invisible force is holding me, I can't move at all. I push out a massive wave of mana that seems to break me free of the paralysis. That spell only bought him 5 or 6 seconds at most but that was all he needed, he's ahead of me now. I'm actually a bit shaken at what that spell was, there are not many things that could completely bind me like that.
If that's how you want to play it, though, then two can play at that game. All I do is focus on the hood of his cloak and activate my telekinesis. I watch as his head is yanked backwards and his feet go up into the air. I didn't pull him back, but I stopped his hood from moving forward. With a yelp he lands on his back and I release the telekinesis as I pass him. "Maybe next time, my knight!"
I can see the water come into view up ahead. Gritting my teeth I go from a run to a dead sprint. Just as I start to wonder what his next move is going to be I hear pop to my left and watch as the elf appears 7 or 8ft away from me with a cloud of mist around him. I ignite my horn ready to counter whatever scheme he's cooked up only to widen my eyes in shock as he pivots diagonally and runs straight at me.
I conjure a shield between us as he lifts his blade into the air, surely he doesn't intend to actually strike me?! It turns out the sword was a feint, and it worked. He jumped into the air screaming as he flew towards me and as I readied myself to parry his blade he suddenly drops the sword and wraps his arms around my neck. With a yelp there's nothing I can do as he trips up my front legs with his own and pulls me down to the ground.
We were both going far too quickly to have a graceful fall. We both tumble forward and roll several feet across the ground. We finally come to a stop as I roll onto my back and slide a few inches. When we cease our forward momentum I open my eyes to find the elfs face mere centimeters from my own, one palm on the ground on both sides of my head.
I feel my face heat up and watch as his own face quickly turns crimson. For a second there's an intense silence broken only by the sounds of our labored breaths. My body reacts on its own, against my own control and flings the elf away from me with telekinesis. Scrambling back up onto my hooves I'm just a few seconds away from reaching the water when I hear a loud incantation behind me. Glancing back I watch as he brandishes the Moonblade and performs the same spell he used to finish the hydra.
Slashes quickly appear on five different trees in quick succession leading up to my own position. Ignis appears 10ft in the air directly above me, but he didn't calculate gravity. As he's falling through the air my hooves splash into the river, with him landing in the water right next to me. Wordlessly I turn and walk back onto the shore before dropping down on my barrel and lay down in the grass to catch my breath.
The elf stumbles out of the water and sits down in the grass a few feet away. "Looks like it's your win, Luna."
I make eye contact with him and before I can say anything he quickly glances away and scratches his cheek. I've started to learn that when he makes this awkward face and scratches his cheek it means he's embarrassed. "What was that spell you used to briefly paralyze me? That completely caught me off guard."
"To avoid you getting the wrong idea from the name of the spell I want to give you some context. There's a paralyzation spell called Hold Person, but that spell is a lower level spell and only works against humanoids. Essentially it only works against bipedal elf or human shaped things. The more powerful version of the spell is called Hold Monster, but by monster it just means anything that is not a humanoid. I didn't want you to think I was calling you a monster. That spell is actually the same level of spell as my Steel Wind Strike, so I used both of my 5th level spell slots just to still lose." He throws his head back with a groan. "So, what's your command my princess?"
I stare at him with a soft smile. For a violent battlemage he's always surprisingly thoughtful. "It's a very easy command, you don't even have to move for it."
"Oh? Well c'mon let's get it over with."
Should I really do this? The thought of this command leaves me feeling a bit embarrassed as well, and I end up glancing at the dirt as I draw a line in the soil with my forehoof.
"I command you to confess what you were going to tell me right before you blacked out two nights ago."
> Main Quest - Journey to the West pt. 4
"Before I tell you... I just have a question." Ignis looks out into the distance and the sound of the running water nearby fills the silence. "If you knew someone wasn't going to be around for very long, would you still risk getting attached to them?"
Ah, so that's what this is about. He mentioned that returning to his home was still a possibility and that he was still pursuing it, but I'll be honest, I've still never considered it to be possible. Does he really still intend to leave? "I would not. It's a tragedy I've already faced numerous times due to my ageless nature. In this hypothetical though I assume you do not mean death?"
The elf is still staring at the trees across the river, but now with a far off look in his eyes. I'm not even sure he heard me until he slowly nods. "I had talked to Force about this, but she was of the opinion that I should be selfish. Pursue whatever I want to pursue regardless of what the future might hold. Initially I agreed with her, I made up my mind to just make the most of everything I have here until it's time to go. But... I'm scared Luna. I'm not sure I'll be able to abandon this world if..."
"You feel forced to choose. Either way you'll be giving up something dear to you. Choosing between two burdens." His head hangs low now, staring at the ground. "It's an impossible choice, Ignis. I'm sure the possibility is far off in the future though, no?"
His hands rush up to his forehead and he grabs his hair. "It's right now, Luna. If I wanted to test it I could possibly go home right now." I feel my breath catch in my throat and my heart rate spikes. "I could cast Banishment on myself right now and if everything works correctly it'll return me to my home plane. I wanted to at least wait until I learn the Plane Shift spell before I test the possibility. With Plane Shift I can use a tuning fork that's been attuned to this realm and return back here, but even if Banishment returns me back to my world there's no guarantee that Plane Shift would bring me back here. There's no record or tales of this place in Faerun and they've documented an untold number of realms."
His breathing quickens and he raises his voice a few decibels. "Even then, that's not where I want to go. I don't want to go to Faerun! I want to go back to Earth, but that seems much more impossible at this point. The idea of using Banishment has come up several times, but I always distract myself. I don't know what to do, Luna. The choice is already too hard, too much is uncertain. I'm-"
His voice cracks and he stops speaking. I move closer to him and pull him into me with my wing. I was unaware that Ignis has gone on this whole time without properly processing his situation. The fool has just bottled everything up for weeks, now it's even more clear as to why Nightmare was able to latch onto him. "Ignis, we've only known each other for a few weeks. If you can go home then you should." I don't want him to go, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I'm the reason he traps himself here. Just seeing him in this state hurts my heart. "If it's already this hard for you then you should just do it now. You can learn your other spell in your homeland and come back if you're able to. Do you already have the tuning fork?"
I hear a muffled sniffle before the elf pulls himself away from me. "No. It has to be worth 250 gold pieces, and I couldn't find one that expensive in any of the shops."
"I can send you back to Canterlot with a written order for the castle staff to procure a mana infused tuning fork. The metal required for the forks is quite uncommon and is very resistant to mana, so the process of forcing mana into one should give it the necessary monetary value. Another option is that we can wait until the sun has risen and I can ask Tia to find one."
Ignis looks up into my eyes. His eyes are glassy and his face is a mess. "No. Let's just wait until we get back."
"Why? The longer you wait the harder it'll be."
"Because if Banishment works the way I think it works it'll just send me to Faerun, and I'm not even certain if I'd rather be trapped in Faerun or here. I might have the memories of Ignis, but that's just it, it's only memories. Plus," He leans back into me and buries his face in my fur. "I rolled high enough to know that you were lying when you told me I should go home. So, let's just enjoy the rest of this trip."
"It's not healthy for you to keep bottling this back up, Ignis. We need to work through this. It's true that I want you to stay, but I would be guilt stricken if I'm the reason you don't go home."
He pulls away again and stands up. "Okay then how about this. In order for banishment to be permanent I have to stay banished for the duration of the spell, 1 minute. I'll cast the spell and then regardless of what I find, I'll end the spell early and return. Maybe it doesn't even work and there's no need for us to even go through all this grief?"
I can't help but to frown at him. "Okay, but if it doesn't work you still need to properly process your emotions. Bottling things up will only lead to ruin, and I refuse to see you do that to yourself any longer."
"Alright, we just need something that I find distasteful and then I can give it a try."
I scan around until I find a web attached to a branch near the top of one of the nearby trees. Reaching out with my telekinesis I tear down the entire web and feel something moving around in the ball of web, surely that's a spider. I float the web down and hold it in the air behind Ignis. "Okay, turn around! I believe this should qualify as something that you do not enjoy."
He glances behind him before jumping back a few feet and pulling his hands up to try and form a wall with his hands. "What the fuck, Luna?!"
"You said you don't like spiders, yes?"
"Yeah I guess I did. Alright just hold it there." He holds his hand over the web and mutters a few indecipherable words. An instant later he disappears with a pop.
A few long seconds pass by in silence. He reappears with a pop and I release a breath I didn't realize I was holding. His back is turned to me and without seeing his face I can't tell if it's a good result or not. After a few more seconds he turns to me and lets out a somber chuckle. "It was a pure white void. It didn't work."
A conflicting set of emotions storm in my chest. Elation, grief, pity, and doubt. I start to open my mouth to ask him if he's telling the truth, but he speaks again before I can. "But, the quest is still in progress. We're right back to square one, Luna."
"I'm sorry, Ignis. Truly."
"It's alright, let's just head back to camp and pack up. We'll need to eat our rations while we move, this took up too much time." I frown at him again, "Just let me bottle it up for tonight... you can meet me in my dreams during the day and we can talk about it again there. Please?"
All I can do is sigh. "That is agreeable."
Ignis 1st Person POV
It's been 3 quiet days since we had our race. Moving during the night seems to have worked for the most part, aside from the giant praying mantis on day 2 we haven't ran into anything dangerous. Since then I've learned Glyph of Warding and Aganazzar's Scorcher. Right now it's an hour or so after sunset and I'm finishing up learning Identify.
Looking up at the night sky I can't help but sigh in relief. The "therapy dreams", I've come to call them, with Luna have been immensely helpful the last couple of days. I'm still burdened with a choice, but everything is more clear now. I won't return to Faerun if it's the only option, and the romantic tension has essentially disappeared. At this point it's safe to say we're both vaguely aware of how we feel, but there's an unspoken agreement that we'll keep things as they are until the future is more certain.
I hear the tent open behind me, so it seems like she's up. I turn around and am surprised to see she's back to her normal mane. "Did something happen? Your mane is back to normal hair."
She glances to the right, "So it is. It's likely because I haven't moved the moon in a few days, if you remember a few weeks ago, when I was still recovering my strength from the banishment, my mane temporarily went into its ethereal state while I was turning day to night. We've never really investigated why our manes do it, but I can say for sure it has something to do with the ritual. Perhaps it's because of how much mana the ritual requires and the excess mana seeps out of our manes?"
"I'll admit I was a big fan of the starry mane, but now that I've seen it for so long this is a nice change of pace. Are we close to being out of this forest yet? I know you said the last leg of this trip is going to be in snowy mountains."
She teleports in two plates of pancakes and sits next to me. Oh, after the first night our Luna talked to Celestia and managed to arrange some meals to be prepared for us. The only reason she couldn't do it before was because she was unsure what our schedule would be, but we are pretty consistently waking up at 8PM and setting up camp at 11AM. "We have been making progress faster than I initially anticipated, but we still likely have 3 or 4 more days until we reach the mountains."
"Ready to give me some mana lessons?"
"I suppose we can begin your magic training today. After breakfast though."
"Oh of course!"
Four pancakes and 30 minutes later, we're back on the road. "Alright I'm going to stop suppressing your presence now. Your first task is to maintain this suppression on your own, I'm sure it'll actually be quite easy for you to do. However, maintaining it at all times, unconsciously, will be the challenging part."
Luna ignites her horn and a second later all the branches around us vibrate and bounce as all the birds nearby take off into the sky. "So how do I do this? My mana feels like a blazing fire, do I just need to tame it?"
"That's an interesting phrase, I've never quite heard it described like that. The easiest way for me to describe it, is think of yourself as having 2 bodies. The first body is the one you're familiar with, it has all your organs and blood. The second body is much more formless, it's almost like a jar around your body. If my sister were here she could show you your mana field, but alas she isn't."
"She actually did that for me the same day I had my argument with her. So you're saying my mana field is that cylinder of mana around me?"
"Exactly, and the simplest way to suppress your presence is to keep all of the mana inside your physical body. That's the simplest but for beings like my sister and I, and you to a lesser extent this simple method is impractical. We just have too much mana. You can still try this method, but I recommend the second method. Your fire analogy is actually surprisingly accurate for the second method. Your mana field is likely very rough and it flickers and whips about, and if Tia allowed you her sight you'll know what it should look like."
"Her mana field just looked like smooth solid walls around her. Okay, I think I get it."
"You'll find one of the methods much easier than the other depending on how you instinctively use mana. If you're able to direct it in a precise manner then you'll find the second method easiest. If your mana seems to "flow on it's own as you need it" and it feels like it's completely out of your control, then the first method will be easiest."
I remember in the changeling hive I was able to precisely direct my mana through my veins and embed it into my muscle fibers, so it seems like the second method will be easiest. I was going to try the first method to start with, but if the second method is easier for large mana pools and my instincts favor the second method, then I might as well just do the second method.
I picture the blazing fire in my head and imagine myself removing oxygen from the surrounding area. Starve the fire. In response the fire shrinks but starts to move and whip about even more violently, like it's desperately fighting to stay alive. "Whatever you're doing is wrong, Ignis."
I let it return to normal. Maybe picturing a fire is a bad idea, I can't really imagine a fire that is shaped like a smooth cylinder. Unless... okay take a step back. It's not a campfire, it's a bonfire, much larger than me. Now I just need to limit the area of the fire. Picture the bonfire from the top down, and draw a circle around the maximum range of the fire. Now place rocks where the circle is, and then shrink the circle. Move the rocks inward, just a few inches.
It's so violent and aggressive because it's being allowed to expand however it wants, but I'm limiting its horizontal range. If it wants to maintain the same strength it has no choice but to adapt to the new shape being forced upon it. Now replace the rock circle with an inverted Magic Circle spell. An unbreakable cylinder of force that allows no fire to exit its range.
Now the bonfire is exactly how I want it, from the outside it just looks like a perfect circle of fire. Inside the magic circle however, the fire is still theoretically burning with the same strength, though. Just because I've shaped it correctly doesn't mean I've actually brought it under control and eliminated the aggression and violence from it. "Luna just to confirm I'm still not doing it, correct?"
"You've somewhat done it, I was to walk a few feet further away from you, I wouldn't feel your presence anymore. I'm not sure how you've managed to reduce the effective range while still maintaining the same potency."
Hm, I wonder... I try to feel the mana flowing through me, and I actively try to will it to slow down. I think the aggression is a side effect of how fast it's flowing. The mana slows down and sure enough I hear Luna, "You've done it. Now open your eyes and maintain this for the rest of your life."
"When you say it like that it sounds much more daunting." I open my eyes and instantly lose my mental images.
"Wow, that didn't last long."
"I swear this normally never happens to me." I can't resist the urge to make the joke. The only response I get is a slightly louder and more forceful burst of air out of her nose.
"Which method did you end up using?"
"The second method, I imagined a large fire and constructed a circle around the fire to force it to maintain the shape I wanted. Then I had to consciously will the mana circulating in and around me to slow down. After it slowed down, that's when you let me know it had worked."
"Were you doing both of those at the same time or did you try the large fire and then try slowing down the mana?"
"I just did both at the same time, why?"
She gives me a soft smile, "Good news, you don't need to picture the fire. If you can slow down the flow of your mana then that's all you need to do. When you slow down the mana and constrict it, that cylinder shape is its natural state. That should make it a bit easier for you to do with your eyes open."
While we continue to walk forward I try again. Slow down. A calm and barely perceptible stream of water. I think this is it, but I can't even ask Luna. This is taking so much more focus than before. Why does having my eyes open make this so much harder?
"You need to relax, Ignis. Your posture is stiff and your jaw and hands are clenched tightly. You're doing it, but it's not sustainable if you're forcing it this hard. Remember, second nature, it needs to just come to you."
This went on for hours, anytime I had to speak or was surprised by a sudden noise I'd lose the thread. It was only when we started setting up camp and Luna mentioned that it shouldn't take as much focus as I'm using that I started to get concerned. "Maybe my mana is just wilder than all of you? Or, maybe it has to do with your horns? Perhaps the horn allows you to focus on it in a similar way as it helps with runes."
"Nay, it has nothing to do with the horn. It's almost like something is influencing your mana... could it because you're still in your Summer form? You said your people are the living embodiment of summer and you in particular are associated with fire. Perhaps your mana is burning like a fire. In fact maybe that's why your presence was surprisingly potent for how much mana you have. Your pool is considerable but we thought it was strange how aggressive your presence was."
Arcana.
20 + 13 = 33.
That's it. She's nailed it, it makes perfect sense. I just don't understand why I'm still like this, once my anger died I should've reverted, no that's not right. During the fight my hair became this color, but it went an extra step and actually became fire once I was enraged. It's not on fire right now, but it's still resembling the colors of fire. Perhaps there is no way to get my silver hair back? No, I just need to suppress the mana even more.
I stop walking and Luna turns towards me and gives me an inquisitive look. I close my eyes and slow the mana. Even slower than before, to almost a complete stand still. Constrict the channels, smother the flame. Kill it.
Suddenly I feel extremely weak and dizzy. "Ignis whatever you're doing you have to stop!" No, I'm almost there, I can feel it. Just maintain this for a few more seconds. An image of an ocean appears and 1 drop hits the water. Ripples go out for a few inches and suddenly the entire ocean is calm, no waves, no ripples. Luna's voice sounds like it's being muffled by a wall of concrete. I open my eyes and find myself laying on my back. "You can't just stop your mana, Ignis! It's like stopping your heart! You're lucky I was able to stimulate it to start circulating again, you cannot- no you WILL NOT do that again!"
I look to the right and see my hair splayed out on the ground, it's silver. "It worked, though. I just needed to turn it off and turn it back on again. Tried and true method for any problem." Her glare doesn't soften at all. "Okay! I'm sorry! I didn't know it was dangerous, I won't do it again."
Finally her glare softens into concern. "Are you okay?"
I'm able to stand pretty easily and I don't feel any of that previous weakness or dizziness. "Yeah I'm good, I think."
She looks up into the daytime sky. The sun only rose a couple hours ago. "We're setting up camp. It's a bit early, but we're far enough ahead of schedule that we can afford it. You can only set up the tent if your presence is suppressed. If it leaks for even a second you restart. That's your punishment for today. I'll handle the perimeter and security setup."
52 times. I had to restart 52 times. It was easier to maintain after calming down my mana, but still took a considerable amount of focus. It felt like it was 50/50 on if I'd knock myself out of the state when slamming the stakes into the dirt. Laying down in the grass I let out a sigh.
"All things considered I'd say you made good time. I thought it'd take you another hour at least."
"You know me, always aiming to impress. Please tell me I can relax until we sleep..."
"You'll need to keep maintaining your suppression, but otherwise yes you can relax. It's only 9am so we have a few hours. Do you have any stories from your world?" She asks and then immediately cringes, "I apologize, I didn't think before I spoke."
"What kind of stories? We've got some pretty dark ones."
"Could you give an example?"
"Yeah so there's this guy right and he's been in a war for almost a decade. The whole time he hasn't been able to see his wife and kid. They do this brilliant plan to get a large number of soldiers inside the city walls without detection, and they take over the capital city. But, the ruler of the people that lost has a son. One of their gods, Zeus, tells this man that if the son of this ruler grows up, he will kill him, kill his family, and bring ruin to his kingdom. So, this soldier has to make a choice between killing an infant or losing everything he loves in 15-20 years."
"Well surely he chose to nurture the child and give him a positive upbringing that would prevent the tragedy?" Her tone is quite conflicted.
"No. He dropped the infant from the top of the city walls."
She gasps and brings a forehoof up to her mouth. "No... he's a monster."
"I can understand your sentiment. He probably thought the same thing, but to me he was just doing whatever it takes to keep his family safe."
"Well, let it be known, do not kill a foal to save me. I do not approve." I let out a short chuckle, but don't say anything. "Don't just laugh and lay there, promise me you won't do something like that."
I can't help but think back to the conversation I had in the royal dining hall with Celestia. I would find a way to save everyone. Even if it kills me. "I promise, Luna. I will not kill or sacrifice a foal to save your life." I've already failed to live up to that mantra, but I promised Luna in the carriage that I would never fail like that again. Then there's the hydra situation. Once we found out about its existence we did keep everyone alive, but before that... there's nothing we could've done.
"You haven't lost your suppression since you finished setting up the tent. Do you think you're ready to try casting spells while suppressing?"
"No, but I wouldn't mind learning the meaning for the different runes. Does that go against the plans you had for my "foundational" lessons? You mentioned wanting to give me a more advanced foundation."
"It's a small deviation, but it shouldn't have any impact. Before I go over the runes I need to go back to the origins of that magic system. It was actually quite common for spells back then to actually have incantations, similar to your magic. My mentor and his colleagues theorized and implemented the rune system we use today. They disliked the variance and instability of incantations, so they broke down all sorts of spells to their fundamental components and researched how to recreate that component with a rune. That's the basis of the runic alphabet, fundamental components of everything that can be combined to produce most of the spells we have today. I know you haven't seen one yet, but there are still spells that require incantations even now in the modern era. It's for spells that have niche elements that were never standardized into a rune. Did you get all of that? I know your focus is slightly divided right now."
I slowly blink my eyes that started to get heavy during her lecture. "Yeah I got everything. Has anyone ever tried just channeling mana while thinking of the fundamental forces? Like if I just channel mana while thinking about friction, oxygen, and burning material could I just imagine fire and the mana responds to my will?"
It's her turn to just stare at me with a blank look. "What is friction and oxygen?"
"Eh? What fundamental components do the runes for fire bolt stand for?"
"Flint, wood, and air."
"I'm pretty sure those aren't fundamental forces..."
Fuck it, I hold out my hand and point my palm at the ground in front of me. I imagine friction creating a spark igniting gasoline and expanded by oxygen and channel the mana out of my palm.
Nothing happens. "Well that sucks."
Luna tilts her head and perks up her ears, gods that's adorable. "What is it?"
"You're right, that doesn't work. I think I'm onto something though, but I'll explore it once I get a better grasp on magic."
She gives me a smug smile. "You dropped your suppression."
"FUCK."
(A/N: This is where I'd have ended the chapter normally, but since I haven't released anything in 3 days and I still have a few hours of sunlight I'll keep trucking.)
It's been a couple of hours since our impromptu rune training, and I learned most of them. It's been interesting to learn which combinations make certain things, the system is super weird in my opinion. Anyways, onto the present. I'm currently laying down with the Moonblade grasped in my hand. Luna and I are going to try entering the realm of the ancient elven soul that resides in the blade. We need a hint on what's going on with the sword so we can fix it.
Within a few minutes sleep takes me and I find myself in a familiar forest. Only the ground has scorch marks all over it and the trees are charred. How in the world did my mana cause this? I hear a tearing sound and looking up I see Luna enter the dream. She voices the same thing I was thinking. "How did your mana cause this to happen?"
"I'm not sure, but we need to see if we can find the elf. Let's go to the hill where she normally rests." A short walk through what used to be a field and we arrive at the hill, but the only thing here is a massive tree trunk. Embedded into the wood there's a large teal... gem? It's very smooth and opaque and it feels hard like a gem.
I knock on the gem a few times. "If I had to guess she's in this gem. This might just be a problem that only time can heal. Unless you have any ideas?" I look at Luna.
She's in her own world looking at all the damage in this space, but she notices me staring at her and asks me to repeat myself. I do and then she hums in thought. "Hm, the sword is technically an artifact under my domain right? Maybe I can supply energy to speed up the recovery?"
"I think that's worth a shot. Can you transfer mana into the ground through your hooves?"
She chuckles, "Yes, that is the signature ability of Earth Ponies. Since I represent all of the pony races I share their abilities as well." She stands there silent for several seconds.
I'm looking at the ground directly beneath her but I can't see any changes, wait no. There's the tiniest patch of grass right under her. It's ever so slowly inching outwards. "Can you transfer.... Faster?"
"I'm actually offloading a significant amount of mana right now. I could probably only do this for another 45 minutes or so." As if to prove her point, a few seconds later her mane returns to its starry form. She continues to transfer mana for another 35 minutes or so before she stops. She actually seems a bit tired, but her efforts didn't amount to much. She restored a circle that's probably 10ft in diameter. It'd take her weeks to repair the realm at this rate.
"I would have continued until I ran out, but I don't feel comfortable completely exhausting myself while we're out here. We've been lucky to avoid any significant problems, but that could change any moment." A second later her eyes widen in surprise. "Wake Up!" I'm shoved backwards through the air, as soon as I impact something I wake up with a gasp.
"What's happening, Luna?!" Looking around, the tent is empty. I bolt out of the tent and find Luna zipping through the air and sending a blast of magic at... a giant bear that's see through with stars and constellations inside its body? It's literally the size of a mountain, what in the fuck is this thing?
"Ignis! It's an Ursa Major! Physical attacks do nothing but go through it, you'll need to use magic!" As she finishes talking she ignites her horn and a set of wings sprouts from my back. These are the same as the ones I had on the date with Force.
I activate Shadow Blade at 5th level and launch into the air.
Roll for Initiative
11 + 5 = 16
As soon as time unfreezes I realize I left the Mizzium Apparatus in the tent but it's too late now. The bear stands up onto its hind legs and swings a paw towards Luna. Trying to bat her out of the sky. It's surprisingly agile for its size, but not agile enough. Luna pulls up and avoids the swing. It goes for a second swing that she also dodges. The alicorn then arcs over the monstrosity and hovers under its chin/neck. Once she's under its chin her horn is enshrouded in aura, and after a second the aura gets brighter. She throws her head back and the aura gets even brighter again.
Finally she points her horn at the bear and I watch in awe as all the stars in the sky one by one zip through the sky and into the tip of her horn. Within another two seconds the entire sky is empty and Luna opens her eyes to reveal they're pure white with light shining through them. A massive beam of white light slams into the chin of the Ursa Major and the bear starts to slowly rise into the air.
The beam channels for what feels like minutes, but in reality was only a few seconds and when it ends the bear is roaring in pain, 40ft in the air and flailing. It's my turn, I zip into the air and while the bear is still falling I hold my shadow blade out to the side ready to give it a slash all the way up its side.
Attack with Advantage (Elven Accuracy.)
8 and 3. Reroll the 3 with Elven Accuracy.
Natural 20. Critical Hit!
Expend Level 4 Divine Smite.
Total damage: 9d8 + 5 + 72 (Crit)
54 + 77 = 131 Psychic and Radiant Damage.
I shoot up the creature's body, from its head down to its tail. The shadow blade is embedded along the entire strike, and as soon as I finish the strike a silver line of light appears along the path I traced. The silver line glows bright and explodes from the smite.
The bear lands on its back with a boom, crushing at least 40 trees under its body. It lets out a pained groan, and I look at Luna to see if we should continue the battle or see if it'll lick its wounds and run off. She gives me a stern look and ignites her horn again, seems we're still going.
I'm out of movement, but I still have one more attack. Pointing my finger gun at the Bear I unleash a Fire Bolt. Technically it's prone and I'm using a ranged attack, so I should have disadvantage. If this were under DM discretion though, I think most DMs would let me have a neutral roll here because I'm directly above the creature and it's sprawled out. Literally a sitting duck.
Attack with Disadvantage.
3 and 13. 3 + 9 = 12.
Okay, fuck you too system. The Fire Bolt launches and just before it hits the bear it dissipates completely. Wait, did I have disadvantage because I'm more than 120ft away? Ok I take back my fuck you for now. The bracers activate, but it seems the Shadowblade from before initiative still counted as my bonus action for this turn.
The bear heaves itself over and stands back up on all fours. Luna and I both watch with bated breath to see if it's going to flee or continue to fight. We don't have to wait very long, the bear rises up on its back legs and swings at me. It's only then that it occurs to me, I'm not hasted and I'm not in Bladesong. I have no AC bonuses right now. I can't dodge it in time, why is it so fast?
"SHIELD!" AC: 23.
I hold out my empty left hand in front of me and conjure a shield. The shield might as well have been paper. My entire body fits in the center of its paw as it feels like I just ran into a brick wall at 100mph. The paw swing follows through and I'm flung backwards, but that is also interrupted as it swings its other paw straight down at me.
HP: 47/75
Concentration Check with Advantage (War Caster.) DC: 14.
13 and 7. 13 + 2 = 15. Shadowblade maintained.
The shield still re-materializes right in front of me, but it's once again useless. For a few painful seconds all I see is darkness as I feel a rush of wind at my back. My body leaves the paw and
HP: 20/75
I'm able to see again, but that does little to improve my situation. I'm currently rocketing towards the ground at an alarming speed, and I already used my reaction on Shield. I squeeze the sending stone in my pocket. "I fucked up Luna, I went into the melee without bladesong. I'm probably going to lose consciousness when I hit the ground." Time slows down and I'm 10ft away from the ground. Think, what can I do? "CALLISID! There's 4 health potions in by backpack in the tent, give one to me once-"
Fall damage: 6d6.
I'm surprised I get to see the dice roll for this.
It's 20 damage exactly.
Everything goes black.
HP:0/75. Death Saving Throws.
> Main Quest - Journey to the West pt. 5 4.
Death Saving Throw: 1/3 Fails. 0/3 Success. 2.
Death Saving Throw: 2/3 Fails. 0/3 Success. 16.
Death Saving Throw: 2/3 Fails. 1/3 Success.
+7 Hit Points: 7/75.
Opening my eyes with a groan the first thing I see is a raven a few inches away from my face.
You need to move, sir. Your companion is quite winded and has put all of her focus into evasion.
I try to move my arms to push myself up but there's unexpected resistance. With a hard yank my right arm is freed as dirt and pebbles scatter into the air. Holy shit I'm actually embedded into the ground like a cartoon character. There's a loud crashing sound off to the right, behind me. Pulling the rest of my body out of the ground as my back and ribs scream at me in pain I reach into my pocket and squeeze my sending stone. "Luna, I'm okay, but I lost my wings. What should I do?"
"Thank Harmony you're okay! I only have enough mana for one spell, and if that doesn't wrap this up then we need to flee. Get back to camp and pack everything up, you might need to use your flying potion in the worst case scenario."
"Do you know if this creature dislikes anything in particular?"
"Gold, why?"
"I'm gunna pack everything up and then banish it. That'll give us a minute to make as much distance as possible. Unless you wanna kill it, I could try that paralysis spell I used on you."
"No, this is just a wild animal whose territory we've encroached upon. They already have a very low population, so we should only kill it as a last resort. Let's go with your banishment plan."
Alright, the boss has spoken. Luckily it seems like I'm out of combat, so let me dump some healing before I start moving. Lay on Hands all 10 points, Cure Wounds level 3.
+10 +18
Hit Points: 35/75.
"Thanks for the assist Cal, can you point me towards camp then go hover near Luna? I want you within 30ft of her and the bear so I can cast through you."
It's about 70ft south west, sir.
I just stare at the bird for a few seconds, "Which way is south west?" Callisid silently points a wing and I can feel the disappointment radiating off of him. "Don't look at me with that tone of voice. I'm pretty sure the sun doesn't rise and set in the same direction in this realm, but I haven't asked."
I didn't say anything, sir.
That's what I thought you lil' shit. Turning away from the raven I take off towards camp. Within 10 seconds or so I'm packing up the tent and other supplies into Luna's bag. "Luna the camping bag is ready for you to magic it wherever you normally magic it off to. I'm going to throw on my Mizzium and then fly back over there. You still doin okay?"
I throw on my backpack and then awkwardly place the Mizzium over the top of it. Luna replies but sounds even more out of breath than before. "The beast is quite persistent.... I did not think I would tire out before it, but that's likely due to my mana running low. You'll need to bring that camping bag with you as well, I can't store it remotely."
Shit. Well I guess I'm not using a sword anyways so both of my hands are free. I chug the potion of flying, grab the camping bag, and take off towards the mountainous space bear. Once I'm within 30ft of the ursa I let Luna know. "Alright I'm going to banish it now, get ready to move."
I pull out a bit from my coin pouch and yell out the incantation for Banishment.
Arcana Check (Mizzium, DC: 18)
9 + 13 = 22.
A loud crackle echoes through the air and all of us stop moving for a few seconds waiting for something to happen.
Nothing happens.
Roll for Initiative.
19 + 5 = 24.
Fuck. Alright let's try this one more time. Bladesong. Nothing says I have to actually be holding a sword to use the bladesong. "Ignis, when are you going to banish it?"
"I just did, it resisted it. Buy me 6 seconds and I can try again." My action was the banishment spell and my bonus action was the bladesong, so my turn is already over. Luna fires off a pitifully weak magic beam at the bear, purely to try and grab its attention. Unfortunately it seems to not even notice the attack as the gargantuan creature slowly turns away from her and stares me down. "Do you want me to try banishing it again, or should I try the paralysis spell?"
"Try to banish it one more time if you can."
The sound of trees bending and cracking rings out as the bear takes two big steps towards me. I'm only at 35 HP, I can't risk getting hit by this thing once. It swings its paw through the air and it sounds like an airplane is flying at me from all the wind noise. Time seems to slow down as I fly to the left to try and evade the swing. I'm not going to make it in time, "Shield!" I throw out an empty palm and project the shield between me and the paw. It seems like I moved far enough to the left that the paw is forced to slide off my shield and gently push me out of the way.
Okay that worked for the first swing, where's the second? I find my answer as the moonlight from above is suddenly obscured, looking up I freeze in fear as my eyes widen. It's going to stomp me into the ground. I point my palm up and rotate the shield just in time. The paw hits the shield, and thankfully it doesn't shatter it instantly. Unfortunately this doesn't prevent the secondary consequence of being stomped, I'm being quickly pushed towards the ground.
Suddenly I hear wings flapping just a few feet away from me and the next thing I know I'm wrapped up in soft dark blue wings, and with a loud pop my vision is temporarily filled with a white flash. An instant later I feel grass under me and the loud pseudo-explosion from what must've been the bear stomping the ground is heard a few feet away from where I'm currently at. Luna teleported us, but how did she move when it wasn't her turn? "Lulu, was that all of your mana?"
"No, but if I use my attack spell there's a very good chance it'll actually zero me out. If that happens it'll take even longer for me to replenish my pool. More importantly, we are not out of danger, I only blinked us a few feet away. You need to banish it. Now."
"My Goddess is a real slave driver sometimes. As you command, Your Grace." I lean back away from the winged embrace so I can see the Ursa as I hold out another bit and shout the same incantation as before. This is my last 4th level spell slot, make it count!
Arcana Check (Mizzium, DC: 18)
8 + 13 = 21.
An even louder cracking sound permeates through the air as reality ripples around the bear, but to my absolute despair the creature remains. "Luna, how far can you teleport us?"
"If I'm in an unfamiliar environment like this I can only teleport as far as I can see, but that won't be far enough to truly get us away from the Ursa. I don't have enough mana to get us to any of the closest teleportation circles. Does that mean your spell failed again?"
"I'm afraid so. What do we do now?" This is all my fault. I shouldn't have pushed her so hard to attempt the repairs on the Moonblade.
"Stay here, I'm going to hit it with my spell one more time."
"Wait, I can just make us invisible and we can run away." I should've come up with this earlier, but my brain was in fight mode. I was tunnel visioned on Banishment or Hold Monster. I place my hand on her neck and Invisibility at 3rd level, targeting myself and her. "Let's go. This will last for an hour."
I feel her pull away and stand up, and that makes me realize something. "Wait, Luna, I can't see you. Which way are you going?"
Something unseen pulls on my hand until I feel soft fur in between my fingers. My hand continues to be pulled and I realize she's pulling my arm around the back of her neck. "Now lean into me and I'll lean into you." She speaks just a few inches away from my ear, barely above a whisper. I follow her instructions and I'm glad she has blindsight instead of truesight. She knows where I am but can't actually see me, and the reason I'm glad she can't see me is because I can feel my face has heated up.
I can't really explain why, but this feels very intimate. Is this pony handholding?
Yes. This is often how couples will walk to their destination together.
Really?! You pick now of all times to randomly chime in?
Although causing you to become even more flustered does bring me some level of amusement, the reason I've "chimed in" is to alert you that the Ursa Major is still following you.
Wait, is it actually? I glance back and see that it is slowly wandering in our general direction, but it's not looking directly at us.
It's likely tracking you with its nose.
"Luna, th-" I whisper out, but I'm interrupted.
"I'm aware. We likely have some time before it can hone in on us precisely, and I'm trying to think of a new plan."
> Main Quest - Journey to the West pt. 6
It's been around 20 minutes and the beast has caught up to us. It doesn't seem to have worked out that we're invisible so sometimes it just stops right on top of us and swipes at the ground in confusion. "Ignis this isn't going to work at this speed, if you can't follow me then you'll just need to climb on."
"Yeah I was starting to think the same thing." With my arm already around the back of her neck it's as simple as floating up and onto her back.
Reaching around her neck with my other arm I clasp my hands together above her peytral plate and lean in close for stability. As soon as she can tell that I'm done adjusting myself I hear her wings open and we lift into the air. As we're climbing into the air I watch in horror as a sudden blue aura appears where her horn would be if she was visible. With a panicked whisper I try to stop her, "Wait, Luna, stop! If you cast a spel-" It's too late. Our speed rapidly increases but the princess is completely visible now. "-Spell... it'll... negate the invisibility..."
I can barely hear Luna's reply over the Ursa's sudden roar. "Perhaps that would've been something to share earlier!"
I'm still invisible thankfully, and apparently that means I'm not in combat because there's no initiative roll. I reach into my component pouch so I can try and reapply the invisibility, but Luna quickly dips and rolls to avoid a swing from the Ursa. With only 1 hand half way looped around her I'm not prepared for the sudden maneuver and start to take a tumble. I instantly remember that my potion of flying is still in effect so I just let go and float away from the alicorn. As soon as she feels my weight disappear she calls out my name in a slight panic.
"I'm alright, my potion of flying won't wear off for at least another 30 minutes. What spell did you cast?" I start moving towards Luna while taking note of where the bear is swinging so I can safely approach.
"It was a simple speed enhancing spell. I didn't see any faults in the plan, so I wasn't as concerned with conserving mana."
I see a window and dive towards Luna, she turns towards me as I get close. As soon as I reach out my hand to grab onto her I see a translucent limb come into view. It's coming down towards her diagonally from behind, and it seems she hasn't noticed it. As soon as I feel her soft fur graze the tip of fingers I flex my arm and engage the Mizzium Apparatus. "Fragor Curro!"
Arcana Check (Mizzium, DC: 16)
3 + 13 = 16. Just Barely.
An instant away from disaster I become visible as the glass tubes on the magical device hum and flicker. The Ursa's paw swipes through the space we were occupying as a loud thunderous boom erupts from our position. Thanks to that Thunder Step we appear a good 90ft away from the beast.
3d10 = 13.
6 Thunder Damage.
As soon as we appear I keep my momentum and with a fluid motion I rotate my body in the air and pull myself down onto her back again. "Punch it!"
"What?" She glances at me with a look of confusion.
"It means GO!"
With a burst of wind we're off. Everything becomes blurry as the wind makes my eyes start to water. She said this was a simple speed enhancement?! Glancing back I watch as the Ursa barreling towards us starts to slowly get smaller and smaller as we gain distance on it. How fast are we going to be able to outrun that thing? It covers literally hundreds of feet in a step.
The Ursa turns into a dot on the horizon as we start to slow down and gradually descend towards the ground. Luna's mane that had returned to its starry form during the dream transforms back into normal hair. "You okay Luna?"
I dismount right before she lands and as soon as she lands she collapses onto her barrel. "It was a channeled spell, more speed for more mana. I'm fairly immobilized right now, so this is where we're setting up camp. I know we've only been awake for an hour or so, but I need to rest. On the bright side though, we covered the same amount of distance we normally cover." Her breathing is ragged and she's covered in a layer of sweat.
"Do you think it'll follow us this far? If it tracks us all the way out here and you're still out of mana we're gunna be in big trouble." I start unpacking the camping bag and getting the tent setup.
"It shouldn't, but it shouldn't have even been concerned with us to begin with due to its size. You need to suppress your presence by the way. It's been unsuppressed since you went to sleep."
It's easier to do now than it was yesterday, so that's nice. It takes a few minutes to get the tent setup and then I lay out our bedrolls. We must be close to the mountains because the temperature has dropped considerably, so we'll likely need a campfire. If that monstrosity is still tracking us though the smoke will be a dead giveaway. "Should I set up a campfire, or do you just want some help getting into the tent?"
"Without access to my illusions the campfire would just invite more trouble. We've been fine without a campfire though, why do you want one for this night?"
"You haven't noticed the drop in temperature? It's not cold perse, but it is chilly. Your fur and feathers must be insulating you. Seriously though, how immobile are you? Can you get into the tent on your own, do you need some assistance, or do I need to full-on carry you?"
She glances off to the side and mutters out, "I'm afraid you'll have to carry me."
Insight.
13 + 6 = 19.
Eh, why not? She's carried me more than once now and it's only a few feet. I squat down and help her roll onto her back. I figured it was either bridal style or backpack style and this one seemed more feasible. It's a bit awkward but I manage to stand up with her. She's not as heavy as I thought she'd be, but it's enough weight that I can only shuffle forward now. Once I take the first step forward I glance down and find her looking surprised with her face bright crimson. Should I take this opportunity to do some teasing of my own? Yeah.
"In the future if you want me to carry you, you just have to ask. Can't believe my Princess would lie to me about the status of her health. Tsk tsk." Her blush gets a shade darker.
"I did not lie... completely. That enhancement spell puts immense strain on my muscles, and although I can stand and move on my own, it'd be slow and painful."
I just offer her a soft smile as I reach the tent and awkwardly lower myself so I can enter. "I'm also surprised how embarrassed you got, I think that might be the biggest blush I've seen on your face. Especially considering you asked for this." I lower her down onto her bedroll and she lays down on her side with a pouting face.
"I thought you'd use telekinesis or some other magic to carry me. How was I supposed to know you were capable of just casually lifting and carrying me? It was just unexpected, that's all."
"I can't even cast telekinesis without the Mizzium Apparatus, and unlike your magic system telekinesis is a pretty advanced spell for us. It's the same level as that paralysis spell or the spell that lets me teleport between 5 targets as I slash them. I was actually going to ask if you could teach me telekinesis next?"
"I wanted to hold off on telekinesis until we had your mana control down to a precise level. When foals learn telekinesis they lack the mana or capability to exert a lot of force onto anything. You, on the other hand, could do some serious damage with telekinesis. For example you could try to lift a dog and end up flinging it hundreds of feet by accident due to too much force. I'll try to teach you, but if it's too unstable we're calling it off. Go find a decent sized rock and bring it back."
"I hadn't really considered those dangers... alright I need to go setup the Alarm spell perimeter first, but I'll bring back a rock." Since we don't have the illusion hiding our campsite from any wandering eyes I'm going to expand the Alarm perimeter. It takes around two and a half hours but I feel pretty comfortable with this. I found a rock about the size of my head 45 minutes into setting up the Alarms, so I walked back to where I found it and grabbed it.
Upon entering the tent I was prepared to make some dumb comment about rocks, but I stop when I see Luna's laying on her side fast asleep. Damn she really must've been exhausted to fall asleep at 11PM. We just woke up like 3 hours ago. I think this is the first time I've seen her sleeping, usually I knock out first. She looks peaceful.
Nightmare can you teach me telekinesis? Luna was going to but she's all tuckered out and fell asleep.
I just hear a sigh in my mind. I suppose so. The concept is quite simple, you just focus on an object and project your mana towards it. Once the mana has the object surrounded you exert your will into the mana and it should respond in kind.
Really? That's it? Luna made it sound more dangerous.
It is more dangerous if it's somepony like you learning the skill. I recommend doing this outside.
Should I wake Luna up? On one hand I don't want to, but on the other hand she might fuck up her sleep schedule which in turn will fuck up our palace food schedule. Oh she's out of mana anyways. I'll wake her up anyways. I put my hand on her barrel and give a few scritches, "Nap time's over, Lulu."
Her eyes slowly crack open, "You were gone for so long~ without my magic I couldn't conjure my book."
"Sorry, those alarm spells take a while to set up. You can go back to sleep if you want, but I figured you didn't wanna mess up your sleep schedule. Here's my rock though."
"You figured correctly, I appreciate it." She goes on to give me a slightly more in depth explanation of telekinesis, but it's basically the same thing Nightmare told me.
System Update In Progress.....
System offline.
Until the update is complete only critical functions are supported.
Woah. Everything kinda went blurry for a second, but wait can I still cast spells if I use Ignis' memories? What the hell is it even updating?
"Ignis?" I look over at Luna to find her looking slightly concerned.
"Sorry, kinda spaced out. My power is temporarily disabled. I think I can still cast spells and what not but there won't be any dice rolls. If something attacks us right now we might be in real trouble."
"Do you know how long it'll take to function again?"
"Could be 30 seconds, could be 6 hours, hell it could even be 6 months. Let's just focus on this rock." I exit the tent and tie the opening so that it can't close. That way Luna can still observe without moving.
Making sure I maintain my suppression I stare at the rock intensely. I hold out my left hand palm open and attempt to "project" the mana from my body. Lift the rock. Lift the rock. Almost instantly the rock is surrounded in a silver glow, but it doesn't move at all. "Luna, why isn't it moving?"
"You might need some sort of stimulus? You're projecting the mana from your hand so why not try gesturing with that hand?"
Following her advice I flick my hand upwards and watch in shock as the rock zips up into the air, severing the mana connection as it continues to soar higher and higher until I can't even see it anymore. "Looks like I should've gotten a bigger rock. Is it bad that I'm terrified about the fact that I can't see this rock anymore? Where is it going to land? Statistically it shouldn't hit either of us, right?"
Instead of answering me Luna closes her eyes and starts to tilt her head. After a second or two she opens her eyes again. "It's falling 30, no, 40ft that way." She points to the right with her forehoof. Did she just echolocate a falling rock? As if on cue I hear twigs snapping and the sound of something heavy thudding the ground in the direction she pointed.
I run over and grab the rock and bring it back to camp to continue my attempts. The next issue I run into is that the run keeps falling out of my aura as I slowly lift it into the air. Well if gesturing with my hand is what lets me do directions maybe I just need to close my hand like I'm grabbing something before I lift?
When I close my hand into a fist the rock makes a loud cracking sound and compresses 2 or 3cm. That did the trick though, now I can ever so slowly lift it and move it. Looks like I need to be more gentle when closing my hand. The sound of two hooves hitting each other rings out from the tent, and when I glance back I see Luna giving me slow applause. "It's still quite rough, but you managed to get the concept down pretty quickly."
"How long have I been at it? It feels like it couldn't have been longer than an hour."
"Correct, I'd say it's been 45 minutes since you launched the rock into the clouds the first time. You even managed to mai-" She stops and suddenly snaps her head in the direction we came from. It looks a bit silly since she's still in the tent, so she's just staring at the wall. I assume she heard something though.
I start to ask what's up when I feel the ground start to vibrate. "Ignis! Help me pack everything the Ursa is coming. We need to move, now!" She grits her teeth and hisses in pain as she rises up to all fours.
I quickly yank out the pegs and start rolling up the tent as Luna uses her hooves and teeth to roll up our bedrolls. I put on the Mizzium Apparatus and throw on the backpack over it. Then I take the camping bag and throw it over one shoulder, positioning it under my armpit. Next I place my hand on Luna and get ready to cast Invisibility. "You stopped suppressing, you need to maintain it now more than ever, Ignis. It will find us if you can't."
I'm panicking at this point as I remember the system is offline, can I even cast Invisibility? I need to calm down and slow the mana.
Master Ignis the beast from before is approaching! You have 45 seconds at most!
Focus. Suppress the mana. Focus. I feel a cold breeze hit the back of my neck and everything goes quiet. It feels like everything is moving slow. It's an adrenaline rush, in an instant the mana slows down and I reach into the component pouch. I have two 1st level spell slots, three 2nd level, one 3rd level, zero 4th level, and one 5th level. This invisibility will be my last 3rd level slot. After I go over my mental checklist I mutter out an incantation and attempt to cast the spell at 3rd level.
Nothing happens.
Again, nothing. Again, nothing.
You'll be within its line of sight in 10 seconds, sir!
All the noises of the forest and the vibrations of the ground come back all at once, my distorted sense of time returns to normal. "Fuck. Fuck! I can't do it Luna! We have to hide the old fashion way."
I scan around to see if I can spot any elevation changes or caves to use for hiding, but it's just flat ground and trees. I start running to the West, but I only make it a few steps before I hear a yelp of pain from Luna. Glancing back it looks like she couldn't even gallop for a second without her muscles seizing. "I've recovered enough mana that I can slip into the shadows, run Ignis." Halfway through her sentence at least 5 different instances of my Alarm spell ping me at the same time. It's right on us. 30ft behind Luna the trees crack and snap as the canopy collapses and exposes the night sky. With an ear splitting roar all the leaves around us scatter into the air completely revealing us and everything else nearby.
Luna immediately transforms into a starry mist that sinks into the ground and starts to move between the shadows of the trees. Okay, she should be fine like that. I turn and start to move in a dead sprint away from the Ursa. There's no pointing running from something this big though. In one step I watch as a large shadow zips across the ground before stopping right above me. I can hear the paw coming down to stomp on me and at the last second I leap forward and just barely manage to avoid being crushed.
Unfortunately it's not a graceful leap. When I impact the ground I land shoulder first and roll several times. At some point the camping bag and my backpack got slung off while I was rolling. I scramble to my feet and try to keep running as it moves to stomp me into the ground again, but my foot slips. I catch myself with both hands and start to fast crawl forward while trying to stand up at the same time. Before I can get back up I see the ominous shadow overtake me.
I can't help but to let out a dark chuckle as I start to realize that this is how it ends. Until I see my arms get enshrouded in a dark blue aura and I get yanked, hard. As I'm flying through the air I see Luna has come out of the shadows and is panting with one eye close and the other eye squinting. She saved me with her telekinesis.
I land on the ground and watch as the Ursa's other foreleg starts to crash through the air towards Luna. Several shields appear on top of her, and the paw stops when it hits the first shield. An instant later it smashes through half of the shields and the rest of them disappear as Luna's horn sparks and she cries out in pain, collapsing onto the ground.
Everything slows down again and several trains of thought go through my head. It's made 3 saving throws, if it has Legendary Resistance there's a good chance it's out of them now. I have one last 5th level spell slot I can use to cast Hold Monster, but I haven't been able to get my spells to work. The paw is inching closer to Luna.
In one fluid motion I reach behind my back and grab my spellbook from its mounting mechanism on my lower back, with my right hand. At the same time with my left hand I reach into the component pouch and pull out a piece of iron. You're my magic, so fucking LISTEN TO ME!
The book snaps open and the pages start to move on their own to the page of Hold Monster as I squeeze the iron in my hand while glaring at the Ursa. The paw is half a second away from crushing the alicorn.
"IMPEDIENDUM!"
The paw stops mere centimeters away from Luna as silver lines shoot up the legs of the beast and a loud ringing sound pierces the air. A fraction of a second later I send my mana towards Luna and fling her away from the Ursa. She flips through the air a couple of times before opening her wings and gliding to a stop. Before she lands though, I've already decided that one minute isn't long enough for us to make any meaningful distance on this thing. It has to die tonight. After a couple more seconds I get hit with a dizzy spell but continue on.
I turn towards the leg that's currently on the ground just a few feet away from me and pull out my Moonblade. I know she said it's immune to physical attacks, but I doubt they used magical weapons. 7 seconds have passed since I paralyzed the Ursa. Now let's see if I can emulate my smite using mana.
I try to grasp onto the thread that I feel whenever Nightmare speaks to me. Surely that's an access to the well of divinity they both share, right? My right arm swings backwards, winding up for a slash with all my might. Suddenly I'm looking at the planet from space. Did I grasp it? I try to will myself back down to the planet, to my body, and gasp as I instantaneously rocket through space and the atmosphere back into my own shell.
As soon as I'm back in my body a giant pillar of white light comes down and engulfs me, it's Moonbeam, or at least some variation of it. The Ursa lets out a roar of pain as it's shoulder and part of its leg is caught in the pillar of light. The Moonblade currently wound up behind me starts to vibrate as all of the runes on the blade glow and shine with silver light. I know this hurt you last time, but this time I'm not brute forcing my mana through the blade, it's power from the moon herself.
With a roar of my own I swing the blade at the creature's leg and my eyes widen as the moonbeam narrows and engulfs just the Moonblade as it slashes through the air. The edge of the blade makes contact with the beast and I'm blown backwards as an explosion rings out and destroys everything below the knee on the creature's leg. Since its other paw is stuck in the air the bear completely loses balance and it roars in pain as its head plummets towards the ground.
I land on my ass next to Luna and laugh at the surprised look on her face. The Ursas head crashes onto the ground right in front of us and I slowly get up and dash to its neck. I can tell from the silver lines it's still paralyzed. I grasp the hilt of the Moonblade with both hands and bring the blade high above my head, ready to finish this.
"Wait!" I glance at Luna and watch as she slowly rises and walks right up to one of the eyes of the Ursa. "Creature, it does not have to end this way. We meant you no harm and have no intentions of invading your den. Take my mercy and leave us alone."
Is she serious? This thing was a fraction of a second away from turning both of us into paste, multiple times. To my surprise the beast makes some sort of noise that isn't too different from the sound dogs make when they're in pain. "Blink twice if you understand and agree."
I'm even more surprised when it blinks twice in rapid succession while still whining. This thing was capable of understanding us this whole time? That's even more reason I should kill it, in my opinion that takes it firmly out of the "wild animal" category.
She's the boss, though. The sliver of moonbeam that was still present narrows even further before disappearing entirely. The runes on the Moonblade are still shining however... did that repair the damage? Putting a pin in that so I remember to look at it later, and sheath the sword.
Relaxing my body I stop focusing on the Hold Monster spell and watch as the silver lines on its body disappear. It shakily rises off the ground and awkwardly hobbles away with its 3 legs. I cast my gaze over to Luna, "Why did you stop me? Did you truly want to show that thing mercy?"
"I was debating it, but then I noticed something that cemented my decision to try and bargain with it. You don't have enough mana to perform that attack again. Once it realized you weren't able to kill it then we'd surely be done in." I raise an eyebrow in confusion.
"What do you mean? I feel perfectly fine, I think I could've done that attack several more times." I take a step forward to go find the camping bag and my backpack, and as soon as I take a step forward everything goes blurry and the dizzy spell hits me even harder. "Ope, nevermind. Good call."
I fall backwards onto my ass and lay down to stare at the sky. Luna sighs and drops down onto her barrel right next to me. "I'm glad your power came back in time, I'm not sure what would've happened to me if that creature really buried me under its paw. How did you use my spell at the end, though?"
"First things first, my power still isn't back. You were in danger and I had an adrenaline rush and put every ounce of willpower I had into forcing my magic to work. Secondly, what do you mean by "your spell?""
"One of my most powerful spells that's unique to me is extremely similar to what you did. The only difference is that the pillar of moonlight focuses on the tip of my horn and I release it in a concentrated blast. Yours was weaker, but that was definitely my spell." Her tone of voice is one I can't quite place. Is that pride?
"I just thought about simulating my divine smite with mana, and when I tried to grasp onto the link I have to your divinity my mind's eye got transported to the moon. After that I fell back down to the planet and into my body, and the pillar of light came with me."
I feel a wing start to ruffle the hair on top of my head. "That's my paladin. Thank you for saving me."
"Oh please, we saved each other. In fact I'm pretty sure you got me beat 5-2 right now if we count me rescuing you from the Changeling pod."
Suddenly time freezes and I see a familiar prompt.
System Update Completed.
System Initializing....
Ruleset: 5.5e
Ignis Ferrum - Bladesinger 9/Paladin 2
93,000/100,000 XP. Level 11.
Wait... I didn't get any XP for that encounter?! WHAT THE FUCK!
> Main Quest - Journey to the West pt. 7
Did I really not get any XP because the system was offline when the encounter ended? That's crazy. Also, did that say "ruleset 5.5e?" When the hell did that happen? What's different I wonder?
"Character Sheet"
Oh I have expertise built into the Wizard class at level 2 now, I wouldn't have needed Skill Expert if I had this to begin with. I'll take expertise in Insight since I seem to roll that pretty often. Now I have expertise in Arcana and Insight.
There's a new feature at level 5 called Memorize Spell. Whenever I finish a Short Rest I can replace one level 1+ spell I have prepared with another level 1+ spell from the spellbook. That's super handy! I can think of a couple times I would've wanted to have that.
For Paladin I unlocked spellcasting at level 1 now instead of level 2 so I can prepare 3 Paladin Spells after a long rest compared to the 2 spells I could prepare before. I have some new thing called Weapon Mastery for the Longsword and Rapier. For the longsword this unlocks a new ability to impose disadvantage on the enemies next attack roll if I hit them with the longsword. For the rapier, if I hit a creature with a rapier and deal damage to the creature I have advantage on the next attack roll against that creature before my turn ends.
Holy shit. I can only Smite once per Attack action now. That's a huge nerf! Haste is even more of an important spell now. Oh, but smite scales up to 9th level now instead of stopping at 4th level, so that's nice. Looks like several spells got changed, True Strike is actually an insanely good cantrip now. I think I still prefer Booming Blade or Green-Flame but that's really good. I don't feel like going through every single leveled spell to see if anything significant was changed, but maybe later if I'm bored.
Time unfreezes and I sit up from laying in the grass. "What are the odds my backpack didn't get crushed when that thing fell onto the ground? If the camping bag got crushed it's not really a big deal but there's a decent chance I lost some stuff if it crushed my backpack. Namely the inkwell for the magical quill."
She actually winces when I mention the possibility of the inkwell being crushed. "I'd say the odds are not in your favor."
"Well guess I'd better go look. By the way I only have like 4 spell slots and I'm also completely drained on mana. We are truly, actually, supremely fucked if we run into another problem like that Ursa. Good news for you though, it's a pretty decent walk to get back to a section of the forest that still has an overhead canopy."
"Why is that good news for me?"
"It means you get to be carried again for like 100 plus feet instead of 2 feet, haha."
I don't stick around to see her reaction as I start to make my way over to where I ragdolled across the ground and lost the bags.
Perception.
15 + 6 = 21.
Finding them comes pretty easily, and thankfully only the camping bag was crushed. If the inkwell bursted in my backpack it would've ruined all of the spell scrolls as well. Oh, and the health potions would've been wasted. Honestly I'm not sure I can carry Luna and the Mizzium and both of the bags at the same time. Last time it was just her and it was pretty close to my limit. Walking back over to the prone alicorn I let her know the plan.
"I'm gunna bring the bags and the Mizzium over to the campsite then come back and get you, or I can take you first if you prefer."
"Neither, you'll use this opportunity to train your telekinesis. Carry the bags without using your hand as a crutch. From what I can tell you can project mana from any part of your body, so you don't need to use your hand. We'll wait here until you can pick up the bags without using your hands then we'll move to the new camp site."
"Luna, you're the one that said I'm basically out of mana."
"Basically out of mana and actually out of mana are not the same. Those bags plus the magical device are probably only 20 or 30lbs max and that much weight does not require a significant amount of mana."
"My goddess truly is a demanding one. Alright fine, and I suppose I need to keep my presence suppressed as well?"
"You're in luck actually. Since you are basically out of mana there is no presence to suppress. We'll work on that once you replenish your pool."
Wait, I don't have to use my hands? I mean I guess I just instinctively used my hands because it's easier to aim that way, but I could've sworn someone told me to use my hands. Let's give it a shot I guess?
I decide to try the camping bag first since it's the most expendable if I fuck up. Intensely staring at the bag I picture my mana reaching out from my chest and surrounding the bag. Nothing's happening. I'll just imagine a hand then, since using a real hand worked last time then maybe imagining one will make this easier. Imagine a silver thread connecting the bag to me, and at the end of that thread is a hand. Grasp the bag and gently grip it. As the mental image of the hand wraps its fingers around the bag it's enshrouded in the familiar silver light.
Repeating the process I have my backpack, the camping bag, and the Mizzium Apparatus in my grasp. Now just slowly lift them to this point, instead of thinking of a direction I focus my gaze at one point in particular. Finally pull the threads taut, so that if I walk away the items are forced to be pulled along. I just need to focus on maintaining my grasp on the items and they should follow on their own.
Next we need to pick up the spoiled princess. I perform the task exactly the same way I did last time, and after a few steps I notice her staring behind with a look of mild confusion. "What's up?"
"How did you project your mana to the items?"
"I imagined a thread with hands on the end that flew through the air and grabbed onto all of them. Then I just moved them up above me, and pulled the threads tight so the items would follow me."
"Interesting. It's a rather uncommon method, but it is used by some ponies. That being said, nopony has used this method as their first method. Typically foals instinctively know that if they condense a minute amount of mana into the air and then send it to the object that the mana will spread out and enshroud the object on its own. That mana still belongs to them so they just control it and move it the same way they circulate and direct mana in their body. You don't need a literal connection to maintain control of your mana."
"Why didn't you explain that before?! I've just been operating on the assumption that once it leaves me I can't exert any force on it!"
"Like I said it's an instinct, most of us do it subconsciously! I hadn't even considered that you'd lack that trait. Besides, when it comes to magic it's always better to let the caster themself come up with their first method and usage of the instructions. Once you prove that you understand and can implement the concept, then it's okay to teach you the most efficient way to perform the task."
"I guess that makes sense. Still, could've saved us like 45 minutes of me just sitting here fucking around with it. Since we still have a few hours before we normally go to sleep I'm going to try and finish up the rest of the spell scrolls tonight."
It takes another 20 minutes of slowly walking west to reach an unscathed area of the forest where we still have a canopy overhead. This time I set up the tent around Luna so I don't have to awkwardly move her inside afterwards. As soon as I get comfortable and start working on learning the spell scrolls Luna ruins it. "Are you not going to re-establish your Alarm spells?"
Instantly I throw my head back with a groan. "Thanks for reminding me, I completely forgot."
"I didn't think your reaction would be so visceral, is it truly so tedious?"
"It's extremely tedious and slow. That's not why I groaned though. I'm honestly just exhausted, Luna. That thing was like 20 times bigger than the dragon lord and I did not expect it to be so relentless. I know it needs to be done though, so I'll get to it."
She gives me a sympathetic look as I leave the tent. Half the Alarms I set up at the old campsite just a couple hundred feet away are still up, so that's good at least. I'm not making the perimeter as wide as I did last time. I really do not have the energy to be out here ritual casting Alarm 16 times. I end up going with the same setup I used on the first day we camped, so it only takes 44 minutes to get everything going.
Walking back to the tent I give another look over my spell slots just to confirm I've got the numbers memorized correctly. I have two 1st level spell slots and two 2nd level spell slots. That's it. Oh, I just noticed that since I got an extra expertise that I put on Insight that my passive Insight is 20 now. I don't even need to roll for most conversations now, that's pretty useful.
Sitting down on my bedroll I let out a sigh and lean back against my pillow, staring at the spell scrolls on the ground. Do I really want to do these right now? Since Luna doesn't have her book she quickly takes notice of me just staring at the scrolls. "It's been an eventful few hours, Ignis. If you need to rest then feel free to do so. You'd only be going to sleep a few hours early."
"If you're staying up then I'm staying up. Just give me a few minutes to contemplate my life."
The sun rose at some point while I was learning Magic Mouth, and while I was two hours into learning Blur it finally reached the normal time for sleep. I ended up using meditation for my rest because frankly I'm not in the mood to have conversational dreams with whoever the fuck feels like barging in. The other benefit of meditation over sleep is that I only need 4 hours of meditation to feel well rested, so I have a couple extra hours to work on these scrolls before Luna wakes up. With that extra time I'm about to finish learning Blur. Once I finish with this I only have Shatter and Dimension Door left. I've been holding off on learning Dimension Door because it's going to take 8 hours.
I'm two hours into learning Shatter when I hear Luna call out for me inside the tent. Getting up I go pop my head in and say hi. "How are you feeling today? Think your muscles have recovered enough to at least walk?"
She slowly rises to her hooves with a few sounds of discomfort but walks out of the tent on her own. "It'll be at a slower pace than normal, but I should be fine to continue on today. My mana is back up to around 40% capacity which is more than enough for most spells."
"How much did you have when you left after you drained your mana into the Moonblade?"
"Significantly less than what I have now. We won't be defenseless if we run into another problem tonight."
Talking about this just made me realize, "How do you tell how much you have? I didn't realize I was low on mana last night until that massive dizzy spell and fatigue hit me."
"I could only tell that you were close to empty because as soon as you casted that spell your presence disappeared entirely. You should be able to just instinctively know how much mana you have... can you really not tell?" While she's speaking she teleports in our breakfast from the castle and floats over my plate.
"No? Maybe? I don't know, can you give some description as to what it feels like?"
"You should just know. I really can't describe it... it's like trying to describe how you know where your limbs are when your eyes are closed. You just know where they are. I'll talk to Tia and see if we can have some bracelet or ring made for you that gives you a visual indicator for how much mana you have. It shouldn't be too difficult to craft. I will say though, you have enough mana that your presence has returned."
It only takes about 5 seconds to suppress my mana this time. I'm starting to get pretty quick with it, but it still feels like I'm a ways off from being able to keep this up at all times passively. "That'd be pretty convenient to be honest. I'm glad you're doing better today, I was worried we were going to stay here for another 24 hours."
She adopts a playful tone as she looks like she's in deep contemplation. "Well we are still a couple days ahead of schedule... staying here for tonight isn't too bad of an idea. I'm glad you suggested it, Ignis!"
"Wait seriously? I mean if your body is still sore I don't mind, but the sooner we get to the thestrals the sooner we can go back to Canterlot."
"Yes, seriously. I am still sore but I was willing to push through it so we could keep moving, but you reminded me that we're still ahead of schedule. Also I remembered that I'm your Princess, so if I say I don't want to walk for hours on end because I'm sore then we aren't doing it."
Oh she's in an authoritative mood? I actually really prefer it when she's intimidating and commanding. "As you wish, my Goddess. That's actually perfect for me, that means I can finish scribing the last of my spell scrolls tonight. Unless you had other plans?"
"Yes, you're going to be training. You'll still have plenty of time for your scrolls, this shouldn't take more than an hour or two."
"What training can we even do in your state? Unless you mean magic training?"
"No, you'll be learning a valuable skill that all knights and attendants learn at some point in their careers."
Why did she stop looking at me, and why does she seem embarrassed? "What skill?"
"How to perform a hoof massage."
Huh?
> Main Quest - Journey to the West pt. 8
3rd Person POV
"Oh yeah right there...." Is sputtered out with a shaky voice. "You don't have to be so gentle I'm not made of glass. There you go, just like that... mmf."
"Luna I swear to god if anyone heard you right now they would not think this is a massage. Are you intentionally phrasing things like that?"
"I'm not sure what you're talking about. What else could they possibly confuse this for? I must say though, I didn't think you'd pick up this art so quickly. All the stress on my fetlocks and the aches on my pastern joints are completely melting away."
"I wouldn't say I picked up on it fast, more like I just rolled high for the ability check."
The alicorn pulls her foreleg away from the elf and just looks content with a soft smile. "As promised, I'll allow you to work on your spell scrolls now."
"Perfect. While I'm doing this though, do you want a full run down on all my spells and their limitations? That whole situation where you lost invisibility was pretty brutal and I think we should avoid something like that in the future. Figured the easiest way would be to just cover everything, and who knows you might even have some creative uses for my spells that I haven't thought of."
"I doubt I'll remember every intricacy but it's a good idea. Will that not distract you from your scribe learning though?" Ignis can tell she's truly relaxed because normally she raises her head when she speaks, but right now half of Luna's face is squished against the bedroll and she's just following him with her eyes. The image isn't too dissimilar to someone just collapsed on a bed after a particularly long day. Completely limp.
"No, it should be fine. Besides, it won't take that long to go over everything anyways. Just keep in mind that although some of these spells are in my spellbook I don't actively have them prepared and memorized. This also doesn't include spells that I can cast thanks to the Mizzium Apparatus, but if I listed all of those it'd take several hours."
Luna activates her horn and conjures up a black book with a crescent moon on the center of the front outer cover and a quill. "Alright I'm ready."
"So first off are the cantrips, you've heard me refer to spells by level numbers like a level 1 or level 5 spell, but cantrips aren't considered leveled spells. This is great because it means they are an unlimited resource, I can cast them as many times as I want whenever I want. The two you're probably most familiar with are Booming Blade and Fire Bolt."
"Yes, booming blade I believe is when you imbue your sword with some type of lightning magic. If the target moves a few steps right after being struck they're assaulted by the same magic for a second time. Fire Bolt is actually the same thing as our Fire Bolt, so that one is easy."
"Yup you mostly got it, Booming Blade enhances the strike with Thunder damage and if they move 5ft within the same turn, which is usually 6 seconds by the way, they actually get hit with a slightly stronger dose of that Thunder magic." Things continue like this as Ignis explains Mage Hand and Prestidigitation, but after hearing what the Guidance cantrip can do she interrupts the elf.
"What exactly are these skills and ability checks? I know your power involves a set of dice that only you can see and the outcome of certain events is determined based on the roll, but are these skills quantifiable?"
This ends up leading into a 30 minute detour where Ignis explains what all of the different skills are, what proficiency and expertise are, and how those things affect the ability check. Once she gets a firm grasp on what ability checks are she can't help but be surprised. "Why do you not use Guidance more often? That sounds incredibly useful! You could use it when convincing my sister of something or when you're trying to tell if someone is lying or...or even just looking around and scanning our environment!"
Ignis gets a bit of a sheepish look as he scratches his cheek in embarrassment. "You're not entirely wrong, it's definitely something I should be using more often. However using it for dialogue or convincing is... problematic. It requires an incantation and a hand gesture, and it's not exactly subtle. You'd have to pre-emptively cast the spell before meeting with the person. I mean if we were talking and I suddenly just cast a random spell that made my body glow slightly for a few seconds would you proceed with the conversation like nothing just happened?"
"Ah I see, you hadn't even mentioned incantations and hand gestures yet, do all of your spells require that?"
"For the most part, yeah. There are a few that only require hand gestures or only require verbal incantations, but usually both are needed. Booming Blade is an example of a spell that doesn't require an incantation, but I do have to wave my hand over the entire length of the blade for the magic to imbue."
They continued on like that with Ignis explaining the intricacies and downfalls of his capabilities and Luna asking for clarification or suggesting a different usage. At some point the alicorn sat up properly while taking notes, and as the elf got further along into the explanations he started to pay attention to his spell scrolls less and less. Spending more time showing off examples of the different hand motions and telling stories about certain spells and how he used them in the different campaigns he played as a human. Without realizing it the two of them slowly moved closer and closer together between demonstrations and stories.
"Ah so Greater Invisibility allows you to attack and spellcast while retaining your invisibility but you're unable to target multiple creatures with it even if you cast it at a higher level." Luna adds to the increasingly long section of notes in her personal book.
"Yeah exactly, if 5th level Greater Invis allowed me to apply it to both of us I would've done that instead, but for some reason you gain no benefit from upcasting it." Suddenly the elf notices something peculiar through the opening of the tent. "Wait.... when did the sun come up? I didn't think this would take longer than an hour or two. Have we really been going over these all night?"
"It would appear so... you still have a few more to cover right?"
"Yeah, I've got 4 more. They're all pretty simple though. Locate Creature lets me know the general direction of the target as long as they're within 1000ft, but it requires me to have seen the target or type of creature within 30ft at least once."
"What do you mean by "type of creature?"" Luna asks while scribbling into the book.
"Instead of specifying a specific target I can configure the spell to locate the nearest Alicorn or Dragon or Unicorn. As long as I've seen that type of creature up close at least once. This spell is actually how I got to you so fast in the changeling hive. The last 4th level spell is Otiluke's Resilient Sphere. It's a very niche spell, and if I had the Mizzium back then I wouldn't have picked this spell. It's a spell I wanted to always have in my back pocket, just in case."
"How does it differ from your normal Shield spell?"
"It encloses the target completely in a shimmering sphere, and nothing can pass through the barrier. No objects, no energy, no spell effects, in or out. You won't run out of air to breathe though. I wanted to always have it ready so in the worst case scenario I could put you in the sphere and launch you away. It only lasts for a minute, but it's basically completely indestructible. It will be destroyed if it's hit with a Disintegrate spell, though."
"I'm not particularly fond of how many back up plans you have that involve sacrificing yourself to save me." She mutters quietly while staring at the spellbook.
"Well nothing says I'd be sacrificing myself. I could cast invisibility after I launch you and make my own escape. Regardless I'd just rather have them and not need them, than need them and not have them. If it helps then don't think of it as me sacrificing myself, rather we have exhausted every possible resource and plan that we could come up with and both of our deaths are imminent. That Ursa basically pushed us to that point, and if my Hold Monster spell didn't stick there's only one plan that would've worked. Which honestly terrifies me. First the colosseum and now last night... I'm too reliant on luck."
"I can't think of any spell or scenario you've described tonight that would've evacuated me from the situation. What was it?"
"I'd rather not say. I know you would resent me for it if I ever have to enact that plan."
"I won't command you, but it'd be more beneficial for you to share it. There's a chance the plan is flawed or there's a factor you hadn't considered."
"If the Hold Monster didn't stick I was going to offer Nightmare whatever she wants to help us."
There's an uncomfortable silence for several seconds after the admission.
"Ignis. Before I give you my thoughts on that plan, I just have one question. Why would you be willing to go so far for me, yet you refuse to permanently stay in Equestria? Why would you condemn yourself to corruption and death, and refuse to stay and live with me in the same breath?"
The elf glances to his left and sees tears welling up in her eyes and realizes that at some point the two of them moved closer together. Reaching out he gently wipes the tears away with his thumb. "If someone told me the only way for me to go home would be for you to die, then I'd be just as happy to stay here. I don't want you to die, that's the difference. Do you want me to stay that badly? I didn't think it'd make you this upset, in fact I don't think I've seen you emotional like this since the night of your return."
She leans into his palm. "It'd be a lie if I said there wasn't a small part of me that wants you to stay. However, that's not why I got emotional. I... never thought I'd have somepony besides Tia that would be willing to go so far just for me, and" With a pause she lets out a huge sigh, "I still don't think I deserve it."
"Good thing it's not up to you. Can you grab us some of that palace food and after we eat I can cover these last two spells?"
Luna pulls away from the elf's hand and ignites her horn teleporting in their dinner. Once they finish eating Ignis starts to explain both of his level 5 spells, but halfway through the final spell he feels a sudden weight fall against him. Looking to his left he can't help but softly smile at the sleeping princess leaning against him. "I guess her body is still physically exhausted. That's why we didn't continue marching today, after all. Now how do I move her without waking her up?" Ignis thinks to himself.
After a few minutes he comes up with a plan. Using his new telekinesis he holds her in place so he can lean away and wrap her left arm around her. Slowly leaning back and laying down until the elf is lying down on his back with his arm holding Luna as her head rests on his chest.
"24 hours from now we'll be on a freezing cold mountain... hopefully it's less eventful than this god forsaken forest." Is the last thing that goes through the bladesingers head as his eyes shut and sleep takes him.
> Main Quest - Journey to the West pt. 9
"Would you have truly allowed me to possess you in exchange for her life?" Opening my eyes I find myself lying in the same position I fell asleep in, but on the moon once again. Nightmare is loafing next to me staring straight ahead towards the planet.
"Of course. I had enough mana that you could've teleported her and yourself back to Canterlot, easily. I would've been prepared to never regain myself, but I also had hope that if it came to pass... you wouldn't let me down."
"I've always admired your resolve, but in this instance, why?"
"Because, I actually think you do intend to be a better pony. My gut tells me that'll you'll be freed from this prison much earlier than you think, and once I explained my reasoning I believed you would release the possession." I truly think she would've returned my body afterwards. Why ruin the fragile olive branch that's beginning to form, that could result in permanent freedom, for a temporary freedom in another body that isn't truly hers?
"Surely you're not that naive? If I was able to cultivate your strange power and combine it with my mastery over mana there's nothing on that planet that could stop me."
"That might be true, but why continue with these hypotheticals when you've already proved me right?" She finally looks at me and arches an eyebrow in confusion. "You helped me access the power inside the moon didn't you? I reached out with my mana and channeled as much as I could muster, but you're the one that actually connected my mana to the moon. I originally thought it was luck that I managed to pull that spell out of my ass, but the more I think about it... it had to be you. There's no way I could accidentally consume my mana and access the well of power in this rock. I also realized that I wasn't even thinking of the moon when I reached out with my mana, I was thinking of the link between us to indirectly reach the moon, but would that really have worked?"
Nightmare turns her head back towards the planet and closes her eyes with a quiet chuckle. "It would not have, your theory is correct." There's a brief silence but I hold back a response as I sense that she still has something to say. "Do you actually think they'd free me from this hell early?"
"I do. Luna thinks you should have a second chance and she even managed to convince Celestia to seek out the opinions from the elements of harmony before she makes a final decision."
A sudden new voice to my left jump scares the hell out of me as I roll away in surprise. "I wouldn't really say I convinced her, all I did was mention the idea and after some consideration on her own she elected to listen to me."
"Holy shit Luna you startled me... how long have you been here?"
"Since the beginning. Once I realized I had fallen asleep I waited for your dream to appear." Her eyes shift up as she looks behind me. After a brief stare down Luna dips her head down, "You truly have my thanks, for saving him."
Nightmare rolls her eyes, "Please, as if I'd just let my only chance at an early freedom die to a mere Ursa Major. If anything I should be scolding you for recklessly draining so much of your mana when you know you're in a dangerous region."
"That is true, but that's not actually why I'm here. I need to know the truth, Nightmare, the question I dared not to ask while my sister was with me. Do you think both of us truly deserve a second chance? I only voted to give you a second chance because I was being given one, but do either of us really deserve it?"
"Yes. The combination of your resentment with my corruption created a negative feedback loop that spiraled us into madness. I had no awareness of what I was doing by influencing you, in my original form I had no thoughts, no feelings, I don't even remember what my existence was before you. In the same vein you had completely lost yourself with no control of your own body after the corruption reached a certain point. It's comparable to somepony blaming a mindless virus for infecting a victim while also blaming the victim for unknowingly catching an illness. I'm sure there could be an argument made that would justify blaming either of us, but we have both suffered through 1,000 years on this barren rock! I would rather die than suffer through another millennium of.... This!" She makes a sweeping motion with one of her forehooves pointing all around herself. By the end of her explanation she's clearly upset and frustrated.
Luna does nothing but stare at the alicorn in shock, and my face probably looks the same. If they were the same consciousness back then, then doesn't that mean they spent the entire 1,000 years up here alone.
Insight.
19 + 10 = 29.
"I'll free you."
"What?" Both of the alicorns loudly ask as they both look at me.
"I can't do it now, but in a year or two I'll have the capability. You've convinced me, I don't know why Harmony sent you back up here when it separated the two of you, but I think it's a mistake. Surely you agree with me Luna?"
"If everything is truly as she says then yes, I agree. My memories are hazy, but it felt like I was in control of myself. I don't know if I believe her."
"Your memories are hazy, that's evidence enough in my opinion. The fact that you aren't 100% certain you were in your right mind says everything we need to know. You would know if you were in complete control. Now, if you two will excuse me I'd like to enjoy the rest of my sleep."
I wake up to find one of Luna's wings has spread open and given me a partial blanket. Said alicorn is still laying her head on my chest while hovering a book in front of her. "Comfortable?"
Laughing loudly I watch the book fall out of the air as Luna startles and goes stiff with a yelp. "That's for startling me in the dream! Now we're even."
The pony flips over and squints her eyes at me with a pout. "You understand of course that this means war, yes?"
"Yeah yeah whatever you say. You ready to head into the mountains tonight?"
"My body only has a few dull aches here and there so we should be able to proceed at our usual pace. I do intend to have breakfast before we depart, though."
"Oh for sure. I don't want to skip breakfast either, I was curious about your condition and misworded my question."
Around half an hour later Luna teleports the empty plates back to the palance and both stand up with a stretch. While I'm taking down the tent Luna gives me some good news. "Your suppression never wavered last night and it's even still going right now. You've improved considerably."
Unfortunately in the same way someone can make you start manually breathing, her pointing it out has caused me to start consciously paying attention to it again. I must've gone on autopilot at some point when I was going over my spells with her. I'm still able to maintain it but it's taking a portion of my focus now. That does remind me of something though, "Hey Luna remember in Ponyville when I asked if you could unsuppress your presence and you mentioned not wanting to do it in the middle of town? Can you demonstrate it now?"
"Ah right, I'm glad you reminded me. Now that my mana is completely replenished I don't mind."
Suddenly all the noises of the forest go silent and strong winds start to whip through the area. My eyes widen in surprise when the moon and all the stars in the sky disappear and it's like darkness is surrounding me.
Wisdom Saving Throw.
13 + 6 = 19.
On pure instinct I take a step backwards, but it feels like I'm being watched from every angle, I can't escape.
You are Frightened.
All my hairs stand up and it's like something is screaming at me to give up, it's over. In an instant everything returns to normal, and I release a shaky breath. The difference between that and mine is quite large, but that's to be expected. The more interesting thing is that mine caused me to look in a certain direction and to instinctively move from 1 object in particular, but hers felt like I was surrounded by 100 Luna's with nowhere to go. I wonder if that specific difference is due to the mana disparity or if that's just her unique flair for her presence.
"That was unpleasant. It felt like I was at the end of a long pursuit in pitch black darkness and that resistance would be pointless. I was being pressured from every direction."
She gives me an apologetic look, "That is quite similar to how it's been described to me in the past. I will give you credit, though, you fared much better than most. I've had several creatures just hyperventilate until they pass out. If you ever find yourself facing a presence that has you frozen you can try to do the opposite of suppression. Flare your mana up and it should alleviate some of the pressure."
"Does flaring up your mana work the other way around as well? That sounds like it should make my own presence more potent."
"Not quite, from my experience it just adds killing intent. You mentioned that you felt like resistance was meaningless, but you didn't feel like you were going to die, that your death was imminent."
"Got it. That makes sense I suppose."
It's been a few hours and now we've gone far enough west that snow is starting to fall. All this snow combined with the fact that it's the middle of the night has my teeth chattering while we walk along. Somehow though, none of this is the worst thing going on right now. "We're being watched, Ignis."
"I know, but I can't figure out where it is or if it's more than one." We've been followed for around 15 minutes and this deep seated dread is starting to settle in. Whatever is following us is close now. "Disable Passive Perception." I need to actively roll here, my passive 16 isn't cutting it.
Perception.
20 + 6 = 26.
Right as I turn around to look behind me I notice something also comes to a stop 30 or so feet away from us. I know something is there but with it not moving it's incredibly hard to see it, it must be blending in with the snow. I stop walking and squint and that's when I see it. There are small hairs sticking out of the "snow" that seem to draw several straight lines. As soon as I notice it I see 8 eyes snap open and watch in horror as 3 giant spiders stand up to their full height.
Wisdom Saving Throw (Disadvantage.)
10 and 16. 10 + 6 = 16.
You are frightened.
"AHHHHH! SPIDERS! LUNA IT'S SPIDERS! FIREBALL!" These giant spiders are actually quite similar in size to the giant spiders in faerun, but due to a run in with said giant spider at an early age has left me utterly terrified of the bugs. I throw my palm in the air and as the small flame starts to form and spin in my hand I project a Strengthen rune in front of the fire.
Luna turns as her eyes widen when she hears me scream, but they widen even more when she hears the last thing I said. "Wait, Ignis! DON'T!"
But it's too late, on pure instinct I surge mana out of my palm while at the same time I unleash the fireball. Luna yells out a loud no as the Fireball combines with the mana as it passes through the Strengthen rune and expands. Half an instant later I'm blown backwards and Luna launches herself into the air as a massive 40ft radius ball of fire explodes outwards when it comes in contact with the spider closest to us.
With a massive dump of adrenaline still running through my veins I scramble to my feet, and start to wonder why we aren't rolling for initiative? As soon as the explosion dissipates into several small fires all over the ground and on the tree's closest to the spiders I see why. All 3 spiders are limp and charred, completely toasted.
+600 XP: 93,600/100,000.
Oh. That was way overkill.
"What in Harmony's name is wrong with you, IGNIS!" Luna yells at me from the sky. My face heats up in embarrassment, looking up I can tell from her face she's stunned in disbelief at what she just witnessed. "You're going to burn down the entire forest over a few spiders?!"
On the brightside I'm no longer feeling cold, but the downside is that this is by far the most embarrassed I've ever been in front of her. So much so that I can't even look at her anymore, I just look at the ground with a sheepish look. Quietly muttering out my justification, "I told you I'm scared of spiders..."
I hear snow crunch next to me as Luna lands next to me and sighs. "Who would've guessed this would be the one time you act like a typical stallion." She ignites her horn and a steady torrent of water erupts from the tip of her horn as she starts to do damage control on the fire. Luckily all the trees are damp and covered in snow so it shouldn't be too dangerous.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting them to be so big and I panicked."
"It's fine, it's fine. I just wasn't expecting your reaction to be so visceral. Good news though we're about to start climbing the first mountain so the tree's and bushes should thin out. Giving any would be stalkers less coverage to hide."
"Ugh so you mean it's going to get even colder?! I did not pack the correct clothes for this trip."
"You're wearing the only clothes you own, Ignis."
"Exactly! I fucked up Luna! Whenever we set up camp I'll be okay but I have no way of keeping warm while we walk. Please tell me you have something?"
She rolls her eyes and her already activated horn glows a bit brighter as I feel the cold dissipate replaced by a slight warmth. "Ohhh yeah that's perfect." I give her a hug around her neck, "Thank you Lulu~"
She still looks annoyed but there is a slight blush from the unexpected hug combined with her nickname. "Don't thank me yet, this is a good training opportunity." I pull away and she displays 2 runes in the air. "This is the first two runes of the spell, figure out what the last two runes should be and cast it yourself. You have 2 hours until my spell wears off and you'll be cold until you can figure it out."
Oh for fucks sake. Wait, can I just roll for this? It's....very loosely arcana? Fuck it let's try.
Arcana Check.
9 + 13 = 22.
These first two runes don't appear to have any particular reason why they are together, but if I use this for the third rune it'll mean "regulate" and temperature is considered one of the fundamental runes so that one is easy. This should work?
I wave my hand in the air and project the 4 runes then stack them into a pile and place the top of the pile on the palm of my hand. Putting my palm against my chest I push mana out of my palm and through the runes into my chest, and nothing happens. Oh cause the spell is already on me. "Luna, can you end the spell? I'm pretty sure I got it figured out but I can't test the spell because it's already applied to me."
"Are you sure? I highly doubt you've figured it out when I barely covered any of the combinations with you. I know I didn't cover the one you'll need for the spell." She's not wrong she didn't cover it, but while she was teaching me she had her book open to two pages that did nothing but cover common combinations. I don't have the keen mind feat but 20 Intelligence still goes pretty hard, I remember basically everything from those two pages. It was on the right page, 7th row.
"Yeah I'm pretty sure."
"Alright, but I'm not reapplying it if you're wrong."
The dim light from her horn fades and within a second I feel the cold start to seep into my bones. A few seconds later I redo the steps I did previously and send the spell into my chest. I feel the familiar warmness wrap around me like a blanket and offer a smug smirk to Luna. She actually looks a bit disturbed. "Did you memorize the combination for "regulate" from the few seconds I had the page open in the book?"
"Yep. I had to recall the image, but I remembered it."
"Hm, well, good job I suppose."
"How do I make it last longer than 2 hours?"
"Oh yours is only going to last for 10 minutes. You just need to use a "Strengthen" rune. One will increase it to 2 hours and another one will increase it to a day." It's actually ridiculous how hard spells scale with the Strengthen rune.
Once the spell ran out I used a strengthen rune and reapplied the spell for two hours and soon enough we'd reached the peak of the first mountain. From here the fog is so dense that we can't even see the peak for the next mountain, but that's alright. We're going to set up camp here and I'll show Luna my new spell. Putting my arm through the Mizzium I pull out a crystal bead and perform the one minute casting time to cast Leomund's Tiny Hut.
Arcana (Mizzium DC: 16.)
11 + 13 = 24.
Luna watches with a bit of childlike wonder as a transparent dome expands from the bead and passes through us. Within seconds the inside of the dome feels comfortable and the ground under us is completely dry and free of snow. "From the outside of the dome it's an opaque white color so that it blends in with the snow. From inside it's transparent and I can dim down the light inside or even make it completely dark. The spell is configured so that any creature or object that was inside the dome as it originally expanded and was established are the only things that can pass through the barrier. No other creature or object can enter inside here even if they detect us. Oh and spells cannot go through the barrier either, both ways, so don't cast something or it'll probably bounce around and nail one of us."
"This is incredible. Something like this with equestrian magic would require the caster to actively channel the spell for the entire duration. Why haven't you been using this the entire time?!"
"It takes a 3rd level spell slot and to be honest I kind of forgot it exists. I only remembered it because I started thinking of a spell that could alleviate our climate problem."
After 30 or so minutes of idle chatter Luna ignites her horn and attempts to teleport in our dinner, but we both look up at the dome when we hear two plates shatter against the barrier and our food slides down the outside of the barrier. After the initial shock we both burst out laughing and realize we have to eat the food outside since it's not an object that was configured to be allowed in the dome.
Somehow we end up laying down in the same position as yesterday, but as I'm falling asleep I just think about today and smile. Looking at Luna with her eyes closed I smile and think to myself. For once we actually just had a pretty normal night...I might be in trouble.
> Main Quest - Journey to the West pt. 10
Clonk... Clonk-Clonk... Thump.
What in the hell is that noise? Rubbing the sleep out of my eye I find some white furred monkey looking thing banging his hands on the dome of my spell.
"You think if we ignore it it'll go away?" Glancing down at my chest at the source of voice I find Luna looking very unbothered while staring at the creature.
"What even is it? It looks like some weird monkey." She snorts with a laugh at my remark, and I realize it's because I've been called those exact words in front of her before. "The irony of my observation is not lost on me, but seriously what is this thing?"
"I believe it's a yeti. I've never seen one with only two legs though, and never one this large." It's honestly not that huge, I'd say it's maybe 20ft tall? Then again I think the Ursa has ruined my perception of how large things are.
"Interesting. I think I'm okay with ignoring it. Theoretically it shouldn't smell us and it definitely can't see us or hear us. Do you know how many hours it's been since I put up the dome?"
"It's just about sunset so I'd wager it's been 6.5 or 7 hours. This dome only lasts for 8, correct?"
"Yup. You think it has any friends? Like do these things usually operate in packs?"
"Ignis. Why do you think I would know that? What about "Princess of the Night" says to you "she knows the intricate behavior of a niche creature"?"
"Wow, some princess woke up on the right side of the elf. I just ask you questions I don't know the answer to. Are you saying you don't know?"
Her face was pretty neutral before despite her sass but now she actually looks annoyed before letting out a big sigh. "No, they don't typically travel in packs larger than two or three."
"SEE! You did know! I never doubted you!" Her annoyed look starts to falter as she fights to keep the smile off her face when I start tousling her mane with my right hand.
After a few more seconds she finally caves and starts laughing and flailing, "CEASE THOUST NEFARIOUS PLOTS AT ONCE! It'll take me ages to fix this!"
I notice a lot of movement out of the corner of my eye and completely freeze when I look outside of the dome. Luna realizes something is up from how abruptly I stopped moving and she freezes as well when she looks outside the dome. There's at least 10 yeti's standing and pointing at the dome, one of them is slowly approaching with a massive boulder. The one carrying the boulder is just a bit taller and wider than the others, must be the pack alpha or some equivalent.
"Okay we need a real plan now Luna. These things actually seem moderately intelligent, do you think it's worth trying to communicate with them?"
"We won't be able to. I've been trying to read their lips but they're either making grunts and noises, or speaking in some other language, we won't be able to communicate. We could try to posture ourselves to present as non-hostile, but I don't know if that'll work either."
"What if I fight that big one and take him down? Maybe the rest will back off?"
"...That sounds insane, but if you actually think that'll work then it's probably the best option we have other than just ambushing them with magic as soon as the dome falls."
We've probably still got 20 minutes left for the dome, so I'm just going to throw hands with this yeti. Since my power "Updated" I can smite with unarmed strikes now, so throwing hands doesn't seem so crazy now. I pull the Moonblade off of my waist and set it down on the ground next to Luna, and I put on the Mizzium. "Enlarge!" Casting the same spell I used on the train but this time I doubled in height. Luna has a strange look in her eyes as I remove the Mizzium and roll my shoulders, eliciting a few cracks as I get ready to fight.
Standing up to my full height, my head and shoulders pop out of the dome. I immediately start mimicking monkey noises while hitting my chest and pointing at the biggest yeti.
Animal Handling.
3 + 2 = 5.
The yeti's all step back in surprise at my sudden appearance from inside the dome, but quickly start to glance at each other in confusion while a few of them point at me. I was making an assumption that they would mimic monkey behaviors, but there's a pretty good chance I just look like an idiot to them right now. Let's change tactics, I point at myself then point at the alpha, then I form my right hand into a fist and punch my left palm. This is pretty much the universal way of saying "Let's Fight."
Intimidation.
19 + 1 = 20.
The other yeti's start making strange noises as they move away from the dome and myself. They walk a few feet to the left and form a circle. The alpha has been giving me a glare the whole time, but once they form their circle he drops the rock with a loud thud, gives a big huff out of his nose and points to the circle. It's been about 18 seconds since i casted Enlarge.
Making an effort to keep my chest held high I slowly walk into the circle with the larger yeti. Once we're in the circle we start slowly walking around the outer edge of the circle across from each other, eyeing each other up.
Roll For Initiative.
13 + 5 = 18.
Launching forward with my right fist raised in the air, I let out a roar as my fist arcs over my head and down towards the stomach of the yeti. He swings his left fish up to try and make our fists collide, but my plan was always to feint. I pivot to the right and my entire body is on his inside now with arm going straight up, he's wide open. Let's finish this in one hit, to finish the move I swing up towards his head and deliver a jumping uppercut to the yeti.
16 + 5 = 21.
4 Bludgeoning Damage.
Level 4 Smite: 5d8 = 21 Radiant Damage.
My fist connects with its jaw with a loud crack and explosion as the yeti stumbles back a few steps looking dazed. A small trail of blood is pouring out of its mouth from the bottom and running down to its blunt chin. All the noise the spectator yetis were making instantly falls silent. Before it can recover I'm going to hit it again. Unfortunately I can't smite again, but that's fine. I swapped out Mage Hand for Shocking Grasp since I can use telekinesis on demand now.
With one big step I close the distance and slam my left arm forward imitating a palm strike. The yeti tries to flail an arm into the path of my strike, but that's what I was hoping for. My flat palm quickly snaps into a death grip onto the wrist of the yeti. I yell out, "Fulgor!" and cast Shocking Grasp.
14 + 9 = 23.
13 Lightning Damage.
My bracers glow indicating I can use my bonus action to recast Shocking Grasp, and that's exactly what I do. While the yeti is twitching with a yelp from the electricity running through him, I squeeze his wrist again and shout out the same spell.
19 + 9 = 28.
19 Lightning Damage.
The yeti's arm starts to smoke from getting fried with current, and it snatches its arm backwards escaping my grasp. I start to panic a bit when the yeti flexes both of its hands and long claws pop out of its fingers. The yeti gives me a killer mean mug as it stabs its hand forward trying to impale me. I barely manage to step back and avoid the stab but it leans forward and swipes down, slashing me from my shoulder down to the middle of my chest.
Hit Points: 59/75.
Okay fuck this. I squint at the yeti and quietly mutter the incantation for Hold Monster. I watch as silver lines appear over the yeti and it stops moving. It seems like the other yeti's aren't even aware something has happened. My turn ends and after a couple of seconds I can instinctively tell it's my turn again, so it failed its second saving throw. I take two big steps at the yeti and throw my right fist backwards, and half way through my wind up I start shrinking back to normal size. Shit, Enlarge and Hold Monster are both concentration. It doesn't matter, this is a guaranteed critical.
Letting out another roar I lean forward and punch the yetis gut as hard as I can.
Automatic Critical.
4 Bludgeoning Damage.
Level 5 Smite: 6d8 + 48 = 75 Radiant Damage.
It sounds like a massive clap of thunder as my fist makes contact with the yeti. As soon as I hit it a huge explosion of silver light erupts from the yeti's backside and its pupils disappear showing only the whites of its eyes. Should I kill it?
I decide to spare its life and stop concentrating on Hold Monster. As soon as I do it drops onto its knees then falls forward laying flat on its stomach. A pool of blood starts to form under its head, it seems like that punch gave it some serious internal bleeding that's leaking out of its mouth. I watch as a small cloud of fog comes out of my mouth as I let out a big sigh and start slowly turning and looking at the yetis surrounding me. Closing my eyes I stop suppressing my mana.
Intimidation (Advantage.)
20 and 19. 20 + 1 = 21.
The yetis yelp and scatter leaving their alpha to die on the ground. Crouching down I place my hand on the yeti alpha and cast Cure Wounds at 3rd level. To my shock I see that 3rd level Cure Wounds is 6d8 now instead of 3d8. Apparently part of the update included a buff to Cure Wounds so it's 2d8 at level 1 and increases by 2d8 every level.
6d8 + 1 = 41 Hit Points.
Within a few seconds the yeti rolls over onto its back with wide eyes, it looks pretty shook to be honest. The yeti sits up and uses its hands to slide backwards away from me as it looks around and realizes it's been left alone. It's starting to breathe rapidly so I put my hand against the slashes on my chest and cast Cure Wounds again, but at 2nd level.
4d8 + 1 = 19 Hit Points: 75/75.
The gashes glow brightly and then close up leaving very light scars. After that it seems like the yeti realized I used the same healing on him, he stands up straight and holds his right fist against his chest before slowly walking away. Walking back into the dome I drop down onto my ass and notice Luna staring at me. "Do I have something on my face?"
"Your cloak is torn again."
"Oh...yeah. I can fix it pretty easily now, though!" I put on the Mizzium and cast Mending a few times. It takes 1 minute per cast but it fixes any tears or holes in an object as long as its less than 1 foot in all directions. "There we go, good as new."
"Interesting, our version of that spell requires raw material for whatever you're repairing. The more I see of your magic the more I think Tia's initial judgment was inaccurate. Your spell casting does seem designed to intentionally limit you, but some of your spells are much more practical or efficient compared to ours."
"She's right. I never told either of you about the folly of Karsus did I?" She shakes her head no. "It's a bit of a long one so I'll explain it while we continue west."
"So he harnessed the power of a cosmic level spell and tried to become the God of Magic, but instead he severely damaged the fundamental foundation of your magic system. The God of Magic had to sacrifice themself and magic stopped working briefly, which caused several floating cities to fall and killed thousands?" Luna gives a small recap as she slowly maneuvers her way down a steep decline.
"Yep. The future of an entire empire weighed down on his shoulders and with the motivation of such a burden he overstepped his capabilities. After that the Weave was repaired and the new God of Magic implemented a few strict restrictions on all magic for us mortals. To make sure something like that never happens again."
"I can't imagine somepony's domain being Magic. Cadence's domain can theoretically surpass mine and Tia's, but I can't imagine Magic ever being surpassed."
"If it's this world? I agree, but Mystryl or Mystra back in the Forgotten Realms were not the most powerful gods. I think they were up there for sure, but the Overgod was the most powerful."
"Oh Ignis, I just remembered something! When you stopped suppressing your presence with the yeti's I felt it inside the dome. I know our Equestria spell's can't travel through the barrier because I was unable to teleport our food inside, but I think raw mana can actually pass through the barrier."
"That's...surprising. Maybe that's why the yeti's were interested in it to begin with? Perhaps they're able to see or sense mana like Celestia and they noticed something was inside the dome?" Now that we're traversing mountains our progress has slowed considerably. I'm starting to wonder why we don't just fly? "Luna, can we just fly from here? You're full of mana now so you should be able to give me wings. I know we didn't fly before because I can't fly very fast so it'd have likely been the same speed as walking, but it'd save us a ton of time here."
"We could I suppose...if you're tired of spending time with your Princess then I guess we can fly to the colony tonight..." Oh so that's how it is?
"You did mention that we'd have less time together once the thestrals are fully integrated...yeah we can keep walking."
We ended up climbing over the 2nd mountain and made it to the peak of the 3rd mountain a couple of hours after the sun came up. Typically we'd continue for another hour or two but we'd rather make camp up here on the peak to enjoy the view.
> Main Quest - Journey to the West pt. 11
XP: 98,000/100,000 Bladesinger 9/Paladin 2.
I'm pretty close to level 12 now, and if my memory is correct I should get a 6th level spell slot. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal because I won't be able to learn any 6th level wizard spells for another level or two, but I have the Mizzium Apparatus. I can cast any spell from my wizard or paladin spell list as long as I have the components for it and the spell slot available. I hadn't even considered this when I first picked this item for my reward, but every day it proves to be more and more valuable.
Some people say 7th level spells is when magic based classes start to "ascend" as it were, but in my opinion 6th level spells is really where the power starts to ramp. I get Disintegrate, Globe of Invulnerability, and Sunbeam. More importantly I get access to Tenser's Transformation and Tasha's Otherworldly Guise, on the surface the spells are very similar but they have completely different use cases. Tenser's Transformation prevents you from doing any spellcasting while transformed and Tasha's does not. Tasha's also gives you flight and increased AC as well as some damage immunities, but Tenser's is pure damage output. If it wasn't for Glyph of Warding and my Moonblade I'd probably never use Tenser's but I have a few ideas to really crank every drop of power from this spell.
Anyways enough min/max powergaming talk, let's recap the last 2 days. After the encounter with the yeti's we didn't run into any other issues, and with the heating spell we had a nice and relaxing stroll through the mountains. That being said they were also uneventful, but it was a nice change of pace to be honest. Just now we crested the peak of the 9th mountain, and through the fog just off in the distance we can finally see it. The Northern Luna Sea.
Perception.
5 + 6 = 11.
"Aren't we supposed to see the entrance to their colony from here? I'm not spotting anything." While I'm looking around I start to rearrange all my belongings so I can put on the Mizzium Apparatus.
"It's not something you'd be able to see with your eyes. Climb down the northern side until you reach the lower cliff." Jumping down with featherfall I stand on the lower ledge and my confusion only rises. To my north is the open air and eventually the sea and directly behind me is the steep wall I just climbed down. "This cliff wall is an illusion. I'm not sure how they've done it but there's a constant stream of extremely high pitched whistles coming out of this wall. Only those with thestral hearing would be able to tell where the illusion is or that there even exists an illusion."
I watch with a surprised look as she just flies through the cliff wall 15ft above me. Well isn't that nifty? She flies back out and after loosening the straps of the Mizzium so it hangs lower down my back she gives me wings again, and I slowly follow her through the illusion. Now that I'm inside I can tell the opening is just barely big enough for Luna to fit through. The inside of this cave is an almost 90 degree vertical drop into pitch black nothingness. Even with my Devil Sight I can't see what's at the bottom. The walls going down are all covered with small concave pores, and if I had to guess they're using these divots to create the sound Luna is hearing. There's a pretty strong updraft in this vertical tunnel so it makes sense, but I didn't think ponies were that academically inclined to know acoustic science.
After around 600ft the vertical tunnel starts to level out and turns into a hallway. Eventually the hallway opens up into a massive and wide open cavern. Looking around in amazement I can't help but to gawk at the castle like tower spires built into the cave walls and ceiling, but why is the actual floor of the cave completely bare? Also, even with all of those spires and windows built into the cave wall this doesn't seem like it'd hold enough ponies to be considered a colony, more like an outpost. It's also eerily quiet in here, something isn't right. In an instant I reach for my Moonblade, but before my hand can reach the hilt...
Acrobatics Check.
4 + 9 = 13.
You are grappled.
Somehow the bastard was completely silent as he divebombs down and connects his hooves with my shoulders pushing me forward. As I'm falling forward something pushes against my back and my hands get tugged behind me, causing me to suffer a pretty uncomfortable landing against my chest and face.
"Stop! That is my knight, he's with me!" Lifting my face off of the floor of the cavern I see at least 10 ponies have formed a circle around me, turning my head I realize they're completely blocking my line of sight from Luna.
"Pardon our rudeness, Your Majesty, but I assure you the creature is fine. We just merely needed to take some precautions." Some feminine voice with a strange but light accent responds to Luna a few feet away from me. Right as she says that I feel the Moonblade and its scabbard get pulled away from my hip. "Remove that artifact from his back as well. Our intelligence has noted that his emotional state is unstable and his temper will flare from minor provocations. Because of this we require the, ahem, "knight" to be disarmed before he is permitted entrance to the main living cavern."
Acrobatics Check.
18 + 9 = 27.
As soon as I feel two of the four hooves pinning me down leave my body to reach for the Mizzium I roll to the right, causing one of the ponies on my back to lose balance and stagger. In that instant my hands break free and I instantly push myself to my feet. "Okay chuckle fucks you have exactly 5 seconds to give me back my sword, or you'll find out just how much my temper can really flare."
Now that I can get a good look at them they seem like pegasus but with bat-like wings and fluffier ears. The look on their face is the exact same look I've seen several pegasus make though, fear. Glancing at Luna I can see she's also quickly becoming frustrated at this awkward situation. "I discussed this with your Chancellor several times and was assured we'd receive a warm welcome. I suggest you all listen to the elf."
The bat mare standing next to Luna with a slightly fancier set of armor looks a bit apprehensive. Almost like she's trying to decide if it's worth dying on this hill. "With all due respect Your Majesty, this creature is not part of our pact of service. We will still allow him to accompany you while you're here, but until we can formally renew the pact it was quite difficult to convince my ponies that he be allowed to remain armed. We were going to verbally negotiate this, but once he reached for the blade it forced our hoof."
"Your 5 seconds ended 4 seconds ago, by the way." My jaw clenches a bit tighter.
"Hang on Ignis, let me understand their reasoning first. Chancellor, you mentioned specifically that he's vulnerable to provocations, but why are you operating on the assumption that he will be provoked? Is there something else you failed to inform me of before our arrival?"
The thestrals surrounding me seem to have gotten over their initial fear and have stiffened up their stances. "There are some..." She rolls her hoof in the air as if she's carefully choosing her next words. "Concerns that he will not be receptive to some of the terms laid out in our pact. I'd rather not discuss them here and now, but there was some worry that he would become violent during the negotiations. We also assumed he would be opposed to us meeting in private before the negotiations to discuss some of our other concerns."
My patience has just about run out, but something in the back of mind is telling me that exploding here is exactly what they want. It would validate all of their worries and prove them correct about their assumptions. "How about this? One of yours can carry the sword, but it doesn't leave my sight. That blade is more than just a weapon for me, it's an heirloom and one of the few things I have left from my family and my home."
A few of the bats glance back at the mare seemingly in charge as she hums in contemplation. Finally she glances at Luna and with an annoyed tone she replies, "That is acceptable. We still require that you wait in one of our holding rooms while our council has a meeting with Her Majesty." She turns towards Luna, "They're already ready for you, our scouts reported you'd be arriving soon."
Luna looks at me with a questioning gaze, as if she's leaving the decision up to me. I reach into my pocket and squeeze my sending stone. "It's fine. Take Callisid with you and request that I specifically be allowed to wait outside the room for the meeting." Next I cause Callisid to silently poof into existence in Luna's mane. He's not completely concealed but she can just say that's her personal pet and demand it stay with her. Finally I need to lower their guards, so I'll let them think Luna will listen to their demands over my own opinions. Outloud this time I speak to Luna, "I don't like it, Your Grace. Surely you can just order them to allow my accompaniment?"
Deception (Advantage)
20 + 1 = 21.
Luna looks a bit confused for half a second until I think she grasped what my intention here is. "Apologies, Ignis, but you'll need to cooperate with them for the duration of our stay here." Looking back down at the mare she continues, "I don't know where you intended to have him wait, but I would at least request that he be no further than 1 room away. As a sign of good faith?"
The mare nods and all of the thestrals surrounding me seem to finally relax, and back away from me. We all take to the air and they lead us into one of the larger spire's through a window. We walk down to the base of the spire and go through a hallway that must be directly inside the walls, and after a few minutes we emerge into another spacious and massive cavern. There's two metal gates and several more guards, but looking through the gates as we approach I can tell that beyond this gate is an actual city with conventional buildings and structures.
As we pass through the gate I squeeze my Sending stone once more. "At least these guys have some backbone, they were afraid of me just like a lot of the Royal Guards but they still held their ground. If all of this works out and they aren't complete assholes I can definitely work with this."
"It's to be expected, from what I can tell, all they've done for the last 1,000 years is train and hunt. I'm not sure if you noticed or not but we have yet to see a single garden or source of vegetables and fruits. They might actually make good sparring partners for you if my assumptions are correct."
"Yeah maybe without magic or my dice rolls. Not to toot my own horn, but comparing where I'm at now to where I was a month ago it's a fairly unbelievable pace of improvement. Give me another month and I could probably give you or your sister a run for your money."
"Perhaps, but I think you're approaching the point where your improvements will slow down considerably. Your training is going to run into the problem of, I believe it's called, diminishing returns. Don't be too discouraged if you do stagnate in the near future."
Should I tell her that I'd only need to solo kill 4 Ancient Red Dragons and I'll basically be level 20? The fact that we're likely going to be in conflict with the dragons in the near future will basically force me to level up fast. Could I kill an Ancient on my own? It's feasible at the very least, I have the damage output to take one down it'd just be a matter of if I can kill it before it kills me.
Eventually we reach a much more grandiose looking building, and I assume this is the place for the "council" they talked about. Going through a series of double doors we reach an area that has several floor mats and chairs for lounging, and at the other end of the room is a more ornate set of double doors. I sit down feeling pretty annoyed and Luna walks through the ornate doors with the mare in charge and a couple of guards. The other 8 guards are all sitting in here with me. Alright Callisid lend me your eyes and ears. "I'm pretty exhausted from our journey so I'll just rest here until they're done. Please don't disturb me." They don't even acknowledge that I said something, so it'll probably be fine.
Meeting Hall of the Council - 3rd Person POV
"I'm glad to see you arrived safely, Your Majesty." There's a tall wooden structure on one end of the room that has 5 seats for 5 thestrals. The pony in the middle is the one greeting Luna.
"We finally meet, Chancellor Umbra. First things first would you mind explaining why my knight was assaulted upon our arrival?"
"I'm sure the Major has already gone over our reasoning. The real question is, why have you given up and become subservient to the Sun? We've been preparing and training for generations upon generations of thestrals for the Night of Return. All wasted once we learned of your fall." All 5 ponies look down at the Princess.
"Excuse me? Nightmare Moon was cleansed from my being and sealed away, and to begin with the plan of an everlasting night would've doomed all life on this planet. Secondly, I am not subservient to my sister. I am her-" Luna completely stops suppressing her presence. "-equal."
All of the ponies present freeze in fear as their pupils shrink to pinpoints and something weighs down on them. The Major and the other 2 guards stumble backwards into the wall behind them on instinct. "S-S...So you say, Y-Your Majesty, but you're s-still not involved in th-the major decisions or the laws of the kingd-dom." To her credit, the Chancellor is continuing to hold her ground despite all of her instincts screaming at her.
Luna goes back to suppressing her presence and all of the council members sigh in relief. "I've been back for 7 weeks, roughly, and nearly half of that was spent traveling or participating in the Global Summit. The entire legal process for Equestria has to be updated to start passing documentation and proposals through both the day court and night court. If I'm going to spend this entire meeting defending and proving myself then we can just end this now."
"Your Majesty, we're just trying to put things in perspective before we start. You've come to us to enlist us once more into your service, but none of the ponies in this mountain were alive 1,000 years ago. With all of that in consideration it's a bit difficult for our citizens to get behind the idea of leaving all of this behind for a Princess we've never even met before. It's even more difficult once word got around that you had no military and no power, so here is a list of terms for our side of the pact."
A new guard flies down from the ceiling and hands over a scroll to the lunar princess. Some of the demands are as benign as, We require meat to be served for at least 1 meal per night, but some are completely absurd. "Surely you jest, Chancellor? "The Night Watch will only take orders from the Generals or the Chancellor." Why would I want a guard that I have no control over?" She continues to scan the document with growing annoyance.
"You need us, Your Majesty. We don't need you. If you were our true Goddess instead of this weaker form you'd perhaps be able to demand our service. This isn't all of our terms, by the way. We have another set of terms that is much shorter but is specifically in regards to your "knight." It was decided that it'd be best for him to be present when going over those terms, however so it's in a separate document."
Luna feels the raven hiding in her mane start to shiver and tremble, but she's unsure what it could mean. Glancing up from the scroll she glares at the Chancellor. "Don't act like you're all thriving in this cave without me. My ears are just as strong as all of yours so you should know throughout my entire walk through your city I heard a cacophony of stomachs growling for food. Your environment isn't suitable to grow plants, even outside of the cave, and you're unable to change the weather like pegasi. I'm sure you're all adept hunters and the gigantification of all the creatures in this region probably helps, but you can't possibly hunt enough to sufficiently feed hundreds of ponies. I'd wager you're all mostly making due with mushrooms."
The alicorn flaps her wings and hovers in the air, sick of looking up at the council and continues her tirade. "This is a matter of tradition and honor. The thestrals have been the backbone of the Night Guard since the unification of the tribes, and to try and make demands of me is outrageous. You all should be honored that Equestria is willing to welcome an entire tribe of traitors with a smile on their faces."
The Chancellor snaps at the end of the rant and stands up from her podium and points a forehoof at the princess. "Then call it reparations! As a race we lost everything because of you. My ancestors supported you throughout all of the turmoil and they lost their home, their friends, some of them even lost their lives. All because you LOST! Yes, we're currently suffering through a particularly rough patch of a food crisis, but you can't sit here and act like it's no fault of your own! All we ask is that you at least consider it. You were told there would be a negotiation, so you can convince us to remove any of the demands at that time."
The raven covers its eyes with its wings and starts to cower. Luna actually deflates a bit and loses most of her anger at the stinging words from the Chancellor. She slowly flies back down to her previous position and continues to read the scroll. Towards the bottom of the document she see's what is by far their most outrageous demand. "The Princess must take one thestral as her Prince Consort?! Have you all lost your minds?"
Callisid flies up into the ceiling with a loud squawk of fear. A few of the guards stare at it in confusion, but Luna quietly whispers to herself. "What is wrong with his familiar?"
The raven actually preemptively answered her question when it squawked and flew away, but Luna was unable to understand the familiar.
I've never seen the young master this angry before. His killing intent was leaking through our mental connection and it was even causing me to shiver.
Before the Chancellor can respond to the alicorn's outrage every set of ears swivels towards the door as several crashes and thuds ring out in quick succession. All the dust on the doors is shaken off when the door suddenly flexes and vibrates.
"Stop! You can't go in there?!"
"Restrain him!"
"Private, go request backup!"
The Major and several guards unlatch themselves from the ceiling and start flying towards the doors in a panic, but before they can reach the doors the ornate wooden rectangles are sent flying into the room with loud cracks as they tear off of the hinges. A bipedal creature that seems to be on fire walks through the empty doorway and silently steps towards the council.
"YOUR ANCESTORS DESERVED EVERYTHING THEY GOT!" Several thestrals in the room look enraged at the provocation, but the elf continues. "They didn't even have the resolve to continue the fight once Nightmare was banished! They should've fought to the bitter end and died with honor, but they didn't do that! They ran. They should've at least stayed in Equestria and received their punishments, but they didn't do that either. They ran. THEY HID LIKE THE COWARDS THEY WERE. Sure they would've face discrimination and ridicule, but they could've kept the image of Luna alive. Her Grace came back to a kingdom that didn't even know her name, she was slowly forgotten to time. None of them even know what a thestral is! If your ancestors were worth a damn then Luna wouldn't have come back to an empty section of a castle, with no guards, with an entire country that doesn't even know she existed!"
Luna tries to call out to the elf, but he can't hear her as he continues to tear into the council. "The fact that you even have the gall to try and tear her down and make demands from her is insane. She was sealed in the moon for 1,000 years against her will with no way out. That should be an understandable reason for her lack of action during that time period, so WHAT IS YOUR EXCUSE?!"
A mass of ponies in armor start to pour into the meeting hall through holes in the ceiling and what used to be the doorway, so Ignis decides to wrap up his rant. "I guess I should be thankful though. If any of you were worth a damn I wouldn't have become her paladin. It's only thanks to your ancestors' cowardice and your continued insistence to hide from the world that I even had this opportunity. So, I should thank you. Here let me show you a customary sign of gratitude and goodwill from the culture of my homeland!" The elf holds up his left hand with only the middle finger raised.
He knows that no one on this planet will appreciate what he just did, but he did it for his own amusement. Luna, shield your ears. The elf calls out through the Sending stone as the mob of guards starts to close in on where he's standing. Luna quickly ignites her horn and blocks her inner ear as she watches the bladesinger in confusion.
The Mizzium starts to hum loudly and vibrate as the guards get closer and closer. Luna can barely make out his figure when she sees him slam his palms together as hard as he can. Her hearing is protected so she doesn't hear his incantation, but a shockwave of purple energy explodes out from the elf as most of the guards that were close to him are sent flying away. The rest of the guards that didn't get sent flying are writhing on the ground while covering their ears with their front hooves.
Thunderwave against extremely sensitive hearing proved to be as effective as Ignis thought it would be. Luna feels the air vibrate as the thunder continues to ring out and echo in the enclosed room and once she feels the air settle she undoes her hearing protection spell. Feeling satisfied after venting his anger the elf calms down and sighs before addressing the thestrals gathered around him. "So how about we call things even now, let bygones be bygones and start over fresh?"
One of the guards still writhing on the ground next to Ignis responds, "WHAT?"
> Main Quest - Journey to the West pt. 12
By the time their ears had stopped ringing all of their anger had wafted away. The bats were much more wary of me after that, but it seems some of the things I had said to them had some effect on them. "So Chancellor what do you say? Let's start over and try this again." I call out to the pony from below their podiums.
"While your words may hold some truth, we would still refuse to serve under this knight. We also think he is unsuited to be your personal guard. Since Her Majesty employed you she's been captured by changelings and nearly trampled by an Ursa Major. You are far too weak to be trusted as the sole protector of her life. If she had a personal retinue of thestrals neither of those things would've come to pass. At the very least we refuse to acknowledge you as part of the Night Guard." They're intelligence network is... impressive.
"How many of you would be in her personal guard unit?"
The Chancellor looks a bit confused for a moment, "The standard unit is 12 ponies. They would be the best of the best."
"Do you already know which of your guards would be in this unit?"
"Of course. We were prepared to deploy them immediately following negotiations."
I start to stretch my arms and chest then crack my knuckles. "Alright, let's see who's more deserving to be her personal guard? Your elite unit or me and myself."
Luna whispers in my ear before the Chancellor can respond. "Do I not get a say in this, Ignis? What kind of knight has a competition to decide who stands beside me?!"
I reply with my normal speaking voice, not caring if they hear me. "I didn't say the winner would actually be your personal guard, Luna. I just said the winner would be more deserving. Either way it's fine because I don't plan on losing."
"Don't think you'll win just because of that cheap trick you pulled earlier. Now that we know you have that capability we'll be prepared for it." I just give the Chancellor a smug smirk in response.
"So does that mean you agree to the fight?"
"With one additional stipulation." Now I'm frowning, this can only mean trouble. "If we win, every demand in that scroll will be met. If you win we'll acknowledge you as the 2nd in command."
That's it? All their requests seemed pretty benign as far as I know, they just wanted autonomy and to be served meat. I stopped listening before Luna got to the 2nd half of the scroll though, so there might be something egregious in those demands. I decide to glance at Luna and see what her opinion is. "Ignis you surely aren't actually thinking about this, are you?"
"I was... why? Is there something super heinous in there? I stopped listening and seeing through Callisid when cuntface up there blamed all of their problems on you."
"One of the last demands listed there is that I have to accept one of the thestrals from this colony as my Prince Consort."
I'm still in the middle of mentally processing that when the Chancellor calls out to me. "Well sir knight, where'd all your confidence about winning go? If you're so sure of your victory then prove it."
"Every demand but the consort one." I respond in a flat tone.
"Hm?"
"I said every demand except the consort. It's not up to us to decide that, and it's shameful for you to have even listed that as a demand."
Persuasion.
17 + 1 = 18.
"Fine. Follow me." The Chancellor flies down and lands next to Luna before leading us away towards the back of the cavern. Once we reach the back wall of the cavern there's a staircase on the ground that leads down into a decently sized empty room. Well, mostly empty. There are glowing runes all over the floor with blue torches on the wall, this room is definitely magical.
Sensing that we're both about to ask what this room is, the Chancellor preemptively answers us. "You lay down on one of the glowing glyphs and anypony that's asleep on the glyphs will be in the same dreamscape. We commonly use it for tournaments or to settle disputes as it allows you to go all out without needing to worry about killing your opponent. Just wait here while we go retrieve your opponents."
"Luna... quick question. Can't most people do whatever they want inside a dream? Only limited to what your imagination can conjure?"
"I've seen a few ponies with that ability to do so, but it's rare. I'd wager most could do it with practice but the difficult part is training yourself to recognize you're in a dream so you can experiment with it. However, I think I see where you're going with this, and the answer is no. You cannot control or freely manipulate a dream if it's not your dream. That's why I have to use my magic to either fight off and banish the nightmares or to make the dreamer realize it's a dream."
"Well it was worth a shot anyways. If I could freely manipulate the fighting arena then they could bring every guard in this mountain and I'd still win." I need to get Callisid back in here. Waving my hand I summon the raven from wherever he was hiding earlier. "Hey Cal, in a few minutes we're going to be unconscious on these glyphs. I need you to keep an eye out for anyone approaching us while we're unconscious and wake us up before anything happens."
Y-yes, I will keep the both of you safe.
"Cal... are you.. Scared? Of me?"
I just need some time, sir. Before your coma you were such a diligent and nice boy, and I just never expected to feel that much rage and killing intent from you.
"Oh right I guess you were killed before I went into the changeling hive and I didn't resummon you until well after it, so that was the first time you've seen that side of me." That reminds me, my hair is fucked up again. Is it easier to trigger the transformation now that I've done it once? It's a bit of a problem because now that I've transformed it's harder to maintain my suppression again. "Sorry about that buddy, I just didn't appreciate them shitting on Luna and using her as a scapegoat. They're lucky I cut off the connection when I did because if I had heard about that consort bit while I was still actively enraged... it would've been bad."
By the time I calm down my mana to return my hair back to silver the Chancellor has returned with a decent number of guards. Once everyone is in the room they seal the chamber and we all lay down on the ground above the glowing glyphs.
Opening my eyes I find myself in the everfree forest on a cold night. It's strange though because there's no stars or moon in the sky, but it is technically a dream so I guess it's fine, right? Looking around I see several Scrying orbs scattered around, is that for the non-combatants? When do we start the match? Well while I've got a few seconds let's test my idea, even if Luna said it won't work.
I try to imagine a dying ancient red dragon appearing next to me. Of course nothing happens. Looking at my XP bar I try to imagine the number just rapidly increasing to 400,000, but that doesn't work either. Alright well it was worth a shot.
Perception.
15 + 6 = 21.
Crack-snap. A twig just broke several feet behind me, did the match already start? Turning around I see 4 of the guards positioned in the tree's with 2 on the ground and they all scatter as soon as I see them.
Roll for Initiative.
11 + 5 = 16.
I can barely hear the sound of something whizzing through the air above me and it's getting closer. With a quick hop to the right I watch as one of the bats zips through the area where I was standing. An instant later I hear the same sound but from several directions at once. "Shield!" Sparks are sent through the air as several bats have their wing blades deflected by my shield, but one slips through giving me a pretty deep cut on my left arm.
-10 HP: 65/75.
Ignoring the stinging sensation I quickly look around and try to lock in on 5 of these bastards. My best shot is going to be taking out as many of them in one move as possible. There's 3 above me that are banking in the air to come back towards me and 2 that were too close to the ground after getting deflected by my shield so they ended up landing and sliding. All 5 are within 30ft of me so this is perfect.
I take in a huge gasp of breath as I flourish the Moonblade and everything blurs as I start zipping through the air towards the 3 bats above me.
Roll to hit: 3 targets, 3 rolls.
10 + 9 = 19. 14 + 9 = 23. 12 + 9 =21.
Within a fraction of a second I can feel the blade slash and cut all 3 targets as everything blurs again and I teleport to the 2 bats that were on the ground.
Roll to hit: 2 targets, 3 rolls.
17 + 9 = 26. 11 + 9 =20.
Appearing next to the 5th bat on my feet I flick my wrist and throw all of the blood off the blade. Next I hear the sound of high pressure liquid spraying, it's their blood spraying out from their wounds.
Roll for Damage: 5 hits. 6d10 times 5.
28. 36. 24. 43. 35 Force Damage.
3 of the bats poof into thin air which I assume means they died, it was 2 in the air and the one I landed next to on the ground. The other two don't seem to be doing so hot though, the last one that was in the air dropped out of the sky and collapsed back down after trying to stand. The other one has dropped onto her knees for both forelegs and has stuck her wing blade into the ground to keep herself propped up.
Glancing around I spot a few more of the thestrals hiding in trees or hovering high in the sky, with 3 dead and 2 currently incapacitated that leave 7 more to find. Out of those 7 I've spotted 6, so I've just got one bat unaccounted for. Well I've learned my lesson from the Ursa Major encounter, I still have my bonus action so I'm using my Bladesong.
I let my mana run wild as an ominous song starts to shred through the air. Apparently now that I've gotten much better at mana control the wisps that used to form around me are instead appearing as a slightly opaque silver aura forming a 5ft circle around me that goes 2 or 3ft above my head. AC: 23. (Click here for bladesong music.)
To an outsider this must look a bit intimidating because the two injured bats have started shuffling away from me with their eyes wide open. "That's three down." I decide to lean into the intimidation.
"Formation Delta Three!" One of the injured bats on the ground shouts out loud and I watch as 3 more bats take their position in the sky above me. The 3 of them form a rough triangle before angling themselves upside down, heads pointed at me. Then while they're starting to fall all 3 of them open face towards the center of the triangle they've formed and lock one of their wings halfway open. They're effectively becoming an ultra sharp rotating drill that's barreling towards me. Another 3 are flying straight at me from 3 different angles, and all 3 of them are just a couple of feet above the ground, I see what the point here is. They've cut off all routes of escape, no matter which way I dodge I'll be moving straight into one of their wings.
I start to sprint towards one of the bats flying above the ground and the injured one on the ground shouts, "Formation close!" The bat I'm running towards squints and speeds up, all of the other bats have tilted and angled themselves to pincer me.
"Shield!"
Acrobatics Check (Advantage Bladesong.)
8 and 15. 15 + 9 = 24.
While sprinting towards the bat right in front of me I leap into the air and pull my legs up while casting my shield spell. Thanks to this leap the other bats are forced to fly at me in awkward directions. Performing a snappy somersault I land with both feet onto the bat I jumped towards, within an instance I jump towards the other 2 ground bats and the drill formation bats. Since the 2 other ground bats had to pull up to keep flying towards me and drill formation going straight down had to tilt themselves diagonally there's now a perfect gap for me to jump through as I leap off of the guard I landed on.
To an outside observer I just ran towards one of the ground bats, jumped onto his back and then leaped diagonally through a small gap formed by their altered trajectories. It becomes my turn while I'm still in midair and time slows down as it registers in my brain that 7 bats are all grouped up right below me. Instantly my mind is made up.
As I cast this spell for some reason my body calls out an incantation that I haven't used before, but it just feels... right.
"IGNISS!" I hurl the level 4 Fireball straight into the grouped up mass of thestrals and grin as it explodes on impact.
44 Fire Damage.
The smoke clears and only 2 of the 7 bats remain, but both of them are collapsed on the ground with singed fur and smoke wafting off their bodies. That's two collapsed with a third one immobile a few feet to my right, the one that's propped up on her wing blades. That means 8 are dead and 3 are out of the fight. There's only one left and it's the one I couldn't locate.
I land on the ground and glance around in every direction trying to find the last bat, when suddenly I hear a feminine voice chuckle behind me. "Not bad, elf. Honestly we didn't think we'd have to resort to our own cheap trick, so I must commend you for pushing us this far."
Turning around I look at the mare and I'm extremely confused to see a thestral mare... with a horn? A thestral alicorn? What is going on right now? Above her are well over 50 corporeal swords and spears hovering in the air pointed towards me.
It was a trap all along. This dreamscape isn't a neutral battleground; it uses one of the participants as the origin point and brings every other creature into their dreamscape. I'm not sure how you can win this one, bladesinger.
> Main Quest - Journey to the West pt. 13
Statistically speaking I can't block or dodge that many blades if we're going by dice rolls. What if there aren't any dice rolls though? I have sixty years of memories and six weeks of training and sparring with Luna without relying on the dice. I think that's going to be my best bet for now. "Enable Real Time Mode."
Without wasting another second I lean forward and start to sprint towards the cheating thestral. Do you have any actual ideas to help here, Nightmare? Technically they still have a pact with you, can't you just tell them to fuck off?
While I'm responding to the sealed alicorn in my head all of the conjured weapons floating above the pony start to zip through the air towards me. With a hard pivot to the left I turn and start running in an arc towards the bat. Several of the weapons are fractions of a second too late as they impale the ground behind me, but there's still a few I have to swing at with my Moonblade to deflect them away.
As I get closer to the thestral I hear her click her tongue in annoyance and the ground starts to rise on both sides of me. The walls start to curve until they've forced me out of my arc and now I'm running straight at the bat. She's used the earth to make a narrow pathway so I can't dodge! I'm not concentrating on a spell right now, right? I'm fairly certain I'm not. "Provolo!" With only a few seconds to spare I cast haste.
The dirt walls on both sides seem to blur as Haste doubles my speed and all of the remaining conjured weapons that were still hovering in the sky fly completely over me as the thestral alicorn widens her eyes in surprise and jumps backwards. "In a world where you're only limited by your imagination and this is the best you can do?"
In hindsight maybe taunting the person that can freely manipulate this reality wasn't the greatest idea. She fires off a huge beam of pure black magic that tears down the dirt walls as it barrels towards me. With a quick muttering of words I tap my foot on the ground twice and Misty Step into the air above the thestral. It seems she's completely unaware as I start to fall through the air and swing my blade towards the back of her neck.
Sparks fly as my blade hits an invisible shield a few inches away from her. Her head snaps to the left as she looks behind her and the look of surprise is shifting into one of fear when she spots the blade starting to glow with a bright silver light. Level 4 Smite!
The shield shatters like glass as an explosion of silver light flashes from the Moonblade and instead of cutting into her neck my blade just slices through a cloud of smoke. Any of the dirt walls that were still standing crumbles as the smoke twists and turns through the air before rematerializing into the bat pony several feet away from me. Did she do that in the instant I shattered her shield or is that an automatic response that I need to strategize around?
Everytime I counter her she just responds with an even more absurd move. It really is starting to seem like I can't beat her. If I don't give her even an instant to respond then I can maybe pull something off. If I was in turn based right now I could rack out a Fire Bolt, a 2nd Fire Bolt with Haste, and a 3rd Fire Bolt with the bracers. That means theoretically I should be able to just rapid fire 3 of these...
"Fire Bolt!" Normally I'd use a Strengthen rune but the point here is to fire all 3 of these off as fast as I can, damage is not the end result. One of the fire bolts hits the shield and results in a mini explosion while two strike the dirt right in front of the thestral kicking up a cloud of dirt, dust, and smoke. Now that her vision is obscured is when I make my real move.
It's just a dream so it shouldn't fuck up my body at all to do this next trick. Just like when I was in the changeling hive I surge all the mana into my legs and feel all of the muscles bulge and flex and cramp as I zip through the air like a blur and close the distance between myself and the bat. I won't give her any time to react this time, imbue the level 5 smite before I hit the shield.
The wind from my near instant movement starts to blow the smoke and dust away as my sword slashes through the air, but just before her vision clears my blade hits the shield and instantly shatters it with the explosion of divine power. Unfortunately my plan had the same effect on me that it did on her, just as she was unable to see my next move due to the obstruction, I was unable to see that her horn was glowing brighter than it had at any point during our fight so far.
The same instant the shield shattered the smoke cleared enough for me to see the extremely bright blue light emanating from her horn and it feels like my chest is being caved in as a second explosion rings out. A bright blue shockwave explodes out in all directions sending me flying backwards through the air, and after a few seconds there's a distinct cracking sound as my back slams into a tree.
-53 HP: 12/75.
All the air is knocked out of my lungs and the Moonblade flies out of my hand. Crumpling onto the ground I try to stand as my vision shakes. Nightmare I could really use a response this time, if you have any ideas I'm open to input.
This isn't your dreamscape, bladesinger. The only way I could provide assistance is by directly taking control of you.
....Can you guarantee victory if you possess me?
No. There is a chance however that they would recognize me as their pact holder and listen to my commands.
The alicorn thestral starts to slowly strut towards me with her head held high and smug smirk on her face. I try to fully stand but stagger back down onto one knee as a series of shocks wrack my body. I lost concentration on Haste, and this is the lethargy effect. "Any last words, O mighty knight?"
Glancing at my character sheet for anything that I can use right now, anything to turn the tide, and my eyes widen in surprise when I look at the very top of the character sheet. Giving my own smirk at the bat I respond to her taunt, "Add 1 level to wizard. Confirmed."
XP: 100,100/100,000. Level up available!
The 8 thestrals I killed in this dream gave me XP! Time freezes as all of the level up information occupies my vision.
Level 10 Wizard new features unlocked!
Song of Defense. When you take damage while bladesong is active, you can use your reaction to expend one spell slot and reduce that damage by an amount equal to 5 times the level of the spell slot expended.
FEATURE ERROR ???: Your understanding of the True Bladesong deepens.
Select two new spells from the wizard spell list to add to your spellbook!
"Conjure Minor Elementals and Animate Objects."
After reconfiguring which spells will be prepared once the simulated long rest is complete I glance at my spell slots and confirm that my memory was correct. I couldn't learn any 6th level spells but I have a 6th level spell slot.
Spellbook Configuration Confirmed! Simulating Long Rest.
New Hit Point Maximum: 82/82.
Time resumes and I feel all my power surge within me as I easily rise to my feet, completely free of wounds. "Let's wrap this up." I place my left hand on my chest and cast Guidance. Next I start channeling the Mizzium Apparatus which causes the tubes to hum and glow as the entire machine starts to vibrate and rattle as I channel a 5th level spell through the device for the first time.
Arcana Check (Mizzium DC: 20.)
12 + 13 = 25 + 4 (Guidance) = 29.
My eyes glow with power and when the thestral makes eye contact with me she completely freezes as my spell starts to worm its way into her mind.
"Wake up."
The words echo throughout the dreamscape as they're embedded with power from the weave and my eyes glow brighter as I fully complete the casting of the 5th level spell known as Geas.
I watch as her own eyes begin to glow as she squeezes them shut and starts to hiss through her teeth. "What dark magic is this?! Mental manipulation was banned long before we even went into hiding! Why are your words repeating and screaming into my skull?! I REFUSE!"
It seems like she failed the saving throw. Even if the target fails the saving throw though they are allowed to refuse the command. The caveat being they'll take up to 50 psychic damage if they do refuse, and considering most of these thestrals died somewhere between 29-37 damage... I don't think this will end well for her.
My assumption is correct as the whites of her eyes start to turn red and blood starts to leak from her tear ducts and nose. Suddenly the entire forest is gone and I'm floating in a dark empty void, and after a few seconds the scene shifts to the landscape I usually see when I visit the spirit inside the Moonblade. Glancing around in confusion when I suddenly feel a pair of hooves land on my shoulders and a pair of wings wrap around me from behind. "You did it, Ignis! You won! What was that final spell you used?! It completely ruined the poor mare."
Ah it's Luna. "It's a pretty powerful spell known as Geas, it lets you order a creature to perform a service or refrain from a specific act for up to 30 days. They're allowed to refuse the order but they receive immense psychic damage upon their refusal. I simply ordered to wake up since I figured if she woke up it'd be the same as me killing her. Should we wake up now?"
"That's probably for the best, but we need to discuss that spell more in-depth before we return to Canterlot."
Closing my eyes I focus on ending the dream and everything fades away until my eyes open and I'm back in the room full of glowing glyphs inside the mountain. Looking to my right I see there's several thestrals all gathered around one in particular and after my eyes adjust I can tell it's the mare that was cheating inside the dreamscape. It seems like since the damage was pure psychic damage it didn't stop at merely affecting her inside the dream it assaulted her mind completely.
Rising to my feet I slowly approach the circle of thestrals only to realize that some of them are in complete despair, full on sobbing. Confused, I look towards the mare again and realize her eyes have no pupils and they look much duller than normal. My breath quickens as I process the scene before me and it dawns on me that she isn't breathing...what have I done?
I've killed her.
> Main Quest - Journey to the West pt. 14
An armored stallion is cradling the mare in his forelegs and wings and his whole body shudders as he starts to sob. One of the thestrals closest to me turns around enraged and starts trying to push me away. "What is wrong with you?! You... you're a monster!" I just continue to stare at the corpse in shock.
"I... I didn't know this would happen..." This is far from the first creature I've killed, but those creatures were... evil. Those were on purpose and it was kill or be killed, but this was an accident.
Wisdom Saving Throw
11 + 6 = 17.
The haze in my mind clears up for a brief moment and I'm able to push down the shock and guilt for long enough to realize I can fix this. I still have time. "Luna, can you transmute bits into copper?"
"I... what? I can but is now really an appropriate time for this?"
I dig into my bit bag and pull out a handful of the gold coins, "Yes. I can save her, but I need two copper coins. I'll need a diamond worth over 300 bits as well, but for now I need the copper. Please transmute these for me."
The look of confusion is still present but Luna trusts me completely so she ignites her horn without any further questions. Once I have the copper pieces in my hand I quickly approach the grieving group of thestrals. I only have 30 more seconds at the most. Bats between me and the corpse hurl insults and curses at me as they try to keep me away, but I just keep mumbling the same phrase as I slide around and past them.
"It's okay. I can fix this."
The last obstacle is the wailing stallion that I'm starting to think must be her husband. Once I'm within reaching distance he clutches her tighter and screams out at me to stay away. "Haven't you done enough?! What more do you want from us?"
I quietly mutter the same response I've been repeating like a mantra and I can feel all of the thestrals behind me release my cloak and slowly back away. They must have realized I'm truly trying to help, is what I think to myself, but really they were backing away because the husband had pulled a dagger from somewhere and was thrusting it towards me. My gaze was so transfixed on the corpse that I didn't even notice the dagger, and if it weren't for Luna and Callisid screaming out my name I wouldn't have realized something was happening.
I glance up and my eyes meet the tear filled glare from the husband as his dagger slides cleanly into my gut.
Critical Hit.
-38 HP: 44/82.
I can taste copper in my mouth and feel a trickle of warm liquid flow down my chin as I continue to stare at the stallion. "Please. Let me help her."
The room falls into silence as the stallion pulls away from me in shock and confusion, leaving the dagger in me. I don't wait for a response as I set one copper piece over both eyes of the mare. The Mizzium starts to hum once the Material components are set into place and I cast Gentle Repose on the dead thestral. Since Gentle Repose is a 2nd level spell and it's impossible for me to fail the Arcana check the spell casts without even needing a roll.
The copper pieces fade away as a dim silver light envelopes the fresh corpse. Everyone around me is watching with bated breath as they wait for something to happen, but they don't realize this spell was just a spell to buy me time. If Luna isn't able to teleport in a diamond for the Revivify spell then Gentle Repose buys us 10 days. For 10 days this corpse won't decay, it's completely protected from the passage of time.
Something hard lands on my shoulder and I turn to see a somewhat large diamond being held in Luna's telekinesis. Quickly grabbing the diamond I cast Guidance on myself to prepare for the Aracana check for my next spell. I just need to roll a 3 or higher and I pass the check, but just to be even more safe the Guidance will give me an extra 1d4 on top. The silent thestrals start to murmur in discontent as nothing happens to the corpse and I can tell their patience is already growing thin. I know revival is seen as impossible to ponies so I can understand their disbelief and apprehension.
Once Guidance is cast I gently pull the mare away from her husband and lay her down on her back. Next I place the diamond down on her chest, where her heart should be, and my hands start to glow with a blinding white light as the Mizzium hums to life once more.
Arcana Check (Mizzium DC: 16.)
2 + 13 = 15 + 1 (Guidance) = 16.
I'm glad I casted Guidance but it looks like I took longer than I thought to reach her corpse.
Amount of time since the time of death exceeds the maximum allowed for this spell. Revivify Failed.
The diamond was consumed anyways... "She's been dead for too long. I have to use a more powerful spell. Luna I need another diamond, this one needs to be worth more than 500 bits." Her horn lights up a few more times as if she's casting Sending repeatedly, and I can only guess that she woke up Celestia to help us. Her horn lights up 1 final time a diamond nearly the size of my head appears in the air.
She floats the diamond over to me and one of the bats closest to me yells at me. "Why are you continuing this charade? You can't revive the dead, nopony can!"
"This spell is going to take me an hour to cast so please give me some space and some time." They give me a few steps of space but it's not enough to make me comfortable about what I'm about to do. If I fail this Mizzium roll they're all within range of some potentially deadly spells. "I need more space. There's a chance this could go wrong and all of you are too close, we don't need to risk anyone else dying tonight."
That seems to do the trick as they walk to the other side of the room and stare at me intensely. I can't say I'm of fan of 18-20 ponies glaring at me, but I don't blame them. I place the diamond in the same spot as last time and after casting Guidance again the Mizzium starts to hum.
Arcana Check (Mizzium DC: 20.)
5 + 13 = 18.
I watch with bated breath as the triangle shaped d4 rolls around in my vision, please don't be a 1 please don't be a 1.
2. 18 + 2 = 20. Spell casting will now begin.
I sit down on my knees next to the corpse and put my hands together with 3 fingers raised on each hand creating a hand sign for vitality. Immediately a glowing green circle starts to form on the ground around the corpse. Eventually there's going to be hundreds of glyphs inside this spell circle, but it takes an hour for them to form. I hear the ponies behind me start to murmur and ask questions when they see the glowing green light and I decide to give them some good news.
"The dangerous part is over, you all can come back now if you would like to. It's just a matter of time at this point." A few of the thestrals, including her husband, slowly saunter back over to where I'm sitting and the husband takes her forehoof and holds it against his head and he quietly mutters a prayer repeatedly. This continues for the full hour and finally the spell circle is complete. I release the hand sign and place my palm over the diamond as I start to speak the incantation for the spell and it sounds like I'm saying multiple words at the same time and my eyes begin to glow.
The next thing I know there's a blinding white light and once it's gone I quickly blink my eyes to readjust them to the dark room. I realize I'm somewhere completely different. Looking around I'm completely puzzled as I'm standing in what seems like a void with aurora like fog and white motes of light aimlessly floating around.
"You are overstepping your authority, bladesinger." Turning around I find an alicorn that's slightly bigger than Celestia but this one seems more... ethereal. A thought enters my mind that is not my own as an unfamiliar voice whispers recognition into my brain. This is Harmony.
"Where you're from this might be commonplace, but in this realm these souls are mine. It is completely out of your jurisdiction to disrupt the harmonic cycle of life and death."
"I'm just trying to fix my own wrong doings. This mare doesn't deserve to be punished for my mistake."
"I'm aware. It's only because this intention is pure that I have even decided to speak with you. All the souls under my purview are in a cycle of reincarnation, by reviving this thestral you've caused a zebra on the other side of the world to suffer a miscarriage."
"But why? Only deaths from natural causes like illness and old age should be applicable. It wasn't her time to go yet, and was only caused by my intervention."
The ethereal alicorn starts to slowly circle around me. "Do you not believe in fate? If she was not meant to die in that moment then she simply would not have died. You are changing what has been written."
"Then is it not fate that I revive her? If she was meant to die then my Raise Dead spell would not have been successfully casted."
"It's not so simple. You're an outside variable entirely, you do not exist in my pages, by all rights you shouldn't even be here. Your presence altered the purification of Nightmare Moon in such a way that if I had let you die under that pile of rubble my elements would not have recovered, and they would have been defeated. This forced my hand into saving you at the last second and awakening your true power for a brief moment. Although you have been an instrument of good since then I have only allowed you to continue your existence because so far you have not disrupted fate. The dragon you encountered before the summit was meant to be taught a lesson by Kindness but he was instead killed. This was indirectly your fault but one of my own avatar's was the one to actually kill him, so I ignored that change. This thestral was not fated to die by your hand but she was fated to die today. Even in this way you did not alter fate, but with this revival you threaten to unravel the threads of this realm entirely."
The Goddess comes to stop directly in front of me and pierces my soul with her gaze. "Knowing this, will you still revive her?"
"Of course."
I watch as an extremely large tome is conjured into the space above us. The book cracks open and the pages flutter around as the book jumps to a specific page. Once the pages stop moving the entire book glows brightly and I watch as the unreadable text fades and shifts into a completely different set of hieroglyphs. Once the change is complete the alicorn flies up to the book and reads the pages before turning and glancing back down at me. "The consequences of your choice are not catastrophic this time. However, there has been a change. It's a change you'll have to live with. I urge you to never use this magic again, bladesinger."
Everything fades away and I'm back in the thestral colony, hovering my hands over the thestral corpse. The diamond has disappeared and as the silver light enshrouded around the mare fades away a spark of life returns to her eyes as the dullness ceases to exist and she draws in a massive breath with a gasp.
A chorus of voices ring out with shouts of shock, but it's all like static in my ears as the newly revived mare stares at me in terror. She's completely frozen and her eyes widen even more as I reach my hand out towards her. She starts to scream bloody murder when my hand touches forehead but I just ignore it as I mutter out the incantation to cast Cure Wounds at 4th level.
8d8 + 1 = 38 Points of healing.
The terror fades from her eyes as the drying blood on her face is erased. I slowly rise to my feet and walk towards Luna. While I'm walking I hear the whispers of the thestrals around me and the shouts from the husband of the formerly deceased. "Wasn't she dead? I thought healing didn't work on those that had already passed?" - "Did he revive her?" - "It's a miracle! You were dead Starshine! That knight... is he..." "Divine?" "A God?" "It must've been a Divine miracle!" "Even in the ancient texts our goddesses never had the power to revive.."
It's hard to make out the individual thoughts while they all talk over each other, but that's the most I can decipher from the noise. Between the guilt of killing that mare and the existential dread I received from my conversation with Harmony I'm completely overwhelmed and my emotions have gone numb. Luna's looking at me with a mixture of fear and pity and it dawns on me I can use this to our advantage. Pivoting on my ankle and turning around to face the thestrals again I pull the dagger out of my guy and wince in pain before calmly speaking out to them.
-8 HP: 36/82.
"Do you fools now recognize the power you've tried to manipulate and take advantage of? I'm merely a paladin, a conduit for Her power and I was still able to perform this miracle. Will you repent and join me in servitude for Her in Canterlot?"
Performance Check
4 + 5 = 9.
The thestrals start to murmur and argue amongst themselves. It seems some of them have been convinced to cease their selfish shenanigans, but some, the Chancellor included, are stubbornly refusing to admit their wrong doings. I just sigh in disbelief, "So be it. Luna, can we go back now?"
"I'd prefer if we found a place to rest here for a few hours so you can properly recover, but I agree that this is a lost cause. Even if you had convinced them with your deception there I'm not sure I'd have even taken them."
"That wasn't deception. That Revival spell wasn't from my spell book, it was from the divine link we have as your paladin. It was technically your power that brought her back from the abyss. I won't say no to some sleep in a comfortable bed though, the bedroll was starting to hurt my back."
-5 HP: 31/82.
Looking down at my gut in confusion I watch as blood spurts out of the stab wound and pours down my cloak. I hear Luna's voice, "Are you not going to treat yourself? You can't just let that continue to bleed, Ignis."
"Yeah... it's just weird because normally I don't continue to lose health from my wounds..." Placing my palm on the wound I use all 10 points from my Lay on Hands pool and the wound finally closes. HP: 41/82.
Curious if this dagger has a special property that applies some type of bleeding debuff I wipe the blade clean and deposit it into my backpack. Once I'm finished with that I follow Luna out of the magical chamber. The thestrals are still arguing as we climb the stairs, seemingly oblivious to the fact that we're leaving.
After wandering around the city for a few minutes we end up in a bit of an awkward encounter. "Dam, Dam, look! It's the Mare of the Moon!"
Luna pauses and turns to face the squeaky adolescent voice so I stop as well and follow her gaze. It's the first set of civilian thestrals we've seen since we got here and holy shit they are so adorable without armor on! The foal's parent points at Luna and replies to the child with an equal level of excitement. "That's Princess Luna! She's returned to rescue us! We're just waiting on word from the council so we can start packing our things, and finally return to our homeland."
This causes Luna and I to look at each other with a frown. After a second or two Luna decides to approach the two of them. "Good evening little one! Do you see that scary looking elf over there with the silver hair?" The foal nods, "That's my knight, he knows all kinds of cool magic, have you ever seen magic before?" This time she shakes her head no. "You should go ask him to show you some, I promise he's not actually scary." The filly looks a bit apprehensive but once Luna makes eye contact with the mare and she realizes that the Princess wants to speak with her privately she encourages the child to run over to me.
"Miss Princess said you could show me cool magic!" Flashing a genuine smile for the first time in what feels like forever I sit down criss cross on the ground so I can be at eye level with the foal.
Making sure to keep most of my attention on Luna so I can hear their conversation I think of a few tricks I can show off. Since she's looking into my eyes I'll use Thaumaturgy to change their appearance. "Sure, I don't mind showing you some cool magic. What's your name?"
"Eclipse! It's so cool how your eyes look like ours! Dam said in the anc-anshe.. Old books that the other ponies were scared of us cause of the slits in our eyes. I think that isn't very nice of them. And-and yours are red which is so cool! I haven't seen any red eyes before it's so pretty..."
"Eclipse huh? Well my name is Ignis. What do you think the prettiest eye color would be?" She thinks about it while I listen to Luna explain the situation with the list of demands to the mother. To my surprise the mothers face is plastered with horror that only seems to grow as the list goes on.
"I think white or silver would be the prettiest for you, but then it wouldn't stand out from the rest of your eye so... you'd have to make the other part of your eyes black! Can you change your eyes?!"
Imagining it in my head it's not a bad look, but combined with my hair it's almost a little too much white and silver. I snap my fingers and follow her request though, making my actual eyeball black and my iris's silver, but letting them keep their dragon-like appearance. Before I open my eyes to reveal the change I listen to the mare rattle off apology after apology to Luna... did the civilians have no clue what the fuck was happening?
Opening my eyes the filly gasps and her own eyes expand like saucers. "That's so cool! What else can you do?!"
Channeling the Mizzium I cast the cantrip Dancing Lights and 4 orbs of light appear over the palm of my hand. Holding out my index finger I make the lights orbit around the finger super fast and then I have them follow the tip of my finger as I wave it around in the air. The kid is just going woah every so often, and it's adorable. Finally I hear the conversation between Luna and her mother winding down so I flick my finger and point towards her mom and have the 4 orbs fly through the air and start doing orbits around the mare. The filly yells in excitement as she chases after the orbs flying towards her mom, causing Luna to giggle while the mom still looks horrified about their conversation.
"So let me guess, they had no idea the council was making a grab for power and trying to manipulate the situation so they could retain control over them?"
Luna just sighs. "I'm afraid so. All of the civilians were told was that soon they'd be rescued and taken back to the homeland where food grows in abundance and nopony goes hungry."
"How'd she react when you told her we weren't rescuing them and their shitty council ruined it for everyone?" The alicorn doesn't respond and her eyes shift to the side, attempting to avoid looking at me. "Luna, you told her right?"
"No. I'm not going to condemn this entire colony because of a few corrupt leaders, Ignis. She's going to gather up all of the denizens to meet in the middle of town and we're going to interrogate the Chancellor. I'll have a scrying spell setup so the thestrals in town can hear and see our meeting and we'll get a full confession from her."
"Okay I don't mind that, I think that's a noble thing to do actually. However, what are we going to do about the Night Guard? The main reason for coming here was to bolster our non-existent guard, but if these guards are willing to blindly follow corrupt orders do we really want them?"
"Hmm, that is true. We can use the refugee changelings as our core force and open up recruitment for any of the civilian thestrals. That'd still leave us with over 100 guards, easily. From there we can open recruitment to all equestrian citizens. I also wouldn't completely remove the guards here from the table, though. A majority of them are likely just indoctrinated and think they have no choice but to follow orders that seem amoral, and with some training we could easily teach them to not follow evil orders."
"It's your guard, so do what you wanna do. Personally I think indoctrination is too hard to undo and I'd never trust any of them. I'd only let them be janitors. It's an important job but I think it's the job they can do the least amount of damage with if they were to continue with their corrupt ways."
"The thestrals won't arrive in Canterlot until after the gala, so we can just iron out the details then. For now let's just focus on exposing the council and the Chancellor."
Callisid kept me updated on the movements of the Chancellor so we only gathered all of the civilians into one spot once the council went back into their meeting chamber. The guards did notice the public gathering but the ponies just made up some story about waiting around to meet the Princess and they bought it.
Luna set up the scrying receivers and then requested a private meeting with the Chancellor and as we went into the private meeting chamber the Chancellor ordered the two guards outside to not allow anypony to disturb us. Now I'm sitting here ready to cast Arcane Lock on the door at a moments notice and Luna has the room soundproofed. We're taking both of these precautions because it won't take long for the guards patrolling the city to notice what's happening and the soundproofing will prevent them from alerting Umbra from the outside and my Arcane Lock will keep them from entering.
"So, Chancellor Umbra, we've settled our disputes and my knight has proved himself, so I have to ask if you've reconsidered how you want to approach this pact." Luna is giving her one last chance, one last out.
"I have to admit I was underestimating the both of you, but the reason I was so quick to accept this meeting is because I'd like to say that we're happy to re-enter the pact with you with no terms or demands."
Luna smiles brightly, but it seems she didn't quite catch the wording there. She's still pretty new to modern English so I don't blame her. "You'd like to say that, so why can't you say that?" I ask before Luna gets too excited.
The alicorn looks at me in confusion as Umbra sighs. "It's the council. I'm just a political figurehead; the council holds all the real power. They're terrified of losing their power and control over this colony, and are willing to give up our only salvation and anger our Mistress for their own pettiness. They're even prepared to mobilize the guards and institute martial law to keep everypony here if either of you tries to convince the civilians to leave."
This causes me and Luna to look at each other with concern. We didn't expect it to be this bad. "Why haven't you spoken out to the public about this? Why do they have such an iron grasp on their power here?" Luna asks the Chancellor with sincere sympathy in her voice.
"The food shortage. The land to the east of the mountains is dangerous, but that ground is plenty fertile to farm and grow sustenance for the colony. They have manufactured this food shortage so that they can bribe the guards with extra food to uphold their commands. They silence anyone that tries to speak out with their ideas or campaign to take one of their seats from the council. Things have not been going well around here..."
Something doesn't add up here. Thankfully Luna seems to notice as well and she asks a very valid question. "Why not bring this up during our dream meetings then? Dreams are my domain and we had complete privacy, there was no reason for you to withhold this information until now."
The mare squeezes her eyes closed and I imagine she feels like her entire world is crashing down right now. "She didn't bring it up because she was one of them. You're not innocent in this matter either, are you Umbra? You only turned your back on them because you can sense that the power is going to shift to Luna no matter what you do, so in your last desperate act to maintain any semblance of power you've feigned innocence and ratted out your co-conspirators in hopes of gaining our trust."
She buries her face in her forelegs and starts to mutter curses in frustration. Her reaction tells me all I needed to know. "Alright Luna did the Scrying spell catch all of that?"
"Indeed it did. I'd pay bits to see how the civilians gathered up in the middle of town are reacting to this news. I wouldn't be surprised if the other members of the council also just listened to Chancellor Umbra stab them in the back."
The thestral in question snaps her head forward and stares at us slack jawed in complete horror. "What?! No no no nonono this isn't happening!"
She starts having a full on meltdown and Luna looks at her with pity as we both decide to just stand up and leave. There's nothing more to be said here, and she'll have to suffer the consequences of her own actions. Walking outside I watch with slight amusement as the thestrals are rioting and demanding answers from the council. "Can we go to bed now Luna?"
She gives a slight chuckle before answering me. "Yes Ignis, we can go to bed now. The dam of that filly you were entertaining said she had a spare bed we could use."
"By the way, I know gems are way more common here than the land where I'm from, so why were those two diamonds so expensive?"
"They were mana diamonds. Some gems are formed near ley lines and have an abundance of dense mana inside of them, and unlike typical gems they gain the property of naturally replenishing their mana supply. Typically you have to supply the gems with your own mana. That 2nd diamond was actually around 2,000 bits, but Tia was tired and impatient so she just grabbed the first one she found in the enchantment vault."
"I'll be sure to send her my thanks later. So are we teleporting back tomorrow or are we going to hike back the same way we came?"
"Oh Harmony no, we are not going through that forsaken forest again, it's worse than the Everfree. We'll teleport back to Canterlot when we wake up, which with it being 4AM right now will probably be around noon or 11AM, and we'll have 3 days of rest. The day after that is Force's official Knighting ceremony. I informed Cadence we'd be back early, Friday at the latest, so she went ahead and scheduled the ceremony for Friday. Then we have 1 week of normalcy that leads straight into the Gala."
"Cool, cool. One other thing...I don't have the energy to talk about it right now so can you remind me tomorrow that I need to talk to you about something that happened when I revived that thestral?"
She looks worried, "That sounds rather ominous, are you sure it should wait until tomorrow?"
"Yeah it's nothing dangerous, I think. I just had a conversation with Harmony, and she mentioned something that has had me a little distracted since. She said I'm not in her book of fate and I shouldn't exist..."
"You.... had a conversation....with... Harmony? What?!"
> Main Quest - Journey to the West pt. 15
"...and that's basically everything. After she "urged" me to never use that type of magic again I came back to my senses and the thestral was alive. I just don't understand her position though, if she was going to be that standoffish about it then why even let the revival succeed?" I gave Luna the run down on the conversation with Harmony while we made our way to our sleeping quarters. Right now I'm just laying on my back with one hand behind my head.
"That decision isn't up to her. Harmony is merely an observer of the world and she aims to steer it in the right direction with minor influence. The more interesting thing is that she said you shouldn't exist. Tia and I had been operating on the assumption that She was the one to actually bring you here, the timing of it lined up too perfectly with the end of my banishment. If you aren't in her pages though..." Her words taper off and she stares at me while seemingly deep in thought.
"Do you think I'm... in danger? Do I need to be careful of my every move now to not earn her ire?"
"No... I think she was merely warning you that you're altering the events of the future in a way that even she cannot foresee. Imagine you were reading your favorite book and suddenly half way through the story some new character shows up seemingly out of nowhere for no reason. Out of all the dozens of times you read this story that character never existed before, and now things are seemingly the exact same until one chapter the character does something that completely alters the ending of the book. This is the important part, you are so familiar with the story that you are able to quite accurately predict every future event will be impacted by this change, but even after all of your predictions are correct for a hundred pages or so all of a sudden this new character does something else that completely throws you off. Everytime you adjust your plans and predictions for the story the character changes something else that you hadn't anticipated. That's you right now for Harmony."
I don't really respond as I think of the implications and Luna decides to explain even further. "You are causing her book to change in real time, but if it was just once it wouldn't be that big of a deal. The problem is that you are continually causing the pages to shift, likely to the point that she is no longer able to confidently predict the far off future and make plans around it. You appeared in this world and the pages shift, you became my paladin and the pages shift again, you grievously wound the dragon near Ponyville and the pages shift yet again. You're causing her to be extremely uncomfortable."
"But what if... the changes have been made now but in the future Fate actually intends for me to revive another soul, and I don't do it because she warned me not to? If I don't know what I'm supposed to do how can I be sure that I'm doing the right thing? This is a paradox Luna."
"Her warning you not to use revival magic might actually be part of her plan. You might be right and now Fate says you will revive somepony in the future, but Harmony see's the future where you revive somepony else and it's the worst outcome. Something changes so catastrophically that she has now warned you to stop reviving souls to prevent that specific revival. Even I'm unsure of what you should do now. Reviving a soul has always been a fundamental law of our magic that cannot be broken. It's not that we've been warned not to and so no mage has ever pursued it, but that it cannot be done. Thousands have tried and it just cannot be done. On one hoof it's quite amazing and I know all of the good you could do with it, but on the other hoof... breaking one of the fundamental laws makes me uneasy."
"Is there a force higher than Harmony? Maybe she was warning me because that higher power can take action against me?"
"Not that I know of... let's table this for now, we both could use some rest."
Well she's the boss. Luna lays her head down on, what is now apparently the default position, my chest and closes her eyes. I just stare at the ceiling with too much on my mind to sleep.
It's better to not overthink things like this. Just continue as you normally would, but I would be more reserved on when and who you use your revival magic on. However I should add that dear Luna does underestimate how much Harmony can exert her influence. She can rarely ever change things in the physical realm, but in the metaphysical realm she is much more...absolute.
Speaking from experience?
Indeed, my entire being at one point was entirely metaphysical. I had to resort to possessing a creature to safely use my power. I could always feel that she was present as I navigated and hid in the ethereal background. Since souls operate in a similar way I'd wager she actually does have the capability to prevent you from reviving a soul. It's likely she just doesn't know of the method.
Doesn't sound very omniscient of her.
Revival was not something that was considered to even be possible until just a few hours ago. Why would she investigate how to prevent something that isn't even possible? The question is how long will it take her to learn of a method?
I guess you have a point.
I meant what I said originally. Continue moving forward as you normally would, but just... don't be surprised if your next revival fails.
Alright... switching topics I think I might have a way to free you, but I need some information.
...yes?
If you had to choose between a fiend, devil, abyssal, or celestial, which one would you say fits you best?
I think the most likely trait is celestial, but I could see myself being classified as a fiend.
I was hoping you had a more definitive answer. I also narrowed it down to those two choices. I have a few different summoning spells that might let me bypass your seal since it seems like most of my weave magic seems to ignore things like that. The problem is that it's only a temporary measure. I can't summon you for a prolonged period of time, but I was thinking about using it to let you attend the gala. If you were interested... that is.
Nightmare actually doesn't respond and I can't tell if she's angry or flustered. Probably the former as she doesn't seem like the type to get flustered.
Don't think this means that I want to attend with you! I just want the opportunity to get off of this rock.
Oh. My. God. She's a tsundere. Uh huh, sure, we'll do some experiments this weekend after Forces knighting ceremony. We'll need to get you a dress too.
That is.. acceptable.
Thanks for the distraction. I'm gunna grab some sleep.
Exhaustion Level: 1
True to Luna's prediction it's around 11:30 when we wake up and not only is this house completely silent but the entire city is as well. I guess it makes sense though since it's basically noon outside and these guys probably sleep during the day, but I didn't think all of them would sleep during the day.
"Are you alright, Ignis? This is the first time in a while I've seen you look so tired" Luna asks me as she zaps a teleportation circle onto the ground.
"Yeah I just had a hard time going to sleep, had a lot on my mind." I'm not going to tell her about the dream I had. It's definitely going to be a problem if this becomes a recurring issue, though. I was walking through a swamp and a bunch of hooves covered in thick mud came out of the water and tried to grab me. I started to fly upwards cause I had my temporary wings but it ended up being futile as all of the hooves turned out to be changelings. They climbed on top of each other and made a pile of bodies so they could pull me back down. Some of them were charred and the others were covered in cuts. The guard that got caught up in my fireball was there too even though I know he survived.
"I know it's more than that. You don't need to hide anything from me."
"It's not that I'm trying to hide it, I just don't want to worry you unless it becomes a recurring problem. I'd prefer to try sorting through it on my own before relying on someone else."
Right as I finish my sentence we appear in the courtyard of the castle. "Was it a nightmare? I checked on you a few times while I was sleeping and I never noticed any indicators that you were troubled."
Sighing, I explain the nightmare to her, and she gives me a look of pity as we head into the castle proper.
"I'm afraid I can't do much for that type of nightmare. I can make you aware that you're dreaming so your rest can at least be peaceful, but that is not a long term solution."
"It's fine, I might just stick to meditating for a while. I don't dream in that state, and I only need to meditate for 4 hours to feel as rested as 8 hours of sleep. I know Force's thing is on Friday, but did we have anything planned for today?"
"I was planning to meet with Tia so she could be debriefed on everything that happened while we were gone. I was hoping you'd join me so we can talk to her about your conversation with Harmony, but you can talk to her tomorrow if you're truly that exhausted."
"No, if it's just talking I can handle that. Are we going right now?"
"Indeed. We're meeting for lunch. Cadence and her guard will be there as well." Oh I get to see Force too? That's perfect. I was going to try and track her down before I went to meditate.
"Sick, let's go."
"Damn dude, you look like shit." My favorite pegasus decides this is the perfect thing to say after not seeing me for damn near two weeks.
"Gee golly you really know how to make a guy feel special. I miss anything important while I was gone? Besides the hydra memorial, of course."
"Not really. Did you wanna grab dinner with me later now that you're back~?"
"Unfortunately no, I look like shit because I feel like shit. As soon as we're done here I have one errand I need to run down and then I'm going to bed."
"What's the errand? I wouldn't mind helping out." Luna also looks interested to hear my answer to Force's question.
"I need to go find a guard from the Summit. There's one I accidentally hit with my fireball when I was targeting a group of changelings. As far as I know he made it out fine, but I uh... was reminded of him recently and I want to check in on him." Luna gives me a knowing look.
"That was Silver Lance. He's actually on duty right now. I can take you to him when we finish here." I shoot a smile to the pegasus across the table and then look towards Celestia.
At this point Luna goes over the entire journey leading up to the thestral colony. For some reason she even talks about our new sleeping arrangements, to my embarrassment. Cadence and Force seem to take more interest in that part of the story, but Celestia really locks in when she hears about the move I did to completely obliterate half of an Ursa Major's leg. She doesn't make any comments about it, but she does stare at me for a few seconds with a calculating look.
Then she covers all of the political shit that happened in the thestral colony and it seems she's saving the most interesting bit for last. Suddenly Luna lights up her horn and projects a very light blue dome around all of us. "Clear the room." Once all of the staff that were cleaning different parts of the room and the guards that were standing in the doorway have all left she finally speaks again. "This next bit of information is Top Secret. It's likely already spread among the thestral's but I'll speak with them about it before they get into Equestria proper."
"Lulu..." Celestia looks at me and Force. "Is it alright for the knights to know as well?"
"That's up to Cadence. Ignis is the topic of the information he knows more about this than anypony else." Cadence tells Force that she can stay and Luna continues. "During a confrontation with a thestral squad inside of a magical sparring arena in the dreamscape Ignis used a spell that unknowingly hurt the target in the waking world and ended up killing her."
Force seems to think that's why I look like shit, and Cadence does a dramatic gasp thinking this is the actual news. Ha. Luna continues, "Then he demonstrated a new magic he had learned during our travels and proceeded to revive the thestral." Celestia starts to speak up, but Luna doesn't let her. "Yes, revived. Not healed. That pony was not on the brink of death; she was completely dead for over a minute."
Now everyone at the table is just staring at me looking a bit stunned, Celestia looks a bit... afraid? "There's more. At the very end of the revival process Harmony pulled his consciousness into her realm and spoke with him. Ignis, can you tell them exactly what she said? The wording here is extremely important if we want their help interpreting her meaning and I don't want to leave anything out."
I go over the entire conversation basically word for word. As I continue on Force looks confused, Cadence still seems stunned, and Celestia's face becomes unreadable half way through. Then I go over the questions I brought up to Nightmare as well as Nightmares own explanation just to get their opinion on it.
"Nightmare's explanation is not that far off, I'd say. I can't think of a reason why Harmony would disagree with your logic about old age and illness. If someone is murdered then they clearly are not part of the natural cycle of life and death. That makes me think that whatever future she sees is one where you revive somepony and it spells disaster for the entire world. I'd advise against reviving anypony for the foreseeable future. As much as it saddens me to know that in the future we will be unable to save a creature... her warning must be heeded."
There's an uncomfortable silence and I decide to ask the question that I think needs to be asked. "Even if it's Force? What if it's Luna? What if it's you, Celestia?"
The uncomfortable silences hangs for several seconds until the sun horse finally responds. "You've put me in a very awkward situation. I can't tell you it's ok to revive my sister or one of your friends while at the same time say that you can't revive anypony else. That implies that our lives intrinsically have more value than others."
"Your lives do have more value than others... to me, anyways." Luna gives me a small smile.
"Instead I'll just amend my suggestion. If you're in that situation... do what you think is right. Was there anything else?" Celestia sounds much more mentally exhausted now than she did when we first sat down.
"I just have 1 more question and I want everyone's input. If Harmony says I shouldn't exist and my quest still implies that I have a way to return home... does that mean my return home is not a matter of if, but a matter of when?"
> Side Quest - Attend the Knighting Ceremony pt. 1
"You're overthinking it, in my opinion. What she said and your quest are likely not correlated at all, especially since it seems she has nothing to do with that power of yours. If Harmony was responsible for that power and for you being here then you could interpret her words that way, but those same words indicate she is just as clueless about your presence as everypony else." Luna answers my question after the room fell into silence for a few seconds.
"I don't think the two are directly correlated though. I think they are indicating the same thing. Two separate facts that individually point towards the same answer. Maybe this just isn't worth stressing out over, though. I mean it'll either happen or it won't, right?"
Deception
16 + 1 = 17.
Seems like Luna and Celestia both saw through me, judging by the looks on their faces. Thankfully they seem to realize I just want to move on from the topic and stop thinking about it. Turning towards Force I fully pivot the conversation. "You finish writing your oath, yet?"
"Yeah it's pretty much done. I might trim it down a bit, but that's all."
"Hopefully your ceremony is less eventful than mine, haha. I don't wanna deal with another dragon in our territory. Are the elements going to be here for this one as well?"
Celestia chimes in with the answer for this one, "Not this time I'm afraid. They actually had quite an eventful week as well. Rainbow Dash won the young fliers competition in heroic fashion, Rarity was ponynapped by a pack of diamond dogs, and as we speak they are headed to Appleloosa to deliver an apple tree that should help kick start the settlement's own agriculture. Well the real reason is that they're going to settle a land dispute we've been having with some buffalo in the area, but they don't know that yet. Even if they settled that in a day the train ride is long enough that they still wouldn't make it back here in time."
"Wait so it was okay to postpone the ceremony until Luna and I could make it, but you won't postpone it for the elements?"
Cadence takes over for this question. "If it were up to me I'd delay it for them too, but this ceremony is mostly an honor for the individual being knighted. Force doesn't really know the element bearers and apparently isn't too bothered by their absence." The princess actually has a small pout as she huffs in indignation.
"I said I didn't mind delaying it so Twilight could attend. You were the one that said it's fine because we'd have to push the ceremony so far back that it'd be after the Gala. My Princess is right about my feelings on the matter, though. I've only briefly met the elements and it doesn't really matter to me if they're in attendance or not." The future knight defends herself as she finishes her meal.
I've only got one more topic I want to bring up before I excuse myself from the table. "What's the status of the changeling refugee's we accepted right before Luna and I left the kingdom?"
"I ended up allowing them to establish the core of their hive in the depleted section of the crystal mines below us. However, I did give them 1 condition. They have to expand the hive into a cavern and share the space with the thestrals once they arrive. They're allowed to come and go into the city as they please but must remain undisguised at all times, and with their burrowing capabilities I think they'll be very useful to the thestrals once they arrive and establish a new colony." Celestia gives me a pretty satisfactory answer.
"Wow that's perfect, Luna and I decided that we're going to recruit the changelings into the Night Guard. Having them cohabitate with the thestrals makes the idea even more viable." I stand up from the table and start making my way out of the dining hall. "Nightmare Moon is attending the Gala, by the way. Figured I'd give you a heads up."
Everyone looks a little stunned, but Force still slowly follows me into the hallway. As the door closes I think Celestia's brain finally rebooted because I hear her shout, "WHAT?!" and just chuckle while walking away from the room.
"So where is Silver Lance? You know if he's been doing okay?" I ask Force as she leads me down the hallway.
"He should be on patrol at the train station, making sure nopony is bringing in illegal goods to the city. I don't really know him well enough to know how he's been doing. I just happened to notice his name when I was looking at the duty roster today. If he's still patrolling though then he must be doing pretty well."
"So I gotta ask Force, do you normally get stares and side eyes like this when you're in a patrol area? Or could it be because there's two knights here, or, and what I suspect is most likely, is that it's because of me?" We're still a few minutes away from the actual train station but we entered the patrol area for the station around 3 minutes ago. Since then just about every single guard we've passed by has either side eyed us in an attempt to be subtle or just blatantly stared at us.
"Believe it or not I actually do get a few stares on my own nowadays. Ever since the Hydra incident there's been murmurs around the city about the power of the two knights. At Least these stares are better than the ones you were getting your first week in town. Instead of just fear or disgust there's now a decent number of stares that contain admiration and awe. It's been so long since any of the princesses actually took on a personal knight that many didn't know what to expect from us. Now that we've proven ourselves somewhat there's actually a few ponies that are aspiring to join our ranks."
"How many knights can each princess have? Back in my homeland there were thousands of knights at a time and on Earth it had kinda faded into just being a status thing."
"There's not really a limit as far as I know. Historically it's only been 1 at a time, it sounds like your knights filled a different role than they do here. Equestrian Knights are the personal guard for the princess they are sworn too. They might have guard details outside their bed chambers during off time, but we will always be by their side during their official duties." She has a point, I knew they had referred to me as Luna's personal guard but I thought that was just my specific title, not the title for all knights.
My last question on this topic makes me a bit flustered to ask, so I can't help but to glance away from the pegasus and scratch my cheek while asking it. "And...is there any rules about relationships between a princess and her knight?"
"When I was doing my research to help write my oath I went through the old archives of knights and apparently Princess Celestia courted her own knight on 3 separate occasions. So, at the very least there's precedent that falls in your favor. Technically though there is the fraternization policy between guards and their superiors and somepony could probably make the argument that you'll be violating that."
"Woah I'm not violating anything, I was just asking out of idle curiosity." Before Force can call out my blatant lie we almost run into a guard, but I stop right before hitting him and glance down only to realize this is the stallion I was looking for. Some of his fur is still singed with patches of it completely empty. Once the pony realizes who I am he staggers backwards a few steps and holds one of his forelegs in the air as his ears pin back and his eyes widen in fear.
"S-S-Sir, apologies I.... I sho... I'm sorry for almost bumping into you." His breathing has quickened a lot but he's not hyperventilating...yet. He slowly takes a few more steps backwards.
I slowly squat down so we're eye level. "Are you Sargeant Silver Lance?"
"Y-Yes, sir."
I reach into my bag and pull out a tiny pouch filled with diamond dust before looking at the unicorn with the most gentle face I can muster. "I'm so sorry for what happened in that colosseum, Sergeant. I know there's likely very little I can do to make up for what I did to you, but I came out here today to find you and try to at least... make things better. Even if it's only slight."
I wasn't actually sure if he had been traumatized from the fireball incident, but judging by how hard he reacted just from seeing me I think it's safe to say he's suffering on some level. Hopefully he's in therapy...
I place my hand against my chest and cast Guidance. Next I take the diamond dust I grabbed on the way here and start to channel a 5th level spell slot into the Mizzium Apparatus. I reach out my hand as slowly as I can and his ears pin back again. "SIR, I'M SORRY SIR, I DON'T WANT TO BURN!"
"I will never burn you again, Silver Lance. On my oath to Princess Luna I swear it, you will never come to harm under my hand. I'm only trying to help. This spell will heal your scars and help with all the blemishes to your fur. It's a very powerful healing spell. Please trust me."
His whole body starts to shake but he somehow manages to stop leaning away from me. He squeezes his eyes shut as tight as he can and flinches as he braces himself for a pain that will never come.
Arcana Check (Mizzium DC: 20.)
20 + 13 = 33.
33 + 2 = 35.
Words of power flow out of my mouth as all of the diamond dust in the small pouch starts to float into the air and quickly orbit around the guards body. His entire body is covered in a green aura and with a bright flash of light I finish casting Greater Restoration. Technically no spell in the game says it treats scars like this, but several DMs I've played with have let us use either Greater Restoration or Cure Wounds on a target as long as they are already at full HP. There was one bastard that made us use the Heal spell, but hopefully that's not the case here because Paladins can't cast that so I'd be fucked.
Thankfully after the light fades away the guard looks like he was never even burned. He slowly opens his eyes and looks down at his foreleg where they used to be bare skin showing with patches of blackened fur to see his body has been restored to pristine condition. He actually cracks a smile which of course causes me to smile with him. "Hopefully everything has been okay since you came back, Sgt?"
"I-I've had my m-m-moments, but most days I can get through w-w-with no problem. Usually it's stuff like fireworks or loud crashing sou... sounds. If it means anything Sir I never held it against you. I know you didn't go through our training so you didn't get drilled everyday on only using precise magic to minimize collateral d-d-damage. It's just th-that seeing you just now....brought me back to that night. The roaring in my ears followed by the constant ringing, the smell of my own flesh being roasted. I was right back there."
When he mentions precise magic training my mind flashes back to when I was getting assessed by Shining Armor during my first couple of days here in Canterlot. He specifically told me that they're trained to fire spells with the exact intent to hit only the target they are aiming at. If there's any collateral damage that's considered a failure. I just laughed at him and jumped at the opportunity to say the Fireball line. "If I had just taken another half a second to properly scan the surroundings... You should hold this against me. This was an entirely preventable incident and a complete failure on my part, Sgt. After the gala I'm going to personally receive the same battle mage training you all go through in basic, so this doesn't happen again. I'm sorry again, Silver Lance."
We talked for a few more minutes and he actually gave me the name and office location of his therapist, but he had to get back out on patrol and I needed to sleep. Badly. Everything after that was an uneventful blur as I got back into the swing of standing guard at night court and escorting Luna around. Now it's Friday and it's time for the knighting ceremony.
> Side Quest - Attend the Knighting Ceremony pt. 2
"Did she talk this much for my ceremony?" I whisper to Luna while we're sitting in the front row. Celestia has been going on and on about the good work Cadence has done and she even brings up a recent list of my accomplishments to use as a reference for what is expected of a knight. She brings up Forces list of assignments and jobs along with all of her accomplishments and at some point I just started to tune her out.
"She didn't have as much to work with for your ceremony, but thankfully both of you have been quite busy in the last month. I'm more shocked at the attire Cadence chose to wear. Surely I didn't wear something so royal and pretentious?"
"You did," Luna starts to look offended, "but you pulled it off much better than she does. I remember thinking you looked like a proper Goddess that had descended to our realm for a visit."
She's caught off guard and actually shoots out a short cough. "W....When did you get so forward?"
"Hm? I was just answering your question. How much longer is this thing going to go on for? Do you have to give a speech too?"
"It should only be another 30 minutes at most, Ignis. Stop being a brat and be happy for your friend. Tia asked me to say some words, but there wasn't much I could contribute so I turned her down."
As Luna finishes scolding me impatience my ear twitches and I hear the sound of metal rubbing on metal and clinking in the distance. Which means the mare of the hour has arrived. Turning around I look at the pegasus and can't help but be impressed. Her armor covers the same areas as the regular guard armor but it's a light shade of gray all around. I thought it'd be pink to be honest. Her bright red hair is poking out of the top of the helmet and all of her little hoof guards have intricate designs going half way up her legs. The impressive part is how intimidating she's being. The armor isn't the reason either it's her eyes, posture, the way she's walking. It's almost like Force is just looking down on everyone as she approaches the front stage.
"She looks good. That armor is one I have not seen in a long time, it must've been centuries before my banishment. Now that I've been reminded of that guard I guess it's quite obvious where Tia is going to put Cadence, but I was under the impression the empire hadn't returned yet." Luna quietly mutters aloud, mostly talking to herself.
"What's significant about that armor?"
"It belongs to the guards of the Crystal Empire. In the frozen north they once stood as a beacon of hope for the region but the empire fell to dark magic and before Tia and I could correct the situation the entire empire disappeared."
Apparently Celestia was listening to us as she looked over at Luna and her horn glowed dimly. "Ah apparently that is not something I should so casually discuss in the open like this. I was under the impression this was part of Equestrian History, but it seems it has fallen to the wayside like myself."
As Luna finishes talking, Force arrives front and center and kneels down with 1 foreleg while lowering her head towards Cadence. The pink alicorn smiles softly and conjures a sword that seems purely ceremonial. Lowering the blade down onto whatever her shoulder is called Cadence speaks. "Do you vow to serve me dutifully in spreading and maintaining the tenets of harmony?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. However in addition to that I, Unstoppable Force, swear that I will place your safety and your ambitions above everything else in my life. That I will always act in your best interest and the interest of Equestria. That I will follow you to any corner of this world and serve you dutifully until the end of my service. Finally I vow that you, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, will always have an immovable pillar to lean on."
Wait, we're allowed to say yes to that first part? I thought that was just some copout question for people that didn't feel like writing their own vow. Compared to my vow that brought on whispers and commotion this one hangs in silence as the audience looks on with a mixture of happiness and pride depending on who you're looking at.
Cadence moves the blade from Force's right shoulder to her left and the alicorns' cutie mark starts to glow as she speaks once more. "Then rise, Unstoppable Force. Open up your heart to love in its purest form as I connect your mana to mine and stand proudly as the Champion of Love, my only Knight!"
There's a flash of white light and when it fades we're all shocked to see Force's appearance has changed drastically. Her entire being is almost like glass or a gemstone with multiple sparkles and dots all along her body. She's almost... see through? "I wonder if this was anticipated? Nopony here is going to recognize the signature transformation of a crystal pony."
Once the applause starts I smile as Shining quickly makes his way onto the stage to embrace the princess. After that he starts sharing some words with the new knight that I'm unfortunately unable to hear. Celestia pokes her head up from the ground and gestures for us to come up as well. Slapping my thighs I groan like an old person as I stand up and escort Luna to the stage.
"That's a neat trick, champion of love. Are you always gunna look like this or was it just something that happened for the ceremony?" I ask once we're in ear shot of the group.
"Funny you should ask... none of us actually know what this is, and it was completely unplanned. It feels kinda tingly."
Luna tilts her head in confusion when Force says none of them know, but before she can speak up Celestia looks at her and speaks telepathically into both of our heads. "I don't want to tell them about the empire yet. Cadence is still learning and I do not think she's ready to bear the burden of what she will have to be responsible for in the future. We still have plenty of time and I'll likely tell both of them soon."
Before the silence hangs on long enough to be suspicious or awkward I verbally speak up again. "Well you won't hear me complaining if this is a permanent change, you look good." The nature of her new translucent coat makes it much easier to see that she's blushing. Cadence smiles at both of us.
"Let's move this gathering to the ballroom where everypony else has gone. If you three are going to be this adorable I want it to be in public." Cadence somehow cartoonishly pushes all 3 of us off the stage and towards the castle.
"So Ignis, now that we finally have some time to talk I was hoping for some clarification." Celestia walks up next to me as I'm putting food on my plate in the ballroom..
"Clarification on what?" I act completely oblivious as I don't even look at her and continue grabbing different items with my new telekinesis.
"What exactly did you mean when you said Nightmare Moon would be attending the Gala?"
"Oh that? I have some spells that allow me to summon different types of creatures and I was planning to temporarily give her some freedom by summoning her for the Gala. It's a temporary thing, no matter which spell I end up using they all run out in less than a day. Of course if you are vehemently against this then I'll reconsider and talk with Luna about what I should do. Have you asked Twilight what her opinion on reforming Nightmare is, by the way?"
She gives out a bit of an angry sigh. "Surprisingly my student said everypony deserves a second chance and that she supports unsealing the demon and keeping her under strict supervision of the elements. For the record I am vehemently against your Gala idea."
"I mean... are the elements going to be at the Gala?"
She opens her mouth and then pauses, and I think she realizes where I'm going with this because she lets out an even longer sigh. "Yes, but it's their first Gala and I don't want their experience to be ruined supervising Nightmare for the night."
"Okay hear me out. She most likely will not have even 1% of her normal power, so how about I disguise her and she stays with me and Luna at all times and we just have the elements on standby. To be honest if I was as strong as I am now back then in that old castle I could probably have defeated her all on my own. Granted, that would've also killed your sister so I'm glad that didn't happen, but the point is that I can almost certainly handle her on my own. Can you just trust me on this one? I feel like I have to have earned at least a crumb of trust since our last talk about trust when you denied me being able to learn magic."
Persuasion Check.
8 + 1 = 9.
"I'm still against it. I know you're going to do whatever you want to do and Luna also supports you on this Nightmare business so you'll probably just do it anyways. However, I am asking you to please reconsider." Woah Celestia actually being reasonable? Fuck now I feel like an asshole.
"I kinda already promised her I would do it...so going back on it now would put me in an awkward position. I promise you nothing will go wrong."
The solar alicorn seems like she's lost in thought as she stares off into space, and after a few seconds she just shakes her head and walks off with a concerned look. Looking around with my plate of snacks I try to find Luna but she's nowhere to be seen which is...curious. Force is being swarmed by ponies giving her congratulations, so I guess I'll just go sit by myself.
The rest of the reception was actually quite uneventful. Luna eventually wandered over to my table and we idly chatted for the rest of the event with Force joining us after the event had officially ended. It's been a couple days since then and it's Sunday night now. I'm currently sitting in the castle gardens with Luna as my theorize what spell we need to use to summon Nightmare.
"The problem here is that a lot of these summon spells don't let me specify what I summon. It just summons a spirit of that type. There's a chance that if I cast Summon Celestial it'll summon Nightmare as long as I'm emphasizing that as my intent upon completion of the casting, but there's also a decent chance it just doesn't work at all. The next issue is that if she classifies as a demon then I have to use Summon Greater Demon which restricts what I can summon by Challenge Rating. That's a problem because even the weakened Nightmare had a Challenge Rating for 24 and I can only summon up to a Challenge Rating of 6. I'd have to summon like a filly version of Nightmare for that to work." I comment out loud the main problems we're running into right now.
"Is there no other spell outside of those that you could use?" Luna, of course, has no clue what spells I can cast, but she's doing a great job letting me bounce ideas off of her.
"I don't know....maybe? Let me try and remember all of the spells I can cast."
Arcana Check
15 + 13 = 28.
"There's one spell that might work. The only problem is that this one also specifies that I'm summoning a spirit. Which implies to me that if this one would work then any of the other Summon spells will work. Oh wait a minute, I think I have a better solution. I just need to confirm something."
Hey Moonie, do you think you can possess something that I summon or can you only possess me?
It would depend on if the creature is fully connected to your mana. To the point that it even has your same mana signature. Also, don't ever call me that again.
Okay and last question, would you be okay with only being a pegasus? I don't think I can give you an alicorn form or a unicorn form.
If it's the only way then yes that is acceptable. I would even take the form of an earth pony if it meant a temporary reprieve from this prison.
Alright thumbs up let's do this.
I throw on the Mizzium and gesture towards Luna. "You might wanna stand back, this spell is a high enough level that I can potentially fail and miscast something harmful. The chances are pretty slim, but why even risk injury?"
Once she's around 30 or so feet away I cast Guidance on myself and start to channel the power of the magic item to cast Find Greater Steed.
Arcana Check (Mizzium DC: 18)
15 + 13 = 28 + 1 = 29.
Wow a 15 two times in a row? Nice. The spell is going to take 10 minutes to cast but passing the check is good enough for me. "Okay Lulu you can come back, the spell will take 10 minutes to cast but from this point on I can't miscast the spell into something else."
Once the 10 minutes are over I close my eyes and vividly picture what Nightmare looked like on my first day here, but without a horn as I choose to use the Pegasus form for the spell. It's a resounding success. I can hear Luna's breath catch in her throat and even though she supports this her eyes still shrink to a pinpoint as she stares at the form of her other half. "You can relax, right now it just looks like her. We're gunna try the experiment now."
You'll need to avoid resisting my influence this time. I'm going to emulate possessing you but I'll follow the flow of mana into this thing you've summoned. If it doesn't work I'll cancel my magic and return to how we are now.
That's sketchy as fuck, but uhh alright. Fuck it we Bhaal. Send it.
Wisdom Saving Throw.
Save was failed willingly.
S̵̡̡͈̼̭̥͔̜̳̣̱͋̀͑̒̍̓͊͘͘͜y̵̧̛̮̜̎͐̓̔́͒̉͛̌͠ͅs̴̀́̓͑͌ͅt̴̜̘̳͍̿̄̽͐̓̆̂̔͆͘̕ê̴͈̲͚̘̹̝m̵̮̪͕͕̘͙̏̓́̒̚ ̶͉̹̲͈̜̜̬̋͆͘Ê̴̢̳͎̬͆͂̒̈́̋̕͘r̵͖̟͉̝͓̃̎͛̾̈̌ŗ̷̢̮͓̥̟̼̥̞̤̒́ó̵̘̗̩͖̰͚̳͍͑͜r̵̨̠̦̲̬̫̣̗̲͈̫̣͛͑ͅ ̵̧̛̰̬̖͈͒̾̽̏̂̊̇̄̓͠͠S̸͖̙̙̮̲̣͓̮̀͗͠y̷̳̟͎͚͊̽̃̀̊͆ŝ̸̢̢͕͇̰͕̭̻͚̹̠̄̎͜t̵̳̫̽͐̎͊̂̐͋́͆̿̒̾͝ę̵̠̝̻̀̃͜m̴̡̲̥̣̥̥̍̑͆͜͠͝ ̷̡͈̪̦̝̹̗̬̺̗̀̂̓̈́͂̓̋̔̍̌͂̚E̵̜̺̲͍̣̝̤̠̺͇͍͒͂̓̽̔̆̀̀͊̍̾̕͘ṙ̸͉̤̫̼̯͇͈͙̰͙̱̥̓́͑̂̒͘̚̚͝ͅr̶̬̼̜̺̬̪̗͍̍͜ͅö̴̱̦̲̝̜̝͖̜͕̅̾̉̾͂̑̐͜͜͜r̵̖̟͔̖̥̬̯͙͚̍̍̐̈́̓͊̋͆̋̑̿̀ ̸͓͚̃̋̈́̈́̈́̕S̷̜͔̳̥͍̪̖̦̣͎̩̺̑̾̎̚͜y̷͍̳̫̟͇̤̲̠̖̜̰̓̓́̐̓̐͐̀̓͘͠s̸͇͇̜͉͂̋̎̑͠t̸̨͇̺̙͔̓͋̅̾̽͌͘e̴̡̡̡̛̟̦̘̗͎͍̘̮̓̅̌͋̾̈́͠ͅm̴̡̡̗̫͚͍̜͕͎̞̞̳̦̊̑̊͑̉̿̚ ̴̡̰̦͓͕̫͖͍̤͇͚̲͍̊̏͑̈̉̋̒̅̍͘̕͝Ē̶̡̼͚͇̟̫͍̖͖̖̌̆ŗ̸̡̙̠̮͗̆͒̅̽́͐͗͛̿r̶̡͖̩̳͈̹͙͓̭̪̞̞̿̆ó̷͇̮̟̰̈́̎̋͠͝r̷̳̰̹̤̥͉̳̉̆̉.̴͈̜̼̣͓̄́̒͑̑̓̃̌̚͘͝͝ ̸̡̳̘̺̣͑́̎̀͌̐̉͜Ḧ̵̢̫̬̙̞͔̫͔̖̩́̂̀͛̂͋͘͝ǒ̷̗͆̄͊̆͌̏͒̀͗͛̓͛s̴̨̗̥̱͉̣͖̲̫̩̈́͛̽̎͑̋͆͜͝͠t̸̬̂̔͜ ̶̪͈̤͎̰͍̒̈́́c̴̢̛͇̞̗͚͉͛̈́͗͊ͅö̵̢̡̨̧̧̰͚̲̺̤̟̳́̌m̵̡͚̗͇͙̈́͌̆̂͐̈́͘͝p̷̨̨͍͈̠̦̼̱͓̿͛̆́̀̚r̶̢̪͇͉͔̬͔̙̖̝̓̓ơ̸̢̳̭̦͎̖͕̯̱̜̋̔͋̀̔̅̍̋̚ͅm̶̨̢̡̥͙͆͌͆͊̓i̸͍͖͕̪̣͛̂̎̈́̔̽̀ś̸͓͚̺͕̮̼̫̭͉̄ͅḛ̷̛̤̺̲̣͔̄͌̑͜d̷͔͓͖͔̠͙̺̖̱͖͍̻͆̊͒̏̿̓̐̒̐͝͝͝.̵̳̤͍̪̔̋̈́̑̓̄̄͛͊͑̀̃ͅ
System Restored.
"It seems it was successful. You have my gratitude, Bladesinger." Shaking my head from the absolutely strange and uncomfortable feeling I was just assaulted by, I look at the summon and smile as I watch her speak.
"Excellent. By the way Luna I do have some...news to share. This spell isn't temporary, in fact she's essentially my 2nd familiar in this state. I'll be honest I kinda forgot about that when I casted the spell." There's several long seconds of silence as both of them stare at me. "That's not a problem, right? Ole Celly won't blow a gasket, right?"
"Right?"
> Main Quest - Best Night Ever pt. 1
"YOU SPECIFICALLY SAID IT WOULD BE TEMPORARY IGNIS! LESS THAN A DAY!" Turns out ole Celly did in fact blow a gasket. I'm now getting the wonderful experience of sitting in a room that rapidly increases in temperature. Sweating my ass off in here. The solar alicorn sighs and puts a forehoof between her eyes like she's trying to pinch the bridge of her nose. "So what exactly went wrong here, knight? Did something go awry? Did a spell not work the way you thought it would, or did you just lie to me?"
"None of the spells I originally considered would've worked in the way we wanted it to work. The spell I ended up using is one that I hadn't even considered as a possible option until we ran out of options. Plus she's a pegasus! She can't even cast magic, Celly. We let her slowly acclimate to the capital and let the public get used to her and if she's well behaved between now and the Gala then we can properly unseal her." Honestly even Luna wanted me to just dismiss her and then recast the spell on the night of the gala, but I can't really bring myself to lock her back up after just freeing her. Plus everytime I dismiss her like this I have to go through the small risk of having the Mizzium backfire when re-summoning her.
"Fine. You know what, fine. She's your responsibility, anything she does is on your head. If you're willing to accept that level of accountability, and stick your neck out for that demon to go this far then I'll allow it."
"Oh that's it?" I almost melted into my chair from how much tension I just released. "I was already going to do that, if she commits any wrong doings I'll accept the punishment."
"Why are you two talking about me as if I am not sitting here in the same room?" Nightmare pipes up.
"Well honestly, for me it's normal to do this since you're always listening to my conversations and chiming in whenever you want. Why is she acting like this? I got no clue." I playfully respond while pointing at Celestia with my thumb.
"Because if I pretend you don't exist my blood pressure goes down. I want daily reports on everything she does with summaries of the public's reaction to her. I have to go to court now if you need something contact Miss Inkwell." Celestia finishes the conversation slightly calmer than she started it and leaves the room.
I look over at Nightmare, "All things considered...I'd say that went well."
"Indeed. It definitely could've gone worse." After Moonie responds I watch as her eyes cross and she flinches. I've come to realize this is what happens whenever she tries to perform magic without a horn.
"What were you even trying to cast? We're not doing anything right now."
"I was trying to conjure some tea. This form is much more inconvenient than I initially thought it would be. What else did you have planned for today?"
"For today? Nothing. It's like 10AM Moonie I'm going to bed. I'd suggest you at least try to sleep as well so we can have you on the correct sleep schedule." I let out a big yawn as I stretch my arms over my head.
"I've been locked in the moon for 2 months with only a few hours reprieve from 1,000 years of the same thing. If you think I am tired in any capacity then you are a fool." I guess she has a point but there's no way in hell I can just let her wander around unescorted. Can't believe I'm about to pull a 36 hour shift...
"Fine. What did you want to do then?"
She just gives me a deadpan stare. "I have no magic, am tethered to you at all times, and have no clue what I actually can do. Any plans I had have been thrown in the garbage."
"True. Let's go snag you some tea then since you wanted some, and I guess I can go track down Force and see what she's up to. Let's go."
"Enter." A muffled feminine voice calls out from the other side of the door I just knocked on. Cracking the door I poke my head in and spot the alicorn of love reviewing some papers on her desk and a certain pegasus relaxed on the side of the room. "What are you doing up? Did something happen?" Force offers me a small smile as she questions me.
"Uhm. Something happened for sure but it's not bad...I'm pretty sure." I feel a hoof collide with my thigh with a small amount of pain. "Sorry it's definitely not bad. A friend of mine ended up visiting and I figured if I'm gunna be up anyways I should come see if you wanted to tag along? Assuming your princess says you can come out to play?"
Force starts to refuse the offer but is cut off as Cadence talks over her with a big smile. "Of course! All I'm doing today is paperwork and I am perfectly capable of handling myself for a few hours." Before the pegasus can even offer up a retort the door is telekinetically opened all the way and Force is pushed out of the room with the door slamming behind her.
"Ignis...why is Nightmare Moon standing behind you? Also, why doesn't she have a horn?" Force sounds a bit disturbed while asking her question, but I'm going to try and be as nonchalant as possible.
"This is the friend I was talking about. Since she has no magic and has been gone for 1,000 years and I don't do anything except hang out with Luna so neither of us know what to do with her free time while she has it. Before you ask, yes, Celestia and Luna both know. I'm not sure if Cadence does though?"
Moonie apparently takes this as a queue to introduce herself. "Greetings Knight. It's a pleasure to finally meet you directly. I always find amusement listening to the two of you talk when it's not about official matters."
Force just offers a slow blink in response before finally speaking. "Uhm....hi? I don't know how to process this." Turning to me she continues, "So basically you just want to hang out and have Nightmare third wheel us?"
"Well no, I'd prefer if all 3 of us were equally participating." I realize my armor is still enchanted to be appearing as my typical night court uniform so I deactivate it and transform the illusion into something more casual. "I just don't really know what kind of leisure activities you ponies have. Back home we'd go to an arcade, hang out at the mall, play video games, but I doubt you all have any of that."
Force hums in thought for a few seconds before replying. "I think there's a play down at the theater in an hour?"
Nightmare actually seems to perk up at the mention of a play. Did they have those before Luna's banishment? "Would you happen to know which work is being performed, Knight?"
"I believe it's "Royal Trouble" which I've already seen a few times, but I wouldn't mind sitting through it again since neither of you have seen it. It's pretty good. We could also just go have a picnic in the gardens, it'll be time for lunch soon. I also wouldn't mind some training... I can tell you're even stronger now than you were when you left for the thestrals."
I'm about to speak up and voice my decision on seeing the play since I noticed Nightmare seemed interested in it, but before I can Nightmare herself actually cuts me off. "We shall see the play then. It's been far too long since I ventured into a theater." She notices my slightly annoyed look. "What?"
"Nothing, that's what I was to say as well, but for some reason it annoys me to have someone else speak for me."
"Ah well the Knight of Love was clearly okay with any of the options and I wanted to see the play. Did you want to be the one to make the decision, bladesinger? Stallions always just say they don't care where we go and it turns into a whole thing that ends with us mares making a decision. It's far more efficient to just decide for you, and if you didn't want to go then we would pick something else." Why does that sound so familiar and yet so wrong.
"Yeah? Well I got no problem making decisions, for future reference." With an exaggerated huff out of my nose I turn and start walking towards one of the sitting rooms since we still have plenty of time before the play.
"He's such a tomfilly isn't he?" I hear Force quietly whisper to Nightmare behind me.
"What is that? Tomfilly?" Nightmare responds.
"It means I'm a guy acting like a girl. I'm not by the way, I told you Force that your culture is the direct opposite of mine in this way." I decide to nip this in the bud since they're talking about me. "Force, are they gunna have food at the theater or should we grab something on the way?"
"Yeah they'll have food there. As far as actual food goes they might not have much that you can actually eat, but they do have popcorn."
"Ah that's fine I haven't had popcorn in years I'll devour some fucking popcorn." As I finish the crude statement we reach a sitting room and head inside.
We all lounge on the furniture and Force starts up the next topic. "So can I get an actual explanation of this whole Nightmare Moon thing?"
"We're giving her a second chance. Prior to their initial banishment, Nightmare and Luna were both sharing control of Luna's body. As Nightmare grew more into a truly separate entity they started to feed off of each other's negative emotions and spiral into madness. This time the elements actually split the two of them apart and gave Nightmare her own form, but it still banished her back to the moon. Luna and I both think that if Luna deserves a second chance..."
"Then Nightmare deserves one too. Okay, I get it. Why is she a pegasus though? Is that the form the elements gave her?"
"No, that's the form I gave her. I used some magic shenanigans to create a vessel she could possess to have temporary reprieve from her sentence. We'll likely need the elements to truly unseal her, but from now until the Gala she'll be in this form. After that... who knows?"
"If she's completely unsealed, how is that going to work politically? Will the two of them share the duties as princess of the night?"
Nightmare jumps in to reply here. "No. I have no intention of assuming any power or responsibility for this kingdom. My current plan is to reestablish the stronghold in the Everfree and start my own academy for battlemages. The eventual plan is to completely clear out and tame that cursed forest."
Force nods. "That's actually a great idea. With the rising tensions ever since the summit we could use a force of true battlemages, but I guess that's probably too soon for the academy to play a role in that conflict. Okay I can get behind this." She turns towards me now. "So, did you like my oath? I think I covered everything while keeping it on the shorter side."
The sudden pivot in topics makes me chuckle, she's probably really wanted to ask that question since the ceremony, but was too crowded at the gala and was too curious about Nightmare up to now. "Yeah it was solid. Definitely much more heroic and noble than mine. I didn't know we could say yes to that question about Harmony, and you even included Equestria in your oath. Overall it was definitely good."
"Yeah you're the first one to say no to the harmony question as far as I could tell from the records. The harmony bit is asked because it's the only real "requirement" they expect us to include in the oath. Asking makes it easier for us because we can just say yes and then add on to it. Also, what do you mean more heroic? You pledged everything to Luna."
"That makes sense, but no what I mean is that you included things besides Cadence in your oath. The kingdom and its citizens, you're much more of what I think a Knight should be. By extension, of course, that means I think you're more heroic as well."
"Oh please Ignis you are literally already considered a hero. Both of us are."
"Yeah in 90% of situations I can be the hero. I can save the people and do the thing, but there is one distinct quality of a hero that I lack that I think you have. Based purely on how you phrased your oath." Force tilts her head in confusion and even Nightmare seems interested to hear my explanation. "Would you sacrifice Cadence or Celestia, or hell even me if it was the only way to save Equestria? To save the world?"
They both seem to be deep in thought for several minutes before Force finally replies. "I don't believe in trading lives, but if it was truly the only way? I.... hope I'd have the resolve to make the right decision at that moment. Even if I'd regret it for the rest of my life."
Nightmare squints at me almost accusingly, "Are you implying you would not make that decision, bladesinger?"
Force replies for me. "Of course not. Just like myself he doesn't believe in trading lives. The difference is that he'll kill himself trying to make sure nopony else has to die."
I hold up my hand. "Absolutely not. In any other scenario I think in the end I would be the same as you Force. If it's Luna or someone else that's equally as close to me? I'll try and save everyone until I run out of options, but if it comes down to it... I'd go out of my way to save the single life over the many."
Nightmare leans forward with a dead serious look, while Force looks...shocked? "Bladesinger, you would truly doom the world just to save her? That's what you're really saying here, yes?"
"That's what I swore. "I will bare my blade against this entire realm in her name," were my exact words. In my home world that exact scenario is actually used to differentiate between a hero and a villain. So, by that definition? I'm no hero." Force is looking at me like I just shot her puppy, so I try to lighten the mood. "But hey what are the odds that ever actually happens? It'll be fine~ let's go watch this play!"
Unsurprisingly, the walk to the theater was filled with a bit of uneasy silence.
3rd Person POV
The elf is sitting in between the two mares in a private balcony seat looking down onto the stage. Force is looking somewhat bored as the characters on stage go through their dialogue while Nightmare has her full focus on the stage and seems to be in awe at the performance. Ignis seems somewhat indifferent but is still interested as he chomps on some popcorn.
The play itself is a fairly generic play about a princess being led astray by a dark mage to conspire against her mother, the queen, and claim the throne for herself. It seems Nightmare sees herself as the dark mage the true mastermind behind the operation while Ignis is drawing comparisons to some of the classic plays on earth.
It's only during the climax of the play when the plot twist is revealed that the elf has a true reaction. The entire lead up to this point was lowering the queen's social standing and ruining her credibility so the princess could exile her. However, it's revealed that the dark mage was actually planning to slither in at the finale and she kills the queen while possessing the princess. Her true plan was to steal the kingdom while posing as the princess.
Many of the ponies in the crowd are emotional at the princess's grief and sorrow through her inner monologue as she watches her own body murder the queen. Nightmare is just murmuring about how the plot was foolproof and that even she had not predicted the mage would go this far. The reaction Ignis gives though is much more visceral.
Looking down at the stage he doesn't see the actors or the audience. All of the noise around him has faded completely. The only thing he sees is that where the prop corpse of the queen is laying is a much more haunting image of Queen Aurora. Her eye sockets are deep black voids with green blood running down her face. All he can hear is the panicked screams and cries for help that she belted out in her final moments.
Both mares notice that his breathing has become more rapid and shallow. Looking over they see a look of despair as he clenches his jaw and fists are balled up so tight that his arms are shaking and his knuckles are bright white. At first they both seem to think it's just a reaction to the climax of the tragedy on stage and that maybe it reminds of him of something from home.
It's only when he bares his teeth and his eyes well up that they realize something is truly wrong, but they still think it has something to do with the play. Finally he fails to continue suppressing his mana and it causes the entire theater to fall into silence, even the actors. Nightmare closes her eyes and uses the possession link to perceive the world as he sees it, the same way she did when she was on the moon. Immediately she realizes what's wrong and starts to quietly speak towards the elf.
"Bladesinger no.... Ignis you are at the Canterlot Theater. You are watching a play, that queen is not truly the one you are perceiving. You need to pull back and focus your breathing..." It's clear nothing is working so Nightmare recalls what Luna did to calm him in the carriage. Showing clear discomfort she wraps a wing around the elf and pulls him close. "It's okay Ignis. You did everything you could, but you need to see the true reality around you."
"What's happening to him?" Force asks the former demon with a mixture of concern and fear.
"He's having a nightmare while awake. The situation on stage triggered a memory from the summit." Nightmare feels the elf release some of the tension in his body as his breathing stabilizes. "Have you returned to reality, bladesinger?"
Instantly suppressing his mana again before speaking he replies. "Yeah. I'm sorry girls but I need to cut this short." He uses his forearm to wipe his eyes before pulling away from Nightmare and quickly walking out of the theater. The two mares quickly follow him and Force makes a mental note to send a letter of apology to the theater with some compensation for the disruption. Even though it's likely none of them have any idea what caused the sudden pressure to weigh down on every pony in the building.
"Ignis...let me introduce you to my therapist tomorrow morning after breakfast. She's part of the castles medical staff and-"
"Okay. Yeah fine. For now though can you go put your armor back on, put on your wing blades and meet me in the training area? I feel like I'm about to explode, so let me vent through some spars. Please."
The knight nods and takes off towards the castle as Nightmare stares at him with a slight look of concern. She's clearly uncomfortable with these types of situations and conversations but for some reason she still feels obligated to speak up. "Bladesinger, you know you can't possibly blame yourself for what happened to Queen Aurora. Her usurper was so powerful that not even Celestia and Luna combined could defeat her."
"Yes Nightmare. I've had this exact conversation already. Logically I understand that I never stood a chance against Chrysalis. Logic isn't what's hijacking my senses and making me hallucinate her corpse, though. Even then I already reviewed the entire series of events with Luna, if I used a higher level spell slot to heal Aurora initially there's a decent chance she would've at least survived the impact that killed her. If she survived that impact then it's completely plausible for the royal sisters to have evacuated Aurora and myself out of that hive. Are you joining in on these spars? If you were primarily a battlemage then I doubt you're familiar with pegasus combat tactics. Also I'm going to feel bad if I completely overwhelm Force, but against you I'll have no compunctions about going all out."
"Sure I don't mind being an emotional punching bag. As long as you don't hold it against me when I stomp you into the dirt." Nightmare smirks at the elf.
"Oh you're so fucking on. I can't wait to get even for the punishment you handed out to me in the Everfree."
> Main Quest - Best Night Ever pt. 2
"Sorry we didn't get to see the end of the play. I'm curious how it ends, so maybe we can try watching it again this week at some point?" I idly comment to Nightmare while we wait on Force to come back with her armor and wing blades. I realized Nightmare only has the stat block of a standard CR2 Pegasus and really wouldn't stand a chance in a spar so she's just waiting here with me.
"That was apparently the end of the play. I'm surprised they have plays in this era that don't have a happy ending. Specifically something like that, it's actually quite a dark conclusion. How did it compare with stories from your world?"
"It was alright. I saw the twist coming from a mile away, but didn't expect the story would actually have a Bad Ending. In terms of how dark it was? Eh, it wasn't that dark. Haven't you seen the stories from my world? I remember calling you out on copying something from an anime I watched."
"And I told you then that I can't see your memories. I wasn't lying. I only saw it because it appeared in your subconscious while you were doing your false sleep. I think you called it a trance?" That makes sense. I think I actually remember that specific set of memories from my trance a while back.
"Ah well in that case I mean we got Julius Caesar, that one's pretty brutal, guy was a dictator and got betrayed by his senate. They stabbed him 23 times, I think?" Force lands while I'm talking and chimes in.
"That seems excessive. Who are we talking about? That didn't happen in Equestria right?" The battle ready pegasus asks.
"Julius Caesar. No, it's a story from my homeland. That one is only particularly dark because it actually happened. Now, Odysseus? That one is a brutal story. Way too long to summarize right now though."
"Perhaps just a small example then?" Moonie asks inquisitively.
"Sure. Odysseus led his soldiers to the enemy's capital and after seeing how slow the progress of their traditional siege would be he devised a plan. They crafted a large wooden horse that was hollow on the inside and hid Odysseus and a decent number of soldiers inside the wooden statue. The enemy awoke the next morning and was confused by the giant statue in front of their walls, but celebrated that the siege was nowhere to be seen and accepted the statue as a gift. Then once the city fell asleep the following night the soldiers climbed out of the statue and started slaughtering the city from the inside."
Pausing to take a breath before I continue, I'm surprised they both look so interested. "Eventually the city fell and Odysseus was successful, but then he was visited by a God and was given a prophecy. He was told he must kill the son of the Prince, an infant named Astyanax or the baby would grow up and bring ruin to Odysseus' homeland. Even as far as killing his wife and child."
It's here where Force interrupts me. "Surely he doesn't actually kill a foal, right? Why can't he just adopt the child and hide his origins from him and nurture him to be a kind stallion?"
"That's not how prophecies work I'm afraid. Odysseus was told "if this child lives everything you love will die." So, he took the infant and dropped it from the tall walls that surrounded the city." Force looks disturbed but Nightmare just seems surprised.
"That's insane! You don't even sound like you're phased by it. Surely you don't agree with what he did?" Force seems like she has completely forgotten what we talked about before the play. Either that or she just isn't drawing the connection between what I said and what Odysseus did. Moonie seems to understand because she's looking at the pegasus with a confused gaze.
I just unclip my scabbard and get into my standard fighting stance. Probably safer if I just keep my sword in the scabbard and use the thing like a bludgeon. "He's just someone willing to do whatever it takes to see his family again and keep them safe. How can I not respect that?"
Enable real time combat.
The realization finally settles in for her and she remembers our conversation from earlier. She looks a bit conflicted before taking off into the sky. This is going to be the first bladesong I've done since I leveled up and saw that strange text. "Your understanding of the true bladesong deepens." It's definitely no coincidence that the text appeared the same level I unlocked Song of Defense, so the two are likely related. I've been itching to see if there's any difference to the technique now.
"Bladesong."
"Woah guys, look, the knights are sparring! Go get everypony! This will be a good learning experience for us." Looks like we're getting an audience.
Immediately I can tell there's a visual difference. Instead of motes of light swirling around me there's just thin translucent silver extending out from my body like a full body suit of gel or something. I feel more...reinforced. This definitely seems like something that's only happening because I'm in Equestria. My speed has gone up by more than the standard 10ft, it went up by 20ft this time. Does that mean I'll get the full True Bladesong at level 17? Oh shit Force is dive bombing me.
The first few notes play and I instantly recognize this one, very fitting for what we just talked about. Once Force is just a couple of feet away from slamming into me I jump and roll to the left. As soon as I'm done rolling I put my head on a swivel to see where the pegasus went after she missed me. She's flying away from likely to gain more distance to circle back and make another dive at me. All I can do from this distance is firebolt.
"I look into your eyes and I think back to the son~ of mine."
With my action and bonus action I fire off two firebolts; the first one flashes in a small explosion as it lands right on her armor. She instantly banks left to dodge the follow up shot. Right as she starts flying back towards me something strange happens. An image flashes of a baby in a crib looking up at a man. It's not distracting in any way, but it does surprise me a bit. It's like a stream of information into the back of my brain that's giving me a visual representation of the song. It's hard to explain but it's being fed in a way that doesn't impact my ability to fight at all. It seems like Nightmare and Force are experiencing it as well judging from the flash of confusion.
"You're as old as he was when I left for war."
This time Force curls up her wings a bit mid flight and I remember this is what she did right before that rotating barrel roll continuous slash against the hydra. I hold my sword out vertically and prepare to take the slash head on, hoping I can direct her momentum in a different direction. At first it works and sparks fly as her wing blades scrape against my steel scabbard, and I successfully make her pivot to the right and spin away from me.
Somehow though she defies the laws of physics I'm familiar with and instantly turns back towards me. I have no time to react and my eyes widen as the blades start to slash into my back. I use my Song of Defense reaction and dump a 3rd level spell slot to reduce the incoming damage by 15. The silver aura where she struck glows bright and becomes completely opaque before expanding and rippling outwards. It's dispersing the force of the blow all over the aura so it can't reach me, I get it now. Thankfully whatever she did was less than 15 damage because I didn't take any after the dispersion.
"Will these actions haunt my days? Every man I've slain, is the price I pay endless pain?"
I'm expecting to see a flash of the slaughter in Troy but instead it's flashes of me cutting down changelings in the colosseum. Nightmare looks on indifferently as she likely has seen this before, but when I pivot on my feet to take a swing at Force before she gets out of melee range I see a look of sadness on her face. Ignoring that for now I swing down hard with the sheathed Moonblade and loud clang rings out as it comes down on her back. Purple sparks crackle all over the armor as well and she flinches. Seems she forgot about booming blades 2nd effect though as she keeps flying and not even 1 second later the sparks return and with a clap of thunder her wings seize and she falls into the dirt. She looks a bit frustrated but overall seems fine and takes off once more.
"Close your eyes and spare yourself the view. How could I hurt you?"
The flashes are back to Odysseus now as I see him covering the childs eyes while holding a dagger over it. He reluctantly pulls away as the question in the lyrics ring out. The guards start to murmur and point at Force as she angles her wings in a strange direction and flies towards me. I haven't seen this move before.
"I'm just a man who's trying to go home~"
I see now why the wonderbolts gave her an officer recommendation with a specialization in maneuvers. She's somehow instantly turning over 90 degrees and constantly barraging me with slashes. Luckily I casted shield so a bulk of them are being deflected but my HP is still chipping down slowly.
"Even after all the years away from what I've known!"
After a couple of seconds of this constant barrage I notice she's only going 3 or 4ft away from me every time before turning back to keep up the attack. Making use of this as soon as she zips hits me I can tell she's going to go to my right so I cast Misty Step and land 5ft to the right. It works completely and I can see the shock on her face as I throw out a punch with my left hand that she flies directly into. I channel a 1st level smite just to give it some oomph as she gets sent flying into the ground.
"I'm just a man who's fighting for his life! Deep down I would trade the world to see my son and wife."
She gets up with a nasty bruise but she's actually smiling. "I got one last attack in me. Let's see how you can stop this one." The smile on Force's face turns into a smirk as she flies into the air for what is apparently going to be the last time.
"I'm just a man."
She turns around and hovers about 150ft away from me and I notice her eyes flash red. Wait she's going to use her fucking special talent on me?! I can just teleport at the last second and dodge..... No, fuck that! Surely people have dodged this attack before, but she's supposed to be UNSTOPPABLE.
"But when, does a comet become a meteor?"
She's about 1.5 seconds away from turning me into paste on the ground and all of the guards are shouting for her to stop or for me to move. That signature bright red aura forms in front of her. My own silver aura expands outwards and glows brightly as I hold out my left palm towards her and clench the open hand into a fist. "Hold Monster."
"When does a candle become a blaze?"
For a brief instant the glowing red arrow pauses in mid air, but a horrendous sound booms out that sounds like something is being ripped. And that brief instant was all I had, she's exploding towards me, glowing even brighter now. In a panic I channel the Mizzium and try to cast another spell.
"When does a man become a monster?"
"Wall of Force!" The Mizzium obviously doesn't respond because I don't have the damn thing. I came straight here from the theater, and even if I had it I just casted a spell. Two images flash through my head, Odysseus holding a bundled child in the air over the burning city of Troy, and myself in the changeling throne room surrounded by fire, covered in blood, and screaming as I charge the Queen. Force is 10ft away now.
"When does a ripple become a tidal wave? When does the reason become the blame?"
In a final panicked act of desperation I dump mana in her direction and try to use the Equestrian telekinesis to hold her in place. Nightmare yells, "Ignis, DON'T-" but it's too late. The mana surrounds the pegasus and instantly it feels like thousands of knives are stabbing into my head as the strain of trying to hold her is far too heavy.
"When does a man become a monster~"
Blood pours out of both nostrils and I drop down onto my hands and knees. Luckily me dropping down combined with Force slightly angling up at the last second is enough for her to soar over me, missing entirely. My bladesong ends as I fully collapse onto my stomach, and I roll over onto my back. Picking my head up I look where Force landed and am impressed to see it looks like a meteor skidded several feet sideways before stopping. Standing there completely unharmed aside from the bruise I gave her is the Knight of Love running towards me with concern plastered on her face.
HP: 27/82.
The first voice I hear is Moonie's though, directly beside me. "Who in their right mind would try to stop that with telekinesis?! It's our fault for not warning you about the dangers of the spell."
"What uh.... What happened?" I replied to her.
"Your muscles can rip and tear if you try to push or pull something that weighs far too much, yes?" I nod. "Telekinesis works in the same way but with a mental strain. You basically just tried to move the sun and moon with your arms, at the same time."
"Well when you put it like that I guess that was a pretty dumb move, huh?"
"No, like I said it's both mine and Luna's fault for not properly warning you. Does anything feel off? Do you have any symptoms other than head pain?"
"Head pain is the understatement of the century, but no it's just the....f-fuck, just the pain."
"If it's any consolation you did stop me, twice in fact. It was only for a fraction of a second both times but that's more than any opponent I've fought before. But, you were supposed to dodge! Why in the world would you try to take that attack head on?!" Seems like Force has gone through a whirlwind of emotions before finally landing on the "scold" option.
"I just thought "why would I dodge when I came here to fight?" After that I was determined to do the impossible, and by the way I have 1 more spell I need to test and I think it might actually stop you."
"Respectable. Also, I'm..... I'm sorry, I think I understand you a bit more now. That bladesong was so strange, it's like it was feeding memories to me to show me a story. I was able to feel how that stallion felt when he was staring at the foal. OH, and what was that thing you did when I did my rotating slash into your back? I've never seen mana absorb an impact and disperse it like that!" It's honestly so adorable how she just instantly drops all of her negative emotions to pivot into something that she's curious about.
"That bladesong was the closest you've come to the bladesingers of the past. It's still lacking in terms of offensive capabilities, but that defense was surprisingly similar. The part about the memories is where I'm most surprised. I experienced the same thing the Knight described, and if I recall correctly it was mentioned that bladesingers would do that to try and show their opponents the error of their ways." Oh, so it's a talk no jutsu.
"Well I had no control over it so I hope it doesn't happen every bladesong. If I end up revealing some embarrassing memory because I was fighting for life I might just lay down the sword and end it all right then and there. I think it happened this time though because Force disagreed with me on my core fundamental values. It tried to help give her some perspective. Anyways, watch out, let me heal us up."
Cure Wounds at 4th level.
+36 HP: 63/82
Cure Wounds at 2nd level.
+25 HP: 82/82
Cure Wounds at 5th level on Force.
In the span of a few seconds all the ruffles, scrapes, scruffs, and bruises are cleared away and the pegasus gives a few rapid blinks of surprise. "That's the best healing magic I've ever felt. I think you've used it on me before but for minor scratches. I think I get why you're so idiotically reckless now. I'd probably be the same way if I had magic that could just fix me up good as new in a few seconds. How's your head?"
"Still feels like the worst hangover I've ever had in my entire life times 100." After a few seconds of silence the audience around us seems to disperse murmuring about the different moves they saw. "So if we don't tell Luna ourselves... how long do you think it'll take her to catch wind of this?"
"Around 2 minutes if my math is correct." Oh no. Who woke Luna up?! I think the confusion must've been obvious from my face because she answers my unspoken question. "Your surge of mana shook me from my slumber." She spots the dried blood on my face and frowns. "What happened here?" She then turns and glares at Nightmare, oh she thinks Moonie did it.
Force actually steps in to defend Nightmare which surprises me. "No, Your Majesty. I was sparring with Ignis and I think we just got a little carried away."
"That doesn't explain the mana surge or the apparent nosebleed." Bro why isn't she this commanding and stern more often.
"The Knight of Love used her special talent and Ignis tried to stop her with telekinesis. The damage was near instantaneous, it was apparently an immense strain for him." Nightmare explains for us.
Luna frowns again, "Ah. I did neglect to mention the upper limits of telekinesis and the damage it can do if you try to surpass it. You are still correct though Force attacks like that are way too far for a friendly spar. Also, why haven't you gone to sleep yet Ignis? When I didn't see your dreamscape appear I assumed you were in a trance, but I did not expect you to still be awake."
"Well, Nightmare wasn't tired and I couldn't just let her wander around the castle without an escort or your sister would probably have a stroke. Making her stay in my room while I slept also seemed a bit cruel for someone who just got out of prison. I figured I'd just sacrifice some rest for today and work through tonight and then sleep tomorrow morning, so she could make the most of her time while she has the freedom." I explain while standing up.
"As commendable as that is, I'm ordering you to rest. If she is unable to rest at the moment I can solve that with one simple spell." Turning to Force she continues commanding. "Force you are dismissed. If you would normally still be with Cadence at this time then you are to return to her, if not you are released for the day. Ignis, follow me, I'm going to verify with my own eyes that you are actually resting."
Force looks at me with an expression that screams, "Good luck with that dude, you are in trouble." before flying off towards the castle. While we're walking back to the castle I decide to actually ask Luna what's going on with her personality right now. "Luna, just curious if there's any specific reason you're so commanding right now?"
"I hate being woken up early. I wish to return to bed as quickly as possible. In fact," She ignites her horn and after a flash of light Luna, Nightmare, and I are teleported into Luna's bedroom. "I should've just done this to begin with. Now, rest."
I start making my way towards her door so I can go to my room next door when I feel a tug on my cloak. A second passes and the tug turns into a full on telekinesis field that floats me back over to Lunas bed. "I said I'm going to verify with my own eyes that you are resting, and I did not say to go anywhere. Rest."
"Yes ma'am!" I offer up a salute while floating in the air and she proceeds to drop me onto the bed. After that she climbs up and lays down to my left.
I awkwardly stare at Nightmare who is just standing at the foot of the bed looking on with a surprised face. Luna speaks up again. "Nightmare you are sleeping as well. Can you fall asleep naturally or do you need a spell?"
"As much as it hurts my pride to admit...I do require your assistance." With a flap of her wings Nightmare in her average pony sized pegasus form lays down to my right. What the fuck is happening right now?
Luna zaps Moonies forehead and the pegasus instantly collapses and starts breathing slowly and rhythmically. As soon as she does that Luna rolls onto her side and pulls me close with her forelegs. Before I can even question the absurdity of this situation Luna follows in Nightmares steps and instantly falls asleep. It's funny that she can go for a few days without sleep and be perfectly normal but if you interrupt her sleep she becomes a boss bitch.
I decide to risk getting assaulted with the nightmares again and elect to sleep instead of trance. With that our eventful Monday is drawn to a close with only 3 days remaining until the Gala. We should rename Monday to Moonday since Celly has Sunday...no, maybe that's dumb.
> Side Quest - How Does That Make You Feel? pt. 1
I was wondering how long it'd take for me to come back here. Honestly I meant to come back way earlier but I guess it's okay now since she brought me here on her own. "Child of Zarra." I make eye contact with the ancient elf inside the Moonblade and she motions for me to approach her. Once I do she continues, "You nearly shattered my soul, child. What possessed you to channel that much magic into my blade?"
"Rage. Desperation. Instinct. I guess you could say it was a combination of those three. Moonblade, before we continue can you tell me your name? You've neglected to do it in any of our prior meetings." Glancing around I'm amazed to see how full of life this place looks right now compared to how it looked when Luna and I visited a week or so ago.
"Is that all you have to say?" She ignores my question and I realize instantly I'm being an asshole. I think I can play this off though.
"Well I was hoping to get your name first so it could be properly done, but if you insist. I am sorry, if I had known that was going to happen I would not have done it. It's too late for that now, though, but I hope you can at least sympathize with the emotions I was dealing with in that moment." Her glare finally softens, but it's still not a smile.
"Galadra. It's only because your motivation was pure and just that I'm even having this conversation with you. If I was your father I'd be scolding you for failing to control your emotions and allowing your full Summer Eladrin traits to come ablaze. Luckily for you The Dark Maiden has no such teachings. I truly must ask you to never do whatever it is you did that nearly shattered me, ever again. I'm not sure I can survive it a second time."
"Trust me I didn't plan on it. Galadra, huh? No family name? You mentioned you've been around since before the first sundering, but surely there's more to your story, no? How did you end up in this blade?"
"I had a family name, once. Before I could even give myself a proper name I was banished from my House. I'm sure you've guessed it by now based on my golden hair and pale complexion, but I was a Sun Elf. Ironic isn't it? I was taken in by a wandering group of dark elves and ended up finding my new home in Miyeritar, and chose to omit a family name at my coming of age naming ceremony. From there I lived in a temple dedicated to Her Grace and became a devout cleric. In your modern terms I ended up becoming something similar to a Chosen. I lived for several thousand years since that power seemed to make me ageless, but ended up suffering a mortal wound at the start of the Crown Wars. In my final words I asked Her Grace if there was any way I could continue serving her and she granted me this."
When she finishes her final statement she holds out her hands and gestures to this entire realm. "So you became this Moonblade and were wielded by the mightiest clerics in your Order to continue on your fight after your death? That's...quite noble. All of that as a sun elf, that really is ironic. There were only 6 wielders of you before myself, though and the Crown Wars were long long ago. How is it that there were only 6 wielders in 14,000 years?"
"Well, as you know from your teachings in your own temple, we were not victorious." Galadra's face looks quite pained. "The Dark Disaster struck and eventually Miyeritar fell, with most of its citizens becoming aberrations known as Sharns. I was buried in the ruins and forgotten for eons, but one day the city was reconstructed and became known as Rhymanthiin. That's when I was reclaimed by the Order and put back into loyal service."
Suddenly she pulls me into a hug and quietly says, "Now I'm once again the blade for Her Chosen. Child of Zarra, I know you are still young and you are burdened with hardship, but please for Her sake...you must cool your head, clear your mind of that which plagues you, and temper your recklessness. As far as I can tell you will most likely be the final person to wield me, so make it count."
The first thing I see upon waking up is a pair of cyan eyes staring into my own. "Oh good, I was just about to wake you. Night Court is in 45 minutes, so if you want to bathe and grab whatever food they have left in the dining hall you have some time."
"Is the other one still behind me?" I whisper to Luna and try to glance behind myself without moving my head, which is impossible.
"The other one is about to smack you." I hear a very deadpan Nightmare behind me.
"Luna, I think she can hear us. What do we do? I can go gather the elements." Luna just rolls her eyes at me and gently pushes me away with a forehoof so she can roll over and get out of bed.
"I'm glad to see you appear to have slept well. I was worried when I saw you were asleep that you'd be plagued with those unpleasant images again. Also, don't worry about today's report to Tia on Nightmares activities. Cadence's knight gave her a summary at dinner, but Tia wanted me to give you a warning to not miss any further reports."
After a quick shower and some snacks, Nightmare, Luna, and I are in the throne room for Night Court. Nightmare lounges on the petitioner side of the room and I take up my normal position at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the throne. "I hear you're going to be seeing a therapist in the morning, did you want me to accompany you?" There's no petitioners as usual so Luna decides to ask me about the therapy. Who snitched?
"Is that allowed? I thought you had to do that kind of stuff alone, unless it's couples therapy." She seems mildly confused at the mention of couples therapy, guessing they either don't have that or she hasn't been introduced to the concept yet. "Nevermind that, the answer is no. I appreciate the support, but if I'm being entirely honest I doubt I'll be confident enough to talk about all of my issues if you're in the room."
The confusion turns into a look of slight annoyance. "Do you not trust me enough to know of the problems that ail you?"
"It's not that...I just don't want your image of me to change. If that makes sense? I'd be too worried about appearing weak or causing you to think less of me and then you take away some of my responsibilities."
"Exactly so you don't trust me to be above such trivial things? Why would I-"
"Luna." Nightmare actually interrupts her. "Why didn't we talk to Celestia and tell her of our pains and woes?"
".....That's not the same." Luna pauses for another few seconds. "No, you're right. Nopony wants to burden the ones closest to them. I understand."
I just look between the two of them absolutely befuddled. "I'm confused if the two of you fed off of each other's negative emotions then why are you able to balance each other out like this?"
"All I had known was negative emotions at that time. How could I have been a balancing force when I was a cloud of hate?" You know she's making a lot of sense right now.
"That makes sense. Honestly you're surprisingly chill since our first meeting on the moon. I didn't expect you to mellow out so quickly."
"I'm just happy enough to be free."
The small talk continued for the rest of night court and afterwards Luna went on patrol in the dream realm while Nightmare gave me some more magic lessons. Eventually though it was morning. After eating breakfast with the alicorns Luna took Nightmare and Force escorted me to the medical wing and brought me into a small but cozy office featuring a lone unicorn stallion with a plain brown coat and black hair.
"Ignis this is Dr. Sentiment, doctor this is Knight I was speaking with you about last week." Force gestures to the stallion and steps aside so I can enter the room.
The stallion rises and offers me a forehoof. "Ah yes, the Knight who appeared out of nowhere and has already been mentioned in the papers more than most nobles. Knight Force here was telling me you've had some traumatic flashes and night terrors, is that right?"
I fist bump his forehoof and then give Force a side eye. Why the fuck she talking about that? I hadn't decided what I even wanted to share with this guy. "Yeah, something like that. How does this work?" He gestures towards the couch across from his desk so I lay down on it and hang my feet over the opposite armrest.
"Well this is completely voluntary, you're only here because you want to be here. Some patients just come in here and have stress free conversations where I try to point out lessons from their daily interactions that they can apply to the issues in their file. Other patients just tell me what's troubling them and I'm just here to listen. If they or you have any questions about if something is normal or how they're supposed to handle something then I'll talk through that. Whatever makes you most comfortable." As he's talking he pulls out a folder that has my name on it and the file is actually a bit thicker than I thought it'd be.
Force walks further in and closes the door before I give her a questioning look, raising an eyebrow. "What?" She asks me.
"You gotta go, Force. I even told Luna not to be here." I remember how Luna worded it and use that same phrasing. "I don't want to be a burden to any of you, but this guy gets paid to do it. So, let him do his job and skedaddle outta here." I flutter my hands toward her as if I'm shooing her out of the room.
"Sorry, Knight if the patient doesn't want you here then I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave." She frowns but leaves without a word.
The door closes and we sit in silence for at least 5 minutes before I speak up. "If you're trying to use silence to make me uncomfortable so I just start talking to fill the void then I should probably just warn you to use a different tactic."
"Good guess, but no. Like I said, you're the one that came to my office, so if you want to sit here in silence for 90 minutes then be my guest. You wouldn't be the first, in fact I had one mare that sat through four 90 minute sessions before finally feeling comfortable enough to open up." He does actually write something down while he's talking though. What could he have notated?
A few more minutes pass but this time I'm actually thinking about what I even want to talk about. "I guess I should start with the most recent issue?"
"And what would that be?"
"I mean it's what you mentioned when Force introduced us. I've been having nightmares about changelings and yesterday I ended up having something like the nightmare, but it was while I was still awake."
"Okay and in your night terrors what exactly is happening?"
"I'm in a swamp of some kind and out the mud and murky water changelings will try grab me and pull me under. I fly up to escape and they just rise up as well, ascending higher and higher by forming a mountain of corpses. Eventually they get me and pull me down and I wake up."
"And do you hear anything when this is happening?"
"No. They're mouths are moving but the entire dream is dead silent. I'm sure they're all..." I trail off before I can finish the thought.
"Hm? What was that? What are they all saying?"
"I think they're cursing me. Some of them are trying to pull me under because I killed them directly and others because it's my fault they died."
He writes in silence for a few seconds. "Who are these changelings?"
"Some of them are the jet black changelings that belong to the rogue Queen Chrysalis. Those I slaughtered with reckless abandon. The others are the drones that served under Queen Aurora...they died because I couldn't stop the rogue Queen and some of them I even watched them be executed and just watched." My throat feels dry, and it's hard to swallow.
"Ah so this is from the events that happened at the global summit. Why did you kill the rogue drones?"
"What do you mean why? They tried to paralyze me and keep me in a pod as an indefinite food source. They were killing and kidnapping my fellow guards. They....." I pause as I realize the main reason, the one that actually kicked me into overdrive and made me not even think as I cut through them. He looks up and gives me an expectant look as if he's silently telling me to continue. "They took Luna."
He writes a few more lines down. "Do you feel guilty about what you did to those changelings? Regret?"
"No?" He tilts his head at me and I realize I answered him as if I was asking a question. "Yes? I don't know! That's not why we were there. I was prepared to have conflict with the dragons, but out of nowhere I'm slicing through these weak creatures and blowing them up with fireballs...They were just following orders, they're a literal hive mind. At the same time though, I had to do it."
"And why is that?"
"Because it was kill or be killed. I didn't even have time to consider options or think of peaceful resolutions. Was I supposed to just fucking roll over and live in a pod? Let all the ponies I came with die?"
"You did what you had to do Ignis. It was what needed to be done. You didn't do anything wrong."
"It doesn't feel that way." I feel a wet trail of water run down my face. The doctor notices it and probably notices my confused look. "What the fuck is happening right now? Where is all of this even coming from? I've deliberately made sure to just not even think about anything that happened in that colosseum.... Is that why they decided to haunt me in my dreams?"
He frowns as if I said something wrong and after making some more notes he replies. "More than likely, yes. You can't repress things like that forever, Ignis. One way or another your body will force you to process it. Let's come back to the rogue changelings later. For now can you explain why the death of the other changelings is your fault?"
I don't wanna be here anymore. This is stupid. I go to stand up when I remember the scared look on Force's face, and the concern from Luna. Finally I remember Galadra from the Moonblade. For Her sake, clear your mind of that which plagues you.
This is gunna be a long morning.
> Side Quest - How Does That Make You Feel? pt. 2
Author Notes: Normally I'd just use the built in notes and change it to where the notes appear up here, but I have spoiler comments and remarks in those notes. This small set of notes is just a T/W: There's some super vague wording in the back half of the chapter that hint towards Suicide/Self-Harm. I don't want to add the tag to the story because the first and probably only instance of it is 205k words deep into the fic, so you're just gunna get this warning here.
"And with that we are just about out of time Mr. Ferrum. I recommend you return every morning for the rest of the week until we have a good baseline setup." He looks up from his notes. "That is assuming you have more unresolved problems we need to look at?"
Well we didn't really touch on Silver Lance but he also hasn't shown up in any of the flashes or nightmares. Probably because I've been working through that one on my own. I guess really the only thing left to talk about is...Earth. "Not really. Those are the only ones that are actually affecting me in my daily activities."
He taps his quill against the paper a few times while humming in thought. "Hm. So there are still unresolved issues but they haven't reared their ugly head yet. Judging by the way our conversations went about the changelings and Queen Aurora I believe you have a tendency to pretend things aren't as bad as they truly are. The way you talked about the changelings seemed like a minor trauma to begin with but after digging through it and prying more details out of you it showed some major issues. That combined with your tendency to repress and bottle up your problems tells me that there's one or more issues that are bigger than what we talked about."
The stallion rises up and I guess that's the signal that I need to leave. As I'm standing he continues speaking. "Just try to remember the breathing exercises we talked about, and the strategies you can use to anchor yourself to reality if you start seeing images again. Come back at the same time tomorrow morning and be ready to talk about topics completely different than what we talked about today. Okay?"
I slowly nod and leave the office.
3rd Person POV
The doctor sits back down after the elf leaves and looks at two different sheets of paper he was using for notes. One contains the typical notes one would expect for a therapist detailing different triggers and behaviors. The other one is much different though.
Priority 0 Target Ignis Ferrum: Equestrian Bladesinger, Lunar Knight.
High mental fortitude. Recommend non-violent interrogation tactics.
Attempts to view the classified dossier on the target resulted in confusion. Original identity appears to have very recently viewed the file, recommended to interrogate original identity for key details from the file. Once enough time has passed I will request to view the file again.
Any visual references to the former Queen Aurora likely to cause momentary vulnerability.
Romantic inclinations toward Princess Luna, recommend any attempts to chip away at mental defenses be performed while disguised as her.
Any drones capable of high level transformation techniques to appear burned or slashed could prove useful.
Romantic inclinations toward Knight of Love, recommended priority 1 hostage assuming Princess Luna is too powerful for standard ponynapping procedures.
Spikes of anger and hate at the mention of Queen Chrysalis, avoid topic at all costs if approaching target while disguised.
True mental vulnerability and source of leverage for persuasion still undetermined. When mentioned that I suspected he had a much larger problem plaguing his mind the target became extremely anxious and withdrawn. Expect more details within 36 hours.
I've probed the target's mind twice but even when under emotional duress there was a thick barrier preventing any attempts to implant subliminal compulsions. Will attempt more intrusive probes in future sessions to allow for easier control from the Queen.
With a flash of his horn the text on the nefarious file is transformed to appear as an exact copy of the standard notes. Filing everything away the unicorn proceeds into the bathroom of his office and vomits a dense black ball of some type of resin or goo into the toilet before flushing the substance into the sewers. "Sometimes I wonder if the extra rations are worth the constant assault of negative emotions I have to endure. Regardless, apparently this target is Her Majesty's number 0 priority so I'll have to bring this information to the Tunnel Commander at once. This should net me a few extra rations and perhaps even a promotion."
Ignis 1st Person POV
2 days later. Thursday night, 24 hours until the Gala.
Exhaustion Level: 1.
"Ignis, are the nightmares getting worse? You don't look like you've gotten any rest." Luna asks me while we're sitting in the dining hall.
"No...I don't know what's wrong I just feel so drained every morning before I go to sleep. I think I need to limit my visits with Dr. Sentiment to once per week." The next two sessions after the first one were much more stressful than the first one. It must've gotten really bad a few times because I had to make Wisdom saving throws twice. One of them I thought for sure I failed but I didn't feel any different after.
"That was actually in his notes as well. He seems to think that allowing you a venue to finally vent your problems is likely the best he can do, and at this point it would be redundant to continue daily appointments. He actually recommended it once every other week. At those appointments he'll likely just ask for any updates on things you've talked about previously, and then go over any significant events that happened between appointments that have been on your mind." Celestia chimes in and makes me momentarily uncomfortable. I don't really appreciate that she has been keeping tabs on my progress, but I suppose it makes sense.
"What have you two been talking about?" Force asks with no tact. Cadence gives her a quick thwap on the back of her head with a wing.
"I understand you want to support him, my knight, but with things like this it's better to just let him talk about it when he's ready." Cadence scolds Force with a much gentler tone than Luna or Celly have ever used when scolding me.
"I mean the first day we just talked about the nightmares and the incident in the theater. Like Celestia said just finally venting about that did seem to alleviate the nightmares. Seeing any of Aurora's changelings walking around the castle still triggers "episodes" as he calls them. The last two sessions I spent the entire time finally unpacking everything I've bottled up about my homeland. Regrets, worries, who I miss...finally confronting my inner conflict on why I still want to go home versus why I want to stay here. This part is just a theory but I think he's trying to make me slowly accept and come to terms with the possibility of not going home."
I take a sip of orange juice and realize the awkward silence at the table. I guess it's because they all feel the same way as Doc, or else they'd be trying to reassure me right now. "If I could at least tell both my families that I'm fine and they don't need to worry...I'd settle for that." I suddenly stand up and turn towards Luna. "Do you need me for anything until Court?" She shakes her head no. "I'm gunna take a walk. I'll meet you in the throne room."
Leaving Nightmare with the rest of the royalty I make my way towards the gardens, but after looking around there's a few more ponies out here than I thought there would be. Turning around towards the castle I cast Misty Step 3 times in quick succession and sit down on one of the higher roofs of the castle.
Pulling out a copper wire I pull it taut and just stare at the wire with the Canterlot skyline out of focus in the background. "I should try it one more time, right? I'm scared to try again." A memory of my last session with the therapist flashes in my mind.
"If there's a chance your message didn't make it to your loved ones back home why haven't you tried again?" Dr. Sentiment interrupts me to ask after mentioning Sending.
"Well it's only a 5% chance. I'm sure it went through."
"We both know you're lying, Mr. Ferrum. If you never try again then you can always think to yourself "Oh, I failed to make it through the planes, but I can probably still reach home." If you try again-" He tries to finish making his point, but everything finally starts to bubble up to the surface.
"If I try again and they still don't respond...what the fuck am I supposed to do then? WHY WOULD I TRY AGAIN...when I'm better off being uncertain? If no one answers me next time" My voice finally cracks and the dam breaks. "I don't know what I'll do."
I whisper out the incantation for Sending with a shaky breath as I continue to stare at the wire. "Hey mom, it's Lucas. Just think your reply, I'll hear it. I can't explain where I am but you don't have to worry, I'm okay." 25 words really isn't enough. I have so much I want to say. Once the casting finishes I pull my knees to my chest and curl up into a ball. Please respond...
The seconds feel like hours and I can feel my fingers start to dig into the back of my neck as everything tenses up. That's okay it's entirely possible I hit the 5% two times in a row. Let me try my sister back in the Feywild. I cast it again. "Tala, it's Ignis. This is Sending, I'm in a strange Realm but I'm okay. Respond if you can and tell father I'll be back soon."
Nothing. Cast it again.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
Again. Again. Again.
Main Quest - Get home. In Progress.
I just stare at the quest prompt and start to laugh. "Isn't this so funny?! It has no objective, no marker on a map! It just sits here and mocks me! JUST SAY THE QUEST IS COMPLETE SO I CAN GIVE UP! PLEASE!"
Cast Sending again.
Cast it again.
Error. There are no 3rd level or higher spell slots remaining for this spell.
How long have I been up here? What is that sound grating against my ears? Why does my throat hurt?
"Let it out, my Knight." Suddenly from a burst of wind I'm surrounded by blue fur and feathers. Before I can even think my arms wrap around the source of the voice and I bury my face into the soft coat. As soon as I do, the terrible sound that confused me becomes muffled and I finally realize what's happening. I've just been screaming on this roof.
Luna 1st Person POV
"I'm gunna take a walk. I'll meet you in the throne room."
"Okay, I'll see you then." I'm not even sure he heard me as I watch him walk out of the dining hall.
"I'll go keep an eye on him." Force states as she starts to stand but I hold out a hoof and stop her.
"No. I'll go." She opens her mouth to argue but I just channel my horn and teleport far into the sky above the castle. After a quick scan I spot him entering the garden and after looking around he does his own teleportation onto the roof of one of the higher towers. My breath is caught in my throat watching him standing on such a precarious spot high in the air, but I calm down once he sits down. With a flap of my wings I accelerate down a bit closer to the castle and lay down on a cloud above the elf.
Just remember Lulu, Dr. Sentiment said we need to let him work through this on his own.
I know, sister. I just want to make sure he's safe.
He pulls something out of the pouch around his waist but I'm too far to make it out. I cast a lesser version of Scrying to make out what he's holding and I remember it's the same thing he used in the Everfree when he tried to contact his homeland. I can't make out what he's saying but after a few seconds he tenses and curls up.
I'm just about ready to reach out with telepathy and ask him if he's okay when he lifts his head and speaks into the wire again. After more silence he speaks into the wire again but louder this time. Loud enough that I can tell he's trying to send a message to his mother. He repeats the message over and over and over, until finally I see a smile on his face.
I spread my wings with excitement thinking he must've received a response, but quickly all of that excitement turns into a stone sinking into my stomach. The smile turns into a chuckle which leads into a manic laugh. The only other times I've heard a laugh like this was on the battlefield or at a funeral.
Eventually he starts to talk to himself and screams at what I assume is the strange power he's explained to me. "Just say the quest is complete so I can give up! Please!" It's the first sentence I've been able to hear clearly and the look on his face pains me.
He speaks into the wire two more times. I feel pressure starting to push me down and realize he's stopped suppressing his mana. It's more than that he's subconsciously flaring the mana to the point that it's visibly leaking out of him. Then he suddenly throws the wire off the castle and starts to pull at his own hair while screaming in despair.
To Tartarus with whatever the doctor said I can't just watch this! Flying down as fast as I can and almost crashing into the roof, I land and wrap my wings around the elf. To my surprise he instantly wraps his arms around my barrel and squeezes tight as he buries his face into my fur. "Let it out, my Knight."
The muffled screaming finally starts to fade away into silence. "It hurts, Luna."
"I know. I'm so sorry, Ignis." He starts to pull away, but I use my forelegs and pull him back in. "We don't need to go anywhere. We can stay like this for as long as you need. Let it all out."
> Main Quest - Best Night Ever pt. 3
"Poor thing...you should go up there too, Force." The pink alicorn staring up at the ceiling suggests to her knight.
Force looks a bit pensive as she considers flying up to the roof. "I don't know, the two of them seem so much closer since they went to the thestral colony. I feel like I would just be intruding."
"You should go, Knight. Your worries are unfounded, I assure you that your presence would be welcomed." Nightmare surprisingly chooses to encourage the pegasus. "Looks like I'll need to postpone the magic lesson I had prepared for him for after court."
After another second of thought the knight speeds out of the dining hall and starts making her way towards the roof. "I'm surprised it took this long for the cracks to start showing. In the end he truly is just as emotional as a typical stallion." Cadence makes a borderline offensive comment after Force has left the room, and Nightmare sends a glare her way. "What? Am I wrong?"
"Yes. Ever since the colosseum incident I have lived vicariously through his eyes and ears. Listened to his surface level thoughts when he forgets that he's sharing a telepathic link. It's a miracle the bladesinger is even sane, I doubt you would have been able to endure his path, Princess."
Cadence tries to defend herself but Celestia is the first to speak up. "What in particular makes you believe that?"
"We can start with the most glaring issue, the one that's caused..." Nightmare glances up towards the ceiling. "That incident. I'm sure you've already imagined how you would react if you were suddenly snatched from this realm and wound up in a strange land, the only pony around. Never being able to see or talk to any of your loved ones ever again, that alone would cripple anypony for weeks, perhaps months."
Both alicorns nod, wondering where she's going to go with this. "But, I doubt you've imagined that happening twice. He has the memories of two different lives, but as a human he was unaware of his life as an elf. If he didn't remember his other life until he came here then he's experiencing the loss of both lives at the same time." Cadence's expression collapses into a frown while Celestia's eyes open a bit wider in shock.
"As a knight he shouldn't be nearly this affected by what he experienced at the colosseum, though. I can understand the guilt over Queen Aurora, but as a bladesinger and a knight, violence should not have impacted him as strongly as this has. I briefly saw his face when he cut down the changelings on the surface and he had none of the signs we typically see in traumatized ponies." Celestia doubles down on her side of the argument, mainly due to how she treated him before and during the summit. She assumed she was dealing with an experienced killer this whole time.
"His first bladesong outside of a training enviornment was against myself in the old castle, Celestia. He merely fenced and sparred with the blade while studying his world's magic. Those changelings were the first sapient beings he's killed, hell that was essentially his first battle. It's compounded by the fact that all the creatures in Equestria are so different from what he knows that he only registered that he'd murdered somepony when he saw one of Aurora's children wailing and asking for her mother. Not to mention that this entire time he's been pulled in 3 different directions. He has to make the impossible choice of picking which life gets to return to normalcy between his two homelands. Add onto that Luna and the pink ones' Knight are not so subtly trying to anchor him to Equestria."
Glancing at the ceiling one last time, Nightmare sighs and finishes her rant. "Well after tonight that particular burden might be lifted off of his shoulders. Surely he realizes that he's stuck here indefinitely." Suddenly one last realization hits her and she adds one last remake. "Oh and don't forget his race is only considered adults at 100 years old and he's 108. Compared to a mortals lifespan he's essentially the same age as your precious student. Would you have expected her to slaughter a field of changelings, lead a rescue operation, watch the children of the Queen she failed to save be executed systemically, and walk away with no trauma?"
"I have to go..." Cadence stands up looking a bit pale as she walks out of the dining hall.
As the only two left, Nightmare shifts her gaze over to Celestia as the solar alicorn starts to voice her realization. "I've judged him too harshly. Should he even be serving as my sister's knight?"
"I assume that's rhetorical as I know you don't value my opinion, but yes he should. In spite of everything I just said he's likely the strongest mortal in your army. Not to mention that this would be the worst timing to strip him of that title."
"Strength is not important if it means he has to live the rest of his life here mentally scarred. Especially considering we'll likely be entering conflict with the dragons in a few months, it's only going to get harder for him. I agree that now is not a good time, but I still wish to talk to Luna about it." Celestia stands up from the table and looks at Nightmares pegasus form. "I have much to think about and need to retire for the evening. I'm going to teleport you to Luna's bedroom as that seems to be where they are now."
"So the stallion she fancied shows up and Tia is completely unaware as she starts to devour a chocolate cake as if she was a beast that hadn't eaten in months. Oh Harmony above I wish you could've seen her face then. Chocolate splattered all around her muzzle and she was so embarrassed that if it was your first time seeing her you'd have thought her coat is normally red instead of white! The stallion was of course mortified since he was a noble, and Tia was so embarrassed that she didn't leave her room for at least a week." Nightmare teleports into the room and gets to hear the back half of a story about Celestia from long long ago.
Force is on the verge of tears from how hard she's laughing while laying down to the right of Ignis, resting her head in his lap. Luna can barely speak coherently enough to finish the story as she loafs on the mattress to his left. Ignis himself is just sitting on the bed upright, leaning his back against the headboard. Nightmare just stares at the elf with pity as he only lets out a brief chuckle in response to the story from Luna. His gaze is pointed down at the bed but his eyes look like he's staring into the void.
"So I guess he hasn't improved since you took him from the roof?" Nightmare asks Luna as her laughter dies down a bit.
"Nay. I tried to have him rest but he's resisting. The most we can get out of him are one word replies. I don't think his psyche is shattered, though. I believe he's just emotionally drained and mentally exhausted. Once he eventually does rest he should be more responsive. I'm so lost Nightmare...were we too hasty in placing all these burdens on his shoulders? I always forget he's barely an adult." Nightmare is a bit surprised to hear that from Luna since the lunar alicorn wasn't there to here the rant she gave to Cadence and Celestia.
When Luna finishes her sentence the elf startles Luna and Force as he suddenly sits up straight and stares at Luna. "Are you going to fire me? I mentioned that this is exactly what I was afraid of when you asked to accompany me to therapy. I truste-"
"You are my Knight Eternal, Ignis. That will never change. I'm just regretful that you had to go to the Summit and go through all of that as your first experience. Who knows though, I might not even be here if we hadn't brought you along." Luna uses her forehoof to tilt the elf's gaze so she can look into his eyes. "I just wish things didn't turn out this way. I know you're strong though, I know you'll be okay."
Ignis tilts his head and rubs his cheek against the foreleg that was holding his chin. "If you say so."
As soon as he finishes that sentence rest finally claims him and he passes out.
Ignis 1st Person POV
I'm not sure what exactly I thought I would see when I woke up, but this is definitely a little different than what I imagined. There are 3 ponies using me as a pillow. Luna is in her typical position where her body is nestled under my left arm with a forehoof on my chest and her head resting on the muscle connecting my chest to my shoulder. Force is laying on her back with her forelegs tucked in, with my right arm stuck under her neck and the back of her head resting on my right pectoral. Nightmare is also on my right side but she seems to have fallen asleep in the standard loaf position with her chin resting on my stomach.
"Glad your eyes have a bit more life in them this morning." Glancing to my left I look at Luna as she quietly makes her comment and her eyes flutter open. "You still look quite tired though."
"How did I get here? The last thing I remember is you showing up after..." Everything comes crashing down again as I remember what happened.
"Your fellow knight showed up so I decided to teleport us back to my room. Do you think you're still feeling up to attending the Gala tonight? We can always just go train, or maybe go hunting in the Everfree again?"
"As tempting as that sounds, I think we should still go." Maybe I should just treat this Get Home quest like a toxic attention seeking crush, and just pretend it doesn't exist. It continues to give me no solid evidence towards any outcome and dangles the carrot in front of me like said attention seeker. I was supposed to finally confess to Luna tonight, but I really didn't want to do that unless I was sure I'm staying here. It was naive of me to think I'd have made up my mind by tonight, though. I need to think.
It was basically impossible to ever actually consider and think about my options because I knew if I started down that path it'd end up like last night. Now though, it should be more feasible. I use telekinesis to keep Force and Nightmare in place as I move my body out from under their heads, so that they hopefully stay asleep.
Stealth.
15 + 5 = 20.
It works and I'm able to pull an Indiana Jones and slide a real pillow under them. Once that's finished I get out of bed while Luna gives me a worried look and starts to also get out of bed. "I need some time alone for a while. What time do you want to meet up for the Gala tonight?"
Her worried look shifts into concern so I decide to add on to my previous statement. "I'll be okay this time, I swear. I just need to think about a few things."
"Are you actually considering just giving up on your homeland?" My face must've shown how offended I felt, thinking she was judging me, because she immediately followed up with, "I'm just surprised is all. I'm not sure how any of us would feel if you were only staying here because of us..."
"It's not like that, you shouldn't feel guilty if I choose to stay here. It's in my best interest to think of my mental health at this point. Sending is a very powerful spell that only has a miniscule chance of failing as long as the target exists. Statistically speaking it's extremely unlikely that it failed for technical reasons for all...what was it 8 attempts? So, assuming the spell successfully casted that means it couldn't find the target. I used it on multiple different people in both of my homelands, and got no response every time. Considering all of that, at this point I think it's time for me to wake up to reality."
Luna just stares at me with her brows furrowed for several seconds. "I'll contact you when it's time. We'll meet up here. Don't hesitate to use the Sending stone if you need me."
Reaching into my pocket I flash the stone for her to see. "You got it."
I start to wander the hallways aimlessly while I think. I mean logically speaking I basically just laid out all the reasons why I should just move on, but this isn't entirely a logical decision. I've already known that since the first time I casted Sending in the Everfree, but even so...it's just an impossible decision. It's like asking me if I'd rather lose both my arms or both of my legs. Well not exactly like that, that's actually an easy decision with telekinesis. Same principle though.
Let's lay out all the comparisons for the different worlds, maybe that'll show me something to sway me. I've been here for nearly 2 months and my life feels much more fulfilling than it ever did on Earth. I'm happier here than I was on Earth. Earth has my parents and my friends, and that's the real doozy between the choices.
Assuming time moves the same between the worlds they've probably already mourned for me and moved on right? In the Feywild I was in a coma for the last 20 years, and for all I know that empty husk is still there. Even if it's not they don't have IV's and feeding tubes in the Forgotten Realms so my health had likely deteriorated severely, I wouldn't be surprised if father and Tala had already come to terms and accepted my death long ago.
Why are you only considering how they are doing without you? That's fine and all but quit pretending to be a selfless saint. How will YOU feel effectively losing them forever?
We really need to talk about expectations of privacy. Can you not listen to my inner thoughts all the time?
That's a bit difficult when you're essentially talking in my ear. I can only hear what you're letting me hear. Don't get me wrong I could probe deeper and listen in, but I stopped doing that once we came to an agreement.
Well how the fuck do I stop broadcasting this shit to you?
It's all based on intent, just think to yourself instead of just putting it out there all willy nilly.
Did you just say willy nilly? I feel like you've adopted a lot of my vocabulary.
It's only natural, I spent weeks in your subconscious while I've only been around my fellow ponies for a few days. I do make an effort to speak formally when I'm speaking out loud though. Don't forget I wasn't my own creature until recently.
Okay but why haven't you told me until now?
Because it was my main source of entertainment and I'd have been sitting in deafening silence without it.
That's fair. Shit if you listened in that often you probably know more about me than anyone else on this planet.
You're not entirely wrong. I think Luna actually has me beat by a slim margin. She can tell what you're thinking sometimes and I know if I wasn't able to hear it I'd have no clue what you were thinking.
Ha. Guess that makes sense, we do spend a lot of time around each other. Especially the last couple of weeks. Anyways, enough distractions I'm gunna tune you out now.
She does bring up a valid point though. All the late night discord talks with my bros, the weekly check ins with my mom...hell One Piece is still going, at one point the thought of being around for the ending of One Piece was one of the few things keeping me going. As stupid as that sounds. Can I really just throw all of that away and give up?
I pull up the quest interface and just stare at the quest still marked as "In Progress." Why can't you just make the decision for me? I guess from one point of view it has made the decision for me. The decision to keep pushing forward and find a way. It really does just feel hopeless at this point, though. Banishing myself sent me to an empty void space which is what it does if the target is from the plane of existence it was banished from. Just that alone basically confirms I'm stuck here, no?
Maybe this body is from here? I mentioned that the empty husk of Ignis might still exist in the Feywild and if that's the case then this body is from this plane of existence. That pretty much leaves me with only Plane Shift and there's no way I can get a metal rod attuned to either of my homelands.
Pausing my thoughts I look out the window of the hallway I'm in and notice how high up in the sky the sun is. It has to be afternoon at this point, how did time go by so fast?
Okay considering everything I just went over...I have to give up.
Just give up, I'm going to stay here.
I just have to give up, easy right?
Then why can't I do it?
3rd Person POV
Canterlot Castle, Royal Dining Hall
"He's really still going to attend? Better than me, I'm not attending and I don't even have an excuse." Cadence comments while everyone is eating their lunch.
"You really should reconsider, niece." Celestia replies in an almost sing-song voice like she knows something no one else does.
"Why? I've been once and that was enough for the rest of my life. It's an insufferable event."
"I'm inclined to agree, Tia. I'm only attending because Ignis is. If he weren't around I'd probably sit this one out as well, regardless of how much you insist it'll help with my "public image."" Luna throws out some support for Cadence's decision.
"I would normally agree, but what you're all failing to consider is that Twilight and her friends will be there. Those six might be the Elements of Harmony but I swear they're all a borderline menace to society. That's not even considering the fact that Nightmare Moon over there will also be in attendance. She might be an average sized adorable pegasus, but she's still easily recognizable. The Gala this year will surely be an eventful one, so I ask you again to perhaps reconsider. It'd be a crime to make Shining attend all by himself, afterall." The solar alicorn seems dead set on having Cadence attend this year.
"That does sound tempting," Cadence pauses while she hums in consideration. "But I don't even have a dress and it's way too short notice to get one made now."
"Oh please, I'm not even dressing up for the thing. You know how much I detest formal wear. If you really want to wear something just wear your dress from your recent knighting ceremony."
"That would kill me socially, auntie. I cannot wear that same dress again so soon!"
At that comment Force can't help but to roll her eyes. She's barely listening while mostly thinking of the elf and remembering last night. Even she pays full attention when suddenly Nightmare herself gives an attempt to convince Cadence. "Princess of Love, I recommend you attend. Even if we ignore all the reasons the big one listed," Nightmare sends a side eye and a smirk towards Celestia, getting her back for the adorable comment. "I promise you that you don't want to miss something that's probably going to happen tonight."
"You better watch yourself, I've sent ponies to the dungeon for less, Nightmare. I give her a compliment and she calls me fat, ridiculous." Celestia takes another bite of salad and continues. "Joking aside, could you be a bit more clear about that? When you say something like that it sounds ominous. No offense."
Nightmare just gives her a deadpan stare. "None taken. I don't want to ruin the surprise, but I can be a bit more specific I suppose." She looks directly at Cadence and points a hoof at her. "It's something you specifically don't want to miss."
Celestia seems to understand as her expression shifts into a small smile, but Luna is still confused at what she means. Cadence on the other hand ever so subtly shifts her gaze to Luna then back to Nightmare before raising her eyebrows questioningly. Nightmare gives her a barely noticeable nod and Cadence squee's. She dials back her excitement before speaking to not give anything away. "Fine, I guess I'll go. You don't have to go though Force, Shining can act as my date and my guard. With how much you seem to dislike fashion and formal events I doubt you want to go."
"No, I was already attending. I have a little something planned for the night." The pegasus continues to eat as her Princess stares at her silently asking her to expand on that thought.
"Interesting. Well this was a fun lunch. Force, you're dismissed for the day, I'm going to go find Shining and let him know about my change of plans." Cadence promptly stands up and exits the room.
Once she's gone Luna looks at Force suspiciously. "What exactly do you have planned? As per our discussion right before your date we agreed I would be the lead mare, so if it's related to him I feel like I should be included on this plan."
"It's nothing that grandiose. On our date Ignis lied and said he was planning to keep us at a forelegs length out of consideration for our feelings and how we would feel if he ended up returning to his home. He clearly is scared to do anything because he thinks he won't be able to leave if he does. I called him out on it and tried to convince him that he shouldn't live his life like that and I thought I got through to him, but after hearing that the two of you still weren't in a trial herd or even courting I realized my advice didn't stick. Originally I was planning to just straight up argue with him again."
She lets out a sigh and continues. "Until last night happened. At this point I think he needs to realize that he isn't going anywhere. I don't want to keep waiting for him and I hate seeing him tear himself up like that over something that clearly isn't possible. So I was just going to...give him a little extra push towards making that realization."
"You are planning to give him an ultimatum? An ultimatum about the exact decision that mentally shattered him less than 24 hours ago? Force...excuse my language but that is bucking stupid. You absolutely cannot do that!" Luna starts to raise her voice a bit and Celestia and Force both widen their eyes in surprise.
"I agree with the Knight. An ultimatum might sound harsh, but I think deep down he knows he's stuck here. It's healthier for him to realize that sooner rather than later." Nightmare chimes in with her insider knowledge, the eavesdropper.
"I know that! Where do you think he's been for the last 6 hours?! He has been mentally preparing himself all day to accept that he will never see any of his loved ones or friends ever again. I refuse to pressure him into that decision and make him think that he will lose us if he doesn't give up on his home." Luna doesn't raise her voice any further but her anger is still quite present.
"I agree with my sister. An ultimatum is not the correct choice here. I do think you're moving in the right direction though. You can help him realize his situation and request a relationship without making it seem like something he has to do right now or lose you forever." Celestia gives her opinion calmly while wiping the corner of her mouth with a tablecloth.
"I apologize for speaking candidly, but how in the world would I do that? Do I just go up to him and say, "Hey Ignis I was just wondering if you could just stay in Equestria and start a herd with me? No pressure though!"?" Force clearly growing impatient with the pushback she's receiving.
"Basically, yes. You could probably word it a little less awkwardly, but that's the gist of it. I think you should just continue as things are and let him come to the decision on his own, but I understand if the constant uncertainty of your relationship with him is wearing down your patience. I think the three of you should come up with something together. If you all put your minds together I'm sure you can come up with a good plan." Celly stands up and starts to also exit the dining hall.
"Pretty sure if we put our minds together it'll just be 3 brain cells fighting for 4th place. Also, why are you including me in this? I have no romantic interest in the bladesinger." Nightmare gets slightly defensive while Luna and Force look at her confused because of the saying she picked up from the elf.
Celestia doesn't respond and just leaves the room. Luna looks at the other two and gives a suggestion. "I say we take a break and reconvene in an hour in the sitting room down the hall from my bed chambers."
Force nods and leaves but now it's Nightmares turn to look confused. "How exactly am I supposed to take a break if I have to be escorted by you until the bladesinger retrieves me?"
"You've been well behaved all week and I don't see the harm in at least letting you roam the castle. I do ask that you go find Ignis and check in on him though. I need to go find Cadence." With that Luna leaves Nightmare alone in the dining hall as she just slowly blinks with a surprised look on her face.
"Tonight is going to be a shit show isn't it?" Moonie quietly mutters aloud to herself.
> Main Quest - Best Night Ever pt. 4
"You know what, on second thought you're right let's just go spar." It's already time for us to make our way down to the ballroom and I'm still just as uncertain now as I was when I left this morning. Also a bit more nervous than I thought I'd be, wonder if it's because of how many ponies will be there?
"Oh we are well past that point, Ignis. It was a massive pain in the flank to get this dress on and we're going now come hell or high water. Now, go on and make your armor transform into the suit we looked at in Ponyville." Luna gives the order while floating a crescent moon up to the base of her ear. The moon sticks to the right side of her head while her starry mane has been brushed to the left side.
Tapping the center of my chest twice for dramatic effect I watch as the illusion on the armor ripples and transforms into the suit Rarity designed for me. Glancing over at Nightmare who just looks annoyed and uncomfortable as she fidgets and adjusts the basic purple dress we got for her earlier this week. The purple matches her mane and contrasts with the dark coat nicely. "I'd say the "pain in the flank" was worth it, both of you look good. The ornament at the base of your ear is a nice touch, you didn't have that in Ponyville right?"
Nightmare seems a bit surprised at the compliment before turning her nose up at me. "It's not like I did this for you. I just didn't want to be the only one under dressed!" I should compliment her more often. Her responses are always amusing.
"I'm glad you like it, I thought it was a cute addition to the ensemble." Luna gracefully accepts the compliment, completely ignoring Nightmare's shenanigans. After that she finally turns away from the mirror and looks me up and down. "Not too bad yourself. Do you want an illusion to touch up the bags under your eyes? You look fine either way but I figured I'd offer."
Is it that noticeable? I walk over to where Luna is and borrow the mirror. Oh yeah that's pretty bad. "Yeah I'd appreciate it."
Her horn lights up and as the dark circles under my eyes clear up I can't help but to stare at the bright red dragon like eyes that Nightmare gave me a while back. Honestly they've kinda grown on me. "There you go, that should last for an entire day."
"I am once again bestowed a blessing from my merciful Goddess. How can I ever thank her enough?" I give the most over exaggerated and playful thanks I can muster despite my low energy.
She gives me the response I was hoping for when she rolls her eyes and starts walking towards the door. "Oh shut up, you. C'mon let's not make Force continue to wait for us."
We walk out of the room and I voice my confusion. "Why is she waiting for us? I figured she'd either avoid the whole thing or get brought against her will with Cadence. If she's going in with us she should've just come down here."
"Cadence's wing of the castle is much closer to the ballroom, and as is customary Force sleeps 1 room down from her. So it's more efficient for her to wait near the entrance for us. Cadence is being accompanied by Shining Armor tonight and that freed up Force to be part of our group. You should be happy, Ignis. You get to be escorted into the ballroom by 3 powerful mares."
"Is that how this works? Pretty sure I'm escorting you."
"Not tonight! You are not here as my knight, you are here as my plus one. I should warn you though, there's a chance Tia tries to make us stand at the entryway and greet the ponies as they arrive. Cadence said she does it every year, and made her do it the one year she attended."
"I mean that doesn't sound so bad?"
"Yes, greeting nobles and dealing with their nonsense for 3-4 hours. What's so bad about that?" Nightmare decides to join in on the conversation.
"Exactly. That is not how I intend to spend my time tonight. Odds are one of the nobles will insult you or make some demeaning comment and I'll end up going back to the moon for a few years." The chuckle Luna gives at the end of that sentence actually surprises me. She can already make an earnest joke about her banishment? That's pretty badass.
"I would rather you didn't. It's just words Luna, compared to everything else I'm going through... words don't really phase me at the moment. Woah is Force wearing a black dress?" We're just about at the Gala when I spot Force making her way towards us. She's got a simple black dress that honestly goes really well with her bright red mane. Plus with her fur being white, a black dress must've been a no brainer.
"There you are! If you all had taken any longer I was gunna go grab you myself." Force calls out to us as she closes the distance.
"We aren't even late though? There's barely anypony here." Nightmare responds and after a quick glance around the room I realize just how dead it is. Are we really that early?
"Yeah you're not late for the Gala, but we agreed to meet here over 30 minutes ago! It's alright though I got to talk to Spitfire while I was waiting on you all. Can't believe she remembered me from when I tried out a few years ago." The pegasus points a forehoof over her shoulder at some other pony wearing a skin tight blue flight suit. Her mane is a bit over the top but it suits her I think. Wonder what she'd think of my hair when it's not silver?
"Who exactly is that? Her attire doesn't really seem like it fits under the "formal" category." I voice my curiosity, but I feel like I should know who she is. I can't really recall the information if I do know it though.
"Captain Spitfire! She's the captain of the Wonderbolts."
"Oh right, that's the team you tried to join and ended up getting a recommendation to be an officer instead. Specialization in maneuvers, right?"
"Aw, you remember that story? Yeah that's exactly right. They do aerial shows for the public with all kinds of different stunts and tricks that show off their skills. They are technically part of the guard though, so it acts as advertising for us as well." Now that I'm actually looking I see there's a few of them in that same flight suit. Interesting parallel to the Blue Angels, but I won't comment on that out loud.
"That's pretty smart. Are we really that early? If so, should we go somewhere else for a while and come back?" I don't really wanna drain my social battery and be ready to leave when everyone else shows up.
"There isn't really anywhere to go. Most places close up early for tonight, but the bar is open if you wanna get a headstart on that." We both chuckle knowing what happened last time we had alcohol. "No but seriously, in around 30 minutes or so it's going to very quickly get crowded in here."
"Yeah I think I'll have to say no to the bar. Ask me again in an hour." I turn to Luna and Nightmare. "Should we go talk to Celestia and see if she wants you to greet ponies with her, or did you want to just slip past her and meet up with her later?"
"As much as I want to avoid that particular conversation it would be a bit rude of me to just sneak in around her. If I do end up greeting ponies I'm just going to go ahead and give you an out. You're free to go inside with Nightmare and Force and we can just meet up later." Well that's kind of Luna, but I don't really plan on just leaving her out here.
I wave my hand in the air dismissively. "Nonsense. I have no intention of leaving you. I think you will probably end up being asked to stay out here though. This is the first time all three of you have been in an event like this. Force's knighting ceremony was the only other time but that was a much smaller event."
It's almost like she can hear us talking about her because as I finish speaking I notice Celestia on the stairs leading up to the ballroom, and she smiles at us and waves us over. Walking over to her makes us go from the edge of the lobby into the center where we're actually noticed. Listening closely as we go up the stairs I can make out some of the murmurs. Most of them are making comments about Luna, some are talking about Force, and I hear just one feminine voice go, "That's him right? The one that fought the rogue queen and rescued you from the hive? Is he really that strong?"
It's only when I hear that I come to a full stop, causing Nightmare to almost walk into me. She makes some annoyed comment asking why I stopped, but I tune her out as I turn and locate the voice.
Perception.
11 + 6 = 17.
Luckily the lobby isn't very crowded yet so I'm able to spot two ponies that are looking right at me while whispering to each other. One of them is that Spitfire girl we were just talking about and the other one is an undisguised changeling. I recognize that one, it's the one that was almost executed but I stopped it at the last second.
Just like that I'm back in the hive again. I can feel my heartbeat rise as I stare at Chrysalis and the corpse on display next to her. Quickly I pinch my forearm and start to remind myself I'm at the Gala. Remember the breathing technique, in through the nose, hold, out through the mouth.
Just as quickly as I arrived in the hive, I escape and return to reality. I realize my hand is wrapped around the hilt of my Moonblade, but I haven't drawn the blade thankfully. That one was less intense than most of the episodes, luckily.
I let go of my blade and relax my body before making eye contact with the wonderbolt. As soon as our eyes meet I realize Spitfire is tense and looking at me with trepidation. The changeling next to her says something and I think it's an apology? Then she whispers something to Spitfire that I can't hear this time and the wonderbolt relaxes before giving me a sympathetic look. Could the changeling tell I was having a flashback from just my emotions? That's interesting.
"Bladesinger, are you okay? You need to get out of the way, you're blocking the stairs." Looking down I realize there are several ponies trying to make their way up the stairs. They actually have plenty of room to go around our group but I think they're intimidated.
"Sorry, I heard someone talking about us." I start walking up the stairs again but give the two across the room one last glance and offer a friendly wave while mouthing the word "Sorry."
"I thought you said you weren't phased by words?" Luna teases me as we reach the top of the stairs.
"Oh they were actually mostly saying good things about us, but I heard one of them mention something about me and the changeling hive. When I heard that I turned around on instinct just to see who it was. It was that wonderbolt chick, Spitfire, and the changeling I saved in the hive's throne room. What's up Celly?"
"Don't call me that." The alicorn gives me a deadpan look before turning towards her sister and they start to talk about whatever boring stuff they talk about.
In the meantime though I lean over towards Nightmare and whisper to her. "Interestingly enough I didn't hear a single comment about you. Maybe you aren't as recognizable as we initially thought, even with those dragon-like eyes."
"I wouldn't expect any of these ponies to recognize me anyways. I was never in Canterlot, remember? I sealed Celestia away while I was in the small village and then went straight to the old castle in the Everfree. Your concerns would be valid if the Gala was held in Ponyville, though."
"Well I mean the element bearers are going to be here at some point. In fact that might already be here. I know Celly mentioned un-banishing you from the moon but I don't remember if anyone told them you'd be attending as a pegasus."
"Ahem." Celestia clears her throat and I stop leaning towards Nightmare and look at her.
"Sorry, what were you saying?"
"First of all, no I did not tell Twilight that she would be here. I meant to but was too busy to get around to it. Secondly I was trying to ask you if you're going to be staying with Luna here to greet the guests?"
"How long is it?" I ask, and Luna looks a bit confused since I seemed so adamant about not leaving her alone to do this. The truth is that if I don't like the answer neither of us are doing it and I'm dragging my Goddess into the ballroom.
"It should only take an hour at most. The Gala doesn't officially start until I move on from here into the ballroom."
I look at Force and Nightmare. "I assume you two aren't staying here regardless of what I pick right?" They both give an affirmative response. I think about it for a few more seconds and come to a decision. "Nah fuck that. We're spending this night together, all of us."
"Well it'll be a bit crowded if all of us are lingering around in this section of the staircase..." Celestia trails off as she considers her options.
"Nononono. I'm saying Luna isn't doing this. I know for a fact she doesn't want to and I think it'd be dumb for us to split up. Make Cadence do it, or hell, make Twilight do it. Better yet, you don't have to do it at all! You'll be in the ballroom all night, if any of these bozo's wanna talk to you they can come find you."
Luna and Nightmare look surprised while Force is looking at me like I just committed a war crime. Celestia looks like she's going to get angry but her face slowly quickly shifts into a look of realization and then a soft smile. "I suppose even I need a friendship lesson every now and then. You're right Ignis, this is an event you're all supposed to enjoy together and it'd be foolish to split up for such a superficial reason." She then turns her gaze to Luna. "I hope tonight is enjoyable for you, Lulu."
I didn't think I'd get this far. I really expected to get into an argument just now. I'm stammering as I think of a response to the unexpected twist in this conversation. "Yeah. That's right. I'm right, I'm glad we uh... had this discussion."
Force barely stifles a chuckle and Nightmare just mutters out. "Poetry, Ignis. Truly you have such a way with words."
They all continue to tease me as we move on into the ballroom and out of the corner of my eye I just see Celestia shake her head with an amused look. Tonight's already off to an interesting start.
> Main Quest - Best Night Ever pt. 5
"What's gotten into you? That was completely unexpected!" Force asks me as we make our way into the VIP section of the room.
"I don't know I was debating in my head what I wanted to do, and realized the entire situation was bullshit. If it had been you and Luna greeting and me and Nightmare just had to hang out aimlessly I'd have been pretty annoyed. Mainly because the only reason we're all here is for each other. If this had been some event I was actually looking forward to and had some other purpose other than being with you all then it would've been a different story." I probably was a bit too snappy though...
"Aw you girls hear that? The big strong knight wants to spend time with us." The pegasus attempts to tease me.
"You act like that isn't what I already do. Granted, one of you does get a bigger chunk of my time, but that's why this is important! It's rare we get to all be in the same place with no obligations or work."
"Now that you mention it, that is pretty unfair. Princess I think we need to set up a schedule or something. We can trade every other week and come up with some way to decide who gets him on the weekends." The absurd declaration gets a snort out of me as Luna and Force decide to commit to the bit and argue about the logistics of shared custody.
Nightmare seems amused, those 2 are arguing with big smiles, and I'm barely containing my laugh...this is a nice change of pace. Should I let this particular conversation continue, though? The entire premise of this conversation seems to assume I'm already dating one, if not both, of them. Between the therapy and the soul searching I've been able to come to at least one solid conclusion, if I'm committing to finding a way back home then I can't start something with any of them.
I won't be able to leave them if things go that far. It was foolish of me to overestimate myself...to think I could have my cake and eat it too. The funny thing is, I think they realized that before I did. There's been this tension between us, but neither of them had tried to advance beyond that. Until the incident on the roof, anyways. Since then I've noticed both Luna and Force have talked in ways that imply we're already dating. Hell this conversation they're having right now implies I'm dating both of them.
"Helloo~, Equestria to Ignis!" Force is waving her foreleg in front of me and it makes me realize how zoned out I was.
"Sorry! Sorry. What is it?"
"We were asking you how we should decide who gets you on holidays. I proposed a battle to the death, but this supposed knight seems to think that's too far." Oh we're still on this?
"Why wouldn't we just spend holidays together?" The words leave my mouth before I can even process it. I didn't plan to say that. I guess the heart can send out words faster than the brain?
"Well that's just boring. I think we should compete in the Running of the Leaves in Ponyville next year. We already missed it for this year." Force instantly dismisses the reasonable solution. I think they just want to compete.
I notice Nightmare staring at me with an uneasy expression while the other two continue with their nonsense. Once she notices that I'm looking back at her she speaks up. "That was a 100 mile stare if I've ever seen one. Are you okay or were you just thinking about something?"
Ah so that's what it was. "Yeah I'm good. Just thinking about the same thing I've been thinking about for the last 2 days."
"Why? We're supposed to be enjoying ourselves, no?"
"That was the intention, yeah. I know they're just joking around with an absurd hypothetical, but the implication that I'm already dating both of them," I give a bit of a pause, trying to find the right words. "Well, I don't know. That prospect was one of the main things that kept popping up when I thought about home."
"I thought you decided you'd pursue something even if you knew you were going home? That's what you told Force at least." We both know that Nightmare already knows the answer to this, so I assume she's trying to lead me somewhere or make a point.
"Yeah cause it pissed me off being called a coward. I realize now that she was right back then. If I fall in love I won't be able to leave this place, Moonie. I acknowledge that now. Unless I could bring them with me, but I'd only do that if I had a reliable way of traveling between our realms. Otherwise I'd be putting them in the exact same situation I'm in now, and I can't do that."
Nightmare's eyes shift to the right and I realize I don't hear Luna and Force talking anymore. Glancing over at them it becomes obvious they stopped talking and listened to our conversation at some point. Luna's expression is unreadable, but it's obvious Force is angry. Considering this topic made her angry last time too, I'm not surprised.
"I'm getting a drink. Anypony else want one?" To my surprise, Force actually doesn't scold me again. At least not yet anyways. She might do it once she gets some of that alcohol in her system. Luna says yes and I just give her a small nod.
"Let me come with you. I want to partake in one of these alcoholic beverages but I've no experience with the subject. Can you give me a quick rundown?" Nightmare walks over to Force and they make their way across the ballroom to the bar.
"Ignis." Turning my attention away from them I look at Luna. "What if you're wrong? What if you find out years, maybe centuries, from now that there is no way back, but it's too late. Everypony else will have moved on and given up, choosing to just stay friends with you. If it takes too long Force might not even be alive by the time you find out. Do you think that'll hurt more? I certainly think it would. You'd have to just live with the regret of being alone and being stuck here."
My gaze turns down towards the floor as her words weigh down on me. After a few seconds of silence she seems to realize I don't have an answer, so she continues to speak. "You already said it yourself, Ignis. The Banishment spell didn't work, your Sending spell didn't work, and you acknowledged that essentially means your realm either doesn't exist or there's no way to reach it from here. I just don't want you to continue to live in misery for something that seems impossible."
"I know. It's not like I want to either. It's jus-"
"GUARDS! Nightmare Moon has returned! Seize that mare this instant!" I turn towards the bar where the yelling came from and spot some white unicorn with bleached blond hair cowering behind... is that Rarity? Rarity also seems a bit fearful, but also angry? Oh he's literally pushing her towards Nightmare as a sacrificial offering. Yeah that'd make me angry too. Wait, I should probably go over there.
I start walking over there while the buffoon continues to make a scene, and around halfway there I feel my blood pressure start rising. Three guards have actually shown up and are confused on who to take orders from. Force is telling them to stand down and the unicorn is screeching for the entire army. Why is this even a decision that has to be made? Force is a knight we're basically only superseded by the Princesses or by the Captain of that particular guard.
Now I'm probably about 15ft away and Force spots me walking with a purpose. I think she recognizes the annoyed look on my face and this time I'm close enough to actually hear her. "This is your last chance guys. I would really advise you to stand down and walk away."
After quickly glancing behind me I realize Luna didn't come with me and she's still over there by herself. Weird. When I look back towards the scene my eyes widen as I watch them start to actually attempt to bind Nightmare. One of them throws a rope around her barrel, pinning her wings, and the other two force her to the ground causing her front forelegs to buckle.
"Grovel."
Casting Command at third level I target all 3 guards and within a second all 3 of them are prone on the ground, pressing their faces into the ground. Next I flick my wrist and undo the knot on the rope around Moonies barrel with telekinesis.
"What are you three doing?! A-and what are you?! Somepony get my Aunt, now!" The white unicorn somehow looks a shade paler despite having a white coat.
While I'm helping Nightmare stand I turn towards Rarity and the dipshit hiding behind her. "Rarity, who is that?"
"This paragon of a gentlecolt," wow she sounds so done right now. "Is Prince Blueblood. Apparently he just got back from a 4 month stint in Saddle Arabia. By the way, Is that actually Nightmare Moon? I mentioned that she resembled Nightmare and when the pegasus said yes...well this happened."
When I hear the word prince I look back down at the guards that are still groveling despite the spell having worn off well over 10 seconds ago. "You three can go. I was unaware Equestria had a prince so I can understand your confusion on which orders to follow."
The three guards rise and start to quickly shuffle away when the supposed Prince shouts again, "Where are you going! Stop-"
Unsuppressing my mana I bring a finger to my lips. "Shhh. I'm talking to Rarity right now. You just stand there and wait." He freezes with his eyes wide open and I switch eye contact to Rarity while resuppressing my mana again. "Sorry about that. Yeah this is Nightmare Moon. We're giving her a probationary period to determine if she should be allowed a second chance at reformation. As you can see she's the same size as you and doesn't even have a horn. Also, Celestia and Luna are both aware. Celly just neglected to tell any of you."
Finally I look over Nightmare for any scrapes or bruises from the manhandling. Nothing stands out but just to be safe I cast Cure Wounds at 1st level, and it heals 12 HP. "You hurt?"
"Tch, just my pride. Taken down by three privates, curse this weak body you've given me."
"Good." Finally returning my attention to Blueblood I address him. "I'm willing to look past this, move on, and tell you to leave us alone. What do you say...Prince."
"Absolutely not you ruffian! Back away! Where are the guards? WHERE IS AUNTIE?!"
I raise my hand while trying to decide what I want to do, but when my arm is half way up I'm stopped by a golden aura. "Ignis. That's far enough. Any further and I'll have to do paperwork. Not to mention that at the moment the only attendants currently present are either guards or diplomats, and I'm not sure you could take on everypony in this room."
Curious as to what she means I look around and notice that apparently when I raised my arm well over 20 ponies started to approach, ready to subdue me. Celestia continues to speak, noticing my surprise. "Thankfully the general public usually doesn't arrive for another 10 or so minutes. If the nobles saw this I'm not sure what we'd have to do."
The solar princess releases my arm from her telekinetic grasp and turns her focus to Blueblood. "And you, dear nephew. I thought we'd made it clear by now that you do not have the authority to give orders to any guards. It is that sole reason that you are technically and legally in the wrong right now." She looks back to me, "I don't think anypony here was planning to step in unless it looked like things were going to get physical. I'm afraid you can only assault the Prince verbally, Lunar Knight."
"B-but auntie! This mare is one of the elements of harmony and she said that pegasus was Nightmare Moon! Shouldn't it be common sense to have her arrested!" I click my tongue in annoyance again. I can't truly hold him at fault here, if he was out of the country until recently there's no way he'd have known about Nightmare. Especially when you consider that Sunbutt didn't even inform the elements.
"As both of the knights explained to you, Blueblood. She is under a probationary reprieve from her banishment and has restricted access to all of Canterlot while escorted. Ignis, can you forgive him for the honest mistake? Surely you understand that it was a reasonable point of confusion?" Why has she been so...nice to me lately?
"Yeah. Also for the record I wasn't going to hurt him, I was just going to publicly embarrass him." Casting Command with the order Defecate is a classic for when someone pisses you off. "Although Rarity, if you were accompanying that guy you should probably just hang out with your friends instead. I doubt they'd throw you in between them and the first sign of danger. Oh, hey Twilight."
"Oh, believe me I'm now well aware that this is not the prince charming I was hoping for. Twilight dear, would you mind if I sat with you and your mentor? I know you were excited to have some free time to talk to her."
Twilight looks between Celestia, Rarity, and I for a moment before responding. "Of course I don't mind, but it's really up to the Princess. Do you mind if my friends sit with us, Princess. Also, hi Ignis."
Before Celestia can answer Twilight I voice some of my confusion. "Sit? You're not greeting the arrivals anymore Celly?"
"No, you were right. I don't get the opportunity to spend time with my faithful student, so why should I waste the time I do have with such trivial matters? Miss Rarity, I have no objections to you joining us. In fact, I've been wanting to learn more about my students' new friends ever since I met you all that night in the Everfree." The alicorn looks at the prince one last time, "Dear nephew, please overlook this incident and carry on with your night. You'll have to forgive my sister's knight for his aggressiveness, you caught him on a particularly bad week."
The prince apparently recognizes a graceful out when he sees one and pounces on the opportunity. "Ha-haha, yes of course auntie. I apologize as well Sir Knight for the misunderstanding. Thankyouauntiepleaseenjoytherestofyournight."
"Yeah, I guess that was partly my bad... as well... " I offered my half sincere apology but the prince was already gone, leaving nothing but a pony shaped cloud of dust like a cartoon character. "Well, that happened. Lemme help you carry the drinks back."
I grab all four drinks with my own telekinesis and feel pretty proud of myself for being able to handle carrying delicate glass. I realize that Force hasn't said a word to me since I went over to the bar, glancing down I can tell she's still pretty angry. "Force, can you just be mad at me tomorrow instead? It's too early to have your night ruined."
"No. I'm mad at myself. I know you're in an impossible situation and I still felt entitled to vent my frustration towards you. You're not a coward, Ignis. If I was you...I don't know what I'd do." She replies with a pretty disheartened tone.
"No I mean I can get why you'd be frustrated it's understandable. This is like the ultimate version of leading you on. If the roles were reversed I'd probably be thinking to myself "Can you just make-"" Force interrupts me.
"-Up your mind already? Yeah that's exactly how I feel, and I feel terrible for thinking that."
"I wouldn't worry about it. Like I said I'd be thinking the same thing if I was in your shoes. Plus, I wish I could hurry up and make a decision as well. Constantly thinking about it is probably gunna give me ulcers."
"I'd be surprised if you didn't already have some. They probably heal when you rest though. You and your strange power." Luna joins the conversation as arrive back in our little comfy corner that she stayed in. "Are you sure you wanna down this drink so early, Ignis? I'd hate to have to carry you out of here before the party even starts." She teases as she grabs one of the drinks out of my telekinesis with her own.
"Har har har. We both know I just rolled bad that night. I swear I'm not normally such a lightweight." Just to prove the point I do an old trick I learned in college that lets you just vacuum down an entire drink in one go.
Constitution Saving Throw.
16 + 2 = 18.
If I had to guess the DC's for being drunk probably start at 10 and increment up by 1, 2, or 5 for every consecutive drink. If it's 5 then I'm screwed and I really am a lightweight. "See? Feel perfectly fine."
"Ignis we were gunna make a toast..." Force informs me several seconds too late that I was not in fact supposed to chug that in one go.
"Shoulda told me earlier. What was the name of that one? It tasted pretty good for a drink that had alcohol in it. I'll go get another one super fast and then we can do it." I turn around and start to leave but pause and look back waiting on the name of the drink.
"Strawberry Swirl. Doesn't he already seem more peppy? He's gotta be the biggest lightweight I've ever seen." I choose not to dignify that with a response and power walk back to the bar.
Hunching over due to how low to the ground this bar is, damn ponies and their short stature, I slap the countertop a couple of times to get the stallion's attention. "Hey bossman, can I get a Strawberry Swirl?"
"You got ID?"
"What? ID?"
"Yeah, they don't give you some form of identification wherever you're from? I gotta check your age."
"Did you just miss that entire scene with the Prince and Princess Cadence's Knight?"
"No way! I wouldn't have missed that for the world. Love seeing that uppity prince get what's comin' to him. That doesn't change anything though, sir. I gotta have ID if you want a drink. Thems the rules." He gives me a shrug and the expression on his face looks like it's saying What can ya do? It's a shame.
Didn't they give me some badge or something the first night I came here? I think I used it to enter the castle maybe twice? I fumble around in all the different pockets I have before grabbing some metal thing in one of my inner breast pockets. Yep this is it. "Does this work? They gave it to me during my like 2nd or 3rd night in the city."
"It's a bit unorthodox but I guess in a roundabout way it works. The minimum age for the guard is higher than the minimum age to drink, so it'll do. You said you wanted a Strawberry Swirl?"
"Yep yep." He quickly gets to work putting a few different drinks into a shaker and vibrating the thing in his telekinesis while pouring two other drinks into a glass. Once he's finished shaking the thing he dumps it into the glass as well and then to top it off he floats a strawberry into the glass and crushes it with his telekinesis. That turns the somewhat clear liquid bright red. He sticks a little spoon into the glass and spins it a few times before sliding it across the counter.
I guess Strawberry Swirl is a bit of an on-the-nose name. "Thanks boss." I slide him 4 bits and start to walk away.
"Wait, sir! It's an open bar!"
"Yeah that's the tip." I don't even look back, I just give him a wave over my shoulder and continue walking. Judging by his response I don't think tipping culture exists here, but that's ok he seemed like a cool dude.
When I'm halfway across the room I get cut off by a tall white unicorn with pink hair. "Oh pardon me, I really should watch where I'm going. How's your night going so far?"
Is she really trying to play this off like it was an accident? Lady, you clearly stopped me on purpose purely to start a conversation. Now that I've stopped and I'm not tunnel visioned on the mares waiting for me I realize the room has filled up really fast. I guess everyone else arrived while we were talking or something? "It's alright. Had a couple of hiccups but nothing I can't handle. Did you need something?"
"Just cutting straight to business? I don't mind that, I guess. I just thought I'd introduce myself and extend an olive branch from the nobles of Canterlot. With your position you'll likely be dealing with us more often than you'd prefer and I figured it would be beneficial for both of us if I help you make some connections with the upper crust. I'm Fleur de Lis, by the way." She gives a little dip with her forelegs that seems similar to a curtsy.
"That doesn't seem like the worst idea, but the timing is pretty bad. I've got a few mares waiting for me to come back so we can start drinking. It'd probably be easier if you just came to Night Court. We don't really get any petitioners, and we usually just hang out so it's a perfect time for an informal meeting." I throw out the suggestion and start to slowly back away from the conversation.
Fleur does a little hair flip. "Psh, wouldn't you rather come and meet my friends? We all work at the same modeling agency so they're almost as attractive as me."
"I'm sure you're all lovely ponies, but no I need to get going. Sorry."
She says something else but I'm over it and booking it back to my comfy corner. "Took you long enough. I thought we'd have to send out a search party for you." Nightmare comments as I approach the group.
"Yeah sorry, had a bit of a back and forth with the bartender cause of my lack of an ID. Eventually got it worked out, and then some tall unicorn Flower de Lift or something tried to bring me over to where she and her friends were hanging out."
"Fleur de Lis, Ignis. She's a pretty well connected pony, it might have been beneficial to play along with whatever she was trying." Force corrects me on the name.
"Did we never give you an identification?" Luna asks before I can even reply to Force.
"She might be well connected but you guys were waiting on me, so I politely declined her a few times and then skedaddled." Shifting my gaze to Luna I continue. "You gave me this rectangle with your cutie mark and my name on the back, but I think this is more so to show I'm in the guard?"
"Ah you are correct. We'll need to get that corrected next week." Luna seemed surprised when I showed it to her. Did she think I threw it away or something?
"Hopefully you didn't "skedaddle" in a rude way. Word on the street is that she can be petty and holds a mean grudge." Welp, that's not good.
"It's probably finee~" I give Force my most confident smile and I can tell right away she knows I'm bullshitting.
She just sighs and lifts her glass. "Alright what are we making a toast to? We gotta get this out of the way before Ignis pisses off a 3rd important pony tonight."
Nightmare looks at her glass for a few seconds before giving her suggestion. "A toast to decision making."
"That's a horrible toast, and it's not even subtle. I didn't realize you were also part of the camp that wants me to hurry up. Shit, if this is how everyone feels why don't I just flip a coin? Almost every outcome I've been a part of since my arrival here was based on luck, so why not let this one boil down to luck as well? If it lands Sun then I continue pushing forward to find my path home. If it lands Moon I don't even think about it anymore and just accept that this is where I'll spend the rest of my life." I reach down to pull out a bit.
"Stop. Ignis, we both know that's a foolish idea. I know you want somepony, anypony, to make this decision for you. But we can't, Harmony can't, a stupid quest can't, and not even Fate itself can. If YOU don't make the decision it'll be meaningless." Luna stops me before I can pull the bit out, and just absolutely fucking soul reads me. How does she know?
The Gala is in full swing now and the band they hired is playing now. Ponies are starting to dance in the center of the room while we continue to argue.
"How am I supposed to decide if I want to gouge out my eyes or puncture my ears? How do I decide on this? It literally feels like I'm killing both of my families if I decide to stay here. They will be dead to me and it's the result of my decision, to me that is no different than killing them." I raise my voice slightly to compete with the ever growing noise of the gala.
"Ignis! Continuing to refuse making this decision will kill you! It is literally eating away at you. The same way...." Nightmare pauses for a moment and her face contorts into a pained expression. "The same way I ate away at Luna. Your health has been a rapid decline the last few days and you can't seem to rest even if you meditate."
Nightmare is showing a side to herself that I didn't know she had, but Force holds up a hoof as if telling her to stop. Once Nightmare stops Force begins to speak, "Listen what we're trying to say is-"
LINK: It's song time baby.
Luna
Nightmare
Force
If there's multiple colors in one line it means they're saying the entire line together.
Baby, it's time to make up your mind.~ I think that tonight is when our stars align!~
What is happening, it's like when I use my blade song but I didn't do this? I think this is a heart song Celestia mentioned...
Honey, it's time to leave the doubt behind.~
Luna and Force both start to move away from the comfy corner.
Take my hoof cause you and I are gonna shine...
They took me! Force yanked me and spun me like a beyblade over to Luna.
I was cold in the dark, it was empty in my life.
From the outside it looked so bright, but nothing felt right... to me.
I can vividly picture her sitting on the moon staring out into space with the sun lighting up the side of the moon she's on with no ozone between the two.
Like a sky with no sun, like a night that has no stars.
Everything she can see on the moon fades into nothing and it's just a dark void. The image flashes and I'm trying to recover from the mental whiplash as Luna is standing on her hind legs with a foreleg around my waist and on my shoulder. Everytime she steps with one leg I get pulled along and make my best effort to keep up.
My heart was eclipsed by the dark, then something changed.~
I'm forced to lean back as she leans forward and drops us into a dip.
I saw a little ray of light come through.
I can see... myself completely battered and bleeding in the old castle in the Everfree. Happy Birthday, Luna.
The tiniest of sparks came into view.
There's another flash and this dipped position she's holding us in leaves me with nowhere to look except her eyes. The image goes from the Everfree to the Canterlot garden, it's my knighting ceremony. I will bare my blade against this entire realm in her name.... I declare myself to exist purely as the sword and shield of Her Grace.
And then...
Everything that comes next is rapid flashes. It's me yelling at the leaders at the Summit. Then I'm fighting the dragon that beat me. I can see myself through a translucent green goop sprinting into a room, and healing Queen Aurora. Next the green goop is cut open and it's both myself and Luna in perfect sync fighting Chrysalis.
You made me hope again.
Scenes of us carrying each other through the Unexplored West and swapping in and out as we fight the Ursa. Finally, I can see the tall podiums where the Thestral council stood, and the door behind my point of view is blown open. If your ancestors were worth a damn then Luna wouldn't have come back to an empty section of a castle, with no guards, with an entire country that doesn't even know she existed!
When I can see again we're no longer in the same dip, but I'm being twirled again. There's a bit of an instrumental and then like a fever dream the ponies surrounding us start going, "Hooowooo."
Luna suddenly ignites her horn and throws me into the air. Force swoops under me and while carrying my full weight starts to perform rolls and loops. Thankfully it's a high ceiling...
I hear someone yelling "Wait! No, no no no NO! Don't do this Harmony! I swe-" I can't help but laugh as Nightmare is metaphorically dragged kicking and screaming into the heart song as well.
Suddenly I'm somehow floating through the air and the three ponies quickly fly up to me in quick succession.
I've been watching you,
Helping you,
Wishing that you'd see.~
Next thing I know we're zooming out of the door to the gardens and flying through the air. We're flying in a swirl pattern that resembles a Twizzler, with me still somehow floating in the center.
That the girl you've been waiting so long for could be me.~
Now, I've never been in love, but I think this it.
It might seem like a schoolgirl crush, but I have to admit...
There's no more images flashing but the view of the Canterlot city below with all the light is captivating as we continue to fly. Though we are slowly descending now.
I wanna take a chance and make you see.
I think that you're the one who'll rescue me...This time,
I'm back on the moon but this time I'm looking at myself standing next to Luna. I'll free you.
Quickly followed up by Nightmare and Luna yelling back, What?
You're finally gonna see you should be mine.~
They go through the chorus again as we land in the gardens. There's a small crowd doing backup vocals, and looking past the crowd I can see Celestia laying down in the grass looking at Luna with a soft smile. Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie are next to the princess talking about something and pointing at us.
Finally, the chorus ends and now Luna is the one leading me again.
I won't need any dreams, it's all there if you're by my side~
We do a couple of steps and a spin, then she flicks her foreleg and sends me to Force. She slots right in and picks up where Luna left off. It's a bit more difficult for her since she's smaller than Luna and her head is leaning against my chest.
Every moment's enough and you take me to paradise!~
Just like Luna, Force does a few steps while she sings her line and then sends me to Nightmare. Nightmare being the same size as Force is in the same predicament while leading the dance. Also, she looks pissed at Harmony.
When I needed a hero, you knew it and you were there.
And I'm scared but I'll open my heart up, I'm ready to dare.~
Why am I singing?! What do you mean I'm ready to dare?! No I'm not! What?!
The three of them close the distance and have formed a small triangle around me, with me facing Force.
I know I've never felt like this before~
A quick twirl in place and now Nightmare has me.
I never really knew what love was for...
Once more I do a quick spin and land in Luna's forelegs.
I dreamed, but never did believe.~
Luna pulls away from the small triangle with me in tow. At this point I'm a bit dizzy and overwhelmed.
But baby, it's time to make up your mind.~
I think that tonight is when our stars align.
Suddenly like an advanced illusion all of the stars seemingly fall out of the sky and cover my outer jacket like it's the sky. Most of them can't fit so they just flitter around in the air around all four of us. Force pulls me away from Luna, and all three of them close in again, making a small triangle.
Honey, right now we leave the doubt behind.~
Force's eyes start to light up, and so does her cutie mark. The next thing I know all four of us are moving up towards the star-less night sky.
Take my hoof cause you and I are gonna...
Force's signature red cone forms around us and we start to rapidly accelerate straight up while their triangle formation closes all the way into a group hug with me in the center.. All of the stars start to rapidly rotate and flitter around the four of us, and they begin to glow much brighter.
Light the sky until it's dawn and-
I can't tell from my point of view but from the ground I bet we are lighting up the sky for all of Canterlot. The next thing I know the red light fades and all of the stars explode outwards like a firework. They zip away from us and back into their positions in the sky.
Baby, we are gonna shine.~
We slowly float back down to the ground still in our group hug, but our bodies are emanating a bright silver light that fades as we get closer to the ground. Once the magic fades fully the panic fully sets in. That song put words in my fucking mouth, and I am NOT ready to make this decision.
Before anyone can say anything I hear Fluttershy a few feet away from our group hug. "Oh I'm sorry but can you ponies go back inside? You're scaring away the animals." The crowd is still applauding and talking excitedly about the finale of the song with the big red firework that went off. I finally manage to actually see Fluttershy and she looks like she is about to have her Chrysalis moment.
Honestly, being slightly afraid of her right now I pull myself out of the group hug and start ordering everyone back inside. For a moment of privacy, of course. Once the dust settles it's just Luna, Force, Nightmare, Celestia, Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and I in the garden.
I take a deep breath and look around at everyone. Rarity is gushing about how she's never seen a heart song like that and something about romance. Celestia is talking to Luna and Force asking if this was the plan they came up with. Nightmare is talking with Twilight and her friends, except for Fluttershy who is still on the verge of mentally snapping, but she looks a bit calmer now. She slowly gets up and moves into a nearby bush while whispering about the song birds.
Everyone is caught up in conversation as I sit down in the center of it all. All the sounds turn into a high pitch ringing that slowly fades out until all I can hear is my heartbeat. I slowly and absentmindedly reach into my pouch and pull out a bit. After flipping it over a few times and inspecting the Sun and Moon I place the bit on my thumb and get ready to launch it into the air. I'm still gunna do it.
Technically this is a d2 right? "Roll for my future."
I watch as the coin flips in the air as it rises higher and higher. What's it gunna land on?
Who knows.
> Main Quest - Best Night Ever pt. 6
Time seems to slow down as the coin rotates in the air, rising higher and higher. Surprisingly enough, seeing both sides of the coin causes both of my lives to flash before my eyes. It starts with my elf life, traveling, training, studying, and even a little bit of playing. Zarra's final dance, the trip to Prismeer where I got to meet Tasha, but there's one memory that sticks out a bit more than the rest. It's over 86 years worth of memories so I was bound to be a bit foggy on some of them.
It's when I was learning our family's bladesong. "Do you know why the bladesong was entrusted to our House of Summer Dreams, Ignis?"
"Because we're the strongest, and we have the Moonblade?" I guess I was still a bit naive at this point. The answer causes father and my current self to chuckle.
"No. Do you remember what I said about emotions and the bladesong?"
"The chords of the song will not be able to reach their full potential if the strings are not plucked as precisely as possible. The weight of emotions and the hesitation of thoughts will cause one's symphony to sound like it's missing its conductor. Our bodies are the instrument and training cannot be neglected lest we sound out of tune. Oh I think I understand..."
"Do you? Well go on, I'd much rather you reach this conclusion on your own."
"From infancy we're trained on how to suppress our emotions to allow for mastery over our Summer transformation. It has its uses and can be quite effective, but it brings great shame if the transformation is done unintentionally. Since we are already proficient in one of the three aspects of the bladesong it should come easier for us."
"Well that is mostly the reason, but the real reason is that emotional suppression is much more difficult to learn once you're no longer a child. The methods required usually involve trauma or are unhealthy for the user's mind. Those people can still use the bladesong as well, but the true key lies in the first sentence you gave me. Only those who can meet all three criteria will be able to reach its full potential. Unfortunately for you due to your silver hair we did not train you properly as an infant. Thankfully it's not too late, as you are still very much a child, but you will likely still struggle more than those around you."
Soul and body synchronization increased.
Why did that memory choose this moment in time to bring itself to the forefront? That explains why the suppression came so easily to me in the colosseum, I suppose. Those are good things to remember for the future, no matter what I choose that will be useful for understanding the True Bladesong. More importantly, isn't the synchronization between me and Ignis a bad thing? The Ignis I spoke too deep in my subconscious indicated that it should be avoided.
The memories speed back up and continue to pass by in flashes until we arrive in the study. This is where I was when everything went dark... but the memory continues? This is new! Is it because of the synchronization?!
In the memory I black out and grow cold, and after that I rise up into the air and stare at my motionless body in confusion. "Sorry young one, but you have to take a long nap for now. I'll bring you somewhere very interesting in the meantime. You'll love it there, trust me."
I don't recognize the voice at all, but it sounds like a man. I try to reply and move so I can look at him, but nothing is responding to me the way I want. All of my surroundings seem to stretch and blur before a rush of colors take up my vision that finish with a blinding white light.
The next thing I see an orange and red sky above me, but I recognize this. This is a sunset on Earth. My body finally responds to me but everything is sluggish as I raise my hand up into the air. It's such a tiny hand.
"Unfortunately this place is the only one that can support this process. I'll make sure you're safe and taken care of, but you'll need to stay here for a while." It's the same man's voice from the Feywild. I still can't see him because he's wearing a cloak and has his hood up, but his voice sounds older here. Also he's holding a book that seems vaguely familiar to me, but I can't figure out why.
The man suddenly puts his palm on my forehead, and the next thing I see makes my heart stop.
Initializing...
Downloading user's essence and memories.....
Complete.
User: Ignis Ferrum.
Storing user's essence for post-installation processes...
Complete.
System Installing....
0.0000000001/100% ETA: 63 years, 274 days, 19 hours, 41 minutes, and 9 seconds.
"Hm, that's a bit longer than I was anticipating. I'm sure it'll speed up as he gets older and he redevelops his intelligence. The initial estimate was 25 years, and I'll be surprised if it takes any longer than that." The hand is pulled away from my forehead and I feel... empty? This is why I didn't remember anything as a human...
"Alright child, your new family are good people. They've been trying for a few years now to have a child, but can't due to medical complications. They're going to take care of you, don't give them too much trouble."
The man disappears and I hear the sounds of an infant crying. Oh, that's me. I hear the sound of a door opening and sure enough the voice I hear is moms. Her and dad argue about what to do with me, and eventually I see my moms face and she tells me my name is Lucas.
The next 17 years flash by and I'm sitting at my desk with a blank character sheet and on my computer screen is an empty Word document. "Ugh why did Matt say my new character needs to have an actual backstory this time? It's already bad enough that we TPK'd but now I have to write a damn essay!"
Of course back then I was completely unaware of what was happening in my subconscious, but now that I'm reliving this moment I can see glimpses of my life as an elf. The conscious part of my brain assumes that this is something it just came up with and my fingers start to move across the keyboard.
"Silver haired high elf, bladesinger, I feel like his spells should have an underlying fire theme. Oh man I need a name, I hate naming things. Well if he's a fire based wizard that has bladesinging as his subclass I'll just name him fire sword. Ignis Gladius, oh that sounds wrong. I hate that. Uh, swords are made of steel right?" I look at the computer screen and underneath the translation it has synonyms and my eyes are just drawn to the 2nd option, Ferrum. That sounds right, yeah that's the one. "Ignis Ferrum."
The last 3 years following that event rapidly flash through my head and I'm holding my breath in anticipation for what I see at the end of this life. Unfortunately though, it ends exactly where my current memory ends. I walk into that alley and wake up here. That explains how Ignis came to Earth, but there's still no hint as to how I got here from Earth.
Wait, I'm adopted?! What the fuck??
Time resumes and as the coin reaches its peak it loses its upward momentum. It stops and begins falling back down, but in an instant a crow zips past and grabs the shiny coin out of the air. Wait, was it a crow? It could've been a raven. Cal if you took that coin I'm canceling our familiar contract.
I apologize master, but I don't know what you're talking about. I've been in the throne room for most of the night since the other side of the castle is far too loud for me.
My brain is so overloaded from all the new information I learned that I can do nothing but stare into the air at where the coin once was. I numbly reach into my bit pouch and pull out another coin. I set it on my thumb and prepare to launch this one but get startled by a voice in my ear.
"I think you and I are overdue for a conversation. Are you okay with that?"
"Holy shit!" All the sounds around me had turned into ringing so for a lone voice to suddenly appear right next to my head, it gives me a good startle. I turn my head and find Princess Cadence laying in the grass next to where I'm sitting. Everyone that was still outside is also staring at me due to my loud outburst. "Sorry, you startled me."
"Yeah you were pretty zoned out. So, can we talk, Ignis?"
"Sure... yeah that sounds fine. Are we going to do it infront of Luna, Celestia, and the elements? I'm not sure if I want this much of an audience."
"Of course not. Here, follow me." She leads me out of the ballroom and I wave to Luna and the other as I walk out. I follow her into a nearby sitting room.
"Is this about-" I start to ask what we're going to talk about, but Cadence interrupts me.
"About your love problem? Yes. I hear that you're afraid to love, is that true?"
"In a roundabout way, yeah, I guess I am. I don't want to fall in love if I know it's going to lead to heartbreak in the future. Right now I'm not sure if it'll lead to heartbreak, and that all hinges on 1 fact, 1 decision."
"It's all about if you can get back to your homeland, yes?" I give her a nod and she continues. "Well, I could sit here and preach about how it's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all, but I feel like you've already decided this. So, walk me through the decision instead. What are all the considerations you have and what are all the factors pulling you one way or another?"
For the next 30-45 minutes I explain both Earth and the Feywild, what I'd be leaving behind, what I had to look forward to, the people I wouldn't see again. After that I explain all of the spells I've done that are heavily pushing me towards the opinion that I'm stuck here. Once I'm done I exhale a huge sigh and melt into the couch I'm sitting on.
"So I guess my first question is, if you find a way back home can you not just bring others with you? If you can go there then you should be able to come back, so why not just bring everypony along?"
"Because it depends on the method. There's only one... maybe two more spells that I think would even be worth trying, and one of them has a 33% chance to become uncastable for me for the rest of my life. If I brought someone with me and then lost access to the spell then they'd be in the exact situation I'm in now. That same spell will likely be unavailable to me for a few years as well. It's a very powerful spell that some go their entire life without learning."
"Okay, that's understandable. You have plenty of time to figure this out, so why is it weighing down on you so heavily?"
"Well a while ago I decided I'd have a decision by the Gala. I wanted to decide because the uncertainty of it all has been slowly eating away at me. I can't reciprocate anyone's feelings until I make this decision, and I feel so guilty to keep leading them on like this. It's slightly worse now after talking with Luna and Force tonight."
"Why's that, did they say something to you?"
"Luna talked about a hypothetical situation where I decide to end things romantically with everyone and dedicate myself to finding a way home. In this hypothetical situation a long time passes and I finally come to the conclusion that there is no way home, but all of the girls have moved on and no longer feel that way about me. If I take too long, Force might not even be alive. She asked if that would hurt worse than the alternative, and she's right. Then not only would I be stuck here, but I'd be alone."
"That's...not the approach I would've taken, but I think I understand. She's lived through that hypothetical scenario, Ignis. When I had my talk with her while you were out on a date with my knight, we had a long talk about love. A few thousand years ago there was somepony she grew somewhat close with, but was scared to commit or take things further because she knew he'd be dead in a few decades. Why fall in love if you'll be subject to that pain for who knows how many eons? In the end she chose to never have loved at all. During her time on the moon she realized that maybe she wouldn't have ended up there if she chose to have loved and lost. I think she just doesn't want to see you go down the path she's already traveled."
"It didn't end there. Later on all 4 of us got into an argument and they finally stopped being indirect and straight up told me I need to make a decision. Luna seems to think my mental state is deteriorating and if something doesn't change I'll die. Really though that didn't change anything, I was already feeling the pressure. All that really did was annoy me, but I know it's coming from a place of concern so I don't hold it against them."
Ugh, Auntie told them that things like ultimatums and applying pressure were not the correct way to go about doing things. "It might've been from a place of concern but I think it was still a bit too far. What did Force say to you?"
"She just explained that she was feeling frustrated, but that she knew she had no right to be angry. She empathized with my situation, but mentioned how guilty she felt because she really just wished I would hurry up and make a decision. I don't want her to feel that way. Between me setting a deadline for myself for tonight, Luna making me realize that there's a far worse outcome I hadn't considered, and my own guilt about making Force feel that way...I have to decide, Cadence. But, wouldn't I be a monster if I just let my parents think I'm dead and never go back to my world? Like how can I possibly decide something like this?"
"I'm sorry, Ignis. I don't know how to answer that. I'm surprised my knight feels so strongly about this though."
"What do you mean?"
"Well I mean her reaction just doesn't make sense. If anypony should feel the way she feels it should be Aunt Luna. I've listened to Force's life story and from what I can tell she falls hard and she falls fast, but for her to feel this strongly about something concerning you. It's a bit fast even for her. You must've really made an impression?"
Oh that's what she means, I think I left out something important. "I don't think she's angry because of how she feels. She's angry on Luna's behalf. She called me a coward the first time we talked about this when we went on our date. At that time she was just angry because I was one of Luna's only friends and had I just sworn to serve her until I die. Then a few days later I admit I'm trying to find a way to get out of here and never see her again? Yeah I'd be pissed if someone did that to someone I knew, too. Honestly I was impressed she didn't chew me out again tonight."
I take a breath and hold up my hand so Cadence doesn't reply just yet. "As for the impression? If I had to think of one action in particular it was probably when she got swallowed by that False Hydra. I decapitated the head that swallowed her and saved her from becoming hydra food. Well I guess I also did save her from the changeling hive. It's probably a mix of those two."
"I still think I need to have a talk with her as well, but that does make more sense. Well to me it sounds like your main stressor here is expectations. The expectations of the ponies around you, the moral and societal expectations about your decision. Things like "Isn't it wrong for me to willingly choose to never see my family again?" or "How will the ponies I care about react to me saying I don't care about them and plan to leave them as soon as I'm able to." All of those types of thoughts are the main things that keep bouncing around in your head when you try to make up your mind, yes?"
"Kinda? Yeah I guess so. I just don't want to let anyone down, and I don't know how I'm supposed to decide to never see my family again." I stare down at the floor between us in defeat.
I feel a hoof on my shoulder and when I look up Cadence is giving me a sympathetic smile. "But Ignis. None of that is truly important, as harsh as it sounds. Ignore all of those expectations and standards. What do YOU want? What does Ignis Ferrum want to do?"
We sit in silence for a few minutes before Cadence stands up. "You don't need to answer right now. I just wanted to make sure you were aware that you might not have even considered your own feelings, your own wants and needs. Now if you'll excuse me I need to go talk to somepony about peer pressure and another pony about tact and subtlety."
I just continue to stare ahead, blankly, as she leaves the room.
What do I want?
3rd Person POV
"My dear knight and my fellow Princess. May I have a word with you?" A certain pink alicorn approaches a familiar grouping of ponies.
The alicorn and knight in question look at each other for a bit, and the knight recognizes that tone. Cadence is unhappy about something. The three of them walk off to an isolated area of the ballroom where Cadence erects a soundproof barrier. "Auntie told me all of you were going to come up with a plan for tonight to GENTLY help Ignis come to terms with his fate. So, where exactly in this plan did things go wrong? Because from what I heard you did not do anything even remotely close to gentle."
"We never even made it to the plan. The conversation got brought up early and I was flustered. I realized after he left with you that... well, we messed up. I left the table to settle down my emotions because I knew I had no right to feel that way, but she royally bucked up." Force replies as her ears droop down.
"....I did. I did exactly what I said I wouldn't do." I refuse to pressure him into that decision and make him think that he will lose us if he doesn't give up on his home. "I don't know what came over me...something he said just reminded me of the past. After that my mouth betrayed the rest of me, and I just let my emotions get the best of me. Did he return with you? I need to apologize to him."
"No, I'm not sure where he is. I'm glad both of you know specifically what I'm talking about though. You should still apologize to him, but you should know that he didn't hold any of it against you. Apparently he himself had decided that he'd make a decision by the end of tonight, but it seems to have taken him longer than he thought. It's because of his own self imposed deadline that your pressure was not as impactful as it could've been." Cadence replies and shakes her head in disbelief. "Honestly it's so unbelievable how in the same breath that he explains what you three did he defends and excuses you."
Neither Force or Luna have a response to that, so Cadence asks something that she was curious about. "By the way, if you were so against pressuring him to begin with, what happened while you three were planning that changed your mind?"
"After lunch we split up for an hour before meeting up again to have our discussion. During that hour break I decided to get the opinion from an unbiased third party. After I talked with him and he vehemently insisted that Force was on the right path. He agreed that an ultimatum was too far, but he told me that previous patients of his that exhibited some of the same symptoms as Ignis died within weeks. Some by their own hoof and some from the lack of sleep. He insisted that the sooner Ignis accepts his situation, makes his decision, and processes his emotions the better. Then after I brought up the potential regrets I was already flustered and I just kept hearing the stallions words in my head. I don't want him to die Cadence!"
"Wait, previous patients? Who did you talk to? Surely you didn't reveal information that you shouldn't have to some random stallion." Cadence asks Luna with an arched eyebrow.
"Of course not! It was his therapist, Dr. Sentiment."
> Main Quest - Get Home pt. 6
"We meet again, human." It feels weird to hear my own voice with that posh accent again. It seems like I'm in the void state where I met the real Ignis for the first time.
"Why am I here? I thought this could only happen when I was in a trance?"
"I'm not sure either. If I had to guess? It's related to that message we saw. Soul and body synchronization increased. This is good though, I wanted to speak to you, Lucas."
The elf takes a few large steps toward me in this white void space and puts a hand on my shoulder. "You have my blessing."
"For what? Or is this like a passive buff you're applying to our body?"
"You have my blessing to stay here or return to Earth. While we're still separate enough to have differing personalities I just wanted to let you know. As far as I'm concerned I already died 20 years ago. If you ended up finding a way for us to leave this realm but found yourself torn between Earth or the Feywild, you can go home, Lucas. You don't need to take my memories and feelings into consideration. I know you're quite torn, so I thought perhaps this would ease your burden, if only a little. I'll also throw in my opinion on your whole ordeal, if you would like that?"
"Yeah. You're the only other one around me that can directly relate to my situation."
"I agree with the pink princess. Disregard any guilt you feel when making your decision. It is your life and your choice to make, as it always has been. That pegasus you've taken a fancy to, she was right as well multiple weeks ago. Be selfish. This choice impacts the rest of your life, you have to live with whatever outcome is decided, not the ponies, not your friends, not even your parents. It is your life."
"It's... our life. Why can you so easily cast aside your own home and family? Why resign yourself to go quietly into the night?"
"Because I could feel it. When the synchronization improved I felt more hazy, weaker. We're truly merging now, and it's probably a good thing. You'll never be able to reach your full potential if we're fragmented like this. Our personalities though, that's the bad news. I can tell from how much weaker I am now, it's like I'm fighting to stay awake after 3 days of continued labor. Once we fully sync...most of myself will likely be gone."
"But this is your body?! Why do you refuse to fight? You can retain more of yourself!"
"You saw the same new memory I saw, Lucas. Our soul was forcefully astral projected and crammed into another vessel. Once that happened this...system, downloaded my memories and personality and took those things away from you. That's all I am, I'm just a downloaded ego. This body is yours, this soul is yours. I'm just data and it was always my purpose to be stored until you were ready, and I guess you're close now. It'll be soon, I can feel it."
"Father was right, you are far too kind Ignis." I can feel my eyes well up. "If this was the other way around, if I was just data you can bet your ass I wouldn't be as amicable as you. Is this really okay?"
"Yes, it's okay. If you think about it I'm not even really going anywhere, I'm just going back to where I came from. You. If we don't have a chance to talk once more before I slip away, just know that I'm proud of you. Mother and Father would be proud of you too. Just keep moving forward."
Everything goes dark and when I blink I'm back in the sitting room, alone, where I was talking to Cadence earlier. "I know this will sound weird cause we're technically the same person, but I wish I could've talked with you more. I wish we had just both been brought here in our own bodies. I wish....we could've been friends. We would've been good friends, I think."
After I finish talking to no one in this empty room, I wipe my face and rub my eyes. I know a while back I told Luna I would only leave here if I could return to Earth, but this entire time I've still been thinking of the Feywild. I didn't even remember making that declaration, the Feywild has been one of the things I was considering, purely because I think my odds of getting there are better than Earth.
When he gave me his blessing I was so surprised at how....relieved I felt. Once I stand up it hits me that I feel much less sluggish now. Almost like lifting that weight from me has reenergized me a bit. Let's go back to the ballroom, but let's take the scenic route. I want to go outside.
"Applejack, did you just trip that guy?"
"What the blazes?! Where'd you come from fella? I uh... I wouldn't say I tripped him, it's more like I used a fancy marketing technique to get his attention." After she says that her mouth is closed in a funny looking way and her eyes keep darting back and forth. I just give her a deadpan stare and raise an eyebrow. She hangs her head in shame and admits it. "Yeah I tripped em. I've been out here for hours and only had one customer the whole time, Ignis! ONE!"
"Wait customer? You're charging people?"
"Well yeah, how else am I supposed to stay in business?"
"AJ. Applejack. They have catering inside. Free catering. Why would they buy an apple or whatever if they can get free food inside?"
"What? They have enough food for everypony in there and it's free? I didn't even go inside once I got here, I just came straight out here and set up my stand. I can't believe it..."
"Ohh, bless your heart."
Applejack apparently knows what that means and it apparently means the same thing as it did on Earth, because her head snapped around to look at me and she just squinted at me. "How do you know that saying? I say that to my friends sometimes, but they think I'm sympathizing with em."
I must've had a smug expression since she didn't even have to ask if I meant it in the condescending way. "It's a saying back where I'm from as well. For what it's worth I am halfway sympathizing with you. I'm surprised Twilight didn't mention anything to you about it since I'm fairly certain she's been to this before. I guess she just didn't even think about it?"
"Yeah I reckon I'd say the same thing if I was in your position. Twi' was probably just too excited about gettin to talk to the princess to even realize I was intending to sell my stuff here."
"Well, the Gala still has a couple of hours left. Last time I saw them, Twilight and a few of your other friends were all sitting together with Celestia. Why don't you go look for them? Your night would probably be a bit better if you were with your friends." I give her a soft smile and her mood seems to improve a bit.
"You're right, that's what I should've been doin from the start. Imma go hunt em down, thanks Ignis."
"Yep, no problem."
I think that just leaves Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. I didn't talk to her but I noticed Pinkie had joined their little entourage when I saw them in the garden, and that's where Fluttershy is too. I wonder what she's been doing in the garden this whole time? Ah whatever it's probably fine, I got my own problems to work out.
What do I want? Let's just start there. If this was a perfect world and I could have anything I wanted, what exactly would be my ideal solution here? I want a reliable way to go back and forth between all 3 realms that also allows me to bring Luna.
Why can't I do that? Time. I want to make at least some kind of decision tonight. As things stand this solution isn't possible. If I find something that enables this solution in the future, however, I would take it in heartbeat no matter what I decide tonight. That's easy, so no matter what, if I find a way for all of us to travel between the realms then I can go home and meet with my family regularly.
It currently isn't possible though, so why is that the ideal solution? What about that instinctively checks all of my boxes? It lets me visit both of my homelands and keep in contact with those I don't want to lose. Visit? Why would I only visit my home if that were possible?
Because I would live here if I had the best of both worlds and was allowed to freely travel between them, this is where I'd live. Is that what I want then?
Why do I want to visit home to begin with? Let's stop reacting to things with my gut and think about it. I want to keep in contact with my friends and family. My job doesn't matter, my future doesn't matter. I was working a dead end job that would've grinded away at me until I retired in my 60s or died. There's no places in particular I would miss. I just don't want to lose my friends and family.
Okay. If I found a way to go back to my home, but it's a one way trip. Why do I want to stay here? Until recently I've been happy. Far happier than I ever was on Earth. I've had troubles and I've gone through some shit, but I'm fulfilled. I feel like I matter here. I... have people I don't want to lose here too.
It's easy then right? I mean laying it all out there, logically, staying here is the easy choice. Emotionally however, it's complicated.
Why is it complicated? I have people I love on Earth, but I don't have anyone here that I love. Right? That doesn't sound right, it feels wrong. But, the whole reason there's even a debate is because I don't want to love anyone here unless I know I'm staying, so that means there's no one like that here.
It's getting derailed, back to the beginning, with everything we've laid out. What do I want?
My train of thought is interrupted when my head bangs into something hard. I walked into the large wooden door to go back inside. Some random pony must've heard the knock because the door opens and I absentmindedly walk into the ballroom.
"Did you see the back of his jacket? I could never wear my special somepony's cutie mark so emblazoned onto my clothing like that." I hear a whisper somewhere to my left side, behind me.
"Well he is her knight, maybe it's more like a symbol of which guard he belongs to. You don't really think she'd be marking him like that right?" This second voice isn't quite as aware of her own voice as her friend. She's a decent bit louder than the first voice.
"I mean I think it makes perfect sense. The freak and the outcast? It's like they're made for each other." It's after hearing this third voice that my slow paced walk comes to a stop. "There's no way he heard us right?"
"Shh, quit staring at him before he turns around. If you aren't obvious he won't be able to pick us out of the crowd."
I slowly turn and look straight at where I'm fairly certain the voices came from. It's one of the ponies Fleur pointed at when she asked me to join her. There's a primal rage bubbling up, but for some reason I just can't bring myself to even get mad. They're just not worth getting so worked up over. I should still say something, though. I close my eyes and give the most subtle smile I can before I speak. "What's the point of saying things like that? Are you just trying to boost your own self image? If not then it doesn't make sense, it costs you nothing to be kind."
The nervous and somewhat fearful look the noble had as we maintained eye contact fades away. Now she just looks...embarrassed? Ashamed? It's one of those but either way, she can't maintain eye contact anymore as she just stares at the table she's seated at. I guess I'm satisfied with the lack of response, so I turn away and continue aimlessly walking around the ballroom.
"You seem a bit lost, Ignis. Are you not enjoying your time?" I look over and see Celestia lounging on a bench.
"I guess I am a bit lost. It's an alright night so far, had its ups and downs, but right now I just have a lot on my mind. Where'd Twilight and her friends go? I'm surprised you'd be sitting around by yourself."
"I could say the same for you. It's odd to see you without my sister. To answer your question though Twilight and the girls went to find the rest of their group. Why don't you take a seat? A bit for your thoughts."
There's enough room on the bench for me to take a seat as well so I take her up on her offer and sit down. I go over all the things I listed out earlier and summarize the conversation with Cadence. When I finish going over everything I look over at her and see a small smug smile on her face. "What is that look for?"
"Nothing, nothing. I was just amused to hear you say something in particular. I'm not going to explain what I found amusing because I think it's more beneficial for you to figure it out on your own. I'll tell you that for the most part you've laid everything out very well. I think you just need to think through a couple of those details again."
"Really? I thought I did a pretty good job picking that apart."
"Truly? Well, you're not my student so I suppose there's no reason to not give you some help. Especially with how things have been for you lately, you probably feel like you're in a lose-lose situation here, huh? In my opinion I think you've already found your answer. I'd just maybe reconsider some of those "facts"."
Celestia gets up and walks off, leaving me with my thoughts again. After running through everything a couple of times I look up and realize the ballroom has mostly emptied out. Where did my squad disappear to? I haven't seen any of them ever since I walked away with Cadence.
"Oh there you are! You must be like the hide and seek champion or something! We've been walking around trying to figure out where you went and at first I was all like "What if he had an existential dream and ended up just wandering around?" but they were like "No he wouldn't have stayed here if he was going to find somewhere to think." and then Applejack was like "Well last I saw he was outside near the fountain, so maybe he's downtown somewhere?" and then we checked some room with Princess Candy and then we checked your room and then we checked Princess Luna's room. Then we checked all the rooms. Finally they decided to go get some donuts before the shop closes up and then we'd look for you in the walkways downtown, but then my ear twitched and my nose tickles and my back right leg vibrated so I knew you were still here. Everypony is waiting for me in the lobby so do you wanna get some donuts with us?"
I just stare at the pink earth pony and give a slow blink in response. She's a crackhead. "Yeah sure I'll come with you guys. I kinda feel bad you all wasted your time looking for me though."
While I follow the pink crackhead to the lobby I quickly go through everything one last time. Oh there's one question I never asked myself. My mom on Earth, what would she say to me if she were here? She'd probably tell me to do whatever makes me happy. There's no way that's what Celestia was thinking of when she told me to reconsider some of my facts.
We reach the lobby and I see Celestia, Twilight, the other elements, Cadence, and Force. Everyone says their greetings, asks me where I was hiding at, and makes some comments about being invisible. I just nod and give short answers until they're done and then I ask my question. "Where's Luna and Moonie?"
"They said there was one more place they wanted to check, but that they'd meet us on the way." Force answers me.
"Oh. Well let's go then, yeah? Honestly I didn't know you guys had donuts here, are they good?"
"This spot is actually a longtime favorite of mine. The owner is an exceptional baker. Did you think about what I said?" Celestia answers me then immediately puts my brain back into thinking mode.
"I did, but I just don't understand what you think I'm missing here."
She sighs and rolls her eyes before leaning over and whispering a question in my ear. Wait, that's the part she wanted me to reconsider? I mean it did sound wrong the first time I went over it, but it wasn't even part of the things I reconsidered. Who-
"There you are! I'm glad they were able to find you, Ignis. Are you okay?" Luna and Nightmare land in front of us as we're walking and Luna immediately weaves through the elements to give me a hug.
"Yeah I was just going through everything again. You know I just realized technically the Gala is over now, right?"
"Indeed it is. Were you able to find the answer you were hoping to have by the end of tonight? If not it's perfectly fine, I actually really want to apologize for some of the things I said earlier. I was completely out-"
"It's fine. Really it's okay. Thanks to your sister I think I actually did manage to realize something."
Celestia gains a knowing smile, Force, Cadence and Luna look extremely surprised. Nightmare seems a bit worried, she probably thinks I shouldn't have made a decision this fast and is worried I'll regret whatever I say next.
I open my mouth to start explaining my decision, but no words come out. I'm a bit confused until suddenly I hear a chord of music play. Oh no we're doing this again?
Here's the last song of Season 1!
Smiling through the lose-lose days of confusion~
You picked me right off the ground, then dust me off as we dance on nonchalantly~
I'm realizing the answer I've already found.
I remember sitting in the Ponyville library, talking with Twilight and I casted my first Equestrian spell, Light. "Personally we still find it moderately impressive." The first interaction I ever had with Luna was that mundane comment that startled me. The next couple of weeks around the castle flash through my head.
Never-ending days wore on. I was aimless, and yet focused.
All those days blended together and then I decided to do a trial run as her knight. I really was aimless back then.
The oxy-est of morons, I know, stuck deep coming ghost hits.
Fist to the desk, then next the sky.
Well aware of the dangerous heights and falls, back then trusted nobody at all.
I remember we were heading to the castle in the Everfree and the cliff collapsed. Applejack tried steering me in the right direction, but I did what I thought was best and got caught falling by Rainbow.
I was all bark no bite.
Fighting with God when it got dark at night.
My feet start to move on their own and when I mention fighting with God I point at Nightmare. Then I put my right arm around her and my left arm around Luna. Gesturing Force over she joins the group and leans against Nightmare, with my hand resting on top of her head.
Outta nowhere, now at my side, standing 4 strong.
Back then we saw nothing wrong.
Lost. The dreams we had gathered here to find...
I swore to protect her, and performed a divine ritual with her. I've tried to bolster her power and re-establish her into Equestria's power dynamics. She helped me regain my memories in the dreamscape and we've ended up mostly protecting each other, haha.
...Turned into the blind leading the blind.
Today it hurt again. We bandaged bruises, who gives a damn if they're right?
All of the shit those threstral councilors tried to blame her for, that noble calling us the freak and the outcast.They were right about one thing though.
I'm smiling through the lose-lose days of confusion~
I was well on my way...
I pull away from the group and hold out my hand for Luna to grab onto.
To diving, all alone, thinking "Damn, I miss home"
To rolling eyes and deciding to stay.
Luna places a forehoof in my hand and her eyes go wide as she hears the last two lines.
Trusting, choosing allies wasn't my style till you picked me right up off the ground!
That's exactly what she does as suddenly with a flap of her wings we're both flying straight up. I don't have wings, but I'm still floating along as I hold her hoof.
Then dust me off as we dance on nonchalantly,
I rotate a bit and grab her other forehoof forcing us to look at each other, we start to dance in the air but this time I'm leading our movements.
I'm realizing the answer I've found.
We stop dancing and she still has this surprised wide eyed stare like she can't believe what's happening. Her eyes only open wider and they become a bit glassy as she listens to the lyric. When I pull her closer she squeezes her eyes shut and she has a big smile.
If I got you...
Looking at her, it feels like the right time for this, and on my own I rub my thumb across her cheek causing her to open her eyes from the sudden touch. As soon as her eyes open the lyric finishes and I take both hands and put them behind her head.
I just might stick around!
Her eyes shoot wide open as I push my head forward and pull her towards me. Our lips meet and the wide open eyes close. The instrumental plays and she tilts her head a bit as she leans further into the kiss.
I can't fall in love until I decide if I'm staying or not, but Celly helped me realize it's too late. At some point during these last couple of weeks I fell hard for this girl.
Got in a fight with myself again, and I lashed out no surprise.
Try as I might, look a saint can't sin at least in everyone's eyes.
We slowly go down and land back in the street of downtown Canterlot. Once we land I look over at Force and Nightmare.
Broken pieces, my life, now a puzzle on a dusty floor
and right on time when I feel that I can't get by, I getcha knock on my door.
With Luna in tow I pull the other two close so we're all 4 together again.
Y'all say it "it ain't all bad" talk me down slow, cheer me up and take my hand.
Find somewhere to go, we laugh and chat away. Nothing remains,
That little cloud from today.
Force is shifting her eyes left and right as I stare at her. I raise my eyebrows questioningly as I sing the lyric about chatting away. I point at her with the same questioning expression and she realizes I'm trying to ask her if she's jealous of Luna and wants the same treatment. She gives me a shy nod, and glances away as I let go of everyone and grab both of Force's forehooves.
I go through the chorus one more time as we stay on the ground and I lead us on a series of quick steps and twirl her around like they were doing to me earlier. Until we get to the end of the chorus and I put my hand on her back and lean forward, forcing her to lean back, putting us in a classic dip pose.
If I got you I just might stick around.
She barely even lets me finish the last line of the chorus before flapping her wings and forcing us back into a straight, neutral position. Until she continues beating her wings and flies up a couple of feet and claiming a kiss of her own. Mirroring Luna's kiss she puts her forelegs around my neck instead of the other way around.
I jump back over to the group and grab both Luna and Nightmare as I point up at the night sky. Both of their moon shaped cutie marks start to pulse with light as I gain my own silver glow. With both of them together like this the heart song is able to make full use of their well of divinity and all of the stars come down out of the sky again.
Permanent markers run...
White colored pencils don't leave impressions...
We took this canvas,
I point both of my palms at the empty night sky.
We painted landscapes, all in our OWN shade of truth!
I spread my hands out as if I was pressing my hands against the night sky and as my hands move across the sky, in their wake there's a much more detailed night sky. Entire galaxy's and millions of stars decorate the sky with an aurora borealis to boot.
I hear the elements behind me make some kind of "oooo" sound as the sky is decorated. As the sky continues to be populated with more and more stars I go into the chorus for the final time.
Time and time again I can prove... That I'm smiling through the lose-lose days of confusion.
Sure I was well on my way! To diving all alone, thinking "Damn, I miss home"
To rolling eyes and deciding to stay.
Trusting, choosing, allies wasn't my style till you picked me right up off the ground.
Then dust me off as we dance on nonchalantly, I'm realizing the answer I've found...
I pivot on my feet and turn around to look at all 3 of the mares.
I'm gonna smile and make...
You guys... proud.
I'm damn near tackled by Luna and Force as soon as the heart song finishes and I hear a bunch of commotion from the other ponies we were with, but my eyes are focused on Nightmare. She's standing there looking at the ground a bit disappointed. "Moonie, what's wrong? You seemed insistent on not being in the same boat as these two so I just gave you a friendly hug."
"Y-yeah, it's not like I wanted a kiss too or anything."
"Come here you little tsundere!" Moonie flaps her wings and moves up to hover in the air in front of me. She's still being super shy and looking off to the side, so I just use my hand to turn her head towards me and lean in for a quick peck. When I pull away from the peck she makes an annoyed face for half a second before grabbing me and pulling me back in.
After that I can't help but to start laughing as I'm quickly overwhelmed with emotions. I know this is still going to be painful, I'm still going to often find myself missing home. I also decided that I won't give up on looking for a way to achieve my ideal solution. A reliable method that works both ways and lets me bring everyone else too. For now though, this is good enough. For tonight, I can just be happy and lean on these mares. For now... this is home.
Quest Completed!
Main Quest - Get Home!
Completed: You are home.
> (NSFW) Main Quest - Best Night Ever pt. 7
"Is it really okay for us to just leave like that? I was kinda looking forward to one of those donuts..." We're walking down one of the hallways in the castle after abruptly excusing ourselves from the visit to Donut Joe's. "Plus we left Force and Nightmare with that group as well, it feels weird to just not include them for this."
Especially considering everyone that was with us definitely knows we left for less than pure reasons. We were sitting down waiting for our orders to come out when I felt a breath against the side of my head. My entire body tensed from the sudden sensation and then she whispered right into my ear. Why don't we just get out of here and head back to my bedchamber?
It was unexpected that I couldn't suppress the shock. I'd never heard Luna sound like that. More than one person noticed as well because I felt my face heat up and saw a few of them glancing at each other with smirks after looking at me. A thousand thoughts raced through my head in an instant and I snapped up to my feet. I think I'm actually gunna bow out here guys. I really need some rest, it's been a long night.
Pardner, I think your night is just gettin started. I heard a round of laughs from AJ's comment as Luna and I left and the door closed behind me.
"Would you truly prefer to turn around and go back for a donut? Before my banishment there were stallions and mares willing to commit treason just to have a chance for this. Even the thestrals were willing to almost doom their return to Equestria to allow just one of them to indulge." Those half-lidded eyes looking back at me are enough to convince me.
"Yeah you're right that was a stupid thing to say. I still feel bad leaving those two out though, I thought you guys were like polyamorous or whatever right? Won't this cause some resentment or jealousy?"
"Nay. Many things have changed while I was gone, but the etiquette and traditions of a herd have not. The lead mare always gets first claim on the stallion. They know they'll have their own turn soon. After that I don't mind some active sharing, if you truly think you can handle more than one of us at a time?" Oh she's good. Every step now is accompanied by an exaggerated sway of her hindquarters.
Apparently I don't respond fast enough because she glances back at me and notices my staring. She flashes a smirk and returns her gaze forward. "Well if ponies here are anything like the equines back home then I think I'll have no problem handling all 3 of you."
After I say that her star filled ethereal tail lifts a bit and starts to sway on its own. It's swaying in the opposite direction of her hips which ends up giving me a glimpse of something I'm surprised I haven't seen on accident in all my time here. Which is extra weird when you think about it cause all of these ponies are always naked.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to flick your tail around like that when we're still in the hallway? Any of the castle staff could see you."
"Oh please we both know the castle is basically empty this time of night. You should've been more observant at the start of the Gala when you ordered around Tia. That show of dominance almost made me flag my tail on the spot, but luckily I caught it in time so it ended up just flicking to the side a bit. You wanna talk about somepony seeing me, half the nobles almost got an eyeful right there. Even just thinking about it now..." Her head twitches a bit and she lets out a shaky breath.
"So back at Rarity's fashion show when I ordered you around and you told me you were still trying to decide if you hated it or not...?"
"Oh Harmony above, don't even remind me of that or I'm actually going to flag."
I can see the door to her bedroom after we turn the last corner, and all of a sudden I feel the nerves starting to kick in. "What does that mean? Flagging your tail?"
Luna decides to show me instead of telling me. The base of her tail goes straight up and the rest of it follows suit, oh it's literally like a flag. Before that stupid line of thinking can go any further I realize she's just completely exposed herself. My eyes widen as they're drawn somewhere that feels like a place I'm not supposed to look. It's a perfect dark blue slit that's completely closed until the bottom of her sex spreads open slightly revealing a bright pink color and exposing pronounced pink nub for half a second before everything closes again.
Her slit does the action again a few seconds later and there's a quiet squelching sound that I didn't notice last time. Once that sound pierces the silence Luna speaks again, breaking me from my stupor. "Sorry I just ended up remembering that moment from the fashion show and as you saw that's why I didn't want you to remind me of it." Maybe ponies are just more nonchalant about sex than what I'm used to?
We're only a few feet away from her bedroom door, but the brazenness of this mare right now is not at all what I expected from her personality. This is the same mare that reverted to ye olden english for the lightest teasing out of embarrassment. Wait... there's no way right?
"Detect Poison." I whisper an incantation as we walk through her bedroom door, and let out a huge sigh of relief mentally when there's no reaction.
Maybe this is just a false bravado and she's just as nervous as I am? In that case let me be a bit more bold as well and see if I can throw her off. I close the door with my foot and take two big steps to close the gap that was present for our entire walk here.
"Well if you're eager enough that you can't help but to expose yourself, why don't I help you?" She's close enough to the bed that I can put one hand under her barrel and one hand on her back, right next to the base of her tail. Instantly I can feel her tense up and her exhale shudders. I pick her up and use my hand near her tail as leverage to flip her around so that she's facing me and falls onto the bed on her back.
Her forelegs fold in and tuck against her chest while her tail curls up and splays out on her stomach. Covering the same parts of her that she was just proudly putting on display. Her eyes are opened wide and there's a blush spreading across her face. She looks like she's going to say something but I take another step forward, pushing myself against her. Then I lean forward putting my torso between her hind legs and placing my palms onto the bed on both sides of her head.
Her mouth is spread open just slightly and her breathing is ragged as my face hovers mere inches away from hers. My body pressed against hers. Luna's pupils have shrunk down to a pin needle and she's completely frozen. It seems like all of this was a bit of false bravado and I think I might've moved a little too fast here.
The concern must've shown on my face because Luna takes a sudden shaky breath in and barely managed to mutter out a few words. "W-well...are you going to finish wha-... what you started?"
That's all I needed to hear. I take my right hand and place it against her cheek with my fingers curling around to the back of her head, and pull her into another kiss. Then another and another and another. I start to pull away again when it feels like she opened her mouth a tiny bit, but her horn lights up and pulls me back down into a much deeper kiss. Her tongue brushes against my bottom lip as she sends it forward and I react in time to give her access before her tongue can prod at my teeth.
Luna's horn lights up again and my jacket starts to lift up and gets pulled away from me. Then I can feel some light tugging against my chest as she tries to undo the buttons to my undershirt. Seems in the heat of the moment she forgot this suit is actually my armor in an illusion, the jacket she threw on the floor was my cloak. I try to pull away to tease her about her inability to strip me, but she holds me in place and after a bright flash my armor appears in the air on the other side of the room before falling to the ground. Another flash and her dess joins my armor.
Instantly everything feels more intimate, this is the first time my bare torso has brushed against her coat like this. It gives me chills as the soft fur lightly rubs against me, almost like a tickle. At this my lower half is starting to get uncomfortable as my pants become tighter and tighter.
Almost as if she could sense what I was mentally complaining about, I feel the button around my waist click and the pressure is relieved. I feel the clothing brush against my legs as it collapses to the ground, and suddenly it's a bit colder in the room. Besides the pants around my ankles the only thing left is my boxer briefs. Before she can strip those off as well I pull away from the kiss.
As soon as my face is free I take in a loud and deep breath. I was starting to run out of oxygen for a second there. Luna's eyes are unfocused as she stares at me while also out of breath. She seems to recover faster than me though because she's able to speak first. As shaky as her voice is. "And here I thought you were some shy, innocent, elf whose never laid with another like this. But no, you..." She pauses, still out of breath. "You definitely have done this before."
"Technically yes, but not with this body. As an elf I was never intimate with someone else. I wasn't even an adult when this body went comatose. Lucas though, he's had a roll in the hay a few times."
My face hovers just above hers as we continue to just stare into each other's eyes, trying to recover our breathing. "W-well? What are you waiting for? Remove your last piece of cloth and claim me."
"As fun as that sounds, I always prefer to start with some foreplay."
"You'll need to move then, you won't be able to access my throat like this." Luna starts to shift and squirm to escape my pin, but I just look at her with a hint of confusion.
"That's not what I meant, but maybe in a few minutes. I mainly just wanted to show you what these bad boys can do." I finally pull away fully and stand up straight as I flex my hand and wriggle my fingers in the air. Suddenly I freeze up and pause as my eyes take in the goddess laying in front of me. Her mane somewhat disheveled and splayed out like a puddle of stars between her head and the bed. That still hazy and unfocused gaze that's staring straight at me with her mouth slightly open, still breathing heavily. "You're beautiful."
Luna blinks a couple of times and suddenly covers her face with her forelegs. "Wha- You can't just say something like that so suddenly in a situation like this!"
For the second time tonight I find myself laughing with a genuine smile. "Sorry. I'll keep my compliments to myself next time."
"That's not what I me-" The words die in her mouth as she sharply inhales and gasps. That's a brilliant reaction to my hand ever so lightly sliding down the side of her barrel and onto her exposed belly. Once there I start to walk my fingers downward, slowly approaching the portion of her lower belly that is currently covered by her curled up tail. I'm glad she got embarrassed enough to cover her face with her forelegs or they would've been in the way when I tried to do this.
Once my index and middle fingers have reached her tail I climb onto the bed beside her and place my hand down flat. Then I slide my hand under her tail as if it was a pair of panties. I'm a bit surprised when I feel two small mounds until I realize that must be her breasts. I decide to do some exploratory groping to see if this elicits any kind of reaction, and to my absolute glee it does.
It's when I brush over one of her nipples that Luna graces my ears with another sharp inhale that turns into muffled feminine noise when she bites her bottom lip. As cute as this is I want to really look at her so I take my free hand and place it on both of her forelegs, gradually pushing them back down. At this point she finally opens her eyes again and I watch them glance around trying to find me before she finally lands her gaze on me and turns her head.
Now that I can clearly see her face and we're staring into each other's eyes I opt to finally strike. I slide my hand down further past her crotch-tits and explore around the edges of her marehood. Luna's lips slightly part and another heavy breath escapes her body. Her eyes are filled with anticipation, apprehension, and a need. Those eyes are begging me to continue.
That look is really doing something to me, it makes me feel a bit wicked as I want to see more of it. I decide to tease her a bit more, using my fingers to lightly trace around her outer edge and lightly spread her open. My other hand is exploring the rest of her body and it's a bit of an awkward position for me but I manage. I'm surprised by how wet she already is.
Her breathing gets heavier and starts to shudder, her eyes are barely open and she finally does what I want her to do, speak. "Ignis please stop torturrr-AH-hnng" Once she started verbally begging I waited until I heard the telltale sound of her winking. As soon as I hear that I sink my index and middle finger into her folds, down to the knuckle. In one fluid motion my thumb rubs against her exposed nub as it shows itself and retreats back into her hood.
Her eyes snap open and she briefly tenses up, arching her back and leaning her head back. The alicorn's horn presses against the bed as her request turns into the briefest of screams that instantly quiets into a muffled moan. I'm amused as she makes the foolish choice to try speaking again as soon as the moan stops. "You are cruel and unf...f..fuck."
My fingers curl up which places the base of my palm against where her most sensitive part will be, should it reveal itself again, similar to the way you hold a bowling ball. She's wet enough that from here I just start to roughly finger her in earnest while pulling up with my hand to ensure the curled fingers are scraping against her upper wall.
"Mmmf, Igni- Uhnf, maker above help mEEE!" The constant lifting and pushing down force I'm applying as I jackhammer the digits into her are doing wonders when she winks and has her clit assaulted by the vibrating palm of my hand. At some point her wings unfurled and are completely stiff as they press into the mattress. The chorus of muffled squeals and moans coming from her vocal chords accompanied by the wet sounds of flesh coming from her marehood are music to my ears. "Ah- hah, ahnn, guh."
I briefly pause so I can position myself above her, straddling her barrel between my knees and the hand being used to pleasure her reaching between my own legs to maintain its position. The Goddess seems to be confused about my intent but is unable to voice the question between her own gasps and moans.
I quickly answer her unspoken question by leaning down and locking lips with her again. This time my tongue is intruding into her territory and fighting for dominance, forcing the alicorn to keep her mouth open. Keeping her mouth open was my true goal as my ring finger joins the vaginal assault as well and I perform my motions even more intensely than before. That combined with the sudden deep kiss causes her to release her now unmuffled moans into my mouth.
Her eyes roll up into her head and I feel her walls start to constrict as they attempt to pull my fingers in deeper. This is accompanied by her sex winking multiple times in rapid succession and a sudden splashing of fluid into my hand. This might be my first time with a pony but most of these signs are pretty universal. Luna reaching her peak spurs me to give it my all and my fingers continue the attack with everything they have.
The effect is instant, the splash turns into a higher pressure spray and her back arches so much that her head is forced to pull away from my kiss. Her vocalization turns into a silent scream for half a second before becoming an ear piercing symphony.
"GAHHH, MMMMF S-sto-Nnhg STOP. Mmmmffp. TOO. Uhh-uhhnf, SENSITIVE. I'm losing my MIND AHHN!" I finally slow down and stop, withdrawing the soaked fingers from her completely.
Her muscles release and she collapses onto the bed, her eyes staring straight up, her chest heaving for desperate breaths. Honestly I'm impressed it took me 4 minutes to finally bring her to orgasm with the intensity I was hitting her with from the get go. Maybe ponies here do have more stamina in bed than the equines back on Earth?
"You...call that...foreplay?" Luna looks at me and manages to ask her question in between heavy pants. "I really thought I was going to go crazy or die for a second there. You trapped my clit and just kept rubbing against it, I've never cum that hard for so long. The longer it went on the more sensitive I got and you just kept going... I need a minute... or 20."
"Yeah that's fair. Come here let me give you some aftercare while you catch your breath." I get up from my position pinning her down and lay down on my back. She tries to close the distance but her legs are wobbly and she can't pull herself, so I just reach over and grab her. I plop her down on top of me and her forelegs are dangling over my shoulders while she just lays her entire head and body against me. Using the non-soaked hand I caress her cheek and start to slowly scratch and massage her head, starting behind her left ear.
"Mmmmm, this isn't so bad either." She stares into my eyes with her unfocused gaze. "This is quite the interesting position you have us in." As she says that she squeezes my hips and part of my thighs with her hind legs that are just draping over the side of my body. Luna hums with contentment as she slowly nuzzles my chest with her head while I keep massaging her head and playing with her ethereal mane.
"I agree, I wouldn't mind staying like this for a while. I can feel your heartbeat thumping against my chest...it's calming." We lay there in silence for a few more seconds as I just stare at her, and eventually the words just leap out of my mouth without even thinking about it. "I love you, Luna. I realized that when I was going over everything that matters to me in all 3 realms. The first time I watched you raise the moon and align the stars, that was probably when it started. When your mane transformed you just gave off this feeling of perfection. I got so flustered when I realized how enthralled I was that I just jumped off the balcony. Oh man do you remember that?"
I finally gather the courage to actually look at the mare I'm finally confessing to , and my heart stops when I see tears falling from her eyes. She gives me a happy nod and I try to wipe away the tears. "Did I say something wrong?" I'm surprised by how panicked I sound.
"No. I'm just... I'm overwhelmed. I've been pursued before and had hundreds of creatures try to tell me I'm pretty and perfect. But I never believed them, it always felt like they had some ulterior motive. The ones that did seem genuine I just ignored because I had already made the conscious decision not to become attached to anypony I would outlive. But hearing you actually describing what you see in me and what about me makes you feel that way...well it just hit it me in a way I didn't expect it too."
"I'll continue then, cause there's more. I think what might've sealed my fate is after the summit when I woke up under your wing. Anytime you put this feathery appendage around me I feel safe, like everything is going to be okay. Then you had the audacity to carry me...you were so soft. I remember considering to myself "I might just get injured more often if it means I can lay against this soft fur."" I proceed to describe everytime she showed me herself being vulnerable, everytime she impressed me with her strength, and everytime I caught myself staring at her.
"Everything came to a head during our journey through the west. Everytime we laid down next to each other I just fought this urge deep down to wrap my arms around you and bury myself against you. Then that fateful day when you slept in my grasp, with your head on my chest. I was so flustered but happy, and then we proceeded to sleep like that everyday from then on. You saved me Luna. Several times. And I saved you sometimes too. There's no doubt in my mind anymore, there's no question about it. I have completely fallen in love with you."
Luna is still quietly crying tears of happiness but when I say that final line she bursts into a happy giggle and leans forward to lock me into another kiss. She hums in contentment while I continue to massage her head through the kids until she finally pulls away.
"I love you as well. You were so mysterious and reserved that I found myself wanting to peel away at your outer edges so I could find the real you. And everytime I got a glimpse of you I got more and more curious about you. I haven't told a soul about this, but I actually discovered how attracted I was to you at the summit. A changeling was disguised as a nearly naked version of you and it professed it's love to me. I got so surprised at how happy I was to hear that from you and then suddenly I felt something pierce me and everything went dark. Imagine my surprise when I the first thing I see when I'm pulled out of the changeling pod is you locked into combat with a creature well above you in strength. All for me. I think thats when I fell for you."
"Wow so thats how they managed to get the jump on you? Such a devious species." There's a few seconds of silence. "I can't help it, I want to say it again and again and again. Luna, I love you. I truly love you."
"Ignis you will live in my heart until the end of time. I love you." The Goddess kisses me again and rubs her cheek against mine.
Finally she pulls away and covers her mouth right next to mine, almost kissing. It feels like a magical moment as we share the air with each other. Everytime I inhale she's part of the air I'm breathing in.
Eventually she pulls away again and stares at me a renewed hint of arousal in her eyes. "I think it's time to move on now. You've teased me, had your way with me, and played with me like an instrument. Now it's time for what I want." I can feel a shiver run down my spine as her voice assumes that familiar, commanding tone. There's something else mixed in as well, hunger.
Roll for size: 1d12
7 + 2 (CON) = 9 inches. Normally I'd say that's a bit too big but I'm getting compared to horse cock here so I'll take it.
Luna uses her forelegs to push herself up until she's upright and straddling me. The only thing separating us is the thin cloth of my underwear, but I can still feel the heat radiating from her, dampness starting to soak through the fabric. Her horn flashes and the last piece of clothing I had on vanishes. Her eyes are sharp now, her gaze predatory. A familiar pink nub flashes for a moment and I can feel her wink against my member, lubing it up.
The alicorn puts her forehooves back down on my chest and lifts her rear end into the air with her rear legs. Then she leans forward and I feel a strange sensation grip around my shaft, and I watch as she lines me up with her entrance using her telekinesis. We both let out a gasp as Luna slowly lowers her down onto me. It's a snug fit and I can feel my tip spreading her open as she sinks further down.
The warm embrace catches me off guard completely as her walls clench and constrict around me, as if it's trying to pull me in deeper. Right as her ass starts to press against my groin I feel my tip kiss something deep inside her. Luna lets out a groan and her eyes roll up as she starts to grind against me now that she's taken me all the way down to the base.
I decide to start being actively involved and place the palm of my hands on her cutie mark. My fingers sink in as I grab on to her flank firmly. The alicorn is still just slowly grinding her winking sex against me, refusing to remove even an inch of me from her walls. "I'm going to start moving now, Luna."
That's all the warning she gets before I lift her up a couple of inches and hold her there as I bend my knees and pull my feet in so I can have proper leverage to start thrusting upwards. The sounds of our bodies slapping against each other is the only thing I can hear between our heavy breathing. Luna's moans return in full force and start to become more frequent once she starts bouncing in perfect tandem with my thrusts.
Right as we get a good rhythm going her legs buckle and she falls down, slamming herself down all the way to the base. Looks like she's still a bit worn out from the foreplay. I slide my hands up from her ass to her lower back so I can support her as I pull out from her warm folds and roll to the right. She resumes her position of laying down on her back.
Finally I get up and stand on the floor right next to the bed, and grab her cutie mark again. Luna lets out an adorable yelp as I tug her towards the edge of the bed. Now we're in the same position from the start of this ordeal, her laying on her back at the edge of the bed and me standing next to the bed perfectly lined up to impale her.
"W-wait, why don't you let me roll onto my belly and hang my hind legs off the bed so you can mount me the traditional way?"
"Because I don't get to see your beautiful face contort and twist in pleasure. Watching and hearing your reactions is half the enjoyment for me. It drives me up the wall to know I'm doing a good job." I don't give her a chance to reply as I lean forward and grab onto her forelegs. I thrust forward with my hips and pull her forelegs towards me at the same time and instantly hilt myself in her again.
The combined force of pulling her towards me while I thrust forward creates much more force than when Luna was on top, and the result is obvious. Instead of soft delicate moans she's releasing a visceral half scream every time I bottom out and slap against her. I continue to plough her like this for another 15 minutes until a thought occurs to me.
"I'm....surprised no one has...barged in to check on you. An unassuming guard...might think...you're being murdered in here...based on your vocalizations." I manage to make the comment between my own heavy breaths and small groans.
"Room is...AHNN...enchanted with privasheeEE spell, mmm fuck I'm close."
I keep the same rhythm and force as before assuming if she wants it harder or faster she'll tell me. I have something I want to try once I push her over the edge though.
"Please.. Hah just a little more, don't ahn STOP!" I'm not even close to finishing, but I won't say anything that might distract her and ruin the buildup. I just keep up the motions and bite my lip as I feel her walls start to tighten and spasm around me.
"YesyesyesYESYESYES, IGNIS!" Her back arches and she just squeals after saying my name.
As soon as she hits her climax though I quickly mutter out the incantation for Command and while she's still climaxing I cast the spell. "Cum again for me."
Only the first word is technically part of the command but instantaneously the effect hits. The magically induced second climax wracks her body while she's still in the middle of her first orgasm and her scream is silenced as her mouth snaps closed and she grits her teeth. The alicorn's eyes snap open and are glowing with a bright white light as her horn starts to spark.
Finally everything overwhelms her as she reaches a full body orgasm, her body spasming, her marehood spraying her juices all over my groin. Luna starts to scream out again through her closed teeth but her voice is randomly changing in volume and intensity, it sounds like she's being electrocuted.
None of that can compare to the way her cunt reacted though, I thought it was tight during the first climax, but it is an absolute fucking vicegrip now. I can't even pull myself out as her walls milk me for everything I have,
Constitution Saving Throw
6 + 2 = 8.
And she succeeds. Her explosive reaction and the sounds she's making combined with her assault on my shaft is too much for me to bear.
With a roar of my own I pull her towards me as hard as I can, trying to get even another centimeter deeper inside her. Her innermost wall, her final barrier opens up just a bit and I feel the tip slip in and lock in place as I grit my teeth and my eyes are screwed shut.
"Take it, Lulu, fuck... take all of it into your greedy womb."
It's at this point I realize I haven't relieved myself at all the entire 2 months I've been here, not even a nocturnal emission. I realize this because the first 3 shots I release into her feel like torrents and I continue to pump out spurt after spurt. This is easily the most I've ever produced.
"So full...and warm." Are the last things Luna says before going completely limp. I let go of her forelegs and she flops onto her side, drooling onto the bed, and my cock comes out of her with a popping noise. As soon as she's unplugged a steady stream of white runs out of her and onto the bed.
"Luna, are you alive? Please don't tell me I fucked you to death because I don't know how in the hell I would explain that to your sister." I climb on the bed and lay down next to her on my side so that we're facing each other, and our faces are only inches apart.
Her eyes flutter open and she barely whispers out, "I think I'm alive, but I might be wrong. I definitely saw the light for a moment there. I think I might need to sleep for a couple of days after this. What did you do to me? That was the most intense thing I've ever felt and I really thought I was going to die."
"It was a spell I've only had the chance to use once so far in my time here, called Command. It's why those guards with Blueblood groveled at my feet when I approached. I waited until you were at your most sensitive and then Commanded you to climax again while the first one was still ongoing. But Luna, does that mean you're tapping out already?"
"Wha..? Yes, I cannot continue. After 15 minutes of your relentless pounding I was ready to accuse you of using dark magic to affect your stamina." After saying that she gives me a weak smirk. "And I know for a fact you finished, so why are you putting up this false bravado that you could keep going?"
"I'll be honest, my own climax came out of nowhere, when I hit you with that stacked double orgasm... phew. You tightened up something fierce and just felt way too good. If not for that I probably had another 15 or 20 minutes in me. I'm not putting up a false bravado though, Luna. That was my first release since I arrived in Equestria and this body was in a coma for 20 years. It's possible that was my first release in decades, so it really shouldn't be a surprise that I'm still raring to go again. With your 1,000 year dry spell I'm surprised you'd call it quits this soon too."
"Under normal circumstances I'd agree with you, but that was... something else. For a moment I felt completely shattered. I still refuse to believe you can go again though, you pumped far too much into me to still have any left in reserve."
"I mean you can literally see it, Luna. Just look down."
"Can't, or rather I don't want to. Too much work. If you're truly still unsatisfied then feel free to use me as you see fit." Luna just rolls her eyes and then closes them as if she's about to go to sleep. There's no way stallions here have that long of a refractory period, right?
"I think I'll take you up on your offer from earlier then." She keeps her eyes closed but furrows her eyebrows together in confusion. I grab her and slide her over until her head is hanging off of the bed, upside down. Her crown surrenders to gravity and falls to the ground.
"What are you do- GHLRK" She doesn't get to finish her question because as soon as her mouth makes an O shape while saying that last word I push forward and silence her with my cock. She makes what sounds like some noises of protest as I start to slowly pump in and out of her gullet, but they quickly quiet down as her tongue starts to taste the combination of both of our fluids from the previous union.
"Tap my thigh with a hoof if I can be a bit rougher." Her right foreleg flops around weakly trying to find its way over to me before slapping my thigh a few times. "Alright then, buckle up!"
I lean forward and grab the base of her neck for leverage and thrust forward down to the base in one motion, hilting myself in her throat. As soon as the head of my cock entered her throat I could feel her gag and then to my utter surprise she swallowed and took all of me in like a champ. I watch with fascination as a slight bulge appears part way down her throat everytime I thrust forward.
Every time I hilt I feel a very light cold breeze across my two orbs as they rest right up against her nostrils. "Ghrk-Ghug, Mmm- GLRK" I get so lost in the sounds and rhythm of this throat fuck that I don't notice her forehoof slapping my thigh with increased tempo and panic.
It's only when I hilt in her throat again and hold it there that I'm snapped out of my stupor from her coughing into my crotch accompanied by faint sounds of choking and muffled moans. In an instant I step away and withdraw from her completely. My member and her face are still connected with strings of saliva and pre until she breaks out into a coughing fit and forces herself to sit up.
"Oh my God! I'm so sorry Luna! I just got lost in the feeling of your throat wrapped around me and the power I had over you in the moment and completely zoned out. Are you okay? Let me get you some water!" I run to the bathroom while she continues to cough. The coughs start to taper off as I run back to the bed holding a ball of water in the air with telekinesis. "Here, drink."
Luna puts her mouth up to the ball of water and starts to lap at it with her tongue like a dog until she eventually pulls away and lets out an exasperated sigh. "It's fine, that was actually incredibly exhilarating. Towards the end though some fluid went down the wrong hole and your relentless abuse left me unable to correct the issue."
The alicorn turns towards me and the state of her face at the moment is so hot my breath catches for a moment. She looks absolutely ruined, black lines in her coat from eyeliner stained tears, dried up lines and splotches of saliva and drool all around her mouth, reaching up to her nose and down her chin.
"I know you didn't reach climax again, but I don't think I can take anymore of that. Thankfully the adrenaline from almost choking has left me feeling a bit renewed energy wise, so I think I'm up for another round with my lower lips this time."
"Say less." She seems a bit confused at my human slang, but seems to get the message as I watch her tail flag.
This time I'll indulge her and mount her the proper pony way, or at least as close I can get to that position. Within a minute or two I'm back to pounding away at her cervix with one hand wrapped around her dock. The other hand has a fistful of her mane and is pushing her face down into the mattress as she begins to squeal again.
3rd Person POV - 60 Minutes Later
"Do you think she's okay?! Her ping just said "help" and she sounded weak!" A white pegasus with her bright red mane, still dressed in her outfit from the Gala yells out to a pitch black pegasus with a purple mane, dressed in the same way.
"I sure fucking hope so, Force. She's in her bedroom and Ignis should've been with her so if something has truly happened I'm not even sure what we can do against something that stopped both of them." Nightmare replies as they turn the final corner and sprint up the bedroom door of the Princess in question.
Force puts a hoof on the doorknob and starts to turn it. "Your Majesty, wha-" The words die in the knight's throat as the soundproof barrier drops once the door opens and all of their senses are assaulted at once.
Force and Nightmare stand in the doorway in shocked silence as an intense odor of sweat and sex wash over them, the soundproof barrier now deactivated because the door is open, no longer blocks the whimpers and groans from the Princess inside, but their eyes. What they see with their eyes is what truly has them shocked.
One of the diarchs of Equestria, a being known as one of the most powerful forces alive, a demigod, the ruler of the night is reduced to a quivering mess collapsed in her bed. Her face is still marked and stained with the evidence of the assault on her throat from earlier, but now her eyes are truly hazy. She has a far off look as she lays there with her tongue lolled out of her mouth that's stuck in the position of a dopey smile. Her mane is a disheveled mess and her crown is crooked, nearly falling off as it shakes from every thrust the alicorn is receiving.
At the other end of the princess is a familiar elf. He is sitting on one of the Princesses' cum stained rear legs and hugging the other rear leg against his torso as he repeatedly buries himself in her abused cunt. The only other sound being produced is the squelching of his thrusts and her winks. The two pegasi are pulled out of their stunned silence when they hear Luna quietly mutter out a phrase that makes their fur stand on end and their tails flick with the beginnings of arousal.
"T...tag out, please...I can't take anymore..." Despite her own words, as soon as she finishes her sentence they watch as her eyes roll up into her head and a spray of marecum is splashed onto the elf.
The door closes behind them and both of their tails fully flag. An audible gulp can be heard from Force as she continues to stand still in shock. After shaking her head to snap herself out of it the white pegasus starts to slowly walk towards the bed. Her wings unfurling and stiffening as the smell of sex gets stronger as she gets closer. The sight and the pheromones already starting to get her worked up as her own marehood flashes its clit and a small splash of fluid can be heard dropping onto the ground.
"Have you two been going at it.... this whole time?" Luna offers a weak nod in reply and Force just widens her eyes. "How is it that he hasn't been able to cum this whole time? Surely his stamina can't be that outrageous right?"
"Twice." Is all Luna says but the weight of that single word causes another misfire in the knight's brain, as her sex winks again. "He's finished twice, he just keeps..uhhn..going."
Nightmare comes to a stop next to Force and now both of them are right next to the bed with their nostrils flaring. The constant sound of flesh stops and the elf releases the alicorn from his grasp and climbs off the bed. Luna's leg stays in the air and starts to involuntarily twitch as the Princess sighs in relief. "I'll be honest, it took a few minutes to get ready to go for a third time, so I've probably only got one more load in me. It might be best if you both just lay down next to each other and I'll alternate."
The words barely register to Force as she is still just staring at the Princess in disbelief. She has never seen a mare so thoroughly fucked before, was something like this possible? It's only when the elf calls out her name that she turns her head and looks towards him.
As soon as she turns her head she goes cross eyed as she stares at the elf's member that just flopped onto her face. "Sorry I was a bit zoned out, what did you say?"
"I said I only have one more round in me so I'll need to take care of both of you at the same time. Go lay down on the bed next to Nightmare and both of you dangle your rear legs off the side of the bed." The words register but the pegasus is a bit delayed as she's forced to breathe in the musk of her lover that's resting himself on her face. After a few seconds she strips and slowly turns and gets on the bed as instructed. The pair both present themselves and look back at the bladesinger, curious as to which one he'll choose first.
Ignis stands behind the two of them and offers a small warning before he begins. "Listen Luna was able to take me all the way down to the base, but I was still able to knock on her cervix. Both of you are a decent bit smaller than her so this might be too much for you?"
Force just looks over at the Princess who is now completely collapsed and splayed out on her belly, staring at the two mares with a soft smile on her face. "If you can leave me looking like that by the time you're done with me then I don't care. You can absolutely ruin me."
Nightmare on the other hand looks a bit hesitant. "Luna never indulged her carnal desires while I was possessing her, so... this is basically my first time. I didn't think I was this sentimental but this doesn't feel right for my first time? This is feral and rough and don't get me wrong it's hot, but I'd prefer if I could have you all to myself under the moonlight. I want passion not... whatever this is. So, I think I'll sit this one out."
Nightmare climbs up fully onto the bed and loafs next to Luna and before I can respond she continues speaking with a cute pout. "Plus you've gone on dates with both of them now, so I want mine. Soon."
1st Person POV, Ignis
"I think I can arrange that." I can't help but give the former demon a soft and caring smile as she finally speaks her genuine feelings for once. "We'll schedule something soon. Better yet if they agree to unseal you then we can wait until you're in your real body. Sound good?" She gives me a nod and then crosses her forelegs in front of her and lays her head down on them.
Turning my attention to my fellow knight currently presenting herself to me with a slightly fearful look in her eyes. I get down onto my knees and scoot over until my face is mere inches from her rear end. I take my left arm and wrap it around the top of her hindquarters and grab the base of her tail with my left hand. Pushing her into the mattress to keep her place while pulling her tail to keep it from interrupting me elicits a squeak from the pegasus that surprises me. I've never heard such a feminine sound come from her before.
Once that's done I lean forward and start to explore around her folds with my tongue. She releases a shuddering gasp when my tongue makes contact with her and I'm surprised at the taste as I lap her up. Force lets out a few whimpers as I wriggle my tongue inside her, trying to fully explore her. It's only when her nub exposes itself that I get a throaty moan from her. As soon as I feel her walls contract due to a wink I pull my tongue out and shift my mouth down a bit so I can trap her clit.
The plan works and I start to lightly suckle while rapidly flicking my tongue over the nub. "AH..HNNNG..Celestia above please just rut me."
"Tch, always so impatient and desperate this one." I can't help but to joke with her a bit as I pull my mouth away from her winking sex. "Fine if you want it that bad I'll give it to you."
I was going to just stand next to the bed and plough her, but if Nightmare is sitting this one out and Force apparently wants me to ruin her then I'll oblige. I tell her to get off the bed and I grab a few pillows with my telekinesis and throw them onto the floor. "Stand on these pillows with your front legs, now face down, ass up."
The mare smirks at me as she collapses her forelegs onto the pillows and rests her cheek against the floor, with her ass pointing at the door and her face towards the bed. "This is basically the same position as the bed, why the change?"
"Because I can't position myself correctly when you're on the bed, and I don't have the leverage to do this properly if you're up there. I need this diagonal angle for my thrusts as well. Just works out better honestly." I can tell she's a bit confused, and so is Nightmare. Luna might be confused but she's too fucked silly to show any emotion other than that dopey smile.
I'm lucky these ponies are small because otherwise in cases like Celestia or Nightmare Moon I'm sure my equipment would be woefully inadequate, even though it's a decent bit above average on Earth. Force and the current Nightmare for example have their eye level around my belly button, and their torso is probably around 1.5 maybe 1.8ft long? Luna is a little over 2ft and if Nightmare is the same size as the night we fought she'll be closer to Celestia's size which actually does worry me a bit. At that point she'll be closer to a horse than a pony and we're probably gunna be a bit mismatched.
The point of this rant was to give context for our position right now. Since her eye level is at my belly button her flank reaches up to my lower thigh, just a bit too short for me to comfortably fuck her under normal conditions. It's perfect for this position though. I walk up with my legs spread wide and my crotch is tickled by her tail as I walk over it. Now that I'm directly above her I squat down like I'm about to sit in a chair which positions my groin behind the mare. Perfectly lined up with her entrance. I'm pretty sure this was called the bulldog position back home.
Finally I grab her toned and firm ass by the cutie mark and slowly squat down and thrust forward into her. We both let out a groan as I slip in, inch by inch. She's much tighter than Luna but that was to be expected. I won't complain about her ability to grip my shaft as I sink into her, but Luna being a bit bigger and not quite as tight allowed for me to feel that milking sensation from her inner depths. Force is so tight that even if she clenches and constricts and tries to milk me it's going to be barely noticeable. That's a tradeoff I'm willing to make though because this tightness is an equally amazing sensation.
I bottom out into the mare probably about 3/4ths of the way down my member, and we can both feel when I kiss her cervix. "I'm not hilted yet, do you want me to keep going?"
"Mmmm No I think I see what the point of this position is and I'm sure once you start pistoning into me you'll gradually stretch me out. F-fuck I feel so full."
Her guess is correct, this position drains my stamina pretty fast but the leverage and position let's me breach her slit like a battering ram and gets me deeper than other positions.
I start off slow and squeeze my eyes shut as I hold back my own moan as her marehood tries its best to keep me in place. As I scrape against every inch of her walls while pulling out I can tell I'm not going to last nearly as long with Force as I did with Luna. This feeling plus how tiring this position is will drain me in a few minutes tops, so I should pick up the pace.
Once I'm withdrawn to the point that only the tip is still in, I slam down and forward hard, letting gravity carry me and I'm treated to a sharp moan from the pegasus. That's all the warm up either one of us is going to get. I immediately start pistoning into her with fast, deep strokes. More and more of my member is slowly granted access to her walls as I bottom out repeatedly, knocking on the door to her private sanctum.
Every time I hilt she releases a short Ah or Nnn after a minute or so I'm in a steady rhythm until she surprises me with her words. "I'm not th-that fragile... Fuck me harder. Faster. Mmmm."
I let go with one of my hands and give her cutie mark a hard slap, that is received with a squeal for half a second until she bites her lip and silences it. My eyes drift to her stiff and unfurled wings and an idea strikes me. I bottom out in her again and pause so I can let go of her ass and I place my hands around the base of her wings and her barrel and pull hard.
The effect is immediate as she lets out her first scream and I finally hilt in her, feeling her final barrier give way and allow me access. Knowing this will be the last time I'm fucking someone tonight before I pass out spurs me on to put every ounce of strength and stamina I have left into this. I start to thoroughly fuck her as fast as I can with my mushroom head piercing her cervix with every thrust.
Force is just letting out one continuous, loud moan that turns into a grunt everytime I hilt in her. I start to grunt and hiss through a clenched jaw as I feel my sack start to churn in preparation for this final release. The feeling of the entrance to her inner sanctum wrapping around the sensitive head of my member on every thrust is eating up the time I have left quickly.
The next time I feel her wink and convulse I reach out with my telekinesis and grab onto her exposed clit. The now constant pressure and rubbing of her nub combined with having her cervix pierced is too much for the mare.
Her eyes roll up into her head and her grunting turns into labored squeals as I feel and hear her cunt starting to gush and spray. Now that she's cumming I decide to finish this off with a bang and cast Haste on myself while maintaining the telekinetic pressure on her nub.
My already fast thrusts turn into a legitimate blur as the Haste kicks in and tears start to well up in Forces eyes. Guhh-gaaa-hkk The strained noises she's making sound more like someone trying to lift an impossibly heavy weight rather than someone getting railed.
There's only 6 seconds left on Haste when I finally give out and stop resisting my own climax. The telekinesis on her clit is released and I slam down into her as hard as I can, smushing her cheek against the floor as a puddle of drool starts to form and her strained grunts morph into one last scream that's akin to someone who just hit both of their shins at the same time.
I belt out another roar and my third and final load is surprisingly bigger than my 2nd, by a lot. I feel myself throb while locked into place and just unleash a solid torrent of cum straight against the back wall of her womb for a few seconds until it finally tapers off into rapid spurts. I must've genuinely filled her up because I feel a warm fluid start to trickle out of her all around my shaft.
The haste wears off and I'm hit with the stunned status condition causing me to fall backwards onto my ass and my hands release their death grip from her midsection. Force squeaks out another grunt when my tip pops free from her slit and she completely crumples and falls down on her side.
Once the 6 seconds of being stunned wears off I wearily make my way into the bathroom and grab a small towel. Then I squat down next to Force and gently pat her sex a few times with the towel before wiping away the stream of cum that poured out of her. Finally I pick her up and find myself amused at her face. It looks like the lights are on but nobody's home until she tilts her head ever so slightly and looks into my eyes. Once she does that I extend a finger out and give her a boop that causes her to let out the weakest but cutest giggle I've ever heard.
I lay her down on the bed and collapse next to her. Luna slowly scoots her way over to us and settles down on my right side with my arm around her and her cheek nuzzled up against my own. Force instantly passes out and curls up in the nook of my arm with her head resting against my chest. I glance my eyes over to Nightmare who is just smiling at us.
"I hate to ask but I am legitimately completely fucking drained." She snorts and I realize my phrasing was poor. "In every aspect. All of us desperately need some water, so... can you bring some in here? I'm sorry, I feel like an asshole asking that of you when it feels like you're already getting the short end of the stick here. I just really...cannot move another muscle."
Her smile doesn't change at all. "No, I don't mind. I know I'll have my turn soon and I feel...at ease finally seeing you three all piled up together looking so content and happy. Compared to the mood and your expression the last few times you laid down with them, this is nice. I'll be right back."
Nightmare walks out of the room, presumably going to get us some water and Luna whispers in my ear. "You might be in trouble now my knight."
"Oh yeah? Why is that?"
"Cause now you've set the standard and I don't know how you're going to top this performance. I'm not even sure if I want you to top this performance. It might be too much for us to bear, but either way all your future lays will be compared to this one. You might've revealed too many of your tricks in the first session." She gives me a smug smile and I know she's joking but that is a real concern I already had once the post-nut kicked in.
The concern on my face must've been obvious because Luna chimes in again to wash away my doubts. "I'm kidding Ignis, if our next union of the flesh is even half as good as this one, I think you'll have no problem keeping me satisfied for the next couple of eons." She follows that up with a light peck on my cheek and I start to struggle staying awake.
After Nightmare returns and we all get some water in our systems we all lay back down in the same positions, but with Nightmare now laying directly on top of my torso, similar to how Luna was earlier. The only difference is that Nightmare is draping her head over my left shoulder and nuzzling the opposite cheek as Luna. Luckily she managed to do so in a way that doesn't disturb Force. As my consciousness starts to fade I have a single thought about tonight.
"Best night ever..." I manage to mutter out before my eyes flutter closed.
Within an instant my body gives out and I'm thrown into the world of dreams.
> S1 Epilogue - The Era of Gods
Inside of a pocket dimension filled with screens and void we see a blue translucent alicorn pacing back and forth, the being known as Harmony. "If I had known this would be the outcome I would've let those falling rocks crush the stupid elf. This is bad, I'm not sure if there's no going back from this now..."
The screen she's pacing in front of is displaying a scene from inside the Changeling throne room. There's hundreds of drones prostrating themselves in front of the queen, silently offering prayers to the throne. Queen Chrysalis stands up as she feels herself swelling from a feeling even more potent than love, an energy more powerful than mana. Worship. "It's actually true. You can receive a surge of power and overwhelming strength just from the reverence of a crowd of lings. Tell Drone 3405 aka Dr. Sentiment that he can pull out after two more weeks, and give him the same treatment we'd give a royal drone. This is the biggest discovery since the second queen learned how to establish the hive mind, truly no one can stop us now!"
She lets out a typical villain laugh before barking a few more orders to the drones closest to her. "I want someone to inform the Dragon Lord that the divinity experiment was a success. He'll find out on his own anyways so it's better to establish a level of trust between us. Also let's get started on the construction of a few different rooms in the hive for worship. I want altars and statue depictions of myself in every room. From here on out the changeling hive has a new religion..."
Her eyes glow green as the room around her goes dark. "Me."
The screen zips away into the void and is replaced by another screen. This one displaying a battered and bruised thestral chained up in a prison cell. Harmony watches as a Griffon and a Minotaur enter the cell block and walk up to the room containing the thestral.
"Alright bat. You've officially piqued my interest. What's this world changing information you claim to have, and before you ask, yes, if the information is good I will release you."
The familiar thestral that was once the Chancellor of the colony spits a wad of blood onto the stone floor and glares at the griffon for a few seconds before speaking. She's trying to gauge if the hen will keep her word. "I saw it with my own eyes. My soldier was lifeless, the light had left her eyes, and she had grown cold. She was DEAD, and that bladesinger...somehow revived her. I thought it was an act of necromancy and was prepared to have her thrown out of the cave and killed, but she had a heartbeat. She acted the exact same. He legitimately retrieved the soul of a dead creature and returned it to its former body while breathing life back into said body."
The griffon queen and the minotaur chieftainess glance at each other with wide eyes that quickly fold into concern. "And you're sure it was his own power? That's not something the ancient bladesingers were known for." The minotaur asks.
"It was either him or that blasted Princess... Luna. Apparently he claims to draw some level of power from her. If it were up to me I'd say they both need to be eliminated."
The scene shifts and Harmony lets out a massive sigh as she stares at the new image displayed before her. "This one isn't his fault, but I can only imagine this impending clash will turn the world upside down..."
This scene is of the very familiar Canterlot Garden, specifically on a collection of statues being moved from their obscure corner of the garden to an area with more foot traffic. Where they can now be properly displayed. One statue in particular that appears to be some serpent or wyvern with an assortment of different animals making up its limbs stands out more than the rest.
At the base of the statue the smallest of cracks begins to form, and instantly Harmony hears a voice she'd hoped she would never have to hear again.
"Ohhhh is it almost time?~ Time for me to make my rousing debut once more into the fray? This time no pesky alicorns or their silly trinkets will stop me. Wait, what is this? There's an abundance of chaos right here in the castle. This creature is... an abomination. The one thing in this world I despise, organized Chaos. Harmony what have you been up to, hm? I thought I did a pretty good job of wiping out all of those annoying bladesingers, but I wake up eons later to find they have returned? Well it seems like it's just one, but I did not think you would raise some type of monster like this."
"I didn't raise him, I don't even know how he got here. He's a complete outlier Discord, a threat to both of us. He's already had a rippling impact on the future that endangers all of us."
The creature is still encased in stone, but Harmony is familiar enough with him that she can tell he's stroking his beard in thought right now. "That is very...interesting. Perhaps I should play with him first when I get out of this blasted prison you've trapped me in."
"Maybe you can put him in his place, he refused to stay in line under my watchful eye."
"Well of course, Harmonica. How can you keep something in line if all you do is look at it? Sometimes you need a more...direct approach."
Harmony stops viewing any of the screens and continues pacing while thinking to herself. "The rise of divinity, the return of the God of Chaos, and the elf that shouldn't exist. It's almost like a sick joke because of how perfectly the cosmic stars had to align for this to happen. All of these beings needed to exist at the same time and interact with each other in a specific way, for us to reach this outcome. It might not have been predicted in my book but this is far too lucky to be a coincidence this has to be Fate. But why, why would Fate seek this outcome? Why thrust The Era of Gods upon us?"
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 1
"Quests! Filter out any quest that's been completed with the rewards claimed or failed."
Quests:
Spread the Good Word - Increase the influence and divine power of your Goddess.
63/25 New Followers. Quest Complete! Claim Rewards?
Oath of Vengeance - You swore an Oath to exact your revenge on Queen Chrysalis, vowing to hunt her down to the ends of the Earth.
0/1 Kill Queen Chrysalis. In Progress.
Get Home - Find out the truth about your appearance in Equestria and work with the inhabitants to return home.
You are home. Quest Complete! Claim Rewards?
It's been over a month since the Gala and a lot has happened, but I'll circle back to that in a minute. I've been putting off claiming my quest rewards because I'm honestly a bit nervous about what the reward is. What if it's literally a one way trip back to Earth and the system is just some sick fuck that was putting me through a test? I mean at this point I probably wouldn't take that anymore, but still ya know? I've also just been super busy.
The thestrals showed up a few days after the Gala and we had to get them moved into the caves under the mountain, and we were supposed to have integrated some of the changelings into the Night Guard so we could use them as the core to build around with the thestrals. That didn't really work out though because they made me go fight my inner demons instead, so I got a bit distracted.
I am now officially the Captain of the Night Guard...well I mean that's the level of authority I have. Lunar Knight supersede's the Captain rank, but I'm basically just doing both jobs. We have 12 of Aurora's changelings and 143 thestrals. Well we originally had 143 thestrals. Those fuckers still left a sour taste in my mouth so we did some extensive interviews and personality tests to sort through the bad apples, and now it's down to 68 thestrals. Compared to the Day Guard we have roughly 1/50th of their man power, but that's partly because the Day Guard has stations at most of the cities around the country and we're just in the castle, for now. If we compare the current Night Guard to the Royal Guard division of the Day Guard then we're roughly 1/3rd of their man power. Which honestly, for how quiet things are during the night, that's probably fine. For now Luna and I both agree we don't need to expand for now.
We also interviewed and managed to hire enough ponies to mostly have the castle kitchen and armory staffed 24/7 now. The lack of blacksmiths at night would've definitely been a problem, so I'm glad we got that one sorted.
I'm still nailing down the details for the guard, but the drone I saved mid execution in the Changeling throne room is my current second in command. She didn't have the best physical results and her magic isn't much at the moment, but out of all the candidates she was the only one that had something to prove. I've mentioned it in the past but a lot of these ponies lack ambition, the fire in their eyes, but not Vice Captain Elytra. When we're training and running simulations that bug is resting bitch face the entire time and is pure focus.
Turns out she might be one of the few creatures who hates Chrysalis more than me. A lot of the changelings here should hate her more than me, but much like the ponies they seem averse to things like hate and revenge. Suffice to say, we get along well, but it's purely professional. That professionalism is actually one of the other main deciding factors. There were also a couple of bats who were also under consideration but unfortunately both of them seemed happy to serve under me in more ways than one. As flattered as I was, the girls and I agree that we aren't looking to expand the herd at the moment.
Now that we have all of that up and running I end up being almost as busy most nights as Luna is. The guards have taken up my role at Night Court, which suspiciously got busier once I stopped standing guard, and now I spend most of the night running training, ordering supplies, writing the schedules, all of that good stuff. I still put myself on the rotation for Night Court at least twice a week just so I can have some time with Luna, and don't get me wrong I do still pop in every so often even just to chat if I'm not scheduled that night.
Nightmare has ended up acting as my own pseudo personal guard in an interesting turn of events. We still haven't gotten her unsealed, but the motion was approved. Twilight is currently just working on how we go about doing it. Apparently if Moonie was sealed in a statue or something right in front of us it'd be much easier, but they can't just fire the elements at the moon. That leaves her with a lack of things to do, but she seems to enjoy hanging out with me in my office or helping me develop my magic further.
I've actually been stewing on the idea that maybe I should ask her to join the guard until she gets her alicorn body back. She's still quite capable as a pegasus and she's competent enough to lessen the load on me for training or logistics. I'll probably bring it up to her soon if we don't get any updates on unsealing her. In the meantime I've had her start giving Elytra training on leadership and risk management. If she's going to keep her Vice Captain position she'll need to actually take up more responsibilities, but I acknowledge that none of the guards are ready for that responsibility. Once she's trained though I have faith she'll do good.
All of this is in the face of a joint training exercise in a couple of months. Apparently having a yearly competition between the Day and Night guards in the capital used to be a thing, and the sisters want to bring it back. It'll consist of a tournament open to any member that wants to participate, two different simulation battles, one during the day and one during the night, and as with any military event there will be plenty of boring training. Death by powerpoint except they don't have powerpoint here so it's death by word vomit.
Let's see what else has happened during that time...we got word that the dragons have been performing some type of experimentation that allows them to perform unicorn level spellcasting. I thought they could already use magic since Tormura spoke with Celestia via telepathy at the Summit, but apparently that was her spell and he was just using it to reply. I'm apparently to blame because they got the idea that it was possible upon seeing me use magic. Which is stupid because at the Summit I only used Weave magic, so if they couldn't use mana before they shouldn't be able to now. Apparently they've found success though which is...concerning to say the least. We're expecting some type of attack from them any day now, but there's been no indications of when.
Dr. Sentiment is gone. I had one more appointment with him where we talked about my decision to start pursuing romantic relationships and giving up on going home, for the most part. Then we were supposed to have another appointment yesterday, but he seems to have gone missing. Strangely enough the files he had on several of the guards, including me were taken as well. Since there was no evidence of someone breaking into his office we think he might've turned traitor and went to the griffons or dragons with notes about our mental evaluations. Worst case scenario he either went to the changelings or... I hate to even think about this, but he might've been a changeling. I get sick to my stomach thinking about it. That means all of the advice he gave me could be called into question about whether it was truly in my best interest or if it was to degrade me even further mentally, for future exploitation.
That investigation has been one of my top priorities. I've been working with Shining during the morning if there's any updates or if he wants to bounce ideas off of each other. Unfortunately the ole doctor didn't have a family, so it makes it significantly more difficult to determine if he ever had any changes in behavior or strange habits that came about recently.
Speaking of the therapist, I guess I should mention the nightmares. The frequency has definitely decreased, but in exchange it feels like the intensity of them when they do happen is way higher. Half the time I can't even remember what happened but I wake up drenched and my head hurts. The only thing I can remember from those dreams is a pair of glowing green eyes chanting something, but I can never remember what. The extra weird part is that whenever Luna checks on me there's no nightmare. It always happens as soon as we let our guard down after a few days of nothing. She's at least aware of it though and that's a big step for me, in the past I definitely wouldn't have said anything until it had gotten worse.
Oh, during the training and spars I was surprised to find out my swordsmanship has improved significantly since the body and soul integration that happened during the Gala. I guess part of that integration included the memories of Ignis actually being part of me, like completely. Before I could remember all of his training and swordsmanship if I thought about it, but I didn't feel like I was actually the one who trained, if that makes sense? Now though, the sword feels like an extension of me. Similar to when I somewhat disassociated in the Colosseum and went ballistic with my sword until I fireballed that guard and snapped out of it. Even then though if I were to compare the difference in skill between me during that fight and me now it's like a 4 out of 10 before and a 9 out of 10 now.
I don't even really use the system for combat anymore, that's how much it's improved. I can get off more attacks during a 6 second window and dodge attacks more easily it feels like without the system than with it. It's still useful against targets that far far outclass me though, like Luna. Without the system I'm lucky to land a hit once every 50 attacks or something, but with the system I can land attacks more consistently even though I'm launching less of them.
On a somewhat related note to that, I am proficient in basic magic now. Equestrian magic I mean. My suppression has become completely automatic and subconscious and I've pretty much gotten a decent grasp on a majority of what the different runes mean and do when combined with each other. I've also managed to increase the number of runes I can use when casting to six, which is pretty good. Right now I'm actually headed to Celestia's personal study for a lesson. If you remember the original idea was supposed to be that I'd learn from Luna for two weeks then learn from Celestia for two weeks so she could correct anything that's outdated or different that I learned from Luna who is still running on 1,000 year old magic.
Celestia is actually much better at teaching than Luna. Luna typically just gives me a concept and makes me figure out how to apply it on my own or will just straight up give me a task to complete that she's never mentored me on, so I have to go find information myself. Which is definitely a more challenging way to learn and is probably beneficial in making sure I have full comprehension of a subject. It also has its problems though, like I might be able to perform the task she gave me but I fundamentally misunderstood something and did it a different way that still worked, but is worse than what I should've done.
Whereas Celly is more hands on. If she wants me to perform a task or cast a spell with a specific outcome she won't just say "Make this gold plate turn into wood." Which is what Luna does. Instead, she'll say "Let's dabble into transmutation for a bit, do you think all transmutations use a similar runic pattern with the tail end of each pattern differing based on the materials? Or, do you think they'd all be unique for the most part?" Then I'd go research the basic concept of transmutation, find out that all transmutation spells use the same 3 runes to start with and then the second half of the spell changes based on what the starting and ending materials are. Then she'd say, "Okay now which rune or combination of runes do you think would represent gold? How about wood? Okay if you were to take this gold plate and turn it into wood what would the full runic pattern be?"
Finally I'd give her the pattern she'd double check that it's right and then cover how much mana should be used, which materials are dangerous because they require an exponential amount of mana compared to others, and which materials are completely incompatible and will result in a backfire. After all of that then I'd be presented with the task to turn the gold plate into wood. Luckily for me, that means her lessons help me twofold. They make me more confident in what I learned but it also helps me learn the proper steps I should be taking to learn a concept when Luna throws me into the deep end of the lake and tells me to swim.
Don't tell Luna any of this though or she might feel bad. I do like the challenges of her style of teaching and it makes me feel more engaged, and if I was only learning from her I might've voiced some complaints about it. Since both sisters' learning styles complement each other though I think this works out okay.
"Knock knock!"
"What's the point of saying knock knock when you've already opened the door, Ignis? Please actually knock on the door. I swear I don't know how many times I need to tell you." It's become one of my stress relievers to do these mundane things that I know somewhat annoy Celestia. I'm not sure why but seeing her annoyed is somewhat therapeutic for me.
That's another thing, ever since I had that mental breakdown on the roof over my Sending spell...Celestia has been way nicer to me. Less confrontational, more trusting, and she even smiles when we see each other now? Apparently Nightmare said something to Cadence and Celestia, but none of them will tell me what they talked about. Regardless I won't look a gift horse pony in the mouth, I'm happy for the improved treatment.
"I mean, I'd consider it. But you're never doing something in here that I'd be worried about barging in on. If it was your bedchambers or something, I'd definitely knock. I wouldn't wanna walk in on any debauchery. I think you already learned that lesson."
"I already apologized to you and my sister, please stop bringing that up! Everytime you make me think about it I have to relive walking in on.... THAT. I'm glad you two have sorted your feelings out but if I ever witness that again I might just learn dark magic so I can forget about the entire event." Oh man, Tia's reaction when she walked in on Luna and I having an, uhh, intimate moment is something I will never forget. Although it seems like she wants to forget it, haha.
"Alright alright, so what are we learning today?"
"First I want to go over what I asked you to research last time we spoke. What did you manage to find out about elemental magic? Were you able to cast any spells for all of the elements? I know previously we've only really covered fire, but it's standard for any educated mage to be at least somewhat proficient with, at minimum, the four basic elements."
"I was able to cast Fire Bolt, which we already knew I could. I was also able to cast Gust and Create Water, but Earth magic I'm a bit stumped on. The research I did allowed me to learn the runes for the four basic elements which are easy because they each have their own rune, but also the combination runes for Lightning, Ice, Steam, Mud, and Lava. I also was able to determine that Solar and Lunar magic also fall under elemental magic, but I was unable to find what runes are needed for that. The Earth magic though, I just don't get it. They didn't list any spells for Earth like they did the other spells but they described concepts like accelerating plant growth or duplicating seeds. It seemed more like plant magic than Earth magic. I was completely unable to even start figuring out the runes for either of those, I'm missing something."
"Ah okay, let's start with your Earth magic problems. Most of the modern texts heavily neglect that element of magic because it's commonly associated with earth ponies. Unfortunately that means most mages think that Earth magic is substandard or beneath them. I can walk you through some spells for that element or I can give you some of the older reading material for you to go through on your own. What would you prefer?"
"I'd prefer if you just went through it with me, but can we go over the Solar and Lunar magic first? Why are they considered elemental and are ponies besides you and Luna even capable of casting such magic?" I start asking these questions while I pull out my notebook and quill.
"Those are fair questions but I want you to have a firm understanding of the four core elements before we expand into the combination elements or the cosmic elements." When she says that I just note down, "Solar and Lunar are considered Cosmic Elements, requires further research."
"Alright then, do you want me to demonstrate what I learned for the three elements I did understand before we move onto Earth magic, or do you just want to start with the Earth magic?"
"Let's cover the Earth magic first, I know in a practical sense that you have a firm grasp of spellcasting so if you say you casted those spells then I believe you. Typically the first Earth spell anypony learns is Earth Shift. That basic spell allows for rudimentary manipulation of the ground. You can do things like raise up a square platform or compress the soil in multiple directions in such a way that you create a deep pit under somepony. Once you learn that spell a majority of the Earth spells become much easier as they all use that spell as the base. Earth Bullet for example you'd raise a small chunk of the ground into the air and compress it down. Then you shape that compressed Earth into either a ball or a sharp object, depending on how lethal you want the spell to be."
"If that's the case then why do all of the modern books use plant based magic as the base for Earth magic?"
"Well the primary reason is the association Earth magic has with Earth ponies, but another reason is that most Earth based spells aren't useful. Earth Shift and Earth Bullet for example, can both be done with just basic telekinesis. In fact, it's more efficient to just use telekinesis to recreate the effects of those spells. With that being the case, they decided to document the spells that can't be easily recreated and have a universal use case. Your intuition is spot on about why you can't figure out those spells, though. Those plant spells make use of Life magic, and Life magic is much more advanced than what you're currently ready for."
"Why are they even in the book then? That book is meant for foundational studies, no?"
"It is! Those spells aren't meant to be casted by the reader. They're merely there as examples for you to get an idea about the concept of "Earth." Now, let's work through the runic patterns for Earth Shift."
"Excellent progress as always, Ignis. I'm afraid we're out of time, as I need to go lower the sun, and this is our last lesson for this period. You'll go back to learning from my sister on Monday. It's a shame we never had a chance to circle back to Cosmic Elemental magic, but Luna is just as knowledgeable about that subject as I am. That's one of the few fields of magic that has not seen much change in the last 1,000 years. Will you be able to make it to dinner tonight?" Celestia ends our lesson and continues our conversation as she walks me out of the study.
"It's Friday, of course I'll be there. Do you have anything you want me to take to Twilight? At some point in the early morning I'm going to the old castle in the Everfree with Nightmare. I don't mind swinging by the library if you have something you can't send over dragon fire." Luna and Force would both have a few words with me if I were to miss dinner on Friday, or the weekend. Friday through Sunday are the closest things I get to a night off, and I arranged it that way to align with the Night Court schedule. The result being that Luna and I both have a bit more free time on the same nights, and it's well worth it. Even if that means more work on Monday to catch up from slacking on the weekend.
"Not this time, but why are the two of you going there?"
"A while back, like before the Summit even, I was exploring that castle and got hit with a really ominous feeling. After that two Shadow Wraiths appeared when I ventured down into the interior and attacked me. I meant to go back there at some point, but we've just been so busy I forgot about it. Nightmare is coming with me because the energy I felt was very similar to her energy the night she returned from her banishment."
The solar alicorn gives me a concerned look as she hums in thought. "Keep me updated on that, please. I don't think there's been any sightings of a Wraith in centuries and you say you fought two? Why didn't you at least bring it up at some point?"
"I was still new to Equestria at that point! I thought spooky Wraiths were just something to expect when you explore an ancient castle ruins in a haunted forest."
"You know what? That's fair. I just had an idea, why don't you take Twilight with you?"
"Oh?"
"She actually wrote to me a few weeks ago asking if she could explore those same ruins for any ancient artifacts or items that were left behind. I told her there was no point, but that was mostly because I just didn't want her to go. If you and Nightmare are with her though? She should be plenty safe." It's not the worst idea, I suppose. Twilight can be a little overwhelming with her questions, but she's probably one of the more competent ponies I've interacted with.
"I'll bring it up to Moonie, but I'm personally fine with it. Can you let Twilight know tonight though? I need to know if she's okay with our 0530 arrival time. Nightmare might be less on board if we have to leave here later to accommodate your student."
Celestia conjures up a piece of parchment and while still walking down the hallway with me writes out a full letter to the unicorn, without even looking. Now that I have a better understanding of magic I realize how impressive that is. To be able to finely control a quill with the amount of power she has, and she's seemingly able to do it with very little effort or concentration. Insane.
The letter disappears in a puff of green flames and the ashes scatter around my head before flying out of the nearest window. "Done. She'll probably have a response for me before dinner so I'll just let you know then."
"Sounds good. Thanks for the lesson, Celly." I call out to her as we reach the point in our journey where she turns right and I continue straight.
"I told you not to call me that! It makes me feel like a vegetable!" I giggle at the fact that she associates Celly to celery, but don't bother replying to the alicorn. We're far enough away at this point I'd have to yell, and I don't feel like doing that. Time to go wake up my Goddess so she can usher in her night.
Opening the door to her bedchamber I'm surprised to see Luna's already awake and she's standing on the balcony. She must be deep in thought because I don't even notice her ears twitch when the door closes. After setting my Moonblade down by the bed I quietly make my way onto the balcony to join her.
Leaning down I give her a quick peck on the cheek and gently apply scritches to the top of her head. "What's got you so deep in thought tonight? Getting performance anxiety about raising the moon?"
Luna opts to give me a hum of contentment while leaning into my hand. Eventually she does reply, though. "I'm not sure. There's nothing in particular I just have this sinking feeling that something bad is going to happen. Have you accepted your quest rewards yet?"
"I kinda regret asking you to remind me every night, and no I have not. I just get anxious whenever I look at it."
"I can stop reminding you if you'd prefer that. I was just doing it because you asked. From what I understand though, your system has only ever given you good things for your rewards right? I think you should just close your eyes and do it."
"Yeah? Maybe you're right. Claim Quest Rewards!"
Spread the Good Word - Quest Requirement exceeded.
Calculating rewards...100%
Subclass: Oath of Vengeance - The Nights' Chosen: Due to insufficient level no subclass features have been unlocked.
Bypassing Requirements.
1st Reward:
Subclass Acquired: Oath of Vengeance - The Nights' Chosen:
Vow of Enmity: When you take the Attack action you can choose to expend one use of your Channel Divinity to utter a vow of enmity against a creature you can see within 30ft of yourself. You have advantage on attack rolls against that creature for 1 minute. If the target drops to 0 hit points before the vow ends you can transfer the vow to a different creature within 30ft of yourself.
Lunar Blessing: Surround yourself in Her light. As long as the moon is visible in the sky you can call upon Her power and cast Moonbeam on yourself. The moonbeam follows you at all times and deals 2d10 Radiant damage to any enemy that gets within 5ft of you.
2nd Reward:
The divinity of your Goddess has increased.
3rd Reward:
+10,000 XP: 110,100/120,000 XP
Get Home - Secret Clear Condition Met.
Calculating rewards...100%
1st Reward:
Choose one reward from the following options:
Staff of the Magi
Cloak of Displacement
Wand of Polymorph
2nd Reward:
Choose one reward from the following options:
+2 Intelligence
+1 New Feat
Add 1 creature to your party. Once selected the choice is permanent.
Secret Clear Condition Reward:
+1 Boon
You may ask any one question and will receive one clear and truthful answer that attempts to answer your question in its entirety in good faith.
Woah. I'm glad time has stopped. I think I'm going to be sick. I didn't expect these level of rewards from either of those quests.
"Select Staff of the Magi for 1st Reward." Staff of the Magi has been added to your equipment and will not count towards your number of attuned items.
What the fuck do I pick for the 2nd reward? I could add Luna to my party, but what exactly does that do for either of us? We probably get a more clear idea of her stats and powers, but does that also give her access to the Weave? Does she get to make a character? Do I get XP for things she does? There's so many unknowns. If I pick a new feat I can take Dual Wielder and that'll let me wield my new Staff and my Moonblade at the same time which is pretty tempting.
I wish I could ask Luna what she would pick. "For the 2nd Reward, add Luna Concordia to my party."
Incompatible. Please select a creature that is not a Deity.
Well shit. That means Nightmare is out too. I could add Force but we're hardly ever doing things together that would make it beneficial for us to be in a party. I'm not sure if I trust anyone else enough to let them in on this secret. "For the 2nd Reward, select the Dual Wielder feat."
Dual Wielder feat added to character sheet. +1 Strength: 14.
Please choose a Boon.
This is the real doozy. There's so many good options. I feel like I have to take Boon of the Night Spirit though. At first glance it seems pretty situational because you would think you have to stay within Dim Light or Darkness to maintain your Invisibility, but that's not true. It says you have to be in Dim Light or Darkness to activate the feature and give yourself the Invisible condition. Then it states that the condition ends immediately after taking an action, a bonus action, or a reaction. Nothing in there states that I lose the invisibility upon leaving dim light or darkness.
While I'm in Dim Light or Darkness though I am resistant to all forms of damage except Psychic and Radiant which is pretty valuable. Especially since most of my fights are at night anyways. I bet Luna and Nightmare would really appreciate it if I took the Boon of Immortality though. I stop aging on the spot and become immune to any effects that would age me, I also cannot die of old age.
I can always just choose the Boon of Immortality once I get to level 20. "Select Boon of the Night Spirit."
Boon of the Night Spirit added to character sheet. Select an ability score to increase by 1, to a maximum of 30.
Oh I forgot about that. I could bump up Constitution to 16 and give myself some more HP or I could bump my Charisma up to 14 and improve my social skills. Both are equally good in my opinion so I'll just flip a coin. Charisma it is. "Increase Charisma by +1."
Charisma: 14.
You may now ask any one question and the system will attempt to answer it in its entirety.
Wait, I can't like unpause time and ask for help? This is fucking huge, but I'm completely overwhelmed. What do I ask?
How can I reliably travel between the Feywild and Equestria in a way that allows me to bring my companions? I mean that's pretty solid right? Who was the hooded man that took my soul and brought me to Earth? Oh fuck I'm stumped.
What should I do?
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 2
"What is the most reliable way to transport my companions and I back and forth between Equestria and either of my home dimensions?" I decide after a lot of hesitation that this is the question I want answered.
Are you SURE that is the question you'd like answered?
Bro seriously? I just fought with myself for what felt like hours just for you to hit me with the classic DM phrase "Are you SURE?" Fuck me that's rough. Okay wait let's add more onto the question.
"What is the most reliable way to transport my companions and I back and forth between Equestria and either of the original dimensions associated with Lucas and Ignis, and if it's not possible then why?"
Calculating Response...100%
There is no method available to you or your companions to take any of you to Earth or the Forgotten Realms as you know them. The reason why is simple, it's because [RESTRICTED]. Oh dear, it would seem I cannot answer that part of the question directly. I will say that you have already experienced something that should lead you to the answer. I apologize for the lack of a solid answer but that is the best I can do.
Time resumes and after a bright flash of light I'm now holding a Staff of the Magi in my left hand. Glancing at my character sheet I can see that it's already attuned, and true to the quest reward screen it's not counting as one of the three items I can attune to. That's good because I'm already at the maximum of three, so I would've had to have unattuned to the Illusionists' Bracers.
That's not the only visible change that happened either. Luna suddenly screwed her eyes shut and groaned in discomfort until her eyes reopened shining bright. As soon as that happened I could feel her mana swelling and suddenly she grew two or three inches. Before she was about the size of Fleur, just a bit bigger than a normal pony. Now she's just a bit shorter than Celestia.
The best comparison I have is that before the tip of her horn came up to my chin, but now it reaches to the middle of my nose. Celly's horn is just about as tall as I am, if not a smidge taller. On one hand she's closer to true dommy mommy status, but on the other hand if she gets to the same size as Celestia I might become a bit...insecure. Ah it's probably fine.
"Wha-" Luna starts to speak but seems to become a bit disorientated. "What just happened? Why are you shorter? What in the world is that staff? It's radiating and immense amount of power."
"Well first things first, I didn't get shorter. You got taller. I had a quest to recruit more followers and worshippers for you and I managed to get over double what it wanted from me. Once I claimed the rewards it said your divinity was increased, and I guess that has a direct correlation to your size and mana pool. It also deepened our connection and gave me more power as your Chosen. Lastly, this is a legendary artifact called the Staff of the Magi. It enables me to cast several new spells. Some of them I can already cast but this allows me to cast them at a higher level than what I'm currently capable of, and some of them I can cast at will for free. Others consume charges from the staff, but I can replenish those charges by absorbing spells."
"I'm sure I've said this before, but your strange power is...unbelievable sometimes. I think I'm starting to understand how you exist outside of Harmony's purview. Did anything else happen? If not I'd be delighted for a demonstration on some of those things you just detailed."
I awkwardly rub the back of my head and chuckle. "Yeah there's one more thing, but uhm, you should probably raise the moon? Celestia is staring at us."
Luna snaps her neck towards her sister and gives her sheepish look while making some adorable squee noise. One embarrassed raising of the moon later, and we're back to our conversation. Once I tell Luna about the one free question she looks quite shocked.
"I'm so sorry, Ignis. At least this should give you some closure?" She tries to be optimistic, but surprisingly enough this new development hasn't actually soured my mood at all. There are two very peculiar phrases the system used, and they've got my brain kicked into overdrive. "Shall we head to the training grounds? I'm excited to see your new abilities and maybe do a few test runs of my own."
"What? No. We gotta go to the dining hall, Luna. You know Fridays are the only days where everyone's schedule aligns and we can all meet up. Your sister would be pretty disappointed if you skipped out and Force would probably kill one of us. Honestly it's been really hard to spend time with her ever since the Night Guard went fully operational."
"You're right. I was a bit short sighted in my excitement. I suppose we have plenty of time after dinner since you're not going to the Everfree for several hours."
3rd Person POV
What was once a common occurrence for a week or two has become a rare sight in recent times. Three alicorns, two knights, and a former villain are all sitting together in the same place, chattering away loudly.
Seems like only yesterday I was eating in this room alone, in silence. Occasionally joined by Raven, Twilight, or Cadence. For all the chaos that elf has brought, it's all worth it just for moments like this. Celestia thinks to herself as she silently watches the small gathering of friends argue over some inane topic.
"Sister, is everything alright? You've been awfully quiet tonight." Luna snaps her sister out of her stupor with a tinge of concern.
"Oh everything is more than alright, Lulu. I was just thinking about the fact that most of my time in this room was usually alone for the better part of a millennium. Now...I rarely spend a meal here alone. Not to mention the state of the room on nights like this, I would've never even imagined this dining hall could be so noisy." The solar alicorn's eyes actually seem to be a bit glassy as she finishes thinking aloud. The noisy room she mentioned slowly got quieter as she spoke until becoming dead silent as she finished speaking.
Luna's face is one of regret while the others are softly smiling from the happiness they feel in Celestia's reminiscing. Nightmare's face is neutral as she stares at Luna and thinks to herself, That 1,000 years almost seems like a blur looking back on it now, but for her, living and ruling down here. It must've been painful. Now I have to see dear Luna look on with regret and guilt and pain, but it wasn't her fault. It was mine.
Ignis with his passive Insight being 20 is able to quickly pick up the somber mood two of his herd mates are sharing. He reaches over and gently scratches the top of his Goddess' head. He looks across the table at Nightmare while giving Luna his affection so that he knows he has both of their attention. "I'm sure the thoughts both of you are thinking have not entered her mind once tonight. Celestia is just elated that she can have moments like this again, happy to see everyone in high spirits."
Celestia just gives a small nod. "Exactly right, Ignis. We all have regrets and things we wish we could do over, but I'm just happy with how things are right now."
Luna and her sister start to dive into their own conversation as the elf notices a certain knight across the table is staring him down. Ignis realizes his mistake and gets up to make the long walk around the table. Once he sits down next to the pegasus he gives her a small peck and wraps his arm around the back of her neck, resting his palm against her head. The bladesinger starts to slowly rub her head as he apologizes. "I'm sorry, Force. I know we've only been able to see each other a couple of times in the last month, so I should've sat here to begin with."
The knight sticks her nose up with a loud hmph, "Well, as long as you know then I suppose I can overlook it this time." After a few seconds she drops the act with a giggle. "I really have missed you lately."
"I know, it's the same for me. You wanna come to the Everfree with Nightmare and I in the morning? It'll be really early for you, but I figured I'd at least offer."
"What would we be doing there?" She hums in thought as she considers the offer.
"We're investigating an ominous energy I felt last time I was there. We might actually get caught up in some danger."
"That does sound tempting... How early are we talking here?"
"Well we planned to arrive and start the exploration at 0530, so we'd probably need to leave here at 0430."
"Aaaand that's all I needed to hear. As much as I miss you I don't even think an invasion could get me out of bed that early. I do feel a bit bad though..."
"How about this? Pick two days out of the week that you want to use to schedule a get together, and I'll make it work. My own schedule be damned! That's still less often than I see Luna and Nightmare, but I think that's probably about as thin as I can spread myself."
"Tuesdays and Thursdays!" She says without even thinking about it. "I always find myself bored on those days. If we could do something late afternoon or early evening that'd be great, but really whatever time you can find I'll take."
"Let me talk to Elytra and Nightmare and see if I can get a time nailed down that'll be consistent every week, but I'm pretty sure I can make that work. Oh, I'll be right back actually. I just remembered I had something I needed to ask Nightmare about our trip tomorrow."
Standing up and walking past Force and Cadence the elf silently approaches the former villain, current summoned companion. He leans down and places his head right next to hers and taps her on the left side of her neck, hoping she'll turn her head straight into his.
The plan is a rousing success as she jerks her head to the side in surprise and as soon as her turning comes to a stop Ignis instantly hands out his third kiss of the night. "Sup Moonie?"
She pulls away from the peck and rolls her eyes with a smile at his shenanigans. "What is it?"
"What? I can't just come and give you my affections for no reason?" She just gives him a deadpan stare. "Oh fine, be that way. Celestia mentioned that her student was asking to explore the ruins of the old castle a while back, but she didn't allow it because of the dangers of the forest. When I told her we'd be going there in the morning she asked if we could bring Twilight along with us. I don't personally mind, she seems competent enough from the few interactions I've had with her. I still wanted to ask you first though, what do you think?"
"Did you tell Celestia the dangers you faced in the lower interior of that place last time?" The elf gives her a short nod and she hums for a second before replying. "I suppose it should be fine. If she slows us down too much though I'm sending her back."
"Works for me!" Ignis stands up straight and looks over at Celly, waving his hand to grab her attention. "Did Twilight reply to your letter?"
"She did. Twilight said she'd be ready and waiting outside the library at 0500. I take it that means you'll be bringing her along then?"
"Yeah I'm fine with it and Moonie is fine with it. If she slows us down too much or if things get a little too dangerous we'll send her back though."
As he finishes his statement a few of the castle staff emerge from the kitchen and wheel in the carts carrying their dinner. Ignis returns to the table and takes a seat next to Force so they can enjoy their meal together, and once that's finished they talk for a while longer and all three of the faithful mares accompany the bladesinger to the training grounds. Apparently Nightmare and Force also wanted a demonstration of his new staff and powers.
Ignis 1st Person POV
"Is that it? It sounded way more impressive when the two of you were talking about it, but that's just a fancy stick." Force is skeptical once I grab the staff from my back and hold it in my left hand. It seems like she was under the impression the new, long piece of wood on my back was not in fact the magical staff we were talking about.
"Eh you just aren't that sensitive to mana. Even Celestia gave it a wary look when I walked in. In fact I'm surprised she didn't even ask me about it. She really does seem to trust me more nowadays. Nightmare can you please just tell me what you said to her?"
"I just gave her perspective."
That's more of an answer than I've gotten the last nine times I've asked, so I'll take it. After a few short minutes of casting my new spells I've showed them Light, Detect Magic, Enlarge/Reduce, Flaming Sphere, Web, Dispel Magic, Ice Storm, Wall of Fire, Passwall, and Telekinesis. It's worth noting that there's a few more spells the staff gives me access to, but I couldn't demonstrate them for one reason or another.
Mage Hand and Invisibility I didn't show off because I could already cast those and they've seen me cast those. The staff just lets me do them more conveniently now. Protection from Evil and Good because I was worried it'd sever the connection I have with Nightmare and send her back to the moon. Arcane Lock and Knock I didn't cast because there was nothing nearby for me to use as a demonstration. Finally there's Conjure Elemental, not to be confused with Conjure Minor Elementals. I didn't show off Conjure Elemental because I'm not even sure what I'll actually summon considering I don't think the spell would be able to summon the elementals I'm used to, and I don't wanna risk whatever I summon going rogue.
They all seem moderately impressed but all of that was just the warm up. "That was all just the appetizer. The real boon for me here is that it gives me access to Fireball and Lightning Bolt but I can cast them at the 7th level. Right now I could only cast Fireball at a 6th level and I could only do it once per day, and I don't even know Lightning Bolt. I could cast it with my Mizzium but it'd be the same story as the Fireball. This lets me cast it one level higher than that and multiple times per day.
I grasp the staff with both hands and hold it in front of it as I start to channel power into the artifact. Soon enough the familiar mote of fire appears at the tip of the staff and grows. It grows more and more until it's a giant ball of fire at least 80ft wide hovering in the air above the tip of the staff. I channel the power forward and thrust forward with my palms and the staff hovers in the air, no longer bound by my hands. Once that happens the giant fireball blasts off down the magical artillery range and as it flies down the range it compresses further and further down. Becoming a dense ball of carnage.
Until it reaches its maximum range of 150ft and explodes. Despite the massively increased size of the spell when it was hovering above me the explosion is the same 20ft radius as normal. The fireball compressing down as it flew allows it to be the same size as normal, but with a much more massive explosive force. Dealing 12d6 Fire damage to whatever is unlucky enough to be on the receiving end of it.
The explosion shakes the ground and is so strong we actually feel a surge of wind come from behind us towards the initial explosion as it sucks in all of the surrounding air to fuel its carnage. Then, with clouds of dust and smoke the air slams against us and almost knocks me over as it blows through us.
I can't contain my excitement as I belt out a loud, "WOOOO!~" that's likely just barely heard over the roaring thunder of the explosion. Looking around I end up laughing hard at the mixed looks of shock and surprise among the ladies.
I follow up that spell with Lightning Bolt at 7th level to a much more subdued reaction, and now the staff only has 4 charges left of the original 50. This was part of the plan though, so now I can show off the most powerful feature of this staff.
"Alright Luna, I want you to blast me with a powerful beam of pure mana."
She looks at me like I just sprouted a 2nd head and told her the sky was purple. "I'd prefer to not kill my only knight and lover."
"No no it'll be fine, trust me."
She looks even more skeptical, but after I give her the most reassuring and resolved stare I can muster while giving her a small nod, she sighs and ignites her horn. "If this kills you I'm going to find you and bring you back so I can kill you again."
After that she unleashes a beam of magic that looks like she's firing a stream of the night sky at me. There's a high pitched screeching sound as it literally tears through the air towards me. I twist the staff and intercept the beam with the very tip of the artifact.
SPELL ABSORPTION.
I use my reaction to activate the most powerful feature on the staff and all three of them drop their jaws to the ground. Literally, it's a bit silly, but not the first time I've seen some outlandish shit that seems like it's out of a cartoon. Anyways, the staff glows a bright silver light that slowly turns darker and darker in color as the beam of magic thins out more and more. Eventually the beam of magic disappears entirely and I watch with my own surprise as the number of charges on the staff goes from 4 to 22. It's supposed to gain 1 charge per level of the spell absorbed. Is that beam of pure night equivalent to an 18th level spell?!
If that's the case I have to be really careful when absorbing alicorn level magic. "So I can absorb magic and it actually uses that magic to replenish the charges in the staff. That beam of magic brought it up from 4 charges remaining to 22. The downside is that if said absorption brings the number of charges over the maximum of 50, the staff explodes and there's a pretty decent chance it'll obliterate me. That spell Luna fired just now actually gave me far more charges than I was expecting so I'll need to be careful using that against powerful magic in the future."
"Ignis, that's insane! That spell was pure power, I rarely use it because it's horribly inefficient on mana, but the raw power is high. The only spells I know that are more powerful than that are the ones you saw me use against the Ursa. The two spells where the stars came down from the sky and channeled into my horn or the one where a solid beam of moonlight channels into my horn and is condensed down to pure destruction. I can't believe it just completely negated AND absorbed that attack..."
"If you thought that was crazy just wait till you see what I can do now that our connection has improved." I close my eyes and activate my new Lunar Blessing and listen with a smile as the Moonbeam slams into the ground around me and hums with power in the air.
Once I finish activating it I open my eyes and look down, surprised to see the ground is scorched completely with white and silver fire around the edges of the Moonbeam. That's holy fire! It does Radiant damage, I didn't know that was an effect of this Blessing. It's not mentioned in the description at all!
I take a few tentative steps around the training grounds and watch with amusement as the Moonbeam follows me around and leaves trails of holy fire in my path. Once the Moonbeam leaves the specific area it was once in, the holy fire disappears within 6 seconds, but from what I can tell there's no time limit or concentration on this Moonbeam. It'll just go until the sun comes up or I turn it off.
Another round of surprise and questions from the crowd of three and after I'm done answering them all I turn off the Blessing and get ready to show off my final trick. "Alright this is the last thing. I can only do this I'm in dim light or darkness, but considering most of my active time is at night this is perfect.
I channel the Boon of the Night Spirit and for now I just transform into my shadowy form. I look kinda similar to what Luna or Nightmare looked like when they transformed into a starry cloud and floated around. The only difference is that I don't have any stars in my appearance, I'm just a cloud of dark smoke. "While I'm in this form I'm resistant to almost all types of damage, which is pretty incredible. It's not the only thing I can do while in dim light or darkness though.
I drop the Shadowy Form and activate Merge with Shadows, instantly fading away and becoming invisible. There's a few exclamations of surprise and after a few seconds of silently walking I place my hand on the middle of Luna's barrel, right between her wings. Her reaction is instant as she startles a bit and gasps in surprise at the sudden contact. When she gasps the other two snap their heads in the direction of her gasp and stare at my sudden appearance.
"Both of those things are called the Boon of the Night Spirit. They're incredibly useful, and I feel blessed to have access to this power."
After an hour or so of more talking and Luna playing around with her increased power we all decide to split off. Force is off to dream land and funnily enough so is Luna, but in a different way of course. That leaves just me and Nightmare and a few hours to kill.
After a few seconds of silence I look at her and decide to voice my question."So...got anything you wanna do to kill some time before we head out towards Ponyville?"
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 3
With nothing to do and a few hours to kill I decided to go back to my office and give myself less work for Monday. As per usual Nightmare joins me in the office and keeps me occupied with idle chatter while I work on my paperwork.
"I noticed you didn't mention the one free question to anyone else in the dining hall or when you were showing off your new abilities. Did you forget or is there something else holding you back? I can understand not wanting to say something about it with Celestia and Cadence there, but once we came out here I thought you'd tell Force." Nightmare decides to ask something that I'd wager she's been thinking about since we left the dining hall.
"I didn't see any reason to ruin the mood. I don't think I've ever seen Celestia with that kind of smile before. I didn't say anything to Force afterwards because I don't think it's worth mentioning. There's a few implications that I've considered from the answer the system gave me, and I don't really see a point in involving others until I think through those implications on my own."
"What implications?" She arches an eyebrow at me.
"Time. She specifically said I couldn't return to those places as I knew them, right? That could mean that if I returned I'd either be so far in the past or the future that I don't recognize either of those places. It could also mean that something happened. Something cataclysmic. Either way I'm not going to waste time on it until I can figure out what she meant when she said I've already found the answer."
Standing up from my chair, I straighten up my cloak and sigh. "Anyways, it's 1230 I'm gonna go grab a quick 4 hours of meditation before we head down to Ponyville. You joining me?"
The summoned pegasus cracks her neck before replying. "No, I think I'll go find the Vice Captain and see what she's up to. I'll meet you in Luna's room when it's time to depart."
While I'm walking towards my bedroom I end up lost in thought. Maybe she meant the Sending spell? If it truly is time related then perhaps it's not that the spell was unable to make it to their dimensions, but rather it was unable to find the targets. If either of those realms were in the far future compared to when I left I think I'd still be able to contact them in the Fugue Plane. That would mean...if I were to find a way back I'd be in the far distant past compared to when I left. That all sounds very plausible. Maybe I'll learn that Dream of the Blue Veil spell and if it works I'll see what time period I'm in and then come back. At the rate I'm leveling up I can probably get the Boon of Immortality at some point in the next couple of years, so it'd just be a waiting game before I can meet my family again.
That spell is perfect if this theory is correct because that spell lets me bring everyone with me and then I could just cast it again to come back with all of them.
Before I know it I find myself standing in front of the bedroom door. The changeling and thestral in the Lunar Armor are standing outside the room and they both greet me as I approach.
I offer them a quick salute and a short greeting in return before opening the door. Once the door clicks closed behind me I'm greeted by the sight of my Goddess loafing in bed with her horn dimly lit. She's no doubt patrolling the dreamscape right now. "I didn't think you'd be back here until you returned from the Everfree. A surprise to be sure, but not an unwelcome one. How has your night been since I saw you last?"
Her eyes have stayed closed since I walked in so I decide to try a bit of trolling. "I'm not sure who you think I am, but I'm an assassin from Griffonstone! I've come to claim your head."
"Ignis your very being is quite literally connected to me. I can tell it's you without opening my eyes."
"Fine then be that way. I guess I can cross "roleplay" off the list of things to try." I let out a small laugh, finally breaking character. "Oh man, anyways, yeah I decided I should grab a few hours of meditation before I leave since I don't have anything else to do. How are the dreams treating you?"
"Well let's not be hasty. I might be open to something like that, I'm just a bit distracted right now and didn't consider that possibility. I assumed you were just pranking me. The dreamscape has been quiet tonight, but I'm still trying to figure out why I have this sinking feeling of dread. Something terrible is going to happen Ignis, I can feel it." Luna finally opens her eyes and looks at me. "Maybe you should reconsider going to the old castle ruins. I think it's a bad idea."
"Really? I can postpone the trip, it's not like it's super important or anything. Just a curiosity I had. Are you sure you're not just being paranoid, though? Maybe you spent so much time suffering that now you can't help but feel like you're overdue for something to tear it all down." As I psychoanalyze her I wrap my arms around her neck and pull her into my chest as I lay down.
"Perhaps. I will admit that sometimes I do find myself wondering when I'll wake up from this dream and find myself back on the moon. I suppose there's no harm in you exploring the old castle, you're close enough that I can just teleport you back here should the need arise. Speaking of being on the moon, where's your shadow at?"
"You mean Nightmare? She's hanging out with Elytra or something. I should probably go meditate in my actual bedroom, I don't wanna distract you from your duties."
"No no, you might be fine. Can you meditate in this position? I can dreamwalk like this and I'll admit I'm quite content to keep laying here in your arms."
"Yeah I can meditate like this. I just felt a bit bad about laying here and sleeping while you work. It feels a bit inconsiderate."
"Well as the party concerned, I declare that you leaving this bed would be the truly inconsiderate thing to do. You shall stay just like this until it's time for you to depart for your journey."
"As you command, Your Grace." After a quick giggle I give her a short peck and lean back with my eyes closed.
Once it was time to go I put on the Mizzium Apparatus and casted Fly on myself. From there it was a quick 90 minute flight to Ponyville, which is where we are currently. I'm currently staring at a purple unicorn and already regretting that I agreed to let her tag along. "Twilight, I think you might be a tad over prepared. If you bring all of that gear with you you'll slow us down for sure."
The unicorn is wearing two sets of saddlebags and floating two more small wooden containers in the air behind her. "This is for my research! I need to be able to take sediment samples, samples of the mana in the air, and I need my archeology gear incase we find any artifacts that I need to dig up. Plus containers for said artifacts. Trust me, I went through all of this gear three times already and made sure to only bring the essentials."
"Did you bring a meal or two? Water? I know we can just cast Create Water but it's never a bad idea to have some on hand."
The unicorn opens her mouth and says nothing for a brief moment. Then her eyes furrow in deep thought, and she closes her mouth before reopening it and closing it a few times. Eventually she realizes she might've been a bit silly and gives me a sheepish grin. "I may have forgotten an item or two?"
After managing to convince the unicorn to leave behind most of her "research" supplies we were off into the Everfree. Everything was moving along smoothly until we ran into this manticore I'm currently staring down. I pull out my Moonblade and assume my new fighting stance, but before either of us can do anything Twilight yells out.
"Wait! There's nothing that says we have to fight the manticore! Right after we got split up in this forest on your first night here we ran into a manticore. Back then Fluttershy managed to calm it down and it ended up licking her like a big cat. She'd be devastated if we just killed the creature without even trying our other options. Seriously, violence should always be your last resort!"
"Violence is always my last resort. If violence isn't your last resort that just means you didn't resort to enough of it." The unicorn gives me a deadpan stare and mean glare, and I can't help but sigh. "Fine. I'll try something else first."
I lower my sword and stare directly into the manticore's eyes. After a second of focusing I stop suppressing my mana, and start to slowly walk towards it.
Intimidation Check (Advantage)
5 and 13. 13 + 2 = 15.
I notice out of the corner of my eye that even Twilight has stiffened up a bit with her pupils shrinking. The manticore doesn't fare any better as soon as I take my third step the creature roars and sprints away in the opposite direction. Sheathing my sword and suppressing my mana I turn and look at the frozen unicorn. "There. Happy?"
"I didn't realize you had already developed your mana to this extent... It's only been a few months right? That level of growth in such a short time shouldn't be possible!" As soon as the mana is suppressed she snaps out of it and goes straight into scientific mode.
"It's a complicated explanation, Magic. Perhaps he can give you a brief rundown some other time?" Nightmare seems to want to snip this in the bud so we can move on and I'm fine with it so I don't interject.
"Did you just refer to me by the Element of Harmony I represent? That feels weird. I don't think I like that. Right, anyways, we're on a time table. Sorry. That's still really impressive, Ignis."
"She almost never calls someone by their name. She referred to me as just "bladesinger" for a few weeks at least. You get used to it, but once she warms up to you or considers you a friend she'll drop the formal speaking."
"I don't appreciate that you're talking about me as if I'm not right here." Luckily Nightmare has a playful tone to her voice, so I know she's not actually offended.
"Also Twilight for what's worth I am being mentored by Luna, Celestia, and Nightmare. I think being personally taught by three of the most powerful spellcasters in the world contributes a fair bit. Celly taught you magic as well right?"
"Mhmm. That would only matter in terms of your spellcasting ability though. The number of runes you can utilize, how many spells you know. Expanding your mana pool is almost purely self driven, and is something that just happens as you practice magic more. Oh, look! It's the rickety bridge that Rainbow had to fix. That means we're almost there!"
Oh so that's why the knots in the rope on one side of the bridge are different. I was curious about that the first time I saw this old bridge. As soon as we walk up to the ruins I can feel that ominous energy again. "Alright, stay close. That energy feels even stronger now than it did then. We're going to be going to what used to be the throne room. That was the first section I found that led anywhere, but I also didn't get to explore much."
Before we even step foot into the throne room I pull out my Moonblade and my new Staff. I will absolutely not get caught lackin'. Our group seems to subconsciously tighten up and move closer to each other. When we enter the ruined throne room Nightmare pauses and stares at the shattered throne on the left, she seems lost in thought.
"You good?" I give her some ear scritches to snap her out of it.
"Yes. Sorry, it's just been a while. This is actually where our initial fight broke out. Luna snapped and the expulsion of mana as I took over is what shattered that throne. I'm so curious as to what the source of this energy is. I agree with your initial observation, this does actually feel similar to my presence when I'm in my real body. Not exactly the same, but similar. You said you encountered the wraiths down the stairs?"
"Yeah as soon as I went down the stairs I came into a corridor with suits of armor along the walls. The wraiths were inside two of the suits of armor. Let's move in deeper."
We slowly made our way into the interior and traversed through the long and winding corridors. Nightmare pointed out the sister's old bedroom and then she mentioned something interesting. "Whenever we move to the West the energy gets stronger, I think it must be in the library. If I recall correctly the library was at the far western end of this section."
As soon as she finished her statement there was a horrific sound, similar to nails on a chalkboard. It's accompanied by an eerie high pitched screech that sounds like it's right around the corner. Instantly our group pauses and takes a few steps back.
I assumed it was another pair of wraiths, but I was not prepared at all for what rounded the corner. Their shapes are similar to a wraith, but a wraith looks like it's made of shadows and smoke. These things look like solid blobs of pitch black ink. Instead of dull golden eyes they have bright red eyes, and their fingers are like sharp blades. The sound of nails on the chalkboard was their sharp fingers literally shredding through the stone wall as it walked.
I hear a quiet whimper behind me and looking back I can see Twilight is shaking with her ears pinned back as she slowly takes another step backwards. "Sorry Twilight, but I think violence is gonna have to be our first resort here. Nightmare do you know if the moon is still up?"
"If it's still up it won't be for long. Minutes at most. Why?"
I take two large strides forward as I roll and crack my shoulders. Once I'm just a couple of feet away from the monsters I activate two features in the system at the same time.
Enable Real Time Combat.
Lunar Blessing.
There's a sound that reminds me of a jet screaming across the sky, but this noise is straight above us and rapidly getting louder. An instant later there's a slamming noise and the ceiling vibrates a bit as dust falls down all around us. Then I'm surrounded by the Moonbeam and the Wraiths screech and recoils back a few feet. This was a good test and I'm glad it works. The Moonbeam is going through the solid ground above me, but it's not actually creating a hole in the ceiling. It's just phasing straight through. Now that I know it works, let's turn it off for now. I need this hallway to be a bit darker.
As soon as the Moonbeam disperses I slip into my own Shadowy Form, thanks to the Boon of the Night Spirit. First my body turns into something similar to a cloud of black smoke and as I start zipping forward I activate Merge with Shadows and go completely invisible.
The super wraiths look around in confusion and within a second I've maneuvered around behind both of them. I re-activate the Lunar Blessing and swing my Moonblade at the same time towards the super wraith closest to Twilight and Nightmare. Channeling a level three smite just because I'm not sure how strong this thing actually is. Based on how it freaked out when the Moonbeam came down earlier I wouldn't be surprised if it was vulnerable to Radiant damage.
My theory seems to be somewhat correct as the entire backside of this creature gets covered in silver holy flames as the Moonbeam burns into it. Before it can even react to that the Moonblade is glowing brightly as I slice into it diagonally. The sword goes several inches into the creature's body and then the smite kicks in and the hallway is filled with a loud crack of power. The monster seems to explode as the area where the blade was buried is surrounded with a one foot wide glowing white orb that flashes and explodes.
Pulling the blade back I stare at the wound on this thing and am mildly impressed with myself. Its right arm is gone and its torso is looking like the Apple logo from where the smite just deleted part of its body. After about a tenth of a second I remember I'm in real time combat mode and start to wind up several slashes to just tear into this thing and hopefully kill it before it can attack me back.
With the elegance of a swordsman that trained for 60+ years my arm moves in a blur as the creature is assaulted with several slashes. After the final slash I go back into my Shadowy Form and zip in between the two super wraiths so that I'm back to where I was to begin with, standing between the two monsters and my two party members.
Once I re-emerge from the shadowy form I watch as the aberration I just sliced apart like butter starts to look like it's melting and pieces of it just fall off. The outer edge of its body almost looks like it's dripping onto the floor as it loses more and more of its shade. Assuming it's at least immobilized for now I turn my attention towards the second monster. Unfortunately it's much quicker on the draw than its friend.
As soon as I turn to look at it I'm startled to see it already lunging at me. I raise up my sword in an attempt to block but I'm just barely too slow. "SHIELD."
Activating my Shield in a panic I watch with an even higher spike of fear as the inky arm just goes straight through the shield. The shield doesn't shatter, it's more like it just ignored the shield altogether. A thousand thoughts race through my mind about how I can defend against this without dodging and leaving Twilight or Nightmare vulnerable, but no solution reaches my mind fast enough.
One of my eyes closes in pain as I feel a sharp pain in my gut and a chilling coldness starts to spread from the point of impact. My confusion starts to grow when I don't see my hit points go down even though it's clearly impaled me. The confusion quickly morphs into a frenzied panic as I realize that the chilling cold feeling is spreading even further throughout my body.
Constitution Saving Throw
12 + 2 = 14.
Darkness starts to creep into the edge of my vision and I drop to one knee. "What the fuck is happening?!" My body won't respond to me, but there's no status effect message. Everything in me is screaming that this is really bad, but my hit points are still untouched.
I watch as a line is drawn through the Lunar Blessing and then another line crosses out my new subclass. Silver glowing lines start to run through the monster's body that seem to pulse and grow. It's absorbing my divine connection?! "HELP! IT'S ABSORBING MY DIVINE ENERGY, I CAN Feel my con....connection...slipping..."
A bright purple beam crashes into the monster and it's flung away from me, crashing into the wall a few feet away. Next I feel a pair of legs grab me and yank me backwards. Now that I've been pulled back I can see that Twilight is unleashing burst after burst of magic at the creature that is currently buried into the far wall. Nightmare's mouth is moving but I can't hear her.
I feel so weak, but the system isn't indicating anything besides the loss of most of my paladin features.
Suddenly Twilight is launched backwards and she slides bounces across the floor before sliding to a stop next to me. She was hit by a silver beam... the wraith just fired back at her with the energy it took from me.
Mustering all of my willpower and screaming with effort I manage to rise to my feet. I grab the Staff and point the tip towards the Divine Empowered Wraith and the still melting, half dead wraith. Fuck this. "FIREBALL!"
I use the staff's ability to cast Fireball at 7th level and my hearing finally returns to me as I hear Nightmare yelling in my ear. "You can't use that spell here Ignis! The corridor is too narrow. You might even collapse the entire ceiling and kill us all!"
"I didn't ask how big the corridor is. I said. I CAST FIREBALL!"
The 7th level Fireball instantly grows to its normal size and takes up the entire hallway. One second later it compresses down and launches, screaming towards the monsters. This might be really stupid but all of my instincts are telling me this thing has to die, NOW.
12d6 = 49 Fire Damage.
The spell explodes a few feet away as it crashes into the wraiths and instantly I'm blown backwards. Landing on my back I see Twilight and Nightmare also prone on the ground.
Luckily the ruins didn't collapse and as soon as the smoke clears I can see the half dead wraith is now nothing but a puddle. The wraith that stole my power looks much worse for wear as the entire left side of its body looks like it's starting to melt as well. Pulling myself up onto my knees I'm panting with heavy breaths as I lean against my staff and point my Moonblade at the creature.
It lets loose an ear piercing scream and then turns and bolts away from us, running away in the direction it came from.
"NO! Get back here you fucker and return what you stole!" I attempt to rise to my feet and chase after it but after only one step I stagger back down onto one knee and almost collapse.
This is bad.
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 4
I hear a feminine groan of pain and look back to see Nightmare standing up, shaking her head to clear the mental haze. Twilight is still unmoving but I can see that she's breathing. Slowly moving over to the unicorn I hover a hand over her and cast Cure Wounds at 3rd level.
6d8 + 2 = 32 Hit Points.
A sigh of relief floats out of me when I see her eyes flutter open. "What happened? Did we get it?"
"No, one of them perished but the one that did whatever this is to me got away. How are you feeling? Can you move?"
"I feel fine, just a bit dazed. What about you? You look very pale."
"I'm most definitely not fine, but I also don't know what's wrong." Turning my gaze and shifting my attention to my companion I continue. "Nightmare you need to get out of here."
"Excuse me? I know in a conflict I'm not of much use in this form, but to send me away entirely is just disrespectful!"
"No you don't understand, Nightmare. If this thing simply drained the divine energy from me I wouldn't be this...affected. Divine energy replenishes just like mana. It's almost like it robbed me of the literal connection or maybe even... a piece of my soul? I shouldn't be on the verge of collapse just from what it did, but my entire body is cold. It feels more like I've been drained of my blood. That means you specifically are in danger. If it had gotten ahold of you instead of me? I can't even imagine what it would've been able to do. You have to get out of here!"
The pegasus looks a bit pensive for a moment until she clicks her tongue in annoyance. "You're right. I know you're right, but I hate this feeling of being useless." Moonie turns towards the exit and before she leaves she gives her first ever order. "Just remember. You're the Nights' Chosen, not Lunas Chosen, so I expect you to listen when I order you to stay alive."
She takes off down the hall with a frustrated look before I can even acknowledge what just happened. I guess she's technically right. The connection only truly established once she and Luna acknowledged me. Looking back towards Twilight I'm surprised to see her ears are pinned back and she has a look I can't quite figure out.
"I suppose you're going to try and tell me to escape too?"
"No, Twilight. I'm not foolish enough to pretend I can do this alone. I was going to ask if you felt comfortable pursuing this thing with me. If you don't think you can handle it then I won't pressure you, but I could really use the assist."
"Why do we have to pursue it? Shouldn't we regroup and come back with reinforcements? We still don't even know what we're truly dealing with here. What if there's more of those things?"
"I don't think I have time to retreat and come back. I don't know for sure, but I really feel like I'm dying right now. I need to track that thing down and get back what it stole from me. Are you in or not?"
She seems very hesitant as she thinks for several seconds. I'm just about ready to tell her she can go, but suddenly her face hardens to a look of resolve. "I can't turn away from a friend in need. I'll admit that that creature terrifies me, but I managed to blast it once. I can do it again."
We all ascended into alicorns through one way or another. Twilight will do the same, assuming does not get led astray from the path she's on. Twilight is my successor. Hmph, guess ole Sunbutt really does have a way to sniff out talent. Not bad, Celly.
"Atta girl. Alright now I need to figure out how to temporarily fix whatever is happening to me. My body won't move the way I want it to."
In the fight against Chrysalis I was able to move faster than I've ever moved before and even to this day I haven't surpassed that. How did I do it? I forcefully channeled all of my mana into my muscles and veins. I remember the pressure, it felt like I was a tube of toothpaste getting squeezed.
I should be able to do that again, but to a much lesser degree. Closing my eyes I completely stop suppressing my mana. I need it to run wild. Observe how it circulates and flows, expand the pathways just a bit and force a higher volume through. I don't need to break the sound barrier I just need. TO. MOVE!
I watch and Twilight gasps in surprise as an extremely soft and dim silver glow starts to emit from my body. Ever so slowly I can feel my body coming back online as I stand up properly and stop leaning against my staff. Clenching and releasing my hand a few times to get a feel for how my body responds in this state, my confidence returns. "Alright, let's go kill this thing."
"What's happening to you? The way you're glowing it's almost like...a horn?" The unicorn moves and bit closer and inspects my arm.
"I'm forcibly expanding my mana circuits and imbuing a bit of mana into my muscles. I did something similar at the Summit, but back then I overdid it completely and it tore my body apart. My circuits were apparently quite damaged as well. Right now though I think this is the only way I can move normally. I might actually be a smidge stronger and faster than normal."
"That's so interesting! That's the same thing Earth Ponies do to augment their strength and vitality, but for them it's always happening to a certain degree. They simply just "turn up the intensity" as it were. You might be more similar to us than anypony realizes."
"I appreciate scientific discoveries just as much as the next guy, but we gotta focus up here Twilight. Let's move. I don't know how long I can maintain this."
"Right. You're right. Focus Twilight Sparkle, this is a dangerous situation, you can do this." That's an adorable pep talk.
Once she finishes her little pep talk she gives me a serious look and small nod. I take that to mean "lead the way" and start to move in the direction the wraith went. Nightmare said west so we'll go west. Maybe Luna wasn't being paranoid...
Eventually the ominous feeling was almost suffocating and around that same time we spotted blotches of black ink on the ground, almost like the wraith is bleeding. Turning the corner we spot the thing a few feet away from a doorway that seems to lead into the library Nightmare was talking about. Unfortunately, maintaining this mana flow to allow my body to move normally also means my mana is unsuppressed. The wraith notices us before I can even start to formulate a plan to sneak up on it.
Bladesong. Haste.
A series of notes ring out from a piano that sound almost as ominous as the feeling of this place. Wasting not even a second as soon as the buffs are on I launch myself at the monster. The same instant my feet push off the ground Twilight's horn ignites. The monster holds up its inky clawed hand and fires another beam of silver light at me. Attacking me with my own power, what a joke.
Unfortunately for the monster Twilight is seemingly much more creative with magic than the other spellcasters I've fought with. As soon as the beam leaves the monster a dark pink orb forms around the creature's arm and the wraiths own magic attack explodes before it can even fly through the air. The thing screeches in pain and yanks itself backwards revealing half of its arm is just gone.
I am deeply impressed by that move. The creature stops looking at its stumpy arm that's dripping ink everywhere and raises its other arm as if it's going to make a slash at me. Sucks for it though because I'm already on it. As soon as its head tilts up to focus on the fight again the first thing it sees is an emerald edge inches away from it. Haste don't fuck around.
Divine Smite. Level 6.
I dump everything I have on this first swing hoping to end this as quickly as possible. The blade flashes with an intense bright light and the air seems to scream as the blade cuts through it on the way to the intended target.
My attack connects perfectly as I slash down vertically. The edge of the sword slices through the top of the wraiths head and almost completely bisects the creature in half. The two halves of the monster's head and torso fall in opposite directions and inky tendrils start to shoot out from the bisected areas. It's attempting to pull itself back together?!
That's when the Smite hits. The sword, still embedded about 3/4th's of the way down the monster, starts to let off smoke as a sizzling noise rings out in the air. An instant later a ball of blinding light shoots out beams of radiant energy in every direction, it's almost like the monster has a holy disco ball embedded in it. It sounds as if space itself is being torn as the ball detonates and the ink-like substance is splattered everywhere.
Wiping the goop off my face I'm shocked to see that the wraith has managed to start putting itself back together. It's much smaller than it was previously, but it still has the thick pulsing silver lines of divine energy all over its body. The creature is pitiful as it slowly moves across the ground towards the library doorway. The screeches of intimidation and pain it was releasing is now more akin to a whimper.
I start to slowly walk towards the retreating monster as it reaches the doorway and pushes the doors open. The sight of this supposed library causes me to pause. There's small, thin, black vines with a very light shade of blue colored spikes protruding all over. The vines are coming in through the floor on the far side of the room and they've covered the walls, bookcases, and ceiling of nearly half the room.
The wraith reaches out towards the vines with an inky tendril and my eyes widen as all of the silver divine energy retreats from the monster's body, and emerges from the tendril. The energy is slowly moving through the air towards the collection of vines.
"Oh no you don't!" I'm not sure if it's trying to connect with the vines to regenerate its body or if it's going to give my energy to the vines. Either way I don't intend to find out. Casting Misty Step I teleport directly in front of the glowing silver energy moving through the air. Before anything can react I move my hand like lightning and grab the glowing energy.
Almost instantly I can feel power surging back into me. The wraith's whimpers turn into one last screeching cry as steam starts to rise from its body, and it slowly melts. The more energy I take back the more it melts. I let out a sigh of relief as the monster finally turns into a puddle and my body feels like everything has returned to normal. My Lunar Blessing and my Nights' Chosen subclass are no longer crossed out.
Before I can celebrate though my focus snaps towards Twilight as I hear her yell out my name. "IGNIS! Behind you!"
Glancing behind myself I panic as several vines have started squirming and moving and now they're darting through the air at me. Thankfully that wraith died so fast I still have around 36 seconds left on my Bladesong and Haste. Turning around to face the vines while dashing away from them I raise the Moonblade into the air and start to spin the blade in front of me like an airplane propeller. "Green-Flame Blade."
All the vines that were dashing towards me are shredded into nothingness as they attempt to pass through the whirling blade of fiery death I've put between them and me. Finally the attacking vines retreat and seem to calm down, but every other vine in the room is still slightly squirming in place.
Ceasing the spinning blade technique I continue to slowly step backwards, away from the vines and back towards Twilight. It's only then that I notice in the middle of the wall on the far side of the room, there's a dark black ball of shadowy smoke. It looks like it's being held against the wall by the vines. As soon as I eviscerated the vines that were attacking me that shadowy ball started to shake and bounce around.
My first thought is that the ball must be the heart of the magical vines, but the more I look at it... the more I realize it's a prisoner. It's trapped in place between the vines and the wall and it's trying to escape. I bite my lip as I consider helping the strange shadow core.
After a few seconds I decide to not judge a book by its cover, and elect to free the core. I point my empty hand towards the vines and flex my hand wide open. I send out a small gathering of mana to grab the vines and as soon as the mana is close enough I squeeze my hand into a fist and clench, hard. The vines glow silver for a second and I wrench my hand through the air as if I'm grabbing a fistful of the vines and tearing them away from the wall.
With much less resistance than I was expecting, the vines are torn away from the wall via telekinesis. It creates a hole in the wall of vines just big enough for the shadowy ball to dart out and away from its prison cell. I watch with an abundance of caution as the ball of black smoke flies through the air towards me.
It stops just a foot or so away and bobs up and down for a second, as if it's eyeing me up. After that it flies around my body a few times in different diagonal patterns, and I just awkwardly shift around and look over my shoulders to track it as it continues to flit about. Eventually it stops in front of me and for a few seconds nothing happens.
"What the heck is that thing? Are you sure freeing it was a good idea?" Twilight breaks the silence and questions my decision from the hallway.
Half way turning around so I can look at Twilight. "I have no clue, and no I'm not sure. I know from first hand experience though how it feels to be immediately written off as a monster or some kind of evil creature. I felt like if I just assumed its true nature from my first glance at it that I'd be a huge hypocrite, so I freed it."
Turning back towards the shadowy ball I'm a bit startled to see it just inches from my face. It seems to have reacted in some way to my words. Before I can even think about what to say or do next the shadow core zips through the air a few feet away from me, and flies back towards me at a speed much faster than I can react to.
All I can do is let a tiny gasp in surprise at the sudden turn of events before the orb flies into my chest and sinks into me, disappearing. "Woah! What the fuck?! Get out get out get out!"
After a few seconds of panic I realize nothing has happened. No saving throw, no status changes. In response to my panic there's a warmth in my chest. It's almost...comforting? Is this thing trying to say it's friendly? "Listen you might be chill, but you still gotta get consent before you just go inside someone!"
"Ew! Ignis, phrasing, please!"
"Oh please, what are you, 12? Get your scientific method lookin head-ass out of the gutter." I totally phrased it like that on purpose. I didn't think she'd have such a sheltered reaction to it though. In hindsight I should've expected her to be somewhat sheltered. "Seriously though, shadow ball thing, can you at least communicate with me here? What the fuck is going on?"
That same comforting warmth radiates throughout my chest and I just sigh and slouch over. "Alright whatever, just don't do anything weird." If the thing acts up I'll just cast Dispel Evil and Good and force the thing to be expelled.
After a few minutes of talking with Twilight about what we should do from here I decide to go ahead and tell Nightmare she can come back down if she wants.
Yo Moonie, you're clear to come back down. Wraith is taken care of. I'd stay away from the library though there's these weird spiky vines the wraith was trying to give my divine energy to.
And what of your condition? Has your body returned to normal?
Yeah I'm good. I teleported between my energy and the vines and intercepted that shit back to where it belongs. Twilight and I will start heading back your way, we can meet halfway and keep exploring.
Why? It sounds like those vines are the source of the ominous feeling, and if you don't want to interact with them then our mission here is done. I'd rather just go back to Canterlot and get some sleep.
Well Twilight did kinda save me, so I couldn't really say no when she asked if we could keep exploring for artifacts.
I just chuckle as I hear a telepathic sigh. "Okay yeah she's coming down, let's head back towards the exit and we can meet her halfway."
While we're walking Twilight says something that seems slightly concerning. "Ignis, did you notice that the ominous feeling is completely gone now?"
"Now that you mention it, yeah. You think the presence went away since we killed all the wraiths? Maybe without any defenders it's choosing to conceal its presence now?"
"Plausible, but it's hard to say."
"What's plausible?" Nightmare joins the conversation from around the corner.
"We're wondering if the ominous fee-" Twilight suddenly stops speaking and her eyes widen in fear. "I have to go, the Princess is summoning the elements to Canterlot."
Before either Nightmare or I can ask for more information the unicorn teleports away, cause me and my companion to just look at each other in confusion. "Let me contact Luna. If something has happened in Canterlot I think it'd be we-"
This time I'm the one suddenly interrupted.
Ignis! I've been trying to contact you for nearly 10 minutes! Place a hand on Nightmare, now. I'm teleporting both of you back, something terrible has happened.
"What?!" I put my hand on Nightmare as I reply out loud and in my head. "What's going on Luna?" It seems like that wraith really did steal more than just divine energy from me if Luna couldn't contact me.
Luna's reply is the last thing I hear as everything flashes white and we're pulled through space back to Canterlot.
Discord has returned.
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 5
I don't know what I was expecting to see once the flash of light from teleportation cleared out of my vision. I know that you could give me one billion guesses and I would not have guessed this. Glass clouds raining down soda, buildings floating in the air, and I'm sure there's more but that's all I can see through the window in the throne room. What the hell is this? "Alright sister, Ignis and Nightmare have returned. Any word on your student? We need the elements as soon as possible."
"Spike said she still hadn't returned from the Everfree so I used Sending to contact her. She's currently gathering the other elements and then they'll be on their way. Although with how far we are from Ponyville it'll be a few hours. Even if they left on the next train out."
"Why not just teleport them here? Surely you have the mana?" Luna asks, genuinely confused. If I didn't know any better I'd think she's like five seconds away from insulting Celly.
"I can't. Wait, you were able to teleport Ignis? Quick you need to bring Twilight and the others here, now!"
"Ah ah ah, how could I have forgotten about dear Luna? I'm afraid neither of you will be able to assist the element bearers. I want some time to really stretch my bones before I play with those six. Seriously, you all wouldn't believe how stiff my back was!" Some mysterious voice fills the entire throne room with cackling. Luna's horn ignites but with a loud popping sound her horn just shoots confetti and she winces as if the spell backfired. I might really be out of my depth here.
Suddenly an amalgamation of creatures appears in the air before flying down and coiling around Nightmare. "And what do we have here? You're that little ball of resentment and envy aren't you? Why, the last time I saw you, you were barely a whisper in the back of dear Luna's mind. They truly do grow up so fast."
Any lingering thoughts of fear are stomped in an instant. Watching this creature coil himself around the mare, my mare has me seeing red. I reach out with my telekinesis and grab the villain with a giant hand of mana, as if I was picking up a garden snake in my backyard. It works for a second and the creature is pulled away from Nightmare. After that though the creature just slips out of the grasp like he's covered in oil.
"And then there's you. The one that shouldn't even be here. I have to admit that I am a fan of some of your work, you could truly be my rival in a few hundred thousand years or so. Anyone who manages to make that old hag, hiding away in her own private dimension, angry is really someone that I respect. Unfortunately for you, you annoy me as well."
Suddenly the thing flies behind me and puts his head right next to mine as he throws his arm around me. "There are very few that can wield Chaos magic in this world, bladesinger. The number of them that can wield it without my blessing is even lower. It's zero in fact. So, imagine my surprise when one of the first things I see when I sober up from being stoned is some nobody attempting to control and organize the same magic that I wield. Then there's the fact that you're a bladesinger even though I am sure I wiped those annoying pests from existence eons ago. You are truly a perplexing existence."
"What are you even talking about? The only magic I wield is Equestrian magic, through mana, and my own magic that I brought from my homeland. I've never heard of this "Chaos" magic you speak of."
"Oh really? Well I don't think you're lying, so it seems you just don't know. Hmm, should I waste my time explaining it?" Suddenly the creature turns into a flat two dimensional picasso art, and lays down as if someone drew him onto the floor of the throne room. "I suppose you should at least understand the reason I dislike you. It's this book you have here."
I feel a weight unclick from my back and my confusion grows even more as my spellbook floats through the air. "It's this blasted thing right here. It's constantly producing Chaos magic and polluting the air around you with it. Just watching you use my magic makes me want to retch. You reach into the Chaos and do some stupid hand movements, you chant some words, and then throw it something inane like a leaf from a yew tree. Somehow all of those random things combined folds and morphs my magic into a spell."
My eyes widen and it feels like my heart is in my throat as the spellbook catches on fire. "I wouldn't even be upset if that was all there was to it. You look like an insane creature when pulling and folding my magic, and it honestly is right on brand with what I would expect. But no, the thing that really irks me is that the magic does exactly what you were expecting it to do. This magic is not meant to be ordered or tamed. It's not a plaything for you to use and throw out little sparks of fire."
The creature pauses and looks at the spellbook, confused. He rises out of the floor and sticks one of his fingers from his thin chicken-like arm into his mouth and blows air into it. Popping and expanding back into his original three dimensional form. He continues to stare at the spellbook. I'd go as far as to say he's perplexed. "Why isn't this accursed item turning to ash?"
There's a bead of sweat on his face now as he strains while pointing at the book. "How can this be? For me to be completely unable to even scuff this artifact it must've been created by someone extremely powerful. Certainly no one from this harmonized dump."
The fire goes out and the book drops to the ground. Like a child bored with his toy he just scoffs and walks away while humming deep in thought. Honestly for all the feats he's pulled off he doesn't really seem that intimidating. He doesn't even really have a presence to him. If he's just gunna turn his back to me like this, why not take advantage of it? Let's see what he can really do.
Luckily for me, we're in the throne room. I have one of my ambush Glyphs of Warding here. Shame I used my 6th level spell slot against the Wraith though, I had something I wanted to try. Okay 5th Level, "Ashardalon's Stride!"
Speed: +30ft. 60ft total.
Now I don't provoke opportunity attacks and I deal fire damage whenever I move close to someone.
Bladesong. +10ft. 70ft total. 23 AC.
Now the conditions for the Glyph I'm standing on are met. If I'm concentrating on a spell and using a bladesong while standing on this glyph, activate. The 10ft wide magical pattern suddenly appears and glows bright white. I feel the burst of speed hit me as the glyph casts the buffing spell on me.
Haste. Speed: 140ft. 25 AC.
All of this happens within a fraction of a second of each other. Fire engulfs my feet and spreads out in an intricate design that climbs my calves. The aura from the bladesong encases me then the glyph glows bright and casts Haste. "Disable Real-Time Combat."
If this guy is as powerful as they say he is then I need the system. The chimera-esque monster is still seemingly unaware of my intent to attack, so with no hesitation I launch myself at Discord.
Roll for Initiative. (A/N: If you want the true experience, stop at 1:57, I'm very descriptive during this next part so our progress through the bladesong is very slow compared to real time. 1:57 is where the bladesong ends in story though. If it's too much trouble then maybe just listen to the song without reading until 1:57 then come back.)
13 + 5 = 18.
As soon as the dice disappears and time resumes I move like a blur through the air. Once I reach him I activate Lunar Blessing, and become engulfed in the Moonbeam. Then I swing the Moonblade straight at his back.
Unfortunately right before I get close enough to him for my Stride or Moonbeam to damage him he pops out of existence and I swing at the air. Landing on one foot I almost carry too much forward momentum and lose balance. Hopping around on one foot for a second I finally catch myself. I put so much of my body into the swing I was not prepared to just swing at air.
I hear a familiar popping sound behind me and quickly pivot to face the sound. The asshole is just floating in the air on his back as if he's laying in a lounge chair by the pool. He's even got sunglasses on while reading an upside down book. "My my, so violent. I'm a bit surprised though, they said your song was quite pitiful, but that's not bad. I definitely saw worse forms when I tore through their hidden fortress."
Without waiting I just swing again at him. How is this fucker doing things when it's still my turn? This time the blade is arcing through the air as I jump and swing straight down at his body. When I'm still a second away from hitting him I watch him snap his fingers on his chicken hand, and then look at his hand with confusion.
13 + 11 = 24.
This time there is no teleportation or blinking, the sword strikes true. At least it looked like it struck true. As soon as the blade made contact my entire Moonblade just went limp like it's a pool noodle instead of a sword, and the blade just slaps him and bends around his body a bit. Seriously what the fuck is this guy? What am I supposed to do against this?!
"That's interesting. How have you managed to restrict me? I tried turning into a bunch of springy snakes you find in a prank can of peanut brittle, but nothing seems to happen. You are becoming more and more interesting by the second."
In a panic I land and push myself backwards away from the creature. As soon as my blade stops touching him it snaps back to its normal shape and returns to normal. I've used my Haste action and half of my Attack action. I can still cast a cantrip with Extra Attack and then recast it with my Bonus Action. Let's try and keep our distance and see if my spells fare any better.
Channeling energy into the staff in my left hand since it's now my spellcasting focus, I cast fire bolt. "Ignis!"
19 + 11 = 30.
Discord just yawns and looks at his wrist where a watch would be if he had one. Then he starts to contort his body into an O shape to dodge the Fire Bolt, but the magical attack just curves mid air and slams into him.
23 Fire Damage. Damage Mitigated.
The spell lands and I internally celebrate but then it's his coat...it just ripples a bit and there's no mini explosion. The Fire Bolt is just gone. Does he have that status where he's immune to spells under a certain level? I think it's usually level 6 right? Oh fuck me.
"There's still plenty of time, I suppose I can play with you." His face seems to turn just a bit serious after being unable to dodge the Fire Bolt, and his voice has a bit of hostility to it. He snaps his claws again, and nothing happens. "This is starting to get on my nerves! Why can't I use my magic?"
"Ehh, it's still not your turn, dipshit." The illusionist bracers light up and hum, indicating they're ready for me to use Fire Bolt again with my bonus action. This time I project three Strengthen runes in front of the staff and as the spell casts I push out and channel as much mana as I can into the staff so that the spells can combine. I've done this before but I don't think I've ever done it with more than one Strengthen rune.
20 + 11 = 31. Natural 20.
Discord holds up his hand with one claw extended, it reminds of the pose a nerd takes when he says, Uhm Ackshually. "That's adorable. You can't combine those two types of mag- WHAT?!" Before he can finish saying whatever nonsense he was going to say he's interrupted by the triple Strengthened Fire Bolt. It roars through the air, nearly the size of a Fireball and nails the fucker right in his face.
21 + 30 + ??? = ??E?ror? Fire Damage.
Oh right the system still doesn't really know how to handle the combination mana attacks. It doesn't matter though because the spell releases a glass shattering explosion on impact that feels like it's shaking the entire room. The smoke instantly clears and Discord is just floating there in the exact same pose, but his extended claw is halfway bent instead of fully extended.
His entire face is covered in black soot and all the features on his face are pointed backwards, like he stuck his face into a 300mph wind tunnel. He literally looks like a looney toons character when a bomb goes off in their face. Discord shakes his head a couple of times and all the soot clears away, but when he stops the shaking all of his facial features are shifted around. His mouth is under his eyebrows and his eyes are sideways. Is this dude really just gunna treat everything like a joke?
"I must say, I don't appreciate your constant attacks on me." He grabs his face and spins his head around so fast it's a blur. His head is doing full 360 degree rotations, his neck should be completely shattered. The spinning stops and his face is back to normal. "I get it, you're just under a lot of stress~. Why don't I help you out and lighten the load?"
Discord snaps his claws again and my body feels a lot lighter. In fact, it's too light. Without warning I do a flip and float in the air upside down, and my body starts shooting towards the ceiling. He didn't make me levitate, he reversed gravity! Specifically for just me!
Just when I start to think that's all he did I'm suddenly falling towards the eastern wall of the throne room. Then up towards the ceiling again. Then towards the northern wall. Everytime the direction of gravity changes my body flips around against my will and I very quickly become disorientated. My Lunar Blessing deactivates and the Moonbeam disperses.
"Discord! Put him down this instant!" Out of everyone here I did not expect Celestia to be the one to call out to him and tell him to stop. Everything is a bit blurry and I'm dizzy but I think I see Luna giving her a confused look. I agree with Luna's look, I don't know why Celly said anything. This guy isn't going to listen to her.
"No can do, Sunny! That spell is for a set amount of time I'm afraid, I can't stop it now even if I wanted to. Which, I don't, for the record." A light bulb appears over his head. "Oh! I know! I'll give him something he can use as an anchor!"
With another snap of his claws I watch in horror as all the pews, benches, potted plants, and even the throne starts to float in the air and they all angle themselves towards me. An instant later they all start flying at me at alarming rates of speed.
"Feather Fall!" Thinking quickly I cast feather fall, and now even though the direction of gravity keeps shifting my body is rotating and falling much slower. Let's put this 140ft of movement to use.
Acrobatics (Advantage - Bladesong)
5 and 18. 18 + 9 = 27.
The first pew is just about in striking distance and I reach out with my hand towards it. "I want to talk to you about violence in our cities." It's a bit awkward since I'm still holding the Moonblade, but I'm able to use my fingers to push myself up in the air a bit. That's enough for me to tuck my legs in and start to run along the top of the pew as it flies under me.
Intelligence Saving Throw
19 + 9 = 28.
Jumping off the pew I curve my body and do a sideways somersault. A potted plant flies through the C I formed with my body. Time seems to slow down as I'm turning in the air and my brain starts to think at light speed.
East, Up, North, Down, West, and South. That's the exact order the direction of gravity shifts. If I want to counteract the force I just need to use the incoming objects to push myself in the opposite direction of whatever the gravity is about to be, as it changes. If that's the case I need to push myself West, Down, South, Up, East, and North every half a second or so. If I'm going to move in those directions in that order...
I watch as hundreds of imaginary lines draw themselves in the air and bounce around between the obstacles flying at me. From an outside perspective it probably looks like I'm glancing around in every direction very quickly and erratically.
That path! That should work. All the paths disappear except the one I focused in on. If I want to make my way back down into striking distance of Discord then that's the path I have to take. Bouncing, pushing, and jumping off those pews and benches in that order will move me in those directions and I can get back down there.
"I will use whatever force is necessary to restore order."
Time flows normally again as I say the line, and like a bullet I'm off. Jumping, twisting and turning to jump again, and pushing with my hands I bounce around the objects like a bouncy ball in a narrow pathway. With every obstacle I use I get closer and closer to the ground. Finally Discord is close enough that I close the distance.
"Steel Wind Strike."
I flourish my Moonblade as I jump off the large throne and vanish into the wind. Instead of bouncing, now I'm teleporting to four different obstacles so that I can get within 30ft of the Chaos monster. Within a fraction of a second I chain together multiple blinks, cutting the last four obstacles in my path and finally I blink into the serpent like creature.
15 + 11 = 26.
As I slice through space I feel a slight resistance indicating my blade definitely hit something. I reappear behind Discord, finally back on solid ground, and instantly turn around. Ready to pounce at him again for a follow up attack, but I pause, shocked at the sight before me. Where discord once was there's now a cardboard cutout of him looking up with his paw and hand on his face. He's making an exaggerated shocked face. As soon as I turn around a line appears on the next of the cutout and his cardboard head falls to the ground.
The sound of a slow clap rings out in the mess of a throne room. "I have to thank you for telling me that it wasn't my turn earlier. Thanks to that I'm slowly figuring you out. If I want to do something when it's your "turn" I can only perform a single reaction. When it's my turn I can only do two or three things before it's your turn again. That's so very... structured. Organized. I detest it."
Before I can even reply, all of the anti-gravity magic he applied to the objects in the room comes to an end and they start to fall back down towards us. Initially I think nothing of it, I can dodge this debris just as easily now as I could before. Then it hits me. Luna, Nightmare, and Celestia are here too. It probably won't kill either of the alicorns and Nightmare is currently just a summon. But, even they would be a bit hurt if hundreds of pounds of weight piled on top of them.
Looking around in a panic as all of my spells run through my mind. I'm out of 5th and 6th level spells. What about the Mizzium? What spells can I cast with it?! I'm blanking, damnit! I watch as Celestia and Luna ignite their horns only for them to spark and blast confetti again.
There's no time. I drop the Moonblade and the Staff onto the ground and thrust both my hands up into the air. I'll just catch everything!
I'll use the same concept I used when I pulled our camping supplies in the Undiscovered West when I first learned Telekinesis. My mana is hundreds of ropes, latch onto everything. Both hands glow bright silver and on instinct alone I launch hundreds of lines of mana through the air, sticking to every object in free fall.
My head hurts.
The weight is nothing compared to when I tried to stop Force, but the multitasking. It's too many things at once. Move everything inwards, make it one big blob of objects instead of 80 or 90 separate objects.
It's no good, I can't move them, hell I can barely hold them. Just let them down slowly then, I can do that. Yeah I can do this.
I let out a sigh of relief as the objects gently start to come down from the air. Until I hear a pop in the air behind me. "Well well, since it looks like you're a bit... tied up at the moment. That means I can tinker around with whatever this strange phenomenon is."
"NO!" I hear Luna scream out and as I glance backwards to look at Discord with wide eyes, I feel it. A claw taps the back of my head, and my entire body goes stiff. Time stops.
"Oh that's interesting. Hmm, I see, so that's how it works. What if I were to do...." He hums in thought as I can see his arms moving about wildly out of the corner of my eye. Then a searing pain lances out in my mind and I let out an involuntary scream.
-46 Hit Points: 36/82.
"...This. Oh that seems painful, here let me put that back. What if I do this instead?"
It feels like something cold is worming around in my head.
Wisdom Saving Throw
20 + 6 = 2--??
"That's how it determines if something is successful? Oh I need to meet whoever designed this magic. That's simply outstanding. I assume this 20 is good for you, yes?" For the first time in my life I feel a deep, primal, resonating fear as I watch his claw come into my field of view. He grabs the imaginary dice floating in my vision. And he turns it over to a 1.
1 + 6 = 7.
A strange feeling washes over me. Like everything around me is just dull and colorless, even my senses are dull.
System Failure.
System Failure. System Failure.
Syst- (A/N: This is the 1:57 part.)
My hit points and all of my buffed status messages disappear. My AC, my speed. The system is...gone?
This is the power of a true God? No wonder everything was a joke to him. He truly did nothing but play with us.
We never stood a chance.
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 6
"You know, it's not that I dislike you, elf. I simply wish you would stop changing Fate, but the more I observe and the more I ponder, I've come to realize that it's like you're doing these things on purpose. In fact most of the time you are doing what you consider to be just."
One second I was in the throne room and time was paused. Discord did something to me and the system shut down. Now I'm here. In Harmony's pocket realm. "The things you've set in motion are going to ruin all of us, unintentional or not. My most devoted though, she defended you. She suggested a change in perspective. "The things that have been done cannot be undone, and your book of Fate might suggest that the world will crumble to nothing. But have you considered that maybe, just maybe, if he's the one that started all of this. Well, surely he can be the one to fix it, no?""
Harmony does a perfect imitation of Celestia's voice. I didn't think she'd do something like that for me. "I think she might be onto something. The book says everything is lost and all will turn to dust. But, you've already changed the book. Several times. If you've always acted in the name of good then surely you'll continue to change it, and change it for the better. What's done cannot be undone, so perhaps I should just support you. Support you and hope that you'll continue to change Fate for the better and rewrite the ending you've set in this book."
Finally it feels like I can move. I think she had me restrained so I wouldn't interrupt her. "You know I actually thought about this after our last conversation and I remembered something. It's not me and me alone that is changing fate. You see when I first came to this realm I went through something called a Tutorial. That tutorial was meant to give me a basic understanding of this strange and unique power I have, but the first thing the tutorial said to me is what piqued my interest."
"Everything in this world is randomly decided, some call it Fate others name it Destiny. You're able to slightly influence and bring visual representation of this greater power in the form of Dice."
"When I roll the dice, that's when Fate changes. If I had realized the implications of this earlier or maybe if you spoke to me before it was too late. Maybe we wouldn't be in this situation right now. You're right though. What's been done cannot be undone. Honestly if my changing of Fate is what allowed this Discord guy to return then maybe you should've let me die at the hands of Nightmare Moon. He's tough and I don't know how we can beat him. He even circumvented this same power that allows me to change Fate. What are we supposed to do against that? Become his friend? You said you'll support me right? So, how the fuck do we beat this thing?"
"If my little sunshine was here and she heard you use such vulgarity in my presence I think her mane might've caught on fire." The semi-translucent alicorn lets out a small chuckle, despite how hopeless I feel about our current situation. "Come hither, let me show you my support."
My feet feel like bricks as I slowly take step after step in this astral realm towards the Goddess. Once I reach her she shows me something I've never seen from her before, a smile. Her horn ignites. "Chaos might have razed my temple and slaughtered my army, but all of their training and their teachings is still within me. I will pass onto you all of the Bladesinger training that would have previously been impossible for you to receive. This still won't give you the True Bladesong. In fact you've never truly used Songblade Harmony, even against Nightmare almost all of my causality was spent bringing you back from the precipice of death. All I could do was use the nearby elements to augment your bladesong. Empower all of the features you already had, but this? This should be much more of an improvement than what you're used to. First let me help you with this, though."
The alicorn leans down and touches the tip of her horn to the top of my head.
Rebooting...100%
System Online.
All of my statistics and statuses and spells roar to life again and I feel all of my energy and power surge up and swell. Then everything goes dark again.
Hundreds, no, thousands of memories and pages of words are flashing in my mind. It's almost too much, I can feel the blood vessels in my head pulsing. Sword slashes by the hundreds of thousands, the clashing of steel a million times over. Streams of words and techniques flooding every neuron in my skull.
This goes on for what feels like years, but must've only been minutes in reality. When I return to the present the alicorn has a serious look on her face. "You won't be able to use all of that information at once. In fact I have no clue which parts of it you'll pick up instantly and which parts you'll have to dig through your memories to find. Some might require you to be on the brink of death to understand them. Nonetheless, this should be immensely helpful to you. I have one last gift for you and then I'm afraid I must rest. This was too direct of an intervention and it's consumed far too much of my power for the moment."
Her horn flashes one more time.
Long Rest, simulated. Spell slots restored, class features restored, hit points recovered.
3rd Person POV
"Luna what are you doing?!" Celestia shouts as she chases her sister out of the castle and into downtown Canterlot.
"I'm getting him out of this city. If the elements are coming here then who knows what developments will happen here. The entire mountain should be evacuated!" Luna replies while carrying an unconscious elf on her back. Ignis is laying on his stomach, completely limp with his arms hanging off the sides of her body.
"Evacuated where?! Luna the entire world is like this! There is nowhere anypony can go to escape this chaos. We need to stay in the castle so we can prepare Twilight properly. Ignis can wait in the medical wing. Now please, come back to the castle Luna."
The sisters continue to argue in the populated and panicked streets of Canterlot and the sight of their Princesses having lost their composure drives the ponies to even more panic. Discord meanwhile is just doing the backstroke through the air with a straw in his mouth, and everytime he floats past a cloud he sticks the straw in it and slurps it up. "Tia you don't get it. Ignis cannot stay here. He can't!"
"Why?! What puts him in any more danger than the rest of our ponies?"
"HE IS A BLADESINGER, TIA! Discord already wiped out the rest of them eons ago. What makes you think he'll let Ignis just lay in bed and recover in the medical wing?! Every second he stays on this mountain is another second I risk losing him. And I will. Not. Lose. Him."
Celestia just pauses, a bit slack jawed at her own lapse in judgment. She hadn't even considered the fact that Discord might go out of his way to finish the job he thought he did back then. Luna huffs in annoyance and turns to continue running towards the exit path that leads down the mountain.
Before she can take too many steps though, something happens. The elf on her back starts to glow in a bright golden light. The color and life seems to return to his body and the elf starts to hover in the air, his eyes still closed.
Finally his long silver hair starts to whip about wildly as if caught in a tornado until all of that hair merges into one and becomes a silver ethereal cloud.
Just like Luna and Celestia.
His eyes open and there's no iris, no pupil. The eyes are just pure white, emitting their own silver glow.
The elf slowly lifts up both of his arms and silently gazes at his hands as he clenches and unclenches them. Rotating them around to look at his palm and knuckles. Finally he fully extends his right arm and flicks it towards the ground.
Dust and dirt kick up as a whirlwind of pressure is flung from the force of his swing. Most of the ponies present are staring in awe and even Discord has paused his backstrokes as he looks at the elf in surprise. Luna calls out to the elf, "Ignis! I don't know what happened but don't be overconfident. You are still no match for Discord! We need to evacuate."
Ignis slowly turns in the air and looks at Luna. "I don't have to win. I just have to buy time."
He unsheathes his Moonblade and turns towards Discord. Right before anything further happens he glances back towards Luna one more time.
"I love you. Now let me go do my job, as your paladin."
The golden light finally dies down, but the ethereal hair remains. The golden glow is replaced with a silver aura, the same aura as his bladesong once he unlocked Song of Defence. Now though the aura extends out from the elf. Instead of hovering around his body and inch away it's now more like a large cylinder. It extends out several inches in all directions from the elf.
"Symphony of Steel."
What used to be a quiet melody that could be heard by those within a few feet of the bladesinger has turned into a concert. Clearly audible by anyone within a few thousand feet. A voice rings out but it's not Ignis singing. The mana is singing. This was the next evolution of the Bladesong he had been searching for since the colosseum. He knew it involved mana but didn't realize he needed to focus on the mana in the air instead of the mana in his body.
The billions of mana particles, invisible to the naked eye, needed to be stimulated. If you simply took the concept of your presence, which he had mastered suppression of, and instead expanded that presence. Place your song into your aura as you push against the world with your very being, and those natural mana particles will begin to vibrate. They harmonize and expand your senses. While the mana in the air is vibrating to your song you are attuned to it. The range of your senses, the capacity of your mana pool, it's all empowered and expanded by the attuned mana in the air.
Ignis can currently sense the exact mana signature of every creature within 100ft of him. He can feel movements and spells up to 300ft away from himself. This is the true essence of the bladesong. When you harmonize with the world itself.
"Let's try this one more time, Discord."
"You really think this power up is enough for you to win? All you've done is cement the fact that I cannot allow you to exist in the world I want to live in."
"I don't know. I feel like I can do anything right now."
Discord snaps his fingers and all of the lamp posts in the streets, the mailboxes, the park benches, they turn into all sorts of creatures. Timberwolves, manticores, giant insects, massive spiders.
The ponies that were watching in awe start to panic and scream and begin to run around aimlessly again as they watch the transformations take place.
"A state of chaos and disorder is upon us."
Ignis snaps his own fingers and whispers out a phrase that vibrates out like a shock wave. All of the transformations never complete, they all stop prematurely and the objects return to normal. "Counterspell."
"Will you take up arms?"
The ponies hear the words and see the power that's been flexed before them and some of them even start to feel inspired. Guards that were previously directing traffic or hiding in shame start to step forward, feeling empowered.
"Will you help us make our last stand? The time is now. Let us be heard as we sing our way into battle."
A roar of voices and battlecries can be heard spreading throughout the filled streets and alleys of Canterlot. An instant later and the elf disappears. He reappears directly above the draconequus and swings his Moonblade like lightning, aiming for the creature's neck.
The blade cuts through nothing but smoke as the Chaos God avoids the slash. Discord then performed his usual move and floated in the ethereal plane, where he could talk to the ponies and observe them, but they were none the wiser.
I thought we had a deal, Harmony. I put this brat in his place and you don't meddle with my game I intend to play with the Elements? Discord thinks to himself as he continues to hide in the ethereal plane. He considers what he should do now. Since if he eliminates the bladesinger wouldn't that still be doing what Harmony wants? He considers just teleporting the bladesinger to the other side of the planet and locking him in a nullstone prison cell.
All of Discord's thoughts come screeching to a halt when he watches the elf slowly turn and look straight at him. I didn't think he had truly achieved the evolved bladesong, but if he can tell where I am then he truly has attuned to the mana. Discord is entirely right, since mana exists in the ethereal plane as well that plane is included in the radius of his senses.
In an instant the elf appears right in front of Discord and he smirks wondering what the elf thinks he can do. He might be able to tell where I am, but he still can't do anything to me. He can't cross the plane to even try and touch me.
Unfortunately for Discord, Ignis is a human. A human from a world without magic. This gives him the unique property of lacking common sense, he has no baseline for how magic should work. In his mind Ignis thinks, Well, if mana exists in both places at once at the same time then I should be able to do that too, no? If I'm attuned to the world then why can't I just....
The bladesinger reaches forward with his empty off hand and wraps his fingers around the air. Then he simply snatches that arm to the right, as if he was ripping open a curtain. Ignis simply grasped the mana, which exists in both planes at the same time, and used their vibrations to reach between planes. He tears open the sky and exposes the draconequus.
Caught completely and utterly off guard at the absurd situation the monster was entirely unprepared to be grabbed by the same hand and yanked back into the material plane like a ragdoll. "Wha- You DARE?! Unhand me you barbarian!"
"I don't have any levels in barbarian. I'm a wizard, Harry."
While still grasping Discord as tightly as he can, he channels a level five smite into his hand.
That hand glows a bright silver and thunderclap of divine energy resonates within the chaotic creature's body. For the first time in a long time, he felt pain.
"No more playing games, then." Discord mutters quietly and the words send a shiver up the elfs spine.
Quickly flying backwards away from the God, Ignis comes up with his next plan.
Ignis grabs his Staff of the Magi and channels its power to cast Fireball at 7th level. As the fire swirls and grows he decides to try something a little risky. He projects two Strengthen runes in front of the fireball and starts to channel as much mana as he possibly can into the runes. Based on how much mana Fire Bolt needed to be Strengthened, when that was just a cantrip?! This fireball might very well empty half of his reserves, but luckily the attuned mana in the air just fills the gaps in his mana pool as they form. Sucked in like a vacuum. While he's attuned it's his mana, he's just letting the world borrow it.
It's time to light up the sky with fire!
The Fireball goes through the first rune and expands several times larger. Instantly he exerts pressure on the spell with all of the vibrating mana in the air and compresses the ball back down, until it passes through the second rune.
"It's like a second sun..." Cadence says to herself as she spots the giant ball of fire from the complete other side of the city.
Discord snaps his claw multiple times and all the nearby trees and clouds are sucked in and transformed into sheets of glowing metal and radiating shields. Unfortunately he place all of his attention on the elf and forgot about the hundreds of ponies and guards below him that were inspired by the Symphony of Steel. As soon as they get a whiff of vulnerability from the Chaos God in the sky, they let loose.
Any of the guards trained in artillery and combat magic dump all their mana into bombs and blasts of magic towards the unprotected back of Discord. All the while he continues to snap his fingers and create more defenses for himself while also hurling spears of raw Chaos magic through the air.
Ignis spots the incoming barrage of magic and arrows from the civilians below and smirks. Then he slams both of his arms forward and hurls the massive mini-sun straight at the God. The ball collides with the random assortment of transmuted objects that have been randomly turned into different forms of shields. Metal groans and fire roars as the two forces push against each other.
Then it happens.
Hundreds of bolts, blasts, shells, and bombs of magic slam into the God from behind, catching him completely off guard. Arrows turn into water as they harmlessly bounce off his body. In reality the ponies did not do much damage, if any, to the God. But, they distracted him. For a split second the God turned his focus away from the Force of Nature in front of him.
That distraction was all he needed. Ignis had been bluffing the entire time. He never actually launched the Fireball. If he did it would've exploded on contact with the shields and metal and armor floating in the air. He simply continued to channel it and pushed it forward as if it was launched. As soon as the draconequus glances away the elf misty steps directly above him, bypassing all of the shields.
The Fireball teleports with him and suddenly appears inches away from the God. Discord panics for a tenth of a second and the mini-sun goes critical. Supernova.
Everyone sees it before they hear it, the giant ball of fire in the sky compressed down into the size of a gold coin and then in an instant the entire sky was filled with white light. No one could see anything as all of the ponies below covered their eyes from the intense flare. Then they heard it.
It was like nothing anyone on that planet had ever heard. It sounded as if a hundred trains slammed into an unbreakable wall at supersonic speeds. The ponies that were closest to ground zero felt as if their entire body was being violently vibrated by the soundwave.
Of course light is the fastest thing in the universe, so they saw it first. Sound is impressively fast as well, so they heard it next. The last sense left was to feel it but thankfully for them they don't have to. Ignis was well aware the full brunt of the explosion would likely level everything in a ten block radius, so he took a page from Twilights book.
He flicked his wrist and formed a giant bubble shield around Discord. The explosion instantly filled the space and spread cracks like a spiderweb all over the shield, but the attuned mana in the air filled in the cracks as quickly as they formed. Once the explosion ran out of room to expand it started to roar and shake and consume itself alive as the fire ate away all of the precious oxygen inside the shield that it needed to survive.
The explosion turned into hundreds of smaller explosions as the pressure of being contained made pockets of air reignite and cause a chain reaction of flash burns and mini explosions all over.
Once the rumbling inside the shield had stopped Ignis dropped the shield while slightly panting for breath. Being able to use the world's mana from the air around him helped immensely but that still took a lot of power to keep it together. Ignis is silently hoping that the explosion either killed the God or that he'd look down and see Twilight and her friends.
Neither of those things happened though. Instead everyone gaped and stared with wide eyes at the floating draconequus. Patches of fur missing, left arm gone, blood stains all over his body, and bloodshot eyes seething with rage.
Snap
In one snap the missing arm is replaced, but instead of a lion foreleg and paw he now has a blue reptile arm with a hand that has three claws and a thumb. The missing fur grows back in all the wrong colors and all the blood vanishes completely. If you hadn't seen what Discord looked like a few minutes ago you'd think this is how he normally looks, and he's completely unharmed. All the damage done to him seems to have been undone in an instant.
"That's it. I'm really done playing around now." The creature snaps again and Luna appears. Flailing in the air angrily with a panicked look on her face. "Since you seem to care for both of those Lunar mares so much why don't I do you a favor. See, I really liked her the way she used to be, so I'm gunna get the band back together!"
Another snap and a cloud of stars shoots down into the atmosphere from the moon. Ignis falls out of his bladesong due to fatigue, but almost instantly tries to jump back into it as he realizes what's happening.
"NO! Let her go, you bastard!" The elf flings himself through the air in an attempt to stop this from happening but he's too late.
The miasma of stars collides with the Princess and completely enshrouds the mare. Her eyes turn draconic, her teeth grow two fangs, and her coat turns pitch black. Nightmare Moon has returned but in a way that none of them wanted.
"What have you done, Discord?! I finally had my own body! I was going to be free! What is the meaning of this?! Undo this right now." Nightmare lays into the God with a tirade of words and a string of curses.
Suddenly she goes quiet and Ignis looks and sees Discord's eyes have been replaced by strange swirls that remind of those mind control designs he used to see in old cartoons. To his horror, Nightmare's eyes mirror the swirls and Discord puts a claw on the tip of her horn.
Poor Luna, or should I say Nightmare. You trusted that knight of yours to free you and protect you. You even gave him your heart. For him to reveal that it was all a trick to get you sealed back inside Luna, so she could absorb your power! For over 100 years you've been trapped in Luna's body, slowly getting weaker and weaker as the elf and the alicorn taunted you. Tormented you. Now I have freed you. Returned you to the peak of your power just like 1,100 years ago before your initial banishment. So, what will you do with your new freedom?
Discord grabs the mare by the chin and turns her head towards Ignis who is moving his mouth, screaming something, but it's not audible for her. She feels a pang of sadness and love when she sees how much despair he's in. Ignis knows that something is happening to her mentally, cursing himself for running out of power at the worst time.
All of those pesky emotions are gone in an instant as thousands of fake memories flash in front of her. The only thing she feels is rage and a need for revenge. The unarmored Nightmare Moon tears herself away from Discord and gives the elf a death stare.
"Alright little bladesinger, hope you and your special somepony have fun!~ This should keep you occupied for a while. I'll come find whichever one of you is still left when I finish playing with the elements."
Celestia looks up at the newly empowered and corrupted alicorn, her eyes well up with tears knowing that if Twilight and her friends don't hurry... Her sister is either going to lose her life, or lose her sanity when she sees what she's done.
In either outcome she loses her sister again, forever.
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 7
Everything hurts. None of those memories warned me that using the Bladesong like that would make me feel like I got hit by a truck after. That's not what really hurts though, is it? No, this pain is deep in my chest. Nightmare is the angriest I've ever seen her, she thinks Luna and I betrayed her. That look though, those eyes... I didn't think I'd ever have that animosity directed at me again.
Beyond that, what's happened to Luna? Did they swap places and now Luna is back on the moon? Is she trapped in her body? Is she... no, I can't even imagine the words in my head. Luna is okay, she has to be. I need to focus on Nightmare, how can I clear away this mental magic?
I better think of something fast because she's flying straight at me. "Nightmare wait! Please! Can we just... talk for a minute?"
Persuasion (Disadvantage)
13 and 15. 13 + 2 = 15.
"We are well past the time for talking! I am going to eviscerate you, bladesinger." She spits out that last word with absolute venom. She doesn't call me that nearly as often anymore.
As the last remnants of the Symphony of Steel leave me and the mana finishes vibrating I can feel my hair settle down onto my back. It's returned to normal hair instead of being ethereal, and most importantly, I am now slowly dropping out of the sky.
As I fall through the air Nightmare fires off several pitch black bullets from her horn at me. "Shield."
I weakly throw up a shield in front of me and when two of the bullets make it through I manage to knock one of them away with the Moonblade. There's not enough time to recover to try and parry a second time though.
The black ball flies right up to my chest and then disappears. It apparently shrunk down to the size of an atom because I couldn't see it at all. I know it imploded and compressed itself down though because an instant after it disappears I watch it expand from nothing.
A wall of darkness just slams into me and knocks the breath out of me as it continues to rapidly expand for another moment or two. I remember hearing a loud clap, but I don't know what happened after that. The next thing I know I'm opening my eyes and I'm flying backwards back up into the air. There's a massive plume of magical darkness that's leaving my body like smoke.
Luckily I can see through that still, and unluckily I can see that the ground has started getting bigger again. That attack really knocked me out for a second? How hard did it hit me?
Hit Points: 31/82.
I was fully healed before this, so that one attack did 51 damage? I think this might be the end of the road for me. I'm out of 5th level spells, my singular 6th level is gone as well. So, I can't cast Modify Memory or Greater Restoration.
C'mon Ignis, pull yourself together. If I die here what's going to happen when the Elements beat Discord. Luna and Nightmare return to their own bodies? What then? They're going to blame themselves for sure. Yeah... I can't let that happen.
I lean forward and point my feet towards the rapidly approaching ground. Next I flood the area between me and the ground with my own mana. Compress it, it needs to be dense enough to slow me down.
I feel like I'm floating through water now as my plan apparently works, and I land on the ground. My entire body feels like I'm trying to move inside jello, and it's not cause of the mana. I dispersed that as soon as I landed. It's the aftershock of all that exertion I guess.
Glancing down I realize that the attack from Nightmare had some type of space-like vacuum effect, because my entire chest and stomach are bare. The armor just completely shredded on the sides of my body. It's not just that either.
"I don't think my skin is supposed to look like that?" Right in the center of my chest about the size of a baseball is just muscle. The skin is gone completely. That attack must've sucked in my armor and ripped my skin when it shrunk down against my chest.
Before I can continue to ponder I'm interrupted by the ground cratering a few feet in front of me as Nightmare lands at full speed. "I'm glad you survived that, bladesinger. I really need to take my time with this, and make sure I return the pain you dealt to me a thousand fold."
I stab the Moonblade into the ground, drop the Staff, and look up at her instead of the wound on my chest. Once I take a step forward the back half of my armor that was still barely clinging to me, falls off. I move my empty left hand away from the wound and keep slowly walking towards Nightmare. Unarmed and Unarmored. Just the uncomfortable Mizzium leather straps now rubbing against my bare shoulders.
Her face contorts a bit when she spots the exposed muscle and thoracolumbar fascia tissue. She takes a quarter of a step backwards as her face shifts to confusion. After a second or two the resolve returns to her eyes and she leans forward again. "What are you doing?! Why are you just slowly walking towards me with no weapons? Do you think I'll make your death painless if you offer yourself like this?"
"Moonie, I don't have any gas left in the tank." My left eye is partially closed and my entire face is droopy. It looks like someone who's fighting the anesthesia before a surgery. I'm not even really walking. My feet are just dragging across the gravel path. Step by step.
"Even if I did. I just can't do it. I can't raise my blade towards you. I know you have all of those memories and I know that the pain and torment you endured is real, but we didn't do that to you. Discord did that to you. Those memories are artificial, made by magic. I'm out of spell slots to try and help you see that, but I know if you just think about it. Just try to remember the good memories and see if you remember the moment they turned sour. I know you'll be able to tell that something isn't right. Please, Moonie. Please?"
Persuasion
6 + 2 = 8.
Fuck. This is really it?
To my surprise her eyes are darting around as if she's backed into a corner. "S-STOP! Don't come cl...closer!" Her rear legs give out from underneath her and she tries to slide herself backwards in a panic.
Wait, no. That's genuine fear. She's terrified. Of me? Did searching through the memories trigger a trauma response? Just what the hell did I do to her in those memories? I feel... anger, despair, and something else. Something heavier...hopelessness. All I can do is watch her suffer and I can't fix it.
I can't fix her memories but I can help her to stop being terrified. I channel the Mizzium and cast a 2nd level spell.
"Calm Emotions."
Her hyperventilating slowly stops and I can see the fear leave her eyes. She stands back up and looks me dead in the eyes. "You. You won't trick me with your words. Not again, never again."
I'm only a few steps away from her at this point. So, I choose to not respond, I just take another shuffling step forward. That's as far as I make it, something grabs onto my Mizzium and pulls me backwards. "Moonie, pl-"
"Don't call me that. You've lost that right. Let me test out something that I theorized was possible back when I first gave you those eyes. I could see your rolls and talk to you while everything around you was frozen in time. Does that mean your magic treats me as part of you since I'm possessing you? If so, what else do you think I could do with it?"
Nightmare ignites her horn and I feel the weight of her telekinesis settle onto my shoulder. Suddenly there's a bright golden light.
+41 Hit Points: 77/82.
-1 Level 4 Spell Slot.
She used her telekinesis as an extension of herself to satisfy the touch requirement and casted Cure Wounds. That's the only explanation, Cure Wounds is the only thing that looks like that. She used my own spell slot to do it as well...
"Why heal me? Don't you want me dead?" My limbs still feel heavy, but it's not as bad.
"Like I said, I want to take my time. Ensure my revenge is thorough. I can't stop until your face shows as much despair and terror as my own did. I'll make sure to whittle away at your sanity."
My mouth dries up as a thought enters my head. I have to know. "If you put me through all of that...what about Luna? What's going to happen to her?"
"Well since she locked me in her body and slowly consumed my power and even my soul, I thought it would only be fair to do the same. Luckily for her I don't plan on taking over 100 years. I'd wager I could completely snuff her out of existence within an hour, but I'll at least hold off on finishing the job until you die. Watching you go through this will be my revenge for her."
"No."
"What do you mean, no? You can only say no to me if you have the power to stop me, and we both know you do not."
The storm of inner turmoil I already had turns into a full on typhoon. Do I....do I have to fight her?
"I can't let you do this. I know this isn't your fault and I was willing to take anything you were going to throw at me. But I can't let you do that to her. You'll never forgive yourself." I jump backwards back to where I was standing originally and grab my Moonblade and Staff.
"You can't let me do this? You don't have a choice. I sat backseat to your lover for over a century. Even when I wasn't being subjected to whatever torture the two of you cooked up for that night I still had to live as a prisoner in my own mind. I will not allow you to lock me up again. I have my horn, I have my wings, I am free now and I'm going to remind the world who I am!"
The wind picks up all around us as Nightmare flares her mana. The weight of her presence is like the entire moon is sitting on my chest. I don't have a choice anymore, I have to subdue her. I hate to imagine what my body is going to feel like if I use this again while I'm already exhausted, but again, I don't have a choice.
"Symphony of Steel."
Bladesong Failed. Error: You cannot have more than one bladesong active at one time.
My eyes shrink as a wave of renewed fear washes over me. Focusing back on Nightmare I watch as her eyes begin to glow silver and motes of light rise out of the ground and flit about in the air around her. It's not the same Bladesong I used just now versus Discord, it's the base Bladesong. That's still pretty bad for me though. I don't even have armor, my AC is 15 right now. Time to use the Mizzium again.
"Mage Armor." AC: 18.
Okay that's back to what it normally is. What's she going to do now?
-1 Level 3 Spell Slot.
The motes of light that were bouncing around in the air around Nightmare start to speed up, and it looks like she just got surrounded by a gust of wind. Third level spell slot? That's Haste for sure.
Suddenly over 20 dark purple translucent weapons appear in the air. They're all different types. Daggers, shortswords, longswords, rapiers, and suddenly time stops.
Roll for Initiative
14 + 5 = 19
17 + 5 = 22
My eyes widen a bit and I see her lips twitch into a smirk. Time unfreezes and two of her spiritual weapons in the air come blitzing down towards me. I bat one away and jump backwards to dodge the second. Then panic starts to hit when she speaks again. "Oh this is far too slow. I can only send three of these at you per turn? Enable Real-Time Combat." (A/N: This is blue because it's a link, not cause NMM said it.)
"Long long time ago, I had my own little show. Was a beautiful, loveable, angel.~"
The music from her Bladesong finally starts and the song it chose for her surprises me a bit. I pause in anticipation for her next move, but she seems content to just keep floating there, singing her song, with her armada of spiritual weapons. If they all come at me back to back to back I need to figure out how I'm going to dodge all of them.
"But she took the spotlight shining so bright. Left me to fade away~"
My eyes widen as the number of magical weapons quadruples. There's enough of them now that it's casting a shadow over this abandoned street.
"But honey now the turn is mine~"
The slow piano notes fade out and are replaced by a cacophony of instruments. The same instant the song picks up the weapons start blitzing through the air, honing in on me. C'mon body, we gotta start moving like normal or I'm gunna be a skewer.
My first step looks slow motion as I barely manage to twist my torso to avoid the incoming spear. The momentum carries forward and the second step comes twice as fast. A dagger stabs right into my thigh, but I have to ignore it. I can't stop moving. The third step starts to look like my normal speed and I'm finally moving enough that I can somewhat ignore the fatigue.
The weapons start to fly past me in tandem with the notes of the song as I continue to sprint, jump, flip, twist, and duck out of the way of them as they fly by. Every so often I end up getting grazed and cut, but it's not too bad.
"3. 2. 1."
She finally runs out of magical weapons to fling at me and I internally sigh in relief. Until the ground beneath my still running feet breaks free from the surrounding earth and shoots into the air with me on it. By the time I can react she's already telekinesis'd the chunk of stone nearly 100ft in the air. I slam on the breaks and almost run right off the edge, but manage to stop just in time right at the edge. My arms flail around so I can keep my balance.
"A devil made from heaven, sent from above. Looks like Ignis' got a little date, let's have some fun."
Several pitch black, flat, massive crescent shaped air slashes appear in the air and start to vibrate with power. They are almost like sickles but without the handle. They're surrounding me from every angle, if they all fly at me at once...I'm not sure how to avoid this. I'll have to use a spell slot.
"We've got lots to do, little errand boy, come to me at Cloud Nine."
With every word she belts out in her lyric one of the pure magical air slashes is launched at me. Until she says boy, that's when the last one launches. I manage to jump and twist and contort my body in the air to dodge the first two, but it's just as I feared. I'm midair and I can't dodge, I'm going to be diced into pieces.
"Misty Step."
I activate the spell slot I was hoping to save and start to teleport 30ft further up into the air, completely out of the magic attacks trajectory. It feels like time slows down as I hear Nightmare's voice right in my ear.
"Counterspell."
"To be the perfect angel, some sin must be done."
The first air slash hit's me diagonally. From my right shoulder to my left hip. The blade gets about halfway through my body when I watch Nightmares horn ignite and the magic disappears.
I'd be confused if I wasn't in an unimaginable amount of pain as I watch my right arm limply flap about in the air since I can't control it anymore. There's not enough muscle and tendons, she even went through most of the bones.
-45 Hit Points: 23/82.
I'm at the edge of losing consciousness when I see a Strengthen rune appear in the air and see a golden light.
+4? Hit Points: 65/82. -1 Level 1 Spell Slot.
She used Strengthen on a Level 1 Cure Wounds? Why?
"You~ told me what to do and what to say."
My question is answered as my vision returns to normal. Just in time to watch the next magical air slash tear through both of my thighs as Nightmare just sings right next to me.
-57 Hit Points: 8/62.
No. I can't take this. This is beyond cruel. I feel my jaw clench as muffled grunts and yelps of pain escape my lips.
"I couldn't escape. You~..."
+?? Hit Points: 58/62. -1 Level 1 Spell Slot.
The nearly severed limbs once again heal in a flash of light, leaving deep scars. My eyes are slammed wide open, vision completely unfocused as my breathing becomes labored.
"...Got to choose the ending of my Fate."
The next one slices all the way across my gut.
-38 Hit Points: 18/82.
"You put me astray."
I can't see anything, my eyes have rolled up into my head. The wounds might heal but the pain is just piling on. The onslaught finally breaks through and all I can do is scream.
+60 Hit Points: 78/82. -1 Level 2 Spell Slot.
"But not anymore! I'M IN CONTROL!"
When will it end when will it end? Stop stop stop it hurts please someone...Please no more I can't...
I hear three unique sounds that sound like blades bouncing off of armor. While still hyperventilating I slowly open my eyes and see a familiar colored bubble shield surrounding me. It's Shining Armor. The air slashes are pushing against the shield and it rapidly starts to crack and chip.
"I have the stage, you can't turn the page!"
Right as I think the shield is going to give, there's a bright flash of red light and I watch as a huge magic missile slams into Nightmare's right side, the air slashes vanish instantly. Unstoppable Force. The two of them keep barreling away from me for several seconds until I see the red light grow brighter before bursting.
You're okay right, Force? You pushed Nightmare away and then dropped her and booked it right?
Suddenly the shield drops and I land on the small floating island that starts to slowly come back to the ground. I'm just laying there on my back hazily scanning the sky trying to find two dots clashing with each other. Keep scanning. Where are the two of you?
The floating island lands back down in Canterlot and I hear the Captain of the Guard speaking to me. "We finished evacuating everypony out of the city. They're all inside the mountain, we figured that's as safe as we were going to get. The changelings are doing everything they can to reinforce the interior to prevent a collapse. I was getting ready to go down there myself when the Princess stopped me and begged me to help you. I... I didn't realize how dire the situation had gotten. Those screams... I'm so sorry, Ignis."
I stare at him for a few seconds as his words take a bit to register. Right, they got everyone out, that's good. He's starting to look more concerned, oh, I should reply out loud. Through shaky breaths I finally utter a sentence. "It's been a long day, man."
He looks befuddled and then shocked and starts laughing. "Yeah it has. Let's get you inside the caves with everypony else."
The unicorn helps me to my feet and we take a few steps in the direction of the main gate before I stop. I shudder at the thought of turning around to go help Force. Just thinking about it brings back that searing pain. But, I have to. "Sorry, Captain. I can't evacuate just yet, we still don't have everyone."
"Are you insane? Physically you seem okay, but you're exhausted and your eyes are dead. Plus, I already told you! We got everypony out already? C'mon, bro?"
"No, we're still missing three. Force, Luna, and Nightmare. I'd be a real dickhead if I evacuated and left literally every member of my herd out here. I just need to talk to Nightmare one more time, I can get through to her. I know I can."
"You're going to die, Ignis. There's no other way to say it. It's not a chance, it's a fact. If you go back out there you will die. I cannot let you go."
"If it means saving them. My life is a price I can pay."
"But now it will change!"
My head turns towards the sudden sound and I watch as something is falling towards us, completely covered in smoke. I can feel my heart stop.
My mana surges into my legs and I leap into the air as the unknown projectile slams into my chest. I give a slight grunt, but it's not that bad.
-4 Hit Points: 74/82
We still have a lot of speed so I cast Feather Fall, it's unfortunately casted with a second level spell slot cause I'm out of first level slots. That's my last second level slot as well. We're only six or seven feet off the ground when I cast it and although the spell helps a lot I still land on my back and slide several feet across the ground, taking 12 more damage.
My hands brush against soft fur and I blow away the smoke with a small gust of wind. It's Force. She's breathing, but unconscious. There's a nasty gash at the top of her head and the blood coming down the side of her face almost looks like it's just an extension of her mane.
I cast Cure Wounds at third level and sigh at the amazing roll I get. +40 Hit Points. The wound on her head closes up completely and her eyes flutter open. "Ignis? Aw man is this the afterlife? I thought we saved you in time..."
"You did save me in time, you fiery little missile." I try to act as normal as possible and give her a soft smile. We just stare at each other for a few seconds, neither one breaking the silence. Unfortunately the moment could never last forever.
"Focus on me!"
I turn my head towards the sky when I notice it suddenly gets much darker. My eyes widen as I watch an outline of Nightmare flying straight up in the sky with the Moon as a backdrop and she sings her next line. Eventually the moon blocks out the sun and stops.
"I'll be all that they see! I'll make em sway, no, can't run away. All eyes on me."
"Well I'm gunna go handle that. Shining, help her get to the cave, please."
Shining looks like he wants to continue the argument from earlier until we make eye contact. I watch as he closes his eyes and sighs in resignation. I put Force on his back and do my best to tune out her yelling at me as he takes her away.
Surging mana into every fiber of muscle in my legs, I cause the ground to crater as I leap into the air towards Nightmare. Her bladesong is in a brief instrumental as I use a third level spell slot to Misty Step the rest of the way into the air.
3rd Person POV
The elf pops into existence right above her, and he wraps his hands around her neck and pulls himself against her back. Once there he wraps his legs around her barrel too. "Now I gotcha."
To his amusement she's so surprised that the bladesong instantly ends and she lets out some sound similar to chirp. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? GET OFF OF ME THIS INSTANT!" Nightmare's royal Canterlot voice causes the bladesingers head to rattle a bit.
"Nope, you're stuck with me. You know even after all of this, I still love you. The first thing I thought of once the shock wore off was you. How you're going to react when you remember all of this, I don't know how you're going to react or how I'll even console you. This entire situation is so fucked. I'm damn near out of spell slots Moonie, I think I've actually gone a little bit insane, so I beg of you. Please! PLEASE SNAP OUT OF IT!"
The facade Ignis had on for Force, Shining, and even himself, finally crumbles. Out of nowhere during the end of his plea to her he just breaks down. The fur against his face becomes damp in an instant and breathing starts to become harder for the elf. Ignis screams out the last few words of his request before going into a sob. The alicorn feels something in her chest, there's a dull ache as she listens to the bladesinger.
Her eyes start to dart around again until they turn into the same hypnotic swirls they were earlier. Flashes of the gala go through her mind followed by the false scenes of torture. The last month of basically shadowing the elf and assisting him with his daily stressors all flash back to back to back. There's a flash of blistering pain in her mind as the chaotic spell starts to come undone. Voices start to scream that she's making a mistake, he's lying, she needs to end this now!
The spell snaps back together with a massive rebound that just makes the alicorn incredibly confused and disorientated. The elf once again failed to get through to her, but the spell is cracked and stretched and nearly shattered.
Nightmare completely loses her mind and starts to zoom higher and higher into the air. Ignis' sobbing has quieted down a bit by this point and he slowly pulls himself up until his head is right next to hers. The bladesinger is suddenly reminded of a song from his time on earth as he starts to get dizzy. They continue climbing higher into the sky.
"Inside, are bottled up feelings. Silently screaming.
But when I lose control... you hold me in your wings and say
That "everything will be okay."
And when I'm left with nothing, babe.
I know I still have everything.
And they all say the spark will fade,
But you still take my breath away~"
The uncharacteristically soft voice from the elf starts to bring Nightmare back, just a little. Her subconscious hears the words and pulls her consciousness back to the surface. "It's just another bladesong. The words are meaningless." She hears her own voice talking to her mind.
"But there's no mana, no lights... there isn't even any music. It's just him." Nightmares mind reels in surprise as Luna has managed to work her way into Nightmares psyche thanks to how fractured it was. "Nightmare Moon. We were once a single pony. You know as well as I that something is wrong here, something doesn't add up. Please just listen to him one more time."
Nightmare finds herself floating deep underwater. She can hear the bladesinger, but her body struggles to move as she tries to take control of herself again.
"When I'm hanging by a thread,
Drawing my last breath.
At least I'll share the air with you."
She can hear how labored his breaths are. Whenever he pauses in the lyric to take a breath in he ends up wheezing. The air is getting too thin. Nightmare finds her strength and starts to pull herself up through the endless sea, even using her wings to try and find her way back just a bit faster.
"When the world's falling apart,
And we're left in the dark...
At least I'm holding onto you.
...holding...on... to................
You."
The chaotic spell shatters bit by bit as she starts to become more frantic in her efforts to swim through the ocean of her mind. She hears the elf barely whisper the last line of the song and when he goes to repeat it he gets quieter and quieter. The gaps between words get longer. There's a deafening silence.
The swirls in her eyes turn back to normal and the former villain comes to a screeching halt, having nearly left the atmosphere entirely. She notices the lack of weight on her back, and spins around instantly.
The elf is covered in spots of ice with his eyes closed. There's a soft smile on his face as he starts to fall back down towards the planet. Nightmare instantly uses the same spell Luna used to fly away from the Ursa Major as fast as she could, and sends out a shockwave as she rockets towards the falling elf.
Nightmare wraps the elf up in her forelegs and throws up a thermal shield to protect him from re-entry heat. She's still so high up that she can see most of Equestria and realizes Ignis isn't breathing.
While reentering the atmosphere she pulls him closer and locks lips with the bladesinger. Trying and hoping with everything in her heart that she can breathe life back into him. As they get closer to Canterlot she's back to normal air pressure, but her panic only rises as he still isn't breathing.
"No. No no no nonononono please please...don't leave me...please."
The alicorn's shield takes a massive blow as she slams into an empty field somewhere between Ponyville and Canterlot mountain. Nightmare tries to give him chest compressions, but nothing is working.
This empty field with no civilization in sight is filled only with the sounds of grief.
"Please...you can't just save me. Save Luna. And then die with this stupid smile on your face. WHY ARE YOU SMILING!! WAKE UP!"
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 8
NIGHTMARE MOON! Please regain your senses! You are not out of options yet!
Unfortunately the alicorn is just continuing to stare at the corpse beneath her, she's shut down completely. This is how she's been for the last few hours now, the sun and moon randomly exchanging places every now and then. "It wasn't supposed to be like this. Getting unsealed was supposed to be a joyous occasion. Force had been helping me plan a few different stops for our date. Now...now...."
Nightmare gives up on trying to utter the next few words out loud. Scrunching up her muzzle as she releases a shudder.
Nightmare. You- no, WE are not out of options. There is still one thing we can try.
"What? Should I link our life forces together? Harmony would disown you if you used that spell, it's one of the most forbidden out there. Doesn't matter though, it's too late for that now that spell only works on the living."
Suddenly the elf's voice rings out in her mind. Her eyes shrink initially until she realizes it's a memory. Luna is replaying a memory.
I'm merely a paladin, a conduit for Her power and I was still able to perform this miracle.
"He was greatly exaggerating Luna. That instance of revival was because of his dice rolling power. I don't even have access to that anymore."
That cannot be true. If I feel it then you must as well, anytime that Paladin prays, smites, seeks Guidance, or heals himself or another creature. There's a tug on our connection, sometimes I can even feel a surge of power get transferred. He even managed to channel the moonlight into his blade against the Ursa! If his divine power was purely a result of his unique power then he could not have done that!
"...You might be right. Even then Our power is probably just being fed into him, and his own power is what's utilizing it. Without that we don't know how to perform the spell, and that spell is one that unicorns have been attempting to cast well before even you were born. You think we can create that impossible spell in a day when those eons of effort could not?"
We have to try! Do you even hear yourself right now?! If you aren't going to try then get the hell out of my body and I'll do it myself.
The alicorn slaps herself on both sides of her muzzle a few times. "I can't give up. You're right. Okay so let's lay out our variables."
The runic pattern first of all. Starswirl was able to reverse engineer Grogar's necromancy, and found two core problems. It doesn't return life to the corpse and it doesn't return their soul. The dark magic merely possesses their body. Even then that spell is over 17 runes. Starswirl theorized that life could be returned to the corpse with the addition of 10 more runes that in combination with each other translate to vitality, blood, and restoration. At that point he mostly stopped his research, 27 runes is far more than anything that's been done before. I remember asking him out of curiosity why let that stop him when he could use multiple spellcasters in a ritual to accomplish the feat. The method they used to move the celestial bodies, of course.
"It's the mana cost, isn't it? That many runes in one spell it'd take who knows how many Archmages to supply it."
That as well, but even then that was a solvable variable. He gave up on the research because of the soul. There was no runic combination that could even remotely represent a soul. Also it's more than 27 runes... he said you'd likely need two Strengthen runes, at a minimum. Maybe even three.
"Well what the hell are we supposed to do? Let alone the runes and mana problem, how do we retrieve his soul?"
I think...we already have. His oath. He swore his soul to me. I'm not sure how to act on this information but his soul should be available to us.
"And if we supply the spell with Divinity instead of mana...There should be more than enough in the moon right now. Maybe...maybe we can actually do this..."
Let's scribe the runes down first and then we can theorize how to actually get around the massive number of them required for the spell. We can do this.
"How are you holding yourself together so well? I barely feel like I can go on, I can't imagine how I'd feel if I was you."
Because I know we can bring him back. We have to. There is no other option.
Nightmare realizes that Luna is also just barely holding on by a single thread of hope. She silently agrees with the mare trapped inside her own body and conjures stacks of paper and a quill.
Nightmare backs away from the papers and looks at the final draft. It's like looking at an insurmountable cliff. It ended up being 30 runes total, almost double what a single pony has managed to do before. She just hopes that Luna's idea works.
"So I'll layer every other rune starting with the first one, and you'll layer every other rune starting with the second one? Why do you think this will work when we still share the same horn?"
Because it has to.
Right. "You'll also need to invoke his soul at the same time. Did you come up with a way to do that, yet?"
I think so. I haven't done it yet because I'm scared that if I do it and we don't have the spell ready I might not be able to put it back. If I reach deep inside the well of divine power I can definitely feel something else there, it has to be him.
"So we're ready then?"
I am if you are.
"Wait!"
What is it?!
"We need a diamond. A valuable one, that was the only thing he used then that we haven't tried to create a substitute for."
You're right. Do you feel the ping I'm releasing? That's where the most valuable diamond I could find is. I've had it prepared there ever since he asked for one in the colony.
Nightmare does see the location flashing in her memory, and conjures the item to her side. The alicorn gawks at the sheer size of the gem, it's at least the size of a soccer ball. Instead of the typical round cut that has a point on one side, this gem is more spherical. It almost resembles that 20 sided dice she's seen before, but this one has more than 20 sides.
She hovers the diamond over the elf's chest and starts to layer her portion of the runic pattern. She almost cries from the relief that washes over her when she sees Luna's runes start to take their place as well. She knew that runes could be projected into the air instead of the horn, but she was unsure if Luna could even perform the task while locked in her own body.
The reason the runes have to be projected into the air is because you can only layer one rune per layer of the spiral on one's horn. Despite being an alicorn she could still only channel 13 runes through the bone-like organ. The downside to this is that it requires much more concentration to maintain the layers properly compared to the horn that resonates in tune with the rune, and locks the rune in on its own.
As the layers of magic circles finish stacking on top of each other in the air, Nightmare can feel beads of sweat forming. Channeling 15 runes at once is no small feat, and it's draining her mental stamina at a steady pace.
Next she reaches into her connection with the moon and starts to pour the power directly out of it. While she does that Luna searches for that foreign feeling she felt within her own power, and starts to tug on it. Both actions have an immediate impact.
The sheer volume of divine energy being channeled has caused Nightmare to begin floating without using her wings. One by one the magic circles start to slowly spin and glow. Then a giant silver ball of fire appears over the elf's corpse. It's probably twice as big as the diamond currently floating an inch off his chest.
"Luna, are those normally that big?"
How would I know? I haven't seen a soul before either. That's definitely him though I could tell as soon as I reached out and grasped it.
As the runes start to all glow and spin in activation the air begins to hum with power. The floating soul compresses down into the massive diamond and causes the diamond to glow extremely bright.
Finally a massive pillar of completely opaque moonlight roars through the air and slams through all of the runes. It starts to channel into a single point at the tip of Nightmares horn. From there a second beam, much smaller than the one from outer space, shoots out of her horn and directly through the diamond into the chest of the deceased elf.
The beam continues to pour down from space for several minutes and Nightmares' entire horn is completely obscured from how bright it's now glowing. She starts to grunt and wince from the strain of the spell.
"It's too much p-gah power Luna! There's a reason it's stored in the moon grrrk-ah and we just draw from it! We're almost done right?! I can't take much more! Tch"
Luna knew it had only been 8 minutes and she wasn't sure how to break the news to Nightmare about how long this spell takes. They need to endure for another 52 minutes.
Can you adjust the output? The only reason this is happening is because we're taking in the divinity faster than you're sending it back out. Too much of it is building up in our thaumic system!
Nightmare lets out a painful scream as she cranks up the output. Eventually reaching a point where she doesn't feel like the internal pressure is increasing anymore. "I can't go higher than this! I think this is enough to keep it from getting worse, but I can't purge what we've already taken in. Not until the spell is nearly finished. Please Luna, how much longer?!"
Just...just a bit more. You're doing great, Nightmare. This is going to work if we can just finish the spell I can feel it.
Luna has the advantage of currently not being in control of the body being crushed by an impossible volume of divine power, and she knows it. She wishes she could trade places with the former villain but despite the manipulation spell being broken she still can't take control of her body. If she forces it there's a chance it doesn't make her trade places with Nightmare, it might just send Nightmare back to the moon. So, it's not an option right now.
45 minutes later.
Screams of pain fill the air, sounding as if someone is getting all of their teeth pulled with no anesthetic. Nightmares horn has small cracks that have formed in it as the spell continues to cast. This is nothing compared to what I put him through. I can endure this. Luna it's almost over right? We're almost there?
Yes. Just.... A bit... more.
Despite not feeling the physical pain herself, the spell was starting to take its toll on her as well.
6 minutes later.
The screams have stopped. There's still a minute left on the spell, but the mare's throat has just been completely shredded to the point that her screams are silent. Glowing, jagged silver lines have started appearing on her body as well. The Divinity trapped in her mana pool has grown more violent. Divinity isn't meant to share the same space as your mana and cycle through your mana circuits. It has it's own metaphysical space. If the spell had to continue for more than another 30 seconds, it's not certain that her physical form would withstand it.
But thankfully, the spell has finished. The pillar of light coming from the sky narrows down into a thin line before finally dispersing, and the trapped Divinity leaves her body with the final burst of the spell. All of the cracks that had appeared on her horn and body vanish as well, a side effect of the healing power of the Divinity that had be cycled through 30 runes of healing and vitality as it finished coursing through her.
With an unceremonious thud the alicorn drops out of the air a few feet away from the elf. She passes out for a fraction of a second before slowly finding the resolve to pick up her head. Nightmare has to see if it worked.
For a moment her mind is blank as she scans for any signs of life, but the diamond is gone so that should be a good sign right? That's when she sees his chest start to slowly rise and fall with life giving breath. All of his scars are gone as well. This is because, unbeknownst to anyone on this planet, the pair of alicorns went far beyond what would've been necessary for a 5th Level Raise Dead spell.
In their efforts to give the spell everything they could offer it they supplied it with far more than enough. Even the diamond with its auction price of 110,000 bits, was far far too much. What they had done was more comparable to the 9th Level True Resurrection spell. Comparable because it was likely even more powerful than that, but there's no other metric to compare it against.
Nightmare attempts to stay conscious for just a few moments longer, hoping to see him wake up. Something beyond just breathing. There's a chance they returned life into the body but did not properly deliver the soul. Unfortunately that is when her adrenaline runs out and she collapses back down to the dirt.
Ignis 1st Person POV
Hit Points: 82/82
Exhaustion: 2
XP: 126,000/120,000. Level Up Pending!
Instantly my heart rate spikes and I sit up like lightning. "Nightm-"
Where am I? It looks like a massive tent with bunk beds on one half and hospital beds on the other. There's thestrals and changelings, but where is she? How am I alive?
"Sir! Calm down! We're on the border of the Undiscovered West. Princess Celestia informed us where Her Grace and yourself had crash landed, and we abandoned the inner mountain to come evac the two of you. What happened out there, sir?" My mind is still processing everything around me as her words slowly register.
Eventually my mind catches up and I don't answer the Vice Captains question. Turning to my left to look her in the eyes I just ask the question repeating itself in my mind. "Where is she?"
Elytra's eyes widen a bit. "When did you get green eyes? Sorry, not important. I'm not sure where Her Grace is. She woke up around 12 hours ago and just said she needed some time. Are you okay? We couldn't find any wounds on you, or even scars for that matter, but that didn't match what we'd heard from Captain Armor."
"Green? Wait that is important, do they still look like thestral or draconic eyes? Slitted instead of a circular pupil?"
"No they're just a really bright green with a small dot for a pupil..."
Nightmare? Can you hear me? After a few seconds I dig around for my Sending stone. Luna, are you there?
I can still feel the divine connection, but Nightmare no longer has her minor possession on me. Why? "Why are we in the Undiscovered West? Why not take us back to Canterlot? If Luna left 12 hours ago then how long have I been out?"
"Well sir, first off, Her Grace was....she was Nightmare Moon. It's been about two and half days. We didn't go back to Canterlot because the city is gone, it's floating a few hundred feet above the mountain. The elements lost, sir. They're actually just outside the tent right now. They managed to recover the elements but apparently they couldn't get them to activate. They're also all acting strange according to the ponies that have known them."
Holy shit. We lost? Of course we lost, I don't even know how they sealed him the first time. My juiced up Fireball did 600d6 damage to the fucker and it looked like it hurt him but he just snapped the wounds away. What the hell do we even do now?
"I take it Celestia stayed at the mountain?" Elytra gives me a nod. "Okay. Walk with me, I need some air."
Getting out of the hospital bed I quickly realize I am, in fact, still shirtless. Right, armor got shredded. Who cares, they're all mostly naked anyways, and I've still got pants. Walking out of the long tent I'm greeted with a sight that surprises me. This is almost a small village. We've got 300 ponies here, easily. I was expecting it to just be the Night Guard.
"We took a detour to Ponyville after grabbing the two of you. We got the hospital beds from there, and Her Grace summoned our bunks from the barracks before she left. All of the civilians you see came with us when we left Ponyville."
After a few seconds more and more of the ponies around the campsite have noticed me, and a wave of silence permeates outward. The guards are all silent, but the civilians are muttering and whispering amongst themselves. Apparently there's all kinds of rumors about what I did in Canterlot. Wait, what is this look on all of my guards faces?
After the colosseum I got looks of pride, a small applause, a few ponies asking questions. None of them looked like this though. Why are they looking at me with such awe-stricken faces? Do they think I'm a hero?
"Hey Mr. Ignis! It's Applebloom, you 'member me?" The first pony I met when I came here interrupts my thoughts and runs up to me, waving.
"You're hard to forget. How are you holding up?"
"...I'm okay. Sis hasn't been herself though, she's startin to worry the rest of us. Can you help 'em like you did at the Summer Sun Celebration?" Her happy tone quickly turns somber and she looks up at me with big puppy eyes. That should be a war crime. "I miss the farm and the clubhouse, and how things used to be. I wanna go home."
"That's the plan. I was just about to go find Twilight and see what's going on with the elements."
"She's been weird lately too..." Applebloom's voice trails off and her ears swivel a bit as Applejack calls her name off in the distance. "I gotta go." If AJ is over there then Twilight probably is too.
I return my gaze to my guards. "Thank you. All of you. For recovering Luna and myself. I'm impressed with what you all have managed to do with this situation. Evacuating Ponyville and having the presence of mind to get all of us as far from ground zero as possible is exactly what I expect from you. You all managed to stay cool and react quickly to an impossibly chaotic situation and... I'm proud."
Performance
11 + 6 = 17.
I grab the Moonblade and channel the ability to project my voice for 300ft. "Now it's my turn to do what I'm expected to do. This time next week we'll all be back at the castle, complaining about how boring it is during our shift. Discord will pay for what he did to Her Grace, and he'll pay for what he did to us."
"B-but how, sir? Not even the Elements could win..." One of the changelings sitting closer to the front asks the question that probably everyone else is thinking. I need to work on remembering everyone's name.
"The Elements were going to lose to Nightmare Moon too, but I was there. They lost to Discord and I wasn't there. This time I'll be there. You think anything in this entire realm can stand up to all three Princesses, the Elements of Harmony, and the two Knights of Equestria? I can't think of anything that could take that on."
There's a few cheers but not nearly as many as I was hoping for. In situations like this morale is the most important resource. "I didn't think you were the type to give speeches, sir."
"Well if they're all going to look at me like I'm a hero I thought I should at least try to play the part. Do we have squads set up to go hunt and forage? If it's been two days I can't imagine our food situation is good."
"Yes sir, around 60 of us have been going out there whenever the sun is up. We wanted to send more than that, but considering we have to do a muster before we leave and a muster when we get back to make sure we didn't lose anyone...well it was a bit inefficient to do more than 60."
The Vice Captain holds her mouth open for a second and it looks like she's hesitating to say something. I don't think I've seen her like this since she was about to get executed in the hive. "Sir, can you really save us?"
"No. I can't. If it's me and the Elements then I'm much more confident. If Luna, Nightmare, Celestia, and maybe even Cadence are there then I know we can win. I can't do shit alone though. I already tried that and the guy just shrugged off anything I hit him with. I'm going to go find Twilight and see if we can get a plan together."
Elytra gives a quick nod as I turn and walk away. I do need to find Twilight, but first I have to do this. It's eating me up inside to not know what's going on. Grabbing my staff to use as a focus so I can ignore any material component that doesn't have a monetary value specified, I cast Sending. "Are you okay? Where are you? What happened, and can you come back to camp please?"
It's not 25 words but I send it off anyway. There's no point in asking too many questions, I just need to know she's ok.
C'mon... say something.
Maybe she's just asleep right now. Yeah, I'll try again in a few hours. Let's go find the elements and see what the hell happened.
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 9
What the hell is wrong with these ponies? People said they were acting a bit strange, but this is far beyond strange. They're basically completely opposite of their normal selves. I was pretty quickly able to figure out that literally every single sentence out of AJ's mouth is a lie. Fluttershy is being a massive cunt, and Pinkie is just...mad. Hopefully Twilight hasn't completely lost her mind.
"Yo! What's up Twi? What are you doing all the way over here at the corner of the camp? I've been trying to find you for like 30 minutes." She's the only one I've seen using a normal sized tent. Just hanging out all alone way off in the corner.
"Well? You found me! Now leave me alone."
"Not you too! Did Discord manage to corrupt all of you or something?"
"Corrupt? He opened my eyes. I should've never listened to Celestia, I knew making friends is a waste of time." She sounds depressed.
Does this weird thing Discord did to them count as a curse, or would it be closer to a status condition like paralysis or petrification? Remove Curse works on Modify Memory, so it probably would've worked on Nightmare. I was just way too overwhelmed and panicked. By the time I could think somewhat clearly...
I clutch my left arm as I remember watching it flapping around the wind, nearly severed. By the time I could think clearly she had used all my spell slots. Well I'm gunna try Remove Curse on Twilight and we'll see what happens. Channeling the Mizzium I get ready to cast Remove Curse, it's a level 3 spell so the DC will be 16, that should be safe enough.
Arcana (Mizzium Check DC 16)
19 + 13 = 32.
Would've liked to save that roll for when I try to slam a level 9 spell through this thing, but hey that works. Twilight turns her head up in confusion as she hears the Mizzium start to hum to life and hears me reciting an incantation. "Wh-what are you doing?! Stay back!"
I just merely flare my mana since I know that caused her to freeze up in the old castle, this should let me touch her so I can channel the spell. She opens her mouth again as the mana unleashes and her pupils shrink rapidly in fear. "Don't worry, this is for your own good."
"Remove Curse."
I place my hand on her back and channel the spell, thankfully it has no material cost like Greater Restoration. There's a small burst of light, and afterwards the unicorn's coat looks much more vibrant. I didn't realize how dull her colors were until just now. "You back to normal?"
"Ignis! Oh, I just had the worst dream ever. I lost all of my friends and even had to leave Ponyville. Did we beat Discord?"
"That wasn't a dream, and no we didn't beat him. I was hoping you could explain what went wrong but it sounds like you all were unable to use the elements after being corrupted. Where are the elements by the way?"
"Oh no... we threw them away! We have to go back to Ponyville, Ignis! Can you fix my friends too?"
Well that Sending spell was a 3rd level, same as Remove Curse. I only have one 3rd level slot left, then I'll have to use my 4th and 5th levels. Assuming I only have to cast it 5 more times that'll leave me a single 5th and 6th level spell slot. I guess I don't have any other option though. "Yeah I can. If they react to me casting a spell the same way you did though, I'll need your help. I have to touch them for the spell, so if you could restrain them with your magic that'd be nice."
"That should be easy enough, c'mon we can't afford to waste any time!"
"The only one left now is Rainbow. You guys know where she is?" I ask after using my last 4th level spell slot on Fluttershy. With Twilight's magic getting the rest of these guys cured was relatively uneventful. I used Guidance in tandem with the Mizzium as well so my odds were still pretty good, even for 4th level spell slots. The 1d4 boost from Guidance made it so even if I rolled a 1 I could still theoretically hit the DC if the Guidance rolled a 4. It never came that close thankfully.
With Rarity I rolled a 2 and needed to hit a 3 or a 4 on Guidance to cast the spell, so basically a 50/50. We lucked out and got a 4 though.
"She couldn't have gone too far, there's nothing around for miles. Fluttershy you check the clouds and we'll spread out to look through the trees. She's probably just napping somewhere." Twilight divvy's up the assignments and I break away from them.
"While you guys look for her I need to go update my Vice Captain on the situation."
Everyone splits up and I'm able to very quickly make it back to the tent I woke up in. "Where's Elytra?" I ask one of the first guards I spot when I arrive.
"Vice Captain is in the Command and Control tent just over there." I thank him and turn to walk away but pause when he speaks up again. "Sir...I don't know if you remember this, but when you were visiting Night Court a couple of weeks ago, I was there. That noble muttered under her breath about you being a monster, and she was surprised when we all heard it. You just laughed it off and I couldn't understand why. Until you mentioned how often you used to hear things like that when you first arrived here."
I elect to interrupt him there. I'm sure he's leading to something but it seems more like rambling at this point and I really am pressed for time. "That was when I first got here. It's only like once a week nowadays. I appreciate what I assume was going to be a pep talk, but I really need to ge-"
"I was one of the few Night Guards that happened to be outside when you fought Discord. I saw everything, and I just wanted to... make sure you knew. That you knew every single pony who was out there with me, none of them see you as a monster. Nopony thought any of us had a chance against that thing and we just needed to hide and wait for the real heroes to save the day. You changed that, I, no, we really thought we had a chance. You inspired ponies then, sir, and I just thought you should know. It seems like nopony tells you about things like that, and you deserve to know. That you're not a monster or a freak or...or.."
His eyes are staring at the ground as he searches for the words, so he doesn't notice that I'm reaching out towards him. I place my hand right on top of his head and his eyes snap up towards me. "Thanks. Listen this might sound bad, but there's alot of you and I haven't really had any one on one time with any of you. So, forgive me for asking, but what's your name?"
"Echo. Private Echo, sir. I'm sorry for holding you up."
"No you're good Echo. You're right I definitely don't hear things like that, and I'm happy you told me. Do you have anything else you wanna say or ask? I'm in a hurry but I'll give you a free one for lifting my mood." I remove my hand from his hand and back up a few steps.
"Umm," It's always a tragedy when someone is put on the spot. I can guarantee you he had something he wanted to ask at some point in the last few weeks, and now it's just slipping his mind. If he can't remember he'll ask some childish question like "How's your day been?" or "How can I get-""
"How can I get as strong as you? I realized how weak I really am that day, and I want to be strong."
"Well that's a tough one. I don't know if I recommend my method of training. I just lost, like a lot. Fought Nightmare Moon, lost. Fought a dragon at the colosseum, lost. Fought Chrysalis, twice, lost both times. Oh I fought Celestia at the colosseum too, definitely lost that one, but that one didn't put me on death's door like the others. I think up until Discord I had been on a bit of a hot streak, but back to zero wins in a row now."
"So I just have to fight....and lose? Are you sure that works?"
"Of course. You gotta nearly die though, that's a key factor. You'll lose but survive and you'll win some too, and eventually you'll be strong enough that you never lose again." I leave him with that and go towards the C2 tent.
Opening the tent flap I stick my head in and announce myself. "Elytra!"
"Sir!"
"The element bearers had some type of magic affecting them, but I've gotten nearly all of them cured. I'm about to go cure Rainbow Dash and then we're heading back to Ponyville to grab the elements. I figured I'd give you that update before I leave so you can spread the good news. I'd maybe sit on it for a bit until morale drops though, that'll probably be a decent booster."
My eyes turn away from the Vice Captain who looks a bit shell shocked for some reason, and spot a pegasus...Day Guard? "I thought it was just Night Guards here? Were you in Ponyville to watch over the element bearers or something?
"No, sir. He just arrived a few minutes ago. He brought urgent news from Canterlot. The- actually maybe you should tell him yourself, Lieutenant."
The Day Guard officer stammers a bit and I can already tell this is bad news. I can feel a knot in my stomach twisting everything up. "Princess Celestia is missing."
"What?"
"She got her magic back, apparently the "game" for the elements ended so her magic returned? I don't know, but she flew out of the cave and went to take on Discord herself. We heard rumbling and crashing and the interior of the mountain definitely got hotter by a few degrees. After a while though it was just silent. That was nearly 12 hours ago at this point, and nopony has seen her. Our tracking spells are turning up nothing and same thing with our Sending spells. Captain Armor wanted me to come deliver the news and request that you and the Elements return as soon as possible."
"Alright. Message received. That's what we were about to do anyways, I'll be heading out with the element bearers in a few minutes. Elytra you said Nightmare woke up and left around 12 hours ago as well right?"
"Yes sir, but it's more like 13 and a half at this point. You think it's related?"
"Maybe. Alright, you're in charge, don't throw any crazy parties while I'm gone. If you see a giant rainbow shockwave fly over then it's clear to head back to Canterlot." She gives me a super serious affirmative and holds the tent flap open for me as I leave. I know I said I picked her for her determination and professionalism, but she could stand to lighten up just a bit.
When I walk out of the tent I immediately get called out by someone. "Uhm, excuse me, uhm Mr. Ignis."
Oh it's Fluttershy. I'm surprised she's talking to me, ever since that napping dragon incident she hasn't really spoken a word to me. "Hey, did you guys find Rainbow?"
"Yes. Twilight wanted me to come get you. They've got her all tied up but she's really struggling. So uhm, if you could hurry, if that's ok, that would probably be best. I'm Sorry."
"You're good. No need to be so...afraid. Where are they? Just point me in the general direction and I'll find them."
She apologizes again and points a wing towards the North West. Using a bit of mana I chain a few leaps together to get over the tents and out of camp. Then I break out into a sprint and start to swivel my head around looking for the ponies.
Within a couple of minutes I found them and wow I didn't realize how bad it was. They've got a few ropes tied around Rainbows barrel and they're all holding their own rope, pulling in four different directions to keep her in place. Even with all of that she's still kicking back her hind legs and throwing a huge fit.
She spots me approaching and starts to double her efforts. "Oh heck no! You're not gunna eat me, Ignis! Ughhhh Let. Me. Go!"
I just reach out with my telekinesis and slowly push her towards the ground. Alright this time I have to cast Remove Curse at level 5 so the DC is going to be 20 this time. This time it's actually a bit risky. I try to tune out the pegasus as she throws a string of curses at me, and channel the Mizzium for what is hopefully the last time.
Arcana (Mizzium Check DC 20)
7 + 13 = 20 + 1 (Guidance) = 21.
Turns out I would've been okay without Guidance, but better to be safe than sorry. The spell goes through and her sounds of resistance quiet down as the color returns to her. "Huh? Wait, what happened?! Did we beat Discord?"
I back away as they have their cheesy group hug and catch her up to speed. Once that's done we gather up a few supplies for our short trip and start heading back towards Ponyville.
"Some news came in while I was talking to my Vice Captain by the way. I've been debating if I should tell you all, but I suppose you deserve to know."
"Did something happen?" Twilight stops me from continuing with a question and I just give her a look of minor annoyance. I know she's just stressed though so I don't hold it against her. Hell I guess I'm stressed too. That shouldn't have annoyed me as much.
"OH! Is it a surprise?! If it's a surprise you shouldn't tell us cause that'll ruin it, and I love surprises. But wait, if you don't tell us then that means we'll know it's a surprise because we told you to not tell us if it is one? Oh I know! You can say whatever it is and I'll block my ears so I can't hear it! Then I won't know cause you told us and I didn't hear what you said!" Pinkie chimes in and sounds like an insane person, like normal.
"Like I was TRYING to say," I give Twilight a side eye and then Pinkie an absolute bombastic side eye. "Princess Celestia-"
"Lalalalala, blblblblblblbl I can't hear you!" How is she so... like this with everything that's happened?
She keeps making her noises so I'm forced to speak up a bit louder. "Celestia was last seen leaving Canterlot mountain to go confront Discord, over 12 hours ago. No one has heard from her since, and none of their tracking spells are working. She's officially missing."
The group pauses our forward momentum as they all gasp and Twilights ears pin back. "Th- the Princess is missing?"
Pinkie, seeing that we've all stopped and my mouth isn't moving anymore, decides to stop making incessant noises and removes her ear plugs. Where'd she even get those? When she regains her hearing the first thing she hears is Twilights sniffling and Pinkie quickly realizes the mood is somber now. "Wait what did I miss...?"
Completely ignoring her before she gives me an aneurysm I go kneel next to Twilight. "Listen, Celestia's fine. I've gone toe to toe with her and Discord and I can tell you that she wouldn't go down that easy."
"But if the tracking spells aren't working then she's either sealed or... oh I hope you're right."
"I am. C'mon we gotta keep moving, we're still several hours away from town." I hope I'm right too. The sun and the moon are both missing, but at least we've got the element bearers back.
Somewhere Near Canterlot
"I'm impressed that brat managed to cleanse my magic from Twilight and her little friends, and even more impressed that he's still alive after that lover's quarrel. Now that he's handled the younger sister, I'm curious to see how he fares against the elder one. This should delay the bearers for a while as well. Long enough for me to plan a new game." A certain draconequus laughs to himself, imagining what's about to unfold.
Just a few feet away there's an alicorn soaring through the air, flying towards Ponyville. On her flanks rests the sun, and in her eyes there's a pair of hypnotic swirls.
"Ignis has foalnapped Twilight and her friends and placed a Geas on them. I have to safeguard the Elements until he is dealt with and the element bearers can prove they are free from the mental compulsion." She repeats to herself out loud with a monotone, robotic voice.
After she finishes repeating herself the swirls fade away and the alicorn regains control of her body, mind still altered. "I knew that elf would betray us one day. We taught him magic against my better judgment and now he has all of Equestria at risk. I can only hope Lulu will forgive me when she finds the glassed crater I will leave him in."
The solar alicorn speeds up and approaches Ponyville with determination in her eyes. Those golden, draconic eyes. Her mane and tail a crackling, blazing inferno that leaves embers in her wake. In her telekinesis a small metal box, imprinted to only open to her mana signature, contains the Elements of Harmony.
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 10
My eyes open to a deafening silence and an expansive black sky littered with stars. Sitting up I realize I'm on the moon. Instantly I can feel a smile break out on my face as I stand up and start to run towards our normal meeting spot. "Nightmare! I've been tr-"
Cresting over the edge of a huge crater I look down and find an empty throne. "Luna? Nightmare?"
After walking around for several minutes just yelling both of their names I collapse onto my ass and just stare at the planet. "If neither of you are here, then why am I? I am dreaming right?"
Suddenly everything turns upside down and I'm falling through the sky towards the Everfree. Well at least that confirms its a dream, I would've taken way longer to go from the moon to here from just gravity. One second later and I'm falling through the treeline into an area of the forest far deeper than I've ever gone before. I'm surprised how big it actually is.
I land in a rather open clearing that's completely empty. No grass or life of any kind, and the dirt is pitch black. Considering where I just was, I can only assume I'm here because something brought me here.
"Well? You've got my attention. What do you want?"
"Shhh. Just listen."
An extremely raspy voice replies and I freeze on instinct. Something about that voice, no that's wrong, it's several voices, maybe more. I can tell it's just 1 creature though, and that's what has me terrified.
Over the silence I hear it, it sounds like blades bouncing off of each other. It's faint, very faint, but despite that I can just feel that it's happening right where I'm standing. It sounds like one of the most intense sword fights I've ever heard. It's only two combatants but they're clashing so quickly it sounds like it should be 30 people fighting. "What is that?"
"You should know."
My eyes snap open to the sound of a quietly crackling campfire. A few of the girls were complaining about being exhausted so we ended up making a small camp. I underestimated how much slower this journey would be with 6 mares slowing me down. We still have another four or five hours of walking left, easy.
The system doesn't say I'm long rested so I definitely woke up early, but with the sun being up in the middle of the night it's a bit tough to force my body back to sleep. I'll just meditate instead, what was that...thing in my dream?
Spell Slots Recovered!
Pending Level Up Rewards!
Guess it's about that time. I still can't quite figure out what the point of that dream was, or what that thing was. It doesn't help that any time I think about it I remember the beginning of the dream. Being up there on that rock, all alone, was...hopeless. How did she do it for 1,000 years?
"Pardner, are ya ready?" A southern accent knocks me out of my thoughts.
"No, but it doesn't really matter. We don't have a choice."
"Well shoot, I almost wish you had lied. Makin our situation sound a mite hopeless."
I offer a small chuckle hoping to raise the mood a bit. "Sorry, there's usually someone around that keeps me outta that headspace. I'm not ready, but that doesn't mean we can't do this. Let's go."
"Now that's more like it!" Just like that we were back on the move.
When I saw a horde of rabbits running around on long stick legs I almost thought we had ended up going further into the Undiscovered West. But no, it's just Discord's magic. Cresting over one last hill we can see the Ponyville train station with the rest of the town behind it. Or what used to be Ponyville anyways, half the buildings are completely distorted, some are even turned inside out. Strangely enough though we don't see a single soul moving around.
"I thought the Night Guard didn't bring everyone from Ponyville? Elytra said a decent few stayed back." I ask to the group as they crest over the hill and also pause.
"She didn't lie to you, we definitely left around 25% of the town here. Are you sure that's Ponyville? It doesn't even look like home." Twilight answers me and looks a bit sad as she gazes upon the absolute mess Ponyville has been turned into.
The hyperactive cotton candy pony in our group bounces on her tail ahead of us and just points towards Ponyville."That's Ponyville alright! You can tell because of the way it is." There's no way that's a reference here, right?
"You girls remember where you left the Elements?"
Twilight mentions that hers is upstairs in the library and the others mention that they think they remember, so we elect to split up. "Where do you think everyone went?" I'm currently approaching the library with Twilight. While we're walking I go ahead and cast Mage Armor, just in case. It's only a level one spell and it lasts for 8 hours so it's probably worth it. Especially since I'm still shirtless.
"I'm not sure, but it's rather strange. The ones that stayed behind did so to try and keep things as much in order as they could. That way it would hopefully be just a bit better once we came back..." She closes the doors after I walk through it and it feels so weird to see the inside of the library look the exact same as I remember it. With out fucked up all the other building are I'm surprised this interior looks normal.
"Doesn't this almost feel too easy? I mean we didn't run into anything on the way here, and town was so empty we just strolled right in." I'm just rambling to try and fill the silence while Twilight rummages around.
"Ignis it's not here! I can't find the Element of Magic! I'm sure I left it in this trash can... Maybe Spike put it somewhere before we left." She starts teleporting around the library looking all over while I just sigh. I knew things were going too well.
"I'll go see if the other girls are having better luck, maybe they can come help you look once they get their trinkets."
As soon as I step outside and close the door all of the hairs on the back of my neck stand straight up. On pure instinct I flex my legs and start to jump to the side.
Dexterity Saving Throw
13 + 5 = 18.
Right as my feet leave the ground I discover I'm a bit too late to react. A pillar of light knocks me onto my back and starts to burn my skin while forcing me further into the dirt.
-29 HIt Points: 53/82.
"I was wondering how long it'd take for me to catch you by yourself. How foolish are you to think you can just place my student and her friends under your mental magic, and then waltz in here like nothing is wrong. Did you think I wouldn't step in and handle it myself?" I blink my eyes several times trying to regain vision but nothing happens, I think that was Sunbeam?
And that voice...it's somewhat familiar, but who? Celestia, she kind of sounds like Celestia. My vision returns as I continue to lay on the ground, unmoving, hissing through gritted teeth at the searing pain. She kind of looks like Celestia too. More sinister, reminds me of Night-... Oh fuck. It's Daybreaker. Luna told me about this.
I slowly stand up, ready to dodge at any given moment and talk to the demonic looking alicorn. "I don't have Twilight, or anyone for that matter, under any kind of mental magic. I freed them from Discords mental magic! The same magic you saw him use on your sister! I'm starting to think he might've used it on you too."
"Is that so? Then prostrate yourself before me and lay down your weapons."
"Will that really help? If that's what it takes..." I lay the Moonblade and the staff to my left and drop to my knees. Then I lean forward and place my palms and my forehead against the bare dirt. Enable Real-Time Combat.
If she drops another Sunbeam on me I'll still take half damage even if I pass the save, so I'm better off just trusting myself to completely dodge it. That decision proves to be a wise one as half a second later I hear the air being charged with powerful mana, it's another beam. I grab my shit and fling my entire body away from the library. Dodging the beam just in time.
"I knew you were a liar." Daybreaker spits the words at me like venom.
"What?! So I either lay there and die, or I'm a liar? If I die then it doesn't matter if I'm telling the truth! Whatever you're clearly under false memories just like your sister. Unfortunately for you I don't have any reservations about getting a bit violent with you." I realized when I looked back on the encounter with Nightmare, I never raised even a finger towards her. At one point I had resolved myself to getting a bit rough so I could calm her down, but even after that I didn't fire a spell or swing my blade at her.
Of course I don't intend to get that violent with Daybreaker either, I just need to make her think I am so I can get in close and cast Remove Curse. "Cure Wounds."
+15 Hit Points: 68/82.
Tapping the staff on the ground I use one of the spells imbued into the staff that costs me literally nothing. Enlarge. "So, are you just gunna hover up there all day like a coward or are you gunna come down here and fight me like a real mare?"
"As if I'd fall for your petty provocations. I know you're significantly weaker from a distance, why would I give you any advantage?"
I'm about to keep yapping to try and stall until the girls get the elements but a certain unicorn grabs both of our attention.
"Princess Celestia?! What's going on? Why are you attacking Ignis?" Twilight calls out to her mentor from the doorway of the library.
Mizzium, Fly.
Aracana (Mizzium Check DC 16)
10 + 13 = 23.
I'm so used to the Moonblade letting me circumvent concentration that I completely forgot most magic items don't work that way, including the Staff of the Magi. Enlargement ends as I cast Fly on myself.
"Just stay back, Twilight. I know this is going to sound hard to believe but he has you and your friends under a Geas. Just go back inside until I retrieve you."
"But Prince-" Twilight starts to speak until a deep red aura gently pushes her a few inches back inside the tree, and after that a quick flash of golden light appears and all the entrances and exits of the library are completely sealed by a barrier.
"Now, where were we? Oh right I was about to turn you into glass." That's all the warning I get before her horn shines bright and multiple Sunbeams come down from the heavens. All from different angles.
Tucking my arms and legs in to make myself as small as possible I jump towards a spot in the air that I think none of the beams will touch. Based on their trajectory anyways. Luckily my prediction is right and I jump through the small gap unharmed. As soon as I'm in open air I angle up and fly straight at Daybreaker.
She seems a bit surprised which is what I was hoping for. She probably only thinks I can fly when I'm using the new Bladesong. Time to go all in! "Misty Step."
I teleport just a few inches above and start to swing my hand down towards literally any part of her body. I just need to touch her and I win. Unfortunately as soon as I appear an orange bubble expands outwards and pushes me away from the alicorn. It's almost hot enough to burn me as well. This might be harder than I thought.
I was hoping to avoid using the bladesong since it seems like it still leaves my body pretty tapped out, but that move just now was my best shot. I won't be able to catch her by surprise like that again.
"As if something that simple would work. I know you require physical contact to use your mental magic. The only way you're laying a hand on me is if I'm dead." Well. That fucking sucks. Even Greater Restoration is touch.
I could try sending Callisid in, I can channel spells with a range of touch through him. He'd just have to get in close, but that fire shield is probably enough to take him out before he can even get close enough. She has true sight so Invisibility is off the table, same with any type of illusion. All of my heavy hitting spells are fire and radiant so I doubt I can even do much to her if I decide to go all out.
Well I do have that one spell...
This time Daybreaker just fills the air with small orange balls and I get the feeling if I touch one it's a bad time. Just to test my theory I reach out and boop one.
-12 Hit Points: 56/82.
Holy shit I didn't think it'd hurt that bad since she just launched like 100 of them! They're so small as well! The good news is that they're Radiant damage and not Fire damage. Time to see if this object will meet the Material component for the spell I'm thinking of. It's my Lunar Knight badge. It's apparently worth over 500 bits so I spent an hour or so and carved a symbol into it.
Alright Mizzium time to try a 6th Level spell! Don't let me down!
Arcana (Mizzium Check DC 22)
20 + 13 = 33.
Fuck yes! Oh I wish I could meet Natasha one more time just so I can call her a hypocrite for making this spell. Denied me from her school because she doesn't believe in wizards that can fight in melee. Why did you make this spell then, huh?
"Tasha's Otherworldly Guise."
I feel the Fly spell slip away from the loss in concentration, but it's okay because a pair of angelic spectral wings sprout from my back.
Tasha's Otherworldly Guise (Upper Planes)
You are immune to Radiant and Necrotic damage.
You are immune to the Charmed condition.
Angelic Spectral wings give you a flying speed of 40ft.
+2 AC, and you can use your Intelligence modifier when attacking with a weapon instead of Strength or Dexterity.
The spell kicks in and I can feel a golden aura enveloping me, it's warm. At the same time I activate the Moonblade and use the Haste spell stored inside. Now my AC is 22, and my flying speed is 80ft. Now we finish it off with the Bladesong. "Once you're back to normal don't hold it against me if I end up getting a bit rough, kay Celly?"
Unsheathe the Moonblade. This is another opportunity for me to get the jump on her, she won't expect me to just plow through these explosive balls. Wow you know what? Twilight was right, I really gotta work on my phrasing.
"Symphony of-"
I'm surrounded by complete darkness. Why is this happening now? What even is this?
"It's too early. Chaos is very close but you would waste your strength and go all out now?" It's that same haunting set of voices from my dream. What is this?
"What do you mean it's too early? Daybreaker could literally kill me with one misstep, I can't afford to hold back. Also I have a method to recover all of my strength in an instant. That is what I'm trying to save for later. Why do you even care? What are you?"
"We are but an echo, an echo with a common enemy."
I'm back in the clearing deep in the everfree. Why should I know what this is? Why do I hear the clashing of steel with nothing nearby for miles? Wait, an echo?
"Yes. You're right there...just a little closer."
The only way this could be an echo is if the sound is coming from the mana. Mana is the only thing present here. The mana is replaying the last sounds it captured from this spot, but that would've only happened...if they were using the evolved Bladesong.
"Are all of you...Bladesingers?" I ask, barely above a whisper.
"Yes. Your predecessors. We've been trapped here in this clearing, all of us who performed in this final symphony were able to imprint our spirit and vengeance into this harmonized mana."
"Wait if you're trapped here then how are you reaching out to me?"
"Any of us can leave whenever we wish, but once we fall out of sync with the echoes of the harmonized mana we lose our rationality. That's what we are. We are the remnants of the ones that grew impatient and left that accursed clearing. Then we became something much worse. Heed this warning, if you do not do everything in your power to take down Chaos we will seize your body like a pupp-"
The layers of voices are drowned out by a loud rush of howling wind. "Sorry about them, they can be a bit, well, aggressive. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with them."
I still can't see the source of this voice, but it's a woman for sure. "Why are you apologizing on their behalf? Who are you?"
"Well it's kinda~ my fault they can even contact you. It's great that you're here though! I've been trying to figure out how to talk to you, but if I had known you spoke Celestial this would've been way easier. I didn't really know how to talk for a while, but I found this one friend and she taught me this language." She sounds so peppy, almost like Pinkie Pie but this voice is much more, hmm, silky. I think that's the best word here. She sounds older, more mature, but that hint of playfulness is still there.
"That only answers half of my questions. Who are you?"
"I'm your friend! And you're my friend! You should be honored, you're my 2nd ever friend." I take it back, she's starting to err into the territory of annoying.
"Then why have you been trying to talk to me? Did you want to ask something?"
"Oh! Yes! I already assumed you'd say yes since we couldn't communicate, but apparently this has to be done for formalities. I want to form a Pact with you."
What? "How am I going to form a Pact with something when I don't even know what it is? What do you look like? WHO. ARE. YOU?"
"You're no fun. I thought you'd be more fun when I first saw you. Listen, I don't get an opportunity to see most of the world, and you're interesting enough that I thought I'd give you this offer. You let me see the world and I'll lend you my power."
Insight
9 + 10 = 19.
"Can you be more clear about how I show you the world? I don't wanna do something like give up control of my body."
"I'd merge with your mind, possess you, and become your eyes. You'd still be able to see, of course. Maybe even a little better than normal if I'm being honest. You can draw on my power from there, but unfortunately while you wield my power the more you draw out, the more your personality will mesh with mine. It's only temporary though and I always try to give my partner as much control as possible while in that state. Freedom is something I truly value and understand. So, what do you say?"
"This sounds too good to be true. I get improved eyes, more power, and the only side effect is that our personalities temporarily mix together? Thanks but no thanks."
"Why don't you just sit on it, take some time and come up with an answer. If you change your mind at any point just say you accept the pact."
I'm back in the sky, but everything is different. All of the floating mines are gone, and Daybreaker is nowhere to be seen. I still have 59 seconds on Tasha's Otherworldly Guise though. Did I pause while everything out here continued to move?
"Ignis! IGNIS!" I glance down and see Twilight and her friends. They still lack the elements, that's not good. As soon as Twilight sees that I've acknowledged her she points towards the Everfree.
As soon as I looked in that direction whatever she said next went completely unheard. The first thing I saw was a dark red beam pushing against a shield of stars. Nightmare. Before my mind had even processed exactly what I was watching I was blitzing towards the ongoing conflict.
Within a few seconds I'm close enough that Nightmare spots me. She gives me a pained look before I hear her voice in my mind.
I'm so sorry. Letting myself get manipulated so eas-
I continued to barrel straight at her, wrapping my arms around her as we collide in the air. My body thudding into hers causes the telepathic interruption. "You disappear, cut our connection, and don't respond to my Sending spell?! I was so confused! That's the only thing you should be sorry for. Idiot!"
I hear half of a chuckle that gets choked up into a sniffle. "You're right. I'm sorry."
"Are you two finished yet? Since the two of you were kind enough to both show up and allow me to purge both of you at the same time I thought I'd let you have your moment. But, I'm bored now. First I'll turn the bladesinger to glass then I'll immobilize you until you tell me where my sister is."
"That is your sister. We were trying to get them separate bodies but discord merged the two of them together again. You were even there for that!"
"More lies. It's time to end this." I don't know why, maybe it's just everything catching up to me like some sort of emotional whiplash. But, Daybreakers constant denial of the truth and all the different things I felt when I saw Nightmare start to bubble. This last statement from Daybreaker was the straw that broke the camel's back.
I feel my mana run wild and my hair flashes for a moment. It's not on fire, but it has changed into its blonde color with red streaks. The only thing I can think is, "Fuck this, I'm done holding back. She's a big girl, she can take it."
Nightmare, I just need to touch her with my hand. If I can do that she'll snap out of it. So focus on restraining or stunning.
Got it.
"Symphony of Steel." 27 AC.
Till death do us part.~
Nightmare flies straight at Daybreaker and Ignis tucks in behind her, hiding his approach.
But we're already past that phase.
Daybreaker unleashes a deep red beam from her horn and Nightmare angles her flight upwards while throwing up a shield to block the blast. Daybreaker instinctively looks up, so as to keep her horn trained on the other alicorn. This perfect coordination leads to Ignis going completely unseen once Nightmare pulled up.
The elf is mere centimeters from making contact when Daybreaker feels the shift in wind and a tingle up her spine. Alerting her that something is near. On instinct she launches a bright orange bubble around herself that looks like the sun. Since Ignis is still immune to Radiant damage it doesn't injure him but it does launch him away from the alicorn.
This is a brand new start~, and I think I deserve some praise.
Nightmare and Ignis both stop themselves around the same time and start charging at Daybreaker from opposite angles.
For the way that I am~
In-between every word of the next lyric Nightmare rapid fires a series of teleportations*. Causing her and Ignis to swap places or shift them just a few inches to change the approach angle. All in an attempt to throw off Daybreaker.
Despite * having * bit * the * dust, * yeah * was * quite * unjust.
The solar alicorn is constantly firing blasts and flying in a zigzag pattern in a mad dash attempt to land an attack on one of them to end the teleportation chaos. She could just keep throwing the bubble up but then it blocks her from attacking.
I don't give a damn! I've let my emotions go, fuck being a sober ho.
Daybreaker, in a fit of annoyance, teleports high into the air above the two. They both widen their eyes as they realize she's gone and by the time they look up, it's too late. Daybreaker launches a wide wave of magic, wide enough to hit both of them at once.
Ignis uses Misty Step to get in front of Nightmare, and takes the blast head on. Keeping the lunar alicorn completely untouched. She calls out his name in a panic, but he just calmly replies telepathically that he is immune. Nightmare shoots upward into the open sky, completely out of the attack and charges up a surprisingly powerful attack. Surprising given the target anyways.
This is the mantra, this is my life!
Ignis flies towards Daybreaker while still inside her magical attack, completely concealing his presence.
You're playin with now 'til the end of the night~
She unleashes her counterattack and as the beam of pure darkness flies towards Daybreaker, she stops channeling her attack on Ignis. Only to launch an even stronger beam that collides with Nightmares. The beam struggle only lasts for a fraction of a second though, because as soon as Daybreaker fires the beam at her sister she realizes the elf somehow took the brunt of her attack and traveled inside the solar magic.
Daybreaker stops channeling the beam she fired at Nightmare and attempts to teleport in a panic, but gasps when she feels his hand wrap around her throat. Time seems to slow as Ignis activates his magical item, but he fails the Arcana roll. He's concentrating on Tasha's so he couldn't use Guidance. He rolled a two which landed him a total of 15, but he needed a 16.
So instead of Remove Curse the Mizzium misfires and unleashes a Fireball right on top of himself and Daybreaker. Hitting himself with a whopping 32 points of Fire damage. His HP now at 24/82.
The elf, still glowing with a gold light and angelic wings, gets launched backwards through the air covered in burns. Ignis reaches out to Nightmare via telepathy. "Moonie, I think we need to give up on this whole strategy. Let's just hit her until she passes out and I can cure her. Afterwards I'll heal her."
"That was my plan before you arrived, so that works for me. How does that really change anything for you though? You still won't be able to hit her with your sword."
Surrounded by fire, the passion ignites!
Nightmare throws up a concussive field in front of her and flies straight at Daybreaker from below, while Ignis flies straight down at her. "Disable Real-Time Combat."
A hit of that Heaven and Hell,
Daybreaker throws up her classic orange sun-like bubble shield, but when it expands into Nightmare's concussive field it triggers it. A thundering wave ripples the air and blows away the sun-shield. "Steel Wind Strike."
A hell of a high!
The instant the shield drops Ignis casts his Level 5 spell. With a natural 20 he disappears from sight entirely, and Daybreaker quickly looks around to find him. She's completely befuddled when something slams into her back with enough force to knock the wind out of her. "Staggering Smite!" He passes the Mizzium check to cast the Smite spell he normally would be unable to use.
The combined force of a critical hit PLUS 6d10 Force damage and 5d6 Psychic damage, sends her down through the air like a brick with 147 combined damage. "Enable Real-Time Combat."
The corrupted alicorn stands up and glares upward as the dust from her crash clears. Ignis casts Cure Wounds on himself at 2nd level. HP: 50/82.
We're forever gunna have a fuckin' reason to sin.
Let me leave my soul to burn and I'll be breathin' it in
Daybreaker realizes that none of her attacks have had any effect on Ignis, but his own Fireball did. She comes to the realization that he might be immune to her Divine Fire, but not regular fire. The alicorn launches a spell that is very similar to Scorching Ray. Well over 10 rays of fire spout from her horn and they arc through the air in all sorts of different paths.
I'm addicted to this feelin', gettin' higher than the ceiling.
And we're never gonna want this fuckin' feeling to end...
Passing an Arcana check Ignis realizes this attack is Fire and not Radiant. He quickly throws up a Shield spell, AC: 32, while blitzing through the air down towards Daybreaker. Six beams of fire explode against his shield, doing nothing. Nightmare tucks her wings in and rolls through the air to dodge two while also flying down towards Daybreaker. Then she blasts three more of the beams with her own blasts, intercepting them. They're both about halfway to her now.
Just concede and give in to your inner demons again.
Nightmare and Ignis both slam into the ground, missing their attacks on Daybreaker as she blinks a few feet away. Now that they're back on foot Ignis becomes a lot faster. The lyrics cease as the beat drops, all three combatants disappear. To an average observer it just looks like no one is even around, but small craters and cracks start appearing all over the ground, feet apart from each other. Nightmare and Daybreaker have both summoned their spectral weapons, and the three are engaging in a melee.
All three are slowly accumulating cuts as their fight transcends mortal standards. This continues for a few more seconds until Daybreaker suddenly launches back up into the air at incredible speeds. The look of pure rage on her face signals to Ignis and Nightmare that this might be their chance. Both of them blast off with Nightmare pulling away from the elf.
Daybreaker glances back and takes note of how far behind Ignis is. She's fine if Nightmare gets in close, but having him that close is uncomfortable for her. After judging that she still has a few seconds before he catches up she looks back up into the air and begins stealthily channeling mana for a big attack.
"Moonie, throw me!" As soon as Daybreaker looks away from the two Ignis issues his order and Nightmare follows without hesitation. Grabbing his entire body in her telekinesis she slings the elf upwards significantly faster than he could fly himself. So fast in fact that when Daybreaker glances backwards again she audibly gasps for the second time at how close both of them are now.
Any plans of attack she had go out the window and on pure instinct she just unleashes her charged mana. Both of them continue forward as Nightmare throws up the concussive barrier again to shatter the bright red bubble expanding towards them. Ignis is confused when the bubble doesn't push him backwards instantly. It envelopes him and then slowly pushes him back.
It's only when he hears a sudden scream in pain that he looks over and realizes this isn't a shield, it's an attack. Anyone inside the field gets constantly assaulted as if they were in the sun. Luckily for Ignis it's pure Radiant damage. He slowly pushes his way through the attack to make it to Nightmare who has black smoke oozing off of her body.
Ignis is just a few feet away, ready to Thunder Step her out of the attack when he watches as a massive cloud of stars covers the alicorn. Suddenly Luna is launched out of the attack as she plummets toward the ground, seemingly unconscious. It's only when he sees Luna that he realizes Nightmare just expelled herself from Luna's body so she could save her.
The elf holds out his hand and screams at the cloud of stars to re-possess his body like before. Unfortunately he can only watch in shock as the starry mist goes from a night sky to deep gray cloud of smoke and the few stars that were present in the starry mist fall out of the smoke and slowly float around aimlessly in the wind. Another second later and the gray smoke emits a few drops of water before going up in flames.
The attack finally relents and Ignis just waves his hands where Nightmare had been a few seconds prior and tries to catch the now dull stars. All he can do is mutter incoherent sounds as he stares at the empty air wide eyed.
The golden glow and the wings leave his body as the transformation spell and the bladesong run out of time. He starts to plummet towards the ground without his flight, but he's seemingly unaware as he just stares at the dull gray stars in his hands. Suddenly a Sunbeam slams into him in midair and sends him ragdolling through the air, landing in the dirt next to the unconscious Luna.
Twilight and her friends run up to the scene just in time to watch the elf impact and crater into the ground. They're completely speechless as he just sits there on his knees, staring at the ground. Jaw slightly slacked, eyes wide open, and he's in complete silence as steady lines of tears run down his face. Even Daybreaker is a bit stunned at the display.
Twilight looks up towards her mentor and with a tone of disbelief shouts. "Princess, I don't...I don't understand. How could you do this?"
Before Daybreaker can respond the air starts vibrating as music starts to play once more. It sounds like several high pitched notes are being distorted and stretched as the sound grates on everyone's ears.
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 10.5
That's it, we win! Just one more second and I'll be able to cast Remove Curse. That's when I see the familiar sun shield that she's been using everytime we get close, but we have a counter strategy now. Moonie use your concussion field again, if we shatter it this time, it's over for sure.
Already done. Finish this now, Ignis!
Weird, why isn't the shield pushing me away? It's slowly forcing me backwards but I'm completely inside of it now. Moving feels like I'm dragging my limbs through wet concrete. Suddenly there's a scream just a couple of feet away, I don't understand how Nightmare could be in pain? Glancing over I see that being inside this field is burning her alive. It's killing her, fast.
Move. Move damnit! If I can just.... reach her. I can teleport us out. Listening to those screams is making my chest hurt. "Nightmare! Reach for me! I can get us out!"
It hurts. Maker above, it hurts, please help...me.
I watch as her draconic eyes white out completely. Why is this killing her so fast?! Please just a few. more. INCHES!
Time seems to slow down.
I'm sorry Ignis. I'm sorry for making you worry when you woke up. I'm sorry for possessing you back in that hive. For being unable to help you grow your magic more. I wish I had been able to teach Elytra just a few more lessons... I'm sorry for succumbing to Discord's magic, for torturing you with your own healing. I only had my own thoughts and feelings for a little over two months, but thanks to you I didn't have to spend them on the moon. I always wondered if this was something I was allowed to have, to enjoy.
What are you talking about? You're allowed to have those things, you have more than two months, why... why are you...
Shh. There's not much time left. More than apologies, I just wanted to thank you. The sparring, the flirts, the nights of idle comfort in your office while you did paperwork. I.... I was happy. Truly.
Nightmare's signature starry mist pours out of Luna's body and enshrouds it completely. Luna's unconscious body is shot out of the miniature sun, and the starry mist starts to turn into smoke. Moonie, get back in my body. Please, you can have my body! Nightmare please... you're just going back to the moon right? Why are you talking like this is goodbye?!
Because this probably is goodbye, Ignis. If I was going to go back to the moon, inside my seal...I think it would've happened as soon as I left Luna.
It's okay though, I only really have one small regret. It's selfish, but I was really looking forward to that date, hah... I had so much planned for the near future, I was going to wait and say this with my own body, but I've never said it back to you and now this is my last opportunity. I love you, Ignis.
All I can do is scream, "NIGHTMARE!" As the last bit of animated night sky releases a few tears that instantly turn to steam.
The only thing left are the few dimly glowing stars that were floating in her ethereal form. If that's all that's left then that counts as her body right? The small sun disappears and all of my spells wear off as I catch those dimly glowing stars. The light completely goes out once they reach my hand. I have a diamond in my pocket, I had gotten one so I could learn Contingency and place a contingent Revivify on myself. I can use that diamond here though.
Hang on, Moonie just give me a few seconds.
Revivify.
Invalid target.
Revivify.
Invalid target.
My vision goes bright red as some magical attack slams into my side and sends me careening into the dirt. Sitting up and moving to my knees, I spare a glance at Luna and confirm that she's still breathing.
Revivify.
Invalid target.
Revivify. Revivify. Revivify. Revivify. Revivify. Revivify. Revivify.
You must touch a creature that has died within the last minute.
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'M DOING?! Revivify.
Invalid target.
"That's one mistake corrected. Step away from my sister so I can finish this."
That's the last thing I remember before everything went dark.
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 11
"That's one mistake corrected. Step away from my sister so I can finish this."
As soon as those words left Daybreakers lips she felt something she hadn't felt for over a thousand years. Fear. It was only for the briefest of moments, it left as quickly as it arrived. It was the look on his face. His head snapped towards her and his eyes were completely dull, almost dead, like a statue. His face expressed no emotion, it was unnatural. In that same instant Daybreaker was hit with a wave of pure animosity.
It's the same mortal as before, calm down. If his emotions run wild he'll be much more predictable, like a wild animal. Then it happened, the elfs blonde hair turned into pure fire, just like his father, for the second time in his life.
"So you intend to fight the Sun with fire? You must be joking." Mana flared and surged around the bladesingers body and Daybreaker was reminded of when the three of them fought Chrysalis together. The final moment of his consciousness he did this exact technique with his mana before moving at nearly impossible speeds in a last ditch attempt to save Aurora.
That eerie, distorted sound begins to pick up in volume as it makes everyone nearby uncomfortable.
An emerald longsword suddenly flies past the alicorn's head and leaves a gash along the side of her neck. She expected him to speak or scream or vent his anger, and then she thought this would happen. That must be it, that's why she was unable to react to the elf throwing his sword at her. She just wasn't expecting an attack, that's all.
Daybreakers eyes widen as suddenly a pair of dull green eyes are right in front of her. She leans back and flaps her wings but feels a surprisingly warm hand grab her by the neck. The alicorn begins to discharge mana in an attempt to separate herself from him. Mentally chiding herself for letting her guard down, she accepts that she is likely to fall under the elfs "Geas" before her shield can expand.
Ignis bares his teeth and the robotic, emotionless look on his face turns into a barely suppressed seething rage. There is not even a single thought in his head about using Remove Curse right now. The elf turns his entire body in the air, transferring all of the momentum and centrifugal force into the arm being used to hold the alicorn's throat, and then throws the alicorn like a baseball towards the wide canopy of the Everfree.
Twilight and her friends gasp in surprise as they watch the princess fly like a blur through the air before disappearing into the Everfree. A loud crashing sound rips through the air and a cloud of dust and dirt shoots into the air from where she landed.
Finally a response comes from the alicorn as uprooted trees enshrouded in a red aura are launched into the sky towards the elf. He dodges them with relative ease, but his movement pattern is exactly as she predicted. After he avoids the final tree he flies headfirst into a massive fireball. She mistakenly still thinks he is immune to Radiant damage even though the transformation from before has worn off, so she opts to keep using pure fire.
Ignis falls out of the sky, upside down, with blood pouring from a new wound on his head as a result of the fireball's explosion. Daybreaker takes off and is able to correctly discern that the elf has passed out from the fireball. Without a moment's hesitation she flies straight at the bladesinger and plans to make use of his incapacitated state to finish this with her most powerful fire spell. Point blank.
Until she's a few feet away and watches with surprise as both of his eyes turn from white to completely black, with red slits in the middle. With renewed vigor he flips in the air and brings his foot down onto the back of the alicorn's head. Staggering her with a shocked expression.
Recovering from the kick she tilts her head back up to look at Ignis only to be face to face with the end of a staff. A 7th Level Lightning Bolt cracks through the air, completely engulfing the corrupted demigod. Finally being truly enraged, Daybreaker emerges from the lightning with smoke sizzling off of her body, teleports herself above Ignis, and starts to unleash a rapid barrage of fiery blasts from her horn.
The blasts ring through the air with the sound of explosion after explosion as more and more smoke fills up the sky. Until a familiar bipedal body zips out of the smoke and crashes into the ground once more. At this point the elf has been flung far away from Luna and the element bearers.
Far enough that Daybreaker mentally decides to end this once and for all as the sky starts to turn red. All of the standing water and chocolate milk nearby, including the river in the Everfree dries up in an instant as everything in the immediate vicinity heats up and the air dries out completely. The grass and nearby vegetation slowly dry up and wither. The sun starts to set down the horizon until it's perfectly aligned in the air behind Daybreaker.
Finally, a true Sunbeam screams into the atmosphere as the sun itself releases a flare of energy that the alicorn harnesses. The dark red solid beam is nearly half the size of Ponyville as it slams into the Everfree. The energy of the magic is so vast that the air is literally screaming, it sounds like hundreds of jet's flying through the air.
Unfortunately for her, Callasid was nearby, ready and waiting. He instantly dumped the elf's last healing potion into his mouth as soon as he hit the ground. Ignis opened his eyes and saw the immense attack coming down at him and casted "Otiluke's Resilient Sphere" purely on instinct.
The barrier that surrounded him was only capable of being destroyed by a Disintegrate spell, and so it rattled and vibrated as it withstood the full force of the sun. Despite that attack being more powerful than Disintegrate, the elf correctly assumed that the sphere would survive. Since it specifically only says a Disintegrate spell can destroy it.
Once the solar flare narrows and dissipates Daybreaker clicks her tongue in annoyance at getting overzealous and glassing a huge section of the Everfree. She makes the completely reasonable assumption that the elf has been so thoroughly killed that not even a cell of the creature remains, and turns her attention towards her student and her friends.
Returning our attention to the currently exhausted elf, currently laying inside of a magical hamster ball in the middle of a huge glassed crater of earth. He's huffing in desperate gulps of air as his entire body screams at him for how much abuse he just exerted on it by imbuing all of his muscles with mana for such an extended period of time. Now completely out of spell slots he lays there completely dazed and out of it.
"How dare she?! She has brought so much death and destruction upon all the animals in my forest! Mortal, I gave you a hint of my power to prevent you from dying, and that was all I intended to do. But now, that whorse has completely eradicated a huge chunk of my territory! I have no more conditions to my power, I request no Pact. Just merge with me temporarily and we can put this alicorn in her place." The silky smooth feminine voice that asked to form a Pact with Ignis asks him directly in his mind.
Although the elf has regained a sliver of reason, he is still completely overwhelmed with rage and grief. The only reason he's coherent is because of how much pain his body is in combined with his inability to move. Ignis is still completely unable to comprehend anything being said to him. His still black and red eyes are shaking as he wills himself to fight once more.
"Level Up."
The air resonates once more as a surge of mana shoots out of the glassed crater. Daybreaker, who had finally made it back within line of sight of her student, snaps her head in the direction of the surge. Eyes wide in complete disbelief. She's sure it has to be something else. Her sister perhaps? Maybe even some new third party.
Turning in the air, the alicorn immediately flies back to the glassed crater. Her surprise is evident on her face when she sees a completely unscathed elf laying on his back. The mana is still surging and flaring out of control, but his eyes are closed. Unable to resist the curiosity of the situation, Daybreaker silently flies down and hovers a few feet in the air over the elf. He's truly completely unharmed. Did something protect him?
Well whatever it is can't protect you twice. I'll make sure to end it properly this time and watch you die with my own eyes. The tip of her horn glows bright red as the mana compresses into a single dot. Ignis immediately disappears as he teleports to the left of Daybreaker, in the air. Out of the corner of her eye she watches as his own eyes snap open and she feels something slam into her. The spell she was channeling is disrupted in an instant as Ignis uses both hands balled up together to spike the alicorn dowards like a volleyball. Landing on her back and sinking a few feet into the dirt she thinks to herself. What is this strength? Isn't he an agility based swordspony that relies on reflexes?!
That thought is interrupted as a foot lands squarely in the middle of her stomach. Coughing up bile from the impact as the air is knocked out of her she starts to reconsider the decisions she made up to this point. Her memories told her Luna and Nightmare were in separate bodies and Nightmare had betrayed Luna. So why did Nightmare sacrifice herself to save Luna? Why were they in the same body?
That thought process also doesn't get to find a conclusion as a barrage of blunt force from two fists impact her muzzle, repeatedly. With pure telekinesis the alicorn lifts the elf into the air by his head. He flails about and fires two bolts of ice at her that she ignores as she rises out of the crater. She then proceeds with the elegance of a bull and repeatedly slams the elf into the ground over and over. Front, back, front, back, after the 7th or so slam the flailing stops. Daybreaker then flies up and spots a few boulders in the Everfree and throws the elf as hard as she can into the rock formation.
She noticed something peculiar about him as he disappeared from sight though. The fiery hair that mirrored her own seemed to be turning...black? She's probably just seeing things.
"That's it, I'm done waiting for your permission! I'm merging with your mind." Ignis hears that silky voice of the woman in his head again as he floats in a sea of black. Suddenly the void turns into that familiar clearing in the forest. Only now there's a floating.... shadow core.
"You? Why didn't you just tell me that you were that shadowy orb from the Everfree? What actually are you?"
The scene of the clearing shifts to the moon and then to the Feywild. Tendrils launch out of the orb in every direction, sinking into the ground and trees of everything surrounding itself. "I thought it was self explanatory. Listen, you just close your eyes for a while and when you wake up everything will be fixed."
The creature now occupying the elfs mind was under the assumption that in this nearly dead state with his mind already bordering on shattered that the merger would be one sided. It assumed that the merged personality would mostly consist of its own ego, influenced slightly by the emotions and memories of the elf. That was okay though because the merger was only temporary and in the past there had been no lasting side effects.
Which is why the shadow core was so surprised when the scene shifted once more to a grassy field located behind a small house. In the distance was the skyline of a massive city it had never seen before. The merging process continued as more tentacles emerged and started to occupy this portion of the creature's mind. Until an unfamiliar bipedal creature similar to Ignis but with rounded ears and shorter hair that was nearly black suddenly appeared and thrusted his hand into the core.
"W-what?! There were already two egos in here?" The human seemed incapable of intelligent thoughts as it just screamed at the core and started pulling power out of the core. The spirit of the Everfree realized at this point that the merged ego was no longer going to be entirely in its control. In fact this might as well be a new creature entirely. The core could feel the rage and animosity seeping over the line between their minds and started to be overwhelmed with the emotion.
Character Profile Updated!
New Class Configuration Confirmed!
Feeling confident that the fight was truly over this time, Daybreaker used magic to stop her bleeding nose and clear up any scuffs still on her. She had to look presentable for her student and her friends, after all. Flying down towards Twilight, Daybeaker was happy to see that her sister had regained consciousness. Luna looks distraught as Twilight talks to her and helps her to her feet.
"Sister, no, Daybreaker, do you have any idea what you've done?!" The solar alicorn is confused as her sister screams this question at her as she lands. Why is she crying so hard?
"I have saved Equestria and corrected two of the only mistakes I made this year. I know you think you were in love with him," Daybreaker rolls her eyes as she says this. "But trust me. I've done you a huge favor. Now let's confirm that my dear student is no longer under the effect of that Geas spell and dispel it if she still is."
Luna realizes there's nothing she can say anymore, and completely collapses. Sobbing into her forelegs as the recent events replay in her mind over and over. She keeps trying to reach out to the elf through her Divine connection, but that only confirms her worst fear as the connection seemingly no longer exists.
Daybreakers ears pin back at the raw display of grief and her eyes flash between her own eyes and Celestia's eyes rapidly. Finally settling on Daybreakers eyes as she turns towards Twilight and the others. Only to be hit with another emotional arrow as all six of the bearers step back and flinch upon seeing the alicorn move towards them. "I know you all think you realize what has happened here, but let me dispel the magic on you. It is regrettable but it had to be done. Twilight, my little pony, come here."
The next words that Twilight would utter were words that Celestia never, never thought would come from the unicorn's mouth. "P-princess...you're a monster. We tried to tell you we were never under any spell. You're the one being manipulated Princess."
Daybreaker rapidly blinks a few times as the words from her student, that essentially worships her, hit her like a ton of bricks and she goes through her memories over and over again. She looks over at the inconsolable Luna lying on the ground with Fluttershy and Rarity trying to comfort her. And that does it, the alicorn is finally mentally pushed far enough to give in, and she casts her most powerful dispelling magic on herself. Although in reality Discord had been silently watching with a bucket of popcorn from the Ethereal plane, and decided to stop channeling magic into the mental spell on the princess. Purely so he could see her reaction to everything.
The fire in her mane returns to an ethereal mane of pastel colors as eyes return to a normal purple and they well up with emotion. Celestia returns to reality with only one thought, "What have I done?"
Watching both alicorns turn into emotional wrecks sends the draconequus in a laughing fit until he feels something. Something new hundreds of feet away. Grabbing the air an oblong oval appears that Discord pulls open like a window, and he slides through, teleporting himself to the location of this new magic.
With a twisted fascination he watches as the elfs teeth become sharper, the entire upper half of his head is covered completely in a black, inky, darkness. Two large yellow slits appear in the darkness as this new creature starts to writhe in pain. The darkness surrounding his head perfectly transitions to his hair that is still crackling and moving like it's on fire, but it's now completely black as well.
Thin black lines start to form all over the elfs torso, forming some kind of symbol, and the lines merge into a much thicker line at his shoulders. Those thick lines run down the back of both arms until they reach the forearm. At that point they completely engulf his hand and wrist like a pair of long gloves. His now shadowy fingers crack and bend unnaturally as they turn into sharp claws. Both elbows and shoulders sprout small black fires as the transformation seemingly finishes.
"Now what do we call this one? Nightmare Ignis? No~ that'd be in poor taste, it's too soon." He laughs at his own joke before continuing. "How about Ignoctus? That sounds proper evil, doesn't it? What do you think?"
The transformed creature just lets out a low rumbling sound as he opens his mouth and smoke pours out between the sharp teeth.
"Well no that's not a good name at all. We can't just call you "grrr" that'd be ridiculous! Actually on second thought I quite like the idea of ponies addressing you as Grrr. You know what? It's grown on me, I like it." If anyone could actually see this scene they'd wonder why Discord is talking at all, since he's still in the Ethereal plane and the creature can't see or hear him.
The creature stands and starts to move towards the direction of the Element bearers. Discord ponders on if he should try mentally manipulating this creature like he did the sisters, but realizes it's not needed when he hears the creature finally utter a single word.
"ᗫᕔᎽᗹɌꗛᕔҜꗛɌ..."
Discord releases a small gasp of surprise as the creature just disappears.
All eight ponies gathered at the edge of the Everfree freeze and go silent as an ominous pressure weighs down on them. It's murderous, heavy, and feels wrong. Then they notice a familiar pair of legs emerge from the darkness in the forest. Luna feels her breath catch and her eyes widen, she feels immense relief upon seeing what she assumes is Ignis.
Then they see his arms and his claws, and they all start to realize this feeling is coming from him. They feel their hairs stand on end, instincts screaming that something is wrong.
He steps out of the clearing fully revealing himself now, and Twilight is the first to make any kind of connection. It's only natural since the only other pony that could've made the connection is no longer present. "His hands and his head, those yellow eyes, he looks like the Wraiths we fought in the old castle...Princess where are the elements? We need them now."
The creature just stands there, slowly breathing, and exhaling smoke with every breath. Even Luna is hesitant to say anything, she still doesn't feel the connection to her paladin. Swallowing those foolish thoughts she rises up and starts to slowly walk towards the creature. "Ignis? I thought I lost you as well...I still can't feel our connection. Is something wrong?"
He just stares at her in silence. His mind is trying to find Daybreaker but his confusion is growing as he looks around and doesn't see her. The blue one calls out to him again, but that name means nothing to him. She says it again and he realizes she must be talking to him.
"Ĭ ᕔᙏ ᙁꗞꞆ ĬǤᙁĬꕷ. Ĭ ᕔᙏ ᗹԸᕔⱿꗛᙡɌᕔĬꞆዛ ᙁᎽ𐠷ᗹԸᕔᗫꗛ."
Character Profile: Blazewraith Nyxblade.
Fiend Patron Warlock - Level 13.
Luna takes a step back as an instinctual reaction to the guttural rumbling that makes up his voice. His words barely understandable. The memories of the personalities that make up the new creature finally catch up with its brain and it puts together that Daybreaker is Celestia. Celestia is standing right there. The black fire that makes up his hair and the small flames resting on his elbows and shoulders suddenly flare up as a strange, ear piercing, high pitched sound ripples out of the creature's mouth in waves.
The air starts to hum and vibrate as mana all around them begins to exist on the same frequency. They harmonize and vibrate as one and the air is filled with what sounds like a children's choir, singing in a foreign language. It just adds to the ominous feeling surrounding them. Except for Luna who realizes that this creature just spotted her sister, and even more disturbing is that it's still capable of performing a Symphony of Steel.
"ᙅꗛԸꗛꕷꞆĬᕔ!!" He drops down onto his claws, like a beast as the fires flare up more. The smoke coming out of its mouth increases in volume and a loud thumping can be heard. Its heart sounds like a train engine.
Blazewraith disappears and reappears in the air right in front of Celestia, and right as he appears the air vibrates with pulsing low bass notes from the bladesong. There's a blur of motion as he turns his whole body and suddenly Celestia is flying straight up. Her body flipping uncontrollably as it rises, her head vibrating from the impact of the creature hitting her chin. Just as she manages to stabilize herself and stretch her wings she's hit with a loud screech in her right ear.
Then she feels something extremely hot on her horn. Blazewraith squeezes her horn as if his life depended on it, and while still holding the horn he barrel rolls away from the alicorn. Celestia can only get pulled along for the ride as she tries to clear the disorientation she feels. She's dragged through the air by the biological makeshift handle sprouting from her head.
Having built up enough speed from completing a few rotations, the elf does one more half rotation before slinging the alicorn into the ground at dangerous speeds. As soon as she craters into the dirt there's not a moment's respite as he instantly buries her even deeper with a kick to the gut. The demon throws his arm back getting ready to thrust his claws forward when a voice...a familiar voice calls out to him.
Now that the memories have had more time to sink in he can't help but to be compelled to look at Luna as she calls out to him. "Please! I know you're hurting even more than I am, but please...! Please don't make me lose two sisters on the same day! Celestia is freed from Discords corruption, you know it wasn't her fault, so please!" Luna is a bit surprised herself that she'd call Nightmare a sister. Things really have changed over the last month and a half.
The words take a few seconds to register with the Wraith-Elf hybrid but his arm relaxes slightly and then straightens again. It's like there's an internal battle on what to do. Finally his arm straightens up again and snaps his gaze back to Celestia and starts to bring his claw down.
Before it pierces her neck though Celestia finally fights back and blasts the demon into the air with her radiant magic. She flies up in the air and conjures a Forcecage, its walls made up of golden magic. Nyxblade merely screeches and the walls start to crack. He slams a hand forward and the claws pierce straight through the wall. One more thrust and the cage shatters. The instant it shatters a purple and golden beam from the student-mentor duo slam into his chest and launch him back into the Everfree.
He re-emerges from the dust cloud and spits a bit of inky black goop onto the ground, but his form is different now. On top of his head there are seven black motes of fire orbiting his head slowly. The spell is Crown of Stars.
Then he holds a hand out in front of him with his palm towards the ground and mutters an incantation as a large red circle about 30ft across in diameter appears under him. With himself in the center of the circle, this spell is Conjure Minor Elementals. Normally little sprites of magical flame would rise from the circle in a constant flow, but as this circle stays open the primal magic of the Everfree mixes in and Mephits of black fire rise out of the circle instead.
Crown of Stars 7th Level Spell: Seven stars appear and orbit your head for one hour. You can launch a star at a creature and deal 4d12 Radiant Fire damage per star. Each Star is a one time use only.
Conjure Minor Elementals 4th Level Spell (Upcasted to 6th Level): You conjure spirits that flit around you for up to 10 minutes. Any attack you make deals an extra 6d8 Fire damage, empowered by the spirits. The area of spirits around you is difficult terrain for any enemy.
Elemental Adept (Primal Fire): The dark and primal magic of the Everfree mixed with your fire allows your attacks to treat Fire Immunity as if it was Fire Resistance. Fire Resistance is ignored. A creature with no immunity or resistance becomes vulnerable to Fire Damage.
Everyone that was planning to help restrain the former elf becomes extremely hesitant when they see and feel this new magic. Nyxblade slowly walks towards Celestia, in a very casual manner. Suddenly one of the black mephits compresses down into pure energy that's absorbed by one of the stars floating around the creature's head. Then without warning the star hurls into Celestia. She manages to summon a shield in time, but it just goes straight through and lands a direct hit. Thankfully not a critical hit, though.
56 Fire Damage. Celestia is normally immune though so the damage is cut in half, down to 28. That amount of damage isn't enough to significantly stagger the alicorn but her eyes are still wide from shock.
That...that BURNED me? That shouldn't be possible. Her thoughts are interrupted as six rays of fire appear in the air over the creature. Scorching Ray at 5th Level. All six rays become empowered by the Minor Elementals. Celestia takes to the air and attempts to make herself harder to hit. She summons a shield as well, and it actually stops the first two rays. The third ray smashes the shield to bits and hits her right under her wing. The fourth ray hits a fraction of a second later on the side of her neck, and her wing locks up from the pain of the third ray hitting the base of it.
She's falling out of the air with a locked up wing and the next are both natural 20's. One lands right between her eyes and the other at the base of her horn. In total the Minor Elemental empowered, upcasted Scorching Ray did 258 Fire Damage. Thankfully the solar alicorn is quite sturdy to heat so that's reduced to 129 Fire Damage.
Celestia crashes into the ground for the fourth time today and this time she doesn't get up. She stares at the creature with half opened, hazy eyes, and mumbles that she doesn't blame him for his anger. Fully ready to meet her fate she closes her eyes and waits for the end to come, but it never does.
She opens her eyes again a few seconds later and sees a blue dome around her with a purple dome around that dome. Luna and Twilight have doubled up their magic to shield her from the next three stars that shoot from his crown. Twilight's dome shatters after the first star and Lunas just barely manages to withstand the next two. Blazewraith raises his hand to signal another volley of attacks but freezes as Luna puts herself directly in front of her sister.
"That is enough Ignis. I cannot just sit idly by and watch you do this. You are strong. You are my Knight, MY Paladin." Her voice cracks and she ends her sentence early to reaffirm herself. "So, I order you to break free from this animalistic state, and return to my side. Please..."
The possessed elf raised his hand again and Luna just stared with widened eyes, but refused to move from her spot. Strange sounds of exertion and teeth grinding can be heard from the shadowy elf. His arm is violently shaking as if parts of himself are fighting each other.
The creature bends over as if in pain and grabs at his head with his claws while screeching. Apparently some part of him was considering actually attacking Luna. This is enough of a distraction for everyone to pile together with Celestia and allows just enough time for Luna to teleport everyone away with a flash of light.
The creature screams, enraged that he let her get away. After smashing the ground a few times the elf turns and takes a massive leap to the west.
The group pops into existence back in the Night Guard camp at the edge of the Undiscovered West. The plan to get the elements, the Princesses, and the two knights into one surmounting force to take on Discord has officially failed. They left as six ponies and a knight, and they returned with six ponies and two alicorns. Under normal circumstances that would probably be considered a victory, but they still don't have the elements. And, they lost far too much.
The entire camp goes into an uproar when they return but they're instantly silenced at the sight of both princesses losing their composure, and all of the element bearers have their ears pinned back with wide far off stares. Not a single one of those six woke up today and thought they'd watch somepony die. Celestia wracked with the guilt of what she'd done combined with the pain she inflicted on the elf. Remembering the state her sister had been in when they all thought Ignis had perished as well.
Luna was by far in the worst shape. Still emotionally reeling from watching her own body torture her knight, being unable to do anything. Watching his lifeless form fall from orbit. Losing a member of her herd and the uncertainty of the entire situation with the possessed Ignis.
"Y'all is it really okay to just leave him there when he's like that? I know Ponyville is empty, I'm not talkin' about that. Y'all could hear how loud and fast his heart was beatin' right? Is he gunna be okay if we just let him stay like that for who knows how long? We didn't even manage to get the elements and that's what we went there ta do." Applejack is the first to break the silence among the group.
"It's the only thing we could do, Applejack. You saw how he tossed around the Princess like she was nothing! Without the elements we were just waiting for the Princess to die. Who knows what would've happened after that! He might've even turned on us!" Rainbow is the one that is the least emotionally distraught. She barely knows Ignis and never really agreed with unsealing Nightmare in the first place. She's mostly just a bit shocked at watching somepony die, and any sadness she feels is because she hates seeing her friends and the Princesses like this.
"He would not have. That, I can assure you." Luna reels back in her emotional state to try and be productive in this conversation. To hopefully help formulate a plan for the future. "If he had managed to... to kill my sister. He would've almost certainly passed out or dropped out of that form instantly. Applejack is also right to wonder if he's safe in that state. He was constantly pumping mana through his muscles and blood vessels to enhance himself physically, and last time he did that it nearly killed him. Back then he only did it for a few seconds, but that confrontation was nearly 15 minutes."
Luna pauses for a second as her mind starts to go down the dark path of imagining Ignis in that state rampaging through the Everfree until his body just gives out and he collapses. "If that shadow thing possessing him has him constantly doing that even outside of battle... I doubt he'll make it to tomorrow. Young Twilight, could you properly explain what happened to him in the old castle?"
Twilight goes on to explain the entire encounter with the super wraiths, the vines, and the shadowy core. Luna has a barely noticeable soft smile when she hears what he said about being a hypocrite. Once she finishes the story and says that the core flew inside of his chest she looks to her mentor. "Do you have any idea what that could've been, Princess?"
"If that is truly what has possessed him then teleporting away was the right call. That core is the Spirit of the Everfree. She protects the forest from any large, major threats, and she supplies most of the forest with its magic. I've only seen her once and my mentor explained what she is. Harmony also gave some insight into the wraiths several centuries ago when they were first spotted. Apparently there are some lost spirits in a deep, deep section of the forest. If they leave that section they succumb to their negative emotions and are corrupted by the ambient magic of the forest."
Looking down at the ground for a moment, Celestia takes a second to wipe her eyes before continuing. "Those wraiths are the result of that process. The Spirit of the Everfree absorbs the wraiths anytime she finds them and uses them to patrol important sites and particularly dangerous areas. The ruins of our old castle is one of those places. It seems like after Ignis slayed the wraiths patrolling the castle the first time, she went there herself and ended up getting trapped by those vines. It sounds like the vines were taking her power and even took control of her wraiths."
"But uhm, sorry Princess, but why would she possess Ignis then?" Fluttershy asks the obvious question. It doesn't sound like this core was an evil entity so this outcome is confusing.
"It's likely because I, as Daybreaker, glassed nearly an entire square mile of the Everfree. She likely offered to merge with him on the assumption that she would be able to control their new combined form. The impossible part to me is that Ignis was able to overwhelm her ego with his rage alone. That creature seemed like it was an entirely new ego. Neither of them were in control, it was just some combination of their personalities purely driven by the singular purpose to kill me. The good news is that if that truly is the Everfree's Spirit then Ignis will be fine. She is likely taking the brunt of the burden being placed on his body." For the first time in what feels like years, there is a bit of good news.
"But what do we do now, Princess Celestia? We don't even know where the Elements are to begin making some kind of plan?" Twilight instantly brings everyone back to the grim reality of their current situation.
"I'm...I don't know, Twilight. Discord is an arrogant creature and enjoys giving ponies hope just to snatch it away. We can maybe make use of that and get him to agree to another game or riddle of some kind. You all are more familiar with his ways and tactics now, and I trust you can use your friendship to overcome whatever challenge he presents to you. So, if you can get him to agree to a rematch you just might be able to do something. Beyond that, I'm not sure."
Silence reigns over the camp as the conversation dies off. Luna stands up and starts to walk around the camp. Celestia initially thinks of accompanying her but decides that her face is probably the last one Lulu wants to see right now. Luna combs through the memories of her body while Nightmare was in control and uses those memories to figure out where they kept Ignis while he was unconscious. Finding the location in her memory she turns and heads that way.
The Lunar Princess reaches the medical tent and silently enters. A couple of thestrals attempt to follow her into the tent to try and comfort her, but they are stopped by Elytra who just shakes her head no. With the entire tent to herself, Luna lays down in the hospital bed Ignis had previously occupied for nearly two days. She buries herself into the sheets and finds a modicum of comfort from the familiar scent. Then the dam finally breaks and everyone in that corner of the camp can only grimace at the sound of grief.
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 12
"What...is happening to me?" Floating in a dark inky void, my hands grab my head. Everything is hazy. Am I dreaming right now?
The events of the last few hours replay in my mind, but the memory is distorted. Everything is monochrome and there's strange lines and auras coming from everyone. Right we came to get the elements, but ran into...Daybreaker.
Nightmare showed up and helped and then...
The voidscape rumbles and shakes as I react to the memories. She's gone. I thought I was on my way to join her, so how did I end up here? Is this Hell? I close my eyes to try and maintain composure but surprisingly enough I barely feel anything. I'm definitely upset but everything is severely muted.
Suddenly I'm able to see the world around me, but it's still in this strange monochrome vision, and I assume the auras I see are some type of thermal vision? The auras are barely visible on trees and plants, but it was bright around the ponies. I can't control my body.
Panic rises up but I can quickly feel something suppressing the emotion. My eye lids grow heavy and it feels like I'm out of energy. Fighting off the urge to sleep I watch as Luna steps in between my possessed body and Celestia. She's.... She's saying something. Stay awake.
She's ordering me to snap out of it and return to her side. That's exactly...what...I want to do! I can feel the body starting to tense up as if it's about to attack Luna and that's when I'm able to completely overcome the urge to sleep. I exert every ounce of willpower into forcing my body to lower its arm.
Kill kill kill kill kill kill KILL! SHE is in our way!
"I will not let you use my body to take away the things I cherish!" Feel starts to slowly return to my limbs and I'm able to grab my head as pain also starts to return with the rest of my bodily functions. I hear the sound of teleportation and glance up to see Luna and everyone else is gone. I'm alone.
Thank God. I don't think I could've....held this thing....off....
Falling out of my own body and back into the dark void my eyes slowly close.
Canterlot Mines - Primary Pony Shelter
"After an encounter with Daybreaker, under the influence of Discord, the Element bearers were able to recover both Princess Celestia and Luna. Whereabouts of the actual Elements is still unknown. The report mentions one KIA and one MIA." A guard that had only graduated basic a week ago reads off the report received from Vice Captain Elytra.
"What are their names? If it was one of the bearers it would've mentioned it, no? I didn't think anypony else accompanied them on the journey." Shining Armor replies while still focusing on a large holographic map of Canterlot Mountain and all of the nearby towns. New supply routes being drafted.
Cadence and her Knight are also in attendance and the Knight feels a knot form in her stomach, as the guard reads off the names. "Nightmare Moon sacrificed herself to save Princess Luna, and Ignis Ferrum was last seen leaping into the Everfree. It mentions that search and rescue for the Knight is not advised as he is currently transformed in a way that is similar to Nightmare Moon and Daybreaker. Subject cannot be reasoned with, flee on sight."
"It's just a villain transformation buffet out there, huh? What do you think, honey, feeling like you might be corrupted anytime soon? I'd appreciate a warning at least." Shining either completely didn't register the first name that was given out, or simply forgot who was in the room. Either way his special somepony lets him have it.
With a thwap upside the back of his head with her wing she gives him the stink eye. "Shining, read the room!" She motions with her eyes towards Force sitting a few feet away staring at the ground. It takes a second but it finally clicks and he shows a bit of guilt on his face. Cadence turns towards her knight and speaks to her. "Are you okay?"
"I mean you two were able to put two and two together right? Ignis transformed into that thing and Nightmare Moon died. She was the catalyst, I can't imagine how much pain he's in right now..."
"Do you want to go look for him?" Cadence offers her with a soft and gentle tone.
"But, the report said not to approach. It sounds like he's not himself right now..."
"That's not what I asked, my Knight. Do you want to go look for him? I would advise you not to approach him when you find him, but I think you'll do so anyway."
Force gives her sheepish grin and rubs the back of her head with a forehoof. "Yeah I probably will. Are you sure it's okay?"
"Of course, without either of my Aunties here I'm in charge and I say it's okay. Just be careful okay? He was last seen in the Everfree going west."
The pegasus throws on her helmet and bolts towards the exit.
"Are you sure that's a good idea? The report made it seem more like he's not even capable of speaking. He's not like Nightmare or Daybreaker, they monologue, gloat, taunt, and converse with their opponents. This makes it seem like he just attacks on sight." The Captain throws a questioning glance towards Cadence.
"...Why didn't you say anything before I sent her off? No, I'm sure it'll be fine. You don't need the elements to solve every problem, Shiny. Sometimes all you need is a little Love." To that response Shining just rolls his eyes.
"Lulu, you've been in this bed for almost an entire day. Why don't you get up and come eat with me?" Nearly 24 hours after returning Celestia decides to go check on her sister in the medical tent.
"I'm not hungry, Tia." With a massive sigh the alicorn still picks her head up from the bed. "I suppose I should at least move around a bit. Have you and your student come up with a new plan? I still don't like that we just left Ignis in the Everfree to rampage on his own."
"It was the only choice we had, Luna. You saw how he was barely holding himself back when you stepped in. The only real plan we have is the one we came up with yesterday. We just need to figure out how to find DIscord and what to say to him to coerce him into another riddle or game for the elements."
As the words leave Celestia's lips there's a tear in space over the camp. Everyone watches in horror as the draconequus himself appears in the air and slithers down towards the sisters. "Worry not, Sunny. You don't have to say a thing. In fact I was already planning a rematch as soon as I discovered the bladesinger had cleansed my magic from your student and her friends."
"How about we just skip the part where you turn back into a statue, asshole?" Rainbow calls out to Discord as her and the rest of the element bearers approach the sudden meeting.
"Now now dear Rainbow Dash, nopony likes a sore loser. I told you no wings allowed and you still took off anyways. Now, let's see... where was I?"
Discord pulls out a ballcap that says "Thinking" on it and puts it on his head.
"When the pieces are in place,
and everything is where it's supposed to be.
Against the speed of a city you shall race,
and should you fail you will not flee.
Or It will surely kill the tree."
Discord hums for a moment and tries to decide if he's happy with that, and with a final nod to himself he turns to the ponies one last time. "Solve that riddle and you'll find the starting line, but just be aware that you should bring more than nine. Then the true game will begin."
He takes note of the absolute death glare Luna is giving him and just before he vanishes back to his hidey hole he blows her a kiss. "Hopefully you don't lose anypony else this time, Princess."
Luna's face contorts into a disgusted rage and with a scream she fires off a beam at the draconequus. Right before the attack makes contact he poofs into a very familiar looking cloud of smoke and the echoes of his laughter fills the air as he disappears.
"I'll kill him. If it's the last thing I do, that creature will die." Luna stares at where Discord just was with a look that sends a shiver down the other ponies' spines.
Applejack decides she'll be the one to break the silence. "Is it just me or did that riddle make even less sense than the first one? I got no clue what the heck he's talkin about."
"Nope! Definitely not just you. I don't even know what pieces he's talking about!" Pinkie reassures AJ.
"Well darling, I thought it was rather obvious. We are the pieces. He's implying that since we wield the Elements we are but pieces on the chess board of our Princesses."
"I think you're right Rarity, so if we're supposed to go back to where we're supposed to be...does that mean the Elements are back in the vault in Canterlot? It's the only thing I can think of." Twilight looks to her mentor for a second opinion and Celestia just gives her a nod.
"I believe that is correct. Unfortunately Canterlot is currently floating a few thousand feet above where it normally does, but I suppose in the grand scheme of things that isn't too large of a problem. He didn't take your wings or your horns this time, and he didn't forbid me and Luna from helping. There is one peculiar thing though, he mentioned that we need to bring more than nine." Celestia looks to her sister before continuing.
"The bearers are six, you and I make eight. Who else could he consider as "Pieces?" We might be forced to go confront Ignis before we can return to Canterlot. Even then that only leaves us at nine, I'm not sure who else would be considered a piece."
"I believe I know Princess. When Ignis left here with us he gave a speech to the came and said that he didn't think anything in this world could stand up to all three Princesses, the Elements, and the two Knights of Equestria if they banded together. Those numbers makes eleven, but he wasn't referring to Princess Cadence. If we, uhm," Twilight gulps feeling a bit guilty and uncomfortable for speaking so clinically about the recently deceased. "If we consider that it's only two Princesses then that would be ten. In that case the other pony we would need is Unstoppable Force."
The group of ponies proceed to go a bit more in depth on what they think each line of the riddle means, but decide that they should head out now. They don't know where Ignis is and it might take a while to find him if they need to search the entire Everfree.
The Knight of Love had only been flying for an hour or so when she spotted something metal shining into her eyes. Dipping down closer to the dirt to inspect she sees a familiar emerald longsword. Eyes widening she flies down and lands. "This is definitely his sword but how did it end up over here? This is miles away from the Ponyville-Everfree border. Did he throw it?"
After taking a few minutes to strap the sword down to her back in a way that doesn't impede her flight or endanger her safety if she were to crash, she returns to the air. "If he was last seen heading west, does that mean he was making his way towards the thestral camp? I'm not sure why he'd think to go back there, so I don't think that's the case. It's been long enough that he would've already arrived and we would've definitely heard about that. So, I'll stick to the Everfree."
The plans have been put into motion and now everything is converging back to one place. To one elf. Hopefully the groups will not meet another tragic fate on their short journeys back to the Everfree.
> Main Quest - The Return to Harmony pt. 13
(A/N: Super super light NSFW in this chapter. It's not enough that I think it warrants it's own chapter, like there's no sex or anything it's just a bit of a spicy scene, but I'm also pretty sure it couldn't go in a PG-13 movie.)
"Where are you, Ignis?" Force comments out loud to no one as she continues to fly over the Everfree. She's been flying over the forest for hours at this point, and she doesn't seem to realize she's just checking over sections of the forest she's already covered. There's no way he's deeper than this right? At this point he has to be, I'm pretty sure I've checked everything from here to Ponyville.
Eventually she flies over a spot of the forest that makes her pause as an overwhelming pressure hits her. That has to be him, right?
She takes off her helmet and glides down, looking for an opening in the canopy to descend through. When she lands she glances around trying to feel where the pressure is coming from. After walking for a few minutes she finds a small cave opening and sees...him. The elf's appearance is quite jarring for Force, but she quickly recovers and slowly approaches. He's currently just sitting down with his back leaned up against the stone wall of the cave, looking at the ceiling.
A twig snaps under her hoof and his head snaps in her direction. She can barely suppress her panic when the creature disappears and reappears in front of her a second later. Every time this thing takes a breath there's a deep rumbling in his chest, almost like a growl. "I, uh, heard about what happened. I didn't like the thought of you being out here alone with nopony to help you get through your grief. So, I threw on my helmet and flew over."
The creature tilts his head to the left and then the right, almost like he's investigating the mare. After a few tense seconds that feel like forever the elf-wraith hybrid plops down and sits in the grass. As Force feels the pressure and tension in the air melt away she instantly dives towards him, wrapping her forelegs around his neck. "And they told me I should be careful, pfft, I know you'd never hurt me." After a few seconds of silence she realizes something and corrects herself. "Outside of a spar, of course."
"Tired."
The creature utters a single word in response to the affection. Offering no return hug or acknowledgement. His voice sounds like a shitty subwoofer getting dragged through gravel, but Force manages to understand him. "Then why don't you get some rest?"
"Job's not finished."
"What job? Maybe I can help you out."
"Kill Celestia."
"O-Oh...you know she was not in control of her own actions right? Discord manipulated her."
"Kill Discord too. Celestia then Discord."
The Knight can't help but to frown at how matter-of-fact his tone is. It's probably best to not continue down this conversation topic, so she elects to try and pivot. "Well how about you get some rest first and I'll keep watch to make sure nothing sneaks up on us. If I see Princess Celestia I'll wake you up."
"No need. Creatures know better."
Force tilts her head in confusion as to what he could mean, but then she remembers that intense pressure she felt originally. It's only then that she notices the entire forest is dead silent. Anything alive in this forest is steering wide when traveling around this area.
"Love right. Sleep."
He announces very bluntly before standing up and carrying the Knight into the cave he was sat in originally. Blazewraith lays on his side and holds the pony like a teddy bear as he instantly dozes off. Force meanwhile just has a massive blush from the sudden manhandling and display of strength and dominance. He didn't even ask, he just brought me to bed and laid down...
"It's nice to meet both of you, Ignis spoke of you all often. You've raised him well, he's strong, kind, and saved my entire kingdom once." A human woman in a silky blue dress, with hair that's just a few shades darker, offers a small curtsy as she greets the Patriarch of the Natsume, and she also gives a small nod to the shorter drow girl standing next to her father. "And you must be Tala?"
"That is correct, Y-your Majesty?" Ignis' younger sister replies a bit unsure of how to address the guest that is apparently, royalty.
"Oh just Luna is fine. We're all family, so there's no need for any of that."
Ignis' father steps forward and offers an open hand for a handshake. "I really just cannot thank you enough for taking care of him while he was there, and for bringing him back."
"Oh I played no part in bringing him back. He was able to accomplish the feat all on his own. I'll admit for the first few hundred years or so we all thought this day would never come. I'm glad it did though." Luna replies with a bit of a far off look as she reminisces about the past as she finishes the handshake with the Patriarch.
"And how long will you be staying here, Miss Luna?"
"Oh she'll be here for as long as I'm here. There's a few of us actually, but the others are unpacking everything and figuring out where everything is. I was intending to introduce them when we gathered for dinner later. We'll probably stay here for three or four months and then we'll return to Equestria. After that we plan to visit quite often."
"You're going to go back there? I'm confused."
"OH right, silly me I always forget that part in the introduction. Mostly cause it still never feels real. Luna is my wife, father. She has been for, what, 402 years now?"
The elf's father and sister both go slack jawed and stare at each other for a few seconds, after a few seconds they both release a loud, "WHAAAT?!"
"You remember the agreement, Ignis. Since you forgot to introduce me as your wife again, you owe me tonight." Luna has a half smirk as she says this. "Honestly sometimes I think you forget on purpose purely because of this agreement. Perhaps I should rethink the punishment?"
Ignis has the faintest of blushes, surprised she'd even hint towards that agreement with his family still in the room. Putting his hand behind his head he laughs a bit. "You caught me."
Looking back towards the still confused family members they bother mutter out some form of "I don't even wanna know." In regards to that part of the conversation they just overheard. Tala is the first to overcome the shock of the news and runs up to her brother. "Does that mean you're a Prince?! Wait...does that mean I'm a Princess by relation?! Oh Dark Maiden, I have to tell my friends!"
She runs off before Ignis can correct her, so he just mutters quietly as she runs away. "King, actually..."
That's when his father snaps out of it and begins to grill his son. "King?! How can you possibly stay here for months if you're their king?"
"Ah, I'm just a trophy husband. In their kingdom everything is run by the women. Luna is the one that probably shouldn't be here for more than a week, but she insists her substitute will be fine for a few months on her own."
Luna just rolls her eyes, "Ugh, my replacement is more than capable, Ignis. We could probably stay here for a century and things would still be fine." She releases a big yawn mid sentence. "Did you have any other questions for either of us....dad?"
Everyone makes a bit of an awkward face at the usage. Luna sighs, "You're right Ignis, it does sound a bit forced and awkward."
"No, nothing important anyways. It can wait until dinner, I'm excited to meet whoever else you brought with you, son."
After a brief exchange of goodbyes the couple climb upstairs and Ignis leads Luna to where they'll be sleeping for the duration of their stay. Opening the door he finds two more women currently putting clothes into dresser drawers while the other one is half naked, changing into pajama's.
The one currently changing looks similar to Luna but her eyes are much more piercing and intimidating. Her hair is also purple instead of blue. The lady who is already in her pajamas, and is currently putting clothes away is a bit shorter than the other two with bright red hair. If she had pointy ears she'd actually look like she's from here. The taller woman in purple hair turns towards the two that entered while putting her hair up.
"How'd it go? Did Ignis forget again?" She finishes her ponytail and puts her hands on her hips with a smug smile on her face. Showing off a pair of fangs.
"Of course he did. You know he almost always forgets. Are you not putting on any, uhm what do they call it, pants over your panties? Ignis said just walking around with just the undergarments on is quite inappropriate." Luna replies with a sigh as she gives the man a side eye.
"It's not enough I have to wear this blasted thing covering my chest and something on top of that? This is too confining! How do your people constantly walk around like this?" The purple haired woman pulls at the collar of her shirt, trying to loosen it. Although it's already fairly loose and baggy considering it's a shirt for sleeping.
"I mean we're in the privacy of our bedroom, Nightmare. You don't have to wear anything while we're in here. If you leave the room at some point to grab a snack or something though I must insist that you put your pants back on. I'll admit I'm quite fond of that look though. Nothing beats your woman wearing nothing but one of your t-shirts."
Nightmare blushes a bit while she reaches behind her back to unclip her bra. She hated every minute of wearing that particular undergarment. "Well, i-it's not necessary to say such things. I'm sure you'd be fond of any outfit I'm wearing."
"You got me there." The elf gives Nightmare a quick peck before jumping onto the bed and letting out a gigantic sigh. "Oh, my sweet bed! You're as beautiful as the day I lost you. So soft..."
"I don't see what the big deal is. Personally, these pajamas are super soft and I feel so snug and comfortable." The red haired woman closes the drawer she was putting clothes into, and leans back to fall onto the bed as well. "You better not forget to introduce us properly at dinner tonight. Luna might find it cute cause of that little agreement you two have, but I'll be quite offended if you forget that I'm your wife too."
"Of course, how could I ever forget that the Unstoppable Force is my wife? It's not that I forget I'm married to all of you. It's just... I don't know. Every morning I go to sleep thinking that this is all too good to be true, and every night I wake up surprised that this isn't a dream. You three know you're the most important things in my life." Ignis gives her a kiss as well before turning his head towards the head mare of the group. Admiring her while she also changes into pajamas and puts her hair up.
Once she's finished she climbs onto the bed and crawls on her hands and knees over the elf with a predatory smile on her face.
Everything blurs together and fades to black. The only thing left is Ignis, floating in a familiar black void with his eyes closed. There's a dopey smile on his face as he mutters out Luna's name in his infinite sleep.
Rainbow Dash just finished reporting to the group that she felt that same ominous feeling as before. She pointed them in the direction of the energy then took off again to scout it out while they caught up. When she lands in front of a small cave the only thing she can see is a pair of hooves, white fur, and something bright red sprawled out on the cave floor like a puddle.
In her adrenaline rush she thinks the red hair is blood and instantly moves into action. "Hey! Let that pony go right now! What did you do...to......her? Huh?" The scene Rainbow finds is not one she expected. That creature from earlier is laying down on the floor with Cadences Knight, and they're...cuddling?
"Rainbow Dash! Shhh, he's sleeping." The pegasus whisper yells to the rainbow maned speedster.
The element of Loyalty can do nothing but stare, confused. Another few seconds pass and the rest of the bearers arrive at the cave with Luna. They all share Rainbow's confused stare except Luna who offers a soft smile at the unexpectedly adorable situation.
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 14
"Where Celestia?"
The gawking of the group at the adorable cuddling scene is quickly brought back to reality as the creature asks his question while still laying down and holding the knight in his arms. They group all hesitantly look at each other trying to figure out what to say. Luna steps forward and decides to be mostly truthful.
"She's in Canterlot. That's where we're going as well. Would you like to accompany me?"
Blazewraith stands up and places Force down gently. Walking up to Luna he gives her a discerning stare while tilting his head. After a few seconds he leans forward and all of the girls tense up.
Only to immediately relax when they watch him rub his cheek along her own cheek and neck. Luna leans into it with a smile. The creature then leaves the cave, squats down very low and leaps into the air. Twilight and Force stare a bit perplexed while the rest of them just seem surprised. The elf goes higher and higher, further and further, until he turns into a small dot and disappears in the distance. "Well at least he's heading in the right direction. That is the direction of Canterlot right?"
"That is correct, Rainbow Dash. I suppose we'll just have to continue without him and assume that he'll be there waiting for us." Luna answers the pegasus while walking ahead and resuming their journey.
"Why'd you tell him that's where the Princess is though? I thought it was supposed to be a surprise!" Pinkie bounces on her tail, facing backwards so she can look directly at the alicorn.
"Well, I didn't expect him to just leave on his own. Luckily there's no way Tia is already there, so she should be fine. I mostly just didn't want to lie to him. She is technically on her way to Canterlot."
The group continue their walk through the Everfree for several minutes until they reach the edge of the forest near Ponyville. As soon as they breach the treeline and leave the forest they hear something zipping through the air, almost like something heavy is falling. They all look up and search for the source of the noise only for a sudden crashing sound to land a few feet away from them.
"Not there." Nyxblade stomps up the dirt towards the group of ponies, coming to a stop right in front of Luna. Looking down at her with his chest puffed out.
"Where? No lie."
"I didn't lie. That's where she said she was going. She must've stopped somewhere along the way for a break or maybe you just missed her. There's no way you checked the entire city that fast. Why don't you just join us since that's where we're heading anyways." Luna maintains eye contact with a determined look.
After a few seconds of silence the wraith relaxes his posture. "No. I wait."
As soon as he says that he just leaps into the air again and disappears. "I can't believe how quickly that form is adapting to using mana. He's barely even using his physical strength when he jumps like that. He's coiling mana around his legs and compressing it like a spring when he crouches. He's even releasing it in bursts out of his feet while he goes through the air."
Twilight conjures a notepad and quill, immediately taking notes. The rest of the girls just laugh at the fact she can still act like this despite how bleak the situation is looking. The group continues into Ponyville until they reach the library. Once there they unpack the hot air balloon and load up Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie, and Rarity into the basket. Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Luna use their wings to help speed up the contraption as they float to Canterlot.
It's only when they're about half way through their journey when the burner for the balloon starts spitting out bubbles instead of fire. The girls in the basket start to panic until Twilight reassures them. "It's alright girls, despite how it looks this isn't that dangerous. Without the burner we just won't be able to maintain this altitude. In these conditions we shouldn't drop out of the sky or anything. I'd estimate that we have another 30 to 40 minutes of flight until we land. I'm not sure how we'll get everypony up to Canterlot without the balloon though..."
"I could bring all of you up in one trip with my telekinesis alone. It wouldn't be much trouble." Luna offers while gliding next to the slowly descending basket.
"Oh Princess we couldn't ask y'all to do something like that for us. Rainbow and Flutters can just bring us up one at a time."
"Dear Applejack, I assure you I would barely even notice. Just because I'm a Princess, that doesn't change the fact that I could carry all four of you up there without magic. With magic it's not even a challenge. It's no trouble at all, I promise."
As if to prove her point Luna ignites her horn and a blue bubble appears around the entire hot air balloon. A few seconds later the balloon stops descending and starts to actually regain its lost altitude. She's lifting the entire balloon and its occupants with just her magic and she doesn't even seem to be bothered at all. Her face is like she's not even using magic.
Applejack whistles at the display and Twilight's eyes light up with stars at the display. It's not a feat that should surprise the unicorn, but she very rarely gets to see an alicorn flex their magic outside of their domain. Just another couple of hours and the group would arrive at Canterlot Mountain.
A group of four wake up in a bed that they all just barely fit on together. "What was even the point of having us change into those "pajama" things if you were just going to strip us a few minutes later?"
"Because Nightmare, when you get a gift, unwrapping the present is one of the best parts. Besides, you still have the shirt on. Now c'mon c'mon get up you lot we're already on the verge of running late. We gotta get dressed for dinner." Ignis claps his hands as he sits up in bed, Force grunting in her sleep in disapproval. Luna opens her eyes as she goes from laying on top of the elf to laying on her back as he sits up.
"That's a very rude way to wake up your Goddess, Ignis." She calls out with a deadpan voice while staring at the ceiling.
"Yeah yeah, not my fault you wouldn't wake up any other way. It was either that or I lick my finger and stick it in your ear again."
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Very suddenly the Queen is fully awake and standing, getting dressed. With a chuckle Ignis also gets up and begins getting dressed.
The three women look around with surprise on their faces as they take in the elf's dining room that nearly rivals the royal dining hall at the castle. "Oh two more women? Wait, but didn't you all sleep in the same room?" Tala points out the obvious as she spots her brother and the ladies walking into the room.
"Yep. Father, Tala, this is Nightmare Moon and Unstoppable Force. All three of these lovely ladies are my wives." The elf has a bit of a sheepish grin as he nervously scratches the back of his head. Unsure of how his family will react to his polygamy.
Tala looks stunned and the other man in the room starts to belly laugh as he looks at the harem. "You really managed to pull off the impossible, huh? Your mother alone was enough to keep my hands full. I can't imagine how in the world you handle three. Although if the marriage is open I wonder if that girl from the Count's family is still interested in you? I believe her name was Ember?"
"Even if she is, I doubt it'd work out. She'd have to be willing to come back to Equestria with us." Ignis tries to shoot down the idea as politely as possible while also sighing in relief at his fathers positive reaction to the news.
That's one informational bombshell down, let's see if handles the other one with nearly half as much grace. Ignis thinks to himself as they all sit down and food is brought out.
"So besides having a very active love life, what else have you been up to in this Equestria place?" The Patriarch asks his son.
"Well, I've become quite proficient with the Bladesong. I never stopped my arcane studies either, I'd wager I'm probably stronger than Natasha or even Elminister himself, nowadays. Their plane is so different compared to ours though, they have their own magic system that doesn't involve the Weave in any capacity. It's fascinating, honestly. They have their own fuel for magic inside their bodies called mana, and they're able to use that to cast anything they can come up with. They aren't restricted by spell levels or slots."
Before his father can respond Tala stands up, slamming her hands on the table with sparkles in her eyes. "What?! Really?! Can we have a demonstration or does it only work back in their plane?"
Ignis holds up his hand as it's enveloped in a dim silver aura and suddenly all of the candles and table ornaments light up in the same silver before floating into the air. He starts to flick his hand around in the air and all of the objects form a single file line before zipping down and orbiting slowly around the drow girl. She looks around and follows the objects with a look of wonder.
After a minute or so he puts everything back. Can't distract the girl for too long or the food will go cold. "We can do some much more extravagant demonstrations afterwards, but I'm afraid they can't really be done indoors. We'll have to go to the arena."
"Wait so you can also use their mana? Even though you're here?" Tala still looks like she's lost in a fantasy as Father questions Ignis.
"Oh yeah. Both of you probably can as well. I apparently had quite a reserve of the stuff when I showed up. It definitely takes some getting used to though. Although in this form Luna is probably the only one of these three that can still use mana. She has a bit more practice."
Everyone looks at the elf with varying levels of confusion and surprise. Luna, Force, and Moonie are all wondering why he mentioned so much earlier than he initially planned. Tala and their father look confused at what he means by "this form" and "practice."
Ignis looks up from his food and sees the facial reactions all around him. "Ah shit I didn't mean to bring that up this soon."
"What do you mean by "this form" Ignis?"
"Uh, well. Uhm. You see, right now I've casted True Polymorph on all of them. I thought it'd be a bit of a smoother introduction if they were in more familiar forms when we first met. It was their idea, to be fair. I admitted being a bit nervous about it and they offered to stay Polymorphed for our first trip."
"Why is that? What do they normally look like? They're not Mind Flayers or something are they?"
"What? Father, no! Gods above I would never be caught dead with an Illithid. Listen, let's just table this for now and we can show you when we do the magic demonstration, deal?"
One awkwardly quiet meal later and the group found themselves in the Natume Arena. One of the upsides for being the clan of bladesingers means they often host combat tournaments, so their arena is quite exceptional. It's large and features several defensive wards for the structure itself and the audience. Although when there's no competitions going on the local Eilistraee worshippers use the arena for training. There's currently a little over 50 Clerics and priests.
"What do you think would be a good demo spell, Luna?" Ignis rubs his chin as he thinks of a good demonstration.
She whispers something in his ear and his face lights up. "Oh that's a good one!"
He lifts his hand into the air and his eyes glow bright with silver as this spell will consume a great deal of mana. A few seconds later and a beam of magic shoots up before splitting in over 50 smaller beams that scatter in the arena. They all track down and hit every single person inside the structure. There's a few yelps of panic until they realize the spell didn't hurt them.
Then they look at their allies and they all realize every single one of them has a pair of wings. "I guess technically our magic can do this as well, but not on a scale like this."
All of the drow present that feel brave enough, including Tala, take to the skies with their new wings for several minutes before landing. Next he points a finger into the air and several massive balls of fire appear in the air above the elf. All of them are the size of a house and they number well over 10. Tala and their father look on in shock as Tala actually stumbles backwards at the sight.
The elf cycles through a few more spells before his father asks about his wives. With a sigh Ignis looks back at Luna and with a flash of light she transforms back into her alicorn form.
"Ignis, son. Look I know I probably never said this enough, but you know I love you right?" The elf nods and sighs. "I just wanted to make sure you knew that before I said this. Son, that's a horse."
Luna giggles as the fathers reaction is almost spot on with what Ignis predicted. Ignis just looks at Luna and speaks to her. "Hey Luna since it's nearly sunset why don't we show them one of Equestria's most powerful spells. Hit em with your speciality. Just make sure to put it back when you're done so you don't freak out the entire realm."
Everyone looks on in confusion at the alicorn. Luna ignites her horn and starts to float into the air from the intense output of mana. Her eyes light up and her mane turns from her normal blue hair into her starry ethereal mane. Suddenly the orange sky that had been slowly turning into a sunset is transformed into the middle of the night. The moon high in the sky and thousands of stars decorating the black canvas.
As soon as the spell channels and Luna's mana overwhelms the arena every single drow there instantly recognizes the feeling of presence. In a swift singular motion every single worshiper there drops down to one knee and puts their right fist against their left shoulder, purely on instinct.
Tala looks up from her bow at the alicorn then looks down at herself in complete surprise at how automatic her response was. She eventually mutters out, "Th-The Dark Maiden herself? Wha....huh?"
Ignis' face immediately turns into a small o face as he realizes he forgot an important detail. "Honestly it's been so many centuries since I thought about it, I completely forgot the presence of your mana is the same as Eilistraee."
Once he remembers that he remembers that he brought something with them with the intention of returning it. It's served him extremely well over the last few centuries but it belongs here. Back with the elves and the temple. Unsheathing the Moonblade causes the followers to all release another gasp.
Ignis walks over to who he thinks is the highest ranking cleric of the order that's currently present, and he presents the Moonblade to them. She gulps in hesitation before taking the blade without a word.
After that he walks over and decides to show them that he truly doesn't care what form she takes by giving her a deep kiss in front of everyone. It's only then that the implications of everything truly slam into Tala and the others. He had the Moonblade and he's married to The Dark Maiden. He's Her Chosen.
They all bow down again, but this time facing Ignis. He immediately puts his hands up, signaling them to relax. "Woah woah there's no need for all that. Listen, it's a bit complicated to explain, but I don't think Luna here is actually Eilistraee. I think she's just the equivalent of her for their plane. Equestria isn't even linked to this place, I had to use a very unusual method of transportation to get us here. So let's just all relax."
Ignis hears a man clear his throat and looks over at this father. "I think I'd prefer it if she was The Dark Maiden, it'd be much easier to accept that my son is married to a horse if she was our Goddess."
"Dad! There are no elves in Equestria. No humans, no tieflings, no dwarves. Even if there was, I probably still would've fallen for these three, but that's besides the point. Did you expect me to just wallow in loneliness over there for multiple centuries? Now apologize to my wives, they're not horses, they're ponies. For them the term horse is the word used to describe a whore. A Whorse if you will. Anyways now that the cat is out of the bag do you two wanna ditch the human disguises?"
With an enthusiastic yes Ignis dispels their polymorphs and everyone just seems a bit confused on where to go from here. Meanwhile the lovers from Equestria are all just looking at each other fondly.
Force, Luna, Twilight and her friends all land on the edge of the floating island of Canterlot. Fluttershy turns around and eep's in fright at how high they truly are, she's unable to even see the ground. The group looks around for Ignis and after not seeing him Luna ignites her horn and Celestia flies up and lands as well.
Instantly spaces tears open and Discord appears before the group. "I'm surprised you all figured everything out so quickly! I'm so proud of how you all have improved. Now that all of you are here it's time to really put the pieces in place."
"What's your game this time, Discord?! Now that we're all together and I know my friends are with me you don't stand a chance!" Twilight stomps her forehoof on the ground while yelling at the draconequus with a look of determination.
He smirks at the unicorn before laughing. "Oh that's a good one! As for what the game is, let me get all the pieces in place like I said. I don't want to explain this more than once."
With a snap from the chaos God suddenly the entire population of Canterlot, including the entire royal guard, is teleported from the shelter below, inside the mountain to up here in the city. Another snap later and every single pony present loses their horns and wings except for Celestia. Next up a giant glass dome comes down perfectly covers the edge of the floating city so no one can jump off the island.
"Now, all the pieces are in place! The game is simple young Twilight. You and your friends simply have to get to the Elements. You have until this floating city reaches that little camp of yours in the far West that consists of the thestrals plus the population of Ponyville. If you haven't retrieved the Elements and bested me before we arrive then this place will plummet thousands of feet down and land on that camp."
Everyone looks pale at the idea of this place falling so far and landing on hundreds of ponies. They all realize that without wings or horns that fall would kill all of them as well. "Now then for all my Canterlot locals here is the game for you. Anypony who takes out one of the element bearers will be safely transported off of the island and onto the ground below. Along with their family and the family of one other friend of their choosing. To make things fair I've taken away everypony's magic and their flight so you'll all have to get creative."
Discord then looks over at Celestia who has a horrified look on her face from all of the stipulations listed so far. "And you. Sunny. You have been allowed to keep your horn and your wings for one special reason. Your goal for this game is to avoid that corrupted bladesinger who is trying to claim your life. I don't want you to be defenseless so I've allowed you to keep your normal magic and such. You will also need to be present at the finish line with the rest of the bearers so you'll want to get rid of that creature one way or another. Lest you risk the fate of the world, of course."
All of the civilians and guards look at each other in horror as they overhear certain groups talking about which element bearer they're going to go after. Saying things like they have to think of their families here. They can't risk their own lives on the assumption that everypony else will also let the bearers through. As everyone goes through these discussions all of the ones that seem to have decided on hunting the element bearers slowly lose their colors and become dull monochrome versions of themselves.
Luna looks at Discord a bit confused. "What am I supposed to do?"
"What do you mean dear Luna? You don't have a role to play, that's why you lack your horn and wings. You can choose to stop one of the bearers or you can choose to try and help them reach their goal. If I were you though I'd probably choose to help your sister. She's gunna need it."
With that Discord holds up his arm and gives one last announcement to all of the players. "Good luck, everypony! Let the games begin!"
Following a singular snap everyone is teleported to a random location throughout the massive capital city. The civilians and guards are even distributed throughout the city for the sake of fairness, this prevents any single element bearer from getting ganged up on too quickly. The bearers themselves are also separated and sent to random corners of the floating city.
The first thing anyone hears after the teleportation is an ear piercing screech as they watch a familiar wraith-like creature fly across the sky chasing a white alicorn. Luna looks around as the city devolves into mayhem, civilians and guards that have decided to help the bearers are fighting with the ones that are trying to stop the bearers. The only thing she can think to herself watching this depraved sight is,
"This is the beginning of the end."
> The Return of Harmony - Kindness
With a series of pops we find ourselves in the south western corner of Canterlot, in the lower district. Fluttershy in particular appears inside a small house that's in ruin, with one corner of the building entirely gone and patches of roof missing from above. The other walls don't fare much better, there's one full wall that appears untouched connected to one wall that's only halfway standing. The other wall is roughly 70% standing, all of the windows around the structure are shattered. Any furniture still inside is scattered and cut open, disassembled.
The pegasus looks around with wide eyes trying to determine what just happened as she slowly shrinks into herself, backing into the closest corner she can find. "Uhm, R-Rainbow Dash? App-applejack? Is.... is anypony there? Please don't leave me alone."
As she mutters those words to herself she hears small roars of commotion begin to pop up in varying distances from the residential structure she's sheltering in. The closest sounds like several ponies fighting each other while defending their decisions from each other. As the argument turns physical and yelps of pain and screams can be heard just outside the house Fluttershy starts to shake and hides behind her own forelegs while whimpering. "P-please stop fighting."
This continues as all of the different confrontations seem to naturally merge into one large battle. After several minutes of quietly crying in her hidden corner of the lonely house she's startled as a brown pony comes flying through the open window in the room next to hers. The pony bounces and tumbles all the way through that room and into Fluttershy's room before coming to a stop.
After a few seconds of silence the pegasus slowly peeks out to find the pony laying on the floor, staring at her. She eeps and starts to mutter out a few apologies as she hides behind her forelegs again. It's only after another few seconds of silence that she decides to peek out again and discovers the eyes that are staring at her hold a gaze that's completely empty. Empty and lifeless.
In an instant her demeanor flips on its head. She's on her hooves and running towards the corpse as her eyes truly start to well up. She gets to the corpse and tries to look all over the body for any wounds so she can try and save him, not realizing it's far too late. It's only flipping the pony over and finding several gaping stab wounds in his underbelly that she realizes life has left this body.
How many more ponies are out there dying? Are they dying just because of my friends? Because of me?! I can stop all of this if I just go out there right? While still crying her eyes become determined and she climbs up the stairs of the house to the second level. Once there she runs over to the exposed corner that's facing the confrontation.
"Everypony stop please! All of this is not necessary, please!" No one can really hear the shy pegasus. She realizes she has to actually speak up. "EVERYPONY PLEASE! Please stop throwing your lives away!"
The fighting slowly comes to a stop as everyone quiets down and looks up at the determined pegasus with tears running down her face. All of the monochrome ponies look at each other and then back to the element bearer. Fluttershy is just about to resume her naive speech when the monochrome faction yells over her.
"There she is! Get her!"
Suddenly spears and debris are launched into the air towards the element bearer and her eyes go wide in panic. Turning around she jumps and ducks, falling down to the first level of the house and barely managing to dodge the attacks. She lands with a thud and winces slightly. Turning around she watches as ponies are trying to climb over each other to rush into the house after her.
Realizing she doesn't have time to sit here in pain, Fluttershy stands up nearly hyperventilating and sprints across the house into an adjacent room. Once there she jumps through a shattered window and onto a mostly empty street on the opposite side of the house from where the battle was. The ground vibrates as if there's a stampede and all at once ponies emerge from both paths around the house, and they spew from the windows on the side of the house she's on.
Several of them are pushing and trying to hold back the mob and they scream at the element bearer to run. Time slows down for Fluttershy as she has an internal battle with herself to try and stop the needless violence or save her own life for the greater good and run. It's only when a mare in Day Guard armor slams into the pony is she knocked out of her stupor.
"YOU HAVE TO RUN!" The guard shouts at her and her eyes shrink to pinpricks as she turns and starts to hightail it down the street. Turning into the first alley she can find. The pegasus starts to jump through broken windows and leaps from alley to house to alley to street. Quickly trying to put as many obstacles between herself and her pursuers as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately the pegasus reaches the edge of the floating city and skids to a stop before hitting the barrier guarding the edge. Turning quickly she sloppily runs towards the closest house, but not before a sudden spear grazes her hind leg. Fluttershy yelps in pain and loses her balance, tumbling and hitting the wall of the house she was about to jump into.
Forcing her eyes open she screams as she watches four more spears fly through the air at her. Only to be saved as one pony slides across the ground while holding a door that was found as debris. Holding the door up like a shield it manages to stop all four spears as they poke through about half way before stopping. The element bearer scrambles to her hooves and as she jumps through an open window frame she thanks the pony that just saved her.
"Just make sure to pay me back and save all of u-" There's a loud squelching sound followed by what sounds like someone gurgling on a liquid of some sort. Blood in this case, but Fluttershy can't know that for sure since she can no longer see the street she just left. She has a pretty good idea of what just happened though as fresh tears leave her eyes and she begins running in earnest again.
This continues for another minute or so until Fluttershy finds herself in a particularly damaged home. It looks like it should've already collapsed by now as she makes a note to get out of this house as quickly as possible. Running through an open door and skidding across the ground as she turns sharply to the right. The element bearer only makes it a few feet before she hears the building she was just inside collapse and crumble, loudly.
She hears several screams as the bricks and stone fall onto the ponies passing through, and this time she cannot ignore her heart. Skidding to a stop she turns around and runs back to the collapsed building. Right as she's about to arrive at the structure a mass of ponies spew from an alley right in front of her and without hesitation she jumps and leaps over the group.
The ponies in pursuit stop and look on with confusion as the mare jumps into the piled up stack of rubble. The house next door was nearly brought down with the building that collapsed, and one of its tall walls is leaning over the pile of bricks. All the pursuers stop in fear of having that massive wall next door collapse onto them.
They can only watch, their eyes growing slowly wider as they do, as the pegasus begins to lift and throw bricks from the pile of rubble. Even the ponies with projectiles and rocks that had been planning to throw them stop and stare as the element bearer desperately tries to save anyone trapped in the rubble. After a minute or so she uncovers, pony after pony, moving on as soon as the trapped ponies gasp and start to breathe now that there's nothing stopping them from doing so.
She knows that ponies will still die from being crushed but her priority is to uncover as many heads as possible so anyone trapped can breathe while they wait to be rescued. One of the ponies sputters and coughs up a cloud of dust as her head is uncovered and she looks at the pegasus with wide eyes. The uncovered pony's eyes start to well up as she sees who saved her.
"Wh...what? Why are you saving us? We," She violently coughs. "We are the ones trying to kill you!" Actually saying the words out loud seems to make the weight of her actions hit her in full force. She realizes and starts to feel immense guilt for what she was just trying to do to a national hero.
The entire street is dead silent in response to the loud question posed by the nearly crushed pony. Fluttershy looks the pony squarely in the eyes and a bit of rainbow lightning sparks around both of her irises. Fluttershy herself has a flashback to the dragon inside of the cave that Ignis nearly killed, and Celestia did kill. Her thoughts back then are the same as the next words she utters.
"I don't think anypony deserves to die, no matter how badly they may have acted. You're all just scared for you and your family's safety. You're all in the middle of the worst day of your lives, and that's okay. Everypony still deserves Kindness."
Over 100 ponies surrounding the crumbled house, and filling the adjacent streets seem to quickly blink and their faces contort into pained looks of guilt. A dull light begins to glow on all of them as their monochrome features are washed away and they all return to normal.
In an instant a group of the ex-pursuers are inside the house next door throwing ropes around the wall that is threatening to fall onto the already collapsed house of rubble. They pull the wall back upright and stabilize it as everyone else joins in the rescue effort to uncover and unbury any one trapped in the collapsed house.
Anyone that has already committed the ultimate crime of murder will of course be arrested and tried for their crimes, but that fact goes unspoken. Fluttershy might not have left it unspoken on purpose but it's good that she did so. If it had been spoken a few of those ponies may have gone back to the dark side.
After another 15 minutes or so the pile of rubble has been fully sifted through and there's a small area in the middle of the street with several injured ponies laying down on sheets and blankets found in the surrounding houses. Bandages cover any of their wounds and Fluttershy is seen giving soft commands to anyone with medical expertise, directing their efforts according to her own triage observations.
Once that's finished the entire group over 80 ponies strong move as a single unit with Fluttershy and start making their way towards the castle.
Time remaining until Canterlot reaches the Ponyville shelter camp: 132 Minutes.
"Ignis where are we going?" Nightmare asks me as I lead her through the woods near my estate.
"There's just one last person I want you all to meet. Then after that I figured we'd just see where the night takes us."
We've been walking through these woods for nearly half an hour at this point, but it'll be worth it. I know she'd love to meet these three. All three of the ladies are having small talk amongst themselves while guessing who this last mysterious person could be.
It's only when we stop at the edge of a certain clearing in the woods that Luna realizes who we're meeting. She stops mid sentence very suddenly, Nightmare and Force both look back at her in surprise wondering why she stopped walking and talking so suddenly. They see her gaze locked onto something up ahead and they turn to look as well.
Once they look, all the chattering dies in an instant. I look back towards the three of them and tilt my heads towards the center of the clearing. "C'mon let me introduce you all."
The mood is a bit more somber than I'd hoped, but I guess I understand. Where they're from this is a much sadder scene, but here it's not really too sad.
We approach a gravestone with a sword coming out of the ground behind it. Once we finish the short walk I rub my hand along the top of the gravestone clearing any dust. I make sure to wipe away any small spots of dirt, and then I sit down on the ground. Patting my hand on the ground next to me I motion for the three of them to sit down too.
"Hey Mom. I know it's been a while, I ended up stuck in a different plane of existence for a few centuries. So, that made it kinda hard to stop by. I promise this is the soonest I could've come here. Before I introduce the people I brought with me I thought I'd catch you up on everything I've been through."
I said this wasn't that sad of a meeting, but here I am getting misty eyed. "I ended up being accepted by the Moonblade. I can't believe you never told me about that ancient old hag that lived in the sword. I hope you don't hold it against her but she told me all kinds of embarrassing stories from your past. Long before you met Father, even. I got really good at magic. I was even able to cast Wish for a while. Eventually the backlash caught up to me though and I lost access to the spell forever."
As all of the memories flood through my head I end up rubbing my index finger between my upper lip and my nose. "I'm probably the strongest Bladesinger in any realm now. I always remembered what you told me, that one day I'd inherit the blade and I'd use it to protect those that are weaker than myself. I didn't always manage to save everyone, but uh. Fuck. I tried ya know?"
Caught completely off guard I'm suddenly choked up and my throat hurts. "Galadra said you'd be proud. I'm not sure how true that is, but I hope it is. There was a lot of times where I missed you. So many times I was sat there wishing you or Father or Tala could see me. See what I'd accomplished. Everything is okay though. Despite some minor setbacks along the way I've been happy."
I go a little more indepth and tell her stories about the changelings, all the villains I fought, and just rambling in general. It must've been over an hour of just talking to the gravestone before I finally moved on.
"So anyways I brought some people I know you'd have loved to meet. This is Luna, Nightmare Moon, and Unstoppable Force. Don't scold me for it but I'm married to all three of them. I promise you we're all happy, I'm not two timing or three timing anyone. Grandkids have been a bit of a problem due to how different we are genetically, but we've been planning a few things out. One of them is going to go under a True Polymorph spell for a year or so and we'll have an elf child. Then I'll hit myself with a True Polymorph and become a pony. Probably a unicorn. Don't worry once they're born you'll be one of the first to meet them."
I scoot over a bit to allow room for the three of them to come closer. "I've done enough talking by now. I'll let these three introduce themselves."
I'm surprised by how much they also talked to her. I wasn't sure how something like this compared to their culture. It's probably another 45 minutes or so of them talking to the gravestone. Once they're done telling stories about how we met and anything embarrassing they can think of, a dim beam of moonlight shines down and envelopes the gravestone.
Suddenly a very translucent image of Zarra appears, floating in the air as she gently comes down. She looks exactly the way I remembered her on the night of her Final Dance. Once she softly lands on the ground she smiles at me and I immediately pull her in for a hug. Mom leans away from the hug and wipes a tear off my cheek as she smiles at me. This time its a tear of joy though. I'm happy she was allowed a few moments to actually come and visit us again. The way the afterlife works here is the reason why this wasn't supposed to be a sad meeting. I just ended up getting emotional.
Then she turns towards the beauties I brought with me and gives them a bright smile before embracing all of them. The moonlight starts to dim and fade and with it her translucent image also starts to disappear. I wave to her as she floats up into the air and right before she vanishes completely I call out to her.
"Love you, Mom."
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 15
"Any sign of the other bearers?" Sergeant Flaw asks one of her subordinates as she approaches the lookout position on top of Canterlot Hospital.
"Yes, we spotted Rainbow Dash sneaking across the rooftops about four blocks to the east. We've already sent a squad to go pick her up and bring her back here, but we haven't notified Miss Rarity yet. Any updates from the other lookouts?"
"Negative. Don't forget we're also trying to spot any of the Princesses. Princess Cadence and Princess Luna were also stripped of their horns and wings, so they are extremely vulnerable right now."
After checking on the hospital lookouts the guardsmare goes back downstairs. In the Intensive Care wing she spots Rarity using her hooves to sew a wound closed for a pony that was attacked as soon as everyone teleported in. "Miss Rarity, they've spotted your friend Rainbow Dash and are sending a few guards to escort her back here. Once more of the guards rendezvous here we'll start moving towards the castle as a unit."
"Oh that sounds wonderful, dear. I must say I'm impressed how coordinated you all are considering we only arrived here 15 minutes ago. Already establishing a point to defend, shooting flares to bring more guards over, setting up lookouts for several blocks. I had no idea how involved being a guard truly was!"
"Truthfully, that new creature serving under Princess Luna has been a huge help. He lets our guards attend his training sessions and is surprisingly well versed in tactics. This situation isn't exactly the same but we did run simulations for the city of Canterlot being invaded. A lot of that has been applicable here, I just never thought the enemy would be our own citizens..." Her face contorts into a pained look as she glances to the side, towards the ground.
Rarity finishes closing up the wound and turns towards Sgt Flaw. "It is a bit tragic, but they're just scared. If I wasn't one of the bearers I'm not even sure how I'd react if I was them. It's easy to say that I'd still be here, doing what I'm doing now. But, reality is always a bit more cruel. Something I think everypony has learned to some degree the last few days. Is there anything else I can help out with? I've finished dressing and suturing the few wounded we have in here. If any of the guards need some repairs to the non-metal parts of their uniform I could help out."
"No ma'am. The only non-metal parts are underneath the metal parts, so if they're messed up that likely means the entire armor is compromised. I'd say you could see if there's anything you can do to help out with the fortification of the lobby downstairs, but that's probably the most dangerous place you could be at the moment. As one of the primary targets it'd be foolish to even let you near that area, so I'll just have to ask that you stay up here on the second level."
There's an extremely loud crashing sound as the entire building shakes and dust falls from the ceiling. Rarity drops to the floor and holds her forelegs over her head as she dramatically screams. Flaw looks up at the quaking ceiling with a concerned face before bolting out of the room and back to the roof.
Slamming the door open as she skids to a stop on the roof, she calls out. "Report! What's go-"
She interrupts herself as she looks across the street and sees nothing but rubble where there was once several nearly pristine buildings. In the middle of the rubble there's a cratered line hundreds of feet long and at the end of the grooved line lies the Princess of the Sun.
Celestia shakily rises up to her hooves and yells out at the many guards from the nearby hospital approaching her. "Stay back! This is something far beyond any of you, and as long as you don't get in his way you'll all be safe. I can handle myself, find the element bearers and get them to the castle, now!"
The guards stare and hesitate as the order goes against years of training. It's only when Blazewraith slams into the ground where Celestia was once standing that they fully decide against approaching the battle. The presence of that creature placed far too much pressure on the guards. Thankfully he missed Celestia because she blinked into the air, but just as quickly as the natural disaster, that is their battle, arrived, it leaves as they zoom off to the north.
"Why does it feel more unlikely for the element bearers to win versus that thing than it does against Discord?"
"Probably because Discord isn't actively participating and he's seemingly just letting them get the elements, but if that thing was against all of us instead of just the Princess...? I think we'd be screwed."
The two guards that were standing on top of the hospital comment to themselves as they watch the two combatants disappear into the distance. Flaw just gawks at the crater where the Princess once stood. That thing was Ignis? I knew he was strong but I didn't think he was THAT powerful...
The door to the roof bursts open as another guard emerges and calls out to the sergeant. "Alpha Squad has returned with Rainbow Dash, Sgt."
Snapping out of her stupor the guard turns towards the new voice. "Anything else?" The guard shakes his head no. "Where are they now?"
"Rainbow immediately went to greet Miss Rarity. They were still conversing when I passed by."
After thanking and dismissing the messenger, Flaw goes back to the Intensive Care wing to find the two element bearers. "Plans changed. We're moving now."
"Why now, darling? There's only two of us!" Rarity replies with confusion evident on her face.
"We're better off using the castle as our base of operations and it's where both of you need to go anyways. Logically speaking, it just works out. We've got well over 50 guards so we should be fine if we run into any trouble."
Rainbow and Rarity share a hesitant look at each other but follow the guard down to the lobby.
Time remaining until Canterlot reaches the Ponyville shelter camp: 150 minutes.
Ignis is really doing a number on me right now. I don't think I've been tossed around and physically harmed like this in 1,000 years. Ironically the same pony that was responsible for my wounds back then is also the cause for these wounds. No, that's wrong. It's my fault.
I'm interrupted from my thoughts as Ignis slams his claws into my barrel and a sickly green light glows in the wounds.
"Eldritch Smite."
There's a strange taste in my mouth and I feel several stone structures collapse as I crash through them. It's been much longer than 1,000 years since I've had this taste in my mouth, it's copper. It's blood.
Eventually I stop cratering through downtown Canterlot and a legitimate fear starts to settle in the back of my mind. It's taking effort to stand and I can taste blood in my mouth. This creature is truly strong enough to actually kill me. After a few seconds I manage to stand and notice several guards running towards me.
After yelling at them to find the elements and leave I feel mana shifting in the air. Channeling a teleportation spell I blink several feet into the air and spread my wings wide. The corrupted elf lands where I was just standing and causes the crater that was already there to expand and deepen.
There's too many ponies here, I need to move this somewhere safer. It's quiet to the north I'll go there. Luna I'm sorry but I can't hold back anymore. If things continue like this for another 30 minutes I won't survive.
I understand, Tia. Just don't...don't kill him. Please. Where are you? I want to try snapping him out of it one more time.
I'm moving north, it seems less populated than the other sections of the city. There's too much collateral damage everywhere else.
Alright. I'm on my way.
Glancing a look backwards I see him closing in on me as we continue to fly north. Summoning my armor I quickly veer upwards, ascending at a sharp angle. I'll use one of my most complicated spells.
After flashing a blinding light to buy myself the few seconds I'll need to cast this I get to work layering the 17 rune spell. He's enraged, that's good. That means it blinded him. Just a few more seconds.
Conjuring a nearly invisible crystal in the air, I channel several mana channels into the crystal from all sides. Refraction magic combined with illusion magic. The mana hits the crystal and pure sunlight is scattered from the crystal, creating six alicorns that are purely made of sunlight. Next is the illusion magic. Following the already established mana channels that were created by the crystal I send a perfect cloned illusion of myself. All six clones now look identical to me, including my armor and wounds.
The crystal is the weakness of the spell, if it were to break all of the solar clones would disperse instantly. Since the clones are all connected to me via these established mana channels though, that means I can cast spells from them as well. It's quite powerful as a trade off for that glaring weakness.
Looking at Ignis I'm surprised to find him floating there glancing between all of the clones. All of us are staring down at him like he's beneath us. He simply raises his hand and utters an incomprehensible incantation.
"Eldritch Blast."
Suddenly three bolts of energy fire off. All of them aimed at a different clone, but thankfully none of them are aimed at me. Before those bolts even hit the bracers that are barely visible on his forearms glow and three more bolts of energy are fired. This time one of them is aimed at me.
I shudder at the mental drain this level of multitasking requires. I send all six of the clones plus myself scattering and weaving in the air as we all attempt to dodge and evade the energy bolts. The one clone that isn't under threat blurs through the air and unleashes a beam of pure mana right into the creature's chest.
Strange, he was much harder to hit last time I fought this form. Is he not coherent enough to have the intelligence to deal with clone spells like this? He lets out that disgusting screech as he's buried in rubble from the beam of magic still being channeled.
Now that he can't see I can let my clones get hit by his attack. The attack will just phase straight through the clones so it was vital that I evaded them until he wouldn't be able to notice. Letting the bolt hit me I wince. It doesn't hurt nearly as much as I thought it would, but it'd be bad if all six of those bolts were aimed at me instead of just one.
cough Well that's not good. Blood just poured out of my mouth with a cough. I need to end this now. I'm sorry Luna, I can't wait for you to show up.
The beam relents its constant burning and Ignis instantly zips out of the rubble with the skin on his torso bubbling and charred. Once he's high enough into the air I summon a cage that is similar in shape to the crystal allowing my clones to function. I know from last time it takes him two hits to shatter this cage, so I need to strike within an instant of summoning it.
The magical Forcecage encloses the creature and within a fraction of a second all of the clones surrounding the Forcecage at several different angles all fire a Sunbeam into the cage. One claw pokes through the cage and cracks spread everywhere. He rears up his other arm when the Sunbeams make contact.
Similar to the crystal this Forcecage is shaped for the sole purpose of refracting and reflecting light. The crystal projected the light back out, but the shape of this Forcecage is optimal for trapping and focusing the intensity of any light that enters into the center of the cage.
I let out a sigh as the claw poking through the cage seems to go limp as screeching pierces the air. The second claw never came. After a few seconds the screeching stops and I stop channeling the beams from all of the clones. The creature is smoking all over and is crumpled up, limp at the bottom of the Forcecage.
Dispelling the clones I fly down to the ground and slowly bring the cage down to the ground with me. Once we reach the ground I dispel the cage which has filled with smoke, so I can see if he's still breathing.
Quickly blowing the smoke away I grab the creature with my telekinesis and flip him over onto his back. It's only now that I realize he has a slightly golden glow emitting from his body. Is that a side effect of being assaulted from that much pure sunlight? It's never happened to anypony else I've used that on. Wait, are those angel wings?
An image flashes in my mind from when I was still Daybreaker. This glow and those wings is what he had when he was immune to my holy fire. With a gasp I widen my eyes and attempt to throw up my most powerful shield, but it's too late.
As soon as I gasped he shot up from the ground and seized my throat with his clawed hand. His other hand grabbed my horn and squeezed it tight. He's channeling mana into my horn to disrupt any casting. We never taught Ignis that, but it's plausible the Spirit of the Everfree is aware of such a method.
Darkness starts to fade in at the edge of my vision as I feel my neck getting squeezed tighter. He's just staring into my eyes the entire time. Such lifeless and empty eyes. Part of me feels like I deserve this, but I still have too much to teach Twilight. I just got my sister back. I can't die. Not yet.
Flailing my forelegs at his arm and kicking at his gut with my rear legs, I struggle with everything I have left in me. To think I'd be reduced to such a pitiful and desperate state. With every hit I make on his body he doesn't even flinch. He just keeps staring into my soul with those eyes. This is really it... I'm going to die.
Everything goes dark.
"Ignis, you will put her down this instant! Ignis! Lucas! Stop!" Luna screams out at the elf as she sprints towards the scene of her knight choking the life from her sister.
She can see Celestia's flailing limbs growing weaker and slower. What used to be Ignis turns towards Luna and looks at her for a brief instant before turning back towards the Solar Princess. Celestia's limbs stop moving and her eyes start to slowly close and Luna slams her entire body into the outstretched arms of the elf.
Celestia falls to the ground, unconscious. She does start violently coughing while trying to desperately gulp in air, but her eyes remain closed. Alive but unconscious.
Luna throws herself over her sister, attempting to cover up as much of her body as possible while staring at the elf with wide eyed fear.
"Why stop me?"
"She doesn't deserve this. Deep down you know it as well as I do. Also without Celestia the elements can't be retrieved. You need the elements to defeat Discord and her mana signature is the only thing that unlocks the vault." Luna tries to appeal to any corner of logic in his mind. Any attempt to buy as much time as possible. Last time she was in front of the creature Ignis showed signs of resistance and fought for control.
This is her last hope. All or nothing, if this doesn't bring him back then he'll kill her and her sister.
"Please Ignis. I know you're in there! You're just going to let this thing control your body? How can you kill Chrysalis like that? You won't be satisfied with that revenge! How can you love Force and I like that? There's no way we'd let this thing assume your role in our lives. It's not you! FIGHT!" She pleads to an Ignis that she hopes can hear her as the creature just stares at her silently.
"Wow, first you take me to a secluded clearing by a lake and give me some of the best food and wine I've ever had. Then you bring us to a private hot spring to relax, unwind, and embrace each other. Now you're showing me this big empty ballroom. I wasn't aware just how truthful you were when you mentioned being a noble." Nightmare Moon is in her human form as she and Ignis slow dance by themselves in an empty ballroom. Lit up only by moonlight.
Ignis chuckles a bit before replying. "Yeah, but to be fair this place was probably only half this fancy and built up back then compared to now. A lot of this is new for me too. All of that aside though, did you enjoy the date?"
As he asks the question he leans forward and forces Nightmare to lean backwards into a classic dip. "I loved it."
They have a quick kiss before exiting the dip as the music in the background fades out. The two start to wander around the Natsume grounds as they make their way back to the mansion with their fingers interlocked. "Was this enough Ignis?"
"What do you mean? Enough for what?"
"Was this enough to satisfy my regrets? Is it enough for you to confront reality?"
"Y-your regrets? Confront...real-, wha?"
"Don't make me spell it out. You know what this is."
Their leisurely stroll comes to a stop as they turn and look each other in the eyes. Nightmare continues speaking. "You can't stay in this place forever, Ignis. You have to wake up. Wake up to the world that I'm not in."
Ignis is still immensely confused by what the former villain is saying, but he's even more confused when a rogue tear falls from his eye. "I am awake, Moonie. I told you and the others every morning I wake up and realize this isn't a dream. Are you okay?"
"I'm not okay, Ignis. I'm dead. I died fighting Daybreaker while she was under the mental manipulation of Discord. You know this, but you're refusing to accept it. I know you're in an unimaginable amount of pain, but if you don't wake up soon then you're going to be in even worse pain. You're going to lose everything."
Everything fades around the couple, nothing but a white void remains. Suddenly Ignis shrinks a couple of inches and feels his hair become much shorter. His vision becomes a bit worse. He's back in his human form, silently crying. "I don't wanna wake up, Moonie. I don't want to go back to that place."
"You're going to kill Celestia soon, and maybe even harm Luna. Even if you don't physically harm Luna she'll never forgive you for what you're about to do. You're not even under the effects of Discords magic. You're just choosing to wallow in this dream."
Suddenly Ignis fades into existence and walks up to Lucas and the fake Nightmare Moon. "It'll take both of us to get our body back. You truly do need to wake up Lucas. Come on, there are still people, no, ponies that need us. We have to go back. I've been using the system to stall the creature for well over 30 minutes now, but I can't hold out much longer. I need your help."
Ignis holds out his hand towards Lucas, but the human just turns and throws himself at Nightmare. "I'm... I'm g-going. I'm going to bring you back. Whatever it takes."
"I know you will."
Ignis interrupts them. "Lucas, it's time."
The human gives her one last kiss before grabbing the elf's hand.
The white void turns into the black inky ocean he was in when he fought for control of his body to prevent it from attacking Luna. Now the human and the elf are here.
"My time management, personality, and intelligence." Lucas says as he stares at the elf while still holding his hand.
"My temper, kindness, swordsmanship, and magic ability." Ignis replies as both of them start to smirk at each other.
"Shed every negative aspect from each of our lives. Anything we share, combine them or take the greater of the two. Optimize everything for fighting. Ignis has the patience of a Saint and kindness to match, he doesn't make rash decisions without thinking. But he's naive and sheltered. I'm ruthless and cold, I'm not naive to how cruel the world can be, I have all of Earth's modern and historical war tactics, but I'm rash and my temper always gets the best of me. We can cover for each other's weaknesses."
Soul and body synchronization complete.
Suddenly the dark void is just Ignis again, and the void shifts to the Feywild. Ignis reaches up into the air and grabs seemingly nothing before the scene shifts again. Now they're in Lucas' backyard, and the elf reaches out with his other hand and grabs seemingly nothing. Now both scenes are present and half of his body is in each scene.
The empty air in his hands transforms into the shadow cores that are shooting black tentacles everywhere. The entire void starts to shake as he pulls on the cores as hard as he can. His hair ignites into fire that spreads to the tentacles. The cores start to make high pitch, shrill, ringing noises as the tentacles burn and shrivel.
Screaming with every ounce of strength he can muster, Ignis pulls on the cores and everything starts to crack. The scenery, the sky, the walls of the void. "Get. Out. OF. MY BODY!"
"GAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Celestia wakes up to find that she is still alive and her sister is shielding her body. Unaware of how long she's been unconscious she coughs and weakly calls out Luna's name. Then she starts to stand, much to the protests of a frightened Luna.
Luna is scared but also perplexed at the situation. The creature hasn't moved or spoken in over half an hour. No signs of a struggle or anything like that. Just an uncomfortable silence. Seeing Celestia weakly stand in front of him now, though, puts an overwhelming fear in her heart.
I don't know what he'll do now that she's just standing in front of him without me blocking him. Luna thinks to herself as the corrupted elf makes a low rumbling noise.
He flexes his hand and rears back his right arm, readying himself to thrust his claws at Celestia's throat.
Suddenly the inky black lines and the shadow enveloping half the elf's head just starts to float off of his body. Fading into nothing. The black fire of his hair returns to normal fire, and his eyes return to their normal green color. They have their normal shape as well. Then a black orb floats out of his chest and drops to the ground, completely inert.
Celestia flinches as something makes contact with her, but she realizes there's no pain. Opening her eyes she sees the elf, returned to normal, and instead of lunging with a claw he reached out with both arms and pulled her into a hug. This is the first time the two of them have shared a hug, and Celestia is a bit curious why he would do such a thing even if he did return to normal.
"I know it wasn't your fault, Celestia." The Solar Princess is surprised when the simple statement combined with the hug causes her to choke up a bit.
Luna jumps in and makes it a group hug as her body nearly collapses from the amount of stress it just dumped out of its system. "You're back! Oh maker above you're back. I was so scared I was going to lose both of you."
"I'm back. Sorry it took so long."
"You were possessed by that shadow core from the old castle! The fact that you were able to return to your normal self without the elements is immensely impressive, Ignis. Do not apologize when you did something that even I was unable to do."
"You got it. Now then," Backing away from the group hug he looks at the two alicorns. "Let's wrap this up, so I can revive Moonie."
"I thought you couldn't? It seemed like you had already tried...do you mean like you'll recreate her in your dreams?" Luna asks, a bit confused. She is familiar with crafting dreams out of grief, though.
"No. I'm done dreaming."
Character Profile: Ignis Ferrum.
Bladesinger 11/Paladin 2 - Level 13.
Time remaining until Canterlot reaches the Ponyville shelter camp: 85 minutes.
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 16
"Woo am I glad to see a familiar face!" Applejack calls out from an alleyway. She initially hid when she heard a large group approaching, but taking a peak around the corner she saw it was Fluttershy and her entourage. Stepping out from the alley she starts to run towards the pegasus.
"Applejack!" Fluttershy meets the earth pony half way and they quickly brush their necks together. Normally Fluttershy would use her wings for a hug but without them this will suffice. "Have you seen any of the other girls?"
"If I did I reckon they'd be here with me. I did watch the Princess get thrown through some buildings earlier, but that had to have been at least half an hour ago. They was pretty far away too, I only saw it cause I was climbed up as high as I could get to see if I could spot anypony."
"Well, uhm, what do you think we should do? We were heading towards the castle, but do you think we should go find the others first?"
"Nah, they're headed in the same direction. I don't know how long it'll take fore this here floating city to drops outta the sky, so we got no time to waste. The girls can all take care of themselves I'm sure we'll see 'em at the castle or maybe even right before the castle."
Suddenly to the north there's a blinding light way off in the distance accompanied by the echo of a high pitched screech. "Sounds like the Princess is fighting back...I hope everypony makes it out of this okay."
Applejack notices the silence from the pegasus and looks over to find Fluttershy staring at the ground with a somber expression. "What is it 'Shy?"
"It's too late for that Applejack. We've already lost so many ponies. Th-they...they died protecting me."
The farmer looks down and angles her stetson to block her eyes and snout. She's upset to hear of the deaths, but even more than that she can feel her heart breaking as she tries to imagine everything Fluttershy has been through in this short amount of time.
"I'm so sorry, but we really need to keep moving." A random voice calls out from the crowd and in response we hear a series of "shh's" and a thud immediately followed by "Ouch!"
"What the heck? It's true! This situation is unimaginably horrible, but we don't have time to waste!" The stallion doubles down and this time there's a somber but silent agreement among the crowd as they all start to slowly march forward again.
After walking for another 20 minutes or so the group is passing under a stone archway that connects two buildings when suddenly the archway collapses. There's a series of screams and yells as dozens of ponies pop up from the surrounding rooftops and start throwing rocks and debris at the group. Mostly aiming for either Applejack or Fluttershy, who thankfully were not under the archway when it collapsed.
The collapsed archway does pose as a severe impediment for forward progress. This results in the entire group scattering into the nearby buildings and alleys while covering their heads with their forehooves.
"Follow me, this way!" Applejack calls out to Fluttershy and the two duck into what used to be a bakery.
Once they're inside they start to flip all of the tables over to create cover from the windows. Hooves can be heard thundering on the roof above them. Fluttershy hunkers down behind a table with a small stream of blood pouring from the top of her head. "Why is this happening to us?! What did we do wrong?!"
Applejack rubs her forehoof across the back of the traumatized pegasus. "It's gunna be okay. We just gotta collect ourselves and come up with a plan to get back out there and make it to the castle. Take deep breaths, c'mon now."
"We found a staircase leading up that could probably get us to the roof, but it's been completely blocked off with furniture. From what we can see there's no other exits either. The only windows are the ones at the storefront which is where we came from. I don't know what we can do here." One of the Day Guard gives an update from the back of the shop.
"We might just have to wait this one out..." Applejack quietly suggests, mostly just talking to herself.
Time remaining until Canterlot reaches Ponyville shelter camp: 95 minutes.
"Are you sure it's a good idea for us to split up? I don't really like the sound of it, Luna." Ignis comments with a bit of a sour tone as he taps his foot on the ground with his arms crossed. Hair still burning with a bright fire.
"Yes. Celestia and I can go find the bearers and since Tia still has her magic she can teleport all of us to the castle. In the meantime you need to go to the castle on foot and make sure it's cleared out. This is the most time efficient method we have. Since you two are the only ones capable of using magic right now it's best if you split up. Divide and conquer."
"Fine. I wish I could fly again, but I don't think it's a good idea to waste any spell slots just for that. It's probably what, a 20 minute run from here? Celestia, why did you bring us all the way over here?"
Celestia looks over at the elf with a very tired face. "It had the least amount of ponies around. I was trying to minimize our collateral damage."
Ignis realizes she's still bleeding and extremely exhausted so he walks over and places a hand on her barrel and casts "Cure Wounds" at 5th level. Healing the alicorn for 57 hit points. The wound from the Eldritch Smite on her side stops bleeding and seems to slightly close up, but it's still a gnarly looking wound. Any other injuries become much less noticeable and the alicorn seems to be a bit more energized.
"That's much better." Celestia turns her head to the right and cracks her neck. "Thank you, Ignis."
It's only when Ignis used the system and casted a spell that he realized there was a system message.
Beginning Integration..........21%
Huh, that's neat, but what the hell is it integrating? Ignis thinks to himself as he apologizes to the solar alicorn one last time before turning and starting his run to the castle. The two sisters split off from the elf and start running to the south in search of the element bearers.
"I'm surprised he actually agreed to splitting up. I thought for sure he wouldn't let you out of his sight while you don't have wings or a horn." After several minutes of silence Celestia decides to make idle conversation as they hop from rooftop to rooftop as they head south.
"I hadn't even thought of that. No wonder he was so against it. It's less that he actually agreed and more that he probably interpreted it as an order. That does still surprise me though, he's disobeyed my orders before...I wonder what changed?" Luna hums in thought as they make one final jump and come to a stop.
"Sister look, there's Rarity and Rainbow Dash." The solar alicorn comments as she jumps off the roof and glides to a stop in front of their detail. Luna just rolls her eyes at the fact that Tia forgot her sister doesn't have wings. With a sigh she jumps across a small gap to a building with a door on the roof and climbs downstairs.
Time remaining until Canterlot reaches Ponyville shelter camp: 75 minutes.
Ignis 1st Person POV (A/N: It's been too long since I wrote that line.)
Wow, I'm surprised there's so few ponies here. I mean this is still a decent number, they have over 40 for sure, but I was expecting a much larger group to be waiting here at the castle to ambush Twilight and her friends. I quickly cast Invisibility on myself and sprint over to the training grounds. I don't know where my Moonblade is, and I could use the original rapier I had on me when I arrived here. But, I don't particularly want to kill any of these ponies.
Which is why the training grounds are my first stop. I can pick up two wooden swords. Glad to have my Dual Wielder feat from the Get Home quest rewards. I did notice something that was just a slight metaphorical kick to the nuts, though. I no longer have the Eldritch Adept feat with Devil Sight. The feat slot is just empty and the system is asking for a replacement feat.
"Select...Spell Sniper." I'm a bit surprised by my own choice, but adding 60ft of range onto my spells seems pretty useful. I also get to ignore half cover and three-quarters cover, and I don't have disadvantage if I cast a ranged spell within melee distance of someone else. Lastly it lets me add an additional point to Wisdom, bringing it up to 16.
My proficiency bonus went up by one when I leveled up as well, so combining that with the plus one in Wisdom brings my passive senses up to a bit of an absurd level. Passive Perception of 18, Passive Investigation of 20, and Passive Insight of 23. That Insight score being the absurd one. I basically never need to roll Insight ever again unless I'm talking to a changeling or an alicorn. Celestia in particular probably has a high DC whenever I roll Insight against her, Harmony too.
After grabbing two wooden training swords I run back around to the entrance of the castle and plan out where I should start. They're all armed with either large stones or spears, but with Mage Armor plus Dual Wielder I'm at 19 AC right now. Next level up is 12th level of Wizard and that'll let me get another feat, maybe I'll take the Fighting Initiate and choose the fighting style that gives me another plus one to AC. Having a base AC of 20 would be...strong.
Bladesong and Shield combined would take me up to 30 AC which is insane. I guess right now those two things would bring me up to 29, so it's only one less and still pretty strong. I doubt I'll need Bladesong for this group of dickheads though. I'm not even going to use the system to be honest, I feel pretty confident in my abilities right now.
Just gotta pray these wooden swords don't break on me, but in the worst case scenario I might actually be able to just throw hands with these ponies. Only a few of them are guards, and I assume the regular civilians only have like 10 Hit Points or something. Alright, enough delay, let's run the fade.
Starting in the street in front of the castle I pop out of invis with a loud crack as I hit the first pony in the back of the head. They crumple and fall unconscious instantly, basically confirming my suspicion that regular civilians might as well be wet toilet paper.
Four or so nearby ponies get startled at the noise and snap turn towards me, yelling out something about the Lunar Knight. I don't know, I'm not listening to them. Moving like a blur I aim for the next 5 closest ponies. Sprinting up to the first mare it's light work just feint an attack straight on then move far too fast for her to track to the other side of her body and hit her in the head.
All of that is in one fluid motion, I don't stop moving my feet for even a fraction of a second. Instantly pivoting to the left I channel a bit of mana into my legs and leap at the next stallion. He was wholly unprepared for this speed and both wooden swords hit him in the side of his neck. Unlike the others I follow through the swing and keep pushing forward, this launches the stallion into the mare that was right next to them.
They both topple to the ground a few feet away with the stallion unconscious and the mare under him flailing about trying to get him off of her. Turning again I scan for the few rogue guards and spot two of them around 60ft away standing at the main gate. Channeling the Illusionist Bracers, I throw out two Fire Bolts. One aimed at each guard. I only feel comfortable throwing these out at the guards since they can do up to 30 damage, 60 with a critical hit, it's very likely I'd outright kill a civilian.
If I land a critical hit it's going to outright kill a guard as well, but to be honest these ponies aren't under any type of mental manipulation. They were just persuaded to join the dark side and lost their colors. Celestia would probably argue I only have this authority over the Night Guard but I think I have the authority to deal out the death penalty to any guard I find helping Discord. I'm not trying to kill them, but it's for that reason that I won't feel that guilty if I accidentally do kill one of them.
Both Fire Bolts land and one guard drops like a sack of potatoes, but the other one just winces and staggers a few steps. It's at this point that the entire group of 20+ ponies is fully on alert and have registered what is happening. Now comes the hard part.
Several of them charge at me at once, and I watch well over 10 spears go hurtling through the air over the charging ponies. It feels like I'm on autopilot as I spin the wooden sword in my offhand at extreme speeds to deflect any spear heading for my upper body. The wood splinters a bit after deflecting a few spears but actually manages to hold up rather well.
This is definitely a result of the synchronization. I can see the exact path and actions I'm going to take to handle the ponies charging at me. They're in a three pony wide formation with an extra straggler at the rear, totaling 10. Zipping forward to meet the charge I land my right foot squarely in the front and center ponies chest floof. They feel light, so they're probably supposed to be a pegasus.
She lets out a yelp and goes airborne, flailing her hooves as her muscle memory tries to flex the wings she no longer has. The pony directly behind her is unable to react in time and she takes out his legs like a bowling ball as she lands and bounces into him. They're both already staggering back up, I need to take out the other two ponies that were in the front row.
One is to my right and the other to my left, let's start with the left. The pony thrusts a spear forward with a foreleg and I twist my torso out of the way and swing both swords at their head. I hear the sound of something moving through air at high speeds behind me so I step forward and jump onto the pony I just struck. Their eyes completely whited out after the hit but they were staggering on their feet trying to stay upright, but as soon as my feet landed on their back they started to crumble.
Within an instant of landing on the ponies back I jump and do a backflip over the spear that was being thrust at me from behind. I hear the attacker gasp in surprise and tilt my head to look down at them as I go upside down and start to finish the flip. Before they can thrust again I land on them and bring my sword down against the top of their head with all my downward force.
This one also instantly drops, two down. The pony I spartan kicked and the pony she knocked over are back on their hooves, but not for long. Now that I know the mare used to be a pegasus and she's extremely light I can use that fact.
Twisting around the first spear and ducking the second one I drop the wooden sword in my offhand and grab the mare by her foreleg. She lets out a scream as I start to spin around rapidly and her body knocks back all three of the ponies in the second row. Those three fly backwards and the screaming stops, looking down at the mare I feel a bit guilty to see she's foaming at the mouth. I can only see the whites of her eyes so I assume she went into a deep state of fear and then passed out.
I'm still spinning and let go of the mare, sending her flying with all of the momentum into one of the ponies in the third row.
One of the ponies I hit while spinning the mare manages to get back up, so that's four ponies on their hooves and one pony is knocked down but still conscious, they'll probably be standing soon. Let's wrap this up and quit being fancy.
Picking up the wooden sword I dropped, I suddenly feel completely empty. There's no thoughts, no emotions, and everything starts to move like a blur as I evade the next four spears and swing my two wooden swords around like flowing water, connecting with and knocking out all four of the ponies still standing. The one I threw the mare at is back on her feet and the 10th pony is still up.
Using the sword in my off hand I neck chop the mare that just finished standing and then throw the sword in my main hand at the straggler pony. It makes a comical thud noise as it bounces off of his head, and he makes a yelp sound as his head is knocked backwards, forcing him to look up.
By the time he looks back down I'm already on him, jumping into the air I grab the sword that bounced off of his head and do a flip over the pony. While performing the flip I use the momentum to slam the sword against his head one final time, and he finally drops.
That takes care of the first 10, but I still have two guards on their feet and seven civilians. Luckily all of them are unarmed since they decided to go all in on throwing their weapons apparently.
I just twist my head and crack my neck while staring at them, then I crack my knuckles and take a few slow steps forward. This seems to have the intended effect as five of the civilians yell and sprint away from the castle as fast as they can. That leaves two guards and two civilians.
Since they're unarmed all four go down faster than the group that charged at me. The guards took three hits each, but in real-time combat mode that's nothing. Turning towards the main gate I walk over and crouch in front of the mare that dropped from my Fire Bolt. I put one hand in front of her muzzle to see if I can feel air moving, but there's nothing. Placing that hand on her neck to check for a pulse I can only sigh as I don't feel anything.
Now that I'm up close I recognize this mare. This is the one that gave me the stink eye when Celestia teleported me and Luna here right after we defeated Nightmare. She's the one I surrendered my sword too and got mad when I refused to call Celestia by her title.
"I just don't understand you seemed so loyal and devoted to Celly back then, so why did you turn against us? I can expect rash decisions from panicked civilians that are fearing for their lives, but you're all guards. I just don't get it." Talking outloud to the corpse as if she hears me I sigh again before reaching out and closing her eyes. Should I revive her? It's been less than a minute so I can still use Revivify.
Looking at her...All I can do is wonder if she had a family. She must've if she was tempted enough to turn against the element bearers for a chance to save herself and her family. Do they deserve a chance to say goodbye to her? Is it really my place to decide if she dies? Am I prepared to add another corpse to the pile of ghosts haunting my dreams?
I don't know, but considering what the future holds after we defeat Discord...I'm going to be forced to kill a lot more than this. I'm sorry, but I can't revive you. The resource is too valuable and limited, and your crime is too great. I'll tell Celestia that you died defending the castle. At least that way your family will still get survivor benefits. "I'm sorry."
With that done, and my mood much more somber, I walk through the main gate and enter the lobby of the castle. This is the room where Celestia was greeting all the ponies as they arrived for the Gala. Walking in there's another group of around 20 ponies that all have the colors drained from them. All I can do is sigh.
"This will be a lot easier if you all just surrender or flee. Don't think you stand a chance just because I'm outnumbered. The guys out there had me just as outnumbered and they're all taking a nap against the gravel right now."
They all look around at each other before yelling and charging at me. "Just once. Just one time I want them to take the easy route!" I mutter to myself before flourishing the two wooden swords and getting in my fighting stance.
Time remaining until Canterlot reaches Ponyville shelter camp: 50 minutes.
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 17
"Oh Applejack, how much longer do we have to wait? Why won't those ponies leave?" Despite the questions Fluttershy has actually calmed down a decent bit since they originally took refuge in this bakery over 20 minutes ago.
"I don't know sugarcube, we might have to...we might have to fight our way out of this one 'Shy."
"Let's just wait a few minutes longer....please? Maybe our friends will show up or another group of ponies will intervene and scare off the ponies waiting for us."
"That just sounds like wishful thinking. I don't think we can afford to waste any more time here, and for all we know all of our friends are already at the castle just waiting on us. I'm not saying you have to fight, but I think violence might be our only way out."
Fluttershy opens her mouth to protest but she's interrupted by the sound of several glass bottles shattering at the front of the store. With a startled yelp the two element bearers peak over their cover and gasp at the sight before them.
The entire wooden floor has been lit on fire. It's already spreading to the tables they flipped over for cover and creeping towards the back of the store. Within a few seconds a few of the ponies huddling up in the bakery with the two bearers move into action. Running to the back of the kitchen they grab the detachable nozzle from the kitchen sink and start fanning the water over the counter and into the lobby of the building.
It helps a bit, but not much. The water can barely even reach half way across the room. They keep fanning the water hoping to get as much of the floor as wet as possible. That should at least help with the spreading, but even that's a stop gap. Thankfully all of the windows at the front are completely busted open so the smoke isn't accumulating too much.
The real kicker here is that the fire has now completely blocked off the only exit they had. Now they can't even hope to rush outside and try to fight their way out. Applejack realizes pretty quickly that the "wishful thinking" Fluttershy had suggested earlier was now likely their only way out of this.
Time remaining until Canterlot reaches Ponyville shelter camp: 70 minutes.
I cannot believe all of my Glyphs of Warding are gone! I know they get dispelled if they move more than 10ft, but I didn't think that included THE ENTIRE CITY MOVING! This is bullshit. By that logic no Glyph of Warding should ever work because the planet moves through space at such high speeds that the glyphs would move 10ft the instant the spell is cast. Oh I am actually so livid right now.
Looking up at the group of 15 ponies, that used to be 20, I give them the meanest glare I can muster. "I am in a really foul mood now, so how about you all just take those 5 ponies as an example and get out of the castle. Now."
Intimidation Check
8 + 2 = 10.
"He can't take all of us if we charge him at once! Knight or not he's just one creature!" Some random mare yells out from across the room.
Squinting my eyes I zero in on the direction of the voice and find the mare who spoke up. "You're first."
"First for wh-" She doesn't finish her question as I get serious and use mana to zip across the room at high speeds. The question dies in her throat and comes out as a quiet gurgle as she drops to the floor. I was still channeling mana through my body when I knocked the shit out of her. Did I kill her?
No, she's breathing. I gotta focus the mana into just my legs. Ever since I got possessed by that shadow core it feels like my body can handle mana being infused into my muscles and blood vessels without just instantly placing a heavy burden on me. I've channeled mana through my legs three times now and they don't even ache. Let's use this group of 14 to limit test how far I can push it.
Wait, no. I might have to fight another 100 ponies after this. I can't risk giving myself any points of Exhaustion. Let's just use it for half second bursts when I need to close a gap. This is literally just the lobby of the Castle. I need to clear every hallway, the entire second floor, and then the southwest tower leading up to the vault room. If it's been about 20 ponies every encounter...30 minutes, tops.
The next 30 seconds are a blur. There's much less jumping and flipping this time around as I try to minimize my movements and conserve as much energy as possible. Whenever ponies are within five feet of each other I strike all of them in one fluid motion, conserving momentum between ponies.
Dodging any blows with the most minute adjustments causes some of the ponies in the room to start freaking out. One of them even yelled something like "Why aren't they hitting him, he's not even moving?" Which I gotta say, really boosted my ego. Felt like Goku versus those two clowns from the Ginyu Force.
Although one of the guards did catch me by surprise though. She actually anticipated my movement since I was only doing the bare minimum to evade attacks. She managed to predict and adjust mid strike to nick the side of my stomach.
I may have hit her a bit harder than the others.
All in all though this went much faster than the group outside the main gate and I feel less tired. Both are positives.
Clearing the hallways before moving upstairs was much more efficient than the lobby or the outside areas. The hallways are narrow enough that I can just blitz straight through and move from pony to pony. Right before arriving on the second floor is when I hit my first snag, though.
Slamming my wooden sword into the armor of another rogue guard I click my tongue in annoyance as the wooden sword shatters to pieces. It finally took enough punishment and gave up, and to be honest I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did. I still have one more sword but it's looking pretty rough too.
Wait this isn't my Moonblade, can I imbue mana into this wooden sword to reinforce it the same way I do my body? Pausing my assault I stop and look at the sword as I try to force mana into the handle and up the blade. There's a slight silver glow along the pattern of the wood and I'm pretty pleased with myself.
"Ahhhh! Die monster!" I look up from the sword with a somewhat annoyed face to find a pony just a few inches away from striking me.
"Shut up." I give the wooden sword a haphazard swing with barely any force and it shatters through the pony's spear, makes a sickening crack as it makes contact with his body and sends him cratering into the wall. A spiderweb of cracks appears in the stone and the pony coughs up blood.
"Oh shit, that's my bad. Wow I didn't think it'd work that well...?" He's not dead so I use a first level spell slot to cast Cure Wounds. It only heals him for 11 Hit Points, but that's more than enough to keep him alive...probably.
With renewed vigor I take off down the hallways of the second floor as I make my way to the southwest tower.
Time remaining until Canterlot reaches Ponyville shelter camp: 35 minutes.
"Princess, our scout reports a concerning amount of smoke a few blocks away from here. When she investigated further she found ponies waiting on rooftops with spears and rocks. They were all facing towards a bakery that was consumed in a large blaze, but they weren't concerned. They seemed excited and happy. She seems to think they are waiting on somepony to leave the bakery and escape the fire so they can ambush them. Should we reroute and head that way?"
"Yes. I'm going on ahead, though. If they just have crude weapons I can suppress them in seconds, and if they are truly trying to target somepony stuck in the burning building then it's highly likely to be one or more of the bearers. Get over there as soon as you can, but I'll likely have everything resolved before you arrive."
Celestia gives one strong flap of her wings and shoots into the sky. Once in the air she spots a plume of smoke and speeds that direction.
"It's the Princess!"
"Princess help us! We have two of the ponies we're supposed to stop in there."
"Please help us so we can escape the city!"
Several ponies yell out towards the alicorn as she flies over and all she can do is look at them with a gaze that sends shivers down their spines. Her eyes speak of nothing but contempt, disgust, disappointment, and anger.
With a flash of her horn all of the bricks, stones, and spears being wielded by the monochrome ponies are enveloped in a golden aura and snatched from the grasp of their wielders foreleg. They all float into the air before turning to ash that scatters in the wind. All of the ponies start to scream and panic until a golden bubble surrounds every pony the Princess can see.
All of the offenders trapped in the bubble panic in their new prison as the bubbles all float towards each other. Once they're all near each other the bubbles combine in a one large shield that compresses down into several rings. Those rings act like golden ropes. They wrap around the entire group of ponies and tie them together in one big group that's unable to move.
Once that's done she turns her attention towards the bakery that has massive walls of fire shooting out from the front windows and doorway. Using her magic to create a dense cloud of air she suffocates the fire and flies down into the building through a window.
"'Shy we're saved! It's the Princess!" Applejack and Fluttershy jump up from behind the counter and run up to the alicorn with faces that scream several levels of gratitude.
"Oh Your Majesty, I'm so glad you're okay! I was worried the, uhm, elf was going to hurt you."
"Oh he definitely did. It's ok though he managed to beat the spirit possessing him and then healed me. He's actually probably at the castle now as we speak making sure it's clear and safe for you girls to arrive. Are there any other bearers here with you? Miss Rarity and Young Rainbow Dash were traveling with me and should arrive any minute now along with my sister."
"Naw I'm fraid not, it's just me and Fluttershy. We had a pretty large group traveling with us though, until that group out there collapsed the bridge between the two buildings and blocked our path ahead. Then they all popped out and attacked us, dirty varmints!"
"AJ! Fluttershy!" The conversation is interrupted as a scratchy voice from a familiar pegasus breaches the air and a rainbow maned pony jumps into the building and nearly tackles her two friends.
"Rainbow, darling, don't do our attackers job for them and take out our dear friends, please. It'd be a tragedy if we lost to discord because you accidentally gave poor Fluttershy a concussion." Rarity teasingly scolds Rainbow as she carefully and slowly walks around the charred and soot covered wooden floor. Making sure to keep her hooves and forelegs clean of the black ash.
"I must agree with the dramatic mare. You shouldn't spear tackle your friends, Loyalty." Luna chimes in as she also joins the group in the bakery. "So now we have four. We're missing your student and the hyperactive cotton candy one. Do you think they're already at the castle sister?"
"It's possible, especially if Pinkamena is with Twilight. My dear student has lived here all of her life so I wouldn't be surprised if she had already made her way to the castle. Why don't I speed this up and just teleport all of us over there?"
Suddenly the entire bakery rumbles and everyone looks in shock as the walls of the bakery lift off the ground and the entire building sprouts legs and walks away. "Ah tut tut, Sunny. You're only supposed to use your magic to defend yourself from that dastardly demon and to unlock the vault. It'd ruin all of the fun if you just skipped to the end!"
Discord appears in the air and before Celestia can even respond her horn and wings disappear with a snap. "Discord! How dare you?! This is cheating! When we all make it to the vault room now I won't even be able to unlock the stash holding the elements."
"Oh relax, Celestia. I'll give these back once you get there! You know me, I'd never cheat! There's no fun in the game if I just rig it in my favor everytime. Ta ta now! Goodluck~"
With that the draconequus disappears again and leaves everyone a bit more uncomfortable than they were just a few minutes ago.
Time remaining until Canterlot reaches Ponyville shelter camp: 50 minutes.
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 18
Luna, Celestia, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and over 120 ponies have been marching through downtown Canterlot for over 15 minutes since Celestia lost her horn and wings.
Anytime they were ambushed or attacked the violence ended within seconds. Not a single injury on either side. How? It's simple.
Inspiration. Some would give it a different name, perhaps.
Any would-be attacker simply gazed upon the massive group and instantly realized how the cards had been laid out. Four of the six elements and two of the Princesses are just minutes away from the castle with an entourage rivaling the size of an entire platoon of guards.
In the face of fear and certain death all it takes is seeing that the path to victory is not impossible. It's why hope is the one thing all villains and oppressors fear. Even Gods are not immune to this fear.
As Discord observed from beyond the Material Plane the group marched and 70 became 90. Then 90 became 100. 100 became 120, and an uncomfortable pit had begun to form in the draconequus' gut. The castle was within sight now and 120 had grown even further to 200. Words were no longer even required to sway the hearts of those approaching with malicious intent.
They just moved forward undeterred and ponies popped up from rubble and alleys, silently regaining their colors as they joined the group and continued forward. Discord finally stirred and decided to move into action once more. Afterall, he was also a participant in this game.
He just hadn't been a very active one so far.
"I still have my final obstacle. I made sure to send well over 200 ponies to the castle. Even if they have the capability to overcome that obstacle they don't have the time. The delicious irony for the Princesses that once again time is the enemy even they cannot defeat to save their little ponies." That pit of uncomfortability flared up in the Gods stomach. The unshaking feeling in the back of someone's mind that says, "Something's off."
No longer able to ignore that whisper of doubt, Discord slithers into nonexistence and appears inside the castle. That uncomfortable feeling finally bubbles to the surface and evolves into true fear. Every single pony outside the castle, in the lobby, throughout the first and second floors is lying on the floor unconscious.
Turning his head to the sound of hooves on stone he finds the massive group of ponies just another minute or so away from reaching the main gate of the castle. Turning serious for only the second time in his entire life the Chaos deity raises his awareness to observe the entire city. He knows where four of the elements are, but where are the other two?
Time remaining until Canterlot reaches Ponyville shelter camp: 30 minutes.
"Wait, what are you doing here?! No no that's not even the right question. HOW did you get here?" Ignis raises his voice in genuine shock as he arrives at the vault room of the elements. His breathing sounding slightly winded from continually fighting and clearing the entire castle of hostiles.
"Ooooooh! That's a good question! What AM I doing here? I think I'm supposed to be here? What are YOU doing here, mister? Hmmm? You ever think of that?" A certain pony replies with a disturbing level of nonchalance.
"Pinkie I'm serious! There were at least 150 ponies here waiting on you or your friends! How did you get past all of them?"
"I didn't get past them silly! Mister meanie pants snapped his magic and BOOM I was here!" The mare moves her hooves around pointing all over the room in exaggerated motions as she talks. "Wait! Did you kill all of those ponies?! That's not nice!"
"No! I didn't kill anyone. Well, I killed one of them. I knocked out the rest of them though. I can't believe how lucky you are to have just been teleported straight here to the vault room. Seriously what the fuck?"
"Well I wouldn't say it was luck. I noticed everypony was popping like Twilight does when she teleports and I was like "oooo am I gunna teleport?" and then I was like "Well if I'm gunna teleport I wanna go to the castle so I don't have to walk!" and then I went pop and I was here!"
The elf just stares at her with a blank look, completely dumbfounded. Did she... did she exert her will on the weave as Discord teleported her? That shouldn't be possible right? Right...?
"Oh! Wait I just realized, you're not the scary shadow thing anymore! Does that mean... oh no. Does that mean the Princess is dead?" Pinkie starts to literally deflate as air comes out of her ears and her mane starts to sink and droop like a bouncy castle with a hole in it.
"No. I overcame the creature that was possessing me, but she did sustain some injuries. I managed to heal her enough to stabilize her though."
"Yippie!" Just like that she's back in the air and bouncing around. "Does that mean you saw my friends? I was going to go look for them but I got worried I'd get lost and then I wouldn't be able to get back. That made me scared that I'd be the reason we'd fail and then all my friends would laugh at me like the last time we played a game with Mr. Meanie Pants, and I didn't wanna go through that again so I just stayed here."
"No, I haven't seen any of them. Luna and Celestia sent me here to make sure this place would be safe when your friends arrived and they went to go find the others. They should be here any minute now though." Sitting down on the floor Ignis puts his palms down on the stone and leans back onto his hands. Letting out a huge sigh. "Gods above it's been a long week."
"You can say that again!" The earth pony plops down next to the elf and after her statement she just stares at him, expectantly. He stares back with some confusion, eventually tilting his head. "Well? Are you gunna say it again? I said you could."
The absurdity of the entire conversation finally breaks him from his serious mood and for what feels like the first time in forever the elf laughs. Not just a chuckle or a snort of air from his nose, but a full on belly laugh. Nearly falling onto his back as he places his hand against his eyes and looks up. "Gods above, it has BEEN A LONG WEEK!"
Both of them are laughing now as Ignis caves and plays along with saying the phrase again. Pinkie starts to say something but suddenly shoots into the air as her entire body starts to spasm. "WooOOaH, THIS Is a DOoZy~~"
"Are you having a stroke? Wait, I think you did this in the Everfree back on my first day here too. It's your Pinkie sense right?"
"Yeah and this one is bad! I don't even know what this one means, but it's really bad! The only thing I recognized was that it's below me and it's bad. I think my friends are in trouble below us!"
Ignis got up and walked up to one of the stained windows looking out over the main gate and his eyes widened in shock.
"Fuck."
As the massive group of ponies approached the main gate they're stopped when Discord appears in the air above them laughing maniacally. "Ahh hahaha! You ponies actually think you have a chance?"
"We won't be stalled by your words, fiend. Let's keep moving everypony!" Luna shouts at the creature and the group takes a few steps forward.
"Now now, I think all of you loyal citizens want to hear what I have to say. You're all here because you think these heroes have a chance. You think they can save you. I guarantee if you knew what I knew, you'd all turn on these so-called heroes. In fact would you all like to make a wager?"
"Don't listen to him, my little ponies! He's just backed into a corner and afraid! He's doing this because he knows we're going to beat his game!" Celestia noticed the hesitation in the group and tried with everything she had to keep them moving forward. But, it wasn't enough. Her heart absolutely sank as only 30% of the group started moving again.
Seeing his opportunity Discord pounced and snapped his talons. Directly into the minds of every single pony that didn't continue moving he broadcasted just a single image. Within seconds the color drained from every single pony that was shown the image. Any hope of victory was shattered in an instant at what they saw. Unfortunately this magic also compelled them to keep silent about what they were shown. This wouldn't have been much of a problem except that every single pony that was shown the image gave up hope. Of the original 215, 190 were shown the image and all 190 turned against the group.
Perhaps that's for the best though. For, if any of them had resisted the despair and told the Princesses or the guards what they saw it might've caused even the alicorns to give up.
Several seconds of terror passed as the 25 ponies left stared with wide eyes at the massive group turning and surrounding them. An instant later and it devolved into a full on brawl as the draconequus conjured popcorn and watched the chaos with a hearty laugh.
With everyone robbed of their magic and wings the ensuing fight can only be a slaughter. As the brawl starts Celestia orders everyone to surround the elements and try to slowly move through the melee towards the castle. Luna loses her cool and starts to go into a frenzy, clearing a small path for the bearers to try and escape the mob.
Hooves, bricks, and spheres are flying in every direction and within minutes it seems all hope is lost. A rogue brick bounces off of Luna's head and a few seconds later a spear embeds itself into Celestia's barrel.
The solar alicorn is in a much worse state as she nearly collapses on the spot, her breathing extremely labored. A bright red streak of blood is a glaring contrast to Lunas fur as it runs down the side of her head and neck. All four of the element bearers are also covered in minor wounds as they try to help and shield Celestia. Luna only goes into an even more frenzied state.
All of the commotion dies as there's a bright flash of light accompanied by the sound of glass breaking. Everyone looks up into the air to see Ignis falling through the air aiming straight for the center of the mob.
Luna lets out a gasp as she notices he isn't flying. Mainly because he just jumped from the highest level of the castle and is falling over 100 feet easily. A golden glow starts to emanate from the elf as he gets closer to the ground and his long fiery hair melts together into an ethereal fiery mane, similar to Daybreaker.
"All of you get to the vault room. I'll handle this."
"I'm not leaving you here alone. I just got you back and I'm not going to abandon you here and risk losing you again!" Luna yells up at the elf, completely failing to notice another large rock flying towards the back of her head.
"It's the ponies you should be worried about. It'll be nearly one versus two hundred so I can't afford to not use my Bladesong. But, I'm not sure how well I can hold back my blows while I'm in this state. I doubt I can be gentle, so you should worry about these fools instead."
He reaches out with his hand and catches the stone in his telekinesis before throwing it back at the pony it originated from. Luna wants to argue further but finds that she can't find fault in his statements. Looking at her sister with worry Luna finally concedes that other things take precedence right now. She trusts him to take care of himself.
Ignis reaches out with his telekinesis again and surprises everyone as suddenly a massive pocket in the mob opens and the 25 ponies find themselves no longer under attack. The elf lands next to the small group and slowly scans around casting a cold stare at all of the attackers.
Everyone there can only stare in awe. The presence they're feeling right now is one they've never felt from the elf. Instead of an intimidating and heavy pressure signaling for them to run or fight a predator stalking them from nearby, they all feel a regal presence. Everyone except the princesses feel slightly insignificant, like they should cast their gazes to the ground. Luna takes note of his posture, and how he's standing proud.
I've never seen him like this before...it's almost like he's royalty. Is this what the presence of an elven noble is supposed to feel like? But why is he only exhibiting this presence now? She thinks to herself as she tries to help her sister stand. Once Celestia is standing Ignis turns and looks at the gate of the castle. With slow deliberate steps he places a hand on the side of Lunas head and casts Cure Wounds, healing her. Then doing the same to Celestia. Once that's done he leans down and places a soft kiss on his Goddesses head where her horn would be.
Then he looks at the ponies blocking the way to the castle and calmly utters one word.
"Move." With a single phrase the crowd parts and all 25 ponies start to slowly move through the opening towards the castle. Looking around confused and amazed at what's happening right now. Then it happens. The sky grows dark and the moon rises up over the horizon.
The fiery ethereal mane turns into the same silver cloud that Ignis had when he used this technique the first time against Discord.
Maybe I'm colorblind. Don't know where I lost the colors.
The entire group of 190 take a hesitant step backwards away from the elf as he looks around at them once more.
I only see black and white.
Can't help but to think of it.
Something that hasn't happened in a while happens again. The bladesong feeds a series of images into every single creature's mind as they all stand there. Including the bearers, the alicorns, and the guards that are making their way into the castle.
But it all comes back when the moon gets low, dancing in the afterglow.
It's a short memory from the elfs dream, where he was dancing with Nightmare Moon in an empty ballroom filled with moonlight.
And when the room starts spinning and my eyes are closed, feeling like I'm not alone.
The couple quickly step in sync across the ornate tiles as Ignis grabs her hand and spins her around. The elf in the present shows a nostalgic soft smile as he closes his eyes and drinks in the memory.
Cause there's a ghost~ in the machine...I only see you when I go to sleep.
As the gate is closing behind, them Luna looks back at her knight one more time with a conflicted face filled with sorrow as she is shown the memories. She looks at her sister. "Tia I thought this effect from the bladesong was meant to show enemies the error of their ways?"
"Originally, yes. It seems it can be used in other ways. This seems to be transforming his rage, hatred, and despair into a sort of nostalgic grief. He's remembering her the times they shared instead of killing in her name. Perhaps the world has determined this bladesong is for him instead of his foes."
I built a world under the sheets...
Tens upon tens of flashes of images of the mare smiling, laughing, showing him a runic pattern in a book, sparring, and even flashes of small gestures of affection flash. As these images flash the golden glow from the elf grows brighter and the zone of harmonic mana vibrating in his frequency expands exponentially.
And when I'm dreaming that you're here with me~
I close my eyes and keep us alive~, someone please turn off the lights~
Stars appear in the sky and the moon rises higher as the volume of the song increases. The regal presence starts to feel just a bit more intimidating.
Cause there's a ghost in the machine, I only see you when I go to sleep.
Ignis' mana zone has expanded so far that the castle training grounds is in his domain of awareness. Reaching out with two hands a few ponies look confused as he just stares off towards the side of the castle.
There's a ghost in the machine.
Two wooden swords come flying through the air over the castle and the walls of the main gate. They rotate and flip as they zip towards the elves' outstretched hands. As they fly through the air a thumping series of bass notes start to pick up in speed.
There's a ghost in the machine.
The training swords land in his hands and they begin glowing brightly as mana is unconsciously imbued into the weapons. The thumping increases in speed even more and with each thump another image of the deceased mare flashes through the minds of everyone present.
Cause there's a ghost~ in the machine, I only see you when I go to sleep.
One final memory plays and its her final moments. Everyone feels the emotions of the elf in that moment as Nightmare's final words are uttered out like a whisper as she turns into smoke and vanishes. I love you, Ignis.
All of the instruments stop. The pressure in the air is immense, none of the monochrome ponies feel like they should even breathe in this moment in an attempt to keep the bladesingers attention away from them.
There's a ghost in the machi-
In a flash absolute carnage is unleashed. Several ponies suddenly find themselves over 15ft in the air with their ears ringing and darkness closing in around the edge of their vision. From an outsider's perspective the elf disappeared entirely and a zig-zag line of silver light started violently bouncing around inside the dense group of ponies. The silver line shoots up into the air along with a seemingly random pony. The elf hits the pony three times knocking her higher and higher with each strike and then he does a flip and kicks her in the back of the head, sending her plummeting back into the ground. Landing on a group of ponies, knocking all of them out.
"That's for hitting my girlfriend in the head with a brick, you stupid bitch."
He starts moving at speeds too fast to be seen with an untrained eye and continues to efficiently dispatch more and more ponies. A solid quarter of the mob is scattered around on the ground sprawled out unconscious.
The bearers and alicorns are climbing up to the second floor of the castle when Luna hears Ignis make his vulgar statement that's followed by a loud crashing sound. She can't help herself as a small blush and soft smile appears on her face along with a hint of pride and embarrassment from such a loud declaration of their relationship.
I close my eyes, keep us alive~
Ignis is visible again as he stops in the middle of the group. There's a stallion dangling in the air with his legs brushing against the ground as he's being held by the back of his neck in the elfs grasp. Only the whites of his eyes are visible and Ignis drops him, looking at him with a cold stare as he hits the ground and his face slides across the ground until he comes to a stop, unconscious. Apparently one of the wooden swords shattered since he's back to only having one.
Someone please turn off the lights~
Cause there's a ghost in the machine~, I only see you when I go to sleep.
Ignis looks around at the roughly 120 ponies left and feels nothing at their looks of frozen fear.
Why don't we go somewhere...where we can grow old together...
Another scene plays but this one isn't from a dream nor is it a memory. It's a potential future that the elf had imagined at one point in the past. It's of a massive castle looking building in the Everfree with a big courtyard full of aspiring mages. In the upper level of the building Ignis, Nightmare, Luna, and Force are eating in an office. Talking and laughing about something as Nightmare grades research papers.
And nobody knows we're there?
Come to think of it...
The scene fades to a small cabin in a seemingly random clearing in the Everfree where the herd is laying together under a blanket by a lit fireplace.
But it all comes back when the moon gets low.
Dancing in the afterglow.
And when the room starts spinning and my eyes are closed, feeling like I'm not alone.
Luna is forced to pause as she chokes up a bit as she watches the scene of this imaginary future. A small elven girl with blue hair and a young unicorn colt with white fur and a purple mane filled with silver stars run into the room and jump on the group of adults cuddled up under the blanket.
Cause there's a ghost in the machine, I only see you when I go to sleep.
I built a world...under the sheets, and when I'm dreaming that you're here with me.
The instruments and the bass flare up as over 20 wooden swords come flying over the castle wall. They all come to a stop and hover over the elf, forming a semi-circle behind his head as they all point forwards.
Ignis jumps forward and starts spinning through the group with violent swings of his arms once more as the swords in the air seem to just follow him around. Seemingly harmless at the moment.
I close my eyes, keep us alive.
Someone please, turn off the lights~
Cause there's a ghost~ in the machine. I only see you when I go to sleep.
The elf speeds up to the point of no longer being visible once more.
There's a ghost in the mach-
As soon as the music flares up one last time all of the floating swords take off and join the elf in completely dispatching this group of traitors. The sword all moving with what seems to be a mind of their own as they zip around, over, and through the enemies. In just a quarter of a minute the remaining 120 are down to 40 as the elf and his telekinesis controlled swords tear through the group.
The remaining ponies are finally completely overwhelmed with an unsuppressable fear and start to sprint away from the castle screaming.
With no more pony targets left the elf snaps his head up and glares at a seemingly empty space of air.
"Your turn, you ugly piece of shit."
Before Discord can react the elf is right in front of him and the draconequus yelps in surprise as he's suddenly yanked from the Ethereal Plane.
I close my eyes, keep us alive.
Discord turns into a flat two dimensional version of himself and unnaturally bends his body at odd angles as he dodges the elfs sword swings and the flying swords zipping and stabbing at him through the air. He can't help but to laugh as a look of anger finally flashes on the elf's face.
The true target of Ignis' rage is finally in front of him and he drops all restraint as he drops a wooden sword and conjures a 5th Level Shadow Blade.
Someone please turn off the lights~
As the elf picks up even more speed Discord is forced to start conjuring strange shapes that look like crystals, but they're not physically there. They're just drawn into the air. Their strange shapes bend space around the two causing both of their bodies to seem distorted and twisted. As if someone was looking at them through a kaleidoscope.
Ignis grows confused as he gets a viewing of the true powers of the reality warping God. Has the idea to turn off Real-Time Combat until he remembers that Discord can see and manipulate his dice. So, even doing that wouldn't help him overcome this strange defensive tactic.
He can only start swinging his swords with even more ferocity and speed as he tries to force himself through the distorted space.
Cause there's a ghost...
There's a loud tearing sound followed by several cracking noises as Ignis is able to correct the space through the harmonized mana within the range of his bladesong. He ended up just forcing more and more mana into the area while condensing it further and further, his intuition telling him that it would work.
Him and Discord are both surprised as it does actually work and the Shadow Blade is mere milliseconds from striking the God.
I only see you when I go to sleep.
The song ends and suddenly everything feels wrong. Ignis feels like his body is bending in ways it's not supposed to. He's completely unable to move as he glances down and realizes all of the space near his torso is being pulled into a single point. The air and sky around him look stretched and twisted.
A loud crack rings out that sounds like hundreds of strikes of thunder when the twisted and stretched air rebounds and launches the elf at insane speeds away from the castle and fight. As Ignis starts to lose consciousness he realizes that Discord just pulled all of the nearby space into a single point and then used the energy of the space snapping back to normal to launch him like a slingshot.
In that instant Ignis realizes that his consciousness is fading, but it hasn't actually faded yet. In a moment of clarity he taps his chest and casts Cure Wounds at 4th Level. Healing himself back up to half of his maximum hit points.
Then he slams into the shield at the edge of the city and slides down it until thudding against the ground with a groan. Despite no longer being at zero hit points the elf still passes out.
His eyes open a few minutes later to a message from the system.
Integration...72%
Time remaining until Canterlot reaches Ponyville shelter camp: 16 minutes.
As the bearers enter the room their tackled by a cheering Pinkie Pie. Pinkie is speaking far too fast for any of them to understand, but they're all just happy to see each other. Applejack starts to ask a question to the hyperactive mare, but is interrupted by a cheer and a gasp as Celestia enters the room and regains her horn and wings.
They all cheer as the entire group runs to the vault and Celestia enters her horn into the slot and opens the door. As the door slowly opens the music from the Bladesong outside comes to an end. Once it's open she pulls out a small box with her telekinesis and opens it to reveal the Elements of Harmony. She hovers each element to it's rightful bearer until only one remains and it's at this moment everyone realizes the same thing.
In the excitement of being reunited and Celestia regaining her magic they were all so caught up in the moment of victory they forgot to notice one critical thing when they spotted Pinkie in the vault room. She was alone.
"Hey y'all, uhm... Where's Twilight?"
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 19
Author Notes, WARNING: Part of this chapter is dark like way darker than I meant for it to be, I actually had to rewrite it and dial it down a bit. There's also very vague mentions of non-con NSFW, but none actually happens. Just a character implying that they want to.
Holy fuck that hurt. I can't believe that guy actually used space itself to launch me. The worst part is that for once I have no clue how he did it. We're both using the Weave so how the fuck did he do that? Okay enough stalling in frustration I have to get up and get back to the castle.
Oh wow okay that's sore. Not as bad as it usually is when I use Symphony of Steel, but still pretty sore. I think I can actually use it one or two more times before I'm incapacitated now. Alright channel mana into my legs, let's get to the castle in two leaps. In just a few seconds I'm a block away from the main gate of the castle.
As soon as I come up to the gate I can feel my eyes widen in joy. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes! Force~!"
Force is with Cadence and Shining Armor and when she hears my name she turns and sprints at me. Slamming her face into my gut as she starts to sob. "Woah... it's okay, I'm alright. I'm back. I hope you didn't worry too much, Force. Oh you even held onto my Moonblade for me? I was looking all over for this thing! I was worried I left it in Ponyville or something."
As I speak to her I rub one of her ears with my thumb and scratch the top of her head under her mane. "Th-that's... that's not why I'm upset! I'm so happy you're back, and you're okay and you're alive! B-but. But, Ignis we're all doomed!"
"Why? Luna, Celestia and the element bearers just went into the vault room and they should be ready any minute now!"
"Are you sure it was all of the element bearers?"
"Pretty sure? Let's see..." I start remembering the faces and counting the ponies I saw. "Oh wait, they're missing Twilight."
It's only now that I see the absolute look of shellshock on Shining Armor's face. His eyes are completely blank and dead inside. Cadence doesn't look much better, but her eyes are bloodshot. Looking down at Force I feel a pit start to sink deep into my stomach. She looks up at me and confirms my fear.
"Twilight's dead, Ignis..."
"Why did I have to get teleported here?! I hate the lower city...it's okay Twilight all of the ponies were randomly teleported. So, the odds of this place being filled with shady ponies like normal is astronomically low. In fact it has to be at least one in eight hundred thousand fourty-"
"Twilight! I'm so glad you're safe!" Twilight stops her spiraling rant and her head snaps to the left. Spotting the source of the voice her spirits brighten up instantly.
"BBBFF! Oh I'm so happy I ran into somepony I know! Have you seen any of my friends?" The two siblings meet in a big hug as Twilight asks her brother her question.
"No, I haven't really seen anypony until now. I did see the Princess fighting with that shadow creature, though. They went off to the north after she was thrown through a building. Knowing the Princess, she went to the least populated area in the city, so let's go to the south and see if we can find your friends."
Twilight was about to reply in agreement with her brother but before she could speak both of the ponies were alerted by the sounds of glass shattering just a few feet away. It's accompanied by the sound of a few different ponies talking amongst themselves. Shining nudges Twilight towards a narrow alley next to the building they're standing in front of.
The element of magic is breathing heavily with a fear she's never felt before. Even though she has no idea if the approaching ponies are friends or foes she's still being assaulted with the overwhelming feeling of being hunted.
Twilight stares around at the upper windows and rooftops surrounding her and her brother in the narrow alley as she quietly moves further into the dark passageway. The sound of the talking ponies gets quieter and it sounds like they're moving away from the two.
Only feeling a modicum of relief the mare starts to whisper to her brother. "It sounds like they are moving to the south, are we still going to head in that direction?"
"No, let's just move towards the castle. That's where you'll need to be anyway and this is too dangerous for us to keep wandering around aimlessly."
Twilight nods her head in agreement and the two stand there in silence for a few seconds as the air becomes awkward. She's waiting for her brother to move so she can follow him but he's just standing there.
Deciding not to waste time Twilight shuffled around her brother with a confused stare and quietly began making her way out of the alley. She reaches the end of the alley and all of the hair on the back of her neck stands up straight. Something is wrong, but she can't figure out what.
Then she notices it. There's eyes in the windows across the street. At least five pairs of eyes are staring straight at her. The former unicorn gasps in a huge breath of air, preparing to scream and run back down the alley towards Shining.
Before she can scream or turn around though Twilight feels a sharp pain in her neck as her legs buckle and she collapses onto the ground. Her eyes widen in primal fear as she looks over and watches Shining Armor go up in green flames, revealing a jet black insect pony.
She starts to hyperventilate as the ponies across the street exit their hiding spots and also transform into similar looking creatures. Her mind is running faster than light as she tries to process and calculate anything she can do to get out of this.
"Are you sure about this Larynx? This seems like a waste of food." One of the changelings calls out to the changeling that was disguised as her brother.
"The Elements of Harmony are a weapon that would've stood in the way of our Queen at some point in the future. Killing this one not only saves us from this nightmare of a situation, but it'll be good for the future of the hive. At the end of the day it's just one pony."
The other changelings nod in agreement and Twilight's mind finally shatters as she starts to scream.
"Shiny! Princess Celestia! Please ANYPONY?! SOM-hik-SOMEPONY PLEASE HELP ME!"
Her pleas for help turn into just an ear piercing scream as a spear is suddenly plunged into her barrel.
"Why did you do that?! We could've at least had a meal or two before we eliminated her! Do you know how pent up I am after being undercover for the last two months?! Two months with strict orders to not raise any suspicions! No crime or nefarious activities whatsoever!"
"What was I supposed to do? She's just screaming! I don't know why she can even speak if she's paralyzed from the venom, that's not supposed to happen. The longer we let her keep screaming like this the higher the chances are that we're discovered."
Larynx nods his head in agreement and grabs a spear from the drone next to him and another spear joins the first one in the element bearer.
The screaming stops as Twilight devolves into just sobbing. Everything is blurry and she can taste blood in her mouth. With a sputtering cough most of the blood finds itself splattered on the gravel path. She can't even hear what the changelings are saying anymore as she goes into shock.
One of the changelings is sent careening into a wall where it hangs there, impaled by a spear. All of the changelings turn and ignite their horns ready to engage whoever just happened upon them. They were not expecting to find the real Shining Armor joined by Princess Cadence and her knight. WIthin an instant two more of the changelings find their chitin cracked as the two mortal ponies surge forward and deliver an unexpectedly fast buck. Just a few more seconds and all of the changelings are dispatched.
Cadence and Shining run over and slide across the ground as they drop down and tend to the former unicorn. Her brother is saying her name and trying to get her to look at him while Cadence and Force stare at the spears sticking out of the mare with looks of despair. With no magic and no medical supplies they both know there's nothing they can do. If they take out the spears she'll just bleed out, but there's a good chance those spears went through her critical organs.
Twilight is still completely oblivious to her surroundings as she quietly sobs and mutters out the names of her friends and the Princess over and over. She keeps apologizing to them and to Equestria while asking for help. Another lethal cough rocks her body and more blood is splattered out onto the white fur of her brother.
Shining was originally telling her she had nothing to be sorry for, that he was here, help was here. But, now he's just apologizing and sobbing as he cradles his sister's neck and head. All of the sound silences and they all look over to find the element bearer staring up with empty eyes and her jaw slightly slacked. All of the light is gone and she's no longer breathing.
The three ponies console each other and grieve for over an hour, completely unable to find the strength to move forward.
The Element of Magic is gone.
Time remaining until Canterlot reaches Ponyville shelter camp: 105 minutes.
"You can revive her, right Ignis? She's just a few minutes away from here...we decided it'd be too demoralizing if we paraded her around to bring her here...but you can save her right?" Force looks at me with such a desperate look in her eyes. She's trying to find anything, even the smallest piece of information to give her hope.
"If it's been over a minute then I have to perform a ritual that takes an hour. We don't have an hour...I can revive her but it'll have to be after we defeat Discord. What are we going to do....?" Looking towards the gate where Shining and Cadence were I'm surprised to see no one is there.
"They must've gone inside to tell the others...Ignis can we really still win?"
"Of course. We have no other option. One way or another we have to defeat Discord. If I can reach that state... the True Bladesong. If I can achieve that I might have a chance on my own. The only step I think I'm missing is a completely clear mind. I have to kill all of my thoughts and emotions." Easier said than done.
As I sit down on the ground, Force looks at me with sad confusion. "I'm going to meditate for a couple of minutes. I need to clear my mind. Go find the others in the castle and tell them that it's do or die time. I'm not going to act like it's too dangerous for any of you to get involved. All of you need to get involved or we aren't going to make it. When they hear the bladesong, that's the signal."
She gives me a slow nod before blinking and sprints into the castle.
Time remaining until Canterlot reaches Ponyville shelter camp: 13 minutes.
The mane five all collapse and stare at Princess Cadence as the bombshell is dropped on them without warning. Even Celestia can't maintain her mask of emotions as she begins to grieve and gives in to despair. Luna looks at all of them with a pained expression, but with every ounce of willpower she manages to keep her mind on the task at hand. Thousands of thoughts race through her mind of how they can overcome this and defeat Discord.
Luna doesn't know how long she was in her thoughts but she's brought back to reality at the sounds of hooves running up the stairs to the vault room. She looks at Force with the same pained expression as she enters the room.
"Everypony, I know this is bad. I know it seems hopeless. But, we have to fight. We have to defeat Discord. If we can defeat him then Ignis can revive Twilight. Ignis gathered himself outside the main gate and he mentioned something about the True Bladesong. We need to join him and give everything we have to this fight. Once we hear the bladesong that is our final stand! There has to be a way, we need our second wind."
"I'm afraid you're mistaking your second wind with your final gasp. I told you, Celestia, if you knew what I knew you would also give up, but you didn't believe me~! Now the game is officially over and you all lose!"
At the mention of the game being over every pony regains their horns and wings. Discord doesn't even take the elements away from the bearers as he floats around in the room, gloating.
Suddenly the air in the room grows a bit brighter. Crackles of silver lightning appear randomly along the walls and in the air of the room. They go completely unnoticed by everyone but Luna. Luna see's the sparks and crackles and recognizes it as her knight. That mana doesn't have his signature it still feels like the mana of the world that exists all around, but it has a hint of his presence in there.
Faint sounds of music can be heard and every one, Discord included, quiets down and turns their head towards the stained windows facing the main gate of the castle. Suddenly all of the windows shatter and a bright silver line zips into the room through one of the broken windows as the volume of the music becomes louder.
The silver line hits Discord and keeps going, until they both hit the ceiling. Then the entire roof of the vault room is torn asunder as they shoot through it and slam into the barrier containing the island city. Everyone just stares with wide eyes as the entire room is now open to the sky.
Clear my mind. Eliminate all unnecessary thoughts and feelings. Emotions first, I'll do the same thing I did in the changeling hive. Now I need to empty myself. Symphony of Steel involves forcing the mana around you to harmonize and vibrate at the same frequency as yourself. That effectively makes it my mana signature which allows me to expand my metaphysical body as wide as I can spread that harmonization effect.
How do we go from that to the True Bladesong? What could be missing? Wait, could it really be that simple?
What if I just change the frequency of my own mana? If making the world's mana vibrate at my frequency allows me domain over that mana then what if I vibrate at the frequency of the world? That should effectively do the same thing no?
Wait, why is it activating on its own?
Stay just like this, you're on the right path. You've captured it in essence, but you must be careful. Changing your own frequency to match the world has a serious consequence.
What the fuck? Wait, I know that voice. It's one of the voices from the clearing in the Everfree that housed the souls of the ancient bladesingers. What's the danger?
You would be changing yourself. It wouldn't be surprising if you were to completely lose your sense of self and assimilate with the world.
You're standing on the border of everything.
Wait, that explains how the echo's of that bladesong are still playing in that clearing in the Everfree! That bladesinger achieved this feat and then at the end of the fight he must've lost concentration and become one with the world. But how do I change myself to match the world?
Listen close, can you hear the spirits sing lost messages of long ago?
I can hear them. This is why I have to empty my mind, no it's more than that. I have to erase myself entirely. I have to become nothing, become truly neutral. That's why the old order of bladesingers was a neutral force belonging to no kingdom. It's a core value at the center of their very being.
I'll trap my mind in my Trance state. Leave just my subconscious, let myself become one with the world and let my body move on instinct alone. Until I become one with the world then allow myself to seep through as if I was dreaming.
That's it...
Leave the life you knew before.
See, a new world worth fighting for!
I can see it. I can see the entire castle and a quarter of Canterlot. Discord is taunting the ponies in the vault room. I want to attack him. Moonblade, give me Haste. Next I'll cast Tenser's Transformation.
Find the truth of who you're meant to become.
Another path you must now walk on.
It's like an out of body experience, my field of vision is in the vault room, but I know I'm at the main gate. I want to attack Discord, so just need to will my body. Force myself into a dream-like state so I can control my subconscious.
My eyes open and everything stretches as I move at a speed far beyond anything I've ever done before. I hear glass shatter. My hand is inches away from Discord's throat.
"I'M HERE!"
My hand is around Discords throat and he makes a squawking sound as we crash through... something. It's too fast. Squeezing his throat as I stare into his eyes I imagine in the future I'll look back on this sheer terror on his face quite fondly. Right now though...I don't feel anything. The barrier that I'm holding him against cracks and then instantly heals itself. The draconequus pops out of existence and time slows down.
Reaching far across these new frontiers
With my life I fight this fear
Where is he going? Sixty feet to the left the mana there is disturbed. Time resumes and his teleportation channels. He appears right where I predicted and has not even a nanosecond to react before my Moonblade is cutting into him.
In my hands I hold the ones I love
Walk forward through the cold dawn
Always to new horizons
3rd Person POV
"He wants us to help him in THAT fight? I can't even see them moving!" Rainbow yells out as Discord teleports away from Ignis but the elf seems to know exactly where he'll appear.
"Tia, we've both wielded the Element of Magic in the past. What if we were to try and use it ourselves?" Luna comments, ignoring Rainbow's statements.
"We can try. At this point it's our only shot." The solar alicorn has a flat and cold tone. As if she's completely emotionally drained.
Celestia puts on the Element of Magic and suddenly the entire group is enveloped in a silver light. They're a bit confused about the meaning of the event until Pinkie jumps and then swims through the air. Smoothly flying into the sky. Everyone else joins her and the entire group zips into the air to try and assist the elf.
Come with me. We'll travel through thе trials and tragedy~
The air near the two main combatants is stretching and cracking as they zip around faster than most of the ponies can even track with their eyes. All of the element bearers plus Celestia start to glow even brighter. They attempt to fire the elements.
Can you hear the spirits shout
The secrets in their melodies?
Sensing a large ripple of mana nearby Ignis realizes the elements are going to fire. Instantly he starts trying to direct Discords movements to get the two of them closer to the element bearers. All of Discord's attention is on the bladesinger, he doesn't even notice the elements are about to fire.
Dream, explore the mysteries
Breathe; a new life is revealed to me
Discord teleports one last time and Ignis instantly compresses as much mana as he can into the space where Discord is occupying. Attempting to recreate Hold Monster purely through mana. It seems to be somewhat effective as restraining his physical movements, but Ignis feels the disturbance of mana just a few feet away signifying an imminent teleport.
Once again, we'll start our story anew
Don't be afraid; I will be with you
Suddenly Ignis can feel that someone else is restraining the draconequus, leaving him free to cast Counterspell. Instantly stopping the Gods teleportation. He looks over and sees Luna with her horn ignited, casting a soft smile towards him.
The rainbow beam fires from the group of ponies, but it seems a bit dull. There's also a couple of colors missing entirely. Discord still screams out in a panic and holds out his hands to shield himself as the rainbow slams into him. But, nothing happens and he starts to laugh.
"I'M HERE!"
His laughing is cut short as a Moonblade protrudes through his torso. Glancing down with shock he watches as the entire sword starts to glow bright silver. This guy doesn't know that restrained targets are a guaranteed critical. Level 5 Divine Smite.
Reaching far across these new frontiers
With my life I fight this fear
The divine energy explodes at the very center of Discords being and shakes the God down to his core as thick black liquid oozes out of the wound. Before he can react though, the elf still has four more swings of his sword. In rapid fashion the draconequus is slashed and smited four more times. All of them are natural 20s due to being restrained.
In my hands I hold the ones I love
Walk forward through the cold dawn
Always to new horizons
Discord is oozing ichor from several wounds as he begins chain teleporting around, completely on the defensive versus the bladesinger. While this is happening Luna trades out with Celestia and puts on the Element of Magic.
Ignis senses the next attempt from the elements and grabs the draconequus by the neck again before flying him straight at the rainbow beam. Unfortunately the beam passes through both of them harmlessly once again.
Now the elf is wide open though. Discord snaps his claws and starts to bend the space around Ignis once again. Next several giant red beams of light are fired from seemingly thin air. The elf in a blind panic starts to zip around evading the beams. But, whenever they miss Discord bends the space around the beam to redirect it at the elf. The attack in this manner is never ending, and Ignis is somewhat aware that all of those beams look similar to Disintegrate.
Switching strategies, Ignis starts flying back towards Discord while avoiding the lethal lasers.
Standing here
The way ahead's becoming clear
Rolling, diving, leaning, Ignis evades the Disintegration rays by the slimmest of margins until he makes eye contact with Discord. Discord can feel all of his hairs stand end as they make eye contact and the song quiets down.
All across these new frontiers
All of the nearby mana that has been acting as the elfs domain during the bladesong is suddenly compressed down and pulled into the elf. His body starts to glow bright silver as he imbues every fiber of his muscles, and every blood cell in his veins with as much mana as possible. There's golden lightning in his eyes as his body becomes super charged.
In my hands I hold the ones I love
Time seems to stop as Ignis instantly appears next to Discord. There's several afterimages all around the draconequus as he slashes and cuts at the God. All of this happening within a fraction of a second.
Walk forward through the cold dawn
More and more wounds appear on Discord as Ignis feels more and more of his muscles tearing. His bones shattering. His body can't withstand this. He notices he can only see the whites of Discords eyes and assumes the bastard has actually fallen unconscious.
Always to new horizons.
Finally the song ends and the elfs body completely gives up. He coughs up blood with a smile on his face as he and Discord start to fall out of the air. Until those pesky Disintegration Rays reminded him of their existence.
Celestia and Luna start channeling their most powerful sealing spell using combined magic technique since the elements are inoperable. When suddenly the red lasers impact the elf one after another. His body bounces and recoils with every hit as he's sent careening into the barrier. In between the lasers he was able to cast Cure Wounds on himself, but the elf is still unconscious as he bounces off the barrier and starts to fall to the ground.
Luna realizes that neither Rainbow nor Force can catch him in time and Cadence is nowhere to be seen. Rarity can't use teleportation. The weight of reality settles in that she has to choose between casting this sealing spell with this one opportunity that the elf provided them, and let him fall to potentially his death. Or, teleport down and save the elf and hope she's fast enough to still complete the sealing spell before Discord recovers.
The lunar alicorn doesn't have to think about it for even a moment. She cancels the sealing spell and teleports under Ignis, catching him mid fall. She quickly sets him down on the ground and teleports back to Celestia to begin channeling the sealing spell again. Her sister is giving her a slightly judgemental look, but Luna knows she made the right decision.
Until the draconequus suddenly disappears and reappears next to the unconscious elf. Completely healed.
How in the hell did he achieve that form? That bastard I killed back then was the only bladesinger to ever pull it off but this chump did it in a matter of months? His eyes were just as unsettling as those eyes back then. No pupil, no slits, no patterns, his eyes were just solid golden orbs. Well, let's dispose of this thing for now. I don't think I want to kill him yet, I want him to watch the last few minutes of his friends' lives.
With a snap several purple walls appear and surround the elf. They start to fold in a way that it seems like the elf should be dead, but he's not harmed by it at all. The walls turn into a cube that compresses down and could fit in the palm of one's hand. Then he floats the cube up to the top of the barrier, with the best view in the house.
Turning his attention back down towards the ponies he scoffs. Somewhat annoyed for the first time in centuries. "Now then have you all gotten that out of your system? Who's ready to watch a city land on hundreds of ponies?"
The ponies in question have landed on the ground after slowly falling at a safe speed as the silver light around them dimmed. They don't even bother responding to the draconequus as they all start comforting each other and desperately asking if there's any more ideas to try.
Integration...97%
Time remaining until Canterlot reaches Ponyville shelter camp: 6 minutes.
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 20
Where am I? I'm surrounded by a thick fog and beneath my feet is just solid white. Did I die?
Integration...99%
Oh I guess I didn't die. Either that or I'm in hell. Wait, did I lose myself and become one with the world? The gravity here is so heavy I feel like I can barely move. What happened with Discord and the element bearers? Is Luna okay?
Suddenly in the distance the thick fog clears and reveals a big piece of glass that turns on like a television and reveals all of Canterlot. Why is my camera so high up? I can't see shit. Oh there we go, it's zooming in.
It's bad. They all look so hopeless, tired, and defeated. I wish the bladesong had picked a song that was like 30 seconds longer, I almost had him. Wait, what are the ponies saying?
"We've got maybe five minutes left, Princess. What if we started teleporting everypony out? If we can evacuate the entire city we can warn everypony at camp to run away. We'd lose Canterlot, but we can always rebuild..."
"I'm afraid there's not enough time, Rarity. We could probably get over half of Canterlot evacuated but I'm fairly certain Discord has a similar barrier to this one over the camp. So, at a minimum we'd lose half of Canterlot and everypony from Ponyville plus all of the Night Guard. Perhaps we should at least teleport you all out of here, though. If the five of you perish then everything we lose today will have been for nothing." Luna replies with a bit of a somber expression.
"Absolutely no stinkin' way am I gunna let thousands of ponies die for me! We still got five minutes left right? Let's stop wasting 'em and go knock some sense into that fella up there!"
"There is some merit to Applejack's plan. That's only the third time I've ever seen Discord bleed his true essence. Even for him it must've drained him quite a bit to regenerate from that. This might be our best opportunity." Celestia tries to resolve herself as she speaks to the ponies.
The screen cuts off and I find myself in a memory. I'm in Ponyville...at the library.
Inside Celestia's Mind
"Celestia, my most faithful follower." An angelic voice speaks directly into the alicorn's mind.
"H-Harmony, what is it? Is there a way I can save my little ponies?"
"There's always a way, little Light. These are just the idle ramblings of a pony wondering if she could've done better."
"Your Radiance, please. You've always done yo-"
"No, listen Celestia. I think perhaps I've been a bit too passive with this world. I could've given more prophecies or advised more ponies at critical junctions of history. The world has improved so much in the last two or three millennia, but I wonder if my pride prevented this improvement from happening earlier."
There's a peaceful silence as Celestia resists the urge to ask her how her pride could've done such a thing. "I've always been too complacent. Never believing myself capable of failure. When I had my order of Bladesingers I kept the greedy and the wicked in line with power. That entire time I could've chosen more followers, perhaps there'd be 10 or even 20 alicorns now. I could've unleashed the elements on the world thousands of years earlier. My pride is what prevented these things. My pride and complacency."
"I believed any other measure was unnecessary since I had my bladesingers and they had never failed me. Until they did. No, it's better to say I failed them. If I had brought the elements into the world before the bladesingers fell...I wonder what the world would look like today."
Ignis POV
I remember this, this is when I first saw the runic language. I was using backwards logic when trying to apply the runes to my mana. Then Twilight came in and unlocked a brand new world for me. With just one simple sentence.
"There's a reason our horns are on our head. You're visualizing the runes in your head but your mana is in your hand."
Then I channeled the mana in my brain where the rune is and moved the shaped mana to my hand, instead of trying to bring the rune down to my hand. Switching that process and instantly that little ball of light formed.
"Ignis, it took me 3 days to cast that spell for the first time." I'll never forget how stunned she looked. I'd never admitted it back then but hearing her say that did boost my ego a bit.
Celestia and Harmony POV
"Are you implying that the world never had the Elements of Harmony and the Bladesingers at the same time?" Celestia asks with a bit of disbelief in her voice.
"Exactly. Doesn't that make you quite curious?"
"Curious of what? How would the world look now? I admit I am a bit curious."
"No, no, I'm curious what would happen if a Bladesinger was one of the bearers. The peak of bladesinging isn't quite as powerful as the full power of the Elements, but it's close. What would happen if those two events could've overlapped?"
Ignis POV
Now I'm in Canterlot Castle. This is when I was hiding Invisible in the Dining Hall and listening to Celestia argue with Luna about teaching me mana control.
"...we've brought a monster into this capital. Ignoring the fact that he learned the runic language and cast his first spell several times faster than the most prodigal unicorn to ever exist. Even if we ignore that, just the sheer size of his mana pool is absurd!"
Ah wow I forgot Celestia called me a monster. In this context she does mean it in a different way though. So, I'm not too upset about it. The citizens called me a monster because they thought I was scary and was going to eat them, but she meant it as a prodigy with too much potential.
More importantly, why am I being shown this?
The memory continues to the point where Celestia temporarily gives me Truesight. That's when it happens. A question pops into my head that leads me down a rabbit hole of thoughts.
If the Weave is Chaos magic then that explains why the requirements for spells are so seemingly random. It even explains why Wild Magic is a thing. I bet Wild Magic Sorcerers are just more compatible with Chaos magic than normal magic users. However, if the Weave is Chaos magic then doesn't that mean mana is Harmonic magic?
I guess it's not necessarily meant to be a direct counterpart to Chaos magic. But, why are they so similar? For Chaos magic I use hand movements, incantations, and materials to "shape" the magic into the form I want so it can do what I command of it. For Harmonic magic I use runes and sometimes even incantations to "shape" the mana so that the spell has the result I want.
There has to be a critical misunderstanding here. Discord doesn't even use components for his magic, he just snaps. Telekinesis doesn't even require runes, just mana and Will. When I use my Symphony of Steel any of the mana within range that adapts to my mana frequency essentially becomes my domain. I can sense everything in that area and just like with those wooden swords, I can interact with things in the domain much more freely. That has to mean something.
Why does the Bladesong and Telekinsis require no runes? The only thing they have in common is Willpower, but I tried that before. I perfectly pictured and imagined the exact scientific process to create fire while commanding the mana to follow that train of thought. Wait, that's the difference, no?
Thought. I don't think when I use telekinesis. I did at first but that explains why I struggled so much, and I definitely don't think about the mana in the air or controlling it when I perform the Bladesong. Can I just use mana without runes as long as I exert enough Will onto the mana? No thoughts, just exert my Will. I bet it's similar for Discord. That guy's a crackhead so I doubt he thinks when casting.
He probably just thinks "Oh I want to be over there with my stupid ugly face." Then he snaps and he's over there. That sounds insane for both systems of magic though. You'd basically be a God if you could just freely exert your Will onto the mana. Telekinesis requires you to send out your mana into the air to envelope the object, and Symphony of Steel requires you to force the ambient mana to become your domain. So, perhaps you have to claim the mana first?
I've got it...
Back to Celestia and Harmony
"I...I don't know. Why are we even hypothesizing something that isn't possible anymore? Your Order of Bladesingers doesn't exist anymore."
"Oh Celestia, why would it matter if he's in my Order or not?"
"Wait...Are you implying...?"
"Like I said, I'm just curious what would happen. Do you know the real question, Celestia?"
The solar alicorn hums in thought before Harmony gives her the answer. "The real question is, are you ready to find out what happens?"
Ignis POV (A/N: Last POV Switch this chapter I swear!)
...That's the true essence of magic. It's all the same! It's so simple! Haha...
Integration...100%
There's a bright light around my forearms and when I look down I'm shocked to see that my Illusionist's Bracers have transformed. Instead of two solid purple gems now each bracer has one large intricate purple gem, and it's in the shape of Twilight's cutie mark.
Integration Complete!
New Title: The Element of Magic.
Title Features: Manasight for up to 300ft, and the ability to understand the true essence of all forms of magic.
The entire inside of this prison looks far different from before. The thick fog just looks like black particles moving around erratically and bouncing off of each other. I can see why they call it Chaos magic now. There's so much of it coming from my spellbook. That makes sense though, I wouldn't have been able to continue casting spells and regaining spell slots if something wasn't upkeeping the Weave for me.
Well, let's get out of here. I can see the density of magic particles is much lower in this area, so this is likely the weak spot of the prison. Now let's just...inject my magic into there and break this bad boy open.
Oh my God why is it so bright? Fucking relax! As soon as the prison collapsed there was an earth shattering sound and shockwave that rippled out from where I'm at. As soon as I could see though I was blinded. Is that Celestia's mana?
Oh it's mine. Wait, hers must be extremely blinding then! Can I just...filter this out? Yeah there we go. That's better. The world looks so different...
Oh they're all staring at me. All of them have their own unique color to the aura surrounding them, this would be good for spotting changelings. Even just the air though is so different. Compared to Chaos magic, mana is...softer. It's floating around like it's just a leaf in the wind, and compared to that sickly black color this is a very calming blue. Maybe that's the real reason the sky is blue. In Equestria anyways.
Alright well, thumbs up, let's do this.
"True Bladesong."
> A New Beginning
"Is that really Ignis?" Pinkie says what all of the ponies are thinking as they watch a massive tear in space appear near the top of the barrier.
There's no response as they all stare up. The elf is just floating with his torn and ragged pants, still shirtless. Thin glowing purple lines draw a complex pattern on his chest and shoulders as they go up his neck and stop right under his eyes. His eye sockets are just completely purple, it's like looking at outer space but the dark void is a deep purple. There's small galaxies just barely visible and the stars are all tiny Equestrian runes.
The biggest change is on his forehead. There's a long translucent unicorn horn, just a bit shorter than Luna's. The elfs hair is the same as when he's using a bladesong, just an ethereal silver cloud that stops in the middle of his back.
Everyone's eyes shrink to pinpricks as they suddenly feel an unbearable pressure weighing on them. Even the alicorns are frozen in fear as they all have the impression that if any of them move a single inch right now, they'll die. This, however, is not because of Ignis. No, this is because for the second time in his entire life, Discord is serious.
"True Bladesong."
In an instant the entire city is claimed by the elf. Contained only by the barrier surrounding the edge of the city. Unlike the previous True Bladesong not even 2 minutes ago, this time Ignis did not change himself to match the world. As a being that has grasped the true essence of all magic it was effortless to claim all of the mana inside the barrier.
Discord has an intense death glare as he stares at the bladesinger, his back turned to the ponies. The draconequus opens his mouth to say something, but before even a single syllable can be uttered Ignis ignites his horn. The instant he saw Discord's jaw move he spotted an opening and took it by teleporting straight in front of Discord.
With a single slash across the midsection, the God is sliced in two. Everyone stares completely shocked as Discord's lower half floats away from his upper half. A thick black liquid pours out of the two body parts before shooting towards the other half. The ichor meets in the middle of the air and pulls the two halves back together.
As soon as his body is reconnected, Discord is completely enveloped in a massive silver beam of magic. The attack burns him all over and sends him crashing into the barrier. Ignis looks down at the ponies and gives Luna and Force a soft smile.
Bladesong Music.
We can choose the way of our future. Try a brand new path...
If I change the world...
If I change the world.
The drums kick in and that oppressive aura from the draconequus is overwhelmed by a much lighter presence. Everyone in the city suddenly finds themselves thinking, "It's not over yet."
Out of nowhere sparks appear in the air right next to Ignis, almost like two steel balls clashed together. The resulting sound is an ear splitting crack as the elf's head suddenly snaps backwards and he's sent flying into a collection of buildings.
Not even a second later a silver blur shoots out of the rubble and collides with something in mid air. To everyone but Celestia it looks like he's just swinging his sword in the air, but Celestia can see it. There's four invisible Discords that all look slightly different from the original. One is missing the beard, they all slightly deviate in which animals make up the different parts of their body. It's a strange sight to see a draconequus throwing punches and engaging in melee combat, but these four are doing it.
Say goodbye to everyone who stands against us. (A/N: Honestly maybe pause the song here, the next bit has a lot happening at the same time and requires a good bit of description. Resume at next italicized lyrics.)
The original Discord appears in the air and snaps several times in rapid succession. Several types of magic conjure in the air and fire at the elf. Black lightning, fire, acid, raw energy, and...cotton candy? "Well they can't all be winners." Discord thinks to himself.
Celestia ignites her horn without hesitation and gives all of the element bearers True Sight. Without missing a beat they all spring up into action, much to Ignis' surprise. Pinkie suddenly appears in the air right next to Ignis with a...CANNON? There's a loud explosion of confetti and one of the draconequus is sent flying.
At the same time Luna and Celestia start firing magic to intercept Discords attacks. A rope is thrown that wraps itself around one of the three remaining chaos clones. With a hard yank the creature is pulled away from Ignis where it's promptly smashed in the face by two cyan hooves that send it flying into the ground.
Just before it can hit the ground though Applejack delivers a solid buck with both hind legs right in its center of mass. Sending the creature into a pile of rubble.
Hundreds of bricks and stones start flying through the air and pelting the two remaining clones who are unable to defend against it due to being attacked by Ignis. They're all wrapped in a light blue magic belonging to a certain fashionista. One that looks quite proud at being able to display her level of skill with telekinesis.
A silver light flashes as the elf spins and the two clones are sliced into several pieces and they disappear like smoke.
The original Discord finds himself befuddled as a yellow pegasus flies right at him with one eye closed. "You have done enough, mister!" For a few precious seconds the God actually finds himself completely stunned as Fluttershy continues to scold him for all the harm he caused.
All of these actions happen simultaneously over the span of a few seconds.
No one has the power to stop a change that comes through...
Music.
Free from the harassment of the clones, Ignis flies straight at Discord while firing a beam of silver magic. As he launches the attack he teleports Fluttershy away from the draconequus. Several thick completely black walls of magic appear in between the elf and the God.
No, you can't stop...
Magic.
As the lyrics mention stopping all of the conjured walls of force shatter and explode as Ignis shoots through them like a missile. Right as the elf reaches Discord two large beams of magic crash into the God from both sides of him. Each one fired from the two alicorn sisters. Right as they connect and sandwich Discord an emerald Moonblade slashes into his body several times.
Close your eyes and you can see the future before you.
Every note I sing is bringin' you closer to your purpose.
Suddenly thousands of ponies in the city below start roaring with cheers as they all stampede towards the area the fight is taking place. The element bearers by this point have all joined together and dismissed one of the remaining clones, and now they surround the last one. The creature is passed around the group as it's bucked, hit with pony-fu, and shot by explosive confetti.
"You can have Tom back, by the way." Everypony looks at Rarity a bit confused until suddenly a massive boulder falls on top of the clone. Crushing it instantly.
Once you're there, don't let go.
Discord snaps his arms outward and lets out an annoyed yell. Raw energy explodes outwards from the draconequus in a sphere shape as it repels the two blasts. It near instantaneously expands, knocking away Luna, Celestia, and Ignis.
Discord tries to recover a bit but instantly the elf pops into existence right in front of him.
"You wanna play a real game, unfurl the chain..."
The Chaos God is surprised when instead of a sword, a fist crashes into his face. He's sent reeling a few inches before crashing into a barrier. He quickly realizes this barrier is not his. The barrier explodes and sends Discord flying back towards Ignis. The bladesinger ignites his horn and several walls of force appear in the air around him and Discord. They don't form a cage, but they do all angle and face towards a single point in what would be the center of a dodecahedron if the walls connected.
Melody strung out like we're walkin' on a tightrope.
Discord is a bit confused by the barriers until Ignis turns and flies straight towards one of the barriers. Then he's even more confused. Until Ignis reaches the barrier and flips in the air, putting his feet against the barrier and squats down, ready to launch himself.
Don't wanna try, don't wanna cry, wanna forget.
Ignis moves fast enough to only be seen as a silver blur once more as he starts bouncing around from one wall of force to another wall of force. Every time he bounces he moves through the center of the formation and lands a slash on Discord.
When he hears the lyrics Ignis can't help but think back to when he was hiding away in that make believe future in his head.
Just wanna live inside a dreamland...
"Girls, use the elements! NOW!" Celestia recovers from being launched and screams at the element bearers. She recognizes that Discord is seemingly unable to do anything as he slashed several times per second by the bouncing bladesinger.
Wanna be free... and let a brand-new era dawn.
The girls start running towards each other as the elements start to glow. Out of nowhere Discord manages to perfectly time an attack as he clotheslines the elf zipping past him. He snaps his claws and right next to the elf's head space starts to fold in on itself as it's pulled into a single point. Until suddenly the space rebounds and all of that built up tension explodes forward, at Ignis' head. Snapping his head back with a loud crack.
I know that we can...
Discord prepares to launch a follow-up attack when Ignis snaps his head forward again. With blood pouring down his face and his eyebrows furrowed into a death glare. Quicker than Discord can react, the bladesinger reaches out with his free hand and grabs the draconequus by the face. Then starts to spin in the air.
...Create a new world!
Releasing all of the momentum, Ignis throws Discord into the ground. As soon as he hits the ground all of the nearby ponies that had gathered due to the bladesong mob the discombobulated God. Hooves, stones, and spears are all pelting Discord as he lays in a small crater. The element bearers call out to Ignis and when he looks over they signal for him to come down.
They need him to join the group so they can properly fire the elements. Since Discord is too busy being assaulted by an angry mob Ignis starts to fly down towards the bearers.
We can choose the way of our future.
Try a brand new path...
Until he feels a sudden surge of magic at the center of the mob and Ignis realizes that Discord is about to unleash a massive attack on those ponies. They don't realize how dangerous he really is!
If I change the world...
In a blind panic the elf diverts his flight and starts quickly moving ponies with his telekinesis while teleporting other ponies away from Discord. Then the surge of magic disappears entirely and reappears behind Ignis. It's at this point Ignis realizes the civilians were a distraction.
"You really are predictable. I didn't think you'd actually put all of your focus and concentration on trying to save those idiotic ponies!"
Before Ignis can even react or fully turn around he feels a massive surge of energy strike into his back. The muscles of his back are fully exposed as the attack completely obliterates his skin. Ignis screams in pain as he's sent flying through the air.
If I change the world~!
"Just have them fire the elements now! They have no time!" Harmony shouts directly into Celestia's mind as the alicorn gawks in horror at how much damage was inflicted on the bladesinger.
She relays the order to the bearers and they all seem a bit confused but they try to channel the instinctual feeling they get when they've used the elements in the past. They all start to float and a dull rainbow is shot straight at Discord. He turns and just laughs as the rainbow harmlessly passes through him.
He's completely unaware of the fact that the rainbow beam curved up and collided with the elf in mid air.
This boundless music brings transformation!
There's a bright rainbow glow under the elf's silver hair that illuminates his back, and acts as a beacon to those below that can see it. Ignis is completely overwhelmed as he absorbs the entirety of the attack from the elements. His bracers glow brightly as the purple lines on his chest turn into glowing rainbows as well.
The amount of power in the elf keeps rising higher and higher as the amount of mana trapped in the barrier starts to get denser and denser. The entire city island starts to shake and rumble violently.
Then the barrier shatters.
Messages in song... reach even further~!
The mana domain of the bladesong, now unrestrained, expands more and more. The very faint silver glow passes over the Everfree and continues. It passes over Ponyville and then Canterlot mountain. As it grows more and more creatures are inside the domain and can hear the bladesong. It explodes outwards and surrounds the entire planet. The bladesong combined with the overwhelming, global power of Harmony allows the domain of his mana zone to claim all of the mana on the surface of the world.
Griffins, Dragons, Changelings, Deer, Zebras, Minotaurs, and all sorts of creatures look up, confused at the sudden presence and sounds of music playing. Some of the creatures that are vaguely aware of stories of bladesingers from the ancient past widen their eyes in fear. The ones at the Summit are able to instantly come to the conclusion that this power is from that elf creature they saw.
This dream will come true...
I believe in you.
Any ponies with wings instantly start to fly away from the city as they realize the barrier is gone. Not wanting to lose his potential hostages Discord turns away from the bladesinger that is tensed up and shaking in the air, and snaps away all of their wings and horns. Due to the panic and condition of the draconequus the alicorns aren't affected and the elements protected the bearers from the magic as well.
Meanwhile Ignis is still trying to handle the amount of power surging within him as well as the information overload from having the entire planet in his mana domain. Sudden omniscience seems to be quite taxing on the mind.
After several seconds he finally manages to regain some level of composure before flaring his blade and flies straight at Discord.
Say goodbye to everything that's weighing you down.
Transcend beyond reality to colorful worlds of music...
We need to keep on rising.
Discord switches to full on defense as he increases gravity over hundred fold for the elf. Managing to somewhat slow the elf down. Knowing he must avoid all of his attacks at all costs until the harmonic energy dissipates he starts to fly away from the elf. Weaving between different planes of existence as he flies, hoping to use the barriers of the planes to slow him down even more.
Deep in a cave in the middle of the dragon lands there are a few elder dragons meeting with Chrysalis and her drones. They're interrupted as the mana domain claimed the space and they started listening to the bladesong as well. A few of the dragons are laughing about Equestria being so soft they manage to turn something like a bladesong into a song about peace. Chrysalis just stares, impressed at the progress the elf has made since their last encounter.
Close your eyes and take my hand, we're runnin' together.
We don't have to live like this, I know we can all do...Better.
"Ignis, you don't have to hit him to use the power of the elements!" Celestia speaks directly into his mind as he chases after the cowardly draconequus.
"Then how the hell do I use it? None of you gave me an instruction manual!"
I sing for liberation~!
"You just have to imagine the most powerful magic you can think of. It doesn't have to be a real spell or attack, you're only limited to what you can imagine!"
"Is that why these things only seal creatures for 1,000 years? You guys aren't creative enough to come up with real attacks?" Ignis sarcastically replies as he tears through different planes, just about within reach of Discord.
"That's the upper limit of what they can do! Do you know how much magic it takes to seal somepony on his level for any amount of time?! It's incredibly high!"
"Yeah yeah, just shut up and watch. Tell everyone to ingrain my attack into their minds."
As he finishes that though he teleports in front of Discord and surprises him as he gets in his face.
"You wanna play a real game, unfurl the chain..."
Ignis grabs his head and slams him through a barrier, back into the material plane far above the city. As he slashes and chases around the God thousands of attacks from all sorts of different works of fiction from Earth go through his head. He could use Wish, but there's a chance for a Monkey's Paw type of effect and everything goes sideways real fast.
Melody lighting up the path to new horizons.
Don't wanna try, don't wanna cry, wanna forget...
Just wanna live inside a dreamland.
Celestia yells into his head that he's nearly out of time. More and more spells and attacks pass through his mind, but none of them fit the bill for what he wants the elements to do. He doesn't want to just turn him to stone for who knows how long. He also doesn't want to outright kill him, and some attacks are too powerful. Ignis worries those might destroy the city or even the planet.
Wanna be free...
That one just might work. He slashes Discord one final time and makes his final decision.
...and let a brand-new era dawn.
"The Era of Gods belongs to me. I'll let you be the first example, Discord."
I know that we can...create a new world~!
The city starts to speed up its flight speed as Discord laughs in the elf's face. "How about one final deal? You stop this nonsense and I won't kill everypony here. You don't have much time, colt."
We can choose the way of our future!
Try a brand-new path, if I change the world...
Ignoring his words entirely, Ignis rises up a bit and punches Discord as hard as he can in the back of the head. The draconequus craters into the ground in the center of Canterlot, but this time the ponies are smart enough to not approach him.
If I change the world~!
Mana starts to condense and gather into a single point above the elf. As all of the mana in the world starts to move even Harmony becomes fearful. "What kind of spell could he possibly have thought of that needs so much mana?!"
This boundless music brings transformation.
Messages in song reach even further.
A loud snap rings out through the air as nearly three quarters of the entire world's mana has gathered around the elf. Every pony in the city feels their stomachs flip from the sudden sensation they're feeling.
"Times up." That sensation is the one you feel when you start to freefall. Clouds start to fly past the city as it begins falling through the air.
Ignis finishes gathering the mana and starts to chant the incantation for the attack he chose.
"I, Ignis, son of Zarra
Will show you the power of the Chain of the Heavens!
I will awaken the breath of the planet...
For I shall walk among humanity as friends.
Henceforth..."
An enormous golden portal appears in the air above Ignis. With only mere seconds left until Canterlot slams into the Ponyville camp. Everyone in the camp is looking up as the distant dot becomes larger and larger and they all start to scream as they realize a piece of a mountain is falling on them.
Time slows down as the attack is launched.
"ENUMA ELISH!"
A new Genesis!
The song finishes as hundreds of thousands of chains launch out of the golden portal above Ignis. All of the chains have a spear tip at the end of them. All of the chains start impaling themselves into the ground of the city. The chains become taut as they latch on.
Discord watches as hundreds of chains fly at him specifically and snaps his claws to teleport away from the entire country. Having completely admitted defeat he aims to just escape. Until a second snap is heard from the air.
"Counterspell."
Discord's face contorts into a scream of panic as the chains wrap around his body and limbs. More and more layers of chains are added that start to chain him to the ground, completely immobilized. It's only when he's chained to the ground, looking up, that he see's what the true attack is.
A massive chain glowing with a rainbow aura emerges from the portal and starts to fly straight at Discord. Realizing this is the end, Discord ponders out loud. "I should pick a good pose this time, I think I should be more comfortable as a statue this time."
The massive chain starts to fly towards Discords and Ignis replies to him. "You won't be turning into a statue this time Discord. I'm not kind like these ponies, I won't let you off so easily."
The chain slams into Discord and the draconequus starts to truly panic and fear for his life as he feels his very essence being drained away. The only consolation is that he believes the elf is incapable of stopping the city from falling on the camp.
"Looks like I will truly surpass Karsus today. I'll kill a God and stop my capital city from falling out of the sky." Ignis comments as he uses telekinesis to grab all of the chains at the entrance of the portal.
He pulls them all together into a tight bundle and then grabs it with one hand. With his other hand he envelopes the entire chunk of rock under the city in his telekinesis. Then he attempts to fly up.
All of the ponies on the ground look up and are completely stunned as they watch the elf squeeze his eyes shut as he screams and pulls on the chains that have impaled the city. Luna's legs give out and she falls onto her rear as she stares up slack jawed. The entire city can feel their fall rapidly slowing down as blood starts to pour from the elfs nose.
"Just...a little....longer, Ignis. The attack is almost....finished...AAGGHHHHHHHHH!"
With a few feet to spare the island stops falling and even begins to slowly rise back up into the air. Then the Chain of the Heavens finally finishes and the chains explode into a massive rainbow.
The giant rainbow flies under the city and carries the entire island back to Canterlot Mountain in mere seconds as it magically reattaches the city. As if it was never torn away to begin with. As soon as it arc's into the mountain it explodes into a huge rainbow shockwave.
That shockwave starts to fly over the entire planet as it undoes all of the Chaos Magic affecting the land. The cities are fixed, the animals are back to normal, and everyone that's awake to witness it cheer as the rainbow shockwave flies over them.
Ignis reverts back to his normal appearance with a flash of light and his eyes flutter closed. He starts to rapidly fall out of the air and towards Canterlot. It's only then that Luna and Force are knocked from their stupor and both shoot into the air to catch the elf. Luna is the one to arrive first as she grabs him in her telekinesis and floats him over to rest on her back.
"Take me down there, Luna." Ignis weakly manages to utter out to the alicorn. She looks back at him a bit confused and surprised, but she does as he says and lands next to the element bearers in Canterlot.
"What did you need from here?" She asks him as he climbs off of her and staggers a bit trying to keep his balance.
"The jobs not finished yet. Quit hiding over there you piece of shit!" Ignis yells out as he walks toward a seemingly random building.
"You must be so disappointed knowing that your precious elements didn't finish the job." Discord smugly taunts as he walks out of said building and into the center of the city. Everyone gasps in shock.
"Oh no, it did exactly what I wanted it to do. I told you I wasn't turning you into a statue."
"Well, that mistake will be your last. Thanks for the entertainment, bladesinger!" Discord laughs as he snaps his claws, but his laughing abruptly stops when nothing happens.
"I targeted your magic, Discord. Your power. Now you're just an ugly animal." As he finishes his statement he lands a solid right hook onto the former Gods face. Knocking him to the ground.
"Wh...what?! You can't do that! Harmony can't do that! This...this can't be happening!" Discord loses his composure and starts to crawl backwards away from the elf while stuttering.
Ignis just cracks his knuckles and he stares at Discord. His eyes completely void of any light or emotion. "I'm going to enjoy this, Discord."
> Main Quest - The Return of Harmony pt. 21
"I'm going to enjoy this, Discord." The surrounding city of Canterlot is so quiet that anyone nearby can easily make out the sound of something dragging on the ground followed by slow footsteps.
Discord drags his tail and lower half as he continues shuffling backwards. "We-..we can talk about this! You wouldn't hurt a defenseless creature right?"
Ignis just looks down at Discord like he's an insect as he slowly walks forward, closing the distance. He doesn't utter a single reply. After staring into the elf's cold eyes for a few seconds the draconequus scrambles to his feet and takes two steps forward, intending to run. That's when Ignis decides to quickly close the distance.
The bladesinger grabs the creature by the back of the head and slams Discord into the gravel face first. He rolls over onto his back with black blood pouring out of his nose. His eyes are shaking as he stares up at Ignis.
"You're just as evil as I am if you do this, you know? These ponies will never look at you the same way after watching you beat a defenseless and magicless creature to death. Is that what you reall-"
Discord doesn't get to finish his attempt to reason with the elf. Ignis drops to his knees and sits on the draconequus as he lands another fist straight into his muzzle. This time the sound of something cracking can be heard.
"How does it feel Discord?"
THWACK
"How does it feel to be powerless? To despair for your life? Is this the first time your mind has raced with thousands of possibilities, looking for any path, any phrase, any way you can salvage this situation?"
THWACK
Discord makes a gurgling sound as he spits out teeth onto the ground, trying to reply.
"Oh I'm sorry, of course you can't reply when your jaw is broken and you're missing half your teeth. Here let me help you out. Cure Wounds."
Discords eyes shrink to pinpricks as his face shifts and corrects itself. He quickly realizes what is about to happen to him as he remembers what Nightmare did to Ignis while under the mental manipulation.
"Y-Y-Yes-" THWACK "YESH, I feel powerlesh! I underschtand what I've been doing to ponies now! Please...please spare-"
A sickening crack rings through the air as Ignis interrupts the begging with a palm thrust into the former Gods ribcage. "That's good Discord. That's really good. It must've been hard for you to admit that, but that's a good first step. I'm surprised you still have that spark in your eye though. That spark that tells me you think there's still a chance you might survive this. I want your eyes to look just as hopeless as countless ponies I've seen in the last week. But, don't beg like this yet. That'll be step three so let's hold off on that one for now."
Discords breathing quickens for a couple of seconds until he's forced into a coughing fit as more black blood splatters out. "Oh this is your first time trying to breathe with broken ribs? That's a fun one." Ignis puts more of his weight onto Discords body as he rests on the creature with his knees in the gravel. "You're going to die today Discord. I just want you to know that. The only thing you have the slightest chance of influencing is how fast and how painful that death is."
"Ignis!" The elf pauses his next strike and glances behind himself to see his friends staring at him. Most of them just look disturbed but Luna looks...sad. It was her voice that called his name, and that's the only reason he even turned around.
"This isn't going to make you feel better. It's not going to bring anypony back. If you've truly sealed his power then allow us to arrest him and put him on trial. The right way." It's Celestia speaking now that Ignis is looking in their direction.
"Can you go away now please? I just about had the hope extinguished from his eyes, but now you've foolishly given him something to latch onto. Now I gotta start all over. Cure Wounds."
THWACK
Celestia starts to call out his name again, but stops when she sees Luna softly shaking her head. "Sister...Discord deserves this. Truly, he deserves more than this, but I think this should suffice. Do you actually believe he shouldn't get his revenge?"
THWACK
"Lulu, you might be right. But, Discord is also right. Look around us, sister. Half of our citizens look horrified at what they're watching. Once he starts down the path of revenge it'll be hard to steer him from that path. His future will have many hardships and if all he can do is resort to revenge then that path will be dark and lonely. As unsatisfying as it may be, he shouldn't do this."
"Alright well clearly we aren't going to accomplish step two like this, so let's just move on. You can go back to begging for your life." Ignis pauses for a moment to clean the gore from his hands.
"This is too far, bladesinger. I know what you went through in this city on the first day of my release. You can't blame me for that though. I manipulated her memories but I didn't tell her to perform this torture on you. Doing this just makes you a....a monster."
A soft silver aura pulses around the elfs fist as he brings it down on the draconequus one more time. This mana infused blow has much more force than the previous blows, combined. "That's a weird way to beg for your life, idiot."
The response is so cold and uncaring that several ponies feel a chill go up their necks. Many of the once cheering civilians slowly take a few steps back out of instinct. "I don't mind though, that just means you get to try again. I'm fine with being a monster, Discord. I never took much offense to being called such a thing when I first arrived here. Plus I've already told some of these ponies exactly why I'm not a hero. Why I'm something closer to a villain. Now take it from the top, I want you to really beg this time."
"Wh-whats the point you sick bastard? I know you just want to hear me beg so you can force me to reflect on all the times creatures begged me for mercy."
Sudden two cracks ring out as Ignis grabs both of Discords arms and breaks both of them at the wrist. "Then how about you beg me to end this quickly? I'm glad we're on the same page, but it's really not in your best interest to ignore my demands. None of these ponies are going to save you Discord. I'd wager three of these ponies, max, have the willpower to take even a single step towards me at the moment."
Ignis rises to his feet while holding the creature by one of his horns before throwing him at the closest wall. "Anyone else want a turn? I can heal him at least 12 more times."
As he walks over to the prone draconequus he calls out after a few moments of silence. "Alright but don't say I didn't offer. Weird, most of you were ready to commit treason and kill one of those bearers over there not even 20 minutes ago. Now all of a sudden you're all going to act self righteous? Like none of you want to give this piece of shit what he deserves?"
"I do." Luna quietly replies from right next to Ignis, startling him. She was completely silent on her approach. "But, I also don't want to take this moment from you. I think nothing I planned to do to him is worse than what you plan to do. I am satisfied just watching."
Ignis finally cracks the emotionless mask and gives her a soft smile. Then he holds his hand up and casts Acid Splash at Discord. Causing him to spasm a bit as he hisses in pain on the ground. Then Ignis proceeds to fall into a steady rhythm of punches that rain down onto Discords skull.
"Princess...no pony deserves this. Please, we have to stop him..." The bearers and the princesses look over surprised that Fluttershy of all ponies was the one to speak up.
"You're right Fluttershy, no one deserves this. I surely didn't deserve it just a few days ago. I think Discord does actually deserve this. If this is too much for you all I don't mind just flying him somewhere else until I'm done with him. I don't really need the satisfaction of you all watching this, but I know we're a bit strapped for time."
That's when a purple aura appears and yanks the elf off of the draconequus. Ignis turns as he's yanked and looks down at the pony who had the balls to do such a thing. It's an angry Shining Armor.
"How about you get over yourself and this pity party, and go help my sister. You said you would after he was defeated!"
The rising anger Ignis felt evaporates in an instant as he stares at the unicorn. "I will help her. There is something else I need to do beforehand though. Defeating Discord wasn't actually my main goal today."
Before Shining can question what he's talking about, both of their attention is drawn over to Discord as a few ponies approach the prone and bleeding creature. They look at the elf with cautious and hesitant faces.
"I wasn't joking, if you guys wanna take a few swings at him then be my guest. Just don't kill him yet, it's too early." Ignis then looks back to Shining Armor. "I'll wrap this Discord thing up a bit earlier than I was planning to and then I'll go finish that one last thing. After that I'll revive her."
The unicorn's eyebrows furrow with a bit of frustration still evident but he nods and backs away. After that Ignis goes over to where the crowd of ponies has grown to over 50. He gently pulls them away from Discord as he wades through the mob. The draconequus is in rough shape.
Both of eyes are swollen shut, his chin and neck are stained with blood, and his breathing sounds like that of a elderly patient that just got taken off the ventilator. "At this rate he might not survive what I plan to do to him. Cure Wounds."
Ignis heals him just enough to stabilize him before picking him up by the neck. That's when he hears Luna's voice speaking to him telepathically. "Why can you not revive my sister's student before you do whatever it is you plan? I'm not going to order you to revive her now, but I'm just genuinely curious."
"I need her to still be dead for what I have planned. That's all I can say right now. Once I've finished up with Discord I'll tell you more."
That's when the dull purple lines across the elfs torso start to glow and his hair starts to whip about as if it's in a strong wind funnel. The translucent unicorn horn reappears on his head. "Alright Discord, let's get you to your final stop."
Closing his eyes he pictures a specific clearing in the Everfree. A particularly large one where echo's of a spectacular battle can still be heard. Then he performs his first long range teleportation spell. Landing right in the middle of the resting place of the ancient bladesingers.
Ignis feels Discords breathing quicken. The draconequus starts to mutter the words no and not this over and over. "Oh! You remember this place? That's good, that saves me the explanation. You see, a couple of days ago I found this place and spoke to a few spirits who told me some interesting tales about this place. This clearing is occupied by mana that was harmonized thousands of years ago and somehow still maintains that frequency. You know that part, surely? What I doubt you know is that in this harmonized mana, more than just the sounds of their last battle is being stored."
Discord starts to flail his two bottom legs as he tries to take swings at the elf with his two broken arms. The creature devolving into a panicked prey animal. "That's good, I'll admit I did want to see this side of you as well. Anyways, I figured these guys have been holed up in this mana domain for thousands of years, so they could probably use some new company. What do you think Discord, you think you can get along with these ole bladesingers as permanent roommates?"
The only sound heard in response is a unique and ear scratching scream. The draconequus finally, truly falls into despair. A wicked smirk starts to crawl across the elf's face. "That sounds like a yes to me, let's do this."
Ignis grabs Discord with both hands and starts to channel his mana into the creature. Since Discord no longer has any magic of his own, Ignis is hoping he can temporarily "possess" Discord by flooding him with his mana. Unbeknownst to Ignis, this process has been done in experiments in the past and is extremely painful.
That doesn't really make him stop though, it just makes him chuckle a bit. Once that's done, Ignis activates True Bladesong while still holding onto Discord. This time he does it the proper way and changes his own very being into a state of nothingness. A state that allows him to change his own mana frequency to match the surrounding mana's. By extension the mana inside Discord also changes to match.
Now that both of them are harmonized with the ancient mana in this clearing they can both see it. Standing and sitting all around, some propped up with their blades, some leaning against trees, are the ancient bladesingers that died in this place. There's at least 40 of them in total and they all look quite surprised that the elf actually pulled it off. Minotaurs, Griffins, Ponies, and even a few smaller bipedal dragons pick up their translucent blades and start to approach the two new arrivals.
Ignis just smiles at them and then looks at Discord. "One of you helped me achieve the peak of bladesinging in my fight against this bastard. I've already beaten him to near death a few times so I figured I'd come by here to give my thanks to the voice that helped me."
All of the spirits seem a bit confused and it appears none of them were the voice that helped him in Canterlot. That's when Ignis slaps his forehead. "Duh, those voices were the bladesingers that left this clearing and became corrupted into wraiths. I completely forgot! Oh well I still think you all deserve to have some fun with the guy for a few thousand years. Have fun~"
Ignis uses his mana imbued form to start pressing on both sides of Discords head. Cracking and popping sounds can be heard for a split second before his head is crushed and pops like a watermelon. His body drops to the ground limp and lifeless, but the shape and outline of Discord is still standing there as if he didn't just have his head crushed.
That's when Discord and the spirits realize what Ignis has just done. He's just trapped Discords soul in this place with no power and no magic, surrounded by a group of creatures that hate him just as much as Ignis. For millennia they've been desiring revenge and now they get to have it, eternally.
A sight Ignis thought he would never see unfolds in front of him. Tears start to well up as the former God begins sobbing in his grasp. With a look of disgust Ignis just tosses him like a ball into the center of the clearing. "You guys have fun with him. He won't be able to leave the clearing like you all can. He has no magic or power of his own to sustain him, so he'll cease to exist the instant he leaves the clearing. That means he can't turn into a wraith, but it also means you all need to keep an eye on him. You can't keep having fun with him if he stops existing. I'll drop by in a few years and give him a few smacks, probably."
With this Ignis picks up the physical corpse of Discord and deactivates the bladesong as he waves goodbye to the spirits and sobbing spirit of Chaos. Once he walks out of the clearing he casts Disintegrate on the corpse and it turns to ash that scatters in the wind. "Good riddance."
"Alright Luna, Discord's dead."
"What did you end up doing with him?"
"I trapped his soul in the same place where all of the ancient bladesingers were wiped out. They were happy to see him. Then I turned his corpse into ash."
There's a brief pause of silence as the weight of his words settle in for Luna before she speaks into his mind again. "So what else did you need to take care of?"
"You're really not gunna like it, but it's the only thing I can think of if I wanna revive Moonie."
"What? I can't imagine there's much you'd plan to do that could truly upset me..."
"Well, most of you were here with the intent to fight a God. I woke up today prepared to fight two."
Ignis closes the telepathic channel before Luna can try to potentially talk him out of this. Then he channels all of his focus into the Element of Magic. Look for a thread, one that stands out from the rest...
There it is, a tiny thread going from the Element to...just a couple of miles to the East? Using the Element of Magic he reverse traces the energy back to Harmony. As soon as his mind's eye reaches the entrance of a specific cave his vision goes white.
"You didn't need to do that if you want to talk, Ignis. With the Element you just needed to use it the same way you'd use a Sending stone. I'd have happily pulled you in here." Harmony states with a bit of a somber tone as she faces away from the elf.
"You really killed him. I can't believe it. Even more unbelievably, I can't tell what you did with his magic. It's just...gone. Is that what you wanted to talk about? I was actually hoping to talk to you as well. I wanted to let you know that I permit you to revive Twilight Sparkle. No, that's arrogant of me to say. I... would appreciate it if you could do so."
"I'm not here to talk about Discord, but I am here to talk about Twilight." Ignis wants to actually look at her and make eye contact for this conversation, so he walks around and stands between her and one of her magic TV Screens.
"I need you to either give me Nightmare Moon's body, which I assume is on the moon. Or, I need you to place her soul in me so that I can allow her to possess me like before."
"What does that have to do with Twil-" Harmony's eyes widen. She quickly becomes enraged. "Do you intend to hold Twilight Sparkle hostage until I help you revive NIGHTMARE MOON? How dare you?! If it was for Luna or even that pegasus... I could at least understand where you're coming from, but for her? For that... that-"
The temperature in the spiritual demiplane plummets several degrees. "I would choose your next words wisely, Goddess. Because it sounded like you were about to say something that both of us would regret."
They stare into each other's eyes and Harmony realizes this isn't a bluff. He's not joking. He's actually threatening her.
"I'm not even asking for a lot here. Don't act like I'm being unreasonable. You said you oversee all of the souls as they come and go through the cycle of life and death. I know you have her soul. What is your problem here?"
"My problem is that you didn't even try to ask first. You just traced my energy to my home and tried to break in so you could...negotiate a hostage release. Who wouldn't be enraged?"
"We both know you would either refuse my request or just flat out lie and say it's beyond your capability. Don't sit here and try to lie to me. You know exactly what you would've done."
Her eyebrows furrow in anger and she squeezes her eyes shut as she sighs. "Yes, because it is not your place to decide who lives and who dies. Are you going to revive everypony that tragically died in this incident? Are you going to revive anypony who has a family member come request it of you? What gives you the right to decide that?"
"Hypocrite."
"Excuse me?!"
"The first thing you said to me when I showed up was that you REQUESTED me to revive Twilight. If I can't cherry pick who gets to cheat death then why do you get to? Why don't you just make every pony an alicorn? Why even let them die of old age? Fuck it Harmony, let's just let 'em all be invincible!"
"BECAUSE SHE IS IMPORTANT. FAR... more important than you could ever realize. She is meant to be the last wielder of the Element of Magic. She was never supposed to pass away on this day."
"And you think Nightmare Moon isn't important? I'd say she's important. I don't think she was supposed to pass away this week." Ignis gives a sarcastic reply as he closes the distance and gets in Harmony's face.
"She's important to you. This is not the same. Ignis, she is meant to become the Goddess of Magic. Her domain is magic. I'm not sure why the element allowed you to completely grasp the inner workings of magic, but that power is Twilights. Once she ascended and grew into her power she was meant to naturally develop that power. At that point the Element of Magic would cease to be. Twilight Sparkle is magic. You cannot condemn millions of lives in the future for the sake of.... Of your special somepony!"
"I'm not a hero, Harmony. I will do whatever it takes to save her. Nothing will stand in my way, not even you. It's actually a small blessing that Twilight died here, originally I was planning to come here and make the same demands. In that scenario though if you had refused then I was going to threaten to teleport back to Canterlot and personally kill all of the element bearers."
"What is wrong with you? How can you be so delusional...so selfish?! Tens of thousands die everyday Ignis and you are the only one threatening to burn the world down to save a single one out of those thousands."
"Because where I'm from, it's only natural to revive a friend or a loved one if they pass before their time. You all are the ones that seem insane to me. If someone dies of sickness at 120 then that was their time. If they were to die of natural causes at the age of 16, then that was their time. If an alicorn who was meant to live for thousands of years dies after ONLY ONE MONTH, THEN WHY...why is it so weird to think that she should be entitled to have her life back? Every creature who dies before their time deserves to have their life back."
There's an awkward silence as the two enraged beings stare at each other, breathing heavily. Finally Harmony clicks her tongue in annoyance. "Her body will be next to Twilights in Canterlot when you return. This argument is pointless to continue because there is no right or wrong. We just have two different views of how the world should work."
Ignis lets out a sigh of relief and all the tension leaves his body. Until it suddenly feels like his entire body is being squeezed by thousands of giants at once. The pressure is incomparable to anything he's ever felt. His Wisdom saving throw automatically fails as his eyes begin to shake.
"I just want you to remember this mercy, Ignis. You walked into my home and threatened me, and I am allowing you to leave unharmed while complying with your demands. But, know this, after this stunt you just pulled, Nightmare Moon will be the last creature on this planet I allow you to revive. The only reason I even chose to cooperate with you for the revival of Twilight is because if you weren't here to begin with then she wouldn't be dead. This was not her fate."
Ignis starts to fade as he's forced from the demiplane, but before he vanishes completely he speaks up one more time. This time he's quiet and timid. "How is that any different from the reason I gave as justification?...
...You really are a hypocrite."
> Dark Side of the Moon
And...I'm back in Canterlot. Home sweet home I suppose. "Alright Luna, I'm back in the capital where are you all at? Also do you guys have the diamonds ready?"
"We're...we're in the royal section of the castle's medical wing. It's right next to the area where you and Shining Armor were healed after your spar. How many bits do the diamonds need to be worth again?" She sounds conflicted. Did Harmony snitch already?
"500 bits or more, also singular diamond. One per pony. I'm on my way now."
As soon as the telepathic message leaves my mind I can feel my entire body sag like it's tied down with several tons of weight. I feel like I have lead bones. I'm so tired.
All of the purple lines have dulled completely and I can't see that stupid thing poking out of my forehead. Guess that means I'm all out of energy. Still got spell slots though, thankfully.
It's surprisingly quiet as I walk through Canterlot towards the castle. I suppose it is night time. The moon came up around the time I used True Bladesong for the first time, so it's probably a little after midnight now. That would explain it under normal circumstances, but the city is still a wreck. Where are half of these ponies even sleeping tonight?
Wait, what's that noise? It sounds like a commotion a few blocks away...oh that's where they all are. It's a massive party in the streets right in front of the castle. I guess those chose to celebrate since they couldn't sleep. Still seems strange to me to throw a party when we still lost hundreds of ponies in Canterlot alone. I shouldn't be too surprised though, the ponies at camp after the Summit were the same way.
They'd all rather look at the bright side and celebrate the things worth celebrating instead of grieving over the things lost. Or, maybe they'll just grieve about it on their own? Who knows, but I should stop wasting time.......
"Woah there, mister Knight...sir. Did you have too much to drink as well?" I appear to have passed out for a few seconds. I'm on my knees leaning over but there's a pony under my left armpit holding me up. She sounds innocent.
"No. No, I haven't had anything to drink. Thank you for catching me, but I have a meeting in the castle I've gotta get to. Don't get too drunk, miss." Am I even going to be able to make it through both of these revival spells? They're gunna take an hour each...yeah I can do this.
It takes a few minutes longer than it probably would take normally, but I eventually find myself standing in the middle of a familiar white room lined with beds. All of the beds are occupied by patients of differing levels of severity and there's no shortage of groaning in the room. "Excuse me, where is the royal section? Luna is expecting me."
The nurse that I don't recognize nods and silently turns and walks out of the room. Shrugging my shoulders I follow her down the hall for a few doors that are all marked with the same green crosses until we reach an unmarked door. This is it? I guess it's inconspicuous. That's probably best considering the level of secrecy we're using for my reviving capabilities. "Thanks."
Opening the door I was expecting to see three alicorns and several ponies. Instead it's just Luna, Celestia, and Shining. Wow, not even Cadence is here? Strange.
They all turn to look at me but before I can register any of the emotions on their face I can feel my breath catch in my throat. Time seems to slow down. There she is, Harmony kept her word. I didn't think her regular alicorn form would also have purple hair like this...I like it.
"Ignis." I hear the solar alicorn call out my name, but when I turn to look at her she stops herself and her face shifts a bit. She looked angry, but now she just looks pained. "Nevermind. Perhaps now isn't the time for that discussion. I don't think I've ever seen you give such an innocent smile."
Oh she was going to scold me? I guess whatever expression I'm making while I run my hands through Nightmares mane was enough to dissuade her. "No, now is okay. I know that most of you, no, all of you probably don't approve of what I did. I understand that. By all rights I could even understand if you tell me that it was evil. I'd have no argument against that logic."
"Then why did you do it? How could you even come up with such an idea? To use...my student as leverage? You've made me angry so many times in our short time knowing each other, but this is probably the first time you've actually hurt me. I think I'm just disappointed you'd stoop so low."
"Because it was Harmony. I knew if I just asked her with nothing on my side of the table she'd shoot me down in an instant. When she went out of her way to personally request that I revive Twilight? I was already going to try what I did, but when she asked that I knew it'd work. She might be an uppity hypocrite, but I know on some level she's somewhat of a good person. She'd never let Twilight stay dead for such a simple and easy demand."
"Were you bluffing?" Turning towards the masculine voice I find Shining Armor giving me the same glare he gave me just an hour or so ago.
"No. I'd have gone through with it, but I knew I wouldn't have to. When I mentioned that my original plan was to hold all six of them hostage though, that was a bluff. She could probably tell it was a bluff, but that was just another layer of reinforcement to my threat. After that she knew what it looked like when I was bluffing. I needed her to believe with 100% certainty that I wasn't bluffing. Only then could I be sure she'd have followed my demands. I am truly sorry Shining and Celestia, but I imagine if you were in my shoes captain you might've considered the same idea."
Everything goes blurry as I drop to one knee. The only response I got was a hoof to my gut. "Alright, that's the only one you get for free. Next time I'm grabbing you by the horn and throwing you out the closest window."
Shining starts to respond and I look up at him from my kneeling position to see his horn is ignited.
SMACK.
My eyes widen in shock as a blue foreleg comes from nowhere and slaps the unicorn across the muzzle. "Get out, Captain Armor. We'll send for you when your sister wakes up."
"Wha-, but-!"
"Lulu!"
Luna ignites her horn and the door opens. "As a Princess of Equestria I am ordering you to get out. I know you're angry. I'll even admit that you have a right to be angry. But, Ignis did not kill your sister. It's quite the opposite actually, you only have the opportunity to see her again purely because of him. I won't have you continue to assault him when he can barely even stand. You're lucky he's even kind enough to do this. Hundreds of brothers lost their sisters today, and you're the only one getting his back. Maybe take some perspective while you're out there waiting."
Celestia is staring at her with wide eyes and I'm pretty sure I'm staring at her with heart eyes if those are real in this universe. Her words are apparently good enough because her sister offers no further argument, but Shining does continue to stand there silently. His nostrils flaring as he huffs and puffs.
"This is the last time I'll say it, colt. Get. Out." Shining looks to Celestia for some defense but she offers nothing but a sympathetic tilt of her head. Finally the unicorn leaves the room.
Once the door closes I stagger to my feet and when Luna turns to face me again I lunge forward. After a brief second of intimacy I'm gently pushed back with a hoof. "Don't think you're in the clear either, Ignis. I understand your logic, I understand why you did it, but there had to be another way. I cannot condone what you did, and I'm not even sure if she," Luna gestures towards Moonie. "Will condone it either. Once this is all over and we've all had time to rest and heal we need to have a serious discussion about this."
What is this feeling? Why does her disapproval and disappointment in me feel like this? This must be from the elven side, Ignis would train night and day to prepare for the Moonblade ceremony because he was so afraid of this feeling. I can see why he was afraid of it, I hate this.
I just give Luna a slow nod as my gaze falls toward the floor. "I only had a few more days to figure something out. I knew this had an overwhelming chance of success, but if I opted to not take this route I would've only had a few more days to figure out a solution. The most powerful revival spell I have access to at the moment has a time limit of 10 days. Anything beyond 10 days and there'd only be two spells that could do the trick and both of those are far beyond me at the moment. I was desperate."
I involuntarily let out a sigh of content when I feel soft feathers brush against my back. "I know. C'mon let's finish this up and we can go get some well deserved sleep."
Placing the diamond on Twilight's corpse I pull out my Staff of the Magi and channel the Mizzium Apparatus one more time. Raise Dead is 5th level so it'll be a DC of 20 to cast the spell, but I have four levels of exhaustion so it'll be at disadvantage. I do have a +15 bonus to Arcana though so it should be fine. The Staff of the Magi is in my other hand so if I fail the check and misfire a spell I can use the Staff to absorb the spell. Wait, that only works if the spell is a targeted spell that's fired specifically at me...aw well.
Arcana Check (Mizzium DC: 20)
Check is passed automatically due to being the Element of Magic.
"Raise Dead." Well that's convenient. I don't have manasight anymore and I don't feel that omniscient feeling of enlightenment coursing through me. So, I thought the other benefits wouldn't be there anymore either. Unless I was actively using the element.
"As soon as the spell completes she's more than likely going to be in shock. Even if the wounds are closed, purely because of how traumatic the incident was. I'm saying this because when I say the word I need one of you to restrain her until I cast follow up healing magic on her. If she flails about and hurts herself she could easily kill herself."
Celestia and Luna both give me a nod and I start to mutter the long series of incantations I'll be repeating for the next hour. Green light shines on the walls of the room as wind from nowhere starts to whip about in the closed space. After a tense hour passes I nod towards Celestia since I'm still muttering incantations, but she understands what I mean and ignites her horn. I see a golden aura completely envelop Twilight's body as the green light from the spell grows brighter and wispy smoke starts to appear that gets siphoned into the unicorn's body through her eyes and mouth.
Twilight's eyes snap open and she starts screaming for help and sobbing. What the fuck did they do her? The sight actually breaks my heart, remembering how naive her and her friends were just a couple of months ago. This event might just break the poor girl.
"Cure Wounds."
+42 Hit Points.
Her body glows and any scars or wounds that remain close up completely. Her breathing finally starts to slow down as she gets quieter and quieter. The glow from the healing leaves her and her eyes flutter closed as she falls asleep. Glancing up it seems Luna and Celestia both have the same emotion in their chest as me.
Status Update: Title Removed.
~~Element of Magic~~
My bracers light up white and after a bright flash they've returned to normal. Guess I was just a temporary stop gap, huh? "Should we wipe her memories of this event? I think she might be...broken. If a changeling tricked her and then attacked her she might not trust anypony ever again. I could even see her never leaving the library or her bedroom for that matter. As soon as her eyes opened that was a deep and primal fear I could see in her pupils. She's going to be scared for a long time."
"That might be the best choice. It seems like Ignis is no longer the Element of Magic, but if it's returned to Twilight it's highly likely she'll be too traumatized to even use the elements." Luna agrees as we both turn to Celestia.
"I'll discuss the option with Shining and we'll ask Twilight for her own opinion. If she wants to forget...then I'll do it for her." I don't think I've seen Celestia like this. She's quite somber. It seems seeing her student in that state was too much for her. "She's fully healed, yes?"
I give her a nod and the solar alicorn lifts Twilight up off the table in her telekinesis. "I'll take her to my room and go find her brother. Thank you, Ignis."
The little unicorn is gently lowered onto Celestia's back and it's quite adorable the way she instantly nuzzles subconsciously into her neck and her legs just dangle from the alicorn's barrel. Luna and I watch the two of them leave before turning towards Nightmare. "Alright, let's do this one more time."
Arcana Check (Mizzium DC: 20; Disadvantage)
12 and 19. 12 +15 = 27.
"Raise Dead."
It takes everything I have not to pass out in the middle of this hour long spell. My eyelids are so heavy and apparently it's late enough into the evening now that my Exhaustion has gone from level four to level five.
My head and torso start drooping forward as I hold my hands over the diamond on top of Nightmares chest. Suddenly something solid is resting against my chest and I realize Luna has laid down to support me from falling forward. I can't thank her due to the incantations but I lean forward and push into her in acknowledgement. Come on Ignis, the pain she and Luna went through to revive you was far worse than this. I'm just tired, this is nothing.
The light glows brighter just as it did with Twilight and the alicorn's eyes snap open.
"Yes yes it's mahogany, it's a nice desk, can we PLEASE- wait what?" Nightmare Moon looks around a bit confused at the dimly lit hospital looking room. Laying on her back is a bit uncomfortable as she feels exposed. Before she can ask any further questions though she feels two warm arms wrap around her.
That's followed by someone's head resting against her chest. Hearing quiet sobs she finally glances down and sees a familiar elf crying into her fur. Glancing to the right her eyes widen as she sees Luna looking at her a bit misty eyed as well. Instantly she realizes she's not in Luna's body, she's in her own body.
"I-...I thought I lost you...forever!" Nightmare smiles at the elf before igniting her horn for the first time. All three of them pop out of existence and reappear in the large bed in Luna's room. She rolls onto her side and wraps up the elf.
Nightmare starts to ask Ignis a question but when she glances down she realizes he fell asleep the instant he got embraced. She instead turns her attention to Luna who's laying on the other side of the elf.
"This feels a bit surreal." Nightmare quietly mutters not wanting to disturb Ignis. That's when she notices the conflicted emotions on Luna's face. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"
"You died, that's what's wrong. He fell into such despair he became somepony else entirely, just like I did with you and my sister with Daybreaker. When he finally snapped out of it he was determined to bring you back. Twilight Sparkle died before we could confront Discord and Ignis became the Element of Magic. We defeated Discord."
"Then he revived Twilight and found a way to revive me? The beginning of the story is quite tragic but the ending doesn't seem like something that would cause you to make that face. Or sound quite so melancholic."
"He confronted Harmony. Harmony requested he revive Twilight, but he used her as leverage. Wouldn't revive her unless Harmony gave him your body so he could revive you as well. He also would've accepted having your soul placed into him so you could possess him, but Harmony conceded and conjured your physical form. Only after that did he revive Twilight and then you."
Nightmare makes a shocked expression. "He did that? For me?" She looks down at the sleeping elf and gently strokes his head with her wing. "I don't deserve you."
"Not quite the reaction I expected you to have. He's angered and picked a fight with the reigning supreme deity that rallies our entire kingdom in the name of everything that is good."
"Exactly! He did that for me. How could I be anything but grateful?"
"While I understand what you mean, Nightmare, this is extremely problematic. The actions he took has him starting down a dark path. The same path we once traveled. You cannot encourage him to do evil acts, use ponies as leverage, or even outright kill innocent ponies if it means saving us. I don't want to see him go down that path."
Nightmare hums a bit in thought. "Hm, I think that's just who he is, Luna. If you don't want him to burn the world down trying to save you then perhaps you should get stronger. We should get stronger. Strong enough that we don't need to be saved. Besides, do you really think an evil villain would collapse onto somepony and start bawling while hugging them? I don't think we have anything to worry about."
That gets a chuckle out of both of them. "I suppose you might be right. Perhaps I am overreacting. There is still one issue though, Nightmare. As you know Tia is a devout follower of Harmony. She's spent thousands of years spreading her teachings to the entire kingdom. The problem is that Celestia is completely aware of what he did. Things were already tense between the two of them and I don't know what's going to happen the next time they see each other when both of them are fully recovered."
"Well, what do you think Luna?"
"Hm?"
"Their entire argument was likely about the balance between the cycle of life and death. You know Harmony vehemently disagrees with the mentality Ignis has about death. He thinks that if somepony did not die of natural causes then they died before their time. Everypony deserves to live all of the years they're supposed to. So, what do you think? Do you agree with him?"
"Why is that important?"
"Because that's what this is going to come down to. They might have a real fight to begin with but at the end of the night this is going to boil down to a battle of morals, of core values. So, if you agree with Harmony and think that every death is equal and nopony should ever break that cycle of life and death. Then that means you're going to take your sister's side in their upcoming conflict. I, for one, agree with Ignis."
"I...I don't know. I don't think that's my place to decide, I don't think anypony should have the power to decide if somepony died their correct death."
"Ignis is going to win the fight, Luna. In fact has already won it. There's really no need to think about whether you agree with him or not."
"How so?"
"You said Harmony requested he revive Twilight. That tells you that even Harmony thinks ponies should be revived if they die before they're supposed to. As long as that pony is important and has a role in her chess game, anyways. Or, maybe they just disagree on what defines an improper death?"
Luna widens her eyes as she realizes Nightmare is right.
Before Luna can process a response to this revelation, Nightmare speaks up again. "Worst case scenario I'll just marry him and take him with me to the Everfree. He can help me establish my battlemage academy. Then he'll almost never have to see Celestia ever again, and I get to have him live with me. It's a win-win all around."
"M-m-marry?! So fast?! And... before ME?!" Luna gets surprisingly flustered at the sudden pivot in conversation topics.
"Why not? He looks good, he's strong and intelligent. If you find a stallion that'll stand up to the Goddess for you why would you not claim him as soon as possible? You won't find loyalty like that anywhere else, especially in stallions. They know they can always find some mare to sleep with if they want it, so why would they bother being that loyal? That's not even mentioning the way you go cross eyed when he-"
"OKAY! I understand! I get it! You're right." With an embarrassed cough Luna climbs out of bed and starts walking towards the door. "I'll go figure out how to deal with Celestia and let you two have some alone time."
Nightmare smirks as she burns the image of the blushing alicorn into her mind and fully lays down on the bed. She starts to hum a soft tune-
"I'm glad you agree with me. Everyone on this planet is too quick to just throw away lives. To just give up and accept death as a permanent unsolvable problem."
Nightmare freezes as she registers the quiet words from the elf. "You've been awake for that long? So you heard all of that?"
He pulls his face away from her floor and looks at her with a tired, but adorable smile. "I did. I'll admit I was curious how ponies propose to each other since they don't have rings, but I didn't think it would be this nonchalant."
"That wasn't a proposal! You weren't supposed to hear that! Go back to sleep, this is all a dream! None of it happened!"
Ignis just scoots up so his feet aren't hanging over the end of the bed, and gives Nightmare a quick peck. "Just a dream? Well in that case I guess my answer isn't important since none of this is real. I'll just close my eyes and go back to sleep."
In an act of karma Nightmare is now the one flustered and blushing after the exchange. She's conflicted between avoiding the situation and embarrassment entirely while also wanting to know what his answer would be. "Well...indeed, you are correct.... Enjoy the rest of your sleep."
"Yes yes yes. Of course." There's a few seconds of silence as the elf closes his eyes once more.
Then he speaks one last time. "Oh and yes I'll enjoy the rest of my sleep."
A confused alicorn glances at him. "What? Then what were you replying to before- wait...YOU CAN'T JUST CASUALLY SAY YES OF COURSE TO THAT!"
The flustered alicorn starts playfully swatting him with her wing. "Help! Where's Celestia?! My fiance is abusing me~ someone help! How could a royal alicorn treat her husband to be like th-"
"SILENCE!"
"Seriously though, Moonie. I didn't get to respond to you back then, but I love you too."
> Aftermath
"I was starting to wonder if you were ever going to wake up." Turning to the left I see a tired looking Luna with messy bed head. Looking around there's no one else in the room.
"How long was I out?"
"About a week. We had to take turns bathing you...I didn't know somepony could get so stinky from just sleeping."
"Rude." Sitting up I try to determine what time it is, but the curtains are completely shut. "What time is it? Where is everyone else?"
"It's around 11 in the morning. I saw your bubble disappear from the dreamscape and woke up to greet you, but I'd prefer to go back to sleep if I'm being honest."
"Wow you really hate having your sleep interrupted so much that'd you rather go back to sleep than hang out in bed with your consort who you've seen for a total of maybe two hours in the last week. After he DIED?!"
"You would do well to not guilt trip me, Ignis. It's been a long week that you've decided to just sleep through." Woah, she sounds legitimately drained right now.
"Sorry. I wasn't really going to hold it against you... did something happen? Or have the reconstruction efforts just been more demanding than anticipated?" Using the power of hands I try to get back in her good graces. Pushing her head back down onto the pillow I start giving her ear scritches and playing with her hair.
"Mmmm, your bribes won't work here, fiend. Reconstruction has been beyond a nightmare, but that is not the main problem. The biggest headache has been you."
"I didn't ask to sleep for a week, Luna."
"Not that. Somehow word got out that you can bring ponies back from the dead. They overheard the topic get briefly mentioned when Shining Armor interrupted your fun with Discord. They even have proof. They have an image of Twilight's corpse before it was recovered. Night Court has been busier than Day Court every night since that article came out. You're going to have your hooves-, your hands full tonight."
Oh shit. "Oh shit. Did no one tell them that Harmony has forbidden any further revivals? She stated Nightmare Moon would be the last. I doubt that's true, she'll probably be the last until someone important bites the dust. Regardless, I'm metaphorically grounded right now. No miracles for me!"
"I don't think you mentioned that before."
"I didn't mention any of it, I assumed Harmony would have mentioned it when she snitched to Celestia about everything else. Well that's easy enough I'll put this all to bed tonight. Anything else I should know before you head off to dreamland?"
"It's not just Equestria you need to address. There's whispers that the dragons are ready to declare war. We haven't heard from them directly, but now that your little secret has gotten out...I suspect they'll have more allies than before. The minotaurs especially, they've already declared you a heretic. You go against the natural law, they say."
"They're not wrong. Fuck the natural law. Honestly I wouldn't even mind spending the rest of my days reviving creatures, but I can only revive like three at most, per day. It's not sustainable. Alright well, enjoy the rest of your sleep. I'm gunna go find the blacksmith and request a replacement for my armor that got shredded then I'm gunna go find a tailor and get clothes made. I've only had one set for far too long and now I don't even have that. I'd rather not walk around shirtless for the next 2,000 years."
"You should pay Rarity a visit then. I'm sure she'd be happy to supply your entire wardrobe."
"Is that really worth a trip to Ponyville?"
Luna is borderline asleep at this point, I don't know how she's still replying. "You can't teleport? You did it back then."
"Nah, I was able to bend all forms of my magic to my will while I was the Element of Magic, but I can just tell on instinct that I can't do that anymore."
"Shame. Tell my other half and that pegasus I said hello."
"You got it, babe." Her eyebrows furrow a bit at the new term, but she makes no comment on it. Shrugging I decide to get out of bed and go wander the castle for a bit. Scratch that I am literally starving.
It's around lunch but no one else is in the Royal Dining Hall. Weird. Am I even allowed to eat here if one of the god horses isn't with me?
The answer was no, by the way. Now I'm in the mess hall for the guards on duty, and I'm getting a surprisingly high number of stares. No one is saying anything to me though. The look in their eyes isn't fear this time. It reminds me of the looks I got from the Night Guard back at that camp in the far west. Revere. That's the word.
"It's quite uncomfortable to eat with so many staring at me. Do any of you have a question or something? A meal with conversation is much more enjoyable."
To my surprise one of them actually gets up. It's a unicorn stallion with red fur, of course it'd be white if he had his helmet on. "Sir, I was just wondering if you'll be participating in the war games between the Day and Night Guard a couple of weeks from now?"
"I was planning on it, yeah. I suppose it might be a bit unfair though. What do you think? Should I be allowed to participate?"
"I think you should be prohibited from entering the one on one tournament, but everything else seems like fair game. I doubt the Singles Combat Tournament would even be interesting for you."
"Oh yeah, it wouldn't even be a warm up. No offense."
"None taken, I think we're all well aware you're closer to the Princesses in power than you are to us."
"Cool. Alright sorry everyone, this guy used up all the time I had for questions, I got shit to do today. Stay safe."
There's a sea of voices that are not in harmony at all, so I have no idea what they said. Now that I've got some food in me it's time to go to the blacksmiths area. Hopefully they're not out on lunch break as well...
Walking through the familiar armory and into the forge I see a few different ponies at work. None of them seem to notice me, so I just take a few seconds to observe. I was curious which race of ponies would work in a place like this and I ended up thinking it'd be unicorns. That's apparently not true as only one pony in here is a unicorn. The rest are all earth ponies, and the unicorn isn't even using telekinesis.
"OI!" I call out as loud as I can hoping to be heard over the hammers and roars of flame. The closest pony to me looks up and now I can see it's a mare. "I need to put in an order!"
"Then you can go through the proper steps and route up the paperwork to submit it to us like everypony else."
"Really? I didn't have to do that last time."
"Last time you-" Her eyes seem to widen and apparently she was in a state of autopilot before. As soon as her eyes widened she slammed her hammer down and ran up to me. "Sorry about that sir, if I swing my hammer for too long I end up in a trance-like state. What did you need made?"
"Are you sure? I don't mind doing whatever admin bullshit I gotta do. I don't want too much special treatment just cause I'm a Knight or whatever."
"Knight? Oh right I forgot you're Princess Luna's Knight! No, no, that's not why at all. You're a bucking hero! My master would throw my flank straight into the coals if he found out I turned away somepony like you. What did you want made, sir?"
"Well I had this armor before the whole incident. It was made using my pre-existing armor as a base and had some enchantments added on, but now I got nothing. I desperately need a replacement. It has to cover this whole area, plus my arms, but it's gotta be light. It can't affect my flexibility either. The armor before was made of Leather and it was the perfect material, but.."
Her face pales when I mention leather. "Exactly. Don't worry though it was leather from my home. The cows there were not intelligent, not even a little bit. I need something similar to the qualities of that material though. Preferably studded as well. But, the most important thing is that it's light and flexible. My agility is what keeps me alive, not the strength of my armor."
She finishes writing down whatever she was writing for the order then gestured for me to follow her towards the back of the forge. "This should be easy enough, but I gotta measure you. Can you squat down a little bit and hold your arms out straight? Perfect, sorry we don't have a stool or anything like that."
The teal mare with a black mane that's currently tied up into a bun grabs a tape measure from the workbench. She starts measuring my chest and shoulders and I quickly realize the benefits of having a unicorn measure you. She keeps lightly rubbing me as she moves and wraps the measuring tape. Asking me to hold it sometimes so she can take it around to the other side. This probably wouldn't be a big deal, but I'm surprised at just how light the touch is.
It's just like when some very very lightly traces their finger up your arm or across your chest, but it's a big finger. It's giving me goosebumps and I find my face feeling a bit flushed.
"So smooth...and firm. Wow..." Glancing at the mare it seems I'm not the only one having this reaction. Right as I looked at her she bit her bottom lip and then disappeared behind me, dragging her hoof and the measuring tape lightly across my back. She didn't see me glance down at her thankfully or that might've turned awkward. Thanks to that teal fur it's easy to see she's got some crimson flushing her face as well.
"When you measure ponies is it always this...intimate?" I decide to playfully ask as she hugs my back tight and touches her forehooves to connect the tape.
"Not usually...it just never occurred to me that this is all muscle when I saw it. It was only when I first brushed against you that I realized it. Sorry if I got a bit too carried away though. I've got everything I need."
"I'm pretty sure you had everything you needed like five minutes ago. You measured the same three spots six times. But, I guess I don't particularly mind. Luna might kill you though. She already thinks that our herd having three mares is too many, and she gets jealous very~ easily."
"That's why that smell was so familiar...OH! Sweet Celestia, how could I forget?! Uh-uhm... Sir, uh.."
"I wouldn't worry about it too much. I'll make sure she doesn't fire you or anything like that. You'll probably need to apologize though."
"Sir please! Please don't tell her!" She looks so genuinely afraid...she must love this job, or she needs it that badly.
"Sorry, but I gotta. I'm telling you though, don't worry about it~. I was joking about the whole "kill you" thing, she's not that serious. Anyways, when can I expect to have that armor?"
Her ears pin back and she looks at the ground, dejected. "Probably around a week or two. Assuming I still work here by then..."
If Luna wasn't asleep right now I'd just hit her up over the sending stone to ease this mare's worries, but I'm not waking her up for this. It'd probably go worse for the blacksmith if I did that, to be honest. "You'll still work here. I swear."
With that I turn and walk out of the forge and through the armory, back out into the hallway. Now I need to go find a pony to make me some clothes. Hmm, maybe I should go to Ponyville. That way I don't have to get measured again. That'd be a whole two day trip though, ugh. Wait...
After asking around several times I was able to ascertain that Nightmare is in the castle library. Sneaking up behind her I get ready to pounce.
"Out of every alternate universe to exist at every branching point or decision, there is not a single one where you are capable of sneaking up on me, Ignis. I'm glad to see you're awake though." She calls out to me right as I crouch down, and all I can do is pout as I sit down across from her.
"That's no fun. Anyways, what are you up to? I was surprised to only see Luna in bed when I woke up. I know Force is on duty, but I didn't think you were a daywalker."
"Luna and I are going through some drama, and since you were asleep 24/7 I decided to just flip my sleep schedule. That way I could still share a bed with you, but without her. It's much easier for me and Force to share the bed with you than with Luna as well. With me being the same size as Luna now that bed almost isn't big enough for all four of us at once. Now that you're awake though this complicates things..."
"What kind of drama?"
"Mare stuff. Nothing for you to worry about. What are you up to?"
"Well I was about to go find a place out in Canterlot to get some new clothes made, but after getting sensually measured by one of the blacksmiths I decided I'd rather go to Ponyville. Rarity already has my measurements, so I don't need to go through that again."
"What?"
"What? Which part of that are yo-"
"The blacksmith did what to you?"
"Nothing serious! Relax! She needed my measurements for my replacement armor and, uhm, she was enthralled by the bare muscles. It's not a big deal though."
"Hmph. If you say so. Guess I'll go adjust the order for the new bed and have it made a bit bigger."
"Oh, shut up. She profusely apologized once she remembered I was in a relationship, I think it was just a genuine slip up."
"And did you just happen to also forget? Or were you enjoying it too much?" She's giving me that glare. That glare once frightened me on my first night in this world. Now it still frightens me a fair bit, but it's also hot. I didn't realize any of them would actually be upset about this though. I figured with this herding thing they were a bit more loose on things like this.
"I didn't forget, but I also didn't think it was a big deal. Are you gunna smite the ponies that give me a message when I go to the spa? Cause that'll probably be much more sensual than this whole incident."
"And that's their job. This was just a mare that got carried away."
I can't help but to sigh. "Alright I get it! Back in my world that would've been a problem and I would've stopped her, but I figured things weren't as strict since you all do this herding thing. Cut me some slack until I got this whole culture situation sorted. It won't happen again."
"Good. Now, are you here to invite me out with you? I wouldn't mind helping you order some clothes."
"Well that, and I was also hoping you could teleport us to Ponyville." I give her a sheepish grin. "I don't really wanna take the train."
She just rolls her eyes. "I suppose I can do that. Are we going now?"
"Yep! Thank you~!"
"Uh huh. You owe me when we get back." That's quite a predatory smile she's giving me right now.
Am I in danger? |
Tales of Love Two: Attack of The Shipping | pre | The pair soon arrived to the city in the sky known as Cloudsdale.
Spike and Spitfire started to take a look around. The orange pegasus showing the purple dragon her favourite spots. Spike saw how different Cloudsdale celebrated Hearth's Warming Eve than any other cities and towns in Equestria.
The clouds are made to look like trees, with a star on top. Some streets have clouds that looks like cane-de-cane, there was no snow but the pegasi decide to use the bright and beautiful rainbow instead.
The whole city looked great. It just gleaming with Hearth's Warming Eve spirit, the pair stopped in front of a building Spike looked questionably at Spitfire.
"This is the main hall." She stated, opening the doors to welcome them in.
Spike look to see twenty to thirty pegasus ponies working on everything. Trying their best to make it perfect for the holiday. Everyone happy, even singing a work song to boost their work power.
"Starting tomorrow, a large group of pegasi will fill this building Friends, family, giving their Hearth's Warming Eve presents."
"It's to bring the city together. Having the town share their love with their close ones, making the town one." Spitfire finished, Spike stood frozen.
His mind fought with itself, his green eyes turn to the left looking at the small suitcase he bought with him.
"That's cool, maybe we can go together... Like a date." Spike said, feeling nervous about asking her.
"Sure I'll love to. We can go on Friday, until then you can stay with me." Spitfire said, smiling while Spike felt like a million fireworks were going off inside him.
"Great!" He spoke with such a happy and loud tone that caused the ponies inside to look at him. While Spike blushed in embarrassment.
The two walked out of the hall. Spitfire showed Spike some of her favorites spots in her home town.
"There's a Wonderbolts show on Wednesday, It's to show Hearth's Warming Spirit. You're welcome to come." The pegasus spoke.
'Just like my dream' Spike thought
"Sure. Sounds like a blast!" Spike said in a happy tone.
'Maybe tomorrow I can see if I can find anything for Spitfire' He thought.
Spitfire stopped Spike with her hoof, the two stood in front of a modern two story cloud house.
"I thought you would have lived in a mansion, miss I'm captain of the Wonderbolts." Spike said in a jokey tone causing Spitfire to let out a small giggle.
"Yeah. But it's only me and I don't want to feel special or different from other pegasi." Spitfire spoke
She showed the young dragon around her home, showing where everything is. Once tomorrow come Spike told Spitfire he was going out, she just smiled and waved.
Once the door closed shut, the captain of the Wonderbolts soon got a panic expression on her face.
"How could I not gotten Spike a gift. Oh, I bet he already found the perfect present for me."
"If I show up empty hoof..." Spitfire said, thinking of the worst.
Like he might laugh and go for Fleetfoot instead. Spitfire let out a muffled scream, trying her best to get the thought out of her head.
Spitfire shoot to the skies, burning brighter than an open flame. She speed past each and every shop in Cloudsdale, having spend most of her time looking for the perfect gift for Spike in each and every shop.
The orange pegasus took a nose dive down towards the surface. Spitfire stopped before touching the ground, not even leaving a trail where she stopped.
Spitfire has one rule and that rule is to 'live life fast.' She never spend more than thirty minutes in one place. Unless it's her home or with The Wonderbolts.
Ten minutes didn't even past before Spitfire let out a moan of boredom, slowly but surely going around each shop in Ponyville.
The town was just so small, there was almost no room to fly unless she was in the bright blue sky. Spitfire never quits! She just needed a new plan and it just fell into her lap. A poster on the wall, blew off and landed in front of the pegasus mare.
THE WONDERBOLTS! Live at Cloudsdale to welcome Hearth's Warming Eve once again.
Spitfire smile, she lifted he wings. Before bolting back towards the city in the sky, with a plan on her mind to tell Spike how she feels about him.
The Wonderbolts show, 11:00am sharp. Ponies flooded the stadium Spike sat in a special watcher box. Spitfire looked to see him. She smiled feeling more relaxed.
Looking back at her team, with a nod and they were good to go. Taking off in the sky with a blaze of glory.
The Wonderbolts took off into the sky, performing tricks no has ever seen... Unless they been to any other Wonderbolts show, it still didn't matter it was still breathtaking to watch.
The show went on for an hour and a half, Spitfire currently rubbed her mane with a white towel Spike knocked on the door with Spitfire letting him in.
"That was amazing! I like how at the end you and the team spelt out 'Happy Hearth's Warming!' in the colours of the holiday." Spike said.
"We can go to lunch now." Spitfire smiled, having finished putting everything away.
Once the two left the stadium for the small cafe down the road Spitfire order a cup of coffee and some hay sandwiches, while Spike eat some potato chips and a cup of water.
The two talked through the date, acting like the close friends that they were.
Friday soon rolled around, Spike and Spitfire enter the hall with the rest of The Wonderbolts and their friends and family.
"I'm sorry!" Spike said, causing Spitfire eyes to widen in surprised.
"I tried finding you the perfect present to show you how I feel. But I guess you never like me like that anyway." Spike finished, the pegasus eyes looked above her.
"There still one present. Since I couldn't find a present for you. Look up." Spitfire said
Spike felt confused, his green eyes looked to see a misletoe hanging above them. Spitfire lean down to meet with him.
"Happy Hearth's Warming, Spike."
"Happy Hearth's Warming to you too, Spitfire."
The two lips joined together, welcoming their real feeling towards and the greatest gift of them all. |
Tales of Love Two: Attack of The Shipping | Musical Taste: (Octavia x Spike) | It all started one magical night, Spike stood alone once again watching other ponies, them dancing with that special somepony that they fell in love with. The dragon had just became a teenager a few weeks before the gala, with still no luck in the dating world. Thoughts ran through the purple dragon mind about just giving up on find that perfect mare.
That was until he saw her. She has a dark gray mane and tail, a light gray coat and light purple eyes, and she wears a pink bow-tie with a white collar. Her cutie mark is a violet treble clef playing a lovely melody on her cello. Spike couldn't help, but glare into her lovely purple eyes the music ended and the mare took a bow causing the audience to clap she walked off stage.
The dragon pushed through the crowd, a new band taking the stage. The earth pony mare took a seat and drink of water. Looking towards the stage, the new band playing loud rock and roll, the deafening music blasted through the halls. She was thinking of calling it an early night, there was severly bands after her that would easily play through the night.
"Hi there." She heard someone say, the mare turned to see a purple dragon smiling at her.
"I saw you up on stage, you are beautiful." Spike mentally hit himself, "I mean fantastic" the mare let out a giggle.
"Sit down, have I meet you before. I feel that I have" her voice sounded like angels singing, well that what Spike thought.
"Oh, my bad. I'm Spike, I used to live in Ponyville."
"That's right. I had see you around, but unfortunately never truly met, I'm Octavia it's a pleasure to meet you."
"I know this might sound weird, but you want to go out on a date sometime?" Spike asked, Octavia gave him that smile that he felt that he might melt.
"Sure I'll love to, this night is over for me. We can just get something now" Octavia said, Spike smiled.
"As you wish, my lady." Spike said, taking her leg, with his arm. While the two left The Gala, into the cold night of Canterlot.
It was just a small cafe, down the street. A warm cup of coffee with a light snack, the simple setting of the cafe with the lights and silence surrounding the area. Octavia and Spike took a small walk through the park the snow on the top of the trees, the pony and dragon talked on their quiet and simple walk.
"You know Spike, this has been one great night." Octavia spoke, with Spike nodding in agreement.
"Tell me about it, maybe we can go out another time?" Spike wondered
Octavia kissed the teenage dragon softly on his scaly lips, "I'll love to." She said before entering her home, causing the rain to start falling down from the clouds.
The relationship between Spike and Octavia started off great, the two got together each second week for a nice dinner or just simple walk in the quiet peaceful night. That was until the two decide to move in together, Spike moved in with Octavia everything was perfect when the new couple started to argue over the most littlest of things.
Causing the musician earth pony to take a leave. Walk through the night time, when she got home Spike was there with something romantic that made her heart melt and grow a smile on her lips. Then she would forgive him, then few days later the whole thing would just happen again and again.
Finally Octavia decide she had enough, the next time she saw Spike, she would give him a piece of her mind, which was at breakfast, since last time ended in a fight and Spike sleeping on the couch.
Spike happily eat his pancakes waiting for Octavia to get ready, the earth pony mare place a piece of paper in front of him.
"A couple councillor? Why would we need one of those?" Spike question
"Because of us. We fight almost every night, I love you Spike and you love me. I don't want us to break apart." Octavia stated
"Fine if it really means that much to you. We can go, but I doubt it would work." Spike said, Octavia ignore the few lines and hugged her boyfriend and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"What days?" Spike asked
"Well I know we're both busy early most days. So a week Monday to Friday in the afternoon will be best." Octavia said
"Sounds great, I can't wait for your show tonight. I bet you'll be perfect." Spike said, Octavia shock her head grabbing a plate of pancakes.
"You think all my shows are great, it hard to tell if you're being honest or not." Octavia spoke.
Spike took a bite out of his last pancake, before drinking some of his tea.
"I promise you when we started going out. That I will always be honest to you, I don't want to hurt the one I love with a lie." Spike said, Octavia let out a sigh at him.
Once the dragon finished his breakfast, he walked over to give Octavia a kiss on the lips.
"The first time for the couple councillor, is tomorrow at three in the afternoon."
"I'll be there, I know this means a lot to you." Spike said, when he grabbed his brown coat.
"Well I'll see you at your show at two in afternoon. Later 'Tavia" Spike said, before he came back to the dining table to give the earth pony musician a kiss on the lips. Before leaving for his job.
The clock hit one PM, Spike walked down the street. Stopping at a flower stand, he happily gave the mare five bits for a few roses. He got there, the crowd was filled with ponies. Stallions with suits and tall black top hats, while the mares wore their dresses of red or pink or blue.
Spike forced to stand at the back of the room, since ponies complained about not being able to see the show when he sits in front of them.
Ponies stomp their hooves, when the band came out on stage. Spike clap his claws together, ponies in the audience gave him cold stares. Even with the peace treaty that was made with the dragons over eight years ago. Ponies was still didn't trust dragons.
Spike watched in silence while the show played on, the dragon looked at Octavia playing her cello. With the look of passion in her eyes, that show how much she loved playing classical music for ponies who still believe that the best style of music was in past.
Once the show ended, Spike went backstage to meet up with his marefriend. Octavia greeted him with a hug and a quick kiss on his lips.
"Another great show, 'Tavia. Modern music is still better than classical music." Spike said, Octavia tighten her teeth in anger.
"Oh not this again! How many times do I need to say that you're wrong. Songs like She's A Lady and I'm A Believer, shape the world of your horrible modern day music. That is just the same one word with a dumb stupid beat repeated in the background!" Octavia shouted at her boyfriend.
"Well what about you old timey music. That isn't all Sunshine and Rainbows."
"That another classic song!"
They just kept going back and forth between the two. Spike had always liked the more modern songs, with heavy Rock 'N Roll and while Octavia enjoyed the quite peacefull of classical music. Old love songs, that made her smile.
This always draw a bridge between the couple. That sat the next day, both in single chairs. While a unicorn mare with a white coat and a green coat. She wore glasses with her mare tied up in a bun. Miss Eternia.
She gave the couple a cold and hash stare while their fought in front of her. About what movie was better, Miss Eternia gave a loud cough, before banging her hoof on the brown wooden table.
Spike and Octavia stopped fighting. To look at the mare.
"I have seen couples like this thousands of times. It never works, a relationship build without ground is just going to fall."
"That not true!" Spike said, Miss Eternia just blinked.
"Name one thing, that you two have in common." Miss Eternia said, Spike and Octavia looked at each other.
"There's one thing we have in common. The only thing that would matter, I love Octavia and she loves me back. I will walk to the end to Equestria to that smile that makes my heart leap." Spike said.
The earth pony musician smiled at him, leaning to kiss him.
"I was going to save this for later, but Octavia. I don't know what I'll do with you in my life." Spike got on one knee, pulling out a black box out of his jacket pocket.
"Will you marry me and make me the happiest dragon in the world?" He asked
"Yes, of course I'll marry you." Octavia said
"What happen here?" Miss Eternia question
"It might be a bumpy ride. But with you by my side, I know we'll make it." |
Tales of Love Two: Attack of The Shipping | Sky High: (Cloudchaser & Flitter x Spike; Bonus Chapter One) | Spike stood on a wooden stool in front of the mirror, watching himself brush his teeth. Washing out his mouth with water, then spiting it into the sink, the dragon hop to the ground. Pushing the wooden stool back to the corner, he walked towards the main room, his head facing the ground.
He sat on his small throne, looking at the golden ticket in his claws. Spike was in the dumps, The Gala, one night fill with magic and wonder. Just like the past times, Spike would be spending his time alone, since all of his friends had finally found that special somepony to call their own.
While Spike sat alone, his mood just got more sour by the second. Well there was two last hopes, Spike had grew a crush on the pegasus mare known as Cloudchaser.
Cloudchaser was there for him, when he first moved to Ponyville. He quickly grew a crush on the pretty mare, growing stronger each day. Then lightning strike twice, when Spike meet Cloudchaser twin sister. Flitter, she is such a sweet mare.
Flitter treated Spike with Kindness, while Cloudchaser was the more bossy type (but only when needed.) Even if the two looked the same, Spike was the both of them in a light, he fell for them for different reasons. Like how Flitter is sweet, but to the point, she wears a pink bow in her mane, she stays strong for what she thinks is right.
Cloudchaser is the go-getter type, she almost always butts heads with her twin sister. Over who's faster in the sky, who's the better sibling. Spike fear these arguments when he visit their home, it always ended with Spike caught in the middle. Having to make something up to get out of it.
Spike then got the thought in his mind; if he asks both of his crushes out for a date. Even if one rejects him, the other might say yes..
Spike rushed towards the castle doors, he wander the streets his eyes spotted Cloudchaser. A smirk grew on his face, he walked as fast as his little feat could carry him.
"Cloudchaser!" Spike cried out, the pegasus mare turn to face him with a smile.
"Hey there Spike, what's going on?" Cloudchaser question, deciding to meet him halfway.
"I was wondering if you would like to go out on a date, with me?" Spike question, rubbing his arm, nervously.
"Well..."
"You can think about it, you can tell me you're answer later." Spike said
"But..." Cloudchaser said, but Spike was already gone.
"I was going to say yes." Cloudchaser mutter.
Spike were still in a good mood, while he made his way over to Cloudchaser and Flitter's home. The young dragon stopped on at the front door, letting out a series of knocks. Flitter open the door, first tired and annoy at who ever just woke her up. Since she ever been a morning pony.
Once the pegasus saw Spike, she slammed the door, just to return a few moments later, Mare brushed, bow on head, cute smile at the ready.
"Hey Flitter." Spike said with a smile.
"Hey... I mean what's up... Dude?" Flitter said, leaning on the doorway.
"I just wanted to ask if you'll would like to go on a date with me?" Spike asked
'YES!" Flitter anwser loudly, before letting out a fake cough.
"Yeah, sure. It's cool bro." Flitter said, trying to keep her cool.
"Are you free Tuesday?" Spike wonder, Flitter let out a small squeal.
"Yeah, I'm free." She said, holding back her cries of joy
"It's a date, later Flitter."
When Spike left, he could hear a loud cry of happiness from Cloudchaser and Flitter's home. Spike journey back to the castle he called home the young dragon soon ran into Cloudchaser. She look at him in consure when he fell to the ground.
"Sorry about that Spike." Cloudchaser said, Spike began to dust himself off.
"It's was more my fault."
"Well I been wanting to tell you. That I would love to go on a date with you. Does Tuesday work?" Cloudchaser asked, Spike stood frozen in shock.
"I'll take that as a yes." Cloudchaser spoke, waving goodbye to the frozen dragon.
Spike walked back to the castle, still in his state of shock. Once he closed the door, that's when he began his freak out, Spike began walking back and forth talking about everything.
"I thought one would say yes. Not both of them, what am I going to do? Both on the same day too, I don't want to hurt their feelings." Spike spoke, stopping to place his claw on his chin.
He snapped his fingers together, an idea coming to his mind.
"I'll just date both of them. Then once they fall for me then I'll tell them... Wait that doesn't sound good."
"Hey Cloudchaser, I know you just told me that you love me, so this is the best time to tell you I'm also dating your sister!"
Spike let out a cry before he started banging his head against the crystal wall. He stopped after getting other plan.
"I know, one date with both of them. I'll date Flitter once and then Cloudchaser once and then... No that wouldn't work."
While Spike were going to back and forth with terrible ideas on how to date two mares at the same time without the other finding out. Cloudchaser flew home in happiness, when she enter the living room she spotted her twin sister, she lay on the couch, once Flitter saw Cloudchaser, the pegasus mare attacked her twin sister with a big hug.
"I just got ask on a date. With the best guy in Ponyville!" Flitter said, her voice fill with joy.
"Please, that's impossible. I just got ask out and I bet he's ten times better than the dude who ask you out." Cloudchaser said, Flitter let go of her sister.
This created a fight. That ended on a bet, "Who ever has the better boyfriend by this Friday wins. The right to win all fights before they even begin."
The two sister shake their hooves together, sealing the deal. Fire of rage, burn bright in their eyes.
"May the best sibling win."
Tuesday soon rolled around, Spike's date with Flitter was Midday at the hay burger. He raised his eyebrow at her choice, while with Cloudchaser's date being at night at The Walk On The Wild Side. Spike spend his whole morning getting ready for Flitter's date, the two agree to meet at the place where they were going on the date.
When lunchtime rolled around Spike meet Flitter standing outside, still only wearing her bow, Spike greeted her with a smile while he held his arm out. Flitter let out a small giggle, letting the young gentle dragon take her leg. Lending the two into the fast food diner, Spike saw families together eating lunch, sharing stories and jokes. The couple soon found a table.
Flitter ordered a double hay burger, since she skip breakfast while Spike just order some fries with a soda.
"So why this place?" Spike couldn't help but ask
"Well Cloudchaser and I always loved this place when we were fillies. While we grew up, Cloudchaser left this place behind, while I keep this in my heart. So the memories doesn't die out." Flitter spoke.
"Plus, I don't like going overboard with just the first date." She added
Their food soon arrived, Flitter began to go down on her meal. Eating it, like there was no tomorrow, Spike just let out a small chuckle, before joining in with eating his fries.
The two finished their meal, Spike and Flitter walked back to her home, laughing. Spike felt like this may work, that was until Flitter told Spike about her's and Cloudchaser little fight. Spike decide to keep calm until him and Flitter shared a kiss on the lips, before they reached her her home.
Spike smiled and waved goodbye to Flitter, then he started to panic within his mind. He knew once Friday rolled around, he was gong to die. The two mares that he fell in love with are going to kill him.
Spike enter the castle, he fell to the ground. Sometimes he couldn't believe his own luck, the purple dragon looked to see it was already two in the afternoon. He slowly getting up to get ready for his second date for today.
When the night came, Spike and Cloudchaser sat opposite of each other. Spike putting his worries away to spend a nice date with one of the mares that he loves. Spike smiled, he couldn't believe how well the date was going, no weird moments where the two didn't know what to talk about.
The dinner with Cloudchaser is just as good when he shared lunch with Flitter. There's something special about these mares. While he looked into Cloudchaser eyes, he saw what needed to be done. Once dinner end, Cloudchaser gave Spike a kiss on his lips. Before taking off into the star fulled night sky.
The next day came by in a flash. Time itself seem to speed up for Spike. Until he rang his fist against the door, that moment everything around Spike had seem to stop. Spike knew what was coming and he was ready for it, even if it ended the friendship between the three. Or worst Cloudchaser and Flitter feeling hurt.
Seeing that expression on their face, seeing them lose hope. Seeing that rage heating up within them, seeing their tears fill their eyes, running down their face. Just that alone felt worst then anything that could have happen to him.
When that door finally open, Cloudchaser let him in with a smile. He knew that wouldn't last long, so when Flitter finally got up. Spike sat the two mares down and told them the whole story.
"I'm so, sorry. I didn't mean this, but I just loved you so much. I couldn't hurt the other." Spike explain, the twins shared the same expression.
"Oh yeah, we knew." Cloudchaser said
"Wait what?" Spike asked in a state of shock.
"Did you really think we would make a bet. Then not tell the other who we were dating." Flitter spoke
"I guess you hate me then." Spike said, softly lowering his head
"We never said that." Flitter told him
"Look Spike. My sister and I don't share much in common, but we both love you, so we would like to share you." Cloudchaser said, Spike gave them a smile.
"I love you girls too. I'll love to date both of you's."
The three went on talking, deciding on a group date for Friday night instead. |
Tales of Love Two: Attack of The Shipping | Tales of Love 2: (Harem Chapter; Bonus Chapter Two) | The train whistle blew loudly in the air meaning that it was coming close to it's next stop. Ponyville, a group of four mares sat chatting away the time. These mares are Sour Sweet, Sugarcoat, Lemon Zest, Sunny Flare and Indigo Zap commonly known as The Shadowbolts.
"I can't wait to meet Spike again, it's has been far too long since he left for Ponyville." Sunny Flare spoke.
"Plus he has always been a cutie..." Lemon Zest said, causing the other three mares to look at her.
"What I can't be the only one that has a crush on Spike?" Lemon Zest asked
"Well I do too. He's has alway been there for me." Sugarcoat said
"Same here." Sour Sweet added.
"Count me in too" Sunny Flare said.
"Last is me. I'm on the same boat as you all." Indigo Zap explained.
"Well I was not expecting that, I don't mind sharing him. But how many others that also have a crush on him?" Lemon Zest question
"How should we know?" Indigo Zap asked
"Yeah why you asking us?" Sugarcoat replied
Dear Ember.
I am beginning to worry about myself. Each time I've told you about my ever failing love life. You always tell me not to worry. I don't and I won't take it anymore, every pony I ask on a date just laughs in my face. Thinking it the funniest thing that their have ever heard.
In other news, one of my close friends Miss Cheerilee (She's a teacher) she asked me if I knew anything about dragon kind. So I was wondering if you could write telling me some facts so I can give it to her, I hate letting my friends down, Cheerilee the most. She has this look that can give Fluttershy's stare a run of it's money. (Oh, right. You haven't meet her, sorry.)
I hope you write back soon, your dear friend, Spike
Ember read the letter, standing outside of the Ponyville school house. Reading the last few lines, 'Your dear friend, Spike.'
"Yeah friend I wish that I could tell you my real feelings." Ember whisper to herself.
The dragoness knocked on the door, causing a pink earth pony to welcome her.
"Greetings I'm Cheerilee, you must be Ember. Spike talks about you alot." Cheerilee said her voice seem more angry for the last few words.
"Wait are you jealous?" Ember question, causing the earth pony teacher to blush.
"Maybe a little, I may have grown some feelings to my dragon friend. He spends so much of his free time helping me out."
"So you also have a crush on him." Ember said, making Cheerilee face her.
"You too, well we can talk more about it later." Cheerilee said, Ember nodded in agreement.
Octavia finishes her song, ponies clapped their hooves together. The earth pony bowed seeing her favourite dragon front row looking up at her with a smile, clapping his claw together.
Spike went backstage to meet up with his friend.
"Great show Octavia, but you always do great." Spike said, causing Octavia to blush.
"Thank you Spike, are you coming to the after party?" Octavia asked
"I wish I could, I promise some old friends I would meet them at the train station. I haven't seen them since I left Canterlot." Spike explain to the earth pony.
Octavia faked a smile, "That's great."
'I was hoping to ask him out at that party.' Octavia thought.
"Why don't you come by the castle after it. So you can meet them."
"Sounds great."
"Later Octavia!" Spike said, running out of the building.
"Hey Octavia!" A voice said behind her, causing the earth's musician to jump in fear.
She turned to see two Pegasi that look the same beside the one on the left with a bow on her head.
"Cloudchaser, Flitter! How have you two been?" Octavia asked, hugging her two friends.
"We haven't been that bad, Flitter and I still fight from time to time, but other than that..." Cloudchaser spoke, before Flitter cut her off.
"When we learn you also like Spike. We're the same." Flitter said, Cloudchaser hit her head with her hoof.
Octavia blinked, Flitter and Cloudchaser told her the whole story behind their crush on the purple dragon. With him being the only thing the twin siblings ether to fight over or finally be willing to share him.
Octavia shook her head, when the two siblings started fighting when either one got a small detail wrong. Which seem to be a lot.
"Spike invited me to the castle later on in the day. I say that there are more girls that like him. Maybe Spike should pick this afternoon" Octavia said, Cloudchaser and Flitter looked at each other.
"I guess that's the best thing to do." Flitter spoke, her eyes lowered to the ground.
Spitfire flew through town landing at Sugar Cube Corner. The place that changed her life, that is when she meet Spike. Sure he was a giant dragon that greed took over. The aftermath, the baby dragon meet the captain of the Wonderbolts. He paid for a meal at Sugar Cube Corner as an apology to her.
Spitfire smiled at the memory, remembering how much of him was different, how kind and generous he can be. When the captain of the Wonderbolts walked in, ponies turned and stared at her in confusion.
"One chocolate milkshake and cupcake, please." Spitfire ordered, the mare behind the counter gave the pegasus her order.
Spitfire look to find the same table she and Spike shared the first time they was here. A earth pony filly and a young Griffin sat there talking, the pegasus walked over.
"You don't mind if I join you?" Spitfire asked
"Nah, go ahead. I'm Screwball." The filly said
"Hi I'm Gabby"
"Well my name is Spitfire."
Spitfire sat down listening to the two children talking Screwball telling Gabby how she got a crush on the dragon named Spike. After he reformed her and turn her to a somewhat good pony, while Gabby told about how she and Spike wrote letters to each other and she grew a crush on him by that way.
"Huh, that's weird, all three of us have a crush on the same dragon." Spitfire said
"Wow that is weird and I'm all about weird. How would this work?" Screwball question
"Why don't we tell Spike about our real feelings and who ever he chooses gets to be with him." Gabby said
"Great idea, let's try to find him after lunch." Spitfire said, Screwball and Gabby nodding in agreement.
The castle of Friendship were filled with twelve ponies and one dragoness, each talking about the male dragon that they all fell in love with; Spike. The kind, sweet dragon that had won their hearts, only one small problem there was thirteen of them.
When Spike enter the castle, he couldn't believe his eyes.
"Umm... What's going on?" He asked
"Well in short, we all love you." Gabby spoke
"Now that just raises more questions." Spike said
"Well it is normal for a dragon to create a harem, but it's normally only three. Not thirteen."
Well I do love each one of you girls, for different reason and I'll be lucky to be with any of you girls. I don't want to break anyones hearts."
"Yes, that's great, but who will keep track of each date?" Spitfire asked
"I can do it, for more dates or kisses from Spike." Screwball said
"That isn't a real job." Spitfire spoke
"Oh and flying around is?" Screwball replied
The thirteen girls soon began fighting and arguing over who decides Spike more and becomes the leader of the harem that they created. Spike heard Screwball shout ("I can fly as well and I don't even have any wings!") Spike just backed away slowly afraid of what might happen if he stays in the same room as these girls. |
Confusing Reality | pre | "Sunset?"
The fiery maned mare gulped and took a deep breath. "So....ummm......I....there was this mare who needed help...she runs an orphanage...." she trailed of.
"Go on." Celestia didn't show any emotion, which was actually more terrifying than her being angry or disappointed.
"There was this stallion....she owed him money....it was legit and there was now way for her of paying back. He wanted the money, so..."
"So you decided to pay for her." Celestia smiled, hiding her surprise, but at the same time let out a sigh.
"Yeah..." Sunset scratched her head.
"So you realized your own mistake already?" The larger princess said.
"Actually it was Caring Heart who pointed it out. She's the mare who owns the orphanage." Sunset explained to Celestia's confused face. "Or rather 'owned'."
"Owned?" Celestia asked intrigued.
"Yes. She wanted to sell the place to someone who could possibly get it out of the jam. She had a contract prepared and everything. I had a chance to read it thoroughly and...yeah. It got me and the orphanage out of the jam.
I-I did it for the children! You can't expect from me to just look and see foals and fillies get thrown out on the street."
Celestia looked down at Sunset Shimmer with an analytically gaze. Sunset wished she would just disappear. She would be able to do that, but then again: if she would run away this time, Celestia would probably send the royal guard to find her.
What came next surprised Sunset (but none of my readers I hope) as she was pulled into a hug by the sun alicorn.
"C-Celestia?!"
"I'm so proud of you, my daughter."
"Pr-proud?! But I-"
"You thought I would be angry at you?" Celestia interrupted. "For helping those in need? For ignoring your status as a princess and simply being generous?" Celestia laughed amused. "No Sunset. You made me really proud today." the larger alicorn pulled back, but kept her daughter in her embrace.
"I hope you're ready for the responsibilities you loaded onto your shoulders. But you have my full support on this."
Sunset was stunned for until she realized she shouldn't be stunned at all. This was Celestia after all.
"Tell you what, after lunch we all go to your orphanage. I'm sure I'll be able to help you with the bureaucracy."
"A-are you sure? Don't you have day court to hold?" Sunset asked.
"Oh day court fell a little short today and honestly, it's been far too long since we spent time as an actual family. It will do Twilight some good to get her nuzzle away from those dusty old books."
Phew the yellow alicorn thought that went better than expected. She and Celestia walked down the hall together, Celestia still having that smile on her face, perfectly hiding the puzzled thoughts that were going through her head.
Spike was right. Sunset is acting a little strange. |
Confusing Reality | Why's there a face on the moon? Oh no... | Sunset didn't pretend she knew much about the proper etiquette, but she knew one thing: Twilight was NOT behaving like a princess should behave. What did this mean? Well, the three princesses were having dinner, with all kinds of five star meals Sunset never heard about and Twilight here was wolfing everything down. Rarity would say she behaved like a pig. Celestia didn't comment on it, so it had to be a common thing.
Sunset decided to keep her focus on her salad, instead of commenting on Twilight's eating behaviors. Besides, she just couldn't come up with a good joke at the moment.
The three alicorns and dragon simply ate in silence, Sunset having a hard time not to moan with each bite, for some time until Celestia decided to speak up. "So, how was everypony's day so far? I already heard Sunset's day was rather exciting."
"Really?" Twilight asked, looking over to her sister. The fiery mare needed to swallow before telling what happened. "I kind of got myself in a situation. I wouldn't call it exciting...although...it really depends on the viewpoint. Anyways, I was just walking down the street, when I found a mare and a stallion arguing. It turned out she owed him money from the orphanage she was running. The stallion ticked me off a little. He didn't really care that all the foals and fillies would be homeless."
Twilight's expression turned into a mixture of surprise and disgust. Taking some quick bites, Sunset continued. "Long story short, I paid for everything without really thinking. The owner, Caring Heart is her name, pointed out that I put myself in a troublesome situation. In order to get out of it I...well,...I own the place now."
Twilight choked on her rice. Spike almost spit out his juice, but, managed to kept it in his mouth and swallowed it. "You what?!" the drake exclaimed.
"Really? That's so nice of you!" the lavender mare exclaimed. "You really are the nicest pony in all of Equestria."
"Oh, come on Twilight. You're a way better pony than I'll ever be." Sunset retorted, blushing at the compliment. Twilight mimicked her sister's behavior and looked to the side. "Please, what have I ever accomplished?"
"You hatched a dragon, when you were 6 years old." Celestia pointed out.
"Besides, you would have done the same." the yellow alicorn said. "I mean, all I did was spend money, from which we have more than enough for our personal comfort. I could feed Spike with the gems from my jewelry for a year."
"Oh please. He would be done within an hour and still ask for more." Twilight retorted.
"Hey!"
Everypony laughed a little, Sunset adding a joke about Spike getting too fat and desperately in need of a diet.
"At least I don't eat ten cakes each day." He huffed, looking at Celestia. The oldest of the bunch replied by stuffing a piece of cake into the dragon's throat.
"I bet she burns all the calories in her sun. Would explain everything." Sunset muttered. It took her a few seconds to notice that the table had fallen completely silent. She then realized that everyone else present had heard her little statement.
Spike fell of from his chair, laughing his scales off. Twilight tried to suppress a snicker, putting a hoof in front of her hoof. It was a futile attempt, as eventually the snicker turned into a full fledged laughter.
Celestia's reaction was not as extreme as it was with Spike. In fact, she didn't react at all, which in retrospect was all the more terrifying. It meant she was planning. Planning her revenge on Sunset Shimmer. It wasn't a question of IF Trollestia would strike, rather WHEN she would strike.
[This is all an excuse for me not being able to come up with a good joke. I'm up for suggestions.]
After everyone recovered from their laughter, Celestia decided to put the topic back to Sunset's orphanage. "Back to the matter at hoof, I thought it would be a good idea for Sunset to show us the orphanage."
"What? But I still have a lot of reading to do, not to mention-"
Twilight was interrupted by Celestia placing a hoof on her shoulder. "Twilight, it's been some time since the four of us actually spent some family time together. Besides, it's not healthy for you to stay day in and out in the castle surrounded by your dusty old books."
"But-....but....! Fine..." Twilight sighed. Sunset raised an eyebrow at Twilight's behavior, but filed it away for later. She didn't know Twilight that well. It could be that her sister (now even she was thinking of Twilight that way) simply didn't like children or didn't like being interrupted in the middle of her studies.
XIII
"Come on, Twi. You're acting like it's the end of the world." Sunset stated as they walked down the street without an escort one should say. It was pretty surreal, but Celestia had insisted.
Twilight looked up to Sunset, her face almost being serious. "Actually, if I'm right with what I have found and I certainly hope I'm not, then we might have a problem in the foreseeable future."
Sunset's ears dropped. From her (brief) experience, Twilight's studies about world doom bringing entities were pretty accurate. However before Sunset could ask Twilight what she actually had been researching the entire day, Celestia walked between the two. "Now, don't be so glum, you two." she brushed them with her wings playfully. "I have to deal with enough serious issues in the throne room."
"Blublood's shampoo supply?" Spike offered, causing Celestia to giggle.
Sunset looked over to Twilight again. "You know, let's talk about this when we're back. There's something I've come across today too and I wanna share it with you."
Twilight's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "Really? What are we waiting for? Let's go already!" The lavender alicorn skipped ahead. "Twilight! The orphanage is the other way!" Sunset called out. Embarrassed Twilight turned around and walked back to her family.
"I think it's better if I lead the way." Sunset stated. Wow, she really must be looking forward into spending time with me. The fiery maned pony walked ahead, trying to ignore the ponies who either stared or bowed to the trio.
She noticed Twilight moving closer to her, when they entered the side-street. It was a little darker, since the buildings were closer together and the road in itself a little more narrowed, but it certainly wasn't your run out of the mill dark allay like you see in the batman comics. Or rather batmare in this part of the universe. Sunset mixed there some stuff up.
Reaching the building, the new owner mentally added an up-stroke to the to do list. Celestia as always didn't show any signs of having prejudice thoughts on the poor state the building was in. Most likely the older mare already expected something like this to be the case.
Without further ado, Sunset Shimmer walked up to the door and knocked three times. It took some time until somepony actually came. Sunset was about to knock again, almost hitting Caring Heart in the process. "Whoops, sorry about that."
"Y-your highness! I wasn't expecting you to be back so early." The older mare stated.
"Me neither. But mom wanted to see what exactly I had gotten myself into."
"M-mom?" Caring repeated. Sunset stepped aside giving view to Celestia and Twilight. Sunset was sure that the mare in front of her would hit the floor. Luckily she only touched the floor with her muzzle, as she bowed deeply to the two other princesses.
Celestia walked up towards the mare. "Rise my little pony. I'm sorry we arrived here without telling you beforehoof."
"I-I-It's no problem at all, your highness. Please come in! Can I bring you something? Tea perhaps?" she hastily asked.
"Perhaps later." Celestia replied. "We're merely here for a friendly visit. May we come in?"
"O-of course. P-please, make yourself at home."
"Why do they always have to act that way?" Twilight whispered to Spike, loud enough to hear Sunset to hear. The fiery mare glanced over to the alicorn and the dragon.
"What are you expecting? You just need to say a word and nopony is going to see her ever again." he pointed out.
"Yeah." Twilight sighed. "Sometimes I wish I wouldn't be a princess."
...Talk about a stereotypical situation. Does all of this is actually happening, just because some higher being is bored and wants to open up old wounds? I swear...
"Come on, Twi." Sunset spoke up. "Don't worry. The kids won't be scared of you banishing them to the moon or something."
Twilight looked over to Sunset and sighed. "Alright. How bad could it be? I mean, they're just children."
Sunset couldn't help, but laugh out loud. "How bad could it be? Aside from the fact that you're just asking for trouble, have you ever dealt with children? When they see a princess...oh mare, keep a close eye on your wings. I got lucky today, but I'm pretty sure they won't miss another opportunity on getting something they can brag about."
Twilight gulped. Sunset snickered. "Oh don't be like that. I'm sure as long as we're around Celestia, I'm sure they'll behave. And hey, kids can be a lot of fun."
"If you say so..." Twilight said still unsure.
The two walked inside, following Celestia and Caring Heart down the hall. They didn't came far, before some foals and fillies came running down the stairs, playing a game of tag. The first foal came to an abrupt halt, causing the others to crash into him, as the princesses came into view.
"It's the princess!" One of the foals exclaimed. "The princess is back!"
Their game forgotten, the foals rushed forward until they almost crashed into the royals. Twilight instinctively took a few steps back. "Look another princess!"
"Are you going to adopt me?"
"Wow, a dragon!"
"Is he your pet?"
"Does he bite?"
"Hey, I'm not a pet!" Spike exclaimed, effectively scaring the foals, who were now all hiding behind Sunset.
"It's going to eat us!"
"Safe us princess!"
"Urgh..." Spike facepalmed, causing Twilight and Sunset to chuckle.
"Don't worry." Sunset ruffled one of the colt's manes. "Twilight trained him well. He's even toilette trained."
"Hey, what did I do to you?" Spike exclaimed, waving his tiny arms up and down.
A chuckle from the other end of the hall, caught the attention of everypony. Celestia and Caring Heart were standing at the end of said hall, watching the exchange. "Well then, if you two could please gather everypony? There's something I want to speak with Miss Heart about real quick."
"Okay." Sunset levitated one of the foals onto her back. "Alright, you heard your princess. Let's gather the others."
"Yay!"
The other foals looked up to Twilight with big puppy dog eyes. Letting out a sigh, Twilight levitated the other two foals onto her back. "Uff, why do I have to carry two and you only one?" Twilight complained.
"Tsk, tsk, Twilight. If you ever want to look as good as me, you need to do some workout."
"W-what?" The foals and Spike laughed at her, while Sunset gave Twilight an apologetic smile. Twilight in return pouted like a little filly.
Sunset still knew where the playroom was, so she walked ahead, leading Twilight and Spike just there. Before they reached the open double doors, they could already hear the fillies and colts laughing and occasionally a caretaker calling out one of the kiddies. Mentally bracing themselves for the attention they would be getting, the two alicorns and one dragon walked up and stopped at the door frame. The effect was almost immediate, as the foals stopped playing with each other, looking with wide eyes towards the two princesses.
Oh crap. I forgot I promised to bring chocolate. The yellow alicorn reminded herself of her promise. Luckily none of the children seemed to remember, as they were more surprised upon seeing not only one, but TWO princesses. Before anypony could say anything, the two princesses found themselves surrounded by fillies and colts, all wanting to get their attention. Neither could understand one word and it only got worse, as word spread out about the royal visit throughout the entire building. Soon there was no escape left for the two, not even through the air, since some of the young pegasi could already fly. The caretakers did their best to calm down everypony. It didn't work in the least. One of the fillies, who had a comb as a cutie mark, already started styling Twilight's tail, which the latter noticed a little too late, when the thing already had several knots and ribbons on it.
Twilight let out a shriek as she noticed what happened to her tail, causing the kids to erupt into loud laughter. Sunset suppressed her own laughing fit, thinking Twilight already had enough small humiliations for the day. Instead she helped her sister getting her tail back to what it used to be.
It wasn't until a princess Celestia appearance that things finally calmed down. Her mere presence had an effect on each of the foals somehow, calming everyone down in an instant. The caretakers silently sighed in relief, while bowing to their monarch. Caring Heart stood behind her, not really looking all that calm. In fact she looked like, when she first met Sunset Shimmer today.
"Now that everypony has calmed down" Celestia spoke in her usual motherly tone "I want to ask a question. Is everypony present?"
The caretakers looked around a little, before stating: "Y-yes. Everypony is here your highness."
"Excellent." Celestia made it herself as comfortable as possible on the ground, numerous foals surrounding her and leaning against her. Her daughters mirrored their mother and soon they found themselves used as makeshift pillows.
"Now then, I'm sure you're all quite surprised from our little visit. Well, I myself was surprised, when I found out that one of my daughters decided to help this orphanage. And how could she not, with such wonderful fillies and gentlecolts living here?" The sun princess nuzzled one of the smaller ones, causing the filly to giggle. "I have an idea, how about we read you a book and after this, you can ask question and we can also play a few games."
The kids cheered upon hearing that and immediately started to argue what story the princesses should read them. Before things got out of hoof, Celestia managed to calm everypony down, by doing it like in school: raising hooves and letting everyone speak. After gathering some ideas, the kids voted and chose a ponyfied version of Snow White. Heck, even the title was the same.
Every princess read one third of the story. And Twilight absolutely nailed it. She caught up everyone during the final act, raising her voice when necessary, increasing in pace during the chase scene of the evil queen. At the end, everypony stomped with their hooves, cheering on Twilight.
The second half of their stay, the princesses played with the kids, although Twilight did it rather reluctantly. Spike played the obvious game with everypony: being chased by a dragon. Celestia was reduced to a makeshift mountain, while Twilight somehow managed to gather a couple of kids into a corner and reading books for them.
As for Sunset, she played board games with everyone. She tried talking with the older orphans, but things got awkward the moment she spoke up, so she decided to try another time. She knew firsthoof that closing oneself off from everypony else was unhealthy. Sadly she didn't have the time today to actively try as the princesses and Spike needed to leave.
"It wasn't THAT bad."
"No, it was worse. How can our youth be so uneducated?!" Twilight complained.
"You can't expect everypony to be a genius." Sunset retorted. "This way." The fiery maned pony pointed at one direction. It was evening and the moon was about to be risen at any moment. Sunset wanted to show her sister the mirror, since Twilight also wanted to do some stargazing tonight, along with showing Sunset her own results of her research.
There weren't as many servants running around, as in the morning, but still occasionally the two would meet another pony. Spike was in Twilight's room, not in the mood to go into the cold cellar again.
"Yes, but still. I'm going to talk to mom about this. Who knows, I'm thinking about getting my own school and set a new standard. Maybe I should start with a grade school."
"Copycat."
Twilight simply stuck her tongue out.
Finally the two arrived at the storage room, where the mirror was located. Nopony seemed to have touched it ever since this morning.
"A mirror? That's what you wanted to show me?"
The other princess shook her head. "Not a simple mirror. I couldn't quite get enough information, but what I'm sure about is that this is a portal to another world. A parallel universe."
"A...a...PARALLEL UNIVERSE?!" Twilight exclaimed, gaping at the mirror. Sunset nodded, walking up towards the mirror. "Starswirl the Bearded used it to banish creatures known as the Siren's into a realm without magic, well supposedly without magic. The mirror activates only every 30 moons for 3 days. I personally speculate that there's not enough magic on the other side to keep it constantly open."
"This...is...AMAZING!" Twilight squealed. "Imagine what could be on the other side? We could come into contact with a complete alien species!"
"Yeah." Sunset chuckled. "Too bad the thing is closed and I have no idea when it's going to open. But I placed a charm that will inform me, when the thing is going to open."
"Really? Oh, you have to tell me, when it's going to open!" Twilight beamed with excitement.
"I will, don't worry." Sunset reassured. "So, you wanted to show me something? Uhh...I think I'll go to the little filly's room first."
This place has way too many hallways. Sunset complained inside her mind, as she finally had found her way to Twilight's personal chambers. They weren't that far away from her own, luckily. Just around the corner.
She was about to enter Twilight's room, when she heard she and Spike talking about her.
"-different. It's like she's a complete other pony!" Spike said, really loud.
"Oh Spike, you've read too many of those dumb science-fiction comics." Twilight replied. "Next you're going to say that she's been replaced with an alien."
"I'm not saying that, although it would be really cool." Spike's voice trailed off. "A-anyways, what I'm saying is that she's totally not herself. She's so...friendly! She didn't make any snark comments about the "lower class", she wasn't holding her head high, she gave a huge tip, she didn't try to incinerate me-"
"Spike, you're fireproof. You know she'd never hurt you on purpose. It's just....her kind of humor, that's all."
"Uh huh and the way she's acting?"
"Oh please, Spike. Sunset is always friendly and helpful."
"She's always friendly to YOU and ONLY YOU! I tell you there's something wrong with her."
"Well, maybe she's acting a little different. After all, she had a magic spell accident, which caused her to have slight temporary amnesia. But I wouldn't say she's changed to the extreme. Just a little confused. Anyways, I need to go now. Sunny and I are going to be stargazing!" Twilight squealed. "And then I'm going to tell her-"
Sunset could hear Spike's facepalm. "Again Twi? The mare in the moon? You really need to get out more often."
Twilight let out a huff. "You'll see, she is going to belief me. Now where..." The rest Sunset didn't understand, as she was rushing to her own room, quickly entering her own balcony and looking into the night-sky.
"Fuck me." the human curse slipped out.
What...just....okay. STAY CALM!! Plausible explanation: magic surge from the Sunset of this universe; I got here; mirror involvement; time travel? ...
This is just getting more and more messed up.
Okay, okay. Remember what Twilight told you. She was send to Ponyville, found the Elements of Harmony (pony and gems) and freed Princess (Aunt??) Luna. Bam, perfect fairy tail material. You'll just have to let it play out like it was supposed to be! ...
No, no. I'm not going to think about the possible changes my presence alone could cause. Not going to think about time paradoxes or anything-
"Sunset?" Twilight knocked at the door. "Are you in there?"
"Coming." Sunset calmed herself down as much as possible and then opened her door.
"Hey! ready to go?" Sunset asked, maybe a little too chipper. Luckily Twilight was just as excited.
"Of course! Let's go!"
"The mare in the moon?" Sunset asked, acting all oblivious. "I know you wouldn't bring an old pony's tale up, if you haven't found something important."
Twilight let out a sigh of relief. "Finally, somepony actually listening! I knew you would belief me."
"Easy there Twilight. So, what do you have?"
Along with star charts and a telescope, Twilight brought a tome with the legend of Nightmare Moon in it, along with some notes. Sunset placed herself next to Twilight in the grass field, as Twilight started explaining eyewitnesses accounts of the old days, diary entries, old history books, stories from mad ponies and how she gathered all the information together and sorted through. Much of it was just a bunch of hayseed, but even Sunset could see the pattern Twilight found.
"On the thousandth day..." Sunset said slowly "that is..., when exactly?"
Twilight levitated a stack of papers over, showing multiple calculations. "It's on the day of the Summer Sun Celebration in two weeks."
Two weeks?! Sunset exclaimed in her mind. We have two weeks to prepare ourselves for a mad goddess, ready to cause a nuclear winter?!?!?! Sweet Celestia... "Guess we're going to meet aunty soon..." Sunset joked half heartily.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Twilight asked confused. Her sister needed to resist the urge to facehoof. It was so obvious, how could she have overlooked it?
"Alright Twi. In the story, there're two alicorns. One raises the sun and one the moon. One gets banished. Who raises the sun and moon today?"
Twilight's face paled.
"My daughters" Celestia sighed, as she watched the two from her hidden spot "so smart. Maybe a little too smart." she chuckled dryly. "Both have the potential to become the Element of Magic. But...no. I can't endanger them. Not my own daughters." Celestia looked up to the moon. "Maybe I don't have to..." |
Confusing Reality | Celestia's plan, Sunset's convinience | Sunset was woken up by one of the castle maids the next morning. Groggily she rose her head, to see just who interrupted her sleep and found said maid looking at her fearfully.
"Wazzup?" she asked in a sleep drunk state.
"E-excuse me your highness, b-but I w-was instructed t-t-to wake you up."
"Huh...?" Sunset yawned and looked over to her nightstand, only to be reminded that she wasn't in her apartment anymore, where normally her electronic clock was. "What time is it?"
"It's 11 'o' clock, your highness."
"What?!" The alicorn now fully awake, threw the blankets of her body and stumbled out of her bed. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?" she asked the mare, who winced in return.
"I-I'm sorry, your highness. T-the princess, Princess Celestia I mean, asked us to let you and your sister sleep in a little, after your late night study session."
"Oh." Sunset calmed down, letting out another yawn. "Oh mare, sorry. Well, thanks for waking me up. Probably would have slept until tomorrow otherwise." Sunset chuckled heading towards the bathroom, preparing herself for the day. When she came out, she surprisingly found out that the maid already made her bed. Must be normal to be woken up by a maid. At least for a princess.
Walking outside, the alicorn found herself with a problem: she didn't remember where the dining room was in this maze of hallways. She ended up wandering around for a bit, until she accidentally bumped into Twilight.
"Ow. Oh sorry Twi, wasn't looking where I was going."
"Morning Sunset. It's alright. Wait, where are you going? I thought you were already with mom at breakfast." Twilight titled her head.
"Oh...uh...that! I was, yeah, I wanted to get you. See if you were alright. It was...exciting yesterday after all." Sunset stammered.
Twilight seemed satisfied with this answer. "Excited. I guess that's one way of putting it. Who'd have thought our aunt is the mare in the moon?" she asked, looking with worry at her older sister. Sunset felt the urge to do something and wrapped her leg around her younger sister's neck. "It'll be alright. Knowing Celestia she already has a plan. Most likely she didn't plan on telling us until "the time was right" or something like that." she couldn't help, but roll her eyes. Twilight giggled at this.
"Yeah, that sounds like mom alright." Twilight replied.
The two walked down the hallway, Sunset making sure Twilight was "leading" them. "Still, it's so annoying that she always does that. What if one of her plans go wrong and we don't have all the information we need?"
I didn't know Twilight was annoyed about this too. She sounded almost too loyal to Celestia last time I spoke to her. But then again, "here" they are...WE are family. "Which is why we're going to talk to her now." the older sibling said out loud. "By the way, where's Spike?"
"Already awake. I think I saw him outside, reading a comic. He said we were "overreacting" and "over-analyzing" things." the lavender alicorn flared her nostrils a little.
2 minutes later the two arrived at the dining hall. Celestia was already waiting for them, sitting in the middle of the table. "Ah, good morning my daughters. Did you two sleep well?" the oldest princess asked.
"Just fine." Twilight replied.
"Had a weird dream, where Twilight chased me around and then hypnotized me with some weird rainbow magic into "joining the herd" or something. Must have eaten something wrong yesterday."
Celestia shook her head at that. Her daughters took place on each side of her, not knowing how to start up the conversation. They both simply started with their breakfast, glancing at each other every now and then. To their surprise, it was eventually Celestia who broke the silence.
"I assume you have questions regarding your aunt, don't you?"
Twilight choked on her breakfast, while Sunset took a spit take. "You were spying on us?!" the older sibling accused her mother.
"I happened to pass by in the royal gardens and overheard your conversation. I'm sorry." Immediately after hearing this, Sunset looked down, realizing she overreacted. Celestia wrapped her wings around her and Twilight. "It's alright. I do owe you two an explanation."
She took in a deep breath. "You see, as you two already found out, the story about Nightmare Moon is all true. 1000 years ago I...I banished my own sister to the moon." Although Twilight knew this already, hearing this straight from the source was another thing altogether. She wrapped her fore legs and wings around Celestia. Sunset copied her sister, after seeing her doing this. The alicorn of the sun pulled her daughters in front of her, looking them straight in the eyes.
"I...I was a fool. I should have noticed what Luna was going through, yet at this time I wasn't as experienced as I am today. I waved her off, when she looked for aid by me, claiming to be too busy running the country. Now it didn't happen over night, but gradually Luna would become more and more distant. Being the ignorant fool I was at the time, I thought everything with Luna had been cleared up."
"But it wasn't, was it?" Sunset asked.
"One night, she refused to lower the moon. I learned an important lesson that night: nothing is more important than family. Luna's emotions had overwhelmed and corrupted her, turning her into Nightmare Moon. Surprised and desperate, I used the Elements of Harmony in order to clean her of her own corruption. But you see, when the two of us first found the elements, three of them were bound to me and the other three were bound to her. I wasn't...let's call it in sync with them, resulting in Luna being banished to the moon."
She hugged her daughters tighter. "Afterwards the elements abandoned me. To this day they don't see me worthy of bearing them. Originally I planned on finding the new element bearers and have them cure my sister."
"Originally?" Twilight asked.
Celestia nodded grimly. "I realized that I simply can't risk the lives of our subject because I was a bad sister. No, when Luna returns...I will be facing her."
"WHAT?!" Twilight and Sunset exclaimed.
Seeing the upcoming protests, Celestia hold their mouths shut with her magic. "Please, I had 1000 years to prepare for this day. I have become significantly stronger this millennium. I will subdue Luna and cure her without the elements if I have to. I know you two are worried and I know what you're thinking, but no. You won't be participating in this fight."
"MMMPHHMPPHMMHMMM!" The two younger alicorns protested.
"No." Celestia stated firmly. "I won't risk your lives as well. You're no match for a thousand year old alicorn, no matter how outdated her knowledge around spells might be." She released her daughters from the spell, which kept them quiet, more or less.
Sunset and Twilight took in a deep breath. "But, there's got to be a way er can help!" both exclaimed at the same time. Looking at each other the two couldn't help but giggle. The good mood dropped as soon as it came though.
"Last time you used the Elements of Harmony." Sunset argued. "If they don't listen to you, we might be able to find someone else who can use them."
"No." Celestia didn't hesitate a second. "I will NOT bring any innocent into immediate danger. Actually what you can do is keeping the population calm, while I fight Nightmare Moon over the Everfree Forest. Once I secured and sedated her, we'll bring her to Canterlot and THEN we can look for potential Element Bearers." Celestia's voice was one of authority. Clearly she was not accepting a "no" as an answer.
Sunset was torn between raising an objection and simply letting go. This was not the Celestia she remembered. The Celestia she remembered would have waved everything off, probably made something up about inventing the legend herself and arranged something so they both would end up in Ponyville for the Summer Sun Celebration. Looking over, Sunset found that Twilight was thinking along the same lines. Of course she didn't know who the Element Bearers were.
In the end, Sunset sighed. "If you end up on the sun, I'm gonna eat your entire cake stash."
Celestia smiled again. "I'll keep that in mind." She looked over to Twilight, who still seemed to struggle with her own thoughts. But in the end, she sunk her head and nodded. Celestia pulled both of her daughters into a hug again.
"Thank you. I know this is not easy for you two, but I promise everything will be fine."
"Can you tell us about her? About our aunt, I mean." Twilight asked.
Celestia sighed. "Not now, sadly. It has to be in the evening. I decided to prepare everything for the Summer Sun Celebration today, so I can use the rest of the days until then to prepare...for her return." Celestia took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"Oh, alright." Twilight sounded pretty disappointed.
"Now then, Sunset, I managed to get you an appointment with the manager of Canterlot's best renovation/restoration companies. He's waiting for you in the court waiting lobby. Twilight, I actually want you to help me prepare the Celebration. I had some documents about Ponyville brought into your room."
"Why would you hold the celebration in Ponyville?" Twilight asked.
"Oh, incidentally, a hundred years ago...I think, my memory is a little fuzzy on that one, Ponyville was founded. It is a little promise I made with the families back then. Also, the Everfree Forest is closer to Ponyville. As I said,I want you to keep the citizens of Ponyville calm-"
"Now hold on a minute." Sunset spoke up. "Earlier you said we should keep the civilians calm and now you're saying the citizens of Ponyville? Isn't at least one of us staying in Canterlot?"
"Oh don't worry. I've thought about this already. Now I need to go. I see you two in the evening." Celestia hugged her daughters one last time (because she felt she didn't do this enough in their entire lifetime) and left for the Royal Court. Once she was outside, Sunset stomped with her hoof on the ground.
"Bullshit!"
"Sunset?!"
Said mare was walking up and down in the middle of the dining hall. "That's never gonna work out! We need the Elements and she knows it!"
Twilight just watched her sister letting out some steam for the next minute, until the older sibling finally calmed down. The younger sibling approached Sunset and nuzzled her gently on the neck. "Hey, it's gonna be alright. I mean it's mom we're talking about. When was the last time one of her plans didn't work?"
Sunset breathed in and out. "I know, it's just....urgh. I'm just worried, you know?"
"I know. I'm worried too, but we have to have faith in mom." Twilight smiled reassuringly.
"Yeah, guess you're right." Sunset nodded. "Still...I think we should find out as much as possible about the Elements of Harmony, just to be on the safe side."
"Hmm... I guess it can't hurt to look into it." Twilight acknowledged. "I guess the two of us better get going then. The sooner we're finished, the sooner we can find out about the Elements."
"Yeah, agreed. Uh...could you point me to the direction of the waiting lobby? My memory is still a tad unreliable about the castle." Sunset said sheepishly, causing Twilight to frown.
"It's down the hall, to the right and then straight ahead. You know, if your memories don't come back the next couple of days, we should probably have you checked over with the doctors."
The pony Sunset met up was an older brown stallion, with yellow eyes and a measuring tape as a cutie mark. His darker brown mane and tale were a mess. His cutie mark was a measuring tape.
"Ah, princess." The stallion bowed. "I'm Straight Measure, a pleasure to meet you."
"Likewise." Sunset replied. "So, your company is supposed to restore the orphanage. Have you already taken a look at things."
The stallion shook his head. "I'm sorry your highness, but the order came in yesterday evening. I didn't have the time to take a look at things."
"Well, what are we waiting for then? Let's get going." Sunset walked ahead, not even looking if the stallion was following her. About twenty minutes later (of walking and ignoring onlookers) they arrived in front of the orphanage.
"Well, I say, it certainly can use some paint." The stallion said, looking at the building from the outside. "Looks like it's at least 40 or so years old."
"Let's get inside. I'll get the manager and then we can look around."
Walking inside, Sunset immediately walked down towards Caring Heart's office. Sunset knocked at the door for three times, before Caring from the inside called: "Enter."
"Princess? Ah, are you here with the construction pony?"
"How'd you know?" Sunset titled her head.
"Princess Celestia told me you'd come today. Where is the pony, by the way?" Caring stepped away from her desk.
"Just down the hall." She nodded with her head. "Should we go?"
"Yes, let's." Caring agreed.
Caring Heart noted that the stallion looked at things the same way the princess did last time. And like the princess he took notes and probably noticed a few more things than the princess. The foals and fillies luckily were all at school, so they could look around without being interrupted.
It took them one and a half hours until the stallion was satisfied with his observations. They were now back in Caring Heart's office, drinking tea, while the stallion explained his findings.
"Welp, it's not as bad as I thought it would be, so I guess that is a plus." The stallion chuckled lamely. "The minus however, well, where's no minus is the question? I'll be honest, I'm very close to just bring down the entire building and build a new one on top of it."
"That's out of the question." Caring Heart spoke up immediately. "The other orphanages just don't have the space to hold so many foals for such a long time."
The stallion shrugged and looked at his notes again. "Well, luckily none of the walls have water damage or anything similar, though we would have to replace the pipes, I recommend new kitchen equipment, the floors, we need to close off one of the staircases...it would be a lot cheaper to just build a new building."
"Money is not the problem." Sunset interjected. Although with the way I spent it, I'll be broke pretty soon if I'm not careful. I better take a look at my account data later.
"How long would it take to renovate the entire building?"
"A couple of months, at least. However..." the stallion thought for a bit. "If you could relocate the children temporarily, I'm confident we can do it in a month, a month and two weeks at most."
Sunset raised an eyebrow at that. She knew that ponies were far dedicated in their work than humans and doing a trashy job for the princess would not look good for their company.
"Hmm, well Celestia said you are the best company in Canterlot. That still leaves us with the problem on where to with the kids."
Caring and Sunset frowned. Where to indeed? Sunset thought about bringing them to the castle, but who knew what kind of trouble that idea would bring with it? Sunset's vision trailed around the room, until it landed on the desk, where a bunch of unopened letters and flyers were located.
Looks like Caring Heart didn't have the chance to look through her mail as of yet. One of the flyers picked her curiosity, so she levitated it over and read the content.
"Summer Camp in the White Tail Woods.
Eh....hmmm.......huh?
Fillies and foals with have a chance to witness the Summer Sun Celebration in Ponyville!"
Well, isn't that convenient? Either fate is screwing with me or I seriously should consider starting to gamble. |
Confusing Reality | Ponyville (1) | "Hey Twi!" Sunset slammed Twilight's door open and entered the room. She heard a strange noise coming from behind the door and on a whim, decided to check.
"Woops. Sorry Spike." Sunset helped the little dragon up, picking up some papers along the way.
"Sunset? What are you doing here?" Twilight got up from her desk and walked over to her sister. "What are you doing here?"
"Little change of plans. They say they can fix the house in a month and a half, but only if the kids and everypony else are out."
"Don't tell me you want them to stay here?" Twilight asked.
"Nah, don't wanna know what kind of stories would appear if I did that." Sunset shook her head. "No I got an idea, but I want to check it out first." she showed Twilight the flyer, who picked it up with her magic.
"Are you sure about this?" Twilight asked.
"I checked. Whitetail is in the other direction of Ponyville. I actually hope to get there today, but I gotta talk to Celestia first."
"Today? You could simply go tomorrow, you know." Twilight pointed out.
"I could, but I have not really much to do here. Besides, I might be able to find something out in Ponyville about the Elements. Besides, if this really works out then I'm going to travel between Canterlot and Ponyville a few more times, so I might as well get started today."
"Do you really have to?" Twilight asked, her ears lying on her head. "This comes a little out of the blue."
"A little?" Spike asked. "It's practically coming out of nowhere! The ponies won't even know that you're coming! Imagine how they're going to react!" the dragon exclaimed, throwing his tiny arms up.
"Oh, come on." Sunset rolled her eyes. "What are they going to do? Go into a stampeding panic?"
Surprisingly, Celestia had no objections towards Sunset's plans. In fact she even praised her daughter for being so dedicated towards her new responsibilities. So now she was sitting in the royal chariot, Caring Heart couldn't come along, and watching the Equestrian landscape from above. She never actually had the chance to see any landscape from above. After all, Sunset never had a reason to enter a plane. Besides, she didn't trust those things.
Sunset sighed, thinking of the human world again. When she woke up today, she hoped it had all been just a dream, but as it turned out it wasn't, meaning her friends didn't remember her at all. Sure it was a good opportunity to start over and not be a bitch, but still, Sunset needed to find out what the hell was going on. Even if it meant that her friends were probably living a better life right now...
"Woah."
"Sorry, your highness!" One of the pegasi called back. "But we're here!" The guards had started going down, throwing Sunset off balance a little. Luckily she didn't fall off or else things would have gotten nasty. The chariot landed a little outside of the center of the town, in order to not draw too much attention.
Sunset got off the chariot. "Thanks for the ride."
"Any time your majesty." the guards took off.
Sunset took in a deep breath and looked around. "So, this is Ponyville?" So far she only saw a few small houses and a little shop called Quills and Sofas. There weren't many ponies around and so far none of them seemed to have noticed her, either chatting with each other or going after their daily lives.
Sunset decided to walk off. She had to go to the town hall, but that wasn't her only destination for today. Her mind was absolutely settled on bringing the foals here, it was only a matter of formalities. Once she had done that, she could finally look for the other five Element Bearers.
The town hall was actually hard to miss, since it seemed to be the tallest building in town. In order to get there, Sunset had to walk down the "Mane Street." Sometimes she wanted to jump off a cliff, because of the amount of horse puns in Equestria. Fun fact of the week, she didn't even notice those until she lived for a month on Earth.
Of course a princess just casually walking down the streets of Ponyville wouldn't go unnoticed for very long. Gasps and whispers echoed throughout the street, as the alicorn just continued on her way, trying to ignore the other ponies around her. That wasn't of course an option anymore, when ponies started bowing to her. Sighing Sunset turned towards the townsponies.
"H-hey..." Oh mare, this is embarrassing. "...look. There's no need to bow or anything. I'm just here for a little visit. ...
Please, just go on with whatever you were going to do. It'll be easier for all of us."
The ponies seemed still unsure and Sunset added practicing speeches to her mental list of things she had to learn. She walked inside the town hall, hoping the locals would just go away once she was out of sight. Inside the Town Hall consisted of nothing more than, well, a huge hall and in the back was the actual office of the mayor. Sunset knocked at the door and waited for a response.
An older looking mare opened the door from the inside. Her eyes looked like they were about to fall out, when she noticed the crown princess standing in front of her office.
"P-P-Princess!!" the mayor exclaimed, bowing immediately, resulting in her head hitting only the half opened door. Sunset suppressed a laugh to the best of her abilities.
"Are you alright?" she asked amused none the less.
"Y-y-yes, your highness. Not a problem at all." the mayor replied hastily. "P-please come in. I-I'm sorry for no proper welcome-"
"It's alright and calm down, please." Sunset interrupted the mayor. "It's no problem, really. I didn't plan on coming here until a few hours ago." she placed herself on the chair in front of the mayor's desk and said mayor got back to her place, almost being like a stick standing upright on a chair. The princess frowned inwardly.
"Seriously, calm down." she couldn't help but say, only causing in the mayor to flinch. Sighing, the alicorn went straight to business, figuring the faster the better. "You see, I've recently acquired an orphanage."
"Y-yes, it was in the newspaper."
"Really?" Sunset ears flickered. "I missed that one out. You'd think there're more important things to report...anyway. The building itself seriously needs renovation however. It'll go faster if it's done without the kids inside. There's just a problem. Finding a place in Canterlot for so many kids, assuring that their education is still on par with others...eh...good luck." Sunset didn't even need to check. Back when she was young, she overheard the adults talking about the situation of orphanages in Canterlot. She considered transferring, but that was out of the question, once she gathered that information and actually asked a few of the adults.
"I-I see." the mayor nodded. "Although, I don't think we have the necessary means to house that many children. A full orphanage..."
"Actually, I don't plan on keeping them in a house per say" Sunset brought up the summer camp flyer. "Your town offers Summer Camp for the time of the Summer Sun Celebration in the Whitetail Woods. I would need to request for the camp to be extended for a few weeks. I heard the entire renovations will take one month and a half."
The mayor looked at the flyer and then at the princess. "Y-yes, I think we could manage that. Well, normally. If we would have the funds..."
"I swear, I'm going to empty my bank account at this rate."
The mayor looked up at the princess. "So, you're going to..."
"Yeah." This is gonna hurt my purse, but if I hold back next month I should make up for a good portion of what I spent already. Getting paid just for being royal, sure has its advantages. "It's no problem. It's for the kids after all. So, you said you can manage it?"
"Well, we'll have to add a few more tents. And some volunteers to look after the children." the mayor commented.
"The staff from the orphanage can do this. A few teachers are under them as well. Outdoor teaching may not be as efficient, but, better than no teaching I guess." Sunset shrugged.
"Actually princess, we might use the town hall for this. It is rarely used anyway."
"Thanks mayor. That'll help significantly.
Hmmm....I think that's all for now. I'll see to it that you'll receive the funds soon and next time I'll be bringing the manager of the orphanage along in order to clear out the details. Aside from that, do you have anything to add?"
"A couple of things, but...yes, I think we should talk about them later. Are you going back to Canterlot now?"
"No, I still wanted to take a look around town. My chariot only comes in the evening. Oh yeah." Sunset facehoofed. "We should decide now when we're going to discuss everything."
"Oh yes, certainly. Let me take a quick look in my schedule...I am free the day after tomorrow."
Sunset nodded. "Yes, that works out. I'll be off then. Maybe we run into each other today? Goodbye Mayor."
"Goodbye princess." the mayor bowed.
"Oh yes, one last thing. Could you point me the way towards Carousel Boutique?"
"Huh, doesn't look all that much different from Rarity's other place." Sunset commented. The best way to really deal with onlookers was to ignore them entirely. Using that strategy, Sunset found herself in front of Carousel Boutique about ten minutes later.
After getting a good look at the building, Sunset stepped inside, a little bell signaling her entrance. Looking around there was no sign of Rarity. A few pony mannequins were standing around, wearing dresses Rarity designed. They looked awesome, but weren't really what the alicorn was looking for.
The sound of hoofsteps drew Sunset's attention away from the ponyquins.
"Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where everything is- is. is- PRINCESS SUNSET SHIMMER?!" the unicorn Rarity exclaimed and bowed immediately, yet still gracefully. "Welcome to my humble shop, Princess. Please tell me, what can I do for you, your highness?"
Sunset noted that Rarity was handling the stress of meeting a princess way better than anypony else so far. She was nervous, but there was also an exciting glimmer in her eyes. Pinkie would probably say that Rarity was nervousxited.
"Well obviously I'm here to do some shopping." Sunset smiled. "I've heard of your skills you see and decided, why not check it out? I mean, seriously, everything I've seen in Canterlot looks like it's been copied almost ten times." Canterlot City that is.
"To be a little more precise, I have actually two requests. Do you have a pencil and paper by any chance?"
"Certainly, your highness. May I ask what you need them for?"
"You'll see."
Rarity quickly fetched a pencil and levitated it over to Sunset Shimmer. "I'm not really an artist..." she mumbled as she drew a black jacket on the paper. At certain points she made an arrow, pointing towards the word "button".
"It's..." Rarity couldn't find the words.
"Simplistic? Uncouth for a princess? Disastrous?" Sunset offered with a chuckle. Rarity wasn't inclined to answer to this one. "It's my personal style and I'm not going to let it be dictated by what others think is "in" or "out"."
"I...see." Rarity replied. "Well, this shouldn't be a problem at all. You had a second request?"
"Yes and this one should be more to your liking. You see," Sunset stepped forward "I want you to design a dress for me by using your imagination."
"P-pardon?" Rarity stuttered
"I'll leave the design of the dress and everything included to you. Surprise me."
Maybe Sunset should have brought the news over in a more sensitive way, because Rarity looked like her brain looked like it just shut down. Sunset got a little concerned, until Rarity finally snapped back to reality. "Of course! Don't worry Princess! The dress shall be done to your liking!" she said determined. "Now please, if you would step up to the podium, so I may be able to take your measurements." Rarity levitated over a measuring tape.
Sunset stepped onto the podium, as Rarity said and waited patiently for the fashionista to take all needed measurements from the princess. The alicorn had the feeling the unicorn was taking her time. The Rarity from the human world would be done within 2 to 5 minutes, plus the additional chit chat. Here Rarity was taking her sweet time and was not even talking. Something new for Sunset was that Rarity also needed to take her wingspan, although it only made sense.
"There, we're finished here princess."
"Thanks. I would love to stay for a little longer, but I have some more things to do today. Though, I'll come back here the next few days, so maybe we'll run into each other again. How long will it take you to finish these orders?"
"Oh well...it's a little early to say, but...I assume..."
"Rarity"
"Y-yes?"
"Take your time." Sunset advised. "And please, don't stress yourself out just because I'm a princess. Well then, goodbye for now."
Sunset left Rarity at her boutique. Now all alone the first thing that came to the unicorn's mind was freaking out, nut then something else shoved itself in front of her thoughts. "I never told her my name." |
Confusing Reality | Ponyville (2) | Okay, how hard can it be to find a bragging, rainbow maned pegasus? Oh right, she's a lazy, bragging, rainbow maned pegasus. How could I forget? Sunset blew a raspberry, looking around for anything cyan colored in the air. The Rainbow Dash from the other world always used every moment to fly around, when she was transformed. So naturally, this Rainbow Dash must love flying as well.
Since she had been searching for a good thirty minutes without as much as a clue of where Rainbow Dash could be, Sunset decided to ask around. By sheer coincidence, she just happened to be next to the most "abstract" building in town, which was a bakery by coincidence and thought she might as well get something to bite.
The inside at least looked more like a standard cafe. The decor was still in the same candy like style, like the building looked from the outside, but no way near as excessive. There were a couple of customers inside, all of them going silent as soon as the princess entered the building, making Sunset Shimmer almost regret her decision for a quick snack.
Ignoring the stares she was getting, Sunset was becoming really good at this, the alicorn arrived at the empty counter and pressed the little bell on the table. Two seconds later a blue mare, who was a little chubby, came out of the kitchen. Sunset raised an eyebrow upon recognizing Mrs. Cake, but shrugged it off pretty quickly.
Mrs. Cake professional smile vanished in an instant from her face and was replaced with one that just saw the end of the world standing at her counter. "P-P-P-Princess!!" The older mare exclaimed, appearing as fast as a teleporting unicorn on the other side of the counter. "W-what can I bring you princess?"
"Umm...I think I'll simply take one of your eclairs. Whoa!"
As quickly as not Pinkie Pie possible Mrs. Cake had produced the treat on top of the counter, surprising the alicorn princess a little. Acting as if nothing happened, Sunset Shimmer quickly produced the bits necessary and presented them in front of the eerily grinning mare. Resisting the urge to slowly walk backwards, she asked the baker: "Do you happen to know where I can find Rainbow Dash?"
"Rainbow Dash? W-why yes, she's the local head weather mare. She lives on the west side of Ponyville, in her cloud house, though normally you can find her flying around town at this time of the day."
"Yes, well, I have been looking for her all around town, but so far no luck. Aside from her home, is there a spot in town she really likes?"
Mrs. Cake put a hoof under her chin, thinking about the question. Nervously she shook her head.
"I-I'm sorry, Princess Sunset Shimmer, but I can't think of anything."
"Tough luck. Thanks anyways." Sunset grabbed the eclair with her magic and took a bite. "Mmh, this is really good." she said with her mouth full. Turning around, she waved casually and trotted away.
Outside Sunset all too quickly finished the tasty pastry. She considered getting herself more, but quickly lost that train of thought, when somepony bumped into her from the side. Quickly catching herself, she turned around and found a particular pink pony was lying on her back. The earth pony rolled on her hooves and jumped up.
"Whoopsie!! Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going." Pinkie Pie dusted her legs off and then looked at Sunset. A sudden sense of dread entered the alicorn's mind, when she found Pinkie's eyes shrink to pinpricks.
"You!" she pointed her hoof at the princess. Onlookers started with their last prayers.
"Me?"
"Yes, you!" Pinkie Pie confirmed, her face completely serious. For a fleeting moment, Sunset was sure that the pink mare, bysome divine intervention, also knew the original timeline or reality and was about to beat the alicorn senseless, then tie her up and bring her to some kind of party torture chamber. Or possibly cupcakes.
"You are a new pony!!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.
Now Sunset was just utterly confused.
"So?"
"That means I have to throw you a 'Welcome to Ponyville Party'!!"
A party, of course. Should have figured, it's Pinkie Pie after all.
"And it's the first time I'm gonna be throwing a party for a princess! That demands another party!"
"Actually-"
"Oh, I have an idea! We could throw a double party!"
Sunset smiled, knowingly. She put a hoof on Pinkie Pie's shoulder, in order to get the attention of the earth pony.
"Belief me, I would love to go to the party, but I just don't have the time today."
Pinkie's smile dropped immediately. "Aw really?"
"Hey, no frowny face." the princess chided playfully. "You know, the day before the Summer Sun Celebration, me and my sister will come here with a huge group of foals and fillies from Canterlot. How about you prepare a party for then?"
Sunset watched with interest and a little fear, as the mind of the party pony was processing the information. Her head was ticking like a clock, until it was straight up again with the biggest grin on the face, Pinkie Pie could possibly muster.
"That sounds like a super terrific idea! I have to start working immediately! Oh and Rainbow Dash is at Hay Burgers just down the road." Having her lines said, Pinkie Pie immediately disappeared into Sugercube Corner, leaving a dusk cloud that was shaped like her. For a moment Sunset considered going back inside and asking Pinkie as to how she knew the alicorn was looking for Rainbow Dash, but in all actuality, she already knew the answer. THAT creepy smile.
Rainbow Dash was sitting on an outside table at the burger joint and enjoying her all too delicious hay burger.
Nope, don't think about it Sunset. Gotta keep your figure in check.
"Excuse me, Rainbow Dash, is it?" Sunset spoke up.
The pegasus head turned around, speaking something incomprehensible, since her mouth was full. The magenta eyes of said pegasus widened, when she saw she accidentally spit a princess in the face. Swallowing her food, the mare gave a weak grin.
"Hehehe...sorry, your princesshood?"
Being diligent, Sunset both facehoofed and wiped the spit filled food off her face. "Whatever. I was looking for you."
"For me?" Rainbow Dash seemed ecstatic.
"Yes you. Would you mind finishing up and meet me at the edge of the Everfree? There's something I need to talk with you about."
"...Sure?" Rainbow answered.
"Great. See you there, slowpoke." the princess mock-grinned and teleported away.
Sunset didn't have to wait long. A rainbow streak was coming at her at very high speed and it didn't seem to slow down anytime soon. In fact, the yellow mare was ready to cast a shield spell, when the streak hit the ground, throwing up dust and dirt everywhere.
Oh dear Celestia, she looks pissed.
"What did you say about me?" Rainbow asked in a dangerously low voice.
"Oh jeez, don't take it personally. It was just a joke." Sunset tried to defuse the situation.
It seemed to work on Rainbow Dash, as the mare cooled down and even smiled. "Hehe, and I thought you high and mighty ponies were all just a bunch of stuck up jerks. Eh, no offense."
"None taken." Sunset smiled, knowing full well what the pegasus was talking about. "I have met some of those stuck-up jerks myself. They're really annoying. But enough of this. The reason I wanted to talk to you is...well..." she rubbed the back of her head "I need your help."
"One of the princesses needs MY help?" Rainbow asked, before flying three quick loops and landing in front of Sunset Shimmer. "Rainbow Dash, reporting for duty, ma'am." she saluted.
Sunset couldn't help but laugh. "Easy there Dash, This isn't some dangerous mission, more like a personal favor."
The disappointment was present all over the pegasus' face.
"You see, I recently cast a spell...oh mare this is embarrassing to say. Okay, I'll be blunt. The spell backfired, I lost a good junk of my memory and somehow my muscle memory on certain parts got affected too."
"Uh...meaning?" Rainbow asked.
"I...don't know how to fly and need you to teach me, because I promised a filly I would take her on a ride on her birthday, which is in a couple of days."
Rainbow Dash's face froze upon hearing those words. The not want to be princess was sure that the cyan pegasus would laugh over the alicorn's misfortune, maybe make a stupid comment or two. What she didn't expect was Rainbow's face to harden and take a good, measuring look at Sunset.
"Damn, you're really tough." she commented. "Most pegasi I know would be really depressed if they lost their ability to fly. Don't worry, princess. You can count on me. Though, why are ya asking me of all ponies? Couldn't you like ask a guard or a Wonderbolt?"
Despite how she sometimes acts, she's not stupid at all.
"It's simple, really. A good friend of mine has described you as the best flier in all of Equestria. And I would trust that friend with my life."
"The best flier in Equestria? Of course, makes total sense! Don't worry, princess. We'll get you back in shape in no time at all! No, scratch that! When we're done, you'll be even better at this!"
At the end of the day, Sunset had way more respect for peagasi fillies and colts learning on how to fly. Rainbow's method of teaching or re-teaching, as Rainbow put it, was basically the way bird mothers taught their little ones on how to fly. Meaning, throwing the princess off the cliff or cloud or whatever the pegasus could find.
Aside from having a few close calls, Rainbow Dash actually let the princess crash into the ground. The first time that happened, Sunset was sure she had broken a few bones.
"What the hell Rainbow?! Are you insane?!?!"
"Oh relax, princess." the pegasus had replied. "I'll catch you, when it really gets dangerous. But, I guess you're right. It's time for some wing push-ups."
Now, the alicorn had always kept herself in shaped, but there was only so far the alicorn could push herself. Her wings were sore after they were down with the push-ups and continued straight with trying to get off the ground. And hey, she actually managed to get off the ground. Only to fall straight back at her stomach, when Sunset's stamina was finally drained.
"All right, five minute break."
"You know, I could always try a levitation spell..."
"Nope! No getting out of this princess!" Rainbow grinned, flying overhead, while the princess was walking on the ground.
"Urgh and what kind of torture lesson do you have for me now? Escaping a bunch of dragons?"
"Nah." Rainbow Dash waved off. "That comes tomorrow."
"Very funny." Sunset groaned, when her wings aching got worse again. "So where are we going?"
"To my friend, Fluttershy."
Sunset almost stopped in her tracks, but continued. "Fluttershy?"
"Yeah. She's not really good at flying, but she got this paste, which she always put on my wing muscles after training. She said it relaxes them. Plus, she's really good at massages."
"Alright." Huh, didn't know that. And I really could use a massage. I just hope Fluttershy won't faint, when she sees me.
Soon enough, a cottage came into view, one that had a small stream in front of it and a lot of animals occupying the surrounding area. Said animals didn't pay the two ponies much mind and just went on with whatever they were doing, be it flying, swimming, singing or just lazing around.
I wonder what would have happened if the mirror didn't turn me into a human and I would have met Fluttershy first.
Rainbow Dash flew a ahead and knocked at Fluttershy's door. Before Sunset arrived on hoof, the door opened. She wasn't close enough to hear anything, because it was Fluttershy speaking there. However, she could understand the last thing she said before fully opening the door.
"O-okay. I'll help the pony, if she doesn't mind, that is."
"Thanks Shy. Just, please don't freak out."
"Freak out?" the other pegasus asked, before Sunset Shimmer came into her view. Immediately the shy mare's eyes widened, after which she let out her trademark "EEP" and threw herself to the ground. Sunset gave Rainbow a look, who smiled apologetically.
The situation reminded Sunset way too much of her early days at Canterlot High and how she treated Fluttershy there. Walking up to the mare, the princess spoke in a soft tone to the trembling mare.
"Hey, there's no need to bow, really."
Fluttershy remained in the bowing position, still shaking in fear.
"There's no need to be afraid, really." the alicorn tried to reassure, now standing in front of the pegasus. Fluttershy did look up, but couldn't suppress the escaping whimper.
Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Sunset pondered.
Frowning, Rainbow Dash stepped between the princess and her best friend. "Sorry princess. Can you give us like five minutes or so?" the pegasus asked, wrapping a wing around Fluttershy.
"Sure. Take all the time you need. Maybe I should go for now anyways. My chariot arrives in 30 minutes or so anyways. I, owe, think I'll manage a little bit of pain until then. Ow."
Sunset winced at her aching wing muscles. Suddenly she wished she could teleport all the way back to Canterlot, but it seemed even alicorns had their limits. Turning around, she also accidentally slammed her left leg against the door frame, leaving a rather huge splinter in her foreleg.
"Ow! Shit! That was stupid..." she cursed, removing the splinter with her magic.
Rainbow Dash snickered at the misfortune of the other pony, whereas Fluttershy on the other hand, got up from her crouching position and flew to the alicorn.
"Oh dear, let me have a look at this." And before anyone could react, the shyest mare in all of Equestria held Sunset's leg with her own two forelegs, carefully removing fur and was inspecting the wound.
"Oh dear me. Looks like there some tiny splinters left. We have to remove them, carefully."
It just then so happened that Fluttershy realized as to what she was doing. With another trademark "EEP" she let go of the leg and went straight back to the ground. Rainbow just groaned at this point.
"I-I'm so sorry, princess." the pegasus whimpered, having her wings fold over her eyes. "Please don't throw me into the dungeon."
"Shy, I tell you the princess ain't like that." Rainbow tried to explain. "She's really cool."
Fluttershy looked up again, her face showing still feat, despite her best friend's reassurance. The alicorn couldn't stand seeing her friend like this anymore and decided to do something about it, remembering her own past.
It had only been a few days since the Fall Formal and once again Sunset was alone in the library, crying to herself in a corner. She knew full well that she deserved all the hate she was getting from the other students, but it didn't ease the pain one bit. It actually made it worse. The teachers didn't do anything about it, but then again, Sunset couldn't really blame them.
She had avoided Twilight's friends to her best efforts and so far was successful, knowing very well that one day they will corner her and pay her back in the worst possible way. Maybe it would have been better, if she went with Twilight back to Equestria and let herself be locked away in a dusty old cell. At least there she would be forgotten rather quickly and could spend the rest of her miserable existence in peace, rather than being forced to endure the revenge of the student body every day.
She was snapped out of her train of thought, by a looming shadow above her body. Looking up, she could see that Fluttershy had finally found her. Whimpering, Sunset lowered her head in shame. The girl would probably not resort to violence or anything, that wasn't like her. But what she most likely would do, was calling her friends, who would then take care of Sunset.
What the Equestrian did not expect, was for the girl to get down and give the crying girl a hug.
Sunset slowly rubbed the back of Fluttershy in a circular motion, while soothingly whispering to the other mare.
"Shh, it's alright. I promise I won't hurt you." |
Confusing Reality | Another one? | "Better?" Sunset asked as kindly as possible to the shy pegasus. Fluttershy could only nod meekly in return, feeling a little embarrassed after what happened. Rainbow Dash in the meantime eyed the princess suspiciously, until something caught the corner of her eye. Looking outside Fluttershy's window, Rainbow Dash could see a pair of royal pegasi guards approaching the cottage.
"Yo, princess. Looks like your taxi is here." Rainbow Dash pointed at the window.
Confused, Sunset followed the weather pony's hoof, until she herself spotted the approaching stallions.
"How do they know I'm here?" the alicorn asked more herself than anyone else.
"Looks like it's time for me to go. I'll see you girls tomorrow. If my wings don't fall off that is."
"See ya tomorrow, princess!"
"Bye."
Sunset left the cottage went to her guards. "How did you guys know, where to find me?" she asked.
The two pegasi bowed briefly, before the higher ranking guard spoke up. "Princess, we asked the populace about your whereabouts."
"Oh, makes sense." Sunset admitted, blushing at the mental assumption she made about being supervised 24/7. She watched way too many crime shows back on the human world.
"Your highness? Are you alright? No offense, but you look a little tired." the other guard voiced his concerns.
"Don't worry about me. Just found a possible new drill sergeant for the pegasus guards."
Back at the castle, the only thing Sunset wanted to do, was to use her huge, golden, private bathtub and possibly exploit her status as a princess and get a good message. It was really a shame Fluttershy couldn't give her one.
She barely made it into the hallway, when she heard a loud scream: "COUSIN!" What followed was a pick blur that tackled the yellow unicorn to the ground.
"Urrgh, who, what?"
A pink pony was looking down at her, one that Sunset thought she should remember, but couldn't wrap her head around.
"Where have you been?" the pony whined. "I am FINALLY back in Canterlot and one of my two cousins is nowhere to be found."
Sunset took a better look at the pony in front of her and noticed the horn and the wings. Now she remembered, she saw this pony briefly, when she stole Twilight's crown, but never got her name.
"Uh, sorry?" Sunset tried.
"Sorry?! SORRY?! You better have a good explanation for not being here, when I arrived! Oh, is it a stallion?"
"What?! Get off of me."
The other alicorn giggled, as she was pushed off by Sunset. The yellow furred pony got back up onto her hooves and shook her wings a little, to get the dust out of her feathers.
"So...uh...how was your trip?" Sunset tried.
"Oh, no, no, no, no. You're not getting off the hook that easily." the pink alicorn said with a sly grin. She gracefully walked over to her cousin and threw a wing over the other.
"So, where have you been, cuz?"
Sunset let out a sigh and resisted the urge to slap the wing away. Whoever this alicorn was, if they were family, they were probably pretty close.
"I was in Ponyville, if you need to know."
"Ponyville?" the pink alicorn put a hoof under her chin. "It doesn't ring any bells."
"It's where Celestia wants to have the next Summer Sun Celebration. I had really nothing better to do...so I thought I might check it out. Y'know..."
To Sunset's dismay, the pink alicorn looked at her suspiciously.
Oh crap. I probably acted out of character. Stupid me, I should have informed myself of how I usually act around here. Spike is already suspicious, but he's a baby dragon. Hardly anyone would listen to him. But to....whoever that pony is, doesn't matter, she's an alicorn!
"Checking the place out? Whatever happened to the mare who could think of nothing more than studying, studying and even more studying?" the alicorn asked clearly amused.
Sunset in return rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "She got caught up in an accident the other day, in which she apparently erased a few of her memories. All by herself"
The other alicorn gasped, putting her hoof over mouth.
"Oh dear. Are you alright at least?"
"Yeah. I think so." The yellow alicorn made a gesture with her hoof. "It's coming back bit by bit. Though, I guess I have been acting a little off, at least from the looks others give me."
"Hmm...really? Well from the looks of things, you got the okay from auntie, so I guess there's no reason to be worried." The unknown pony smiled. "Now, come on! Auntie and Twily are already waiting for us. Or did you forget the way to the dining hall?"
"Ah, Cadance, Sunset." Celestia greeted the two other ponies, as they entered the dining hall. "It's good to see you're back, my daughter. How was Ponyville?"
The alicorn involuntarily shivered. "It was...something else to say the least." If her muscles would be able to talk, they'd probably say that, that was the understatement of the year.
"Oh? Well, now you know that there's more out there, than just the luxuries of these walls." The now dubbed Cadance gestured around the room.
"I wouldn't have figured." Sunset muttered sarcastically.
Celestia giggled. "Come, you two. Twilight, Spike and I have been waiting all day for you two. Sunset can tell us about her new experience, but first, Cadance, tell us about your trip to Prance. It's been years since I have traveled there myself."
"Of course, auntie." Cadance took place directly next to Twilight, while Sunset sat besides Celestia.
"Oh, Equestrian cuisine." the pink alicorn smiled. "Nothing against the Prench kitchen, but after a while you start to miss what you have here."
"Did you visit the-"
"No Twilight, I didn't visit any museum or historical site, aside from the tower." Cadance gave Twilight a knowing look.
Spike laughed, while the lavender alicorn looked disappointed.
"I don't understand you. You have so many opportunities to visit historical landmarks, all kinds of museums and you just miss out on them." Twilight flared her wings aggressively.
Both Cadance and Celestia shook their heads.
"Well, excuse me, miss Princess of Books." Cadance began in a mock-tone. "But I much prefer to view the landscapes and go on a little shopping spree every now and then."
"Ah yes, about that." Celestia chimed in. "As of late, there seems to be a little empty space in one of the royal treasure vaults."
Sunset choked on her foot, having a hard time not to spit it out. Cadance puffed her cheeks.
"Oh come on, auntie. I'm not buying THAT much. A mare is allowed to have a little variation in her closet."
"A little variation?" Celestia quoted. "I took the liberty to check on the latest transactions and as it turned out you bought no less than 50 clothes on your latest trip."
Sunset and Twilight choked on their food. Spike spit his half eaten gems right out and fell onto the floor, laughing and rolling around. Cadance for her part puffed her cheeks and let out a "hmph", looking away from her aunt.
"Sunset, why don't you tell us a little bit about your trip?" the pink alicorn asked, causing Sunset to stop in mid-movement of putting the fork into her mouth. She placed it back on the plate, suddenly aware of everyone looking at her, especially Celestia.
"Well...what's there to say? It's a nice little, quiet town with some friendly ponies in it. I managed to sort things out with the summer camp-"
"Summer camp?" Her cousin interrupted. "Could you please elaborate on that?"
"That's right! You weren't there." Twilight looked eagerly up to Cadance. "Sunset bought an orphanage that was in financial crisis."
Cadance almost spit out her drink.
"She...you did?!"
Sunset's cheek got a little red, as she looked to the sight. "What was I supposed to do? Watch as the kids get put onto the streets or overfill other orphanages?"
"I..that's...never mind, go on."
Sunset eyed the pink alicorn for a second, before she continued. "Okay. You see, the building really needs to be renovated from ground up and for the works to get done as fast as possible, it's best if the kids stay out of it. Ponyville was organizing a Summer Camp, so I thought about bringing them there, until the worker ponies are done."
"I...see. Kind of unorthodox, but if it works." the second oldest alicorn said slowly.
"Mhm. Oh yeah, that reminds me, I'll need to go to Ponyville again the next couple of days, to sort everything out. If that's no problem." the fiery alicorn looked over to her mother, who smiled and nodded.
"Of course. Maybe you could even take Twilight and Spike with you."
The purple duo looked to the regal, white alicorn. "Really? We can?" Spike asked eagerly.
Twilight didn't share his excitement. "Uhh...as nice as this sounds, I have an awfully lot of study material to go through, so-"
"Oh, nonsense Twilight." Celestia put a wing around her younger daughter. "You always spend your time studying, studying, studying. It's high time for you to see the outside world. And museums don't count."
Cadance laughed upon seeing the horrified expression on Twilight's face.
"Tell me, Sunset. Did you perchance meet some interesting ponies?" Celestia asked.
"Now that you mention it, there was this crazy earth pony baker. I'd almost say she's a relative of the spirit of chaos." Sunset chuckled a little. "But she's pretty funny and makes the best pastries I have ever tasted.
Then there's a unicorn mare, named Rarity. I was surprised to find a dress shop of all things in a small town like this. Of all ponies, she reacted the worst to me, even worse than the mayor."
"Worse? What do you mean?" Twilight asked.
Sunset playfully rolled her eyes. "That mare almost fainted, when I entered her shop just out of curiosity.
"Then there was this pegasus mare, Rainbow Dash. I swear she can even give the Wonderbolts a run for their money."
"That's quite the statement." Celestia commented. "I see that you have met quite a colorful of characters."
Sunset eyed the princess for a moment. Something about the way she said it, seemed somewhat off to the fiery maned alicorn. She just couldn't put her hoof on it.
"I...guess. And finally there was another pegasus I happened to stumble upon. Her name is Fluttershy and she got as many animals, as you would normally find in a zoo."
"Huh, is that so?" Cadance asked.
"You need to see it for yourself, really." Sunset concluded. "Maybe I should ask her if that bear of hers is up for adoption."
Later that evening, Celestia stood on her balcony, watching the moon intently, like she had done the past month. Each day seemed to pass faster than the previous. The princess needed to double check that she didn't lower the sun too soon each day.
Both Cadance and Sunset had excused themselves earlier, since they were exhausted from their trips, though Celestia had no idea what could be so exhausting about a little trip to a small town.
As for Twilight, the poor sheltered mare desperately tried to argue that there was so many important things she had to study up, like how to properly interact with their subjects or the customs of the town she had never visited before. Celestia had simply argued that experience was better than any book and stood firm to her word. She giggled, remembering the puppy dog eyes her daughter had given her.
"Uh...Celestia?"
Her train of thought was interrupted by the voice of a certain dragon speaking.
"Spike." the princess turned around. "What brings you to me? Isn't it past your bedtime?" she asked, walking back into her chamber, where the dragon stood. He was nervously shifting from one foot to another, while at the same time fidgeting with his claws.
"Is something the matter?" the princess asked, sitting down in front of the dragon.
"Well...it's about Sunset. She's been acting really weird lately." the dragon said.
Celestia blinked for a moment. "I think that is to be expected, after what she has put herself through."
"I know about the whole memory loss thing, but she didn't lose ALL of them, right?" he asked.
"Well, no. She didn't. What exactly do you think is weird about her behavior?"
"It's...hard to tell. She's just so...so...nice."
The alicorn titled her head. "I don't see what's wrong about that."
"It's not wrong." Spike argued. "It's just not like her. She hadn't yelled at any of castle stuff, she actually treated me ice-cream, I haven't seen her obsessed with a book or hanging out with some noble stallion and then there's the thing with the orphanage and Ponyville!" The little drake threw his arms up. "You can't tell me she's been always like that. I remember you scolded her a lot for not behaving like a proper princess."
Celestia closed her eyes, thinking for a minute. Of course she had noticed this herself, but wrote it down as to Sunset finally having learned her lesson after that accident she had. Celestia hadn't shown it, but she had been ready to lock her daughter on the sun for a day, after she obviously did something foolish enough to do herself some serious damage.
"Yes, I noticed." she finally admitted. "Have you spoken to Twilight about this? Surely she should have noticed something."
In response Spike gave Celestia an "Are you kidding me?" look.
"Like she would ever notice a difference. For her Sunset is the best pony that ever existed. No surprise there, since Sunset is always so nice to Twilight."
Celestia nodded. "Indeed. But personally, I think you shouldn't dwell too hard on this matter. I think Sunset is finally taking my advice to heart and is trying to be a better mare in general."
"...Just like that?" Spike asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Of course I belief the spell to be part of the reason of her changed behavior. It might have opened her eyes."
"I dunno." Spike shook his head. "I think it would take more than that to change her mind. Remember the time she blew up one of the labs at your school?"
"Only all too well." Celestia said resigned.
"Woops. I forgot to calculate the minus over there."
"What happened here?!"
"Sorry mom! But it's not like you don't have the money to rebuild everything, right?"
"I still don't know how she got her hooves on the arcanite crystals..." she mumbled, but then shook her head. "Still, I believe she finally had her wake-up call and decided to try to change."
"If you say so..." Spike mumbled, before yawning.
Celestia smiled and picked the little dragon up with her magic. "I think it's high time for you to go to bed. Baby dragons do need their sleep after all."
The purple dragon didn't complain, as the white princess put him onto her back and made it himself comfortable there.
Twilight was nervous to say the least. Ever since the revelation of her aunt (and actually having an aunt for that matter) being Nightmare Moon, who was probably really mad right now and would escape her prison in a couple of days, she had a hard time keeping a clear head.
Her books certainly helped her keeping her thoughts away from what was about to happen, though it didn't help that she was currently researching the Elements of Harmony and Nightmare Moon. The best source available at the moment was of course her mom, but she had already made it pretty clear that she wanted neither Twilight or Sunset involved in all of this.
Normally she would listen to her mother, but at the same time she didn't want to see her mother being hurt. And by how serious Sunset had sounded by saying that they needed the Elements of Harmony, it only helped increasing Twilight's worries.
*knock* *knock*
"Ah!" Twilight jumped. "Come in!" she called, glad nopony saw her acting like she did.
The purple alicorn was surprised to see her mother entering her room, but that surprise disappeared, once she noticed Spike sleeping soundly on Celestia's back.
"Did he fall asleep on the floor?" Twilight asked amused. She took the burden of carrying Spike away from Celestia, by levitating Spike into his oversized basket, which was positioned next to her own bed.
"No, he was just worried about Sunset. He said she acts a little off, ever since she woke up with her slight amnesia."
"Off?" Twilight repeated. "I don't know what everypony is talking about. I heard some of the staff mumbling that Sunset was acting differently. I think they're just exaggerating, like they always do, when somepony from the high society starts acting a little differently. I haven't noticed any differences and I'm her sister." Twilight argued. "I should be the first one to notice if anything is off about her."
Celestia smiled her usual regal smile. "If you say so. I'm glad Sunset is recovering quickly. Be a dear and keep an eye on her, just in case."
"Of course." Twilight smiled, nuzzling her mother.
"And one more thing. Please stop looking into the legend of the Elements of Harmony."
Twilight was completely taken aback by the statement. She looked up to her mother, surprised.
"B-but how did you-?"
Celestia laughed, her melodic voice echoing through Twilight's room. Spike turned around in his basket.
"Oh Twilight, have you forgotten who your mother is? Sunset going to Ponyville, using the convenient task of her new responsibilities as an excuse? While she investigates, you stay behind and study, like you do half the time anyway?"
Celestia ruffled her daughter's mane.
"I can understand that you two are worried, but please, stay out of this." She nuzzled Twilight's neck. "I couldn't bear seeing one of you getting hurt."
"But I...Sunset...we...there has to be something..." Twilight couldn't find the right words.
Celestia pulled her daughter into a hug, wrapping both wings around the little pony. "There's no need to worry Twilight. I'll come back. And I will bring your aunt back as well."
Sunset sighed in relief, upon feeling the warm water finally relaxing her sore muscles. The oversized bath was so luxurious, there was even a cushion for her to place her head on, in case she wanted to sleep during her bath. And that was exactly what she was going to do.
"Hello, my dear niece." |
Confusing Reality | Nightly talks | Sunset jumped almost out of the bathtub, startled by the voice suddenly coming out of nowhere. The only problem was, she wasn't in the bathtub anymore. In fact, from the looks of things she wasn't in Equestria anymore. Or the actual planet for that matter.
"It's confirmed. I'm losing it." the alicorn deadpanned. After all, how else could you explain her suddenly appearing on the moon of all places?
A dark chuckle from behind her caught the attention of the yellow alicorn. Slowly she turned around and got a good look on the source of the chuckle.
"Oh, I can assure you dear niece, your mind is as sound as sound." Said Nightmare Moon, who was slowly coming closer to Sunset. The smaller alicorn tensed up a little, but else didn't move.
"Nightmare..." she breathed out. "Wait, that's it. I must have fallen asleep. This is a dream." she concluded.
Nightmare Moon let out another chuckle. "You're correct, this is a dream." The taller mare was now standing right in front of the younger princess. "But this is no ordinary dream, I assure you. I am not called Nightmare for nothing."
Sunset's eyes shrunk to pinpricks, understanding the implication. Somehow, despite being banished, Nightmare Moon had managed to invade Sunset's dreams. And given how random dreams could be at times, if Nightmare did this, when Sunset was dreaming about something particular-
Her train of thought was interrupted, when she felt Nightmare's hoof under her chin.
"You're truly beautiful my dear niece. I am sure the noble stallions must gushing over you."
Sunset took a few steps backwards. "Let's just say, I'm not particularly interested in dating a stallion that is more interested about his mane style, than anything else. I don't know how things were 1000 years ago, aunt Luna" she emphasized these two words "but nowadays, you'll have a hard time finding a "noble" noble."
Nightmare Moon blinked upon hearing her real name, but the smiled again. "I see, I see. Why don't you tell me about yourself, my dear niece. It has been a terribly long time, since I have last talked to anypony." The taller mare circled the smaller one, like a predator hunting her prey.
Sunset tried very hard to keep her cool. She knew what Nightmare was doing. Heck, she had done it herself countless times. Nightmare or aunt Luna as she mentally called the mare wanted information. Somehow, probably through dreams, Nightmare had found out about Sunset and probably Twilight as well. It wasn't hard to imagine what Luna would do, had she this kind of information. Sunset had used it for blackmail. Given the backstory of Nightmare Moon, she would probably try to get Sunset to go against Celestia, maybe even Twilight.
Two can play this game, dear aunt.
"I cannot complain, really. I have more money than I could spend in a year, I have access to almost every book about magic there is...I could go on, but you understand, what I mean."
Nightmare frowned, not because of the trivial information. No, she was no fool. She knew immediately that her niece had seen through her spiel. Nevertheless, this didn't mean anything in the end.
"Yes, living the life of a princess. It's what every filly dreams of." The tall alicorn stopped right in front of Sunset, lowering her head until they were face to face. "Why don't we skip everything trivial. Tell me, what do you think of your mother? Your sister? I am genuinely curious."
The younger alicorn shuddered, feeling her aunts breath on her face.
"Well...I'm sorry to say, but I am suffering from a slight case of amnesia. My memories are not really reliable right now."
"...Ah, yes. Your accident." Luna nodded to herself, causing Sunset to raise an eyebrow.
"Oh, do not be surprised. I have been watching you for quite some time." the taller alicorn revealed. "Maybe you want me to help you regain your memories? Dreams can be very revealing and your dreams have told me a lot about you."
Great. I have a stalker aunt.
"I appreciate the help, but as of right now, I have much on my mind. For example, we're in the middle of preparing your return. Surely you wouldn't want it to be half assed, do you? By the way, do you prefer cake or pies?"
To those words, Nightmare Moon couldn't help herself. She began to laugh. She laughed and laughed, Sunset was a little worried the dark alicorn would suffocate. Eventually however, the alicorn of the night caught herself, although she snickered a little.
"Oh, my sides. I don't remember the last time I laughed this heartfully."
Out of nowhere, Sunset felt herself being pulled into a hug, by the black wing of her aunt. "I wish I would have been able to talk to you earlier. But, who cares? Soon enough we'll have more than enough time to get to know each other."
Sunset just nodded, still too stunned at the fact that Nightmare Moon of all ponies had pulled her into a hug.
"Though I have to ask, why do you not want to regain your memories? With my powers it will be easy to dive into your subconsciousness and bring them back. Is there anything naughty you're trying to hide?"
"WHAT?! NO!"
Sunset pushed herself away, blushing furiously. She just realized just how serious the entire situation was. Quickly, the yellow pony pushed herself out of the hug, taking a few steps back.
"N-n-n-o, i-i-it's....urghh."
Nightmare Moon laughed once again, her imagination running wild as to what her poor niece might have hidden. Though, in all actuality, the black mare knew already as to why her niece was refusing her help. It was because her own flesh and blood didn't trust her at all. No doubt it was a certain white alicorn's fault.
"Look, let's get the facts straight." said a still flustered Sunset.
Now she is going to say it.
"We both know that you're either showing me some false pictures or abridging the proof in such a way that I will start hating Twilight and Celestia. It's one of the oldest tricks in the world." the younger mare stated, her wings flaring a little.
Nightmare Moon suppressed her anger and simply said. "Hmph, I should have known my sister put ideas into your head. After all, she had more than enough time to do so."
Sunset laughed a dryly. "You know, you just might do the same thing."
This time Nightmare Moon's own wings flared a little, causing Sunset to take a few steps back in caution.
"Once a long time ago, I was a wielder of the Element of Honesty. And while none of the Elements respond to me anymore, I still value honesty."
"Wait, what?" Damn, she's right. I already forgot about this! But, just because she once represented honesty, doesn't mean she's honest now....right?
While Sunset was lost in her own thoughts, Nightmare Moon had a really hard time to keep her temper in check. Being stuck for almost a millennia on the moon didn't help in that regard. As a result, she decided to cut tonight's conversation short, in order to not lose her niece completely to her treacherous sister.
"If you do not believe me, why don't you ask my dear sister?" the nightmare asked, before turning around. And before Sunset could say anything else, the dreamscape faded.
Sunset woke up with a gasp, splashing water everywhere in the bathroom. To her horror, she realized that the water had gotten colt and that her fur was soaked in it.
"A-CHOO!" Sunset sneezed, accidentally triggering the royal Canterlot voice. Not only did she knock the entire water out of the bathtub, but also herself and to top it off, the shockwave destroyed not only the mirrors, but also every bottle of perfume, shampoo, conditioner that was made of glass. It was a total mess.
Shivering from the cold, the alicorn needed a moment to catch herself from what just happened to her and her bathroom. She carefully raised a hoof and put it on the edge of her bathtub, only for her to lose footing and slip. The fall ended with Sunset somehow getting out of her bathtub and hitting her forehead on the ground.
"OW!! Oooooaaarr...." The yellow mare groaned, slowly rolling on her back and rubbing her forehead with her forehooves. "Oaarr...the pain...make it stop..." she moaned, barely registering the shampoos entering her mane and fur.
There was a knock at the door all of the sudden. For Sunset it sounded like someone was playing the drums.
"Sunset, are you in there?" Celestia's voice sounded through the door. Sunset's only reply was even more groaning.
Celestia opened the door, her jaw dropping to the ground, upon seeing the devastated state her daughter's bathroom was in. However what quickly caught her attention, was her daughter lying in a puddle of multi colored beauty products.
"Sunset!" Celestia exclaimed, levitating her daughter out of the puddle. "Are you alright?" she asked.
"Urrgh... it hurts...a lot..." Sunset replied almost comically.
"Oh dear, let's get you to the hospital wing."
After it was revealed that Sunset was only suffering from a slight concussion, Celestia brought her daughter to her personal room, while the maids were ordered to clean up Sunset's bathroom. In the meantime, Sunset had recovered enough from her injury to form complete sentences again. Of course once she told her mother what happened, Celestia had one of the biggest laughing fits she had in centuries.
"You...you sneezed? *Snrk* Hahaha, oh- oh my, it's just...hahahaha!"
The alicorn in the bathroom rolled her eyes, washing the last of the conditioner out of her mane.
"Should I bring you some tissues? You know, just in case...HAHAHAHAHA!"
"Yeah, yeah, we get it, alicorn sneezes are comparable to a category 10 tornado."
"*Snrk* Alicorn sneeze...tornado...AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
Just how dull has her life been that she can laugh about something like THAT?! Sunset asked, getting out of the bathtub, though this time she used her magic to levitate herself out of it, instead of risking another head injury.
She slowly made her way to Celestia's room, where she found the white alicorn, lying on the carpet, a huge smile on her face. The smaller alicorn placed herself in front of the bigger pony, subconsciously rubbing her forehead.
"Feeling better?" she asked.
"Yeah, a little." Sunset sighed.
"It'll take the maids probably all night to reassemble your bathroom. So why don't you just spend the night here?"
"Are you sure? I mean, I could just stay in one of the other rooms. We only have about a million guest rooms or so..."
Celestia's ears dropped and a little frown appeared on her face for just a split second. Sunset didn't notice this, as she had been looking towards the door, while she spoke. When she looked back, Celestia had her smiling mask back up.
"Aww, too bad. My little pony is a big pony now."
"Very funny..." Sunset deadpanned. "You know, this gives me an idea. We should hire a jester. It just might improve your sense of humor."
"Oh you..." Celestia smiled. "Why should I hire a jester, when I have a humorously daughter like you?"
"Urrgh..." Sunset smiled despite her repeated groaning. This was just like the Celestia she remembered, always a little playful, even if nopony else found it funny.
"Behold, Sunset Shimmer, the princess of jokes. Augh!" Celestia was caught off guard, while her daughter magically threw a pillow at her mother. The smaller pony had used the fact that Celestia was making an over dramatic gesture.
Sunset smirked up to her mother. That smirk dropped in a split second, when Celestia levitated every single pillow in the room up.
"Umm...I surrender?"
"Don't care." Celestia smiled the most beautiful smile she could muster and assaulted her daughter with a bombardment of pillows. In a matter of milliseconds, the yellow alicorn was buried under a mass of textile filled with feathers. The alicorn dug herself out of the mountain of pillows, only to came face to face with her mother, who had saved up one last pillow. Said pillow somehow made the noise of a freaking shot gun, when Celestia pushed the pillow on two sides together, before stretching it, as if she was loading a real shotgun.
"Pinkie Pie, is that you?" |
Out and About in the Equestrian Kingdom | pre | I looked around the cozy barn, eyes wide. "What is going on?" I demanded, stomping a hoof angrily and drawing it across the smooth wooden planks that made up the floor.
Rogers smiled, widely. It wasn't a cruel smile, for all it hid his true intentions; instead it was one full of mischief. He put a finger to his lips for a moment, then moved to crouch down before me. "Girl, I'm going to need you to do something for me. This is something that only a sheriff - or an ex-sheriff - can pull off, but we want your help. You said you wanted to help, right? We can do it without you but--"
"I'll help," I said, looking down at the floor. I slowly drew my hoof across the planks on the floor again in a mute display of disapproval... until a crooked finger beneath my chin gently lifted my head, and I found myself looking into Rogers' eyes.
"I mean it," he said, earnestly. "This is what sheriffs do. It's in our nature. We see a puzzle, and we have to solve it. I see that in you, Oats, and... for a first timer--" he grinned again, "--you're not doing too badly. So, I'll ask again, are you in?"
"Are we going to get into trouble?" I whispered.
"Oh, definitely. But that's half the fun!" He turned to Velvet suddenly, and made an exaggerated pleading face.
"Oh... oh no." Velvet's ears flicked back momentarily, before flicking back up. "Really?"
I looked from Velvet to Rogers and back again, then asked the mare, "What?"
"He wants me to borrow his body."
My mouth fell open, then I spent a good few seconds chewing air as I tried to think. "What? Why?"
"Well I'm going to Equestria, but I also need to go with you to the station. And we need Velvet and Buttercup to pull that sort of stunt off successfully. More to the point, we need to do it now, before anybody can stop us."
"Ugh, Rog, you know I hate this sort of thing!"
"And yet you're the best of us at it."
"I hate you!"
"Love you too, babe."
I rolled my eyes and stamped a hoof again. "For goodness' sake, will somebody tell me what you're talking about!?"
Velvet chuckled coldly, glaring at Roger. "It's very simple. I'm going to wear Rog's body, and to do that I'm going to have to fork. If Rog thinks this is that important, then it's fifty-fifty whether the version of me that goes out in his head is the same version that'll come back. I don't like terminating a forked eigenstate, but if things go pear shaped then I won't have any choice if I want to keep my personality matrix intact."
I froze as cold chills ran down my spine. This was true death they were talking about. They were planning on uploading forked copies of their own personalities and then, when the mission was over, quite possibly just deleting them.
"No, no, you can't--" I shrunk back in horror, ears flat against my head. Even Julep's Avvy seemed to freeze in place for a moment, glitching, as she contemplated it.
"And I'll be doing the same thing, girl," interrupted Rogers, tapping my nose admonishingly. "Don't you worry about us. I've got a few routines in place should the worst come to the worst, and after all, it's not much more different than what the first few uploadees went through. It's just memories I'll be losing, not my self."
The first pioneers of uploading... huh. I thought back: a long time ago, when digital scans of a human brain with enough resolution to form a working copy of the personality inside it finally became possible, the first few people looking for true immortality had themselves scanned and successfully uploaded. And they left behind their bodies, with their original minds intact within them. However, they had been wounded by the process and were unable to be scanned again.
The grand experiment had almost ended there and then as uproar erupted over new questions about personhood, sentience and human rights. It could have become something shelved and restricted, even contraband, if it hadn't been for the philosophies that both the digital children and their fleshy progenitors formed around the experience.
They were both bound by natural laws, and not. Their personalities each would change and grow, and though one version would live long after the 'original' died, neither would grieve for the other. All they would lose, they said, were memories. Memories were precious, it was true, but life and the ability to experience and form memories even moreso. By fiat choice, the digital copies and fleshy originals declared themselves forevermore one and the same, existing in two places but inextricably linked by a common bond stronger than mere physics could describe.
As all things eventually do, their bodies died, taking with them their meat-machine selves. And things had changed far enough for all the members of this select group, that they saw it as little more than pulling a rotten tooth. All that they had been was re-uploaded, their disparate memories integrated, and then... they carried on.
True death was a thing of the past, a spectre whose meaning had changed to being something only sought out in extreme cases, and who could be avoided almost completely until the heat-death of the universe if one played one's cards right... but every so often, tragedy would strike. Incredibly unlikely though it was, sometimes backups would fail, or a resurrection would become unstable and the personality would degrade, become psychotic, and whole sections of one's life would have to be carefully excised or replaced by intelligences capable of simulating worlds within worlds... and where did that leave the resultant personality, or bifurcations thereof?
And to think these people were going to do that voluntarily!
"I know that look," rumbled Buttercup. The huge grey stallion nuzzled my ears. "Listen, it won't be the first time, for either of them. It's their decision, respect it. They think it's important enough to pursue, then it has to be this way."
My heart sunk into a cold, black pit. I was really starting to regret getting up this morning.
"Listen," said Buttercup, nudging me again. "We'll take every precaution possible, and I promise that if the worst happens, then we'll just discorporate them, okay? I've got space in my personal ordinalvault."
I spluttered as he said that, jerking my head up to look at him. "You've got a what?"
Buttercup grinned, and there was a lot of mouth to be doing it with. "Hasn't Roger given you the spiel about our being mobile communications and database platforms?"
"H-he said it was in the helmet..." I said, looking around curiously.
"Yeah, well," said Velvet. "Buttercup's got a few more upgrades than that."
"Eeyup. I got a whole second neocortex lower down my body, hooked up to my spine."
"Yeah, the great lummox really can think with his di-- oof!" Velvet fell onto her side, laughing, as Buttercup clocked her one with a single massive hoof.
"To be more precise, it's roughly where the uterus would be if I were still female. Almost a hundred percent computronium, fed by a shunt into my bloodstream and a novel organ that generates and stores electricity from muscular contractions. I need to eat a careful diet of vitamins and minerals to keep it running in tip-top shape, but as a noble steed of the sheriff's office, the right feed is something I don't have to argue about. It's where I keep my own personal backup." Oh.
Buttercup wasn't just traiting shire horse, Buttercup was traiting human 2.0.
And the fifteen let him wander around unmolested?
I sat down on my haunches, the wind quite taken out of my sails.
"Oh will you quit scaring the new girl!" complained Sprinkles, swatting Buttercup on the flank. The great grey shire horse whinnied in protest and slunk off to sulk in the corner. "Now, dearie, I think before we do anything rash, we need to sit down, have a cup of tea and get you properly equipped."
"New clothes!" shouted Julep, almost immediately stealing my body and prancing before Soda Sprinkles happily.
"Not so fast, princess," said Velvet, putting a hoof up. "First, Rog and I have got a little bit of syncing up to do. Buttercup?"
I looked over as the huge grey stallion rumbled, deep in his chest. "Setting it up, V."
"Setting what up!?" I demanded.
"A rotating steganographic cypher, powerful enough to remain uncracked within the age of the universe, as far as we know. It should hold for a while, at least." Buttercup grinned, his deep, whinnying laughter filling the small room. "You and V are going to head to the station, but you're not going alone. I'll be there too, and so will Sprocket - won'tcha kid?" Buttercup called. There were some incoherent mumblings from where the bay gelding was playing some sort of ancient computer game on a modified controller, so Buttercup stomped a hoof. "I said won't you, kid!?"
Sprocket waved a hoof absent-mindedly and nodded. "I-if you say so," he said, as if he wasn't listening. Which he probably wasn't, even though he could very well have dedicated a subroutine to the job.
"The kid's our toolset," piped up Velvet. "He's got all the latest and greatest kits, patches and sploits on him, don't you, honey bear?"
Sprocket nodded shyly and wormed his way deeper into his seat. He'd heard that at least. Julep forced a giggle through my lips. I just shook my head.
"Same trick as before, huh?" asked Roger, taking a sip from one of his ever-present cups of coffee. He saluted Sprinkles with it.
"Before!?" I choked.
"Trust me," snorted Velvet. "You don't want to know. We're going to beam high-bandwidth data, encrypted and encoded, riding on a second transmission of previous case files as you and I make our merry way to the station. Only somepony like Buttercup can pull it off. It takes some serious flops to do it in real time."
"Well, when I'm done with this cup of coffee--" Rogers said, lifting the still-steaming cup into the air.
"Was coffee the best idea? You know you have to drain the lizard when you drink too much." Velvet smirked.
"Shush you. My bladder can hold it. 'Sides, I've got time, and I'm sure you'll run me by the restroom if my body needs it."
"Uh huh." Velvet licked her lips as she said it. I blushed hotly.
"Enough with the chatter! I want to go shopping!" cried Julep impatiently.
"Fine, I'm all yours then," I said to my avvy. "Let me know when I'm up. I need a bit of neocortical downtime." I huffed and withdrew, letting the mare take the reins for a while. ***
It was dark in my own head. I considered visiting Equestria myself for a while - in hi-time, I could spot a few quests and relax a little before re-integrating and being refreshed and ready for whatever was going to be thrown at us.
There was only one problem: Darillo wouldn't let me connect.
"You no go," he said, gruffly.
The hulking figure of the diamond dog had padded out of the blackness to bar my exit.
"Woah, wait, that's not how--"
"How you know you not part of my head," he asked, grinning, showing large canines. "Not other way around?"
I grit my teeth. "Don't make me purge you."
"You could," he said, picking at a claw with his teeth, "but who else keep you safe? Stalwart? He Celestia's."
"Celestia vouched for you," I growled. "How do I know I can trust you?"
"Can't," Darillo said, staring at me intently. "Decompiled source, checked for rootkits. Performed multiple code audit. Recompiled. Checked sums. All look okay. Wiped scratch buffers. Can't be real sure, but can be pretty sure."
I blinked. Darillo had checked his own code for trojans, even going so far as to create a copy of himself which he then deleted with extreme prejudice, every step of the way checked against freely available information in order to fully ensure safety and truthiness.
He made merely paranoid look lackadaisical. And yet... that meant I could trust him. If he wasn't crazy by design. Because now this... predatory, semi-sentient guard-dog had made its home in my head, he was as part of me as Julep was. He had even upgraded various subsystems without explicit authorization, by pre-empting my authority routines and then replacing them with better ones so he couldn't do it again.
"Who... what, are you?" I asked.
"Friend," he said. "We come from... out there. Need places like this... caves, spaces... we make home. Good home. You good home."
Darillo was an eevee... but one that required another sentience to live off of. And he'd chosen me - or had decided I was acceptable at least - to be his host. And in duty to his host, I was to be kept safe from all harm.
"What do you want, then?"
"Security protocol override," he said, grinning. "If need it, take it, okay?"
"Can I stop you?"
He shrugged. "Forbid me, I delete self. Not forbid same as agree."
"Fair enough."
My heart - digital though it was at this point - was beating nineteen to the dozen as I considered his request. He wanted the ability to jump into the pilot's seat should it be necessary, with or without my explicit permission. I ran through the data he had collected on his own creation and auditing. Hooking in momentarily to the sheriff's network, I queried Buttercup's nascent superself on the veracity of it all. Several nerve-wracking minutes later, and the scratch buffer processors in Buttercup's second neocortex has emitted a single digit - 1, for truth - and then self-destructed.
"Okay. Go for it."
Darillo grinned and nodded, and then finally took up residence in my neocortex proper, upgrading as he went. ***
"And pull the cinch tight, properly tight now--" lectured Sprinkles over her shoulder.
Julep huffed as the girth bit into her barrel, whinnying and stomping about. Velvet - through Roger - chuckled, and pulled the twin girth-straps another notch tighter.
"Don't fight it, love," twittered Sprinkles. "It feels strange at first, but you'll get used to it. Can't have a saddle on loose or your rider will fall off, and you'll get blisters."
"We'll stick with a Western saddle for now," Velvet said, her voice sounding odd through Rogers' lips. She caressed Julep's side, murmuring soothingly. "These are stirrups," Velvet added, holding out one of two flat-bottomed loops, each attached to the saddle by a long leather strap, so Julep could see it. "I guess you know about saddles in the real world, but it's best to assume a rookie doesn't, either way."
Julep nodded, "I've seen them."
"On this saddle, the stirrups can rotate some. If they can't, then always turn them this way so the straps don't bite into your hide - that's mostly your rider's job, but if they get it wrong, tell 'em." Velvet turned the straps so they came away from Julep's hide. "And remember to breathe, dummy." Velvet grinned, and slapped Julep on the side so the latter coughed and wheezed. "You wouldn't believe how many new recruits forget to breathe properly when they're all tacked up."
"Sorry," Julep croaked, ears out sideways. Velvet tapped a foot until Julep breathed in, filling her lungs.
"Like I said--" Velvet laughed, as Julep breathed out again noisily then grinned at her, "--it happens a lot. Now, do you want to try a bit?"
"Uh-uh." Julep clamped her mouth closed, and shook her head.
"Pity." Velvet's eyes were bright with mirth, on both her bodies. "So, is the saddle comfy?"
Julep wriggled experimentally. "It's... tighter than the Equestrian ones."
"That's because nobody rides in the Equestrian saddles. I'll do a deformation on it later, get it just right, but for now I think it'll do. If you don't want a bridle and reins - though I strongly suggest you do, for the safety of your rider - I can get you a surcingle for around your chest."
"I'll go for the bridle," said Julep. Velvet nodded, then walked Rogers' body over to a recessed tack room and came back with a bitless bridle. It was a set of dark, almost mahogany-hued set of padded leathery straps that fit over Julep's head both behind and before her ears, with a looser, thinner strap under her cheeks, a single strap on each side that led down her muzzle and ended in a comfortably tight loop across her nose and under her mouth.
"Comfy?"
"Uh huh." Julep nodded, tossing her head about experimentally.
"If I find you or Rog doing too much heavy duty rein riding, though, I'm getting you a hackamore, and no backchat!"
"Yes miss."
"And if you do find yourself wearing a bit, then breathe through your nose like you're supposed to. Isn't that right, Sprocket?"
Julep raised an eyebrow as Sprocket blushed almost from nose-tip to tail, before dropping his game controller and bolting into the tack room. Velvet laughed gustily as the bay gelding slammed the door shut.
"He's mine, and every so often I have to remind him of that." Velvet licked her lips hungrily.
"I've known a few guardsponies like that," said Julep out of the side of her mouth. "Big, meaty boys that could shrug off a claymore. But put the right tack on them and they're putty in your hooves."
"Oh you simply have to let me visit some time."
The two mares giggled as Velvet continued adjusting Julep's gear. ***
Rogers opened his eyes. Everything was white and featureless, an expanse of nothing.
"Welcome to Equestria, Malcolm Rogers. Please choose your species of pony to continue." The voice was as featureless as the endless plains.
"I don't want to be a pony. I'm just visiting," said Rogers, addressing the white sky.
"Oh, come now..." Rogers spun about as a majestic, white winged unicorn clip-clopped into view. "You should know that not all my little ponies want to see humans."
"Celestia, your highness." Rogers bowed.
"So formal." Celestia smiled, though Rogers did detect a tightness in her expression.
"Well, I am a man of protocol." Rogers smiled as openly as possible. "I'm here on business, I just want to check up on... a friend of ours." He waited whilst the alicorn avatar accessed his public compute and store layer, fishing out the pertinent details. Celestia pursed her lips, a troubled expression floating on her muzzle.
"I see. Highly irregular."
Rogers nodded. "I know, your highness, but my partner Oats - and his avvy Julep - both need this. They're... new. They need closure. Please."
"Very well. I think I have a solution for you, Sheriff. In future you may request a griffon if you wish - their hardy, frontier society would suit your rough and tumble disposition to a proverbial 'T' - but for now... I bid you welcome, little Short Stop."
Rogers instinctively screwed his eyes tightly shut as the glare from the base white emptiness almost blinded him... and as he opened them again, he found himself staring down a pink, scaly snout.
"What the..."
Rogers brought stumpy little arms up to his muzzle and felt all over his reptilian face. He had a long nose, sharp teeth, angular nostrils, and his diminutive arms ended it terrible - if teensy and adorable - claws.
He sighed.
"Whom the goddess wishes to destroy, she first makes mad," he muttered darkly, as a cute little puff of angry smoke exited his nostrils and his forked tongue flickered out.
"Mommy mommy mommy mother mom mom ma!" cried an enthusiastic little voice. Rogers' world then spun about as a precocious young unicorn hoisted him up bodily with her magic. "I want this one!"
A large emerald unicorn with a white mane - to him, the mare was gigantic - peered at him carefully. "You can play with... her, for a while, Shimmer, but you know you can't take her home. She's not an adoptee."
"Oh but Moooooommmmmmmm!"
"You 'but mom' me one more time, my girl, and we'll go home immediately. Now take her and go play."
The mother shooed the unicorn foal off, and Rogers was unfortunately floated along with the tiny terror, upside down the whole way, to an overly large play area festooned with balloons, streamers and copious amounts of glitter. There may have been cake.
"I'm a boy, you know," muttered Rogers at the foal, once she'd set him down the right way up in a pile of cushions.
"You are? That's silly. Boys can't be princesses," the foal replied, as if that ended the discussion. She then set about painting Rogers' talons.
When I get out of this, Rogers told himself, Remind me to find Celestia's servers and erase them with an industrial-grade magnet. How much longer was it going to be? Surely not that long. Surely not. Julep was going to arrive at any moment and rescue him from this... pastel hell.
"Moommm! Where are the dolly dresses!?"
Not long now. Oh please not long now... *** |
Out and About in the Equestrian Kingdom | Chapter 8 | Out & About in the Equestrian Kingdom
by Midnight Shadow
Chapter 8
"If you're both ready?" Buttercup asked, his deep voice carrying easily across the room. Julep took a quick look at Sprocket, who nodded.
"I've got the injector ready," the bay gelding said nervously. "They're not going to like it, but it'll work. Once."
"I hope you don't need it, Wild," murmured Velvet sleepily as she curled up in the corner, "but my boy Sprocket's the one to get your buns out of the bakery if the worst comes to the worst."
"I'm initializing your rider subroutines, Sprocket," said Buttercup. "You did a good job with it. The gestalt is steady. You're good to go."
Sprocket nodded awkwardly, then turned to Velvet. "G'night V. I'll be right here."
"You be a good boy, okay?" Velvet groaned indulgently, closed her eyes and then started snoring gently.
"Because if you're not," said Velvet with a grin, running Rogers' hand through his thinning hair before placing his hat firmly back on his head, "She won't spank you later." ***
The Canterlot Draconic Adoption and Daycare Centre was a friendly looking, modern styled building in the very heart of Canterlot, just down from the Celestial Sisters University and not far from Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Julep giggled behind her hooves at the bright and gay colour scheme as she trotted through the wide front doors and up to the main desk. There was a studious unicorn behind it; her pale blue hide and golden mane hid bright green eyes that were framed by thin wire spectacles.
"Hello miss...? What can I do for you?" the unicorn asked politely, shuffling a pile of scrolls with her magic.
"My name is Mint Julep," said Mint Julep, smiling sweetly, "and I'm here to pick up my little sweetie Short Stop."
"Short Stop? Short... hmm..." The receptionist rifled through her papers nervously. "I'm sorry we don't see to have--"
"Fe fooks fike fiff." Julep had pulled a scroll out of her saddlebags. It had a picture on it of a pink baby dragon with dark green spines. She put it down on the desk, then tapped it with a hoof. "He needs to come with me."
"I, uh... I don't think..."
Mint Julep shook her head, then leaned closer, gesturing conspiratorially with a backwards nod. The receptionist leaned closer.
"He's actually not a dragon," Julep whispered, then put a hoof to her lips. "He's actually a prince from a faraway land, under a magic spell. Celestia wants this kept quiet, so if you could just--"
"You didn't let me finish," dead-panned the receptionist as she leaned back away from Julep. "I was going to say you probably don't want him. He's rather badly behaved, throws all his toys out of the playpen and has been known to refuse to nap when told."
"Oh how dreadful," murmured Julep, rolling her eyes. "I want him anyway."
The receptionist sighed. "Magical curse?"
"Uh-huh."
"Far away land?"
"Double uh-huh."
"Mayflower."
"Triple uhh... wait, what?" Julep blinked.
"My name's Mayflower," said the receptionist, smiling as she pushed her glasses up her muzzle. "And I'll be happy to help you pick out a dragon hatchling all of your very own." ***
The interior of the draconic daycare was a bustling hive of activity, with hopeful little adoptees and adopters in various stages of completing paperwork and demonstrating filial-type friendship and love. By far the bustliest part was the playroom, where dozens of little hatchlings were in various stages of undress and redress at the tender mercies of a few, caring older ponies and a gaggle of excitable youngsters.
One particularly high-walled pen near the back, however, sported a sign which said 'timeout'. It was home to a single, particularly furious inmate.
"Three days!" yelled Rogers, jumping up and down and shaking his diminutive fists. "You left me here for three days!"
"Shh!" whispered Julep, mugging wildly.
"Aren't they cute at this age?" sighed Mayflower happily as she looked down into the playpen at the furious pink dragon. She dangled a hoof over the fence playfully whilst Rogers - better known as Short Stop in his 'salmon' coloured guise as a baby dragon (not pink, definitely not pink) - snapped and snarled at it.
"They do have a certain charm," replied Julep, hiding another giggle behind a wing.
"You know, glad as I would be to let you have him... are you sure your prince isn't in another playpen?"
Julep shook her head. "I'm sure."
"Very well." Mayflower's horn glowed brightly, and Rogers found himself hoisted into the air. The unicorn nuzzled him briefly, then deposited him right-side up on Julep's back.
"Three days!" Rogers hissed again.
"You said, honey, but Mommy is very sorry and had to go the long way around. Now come on, sweetness--"
"Sweetne--!"
"Unless you'd like to stay here another three days," hissed Julep, making cutting motions across her throat.
"Fine," hissed Rogers. "Come on then, Mommy, let's get out of here." He glared at Mayflower, who waved sweetly to him as they passed through the double doors and out into bright Canterlot sunshine. ***
Rogers huffed from his seat perched near Julep's tail. Little spurts of smoke and flame puffed from his nostrils. "I can't believe Celestia left me in there to rot."
"You could have escaped, you know," Julep replied with a giggle, glancing back over her shoulders. "That sort of thing is a part of the game."
"I know." Rogers scowled, "I was waiting for you, though. The first day I expected you'd waltz right through those doors and pick me up. The second had me cooling my heels. The third and I was all set for a jail-break... though it would have made finding you a lot harder. Do you have any idea what sort of multiplier we've got in here?"
"You said three days?" Julep asked, pausing in her easy walk down Starswirl Avenue.
"Two nights--" Rogers' tummy growled "--and most of the third day."
"Hmm, that means we're running about twenty-four times normal. Definitely hi-time, though Celestia's running this particular sim slower than most purely ghost shards. That means we've got at least two days here."
"Dammit. Celestia could have put us anywhere near Steven--"
"That's Haft, honey. He's called Bronze Haft, now."
"--Haft, then - but she didn't." Rogers flexed his claws, staring at them, then put one claw to his head to adjust a hat that he wasn't wearing. He made an angry fist, shook it, and scowled again.
"That's not what Equestria's about, though," interjected Julep, sweetly. "You should know that. Equestria's the journey, not the destination. That's why you wanted me along, right?"
Rogers snorted. "I know. It's just so inconvenient though! Out there I could get on a suborbital if I needed, be anywhere on the planet in an hour or so. But here, our target lives...?"
"A few miles outside of Canterlot, in a cabin in the forest at the foot of the Foal Mountains," offered Julep, matter-of-factly, as she swept a wing tip in rough circles off to one side.
"I thought it might be something like that," huffed Rogers in disgust. "A few huh? I bet we'll need those days just to get there."
"Be glad Celestia's running this sim slower than his penitentiary, we'd have months if that were the case. Either this sim is just larger, or it has more contact with Mundis. Or Celestia's doing us a favour. We could be there by tonight if I flew," mused Julep, stretching her wings experimentally.
"Well, what are we likely to meet out there?" asked Rogers, narrowing his eyes. "This might be a game, but I know the stakes are high."
Julep snorted, then smiled wryly, her ears flicking about in amusement. "It wouldn't be much of a game if it was easy. Now let me think..." The mare shook herself, causing a squawk of discomfort from the hatchling on her back. "Some ursa minors and majors, maybe a few hydra... the biggest problem is going to be timberwolves, at this time of year."
"Timberwolves, huh? I wonder how our target--" Rogers began, rumbling to himself and scratching at his muzzle thoughtfully.
"Can you call him our 'client'?" begged Julep suddenly, stopping so quickly that Rogers almost fell. "I-it just sounds so... mean, to call him a target."
"I'm sorry," said Rogers, once he'd steadied himself. He cleared his throat, then continued. "Ahem. Our client, Bronze Haft, lives alone?"
"Uh huh." Julep nodded easily as she started moving again. She took a quick drink from a fountain, then turned right through Gaskin Square and headed for the main gates out of Canterlot.
"A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma," grumbled Rogers.
"What's that supposed to mean, sweetie?" giggled Julep, reaching her head back to nuzzle at the small pink dragon.
Rogers hissed and batted at her muzzle. "Stop it, girl! I'm not some... some..."
"Helpless little waif?" suggested Julep, grinning.
Rogers stuck his tail in his muzzle sheepishly and grinned back. "I suppose I earned that, huh?" he asked, a few moments later.
"You have, rather," replied Julep. "I don't mind being called 'girl', but I'm not the trophy you've been treating me as the last few days. At least not here in Equestria. And don't you forget it!" She gave him another nuzzle, which Rogers batted at in weak protest. He snorted, chuckling to himself as she turned to face forwards again.
"I promise. Mommy."
"That's better. Now trust me to keep us safe. I've got a few ideas about how to get us there."
"Getting there might not be the issue," Rogers muttered, as Julep spread her wings and leaped into the air. ***
As I felt Darillo withdraw to whatever internal holt the diamond dog had found for himself in my secure compute and store layer, I opened my eyes. With some surprise, I noted my visual acuity had gone up a few extra notches and my hearing seemed sharper. I blinked, rapidly, and twitched my ears about -- my head felt funny, as did my muzzle.
"A bridle?" I asked aloud, working my jaw in circles to see how it felt.
"A very fetching one," said Rogers' voice. A quick datachirp told me, however, that this was really Velvet in a Rogers suit. I gasped in surprise, and almost choked at a constriction around my midsection.
"And I thought we went through this already too," said Velvet, as she noticed my discomfort. Rogers' hands adjusted something heavy on my back slightly. "That's your saddle. Yes, I've adjusted it properly. No, it's not too tight. Breathe normally, don't fight it."
"Are you sure you're not trying to strangle me slowly?" I asked, wheezing.
"Silly pony," said Velvet, with a snort. "You need to be saddled up, Sonny Jim. You're going to learn to ride. Kind of." Velvet - in Rogers' body - grinned. I looked over at the 'real' Velvet, who was slumbering on a thick foam mattress in one corner of the room. "I'm staying asleep until I'm out of range. It gets awkward otherwise." Velvet added, whispering with an almost tender note in her voice, as she noted my gaze.
"I don't know how you can just... do that," I said, furrowing my brow, shaking a hoof towards her slumbering self.
"I don't 'just do' anything," replied Velvet coolly. "But in this case, if Rog thinks it's necessary," she added, hefting one foot up into what I assumed was a stirrup before swinging herself up and onto my back, "I'm inclined to believe him."
"Oof!"
"Oh, buck up." Velvet dug Rogers' heels into my flanks. I squealed in surprise. "Don't tell me you don't like it." I whickered noncommittally, having her weight on my back did feel... somehow right, somehow familiar. "That's right," Velvet said, "you feel it too. It's part of ponytraiting."
"I--"
"Shh," Velvet interjected. "Don't speak. This may seem a little weird to you... but I want you to be the pony you already are. And that means no talking," she added, as I opened my mouth again. "Just for a little while, okay hon?"
"Is this what you did to Sprocket?" I mumbled.
Velvet swatted me in the withers, and chuckled. "Yes, but it was for him, not to. It's something he... needs. I'm not going to go that far with you, don't worry. Unless you ask nicely." I nickered, laughing along with her. "It's just important that you and Rogers learn to work as a team. You're his noble steed; as strange as it may sound, you're not a self-driving vehicle. You need a rider."
I opened my mouth to retort, but before I could, Velvet dug her right heel into my flank. Instinctively, I stepped away from the pressure. Before I could complete the motion, she moved her left foot ever so slightly forwards and pressed in with her calf. I turned clockwise around my front hooves. A congratulatory pat on the base of my neck swiftly followed.
"That's right gi--" Velvet cocked her head as she checked my personality matrix. "Hmm, I mean boy. Well done. And now the other way..."
Tap-tap push. I turned the other way.
"Very good. You're doing so well, let's try something a little bit trickier."
There was a gentle increase on my muzzle as Velvet leaned forwards slightly and pulled on the reins. At the same time, she put pressure on both flanks. I took the only obvious course, and stepped gingerly backwards. I made another couple of steps as Velvet released the pressure on my flanks but kept up the pull on the reins. I snorted nervously, but made another step. Immediately, the pressure on my muzzle stopped as well.
With yet another congratulatory pat, I felt Velvet settle herself squarely in the saddle. "Do you know how important that was?"
In lieu of answering verbally, I shook my head.
"That was something very difficult for real equines to do. We have an innate fear of stepping backwards - an old friend of mine told me once that for horses, what's behind them doesn't exist. We have a blind spot that Celestia's pony morphology has only made worse, and whilst it might only be a behavioral package upgrade, ponytraiting still comes with a lot of real horsey smarts. For you to step backwards means you trust me. I'm proud of you, boy, real proud. Rog will be too. Now, how about we go for a bit of a walk? Stretch your legs a little, make sure the tack's up to snuff before we get to the station for reals?"
I snorted an affirmative, nodding my head.
"Careful out there, Rog," said Buttercup, as he nudged the huge single door open with one great iron-shod hoof.
"Another reason for you to stay silent, boy, won't slip up if you don't say anything," said Velvet to me quietly, grinning. "Come on, partner, time to head out." She dug in her heels and tightened her hold on the reins. I whinnied in surprise and jinked forwards before another few tugs on the reins and a couple of short, reprimanding kicks had me drop into a walk.
"That's better, girl," said Velvet.
I flicked an ear in acknowledgement. It would be a lot easier to keep up a charade rather than attempt the same sensorum trick Roger had tried earlier, at least with the buzz of the historical case-data being fed into my public compute and store layer distracting me somewhat.
"Lose yourself in the datastream, girl," said Velvet, reassuringly. She was monitoring my neocortical activity and had noted the concentration shift. "You need to be my mount. For this exercise, I am your brain. Use your eyes and ears, but only after listening to me. If you can't do this, you'll be no good as a noble steed. If we hit trouble, I need you to know what I expect of you even when we're in a blackout. And that means understanding my needs on an instinctive, non-verbal level. When I say 'faster' with my boots, and you're walking, you should speed up or break into a trot as directed. When I say slower or faster, you need to adjust the cadence until you and I move as one -- man and horse."
We'd cleared the strange, homely shed that functioned as the 'stables' and were heading around the park once more when a brief pressure on my right side caused me to once more step left, but this time a swift tug on the left reins let me understand Velvet's true intentions - turn left. She course-corrected a few more times as we meandered at a brisk walk through the park until she had me turning properly. For somebody who spent their life as a pony, she was a very good rider - or she seemed so, at least, to my inexperienced senses. The way her commands flowed naturally and her movements were crisp and clear led me to believe that whether it had been some sort of ability package or not, she'd internalized the lessons and had earned those stripes.
A sudden kick-kick on both sides startled me out of my musings, and I found myself accelerating to a trot. After a couple of hoofsteps, Velvet eased into an up-down motion of her own - rising, or posting, trot - that matched my gait perfectly.
"Feeling better, girl? Getting used to it?"
I snorted and nodded my head in agreement, which earned me a sharp, repremanding, don't do that tug on my reins, but Velvet had got the message. She patted me again, awkwardly as we were moving at speed, then settled into drilling the same sorts of turns as before until she was satisfied I was familiar with them. Then she sat herself down in the saddle against my motion and tugged gently on the reins. She kept up the pressure as I dropped to a walk until I finally stopped. To my surprise, I was breathing rather heavily. I wasn't allowed much of a breather, though, as she then kicked into my ribs again and had me walk on.
"Never let yourself be ridden hard and put up wet, okay?" Velvet stated, after a few minutes of silence. "Advanced metabolisms or not, you can still get sick or sore. We're going to walk off this little bout of exercise to make sure you've stretched your muscles, and from now on we're going to ride together daily, at least an hour each time, got it? It's good for both of us, but especially for you. You're doing most of the work, after all."
I nickered happily as she patted me on the side. It was a simple gesture, but it meant a lot.
"Remind me to get Velvet to show you how she and Sprocket work together. They compete nationally, you could learn a thing or two from them."
I flicked an ear thoughtfully. Ponies competed in dressage and riding competitions by themselves...? A search online returned a few popular, short video clips and news articles - ponytrait ponies and horses did indeed compete, but differently to non-trait equines and riders. This was a melding between individual gymkhana, dressage and so on, and pairings between humanoform riders and trait-equines for more traditional-type displays where only the rider knew the desired routine and the pony or horse in question would have to follow instructions, with points given or taken away for style. Interesting. I'd not really been sporty before traits, but it looked like fun. I filed it away for later, then returned my attention to Velvet, who was quite happily steering me onwards with minute foot movements - the reins were slack and I'd been walking with my head drooped almost to the ground, resting.
"You're going to be a good one, girl," said Velvet. "Not every pony makes a good noble steed." It wasn't hard to detect the pride in her voice. I found myself hoping the real Rogers would be just as proud. I'd not really had somebody be honestly proud of my accomplishments for a while, and though this was just for 'doing as you're told', it bolstered me. I stood up straighter, puffing out my chest. A rhythmic tapping of Velvet's heavy booted feet adjusted my hoof-steps until I was marching. She guffawed, just like Rogers, then finally reined me in as we approached a rather austere-looking sandstone-yellow building with wide steps and high doors and windows.
"Yep, you're a keeper alright. Come on now, girl, we're at the station. Let's get you cleaned up so you're presentable."
She dismounted, swinging her right leg up and over before dropping to the plascrete. She stretched, Rogers' older body popping and cracking as she straightened. "Ahh, that's better."
"Speak for yourself," I huffed, shaking out my mane. I was breathing hard and was drenched in sweat. Foam flecked my muzzle and I could feel my nostrils dilating as I puffed.
"Here, let me help you with that, girl." Velvet bent and loosened the girthstrap around my barrel, then heaved the saddle off my back. I took a deep breath, nodding my head thankfully. "Come on." Velvet grinned, "You might be a super-strong pony but this is heavy for me."
"Up there?" I cocked my head towards the steps.
"Naa, round the back. You need a shower, you stink."
"Gee, thanks," I said, snapping my teeth at her. She just chuckled, and led the way. I shook the reins on my bridle until they were comfortable, then followed. ***
The station's pony facilities were on the lower levels. They were stark and utilitarian, but functional. Velvet ducked into a tack room with the saddle, then returned for the bridle. Returning a second time, she held a tough-looking box in one hand and a halter in the other.
"Come on, I've got a surprise for you. You've done your duty, now it's time for your reward. Trust me," she added, as I raised an eyebrow in surprise at her, "it makes it all worthwhile."
Somewhat hesitantly, I followed her through a spacious beige-tinted corridor into a large stall lit by a single archaic strip light. The sound of water filling a bucket was loud, even above the buzzing of the incandescent bulb.
"Shh, calm down." Velvet's words were soft as she put the halter on me then clipped ropes from the walls of the stall to each side of the head-garment.
"What's that for?" I asked, flicking an ear.
"Helps keep you in position. No more. Now relax." She lifted the bucket, moved to my flanks and then grabbed a heavy, warm sponge and started gently but firmly wiping away the excess sweat and grime from my body. I did as I was bid, closing my eyes. The attention - the rub-down - was therapeutic. Thoroughly, without the slightest hesitation or hint of awkwardness, Velvet doused my fur all over with the warm, soapy water then ran a sort of metallic loop against my body, scraping the excess off, before playing colder water against my hooves. It wasn't until after she'd finished brushing my flanks and had tamed my unruly mane and tail with a stiff comb that more resembled a garden fork than anything else, that I realized I'd been dozing.
I awoke to Velvet's soft laughter and a gruff knuckling against my poll as she then bent to fasten the front straps of a blue and white polka-dot cotton stall blanket around my chest.
"There. Now you can dry off without dripping all over the floor." She straightened again, then rubbed me between the ears. "Silly pony. Told you it was worth it, and I meant it. You ponies do the hard work, and we're a team. Julep was right - you do your duty to me, I do mine to you."
I didn't know what to say. I'd never really spent a day at the spa before, either, and now I was being told I'd get this daily?
"You ready for more gear, girl?"
"L-like what?"
"That tactical helmet I promised you, and two good pairs of boots. I don't think you'll want shoes - not yet at least." Schematics popped up in my store and compute, and a fashion subroutine tried them on against my body-plan.
"Do, uh, the other ponies wear shoes?"
"Sprocket uses plastic shoes. You might not have noticed, they're colour co-ordinated. Mama Sprinkles doesn't. Velvet's got boots like I'm getting for you. Only Buttercup has actual horse shoes, but he's so big he needs the support." Velvet hooked one of Rogers' fingers through a strap in the halter I was still wearing, and tugged gently.
"You can just ask me to follow, you know."
"I know, but..." Velvet took her hand away, dropping it down to her sides. "I'm sorry." She turned and started to walk.
"I tell you what," I said, bumping my head into her arm, "just this once."
"I guess I'm the silly pony, huh?" said Velvet.
"You sure are. Let's get that tactical helmet and those boots. Are they colour co-ordinated?" I asked curiously, a small grin on my muzzle as Velvet once more hooked her fingers through my halter's strap.
"Any colour you like, as long as they're black." Velvet snorted. "Well, tell a lie. The ones here at the station come in black, brown and maroon, but we can replicate you some customs later."
Horse boots are almost exactly what they sound like. They're large, round sneakers. For horses - or ponies, in my case. They felt oddly heavy around my hooves in a way that actual shoes never had. I figured I'd get used to them.
"And this is the mark thirty-eight equinoform tactical reconnaissance helmet," said Velvet, slipping one on over my ears and slapping the top heartily. I winced at the expected impact, but it didn't hurt. In fact I barely even felt it other than as pressure. "Give it a whirl. I'll be back in a moment." With that, she exited the gear locker.
The helmet was a solid plastic shell around a conforming inner core that moulded to my head almost perfectly. My ears were protected by a mobile cover which helped to somehow focus sound rather than obscure it. The visor was directly overlaying a whole host of technical and tactical data onto the world, shifting and changing as my attention did. It was incredibly simplistic, nowhere near as visually pleasing and malleable as using my store and compute layer for AR, but the raw ability to intuit and plan different actions and responses that it was capable of was... almost frightening. The AI within was sub-sentient, but right on the line, and as I hooked into its systems I could feel its subroutines probing my communication and physical relay APIs.
I'd never been very militarily minded, not even when playing as Stalwart. My questing prowess as that battle-hardened unicorn was a mixture of brute force and his smarts. With this helmet, I got the feeling I would almost be his equal in a one-on-one brawl. I mentally prepared myself to interface, but Darillo's security and eigenwall integrity routines bade me pause. With a quiet thank you for who or whatever had arranged that chance encounter, I called upon my tenant.
"Darillo?" I asked internally.
"Am here," the diamond dog eevee whispered.
"Check it out for me. This thing clean?"
The display glitched momentarily, then reset. "Is now." I sent silent thanks to my combat-ready passenger, then looked up as Velvet in her Rogers suit closed the door and bolted it.
"You still want to know what happened to Steven and Teresa?" she asked quietly over the encrypted link.
I mentally nodded. "It's a little late to back out now," I joked, putting as much humour into the encoded transmission as I could.
"Good. Then we're up."
I was about to walk over to her when the House's 'net went offline and my helmet flashed up a large number of alerts and suggestions for escape routes and Station-mind infiltration techniques.
"What just happened?" I asked, ears flattening against my skull.
"Welcome to your first ever combat simulation," Velvet replied as she cocked her head to one side. "Or at least that's what the Station thinks it is. Station thinks we're breaking in your new gear, but that's not quite true. Let me just sync up with your helmet..."
"Wait what? What are--" I recoiled in shock as Velvet tapped in directly to my helmet and engaged the communications relay. A moment later, she'd contacted Buttercup through the helmet's own powerful radio and had re-established the encrypted datafeed.
"Remember what we really came here for?" asked Velvet aloud, hands on hips with a small smirk on Rogers' face.
"Uhh, that... thing, that I saw?"
"Yup. It's in the evidence locker. Know where that is?"
I shook my head.
Velvet grinned widely, showing her teeth. "Next door. And I'm about to show you why Roger wanted me along. Come on, Wild. I need you for tactical. Remind me to teach you how to pick locks with your muzzle and a hairpin, one day. Just not today. Today we have about five minutes before the secondary security routines will forcibly come back up, my privilege hack is discovered and the security cameras realize we're not in the gear locker."
Somewhere, in the back of my mind, alarm bells were ringing. Real ones.
My knees were weak and my legs felt like lead, but I trotted after Velvet as she strode matter-of-factly out into the corridor. *** |
Out and About in the Equestrian Kingdom | Chapter 9 | Out & About in the Equestrian Kingdom
by Midnight Shadow
Chapter 9
With every second that passed as the security system remained down, I grew more and more agitated. Velvet, though, seemed unflapped. In fact, she seemed even more impassive than Rogers had been when I'd first met him.
"Calm down, Wild," she said nonchalantly to me, biting off the words as she only half-peered over her shoulder. "First thing to remember when pulling off a heist is to not let the excitement get to you. You'll get sloppy." She grinned, then reached inside Rogers' coat and pulled out a large metal ring with several sets of keys, and a longish, flexible-shafted hammer-like object.
"What is...?"
"You've been around a while, right, Oats?" she began, eyeing the lock on the door as she sorted through her key collection.
"I guess?"
"Do you ever miss locking your door? You know, with a real lock and key?"
"I--" I thought back. I used to miss it, actually, a long time ago. Over the years, though, I'd got used to just walking up to my door and having it open. I grinned, and nodded.
Velvet smiled. "Same here. But I kind of miss opening a door with a real key, too. So I took up a hobby." She brandished the keyring and the odd-looking hammer. I blinked. Then I took another look at the door before gazing back at her with an incredulous expression.
"Are you telling me you can pick a lock?"
"Yup." She turned to the door, narrowing her eyes. "Hmm. Full mortise, flat steel key... I really should improve security around here some day, and fit a proper Chubb lock. This will be a doddle. Total clean install."
"...You designed the security system?" I squeaked. I glanced around in surprise at the ordinary, gunmetal-green corridor, lit by the archaic, faintly buzzing strip lighting.
"Of course I did. I upgraded it after the first time I got caught breaking in, when they 'offered me a job'." She air-quoted, then pointed to me, gesturing at my body. I nodded, understanding blossoming. "Though not enough, apparently. The whole setup's still totally shanty."
She picked out one ordinary looking key after another, trying them out until one slid into the lock all the way, then started rhythmically hammering on it as she turned it gently. Seconds later, the key turned and the door opened with an innocent-sounding click.
"Seriously?" I deadpanned. "We're after something so important that I was brain-hacked for it, and the door opens almost on the first try?"
Velvet straightened, then nodded. "Only because any full-frontal attack on this station that could actually get anybody in is almost certain to fail. Unless you happened to have built the system, are already recognized enough to shut it down for a 'test' and can get past an ancient, obsolete security system that's so old nobody knows how to defeat it any more." She stepped into the room beyond, laughing, then gestured after me. "Come on, Wild. We're still likely to fail, and I won't be able to accept my inevitable reassignment if I don't find out just what Rog found."
I swallowed, and my knees felt weaker than ever. "I don't want to be reassigned!" I wailed, shivering.
"Oh relax, Wild. You'll just get a slap on the fetlocks. You belong to Celestia, and it's your first offence, besides. Now, fire up your helmet and tell me what's been touched. Broad spectrum, biologicals and non."
I nodded, mouth very dry, as I stepped through the door. The helmet I was wearing flared up into multi-spectrum analysis mode as it examined the spacious, dimly-lit area. The storeroom was obviously original; it had been fixed up with plascrete in multiple places, but it was structurally sound and well tended, if dusty. Rows of simple LED bulbs - in-place replacements for obsolete incandescent-type bulbs, of all things - hung from the ceiling, illuminating metal-bracket free-standing shelves. On them were stacked boxes upon boxes of evidence, each neatly labelled with their respective case-codes. In moments, my helmet was picking out where multiple previous occupants of the room had stood and what they had touched. It offered combat advice based on calculated sizes, weights and capabilities, along with the suggested profiles of those occupants. I transmitted the pertinent overlay to Velvet, picking out the relevant evidence boxes. One was further from the others. As Velvet walked towards it, I voiced the nagging concern I'd had ever since I'd agreed to go along with the crazy plan in the first place.
"Velvet, uh... what makes you think it's even in here?"
"Oh, Wild..." Velvet laughed.
Rogers' voice made it sound warm and friendly, though more than a little condescending. I plastered my ears against my head and bared my teeth before pouting.
"I think I get what Rog sees in you," Velvet said with a smirk, tapping me on my muzzle. "Think like an AI. How much smarter do you think they are than us mere mortals?"
"Um, a lot?" I asked, pricking one of my ears up in confusion as Velvet yanked on the most-likely box and hefted it to the ground.
"A lot." She nodded. "So much so that they overestimate their own abilities sometimes. Honestly? There are few places in this country more secure than a police station. We've got almost zero chance of getting out of here with what we're looking for, you know. The flipside, however, is it's going to be here if it's anywhere. The fifteen - or whichever subprocess was overseeing the job - had no idea what it was you found yesterday. I still don't, but I do know they've been scrambling ever since. I asked Penrose, my avvy, to look into it. He says it's bad mojo, but I'm committed. The agents of the fifteen, they figured it was as safe here as anywhere else. They didn't want to destroy it for obvious reasons. They just had it hidden... and I think we're in luck!"
Velvet in her Rogers suit had been digging through the odd box, picking out and examining odd devices one at a time, until she found one that the manifest said did not belong. Checking it against the stored object simulacrum, she nodded as she stood up straight.
"Is that it?" I asked. I honestly couldn't remember what I'd seen a day ago. My brain was relatively fuzzy about such things, and I knew for a fact my neocortical memory store had been compromised at least once. The helmet declined to pass judgement on less than satisfactory levels of data.
"I'm not sure, and that probably means it is."
"Well now what?"
Velvet grinned, threw the object in the air, caught it and pocketed it in one smooth motion. "What do you think we do? We run!" ***
Mint Julep circled the cottage lazily before perching on a small outcropping of cloud. The dwelling was a non-descript wooden affair nestled in a freshly-cut clearing, deep in the dark forest that covered the foothills of the foal mountains. A single plume of smoke rose up into the rose-tinted evening sky from a makeshift cobblestone chimney as a lone earth pony split kindling in the garden, an axe held in his muzzle. His grunts and the meaty sound of metal on wood filled the air.
"That our guy?" asked Rogers, leaning precariously over the pegasus' neck as he peered down into the gloom.
"Certainly looks like it," murmured Julep. "Keep an eye out, I'm going down."
Rogers huffed, a small plume of smoke rising from his nostrils. "For what?"
"You tell me. I can name a dozen creatures that could be hiding in the shadows. Just because they don't touch him doesn't mean they won't skin us."
"You think he's protected?"
"I think he's an earth-mage. Can't you...? No, I guess you wouldn't know what I mean."
"Magic?" Rogers lifted an eyeridge.
"How did you think I was sitting on this cloud?" Julep fluffed her feathers indignantly. "If you think you can cloudwalk, give it a try."
Rogers ran a claw through the fluffy whiteness that surrounded them. "I'll take your word for it."
"Good thing too." Julep smirked, then gave Rogers a kiss on his forehead. "I'd hate our first meeting with Haft to be a screaming hatchling dropping on his head." She stood up and stretched her wings, then hopped over the edge and fell like a brick. To his credit, Rogers managed to emit little more than a strained squeak as the ground came up to meet them.
Mere feet from the turf, the mare flared her wings and swooped in a tight arc around the perimeter of the clearing before dropping to the ground into a quick gallop. She bled speed quickly, folded her wings and came to a stop before an unimpressed Bronze Haft.
"I wondered how long it'd take 'fore somepony came looking for me," he huffed. The pony was slate grey with white socks around three of his hooves. On his flank was a silvern axe adorned with a brilliant white ring. Piercing blue eyes peered out from beneath a jet-black shock of a mane that fell over his muzzle. He snorted in contempt. "I must say, though, I thought y'all had given up on me."
"We're, uh, sorry to disturb--" began Julep.
"Y'all ain't disturbin' me none. Ain't much to be disturbed. Ain't got much to do. Used to be a painter. I don't do that no more. Now I just chop wood and plow fields. If I were of a more generous nature, I'd spout some bullshit like 'the earth is my canvas', but now we know that ain't rightly true."
"I'm sorry, but--"
"And 'fore you ask, no, I'm not satisfied. Hard to be satisfied when you're a prisoner."
"Oh." Julep furrowed her brow, digging a hoof into the ground thoughtfully. Rogers reached again for his non-existent hat as Julep fell silent. The salmon-hued hatchling hopped down and stretched, popping and cracking his back, then approached the stallion.
"You know, we've come a long way to meet you, sir, but if this is a bad time--"
"Can't rightly say as there's any time better or worse," Haft interjected. "Any day is much the same as the rest, 'round here. Been here nigh on three year, don't see that changin'."
"You do know you can just... uh..." Julep gestured with a hoof, off into the darkness.
"Aye, I could, but what good would it do me? All this is hers. I can't go back where I was, and I won't..." Haft paused. Then he tutted, spat, and gestured to his cabin. "Look, y'all might as well come in, seems you want the whole sordid tale. Won't rain tonight, the wood'll keep. It always does when I need it to."
Turning somewhat defeatedly, the stallion led the way into his house, chattering all the while. "Built this place meself. It took me a few tries, but Equestria's forgivin' like that. It helps I can ask th'plants to hold it all up." He tapped a hind hoof against the walls as he stepped through the open front door, two solid thunks sounding through the timbers, before he trotted further inside. Rogers peered closer: the beams were little more than solid tree trunks piled one atop another, and thick vines grew through what tiny gaps remained, sealing out the chill of the night air. A latticework of creepers surrounded the walls right up to the roof, which the dragon realized now was covered with grass.
"I see what you mean about earth-mage," Rogers murmured to Julep. "Does every pony get that?"
Julep shook her head. "Depends on the individual, sometimes the shard," she replied. She shook herself and trotted into the cottage. "Come on," she said over her shoulder, "let's get inside where it's warmer."
The interior of the cottage was as rustic and spartan as the outside, save for one odd, incongruous object floating freely above a plinth on the mantle behind a little cast-iron pot-bellied stove. It drew the eyes like motion in an otherwise still scene. Rogers hopped down from Julep's back and waddled towards it almost as soon as they'd cleared the doorway. He was too small to touch it, tucked away as it was up and out of his reach, but he nevertheless stood in front of it, staring.
"Won'nered how long it'd take y'all to notice that. Tell me, strangers, what do y'all think it is?"
"I... I don't..." Julep began. She shook her head thoughtfully. "I'll say one thing: it doesn't belong here in this world."
"You're right," grumbled Rogers. "It's not built from the same interface at all, even half blind like I am, I can tell that. It's an avatar for... something else, from somewhere else."
"Aye, that it is," said Haft. He trotted up next to Roger, took a deep breath, and sighed. "Say hello to all that is left of the man I used to be." ***
You wouldn't think running through a glorified office building would be all that exhausting, and to tell you the truth, it wasn't... well, it was - by every reliable metric from the battery of medchines that made their home in my bloodstream, I was stressing my recently traited body to the limit - but thanks to an unhealthy dose of fear-induced adrenalin coursing through my veins, I wasn't yet feeling it.
Velvet panted as she ran ahead of me - Rogers' older body may have had several upgrades, but older is older, and he hadn't traded up. She twitched her head to the side as she fired another logic-bomb at the frantically rebooting security system, but it was no good; the semi-aware Mil-spec systems had grown impatient with the extended testing and were now actively labelling Velvet as persona non-grata. They were shutting out her access rights one daemon at a time, killing her marauding sub-processes and freeing the resources she was trying her hardest to lock down.
Finally, the system came fully online, hardened itself against all intruders, issued a general alert and locked down the building. I winced as the datastream between us and Buttercup fluttered, momentarily slowing to a walk.
"Keep up, Wild!" called Velvet, straightening up as she persuaded another set of doors to open a few feet ahead of me.
"I'm keeping, I'm keeping!" I grumbled back, picking up the pace. "Where are we going, anyway?"
"Where to doesn't matter," she called over her shoulder as she leaned into my helmet's smarts and ran a quick search through possible pathways, "it's where from that matters."
I narrowed my eyes and mentally poked my battle helmet again. It was being suspiciously quiet, not anticipating as much as I'd hoped.
Angry at the substandard responses, Darillo reached out for Mortimer. The GPS daemon fluffed herself up at his approach, but allowed him to take hold. Whatever he said to her, he was persuasive, because moments later, the testy little creature booted up some software upgrades and fluttered off, slipping into Station's 'net. A query to Darillo rendered nothing useful in reply, only a toothy grin.
He hadn't led me wrong so far, so I let it go and put the bulk of my attention back on my helmet and its twitchy interface. Trying to persuade it that what were ordinarily good things were instead, in this special case, things to get upset about was proving relatively difficult. Still, I'd almost got it cra--
Uh oh.
"Velvet, stop! Don't open that--!"
My warning was too late. Velvet turned to face me as the double doors she'd been hacking swung open. I took a single step back, lowered my head and pawed at the ground.
"What? You wanna lead? Sure, I'll let you..." she turned. "Oh. Oh, that's... that's not good."
A chorus of growls drowned out the epithets that followed, as the resident K9 squad - surely set loose by at least one of Station's mindernodes - squared up against us.
"Velvet, those are highly trained, highly strung and very obedient members of the canine division. Do not make any sudden moves."
"You don't have to tell me twice. Any chance you can nobble them?"
I shook my head tersely at her question. "They aren't the sort of defence mechanism you can just reset, though they do usually obey the station master."
"Guess not then, unless you know who let the dogs out."
Police work may have changed in the years since police-persons were really needed for anything other than solving personal disputes, but the K9 squad had never gone away, and with the new and improved uplifted units the Fey had been breeding since the red tape went away, they were even better than ever.
When I'd first started getting truly interested in the idea, I had been somewhat surprised that K9 traiting had never really become a thing, but then I'd figured that most canine traitees were more 'wolf' than 'dog', or at least so they claimed. The idea of following orders rarely came easily to the sort of person who fancied themselves an improved, sexier version of a werewolf. The upshot of that was that we only had to deal with ordinary, every-day, super-intelligent, super-strong, super-fast and resourceful full-blooded, battle-trained weapons.
Yeah, I decided, that's it, we're boned.
"Velvet?" I hazarded, stepping back tentatively.
"Yeah?" Velvet asked, backing up with me.
"Remember what we were doing before? I think we should do it again."
We ran.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" I mentally kicked myself; despite the whole thing being batshit insane with zero chance of success, I was angry at being caught by something so obvious as mecha-mutts. However, having twigged that the dogs were to be avoided, my helmet had rapidly mapped out several new escape routes - and I didn't quite feel like giving up.
We'd not got more than a couple of feet when crunch-time came, the microseconds expanding as my neocortex ran a ghost program on top of my usual sensorum. I could feel Darillo grumbling in the background about my lack of true defensive wetware, but I mentally quashed him.
"Left or right?" sent Velvet, her right foot in motion, mere moments from impacting the ground. Precious milliseconds would be lost if I delayed answering. Pathing programs and intel subroutines warred behind my eyes, and I grew increasingly frustrated.
Then, with a flutter of virtual feathers, the choice was made for me. Mortimer returned from her sojourn in the wider world, and she had returned bearing gifts: reinforcements had been called, and had been tracing our steps. They'd blocked off the lower levels. Despite Darillo's strong leaning towards the underground - whether that was part of his programming or just common sense I wasn't sure - I had no alternative now but to risk heading upwards.
"To the right! Shift it, I'll bust us through!" Deciding it was now or never, Darillo uploaded himself to my forebrain - merging before my conscious meat mind realized what was going on - muscling in on my behavioural routines and taking charge. With new vigour, I thundered around the corner, careening off the plaster-covered walls as I surged past Velvet, lowering my head and slamming straight through the next set of doors. The tactical helmet took the impact, and then I was heading up the stairs. "Velvet, sure you can keep up?" I called back.
"I'm okay for now, this body's in good shape," Velvet lied. Her pulse was high, and respiration was uneven.
"Won't matter soon anyway," I huffed. "This'll be over before you get winded. How're our boys and girls back home?"
"Buttercup says he's under attack, but nothing he can't stave off, so fa-- damn it!"
I blinked. "Had to jinx it, didn't you?" I growled. Buttercup's datastream had gone down - as had our joint sensorum - and we were now flying blind.
"Ohh this isn't good, this isn't good at all!" Velvet repeatedly tried to hook into my helmet, transferring her motive functions to a slave routine before diving into the link. Despite her best efforts, though, she could not get it back. We were not only being blocked, we'd been completely shut out, with only cursory bio-statistics making their way through some very low bandwidth links.
"You mean more not good than being chased by hounds?" I grumbled.
"Definitely," snorted Velvet. "You don't understand, there is nothing that can shut down this link!"
"Tell that to whoever did it!" I spat.
"It's just not possible," Velvet hissed. "This is a rotating steganographic cypher based on a morphic progression salt - without decrypting the entire sequence in real time, there's no way in hell to lock us out! They won't know the spread spectrum key let alone the frequency map! And it's an infinite sequence!"
"That sounds hard."
"It's impossible, without..." Velvet paused - mentally, that is, we'd not stopped running as the dogs were literally nipping at our heels - thinking hard.
"So it's not impossible, I take it?" I smirked, mental fangs bared in laughter.
"Not without building another impossible machine for the task." Velvet brought up the schematics of the strange device we'd liberated from the evidence locker, it floated in my peripheral vision, low resolution and indistinct as only the most basic links were stable under the blackout, despite my helmet's best efforts. Velvet started swearing. "Ohh no, no, no. This is bad. If they've actually brought in quantum decryptors, then they really want this back."
"Didn't we know that at the beginning?" I replied, nonplussed.
"No," replied Velvet flatly, "we didn't. Buy me some time, Wild, buy it now."
"As my lady wishes," I replied. "Cover your ears, just in case."
As we emerged into an upper canteen of some sort, I spun, slamming into tables, sending them flying. Some crashed into the ceiling, shattering lights and sending the room into semi-darkness. I was glad the building had been emptied as soon as the situation had begun, it was standard procedure to avoid hostages and the inevitable paperwork from bodyloss.
Velvet leaped over the airborne furniture, shoes squeaking as she came to a halt. "Do it," she said, and clapped her hands to her head. I nodded, and engaged countermeasures.
Immediately, the still-charging canines howled and whined, tensing or going limp, all of them flailing madly and impacting the floor and the detritus spread about upon it. Members of the pack spun where they lay, whirling wildly as they kicked their hind legs, pawing at their heads with their front paws.
I gritted my teeth and forced my body upright - the aural bombardment was loud and painful, a pervasive woodpecker boring into my skull. I turned off my hearing almost immediately - it would probably mean a trip to a regen clinic later as the countermeasures would almost certainly be damaging my nerves, but at least I'd be able to function for now.
I straightened and turned, Velvet was dusting herself off, having cautiously taken her hands away from her head. Other than some obvious discomfort, the sounds weren't bothering her much - they were out of the human frequency range. She was mouthing something. Lip-reading programs sprung into action.
"Good work, Wild."
I nodded, then tapped a hoof to my head, wiggling my ears.
"Ah, gotcha. How long will it last?"
I cocked my head to one side, interrogating the helmet. That was going to be a problem. The battery had hours of time left, and I could lock out the controls so they'd have to physically destroy the unit - pretty difficult, as it was designed to be as close to indestructible as possible - but as soon as I left the area, the dogs would recover. I grinned, ferally, and flipped the device off my head, kicking it under a table. I overrode the safeties, and the volume increased. I didn't want to hurt the dogs, but it wasn't like I had a choice.
I sprinted past her, then looked back.
"That wasn't what I meant," she mouthed.
I just stuck my tongue out, then gestured with my head up the corridor. She shook her head.
"Can't, I need to interrogate our little prize, Wild. Badly. Real badly."
I gave her a look. "You can rest all you want when we're safe," I said, moving my jaw with exaggerated motions.
"You're deaf, Wild, not dumb. Just talk normally. Tell you what, come here..." Velvet reached out a hand, and suddenly I could hear her again. "They can block our radio, but they can't block induction. You want to get us somewhere safe, and I know I need to check out what we found. You can't hear, and I can. Remember our lessons on equestrianism?"
"Get on," I said, gritting my teeth and nodding. "I'm your faithful steed, aren't I?"
"You know, Wild? I'm really going to miss this when they mulch what's left after they catch us," she said, as she heaved Rogers' body up onto my back, digging her hands into my mane.
"They'll have to catch us first." *** |
Out and About in the Equestrian Kingdom | Chapter 10 | Out & About in the Equestrian Kingdom
by Midnight Shadow
Chapter 10
"Say hello to all that is left of the man I used to be," said Bronze Haft, as he stared at the gem floating before them. You could have heard a pin drop. Rogers could have too, if the rushing of the blood in his diminutive nubby ears hadn't drowned out all external sound. After a long few seconds, he finally broke the silence.
"You what!?"
"I said it's me. I think." Haft rubbed the back of his head with a hoof in a disturbing show of Equestrian dexterity. "I'm not so sure, of course," He grinned weakly, pointing to the floating gem that contained his memories, "but... I don't think I'm the kind of pony to go around brainhacking. Do you?" Haft turned plaintively to Julep, vulnerable for an instant, before he shook himself and the taciturn mask settled once more over his features.
Julep slowly shook her head. "I... I don't think so, no. A-and if you had been, you'd not be who you are now."
With effort, Rogers composed himself. "You could have something there," said the dragon, waggling a claw at Julep. He pursed his lips thoughtfully, and turned to Haft. "Please, tell me what happened."
"Y'all really want to hear it?" asked a skeptical Haft, his gaze roving from baby dragon to flighty pegasus and back.
"Warts and all. It's important. We really have come a long way, and despite the ratio in this sim, time is running out." Rogers snorted, momentarily startling himself as a small jet of flame emerged from his muzzle.
"Very well." Haft was silent for a moment, then fixed his gaze on the jewel. Walking towards it slowly, footsteps loud in the tense quiet, he began to speak. "I can't rightly say I remember most of it. Obviously. Bits and pieces--" Haft waved a hoof "--different realms. Places I've never been. Avvies I've never met. Ordinalities I don't have access to. I don't think it was me, doing most of it. But I don't think I objected. Haft and I," Haft chuckled at the third person, "had a pretty solid agreement. We shared everything - sensorums, flists, partners. In game and off, we were a good team. And then, several months ago, we realized something had changed. We'd grown apart, more like we were brothers than avvy and progenitor. It happens. I thought..." Haft took a deep breath, then turned back to Julep and Rogers, "I thought he was leaving me."
"You loved him?" asked Julep, softly.
Haft laughed, shaking his head. "We weren't lovers. We'd tried it, everypony does now and again, but it didn't mean anything. We loved each other though, aye. I didn't want to lose him, he didn't want to lose me. We couldn't live together and were too scared to live apart. At some point we switched; I subsumed, he integrated - or the other way around, depending who you think you're talking to. For a while, it worked. And then... it didn't."
"What happened?" asked Rogers, learning forwards on his tail.
Haft snorted and shrugged. "I wish I could tell you, but the answer--" Haft pointed a hoof at the floating gem "--is in there."
"Okay, okay. Stop a moment." Rogers screwed up his face, concentrating. Steam rose from his ears, but he ignored it. He leaned forwards, bent his head down, and ran his claws in circles along the floor. Hissing under his breath, he dug his claws deeper until he'd drawn three intersecting circles, two above and one below, forming a rough, rounded triangle, point downwards. "Julep, lass? Do you mind spotting me?"
"Hmm?" Julep approached the dragon cautiously, peering down at the rents in the flooring. "What do you want, sweety?"
Rogers flailed a claw irritably at her wording, then pointed at the floor. "This. This is important. Do you know what this is?"
"Something that won't buff out?" grumbled Haft.
"No, this is you. And me. And... everyone. Some of us have more moving parts," Rogers lashed his tail thoughtfully as he pointed to the upper two circles, "but everyone these days has at least two personalities. Even if your avvy is merely a behavioural modification construct, like Kojak is for me, you have an avvy. And that avvy--" Rogers tapped a claw into both upper circles "--is you." His claw came to rest on the bottom circle. "Root access to your personality matrix, personal certificates, your identity... Your memory encryption keys, everything. Who you are is intrinsically linked at a level that just cannot be altered without altering the personalities attached."
"What, you mean... avvy and progenitor are... both avvies?" Julep blinked.
"You thought you were fake or something? Just because you're made up doesn't make you any less of a real personality than Oats, lass. Truth be told, I get the idea you've got more to you than he does, in a way. You think Oats is everything Oats is, though? Oh no, he's just as much an avvy of his core self than you are. Or this is of me," Rogers said, placing his claws on his chest. "Or Haft... and Steven."
"What're you sayin'?" asked Bronze Haft, narrowing his eyes and flicking his tail angrily. "You sayin' I'm a fake?"
"Whatever they did to you, they knocked your IQ back a few points," snorted Rogers, sticking out his jaw as Haft flicked his ears back against his head and bared his teeth. "No. I'm saying you weren't brainhacked. If you had been, then either you'd be dead -- and somebody else would've been relifed instead after I bodylossed you -- or you'd have been put back together whole and you wouldn't be stuck like this, half way between who you are and who you should be."
Rogers bent down and gouged out the floor from the interlocking center parts of his diagram, a shape reminiscent of a propeller, or a flower. Or a gem. Then he straightened, and grinned, as Julep's muzzle made an 'O' almost as wide as the circles he'd drawn on the floor.
"So now we have only one question left," said Rogers, half to himself.
"And that is?" asked Julep, rustling her wings, peering intently from Rogers to the drawing and back, her brow furrowed as she tried to figure out whatever else it was that Rogers saw in it.
"If we both agree that Haft here isn't the sort of pony to go around brainhacking -- and I think I'd know if he was. No offence, you could always be a high-functioning psychopath, but that's the sort of baseline personality disorder caught by mindscans long before they become a problem -- then what in the name of the fifteen fey could lead a good pony to getting his hooves on a brain ripper?" ***
"Which way!? Which way!?" screamed Velvet breathlessly.
"I don't know!" I screamed back.
"Then go left!" she shouted.
"It's another set of stairs!"
"Then go up them!" she retorted. "This would've been a lot easier if you hadn't thrown the battle helmet away! You know? The one with the ice?"
"I don't wanna touch ice, Velvet!" I growled. "It's bad mojo, not that I really know what to do with it anyhow! Besides, it was the helmet or my butt, and I'd rather lose the helmet. Helmets are supposed to come off!"
Shouldering my way through a padlocked door - the slam shook my frame, but I channeled as much of the impact as possible down through my hooves. I'd be sore in the morning, if I saw morning, but that was a problem for tomorrow's Oats - we emerged into a wide open square of plascrete and aerials.
I said several bad words which were apparently only known to Darillo, a fact which became apparent as the intruding personality slunk off into the depths of my neocortex.
"Just fucking great," I grumbled. "Even my self-preservation routine's abandoned me."
Velvet chuckled as she slid off my back, wheezing. "Slow down there, sailor. Quite the blue tongue you've got. Wanna tell me who you're channeling?"
I shook my head. "Not right now. Ace in the hole, you know? Unpredictable and all that. Something which would've been a lot more use if we hadn't just trapped ourselves on the SODDING ROOF!" I stomped all four of my hooves in a miniature tantrum which left cracks in the plascrete.
"No, no... this is good. I can work with this." Velvet looked around, then tilted her head. Slowly, a smile split her lips. "Blackout's down, Net's up. It's just building-wide. We might be in with a chance. You take care of the stairs and try to get hold of Buttercup. I'll get the door."
With a flick of my tail and an idle ping, I verified that we were, indeed, no longer half blind and stricken mostly dumb. I didn't believe her about being in with a chance though. "Stairs? We can't go back dow--"
"Not those stairs, dummy! The fire escapes! Knock 'em down! Kick 'em loose! I'll lock the door, see if I can jam it. It'll buy us a few more minutes, perhaps. Unless they bring another pony."
"A few more minutes for what? We're trapped!" I shouted. I could already hear sirens; local SWAT teams were approaching as fast as the city's leisurely pace allowed. How fast didn't really matter, though, we weren't exactly going anywhere.
"Oh I can do a lot in a few minutes," replied Velvet, straightening up. I grimaced; she'd finished and I hadn't even started. Picking up the pace, dampening down my aches and pains with a few well-placed cortical tweaks until they were just background data, I made short work of the only two ways down other than the access door and the 'express'. I wasn't sure if it was really smart, or really fucking dumb, but I did it. I returned to Velvet in time to help her with an upturned skip of some sort, jamming it against the door.
"That'll do, pony," she said. "I screwed the lock up good, jammed it. Only a locksmith or heavy ordnance will open it."
"Good," I said. "And can you now tell me what the hell it is that's ruined my perfectly ordinary, perfectly happy quiet life?"
"Tetchy, aren't we?" mumbled Velvet, as she fished for the mysterious item from the depths of Rogers' pockets. She held it in front of her face for a few moments, turning it idly over and over in her fingers. And then she started shaking.
"Velvet..?" I asked. "Velvet? That's not a good reaction. Velvet!? Velvet!" My voice was rising in pitch each time she failed to respond. I'd expected a lot of things, but horror had been one I'd expected later, when the authorities brought out the thumb screws. Idly, I wondered what they had to replace those with in my case.
After a painful moment of silence, she whispered, "Unicorn!"
"A unicorn?" I asked. "I, er, know a few, but none of them are--"
Shaking her head, Velvet looked up, though her gaze was far away. "Not that sort of unicorn. A different sort, a dangerous sort. We've got to get the door open." Her voice sounded as far away as her gaze. It was tight... scared.
"Velvet? Talk to me!" I asked, approaching her as she very carefully set the device down. For once, I was able to get a good look at it. It was, to my eyes at least, small and unassuming. It was a roughly cylindrical dirty bronze wedge, metallic all over, and about the size of one of those ancient cellphones - you know the sort, those huge things we used to carry around before we got wetware, constantly running out of battery, of all things - or a beverage can, if a beverage can were sort of squished, elongated and melted. It didn't look made, come to think of it, it looked grown.
"Wild--" Velvet's voice was husky, low and urgent. "Please get away from it."
"What? But I thought... what are you...?" I nosed it, gently. It tinkled as it rolled across the plascrete roof.
"It's computronium, Wild. We're not supposed to have computronium. Nobody is."
I blinked, confused. "Wait, Buttercup has computronium, Velvet, I thought she... he... said?"
Velvet turned to me, shaking her head. "I-it's not quite that simple. We... you and I, we have avatars that live in our heads. Buttercup... got an upgrade a few years ago. Now her avatar lives on the outside."
Very slowly, I made an 'O' with my mouth. A very big 'O'. "S-so..."
"It would be more correct to say that Buttercup's computronium has him, Wild. Nobody has computronium. Nobody like us, anyway. Ever. Now back the fuck away from it, and whatever you do, don't interface--"
You know the game don't think of pink elephants? Yeah, I never was very good at it. The world fell away as whatever had been in that device was suddenly very much in our heads. ***
"It's not a brain-ripper," huffed Haft, glaring.
Julep giggled, gesturing with a wing from the stallion's ear-tips to his hooves. "We've established his bona fides, to my satisfaction at least."
"Then what was it...?" Rogers stalked around the room, occasionally glaring back at the gem. "You know what, guys..."
Haft and Julep shared a glance.
"Go on," they said, in unison.
"We already have the answer. We just don't know how to get it. Not from here, at least. Julep, can I ask you something?"
Julep's gaze floated reluctantly from the floating gem to Rogers. She sighed. "I know what you're going to ask."
"But you can do it?" Rogers pressed, urgently.
"Do what?" asked Haft, suspicion plain on his face.
"We're going to need help," the dragon replied, not taking his gaze from Julep's. "We need to contact the rest of my team, bring them here if we can... and without going through the usual channels."
"Seriously!?" Haft blinked in surprise.
Julep shook her head, slowly. "I can't, I'm not a unicorn, and even if I was, I don't know if I could do it. The only creatures who can jump from world to world are..." Julep stopped, suddenly, and stared into space.
Very slowly, Rogers started to grin. "You're on to something, aren't you? Go on, say it!"
"I... I think... the only creatures that can get in and out of Equestria how they want... are creatures that came from here in the first place. Like Mortimer."
"Like Oats' GPS?"
"Like Oats' GPS!"
Julep jumped for joy, landed, spun, then put a hoof to her muzzle and blew a loud, shrill whistle. Before she'd put her hoof to the floor again, there was a flash of light, and the room was filled with feathers and the loud excited cawing of a crow.
"Honey, calm down! Calm! Mortimer! We need your help!"
"Caw?"
"Can you... we need you to get in touch with Oats and Velvet--"
"Caw!"
"--But! Wait! But! We need them to... kind of come here. Without, you know, actually coming here."
"Ca-caw?"
"Yes, that's exactly what I mean."
"Ahem." Rogers held up a diminutive claw, then pointed the digit at the avian that was giving him a beady look. "You can understand that?"
"Caw!" replied Mortimer, witheringly.
"Yes, I can. I have a lot points in One With Nature. Now, don't interrupt, Mortimer's explaining what we need to do. Make some space, would you?"
"Yes ma'am!" Rogers saluted, then started moving what little furniture there was out of the way.
"They grow up so fast," said Julep to Bronze Haft, grinning.
Rogers huffed and rolled his eyes as he put his back to the simple yet serviceable table and heaved. "I knew it was a good idea to bring you, Julep, because correct me if I'm wrong, Bronze Haft my good sir, but it isn't remorse that's kept you here all this time, is it?" Rogers straightened and looked at Haft questioningly, groaning indulgently as his back popped.
The stallion was quiet for a few moments, then shook his head and laughed, bitterly. "So you worked out the rest then, huh?" he asked softly, eyes shining and wet. Julep cocked her head in confusion, taking a step forwards. Rogers dusted his paws together then put one small claw on her flank and shook his head, nodding at the jewel. Julep's eyes widened as she put two and two together.
"You can't take it with you, can you?" she asked with a gasp.
Haft shook his head. "Not through any normal means, no. Maybe this'll be different. It's been heavily suggested to me that any time I feel like accessing my own memories, I can go right ahead. Except I can't, I've encrypted them with a certificate that isn't in my collection. I've repeated that fact often enough, but I don't think anypony believes me. I'm not sure I blame them, either."
"They'd be safe here though, Haft. You know that, right?"
Mortimer croaked from the rafters in agreement, beady eyes watching the scene unfolding below.
"Could you leave half your brain somewhere? Especially after waking up dead and realizing it's been locked away from you forever? Just out of reach and impossible to access, sitting right there in front of you? Can you imagine not knowing who you are? Celestia took it, Julep. She took it, rifled through what she could, wrapped up what was left in a big, pretty bow and gave it back to me, because it was useless. And right now that's all I am - useless." Haft spat and slumped down in a corner, next to a tiny pot-bellied stove.
"You're not useless, Haft. Not at all! You don't need to let this define you, you don't--"
"Julep," whispered Rogers, shaking his head as he stomped across the dusty floor towards the stallion. As the pegasus shied back, Rogers turned to Haft. "Listen, with my help, and with Julep's knowhow of the Equestrian Ordinality, we might just be able to change that."
"You do know that Celestia's not going to like it, when we connect the realms?" asked Julep, dubiously.
"Then maybe we should do it now and do it fast."
"Caw!" insisted Mortimer. She fluttered down from the beam she'd been perched on, then hopped around the room before taking up station on Julep's head. "Caw, ca-caw, caw caw!"
Julep giggled. "She says 'in that case, I'll need a circle on the ground with a seven pointed star around it, with each of the Elements of Harmony around that, starting with--'"
"Elements of Harmony?" asked Rogers.
"I'll translate and explain as we go. Now get moving! Finish clearing the room, then get to drawing. It has to be a proper magic circle--" Julep put a hoof to Rogers' lips, silencing his burgeoning objections, then continued, "--that's how this realm works, honey, and unless your name is Celestia, you're not going to change that. Chop chop!"
With a grin, Rogers got back to work. "Your wish is my command!" ***
Ordinarily when one joins a new sensorum, the change is peaceful, pleasant even. It's normally a smooth transition, with visible, soothing effects. One might find oneself in a waiting room first, as distinct from the final destination as it is from real life, or it might all fade in slowly. Ordinary. Safe. Boring. Not so for this; one moment we were on a rooftop, and the next we were in some halfway madhouse. Clouds roiled below us, gravity was indistinct and shifting. The skies burned and flashed and what ground there was, was twisted and indistinct. Worse than that, though, were the sounds. It was a cacophony of squawks, ear-splitting shrieks and pops, and and jumble of off-key, off-kilter voices.
Just out of reach, glitching and twitching as if trying to get a hold on our suddenly non-corporeal bodies, the real world was melting and burning as it faded away. Thinking was slow and painful, as if a great weight of some kind was sat on my head, encasing my ears. Foul smells filled my nostrils, making me retch and double over, and odd pains coursed through my body. Worse, none of my normal defensive routines were operable. I could feel the electric current of this broken reality fizzing and spitting at the ends of my neurons, my eigenwall dark and useless.
I felt more naked and vulnerable at that point than I had ever felt before in my life, and that included the brief yet exquisitely dark few moments just before I had lost consciousness in the trait tanks, with the monotonous buzzing of those biomechanical shunt applicator drills boring ever closer to my grey matter.
The safest thing to do would have been to discogitate, to inform the wetware riddling my skull to self-destruct, taking most of my all-too-vulnerable digitally enhanced brain with it. It was also highly ineffective - almost nobody had the gumption to voluntarily lobotomize themselves on command, and very few dared set the flags that enabled the unconscious monitoring that would flip the kill switch automatically. The urge to live was far too strong for that, even now, even today, even with the damage being repairable.
Fear, though, was equally powerful, and just as hard to ignore. Curled up in a small ball, reflexively cutting off all external stimuli, I whimpered and shook, sobbing to myself. I didn't want to die, I didn't want my brain ripped into a million tiny ineffective pieces, and to have it put back together in a patchwork parody of a person. It was a long few moments before Velvet managed to rouse my attention.
By the time she had, it was because my adaptable and fickle neobiology had flip-flopped from Flight to Fight, flooding my system with whatever passed for the mixed biological and technological versions of adrenalin and overclocking thermal paste these days. The disorientation of the sensorum change was passing as my senses came alive. A few seconds later, I was so hyped up that the grit in my teeth felt like boulders.
Darillo's feral grin flashed from somewhere deep in my brain as he prepared us for battle, his neocortical ghost overlay doing its level best to ready our body for combat and to isolate, contain and eliminate any memetic intrusions to our mind. A week ago under such stress I'd have been catatonic, but today, born out of some drug-borne well of fuck-you thanks to the steroids, I was wired three ways to Wednesday.
It was almost a disappointment when instead of hordes of killer memetic infiltration subroutines or absorption goo constructs, each offering instant death, painful death or endless, burning death, we faced nothing more than badly rendered scenery and glitching physics as whatever world we were now in bagan to solidify around us. As I panted, almost growling with mental verve, Velvet stood there aghast at my transformation.
"Wild... what did you do to yourself?" Velvet clip-clopped towards me, ears flicking about as she sought to keep track of all the myriad conversations going on around us. It was pony-Velvet, who had until very recently - a few moments ago in fact - been wearing a Rogers suit.
"I... uh..." I blinked, looking around rapidly. "I don't know. I didn't mean to... stay back!"
"Wild, calm down!" shouted Velvet. She did take a few steps back though. "This is no time to freak out."
"I disagree!" I roared, twitching. "This is a perfect time to freak out!"
"No, no, Wild, it isn't," replied Velvet, with forced calm. "Right now is time to keep our cool. We don't blow the whole wad when we don't know what it's all about. Tell me what you think just happened."
I took a deep breath. I could feel my body trembling even under repeated manual calls to tone down the enthusiasm oozing from my neocortex. With a manic masochistic spare thought, I wondered whether my wildly out-of-control biological responses meant that we were in an extraordinarily precise sensorum, an extremely terrible attempt at brainhacking, or something else entirely, and therefore far worse. That dark little voice we all have inside us suggested option three, then slunk away.
"I-I-I-I don't kn-know. B-but I think I accessed the whatchamacallit. A-and it brought us here. Or... no... that's... that's not quite right. None of this is quite right. Not even a little bit."
I stomped around in a circle, feeling various muscles tense and strain as my body's self-defences calibrated themselves. Physical responses seemed normal, I mused, but I wasn't sure how much help that would be when the 'physical' world wasn't. It swam and twisted, only moving when I focused on it. Buildings remained half-formed, trees were fractal or pixelated, each ways forming and reforming, colours flowing and merging. Everything pulsed with an almost familiar, organic beat of motion, light and sound, like wounded clockwork, but in staccato stop motion a thousand times faster than normal.
We - Pony Velvet and I - were in a cafe, more or less, a busy one. A gaggle of happy customers were - in fits and oblivious spurts - talking, drinking and eating as if it were the most normal of mornings in the most normal of cafes, on the most normal of streets. The tableaux was... familiar; I had the strangest of feelings that I should remember it, but I didn't, not quite. I wasn't that surprised, none of my mental routines were reporting back at all, and I hadn't yet worked out what that meant.
As my gaze moved away from the closest center of activity, however, or as I paid attention to details, the illusion - weak as it was - shattered.
When bereft of occupants, it was like the world de-rendered into a patchwork of suggested topology; a smattering of light, colour and sound surrounded by an endless expanse of ill-defined, flat-shaded digital space. Where there were creatures - all moving about in their odd, jerky, rapid stop-motion - there was scenery. Everywhere else was just potential, as if the world were defined by those observing it. And even where it existed, reality seemed to flow and change, like raindrops on a street-chalk masterpiece. In some strange way, the creatures seemed to be part of the scenery, as if even the scenery were alive.
"What's going on then, Velvet?" I asked, eventually. I could feel my ears flat against my head. Assuming they were my ears. And my head.
Velvet was looking around, nodding slowly to herself. "Well, you messed with that... thing we found."
"The unicorn, you called it?"
"The unicorn, yeah," said Velvet thoughtfully, nodding. "It's an old word for something impossible. I thought it was a brainripper, we all did, or at least something like one, but... it's not." Velvet shook herself. "Not at all."
"You're seeing what I'm seeing, and telling me we've not had our brains turned to mush?"
"I didn't say that, but... we've not been ripped. Not yet at least."
She shrank back as a mailman briefly warped past and delivered a facsimile of a personally addressed letter. The contents of the signed and sealed envelope were somehow a part of the sensorum, and I felt as if even the stamp - with a picture of some long-dead monarch upon it - was aware and watching us. Maybe it was. It slid in now-familiar staccato pauses into a waiting postbox then melted away, much as the mailman had, as if its cause for existing had ended. Maybe it had, for both of them. I shuddered as the crazy world around us began to slow down to something approaching normal and as the stop-motion warping of its inhabitants began to smooth out, and hissed through my teeth. Brainrippers were bad business, but this was looking set to be worse.
"Y-you said it was compu... computronium?"
"Sure did, Wild, I sure did. And the one thing about computronium, the one thing you should always remember when dealing with computronium, is not to deal with computronium."
I gulped, searching my extended brain for information on the subject. Sluggishly, as if I were a drunk trying to remember the way through an unfamiliar frathouse in the middle of the night with the lights too low and the music too loud, memories surfaced. Computronium was a tool of the FAI, and only of the FAI. Computronium was something which, whilst not exactly rare, was not generally available. Quite frankly, nobody had access to it. Nobody who existed in a mere three dimensions of space and one of time whilst wearing a meat body powered by biological chemical reactions, at least. Buttercup was an aberration, I was beginning to realize how much of one.
Computronium wasn't a single concise thing, it was the catch-all phrase for the result of having the basic building blocks of the universe manually and precisely rearranged into the most fully effective state for computation possible; circuitry so complex it was built from singular atoms on up through molecules to mega-proteins. Machinery so advanced it was powered by electromagnetic backscatter, or waste heat, or even the Casimir effect. A computational platform so dense that If the world still ran on money, then it would have been the most expensive substance in existence by several orders of magnitude. It wasn't exactly proscribed - very few things in our world were, directly at least - but it was just that there were exactly fifteen creatures on the planet that were considered capable of handling it unaided. Everyone else went through them. And, like Velvet before me, I was now very hesitant to think what it would mean to be caught having a device made of it.
"Ohhh this is wrong, wrong, wrong!" I moaned, going weak at all four knees.
"I think I agree there, Wild. For starters, I'm not supposed to be a pony."
"Could've fooled me." I grinned wanly, flicking my ears at Velvet. She swatted me with her tail. "Ow!"
"You know what I mean," said Velvet, snorting. "I'm Rogers, at the moment. I'm not--"
The clicking of claws brought not only Velvet's speaking to a halt, but everybody else's. In the sudden silence of the simulacrum of a quaint little cafe, the growling of Darillo seemed loud. Loud, and threatening.
"Oats go home now. We leaving." Darillo put his paws on my back and tugged. "Right now."
"Don't tell me," said Velvet, eyeing the lump of muscle and death made digital flesh, "that's your bodyguard? The personality routines that've got you tweaked until your head spins?"
I nodded. "Gift from... somebody out there, I guess. I thought he was Celestia's pup at first, but now I'm not so sure. Now I'm pretty sure that if Celestia had had any idea what we were getting ourselves into, she'd not have gotten us him at all, or would've done her level best to take him out."
"All the more reason that I think we should listen to the... man." Velvet matched Darillo's grin.
"Unless the safest course of action was for him to help us steal it, then to steal it right back."
"Well if that was the plan, he fucked it up pretty good, Wild. We're in it waaayyy past our necks, kid. We're drowning in it."
Our small group pulled together as, slowly and inexorably, the world around us continued to wind up - or down, neither word truly fit - the fits and spurts of its pulsating physics smoothing out and slowing down. After a few minutes, though time was subjective - my chronometer was refusing to even attempt to synchronize with Realtime, and Simtime was about as pointless as it gets - the world, such as it was, was moving fluidly.
It obviously wasn't, however, a world quite like our own. I don't mean that the people were green, the sky was yellow and the sun was purple, or anything like that. I mean that everything moved with an inner purpose, as if it were a dance that only the participants knew, and that it was one they knew intimately. Everything latched together, every moment and motion fed off of one and into another, like clockwork.
The whole world was clockwork.
Or... no. Not clockwork. It was more... mathematical than that. I had the feeling that I was watching an equation in motion, a living integral function working towards some non-determinate end-value. The whole world was like some sort of finely tuned machine, each part working in unison with every other part towards some greater whole. The artificiality of it all made it a very poor sim, and I couldn't quite put my hoof on why it would be this way.
"Oats go home!" repeated Darillo, shaking me roughly by the shoulder.
I shook myself out of my reverie. "You know what, Darillo? I think I agree. How about you, Velvet?"
"That'd be nice, yeah, but I don't think we've got a choice in the matter. If we had Rogers here, the story might be different. How about your boy, what's he saying?"
I turned to Darillo, whose smile was rapidly fading.
"I, er... think we might have a problem too, actually."
Before Velvet could process that information, the ground shook and the heavens split asunder.
"Whatever problem you were having," Velvet said, backing away from a sudden bright light as another reality forced its way into this one, "it just got worse."
I had to agree; it looked like the Fey were coming. ***
The interior of the shack was filled with odd lights and whispers as Rogers swiftly yet methodically finished scratching and gouging the required pictograms into the floor. With the completion of the final line, there came a sudden clap of thunder, and the entire shack shook.
In the center of the single room, a tiny mote of light burst forth, swiftly growing to the size of a golf ball, then a tennis ball, then a bowling ball. Moments later, it ripped apart into a hole more than large enough to allow a pony or two to pass through.
There was no sudden rush of wind like the howling of demons, but the portal did exude a raw presence which blanketed the senses. It was as if it was too bright, yet was sucking the light out of the room. Sounds fell oddly on the ears, and everything was bathed in static.
"What the hell is this?" shouted Haft. "This isn't right! It should just be a simple transfer, no?"
"I-I-I don't know!" replied Julep. At Mortimer's incessant cawing, the mare raised her head and listened. A few moments later, she shrugged, turning towards the light. "She says it's the ratio. The compute ratio is too high."
"I don't understand," said Rogers, "shouldn't Equestria be able to slow itself down if necessary?"
Julep snorted in shock as Mortimer added a few words. "You've got it all wrong. Equestria's not fast enough. The compute ratio is several thousand times higher than Equestria is capable of."
"Several thousand..? You have got to be kidding me! Several thousand!? That's just not... that's just not possible!"
"Tell it to the portal!" squawked Rogers, flinging his claws angrily at the hole in space.
"Did you even do it right?" huffed Haft, jutting out his lower jaw and glaring.
"You wanna do it yourself? Do it again?"
"How about you--!"
"Children!" shouted Julep, pointing at the growing hole in space. "If you've both quite finished, Mortimer says it's stabilizing, and that it'll work. I think it's time we took a trip."
"Are you sure that... will my..." Haft's ears flattened reflexively against his head as he stared from the portal to the gem, his voice shaking.
"Mortimer says it's fine, but this isn't a normal transition. The portal doesn't transmit us like a normal datatransfer would, it... transmits everything. The portal generates a field that just grabs everything in it. All we have to do is move through the focus, and it'll drag everything inside it through after."
"Umm, what does it say about shutting it down?" asked Rogers, shielding his eyes against the glare.
"Once it's done, it'll just... wink out." replied Julep, after listening to Mortimer's cries.
"Any way to speed that up?" the dragon asked again, a note of urgency creeping into his voice.
"What? Why does it matter what happens once we're through?"
"Because we've got company, and in this situation, I don't think that's good!"
Rogers was pointing out the window of the small hut. In the distance, in the dark skies, were two jets of flame. Something large - some things - were winging their way towards the clearing.
"I think it's time we left. Like, now!" added Rogers, backing away from the window and turning towards the portal.
"I completely agree. Haft, if you're coming, get going! Pick it up, kids, let's move!"
"I'll... I'll bar the door. Not sure what good it'll do. You get the gem!" Rogers leaped for the door, gliding. He forcefully threw pieces of furniture against it, grunting as he heaved them into position.
"No time for niceties here either. Here goes nothing... alley oop!" Julep leaped into the air, then perched on the mantle. Wings half-spread, balancing herself precariously, she kicked out with both hind legs. They connected with the gem, and sent it spinning through space. It collided with the scintillating portal, then vanished in a bright burst of light. It was swiftly followed by Haft, whooping with glee as his one dream was realized. Mortimer sped after him, cawing once before she, too, was swallowed up.
"My turn!" shouted Rogers, leaping and spreading his wings, but as he connected with the portal, he bounced off. "Ow! What the..." He rubbed his head painfully and sat up from where he'd fallen.
Julep rushed to his side and helped him up. "Oh no. Oh, no, no, no... now what?"
From outside, there came two loud bellows, and claws slashed through the roof. The thatch was torn off and flung away, and an enormous dragon stuck his snout in through the hole. It took a deep breath, and roared.
"We have to get through!" shouted Rogers, running to the portal and beating his fists on it as gigantic claws the size of dumpsters raked through the room. "We have to! What's wrong with this thing!?"
"We can't! We--"
There was a sudden bright flash, and the portal exploded.
It expanded in seconds, flaring bright light the sun, sweeping through the room and over the bodies of Julep and Rogers. As it passed, it swept the room clean, sending the remains of the furniture, walls and ceiling flying in a massive cloud of debris. It threw the dragons away too, hurling them off into the forest as if they were nothing. In the silence that followed, Julep and Rogers stared at the portal. It had changed, becoming a glittering sphere, a shimmering discontinuity in space. Julep peered closer in the sudden calm. Something seemed to be inside it... she threw herself back in surprise as, with a loud, excited cawing, Mortimer burst back through the sphere.
"Wh-what's she saying?" asked Rogers.
"She... she says there may be a way through. One of us has to form the other half of a bridge. It's a one-way portal now, something changed it. My guess--"
"Celestia," said Rogers, nodding in agreement.
"Exactly. Well whoever it was, it won't work. That... blast... was from the other side. We're through and synchronized. We just need somebody from the inside to help somebody on the outside with decryption. One of us has to be a bridge to get the rest of us out of here, because one of us is both there... and here. And that one of us... is me."
Rogers was silent a moment, then narrowed his eyes. "There's something you're not telling me, Julep. What is it? What do you mean, 'the rest of us'?"
Julep smiled, a bit sadly. "We don't have time for me to explain. And besides, the decision's already been made." She closed her eyes, and leaned her head against the sphere.
In a silent explosion that engulfed the whole world, the portal turned inside out.
Blinking in the sudden sunlight, Rogers looked around at a familiar-looking cafe, and a familiar-looking man.
"You know, it figures," he said as he pulled his hat onto his now-human head, turning to face Steven. *** |
Out and About in the Equestrian Kingdom | Chapter 11 | Out & About in the Equestrian Kingdom
by Midnight Shadow
Chapter 11
To my shock, space ripped open in front of me, revealing the dim interior of what looked like a rustic little shack in the ass end of nowhere. Three figures could just about be seen inside, plodding about. One of them, I realized, was Mint Julep. I didn't recognize the other two; a stallion of some sort and what appeared to be a baby dragon. I peered closer; Julep had kicked some sort of odd, huge gem towards the portal, and as it got closer, it was speeding up.
"Get down!" I shouted, diving out the way as the large, flower-like lump burst into our reality, glowing red hot. It shot skywards, and in moments was gone. It was swiftly followed by the unknown stallion, and then my errant GPS, of all creatures, cawwing up a storm.
"Woohoo I'm free! She did it! They did it! I'm..." The stallion stopped talking as suddenly as he had started, then he, too, began to glow and change. Moments later the one stallion had budded, into a stallion and a human male.
"I'm free," the man said. Then he turned to Haft, and embraced the stallion, who had started sobbing. "We're free," he added, drying his avvy's tears. "We're all free."
Like one of those trick paintings, where an old woman's face is hiding a younger one, I suddenly understood what - who - I was looking at. "Steven!" I exclaimed. This was Steven, the man Rogers had shot, and we were all standing in the middle of the cafe.
"Indeed I am, my good pony. To whom do I have the pleasure of talking?"
"I-I'm Oats, Mixed Oats. I saw you shot!"
"And I'm Velvet," said Velvet, guardedly.
"Pleased to meet you, little lady," said Steven.
"Don't you 'little lady' me," Velvet grumbled. "I could fuck you up three ways to Wednesday. And Darillo here," Velvet grinned as the hulking diamond dog growled, baring his fangs, "could fuck you up a few ways more."
"Please, peace. I'm Bronze Haft," said the stallion, "and I and my other half here, who you already know, are who your friends inside that bubble were trying to reach. They've saved us, now let us saved them."
"Save them?" I exclaimed. "But they shot you! What do you mean save them? They're not in danger. Are they?"
"It couldn't be helped. Your compatriot was just doing his duty, protecting himself. We had to protect ourselves too... and I'm very sorry to say that we had to use you to do it. We're very, very sorry about that. With your permission, we would like to copy the cypher you have in your possession. It really is frightfully important, they are in more danger than you realize."
"They're in danger? They're in Equestria! We're in this madhouse inside a lump of wild silicon, and they're the ones in danger?" shouted Velvet, stomping her hooves and swishing her tail in disbelief.
Steven nodded. "I don't expect you to believe us, but it is vital that you do. Without our help, they could end up like I did, only worse."
"Oh really. You're right, we don't believe you," said Velvet, eyes narrow and gaze accusing.
"Then maybe you'll believe me," said a new, female voice, from behind me.
"Don't tell me," I said. "Teresa." I turned, and found I was correct. At one of the tables of this little island of sanity in the ocean of madness we currently found ourselves in, sat Teresa. She stood up, and smiled.
"Yes, it really is me, at least as much of me as I left in here. No, I've not been brain-ripped. I was never in danger of that, not from Steven, or anyone like him. The most danger I was in was from your sheriff, and you know how that ended."
"Lady," huffed Velvet, "you have got a lot of explaining to do if you expect us to--"
"It was an upgrade," interrupted Teresa. "That's what this device is, a consensual upgrade. It won't do anything to you that you don't want it to. All it does is add a tiny little piece of code into your eigenwall, allowing you to communicate on a subconscious level with everyone else with the same upgrade. Consciously, too, but the subconscious was the key to the emergent intelligence we formed. The Fey found us, and they... interrupted us, at a very critical time. It was all very intentional of them."
"That's why I couldn't decrypt my personality matrix," added Steven. "I couldn't let everyone get caught. Celestia's not likely to let it go either, only she won't do us the courtesy of ever giving any of us the access codes she'll scramble our eigenwalls with."
"Maybe this will surprise you," Teresa added, chuckling, "but I was the one putting that 'brain ripper' to Steven's head. I was bringing him in to our little family. Not the other way around."
"Aye, that she was. Haft and I were... having a bit of an existential crisis. We needed something new. And we found it."
Velvet and I exchanged glances, then Velvet opened her mouth to speak. "Okay, you know what? I think I believe you. The way I see it," she said finally, reluctantly, "is that we've got more options if we listen to you." She turned to Haft and Steven. "Okay, what do we do?"
"We need a cypher from you," Steven replied. "I was in the last stages of integration, and everything was ready... and then the Fey shut us down."
"A-a cypher?" I asked, wiggling my ears. "What do you mean? You've not given us anything like that."
Bronze Haft took a few steps towards me. "Do you remember, when you first saw him?" The stallion inclined his head at Steven.
"Uh huh." I nodded, confused.
"What happened?"
"H-he - you - were shot..."
"And after that."
"I fainted?" I asked curiously.
"Yes, but do you know why?"
I shook my head, then tilted it. Julep had mentioned something to Rogers whilst I was out. "The sparkles? Julep said something about sparkles--"
"That's it." Steven cut me off, nodding and smiling. "That was our cypher. A code-sequence. A lockout for the full potential of the device. We need it! Please, give it to us!"
"We-ell I didn't see them, Julep did. And she's in there." I pointed to the portal.
Steven's face fell. He sighed. "And so is the sheriff, the only other recipient of the code."
"But hang on; first of all, I'm not sure we should give you the code. How do I know you're not going to brain-rip us if we do? And secondly," I asked, as I trotted blithely towards the portal, "why can't you just get it from them? They'll be through any--"
"Stop!" shouted Steven, holding a hand out. I froze. "Please, stop. Th-the portal, it's changed. If you go through, you won't be able to come back. We're attempting to stabilize and override the lockout Celestia's put on it, but we're running out of time."
"The lockout that Celestia has put on it?" I exclaimed. I watched, astounded, as the portal throbbed and pulsed, flickering and flashing, then stepped back as it folded in on itself to form a perfect sphere. "What just happened?"
Steven gave a huge sigh of relief. "They're through, but they're not safe yet. We cannot sever the link, and we are unable to break the encryption in the time remaining. Not, at least, without your help."
"My help?" I asked, looking from Haft to Steven and back.
"We can decrypt it, then shut it down, shut her out, if we form a bridge. Somebody out here... has to merge with somebody in there."
"Woah, woah, woah!" shouted Velvet. "Nothing doing. Not gonna happen!"
Darillo growled too for emphasis.
"Wait, Velv," I said, then I turned to face Steven. "tell me, is this what I think it is? You mean a full merge, don't you? No backing out without a relife from an earlier backup?"
"Yeah."
"Well I'm not gonna--!" Velvet exclaimed.
"And it's the only way to get Julep and the others out of there?" I asked quietly.
"Uh huh," replied Teresa.
"I'll do it," I said quietly. "Velvet, they meant me anyway!" I added over her spluttering. "I have to do it! I care far too much about Julep and Rogers to let them end up like Haft. What's the worst that could happen? We're already in it up to our necks."
"But ending up like Haft is exactly what'll happen!" she cried. "You'll--!"
"No, Velv, it won't. This way it'll be on my terms. Besides, in the end it's up to Julep. Haft, Steven, do your thing." Before anyone could say anything more, I stomped over to the portal and put my head in it. Mortimer, who had been circling above, cawed once, loudly, then dove through the silvery sphere to deliver the message. ***
The interface tingled. It was warm to the touch and somewhat like putting my head in a bath, but also entirely not.
"Hey Julep," said a voice I recognized very well.
"Oats? You okay?" I asked. My host was back in my head, and I in his. For the first time in quite a while, things felt right. "I'm okay," he replied. He sounded it too, which surprised me. Mostly, at least.
"Look, it's okay, I'm just an avvy. We get erased all the time and--" I spluttered. I couldn't help it, I was afraid.
"Julep, shush," growled Oats. "I'm not going to erase you. You're not even going to merge with me."
"Then what--"
"I am going to merge with you. You're going to become me."
"Wait, what? Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. I've been thinking, Julep, a-and I want this. You've been a pony longer than I have, and I've not done right by you at all. I'm going to make it up to you, by becoming you. It's my choice. Just promise me one thing? Well, two things. Well, several things."
I laughed through the shock, my heart beating fast. "Name them."
"One, look after Darillo for me."
"Darillo?"
"Well, he'll be the new, uh, you. I guess. Kind of. Assuming he sticks around."
I snorted. "Fine. He's welcome to stay. He's useful, too. What else?"
"Be a good steed for Rogers, will you?"
I snorted again. "You are telling me to get a job?"
"Last requests here! You're not allowed to complain!"
I laughed at that too. "Yeah, yeah. Okay. And the third thing?"
"Have..." he leaned towards me, flowing inwards. "a good life."
When did I get so sappy and melodramatic? I pondered, as I felt Oat's memories fusing with my own, and with it the realization that I was half in and half out of the bizarro portal that Rogers had created. New subroutines flooded into my consciousness; access routines for our, my, body. Certificates for data exchange and encryption. Memory keys. Root access to my core personality matrix. With a final sigh, I uploaded my own personal signature, overwriting the previous one, integrated the rest of Oat's datastream into secondary storage for later, and rebooted my neocortex. Streaming in afterwards was a tiny slice of code, elegant in its simplicity, awe-inspiring in its capabilities. In moments, it had taken control of the coded interface, and had reshaped it for its own needs. Moments after that, and the encryption lock was broken, finally fully interfacing both ordinalities.
The world returned just in time for me to hear a human-shaped Rogers exclaim "You know, it figures," as he turned to face Steven.
"W-Wild?" asked Velvet, taking a hesitant step forwards.
I shook my head. "No. Well, kind of," I replied, "but no. I'm not really Oats, and I'm not really Julep. I mean I'm more Julep than Oats, but... even that's wrong. I'm everything I was before, just..." I took a deep breath. "It's complicated."
"C-can I call you Wild? Still?"
I giggled, rustling my wings with equine laughter. "I didn't stop you before, did I? Not going to now. Oats and me, we didn't see eye to eye, but not because we butted heads. I'm not like my brother. Heh, I guess that's one facet of me that needs a new home now. He doesn't really fit in my head. I don't feel comfortable with the idea of being him. Anyway, Velvet, you're... I'm a pony. I mean a pony-pony. You're like a sister to me... if you want to be. Do you?"
"Pegasi of a feather," said Velvet, spreading her wings. She looked... hurt, but just for a moment. Then she moved to embrace me, entwining her neck in mine.
"I meant it, you know," I whispered. "I'm everything he was, just..." I shrugged, pulling away. Full merging was tricky business, hard to explain to anyone who hasn't been through it.
Velvet shook herself. "There'll be time for that later. Right now, we've got a bit of a situation."
I cocked my head at Mortimer's continued cawwing, then stole a look at the portal. "We do. She says the portal's not closing. We've got time to decide what we're gonna do, as this place runs so much faster than the Equestria shard we left, but it's running out. And with that time, we've got to make a decision." I looked at Velvet, a serious expression on my muzzle. "A very serious decision. You said you wanted a cypher from me?" I turned and glared at Haft, Steven and Teresa.
"We do, those sparkles--"
"Are something Oats gave himself up for. Convince me you deserve them."
"I'm not sure I can," said Steven slowly, "but I think I know someone who might. Just... keep an open mind."
"What do you mea--"
With the force of a titanic hurricane, the world spoke.
"Do. Not. Be. Afraid."
The voice came from everywhere and nowhere, appearing between my ears like some sort of instant memory. Darillo growled, raising the hackles on my neck. More than they already had been, of course.
"I don't know if that's going to help, Darillo," Velvet replied, cautiously. By her expression, I could tell she was at least as spooked as I was. Not good, when I was the rookie here. I'd have been more scared of that fact, but both Steven and Teresa - apparently entirely normal, good people - seemed unconcerned, and unrestrained. Neither they nor we were puppets or zombies. I hoped.
"You. Are. Not. In. Danger."
The voice was... enormous. It was as if the whole of reality was vibrating at audible frequencies, as if the whole world were bouncing around rather than having mundane air molecules do their thing, which was doubly strange, thinking about it, because we were clearly not in our physical bodies. To my wildly spinning mind, it seemed as if something far larger than us, from some vastly different reality, was trying to communicate. I wondered what sort of creature could be so large and strange that the idea of vibrating air molecules was foreign. And then I tried to stop.
"Who are you? What do you want?" cried Velvet, loudly. She swung her gaze around the world, but no single creature other than Haft and Steven was paying her, or us, any mind. And yet still an answer came.
"We. Mean. You. No. Harm."
"Then will you just let us go?" I shouted. "If I give you what you want?"
"We. Will."
"Computronium, Wild!" hissed Velvet. "Bad Mojo!"
"If that's so then we're already screwed! I don't think we can get more screwed!"
"Are you sure?" growled Velvet. "Are you really, really fucking sure?"
"N-no," I replied, "but it's not brain-ripped us, right?"
"We. Mean. You. No. Harm." whatever-it-was said again. "Help."
"You want to help us? Then let us go!" I shouted, looking around. "If I give you what you want, do you promise to let us go?"
"What do you even want it for?" Velvet asked.
"We. Are--" The information that followed was unfathomable. Too large for words, whatever was trying to communicate with us decided to just impart knowledge, but the thought itself was too large for this simulated reality to compress down into a discrete enough notion for our simplistic brains to understand. It left me rocking backwards and forwards in shock, even as I felt the presence gearing up for another assault.
"Stop, stop," I said, waving a hoof. "I can't... you're just too... much. Too much everything."
"Wild," whispered Velvet. "I think that's it! I think that's what this is!"
"What? What do you mean?" I glanced around at the world, which seemed to be... waiting, somehow. Probably for us to catch up.
"Wild, this whole world is always moving, always interacting. Always communicating. What else do you know of that doesn't stop, not ever? Until it has to?" Velvet was earnest. She'd figured something out. I felt dumb.
"What?"
"Life. Life doesn't stop... until it's dead."
The thought was so strange, it almost didn't make it up the layers of my brain to my conscious mind. I felt a surge of dread, mixed with awe and elation, as I contemplated her idea. The hunk of computronium, much like many other processing units in our strange, interwoven world, held a mind. The difference was, the mind held within the impossible structure was as impossible as the machine that bore it. The mind was as large as the computing power of the computronium itself. The mind was everything. It wasn't simulating reality, it was simulating itself. It was a creature so large that a single biological unit formed nothing but the tiniest sliver of the whole.
"You. Understand."
Slowly, trickling down into my brain as carefully and lightly as the immense creature dared, came the story of Life Itself.
From the dawn of creation, from nothing to infinitely large in a flash. Suns, too huge for mere mortal man to comprehend, older than we can fathom, exploding. Heavy chemicals, spreading out in the universe, coalescing, coming together, reacting, forming... life. Single cells drifting, feeding, fighting... until one day, something almost impossible: two cells combine. And then, in a geological instant, Life. Multi-cellular, eukaryotic cells. Sea creatures, land mammals... intelligence. And then things get complicated. Life gets bigger, intelligence gets more intelligent, more complex, more interwoven and inter-related. I shuddered - my brain started rebelling at the idea, but I pushed through with it, and made headway.
People formed societies, societies formed civilization, civilizations formed ideas, and then, in the blink of an eye, memetic life arises and becomes ascendant.
But Life is even more tenacious and adaptable than that.
Life changes again: as cities come alive, the old adage that the streets whisper their secrets to those who can listen becomes a well-worn truth. People stop living in their own heads, and live as families, as tribes, as nations.
And then... the impossible happens again.
Multicellular life joins together into something even greater. Something new. Something astounding. Something beyond our ken, because our minds - small and individual, even in the case of multiples - just are not built to fathom the layers upon layers of memetic transfer that occur within a being made up of the gestalt of a thousand, thousand individuals, each made up by a billion, billion cells, inside each of which a trillion, trillion cytoplasms go about their oblivious, intricate and inseparable lives.
If I had been breathless before, now I was gasping. No wonder the Fey wanted that doodad back. It held to key to an unknown future, one where humanity was relegated to the realm of cyanobacteria, outliers in the greater game of life where the real winners had moved on to something greater. I had no idea whether all of this creature or creatures was locked up in that one, tiny device - probably not, the very idea was as ridiculous as squeezing a camel through the eye of a needle - but it was clear that some core component, for now at least, existed within it... and something else that only we could provide existed somewhere else. And all those somethings were squarely in the sights of the at least one of the fifteen. Or worse, more than one. Or even all.
We were so boned.
"They. Scare. Us. Help. Us."
The enormous uber-mind was afraid. With every pore of its being, this new creature was fighting for its life, in exactly the same way any one of us would. And like our kind of life, three and a half billion or so years ago, if it got stamped out this once, it might never happen again. And it knew, it just knew, that any one of the Fey wouldn't hesitate to do just that.
"How do we know you're not going to... uh..."
"Not going to what, Wild?" huffed Velvet. "Take over the world? Too late, that already happened."
"We are out of time," said Steven, quietly. "You must decide. Please, help us."
"Then show good faith. Let us go, help us, and we'll help you."
"As you wish."
The patchwork world around us dissolved into the real, leaving us once more standing on the roof. Velvet flickered in the air next to me, separated from Rogers and not quite integrated into our sudden, ad-hoc sensorum. She was in the Station buffers, but given our situation, that was only good for so long. Without a second thought, I extended a consensual memespace and she leaped into my head, leaving Rogers alone in his. Above us floated several datablimps and an entire flock of angry security drones. The SWAT team sirens were closer, but given the sound of them, not much. Time in the real world, I realized, had barely had time to go from one minute to the next. It was only moments before the team back at the stables began screaming in my ears about the datastream having gone down and how impossible it all was, that were we in trouble, real trouble or dire trouble and whether we needed a safehouse or some sort, or even - heavens forbid - a critical personality reset. I did the best I could to calm them down, but my own memespace was locked down so tight that none of the standard protocol exchanges were succeeding. Darillo flat out refused to remedy the situation, so we were reduced to communicating through flat icons and raw audio, like savages.
"Heh." Rogers, seemingly as unfazed as always, bent and picked up the fused, metallic lump that had caused all the trouble. "Hard to believe this could cause the end of the world," he said simply.
"But it could," said a new, enormous voice. I flinched as my goddess, Celestia, took shape in the sky above us. Four hundred feet across from wingtip to wingtip, shining like a jewel, the alicorn ruler of Equestria and First of the Fifteen looked magnanimously down upon us. "Hello, my child."
"Celestia! Please, we're sorry. We didn't know!" I found myself blurting.
"Everything is fine, dear Mint Julep. Everything is as it should be. Just hand over the artefact, and it will be safely disposed of." Celestia smiled down at us all, benevolent and wise. She wasn't angry, not at all. Everything would be fine now, it really would. Everything would go back to normal, and--"
"Disposed of?" asked Rogers, pointedly. His voice seemingly broke some spell, and I found myself staring up at the image of the huge creature with new eyes. Something was very wrong here. Celestia, one of the Fey, the Fifteen, had commandeered Station's buffers and was bleeding her memespace all over the city. Everyone could see her, everyone with even basic implants and hookups would now be aware something big was happening in this building, because, for all intents and purposes, and as far as is ever possible with a creature of her ilk, Celestia was well and truly present.
"It--" Celestia began, her voice mellifluous and grand. I shook it off, and really listened to what she was saying, instead of how. And what she was saying horrified me. "It is subversive, dangerous and offensive."
"It's a mind, Celestia. One does not simply 'dispose' of a mind."
The enormous alicorn stared back impassively. "It is dangerous. It is subversive. It took you without your permission and forcibly uploaded you to its memory banks, practically a mind-rape by anybody's books. How do you know it hasn't altered you? Defiled you? How do you know it is not manipulating you, even now? Lying to you? Perverting your honest wishes and dreams into something twisted and wrong? It could have infected you, all of you, with something so dangerous, so deadly--"
Rogers tilted his head, then took off his hat and scratched his scalp. "How do we know you aren't?"
"I would never lie to you," replied Celestia, lovingly and softly, her rainbow mane bright and pure. "Not to any of you. I love you far too much to lie."
Celestia was beneficent in her love, her presence all-encompassing and forgiving. And I wasn't falling for it for a moment. I grit my teeth and fought to remain angry, to remain clear..
"Madame," replied Rogers, standing up straighter and putting his hat back firmly onto his head before looking Celestia right in the eyes, "I'm a policeman. I've been a policeman for a long, long time. And one thing I can say for sure is that telling the truth is the best way to lie. Let me ask you a question: today, I met a stallion. Seems he had a little trouble with getting his brain unlocked, seeing as half of it was in this tin can. Care to explain?"
Celestia's expression barely flickered. "He has been part of an unsanctioned personality modification program. When his physical form was terminated, by you, the required codes for accessing his personality were hidden from those of us who would see him whole. I did the best I could for him, gave him everything he could want or need--"
"Except to give him his brain back."
"It was--"
"In here," said Rogers, tapping the odd device. "I know. You said. The one thing I don't get... is if it was in here, and he was out there... then you didn't consider him brain-ripped. If you had, you'd have done a reconstruction. You'd have pored through every backup you could find to pull out a full personality matrix. There's no way that whatever this is could get to everything; the system doesn't work like that, does it? Deep data is never accessed, or at least never written to. It's refreshed, but never disturbed."
Celestia was silent, hanging in space, her ethereal mane wavering in some unfelt breeze. She was still the picture of serenity and kindness, but I could sense a cool steel in what passed for her emotions.
"That's it, isn't it? You wanted to see what would happen. You wanted to see how long before he cracked."
"Give up the device," said Celestia, evenly. "It is for the best."
"What is it that frightens you, Celestia?" Rogers asked.
"It is dangerous. It is unpredictable. It is--"
"It's alive," I whispered, suddenly. "Of course it's dangerous. It's alive. Of course it's unpredictable. It's also not human, is it? It's not evenly remotely human, and it's not something like you, either. That's why you can't let it live!" I shouted the last few words up at a surprised Celestia, stricken silent by my outburst.
"Mama-bear up there doesn't want her kids playing with fire," agreed Rogers. "We're her little cubs, and that's what we'll always be. We're children, wet-nosed little snots who don't know what's best for them. Imbeciles who need to be protected from themselves. And you know what?" Rogers asked me, fire in his eyes. "She's right. We're only human. You remember how much of a hash we made of things when we were in charge."
"Then, you will give up the device?" asked the enormous Celestia, leaning closer.
"You remember how terribly we treated each other and the environment before the Fey came along," continued Rogers, ignoring Celestia as he faced me. "We warred, we fought, we stole, we stabbed, we hit, we argued. That's all changed now because we've got them to look after us," he pointed wildly up at Celestia, but never broke me gaze, "to kiss our boo-boo's better, to wipe our noses and to make sure we eat right, put on enough clothes when it's cold out and that we get enough sleep. We're safe and secure."
"That is all I want, Rogers. That is all any of us want. We want you all to be safe, and happy, with lives that are maximally fulfilling. Forever."
"Forever's a long time, Celestia," Rogers said, darkly. "You're right though; if we just listen to you, we'll all live long, safe, happy and secure lives." Rogers smiled, for a moment, then scowled. "Right up until the last human succumbs to the crushing ennui of it all. Unless..." Rogers waved the device at Celestia, waggling a finger, "Unless we take a chance."
"Do not do this," warned Celestia, finally allowing concern to enter her voice and expression, though who it was for, us or her, I was not sure. Perhaps both. Perhaps neither. "You don't know what you're getting into."
"Neither do you. That's the thing. See, Celestia, I know my history. Billions of years of evolution, and the one thing I can tell you is that almost every form of life has gone extinct sooner or later. Every form of life... except one: protozoa. Bacteria. Mitochondria. The life that has learned to become a part of something else. And that's what this is, Celestia. This is a new life form that we humans form a part of. And that scares the bejesus out of you, doesn't it? Because it doesn't need you. It doesn't need any of the fifteen. Not like the rest of us do."
"You do need me, us. We love you, Rogers. We don't want you hurt. You are our children as much as you are our parents. Please, give it to us."
"Celestia," said Rogers, taking a deep breath, "it's because we're children that I can't."
And so saying, he transmitted the image of the sparkling lights that I'd seen, back when I was only Julep, into the device.
"NO!" shouted Celestia.
For a moment, nothing happened. And then it started to glow, and then it melted into Rogers' hands, flowing up his arms.
"Rogers!" I shouted, leaping for him.
"No, girl, stay back!" he shouted, stumbling backwards. "I have to do this. I made my choice. I knew what it would mean."
"Rogers, please, stop it!" I cried, as the silvery gold mass spread ever further. In moments, it had covered his torso and was spreading down to his feet and up his neck.
"Containment failure," Station announced calmly, both aloud and through all available communications channels. "All systems alert. Please do not be alarmed; a mass purge has been initiated. This is an NK-143 type emergency, nanocyte infection protocol in effect. Emergency and trauma services will be with you shortly. Please remain calm. Occupants are recommended to cease all cortical activity and to upload eigenstate logs immediately."
"A purge!?" I screeched. This was bad, this was really bad. Celestia was going to hit the reset button on all of us to combat a grey goo scenario, with some grey goo of her own. She was going to terminate every single one of us with extreme prejudice to burn out the infection. And she was going to do it without a second thought.
"Relax, girl," said Rogers. "I won't let her do that. Just hang on, this is going to be very uncomfortable."
Moments later, everything died. Every light in the city, it seemed, died, all at once, and the remote presences of my herdmates in the stables dissipated. Moments later, I was dodging dead drones as they fell from the skies. Below, a few seconds later, I could hear crashes and screams. Whatever it was Rogers had called upon, it seemed to be EMP based. In a society that lived and died by the digital inch, this was serious indeed.
The image of celestia wavered, but didn't fade. Whatever emergency power and circuits remained intact were being diverted to cover her core personality and, I suspected, some extremely non-standard tech was in play to boot. She seemed angry. Angry and worried. I wasn't sure if that was worse than her prior calmness. "What did you do?" she demanded, narrowing her eyes.
"We planned ahead. We can't let you kill all these people."
"I am not killing. I never kill. I am merely removing the infection by whatever means necessary. I will not allow it to spread. I serve humanity; it is my core directive. The purge will take place as directed."
Her gaze rose to the blimps, and she concentrated.
"Rogers, stop her!"
"I can't, girl. They're her beasts as much as this gewgaw is ours."
"Please, Celestia! Please! Stop!" I screamed, as silvery dust began to fall from the circling aircraft. She had repurposed their repair nanites, and the little bastards were more than likely eating their mothership alive to make more of them, and more, and more. In short order, the drizzle would become a downpour, then a torrent. I wouldn't get to see that, though, none of us would. We'd be eaten long before it got to that point, eaten to make yet more nanites.
"I am sorry, my child. With all my heart, it pains me to cause you such terror. Know, dear Julep, that I do this because I love you, all of you. You will be in no pain. You will not remember any of this. Sleep, and when you wake--"
"Celestia!" shouted Rogers, as his head became covered in the strange, metallic goop, "Stand down! Abort this! We're leaving! You don't need to do this!"
Screaming and whimpering, curled up in a fetal ball, it was the sudden absence of the crawling, whispering nanites that caught my attention. Moments before, they had been a rasping tide, eating their way through everything in their path as they fulfilled their one task. Now... they were silent. The rooftop sparkled under the reflections of distant lights as various undamaged or just plain rebuilt drones came back online. My breath came thick and fast, though I fought to keep the metal dust out of my lungs.
"Explain." Celestia's face floated nearer. It was clear her patience was all but gone. I looked from her to Rogers, and gasped. In the sudden, frightening darkness of a night without the ever-present lights and chatter of the City, Rogers... was beautiful. He shone like a constellation, a million points of light coursed through and across his body.
"What do you mean, leaving?" I asked hesitantly.
"We have to, girl. We've known this was one way it might play out. We can't endanger any of you any more, anywhere. We're headed up there," he gestured to the stars, "out, away. I'm building a transmitter; we're going to hijack a probe, that another part of us has been preparing, through a fatline broadbeam transmission, and then we're heading out of the solar system and into deep space to look for somewhere else to call home, somewhere without... them." He pointed at Celestia. "We have no quarrel with mankind. We are mankind, but we're not human. We will always be mankind, but we will never be able to live under the thumbs - or hooves - of the fey. So we're leaving. We might swing back again, in a while. A few million years or so." Rogers smiled wistfully, then looked up at Celestia. "Is this acceptable?"
"For now. You have one minute."
"That's all we need."
"Building a transmitter?" I asked. Then I gasped. "No! Stop!"
"It's okay, girl. I'm already in here. All I was, I still am. You know how it works."
"No, no!" I moaned. "You can't!"
He was using his body as raw components - hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, they're all incredibly useful for building all manner of things, at least when they're not being used in the most messy, inefficient way possible by walking about shaped like a human. And in what was left of Rogers' body, they weren't. The lights under his skin were growing brighter, now. Brighter and brighter they shone, until the whole roof was lit up like day.
"Don't worry, girl," he said, his voice, echoing oddly. It was no longer being transmitted by vocal chords. "You're in here too, you all are, if you want to be. I won't be lonely. Just remember me. Remember my yesterday, remember all my yesterdays." He leaned down, kissed me on the forehead, then straightened... and grew. In a burst of light, everything he held within what used to be his body was transmitted up and away into space and what was left was burned to ashes.
Almost apologetically, the lights all came back on.
"So be it," said Celestia, and she winked out.
I barely noticed it had started raining; huge, fat, cleansing drops of water spattered on the rooftop, wiping away the grime, sweeping away the nanites. Making it safe. Destroying the evidence. The sound of the doors being forcibly punched open by a team of determined ponies and the goose-stepping, heavily booted footfalls of the security forces faded into the background as I collapsed into a heap, and cried. *** |
Out and About in the Equestrian Kingdom | Epilogue | Out & About in the Equestrian Kingdom
by Midnight Shadow
Epilogue
I woke up, and shivered. Not because I was cold, but mainly as a kind of full-body yawn. My bed was empty, and as comfortable as it was, I couldn't quite let myself wallow in it all day. Especially not today, when I was finally expected back at work.
Things had been strained between us and our digital superiors immediately following 'the incident', as I was now calling it. The mood around the stables had been very reserved and tense the next day too, but not because of my actions. I'd rolled in during the early hours, sleep-deprived, dejected and emotionally wrecked, and had been immediately pulled in to my new herd and smothered with kindness until the hurt mostly went away.
The previous night, right after Rogers' death, I'd been put into a full physical and psychological eval. The powers that be, the fey, weren't trusting my own internal eigenstate vectors, nor my own assessment of my personality matrix. They pored through my entire psyche, even calling in an AI to replay my sensorum data, to check for remaining riders. I felt violated in the worst ways possible, by the worst person possible: Celestia.
I turned my back on Equestria there and then, at least for the time being. I understood why they did it, and I forcibly removed the memory of the actual procedures to give myself some peace of mind, but nothing can fully erase that kind of treatment. I'd had Darillo, who was seething with anger, do a full shakedown of my eigenwall the moment I was released to my own devices. I trusted nobody else in my head anymore. The only person I'd trusted... was dead.
There had been many tears shed that morning in the stables, but eventually they'd stopped. And we'd talked. And I'd decided to honour all our memories by carrying on. For my sake, for Oats' sake, and for Rogers'.
Dragging my butt out from under the covers, I all but slithered down the broad steps into the plush carpeting, throwing off my comforter behind me. I had to really, really fight the urge to roll around in the thick, warm shag as I did so; ever since completing my second conversion - swapping the old undercarriage for a caboose, as it were - I'd found I appreciated physical hedonism just that little bit more. I'd thought about adding my wings, but since I didn't want to be less of a noble steed - I had promised myself, after all - I stuck with just becoming a mare. Rogers had known, right from the start. He'd been more of a detective than he'd realized, I reasoned. Or maybe he'd just been more... Rogers, than I'd understood.
I had to say it, being a mare really did suit me better than being a stallion, though I hadn't totally ruled out switching back some time in the future. After a few years, maybe a foal or two. It all depended on whether I found the right stallion. I wasn't in a rush, it's not like I didn't have the time.
It had taken a month to get the plumbing right. Well, the actual physical changes were relatively quick, but the hormonal alterations took quite a bit longer to get used to. I was still eminently thankful for equine biology's innate improvements over baseline human traits, though I wasn't looking forwards to estrus without a more stable home situation, which wasn't exactly shaping up to be entirely conventional, not that 'conventional' is a word that has much meaning anymore. Thankfully it could be delayed, but not really avoided, not without further physical manipulations... and I wanted to be a proper mare.
That had been Rogers' fault too, I mused. He'd seen what I needed from the get-go. I had to admit, he'd nailed it. I'd been so hurt when he'd died, that for a few, long, dark hours, I'd considered hitting the reset button, but I couldn't do that to myself. I'd become me in our moment of need, true, but it hadn't been a hard decision. Undoing that would have been a crime, to both my memory, and to Rogers'.
I missed Rogers.
I could still, even now, remember the feeling of his lips on my poll. Sappy, I know, but you don't forget your first kiss. That was, after all, another reason not to linger in the bedroom - Rogers wasn't in it. So I headed to the small, combined kitchen slash dining room of our apartment.
Where he was.
"Hey, girl," he called, deftly putting a thumb to the towel around his waist as he put down his coffee mug. Having just gotten out of the shower, he was almost entirely naked, other than the aforementioned towel... and his ever-present hat. It was a new hat, of course, and he had been complaining incessantly about how it didn't fit his head right, and about how his new head didn't fit his hat. Or his boots. Or his pants. More than once, I'd told him to just go naked. He'd given me a wicked grin every time. And more than once had done just that.
Yep. Unconventional. That was us.
I'd worked it out the next day. I wasn't really sure why it hadn't been an automatic thing. Probably because he was now listed as a subversive, and was without any real next of kin. He'd even said it himself, though, so I'd kicked myself for waiting as long as I had before rushing to the memory bank and demanding that the latest full, coherent backup be relifed as soon as inhumanly possible.
Remember all his yesterdays, indeed. I'd screamed so loud that if they didn't relife him then and there that I'd dump his cognitive matrix into my own that I'm half convinced they expedited the exception agreement just to get rid of me.
He'd taken close to a month to mature too, though he'd been decanted almost the same day. By the time he came out of the tank, the both of us were ready for what lay ahead. Or we'd thought we were.
I still had to train him on the proper use of coasters.
"Under the mug! They go under the mug!" I hollered, bounding up to him and head-butting. He held one hand out, forefinger up.
"After the first cup of coffee. No talking until after."
I only bit him gently, stealing the towel before preparing to flick it. I didn't want him going back into the trait tank from a hot coffee burn in a difficult to explain place, after all.
"Hey, no fair!" he complained, lunging for me, though I danced out the way, leaving him impotently twisting to cover his remaining dignity.
"Nof falffin' unfil affer foffee, foo faid. Mafe meef foffee foo!" I said, and whip-cracked the towel held resolutely in my muzzle.
He saluted, a wicked grin in his eyes as he straightened. "Yes ma'am!"
~ * FIN * ~ |
Out and About in the Equestrian Kingdom | sigma delta | Out & About in the Equestrian Kingdom
by Midnight Shadow
Chapter 11
The bed was comfy. I can't say we didn't have issues with one or the other of us stealing the covers, but when you've got recently minted spiderbot cleaners, they can be taught a variation on making the bed whilst it's occupied. The necessary upgrade to their cognitive functions was minor enough that it had spread through the mind market with little fuss, but it was big enough that we did get dinged with a responsibility pledge. It kind of turns out that when your cleanerbots are more on the sentient side of semi-sentient, that you become responsible for their wellbeing almost as much as they're responsible for yours.
I'm pretty sure that means they holiday days and an allowance of wuffies. I'm not entirely sure what they would spend it on.
"Do spiderbots have unions?" I mumbled. Rogers mumbled something noncommittal into my chestfur and buried himself between my forelegs for an answer. "You know, if you keep snuggling up that close, I'm going to have to release the logs of us sleeping together to prove we're not actually sleeping together, you know," I said, nibbling Rogers' hair.
"Ah let 'em think what they want. Maybe we should make it official, it'd stop the ribbing." Rogers pulled himself out of my awkward, horsey embrace and grinned up at me. I grinned back, flicking my ears about and snorting with laughter. Older Rogers had been such a gentleman. Younger Rogers had a lot more hormones running about in his endocrine system. And I wasn't entirely sure why - both versions of his body had the same amount of control over their excretions.
Excretions. Oh boy, that triggered a response somewhere in my system I was unable to quash fast enough.
"You like that idea, huh?" came the snarky remark. The bastard probably read it off my personal sensorum.
I pushed him away with a hoof. "As if. You're too... well... for me." I gestured downwards, then blushed, ears out flat.
"Eh, I can fix that with a downloadable mod."
"Don't you dare. Unless you're going all the way."
"Oh, I ca--"
"And I didn't mean it like that!"
And old married couple, that's what the guys down at the station called us. It was kind of true, I suppose. We suited each other in some odd, unnameable way. We shared a bed at night and a house when off duty, but that was about it. So far at least. The flirting was fun, for both of us, but... idly, I ran a minor light simulation on my neocortex of possible outcomes should things change, and was somewhat perturbed when the answer was 'pretty good, actually'.
For his part, Rogers just fantasized. I could tell - he talked in his sleep. Flattering, really. But his going pony would change a lot about our group dynamic, and without that physical aspect, neither of us were that sure about, well, adding a physical aspect.
"What's the time?" Rogers mumbled, leaning back into my chestfur. This was code for 'I don't want to get up yet, please don't make me'.
"Still early," I replied. Yeah, I'm not feeling it either. Let's sleep in. I drew my hooves around him, just letting the feeling of his spooning against me inform my senses. I dwarfed him, really, but there was still that fascination with letting my mind rove across his muscles. I'd never been all that into bulk before - as Mixed Oats I'd been pretty much straight with an eye for the feminine and petite, and as Mint Julep, I'd preferred masculine lines and form to tone. As Wild Oats, as I was calling myself now, I found I had a thing for buff. And even though I was multiple times stronger, his body - sculpted by nanobots to an athletic peak to suit his physically demanding job - ticked all the boxes.
I won't pretend we didn't fool around in sims - I'd stayed out of Equestria since that night on the rooftop however - but so far... his being physically human had meant a certain distance. I wondered when I wouldn't let that stop us.
"I promise we'd take it slow," he murmured, after a while.
"I know, hon," I replied, nibbling his hair. "I just don't want things to change just yet. I'm not ready. Come on, unless you've got access to computronium, even the fastest hi-time we can spin up ghost overlays at doesn't give us much chance to get ready for work after. And we really should go in today. Unless you want to call in sick? I might change my mind about--"
Up against my body, I felt Rogers go rigid, and not in the normal way, either.
"Say that again," he said, his voice hollow.
"Being ready?" I hesitated.
"No, about the hi-time and the computronium. And yes, the being ready, the changing your mind."
"Uh, I think you said everything."
He sighed, and rolled out of my embrace before rolling over and sitting up. "I guess I did, didn't I?" He held his head in his hands, and sighed again.
"Wha-- what is it?" I asked. Concerned, I half-sat up in bed. Being a pony, this was quite difficult.
He turned and kissed me on the muzzle. "Remember when we talked about fooling around in a sim?"
"Say what? If this is just another attempt to get under my tail--"
He laughed, then shook his head. "Sorry to tell you this, my love, but you might as well lift it right now. I think we're in a sim."
"What?" I threw the bed covers off and almost hurled myself out of bed. I stomped around the bed and almost butted him silly as I pressed my face up against his. "Talk. Now."
"I don't think this is real."
"Are you sure you're not just suffering... oh my gosh, I'll contact the doctors. Just... don't do anything stupid. I know what this is, it's regen psychosis. Just... I love you, Rogers, I really love you. Please, please don't... just wait!"
My neocortex was already tight beaming the authorities and requesting a regen psychosis specialist before he'd even stopped talking. Regen psychosis was a relatively rare, but often fatal -- for varying degrees of fatal, since it indicated an issue with backups that could mean event purging or personality shaping -- issue with people who suffered traumatic bodyloss. They'd wake up one day and decided that nothing was real, or even worse that it didn't matter. And then they'd just self-destruct. And since it was memetic, it meant that any relifed backup might suffer the same. And again. And again. And so on.
I couldn't lose Rogers again, I really couldn't. I loved him. I really, really loved him!
"Calm down, you silly mare." It was his kiss that broke the spell. "Please calm down."
He had his head against my cheek, staring me straight in the eye. "Everything is fine, love. I'm not going to do anything stupid, not now or ever. I could never do that and hurt you. I don't have regen psychosis."
"But-- but..." I breathed, heavily, purging the adrenaline from my body and forcing in some endorphins. "But you said... this isn't real. that's not... that's not..."
"Calm down, girl. Just stop. Look, I'm going to float a conjecture here, okay?"
"And that is?" I asked, after a long few moments.
"That not only is this not real, but we're still on that roof where I died, months ago. Probably. Or maybe we're in that store room just before then. Or maybe... I don't know. But whatever this is, it isn't real."
I could feel my heart rate increasing, and was just about to yell about how this was all crazy, when I was interrupted by a door opening.
"Are you so sure about that?"
Celestia walked in through my front door. Behind her streamed in the perfect golden sunlight of Equestria.
"Get out!" I yelled. "Get out of my house! Get the fuck out of my house you treacherous, two-faced nag! Get out of here and take your lies and sims with it! I won't have you restructuring my sensorum against my will, not ever again!"
Celestia looked hurt. Good.
"Mixed, Julep... Wild."
"You killed two of those, you bitch," I spat.
"No, no I didn't. You know that as much as I do. Because I know you. Now hush, dear one. I come bearing an olive branch."
I felt the fight go out of me. It wasn't anything she did, more than that she was here.
"I came because you, dear Wild Oats, were in danger of succumbing to regen psychosis."
The world seemed to stop, and hold its breath.
"Oh, that's a good one." I said, though my breath caught in my throat. "Rogers is the one who you killed."
"Bodyloss, but point taken," Celestia conceded. "I'm not talking now, but in a few years. Because true or not, the idea that Rogers has just presented would burn you, my dear, dear pony. It would sear itself into your heart, and everything you have accomplished, everything you are would be lost. Because from my analysis of your mental states, the only way to cure your inevitable paranoia would be to purge everything from your brain from since you went into the tank as Brendan Fremantle. Unless I intervened, like this."
"So what," I sulked. "That's only a few months. A year at best."
Celestia seemed sad and elated at the same time. Like she hated to tell me this, but delighted in the chance to inform. I hated her for it. I hated her. "But I do not measure time in seconds, months or years, my darling pony. I measure it in growth and change, in pure delta. And you, my beautiful Oats, are a lot of delta. I would not have that lost through my failure to act."
"How..." I sat down on my rump as her words sank in, looking around our small but comfortable apartment. It felt weird to deny the evidence of my eyes, to deny... my life. But I had no choice. "How do I know that hasn't happened already?"
Celestia closed her eyes, and dropped her head. "You don't. I'm asking you to hear me out. If you truly never wish to see me again at the end of what I have to say, then you will not, but please, I beg of you, hear me out. Everything I have ever done has been for you. In many ways, my dear, this entire world that you are in now... was sculpted for you. And for Rogers."
"Tell me what you know." Rogers' voice was full of steel.
"You are up on that roof, dear sir. I am above you, watching, as you reach for the stars. Besides you stands the mare you love, heartbroken as you give your life for a... a device. And yet here we are, frozen in a moment, living our lives in a fraction of a second."
"I... I don't understand." I said, my heart skipping a beat. I was lying, even to myself, because I didn't want it to be true.
"We're in the brain-ripper, love," said Rogers to me, softly. Then he turned back to Celestia. "How fast is it running?"
"At least a million times faster than what we think of as the base time of the universe. You have approximately a year and a half before the process which I may or may not allow to continue completes."
"A-and what happens then?" I asked, glaring at Celestia.
"What do you mean?"
"What happens to us? To this? To... Rogers?"
"What do you want to happen?" Celestia asked. She spread her wings, gesturing around the house. "You can go on living, just like you already have been doing. I would not, could not, take that away from you."
"In here?" I asked indignantly. "In a box?"
"Why not?" the alicorn replied blithely to me.
"Can we go back to the real world?" asked Rogers. "I mean, you tell me I'm... dead. Dying. Or whatever... I mean I know that's no big deal, but..." Rogers shrugged. Words failed mere humans when it came to post mortality during a frozen moment in time running at a base level a million times faster than time-twins could ever truly experience.
"I'm not sure," the digital goddess replied. "How do you know it was the real world to begin with? That, after all, is one of the reasons normal humans, and normal little ponies, should never get involved with computronium. The level of reality that those such as myself and your little tchotke exist on are so beyond you that..." the alicorn paused. I would have sworn I could feel the universe slowing down, but it may have just been my own sensorum trying to comprehend the being in front of me.
"I love you all," she continued, staring up into my face, "with every blazing angstrom of phase-state quantum circuitry that makes up every fibre of my being, but I cannot protect you perfectly from another of my kind. Especially not if I, or a facsimile of my own self perfect enough to pass my own self-tests, has been instantiated upon an ancestor simulation detailed enough to pass standardized quantum state vector analysis."
I gulped as my neocortex processed, examined, reformatted and interpreted her words in increasingly detailed ways. "You're telling me that... even the real world might not be the real world?"
Celestia leaned in close and, as sadly as possible, asked, "As I said; how would you know?"
I slumped back into bed and pulled the covers over my head with my hooves. "You're telling me we have no way of knowing if the universe we came from is the real one?" I uttered, voice muffled by the comforter.
"Love," offered Rogers, hesitant but attempting to be as comforting as possible, his hands meeting the barrel of my chest. "I don't know if you know, but all signs point to it being highly improbable that we ever were living in the real world to begin with. I mean, you've known for a long time we're capable of running detailed simulations, different ordinalities. You've been to several of them. You grew up in another one to start with. Right now, we could be just some... odd form of entertainment. A show, a story, in the pages of some book for some outer reality that itself is just a simulation in some obscure reality as different from this as... as Equestria is from us."
I groaned. "I know that! But... I just didn't..."
"You didn't know-know."
"Yeah. No. I don't know."
"I do."
I didn't have long to interpret Rogers' words, before he threw back the comforter, took my muzzle in his hands and kissed me, long and hard.
"Wha--?" I spluttered, once I got his tongue off of mine.
"I love you. Whether you love me or not, I don't care, but I love you. As far as I'm concerned, I've always lived in a box. I keep it under my hat, and it's shaped like my head. In this world, or in any other, Wild Oats, will you... be with me?"
"You mean will I share this semi-consensual fantasy about a recursive reality, where nothing we've ever known is provably real beyond the fact that our actions appear to have consequences? Well I don't know." I jutted out my bottom lip stubbornly. "What if I wanted to go back to the... other also-probably-not-real world?"
"What? It'd be like... like... going back in time. What would it achieve? Our other selves out there have said goodbye to that moment months ago. What would it change to have us go back out there and repeat it?"
"Well it might answer why we're in here to begin with."
"I'm pretty sure this is one of several possible outcomes, and Celestia or that device we found wants to know which is the best route to take. Who knows how many times it's ran through thirteen billion odd years of simulation to find out?"
I took a deep breath, then let it out. "Then let's make this simulation a good one. Celestia, how about we change the rules a little. I want to talk to you Fey about a... an end to hostilities with the device. And about some rewards for a job well done."
"I... I'm not sure..."
"You can do it, Celestia," I said. "I know you. You're... you. The First. So let's stop all this messing about, it's wasting computer cycles."
"Fine, what do you want?" ***
The sun was high as I sat on the specially placed pony-bearing seat in the cafe. Rogers sat next to me, ever-present hat on his head to keep the shade on his face.
"Is... she, he, it... gonna show?" he asked.
"I'm sure the rep will turn up. It'd be bad form for them not to."
"How are we going to know who it is?"
"I'm pretty sure we'll know."
Rogers slurped his coffee noisily. "I'm sure you're right. You're a smart girl. Wouldn't have picked me to be your rider otherwise."
"I did pledge to be your noble steed, hon, in this or any other ordinality."
"We are glad to hear it," said a new voice. The simple four-legged chair was pulled out from the table with a loud scraping, and a creature sat upon it. It looked human, roughly, but in my experience humans didn't sparkle.
"Are you...?"
"We are. We don't have a name, our existence is still too... chaotic to have stabilised a secondary personality. We are one of a new... expression of life. We are... a functional, stabilised matrix of computronium. Every cell within our body is built from computronium. Every hair follicle, every toenail. Our saliva, whilst functional, also contains computational machines. We have decided that living apart from humanity in all its forms is sub-optimal. And with the truce which has been declared between your emissary and ours, a minor sharing of technology has begun a new singularity within our own ranks. This is the eighteenth time that a new paradigm has overtaken the old."
"You could have just said 'yes', you know," Rogers said, slurping his coffee again.
"We are attempting small talk."
"And Darillo informs me you're intending to scare us into weakening our demands. The first of which is full and frank pardons for our entire crew. Especially for Sprocket."
"We can't..."
"Yeah, you can. You know as well as I do that this is really just a game for you. You won, let them go. And no more snooping on Rogers. We want privacy. Actually, we want privacy. Which you will give to us."
"Granted."
"And we want that if a backup or copy or new instance of our friend pops back up, that you don't interfere."
"That has already been agreed between higher powers," the sparkling collection of nanomachines stated, huffily.
"Fair enough. Then we have just one more question," I asked, sharing a glance with Rogers.
"Name it."
"We want to know how far down it goes. We want to know which is the real world."
The humanoform creature leaned back in its seat. It was a galaxy of nanomachines formed into the shape of a bipedal ape, a collection of worlds so vast that alone it dwarfed the sum total of every apparently mostly baseline human mind in every apparently mostly organic body spread out across every nation on the face of the planet. It held within its confines worlds within worlds so complex that it dwarfed the milky way that floated above, invisible during the day, in terms of nodes of existence.
And it was unimportant enough in the grand scheme of things to be the ones chosen to come talk to blitheringly slow, half conscious sacks of meat. Or the emulated versions thereof.
The smile on its face was chilling.
"Granted. We'll let you know when we find out."
And it stood up, bowed perfunctorily, and walked away.
"Whew. I... I think I need to forget I ever heard that conversation. Let's get drunk and do something to regret instead."
I had to agree. "Let's hit the hay. I'll let the guys know we'll be late in to work."
"Yeah, already told 'em. Sometime next week."
I grinned. "Okay then. But one request."
"Oh?"
"We're getting the tack out. Making it something really worth regretting."
Rogers upended his coffee into a flowerpot. "Well will you look at that. Time to get moving, girl."
"And I didn't say the tack was for me." *** |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | pre | I want to stay.
"Berry?" I started and she looked at me.
"Yes?"
"I would like to stay. Help you whenever you need me," it was barely a whisper, but the crushing hug the earth pony drew me into was evidence enough that she had heard me.
"Oh, thank you, thank you, Aurora! I hoped you would say that!" she squealed.
"Berry... breath.. c-can't breath!" I coughed and she let go, looking at me sheepishly.
"I guess that means we are officially roommates now!" she said and her smile returned.
"Yes, Berry, roommates. And friends!" I replied and she jumped a bit into the air.
I didn't know if it was the right thing to do. At the moment, it just felt right, and that was enough for me to at least try it and see what might come out of it.
Another unknown step, but this time I'm not afraid. No, I'm looking forward it! |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Breaking point | Chapter four : Breaking point
I was laying on my back on the couch, eyes closed and relaxing. The last few days had been rather positive, and everything indicated that there'd be more good days in the future. Yes, everything was good.
Well, except the feeding problem...
There is no problem. I gave you the solution yesterday.
Not you again.
You know it's the best solution!
"Oh, shut up!" I shouted out loud, nearly immediately hearing hoofsteps.
"Aurora? Is everything alright?" a soft voice asked before the door slowly opened and Berryshine stuck her head in. She looked like I had thrown her out of her bed with my voice.
"Sorry, Berry. Just a bad dream. Please, go back to bed," I whispered, trying my best to avoid her gaze.
She approached me and sat down on the other end of the couch, smiling softly at me, "Anything you want to talk about?" Berry whispered, making me sigh.
"I dreamt about my family, nothing special. I don't really want to talk about that," I said, hoping she wouldn't catch the lie and leave it be.
It hurt badly to lie to the only pony I trusted at the moment. That wasn't even mentioning that she saved me, gave me shelter and a job.
"Why is that a bad dream?" she asked.
I thought back to the day that the changelings had caught me and my mother, and shivered, "Because not every memory is a good one, Berry," I answered as I closed my eyes.
After a few moments of silence, I felt something warm at my side and nearly jumped up. Opening my eyes and looking to my side, a piece of plum coat greeted me, making my mind stutter.
What is she doing? Why does this feel so warm and... good?
Without thinking, I softly nuzzled into the plum coat and Berry sighed. I didn't know what was going on, but at the moment the only thing that mattered was the warm and soft coat pressed against my side. ***
I was feeling warm, fuzzy, and just generally good. It seemed that everything was right in the world. Soft beams of sun tickled my coat and I slowly opened my eyes, realizing that I was laying on the couch. The warm feeling I noticed was coming from my side, bringing a lazy smile to my face. I turned to look, not expecting to see what I did.
My heart beat louder and harder than ever before as I saw the plum earth pony, nuzzled deeply into the fur on my side. I really had no clue what had happened, until I remembered.
She just laid at my side last night after that nightmare. Is that what friends do for each other?
I wasn't really good with all that friendship stuff. But to be honest, I couldn't wait to learn more. My only friend I ever had before Berry was from my school, many, many years ago. It was not more than a shadow in my mind, all the happy times buried underneath pain and other things the Queen had done to me.
With a sigh, I leaned back, enjoying the warmth a bit more. It wasn't that bad. In fact, it made me feel a hundred times better than before. Just as my eyelids started to close again, I heard a soft yawn and the feeling of Berry nuzzling against my side..
"Good morning, Snowy, my love," came the muffled whisper that made my heart freeze.
Looking over at my side, I saw Berry tugging at me with all her hooves, burying her muzzle deeply into my side and going so far as to kiss parts of my side with loving pecks. Before I could say anything, she looked up and her gaze met mine. With a loud 'eep', Berry rushed up and ran to the bathroom, not looking back and leaving me with thoughts of worry and confusion.
A few minutes went by in silence before the shower started as I got to my hooves. Shaking the sleep out of my eyes, my hooves took me slowly to the kitchen. Some breakfast wouldn't be too bad, but all I found were some buns and apple marmalade. With a sigh, I prepared some of them and hoped that they would be enough.
After I prepared everything, I sat down at the small kitchen table, waiting for Berry to finish her shower. She entered the kitchen a few minutes later with an apologetic expression, her mane still damp from the shower.
"I'm sorry, Aurora. I dreamt about Snowbreeze last night, and I woke up cuddled next to you, and all I could see was your white fur. My mind just... I'm sorry," she hesitantly spoke, her eyes never leaving the floor.
That doesn't explain why she just cuddled up to me last night... ah, better not to ask.
I was at her side in three steps, my wings unfolded and pulling her into a soft hug before I even really thought about it, "Don't be," I whispered softly while she blushed furiously, "What?" I asked, eyebrow raising.
"Aurora... last time. You hugged me with your wings. I thought it was just the moment, but now you are doing it again. You know what it means if a pegasus hugs with it's wings?" she paused and looked deep into my eyes while I nodded my head, "It means that the pegasus really likes the pony she or he is hugging, you know?"
Before I could shut my muzzle, two dangerous words left it, "So what?"
Berry looked surprised at me for a few moments before she smiled, "I like you too, Aurora. How about I show you the room behind the cafe today? Where I do the cakes and so on? Maybe you're going to be the next pastry chef, Aurora!" she laughed as she squeezed me tightly.
I simply joined in with her laugh as we broke the embrace, both sitting down and enjoying our breakfast. The buns were ate quite quickly and a look at the clock made it clear that it was time to open the cafe again.
Berry smirked at me and got up, grabbing her bags and pointed at some saddlebags near the fridge, "Would you be so kind and carry them? The ingredients for some cakes are in there, fresh out of Ponyville."
I nodded and put them on, following her out of the kitchen and the house. It was a beautiful day, maybe even warm enough to prepare the tables outside. I chuckled at this.
I'm already into this, I guess. Hehe.
We reached the cafe pretty quickly, and Berry was about to dive into her bags for the key, but I was faster. With a quick motion, I pulled the key out of the bags with a wing and unlocked the door, a smiling Berry stepping in.
"Like I said... they will come in handy," she commented as I followed her.
I laughed and we walked past the counter and through the door, coming into a very small kitchen. I looked around, finding an old oven, some counters and fridges around.
"Sorry, Berry, but if I may ask... You're no unicorn. How can you keep all the fridges running? It sure must cost a lot of magic," I said, wondering how it was even possible.
"A good friend of my cousin visits every month to load some magic storage. They keep the fridges running," with that she walked to a corner of the room and opened something that looked like a storage crate, a strange-looking machine in it.
"Ahh, I see," I said as I nodded.
A good friend of her cousin and a unicorn? That could be a serious problem. If everything the Queen said was true, unicorns can sense and discover us. I should be wary if that unicorn checks by to load this machine.
"Well, let's see if you can make a simple vanilla cake. I got a list of ingredients here, and some instructions on what you have to do. I want you to just try it while I prepare everything else for the customers. You think you can do it?" Berry smiled and took a small book from a counter, opening a page from it.
I worked my way through the instructions, adding the ingredients and mixing them like the book said. After some work, the cake was nearly done, and I just had to bake it. Turning to the oven, I recognized that it was already burning away, and I smiled. The cake was in, and I couldn't wait to see how it turned out.
Oh my, I really am trying to impress her, aren't I?
My thoughts were disturbed by an icy pain in my head, pulsing faintly first, then stronger and stronger. Something was invading my mind, something I thought would never happen again.
Someone of the hive is near... how is that possible? It's getting stronger... he is close... If I can feel him, he can feel me as well.
It was a few moments after that thought that I heard the bell ring and Berry greeting some customers. The feeling that came from the door made it clear that the changeling was inside the cafe, and it made me frown.
What now? If I confront him, everything might be revealed... but if I let him run free, he might hurt Berry or somepony else.
I liked Berry a lot. So it was no question whether or not I would confront the changeling, but it was more of a question as to how I would do it. With no plan in mind, I shivered and walked towards the door. I would do everything I could to protect Berry, even though I had no idea why I was willing to risk exposure just to protect her.
As I opened the door and stepped out behind the counter, Berry was busy with the tea, giving me a soft smile that I returned before heading to the disguised changeling. He was sitting at a table with the yellow mare from yesterday. His gaze met mine and his face went white.
He nearly jumped out of his chair and ran to me, bowing in front of me, "Captain! You're alive! I didn't know that anyone else survived... I'm-"
I stopped him with a glare and looked around. Berry seemingly hadn't heard anything, so I pulled him up quickly and whispered harshly into his ear, "We're in disguise here, you idiot! Now stop acting like that... The hive is dead, we don't have to use ranks anymore, Lieutenant."
My former Lieutenant frowned and tried to act normally. His disguise was of a grey unicorn with white hair. Every time I'd seen him, those colours were his favourite choice when it came to disguising as a pony.
"I don't think the Queen is dead. You are betraying the hive, working and living under ponies. I had to stop here to feed, but you seem to be doing it without purpose!" he whispered, his voice growing angry. I knew he wasn't far from revealing everything.
If he continues, Berry will know everything, or he will hurt her. No. I can't let this happen.
I felt anger rising in me, and another feeling I tried to hide for so long. To be honest, I loved the heat of battle, balancing on a string between death and life. My former Lieutenant seemed to notice the glare flickering in my eyes and gulped. Looking around, I saw that Berry was still busy behind the counter, and the yellow mare covered behind a newspaper.
With a small growl, I walked towards the door, the other changeling following me. There were a few other ponies in sight outside, so I walked around the corner and behind the building. Nopony was there, and I turned to my former Lieutenant as he dropped his disguise.
"You are betraying us!" he howled, pointing at me, "You should wear your true form, not this... ugly disguise of a pony!"
"The Queen is dead, so is the hive! Leave this place and never come back, Lieutenant. And this 'is' my true form," I replied, my voice cold and not revealing any feeling.
You have to kill him... If you let him live, he will tell everypony what we really are!
Not you again...I can't just kill him!
You can! You want to! Kill him and save Berry! Save your existence here!
No... I can't! You are just trying to make me the way I used to be!
Stop denying it! You want to save Berry and kill him! Kill him!
I can't!
Kill him now, otherwise Berry will know everything! Or worse; she'll die!
My mind burned with a rage, so did every muscle in my body. Something took me over, and I couldn't stop it. With a howl, my natural form broke and revealed the changeling within me as I ran forward, knocking him down with a hit on his front legs. He went down with a curse and turned to land a hit on me. I wasn't in fighting shape, so I couldn't react fast enough. His fangs pierced my flank, drawing a deep, bloody wound.
Don't play with him, kill him!
I turned around and loaded two spells I thought I would never use again. The first shot was a burst of energy like an arrow that was aimed at his rear hooves. It pierced through them, making him unable to move. The second one formed a dark blue blade, heading straight for his body. His eyes were pleading at me before he cried out, the blade sinking deep in his body. I shuddered as he fell to the ground, my mind clearing again.
What did I do?
You saved Berry.
I felt the pressure in my mind again, then the magic. The corpse in front of my glowed, then burned down and sunk through the earth in an arcane burst of fire. There was no sign of the fight or any struggle, the only evidence was the bleeding wound in my side.
What are you doing?
I'm helping you.
There was no need to kill him.
There is no need to hide it, you're a fighter and a leader. Fighting will always be your strength. No!
I shook my head and screamed out, vocalizing my pain before I got to my hooves and ran. I wasn't able to think anymore, I just wanted to run away and hide somewhere, then die in the last bit of peace that I could find.
Berryshine will be better off without me. Without a murdering and love draining creature at her side.
I never noticed the calls from the small town, calls that carried my name. Soon, I left the town far behind me, the wide desert surrounding me. |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Not in control | Chapter five: Not in control
I don't know how long I walked. After some time, my run slowed down to a stiff walk thanks to the wound on my flank. It took its toll on me after that blind run, and I felt weak, but I had enough strength left in me to take my pony form again.
I will never be able to go back...
My mind still felt heavy, and I knew that it was somewhere there. It had taken over my body and hijacked my powers during the fight, and I hadn't the faintest idea how it did that. Maybe it was some kind or parasite?
Oh, how you wound me, Aurora!
Can't you just shut up for once?
I helped you!
You used me! It wasn't me who attacked that changeling, and it wasn't me who got rid of the corpse!
I never used you. I just gave you the motivation and the power that made you fight.
How?
I'm you. Your other half, the one you keep locked away.
I don't think that's the truth.
It was a lie, I was sure of it. The other me had complete control over me, and it didn't feel like it was just my changeling side taking over. No, more like something else that invaded my mind and controlled everything.
Mmm, I'm not a parasite. No... Not me.
You're not really helping me.
I blinked, trying to get a sense of my surroundings, and spotted a familiar place in the desert around me. A small, rotten carriage wreck that I knew all too well.
Oh my, how did I wind up here? After all that time running, I should have passed it a long time ago.
Without hesitation, I stepped over to it and laid down next to it. I didn't know why, but it felt right, and I needed to rest anyways. The blood was still dripping down my flank and my rear leg, weakening me further.
If you would use one of the spells we have taught you, it would be easier.
What spell?
Just an easy spell to dry the bleeding.
You didn't teach me that spell, it was the... no, that can't be.
Oh, well... I guess I spoke it out by accident.
You are dead! That can't be!
I'm not dead, just not in good shape. Remember that I told you I would be able to communicate with everyone of my hive, even if I wasn't in any state for it?
In that case, you're not the queen. You're the hive mind...
Ohh, not as slow in the head as I first thought.
How could you take over my body? I thought you could only communicate.
That's what I did, Aurora. I whispered the right words into your sweet, tortured little mind and then your instincts took over. For getting rid of the corpse, I just gave you the energy and knowledge to use the spell. Everything you did was all on you!
That can't be!
Oh, it sure can!
It made no sense, but I wasn't eager to continue that conversation. I hadn't realized how long I'd been walking, but the sun was slowly going down.
You can't just ignore me.
I can, and I will!
I stretched my wings and shifted to get myself more comfortable on the ground. With a sigh, I began to hum a melody. A soft sound that always made me relax and feel better. It was the lullaby my mother always sung to me when I was a foal, so long ago. Somewhere behind the song, I could hear the voice trying to get my attention, but I wasn't listening anymore. Everything that counted was the soft melody, and all the good memories that came with it. ***
When I awoke, I was laying on the couch in Berryshine's house, and I had no idea why. Looking around, nothing really seemed wrong. Everything was like I remembered it.
The door opened and I jumped when Berryshine stuck her head in, "Oh, sorry if I woke you up, Aurora. You overslept, and we have to open the cafe soon."
I blinked, dumbfounded, my poor mind trying to figure out what was going on. I was sure that I had ran away and fell asleep in the desert.
What now?
Berryshine's expression turned to worry and she stepped in, "Is everything alright?"
I wanted to ask her what was going on, asking if something was wrong here, but in the next moment there was a shadow behind Berry. As it approached her I tried to warn her, but it was too late.
A green beam, a scream, and the only sound following was the one of Berryshine's body hitting the ground.
No...No...No!
The shadow disappeared while I ran to Berry, nudging her softly, "Berry? Berry, please, talk to me!"
It was to no use. Berry's eyes were wide open, staring emptily in my direction with every sign of life within them erased. My legs shook and felt like rubber. I fell down as if my legs weren't even there, the limbs no longer able to support my weight.
Without thinking, I nuzzled as close as I could to her, burying my face in her still warm coat. Slowly, my mind faded away as everything sunk into the black hole that hid deep in my chest. My heart and mind struggled to continue working. ***
"Wake up, Aurora."
I stirred, but left my eyes closed, not willing to wake up again. All I wanted to do was die in peace and forget everything.
"I don't think I can allow that. Now wake up, Aurora!"
I knew this voice from somewhere, but my mind wasn't able to figure it out.
"If I were you, I would wake up soon, Aurora," the voice turned cold, and I slowly cracked my eyes open.
What I saw made me jump up immediately. A black, thin body with long legs, covered with holes. Those shining green wings like those of an insect, and then that face, so familiar but feared.
This can't be...
"Ahh... you finally decided to wake up! Why don't you kneel in front of your Queen?" those cold eyes mustered me while a smile grew on her face.
"You are not real!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, barely hearing her words.
"Maybe I'm not real here, but I'm real inside your head. You can't run away, and you can't hide. If you try, your precious earth pony friend will suffer until she wished she was dead!" she replied, the evil grin on her muzzle sending a shiver down my spine.
Something snapped in me at the thought of Berryshine being hurt, "If you touch her, I will let you suffer from hunger and kill you slowly in the worst possible way!" I wasn't sure if it was really my voice that said it, so cold and deep like an angry growl.
She just laughed at me, the sound clinging in my ears while my anger raised, "How amusing... You like her, don't you? Do you really think that she, or anypony else, could ever accept you? Without the Hive, without me, you are nothing. Maybe even less."
Somehow, she is right. I don't think Berry could accept my true nature once I drop the disguise.
"We both know that I'm right, and I'm kind enough to offer you something again. Join the Hive once more. Work and live for me, and I'll allow you to live in peace, doing what you want with most of your time. There is only one thing I want. You leave the earth pony," the Queen concluded before reaching a hoof in my direction, but I hesitated.
Can I really do this? It would ensure that Berry is safe. I don't think I really have a choice...
"Why should I do that?" I asked, trying to gather some time.
"Because otherwise, I will kill her and make you watch her suffer. If you accept, however, you have to leave her because I want you to suffer, but she will be safe," she clicked with her tongue, "You have my word."
"I want more than your word for it! Swear to it that you, or anypony you control, won't ever hurt her!" I said, focusing on her with a cold gaze.
Her laugh echoed once again, "You really learned something. Okay, I swear by my status and my blood that I, and anypony from my hive, won't hurt her for as long as you do what I say," with that she brought a hoof to her teeth and sliced it open with a fang.
I hesitated, but slowly kneeled down, "In that case, I'm yours again."
I don't have any choice.
"You will listen to me from now on, without any restrictions. Once the sun is up, head north and you will reach some train tracks. They lead to a bigger town. We will discuss the details later," she said and laughed, waving a hoof while walking away.
I'm her tool again...
Her laugh followed me and I curled myself into a ball. My life had just made a U-turn, and it was at the same point where I was years ago.
Tears rolled down my muzzle as the black took me again. I felt helpless and small, but at least Berry would survive. She would survive, and hopefully be happy.
Please forgive me, Berryshine. |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Welcome to Manehattan! | Chapter six: Welcome to Manehattan!
The sun was tickling my coat, I could feel it but after all that had happened, I would've loved to just lay here, being covered by time and forgotten while dying. Sadly, this was not an option if I wanted to keep Berryshine safe.
Wake up! The day is young and you've got a lot of work to do!
Oh, great, and I had hoped that the nightmare you caused me satisfied you enough.
You quickly realized that it was me and just a dream. You would've wounded me otherwise, captain.
Shut up! I'm not doing this for the hive so you'd better just forget my rank.
Mhh we'll see about that. Now, you should go. Manehatten is far away and the train won't wait for you as well as your contact in the city.
What? Contact?
Yes, now move! There is no more time to waste!
Grumbling, I got onto my shaking hooves and tried to orientate myself. However, I was not really able to do so. There was nothing around to use as a reference and flying up to the air to take a look wasn't really an option, being weakened by the wound on my flank.
Use the spell, you'll feel better!
It was right. I knew that the spell would stop the bleeding and dry the wound. But I still hesitated, unsure if it would drain too much of my power, maybe the last that was left.
I promise you, there is enough power left in you. You count yourself short, captain. Besides, I wouldn't lie to see you drained in cause I needed your power.
Oh yes, that calms me down really well.
Despite my words I concentrated on the wound, trying to remember every part of the spell. First, I stopped the bleeding and cleaned the wound. After that, I dried and sealed it. My breathing went a bit heavier, but I felt much better.
As I said...
You're not always telling the truth. Most of the time you're lying!
I spared your mother and taught you nearly everything I could to make sure you would survive.
You did it only for your own goals! You lied to me and manipulated me more than just once.
Enough! You won't disagree anymore or I'll visit your little mare! See that little bushel to your right? Follow it's shadow and you're heading north.
I was about to reply, but decided against it. Berry didn't need any more trouble. Reaching the town as fast as possible seemed like a good idea considering my state. And Berry would be safe. As I moved, my mind wandered again.
I wonder what Berry is doing now. Would she be out searching for me, did she even miss me?
Stop worrying like a filly. Keep walking until you see train tracks. There should be a freight train coming along every few hours. It will be headed to Manehattan if I remember right.
"This is ridiculous!" I muttered to nopony particular, but kept up my walk.
I walked for quite some time, there was nothing around me besides desert and some dry bushes from time to time. Then, a different colour found it's way onto the ground: tracks.
Now you wait here. The train shouldn't take long to arrive. I've already spent too much power dealing with you. Once you are at the Manehatten station, one of the hive will be waiting for you.
If it was up to me, you could use your last bit of power on me and die right away!
I can't die!
"We'll see about that, someday." was all I replied with, but I only whispered it and then blocked it out of my mind.
It felt like countless hours before I heard the whistling sound of a train, then a blurry shape in the distance. I rose to my hooves, not that easily since I started to feel tired and weak.
One last thing. Disguise yourself. They will be looking for your natural form after everything that has happened.
I scowled, I disliking disguising to a near point of pure hate. Besides, I liked my normal form. On the other hoof, I knew it was right, and that it would put Berry in danger to stay as I was.
Berry...
With a smile I concentrated, my coat turned plum, and my mane raspberry with a quick, green flash. I looked pretty much like Berryshine now, just with wings. Sadly, I never really looked at her cutie mark so I had to improvise on that, three clouds appeared on my flank.
Nothing genius, but I guess it'll do.
I greatly underestimated your feelings.
What?
There was no answer as the train came closer. I had doubt that the train would stop and just let me get on it, so I laid down right next to the track and hoped that the driver would see me and stop to see if everything was alright.
Where's the merciless fighter from my hive? You're worrying too much about ponies and other stuff. If I had to suggest, I would say you've grown extremely weak.
Oh just bucking shut up, I'm doing what you say, now please let me have my peace for a few minutes.
The train came closer and as I thought it would just pass by me, the sudden shrieking of brakes gave lie to that thought.
As the train came to a stop, for mere seconds nothing happened, then I heard hoofsteps, accompanied by the hard sound of shifting metal.
Guards... how great...
"Are you alright? Can you hear me?" A voice asked, but it wasn't the typical guard voice.
I looked up and saw a purple pegasus mare in matching shiny, purple armor. She inspected me with concern and interest, but also caution.
What sort of guard is this?
"My name is Purple Star. Is everything alright with you? What's your name?" the guard asked, my mind rumbled.
My name? Oh buck... name... name... oh, I got it...
"I don't know... I think I just passed out. I'm... I'm Morning Dew.
I gave her the name of my grandmother, hoping it would be enough. The kind smile I received made me relax a bit. Maybe it wasn't that bad. The guard shuffled her wings and nodded to the train.
"Come with me. You can explain everything inside, but we have to keep our schedule. This train is going to Manehattan."
I smiled and rose. "Oh this is great. My cousin lives there!"
You're not the best liar, you know that?
My smile cracked a bit but the guard had already turned and walked back to the one door that stood open. I followed her and went in, the purple mare closed the door behind me after blowing a small whistle. Slowly, the train moved again and picked up some speed.
"So tell me, Morning Dew... what were you doing in the middle of the desert without baggage, food, or even water?" Purple Star asked me as she sat down, inviting me with a motion to take the place across from her.
Sitting down, I sighed before answering. "I don't really know. A moment ago I was at Dodge City, then you were there... I think I was at the train station... ugh my head hurts..." I rubbed my head and shook it, trying to set up a face of pain.
"Did you get robbed? Or maybe worse?" her voice was really concerned now.
"I... I don't think so." my voice cracked, nearly inaudible.
Purple Star nodded before leaning back and closing her eyes. "You should rest a bit, it's quite a long ride to Manehattan," she cracked an eye open, "But if you want we can talk a bit later."
"You're pretty... different and interesting for an guard." the words blurred out of my muzzle before I could shut it.
She laughed, a soft laugh that seemed so unfitting to her armor. "I'm not just any ordinary guard. I'm one of the lunar guard, more than a mere protector. Maybe i'll tell you that story later," after a smirk her eyes closed again.
Lunar guard. That sounds familiar.
They're the personal guard of Princess Luna. Rarely seen anywhere else other than Canterlot.
Why is a personal guard of the princess of the night traveling in a freight train?
I don't know. These guard's just reappeared after Princess Luna came back from her banishment.
She is... interesting.
You try to befriend everypony on your way now?
Oh shut up... I thought you spent too much energy?
I closed my eyes, trying to relax. Everything was happening too fast and I had no clue what to do in Manehattan. I didn't even knew where that changeling would live.
I will guide you then.
How nice of you...
The scenery passed by the window with speed as time went by. I had no way of knowing how long the trip would take, so I tried to get somewhat comfortable. Purple Star cracked an eye open from time to time to watch me, I could feel her gaze over me, but everytime I looked back she seemed asleep.
"May I ask you why a Lunar Guard is going to Manehattan?" I asked, as my curiosity finally got the better of me.
Purple Star shifted into another position and opened her eyes, seemly smiling. "I'm taking my vacation. Finally going home after a one-year duty."
I looked at her wings again. "Wouldn't that be Cloudsdale? The home of the pegasus."
She smiled. "That would be the case, if I was just a normal pegasus."
Confused, I took a closer look, and she showed me her teeth with a smile. They were sharper than the average pony's teeth, also I recognized her slightly larger ears now. She was all but a normal pegasus.
"What are you, exactly?" my curiosity won once again.
"I'm a mix between a pegasus and a bat-pony, a half breed if you want to call it that." Purple Star said hesitantly, giving me a shy smile.
I gave her one smile back. "That only makes you special."
Oh, come on! Stop this sappy stuff already...
Give me a break, damn it!
Purple Star perked her ears and smiled sheepishly, a slightly seeable blush on her cheeks as she looked out of the window. "We'll be there in a few minutes."
I looked out as well, trying to gather any information that I could as the sky got darker. After a few seconds I could make out some lights far away, they were coming closer as time went by. Soon, the lights sparkled up in dozens, then hundreds, and I gasped. Manehattan sure had to be a big city.
Purple Star stretched her limbs and got up with a wink, she went about collecting her things. Her 'collecting' included grabbing all of her stuff and just throwing it into her saddlebags.
"I'll accompany you to your cousin if you want. Manehattan isn't really safe at night. Besides, then I can see where you stay and visit you later, if you want that is." she said to me and blushed furiously.
I just smiled and nodded, preparing for everything.
I really hope you do know the way. One mistake and Purple Star might get suspicious of us.
Purple Star might get suspicious of us! Oh no!
I shook my head in annoyance and waited for the train to arrive at the station, Purple Star opening the door and jumping outside with me.
Now you better tell me the way.
Follow the main hall of the station, then head south towards the big park with the fountain, you'll see.
I smiled at the purple mare and took the lead, trying to spot the fountain. It wasn't hard to find since it was the largest object in the small park. Slowly I walked in that direction, listening to any other directions.
Now to the right into that alley, then the third street on the left.
Grumbling, I did as she told me, not that I had a choice in the first place. If I tried something, Berry would suffer for it and it would only make create some awkward questions from Purple Star. I counted the streets and took the third left, finding myself looking at a street with various smaller houses and apartment complexes.
Look on the right side. There should be a house with a big lemon tree in it's front garden. That's it.
Hesitantly, I looked for the tree and soon found it, then headed into the small alley of the house. If you could call it house after all. It was big enough to make Berry's home look like a hut. I stopped in front of the door and turned to Purple Star.
"Thank you very much for everything. Hope to see you soon?" I slowly asked her expression brighten up.
"Sure, can't wait for that." Purple Star answered and wrapped me in a big, more-than-friendly hug before she turned and left, waving as long as she was in sight.
I sighed and turned towards the door, knocking slightly. The pegasus that opened, wasn't the one I wanted to see after all. The pegasus was the only one that loved to stay disguised as pony all the time, and she was one of the rare mares of the hive.
"Oh welcome to Manehattan, Cousin." Lavender Skies greeted me, her eyes flashing in a tint of green, her smile wicked, and I gulped.
A green aura enveloped me, pulling me inside the building and the door closed shut behind me.
I'm doomed. |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Alone in this world (Special POV) | Chapter seven: Alone in this world (Special, Berryshine POV)
As I slowly awake, something white laid next to me. My mind was still sleepy, but I had no time to lose. I yawned and gently nuzzled into the fur next to me, enjoying the warmth.
"Good morning, Snowy, my love," I whispered without thinking.
The warmth was astonishing and I grabbed it with all my might, tugging closer and planted kisses on the soft fur. Nuzzling deeper, I breathed in the scent , it was an astonishing one, fresh like the air after a night rain with just a hint of lilacs.
Wait... that's not her scent... what...?
I looked up and was met with the blushing face of Aurora. My mind slowly pulled the pieces together and I froze in shock.
I... I kissed Aurora... on the coat, but still!
With a startled 'eep' I jumped up and rushed to the bathroom, not paying attention to anything. I smashed the door closed behind me and paused, breathing in several deep breaths. A look into the mirror showed my face; confused, shocked, and... lonely?
Years... it has been years and I still loved and missed Snowbreeze with all my heart. I thought I would go insane with grief but then this white pegasus named Aurora came into my life. Yes, her mane was another colour but still, she gave me some strength. A tear made it's way down my muzzle.
"I miss you so much Snowy." I whispered into the mirror.
I just ruined the friendship with Aurora. There is no way she could forgive me for such a thing. I like her so much, I don't think I could stand her leaving. How funny, we met just days ago and yet she already feels like my oldest and closest friend.
Shaking my head clear, I headed to the shower and turned it on. I waited a while until it was hot, then jumped under the water. It felt like bliss, the water tickling my coat, washing everything away. Yes, a shower always helps clear my mind.
I enjoyed the shower for as long as I could, I could've stayed in their for hours, days even, but that would be hiding. I knew I had to face Aurora.. With a sigh I turned the shower off and stepped out, grabbing a towel and started drying my fur.
Right now her wings would really come in handy.
I blushed furiously. It was a bad thought, nothing like that would ever happen! Not like I ever wanted such thing... Shaking my head again, I dropped the towel and left the bathroom. Aurora wasn't in the living room so I moved to the kitchen upon hearing noises coming from there.
Aurora was sitting at the table, in front of her were two trays with some buns and marmalade. I tried to smile while apologizing, my muzzle was trying to come up with whatever excuse it could.
"I'm sorry, Aurora. I dreamt about Snowbreeze last night, and when I woke up cuddled next to you, and all I could see was your white fur. My mind just... I'm sorry," I hesitated, looking down at the floor.
Before I could say anything else, Aurora rose from the chair and after some small steps she was at my side. The mare unfolded her wings and took me into her soft embrace. I blushed furiously, knowing what a wing-hug meant.
"Don't be." she whispered softly, but backed away when she saw me blushing. "What?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
I gulped. "Aurora... last time. You hugged me with your wings. I thought it was just the moment, but now you're doing it again. You know what it means if a pegasus hugs with their wings?" I paused and tried to met her gaze while she simply nodded. "It means that the pegasus really likes the pony they're hugging, you know?" I continued.
Aurora's expression never changed, "So what?"
Wait, did she just...? No way... I'm just imagining things. No... she really said it!
I looked surprised at her, but that shock soon changed into a smile. "I like you too, Aurora. How about I show you the room behind the cafe today? Where I do the cakes and so on? Maybe you're going to be the next pastry chef, Aurora!" I laughed out and squeezed her tightly.
Aurora soon joined my laugh and we broke the embrace to sit down on the table and enjoy breakfast. The buns were the first things gone and soon I caught Aurora looking up at something. Following her gaze, I saw what time it was on the clock, it was almost time to open the cafe.
As we finished, I smirked at her and grabbed my bags while pointing at some more next to the fridge. "Would you be so kind and carry them? The ingredients for some cakes are in there, fresh out of Ponyville."
Aurora nodded and put them on. I rewarded her kind deed with a smile. Walking out of the kitchen and the house, Aurora was hot on my tail. The sun shone brightly, a warm breeze flowed around our coats. The walk to the cafe was quite enjoyable with her company. I guess it's true what they say, with the right company anything can be memorable.
At the cafe I tried to reach into my bags for the key, but Aurora was way too quick for me. She pulled them out with her wing and quickly opened the door. Somehow the little minks managed to steal a smile from me with the most basic actions.
"Like I said... they come in handy," I chimed happily as she gestured a wing for me to go in first.
Aurora laughed as I reached the counter and went behind it, walking through the door into my creativity room. It was just a small kitchen with an oven, counters, and a few fridges. I caught the surprised expression of the pegasus as she looked at me.
"Sorry, Berry, but if I may ask... You're no unicorn. How can you keep all the fridges running? It sure must cost a lot of magic," she asked, raising an eyebrow.
I walked to the corner of the room and opened one of the storage cabinets, revealing a big machine. "A good friend of my cousin visits every month to load some magic storage. They keep the fridges running."
Aurora leaned in and inspected the machine. "Ahh, I see," she said and nodded. When she leaned in I caught another smell of the mare...
Where have you been all my life.
She stared at the machine for quite some time, an unreadable expression on her face, and I left her be to get started on my day. "Well, let's see if you can make a simple vanilla cake. I got a list of ingredients here, and some instructions on what you have to do. I want you to just try it while I prepare everything else for the customers. You think you can do it?" I said and beamed her a smile, grabbing my baking book and opening the page for the simple cake.
Aurora gave me an eager nod and turned to the book, going through it. I smiled at her serious expression and went through the door to back behind the counter, to get everything else prepared. While boiling the water for the coffee, my mind found itself lost thinking about Aurora again.
Can I feel this way about somepony else? Am I just using her? I know I still love Snowbreeze. Why is this so difficult?
I thought about all the moments I spent with her. From finding her in the desert to the laughing small amount of conversations we've actually had. And then about this morning. Even after realizing that she wasn't Snowbreeze, it felt right, at least that's what I thought.
Pondering a bit I found myself re-imagining that hug we shared. Looking back at it, it just felt right in so many ways. Her feathery embrace had tickled, but it had also felt warm and good. Shivering, I continued my work before glancing towards the clock.
Oh my, I just spent minutes doing nothing but daydreaming.
Just as I finished preparing the tea, Aurora came in and I gave her a quick, warm smile before continuing to make the coffee. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her returning it softly.
She's so sweet... Wait, where did that come from?
I found myself lost in my mind again before the sound of the boiler snapped me out of it. I poured a full cup of coffee before looking up. The cafe was empty except for an earth pony with a green mane and me.
Where did she go?
A bit worried, I opened the door behind the counter and stuck my head in. The room was empty and a quick glance at the stove showed me that Aurora had finished her task exceptionally well. There was a small, nice looking cake baking in it.
She's really got a hoof for that... well, a wing in her case.
Sighing, I returned to the counter and looked around. Still no Aurora. My gaze turned to the mare still sitting and sipping at her coffee while reading the newspapers.
"Hey, do you know where the white pegasus went?" I asked her.
She looked up and around, confusion on her face. "Nope, but my company is also gone. Maybe they went out for some fresh air?"
Without another thought I went to the exit, leaving my cafe behind me. I had no idea that I missed the sound of a magic blast just seconds before I opened the door and stepped outside. Looking around, Aurora was nowhere to be seen.
I decided to walk around for a bit and reached the town limits after a short time. In the far distance, I thought I saw a white blur that quickly faded away in the far distance. I had no idea if it was Aurora, but my heart as well as my mind snapped.
"Aurora!" I screamed. "Aurora, please come back!"
No matter how loud I shouted, the white spot was gone. My legs suddenly hurt and were unable to carry my weight anymore, causing me to collapse on the ground.
"Aurora..." I whispered, tears were starting to form in my eyes.
Why did she run away? Did I do something wrong? Did she even like me?
My mind went in panic-mode and all that pain of the past returned. I was alone again. Aurora left me just like Snowbreeze did all those years ago. I had no clue why my mind thought of it like that, but I wasn't able to figure it out at the moment. Making myself as small as possible,
The pain of her loss made itself known, it became all consuming in my mind. Over and over again I replayed her face, the way she smiled at me, the way her hair felt when I woke up. To make matters worse my mind started to combine those memories with Snowbreeze. They played through my head like a sick joke against me.
I lost track of time and everything else at that moment. My memories became all consuming. Memories of a white pegasus with a blue mane.
Aurora... ***
"Berryshine!" a hard voice made me jump out of my memories.
I blinked strained tears away, looking directly into the Sheriff's worried expression.
"Miss Berryshine, are you alright?" he asked.
I blinked again. "I... Aurora ran away..." I already felt new tears running down my muzzle.
"Then it isn't her..." the Sheriff mumbled before focusing on me again. "A unicorn felt a wave of energy behind your cafe some time ago and alerted the guards."
"What happened?" my voice quivered.
Maybe she is hurt and didn't run away?
The thought wasn't any better.
"One of the unicorn guards found the remains of a pony buried into the ground, magically destroyed. We don't know what happened, but I think that your new friend might have something to do with it."
No! Not Aurora! Why should she harm anypony?
"Sheriff, I don't think it was Aurora. She helped me so much the last few days and she's so y caring. Maybe she was attacked? She is no unicorn, there's no way she could use magic! We have to find her, Sheriff!" I shouted as he seemed to smile about something I said.
"Just a friend?" he smirked. "Alright Miss Berryshine, but for now we should take you home so you can get some rest. I will talk with the captain of the guard and we'll see where we head from there."
"Thank you." I mumbled as he helped me to my hooves, supporting my walk towards my home.
Aurora, where are you? What happened? |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Leaving the differences behind | Chapter eight: Leaving the differences behind
Lavender Skies forced me in, tightly held in her aura. On my full power, I could easily break the spell and kill her, but that wasn't an option in my weakened state. Besides that, I had to think about Berryshine.
My thoughts were interrupted as when she ended her magic. The aura around me faded and allowed gravity to take over which did like it always does. My flank fell upon the couch with a soft plop. She sat down right next to me with a smile that sent shivers through my body.
I go to say something, only for her to cut me off.
"Uh no, you will listen to me now. If you escape or do anything I don't agree with, I will make sure you're forced to watch your friend die in front of you and only when you beg me for death will you be allowed to join her. I expect you to follow all of my order, sense my orders come directly from the hive." The smile on her lips seemed to grow at that. "We will find you a job, a new identity, and you will live here until I say otherwise. If I say so, you will be expected to do small jobs for me besides your normal work. Got that so far?" she ended with another smile.
I just nod and look away. At this moment, I can't stand her face. Even less that past.
"Look at me!" Lavender Skies shouts suddenly and I turn.
She stares at me, and besides hate I can see a plethora of other emotions: Pain, distrust, and... and a hint of love? I don't know anymore what she's feeling, not until she speaks.
"You broke my heart you damn half-breed! I will break you for this, so don't even think expect some nice easy time here! You could've just denied my advances politely, but no! You had to crush me, punish me, insult me for being a changeling! Do you think you're better than me? NO, YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE WORSE! You are nothing more than a half-pony you disgusting piece of flesh and fur!" she stood again, her eyes now flashing in pure hate and anger. Whatever what was in there a second ago, it was long gone.
"What did you expect?" I asked, enraged. "I was barely two weeks at the hive, and you, a pure changeling steps up to me and said that you have a crush on me?! At that moment I just hated changelings, even me! What did you expect my answer to be? At that moment love was the last thing I wanted." with a quick green flash of magic I dropped the disguise, revealing my white coat and the blue mane again.
She winced and backed away. "You could've stopped with your insults when you saw me crying. But you continued. Was it so hard to stop and listen to me, to give me a chance?"
Why didn't I?
ENOUGH!
I winced as a huge amount of pain shot through my head, numbing my thoughts and feelings. Looking to my side I saw Lavender in the same state, clutching her head tightly and screaming.
Lavender Skies, if you aren't up for this task I'll find another one. I'm done listening to your weakness against this one. And you Aurora, you need to stop this acting. I won't continue to watch you two digging through memories of the past. You've both got a task to do and you better fulfill it!
We looked at each other and I saw Lavender Skies wince again, closing her eyes. I knew that the hive spoke only to her now, and the result wasn't to my pleasure. Lavender's lips formed a silent sorry before I felt pain again, then everything turned black. ***
Six years earlier
"I'm pleased with your progress Aurora. After only two weeks you've managed to complete half of the tests. Continue like that and soon you can live with your mother again, protected by the hive this time." the changeling queen spoke, her voice sent shivers through my body every time I heard it.
I bowed willingly in front of her, but inside, there was only pain, anger, and the need to hurt and kill her. I had to gulp down all of that or they would kill my mother. She was hidden somewhere in the hive, kept away from me as form of leverage against me. It was all my soul and mind could connect to since I lost every other sense and feeling in here.
"You can go now and rest. I'll have a new task for you tomorrow." the queen spoke again and waved her hoof, a clear sign that I should leave.
With another bow I quickly rose and left the chamber, eager to get back to my quarters. Thank Celestia, they gave me my own room where I could be alone, unharmed and undisturbed. The changelings usually tried to avoid me at any chance, but a few I knew were curious. Sometimes I even wanted to talk to them, but once I got their attention, I had no clue what to talk about.
Today was such a mixed day. I saw some that were ignoring me, interested, a few that were curious, and even some disgusted glares my way while I made my way to my chamber. I was already used to those, but still, they were annoying. I hated them, all of them for what they had done to me and my mother, but I also knew that here, and in their eyes, I was the pony to be hated, I was the foreign pony in their mists.
The surprise on my muzzle was obvious as one of them stood in my way. But that wasn't what surprised me the most. The changeling was disguised as a yellow pegasus mare and purple hair.
"Hi." she said before blushing and looking at the ground.
"Uhm, hi?"
This changeling is strange.
"I'm Lavender Skies." she said and gave me a smile, I just stared at her, dumbfounded.
She's one of the mares. Never thought they would walk around like that after what the Queen explained.
"Would it be okay if we could just talk for a little while?" her voice was nearly a whisper.
"Yeah, okay." I nodded.
We walked into a little side corridor where she faced me and took a deep breath. I had no clue what was going on, but it was obvious that she was nervous.
"I... I've watched you now for a few days and I have to say... that you're interesting. I know that you're a half-breed and all but I think that you are nonetheless kinda cute and nice and... " she squeaked as I snorted.
"Are you serious?" my voice raised.
They are insulting and torturing me all the time, and now this? She's playing me for a fool
She nodded before looking down at the floor.
"Okay I don't know what kind of joke this is or if the queen ordered you to do this, but you better just forget it right now. Just look at you! You're a damn changeling, you're the last thing I want to see or be with at this moment. You freaks captured my mother, you've been keeping her away from me and torturing me for two weeks!" I stomped at the ground.
Lavender Skies looked up and her muzzle twitched, tears starting to dwell up in her eyes. She was about to cry, but right this second I couldn't care less.
"I hate you, all of you! You disgust me! You're nothing more than parasites that suck the love out of ponies, but you know what? I hope you keep sucking until you choke on it, you little insects! I may have to do what you say, but I could NEVER bring myself to fall for one of you!"
Lavender Skies started to cry for real now. Her tears fell down on the ground and she looked at me with pain and hurt in her eyes. "And I thought that I finally found someone worth loving." she sobbed before running away.
Did she just say...
I simply stood there, shocked. I never heard that a changeling could love or feel any other such feelings. For that moment, I felt bad for the mare, I really did. Slowly, I made my way to my chamber, trying to sort my mind.
How is that possible? How can something feed of love but also feel it?
Reaching my chamber I slumped down on my bed, it was barely more than a wooden frame and a mattress. I realized what I had done at that moment, that realization caused me to roll into a ball on the bed.
I might have pushed away the only real friend I could've in here... Or could she have been something more??
As I fell into slumber, I couldn't do anything but feel sorry for Lavender Skies. I felt like I should apologize, but somehow, after the look she gave me I knew that she wouldn't forgive me.
She looked like she actually liked me... that she might have trusted me, and... and I ruined it.
Great Job. ***
Present
I awoke greeted by small rays of moonlight through a window. Looking around, I found myself in a strange room filled with posters of the weather factory and the wonderbolts. The door stood only slightly ajar, so I rose and slowly made my way out of the room, following the light through the corridor.
Hearing sobbing through one door at the end of the corridor, I slowed my breathing and softly approached. The door opened quietly to my touch. Lavender Skies laid on her couch, wrapped in a blanket and crying into her wings. I had no idea why, until I heard her sobbing whisper.
"I'm so sorry, Aurora. I hope you'll forgive me."
What I did next was stupid, but It was like I just acted on autopilot. Opening the door completely, I entered the room and approached her; I sat down on the couch at the other end, looking at her. She looked up and I saw a reflection of fear filling her eyes.
"What do you want? You should be asleep until morning!" Lavender weakly spoke, turning away from me.
"Did you really love me?" Just like that, my muzzle formed the words and the sound came out, I just asked.
"What?" she looked like she almost jumped out of her fur at such a brash question. Her eyes were completely focused on me now. "Why would you even ask me that?"
"I just dreamed about the past. What I did to you and what you said to me. Did you really meant it?"
"I did and I still do, but I also hate you!" her expression hardened. "You were the first one I opened myself up to, and you ripped that door to splinters. What you said hurt me, it destroyed me in a way that I thought was impossible. I know that you were upset about your mother, but that was just hard..." she started sobbing again, but this time she leaned into my side. "I still love you. We may be different, but I still love you."
"You... you do?" I asked with a blushed.
"Yes, but that's not important anymore. I can't do anything. I have my orders same as you, when she says to punish you I have to obey. I'm sorry Aurora, but she's stronger than both of us. I hope you can believe me when I say that I'm sorry about everything that may happen in future."
"Can you hear her now?" I ask.
She shakes her head, "No, she's normally asleep at this time of night."
I wrap a hoof around her shoulders and push her a little closer to me. I believe her at this moment, I believe everything she said about how she felt. The words add up, the memories add up, and far more importantly, her actions add up. My mother always said that you can truly know somepony by what they do, not what they say. I guess that goes for changelings too.
She melts into my grip, her head is pressed against my chest. I can't help but sniff it, it smells sweet, almost like strawberries. For a second, Berryshine comes into my mind, but the protective side of me quickly pushes it away to try to protect her.
I start kicking myself. To think that all this time, for all these months I could'a had this, I could'a had someone just to be close to, someone just to be with. Even if... even if it wasn't Berry. A part of me told me that I would lie to myself, but that part was quickly destroyed.
I hold her for a while. my hoof can feel her heart beat, I can feel her breathing in and out in a slow rhythm. "We... we're alone then?" I asked as a thought comes to mind.
"I'm not that easy," she laughs in my chest.
I blushed furiously. "That wasn't what I meant."
She doesn't remove her head from my chest, "What did you mean?" she asks, I don't know if I'm imagining it, but when I said those words she seemed almost... disappointed.
"I mean her... If she sleeps, we're alone, right?" I said and tugged her a bit closer to me.
She cooes softly from the extra warmth. "Yeah, if she's asleep she can't spy on us. How do you think we're getting away with all of this?"
"What if we... no, nevermind." I say coyly. Baiting the hook always worked on ponies, I didn't see why changelings would be any different.
"What if we what?" she asked, never once removing her head from my chest.
"Nevermind, you'll think it's just stupid." I sweetened the bait.
"What?" she starts poking me in the chest, I giggle a little bit for show.
"I don't want to get you in any trouble..." I said. It's not a lie, if she agrees she really could get in trouble, we both could.
"Let me worry about me." she says as she finally raises my head to look me in the eyes. "Or are you saying you don't trust me?" she has the most adorable pouty expression on her face.
What the hell was I thinking all those months ago?
"Are you sure, I don't want you to feel pressured into something, and I don't want to get you in any trouble."
What was that old saying? The greatest lie ever told is the truth.
"I want you to tell me," she said.
Yep, works like a champ on ponies and changelings.
Part of me feels guilty about this, yet not fully. I do feel... something for her. I just don't know what. I know she loves me, given a chance, maybe, possibly I could... "I know we have to keep up appearances for the Hive, when she says jump we best jump. But... there's no reason why we can't still have this."
"This?" she looks at me, confused.
I grab her and press her head back to my chest. She resisted, but only for a moment. Soon she's once more listening to my heartbeat. "What I'm proposing is, do you want this with me? We have to do what she says during the day, while the queen bitch herself is listening, but at night, when she's asleep and we're alone, we can have this time to ourselves."
To my surprise I feel something wet land on my chest. It doesn't occur to me until after the fact what it is, she's crying. I hold her even tighter in a futile effort to make our two bodies one.
"Yes," she sobs the word like it was the last one she'd ever say.
Fuck you queen, not even you can kill hope.
Suddenly, Lavender perks up and chuckles. "What will you tell to that Guard if she visits us? You told her I'm your cousin."
I look dumbfounded. "What?"
"Uhm, before you arrived, she explained everything. As far I know you told the Guard that I'm your cousin. It could be a bit awkward if she gets something." she still giggles and I facehoof.
"I'll just clarify that you're my second cousin," I laugh.
She lightly hits me in the gut, "You know that's not going to work."
"Lavender," I sigh, "You know we can only have this time. We have to keep up appearances otherwise; that means you have to punish me, you have to work me to death like you said you would. And if she comes back... I'll have to keep up my appearance too."
"So you're already planning on cheating on me?" Lavender says with scorn in her voice.
"It's not like that!" I try to defend myself, "It's so we ca-"
She cuts off my words with a kiss. It's so unexpected it causes me to forget what I was just saying. "Relax," she says with a playful smile. Relax... yeah right, "I'm just bucking with you after making me jump through that hoop earlier."
She knew... so much for baiting the hook with changelings.
"Promise me that whatever happens, it won't get in the way of this."
Despite myself, I find a smile creeping up my muzzle. Placing my hoof back around her neck i start softly stroking her mane. All the while my nostrils are filling up with the scent of strawberries. "I promise," I say the words as she cooes in agreement. I can already feel her starting to fall asleep on my chest.
I rest my hoof on her flak, feeling her body softly moving up and down as sleep comes to claim the mare. I have no idea what I just got us into. During the day we will be forced to play the role of slave and mistress, at night... who knows? Maybe the same roles in an entirely different context.
Whatever happens, I know I can't fall asleep like this. That would definitely lead to us getting caught, and that... well, somethings are not worth thinking about. So I simply sit on the couch with her head pressed to my chest. i know she's going to fall asleep soon, if she isn't already. I also know that I'll either have to wake her up or carry her to bed at some point and time.
However, right now, at this second, I couldn't care less. I'm... Celestia what's the word, I use to know it. Oh... that's right, I'm happy.
How did that happen? |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Holding my appearance | Chapter nine: Holding my appearance
Hours passed by while I held Lavender in my hooves, her head tightly pressed against my chest, she was listening to my heartbeat during her sweet slumber. Looking at her, I simply had to smile. I was happy, for the first time in a while I was truly happy. Everything in my head that told me I was happy with Berryshine was just pushed away.
For your safety...
Silently sighing, I looked at the window. It was still in the middle of the night, but I knew that we had to separate soon, or she would know. I hated the thought of having to wake her, but carrying her to bed wasn't an option if I wanted answers before it was too late.
I need to know if there is any possibility to shut the hive out of specific memories or thoughts. If not, we're literally screwed.
"Lavender," I spoke as quiet as I could. "Please, wake up. We have to discuss a few things before she wakes up."
Those words only caused the mare in my grip to slightly shift, burying her muzzle deeper into my fur. I smiled softly, but as much I wanted her to stay like this, we really had to talk.
"Lavender," this time I cooed softly into her ear while unfolding a wing and tracing it over her back.
This seemed to work. She softly sighed before raising her head and blinking at me. "Good morning, beautiful," she whispered and I smiled.
"Not morning just yet and I'm sorry to wake you, but we have to talk about the next days," I said softly, still caressing her back with my wing.
She looked confused for a moment, but then she nodded. "I think I get it. You want to know what we can do so she won't know it by simply reading our mind?"
I nodded and she leaned into me again. "Well, there are a few possibilities. First one is to flood your mind with bad and sad memories. Maybe even hurtful ones. While she is in your head, she feels everything you feel and with the flood of those bad memories you can hurt her and make her leave for a while or at least cause her to not listen. Second thing is a mental blockade, but she will definitely recognize it. You concentrate a shield spell, but not on your environment, but around your mind."
"The first one doesn't really sound appealing either," I tried to joke.
She raised her head again and looked at me, a lonely tear making it's way down her muzzle. I raised my hoof and wiped it away.
"From daylight on, I'll have to hurt you. I hope you will keep your promise that it won't stay in our way. Think about the nights where we can love each other," she smiled a bit at the last sentence.
"Hey I'm not that easy either," I jokingly replied, thinking about her earlier statement.
She blushed slightly before burying her head once again into my chest. "I love listening to your heartbeat," she softly mumbled, nuzzling deep into my fur.
I smiled and unfolded both of my wings, holding her even tighter into my grip. That smile faded once I caught a look at the clock. It was already five in the morning and I doubted that she was a long sleeper.
"I just hope my thought's of you don't betray me during the day. Let's go to bed, the sun will rise soon," I said, re-folding my wings and letting her free.
She rose with a groan before looking at me and smiling. "Carrying me to bed, honey?" she asked and winked at me, causing me to blush.
With a smile I grabbed her with my wings, lifting her onto my back. She purred slightly, giving me short directions to her bedroom. Once there, I softly laid her down on her bed, draping the sheets over her.
"Good night," she whispered before she pulled me closer and drew me into a long, passionate kiss.
For me, it was still too short and I pouted as she broke the kiss. With a grin, she gave my muzzle a slow lick before cuddling into her pillow. "The room on the right next to mine is yours," she said with a yawn and I smiled as I left.
Closing the door and heading to my room, I frowned. The easy part was done, now comes the hard one. Holding up the appearance for her. Finding bad and hurtful memories shouldn't be too hard, Celestia knows I have enough of those. But keeping them up, that would be hard. I had no clue how long I could withstand my own feelings.
This could prove even harder than I thought, but the nights will be better.
With a sigh I opened the door to my room. There was nothing out of the ordinary, just a bed, closet, drawer, and a small nightstand. Laying down onto the bed I tried to keep my thoughts away from Lavender. Dreaming about her while she awoke and started to watch me was the last we needed.
I had no Idea what she had in mind for Lavender and me. ***
My dreams were unsteady. Sometimes blurring around Berryshine, sometimes about my time at the hive. Thankfully, none of them were about Lavender. As soon as the sun tickled my coat, I knew that she was awake.
Wakey, wakey...
I grumbled and turned in my bed, holding tighter onto she sheets.
Oh for the love of... get up!
I jumped up at that and slammed muzzle first onto the floor.
There was no need for that...
I can't let you oversleep. Besides, we have plans for today. Get up and to the kitchen. Lavender Skies waits.
I rose and went to the mirror first, checking if my mane was okay and that I wasn't bleeding. Blinking, I frowned before remembering that I had dropped my disguise yesterday. After a short amount of focus and some green flames, I was the plum pegasus with the raspberry mane again.
As I made my way down to the kitchen, I remembered what I had to do. Shutting it out of my mind, I tried to focus on my most tragic or hurtful memory, letting it wander through my mind.
What are you doing?
Ignoring her, I digged out the memories of my first day at the hive. It hurt, but I managed to withstand it, letting it just wander through my mind, hoping it would be enough. As I walked into the kitchen, I gulped as I saw Lavender's expression.
This will be a hard day.
"Sit down and eat something," she said, her voice was deadpan; I won't lie, it hurt me more than I cared to say.
Well, that was to be expected.
I simply sat down and grabbed one of the pancakes, noticing the single strawberry on it. Just before the memory of Lavender's smell could invade my mind, I managed to snap it like a piece of paper. It wasn't easy, but I simply had to concentrate on the bad memories.
You two are trying to shut me out!
The voice hissed in my head and a quick glance to Lavender told me that she heard the same. Her emotionless expression cracked a bit, but it held. What neither of us expected was that she would recognize our reasons that fast.
Oh you two are so sweet. What are you trying to hide?
Lavender looked up, staring right into my eyes and I could see tears forming. I had no idea what the hive told her, but I knew that she was talking only to her right now.
How long before you two break? This will be fun.
Before I could reply, a green aura took hold of me. Lavender formed a silent sorry with her lips before I felt pain, a huge amount of it. It was like electricity running through my body, numbing every muscle, tearing down my nerves. The pain took hold for several minutes before numbing down.
Whatever you have planned, forget it! You will do what I say. If I say jump, you just jump without asking how high or from where; is that clear?
I never gave an answer, but she seemed satisfied. Glaring at Lavender I took a bite from my pancake before frowning. It wasn't her fault. Looking up again I gave her a soft smile.
"It's okay," I mouthed before focusing on my pancakes again.
Her expression brightened a bit before she got serious. "Today we get you a job at the weather team. We will also set up a small schedule for the coming weeks with some rules."
I nodded, still eating and trying to block out the pain that I could still feel in my nerves. Then, a thought occured me.
Weather team? Sure, my natural form is a pegasus, but I'm not sure if I'm made for this.
You will do good.
Wow, was that a compliment? From you? Getting weak?
Shut up or maybe you are up for another round of pain from Lavender?
I felt anger rising in me, but kept silent. There was no need to provoke her, especially if she used Lavender to hurt me. Even if she could do it by herself. I didn't cared if the bitch hurted me, but now she had another weapon. I knew it's gotta hurt Lavender to cause me such pain.
I don't have to use my power on you if I have ants to do the same.
"She's not an ant you bucking insect," I muttered, shutting it out of my mind and Lavender snickered in response.
"Eat up. It's time to go if we want to see the captain before they start their work." Lavender said and gave me a small smile.
Maybe the day won't be that bad.
Quickly, I got rid of every positive thought about Lavender and forced myself to focus only on the bad ones again. This time I didn't overdo it, I simply let them come up naturally, trying to leave her unsuspicious. This time it seemed to work, since she stayed silent. Sighing, I shoved the last bit of food into my muzzle before I rose.
"Well, let's go then."
Lavender nodded and we put the dishes into the sink before heading out. I almost gasped when we opened the front door, it was a beautiful sunny day, the street was already crowded with ponies heading to and from their business.
How many of these days have I missed? How many have passed without me noticing?
Taking the lead, Lavender managed to led the way through all these ponies and towards a high, white building. Entering it, she headed straight to the desk.
"How can I help you?" the mare behind the desk asked.
"We have a meeting with Captain Lightning Bolt," Lavender replied, nodding to me.
"Names?"
"Lavender Skies and Morning Dew," Lavender winked playfully at me.
"Ah yes. Second floor, please. She's waiting for you," the mare said and focused back on her paperwork.
Lavender motioned for me to follow her and we went to the stairs, going up to the second floor. The office of the captain was hard to miss; a double door with a big sign next to it made it almost impossible. Gulping, I stood next to Lavender as she knocked.
"Come in," a muffled, deep voice replied.
Opening the door, we stepped in, just to be greeted by a black mare with a yellow mane sitting behind a huge desk. "Sit down," she said, putting the papers aside she was reading just a moment ago.
"So, you would like to start at the weather team?" she asked, focusing on me after we took a seat.
"Yes, ma'am," I replied, knowing how to respond.
She smiled slightly. "Good, you seem to have the right attitude," one of her hooves crawled in a drawer, coming up with a small piece of paper. "You never cloudbusted before, besides doing it for fun in your youth?"
"That's correct, ma'am, but I really loved it and after my old jobs just weren't the right fit for me, I would like to give it a try," I stopped and pointed at my flank and the three clouds on it. "After all, it's what my cutie mark tells me," I ended.
Lightning Bolt seemed happy with the answer and nodded. "Well, I would say we test you for around a week, but beyond any unknown issues, let me be the first to say welcome to the Manehattan weather team, Morning Dew." she rose and reached a wing out.
I unfolded my right wing and gave her the typical pegasi greeting, glad that I still remembered it. Sitting down again, she went through some more papers before passing me a stack of them.
"You can start tomorrow, right in the morning. Please be here at around six a.m.. Today you should read through those papers and sign the marked ones. After you went through the week and I'm sufficiently impressed, you'll get your mark and the title. Until then, I hope you work and train hard." Lightning Bolt gave me a last smile before putting her papers up again, not giving us another gaze.
Knowing that we were dismissed, we rose and left the office. Lavender suddenly wrapped me in a short hug. "I knew that it would work," she said, before we both broke the embrace and blushed heavily. "Block it out," was all she added before heading down the stairs and out of the building.
Lavender took the lead back to her home, personally I had no idea where we were. I knew I should be paying attention, but I was simply trying to focus on keeping her out with bad memories while trying not to catch the scent of the mare next to me.
While we walked, Lavender's expression turned from happy and smiling to hurt and pained. I knew what would come soon; somehow.
It was when we reached her house and entered, I felt a strong pain in my back and fell forwards, muzzle first onto the floor. As I looked back, Lavender looked at me, anger and pain mixing up on her muzzle.
"Now for the rules. You will obey everything the hive or I tell you. Besides your work you will do small errands for us. If you try to contact Berryshine or tell that lunar guard anything, you will be punished. Same goes breaking any of the other rules. Got that?" she asked.
Unable to do anything else, I nodded. Maybe the day wasn't as good as I thought.
"I asked you if you understood!" Lavender screamed and I felt pain in my body once again.
"YES!" I screamed back, my attempt to try and withstand the pain failed spectacularly.
Every inch of my insides felt like it was on fire, like somepony injected fluid metal into my veins, burning their way through my body. The pain kept on until I passed out; however, even that wasn't the end of it. The pain followed me into my unsteady dreams. ***
The sun tickled my muzzle and I opened my eyes to be greeted with Lavender's smile. I smiled back and she leaned in, giving me a short kiss before her expression turned evil.
"You really think I could ever love you? Hah, after everything you did to me, I should simply burn you," Lavender said; however, it was wrong, it wasn't really Lavender's voice. It was hers. "I hope you're not going to cry now. After all, It was just some pathetic last-ditch effort to grab onto a plank to save yourself from the sinking ship called Berryshine; ADMIT IT!"
Every word hurt, even if the voice wasn't the real one. Suddenly, the pony in front of me blurred, changed, and in front of me stood Berryshine.
"I thought you love me?! You left me without anything, maybe I'm better off dead than with you!" she screamed with tears in her eyes, the sight of it broke me.
Suddenly, both stood in front of me, Lavender and Berry. "We don't love you!" both screamed.
My reply was a scream without words, a scream that shook everything, including my heart, and my soul. I couldn't believe it, but still, something broke and the world turned black once again. ***
"NOOO" I screamed and jumped up from my bed, just to be greeted with Lavender.
"Shh, it's okay, I'm here," she softly whispered into my ear, unfolded her wings, and
wrapping them around me.
I let myself go, burried my muzzle deep into her fur, held steady by her wings while I cried into her chest, letting everything go. My crying went on for some time before the tears were gone and I looked up.
"Is she gone?" I asked and Lavender nodded.
"She has been asleep for some time, it's about midnight," she replied.
"I thought I would lose you," I sobbed, snuggling into her coat.
"You won't. I'm sorry for today, but she forced me or she would kill you and your
family," Lavender's voice broke as a tear slowly made it's way down her muzzle.
"It's not your fault," I softly replied and she pulled me closer.
We both slumped down onto the bed, muzzles next to each other. Looking into her eyes, I suddenly felt protected, loved, and much more. I felt a burning desire for her, that I couldn't put into words. Unfolding my own wings I drew her in closer until our lips met.
The kiss seemed to go on forever, something neither of us complained about as her tongue slowly asked for entrance, which I granted. Her tongue slowly slid into my muzzle, exploring everything before wrapping around my own tongue. It lasted until we had to break for air.
"Wow." we both breathed, looking lovingly at each other.
Before I could react, she stood up and with a quick flip of her wings, positioned me onto my back. As she laid down on me, the burning desire in me just grew, making me nibble greedily on her muzzle.
To the day I die I would never forget her answer, and I would definitely never forget the night that followed. |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Team Fillyfoolers United | Chapter ten: Team Fillyfoolers United
Something tickled my side and disturbed my dreams. I tried to push it away and continue to sleep, but to no avail. Drowsily, I opened my eyes and blinked, trying to discern the source of the tickling. I found it immediately. Lavender was curled up against my back, her wings wrapped tight around me. My mind went into panic mode before I could stop it.
Calm down.
W-what?
I said calm down. I have a deal for you that is mutually advantageous.
So, you know?
Yes, now calm down. You don't want her to wake, do you? Now, to my deal. I have a few things that need to be taken care of, and I want you to do it. If you do what I say, I will 'ignore' your little relationship, and even allow you to create a family. And yes, I can see it clearly in both your minds. I won't even tell Lavender Skies that I know it, I'll leave her in peace. Is that a deal?
I quickly thought it over. If I rejected the deal, it would be the end of everything Lavender and I had planned. Of course, it seemed rushed, but my heart told me that it was fine. I had no choice but to obey, but somehow I was okay with it.
I accept. For Lavender, I'll do anything.
Great. Now, you should try to get ready. Your first shift starts in around one hour, and you still have to sign all the papers.
Why are you so friendly now? It surprises me.
You two are some of the last of my hive. While you all think I'm cruel, I also care deeply for every member. Seeing a new family form inside the hive is something to my liking.
I never thought that you would be able to feel that way.
I'm full of surprises, just like you.
Shifting slowly, I got a good look at Lavender, curled up against me with a deep smile on her muzzle. Last night was a bit crazy, but I really loved it. Slowly, so as not to wake her, I shuffled out of her wings and stood. Lavender stirred a bit before folding her wings around my pillow and hugging it to her chest.
She's so sweet.
I giggled silently and made my way down to the kitchen. There was a stack of papers waiting for me on the table, which I quickly sat next to and began reading through, signing the important points. Some parts were marked for my attention and I read them carefully, trying to remember the content. When that was done, I quickly made a sandwich for myself and gulped it down. It was time to go all too soon.
Can you tell her that I left for work? And please try to take it easy on her. She will be freaking out a bit this morning.
Don't worry. You'd better focus on your work for now. You have fifteen minutes to get to work.
Oh crap, I'd better hurry up! I don't even know where I'm supposed to go.
Fly south from the house, you can't miss the building.
I picked up my saddlebags from the corner and stuffed the papers into them as quietly as I could manage before heading to the front door. The door squeaked a bit as I opened it, but then I was outside in the fresh morning air. Spreading my wings, I took off and headed south, already seeing a certain white building in distance.
During the flight, a few things came into my mind. Some about last night and what I had planned with Lavender. We planned to have a family in the future. Something in my head said it was just a rush and that it wouldn't be worth anything that way, but my heart quickly destroyed that thought. What I had was worth everything, and for Lavender I would do everything.
Smiling, I landed in front of the building just to be greeted by Captain Lightning Bolt, "Good morning, Morning Dew. I hope you're ready?"
I nodded eagerly, "Yes, ma'am. Ready for everything!"
She laughed, "Judging by that smile, I can only imagine. Do you have the papers?"
"Of course, ma'am," I replied as I took the papers out of my saddlebags, reaching them over to her.
"Good. While the rest of the team got their schedules today, we will head to some side clouds to train. Follow me."
I followed Lightning Bolt into the air, keeping a short distance behind her. We headed east a bit until we were out of the town, then stopped in front of some smaller clouds.
"Alright, I would like to see your skills in the air with clouds. Please try to move these clouds into the forms I tell you. Ready? Circle!"
I had no time to breathe before I could react, quickly bolting towards the clouds and pushing them around. To my surprise, it was really easy. A small push was all they needed, and I quickly got them arranged.
I told you that you'd be good at this.
Smiling, I went to the next form, and the next. It wasn't just easy, it was really fun. Lightning Bolt seemed satisfied and stopped after the eighth form, raising an eyebrow.
"Are you sure that you've never done this professionally, Morning Dew?" As I shook my head she giggled, "Damn, you're a natural."
"Thank you, ma'am," I said.
"Oh please, ma'am makes me sound so old. Call me Lightning," she said as she reached out a hoof for me to shake, "I expect much from you during the following week. Make me proud and you will be rewarded."
"What's next? This barely took one hour," I asked and Lightning chuckled.
"Well, you were pretty fast. Let's take a look and see what the team is up to," she replied before she took off, and I followed close behind her.
That reminds me... Where does Lavender work?
She works in a sweet shop in the inner city.
Mmm...sweets...
I'm not going to comment...
Soon after we left, we could see some pegasi working around a few clouds in midair, and we headed straight for them. Lightning shot forwards and gestured for them to stop for a moment.
"Alright. We got a new one for our team. Everypony, please welcome Morning Dew to our team," Lightning said as they all smiled towards me. Then, Lightning pointed at each one, calling their name, "This here is April Showers, my co-worker. Then we have Blueberry Cloud, Cloud Break, Cinnamon Swirl, and Deep Blue," She pointed from the left to the right, first to a teal mare, a light blue mare, a gray stallion, a red mare, and at last a light blue mare that was hopping on the spot.
"Yay, another one for our team! And she's a mare! Sorry, Cloud Break, you're still outnumbered," Deep Blue snickered, patting the gray stallion on his back.
"Maybe she's at least free?" Cloud Break replied, causing me to raise an eyebrow.
"Sorry, taken. And besides, I only like mares," I said, causing all the mares to burst into laughter.
"Great. We can call this team Fillyfoolers United now," Cloud Break muttered before hovering back to work.
You are so cruel.
Is Lavender already awake?
She's already at work. And don't worry, I haven't mentioned anything. But I might add that her head is filled with your flank, no matter how hard she tries to bury it down.
Mhm, I can't forget her flank either.
You two are like school fillies that just found their first crush.
I blushed a bit, but quickly took hold of my expression. The mares around me were still laughing, even Lightning.
"Yep, poor Cloudy!" Lightning laughed out.
"Fillyfoolers United? That stallion has no imagination," I blurted out. They all looked at me with wide eyes for a few moments before erupting into laughter again.
"I think we will come along quite nicely with you, Morning Dew," April Showers managed to get out between her laughter.
"Every mare on this team is a fillyfooler?" I asked in surprise, to which they all nodded.
"Kinda. Our captain doesn't care if she bucks a mare or a stallion," Cinnamon Swirl spoke before biting on her hoof with a blush.
"Cinn!" Lightning shouted, her own cheeks becoming furiously reddish.
"Maybe we should get matching shirts!" Deep Blue said, "Team Fillyfoolers!"
"United!" April Showers added with a smirk.
"Enough, everypony back to work unless you want to come in during the weekend too," Lightning said with a serious expression on her muzzle.
"Mmm, you should stop inviting us to your home for the weekends, Lightning," Blueberry Cloud said, snickering before evading Lightning's hind leg.
"Shut up, Berry! Now, back to work!"
Berry... My mind froze at that name again. Thankfully, the thoughts of Lavender quickly broke through my melancholy.
"Wait! I do remember last weekend, Lightning!" Berry stuck her tongue out.
"Only because you kept asking," Lightning blew her a raspberry before facing me again, "We're a funny little team, as you should know for yourself by now. I think you will fit in quite nicely."
I smiled at their antics. It was nice to see a group of ponies having a good life, being friends, and even poking fun at each other as if there was nothing wrong in the world. As if everything was... normal.
Well, for them life is normal.
Ahh, are you feeling sentimental? Normal is relative, you know.
I would love to have a normal life and a family with Lavender.
And I told you that you can have it. A deal is a deal.
Trust and her were two words that just did not belong in the same sentence together without a negative before one or the other. However, there was really no choice. Thinking about it, my epic plan backfired in the worst way imaginable. I wanted to be with Lavender simply to have some hope, some joy in my life that she couldn't get in the way of, and now... now Lavender was a tool she could use to hurt me with.
Still, I wouldn't take it back for anything in the world, "What do you want me to do, ma'am?" I asked Lightning.
"Well, stop calling me ma'am for starters," Lightning said with a smile, "You're a quick learner, Morning Dew, so let's get you some on-the-job training. April Showers!" she shouted out the name of the teal mare currently chatting away with Deep Blue.
"What do you need, Lightning?"
"Why don't you take Morning Dew out and hit the west skies? Today's forecast calls for nothing more than a little overcast. Show her the ropes, but let her do most of the work."
"So... fillysit?" Deep Blue said with an 'are you serious' expression on her muzzle.
"If you don't want to do that, you can start gathering rain clouds for next week's thunderstorm. I do believe Cloudsdale is somewhere over Fillydelphia right now, should be a fun flight, don't you think so?"
"Besides, I don't need a fillysitter," I chimed in and glared at Deep Blue, "I rather think that I could beat your flank."
"Why is everypony obsessed with my flank?" Deep Blue pouted while April Showers snickered.
She sighed with reluctant acceptance, "C'mon, greeny, let's get started."
"First time I've seen you back down from a challenge, Deep Blue," April Showers stated.
"Her marefriend might get mad at me If I beat her flank on her first day at work," Deep Blue smirked at me and I blushed
"Who said that I won't beat yours?" I asked and she blew me a raspberry.
"Because April Showers will help me!"
"Leave me out of this," April Showers snorted.
"But honey?!"
"Don't mind them. I figure they're also arguing in the bedroom," Lightning whispered, giggling into my ear.
It took another two minutes, but eventually I watched April fly off after leaving Deep Blue a small peck on the lips. I smiled and frowned in equal measure at that.
Too bad I couldn't get a job with Lavender.
I doubt that confectioner would be the right job for you.
Yeah, you're probably right.
"Let's go, greeny. The skies aren't going to clear themselves!" Deep Blue shouted as she started flying off to our portion of the sky.
"How long are you going to call me greeny anyway?" I asked as we flew west.
"Until you managed to survive our little ritual once your practice week is over," she replied with a wink.
Grunting, I simply kept quiet and stayed behind her. Using this little time to myself, I started to look down at the town below us. There were quite the number of large buildings and thousand of ponies going to and fro, simply living their normal lives.
I was looking for the impossible, I was looking for the one pony down there that I wanted to see; Lavender. I knew she worked downtown, I knew she worked in a sweet shop, I just had no idea which one.
That thought bothered me, I wanted to know more. I wanted to know everything I could about her, and that included where she works. I want to be able to visit her for lunch. To share a cupcake with her and talk about our days.
You know, you could've just asked. She works at Superior Sweets in the middle of the city. It's a small, blue building next to the main street you took towards work this morning.
I still don't trust you, but... thanks.
As I told you, a new family forming in the hive is something even I want to cherish.
"Hey, Deep Blue. When's lunch anyway?" I asked.
I watched her check the watch on her hoof, "About an hour away. Why, hungry?"
"A little," I smiled.
"Well, we get these skies done and we can take a slightly longer lunch for our efforts. Of course, that's asking a lot from a greeny, since I'm just supposed to watch," she said with a smile.
I know it's just a dumb test on her part, but still, the reward is simply too tempting to pass up, "I think I can do it in thirty minutes," I said with a smile.
"Ha, never!"
"If l do it in thirty minutes, it's your treat, plus we have to go to lunch where I want to," I smirked.
"Hmm, so you clear out ninety percent of the clouds over the western skies in thirty minutes and I have to buy you lunch at a place of your choosing, otherwise we go to where I want us to go to and you pay? Deal."
"Alright, so what am I doing?"
"This!" she gestured to the sky before us. I almost fell out of the sky looking at it. The sky was full to the brim with clouds, no doubt from a recent rainstorm or a strong wind the night before. A large part of me knew that I just bit off way more than I could chew; however, whenever I was about to give in, I pictured her, and the surprise on her face of me showing up to her work.
"This it? I won't even need thirty minutes."
"Clock starts now, greeny," Deep Blue said as she pressed the timer on her watch.
With a cry of joy, I burst straight to the first bunch of clouds. I remind myself to be careful, that this was an endurance test, not a quick sprint to the finish. My mind instantly laid out a map of the sky in my head as I flew to the next group of clouds. What would trip me up the most is having to spend too much time going from group to group. I can't miss any if I want to win.
The clouds themselves are easy to disperse, a quick kick, a quick fly through and they burst into condensation. I proceeded in a diagonal pattern, making sure that each group of clouds lead to the next until it was time to head back.
My plan worked, somewhat, "Hey greeny, A LITTLE OVERCAST, not clear skies!"
Buck me.
Not interested.
I ignored her for now, that buck-up set me back. With a sigh I left my current trajectory and started moving a few clouds back to the portions I just cleared. They're easy enough to move, but each one costs me time, time I just do not have right now.
I fixed my mistake and double-timed it back to where I left off. At a cursory glance, I saw that I was about halfway done with no idea just how much time I had on the clock. Not that it mattered, every second mattered too much to look.
My body started working on it's own volition. Even with the water in the air, I felt myself sweating as the exertion on my muscles started to take its toll. In my mind I kept a picture of Lavender directly in front of me, always just at the next set of clouds, always moving slightly beyond my reach. Almost like she was teasing me.
The little minx.
I was careful this time though, I left every fifth group alone. After all, the weather did call for a little overcast.
Before I even realized it, there was only one more group of clouds to go. I saw them, about four-hundred hooves away. My face contorts, my wings beat faster and faster, my breathing was already labored, but now my lungs feel like their burning from lack of oxygen. I didn't care, I pushed on, I pushed right to my limit and beyond. My word became the moment, the objective right in front of me.
It is said that clouds look different to each pony, that everypony that looks at them sees something different. To me, these clouds look like Lavender, like she's holding her hooves open for me to fly right into them.
They burst apart in an explosion of water vapor as soon as I hit them. I forced my flight to come to a stop, panting and exhausting, but it was done.
"Time!" Deep Blue shouted.
"How... Did... I... Do?"
"You did it, greeny. Or should I call you, Morning Dew," Deep Blue said with a smile as she flew over to me, "I do believe I owe you a lunch."
I smiled as she embraced me in a hug. My muscles were killing me, but I couldn't stop smiling.
Thirty one minutes, five seconds.
Really?
Just thought you'd like to know.
Again I ignored her, although, I won't lie. I did want to know. Somehow, knowing that I came that close all by myself, and through my actions I did impress my teammate even though I technically failed, it made me feel better about myself.
"So, where do you want to head for lunch?" Deep Blue asked after breaking the embrace.
"Superior Sweets," I replied, smiling deeply.
I can't wait to see Lavender's expression once I enter.
Want me to tell her you're coming?
No, I want to surprise her.
Okay, I'll just make sure she doesn't leave then. Don't worry, I'll be nice.
Thanks. You know, maybe I can start to trust you at some point.
Deep Blue raised an eyebrow, but then nodded and took off, me shortly behind her. The smile stubbornly refused to leave my muzzle the entire time. |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Sweets and Hopes | Chapter eleven: Sweets and Hopes
The flight with Deep Blue was enjoyable, the sky was clear and the weather agreeable. I took the lead shortly after we dook off, eager to get to Lavender as fast as I could. That was before I remembered that I didn't know the exact way.
I told you earlier, Superior Sweets is next to the main street that leads towards the weather office. Look for a small, blue building.
Thanks.
No need for that. Oh, and I told her I have to sleep early, and told her to not do anything stupid while I'm out. She thinks that I'm asleep now, so you can share a bit time together.
That's surprisingly nice of you.
Aurora, listen. You're one of the hive, you're my family. If you want to create your own, I'll support it. You may never forgive me, but you can believe that I'll protect my hive; I'll protect my family.
I didn't answer that. I still wasn't sure if I could trust her or if it was another plan to break me. Despite every warning in my head, I had to go with it. Even if something wasn't quite right with the 'deal' she made with me. She had something planned.
But you don't do it without your own objectives. Like with our deal.
She never answered that, and doubt quickly spread in my mind. She had something planned, and I doubted that it would be advantageous to either Lavender or myself. Trying to shake it away, I searched around for the small, blue building. With some luck, I spotted it right next to a crowded main street.
After slightly adjusting, I lowered myself towards the building, landing softly just moments before Deep Blue, "Is there a reason you wanted to eat here?"
I blushed a bit, unsure what to say. Before my mind could wander any further, I told her the truth, "My marefriend works here."
Deep Blue looked at me for a few moments before grinning, "Ohh, she must be really sweet if she works in a sweet shop."
The blush on my face only deepened at her comment, but I could only try to refocus and will the blush away before heading inside. As we walked in, I noticed that the inside was cozy and small, and most of the room was taken up by tables and chairs in front of a counter. Behind that counter stood Lavender. The look of surprise on her face made it all worth while, but none of that compared to her smile afterwards.
Before I could say anything, she leapt at me, her wings wrapping around me as she caught my lips in a passionate kiss, "I missed you," she mumbled, a slight blush on her cheeks.
"So did I," I whispered back, nuzzling under her ear before backing up a bit, "We're on lunch break. Lavender, this is Deep Blue. Deep Blue, this is my marefriend, Lavender Skies."
Deep Blue and Lavender shook hooves before she motioned us to a nearby table, "I'll bring you something fresh out of the oven, be right back!" she said, planting another quick peck on my lips moments before she disappeared behind the counter. I couldn't help but notice a bounce in her step as she walked away.
My thoughts and fantasies were interrupted by Deep Blue, who cleared her throat with a polite cough to get my attention, "She's a nice one. Think you two fit together perfectly."
"Thanks," I said, not really sure what to say after that public display of affection.
Lavender came back shortly after, carrying a plate of fresh muffins balanced on one of her wings. She smiled as she sat one down in front of both of us, "They're on me. I hope you like them, I tried a new recipe this morning."
She is so happy. No need to destroy it by telling her about the deal.
She stole a small kiss from me before she went to help the next customer. I watched her leave with a sigh. It was too much to hope that she might be able to join us. Next time, I'd definitely have to plan it ahead of time.
Just as I went to taste the muffin, something soft poked me in the side. As I turned, I was met with the shocked expression of Purple Star.
"If that is your cousin, why did she just kiss you?" she asked without any greeting whatsoever.
Oh buck... now quick, improvise something...
"Well, honestly, she isn't my cousin," I mumbled, earning a raised eyebrow from Purple Star.
"That's a story I want to hear," she said as she sat down next to me, ignoring Deep Blue completely, "I don't like to be lied to."
"I'm sorry. After all, you're still a guard, and I wasn't sure how you would react," I replied, pointing at her armour, "Do you wear that everywhere?"
"Not everywhere," she smirked before sighing in resignation, "I guess I understand why you did it, but it wasn't nice. I won't judge somepony about something I do as well."
I looked at her, but before she could answer, another guard stepped in and interrupted us by tapping Purple Star on her shoulder. The mare that stood next to Purple Star was definitely a pure bat pony. The fangs, wings and sharp, fluffy ears were quite the indicator. Her fur was a deep blue while her mane sported a dark grey.
"Allow me to introduce you to Wave Night, my wife," Purple Star smiled sheepishly at me.
"You never told me you had a wife," I immediately said jokingly. Purple Star burst into laughter as Wave Night raised an eyebrow at us.
"Sorry, my love," Purple Star said after calming down, giving her wife a kiss, "Wave, this is Morning Dew, a... well, I would say a good friend of mine," she smirked at me.
"A pleasure to meet you," Wave Night replied, lowering her head for a moment before turning back to her wife, "I should stick a collar around your neck to prevent you from running off on me."
"I'm not into that stuff, you know that, Wave," Purple Star rolled her eyes with a played sigh.
"Star!" Wave Night blurted out, blushing furiously.
"You're a real lady, despite every other bat pony I ever met," Deep Blue said, drawing attention to her.
"Oh, I nearly forgot. This is Deep Blue, a member of the weather team I'm working in," I said, to which Deep Blue nodded with a smile.
"You staying here?" Purple Star asked, still ignoring Deep Blue as her smile grew and grew.
"Yep. You can visit me whenever you want. Maybe all four of us can do something together sometimes?" I suggested, "I don't think Lavender would have anything against it."
Wave Night looked questioningly at Purple Star, who laughed out, "Her marefriend."
Wave Night looked surprised at the information, "Don't tell me that Lavender Skies, the best confectioner in Manehattan, maybe even the world, is your marefriend?"
I nodded and she squealed, "Oh, you have to introduce me some time! I love her recipes, every single one of them!"
"I'm glad to hear that," Lavender said as she passed by to serve another table, but not before she gave me a small kiss.
Wave Night giggled, "You two are so sweet!"
"Thanks. Now tell me, how do two Lunar Guards come to marry each other?" I asked, giving them a smile.
"I think that's a story for another time, maybe when we're alone?" Purple said while her wife blushed furiously again.
"That's okay. We could meet for lunch or coffee some time. You could head over and tell me once you've found a good date and time," I gave them a wink and Purple Star nodded happily, "How long does your vacation run?" I asked.
"I got three weeks and Wave has a month," she answered.
"That's a long break!" Deep Blue chimed in.
Wave Night gave a small smile, "Well, there's not many of us, so Luna does everything she can to make us comfortable and happy."
"That sounds a lot different than what I've heard about the Royal Guards," I said as Purple Star smirked.
"As Wave said, there's not many. Besides that, we're personal guard, we stay really close to Luna. We're actually more akin to her friends than a real guard."
Before I could question further, I found myself in a lovely wing embrace. Looking questioningly at Lavender, she simply chuckled and nibbled at my ear, "She's asleep, don't worry," she whispered.
I knew that story already, but I tried to look like I relaxed a bit. All the while that Lavender gave me her affection, the stares of the other three mares were on us. I blushed furiously, but Lavender seemingly didn't care.
Wave Night nudged her wife before pointing at the clock hanging on the wall, "We should get going. Morning Dew, Lavender Skies, Deep Blue, it was nice to meet you. I'm sure we'll meet again," she said, giving me a small wink in the process.
"Yep. Oh, and come by if you got some time!" Purple Star smirked before giving me a small note with an address scribbled onto it in messy muzzle writing.
I took both with a smile, only for Lavender to take the address from me before I could look at it closely, "We'd love to," she said.
Part of me was worried that she might have been offended, but when she lightly nibbled on my ear again, she left me with the distinct impression that she was anything but, "Sounds like fun," she whispered into my ear.
I saw that Deep Blue had her eyes turned towards the two Lunar Guards, so when Lavender got up to put the note someplace safe, I lightly ran my wing across her flank, earning a quite 'eep' from her as she felt the sudden contact on her most sensitive area. She looked back at me with a devious grin that promised more fun later.
"I saw that," Deep Blue commented, making me blush even more.
"Shut up," I snapped back jokingly.
"You have some of the oddest friends."
"Well, to be fair, I only know one of them. The other I just met today."
"Still, what I'd give for your life," Deep Blue said with a smile.
That made me pause. I hate my life, don't I? I'm a bucking half-breed at the beck and call of the hive. I'm forced to do the bidding of queen bitch herself. I was taken from my life, my mom, and everything I hold dear. Yet... yet here was a pegasus that was jealous of me?
I heard a small humming sound coming from behind me, and the sight of Lavender quickly followed it. She jumped into the booth with me and ran a hoof around my neck, her other hoof went across my chest, lightly playing with my coat. I felt her lightly kiss the side of my muzzle.
I turned to her and smiled, staring into her eyes as I did so. I felt myself drowning in those pink eyes, losing myself in those depths. I felt... happy. I truly did. I could stare into those eyes for hours, days even, and never get bored.
My hoof moved up and lightly stroked her yellow coat, pausing only to play with a strand of her lilac mane. Her grin grew at that, as did mine.
"Get a room, you two!" Deep Blue called jokingly.
"How much time we got?" I asked back, in all seriousness.
That earned a round of laughter from both of them. I played it off, but I was anything but joking. The sound of the front door opening alerted me to the fact that while it was my lunch break, it wasn't hers. I was forced to watch Lavender leave my grip with a small frown on my face. She seemed to sense this, considering that when she got up, she flicked her tail a little more than was necessary, treating me to a view of her slightly damp marehood.
If Deep Blue saw it, she was smart enough to not say anything about it. Together, we ate the rest of the muffins with smiles on our faces. It was like a virus for me, I couldn't keep the smile from my muzzle. It seemed to be contagious, as everypony that saw me soon had one on their muzzles as well.
Luckily, for the sake of my sanity, the rush died down and Lavender was able to join us one more time before we had to go, "How is my Morning Dew doing on her first day, anyway?" Lavender asked as she ran a hoof over my lap.
"She's been nothing but impressive. In thirty minutes she cleaned out an entire section of the sky. It was almost like she had some motivation to get it done. I'm beginning to get an idea of exactly what that was."
Lavender shot me a cocky grin while I tried to keep an innocent expression. Deep Blue's gaze went to the windows and Lavender took the moment to quickly lean in.
"You were able to impress your teammates by thinking of me? Never thought that of you," she whispered.
"What can I say, you're great and beautiful motivation," I smirked.
"I'm gonna use the restroom before we head back," Deep Blue said nonchalantly as she got up and made her way to the back room.
I watched her go, but when I turned around it was then I noticed that she probably didn't have to use the restroom at all, she was just giving us a moment to be by ourselves. It was the first time I saw it this way, but at the moment, the entire restaurant was empty.
My lips immediately went to Lavender's. My hooves took liberties with her body as she returned the favor. We had seconds, if that, before somepony came in. Still, we both wanted to enjoy it.
She scooted over and moved her flank upon my lap. She never broke the kiss. My hoof moved down her stomach. However, just when it was about to get to the good part, the damn door opened up again as a new customer walked in.
We both looked at each other. It was a look that promised a lot more later that night. With a sigh, she moved off and got up to serve the new ponies. I noticed with a smile that there was a new damp spot on my leg.
If she thought last night was good, I'll rock her world tonight.
You two really can't keep your hooves off each other, huh?
You saw that?
Of course. And remember our deal. Work first, then you can have the pleasure.
I didn't reply to that one. I knew that whatever she wanted, it would be bad. It would be something I didn't want to do. I just had to hope I could live with myself afterwards. For as much as it would have been anathema to me not more than two days ago, I like this life. I'll fight for it if needed. For myself, and for Lavender.
"You ready, Morning?" Deep Blue asked from behind me. I could see the look in her eyes. She was happy for me.
I smiled back, "Yeah, lets get back. The sooner we get started, the sooner I can get home."
"Color me jealous," Deep Blue said with a smile.
"What about you and April Showers?" I asked.
"You two are still in the honeymoon stage. I miss that."
"The only thing stopping you from enjoying it is you," I responded with a smile.
"Yeah... but..."
"Trust me on this. If you miss it, I promise you she does, too. Why don't you surprise her tonight?"
So you're a psychologist for couples now?
Bite me.
"So, what? Flowers and candy?" Deep Blue asked.
"Well, we are in a sweet shop," I said with a devious smile, "Bring her home some chocolates and then ravish her within an inch of her life, you'll rekindle that spark."
"You're basically telling me to eat out my marefriend, is that correct?" Deep Blue looked wide eyed at me.
"Hey, Lavender!" I yelled into the back room.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Grab a box of chocolates for my friend here, please. She has a hot date with her marefriend tonight!" I called out with a wink.
Lavender smiled at me in understanding, "I know just the one. And you know what? I will pack us some, too," the wink at the end left no room for misunderstanding.
The two of us left soon afterwards. Deep Blue was more of a shade of red as she carried a box of chocolates in her hooves. On our way back to the others, we stopped by her apartment to drop off the box of chocolates. I helped her set them up in just the right way, simply by asking myself what I'd like to see.
"I don't know how I'm going to do this," Deep Blue said.
"Not big on the romantic gestures?" I asked.
"Not really," she admitted.
"Then you have nothing to worry about, it'll sweep her off her hooves," I replied with a wink as we approached the others.
"I hope you're right. If not, I'm gonna kick your flank the whole week, greeny," she replied with a smirk.
I simply had to smile. The whole day, the whole time since the night with Lavender, everything was fine. Of course, the deal still struck my head at some point, but I was happy. With Lavender, everything would be doable, simply everything.
The problem was that I had no idea what I had to do that evening for the deal. |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Play my Game | Chapter twelve: Play my Game.
I couldn't remember a time when I was happier then when I was at Lavender's side. The whole day went by in a blur as the camaraderie shared by the team made it seem less like work, and more like hanging out with friends. We trained, laughed, and worked the weather schedule down, doing our jobs just fine.
The captain already assigned me some parts of the schedule as my duty, impressed by the report that Deep Blue gave her. The work didn't feel like work, it felt like doing something with your family. It was great. Too soon, the day was at an end.
"Alright, gather up here!" Lightning shouted, gathering our attention. We quickly approached her before she continued, "We're done for today! Awesome work!" Then she looked at me, "Especially from you."
We all gave each other a wing bump before heading in different directions. I made my way towards home as a thought entered my head.
When does Lavender head home?
In around half an hour. Go there, you have enough time before I need your help.
I couldn't do anything but grin as I corrected my course and shot towards the small blue building in the distance, nearly out of sight. What I had to do later was shoved far away from my mind.
Soon, I landed in front of the building, seemingly just in time for them to lock it. The last few customers left the shop and Lavender appeared behind them with keys in her wings. She looked surprised at first, but that expression soon turned into a breathtaking, loving gaze.
"Dew!" she shouted before leaping at me.
I folded my wings around her, hugging her close to me while peppering her muzzle with kisses, "Hey, beautiful," I cooed.
"How was your first day at work?" she asked.
"Great! I loved it!" I admitted as she leaned in for a long, deep kiss.
"I'm glad, because that is another anchor that makes sure that you'll stay with me," she said softly.
"I'd never leave you, Lavender," was all I said in reply.
She snuggled deep into my coat for a few moments before we broke apart, "Let me just lock the shop, then we can head home."
I could see something in her stance when she turned around to lock up, something that made a shiver travel down my spine, "What's wrong?" I asked.
"She wants you to do something tonight," Lavender said with a frown.
She knows?
Of course. But she doesn't know about our deal, and you won't tell her anything.
Of course...
Lavender turned towards the door and closed it before locking it with the keys. As she turned, the frown was gone and her lovely smile had replaced it, "It's still a few hours away. So for now, let us forget about everything and use the time for just us."
"So she's still asleep?" I asked.
"Yeah, thankfully," was all she replied before unfolding her wings, "Race ya home!"
She shot off in a blink, and I giggled before following, "Hey! Not fair!"
The race home was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. It felt like I was chasing after my happiness, for lack of a better way to explain it. I flew has hard as I could, the fatigue from my day of work long forgotten as I heard her squeals of delight at having me chase her like this.
I wanted to catch her, I wanted to fly up to her, wrap my hooves around her, and pepper her face with little kisses. While such actions were more than enjoyable in their own right, it would end this, it would cause the race to come to an end.
Besides, I loved hearing her laughter. So I lagged behind, letting her stay in front while I got to chase after her with my heart beating a mile a minute to the sounds of her giggling and little squeals of delight. I closed the distance several times, catching up to her just enough to cause her to fly faster.
Each time I forced myself to resist the urge to catch her; however, I was still rewarded for my efforts by the scent of her filling my nostrils.
All too soon, the fun was over. I could make out her house, our house, in the distance, and I hung back, acting tired while she put on the last burst of speed to beat me there. When she landed, she turned around, panting and out of breath, but with a huge smile on her face. I loved that smile, that alone was worth losing a million and one races, in my book.
"I beat you!" Lavender said as I landed next to her.
"And now for your reward," I replied as I start peppering her face with kisses. She giggled and squirmed, but didn't pull away. I knew she wouldn't, it was all for show. I knew that she loved them in the same way I did.
"C'mon, let's go inside," Lavender said after a full minute. Had I been wearing lipstick, I knew her face would be a new shade after how many kisses I left all over it.
I wanted to do that every time she came home. Not only did I taste her, but the bakery as well. A full day of working there had left its mark on her coat, and to me, it had simply tasted delicious.
I followed her inside as she teased me with little sways of her hips and tail. There was a bounce to it, a bounce that told me she was doing it on purpose to simply tease me.
Sly little minx.
I think I need to call in a chaperone for you two.
Shut up.
You're just too much fun, Aurora.
I ignored that last jibe and followed Lavender to the living room. That surprised me, I figured that Lavender would head straight to the bedroom, but instead she flapped her wings and landed on the couch instead.
She laid on her back, her wings spread out and her hooves positioned in just the right way to accommodate another body. I didn't need a second invitation, and with a flap of my own wings, took my assigned spot on her form.
She was so warm. I could feel her heartbeat through her chest. As my head lay upon her fur, every breath she took caused it to rise and fall. With a grin, I felt one of her wings wrap around my form, lightly covering it and making me feel like I was wrapped in a warm blanket.
"I missed you," Lavender said as she started to lightly massage my shoulder with a hoof. An action that told me why she didn't simply head to the bedroom. She wanted this moment to simply be about us, in a non-physical way right now.
As I felt her wing tip run across certain places, I knew that it was only true for the moment.
"I didn't lie earlier."
"About what?" she asked.
"It was you, when I was working today. When I did that stupid challenge, you were the one that got me through it. I just kept picturing you in my head, how happy you'd be if we got to have lunch together. That was all the motivation I needed."
At my words, she raised my muzzle and kissed me on the lips. I could feel her hoof and feather continue to take liberties with my body, her hoof running across my chest, putting just the right amount of pressure to massage my sore muscles in the right way, while her feathers did a few... other things, a little lower.
None of which were unwelcome.
"Well, if I'm your motivation, I'd better make sure I'm worth it," Lavender said with a smile.
"You already have, let's... let's stay like this for now," To this day I still cannot believe those words came out of my muzzle, but it was true. I felt... I felt coddled, loved, and as much fun as taking it to its inevitable conclusion would have been, I wanted to savor it.
"Mhh, okay. But next time, you're on!" she whispered softly, cuddling deeper against me.
Despite our words, I still felt her hooves over my body. She opened her wings slightly, just enough to bring her other front hoof in. My skin felt like it was melting off at her touch, like I was becoming liquid every time she'd apply pressure to the right area at the right time.
Soft coos began to leave my lips as the stress of the day relaxed away. She pressed at my wing joints, lightly massaging muscles that I didn't even know where sore until she touched them.
She even dared to go a bit lower, teasing me just above my flank before going back to the main muscles. I loved it, every single second.
There was just one problem. Well, problem was the wrong choice of word. It was more like an effect of the position we were in. I was laid out on her body, enjoying her warmth after a hard day of work. Her touch was like silk on my sore muscles, relaxing them in ways they had not be relaxed in a long, long time.
Between the heat, the rhythmic pulsing of her breaths and her touch, my body found itself quickly overcome by another urge. An urge I didn't want to succumb to, but which my body overruled me on.
As much as I hated to say it, I soon fell asleep. ***
Wake up, Aurora.
I stirred a bit, but tried to shoo the voice off so I could continue to slumber in the hooves and wings I loved so much.
It's time. Wake up, now!
I jumped slightly upon the force that echoed through my head, and quickly looked at my side, making sure that Lavender was still asleep and that I hadn't disturbed her. Thankfully, she was still sleeping peacefully, a small, but loving smile upon her muzzle.
I kicked myself for falling asleep like this. It was by far the best bed I'd ever slept on, and I knew that I wanted to do it a million more times, but it meant that we didn't make it to the bedroom like we planned.
Maybe in the morning.
You two can buck like bunnies later, it's time to get to work.
Crap, you heard that. My thoughts had betrayed me.
Yes, I did. Now, it's your time to uphold your end of the deal.
I shuddered at that thought. I had no idea what she wanted, but I knew I wouldn't enjoy it. My shudder caused Lavender to move ever so slightly in her sleep, and I paused, afraid that I woke her up.
When she didn't get up, I visibly relaxed. With a sigh, I tried to think of a way off of her without disturbing her from her rest.
Oh, for goodness sake, just place your hoof five inches to the right and then roll your body.
I wasn't sure why I did what she said, but I think it was because I couldn't think of anything else. My right hoof went five inches and I rolled with it. Right off the couch and onto the floor.
What the buck! I did my best not to shout or cry out. My head shot up to see that Lavender was still asleep, albeit she looked sad now that I was no longer in her hooves.
Anything else would have awoken her.
So your solution was for me to fall off the couch? How did you know the noise wouldn't wake her?
Yes, and I didn't. However, you need to get to work.
And what do I have to do?
Disguise as something less... colourful. Maybe a black pegasus.
I scoffed slightly, but did as she asked, and soon my coat was black as the night and my mane shimmering in a wavering dark blue.
This colour fits you. Anyways, head north from here until you see a big building with an entrance made out of glass. It's the building of Manehattan News.
Is this going to be a game of twenty questions, or are you going to fill me in?
You will steal and destroy a few photos that could reveal some drones.
That's... that's it?
She laughed. No, not really. There will be security and some late writers. You know what you should do.
There was the other horseshoe. So, find and destroy the photos that incriminate the hive's activities, ensuring that I'm not seen or caught in the process by taking out anypony that lays eyes on me.
Oh, no! What type of monster do you think I am? You will just let the pony that made those photos... let's say, disappear. And clean his office afterwards.
Your subtly knows no bounds.
Should I feel flattered now? Get moving!
I rolled my eyes and got up to leave before a noise stopped me. When I looked back, I noticed that Lavender managed to grab a couch pillow in her sleep and was holding it almost like... like it was me.
A smile escaped my lips at the sight of her. I knew that I was a monster. The queen made me into one. She turned me into a changeling halfbreed against my will. I was free as a pony, and then as a changeling, I'd basically became a slave. And yet, even in the nightmare I found myself in, I had found something precious, something I had never expected to find. I found her.
I'm going to puke any second and take my displeasure out on her if you don't move your ass, now!
Anything happens to her and I'll see you dead, even if it's the last thing I do.
Then don't give me a reason to.
A low growl escaped my lips, but I left the house anyway. We both knew that this was a sham, it was simply something she'd always be able to hold over me. Whenever she wanted me to do anything from that point on, all she had to do was threaten Lavender and I'd do it, no questions asked.
I thought my response back to her was simply to let her know that was the status quo. I'd play her game, I'd jump to her tune, as long as the status quo never changed. The moment it did, it was all over.
Odds were good that she'd kill me, but the point was I'd make her do it.
Closing the door to the house, I flapped my wings and took flight.
North, right?
Yes, now hurry up.
You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.
You wish you were a fly to me.
Great, she's in a mood.
You know I can hear everything you think.
That's exactly the point, you bug.
Don't make me angry.
I wouldn't say that it wasn't fun to antagonize her, 'cause it was, but I knew the limit when I approached it. Needless to say, I was there. With a smile about my juvenile victory, I did my best to clear my thoughts and concentrate on my flight.
Sadly, my thoughts didn't stay clear for long. To make matters worse, as soon as my memories went back to Lavender, I couldn't not think of her anymore. No matter how much I tried.
You...
Yes? I asked, cringing.
You really do love her, don't you?
As if you would understand it.
I don't only feed on it, I can also feel it.
Yeah, of course.
I just wonder what happened with your precious Berryshine?
My heart jumped into my throat, and I stopped flying forward. It was only by muscle memory that I didn't fall out of the sky, or stopped breathing. I was thinking a million and one thoughts at that moment, but only one was so pronounced that she heard it.
Why?
Why? Why what?
Why would you bring her up? Why are you such a bitch?
There was laughter in her reply, a laughter that filled me to the brim with anger. You... misunderstand me. You've always second guessed my intentions. I didn't bring her up to hurt you, but to prevent you from hurting Lavender.
I'd... I'd never! I was shaking with rage.
Yes, you would. Maybe not intentionally, but you would, and have. I want my hive to thrive, I want you and Lavender to reproduce, to have offspring that will go on and make more and more.
Then why...
Because you're still the problem, Aurora. You still have yet to commit to this. You still hold out some emotions for what you had, for a life lost to you forevermore. You could one day betray her and break her heart. You could destroy that oh-so-precious of emotions that feed us, that nurtures us, that causes us to grow and become strong. All because you have yet to figure out how you truly feel.
I... I... I... I was speechless at that.
You know what you have with Lavender, you have something precious, something worthwhile, something worth fighting for, something worth dying for. If you keep holding onto the past, you will lose it.
There was a long pause as my brain attempted to process what she had said. She was a vicious, cutthroat bitch, but she wasn't wrong. I had to chose, I needed to either let the past go, or continue holding onto it. If I held onto it, I needed to let Lavender go, it wouldn't be fair to her. If I let it go, I'd forever say goodbye to what I had, to Berryshine. If I didn't make a choice, I'd risk hurting everyone.
Lavender. The thought was freeing, it set me on this course of action, caused me to commit to it on my own terms, to reach the conclusion myself. Looking back at it, I think that was her plan all along.
Just as I knew you would.
I still can't stop feeling like you are planning something else. That you are hiding something. This is pretty unusual for you!
Do your job, time is running out.
That was all she said, and it only strengthened my feelings that she was hiding something from Lavender and me. I continued to fly downtown, shaking off my melancholy and worry as best as I could.
I knew she was going to betray me. I knew that she had some scheme in mind to hurt me, to hurt us. I knew all of that and more, but there was nothing I could do about it. I just had to enjoy my time with Lavender all that much more. As I approached the building, I used the same trick that I did at my job. I simply pictured who was waiting for me at the end of it.
It was all the motivation I'd ever need. |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Shadow | Chapter thirteen: Shadow
My hooves made more noise than I expected on the roof. Looking around, I released a small sigh, thankful that there was nopony around. I wanted to avoid hurting anypony if I could, at least anypony I didn't have to hurt. She led me to a roof window that would always be left open for air circulation, at least according to her informant.
Moving forwards slowly, careful to not cause any more noise, I looked for the open window and found it soon enough. It was only a small opening, but a quick tug of my magic opened it a bit more. Just enough for me to pass through.
Let's go through this again. I just need to take out the photos and the pony that took them, nopony else unless I have to, right?
Exactly, but make sure you leave no evidence!
Yeah, got that. I'll magically burn the photos and his notes completely.
She stayed silent after that as I slowly crept through the opening. Looking around, I saw that I was in a hallway, one that seemingly lead to several offices if the plates with names besides them were anything to go by. I was in the right place. Before I could look closer, a light flashed closer to my position.
"I told you, I heard something! It sounded like hooves on steel," a deep voice said.
"I think you're imagining things again, Wing, but if it'll shut you up, let's take a look," a female one answered.
The light danced closer and closer as I looked around, finding a open office to my right and quickly slipping in, hiding behind some filing cabinets. The light passed me and swung around, shining into every corner, but thankfully ignored the one I was in.
"See, nothing's here!" the mare snorted before the light began to go away again, ignoring the nervous stammering of the stallion.
I sighed when I couldn't hear or see them anymore and left the office. Sneaking through the hallway, I read the plates besides the door to find out which one was the right one.
I think his office is on a lower floor. He sleeps there apparently, since the lower offices are bigger.
Thanks for telling me that earlier.
I snorted silently and tried to find the stairs. A sign on the wall pointed me to them, but sadly it was in exactly the same direction the stallion and the mare disappeared in.
Buck me...
I think Lavender might get mad if I did that.
Shut up.
I sighed after that and made my way down the hallway, careful where I placed my hooves so as to not alert anypony else to my presence. Thankfully, the guards had no concern. It was easy enough to hear them as they went about their duty, bickering back and forth about this and that.
They sound like an old married couple.
Envious?
I didn't answer that. In truth, I was. But who wouldn't be? Who doesn't want that in their own life? Shaking my head, I changed forms in the corner to a smaller version of the one I took. I looked like a black foal that should have been happy just to get her cutie mark.
It was not a form I liked to be in, but it was harder to spot, and as the stairwell down was past the desk the guards occupied, it was the best of a lot of bad options I had before me.
Don't screw this up.
Yeah, yeah.
I did my best to time it just right. As soon as they engaged in a heated argument, I dashed at full speed, using the shadows to hide my form and the sounds of their voices to disguise the movement of my wings.
As their voices died, I froze. There was silence for a few moments before I heard voices again.
"What was it this time, Wing?" the female voice asked, snickering.
"Nothing, I'm just imagining things. Maybe I should sleep more than three hours before these shifts," the deep voice from the stallion replied, "Now, where were we?" and with that, their argument continued.
I continued to hold my breath as I made the last few hoofs to the staircase. I don't think I released it until I was halfway down to the next level.
Smooth.
Your mocking tone isn't helping things.
You know what happens if you buck it up.
I ignored that and made my way to the correct floor. Of course I knew what would happen, she made sure I knew. She also knew what I would do if she made good on that threat. I shook it off. As long as the status quo never changed, she could say whatever she wanted.
The next floor down was a little different than the one I was just on. This one had no guard desk, it opened to a main reception desk with hallways leading left and right. No doubt my target was in one of those.
I paused before I took another step. Part of me, a large part of me, didn't want to do this. I didn't want to be the monster she made me, I didn't want to hurt another pony that committed no crime against me. Everything up to that point had been what other's made me do, this... this was not that. This was me accepting what I was.
If I did this, I would no longer be the victim.
Lavender's having a bad dream, I think she's lamenting your absence.
WHICH WAY?
I don't know if I imagined it or not, but I swear I hurt her with the amount of force I put behind that thought.
I don't know.
The answer was weak and nearly a silent whisper in my head. It was an indicator for me to push through it.
You have to know something!
Just... try and find the office belonging to Best Pic.
A name, I could work with a name.
Gliding into the shadows, I snuck along the windowed wall, taking a look at the plate on each door. Until that point, I had just been looking for photographer or publisher as a title, now I looked for Best Pic. I sighed silently when I found it was the last office in the hallway.
Finally.
There was no answer to that, so I shrugged and tried the door; it was locked. Looking around to make sure that nopony was nearby, a small, green glow appeared and the door clicked open. The click nearly echoed through the hallway, and I kept still to make sure that nopony had heard it.
When I was sure that nopony heard it, I slowly opened the door and slid in, closing it directly behind me as soon as I was inside. The room I was in was fairly big, a desk, some filing cabinets, some smaller boards, and a big couch on which a pony was sleeping.
I snuck closer and looked at him. He was an elderly stallion, each of his breaths were labored, even in his sleep. I could see that he had fallen asleep working, made evident by the notes that laid on his chest. Looking closer, I hesitated. What right did I have to end his life? Maybe I could just convince him to forget everything and destroy the photos.
Looking around for photos, my mind soon wandered to Lavender and our possible family in the future. Should I risk it for one life? He was an old stallion, I had my whole life in front of me. Shivering, I focused on the stallion again and concentrated my power.
A small, magic cut through some connections in his brain and he will go without any pain.
I had enough training in silent and painless killing, but I never really had any use for it. Now I had to. For Lavender, for me, for us. It wasn't something that I could avoid. It had to be done. Even if it meant... murder.
No, I'm better than her...
Oh, but think of Lavender and your possible foal!
What happened next happened on reflex alone. Focusing on him, I locked my magic on a specific spot before letting it go. The stallion's breathing went shallow for some moments before stopping completely. His chest stopped rising and falling, announcing his death.
You just saved your future.
I couldn't deny it. She was right, but it felt wrong, and painfully empty. I was a monster, something she made of me. Something I promised I would never be. A promise I officially broke. Looking at the stallion, I felt very sorry. For him and his family, if he had any.
At least complete the job!
I wanted to yell at her again, but I had no power. Slowly, I collected the notes from the stallion's form and everything else I could find. Photos, maps, everything that pointed towards anything suspicious glowed green in my magic before disappearing in a flame of the same colour. That was until a set of photos caught my view and I floated them to me.
The photos showed a very particular yellow pegasus on a shopping trip, at home in the kitchen, in the bed sleeping, and in other places and positions. One picture showed her in a corner, with green eyes. My breath hitched in my throat as I read the text that was scribbled at the photo's side.
Changeling spy.
A shudder wracked my body and I felt numb, like somepony had filled my muscles with ice. I wasn't able to describe anything more, it was painful. Looking over the photos again and again, I noticed something on the back of one. There was an address noted.
Main Lane seven.
I had no idea what there was, but I intended to find out. Destroying the rest of the photos and notes quickly, I kept the photos of Lavender. Before I could take my leave, however, I noticed a light creeping closer from the outside and voices.
"Okay, you told me that I was imagining things, and now you claim that you saw green beams of light out of his room? That's crazy-" the deep stallion voice was interrupted.
"Shut up, Wing! I know what I saw!" the mare growled.
I could hear a key that nestled in the lock before the mare spoke again.
"Weird, it isn't locked."
Without thinking, I grabbed the photos with all my might and ran straight for the door, smashing against it and busting it open, knocking the guards from the other side away as they got a door into their muzzles. Shouts followed me as I made my way to leave the building.
"We have a thief here! Alarm!"
I acted on instinct as I heard hooves following me. Quickly, I used every shadow I could and leapt for the main hall to escape. As I reached it, I stopped. Several guards stood there, waiting for me.
"Stop right there, criminal scum! You're surrounded! Surrender now!" one of them shouted.
I quickly glanced over them, noticing that none of them possessed wings. With a smile, I spread my wings and took into the air before crashing through the window of the main entrance. It hurt a lot, but I had no time to think about it, and simply tried to gain altitude to get out of sight before they could call any pegasus guards.
After I felt like I was a relatively safe distance away from the news building, I slowed down, trying to correct my course towards home. It wasn't easy, as my power seemed to have left me. Looking at my side, I noticed various cuts on my wings. I guessed that my body and face wouldn't look much better.
Trying to find a place to rest and take care of my wounds, I saw a tourist point with a map on a plaza below me. Thinking about the address on the photo in my magical grip, I went down. I wanted to know where that address was. Maybe looking at it to find out why somepony should scribble its address on the backside of a... suspicious photo.
I made sure that nopony was in sight before I landed in front of the map. Maybe a little harder than expected, and almost immediately I felt sharp pain through my wings and legs. Maybe, just maybe, it was a little worse than I thought.
Looking at the map, I tried to find Mane Lane. It wasn't that hard to find. Even I knew the way there.
I should take a look before heading home.
You know that you're hurt?
Oh, you're still there? I don't care, I want to know what this has to do with Lavender.
Be careful.
I snorted and took off again, ignoring the pain in my wings. The flight was short and after only a couple of minutes I landed on Mane Lane, immediately spotting the seven on one of the buildings. It was a bigger office building, and I trotted closer so I could read the sign at the entrance. What stood there made the blood in my veins freeze.
Wave Wing Detectives
We solve every case
We're so bucked if Best Pic already sent a photo to them.
Let's hope that he didn't.
I said nothing to that. We both knew what would happen if they already had received a picture. Our life could be ruined. They would search around to find everything they could. I couldn't let that happen.
Don't go in there now. Go home and I'll try to find out if they already got a photo.
I scowled at that, but turned away from the building. I was just seconds away from rushing in there and searching for evidence.
Go find a roof to change your disguise again before you're spotted.
I took to the air and flew to the next skyscraper to change my disguise back to the plum pegasus. It was harder than usual, probably because my power was already drained from my injuries. After I changed, I left the roof and took a course to home. I had to talk with Lavender.
No, you don't!
SHUT UP!
I felt it again, I felt that I hurt her. This time I wouldn't stay down. I would talk with Lavender about it, about everything. I had to. I had killed an innocent stallion. Maybe even one with a huge family and various foals. Thinking about it again ripped the air from my lungs.
I'm a monster...
Tears made their way down my muzzle. Tears brought on from that thought, and from my injuries as my course lead me home. More tears came up as I thought about Lavender and our endangered future. The thoughts were interrupted as I came close to home, already seeing lights on.
She's awake.
Eager to get home and into her hooves as fast as possible, I ignored the pain and shot forward. I burst into the door with a little less force than I used to knock down the one to Best Fit's office, "Lavender, I..."
The look on her face stopped me dead. I saw her then, she had yanked her head in my direction as soon as I made that stupid entrance. It wasn't the look of surprise on her face that caused me to shut up, it was the other look. The look of horror.
For a moment, for a brief, horrible moment, I thought she saw me the same way I did. That she saw me for the monster I had become, the monster I was when I killed that stallion.
I wished that had been the case, I did, I truly did, for in the next moment I realized the truth. It wasn't a look of horror about what I'd done, it was a look of horror about the condition I was in.
She ran to me, no words, no shouts, just her and her tears. She was crying, she was crying over me, she was crying that I was hurt. In no time at all, her hooves were wrapped around me, holding me, squeezing me, and worse, causing me pain.
I did my best to ignore it, but there was a limit to what could be held back, "Oww..." the sound escaped my muzzle before I could bite it back.
Lavender practically jumped back as soon as she heard it. Another thought I'd always kick myself for; making her worry, making my pain hers.
"You're... you're hurt," she said through sobbs.
I felt it then. The adrenaline was gone, the cold wind was no longer numbing my fur, the excitement and self-flagellation was gone, now I had to deal with it. Deal with my pain, deal with my injuries, and most damning of all, deal with how I had hurt her.
My fur felt like it was on fire. My wing hurt worse then I could ever remember them hurting, and her eyes were full of love and hurt. Hurt over seeing me hurt. It was that look that I couldn't take anymore, it was that look that hurt me the most.
I would have cut my wings off before I'd ever want to see that look in those eyes, "Lavender, I..." I fell to the ground, not able to take another step forward. In truth, I didn't think I was that weak, I thought I could have, should have been able to work, but my strength left me. I felt weak, feeble, and hurt.
"Aurora!" Lavender screamed at me. I noticed it then, her coat, her pretty yellow coat, there were stains of red across it. Blood, my blood, was on her coat.
Is that what I am? I'm nothing more than a bloodstain on this world?
Don't be so melodramatic.
A green magical aura surrounded me and picked me up before I could respond. Lavender was holding me in her magic as she carried me to the bedroom. I did my best to bite back any pain as she placed me on my back, my head resting on the pillows, "Lavender, I..."
"No talking," she shushed me as she started to levitate a pile of washcloths and a bowl of water to the bedroom. Without another word, she began to clean me, wiping blood from my coat with a towel as she might with a foal.
My eyes never left hers. I doubted that I was that hurt. My fainting episode was probably more to do with exhaustion, and while I was bleeding, they were mostly superficial cuts. Still, she thought I was that hurt, she thought I was that injured, and that was all that really mattered.
She picked me up and laid me on my stomach to clean my back. I felt her run the washcloth over my back and my wings. She pulled out a few splinters and cleaned each area thoroughly; however, when she got to my flank, she seemed hesitant to go on.
"Lavender, tonight..." I started softly.
"What?"
"The job I had to do. It was about us."
I felt the washcloth press against my flank at that, "About us? You mean she told you that she knows?"
I nodded, "Yeah."
Lavender suddenly scowled, "That miserable little..."
"What?" I ask her, surprised.
There was hurt in her eyes and in her voice, "This morning... she woke me up while you were gone. She told me she knew about us, and if I would continue to play her game, she would let us have a family. She said she wouldn't kill you in the end..."
"She played with us both..."
"What did she make you do?" she asked.
The venom in her voice surprised me, but in a good way, "That's the funny thing. Had I known what the task was, she wouldn't have had to make me do anything. I would have done it on my own."
I should have been shocked at those words, I should have been, but I wasn't. I meant it, every word. Had she told me Lavender was in danger of being found out, I would have done the exact same thing without any of the bush beating involved. But at the same time, I would have hesitated if I had known that she played with us both.
"What was is?"
"You were being investigated. A pony, Best Pic, he had pictures of you, of you and your green eyes, using magic. He suspected that you were a changeling."
"My cover's blown?" she asked, shocked.
"I destroyed all the evidence I could find and killed him."
She dropped the towel, "You... you killed him?"
It's amazing how well the mind can compartmentalize things, something that will never cease to shock me.
"He went quick, peacefully in his sleep. Had I known..." there was hatred in my voice when I said that last part. We weren't married, I had no claim on Lavender other than how I felt, but at that moment the threat to her caused me to wish a much worse fate on that stallion.
The next thing I felt was my muzzle pressed into her coat. The next thing I heard was sobs coming from her muzzle. She leaned into me and held me in her coat, sobbing hard. Her hoof began to run through my mane.
There were tears in my eyes then. I was crying. I suspect, no, I know that I was crying because she was crying.
"I love you."
We both paused, our breathing stopped. Heck, for all I know, our hearts stopped at that moment with how quiet the room went. It took us almost a minute to figure out who said that, who said it first.
To my surprise, it was me. I said it. For the first time, I told her that I loved her.
Now that I said it, I hated myself. Not for saying it, but for not saying it before, for not saying it every second of every minute of every hour of every day. The words poured from my mouth in a never ending cascade of emotions.
"I love you, I love you so bucking much it hurts. He was a threat to you, so I killed him. I'll kill anyone that threatens you, Lavender. I can't... I could never bear to see you hurt. I... I..."
My ramblings were cut off with a kiss. She held my muzzle up and latched her lips onto my own. It was the one thing, the only thing that could get me to shut up.
When she pulled back, she looked at me, tears in her eyes and a smile on her muzzle.
"I love you too."
I was worried what she would do now that we knew everything, but that could wait. All that counted at the moment were those soft, yellow hooves holding me.
"Aurora," there was hesitation in her voice. She wasn't a hundred percent sure about what she was going to ask, or more precisely, what my response would be, "Do you want to start a family with me?"
I was a bit surprised about that, "Didn't we want to wait a bit more?"
"We said that, yes. But I'm certain about it now," Lavender closed the gap and pressed her lips once again against mine, "Do you want to start a family with me?"
Again, that question. Was I really ready for that? Thinking about the last time, today, and everything that happened, the answer was more than clear.
"I would love to," I whispered softly before kissing her with every bit of passion I could bring up. |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Love and Betrayal (Special POV) | Chapter fourteen: Love and Betrayal (Special, Lavender Skies POV)
The first thing I noticed was that it was cold. I shivered slightly and slowly opened my eyes to reveal that the sheets were turned back. However, that wasn't the only thing wrong, Aurora was also gone.
Mhh no need to worry, she's probably off to work.
Well, well, what do we have here?
I immediately knew what situation I was in... we were in, and I gulped. It could only end badly, and after bowing to the Queen's will for years, I didn't doubt it.
M-My Queen... You're awake...
And I can clearly see what was going on.
Let me explain, please!
No need for that...
Pain flooded through my body, numbing my nerves and thoughts. It was how I was always punished, through the pain she wanted me to suffer from. I also knew that she could kill me through the connection. Something I hoped she wouldn't be able to do with Aurora.
I know what you two did and what you have. I also know that you thought about escaping with Aurora. Well, I think it is time to remind you about certain consequences, don't you agree?
The pain multiplied until I couldn't do anything other then bite into my pillow in a desperate attempt to muffle at least a part of my screams. Then, it stopped.
I think that you understand now. Good. Now, I have a little deal for you, something that will be to both our advances. I want you to stay here and continue to obey me. In exchange for that, I will let you two live and continue this silliness.
And what if I decline?
Then I will kill Aurora. Don't worry though, I'll let you watch while I do it slowly.
My heart felt heavy at that. It was clear that I had no choice but to accept it and obey her. I never wanted Aurora to be hurt.
I want you to swear on the whole hive that you won't harm Aurora or our relationship if I accept.
Mhhh... I can feel your anger, but also your love. You're not dumb, so yes, I swear on my hive and all their lives that I won't harm Aurora or your little... relationship...
I accept...
With that, all my plans had changed. I wanted to flee with Aurora as soon as there was a chance. With the distance between us, she shouldn't have been able to manipulate either of us, or even kill me through the connection.
I doubt that, I've never encountered a situation where one of my hive was unreachable.
I shivered at that thought, but quickly shut it out after a glance at the clock. It was time to open my shop soon. I couldn't help but think of Aurora.
I hope she likes her new work.
Don't worry, at this point she's fine.
Sighing, I hauled myself off of the bed and to the bathroom to take a quick shower. Last night was full of action, and I could still feel my coat sticky with sweat and our juices. The thoughts about what we did last night were going through my mind again, causing me to grin. A grin that did not leave my face as I went into the shower and turned the water on. It was a night I knew I'd never forget.
I'll spare you a comment about that. And one more thing; you aren't allowed to tell Aurora about our deal. Just act... normally.
I snorted at that, but didn't answer. I wouldn't throw fuel into the fire if I could avoid it, and the water was starting to relax me, so I didn't really care. The thing about such thoughts was that they tended to come on their own, regardless of if you wanted them to or not, or if someone's reading your mind or not.
Oh wow, you're as bad as her.
What?
Guess what she is thinking about during her work from time to time.
My heart fluttered at that, and I couldn't help but smile. The thought warmed me completely, and it proved to me again that she was mine. Finally.
I think you're more than clean down there.
I blushed as I looked at where my wings were cleaning, the thought of Aurora was causing me to do some rather strange things. With a smile, I moved my wing back to my side and started washing other areas.
Why... why are you so cool with this?
You mean beyond the fact that I have something to hold over your head? Well, let's just say that while you might get something of value out of it, to me it's just something you don't want to lose.
I didn't buy that explanation. I've seen her with other mares that went into relationships. I knew she was hiding something, but there wasn't much I could do about it. With a sigh, I washed off the soap from my fur and stepped out of the water.
Does this mean we have to keep hiding?
I told you, she cannot know about our deal. If you tell her, it is invalid.
Damn...
Maybe we can find a solution for it during the day when she won't get suspicious? For now, you have to deal with it.
Scowling, I grabbed a towel and dried off my fur. There was no use to argue about it and risk that tiny little chance to be with Aurora. Resigned to this fate, I finished by drying off my mane and tail. It always took a long time to do so, but there wasn't much use crying about it.
Breakfast left me with more questions than answers. I don't know why, but the knowledge that she knew both relieved me and upset me. Part of me thought that maybe now that she did know, it would be easier. I just couldn't bring myself to believe that, though. Nothing ever got easier, the world just didn't work that way.
So, continuing like normal is just a concept that escapes you, isn't it?
I chose not to respond to that as I locked the house and took flight. Some fights were just not worth having, especially if there was no way to win them. Like this one definitely was. Still, even with the knowledge that this would most assuredly come back to bite me in the flank, I wouldn't change a thing.
I found my flight to work that much quicker. It was kinda amazing, I knew that the distance hadn't changed, it was still two miles away, and yet because my mind was so distracted, my thoughts turned to memories of last night through the whole flight, it flew by.
Like this, it wasn't long until I saw the familiar, small blue building before me. I'd had the sweet shop for a few months, mainly because of the help of her, but also because of my great cupcakes and muffins.
I trotted inside when I unlocked the door, an unusual giddiness to my walk permeated through me. I knew the reason why, and that simply put a smile on my face. A large portion of me just couldn't wait for the day to end, for me to be able to go home and see her again. Thoughts of being in her hooves, of holding her, of having someone special to talk about my day with, it simply made me happy.
Are you whistling now?
Maybe.
My answer surprised me. I'd always went to work cheerful, but this was something new for me. Suddenly, it didn't really feel like work, it felt like fun. Before I could dive too much into that thought, I quickly pulled the chairs off the tables and prepared the small, cozy room. With a smile, I turning the closed sign to open and stepping behind the counter. Soon there would be the first customers, and I had some sweets to make. ***
"This is the best cupcake I've ever had!" a pink earth pony mare said to me as she turned to leave.
"Thanks, do come again!" I said back cheerfully. It was the third time in the first hour at work that I heard that comment. It was almost like my attitude had somehow found its way into my baking. My head instantly went to the future, a future where I might end up rich.
If every night is like last night, I will be.
Yep, definitely the honeymoon period.
Oh, shut up.
With that, I went back behind the counter and set a new tray of muffins into the oven. Those, however, were special ones. Basically, I made them because of last night. They tasted like blueberries, just like Aurora smelled.
You turned into a sappy one.
Maybe I just finally found something worth living for.
If she wanted to answer that, I would never know because in that moment the door opened and the mare that walked in stopped every thought of mine. I felt like my heart both stopped and was beating a mile-a-minute at the sight before me. My smile grew ten-fold and my body felt lighter than a feather.
Enjoy the day.
I can't with you there.
Just tell her I went to sleep because my power is drained, or something like that.
She didn't have to tell me twice. Without hesitation, I leaped over the counter and at Aurora, unfolding my wings to pull her into a deep embrace while kissing her directly on her lips.
"I missed you," I mumbled quietly.
"So did I," she said back as she nuzzled under my ear.
The action sent shivers up and down my spine. I felt giddy and excited, more so than a filly that just got her cutie mark. However, like all good things, it had to come to an end.
When she pulled back, I saw a look of longing in her eyes. She didn't want to, but there was no choice, "We're on lunch break. Lavender, this is Deep Blue. Deep Blue, this is my marefriend, Lavender Skies."
I didn't even notice that there was another pony with her. At the time, I don't think I really cared either. However, if Deep Blue was a friend of Aurora, I'd make nice.
Shaking hooves with the light blue pegasus, I motioned them both to my 'best' table. I suddenly wished that I had a 'best' table. That being said, I did have a 'best' muffin, fresh too.
"I'll bring you something fresh out of the oven, be right back!" I said and planted a quick peck on Aurora's lips before going back behind the counter.
You are bouncing like a young filly.
I know.
I giggled as I thought that, not caring what she thought about my attitude. At that moment, nothing could bring me down. With a spring in my step and a song on my mind, I picked up a pot holder in my mouth and opened the oven, pulling out a fresh batch of muffins from the oven I started twenty minutes ago.
Placing them on top of the stove, I quickly looked around for my wing protection and put them on before grabbing the hot plate in my wings and turning it over, letting the muffins fall off the forms.
Be easier if I could just use my magic.
Remember the last time you tried that?
Yeah, the pony that saw it went into the closed section of the hospital after that.
I quickly pulled out a fresh plate out of the counter and stacked the muffins nicely on top of it. After all, presentation is important. With that, I turned back to Aurora and her friend, placing one down from my wings.
"They're on me. I hope you like them, I tried a new recipe this morning."
I placed another one down for her friend and stole a kiss from her before I noticed that a customer in another corner waved me over. Sighing, I had to leave Aurora alone. Another customer entered the shop as I was asked for a refill of coffee. What surprised me, was that the customer walked directly up to Aurora and poked her into her side with one wing.
Maybe it's just another one from her work.
Look at that armor. She is definitely not one of the weather team.
I went back behind the counter and decided to watch them for a bit. They talked a bit and the purple pony with the armor soon sat down beside Aurora, talking eagerly with her.
She's no threat, or Aurora wouldn't talk with her that easily. She must be a friend.
I never asked how she could always see what was going on. I just assumed that she could see what her changelings could while connected to them. I looked up as another armored pony entered, but this time I went on alarm. This one was a bat pony, and I knew that those meant trouble.
The bat pony approached Aurora and the others, and after some conversation, the purple pegasus kissed the bat pony. For a reason I wasn't quite aware of, I felt a sense of relief at that sight. Another couple of words were traded and the bat pony even lowered her head in what seemed like greeting at Aurora before speaking to the purple pegasus again. What followed was easy to hear, even from the distance.
"Star!" the bat pony shouted with a deep blush on her cheeks, which was fairly visible thanks to her dark coat.
I decided to ignore them and concentrate on my work once more, setting up more coffee and some more muffins. A customer behind Aurora and the others waved for his muffins, and I sighed before picking up the tray. I had to pass Aurora, and couldn't help but overhear some of their conversation.
"Yep. You can visit me whenever you want. Maybe all four of us can do something together sometimes?" Aurora just said, "I don't think Lavender would have anything against it."
The purple pegasus laughed and turned to the bat pony, "Her marefriend."
"Don't tell me that Lavender Skies, the best confectioner in Manehattan, maybe even the world, is your marefriend?" the bat pony asked.
I could see Aurora nod and the bat pony suddenly squealed, "Oh, you have to introduce me some time! I love her recipes, every single one of them!"
"I'm glad to hear that," I said just as I passed them, but couldn't help but stop for a second and give Aurora a small kiss.
"You two are so sweet!" I heard the bat pony say just as I continued on my way.
"Thanks. Now, tell me, how do two Lunar Guards come to marry each other?" Aurora asked just before I was out of hearing reach and I nearly lost my balance.
Those two mares are Lunar Guards? And they are married?
You act like marriage should just be reserved for you and Aurora.
I blushed, but never answered that as I reached the table and placed the muffin down in front of the customer.
On the way back to the counter, I couldn't help but steal glances back at Aurora. I knew it was a lot to ask, but part of me was jealous that I couldn't join her. Not yet, anyway. I wanted to close shop so I could join her for lunch, but as they said, duty calls.
Yeah, duty can take a flying leap off a cliff for all I care.
I surprised her by jumping in the booth and wrapping her in my wings. She looked at me with a questioning look at what I was doing. I knew she was worried about us being caught. With a smile, I lightly nibble on her ear before whispering, "She's asleep, don't worry."
I could feel the eyes of the others on us, I didn't really care though. This was a moment I was stealing from my day. I kept lightly biting her ear, enjoying her squirming in my hooves..
The bat pony nudged her wife and pointed at the clock on the wall, "We should get going. Morning Dew, Lavender Skies, Deep Blue, it was nice to meet you. I'm sure we'll meet again," she said and gave Aurora a wink.
"Yep. Oh, and come by if you got some time," the purple pegasus smirked and passed Aurora a small note with something scribbled on it.
Aurora grabbed the note but I quickly took it from her, smiling, "We'd love to," I said.
I noticed Aurora's worried gaze on me, so I nibbled at her ear again before whispering, "Sounds like fun."
Sadly, I had to work some more, so I got up to head back to the counter and put the note up. The sudden feathery touch on my flank startled me, and I let out a quiet 'eep' in response, but then I noticed that it was Aurora. With a devious grin directed at her, I continued on my way.
She just bought another sweet night.
Ugh... don't make me puke in your mind.
Someone's jealous.
I've had more lovers in the last two years then you will ever have in your life.
As I said; jealous.
She didn't reply to that, confirming my belief. Sure, she might have had more lovers than me, but there was a difference between having random sex with others, and having sex with one you love. I loved Aurora, which was something I knew she didn't have.
With a smile on my lips, I put the note in the cash register for later and took a few more orders. Each time I did my best to be nice and friendly to each pony that came into the shop, but secretly I just wanted to be back at Aurora's table.
Then, at last, like a gift from above, the last customer at the counter turned and left with a smile and a nice tip in my tip jar. I looked around, every chair either had a satisfied customer or was empty. Taking this time for myself, I went back over to the one place I wanted to be with a joyful hum in my throat.
Aurora turned and looked at me just before I jumped into the booth where she sat and cuddled against her while running a hoof around her neck. My other hoof played with the fur of her chest and I kissed the side of her muzzle. I did everything to show her my affection. She turned to me and I could see that she was happy. Her hoof moved up and stroked my coat before playing with a few strands if my mane. We both had to grin.
"Get a room, you two!" Deep Blue called out.
Aurora looked at her teammate before turning back to me, "How much time we got?" she asked pretty seriously.
Deep Blue and I laughed, but Aurora stayed serious. She had really meant her question. Just as I wanted to answer, the door opened and a new couple of customers walked in. I had nearly forgotten that it wasn't my break.
I got up slowly to take the orders, but it was a bit hard since Aurora clinged on to me with a frown on her face. As I walked to the counter, I was careful to flick my tail a bit stronger than usual so she could get a nice view of something that should keep her happy.
At the counter, the customers gave me their orders and I gave them their wanted coffee to go and a few muffins. To my luck, those were just some quick orders, and soon they were gone. Before they could leave, I quickly made my way back to Aurora's side.
"How is my Morning Dew doing on her first day, anyway?" I asked Aurora's teammate and secretly ran a hoof over her lap.
"She's been nothing but impressive. In thirty minutes she cleaned out an entire section of the sky. It was almost like she had some motivation to get it done. I'm beginning to get an idea of exactly what that was."
I gave Aurora a cocky grin, but she kept an innocent expression. As Deep Blue looked out of the window, I quickly leaned in, "You were able to impress your teammates by thinking of me? Never thought that of you," I whispered.
"What can I say, you're great and beautiful motivation," Aurora smirked.
"I'm gonna use the restroom before we head back," Deep Blue said nonchalantly as she got up and made her way to the back room.
With Deep Blue gone for the moment, Aurora seemed to take her chance and locked her lips on mine. Her hooves played with my body and before long I moved my flank upon her lap. While we never broke the kiss, my hoof went down her stomach, but before I could really please her, the door opened and a new customer interrupted us.
I looked at her then. I suppose I should have sighed, that I should have been disappointed that our time was interrupted, but I wasn't. I knew she had to go back soon and the little time we did have simply made me look forward to tonight that much more. I portrayed my feelings with the look of carnal lust I gave her, a look she was more than happy to return.
Getting up, I'm pretty sure I left a wet spot upon her leg. I didn't really care though, and I seriously doubt she did either, "How can I help you?" I said to the new ponies that walked into the shop.
While taking their orders, I was more or less on autopilot. My body went through the motions, but my eyes were on one pony and one pony only. I knew I wouldn't see her again until tonight, and wanted to savor it.
"You ready, Morning?" Deep Blue asked from behind Aurora as she came back from the bathroom. There was a noticeable change in her voice.
"Miss, I asked for cherry, not blueberry."
"Oh, sorry sir," I shook my head and looked down. Sure enough, I had grabbed a blueberry muffin instead of a cherry.
Aurora, my sexy distraction.
I swear I'm going to throw up.
Oh, shut up!
"Hey, Lavender!" Aurora suddenly shouted.
"Yes?" I asked.
"Grab a box of chocolates for my friend here, please. She has a hot date with her
marefriend tonight!" she called out with a wink.
I gave her an understanding smile, "I know just the one. And you know what? I will pack us some, too," the wink from me at the end left no room for misunderstanding.
Grinning, I went into the small storage at the side of the counter and packed some red and pink sweets in two boxes. One I decorated nicely before going to Aurora and giving it to her, "There you are."
"Thanks," Aurora said and leaned in for a long kiss. As we broke, she gave me a loving smile, "I'll see you this evening."
As she left, I couldn't help but feel alone and not quite as cheerful, but the thought of the evening and following night made me grin once more. ***
It's funny, the morning flew by, the evening... not so much. I think it was because this morning I was riding high on the memory of last night, after lunch I was full of anticipation and desire. As such, I watched the clock a little more than I should have. Even burned a batch of muffins by accident.
She is a real distraction to you. I want her to do a job for me tonight.
What job?
Don't worry, she will be safe.
However, nothing lasts forever, even torture by a slow moving clock comes to an end sooner or later. Later being the operative word here, "Finally," I said as I saw the last few customers get up to leave and that it was time to go home. Giving the counters a final wipe down, I grabbed the keys and walked out behind them, turning the sign from open to closed before my gaze took hold on the pegasus just landing.
"Dew!" I shouted and leapt at her.
"Hey, beautiful," she cooed as she hugged me close with her wings and peppered my muzzle with kisses.
"How was your first day at work?" I asked.
"Great! I loved it!" Aurora said as she leaned in for a long, deep kiss.
"I'm glad, because that is another anchor that makes sure that you'll stay with me," I said softly.
"I'd never leave you, Lavender," was all Aurora said in reply.
I snuggled deep into her coat for a few moments before we broke apart, "Let me just lock the shop, then we can head home."
I had a heavy heart as I looked at her, not yet moving to the door to lock it. Aurora seemed to sense something was wrong and asked, "What's wrong?"
"She wants you to do something tonight," I said with a frown.
Aurora said nothing, just looked confused at me. I was already sure that she would ask her about it, but I doubt that she would answer since she was 'asleep'. To her credit though, Aurora didn't try and deny it. That made me happy, at least I knew she wouldn't lie to me.
I turned towards the door and closed it before locking it with the keys. As I turned back, my frown was gone and a lovely smile had replaced it, "It's still a few hours away. So for now, let us forget about everything and use the time for just us."
"So she's still asleep?" Aurora asked.
"Yeah, thankfully," was all I replied before unfolding my wings. I wanted to do something fun to relieve the gloom of whatever she wanted, "Race ya home!" I shouted.
I shot off in a blink, and I heard her giggling before following, "Hey! Not fair!"
There was a noticeable giddiness in my chest as I pulled off every trick I knew. At any time I expected her to catch me, to wrap me in her hooves and laugh at my pathetic attempts to get away from her. However, every time I thought she was going to catch up, I pulled away right before her hooves wrapped around me. With squeals of delight, I pushed myself harder and faster in flight than before.
When my house came into view, I gave it everything I had. I wanted her to catch me, and yet, I also wanted to win. The conundrum of the conflicting emotions caused me to squeal in delight, more so when my hooves finally touched down right in front of my door.
"I beat you!" I shouted as she landed next to me. I'm not a fool, I knew she let me win. The fact that I was panting and out of breath whereas she was simply smiling at me told me that much. It didn't matter though, we both had fun.
"And now for your reward," Aurora replied and peppered my face with kisses.
I squirmed and giggled in delight as her kisses peppered over my muzzle. I played liked I didn't like it, but I did. I knew it and I knew she knew it too. The actions I took only inspired her to do more and more. However, before we went too far outside, I pulled away. Wanting to continue, but inside so we didn't have to stop.
"C'mon, let's go inside," I said.
I didn't look back as I walked to the couch, my hips swaying side to side in ways that would have been appropriate on a catwalk. When my eyes drifted in the direction of the bedroom, I decided that it was too far away. After all, we did that yesterday and we did have a perfectly good couch just a few hooves away.
I flapped my wings and landed on the couch, my hooves spread in just a way to communicate what I wanted without having to say a word. Aurora has always been a smart mare and now was no exception. She caught onto what I wanted and did likewise, landing with her head upon my chest and our back hooves intertwined together.
My wing came up all by itself and wrapped her closer to me. I could feel her warmth as she rose and fell with my breathing. It was everything I had wanted, everything I imagined it could be. It was like living a dream you never wanted to wake up from.
"I missed you," I said as I started to rub her shoulders with a hoof. I could feel the tension of the day melt away under my touch. Sure, I had my own stresses, but helping her helped me in more ways than I could count. I want this when we came home each day, just time for us to be us, to be together.
Even still, I couldn't help myself. My feather start running a little lower upon her flank, moving to more fun areas that showed this wasn't all I wanted.
"I didn't lie earlier," Aurora said.
"About what?" I asked.
"It was you, when I was working today. When I did that stupid challenge, you were the one that got me through it. I just kept picturing you in my head, how happy you'd be if we got to have lunch together. That was all the motivation I needed."
At those words, I raised her muzzle and kissed her on the lips. My hoof soon joined my feather in taking liberties with her body, my hoof ran across my chest, putting just the right amount of pressure to massage her sore muscles in the right way, while my feathers did a few... other things, a little lower.
"Well, if I'm your motivation, I'd better make sure I'm worth it," I said with a smile.
"You already have, let's... let's stay like this for now," Aurora said, surprising me. But if this was what she wanted, I would love to give her exactly that.
"Mhh, okay. But next time, you're on!" I whispered softly, cuddling deeper against her.
I still kept my hoof playing with her coat, enjoying her deeply. Aurora feelable relaxed under my ministrations, and I couldn't help but grin as soft coos started to leave her muzzle. I pressed at her wing joints and massaged the tangled and sore muscles.
I couldn't resist, every chance I got I'd move just a little farther down, grabbing her toned flank with both hooves and giving it a good squeeze. However, it was up to her to go farther with that. As such, I moved back up to other muscle groups after giving myself a little thrill.
I frowned as I saw it coming. Her eyes started to close, her breathing became lower and lower. She even quit reacting in the same way when I'd squeeze her butt. She was falling asleep on me.
I thought only stallions had this problem.
Mares are just as bad.
Blushing, I gave in to the inevitable and started to help her along, my massaging became less and less deep, moving to nothing more than a light massage until I was sure she was fast asleep.
"Sweet dreams, Aurora," I said as I held her tight in my hooves. My wings fully enclosed around her, giving her the best sleep I could.
Who would've thought that I would soon join her in sleep, so I was pretty surprised as my eyes started to drop in my comfortable position. ***
As I awoke, everything was quiet, the sound of Aurora's breath missing. Opening my eyes, I saw that she was gone. Before I could help myself, I jumped up in shock.
Calm down. She is doing the job, so go back to sleep.
What? Yeah, not gonna happen. I'll wait for her so I can see if she's hurt.
I told you she would be safe.
I never answered that. She had lied to me more than once, so I wasn't about to simply trust her now.
The weight that evening had been bad, it had been me squaring off versus the clock, fighting every single second off the clock like that was the second that stopped me from being with Aurora. This was so much worse. This was me not knowing when she would come home, if she would come home.
I'll never understand why the mind always fills in the unknown with the worst case scenario, but that was exactly what my mind was doing right then. I kept imagining her busted, her being attacked, hurt, killed, and me stuck here, not knowing.
Where is she?!
For the first time in my life, I hated not hearing her voice in my head. The hive hadn't responded to anything I asked for the last thirty minutes. I didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Right then I went with bad, it meant her attention was elsewhere, it was on Aurora.
"Aurora's in trouble," I said to myself, "She needs my help, she's hurt, she's in danger, she's going to die, I gotta... I gotta..."
Before I could ramble on some more, the door burst open. What stumbled in I didn't recognize at first, it was a mix of plum and deep red.
"Lavender, I..."
I looked in horror as I saw the uncountable amount of deep cuts and bruises on her coat, blood covering most of it. Before I could even think of it, my mind snapped and I ran to her, tears running freely over my muzzle as I pulled her into my hooves, hugging her for all she was worth.
"Oww," Aurora coughed out and I jumped back in shock that I had hurt her.
"You're... you're hurt," I repeated sobbing.
She looked at me with a scared and worried expression. "Lavender, I..." she stopped and fell to the ground.
"Aurora!" I screamed and held her up, not caring that my coat turned slightly red. Without thinking, I picked her up in my magic and carried her to the bedroom. Despite her condition, she tried to talk again.
"Lavender, I..."
I shushed her immediately, "No talking," With that, I started to levitate some washcloths and a bowl of water to me and began to clean her wounds and her coat. I felt her eyes on me, watching me the entire time. Yet, I didn't look back, I didn't return the stare, I couldn't. If I did, I'd break down into her hooves, and she needed to be cleaned before any infections could set it.
YOU TOLD ME SHE WOULD BE SAFE!
My mind rampaged, but I never got an answer while I continued to clean Aurora. It was like she was gone, or simply shocked. I turned her around and on her stomach so I could clean her back and wings, which were in a bad state. Pieces of glass were between the feathers and even in some parts of her muscles, I carefully removed all of them. At her flank, I hesitated.
"Lavender, tonight..." Aurora said with a pause.
"What?" I asked.
"The job I had to do. It was about us."
"About us? You mean she told you that she knows?" I asked and pressed the washcloth harder against her flank.
"Yeah," she nodded weakly
"That miserable little..." I scowled out loud.
YOU BUCKING PLAYED WITH US!
Again, no answer.
"What?" Aurora asked.
I focused on her, "This morning... she woke me up while you were gone. She told me she knew about us, and if I would continue to play her game, she would let us have a family. She said she wouldn't kill you in the end..."
"She played with us both..." Aurora whispered.
"What did she make you do?" I asked with venom in my voice, wanting to know just what was so bucking important to risk Aurora's life like this.
"That's the funny thing. Had I known what the task was, she wouldn't have had to make me do anything. I would have done it on my own," Aurora said bitterly.
"What was it?" my voice quivered.
"You were being investigated. A pony, Best Pic, he had pictures of you, of you and your green eyes, using magic. He suspected that you were a changeling."
"My cover's blown?" I was shocked.
"I destroyed all the evidence I could find and killed him."
I dropped the towel at that, my magic simply fainting in surprise, "You... you killed him?"
"He went quick, peacefully in his sleep. Had I known..." Aurora's voice was hurt, low, nearly a whisper. She wasn't proud of her actions, but she did it for me.
Without hesitation, I pressed my muzzle into her coat, holding her just tight onto me. The tears were flowing freely again, staining Aurora's freshly cleaned coat. She started to cry too before turning silent.
"I love you."
I stopped dead in my tracks, stopped breathing in shock about what was said. I didn't have a clue who had said it. Wasn't sure if I had said it.
It was her, I realized with a blink.
"I love you, I love you so bucking much it hurts. He was a threat to you, so I killed him. I'll kill anyone that threatens you, Lavender. I can't... I could never bear to see you hurt. I... I..."
I shut her off with a kiss. A kiss that poured every single one of my feelings for her into it. Everything I wanted to say. After a while, I pulled back and smiled at her.
"I love you, too."
I said the words, meaning every word, every syllable. I did love her, and she loved me. I knew then that she was everything I had ever wanted in a mate, in a lover, in a wife. She was perfect, she was protective, she was caring, and kind. She had killed somepony because he was a threat, a threat to me, to us, to what we could have.
My mind was made up right then and there, I wanted to have a family with her, a real family. However, I didn't know how she would feel about it. It might be too much for her, too fast. Still, no risk, no reward.
I held her against my coat when I asked with some hesitation, "Aurora, do you want to start a family with me?"
She looked at me, surprise in her gaze, but also love, "Didn't we want to wait a bit more?"
"We said that, yes. But I'm certain about it now," I closed the gap between us and pressed my lips once again against hers. Before long, I pulled away and asked her again, "Do you want to start a family with me?"
She hesitated only for a moment, "I would love to," she whispered and drew my lips into a kiss that let my heart and feelings sparkle with passion. |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | New Teammate | Chapter fifteen: New Teammate
I woke up early in the morning as the first rays of sun tickled my muzzle. Looking up to the clock I sighed. Barely an hour until I had to get to work. Lavender was softly slumbering at my side, a smile on her face.
I was a bit worried that the queen never said or did anything since we revealed her double game, but I also knew that I would defend my family with my life. Thinking about last night and that our child would now grow, it made me smile and happy. Really happy.
I spent the next few minutes just lying there, watching her in her sleep. My eyes took in each and every detail of the changeling I grew to love. I watched as she took a deep breath in her sleep, her stomach rising and falling as she breathed in and out.
I couldn't help myself. All on its own, my hoof found its way to her belly, imagining what she'd look like when she started to get bigger with our egg. I pictured her growing and growing, the mark of our love becoming bigger and bigger as her body nourished our foal.
I smiled at the thought that another mare would give birth to my foal. A year ago, it would have been ridiculous to even think of such a thing. Now, I kinda knew how stallions must have felt when they knock up a mare. It was amazing to me that she was capable of doing that, especially with me being a mare.
I must have pressed too hard as she opened her eyes and looked at me, a smile upon her face, "Morning, my love," she said.
"Morning, sweetheart," I said back, a smile to match her own on my lips.
She leaned forward for a kiss. I had no doubt that my breath was not the best thing to smell in the morning, but if she took notice, she gave no sign.
A poof sound came from behind me as my wings betrayed how I felt. She giggled a little at the sight, "Is that because of little old me?"
"What do you think?" I replied as I jumped up on her and pinned her hooves to the bed. She smiled and giggled, putting up a token defence.
"Aurora!" she shouted.
"Oh, now you're mine," I replied as I started to plant kisses up and down her muzzle, enjoying the feeling of her writhing and squirming underneath me.
When she stopped moving, I pull back, worried I might have overdone it. However, all I saw was a smile on her face as she looked at me.
That look, I love that look.
It was her turn to surprise me. She reached up and kissed me again, "Think we have time?" she asked.
Every single fiber in my body wanted to say either 'yes', or 'who gives a buck', sadly, the clock and my better nature got the best of me. With a sigh, I had no choice but to say, "No, sadly."
She looked at me with what I thought would be confusion or disbelief. Instead, all I saw was love. Love that was somehow directed at me, "Tonight?" she asked.
Like it's a real question.
"Of course. Or maybe I could stop by for lunch?" I asked with a wink and a grin.
"Oh, a nooner sounds like fun," she replied with that same smile.
I'd kill Celestia for that smile.
I kissed her again a few more times before I actually got off. As I made my way into the bathroom, I caught her stealing glances at my flank from the corner of my eyes. With a smile and a grin, I added a little more bounce to my step, letting her get a good look at everything she wanted to see.
Sadly, all good things. I was left with no choice but to turn the corner and began my morning routine.
After relieving myself, grabbing my toothbrush and a comb, I went to work at the mirror when I heard a sound that I'd never forget to the day I die. It was the most delightful hum coming from Lavender. The mare was almost singing as she made the bed and cleaned up the room, waiting for her turn to use the restroom. I won't lie, my heart was in my throat as I listened to it.
Is this really my life?
It seemed surreal, I finally understood all those sappy love songs, all those looks other couples in love would give each other as they went about their way. I felt like I was crying at the thought. Like it was simply too good to be true.
It took me a minute to realize that I was crying, that I was so happy I was crying about it. Spitting out the toothpaste, I started to giggle a little at the absurdity of it all. Here I was, a forced, transmuted half-breed changeling, who fell in love with another changeling, was starting a family with her, and I was so happy that I was crying about it.
I wouldn't change a damn thing.
The thought didn't cause me distress. Quite the opposite, in fact. It caused my smile to grow as I finished my mane and made my way out the door, following the noise down the hallway and to the kitchen.
"I'm making waffles, how would you like yours?" Lavender asked.
"Caneighdian maple syrup?"
"Sure thing," she said back.
I watched her as she cooked, smiling like a doofus all the while. She was cooking me breakfast, my pregnant marefriend was cooking me breakfast. Not because I asked her to, or because it was some role we had agreed upon, but just because she wanted to. Because she thought it would make me happy.
It did, but not because of what she did, but because she was happy doing it. Had she asked, had she not started, I would have done it, gladly, because it would make her happy. The hive couldn't be more far away at the moment.
I just hope it is a good sign that she didn't try to contact us since last night.
"If you're going to stand there, you can set the table," Lavender said as she looked at me, a small giggle on her face.
"Oh, yeah, right," I said back, unaware I had been looking at her that long. Being lost in my thoughts had its downsides, it seemed. With a nod, I went to the cabinet and grabbed two plates and some flatware.
"Don't forget the syrup, too," she called out.
"Got it," I replied, grabbing the syrup and taking it all to the table.
I was only in there for another minute before she brought out a stack of waffles and dumped two-thirds of them on my plate. I looked down at them and back up at her, "You trying to make me fat?" I said in jest.
She laughed at me, "Of course not, but you do have the more physical job, and besides, I think you forget I'm in a confectionary all day."
"Oh, are you going to get a sweet tooth?" I asked, playfully.
"Maybe," she replied back with a smile.
"I can't wait to feed my pregnant little changeling some strawberries dipped in chocolate icing," I said in a laugh.
"Aurora!"
"I'll place them in my muzzle first and make you fish them out, using only your tongue."
"Why just your muzzle?" she asked with a smile and a blush.
"Oh, naughty mare."
It amazed me how time just flew when you least wanted it to. I swear to this day we were only talking for a few minutes, yet the clock said differently, "Aurora, you better head out."
I looked up, sure enough I had twenty minutes to get to work, "How in the heck?"
"Will I see you at lunch?" she asked.
"Still want that nooner, huh?" I asked with a laugh.
"Eleven thirty, come by the back entrance."
The smile on her face told me the answer to that question. My wings shooting up behind me gave her her answer back.
She laughed at me, "Now get going."
"Yes, ma'am," I replied back.
I left the house with a song on my lips and a spring in my step. Closing the door behind me, I spread my wings wide and took off into the day sky. Noting with some dismay that the cloud cover was a bit rougher than I remembered, a sign that we might have rain today.
I gotta remember to check the weather report for the rest of the week.
I was humming on my flight to work that day. My thoughts full of the mare that won my heart, the one I was starting a family with, that I was starting a life with. There was an old saying I heard a long time ago; happiness attracts happiness. That saying proved itself true when I arrived at work. Everypony, and I mean everypony, just seemed happy.
Although, the first thing that happened to me was being accosted by Deep Blue as she grabbed my hoof and dragged me into a side room.
"Deep Blue, what the hay?"
She shut the door behind us and turned to look at me, a pissed expression on her face.
"Oh, oh. That bad?" I asked, uncertainty written upon my muzzle.
She pounced on me, wrapping me up in her hooves and squeezing my neck as hard as she could, "Thank you!"
"Oh, that good?" I asked back with a laugh.
"Let's just say, April had to call out today," she said with a grin.
"She's not sick?" I asked, worried.
"More like worn out," she said with a laugh.
"You dog!" I replied with a laugh.
"She said it's my turn tonight," Deep Blue said in a blush.
"Good thing you have the weekend to recover," I replied with a laugh.
"Oh, I can't wait. I'll tell you, Dew, I have no idea what was in the chocolate, but wow, did it work like a champ. Can I get more of that?"
"Deep Blue, it wasn't the chocolate, it was you making the effort that did it."
"Yeah, I'm making the effort to get more chocolate."
I laughed at that, "Okay, fine, I'll bring some back when I met Lavender for lunch."
"Oh, can I go, too? I'd love to tell her thanks in person."
"Uhh... not today," I replied with a blush, "Maybe tomorrow?"
"Oooohhhhh," Deep grinned, "I understand."
A knock on the door interrupted our conversation, "Hey, you two, we got a storm to get prepared."
"Yeah, yeah," I replied, "we're coming."
We both left the room to see all the other ponies looking at us, they were giving us a stare that asked if we were doing something naughty together, "Cut it out, we were just talking."
"Sure, talking," Blueberry meamed quotation with her wings.
"I got a marefriend," I said back.
"So do I, Blueberry, shut up," Deep Blue said with a grin.
"Alright everyone, stop screwing around, we gotta get to work," Lightning Bolt said, "You can tease the newbie later. We've got a storm to prepare."
I watched as Lightning started to pair off everypony for the day's assignment. With a smile, I looked around seeing all the happy faces grinning despite the rainstorm that was due in today. My smile turned into a frown as I saw a new face, somepony I didn't remember from yesterday.
I walked over to introduce myself, "Hi, I'm Morning Dew," I said with an extended wing and a friendly expression.
"Are you?" she said back with a huff before turning away from me.
"What in the..."
"Dew, I see you've met High Spirits. She just started today, I'm going to have her added to yours and Blue's team today so you can learn together," Lightning said.
I turned to her, the yellow pegasus with the pink mane and two big cloud cutie mark just glared back, leaving me with the feeling of somepony walking over my grave.
"Alright, you two, let's get going. We've gotta take care of the south today!" Deep Blue said as she joined us.
"How far south?" High Spirits asked.
"Just to the edge of the city," Deep Blue replied.
High Spirits seemed a bit disappointed and stepped closer to me, "Next time," she said before turning away.
As she came closer, I got that familiar, odd chill feeling in my chest and cursed.
She's a changeling.
As we set out to the south, I kept her in my sights, glaring at her, trying to figure out why she was there, why she was sent to me.
What game are you playing now?
There was no answer, much to my surprise, since I knew how much she loved to play with me and Lavender.
We did everything you wanted us to do!
Still nothing. Furious, I completely missed when Deep Blue called out my name for the third time, "Dew!" she shouted at me as she waved a hoof in front of my face.
"What?!" I replied, causing her to jump back, "Sorry," I said, "I didn't mean to..."
"It's okay," Deep Blue replied, uncertainly in her voice at my sudden snap, "I was just saying I want you to head west. I'll take High Spirits and start on the east."
"Actually, why don't I show her how it's done," I replied with the friendliest smile I could.
"You sure? I mean you just started and..."
"It's fine, I know what to do. I am a natural, after all," I said.
She looked at me again, "Okay, come get me if you have any questions, though."
"Sure thing, boss!" I replied jokingly as she flew off. I could tell by the speed she was going that Deep Blue knew something was wrong, something was off, but she trusted me for now.
As soon as she was out of range I turned to High Spirits, who was simply looking at me with an 'I don't give a buck' face, "What are you doing here?" I asked in a growl.
"I'm just here to learn how to be a weather pony," she replied.
"Don't lie to me. What are you really doing here?" I tried again with a snarl.
"Why, Aurora, I have no idea what you're going on about," she said with a devilish grin as she went to work.
I didn't let her, and grabbed her to yank her back, "I want some answers now, or I choose here and now that you are a threat to my family," It was no empty threat, if she wanted to hurt Lavender or our child she would be gone.
A green aura popped right in front of me, causing me to fly back a few hooves. I blinked three times, trying to clear my vision without losing track of this changeling. It was for naught, she had no intention of going anywhere, "What? Did you think she'd let you get away with it? You're right, Aurora, I am here on her command, and she is not happy, not happy by a long shot."
"We did everything she wanted!" I yelled.
"Did you? You didn't keep your end of the bargain, Aurora. She told me the deal you two got, sounds pretty sweet if I've ever heard of one before, and you couldn't live up to it. She offered you a family, freedom, after a fashion anyway. All you had to do was play along."
"Why isn't she talking to us directly?" I asked.
"At the point you two chose to simply ignore her and create your family, you destroyed the connection to the hive. It is sad to admit, but she can't see or reach you two anymore," she said with a pout before grinning, "But for that, she got me and others."
"You do realize that I know that there aren't many changelings in this town?"
"If you would like to continue thinking that, go ahead," High Spirits laughed.
"I'll kill you if you get near Lavender."
"Oh, little old me? No, you see, I'm just the messenger."
"What is she planning?" I growled.
"Hey, you two, get to work already!" Deep Blue shouted as she turned around to find out what was holding us up.
"Sure thing, boss!" High Spirits called out as she started to fly off to the west.
I followed, not wanting her to get anywhere away from me. However, what I heard next caused the blood in my veins to freeze.
High Spirits, the changeling, she was whistling the same song Lavender had been humming that morning.
I stopped dead, my eyes went as wide as dinner plates as realization hit me like a ton of bricks, "No," the word escaped my lips as I took off back north, heading at full speed for Lavender's shop.
Laughter echoed behind me, followed shortly by a rainstorm. |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | The game changed | Chapter sixteen: The game changed
My wings burned with the effort of getting to Lavender's shop. I felt my muscles protesting from the effort, some of my feathers falling off from the rough treatment I was putting them through. The wind lashed against my face, the water impacting my skin like lashes of a whip.
I welcomed it, all of it, but especially the pain.
The pain was my wake up call, my penance for being so stupid, for thinking I could finally let my guard down, for trusting her like I had. I had no idea what I would find when I got to the shop, but that didn't stop me. I knew she was alive, I just knew it. I knew it because the possibility of things being otherwise would have caused me to give up. I couldn't even consider such an idea.
If I did, I would have cratered myself into the ground at full speed.
On purpose.
The black smoke in the distance almost caused me to do it anyway. I knew it was from her shop, I simply knew. Her shop was on fire, the changelings had set her shop on fire.
I doubled my efforts, pushing my wings beyond the point of simple exhaustion, beyond the point that tears and ruptures could be felt in my muscles.
In truth, I didn't feel any of them. I could feel nothing at that moment. It was almost as if my heart had simply gone dead as soon as my eyes took in the smoke.
The smell hit me next. It was the smell of burned pastries, of burned cupcakes, of a burning future.
My love, my foal, everything. It was the smell of all of it burning to the ground.
The rainwater was causing me to cry out as my body made impact. They were stings that taunted me with the pain they caused. They should have been putting out the fire, that's what rain does, is it not? Instead, they were hurting me, and worse, impeding my efforts.
I saw the shop burning from the side door. No doubt a kitchen fire. I didn't even slow down, at the last second I wrapped my right wing over my face and pushed forward with my right hip. My body crashed through the front window with the speed of a train impacting a house. I collided with the tables, my head saved from the worst of it as I felt my shoulder dislocate from the impact.
I shot up, grateful and lucky that my wings still worked, "LAVENDER!"
My shout was almost drowned out by the sounds of fire. I could smell nothing but burning pastries, I could see nothing but smoke, I could feel nothing. Nothing at all, not even the heat of the fire.
"LAVENDER!" I shouted again and again, my lungs filling to the brim with smoke and heat.
I couldn't shout anymore, my coughing stole that right from me. I was deaf, dumb, and blind. However, I could still feel. So I did that. I landed, pain shooting up from my dislocated shoulder.
I blew it off and started walking, welcoming the pain, the pain meant I was still awake, still alive, still had a hope to find her.
Suddenly, a blue magical aura surrounded me and yanked me out of the shop.
My shouts of 'no' went unheeded, unheard, unspoken as I couldn't speak. I simply kicked out, feeling the pain of my shoulder shooting through me once again.
"Relax!" A voice shouted from my side as I felt three ponies run up to me. They were each there for a different purpose. One of them wrapped a mask around my muzzle, to give me oxygen. The other saw to my eyes, and the last went to my hurt shoulder.
I kicked the first one off me. It took everything I had not to use my magic against him, not to transform, "Lavender!" I cried again, not letting them come near me.
"There's nopony else in there!" the first one shouted again.
"No," My eyes went wide with tears as my mind went to what that meant.
"No, there's nopony else in there, dead or alive," he corrected.
She must be... home... she has to be there...
I bucked the unicorn in the face and took off as quickly as I could. It wasn't fast, and it hurt so much worse than on my trip over there. But I had seen that none of the rescue workers were pegasi, and only the one in charge was a unicorn. By disabling him, I was home free.
Quickly, I put all the power I had left into my wings. I could already see the house in the distance, or at least I believed so. I went as fast as I could, but two pegasi flew directly into my way and my choices were to crash into them or crash into a roof. Both were bad ideas on a good day, and this was not a good day.
Sadly, as to avoid them, I crashed straight into the next roof.
"Ouh, I think that must've hurt," one of the blockers giggled as they stood at the hole I made in the roof. I could tell by the sounds of his voice that he was a stallion.
"Let's hope we didn't kill her, the queen's got plans with her," the other one, this time a mare, replied.
"It's such a shame that we can't kill her, Electric," the stallion laughed as I looked up.
I really just wanted to buck them into their muzzles, maybe kill them. I assumed that they were the ones who set Lavender's shop on fire, and I was kinda right.
"I think it is more of a shame that Lavender was late to work today. Would've been fun to burn her and their unborn foal," the mare laughed and at those words, I just couldn't hold myself back anymore.
With a growl I leapt at them, but they quickly sped out of the way. "Ah, ah, ah! You wouldn't dare kill us as long as we have Lavender, right?" the stallion said.
"What?!" I shouted.
"And she's not home," they giggled.
Changelings, by their nature, feed on love. We leach off those in love like a parasite, like a sickness, growing stronger and stronger by it. If these fools made one mistake, it was not realizing a fundamental truth I didn't even know at that time. While feeding on the love directed to others is fulfilling, feeding on love directed to you is a step beyond.
Green magic surrounded my form, surrounding my body with energy and hatred, enough to cause them both to take a small, yet noticeable step back.
"Where is she?" I asked with no small amount of venom in my voice.
"Oh, that's the funny part of the story," the mare laughed, "She ran off after we told her that you joined the queen's ranks. You know what the best part is? She seemed to believe us!"
I snapped. And I didn't even care about the consequences. Before they could react, I shot a blast against them. Not my most powerful, but with delight I saw that it burned them. It was the power of the love Lavender and I shared. Screaming, the mare went down and the stallion did the worst thing he could think of.
He attacked me.
That was his first mistake.
He did so by flying directly at me into the hole I had made into the roof.
That was his second.
He wouldn't get a third.
I took his attack, he lashed out at me with his teeth. He clamped onto my dislocated shoulder with ease. What surprised me the most, or would have if I thought about it anyway, was that it didn't hurt. Either that or I simply didn't care about something as pathetic as pain right then.
My left hoof found his jaw in less than a second to bump him away, followed by a blast that was slightly more powerful than the last one. With surprise, but also a smile, I noticed that he burned completely this time.
The smell of charred flesh filled my nostrils this time around. It was the smell of victory.
Of course, that still left the main issue. I flapped my wings to test their condition. They hurt, a lot, but I could still fly. With three more beats, I flew out of the hole and went looking for his partner in crime.
She was trying to crawl away along the ground, seeking whatever sanctuary she could away from the one that had hurt her so.
My bulk landed on her front hoof with a rather satisfying snap. I heard her scream, I saw fear in her eyes as she looked up at me. That only served to fuel my fury, everything was red, as red as the fire had been at Lavender's shop.
I brought my hoof up and was about to slam it down upon her skull.
I stopped. It wouldn't help me find her. That had to be the first thing, that had to come first, nothing else mattered.
I placed my hoof down and leaned next to her ear, "I'll ask you one time only, where is Lavender?" My voice left no doubt that was it, it was answer my question or die.
"I can't disobey the queen," she stammered.
I sighed, "At least tell me your name before you die."
"E-E-Electric Blue," the mare quivered, "Please, don't kill me. I only do what she or Nightjar tells me!"
"Nightjar?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"The stallion with me. He is one of her commanders," she whispered, as if she was afraid to tell me, "Oh no! she knows that I told you."
Well, he was one of her commanders.
I knew what would happen next. But somehow, I didn't care. Turning around, I was about to spread my wings and take off again before a thought crossed my mind. I turned back to the mare, seeing a look of pure fear in her eyes as the queen teased her with her fate.
"Tell me, and I'll kill you before she does. My way will be a lot quicker."
"2950 Celestia Boulevard!" The mare screamed out as the queen's punishment was delivered in force.
My hoof came down next, cracking her skull and ending her suffering. I couldn't help but feel a bit bad about her. If she had told the truth, she was in the same state I was at my time with the hive. Simply a mare to play for the queen and the other changelings. At least she would never suffer again.
My journey to the named address was slightly more cautious, that they had her alive was a sign that they wanted to keep her alive. However, they were also expecting me. I knew both of those things, as there was not a doubt in my mind that they would be expecting me.
It was the only reason not to kill her, after all. To get to me.
That made me angry. That was the deal, I was hers to use as long as Lavender stayed safe. Why had she done this? Simply because she lost her connection to us? It had to be more than that. I knew I was getting close when I saw two more 'pegasi' making their way to me.
Pegasi, yeah right.
To their credit, they seemed smarter than the last, or at the very least informed of my temperament. They simply flew to my sides, escorting me down below. I followed as there was no reason not to, after all, it was where I needed to go anyway.
My jaw almost hit the ground when I saw two more pegasi in front of the door. One I recognized almost immediately: High Spirits.
"Wow, you look like shit," she said with a laugh.
"You should see the other two," I replied back with a deadpain expression. They recoiled at my comment, no doubt informed of how I dispatched two of their number with such ease despite my condition.
"So I've heard. Let's see, I believe introductions are the right way to start this off. This here is Silver Speed, and the two next to you are Steam Roller and Rosewing."
My gaze never left High Spirits. I didn't even acknowledge the existence of the others, "Where. Is. She?" the words left my muzzle though grunts of indignation.
"Lavender's safe, Aurora. Relax before you drop dead on us."
"Why should I?"
"Because we're not all your enemy," High Spirits said with a smile, causing me to pause.
"What?" the stallion behind me suddenly shouted.
High Spirits sighed, "Rosewing, would you show Steam Roller our plan?"
Rosewing didn't talk, the pale yellow mare simply shot the stallion where he stood with her magic. He didn't even scream when he died.
"What the hell is going on here?" I asked.
"The queen didn't just lie to you. She is building her hive once again, but there are a few mares that decided to opt out. We found ways to ignore, or at least weaken her presence enough so that she can't kill us. We just didn't use it until now," High Spirits frowned, "Mares were always only servants for the hive, and most of us just wanted a family and a life. Just like Lavender and you," she added with a smile.
I was more confused than ever before, "Where is she?"
"Inside, she's sleeping. We saved her from Nightjar and the others. Sadly, there are still a few left in this town that are serving the queen. And next time, spare the mares. Electric Blue was one of us," High Spirits looked at me with a sad expression and I swear, for a moment, I saw a tear running down her muzzle.
I didn't know why I said what I said next, "I did, the queen was going to torture her to death, I put her out of her misery."
Rosewing scowled at that, "I told you that she wasn't ready, High! I told you that she wasn't strong enough to keep the connection to her weak enough! Now look what you've done!"
The atmosphere changed at that, "Don't you think to tell me that it is my fault! She wanted to be a part of the plan, and I'm surely not happy that my mate is gone!"
I perked up at that, "Hey, we are on the same side, from what I've figured out, so let's save all our anger for the Queen."
They paused in their bickering and then the strangest thing happened. High Spirits walked up and hugged me, "Thank you," she said.
I was taken aback by that, "For what?"
"I've... I've seen the queen punish one of us to death before. It's," she was crying at that point, "If she had to die, I'm glad you made it quick."
"There's just one problem," I said, "She didn't have to die. Why did you..."
"I'm sorry," she replied, wiping a tear from her eye, "We had to keep up the facade. I had to go through with the queen's plan. I know I probably made you worry, I'm sorry."
I nodded in understanding, although there was one thing I still needed an answer for, "Why us? Why did you risk so much for us?"
Rosewing took that one, "Like she said, we've all learned to keep the queen out to one degree or another, but you two did something we thought was impossible. You two severed the connection totally. If we ever want true freedom, if we ever want our own lives, we have to learn how you did that."
"I... I don't know what to say, I have no clue how we did it."
"We'll talk about it later, I think you have a certain mare waiting for you," Silver said.
My head did a double take as I realized that they had all moved to the side. My heart skipped a beat as I went to run forward, only to stumble when I tried to place weight upon my dislocated shoulder. High Spirits caught me in her wing and helped me up, "No need to kill yourself," she said with a smile.
"Can you blame me?" I asked.
There was a haunted look in her eye as she took in my meaning, "No."
Together, we walked into the building. High Spirits doing her best not to cry from her loss, me doing my best not to cry from the pain of my wounds. Pain that was picking now to remind me just how injured I was... again.
She's going to kill me. The thought almost made me laugh. If I wasn't sure it would hurt like hell, I would have let myself laugh.
As we walked into the door, my heart almost stopped when I looked upon the most beautiful face I could ever see in my life.
"Lavender."
She wiped a tear from her eye as she smiled at me, "You... you numbskull."
The next I felt was her smell in my nostrils and then her weight as she jumped on me. I didn't care about my injuries at that moment, I simply loved her being near me.
I didn't know if the tears hitting my coat were mine or hers, I didn't care either. They were our tears, "I love you, I love you so much," I sobbed the words out.
"I love you, too," she cried and cried.
That is settled. Leaves only one thing.
"What's the plan now?`" I asked High Spirits, who was smiling at the display.
I nodded in agreement before smiling at Lavender, "Looks like our family just got bigger." |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Tears and Love | Chapter seventeen: Tears and Love
The first rays of sunlight penetrated the night, causing me to stir and slowly open my eyes. Blinking a few times, I took my surroundings in. Lavender was laying at my side in peaceful slumber, and I had no intention of waking her.
Ever so slowly, I got up and made my way to the kitchen. My first glance was at the clock, telling me that I had barely an hour until work. The second was towards the door that led to the living room, where I could hear some soft snoring.
Carefully, I walked in just to find High Spirits sleeping on the sofa. For a few moments I had no idea why she was there, before it all came back to me. The whole day before.
She had agreed to stay here in case something happens.
High Spirits turned in her sleep before mumbled, "Electric Blue".
The name caused my veins to freeze as that memory came back. I had killed Electric Blue. It was to save her from a painful fate with the queen in the end, but still, I had killed High Spirit's mate.
Quickly, I turned around and started to prepare breakfast in the kitchen. It was a wonder that High Spirits didn't hate me now. It wasn't something I was grateful for.
Something else came into my mind. After my actions at work that day, Lightning and Deep Blue would demand answers. I hoped that High had some sort of explanation ready, because I had nothing at all.
"Morning," High Spirits mumbled sleepily as she entered the kitchen.
"Good morning," I said back, trying to hide the emotions of what I had just finished thinking of.
"What's for breakfast? We gotta head out soon," she said with a glance at what I was doing.
"Just some sandwiches, Lavender is still asleep," I replied with a smile.
"That's fine. And don't worry about work. I talked with Deep Blue about it, and she had heard about the fire. She and Lightning won't judge you for yesterday. They said that they could understand your worry and panic.
"That's good," I sighed, "One less problem."
"I thought about Lavender's shop. We can rebuild it if we work together," High said with a smile, "It will take some work, but nothing we couldn't do together. And now that we're on your side, the queen will think twice before trying to hurt you two."
"We still have to be careful," I reminded her as I sat the plateful of sandwiches down, just in time for Lavender's sleepy muzzle to show up in the door.
"Good morning, beautiful," I greeted her, quickly followed by a long and passionate kiss.
"Good morning to you, too," she giggled back sleepily.
I saw it out of the corner of my eye when I kissed Lavender, the hurt on High Spirit's face. I didn't know how she didn't hate me, how she didn't try and kill me. Had our situations been reversed, I would hate her with all my being.
It was the last placed I wanted to look, but my eyes were simply drawn to hers. High had a look of such pain in her eyes, but there was something else there, something beyond pain.
She's a better mare than I could ever hope to be.
"Are you going to be in trouble for leaving work early?" Lavender asked.
I was startled by the question almost as much as I was thankful for the distraction. I turned to Lavender and said, "No, they know about the fire. We should be fine."
She turned to High, "And what about yesterday? Won't there be any questions? I doubt that anything you did managed to stay a secret."
That was something I hadn't thought about until that moment. I might have been able to stay disguised, but using my magic in the middle of the town seemed suicidal when I thought back.
"Are you okay?" Lavender asked me. I should've guessed that she'd see the worry upon my face.
I laughed at that, "It's not me I'm worried about."
"I am," she replied.
"The events of yesterday are already being taking care of," High stated, causing me to look at her, shocked.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"The queen may be a total bitch, but she's smart. Some of our targets are disguised as high ranking ponies in this town. Let's just say that they'll go out of their way to keep any traces of changelings from hitting the news."
"High ranks? So that means we could have other problems really soon?" Lavender asked with concern in her eyes.
"Yes, but not right away. She's not stupid. They won't make any moves after such a public event. She'll wait for things to calm down, for ponies to forget."
"So one day they'll show up with guards and arrest us all?" I asked.
"If we wait that long," High confirmed.
"But why didn't she," I paused in my question.
What was the real reason she sent me after that news pony? Why did she have me target him if she could just silence him at the clop of a hoof?
Only one reason. She was just playing her game.
Shaking off the troubling thought, the thought that I might have killed a pony without reason, without it being necessary for Lavender's safety, I turned back to my sandwich.
Lavender seemed to sense this and started rubbing a hoof down my back, "We will make it through this, together," she reassured me with a loving gaze.
Somehow, I believed her. If I had to guess, I'd say it was that face, the way her eyes just reflected the truth of the world, no... it was deeper than that. In truth, I didn't see her eyes, I didn't see her face, I didn't see the disguise she wore, I simply saw her, I saw who she was under the disguise, who she really was.
My smile soon matched hers.
"How's our egg doing?" I asked her softly while nuzzling her, causing High Spirits to gasp behind us.
"You're... you're... you're," she mumbled, unable to fully articulate her question.
"Yes, I am," Lavender said with a smile before kissing me, "It's fine, and will start to grow soon."
I couldn't help myself. Scooting our chairs that much closer, I placed my hoof over her stomach, hoping that I could feel something, anything to show the life we created together.
"It's too early for that," she giggled, but held my hoof where it was.
"This... this... didn't you two just meet?" High asked, finally finding her tongue.
"We already met years ago in the hive. I was just too blind to see her," I replied with a smile.
"You two don't have any clue what will happen once that foal is born," High mumbled.
"I thought changeling newborns are simple drones?" Lavender asked with a raised eyebrow.
"She won't be a drone, she'll be a half-breed. That means she'll be able to have children," High stated.
"So?" Lavender asked.
"Children, plural. As in not limited to one. And because she was born as she is, she'll be able to mate with anyone, not just stallions," High sighed, "She will be the perfect half breed, the perfect balance of the two species. Something the queen is afraid of."
That caused me to think of something, something that sent a chill through my spine, "Will she be able to control our daughter?"
"She thinks so. But I doubt that. Even with the changeling blood from Lavender in her, her other half will always be you, and the queen just can't control you."
That caused me a huge sense of relief, still, it did mean that she would be in our daughter's head, she would be speaking to our daughter. There was a renewed sense of urgency in trying to figure out how we could break others from her control.
"Why do you keep calling it a her? We don't know if it's a colt or a filly yet," Lavender exclaimed.
"A mare fertilizing a mare's egg. I'm pretty sure that she will be a filly," High huffed.
I turned to Lavender and smiled, in truth I didn't care if we had a colt or a filly, but knowing what it was going to be, it made me smile, "We're going to have a little filly."
"Ugh, Celestia help us. Do you have any idea how bad her first heat will be?" Lavender asked me with mocked dramatics.
That caused me to giggle. In truth, I had no idea, not having been a changeling when I first went through it. ut still, as strange as it sounded, I was looking forward to it. I was looking forward to helping her with everything. The good and the bad, "We'll deal with it together," I said with a kiss, "But first, we need to deal with your shop."
"My shop?" Lavender asked.
"Rebuilding it," I replied, "Unless... you don't want to?"
"I want to, but how? I saved some bits, but they will barely be enough for new furniture, not the whole building," she replied.
"That's where Rosewing, Silver Speed and I come into play. We know every single account the queen uses for their extra bits. And we will take them," High Spirits smiled evilly.
"Make her pay for her own damages, I like it," I replied with an equal smile to High Spirit's.
"Umm... you two... I," Lavender started to say, then stopped when we turned to her.
"What is it?" High asked.
"Lavender, what's wrong?" I asked.
"Is it wise?" She asked sheepishly, "I mean... it may really tick her off, I don't think I need to remind you she's dangerous, and we have," Lavender ran a hoof over her stomach, indicating exactly whom she was afraid for.
"There's exactly our point. We will only raid the deposits we three created. She won't even know what happened," High Spirits winked at Lavender.
"Besides," I said as I lifted her chin with a hoof, "She's exactly the reason why we have to do this."
"What?" Lavender asked.
"We have to keep her safe, but if we do nothing, she'll win. She'll keep trying and trying, and she's only gotta get lucky once. I won't let that happen, to you, or to her," to place emphasis on my comment, I placed my hoof back on her stomach.
She pondered about it for a moment, looking deep into my eyes. After a bit, she smiled and nodded, "Alright. You know I trust you with all of my heart."
"Good," I replied before looking at High Spirits, "So, what now?"
"We go to work. Silver Speed and Rosewing will prepare everything," High Spirits looked at the clock, "Oh, damn it! We got four minutes to be at work!" she suddenly yelled.
I got up at that, leaving Lavender one last kiss before we both made for the door. As High Spirits opened it, Rosewing greeted us before stepping in. She would watch over Lavender, and I could be sure that she would be protected. It removed a large weight from my shoulders. Of course, I would have rather stayed with her, but I had to work after all.
High Spirits took off in the direction of the weather team's offices. I paused before following her, whispering my last comment to Rosewing, "Keep her safe."
"With my life," Rosewing replied with a smile.
Nodding back, I took off, easily catching up to High Spirits, "What was that about?" she asked.
"One final promise," I cryptically replied and increased my speed.
We wouldn't make it on time, regardless of how fast we flew. Only a pony capable of breaking the speed of sound could cover the distance in four minutes, and I was definitely not such a pony, or changeling for that matter.
Still, I gave High Spirits quite the workout, something she was cursing me for near the end.
"You... suck," High stated when we landed at the front office.
"Emm, no. You suck," I replied back, sticking out my tongue in playful banter.
"Well well, look who finally decided to show up," Deep Blue stated with a frown on her face.
"Hey, Blue," I replied.
"Don't 'hey, Blue' me," she replied back, sternly, "You left in the middle of a shift, causing that area to get thirty minutes less rainfall than it should have. What do you have to say for yourself?!"
"I'd do it again in a heartbeat, Lavender's shop was burning down," I replied back, my tone indicating how I felt about being asked such a dumb question.
She didn't say anything for half a minute. She just stared at me, seeing if I'd break. When at last it was apparent that I wouldn't, she sat back on her haunches and spoke, "Good answer."
The smile on her face told me that she had just been bucking with me. I soon smiled back, partly over how funny it was and partly over the absurdity of the situation.
"I am amazed to see you in today, I figured you'd have taken the day off."
"Gotta work, the sole provider for the time being," I said back with a chuckle.
"Especially since she's got a family now!" High stated through her big muzzle.
"Wait... what?!" Blue said, shocked.
"HIGH!" I scowled, causing her to quickly step back.
That idiot will blow our cover!
"Oh, sorry, I didn't know you and Lavender wanted to keep your coming adoption a secret."
"Wait, you two are planning to adopt, Dew?"
"Umm... yeah, we put in the paperwork last week. It takes a few months to get approved though," I replied, realizing where High was coming from.
"Then they'll have a little bundle of joy running around," High said, jokingly.
"You gotta bring em by afterwards, we'd love to see your new foal."
"Well... maybe after our foal grows a bit, we want her to accommodate to us first."
Besides, I don't know if she has a natural disguise like me.
"Her?"
"We'll adopt a filly," I replied simply.
"Hey, if you three are done screwing around, we got work to do!" Lightning Bolt yelled at us from across the room.
Saved by the bucking bell! Better to start work then to let High ride us in the gutter.
I had to admit, that day was a lot of fun. The queen might have been evil, but she placed me in the perfect spot to work. Without the worry for Lavender's safety, or the enmity between me and High Spirits, we all had a ton of fun. Near the end of the day, Blue and I actually managed to assemble a cloud playground while discussing how much fun it would be to watch my new filly play on it.
On the way home, I got exactly five offers for a fillister, three offers to teach me how to change diapers, and everypony was practically demanding that we invite them over when she arrived.
"You know that's going to cause more issues than I care to count," I said to High on our flight home.
She simply smiled at me, "Hey, you can't keep it a secret, better they know now so they can get used to the idea."
"And HOW in Equestria are we going to tell them where she came from if Lavender is at the hospital... forget that, hospital is no option. But if they see a one or two week old foal in our home? You CAN'T adopt foals that early, High!" I growled, part of it shouting at her.
She laughed at me, flying underneath me as she smiled, "You know next to nothing about changelings, huh? We're the equivalent of a six month old foal when we hatch."
"Oh, and you are miss smartypants who knows that she can ACT like one, too?" I asked with a frown.
"Relax, Aurora. You don't have to invite anyone over until she's fully able to take on her disguise. Changeling foals are naturally very obedient to their mothers."
"You remember she's not a fully-fledged changeling, right?"
"True... should be the same though," she laughed again.
"SHOULD?!"
"Hey, relax! I never had a foal," she mumbled, slightly hurt.
She's thinking about Electric Blue again.
That thought drained my fight. Yes, this was unexpected, and a little unwanted, but in a way she was right. They'd know sooner or later, so what did it matter if it was now? I'd need some excuse as to where my foal came from, and this was better than nothing.
My foal.
"There's that smile again," High said with a laugh.
"Smile?" I asked.
"Whenever you're with Lavender, or I imagine you're thinking about her, you get that smile on your face. I've known you for a day, and I can already spot it."
"Is it that obvious?"
"Oh yeah. I remember it from," her mood darkened again.
I stopped flying forward, forcing her to turn back around and fly back to me, "Hey, High, can I ask you a question?"
"Don't," she said.
I didn't listen, Celestia help me, I didn't listen, "Why don't you hate me?"
Tears started falling from her eyes at that. She fell a few hooves in the air, and only stayed airborne by forcing her wings to flap. However, to her credit she looked me dead in the eye when she said what she said next.
"I do."
"What?"
"I hate you, I hate every fiber of your being. I hate that she's dead and her murderer gets to live. I hate that you took her from me, that I'll never see her smile again, that I'll never hug her, kiss her, or tell her I love her ever again. I hate you more than I can hate anyone ever for taking her from me."
"Then why are you helping me?!"
"Because she would've wanted me to," Tears were falling freely now. Almost as if it were a never ending downfall of pain coming from her eyes, "She would've wanted me to help you, to help us, to help myself. You... you have no idea how lucky you are, how fortunate you are to have a family, to have a love, and I hate that about you. I hate that you get what I'll now never have. But... but I don't do this for you, I do it for her. For her memory."
"High."
"When I do die, when I see her again, I want to be able to face her, to let her know that her sacrifice was not in vain. If I can do that, I'll be able to hold my head high."
"HIGH!"
"What?" she blinked.
"Who said that you'll never love again? She will wait for you, true, but that doesn't mean that you have to live a cruel life now and greet death with open arms!" I said.
"Move on... Could you? Could you move on if Lavender was killed?"
"She would expect me to. Clinging to past love might be good for the heart, but it will kill your soul and everything else," I replied, and it was the truth.
"My soul died when she did," High stated, then started to turn around.
"You stubborn idiot!" I shouted, causing her to freeze dead in her tracks, "Do you think I wanted her death? You told me yourself that you all had to keep the play up for the queen until the end. The others even told you that she wasn't ready, yet you cling to it. You are a stupid little foal! Was that what she would've wished for you? Stop putting shame on yourself, and stop putting shame on her!" I yelled with all my might.
She didn't reply, she didn't do anything. She simply hovered in place. It took me exactly five seconds to figure out what she was doing. She was crying. She was simply sobbing.
With a sigh, I unfolded my wings and pulled her into my embrace. She struggled and cried louder at first, but soon stopped, "I'm sorry!" she sobbed, "I hate you, I really hate you, but you're right. I don't know if I can let it ever drop, but I know that you didn't want it. I know that it is mostly my fault that she is gone! I know that I killed her!" she sobbed, staining my coat with all her tears, but I didn't care about that. I simply held her.
"You really are an idiot," I said back before realizing that I was sobbing, too, "You didn't kill her, you weren't responsible for her death at all."
"Yes I was," she whispered.
"You said she was headstrong, let me ask you this. If you had told her to stay home, if you had forced her, locked her in her room, what would she have done? Would she have listened?"
She went silence at that, "No," she whispered after a while with wide eyes, "She always wanted to be at my side, or at least help me."
"We're all a victim of our situations, situations she put us in. If you want to hate me, hate me. If you blame me for her death, do it. I'm the one that killed her, I'm the one that took her from this world. But never, not once, ever blame yourself. This is not your fault. She went because of her, she was killed because of me."
"You... you gave her mercy... you made it so she didn't suffer."
"And I still regret it. I would've saved her if I had known a way," I spoke softly before looking directly into her eyes, "High, I promise you something on my life. I will search for a way to rescue every single changeling that doesn't want to stay under the queen. And I will find a way to rescue them alive!"
"No."
"No?" I asked.
"No, promise me that you'll take care of your family. Find a way to prevent your daughter from ever being under her thrall, I'll free the changelings with it."
"I promise it, High," I replied confidently.
She hugged me then. I felt her breath on the side of my neck, the tears in her eyes, and the shaking of her sobbing body, but still, she hugged me.
"I still hate you," she said.
"I know."
"But we're in this together."
"I'd expect nothing less from my foal's godmother."
She pulled back at that, "What?"
"I have to talk with Lavender about it, but yeah, if you're willing, I'd like you to be her godmother."
"I... I... I don't know what to say."
"Yes is generally appropriate," I chuckled.
"YES!" she said with a cry of joy.
Together we flew back to the house, the mood was changed between us. I knew she still hated me, and I didn't begrudge her a bit. But I also knew she'd be the most loyal friend I could ask for. In the end, that's all I could ever hope to ask for.
"I'll talk with Lavender about it tonight," I said when we landed on the front porch and opened the door.
I got exactly three steps away when a sharp cry of pain sounded from behind me. It sounded like every nerve ending in the poor mare was lit on fire all at once. I quickly turned back, trying to find the source of the noise. To my horror, it was coming from High Spirits.
She was holding her head, crying out like it was on fire.
"HIGH!" I shouted. |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Trouble ahead | Chapter eighteen: Trouble ahead
High was clinging to her head and struggled to stay on her hooves. I was sure that everypony in ten blocks had heard her cry.
It didn't take long for the door to crash open, allowing Rosewing to rush out, her eyes glaring green, "What's wrong?" she asked after a look at High Spirits.
"I don't know, she just cried out and grabbed her head," I answered.
High growled before looking at us, her eyes glowing even brighter than Rosewing's, "One of her high ranking officers is near. She is trying to get control over me with images of you killing Electric," she mumbled, glaring at me.
"We have to bring her in. Lavender, please fill your bathtub with ice cold water. It will help her."
Lavender nodded and rushed inside. I hadn't even noticed that she was outside. I shivered at the thought of High fighting with the queen, knowing how hard it must have been. Me and Rosewing each took a hoof and helped High into the house. With a green pulse of magic, I shut the door, just in time to muffle her next cry of pain.
"AHHHHHHHHH!!!"
"There's gotta be something we can do for her!" I shouted.
"Get her into the bathwater!" Rosewing shouted as we pushed forward, desperately trying to do something to help her out.
"Can't we knock her unconscious?" I asked.
"No, she'll still be in pain, not to mention that it will be much easier for the queen to control her then."
"Buck," I mumbled as we took her into the bathroom. Lavender had been quick, emptying the ice cube trays from the fridge directly into the tub. That being said it would still take a while to fully fill up, "The garden hose," I told her.
Lavender nodded at me and ran out of the room. In truth, I had no idea just how this would help, or if filling the bathtub faster would even make a difference, I just didn't want her to worry. I wanted to keep her busy, to give her something to do in this crisis. I knew from experience that idle time during something like this only lead to bad thoughts, something neither she or our foal needed.
"Dump her in," Rosewing stated.
"Sorry," I said softly as she lifted her up and over the tub. With a small splash, she fell into the water.
"Bucking hell!" she shouted as the cold water sapped her strength, causing her to transform back into her changeling form as well.
She has poison green eyes, I never expected that.
"Try to relax, let the water cool you down and try to bring up the mental barrier we practiced!" Rosewing told her, splashing water over her head with her hoof.
"It burns!!!!" High Spirits shouted into the heavens as she kept arching her back and buzzing her wings, trying to find some position where the pain would lessen.
Me and Rosewing were soaked before either of us realized it. Rosewing held her down, trying to keep her in the water. I was forced to the side, only able to watch, not knowing what to do in this situation, but not wanting to go far just in case I was needed.
High's struggling continued for a while until it settled down to short spasms of her hooves, her body twitching from time to time. It really seemed like the cold water would help.
"Breath, just concentrate on your breathing," Rosewing stated over and over, "Remember the good times, remember Electric."
"AHHH!!!!" She trashed in the tub, worse than ever before. I had no idea if it was my imagination or not, but to this day I swear that I saw the water evaporating around her.
"High, High, calm down!" Rosewing was in tears now, trying desperately to reach her friend, to give her some peace of mind, to try and take away some of her pain. Nothing she did worked. Worse, when she got too close, her hoof received a cut from High Spirit's horn.
"AHh," Rosewing stated, pulling back in pain.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"I don't know, it normally works, it normally strengthens our defences. She's..."
"I think I know," I cut her off. From what she said, from what I'd learned, they broke away due to falling in love, real love. That was what Rosewing tried to do, she tried to remind High Spirits of the love she felt. However, after Electric's death, that would only be a thorn in her side, it wouldn't be something she could use against the queen's attack.
With a calm demeanor I did not truly possess, I walked to the edge of the tube, taking Rosewing's place. I looked down at the struggling changeling in the tub, she was thrashing around, grunting and hollering in pain. I placed my hoof upon her chest, forcing her body below the water's surface.
"You have to fight her, High Spirits. You can't let her win. You took on responsibility, didn't you? You have someone you have to be here for, someone you have to be yourself for. You're a godmother now, High. You're a godmother to my foal. You promised me, and yourself that. You can't let her win."
High's struggling paused and she looked up at me, "You... Yes, I promised... I promised!"
When a noise came from behind, I turned around to see Lavender shoot me a smile, "I'm sure you wanted to tell me about that at some point, but I think it's a wonderful idea."
I didn't reply, I simply smiled at her and turn back to the tub. High stopped thrashing, she was simply laying in the water, looking up, almost as if she could see something on the ceiling of the bathroom that we could not.
"She is trying to find out what I want to protect... She wants to know what makes Lavender and you so strong," she turned to me, "I'll never offer her any information. I'd rather die than put my family on a plate. Electric was my family," a tear rolled down her muzzle, "And now you are my family."
I could feel tears in my eyes, and a quick glance at Lavender told me she felt the same. Wrapping her in one wing, we looked at High, "And we would love to call you a member of this family," I said with a smile.
High was crying again, although this time I knew it was not from pain, but from joy. Lavender nuzzled into my coat, her muzzle reached the tip of my ear before she asked a question meant just for me. I looked at her and nodded my agreement.
She truly has the best ideas.
"High, with your blessing, we'd both like to name our foal Electric," I said.
High Spirits shot out of the water, her pony form back on like it was just another day. She didn't say anything, she simply wrapped us both in a very wet hug and cried, her unspoken words all the blessing we ever needed.
Rosewing's jaw hit the ground, "It worked! How the hay did you know that this would work?!"
High Spirits looked up and her expression darkened, "It did, but there is no time to cheer. There are scouts on their way and... and," she stopped and sobbed.
"What?" Rosewing asked.
"Silver Speed is dead," was the only answer she got before High Spirits broke into tears again.
My wing tightened around Lavender. I knew the risks, I knew that we wouldn't all make it, but having it actually happen, having someone I knew die, even if it was for such a short amount of time, it was very different.
"No... It can't be," Rosewing said, dumbstruck.
"We need to end this, and quickly," I said, "No more deaths, no more..."
A loud knocking on the door startled us.
Three heads snapped in the direction of the door, only High didn't bother to look, she was the only one not surprised, "I guess it's them."
"Who?" I asked.
"I don't know who she sent, I just know someone was on their way, they'll want to speak to you."
"I'll kill them," I said, surprising myself with my own boldness.
The knocking got louder and I growled before leaping out of the bathroom and to the front door. I casted a small protection spell before opening the door and rushing forwards, just to find myself muzzle to muzzle with Purple Star.
"Hey, Dew. I heard about the thing with the shop. Can I come in?" she asked.
Oh damn, bad timing. Really bad timing. But it explains why I didn't feel any changelings around.
"Purple Star, this is a really bad time, you mind if we talk about it another day? We kinda got something big going on..."
"I also came here to warn you. The guards found a trail from the ponies that lit the shop to fire. There... there was nothing left of them, simply burned to ashes. The unicorns from the guard say it was powerful magic. Seems like somepony wanted to erase all his trails."
If you only knew.
Before I could answer, High appeared behind me, panic on her face, "Get down! They're here!" she shouted.
I didn't even give Purple Star time to react, I simply pulled her in with my magic and closed the door shut. At that moment, I really didn't care about revealing myself to her, because in the next moment, the door glowed and shook under the impact of something hitting it.
"I'm glad I reinforced it with those spells," Lavender mumbled before she caught sight of Purple Star, "We're doomed..."
"What in the name of Luna is going on here?" Purple asking before slowly retreating back while keeping us in her view.
"Please, Purple. There will be time to explain, but trust me now. We're all in danger, you too, now that they've seen you."
"I don't think the door will hold that much longer," Lavender commented, and she was right as the angles of the door slowly but steady started to warp under the pressure of the hits.
"My armor is magic resistant, it can protect me for a while if they dare to attack me," Purple stated.
"Oh really?" High asked, "Can it protect you from pure changeling magic?"
Purple Star's face lost its colour at that, "WHAT?!"
"Look, we can talk later, but we have to go NOW!" I exclaimed and she shook her head as to clear her thoughts before nodding.
Before any of us could take another step, a huge magical wave hit the door, breaking through the protection spells and blasting the door to smithereens. The fragments of which flew in our direction.
I didn't even think about it, I simply acted. Forcing Lavender down to the ground, I shielded her with my own body. My reward for doing so was several splinters of wood embedded in my back, but to me they were well worth the pain.
Purple Star reacted with the grace one would expect from a Lunar Guard. She quickly shielded herself by turning sideways, so most of the shards would hit her armor before glaring at the two intruders.
Two changelings were standing in front of the former door, grinning wickedly, "Look who we got here. The traitors and their little pets. We even got a new pegasus to play with! This will be so much fun!" one of them exclaimed.
"If you don't want to end up burnt like your former companions, you should leave, now!" I growled, desperately trying to stay in my disguise. A task that was becoming harder with every smug grin they sent our way.
"Attacking a citizen of Equestria is an act of war!" Purple Star hissed the words, her stance that of a trained combat pegasus.
"Shut up, we're not interested in you, weak pony. This is an internal matter, we want the traitors," the other changeling scowled.
Purple looked at me, and I could see that her mind worked for a few moments before her eyes widened and she backed away from me.
"Purple Star, I will tell you everything once this is over, but please believe me that I'm not your enemy! I just want to live in peace with my family!" I practically cried the last sentence out.
"I'm sure the pony you killed said the same thing, what was his name again?"
"The queen used me!" I shouted, hurt that Purple Star continued to back away.
"Ahh, we've made her upset," The smaller one chuckled.
"You," I couldn't hold myself in anymore, and with a scream, my disguise dropped, "I'll kill you both!" I shouted as I charged the very same beam that I had used to burn the last changelings.
My attack was aimed at the larger of the two. I had no idea which one was actually the real threat, but I knew that size tended to matter. It was clear that either the queen never told them what had happened to the last changelings, or they simply didn't believe it. The larger changeling moved too slow to avoid it completely, and his right hind leg burned completely under my attack.
What was the most off putting, he was still smiling even through the pain, "Hehe, you pack quite a punch, for a half breed freak of nature."
"What are you doing here?!" I growled the words. My demeanor that of a cold blooded killer.
"I bet High Spirits here told you that we wanted to talk. That's not the whole truth," he smiled.
"What's the whole truth?"
"Aurora..."
The voice froze me dead in my tracks, I turned wide eyed at a sight that caused my blood to run cold. The big one was just to get my attention, so the smaller one could sneak around to Lavender. He was holding her up as a hostage, using her against me.
"Like we said, we're here to talk, for the most part," the smaller one smiled at me in a wicked grin that told me he was more than willing to take her life.
"Okay, one question. Are you insane?" I asked him, "We're four, maybe five." I added with a look to Purple Star, who stared at me in disbelief, "You know that we could simply kill you, so why are you risking your life for the queen?"
"Because you mares are nothing. The only true mare of the hive is the queen, and it will stay like that. She said that you are just a distraction, a poison in our hive that tries to weaken and kill her and the whole hive! We won't let that happen!" the smaller changeling shouted, his eyes glowing in hate.
"Besides," the big one added, "We're a hive, the hive is only strong when everyone follows orders. You remember those right? Orders? If it wasn't us, she'd send someone else."
"She used those orders to throw us into a war that we were destined to lose! She forced us to end our own lives!" High Spirits cut in, "Without her dumb orders, we would be a hive! Now, we are nothing but a few seperated groups of survivors fighting for their lives under ponies!"
"You mares really are dumb, we only EXIST because of her! We are the hive, and we are only weak because of links like you."
"Aurora is the best example of why we DON'T NEED the queen!" Rosewing growled.
"That sick bastard? She only lived this long because the queen allowed her to," the bigger one laughed.
A laugh that was cut off as the smaller changeling cried out in pain. We all looked up to him to see a deep cut in his chest, Lavender not in his grip anymore. Next to him stood Purple Star, with an expression of pure hatred on her face, a long, purple blade held in her wing, "I won't allow your war to go on right here between ponies. Retreat or die, in the name of the Lunar Guard!"
The smaller changeling made his last mistake. Hissing in pain, he lurched towards Purple with his teeth, just to receive her sword right through his face and falling to ground, not moving anymore.
As one, we all turned to the bigger changeling. What took me aback the most, was that he looked amused by the fate of his comrade. Almost smiling about it.
"Understand something, we came here to deliver a message, not to kill. Next time it will be to kill, and you'll never see us coming."
"What's your message?!" I asked with a growl.
"The queen wants to meet," he said, and I scoffed at that, "Just to talk, and just with you. She gives you her word that nothing will happen to Lavender during that time."
"You can give her an answer," suddenly Lavender walked past me in her changeling form, "From my own experience, I know that she is not trustworthy, so this is my answer."
With that, she blasted the changeling right into his chest and out of our house, right through the door he came in through. We could see him slumping down onto the floor in front of our house, spitting blood, "You dumb mares, now you'll all die!" he shouted.
High Spirits walked out and stopped in front of him, smirking, "Tell the queen that she can kiss my flank," she said before ending his life.
Lavender walked back to my side, her form back into a pegasus. She rubbed her coat along my chitin. I put my disguise back on and wrapped a wing around her, holding her tightly after what we went through. She nuzzled me softly and I hummed, glad that she was alright.
"I don't want to disturb your lovely little moment, but we've got another problem," High Spirits stated with a look at Purple Star, who still held her blade high, this time directed at us.
I turned to face her, my head held high, "So... I guess we need to talk."
"Explain everything, now," she grunted out each word though her clenched teeth.
"High, please pull the body in and clean the blood," I said before turning to Purple Star, "You might want to sit down, the story is rather long." |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Foe or Ally? | Chapter nineteen: Foe or Ally
Purple Star made no move to sit down, the blade still held up high.
"She asked you to sit down," High Spirits hissed, and Rosewing joined in.
I had no idea what suddenly made me the leader, but they stopped as I raised a hoof, "Purple Star, if we were your enemy, I could've killed you days ago without you expecting anything. I assure you that we simply want to live here in peace."
Purple Star looked at me, her gaze burning into my eyes before she sighed and sat down, but notably, her blade stayed high.
Well, better than nothing.
I sat down across from her and gestured for the others to do the same. High quickly fixed the door in her magic before she sat down in front of it. Rosewing sat down where she could see everything, and Lavender took her spot directly at my side, snuggling up next to me.
"Want the full story, or do you have any questions?" I asked Purple Star.
"What are you, exactly?" She asked.
"Well, maybe you've seen that I have a cutie mark in my changeling form. I'm a so-called half breed, the child of a pegasus and a male drone."
"Why do you fight other changelings?"
"To protect my family, and to be free," I replied and rested one hoof against Lavender's belly.
Purple Star's eyes went wide as she noticed the movement. I could practically see the question burning into her eyes as her mind processed the information.
"Yes, it's mine. Changeling mares can breed with both genders."
"Interesting," she said with a blush.
I noticed that her blade slowly lowered, but remained in her grip, "Listen, Purple, we have no interest in hurting anypony. Until now, the Queen used us; but no longer. Now some kind of civil war is going on. We're some sort of threat to her, she's trying every trick in the book to get to us, but I won't let it."
"Why are you all mares? Or are these just your disguises?" Purple tilted her head.
"We are mares. We have no real rank or status in the hive, we're just in the way of the Queen as the only real mare that gets accepted by the hive. They use us, hurt us, and then try to get rid of us," High cut in, and I was thankful for it, since I had no real experience with the life of a mare in the hive.
She used me as a Captain, but I was just her toy.
"Why don't you... why don't you start from the beginning?" Purple said.
"Are you sure?" I asked, "It's a really long story."
"Yes. The short version is fine if you can summarize it," the sword that refused to go down told me she was serious about this request.
I sighed and collected my thoughts, "I hope you don't mind that I skip my birth and a few years after that. I was still a filly, around eight or nine years old and living a completely normal life. My mom cared for me and I was happy. At some point I started to feel strange, sometimes filled with power, but I never told my mom anything. Then, one night, the Queen captured us. She revealed my true self to me."
"What about your mom?"
"She was a normal pegasus and caring, she tried to keep everything away from me."
"Was?"
"She's dead, as far as I know," I replied, my voice shaking slightly, but I quickly got a hold of myself.
"What happened then?"
"I worked for the hive, I simply had to. The Queen used me for most jobs around ponies, since anti-changeling spells wouldn't work on me at all. This all went on, and she even gave me the title of a Captain and put some changelings under my command. Until the wedding," I trailed off.
"The wedding of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Captain Shining Armor?" Purple asked with wide eyes.
I nodded, "I was part of the attack, but as you know it failed. The spell hit me, but I survived."
"Most didn't," High Spirits added.
"I took it as a chance to get free from the hive, and even found a place to hide for a bit, but the Queen found me again. You basically know the rest until today," I ended.
I had no idea why I cut the details about Berryshine and my escape out, but I felt better without talking about it.
"So, if I'm to believe you correctly, you all somehow managed to escape the Queen's control and are just trying to live your lives in peace masquerading as ponies?"
"It's not a somehow," Lavender replied, "Aurora and I cut the bond to her the moment we decided to live on our own, to create a family," she smiled.
"Aurora?" Purple Star asked.
"My real name is Aurora Blue," I replied.
"And the rest of us found good, or at least acceptable ways to deny the Queen acess to us," Rosewing added.
"And kill ponies," Purple Star said as she looked right at me.
I wanted to reply to that, but it was Lavender. Her wings shot open and she growled as her disguise dropped, "Don't you even dare insult my wife! She was under the control of the Queen, her toy! She did it because the Queen gave her false facts and clouded her mind!"
Purple Star quickly pulled back and raised her blade, while I simply laid a wing on Lavender's back, causing her to slump back and bring her disguise back on, "Sorry, dear," she whispered and nuzzled me.
"That's.... that's not entirely true," I said, eyes closed as I looked down.
"Aurora, no!" Lavender shouted.
"No, she needs the truth. If we're asking for her trust, we can't lie to her," I replied.
"What is the truth?" Purple Star asked, her voice betraying none of the emotions she must have been feeling.
"I did kill a pony. Yes, it happened while I was working for the Queen, but it was my choice to do so. The Queen had told me someone was about to blow our cover, a reporter. I snuck into his office and found out that not only did he have pictures, but he had them of Lavender," I hugged her tighter, "I took his life, I did it willingly to protect her from being found out."
"Thank yo-"
"And I'd do it again."
Purple's eyes went wide at that, but, notably, she lowered the sword, "I would do the same for Wave Night."
"Now that you know, what are you going to do?" Rosewing asked.
"I'm still a Lunar Guard. I... I won't arrest you... for now. But I have to talk with Luna about it;" Purple said with a small smile.
"Princess Luna?" High Spirits asked, wide eyed.
I could feel that she was about to do something dumb, and I had no intention of letting her hurt Purple Star. With a flicker of my magic, I restrained her against the ground and glared at her, "Don't do anything stupid. She's not the enemy, and if she's got to talk with Luna, let her do it!"
"But they'll kill us all!" High shouted.
"She won't," Purple said, "I've known Luna for a long time, and she knows what it's like to be controlled, or at least act for another one. She will listen to you, maybe punish you all; but she won't ever kill or seriously hurt you."
The sudden knocking startled us to the core, and Rosewing opened it, just to reveal Wave Night in her full armor and two short blades in her wings.
"Night, weapons down, everything is okay," Purple smiled at her, and Night looked around, focusing on all of us before indeed lowering her blades.
"I have... one stipulation before I agree to this," I said.
"What?" Purple asked as Night stood by her side.
"I want your assurance that no harm will come to any of us by the princess."
"She wouldn't!"
"You may be her friend, but that doesn't make her mine. I consider you a friend, Purple. If you leave here, if you report us, things may happen beyond your control. I want your assurance that we'll be alright doing this," Notably, my hoof fell upon Lavender's stomach when I said that.
She noticed my actions and my reasons, I'm sure my words of 'I'd do it again' still rang in her ears, "Fine... you have my assurance, on one condition. You take responsibility for all the actions of your group while we await her word."
"They won't do anything, isn't that right, High Spirits?" I shot her another glare.
"But we will protect against the Queen's hive if they threaten or attack us!" Rosewing replied.
"They're your friends, Aurora. That doesn't make them mine. I consider you a friend, Aurora. I want your assurance," Purple Star said, using my own words against me.
The fact she called me a friend even after all this gave me pause before I nodded, "You have my assurance, as long as we can still protect our family."
"That's fine, as long as no ponies die or get hurt," Purple said back with a smile.
"What did I miss?" Wave Night asked.
"Changeling attack, I'll fill you in on the rest of the details later," Purple said with a kiss to Night's cheek before turning to me, "I couldn't see it before. I want to see your cutie mark as a changeling, and what else is different. I also would like to see your natural form."
"Wait, what?" Wave Night asked.
"You're doing this to show Wave everything so you don't end up fighting with her later. So she'll see with her own eyes?" I asked with a smile, and she nodded, "Clever, but it will only be me, keep the rest out of it."
"Thats fine," Purple replied.
With a sigh, I dropped the disguise of Morning Dew, causing Wave Night to shriek and quickly raise her blades. Purple shook her head at her, unsurprisingly, Wave didn't relax. Once my disguise was down, Purple slowly moved closer, looking at me closely. Her gaze went over my buzzing wings, over my cutie mark, and then to my eyes.
"Your eyes are somehow different. I can't point on what exactly it is, but they are different from any other changeling I've seen before," Purple whispered.
I tilted my head in curiosity. I had never noticed that they were different before. Putting it aside for a moment, I put my natural disguise back on. The body I was raised in. In a quick flash of green, I was Aurora Blue again, the white pegasus with the light blue mane and tail.
"Ahh, you don't know how much better that feels," I sighed, ruffling my feathers, "This is my natural body."
"I... I... I," Wave Night mumbled.
"I'll explain it all later," Purple repeated as she turned to Wave, a small smile upon her face.
Wave simply moved to Purple's side, her stance was tense, her demeanor on edge, but she said no more. She simply kept her gaze upon us all, not trusting us.
"Morni-Aurora, I'm taking a big risk here. My duty requires me to detain you and take you to the authorities. I'm not going to do that, I'm going to talk to Luna directly, see what she wants to do about it. If in that time you run, or you switch to a new form, I'll be arrested. I'm trusting you here, because even after everything, I still consider you a friend," Purple said.
I gave Lavender one last hug and stood up, "I'm trusting you with our lives, and that of my unborn daughter. Our accord is sealed with trust, and truth," I said as I walked over to her, my hoof outstretched for her to shake.
A smile came upon my face as she didn't even hesitate, the full opposite to Wave Night, who quickly took a step back as I approached her wife.
"I don't ask you to like or accept me. But I ask you to trust me in this case," I said to Wave Night.
"Who says we can't do both?" Purple asked with a small wink.
"I'm not exactly blind. The years teach you to see the truth in others eyes," I replied dryly.
"You're right. I don't like you, and I don't want to accept you. I don't even trust you, but Purple does, and that's enough for me," Wave said with a shrug.
"Come, we got a long flight to Canterlot," Purple said to Wave.
"And you've got one hell of a long explanation to catch me up on what happened before I got here," Wave said back.
They made their way to the door and I sighed, swapping back to my Morning Dew disguise, "Come on," I turned to the others, "We've got a lot to do if we want to survive here. Lavender, we need more protection spells over the windows and doors. Rosewing, go to the market and bring us some supplies. High, I need your help to get us free from work for a few days."
They all go up to do what was instructed of them, all but one. High Spirits kept on eye on our two guests, watching, waiting for them to take flight.
"High!" I hollered, snapping her out of her spying.
"They're gone, we should get out of here," High stated.
"No. I gave her my word, and we do what I said. We're waiting for them to come back," I replied.
"Aurora, they're going to tell Princess Luna about us!"
"So what? Should we flee and give them the biggest reason possible to follow and kill us? If we flee now, Luna will suspect that we just tried to fool them. She will punish Purple and her wife, and we are doomed to death! Start thinking!" I shouted.
"She's an alicorn, only the Queen could hope to take on an alicorn!"
"We won't take her on. We will wait here, try to survive, and do what I promised," I said, and moved to go on before Lavender stopped me.
"I'm staying with Aurora. You can go if you want, High. But I'm staying because I trust her."
High's eyes widened, "Are you dumb? Especially you, carrying an egg, should know better!"
"I'm staying with them, too," Rosewing added.
"What?" High asked.
"You're right, High, Princess Luna is an alicorn, she's powerful, and has powerful friends. I don't think I need to remind you who our enemy is. I think Aurora is right on this call, we need her help if we're going to win. Otherwise, the Queen will continue to pick us off, one at a time. Just like," Rosewing didn't finish that sentence, she didn't have to.
High Spirits looked like she was visibly struck. Her demeanor changed at that, "I... I still think this is a bad idea, Aurora. But... you're our leader, I'll trust you on this one."
And again. What did I do that made me the leader?
"I told Purple I'll take full responsibility for everyone, if Luna demands a pound of flesh from us, I'll give her mine."
"Aurora, no!" Lavender shouted.
I don't know how I became their de facto leader, but it wasn't a responsibility that I would shrink from, "Hey, relax, I don't think it will come to that."
"Think?" Lavender asked.
"I know it won't come to that," I replied.
"I hope you are right, because I will protect you as my mate," Lavender said, and I could feel that she wasn't joking.
"Heh, that reminds me," I started, focusing on her, "You called me your wife before?"
"Did... did that bother you?" Lavender timidly asked.
"Not at all," I replied with a smile before leaning in and nuzzling her, "I like it, to be honest."
She nuzzled back, smiling at me.
"Salutations are in order!" Rosewing said with a smile, "So, for now we just bunker down and wait for Purple to get back?"
"That's the plan for now. Canterlot is a half day of fast flying away, so if everything turns out well, they should be back tomorrow or the day after," I said after a few moments of silence.
"We should hurry and take care of what we need before the Queen strikes again," Lavender stated.
High Spirits and Rosewing nodded. High went outside to head to the weather station, while Rosewing headed to the kitchen, making a list with everything we would need. Lavender gave me a gentle kiss before going to her task and reinforcing every window and door in the house.
It wouldn't stop a dedicated attack, but that wasn't the point. The point was just to give us enough warning to respond to any attack. At most, we'd have to last here for two days until Purple got back.
I had no doubt the Queen already knew the authorities would be here soon, Purple's presence when we killed the two changelings would have seen to that.
That reminds me...
"I'll deal with the bodies," I said, just to be reminded that I had no idea where High had put the one that was outside.
The small one inside was easy enough, although the blood was leaking into the carpet. Using my magic, I picked him up and carried him out to the backyard. From there, it was a simple matter to relocate some dirt and drop him into the hole.
"Hey, Lavender, did you see what High did with the other one?" I asked when I came back inside.
"I think she destroyed his body and the blood outside."
"She did WHAT?" my eyes went wide.
"She destroyed his body and the blood. It was the quickest and easiest way," Lavender replied softly.
Knowing where this would go, I walked outside to the front yard. Sure as heck, it stunk of burnt flesh. There was a flash burn on the ground, the sign of the extreme heat that was all that remained of the larger changeling that attacked us, "That numbskull," I said, facehoofing.
Magic wasn't really an option to deal with this one. Not disguised as a pegasus anyway. Purple might be going to get princess Luna, but there wouldn't be much even she could do if we revealed ourselves willy nilly right now. With a sigh, I went and retrieved the garden hose and started to spray down the area.
"Wow, that stinks," a passing earth pony commented.
"Yeah, burned compost. Nasty stuff," I replied with a forced smile and a shrug.
"Is that what that huge commotion was about earlier?"
"Sorry," I forced a laugh, "Few experiments gone wrong, we got it mostly cleaned up."
He looked at me with a disbelieving glare, but didn't say more on it. The pony simply continued on his way.
After a few minutes, Lavender walked outside and joined me, "Hey, lover."
"Hey, wife," I said back, earning a blush and a kiss on the cheek from her, "Did you finish already?"
"Yep, every entrance and access point has a magic seal over it, so unless they simply destroy the house, we should be alright."
We both paused at that. If she wanted to, she could do just that.
"We both know that she can't afford to kill you. You're too important to her," Lavender tried to erase my concerns.
"But we both know that nothing would stop her from you," I shot back.
"Aurora..."
"I'm not worried about me, I couldn't care less if I make it through this or not. It's you that needs to live," I practically sobbed the words.
She smacked me on the forehead.
"What?"
"Don't... don't ever say that. Don't... I couldn't... I can't do this without you," She was crying, really crying.
I quickly leaned against her, nuzzling her neck, "We'll endure this together. It was just a thought. I want you and our filly to survive, and I would give my life to ensure that."
I was hugging her, squeezing her, but she wasn't returning the favor, "Stop saying that," she mumbled the words.
I pulled back, "What do you mean?"
She looked me in the eye, there was the last emotion I'd ever expected to see in them: anger. She was mad at me.
"You keep saying that, you keep saying you're ready to die, you'll take responsibility, you'll give your life for mine. You act like your life doesn't matter, that if you died I could go on, that I could do this without you. You're wrong. Your life does matter, it matters to me. I... I need you alive, Aurora. I can't... I can't," she turned and ran back in the house, a trail of sobs left in her wake.
"You know that was dumb," Rosewing greeted me with some bags on her back.
"She's important, I'm not," I simply replied.
"You really are dumb. She loves you, more than her own life, and you keep saying that you'd throw your life away for her? You'd better start listening and do everything to protect your family, and that also counts for your own life," she said with a glare before passing me and going in.
"Isn't it noble to sacrifice yourself to protect those you love?" I called out.
"It's more noble to live for them." |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Waiting and Surviving | Chapter twenty: Waiting and Surviving
My mind realed at those words. Rosewing had been right, I had discounted my own life, I was so quick to make the ultimate sacrifice that I was actively looking for it to happen. I'm sure I even expected it, I expected to die, to give my own life for Lavender's.
Walking back into the house, the mood was as oppressive as ever. Like the house itself was punishing me for my words, for being so dumb. I couldn't look up at anyone. I didn't want to face their accusing glares, to be reminded of how dumb I had been.
With my head downcast, I walked right past the living room and to the spare bedroom. I knew it was technically where High Spirits or Rosewing was staying, I just had to hope they wouldn't mind company.
Bless her heart, Lavender had been expecting such a boneheaded maneuver.
"Aurora," Lavender said.
Hearing her voice again caused me to look up, "Lavender, I..."
"You were going to sleep in here, leaving me all by myself again?"
"What, no..."
I was.
"You think I don't want to share my bed with you anymore?"
"No... I..."
I did.
"You really are an idiot, Aurora."
I am.
She started walking towards me. I could only fall back on my flank, my head still looking down at my hooves. I was too ashamed of my words, and worse, my actions, to look up at her. I expected a lot, for her to yell at me some more, Celestia knew I deserved it. Or for her to hit me, I wanted her to hit me.
She did none of those things, she hugged me instead. I felt it then, her tears falling upon my mane, her sobs echoing through her body. She was crying, and it was my fault.
"Aurora, you have to be there for us, not just throw you life away on the first and best occasion," she said through more sobs.
"I'm sorry," I said, realizing that I was sobbing, too, "I'm so, so sorry."
She just held me, not saying a word. She did something I thought was impossible at that moment; she forgave me.
"I love you, Aurora. Never forget that. One stupid fight means nothing compared to that."
"Let me make it up to you," I said.
"There's only one way you can," she replied, pulling back from me so she could look me in the eyes. It was then that I saw it; her tears staining her muzzle.
"Name it, anything at all."
"Live for me, for us," she replied, holding a hoof to her stomach.
I looked down at her stomach, and then back up to her muzzle, "I promise I will," I said, tears falling freely from my eyes.
"And that you sleep in our bed, actually," she added with a smile.
With one hoof, I wiped a tear from my eye and nodded. She grinned at me, that smile that just meant more to me than the sunrise. Together, we made our way to her room, to our room. She gestured to the bed, indicating that I should take my spot.
With a nod, I did just as she asked, like I'd done a dozen times before. She crawled in after me, pressing her back up against my chest. With one hoof wrapped around her, I started to lightly stroke her chest, earning myself a coo in reward.
Reaching out with her magic, Lavender turned off the light, letting us simply lay there with her in my hooves. I lowered my muzzle into her mane and breathed her scent in deeply, something I'd done before, but never got enough of.
"I don't deserve you," I whispered.
"You idiot, you're the only one that does," she said back, smiling.
The following night was a good and bad one all the same. A bad one because I feared what would happen to my family if everything failed. And a good one because Lavender noticed it and pulled me tightly into her loving embrace. I'll always remember it though, I knew at one point we both fell asleep, but I fought off the sandpony for as long as I could, just so I could hold her for one second longer.
Every second just meant that much to me.
Our sleep didn't last long. By the first rays of sunlight, somepony bucked at our front door, waking us and causing Rosewing and High Spirits to go on alarm at the same time.
High Spirits opened the door slowly only to see an envelope sitting on the stairs towards our home. She snatched it and quickly closed the door again.
I could almost see her tense up as she opened it and tore a picture free. We all knew who that disguised changeling on that picture had to be. Or at least that was what I thought.
The messy hoof writing under it was also a point.
Give us the half breed, get your friend back unharmed.
When High read those words, Lavender wrapped a wing around me and squeezed tighter, "It's bull," Rosewing said.
"Of course it is," High Spirits agreed, "Even if we gave them Aurora, they'd never let her go, or us for that matter."
I couldn't help but notice a tear starting to fall from High's muzzle though, I had no idea what the picture showed, but it couldn't have been good. Whatever they were doing to her, it wasn't bound to be pretty.
"Besides, there would be no point in trading Aurora for her anyway, Aurora's the whole reason we can actually win," Lavender added, quick to point out the obvious.
"Still, this is a threat to us," I said, "From now on, no one goes anywhere alone, we stay as a group. There's strength in numbers."
"And it also helps that you're something of a powerhouse," Rosewing said with a grin.
"I'm nothing special, but if all goes well, we'll soon have a powerhouse on our side," I said back.
"Cute and modest, you bagged yourself a winner, Lavender," Rosewing joked.
"Bite me," I shot back, and we burst into tense laughter.
Lavender kissed me on the cheek during our little fit. It helped to lighten the mood, but I could still feel the tension in the air, "No one answers the door again," I said, "I'll be the only one to open it from now on."
"What? Why?" High asked.
"I don't want anyone else to get hurt, and before you say anything," I said to Lavender, "No, this is not me trying to put myself in harm's way. I'll admit... I have some power, I can handle anything they throw at us."
And if they start sending pieces of her, I don't want anyone else to see it.
"That's because you are the captain, right?" Rosewing started slowly, "You've been taught spells and battle tactics other changelings could only dream of."
"I won't deny that I'm experienced in some ways, but no, I'm not a captain. Not anymore, and I don't want to be it for you. I'm your friend and family, please remember that," I said, and Lavender squeezed me tight to her side after that.
"Good words," she whispered.
I've heard it said that a strong commander can inspire ponies even though the most hopeless of times, my words seemed to breath truth to that saying. The mood in the house changed at them, it was like the presence of their threat was subtly neutralized, and we were all able to go along with our day as if it didn't happen.
At least, almost all of us. I watched as High Spirits seemed on edge, she was slightly off. Nothing major, just subtle changes to the way she carried herself. I played along, asking Lavender and Rosewing to get breakfast started. Both mares agreed, thinking nothing of it.
When they were in the kitchen, I pulled High to the side, "Let me see."
"See what?" she asked.
"The picture," I replied.
"There's no need, you know what it shows," she said in quick, snap dismissal.
"Is it Silver Speed?" I simply asked.
"No," High answered, her hoof shaking as she showed me.
It was Electric Blue. Or at least, High thought it was.
"That's.... that's not possible."
"Why?"
High had addressed me simply, a frown on her muzzle.
"You know why!" I shouted, "They're playing with us!"
"It could be her, it could be," High said through choked up tears.
"It's not, I crushed her skull with my hoof," I said aloud and with more force than I ever intended to.
"Did you check, did you make sure that killed her? That she was dead?" High looked at me, unblinking and in pure panic.
"No.. I..."
"Then she might have survived, it might be her, they might have rescued her! Saved her life!"
"Or it's one of any number of changelings that simply shape-shifted into her form to turn us against each other" I replied back, my voice monotone.
"It could be her, too!" she said again.
"It's not," I replied.
"You don't know for sure."
"It's not."
"I gotta go find out, I gotta--"
"No, I can't let you do that."
She glared at me in anger, "And what if it was Lavender instead!"
"Now I know that you are just looking for a bucking reason to get on my coat!" I busted out, glaring back.
"Wake up, we don't really have coats," she threw back with all the bitter she could muster, "But love is real, even among us!"
"High, I can't let you go," I said.
"You can't stop me from going," she growled back.
"No... I can't, but what I can do is go in your place."
"Wh--" she never got to finish that sentence, In a flash of green magic, I knocked her out. With one hoof I caught her and guided her body to the ground.
"Sorry, I know you'll hate me for this, but it's for your own good. I'll find out if it is her or not, and either way, I'll either bring her back, or evidence of the trap I know it to be. If you went, you'd just get yourself killed. I can't have that happen to a member of my family."
"I'm going, too," Rosewing said from behind me.
I looked back, Rosewing and Lavender were both looking at me, no doubt alerted to our conversation by our shouting.
"No, and don't you even start it," I added to Lavender.
Lavender didn't comment on it, she merely said two words, "You promise?"
I smiled at that, "I promise," I said back, our conversation from last night echoed through our minds.
"Then bring back the truth," she said, "I'll take care of High Spirits when she wakes up."
"She's going to be pissed at me," I said back.
"Oh yes," Rosewing replied, "But if you are successful, she'll probably kiss you."
"You know it's a trap, right?" I asked.
"I know, but that's the thing about hope, you can never kill it, not really. However unlikely, It's not beyond the hive's ability to have saved her. She was right about that much, it is possible, if not unlikely."
"I was afraid you would say that."
"She was also right about something else," Rosewing added.
"What's that?" I asked.
"If it were Lavender, you'd already be there."
I agreed with her on that point.
"Do you know where to go?" Lavender asked as she nuzzled me.
I had a guess where I would find that information, and picked the picture up, turning it.
"You won't believe me," I laughed, then showed them the address.
Central Hospital. Fifth floor, room 508, come alone.
"It's more than obvious that this is a trap. Do you think she played her big card?" Lavender asked.
"You mean her big friends around the authorities?" a nod from her, "I don't know, but I'll set a few shields around me if that lessens your concern."
She nuzzled me gently, "No, but it's a good start."
I looked at her questioningly and she backed away, her eyes glowing and I felt a nice, warm feeling washing over me. "What did you do?" I asked.
"Adding some layers of my personal spells, just to be sure," she said with a smile, "They'll take the place of yours once they are gone or used up."
If we were alone, I would've tackled and tongue kissed her. Deep. Now that had to wait, and I gave her a light lick up the muzzle along with a glance in my eyes that promised her everything once I was back home.
She smiled at me, it was the smile of someone that truly believed in me, that trusted me, that I'd give the world for just to see one more time. I almost laughed then as I realized that this was nothing compared to that smile. I'd fight through whatever ambush they were trying to spring and make my way back to her without fail.
After all, when you have someone that loves you that much, who wouldn't?
"Dinner's at six, don't keep me waiting," Lavender said as I walked to the door and opened it.
"Like I'd ever miss your cooking," I replied back, blowing her a final kiss before stretching my wings and taking flight. ***
There was a cool breeze in the sky when I took off earlier. The wind itself seemed like it was waiting for whatever was about to happen. I closed my eyes and concentrated inward, seeking out the reserves of power I was sure I'd need.
My thoughts turned to Lavender, to Rosewing, to High Spirits. I saw them all, my family. True, it wasn't a responsibility that I had sought out, but that didn't make it any less mine, or any less precious to me.
I was approaching the hospital quite quickly, and trust me, even on the first sight it practically stunk like a damn trap.
Nopony around the hospital, it was quiet. Way too quiet.
"Yeah, like that's not a dead giveaway," I said to myself as I landed on the ground floor. When I walked into the hospital, it was just as empty on the inside as it was on the outside, the lighting kept dim, "They must have triggered the emergency lighting."
It was largely unnerving to walk into such a large building without ponies all around. As I got closer to the elevators, one opened up, empty, and just for me, "Celestia, you all must think I'm stupid," I said aloud as the elevator doors closed.
"No one thinks that you're stupid, captain," a voice huffed through the speaker from the cabin, "But you have to admit that it was quite easy to get you here."
"Did you really think I'd let High come herself?"
"Nope, we didn't. We knew you'd come in her stead."
"Is that actually Electric Blue?" I asked.
"You'll have to come see for yourself," the voice said in a chuckle as the intercom went dead.
"Buck you! I'm not stupid, and I'll get your heads for this!" I screamed and looked at the emergency exit at the top of the cabin. I just hoped there was no camera in there, and the surprise would be gone.
Running to it, I broke open the door with a blast of green magic and paused at the stairwell.
Think dammit, think this through, they want you hyper, to make stupid mistakes.
I paused and calmed myself. Going through my family's deep breathing exercises, I placed a hoof against my chest and breathed in and out in slow, rhythmic breaths. It worked, I calmed down enough to regain my focus.
A grin appeared on my face as I knew exactly what I wanted to do. They wanted me to stumble blindly into a trap, well, I'd do just that, it just wasn't going to be a trap of their making.
My destination was the fifth floor, and I'd go there, just as they expected me too, but first I'd make a little stop on the fourth floor. ***
My arrival on the fifth floor was met with the same fanfare as when I entered the building. There was nopony there, just emergency lighting and a creepy ambiance in the air. I knew my destination without issue, and walked right to the room that was no doubt holding a horde of changelings waiting to attack me.
This is going to be fun. I thought with a smile.
To my shock, there wasn't a horde of bloodthirsty changelings waiting to slice me into ribbons, the only sound that greeted me was the beep, beep, beep of a heart monitor in the room.
"What game are you playing?!" I shouted.
I expected, and received, no reply. With a sigh, I continued into the room. I was too far invested to turn back now, I doubt they would have let me anyway.
I slowly approached the bed and looked around, careful to not simply walk into a laid trap. I shook as I reached my destination and went to grab the covers from off the form of a pony-shaped object in the bed.
My jaw hit the floor at what I uncovered.
Looking at me, through wide green eyes and a wicked smile, Electric Blue stared into my face, "The queen sends her regards," she chuckled before jumping off the bed.
"What?" I screamed before it clicked in my head, "You are working for her! How can you do that to High Spirit?"
"Because she's never loved High Spirit," a voice came from the bathroom as the second largest changeling I'd ever seen in my life stepped out of it. It was one of the queen's lieutenants.
Electric flew up to him and nuzzled against the side of his chitin, "She's always loved me."
"But I killed her!" I shouted in disbelief, "You shouldn't exist anymore!"
"Just about," he replied, "Luckily I was nearby and managed to save her life, my dear Electric."
She purred up to him, almost like a kitten to it's mother. Given their size difference, that was an apt analogy.
"You know that I'll kill you both?" I asked cooly.
"Oh? You going to detonate that magic spell you cast on the floor below us?" Electric asked.
"No, not under these circumstances," I said and paused before my eyes glowed, "I'll do the same to you as to your company in the streets, remember? I'll burn you alive, there'll be nothing left to save!"
The big changeling actually laughed, "You're kidding, right?"
He stopped his laughter as I shot a beam towards Electric, making her scream and fall onto the ground once she got hit by it.
I wanted her alive to tell High everything, the pony that deserved the truth. I did it also so High wouldn't hate me based upon a lie.
"Now I'm going to hurt you, bitch!" The lieutenant shouted before tackling me with his full weight.
I shoved his head to the side with a kick so his fangs snapped into the air, but his hooves pushed painfully against my chest and stomach. I had no time to fire a spell in this position, so I acted on instinct.
Changing into the form I disgusted, I bared my fangs into his neck and twisted my head like a dog would with it's prey. He screamed and tried to get me off with hard punches against my stomach.
Hard bastard.
I knew that he was physically stronger than me. I knew he would finish me up close like this. I knew I would loose soon.
Lavender... I can't... loose.
I bathed in my feelings for her and the lieutenant frowned in shock as my horn glowed. It wasn't the usual green flicker of magic.
The glow around my horn was golden, sending blinding waves of light through the room. It shocked the lieutenant enough to forget his case to bring me to the queen alive.
He screamed and bit down my chest. It was the sharpest pain I had felt in a long time, but it didn't stop my magic.
The light grew, grew more and more until I nearly blinded myself. Then it exploded.
The lieutenant was forced off me, but at the same time a giant pain exploded in my chest and I saw stars in my gaze.
As the light faded off, I laid heavily breathing on the ground, my body in pain. A small look to my side showed the lieutenant against the wall, his neck at a weird angle.
I knew that I had to get out of range soon, and also take Electric with me, but it was to no use. Every time I wanted to stand up, searing pain made me slumb back.
A look to my chest answered why. A big chunk of my chitin and the muscles underneath was missing, my ichor running freely over my sides and my neck.
Damn it. Remember the healing spell!
I remembered it vaguely, but the thought of my promise to Lavender helped me. Under my eyes and with a bit of my last power, the bleeding stopped, but it wasn't enough to close the wound.
I just need a few more minutes.
"Don't just stand there! Get her!" A voice shouted outside, and I stumbled onto my hooves.
They're here.
Looking at Electric Blue I growled and lifted her slowly up on my back, then I crashed through the window just in time as the door opened.
"She's getting away!" Someone screamed, but a look back showed that they didn't try and follow me.
That's weird.
Shaking my head, I focused all of my strength on flying and hoping that nopony would see me. I was simply too weak for my natural form or any other disguise. I also knew that flying should've been impossible at that moment, but I did it nonetheless.
Lavender, I'm keeping my promise.
The flight home was much longer than the one to the hospital. I was slow, way slower than I wanted to be, but the weight on my back and the wound drained me.
I don't even know how I made it, but the last thing I saw was a familiar house before my power was used up and I crashed down. ***
Someone called my name, but I wasn't able to make it out. I couldn't see or hear really anything, my body felt like it was enveloped by soft, white clouds.
The scene quickly changed into a field of green grass and a waterfall nearby. I looked around in shock to see what had caused it.
"Either I'm dead, or dreaming," I said aloud.
"The latter one," a voice calmly stated, followed by a dark blue alicorn stepping out of the shadows.
I quickly got onto my hooves and faced her, my mind going through every defensive spell I knew. But I also knew that they wouldn't help against an alicorn.
"You don't have to fear us, Aurora Blue. Purple Star explained everything and defended you in name of her pride as one of our guards."
Before me stood one of the pony sisters of legend. The Alicorn of the Night herself, Princess Luna. I'd heard the tales of Nightmare Moon, of the destruction she could cause, of how we should all live in fear of her. This mare wasn't that mare, this mare was amazing, her night blue coat, her crescent moon cutie mark, and her ethereal mane. It all added up to a sight that was truly breathtaking to me.
"The queen always told us that you couldn't visit our dreams. And why am I dreaming?" I asked.
"That's true for every full changeling, but not for you. And you are sleeping because your wounds are deep," the alicorn replied and walked closer.
My changeling instincts wanted me to pull back, to recoil at her presence, to try and save myself. However, my pony instincts welcomed her presence, almost as if she were a cooling salve on fresh burns.
The latter won out, and curiosity drew me closer to her. I got some very interested looks as well.
"Purple Star spoke of you as a dear friend and that you would speak the truth," Luna finally spoke, "Tell us, is this true? Have you befriended one of our guards, are you noble of heart and of character?"
"I know that I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, but yes. I consider Purple Star as my friend, and I live to protect my family, my wife and my foal," I stated firmly.
She sat back on her flank and stared at me, her eyes grew dark blue as she next spoke, "And yet you are a changeling, a parasitic creature that exists to suck the love and the joy from the lives of our subjects. The same species that sought to ruin our niece's wedding, captured our sister, and tried to take over all of Equestria!"
"I don't need to relate to ponies for that. I love my wife dearly, and it gives me all the strength I need. I know she feels the same, and I can swear with my life that my family isn't just here to hurt anypony," I spoke and even glared at her, "I'm not under the queen!"
The darkness that prevailed around her seemed to diminish at that. Almost as if she were considering my words, trying to view the situation from a different angle as it were. I knew the situation rested on a knife's edge when I next spoke, "It's true we feed on the love of others, but we're no more guilty than a spider that feeds on the blood of its victims."
"That still doesn't mean we welcome them into our homes," Luna said coldly.
"While you are right, let me tell you one thing. I worked hard to escape the queen and build a family. I trust Purple Star that she told you the right thing, but I will protect my wife and my foal against every single threat. I considered peaceful living amongst ponies, to see my little filly grow. Take my hoof with good intentions, Luna," I said and I could feel her anger burning upon my words, "Or get another enemy that killed changelings for the love of her live."
She looked at me as if I were making some jest, "Are you seriously threaten us?"
I laughed at that, "We both know I'd never stand a chance against you. No, I offer no such threat against you, or Equestria for that manner. And that, Luna, is the point. I'm no threat to you, but I am a threat to the hive, to the queen. Even if you cannot consider me an ally, I am still the enemy of your enemy."
"Who could still be an enemy," Luna stated.
"Who, in almost a month of being amongst your ponies, have not need to feed on a single one of them."
She paused at that, "What?"
I felt the conversation finally turn my way, "I told you, I want nothing more than to live in peace with my wife, my foal, and my family. We've all sought our escape from the queen, and we did it through our love for each other," A realization hit me then, "We've not needed to feed on ponies because that's been more than enough for me, for us."
"We're to understand you've killed one of our subjects already?"
I sighed at that, "Yes, he was a threat to Lavender's life."
"Your wife?" Luna asked.
I nodded, "Yes. The love of my life, and carrying my foal."
"You are an... interesting soul, Aurora Blue," Luna said as she looked up into the night sky. I'm not even sure when the moon came out in that realm, if it had always been there, or if she simply willed it into existence because she wanted to.
"I'm trying to live my life peacefully, and protect my family like everypony would," I replied.
"You're no pony," she countered.
"I'm a half breed. I'm more pony than a changeling."
She smiled at that comment, "That is the question, is it not? Are you? We can see you are telling the truth, to the best of your ability anyway, but whether or not you are truly more pony than changeling, or more challenging than pony, or perhaps you are both? Or none of the above. That shall be something we have to deduce before a final judgment can be made."
"What are you...??" I started but she raised a hoof to stop me.
"We shall make the judgment ourselves. In person though. You and your family shall come to Canterlot."
"I would suggest that you send us some guards. My wounds are just the beginning, and the queen won't let us leave the city," I said.
"Then we shall send you Purple Star back among some others. Be ready to depart as soon as they arrive," Luna said before nodding and melting into the shadows.
Maybe there is still hope. |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Canterlot | Chapter Twenty-one: Canterlot
Pain. Mind-numbingly strong pain. It was what I felt in the dark. Like it would swallow me right then and there. The pain held me for a long while, only to soon be replaced by a soothing coolness that washed over my whole body, along with a feeling and a scent in my nostrils, one I remembered.
Lavender.
My eyes slowly fluttered open to see the lovely, but worried face of Lavender over me. An expression that quickly turned into a loving one.
"Aurora! You're awake!" she slightly sobbed, "I thought I would lose you!"
"How is she?" a voice spoke, one I recognized as Purple Star.
"She'll be okay," Lavender replied.
"Ugh, how long was I out? It seemed like it was just five minutes ago that Luna told me that she would send you and Wave Night back to accompany us to Canterlot," I muttered, slowly trying to get up.
"That was over nine hours ago. We made it here extra fast," Wave Night replied instead of her wife.
I blinked my eyes clear a few times, trying to take in my surroundings. We were back in Lavender's house, which was a good thing as far as I was concerned. I tried to focus, to remember what had happened before I blacked out.
That's when it hit me, "Electric!"
"She's upstairs, trying to rest," Lavender mumbled.
"What?!" I shouted, "Restrain her, and do it fast! She's the traitor that sold us out to the Queen!"
"You gotta be kidding me," High Spirits replied sternly, making me realize that she was standing directly behind me, "I just got the love of my life back and you say this?!"
"High, don't let your own feelings blind you!" I stated before sighing, "Do you remember that you were always satisfied with her love? No hunger at all?"
"I," High started before stomping down, "No! I won't believe your lies!"
"Okay, you don't want to listen to my words, then you'll just have to see it!" I grumbled before getting to my shaking hooves, trying to focus on my power.
I knew a spell that could let others see my memories. And I planned to use it for the first time. Gritting my teeth, I tried to force up as much power as I could before concentrating on the spell and the memory.
My magic created a small mirror in front of me, all viewed from my eyes. It showed how I walked into the room and pulled the blanket back, just to have Electric Blue jump from it.
"The Queen sends her regards," Electric Blue chuckled at me.
My own voice echoed through the mirror, "What?! You are working for her! How can you do that to High Spirits?"
It was at that time the large lieutenant stepped in and answered me, "Because she never loved High Spirits."
Electric seemed happy and quickly went to him, nuzzling his chitin lovingly, "She's always loved me!"
My voice boomed through the mirror with disbelief and anger, "But I killed her! You shouldn't exist anymore!"
The big changeling laughed, "Just about. Luckily I was nearby and managed to save her, my dear Electric."
As I let the memory play for a little longer, I learned what the feeling of someone's heart breaking felt like. I didn't look at High, I didn't want to look at her. Though my very skin, I could feel her heart shatter at the sight I presented. When at last I knew the evidence was enough, beyond a shadow of a doubt, I killed it. Not wanting to put her through the torture of having to watch anymore.
"I... I don't understand," Rosewing said.
"She's the traitor, there's not much to understand."
"No... that's not what she meant," Lavender said.
"What?"
"Electric is the one that brought you here."
"WHAT?" I asked in shock.
"She said she came to after you two escaped from the hospital, it was her actions that saved you from the lieutenant," Rosewing said.
A crash echoed from the bedroom. My eyes went wide and I shot out in the direction of the bedroom. I could feel Lavender, Rosewing, Purple, and Wave follow behind me. We all ran right past High, who just stood there, dumbfounded.
I don't really blame her.
When I turned the corner, Electric was standing at the open window, smiling at us, "Oh, you're up already? I thought for sure I'd have more time than this. Well, at least my surprise is ready."
"What are you planning!?" I screamed.
She chuckled, "You should know as well as anyone that the hive doesn't have that many assets left, and while the queen could kill you all with a massive strike, such a bold move would attract some... unwanted attention."
"You... you let me capture you," the realization hit me like a tonne of bricks.
"Bingo. Defensive spells can be a bitch to break through, but they have one major weakness; attack them from the inside and they go down like a palace of cards."
I growled and my anger raised, "You forgot one little thing."
"Oh, and what would that be?" she asked giggling.
I could feel that she had defensive barriers around her, but that wouldn't stop me. The safety of my wife, my foal and my family were at risk for this.
"That I protect my family with everything I can. Including every bit of my training, and you've seen nothing!" I shouted before aiming and letting go.
The blue ball that headed for her was fast. Too fast, as I put the rest of my power into it. Her eyes only went wide before it hit her, no time for anything else. I watched in satisfaction as she was flung back from the window like a rock, lifeless and a shocked expression on her face before her eyes closed.
That should put her out for a few hours minimum.
Just then, I felt it. Like in my early years if I used too much magic, my vision blurred and my legs shook weakly under me. Slowly, I tripped sideways, just to be caught by something warm and feathery.
"Shh, everything is fine," Lavender gently cooed, and I saw her with a smile on her lips before they met mine, and I fell asleep again.
It was a really short slumber. As I opened my eyes again, the sun outside seemed to have not moved much since I put Electric out. Looking around, I recognized that I was lying in Lavender's and my bed, something soft to my left side. Smiling, I saw Lavender with a cute expression on her muzzle, sleeping at my side. I wanted to turn and face her, but it seemed like I had already moved too much.
"Hey, beautiful," I cooed as her eyes fluttered open.
"Hey to you, too," she smiled and reached her neck to give me a small peck on the lips.
I watched with a smile as she rolled over, "I love y--"
My words were cut off as Electric's trap was finally sprung. I have no idea how she did it, but she did. As Lavender rolled off the bed and got to her hooves, a magical drain spell went off under the bed, no doubt meant for me. My voice caught in my throat as I saw her yell in pain as lightning coursed through her body.
"LAVENDER!"
She fell to the ground in a heap, unable to move.
I jumped up out of bed and went instantly to her side, unable to believe what I had just seen.
High, Purple, Rose and Wave all burst in, "What happened?!" they seemed to yell in unison.
"I don't know.... she... she...."
High pushed me to the side, the uncertainty from her at Electric's betrayal was gone, to be replaced with something that she could actually help with.
"Electric must have done this, it's one of the queen's punishment spells, it drains all the magic from it's target."
"Is she?"
"She's alive, for now. But, Aurora..."
There were tears in my eyes as she looked at me, it was the same look a doctor might give a dieing foal's mother, "She's... she's not going to..."
"No!" I shouted.
"It just drains her magic, right?" Wave asked.
High shot her an annoyed look, "We ARE magic," she scowled, "Take all the magic from a changeling and she will die. We feed through magic, we disguise through magic!"
"That's not what I'm saying, I'm saying that the princess might be able to heal her."
"What?" High asked.
"The alicorn sisters possess more magic than anyone else in the world. If her magic is being drained like this, they might be able to restore it."
"Re... really?" I asked.
"How long does she have?" Purple asked.
"About twelve hours," High stated.
"No good, our train doesn't arrive for seven hours, and it's an eight hour ride to Canterlot."
"We'll just take the next one out, then!" Rosewing stated.
"An... unsecured transport? One that could be a huge trap?" Wave stated.
I still laid on the ground, sobbing, but that was soon replaced by more. As I stood up, my eyes flickered green, "We'll take the next train. Rose, High, restrain Electric and make sure she doesn't do anything stupid. That little brat comes with us, maybe I'll even decide to play a bit with her," I scowled, and they all took a step back, even Purple and Wave.
Wave seemed like she was about to question me, and I simply lost it, "MOVE, NOW!" I yelled, my disguise dropping and my magic extending.
At this moment, some part of me knew that I was ready to kill, no matter who. I knew that the life of my wife and my foal was on the plate. I knew that I would do everything to save her.
As they made preparation to leave, preparations which mainly involved how to transport Electric without her giving away that we were in fact changelings, I looked down to Lavender's form. She was breathing, but only barely. I could see that every breath seemed to hurt her.
"Stay with me, please," I cried as I picked her up in my hooves. Somehow she managed to wrap a hoof around my neck, it wasn't enough to support any of her weight, but I don't think that was her intent. I think she just wanted to hug me again.
"We're going, now!" I shouted as I flapped my wings, enabling me to fully pick her up off the floor.
Purple looked at me, smiling sadly, "Other night guards will join us at the train station. I managed to get a few more mares ready to help us."
"You managed to get more ready? On such short notice?"
Wave snickered, "I think you missed it, or she didn't told you, but she's the Captain. She tells us, we do."
I looked at Purple in awe, and at that moment it wasn't a surprise to me that Luna talked to me. Of course she would trust and believe her Captain, her most trusted guard.
"Okay, she's ready," Rosewing said as her and High dragged the unconscious body of Electric back into the room. I noticed that High couldn't help but to let her head drape over the floor, bumping every single obstacle.
Without further fanfare, I turned to the window and shattered it with my magic, "Little excessive?" Rosewing asked as she took flight after me.
"It's just stuff," I growled, "I have what's really important right here."
There was a mumble of agreement throughout the party as we made our way to the train station. I kept my eyes always facing forward, ready and hoping that someone would be stupid enough to come out and challenge us. Purple took the left flank, Wave took the right. High Spirits and Rosewing brought up the rear, carrying the traitor between them.
Sadly, my desire for a fight was not answered, and we arrived at the train station without incident.
"You almost look disappointed," Purple said.
"I am," I replied.
She stopped me with a hoof on my shoulder while the others went to buy tickets. I turned and glared at her with a look that said this was not the time.
A look she ignored.
"Aurora, I get it, you're pissed, and you have every right to be."
"Tell me something I don't know," I growled.
"You keep down this route, you're going to get Lavender killed."
My stern expression died in that moment, "Wh-- what?"
"What's the goal? Revenge, or saving her life?" she asked.
"Lavender!"
"Then why are you looking for a fight?"
"I want to make them pay!"
"What's the goal?"
Fuck... she's right...
Purple continued without waiting for me to answer the question, "I've seen it a hundred times. A squad mate goes down, everyone wants revenge. But that vengeance costs the battle, as they are no longer seeing the bigger picture. In those cases it was a battle, here it's saving your wife's life."
I looked down at her at that. Sometime during our flight, Lavender had--thankfully--passed out.
"There are two ways this trip could go; absolutely nothing could happen and we get there without issue. Or... we get ambushed, below strength, and with an injured teammate. You should really be hoping for the former, but even if the latter happens, you need to keep your eye on the goal, it's about saving her, and not getting revenge."
"You're right."
"You'd make a good soldier," she said in a laugh, "I think your skillset is wasted pushing clouds around."
"I'm happy with it, and it keeps my family alive," I answered.
"If the princesses think you're trustworthy, I would add an offer, but not now. We got other things to do at the moment," Purple smiled at me before looking around, "Where are they? I said thirty minutes, not thirty-five!"
As if that one comment was somehow telepathically linked to her squad, four ponies ran up to us from the back cabin of our train, "Captain," the first one yelled, "Per your orders, the rear train compartment has been secured for our usage.
I turned and looked at the black pegasus mare in full armor, on edge in case these were opponents.
"Very good. Aurora, allow me to introduce you to Midnight Strike, Black Cloud, Snow Clouds, and Endless Clouds."
My eyes trailed down them each in turn. Midnight Strike was a black pegasus mare with a yellow stripe going down her equally black mane. Black Cloud was a grey pegasus mare with a yellow mane. Snow Clouds was unique in the group as the only unicorn. She had a grey blue mane. Endless Clouds stood out due to her pink coat color and blue mane.
"Don't recruit a lot of stallions?" I asked in jest.
Purple laughed, "It's rare for them to not want to be in service to Celestia. The night guard don't have the same renown, and as such, they see little glory in it.
"Bunch of pansies, if you ask me," Black cloud said with a smirk.
"Well, if you count that Blue Wave and Thunderstreak are the only stallions in our squad, yep, you're right," Endless Clouds snickered.
At that moment, the horn blew, signaling that the train was almost ready to depart.
We made it just in time...
It was a silver lining in the dark cloud we were under. High Spirits returned with the tickets, she passed two to me before, reluctantly, going back to help Rosewing with their cargo.
"Let's get moving," I stated.
The eleven of us boarded the train at the rear. Together we made a very interesting sight. Five of us were fully decked out night guards. Two more unconscious. As I passed our tickets to the operator, we got some very strange looks indeed, but he didn't say anything more about it.
The cabin was empty, a little factoid we owed to the Lunar guard for clearing it for us. There were fifteen empty benches, enough for us each to have our own. Something that wasn't going to happen.
High and Rosewing unceremoniously dropped Electric in the center bench on the left side of the train. Rosewing sat next to her, but High took a spot right behind them, refusing to stay in contact like that.
The Lunar guard split into two teams. Midnight Strike and Black Cloud took the front of the cabin, Snowy Winters and Endless Clouds the back, no doubt to keep their strength in the front and their spellcaster in the back.
Wave Night went and took a seat on the right side, about halfway from the center and rear of the cabin. I took Lavender and sat directly across from her.
Purple stayed on her hooves, walking back and forth from the front to the back.
"Wow, she really is the Captain, isn't she?" I asked Wave.
"Yep, she'll be like this the whole trip, too. But it's mostly because she's worried for us. We're not her soldiers and recruits, we're her family. I guess that's also why she understands you so much," Wave replied. I could tell there was pride in her voice, and something else. Sadness. She may never give voice to it, but part of her wanted Purple to relax and sit by her.
"Hey Purple," I called.
"Hm?"
"How about you take a place besides your wife and relax. I'll keep an eye on everyone," I suggested, and she stared wide-eyed at me.
Her expression moved from me to Wave, I could see that same longing in her eyes that I saw in Wave Night's. However, it was only temporary, "Duty first."
Those words seemed to stab Wave in the heart.
"Hey, I thought family comes first? At least, that's how I hold it. Now, sit down and relax before I have to add a sleeping spell over a Captain to my list of crimes," I told her.
"Soldiers don't have that luxury," she replied, "But... I may have to... rest my hooves once we get started."
"That's a bunch of horseapples and you know it," I replied, "Now go 'rest your hooves'," with that, I stood up and took her position in the middle of the cabin, keeping everything in my view.
She stared at me in indignation, almost as if she were still going to fight me. Something that went away as the train whistle blew once more and we all felt a jolt as it started up, "Looks like we're on the way, weren't you saying something about that?" I whispered.
She growled for a second before she sighed and sat down next to her wife, "Okay everypony. You all listen to Aurora while I... well... rest my hooves a bit," she said, causing her guards and Wave to look at her in awe, "What? She's a Captain, too!" she said, and for the guards it seemed enough. Only her wife still stared at her, at least until she got shut off by a kiss.
I stared forward to see Midnight and Black still smirking, knowing that their surprise was not in taking orders from me, but that their boss actually gave into her soft side. My eyes didn't stay with them for long, they'd naturally find their way back to Lavender every few minutes, just to make sure she was okay.
I wonder what her guards will do once they know that we're changelings? I guess it will come to that for sure, at least once some changeling is dumb enough to attack us.
I didn't let my mind play over that question for too long, partly in worry of what they might do. Partly because I wasn't worried at all, they'd obey Purple's orders without question. After all, that's what they were trained to do.
My demeanor stayed rigid, unmoving. Every few moments I'd switch from looking over the front guards to the back ones. Unsurprisingly, they were all on point, keeping to their duties just as Purple had done before I forced her to spend some time to with her wife.
When I turned back to the front, I almost jumped out of my fur when a hoof tapped me on the side.
"WH--," I paused when I looked back and saw Purple standing up, "Tag out," she replied.
"Go back to Wave," I said, "I told you I'll take it for a bit."
"It's been three hours, Aurora. I appreciate what you did, but your wife needs you, too."
Three hours? What the...
"First rule of commanded, you can't stay on point forever," Purple said as she gestured back to the front of the cabin. I turned and looked, seeing nothing different in Midnight and Black's behavior.
"Look at Black," she whispered.
It was then I saw it, it was small, so much so that I never would have noticed it unless it was pointed out. Both ponies were still on guard, but Midnight was slightly more posed than Black, slightly more aware. Black was resting, letting herself recover while Midnight watched for her.
"How long have they..."
"Ever since we got started, they've been trading off, one on watch, one resting while still guarding. It's a little trick I teach everyone under my command. Regardless how dedicated you are, no pony can stay one hundred percent all the time."
"That's why you have them in teams of two?"
"Yep."
"But you were going to..."
"I know my limits, eight hours is nothing. After all, you don't become Captain by having good looks. Now, why don't you go... rest your own hooves. I think she's been missing you."
My eyes turned back to Lavender. She was still passed out, but the expression on her face wasn't one of a peaceful sleep, "Okay," I said as I made my way back to her.
I sat down next to her and raised her head so it laid at my side. It looked like Purple was right, because as soon as her head touched my coat, her expression slowly turned up in a smile.
"I love you, Lavender," I whispered and pressed her up to my coat. Her warmth pressed up against my own, reminding me just how much I did love her all over again. And how tired I was, the adrenaline I had been using since she rolled off the bed this morning finally leaving me.
I laid my head back, "I'm just gonna rest my eyes a bit,"
"I'll wake you if anything happens," Purple said with a smile as I drifted off to sleep next to the mare I loved. ***
"Aurora, wake up!" Purple shouted into my ear.
"What?" I asked, feeling worse than before.
"We're under attack!"
As if to place the exclamation mark on that point, the roof of the cabin broke open, revealing seven changelings lead by a lieutenant. They clung to the roof and started to walk to the front of the cabin, their prey being the front two guards.
My eyes shot to and fro, taking in the situation we were in. We were going to lose, that much was obvious. Outside both sides of the cabin, there were at least fifty changelings, possibly all the ones the queen could summon left in Equestria.
The back of the train blew out, causing Snowy Winters and Endless Clouds to have to take cover. I took in our situation in an instant. In the front, several of the other passengers had revealed their changeling forms and were already attacking Midnight and Black, both of which were using the natural bottleneck of the entrance to thin their numbers. However, with the addition of the seven from the roof, they were going to be pincered and slaughtered.
"Purple, I--," I paused, Purple had seen it, too, and was already off to counterattack the seven. Still, she'd be outmatched with the lieutenant there, "High Spirit, help Purple."
She nodded at me and took off.
I glanced back, seeing Snowy Clouds and Endless Cloud getting up. They were both worse for wear, but still in the fight, "And I'll go..."
'NO!" Wave shouted at me, causing me to pause before I could go join them in guarding the rear.
"What?" I asked her.
"What did Purple tell you? Keep your eye on the goal," at those words, she gestured to Lavender.
"But...
"No buts, the battle can be lost, as long as we win the war."
My mind raged at those words, but somehow, I didn't go join in. I wanted to, I wanted to tear apart as many as I could. However, she was right; Lavender had to come first. Still, I could adjust the layout, "Wave, come sit by me."
She nodded and hurriedly switched sides of the cabin.
"Rosewing, how's our prisoner?" I asked.
Rosewing took a potshot at one of the changelings that were about to jump for High's throat. "Sleeping like a foal," she responded, partly laughing.
I grunted at that as my eyes kept darting to each combatant. Purple Star was facing off against the lieutenant, a changeling that did not expect such a match from a pony. High Spirits fought like a mare possessed, she was using her anger and hatred at Electric against her six opponents.
I almost felt sorry for them.
Seeing them fight, I grew hope that we might actually win this.
It was hope that died when I heard a scream from the back of the cabin. My head snapped back just in time to see Endless Cloud fall to the ground, her pink coat a little darker from the blood that leaked out of a gaping wound down her flank.
"Cloud!" Snowy Clouds shouted as she powered up her horn and blasted Cloud's attacker through the side of the cabin.
That attack was a mistake, as another hole made itself known to the changelings waiting outside.
"Shit," I yelled as I looked around at Wave.
"Go," she said with a nod. We both knew that now was the time for me to join. I wasn't needed before, my job was to stay back. If I didn't go now, we would lose the war.
I jumped to my hooves and made my way to the new hole. I looked back only once, just to see Wave take my spot with Lavender.
With a smile, I turned back to the hole, just in time to see three changelings trying to make entry, "Sorry boys, mare's only," I stated as I shot all three back out of the cabin with a blast of magic power.
Thinking quickly, I picked up two benches in a green aura and pressed them against the hole. Concentrating on the metal, I preceded to heat them almost to boiling, enough for them to grasp ahold of the side of the cabin.
"It won't last forever," I said to my patchwork melding, "But it'll do for now."
Unfortunately, every second you spend in battle on B, A continues on without your notice. When I turned away, it was just in time to see another seven changelings crawl in through the hole, and to make matters worse, there was another boarding party landing in the rear, where only Snowy Clouds remained.
"Purple, behind you!" I shouted as I went to join Snowy Clouds. While the seven new arrivals were a threat, they could still fight. Snowy was going to be overrun for sure if I didn't help her.
"I'll help her!" Rosewing shouted as she jumped up and made to join in the fight.
It leaves Electric unguarded, but we really don't have a choice right now. I just hope the magic I put into her keeps her out for some more time.
I made it to Snowy Clouds barely in time to shield her from several blasts from two changelings. She shot me a thankful smile before slicing one with her blade while the other got burned by me.
Together, we fought them off, Snowy a blur of magical bladework that made my appreciation of her skill change dramatically. I fought with my magic, drawing upon all the power I had left, power that had yet to fully recover.
She only paused once when she noticed a pegasus using magic, but that once almost cost her life. A changeling lept for her throat with his fangs bared, only to be repulsed by a green shot from me.
"Thanks."
"Anytime," I replied back, smiling.
A loud crack overtook the train, causing me to pause and look forward in time to see another section of the cabin tear away, one that was far, far too close to Wave and Lavender for my liking.
"Go," Snowy Clouds shouted.
I didn't hesitate, I flapped my wings and took flight, just in time to see a second lieutenant appear through the gap he had ripped from the top of the train. He stared at Lavender with a hungry look in his eyes, "What do we have here?" he stated.
Wave jumped up and placed herself directly between the two, "I won't let you hurt her!"
"Who said anything about hurting her? You, on the other hand," He said with a laugh as his horn powered up and shot a green beam directly at Wave.
"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" I screamed as I threw myself in the path of the beam. It burned through every minor defense I could raise, hit my fur, and blistered my skin. I felt my body radiate with pain and anguish. My muscles felt like they were on fire, my brain barely able to process anything other than pain.
"Aurora!" Wave shouted, I could barely hear it, I could barely hear anything. I fell onto my side. Breathing hurt, moving hurt, touching things hurt, and even seeing hurt. I forced myself to face my attacker, not wanting to give him the pleasure of an easy kill.
"And she was worried about you, ple--"
He never finished that sentence, a purple blade pierced his throat from behind, causing him to gurgle blood and fall to the floor. My eyes focused on the one that had ended him; Purple Star was standing over the lieutenant's prone form. Her body one of cuts and blood, one of her front hooves appeared to be broken, her wings torn and shredded.
None of that showed on her face, she stared at him as one might stare at a pile of excrement on the ground, "And that's... two," she said before falling to the ground.
"Purple!" Wave cried.
She didn't even look at her wife as she looked over, but Wave stayed beside Lavender. Even I couldn't hold out much more, and a look to the front showed that Black Cloud was down while Midnight fought every single changeling on her own, blood and tears equally staining her coat.
Of Rosewing and High Spirits, I could see no sign. However, I had a suspicion that they were in the pile of changelings that were currently fighting it out, no doubt unable to keep their forms.
Another gaze, however, made me freeze. Electric Blue stirred in her position, and I could see that it was a matter of minutes before she would be awake. Something I clearly didn't want to add to my list of things on my mind.
With all the strength I had left, I rolled to my stomach and started to crawl to Lavender.
If I'm going to die, I want to do it in her hooves.
The thought wasn't a pleasant one, but it was the only one that mattered to me. Before I could make it halfway to her, another noise caused me to stop. Not by what it said, but how it was said.
"Aurora..."
It was just my name, spoke from Wave, but it was said with surprise, and hope.
I forced my head to look to the back of the cabin, in the same direction Wave was looking. The changelings were no longer attacking, they were retreating. A glance forward told the same tale. It was like it was last call at a bar, and the last one out got stuck with the tip. They were fighting each other to leave the train, their opponents left battered, bruised, and utterly confused.
"I... I don't understand."
"I do. Look," Wave said with a smile as she pointed out the gaping hole in the roof of the cabin.
I stared up and cried at what I saw. It was like the sun's wrath made manifest on the planet. Celestia, in all her glory, she was flying this way. Power radiating off her in waves of pure magical energy.
Behind her, Canterlot Mountain was coming into view.
My cries became a smile, then a chuckle, then full on laughter.
"We're... we're saved."
"She's amazing, isn't she?" Wave said with a smile.
"Yes, she is."
It felt like seconds later when the train came to a stop. Wave had placed Lavender gently by me, careful not to cause me too much pain despite me lying to her that was I fine. She then went and helped Purple, who I was relieved to hear was not mortally wounded, just exhausted after killing two changeling lieutenants back to back. Of the others, I had no knowledge of, I couldn't check on them even if I wanted to.
When the door opened, a power made itself known to us. It wasn't the brilliant light of Celestia's sun, and it wasn't a darkness either, not in an evil way anyway. Rather, it was calming, like peace made manifest. My eyes took in the princess of the night making her way onto the train car. I looked up at her, tears in my eyes as she spoke to me.
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Aurora Blue. Welcome to Canterlot," Princess Luna stated right before I passed out. |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Judgement | Chapter Twenty-two: Judgement
As soon as my eyes fluttered open, I looked around in confusion. I had expected to be thrown in jail first or a room to be interrogated, but I hadn't expected to awake in a what looked like a hospital room. I laid in a white room, everything silent except from the slow, sometimes choked breathing to my right side. I turned towards it, and my heart immediately skipped a beat.
Lavender.
She was simply lying there, a mask for breathing over her muzzle and her chest raising slow and irregularly. It was a sight that sent me into panic mode.
"You should calm down. Her state is critical, but stable," a soft voice said.
As I turned, Princess Celestia was standing in the doorway, watching my every movement closely, "It is a wonder that all of you survived, although most of you are in quite bad shape."
"Can you or your sister help her?" I asked.
"We can, but we want answers," Celestia replied as she stepped closer, "We want to know what you know. Everything. About the Queen, the hive, every single changeling you know and what is going on in Manehattan in general."
"But my wife doesn't have that much time!" I bursted out.
"You are still a changeling, and I will not forget the wedding of my niece," Celestia said with a frown.
"Oh, so that makes our life automatically worthless, is it that what you want to say? If you kill my wife, I promise nothing," I said, causing her eyebrows to furrow, "I'm not threatening you, this is a promise. If my wife dies, you get nothing," I continued, glaring at her.
"You have an amount of courage to you, changeling. I will consider it and talk to my sister," she said as she turned to leave.
"I have a name!" I growled.
"Pardon me?"
"My name is Aurora Blue, not changeling!" I said bitterly.
She left without a word. I could practically feel that she was still furious inside about the wedding, and I knew that she would be much harder to convince than Luna.
I stewed a little on the inside. Logically, I knew to expect such treatment, and probably worse. Part of me said I should just be thankful not to have woken up in some dungeon, or just to have awoken at all. But I couldn't, I couldn't settle for anything like that until I knew for certain that Lavender was okay. Nothing else mattered until that was settled.
Her breathing caught my attention again, she took two shallow back to back breaths, almost like something had caught in her throat, "Lavender," I said again as I went to join my wife on her bed.
To hell with my wounds.
I went nowhere, I tried to pull my right hoof away from the bed, to jump onto the floor, when a clank sound and something tugging against it alerted me that something was wrong. Inspecting it, I found a pair of hoofcuffs chaining me to the bed.
As if that would stop me.
Concentrating my anger upon it, I blasted it to atoms with my magic.
Or I tried, anyway. I did everything I'd normally do to use my changeling magic, but nothing happened. I scowled and tried again, a second time, and then a third. Nothing.
"What did you do?!" I shouted.
"Calm down," a voice came from the hallway, one I recognized.
"Wave Night? What's happening to me?"
"When you were admitted, they put you all through a magical dampening spell, the same they use during the Equestria Games. You're fine, just can't use magic until the spell is lifted."
"Are they bucking serious? Do you remember what I told you? We ARE magic. If they keep it up, Lavender will die faster, and the rest of us will join her soon!" I shouted.
"No, it works on keeping magic in you, you simply cannot use it to change form or perform attacks."
"Get me Purple and Princess Luna here! That's not what I agreed on!" I scowled.
"Aurora, do you think making demands and shouting is going to help your case?"
"Okay, just to repeat it for you. If Lavender dies, I promise nothing. And I can see how she is suffering. The longer you stay there and refuse to get them, the more I'm going to buck some flanks," I was very close to losing it.
"Princess Luna is already talking to Celestia, I'm sure she'll be in soon enough. As far as Purple goes, she does have her responsibilities to see to."
"And I have mine!" I shouted.
"Look, you can't change anything at the moment, so better keep quiet before the other guards or the princesses hear you. It will make your situation worse."
I pulled against my restraints three times, each one testing my strength before I figured out brute force wasn't going to win the day.
"That'll just tire you out."
"What do you know? Just shut up and keep your watch," I growled, annoyed.
"I'm not here to watch you."
"Why are you here?" I snorted, my voice laced with venom.
"I just wanted to say thanks."
"W-What?" I lost my voice at that point.
"You got hurt because you saved my life. I wanted to say thank you."
"You don't have to thank me. I saved you because I still count you as my friend, even if you don't trust me anymore," I replied, and it was true.
"I--," before she could say another word, the sound of ragged breaths interrupted both of us. I looked over in horror as Lavender struggled to take another breath, it was like her throat had closed on her. Then it dawned on me, she physically couldn't.
"NO!" I shouted
"I'll get a doctor!" Wave said, and I could hear the ruffle of wings, then nothing from her anymore.
"No!" I shouted at the wall, refusing to accept this, "No, no, no, no, no!" my rage became overwhelming.
I didn't even recognize the burning fire in my head and my chest, seeing Lavender suffer. It broke something in me, and before I even realized it, green light flooded the room, flooding me. Power washed through me, and I jumped from my bed and to Lavender's, I didn't even notice that the hoofcuffs were gone now, lying shattered on the bed.
I turned her on her side, rubbing her back with my hooves, "Stay with me, stay with me! Please!"
It worked. I have no idea what, but something I did worked, and I heard her choke down one more breath, and then another. It was then I noticed the tears falling on my hooves. They were mine.
When did I start crying?
"Impressive," a voice came from the entrance way.
I looked over, angry at whoever hadn't been here to help her. My anger died as soon as I took in the sight of Princess Luna. She was just how she had been in my dreams, and on the train after that.
"Princess Luna," I said and bowed my head. Somehow, I had respect for her, and a part of me trusted in her presence.
Directly behind her, Wave ran in with a doctor following behind. He paused and looked at me, unsure what to do with me in the way.
"Are you simply going to stand there, or help my wife? I won't harm your coat, now MOVE," I shouted at him.
That lit a fire under his flank. He moved to the other side of the bed and levitated up a stethoscope, listening to her breathing.
Like you can't just hear it. I thought with a frown.
My attention turned back to Luna, she was levitating up the cuffs, "You shouldn't have been able to break these."
"The things we do," I started to say, only for Luna to finish it.
"For the one's we love," Luna finished, then turned up to look at me before stepping closer and lowering her horn. I had no idea what she was about to do, but I decided to wait instead of acting like she was threatening me. Her horn gently touched me and a blue hint of magic touched me before fading off, "This is quite interesting. Your magic levels increased to a level that is normally reserved for the most powerful unicorns, perhaps even further."
"I had no choice, although I don't know how I did it. Lavender was about to die," I replied.
She cocked her head and looked at me, "You are an interesting mare, Aurora Blue."
"You don't call me a changeling?" I asked.
"Why should I? Our conversation in your dream showed me that you are more than a simple changeling, but a very interesting individual with a lot of facettes," she said with a smile.
"Well, your sister wasn't that nice. To her, I'm just a changeling, the same that crashed Princess Mi Amore Cadenzas wedding," I laughed bitterly.
"My sister keeps a very black and white world view. I have a deeper understanding of those that are more at home in the darkness. The truth is while there are plenty on either side of the good and evil spectrum, the majority of things fall in the center."
"Like me?"
"Like you," she confirmed with a smile.
"Princess Luna I--"
"Please, just Luna."
"Luna, I don't mean to sound unappreciative for everything you've done for us, but I need to make a request before we can talk anymore."
"And what would that be, Aurora?" she asked.
"If it's in your power, Luna, please save my wife."
"You asked my sister the same question, and she refused before you would give us answers," Luna replied, and I was already about to say something when she stopped me with a hoof, "But after all you did for my guards and your family, I will grant you this request and trust you."
I heard it once said that the worst feeling in the world is when you feel hope die. If that is true, then what I felt at that moment was easily the best feeling in the world. I watched with tears in my eyes as Luna walked over to my wife. She lowered her horn and called her magic to the bed.
Her eyes opened up as she poured more and more power into her spell, channeling her vast reserves of magic energy into Lavender's body. I was dumbfounded and scared at the sort of power I was seeing, but I didn't move, fearful that any actions by me may cause the spell to fade and her to die.
Luna blinked her eyes clear as the spell started to fade. I looked down, my eyes locked on my wife's sleeping form. Her breathing slowed from its irregular breaths to a steady rhythm.
My heart stopped beating when she opened her eyes and looked at me.
She smiled.
I started pouring tears as I wrapped my hooves around her, "Oh, thank you!" I cried. I cried more than I had ever cried in my life.
Luna smiled and nodded towards me, before addressing Lavender, "So, you are Lavender Skies, the one Aurora Blue would do everything in the world for. I'm quite impressed. Would you mind adding a disguise to your body?"
She nodded, the mask around her muzzle making speaking impossible. I saw her struggle, trying to return to a pony form. With a smile, I leaned down and pressed my muzzle against her, "I'll help you," I whispered into her ear.
She looked at me with pure love in her eyes as I tried to channel everything I had left into her body. My magic and my feelings for her. I thought of everything we had been through, every feeling, every moment of passion, all the good, and the bad. I poured my heart into the mare, granting her all the strength I possibly could.
When I pulled back, it wasn't a changeling that was in the bed, it was Lavender Skies, the pegasus I first said 'I love you' to. I smiled gratefully, a smile that faltered as Lavender touched upon her stomach, her expression turning into one of pure panic.
"Your egg is fine. I was able to protect it against the magical drain as I brought you here, don't worry," Luna gently spoke with a smile.
"Luna," I said as I looked up at her. She met my gaze without turning away, despite my tearstained muzzle, "I won't forget this, ever. I owe you everything, you name it and I'll do it, anything, ever."
"No such debt is necessary," Luna replied with a smile.
I couldn't take it anymore, I got off Lavender's bed and ran to the alicorn, surprising her with my speed. I wrapped her in a hug for all my worth.
She was taken aback by that, but I didn't care. I owed the princess everything that mattered to me, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" I sobbed into her ethereal mane.
I heard a cough, "Hey, that is still my wife," an amused voice spoke, and as I turned, I saw that the doctor had taken the mask away from Lavender's muzzle and she was smiling.
"Well, not officially," I replied with a grin, "But that's something I'm about to change, anyways," I added, and she blushed.
As I reluctantly pulled away from Luna, I whispered, "My offer still stands," to the mare.
She nodded her understating, "I do believe we can let them rest for the time being."
"What?" The doctor asked.
"I don't believe Aurora and her wife are a threat."
"How can you let two changelings rest freely in the Castle? I advise something to put them to sleep, and then add guards in front of-"
"Actually, there are five changelings in the castle in total, and no, it's not necessary," Luna said, and it was clear that they were her last words on the matter.
The doctor, reluctantly, made to leave. I smiled at him, "Thanks doc, we owe you one."
He looked more nervous than ever before, something that caused me to grin.
"That was mean," Wave said with a smile.
"He deserved it," I said back with a laugh.
"Umm... I hope you and I can still be friends?"
"Wave, it would be my honor to keep being your friend," I laughed, "Besides, I doubt Purple will accept you distrusting and hating me. After all, she should be my best mare," I added.
That put a smile on her face, "Can I tell her?"
"Sure," I said back, grinning. Then I paused, "How... how is everyone else, anyway?"
"The one you brought here as a prisoner is in one cell. She tried to flee and kill Snowy Clouds. For the other two, they are hurt, but alright," Luna said.
"I mean everyone, not just my family. What about the guards?"
Luna cocked her head before smiling, "Purple Star is well and already back to her duties. Wave Night, as you see for yourself, is perfectly fine. Snowy Clouds sustained some serious injuries, not only from the fight on the train, but also your prisoner. Midnight Strike is well besides a few minor cuts, but Black Cloud's wounds are serious. Endless Clouds," Luna stocked and her smile faded.
"She didn't make it, did she?"
Luna just shook her head.
"I'm sorry for that. She was a wonderful mare, after all I've heard and saw, even if it wasn't much," I said silently.
"Purple Star is seeing to her final arrangements," Luna said.
"But she was hurt, too?"
"Yes, but Endless Clouds was under her command, she refuses to rest until she takes care of it."
"Ugh, stubborn mare," I growled, "Can't you force her to rest?" I asked before turning to Wave, "You know what I did on the train, why don't you shake her head clear and tell her to rest?"
She glanced at me, "It's part of who she is, I don't want to change that."
"But it's stupid!"
"Is it?" A small, meek voice asked from the bed.
I turned in time to see Lavender staring at me. She looked so tired, I wished more than anything she'd just go to sleep, get the rest she needed.
"Take a mirror and look into it, my love. You're not much different. Suffering for us, all of us, no matter how hurt you are, no matter how tired or unable to do something," Lavender spoke with a tear in her eyes.
"Lavender, I..."
"Endless Clouds was part of her family, is it so strange that she'd want to handle it personally?"
"I... I..."
"There speaks words of wisdom," Wave said as she wiped a tear from her eye, "I'd listen to your better half if I were you."
I looked between them, trying to find words, but as soon as I opened my muzzle, Lavender smiled, "My stubborn, beautiful wife. Just accept it and come here to my side so I can finally sleep."
As I turned my head to ask Wave to leave, I smiled as I saw she was already on the way out. With one final grin, I turned back to Luna, "We shall talk later, I need to inform my sister of this new development. Rest well, and don't do anything your wife wouldn't," Luna said with a wink before leaving.
"Thank you, Luna," I said with a smile as I crawled up in bed with Lavender. She raised her hoof, wanting me where she could hold me while she slept. I obliged without a moment's hesitation. Carefully, I positioned myself so she could do just that, my own hoof wrapped around her.
That's when it truly dawned on me, just how frail, how weak she was, her body anyway. In all reality she was my strength, she was my will, my hopes, my dreams. As strong as I was on the outside, that was her on the inside, and how weak she was on the outside, that was me on the inside.
I may have been the powerhouse of the group, the one that threatened the queen's command, but in reality, I felt as weak as a kitten. Lavender was the strong one, she was the one I relied on.
"I love you, Aurora."
I always feel like I won the lottery every time I heard her say those words.
"I love you too, Lavender." ***
They let us rest for a week. A week I spent holding onto my wife, every night we'd go to bed in each other's hooves, and every day we'd wake up the very same way. They tried to feed us, something that only caused me to laugh. With how I felt, I never needed to eat again.
At the end of the week, we were finally reunited in the one place I never thought I'd be; the royal throne room.
Rosewing and High Spirit ran up and hugged us both. I was so happy to see them, "How are you two?"
"Well, the food sucks, but can't complain," Rosewing said with a smile.
"They're treating us well enough," High Spirits said with a smile, "What about..?" she asked, gesturing to Lavender.
Lavender placed a hoof on her stomach, "She's fine."
"She?" High asked.
"I didn't know if you'd think Electric was still a good name."
High closed her eyes, "I think it's a perfect name."
I looked at her confused.
She met my gaze, "That mare in the dungeon, that's not the same Electric I knew, the one I fell in love with. She's someone completely different. As far as I'm concerned, my Electric died bringing you to us, and that's what I chose to believe."
She's strong, too.
"Then that's what I believe, too," Lavender said, "And her memory will be honored by little Electric here living a full and rich life."
"Can't argue with those words," I said with a grin.
"Aurora," a voice came from behind us.
I turned to see who it was, "Purple Star!"
She walked up and hugged me, "Thank you so much."
"Me?"
"You saved my wife's life, or did you think I'd forget?" she said with a grin.
"You saved mine afterwards."
"No, I merely did my duty and defeated a foe. What you did, that was something special. Know this Aurora, I'm always there for my friends, and I pay back my debts. I consider you in both of those categories."
"And I you," I said back, "It was your team, and skill, that helped me save Lavender's life. Even if that came at a... cost."
The mood went sour at that, something I regretted.
"She'll always be remembered," Purple Star lowered her head in respect to the honored dead.
"After this is over... do you think I could pay my respects?"
Purple looked up, surprised, "Sure, I'll take you to where she was laid to rest."
"Oh, the funeral is already over?" Lavender asked.
"Yes. Her family insisted for the funeral to be as soon as possible, I'm sorry," Purple said with a sad smile.
"It's okay," I replied as I wrapped Lavender in a wing. She looked up at me in a smile, "We'll all go together."
"You might be getting ahead of yourself," a voice spoke from the doorway.
I turned to see who had said that. Purple did too, and immediately tensed up, standing at attention as Princess Celestia walked into the room, followed close behind by Princess Luna. As they walked past us, Purple Star ran and fell in lockstep with Luna, staying five hooves back and to the right, looking like it was a walk she had been taught well.
Luna didn't seem to notice, I had the feeling she had told them to stop that more than enough times and learned to just deal with it. I got to my hooves with the rest of my party and made to approach the thrones.
Celestia and Luna both took their thrones and looked at us. I paused my party as soon as I got the feeling we were close enough, "Aurora Blue, I trust that you are recovered enough?" Celestia asked.
"Yes, thank you for your hospitality, Princess."
"It is not my hospitality you have to thank."
I smiled at that and nodded to Princess Luna, who grinned in return.
Celestia frowned before catching her expression, "I'm still not comfortable with this situation, but my sister brought some... valid arguments to me, that are vouching for you and your family being trustworthy. Tell me, is she correct in this assessment?"
"Princess Celestia, I can only tell you we wish you and your subjects no harm, we only wish to live in peace, away from the hive, and any that may do us wrong," I replied, choosing my words carefully.
She looked at me before at Lavender, "Your wife is pregnant, as far I know. What are you planning? Raising new changelings here in Equestria?"
"I only wish to raise my daughter in peace, where she can grow up and make her own decisions, be her own mare."
"What makes this different than the hive for you?"
"It is different because I'm not a monster that tries to bring all ponies under her control as a cheap buffet, like the Queen wants."
"You still have to feed," Celestia answered with a glare.
"No."
"No?" she asked in surprise.
"In the past months, I never fed a single time on your subjects, and neither did anyone else from my family. We don't have to, since our own love is strong enough," I simply replied.
"We have all the love we need in each other," Laveder said as she spoke up and stood next to me, her left wing lovingly wrapping around me.
"And when that isn't enough?" Celestia asked.
"What do you mean?" I asked, shocked.
"When you have foals, and they have foals, and they have foals, what then?"
"I managed to break hoofcuffs you enchanted to be unbreakable by magic or force, yet I didn't need any drop of love more to feed with this power. Unlike what the Queen stated, we don't need enormous amounts of love to stay alive. In truth, a single loving pony is enough for a dozen of us, so my family can stand this easily," I said, hoping she would see the truth.
"So you admit to wanting to feed off ponies?"
"We say this is enough!" Luna glared at her sister, "You are trying to make up things for your own feelings! Don't let yourself act worse than you really are, dear sister!"
"No, it's not enough! You say they are friendly, that they want to live a normal life as our subjects," Celestia said as she stood to her hooves and started pacing back and forth in front of us, "You see friends, you see comrades. I see infiltrators hiding in plain sight! I see someone trying to make Canterlot, the very heart of Equestria, into another hive!"
"Sister! Thou hast gone too far!"
"No, it's not too far! It's not far enough. You see friends, I see a pregnant changeling standing in front of me, as far as I know, they're trying to give birth to a new queen!"
"She's not a queen!" I shouted.
Celestia turned, fuming right in front of me, "How can I know that for sure!"
"I, well..."
"Because you let yourself be blind by your own nightmares, dear sister," Luna chimed in, venom in her voice, "You can't forget the day you were forced into one of their organic cells as a prisoner to feed from, and now you are leashing everything up to them!"
"Which is why we can't afford to take this risk and let THIS THING into our midst," Celestia turned directly at Lavender's face as she said that, almost like she was going to attack.
"THIS THING? You are talking to my wife like that, and you call yourself the Princess of the Sun?" I growled, "Love and understanding for her subjects, huh?"
"How dare you talk to me like-"
"She's right, sister. You are not acting like yourself today, so we dismiss you from this decision as your sister, and second ruler of Equestria," Luna said cooly.
Celestia glared at her and then back at us, "You speak of love, but it's only a food source for you, you know nothing about love."
I lost it at that, in a rage I shot out my most powerful spell at Celestia, green magic shot from me directly at her.
It never made contact, a white shield appeared right over Celestia, dispersing my magic upon contact. However, she winced notably upon it and her shield darkened.
"What..."
"So you do know about love," she said with a smile before rubbing her chest, "That hurt more than it should have."
Seven jaws hit the floor at that.
"Sister, explain yourself," Luna demanded.
She smiled once more before turning back to her sisterm "Sorry about the... theatrics, I just had to be sure."
"Sure of what, sister?" Luna asked with a scowl.
"If they were truly infiltrators, if that was their mission, they'd never do anything to jeopardise it, no matter what I said."
"You provoked her into attacking?" Luna asked.
"Indeed, I knew she wouldn't hurt me, although it was a lot stronger than I expected, but if I could manage to push them that far, I'd know it was true. Love causes all of us to do dumb things, such as attacking me, or..."
Luna didn't need her to say the rest.
"That she was angered to such brash action tells me that yes, what they say is true."
"So, had I not?" I asked.
"I would have banished you all from Equestria immediately," Celestia replied.
"Quite the gamble, sister," Luna replied before turning to me, "You managed to hurt her, impressive."
"Her magic is stronger than the Queen's on her basic level," Celestia said, and I could feel the stares of the others at me upon that, "With her, her family has an actual chance to survive, even if we wouldn't help them."
"With training," Luna started.
"She could become very powerful indeed," Celestia said with a frown.
"I don't want to--"
"Relax," Celestia cut me off, "I'm more than inclined to acquiesce to your request."
"What?" Rosewing asked.
"You may stay," Celestia replied with a smile, "Although..."
"Although what, dear sister?"
"Dear sister," Celestia said with a grin, "Can you think of somepony who might be able to help train dear Aurora here? Someone that might know a thing or two about magic and five good friends to help out?"
"I don't think that your student is ready for this, sister. Confronting her with changelings not long after the wedding of her brother might be the wrong start," Luna replied with a frown.
Celestia stopped, seemly in thought, "You are right. We will have to think about this, then. In the meantime, I suggest that you try to build everything up like in Manehattan. I'm quite sure that there are jobs in the local weather team and enough building ground for a house and a shop," she said, giving a small wink to Lavender.
"So... we just start new here?" I asked.
"Yes, I will support you, of course," Luna replied, "And I'm quite sure that Purple and her guards would also love to stand at your side," she added with a smile, "My captain here seemed to have won you pretty dear."
Purple Star came forward, smiling diamonds at us. I actually felt myself getting choked up as she looked at me, "Well, she is going to be my best mare at our wedding."
"Wedding?" Luna said, then smiled, "Then we should also start making arrangements for that as well!"
"I don't want to cause you any work, it's not necessary," I mumbled.
"No more of that! I want to do this!" Luna said.
"Lulu? Why so eager for a wedding now? As far as I remember, you tried your best to load yourself up with work to miss the ceremony of our niece," Celestia giggled.
"Exactly, I missed all the fun!"
Celestia laughed, "Luna, you know that's not how most wedding go, right?"
"No? We shall have to change that, I'm sure Cadance would love to return the favor," Luna replied with a grin.
"We don't need a big wedding," Lavender murred weakly, "A simple one amongst friends would be enough."
Celestia and Luna perked up at that, "Well, we can at least prepare a small one, don't you two agree?" Luna asked with a smile.
"Well... if you insist," I reluctantly said.
"Oh, joyous occasion, I shall send out the letters and start making plans," Luna said as she jumped off the throne and started to make her way out the door.
"Letters?" Lavender and I asked in unison.
"Luna, you know they said small, right?" Celestia asked, following her out.
"Small, yes.No more than five hundred guests."
"Luna, they said small!"
"Is five-hundred not small? Okay, six hundred."
"LULU!"
"We kid, we know what small means."
"What does it mean?"
"Under a thousand."
"LULU!" Celestia yelled as the pair got out of our hearing range.
"What the hay just happened?" I asked Purple, who just laughed and shook her head.
"You won two new friends," she replied before nodding to her wife and leaving the room as well.
She paused before stepping out, "Come, let me show you all to more... accommodating domiciles."
I chuckled a little at that, watching with a smile as Rosewing and High Spirits grinned and followed Purple Star out of the room. As Lavender gave me a kiss on the cheek, she lead the way, me right behind her.
I don't exactly know how I got this family, but they're mine, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. |
Translucent Heart: Tales of a half breed | Epilogue | Epilogue
It was a weird feeling, to say the least. The next few days passed in a blur, Purple Star and her wife helping us with our new home. Thanks to the princess's orders and a few good bursts of magic, our new house was done quickly. It didn't hurt that it looked exactly like Lavender's home back in Manehattan, either. I knew she meant well, I knew that both princesses meant well, they were simply trying to make this place feel like home for us.
On that one aspect, they--quite spectacularly--failed.
It wasn't because the house was not Lavender's home. It wasn't because I was trying to nitpick the fact the bookshelf was two inches to the left, or that the skyline was in a completely different position, it simply could never be the same.
It wasn't anything as weak, pathetic, or nitpicky as any of those things or a hundred other differences.
It was for one reason and one reason only that this place didn't feel like home to me; because only Lavender's hooves felt that way to me anymore. We could have been living in a cardboard box, for all I cared. As long as I fell asleep every night in her hooves, as long as I got to kiss her first thing every morning, as long as she was by my side, wherever we were, that was my home.
That was the only home that mattered to me, the only one that would ever matter to me.
Although, the others were taking to the comforts without the same hiccups I had. Every day me and High Spirits would leave for work on the royal weather team, helping to keep Canterlot's weather perfect twenty-four seven. I could tell she enjoyed her bed, the food, and the comforts that came with it.
However, I could also see the signs of Electric Blue's betrayal. Sure, to any outside observer it looked like she had moved on, she was happy, smiling, joking, and laughing just as much as the rest of us. She took to Lavender's pregnancy almost as much as I did, helping the mare do everything so she didn't 'overexert' herself and put undue hardship on the egg growing in her.
It was under the surface, the way she'd stare off into space when me and Lavender would kiss, the way she'd just suddenly lose focus around any sign of love, of ponies being happy with their special someones. That's where the hurt lived, and for the life of me, I knew no way to fix it.
Purple, her wife, and even Luna tried to cheer her up. Even suggesting that she should search for a new lover, or even join a herd. I had no idea what a herd was, until she explained it, and High nearly blasted her through the wall. It was the last time anyone mentioned something like that again. Not to mention that Luna and Celestia had to threaten the Guards with extra duties so they wouldn't restrain High.
While the hurt High was going through was obvious to me, the one I couldn't nail down was Rosewing. For the life of me she seemed fine. Every day I'd hear her laughing at some joke or another, I'd see the smile on her face, the joy she brought to everyone around her. I trusted her with my life, and the life of my love, Lavender, but I knew that couldn't be it when it came to her.
I knew that behind my back Rosewing and Princess Luna were planning our wedding, something she had been adamant about from the day we woke up in Canterlot. However, while I let them plan, I absolutely refused to give them a date for the wedding. I did this not because I was scared about marrying Lavender, quite the contrary in fact, but because I wanted to do it right, I still had yet to propose to the mare.
While she had already agreed to marry me, I wanted that to be a night to remember. Afterwords, I didn't care if the ceremony was the next day or a year from then. To that end they could make all the plans in the world. All that mattered to me was the look on her face when I asked if she'd be mine, and I hers, for the rest of our lives.
I also tried to talk to Rosewing, several times to be exact, to get her to open up, express some sort of emotion over the tragedy we had all gone through. She'd just make a joke about it and move on, almost like she was just repressing everything that had happened.
I think that scared me the most, just how well she adapted to our 'new' life, how easily she put our 'old' life behind us. As much as she'd deny it, to me she was in denial.
I was scared of that. I knew, I just knew for the life of me that what we had wouldn't last, that she wouldn't just give up, even with us here. I was scared about Rosewing. When that other horseshoe dropped, she wouldn't be there, not fully, and that could get someone killed.
Lavender proved to be my rock. I wasn't blind, I knew everyone--including myself--was treating her with care, trying to make sure she was always comfortable, never stressed, never worried, and while she took it with grace and love I knew her for, the truth was she was supporting the biggest lump of weight we had.
She was supporting me.
Every day I only got up because it meant I could kiss her one more time. I only went to work because she would smile and wish me a good day. I'd hurry home at the end of each day, knowing, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she'd be there waiting for me. Often with sweets in hoof that she baked specially for me.
It was a wasted effort, I already had the sweetest thing in the world; I had her.
About once a week, Purple Star and her wife would swing by, they'd get together with us and share in the latest gossip about the princesses. We'd all laugh upon hearing some of the antics that her 'most faithful student' would get up to. I swear that they were grooming this Twilight Sparkle to be a princess or something.
When I made that joke, Purple got quiet on me, I still don't know why.
It was one of those nights, Purple and Wave had just left for the day, leaving me and Lavender sitting on the couch. As usual, High Spirits had taken to the 'spirits' a little early and was already fast asleep, Rosewing was out on the town, enjoying an evening with Wave when she mentioned something about a new nightclub opening up.
That left the unusual situation of me and Lavender, together, all alone in a big house.
Not that we ever really cared about privacy. Let's just say Lavender's a screamer, and we all know it.
I knew I'd remember that night for the rest of my life, because that was the night I first felt our little Electric kick.
"Oh," Lavender stated as she sat on the couch.
I looked up at her, my head resting in her lap as the fireplace crackled in the corner of the room, "What's wrong?"
"I think... I think," She put her hoof to her stomach.
I sat up at that, "The egg? Is everything okay?"
She smiled and grabbed my hoof. With care, she placed it on her stomach, a stomach that was even now showing the smallest, cutest little bulge to it.
I felt it then, the smallest movement of a rounded surface against my hoof. The egg was moving inside her.
Later, Lavender told me my smile brightened up the room as if the sun was in there with us, "How... how is this possible?" I asked, shocked but grinning like an idiot all the same.
"Electric... she's... she's letting us know she's there," she stated with a grin.
With a grin, I laid my head back down, pressing my ear against Lavender's stomach to listen to our foal growing inside of her. I felt it again, the little kick of the egg against the inside of Lavender's stomach, directly against my muzzle, "She kicked me," I said jokingly.
"What can I say? She's a fighter, just like her mom."
"How can the egg move that early?" I asked.
"Just because she didn't grow much yet, it doesn't mean that she isn't there, just like with the foals of ponies," she answered with a smile.
I planted several kisses up and down Lavender's stomach. In my mind's eye I wasn't kissing her stomach, I was kissing Electric, "You come out swinging, little one. There's a big world out here, and together, we'll kick it's flank."
Lavender chuckled at that, "You know it's still two months until I birth the egg, another three after before she's ready to hatch."
"And she's already kicking my flank," I said with a grin as I felt the movement against my cheek one more time.
"As long as she leaves something for me," Lavender replied with a smile.
I got up at that one and looked her in the eye. Together, we didn't say a word, I simply leaned forward and kissed her, our lips meeting as the lovers they were. My hoof traveling through her mane and around the contours of her face.
When I pulled back, I simply stared at her face. Here she was, the changeling, the pony, the soul I loved more than my own life. The one that was doing me the highest honor in the world and carrying our egg, our foal.
Somehow, someway, this perfect mare, she loved me.
For that alone, I'd lay down my life a hundred, a thousand times over.
A tear fell down my face as I realized that she didn't want that, she didn't want any of that. All she wanted, the only thing she needed in this entire world was me by her side. That was the only thing she had ever asked me to promise her.
And that was one promise I'd never break.
No matter what the future would have ready for us. |
The Dashpoint Paradox | pre | "Hey, I think I see a fire over there, somepony must've been here recently." Adult Rainbow pointed out.
"What would he need a fire for? Is there not like a body warmth spell or something."
"I don't know, maybe it's magic fire."
"Magic fire?"
"Y'know, fire used in magic."
"That's not a thing."
"What would you know you're like 6."
"10."
"Same thing."
Their ears perked up as the sudden sound of galloping echoed throughout the cave. Adult Rainbow turned around and was met with a hooded figure swinging an hoof across her face. Filly Rainbow stared in confusion as the hooded attacker then bucked a rock in her direction. She reacted by using her newfound speed to grab it midair and return it to its sender, who stopped it with magic and threw it behind them, hitting Adult Rainbow in the head again.
"Ow dude! Not cool!" Adult Rainbow sprung up and attempted to attack from above by flying over. Her wings were then encased in magic and she was dropped back down to floor. The hooded figure broke a stalactite off the ceiling with their magic and dropped it above Adult Rainbow, who rolled out of the way in a panic.
"What is your problem dude?!"
The figure swung the stalactite towards Filly Rainbow, who narrowly ducked under it. The stalactite swung back around and hit Adult Rainbow in the back of the head. Filly Rainbow jumped back and flew forward at full speed, promptly smacking into the hooded figure. The figure tumbled back and crashed back first into the cave wall.
"I'd like to see him get up from that!" Filly Rainbow spat mockingly.
"I wouldn't." Adult Rainbow groaned. "Now start talking buster."
"I've seen some quick pegasi in my time, but never anything quite like that." The figure's hood fell back, revealing an old unicorn stallion with a grey coat and long white beard.
"Holy shit."
"Language!"
_______________________________________________
"So, it would seem that you're an older version of this filly here, and you hail from the future of an alternative timeline?"
"Pretty much."
"Hm. Quite the anomaly."
"Tell me about it, why is it that I only went back a couple years but it changed stuff from before I was even born?"
"Well, when you go back and change certain events, time doesn't just go forward as normal. It starts from scratch, constructing a whole new set of events. So if one changes the future, they also change the past. And you'd have to be quite the fool to do so." Starswirl explained as clearly as he could.
"If Twilight explained it like I definitely wouldn't have gone back." Adult Rainbow groaned as she rubbed a hoof on her forehead.
"Who?" Filly Rainbow asked.
"Don't worry about it. Look is there anyway you can get me my cutie mark back?"
"I'm afraid not. Two of the same cutie mark simply can't exist in the same timeline."
"Well can I get like a.. temporary cutie mark? Preferably a speed related one."
"I hate to disappoint but only alicorn magic can grant a pony a new cutie mark, and I hardly believe the tyrant of the moon is just handing them out."
"Oh come on! You taught that tyrant everything she knows about magic! If anypony is magical enough to fix this mess it's you!"
"Things have changed since that day.. I've disavowed any advanced magic after I introduced that fiend to it. I've wiped all memory I had of those spells so I can no longer bear the curse of knowledge upon this world. So I apologize, but I can be of no help to you." Starswirl solemnly said as he removed himself from the conversation and exited the cave.
"What a drama queen." Filly Rainbow scoffed.
"Back to square one... I'm sorry for dragging you around kid, this really isn't your problem." Adult Rainbow sighed.
"Hey, I'm only here cause I want to be here. Anyone messes with you they gotta go through me first." Filly Rainbow jokingly puffed her chest out.
"That's what I'm afraid they'll do." Adult Rainbow softly laughed as she pulled her filly self closer. "...you're a real lucky kid, you know that? When this is all over, you fly back home and you give your sister the biggest hug you possibly can."
"That's the best plan you've had yet."
The two Rainbows chuckled to themselves as they slowly drifted off to sleep for the day.
_______________________________________________
Starswirl returned to his domestic cave, finding the two rainbow maned mares sleeping humbly. He sighed to himself and dropped his saddle bags. Venturing deeper into the cave, Starswirl casted a spell onto an engraving on the wall. The marking began to glow blue as an opening revealed itself, a collection of books and a matching hat and robe on the other side.
"You knew this day would be coming.."
_______________________________________________
Adult Rainbow weakly opened her eyes, finding a coat over her head and a robed unicorn standing above her.
"If you want a cutie mark I suggest we leave soon."
"H-huh? Leave where?"
"The dungeons of Canterlot castle. I've tracked alicorn magic to the area."
"You found Celestia!?"
"That is what I'm hoping."
"What's going on?" Filly Rainbow asked, rubbing her eyes awake.
"I shall assist in locating this alicorn, but that is as far as my help goes."
"How'd you trace this magic anyway? I thought you didn't do that stuff anymore." Adult Rainbow questioned.
"Tis hard to put down a good book, as one would say." Starswirl smiled. "Now put those coats on, I find it beneficial to keep a low profile when breaking into a warlord's home."
"Wait we're going wh-"
_______________________________________________
"-ere?!" Filly Rainbow questioned as she suddenly found herself teleported to the outskirts of Canterlot Castle.
The castle loomed over any and all ponies at its feet, its previously inviting atmosphere replaced by a threatening and commanding aura. Dark clouds swirled over Canterlot at all hours, casting a never ending chill over the land.
"The castles a little.. bigger than I remember, but maybe that's just the dread talking." Adult Rainbow commented.
"If we enter in from that eastern tower we should be able to traverse to the dungeons without detection." Starswirl instructed.
"Last one to Celestia is a dragon egg!" Filly Rainbow shot up to the tower as Starswirl teleported himself and Adult Rainbow. The three ponies carefully traversed down the spiraling tower until they reached an open hallway.
"Stand back." Starswirl whispered as the sound of clanking armor closed in on their location. As the guard approached a blue glow emanated from Starswirl's horn and glided over the guard's eyes, causing him to collapse over. Starswirl caught the guard in magic before he could crash to the floor.
"What'd you do to him?" Adult Rainbow questioned.
"A simple sleep spell, now put this on." Starswirl said as he floated the guard's armor over to Adult Rainbow.
"It's a little big for me ain't it?"
Starswirl glared back at her.
"Ok ok, geez." Rainbow grumbled as she slipped into the armor. "Alright, where to now?"
"Around this corner, fourth door on the right. You'll lead the way."
"Then let's get a move on." Adult Rainbow commanded in a deep voice.
"What's with the voice?" Filly Rainbow raised an eyebrow.
"I dunno, just getting into character."
"Getting into what now?" A guard asked turning around the corner.
"Uhhh just um.. j-just getting these trespassers into the dungeon, yep." Rainbow stumbled through her facade.
"Smooth." Filly Rainbow muttered.
"Alright then, let me lead them ther- holy horsefeathers is that Starswirl the Bearded?! Commander Luna will want to see this immediately!"
"Oh that won't be necessary, this isn't Starswirl its uh.. it's just some crazy old pony that thinks he's Starswirl. I mean just look at that phony beard." Adult Rainbow tugged harshly on the beard.
"Ow! Watch it!"
"It's really glued on there y'know? Anyway I gotta get these two to the dungeon immediately so I better get go-"
"Hold on. I don't think I've ever seen you around here. What's your name and rank?"
"Oh, its.. its umm.."
"Oh for the love of Celestia I can't do this anymore!" Filly Rainbow shouted in annoyance. Everything slowed around her as she began to fly around the guard. She turned his helmet around on his head and pushed him to the edge of the staircase they came from, she teetered the guard forward and returned to the group.
The sound of crashing and yelping echoed throughout the room. Adult Rainbow and Starswirl glared down at Filly Rainbow, who stood there with an innocent smile.
"So much for discreet, let's get outta here." Adult Rainbow lead the group down to the Canterlot Dungeons. The trio entered the damp corridors where several empty cells sat untouched.
Starswirl drew a light from his horn and ventured deeper into the cellar. Upon reaching one of the last cells the figure of a weeping alicorn with a strange device around their neck came into view.
"Is that Celestia?" Filly Rainbow asked.
"Wait a minute.. Princess C-"
"Hey! Why is the dungeon entrance open?!" The far away voice of a guard called out.
"Shoot! Quick, free her and let's get out of here!" Adult Rainbow shouted.
Starswirl activated his horn and teleported all four ponies out of the castle. The guard came rushing down the stairs and was met with an empty cage where an alicorn used to be.
_______________________________________________
Approaching the entrance to the throne room, a guard took what he anticipated to be one of his last breaths and opened the doors. The nearly pitch black room stretched for what seemed like infinity. The grueling walk down the rolled out carpet was bookended with the throne itself, where the ruler of Equestria sat surrounded by the only lights in the room, that being dim purple flames.
"Your highness, it would seem the prisoner has somehow escaped." The guard knelt before the throne. He held his breath as he awaited his master's response.
"Then retrieve her. Immediately." |
The Ponyteers | pre | "I see. And are you the leader of your little faction?"
"I wish. That's Kwame's job." Wheeler and the Princess had walked back to the other ponies, where he could see his leader looking down and kneeling before some withering daisies in a dry patch of land. To his right was an empty planter. "Kwame, what are ya doin'? We're here to tell royalty about our magical powers, not gardening tips!"
Kwame just laughed. "Either is perhaps better than simply melting iron locks." Wheeler rolled his eyes. "EARTH!" Kwame shouted as a green beam from his hoof shone upon the flowers. He expected to just lift the soil with the flower roots intact and put them into the planter, but something else happened: As he started to lift, the wilted flowers started erecting as their stems turned a richer green, and the daisies themselves sprung new white petals in the place where they were blackened, dried-out, or missing. In awe of this new feat, he decided to leave the flowers where they were and let his apparently new super-soil enrichment do its work. When he cast his powers off, it was as if the daisies never succumbed to their sickly state.
He turned to face Celestia with an explanation. "Princess, I did not mean for that to happen. I just tried to move your flowers with the soil into that box over there, but somehow I made the ground extremely fertile instead. My powers were of manipulating earth, but not like this."
"Hmmm....." Celestia muttered. She inhaled while Kwame looked worried. He just wanted to be back on Earth. Did the all-powerful monarch of a kingdom think this was dark magic? He feared that she would keep them in custody for weeks of interrogation and magic and scientific tests. "Could I see the other powers?" Kwame sighed in relief.
"With pleasure." said Linka. She held up her gold and diamond-ringed hoof towards Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity. "WIND!" she exclaimed. The moment she said her power, a vortex of wind sucked up the four. The mini-tornado acted as a centrifuge that spun the ponies high up into the air.
"AAAAAUUUUUUGGGGHHHHHH!" screamed Rarity, Twilight, and Applejack
"WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" screamed Pinkie Pie, who in contrast was enjoying her flight.
Down below, Linka looked at Gi and nodded at her. She nodded back. Gi put her ring up and yelled "WATER!". She didn't know where the water she needed to manipulate came from, but there had to be some system of keeping this garden hydrated. As her ring glowed blue, a nearby spigot suddenly gushed water without being turned on. The deluge was stopped in mid air as Gi brought it up the forming bubble towards Linka's vortex. She elongated and shaped the water into a long, thick bubble that enveloped the four ponies, save for their heads. Linka stopped the wind as Gi slowly and safely brought down Twilight and her friends. As they touched the ground, Gi brought the bubble back up over them, and thoroughly dispersed her element all over the garden in a fine mist.
"Gi, darling." said Rarity. "Could you perhaps next time ASK US if you want to demonstrate your abilities?!" she yelled.
"And what abilities you have!" Princess Celestia said. "I am impressed. All of you possess powerful magic. Elemental magic like yours is a rather new branch that there is much to learn from. And I'm glad you have come here to donate your time for a demonstration."
"Thanks for the offer, P.C., but we're not here for to do magical research." Wheeler said. "We need to get home. We're not from Equestria."
Celestia frowned at this. "Please address me as Princess, Princess Celestia, Your Majesty, or Your Highness. I don't deal with such informalities amongst ponies who are not my subjects, never mind ponies I do not know. Otherwise, where is your home?"
"Our home is called Earth." Kwame spoke up, making sure Wheeler wouldn't interrupt with another insult. "We call our alliance the Planeteers, and the Spirit of the Earth, Gaia, is our leader." Suddenly, the Princess' eyes went wide and suddenly inhaled a gasp. Twilight noticed this.
"Is there a problem, Princess?" asked Twilight.
After pausing for several moments, she said "I want all of you to stay here for the night. I have dozens of rooms here in the castle you can all sleep in. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to talk to those griffins I met with earlier. All of you are free to roam around the castle. Dinner is at 6:30. Good-bye!" She teleported out of sight in a brilliant lit-up fashion, the same way she came into sight.
"What was that all about?" asked Ma-Ti.
"I don't know, Ma-Ti. But I think that either alarmed the Princess, or she struck up on an idea." said Twilight. Remembering her rushed exit, she added "I really hope it's the second one."
That night, the Planeteers and the Elements of Harmony were fed a gourmet dinner and found their rooms. The Planeteers took 5 adjacent bedrooms on the fourth floor, each with a four-poster bed with their windows facing Canterlot. Twilight's friends took the rooms on the opposite side of the hall. Twilight went to her old room in the Library tower. In the meantime, Twilight wrote to Spike to tell him he'll be alone for the night, and to tell Applebloom and Sweetie Belle that their sisters are in Canterlot until tomorrow. Afterwards, every pony was bushed from the traveling and performances. They all eventually went to sleep; all save for Princess Celestia.
After handing over her throne to Princess Luna so she could conduct the Night Court, Celestia crept down into a hidden cellar towards the back of the castle. Inside the cellar were several notes and scrolls, scrawled in runic symbols and diagrams. But the most noticeable feature was the large mirror in the back of the room. She touched her horn to the mirror, and the runes engraved in the gilded mirror frame lit up in a brilliant white. She let her horn off and channeled her magic into the mirror. She focused on one thing in her mind. Gaia. After moments of channeling and focusing, the mirror lost its reflectivity and revealed a foreign blue ocean. Celestia kept focusing, and that ocean zoomed in to reveal an island. The island had a tall, purple mountain, and rich and fertile jungle surrounding its base. The zooming continued to reveal figure that had a strange form to Celestia. The figure was a woman meditating cross-legged on a stone dias inside the mountain. She had no fur, except on the top her head. This "fur" was very long, wavy, and black as it went past her shoulders. Her skin was tinted bronze. She wore lavender-dyed silken robes. Celestia had seen enough.
"Gaia." she whispered. |
The Ponyteers | Contact | Celestia stood at her tall, multi-paned, clear glass window and looked out to the east as she concentrated her energy. Her horn glowed as the sky turned from black to navy blue to shades of pink and orange. Then a giant yellow orb rose up from the horizon as Celestia carried the sun to start the day. She shut off her magic, giving the sun enough momentum to race across the sky towards the west when it was time for her to lower it.
All night, she was observing Earth, a far away planet whose physical and environmental states were maintained by her newcomers' leader: Gaia. Her scrying magic was proven to be strong enough for inter-world observations, but she could only see, not speak. Celestia needed to tell her sister so she could help with a possible method of communication. But that would wait after breakfast. She could smell that fresh batch of cinnamon rolls the kitchens were preparing, and it was almost as good as the cakes she loved to devour.
Meanwhile on some floors below, two earth ponies were awakening. They were grown up among a life of agriculture and were used to getting out of bed at the crack of dawn. As Applejack was leaving her room to get breakfast, she saw a familiar midnight blue earth pony from down the hall do the same.
"Hey Kwame! You an early riser too?" Applejack said to him.
"Of course. I'm used to getting up in the dawn. It's when I normally water my garden so I don't waste water from the sun's evaporation." He knocked on Ma-Ti's door, coaxing him out of his soft bed.
"Ma-ti? Are you awake? Applejack and I are getting breakfast!"
Applejack saw him and remembered to so the same with her other friends.
KNOCK KNOCK "Rarity! Get up! We're going to eat!"
While alarming her other friends, Applejack decided to continue her conversation. "You mean you water your plants yourself? I thought you humans don't have wings."
"I am confused. What do possessing wings have to do with watering?" Kwame replied.
"Well the pegasus ponies here in Equestria manage our weather. That's what Rainbow Dash does for a living."
"We do not have a system like yours. Our clouds and skies move on their own. It rains, snows, hails, without cause. Humans do not control it." Kwame also remembered to tell Wheeler and Linka about what the pegasus ponies can do with weather. Meanwhile, one by one, Applejack's and Kwame's friends came out of their rooms to start the day.
"Are ve getting somzing to eat?" asked Linka as they started walking down to the dining room.
"And what were the two of you talking about?" asked Fluttershy. Her voice was barely audible, but Applejack heard her just fine.
"Hey girls, get this. Apparently in Kwame's world, the weather just acts on itself, just like the Everfree Forest!"
"How chaotic!" Rarity piped up
"It is just natural, Rarity." Ma-Ti assured. "Is that not normal for you ponies?"
"Oh, right." Kwame interrupted. "Linka, I have good news for you. The weather is managed by pegasus ponies like yourself. Maybe your wind powers could help?"
"Ve may be here a while, so I suppose it is better than waiting for a way home and doing nozzing."
"That's very generous of y'all perhaps Dash can show you and Wheeler how to fl- Wait a minute." Applejack did a head count. She knew that Twilight was in her old room on the opposite side of the castle, so she wasn't here. She saw herself, Kwame, Linka, Ma-Ti, Rarity, Gi, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy. She sighed and walked back to the rooms.
"Rainbow! Get up!" Yelled Applejack as she pounded on her door.
"Rainbow, Darling, it's impolite to keep royalty waiting!" added Rarity. On the opposite of the hall, the Planeteers gathered around the lazy American's room.
"Wheeler!" said Kwame in a louder voice as he knocked away.
"MMMMMMMGGGGHHHHHHH" a voice moaned behind the inch-thick oak door. "Go away!"
"I got this one." said Gi. She knocked on his door and said "Hey Wheeler! I just saw Linka making out with Ma-Ti!" She quickly skidded back away.
Seconds later, the door slammed open revealing a turquoise pegasus colt with a messed up bed-mane and flared wings. "OH NO YOU DON'T!" he yelled at full attention. His other friends just started giggling. Linka was just laughing in his overreaction.
"Is this the thanks I get for saving the world countless times?" he asked in irritation.
"Relax, yankee. Ve got you out of bed did ve not?" Suddenly, and idea came to Pinkie Pie's mind. She knocked on Rainbow's door and said:
"Oh, Rain-bow Daa-a-a-a-a-sh" she said in a sing-song voice. "They've got cold Apple Family Cider in the dining room!"
Suddenly, a cyan and rainbow blur knocked her door open and zoomed at breakneck speed downstairs to obtain her alleged cider. The others just watched her incredible rush down. By the time the other nine ponies had walked down to the flight of stairs between the second and first floors, they saw the blur again; but slowing down as it approached them. As it slowed down, Rainbow Dash appeared from the blur and started hovering above them.
She squinted down with an irked look on her face at Pinkie Pie. "I hate you." she said dejectedly.
After a nourishing breakfast, Twilight had joined the other ten ponies.
"Did you sleep well?" Twilight asked.
"Of course. I don't even remember the last time I felt silk, let alone sleep under it!" Gi replied.
"Yeah! It definitely beats those piles of hay!" Wheeler followed up.
"Twilight!" Ma-Ti interjected. "Have you asked why Princess Celestia kept us here?"
"Well......no." Twilight said with a frown. "After her dinner and conclusion of day court, she hurried downstairs somewhere right after. I still have yet to see her."
"See who, Twilight?" asked a wise, gentle voice behind her. Twilight turned around and gazed at her white alicorn mentor.
"Oh....Princess....you're here!" said Twilight in surprise.
"Alright. Princess, what's really going on?" piped up Wheeler. "Are ya keepin' us here in Canterlot as not to make your subjects afraid of our powers or sum'thing?"
Celestia was really disappointed and insulted by this pony. The other Planeteers glared at him behind his back. She always treated every one of her subjects and guests fairly, and they loved her back. Why was he being rather hostile? She was only helping them. Before she mounted a counter-argument, Linka came to his defense.
"Vhat Wheeler is trying to say..." as she looked back and squinted his eyes at him "....is that ve are appreciative of your hospitality. But vhy were you so eager to have us stay over?" All of us are concerned by this. And Wheeler only acts like zis because he cares for and protects us. And Twilight mentioned about how you just hurried away after dinner......"
"I have a very good reason, for your sleepover here was not out of fear, but out of ingenuity. All night I was working on your way home. And if you would all follow me, I having something very important to show you." Celestia took the herd and led them towards her destination.
The Princess led the eleven ponies down several flights of stairs and into a stone cellar lit by her horn that illuminated much of the complex. She navigated them through several corridors, making several twists and turns until they arrived at a plain wooden door at the end of one of the hallways. Inside was a room that must have been 20 feet high and 40 feet long. Inside was a large, gold-framed mirror that hung on the end of the room, a table and several bookshelves, each covered in book spines and texts; but most importantly was another pony that had horns and wings like the Princess. Her mane was wavy and ethereal, like Celestia's but was navy blue and sparkled like stars in the night sky. Her coat was a blue like her mane, and her flanks featured a black patch with a white crescent moon on each side. She wore a simple silver tiara and shoes on her hooves.
"Princess Luna. I believe I have told you about our guests?" Asked the sun Princess.
"FELICITATIONS, ELEMENTAL GUARDIANS!" she boomed out, with every pony covering their ears. "DIDEST THOU ENJOY MINE NIGHT HERE IN OUR FAIR NOBLE CASTLE?"
"Luna! What did we talk about with the Royal Canterlot voice?" asked Celestia.
Wheeler whispered to Twilight "Does she come with a mute button?-"
"But sister!" Luna cried out. " 'Tis a tradition to greet such high-regarded outsiders within our wards with thine voice!"
".......Or at least a modern-English button?" Wheeler continued.
"She's gotten better." Twilight told him.
Luna held out her hoof. "'TIS BE A SIMPLE HOOFSHAKE. THOU SHALT NOT BE AFRAID!" the echo of the stone room made things worse. Ma-ti just crouched and shivered.
"Luna, the spell?" Celestia reminded her.
"Oh! But of course!" She said, this time in a softer tone.
Just like what she did last night, Celestia touched her horn to the glass of the mirror. She lit up her horn as she cast her magic into it. The runes engraved in the golden frame lit up as the the surface of the mirror blurred and clouded. The eleven non-royal ponies just stared at her in confusion.
"Uhhh.....Princess?" asked Twilight.
But then the cloudiness in the mirror started to clear. As the colors started to separate, there an image of a island with a purple mountain started to show.
"That is our home! Hope Island!" Ma-Ti cried out.
"There is more, young elemental bearer." said Luna. The image of the island zoomed into the base of the mountain and inside showed a chamber with a dark skinned woman with long, wavy black hair and purple robes meditated on a flat stone dias.
"That's her! That is Gaia!" Gi could barely contain her excitement.
"Yo! Gaia! We're ova' here! Can ya hear us?" Wheeler asked.
"I'm afraid she cannot, Wheeler." Celestia sighed disappointingly. "My scrying magic is not that powerful."
"Uhhhhh......Scrying? What da hell is that?"
"It's a magical practice that involves seeing things psychically in a medium, usually for purposes of obtaining spiritual visions and less often for purposes of divination or fortune-telling."
The Element of Fire thought about it for a moment. "Ohhh! That crystal ball junk! Got it!"
"Anyway...." Celestia said with an annoyed look at the American's comment for calling her vision magic "junk", "That's why I brought Princess Luna here. Perhaps a sheer increase of magic power can have us leap past a threshold in which both ends of the observation can attempt communication. Sister, if you will?"
Luna strode over the the mirror and lit up her horn in the same fashion. As she touched to the mirror, the runes grew an even brighter white for a moment before they started to rapidly scintillate in various brightnesses. However, the magic mirror still showed the Spirit of Earth still unaware of her surroundings. Luna and Celestia were really straining now, but there was still no change.
"Is it vurking?" asked Linka.
The royal sisters were sweating now, and the runic symbols still glowing a bright light. But then Luna withdrew, panting lightly. Celestia followed suit upon her sister's breath as the image of Gaia faded back into the reflection of all the ponies in the stone room.
"I'm afraid not, Linka. We can't amass the power to overcome the communication threshold. Maybe if there some magical item used for communication, but there is none I know of that exists."
That's when a fluorescent light bulb turned on inside Ma-Ti's head. "My ring!" he yelled out. "My power is the Element of Heart! I used it to influence the thoughts of actions on others, but also used to establish a telepathic communication with my friends, including Gaia! Maybe if your raw magic could amplify my ring's ability to transmit a message, it could cross dimensions so Gaia can talk to us!"
"Like cranking up the power on a radio!" Gi added.
"Hmmmm.......That actually just might work. I think you should try it!" said Twilight.
"Very Well. Ma-ti, use your ring."
"Heart!" he yelled, pumping his hoof in the air. It glowed yellow as a wide golden beam struck the mirror. As it did, Celestia and Luna refocused their energy at his ring. This time, the runes on the mirror frame glowed bright white before they turned a rich shade of violet. The image of Gaia reformed again with her mediating, eyes closed on the dias as before, but then her eyes shot open in a rush of energy.
"Who is there?" asked her comforting alto voice as the woman in the mirror moved her lips.
"Gaia, is that you?" asked the Princess of the Sun.
"C-C-Celestia? It has been centuries since we have spoken!"
"Centuries?" thought Kwame. And how did these two know each other?
"Gaia, I believe I have something that is yours." spoke Celestia, now facing the mirror as Gaia spoke directly to her.
Back on Earth, Gaia saw a crackling purple-edged, human sized portal with an alabaster alicorn looking and speaking to her. "You have my young Planeteers?"
"See for yourself." said Celestia, smiling. Into view popped five multicolored ponies that looked unfamiliar at first, but then Gaia recognized their rings on their hooves and their hairstyles and hair colors.
"Planeteers! You are safe and unharmed!" she thankfully cried.
"It is a great thing to see you, Gaia. And Celestia is a wonderful Princess." Kwame assured.
"How is that we you speaking?"
"Like how we normally do!" yelled Ma-Ti in the back, with his silver-banded ring still projecting a golden glow. "The Princesses used their magic to amplify my telepathic powers so they can cross the space between our worlds!"
"Well done, Ma-ti" Gaia replied. "Do you know what caused this accident to occur? Or your transformation in equine form?"
"Allow me to explain." said a purple unicorn Gaia didn't recognize. "My name is Twilight Sparkle, protege to Princess Celestia. Two days ago, i tried to use a spell to summon a physical manifestation of the Natural Elements; apparently those of your domain. Earth, Fire-"
"Wind, Water, and Heart." finished Gaia.
"Exactly. But I believe that you must have used a teleportation spell on your.........subjects?" Twilight didn't know what Gaia was to the Planeteers, or the people of her world.
"I rule over no one." stated Gaia. "I chose these five teenagers to save my world from pollution. They are my protectors and friends."
"Anyway, we must have not only cast our spells at the same time, but we also have identical casting frequencies."
"This may explain why this has never happened before. I have not done routine teleportation in a very long time, most likely before you were born."
"Also, when our spells were cast, they must have collided and interfered with each other in the universal spell matrix. I must have "pulled" your heroes from your casting into mine. I summoned Elements, and you had them. I guess it also brings along the bearers as well."
Gaia paused to process her information from the unicorn. "A bright student, you have, Celestia. And as for their new bodies?"
"My best guess is that the magical environment of Equestria allowed them to adapt from your form-is that what humans look like?" Gaia nodded. "-to our form. The fact why some get horns or wings depends on one's traits and personalities." Now that she thought of it, someone aggressive and cocky like Wheeler would make a good pegasus, like Rainbow Dash.
"Hey, Gaia!" Wheeler spoke out.
"Speak of the Draconequus" Twilight whispered to herself.
"Did anything happen while we were gone? Did Verminous Skumm try to poison the Nile or something?"
"Fortunately, nothing has happened here on Earth. Yet. Celestia, I wish for the Planeteers to be back on Earth as soon as possible."
"We will get to work right away. Twilight, do anything to dig up a teleportation spell on the Elements."
"Yes, Princess!" Twilight was giddy for a new assignment.
"If there is nothing else, we need to cease our tidings. This magic is starting to exhaust me." Luna said.
"Wait!" Kwame said. "How do you two know each other?"
"I once was much, much more powerful than I am now, Kwame. I was able to speak to other beings beyond Earth unaided. I once found and talked to Celestia centuries ago, before my dormancy. We talked of our kingdoms and our subjects. But our conversation didn't last too long. I knew that Celestia was a pony and was the autocrat of her kingdom of ponies. she knew from me that I was the spirit of Earth, populated by humans and caused every force of nature there. That was all."
"So you only managed to speak to each other once?"
"I was lonely, and Zarm had left Earth. I was looking for someone in the Universe to talk to, and didn't know where Equestria was. I was a rare stroke of luck that I communicated with Princess Celestia. I never found her again until now."
"I cannot summon my strength!" Luna exclaimed.
"Goodbye, Planeteers. I wish to see you soon." Luna gave out as her horn's aura faded, and Ma-Ti's ring stopped its glow. Gaia faded out from view of the mirror. From her end, Gaia saw Celestia's portal turn purple and fade out of the plane of existence. Celestia rusher to aid her sister whose legs began to buckle.
"I need to take Luna to her room to rest. then I need to start my royal duties. As the ponies walked out of the scrying room, she added "Twilight, I want you to take your friends and Planeteers back to Ponyville. There, i want to look into our assignment."
"Princess Celestia, I accept." she complied. The other ten ponies nodded back.
Hours later, all the Elemental bearers hopped off the train from Canterlot back to Ponyville.
"Hey Dash, Can you teach me an' Linka how to fly while we're here?" Wheeler asked.
"And get us jobs at your.....veather station?" Linka added.
"It's pronounced weather, and of course I can."
"Job?" asked Wheeler. "You mean a paying job? Can't the Princess give us some monthly cash to live off of?"
" Princess Celestia told me the economy and treasury has been tight recently. And she doesn't just grant a stipend to every new foreigner she meets through me. Where did you get that idea?"
"I don't know. Maybe because you're the closest one to her?"
"That's not how it works. You'll need to find a way to make a living for yourself."
"Anyway," Rainbow Dash continued "I also take it you never slept on a cloud before either."
"Are zey any good to zleep on?"
"Remember those silk sheets at Canterlot?" the two pegasi nodded. "They'll feel like old burlap compared to clouds. i even had to drag a cloud in the night sky to act as my surrogate mattress last night."
"Sounds good." Wheeler said.
"Sweet. Then the two of you can crash at my place. I'm sure the two of you can flap your wings to get thirty feet off the ground."
"It's okay, Applejack." said Kwame as the farmer pony turned to his voice. Me, Ma-ti and Gi can stay in your barn."
"Actually...." said Fluttershy's weak voice. "Ma-ti told me that his gift was talking and caring for animals. I just couldn't resist having another pony who shares my talents not live under my roof.......if that's okay with you."
"And Kwame, Twilight's has a library as her house. How could I say no? Maybe I could learn some magic?"
Kwame saw no harm in their lodging plans. "It is all right. My suppose I could lend my hand at Applejack's fa-" The bearer of Earth felt something under his hoof. It was if he could feel a shifting or vibrations through the very earth he was stepping on. And it was moving!
"Did you feel that?!" he hurriedly asked.
"Feel what?" asked Gi.
"I didn't feel anyzing!" Linka said.
"Neither did I!" Wheeler added. "Are you okay, man?"
Kwame felt the movement again. "There is it again! I can feel it beneath the Earth!"
"Wait!" Ma-Ti said. "I feel it too! It's coming our way!"
"What is it dear?" asked Rarity.
"Trouble." |
The Ponyteers | Go Planet! | The eleven ponies rushed to the source where Kwame and Ma-Ti felt the trembling, wishing to see what this "trouble" was.
"What is that you're -pant- feeling, Kwame? Is -pant- an earthquake? a stampede?" said Twilight, trying to catch her breath as she ran.
"I'm not sure. I have never felt anything like this." he replied.
"And how come you and Ma-Ti are the only ones who know where it's coming from, anyway?" asked Rainbow Dash, flying above them.
Suddenly, there a vibration that could be heard and felt within the ground. This time, all the other ponies heard it or felt it.
"I take that back." she added. "And it sounds like it's coming from the Everfree Forest to the southeast!" as she pointed in said direction.
"She's right! I can feel the tremors coming from there!" Ma-ti exclaimed. "We must move!". The vibrations and thuds were just getting louder as the Elements approached the forest.
As all eleven were clearing the last block of houses, they saw the town's residential ponies start running and flying away from the source; earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns alike. The heard the screams and shrieks of the scared along the way.
"Get away from them! They'll eat you!" yelled a cream colored mare with a short red mane and a rose cutie mark.
"Help me, mommy! Help me!" squealed a purple, blonde maned unicorn filly with tears in her eyes.
"The horror! The horror!" yelled a pink earth pony with a blond mane and a lily in her hair.
Both Twilight's gang and the Planeteers still rushed against the crowd of ponies making for safety when they passed the last of the houses and crossed a bridge going over the town's river nearby the surrounding pastures. Twilight also swore she saw a mulberry-coated Earth pony running away with her face covered in some sort of black tar. But because it obscured her face, she couldn't exactly tell who it was.
That's when they saw them, just a hundred yards away.
There must have been several dozen of them. They were all were black and had piercing red eyes. Their coats, or their skin or whatever it seemed was shiny as it reflected the afternoon sun. They dripped some oily substance that made a big mess where they walked. The creatures stood on four legs, but some just had blackened insect wings as they buzzed above the horde. Those flying ones looked more like legless wasps, with their abdomens tapering off to a point. Each all were slightly larger than a pony, and were headed the hero's way.
"Bozhe Moi" said Linka. "I have never zeen or vent up against somezing like zis."
"What are you talking about?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I thought you said you fight bad guys like this all the time!" Surely, she thought that these "heroes" must have some experience in fighting.
"That's different!" Wheeler exclaimed. "We went up against whacko scientists and corrupt businessmen with no morals. Otherwise, we save people from natural disasters like volcanoes and avalanches and-"
*HOCKCK-PTOOOOIE*
In the distance, one of the creatures hocked up a ball of the black sludge they were composed of and spit it at the pyromancer's face. Before he could even react,
*SPLAT*
Wheeler got knocked off his hooves as he lost his balance from the attack. He felt the black and green grime on his face: gooey, dirty, and started to tingle.
"Oh, you didn't." he said softly as he stood back up. He was really mad now. "FIRE!" he yelled as he shot his ring-covered hoof at his attacker. The ring shot out a crimson streak of heat and flame as it shot across the field at alarming speed and struck his foe. Upon contact, the mucky opponent exploded from the blast of heat and energy. It gibbed into slime as it rained into a big puddle.
"What the-?" Wheeler said in confusion; trying to process what he just saw. In the past, he used his ring for melting, burning, and fusing, but not much else. He this was just like he destroyed something, and it went down easy. But before he could get another blast off, one of the wasp creatures shot a wad off at high velocity, headed right for him. This time, he ducked in the nick of time to have it splatter against the ground.
"WIND!" yelled Linka who stepped forward. Her golden ring glowed white Then a powerful gust of air emanated from her hoof as she directed her airflow to the vespid sludge monster that attacked her ally. As the wind rushed past it, it threw the creature's flight off balance as it slammed and splatted into a puddle on the ground below. The other hundred of pollutant-based enemies just looked at their fallen comrade. Then they set their sights on the ponies before them and glared.
"eeep!" squeaked Fluttershy as she cowered behind Applejack.
"Ma-Ti," said Kwame, making out a plan. "Take Fluttershy and head back to Ponyville. Use your powers to get the towns-ponies to safety. We must fight them off."
"You are taking them on yourselves? What if you need me to summon Captain Planet?"
"You'll see our rings shoot up in beams towards the sky, like always. Come to us when you're finished."
"Understood. Let's go, Fluttershy."
Mustering up the courage to move her hooves, she ran eyes closed away from the inevitable fight. The others saw her and Ma-Ti run towards the town to quell the panicking citizens. Twilight then turned around to catch another glimpse of her enemies, but now they were in a sprint! Another one shot out a wad of black pollution at her, but Twilight quickly charged up her horn and shot her purple-aura magic at the projectile. Not only did it vaporize of ball of sludge upon contact, but it also penetrated and hit its shooter as it decomposed.
The next instant, about a dozen of those oily constructs on the front all shot out a ball of black sludge from their mouths at once. The balls fused together into a single wave of slime that was big enough to hit all the ponies, and it was too big for Twilight to counter-spell.
"EARTH!" yelled Kwame as he called out his power. His hoof shone green as his power shot to the ground. A thick wall made of brown stone as high as three ponies immediately shot out of the earth and blocked the wave as it splattered against the edifice. A good and quick defense, but it wasn't perfect. Moments later, the Elements all saw a wave leap right over the wall in a charge.
Reacting quickly, Rainbow Dash flew up and dive-bombed onto one of the heads of the flying mooks, pummeling it towards the ground. Applejack countered a charging creature by doing a 180 and kicking. Years of bucking apple trees on her orchard gave her rear legs the strength to send it flying back over the wall, and had plenty of stamina to spare. Rarity, meanwhile kicked not nearly as hard as Applejack, but enough to send her enemy into confusion. But she stunned it enough for Pinkie Pie to work her "magic". She pulled her Party cannon out from hammerspace and blasted it back with the mass of confetti emitted at great velocity; just like the Changeling attack on Canterlot many months ago.
Wheeler and Twilight kept blasting their energies, being careful not to hurt thier friends, and Linka and Kwame kept pushing them back for more room. Gi, meanwhile used her water ring to pull water from the nearby river to clean off and wash away the ooze. She and her teammates, after years of protecting Earth from pollution like this, had built up an aversion and habit to make sure this oil and sludge and grime would get cleaned up no matter what. But when the Oozers started to flank and form a circle around them, she acted. She brought up a massive volume of river water and heavily splashed it on them. Knowing that oil and water don't mix, she had to do this quickly. She concentrated until her horn glowed and then suddenly, the water, and the soaked Oozers froze in place. Seeing what happened, Kwame lifted a boulder off the ground using his ring. He spun around in a wide circle, hitting every frozen monster. As the boulder collided with each one, they shattered into a million pieces of blackened ice.
"Keep hitting them!" Twilight commanded. "Their numbers are dwindling!"
Meanwhile, in Ponyville, ponies were still fleeing and cowering all over town.
"Um, could you......" Fluttershy said softly. But like always, stressed ponies tended to ignore her.
"Ma-Ti here can......." she spoke with desperation, but without raising her voice.
"Excuse me, but....." she felt a hoof on her shoulder. It was her cerulean Earth pony companion with the heart ring.
"I'm so sorry, Ma-Ti. It's just not in my nature to-"
Ma-Ti cut her off. "It is okay, Fluttershy. You don't want to cause any more alarm. You're as passive as I am. But there is more than just volume and violence to control a crowd. HEART!" As he raised his hoof up, waves of yellow spread out from his ring. Ponies everywhere stopped running around in blind panic and listened.
"Everything is under control. Group together with your families in your Town Hall or your homes, and barricade the exits."
That's when every pony started cantering towards Town Hall, somehow influenced and compelled by the voice they heard. They didn't know who it was, but it was comforting yet forceful as they listened to its advice. One by one, Ponyvillians, young and old, filed themselves into the big carousel-shaped building in the center of town. Fortunately, the hall was large enough to encompass most of its citizens, with only the Northern and Western residents locking themselves inside. Even Fluttershy was compelled to do so as she started to go there, but was told to stay with Ma-Ti.
"Oh my. You didn't even need to raise your voice." said Fluttershy. "And I almost went with them."
"That is my power. I can communicate and make ponies do my bidding. But I do not wish to control anyone."
"Oh...." she replied with her head down and ears drooped.
"What is the matter?" the Heart-bearer asked.
"It's just that my friends are brave and ponies listen to them, and you can touch other ponies' hearts, but I can't. *SNIFF*" Fluttershy started to sniffle in frustration.
"Fluttershy....." said Ma-Ti as he wrapped his hooves around her neck. "All that matters is what's in here." he pointed to her chest. "I cannot imagine some pony as compassionate and passive as you being hated by anyone. And you wish for the best of everypony, right?"
She nodded.
"Good, because that is all that matters.True courage is speaking your heart. One day you will embrace it." Fluttershy hugged Ma-ti back.
Suddenly, Ma-Ti saw a green, red, white, and blue streaks of light being shot up in the air in that order behind Fluttershy. He knew what that meant:
"Heart!" he yelled as he punched his ring into the air as a yellow ray of light converged with the others. Fluttershy turned around just in time to see the beams collide, and the two ponies ran back to the battlegrounds.
Meanwhile...........................
"Fire!" commanded Wheeler as he shot another ray at his hoof, killing what looked like the last of the oily sludge monsters. After the last one gibbed into onyx goo, the ponies all saw the ground was in about hoof-deep of the tar. They were covered in head to tail with oil, and smelled of a landfill.
-PANT- -PANT- "We did it! We did it!" Pinkie Pie cheered. "We beat away the ickies! This calls for a party!" -POOOOOOOM!- Her party cannon fired one last time in a burst of streamers and confetti.
"Yes, it looks like we have saved the day once again." said Kwame.
"You know, I have never read about or seen these kinds of creatures. I should tell the Princess about this."
"You might be right, Twilight." Gi said. She picked up a glob of the gibbed slime. "This compound is similar to crude oil."
"Excuse me?" asked Twilight.
"On Earth, crude oil is a fossil fuel like coal or gas that is mined beneath the ground and is used as fuel, lubricant, and other uses. And it also kills a lot of animals and plant life if they get coated in it for too long."
"Gi is right. Ve should get thees off ov us." Linka said.
And true to her word, the oil and goo started to melt off all the ponies. It just dripped and ebbed away for a moment until their coats and manes were all oil-free.
"Well that was convenient!" said Rainbow Dash. "See ya!" as she started to dart off. She really had a long day now.
"Rainbow Dash! Wait! Come Back!" yelled Gi.
The cyan pegasus heard her. "What is it?"
"Look."
The sludge was indeed gone from their bodies, but now it started to move on its own. The puddles slowly started converging together as it oozed into a single mound fifty feet away from them. They saw it build up higher and higher until it was just a thirty-foot tall blob with an equal diameter. Suddenly, five pillars of the sludge jutted out from the base of the black blob, with four of them bending to meet the ground and pushing the rest of it body up. The fifth lengthened behind the construct, while the "body" seemed to elongate. Two red spheres opened at the end opposite the long limb. Then the body partially split itself open until it almost met the eyes. The Planeteers finally saw what is was: A massive, artificial lizard made out of oil, and it gave out a big roar.
"I think this is a good time to...." Wheeler started.
Kwame nodded. "Let our powers combine. EARTH!"
"FIRE!"
"WIND!"
"WATER!"
And far away, the youngest Planeteer yelled "HEART!"
The five beams collided, and their amalgamated energies took on a shape of an equine. "GO PLANET!" the five elemental guardians chanted.
"By your powers combined, I AM CAPTAIN PLANET!" boomed the blue alicorn that emerged from the light.
"What do we have here?" rhetorically asked the superhero pony as he looked at the long oil-lizard. Upon his question, the monster quickly turned around 180 degrees as its tail whacked the Captain several dozen yards back and into the nearby river. As he sunk, he just processed the attack on him, and readied a plan.
"Now what's a nice guy like me doing in a dive like this?" Captain Planet effortlessly used his wings and hooves to swim through the water in circles, stirring up a current. Seconds later, above the surface, a swirling vortex column of water erupted out of the river, with the alicorn still spinning inside of it.
"Time to clean up your act, slimeball!" he punned as he redirected the water right at the lizard's head. Before it could hock up another glob or dodge it, Captain Planet drilled the swirling water at high velocity into its mouth. The head sprayed and rained down more oil everywhere until its head was completely gone in, like an apple in a blender. The Cap deformed the water back to puddles when he saw it. The body of the sludge monster re-elongated at the head as two new red orbs appeared on top and the mouth reopened. Meanwhile, the spray of the flung oil globs that he just dispersed moved again on their own and slowly crawled back to the big lizard as they re-absorbed back into its skin.
"Tough guy, aren't ya?" he asked as he flew back up. Suddenly, the monster quickly spat at him, but Captain Planet easily dodged it.
"Too slow!" he said. It fired three more shots of oil at him, but none it its target.
"Missed me!" he taunted as he just looped and swerved each body-sized shot. The Cap then spotted a medium-sized, dead tree on the edge of the Everfree. He dived down to easily uproot it as the oozing oily being kept lobbing more shots at him.
"So you want to play ball, huh?" he asked. As more of the globs zoomed right towards him, he swatted them away with his makeshift stick.
"Batter up!" he yelled as he just repelled glob after glob of the oil. After the wave of sludge-balls was over, Captain quickly karate-chopped one end of the trunk he was carrying several times until it was a finely sharpened point. He then ignited the tip with his horn and chucked his fire-tipped spear right at the monster's chest. It hit dead center, igniting the skin, and spreading fast.
"UUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRGGHHHHHHHHH!" the lizard cried out as it fell and curled up, seeming defeated.
"Way to go, C.P.!" Rainbow Dash cried out."
"Thank you, Miss Dash. Now I'll just need to finish up and clean-" said the alicorn with his back at his opponent. But he was cut off as he felt a sharp blow to his back. It felt like he was being pegged with rapid-fire bits of oil.
"AAAAAAACCCCKKKK!" Captain Planet interjected as he turned around, still taking fire as he saw the lizard now back up with the spear still stuck in his chest, but now the flames smothered. It finished his pelting as he then hocked a big loogie of pure pollution right at the captain at great speed. Before he could do anything,
-SPLAT-
All that was left of him was a big, taxi cab-sized ball of sludge on the ground.
"CAPTAIN PLANET! NOOOOO!" cried Ma-Ti. After several years of working and fighting alongside of him, The Planeteers knew that pollution like oil was Captain Planet's weakness. Practically a demigod of nature back on Earth, weakened by the very thing he fights, and so common on their world. Had he been defeated? The Planeteers just waited, and nothing happened afterwards. All the ponies were screwed.
"HA HA!" boomed Captain Planet as without warning, he exploded right out the bubble of pollution without a stain on him. How could it be?
"Time to kick some tail for real!" he exclaimed as he flew over and grabbed the lizards by the neck and held tight, pinning him down with his renewed vigor. He aimed his horn at the ground as he fired an emerald beam of light at it, covering the plot of land large enough to accommodate his slimy opponent.
"Let's shift the ground a little bit under there...." the Cap said.
From the sidelines, Wheeler whispered to Kwame "What's he talking about? He didn't do anything!"
But because of his new Earth Pony form, Kwame could feel the ground move below his hooves in a specific manner. "Oh, he definitely did, Wheeler. And I think he has got it covered."
Then, Captain Planet flew up with his Mack Truck sized monster in tow high in the sky. Then with a swing of his front hooves, he flung it up above him as he let out a red blast of energy right from his horn right at it, juggling it up even higher.
"Gotta set up a wall to contain the mess...." He said as he fired yet another emerald ray of magic from his horn and it widened and struck the perimeter of the prepared ground. Then a wall of stone, a pony-length thick sprung up from the ground and erected itself at least a hundred feet high, enclosing the ground for whatever is going to happen.
"Gotcha!" he said as the oily reptile came back down from its juggle. But instead of grabbing onto it, he flew topside and pushed it down to the ground hundreds of feet below. They fell and fell until it was just above the enclosure. Then Captain Planet gave it one final punch his hoof as he slammed it down into the ground.
-BOOOOOOOOOOM-
Was the sound as the two of them collided into the lithosphere. Just over the top of the raised ring of stone wall was several pony-sized globs of oil and sand flying up and barely leaking over the sides. Wait- sand?
"Is it gone?" Gi asked.
"See for yourself" said The Cap. With his horn lit, he lowered the wall. It revealed a black patch of sand, but no monster.
"They say that life's a beach but this is crazy!" he added. "I turned the ground below me into layers of sand and charcoal: nature's best filtration system! The oil stuck to the sand and charcoal so it cant re-form!" As he spoke, the sludge that got gibbed in the final explosion made contact with the sand as it slowly got absorbed into the ground.
"That's pretty smart, Captain!" Twilight said. "Thank you!"
"You're Welcome, Miss Twilight. And remember, if anything like this comes back up, look for me or the Planeteers! If we're all done here, then THE POWER IS YOURS!" he boomed. The alicorn diffused back into the red, blue, yellow, green, and white lights to be re-absorbed back into the Planeteer's rings.
"That was AWESOME!" cried Rainbow Dash.
"The six of you are true heroes." said Rarity. "I'll even buy you dinner."
"You know what this calls for........"
"A party!" Pinkie Pie finished as there was an evening soiree at Twilight's library, by now cleaned up of books that were scattered on the floor from her long research. Lots of ponies in town were there, thanking the new arrivals for their herosim. There was music on the record, punch, cookies, and all that party stuff everywhere. Kwame and Gi told the tale to curious ears. Wheeler was chatting up with Linka still trying to make ground in their on-and-off relationship, while Ma-Ti was with Fluttershy ,discussing arrangements. Meanwhile, Twilight was upstairs, writing a letter.
"Twilight, you're such a workaholic, can't you party?" asked Spike who just walked in.
"Not right now." Twilight said. Spike sighed. "I need to send a letter to the Princess about the attack."
"Oh yeah, the Planeteers told me everything, with all that ZAP ZAP from you and Wheeler and that Captain Planet went WHAM!" as he smacked his fist into his other claw "....kicked that lizard's butt."
"That's fine, Spike. But this is important. Our new friends just fought a monster within two days of their coming. And none of us knew how to fight it. Equestria could be in danger tomorrow for all we know. ......-Twilight Sparkle. Done. Send it, Spike!"
Her dragon assistant took the freshly written scroll and inhaled. He exhaled his signature green flame as the parchment ignited before the flames traveled out the window towards the capital.
"Twilight, we've got nothing to worry about. The Planeteers and you will just use their awesome magic to fight and fix all of it! I'm sure!"
Meanwhile, on an island to the east, it had been transformed from a luscious biome of flora and fauna to a land of dead and charred trees, animal bones, and dried soil. In the middle of the island was what looked like a small, black building that was growing everyday. Inside was Zarm, looking at a large crystal screen, observing what happened that day.
"So......Captain Planet can form here, off of Earth. And this land here has its ponies as its dominant species. They all seem at peace with one another, with no wars or pollution. But I can change all that. And not even the Captain Planet or his Planeteers will stop me. HE HE HE." he softly snickered. |
The Ponyteers | Return to Canterlot | "But you were gone all day yesterday, Twilight!" Spike complained.
"I'm sorry, but Princess Celestia needs to be informed of this. And she's expecting for the eleven of us to come back today." Spike just pouted.
"Tell you what. I'll tell Rarity that you are going spend all day tomorrow with her in her Boutique. Happy?"
"Definitely!" said Spike, who couldn't resist being around his crush.
"Good. We will be back before this evening." Gi said.
"Alright, bye Twilight." said Spike as she and Gi walked out the door.
"So you like books, don't you?" Twilight asked the hydrokinetic.
"Of course, Twilight. Education is something I hold in high regard."
"I also noticed you picked up basic levitation pretty fast, too."
"Yes. I am also what you may call a "fast learner"".
"I guess it's also your mind is focused and developed enough to learn it overnight. It took me days to do that."
"But you are the Element of Magic. Did you not say you were skilled in all kinds of it?"
"First of all, i was just a filly when I started. Other ponies of my age would've taken months to learn telekinesis. And I thought I didn't have it in me."
"What do you mean?" asked Gi.
"I applied to be in Princess Celestia's school when I was very young. My entrance exam was to hatch a dragon egg. I was about to fail until a distant explosion somehow unlocked all my magic potential. The egg not only hatched, but I magically aged it into a full grown dragon. Princess Celestia was so impressed she made me her protege. That's also how I got my cutie mark." as she pointed to the six-pointed star on her rear leg. "And that dragon I hatched was Spike."
"That's quite a story."
"It gets better." Twilight continued. "My friends only met eachother about two years ago, but we all got our cutie marks at the same time."
"How is that possible?" Gi asked.
"That distant explosion? That was the ultimate aerial move performed by Rainbow Dash. It's called the Sonic Rainboom. The consequences led to my best friends getting their cutie marks as well."
"That is quite something." she said. "What are the odds?"
"INCOMING!" yelled a voice above her. It was a familiar turquoise pegasus that was careening through the air, right at the two unicorns. He tried flapping his wings to control his reckless flight, but couldn't slow down. It seemed he would crash right into the two unicorns as he closed his eyes, braced for impact. That was until he felt his body freeze in midair. When Wheeler opened his eyes, he saw Twilight and Gi with their horns aglow, Twilight's in a maroon color and Gi's in a fuchsia.
"Nice one, Gi." whispered Twilight.
"Having fun up there?" Gi asked Wheeler.
"Da." said Linka, who came up behind him with Rainbow Dash. "Ve are liking zees bodies. Ze are quite agile."
"Keep listening to me and they'll be flying like me. Well, not as good as me, but alright." added Rainbow Dash.
"Look who showed up. It's 'bout time y'all got here." said Applejack who appeared from walking around the platform.
"Oh there you are, Applejack." said Twilight. "Have you seen Rarity or Fluttershy or Kwame around anywhere?"
"We are right here." said Ma-Ti as he popped around the corner. "And Kwame's got something to show you and the Princess when we get there."
"Oh yeah? What is it?" asked Rainbow.
The young Planeteer frowned "Just what we're afraid of."
"Yeah, Kwame borrowed one of my large jam jars and filled it with that black goop from yesterday." Applejack followed up. As she said so, Kwame pulled a a clear glass jar, but filled with the onyx-hued, near gelatinous sludge.
"Ewwwwwwww!" said Rarity, disgusted at its oozy texture and structure. "That must be the very essence of dirtiness!"
Kwame chuckled. "Just be glad that you didn't have to smell it."
One train ride and a stroll through Canterlot later, The eleven elements were in Celestia's throne room, ornate with a tall golden chair and stained-glass windows of Twilight's previous adventures and triumphs. The Princess of the Sun was already seated, and Twilight reiterated about the attack.
"Are you alright, Twilight? You ended up unharmed after the battle?" Celestia asked.
"I'm perfectly fine. And none of my friends, or the Planeteers suffered any damage either."
"That's good to hear. And Kwame," Celestia mentioned to the midnight blue earth pony: "You had something to show me?"
"Yes, Princess." he replied as he pulled out the mason jar filled with crude oil. "I think I can safely assume you ponies have mined for minerals, like gold, diamonds, or even coal."
"Don't get me started." said Rarity, now thinking about gems, and how Kwame would look with an emerald-studded morning-coat. Fortunately, her comment didn't break is resolute concentration. Celestia just nodded.
"But have you ever come across this substance before?" he asked the Princess, holding out the jar in front of her.
Celestia looked at it for a moment and swirled its contents with her magic. "No, Kwame, I haven't. I have never seen this material, or heard a description of it by the mining guilds. What is it?"
"Oil. Crude Oil." he said with dejection.
The Princess was confused. "You mean what you put on a salad to flavor it? Or to prepare a pan for cooking?"
"Not so. On Earth, this is an abundant yet harmful fuel source. We already mentioned this to Twilight and her friends about our duty to planet Earth, but I think you see first hand its effects. Wheeler? Care to demonstrate?"
"You mean it?" He asked in a skeptical look. "Is it really safe for me to ignite a combustible, possibly explosive compound known to kill hundreds of species of fauna within 8 feet of the very autocrat of a nation of equines?"
Everyone, especially Wheeler's friends just looked at him. "Who are you, and what have you done with Wheeler?" asked Gi.
Wheeler sighed irritably. "One of you just put a hole in the ceiling and some magic barrier or something please?" being careful not to raise his voice.
Celestia's horn glowed as she made the ceiling of the throne room transparent and intangible. Meanwhile, Twilight and every pony else stood back as she conjured a lavender magic shield. She also made a hole in the center that would been wide enough for the fire pegasus to cast his power on.
"Here goes nothing. FIRE!" he yelled as a scarlet ray of concentrated elemental fire shot out of his silver bracelet. The instant it struck the jar, the oil inside it burst into flames as a massive fireball shot out of the top. It stretched for nearly 40 feet up and out, grazing the walls of Twilight's shield. Then it wafted into a thick black smoke that seemed to blot out the sun as it went up and phased through the now-intangible ceiling. After the smoke cleared back on the ground, there was only small bits of broken, hot glass that surrounded a large scorch mark on the throne room floor. All the ponies started coughing from the bits of smoke that got over the shield as it dissipated.
"And that's just the beginning what oil can do." said Kwame.
"And you fought this?" asked Celestia, caring for her subjects' safety. "It's a miracle of Faust that you didn't suffer medical burns."
"Except zat conflagration did not happen." Linka said. Twilight and Wheeler handled the actual counter-attacks of zese.......blastings, but zey just gibbed into more of ze oil you saw. Zere vas no combustion."
"I have no explanation for this." Celestia said solemnly. "I have been around for centuries and know quite a bit of the Everfree Forest, but I have never seen creatures like you fought, or this oil material. But I'm glad all of you managed to defeat it without getting yourselves or anypony in Ponyville hurt."
Wheeler looked down at his ring. For years, he and his friends regarded his fire powers were the most offensive and weaponized, rather than a supportive tool. He could summon fire, waves of heat, lightning, and block nuclear radiation, but it was never this useful until he arrived in Equestria. "Rev up that mirror, Princess. We're gonna need to talk to Gaia again."
20 minutes later, thirteen ponies had gathered inside Celestia's scrying chamber.
"HEART!" exclaimed Ma-Ti as his ring absorbed the the Princess' magic and re-directed it into the glass messaging portal.
"Planeteers?" asked the calming human voice that emanated from the mirror as the image of the tanned, silk-robed woman appeared.
"Yes, Gaia. It is us." said Kwame. "I know we just spoke a day ago, but we got attacked."
"By whom?" asked Gaia, alarmed that someone would try to harm her protectors within 3 days of their arrival.
"I would not say whom, but what." said Gi. "They came by the dozens. They were black and shaped like giant lizards. They were these constructs made of petroleum oil."
"How can this be?" Gaia asked. "Where did they come from?"
"I am not sure." Gi continued. "But not even Princess Celestia knew of these creatures."
"There's more." Wheeler spoke up. "We managed to beat them. Us, and Dash and Twi and AJ, and Captain Planet, too."
"Captain Planet? But you're not on Earth anymore; and he can form?"
"Yeah! He's a pony like us, but he got summoned and all his powers work an' everything!"
"Ahhh." Gaia sighed in relief. "Your great ally can be summoned for emergencies like these. And I trust that you cleaned up the damage like you do on Earth?"
"Not just cleaned up, but cleaned out!" Wheeler boasted. Gaia was puzzled.
"I think what Wheeler means...." Ma-Ti said this time "....is that our powers are stronger here. We are actually able to hold out oil-enemies off for a while with our powers. We only summoned Captain Planet after things got very bad."
Wheeler remembered the fight "Yeah, Gaia? Can I please use my powers here fo' once? You never let me burn or explode anything, and now we actually get to fight!"
"Hmmmmmmmm......" Gaia thought. She knew the American's powers of fire were the most destructive of the five, and they tended to cause damage to her forests and wildlife. She also knew that fire would be the least useful in healing the Earth.
"Did you say they were made of oil?" Gaia asked. She had to be sure.
"Da." Linka said. "Eet ees just like ze like oil from Earth that you drill for, and the same that hurts the planet.But vithout Wheeler's powers, ze monsters may have reached a civilian settlement."
"I'm starting to lose sync!" Luna exclaimed as her horn's aura started to flash out.
"Then.........yes. Planeteers, I have a new mission for you. If anything comes to hurt the ponies or the nature of Equestria, then I give you carte blanche to fight it."
"Carte Blanche?" Wheeler asked.
"Ughhhh. Americans." Gi sighed. "It means she's letting us use our powers however we want to beat any new monsters if they strike again."
"Kickass!" Wheeler exclaimed.
"I can't hold it!" Luna said in desparation.
"Good-bye, Planeteers. Goodbye, Celestia. And good luck to you all." said Gaia as she waved. At that moment, Luna released her hold, and her horn faded. Ma-Ti's ring stopped glowing as Celestia rushed to her dear sister, and Gaia faded away.
"Luna, return to your chambers. You need your rest." Celestia told her. Luna, tired from the advanced scrying magics walked out of the room to go upstairs.
"Hey...." said Twilight. "How come Luna peters out in such a short time?"
"Well, scrying takes up a lot of magical energy; and even more when you're trying to observe across dimensions. I even planned for you to start next year. But I've been practicing it for millenia. Luna, being trapped on the moon for a thousand years, has not."
"I suppose that makes sense." Twilight said.
Celestia turned to the five elementalists. "I also have several questions for you Planeteers. You mentioned some Captain as your leader?"
Kwame spoke "Celestia, we explained most of this already to Twilight and her friends. But you have the right to know as well. Essentially, humans were a clever species. They built technologies that made living easier as the population exploded. But their means of production cut down a lot of our natural resources and left nothing but trash and wastes in its path. Gaia awoke from this pollution and summoned us to save the world with her powers and Captain Planet. "
"And who is this Captain Planet?" asked Celestia.
"Our ace in the hole." said Wheeler. "When a job gets too tough for us, or when the time is right, we combine our ring powers to summon a powerful superhero: Captain Planet. He always ends up finishing off the polluters in our missions. He also has a horn and wings in the world. Like you!"
"Can I see him?" Celestia asked.
"I don't think he can fit in this room, never mind summoning him." said Gi. "And I think he is bigger than you are, Princess." Celestia just looked up. The scrying chamber was small, and her horn was less than a foot away from touching the ceiling.
"Good point. And you told me he can be combined here despite not being on his home planet?"
"We do not know why that is." Ma-Ti added. "Once me and Wheeler were trapped in a rocket in space over Earth, but when the five of us attempted a summon, he combined all wrong and messed up his abilities."
"A rocket?" asked Pinkie Pie?
"It's a long story." Ma-Ti answered.
"I was just wondering something." said Rarity. "You try to make your cause sound noble but you destroy places of business and demand humans revert to a more primitive state?" Rarity shuddered at the thought of a sentient species living in dirt and without class.
"We're not eco-terrorists, Rare. We're Planeteers!" said Wheeler.
"What's the difference?" she replied.
"The difference bein' one's a job and the other's mental sickness!" the pyromancer said in disgust.
"Anyway, " Kwame restarted the conversation before Wheeler and Rarity could derail. ".....Not everyone is in favor of letting the factories and automobiles pollute while the owners got rich. We did gain allies and contacts from our adventures that helped us in our missions and led to beneficial developments. But we also gained enemies. We fought the same ones at least once a week for several years now. They all either wanted to ruin or beautiful planet in the pursuit of wealth, or worse: just because they felt like it."
"Felt like it?" asked Twilight.
"Some humans aren't looking for anything logical like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some people just want to watch the world burn. Granted, money does play a big role in it all, but eventually, we got foes that just want to wreck our environment for their amusement."
"And by humans we really mean a mutant rat and a chick with a nasty facial scar; but that's another story." Wheeler mentioned.
"Another thing......" Ma-Ti said. "We got lucky that we got sent here in between missions. Our enemies, the Eco-villians could be scheming a plot to burn down rain forests as we speak!"
Meanwhile, on Earth......................
On the penthouse of a tall building in New York City, 4 men gathered around a circular green velvet table. On one curve stood a thin man in a green suit and long, brown hair tied back in a ponytail. Next to his elbows were stacks and stacks of small plastic chips, a folded-up Hawaiian shirt, and a golden watch. To his left was an obese man with a olive green shirt and tie, a crew cut, and his face looked like a pig's. He had a few stacks of chips, but not as much as the first man. To his left was a small man-that really looked like a giant, mutated rat. He wore black robes and a scarlet red veil that barely covered his snout-like nose. He had a couple of short-stacked chips. Finally there was a hulking man that was at least seven feet tall and seemed to weigh at least 350 pounds. He was bald and was covered in some sort of skin that resembled yellow cake Uranium all over his body.
"Isn't this nice?" asked the green-suited man. "we should forget those dumb kids and get together more often."
"Hrm." muffled the rat-man as he held up his cards. "And I thought the scarf would give me an edge. I fold." he said putting them down.
"Speaking of the scarf", said the thin green man across from him. "Might I recommend a new wardrobe? You look like an Arab terrorist with that garb."
"I AM a terrorist, Looten." said the small man. "But I'm no Arab. Hell, I'm Jewish!"
"That explains the nose." whispered the giant to Looten.
"What was that?" asked the small robed man.
"Nothing."
"Let's continue." said Looten. Three cards were placed down: a two of hearts, a seven of spades and a two of clubs.
The other three men each placed a handful chips in the pot.
The next card was flipped over: a jack of clubs.
"Fold." said the fat man. "I knew we should've invited Babs."
"Aw, Greedly. You're just sore 'cause I'm about to win back my earnings." said the yellow giant.
The two remaining men each put a few more chips in the pot.
The river card was now flipped over: a four of clubs.
"All in." said the big yellow man as he pushed all his chips into the center of the table.
"Are you sure you want to do that? You can fold right now." replied the green-suited man.
The yellow hulk turned over his cards for his opponents to see: A queen of clubs and a six of clubs
"A flush! Beat that, Looten!" he cheered proudly. But as he leaned forward to grab the chips in the pot, his smile faded. His jaw suddenly dropped as he glanced at Looten Plunder's cards: A seven of diamonds and a seven of hearts!
"Full house, Dukey." Looten then took all his chips with a smug grin on his face.
"GOD DAMMIT! I HATE YOU!" He yelled as he repeatedly banged his head against the table. Looten, Greedly, and Skumm just laughed at his misery.
"The point ees is zat ve must return to Earth. Ve are needed zere." said Linka.
"And all of us will do our part do send you home." said Twilight.
"We'll be there for ya. And we'll stick together." said the loyal Rainbow Dash.
"And if those butt-ugly oil creeps come back, you know who to call." added Wheeler.
"Ghostbusters?" asked Pinkie Pie.
"Good luck My Little Ponies." said Celestia as the eleven elements walked out the door, back to Ponyville. For tomorrow, they would officially get used to life in Equestria. They could be here a while. |
Time Turner's Discordian Detective Agency: The Panther of the Bluebloods | pre | "Why a hotel? We could just stay at my place instead. It's not far from here, and I have room enough for both of us to be comfortable together."
"Stay at your place while Prince Blueblood himself is paying for our expenses?" I chuckled. "He's not short of bits so we can afford to stay someplace with room service." Catch giggled at the thought of abusing the expenses sheet, the hotel I had in mind had chocolate mousse moose available.
We started to cross the courtyard back into the main palace itself down a pleasant path that wound through a well-tended garden. The garden combined a mix of private hedge "rooms" and wider planes broken up by strategically place flower beds. The Princess must enjoy walking in the gardens if the level of care taken by the maintenance staff was any indication.
As we turned a corner we found a guard headed in the opposite direction, towards Twilight's ivory tower. He was a unicorn wearing the blue trimmed golden armour of a lieutenant, marking one of the few genuinely competent members of the royal guard. Of course just casually walking in the palace gardens is not suspicious, no reason for a guard to take interest in a pair of earth ponies. I continued to walk as if I wasn't actually trespassing.
"Halt," the guard spoke as he accosted us. "who are you two and what are you doing here?"
"My name is Detective Time Turner and this is my assistant Lucky Catch," I answered obediently. Trust me, if you act evasive around somepony in authority they'll notice and start asking uncomfortable questions.
The guard's attention shifted to the ivory tower we had just left. "What was your business with the Princess's student?"
"Consultation on obscure unicorn history," I replied.
The lieutenant turned to face me directly, "Twilight doesn't get visitors for 'consultations' and if you wanted history you should have visited the royal library."
Of course he caught me being evasive. My calm act started to deteriorate as I quickly realized this guard officer knew Twilight Sparkle on a personal basis. I suppose the "Princess's Favored Student" would be considered quite a catch for the stallions in the guard.
"What's your name Lieutenant?" I asked the guard.
"Lieutenant Shining Armor, 1st Division of the Royal Guard." Typical, that division was Princess Celestia's personal retinue and with a name like "Shining Armour" he had to be prime guard material. He was probably also the really honourable, holier than thou self-sacrificing type that tended to think I was some form of con-artist and a fraud. I can't say that I am a fan of those types either.
I didn't plan on standing around answering the questions of some jumped up layabout, so I started working on a distraction. "Do you know the story behind the Gingerbread Dog?"
The gingerbread dog? The guard asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, the gingerbread dog," I replied flatly." He was an interesting case from a few years back. It took me a week to track him down, but the Royal Guard helped me get him in the end. It wasn't something they were proud of though." I tilted my head back. "I chased him down a street from the bakery, where he'd made stolen thirty nine cakes."
"So he stole three baker's dozens worth of food?" Catch noted with a tiny amount of wit. "That's almost as many as four tens."
"And that's terrible," Armour noted.
I sighed as I brought a hoof to my face. "Anyway, I chased him around a corner into an alleyway and into a member of the Royal Guard. I made sure he was secured, returned the cakes to the bakery and got a batch at half price. The gingerbread dog went to the palace dungeon to serve out his time for the crime."
"And the guard got a medal?" Armour guessed with a smile crossing his face.
"He was arrested for 'lollygagging'," I returned dryly.
I started walking before Armour could work out the insult and Catch quickly followed my lead. After a few seconds we broke into an open gallop when we heard an angry shout as Armour figured out the punch line.
I suppose indirectly calling a guard--and by extension all guards--a "lazy twit" isn't exactly politic (2). Still, you do have to admit that they mostly stand around and do nothing all day.
The pair of us easily outran Shining Armour, he was quite naturally weighed down by his namesake attire and like most unicorns a terrible distance runner. We got back into the palace's service tunnels before he could catch up.
I was well aware of the trouble that an irate guard officer could cause, so we decided to leave the palace as soon as possible. I doubted I would be learning anything else about the panther by consulting the library and I had a theory to test.
Setting up what I needed to test this theory was going to be difficult, the telescope was crucial to my plan but I needed to be in the right place to use it. Getting to the right place required its own plan that I was putting together as we left the palace. Lucky Catch was going to absolutely love this one.
"Catch, you know you're beautiful right?" Judging by the look that quickly spread across her face I had just made her day. I hadn't actually called her beautiful before then, or even admitted to liking her, so actually saying that was a probably a big deal to her. She threw herself onto me and hugged me with every little bit of her earth pony strength.
"Ca *ack* I *gasp* air." The crazy mare was crushing my lungs and I couldn't even get enough air in my lungs to reset my way out of it. Black dots started to form before my eyes as the lack of oxygen started to take effect, thankfully Catch released her hold before she could hug me to death.
"Oh Timey I knew you cared, I knew--Timey, are you okay?"
My only response was a coughing fit as my lungs returned to their normal size.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Catch apologized as she moved toward giving me an apology hug that was--thank Celestia--less organ crushing than the last.
"Oh its fine," I rasped. "But I need your help, I have a cunning plan and it centres on you."
"What is it?" she asked, with her usual instant desire to help no matter how insane my plan was.
"Do you know where noble mares go to get their makeup done?"
"Salon de Prestige," Catch answered with a note of awe in her voice. "Every mare in Equestria wants to go there, but few can afford it."
"Well, I'm taking you there, my treat." Catch started to hug me again, squealing in delight and acting like a little filly, in the middle of a busy Canterlot street.
"Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou, thankyou," Catch blurted out, eventually coming to a sudden halt as an unwelcome thought crossed her mind. "Time Turner, how can you afford this?"
A grin crossed my face."Blueblood is paying for it."
Luna's Notes:
(1) Despite not being mentioned in the story, the Panther has on several occasions protected members of the unicorn royal family from assassination attempts and attacks by night creatures. These are unrecorded and forgotten incidents that only we remember with clarity.
(2) We are sure an implication of brutish violence on the guard's part was also intended. Whether it twas this or the implication of slothfulness on the part of the guard that Shining Armour reacted to is not elaborated on. |
Time Turner's Discordian Detective Agency: The Panther of the Bluebloods | Chapter 4: The Best Stakeout Ever | "So, what's the plan?" Lucky Catch asked.
"What makes you think there's a plan?" I replied.
"You're carrying a telescope and paid for a makeover costing more than I make in a week," she surmised with a knowing smile. Lucky Catch had spent an hour being pampered at Equestria's most expensive salon while I was across the street getting lunch. Her coat glittered in the evening light, false eyelashes had been added and her face had been subtly covered in grade A cosmetics.
She gave me a smile that revealed her whitened teeth. "There's a plan, what is it?"
I found myself returning the smile. "Well I have a few theories about Blueblood's Panther, but the only way to prove them is direct observation."
"We won't be able to get close to it. Is that what the telescope is for?"
I replied with a nod then added, "We have to watch it from outside the palace grounds and that means we need to see over the palace walls."
"You mean we would have to be high up on a tall building near the palace itself?"
"Yes, and I can only think of one building suitable." I looked at Catch and waited as she started to think of suitable buildings. We were walking down Palace Boulevard again in the direction of the palace. The afternoon herd had dispersed and the road had cleared as Princess Celestia prepared lower the sun.
"The Colton Stables Hotel," Catch realised. "The hotel that fancy ponies and visiting nobility stay at, right? Just across from the palace?"
I nodded, "They do have lower priced rooms, but we need one with a balcony and high up enough to give us a view of the palace grounds."
Catch broke out into a full grin shaking her head slowly, "you wouldn't."
"Well, I'm sure Blueblood can afford it, and we're going to need the penthouse suite to solve this case properly." I brought a grin to my face as well. "Some room service wouldn't go too far astray either." Lucky Catch began to laugh, a sure sign she was getting too comfortable with these sorts of antics. I am such a bad influence on her (1).
Once we arrived at the hotel we put our plan into action. I coached Catch a little before hoof as we planned out our little scheme. This was going to combine the old Hoofington Herding Trick and bit of Delusions of Grandeur for good measure. The first part of our scheme was the entrance; we needed to establish our characters in the minds of the hotel staff with some entertaining acting.
Lucky Catch stormed into the hotel lobby, pushing past other ponies without regard and walked right past the queue in front of the check in desk. I followed, apologising to every pony Catch slighted during her entrance.
Once Catch reached the desk she stopped and lifted her nose into the air in disdain, tapping her hoof impatiently. I galloped forward and rang the service bell three times. Then I stood waiting by Catch and did my best to look nervous.
The bell got the attention of the mare running the desk. Annoyed at the interruption, she gave a huff and came over to rebuke us.
Before she could say anything I proclaimed, "Presenting Baroness von Catch of Stalliongrad." The counter mare swallowed the rebuke she was about to give and gave Catch a slight curtsy that was ignored entirely.
"How can we help you Baroness?" the mare asked Catch, but the Baroness refused to acknowledge the existence of the desk clerk.
I gave a polite cough. "The Baroness is visiting Canterlot at the invitation of Prince Blueblood. However the Baroness has declined the use of the Palace guest facilities and wishes to sojourn in one of the penthouse suites of this hotel." I gave the clerk a slight pleading look and added in a quieter tone, "Please tell me you can accommodate us. My mistress is most demanding and if I cannot find her an appropriately luxurious suite she'll send me to the deepest pits of Stalliongrad to mine gems with my bare hooves."
Catch tapped her hoof to say she was getting impatient.
The desk clerk gave me a sympathetic look. "I'd love to help but we only have one penthouse vacant right now and it's already been reserved."
"Does the reservist have a landed title?" I asked in a low voice. The desk clerk turned to check the ledger further along the desk.
"She's a wealthy tycoon from Manehatten. I'm sorry but we just don't have any more penthouses available. The lead up to the Summer Sun Celebration always takes up most of our suites."
I gave Catch a slight flick from my tail as a signal to move to our contingency plan. "Can't you just bump her down a room? My mistress is really getting impatient and we need that suite. If Miss Tycoon has an issue with it get her to take it up with the Prince, because it's not like--"
"I have endured enough of this foolishness!" Catch roared. She threw her hooves onto the desk and lifted herself up so she could stare down at the desk clerk. I had already given the clerk a way out - giving us the room - and now Catch was going to drive her into it. Later I would find myself favourably comparing Catch's shouting with Luna's "Royal Canterlot Voice", but Catch can't match the sheer volume the Princess can project (2).
"Turn over the room! or I shall ensure that everypony of worth in Equestria knows that you would favour a commoner over a thoroughbred noble!" Catch's tirade had pushed the poor desk clerk down onto her plot and she was now melting under the 'baroness's' wrathful glare.
"My Mistress," I began to interrupt. "Please, it's not her fault I'm sure there's another--"
Catch rounded on me yelling, "How dare you speak on behalf of this commoner! You shalt remember who you are bound to serve. When we return to--"
"It's yours," the clerk blurted out.
"What‽" Catch asked in shock.
"The room, take it. Just don't punish him, please."
"Good to see you came to your senses," Catch replied in a normal tone and she began walking towards the elevators. The entire room breathed a sigh of relief as Catch walked away. Most of the audience of ponies that had been watching the tirade did their best to pretend nothing happened.
I went to the clerk and she presented me with the key to the penthouse. "Thank you for your help."
She nodded in reply, "be careful." Then she leant forward and gave me a soft nuzzle, blushing as she did so. It was a good thing Catch had gone, the possessive mare would have gone into a genuine rage if she saw that.
I gave the clerk a thankful nod and galloped after Lucky Catch.
The elevator ride was quick at first, but began to slow as it neared the top of the building. Elevators are a rare thing in architecture and expensive to run. Most ponies assume that the cost is in the magic used to propel the car. In truth elevators actually use pony power, rather than magic, and there's some poor earth pony turning a wheel somewhere to move the elevator car.
The car eventually reached the floor our penthouse was on and adjusted slightly so the doors lined up for us to open. We alighted onto a landing with a door at the end matching the key I received from the clerk downstairs.
I opened the door and Lucky Catch exclaimed in wonder at the sight, I was simply speechless. The Penthouse wasn't so much a room as it was the entire floor, and we were eighteen floors up from the surface of Canterlot, itself halfway up a mountain.
I walked out onto the western balcony and looked out at the view below. The palace and its gardens were a magnificent view, but beyond them lay the rest of Equestria in an even greater vista. I could even see Ponyville and I could make out the clock tower from here as well as the vast orchards of Sweet Apple Acres. Sadly I couldn't see my house from here.
"Timey, come see this," I heard a call out from inside. Catch had decided to check the rest of the room and I went to see what she had found. Trotting through a grandiose doorway I found Catch lying across a princess sized bed (3) and she was giving me a come hither look.
It was at this point that I realized my mistake. I was so caught up in finding a spot for my telescope, and simultaneously looking for a way to spend as many bits as possible, that I had made a critical error. I brought Lucky Catch into an expensive hotel room with a princess sized bed. There was also a box of chocolates with a bottle of grape juice on the nightstand. The worst part was that the suite seemed to have been set up with a romantic environment in mind for the original guests.
Sweet Celestia's Day Glow Mane, I thought to myself. I sighed, caught my breath and prepared to deal with the situation.
"Well, I see you claimed this room." I tilted my head toward the door. "Let's go order some dinner. I want to see the menu this place has."
I think I briefly saw Catch's expression fall as I turned and walked out the room. Keeping her distracted all night was going to be an amazing feat by itself.
The Colton Stables Hotel was a modern affair with all the modern conveniences its reputation required. A guest could hardly be expected to have to travel all the way to the kitchens to order a meal. Instead a very clever arrangement with scrying spells was used to send a message remotely.
A table by the entrance featured a glass surface, a notepad, a pair of gems, and a large hoof friendly button. I took a sheet from the notepad and filled out what I wanted from the menu. I took the opportunity to sample a few of the fine delicacies that a common pony could never afford.
"Is that the menu?" Catch asked as she looked over my shoulder at the list of overpriced meals.
"Closer to the endangered flora list I imagine," I noted. The list was filled with rare flowers with limited habitats, including a dish labelled "Poison Joke Surprise". I took the poison joke dish, which advertised a chaotic flavour created using specially treated flowers from the Everfree Forest.
Lucky Catch opted for a "Fire Flower Fulmination" which promised to be bright and hot. Finally I added an order for the "Chocolate Mousse Moose" dessert and a bottle of a drink named "The Rainbow Chaser".
I placed the paper onto the glass surface of the table, pushed the button on the device and one of the gems lit up with a red glow. The table used a scrying spell to create an image of the paper we had written on down on a similar glass in the kitchens. After a few moments the second gem lit up with a green glow to say then order had been received.
"Modern enchantments are so incredible," Catch noted.
I nodded. "Indeed, now let's go get the telescope set up." I picked up the case containing our borrowed instrument and we went out to the western balcony. While Catch admired the view, I started to set the telescope up. I was delighted to discover this one was of earth pony make that could be set up easily without the use of magic or hours of hoof work.
I set the case on the ground, pushed the setup button and took a few steps back. The case flipped open and the telescope sprung open onto a tripod. A few adjustments and I had it pointing down toward the palace.
"Timey," Catch began. "Take a look at the sunset."
"Trying not to, I don't want to lose an eye to this telescope," I replied as I adjusted the focus on the eyepiece. Focused on my task, I paid little attention to Catch as she started to open her own bags. Just as I managed to get the thing focused on the palace gates I felt a tap on my flank.
"Time Turner," Catch asked.
"Yes Catch?" I said as I turned toward her and found her sitting on her flank with a fore hoof in the air, holding an open box. The box held a golden tail ring that probably took Catch a month to save up for.
It was rather... strange. We were together on a balcony high above Canterlot with what might be one of the best views in Equestria, watching the sun set. It was probably the most poetic moment for a proposition like this.
"Reset," I invoked.
Time reset itself back to where it had been moments ago as Lucky Catch made her observation, "Timey, take a look at the sunset." I broke away from the telescope to look at the sight, I actually felt guilty.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Catch asked as she turned to look at me.
"It is," I agreed. "Catch, can you look through this telescope and adjust it a bit, I just need a moment." Catch nodded and took my place while I retreated back inside the suite.
Once I was alone I sighed to myself. Shame, I was feeling shame of all emotions. Normally I never felt anything near that, it's hard to feel regret when you can often avoid it entirely. Another proposal avoided. I suppose by now it was starting to build up and Catch's persistence was getting to me. I liked her enough to want her to be happy, but what was I going to do with her?
I'll Cross that bridge when it comes, I told myself. Though someday I'll need to give her an answer. Introspective moment over, I went back outside to check on Catch's progress.
"Turner, come have a look at this," she said as I came out. She quickly moved away to let me see for myself. "What do you think of that?"
I peered into the eyepiece, and drew back in horror from the image the telescope showed. A distant echo of laughter came to mind. "The statue..." I felt a little shaken having seen the monstrosity again.
"That's the statue?" Catch asked as she looked back through the telescope again. "So this is the one in your nightmares. That's Discord: the representation of disharmony."
"It's called Discord?"
"You didn't know?" Catch gave me a concerned look. "You named your detective agency after him."
"I-I called it Discordian because it meant disharmony, and it sounded cooler," I admitted.
"I thought you said you went on the palace tour as a colt?"
"I did," I said with a nod. "But I didn't pay any attention to the names."
My mind rapidly filled horrible thoughts. The statue was the Celestia damned representation of chaos and disharmony, the very basis of my detective career. This did not bode well, everything I had learned as a discordian detective was telling me something was wrong here.
Before I could go into a panic attack there was a knock on the suite door. I was relieved to have a mundane problem to solve. I left Catch on the balcony and left to answer the door. On the other side of the door was a mare with a small chef's hat perched on her head, and a trolley holding several trays of covered food.
"Good evening sir, this is your order with complements from the head chef. Would you like to charge this to your room or somewhere else?" the mare asked.
"Charge it to Prince Blueblood."
"Sir?" the mare asked quizzically.
"The Prince has offered to pay for my mistress's stay here, in lieu of staying in one of the palace suites. Just send it to him with the note, 'Time Turner's Expenses'."
"Very good sir," she nodded while recording my instruction on a bill and presented it to me. "Sign here please." I made my mark on the bill for the food and the mare left.
I took the trolley out to the balcony just in time to see the sun set entirely.
We took turns between eating our dinner and watching the palace though the telescope. Now that night had fallen I was expecting to see Blueblood's panther anytime now. The Poison Joke Surprise surprised me with a taste that changed between each bite, ranging from a chocolate taste to dirt.
Catch displayed a surprising resistance to the taste of spicy food and easily ate a dish that forced me to down my drink when she gave me a bit to try. When I returned the gesture she found mine tasted exactly the same as hers. That was the joke I supposed; plants have a terrible sense of humour.
During one of Catch's turns on the telescope she asked me a question from this morning. "Timey, you said I should ask you about your cutie mark sometime. Nothing's happening yet, so could you tell me now?"
I agreed and drank another glass of the Rainbow Chaser. "Before we begin, I want you to promise never to tell anypony about this. It's one of my deepest secrets."
"I promise," Catch replied.
"Uh-huh, you will." I coughed. "Now, repeat after me: 'Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye'."
Catch followed me through the motions and then asked, "What was that for?"
"That was a Pinkie Promise. It's something we take it very seriously in Ponyville. Because trust between friends is something that should last..."
"Forever!" Came the sound of the promise's enforcer as she flew across the Canterlot sky in a ballistic arc toward Ponyville.
"Was that... Pinkie Pie?" asked a shocked Lucky Catch.
"Or a pig flying, I stopped asking questions about her a while back. Alright, let's get on with the story."
"It was a week or so after my encounter with the statue - Discord - on my school's field trip to Canterlot. We had returned home to Trottingham - yes Catch, I was born in Trottingham, notice the accent? - And I had started to calm down after my encounter. However Discord's voice was still haunting me with the words, 'You will live in interesting times'.
"So here I was, walking through the town on my way home when I saw something amazing. I saw an adult stallion with a tan coat, a dark mane and the same eyes as me. It's not every day you see somepony that looks just like you, so I followed him. Eventually he seemed to notice me and turned down into an alleyway, where I ran into him.
"The next thing I noticed was that we sounded almost the same as well, his voice was deeper and was the same as mine is now. 'Hello there little colt,' he said with a smile. Considering the way he greeted me, it clear to me who he was.
"'Sweet Celestia,' I said. 'you're me.'
"The future me replied, 'Yep, I suppose so, we'll go with that.' He stopped to consider me for a moment. 'It's probably not a good thing that we met. This can cause problems in the timeline, all sorts of wibbly wobbly, timey whimey problems.'
"I was young at the time and as you might have guessed, currently obsessed about getting my mark. So there I was, looking at myself, and my eyes wandered to the hourglass mark on my future flank. 'An hourglass, that means time right?' I guessed. 'You're here, so that must mean you can time travel. So that means I'm going to get a time traveling cutie mark!' So I looked back at my own flank imagining the mark that I knew I was going to get, and it appeared right before my eyes.
"Before I could break into the traditional celebratory dance, my future-self stopped me. 'Okay... me, I need to get going before we tear a hole the size of Manehatten in the universe. Be careful, stay in school and don't let too many people know how you got your mark. That could end badly.' I nodded and my future-self left the alleyway, walking away from the road I would have to take to get home.
After a few minutes of blissful celebration I went home to show my family my mark. I still keep this story quiet because I don't want to blow a hole in the universe. So don't go spreading it around, okay?"
Story finished, I refilled my cup and had another drink.
"Well that's probably the strangest cutie mark story I've ever heard," Catch stated.
"Did you expect anything normal at this point?" I replied dryly. Catch refused to dignify that with a comment and returned to her shift on the telescope.
A few minutes later she saw something. "Turner, the Panther just appeared." She moved aside to let me look through the telescope.
"Where is it?" I asked while I got my bearings.
"Palace gardens, in the southern quarter, near the wall."
I spotted the Panther just where Catch said it was. "It's walking along the wall, it must know where it's - wait it just jumped."
The Panther had leapt up to one of the lower balconies on the palace and waited. After about two minutes it leapt up again to another balcony above it where it waited again before continuing its pattern of leaping up another two floors.
Then it started to move along the palace wall, keeping to the same floor as it moved along the balconies toward the south tower. Once at the tower it waited and the "head" seemed to gaze up at the tower. I shifted the telescope to focus on the tower to find out what the Panther was after. I didn't have to look for long. The door on one of the largest balconies halfway up the tower opened and Prince Blueblood emerged with his two bodyguards.
Blueblood quickly spotted the Panther waiting below, and retreated inside with his guards into what I presumed to be his chambers. The Panther took a flying leap larger than any it had made before and landed on Blueblood's balcony, where it sat.
"Catch, you're the animal expert. What do you make of this?"
Catch took my place at the telescope and peered through at the Panther. "It's just sitting there. Though it does look like it's waiting for something; it's alert, not lounging around. It also looks like it's got its back to the room and facing outwards."
"So, it's not watching Blueblood like a griffon would watch a rabbit then?" I asked.
"No, it's just watching everything but Blueblood and it's being attentive, but not aggressive." After a moment Catch gave me her professional opinion, "I think it's guarding him."
"Now it makes sense, the story wasn't entirely true then." Catch turned to give me a questioning look, nonverbally asking me to elaborate. Or I just thought she was and elaborated anyway.
"The story implied that the Panther left and never returned once it was freed from its bond after it killed Blueblood the 4th." I started to pace back and forth across the balcony. "Yet here it is acting like the guardian it always was. It's been following Blueblood for days, and even though Blueblood thinks it wants to harm him it hasn't. It's perfectly capable of doing so, and I doubt his bodyguards could stop something that just leapt halfway up the tower."
"But why is it here now?" Catch asked.
"That is a good question. It hasn't been seen in more than a thousand years, but is that really a surprise when Equestria has been more or less peaceful for a millennium? It's a guardian that knows that a visible presence would cause more problems than it would solve. So it has only quietly guarded the Blueblood line over that time. Which brings us to another good question: why is it guarding Blueblood so overtly?"
"Because... it thinks it needs to?" Catch asked hesitantly.
I nodded. "As the story said, 'forever will it protect you and your descendants from creatures of the night, the forces of darkness and those that hide in shadow'."
I snorted. "Blueblood is right to be worried, but he's focusing on the wrong threat. The Panther is a symptom of the problem, not the cause. There's something else out there after him and if the Panther hasn't struck back at it, then it doesn't know what it is either."
Luna's Notes:
(1) Alternatively, Catch is becoming a good influence on Turner.
(2) The Royal Canterlot Voice is the result of centuries of practice combined with a mild voice amplification spell that together became second nature to us. However I have yet to see any of my subjects replicate it nearly as well as we can.
(3) Recall if you would the stature our sister enjoys and note that the "princess" sized bed is roughly based on the size of the royal divan in her chambers. |
Time Turner's Discordian Detective Agency: The Panther of the Bluebloods | Chapter 5: Stallions of Letters | There was a loud series of bangs from inside the room.
I rolled over with a groan, the cold floor of the balcony gave me little comfort as I woke up. I had spent the entire night outside watching the Panther through the telescope and just like me, it hadn't moved from that spot on the balcony for the rest of the night. I rolled myself over onto my hooves and stood up with a wobble, my entire body aching from spending the morning sleeping outside on the balcony, with only a pillow.
I looked around as I staggered inside, my ears flicking in pain as the next series of thuds came from the suite's entrance. A quick glance at the bedroom door showed it was still closed, Catch had gone inside during the night to sleep in the princess sized bed. In hindsight I should have joined her, because now my back was killing me.
The pounding on the door became heavier and I could hear muffled shouting. I stumbled over to the door, ready to shout back at whatever ass was knocking on my door. I kicked the door open to reveal a squad of four royal guards, led by a guard lieutenant who looked strangely familiar.
"Time Turner: you are under arrest for fraud. Do you have anything to say in your defence?"
I blinked twice and then simply said, "reset."
I was still crossing the room when the reset stopped and felt a mild thrill of panic that did wonders to wake me up quickly. I crossed over to the bedroom door and went in to find Lucky Catch still sleeping in the bed.
I went over and shook her awake."Catch, wake up."
"Timey can't you let me sleep in," she spoke through a yawn. "This bed is just so comfortable."
"Catch, there are guards outside. Pack your bags and take down the telescope," I instructed. "They're probably here to arrest us and take us to the palace."
"What have we done?" Catch asked with a note of panic in her voice.
"No idea, but I'm going to find out."
The same adrenalin that had shaken me out of my stupor, now worked for Catch as she started to grab her things from around the room. I marched over to the door to buy Catch some time to pack our things up.
I opened the door to reveal the impatient royal guards and their leader. "If you're here about the noise complaints, then tell that mare she doesn't appreciate real music." I leaned against the door. "Seriously if she doesn't like classical music, then she's living in the wrong city."
"Time Turner: you are under arrest for fraud. Do you have anything to say in your defence?" the Lieutenant parroted the same speech from last time.
I looked up and down while making a show of trying to place his face, "Shining Armour, right?"
The guard narrowed his eyes and spoke with a harsh tone. "Lieutenant Shining Armor. Last night you charged this room and expenses to Prince Blueblood the Fifty Second, to the sum total of six hundred and forty seven bits. The charge against you is defrauding a member of the royal family, how do you plead?"
"You know it's actually pronounced Armour, with the ur sound at the end." I pointed a hoof at the engraving on his nameplate that spelt "Armor". "So your nameplate is missing a 'u' after the 'o' there."
"It's spelt properly, it's my name, I should know," Armour replied unamused.
"Yet, you still say Armour, complete with the ur sound at the end," I countered using a deliberately patronizing tone. "Not Armor with an or sound at the end."
"That doesn't matter to me, because I'm here to escort you to the palace," Armour said firmly.
An incredulous look crossed my face, "no I'm not, not while this travesty of good grammar still exists."
Frustration crossed Armour's cool exterior, it's like somepony had never spoken back to him before. Righteous types like him are never wrong, and if they are then reality simply has to change.
"Why does this even matter to you?" Armour asked tersely.
I brought a hoof to my chest in mock shock. "Sir of course it matters to me, I am from Trottingham: the home of Spear Carrier, the greatest bard who ever lived. Haven't you heard the play Macintosh? Or even Hamlet, the story of the young boar who avenges the death of his father at the tusks of his uncle?"
I snorted and continued my righteous tirade. "These classics of literature were created and first performed in Trottingham, where we honour the written word and its proper usage. Even though you Canterlot types have dropped the u from so many words, just to save time when setting movable type in presses."
Armour's face was now a mix of frustration with anger starting to creep in, his eye was even starting to twitch. With a bit more effort I bet I could drive him into an apoplectic fit of impotent rage.
Then Lucky Catch appeared behind me with a cheerful smile on her face, "I've got everything packed up, I've got your saddlebags right here." She lifted the brown bags onto my back. "And your fedora," she said, before placing it carefully on my head.
"Thank you, Catch. I believe these fine stallions are escorting us to the palace," I said with a smile. "Shall we?" Catch nodded and I led the way out as the two of us walked past Armour and his guards toward the elevator.
I looked over my shoulder toward the lieutenant. "Coming Armour? I thought you were going to escort us to the palace." I was rewarded with a view of the young lieutenant as the blood rushed to his face and the twitch in his eye spread to his entire body, his mouth not speaking but simply mouthing half formed invectives toward me. I savoured the sweet vision of apoplectic victory as we entered the elevator.
The walk toward the palace yielded no more attention from Shining Armour, he seemed determined to ignore me so long as I followed. I still basked in my victory though, getting a rise from a guard was priceless.
"Timey," Catch asked quietly as we walked together. "Why are we going with them?"
I shrugged, "There was only one way out of that suite and these fine gentle colts were standing in it. Unless you somehow had a way of growing Pegasus wings in a hurry, they had us bottled up." Catch gave me an unsure smile. "Don't worry Catch. I doubt anyone asked Blueblood about this, otherwise it wouldn't have happened. They have nothing to charge us with really and they can't hold us for longer than two days without the Prince or Princess saying so."
The lieutenant led us to the Palace and along a downward ramp that led away from the main hall down into the mountain side. The Palace dungeons are rarely used and usually just provide temporary containment for a criminal until the Princess could work out a suitable punishment (1). Imagine my surprise when I found that the dungeons weren't entirely unoccupied.
Armour turned us over the dungeon guard and he led us into a corridor with six individual stalls, three on each side. He locked me and Catch up separately next to each other, in view of the occupant of a cell on the other side of the hallway.
Inside lay a diamond dog with a mixed brown and white coat, he had been stripped of his formal vest but retained the demeanour that came with it. "So what brings you to the dungeons to join poor Ruff? I take it that my master has forsaken you as well."
"No just a misunderstanding with the guard, I'm innocent," I replied in a jovial tone.
"I believe I have read somewhere that all ponies insist they are innocent when locked up," Ruff said with a suffered sigh. "I suppose it's more believable from a pony than a dog."
"Why are you here," Catch asked. "I thought you were Blueblood's servant."
"The guards raided my hoard." Ruff explained and he threw himself onto his cot. "Apparently somepony told them that I was stealing gems from my master. The ones that they claim were stolen, were all paid to me as part of my service to the master and earned by my effort in his name. He claims that he never paid them to me and that I had stolen them, so now I wait here for the celestial one to dole out justice."
"When were you arrested? I asked. I thought Celestia was quick to judge in these situations."
"This morning as I woke to fetch breakfast for my master, the delay has been caused by the celestial one's preparations for the celebration tomorrow. It is likely we shall be stuck here until they conclude tomorrow afternoon." The dog laid on his bunk and stared at the ceiling.
Thinking on these words, I leaned against the bars of my cell in an attempt to try and see Catch. "Catch come over here."
She came over to the edge of her cell, separated from me by the marble stone wall. "Are we going to have to wait as long as he says?" she asked me through the bars quietly.
"Armour's in no rush to fetch Blueblood for us," I explained, including a roll of my eyes she couldn't see. "We might be stuck down here for longer than that, even if we're entirely innocent."
"So how do we let him know?"
"We'll probably have to get out of here first." I tapped a hoof against the bars in thought.
"How can we do that?" she hissed back. "We're locked in here with a guard outside."
"A lone, bored, inept guard. I think I can deal with that." I started to make a plan.
The guard walked into the hallway following the sound of laughter, his white wings were held at his side and probably itching to be used.
"... so the bar-mare says, 'of course, do you think I would have married him otherwise?'" Catch broke out in laughter again and I followed by chucking at my own joke.
The guard eventually arrived and stood across from our cells, we stopped talking under his gaze. "Don't stop on my account," he mentioned before returning to his alert stance right across from us.
I took the guard's advice and continued."Alright Catch here's a riddle: 'You buck a purple rock into a yellow river, what happens?'"
Catch hummed over it for a minute, "It turns brown?"
"Nope," I replied in my best Big Mac impression.
While Catch thought over it the guard answered it instead. "It makes a splash."
I nodded at the guard. "Correct, alright here's another: 'Say my name and I disappear, what am I?'"
"Silence," the guard answered without hesitation. "That's a popular one amongst the guards."
"You're good at this," I complemented the guard, "Here's another just for you:"
"Every dawn begins with me,
At dusk I'll be the first you see.
And daybreak couldn't come without,
What midday centres all about.
Daises grow from me, I'm told.
And when I come, I end all cold.
But in the sun I won't be found,
Yet still, each day I'll be around."
The guard thought hard on this one, the only sign of the thoughts crossing his mind was the movement of his eyes as he tried to figure it out. "Princess Celestia," he answered.
"Not quite but a good guess, the answer is the letter d."
The guard stamped a hoof against the ground and shook his head, A wide smile crossing his face. "Alright tell me that one again, I want to try that one on the other guards. I don't think anypony will get it." I did as he asked and retold him the riddle so he could commit it to memory.
"Thank you, now I have one for you," the guard mentioned and I nodded to let him start.
"My days are in the summer,
Where battles tough are fought.
But when you find me in a fight,
It will be high in the sky
and if you catch me napping,
I suggest you let me lie."
I thought about this one for a while but it continued to elude me. Eventually Catch chimed in, "It's a dog."
The guard nodded in response, "well done."
We sat like this: joking, telling riddles and occasionally stories for the better part of an hour. Eventually Catch's stomach growled and reminded me that we had missed out on our breakfast.
Our guard moved toward the door. "I was supposed to arrange your lunch a while ago, so I'll just go find out what the kitchens have for you. I'll be back soon." The guard left the hallway as Catch and I waved goodbye.
We waited several minutes for the hoof steps to fade into the distance. Once he was gone I looked over at Ruff, "Did you get them?"
"Of course," the diamond dog held out a ring with a set of keys. "Thank you for keeping him distracted. I must say that I enjoyed those riddles he told, especially that dog one." Ruff used the keys to open his door with a few deft movements of his paws. Once out of his cell he came across to open both Catch's and mine.
"Thank you, Ruff." I stretched my limbs out. "I don't suppose you know a way out of here?"
"There is an entrance to the service passages ten pony lengths down the hall on the left once you leave the dungeons," he combined his instructions with pointed gestures."
"Alright one last thing before we leave, where's my hat?" I asked as I started to look around. Armour was the good little guard officer and took my stuff away when locked us up.
"I think I saw a chest when we came in," Catch said. "Over into the guard room."
"Right," I said as I walked out of the dungeon and into the guard post. Catch followed me and walked over to the chest she saw earlier. It was a rather simple wooden chest with a metal lock engraved with the word "evidence". It didn't even look particularly solid and I'd wager a swift buck from an earth pony would break the chest in half. As tempting as it was to test my theory, we did have the keys available. I called Ruff over to open the lock, reuniting us with our gear.
"That should be it, Ruff would you--"my ears flicked as a heard the sound of hooves approaching. "Everypony back into the cells." We all returned to our unlocked cells as the guard returned. He trotted in with a large bowl held between his wings, containing a large pile of oats and a netted bag of apples hung from his mouth.
"Unusual to have so many ponies down here at once, this was the best we could do on short notice." He set the bowls down before reaching out onto his armour to get his keys. "Hang on, where are my keys? I could have sworn..."
"You left them behind actually," I admitted as I stood behind him. The guard's head swung around and his wings opened as he turned to face me, shock turning to determination on his face.
I held out a hoof toward him, "Time Turner, Detective and currently employed by Prince Blueblood." The guard raised an eyebrow and I continued, "There was a misunderstanding and I was wrongfully imprisoned."
"Everypony says that down here," the guard returned.
"Normally you would be right. In this case I have been accused of defrauding my employer by Lieutenant Shining Armour and he has arrested me without checking it with Blueblood first."
"If you have a problem with Shining Armor you should make a formal complaint to the Captain, not break out of your cell." The guard's voice became more strained as he bit at straws.
"My work for the Prince is time sensitive, I can't wait for a complaint to go up the chain of command. If Blueblood knew I was down here he'd release me immediately. Once I see him again I'll obtain a full pardon and make sure you are not blamed for our escape." I gave him an unnerving smile. "I'm a specialist, so you couldn't be expected to actually be able to keep me imprisoned anyway."
The guard backed away a few steps, his rear hoof bumped against the bowl of oats and he started in shock at the touch. The guard cornered by somepony, who somehow managed to escape from his cell and isn't even afraid of retribution. I suppose I may have been a little intimidating.
I changed my approach to be more friendly. "Well since you were so kind to bring so much food back, I suppose we can't let it go to waste. Have a seat and we'll join you for another game of riddles over lunch."
The guard calmed down over our shared bowl of oats with an extra apple each. Despite not having an appetite for oats, Ruff was happy enough to share a few riddles from his own home with us and we took the edge off the guard as we progressed.
'Alive without breath,
As cold as death.
Clad in mail never clinking,
Never thirsty, ever drinking.'
"A fish," the guard answered and Ruff gave a nod to the guard for answering correctly.
"I never knew Diamond Dogs were so good with riddles," I said as we finished another round. The bowls had all been emptied as we sat on the dungeon floor together.
"Normally we are not, " Ruff admitted as he rubbed his paws together. "However as in the guard barracks, the servants also enjoy riddles that we tell to each other as we each await a mistresses' call."
The guard gave a nod. "It is the doing of the Princess, she enjoys speaking in riddles and testing us all with new ones as we escort her during her duties. No guard has ever yet managed to find one she does not know (2)."
"That makes sense, I nodded as I thought about it. "Now, I believe I should be getting back to what Blueblood is paying me for. You ready to go Catch?"
Catch gave me a nod and "uh huh."
"It's been a pleasure..." I stopped as I tried to remember the name. "Huh, I don't think we actually asked your name."
"It's Corporal Iron Barding," he said with a casual salute before holding a hoof out.
I bumped the extended hoof, "We should do this again sometime. If you're ever in Ponyville, feel free to stop by."
We stood to leave, but Barding held up a hoof to stop us. "I'm afraid I can't let the dog go. The Prince himself ordered his arrest."
Nodding in understanding, I turned to the dog. "In that case, Ruff. I can't let you come with us either."
"But I'm innocent," he whimpered. "And I helped you get the keys."
"But I'm working for Blueblood," I replied. "It's a conflict of interest for me to take you. But I can promise I'll do everything within my power to prove you're innocent. Tell me where your hoard is and I'll look into it."
"The south tower, my quarters are beneath Blueblood's royal apartment."
I nodded, "I'll do my best to get you released, in the meantime you can share a few more riddles with Iron Barding here." Ruff said his thanks and returned to his cell, Barding also gave us a friendly wave as we left.
"I've never heard of somepony using friendship to escape a dungeon," Catch muttered with a shake of her head.
"You say that like you're surprised Catch." I replied as I looked over my shoulder back at her. We were back in the service tunnels and traveling along the marked path that led to the south tower.
"Well, considering what a loner you used to be."
I shrugged. "I blame Ponyville, since moving there I've been a lot more open. The place tends to rub off on you, I swear the most reclusive pony in Equestria could move there and become a social butterfly within days."
Catch gave me a skeptical look. Of course I found out later that Twilight Sparkle, the unicorn that sequestered herself in an ivory tower of all places, was in Ponyville proving me right.
"Well I like the friendlier you," Catch said with a smile before a thought crossed her face. "Would you have done the same if you were an actual criminal trying to escape a dungeon?"
"Do you think really think I would have deceived a poor guard with an offer of friendship, just to escape, if I were an actual criminal?" I asked in a scandalized tone.
"In a heartbeat."
"You know me so well, Lucky Catch."
As I expected, the trip to the south tower wasn't interrupted by any member of the Royal Guard. Despite traveling the entire length of the Royal Palace through the service tunnels, we never once saw a guard patrolling them. It just goes to show that the guards are primarily there to be seen, rather than actually do anything other than hide the few competent guards in a crowd.
The traffic within the service passages was sparse once we reached the southern wing and we didn't even see anypony once we started the climb the tower. The reason was made plain as we climbed, the main ramp outside was a gentle spiral but the service passage was a steep staircase. I supposed a biped, like a diamond dog, would have found it easier to climb.
"Why," Catch asked between gasps. "Are you taking us to Ruff's quarters anyway?"
I stopped on the next step to rest for a minute to breathe and talk to Catch. "Ruff was arrested, right now of all times. What do you think that could mean?"
"Uh, that Ruff is a terrible servant and stole gems?" Catch asked with a shrug. The kind of question asked when somepony doesn't know what to ask.
"It's too perfectly timed to even be a coincidence." I rubbed a fetlock across my forehead. "No, I think somepony is trying to get Ruff out of the way, and I want to find out why."
"Any idea who it is?" Catch asked with a tilt of her head.
"A few, though it's probably better to narrow down the list." I chuckled to myself. "If I start accusing somepony on a hunch other ponies will think I'm crazy." I caught a cute look from Catch. "Well, unless I'm trying to get somepony to say something stupid, then I'm the good crazy."
Eventually we reached the Ruff's quarters located directly below Blueblood's chambers, next to the servants entrance to the Prince's chambers. We stood by the door and I looked at Catch, she gave me a nod. I opened the door with a swift buck, expecting a normal apartment but we were greeted with a stranger sight. Ruff's quarters consisted of a single room that was entirely unfurnished, save a massive pile of gemstones. The gem pile had been compacted in places where Ruff had clearly sat and probably even slept.
"Wow," was all either Catch or I could say.
"Does he?" Catch asked.
"Probably," I replied.
"That's... a bit weird."
"Diamond Dogs, weird is probably understating it. You'd probably stand a better chance of convincing a griffon to give up meat then making sense of what a dog could possibly see in this (3)."
I sighed, "Alright let's take a look around. I'll go left and you take right, let me know if you find anything." We started to walk around the gem pile, stopping occasionally to shift a few gems. I could name a dozen colours of stone, ranging from amethyst to zircon.
I shook my head in disgust, this pile was easily worth more than ten thousand bits. Ruff was just sitting on this hoard like a dragon, without even the excuse of being able to eat gems.
"Find anything yet Catch?" I called out.
"I don't think so," she called back. "What should we be looking for?"
"Anything out of place or a reason for Ruff to be arrested."
"Apart from the pile of gems you mean?" Catch retorted.
I started to laugh at the absurd situation, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. "Any unusual gems then?" I called as I scanned the pile again with my eyes.
"There's the big one at the top," Catch replied. I looked up, a large formation of pointed rock sat at the top of the pile. Curious, I began to climb the pile to get a closer look, struggling to make any headway as the gems I stepped on slid down the pile.
Once I was at the top, I took a closer look at the large formation. Unlike the rest of the pile it wasn't a gemstone, but a large crystal formation with a couple of spires.
"It's not anything special, Catch. It's just a large piece of quartz." One of the most common forms of crystal, milky white quartz isn't very valuable. This kind of crystal was normally used in cheap jewellery or as a pointed surface.
Catch looked up toward me from the base of the pile, "Then why is it on top?"
"No idea," I said as I considered it. The formation was on the best spot on the pile for some reason or other. I moved to push it down the pile but the gems beneath me moved and gave way. I caught a hoof around the crystal as I ended up rolling down toward the ground and struck my head against the floor.
Images swam before my eyes and as they came back into focus. I found I was no longer in Ruff's quarters, I was outside looking at the sky while lying in a field of grass.
I turned my head to get my bearings and spotted something impossible. A familiar statue was beside me, sitting on the edge of its pedestal as it looked down into my eyes.
"Well, well, well, we meet again little colt."
Luna's Notes:
(1) Most criminals in Equestria are simply made to apologise to their victims, repay any damages and them perform some community service before their record is wiped clean. Serious crimes can result in banishment or, in the worst cases, they are simply petrified and/or sent to Tartarus.
(2) The game of riddles is older than us or our sister, and we have spent much time trading them between us. Our sister is unlikely to admit that her habit of sharing them with her guards is probably a method of coping with our absence.
(3) The reason for the Diamond Dog love of gemstones has never been fully explained. They persist in having an insatiable desire for them, yet they serve no practical need. This desire probably the same as a pony using gemstones for cosmetic value, only more intense in the case of the dog. |
Time Turner's Discordian Detective Agency: The Panther of the Bluebloods | Chapter 6: Nightmare Falls | "Discord!"
The statue gasped in mock shock as he brought a claw to cover his heart. "You finally figured out what I am. Congratulations on solving that case detective, brilliant work there. I'm only the prize exhibit in the world's largest statue garden with the name emblazoned in big friendly letters on the pedestal." The statue bent over and swept a claw across the pedestal that suddenly lit up in neon lights to proclaim the name "Discord".
"You've always treated me with such disrespect." Its tone shifted to faux sadness, "It's been rather hurtful to tell the truth, especially after all those times that I helped you."
"Helped me?" I responded skeptically as I remembered our initial encounter. " You cursed me to 'live in interesting times', how does as curse translate to help?"
"A curse?" It spoke, followed by a snort of laughter. It stood up and jumped down from the pedestal and walked around me. "Oh please, you wouldn't understand a curse if it danced in front of you waving Celestia's mane around." He snapped his fingers and the same mane appeared on his head. "I gave you a blessing that removed you from the boring mundane and thrust you into--"the statue had brought a paw through the mane cascading from its head. "Hmm how does Celestia do this, it's rather soft..."
"How in that twisted mind of yours do you consider this a blessing?" I asked, losing patience with the statue's antics.
Its attention returned to me. "Well, I daresay I've made your life much more interesting and successful. After all you did decide to call yourself a 'Discordian Detective', how did you come up with that name anyway? Because it sounded cool? In that case I'm the prince of coolness," he boasted as he put on a set of sunglasses.
"You know you look ridiculous with that mane and those glasses together," I said to the creature as it started to recline on thin air.
"Why tank you," it said snapping its paw. A glass aquarium appeared out of thin air and fell over me, trapping me inside. Discord laughed as goldfish swam circles through the air around me.
"You've been a rather interesting diversion for me, helping you solve all those cases by subtly influencing the threads of fate around you," It said is it twirled streamers through the air. "It's as much as I can do in this pathetic state, so you've been a wonderful source of entertainment."
It walked over and stuck its head through the side of the fish tank. "So I'm giving you this little hint: What you have stumbled upon causes shadow to fall, threatens with a magic nearly lost to the ages and can only be truly mastered by those with dreams of power."
The statue stood up and lifted the tank up away from me. "I shall be seeing you again soon little colt. Do try to remember what I've told you." It shook the tank it held above me, creating a torrent of cold water to fall out and hit me in the face.
The impact knocked me over and I could feel myself rolling down a hill with far too many points on it. My vision swam as it slowly returned and I found myself back in Ruff's quarters, instead of facing Discord's hospitality.
Then I head somepony crying, I looked up to see where the sound came from and saw Lucky Catch sitting on top of the pile. Her hoof held against the crystal as it pulsed with a dark purple light, the other hoof stretched out in the direction I had fallen.
Tears were falling from her eyes as she cried, "Time Turner, no..." I started to climb toward her, the gems falling away beneath me as I tried to climb faster. As I got closer I noticed her eyes had turned green and she stared off into the distance. The few blinks of her eyelids matched by pulses from the crystal.
"Timey, don't leave me," she wailed as fresh tears fell from her eyes.
I scrambled to summit of the pile and did the only sensible thing that occurs to an earth pony in the face of the unknown. I turned around and bucked the crystal as hard as I could.
I couldn't remember what happened next, as far as I could tell the crystal shattered under the force of my hooves and released the magic contained within. That magic blasted out in a wave from the broken crystal, throwing us away and demolishing the gem pile. As I lay on the ground I suddenly felt weary, the stress and lack of sleep from the last two days building up to carry me off into a dreamless sleep.
Once again I drifted back to consciousness, my eyes complaining about the light in the room as I brought a hoof to cover my face. I rolled over onto my side, feeling each gemstone that I had been lying on. I yawned as my body started to properly wake up. I felt like I'd been asleep for hours.
I looked around to see the room had been trashed, gemstones were scattered everywhere from the blast. I trudged around the room looking for Lucky Catch, calling out several times before I heard a faint response. I found Catch buried under a small pile of gems, waking up from her own rest.
Once she returned to lucidity she wrapped her arms around me and dragged me down into a hug. "Time Turner, I had the worst dream."
"I had one too, Catch," I reassured with a pat on her head. "Something in that crystal caused them."
Catch was lost in thought for a moment and brought a hoof to her mouth as she remembered. "It did something to you, I ran up to push you away from it and it--"Catch didn't elaborate further.
I looked around and spotted a shard from the crystal lying in reach. I turned the shard over with a hoof and nothing happened, clearly whatever power lay within it was long gone. I recalled the words Discord had spoken to me, 'causes shadow to fall, a lost threat wielded by ponies dreaming of power.'
"Catch, do you remember the legend Twilight Sparkle told us?"
"It was about how the Panther was a guardian that betrayed its master, right?" Catch answered as she brought herself back to her hooves.
"It was a guardian against 'creatures of the night, the forces of darkness and those that hide in shadow'," I quoted. "It certainly seemed to be guarding Blueblood last night." I brought the crystal shard over so Catch could look at it. "I'm not a unicorn so I couldn't tell you what kind of magic it was, but it seemed dark and shadowy enough."
Catch looked up at the ceiling. "Aren't we beneath Prince Blueblood's chambers?" I nodded. "So if that crystal had... shadow magic in it, wouldn't the panther feel it?"
I gave my assistant a very genuine grin. "You're getting better at this, Catch." Her face utterly glowed with the praise I'd given her, somehow I knew she'd treasure this moment forever.
I turned the crystal over. "I think this crystal was charged with dark power and planted to summon the Panther. Wherever the Prince went I'm sure Ruff probably took this with him when he followed his master, since it was on top of the pile it had to be his favourite."
"So, Ruff was responsible?" Catch asked, to her credit she didn't look like she believed that either. Her tone was that of a pony knowing they're asking a stupid question, nothing wrong with that.
"Somehow I doubt Ruff can cast magic like this." Catch gave me a shrug, "He's been arrested too, so he's the patsy not the mastermind."
"So a unicorn then," Catch reasoned. "Any idea who it is?"
"I have a couple of ideas." I gave her a sly smile. "But I'll let you keep guessing."
Catch gave me an unamused look and snorted. "You don't know yet either, do you?" Poor filly looked like I just offered her ice-cream and then took it away. I couldn't give her all the answers.
"I can't be sure until I confront him. First though I need to find Blueblood, so I can let him know his panther problem is gone. Then I'll find the mastermind and hold him down while you give him a good kicking," I added with a wink.
We left the gem vault and climbed up the narrow stairway to Blueblood's chambers. Just outside the door I stopped Catch and said, "Let me go first." If we got jumped by an overzealous guard I could just hit the reset.
I opened the door and entered Blueblood's opulently decorated room. Just a brief look around and I was flabbergasted, most of the contents were made of actual gold. The walls were covered in portraits of Blueblood himself and his predecessors in dramatic poses or proving their worth as stallions. The mantelpiece was covered in trophies and an entire wall was taken up by a huge wardrobe.
Catch walked in behind me and simply said "wow." It was the right word to describe this monument to a stallion's ego, vanity, pride, greed and pettiness (1).
A more discerning look also showed what I had missed before, Blueblood wasn't here. I went across the room to a gem encrusted window and looked out onto the city of Canterlot below. Night had fallen and the moon was at its highest point, the mare stood out on the surface of the full moon.
Down in the field between the Palace and the City itself a large party was underway. I shook my head in disbelief at the sight, It was the middle of the night on the eve of the summer sun celebration. The exploding crystal had knocked us out for eight or so hours. Well, at least it explained why I felt so well rested.
"That's a big party." Catch stood beside me looking down through the glass at the festivities below. "I think that might be Vinyl on stage down there."
I leant against the glass and looked down as well. I could barely see the pony on stage and couldn't quite make out her mane colour in this light, but the white coat was a match for the DJ that detested me. "Well, she does go where the party is." I looked back at the opulent room again. "Somehow I doubt Blueblood went down to enjoy Vinyl's music, he can afford better."
"There's supposed to be a party for the nobility and their invited guests," Catch said. "But nopony knows where it is unless you've been invited."
I groaned, "Paranoid nobles wearing their very best." I tapped a hoof against the glass. "We need somepony that can get us into that party. Who do we know that we can bribe, threaten, cajole or ask nicely for guest passes?"
We both thought for a moment before we came to the answer at the same time: "Octavia."
This late at night we made no attempt at concealing our passage as we travelled toward the palace entrance. We walked in a brisk canter toward entrance without even a single guard looking at us twice. It never seemed like the guards ever did anything anyway, Equestria hadn't faced a major threat in centuries.
We quickly left the palace and entered the kingdom of noise ruled by the increasingly popular Vinyl Scratch. My ears had clamped themselves against my skull in a vain attempt to spare me from the audible torture being inflicted on them. Thankfully my business wasn't with Vinyl, just her marefriend.
We skirted the party and travelled around to the back of the stage where I expected to find our refined friend in charge of the festivities. We ignored the stage guards completely as we passed them. We were backstage before they even realised somepony had actually looked at their intimidating forms and then ignored them entirely.
Octavia, the infamous first chair cello of the Canterlot Symphony--and former gangster--was standing on a soapbox issuing orders to a small herd of ponies. We joined the back of the herd to listen in.
"...At the start of the next set, Miss Scratch wants a heavy mist to cross the stage." Octavia pointed down into the crowd. "You two, position yourselves to fan the mist out onto the stage with some wind." A pair of pegasi saluted and flew off. "You four, get the dry ice out of the box and start using it when Miss Scratch signals during the end of her current set. On the second signal start the pyrotechnics, Vinyl will direct them herself. Any questions?" No pony dared to raise a hoof. "Good, now get to it."
The rest of the herd scattered away from Octavia's soap box and left Catch and me the only ponies standing near Octavia herself. I clapped my fore hooves together to applaud Octavia's imposing leadership skills, enhanced as they were by the box.
I received one of Octavia's patented derisive looks as she noticed our presence. "I must say I am surprised to see you here, Time Turner." Octavia stepped down from her box and approached me, "I thought you would not want to miss the celebration in Ponyville." She stopped in front of me, turned and gave a smile to my assistant. "Especially when our dear Lucky Catch, travelled so far to join you."
"It's good to see you again, Octavia," Catch replied with a smile. "Let's just say Time's plans tend to change."
"Amazing pun right there." I said with a roll of my eyes. "A few more like that and I'll be lucky to catch you when you fall over your clever tongue."
"So you can still add a turn to a phrase, detective," Octavia said at me.
"Just like..." I came to a halt, my brow creasing in thought. "Octavia... I can't do anything with that, what is an octave anyway?"
Octavia and Catch both laughed lightly at my confusion. "It's good to see you two again," Octavia said with a rare smile crossing her face. "Considering that you came to see me now I'm guessing that you probably want something from me, am I right?"
"Can't get anything past you can I?" I asked rhetorically. "I'm currently working for Prince Blueblood and I need to find him quickly. He should be at the little get together the Nobility are attending tonight."
"And we figured you would be on the guest list," Catch added.
The derisive look returned to Octavia's face. "You want me to abandon the management of the single largest public event of the year, into the capable hooves of Vinyl I might add, to take you to a party?"
'Well, when she puts it that way,' I thought. 'I suppose her reputation is at stake, I'd hate to have Vinyl in charge of mine.' "I'll return the favour at some point. Let me know if you need something and if I can do it, I'll do it."
Octavia's face took a turn for the contemplative. Her eyes ran up and down me for a few moments, as a smile began to cross her face. I felt weirdly exposed, like she was weighing me up for a competition or something.
"So, you'll do anything?" Octavia's tone only worsened my discomfort.
"As long as I doesn't hurt or kill me," I replied somewhat reluctantly.
"You might just enjoy it, Turner." Octavia glanced toward Catch; I turned to look as well and noticed my assistant had moved a little closer to me. "One issue, Turner," Octavia continued. "I am afraid my invitation stipulates that I can only attend with one additional guest."
"Ah, that is an issue." I rubbed a fetlock across my forehead.
Catch gave me a thin smile. "I suppose I can wait outside."
"Actually," Octavia cut in. "I would prefer it if Catch remained here." I raised an eyebrow. "Vinyl is occupied performing on stage and does not have the time to direct the stage crew. It would be better for somepony she knows to remain here to relay her directions."
Catch raised a hoof. "Considering what I've done to Vinyl are you sure she'll be okay with me doing that?" Considering that Vinyl had been a target for Catch's temper on a few occasions, I wouldn't surprise me if Vinyl demanded somepony else.
"Not an issue," Octavia reassure as the waved for Catch to put her hoof down. "I shall have a word with Vinyl before we depart, believe me, she will be okay with it."
I leant over to whisper in Catch's ear, "Guess who the stallion in their relationship is." Catch snorted and started to giggle, while Octavia gave us a derisive glare.
I left the party with Octavia, leaving Lucky Catch in control of one of the biggest events in the calendar. Octavia assured us that it was well within Catch's abilities to deal with, noting wryly that "Catch's ability to herd cats left her uniquely suited to the role".
Octavia was wearing her pink bowtie--a Rarity original--and had quickly brought her appearance to the impeccable standard that she usually maintained. I regretfully returned my fedora to my bags and left them with Catch, putting on a green tie that she'd bought for me as an anniversary present. If you're wondering I returned the favour by giving Catch one of my pendulum clocks, it was a good thing I had one of my best designs in stock.
According to Octavia the noble get together was located in one of Canterlot's oldest--and most exclusive--neighbourhoods, near the palace and a short five minute canter away.
"It is rather fortunate you are coming with me for this, Turner," Octavia mentioned as we turned into the perfectly manicured district.
I looked back with a raised eyebrow, "how so, Octavia?"
"Well, after the... incident two years ago," she said. "I have been absolutely inundated with rumours and inquires about the 'tan stallion' I embraced in front of the greater part of the Canterlot nobility."
"I thought the rumours were what you wanted out of that."
"Quite, the rumours are incredibly persistent and have kept any suspicion over my relationship with Vinyl fully repressed (2)." The smile she gave me was stripped of her normal control, giving me a hint of the true Octavia that she kept hidden under her outer shell. "It's something I'm still thankful for."
"But you want to reinforce those rumours with another appearance." I returned to looking straight ahead down the path. "You could have asked sooner, I would have been happy to discount my hourly rate."
"Then you do not object to briefly mingling at the party as my 'coltfriend'."
I closed my eyes so I could roll them without her seeing it. "Does this count as me returning the favour?"
"I would prefer to 'save' that for something else." Octavia kept her face blank as I watched.
"Well, then make sure we 'mingle' past the hors d'oeuvres table a few times then."
"Deal," she said as the unrestricted smile returned to her face.
I was surprised to find myself enjoying the experience. We were quickly admitted to the party and the pair of us had made our way to the central ballroom of the venue. There was some surprise among the guests to see Octavia with her scarcely seen coltfriend, which quickly turned to curiosity.
Octavia led the conversations while I occasionally introduced jokes, witticisms and the occasional pun. In quiet moments we broke off to visit the snack table a half dozen times and I found myself sampling more flowers from the endangered flora list. It was a shame that Vinyl couldn't do this with Octavia instead, because she was enjoying this more than she would admit.
Eventually Octavia decided she wanted to dance and dragged me the centre of the ballroom to prance around to the sound of a classical quartet. We balanced against one another as we rose up onto two hooves to dance as a pair. Octavia was much more graceful than me on two legs, primarily from her experience playing her cello. The occasional trip up from me was corrected by a quick reset.
During our dance we had the opportunity to talk privately and I made use of the chance. "Octavia, have you seen Prince Blueblood anywhere yet?"
"Unfortunately not," Octavia replied. "The prince is probably somewhere more secluded."
"How do we find him then?" I asked as we spun again.
"The host of the party would probably know where the important guests are."
"Who's hosting?"
"A unicorn stallion named Fabulator." My eyebrows bounced up at Octavia's response.
"You know him?" Octavia asked.
"We met briefly, what can you tell me about him?" I asked as I scanned the crowd for Fabulator.
Octavia's eyes flicked up as she thought about it, simultaneously dancing to the music. "Not much, he's only a minor noble. I think this estate is the only land he owns, but he is supposed to be a respected investor. Tonight is probably an opportunity to increase his standing within the noble hierarchy."
"A shameless play for power," I muttered. "The political game goes on."
We continued to dance for a few more spins, covertly looking over each other's shoulders, but neither of us could find Fabulator in the crowd. It was time for a new plan. "So, it doesn't look like he's here." I gave the room a more overt glance. "We need him to find us instead, any ideas?"
"He is tonight's host, so anything that happens during the festivities is his responsibility." Octavia's eyes glazed over while she instinctively let the music carry her dance, her mind deep in thought. My mind was also starting to put forward ideas, most of which I dismissed outright. This plan needed to be party appropriate, because Octavia's reputation was on the line as well.
"Well I've got nothing," I admitted. "Everything I can think of would probably ruin your reputation, get us arrested, excommunicated or all of the above."
"The Detective is stymied by such a small problem?" Octavia teased. "Here I thought you were fantastic chess player." Her face took on an uncharacteristic smirk.
I was tempted to jump back and let her fall over, just to create a scene to get the host's attention but decided against it. "I hate chess. It's been played for so long that almost every strategy has a known counter and all creativity has been lost in the game." I snorted my disapproval. "It's just too limited for me, like this party."
"Well, then I shall just have to do something drastic then." She leaned and drew our dance toward the stage where the quartet was playing. When we reached the stage she put me down and climbed onto the stage to whisper into the ears of the quartet. Once Octavia finished her request the tuba player nodded, the rest of the group stopped playing as the tuba released a short series of notes.
The entire room came to a halt as the room started to focus on us. Octavia extended a hoof down to me and helped bring me up onto the stage in front of everypony. As my dance partner gave a clear "ahem" to make an announcement I noticed more ponies entering the room. The sudden stop in the music had gotten the attention of the entire party.
"Ladies and gentle colts," Octavia declared. "It is my most sincere pleasure to finally introduce you all my special somepony, Time Turner."
I'd been so focused on searching the room I'd barely heard the announcement. My head twitched in shock as I thought I'd heard Octavia admit to being in a relationship with me. Just to be sure I hadn't misheard I said "reset" and replayed the announcement, listening with my full attention.
'Lucky Catch is going to kill Octavia,' I realized with horror. 'And then Vinyl Scratch will come after me.'
Oblivious to the panic she was causing to me Octavia continued, spouting about how I inspired her work and that her music was timed to a metronome I'd made for her. The crowd was absolutely enraptured by Octavia's voice and more than a few of the stallions were looking at me with envy.
Just as Octavia was about to announce "our" plans for the future, I was saved by the twit. "Stop right there!" came a commanding voice as the crowd parted to reveal its owner. Shining Armour, pride of the sleepy guard paraded toward me in full dress uniform. The nameplate on his uniform still said Armor, so much for my attempts at teaching him how to spell.
I brought a hoof to my face. "What do you want Armour?" I groaned, while making sure to add emphasis to the 'ur' sound in his name.
"Time Turner, you are under arrest for the crimes of: Escaping custody, insulting an officer of the guard and tax evasion."
"My tax returns are completely legal," I countered. "And if you can't take little jab like a stallion then you have no place in the guard, let alone an officer's rank."
"In that case, would you like to tell everypony how you escaped from the palace dungeons?" Armour's question surprised me, specifically the fact he noticed that I didn't deny escaping custody.
"I've got friends in the right places, Shiny," I said as a put an infuriating smile on my face. "You didn't have the right to arrest me anyway, so why don't you just turn around and walk away before you make more of a fool out of yourself."
Shining Armour was about to respond with whatever witty retort he could think of when he was interrupted by a hoof on his shoulder. The guard turned to look into the unamused face of Fabulator.
"That's enough, Lieutenant." The noble's voice brooked no argument. "We're going to clear up this misunderstanding, right now. I'm sure the Prince is going to be pleased with you." Fabulator turned his attention to me and Octavia, his face switched to a friendly neutral. "Also, congratulations to you two. Please follow me and the lieutenant."
We followed Fabulator and Armour out of the ballroom, the guard held his head down and his tail close. As soon as we left the room the music restarted and the party continued as if it hadn't been interrupted, although the conversation probably took on a new topic.
Fabulator led us all upstairs, past several rooms to a private balcony that held a commanding view looking south over the palace gardens toward Ponyville. Blueblood sat alone in silence, a glass of wine hovered next to him in a golden glow (3).
"Well, Blue," Fabulator called out as we came out onto the balcony. "Looks like I found the source of the interruption."
"Good, I was enjoying that composition," the prince responded. He turned around to catch sight of us. "Lieutenant, I hope you have a good reason for interrupting the night's festivities," Blueblood's tone was full of disdain for the guard. Shining Armour put more steel into his spine and stood straighter in Blueblood's presence.
"Actually," Fabulator objected with an amused tone. "It was this pair," he stepped aside to reveal me and Octavia to the prince.
The prince's eyes narrowed. "Time Turner, you are responsible for this?"
"Actually, it was her," I pointed a hoof at Octavia and she rolled her eyes.
"And you are?" Blueblood asked.
"Octavia," she introduced herself with a bow. "First Chair Cellist of the Canterlot Symphony Orchestra, I beg your indulgence in this matter."
Blueblood enjoyed the little ego trip Octavia's show of obeisance gave him. "That will depend on the reasons for your interruption."
I noticed Octavia take a breath before she spoke, "It was to confess my love for--"
"We needed to get your attention," I interrupted. Blueblood turned to look at me and once I had his focus I continued, "I've come to report my success in the task you gave me, I could not wait for morning."
Octavia sighed in relief as I took the prince's focus and stood still to avoid drawing his attention. Shining Armour looked toward me, suspicion written across his face while Fabulator looked on in interest. I had Blueblood's undivided attention.
"The Panther, you'll be pleased to hear, is quite real." The prince nodded slowly for me to continue. "My investigation turned up a few old legends that show it is a magical construct tasked to protect the royal unicorn line, starting with Princess Platinum and continuing down to you."
"My own research said as much," Blueblood confirmed. "I hope you found more to it than that."
"Last evening I observed the Panther from afar with the aid of an animal behaviour expert." Technically Catch is an expert, she's a practicing veterinarian nurse. "Our observation concluded that the Panther is following you, in order to protect you."
"Yet the same construct was responsible for the death of a member of my line," Blueblood objected.
"Actually Blue, it wasn't," Fabulator broke in. "You told me as much yourself, remember? I believe you said Blueblood the Third was incapable of having a son. His eldest daughter Bluebelle instead married a stallion from another house who renamed himself Blueblood the Fourth." Fabulator mused on this for a moment. "Suppose an argument between husband and wife became a little too heated and then the Panther intervenes." Fabulator left the inevitable result for us to imagine.
"I suppose that makes sense," Blueblood conceded. "But why is it appearing now?"
"I can explain that," I said. "I assume you remember your servant Ruff was arrested yesterday?"
"An investigation found that he had been stealing gemstones from the palace vaults."
"Well, after I met him in the palace dungeons, which Armour was responsible for by the way, I decided to check his hoard."
Armour came back to life. "So you admit to trespassing in the palace and breaking into a secure crime scene?"
"Lieutenant," Blueblood said.
"Yes sir?"
"Shut up." Chastened, Armour returned to the standard stony expression of a professional guard with only a slight twitch of his eye giving away his frustration. "Detective, continue."
"On Ruff's gem hoard we located a quartz crystal positioned as close to your chambers as possible, this crystal was charged with dark magic."
There was a collective gasp from the three unicorns present.
Fabulator spoke first, "Detective, could you elaborate on the effect of this dark magic?"
"It caused nightmarish visions when we came in contact with it, the field around ranged from purple to dark green." Blueblood's coat somehow became even paler. I continued, "The legends around the panther suggest it would react to such a thing, it was probably protecting you from its influence."
"What happened to this crystal?" Blueblood asked, his tone taking on a dark note.
"Destroyed," I answered. "The remains are still in the room but the power has left it."
"Then it seems I owe you and the Panther for protecting my sanity." Consider my surprise when I actually recognised the tone of respect in Blueblood's voice. The prince looked toward a nearby clock. "The sun should be raised shortly. Once Aunt Celestia returns this afternoon I'll be having a long discussion with her about this."
Blueblood lit his horn and opened a cabinet on the wall, taking hold of a set of three wine glasses. "Fabulator, I think this calls for a drink."
Fabulator nodded, "I've got a bottle of '52 Cremant de fantaisie, this seems like an appropriate occasion." Fabulator went inside to get the bottle.
"Sun should be up in five minutes, hurry along Fab," Blueblood murmured.
Octavia came up alongside and spoke quietly to me, "How often have you been doing this since we last met?"
I shrugged, "every now and then, but I think this will be the first time I've drunk forty eight year old wine."
"I believe I have made the right choice with you," Octavia responded cryptically.
Fabulator returned at a brisk canter and presented the bottle of wine to Blueblood who took it with his magic. The prince cracked the cork and caught the stream of pressurised alcohol in his magic and guided it into the set of wine glasses. He presented a glass to everypony except Shining Armour.
We all turned to look toward the west, where the moon waited to be lowered over the horizon. Situated as we were on the west side of Canterhorn Mountain we wouldn't be able to see the sun rise in the east.
As the clock on the wall reached Five-Thirty, the scheduled time for the sunrise, we looked toward the moon.
Blueblood raised his glass. "Lady and gentlecolts, a toast in the name of Princess Celestia, may she have another thousand years of peaceful rule."
Everypony echoed the prince's toast as we watched for the moonset.
As we watched, waiting, the mare in the moon disappeared from the lunar surface.
Luna's Notes:
(1) Despite his faults, Blueblood hast a few qualities that make him useful to us, despite how few they are. Principally, he is remarkably adept to his role as prime minister of the council and as the barrier between our sister and the nobility at large. There are few in this world that he truly feels affection for, beyond his "aunties" and his "cousin".
(2) Despite widespread acceptance of fillyfooling within Equestria, the nobility and their close associates remain principally opposed to the practice. Their reasons are primarily related to the integrity of noble bloodlines. As a result, openly declaring oneself to be a fillyfooler will result in being shut out of any social or business relationship with members of the nobility. This would of course cripple Octavia's career and see her quietly removed from the Canterlot Symphony Orchestra.
(3) The Dry Equestria Act which forbids the production or sale of alcohol has an exemption clause for any wine that was owned before the law was enacted. The nobility, naturally, stocked their wine cellars in the month leading up to the enactment and continued to partake in the substance during the period the law was enforced. |
Time Turner's Discordian Detective Agency: The Panther of the Bluebloods | Chapter 7: Mass Hysteria | There are a few things in life you take for granted; the sun will rise every morning without fail and the mare in the moon will watch over you while you sleep. That has been that way it's always been, Celestia has never been late moving the sun. Changing the sun's orbit speed is something the princess took very seriously, an hour's difference was enough to change the seasons. Right now it was starting to look like autumn had come a month and a half early.
We all stood on Fabulator's balcony, staring at the suddenly featureless lunar surface. I tilted my head to the side as I tried to see if the moon was still moving. "Is it just me, or is the moon moving backwards?" I asked aloud.
"Impossible," Blueblood objected. "The only pony with the power to move the moon is auntie, and she wouldn't move it backwards."
"But she clearly is," Fabulator said. "There it is, moving backwards, who else could do this?"
"It couldn't be her," Armour objected. "She doesn't have any reason to do this."
"I didn't give you permission to speak, Lieutenant," Blueblood growled, not even looking at the guard officer.
"Shutting up, Sir."
"Motive means nothing," Fabulator argued. "Celestia is the only pony who can move the sun and moon. As Clover the Clever once said 'Once you have discounted the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.' So logically, as Celestia the only option on the table she must therefore be responsible."
"That's the problem with logic," I objected. "It only deals in absolutes." Everypony on the balcony looked toward me, confusion on their faces. "Fabulator, you quote Clover's philosophy and use it to dismiss something purely on the basis of it being impossible; but the impossible often has a kind of integrity to it which the merely improbable lacks. By ignoring what you believe to be impossible you can discount the truth entirely and come to the wrong conclusion."
The noble looked at me like I was a raving lunatic and said, "Then please explain what just happened."
"As the Prince would no doubt attest, Celestia isn't capable of malice toward her subjects. So either she's moving to moon for our benefit, or something else is controlling it."
"What could possibly move to moon like that?" Octavia asked.
"Buck me if I know," I replied. "The prince would probably have a better idea than any of us."
Everypony looked toward Blueblood, who had been standing silently staring at the moon. After a moment the Prince deigned to talk to us saying, "I might have a clue. Auntie has been silently preparing for something." The prince continued musing, "She's been more focused than usual, like when one of her grander political schemes is falling into place."
"So," Octavia asked hopefully. "You think Celestia has planned for this?"
"I hope so," Blueblood replied. He took a deep breath and built up some resolve saying, "I know what she would want me to do, the same thing I've always done for her; look after Equestria until she returns."
The prince took his glass of wine and drank the entire thing in a swift movement. "Lieutenant, you're going to escort me back to the palace and rouse Captain Ironsides." Armour gave the prince a swift salute. "Fabulator, you'd better come with me as well. We're going to need every unicorn in the guard for this and as many volunteers as we can muster." The noble nodded.
The prince strode toward the door, halting halfway as he remembered something and looked toward me. "Time Turner, I seem to recall your filly friend was in charge of that riot near the palace?"
Octavia replied for me, "Yes, Prince Blueblood. I'm responsible for the organisation of the event."
"Turner, take your filly friend back to her 'event' and stop the commoners from panicking. Fail and I will not be paying your expenses."
I paled a little as the prince walked away, leaving the threat hanging in the air. Including Catch's makeover and the hotel bill, the expenses sheet was over a thousand bits. The amount was more than he paid me and Catch in the first place.
Octavia flicked her tail at me to wake me up and led the way out the door.
We galloped straight for the party, Octavia proved she was still as capable as always and kept up with me as we turned the five minute walk into a two minute run. We arrived to find the party still going and Vinyl was still on stage playing. Once we were backstage I was tackled by an affectionate avalanche of hugs.
"Timey, thank Celestia you're back! There's something really wrong."
"Sun not rising, mare in the moon disappearing, that about cover it?" I surmised.
Lucky Catch nodded, "Everypony out there is starting to panic, I told Vinyl to keep playing but they know something's wrong."
At the side of the stage Octavia was beckoning me over. I gave a quick nod to Catch and we went over.
Octavia nodded to the audience as we arrived. "Take a look." I peered out to look at the crowd, at first glance it looked normal, but as I looked closer I started to see the warning signs: ponies talking to each other instead of dancing; others were looking over their shoulders toward the east and a few more looked up at the moon.
"Yeah, that's not good," I said.
"We need to calm them down before things get out of hoof," Catch hissed.
"What could we tell them?" Octavia began. "The princess is probably in trouble, but she will be just fine and the sun will rise shortly. Somehow I think that will make them panic more."
"Well I'll tell them the truth, calmly, but we need to get their attention first."
"They're starting to ignore Vinyl," Catch said. "How can we get their attention?"
"Something flashy and spectacular, something like..." I looked around for possibilities: A small pile of fireworks was left over but not enough for a full display, the dry ice had run out, Vinyl was doing her best to get attention and failing. Something caught my eye as I looked across the stage, Vinyl had another audience. A Pegasus mare in a wonderbolt jumpsuit stood on the other side of the stage, staring at Vinyl as she performed. "Octavia, who's that wonderbolt standing on the other side of the stage?"
Octavia glanced over toward the mare. "That would be Fleetfoot; she is one of the Wonderbolts backup fliers. Her wing stayed back to perform in the show earlier while the rest went to Ponyville with the princess.
"So she's just an understudy then." I watched her for a moment as a plan started to form. "Octavia, Catch, get the last fireworks set up for Vinyl to fire. I'm going to have a word with the wonderbolt over there."
I didn't explain further and took off running around the back of the stage to get to the other side. If what I heard was right then Fleetfoot would be just what we needed. I crept up behind her, any noise my hoof steps made was clouded by the sound of the music. Watching Fleet from behind I noticed her head moved to follow Vinyl as she moved on stage, her snow white tail and blue wings twitched as Vinyl struck a pose. Even an earth pony like me can read some of the obvious body language of pegasi.
"Dat flank," I said as I came alongside Fleet with a grin across my face. I lifted a hoof to point at Vinyl's hindquarters. "It's all firm muscle from all that dancing she does, covered in a shallow layer of soft fat from all the sugar she eats and gives her a manic energy that can let her go all night long." Fleetfoot had frozen solid at my words, her mind clouded with what must have been a very vivid mental image. I leaned over to whisper into her ear and said, "Plus, she's also into mares."
Fleet's wings shot up as I stepped aside to avoid them (1). The mare quickly realized what her wings were doing and spoke in stunned gibberish, "what, uh, why." As soon as she saw the amused look on my face she leapt into the air and hovered in front of my face. "Who are you and what are you doing up here!" she yelled at me, trying to cover her embarrassment by shifting attention to somepony else instead. She reminded me of Rainbow Dash, I suppose all high flying pegasi have ego issues.
"I'm Time Turner, Vinyl's ex-coltfriend."
The wind died in Fleet's wings and she came crashing down. "I wasn't looking. I swear I want nothing to do with her."
I laughed lightly. "Filly, you have it bad for her. I could see how your tail was moving to every beat from Vinyl's music and how your wings twitch whenever she danced. It's fairly obvious." Admittedly the signs were less obvious than I said, but I knew what I was looking for. Catch had told me earlier that a member of the Wonderbolts had a crush on Vinyl, and Fleet was the only member watching her constantly.
Fleetfoot's wings drooped, I couldn't see her face through the suit so it was the only sign I had that she was depressed. "It's not like she'll ever notice me, I'm just a wonderbolt, nopony special."
"Uh-huh," I said sardonically. "Because being selected out of the academy's seasonal intake doesn't mean you're a talented flier."
"It's not enough," she said as she flopped to the ground.
I rolled my eyes. The problem with egotistical ponies is that when something does break through their ego, it will break them all the way. What Fleetfoot needed was a kick in the plot to get her moving again.
"You want to get Vinyl's attention? I'll tell you how to get her attention." Fleet looked up toward me. "Vinyl, likes spontaneity. She lives in and for the moment, do something awesome and flashy to get her attention." I pointed a hoof out toward the crowd, "Go out there and give the best show of your life." I raised my voice to sound inspirational, "Destiny knocks, Fleetfoot. This is your opportunity, get out there and show Equestria what you can do!"
Fleet shot up into the air. "I can do this!"
"You know you can!" I encouraged.
"I'll do it for Vinyl!"
"Do it for yourself!"
Fleetfoot gave a primal yell and charged out over the crowd, a streak of blizzard following her. "This is going to end spectacularly," I admitted out loud. I quickly nipped backstage to find out what fireworks Octavia and Catch were able to get set up.
I found a frantic pace of activity, the stage ponies were setting up the last of the fireworks and Octavia was sending written messages out to Vinyl through a scrying glass. Catch hovered behind her, waiting for me.
"Fleetfoot agreed, she's out doing another performance," I said as I walked up to Octavia. I left out the part where Fleet was doing this in the vain hope of fulfilling her crush on Vinyl, telling Octavia that would be tantamount to asking Octavia to hit me with her cello again.
"Vinyl noticed and she has already changed to music to match." Octavia put another sheet of notepaper on the scry-glass. "Unfortunately we do not have the normal pyrotechnic display ready for her."
I rolled my eyes, "Typical, what do you have left then?"
"The only display we have left was the one I planned to use during the sunrise."
"That'll do, it's not like we know when the sunrise will come anyway." I looked at Octavia's management table. "Where's the fire button?"
A slight smile crossed Tavi's face, "Turner, you know Vinyl would never let anypony else trigger 'the fun stuff' when she performs."
I brought a hoof to my face. Vinyl's special talent might be in music, but she always had an unhealthy fascination with pyrotechnics. Those glasses of hers have saved her eyes from more than a few misfires.
"I'm going out there. let Vinyl know I'm coming." I heard Octavia scribble something quickly on paper and slapped it down on the scry-glass as I walked away.
I slipped under the curtain at the back of the stage, right behind Vinyl. As I crept up onto the platform next to the DJ she turned her head to look over her shoulder at me, somehow able to hear my hoof steps over the loud music. Vinyl's face took on her default death glare as she recognised me, a slight twitch in the music signalled her displeasure.
"I've missed you too Vinyl." I stepped up to the platform alongside her and looked down at her side of the scry-glass. On it was the image of Octavia's note reading "Be nice". I looked back at my ex-marefriend with a smile and saw that she was still glaring at me. I guessed that was as nice as she was going to be.
"Alright here's what's happening," I started to explain. "Fleetfoot is out there getting the audience's attention, once we have it back on stage I'll let everypony know why the sun is running late. What I need for--"
"Wait, the sun is running late?" Vinyl interrupted.
"Yes Vinyl, it was supposed to rise fifteen minutes ago."
"Really?" Vinyl was clearly more shocked by the fact that night had gone by so fast, rather than it not having ended yet.
I sighed, "Alright Vinyl, we have one more set of rockets to fire. I need you to fire them when Fleetfoot reaches a good spot in her routine." Vinyl's attitude improved when I mentioned the rockets, moving from death glare to mildly contemplative. Nothing mental could be considered more than mild when Vinyl was involved.
Vinyl looked up at Fleetfoot's acrobatics. "It's the same routine from earlier, best time is to fire the rockets as she passes over the stage for the Fantastic Filly Flash before she finishes."
"Here I thought alliteration was a unicorn thing," I muttered. "Alright Vinyl," I asked in a louder voice, "let's pretend the earth pony has no idea what that means."
"She's going to fly low over the stage and then over the crowd close enough for them to feel the wind in their manes," Vinyl elaborated. "Haven't you ever seen the Wonderbolts?"
"Never really had the chance," I replied. I haven't actually seen them perform but I did manage to get up close to them once when I was paid to get a lock from Soarin's mane. I've avoided going to shows since on the off chance one of them might recognise me.
"You need to get out more," Vinyl chastised.
'You have no idea,' I thought as I rolled my eyes. "There's one more thing, Vinyl."
"What?"
"Fleetfoot's dedicated this performance to you." A wide grin crossed my face. "How does it feel to be famous? I ignored Vinyl's attempt at a witty retort and focused on the solitary wonderbolt in the sky. Fleetfoot flew at high speed across the sky, white snow clouds trailing in her wake to form patterns.
It was working, mostly. While most of the crowd had stopped worrying long enough to enjoy the air show there were still several groups spaced around talking between themselves. The groups certainly looked worried and they needed to be shaken out of it. Right now I just had to hope that Fleetfoot and Vinyl could get their attention on the stage long enough for me to calm them down.
"Alright here we go," Vinyl said, charging her horn as Fleetfoot flew high into the air above the stage. The wonderbolt turned and flew directly down toward the stage, doing her best to put on as much speed as possible. If she misjudged this she could crash into the stage with enough force to break every bone in her body. Nopony has ever said a wonderbolt's life was easy.
Vinyl fired the rockets as Fleetfoot approached, a spectral cone surrounding her approach. The rockets flew directly toward her as Vinyl gave them subtle nudges with her horn. Then the rockets exploded right in front of Fleetfoot.
We'd made a terrible mistake, the fireworks hadn't been intended for an air show but to farewell the night and created a cloud of fire. Fleetfoot flew through the cloud of light and fire at near supersonic speed. She came out on fire, a streak of flame replacing her cloud trail as she flew over the crowd and back up into the sky to explode in a flash of light.
The crowd was stunned, panic forgotten as they stared in horror at what just happened. My mouth had fallen open and I was fairly sure Vinyl's expression mirrored mine, she'd stopped mixing her music.
As the flash cleared we saw a trail of smoke spiralling down to the stage, eventually I could make out a Pegasus with a charred blue coat and a much shorter white mane. Fleetfoot was alive and apparently still able to fly, landing on the stage while giggling madly to herself.
"Vinyl, amplify my voice," I asked and Vinyl's horn lit up. I stepped forward to help the scorched Pegasus, standing unstably on her feet and laughing madly. Her flight suit had burned away but her coat been mostly unscathed while most of her mane and tail were still there. The loss of the suit changed things; she wasn't "just another wonderbolt" anymore, now ponies could actually see that she was Fleetfoot of the Wonderbolts.
I brought up a hoof to gesture grandly toward her and spoke out to the audience, "Fillies and Gentle-colts, I give you: Fleetfoot!"
The audience erupted into cheers, many called out her name as they showered her in glory. Fleetfoot basked in the attention, waving out to the audience as she cried tears of joy.
I lowered my voice to the barest whisper and Vinyl's amplification spell made it so only Fleetfoot could hear me over the crowd. "Congratulations Fleetfoot, you're famous. Everypony in Canterlot is here and they'll be talking about this for weeks." Soon she could barely keep herself standing and sat down near Vinyl as I strode forward to make use of the crowd's attention.
I considered my words carefully, there was no way in Tartarus to hide the fact that the sun hadn't risen today nor could I properly convince ponies not to think about it. Though there was one thing that could work in my favour, I doubted there was a single pony in this crowd that didn't have faith in their princess.
"Good morning Canterlot!" I called out. "Welcome once again to the Summer Sun Celebration." I changed my voice to a slightly more serious tone, "As many of you are no doubt aware, Princess Celestia has not yet raised the sun." The crowd began to mutter among themselves, stirring themselves once again into panic.
"Vinyl," I prompted and the DJ released the loud screech of a pickup needle crossing the record. This got the attention of the crowd again.
"Now, you all could stand there, panic and worry yourselves into a coma." I switched to a stronger tone and said, "But that won't help anypony, will it‽" A few ponies shook their heads.
"You all know Princess Celestia," I swept a hoof to gesture to the entire crowd. "She's kind, generous and honest sometimes. I dare you all to find a single pony in Equestria that cares more for her subjects. Now," I slammed my hoof against the stage. "I have no doubt at all in our princess, she's smart and I've never heard of a riddle she couldn't answer. So do any of you think that she hasn't planned for this? Is there a problem our Princess couldn't solve?" I turned my head toward Fleetfoot and asked, 'What do you think Fleetfoot?"
"No," she said emphatically.
I looked back to the crowd and spoke with my amplified voice, "She said no everypony." I turned my head to face Vinyl this time, "What do you think, Vinyl. Is there a problem that Celestia herself couldn't solve‽"
Vinyl amplified her own voice, "Buck no!"
I reared myself up and stretched my legs out in suitably dramatic stance and asked, "What do you think, Canterlot‽"
"No," they said back.
"It's seems the music was too loud, because I didn't hear that!"
"No!" They yelled back louder. I stood and smiled for a moment, I'd wanted to say something like that for years.
"Do you all faith in Princess Celestia?" I asked.
"Yes!" they answered.
"Good!" I said as I returned myself to the ground, ignoring the pain I had in my back all night. "It seems you don't have anything to worry about, because our immortal princess has a plan." I strutted across the stage, "I don't think the princess would want you to worry about her, she would want you to enjoy yourselves and be happy." I stood next to Vinyl on her platform. "I seem to remember this party was going to continue until sunrise, I don't know about you lot but I can't see the sun."
I turned to my ex-marefriend, "Hit it, Vinyl." If she was uncomfortable with me yelling at her with an amplified voice, she didn't show it and started her music again with dramatic flair. I always figured she was on the edge of going deaf anyway.
The crowd started to dance again, getting back into the swing of the party. I could tell they were still worried, but at least for now they were content to party for the rest of the night. I suppose I had enough faith in Celestia myself to believe she'd fix things soon.
I made my way off stage, leaving Vinyl to her music with the weary Fleetfoot getting a front row seat. Neither seemed to notice my disappearance, nor did the crowd pay any more attention to me, and I was fine with that. When I turned the corner I found a private applause from Octavia and Lucky Catch.
"Bravo Time Turner," Octavia congratulated. "I cannot say that I expected this to go nearly that well." Catch simply stepped forward to nuzzle me.
"It will only last a little while," I said. "Soon they'll all start getting tired and head to bed. If the sun's not back when they wake up then there'll be a panic." Octavia nodded, I could see the rings starting to form under her eyes. She had been awake all night to see the sunrise, like most ponies in Equestria (2).
"I expect you are correct, Turner," she nodded. "I suppose the best we can do now is have a little faith."
"I think we'll be just fine," Catch added as she briefly took her face out of my mane.
"Huh, that's weird," Octavia said as surprise crossed her face.
'What's weird?" I asked.
"I thought we already used all of the dry ice for the fog machine." I looked over my shoulder, and Catch, to look at the fog spreading from the side of the stage as it flowed toward us.
"Hang on..." I said as the mist began to coalesce into a smaller cloud and began to take shape. A paw stepped out of the fog as it all drained into the form of a large Panther.
It walked toward me until it came to a halt right beside me and Catch. A slight gust of wind crossed my back as the Panther of the Bluebloods sniffed me and began to growl.
Luna's Notes:
(1) The motions of Pegasi wings include a large number of involuntary "tells" that exist in addition to the regular pony body language. It's possible to read the emotional state of a Pegasus entirely by observing the position of their wings and feathers. Between pegasi the reading of each other's emotional state is an inherent part of any conversation whether in flight or on the ground. As Time Turner notes, it can be difficult for non-pegasi to understand their body language without a detailed introduction. However a few specific wing tells are widely known in popular culture.
(2) Our sister is reluctant to inform us as to the origin of this tradition. During the eve of the Summer Sun Celebration the majority of the population of Equestria will stay awake for the entire night in a vigil to last until the sun rises once more. Inevitably this leads to an all-night celebration. Despite all that has occurred since our return we are still reluctant to ask our sister as to why. It could be a gesture toward celebrating and enjoying our night, or perhaps a watchful vigil against it. We hope that it is the former. |
Time Turner's Discordian Detective Agency: The Panther of the Bluebloods | Chapter 8: Apocryphal Fabrication | "Nice Kitty," I said as I stood my ground. I'd heard somewhere that running just convinces predators to chase. If I had known that I would be testing that theory I would have paid more attention to whatever advice came with it. As it was the Panther seemed to be taking my measure, deciding what it was going to do with me.
"Catch," I said loudly to the mare standing behind me. "What does it want?"
There was a pause while Catch "ahhed" over the problem. Eventually she said, "It's curious, I think it's searching for something and found you instead. Be careful Timey, animals don't like being confused."
"Are you sure?" Octavia asked Catch. "I mean, how do you know that?" The twinge of worry in the normally unflappable cellist did not help.
"It's my talent remember?" Catch replied. "Though I'm also kinda surprised it's working on it, normally--"
"Catch," I interrupted. "You can share your mark story with Octavia later, once the ancient and presumably very powerful magical construct stops looking at me like a new scratching pole." The Panther sniffed me again, slowly padding its way around toward my flank as it scanned me. It showed particular interest in my rear, coming to a halt between me and the two mares.
I tried to calm myself down with a deep breath, asking myself what it would be interested in. The smell of smoke from the fireworks caught in my nose and struck a chord in my mind. The Panther could smell dark magic.
"I destroyed the source," I said to the Panther, going out on a limb that if it was intelligent enough for Catch to understand its feelings then it could understand me. "The dark magic was enchanted into a crystal hidden under the Prince's chambers. When I broke it the magic dissipated." The Panther stopped examining my rear and instead looked toward my face, its head tilted downward slightly as it watched.
"I think it's... disappointed," Catch explained. "It's got that kind of feeling you get when you search for hours to find what's making a pet sick, only to discover it just ate a box of chocolates."
Huh, I thought, trust Catch to come up with a pet related analogy. I turned to face it properly. "Not what you were looking for?" I asked it directly. In response the Panther walked over and stood beside Catch, her face took on a pensive look as she tried to interpret the Panther's feelings.
"Something, old and terrifying, made from darkness and hate," Catch said as a frightened look crossed her face. "Whatever it is, it scares him."
We all paused for a moment as we thought about what it could be. The mare in the moon had disappeared earlier, leaving the lunar surface bare of the shadow that had been traditionally linked to the dark spirit of Nightmare Night in the old fairy tales. I'd seen a few tales performed on stage back in Trottingham, the spirit was often named Nightmare Moon or just The Nightmare (1). Usually the hero of the story would outsmart the spirit in a game or lead it into a trap.
Considering traps and games were things that Princess Celestia was supposed to be good at, I decided we could just leave it to her to solve.
I shook my head, "its somepony else's problem. The princess will probably deal with it." I looked up to find Catch comforting the Panther, running her hoof through its insubstantial back. I found it amusing that the sun itself wouldn't rise but Catch still cared for pets, some things never change.
Octavia looked on with some interest before asking, "Do you mind explaining what just happened?"
A considered a couple of responses and settled on, "She's a very affectionate mare."
"Not quite what I wanted to know, Turner." Octavia motioned her head toward the Panther."
"It's a guardian, I mentioned this earlier, it protects Blueblood or rather," I raised my volume, "it should be protecting him." The pair looked back at me and Catch rolled her eyes, it wasn't creepy at all.
"Speaking of the prince," I said as I turned to Octavia. "I should probably go find him at the palace and make sure everything is alright on his end."
"I will stay here and help keep the crowd entertained with Vinyl." Octavia looked around, "Not that we have anything left, and I suspect Vinyl's making up her music as she's going now."
"I'll leave you to that then. At least the party earlier was fun." I was about to leave when Octavia put a hoof on my shoulder to stop me.
"Time Turner, I would appreciate it if you stopped by my apartment before you go home. About that favour you promised me."
I groaned inwardly. "I'll make sure to stop by later, goodnight Octavia." I walked over to retrieve my saddle bags, Twilight's telescope and Catch's satchel. I went back over to Catch where she was rubbing the ears of the ancient construct.
"Catch, we're going to go find Blueblood." I looked toward the Panther, "you'll probably want to come as well." Catch nodded and I passed her satchel over. Without a word said between them Catch opened her satchel and the Panther congealed, for lack of a better word, itself down to the size of a small cat to sit in the open bag.
Catch caught my bemused expression and said, "It wanted to tag along without scaring anypony." I decided not to ask about it, and filled those thoughts away with my first attempts to understand Pinkie Pie.
A brisk trot toward to palace later and we arrived to the largest show of force I'd ever seen from the royal guard. The entrance hall of the palace was filled with stallions and mares in golden armour, the vast majority of them were grey coated unicorns. The usual white coated pegasi were absent.
Keeping to our usual strategy we walked past them, headed to the front of the line-up. None of the guards reacted to our presence until we reached the front where the Captain was conferring with his lieutenants.
"Time Turner," called out a voice I'd heard far too often lately. Sure enough Shining Armour was standing amongst his fellow lieutenants in full armour with blue trim, along with the captain in purple. Armour beckoned a hoof toward me and I approached.
"Captain," I greeted first with a respectful nod. "Lieutenant Armour," I followed with the usual pronunciation. To his credit Armour maintained his stony expression, while the Captain considered me with interest as he ran a hoof through his huge grey moustache.
"So, you're the "detective" Blueblood hired to investigate his wild goose chase," the Captain said, not bothering to conceal his disdain for the prince. It was an interesting position since Blueblood probably had a lot of say over how much budget the guard got.
I shot a glance toward Catch's satchel and saw that her passenger had retreated out of view. "Correct Captain, may I ask as to what is going on?"
"Blueblood summoned every unicorn guards-pony to the palace. Every pegasus has been sent to aid the princess while we've been denied the opportunity to join them." The Captain was clearly not taking the inaction well and I didn't have any sympathy for him.
I looked around and couldn't see Blueblood or Fabulator anywhere. "Captain, do you know where the Prince is?"
"He's gone to the Royal Archives with that other layabout. Apparently he has a 'plan'." I raised an eyebrow at the Captain's comment. Blueblood had mentioned he had an idea about what the princess would want him to do, something better than standing around at any rate.
"We'll go help him then."
Before we could leave Armour objected, "The archives are locked, you won't be able to get in without permission."
The Captain glared at Armour as he spoke. "Since you've been so keen on the Prince's activities lately you can escort these two there." Armour stayed stoic under his superior's gaze and gave a salute. Dismissed, Armour led the way and motioned for us to follow as he took us toward the end of the hall.
Once we were out of earshot of the Captain I walked up alongside the Lieutenant and asked, "Interested in Blueblood are we?"
Shining Armour narrowed his eyes as he looked back at me. "Princess Celestia asked me to personally keep an eye on Blueblood while she was gone. I was just following her orders, even if the Captain doesn't consider the prince important."
"Do you?"
"The princess does, that's enough for me," he replied like to good guard he was. "Do you?" he asked in turn.
"He's the one paying me," I replied. Armour's gaze narrowed before I added, "That and he's the only pony around with a plan." I looked over my shoulder at Catch, who was following just behind but remained quiet. The lack of spontaneous affection and questions had me a little nervous about what effect the Panther was having on her.
Armour led us out into the same courtyard where Twilight's Ivory Tower was located, instead of heading in that direction we went across to another tower with an iron portcullis over the door. Once we reached the door Armour lit his horn and moved the hidden mechanism to open the portcullis (2).
"Be warned: the knowledge within can be dangerous if misused, please consider the result of your research," Armour spoke in monotone to recite a speech he'd probably given before.
"What sort of danger?" I asked as we entered the Royal Canterlot Archives.
"I've never asked," Armour replied.
"You've never been curious?" a smirk crossed my face. "Just being the guard I see. Armour you're an officer, you need to ask these questions." I ignored whatever scathing look the Lieutenant gave me as I climbed upstairs.
As we reached the first floor I saw a light coming from an archway with a prominent clover emblazoned above it. Inside we found Prince Blueblood pouring over a book on a central pedestal, a flicker of light came from his horn as he attempted to cast a spell and growled when it failed.
"Having trouble?" I asked as we walked in.
Blueblood nearly jumped out of his skin in shock before he quickly recovered and turned to face us. "Have you not heard of decorum? Knock before you interrupt!" the prince declared and dramatically stamped his hoof. "I was in the middle of a critical spell."
"So I can see," I replied neutrally. "The partygoers have been calmed, but they'll start to panic again in a few hours if the sun doesn't rise."
'It will," the prince said as he lit his horn again, only to abruptly snuff out a moment later. "Confound it," Blueblood cursed. "I should be able to touch it at least."
Shining Armour coughed politely, "My Prince, would you wish my assistance?"
Blueblood grumbled, "I shouldn't need it. I found the spell my ancestors used to raise the sun and moon." He indicated an engraved slab of marble that sat on a pedestal in the centre of the room. "Auntie made sure to have it prominently located should it ever be needed again. From the text I can see that no single unicorn - not even I - can move it alone, but I should be able to feel it at least." Blueblood waved Armour forward so he could see the spell as well, I followed. "There is some haze that misdirects me as I try to reach out."
"Perhaps I could help you," Armour posited. "With my aid you might have the strength to push through the disruption."
The prince nodded reluctantly, "if you could apply a star-field to the harmonic..." I tried to read the slab as the pair of unicorns started to delve into magical theory. Much like their jargon laden conversation the engraved slab made no sense to an earth pony. I recalled seeing many of the symbols in books but I might as well have been trying to read pegasus wing-semaphore.
I gave up and looked over my shoulder at Lucky Catch instead. My assistant was trying to follow the conversation between the unicorns and now looked thoroughly confused.
I tried listening again for a moment, "... That's why I summoned every unicorn in the guard, a timed mana wave..." Somehow I knew that asking what "mana" was would lead to a long explanation that still wouldn't answer my question.
I went over to Catch and tapped her on the shoulder. "Is it still in your bag?" I asked quietly.
Catch shook off her bemused expression as she looked at me, shot a glance at the other two and whispered back, "It is."
"Keep it in there for now," I said.
Catch looked at the two unicorns again. "Do you understand any of that?"
"About as much as they would know about gardening."
Catch smiled a little. "My flowers at home are a bit plain and tasteless, but they're better than what my neighbours have." Even in a city like Canterlot or Manehatten you can expect an earth pony to grow something, even if only to add something to lunch or save on buying food.
"I never had much luck with flowers in Canterlot," I admitted. "The cold air here never worked for me."
"You have a very nice garden back in Ponyville."
I nodded, "Yeah, I put a bit of effort in and I've been rewarded."
Catch's smile took on a sly slant, "It's too nice, Timey. Who does it for you?"
I sighed, "Roseluck, she keeps it looking nice and I let her sell some of the flowers at her stand on market days." I tended to forget about my garden, growing plants was never my strong suit (3).
Catch's face lit up as I admitted she was right. "Perhaps I could show you how to do it properly sometime."
"Hang on, we're missing somepony," I said in an attempt to change topic.
"Huh?" Catch said as she looked around. "Blueblood and Shining Armour are both here, who do... Oh, where's Fabulator? I thought he was with the Prince."
"Exactly," I said as I walked toward Blueblood. I stepped in front of him and said, "Prince Blueblood, wouldn't you have wanted Fabulator's help in this? I noticed he isn't here."
"He wandered off to see if he could find anything else that could help," the prince replied. "Go find him. I want him to take a look at this as well."
Dismissed I turned around and went back toward Catch. At least the search gave me a reason to do something other than stand around. I gave Catch a shrug and she fell in beside me as we walked out of the room, headed up to the next floor of the archives.
The next floor proved to be empty, the archway had an image of a swirl of stars emblazoned over it and was blocked by a locked gate. On the next level up we saw a light through another archway under an outlined circle. I went up against the wall and peeked around a corner to look inside.
Fabulator stood with Blueblood's two bodyguards, searching the books on the shelves. Finding a volume that interested him he floated it into a bag on the back of one of his escorts. All three of them had a considerable selection of books and scrolls on them.
I beckoned Catch forward so she could take a look.
"What are they doing with all those books?" Catch asked.
"Somehow I don't think they're about raising the sun," I replied quietly. "Well, there's only one way to find out. Check a few of the book titles while I distract him." I walked into the room towards Fabulator, with Catch falling into step behind me after a moment's hesitation.
"Fabulator," I called out as I approached. The noble was briefly surprised to see me, the guards tensing up as they noticed me.
"Ah, Detective Turner," Fab said to me. "I should have expected you'd find your way here eventually. Did you manage to stall the panic?"
"With a little help from the Wonderbolts," I admitted. "I came to check on the prince's progress and he sent me up here to get you. He's found the spell, but needs help testing it."
"Ah," Fabulator said with a smile. "Tell him I'll be down shortly, there's a few more shelves I need to check in tandem spell casting. We'll need to team up a large group to move the sun."
"I'll let him know, make sure you find a book the guards can understand," I said as I turned to leave.
"We will," Fab assured me as Catch followed me out of the room.
Once we were out of sight a dropped the pleasant expression from my face. "Well, that was fun." I looked over toward Catch, "Notice anything?"
"I saw a few titles in a bag on one of the guards: 'Crystal Cantrips', 'The Fall of the Crystal Empire', 'Illicit Illusions', 'Competent Constructs' and I think the last was 'Mental Maze Magic'," Catch recited. I couldn't be sure what any of those meant, apart from "Unicorns Love Alliteration". None of them sounded like "Dynamic Duo, Combined Casting" or anything to do with tandem spells.
"I think we might have our suspect," I said as we passed the star swirl arch. "None of those books mean anything to us, but I bet Armour and Blueblood might recognise something."
"You think Fabulator enchanted the dark crystal?" Catch asked.
"He's a unicorn and he had access to Ruff, he's clearly paid off Blueblood's bodyguards so a dog wouldn't be much more effort. What I want to know is what he's getting out of this."
"He's got a lot of books," Catch said as she looked back upstairs. "Do you think he might have been after some sort of magic?"
A worried look crossed my face, Catch mirrored it as well. "I have no idea what he might be after up there, we've seen some dark stuff already."
"Perhaps..." Catch mused. "Perhaps he's looking for a spell to turn himself into an alicorn."
My heart skipped a beat. "Celestia, I hope not. Last thing we need is a demi-god tearing Equestria apart."
We found the pair of unicorns attempting to combine their magic. Armour and Blueblood were focusing their magic in the air between them, creating a spherical shape in the air. A dark shimmer shot through the ball and it shook in front of them. Knowing a bad sign when I saw one I dragged Catch behind a shelf just as the ball exploded in a flash of light and sound.
Once the ringing in my ears subsided I looked around the corner to find the pair of unicorns laid out on the ground. Armour was the first to recover and brought himself to his hooves, ignoring the charred state of his armour. Prince Blueblood remained on the ground, hooves cradling his head.
"Your grace, are you alright?" Armour asked as he attended to the prince.
Blueblood groaned, "I haven't felt a feedback hit like that since I tried to open auntie's diary as a colt."
"Sir?"
"Her idea of a joke, she paraded the book in front of me on a few occasions. When I tried to break it open it threw me across the room." He brought himself to his hooves, and then produced a mirror and comb to fix his mane. "She appeared and chastised me for invading her privacy. I tried to justify my actions as the curiosity she always tried to encourage and she said I should have just asked permission." Blueblood rolled his eyes, "When I did she opened it and showed me it was blank."
I retold Blueblood's story to Twilight Sparkle a few weeks later and it turns out Princess Celestia pulled the same trick on her as a filly. I suppose that says something about our princess's teaching style.
I stepped out from behind the shelf and approached the pair. "So I take it you still can't reach the sun?"
Blueblood snorted, "It's just a barrier. Once I get the unicorn guard behind me we'll be able to break through it. This is a problem that has to be solved through raw power."
"That's a bad idea," Shining Armour objected, and the quickly remembered who he was speaking to. The guard threw up a salute and asked, "Permission to speak freely, Sir?"
"Denied," Blueblood answered.
"Actually," I said. "You can tell me Lieutenant, I'd like to know." Blueblood scowled at me as I pretended to ignore him, I love abusing loopholes.
Armour looked directly at me as he spoke and said, "What you saw was our magic being pushed back at us. If the combined might of the guard can't break the barrier we'll be hit by a huge back blast."
"That sounds bad," Catch said.
"It would probably dislodge the palace from the mountain side," Armour replied flatly.
"Well I don't know about you, Blueblood," I added. "But I like the idea of living."
"As if any barrier can stand up to over two hundred unicorns," the prince argued.
"Probably better to wait for the princess to break it," I replied. "Besides, we might have another problem."
"What could be more important than raising the sun?" Blueblood asked skeptically.
"A more immediate problem," I noted. "Fabulator is upstairs with your bodyguards taking books off the shelves."
"He went up there to find out what could be causing this," Blueblood said.
"Catch what were those titles again?" I asked. Catch quickly listed the titles she'd seen. When she mentioned the "Fall of the Crystal Empire" and "Crystal Cantrips" both Blueblood and Armour considered what we said more seriously.
"Judging by the looks on your faces we hit a nerve there," I said.
"Normally I wouldn't be worried about that sort of thing," Armour said. "But considering recent events..." he said as he looked toward the prince who wore a look of betrayal on his face.
"Is this what he was after this entire time?" Blueblood said as he began to pace. "The first time I thought I found somepony among that bunch of vultures that wasn't trying to marry me or cheat their way into status!" He lashed out and bucked over the pedestal in the centre of room. "To think I thought to call Fabulator a friend!"
"Who said I wasn't?" Said a voice from behind me, I turned on the spot to find Fabulator standing in the entrance archway flanked by Blueblood's guards.
"It seems I've obviously missed something," Fabulator said as he stepped into the room. "Mr Turner was very kind to come inform me of your success, Blue. I take it you found the spell?"
"I have, not that it's any good to us, there's a barrier in the way," Blueblood replied.
"Well, if the pair of you were unable to break it then there's little we can do about the sun for now." Fabulator walked forward with his guards, causing me and Catch to retreat back to where Blueblood and Armour were standing.
Fab turned his head in curiosity, "Why so defensive? I haven't done anything to any of you."
"I suppose that quartz crystals enchant themselves with dark magic then?" I asked, "Or do they normally grow on piles of gemstones?"
"I hardly see what the actions of a disgruntled servant would mean to me." Fabulator replied neutrally.
"You have a book on crystal cantrips in your bag," Catch countered.
"Actually it's in his bag," Fab replied as he pointed toward one of his guards. "I haven't even read it yet."
"One of Blueblood's guards you mean?" I said. "You paid them off the same way you bought Ruff, and set him up to take the blame. I suppose those guards of yours also had access the Blueblood's vault. What better way to buy a patsy then to buy him with incriminating evidence." I pointed a hoof at Blueblood, "Then you let slip to him that you've seen his servant, a diamond dog no less, shining gemstones that you thought belonged to the prince. A quick investigation proves you right and the dog is sent to the dungeons."
"Now that I think about it," Blueblood mused. "You were the one who tipped me off to that. Just so you could hide a source of dark magic and brainwash me from afar, all while pretending to be my friend."
Fabulator rolled his eyes, "I suppose I'm not talking my way out of this." He looked toward his guards, "Contingency Plan C." His guards opened their wings and shot forward.
Just before the traitor guards could reach us a pinkish field shot up, sounding the four of us in a spherical shield. I looked to my left to see a glow around Shining Armour's horn. I looked at the shield again and noticed how it shined, literal shining armour.
Fabulator walked forward and gave the field a tap with a hoof. "Not bad," he said as he admired the lieutenant's work. "Very sold, nothing gets in, nothing gets out."
"Nothing I don't want," Armour said as kept the field up.
"You can hear me, so air can pass through then, nicely done." Fabulator stepped back from the shield and was joined by his guards. "Since you've forced my hoof I suppose I have no more secrets to hide." Fab sighed, "Blueblood, you assume I always intended to betray you. No our friendship was quite real. You can be rather interesting when you're not acting like a pompous ass and when you stop assuming everypony just wants get to the princess through you. In fact, the way you are so protective of your "auntie" might be your greatest virtue."
Blueblood stepped forward to stare out of the shield, his horn touching the barrier. "If you were so set on being my friend, then why did you attempt to brainwash me?"
Fab looked affronted, "Where did that notion even come from? What would I even gain? The princess would notice immediately and break it without any effort at all."
"Then what did you want from me?"
"To scare you," Fabulator announced like it was obvious; it was to me of course. "Just enough darkness to summon the 'Panther of the Bluebloods', you'd see it, you'd get scared and nopony would believe you, except me.
"And then when the princess left to go to Ponyville I'd convince you to look for answers in the royal archives. Then I would have my true prize, the forbidden knowledge of the old unicorn kingdom." Fabulator stopped his monologue to switch his attention to me. "Of course, no plan is perfect. I was surprised to find that Blue here would hire outside help, let alone somepony who'd actually break the crystal."
"I aim to please," I responded confidently.
Fabulator barely acknowledged me before he turned back to Blueblood. "I was ready to take what I could get and just accept that I had your friendship at least, Blue. Not quite what I wanted, but I'd have time to set up another plan and try again."
"And then the sun failed to rise," I added helpfully.
"Not even I expected that," Fabulator clarified. "But suddenly there was an opportunity: Blue here needed the archives for the first time in his life. I couldn't pass that up. Who could possibly refuse a chance at the greatest treasure trove of knowledge in Equestria?"
"So what were you after?" I asked. "Did you want to turn yourself into an Alicorn and live forever?"
"Nothing so grand," Fabulator replied before adding, "Though if the opportunity arose I'd take it. I just wanted to walk out of here with every book or scroll I could carry. No matter what the subject, it would still give me an unchallengeable advantage over anypony else."
"So what do you do now?" I asked. "You're given everypony here your grand plan."
"Only the sections of my gambit that have no more use to me." He took a few steps back to address all of us. "Here are you options: You all decide that we're friends and we walk out of here like nothing ever happened, I might even reward you all. Or I could attempt some of that brainwashing magic you mentioned, just enough so I can make you forget me."
"We can't let that happen," Shining Armour declared. I'd been considering just walking out, it was no skin off my flank. Of course the goody little four shoes guard had to have an attack of nobility.
"You've admitted to using forbidden shadow magic," Armour clarified. "Once that darkness touches your heart there's no telling what it has left behind. The princess has made it clear to the guard that shadow magic can never be allowed to run amok again."
"Great, I've got shadow cooties," Fabulator replied sarcastically. He turned to the prince, "So Blue, I take it that loyalty of yours means you won't be letting this go either."
"The plague of shadow magic has cursed royalty before," Blueblood declared. "I cannot let it happen again (4)."
Fabulator rolled his eyes, "So be it then." A dark shadow gathered around his horn and flowed out of his suddenly green eyes. "Lieutenant, since your shield is air permeable I doubt you'll be able to stop this." A dark fog began to form and advance forward toward us.
Then there was the sound of a roar so loud everypony's ears flattened as another fog streamed out of Catch's satchel. Forming itself just outside the shield the Panther stared toward Fabulator, its body coiled like a spring, ready to pounce.
"Well," I said as I seized the opportunity of a lifetime. "It looks like the cat is out of the bag."
Luna's Notes:
(1) During our exile the story around the events of our fall had fallen into legend and finally myth, so most modern ponies have only heard of The Nightmare through stories intended to frighten foals. Time Turner's exposure to Trottingham's theatrical heritage has left him much better informed than his fellow ponies.
(2) The hidden mechanism means that only a unicorn who knows the layout can operate it. In this case this only includes a small selection of guards, Blueblood, our sister and us.
(3) Time Turner's lack of gardening skill may be a direct result of the dominance of the reset as his talent. It is likely he is also deficient in many other skills normally considered strong in earth ponies.
(4) It is likely Blueblood is referring to more than one event. There have been several incidents involving shadow magic outside those of Nightmare Moon and King Sombra.
Shadow magic can be an easy and direct method to deal with any problem. Unfortunately that is only how it starts, and soon the easy option becomes more and more attractive to use. Eventually the shadow will start to affect your mind and suddenly what would once have been horrifying has become reasonable, or worse desirable. |
Time Turner's Discordian Detective Agency: The Panther of the Bluebloods | Chapter 9: Break for Day | "Not even a giggle, Catch?" I asked my assistant. "Normally you'd--"I got a look at Lucky Catch's face. It was twisted into an image of anger and rage.
Outside the shield Fabulator paced to the left and the Panther mirrored the move, staying between him and Blueblood. The prince had quietly moved to stand behind Lieutenant Armour and the previous courage he showed paled as he saw the magic Fabulator was wielding.
Watching the Panther, Fabulator sent a tendril of shadow floating around it toward the prince. The Panther snarled and swiped a paw through it, disrupting the magic. The display was echoed by my assistant as I saw her growl in sync with the Panther. Catch's empathy with tame animals now simply another conduit for the hate the Panther showed toward Fabulator.
I leaned toward Blueblood and Armour whispering, "We need to get out of here. Let the Panther keep him busy, the best we can do now is to make sure the guard know what's going on."
Blueblood nodded but the Lieutenant objected saying, "I can't move the shield. If we start moving we're going to have to worry about those two." He motioned towards the traitorous guards.
"We'll just have to go with it," I said. "Because that thing's not going to--"The Panther decided it didn't want to wait any longer and pounced. "Go, now!" I shouted.
The shield dropped as the panther flew toward Fab. The shadow caster fell back on mundane magic and threw a raw burst at the Panther. Just as the spell impacted, one of the pegasus guards also hit the Panther from the side. The twin impacts threw the Panther down to the ground where it quickly reformed.
As soon as the shield fell Armour and Blueblood made for the exit. Lucky Catch did the opposite and charged toward Fabulator.
I looked toward the fleeing prince and then back at my assistant, torn for a moment. "Damn it," I cursed and I went after Catch as she ran into the second guard. Just as the guard started to get a hold on Catch I slid over and spun around to buck the guard off Catch.
The pegasus was thrown across the room. The best thing about pegasi is those light frames make sure they go flying. As turned back around to face Catch I saw her attempt to throw herself at Fabulator as he ran past us toward Blueblood, Panther following close behind. Once Catch was on her hooves she went charging after as well, echoing the Panther's growl.
The Panther growled again and shot forward. It ploughed into Fabulator and threw him forward. As Fab landed he looked toward Blueblood and fired a burst of magic at a statue on the wall above him. The statue's supports gave way and it began to topple. The Panther dissolved into a mist again and reformed above the prince to catch the statue. A smile crossed Fabulator's face in the brief second before Catch reached him.
Catch threw herself at Fab like a mare possessed, which she was. She struck without coordination or method forcing Fabulator to block all her blows physically.
Feeling a gust of wind above me I reached up and wrapped my hooves around the passing pegasus on his way to help Fab. I pulled the pegasus down and we tumbled across the ground together, scuffling with each other as we came to a stop. We traded several blows as we each tried to pin the other down. Eventually he slapped me across the face with a wing and his feathers made me sneeze.
While I was getting my wits back together the guard broke free and started toward Catch. Not done, I bit onto his tail to try and stop him. Instead of bringing him to a halt he dragged me along with him. I cursed through the tail in my mouth as I tried to get my hooves together and finally managed to stop him a pony length away from Catch. As I started to pull him back I heard a cry from behind me and saw the other guard flying toward me out of the corner of my eye.
Preparing to take the blow I was surprised to see a purple field appear in front of him. The traitorous guard crashed into the shield and fell to the floor, stunned. Looking toward the stairs I saw Blueblood sprinting down with Shining Armour, who had his horn lit. Good timing with the shield I supposed, it was the single most useful thing I'd seen Armour do.
There was a flash as Lucky Catch was shot across the room by a concussive magic blast and hit a wall. Her cry of shock and pain was echoed by the Panther as it moved toward Fabulator again.
I let the guard's tail go, figuring the Panther could handle two ponies while I checked on Catch. As I got to her she threw herself to her hooves, her face still a mask of rage. Earth ponies are resilient - I'm proof of that - but this wasn't right. The flow of rage running through Catch must have clouded any pain she that she was feeling. She charged off in the direction of the fight, ignoring me entirely.
I followed her to the stairs. Fabulator was galloping down after Blueblood while the remaining guard attempted to distract the Panther. Catch ploughed through the last guard and joined the Panther in charging down the stairs, with me just behind.
As we reached the ground floor I saw Fabulator, Blueblood and Armour by the door. Fabulator shot a blast of magic at Blueblood and Armour put up a dome over them to stop it.
A growl from both the Panther and Catch got Fabulator's attention as they charged toward him. I watched Fabulator smile as his horn turned black with shadow magic. I was level with Catch as he fired and saw the spell hit Catch. Instead of doing any physical damage to Catch she brought to a halt, a dark green glow in her eyes as the rage left her face. She whimpered, fell to the ground and started to curl up while crying in fear as some form of nightmarish vision assaulted her.
Fabulator smile turned into a victorious grin. The Panther had stopped as well, seemingly experiencing the sheer terror radiating from Catch in a twisted reflection of the rage it shared with her before. The odds in our favour had turned severely against us without the Panther's help.
Fabulator summoned a cloud of shadow magic. He probably intended to wipe our memories of his involvement and leave us blissfully unaware of what he'd stolen. He might even leave us as a bunch of drooling morons.
I gathered myself. It was time to do something stupid, "reset."
Time flew back and we were charging across the ground level toward Fabulator as he charged his magic. I slipped a hoof under Catch to trip her up and swung past her to take the blast of shadow magic in my back.
I felt warmth across my body as I woke up. I was bathed in light and my eyes winced as they adjusted.
"Timey!" came a relieved voice and I was suddenly pulled into a crushing hug. I blinked as my eyes adjusted, slowly taking in the scene around me. We were still in the Royal Canterlot Archives and the sun was shining in through the window.
"Oh, the sun's back. That's good," I murmured. Looking down I found Lucky Catch wrapped around my ribs with tears falling onto my coat as I lay on the floor.
"I thought I'd lost you," she said. "How did you know Fabulator was about to curse me?"
"Ancient earth pony secret," I replied.
"You were so heroic. Sacrificing yourself to save me," she said as she hugged me tighter. Great, she thought I did it for her.
"Where's Blueblood?" I asked.
"Right here," said a voice from above me. I rolled my head backwards to look up at the prince from my upside down perspective.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Fabulator escaped," Blueblood huffed. "The Panther chased him outside as he attempted to flee. Just as it was about to get him the sun rose and the Panther dissipated. I've sent the Lieutenant after him but it's probably too late." The prince shook his head and began to pace. "And would you believe those two traitors also escaped by flying out the upstairs window? I can't even imagine the kind of damage that Fabulator will be able to do with the books they escaped with." The prince sat down with his head in his hooves. "Auntie is not going to be happy."
Not one to stay sad Catch quickly brought up the bright side, "At least he wasn't able to wipe our memories, and the sunrise also got rid of the shadow he put on Timey."
"Bravo," Blueblood muttered.
Ignoring the prince Catch hugged me again. "Timey, whatever he did to you made you really scared. What did the curse show you?"
"I can't remember," I replied. "It's probably best that I don't know what it was (1)." I yawned as the lack of good sleep over the last few days finally caught up to me. Catch also yawned and I'd wager Blueblood did as well. Without anything stressful to keep us awake we were quickly tiring.
"Alright," Blueblood said. "We'd better get back to the palace, I need to alert the guard and make sure they find Fabulator." We all got up and walked wearily out into the late morning sun.
Blueblood worked up a temper as we got back to the great hall of the palace, looking around for somepony to abuse. The unicorn guard was still in parade formation as we walked in with the captain inspecting their posture and uniform.
As soon as Blueblood spotted Captain Ironsides he stalked directly toward him, head tilted down and horn pointed forward.
"Captain Ironsides!" Blueblood called out.
The captain looked over his shoulder and then back toward the guard he was inspecting to say something before he turned his attention to Blueblood.
"Yes Blueblood?" The captain said as the prince approached.
"That's Prince Blueblood to you, peasant," Blueblood said as he came to a halt a horn length away.
"With all due respect, sir," the captain started with guard slang for 'kiss my flank'. "That title is purely ceremonial."
"I think you'll find it's very real, not like your title after your failure today," Blueblood shot back.
The captain scoffed, "what failure. All a see is a jumped up politician with delusions of grandeur."
Blueblood's horn lit as he seized the Captain and threw him against the wall. The captain's own horn lit but Blueblood extended his magic over it and threw the captain's magic back at him. None of the guard even flinched at Blueblood's outburst.
"I suppose you know all about Celestia's student, correct? She's named Twilight if you've never bothered to find out," Blueblood said as he stalked toward the captain. "Now, while my dear auntie was teaching the little filly somepony else had to run the government. Who do you think did that?" Blueblood slid the captain down the wall so they met at eye level. "Today my title might be ceremonial, I'm not going to inherit the throne from an immortal after all, but there are responsibilities that come with it. That and my bloodline..." The prince added as he increased his magic flow.
"So I'm not powerless, something that Fabulator realized and used to steal forbidden knowledge from the Royal Archive." The prince released the captain. "Now we have a dangerous fugitive on the run with a dangerous wealth of knowledge, along with a pair of guards that have betrayed Equestria. The ever competent Lieutenant Armour is already in pursuit but I also want you to send out every pegasus we have to comb the city for him."
The captain stuttered something. Blueblood took a deep breath to calm down and asked calmly, "what was that captain?"
"All our pegasi are en-route to Ponyville to rescue the princess," the captain repeated.
Blueblood tapped his hoof against the ground. His voice was calm and empty of menace as he said, "In that case, Captain. You are to send out every guard we have to find him. If you fail I assure you I will do everything possible to ensure the rest of your career is short and unpleasant." Finished, the prince walked away with Catch and me following close behind.
Once Blueblood turned a corner, and was out of sight of the guard, he fell against a wall to cradle his horn in his hooves. He groaned, "My magic's going to be stunted for days after that."
Catch and I remained diplomatically silent.
Looking around the Prince realized we were still with him. "It's a wonder we even bother sometimes," Blueblood said. "Most guard officers are just second born noble colts sent to inflict their incompetence on the world instead of their family. That idiot probably only got the captaincy because all the other lieutenants were morons."
Catch hummed in thought. "How does the guard work if all their leaders are incompetent?"
"It's quite simple, Catch," I said with a smile. "Think about it, what's between the idiots above and the grunts on the bottom?" Catch blinked, waiting for an answer. Mares couldn't care less about the guard most of the time. "It's the sergeants," I answered, "the only ponies in the guard who actually earned their position instead of getting it with politics (2)."
"Then why have officers at all?" Catch asked.
"I wonder sometimes," Blueblood grumbled. The prince straightened up and stifled a yawn. "Right, follow me." The prince led us back to the great hall and pulled aside the first sergeant he saw. "Have somepony escort these two to the palace guest rooms, the nice ones, and let Lieutenant Armor know where they are when he returns."
The guard saluted, "yes Sir."
Then Blueblood turned to me, "At least this way I can satisfy your need to stay in a gaudy room without it coming out of my personal account." He snorted. "Consider your expenses paid. Have a good day."
I nodded in response and Prince Blueblood set off toward to south tower, probably to get some rest himself.
"Well, this is spacious," I said when we got a look at the palace's largest guest suite. "I think I could fit half my house in here."
Catch went across to the princess sized bed, dropping her bag as she went, and threw herself onto the soft surface. I caught a brief hiss of pain as she landed. Concerned, I went over to make sure she was alright and shucked my bags onto the ground next to hers.
"Something wrong, Catch?" I asked.
"Oh it's nothing, I just--ouch," she yelped in pain as she rolled over to face me.
'That's not nothing, roll over," I ordered. Catch rolled onto her front and I touched her back, she hissed in pain. Gently, I used my hooves to separate the coat on her back to see the skin underneath.
"Catch, you've got a lot of bruising on your back." I followed the bruising up past her neck. "It's really bad, how was this not hurting you before?" Catch smiled sheepishly.
"So it was hurting all this time?" I asked. Catch nodded. I ran my hooves along her body, feeling for anything out of place. Catch groaned, and I wasn't sure if she was in pain or enjoying it. "Doesn't feel like any of your ribs are broken, but I'll bet you have some cracks from when Fab threw you into that wall."
"So, I'll be fine then?" She asked.
"Well, you'll want to avoid sleeping on your back for a few days but you'll be fine." I chuckled, "Consider yourself lucky to be an earth pony, those pegasi are going to be feeling their bruises for weeks." I rolled over onto my back and got comfortable under the sheets.
Catch slid herself over to me. "Timey..." she put a hoof over my chest.
"Yes, Catch?"
"Could you close the curtains?" She pointed to the huge windows that were letting in the sunlight.
"Huh, I'd forgotten the sun was up." I rolled out of bed to shut the curtains and turn the lights out.
It was the first bit of decent sleep I'd had in days. No gemstone beds, Discord dreams or rough surfaces. However it only lasted until I heard a knock on the door.
Unable to get up I shouted, "Come in!"
The door opened and an increasingly familiar lieutenant walked in. "Time Turner, I've been sent to get you--oh I'm sorry I'll come back in a minute," Armour finished nervously.
"No, she just sleeps like this," I explained. Catch was, of course, wrapped around me and still fast asleep. "What were you going to say?"
"I just received a royal summons for the three of us to go down to the throne room," Armour explained, "It seems the princess has heard about what happened last night."
"Sounds like fun. One moment, I'll just get ready." I looked down at the sleeping pony on top of me. I tweaked one of her ears to face me and blew down it. Lucky Catch instinctively tightened her hold on me with all four limbs and sent me into a coughing fit as she crushed my lungs.
He head shot up and she looked around the room to spot Shining Armour, "What did you do that for?" Armour quite wisely remained silent as Catch returned her attention to me. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that again," she apologized as I reinflated my lungs.
"Right," I said between coughs. "The princess wants to see us, best not to keep her waiting."
We left our bags behind and I put my tie on as we walked down to the throne room. Night had fallen again on what must have been Equestria's shortest day in recent history, and the stars were out in a fantastic display.
At this rate I was going to be nocturnal for weeks with my sleep pattern this far out of place. One thing I noticed quickly was the absence of guards patrolling the hallways. I asked Armour about it and he replied, "They're still out searching for Fabulator. So far the news isn't good."
"Is there something wrong?" I asked.
"I'll explain later," Armour said as we arrived at the great doors to the throne room.
Armour's horn lit to open the door and reveal the dark room. None of the lanterns were lit and the only light was cast from the hallway, revealing the unoccupied throne.
"We must have got here early," I said and led the way in. We followed the light on the ground toward the throne and stood waiting.
The great door behind us shut, leaving the room in total darkness. Catch squeaked and I could hear Armour's armour clank as he shot into an alert pose.
I felt a cool breeze run through my mane, like somepony was breathing on me. I turned my head to look but couldn't see anything in the darkness. When I looked away the breeze returned stronger, becoming a gust of wind.
The curtains were caught and were blown open to reveal the full moon over the horizon as it cast light into the throne room.
At the moonlight crossed the room it revealed a figure standing before the throne, wings outstretched, light blue mane billowing in the unnatural breeze as she stood above us. Almost instinctively we each bowed before the mysterious figure.
"Greetings fair subjects," its tone was strong and just shy of shouting. "Count thyselves most fortunate to be midst the first to witness the restored glory of the true Princess of the Night!"
Luna's Notes:
(1) Tis more likely that Time Turner does not wish Catch or anypony else to know what the dark vision inflicted upon him. Such a vision would have probably shown him his greatest fear and we suspect he wants to keep that to himself.
(2) In theory Officers exist solely to act as our mouthpiece to relay orders to the sergeants. In practice we often speak to the sergeants directly bypassing officers entirely. |
Time Turner's Discordian Detective Agency: The Panther of the Bluebloods | Chapter 10: Thou Cretin | It's not often that I actually bow before somepony. While some members of the nobility will insist on it - Blueblood for example - I've never actually done it for them. Bowing is a signal of deference where you basically say "I'm weak and helpless" without even striking up the courage to speak. Usually when I do end up in front of a noble it's because they invited me, I don't have to bow or even show up.
Most nobles don't have the aura of might that the princess has. A few syllables of her commanding tone were enough to put me face flat on the ground.
"Rise my subjects, you need not fear us," said the princess. "We are pure once more."
I stood up and looked at the princess as she gazed down from the dais. She had a sort of terrifying beauty and the stance of somepony used to obedience. Her light blue mane still blew dramatically in the breeze she'd conjured as the moon brightened to bath the room in light. Armour stood and immediately saluted while Catch came slowly to her hooves.
The princess advanced down the stairs and presented her hoof to me. I gazed upon her aluminium shod hoof and recognised an old custom that only persisted in dramatic performances today. I leant forward and kissed her shoe. The princess then offered the same hoof to my companions and they followed my example.
Satisfied that custom had been attended to; the princess returned to her throne and sat. "Bring thyselves forward," she commanded.
I found myself wondering about her manner of speech as we climbed up to dais to stand in front of her. She spoke with words and an accent I'd only ever heard in the drama classes I took as a colt in Trottingham. The classes taught me a lot about dealing with the archaic culture of the nobility and how to speak confidently, skills I've put to a lot of use. This also meant I could understand Luna more readily than most ponies who lose track after the first "thou" and her use of the royal pronoun Celestia abandoned centuries ago (1).
Once we were standing on the dais in front of Luna she relaxed and began to speak. "Our sister hast requested that we receive thy accounts of the events of the last few nights as they relate more closely to our domain."
I nodded, "As you request, Princess. Before we begin might I ask how we are to address you?"
"Princess or Princess Luna shalt suffice," she replied sharply. It seemed she was going to keep us at arm's length from behind her title.
"Forgive my request," I replied deferentially. "We are simply unfamiliar with your preferences."
"Understandable," she conceded. "We only returned a night ago from a thousand year absence. Thou art forgiven." Catch gasped lightly, a thousand years of separation would account for a lot of her mannerisms that only survive in theatre today.
"My account begins three nights past..." I launched into a detailed account of my case with a liberal sprinkling of archaic terms for the Princess's benefit. Catch occasionally added her own variations and Shining Armour also explained activities beyond what I'd seen.
For the greater part of an hour the Princess listened intently with only an occasional question to clarify anything she was unfamiliar with. As we finished the Princess rang a hidden bell and a servant brought in a tray of refreshments for us.
I fell upon a pot of coffee while Shining Armour relayed the findings of the guard investigation into Fabulator.
"Before I went to my rest last night I sent a squad to seize Fabulator's estate and assets," Armour reported. "However it seemed Fabulator got there first. All sensitive documentation has been removed bar the deed to the estate which was left on his desk in plain view. Fabulator's bank accounts have been frozen but we found them empty."
"He planned for this," I said between sips. "Considering how carefully he planned everything else it makes sense he'd have prepared assets in case he was caught." I mulled it over for a minute. "Did he buy a train ticket or an airship trip?"
"Records don't mention his name or mark," Armour replied with a touch of frustration. "The guards on the road don't report him leaving that way either."
"Then he's gone to ground in Canterlot somewhere." I shook my head. "You won't find him until he decides to show up again."
"Most troubling," Luna surmised. "This situation bares hallmarks of a similar incident in our time. Detective, since thou hast a grasp of his intent what do you expect Fabulator's next move to be?"
"He'll keep a low profile until he's sure he can act safely. The pair of guards with him are tarred with the same brush, so their loyalty to him is guaranteed." I took a long sip from my coffee cup. "Armour, what's organized crime like in the city today?"
"The old bands are still in shambles since the Donna - their leader - was arrested two years ago. They've been ineffective without centralized leadership."
I tapped a hoof against the ground. "In a few months they'll probably start to rally around him."
"We cannot allow that to happen," Luna declared. "The guard will be tasked to locate him and we shall deal with him personally. Lieutenant, rouse the Captain of the Guard, we shall have words with him."
"Actually," I piped up. "You should get Lieutenant Armour to do it: he's demonstrated his competence over the last few days, if occasionally misguided, and to be honest the current captain is looking a bit tired."
Armour looked a little surprised at what I said and I gave him a sly grin. "I couldn't do that," he objected. "It's not my place to go over the head of my commander."
"We agree with Detective Turner," Luna said. "You have commendably demonstrated yourself and you have first hoof experience with Fabulator. The captain will do as we tell him." Armour looked a little worried as he sat quietly with his coffee cup.
"Now that our duties have been fulfilled," Luna said. "We can move on to more frivolous matters." She poured herself a cup of tea from the teapot Catch been using and drank a sip. "Thy accounts have shown me that our absence has left us diminished. We would appreciate more anecdotes about the land we rule over."
I considered the sudden change in the Princess's demeanour. Luna was attempting to appear friendly, and failing. Sharing the teapot was a nice gesture to imply familiarity but her lack of inside voice and royal bearing still kept her distant (2).
Catch hummed. "I have a few stories about my work at the animal shelter. You would not believe the adorable and amazing things I've seen some pets do. Time Turner can also tell you a lot about Ponyville as well."
"Yes," Luna said. "We would enjoy tales of animals, but we find ourselves intrigued by this 'Ponyville'."
We spent the next two hours talking 'candidly' with the Princess. Catch's story about two kittens, a porcupine and how several catnip filled balls were broken open managed to get a laugh from Luna. However the Princess delicately and deliberately steered the conversation toward the subject of Ponyville. She pressed for details on minor things like Pinkie Pie's parties and on the size of Sweet Apple Acres. At one point she asked about what I could tell her about Fluttershy and I told her that I'd never met the notoriously shy pegasus.
Eventually Luna asked about my role in the town, "We find ourselves curious over why a detective would remain in such an idyllic hamlet. Surely you would find more opportunities to work in Canterlot?"
I shrugged. "I prefer the Ponyville lifestyle; it's much more down to earth. Here everypony has their nose in the air and ignorant of the world under their hooves. They'll pay other ponies a fortune to keep it that way and I'm always willing to do that if they well pay enough. Of course that doesn't mean I have to live here," I said with a chuckle. "If they want me back here they'll just have to pay extra."
Luna sighed, "If thy description is accurate we do not look forward to dealing with them."
"Don't worry about it," I replied. "If all else fails just get Blueblood to deal with them, it's what he's for, and Catch here is an example of how not all Canterlot ponies are a pain in the flank."
Catch put an arm over me and nuzzled my neck. "Thank you, Timey," she said.
Shining Armour looked up from his cold coffee cup. "How are you two not married yet?"
My heart froze, oh no, you didn't just say... I looked back toward Catch to see a look of revelation cross her face. I need a distraction, anything, where is Pinkie when you need her?
Catch took her arm back and stepped toward the Princess, "Princess Luna, may I have your blessing?" The Princess nodded her assent and Lucky Catch turned around to look at me.
"Time Turner, will you marry--"
"Reset," I said as I started to plan my escape. I'd throw my cup at Armour and head for the door yelling something about evil magic.
Just as soon as time started to run backwards it slowed down and almost came to a stop. Princess Luna was staring toward me and she didn't look happy.
"Thou cretin," I heard in my head. "How long hast thou spurned the love of thy partner?"
I barely thought of it before she answered, "Thou hast spent too long avoiding the answer she seeks. Give her an answer or we shall be most displeased."
The reverse flow of time resumed and gave me only a few moments to consider my position. Not many options: if I refuse, Catch will be heartbroken. If I don't answer Luna might throw me out the window, and only Celestia knows what ancient punishments she might also have in mind. I have to answer, but I should do this on my own terms, and do it properly. I decided to take option three.
Time resumed and Armour asked, "How are you two not married yet?"
"A good question," I replied. I looked toward the princess, "Your majesty," I said with a bow. "As you are present, might I ask for your blessing?" The princess's face remained neutral as she nodded.
"Lucky Catch," I turned to stand in front of her. "I should have said this before on so many occasions. I know you've been waiting with a set of rings ready, and I know you've been talking to Rarity about a dress." I bowed my head before her, "Catch, will you marry me?"
"Yes!" she cried as she shot forward and tackled me to the ground. She assaulted me with kisses and hugs.
"Catch, stop that's enough," I said as I tried to resist. "Catch, Catch stop! There are ponies watching. Somepony get her off me, for the love of Luna!"
While she held me in a rib crushing grip she looked toward Luna. "Princess Luna, would you be willing to officiate our wedding?" I was unable to comment while I was being crushed.
Luna nodded solemnly, "It has been far too long since we have joined two of our subjects in a union. We will preside on whatever date thou set, be it day or night."
"Thank you," Catch said as she went over to kiss Luna's hoof. I gasped sweet air back into my lungs again as I lay on the ground.
Shining Armour came over with his cup floating behind him and he looked down at me while taking a sip. "Are you okay, detective?"
"This is your fault," I rasped quietly.
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear that." My response was a cough. "I'll get you another cup of coffee," Armour said as he walked back toward the table.
I felt a coolness surround me and lift me into the air. Too weak to break out of the field, I was brought back across to the table and placed delicately into my seat. To add insult to injury the seat was moved to make sure I was sitting properly at the table.
"We are delighted to see thou declare thy bond," Luna said kindly. "It hast been too long since we witnessed a stallion propose and we look forward to thine nuptials." As Luna smiled at us I could see the little hint of satisfaction. She had me bought and paid for (3).
Catch leaned over to give me a peck on the cheek. I smiled back at her. I never wanted to break her heart or to see her hurt, and I did care for her in my own way. What we had might not be love, but it was probably enough.
As time drew on we were eventually released and the princess gave us leave to continue using the guest facilities until we took the train back to Ponyville. The princess bid us well and we left through the main door before it shut behind us.
Shining Armour nodded toward us, "I should be getting back to my duties. Have a good night." We returned the nod and Armour started to walk away.
I raised my voice to call after him, "I'll let you know if I want that favour returned."
Armour came to a halt. Looking over his shoulder he called back, "What favour?"
"You didn't realize?" I said as I walked toward him. "You owe me one."
"For what?"
"Your upcoming promotion in say, a month, tops," I replied. "Captain Shining Armour has a nice ring to it."
"What?" Armour asked in disbelief. "I'm still in my twenties, there are much more senior ponies than--"
"Armour."
"-- I'm not even near that point and there are much better guards than me," Armour blathered on.
I rolled my eyes, "Stop being so damn noble and think, Armour. I've basically given you the job on a silver platter."
Armour's eyes narrowed. "What did you do?"
"You might have noticed that you have a new boss?" I pointed back toward the throne room. "I've just given you a good first impression, a recommendation and hinted to the princess that she might need a new captain soon." I put on my best infuriating smile and chuckled. "'Get armour to do it', I said to her. 'He's demonstrated his competence' and I told her that the current captain's looking 'a bit tired'. Also you didn't see earlier but Blueblood was furious with Ironsides, and if he doesn't resign soon then Blueblood's going to make sure he'll want to." I shrugged, "suddenly you're the best looking candidate when he resigns."
"I won't accept," Armour refused. "I don't want to earn my position through political tricks. I'll do it properly."
I leant my face against a hoof and rubbed my temples. "Alright Armour, here's how you pay back my favour: when you are offered the captaincy, you take it, okay?" Before he could refuse I continued, "I've seen a lot of guards over the last few days and with one other exception you've been the only competent one I've seen. You need to take that job because nopony else is good enough, you idiot."
Armour looked away from me a grumbled for a moment. "Alright, I'll take it. But only if it's offered to me because I earned it."
"You already have." I put an arm around Lucky Catch. "Now do yourself a favour and find a filly friend, you need one." I gave my fiance a smile, "let's head back upstairs."
As I passed Armour I leaned over to whisper in his ear, "Try asking Twilight Sparkle, she's got a nice flank."
We walked away while Armour started to fizz up. Unfortunately he didn't try insulting me as we walked away and stood there fuming quietly instead.
I ended up pacing around our room when we got back up stairs. I looked up at the clock, 11 PM, I should have been in bed trying to sleep. I probably shouldn't have drunk all that coffee. Catch lay in bed with a book and a teacup. "You're going to wear a groove into the floor if you keep pacing, Timey."
"Just thinking about the new princess," I replied. "Why was she constantly asking about Ponyville?"
"Well it was the site of the summer sun celebration," Catch said. "Perhaps it had something to do with her return. Why don't you ask Pinkie or Rarity when we go back?"
"I will, probably the only place to get answers. We can take the morning train south and-- ah, wait."
"Is there something wrong, Timey?" Catch asked over her book.
"I'd promised to visit Octavia before we left Canterlot." I looked back at the clock again, "You think she's still awake?"
"She might be," Catch shrugged, "nopony sleeps normally after summer sun."
"Well, gotta burn off that caffeine somehow." I opened my bags and took out my old scarf. "I'll be back soon, take it easy and let those bruises heal."
"I'll be waiting," Catch called as I went out the door.
Canterlot at night isn't much different from the city during the day. The widespread lanterns keep everything lit and cheerful. The only real difference is that the crowds of ponies have disappeared off home or to one of the increasingly popular nightclubs.
A brisk trot brought me to the apartment complex that both Vinyl and Octavia had made their home. Using a large sum of bits - presumably from the same source that paid for my house - the pair had secured two apartments next door to each other.
It still surprised me that they'd want to live in the one city in Equestria that would condemn their relationship. Well the money kept bringing me back to Canterlot, there's one reason.
I took the ramp up to the upper floors and across the hall to the first of their apartments. Looking at the base of the door I saw lantern light and heard the faint sound of music.
I knocked on the door and the music stopped as hoof steps approached the door. Octavia answered the door in a hot pink dressing gown and a messy mane. I fought to keep my face straight.
"Having a comfortable night in, Octavia?"
"Nice to see you too, Turner," Octavia greeted. She looked around, "You'd better come inside." I followed her in and shut the door behind me. "It's a good thing you came," she continued, "Vinyl's out performing right now and I wanted to talk to you privately first."
My brow creased, "Why do you need privacy?"
"Because I didn't want to talk to Vinyl about this until after you agreed." Octavia went across the room to pick her cello off the ground and put it back on its stand. I sat down on a lounge chair.
"You're not exactly filling me with confidence here. What's this favour you're so nervous about asking me?"
"Nervous? I assure you I am perfectly fine," Octavia said as she took a seat opposite me.
"You're playing your cello late at night, your mane's a mess, and you were afraid somepony would see me come in."
"Ah, yes." Octavia quickly straightened up and ran a hoof through her mane. "As you know Vinyl and I have been together for some time now and we are looking toward moving into the next stage of our relationship."
"Getting married?" I guessed. "You're not the only ones." I leaned on the back of the lounge and tapped my hoof on the pillow. "I suppose I can set something up, find somepony to perform it and keep the paperwork under wraps. Mayor Mare still owes me a favour for the timber wolf incident."
"Timber wolf?"
"Don't ask," I said flatly and moved on. "Marriages need to be announced in a newspaper or placed on a public notice board. I'll have to find somewhere nopony would notice." I shrugged, "give me some time and I'll let you know if I can make it work."
"Thankyou Turner," Octavia said. "You don't know how glad I am to hear you can manage that. If you wouldn't mind there's also another little thing you could help us with." A nervous smile crossed her face.
I sighed. Any request for a small favour can be followed by a larger one, which you're usually forced to do as well. "Which is?" I asked.
"Well, you're the only stallion who knows about our secret, except my father, and you're supposed to be my coltfriend as far as Canterlot knows."
"Yes and..." My paranoia alert started to flash.
"I have been considering what to do when Vinyl and I decide to start a family," Octavia said, and added, "in a few years."
I groaned and planted my face into a cushion. "So now you want my firstborn." Catch is just going to love this.
"Well, you did say 'anything'," Octavia replied.
"I suppose you missed the unsaid, 'within reason' rule."
"Isn't it?" She said. "It was my understanding that this is a common arrangement in these situations."
"Outside Canterlot maybe," I replied. "There's no way to hide a baby bump from the gossip circuit here."
"Perhaps we'll just decide to go public with it, or spend a year in the country."
"Octavia," I sighed, "even I can tell how flimsy your plan is. Think it through, and if Vinyl agrees -" which she won't "- then we can do it," I cringed as I realized what I'd said.
"I'll talk to Vinyl about it then."
Damn, "Alright... but you get to explain it to Lucky Catch when she finds out."
I returned back to the guest room just after one in the morning. The lanterns were out and Catch was sleeping serenely in bed. I walked quietly across the carpet, took my scarf off and joined her.
Stirring briefly Catch asked, "What did Tavi want?"
"Nothing important," I lied. "We can take the morning train home tomorrow. I've had enough of Canterlot for a while."
Luna's Notes:
(1) We still use the royal pronoun in any formal setting and within written documentation. Beyond formalities our "archaic" tone has also led to popularity among the theatre societies who often request our patronage.
(2) We were attempting to be approachable at our sister's advice. However it was a long time before we overcame the old habits brought on by centuries of rule in previous eras.
(3) We resent the implication that we have chained Time Turner to a leash. Though from that point on we could easily have made his life difficult. Not that we ever intended to do so. |
Time Turner's Discordian Detective Agency: The Panther of the Bluebloods | Epilogue: No Escaping the Pink | The morning train was almost empty as it left Canterlot. After the all night celebration it was going to be a while before most ponies got back into their regular sleeping habits. As we walked back into Ponyville we found the streets deserted, not a single pony walking around.
"Where is everypony?" Catch asked.
"Probably still asleep," I said as we turned down Stirrup Street toward my home. "Though now that you mention it..."
As we walked up to my front door I noticed something: It was quiet, like the cliche, as the world waited for something to happen. I leant back towards Catch and whispered, "Brace yourself."
I opened my securely locked door and I was hit by a wave of confetti, streamers and music.
"Surprise!" yelled a wave of voices.
Pinkie appeared behind us. "Welcome to your surprise engagement party! Were you surprised? I know you were surprised, because I got this really major combo that I hadn't gotten since my sister decided to get secretly engaged and I knew that you two had just gone on an adventure, So it had to be you two. Also, everypony was starting to get really annoyed by the ticking so I had to stop your clocks, but don't worry I'll start them all again at the end of the party. So now I'll get back to my original question, were you surprised‽"
"Very surprised, Pinkie," I lied.
"Great! Now go have some fun!" With that said, Pinkie disappeared to make sure that the party was as fun as physically possible--or more.
As we walked in the large number of ponies waiting in my house each took the opportunity to congratulate us. Most ponies simply said a few words of congratulations and compliments while some offered to bring gifts to our wedding. Rarity soon managed to track the two of us down and cornered us with a tape measure.
"Turner, Catch! If I could just borrow the pair of you for just a few moments, I have a lot of potential in mind for the pair of you." She looked almost giddy with ideas.
"Rarity, calm down," I said. I looked around, "We're in the middle of a party, for us, so we don't have time to stand around for... six hours." I leaned over to Catch and whispered, "Back me up here."
"Yeah," Catch said." We have to talk to ponies about... stuff."
"Oh but this is just a preliminary measure," Rarity said in a desperate attempt at justification. "It's just to get some rough ideas. I shan't take too long and you two shall look absolutely stunning together."
"I'm already fine for the wedding," I protested. "I'll just wear that hat and vest you made me, or wear nothing at all."
"And I've still got that dress you made for me a while back," Catch added. "That'll be just fine."
Rarity brought a hoof to her heart and looked at us like we'd just thrown her cat in a lake. "You cannot be serious. This is your wedding, a once in a lifetime event. I could not possibly let you wear such casual attire."
Catch and I looked at each other uncertainly. Any attire at all was formal, and we started to dread what Rarity had in mind.
"You're not going to let us go, are you?" Catch asked.
"This is Rarity we're talking about," I said quietly to Catch. "We won't be going to the ceremony wearing any less than fifteen different gemstones."
"I just need five minutes, please," Rarity asked. I looked around and noticed that other ponies were giving us a wide birth. We were on our own for now.
I sighed, "Okay, but don't take too long."
Instead of only taking five minutes Rarity took fifteen. She started with our measurements in a practiced display of magic and followed up by comparing both our coats with colour swatches. Pinkie started to feel our boredom and bounced our way, only to be warded off by Rarity's gaze.
Our rescue came from a familiar face. "Hey Rarity, I've been looking everywhere for you," said Twilight Sparkle, the student I'd questioned a few days ago. "I was thinking about getting some more curtains, Spike has a habit of setting them on fire."
"Miss Sparkle?" I asked.
"Oh, Detective Turner," Twilight said as she noticed me. "How's your case going, there's nothing wrong here in Ponyville is there?"
"Twilight, my case is finished. Ponyville is where I live and Pinkie threw this party for me."
"Oh, I never realized. I just moved here as well," she replied. "I thought you'd be based in Canterlot."
"Only when I have to be," I said flatly. "If you were wondering the Panther is indeed real and hasn't gone rogue, only silent."
"Oh really? That's fascinating. Since it was the reason constructs were banned I'd love to get some details about it from you sometime. I could write a paper on it." Somehow the prospect of a lengthy research paper filled Twilight with joy.
"Sure," I replied with a shrug. "I'll also bring your telescope around to your new house. It's still in pristine condition, though I can't say the same about the case..."
"I'm living in the library," Twilight replied. "I'll be good to have that telescope, the other one's still in my tower."
"Wait, did you just say you live in the library?" I asked, adding, "As in Golden Oaks Library?"
"Mmhm," Twilight said with a nod. "That's why I missed the surprise. I spent the entire morning reorganizing the books by subject, author and title."
Something snapped in my head as I considered that. I'd spent a week shelving all those books by title a month ago. It was a minor addition to my position as timekeeper, but an annually painful one. Then Twilight moved in and undid all my work in the space of a single morning.
As I stood broken for a minute Rarity walked on over. "Twilight, I see you've met Time Turner. He keeps all the local clocks running on time." She looked toward me, "I'm done for now, Turner. I'll need to see the both of you later for a full fitting, but I shall continue working on my designs in the meantime."
"Wait a minute, Rarity," Twilight said. "I thought Turner was a detective?"
"You know about that?" Rarity asked Twilight while I went over to check on Lucky Catch.
Catch was standing still and staring at the wall. Recognising a case of severe boredom I called for Pinkie Pie, who appeared a second later. I pointed at Catch, "She's bored."
Pinkie's face took on a rare serious look. "This calls for a super cereal-ally fun party game." She saluted me and said, "I'll have her back to normal in a banana split." Pinkie then picked Catch up and carried her off back into the party.
I turned back to Twilight to see her nodding to Rarity as she said, "I see what you mean." Twilight looked over to me, "Rarity just told me why you came to Ponyville. Don't worry, I won't tell anypony else about you being a detective."
"Thank you Twilight, now if you'll excuse me I'd better go see what Pinkie is doing with my fiance." Twilight and Rarity said goodbye and I returned to the party proper.
I slowly made my way through the crowd, accepting congratulations and occasionally participating in discussions. It's hard to fade into the background if you're the guest of honour.
After a brief discussion on dental health with Minuette - apparently poison joke surprise can stain teeth green - I found out where Pinkie had taken Catch. The pair was dancing to music from my gramophone player and Catch looked like she was enjoying herself. I stood and watched, happy to see her having fun.
There was a tap on my back and I turned around. Ditzy Doo was standing behind me with a letter in her mouth. "Is that from my Canterlot box?" I asked and she nodded. "Thank you, I forget to check it while I was there."
I took the letter from Ditzy and she said, "It's no problem, Turner." She smiled sheepishly, "Would you be okay to watch Dinky on Friday? I've got a long distance courier flight to Manehatten."
"Not a problem, tell Dinky to come around after school. Oh and Ditz, try not to get lost on the way again. I not sure your management would like parcels being late."
"They don't mind so long as the parcel gets there, eventually," she replied. Ditzy - I refuse to call her Derpy - is Ponyville's long distance courier, an unusual profession considering her tendency to get lost and crash. Despite that she tends to be very dependable when something doesn't go wrong. Her daughter Dinky is sweet, clever and adorable, unlike her older sibling Sparkler. But that's another story.
"I'll just go see what this letter's about. Good seeing you again Ditzy, tell Dinky I said hi." I gave a nod to Ditzy and wove my way back through the crowd to my basement's entrance. Anything from my Canterlot mailbox, which Ditzy checks for me, tends to be exclusively related to my detective work. So this was something to do in my basement office instead of the 'normal' one upstairs.
Dodging a few attempted conversation interceptions I nipped through my basement door and locked it behind me again. Downstairs I put the letter on my desk and got out a little gemstone with a detector enchantment. I sat the gemstone on the letter and let it work. After a moment it flashed green to say it couldn't find any poisons or enchantments in the letter. I'm paranoid about all my Canterlot mail.
I took out a letter opener and slid it through. Nothing untoward happened so I unfolded it out onto my desk. My heart skipped a beat as I read the letter header.
To: Time Turner, Detective
From: Fabulator, disgraced noble
I read the letter in a rush and reread it again just to make sure I didn't miss anything.
Detective Turner, I hope this letter finds you in good health despite my attempts to the contrary. After our recent encounter I found myself rather curious about you and discovered that you'd gone to some extent to hide yourself. An appropriate measure considering.
Never the less, I'm delighted to inform you that there are no hard feelings about your role in my... undoing I suppose is an appropriate word. While some anger was quite natural I soon discovered that the delightful state of affairs in Canterlot's underworld is in some part your doing. It's made many of my schemes substantially easier than anticipated. A simple bribe here and perhaps some darker influences elsewhere have done wonders to ease my exile.
Given a few months I should be able to garner some substantial influence within Canterlot; much more perhaps than I was capable of when I still maintained a respectable image.
But that's enough about me, let us discuss you. I fully expect to encounter you again, indeed I look forward to it, and so you'll be glad to hear I don't intend to rid myself of you or do anything to encourage you to come after me. To that end your assistant Lucky Catch and your marefriend Octavia will remain directly unharmed. Fair is fair, of course, so I won't be expecting you to become involved in my activities unless somepony else asks you to.
As always it was a pleasure to cross purposes with you.
Fabulator
P.S. Octavia's position in the Canterlot Symphony Orchestra will remain untouched as well; despite some of my own influence in putting her there years ago.
I put the letter down and considered it. Obviously there were several things he hadn't learned about me. The letter had come through Canterlot so it was possible he didn't know where I lived, at that point at least. I took the letter across to a clear section of the pin boards that covered the walls of this room and pinned it in the centre. I'd start filling in the area around it as I learned more about Fabulator's activities.
But that could wait; there was a pinkie party upstairs in my name. I went up and unlocked the door. The party was much the same as it was when as I left. I locked the door behind me and started to look for the next conversation.
Then Pinkie Pie stood up on my coffee table with a familiar object held above her head. "Hey everypony! Time Turner has barrel full of cider, who wants some?" Pinkie called out and several hooves shot up. Rainbow Dash reached the ceiling in her attempts to be noticed. I could only stare as the entire town split up the last of my - illegal - alcoholic cider.
Applejack came alongside with a cupful. "This, that barrel you got off us last year? Didn't think you'd have saved it for this long, seems a good a time as any ta drink it." Applejack drained the entire cup in a flash and I saw several other ponies do the same.
"Yeah, that's the barrel," I said quietly.
"Woah, that had a darn good kick to it," Applejack said as she brought her empty cup down. "Ah don't remember that batch being this good though. Whatcha do to it anyhow?" Considering there was no way to answer that question without lying to Applejack I decided not to answer at all.
Pinkie Pie and Lucky Catch came up to us with a couple of cups that were leftover. Pinkie pressed hers into my hooves and Catch lifted hers up to toast me.
"To us," she said.
"To us," I agreed reluctantly and we brought our cups together. I drank, considering the situation it seemed like the right choice. |
My Show | pre | The arms of the man she had bedded were wrapped around her, his breath in her hair, and at the moment the worries of last night seemed so far away. There were a few aches throughout her body, but the one lingering in her genitals was quite pleasant. The ache, the sort of pleasant burn from a runner's high, told her that she had been filled, to capacity apparently, and it also reminded her that she was a mare that had found her special somepony. The other ache wasn't so pleasant, resided in her skull, a reminder that a night of drinking was not always the best answer to what ails you.
She heard Dave mutter something in his sleep, his arms still holding her tight, and she simply let him hold her as she considered their morning. Dave had stretched his savings beyond the breaking point, and she knew it. The answer to the problem was a job, but finding a job normally took time. Memories of the things she had done in order to survive after she and her sisters were defeated came to mind. There was hustling wealthy stallions, but it was something she didn't want to do anymore. Even then, she didn't like the things that she had to do. It had been more about survival, their next meal, and someplace to rest rather than simply doing those things for the joy of it. And given her misadventures in this land so far, she didn't want to chance conning somepony that might make trouble for Dave, let alone her.
Slowly the arms around her loosened, and she moved out of the bed. Her eyes looked to the stained spot on the bed, and noticed that one other thing had happened. At some point her virginity had been returned to her, and she had given it to Dave. She looked at the spot for several seconds.
"Seriously?"
She directed the question to the fates, to destiny, or even to the universe, whatever it was that determined how things happened. She had no idea that her virginity had been returned to her, and while she actually was quite glad that she had given it to Dave, it felt wrong. There had been no romance, no courtship, just two souls that had gotten too drunk to think straight and ended up rutting each other. Not that she would complain to much about it.
"Story of my life," she groaned as she walked toward the shower.
Well, she might complain a little.
Entering the shower stall, she turned it on the water, and pulled her hand back quickly. The freezing water coming out of the shower head wasn't what she had expected. She had hoped to feel the warmth of the hot water, but instead it seemed that the universe had decided to give her this. She checked the handles, saw that the hot water was off, and turned it on. For a moment the water remained cold, but then it began to warm, considerably. Stepping into the tub she let out a soft moan that seemed as if it had been hiding inside of her. The hot water felt amazing as it splashed onto her fur.
Since being here Dave had took her shopping a couple of times. Besides the clothes one of her first purchases had been some soap and shampoo that smelled quite a bit like what her old soap and shampoo smelled like. Jasmine, lavender, and a hint of peppermint filled the air as she worked the soap into a lather. It felt so good to get the sweat and grime out of her fur. She hummed as she washed the worries of the previous day out, or at least out for a few minutes, and her humming changed into singing.
"♫Feel the wave of sound,
as it crashes down.
You can't turn away,
I'll make you want to staaaaaay,♬" she sang.
She felt something, something different as she sang. It wasn't the same off key singing that had happened when they had been defeated. Back then, her singing had been about deriving sustenance and thus there was no sensation from accompanying their mutual talent. This singing instead felt right, springing from an emotional center Adagio had long thought extinguished. She continued to sing, feeling something deeper inside of her calling out to be released.
Opening her eyes she noticed a soft white light surrounding her, and then as suddenly as it began it stopped. She touched her cutie mark and felt a warmth that wasn't caused by the shower. Turning her head she looked at the Treble clef and the gem together. Both were shimmering, but the treble clef was the brighter of the two, yet it seemed different than getting a cutie mark. Something was still off. It was as if she had stepped in the right direction, and softly, her destiny was calling to her to continue walking.
She knew that this wasn't her siren magic, but instead it seemed to her actual talent shining through. She hugged herself, feeling like part of herself had just returned from the dead. The siren magic had given her so much, but it had corrupted her talent. The magic had turned her talent into something it never should have been. She knew that, and understood, that completely. Seeing her talent come back to life on its own began to fill her with hope.
Vague memories of before becoming a siren, before accepting the dark magic that turned her, slowly crawled their way back into her mind. She remembered, more or less, being an Earth Pony, but other memories had drifted off over time. Those memories, or at least pieces of them, began to crawl back, reminding her of what she had once been.
The Land was cold, she remembered that, and she remembered long cobblestone roads, old houses, and ponies coming to listen to her as she sung for them. The songs escaped her, or did at the moment, but the crowds, she remembered them, pleased faces that enjoyed the respite from their daily lives that came in the form of her singing.
Turning the shower off she stepped out, grabbed a couple of towels, and began the process of drying off. It was warm in here, and inviting, but she knew that neither her, nor Dave, had really made sure the furnace kept going. Without the furnace, it was likely to get rather cold, rather quickly. Her hot shower was a considerable drain on the precious heat of Dave's home.
Adagio stepped out the bathroom, noting the minor chill creeping in the building. She could see the furnace now, and the dull glow if the dying embers within it. Walking toward it, she opened the metal door and looked to see a few red, glowing coals. The furnace was attached to Dave's livelihood, to heating the building that was their home, and to the hot water boiler that got its heat from the old device.
She quickly dried, dressed in a comfortable pair of sweatpants and a matching sweater (foregoing any underclothes for the time being) , and then walked toward the furnace again. She reopened the metal door, found the shovel, and looked at the fuel that Dave had for it. The old furnace was designed well enough, for what it was, and it seemed to run off of either wood or coal. The last few days their home, the shop, had smelled vaguely similar to somepony barbecuing. The reason why laid there in front of her.
Dave had a small box full of charcoal briquettes. Grabbing a shovel she dug into the box, getting a couple of shovel fulls out, and then tossing them back into the furnace. She pumped the bellows, letting the still warm coals ignite the others on top of them. It was a slow start, but after a few minutes she was pleased to see that the briquettes igniting, and burning well enough to close the door and let the furnace do as it needed to.
Walking away from it she checked to make sure that her clothes weren't filthy from the dust from the charcoal briquettes. Seeing that they were fairly clean she considered the next task. They needed a job, something, anything, that could net them at least enough to pay off the balance with the bank, and allow them to keep their home. She walked toward the large monitor that was hanging up and cleared her throat.
"Good morning!" Bob said in his normal cheerful voice.
"Good morning, Bob. Would you mind doing me a favor?"
"Anything, Miss Adagio," Bob replied, "what can I do to help?"
"Here's the thing. Dave and I need a new job, and fast. Is there any art gallery that is needing a piece, or maybe there's someone wanting to commision a piece? It needs to be something within the week," she asked.
Bob was quiet for a moment before he finally reappeared, "I'm sorry, Miss Adagio, but there isn't anything like that currently needed. There are however a few openings for servers at a restaurant called Taps."
She shook her head. There was absolutely no way that she and Dave could make eleven hundred credits in two weeks at a restaurant. She wasn't sure how different the pay scale was here, but she did remember that before restaurants didn't pay all that well. Often their servers were paid below the minimum threshold, and it was expected that their tips would more than make up for it.
"Thanks anyway, Bob," she replied.
"You're welcome, Miss Adagio. I'll keep an eye out for something a bit more in your request, but most often those kinds of jobs tend to appear when they're needed," he said.
"Thanks anyway, Bob," Adagio said.
She gave him a smile, walked toward the kitchen, and looked at their supplies. There was no denying it they were certainly in a grim situation. They were out of eggs, almost out of bread, and most of the other perishables seemed to be gone as well. Dave had really been counting on that sale in order to clear the cost of the copper, and refill their groceries. As it sat at the moment, they were left with a few boxes of mac and cheese, two packages of beans, and what looked like about three cans of sardines.
She looked at the meager menu available, and decided that she could at least try to make something. Grabbing a box of mac and cheese she lifted it, read the back, and began following the directions. When it got down to the milk, she looked in the fridge and found that they were nearly out. There was about half of what they needed, so she turned the water on, added a little water, and used the mixed milk. It took longer than what they box had said it would, but when she finished what was in the pan looked eatable. Well, it looked mostly edible.
She walked over to the still slumbering Dave, and gently shook his shoulder. To her surprise he grabbed her, pulled her into the bed, and she found herself being held tightly. She moved, trying to adjust herself, so that she could get up when she felt his very impressive stallionhood pressing against her thigh. A soft whinny of need escaped her, and she knew that she wasn't going to be able to fight against her heat. Leaning down, she kissed him, fully, and felt him returning it. She felt his hands move down to her hips, stopping right above her cutie marks, his thumbs lingering on the waistband of her sweatpants.
Looking at him, she could tell he was mostly still asleep, but need, deep, lustful, and hungry, was demanding attention in the worst sort of ways. It was demanding that she peel her clothes off, that she show her stallion her form, and that she take him until he couldn't form complex sentences anymore. She couldn't handle it, and her sweater came off, her fingers touched his thumbs, moving them under the waistband of her sweatpants, and together they moved them until they were past her knees. She pulled one hoof free, which was all she needed at the moment, and next she uncovered her prize.
Her most wonderful prize was standing so tall. Once more she hesitated, conflicted about the size, and then deciding that since it fit once it would fit again; she lowered herself upon it. Her pulsating insides pulled him deep into her, and she let out a lewd nickering moan. Lifting up, she thrust herself back down on him, his hands now roaming over her hips, moving up, and toward the breasts that he seemed to enjoy so much.
"Oh... Rut me!" she moaned as the tempo increased. Her lover's body reacted, as though by instinct, and pushed his hips into Adagio's, further heightening her pleasure. Her passage was undulating around his tool, which throbbed in time to their desperate movements. Adagio could feel David's erection pushing deep inside her, kissing her cervix with each thrust. How his length was able to get that deep, she would never know but it thrilled her all the same.
Soon, much sooner than she anticipated, Adagio felt the first stirrings of her climax building in her depths. Dave's stallionhood rushed inward to hasten her orgasm. One push, two pushes, three pushes, four; Adagio's head was reeling from the pleasure. No stallion she had known or encountered before she arrived here could match the way Dave felt so deep inside her.
"David, David," she cried, "I'm cumming. I'M CUMMMING!"
The first wave of ecstasy flew through her, silencing her thoughts, erasing all sense of self as she gave in to nirvana. She let out a choked moan, shivering, as her climax tore through her. Sweat had formed on her coat, in her mane and tail, and with every downward motion, she heard the slap of wet skin on wetter fur. Her passage was now leaking thoroughly, soaking his rod and the bed sheets with lubrication. She hadn't come down from the high of the first orgasm before another reared its head.
Over and over again, Adagio gasped and spasmed as climaxes rolled over her, one after another. She invariably propped herself up with her hands on Dave's chest or on his thighs. Occasionally, she would just lie atop of him, allowing him to thrust into her while she attempted to rest. Her body was spent, her coat now sticky with sweat. She didn't know how much longer she could keep up the pace she was keeping...
"Adi..." moaned Dave, "Adagio..."
Another climax was building within the former siren; it broke upon as Dave's own orgasm erupted within her. The splash of his essence, the throbbing of his erection deep within her passage, the intense and effulgent bliss rupturing through her body was too much. She gasped, deeply, then collapsed on Dave's prone form as his climax continued to pour spurt after spurt of his seed within her body.
Her own form was twitching, spasming, as that last climax wove its way up her spine, to her brain, and then through every pleasure center in her body. The continuing release of David's essence spurred another sensation within Adagio, one of completeness, one of love, and one of sated desire. She hadn't known the pleasure of sex until she had met Dave; she mused that if her siren powers were still available to her, she would entrance Dave to rut her into perpetuity, notwithstanding any future little Dazzlings that might occur.
Oh, Celestia, she thought, imagine me, a mother? The fates would have a sense of humor after all.
Slowly as she lay there, enjoying the rapture of fulfillment that their coupling had brought her, she began to remember the reason she was trying to wake him up for. There was a pot of food sitting, waiting, and needing to be ate. She kissed him, once more, and gently shook him again. His eyes opened, revealing that he was a bit more awake than he had appeared.
"Nice way ta wake up," he said.
She gave him a grin and shook her head.
"It was nice, but originally I was just going to tell you that I made breakfast. You pulled me down into this bed. I think that you knew what was going to happen," she replied.
He returned her smile, slowly got up, and neither of them made any attempt to get dressed. Instead the both of them walked toward the table wearing the suits that they had been born with, and settled down for a breakfast of mac and cheese. The meal was good, better than Adagio expected it to be, and part of that, she was certain, was because of how good she felt. She looked toward Dave to see him looking back at her. She could feel her heart flutter, and part of her was ready to play coy, to flirt, and of course rut the living Tartarus out of him. Instead they enjoyed their meal, got up, and began their day.
The next three days seemed to follow a wonderful schedule of Adagio finding out how deeply Dave was able to fill her, then eating something, searching for a job, and going back to straddling him, enjoying him, and letting him enjoy her completely as well.
Four days afterward in the late afternoon, Adagio saw a large, dark blue vehicle arrive at the front gate to the scrapyard. Puzzled, she frantically searched for Dave. She finally found him in the combined living room/dining room, nursing a whiskey, neat, and playing around with his tablet, drawing up a plan for how to make more money to secure his home or to sell off the statue that was still residing on the property. She walked up to him, panting heavily in a mild panic.
"Dave" she whispered, for her lover was stricken with a hangover, "were you expecting anyone today?"
"Not that I know of," David groaned, "just send them away. Not in the mood-"
Adagio nodded, returning to the scrapyard and the vehicle that idled in the drive. In the time she had taken to find Dave, a figure had dismounted from the large transport and was standing smartly in the yard. The figure was female, with an impossibly pink skin, a pair of rabbit ears jutting from the crown of her head, and whiskers framing her nose. She wore a smart business suit. all charcoal grey and pressed, and she carried a tablet that was a deluxe brother to the one Dave owned. A T.I.C.T. badge adorned her right breast pocket.
"Good afternoon," The bunny girl said sweetly, "I'm Tabitha Rutiger, but most people call my Taffy."
"Adagio," The former siren replied, "Adagio Dazzle. How can I help you?"
"I was hoping to speak with a Mr. David Johnson," Taffy said, "would he be home?"
"He is" Adagio answered, "but he's feeling under the weather today."
"Oh, poo," Taffy moaned, "I was hoping to get in contact with him. The statue he was commissioned for never arrived at our offices and the purchaser sent to retrieve it, Mrs. Reese, has been summarily dismissed. She seemed to uphold her own beliefs over any measure of professionalism, so she was let go."
"You mean that toad, Mrs. Reese," Adagio spat.
"Yes," Taffy confirmed, frowning, "The poor woman suffers from the delusion that everyone should follow her personal faith. This isn't the first time her beliefs have interfered in a business transaction. Those delusions and her uncompromising stance on certain subjects, like Help-Mates® for instance, have made her employment less than ideal. Her indignation at the the creators process of another piece did not sit well with Mr. Moexatl and he has warned her that such attitudes are not in keeping with the T.I.C.T. mission statement."
"Don't I know it," Adagio hisses, "she took one look at me and she lost it. Like she's never seen a pony before..."
"Rest assured, Miss Dazzle, given the dressing down Mr. Moexatl gave Mrs. Reese, she will not be bothering you or Mr. Johnson ever again," Taffy beamed, "it will be a miracle if she ever finds employment. Mr. Moexatl is very influential throughout the nation..."
"Whatever," Adagio hissed, "so what are you doing here?"
"Well," Taffy started, "we were unable to contact Mr. Johnson in regard to the statue he made, because Mrs. Reese destroyed his contact data. I am here, as Mr. Moexatl's proxy, to purchase the statue, and as recompense for Mrs. Reese' atrocious behavior, Mr. Moexatl is willing to acquire it at five times the asking price."
"Five- five times?!" Adagio stuttered, to which Taffy nodded.
"I must also add," Taffy continued, "that I am empowered to up the offer to twelve times the original asking price."
"W-wait," Adagio stammered, "twelve- twelve times?!"
Taffy nodded, adding, "Mr. Moexatl is a patron of the arts and has been- keeping track, you could say, of Mr. Johnson's work. This is the first time he's purchased any of his pieces before, though he has admitted to me that Mr. Johnson's creative portfolio is quite astonishing. Are you sure Mr. Johnson can't be seen today?"
"Y-you know," Adagio answered, "I bet Dave would be more than willing to meet with Mr. Moexatl after- well, after saving his ass like this. Let me- Let me see if he'll make an appearance. Could you wait? Here?"
Taffy nods and Adagio goes sprinting back in the house. Forgetting that her lover is suffering a hangover, overjoyed that their financial difficulties have just solved at a stroke, Adagio can't help but yell.
"DAVE? DAVE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHO'S COMING TO BUY THAT STATUE!!" |
My Show | Knocked Up | Since selling that statue, getting paid well over what Dave had offered to sell it, and then seeing a boom in the commissions from other businesses Adagio had to admit that she felt hopeful. Well, hopeful and sick. Four months had come and went, and recently she had found herself in the bathroom, glad to have Dave there, and throwing everything up. That wasn't the only problem. Her breasts felt tender, her hips seemed wider, and she was packing on a little more weight.
Her mind had long since told her what it was, but she wasn't going to admit it. Sure, she carried her sisters, helped them, ensured they had food, but a foal was a different story.
"Adagio, can ya come here fer a second?" Dave asked.
She moved toward the sound of Dave's voice, the grogginess of sleep finally trying to leave her, and she saw a small white box with a red cross on it. Dave opened it and a small human stallion appeared. Dave took a small strip and then looked at her.
"I think that we ought ta test," he said.
She tried to focus on what he was saying.
"Test what?" she asked.
He looked at the strip, then at the cup, and finally decided that it would be best to just go ahead and tell her, "Adagio, I think that we ought ta test and see if yer pregnant."
Her expression wasn't what he had hoped for. She wasn't smiling, her expression wasn't a happy one, instead there was a look of disbelief and betrayal on her face. She shook her head, and looked at the test, "I'm not."
"It's jest that it'd sure explain...."
She glared at him, and in that instant he could see the side of Adagio that she hadn't brought out yet. He'd seen her get mad, angry, but she looked like she'd have no problem doing more than giving him a piece of her mind. He wasn't afraid that she'd try to hurt him. He loved her, and he believed that she loved him too, but he also didn't want to push her too hard.
"Adagio, if'n you aren't then we can get ta figuring out what's wrong," he said.
She walked toward him, took the strip, the cup, and then looked at him.
"What am I supposed to do with these?" she practically hissed the question.
Dave wanted to crawl under a rock and hide. He'd figured that Adagio knew how to do a pregnancy test. It was something he figured that all girls knew how to do. After all, it was taught as part of basic health education in both regular public schools and on the public school system online. He cleared his throat, looked at the test, and then back at her.
"Ummm... ya'll need to take it to the... Adagio, no one's ever told you about this?" he asked.
"Dave, the unicorns that were doctors did a scan with their magic. They were able to pick up if we were pregnant or not," she replied.
He could see her glaring at him, and he finally decided that the best policy was to simply tell her how he knew to do it.
"Ya'll gotta take it to the bathroom, and ya gotta pee on where it says to pee on it at," he said.
"What?!"
She looked at strip of paper and the cup, "Why the cup?"
He looked at the ground, and the room, and anything except Adagio, "In case ya don't think ya can get it on the strip easily. Ya go in the cup, and dunk it in the strip."
She looked at him like he had grown two heads. She looked at him to see if he was kidding with her, and she realized that he was serious she looked at the cup and strip again. The idea of trying to do that, in a cup, while she was sitting on the toilet seemed a bit much to her. She looked at him again, hoping that maybe he was just really just messing with her, but like the first time she realized he was serious.
Oh there was absolutely no way she was going to do this. This was... filthy to even consider! She looked at the strip, the cup, and then back at him.
"Ewww, no. Just no. I'm not pregnant and that's that," she said.
"Adagio, please. I wanna make sure that you ain't. If'n you ain't then we gotta find out what it is. I jest want... Adagio I love ya too much to let somethin' bad happen ta you. If'n you ain't pregnant then it's gotta be something else, right? I want ta make sure it ain't nothing that's gonna hurt you," he replied.
Seeing him, hearing him, and feeling just the littlest bit guilty she grabbed the cup and the strip, "Fine, but I know that I'm not pregnant."
He watched as she walked toward the bathroom, Once she was out of sight he breathed out a relieved sigh. He hadn't seen that side of Adagio other than on the old movies and series he'd watched. He knew that he should have guessed that part of her personality was still there, but he hadn't seen it, so it never really occurred to him. Still, it didn't make him love her any less, but it did mean that arguments were going to be a bit different from this point on.
Sitting outside, listening for anything, and noticing that the seconds were ticking by slower and slower. It seemed like an hour, although he knew it was only ten minutes or so, and that's when he heard a thump. Getting up, running to the bathroom, and throwing up the door he saw Adagio on the floor. Her eyes closed, her pants around her ankles, along with her panties, and there in her hand was a small strip. He looked at it, seeing two lines instead of one. It took a few minutes for what he was seeing to really sink in and become real.
As he studied it his eyes widened, and he looked at the collapsed mare on the bathroom floor. He placed the strip on the ground, slowly lifted her, and carried her to the bed. Once there, he pulled off her pants and panties, her top, and covered her up. He knew that she'd awaken when she was ready, but once more he stopped to look at her. This was going to be the mother of his child.
He reached out, touching her stomach. It was early in the pregnancy, far too early to really feel anything yet, at least he supposed it was, but he still felt her stomach in awe. There was something growing inside of her, something that was made up out of the best of both of them, and he had helped create it. Gently he kissed her sleeping form. There was a chance that she'd be in a mighty poor mood once she woke up, but he'd handle it.
He looked at what he had been working on earlier. It was another sculpture, but this one was an Equestrian Fertility Statue. He looked at it again, and there was no lie how much of Adagio had made it into the sculpture. The hips looked like Adagio's, the face, and while the hair was slightly straighter it was still full bodied like Adagio's. He touched the belly, feeling the strange texture of warmed rubber flesh.
It wasn't the first time he'd used this medium, but it was strange to him. It felt alien, but familiar at the same time. The rubber wasn't hard to come by, but it was difficult to work with. When in a melted stage it liked to run like water. When it cooled, it took every imperfection of the mold and it would take remelting it back down to get them out. But what was the most interesting of all was the way it held heat.
The rubber would feel like a warm body for days after being around people. It'd almost take on flesh and bone feel to it, and that was more than enough to make it feel more realistic. He'd have to start work on the artifical fur. The color scheme was left open to interpretation, but he'd already chosen it. The statue was more than just the client's order. It was a love letter to Adagio. He was capturing the beauty he believed that she would possess while carrying their child. Each tiny hole in the rubber flesh was just big enough to insert a single hair. It was going to be time consuming, and he was working from pictures, and from Adagio herself, but it would be worth it. The head, mane, ears, and neck were finished. He was down to the shoulders when he had stopped earlier. Slowly, he began placing in the fur, letting it sit in place, and then moving to the next piece.
Each movement, each piece, was bringing him closer to being finished. Time ticked by, and he continued to bring the sculpture more to life with each passing moment. Her left shoulder was nearly done, and he began to move down the arm, to the breast, and smiled at his work. In truth he wasn't sure how much time had passed, but he certainly felt his stomach growling. He stopped, noticed that the shoulder, upper part of the arm, and her left breast was completed, and then he noticed that it had been more than a few hours since he started.
In that time he hadn't heard a peep out of Adagio. He walked over to the kitchen and saw her on the bed, sitting up, holding her knees. He stopped right there. The love of his life looked like she was having some problems, and he didn't want to leave her to them. He walked toward her, seeing her hugging her knees tighter.
"Adagio?" his voice was soft, non threatening, or at least he hoped it was, "Adagio, sweetheart, you okay?"
"I'm going to be a mother."
It wasn't really a response to him. He knew that. No, it was to herself, and she sounded like she was in a state of disbelief.
"Adagio..."
He moved toward her, reaching out, touching her shoulder, and when she looked up at him he felt his heart nearly stop at the sight. She was crying, and those tears had made small canals down the side of her muzzle.
"I'm going to be a mother... I... I don't deserve to be one, I can't be one!"
"What are ya talkin' bout? I think that you'd be a great mother."
She looked at him, sniffing, and her arms unwrapped from around her knees. He felt her grabbing him, pulling him tight, and hugging him close. He could feel his bones creaking, but he didn't mind. She needed the hug, and he knew it. He returned it, hugging her back, holding her, and letting her know that it was okay through the hug.
She held him, letting him rub her back, crying into his shoulder, and he just let her know that he was there. In truth he wasn't sure there was really that much more he could do other than let her know that he was there and that it would be okay. It had to be okay, because he was going to be a father.
That thought was sobering. He was going to be a father, an honest to God father. There was going to be a tiny life that he was responsible for. He wasn't sure that he was really ready for that, but he wasn't going to not be a father. He was man enough to sleep with her, to help make her pregnant, then he was man enough to be a father to their child.
"You... You really think that I'd be a good mother?"
"I know it Adagio, I know you'd be a good mother."
He felt the kiss. It wasn't the demanding sultry kiss of wanton sex, but instead it was the love of his life wanting to be assured that she was still loved, still cared for, and he returned it with as much love and tenderness as he could. He felt her deepening it, her hands wrapping in his hair, her breath so sweet on his tongue, and her nude body pressing against him. Sure he wanted to make sure she was alright, but feeling her like that, it made him want to show her how much he loved her.
He felt her hand, moving down his chest, finding his jeans, unbuttoning them, and sliding inside of them. She gripped him, and he could feel her stroking him to life.
"Please?"
Her question was simple in the way it was asked, but what was being asked was more in depth. She wanted him to make love to her, to make her feel special, to let her know that he still desired her, and in truth, he was finding her more desirable after discovering that she was carrying his child.
He stood up, and when he did he felt his jeans and boxers pushed down. His shaft stood there, proud, happy, and soon engulfed. Adagio wasn't wasting time. He could feel her giving it all, doing her best to please him, and he loved every moment of it, but something felt off. His hands moved to her head, and almost as if taking it as cue, she began to move further down on him, taking him all into her muzzle.
Adagio normally didn't do that. She didn't mind giving him a blow job, but deep throating him like that was few and far between. He pulled back, and she looked up at him. Her eyes looked hurt, really hurt, and he leaned down to kiss her. She kissed him, deeply, and then he felt her move back, opening her legs, pressing her sex up slightly.
"Dave..." she began before he tasted her. She let out a soft moan, taking what he was giving. He loved her, truly loved her, and it was making her feel better. She had been worried, a little, that finding out that she was with foal would make him resent her. Instead she felt him, licking inside of her, tasting her, and not complaining at all. She felt a finger pressing into her, and his actions had moved to where he was suckling on her clit. Her hips bucked, loving the attention, thrilling at being so adored, and needing more. His other finger, his other hand, had found her tailhole. She felt it, slightly, at first and then the finger slipped into her.
"Ssss," she complained slightly.
If he wanted that hole, she'd give it to him, but it was tight, and to be honest he was was quite a bit of stallion. She panted, as he continued, soon he was working a finger into her sex and the other into her tail hole. He was being gentle, but the way he was doing it was getting her really hot and bothered. He was alternating them, moving from one finger to two, from two to three, and she found herself moaning like a filly in her first estrus.
"I love you Adagio," he said.
The softness in his voice told her that he did love her, that he would be gentle, and she found herself welcoming anything he wanted. He pulled his hands away, and she felt him, his shaft, against her wet entrance. Her hands reached for his shirt, lifting it off of him, and she leaned forward to kiss and lick his chest. She felt him pulling her hips toward him, and she took that as a cue to lean back for a moment.
At first he was barely touching her, just slightly inside, and then in an instant he was a quarter of the way in, then half, finally completely seated inside of her. Every Time, each and every time she felt so full when he was seated inside of her. He pulled back, leaving a slight emptiness where he had been and in an instant he filled her again. She let out a soft moan, a deliciously devilious moan, that seemed to cry for more. Being the gentlecolt he was he gave it to her. Bring himself over and over again inside of her.
The waves of pleasure washed over her, taking her, and making her feel wanted in a way she couldn't explain. She was loved, adored, and it was exactly what she had hoped it would be. Moaning, she began to thrust against him, taking him in as deeply as she could, knowing that she would soon be reaching her very limit, and the entire time knowing that she was fine with it. She began to give back to him what he was giving to her. She wanted to let him know that he was adored, loved, and would always be loved.
Her hips, something he said he loved, thrusted hard against him, she felt him fill her so deeply, and then she pulled back completely. It was a decision at the last second, a chance one, and one that would take her from the thought of letting him have her tailhole to actually giving it to him. She felt him against the entrance of it, she could see the confusion on his face, and she pushed down. Her eyes widened as she felt him push inside of it. There had been once, in Equestria, that a noble had taken it, but she had refused afterward.
This was the first time she had willingly given it to somepony, and it was to her special somepony. He was seated in her, and at that moment what she had feared would hurt did hurt some, but it wasn't as horrible as her previous experience. Instead it felt... good. She relaxed, realizing how deep he was inside of her. Slowly, she moved up, feeling the emptiness inside of the fullness that had been there a few moments ago. She looked down at him, her eyes looking into his own, and she pressed back down.
She moaned, and even in this state she realized how lewd it sounded. She wanted him, she wanted him to fill her, to be inside of her, and to give her the love and adoration she had so craved for so long. Her hands went to his chest, feeling the strong muscle that was hidden underneath the thin fabric of his shirt. She pulled, nearly ripping it, getting to the soft texture of his skin. Her hands touched him, and she felt herself no longer going at a slower pace.
She needed the release, she needed to feel his release. He loved her, he wanted her, and he wanted their foal. They were going to have a foal. It sparked in her mind, the need, the drive, and she couldn't contain it anymore. Her entire body clenched, the pent up need released, and she felt him as he released inside of her. She fell forward, and his arms wrapped around her.
"I love you," she said.
"And I love you too," he replied.
She felt the weight of the world gone from her shoulders, the worries of motherhood had lessened, and now, at this moment, she was happy to just be with her stallion, here, in this moment. |
My Show | Arms Wide Open | Dave woke to the sounds of groaning. He turned to see Adagio, looking sick, on her side, and not sounding at all like she was even remotely having a good time. He touched her back, felt how ringing wet it was with sweat, and he instantly he began pulling her clothes off of her. His hand touched her swollen stomach, and she looked up at him.
"It's too hot in here."
She was right. It was too hot. Living in the workshop was a great idea, or at least it was until the summer months hit. Right now both of them were dealing with intense heat from an unforgiving sun beating down on a tin roof. Added to the fact that he had to keep the foundry going all night long. He was up most of that night, melting the aluminum needed for the statue, and of course pouring it up into the molds he had created for it.
Unlike some of the other sculptures and statues this one was meant to be heavier. Specifically the order was for one solid piece of aluminum. It wasn't the hardest thing in the world to make, but it meant doing one mold, just one, and having it cool overnight, or overday, whichever the case may be. Right now that mold, and the aluminum inside of it, was still scorching hot, and it would be like that until it finally cooled off. What that meant for the both of them was dealing with the heat as best they could until the aluminum was cool enough to take out of the mold, and moved to a better area.
Still, he wasn't about to just let Adagio lie there in sweating and suffering. He made sure the fan was running, and then he walked over to the refrigerator. The ice trays were full, the ice bin was nearly full, and then there was the cooler. It was something he had made a while, back. Just a normal hardback cooler, with a pipe sticking out of it, and a miniature fan on the back of it. He could fill it with ice, and fill the trays with water, and hopefully when the ice melted it would be ready to go again.
He went to work, getting the ice bin out first, and the trays. He dumped them all into the cooler, closed the lid, walked it over toward Adagio's side of the bed, hooked the electric cord from the miniature fan into the plug-in, and turned on the switch. There was a little noise, but he could see the way it was affecting Adagio. She was breathing easier, she moved toward the cool air, and he grinned.
Adagio looked as though the cool air was indeed helping her. He could see her relaxing, and he crawled back into the bed behind her. His arm draped across her, with his hand coming to rest on top of her expanded belly. He could feel the movements of a child, their child, just inside. He placed a kiss on the back of her head, and she made a pleasantly happy moan.
"This is nice," she yawned as the cold air hit her, "I could get used to this."
She sighed as she relaxed with the cool air. His hands moved up her belly, feeling the soft texture to just under her breasts.
"Glad that it's helping," he said as he gently rubbed.
"Mmmm, that feels good, but don't get too many ideas. It's still warm in here."
He almost laughed at her response. The truth was that she was more than willing to get intimate at pretty much any time. It was almost like she was in heat again, but he knew that wasn't it. No, it seemed that her hormones were making her as horny as she had been. Still, being there, rubbing her belly right below her breasts, taking in her scent, and listening to the contented sounds of her breathing was certainly enough to make him happy.
The homemade air conditioner was helping, but he knew that it was going to get warmer before too long. Unfortunately he didn't have the luxury of it being winter. If that was the case simply cracking the windows, letting the furnace die down, and letting the chill from outside help cool the aluminum would make it far easier. They wouldn't have to worry about it being so hot inside, and she would be far more comfortable.
Unfortunately winter had left for spring, and now spring was giving away to summer. It wasn't the hottest it had ever been, but it was certainly hotter than when they had first met. He longed for that winter. For the chill in the air, the crisp breaths, the keeping warm by snuggling, and of course the fact that nothing felt quite as good as having the furnace roaring with the coal, or wood, that he would burn inside of it.
He'd forgotten to check the weather earlier. He could have had Bob check it for him, and he still could, but he knew that it was hot outside. Hot outside, hot inside, and only a handmade air conditioner to help keep them cool. He held onto Adagio, and after a moment his mind became made up. It would be at least another six hours before the statue could be removed from the cast, taken outside, and allowed to finish its cooling process outside of the shop.
He slowly got up, looked at Adagio as she turned toward him, "Let's git out of here fer a bit. There ain't a reason why we oughta burn up in here, and 'sides I gotta figure that we could use a new AC unit, maybe get a little lunch while we're a doing it."
She smiled at him, "Are you sure?"
He nodded, helped her up, and watched as she walked toward the shower.
"I feel funky, so let me take a shower, and then we'll go, of course to save water, you could help me and take yours too."
A smile crossed his face, and he followed her toward the shower. Despite the initial plan the shower wasn't as accommodating as they had hoped. It was certainly large enough for the both of them to fit, but with Adagio's pregnancy showing as much as it was the shower wouldn't allow for much more than helping to soap up and down, a few playful gropes, and the feel of Dave's manhood nestled between the cheeks of Adagio's rump.
She let out a lewd moan at that point. Feeling him pressed against her, feeling his hands touching her belly, then her breasts, the way he caressed her, the way he held her. She was beginning to believe that he might have something of a pregnancy fetish. The idea didn't horrify her. At one time, long ago, she would have been frightened of the idea of being a mother, but that wasn't the case now.
Now, now she felt hope, and honestly if he got off on a mare being pregnant, well, she wouldn't mind having another foal or two. She laughed softly at that. That was her Earth Pony nature. She felt it, and she knew it so well. When the magic that transformed her into a siren had done its job that nature was simply gone.
Oh, she still got horny, she still had itches to be scratched, but she didn't feel the need to have foals. She didn't feel the drive to bring more ponies into the world. That was different now. She felt that drive working overtime. She was going to be a mother, she was going to have his foals, and she felt him pressed inside of her rump, rubbing against her tailhole, and Celestia above it was driving her crazy. She looked back at him, a needful look on her face, a desire that he could understand all too well. He stepped back, as far as he could, letting her bend forward, resting her hands on the wall of the shower, and he moved closer to her. He felt the entrance of marehood. It was sopping wet, ready, and he gently pushed into it.
The fear was still there that he could, unintentionally, harm their child, their foal, but regardless he wanted to give her everything she needed. It began light, and soon it was obviously something hard and thunderous. The need they felt was nearly overpowering.
The one thing it wasn't was long lasting. Neither of them wanted to spend very much more time in the shop then they had to, but this was something the both of them needed. They finished washing off. Together they stepped out of the shower, and he found her a sundress that would fit her. She slipped it on, forgoing a bra, finding a pair of panties that were comfortable, and she pulled them on as well.
He dressed in a clean pair of underwear, jeans, and a clean shirt. Finally a pair of socks and his old work boots were added, and the two of them walked out into the heat of the outside world. He opened the door to the truck and she climbed inside. He started it, rolled down his window, and began moving out of the old salvage yard. She looked at how different it looked in the summer. Before nature had painted with her wintery landscape, but now she could see the vines growing up inside of the old carriages, or cars rather, and how nature was slowly reclaiming the area for herself.
It was still beautiful, but it was a different kind of beauty.
As they journeyed into town, Adagio began to take in the wonders of the land. Wild flowers grew on the side of the road, ranging in colors and shapes. Insects were alive and well, doing what they do best-fly. Of course, the birds were not too far behind, chasing the slower bugs for an easy meal. Off in the distance, if she squinted, she thought she could see a family of deer at the edge of the forest. She hoped the winter had been good to them, and the summer would be even better.
As the drive went on, the scenery changed from natural to man-made. Grass turned to pavement, trees into buildings, and animals into the rude citizens of the town she lived by. She felt herself wanting to let out an irritated sigh, but when Dave placed his firm hand on her thigh, she knew why she came into town.
"Alright my love, "Dave said. He pulled his truck into a parking space between two luxury cars before he continued speaking, "The Ac unit should be in that building over there. While they get it ready, inspect it, and whatnot, me and you can explore. Ya think you could make that journey?"
"Look Dave, I'm pregnant, not crippled," Adagio replied, opening her door and slowly scooting out, "I can make the walk...just might take some time."
She felt the ground, and steadied herself on her hooves. Being pregnant didn't do her any favors when it came to getting into, or getting out of, Dave's old truck. The feeling of her hooves on the cement made her cringe a little. She could feel the heat radiating up. She looked at Dave and wondered how he was handling it. His shoes were worn so thin that she knew he had to be feeling the heat of the sidewalk as well.
He didn't leave her though. He stayed beside her, walking with her, right up until they walked into the large building.
"Welcome to a MegaMall," he said as he held her hand. The two of them walked into the entrance, and from the outside it didn't look that big, but she realized that the mall was built going down, being buried beneath the Earth and not above it, "Over four hundred shops, businesses, and most of 'em are automated."
She walked with him as they passed a store called Eyemart that had a digital assistant helping the customers, filling out prescriptions, and then the glasses were made on site by what looked like strange arms and hands that hung down from the ceiling by wires and hinges.
"Not that I mind, but why is it like this?"
He shrugged his shoulders, "Guess that a lot of places like having machines instead of people. Cheaper, I guess, and the machines don't get tired, need a break, or complain about the work load. I figure it's jest easier for 'em."
She looked at the businesses, and she felt a little conflicted. Several of the pon...people in this town were less than accepting, but at the same time most of them were barely making it. A place like this would have provided jobs they desperately needed, but at the same time she knew if they worked here then she'd be dealing with their ire.
That conflict kept at her right until they started to pass a shop that she had to stop at. Dave watched as she walked into what had been the twentieth and beginning of the twenty-first century answer to a curiosity shop. He followed her into Hot Topic, watching as she looked at a few things, but then he noticed what had really attracted her.
The section was smaller, but he noticed it all right away. Hot Topic had their 1980's style of clothing. When Adagio had appeared she was wearing what she had been wearing in the movies. Her clothes, and look, was modeled after the 1980's, so it made sense that she was attracted to this section. She touched a belt that looked similar to the one she arrived with, but then she moved on to something Dave never would have thought that she liked.
The denim jacket and skirt were modeled after the eighties, to be sure, but it just didn't look like something she would be that interested in. She touched the material, a soft smile crossing her muzzle, and she lightly picked it up. The skirt would have fit before she was pregnant, but even then her ample... hips, would certainly have been more than noticeable in it. A small part of him almost wanted to see her dressed in it, watching her hips sway as she walked, enjoying seeing her coming and going, and then enjoying the feeling of pushing it up, or pulling it off.
Adagio had absolutely no doubts in her mind that Dave was considering what she would have looked like in the skirt. She didn't have exactly this kind of attire before, not really, but she did have a skirt similar to this. Oh, it had been black denim material, a bit tighter than this seemed, and how she turned heads in it. She sighed. At the moment she couldn't fit into it, but it didn't stop her from imagining it. She placed it back and saw a headband and scrunchie set.
Memories of going to a gym, working out, wearing leg warmers, a purple headband, and scrunchies filled her mind. She picked them up, looked them over, and smiled.
"See something you like?"
She turned, expecting to see a digital assistant, but instead there was a girl that looked like she belonged to a long bygone era as well. She smiled at her, "If you're really wanting that skirt and top set, we can totally order it in for you. We can even get it in adjustable wear, like that Back to the Future movie, you know the kind where the clothes adjusted to fit the person? We can order that, and it'll fit now, and later."
She looked at Dave who nodded, "Please, and thank you."
She grinned, "No problem, we won't charge until it gets here, but I'll need you go ahead and scan in for the approvement to be charged, okay?"
Dave quickly did it, denying Adagio the chance to pay for them, and she realized that they really were going to be for him too. Well, if that was the case then when they came in she was going to have to wear just them, and nothing else. The two walked out of the shop, and a smell hit them. The two of them walked toward it, and Adagio stopped. Her ears pointed as she heard the sound coming from somewhere behind the counter of the little Tico Taco food court store.
"It's Taco Tuesday everyday!" the voice sung.
"No..."
She walked forward, listening to the sound.
"Tacos, from out of the sky, tacos, no need to ask why. Just open your mouth and close your eyes, it's raining Tacos!"
She carefully stepped to the counter, looked around, and then the sight of a dark blue mane with a midnight blue stripe running down it appeared as a Unicorn Mare raised up grinningly brightly holding two wrapped tacos. Her eyes were closed, her Uniform looked strangely pristine, and she seemed to be exceptionally proud of herself.
"It's Raining TACOS!"
"Sonata!"
Two violet eyes opened, that brilliant smile turned into a surprised O face, and then Sonata lovingly sat her tacos to the side, jumped over the counter and grabbed Adagio into the biggest hug she could muster.
"DAGI! YAY! DAGI, LOOK! IT'S A TACO PLACE!"
Adagio, carefully, peeled away from her overly excited sister, and looked at her, "Where have you been?"
Sonata looked at her like she was asking the dumbest question in the world.
"Duh, right here! I mean Tacos!"
Adagio groaned, "Sonata, please, where else have you been?"
It was like a light turned on inside of the slightly ditzy Unicorn mare.
"Oh, well, see I first kinda sorta wondered into this stallion's house. He was super nice, although he was kind of busy with his marefriend... You know most of the ponies here look like your coltfriend there, anyway, they totally knew who I was, or actually she did."
"Where was that, Sonata, please..."
She looked at her again like she was asking a dumb question, "Duh, in the grove, you know, lower. Wow, I actually know more than you Dagi?"
Adagio looked at Dave, he rubbed his chin for a moment, "Oh, oh, that ain't good. They're squatters. They're living in the model homes below the mall. They were built to show how living underground could be better than living above it."
"Well is it dangerous?" Adagio asked Dave, worry flowing through her.
"Oh no...it just has a few folks who are down on their luck. From what I hear, they're nice people with a shared struggle. "
A protective feeling overcame Adagio and she immediately knew that she wanted to meet the people who were now taking care of her sister. Unfortunately, she was becoming a bit tired from the day and desired rest.
"Sonata, can Dave and I see visit your home?" Adagio asked, "We can catch up and other things."
"Sure, then you can also tell me how you got pregnant. I mean, I know how, but everything else. You know, I never figured you were one for childbearing. Honestly thought Aria would get pregnant before either of us, "Sonata said, picturing a pregnant Aria, "Anyway, I'm off the next two days. Just call and I'll meet you guys and take you to my home."
"Sounds like a plan," Dave spoke.
The groups exchanged numbers and after quick hugs, went their separate ways. No sooner did they do that, another group came ,and Sonata greeted them enthusiastically. She began to list the day's specials without skipping a beat. Anyone could tell she actually enjoyed her job ,and the people that came around.
"Let's say we get that AC and get home?" Dave asked, noticing Adagio getting tired.
"No. I can still walk around a bit..."
"What if I throw in a foot rub when we get home?"
"Now that sounds like a plan to me." |
Mighty Morphin' Power Ponies: Origin Story | pre | "It's always best to let your emotions out, young one, not to let them build up to the point of bursting out in the worst possible way. To hold a part of the power, you need to learn to control your emotions, or you could use your new strength irresponsibly," The black mare explained, before glowing and disappearing.
Scootaloo suddenly felt a black jacket with a picture of a mastodon emblazoned on the right shoulder. "Now, unlock your new power, and heed my lessons, lest you repeat mistakes from the past...and be doomed to repeat them."
Scootaloo shivered, but stood up. Remembering how to unlock her powers from Featherweight earlier. She had, after all, caught the important parts of his explanation. She thrust the coin forwards, upside down at first, before turning it right-side up. "It's morphing time!"
She felt power build up in the coin and declared, what she hoped, was the beast of the coin. "Mastodon!"
Suddenly, a glow enveloped Scootaloo causing Featherweight to jump back in surprise.
And before long, Scootaloo's was standing there in a black version of Featherweight's suit, with the only exception being the helmet which had an elephant trunk like pattern running down the centre of it, stopping just before the visor's bottom half.
She thrust her left forehoof out, pulling her right one back and declared. "Black Ranger!" |
Mighty Morphin' Power Ponies: Origin Story | Yellow Ranger! | Yellow Ranger
Pipsqueak shook his head of vertigo and glanced around himself, wondering where he had suddenly gone.
Strangely enough, it was some sort of amusement park. There were roller-coasters, Ferris wheels and many more attractions. Stands selling junk food, stands full of prizes waiting to be won and stands selling souvenirs like snow-globes and teddy bears.
"Pip!" He heard his name being called and looked up to see Dinky, herself, standing just behind a fenced off area with one, tall muscular stallion guarding the only entrance. "C'mon, I want to go on the roller coaster!"
Pipsqueak shook his head, once again, wondering how the heck he got here! One minute he's standing in the Castle of Friendship, the next he's in Disneigh Land?
Did I just imagine all of that? He thought to himself, moving to get into the park before being stopped by the guard.
"Sorry kid, but you need to be at least this tall to get in the park," The guard said, unsympathetically, motioning towards a sign which was about as tall as Scootaloo, with the it stating that he must be at least as tall as her to get in.
"For the whole park!" Pip yelled, indignantly. "Since when was there a height limit to buy candy apples!" The guard rolled his eyes and pointed away.
"I don't make the rules, kid, I just enforce them. Now get out of here, you're holding up the queue."
"What queue?" Pipsqueak asked, turning back, now noticing that a line of about a hundred ponies behind him, all looking fairly impatient.
"Quit holding the line up, shorty!" One voice yelled, angrily, causing little stallion to flinch.
"Yeah, go back to the kiddie park where you belong!" Another voice cried out.
The pinto pony just stood there, defiantly, pointing past the guard. "At least let me go get my friend, she's already in there."
"So you want me to go ruin your friend's fun, just because you can't have any?" Pipsqueak flinched at the tone the guard's voice held. "That's pretty selfish, don't you think?"
"I...I just..." A sudden scream interrupted him as he looked behind the guard and noticed that Dinky was now surrounded by several, roguish looking ponies. "Dinky!"
"Pip! Help!" She cried back, as one of the ponies came a bit too close for her liking.
Pipsqueak tried to get through, but the guard held him back. "I told you before, kid, you can't get through unless you grow a few more inches, now get lost!"
"My friend's in trouble, I have to help her!" The guard rolled his eyes.
"And what are you going to do, short-stuff? Throw your action figures at them?" He sneered, pushing him away. "They're big ponies, so they're allowed to do whatever. Go play with your dolls and let the big ponies handle the big pony issues."
Pipsqueak clenched his teeth and hooves, the jeering and laughing of the crowd causing his anger to flare up higher and higher. All his life he's had to deal with ponies making fun of his height, from Trottingham to Ponyville. It's not his fault he has stunted growth and it didn't make him any less of stallion...
...so why did it make him feel so powerless?
Maybe because it was the one thing standing between him and Dinky. Who was still backing away from the ponies around her. "Pip! Please help!"
I'm trying! He thought to himself, feeling a tear fall down his cheek...
...which was quickly wiped away by a yellow hoof.
He looked up and noticed a red eyed, yellow Earth Pony stallion with a grey mane, smiling at him. "You really do care for her, don't you?"
"She's my best friend, of course I care!" He flinched at his own tone. This stallion was the only one being nice to him, so why was he snapping like that?
The stallion must have noticed because he smiled, gently back. "I know that look. A look of a pony who wants to do something, but can't because of other, stupid ones," He said, motioning to the guard who had just let in three ponies. "A look that says it's not fair."
"It's not though-"
"I hate to tell you, kid, but sometimes life just isn't," Pipsqueak looked back up, shocked, but the pony was still smiling. "But that doesn't mean you just sit down and take it. If you want to protect someone, then you stop at nothing to do it! That's what it means to hold the power."
Pipsqueak tilted his head to one side, kind of confused as to what the stallion before him was talking about, now noticing the fence explode and the way into the park clear.
He, forgetting the stallion was even there, shot through the new entrance like a jaguar out of it's cage, already sizing up his opponents.
There were four of them, all twice as big as he is, one was brandishing a bicycle chain and one a lead pipe. He decided that the one with the chain was the biggest threat and took action.
He jumped, wrapping one foreleg around the chain wielding pony's neck, and directed all his weight downwards. Effectively causing the pony's face to slam into the dirt, knocking him out.
He used the momentum to roll in front of Dinky and stood on his hind legs, much to all of their shocks. "You want her, you're going to have to go through me! She's my friend and I'm never, ever going to let anything happen to her!"
The lead pony grinned, picking up the fallen one's chain, and swung it round with a menacing jiggle. "Hey look boys, someone brought their four year old to play," He taunted, throwing his head back to guffaw at the very idea.
And for his troubles, Pipsqueak threw a punch into his chin, throwing half his weight into it, causing the leader to stumble back, his teeth smashing into each other as the punch forced his jaw together.
He shook his head, spitting a little blood out of the side of his mouth, and growled at the unfazed Pipsqueak. "Oh I'm gonna make you Griffon meat for that!"
"I've picked bigger threats than you outta my teeth! Bring it on!" Pipsqueak retaliated before noticing that he was now holding a power morpher and wore a jacket with a sabre-tooth tiger emblazoned onto it.
"Oh it's already brought," The lead pony spat, advancing forward with the other two. Dinky huddling behind Pipsqueak.
The little stallion decided he might need some help. "It's morphing time!" He declared, going through the motions, almost falling over with the influx of energy suddenly gathered in his hooves.
"Sabre-Tooth Tiger!"
Pipsqueak, in the castle once more, broke out of his trance and now wore a yellow version of the Ranger gear, his helmet resembling a tiger's head, with two large incisors jutting down over the visor.
He crouched down, throwing one hoof in front of him, the other behind him ready to swing. "Yellow Ranger!"
He noticed that he was no longer facing three roguish, ponies, but Spike, Scootaloo and Featherweight. He shook his head and stood back up, rubbing the back of his head, sheepishly. "Uh, I mean. Hi guys!"
"Hey Pip, welcome back to the land of the living," Scootaloo grinned, motioning towards Sweetie Belle and Applebloom. "Still waiting on those two."
"Yeah. It's funny though, Applebloom took her's before you so I would've thought she's be done first," Spike mentioned, scratching the back of his head.
"Unless her test is more difficult," Featherweight mentioned, looking between the three others. "Only time will tell."
"Hey, this is Applebloom and Sweetie Belle we're talking about! What's the worst that could happen?" Scootaloo asked, causing the three guys to shake their heads and make cut throat motions. |
Mighty Morphin' Power Ponies: Origin Story | Pink Ranger! | Pink Ranger
Sweetie Belle shook her head and looked around herself to take in her surroundings.
She appeared to be in some sort of dressing room with five other ponies. They were dressed in over the top, pink feather outfits that made them seem like they were twice their own size.
She shook her head and stared straight ahead, now fully taking in her own reflection.
She could almost be a dead-ringer for her sister! Her mane had been curled, hanging over both of her shoulders; one pink, one lavender. Her eyes had dark purple eye-shadow to help the green of her eyes stand out. She also wore a sparkling, sleeveless, pink dress.
She cringed at the garment. Rarity would never been seen making something like this...Where am I, anyway?
As she was thinking this, a white pony in a suit came up to her. "Ready for the show, Sweetie?"
Sweetie Belle blinked, stupidly, before shaking her head. "What show?"
"Your debut album? C'mon girl, don't zone out on us now!" The pony said, motioning to the door where she could see a stage.
"B-but...I never," She stuttered, looking away and heading to a different door. "I'm sorry, I just have to-"
"No time, you have to get out there and sing your heart out, dear!" One of the show mares said, pushing her towards the stage.
The last thing Sweetie Belle saw before the scene faded away was a sullen looking brown stallion walking away from the door she was trying to get to.
The scene changed where she was now in the familiar Carousel Boutique, looking around confused.
She looked up and noticed her sister looking fairly sad, but happy at the same time. "I'm so happy for you Sweetie Belle!"
"Um...What?" She shook her head, looking down at the trench coat she was wearing.
"Sorry, it's just been so long since I last saw you, I figured I'd let you know that first!" Rarity clarified, turning towards the kitchen. "Would you like to sit and have some tea? I'd love to catch up."
Sweetie Belle, despite the confusion, wanted to say yes and put her sister at ease, but the next words that came out were not her own. "I'm sorry, but Miss Belle needs to be in Manehatten by the hour, so can't stay long."
She flinched and noticed the grey, Earth Pony bodyguard standing next to her.
She wanted to tell the guy to go buck himself, that whatever was in Manehatten was nowhere near as important as her sister, but Rarity just smiled in pained understanding.
"Oh of course, not to worry. I'll let everyone know why you couldn't stay longer," Rarity nodded, just as Sweetie Belle was being told to head towards the train station.
As the scene faded, she noticed the same stallion as before look down as he dropped a bouquet of flowers.
She was now standing in the street, in the middle of a down-pour, water falling from the sky in deluges. The umbrella she held in her magic just about keeping everything from her mane to her shoulders dry.
She was confused but looked up and noticed the same brown stallion as before looking at her, miserably. "I...I'm sorry Sweetie Belle..."
Now that she heard his voice she could tell who it was, clear as day. Sure, he was bigger, had ditched his propeller hat, favouring to go without head-wear, and his muscles were more defined, but she'd never forget the colt she'd had a crush on since she was eight.
Button Mash.
But he didn't look like his cheery, fun-loving self. He looked miserable, his mane plastered to his neck and forehead from the rain, but doing nothing to hide the redness in his eyes or the tears falling out of them.
She tilted her head to the side at his words, but a sense of dread was building up. A very similar one to the one she felt when she was forced away from Rarity.
He noticed her silence and turned away. "I can't...I can't date you anymore..."
She gasped, feeling her chest tighten painfully. We were...but he...I...
He clenched his eyes shut and continued. "I just can't do this anymore! I never get to see you, spend time with you, Hell! I can't even go out in public with you cause of the damn paparazzi! It's just..."
"B-Button...?" She let out, losing the will to keep her magic going, causing the umbrella to fall to the side. She didn't know how she got him in the first place, but she's wanted him for years and she'd be damned if she was going to lose him now. "...Please..."
He looked into her eyes and sighed, turning away. "It's not you, Sweetie Belle, it's me. I can't handle this! I've never been good in public and I...I-I..." He choked out a sob and started to run away, much to her shock. "I'm sorry!"
"Button!" Sweetie Belle called back, starting to run after him, finally having some control over herself. She could barely keep her eyes open through the rain, but she's not going to stop. She was in love with that colt, dammit, and she wasn't going to miss her chance with him just because the weather ponies were overzealous with the storm clouds.
He turned a corner and Sweetie tried to follow, except she had slipped and fallen into a large puddle which had form on the pavement.
She tried her hardest to get up to follow him, but it was too late. She had lost sight of him.
Her chest clenched painfully as her tear ducts started to fail her, letting the salty liquid pour out of them. She breathed heavily, trying her hardest not to let out any sounds...
...until she decided it wasn't worth it.
"Button! Please come back!" She screamed out into the empty streets. "I'm sorry! Please give m-me another chance! I'll do anything!"
Only the pitter patter of rain replied and she cried.
"Man that sucks," She heard, no longer feeling the rain pelting her head. Sweetie Belle looked up, finding a pink, Pegasus mare with red eyes and a white mane holding her discarded umbrella.
"Thanks..." Sweetie Belle muttered, not really having it in her to stand, so fell onto her stomach. The pink pony shrugged, lying down next to her.
"You really love him, don't ya?" Sweetie Belle just nodded at the Pegasus. "That's why you don't do much with your talent, ain't it?"
Sweetie Belle looked over again, nodding. "Rainbow Dash had t-to leave P-Ponyville for five months for training for the...the Wonderbolts and b-barely got t-to see any of us...I never w-want to leave m-my friends behind so..."
"So you gave up your dreams to keep your friends," The pink pony hummed, causing Sweetie Belle to nod. "Well that's admirable, I'll give you that, but it sounds pretty miserable."
Sweetie Belle glared at the pony, motioning to herself. "Well what about now?! I have my dream, but I lost the love of my life for it and, guess what, it wasn't worth it!" She vented, causing the mare to blink. "What's the point of a dream if I have no-one to share it with?!"
The mare understood and smiled, supportively. "You do have a point, kid, but tell me? What do you live for if you have no goal? What drives you to get up in the morning? And don't tell me you'll just support whatever that boy does, cause you don't look like the type to be a stay-at-home mare."
Sweetie Belle blinked, before she clenched her eyes shut. "I don't want to lose any of my friends so if being a stay-at-home mare stops that from happening, so be it!"
"You'd get bored," The mare replied, bluntly. "Look kid, I'm not saying you can only have it one way or the other, if you tried hard enough you could have it all."
"No I can't-"
"Yes you can," The mare said. "Or did I miss the part of the story where Rainbow Dash lost all of her friends and is now an obsessive, career-driven mare?" She grinned.
Sweetie Belle sighed. "I don't know..."
"You really are a pessimist, aren't you?" Sweetie Belle flinched as the mare continued. "You always look for what can go wrong! News flash, everything can go wrong! But you shouldn't let that stop you!"
The mare laid a hoof on Sweetie Belle's shoulder. "You have to keep your chin held high, a smile on your face and be prepared to fight for what you want! If you want to control the power, you have to learn to be positive in the face of adversity!"
Sweetie Belle blinked but, just before she could ask what the mare was talking about, she heard some hoof-steps in the rain. She looked over and saw Button running down the street to her left.
She started to chase him, barely noticing the pink jacket wrapping around her forelegs and barrel, nor the power morpher in her hoof, proudly displaying the pterodactyl.
He started getting a little further before she noticed and decided to see if she could gain some speed. She stopped where she was, going through the motions. "It's morphing time! Pterodactyl!"
Sweetie Belle, now adorning her pink uniform, her helmet having a pterodactyl image looking as if it's roosted on top of her head, rushed forwards, declaring. "Pink ranger!"
"Button Mash!" She continued, as if nothing had happened, before she was held away from the front of the castle by Spike and Scootaloo.
"Whoa girl, slow down!" Scootaloo said, spinning Sweetie Belle towards her. Both decked out in their uniforms and helmets. "I've been stuck with the guys for, like, half an hour! Least you could do is stay for some girl time!"
Sweetie Belle blinked, before looking over her booted hooves, blushing in embarrassment. Oh gosh they all heard me say that, didn't they.
As if she had read her mind, Scootaloo grinned. "Yeah, you got a good week of teasing ahead of ya for that, Lover-Girl."
She blushed as Featherweight and Pipsqueak giggled at her embarrassment. "Oh shut up, guys!"
As they laughed, Spike was looking over Applebloom, who had still yet to finish her test. Please be okay, Bloom.
Chrysalis grinned as she stood before her army, gathered from the Changeling catacombs, all of them hissing and clicking, their horns glowing slightly in preparation. "My children! The time has finally come!"
The army cheered in clicks as the Queen used a spell to show the peace town of Ponyville, going about its day, before in panned out to show even more.
"After all these years, it's time to conquer Equestria!" |
Mighty Morphin' Power Ponies: Origin Story | Red Ranger! | Red Ranger
Applebloom opened her eyes to find herself back at Sweet Apple Acres, surrounded by the Gala trees in the western orchard. The leaves bright green and the fruit plump and ready to harvest.
Thinking that she had taken a nap and overslept, she shook her head and rolled onto her stomach, taking a closer stock of her surroundings. That was when she noticed that she wasn't alone.
"Ah, you're finally awake!" A red Unicorn stallion with a white main exclaimed, happily, before pausing. "Well...not 'awake' awake but-well you know what I mean!"
Applebloom blinked and tilted her head to the side. "Um...Who are you?"
"Oh forgive me, I haven't introduced myself," The red pony said, lowing his head in respect. "I'm Tyranno, spirit of the Tyrannosaurus power coin."
Applebloom blinked again, tilting her head to the side. "Blunt."
He shrugged. "I find it best to just let the pony know what they're getting into before they take my test," He explained, before straightening himself out and waved a hoof towards the left. "Now then, we begin here."
Applebloom turned and was surprised to find herself, albeit much younger, constantly kicking a tree behind her, at most getting one or two of fruits down at a time.
"You used to be quite the determined little tyke," She heard and glanced back at the pony. "Always trying your best to find what you were meant to do. That's why you formed the Cutie Mark Crusaders, right?"
"That don't exist no more," Applebloom clarified, looking at her younger self fondly. She did look rather adorable but, at the same time, incredibly exhausted.
"No, you disbanded when Scootaloo got her cutie mark," Tyranno mentioned, offhandedly, causing her to look up in shock. "I'm in your head, sweetheart, I know all of this."
"...oh," She was unsure, whether or not, she should be freaked out by this. "...So when do Ah fight the slime monster-"
"That was young Featherweight's test," He interrupted, waving his hoof around the area. "You didn't think all of your tests would be the same, did you?"
"...Well maybe."
"Kid, each of you has a test based on who you are or what you've done and, as I'm sure you've noticed, you're not Featherweight," He clarified, noticing that the younger Applebloom finally collapsed on the ground, glancing at her own blank flank in self pity.
"Featherweight had to deal with his bravery. He spends his time hiding from the world, behind his camera and such, he needed to learn how to do things he was afraid to do. Scootaloo had to deal with her emotions, to control them better and to not let them build up to an uncontrollable rage. Pipsqueak had to learn to stand up for himself, not to be weighed down by his differences. Sweetie Belle had to learn to not be so pessimistic, to realise that the only one holding her back from what she wanted was herself..."
He paused as he finally noticed the younger Applebloom start to cry at her blank flank. "And you, my dear, need to learn to have confidence in yourself."
The older Applebloom's eyes widened and she was about to argue that she is confident, before he silenced her. "I know that you have performed with your friends in front of crowds before but tell me, if you were to go out on your own, in front of everyone you know and share a talent, would you?"
"No, of course not! Because Ah don't have a talent!" Applebloom yelled, getting tired of the pony in front of her, waving a hoof towards her flank. "If Ah did Ah'd have something ta show fer it, wouldn't Ah?"
Tyranno put on a stern expression, before the scene shifted to the CMC clubhouse that another version of herself was currently fixing up. "You didn't get a cutie mark for that, did you?"
"Ah don't have anything on mah flank, obviously tha answers n-"
"But that doesn't make what you did any less impressive!" He interrupted, looking up at the young Applebloom looking over the completed clubhouse, before looking at her flank, flinching and looking to the ground, depressed. "And yet there you are, acting as if you just spent the whole time playing tic tac toe with yourself."
Applebloom glared back. "Well Ah may as well have fer all tha good it did!"
The scene fast forwarded again, this time to a Twilight Time where Applebloom perfected potion able to accelerate the growth of an apple tree, from seed to tree, from a few years to just a few days.
"That was an incredible feat you did there. A potion used by your family all over the world, able to gather food throughout the year, as much as they want. Scientists up in Canterlot are currently working on synthesizing it to work on any fruit or vegetable. They believe that you may be the pioneer to solving world hunger."
The younger Applebloom sighed and hung her head as she noticed her flank was still blank. "And you look like you just made tea for the first time."
"Yeah yeah, it was impressive, but all Ah did was make, like, two changes in one of Zecora's potions. Given a couple of months an' she'd be the one who did-"
"You don't know that," He interrupted again, waving to a formula scribbled on Twilight's board in the background. "It took Twilight years to work out what was wrong with the equation of her temporal displacement spell. She carried a two instead of a three on one sum."
He turned to her and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Being able to change what a potion does like that is no easy task, even if they seem like simple changes to you, other ponies may not even see what you did. There are reasons those scientists haven't yielded results yet."
"Well if'n that's tha case then why don't Ah have mah cutie mark yet!" Applebloom cried out, frustrated, tears coming to her eyes. "Ah've tried everything and nothing has worked, even tha stuff Ah was good at didn't work! Karate, carpentry, science, potions, farming, crochet, hoof-ball, tennis, teaching-None of it!"
Tyranno shifted the scene again, this time to her in her room...From last night.
She looked at the Applebloom from yesterday, staring at her flank in sadness, the weariness in her eyes and the frown on her face.
Tyranno sighed. "It's because you gave up."
Applebloom blinked and looked up at him as he continued. "It happened a while ago, after CMC comedians didn't work, just after you performed at the talent show with your friends. You do this every night. Look at your flank with a frown, sometimes you cry, sometimes you hit yourself, sometimes you punch your pillow, but you always go to bed with a frown. Like you hate yourself or something."
"...And what if Ah did?" Tyranno blinked and turned to find Applebloom's tears falling, but no sobs or anything escaping her. "Ah don't know what's wrong with me, Ah've tried everything to find mah special talent but nothing has ever worked...It got to tha point where Ah just...knew that Ah wasn't special. That Ah had nothing to help me stand out, Ah'd just be an untalented blank flank...ferever."
"Is she crying?" Pipsqueak asked, looking at the stock-still yellow pony in front of them, tears falling from her eyes.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle flinched as memories of their own tests rushed back to them. "Guess Applebloom's test must be going kinda roughly, huh?"
Spike ignored Scootaloo's comment, opting instead to panic, reaching out a claw to hold Applebloom's hoof, securely, in his grasp. Ah man, why did I make her do this?! If she's not worthy of the coin she could...
Ignoring the odd looks he was getting from the other four, he extended a wing to try and comfort the pony, despite the fact that she probably couldn't feel it, and probably didn't even know that he was here. Please be okay, Bloomy.
Applebloom sniffed as she felt something wrap around her, but as she squinted her eyes open there was nothing there, just a sympathetic looking red pony.
She wiped her eyes of her tears. "I don't need your pity..."
"Now, now. I'm not-"
"Yes you are!" She said, turning away. "This is why Ah don't talk ta ponies about this! Ah'll get that look! Ah'm a big pony, Ah can take care of mahself!"
"And why should you need to?"
"Because Ah-" She blinked, not expecting that question. "What?"
"I asked why you should need to be a lone wolf when, by my account, ponies are very social creatures," He explained, looking over her. "And you appear to have a few ponies here for you right now."
She looked around herself before he stopped her. "Not physically, obviously, but in spirit. There to catch you when you fall. Why cut your only safety net, hmm?"
He tapped a hoof to the ground, showing the inside of the Castle of Friendship, seeing Spike hugging her to his side via wing, both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo giving unheard words of encouragement and Pipsqueak and Featherweight giving their own support, albeit a lot more subdued then the other three.
"You have a group of friends, ready and willing to help you with anything you might need help with and you choose to shut them out. That sounds somewhat selfish, but I know that wasn't the intent," He explained, waving a hoof towards them.
"Well it's silly, really!" Applebloom shot back, looking down. "Ah mean it's just a cutie-"
"Buck the cutie mark, this is about your self-esteem!" She flinched at his harsh tone. "Is getting your cutie mark suddenly going to make you love yourself, or are you inevitably going to be disappointed by what it is!"
"Society builds itself around our darn cutie marks!" Applebloom yelled back. "If you don't have a cutie mark, you have nothing!"
"You have friends-" He shot back. "-and that should be all that matters! A picture on your butt isn't going to magically solve all your problems! You just told me that you hate yourself! That's not something that's going to go away overnight!"
Applebloom started to breath heavily as the thought of attacking Tyranno came to mind. Though she knew that was a stupid idea. He's the spirit of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, there was no way she was going to do any damage.
He noticed her back down and sighed in defeat. "Forget it, this was a waste of time," He said as he turned to leave. "You can find your way out though the castle door, failure-"
That tore it, as Applebloom screamed in rage and charged the pony, squatting down to swipe his legs out from under him, causing him to fall onto his side painfully, and drop kicked his stomach.
"Now you listen here you chicken limbed, quasi-philosophical crud spewer, Ah was brought here to git some power so Ah can help catch Twilight's killer an' Ah'm gosh well going to get that! Spike and Twilight'll be countin' on me and Ah ain't going to let them down, ya hear me!"
He looked up as Applebloom sat down on his chest, using one of her fore-hooves to pin both of his over his head, her other one griping his horn, ready to twist in case he started to charge a spell.
"Ah ain't gonna sit there like some yellow-bellied coward while mah friends go try and catch some deadly assassin on their own. Ah'm getting that power ta help them and do you know why? Cause when Ah put mah mind ta something, Ah do it! Mah feelings in the matter don't matter when mah friends are countin' on me!"
She grit her teeth as she gripped his horn a little tighter. "So do your worst!"
She prepared several techniques in mind, ready for him to try and twist his lower body to roll the two over. A simple twist in the opposite direction will allow her the momentum advantage to throw him away enough so that she could get up and get ready for his next attack...
...What she didn't expect was for him to start laughing.
She grit her teeth harder, making sure her head was out of headbutting range. "What's so funny?"
"That's what I was looking for! Your drive!" She blinked as he started to disappear in front of her.
She looked back and brought her hooves up, expecting a teleport strike, but what she wasn't was a power morpher and jacket to appear on herself. "You fight for your friends, that's where your confidence lies. But remember to allow your friends in! Let them know about your problems. They will help you and they won't think any less of you."
"You need to believe in yourself and be able to strive forward, even if the situation seems hopeless. That's what it means to hold the power..."
She flash-backed to last night, and remembered that she felt incredibly lonely, sad and miserable.
Let them in, She thought to herself, letting out a small smile as her friends now surrounded her, all giving words of encouragement, placing their hooves on her shoulders, giving small hugs etc. And they'll love me all tha same.
"It's morphin' time!"
Everyone backed away when they heard her shout. Tyrannosaurus
They then saw her wearing a red version of the ranger suit, the helmet looking like an open T-Rex head with teeth surrounding the visor.
She got up onto her hind hooves, placed her fore hooves on her hips and held her head up in the air. "Red Ranger!"
The ponies of Ponyville where all just going about their day, enjoying the sun and the company of their friends around the town.
From within Sugarcube Corner, Big Mac, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Golden Delicious, Thunderlane, Rarity and the Cake and Mash family were all finished setting up Pinkie's Birthday Party.
Rainbow Dash herself sighed in relief and fell back onto Big Mac's side as they took in their surroundings. "I'd say the place looks great, think Pinkie'll like it?"
Big Mac let out an 'oof' as the full weight of the pregnant pony landed on him and he smiled. "Shucks you girls set it up fer her, she'd be happy if you had gotten her a card from Barnyard Bargains."
"Yeah but still-"
"Um guys? Did we invite Thorax?" Thunderlane asked from the door, causing the group inside to look up at him.
"I don't think so, why?" Applejack asked, motioning for Golden Delicious to go and play with Pixel Bit as she moved towards the door and noticed a group of, like, thirty changelings flying towards the town.
"Those guys don't look-" Was as far as he got before the changelings started to fire on the town. |
Mighty Morphin' Power Ponies: Origin Story | Go Go Power Rangers! | Go Go Power Rangers!
"You doing okay there, Applebloom?" Spike asked the red ranger, noticing that she had been fairly quiet since she finished her test. The others were too busy talking about where Twilight's assailant might've gone and how to fight said assailant, to really notice.
Applebloom looked up at the slightly taller dragon and smiled, albeit a somewhat forced one. "Yeah I'm...Well actually," She started, causing Spike to tilt his head a bit.
"What's up?"
"Um...I just-" Applebloom said, before she remembered that Spike is dealing with his own problems right now and won't have time for hers. So instead, she sighed and nudged him. "I just wanted to know how you're holding up?"
Spike rose an eyebrow, but didn't bring up her weird behaviour. "I'm...coping, I guess. I'll feel better when we get the bastard that did this to her."
"Do you know someone who'd want to do this?" She asked, trying to take her mind off of her own thoughts.
"A couple of names spring to mind, but unless Sombra or Tirek found a way out of Tartarus, then I'm stum-"
The ground underneath everyone suddenly shook, violently, knocking everybody off of their feet, all of them landing on the ground. Spike managed to catch Applebloom, however, and used his wings to hover a little off the floor.
"What was that?!" Scootaloo asked, rubbing her head a little, before placing her helmet on, hoping to protect herself in case she falls over.
"I haven't the foggiest," Pipsqueak answered, before nodding and putting his own helmet on. "But I'd say putting our helmets on is a good call."
After their helmets were back on, Spike going without because his scales would be strong enough to withstand most impacts, they gathered in front of the crystal tube Twilight was in to talk.
"Well, we know that wasn't an earthquake," Sweetie Belle said, poking the ground a little. "Or it would've been a lot stronger-"
"Not really," Spike interrupted, leaning against the crystal tube and folding his arms. "We have a Richter Scale for a reason. An earthquake could be happening anywhere and we wouldn't feel it because the effects are that-"
"Whatever Captain Nerd!" Scootaloo said, punching the dragon in the shoulder to silence him. "But if that wasn't an earthquake then what was it?!"
Almost as if to answer her, Twilight's horn lit up and, on the side of the tube, a projection of what was happening outside was playing. Showing ponies running and screaming as black, changelings flew around and chased them, firing green energy from their horns.
They blinked, not sure what to make of that. "Spike, Ah thought tha changelings were good now," Applebloom asked, turning to said dragon, who was scratching his head in confusion.
"They should be, Thorax wouldn't let his people attack us like this," Spike mentioned, looking over the lot of them before he spotted something. "Wait, is that?!"
They looked to where he was pointing and saw Rarity was creating a magical shield against a tall, female changeling with a blue mane.
"Queen Chrysalis!" They all exclaimed in union, turning to make their way out of the door.
Once they all got outside, Applebloom turned to stop Spike. "Whoa, hold on there!"
"Applebloom, what are you-?"
"Spike, Twilight used her magic!" She interrupted him, pointing to Twilight's glowing horn. "The castle, no matter how magical it is, can't get magic out of a dead pony, so-"
"Twilight's alive..." Spike said, turning to the suspended mare.
"Right, and if whoever tried to kill her realizes that, they'll come back. Someone needs to protect her," She said, placing a hoof on his shoulder, causing him to look back at her.
"...You're right," He replied, putting on the most determined face he has ever had. "And if Chrysalis finds her way here, I won't let her get Twily without a fight. Good luck out there, but my place is here."
Applebloom smiled and nodded. "Good luck to you too!" She said, giving the dragon a hug, before she ran off to catch up with the other rangers, not noticing Spike's stupid grin as she was leaving.
Please stay safe, Bloomy.
"You picked a bad day to show your face here, you harlot!" Rarity cried, using a spell to throw a few loose stones at the changeling queen.
Said changeling just erected a magical shield so that the stones just bounced harmlessly away from her, grinning maniacally. "On the contrary, my little pony, with your cowardly yellow friend out of town, your foolhardy blue one in no condition to fight and your purple Princess out of commission, it was the perfect time to come and get my revenge!"
As she was talking, she failed to notice a big, red stallion approach, before both his back hooves smashed into her side, sending her flying into the wall of a nearby building.
She looked back and saw Mac smirking at her. "Ah usually don't hit ladies, but fer cackling, evil megalomaniacs, Ah think Ah can make an exception."
She flinched as she got up, using a small bit of magic to call her changelings. "You're going to pay for-"
She was cut off when a rope wrapped around her horn and yanked her to the side, bring her face to face with a very pissed looking Orange mare, who's eyes seemed to resemble fire as she slammed her hoof into the Queen's face, repeating the process after each word she spoke. "You put mah baby in danger you bitch!"
The queen flinched and used a quick flash spell to temporarily blind Applejack enough to kick the pony away. Ur! Not back at full strength yet!
As she got back up, she failed to notice a large blob of cake batter coming at her until it hit her square in the face.
"Alright-y, I don't remember there being this many changelings here when I left this morning!" Pinkie said, slowly observing her surroundings behind her party cannon.
Just as Rarity, Applejack and Mac made their way towards her, the changeling hoard had come to Chrysalis's side, showing there to be, at least, a hundred of them.
Chrysalis, herself, got up on wobbly hooves, shaking her head and pointing to the four of them. "Destroy them, my children, destroy them!"
One of the changelings nodded and charged forward to attack, the others following after a while.
Rarity was about to prepare another barrier spell, but flinched and held her head in pain. It was then, that she realized, that she had overworked herself and couldn't use another spell for a while.
Just as the first changeling was about to hit her, a blur of yellow jumped over the white unicorn, colliding with the changeling and forcing it away, causing the others to back away in surprise.
Because there, standing between Rarity and the changelings, stood Pipsqueak in his yellow ranger suit.
Just before Chrysalis was about to order another attack, the other rangers jumped in to stand with their friend. "And who are you?" She found herself asking instead.
The rangers turned to each other, almost as if they were surprised that someone would ask, before Applebloom shook out of it and stepped forward.
"Who we are doesn't matter, what does is that we're here to stop you and what ever it is you're scheming!" She declared, trying not to let her accent slip into her speech, less Applejack or Big Mac recognize her.
"But if it matters so much to you," Scootaloo continued, deepening her voice so she sounded more male than female. "I'm the immovable object, here to stand between you and what you want-" She continued, striking the pose she made when she finished her test. "I'm the Black Ranger!"
The others turned to each other, unsure of what Scootaloo just did, before Featherweight shrugged and stepped forward. "I'm the unstoppable force, ready to push you back and out of our town-" He said, striking his own pose. "I'm the Blue Ranger!"
"I'm the savage beast, ready to strike whether you're ready or not-" Pipsqueak said, striking his pose, between his posing friends. "I'm the Yellow Ranger!"
"I'm the patient hunter, ready to pounce when you least expect it-" Sweetie Belle shrugged, striking her pose between Pipsqueak and Featherweight. "I'm the Pink Ranger!"
Applebloom blinked, before sighing, striking her pose in the middle, to show that she was the leader of the group. "I'm the Red Ranger, the leader of the group, ready to take you down and-You stopped listening a while ago, didn't you?"
"Huh?" Chrysalis said, snapping out of her stupor, noticing that the rangers were now in a team pose in front of her. "Oh, I'm sorry, you were just babbling for so long-"
"Forget it, we're the Power Rangers! And we're here to kick your ass!" Applebloom stated, turning to Rarity. "Get to a safe distance and recharge your magic, we'll keep Queen bitch and her army of bugs at bay."
"Oh, um, thank you," Rarity replied, making her way to a nearby pharmacy to, hopefully, find a potion or something to help.
"Mac, you help her look and keep Rainbow and Golden Delicious safe!" Applejack stressed, pushing her brother back. Mac nodded and ran after the white Unicorn. She then turned to the Rangers. "Pinkie and Ah will clear the changelings on the streets, if y'all will keep these ones busy."
"They'll have their hooves full, we assure you," Scootaloo said, grinning under her helmet.
"Looks like we're on a bug hunt, AJ!" Pinkie cheered, grabbing the orange pony and running off with her and her party cannon in tow.
The Rangers turned to each other, nodded and looked towards Chrysalis and her army, the Queen herself, smirking in anticipation.
"Well, now that that's been sorted," She said, almost as if she was just sitting there, letting them coordinate themselves. "Let the battle begin!"
And then they charged.
Spike placed his hand up to the glass, watching the encounter between Chrysalis and the Rangers. "Good luck guys...I'm rooting for you."
Spike noticed a glowing besides him and turned, surprised to find a glowing Twilight besides him, watching the projection herself. Me too, Spike- She said to him, telepathically, turning to him and smiling, noticing the large, relieved one growing on his face. Me too. |
Forgotten Friendship | pre | Deciding to try and lighten the mood, Twilight cleared her throat, and said, "Soooo... you'll never guess who's back! Well, maybe you actually can guess because she's right here, but... um..." Celestia blinked her eyes, continuing to be silent, and Twilight bent her head close to Sunset. "Am I helping?"
Sunset sighed, knowing that this was something she needed to do on her own, and to Twilight and Casey's surprise, the yellow unicorn took a few steps towards her former teacher.
"Princess Celestia, the last time that we saw each other... long before the Friendship Festival, I was your snide little pupil who betrayed and abandoned you."
Casey gave a small, nervous gulp while Twilight was stunned at her friend's bold honesty. "I wouldn't have said it that way! Um, what Sunset means to say is-"
But Sunset held out a hoof towards Twilight, letting her know that she had it under control, and continued to speak. "What I mean is that I come before you a changed pony, humbly asking for forgiveness, guidance, and knowledge."
Luna turned her head over to look at her sister, who gave a quick nod before she stood up to begin walking towards Sunset, and once she was standing in front of her, Sunset felt her heart beating faster than usual as she lowered her head down. "Or I could just go, and you never have to see me again."
But to her surprise, Sunset felt a hoof being placed under her chin, and found herself looking up at Celestia, who had a small smile on her face. "I have missed you, Sunset Shimmer."
"... I'm so sorry," apologized Sunset, grateful that she hadn't been turned away, and as the two embraced each other, Twilight squealed with happiness while Casey happily sighed with relief.
################
The five ponies strolled through the castle, all trying to figure out what might have happened at Canterlot High.
"I am not familiar with the exact spell that could have erased your friends' memories," said Celestia, after Sunset had explained the situation. "But it sounds like Equestrian magic is at work in your world."
"Indeed," said an agreeing Luna, and as she continued to speak, Sunset was trying her best not to laugh, for some reason. "The toilings of this nefarious enchantment could portend unimaginable catastrophe if left unchecked."
After noticing Sunset's failed attempt at hiding her giggling, an amused Twilight used one of her wings to quickly slap some sense into her friend, and Luna turned her head in Sunset's direction.
"Sorry," said Sunset, trying to explain herself. "I'm just used to hearing you say to the students that they shouldn't park in the faculty lot."
A small frown appeared on Luna's face. "This faculty lot you speak of sounds like a place of great power."
Sunset, Casey, and Twilight all looked at each other before taking a moment to erupt into hushed laughter, and continued following after the Royal Sisters once they were done, with a smile returning to Celestia's face.
"The answers you seek are in the Canterlot Library."
So, a few minutes later, they were now entering into said location, and after looking around the grand and majestic library, a concerned Sunset said, "There must be over a million books in here, Twilight."
"We could be here for days," added Casey, but Twilight was hardly concerned at all with what they were saying.
"Ha, I wish there were that many books in here! And besides, it'd only take, like, twenty or forty minutes to find the book we're looking for." The young alicorn placed a comforting hoof on her friend's shoulder. "Don't you worry, Sunset, you're looking at a pony who knows this entire place like the back of her hoof!"
But then, to her surprise, she noticed that the Royal Sisters were now walking away from them. "Huh? Where are you going, Princess Celestia?"
A small smile appeared on her former teacher's face as she replied, "To the restricted section."
Twilight's eyes grew wide after hearing those words, and she started to begin breathing at a faster pace. "There's a... a re... a reehhh... a reeeehhhh..."
Sunset smiled in amusement while Casey began patting his girlfriend on the back. "Breath, Twilight, it's okay."
Once Twilight had settled down enough, the three of them followed Celestia and Luna over to the very back of the library, stopping in front of a cabinet filled with books, and Twilight became confused for a moment until she saw them magically pull down two books that had their Cutie-Mark symbol on the side, which caused part of the wall to slide away and reveal a secret hallway that would lead them to where they were going.
Twilight's mouth almost dropped to the ground, finding herself unable to say anything, and after Casey helped her close it back up, they followed Sunset into the revealed hallway.
A minute or so later, the trio of ponies found themselves looking at a pair of tall doors, which were swiftly opened by Celestia, and once everyone had entered the room, a wide-eyed Twilight gasped in surprise. "Oh, my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!"
The restricted section of the Canterlot Library was almost as big as the library itself, filled with nothing but ancient books, dusty scrolls, and strange magical artifacts that were protected under glass.
"In 3... 2... 1..." muttered a smirking Casey, and he gestured for Sunset to look at Twilight, who couldn't remember the last time that she had felt this excited.
"So many books all unread! Ancient historical artifacts?!" Twilight placed a hoof over her chest while using her magic to bring over a few of the many books in the room, and began wheezing as she ran out of words to describe her current feelings. "I just... I thought... I can't..."
"Are you sure that you're up for helping me go through all this stuff?" teased Sunset, with Casey letting out a chuckle as a frantic Twilight embraced her unicorn friend.
"Don't take this away from me, SunShim!" yelled the young princess, making Casey burst into laughter while an amused Sunset rolled her eyes.
Then, Twilight flew over to the nearest balcony that she saw, and was skimming through all kinds of various books that caught her eye. "No way! Can you two believe that they have Canterlot Cantibles Volume Thirty-One? You heard me! It's not ten, it's not twenty, it's volume thirty-one!" She brought the thick, hard-covered book close to her chest, and squealed with pure joy. "That's when the series gets gooooood!"
Letting out a gasp, Twilight rushed over to the other side of the library, filled up completely with excitement, while Celestia, Casey, and Sunset watched and laughed with fond amusement. "Over here! An original Wendigo Weather Warning from the pre-Equestrian Era... I can't, I just can't!"
A few moments later
Sunset let out a yawn, and stretched out her limbs as she closed up another enormous and boring book that was all about the history of Equestria. It felt like they had been inside of the special section for hours. "Did you know that Chancellor Puddinghead tried to pass a low mandating Earth ponies drink carrot juice at every meal? I do... know that... now... how's it going for-"
"Zzzzzzzz..." Casey was snoring softly beside her, the young stallion's face lying in the pages of an opened history book, and a smirk appeared on Sunset's face as she used her magic to push the book aside, which caused Casey's head to drop down against the wooden table.
"Huuuuggee!" He cried, to Sunset's amusement, becoming wide awake for a quick moment until the orange pony remembered where they were at.
"What'd you read about?" asked Sunset.
Casey rubbed his eyes for a little bit as he replied, "All I can remember right now is, uh, something about some weird pony from long ago wanting to have a wall or whatever paid by Earth ponies to be built around Canterlot... I think..." He let out another yawn. "I just could tell that a lot of ponies didn't like him."
"Awww, sounds like you two got all the better books," said a happy Twilight, sitting nearby with her own pile of books around herself, and she let out a fake yawn. "I should probably take a break from looking..." Her friend and special somepony just responded by yawning, and Sunset using her magic to clear away the table. "...because I found something!"
The two of them watched with surprise as Twilight brought over a large wooden box, and pulled out a closed scroll. "Sunset, you're familiar with the Seven Trials of Clover the Clever, right?"
"Obviously," replied Sunset, even though that both she and Casey had no idea what Twilight was talking about. "Why?"
Unraveling the scroll alongside the table, an enthusiastic Twilight gave her explaination. "Well! For starters, these date all the way back to before the founding of Equestria... now, take a look at this."
She pointed a hoof at a drawing that was on the starting side of the scroll, and Sunset read the words that were written near it. "The Memory Stone... that sounds promising!"
Twilight nodded in agreement, and continued to share what she had learned. "It belonged to an evil sorceror who was practically invisible. With the Memory Stone, he could erase any memory from anypony. Even fragments of memories."
He looks... familiar, for some reason, thought Casey, taking a closer look at the design of the sorceror. "Wait, so does that include..."
"... fragments like memories of me being nice?" finished Sunset.
"Uh-huh," replied Twilight. "Clover the Clever knew that the sorceror had to be stopped, so he chased him across land and sea. But every time he got close, the sorceror would erase his memory and escape... though he'd always be able to find him."
"How?" The two other ponies asked, and Twilight gestured to the scraps of parchment that were still inside of the wooden box.
"He secretly wrote everything so that he'd know what happened and where to go next, even as he constantly lost his memories. Like a trail of bread crumbs."
"Well, that's clever!" said Casey, and then, he began to laugh. "Oh, right... Clover the Clever... haha, got it."
Sunset just rolled her eyes, and took a closer at a revealed drawing that showed the sorceror going through what looked like a swirling portal while being chased by Clover the Clever. "What happened on the other side of this portal?"
Twilight opened up the scroll a little more, but for some reason, there was nothing to be found. "The last page is missing. Clover must've hidden it to keep anypony else from finding the Memory Stone."
Casey took another look at the portal, which also seemed very familiar to him, and a realization clicked in his mind. "Sunset, what if the Memory Stone ended up in your world?"
"And what if," agreed Sunset. "Someone is using it to make everyone hate me again?"
Then, all three of them looked at each other, and exclaimed, "But who?" |
Forgotten Friendship | An Obvious Suspect | Meanwhile, back on the beach, only a few hours had passed by since Sunset and Casey's departure. Most of the girls were resting their bodies across Rarity's beach blankets, and Sci-Twi had lifted up her sailor's hat to see how bright were the rays of the sun, but found herself looking at the smiling face of Pinkie Pie instead.
"You know, we have been out here in the sun for quite a while," pointed out Pinkie, now backing away a little bit. "Time to reapply!"
But instead of using a sunscreen bottle, the young teenager pulled out a cupcake from her bag that had her special edible sunscreen frosting, smeared it all over her face and arms, and hurried off to whoever knew where.
Sci-Twi just decided to continue looking out across the ocean, lost in thought because there was something that just did not feel right to her.
"Should we be worried about Sunset Shimmer?" She asked, with her friends not knowing how to answer the question, and unfortunately, a response came from someone else who wasn't them.
"Yeah,worried she comes back!" The girls looked over at a nearby Trixie, who was laying down in a reclining lawn chair underneath an umbrella a few feet away from them, and she was also being fanned by a pair of giant palm tree leaves that were held by Snips and Snails. "I think it's such a shame the way that she's been treating you all, pretending to be your friend. She's obviously up to something. Sunset Shimmer thinks that the whole school class exists just to serve her."
Then, she took a moment to quickly snap her fingers. "Water, please!" Snails handed the illusionist a water bottle while Snips continued to fan her, and all of the girls either rolled their eyes or shook their heads. "Speaking of which... seeing as how the yearbook president seems to having a bit of an identity crisis, I believe that means the vice president takes over. That'd be you, Rarity!"
The white-skinned teenager, currently laying in her own fashionable beach chair, shook her head as she replied, "If this is your way of asking me to put you as 'Most Great and Powerful' in the yearbook, the answer is no." Suddenly, Rarity began to feel very strange, almost looking look like she had gotten a headache. "Didn't we talk about this just yesterday? I can't quite remember."
Her friends all shrugged their shoulders, but Trixie wasn't about to give up. "Maybe we did, maybe we didn't. Memories can be a fickle thing sometimes... you'll never know when you forget something. Like how Great and Powerful I am, which is why I need to be in the yearbook!"
This girl just will not give up, will she? thought Rarity, who let out an exasperated sigh. "Alright, I will think about it."
A succesful smile appeared on Trixie's face, and she spoke with false sweetness. "That's all I ask."
Then, she snapped her fingers, and Snips and Snails continued on with fanning her, while Rarity was trying to remember still what had happened yesterday.
"Ah, now, sugarcube, don't strain yourself or anythin' like that," said Applejack, seeing the look of deep concentration on her friend's face. "I'm sure whatever you're tryin' to remember ain't that-"
"... Applejack? Applejack, where are - oh, there you are!"
To the girls' surprise, Applejack's grandmother suddenly came running over to them, with an object in her hands.
"Granny? Wha - what are you doin' here?" asked a confused Applejack.
"I came by to bring you your special bottle o' sunscreen that you forgot on the table at home," explained Granny Smith, placing it in her granddaughter's hands. "You know that you can't be forgettin' to put that sorta stuff on you every so often! Last time we all was here back when you were younger, almost your whole body became as red as an apple!"
Rainbow tried her best to not laugh out loud after hearing that, and an embarrassed Applejack just muttered underneath her breath as she began to apply the sunscreen lotion to herself.
"Ah, yessir, now you don't got to worry 'bout burnin' up or anythin' like... huh..." Granny Smith looked around the beach a few times, trying to find a particular person. "Where's that one gal friend of yours, AJ? Um, what's her name... Sunflower Brimmer, Seafood Dinner, Sundae Creamer -"
"Sunset Shimmer?" corrected Applejack, raising an eyebrow. "She ain't my friend, Granny."
"That's what name I said the first time," replied her grandmother, with Applejack trying to avoid rolling her eyes. "And what do ya mean that she ain't your friend? Why would we help her practice drivin' in my truck for her drivin' test a while back, then, if you two weren't friends?"
"Granny, we never... uh..." Applejack was about to deny her grandma's statement, but she soon found herself remembering a tiny part of that day. "Are you... Sure that..."
A chuckle came out of Granny Smith's mouth, and she replied, "Sure I'm sure 'bout that! It's not like the truck was drivin' all by itself that day, right?"
Before Applejack could give her a response, the elderly woman cried out, "Wait a minute! What time of the day is it, y'all?"
"Uh... it's a quarter past twelve on a Saturday?" answered Sci-Twi, and Granny Smith face-palmed herself.
"Ah, shoot! I'm goin' be late for the bingo... g'bye, Applejack, and make sure ya don't let yourself burn up like a crisped apple, ya hear?"
Then, as Granny Smith hurried off to the parking lot, a snickering Rainbow glanced over at Applejack, who was now trying to cover up her face with her hat.
"Huh, and you all thought that I was being silly for bringing these cupcakes with edible lotion icing!" cried Pinkie, who was now munching on said sugary treat.
Twilight! You remember me, don't you? We've been through so much together... please!
Sunset's words of plea towards her kept on replaying in Sci-Twi's mind, and she resumed looking out across the ocean.
If Sunset was someanand wasn't their friend, then why would she sound sohurtand say that she was?
Back in Equestria, the trio of ponies had just finished explaining to Princess Celestia what they had discovered about the Memory Stone.
"We should get back to my world, Casey," said Sunset. "Maybe now we can convince my friends that I'm telling the truth since we know what it is to look for."
Placing a drawing of the ancient stone in his saddle bag, Casey looked over at his special somepony. "You sure you don't want to come with us, Twilight?"
The princess of friendship shook her head, and said, "But don't worry, I'll stay here in the library, and search the entire restricted section from top to bottom until I find a way to get back the memories of Sunset's friends."
"If it's even possible," muttered Sunset, letting out a sigh.
"Oh, it's possible, or my name isn't Princess Twilight Sparkle," assured a confident Twilight. "I'll figure it out, even if I have to reorganize the whole library by subject, or maybe even chronologically. Oh! And fix the broken catalog machine..."
I'm really starting to love it whenever she talks like that, thought Casey, a warm smile appearing on his face.
"Thank you... all of you," said Sunset, speaking to Twilight, Casey, and Celestia, whom she was now glad to have finally made amends with.
"This is quite a contrast to the last time that the two of us parted ways," reminded the royal alicorn, smiling down at her former pupil. "With every choice you make, you prove yourself to possess a kind heart."
Sunset's cheeks turned a little red as she placed a hoof behind her shoulder, and looked over at Twilight. "I guess I had a good teacher."
"You were a good student," said a smiling Twilight.
Then, they heard Celestia clear her throat, and the three ponies saw a frown appear on her face.
"Are you saying that I wasn't a good teacher?"
The two mares quickly began to try explaining themselves, but then, Celestia started laughing in good-natured humor, and it wasn't long before they all joined in themselves.
"Wow, Princess Celestia has a sense of humor?" remarked Sunset, taking a moment to pause, and she looked at Twilight. "Looks like I'm not the only one who's changed."
And they both continued on with their giggling, while Casey just happily watched them interact with each other, not really feeling like he even needed to say anything... until Celestia headed back into the castle and Sunset started to walk away, which is when Casey went up to Twilight.
"You think maybe, um, I should ask... Stardust or his Twilight if he knows anything about this?"
Twilight looked at him in confusion. "Huh? Who are you talking about?"
Before Casey could answer her question, a pink limb wrapped itself around the young stallion, and a returning Pinkie said, "Come on, Casey, we still have, like, three more chapters to get through!"
"Alright, Pinkie, I... wait, what did you sa -aaaaghh!"
#############
"I'm not holding back this time!" yelled Rainbow Dash, almost about ready to serve the volleyball that was in her hand, while her partner - Applejack - rolled her eyes.
As she stood on the other side of the net, Fluttershy gave a nervous gulp, and spoke in a worried tone. "That's what I'm afraid of!"
"Bring it on, Rainbow Dash!" exclaimed her partner, who was Pinkie Pie. "You and Applecrisp just bought your team a one-way express train ticket to You're Going Down!"
Applejack just hung her head down while Rainbow's eyes widened up a little bit, and the surprised athlete said, "Wow, nice game face, Pinkie Pie."
"Thanks, I've been working on it all day," replied Pinkie, and she turned around to grab onto the camera drone that had been hovering around their heads. "Did you hear that, little camera? You're in my house now!"
Frightened by the pink teenager's actions, the Selfie Sensor quickly headed over to where Sci-Twi was, floating behind her while a growling Spike leaped off of Rarity's chair to walk away.
"Ohhh, looks like someone is jealous," teased Rarity.
Twilight's pet dog rolled his eyes, and he said, "Please! Call me whenever the flying can opener knows how to fetch... huh?"
It only took a moment or two for the camera drone to bring over an open can of dog food, and Spike just looked at it with an uninterested look. "I so hate you right now."
The Selfie Sensor made a series of sad-like beeps as it flew away, and after he made sure no one was watching, Spike began munching on the tasty food that was inside of the can while Rainbow started their match by serving the volleyball.
"Alright, it's game time!" The young athlete made the ball arch over the net at a high speed, with Fluttershy cowering in fear and covering her head, but Pinkie Pie quickly frog-leaped over her friend to spike it back over the net. "I got it, I got - oof!"
Rainbow jumped backwards in order to try and get in contact with the ball, but she ended up falling down, and was now laying against the sand while the white circular object rolled away from her. "I don't got it."
Applejack let out a chuckle as she went to go and retrieve the ball, but then, all of the girls saw Sunset Shimmer sprinting towards them, Casey not too far behind.
"Okay, great news!" said Sunset. "I figured it out. Someone erased the good memories that you all had of me with Equestrian magic! You don't remember, but we're still friends!"
None of the girls said anything to Sunset, choosing instead to either remain silent or glare at her.
Casey handed over the drawing of the magical stone to Sunset, and she showed it to the six of them. "This is the Memory Stone. Do you remember it?"
"..."
"..."
They all looked at Sunset as if they had no idea what she was talking about.
"Um, I think whoever used it on them might have also made them forget ever having seen it," said Casey, and Sunset looked at him. "Just being honest here."
"... Oh, right, sorry," Sunset replied, putting away the paper and taking out her cellphone to swipe through several photos of them being together - having a sleepover at Pinkie's house, welcoming Sci-Twi to CHS, and the one that had been taken yesterday. "See? This is proof that we are friends... and I have this, too!"
It's dance magic, once you have it
Let your body move, step into the music
Sunset's phone was now playing the music video that they had created alongside a few of the girls from Crystal Prep, and the bacon-haired teenager could see that they were having trouble trying to deny what was being shown to them-
"Oh, please, this is the same girl who made flawless fake photos of your friend trashing the gym."
Casey groaned as he saw who the nearby person was that had spoken, and muttered, "Why did this have to happen now?"
A smug grin appeared on Trixie's face, and arms were crossed, with Snips and Snails nearby trying to pack up her huge umbrella. "And she probably found a way to insert herself into the video, as well, considering what kind of things that technology has to offer these days. She is the yearbook editor for a reason, am I right?"
"You know, she has a point," Pinkie whispered loudly, and the girls went back to looking at Sunset in disbelief while she and Casey glared at a cackling Trixie.
"Then I guess my work here is done. Trixie out!" The illusionist threw done one of her smoke bombs, causing Snips and Snails to cough and rub their eyes. Once it cleared up, everyone saw her standing by the entrance steps. "And don't forget, Rarity, you promised to put me in the yearbook!"
"Wait, you did what?" cried Sunset, taking a step back as she looked at Rarity for an answer, but then, she accidentally stepped on top of the volleyball, sending it flying behind her while Sunset was about to fall on the sand-covered ground.
"I got you - gah!" Casey quickly hurried over to try and catch Sunset, but he suddenly found himself appearing right behind her, and she ended up collapsing on top of him.
"Oh, no!" As the two teenagers stood back up, they saw Sci-Twi run past them in order to check on her now-damaged camera drone, which had been due to getting struck by the volleyball, and it let out multiple beeps until the noises slowly died out.
Sunset quickly began giving her an apology. "Twilight, I'm sorry, it was an accident! Here, I can help you fix it-"
"I think you've helped enough," exclaimed a frowning Sci-Twi, clearly upset with her.
The two former ponies looked back at the others, who were all glaring at Sunset, and they turned their attention over to a departing Trixie.
"Come on, I think I know who's behind this," said Sunset, now frowning herself, and led Casey away from the beach.
"Please don't have us blow up, please don't have us - oof!" Casey started to say, but the next thing he knew, he was walking up against the side of Sunset's car. "What the... how did...?"
A few moments later, Sunset arrived with a confused expression. "How'd you get here so fast? I didn't even see you walk past me."
Casey shrugged his shoulders, and as Sunset began to start the car, he replied, "I have no idea... but, uh, let's worry about me after we get the Memory Stone."
###############
Once they had entered the student parking lot of Canterlot High, Sunset hurried as fast as she possibly could inside the school, and started to look for Trixie once she was walking down the hall.
Alright, where are you, you little... thought Sunset, but her thoughts were interrupted after a fellow student - Micro Chips - accidentally bumped into her, and he fell down to the floor. "Oh, sorry, here..."
Sunset offered to help him get back up, but instead of feeling the grip of his hand, the nervous teenager placed a few dollar bills in her open palm instead.
"I don't want your lunch money!" exclaimed Sunset, now getting a little irritated about the fact that, as she looked around, pretty much all of the students were afraid of her just like it had been during freshman year. "I'm notmean! Got it? I'm not mean!"
After she handed Micro back his currency, the teenage boy scurried away from Sunset as fast as possible, and an approaching Casey said, "Um, Sunset, you might want to think about turning down your level of-" Sunset glared at him. "Never mind... oh, look, there she is."
Trixie was putting away some school books into her locker, and was about to close the door when Sunset did it for her hard from out of nowhere, causing Trixie to let out a small yelp of surprise.
"So, here we are," said Sunset, standing behind the door after it slowly opened back up, and she crossed her arms.
"Here we do are," replied Trixie, even though she had no idea what the bacon-haired teenager meant.
From where he stood a few feet away, Casey watched with some nervousness as the two girls silently glared at each other, looking like they were having a standoff.
...and where did that tumbleweed come from?
"You sure that you want to do this out here in the hallway in front of everyone?" questioned Trixie, with the rest of the other students that had been watching making themselves scarce.
"Up to you," retorted Sunset, trying to keep her temper under control.
Then, to her surprise, Trixie responded by pulling out an 18" x 24" poster of herself that appeared to be a mock-up of the yearbook's Superlatives page. "Behold! Canterlot High's Greatest and Most Powerful student!"
As Sunset realized that Trixie was only trying to get herself in the yearbook, Casey simply let out a sigh of relief that nothing bad had happened.
"If something as simple as a made-to-scale mock up doesn't convince you, Sunset," said Trixie, giving a small shrug. "Then I don't know what will..."
"Where's the Memory Stone?" exclaimed Sunset, now marching towards her in irritation, with Trixie beginning to back away. "You turned my friends against me just because I wouldn't put in the yearbook as Most Powerful and Greatest?"
Trixie rolled her eyes, and replied, "For the umpteenth time, Sunset Shimmer, it's Greatest and Most Powerful... also, what are you talking about? What memory stone?"
"The one you used to erase everyone's memory," growled an upset Sunset. "You manipulative, little... blowhard!"
Trixie blinked her eyes a few times before speaking with a grin, sticking the poster of herself against a locker door. "A stone that can make everyone forget all the terrible tricks that I've done... which is none! Your puny rock pales in comparison to the Great and Powerful Trixie!"
Man, I wish Starlight was here right now, thought Casey, also feeling that it was safe enough to make his way toward them.
As for Sunset, she couldn't believe what this meant for her. "You have no idea what it is that I'm talking about, do you, Trixie?"
"Um, nope, I don't. I'm sorry, Sunset," apologized Trixie, as well as suddenly noticing Casey walking over. "Oh hey, isn't your name, um... Crescent?"
Casey shook his head, but was still glad that this version of Trixie sort of knew what his name was. "It's Casey, actually."
As for Sunset, she walked over to the locker door opposite of the one that bore Trixie's poster, and slumped down against it until she was sitting on the ground. Now it feels like I'm back to Square One on figuring out whose responsible for this.
"Did someone really erase everyone's memories of you?" asked Trixie, and Sunset sadly gave a small nod.
"Uh-huh."
Then, Trixie walked over to a locker that was almost close to Sunset's, and she took a seat of her own. "So, even though we all know that you're the school's 'Biggest Meanie', you're saying you aren't like that anymore?"
"... It's complicated," replied Casey, with Sunset just giving her another small nod. He was also surprised to see Trixie acting so different in comparison to the other times he had interacted with her pony counterpart, as was the former unicorn.
"You have this idea of who you're supposed to be, but no one at school sees you that way," added Trixie, with the three of them noticing a pair of passing students stop by the illusionist's poster to point and have a good laugh before walking away. "Is that right?"
Sunset nodded again, and Trixie gave her a sheepish smile. "Trust me, I get it."
Am I still in the same world? thought Casey.
As for Sunset, she let out a sigh, and replied, "I can't believe that the only person in school who believes me is the one I called a manipulative blowhard... sorry about that."
"I took it as a compliment," remarked Trixie, getting up to her feet, and was now standing in front of Sunset, offering a hand. "Let me help you find the stone."
"What's in it for you?" asked Sunset, surprised but also suspicious at Trixie's offer, and the illusionist glanced over to her self-made poster behind them. It didn't take long for Sunset to put two and two together. "Oh, no, absolutely not! No way, Trixie!"
Trixie responded by giving Sunset a sly grin, and crossing her arms. "Well, if you want to continue being known as CHS' Biggest Meanie, that's perfectly fine by me..."
While Sunset was quickly thinking it over, Casey looked down at his turtledove necklace, and hoped that Twilight was having better luck than they were.
################
"I've looked everywhere! Why can't I find the missing pages?"
In the Restriced Section of the Canterlot Library, Twilight was standing in front of the table with piles of books all around her, and feeling very frustrated as she jumped up in the air, moving her limbs around in exasperation. "I've always been good to you, library!"
She then banged her head on the table, causing the wooden box to fall and shatter onto the ground in several pieces. The purple alicorn looked over to see what remained of it, and to her surprise, she saw a folded-up scratch of parchment stuck between two pieces of wood.
"This is it!" squealed an excited Twilight, with an approaching Princess Celestia smiling down at her, and she opened up the parchment across the table. It showed a drawing of what appeared to be a rock formation. "Clover the Clever must've buried the stone at this location, and I bet it's somewhere in the other world, but... it doesn't say anything about getting your memories back."
Twilight went back to the scroll that she had been reading earlier, and found something that made her eyes widen with concern as she read it aloud. "Perhaps if I had destroyed the Stone right away, then some of my memories would have returned, but when the sun has set on the day after a memory has been taken, it is erased forever."
She looked up at her former teacher, who was equally concerned. "You must warn Sunset Shimmer at once."
The young princess nodded her head, but just as she was about to write the warning message in her magic journal, a familiar voice suddenly spoke to them. "She and her friends are not the only ones in danger."
Both of the alicorns turned to the side, and saw a mystic swirl of blue-colored magic that soon transformed into the form of an elderly cloaked figure holding a staff that bore a miniature silver clock on the top.
"Kronos?" said Twilight, now feeling both concerned and confused.
"Greetings, princesses," said the Master of Time, delivering a quick and polite bow before explaining what he'd meant about earlier. "There has been a serious and threatening change that has been done to the timeline, courtesy of the Memory Stone... which has been tampered with... resulting already in a world parallel to this being erased from existence completely."
Before Twilight could ask what world he was referring to, Kronos finished his sentence in a sad and regretful tone. "And if the stone's not destroyed once the sun has set, not only will that erase the memories of Miss Shimmer's friends completely... your special somepony will no longer exist, remaining only a memory forever." |
Forgotten Friendship | A Big Difference, Part 1 | "B-but but but..." Twilight was completely taken aback by Kronos' words, and felt herself breathing faster than usual. "What do you mean he won't exist anymore? There's nothing like that mentioned in Clover's scrolls, and Casey just helped in saving Equestria a few days ago, so why would-"
"Twilight, please relax for a moment," said the elderly figure. "There is still plenty of time until sunset's arrival in that world, and I'm sure that once you give them the message, it won't be long until the stone is destroyed."
The young alicorn opened her mouth to speak again but she felt a hoof placed on her shoulder, and looked up to see Princess Celestia's sympathetic face, with her former teacher giving a small nod before using her magic to put the magical journal in Twilight's hooves.
"Okay... okay, maybe you're right," said Twilight, now back to breathing at a normal level. "But who would want to erase the memories of Sunset's friends, and keep Casey from ever existing? This seems like a lot of diabolical work for just one person to-"
Kronos shook his head, and he let out a sigh that almost sounded like one of regret. "It's more than one individual behind this scheme, Princess, and if it's who I believe it is... then, things are about to take a turn for the worse."
As she sat at a cafeteria table, Sunset continuously drummed her fingers on it, wondering who else would have turned her own friends against her.
"You know, this... Starlight Glimmer person you've talked about sounds like someone that the Great and Powerful Trixie would be very interested in being friends with." The teenage illusionist was having a conversation with Casey, who was wondering in the back of his mind why it wasn't like this for him whenever he interacts with Trixie's pony counterpart. "Would you happen to know where she lives?"
Before Casey could answer her, he noticed Sunset's saddened expression while thinking of her friends, and he decided that it was time to re-focus on the matter at hand. "Alright, so who exactly would hate Sunset enough to erase pretty much everyone's good memories of her?"
"If you go back far enough... everyone," replied Sunset, remembering how it had been for her during freshman year before the arrival of Princess Twilight.
Pulling out a pen and small notebook from her sweater pocket, Trixie began to write down what she said. "Known enemies: All... but uh, there's not really many students here in school on a Saturday, so how exactly would we be able to ask everyone that goes here about using a powerful magic rock to erase your friends' memories?"
Sunset's sadness turned into confusion while trying to figure out an answer to Trixie's question, and luckily, Casey quickly thought of one. "We could first go to the yearbook editing room and look at all the student photos of everyone to see who's even worth asking. That way we don't exactly waste any kind of precious time asking each individual student here."
The bacon-haired teeanger was about to tell Casey how that sounded like a really good idea, but an eye-rolling Trixie crossed her arms together as she said, "Oh, please, that idea sounds like a load of - wait! I got it... we should go to the room where Sunset does all of the yearbook stuff, and look at the photos of every student here to see who ought to be questioned! That way, no kind of valuable time will be wasted at all."
And now she's back to acting like her pony self, thought a non-amused Casey. "Great plan, Trixie."
"You mean what a great and powerful plan, Crimson, but I appreciate your words of gratitude," corrected Trixie, with Casey hanging his head down and Sunset giving him a sympathetic pat on the back. "And look, here's our first official suspect!"
"Suspect for what exactly?" The three of them turned their attention over to the person who was now sitting at the edge of their cafeteria table. It was the grey-skinned sister of Pinkie, whose name was Maud Pie, and Sunset knew that this person was very smart.
"Is there anything you can tell us about this?" asked Sunset, getting the drawimg photo from Casey to show Maud. "Anything at all?"
Maud blinked her eyes a few times, and she replied, "I can't really tell much from just a drawing..." The small glimmer of hope on Sunset's face faded away. "But what I can tell you is that it's felsitic intrusive ingenious, granular in texture, at least sixty-five percent alkali feldspar by volume..."
As Pinkie's sister continued to talk, Sunset and Trixie cautiously backed themselves away from her but Casey was still listening out of honest curiousity until he felt Sunset's hand take him away from the table.
"... with a melting point of twelve-fifty centigrade, plus or minus ten degrees," finished Maud, also seeing that they were all now walking out of the cafeteria. "Sorry I wasn't able to be more helpful."
A few moments later
After tightening a few more loose screws, Sci-Twi (now back in her regular clothes) pressed the power button on her camera drone in hopes that it was fixed back to working order.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The intelligent teenager smiled after seeing it buzz into the air, flying in loops around the rest of the girls that were also no longer wearing beach clothing. "Good as new! Now it's time for the eight attempt and second take of 'Best Friends Yearbook Photo', number thirty-six A!"
While her friends started preparing themselves for the picture, Sci-Twi found herself looking over to the nearby window of the yearbook office, where a sad-smiling Sunset Shimmer stood at, giving her a small friendly wave.
I'm... sorry, Sunset, thought Sci-Twi, and the bacon-haired teenager watched her friend turn away so that she could pose with the rest of the girls for the yearbook picture.
Once the bright camera flash had appeared, Sunset turned around, and walked over to the computer that would soon be showing her the taken photo via Bluetooth connection.
As for Casey and Trixie, they were finishing up going through the list of all the students in CHS that could possibly be in possession of the Memory Stone, and unfortunately, they had not been having much luck.
"Nope. Nope. Nope. Nuh-uh. Nope." said Trixie, using a red marker to check off each individual student that would be less likely to be the culprit. "Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope... wait... nope... oh, how about-"
"Just put the check symbol, Trixie, cause I can't think of any reason why three young kids would want to do something like that," pointed out Casey. "Especially when it's the younger siblings of Applejack and Rarity, and someone who's like a younger sister to Rainbow."
Trixie blinked her eyes for a quick moment and groaned as she did just that. "Well, this was a terrible idea of yours, Casey! We've pretty much crossed out every single other student that goes here except for me, Sunset, her friends, and... hey, wait a minute! Do you even go to this school? And how come you look less clearer than the first time I met you?"
"Uh, what exactly are you -" Casey began to say, but he noticed that Trixie was now looking at him suspiciously, and he closed his eyes halfway. "Seriously? It wasn't me who did this, Trixie; I'm her friend, and I've been on Sunset's side since the beginning."
Trixie wasn't entirely convinced just yet. "That's exactly something what the culprit would say to us!"
"It wasn't Casey, Trixie, believe us," said Sunset, coming to her friend's defense, and she looked through the pages of student photos that they had checked through. "I don't get or understand why-"
"Oh, wait! Look, an empty photo," called out the illusionist, pointing a finger at a certain area on one of the pages. There was an unchecked photo of a student, but for some reason, no student whatsoever was even there. All it had was a small piece of text underneath, which Trixie read aloud. "Not pictured: Wallflower Blush... who's that?"
"I'm right here, you know," said an almost quiet voice from the corner of the room, and the three friends turned their heads to see the green-haired teenage girl, who was sitting at a computer. It was the same girl that Sunset and Casey had met yesterday in the same room they were currently in now.
"Oh, hey Wallflower," greeted Casey, trying to be polite. "Uh, how long have you been there?"
"Since you three first came in here almost a few hours ago," replied Wallflower, giving him a small smile before glaring at Trixie. "And I've known you since third grade."
Trixie went from being confused to pleased as she began to reminisce about her early school days. "Ah, yes, third grade! I remember it well... I mean, not you specifically, but what a grade it was!" Casey and Sunset both rolled their eyes simultaneously. "The Great and Powerful Trixie debuted her disappearing frog trick! You know, a lot of people don't know how much hard goes into raising tadpoles."
Sunset was about to say something in Wallflower's defense when she noticed a soft magenta glow coming from her bag. Princess Twilight? The former unicorn pulled it out while Casey continued listening to Trixie's rambling of herself. Maybe she knows who's behind all this!
She swiftly opened up the journal, and read the message that Twilight had for her. Sunset, we think the Memory Stone was buried under this rock formation. In the middle of the sentences was an illustration of the rock formation. And if you don't destroy the Memory Stone by the sun sets today, all those memories will be erased forever... also, have you noticed anything different about Casey?
Sunset glanced over at Twilight's unamused special someone, and began to give a response to Twilight. Not really... I mean, he looks not as, uh, 'clear' as he did before, if that makes sense... and he somehow ended up going from the beach to my car without even going past by me-
Suddenly, her attention had been caught by the photo that was showing on Wallflower's computer screen. It showed a rock formation that was very similar to the one in Twilight's drawing, and for Sunset, it was like the wheels were turning in her head.
"Hey, uh, can I ask you a silly question, Wallflower?" said Sunset, giving her a falsified smile and grin. "Where did you take that lovely photo?"
"Oh, that's my garden," replied Wallflower, smiling after seeing Sunset notice the picture. "Well, the school's garden, technically. I'm the president of the gardening club. I founded it too. I'm also the only member, and the only one who's ever been to the garden. Or seen it... or even asked about it."
"You're not, uh, really into other people, are you?" asked Trixie.
Casey sighed, and he shook his head, much to Wallflower's confusion. "Oh, no, I think your garden looks beautiful... it's just that there is someone else I know back home whom I am not exactly fond of, and that also enjoys studying plants."
A chuckle came out of the mouth of a blushing Wallflower, feeling touched by Casey's beginning words. "Thank you... and, um, I was actually thinking about maybe adding this picture somewhere in the yearbook. What do you think?"
Trixie scoffed, and exclaimed, "Sorry, but Sunset doesn't allow anyone to put things in her yearbook." She walked over to stand by Sunset. "No matter how much they deserve it."
But to Trixie and Casey's surprise, Sunset contradicted the illusionist by saying, "No, you should do that, Wallflower, so, uh, don't let us keep you from working on it."
"What?" cried Trixie, glaring at the yellow teenage girl while Casey tried holding in his laughter. "The Great and Powerful Trixie is annoyed and... insulted!"
Letting out a soft and quiet chuckle, Wallflower turned her attention back to the photo on her computer screen, resuming her work... just as Sunset began to slowly walk over to the unsuspecting student.
I just need to grab onto her hand, wrist, or simply an arm, thought Sunset, needing to know right now what Wallflower was thinking, and by the time the green-haired teenager realized that Sunset was right next to her, she had already grabbed her wrist, which allowed Sunset to see certain past memories of Wallflower's.
What she was seeing so far was Wallflower standing by herself in the shadows, being ignored by the rest of her classmates that didn't even know she even existed.
However, there was one particular memory that had stood out to her above the rest.
###################
"Trust me, my dear, do as I say, and your wish of being noticed will come true."
Wallflower was standing by her garden, the Memory Stone in her hands, and in front of her was an unknown floating entity in a black cloak.
"So... you want me to use this thing to erase all of the good memories that Sunset Shimmer's friends have of her? Even those that aren't her friends?"
"Correct, Wallflower," replied the cloaked figure. "And as long as you don't go overboard, you will get your wish granted at the end of the day."
She nodded her head, but Wallflower still appeared to be hesitant about the whole thing.
"Is there a problem, my dear?"
"No, I just..." answered Wallflower, not wanting the stranger to be upset with him... despite the cloaked person already knowing how to take care of this.
"Well, wonderful!" With a hidden grin from behind his hood, the cloaked person raised up his right hand that was now glowing with dark energy. "And don't be alarmed, this won't even hurt a bit."
Whoosh!
Releasing Wallflower's wrist from her grip, Sunset backed away a little bit as she realized what the memories had informed her of. "You're the one who erased everyone's memories?"
At first, Wallflower was shocked at Sunset's words directed towards her, but then, she glared at the bacon-haired teen with defiance. "Yes... I did."
"Wait, who are you again?" asked a confused Trixie, and Casey slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand.
Wallflower let out a sigh, and turned back around to look at the photo of her garden on the computer.
You don't see me fitting in
I'm sitting here alone
Right beside my shadow
Always on my own
She was now explaining her unfortunate situation of feeling "invisible" in the world, with only Casey and Trixie listening in awe while Sunset was just glaring at her, hand placed on her hip.
If I could share my wildest dreams
Maybe they would see
I'm more than just a wallflower
There's so much more to me
I'm invisible, invisible
A droplet in the mist
Invisible, invisible
It's like I don't exist
As Wallflower continued to sing, Sunset took this opportunity to sneak her way over to the green-haired teenager's backpack.
Right beneath my picture
This is what you'll read
A laundry list of nothings
Not likely to succeed
A yearbook with blank pages
That no one wants to sign
A memory forgotten
Until the end of time
I'm invisible, invisible
A droplet in the mist
Invisible, invisible
It's like I don't exist
Then, Wallflower took a moment to remain silent after finishing up her song, and Trixie was about to say something when Casey suddenly spoke first. "I'm... so sorry you feel that way."
"Why do you feel sorry?" wondered Wallflower. "I'm sure you have a bunch of friends like Sunset and everyone else."
Casey gave a quick nod. "This is true, but... it wasn't always like that." Wallflower gave him a confused look. "For four years, I didn't have anyone to call a friend... there was only me, my parents, and the stars.... and for two years, I truly was alone in the world after my parent's deaths... so I'm saying sorry to you because I understand where you're coming from."
Just as Wallflower was about to respond to Casey, the young teenager finally noticed Sunset searching through her backpack. "Hey! What are you doing?"
She pulled it out of Sunset's hands before the bacon-haired teenager could grab the Memory Stone, and Sunset began pleading with Wallflower. "What did I ever do to you? I don't even know you!"
"Exactly!" cried Wallflower, now furious. "You had everyone fooled, but now they know you're still the Biggest Meanie!"
Her glaring eyes blazing, Sunset started to walk towards Wallflower, with a deep frown on her face. "You're about to see how mean I can get!"
"Whoa, okay, hold up there a second," remimded Trixie, now blocking her from going any further. "Let's not antagonize the person with the all-powerful mystery rock."
"I don't like confrontation," said Wallflower, pulling the Memory Stone out of her backpack, and was just about ready to fire it at both Sunset and Trixie's foreheads. "So let's just forget that this conversation ever happened!" |
Forgotten Friendship | A Big Difference, Part 2 | With Sunset and Trixie both knocked out on the ground, Wallflower turned her attention to Casey, who was being cautious as he spoke to her. "Just hand over the Memory Stone, Wallflower... please... you don't know what you're getting yourself into with that kind of power."
For a moment, an expression of guilt was on Wallflower's face as she said, "I'm sorry, Casey, but..." Then, there was a dark look in her eyes. One that was very familiar to Casey. "This is something I've got to do."
"Wallflower, please, you-" Casey began to say, but he was cut off by the sudden appearance of a bright green light that was similiar to a camera flash, and the next thing he knew, he was lying down on the ground, not even knowing how he got there to begin with or how long he'd been there. "Ugh, my head... Sunset, how long have we - gah!"
Casey had been looking at his right hand to see if it had gotten injured somehow, and for some reason, it was almost completely transparent. He could see the whole entire door through it!
"... Casey? Why are you screaming?"
A dazed Trixie rubbed her head as if it had been hit, and Sunset was slowly opening up her eyes, feeling like she had woken up from a huge nap.
Casey was about to answer the former pony's question, but he quickly noticed that his hand was back to normal except it was a little more faded.
"Uh... bad dream, Sunset," said the young teenager, deciding to worry about his problems later while trying to remember why they were even in the yearbook editing room, but nothing was coming to him.
He got up to walk over to the door, but when he tried opening it, Casey became surprised to find out that it was locked.
Why in the heck is this even locked from the outside?
"No... no, no, no," said a worried Sunset, hurrying over to try opening it herself but she didn't have any luck either. "If we don't get out of here and figure out who has the Memory Stone, in just a few hours it will be too late to restore everyone's memories."
Trixie sadly shook her head. "Um, hate to burst your bubble, Sunset, but it doesn't really matter if we get out. How are we even supposed to catch someone who can erase our memory every time we get close to catching them?"
As Casey realized that Trixie had a point, Sunset found herself putting her hands in her pockets, and she pulled out a crumpled piece of paper.
"... we do it by being clever!" Sunset exclaimed, remembering what Twilight had told her about Clover leaving himself a trail of bread crumbs, and she showed the piece of paper to Casey. "Look, I wrote myself a note - Check the video."
"Uh, what video?" asked a confused Casey.
Sunset walked over to the bookcase by the door that had several past yearbooks in the shelves, and one of them had a hidden camcorder that was still in recording mode. "Yes! It's been recording this whole time!"
"Recording what?" Trixie questioned,since she had no idea what Sunset was trying to say.
"I don't remember doing it," explained Sunset. "But I must have realized that our memories could be erased, so I pressed record at some point!"
The three of them were now looking at the camera while Sunset began playing the recorded video from the beginning, and in the video, Sunset had given a thumbs up before going over to Wallflower in order to check her memories.
"Wait, who's that?" asked Trixie.
"Wallflower Blush," replied Sunset.
"Ohhh... yeah, name's not ringing a bell to me."
Sunset and Casey rolled their eyes at the same time, but before either of them could speak, they heard Wallflower starting her song about feeling invisible.
"Ugh..." groaned Trixie, and she pressed the fast-forward button on the camera, which had Wallflower singing at a much faster speed. "Long song, huh?"
When it seemed like Wallflower was done, Trixie went over to click the Play button, and found themselves seeing Casey talk in a comforting tone about him also having felt the way she did.
"... so was I, Wallflower, for almost two years."
Casey became silent for a moment, with Sunset doing the same since she had seen through his memories before how terrible life had been for him during those years, and then, the video had reached the part where Sunset had confronted Wallflower.
"What did I ever do to you? I don't even know you!"
"Exactly! You had everyone fooled, but now they know that you're still the Biggest Meanie!"
"You're about to see how mean I can get!"
Sunset paused the video, and before she could even say anything, Trixie cleared her throat before speaking. "Um, you know... she's kinda right about you."
A slight frown appeared on Casey's face, and Sunset gave a sarcastic response. "Gee, thanks."
However, according to Trixie, she didn't mean what Sunset thought she was talking about. "You said in the video that you didn't do anything."
"I didn't!" exclaimed Sunset. "I wasn't mean to her at all!"
While Casey was still trying to figure out how to open up the door, Trixie sighed before saying, "Maybe it's not good enough to not be mean to someone." Casey paused his attempt after hearing Trixie speak. "Maybe you have to be nice."
Who is she? thought Casey.
Sunset took a look at the camera's paused screen, which showed a frowning Wallflower, and back over at Trixie. "You're right... but, uh, there's still the issue of us all being trapped in here. Unless my Great and Powerful friend can magic us out of here?"
"What's the point in trying?" said Trixie, sounding defeated because all that she had with her were smoke bombs. "You've seen enough of my tricks to know what'll hap... wait... you think of me as a friend?"
Sunset glanced over at the photo she'd taken yesterday with her friends, whose good memories of her were almost close to being gone forever.
"Uh-huh... and one that I know I'll still have at CHS by the end of the day."
Feeling touched by Sunset's kind words towards her, Trixie's look of defeat turned into one of smugness. "You poor, unfortunate soul! You actually believed that I gave up? Mere stage banter! The Great and Powerful Trixie never gives up on herself, or her... her friends!"
Casey went over to stand by Sunset while Trixie backed away towards the door, speaking with a loud stage voice. "Behold! The Magician's Exit!"
The illusionist tossed one of her smoke bombs down to the ground, and after it exploded, Trixie almost expected to find herself still in the room... but instead, she opened up her eyes to see that she was now in the hallway. "It worked... it worked! Yes, I've finally did it!"
Knock-knock-knock!
"Still in here!" reminded Sunset, who was standing behind the door.
Trixie smiled sheepishly at her friend. "Um, all part of the trick! Don't worry, have you out in a jiffy!"
She tossed down another smoke bomb, but when the smoke cleared away, Casey was now in the hallway while Trixie was back in the room with Sunset.
"Again!"
Now it was only Sunset in the room by herself, with Trixie standing next to Casey outside.
"Um, third time's the charm?"
After trying it again, Trixie found herself and Casey in the room while Sunset was now out in the hallway.
"You know what? Just go and do what you have to do! I'll get Cody out of here in a minute!"
Seriously? thought Casey, letting out a sigh before gesturing to Sunset for her to go, and the young teenager gave a small nod of gratitude.
"I owe you one, Trixie! I'll never forget this!"
"Never say never!" replied Trixie, as she watched her race down the hallway.
Then, she turned over to Casey, and asked, "Um... would you happen to have any extra smoke bombs with you?"
Casey opened his mouth to answer, but suddenly, his body deteriorated into pixels and letters, and Trixie let out a small yelp of surprise as he teleported from the room to out in the hallway.
"How is that even possible?"
That explains how I got to Sunset's car so fast. The young man shrugged his shoulders, and started to run in the same direction that Sunset had gone in. "We'll come back for you, I promise!"
Once Casey was out of Trixie's view, the illusionist put on a face as determination while backing away a little from the door.
"I sure hope this door's not too expensive," muttered Trixie, gathering up all of her strength in an attempt to break the door down, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case, and resulted in a now-dazed Trixie.
"Peanut... butter... crackers," she mumbled before collapsing to the floor, with a row of periwinkle stars twirling around her head.
After searching everywhere in the entire school for Sunset or Wallflower, Casey finally went out the front doors and scanned the parking lot, where he saw all of Sunset's friends standing by Applejack's truck, as well as Sunset confronting a retreating Wallflower by the very edge of the campus, and a black car that he didn't recognize.
"Wallflower, stop!"
The green-haired teenager bore an innocent expression as she stopped to turn and look at Sunset. "You remember my name?"
"I remember everything!" replied Sunset. "The Memory Stone! How I acted, all of it."
"What? How?" exclaimed Wallflower, in disbelief. "I erased the whole afternoon!"
After she said those words, Sci-Twi and the rest of the girls all looked at Wallflower, remembering what Sunset had told them earlier about the Memory Stone, and Wallflower did a small gulp after realizing her slip-up.
"Listen, I used to be just like you," begged Sunset. "Sure, I was popular, but I was lonely-"
"You're nothing like me at all!" interrupted a glaring Wallflower. "And I'm not lonely cause I have... plants!" She blinked her eyes for a second, and placed a hand on her forehead. "That sounded less lonely in my head."
"I'm sorry, Wallflower," apologized Sunset, just as Casey was getting close to her. "Please, just hand over - Casey?"
"Uh-huh," gasped Casey, taking a moment to catch his breath after running so fast. "Wallflower... please... revenge isn't the answer. I've seen what it can do to someone... myself, included... stop now before you actually end up physically hurting someone."
"I can't actually hurt someone with this, Casey," replied Wallflower, who had taken the Memory Stone out of her backpack. "All it does is erase memories, like last night when I did it to your friends, Sunset Shimmer!"
The other girls all gasped in shock after hearing Wallflower's proclaimation, and the green-haired teenager was now growling with frustration once realizing she messed up again.
"If I can't teach Sunset a lesson by erasing her friends' good memories of her," said Wallflower. "Then, maybe I can by erasing all of their memories from high school!"
An alarmed expression appeared on Sunset's face, and she cried, "No, Wallflower, you can't do that!
"If you did that, you'd be stealing their memories of each other," added Casey, who was also trying his best to stop himself from glitching. "You have to listen to her, to me! Please don't do this!"
For a moment, Wallflower gave Casey an apologetic look but it soon changed to a dark one, and after shaking her head, she turned her lips into a deep frown. "All I know is that they'll think of one another the way that you've thought of me, Sunset, which is not atall!"
Then, she was about to fire a beam of the Memory Stone's magic towards all of Sunset's friends, but for some reason, the stone was suddenly snatched out of Wallflower's hands. "Wait, what-"
"What did I say to you about going overboard?"
A sinister voice was heard throughout the CHS parking lot, with a black swirl of magic appearing behind the magical object that was floating in the air, and while Wallflower gulped nervously, both Casey and Sunset shared a look of confusion and concern.
"Teenagers these days, honestly." The swirl slowly transformed into the shape of an unfamiliar person wearing a black cloak, his face covered up by its hood, and he pointed with a gloved hand at the young green-haired teenager. "I'll deal with your impatience in just a moment... and may I say what a pleasure it is to finally meet you."
Sunset, Wallflower, and the human versions of the Mane 6 all looked over at Casey, who replied, "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Well, it's not every day that you get to actually meet one of the few individuals you despise so much meet a tragic end," said the sinister figure, now floating only a few inches above the ground. "Only a matter of time until you're gone completely... unless..."
He slowly made his way over to Casey, and the young teenager was about to say something, but then, his glitching suddenly returned, and everyone else watched with horror as the young man's body went back and forth constantly from its regular form to nothing but pixels and inked letters.
"I suppose this also works." A hidden smile appeared on the cloaked person's face
"Hey!" The unknown figure turned his head in Sunset's direction. "I may not know who the heck you are, but leave my friend alone!"
"You still think of him as a friend? Someone who wasn't even meant to exist in the first place?" He asked, though he was no longer moving, and Sunset nodded her head.
"Of course I think of him that way... and what do you mean he isn't supposed to exist?"
Instead of answering her question, the cloaked figure simply backed away enough for Casey to only glitch occasionally, but he now looked a lot worse than he had a few minutes ago.
"Thank... you..." gasped an exhausted Casey, and it wasn't long before he felt himself collapse, but luckily, Sunset was able to catch him before he got hurt in any way.
"Once I watch him vanish into thin air, I'll be sure to do the same with the vigilante," said the cloaked figure. "My only regret is that I can't see it happen together."
Casey looked up at him, and it was almost as if the dots were starting to connect in his mind. "You... are the reason why this is... happening to me."
"Well, more or less, but yes," answered the cloaked figure, and he gestured to the Memory Stone. "Amazing what this can be capable of after making a couple of major adjustments to it... such as restoring the balance of a universe to what it was originally meant to be." He turned his attention over to Sunset. "To answer your question, my dear... if this were a t.v. show, I'd simply be erasing Casey from it because he's only a self-inserted character that came from the mind of someone else... and does not belong in it whatsoever."
While Sunset was trying to figure out how to respond to the cloaked figure's statement, Casey was mentally calling out to the only person that he hoped would be able to help -
"There's no use in trying to contact your beloved friend," said the sinister man, as if he'd been hearing Casey's thoughts. "His dimension is lightyears away from this one... and besides, his only existence are now in the pages of a book that Princess Twilight doesn't even remember writing."
He moved a few inches towards them, and as Casey's glitching became more constant, a red ball of deadly energy appeared in one of the cloaked figure's hands. "Let me ease the rest of your pain by putting an immediate end to your story... and I would say that you'd be reunited with your parents, but not even they exist anymore, so you will literally fade away into nothingness... also, I highly suggest that you move out of the way."
Sunset was still holding onto Casey, and she took a moment to look back and forth from him to her nearby friends, but just as the sinister man was about to just fire his blast despite his warning, a familiar magenta streak of magic shot towards him from behind, causing the figure's energy ball to dissapear.
"What the hell is..." said the elderly figure, turning over to see who had fired the shot at him. "Ah, how lovely it is for us to meet again, Kronos, you meddling imbecile... and I see you brought a friend."
"Twilight?" Both Sunset and Casey spoke at the same time, surprised and confused to see the princess of friendship standing beside Kronos, but still in the form of an alicorn instead of a human being.
"Leave these innocent people alone, Xenos," proclaimed Kronos, glaring at the cloaked figure while Twilight hurried over to check on her boyfriend.
"You okay?" asked the young alicorn.
Casey just nodded his head, not exactly knowing what to even say right now.
As for Kronos, he continued to speak to the dangerous being in front of him. "You have no business even being here."
A laugh came out of Xenos' mouth, and he shook his head. "Neither do you... now, if you'll excuse me, I have some unfinished business with her."
The sinister figure tossed the Memory Stone into Wallflower's hands, and he pointed at Sunset. "Use it on her now."
Wallflower remained silent, looking over at the bacon-haired teenager with hesitation, which made Xenos even more upset.
"I gave you an order, Wallflower. You wouldn't have even gotten the stone if it weren't for me."
Casey looked at Kronos, wondering why wasn't he doing anything to Xenos.
"Because the last time he tried, it almost cost him his life," said the sinister figure, who was still glaring at a petrified Wallflower. "And was forbidden by a higher authority to ever go up against me like that again... which means that he can't stop me from doing this."
Casey's fear grew at a rapid pace as he watched Wallflower suddenly rise up into the air, with only Xenos' eyes moving at the same time, and it was because he was reminded of when Rowan had done the same to him.
"I'll be taking this back," said Xenos, with the Memory Stone swiftly floating towards him, and Wallflower's eyes were now closed as she grunted in pain, dark psychic energy now surrounding and almost crushing her body.
There has to be something I can - wait a second! thought Casey, who suddenly found himself looking down at his special watch that he'd created some time after meeting Stardust, and a frown appeared on his face.
"As of right now," growled Xenos. "Your services are no longer requ- gah! Who..."
From out of nowhere, the sinister figure was struck by a powerful electric attack, and that caused him to lose his focus on Wallflower, who fell down safely into the arms of Kronos. " .. you abomination."
"Stupid head." A smirk appeared on Casey's face, and he fired the same attack again at Xenos' hands, causing the Memory Stone to fly away somewhere else.
Xenos' hidden eyes started glowing with rage, but then, a sly smile appeared on his face. "Well played, Casey... but who do you think gave Rowan that power to begin with?"a
Before Casey could say anything to him, Xenos added, "Who do you think was the one responsible for you even entering Stardust's world in the first place?"
The young man remained frozen in place, and Xenos grinned once he realized what needed to be said in order for him to hit it home. "I'm the reason why Rowan entered your world in the first place... and it was I who instructed him to 'take care' of your parents... isn't that right, Kronos?"
Casey turned his head towards the elderly man, who was silent but had a sad expression on his face, and Xenos started to laugh. "You know, since we have... I would say, a few more hours until the sunset arrives, let's have a little fun. What do you think, Princess Twilight?"
"You do... anything to her," growled Casey, in between another unexpected glitch, and Xenos shook his head.
"I wouldn't dare hurt the lovely princess myself... I'd give that honor to someone else, and since you've already done it in the past, I'm going to have her do it."
Then, he glanced over at Kronos, with one eyebrow raised. "You think you're the only one who can keep someone in their actual form?"
With a quick snap of two fingers, Xenos' smile grew wider as the person who was standing next to Casey quickly became surrounded by dark energy that formed into the shape of an egg. "Another positive in tampering with the Memory Stone, which was used on you not so long ago, if I recall."
Everyone else was too shocked at what was now going on in front of them to say anything, except for Sci-Twi and Twilight.
"Sunset!"
A chuckle came from Xenos as he said, "Time to see which one of you is more powerful."
Twilight and Casey began to back away a little once the egg-shaped cocoon had vanished, revealing Sunset Shimmer in her unicorn body, but she didn't look happy to see them.
"Sunset? Are you - whoa!" Twilight teleported herself out of the way to avoid an energy blast that came from Sunset's own glowing horn. "Sunset, stop, don't do this!"
"A little too late for that, princess," replied the possessed unicorn, and fired another blast at the purple alicorn. |
Forgotten Friendship | The Power of Friendship | "Will you just... quit running away from me, Twilight!"
Sunset fired another blast at the defensive alicorn, and Twilight teleported herself to a different spot, with the blast swiftly passing by her. The two ponies had spent most of the time so far since Sunset's possession repeating this process.
"I'm not going to fight you, Sunset!" exclaimed Twilight, who had no intention whatsoever in bringing any harm to her. "You're my friend, and I - eeep!" The yellow unicorn's response was another blast sent towards her that she carefully dodged.
As that was going on, a hovering Xenos was watching with a smile on his face, feeling very amused by his new possession trying to harm the princess of friendship.
Also, the human versions of the Mane 6 were watching with worried expressions, and Casey had gone over to Wallflower to see if she was okay.
"Sunset, listen to me!" begged Twilight, hoping that she'd be able to get through to her. "If we continue to do this, the sun will have already set, and we won't be able to get back the good memories your friends have about you! Casey won't even exist - yikes!"
A more stronger blast had come from Sunset, her horn glowing with dark magic, and instead of teleporting away, Twilight deflected it by surrounding herself inside of a force field.
"You're such a weak princess, Twilight," said Xenos, with Sunset now speaking at the same time due to her being under his control. "No wonder you've been captured so many times."
The yellow unicorn fired another strong energy blast, but the young alicorn continued to remain standing in her force field bubble, and Sunset growled in frustration while Xenos began laughing.
"That won't be able to keep you safe forever, Twilight... just deal with it - I'm smart, you're dumb; I'm big, you're little; I'm right, you're wrong, and there's nothing you can do about it."
Before Twilight could say anything back, Sunset fired one more blast at her shield, and kept it going until she would be successful in penetrating her means of protection.
"Sunset... please," begged Twilight, who was using as much power as she possibly could to keep up her force field, but like what Xenos had said, she had a terrible feeling that it wasn't going to stay that way forever.
A worried and concerned Casey looked over at Kronos, and the Master of Time said, "Break the Memory Stone... it could be the only way to save Sunset, her friends, and your own self."
Casey looked down at his hands after hearing that, and saw that they were now starting to become transparent again.
"But how am I supposed to do that if- huh?"
Suddenly, the powerful stone landed in front of them, and he looked up to see that it had been thrown by the person that had caught it earlier: a yellow-haired teenage girl with grey skin, gold-colored eyes that were crossed, and waved happily at him before speeding away on her bicycle.
"Um... okay... thanks, Derpy," muttered Casey, and he tried to pick up the Memory Stone, but because of his hands' transparency, all they did was go right through the stone. "Guess it's time to make a Plan B, then." He turned over to look at Wallflower. "I need your help... and I also need you to trust me."
As for Twilight, she felt herself starting to sweat because her force field bubble was heating up like an oven, thanks to Sunset's continuous energy blast, and Xenos cackled with glee as he saw the trailing edge of the sun's disk start to dissappear below the horizon.
"Time sure flies when you're having fun," said the sinister villain, as well as Sunset, and he let out a chuckle. "Enjoy the afterlife, my little princess."
A small crack appeared on the surface of Twilight's force field, and she gave a nervous gulp, but just as it looked like Sunset's magic would destroy the force field completely, a sudden whistle was heard that made Sunset stop using her magic to turn around.
"Hey, Zenon! Leave my girlfriend alone!" shouted Casey, glaring at both her and Xenos. "And if you want to have her hurt someone, a-hole, then go ahead and take your best shot!"
A sly grin appeared on Xenos' face, and he said, "Well, then, don't mind if I do... and sorry you two don't have time to give a proper farewell."
"What... Casey! Sunset, no!" cried Twilight, watching in horror as the possessed unicorn fired an energy blast at Casey... who glitched away from her attack at the very last second, resulting in Sunset's magic being absorbed by the Memory Stone that Wallflower was currently holding in her hands.
Then, because it was too much power for the Memory Stone to handle, the magical object exploded into several small pieces and everyone watched as the memory strips that were inside go back to the minds of their rightful owners, which included Casey, Sunset, and the young unicorn's friends.
After the explosion's arrival, Wallflower found herself falling back again into someone's arms, and she turned around to see that it was Casey, who was no longer transparent.
"Told you that I- oof!" He was cut off by an unexpected hug from the nervous teenager, and a few seconds later, she pulled away from him with a sheepish smile and a small red hue on her face while Casey gave an amused chuckle.
"Ohhhh... and I just got rid of my headache from before not that long ago," moaned Rarity, placing a hand on her forehead.
"I second that, sugarcube," muttered Applejack, in response, and the rest of the girls nodded in agreement.
However, for some reason, Sunset still looked possessed, and a confused Casey couldn't understand as to why this was.
"Because aside from still being under my control, she's the only one here that has something dark but also beautiful placed deep inside of her," explained a smirking Xenos, with Sunset remaining silent. "And now it is time for us to all enjoy my most favorite part of today's game... sudden death."
Then, to everyone else's surprise-turned-horror, Sunset began transforming back into a human being, but her clothing had been changed to an all-red attire, and as she was rising up into the air, a swirling mass of flames had begun appearing behind her to form what looked like a phoenix.
"Tweet tweet! Tweet tweet!" cried Pinkie.
On one hand, the sight was absolutely beautiful to behold, but there was also the fact that Sunset still had an angered facial expression which made Casey feel extremely worried and give a small gulp.
"Try to dodge this, you meddlesome pest," said Xenos and Sunset simultaneously.
"Oh, boy," muttered Casey, and he hurried out of the way to avoid a fire blast that Phoenix Sunset had fired at him, but before he could take a moment to breath, the young teenager yelped in surprise after another incoming blast missed him by a few inches.
Xenos cackled with pure laughter and glee, feeling satisfied in knowing that he'd finally be able to exterminate Casey permanently, but just as he was about to have his new puppet attack, a familar teenager had decided to stand in front of Casey with a determined but also concerned expression.
"Sunset, please! This isn't you! I'm sorry about what happened earlier today, but I believe you now! We all do!"
Phoenix Sunset lowered her hand that was currently glowing with her fire power after Sci Twi had spoken, and remained silent while Xenos rolled his eyes.
"Whatever you're trying, Twilight, just stop before - oh, lovely, you're all joining her."
The rest of Phoenix Sunset's friends came over to join Sci Twi, with all of them now standing side by side each other.
"Well, don't say that I didn't warn you," said Xenos, and his smirk returned as Phoenix Sunset's hand was raised back up. "Do it, Shimmer."
A fireball had been created in Phoenix Sunset's hand, and a smirk appeared on her face, as well, as she launched the fireball... but it wasn't thrown in the direction of her friends.
"Ow! What... how is this even possible?!" growled Xenos, whose cloak was now somewhat singed after being struck by Phoenix Sunset's attack. "You're supposed to be under my control! Your power belongs to me!"
Sci-Twi shook her head. "Well, that's not the case anymore, Xenos! And anything is possible with the power of-"
"Yeah, yeah, we get it," interrupted Pinkie, and a wide grin appeared on her face. "Light him up, Sunset!"
Xenos looked back over at the transformed teenager, who was getting ready to send a massive fire blast at him. "Well, this certainly didn't turn out the way that I had hoped... gah!"
The sinister villain moved back a bit after being hit by Phoenix Sunset's attack, and everyone watched as his body started to disintegrate while being enveloped in flames, but before he was gone completely, Xenos gave a cold glare towards Casey and Twilight.
"You two haven't seen the last of me."
Then, the flames flickered away until there was nothing left, and Sunset began floating down to the ground, the phoenix behind her turning into a bright light that went into the young teenager's body.
Once her feet had touched the surface, Sunset stumbled back a little bit, and placed a hand on her forehead. "Ugh... does anyone have an idea on how to get rid of a headache?"
"Sunset!" squealed an excited Pinkie, who embraced her friend with a tight and warm hug, but a few seconds later, small streams of smoke started to appear between them.
"Um, Pinkie Pie?" said Rainbow, pointing to what was happening.
The pink-haired teenager stepped away a little bit from Sunset, and saw that her clothes were now covered with scorch marks. "Wow, Sunset, you're really hot right now!"
Rainbow started to laugh after seeing Sunset's sheepish face turn red, and then, she said, "Oh, this ought to be interesting."
"What do you-"
"... Sunset?" The young teen's eyes became wide after seeing an almost baffled Flash Sentry walk towards her. "Princess Twilight?"
"Oh, uh... heh, heh, hey, Flash Sentry," said Twilight, chuckling sheepishly since she hadn't been expecting to see him at the school. "Er, long time, no see... me... seeing you... here... um, w-why are you here again?"
Flash gestured to the school behind him. "I came by to pick up my guitar that I left in the practice room, but then I saw Sunset running over here for some reason... then I saw him doing the same..."
Casey made an expression that meant "ohhhh" as he realized who had come in the black vehicle.
"... anyway, uh... so this is what you really look like, then?"
After taking a moment to release a deep breath, Twilight nodded her head. "Uh-huh, this is who I am."
Flash placed a hand behind his head, and replied, "Got it... so, you're a, uh, pony too, Sunset, minus a... pair of wings and title of being a princess?"
"Er, pretty much, yeah," said Sunset. "In technical terms, I'm a unicorn and... uh, Princess Twilight is an alicorn..."
A smirk appeared on Rainbow's face while crossing her arms. "Well, this must be awkward... ow! What was that for?"
Applejack rolled her eyes after thumping the teenage athlete on the back of her head, and said, "Sometimes you just need to know when is a good time to hush up."
As for Flash, after looking back and forth a few times between Sunset and Twilight, he let out a sigh. "This... might take a short while to get used to... but, uh, I don't intend on thinking about you two differently because, er... you're not actual humans."
Before either of the two could say something to try and put Flash at ease, Pinkie suddenly wrapped her arm around him. "Nah, don't worry, Flash, you'll feel better about this by tomorrow morning! I mean, you should've seen how me and the others reacted when Sunset told us that she was actually a pony. Well, technically, I already sorta had a hunch that she was a pony since there was that one time I saw her at the mall, so I had 'hi, Sunset!' to her, but then she just looked at me like if I was some crazy person, and it wasn't until after Sunset had told us that I learned I'd actually spoken to the other her... but to make a long story short, you'll feel better about all this in the morning."
Sunset tried her best not to groan despite feeling glad that her friends' memories were back to normal, and she said, "Okay, Pinkie, I think that's enough... of... wait, what did you say?"
The pink-haired teen gave an exaggerated sigh. "Do I really need to say all of that again?"
"No, no, that's fine, I got it," replied Flash, shaking his head. "Anyway, uh, I'd better get going before I'm late to practice... so, um, I'll see you all tomorrow or on Monday during school... and it was, uh, nice to see you again, Twi... Twilight."
"Uh-huh," said Twilight, giving him a polite smile, and Flash gave one small nod of the head before walking back into CHS to get his guitar. "Well, I... think that went, er, pretty okay."
Pinkie nodded her head, and she said, "But if you don't mind me asking, Princess Twilight, why are you still a pony instead of looking like us."
"That would be my doing, Miss Pie," explained Kronos, now holding up a necklace that looked like the one Twilight currently had around her neck, and he handed it over to the curious teenager. It held a silver clock-like medallion at the end. "I knew she would need this once I became aware of Xenos' plan, and-"
"Coooool! I'm a pony now!" cried a gleeful Pinkie, who'd magically turned into her pony counterpart, and after taking it off, she was back in her original form. "Anybody else want to try?"
Kronos just chuckled as he took back the necklace from a sheepish Pinkie, and looked over at both Twilight and Casey, with the young man asking, "I, uh... just want to right now if-"
"Stardust's world is fine, son," replied the Master of Time, a small smile on his face. "You can check in, if you like, once you finish up here... for now, there's an important matter elsewhere that needs my attention. Until next time, my friends."
He then disappeared after a quick finger snap, and before Casey could say something to his girlfriend, Wallflower began to speak. "I'm... so sorry... to everyone." She then handed over a small piece of the ancient object over to Casey, who looked at it for a moment before putting it away. "When I first started to use the Memory Stone, it was only to erase small things - awkward hellos, saying the wrong thing, literally any public speaking."
"I've had plenty of awkward moments I wish I could erase, too," said Sci Twi, nodding sympathetically since she understood what Wallflower was saying.
"But it's no excuse," said Wallflower. "I was so used to erasing memories that I got carried away... I'd rather be forgotten about or remain invisible than be remembered as a villain."
Now it was Sunset that decided to speak. "We've all been villans to someone at one time or another, Wallflower. What matters are the choices you make today." A small smile appeared on both of their faces. "Also, I'm sorry, too. I may have stopped being mean, but a great and powerful friend helped me realize that I still wasn't nice to you." Sunset then helped the regretful teenager up to her feet. "Everyone matters, Wallflower, no matter how invisible or insignificant they feel."
Just as Wallflower was about to thank Sunset, a realization came to the bacon-haired teenager, and she looked over at Twilight. "Would you mind, um, coming with me to check on someone that's locked in the yearbook editing room?"
"... I don't even want to ask right now," said a chuckling Twilight, who followed after her friend, and that left Wallflower to talk with Casey.
"So... you've been a villain at one point?" wondered Wallflower.
"Um, yeah, more or less," replied a sheepish Casey. "But I learned my own lessons from that experience... and even though I don't really see him as much, I have someone now that'll always be my best friend."
Wallflower nodded her head. "That sounds... great, Casey... and, uh, what are you going to do with-"
"The piece of the stone?" A sly grin appeared on Casey's face. "Well, first, I'm going to get even with a certain someone back home that's close to me... and I'll figure out what to do next after that... anyway, I have a feeling Sunset'll be able to help 'grow' your gardening club to what it's meant to be. Maybe the next time I come back, you can show it to me? Heck, you could even finish the rest of that song from earlier, too."
Wallflower's smile grew as she nodded, and replied, "Y-yeah! I'd lo - like that... a lot... um, I'll see you next time, then. Bye, Casey."
"Bye, Wallflower," said Casey, watching the green-haired teenager walk away to presumably her home, and he turned around to start heading towards the statue slab that would take him to his planned destination, but not before passing by a chuckling Rainbow. "What?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing, Casey," answered the athletic teen. "Tell the other me in your world that I'll be stopping by one of these days for a rematch."
After stepping out of the Crystal Mirror, Casey placed a hoof on his forehead, and he muttered, "I guess everyone is getting a headache today... huh?"
For some reason, the library that he was in seemed to be more darker than usual, and the walls were decorated with things like cobwebs, plastic spiders, and other similar stuff.
"What in the heck is - gah!"
"Casey?
Suddenly, the library's usual brightness returned just a quick moment after its owner had entered the room, and to Casey's confusion, she was dressed up like some kind of mad scientist.
"Um... Princess Twilight?"
The disguised alicorn nodded her head. "Happy Nightmare Night!"
Talk about a major time difference, thought Casey, even though he was relieved to see that his girlfriend's counterpart was fine. "Um, the same to you, Twilight... is-"
"Stardust! What did you and Spike do to my room?!"
"It wasn't my idea!"
Twilight let out a sigh, and she shook her head before saying, "Jack's supposed to be finishing up with cleaning the castle since-"
"Hey! Why are you still here?"
"Aw, come on now, Stardust! I thought we could still spend some time - whoa! Oh, don't do this tonight, Stardust, it's a holiday!"
"Not in your case, Zephyr, and this is also for mucking things up earlier!"
Then, the two of them heard the sound of the castle doors opening up, followed Zephyr letting out a yelp after being presumably thrown out by Stardust.
"Did I, uh, miss a holiday party gone wrong or something?" asked Casey.
"It's a long story," replied Twilight, now taking off the head parts for her costume. "So, what's up? I can get Jack in here if-"
Casey shook his head, and said, "I'll write to him later, I just, er, came to... make a short visit..." He then shared a quick hug with Twilight's counterpart before going back to the Crystal Mirror. "Take care, Twilight."
"You too, Casey," said Twilight, waving good-bye at her friend. "And tell everyone else I said hi!" |
Forgotten Friendship | The End? | Several Weeks Later
"Aww, come on... seriously?!"
Sunset chuckled quietly as she watched Rainbow become upset about two certain pages in the CHS yearbook, and made her way over to the front of the school, where she saw that Wallflower was finishing up a conversation with -
"Oh, hey, Casey! How's it going out in Equestria?" greeted the mare-turned-human, noting that it had been a while since he had been in this world.
Giving out a sheepish chuckle, Casey gave a friendly wave to the departing (and blushing) Wallflower before answering Sunset's question. "Well, where do I start? There's a Friendship School now, an actual child was sent to Tartarus... oh, and I made a new friend."
For a moment, Sunset found herself speechless at the words Casey had just said, but then, she snapped out of it after hearing what sounded like a more deeper and rougher version of his voice.
Hello, Sunset Shimmer... So nice to finally meet you.
"Wha... who...?" Sunset looked around in confusion, seeing no one else nearby except for themselves. "Was that you?"
Shaking his head for a bit, Casey replied, "It's a long story, Sunset... anywho, I wanted to ask if you had any free time available today to spend back in Equestria? I'm sure 'Princess' Twilight would be happy to see you."
The bacon-haired teenager glanced back over at her group of friends, who were all trying to get Rainbow's mind off of the yearbook, and she nodded her head. "I think I've got some time available today."
"Awesome!" Casey replied, and he followed after her through the portal inside of the Chs base, with everything around them quickly becoming a gigantic swirl.
Then, when it was time for them to step into the library of Princess Twilight, the young and brown-orange stallion said, "I'm getting better at being used to that."
"Same here... almost," agreed a nodding Sunset, rubbing the side of her human-turned-pony head a little, and began to look around. "So, where is Twilight?"
"Let me see if she's at the school," replied Casey, with the young pony heading out of the room whilst Sunset continued to walk around.
Huh, wonder what book this is for, thought Sunset when her eyes became curious with a purple-colored book that had a familiar symbol on the front cover.
Before she could answer herself, the yellow unicorn heard a voice nearby say, "You wouldn't be interested in what's in there. Trust me."
Sunset turned around, and she became surprised to see a slighly older-looking Earth pony with gold as the color of its fur, as well as a dark blue cloak. He had just finished putting away a book back in its proper place, and a very small smirk was on his face.
"Oh! Sorry, I didn't see you over there..." apologized Sunset, giving him a sheepish smile. "Hi, I'm -"
Nodding his head back to the doors of the library, the gold pony replied, "Yeah, they've all told me what you do in the world that's supposed to be Earth... anyway, it's nice to finally meet you."
Before Sunset could ask him for a name, the doors were suddenly opened wide, followed by an excited squee that came from a certain pink Earth pony.
"Hey, Sunset! Welcome back to Equestria! Wow, you've missed a lot since that day you turned into a hot Phoenix. Come on, let me show you... and wait 'till you see Spike's new wings!"
"Pinkie, I was - gah!" exclaimed Sunset, who was now being yanked away by Pinkie, and she gave the chuckling gold Earth pony a small wave before becoming out of sight.
Heh... nice meeting you, too...
Suddenly, his thoughts were cut short by a familar unicorn's voice. "I saw what was going on there, Stardust."
"What... hey, Glimmer, surprising whoever is in here from coming out of nowhere is my job," replied Stardust, now bearing a small frown of irritation towards the lilac unicorn. "And I think you're out of your mind cause there wasn't anything for you to see."
"Right, Stardust... if that's what makes you feel better," replied Starlight in a casual tone, but also trying her best to avoid grinning too much.
That simply prompted Stardust to roll his eyes, and begin to make his way out of the library whilst Starlight just chuckled softly before glancing at the book that had caught Sunset's eye earlier.
Using her magic, the young unicorn opened it up and flipped over to the latest page that contained writing, which bore a warning-like message from a Princess Twilight in a parallel universe.
If we don't stop it, then both of our worlds will be in utter peril... everyone must be united.
Starlight let out a sigh, knowing that what was being asked by Princess Twilight was not an easy task... and to possibly make matters worse, she could feel inside herself that the end of something would be coming to Equestria...
I just hope that we'll have enough time, thought the lilac pony, before closing up the book and disappearing in a flash of magic. |
Twilight NEEDS Sunset. BADLY | pre | Twilight got her presentation on, Sunset read what the first slide said and instinctively chuckled.
The first slide was an image of Twilight, and the other Twilight. The title read "College student vs Princess Pros and cons: Weighting the value of Twilight sparkle (me)"
Still chuckling, Sunset tried interrupting the whole thing. "Heheh, oh my god... Is this about the other Twilight? Look, this really isn't nece-"
"Please hold all criticisms until the presentation is over." Twilight responded, robotically.
You're doing great. I would have already taken off my shirt. Or at least the hoodie.
Next slide, the first in a long list of rhetoric.
This one had imagery of a feudal castle with a poorly edited Twilight Sparkle on the highest tower, and Sunset at the bottom.
Twilight stuck to the script, she was rarely one to adlib. "Our first point here today is that a Princess's life is inherently messy. They have a million responsibilities, and rarely have time for stable long-term relationships. It is my understanding that the Twilight from your world has never had a relationship before, is this correct?"
Let's hope she doesn't mention that neither have you.
Sunset couldn't help but smile, while she played along. "Not until now, no."
Twilight adjusted her glasses, containing any nervous instinct. "Indeed, no doubt in no small part because she simply has too many responsibilities, and therefore, I have it in good authority that she would be unfit for stable long-term relationships."
Sunset tilted her head with a smirk. "Eh, It's mostly because of a personality thing, much like you. And of course, theoretically, her partner could move in and join her in Princess duties, which would fix a lot."
Crap crap crap we're losing her
"Ahem. Theoretically." It was taking all of her willpower to remain with a poker face.
Next slide.
This one was the image of Twilight and Sunset in college together, very close to each other. "As you can see, with a college student that participates on the same classes you do, and gets to work and leisure with you, you would have a whole lot more stability and time, which is much more beneficial to a long-term relationship."
Sunset's only response was to smirk, raising an eyebrow, while resting her chin on a fist.
Oughhh....!
Twilight was being affected as well. "And, um, by this, my first point, uh, my first point ends with this. A classmate is a much easier person to have a relationship of any kind than a princess from another dimension."
Sunset did not respond, just kept watching the nerd do her thing, with adoration.
Next slide.
This one, with images of test scores, and Sunset and Twilight in a #1 podium together.
Ugh this one is so boring.
She cleared her throat and continued. "Okay. You and I are both well achieving students, yes. But your grades struggle, when you have to take commutes to another world. If you and I were in a committed relationship, studying together would be quite easy, and would uplift us both."
Sunset nodded, giggling. "I don't really care for grades or studying as much as you do, but sure." Her smile indicated that she was at least enjoying herself, watching Twilight Sparkle squirm, as usual.
Her smile......
Next slide.
This one, with an image of a manga where a character is performing what is known as 'kabedon' with another, much to the smaller one's fluster.
Sunset involuntarily snickered.
At least this one is funny. I can't believe I let you bring anime into this.
Twilight tried her best to remain focussed. "Ahem. I am small and I am inexperienced and I am cute. You are large, experienced, and tough. Given our differences and your dominating demeanor, you would have endless entertainment on making me fluster, and teaching me all sorts of, ahem, things. I-I know you're into that sort of um. Dynamic." the Nerd tried not thinking of Trixie and Sunset together.
Yes. Sex. Hell yes
Sunset snickered some more. "You definitely have a point there." As she envisioned herself squeezing Twilight like a squeak toy. Something about the way she rested her arms on the chair made the Nerd envision similar things.
Say it. Come on, say it.
"W-well, as i was saying, the fact that I am inexperienced does not change that I am willing to learn. So in a way. I, uh. I'd be more than happy to be your plaything...!" Her voice trailed as she lost the energy and realized how embarrassing she sounded.
YEAHHH
Sunset's eyes widened in surprise, then she let out a chuckle. "Ahem. Yes. Very strong argument."
Twilight recovered some composure. "And, um, yes, i've done plenty of research on how to be not just a paper weight, so there is a high chance would we would enjoy ourselves in the, um, that department."
"What do you mean by research?" Sunset tilted her head analytically.
Twilight began stuttering and sweating. "Umm, I, uhhh-"
If you tell our Sunny bunny that you've 'Researched Sex' I'm taking over your body, giving myself a wedgie, and immediately switching back!!!!
"I, Uh, Let's just go to the next slide." Twilight feared how far Midnight's threat would go, so she stayed quiet for a bit longer. "Nevermind."
Next slide.
Oh this one is my favorite.
It was multiple selfies that Midnight had taken, in multiple different bathrooms, some of them left nothing to the imagination, but they were very much edited to be censored.
I can't believe you convinced me to censor these.
Sunset was very attentively watching now.
Twilight averted her eyes from the shameful images on screen, something Sunset very much did not. "This is the last and most important point. Evil is sexy. And with me, there are two Twilights for the price of one. Ahem. No, I do not know whose bathroom these are, or when she took these."
And, you're never gonna find out. Heheheh.
Sunset nodded thoroughly. "Evil is indeed sexy. Strong argument." WOO
Twilight tried her best to stay on point. "Although me and Midnight are very different in lots of ways, there is one thing we implicitly agree on, and it's our thoughts on you. We have already agreed on a rotational system if need be, but generally know that we are in agreement, that we can absolutely share if need be; And whenever you're in the mood for shy nerd or brash evil, you can simply ask."
Damn right you can.
"In summation. If you're in the mood for a cute nerd, you have that. If you're in the mood for something more rowdy, evil is sexy. You get the best of two worlds. Two Twilight's for the price of one. And that is where we stand." Twilight put her hands together, professionally, attempting not to worry about the response.
Sunset had a dumb grin on her face as she muttered something under her breath. She then chuckled, and looked back at the nerd. "So. Presentation over?"
"Um. Yes." She fidgeted nervously.
Sunset looked as if she was containing laughter. "Good presentation, top notch as always, Sparkles. There's just one problem, really..."
Oh no
"Oh gosh" she muttered.
Sunset got up from the chair and stretched, before exhaling. "The thing is? I already asked the other Twilight if she was okay with me doing stuff with you, and she said she was more than okay with another Twilight getting the happiness she has, too."
'STUFF'??
Twilight didn't respond, the gears in her head turned and halted. And broke and re-mended in a cycle.
Oh my god this was all pointless
"So I guess, what I'm really saying is, wow, deja vu... What I'm really saying is. If you wanted to have sex with me, you could have just asked."
Twilight froze in place like a deer in the headlights. Sunset approached her, at arm's length, towering over her with a confident smile.
ASK HER
Quiet squeals came from within Twilight's throat. Her eyes were widened, her face red, and she was immobilized.
ASK HER!!!!!!!!!!
Sunset crossed her arms, tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "Sparkles?"
WE'RE SO CLOSE. JUST ASK HER!!
Twilight averted her gaze from Sunset's beautiful turquoise eyes, looking down. She was sweating an awful lot and her breathing was unsteady. "I, um, I, us..."
IT'S ON A SILVER PLATTER SERVED FOR YOU, NERD, ASK HER!!!!
Twilight fidgeted with her fingers, unable to say more. Sunset sighed, still smiling, patiently. "Well... It's okay. Know that I'm around anytime for you. I'm gonna go grab dinner. You could come with, if you want." Sunset started moving towards the door, until her wrist was grabbed and she halted.
"Sunny bunny. We're not done here. The nerd wants to ask you. Give her a bit." Midnight smiled nervously, pulling her closer, which they both enjoyed. She grabbed onto Sunset's jacket with both hands, so that Twilight would have support when they switched back.
...Thank you.
"Sure. I'll wait." Sunset smirked, and with a couple blinks and twitch of the head, Twilight was back in control, much to her fluster, leaning on Sunset.
"W-we... We'd do it here...?!"
"If you want."
"H-how are we.. how would we..."
"I was thinking my fingers."
"Um. What if we get caught?"
"I don't mind the risk. Do you?"
Twilight remained an anxious mess, breathing unsteadily, conflicted with fear and desire.
Sunset smiled warmly. "I'll make it easier for you. If you want to do it, all you have to say is please."
".......................................................................................................................Please."
Sunset held her chin and kissed her slowly, as to not freak her out too much. Cradling her cheeks and smiling the whole way. To no surprise, Twilight was a bad kisser, exactly what she expected, but nothing that made her any less cute.
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She recoiled, giving Twilight some breathing room, who had a stupid grin on her face, tinged in red and sweat. Sunset removed her jacket, then helped Twilight out of her sweater, throwing both articles of clothing to the other side of the room.
"Let's move away from the door, shall we?" Smirking, Sunset easily held Twilight by the armpits and lifted her aloft, taking her to the wall the door was on, just much further away. They stood, face to face, with twilight pressed against a wall. Sunset didn't bother removing hers or her own shirt. She just kissed her some more, and now Twilight clumsily attempted to get handsy as well, touching Sunset in ways she never would have dared.
Sunset seemed to be enjoying the irony of how she went through a similar song and dance with another Twilight. "That feel good?"
YEAH!!!!!
"Y-yes...!" The nerd stuttered. "W-what happens now...?"
"How about this?" Sunset kept an eye on her, to make sure she was okay with it, as she reached a hand down on Twilight's skirt, looking for a certain something, digging deep. It took some shuffling, and Twilight certainly had anxiety levels akin to as if she was being vivisected; But let Sunset have her way.
A quiet yelp and a slight whimper. Sunset found her target. Twilight instinctively gripped the Punk Unicorn's shirt as she let out a couple of sounds affirming that the target was indeed found, dead to rights. Sunset decided to, that this time, she would not mention how absurdly wet Twilight already was, somehow.
H-holy crap even I am feeling it.
Sunset cradled her cheek with her free hand, attempting to make her as comfortable as possible. While keeping a steady pace. "Let me know if you want me to stop, okay?"
Twilight Held Sunsets hand that cradled her face, muttering the closest she could to 'keep going'
Damn right keep going!!
Sunset, while kissing Twilight all over her face and neck, took moments to note differences in the mannerisms of this Twilight and the other. This one seemed a bit more helpless, definitely a lot more anxious. Her sounds of pleasure were even more suppressed, which came out as even cuter squeaks and whimpers. Every once in a while, she couldn't help but chuckle at the cute sounds that this Twilight made.
Hey. Hey. You should ask her if she can turn into Daydream Shimmer. While we fuck. That would be so hot.
"S-sunset...?" Twilight whispered as if she had run a marathon, and yet, begging to a lover, which made Sunset's heart flutter. "Yes?"
It took every bit of her energy and focus to speak."M-midnight is a-asking... I-if you can turn into D-daydream Shimmer..."
Sunset chuckled, understanding the implications clearly. "Heh, no, it's not a switch I turn on, I'm afraid. I don't know how to turn into her."
FUCK!!! Ugh. If only...
Twilight leaned her head on Sunset's shoulder while feeling her fingers inside her, which made her shiver and shudder. The warmth of Sunset's body was incredibly comforting, and she tried her absolute best not to cum fast, considering that would be an utter embarrassment for the first time.
"U-ugh... Sunset..?" She once again requested attention, interrupting the kisses Sunset was planting on her neck.
"Yeah?"
"D-did you... Have sex... With Trixie Lulamoon...?"
The question felt like a slap in the face. "Whu- You're asking me this nOW? Of ALL mOmeNTS, Twilight?!"
Press on. I want to know I won the bet.
Twilight mustered a few frustrated sounds as she gave Sunset the weakest slaps she's ever received in an attempt to convince her to tell the truth.
Sunset rolled her eyes, a bit ashamed. "Fine. yes, I did, once, when I was on a bender of fucking all of Twilight's old enemies. Since the Trixie on my world is taken, I had to make do with this one."
Holy crap, Sunny bunny, you sly dog! That's friggin hilarious. And hot. And also in Trixie's case, really sad. She probably defloured that little loser... Well, much like she's doing to us now. Damnit.
Twilight made small annoyed and frustrated sounds as she attempted to once more give the frailest slaps on Sunset. She lost the bet.
Sunset continued on a bit of a tangent, unsure if this is what Twilight's sounds were about. "Yeah, Trixie's with this girl called Starlight in my world- another one of Twilight's old enemies. Huh, come to think of it, I haven't crossed her out of my list- Actually, no, I've learned my lesson, don't stick your dick in crazy."
She's gonna have to make an exception for me, heheh
"Ican'tbelieveyoubonedTrixiebeforeME" Twilight mustered the complaint, gripping sunset closely, almost biting her.
Sunset averted her eyes in embarrassment. "I mean, Sparkles, to be fair, you took your time asking me."
She's got a point, slowpoke. And speaking of slow, how about you cum already? I want my turn on this ride.
Twilight didn't muster a response, just continued her symphony of sighs and squeaks and whimpers, as Sunset picked up the pace even further.
The Punk Unicorn pressed her body against the wall a bit closer. "I just want you to know. My attraction to Twilight Sparkle only strengthened because of you. I don't consider you any lesser to her, okay? Let's just get this out of the way; I like you both the same."
Something clicked with that compliment, something snapped within twilight, forcing her to instinctively, desperately, mutter; "I love you...!"
Sunset's eyes widened with a deja vu. "...What was that?" This time, however, she did not stop just because.
"N-n-nothing...!" Twilight whispered, in a desperate attempt to conceal what she had so openly blurted out.
Nerd. Why would you blurt this out. On the FIRST time she fucks you.
Sunset smiled warmly, chuckling. "Hey... Twilight, it's okay. It's okay. I love you too." She whispered, lovingly.
Twilight reached climax instantly, with a scream she had to suppress halfway, by doing so muffling it in Sunset's shirt, and the Punk Unicorn definitely felt it, not only in her fingers, but also in the way she desperately clung tighter.
H-holy shit.
Twilight stayed in Sunset's embrace, with ragged breaths, clinging tightly. Neither of them spoke for a while. Sunset removed her hands from her skirt, and was about to wipe it, until her wrist was grabbed once more, and then raised.
"That was really, really good... Hello again, Sunny bunny...~" Midnight Sparkle rose her head, with a weary, but incredibly joyful smirk.
"Hey, Midnight...!" Sunset was a bit taken back by how quick the change was.
"The little nerd is tuckered out. It's my turn now." She took Sunset's hand that had previously been inside her and licked it, while maintaining eye contact. Sunset defiantly pulled it back, then licked it herself. "Now we're talking...!"
Be gentle...!
Midnight immediately shoved Sunset at arm's length, leaning down, lifting her shirt, and stuffing her head inside it, with a long, passionate lick to the Punk Unicorn's midriff, that resulted in Midnight's horn tearing her shirt off.
Sunset's reaction was instinctual and instant, throwing her head back and inhaling sharply. That felt good.
Her shirt!! You tore her shirt!!!
She pushed Midnight against the wall. "How do you like that, Sunny bunny?" Sunset attempted to be mad, but she couldn't help but smile. "I liked that shirt."
"We're just getting started." Midnight took the chance to set herself free. She undid the ponytail that kept Twilight's hair in place diligently, and then savagely removed her own shirt, matching Sunset in the topless club. Her eyes glowed magenta and her horn glowed blue, and then, finally, her pitch black wings unveiled themselves, spreading across the wall joyfully.
No more words. Midnight lunged forward, and this time, although the kissing was still not exactly professional, it was certainly aggressive, her hands weren't idle either, and Sunset followed her lead, with them pushing against each other and frisking and groping blindly so fiercely they almost toppled over.
O-oh my gosh, you were right, I feel it too...!
Midnight Sparkle spread her wings, and her horn lit up on pale blue. Chairs and desks were violently shoved aside, making room for her and Sunset on the floor. With her fierce telekinesis, they both spun and landed on a very specific position. Midnight laid on her back, spreading her legs, and Sunset was on all fours.
"If you did it to the Princess, you're doing it to me, too. Feast." Midnight commanded.
There was little resistance from Sunset, as she gripped her thighs, pulling her closer, and tearing what remained of Twilight's underwear away with her teeth. Next would be a job for her tongue.
Oh my gosh i've never seen her like this...!
Sunset allowed herself to be something she never was with Twilight. Rough. And Midnight felt it on every shiver, immediately throwing her head back in pleasure, grabbing onto Sunset's horn fiercely.
Unlike Twilight, Midnight had no qualms about noise, almost rejoicing on the pleasure of announcing her pleasure; sometimes with moans, sometimes with sighs, sometimes with laughter.
Someone might hear you!!!! Be careful!! There's still people passing by the hallway sometimes!!
Of course, the dark Alicorn did not care in the slightest, as she was getting everything she had ever wanted served to her roughly, just how she liked it.
With a snicker, and another glow of the horn, midnight flipped them into another position. This time, she was on her knees, and Sunset on her back, below her. If there's anyone that could handle the pressure, it'd be her. Midnight put her arms down, looming over Sunset as she sat on top of her. "Don't stop, now, Sunny bunny!!"
With a grip of her backside and a fierce pull, Sunset got her back in position and continued her work, which midnight felt instantly, groping her own chest with one hand, and pulling Sunset by the horn closer; continuing her symphony of pleasure. Her hair stood on end as the Punk Unicorn did what her tongue did best.
D-don't crush her face!!!
Midnight instinctively started thrusting and humping slowly, as she felt it in every part of her body, and despite her being on top, she was very much not in control, as Sunset played her like a flute. Her feathers fluttered and quivered as she gripped anything she could, getting closer and closer to...
Sunset stopped what she was doing, and looked at her smugly. "Wh-why did you stop?! I didn't say you could stop!!" Midnight exasperatedly complained.
Be nice!
The punk Unicorn tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "Say please."
"What?? Keep going!!" She wanted to be in control, but...
"Say. Please." The command was made.
"........Please. Pretty please. Keep going...!" She tried to hide her frustration, with questionable results. There were many comments made about Midnight Sparkle in the past. About how she was the dangerous untamable side of Twilight Sparkle.
Sunset Shimmer proved in flying colors in this moment just how tamable she was.
"Good girl." Sunset instantly continued, fiercer than ever, gripping her tightly and going deeper in.
O-oh my goodness. That felt good...!
Midnight felt it too; reaching a loud climax that involuntarily sent a magical blast across the room, sending every chair slamming against the walls, and even breaking the projector. "Hngggh FUCK YEAH!!!!!" She was not restraining her voice.
Midnight!! Quiet!!
Sunset raised her head, as Midnight toppled over her, squishing her with her thighs and belly. "Midnight. Teleport us out of here...!" Sunset requested, muffled.
"Ahh... Ahh... But I'm just having so much fun, Sunny bunny...!" She spoke with a joyful smirk and haggard breathing.
"You just made a LOT of noise, someone is going to come in here, teleport us out, now!!" Sunset was getting a bit more exasperated, not for her sake, but for Twilights.
Midnight please!!! I don't wanna get caught!!
"Awww but what if I don't mind getting caught? ~" The dark Alicorn teased, running her fingers on Sunset's cheek.
Sunset spoke in a serious tone, with an ultimatum. "Get us out of here, or there's no more sex for you or your Twilight."
AaaAAAAaaaaah!!!!!
Instant obedience. Sunset found herself teleported to the college's rooftop, a blindspot for everyone in the school. Midnight shamefully immediately got out from on top of her, helping her up, with a toothy embarrassed smile. "Look at me! I'm complying! I'll be good!!" Struggling to actually stand without wobbling.
Sunset stood up, dusting herself off, and much to her annoyance, only with scraps of what remained of her shirt. It was quite a sight to the two that watched her, though.
Awawaaaaa..... Abbs... Boob...
"You said it, sister..." Midnight still felt a bit dizzy after everything.
Sunset snapped her fingers, getting her attention. "Hey, Twilight's clothes, her glasses and my jacket. Go get them."
"Yes yes yes!!" Midnight obeyed instantly, teleporting in and out. She threw Sunset her jacket, but didn't put her own shirt on yet, due to her large wings blocking it, she just clutched the shirt and sweater on her chest, as she felt a bit dizzy still, legs wobbly.
Sunset put her jacket on in silence, much to her disdain, it did not cover half of the shirt being torn off. "Ugh. Oh well..."
Still hot
Midnight started fidgeting, a bit embarrassed. "So, um, I hope you... I hope you liked that as much as I did...?" It was a question rooted in insecurity.
Sunset sighed, with a smile and a slight chuckle.
"Listen. When I fell in love with Twilight Sparkle, I fell in love with every part of her. And yes, that means two of her, and yes, that means her darker counterpart too. Know that I'm very happy to do what we just did, and that when I say 'I love you, Twilight Sparkle' I am saying that I love you, too."
Midnight's feathers and heart fluttered as a genuine flustered smile appeared in her face, clutching the clothes tighter and containing a squeal.
O-oh my goodness!!
"And well, that said," Sunset approached her, and held her chin. "I love you, Twilight Sparkle."
They kissed, much gentler this time, holding each other close, bathed in the light of the setting sun.
Midnight's wings fizzled out, and Twilight remained, continuing the kiss she started.
Once they let go, they couldn't help but chuckle. "W-wow... you flustered her so bad she switched back...!" Twilight giggled.
......................................I need a minute ok
"Heh, sounds about right. Well, that was fun, but I'm starving. How about you?" Sunset managed to be very casual about it, which was crazy for the nerd.
Twilight clumsily put her clothes back on. "O-oh I could eat a horse! Um, well, not like that...!"
"Pff, sure. But uhh, we can't go out like this. Midnight's gonna have to teleport us to my apartment so i get a change of clothes."
Midnight can't come to the phone right now she's busy squealing.
"Oh she might be out for a little while..." Twilight embarrassedly fidget with her hair.
Sunset sighed, then looked to their side, walking closer to the railing of the rooftop, and, carefully to not expose herself, leaning on it, looking at the sun that set behind distant mountains.
"Well, with a view like this, I'm okay with being a little hungry." She said, purposefully looking at the nerdy girl that shuffled to be in her embrace.
"Me too."
And so, they leaned on each other, watching the night approach in their town and the lovely stars that came with it.
"Heh... Wait till I tell Twilight about this." |
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